Fort Adams State Park continues an annual Memorial Day tradition this weekend with “Boots on the Ground,” a tribute to soldiers lost since 9/11 in the war against terrorism. Approximately 7,000 boots and placards are spread throughout the fort. The exhibition is open through Monday, May 30th. Admission is free. For details, click here. WUN […]
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Concert Recap and Photos: Boston Calling continues to rock – Day 2 summary
Boston native and hometown favorite Julie Rhodes opened Day 2 of Boston Calling Saturday May 28 and totally crushed it! Rhodes and her band the Electric Company lit up the Red Stage in front of thousands of fans, some who knew her and others who walked away convinced. The day continued with more female musicians […]
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Nominations open for Girl Scouts of Southeastern New England Leading Women of Distinction Honor
Girl Scouts of Southeastern New England (GSSNE) this week announced that the nominations for the 2022 Leading Women of Distinction Awards are now open. GSSNE says in a press release that anyone can nominate a woman who exemplifies the Girl Scout mission of building girls of courage, confidence, and character who make the world a better place; […]
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What’s Up Today: Sunday, May 29
Good Morning, today is Sunday, May 29. 🌊 A Patriotic Concert featuring the 88th Army Band, Rhode Island National Guard will take place at Fort Adams today from 5 pm to 6 pm as part of the Boots on The Grounds for Heroes event. Read More 🌊 It’s day #4 of the Rogue Island Comedy […]
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Lowest-earning counties in Rhode Island
Americans on the whole were doing well financially heading into 2020, with major markers like unemployment reaching 50-year lows. The pandemic changed all that: During the second quarter of the 2020 fiscal year, our nation’s real GDP fell by a whopping 31.4%, a number that hasn’t been seen since the Great Depression. Since then the […]
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Concert Photos: The Wallflowers rock Jane Pickens
A sell-out concert from The Wallflowers kicked off Memorial Day Weekend on Thursday, May 26 at the Jane Pickens Theater and Events Center in Newport. Led by founder Jakob Dylan, the band rock through a set of favorites from throughout their 30+ year career. The 21-song set included Wallflowers favorites “6th Avenue Heartache” “The Passenger,” […]
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BankNewport awards $10,000 grant to Southern RI Volunteers
BankNewport this week announced that it has awarded a $10,000 grant to Southern RI Volunteers (SRIV), the leading provider of volunteer resources for non-profit organizations throughout Southern Rhode Island for nonprofit agency sites that address basic needs for senior clients at those agencies, children and families. The grant will support SRIV’s independent aging adult services. […]
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What’s Up Today: Saturday, May 28
Good Morning, today is Saturday, May 28. 🌊 It’s day #3 of the Rogue Island Comedy Festival. Catch the laughs at The JPT at 6 pm, 8 pm, and 10 pm this evening. Lineup, info, and ticket here. 🌊 If you’re planning on doing any shellfishing this weekend, here’s a reminder from DEM about the […]
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Newport Art Museum to host a free Community Day on June 4
On Saturday, June 4, 2022, from 10 am to 5 pm, the Newport Art Museum will host a Free Community Day called “Quilting Generations Together,” with special programming from 12 – 4pm. Special programming will celebrate family in all its many forms with collaborative art making and storytelling. A giant quilt-making project, collaborative weaving, workshops, storytelling and […]
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Top stories this week on What’sUpNewp
It was a busy week in Newport County and across Rhode Island. Here’s what stories our readers were reading the most. Top Stories 1 – Firefighters battle four-alarm fire at The Wayfinder Hotel 2 – St. Philomena School Student chosen as the winner for Rhode Island in Doodle for Google Student Contest 3 – Free […]
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City of Newport asking the community to help light up the Harbor this July 4th
The City of Newport is gearing up for its annual Fourth of July fireworks celebration and is once again turning to the community to help light up Newport Harbor. Every year, thousands of locals and visitors alike flock to downtown Newport to take in the City’s annual Fourth of July fireworks display. This year, with COVID restrictions lifted, the […]
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Preservation Society opens several Newport Mansions
Starting Memorial Day weekend, The Preservation Society of Newport County will have more of its properties open than at any time since the autumn of 2019, before the COVID pandemic began. The Breakers, Marble House, The Elms, Rosecliff, and Green Animals Topiary Garden are open daily, including holidays, starting Friday, May 27. Interior house tours are self-guided […]
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Governor McKee directs flags to fly at half-staff in honor of Memorial Day
PROVIDENCE, RI – Governor Dan McKee is directing U.S. and Rhode Island flags at all state agencies and buildings to be flown at half-staff from sunrise until 12:00 p.m. on Monday, May 30, in observation of Memorial Day. Flags should return to full-staff at noon.
Governor McKee also released the following statement today in recognition of the American heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice in the preservation of freedom:
“This Memorial Day, let us come together as Rhode Islanders to reflect on the selfless sacrifice of our nation’s brave service members who gave their lives for our freedom. As we honor their memory, we must also pay tribute to their families and loved ones as they have also made a tremendous sacrifice for our nation. We can never thank them enough.
I encourage every Rhode Islander to take a moment this Memorial Day to remember these valiant heroes and the legacies they have left behind. Their sacrifices should never be taken for granted.”
Governor McKee asks Rhode Islanders to lower their own flags to half-staff during this time.
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Rhode Island is the #4 state with the least land owned by the federal government
The federal government owns 27.1% of all land in the United States, or 615.3 million of 2.27 billion acres. Federal lands are managed mostly for preservation, recreation, and the development of natural resources. The Bureau of Land Management, a governmental division that manages public lands, controls 39.7% of federally owned lands. The Forest Service, in […]
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Town of Middletown: Talk of new school buildings sparks excitement
MIDDLETOWN, R.I. (MAY 26, 2022) – Excitement is growing around discussions to build three new schools in town. Less than 70 hours after the Town Council voted unanimously last week to pursue the idea further, the School Building Committee met in the Oliphant administration building to talk about what’s next. Now, the volunteer Building Committee has […]
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What’s Up Today: Friday, May 27
Good Morning, today is Friday, May 27. 🌊 The Boots on the Ground for Heroes Memorial returns to Fort Adams State Park this Memorial Day Weekend. It opens at 8 am this morning and will be open from 8 am to 8 pm on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, and form 8 am to 6 pm […]
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Brown University among the top 25 schools that have produced the most Fulbright students over the past decade
In 1946, Sen. J. William Fulbright of Arkansas proposed legislation that would forgive the war debts of any nation agreeing to take part in an educational exchange program with the United States. His goal was to promote peace and understanding among countries following the tumultuous years of World War II. The idea resulted in the […]
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New Zealand PM warns of disinformation during Harvard speech
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (AP) — The flood of disinformation that is spread and amplified on social media represents a threat to fragile democracies, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said during the keynote speech at Harvard University’s commencement on Thursday, exhorting graduates to do their part of fight it. “In a disinformation age we need to […]
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329 years later, last Salem ‘witch’ who wasn’t is pardoned
By WILLIAM J. KOLE Associated Press BOSTON (AP) — It took more than three centuries, but the last Salem “witch” who wasn’t has been officially pardoned. Massachusetts lawmakers on Thursday formally exonerated Elizabeth Johnson Jr., clearing her name 329 years after she was convicted of witchcraft in 1693 and sentenced to death at the height […]
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Governor McKee announces awards to six organizations to combat homelessness in Rhode Island
Today, Governor Dan McKee announced six awards totaling close to $1.5 million to the dedicated service providers addressing the homelessness crisis in Rhode Island. These grants are part of the Governor’s Rhode Island Rebounds initiative and funded through American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) dollars and the state’s Consolidated Homeless Fund. These are the first round of projects […]
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DEM: Seasonal bay line is now open, allowing the public to report any environmental problems in Narragansett Bay
Submitted by RIDEM The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) announces that its seasonal 24-hour Bay Line telephone information line is now open. The Bay Line number, 222-8888, is toll-free within the state. New to the program this year is the option for members of the public to report concerns through email at DEM.bartline@dem.ri.gov. Bay Line provides […]
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Family farm plots are available for the summer at the Portsmouth AgInnovation Farm
By Portsmouth AgInnovation Farm & Eastern Rhode Island Conservation District The Portsmouth AgInnovation Farm has announced that it is making available family farm plots to community members for the 2022 Spring and Summer growing season. The plots are located at the Portsmouth AgInnovation Farm on Jepson Lane in Portsmouth. The farm is located at Cloverbud […]
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Free hop-on-hop-off bus service will be offered in Newport this summer
Newport Mayor Jeanne-Marie Napolitano and Bishop W. Nicholas Knisely of the Episcopal Diocese of Rhode Island will join Discover Newport and Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA) officials on Thursday morning to announce a free “Hop-On Hop-Off” bus service promotion in Newport beginning Friday, May 27. The service will offer transportation around Newport to tourist destinations and […]
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Authors Series: Jan Brogan, author of ‘The Combat Zone’, joins What’sUpNewp live virtual video conversation
Jan Brogan’s latest book, The Combat Zone, has been shortlisted for a 2022 Anthony Award. An award-winning journalist and author of four other novels, one of which is under development for a television series, Jan joins What’sUpNewp at 12:30 p.m. today as we continue our Authors’ Series. Jan is a journalist, who is a contributor […]
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West Place Animal Sanctuary opening its gates to the public for Spring Visitors Weekend
West Place Animal Sanctuary in Tiverton is opening its gates to the community during the Spring Visitors Weekend. Visitors will have the opportunity to get up close and personal with the rescued farm animals that call West Place home while learning about the non-profit organization’s important work. Founded in 2007, West Place Animal Sanctuary is a […]