by Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island Current August 20, 2025 Do supply problems and state decarbonization goals warrant an end to new natural gas connections on Aquidneck Island?State regulators are asking Newport residents to weigh in at a 6 p.m. meeting Wednesday night at Innovate Newport. The event kicks off an exploratory review over the abstract […]
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Posted inCity & Government
How a ship that glides like a pelican could change travel and defense
By MATT O’BRIEN AP Technology Writer NORTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. (AP) — The winged passenger ferry gliding over the surface of Narragansett Bay could be a new method of coastal transportation or a new kind of warship. Its maker, Regent Craft, is betting on both. Twelve quietly buzzing propellers line the 65-foot (20-meter) wingspan of Paladin, […]
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Morning Notes: Newport Sings offers free choral programs for teens, adults
Good morning, Newport! 👋 Today is Wednesday, Aug. 20, the 232nd day of 2025. There are 133 days left in the year. 🚨 You need to know Newport Sings is launching its fall programming with three distinctive choral opportunities for teens and adults across Aquidneck Island, all beginning the week of Sept. 15. The organization […]
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This Day In Newport History: August 20, 1915 – Miramar mansion inaugurated
On this day in Newport history, Miramar Mansion was inaugurated on August 20th, 1915. Located at 646 Bellevue Avenue, it was intended as a summer home for the George D. Widener family of Philadelphia. George and his son, Harry, Widener lost their lives aboard the RMS Titanic. Eleanor Elkins Widener, George’s widow, who was rescued in a lifeboat […]
Posted inNews, Police & Fire
Update: More details emerge in Newport assistant attorney general arrest case
Since the initial reports of Special Assistant Attorney General Devon Hogan Flanagan’s arrest at The Clarke Cooke House, several new developments have surfaced that provide additional context to the Aug. 14 incident. Arrest details from police records According to the Newport Police Department’s arrest blotter, both Flanagan (identified as Devon F. Hogan, 34, of Warwick) […]
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Police: No foul play in death of man found on Jamestown beach
JAMESTOWN, R.I. — The body found washed ashore near Heads Beach has been identified as a white male between 60 and 70 years old, with no signs of foul play, Jamestown police said Monday. The Jamestown Police Department, working with Rhode Island State Police, provided an update nine days after a swimmer discovered the unidentified […]
Posted inCity & Government
Rhode Island officials warn beachgoers of dangerous surf from Hurricane Erin
Rhode Island officials are urging residents and visitors to exercise extreme caution along the state’s coastline as Hurricane Erin passes offshore, creating dangerous surf conditions and life-threatening rip currents through Friday. Gov. Dan McKee and the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management issued the warning Tuesday as the National Weather Service posted a high surf […]
Posted inCity & Government
State health officials reopen Easton’s Beach for swimming
The Rhode Island Department of Health announced Tuesday that Easton’s Beach in Newport has been cleared for swimming after bacteria levels returned to safe standards. The popular Newport beach was closed to swimmers on Aug. 15 due to elevated bacteria counts but reopened Tuesday after a four-day closure, according to RIDOH officials. The department monitors […]
Posted inNews, Weather
Things to know about dangerous rip currents and how swimmers caught in one can escape
By LEAH WILLINGHAM, CURT ANDERSON and PATRICK WHITTLE Associated Press BOSTON (AP) — Rip currents are one of the coast’s greatest dangers and account for the most beach rescues every year. Hurricane Erin is bringing the potentially deadly currents to the East Coast this week. About 100 people drown from rip currents along U.S. beaches each year, […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Audrain Collection sweeps Pebble Beach Concours with three class wins
The Audrain Collection of Newport claimed first, second and third place finishes in separate classes at the 74th Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance on Sunday, showcasing the museum’s commitment to automotive preservation on one of the world’s most prestigious stages. The collection’s 1929 Rolls-Royce Phantom I Brewster Ascot Phaeton took first place in the Rolls-Royce Phantom […]
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Morning Notes: JPT Film & Event Center brings blockbuster films, live music to close out summer
Good morning, Newport! 👋 Today is Tuesday, Aug. 19, the 231st day of 2025. There are 134 days left in the year. 🚨 You need to know As summer winds down, The JPT Film & Event Center is ramping up with a diverse lineup that spans decades of cinema and showcases live entertainment through early September. The […]
Posted inNews, Sports
Tennis Hall of Fame’s revamped Induction Weekend to feature fan celebrations, celebrities and concert
This year’s International Tennis Hall of Fame (ITHF) Induction Celebration will have a distinctive look and feel from past ceremonies. After the ATP’s decision to offload several 250 tournaments—the Hall of Fame Open among them—ITHF took the opportunity to retool its Induction Weekend, which had occurred on the second to last day of the tournament. […]
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Trevor Rogers helps Orioles beat Red Sox. Gunnar Henderson homers, Samuel Basallo has 2 hits, 2 RBIs
BOSTON (AP) — Trevor Rogers took a shutout into the seventh inning, and Gunnar Henderson had a solo homer and an RBI triple on Monday night to lead the Baltimore Orioles to a 6-3 victory over the Boston Red Sox. Top Orioles prospect Samuel Basallo, who was the No. 8 prospect in all of baseball […]
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20 states and DC sue DOJ to stop immigration requirements on victim funds
By CLAUDIA LAUER and MIKE CATALINI Associated Press A coalition of attorneys general from 20 states and Washington, D.C., is asking a federal judge to stop the U.S. Department of Justice from withholding federal funds earmarked for crime victims if states don’t cooperate with the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement efforts. The lawsuit filed Monday in […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Award-winning violinist Lun Li to perform at Belmont Chapel
Fresh off sold-out concerts in June and August and a recent “Best of Rhode Island 2025” recognition by Rhode Island Monthly Magazine, Puddingstone Music will present award-winning violinist Lun Li in an intimate performance at Belmont Chapel. “A Long Walk Through the Night” is scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 7, from 3 to 5:30 p.m., marking […]
Posted inNews, Nonprofit, Sports
Newport regatta to benefit three marine nonprofits
NEWPORT, R.I. — Three nonprofit organizations focused on sailing and marine safety will benefit from the annual Sail for Hope regatta scheduled for Sept. 27 around Jamestown, organizers announced Monday. The fundraising race will support Warrior Sailing, which teaches wounded veterans sailing skills, the Better Bay Alliance’s boating safety programs, and Sail Newport’s community access initiatives. Warrior […]
Posted inBusiness
Salve Regina names new vice provost for graduate programs
Salve Regina University has appointed Dr. Aaron Lorenz as vice provost of graduate and professional studies, the university announced Monday. Lorenz will lead strategy and planning for graduate programs at the Catholic university, building on Salve’s position as a provider of graduate education. He will report to Provost Dr. Nancy Schreiber and replace Dr. David […]
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Morning Notes: Newport Public Schools to host free back to school bash Sept. 2
Good morning, Newport! 👋 Today is Sunday, Aug. 17, the 229th day of 2025. There are 136 days left in the year. 🚨 You need to know Newport Public Schools will welcome students and families back for the 2025-26 school year with a free community celebration next month. The annual Back to School Bash will […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Newport Irish-American women’s group to celebrate 125th anniversary
The Newport Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians Division 1 will celebrate its 125th anniversary in September with a series of public events highlighting the organization’s community service and Irish heritage. The group, one of the largest and oldest LAOH divisions in the country, is a sisterhood of Irish-American Catholic women with 240 members dedicated to […]
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Morning Notes: Easton’s Beach remains closed for third day due to bacteria
Good morning, Newport! 👋 Today is Sunday, Aug. 17, the 229th day of 2025. There are 136 days left in the year. 🚨 You need to know NEWPORT — Easton’s Beach remains closed to swimmers for a third day Sunday due to elevated bacteria levels, while two other Newport beaches have been cleared for swimming […]
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Today In Newport History: August 17, 1790 – George Washington Arrives In Newport
On the morning of August 17th, 1790 George Washington arrived in Newport. He was accompanied by Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson, Governor George Clinton of New York, U.S. Supreme Court Justice John Blair of Virginia, and U.S. Congressman William Loughton Smith of South Carolina. The following recount of this historic visit is from the Touro […]
Posted inCity & Government
Mount Hope Bridge reopens ahead of schedule after resurfacing
PORTSMOUTH — The Mount Hope Bridge reopened to traffic Saturday evening, more than 33 hours ahead of schedule following completion of a resurfacing project. The first vehicles crossed the span shortly after 7:30 p.m. Saturday, according to the Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority. “Thanks to a great crew and beautiful weather, we were able […]
Posted inNews, Sports
Patriots beat Vikings 20-12 as rookies Henderson and Chism each record another preseason TD
By DAVE CAMPBELL AP Pro Football Writer MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — New England rookies TreVeyon Henderson and Efton Chism III each had another preseason touchdown, and the Patriots beat the Minnesota Vikings 20-12 on Saturday. Henderson, the second-round draft pick from national champion Ohio State who’s been turning heads in training camp and tracking toward a […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Two artists explore ancestry and memory in dual Jamestown Arts Center exhibitions
JAMESTOWN, R.I. — Two solo exhibitions opening Sept. 12 at the Jamestown Arts Center will examine themes of ancestry, cultural memory and perseverance through distinctly different artistic lenses. Pittsburgh-based artist DS Kinsel’s “Bohemian Ossuary” and Providence-based artist Becci Davis’ “Bloodstone + Home” will run through Nov. 8, with an opening reception and artists’ talk scheduled […]
Posted inEnvironment & Health, News
Two Newport beaches reopen as Easton’s Beach remains closed
Two Newport beaches have been cleared for swimming after bacteria levels returned to safe ranges, though Easton’s Beach remains closed due to ongoing water quality concerns. The Rhode Island Department of Health announced Saturday that Spouting Rock Beach Association and Gooseberry Beach have been reopened to swimmers. Both beaches were closed Thursday after testing revealed […]