I’m proud to officially announce my candidacy for Newport City Council. Newport isn’t just where I live. It’s home. I was born at Newport Hospital, attended Newport Public Schools, spent summers at Camp Rocky Farm and Braga Park, learned to play tennis at Vernon and Rogers Courts with my late great-uncle Frank Kenney, played softball […]
Newport County
Posted inHistory
History: June 27, 1898 – Joshua Slocum Arrives in Newport, Becomes 1st Man to Sail Single-Handedly Around the World
Did you know that the first solo circumnavigation of the globe was completed in Newport, Rhode Island? Joshua Slocum Captain Joshua Slocum, a native of Novia Scotia, completed the feat on June 27th, 1898. On April 24, 1895, at the age of 51, he departed Boston in his tiny sloop Spray , a 36′ 9″ gaff rigged […]
Posted inColumns
Dr. Michael Fine: What’s crazy about decent medical care
I ran into my friend Bert last night and we got to talking. “I hear you guys talking about medical care, about how it is for-profit and lots of people are using it to make too much money on the backs of communities,” he said. “But my care is great. I go to Oak Street. […]
Posted inNews
Underwater ribbon cutting ushers in new URI Ocean Robotics Laboratory
The University of Rhode Island celebrated a major milestone in the $300 million, multi-phase revitalization of its Narragansett Bay Campus with a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Ocean Robotics Laboratory on June 25. Students Elliot Roman and Jake Bonney piloted URI’s remotely operated vehicle Rhody to cut the ceremonial ribbon underwater in the building’s 20-foot-wide […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Charter Books to host bestselling author Jenny Jackson at OceanCliff for ‘The Shampoo Effect’
Charter Books will welcome Jenny Jackson, New York Times bestselling author of “Pineapple Street” and vice president and editorial director of fiction at Alfred A. Knopf, to Newport for a special event at OceanCliff celebrating her latest novel, “The Shampoo Effect.” The event will take place Monday, July 13, from 4 to 6 p.m., with […]
Posted inReal Estate
On the Market: A look at every Open House hosting in Newport County (June 27-28)
As visitors return for weddings, vacations, weekends on the water, and everything that makes this part of Rhode Island so special, many also begin to imagine what it would be like to call this place home. That seasonal influx consistently brings new buyers into the market, and while inventory remains relatively limited, we’re beginning to […]
Posted inArts & Culture
For actor Alex LeBlanc, a summer of ‘Grease’ and ‘Titanic’ at Theatre by the Sea
Alex LeBlanc is excited to spend a chunk of his summer at Theatre by the Sea. The 24-year-old East Greenwich actor is appearing both in “Grease” and “Titanic.” “This is my first time (at Theatre by the Sea) as an adult,” said LeBlanc in our recent interview. “I did ‘Mary Poppins’ here in 2014. I […]
Posted inNews
Potter League launches ‘Stars, Stripes & Second Chances’ adoption event as shelter reaches capacity
With its Animal Care & Adoption Center at capacity, the Potter League for Animals has launched its “Stars, Stripes & Second Chances” adoption event, offering 50% off adoption fees for all adult dogs and cats from June 26 through July 2. The discount applies to all adult dogs and cats 6 months and older. The […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Newport Vineyards launches Tuesday Tunes series and continues Sunday music through August
Newport Vineyards will kick off its Tuesday Tunes music series next week and continue its weekly Sunday Music Series, offering free live music at the Middletown winery throughout the summer. The Tuesday Tunes series runs from 5 to 8 p.m. weekly, beginning June 30 with Funkademic. Guests can bring lawn chairs and order from a […]
Posted inSports
Clagett Regatta to host 2026 U.S. Para Sailing Championships at Sail Newport
The C. Thomas Clagett, Jr. Memorial Clinic and Regatta will host the 2026 U.S. Para Sailing Championships at Sail Newport from June 26 to 28, marking the fourth time the event has hosted the national championships. The 24th annual Clagett Regatta has drawn 25 entries from sailors across the United States, Puerto Rico and Canada, […]
Posted inObituaries
Obituary: Lois Jean Simpson
Lois Jean Simpson, beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, friend, teacher, and woman of deep and abiding faith, passed away peacefully on Saturday, June 20, 2026, in Middletown, Rhode Island, with family at her side. She left this world as gracefully as she lived, with the same gentleness, dignity, and quiet strength that defined her life. To […]
Posted inNews
Jermain reflects on 12 years, charts what’s next for Newport schools in final monthly chat
Newport Public Schools Superintendent Colleen Burns Jermain joined What’sUpNewp owner and publisher Ryan Belmore and editor Frank Prosnitz on Wednesday afternoon for her final monthly conversation — capping a series that has run for several years, now ended by her June 30 retirement after more than 12 years leading the district. The conversation was equal […]
Posted inNews
AARP commits $143,000 in grants to strengthen Rhode Island communities, including Bike Newport
AARP has announced that nine organizations across Rhode Island will receive 2026 Community Challenge grants, including Bike Newport, as part of a national effort to make communities more livable for people of all ages, especially older adults. The grants, totaling $143,000 in Rhode Island, are part of an $8.3 million commitment by AARP nationwide — […]
Posted inCity & Government
Nine candidates enter Newport City Council at-large race as filing period closes
The filing period for Newport’s fall municipal elections closed Wednesday with nine candidates entered in the race for at-large seats on the Newport City Council, including Mayor Charles Holder, who is seeking re-election. Holder, who serves as council chair and mayor, which is chosen by all seven members of the council from among the four […]
Posted inObituaries
Obituary: Jose Luis Vincent Barrientos
It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Jose Luis Vincent Barrientos on June 18, 2026, at the age of 68. Surrounded by family, he left this world to reunite with his soulmate, Deborah Berriochoa. Jose was born on December 22, 1957, in La Paz, Bolivia, and he filled the lives of […]
Posted inNonprofit
Charlie Holder Sr. Memorial race raises $32,000 for Newport County YMCA and MLK Community Center
A rainy start didn’t deter 357 participants from running and walking in the third annual Charlie Holder Sr. Memorial Race on Saturday, May 9, an event that raised $32,000 for two Newport County organizations. This year’s race added a new 10K alongside the 5K run/walk and virtual options. Again presented by BRS Building Company, the […]
Posted inReal Estate
What Sold: A look at a dozen recent sales in Newport County (June 15 – 19)
Twelve properties changed hands across Newport County last week, highlighted by a few notable sales in Jamestown and Newport. The top sale belonged to 35 Battery Lane in Jamestown, which traded for $3,950,000, followed closely by 115 Washington Street in Newport at $2,670,000. While supply remains constrained and demand continues to support pricing, we are […]
Posted inObituaries
Obituary: Leonard James Petze
Leonard James “Lennie” Petze, a beloved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and a towering figure in the music industry, passed away on June 16, 2026, in Providence, Rhode Island. He was 84 years old. Born on May 5, 1942, in Weymouth, Massachusetts, Lennie grew up in a lively multi-family home with his parents, sisters, uncle, aunt, […]
Posted inSports
International Tennis Hall of Fame unveils Roger Federer exhibit ahead of August induction
The International Tennis Hall of Fame has unveiled new museum exhibits celebrating the achievements that have shaped tennis history, anchored by an installation honoring Roger Federer ahead of his induction this August. The new exhibits serve as a centerpiece of the lead-up to the 2026 Induction Celebration, which will welcome Federer and broadcaster and journalist […]
Posted inCity & Government
McKee administration awards $9.5 million for affordable housing, including $4.5 million for a Newport project
Gov. Dan McKee and the Rhode Island Executive Office of Housing have announced $9.5 million in awards through the Housing 2030 Public Developer Program, including $4.5 million for a new affordable housing development in Newport. The bond-funded program is designed to help public housing authorities and their nonprofit affiliates develop and preserve affordable rental housing. […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Jane Pickens Theater to host two special film events on storytelling, music and cultural change
The Jane Pickens Theater & Event Center will present two special film events this summer, each pairing a screening with a live conversation exploring storytelling, music and cultural change. The first, on Monday, June 29, is a special screening of the acclaimed 2025 romantic drama “The History of Sound,” followed by a live conversation with […]
Posted inCity & Government
Newport City Council, School Committee races take shape as filing period enters final day
The field for Newport’s fall municipal elections began to come into focus Tuesday as candidates filed declarations of candidacy on the second day of the state’s three-day filing window. Five candidates have entered the race for Newport City Council at-large, including incumbent Stephanie Smyth. Also filing were Jane LeBoeuf, Kevin Michaud, Christine Hope Sullivan, and […]
Posted inInstagram
Pell Elementary kindergarten teacher Diane McBrier named Newport Teacher of the Year
Pell Elementary School kindergarten teacher Diane McBrier has been named the Newport Public School District Teacher of the Year for the 2026-2027 school year. McBrier is a veteran educator with 28 years of teaching experience, 26 of them with Newport Public Schools. She has taught at Underwood School, Sheffield School, Coggeshall School and Cranston-Calvert School […]
Posted inInstagram
Newport candidates begin declaring for office as filing period opens
Newport candidates began formally declaring for local, statewide and federal offices Monday, the first of three days in Rhode Island’s candidate filing period, with the early field already shaping up to include a crowded race for School Committee. According to a list of Newport residents who declared on the first day, released by the city’s […]