The Lifespan Vanderbilt Rehabilitation Center at Newport Hospital has been re-accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities, according to a statement from the hospital on Thursday. The re-accreditation will extend through June of 2026 and applies to the adult inpatient and adult stroke specialty programs. It is part of what makes the center […]
News
Posted inCity & Government
Rhode Island’s New Laws for 2024: Plastic bag ban, minimum wage hike
Several new laws will be enacted in Rhode Island on Jan. 1, 2024, including a plastic bag ban and an increase in the state’s minimum wage. The Rhode Island Division of Motor Vehicles will also start giving state identification cards to those who can’t legally live in the U.S. with proper documentation. The new laws […]
Posted inCity & Government
Town of Middletown: Year in review – 2023
There are years in Middletown — and then there’s 2023. The past 12 months were probably among the busiest and most productive ever in the community. Leading the list was the narrow passage of a bond for a new middle-high school on property just north of Gaudet Middle School at 1225 Aquidneck Ave. The $190 […]
Posted inCity & Government, News
Workers in New England states looking forward to a bump up in minimum wages in 2024
By STEVE LeBLANC Associated Press BOSTON (AP) — Workers in several New England states are looking forward to a bump up in the minimum wage in 2024 while advocates in Massachusetts are pushing a ballot question aimed at phasing out the state’s subminimum wage of $6.75 per hour for tipped workers. In Rhode Island, the […]
Posted inBusiness
Construction is underway for NOAA Marine Operations Center in Newport
Construction began this month on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Marine Operations Center in Newport. The center will serve as the home for NOAA’s Office of Marine and Aviation Operations in the Atlantic region. The U.S. Navy awarded the $147 million contract for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The project is […]
Posted inNews
18-year-old faces alcohol-related charges in Newport
An 18-year-old man from Bellingham, Massachusetts, was summoned at 5 am on Wednesday, December 27, on two alcohol-related charges, the Newport Police Department said. At 5 am on Wednesday, December 27, Max Walker was summoned/cited on a charge of Alcohol, Drink, Possess, Open Container In Public and on a charge of Alcohol, Drink, Possess By […]
Posted inMusic & Entertainment
What’s Up in Newport: Thursday, December 28
This story was originally published as a What’sUpNewp newsletter. Join the 17,000+ who wake up to our newsletter in their inbox every weekday morning by signing up below. Good Morning! Today is Thursday, December 28, 2023. 👉 With the start of Rhode Island’s legislative session just a few days away, we reached out, as we […]
Posted inCity & Government
Legislative Outlook: Rep. Alex Finkelman
With the start of Rhode Island’s legislative session just a few days away, we reached out, as we have these past few years, to the area’s legislative delegation with a brief survey looking at their initiatives in the past session and what they hope to accomplish in the 2024 session. We also asked about their […]
Posted inNews, Sports
No. 17 SMU gets an ACC prequel when it faces Boston College in the Fenway Bowl
Fenway Bowl: No. 17 SMU (11-2) vs. Boston College (6-6), Dec. 28, 11 a.m. Eastern (ESPN) FanDuel Sportsbook College Line: SMU by 10 1/2 Series record: SMU leads 1-0. WHAT’S AT STAKE After beating then-No. 17 Tulane in the American Athletic Conference championship game for its ninth straight win, SMU had been hoping for an […]
Posted inNews
Rhode Island’s top baby names of 2023 revealed
The Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) has released its preliminary lists of the most popular baby names in Rhode Island for 2023, with Charlotte and Noah taking the top spots. According to the RIDOH, Noah, Liam, James, Theodore, Lucas, Michael, Julian, Benjamin, Henry, and Luca were the top 10 popular names for male babies […]
Posted inCity & Government
RIPTA to run Sunday schedule on New Year’s Day
The Rhode Island Public Transit Authority will run all of its fixed bus routes on a Sunday/holiday schedule on New Year’s Day, the agency announced Wednesday. All RIPTA offices will be closed when the holiday, as well as flex service and paratransit services, will also not be available. The RSide program, however, will operate on […]
Posted inNews
What’s Up in Newport: Wednesday, December 27
This story was originally published as a What’sUpNewp newsletter. Join the 17,000+ who wake up to our newsletter in their inbox every weekday morning by signing up below. Good Morning! Today is Wednesday, December 27, 2023. 👉 More than two decades ago, with the dream of re-opening the historic Newport Opera House, a group of […]
Posted inBusiness
Quonset Business Park thrives with $361 million investment
The Quonset Business Park had a busy year in 2023 with new construction projects continuing throughout the business park and the Port of Davisville. The business park grew by over 465,000 square feet in 2023 with a total investment of $361 million from private investors. This new construction is part of the park’s $234 million […]
Posted inNews
Providence Viaduct getting new traffic pattern Jan. 6
The Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) will change the Providence Viaduct’s traffic pattern on January 6, 2023. The change is part of the Providence Viaduct Northbound project, which aims to make the highway safer and reduce traffic. The most notable change will be the relocation of Exit 38 (old Exit 23) for Route 146 […]
Posted inCity & Government, News
RIPTA ends free rides in Central Falls, Pawtucket
The Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA) will conclude its pilot program that aimed to increase public transportation ridership by offering free rides in Central Falls and Pawtucket-Central Falls Transit Center. The pilot program, launched in March 2022, will conclude on December 31, 2023. During this time, a virtual boundary (geofence) was created around Central […]
Posted inCity & Government
Rhode Island powers ahead with clean energy goals
The Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources released a list of its accomplishments for 2023, underscoring the state’s progress in its efforts to meet the goals outlined by the Rhode Island Act on Climate. The OER highlighted its key programs and policies to diversify the state’s renewable energy portfolio, reduce emissions, and increase energy efficiency. […]
Posted inNews
What’s Up in Newport: Tuesday, December 26
This story was originally published as a What’sUpNewp newsletter. Join the 17,000+ who wake up to our newsletter in their inbox every weekday morning by signing up below. Good Morning! Today is Tuesday, December 26, 2023. 🎄 I hope you all had a very merry Christmas! 🏥 Frank Prosnitz turns to healthcare in his latest […]
Posted inNews
Meteorological events to look for in 2024—and where best to see them
People have looked at the sky for millennia in awe of all the celestial wonders happening above. Even today, with advanced technology and a more nuanced understanding of our solar system and the galaxies beyond, we continue to look to the sky with a great sense of fascination. The most anticipated celestial event of 2024 […]
Posted inCity & Government
Rhode Island Road Report: Dec. 23 – 30
Here are the weekly road construction reports from the Rhode Island Turnpike & Bridge Authority (RITBA) and Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT). All schedules are weather-dependent. Rhode Island Turnpike & Bridge Authority December 24 – 30, 2023 Newport Claiborne Pell Bridge Upcoming improvements in the roadway between the old toll plaza and the bridge which […]
Posted inColumns
Just My Opinion: It’s time the state addresses doctor shortage
It’s no secret that Rhode Island is suffering from a primary care physician shortage, leaving many in the state finding their primary care now left to physicians’ assistants and nurse practitioners. While it’s a problem nationwide, a WalletHub report earlier this year, which was quoted extensively, ranks Rhode Island 50th in healthcare. When a longtime […]
Posted inCity & Government
Senator Reed: NDAA signed into law with key wins for Rhode Island
President Joe Biden signed the Fiscal Year 2024 (FY 24) National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), annual defense authorization bill into law yesterday, confirming the largest raise in military basic pay in decades for servicemembers and the Department of Defense civilian workforce. The NDAA bolsters the defense industrial base and military readiness, providing the U.S. military […]
Posted inCity & Government
Governor McKee and First Lady wish residents a Merry Christmas
Governor Dan McKee and First Lady Susan McKee released a statement on Friday wishing everyone in Rhode Island a wonderful and happy Christmas. In their statement, the McKee family said, “Christmas has so many meanings for so many different people. For our family, it’s always been a time for celebrating togetherness, reminiscing on traditions created […]
Posted inNews
Constance Baker Motley honored on new USPS stamp
The United States Postal Service (USPS) released a new stamp in honor of Constance Baker Motley, the first African American woman to serve as a federal judge, and to argue a case before the U.S. Supreme Court. The 47th Black Heritage stamp in the USPS series features Motley with a portrait by artist Charly Palmer […]
Posted inNews
How gas prices have changed in Rhode Island in the last week
Gas prices have rebounded slightly after more than 10 consecutive weeks of drops, bringing the national average to about where it was this same time last year. Record U.S. oil production and slipping demand have kept prices at the pump lower and contributed to a welcome decline in overall inflation this year. If pre-pandemic seasonal […]
Posted inNews
How Newport County’s GDP has changed since 2018
Newport County’s GDP was $8 billion in 2022—the #4 highest out of 5 counties in the state. Rhode Island’s overall GDP was $73 billion for the year, with Newport County’s making up 10.8% of it. Newport County’s GDP grew about 10% from 2018 to 2022, adjusted for inflation, while the state’s GDP grew about 4%. […]