City & Government

“It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it” – Warren Buffett Nearly a year ago, voters in Westerly, RI approved a charter revision that established a local ethics commission. The Town Council was mandated to create that commission, but in the months since have debated the merits of the […]

On Saturday, July 28th, Governor Gina Raimondo and Newport Festivals Foundation Chairman George Wein announced that the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) and the Newport Festivals Foundation (NFF) had reached a license agreement that will keep the Newport Jazz and Folk Festivals in Newport for 25 – 40 more years. On July 17, […]

Rep. Dennis M. Canario (D-Dist. 71, Portsmouth, Little Compton, Tiverton) is warning ratepayers and the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) that National Grid’s recent 19 percent rate increase request for the coming winter months will result in a “troublesome domino effect” that will fall on the backs of Rhode Island’s residents. “A 19 percent rate increase […]

Newport City Council will host their next regularly scheduled council meeting on Wednesday, July 25th. Among the topics that will be discussed is the sale of the Armory building on lower Thames Street. See The Agenda Here The public is invited to attend. The docket, along with all supporting documents, can also be viewed on the […]

Reads : The Campaign for 3rd Grade Reading  — led by United Way of Rhode Island and Rhode Island KIDS COUNT — teamed up with Rhode Island Association for the Education of Young Children to arrange for community leaders to read at early learning programs across the state. In all , twenty-five members of the […]

The paid parking season in Newport won’t be extended by two months, hours of parking meters operating won’t be extended for three hours, and rates won’t be changing…at least for now. At Wednesday night’s Newport City Council meeting, Newport City Council was expected to receive four communications from the City Manager that had to do with […]

Rhode Island General Assembly’s Legislative Press and Public Information Bureau announced via press releases on Friday that three pieces of legislation with local ties sshave been signed into law by Governor Gina Raimondo. New law requires state to notify businesses of impending road construction, provide assistance The Department of Transportation will coordinate with the Rhode […]

Representative Lauren Carson (D-Dist. 75, Newport) has announced that she will hold a constituent meeting Wednesday, July 11, at 6 pm at the Newport Public Library, 300 Spring St., Newport. Rep. Lauren H. Carson (D-Dist. 75, Newport) The meeting is an open-ended conversation with constituents, with a focus on the recently concluded legislative session. All House […]

Two pieces of legislation sponsored by Rep. Deborah Ruggiero (D-Dist. 74, Jamestown, Middletown) were signed into law by Governor Gina M. Raimondo last week. Rep. Deborah Ruggiero (D-Dist. 74, Jamestown, Middletown) The first bill (2018-H 7080A) authorizes a city or town clerk/recorder of deeds, if they so choose, to accept electronic documents for recording real […]

Election 2018 in Rhode Island promises to be as competitive as any in recent history, from the State House to city and town halls. Voters will be challenged to learn about a plethora of candidates, and candidates will be challenged to get their message in front of voters. As with many elections, campaign finances will […]

Newport resident Peter Harty has confirmed with What’sUpNewp that he has submitted his declaration of candidacy with Newport City Hall and will run for the 3rd Ward seat on Newport City Council. “My interest in serving on the Newport City Council is to address issues of community and economic development such as housing affordability, gentrification […]

Susan Taylor has confirmed with What’sUpNewp that she will not seek re-election for the Ward 1 seat on Newport City Council. Instead, she will seek election on the council for an At-Large seat. “The retirement of our mayor leaves a gaping hole and I’d like to see new people stepping up to serve the City,” Taylor […]

Angela McCalla announced today in a press release that she is running for Newport City Council, representing Ward 1. The Ward 1 seat is currently held by City Councilor Susan Taylor. Susan Taylor told What’sUpNewp on Sunday that she would “let you (us) know as soon as I have decided” regarding re-election. Another candidate, James Dring, […]

Representative Lauren Carson (D – District 75, Newport) announced via press release on Tuesday that she ins seeking re-election to a third term for House District 75 Representative. Representative Carson provided the following press release to What’sUpNewp; House Representative Lauren Carson Announces Re-Election Campaign Continuing to Put Newport First Representative Lauren H, Carson has declared […]

This story has been updated to reflect that Jeanne-Marie Napolitano’s confirmation that she will seek reflection. Beginning today candidates for statewide and local office will begin filing their declarations of candidacy, a process that runs through Wednesday (June 27) for local candidates and Thursday for federal and statewide general officeholders. It is the first major step […]

Beginning tomorrow (Monday, June 25) candidates for statewide and local office will begin filing their declarations of candidacy, a process that runs through Wednesday (June 27) for local candidates and Thursday for federal and statewide general officeholders.. It is the first major step in a process that will culminate in the General Election on November […]

Lawmakers today passed and sent to the governor legislation to lighten the regulatory burden on operators of food trucks The State Mobile Food Establishment Registration Act (2018-S 2502B, 2018-H 7790A) introduced by Sen. Dawn Euer and House Speaker Pro Tempore Brian Patrick Kennedy on behalf of the Department of Administration, would standardize the business registration process for […]

STATE HOUSE – The Department of Transportation will need to coordinate with the Rhode Island Commerce Corporation to help small businesses that will be affected by RhodeWorks construction projects under a bill sponsored by Rep. Lauren H. Carson and Sen. Dawn Euer that cleared the General Assembly yesterday. The legislation (2018-H 7104, 2018-S 2086), which now […]

The Senate voted to approve the state budget last night, which means the $250M school construction bond is set to become Question 1 on the November ballot, once the Governor signs the budget. She is expected to do so on Friday. Last night, the Senate unanimously approved their companion bill to Article 9 of the state budget, which includes incentives […]

At a Special meeting of the Newport Democratic City Committee on June 19, 2018, the following Democratic Candidates for public office were endorsed: U. S. Senate                                                            Sheldon WhitehouseU.S. Congress                                                         David N. CicillineGovernor                                                                Gina RaimondoLt. Governor                                                           Aaron RegunbergSecretary of State                                                 Nellie GorbeaGeneral Treasurer                                                 Seth MagazinerAttorney General                                                  Peter NeronhaState Senate, District 12                                       Louis Di PalmaState Senate, District […]