Newport City Council to consider short-term rental moratorium, sewer fee repeal
Plus: The latest headlines and a look at what's happening, new, and to do out there.
It’s Wednesday, September 25 —the 269th day of the year; 97 days remain in 2024.
🌥️ Today’s Weather: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 64°. Sunrise was at 6:35 am, and Sunset is at 6:38 pm.
🚢 Up next on the cruise ship schedule is the Norwegian Sky on Friday.
Leading Off
Newport City Council’s meeting will occur at Pell Elementary School at 6:30 pm this evening due to the ongoing elevator issue at City Hall. (Agenda)
At its meeting, the City Council will consider repealing a new sewer fee structure and imposing a citywide moratorium on new short-term rentals. These measures aim to curb the loss of housing units to vacation rentals. Mayor Xay discussed both items with us on Monday.
The City Council will meet in an executive session before the Regular Council Meeting to discuss the potential litigation over the city’s ban on short-term property rentals in commercial zoning districts before that meeting. (WUN)
Before all of the meeting activities tonight, we’ll chat today with Newport School Superintendent Colleen Burns Jermain, Newport City Councilor Mark Aramli, and Newport City Second Ward Councilor Charlie Holder. I hope that you’ll tune in live and ask questions.
Colleen Burns Jermain at 1:30 pm. (Watch/Ask Questions)
Councilor Mark Aramli at 11 am. (Watch/Ask Question)
Second Ward Councilor Charlie Holder at 3 pm. (Watch/Ask Questions)
If you miss any of the conversations, you can watch them anytime afterward on whatsupnewp.com.
What To Know
Happening Today
🍷 Things to Do: Family Storytime, Aquidneck Growers Market, Fermentation Class, & more. (WUN)
🍿 Live Music & Entertainment: Merchant Ivory and Paris, Texas at The JPT, Trivia at Newport Vineyards, Tom Hanson at Ragged Island, and more. (WUN)
🗓️ Local Government: Newport City Council, RITBA, Middletown School Building Committee, and more. (WUN)
News
🚨 Two parents were arrested after an alleged altercation at a Portsmouth High School football game. (WJAR)
🔌 A lawsuit against the Rhode Island Commerce Corporation filed by one of the state’s largest cable and internet providers has drawn a stern rebuke from state officials who say the complaint is “misleading and unsupported by facts.” (RI Current)
🎓 In the first half of 2024 the average student loan balance in Rhode Island grew $1,737 from the end of 2023, reaching $37,167. (WUN)
Arts & Culture
🎻 Newport Classical will present Pianist Anton Mejias in a Chamber Series Concert on October 18. Mejias will give the US premiere of Twelve Preludes: The Art of Memory by composer Philip Lasser alongside Book II of Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier. (WUN)
🎥 newportFILM: Secret Mall Apartment has been voted the audience favorite for this year’s BankNewport Audience Award. This critically acclaimed documentary follows eight R.I. artists who created a secret apartment in the Providence Place Mall. (WUN)
Business + Nonprofit
👋 People’s Credit Union has welcomed a few new board members and welcomed back a few others. (WUN)
🇺🇸 The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has awarded Operation Stand Down Rhode Island a $100,000 grant to help the organization support recently separated veterans and their spouses with employment services. (WUN)
City & Government
🥾 Middletown Valley, a 50-acre park nestled in the heart of Middletown, has seen notable enhancements with the completion of a new trail extension. (WUN)
🚪 The City of Newport’s first Community Office Hours will run from 10 am until 12 pm on Friday at the Edward King House. (WUN)
Election 2024
🗳️ Voters appear split on a ballot question asking if the state should hold a constitutional convention, according to a new poll released just after a new digital ad campaign launched urging them to reject it. (WUN via Rhode Island Current)
❗Reminder: The registration deadline to vote for the General Election is October 6. (Voter Information Handbook)
Environment & Health
💰 The Rhode Island Infrastructure Bank announced on Tuesday that Middletown is among eight communities across the state to receive a share of $5.2 million in grants to fund projects to strengthen the towns against climate change's impacts. (WUN)
Food & Drink
🆕 Track 15, the highly anticipated food hall opening in Providence in February 2025, has announced its final two vendors: Little Chaska and Tolia. They will join Dune Brothers, Dolores, There There, Giusto PVD, and Mother Pizzeria PVD.
Obituaries
🕊️ Harry Church 🕊️ David F. Edes 🕊️ Thomas Peters
Opinion
🗒️ Former candidate for Newport City Council First Ward Charles Pattavina has endorsed Ellen Pinnock for Newport’s First Ward. (WUN)
🪧 Doug Powers of Newport endorses David Carlin, Newport City Council Third Ward (WUN)
✍️ John Hirschboeck of Newport shares his endorsement for Beth Cullen, candidate for Newport School Committee. (WUN)
People
🧳 Evan Smith, the President and CEO of Discover Newport will join What’sUpNewp for a one-on-one live video conversation on Thursday. During this conversation, we’ll discuss the 2024 summer travel and tourism season, what’s ahead for the fall and winter, travel and tourism trends, the impacts of tourism and traffic, and more. (WUN)
Real Estate
💰 Riverhead Building Supply, the current tenant at the former Benny’s in Middletown, has purchased its portion of the land it sits on for $10 million. (Newport Daily News)
📈 Here’s a look at the cities and towns with the fastest-growing home prices in Rhode Island. (WUN)
🏘️ On the other side, here’s a look at the cities with the most expensive homes in Rhode Island. (WUN)
Sailing & Sports
⚾ Trevor Story hit a tiebreaking double in a three-run 10th inning, and the Boston Red Sox rallied past the Toronto Blue Jays 6-5 on Tuesday night. (WUN)
🏀 Jayson Tatum has a new tattoo on his back, another gold medal to hang around his neck, and a chip on his shoulder. (WUN)
⚽ What’sUpNewp’s Justin Walker will cover Rogers High School Boys Soccer versus Tiverton High School later today. Look for recap and photo gallery tonight.
Things To Do
🍺 On tap this week/weekend: Newport Oktoberfest, Pints for Paws, Jamestown Half Marathon, and more. (WUN)
🖼️ Newport Mansions will host various fall programs, beginning Thursday with “Art and Animals in the Gilded Age: Newport Stories” with Dr. Nicole Williams, Curator of Collections, The Preservation Society of Newport County. (WUN)
🤣 Comedian Tom Cotter will appear at The JPT on Thursday as part of the No Apologies tour alongside fellow comics Jim Florentine and Tammy Pescatelli. WUN’s Ken Abrams caught up with Cotter ahead of the show. (WUN)
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✉️ Got feedback, or how about a news tip/story idea? I’m ready to listen. Hit reply or contact me at ryan@whatsupnewp.com.