Today, the Fort Adams Trust announced the recent hiring of Regan Miner as the organization’s new executive director. Miner is a public historian and historic preservation advocate. With over ten years of experience in historic preservation and nonprofit leadership, Miner will oversee programming and initiatives to support and promote the Fort’s mission while building partnerships […]
People & Profiles
Posted inColumns
Gerry Goldstein: A steady hand, in war and the composing room
Tommy Plymesser, a gentle and soundly anchored soul, greeted the world just over 100 years ago during his home-birthed arrival on – ironically – Farewell Street in Newport. Later, during a long career in South County, he honed a particular skill: He could close his fingers around an idea, or a well-turned metaphor, and actually […]
Posted inArts & Culture, People & Profiles
Conversation with the world’s leading ‘garbage artist;’ his trolls coming to Rhode Island
“Trash is treasure,” says Thomas Dambo, a Danish artist who has turned garbage into bigger-than-life sculptures, a giant swan in Denmark to trolls in Rhode Island. In a few days, on May 3, the first two of possibly six or seven trolls will take residence in Charlestown’s Ninigret Park. Dambo’s trolls, all built from recycled […]
Posted inNews
Charter Books to welcome Author Laird Hunt February 6 at 6PM
Story by Ruthie Wood Newport’s indie bookstore, Charter Books, is celebrating the release of Float Up, Sing Down, the new collection of short stories from Laird Hunt, in an evening with the author on February 6 at 6PM. Set in the same rural Indiana town as his 2021 novel Zorrie (a National Book Award Finalist), […]
Posted inNews
Moral complexity, empathy, and difficult conversations in the wake of the Israel-Hamas Conflict
Well before the attack on October 7, 2023, there were many, including many liberal Jews, who felt the Palestinian people suffered disproportionately at the hands of the Israeli government. In 2022, it led educator/playwright/actor Sandra Laub to craft her one-woman show, Picking Up Stones: An American Jew Wakes to a Nightmare. In the wake of […]
Posted inNews
WUN-ON-ONE: A conversation with Deanna Lopes, Director of Paradigm Escape Rooms
Paradigm Escape Rooms on William Street is bringing interactive entertainment to Aquidneck Island with two newly designed, second-generation escape room experiences, fit for everyone, rain or shine. Deanna Lopes, Director of Paradigm Escape Rooms, joined What’sUpNewp at 2 pm on Monday, September 18 for a live virtual video conversation to tell us more about Paradigm […]
Posted inCity & Government
Watch: A conversation with Newport School Superintendent Colleen Burns Jermain
Newport School Superintendent Colleen Burns Jermain joined What’sUpNewp for a live virtual video conversation on Wednesday, September 6 at 1:30 pm. During the conversation, we discuss the new school year, and the latest on the Rogers High School construction project, and more.
Posted inArts & Culture
CUSP Gallery Brings Art Crowd to Broadway
Newport’s art scene could be on the cusp of transformation, thanks to a new gallery at 35 Broadway and the vision of its owner, Curtis Speer, an artist who relocated to Newport in November. Along with his partner, Tyler Martin, Speer moved his CUSP Gallery & Lifestyle from the well-established artist colony of Provincetown, MA […]
Posted inNews
What’s Up Interview: We speak with Rising Stars at the Newport Jazz Festival
What’s Up Newp sat down with a trio of young artists at the Newport Jazz Festival last weekend. We met Matthew Whitaker, Julius Rodriguez and members of Butcher Brown at the festival. Here’s what they had to say. Butcher Brown Butcher Brown, a band of five artists from Richmond, Virginia, played the Quad Stage at […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Louis Cato, TV late night bandleader, offers ‘Reflections,’ a new album of ‘laid bare, honest’ songs
By MARK KENNEDY AP Entertainment Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Musician and producer Jack DeBoe recalls the time many years ago when he fully grasped the sheer musical ability of his new friend, Louis Cato. DeBoe and Cato were playing a gig in Boston when DeBoe got up from his drum kit for a break. […]
Posted inCity & Government
WUN-ON-ONE: A conversation with Stephen Casey, Democratic Candidate for Congressional District 1
Stephen Casey, a Democratic Candidate for Rhode Island’s Congressional District 1, joined What’sUpNewp for a live virtual video conversation at 2 pm on Thursday, August 3, 2023. During the interview, we learn more about Stephen, find out why he’s running in this special election, and discuss what he believes sets him apart from his opponents. […]
Posted inCity & Government
WUN-ON-ONE: Newport School Superintendent joins What’sUpNewp for a review of the past year, look at challenges ahead
Newport School Superintendent Colleen Burns Jermain joined WUN’s Ryan Belmore and Frank Prosnitz on the first day of summer school vacation to recap the year that was, talk about the challenges ahead, and more. Watch or listen to our conversation below.
Posted inArts & Culture
WUN-ON-ONE: A conversation with NewportOUT’s Sean O’Connor about Newport Pride Weekend
Newport Pride Weekend returns Friday, June 23, through Sunday, June 25. NewportOUT’s Sean O’Connor joined What’sUpNewp to provide details about Pride Weekend, give us some background and information on the new Pride Center in Newport, and more. For more information on Newport Pride Weekend or the Newport Pride Center, visit www.newportprideri.org. Watch or listen to […]
Posted inArts & Culture
WUN-ON-ONE: Salve grad discusses his latest novel, ‘Glass Bottle Season’
“Fletcher Michael’s GLASS BOTTLE SEASON is a closely observed coming-of-age tale set against the backdrop of the insular culture of Newport royalty. This boozy, immersive novel will resonate with anyone who has ever felt like an outsider or has experienced that painful passage between the last gasps of childhood and the beginnings of adulthood. It’s […]
Posted inPeople & Profiles
WUN-ON-ONE: A conversation with Cathleen Carr, Executive Director of newportFILM
Cathleen Carr, Executive Director of newportFILM, joined What’sUpNewp for a live virtual video conversation today. During the conversation, Ryan Belmore and Cathleen discuss the upcoming newportFILM 2023 Outdoors lineup, which includes an exciting lineup of eleven world-class and award-winning documentaries. Patrick And The Whale kicks off the summer schedule on Thursday night at The Great Friends […]
Posted inCity & Government, People & Profiles
Mayor Xay joins What’sUpNewp for a WUN-ON-ONE conversation
Newport Mayor Xaykham (Xay) Khamsyvoravong joined What’sUpNewp for a live virtual video conversation at 2 pm on Thursday, June 15. Among the topics, we recap the June 14 Regular Meeting of the Newport City Council and talk to the Mayor about the Cliff Walk, short-term rental application fees, the Rogers High School and Pell Bridge […]
Posted inPeople & Profiles
Facing education’s challenges: a conversation with Newport School Superintendent Jermain
For Newport School Superintendent Colleen Burns Jermain, the 2022-23 school year has been one with considerable challenges, as the school system looks to the next school year to improve upon what was not a very promising “report card” by the Rhode Island Department of Education, a school building project that faces financial challenges, and an […]
Posted inPeople & Profiles
WUN videocasts Thursday: at 10 with Mayor Xay and at 2 with General Treasurer James Diossa
It’s a doubleheader today for WhatsUpNewp, with Newport Mayor Xay joining WUN for a videocast at 10 a.m. and General Treasurer James Diossa at 1. The mayor joins us for his regular appearance the day after a council meeting, and now a day after City Manager Joe Nicholson announced his retirement after 37 years of […]
Posted inPeople & Profiles
WUN-ON-ONE: A conversation with Evan Smith, President of Discover Newport
You may not know it but this week (May 7 – 13, 2023) is National Travel and Tourism Week. According to the U.S. Travel Association, National Travel and Tourism Week is “an annual tradition to celebrate the U.S. travel community and travel’s essential role in stimulating economic growth, cultivating vibrant communities, creating quality job opportunities, […]
Posted inPeople & Profiles
WUN-ON-ONE: A conversation with Newport School Superintendent Colleen Burns Jermain
Across Rhode Island, school systems are finding that the bond issues voters approved only a few months ago to build new, modern school buildings, are millions of dollars short of what they now expect the projects to cost. And so it is in Newport, where for months now educators have been trying to fill a […]
Posted inCity & Government, People & Profiles
WUN-ON-ONE: A conversation with Newport School Superintendent Colleen Burns Jermain
Colleen Burns Jermain, Newport’s Superintendent of Schools, joined What’sUpNewp on Wednesday, March 29, 2023, for her monthly live virtual video conversation. During our conversation, we discuss school safety, regionalization, construction at Rogers High School, mental health, teacher shortages, and more. Watch or listen to the conversation below; http://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/271114/private/0be5d6ef-e8ee-4c47-96c5-3fe1fed967d3.rss
Posted inNews, People & Profiles
WUN-ON-ONE: A conversation with Heather Hole Strout, Executive Director of the MLK Center
Heather Hole Strout, Executive Director of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center, joined What’sUpNewp at 11:30 am on Tuesday, March 28, for a virtual live video conversation. During the conversation, we chat with Heather about all that’s happening and new at the MLK Center, including an update on their big renovation, what services […]
Posted inMusic & Entertainment
What’s Up Interview: Dar Williams coming to Jane Pickens March 24
Aspiring songwriters, this show’s for you. Dar Williams, known as a “songwriter’s songwriter,” is coming to Newport’s Jane Pickens Film and Events Center for a show on March 24 at 8PM. Williams is out on tour in support of her latest album I’ll Meet You There as well as her new book How to Write […]
Posted inNews, People & Profiles
A conversation with Newport School Superintendent Colleen Burns Jermain
Newport School Superintendent Colleen Burns Jermain joined What’sUpNewp on Wednesday, March 1 for our monthly live virtual video conversation. During our conversation, we touch base on regionalization, the new Rogers High School project, mental health issues, the COVID-19 learning gap, preparing students for the Blue Economy, and much more. Watch
Posted inMusic & Entertainment
What’s Up Interview: We speak with children’s musician Laurie Berkner on the ‘kindie rock’ movement and more
Award-winning recording artist Laurie Berkner, widely recognized as the queen of children’s music, is bringing her show to the Greenwich Odeum Saturday, March 4 at 3PM. With over 22 million monthly streams, and millions of CDs and DVDs sold, Laurie’s songs have become much loved classics for children worldwide. It’s her first major tour since […]