After more than a quarter-century serving ice cream and fostering community connections, Frosty Freez has officially changed hands — but loyal customers can expect the nearly 70-year-old institution to remain exactly as they remember it. The Middletown ice cream shop, located at 496 East Main Road, announced Sunday on Facebook that Cameron Bulk, who has […]
News
Posted inArts & Culture
Broadway Street Fair celebrates 10th anniversary with record crowds and community spirit
The 2025 Broadway Street Fair, which originated in 2016 following years of major construction up and down the main thoroughfare, was a massive success on its 10th calendar Anniversary. This free event is family-friendly and stretches from Equality Park down to Washington Square with six stages along the way serving up a broad array of […]
Posted inInstagram, News
Newport Italian Heritage Parade canceled due to weather
Newport’s Italian Heritage Parade scheduled for Monday has been canceled due to forecasts of rain and windstorms, organizers announced Sunday. The parade was set to step off at 11:30 a.m. from St. Joseph’s Church and proceed to the Columbus Monument at Memorial Boulevard and Bellevue Avenue, followed by a brief ceremony at 12:15 p.m. Sandra […]
Posted inInstagram, News, Police & Fire
Newport man charged in domestic assault that left victim in critical condition
A 21-year-old Newport man has been charged with multiple felonies in connection with a domestic assault Friday that left a victim in critical condition, police said Saturday. Preston Schuster of Newport was charged with two counts of felony domestic assault, felony possession of a knife during the commission of a crime and two counts of […]
Posted inInstagram, News, Real Estate
On the Market: 53 Newport County homes hosting open houses this weekend (Oct. 11 – 12)
It’s shaping up to be one of the busiest weekends of the fall here in Newport County, and not just in real estate. Between a jam-packed calendar of local happenings and one of my personal favorites, the Broadway Street Fair, the City by the Sea is buzzing with energy and activity. Even with an impending […]
Posted inNews, Police & Fire
Newport man in custody after assault leaves victim in critical condition
A 21-year-old victim is in critical condition at Rhode Island Hospital following an assault Friday morning on Carey Street, according to Newport police. Officers responded to 24 Carey Street at about 11:30 a.m. for a report of a possible assault, Lt. Joseph C. Carroll said in a statement. When officers arrived, they found a 21-year-old […]
Posted inColumns
Dr. Michael Fine: Three things that are smart, not crazy, about health care
Three logical, smart, and hopeful things happened in health care in the past few weeks. I’m glad to be able to tell you about them. The first good thing is that the Rhode Island Department of Health joined Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, Maine, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New York to form the Northeast Public Health […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Newport Art Museum reopens members’ exhibition after community feedback
The Newport Art Museum is bringing back its Members’ Juried Exhibition after a strategic planning process revealed strong community demand for the tradition. The exhibition, titled “Springboard,” opens Jan. 22, 2026, in the museum’s historic John N.A. Griswold House and will feature works by museum members displayed alongside pieces from the permanent collection. The show […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Spotlighting the busy women (and a few good men) behind the scenes at the Broadway Street Fair
Historians and cartographers will tell you that “Broadway” is typically one of the first streets laid out on a city map, designed as a central artery for commerce. The name, derived from the Dutch Breede weg, meaning “broad way,” likely originated from Native American footpaths that ran diagonally down the length of Manhattan Island. Newport’s […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Newport Classical to present pianist Charlotte Hu, saxophonist Valentin Kovalev in November
Newport Classical will present two concerts in November as part of its ongoing Chamber Series, featuring a Taiwanese American pianist and a Siberian saxophonist making his local debut. Pianist Charlotte Hu will perform works by Chopin at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 7, at Newport Classical Recital Hall, 42 Dearborn St. Saxophonist Valentin Kovalev will take […]
Posted inNews, Sports
Salve Regina names new head coaches for men’s and women’s ice hockey programs
Salve Regina University has appointed Jay Punsky and Meghan E. Toomey as head coaches of its men’s and women’s ice hockey programs, respectively, Director of Athletics Dr. Sean Sullivan announced Wednesday. Punsky, a 2007 Salve graduate, returns to his alma mater after serving as head coach at Worcester State University, where he led the team […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Overlap gallery to host exhibition benefiting Center for Black History
Overlap gallery will present “Forging Freedom: Atlantic Journeys,” an exhibition exploring Black and Indigenous histories through the work of 10 contemporary artists, with proceeds benefiting the Newport Historical Society’s Edward W. Kane and Martha J. Wallace Center for Black History. The exhibition, curated by Dr. Akeia de Barros Gomes, director of the Center for Black […]
Posted inFood & Drink, Instagram, News
Newport Restaurant Group opens J.T. Commons in Middletown
Newport Restaurant Group opened J.T. Commons on Thursday, a new pizza-focused restaurant in the former Foodlove Market space. The restaurant features two signature pizza styles — Roman and focaccia — alongside shareable appetizers, sandwiches and a soft-serve ice cream bar with house-made toppings. Named after J.T. O’Connell, the legendary Newport businessman and founder of what […]
Posted inArts & Culture, Business, Instagram, Music & Entertainment, News
Independent live entertainment generates $138 million for Rhode Island economy, new report finds
Rhode Island’s independent live entertainment industry drives $138.2 million in state GDP and supports more than 2,300 jobs, according to a first-of-its-kind national economic study released Wednesday. The report from the National Independent Venue Association shows the state’s independently owned venues, promoters and festivals generate $287.7 million in total economic output and $12.9 million in […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Introducing What’sUpNewp Wordy: Your daily Newport-themed brain teaser
Keeping up with all the local news can be taxing. So take a break and see if you can solve What’sUpNewp’s daily word puzzle, Wordy. Today, we’re pleased to introduce a new feature: a Newport-themed word game that challenges you to guess five-letter words connected to recent stories we’ve covered. The gameplay might be familiar […]
Posted inBusiness
Horizon Pharmacy secures $400,000 loan to expand behavioral health services
A pharmacy that serves Newport Mental Health and other behavioral health organizations across Rhode Island has secured a $400,000 loan to expand its prescription services. Horizon Pharmacy, a Warwick-based leader in long-term care pharmacy services, will use the financing from the Rhode Island Foundation’s Impact Investing program to increase capacity and deepen partnerships with community […]
Posted inCity & Government, News
Newport superintendent calls on parents to make education a daily priority
Superintendent Colleen Burns Jermain is calling on Newport families to make education a daily priority at home, emphasizing that consistent parent engagement is critical to student success. In her weekly message to the school community, Jermain stressed that teachers and principals want to hear from families about both challenges and successes their children are experiencing. […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Middletown Library plans wall-breaking ceremony for future home
The Middletown Public Library will celebrate the beginning of a new era with a wall-breaking ceremony at its future home on Monday, Oct. 27. The 11 a.m. event at 110 Enterprise Center will mark the official start of renovations to transform the 30,000-square-foot building into a modern library and community space. Community members are invited […]
Posted inCity & Government
Newport braces for weekend road closures as three major events converge
Newport residents and visitors should prepare for significant traffic disruptions this weekend as the city hosts three major events over three consecutive days, according to press releases issued Wednesday by the Newport Police Department. The busy weekend kicks off Saturday, October 11, with the Broadway Street Fair, which will bring no-parking restrictions to multiple downtown […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Country star Phil Vassar brings 25th anniversary ‘Paradise’ tour to Cranston
Country music star Phil Vassar brings his “25 Years of Paradise” tour to the Park Theatre on Oct. 24, celebrating the 25th anniversary of his breakout No. 1 hit “Just Another Day in Paradise.” The intimate acoustic performance promises nightly setlist changes and covers of musical legends like Billy Joel and Elton John. For Vassar, […]
Posted inNews, Weather
Freeze Watch issued for Newport County Thursday night into Friday morning
The National Weather Service has issued a freeze watch for Newport County and surrounding areas in effect from Thursday evening through Friday morning, warning that temperatures could drop as low as 29 degrees. The watch, issued at 12:10 p.m. Wednesday, covers Newport County as well as Providence County, Kent County, Bristol County, Washington County and Dukes […]
Posted inCity & Government, News
Middletown Town Council unanimously rejects natural gas moratorium as “unfair” to community
The Middletown Town Council voted unanimously Monday night to oppose a proposed moratorium on new natural gas connections on Aquidneck Island, with officials calling the measure unfair and potentially devastating to residents and businesses, according to a civic alert from the Town of Middletown. The 6-0 vote makes Middletown the second Aquidneck Island community to […]
Posted inNews, Nonprofit
Comedy show to benefit Aquidneck Food Pantry
The Aquidneck Food Pantry will host a comedy fundraiser Nov. 1 at VFW Post 5390 to support its mission of feeding community members in need. The Funny4Funds Comedy Fundraiser will feature stand-up comedy, raffles and opportunities for guests to learn about the pantry’s work. Doors open at 5 p.m., with the show starting at 6 […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Century-old painting of elk to be unveiled after restoration at Newport Elks Lodge
A forgotten 1913 painting by a U.S. Navy petty officer will be unveiled Nov. 1 at the Newport Elks Lodge after a six-month restoration brought the century-old artwork back to life. “The Elk,” painted by Chief Petty Officer Peter Lars Schiot, was discovered in an upstairs storage closet at the lodge by members David Marlowe […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Sakonnet Vineyard celebrates 50th anniversary with harvest festival, fall events
Sakonnet Vineyard will mark its 50th anniversary with a two-day harvest festival Oct. 11-12, featuring live music, wine tastings, local vendors and family activities at the Little Compton winery. The anniversary celebration is part of an expanded lineup of fall programming at the vineyard, located at 162 West Main Road. New England’s oldest vineyard opened […]