Middletown Library | Charter Books | Newport School Committee | Real Estate
On tap today: Five For Fighting with Strings live, Pell Center Polling and Presidential Race Discussion, Scrabble, Trivia, and more.
Good Morning. It’s Tuesday, October 8, and today, we’re covering our four conversations with Newport School Committee candidates, plans for Middletown Library, Middletown Center, Charter Books, and more.
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Leading Off
One-On-One With The Candidates
1️⃣ Stephanie Winslow, an incumbent Newport School Committee member, is seeking re-election for her third term. Winslow, initially appointed to fill a vacancy in March 2020, has been a critical figure in policy reform and equity initiatives within the Newport Public Schools system.
Winslow, a Newport native and computer programmer, emphasizes her commitment to improving the school system’s policy manual. “I somehow fell into the policy subcommittee,” Winslow said during an interview with What’sUpNewp on Monday. “We have so much of it in Newport, and that organizing knack that I have, we have just tons and tons of policies.” [WUN]
2️⃣ Dr. Sandra J. Flowers, a longtime member of the Newport School Committee, is seeking re-election for her ninth term. With 16 years on the committee and 30 years as a teacher in Newport public schools, Flowers brings nearly five decades of experience to her candidacy.
“I’m approaching the end of my 8th term, which means 16 years,” Flowers said in an interview with What’sUpNewp on Monday. “I was a teacher in the Newport public school system for 30 years. And I retired in 1995.” [WUN]
3️⃣ Newport School Committee Chair Becky Bolan has announced that if she is re-elected in November her next term would be her last, citing a desire to see the Rogers High School project through to completion.
Bolan, who has served on the committee for approximately 17 years, announced during an interview with Ryan Belmore of What’sUpNewp. [WUN]
4️⃣ Dr. Robert B. Power, a candidate for Newport School Committee, is making the inclusion of vocational programs at the new Rogers High School a central issue in his campaign.
“What got me to get into the race was the fact that in the Rogers High School project, they have engineered out or not put in auto tech and cosmetology,” Power said during an interview with What’sUpNewp on Monday. “And I think those are extremely important programs.” [WUN]
Fall Supporter Drive
🙏 Yesterday, we kicked off our Fall Supporter Drive, looking for 100 readers to become supporters. Five of you did so yesterday; thank you! We have 95 more supporters to go.
As a reader-funded newsroom, supporters allow us to continue reporting on all that’s happening, new, and to do out in Newport and across the island. If you haven’t noticed, more often than not, many of the things we report on, stories we share, and conversations we have can only be found on What’sUpNewp.
What To Know
News
⚠️ A natural gas pipeline maintenance operation is being conducted at the Algonquin Gas Transmission, LLC meter station site at 13 Old Mill Lane in Portsmouth from Oct. 7-16, during which time the controlled venting of natural gas may occur intermittently between 7 am and 7 pm, the town announced. [WUN]
🚨 Newport Police took six individuals into custody over the weekend on various charges. [WUN]
Arts & Culture
🎭 ‘Tis the season… for a trip to the Little Shop of Horrors. The former Academy Award-nominated musical and popular dark comedy is playing October 10-20 at the James and Gloria Maron Cultural Arts Center in Providence. RI-based actor, comedian, and WUN contributor Frank O’Donnell is producing the show, working with Academy Players, a community theater troupe based in the capital city. [WUN]
🖼️ A new exhibition showcasing Gilded Age fashion in New England will open on October 10 at The Dorrance H. Hamilton Gallery at Salve Regina University. [WUN]
💭 Our latest Sour Grapes comic from Tim Jones is here - Spirit. [WUN]
Business + Nonprofit
📚 Charter Books in Newport has been named the New England Independent Bookstore of the Year by the Book Publishers Representatives of New England. [WUN]
👋 At their 2024 annual meeting, the Newport Historical Society Board of Directors voted to welcome Dan Benson and Kathryn “KK” Streator to the Board and renewed its slate of officers. [WUN]
💰 Newport-based Pangaea Logistics Solutions Ltd., a global provider of comprehensive maritime logistics solutions, on Monday, announced a definitive agreement to purchase the remaining 50% equity ownership of its consolidated subsidiary, Nordic Bulk Partners LLC, from HS Nordic LLC, for $17.2 million in cash.
City & Government
🆕 Middletown officials announced a 99-year ground lease for "Middletown Center" on Monday, a public-private partnership that will pay the community more than $1 million a year and transform 15 underutilized acres at 600-740 West Main Road. [Middletown]
📚 The Middletown Town Council also announced Monday night a significant change to the town’s library relocation plans. The town will purchase the 3.5-acre property at 110 Enterprise Center for $3.3 million. [WUN]
🗒️ The R.I. Ethics Commission has a full slate for the first time in more than three years, thanks to the latest appointment of Michael Browner, Jr., principal at Frank E. Thompson Middle School, made by Gov. Dan McKee on Friday. [RI Current]
Election 2024
🎙️ Elizabeth “Beth” Cullen, a Newport School Committee candidate, will join What’sUpNewp at 4:30 pm today as part of our “Ask The Candidate” series. [WUN]
👉 Catch up on our interviews with candidates for Newport City Council and Newport School Committee. [WUN]
Environment & Health
🌎 Rhode Island’s students aren’t the only ones expected to learn this fall; a select number of lawmakers, environmental officials, and stakeholders have been summoned to assess any future impacts from supercharged storms aimed at the state. [ecoRI]
Obituaries
Opinion
✍️ Kristile L. Gardiner of Newport weighs in with an endorsement for Xaykham “Xay” Rexford Khamsyvoravong for Newport City Council At-Large. [WUN]
✍️ Deborah Ruggiero, a 14-year state representative for District 74, who served on the 2014 and 2024 bipartisan constitutional convention commissions, writes in encouraging voters to vote no on Question 1. [WUN]
Real Estate
🏘️ Twenty-five homes changed hands last week across Newport County. WUN’s Tyler Bernadyn has the rundown of what sold. [WUN]
Sailing & Sports
🏈 After another lackluster performance by Jacoby Brissett and the Patriots’ offense — this one a 15-10 loss to the Miami Dolphins — coach Jerod Mayo took nothing off the table when looking for answers. [WUN]
⚾ The U.S. Naval War College hosted its seventh annual “Cardines Classic” Army-Navy baseball game on Friday, October 4. [WUN]
🏐 Middletown defeated North Smithfield 3 - 1 in Division II Girls Volleyball. [WLNE]
Things To Do .
🏃♀️ On Tap This Week/Weekend: Broadway Street Fair, Amica Newport Marathon & Half Marathon, and more. [WUN]
🎶 Don’t miss Five for Fighting live with strings tonight at The JPT. [WUN]
What’s Up Today
⛅ Weather
Today: Sunny, with a high near 65. Northwest wind around 9 mph. Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 49. West wind around 6 mph.
⚓ Marine
Today: NNW wind around 8 kt, becoming WNW in the afternoon. Sunny. Seas 1 ft or less. Tonight: Variable winds 5 kt or less. Partly cloudy. Seas 1 ft or less.
Avg. Water Temperature: 64°F.
🌘 Sun, Moon, & Tide
Sunrise: 6:50 am | Sunset: 6:14 pm | 11 hours and 24 minutes of sun.
High tide at 11:52 am | Low tide at 4:42 am & 5:32 pm.
Moon: Waxing Crescent. 3.7 days, 15% lighting.
🚢 Cruise Ship
Next up on the cruise ship schedule is the Silver Shadow on Wednesday and the Enchanted Princess on Sunday.
✅ Things To Do
9 am: ESL Read-Aloud Book Clubs at Newport Public Library
2 pm: Tuesday Book Group at Newport Public Library
3 pm: Scrabble at Newport Public Library
3:30 pm: Teen & Tween: Murder Mystery Game at Newport Public Library
7 pm: Pell Center Polling and Presidential Race Discussion at O’Hare
🎶 Live Music & Entertainment
JPT Film & Event Center: Five For Fighting with Strings live at 7:30 pm
Narragansett Cafe: Trivia at 7 pm
O’Brien’s Pub: Trivia at 7 pm
🗓️ Local Government
Jamestown: Library Board at 5 pm, Conservation Commission at 6:30 pm
Middletown: Personnel Board at 3 pm, Beach Commission at 4:30 pm
Newport: School Committee at 6:30 pm
Tiverton: North Tiverton Fire District at 7 pm
