Newport City Council hosted their second meeting of 2020 on Wednesday, January 22nd. The meeting lasted approximately one hour and forty five minutes. Here’s a video of the entire meeting, we’ll follow up stories and issues as needed. In the meantime, here’s a quick look at how the votes fell; 1.PUBLIC HEARING: Proposed Amendments to […]
City & Government
A look at What’s Up in city and government in Newport, Rhode Island, and beyond.
Under The Dome: Rep. Deborah Ruggiero
With the start of the legislative session, I reached out to the area’s legislative delegation to survey what legislation is important to each of them, the challenges ahead, and their perspective on the upcoming legislative session. Initially, I expected to wrap the answers into a single story. But the responses were so extensive and informative […]
Rep. Ruggiero introduces legislation to expand broadband access
In an effort to advance high-speed internet connectivity across Rhode Island, Rep. Deborah Ruggiero (D-Dist. 74, Jamestown, Middletown) has introduced legislation calling for the creation of state entities to take charge of spreading broadband access, according to a press release sent by the Rhode Island General Assembly on Tuesday. Legislation she has introduced calls for […]
When ‘faraway’ news lands at your front door: Newport’s gas crisis remembered, one year later
A YEAR AGO TODAY, Jan. 21, 2019, on the coldest day of the winter, natural gas was cut to thousands of people in Newport and Middletown. It was a crisis for lots of businesses, and many residents were forced from their homes, some not returning until service was restored a number of days later. For […]
One Year Later: Gas Crisis – ‘A perfect storm of errors’
A year after more than 7,000 gas customers on Aquidneck Island were left without heat on a day that saw temperatures drop to 2 degrees, legislators are resolute to find solutions that will assure there will be no repeat of the outage that lasted several days. Even though some corrective steps were taken, some legislators […]
Governor Raimondo celebrates Dr. King’s Legacy, announces new Criminal Justice Reforms
In her annual address at the Minister’s Alliance Martin Luther King Jr. Scholarship Breakfast, Governor Raimondo today announced new criminal justice reforms. Through a series of proposals in her FY21 budget and administrative actions, the Governor plans to implement recommendations from her Criminal & Juvenile Justice Working Group. “Every citizen deserves to know that their […]
Town of Middletown to host Atlantic Beach Overlay Zoning District workshop on Wednesday
The Town of Middletown has announced that the Middletown Planning Board will host a public workshop meeting on Wednesday, January 22nd, at 6 pm in the Town Council Chambers to review and accept public comment on the latest draft documents for the proposed Atlantic Beach Overlay Zoning District. Draft documents and other updates can be […]
Agenda for Newport Historic District Commission meeting (Jan. 21)
The City of Newport’s Historic District Commission will host a meeting in the Council Chambers at Newport City Hall on Tuesday, January 21st at 6:30 pm. Here’s what’s on the agenda; The Historic District Commission is responsible for overseeing development within the City’s Historic District. Current Agenda ItemsMeeting Agenda, Tuesday, January 21, 2020, 6:30 p.m. (Pre-meeting at 6:15 p.m.) Second […]
Under The Dome: Senator Lou DiPalma
With the start of the legislative session, I reached out to the area’s legislative delegation to survey what legislation is important to each of them, the challenges ahead, and their perspective on the upcoming legislative session. Initially, I expected to wrap the answers into a single story. But the responses were so extensive and informative […]
City of Newport: North End Urban Plan process kicks off next week
The effort to draft a long-term vision that promises to guide future development in the City’s North End is due to get underway next week. Representatives from the City’s consultants, NBBJ, will be hosting a series of meetings beginning Tuesday, Jan. 21st to collect initial input from community members and City staff, officially kicking off an […]
Legislative News – January 17: Senate confirmation of education commissioners; medical marijuana bill
Ruggerio bill provides for Senate confirmation of education commissioners STATE HOUSE — President of the Senate Dominick J. Ruggerio has introduced legislation to require appointments to the offices of Elementary & Secondary Education Commissioner and Postsecondary Education Commissioner to be subject to the advice and consent of the Senate, just as other high-level state government […]
Governor Raimondo sets goal for 100% Renewable Electricity by 2030
Governor Gina M. Raimondo today signed an executive order committing Rhode Island to be powered by 100 percent renewable electricity by the end of the decade. Her executive order directs the state’s Office of Energy Resources to conduct an economic and energy market analysis and develop actionable policies and programs to reach this bold, but […]
Legislative News – Jan. 16: Speaker Mattiello issues statement on governor’s budget proposal
The latest news/press releases from the Rhode Island General Assembly. Speaker Mattiello issues statement on governor’s budget proposal House Speaker Nicholas A. Mattiello issued the following statement today regarding Gov. Gina M. Raimondo’s budget proposal, received by the House of Representatives today: “Yet again, the Governor has presented us a budget lacking many details. I […]
Agenda for Newport City Council Meeting on January 22
Newport City Council will host their next regular Council Meeting on Wednesday, January 22nd at 6:30 pm in the Council Chambers at Newport City Hall. The meeting is open to the public. Here’s a look at what’s on the agenda; CITY OF NEWPORTDOCKET OF THE COUNCIL MEETINGJANUARY 22, 2020 THE MEETING WILL BE HELD IN […]
City of Newport announces opening of Warming Centers
Warming Centers will be open across the City of Newport over the coming days as the National Weather Service is forecasting a sudden drop in temperatures beginning Thursday, Jan. 16th, the City of Newport announced today. The City says each of the City’s five designated warming centers will be open for all those who need to […]
War-Gaming 101: U.S. Naval War College Holds War Game Fundamentals Course
The following story was written by Jeanette Steele, U.S. Naval War College Public Affairs. This story originally appeared here. For the sixth year, the U.S. Naval War College is holding a war game fundamentals course to teach the war-gaming skills that the college uses to help decision-makers shape the future Navy. War-gaming is a time-honored […]
Developmental Disability News: RI DD Legislative Commission seeks to change payment methods For DD Service Providers
Editor’s Note & Intro: Beginning today, What’s Up Newp and What’s Up Rhode Island will be sharing and linking to content provided by Developmental Disability News. According to their website, “Developmental Disability News covers the long-term impact of a landmark 2014 Consent Decree between the U.S. Department of Justice and the State of Rhode Island, as […]
Developmental Disability News: RI Governor proposes privatizing state-run group homes in fiscal 2021
Governor Gina Raimondo plans to privatize the state-run group home system in the next budget, cutting 204 fulltime positions from the state payroll during the 2021 fiscal year, which begins July 1. The privatization is one of many cost-cutting moves Raimondo has proposed to address an overall $200 million structural deficit in a $10.2 billion […]
Legislative News – Jan. 15: Expungement open house; Illegal possession of guns; Martin Luther King Jr. Commission’s annual celebration
The latest news from the Rhode Island General Assembly; Euer encourages participation in expungement open house STATE HOUSE – Sen. Dawn Euer is encouraging her constituents to attend a local event she helped arrange with Attorney General Peter R. Neronha to assist those who may qualify to have criminal records expunged. The Expungement Open House, scheduled […]
Video: Newport City Council Workshop on communication, best practices and planning for 2020
Newport City Council hosted an approximately ninety-minute workshop on Wednesday, January 15th. On the agenda for the evening were internal Council communication, external communication and announcement/press releases; boards & commissions interview process, Council liaison positions and reports, Strategic Plan timeline, and talk on what should be on the agenda for the upcoming workshop with the […]
Guest View: Senator Euer – Opportunity to find out whether you might qualify for expungement
A criminal history – even for a minor offense – can haunt a person for the rest of their life. It can result in that person being denied jobs, housing and volunteer positions at their church or their child’s school, regardless of the nature of the crime, the decades that have passed or the extent […]
Senator Euer encourages participation in expungement open house
Sen. Dawn Euer is encouraging her constituents to attend a local event she helped arrange with Attorney General Peter R. Neronha to assist those who may qualify to have criminal records expunged. The Expungement Open House, scheduled Wednesday, Jan. 22, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Community College of Rhode Island Newport Campus, 1 […]
Gov. Raimondo’s State of the State promises numerous initiatives, from education reform to a hike in minimum wage
Gov. Gina Raimondo promised robust programs to improve transportation, education, housing, the environment, increasing the minimum wage, while offering tax cuts and no solution to the state’s $200 million deficit, in her State of the State Address to both houses of the General Assembly tonight. The address, a vision of what could be, will now […]
Full text of Governor Raimondo’s State of the State Address
Governor Gina M. Raimondo will deliver her annual State of the State address tonight at 7:00 p.m. Her speech will highlight the progress Rhode Island has made throughout the past five years and outline a long-term vision for the future of the state. Governor Raimondo’s office has provided the following transcript of her speech prior […]
Preview: Excerpts from Governor Raimondo’s 2020 State of the State Address
Governor Gina M. Raimondo will deliver her annual State of the State address tonight at 7:00 p.m. Her speech will highlight the progress Rhode Island has made throughout the past five years and outline a long-term vision for the future of the state. Governor Raimondo’s office has provided the following excerpts of her speech prior […]
