Source: Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management PROVIDENCE – Despite parking restrictions meant to limit crowds and allow for adequate physical distancing on the sand, Rhode Island’s eight state beaches experienced a 79% increase in visitors in June 2020 (340,000 visitors) over June 2019 (190,000 visitors). Among other consequences, this has caused many beachgoers to […]
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RIDOH: 113 Rhode Islanders recently received false positive results
The Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) today announced that it has been made aware by a private laboratory of 113 false positive COVID-19 test results for Rhode Islanders. This means that these 113 people were told that their results were positive when they were actually negative. Located in New York, this private laboratory is […]
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Newport County Road Report: July 18 – 24
Newport, RI – Here’s a round-up of the scheduled road and lane closures throughout Newport County during the week ahead. Rhode Island Department of Transportation The following road and lane closure notices from the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) are effective for the week of July 18-24. All schedules are weather-dependent and subject to […]
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Election 2020: Connecting What’s Up Newp readers with the candidates
Newport, RI – By all accounts, COVID-19 will make campaigning particularly difficult this year, and so Election 2020 is certain to be memorable for its many new challenges here in Newport County and across the state. Aside from the presidency, voters in Rhode Island will have an opportunity on September 8th (Primary) and November 3rd […]
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Rhode Island Slave History Medallions to install medallion on Bowen’s Wharf
On Thursday, July 23rd, Rhode Island Slave History Medallions (RISHM) will be installing a medallion on Bowen’s Wharf, in partnership with Bowen’s Wharf Company. A small installation ceremony will be held at 11 a.m. near one of the wharf’s original historic buildings, formerly known as the Stevens Ship Chandlery (now Sail Loft), which is registered with the […]
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Rhode Island joins forces with 14 states to accelerate bus and truck electrification
The Department of Environmental Management (DEM) today announced that Rhode Island is one of 15 states and the District of Columbia pledging to work collaboratively to advance and accelerate the market for medium- and heavy-duty electric vehicles including large pickup trucks and vans, delivery and box trucks, school and transit buses, and long-haul delivery trucks (big-rigs). […]
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Public advised to avoid contact with the water in Tiverton’s Stafford Pond due to blue-green algae bloom
The Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) and the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) are advising the public to avoid contact with the water in Stafford Pond in Tiverton. This advisory is being issued because high levels of blue-green algae, also known as cyanobacteria, have been detected in the pond. Contact with water […]
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Next edition of The Ocean Race moved to 2022-2023
Organisers of The Ocean Race have confirmed the next edition of the Race will start from Alicante, Spain, in October 2022 and finish in Genova, Italy, in the summer of 2023 during the 50th jubilee anniversary year of the Race. The next edition of The Ocean Race was originally scheduled to start from Alicante, Spain […]
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Newport City Council to meet on July 22, here’s what’s on the agenda
Newport City Council will host their next Regular Council Meeting at 6:30 pm on Wednesday, July 22nd. While members of Newport City Council will be present in City Hall, the meeting itself is closed to the public attending in-person. Members of the public can participate in the meeting by Zoom or phone (details below).
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Rhode Island to launch expanded serology testing effort
Governor Gina Raimondo and the Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) today announced that RIDOH will be coordinating a second, expanded round of serology testing in the coming weeks to better understand the prevalence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) among people in certain high-contact professions in Rhode Island. This effort is in collaboration with the […]
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Department of Health releases updated COVID-19 data by city, town
For the first time since July 3, the Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) released new update data on the number of people COVID-19 tested and the number of people with positive tests by city and town. The updated town and city data comes on a day that RIDOH reports 17,640 total positive cases (52 […]
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Video & Recap: Governor Raimondo, Department of Health to provide COVID-19 update
Providence, RI – Governor Gina Raimondo and the Rhode Island Department of Health hosted a press briefing at 1 pm today to provide an update on COVID-19 in Rhode Island. Updates From The Press Briefing Gov: To Rhode Islanders – If you let your guard down now, there will be more hospitalizations, suffering, and deaths. […]
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City of Newport: Yard waste pickup set for next week
via City of Newport Newport, RI – As City crews work to clear felled branches and tree limbs resulting from Tuesday’s heavy thunderstorms, Newport property owners are being reminded that any yard waste longer than 3 feet and over 4 inches in diameter can be dropped off free of charge at the Waste Management Transfer […]
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Ten CCRI Student-Athletes named NJCAA Academic All-Americans
Warwick, RI – The Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI) announced today that ten student-athletes from their school have qualified as National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Academic All-Americans for the 2019-20 academic year. The NJCAA Academic Student-Athlete Awards honor individuals for their achievements in the classroom. The awards are based on grade point average; […]
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Sections of Green End Avenue closed for repairs until July 17
Heavy rains on Tuesday, July 14, damaged sections of Green End Avenue from the intersection with Aquidneck Avenue to Valley Road, and from Valley Road to the intersection with Miantonomi Avenue. The Middletown Department of Public Works has closed the two sections of Green End Avenue to through traffic until Friday, July 17, in order […]
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VIDEO: Newport City Council to receive COVID-19 Update from City Manager
Newport City Council will be meeting in remote session today at 4:30 p.m. for an update from City Manager Joe Nicholson on the City’s COVID-19 response. This is a What’s Up Newp broadcast. If you’d like to watch or participate in the official meeting, please click on the following link https://buff.ly/36aZeYz. To dial in, please call […]
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Obituary for Kenneth Allen Phillips
This obituary originally appeared on Memorial Funeral Home. Kenneth Phillips, 83, of Portsmouth, RI, passed away on Monday, July 6, 2020. Ken was born in Cincinnati, Ohio to the late Harry Phillips Sr. and Mildred Phillips. Ken always had a soft spot for Ohio. He enjoyed bringing his grandchildren with him occasionally showing them his […]
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Representative Cortvriend to co-host screening of ‘Dark Waters’ expert panel discussion
Today, Representative Terri-Denise Cortvriend announced she will be co-hosting a Virtual Screening of the Dark Waters and expert panel discussion. Dark Waters is a chilling tale of one lawyer’s fight for a community poisoned by PFAS chemicals. Participants have five (5) days to watch the DARK WATERS film at home for free before the panel […]
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Ballot order set for Newport City Council Primary
The lottery for Newport’s City Council Primary ballot placement was conducted this morning. By random drawing, here is the ballot order for the primary on September 8, 2020: CITY COUNCIL WARD 3 (Vote for 1) Kathryn E. LeonardRachel S. HusseyPaul E. Marshall CITY COUNCIL AT LARGE (Vote for Up to 4) Jamie P. BovaJustin S. […]
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Portion of Thames Street will be closed on Wednesday night for maintenance on a gas main
National Grid Gas will be conducting required maintenance of the natural gas main on Thames Street at Underwood Ct. on Wednesday, July 15, 2020 beginning at 7:00 pm, Newport Police Department announced today. According to Newport Police, this work is being conducted at night to minimize traffic disruptions in the area. It is expected the […]
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Drowning victim recovered off Scarborough State Beach
The Department of Environmental Management announced this morning that at around 7 AM, a US Coast Guard helicopter located the body of a swimmer who went missing last night about a half-mile off Scarborough State Beach in Narragansett. The victim, Matthew Smith, 64, of Fitchburg, MA, drowned. Narragansett Police and Fire received a 911 call […]
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Arizona Cardinals owner released from Newport Hospital after testing positive for the coronavirus
Arizona Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill, who tested positive for the coronavirus last week, has been released from Newport Hospital. Bidwill, 55, had been traveling for a few weeks on the East Coast and had been admitted to Newport Hospital after his positive test. The team thinks he contracted the virus while traveling on the East Coast. According […]
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Newport’s crowded field for council and school committee
Newporters are assured of an active election campaign, as nearly all candidates that had filed to run for election submitted papers today with the required number of signatures that will put their names on the ballot. Only one candidate for council or school committee, Laurie Love running for the Ward 2 seat on Newport City […]
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Progressives aim to dislodge top state Senate leaders
Progressives are taking on some top state Senate Democrats in September’s primary election, seeking to expand their influence within the state legislature. Senate President Dominick Ruggerio, President Pro Tempore Harold Metts, Majority Whip Maryellen Goodwin, and Senate Majority Leader Michael McCaffrey, all have challengers that would be considered Progressives in the Sept. 8 Democratic Primary. […]
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Mark C. Hazenberg assumes command of Navy Officer Training Command
Story by Darwin Lam, Naval Service Training Command. This story originally appeared here. Newport, RI – A change of command ceremony was held for Officer Training Command Newport (OTCN) at Kay Hall in Newport, Rhode Island, July 10. Capt. Mark C. Hazenberg relieved Capt. Mark A. Nicholson as commanding officer of OTCN. Under Nicholson’s leadership, OTCN […]