Rose Island Lighthouse & Fort Hamilton Trust announced Monday the launch of a regional search for a new executive director as the organization prepares for a landmark 2026 season marking both its 40th anniversary and the United States Semiquincentennial. The full-time position offers an annual salary of $70,000 to $75,000 and is suited to mid-career […]
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RIPTA announces 2026 community site visits for reduced fare bus pass program
The Rhode Island Public Transit Authority announced its 2026 schedule of community site visits for the reduced fare bus pass program for seniors and people with disabilities. RIPTA customer service staff will travel to locations throughout the state each month to process photo ID bus passes for qualified seniors and individuals with disabilities who have […]
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Polar plunge returns to Newport on New Year’s Day
A Wish Come True will host its 22nd annual Freezin’ for a Reason Polar Plunge Challenge on Jan. 1, 2026, at Easton’s Beach. Participants will plunge into the Atlantic Ocean at noon to raise funds for children ages 3-18 battling life-threatening illnesses in Rhode Island, southeastern and central Massachusetts, and eastern Connecticut. “The Polar Plunge […]
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What’s happening in Newport: Monday, December 29
Here’s a look at what’s coming up on Monday, December 29, in and around Newport. Weather Forecast Today: Areas of drizzle with a chance of rain before 11am, then rain, mainly between 11am and 4pm. Areas of dense fog. High near 50. South wind around 14 mph, with gusts as high as 29 mph. Chance […]
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Legislative Outlook: DiPalma sees healthcare, affordability and transparency as critical issues
With the Rhode Island General Assembly session scheduled to begin on Jan. 6, WhatsUpNewp has reached out to the area’s legislators to learn what they see as the most pressing issues facing Rhode Island in 2026, and legislation they are planning to introduce. Today, we focus on State Sen. Lou DiPalma, D-Dist. 12, who holds […]
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A 2026 Market Prediction from the President of the Newport County Board of Realtors
As we head into 2026, there is no shortage of opinions about where the housing market is going. What I want to offer here is not a national headline or a one-size-fits-all forecast, but a grounded, local perspective rooted in experience. I have a front-row seat to how buyers, sellers, and renters are actually behaving […]
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Parking bans issued for Middletown and Portsmouth as Winter Weather Advisory takes effect
A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect for Newport County from 7 p.m. Friday through 10 a.m. Saturday as snow moves into the region. The National Weather Service is forecasting 2 to 4 inches of snow for the area, with accumulation beginning mainly after 9 p.m. Friday. The advisory warns of slippery road conditions that […]
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On the Market: A look at 13 homes hosting Open Houses this weekend in Newport County (Dec. 26-27)
As we head into the home stretch of the year, this marks the last weekend of Open Houses for 2025. Coming off the Christmas holiday, it’s completely natural for many sellers to pause. With family in town, travel schedules, and the general chaos that comes with the holidays, hosting open houses often takes a back […]
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Dr. Michael Fine: What’s crazy about the work we ask healthcare workers to do
I spent the last few weeks studying and taking tests so I can continue my Board Certification (in Family Medicine). Physicians and other health care workers are licensed by the State of Rhode Island and must pay a hefty fee for that privilege, as well as show evidence that we have studied the new developments […]
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What’s up this weekend in Newport County: Dec. 26-28
Discover all that’s happening for live music, entertainment, and events this weekend in and around Newport. Organizing an event? Add it to What’sUpNewp’s event calendar. Live Music & Entertainment Friday, December 26 Busker’s Irish Pub: Live music at 8 p.m. Johnny’s Restaurant: Briana White at 7 p.m. Narragansett Cafe: The Sunshine Melodies at 8 p.m. O’Brien’s […]
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What’s up in Newport: Wednesday, December 24
Here’s a look at what’s coming up on Wednesday, December 24, in Newport. Weather Forecast Today: A slight chance of showers before 8am. Mostly sunny, with a high near 42. Breezy, with a north wind 18 to 24 mph, with gusts as high as 38 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%. Tonight: Mostly cloudy, with […]
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Trump order halts offshore wind projects for at least 90 days
By MATTHEW DALY Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration has directed five large-scale wind projects under construction off the East Coast to suspend their activities for at least 90 days, according to letters from the Interior Department obtained Tuesday by The Associated Press, which provide new details on the government’s move to pause the […]
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Federal judge says Trump administration must restore disaster money to Democratic states
By KIMBERLEE KRUESI Associated Press PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — A federal judge has blocked the Trump administration’s attempt to reallocate federal Homeland Security funding away from states that refuse to cooperate with certain federal immigration enforcement. U.S. District Judge Mary McElroy’s ruling on Monday solidified a win for the coalition of 12 attorneys general that sued the […]
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What Sold: A look at 21 recent sales across Newport County (Dec. 15-19)
The fourth quarter of 2025 has been one of the most active and meaningful stretches I have experienced in my career, both professionally and personally. Across Newport, Middletown, Portsmouth, Jamestown, and Tiverton, we’ve seen consistent buyer activity, steady demand across price points (2 sales in Portsmouth over the last week surpassed the $4m threshold!), and […]
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Christine Baranski and Skylark bring ‘A Christmas Carol’ to life at The Breakers
Emmy and Tony Award-winning actress Christine Baranski joined forces with Grammy-nominated vocal ensemble Skylark to perform a live reading of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” at The Breakers on Friday evening. The sold-out performance in the mansion’s Great Hall drew more than 200 people and took place on the 182nd anniversary of the story’s first […]
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What’s up in Newport County: Tuesday, December 23
Discover all that’s happening for live music, entertainment, and events in Newport County. Organizing an event? Add it to What’sUpNewp’s event calendar. Weather Forecast Tuesday: A chance of snow before 9am, then rain. Patchy fog after 10am. High near 41. West wind 7 to 10 mph becoming south in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 80%. […]
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Brown University police chief placed on leave after fatal shooting, feds launch investigation
By KIMBERLEE KRUESI and JEFF AMY Associated Press PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — Brown University’s president on Monday placed its campus police chief on leave as the Rhode Island university reviews its security policies after a gunman killed two students and injured nine others earlier this month. Questions surrounding Brown’s security policies have only intensified since the Dec. […]
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Heritage Group reaches agreement to acquire The Quencher, staff to remain
The Quencher is set to have new ownership, but patrons of the neighborhood spot can expect the same familiar faces behind the bar. Heritage Group announced Thursday it has reached an agreement to acquire The Quencher from Scott and Adrienne Kirmil of Inked Restaurant Group. The existing staff and management will remain in place, and […]
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Hundreds mourn Brown University sophomore Ella Cook, killed in campus shooting
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — A Brown University sophomore who was killed in an attack at the Rhode Island university was remembered Monday as “smart, confident, curious, kind, principled, brave,” at a funeral in her home state of Alabama. Hundreds gathered at the Cathedral Church of the Advent in downtown Birmingham to remember Ella Cook, 19. She and […]
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Trump administration suspends 5 wind projects off the East Coast
By MATTHEW DALY Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration on Monday suspended leases for five large-scale offshore wind projects under construction along the East Coast due to what it said were national security risks identified by the Pentagon. The suspension, effective immediately, is the latest step by the administration to hobble offshore wind […]
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What’s up in Newport: Monday, December 22
Here’s a look at what’s coming up on Monday, December 22, in Newport. Weather Forecast Today: Sunny, with a high near 35. Northwest wind 9 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 28 mph. Tonight: Increasing clouds, with a low around 31. West wind around 8 mph. Sun & Tide Information Sunrise: 7:08 a.m., […]
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IYRS names Ostrand first recipient of Glo Tech Scholarship Fund
IYRS School of Technology & Trades has named Marie Ostrand of Newport as the inaugural recipient of the Glo Tech Scholarship Fund. Established in February 2024, the scholarship honors the legacy of Gloria Aurora Borrego, a trailblazer in the marine industry whose career spanned high-performance marine systems, motorsports and major expeditionary projects including the Whitbread […]
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This Day In Newport History: Sunny von Bulow is Found Comatose on December 22, 1980
Pictured: Clarendon Court via Zillow Martha Sharp Crawford von Bülow, known as Sunny von Bülow was an American heiress and socialite. On June 6, 1966, Sunny married Claus von Bülow, a former aide to oilman J. P. Getty, and they had a daughter, Cosima von Bülow, in 1967. By 1979, significant stresses and tensions had developed in their marriage, and […]
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Newport, ‘America’s first resort,’ offers a picture-perfect holiday embrace
With the holidays fast upon us, seemingly more quickly than usual given the late Thanksgiving, Newport offers a depth of grandeur that is truly magnificent. The Preservation Society of Newport County has offered residents of Newport County free admission to its National Historic Landmarks. A recent visit afforded some rich memories most worthy of sharing. […]
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Michele Gallagher: Quiet lessons on resilience from Rhode Island women business leaders
Over the course of the last ten months, we’ve been introduced to some inspiring women in this “Voices of Rhode Island Women” series. With every interview, I have been impressed about how intrepid, passionate and resilient these women leaders are. They don’t just show up for work every day, they show up and stand up, […]