What's Up Today: Thursday, March 30
RIDOT to open new intersection this evening to reconnect JT Connell Highway | Sardella’s celebrating its 43rd Anniversary by offering original menu prices from the 1980s
Good Thursday Morning! Today’s newsletter is 1,210 words - a 6-minute read.
⚾ Happy Major League Baseball Opening Day to all who celebrate! The Boston Red Sox kick off the 2023 Season at Fenway Park this afternoon against the Baltimore Orioles. First pitch is at 2:10 pm.
👉 Newport City Council last night held a workshop on the Transportation Master Plan. The workshop was well attended, allowing City Council and residents to ask questions about the proposed plan. We’ll post a link to the video here when we have it.
The old adage of “Don’t believe everything you read on the internet” comes into play here - America’s Cup and Thames Street will not be closed down to one lane. City Administration will continue to tweak the plan, and it will come back to Council at some point for another public hearing and vote. Stay informed and stay involved; Newport City Council and City Administration appear to be actively listening to all concerns. See the Transportation Master Plan in full here.
⚠️ RIDOT tonight will open a new intersection at the Pell Bridge Ramps Project that will reconnect two sections of JT Connell Highway that were bisected more than 50 years ago with the construction of the original ramp system. The new intersection is where JT Connell Highway meets the JT Connell Connector Road, which opened last year. (What’sUpNewp)
🆕 A November 2021 report isn’t the only independent study finding faults with the buildings home to Middletown High and Gaudet Middle schools. According to a recent Facility Condition Index assessment done for the state Department of Education, both schools need to be replaced. (Town of Middletown)
😮 Newport-based Bellevue Boards was featured by the Boston Celtics as a Banner Business on all of the team's social media accounts on Wednesday. The Celtics shared, “A personal passion in food and entertainment led Jackie Connor to create @bellevueboards, a charcuterie board shop that serves special events throughout Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Based in Newport, Jackie's small business additionally offers onsite and offsite board styling classes where customers can learn to create their own arrangements.”
What’s Up Today
☀️ Weather
Today: Sunny, with a high near 41. Northwest wind 15 to 17 mph, with gusts as high as 29 mph.
Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 31. Northwest wind around 8 mph.
🛥️ Marine Forecast
Small Craft Advisory in effect from March 30, 04:00 AM EDT until March 30, 11:00 AM EDT
Today: NW wind 13 to 15 kt, with gusts as high as 25 kt. Sunny. Seas 1 ft or less.
Tonight: NW wind around 7 kt. Mostly clear. Seas 1 ft or less.
Coastal Water Temperature: 42°F.
🌊 Sun, Moon, & Tide
Sunrise: 6:31 am | Sunset: 7:08 pm | 12 hours and 36 minutes of sun.
High tide at 3:33 am & 4 pm | Low tide at 10:26 am & 9:31 pm.
Moon: Waxing Gibbous. 8.3 days, 59% lighting.
🎭 Things To Do
12 pm: Final talk of Touro Series explores Synagogue’s decorative objects in a RISD retrospective
5 pm to 7 pm: VFW Post 406 Lecture Series IX – “ANZAC Day – It’s Origin and Observance Today” at Newport Elks Lodge
5 pm to 9 pm: Rock & Roll Sushi at Stoneacre Garden
5:30 pm: Make New Friends with Girl Scouts at Middletown Public Library
5:30 pm: Newport, Resort City of Fashion, 1870 – 1920, an Illustrated Lecture with Newport Historical Society
5:30 pm: Sips for the Sea at Greenvale Vineyards
5:30 pm: “Irish Poetry & the Celtic Harp” at Edward King House
6 pm: LIVE MUSIC: Srinivas Reddy at Charter Books
6 pm: The Cocktail Club: The Margarita with Herradura Tequila at Hotel Viking
For more events and things to do, visit our events calendar.
🎶 Entertainment
Charter Books: LIVE MUSIC: Srinivas Reddy at 6 pm
JPT Film & Event Center: Everything Everywhere All At Once at 4 pm, Casablanca at 7:30 pm
Midtown Oyster Bar: John Erikson at 8 pm
Newport Blues Cafe: Angelus Hall at 9 pm
One Pelham East: Angelus Hall at 8 pm
Ragged Island Brewing: Trivia Night from 6 pm to 8:30 pm
🏛️ City & Government
Little Compton: Little Compton Town Council at 4 pm
Tiverton: Tiverton School Committee Policy Sub Committee at 4 pm, Tiverton Budget Committee at 6:30 pm
See the agendas and a full list of public meetings across Rhode Island here.
Looking for more to do? Visit What’s Up This Week: March 27 – April 2.
On WhatsUpNewp.com
📈 Popular Stories
Here’s what stories folks were reading the most on WhatsUpNewp.com yesterday;
Middletown Police seeking public assistance in identifying a suspect in a hit-and-run accident
WUN-ON-ONE: A conversation with Newport School Superintendent Colleen Burns Jermain
What Sold: 18 Newport County real estate sales, transactions (March 19 - 25)
Special Election for Rhode Island’s First Congressional District will be held on November 7
🆕 The Latest
We published 33 stories yesterday on WhatsUpNewp.com; here’s a look at the latest;
Newport-based band Laden Valley to perform at the Greenwich Odeum on May 5
The concert marks a special occasion for Dave Sarazen, who was born and raised in East Greenwich.
Sardella’s celebrating its 43rd Anniversary by offering original menu prices from the 1980s
Sardella’s 43rd Anniversary menu will be offered on April 6, 13, 20, and 27.
7-Day Weather forecast for Newport County
Here’s what’s on tap for weather this week and weekend.
3-day Surf Forecast for Rhode Island
Forecast includes rip current risk, surf height, weather, winds, and more.
Citizens to continue title sponsorship with Citizens Pell Bridge Run
The annual event raised more than $150,000 in 2022 for local charities.
Newport Art Museum announces roster of artists-in-residence for 2023
Each artist will also offer a variety of opportunities to engage with the public through open-studio hours, workshops, artists’ talks, and/or activations of their work. AiR/Newport supports the Museum’s mission by expanding opportunities for artists and increasing the public’s access to new, creative, and thought-provoking work.
Clean Ocean Access, Sail Newport join forces to clean up Fort Adams State Park ahead of The Ocean Race
Clean Ocean Access and Sail Newport Join Forces to Clean up the Shore of Fort Adams Ahead of the Arrival of The Ocean Race
DEM: East Matunuck State Beach will close for about two weeks in April to finish construction project
The temporary closure will enable the contractor to pave and stripe the parking lot and finish the $700,000 job, which was financed by state capital funds and money raised by the 2021 green economy bond.
Newport School Superintendent shares weekly community update
“Testing period is underway, let’s help our students do their best!”
Reminder: RIDOT to open new intersection on March 30 to reconnect JT Connell Highway
RIDOT says that the change will create a more direct link between Downtown Newport and the City’s North End
🗞️ Further Reading
‘Hard to Fish From a Parking Lot:’ Shoreline Access Legislation Back on Table (ecoRI)
In Portsmouth: Fierce debate over 'closed' pension plan (East Bay RI)
Feud between Longplex, Town of Tiverton simmers over (East Bay RI)
PC introduces new men’s, women’s basketball coaches (WPRI)