As the nation prepares to mark the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence this July 4, Secretary of State Gregg Amore and the Rhode Island Semiquincentennial Commission are inviting the public to take part in a year’s worth of events celebrating the state’s unique role in the American Revolution. The calendar […]
News
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Rhode Island House passes Newport rep’s bill to require composting, food sharing in school cafeterias
The Rhode Island House of Representatives has approved a bill sponsored by Newport Rep. Lauren Carson that would require schools to compost or recycle cafeteria food waste and publicly disclose how they’re doing it. The bill (2026-H 7342) would require all school food service contracts to include provisions mandating the composting or recycling of organic […]
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Newport String Quartet to perform Bach, Glass and Schumann at Rough Point and Little Compton
The Newport String Project will present the fourth installment of its Newport County Concert Series on Saturday, May 2, at Rough Point in Newport and Sunday, May 3, at United Congregational Church in Little Compton. Both performances feature the project’s resident ensemble, the Newport String Quartet — violinists Ealaín McMullin and Kenneth Trotter, violist Florrie […]
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Greater Newport Chamber announces winners of 20th annual Excellence in Business Awards
The Greater Newport Chamber of Commerce celebrated its 20th annual Excellence in Business Awards on April 8 at the Wyndham Newport Atlantic Resort, honoring six local businesses across as many categories before a crowd of more than 120 guests. Lee Merrill of Centreville Bank and Dr. Missy Varao of Salve Regina University co-emceed the event, […]
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Jamestown a cappella ensemble Accidental Sisters makes its Newport debut at Channing Memorial Church on May 10
Accidental Sisters, a women’s world music a cappella ensemble based in Jamestown, will make its Newport debut at 4 p.m. Sunday, May 10 at Channing Memorial Church, 135 Pelham St. The concert, titled “About Time,” runs through 5:30 p.m. and is free by donation. Founded in September 2009 and directed by Julie Beth Andrews, the […]
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Newport Little League to host annual fundraiser at O’Brien’s Pub on May 14
Newport Little League will hold its 2026 annual fundraiser from 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday, May 14 at O’Brien’s Pub, 501 Thames St., with tickets priced at $20 and including a drink and light appetizers. The event, which is open to all guests 21 and older, will also feature a raffle and silent auction. O’Brien’s […]
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Newport Restoration Foundation calls for nominations for 20th annual Doris Duke Historic Preservation Awards
The Newport Restoration Foundation is seeking nominations for the 2026 Doris Duke Historic Preservation Awards, marking the 20th anniversary of the joint program between the NRF and the City of Newport. The annual awards recognize exemplary historic preservation projects that carry forward the legacy of Doris Duke and have had a significant impact on the […]
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Rogers High School PTO to host cornhole tournament at Newport Elks Lodge
Rogers High School’s Parent-Teacher Organization will host an amateur cornhole tournament at 1 p.m. Saturday, May 2 at the Elks Lodge, at the corner of Bellevue Avenue and Pelham Street, with a rain date of May 3. The tournament can accommodate 16 teams of two, with spots expected to fill quickly. The winning team will […]
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Salve Regina, Tennis Hall of Fame upgrade historic Casino Theatre with $710,000 in improvements
Salve Regina University and the International Tennis Hall of Fame have completed a series of upgrades to the Casino Theatre, revitalizing the 144-year-old venue with improved sound, lighting and technology systems. The improvements were funded by $650,000 in gifts from the Alletta Morris McBean Charitable Trust and the van Beuren Charitable Foundation, along with $60,000 […]
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Ben & Jerry’s Free Cone Day returns to Newport on April 14
Ben & Jerry’s Free Cone Day returns to Newport on April 14, with the Thames Street location offering free scoops to the public from noon to 8 p.m. The annual tradition, which began in 1979, has grown into a global event spanning more than 35 countries. Last year, Ben & Jerry’s served more than 1 […]
Posted inCity & Government
Crucial vote slated on proposed Chariho school bond
Recent resignations from the Chariho Regional School board may be jeopardizing a potential vote this fall for a bond issue that would lead to the replacement of three aging elementary schools. A critical vote is scheduled for Tuesday (April 14) at which the school committee is being asked to approve language for the bond referendum, […]
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Willson Contreras has 3 RBIs against former team to back Ranger Suárez as Red Sox top Cardinals 7-1
ST. LOUIS (AP) — Willson Contreras drove in three runs against his former team, Ranger Suárez pitched six scoreless innings and the Boston Red Sox set a season high for runs with a 7-1 win over the St. Louis Cardinals on Saturday night. Boston, which broke open the game with a five-run ninth inning, has […]
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More than a building: Inside the next chapter of Newport’s Boys & Girls Clubs
“It’s not about a big building. It’s about what happens inside the building,” said Kelley Coen, newly appointed CEO of the Boys & Girls Club of Newport County. She shared the remark at a recent Greater Newport Chamber of Commerce Women of Distinction event, where Coen was interviewed by Newport Chamber CEO Erin Donovan-Boyle. A […]
Posted inCity & Government
Developer of Massachusetts offshore wind farm sues to stop turbine manufacturer from walking away
By HOLLY RAMER and JENNIFER McDERMOTT Associated Press The developer of a major Massachusetts offshore wind farm is suing its turbine manufacturer seeking to force it to stay with the project. Vineyard Wind filed a lawsuit Wednesday in Massachusetts against GE Renewables. That comes after the parent company for GE Renewables said it would be […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Rhode Island’s indie bookstore passport program returns, sending readers on a statewide literary road trip
Three Rhode Island independent bookstores are relaunching a statewide program that challenges readers to visit every indie bookshop in the state — and rewards those who pull it off. The Rhode Island Independent Bookstore Passport Adventure, first launched in 2019, returns April 18 and runs through April 26. Passports are free and will be distributed […]
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Newport Prevention Coalition and police to host DEA Drug Take Back Day on April 25 at the Salvation Army
The Newport Prevention Coalition and the Newport Police Department will host the DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, April 25, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Salvation Army, 51 Memorial Blvd. A Newport police officer will be on hand to collect tablets, capsules, patches and other solid forms of prescription […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Rhode Island Spirits and Save The Bay launch new gin made with botanicals foraged from Narragansett Bay’s shoreline
Rhode Island Spirits has partnered with Save The Bay to release a new gin made with botanicals foraged directly from the shoreline of Save The Bay’s Providence Bay Center, with a portion of every bottle sold going back to bay conservation. Rhodium Save The Bay Gin is the latest release from Rhode Island Spirits, New […]
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newportFILM to screen ‘Lowland Kids’ at Rogers High School’s new auditorium on April 16, with proceeds benefiting the scholarship fund
newportFILM will present a special screening of “Lowland Kids” on Thursday, April 16, at Rogers High School Auditorium, 15 Wickham Road — marking the organization’s first screening in the school’s newly built auditorium. Presented in partnership with the Rogers High School PTO and the Newport Public Education Foundation, the event will benefit the Rogers High […]
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Coalition rallies at State House, releases new report as fight to secure Newport’s birthing center enters new phase
Nearly a year after the threat of closure first galvanized Aquidneck Island families, advocates for Newport Hospital’s Noreen Stonor Drexel Birthing Center took their fight to the State House on Thursday — this time armed with legislation, a new 53-page white paper and a message that welcoming Brown University Health’s announcement last week was not […]
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Cynthia Nixon to discuss ‘The Gilded Age’ and her career at An Evening with Cynthia Nixon at The Breakers on April 26
Cynthia Nixon, the Emmy, Tony and Grammy award-winning actor known for her roles in HBO’s “The Gilded Age” and “Sex and the City,” will appear in conversation at The Breakers on Sunday, April 26, in an event hosted by the Preservation Society of Newport County. The evening will feature Nixon discussing her portrayal of Ada […]
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Salve Regina University dance program to present ‘Currents’ at the Casino Theatre April 16-18
The dance program at Salve Regina University will bring its spring concert, “Currents,” to the Casino Theatre, 9 Freebody St., for three performances April 16-18. The program is described as a journey through the forces and undercurrents that shape human experience, with faculty and student choreographers exploring themes of resistance, personal freedom and collective empowerment […]
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McKee announces $60M bond proposal for CCRI workforce training center in Warwick
Gov. Dan McKee on Wednesday announced a proposed $60 million general obligation bond to build a Workforce Innovation Center at the Community College of Rhode Island’s Warwick campus, part of a broader $600 million infrastructure bond package included in his fiscal year 2027 budget. The proposed 44,000-square-foot facility would feature industry-standard labs, simulation spaces and […]
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Secretary Amore launches ‘Play Ball for RI250’ initiative at Rumford Little League
Secretary of State Gregg M. Amore and the RI250 Commission on Wednesday officially launched Play Ball for RI250, a statewide initiative linking youth baseball and softball with Rhode Island’s Semiquincentennial commemorations ahead of July 4, 2026. The kickoff event was held at the Kimberly Ann Rock Complex in Rumford and brought together Little League players, […]
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Publisher’s Note: It’s a News Day. Start Local.
Today is Local News Day. More than 1,300 newsrooms across all 50 states are showing up for it. States including Colorado and North Carolina have issued formal proclamations. So have cities and counties from Helena, Mont., to Waltham, Mass. It is, by any measure, a genuine national moment for local journalism — and What’sUpNewp is […]
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Sen. Euer’s bill to protect contraceptive coverage regardless of federal law heard in committee
Legislation that would require Rhode Island health insurers to cover contraceptives at no cost, independent of federal law, was heard in the Senate Health and Human Services Committee Tuesday. The bill, sponsored by Sen. Dawn Euer, who represents Newport and Jamestown, is aimed at preserving contraceptive coverage for Rhode Islanders even if the Affordable Care […]