Teaching moments pop up often, but sometimes they vanish too quickly for us to learn the intended lesson. So it was recently at the supermarket entrance, where a 10-year-old girl stood beside a sign hand-lettered in red crayon, asking for donations so she could pay for dance lessons. With her mother sitting expressionless behind […]
Columns
A look at What’sUpNewp’s latest columns.
Posted inColumns, Environment & Health
Helen Hames: Access to quality care, a shared responsibility
Today, more than 24,00 Rhode Islanders over the age of 65 are living with some form of dementia. That’s one in eight older adults. The BOLD Act, signed into law in 2018, positioned Alzheimer’s disease and dementia as a public health issue, not just a private family struggle. It provided states like Rhode Island with […]
Posted inColumns
Michele Gallagher: Hispanic Heritage Month spotlights Newport’s growing Latino community
¡Celebremos la diversidad y riqueza de la cultura hispana! It’s time to celebrate the diversity and richness of Hispanic culture, right here on Aquidneck Island! Did you know that nearly 12% of the City of Newport’s year-round population identifies as Hispanic or Latino? For the state of Rhode Island, this number is closer to 18%, […]
Posted inColumns
Dr. Michael Fine: What’s crazy about public health and gun violence
Crazy might not be the right word. Heartbreaking or heartrending would be better. But even heartrending isn’t strong enough. In these United States, our rate of gun death is 4.42 deaths per 100,000 population, the sixth highest in the world – but many times the rate in other developed nations. Of developed nations, only Greece, Austria, […]
Posted inColumns
Just My Opinion: Thank you, Christian McBride
“I don’t want to let him or jazz history down,” said Christian McBride just days before he would assume the role of artistic director of the Newport Jazz Festival nearly a decade ago. It’s safe to say that he neither let down the legendary George Wein nor jazz history. Of McBride, Wein had said, “he’s […]
Posted inColumns, Opinion
Gerry Goldstein: A nation where words truly matter
I hate that Charlie Kirk was mercilessly shot down. But I also hate some poisonous ideas he embraced and sought to sow among our nation’s youth. So there, in the words right above, may be “hate speech.” And if Pam Bondi thinks so, it could be enough to get me collared. At least, that’s how […]
Posted inColumns
Coming Home: At 89, Alice Bowman finds purpose in life’s fifth season
In this country, more than one million older adults live in over 30,000 assisted living communities and those numbers continue to grow as our population ages. The options can feel overwhelming. And just like no two people are exactly alike, no two senior living communities are either. Throughout my career helping older adults and families, […]
Posted inColumns
Dr. Michael Fine: What’s crazy about COVID-19 in the fall of 2025
We are in the middle of a COVID uptick. These upticks now happen a few times a year. It will likely be a few more years before COVID-19 infections settle into a more stable pattern, like influenza, so it is worth commenting when an uptick happens, so people know what to expect and how to plan. […]
Posted inBusiness
Michele Gallagher: Newport Chowder Company – From family recipe to coast-to-coast delicacy
In September, we New Englanders watch the leaves start to fall and the temperatures begin to drop. Sweaters and coats come out of storage, and boats start leaving the marinas for their winter havens. And just like that, we’re ready for chowder—Newport style! This weekend, while enjoying the Newport International Boat Show, I’ll be joining […]
Posted inColumns
Gerry Goldstein: Truth, unvarnished as it gets
Our dictatorial president, determined to erase any hint of American history that offends his relentless jingoism, could learn a lot from the day 70 years ago when they buried an affable 14-year-old boy in Chicago. A horrific series of events began when, visiting relatives in Mississippi, he walked into a grocery store to buy bubble […]
Posted inColumns
Dr. Michael Fine: What’s crazy about RFK, Jr. and nutrition
In a recent Wall Street Journal Opinion piece, published just before he fired the CDC Director, our HHS Secretary, Robert Kennedy Jr, argued that physicians should be taught about nutrition. He cited some very nice statistics about how little nutritional education physicians get. Poor diet kills 500,000 people a year, RFK Jr wrote. So, he […]
Posted inBusiness
Helen Hames: Vince Burks on retirement – Don’t sit out the chance to dance an unmistakable path to purpose
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 […]
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% […]
Posted inColumns
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. […]
Posted inColumns
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, […]
Posted inColumns
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, […]
Posted inColumns
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 […]
Posted inColumns
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 […]