The City of Newport is warning residents and businesses of a sophisticated scam targeting individuals with pending or current applications before the city. The scam involves fraudulent emails containing fake invoices requesting payment for permit review or Planning Commission application fees. The emails use official city branding and direct recipients to send wire transfers to […]
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Portsmouth historian to lead lecture series marking 250th anniversary of American Revolution
Local historian Fred Zilian, Ph.D., will lead a series of lectures across Rhode Island this spring and summer marking the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution, with a particular focus on the state’s role in the conflict. Zilian, founder of Pegasus Enrichment Services in Newport, will kick off the series March 21 with “Caty and […]
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Drivers urged to use caution near Jamestown Verrazzano Bridge work zone beginning March 17
The Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority will begin work “on a small bridge” on the westbound side of the Jamestown Verrazzano Bridge on Monday, March 17, with alternating lane closures in effect from 5 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily. Drivers are urged to slow down and pay attention through the work zone.
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Rhode Island Senate passes Jamestown senior property tax relief bill
The Rhode Island Senate has approved legislation that would expand property tax relief for senior residents of Jamestown, sending the bill to Gov. Daniel McKee for consideration. The bill, sponsored by Sen. Dawn Euer (D-Dist. 13, Newport, Jamestown), extends Jamestown’s existing sliding-scale property tax exemption program for seniors to include those with incomes between 220% […]
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MLK Community Center to open food pantry in Newport’s North End this spring
The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center plans to open a satellite food pantry in Newport’s North End later this spring, bringing hunger relief services closer to residents who have faced transportation barriers accessing the organization’s downtown location. The new pantry will be located at 120 Hillside Ave. near Miantonomi Park. Once open, the […]
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Newport City Council sends stern message to McKee: No cruise ship fee hike
by Christopher Shea, Rhode Island CurrentMarch 10, 2026 Newport city officials say Gov. Dan McKee never consulted them in crafting his plan to raise fees on visiting cruise ships, a move they say could put the city by the sea at a serious disadvantage compared to other regional ports competing for tourism dollars. That’s why […]
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Norman Bird Sanctuary kicks off spring with lineup of hikes, lectures, and family events
The Norman Bird Sanctuary is welcoming spring with a series of events designed to connect the community with the natural world, from geology hikes and stargazing to wildlife encounters and family open houses. The season kicks off Thursday, March 19, with a Golden Hour Geology Hike from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m., exploring the ancient rock […]
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IYRS launches new runabout restoration course in Newport
IYRS School of Technology & Trades has announced the launch of a new Runabout Restoration Course, a 9-month hands-on program designed for experienced boatbuilders, classic runabout enthusiasts and those looking to break into the boatbuilding trade. The pilot course offers students the opportunity to work through the full restoration process of a classic mahogany Chris-Craft, […]
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Charter Books to host NYT bestselling author Julian Sancton for book talk March 29
Charter Books and the Newport Historical Society will host New York Times bestselling author Julian Sancton for a discussion of his newly released book, “Neptune’s Fortune: The Billion-Dollar Shipwreck and the Ghosts of the Spanish Empire,” on Sunday, March 29, from 5 to 6 p.m. The event at Charter Books, 8 Broadway, is free and […]
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Rhode Island Foundation offering $270,000 in grants to Newport County nonprofits
Nonprofit organizations serving Newport County residents have until March 26 to apply for more than $270,000 in grants from the Rhode Island Foundation. The Newport County Fund offers grants of up to $10,000 to develop new programs, strengthen or expand established programs and support municipal planning or leadership. Applicants should focus on significant problems or […]
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Newport’s St. Patrick’s Day parade marks 70th anniversary Saturday
Newport’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade celebrates its 70th anniversary Saturday, March 14, with thousands expected to line the streets of downtown for the annual tradition. The parade steps off promptly at 11 a.m. in front of City Hall, rain, snow or shine, winding through Washington Square, down America’s Cup Avenue and Thames Street before finishing […]
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RIPTA launches on-demand transit service in Newport, Middletown
Residents of Newport and Middletown now have a new way to get around without a car. The Rhode Island Public Transit Authority launched its Flex On Demand microtransit service Monday in five communities across the state, including a new zone covering Newport and Middletown. The service allows riders to book on-demand, curb-to-curb trips for $2 […]
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This Day in RI History: March 9 – Jeffrey Osborne is born
Born in Providence, Jeffrey Osborne is a Grammy-nominated singer, songwriter and musician who hails from a legendary RI musical family. Osborne began his career in 1970 as lead vocalist for L.T.D., a popular R&B band founded in the early 1970’s. He later began a solo career, where he was nominated for several Grammy Awards. Osborne […]
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Sweet Berry Farm’s new owners seek planning board approval for major development
Less than a year after Sweet Berry Farm quietly changed hands following 45 years under the same family, the property’s new owners are seeking approval for a major land development project that would transform the 51-acre Mitchell’s Lane farm with a new 13,862-square-foot complex — including a relocated farmstand, café and a barn designed to […]
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In search of affordability: How Rhode Island ranks for cost of living
If there’s one issue that every single American is dealing with these days, it’s that costs are going up. Food, shelter, energy — the bills just keep getting bigger, and the affordability of daily life is being strained. But here’s some surprising math you might not be aware of: Affordability can be extremely different depending […]
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‘Wicked’ at PPAC is spellbinding, start to finish
When I interviewed Jessie Davidson last month, I asked her if the two “Wicked” movies helped or hindered the stage version of the show, in which she’s playing Elphaba. “The movie brought ‘Wicked’ to so many.” She said she meets young people at the stage door after performances who say seeing “Wicked” live was their […]
Posted inCity & Government
Newport City Council to hold special meeting on residential parking permit changes
The Newport City Council will hold a special meeting Thursday, March 12, at 7 p.m. at City Hall to take up on second reading a proposal that would significantly overhaul the city’s residential parking permit program. The special session follows a first reading scheduled for the regularly scheduled City Council meeting Wednesday, March 11. If […]
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URI Watershed Watch seeks volunteers to monitor Rhode Island’s ponds, streams, and coasts
The University of Rhode Island’s Watershed Watch program is seeking volunteer water quality monitors to help collect data on lakes, ponds, streams, and coastal waters across southern New England this spring. A URI Cooperative Extension program, Watershed Watch has tracked water quality data for four decades, with volunteers helping researchers understand how snowy winters, stormwater […]
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Choreographing consent: Meet Rhode Island’s intimacy director
Valerie Remillard is an Intimacy Director. What’s that, you ask. Read on… Just prior to the pandemic, she directed a production of “Almost, Maine” at the Community Players in Pawtucket. The show is actually nine short plays stapled together, exploring love and loss in a mythical Maine town called Almost. “There is intimacy in every […]
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For survivors, Rhode Island clergy abuse report brings vindication and renewed demands
By LEAH WILLINGHAM and KIMBERLEE KRUESI Associated Press PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — The sound of the school nurse’s office door opening. Light reflecting off a stained-glass window. Tearful outbursts and fear of getting on the school bus. For many survivors of clergy abuse, memories like these linger for decades. A report released this week by […]
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Newport City Council to meet March 11
The Newport City Council will hold its regular meeting at 6:30 p.m. March 11 at City Hall, 43 Broadway. The meeting will open with a proclamation celebrating Irish Heritage Month. Among the items on the consent calendar, the council will consider approval of an Easter Extravaganza event at Newport Skatepark on April 4 and a […]
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Newport Contemporary Ballet brings two productions to Barrington this month
Newport Contemporary Ballet is heading to the Keats Theatre this month with two productions: a world premiere contemporary ballet program and a returning family favorite. The company presents Polygon March 13-15 and Are The Crayons Quitting? March 14-15. Polygon features world premiere works by three choreographers — DaYoung Jung, rehearsal director of Oklahoma City Ballet; […]
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Audrain Motorsport to expand Veteran Car Tour into full weekend event in May
Audrain Motorsport is expanding its Veteran Car Tour into a full weekend event this spring, bringing rare brass-era automobiles to the streets of Newport and Bristol in what organizers are calling one of the most significant gatherings of early American automobiles in the country. The event is scheduled for May 16-18, with opening activities beginning […]
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Newport man arrested on illegal weapons charges after threatening social media posts
Rhode Island State Police arrested a Newport man Thursday on multiple illegal weapons charges after he allegedly made threats of violence on social media, authorities said. Alexander Bestoso, 27, of 3 Morgan St., was taken into custody after state police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms executed a search warrant at his home […]
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People love to hate changing clocks twice a year, but can’t agree how to fix it
By GEOFF MULVIHILL Associated Press Clocks will skip ahead an hour at 2 a.m. Sunday for daylight saving time in most of the U.S., creating a 23-hour day that throws off sleep schedules, plunges early-morning dog walks into darkness and inspires millions of complaints. Even though polls show most people dislike the system that has […]