Nearly one in four adults in Rhode Island — approximately 206,000 people — are family caregivers providing largely unpaid care to older parents, spouses and other loved ones, according to new data released Tuesday by AARP Rhode Island. The findings, detailed in “Caregiving in the U.S. 2025: Caring Across States,” come ahead of National Family […]
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Posted inCity & Government
Federal government shutdown threatens SNAP food aid as several states scramble to help
By MARGERY A. BECK and GEOFF MULVIHILL Associated Press With federal SNAP food assistance set to run dry this weekend amid the protracted U.S. government shutdown, Louisiana, New Mexico and Vermont became the latest states Wednesday to announce help for low-income households that rely on the funds to eat. They join states from New York to Nevada in […]
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Suspect arrested after high-speed chase, crash in Portsmouth
A 46-year-old Middletown man was arrested Wednesday afternoon following a high-speed chase and foot pursuit that prompted a shelter-in-place order at Melville Elementary School. Richard Troupe was taken into custody at approximately 2:34 p.m. near Jax’s Diner after fleeing from a crash on West Main Road, according to the Portsmouth Police Department. The incident began […]
Posted inNews, People & Profiles
Newport Superintendent discusses departure decision, school updates during monthly q&a
Newport School Superintendent Colleen Burns Jermain discussed her decision to step down after more than 12 years leading the district during Wednesday’s monthly “Ask The Superintendent” conversation with What’sUpNewp’s Frank Prosnitz and Ryan Belmore, explaining that the timing feels right as major facility projects reach completion. Burns Jermain announced in October that she will conclude […]
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Middletown Islanders Pop Warner Cheer Teams advance to New England Regional Competition
Nadine Maher, Scholastic and Association Coordinator for Middletown Islanders Pop Warner submitted the following. The Middletown Islanders Pop Warner Cheer Program is celebrating a major achievement as two of its teams have earned spots at the New England Regional Cheerleading Competition, to be held on November 15, at the MassMutual Center in Springfield, Massachusetts. Both the Mitey Mite and Junior […]
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Aquidneck Community Table extends farmers market season through Nov. 22
Aquidneck Community Table is extending its Saturday outdoor farmers market at the Newport County YMCA through Nov. 22, offering residents and visitors additional weeks of fresh, local food. The extension is part of the organization’s effort to strengthen support for local growers and makers while adapting to vendor and customer needs. Instead of hosting a […]
Posted inBusiness
Rhode Islanders can vote for state’s top hospitality stars through November
Rhode Island residents have until Nov. 30 to vote for their favorite chefs, restaurants and hospitality professionals in the 2025 ANCHORS awards, RI Hospitality announced Tuesday. The ANCHORS — Awards for Noteworthy Champions of Hospitality and Outstanding Restaurant Service — recognize excellence across Rhode Island’s food, beverage and tourism industries. Public voting is open at […]
Posted inBusiness
CVS Health tops Q3 forecasts but absorbs hefty charge for struggling clinic business
By TOM MURPHY AP Health Writer CVS Health rode double-digit sales growth from drugstores and its pharmacy benefits management business to a better-than-expected third quarter. The health care giant also hiked its 2025 forecast well above Wall Street estimates. But it booked a nearly $6-billion charge in the quarter for scaling back a care delivery […]
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Newport superintendent to discuss school updates in live Q&A Wednesday
Just two weeks after announcing her planned departure, Newport School Superintendent Colleen Burns Jermain will field questions from the community during Wednesday’s “Ask The Superintendent” live virtual conversation. The monthly discussion, hosted by What’sUpNewp, is scheduled to begin at 1:30 p.m. and comes at a pivotal moment for the district. Jermain revealed on October 14 […]
Posted inNews, Nonprofit
MLK Center prepares for surge in food pantry demand amid SNAP benefit cuts
The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center is ramping up its hunger relief efforts and calling on the community for support as uncertainty around SNAP benefits threatens to leave thousands of Rhode Islanders without food assistance beginning Nov. 1. The center, which distributed nearly 1.4 million meals last year, relies heavily on community support […]
Posted inCity & Government
Coast Guard Cutter Campbell returns to Newport after Caribbean patrol
The Coast Guard Cutter Campbell returned to Naval Station Newport on Monday after a 54-day maritime border security patrol in the Windward Passage, according to the U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Area. The 270-foot cutter deployed to support Operation Vigilant Sentry, according to the Coast Guard, which said the mission focused on preventing unlawful maritime entry […]
Posted inNews, Nonprofit
Rhode Island Foundation commits $1 million in emergency food aid as SNAP benefits face federal suspension
The Rhode Island Foundation announced Tuesday it is dedicating $1 million in emergency grants to combat hunger across the state as federal SNAP benefits face suspension beginning Nov. 1, with several Newport County food assistance programs set to receive immediate support. The foundation will immediately distribute $200,000 to the Rhode Island Community Food Bank, which […]
Posted inCity & Government, News
Governor declares emergency, pledges $6M as Trump threatens to halt SNAP benefits
Gov. Dan McKee declared a state of emergency Tuesday and announced $6 million in emergency payments for families as the Trump administration threatens to halt federal food assistance funding beginning Nov. 1. The move would affect approximately 145,000 Rhode Islanders who receive about $29 million monthly through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. “President Trump’s failure […]
Posted inBusiness
Wayfinder Newport hires Keith Chouinard as sales and marketing director
Wayfinder Newport has appointed Keith Chouinard as director of sales and marketing, the hotel announced Tuesday. Chouinard will oversee all sales and marketing initiatives for the property, including strategic partnerships, revenue growth and brand positioning as Wayfinder continues its relaunch. Chouinard brings more than 20 years of leadership experience in the hospitality industry. He most […]
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Obituary: David Swanson
David Swanson, a lifelong Rhode Islander, died on October 23, 2025, in his home in Bristol. He was 82 years old. Born in Providence to Swedish Americans Florence V. and Sture T. Swanson, he grew up in the Edgewood section of Cranston, just one hundred yards from the water. At the Edgewood Yacht Club, he […]
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Good news for Revolution Wind. Bad news for Rhode Island union painters
Orimartin Lima’s graduation from a weeklong offshore wind safety training program last Friday was bittersweet. The completion of the global certification through the Community College of Rhode Island was supposed to lead directly to a union job with the Revolution Wind project. But instead of shipping out to sea to climb towering turbines in Rhode […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Bobby Cowsill to perform at historic Belmont Chapel
Bobby Cowsill, a founding member of the iconic 1960s pop group the Cowsills, will perform at Belmont Chapel at Island Cemetery for two intimate evenings in December. The performances are scheduled for 6 p.m. Dec. 4 and 5 at the chapel, located at 30 Warner Street in Newport. The Cowsills, who served as the real-life […]
Posted inBusiness
Quonset Business Park reaches 15,000-job milestone
The Quonset Business Park now employs more than 15,000 workers, a milestone state officials celebrated Monday at an event marking two decades of growth at the industrial complex. Gov. Dan McKee joined federal and state leaders at Hayward Industries to announce the employment figure, which represents growth of more than 3,000 jobs since January 2021 […]
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Letter to the Editor: Medicare dis-advantage
The federal government could have fixed the gaps in traditional government-run Medicare and created an improved Medicare for All single payer program, but instead, paid private middlemen billions to offer Medicare Advantage plans. Seniors were lured into buying heavily advertised, “cheaper,” heavily subsidized Medicare Advantage plans while the private corporations that offered these plans saw their […]
Posted inNews, Nonprofit
Newport Mental Health named regional access point for housing support
Newport Mental Health has been designated a Regional Access Point by the Rhode Island Executive Office of Housing, becoming part of a new statewide network aimed at preventing and ending homelessness. Regional Access Points are community-based hubs that help individuals and families who are homeless or at risk of losing their homes. The primary goals […]
Posted inEnvironment & Health, News
State officials warn public to avoid Upper Melville Pond due to harmful algae bloom
State health and environmental officials are urging the public to stay away from Upper Melville Pond after confirming a harmful cyanobacteria bloom in the Portsmouth waterbody. The Rhode Island Department of Health and Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management issued the advisory Monday, warning that swimming, fishing, boating and kayaking pose health risks at the […]
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CCRI hosting cybersecurity pathways and practices at Newport campus
The Community College of Rhode Island will host Cybersecurity Pathways and Practices, a free public event exploring real-world pathways into the growing field of cybersecurity, Wednesday at its Newport County Campus. The event, scheduled for 6 p.m. at One John H. Chafee Blvd., will feature a panel of industry professionals sharing their personal journeys into […]
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Recent college graduates face uncertain job prospects
As the job market tightens, employment prospects for recent college graduates is more challenging, and in some cases frightening. College graduates are increasingly fearful of unemployment, stagnant wages, and uncertain career paths, as unemployment in New England, from August to August, has increased from 3.6 percent to 4.1 percent. “The thought of working and never […]
Posted inNews, Sports
Brunson scores 31 points, Knicks ride huge 2nd quarter to 105-95 victory over the Celtics
By BRIAN MAHONEY AP Basketball Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Jalen Brunson scored 31 points, Karl-Anthony Towns had 26 points and 13 rebounds and the New York Knicks rode a huge second quarter to a 105-95 victory over the Boston Celtics on Friday night and a 2-0 start to the season. The Knicks outscored the […]