Opinion

Alliance For A Livable Newport provided the following opinion and letter to What’sUpNewp on July 22nd. BACKGROUND At the Newport Public Schools Building Committee meeting on July 16, estimated costs of an all new High School on Wickham Rd. along with a pre-K through 1st grade early learning center (ELC) and improvements to Thompson and Pell […]

Words are powerful. Actions move mountains! We live on an Island. That certainly doesn’t mean we are isolated or isolating. Star Kids Scholarship Program is one of many island non-profits impacting lives, changing expectations, moving good souls to better outcomes. There are many organizations on our island doing good deeds, hard work, and impacting so […]

To The Editor: A group of concerned Middletown Citizens is forming an ad hoc group to consider the next steps following the Middletown Town Council’s refusal to discuss high school unification.  Our students deserve much more than the status quo, a high school of limited educational opportunities and an uncertain future. If you are interested […]

This story was written by Rep. Deborah Ruggiero (District 74-Jamestown /Middletown). Let’s face it; we all want to “age in place” in our own homes.   As we age and we watch our parents age, walking and climbing stairs can get difficult.  Data shows that home renovations — handrails, chair lifts for stairs or roll-in showers — […]

Written by Rep. Anastasia P. Williams, a Democrat who represents District 9 in Providence. She chairs the House Labor Committee. As a person of color who’s lived in this community a long time, I’ve seen the consequences of our failed drug policies on not only individuals, but whole families and entire neighborhoods. People of color and low-income […]

This Op-Ed/Letter To The Editor was written and submitted by Gordon King, a Newport resident and local realtor. Have an opinion that you want to share with our readers? Email it to Ryan@whatsupnewp.com. One view on the proposed new transfer tax supported by five of seven council members. Please note who they are for the […]

Written and submitted by John Shea. Dear Editor, On Friday, March 15th , the Aquidneck Island Planning Commission (AIPC), in conjunction with Connect Greater Newport and HousingWorks RI, brought the Aquidneck Island communities together in a Smart Island event to address housing issues at CCRI-Newport. This forum, attended by approximately 150 people from all perspectives, […]

Dear Editor – In a phone meeting last week with Marc Pappas, the Director of the RI Emergency Agency, I learned that RIEMA has hired a third-party independent firm to review the emergency response to the gas crisis in Newport last month. They will interview over 200 people who were involved in the response system, they […]

Public deserves answers about cause of gas crisis By Rep. Lauren H. Carson and Sen. Dawn Euer The public has a right to know all of the available information when it comes to their safety. The crisis last week with the gas system on Aquidneck Island is no exception. More than 10,000 of our Newport […]

The “Major Amendment to the State Transportation Improvement Plan” presented by RIDOT to the State Transportation Advisory Committee on January 24th includes 33% cut to the Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) over four years. TAP is the primary source of funding for bicycle and pedestrian projects statewide. According to a press release from the RI Bicycle Coalition: […]

We’ve all heard or read a lot lately about the state of education in Rhode Island. The recent round of RICAS (Rhode Island Comprehensive Assessment System) scores has left parents, educators and policymakers frustrated and pointing fingers — especially when compared to the test results in neighboring states. One way we’re trying to address the […]

On January 16, the Rhode Island House of Representatives had the opportunity to change the way we conduct our business. During a very unusual session, we debated the way bills come to the floor for a vote, the way we conduct our business in the final days of session and the centralization of power and […]

The following is a press release from the Newport County YMCA. As we reflect on this past year, the Newport County YMCA would like to take the opportunity to thank our members, donors and community partners for supporting us all year round. 2018 was a very big year for the Y; providing afterschool care for […]

Dear Newport Parents, Guardians, and Community,As a follow up to our recent community forums the notes from the meetings as well as the district communication process have been posted on https://www.npsri.net/tmsforuminfo/. Any and all disciplinary actions for students involved  in the incident are being addressed and cannot be shared per FERPA (Family Education Rights to Privacy […]

This op-ed was written by Rep. Julie A. Casimiro (D-Dist. 31, North Kingstown, Exeter). I think it would be an understatement to say Rhode Islanders were shocked by the recently released test results from the Rhode Island Comprehensive Assessment System (RICAS).  The results clearly demonstrate that Rhode Island’s public education system is far from satisfactory, let alone anything […]

The City Council plans to vote Wednesday evening, December 12th, on a Resolution to endorse the Spring Project’s plan to close Court House Street to traffic permanently. The plan directs all north- and west-bound traffic from Washington Square, Spring Street and Touro Street onto Spring Street. According to the plan, all traffic to Washington Square […]

“Equity for all students” seems to be the “buzz slogan” for the Thompson Middle School (TMS) Principal, Superintendent and Assistant Superintendent.  What is questionable is the administration’s definition of “equity for all students” considering the present debacle at TMS.   The divide and lack of communication between the administration and the teachers at TMS is […]

Happy Giving Tuesday! This is an important day for the Newport Jazz and Folk Festivals and the Newport Festivals Foundation, because we are sharing our vision for 2019 and beyond with you, our Foundation family. For more than six decades, our events defined the modern day festival paradigm, which is so prevalent today. Yet, we […]

I would like my comments put in the public record: I do not believe the election’s top vote getter should automatically become mayor, a role that is largely ceremonial but critically important in moving the council communications forward. In my time as Vice Chair, I know firsthand the time and communications skills it takes to […]

To the Council Elect and voters of Newport, I want to go on the record that I have always believed in an open and transparent government.  For this reason, I am submitting this statement, as I recognize many in the community do not understand the process of selecting chair & vice-chair. After the election, any […]

The following Letter To The Editor was written by Jamie Bova, Newport City Councilor At-Large. I have always believed “that’s just how it’s been done” is not good justification for a decision, and that belief is reflected by my actions on the city council.  It is why the voters of Newport chose me to represent […]

Thank you District 72 Thank you to everyone that came out to vote.  A special thanks to those who showed up to support my campaign.  It is an honor to have received your support and I pledge to work hard on your behalf in the Rhode Island House of Representatives.    Congratulations to the newly […]