Mother’s Day weekend is upon us and in two short weeks, Memorial Day Weekend… With many families spending Sunday together, we’re seeing a much lighter open house schedule overall and a heavier concentration of activity pushed into Saturday. Across Newport County, there are only 22 addresses hosting public showings this weekend, noticeably lower than what […]
Newport County
Posted inOpinion
Letter to the Editor: Newport School Committee chair addresses misinformation on superintendent search
To the Editor, I would like to address misinformation surrounding the Newport School Committee’s decision to hire an interim superintendent for Newport Public Schools. Our current superintendent is retiring at the end of next month, and the School Committee has a responsibility to ensure there is qualified leadership in place without interruption. The decision to […]
Posted inObituaries
Obituary: Susan Lynn Timberlake-Merritt
Good gentles, kind family, and cherished friends, We gather this day beneath Heaven’s watchful gaze to honor and celebrate the wondrous life of Susan Lynn Timberlake-Merritt: a radiant spirit whose laughter rang as brightly as the bells of a festival morn. Born in the fair seaside town of Newport, Rhode Island, on the fifteenth day […]
Posted inObituaries
Obituary: Donna Lynn Brown
Donna Lynn Brown, born on January 12, 1951, in Brooklyn, NY, peacefully departed this life on April 28, 2026, at the age of 75. A cherished mother, grandmother and beloved friend, Donna’s compassionate spirit touched the lives of many in her community. She is survived by her loving children: son John Lambert (Susan), daughter Victoria Gwinn (Wendell), […]
Posted inCity & Government
Euer bill would address failing toll transponders, warn drivers before licenses are at risk
Sen. Dawn Euer has introduced legislation that would require the Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority to proactively replace failing toll transponders and to notify drivers of unpaid tolls before their licenses and vehicle registrations are jeopardized. The bill, 2026-S 2728, would direct the authority to establish rules and regulations covering transponder failures, including outreach […]
Posted inCity & Government
Newport City Council to weigh Bellevue Avenue liquor license transfer, noise enforcement trailer at May 13 meeting
The Newport City Council will take up a wide-ranging agenda Wednesday, May 13, including a proposal to purchase an automated noise enforcement trailer, dozens of summer event approvals and a show-cause hearing for a Thames Street coffee shop. The meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers at City Hall, 43 Broadway. A Citizens’ […]
Posted inRhode Island
Rhode Island state beaches set to open May 23 for Memorial Day weekend
Rhode Island’s eight state beaches will open for the 2026 season on Saturday, May 23, the Department of Environmental Management announced Wednesday, marking the official start of summer at the shore. DEM said most locations will have lifeguards, beach staff, concessions, restrooms and other amenities in place through Labor Day. Two facility improvement projects are […]
Posted inSports
Sail Newport to commission new J/7 fleet Saturday at Fort Adams
Sail Newport will commission its new fleet of J/7 sailboats Saturday, May 9, at 10:30 a.m. at the Alofsin Piers in Fort Adams State Park. The public is invited to the ceremony, which will officially launch the season for the boats. Designed and produced by Newport-based J/Boats, the new vessels were purchased for community sailing […]
Posted inObituaries
Obituary: Dr. Sarah C. O’Dowd
Dr. Sarah O’Dowd, 91, of the Rhode Island communities of Newport, Barrington and Riverside, passed away peacefully at St. Clare-Newport, on April 20, 2026. She was one day past her 91st birthday. Born in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1935, Sarah was the daughter of Schuyler and Lucille Christian. She spent her formative youth in Decatur, Georgia, […]
Posted inObituaries
Obituary: Jose da Costa Sousa
Jose C. Sousa, age 89, of Portsmouth, passed away on 4 May 2026. Born in Sao Miguel, Azores, he was the son of the late Jose de Melo Sousa and Maria do Rosario Costa.At 17, Jose voluntarily enlisted in the Portuguese Army and served for 10 years. During that time, he saw direct combat for […]
Posted inNews
Brown Health wants state aid for Newport Hospital birthing center. Lawmakers want answers first.
by Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island Current May 5, 2026 Brown University Health made a hazy promise to keep Newport Hospital’s birthing center open if it can secure an extra $4.9 million in state and philanthropic aid. But lawmakers aren’t ready to deliver any taxpayer money without assurances.“We don’t just take what somebody puts on a […]
Posted inThings To Do
Tickets on sale for 2026 Cerity Partners Hall of Fame Open
Tickets went on sale Tuesday for the 2026 Cerity Partners Hall of Fame Open, the combined ATP Challenger and WTA 125 grass-court tournament returning to the International Tennis Hall of Fame July 5-12. This year’s event, presented by The MARGARET Fund, will offer $225,000 in equal prize money — a $25,000 increase from 2025 — […]
Posted inObituaries
Obituary: Rose Marie Roderick
Rose Marie Roderick, a devoted mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and natural caregiver, passed away on May 1 at the age of 78. She was the kind of person who gave love freely and made everyone around her feel safe, cared for, and at home.Rose built her life around caring for others. She lovingly raised her grandchildren […]
Posted inCity & Government
Reed marks 250th anniversary of Rhode Island’s break from King George III at Old State House reopening
U.S. Sen. Jack Reed joined community leaders and the Rhode Island Historical Preservation and Heritage Commission on Monday to mark the 250th anniversary of Rhode Island Independence Day at the newly reopened Old State House, the building where the General Assembly voted on May 4, 1776 to sever ties with King George III. The vote […]
Posted inCity & Government
Newport superintendent says new urban district designation could unlock state grant funding
Newport’s formal designation as one of Rhode Island’s five core cities for child poverty, announced at Monday’s Kids Count breakfast in Providence, is a long-overdue recognition of data Newport has been “bumping” the state’s traditional urban districts on for years and could help the city tap new state grant funding, Superintendent Colleen Burns Jermain said. […]
Posted inSports
Olympic medalist Lijia Xu to compete in inaugural Women’s International Championship in Newport
Two-time Olympic medalist Lijia Xu of China will be among 20 international skippers competing in the inaugural New York Yacht Club Women’s International Championship this September at Harbour Court. The regatta will be sailed Sept. 12-19 using the club’s fleet of 20 identical IC37 yachts. The 37-foot keelboat, designed by Mark Mills to a brief […]
Posted inReal Estate
What Sold: A look at 23 homes that traded hands last week in Newport County (April 27 – May 1)
We saw 23 sales across Newport County last week. At the top, 29 Prairie Avenue at Eastbourne Lodge in the Kay/Catherine/Rhode Island neighborhood closed at $2,750,000, while on the other end, a manufactured home in Tiverton sold for $180,000. That kind of spread shows just how broad the market is right now, with activity happening […]
Posted inNews
Kids Count: Newport among leaders in child poverty in Rhode Island
The disparities between the haves and have nots among Rhode Island’s youth impacts everything from education to safety to mental health and economic opportunity. It’s all contained in the annual Kids Count Factbook being released this morning at the annual Kids Count event. Among the major changes is that Newport has been added to a […]
Posted inInstagram
Aquidneck Island National Police Parade marches through Middletown and Newport for 41st year
Police departments, honor guards, bands and community organizations marched two miles from Middletown into Newport on Sunday for the 41st Aquidneck Island National Police Parade. The procession stepped off at 11:50 a.m. in front of the Hampton Inn and Suites at 317 West Main Road in Middletown, heading south on West Main Road and continuing […]
Posted inNews
41st Aquidneck Island National Police Parade steps off Sunday in Middletown and Newport
The 41st Aquidneck Island National Police Parade is set to step off Sunday, with participants marching two miles from Middletown into Newport in honor of law enforcement. The parade begins at 11:50 a.m. in front of the Hampton Inn and Suites at 317 West Main Road in Middletown. Marchers will head south on West Main […]
Posted inNews
Rhode Island FC suffers first home loss of 2026, falling 3-1 to Birmingham Legion FC
Rhode Island FC suffered its first home loss of the 2026 season Saturday, falling 3-1 to Birmingham Legion FC on Star Wars Night at Centreville Bank Stadium despite dominating possession and the shot count. Birmingham (2-3-2) struck less than three minutes in, when Dawson McCartney tore down the left wing and crossed into the box […]
Posted inSports
Zhang’s walk-off single lifts Middletown past Portsmouth 12-11 in seven-inning thriller
MIDDLETOWN, RI — Junyi Zhang lined a walk-off single in the bottom of the seventh inning Friday to cap a back-and-forth thriller and lift the Middletown Varsity Islanders to a 12-11 win over Portsmouth at Gaudet. Middletown jumped ahead 2-0 in the first and stretched the lead to 5-1 with a three-run third. Portsmouth answered […]
Posted inEnvironment & Health
Dr. Michael Fine: What’s crazy about dental cleanings and prevention
I’m a big fan of prevention, understanding that everyone dies of something, and not all health problems are preventable. That said, it’s crazy how our fears about illness and death overwhelm our better judgment from time to time, and how people with a service to sell sometimes let their ambition get in front of the […]
Posted inFood & Drink
The Vanderbilt opens Roof Deck for the season today
The Vanderbilt, Auberge Collection officially opens its Roof Deck for the season today, returning one of the city’s popular sunset spots to the rotation just in time for the first weekend of May. Overlooking Newport Harbor and the Claiborne Pell Bridge, the Roof Deck offers wraparound views, handcrafted cocktails and a seasonal menu. It will […]