Good Morning. It’s Saturday, October 12, and today, we’re covering Evan Smith’s retirement from Discover Newport, Australian Ambassador Rudd’s visit to Salve Regina University, construction at Tidewater Landing, all that’s happening this weekend, and more.
Wishing an easy fast to our readers who celebrate Yom Kippur!
Have a great weekend,
~ Ryan
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Leading Off
A Well-Deserved Retirement
Evan Smith, President and CEO of Discover Newport, plans to retire during the first quarter of 2025.
The national search firm Winner Partners will assist Discover Newport’s Board of Directors in appointing a future leader for the destination marketing organization that promotes the nine towns in Newport and Bristol counties.
Smith will continue to serve as President & CEO in the coming months until a successor has been named, helping to ensure a smooth leadership transition.
Smith has served as the President & CEO for the last 19 years and has dedicated nearly 35 years to Discover Newport. [WUN]
Fall Supporter Drive
Our Fall Supporter Drive is underway! We’re looking for 100 readers to become Supporters. Supporters allow our 18 contributors to continue reporting on all that’s happening and new and to do in Newport and across the island.
Since our Fall Supporter Drive launch on Monday, 42 of you have become supporters; thank you! If you’re among the 16,500+ readers who receive this newsletter for free daily, please consider becoming a What’sUpNewp supporter! Your support makes this newsletter and all that we do on whatsupnewp.com possible.
What To Know
News
🇦🇺 Australian Ambassador to the U.S. Kevin Rudd is set to join Rhode Island Sen. Jack Reed at Salve Regina University on October 15 for a public conversation about strategic challenges facing their two democracies. [WUN]
🚓 Traffic Reminder: The Broadway Street Fair, Amica Marathon, and Italian Festival Parade will impact traffic flow across the city over the next three days. [WUN]
😮 When the RI FC stadium, known as Tidewater Landing, opens next Spring, fans can expect to see some great soccer. But that’s not all that’s going to be happening. WUN recently got an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of the stadium under construction along the Pawtucket waterfront. When finished, it will be among the most modern sports facilities in the world, designed for soccer and much more. [WUN]
Arts & Culture
🎭 The Rogue Island Comedy Festival continues through Monday, with six shows still scheduled to take place in Newport. [Rogue Island Comedy Festival]
🇮🇹 Newport Festa Italiana continues with Roman Catholic Mass, the Italian Heritage Parade, and the After-Parade Luncheon on Monday. [Newport Festa Italiana]
🎭 Little Shop of Horrors plays 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]
Business + Nonprofit
🚢 Next up on the cruise ship schedule is the Enchanted Princess on Sunday and Norwegian Breakaway on Monday.
🆕 A fire broke out at Newport Restaurant Group’s Waterman Grille in Providence on Friday night. The restaurant said all “guests and employee owners remained safe.” The restaurant will remain closed as they assess the damage and begin repairs.
🛝 Sandpipers at Child & Family Services will celebrate the grand opening of its new outdoor play area on October 21. [WUN]
🎄 Vendor applications are now open for the IYRS Artisan Holiday Market, scheduled for Saturday, December 7. [IYRS]
💵 Several organizations are partnering to host a complimentary Spanish-language financial fitness workshop in Newport. [WUN]
City & Government
💰 U.S. Representative Seth Magaziner (D-RI) is leading a bipartisan effort to reunite Americans with their lost retirement benefits, totaling approximately $1.65 trillion, sitting in 29.2 million forgotten 401(k) accounts. [WUN]
🚧 RIDOT has road closures scheduled in Portsmouth and Tiverton next week. [WUN]
🏡 Rhode Island spent hundreds of millions on affordable housing. Did it get its money’s worth? [Rhode Island Current]
♻️ Reminder: Because of the Monday holiday, Newport City Hall and Offices will be closed on Monday, Oct. 14th, and there will be a one-day delay for all Trash, Recycling, and Yard Waste Collections.
Election 2024
🎙️ Lynn Underwood Ceglie, currently serving as an at-large Newport city councilor, is running to represent the Second Ward in the upcoming election. Ceglie, who previously held the Second Ward seat, cites a desire to focus more on constituent issues as her motivation for the switch. [WUN]
👉 Learn more about the $98.5 million bond question when City Manager Colin Kennedy joins WUN for a conversation at 10 am on Wednesday, October 16. [WUN]
🎧 Watch, listen, and/or read all of our recent one-on-one conversations here → [WUN]
Environment & Health
⚠️ The Rhode Island Department of Health is expanding its recall of ready-to-eat meat and poultry products due to potential Listeria contamination. This expansion is part of a larger recall issued by BrucePac, which affects nearly 10 million pounds of products nationwide. [WUN]
Food & Drink
🇮🇹 The Federal Hill Columbus Day Festival runs all weekend, with over 80 food vendors, arts, and games. [WLNE]
💯 WUN’s Ken Abrams with the delicious assignment of telling you where to find the best apple cider donuts in Rhode Island. [WUN]
Obituaries
🕊️ Kevin Powers
Opinion
🌬️ For ecoRI news, Frank Carini writes “Offshore Wind: To Be or Not To Be?” [ecoRI]
People & Profiles
👻 ICYMI: WUN’s Ruthie Wood recently went on an adventure to experience one of the newest tours in Newport - Newport Ghosts. [WUN]
👉 Evan Smith, President and CEO of Discover Newport, has informed his Board of Directors of his plans to retire during the first quarter of 2025. Smith has served as the President & CEO for the last 19 years and has dedicated nearly 35 years to Discover Newport. [WUN]
Real Estate
🏘️ On the market for a new home? Twenty-one homes are hosting open houses across Newport County this weekend. Tyler Bernadyn has the roundup. [WUN]
Sailing & Sports
🏈 High School Football: Middletown defeated Cranston East 27-0 last night. Today, Tiverton will take on EWG/Prout at EWG at 11 am, Rogers will face off against Moses Brown at 1 pm at Moses Brown, and Portsmouth will take on West Warwick at Portsmouth.
🏈 In College Football, URI will take on Brown in the 42nd Governor’s Cup at Meade Stadium at 1 pm today. Though Brown leads the overall series 73-32-2, Rhody has more Governor's Cup victories (22-19) since the first introduction of the trophy back in 1981. A win for the Rams would make them the first team to hold on to the Governor's Cup for six straight years.
Things To Do
🎉 On Tap This Weekend: Broadway Street Fair, Amica Newport Marathon & Half Marathon, Italian Heritage Parade, Rogue Island Comedy Festival, Newport Shipyard’s Pumpkin Regatta, Bowen’s Wharf Sidewalk Sale, and more. [WUN]
🎶 The seventh annual Broadway Street Fair will transform Broadway into a vibrant celebration of local culture today. More than 200 artisans, makers, and food vendors will line Broadway, welcoming visitors from 11:30 am to 8 pm. [WUN]
🆓 Save The Date: All Newport County residents are welcome to free admission to The Breakers, Marble House, Rosecliff, & Isaac Bell House on October 26 - 27. [Newport Mansions]
Weather
⛅ Weather Forecast
Today: Sunny, with a high near 70. Northwest wind 13 to 16 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph.
Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low of around 45. North wind 5 to 8 mph.
Sunday: A slight chance of rain after 1 pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 60. Light and variable wind becoming east at 5 to 9 mph in the morning. The chance of precipitation is 20%.
Sunday Night: There is a chance of rain before 8 p.m., then showers likely, mainly after 11 p.m. It will be mostly cloudy, with a low of around 54. The northeast wind will be around 11 mph, becoming southwest after midnight. The chance of precipitation is 70%, and new precipitation amounts between a tenth and a quarter of an inch are possible.
⚓ Marine Forecast
Today: WSW wind 11 to 14 kt, becoming NW in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 26 kt. Sunny. Seas 1 ft or less.
Tonight: WNW wind 5 to 7 kt becoming variable and less than 5 kt after midnight. Mostly clear. Seas 1 ft or less.
Sunday: Variable winds less than 5 kt, becoming ESE 5 to 8 kt in the morning. A slight chance of rain after 1 pm. Seas 1 ft or less.
Sunday Night: ENE wind around 10 kt, becoming SSW after midnight. Showers are likely, mainly after 11 pm. Seas 1 ft or less.
Water Temperature: 64°F.
🌘 Sun, Moon, & Tide
Saturday
Sunrise: 6:54 am | Sunset: 6:08 pm | 11 hours and 13 minutes of sun.
High tide at 3:20 am & 3:49 pm | Low tide at 9:02 am & 10:24 pm.
Moon: Waxing Gibbous. 8.5 days, 62% lighting.
Sunday
Sunrise: 6:55 am | Sunset: 6:06 pm | 11 hours and 11 minutes of sun.
High tide at 4:24 am & 4:54 pm | Low tide at 10:21 am & 11:08 pm.
Moon: Waxing Gibbous. 9.6 days, 73% lighting.
