The Fort Adams Trust is preparing to host its annual 4th of July celebrations. This year’s event will be extra special as the trust celebrates its own 200th anniversary. The fireworks show will be held on July 4th, 6:30 pm – 10:30 pm, with a rain date of July 5th. The event will take place […]
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The Supreme Court weakens federal regulators, overturning decades-old Chevron decision
By MARK SHERMAN Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Friday upended a 40-year-old decision that made it easier for the federal government to regulate the environment, public health, workplace safety and consumer protections, delivering a far-reaching and potentially lucrative victory to business interests. The court’s six conservative justices overturned the 1984 decision colloquially known as […]
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Visiting Nurses Home & Hospice named beneficiary of the 2024 Newport Polo Gala
Newport Polo announced Visiting Nurses Home & Hospice as the beneficiary of its 23rd annual charity gala, Argentango Fandango, Presented by BD on Friday, August 2, 2024, to fete the Argentine Polo Team at Rosecliff. “As a small community, Newport has a highly diverse population that has always enriched the fabric of life here. Our efforts this year are to ensure sound […]
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Kabuki: A cat who’s ready for a new home
Meet your new best friend, Kabuki – this week’s adoptable cat of the week. Available for adoption at the Potter League for Animals in Middletown, Kabuki is a 2-year-old female domestic medium hair cat. “Kabuki is a delightful and resilient tabby looking for a new home. She loves lounging around and watching the world from […]
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Sailors are ready for racing at the 22nd C. Thomas Clagett Memorial Clinic and Regatta
The docks are the Alofsin Pier at Fort Adams State Park in Newport, Rhode Island, are full to the brim with the boats of the 32 sailors with disabilities from across the US, Canada, and Puerto Rico who are in Newport for the 22nd C. Thomas Clagett Memorial Clinic and Regatta presented by Clagett Sailing. […]
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RIPTA to operate on a holiday schedule for July 4th
The Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA) will run a Sunday/holiday service schedule on Thursday, July 4 to accommodate the Bristol Fourth of July Parade. This schedule change affects all regular fixed-route service. RIPTA offices will be closed on Thursday, July 4, in observance of the holiday. The agency also will be offering a detour […]
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Rhode Island enacts Energy Storage Systems Act
The Energy Storage Systems Act, signed into law on Wednesday, June 26, will help build a more resilient and sustainable grid in Rhode Island by increasing energy storage capacity. “Rhode Island is a leader in our commitment to ending our reliance on polluting carbon-emitting energy. Keeping that commitment means we need to innovate and we […]
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Middletown’s Zoning Board of Review grants a special use permit
Middletown’s Zoning Board of Review granted Robert P. and Susan Thornton a special use permit and variance for property improvements at 1 Prospect Ave. during a meeting Tuesday at Town Hall. The board unanimously approved the Thorntons’ petition to construct an addition to their detached garage and install an in-ground pool on their property, which […]
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Green, Fujita start U.S. Senior Open with 63s. Local favorite Andrade shot back at Newport CC
NEWPORT, R.I. (AP) — Richard Green and Hiroyuki Fujita each shot 7-under 63 in the U.S. Senior Open on Thursday, taking advantage of low wind in the morning to attack the seaside Newport Country Club course and pull a stroke ahead of local favorite Billy Andrade. Andrade, a native Rhode Islander, shot 64 in tougher […]
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Uber and Lyft agree to pay drivers $32.50 per hour in Massachusetts settlement
By STEVE LeBLANC Associated Press BOSTON (AP) — Drivers for Uber and Lyft will earn a minimum pay standard of $32.50 per hour under a settlement announced Thursday by Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell, in a deal that also includes a suite of benefits and protections. The two companies will also be required to pay […]
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Tornado confirmed in northern Rhode Island
The National Weather Service has confirmed that a tornado touched down near Breakneck Hill Road in Lincoln, Rhode Island and traveled to the east-northeast around 11:23 pm on Wednesday, June 26. Several large hardwood trees were uprooted, some of which fell onto homes and otherstructures in both Lincoln and Cumberland, according to the National Weather […]
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Rhode Island Secretary of Housing Stefan Pryor resigns
by Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island Current June 27, 2024 Rhode Island’s housing department is losing its second cabinet head in less than three years, Gov. Dan McKee’s office announced on Thursday. Housing Secretary Stefan Pryor will be stepping down in two weeks for an unspecified private-sector job, Olivia DaRocha, a spokesperson for McKee’s office, said […]
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Tower Hill Road paving starts sunday
Drivers traveling on Tower Hill Road will want to prepare for possible delays as the Rhode Island Department of Transportation repaves sections of the road in North and South Kingstown. The work will continue from 9 p.m. on Sunday June 30 to early September, affecting travelers from Shermantown Road to the Oliver Stedman Government Center […]
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Newport honors Rogers High School Baseball Team for State Championship
The Newport City Council recognized the Rogers High School varsity boys baseball team Wednesday for winning the 2024 Rhode Island Division Three State Baseball Championship, their second title in five years. Mayor Xay Khamsyvoravong read a proclamation declaring June 26, 2024, as “Rogers High School Vikings Varsity Boys Baseball Day” in Newport to honor the […]
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Newport City Council debates school funding, adopts Strategic Plan
The Newport City Council held a contentious meeting Wednesday, grappling with funding for the Rogers High School construction project and approving a new strategic plan for the city. The council voted 5-2 to approve $3 million in additional funding for the Rogers High School project, down from an initially proposed $4 million. The funding comes […]
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Report: Affordable housing remains out of reach for many Rhode Islanders
According to Out of Reach, an annual report published jointly today by the National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) and Homes RI, full-time workers need to earn $33.20 per hour to afford a modest, two-bedroom apartment at fair market rent in Rhode Island. Founded in 1974 by Cushing N. Dolbeare, NLIHC educates, organizes and advocates […]
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Governor McKee signs legislation supporting reproductive health care, LGBTQ+ community
During an event at Thundermist Health Center today, Governor Dan McKee signed three bills into law that support reproductive health care and those who identify as LGBTQ+ in Rhode Island. The new laws now provide legal shielding for healthcare providers administering gender-affirming or reproductive care; eliminate pre-authorization for HIV prescriptions; and outline the process in […]
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CCRI, Partnership launch work-based learning pilot
The Partnership for Rhode Island and the Community College of Rhode Island have announced plans to launch a pilot program that will provide students with hands-on experience in the work environment. The pilot program is a collaboration between the two organizations and will leverage the EPIC Network, a national program that supports work-based learning for […]
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New law guarantees domestic workers minimum wage in Rhode Island
By STEVE LeBLANC Associated Press Domestic workers in Rhode Island will now be paid the state’s minimum wage under a bill signed into law by Democratic Gov. Daniel McKee. Traditionally, domestic workers haven’t been given that protection as the Rhode Island minimum wage has increased because under state law, they weren’t considered employees. The new […]
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People’s Credit Union donates $1,000 to Aquidneck Community Table
People’s Credit Union Head of Community Development, Courtney Hunter, recently presented a check for $1,000 to Rose Jones, Executive Director of Aquidneck Community Table, to support their mission of growing a healthy local food system for everyone on Aquidneck Island. The organization was selected through People’s Catalyst for a Cause program, in which contributing employees honor […]
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New law to protect patients’ pharmacy options
The General Assembly earlier this month passed new legislation to protect patients from an insurance scheme known as “white bagging.” The law will prohibit insurers from requiring patients to get their prescriptions from a pharmacy that is only mail order-only. “White bagging is simply bad for patient care. It is a money-making effort for insurers […]
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Newport students shine in academics and athletics
Newport public school students are excelling across multiple disciplines, from cybersecurity to track and field, demonstrating the district’s commitment to fostering well-rounded education. Superintendent Colleen Burns Jermain proudly shared a list of recent student achievements during a conversation with What’sUpNewp on Wednesday, June 26. “We have a lot of great things happening here,” Jermain said. […]
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Newport Schools see 327% surge in multi-language learners
Newport Public Schools are grappling with a surge in multi-language learners, mirroring a statewide trend that has seen Rhode Island’s MLL student population more than double since 2013. Superintendent Colleen Burns Jermain revealed during a conversation with What’sUpNewp on Wednesday, June 26, that Newport’s MLL enrollment has skyrocketed by 327% over the past decade, from […]
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Fines imposed against Dockside for serving alcohol to 15 underage people
Acting as the city’s Board of License Commissioners, members of Newport City Council on Wednesday night voted to fine Waite’s Wharf Grille, LLC d/b/a/ The Boat Dockside $3,750 for providing alcohol to multiple persons under the legal drinking age. Newport Police Chief Ryan Duffy outlined the June 7, 2024 incident in a letter to Acting […]
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ADU development bill signed into law
The Rhode Island Department of Housing and the AARP are praising a new law that will allow homeowners to build more affordable housing units on their properties. House Bill 2024-H 7062A, which was signed into law last week, allows homeowners to build a single accessory dwelling unit (ATU) on their property. The ADU can be […]