Good Morning,
~ You have until 5 pm today to enter to win the 2021 HGTV Dream Home in Portsmouth. The prize package, valued at over $2.8 million, includes the newly built, fully furnished residence, along with $250,000 from Rocket Mortgage, and a 2021 motorhome from Camping World.
~ Gillian Friedman Fox, the newly appointed executive director of the Newport Music Festival, will join What’s Up Newp this morning at 11 am for a live virtual video conversation. Tune in for an update on the 2021 festival and what her plans are long-term with the festival.
~ What’s Up Newp Authors’ Series continues this afternoon when novelist Christine Lajewski joins WUN at 3 pm for a live chat. Our Authors’ Series is sponsored by Charter Books.
~ As with most activities over the past year, the annual Newport Photo Guild Winter Members' Exhibit went virtual. 29 photographers submitted 54 awesome photos. The full exhibit, along with juror Lindsay Elgin's top selections, can be viewed here.
What’s Up in Newport County Today
Happy Birthday today to Stephanie Winslow and Lukas Wilner!
Weather Forecast
Winter Storm Watch in effect from February 18, 07:00 AM EST until February 19, 07:00 PM EST
Today - Sunny, with a high near 32. Northwest wind 9 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
Tonight - Increasing clouds, with a low around 22. Northwest wind around 8 mph.
Thursday - Snow likely, mainly after 3 pm. Cloudy, with a high near 31. Northeast wind 6 to 8 mph. The chance of precipitation is 60%. New snow accumulation of 2 to 4 inches possible.
Thursday Night - Snow showers likely before 10 pm, then snow showers and sleet. Low around 28. Northeast wind 10 to 16 mph. The chance of precipitation is 80%. New snow and sleet accumulation of 1 to 3 inches possible.
Marine Forecast
Today - NW wind 8 to 12 kt, with gusts as high as 21 kt. Sunny. Seas 1 ft or less.
Tonight - NNW wind around 7 kt becoming N after midnight. Increasing clouds. Seas 1 ft or less.
Thursday - NE wind 5 to 7 kt. Snow likely, mainly after 3 pm. Seas 1 ft or less.
Thursday Night - NE wind 9 to 14 kt, with gusts as high as 22 kt. Snow showers likely before 10 pm, then snow showers and sleet. Seas 1 ft or less.
The current water temperature in Newport is 37°F.
Sun, Moon, & Tide
Sunrise: 6:36 am | Sunset: 5:22 pm
High tide at 11:36 am & 11:58 pm | Low tide at 4:38 am & 4:41 pm
Moon: Waxing Crescent, 5 days, 25% lighting
Things To Do
10 am to 5 pm – Bowen’s Wharf Winter Sale Days
JPT Film & Event Center Virtual Screening Room - All Weekend
City & Government
2 pm – Newport Board of Tax Appeals
6:45 pm – Jamestown Tree Preservation & Protection
Live on WUN (watch on our Facebook Page and website) - Nothing Scheduled
11 am – Newport Music Festival’s new executive director joins WUN for a live video conversation, Feb. 17
3:30 pm – What’s Up Newp’s Authors’ Series continues with novelist Christine Lajewski
The Latest WUN Headlines
Island Moving Company launches news series of streaming and on-demand performances
Potter League for Animals to hold free drive-thru pet food pantry in Warwick on Saturday
Winter Storm Watch Issued for Thursday, Feb 18: More Snow/Ice/Rain on the Way
U.K. COVID-19 variant identified in Rhode Island, two of the patients are from Newport County
Lucy’s Hearth receives $50,000 grant from Blue Cross Blue Shield of RI
Op-Ed: Residents and members of Portsmouth Senior Center deserve better
Op-Ed: Cox outage takes Portsmouth offline
RI Jazz Great Greg Abate to Release “Magic Dance: The Music of Kenny Barron” in April
Recent Local Obituaries
For the very latest news and information, visit www.whatsupnewp.com. Our website is updated 24/7/365.
Sponsor Message: Art & Design converges this Saturday with "Origami: Where Art, Math and Science Meet". Join Newport Art Museum for a lively, and interactive, lecture with Mathematician Thomas Hull for the 93rd Winter Speaker Series. Delivered live via zoom, tickets on sale until Friday at 5 pm.
COVID-19 in Rhode Island
Data as of Feb. 16. More data here - COVID-19 in Rhode Island: The latest data
Elsewhere
RI Monthly - HOUSE LUST: THE LAVISH SANFORD-COVELL VILLA IN NEWPORT IS ON THE MARKET
RI General Assembly - Rep. Vella-Wilkinson bills would keep people, businesses empowered during declared emergencies
URI Today - Will taxing sugar-sweetened beverages help feed Rhode Islanders?
One More Thing
Today, the Rhode Island Department of Health will release a registration link and phone number for eligible residents to book an appointment at one of the state’s mass vaccination sites. Those sites, in Providence and Cranston, are scheduled to open on Thursday.
Thursday is all about COVID-19 information. At 1 pm, RIDOH will host a press briefing to provide an update on COVID-19 at 1 pm. At 4 pm, the RI House Task Force on the vaccine will be hosting a meeting. At 4:30 pm, Newport City Council will be hosting a workshop to get an update on COVID-19 from City Manager Joe Nicholson. We’ll bring the meetings live to you and will bring you a recap of it all on whatsupnewp.com.
Have a great Wednesday,
~ Ryan