Mayor Xay previews tonight's City Council Meeting | Checking Water Lines for lead | and more.
On tap today: Aquidneck Growers Market, Pizza Making Class, and more.
Good Morning. It’s Wednesday, October 9, and today, we’re covering tonight’s Newport City Council meeting, the assessment of water lines for lead, our latest conversations with Newport School Committee candidates, and more.
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Leading Off
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Newport City Council
📌 Newport’s City Council is set to convene at Pell Elementary School tonight at 6:30 pm for its regular meeting, temporarily relocating due to ongoing elevator maintenance issues at City Hall.
Mayor Xaykham “Xay” Khamsyvoravong views the change of venue as an opportunity to bring city government closer to residents. “We are embracing the opportunity we have to take our city council on the road into the neighborhoods,” he said during an Ask The Mayor conversation with What’sUpNewp on Tuesday, October 8.
The agenda includes several key items, notably a discussion on seasonal rentals and their impact on Newport’s housing stock. Councilor Lima initiated this conversation, prompting a closer look at properties used for short-term stays. [WUN]
[The] US census found that one in four homes in Newport sit vacant for the majority of the year. And we're not talking about those Gilded Age mansions down on Bellevue Avenue that were built for that purpose. We're talking about middle-class family homes in Newport neighborhoods."
Mayor Xay highlighted the issue of vacant homes in Newport while speaking with What’sUpNewp about a seasonal rental memorandum that Newport City Council will receive tonight,
What To Know
News
🏘️ The R.I. Public Expenditure Council today published an analysis of Rhode Island housing policy, with a focus on the state’s recent investments in affordable housing. [WUN]
🚰 The City of Newport’s Water Division is currently assessing both private and public service lines across the City for the presence of lead. [WUN]
🧑⚖️ Lawrence Gray, the retired professor accused of stealing a trove of valuable jewels from wealthy friends, pleaded no contest Tuesday in Newport, where he accepted punishment for pilfering a diamond and sapphire brooch that belonged to his host at a wedding celebration. [Washington Post]
Arts & Culture
🍂 The seventh annual Broadway Street Fair returns on Saturday with more than 200 artisans, makers, and food vendors. [WUN]
🎃 WPRI has unearthed the best Halloween displays, local haunts, light shows and tableaus in Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts. Yes, the MacDonalds’ Halloween Display on Ellery in Middletown made the list. [WPRI]
Business + Nonprofit
🎤 Rebecca Bertrand, Director of the Newport Historical Society, and Victoria Johnson of the Middle Passage Project will discuss the campaign to create a center for Black history in Newport at Arts Around The Fire on Oct. 16. [WUN]
City & Government
🔜 Middletown Town Council’s meeting lasted nearly four hours on Monday night. We’ll have more coverage from the meeting throughout the day today.
🔜 Newport School Committee’s meeting last night lasted approximately 2 1/2 hours. We’ll have more coverage throughout the day today.
🤷 The Providence Journal asks “Is the East Bay an infrastructure wasteland?” [Projo]
Election 2024
🎙️ Loretta “Lori” Burke, a Newport School Committee candidate, will join What’sUpNewp at 2:30 pm today, as part of our “Ask The Candidate” series. [WUN]
🎤 Elizabeth “Beth” Cullen, a candidate for Newport School Committee, emphasizes the need for new educational approaches and improved collaboration between city officials and educators as she campaigns for one of the open seats in the upcoming election. [WUN]
👉 Catch up on our interviews with candidates for Newport City Council and Newport School Committee. [WUN]
Environment & Health
🌎 NOAA is currently evaluating Rhode Island’s Coastal Regulatory Agency. [ecoRI News]
Obituaries
🕊️ Luis Tiant, the charismatic Cuban with a horseshoe mustache and mesmerizing windup who pitched the Red Sox to the brink of a World Series championship and himself to the doorstep of the Hall of Fame, has died. He was 83. [WUN]
Opinion
✍️ Newport resident Isabel Griffith weighs in on the memorandum from the City Manager on the Bond Measures. [WUN]
People & Profiles
⚾ David Miller ’10 is the assistant director of baseball analytics/major league strategic information for the Boston Red Sox. Seventeen years ago, he was a math major at Salve studying for a dual degree in secondary education and mathematics, with plans to become a high school teacher. [SALVEtoday]
🔔 The Boston Globe’s new The Big Day column tells the story today of how a couple found each other and married in an elegant Newport wedding. [Boston Globe]
Real Estate
🏠 Of the 25 homes sold in Newport County last week, ten were priced over $1 million. [WUN]
Sailing & Sports
⛵ The National Sailing Hall of Fame welcomed its Class of 2024 during a weekend of events in Chicago, recognizing 12 individuals who have made significant contributions to the sport of sailing. [WUN]
🏒 Sam Bennett scored twice, Sam Reinhart and Evan Rodrigues each had a goal and an assist, and the Florida Panthers opened defense of their Stanley Cup championship by topping the Boston Bruins 6-4 on Tuesday in the opener for both teams. [WUN]
🏈 The New England Patriots are planning to give first-round draft pick Drake Maye his first pro start in the hopes of ending a four-game losing streak under veteran journeyman quarterback Jacoby Brissett. [WUN]
Things To Do
⛵ Safe Harbor Newport Shipyard is set to host its annual Pumpkin Regatta on Friday. Now in its 12th year, the event aims to raise funds for The Confetti Foundation. [WUN]
🎃 Trinity Church’s Pumpkin Patch will bring more than 1,000 pumpkins, gourds, and mums to downtown Newport beginning Thursday. [WUN]
🏃♀️ On Tap This Week/Weekend: Broadway Street Fair, Amica Newport Marathon & Half Marathon, and more. [WUN]
What’s Up Today
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⛅ Weather
Today: Sunny, with a high near 65. West wind 6 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low of around 47. Northwest wind 6 to 13 mph.
⚓ Marine
Today: WNW wind 5 to 9 kt, becoming W in the afternoon. Sunny. Seas 1 ft or less. Tonight: WNW wind 5 to 8 kt, increasing to 8 to 11 kt after midnight. Mostly clear. Seas 1 ft or less.
Avg. Water Temperature: 64°F.
🌘 Sun, Moon, & Tide
Sunrise: 6:51 am | Sunset: 6:13 pm | 11 hours and 21 minutes of sun.
High tide at 12:25 am & 12:46 pm | Low tide at 5:24 am & 6:25 pm.
Moon: Waxing Crescent. 5.6 days, 31% lighting.
🚢 Cruise Ship
Next up on the cruise ship schedule is the Silver Shadow today and the Enchanted Princess on Sunday.
✅ Things To Do
10 am: Family Storytime at Newport Public Library
2 pm: Aquidneck Growers Market on Memorial Boulevard
6 pm: Surf Club Pizza Making Class at Surf Club
6 pm: Fiber Therapy: A Knitting and Crocheting Group at Newport Public Library
6:30 pm: Fermentation Class at Forty 1 North
🎶 Live Music & Entertainment
Buskers: Open Mic with Mike Warner at 9 pm
Fastnet Pub: Trivia at 9 pm
Fifth Element: Ruby Mac at 7 pm
Newport Playhouse: Run For Your Wife at 11 am
Newport Vineyards: Trivia Wednesdays at 6 pm
Ragged Island Brewing: Andre Arsenault at 5:30 pm
Sardella’s: Live music at 7 pm
The Quencher: Karaoke at 9 pm
🗓️ Local Government
Jamestown: Housing Authority at 9 am, Harbor Management Commission at 5 pm
Little Compton: School Committee at 6:30 pm
Middletown: Economic Development Advisory Committee at 4:30 pm, Planning Board at 6 pm
Newport: Trust & Investment Commission at 8 am, Beach Commission at 5 pm, City Council at 5:30 pm, City Council at 6:30 pm
Tiverton: North End and Industrial/Business Park Advisory Subcommittee at 7 pm
