Rhode Island ranks 26th among the 50 states for child well-being, according to the 2026 KIDS COUNT Data Book released Monday by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, a drop from 20th the year before. The state’s overall rank, based on 2024 data, fell as it slid in two of the report’s four domains. The annual […]
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Cranston’s Ocean State Academy wins Rhode Island title in national math competition
Ocean State Academy, a private school for students with disabilities, has won a Rhode Island State Championship in the Prodigy State Challenge, billed as the world’s largest math competition, and went on to place near the top of the national field. The school said 98 percent of its elementary and middle school students took part, […]
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Raytheon to invest $100 million in Portsmouth expansion, adding 150 jobs
Raytheon, an RTX business, announced Monday it will invest $100 million to expand its Portsmouth facility, a project the company says will bring 150 high-tech jobs to the state. The expansion is intended to accelerate testing of the Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensor, or LTAMDS, by increasing capacity, and to boost production of […]
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Newport’s Secret Garden Tour returns June 26-28 with a focus on the Point
The Secret Garden Tour returns for its 42nd year June 26-28, opening the gates to 14 private gardens in Newport’s historic Point neighborhood for a series of self-guided walking tours. The tour, which begins at Storer Park near the causeway to Goat Island, features a mix of returning favorites and gardens new to the route, […]
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Middletown, Jamestown and Block Island among 10 communities awarded state stormwater grants
The Rhode Island Infrastructure Bank has awarded nearly $1.1 million in grants to 10 communities, including three in Newport County and the Islands, to design and engineer systems aimed at reducing flooding from increasingly intense storms. The bank awarded a total of $1,095,800 to Bristol, Coventry, East Greenwich, Hopkinton, Jamestown, Middletown, New Shoreham, Pawtucket, Providence […]
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Tiverton softball repeats as D3 state champion, topping Rogers
Tiverton won its second consecutive softball state championship, beating Rogers 5-2 in the Rhode Island Division 3 final at Rhode Island College on Sunday, June 7. Liliana Luis pitched a complete game for the Tigers, allowing two runs on three hits while striking out eight. Tiverton built the lead early, scoring in the second and […]
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RI Voting Rights Act would prevent voter discrimination
The U.S. Supreme Court, in a jarring ruling recently, literally gutted the voting rights act, which had protected minority voters in many southern districts. Several organizations have been championing a Rhode Island version that would establish procedures to prevent discrimination in the voting process. In April, the bill was held for further study, although some […]
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Tiverton High School graduates Class of 2026
TIVERTON — Tiverton High School celebrated the graduation of its Class of 2026 at a commencement ceremony Friday, June 5. Principal João Arruda delivered the opening remarks, presented the diplomas and gave the closing remarks. Superintendent Christopher Haskins offered greetings to the crowd. Salutatorian Evan Duda introduced the commencement speaker, Christine Messenger, a member of […]
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Portsmouth High School celebrates Class of 2026 at commencement
PORTSMOUTH — Portsmouth High School celebrated the graduation of its Class of 2026 at a commencement ceremony Friday, June 5. Principal Dr. Jeffrey Heath welcomed the crowd and later presented the diplomas. Senior Class President Michael Chytka delivered the welcome address, and social studies teacher Eric Daniel served as the guest speaker, introduced by Senior […]
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State History Center bond clears Rhode Island House in FY2027 budget
Secretary of State Gregg M. Amore on Friday praised the Rhode Island House of Representatives for including a $45 million bond question for a proposed Rhode Island State History Center in the fiscal year 2027 state budget. The bond would fund construction of a permanent facility to display and preserve the state’s historic documents and […]
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House approves $15.2B FY27 budget with marquee acquisition: millionaire’s tax
by Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island CurrentJune 5, 2026 A record $15.2 billion fiscal 2027 budget breezed through the Rhode Island House of Representatives in near record time Friday, with the 65-10 vote finalized with an hour to spare before sunset. The approved budget is almost identical to the version given preliminary vetting by the House […]
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Rhode Island issues air quality alert for Saturday
The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management has issued a statewide air quality alert for Saturday, June 6, forecasting ground-level ozone that will reach unhealthy levels for sensitive groups. Ozone is expected to peak from the early afternoon into the evening, the department said. Fine particle pollution is also forecast to be elevated, reaching moderate […]
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R.I. House approves Carson bill to create permanent commission on aging and statewide multisector plan
The Rhode Island House of Representatives has approved legislation sponsored by Rep. Lauren H. Carson, D-Newport, to create a permanent joint commission on aging charged with developing and regularly updating a statewide multisector plan on aging. The bill (2026-H 8402A) now heads to the Senate. It would establish a 19-member permanent commission with representation from […]
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Newport School Committee names Dr. Peter Sanchioni interim superintendent
The Newport School Committee has named Dr. Peter Sanchioni interim superintendent of Newport Public Schools, the committee announced Friday tapping a veteran administrator to lead the district through a period of fiscal strain and an unsettled regionalization timeline. The committee voted Thursday evening to appoint Sanchioni, according to an announcement shared by the superintendent’s office. […]
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Movies and TV shows casting in Rhode Island
The glitz and glam of Hollywood captures the attention of Americans starting from an early age. Beyond celebrities’ Instagram Stories and red carpet poses, there are actors out there paying their dues and honing their craft in pursuit of a sustainable career or a fulfilling sideline. Submitting to casting calls is a big part of […]
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R.I. Senate passes pair of DiPalma bills on dementia services and pension revocation for sex crimes
The Rhode Island Senate passed two bills sponsored by Senate Finance Committee Chairman Louis P. DiPalma, D-Middletown, on Thursday — one creating a state dementia services coordinator and another allowing the state to revoke pension benefits from public employees convicted of job-related felony sex crimes. The first bill (2026-S 2874) would create a dementia services […]
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Rosalind Weir to receive Arts & Cultural Alliance’s 2026 Dominique Award
The Arts & Cultural Alliance of Newport County will present its 2026 Dominique Award to Rosalind Weir at its annual Raise Up the Arts celebration on Tuesday, June 24, at Johnny’s Restaurant at the Wyndham Newport Hotel, 240 Aquidneck Ave. in Middletown. The award, created in 2010, honors people who have contributed time, influence and […]
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Portsmouth Democrats back Foulkes over McKee, support Reed and Amo for federal delegation
The Portsmouth Democratic Town Committee voted at its monthly meeting to support Helena Foulkes over incumbent Gov. Dan McKee in the 2026 Democratic primary for governor, the committee announced. Chairman Juan Carlos Payero said in a statement that committee members spoke at length about “persistent East Bay frustration” with McKee’s handling of the Washington Bridge […]
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Newport School Committee to vote Thursday on interim superintendent as regionalization timeline slips
The Newport School Committee is scheduled to meet Thursday, June 4, at 5:30 p.m. at the Newport Area Career & Technical Center to discuss and vote on an interim superintendent to succeed Colleen Burns Jermain, who steps down June 30. Interviews for the role took place last week, Jermain said in her May 27 monthly […]
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Aquidneck Island Land Trust to host June 9 talk on island-wide climate resilience
The Aquidneck Island Land Trust will host a free public lecture on island-wide climate resilience on Tuesday, June 9, at 6 p.m. at the DiStefano Lecture Hall at Salve Regina University, 56 Lawrence Ave. in Newport. The talk, titled “Teamwork Makes the Dream Work: Collaborating to Build a Resilient Aquidneck Island,” will be given by […]
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MLK Community Center announces lineup for ‘Live from the Loading Dock — Parkside’ summer concert series
The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center has announced the lineup for its annual “Live from the Loading Dock — Parkside” summer concert series, which begins Wednesday, June 17. The free, family-friendly concerts will be held on the third Wednesday of each month from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the Pocket Park across from […]
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People’s Credit Union donates $5,000 to Good Dad Gang charity golf tournament
People’s Credit Union has donated $5,000 as the lead sponsor of the Good Dad Gang’s annual charity golf tournament, the credit union announced. The Good Dad Gang x Sean Foley Invitational will be held July 28 at Fall River Country Club in Massachusetts. PGA golf instructor Sean Foley will serve as the special guest and […]
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MLK Community Center opens North End Food Pantry to expand food access in Newport
The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center has opened the North End Food Pantry, a satellite location bringing its food pantry and Produce to the People programs to Newport’s North End neighborhood, the center announced. The new pantry, located in a modular building at 120 Hillside Ave. next to Miantonomi Park, brings the center’s […]
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MLK Community Center to host free Juneteenth 3-on-3 basketball tournament and barbecue June 19
The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center will host its second annual Juneteenth 3-on-3 basketball tournament and backyard barbecue on Friday, June 19, from noon to 3 p.m., the center announced. The free event is open to teams of four players in grades 5 through 12, with 128 youth players expected. Organizers said the […]
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$6.5 million Jamestown waterfront home sale marks highest in town this year
A waterfront home at 10 Coulter St. in Jamestown known as “Bridge View” has sold for $6.5 million, marking the town’s highest sale of 2026 to date, according to data from the Rhode Island Statewide Multiple Listing Service cited by the two brokerages involved. Bob Bailey of Lila Delman Compass represented the sellers, and Alexandra […]