Fungus among us • Tiverton football triumphs • Angel bids adieu
Here's what happening, new, and to do this weekend in Newport.
It’s Saturday, September 21 —the 265th day of the year; 101 days remain in 2024.
⛅ Today’s Weather: Showers likely, mainly before 2 pm. Cloudy, with a high near 64°.
🍁 Today is the last full day of summer. Fall (a.k.a. the autumnal equinox) arrives at 8:44 am on Sunday.
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Leading Off
🍄 Fungus Among Us
For many, “mushroom” holds no value beyond the plate. Mushrooms are an additive on pizzas, an umami star of some Asian dishes like ramen, egg rolls, and stir-fries, cooked into omelets, and considered a triumphant delicacy of haut cuisine when finely grated over pasta. Others might hear “mushroom” and think of home ownership worries, like lawn care and tree health. The term “fungus” might be associated with mild disgust and thoughts of bathrooms and feet.
It would seem that mushrooms and fungi get a bad rep – love them for food but hate them for everything else. But these common ideas of fungi don’t tell the whole story, and some Rhode Islanders have found joy in the complexity, mystery, and strange beauty of the world of mycology – the study of fungi. They call themselves the Rhode Island Mycological Society (or RImyS).
WUN’s Ruthie Wood has more on the underground Rhode Island society that unites the mycologically curious.
On This Day In History – September 21: Hurricane of ’38 hits Newport
What To Know
News
🚌 Newport police and Ocean State Transit are investigating an incident that happened Thursday aboard one of the company’s school buses. (WPRI)
💰 Rhode Island will receive $125.4 million in federal grant funding to replace the westbound Interstate 195 Washington Bridge — nearly $100 million short of its initial ask, and one-third of preliminary cost estimates for the project. (WUN via RI Current)
🚨 The Newport Police Department reported a single arrest in the 24 hours from Thursday morning to Friday morning. (WUN)
Arts & Culture
💃 Conexion Latina will host Festival Latino on the lawn of Great Friends Meeting House today. It’s a celebration of the people, culture, flavors, sounds, and traditions that enrich our community. (WUN)
Business + Nonprofit
🛥️ The organizers of the Newport International Boat Show announced that its 53rd edition, held from September 12-15, 2024, at the Newport Yachting Center, was one of the most successful events in its history. (WUN)
🏥 Lifespan, Rhode Island’s largest hospital group, has laid off an undisclosed number of executives, less than two weeks before the organization closes the books on its current fiscal year, Target 12 has confirmed. (WPRI)
🏃 The Citizens Pell Bridge Run returns on Sunday, October 20, for the thirteenth annual 4-mile run/walk across the Claiborne Pell Newport Bridge. Thirty-nine nonprofits will benefit from the event. (WUN)
🫶 BankNewport is celebrating its support of Aquidneck Community Table’s 2024 Kids Garden Program, which teaches children about healthy dietary habits and environmental stewardship through hands-on gardening. (WUN)
City & Government
🛑 RIDOT is advising of lane closures in Middletown and Tiverton from Sept. 21 - 27. (WUN)
🏠 The Rhode Island Department of Housing is seeking public feedback on housing needs, challenges, and goals through a new survey being conducted. (WUN)
⚡ The much-maligned winter electric rate hikes won’t be as burdensome as initial calculations suggested, thanks to a nearly $27 million refund distributed to Rhode Island Energy customers. (WUN via RI Current)
Food & Drink
🍷 The Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival continues through Sunday. While several events are sold out, there are still opportunities to enjoy. (Newport Mansions)
Notable Quote
"I felt so fortunate to meet so many of the people I met. Many of them became friends, others just acquaintances," Angel said during his final show. "It really did evolve into a privilege to be able to relate to and communicate with our listenership for morning after morning after morning."
~ Bobb Angel reflecting on the end of his 58-year career on WADK on Friday.
Obituaries
Opinion
🩺 Dr. Michael Fine’s latest column is here - What’s crazy about health care and the presidential election. (WUN)
People & Profiles (& Pets)
📻 Bobb Angel, legendary morning host of WADK’s Morning Report, signed off after 58 years on the air on Friday. The 79-year-old broadcaster will continue calling high school and college sports games for the station, a role he’s held since the 1970s. (WUN)
🐶 Meet your new best friend, Ollie - this week’s adoptable dog of the week! A 4-year-old male Pyrenees, is available for adoption at the Potter League for Animals. (WUN)
🐈 This week's adoptable cat of the week is Bubbles, a 4-year-old domestic shorthair cat at the Potter League for Animals. (WUN)
Real Estate
🏠 WUN’s Tyler Bernadyn with a look at the 27 Newport County homes that are hosting open houses this weekend. (WUN)
📉 You might have seen news about the Fed lowering interest rates and how this could benefit credit cards and mortgages. But what does this mean for the housing market, and when can we expect to see changes? WUN’s Tyler Bernadyn dives into the topic with Cam Stewart, Senior Loan Officer at Shamrock CMG Home Loans. (WUN)
Sailing & Sports
🏈 Tiverton High School's football team achieves a historic victory on their home field, defeating Smithfield High School 27-13 in a high-scoring showdown. WUN’s Justin Walker was there. (Photo Gallery on WUN)
⚾ Trevor Larnach and Matt Wallner both had RBI singles in the 12th inning and the Minnesota Twins beat the Boston Red Sox 4-2 on Friday night. (WUN)
🏇 Newport Polo: Buckle up for a turbo-charged showdown today as Bentley and Rolls-Royce go head-to-head in the Herb Chambers Exotics Cup at the Newport International Polo Grounds. (Newport Polo)
🏈 Jacoby Brissett isn’t the problem. Drake Maye isn’t the solution. So the New England Patriots will go another week — at least — with the veteran journeyman Brissett at starting quarterback before turning things over to Maye, the rookie first-round draft pick and acknowledged quarterback of the future. (WUN)
Things To Do
📚 Join the MLK Community Center on Sunday for a free family fun Children’s Day to celebrate 4,000 kids enrolled in Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. (WUN)
🎶 NIMFest returns on Sunday to make up a rained-out concert from earlier this summer. The concert will include the John McKenna Quartet and Bill Killian(WUN)
🎥 newportFILM will present a special screening of La Claridad in the Rosecliff Ballroom on Thursday, October 3. Tickets are $75 per person. (newportFILM)
Extra! Extra!
Portsmouth, Barrington play to 1-1 tie in boys’ soccer (photos) (East Bay RI)
Little Compton to Nashville — on foot (East Bay RI)
What’s Up This Weekend
🚢 The 1,082-foot Enchanted Princess is scheduled to visit on Sunday. She can host 3,660 passengers.
Weather
Saturday: Showers likely, mainly before 2pm. Cloudy, with a high near 64. Breezy, with a north wind 20 to 22 mph, with gusts as high as 34 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
Saturday Night: A chance of showers, mainly between 11pm and 2am. Cloudy, with a low around 57. North wind 15 to 17 mph, with gusts as high as 28 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.
Sunday: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 67. Northeast wind 13 to 15 mph.
Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low of around 53. Northeast wind 9 to 11 mph.
Marine Forecast
Saturday: NNE wind around 16 kt, with gusts as high as 27 kt. There is a chance of showers. Patchy fog will develop before 1 p.m. Seas will be 1 ft or less.
Saturday Night: NNE wind 11 to 13 kt, with gusts as high as 20 kt. There is a chance of showers, mainly before midnight. Patchy fog before 10 pm. Seas 1 ft or less.
Sunday: NNE wind 11 to 13 kt, with gusts as high as 20 kt. Mostly cloudy. Seas 1 ft or less.
Sunday Night: NNE wind 8 to 10 kt. Partly cloudy. Seas 1 ft or less.
Coastal Water Temperature: 68°F.
Sun, Moon, & Tide
Saturday
Sunrise: 6:32 am | Sunset: 6:43 pm | 12 hours and 11 minutes of sun.
High tide at 10:54 am & 11:20 pm | Low tide at 3:50 am & 4:49 pm.
Moon: Waning Gibbous. 18 days, 88% lighting.
Sunday
Sunrise: 6:33 am | Sunset: 6:42 pm | 12 hours and 8 minutes of sun.
High tide at 11:49 am | Low tide at 4:33 am & 5:45 pm.
Moon: Waning Gibbous. 19.2 days, 80% lighting.
Things To Do + Live Music & Entertainment
On tap this weekend: Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival, Festival Latino, and more. Get the full rundown of events, live music, and entertainment. (WUN)
Do you have news, a news tip, or a story idea? Hit reply and let me know!
Your report on the Citizens Pell Bridge Run on Sunday, October 20thstates they will finish at the Visitors Center on America’s Cup Avenue.
The Visitor Center is no longer on America’ Cup Avenue, it has moved to Log Wharf Mall.
I suspect the run will end at the Save the Bay Aquarium on America’s Cup avenue.