By ALICIA RANCILIO Associated Press With just a single photo released from their wedding day, much of the relationship between John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette remains shrouded in romanticized legend: the courtship between the fashion publicist and the scion of an already much-mythologized family, the private nuptials and, just three years later, their deaths in […]
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Nate Smith named new artistic director of the Newport Jazz Festival
Nate Smith, the drummer, producer and bandleader who won two Grammy Awards earlier this month, has been appointed the new artistic director of the Newport Jazz Festival, the Newport Festivals Foundation announced Wednesday. Smith will serve a three-year term beginning with this year’s festival, set for July 31 through Aug. 2 at Fort Adams State […]
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Middletown library to host talk on Black history of Aquidneck Island ahead of new center’s opening
A new center dedicated to Black history on Aquidneck Island will open on Juneteenth, and Middletown residents can get a preview later this month. Dr. Akeia de Barros Gomes, director of the Edward W. Kane and Martha J. Wallace Center for Black History at the Newport Historical Society, will give a presentation titled “Recovering and […]
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Tennis Hall of Fame: Federer induction ceremony, watch party sell out in 2 minutes
NEWPORT, R.I. (AP) — The International Tennis Hall of Fame said on Wednesday that Roger Federer’s induction ceremony sold out in two minutes — even after the Hall added thousands more tickets for an outdoor watch party. “As a small but historic venue, our capacity is limited,” the Hall posted on social media. The Hall […]
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Rogers High School principal placed on leave following independent investigation
Rogers High School Principal Jared B. Vance has been placed on leave for the remainder of the school year following an independent investigation into the assault of a special needs student, according to a memo released Tuesday by School Committee Chair James Dring. The investigation, conducted by former Rhode Island State Police Col. Steven G. […]
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St. George’s School completes $26 million renovation of historic dormitory in Middletown
St. George’s School has completed a $26 million renovation of its historic Arden-Diman-Eccles Dormitory, transforming the building into a community hub designed to bring boarding and day students together. The project, designed by Philadelphia-based Voith & Mactavish Architects, adds a central addition beneath the dormitory’s iconic clock tower that serves as community space, a day […]
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401Gives returns March 31 with goal of topping $5 million; more than 300 nonprofits already registered
Registration is open for the 2026 edition of 401Gives, Rhode Island’s largest statewide philanthropic initiative in support of local nonprofits, with organizers aiming to surpass $5 million raised this year. More than 300 nonprofits have already signed up to participate in the event, which will kick off on Tuesday, March 31, and run until 6 […]
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URI students seeking public input on sustainable design solutions for Easton’s Pond area
University of Rhode Island landscape architecture students are inviting Middletown residents to share their ideas for sustainable design solutions along Easton’s Pond at a community workshop next week. The workshop will be held Wednesday, Feb. 18, from 6 to 7:45 p.m. at Middletown Town Hall, 350 East Main Road. Food will be served starting at 6 […]
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Rhode Island lands 8 winners in Forbes Travel Guide’s 2026 Star Awards, including new Five-Star for Aurelia at Castle Hill
Eight Rhode Island properties earned recognition in Forbes Travel Guide’s 2026 Star Awards, announced Tuesday, with Aurelia at Castle Hill Inn among just three new Five-Star restaurants in the United States this year. Aurelia, a New England-influenced prix fixe restaurant inside the Gilded Age mansion on Ocean Drive, joins 82 Five-Star restaurants worldwide. The other […]
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Hotel Viking partners with Littleneck Hospitality Group for new restaurant, bar concepts ahead of spring reopening
Hotel Viking announced Tuesday evening that it is partnering with Providence-based Littleneck Hospitality Group to launch new restaurant and bar concepts at the historic hotel ahead of its reopening this spring. Littleneck Hospitality Group is the team behind Pizza Marvin, which opened in 2020, and Club Frills, which opened in 2025. The group is led […]
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Castle Hill Inn to begin welcoming guests again March 5; restaurants targeting Memorial Day reopening
Castle Hill Inn announced Tuesday that it will begin welcoming overnight guests again on March 5, less than a month after a two-alarm fire caused significant damage to the historic Ocean Drive property. The fire, which broke out the evening of Feb. 5, has been deemed accidental and was related to the use of a […]
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Roger Federer to play in on-court celebration during Hall of Fame induction weekend in Newport
Roger Federer will return to the grass courts of the International Tennis Hall of Fame this summer, with the tennis legend set to play in a doubles exhibition during his induction weekend in Newport. The Hall of Fame announced its 2026 Induction Celebration schedule on Tuesday, with three days of programming planned for Aug. 27-29. […]
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Newport Historical Society to debut “Occupied!” exhibition exploring Revolutionary War occupations
The Newport Historical Society will open a new exhibition next week exploring the three military occupations of Newport during the Revolutionary War. “Occupied! Newport and the Fight for Independence” debuts Thursday, Feb. 19, in the Richard I. Burnham Resource Center. The exhibition, which is part of the society’s ongoing programming to commemorate the 250th anniversary […]
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Hegseth touts speed and innovation in tour of Quonset Point facilities
by Christopher Shea and Laura Paton, Rhode Island CurrentFebruary 9, 2026 NORTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. — On his first official visit to Rhode Island Monday morning to celebrate and inspire workers at America’s shipyards and defense manufacturing facilities, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth kept about 250 of them standing around waiting for him. Hegseth was […]
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Puddingstone returns to Belmont Chapel with “From Salon to Tango” performance
Puddingstone Music will return to Belmont Chapel next month with a program that spans centuries of musical tradition, from the refined elegance of 18th century salons to the fiery passion of the modern tango. Harpist Amanda Romano Foreman and flutist Clint Foreman will perform “From Salon to Tango” on Sunday, March 8, at 3 p.m. […]
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Newport Art Museum launches the Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney Society
The Newport Art Museum has launched the Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney Society, a new fund designed to support dynamic and ambitious exhibition programming at the Bellevue Avenue institution. The initiative, first previewed at the opening of the Members’ Show Exhibition, will be shared with the broader museum community at the upcoming Julie Keyes Gallery Pop Up […]
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Bill would update references to ‘elderly’ in state law
Rep. Lauren H. Carson has introduced legislation to update state laws to eliminate outdated terms describing older Rhode Islanders. The legislation would initiate a review of state laws for references to “elders” and “elderly person(s),” to enable the drafting of legislation next year to replace those terms with the phrase “older adults.” The bill, which […]
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Trump ends Obama-era restrictions on commercial fishing in protected area off New England
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Friday reopening a huge swath of protected sea in the Atlantic Ocean to commercial fishing. Trump said the order would reestablish fishing in Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument off the New England coast, a nearly 5,000-square-mile preserve east of Cape Cod that was created […]
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Dr. Michael Fine: What’s crazy about getting into medical school. Part 1.
Ok. We are somewhere between 50,000 and 300,000 doctors short. Probably more, given our current approach to immigration, because 25 percent of all doctors in the US come from other countries – because we don’t send enough of our own students to medical school. Instead, we import our doctors from elsewhere, from places who need […]
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Newport, Middletown, Portsmouth and Tiverton issue parking bans ahead of weekend snow and dangerous cold
The City of Newport has issued a mandatory citywide parking ban for Saturday from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. in anticipation of winter storm conditions, joining Middletown, Portsmouth and Tiverton in restricting on-street parking ahead of this weekend’s snow. Vehicles parked on restricted streets 30 minutes after the ban begins may be towed, according to […]
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Castle Hill Inn fire under investigation; restaurant could reopen ‘in coming months,’ Newport Restaurant Group says
Updated Feb. 6 at 3:25 p.m. The Newport Restaurant Group said Friday afternoon that damage from the overnight fire at Castle Hill Inn was “significant” but expressed confidence that the iconic Ocean Drive property would be restored. “We are in the process of assessing the damage from last night’s fire. While significant, we are confident […]
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Hayley Williams & Friends announced as first act in 2026 Newport Folk Festival lineup
The Newport Folk Festival unveiled the first act in its rolling 2026 lineup Thursday, announcing that Hayley Williams & Friends will perform on the opening day of the three-day event. Williams, the Paramore frontwoman, is set to take the stage Friday, July 24, at Fort Adams State Park, where the iconic festival will celebrate its […]
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Newport City Council to hold public hearing on five-year capital plan at Feb. 11 meeting
The Newport City Council will hold a public hearing on the city’s fiscal year 2027-2031 Capital Improvement Program when it meets Wednesday evening, headlining a packed agenda that includes infrastructure projects, new ordinances and a resolution recognizing Black History Month. The meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at City Hall, 43 Broadway. The capital plan […]
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Rhode Island awards $1.23 million in grants to protect 174 acres of open space
The Town of Tiverton will receive the largest share of $1.23 million in state grants announced Thursday to protect open space across Rhode Island, with a $500,000 award to conserve 49 acres of land overlooking Mount Hope Bay. The grant will fund the acquisition of a conservation easement over the property, known as the Hicks […]
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Underwater drone catches fire on Route 24 in Tiverton; lithium-ion batteries prompt HazMat response
Tiverton fire and police responded Tuesday afternoon to the Route 24 southbound on-ramp from Main Road for a reported vehicle fire that turned out to be a 12-foot underwater drone on a trailer. Crews arrived at approximately 2:53 p.m. and found the drone actively on fire, according to a press release from the Tiverton Fire […]