PROVIDENCE — The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management issued a statewide air quality alert Monday, warning that ground-level ozone levels are expected to reach unhealthy conditions for sensitive groups Tuesday. The alert affects all of Rhode Island, with peak ozone levels anticipated to begin in the early afternoon and continue well into the evening, […]
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Hellenic Fest, coaching events highlight busy Newport County week
Newport County residents and visitors can choose from colonial walking tours, live music venues, farmers markets and outdoor activities throughout the week, with highlights including the Hellenic Fest, coaching weekend events and the annual George Washington Letter Reading. The week features daily colonial Jewish walking tours at the Loeb Visitors Center, multiple farmers markets across […]
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RENEWport to host World Café discussion on community, belonging Aug. 19
RENEWport will host its third World Café event of the year on Tuesday, Aug. 19, from 6-8:30 p.m. at Emmanuel Church in Newport. The free, public event will use a structured discussion format to explore questions about community, belonging and strengthening civic life in Newport. Participants will rotate through small-group conversations designed to encourage meaningful […]
Posted inNews, Nonprofit
Rhode Island Foundation awards $375,000 to 62 Newport County nonprofits
Sixty-two nonprofit organizations serving Newport County received a total of $375,000 in grants from the Rhode Island Foundation to support programs ranging from educational initiatives and housing assistance to food pantries and arts activities. The funding comes through the foundation’s Newport County Fund, which provides grants of up to $10,000 to strengthen existing programs, support […]
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Morning Notes: New York Yacht Club captures fourth straight Hinman Masters sailing title in Newport
Good morning, Newport! 👋 Today is Monday, Aug. 11, the 223rd day of 2025. There are 142 days left in the year. 🚨 You need to know The New York Yacht Club’s team captained by Pete Levesque sailed to victory Sunday in the 23rd New York Yacht Club Invitational Team Race Regatta for the Commodore […]
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Today In Newport History: August 11, 1866 – First roller skating rink opens to the public in U.S.
Roller skates in the United States around 1905 James Plimpton, inventor of the modern quad roller skate, and the New York Roller Skating Association (NYRSA) leased The Atlantic House Hotel in Newport and converted the dining room into a skating area on August 11th, 1866. This was the first roller skating rink open to the public in the […]
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Body found washed ashore at Jamestown beach
JAMESTOWN, R.I. — Police are investigating after an unidentified body washed ashore near Heads Beach off Seaside Drive on Sunday morning. The Jamestown Police and Fire departments responded to the scene at approximately 7:36 a.m. after a swimmer reported finding the body and contacted authorities. The Rhode Island State Police, Department of Environmental Management and […]
Posted inCity & Government
Portsmouth police clarify federal coordination in child exploitation arrest
The Portsmouth Police Department issued a statement Sunday clarifying its coordination with federal immigration authorities in the July arrest of a man charged with child exploitation. Portsmouth police arrested Josue Perez Gomez on July 11 with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations as part of a child exploitation investigation, according to the department’s statement posted on […]
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Morning Notes: Victory Day 2025 brings closures Monday as Rhode Island marks unique WWII holiday
Good morning, Newport! 🗓️ Today is Sunday, Aug. 10, the 222nd day of 2025. There are 143 days left in the year. 🚨 You need to know Rhode Island will observe Victory Day on Monday, Aug. 11, marking the state’s unique commemoration of the end of World War II and resulting in closures of government […]
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Newport Police Department warns of phone scam using officers’ names
The Newport Police Department is warning residents about a phone scam in which callers impersonate police officers using actual names from the department to deceive victims into purchasing gift cards or bitcoin. According to a news release issued Saturday by Lt. Joseph C. Carroll, the department’s public information officer, scammers are identifying themselves as Newport […]
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Big Blue Bike Barn gets solar power system through community partnership
NEWPORT — The Big Blue Bike Barn received solar-powered electricity last week through a collaborative effort involving six local organizations, expanding programming capabilities at the community campus managed by Bike Newport. The solar power system was funded by The Newport Health Equity Zone, International Tennis Hall of Fame, 11th Hour Racing, A1 Roofing and Construction, […]
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Morning Notes: Perfect weekend weather brings packed calendar to Newport
Good morning, Newport! 🗓️ Today is Saturday, Aug. 9, the 221st day of 2025. There are 144 days left in the year. 🚨 You need to know Summer perfection arrives in Newport this weekend as sunny skies and calm seas promise highs near 78 degrees. With coastal water temperatures hitting a comfortable 70 degrees and […]
Posted inCity & Government
RIDOT continues East Main Road pavement work in Middletown
The Rhode Island Department of Transportation will continue its ongoing pavement improvement project along East Main Road in Middletown with a two-week construction phase beginning next week, officials announced Friday. RIDOT crews will install new curbing in both directions along Route 138 from Meadow Lane to Wyatt Road and reconstruct drainage structures throughout the corridor. […]
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Christine Baranski marveled at her family ties to the Gilded Age during talk at The Elms
“The Gilded Age’s” Christine Baranski cuts a much more elegant figure than her character, Agnes Van Rhijn, in real life. Resplendent in a stunning black power suit, a fab wavy blonde bob, a striking brooch, and Christian Louboutin heels, the Juilliard-trained actress held sway during her talk at The Elms lawn Thursday evening, August 7. […]
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Documentary ‘Speak’ screens at newportFILM Outdoors with director in attendance
The documentary “Speak,” which had its world premiere at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, screened Thursday night at Miantonomi Park as part of newportFILM Outdoors’ 15th anniversary season. Co-director Guy Mossman attended the screening and participated in a post-film conversation with Todd Trebour, executive director of the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts. The […]
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West Place Animal Sanctuary launches driving tours to improve accessibility
TIVERTON — West Place Animal Sanctuary has introduced electric vehicle tours to make its 8-acre property accessible to visitors with mobility challenges, though the nonprofit is still fundraising to cover the vehicle’s cost. The sanctuary announced Tuesday that it has added a CRU by Club Car, a quiet, eco-friendly five-passenger electric cart, to offer guided […]
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Boston Celtics sign coach Joe Mazzulla to a multi-year contract extension
BOSTON (AP) — Boston Celtics president Brad Stevens has said throughout the offseason that that team wanted Joe Mazzulla to be its coach for a long time. It made that more than a proclamation Friday, announcing it has signed Mazzulla to a multi-year contract extension. Length and details of the new deal were not released. […]
Posted inCity & Government, News
Portsmouth Town Council to consider disc golf course, overdose memorial display at Aug. 12 Meeting
The Portsmouth Town Council will tackle several community initiatives when it meets Tuesday, August 12, at 7 p.m. in the Town Council Chambers at Portsmouth Town Hall. Among the key items on the agenda is a request to bring a disc golf course to Portsmouth with support from the Parks and Recreation Committee. The council […]
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CCRI brings English language classes to Newport campus this fall
The Community College of Rhode Island will offer English Language Studies classes at its Newport campus starting this fall, expanding access to language education for residents of Aquidneck Island. The classes will be held on weekday evenings and Saturdays to accommodate adult learners who work or have family responsibilities, CCRI announced Thursday. “We are proud […]
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Morning Notes: BankNewport awards $50,000 grant to preserve Jamestown farmland
Good morning, Newport! 🗓️ Today is Friday, Aug. 8, the 220th day of 2025. There are 145 days left in the year. 🚨 You need to know BankNewport’s Charitable Foundation has awarded a $50,000 grant to Jamestown Community Farm to support the nonprofit’s “One Chance Campaign,” an effort to permanently acquire 15 acres of farmland […]
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Mount Hope Bridge to close for weekend resurfacing project
The Mount Hope Bridge will close to all traffic for four days starting Thursday evening as crews work to resurface the span connecting Bristol and Portsmouth. The Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority announced the bridge will be closed from 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 14, through 5 a.m. Monday, Aug. 18, weather permitting. During the […]
Posted inNews, Sports
Bronze statue of Tom Brady to be unveiled before Patriots’ exhibition opener
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Tom Brady left his imprint all over the New England Patriots’ record books during his stellar two-decade run with the team. Now, he is set to become the first player in franchise history to be honored with a statue. During a star-studded Patriots Hall of Fame induction last June, at which Brady’s No. […]
Posted inCity & Government
Governor McKee honors Newport Mental Health for crisis response after Portsmouth tragedy
MIDDLETOWN — Gov. Daniel McKee has recognized Newport Mental Health for its crisis response following a tragic June incident in Portsmouth that killed a 15-year-old student and critically injured a 17-year-old. Richard Leclerc, director of the Rhode Island Department of Behavioral Healthcare, Developmental Disabilities & Hospitals, presented a Certificate of Special Recognition to Dayna Gladstein, […]
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USS Arlington Marines tour The Breakers during Naval Station Newport visit
NEWPORT — Forty-seven Marines from the USS Arlington toured The Breakers mansion Thursday morning as part of celebrations marking the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps. The service members arrived at the historic Gilded Age estate this morning aboard a Viking Tours trolley for self-guided tours of the 70-room mansion built by […]
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RIPTA board tables sweeping cuts after receiving last minute letter from McKee
by Alexander Castro, Rhode Island Current August 7, 2025 It’s back to the drawing board for the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA). The agency’s Board of Directors voted Thursday morning to table a proposal that would have slashed or reduced services on the majority of its bus routes, all in the hope of repairing […]