What's Up Today: Thursday, August 17

Here's what's on tap today and a look at the latest headlines from What'sUpNewp.

Good Morning! Today is Thursday, August 17.

Newport City Council will host a workshop today at 5:30 pm to discuss the city’s Strategic Plan with the consultant they chose to craft it.

newportFILM will host the premiere of Water Brother: The Sid Abbruzzi Story this evening at Fort Adams State Park. RSVPs were required for this event, and it is sold out. Only those who have an RSVP will be admitted into the park. newportFILM is asking those attending the event to consider carpooling, biking, or skateboarding to the event due to limited parking.

Touro Synagogue Foundation will again partner with Congregation Jeshuat Israel to host the George Washington Letter Reading, an event honoring our nation’s heritage of religious freedom. The event will be held at 1 pm on Sunday, August 20 at Touro Synagogue and will be live-streamed.

The annual event has a long tradition of distinguished keynote speakers and letter readers, including Supreme Court Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Elena Kagan. The theme of this year’s event is public service. This year’s keynote speakers and letter readers include;

• Nellie Gorbea, a former Rhode Island Secretary of State and a visiting senior fellow in democracy and cybersecurity at Salve Regina University has been selected for this honor this year, the 76th reading of the famous letter.

• Angela Johnson, a social studies teacher at Rogers High School and the 2021-2022 Newport Public Schools Teacher of the Year, will read the letter Moses Seixas of Newport’s Hebrew Congregation sent to President Washington, inspiring Washington’s famous response.

• David Cicilline, former longtime Rhode Island United States Congressman and the President and CEO of the Rhode Island Foundation will deliver the keynote address.

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What’s Up Today

Weather

• Today: Patchy drizzle before 1pm, then a slight chance of showers after 3pm. Patchy fog before 11am. Otherwise, cloudy, with a high near 76. Southeast wind 6 to 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

• Tonight: Showers likely, with thunderstorms also possible after midnight. Patchy fog. Otherwise, cloudy, with a low around 69. Southeast wind 7 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

• 7-Day Weather Forecast | 3-day Surf Forecast

Marine Forecast

• Today: ENE wind 5 to 8 kt becoming ESE in the afternoon. A chance of drizzle before 3pm, then a slight chance of showers between 3pm and 4pm, then a chance of drizzle after 4pm. Patchy fog before 11am. Seas 1 ft or less.

• Tonight: SSE wind 6 to 9 kt. Showers likely, with thunderstorms also possible after midnight. Patchy fog. Seas 1 ft or less.

• Coastal Water Temperature: 71°F.

Sun, Moon, & Tide

• Sunrise: 5:56 am | Sunset: 7:42 pm | 13 hours and 46 minutes of sun.

• High tide at 9:16 am & 9:28 pm | Low tide at 2:48 am & 2:40 pm.

• Moon: Waxing Crescent. 0.5 days, 0% lighting.

Things To Do

• 8 am to 2:15 pm: Newport National Security Symposium at U.S. Naval War College

• 8:30 am to 10 am: “The Blue & You” Summer Speaker Series at Innovate Newport

• 12 pm to 6 pm: Ca’ del Bosco Wine Garden at The Chanler at Cliff Walk

• 12 pm: Museum Reads – “The House of Fragile Things: Jewish Art Collectors and the Fall of France” at Newport Art Museum

• 5 pm to 10 pm: Hill Market After Dark at Hotel Viking

• 5:30 pm to 7 pm: Adult Intermediate Ballet at The Academy at Newport Contemporary Ballet

• 7 pm: Beach Sound Bath Meditation at Island Park Beach

• 8 pm: Water Brother: The Sid Abbruzzi Story – newportFILM Outdoors at Fort Adams

• For more events and things to do, visit our events calendar.

Live Music & Entertainment

• JPT Film & Event Center: Barbie at 4:30 pm & 7:30 pm

• Landing: Sean Rivers from 1 pm to 4 pm, Justin Pomfret from 4:30 pm to 7:30 pm, Timmy Smith from 8 pm to 11 pm

• Midtown Oyster Bar: John Erikson at 8 pm

• Narragansett Cafe: Jake Hunsinger from 8 pm to 11 pm

• Newport Blues Cafe: Angelus Hall at 9 pm

• newportFILM: Water Brother: The Sid Abbruzzi Story at Fort Adams at 8 pm

• O’Brien’s Pub: Derrick Keane playing Irish tunes from 5 pm to 8 pm

• One Pelham East: Sugarbabies from 9:30 pm to 1 am

• Pour Judgement: Live music from 10 pm to 1 am

• Perro Salado: The Honky Tonk Knights from 10 pm until close

• Ragged Island Brewing Co.: Trivia In The Barn from 6 pm to 8:30 pm

• Sunset Cove: Karaoke with DJ Ricky Rod from 6 pm to 9 pm

• The Deck: To be announced

• The Reef: Jon River from 7 pm to 10 pm

• Top of Newport at Hotel Viking: Live music from 6 pm to 9 pm

• Top Of Pelham: Dueling Pianos at 8 pm

Local Government

• Jamestown: Board of Canvassers at 2 pm, School Committee at 6:30 pm

• Newport: City Council at 6:30 pm

• Portsmouth: Housing Authority at 3 pm, Parks and Recreation at 5:30 pm, Conservation Commission at 6 pm, Zoning Board of Review at 7 pm

• Tiverton: Dog Park Advisory Committee at 6:30 pm

• See the agendas and a complete list of public meetings across Rhode Island here.

Cruise Ships

Here’s what’s coming up on the cruise ship schedule;

• Thursday, August 17: American Star

• Friday, August 18: American Eagle

• Saturday, August 19: American Constitution

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Happening This Week

What’s Up this week: August 14 – 20

Fools Rules Regata, Water Brother: The Sid Abbruzzi Story, Fishes at the Fort, and more!

Newport City Council to host a workshop regarding ‘Strategic Plan Consultant’ on Aug. 17

The meeting will take place on August 17 at 5:30 pm in the Conference Hall at Innovate Newport.

newportFILM: RSVP’s required for the screening of ‘Water Brother: The Sid Abbruzzi Story’ on August 17

RSVP’s will open for Water Brother: The Sid Abbruzzi Story at 10am on August 11th

Ida Lewis Distance Race starts on Friday

Forty Eight Teams Prepare for 24-Hour Overnight Race

7th Annual Warren Folks Festival set for August 19

The festival focuses on all things local with plenty of art and wares from over 30 Rhode Island area artists and makers.

76th reading of Washington’s letter at Touro Synagogue to honor religious freedom, public service

This year’s keynote speakers and letter readers include Nellie Gorbea, Angela Johnson, and David Cicilline.