The Newport Democratic City Committee (NDCC) recently announced a pair of presentations on housing in Newport. According to Susan Taylor, Chair of NCC, the presentations come “with the idea of moving the community’s discussion forward on North End development, viewed through the lens of our housing crisis”. “We really hope the public will come away […]
City & Government
A look at What’s Up in city and government in Newport, Rhode Island, and beyond.
Posted inCity & Government, News
Two Aquidneck Island State Senators facing primary elections
Aquidneck Island State Senators Lou DiPalma and Dawn Euer will be among perhaps dozens of Democratic state legislators facing primary election battles next September, some targeted by a progressive group led by former Secretary of State Matt Brown, who announced this week that he’s running for governor. Euer was first elected to the District 13 […]
Posted inCity & Government, News
Senator DiPalma named as vice-chair of Council of State Governments East Transportation Policy Committee
Sen. Louis P. DiPalma has been named as the vice-chairman of the Council of State Governments (CSG) East Transportation Policy Committee. Senator DiPalma’s term will last through 2022. “Transportation, infrastructure, sustainability and resiliency are passionate interests of mine for the simple fact that without an adequate and quality transportation infrastructure, our society will not function […]
Posted inCity & Government, News
City of Newport issues call for submissions, survey for ARPA Fund ideas
The City of Newport is asking residents, business owners, and non-profits to weigh in on how the City should use roughly $7.2 million in federal funding due to be received through the American Rescue Plan Act. Non-profits are being asked to submit any and all suggestions for how they could benefit from additional civic support […]
Posted inCity & Government, COVID-19
Vaccinate the Ocean State: Mini-grants available to nonprofits, organizations to support vaccine promotion
Governor Dan McKee and the Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) today announced an additional round of Vaccinate the Ocean State COVID-19 Mini-Grants are available to community-based organizations and faith-based communities looking to do COVID-19 vaccine promotion. The grants will also support work to get community members access to COVID-19 testing, masks, and expanded COVID-19 […]
Posted inCity & Government, News
Legislation signed that makes civics education proficiency a requirement for all public high school graduates
Yesterday, Governor Dan McKee was joined by Senator Hanna Gallo and Representative Brian Newberry to ceremonially sign into law legislation (2021-S 0076Aaa, 2021-H 5028Aaa) which makes civics education proficiency a requirement for all public high school graduates. The bill signing took place at Daniel D. Waterman Elementary School in Cranston. “Strengthening civics education in our schools is crucial to creating […]
Posted inCity & Government, News
Rep. Ruggiero to lead CRMC study commission
Rep. Deborah Ruggiero has been elected chairwoman of the newly organized House commission to study the Coastal Resources Management Council. Created by legislation (2021-H 6252) sponsored by Representative Ruggiero (D-Dist. 74, Jamestown, Middletown), the 15-member commission is to comprehensively study and provide recommendations for the reorganization of the CRMC and issue its findings and recommendations by […]
Posted inCity & Government, News
City of Newport to kick off American Rescue Plan fund engagement process
With the City of Newport expected to receive over $7 million in dedicated federal funding from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), City officials announced today via a press release that they will be kicking off a public engagement process next week to solicit ideas from individuals and non-profits to determine how best to utilize these dedicated one-time […]
Posted inCity & Government
Governor McKee will be in Middletown on Wednesday to sign legislation that will protect families with parents who have disabilities
Governor Dan McKee will host a bill signing ceremony at Middletown Town Hall at 10 am on Wednesday for legislation that would preclude the disability of a parent from serving as a basis for denial or restriction in matters involving a child’s welfare, foster care, family law, guardianship and adoption. Joining Governor McKee will be […]
Posted inCity & Government, News
Agenda for Newport City Council’s September 8 meeting is here
The following items of business will go before Newport City Council at their next meeting in the Council Chambers of Newport City Hall on Wednesday, September 8 at 6:30 pm. For those who can’t make it to City Hall, you can watch the meeting live, or anytime afterward, here. CITY OF NEWPORT DOCKET FOR A […]
Posted inCity & Government, News
Downtown stormwater improvement project set to begin
The City of Newport today announced that its Department of Utilities is set to begin work on a critical downtown stormwater infrastructure project next week. The work, which is scheduled to get underway Monday, Aug. 30th, is the second phase of the Marsh Street Storm Drain Improvement Plan and is expected to rehabilitate roughly 1,270 […]
Posted inCity & Government, News, Sports
Newport Recreation sets to new pickleball court hours to better manage demand, neighborhood impacts
As the popularity of Pickleball continues to grow, the City of Newport today announced that Newport Recreation is putting into place new court hours in order to better manage demand and mitigate the neighborhood impacts of what has become one of the City’s most popular sports. Beginning Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2021, City Pickleball courts will […]
Posted inCity & Government, News
Shoreline access commission to hold its first meeting on Thursday
A new special legislative committee that will study the issue of public access to the shoreline will hold its first meeting Thursday. The Special Legislative Commission to Study and Provide Recommendations on the Issues Relating to Lateral Access Along the Rhode Island Shoreline will meeting Thursday, Aug. 26, at 2 p.m. in Room 35 on the basement […]
Posted inCity & Government
President Biden approves Rhode Island Emergency Declaration
On Friday, President Joseph Biden, Jr. declared that an emergency exists in the State of Rhode Island and ordered Federal assistance to supplement State, tribal, and local response efforts due to the emergency conditions resulting from Hurricane Henri beginning on August 20, 2021, and continuing. According to a statement from the White House Briefing Room, […]
Posted inCity & Government, COVID-19
Masks will be required inside public school buildings to start the 2021-2022 school year
Governor Dan McKee, joined by Department of Health Director Nicole Alexander-Scott, MD, MPH., and Department of Education Commissioner Angélica Infante-Green, on Thursday announced that all students, teachers, school staff and visitors will be required to wear face masks inside public school buildings at the start of the 2021-2022 school year. Ensuring that students can safely […]
Posted inCity & Government
Newport’s Transportation Planners want your input
With the summer traffic season still in full swing, the City of Newport today announced via a press release that it is looking for community input to help guide its first comprehensive Transportation Master Plan. Throughout the summer, City Planning staff and volunteers have been busy gathering public input and analyzing data aimed at making […]
Posted inCity & Government, COVID-19
State officials announce a full schedule of back-to-school COVID-19 vaccine clinics
Governor Dan McKee, the Rhode Island Department of Health, the Rhode Island Department of Education, and community partners today announced that they have coordinated more than 100 back-to-school and community-based COVID-19 clinics between early August and mid-September. With the rise in the Delta variant of COVID-19, which is found to be several times as transmissible as […]
Posted inCity & Government
RIPTA thanks Episcopal Diocese, praises community partners on beach shuttle pilot program
Officials from the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA) were in Newport yesterday to thank the community groups that were instrumental in advocating for the free beach shuttle pilot program that launched this summer. Scott Avedisian, RIPTA’s Chief Executive Officer, said that he wanted to especially thank the Episcopal Diocese of Rhode Island which recently […]
Posted inCity & Government, Health & Fitness, News
RIDOH launches new Drug Overdose Surveillance Data Hub
With drug overdose deaths increasing both nationally and in Rhode Island, the Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) announced today that it has launched a new Rhode Island Drug Overdose Surveillance Data Hub to increase access to information about the overdose epidemic. The Rhode Island Drug Overdose Data Hub was formally released this week during a meeting of Governor Dan […]
Posted inCity & Government
RIDOH recommends re-opening Hazard’s Beach for swimming (Updated)
Update: August 13 The Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) recommends re-opening Hazard’s Beach in Newport for swimming because bacteria counts have returned to safe levels. RIDOH officials will continue to monitor and review beach water quality through Labor Day. The status of a beach may change as new data become available. The most up-to-date […]
Posted inCity & Government
Commission appointed to study CRMC reorganization
House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi today announced the members appointed to serve on a special House commission to study the Coastal Resources Management Council. Created by legislation (2021-H 6252) sponsored by Rep. Deborah Ruggiero (D-Dist. 74, Jamestown, Middletown) and approved by the House of Representatives on June 29, the 15-member commission is to comprehensively study and […]
Posted inCity & Government, News
Shoreline access study commission appointed
House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi today announced the appointment of the members of a special legislative committee that will study the issue of public access to the shoreline under legislation sponsored by Rep. Terri Cortvriend and passed by the House in June. Under the resolution (2021-H 5469A) that created it, a press release from the […]
Posted inCity & Government, News
Groundbreaking ceremony to be held for Pell Elementary School expansion on August 12
On Thursday, August 12 at 10:00 am, Newport Public Schools, joined by city and state officials, students, teachers, and families will celebrate the expansion of Pell Elementary School at a construction groundbreaking ceremony. Scheduled to attend the event are General Treasurer Seth Magaziner, Mayor Jeanne-Marie Napolitano, Newport School Committee Chair Raymond Gomes, Superientant Colleen Burns […]
Posted inCity & Government
Governor McKee signs five bills into law that support women’s health and equity
Governor Dan McKee today ceremonially signed five bills into law that support women’s health and equity, according to his office. The first bill (2021-S 0270A, 2021 H 5261A) will ensure pay equity for all employees, regardless of gender or ethnicity. The second bill (2021-S 0003A, 2021-H 5763) will ban health insurers from using gender rating, a discriminatory practice of […]
Posted inCity & Government
Governor McKee signs Rhode Island African Heritage and History Curriculum Bill
Governor Dan McKee, joined by Representative Anastasia Williams, Senator Tiara Mack, Executive Director of the Providence Preservation Society Brent Runyon, and Managing Director of the Rhode Island Black Heritage Society Theresa Guzman Stokes, today ceremonially signed into law legislation (2021-H 5697aa / 2021-S 0458A) that requires public K-12 institutions to teach a comprehensive African history and heritage curriculum […]