Vince Burks of Kingston, RI has a favorite expression drawn from the Lee Ann Womack hit song “I Hope You Dance”: “When you get the chance to sit out or dance, I hope you dance.” He doesn’t recall where he first came across the words, but they resonated so deeply that today the words hang […]
Columns
A look at What’sUpNewp’s latest columns.
Posted inColumns
Michele Gallagher: Behind every women-led enterprise you will find a maven village
We are officially 240 days into the year, with 125 sunrises and sunsets still to go! As summer winds down and students return to school, it’s the perfect time to reflect on progress. Take heart—there are still four months left. This WUN Voices column highlights women business owners in Rhode Island, where women own 43.2% […]
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Tyler Bernadyn: Newport County real estate – A market in transition
The Newport County housing market is entering a transitional phase as we close out the summer. The pace is not uniform, some homes are selling in a matter of days, while others sit on the market for weeks or even months. It’s a reminder that the current market is highly variable and increasingly price-point driven. […]
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Gerry Goldstein: For better or worse, A.I. bronzes Brady
Whenever a new statue is unveiled, you can be sure opinion will divide on whether it hits the mark. And that’s been the case since the Patriots recently introduced their new iteration of legendary Tom Brady, a bronze colossus that with its five-foot base stands 17 feet tall. The image by Massachusetts sculptor Jeff Buccacio, […]
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Helen Hames: Elder Abuse – The silent epidemic
The silently simmering epidemic of elder abuse has drawn together a powerful coalition of organizations determined to turn up the volume–raising awareness and driving action. Earlier this week, representatives from the Senior Agenda Coalition of RI (SACRI), the Rhode Island Coalition for Elder Justice (RICEJ), the Rhode Island State Long-Term Care Ombudsman Office, St. Elizabeth […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Veronica Bruno: Newport gallery report—the breadth of shows at Redwood Library and Athenaeum
There were so many gorgeous shows that opened throughout Newport over the summer. But in this report, we’re focusing on the shows that dazzled each of the gallery spaces at the Redwood Library and Athenaeum, right next to the Newport Art Museum. The breadth of exhibits on display really is a testament to the organization’s […]
Posted inArts & Culture
MÃE Organization for the Homeless serves Rhode Islanders-in-need with basic human services
Native Rhode Islander Tuni Schartner is sometimes referred to as “Rhode Island’s Economic Gardener.” She earned this nickname due to her personal mission of “helping businesses thrive, and to help the Rhode Island economy grow; always focusing on the greater good.” Since graduating from URI, Schartner has held community-driven leadership roles all over Rhode Island, […]
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Tyler Bernadyn: The truth about ‘cash for homes’ buyers and wholesalers
If you own a home in Newport County, chances are you’ve seen the signs, postcards, billboards or commercials: “We Buy Houses for Cash!” “No Fees. No Commissions. No Repairs.” “Sell As-Is, Fast Closing!” On the surface, these pitches can sound like a dream come true especially if you’re facing a challenging life event, a property […]
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Gerry Goldstein: Yearning for the sound of silence
It is 2 a.m., and the household is blissfully and restfully asleep. Suddenly, filtered though the haze of sleep and dreams, comes a familiar and unwelcome whisper: Chirp. Maybe it’s just imagination; wait a few moments. And then: Chirp! When a third chirp follows, all grounds for denial evaporate: These are the dreaded overnight announcements that the […]
Posted inBusiness
Michele Gallagher: Women founders raise their ideas and their voices in Rhode Island
Last week, more than 200 entrepreneurs, investors, and changemakers who make up New England’s innovation economy gathered on a sunny afternoon at OceanCliff Hotel, to network and share real-life stories of progress made – and the persistent challenges faced by female founders across the country, and especially those based in Rhode Island and Southeastern New […]
Posted inColumns, Opinion
Helen Hames: Peter Martin Is winding up a good guy’s life in overtime
I met Peter Martin at his first-floor condo on another humid day in the heart of Newport. It didn’t take long to see that Peter set himself up thoughtfully for this stage in life. At 84, Peter is surrounded by memories–just steps away from the neighborhood where he grew up and the school he once […]
Posted inColumns, Opinion
Dr. Michael Fine: Two kinds of crazy
The first part of this week’s comment is about health, not health care. RIPTA, the organization that runs the buses in Rhode Island, is planning the largest set of route cuts in its history – to save $17.6 million. (There was a public hearing on this in Newport on Tuesday.) These cuts seem like a […]
Posted inArts & Culture
‘Hairspray’ at Theatre by the Sea: A rare musical exception
It’s not often you’ll see a musical and have nothing but good things to say about it. The current production of “Hairspray” at Theatre by the Sea is that rare exception. In the first ten minutes, you’re treated to high-octane production numbers with “Good Morning, Baltimore” and “Nicest Kids in Town,” and you can’t help […]
Posted inColumns
Gerry Goldstein: Rendering unto a modern-day Caesar
As if he has not already demeaned the American presidency, the current incumbent says that to celebrate our nation’s 250th birthday next year he will bring to the White House a mixed martial arts fight. Thoughtful of him to provide us opportunity, on that notable occasion for our fragile democracy, to watch two people batter […]
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Unseen and Unsheltered: The rising crisis of homelessness among Rhode Island’s older adults
It was just before boarding a plane to visit my grandchildren in Kentucky when my phone rang. A young woman found my name through a Google search and hoped I could help her. Her 79-year-old grandmother had recently become homeless. “She’s been sleeping outside for two nights. I can’t have her live here. I’m a […]
Posted inCity & Government
Dr. Michael Fine: What’s crazy about maternity care
Kudos to everyone in Newport who turned out at the city council meeting Tuesday night, and to the city council for passing a resolution asking Brown Health to keep the maternity unit at Newport Hospital open. It’s crazy we are at this point in the US, where we have to worry about providing something as […]
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Dr. Michael Fine: What’s crazy about who is what?
I went to physical therapy on Monday for my messed-up shoulder, and was a little disturbed when the receptionist said, Dr. X will see you now. A part of my brain said, I haven’t come to see a doctor — I’ve come to see a physical therapist. And then the other part of my brain […]
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When words desert us, we ❤️ the alternative
We are long past July’s iconic holiday, the Fourth, but coming up on the 17th is one of lesser reputation that could easily make you 😃. That’s right; we are approaching World Emoji Day, a time to celebrate the little characters and symbols that let us wordlessly communicate our feelings. The media site National Today, which tracks […]
Posted inColumns
Helen Hames: Age potential in the third act – what ageism does to your independence
In her TED Talk “Life’s Third Act,” Jane Fonda describes aging not as a time of decline, but as a “staircase–a time for the upward ascension of the human spirit, bringing us into wisdom, wholeness and authenticity.” And yet, many people fear that aging after 60 means a slow loss of independence. But that fear […]