Newport County

Newport is preparing for another record-breaking year of bicycle traffic to the Newport Folk Festival, with organizers implementing an enhanced safety plan to accommodate the estimated 1,600 cyclists expected daily. The city has seen remarkable growth in festival-goers choosing bicycles over cars, with cyclists now representing 16% to 18% of all attendees – the highest […]

Federal Reserve Bank of Boston reports depict a stagnant regional economy that is lagging behind the U.S. economy in some areas, but is cautiously optimistic about the future. Tariffs, economic uncertainty, AI, and rising housing prices have all had a significant impact on the region and Rhode Island’s economy, according to the Boston Fed reports. […]

Rhode Island has lost more than 80% of its agricultural land since 1940, dropping from approximately 300,000 acres in production to just 67,800 acres today—with less than 40,000 actively used for farming, according to the Rhode Island Land Trust Council. To help address this crisis, Ocean Hour Farm, Aquidneck Island Land Trust, and Land For […]

Newport’s Department of Utilities will launch a new billing system in mid-August that officials say will provide enhanced features and eliminate payment processing fees, but customers will face a temporary disruption in online payment options during the transition. The upgraded system promises a more intuitive interface and expanded payment options including Venmo and Google Pay. […]

An effort to recall Westerly Town Council president Chris Duhamel, a Democrat, has failed after organizers were unable to collect the required number of signatures to force a recall election, according to Westerly Town Manager Shawn Lacey. The deadline to submit the petition was 4:30 p.m. today. Lacey said the organizers needed to collect 2,600 […]

The Newport City Council will tackle a packed agenda at its regular meeting next Wednesday, July 23, at 6:30 p.m. in City Council Chambers, located at 43 Broadway, with several significant infrastructure and planning items up for consideration. Among the key items, the council will vote on awarding a consulting contract for a comprehensive plan […]

Newport is embarking on its most ambitious roadway improvement project in nearly a decade, with 18 streets across the city set to receive major upgrades as part of a $3 million investment made possible by the 2024 General Obligation Bond. The annual Roadway Improvement Program kicked off this month with contractor Pawtucket Hot Mix Asphalt […]

By BIANCA VÁZQUEZ TONESS AP Education Writer EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — More than 20 states sued President Donald Trump’s administration on Monday over billions of dollars in frozen education funding for after-school care, summer programs and more. Some of the withheld money funds after-school and summer programming at Boys & Girls Clubs, the YMCA or public schools, attended […]

by Christopher Shea, Rhode Island Current July 10, 2025 For the first time in half a dozen years, the number of unhoused people in Rhode Island is on the decline.  But the good news comes with a caveat: More people were without shelter when volunteers from the Rhode Island Coalition to End Homelessness conducted its […]

by Christopher Shea, Rhode Island Current July 9, 2025 State leaders are considering their next steps as they face the potential loss of nearly $30 million in federal education funding halted by the Trump administration — a cut that could devastate afterschool programs, multilingual learning, and adult education in Rhode Island. The funding is part […]

By KIMBERLEE KRUESI Associated Press Former Rhode Island Gov. Edward DiPrete, who served as the state’s chief executive for six years and was later jailed for corruption, has died. He was 91. Robert Murray, DiPrete’s former chief of staff, confirmed that the Republican died Tuesday after celebrating his 91st birthday with family. DiPrete, a Republican, served […]

The Mount Hope Bridge will be completely closed to traffic for nearly four days next month as crews work to install a new road surface, the Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority announced Wednesday. The bridge connecting Bristol and Portsmouth will shut down at 7 p.m. on Thursday, August 14, and remain closed until 5 […]

by Christopher Shea, Rhode Island CurrentJuly 7, 2025 Rhode Island State Police will continue 24/7 patrols of the four bridges owned by the Rhode Island Turnpike & Bridge Authority (RITBA) for another three years, according to an agreement reached between the two agencies in mid-June. The memorandum of understanding calls for RITBA to pay the […]