Good Morning! Today is Saturday, May 20, 2023. Today’s newsletter is 1,401 words - approximately a 7-minute read.
🎉 Happy Birthday today to Susan Cowsill! The youngest member of the popular Newport family band The Cowsills, who charmed TV audiences in the late ’60s, turns 64 today.
👉 Organizers announced changes to Saturday’s schedule at Ocean Live Park due to a forecast of severe weather, including strong winds and torrential rain. Read More
🦪 Reminder - This weekend’s Newport Oyster & Chowder Festival on Bowen’s Wharf continues rain or shine. Hours today and tomorrow are 11 am to 6 pm.
👏 Salve Regina University, which has been celebrating its 75th anniversary throughout the 2022-2023 academic year, will hold commencement exercises on Sunday, May 21 beginning at 10 a.m. in a tent on the seaside lawn of McAuley Hall.
Acclaimed Iranian-American author, scholar, and human rights advocate Dr. Azar Nafisi, best known for her national bestselling “Reading Lolita in Tehran: A Memoir in Books,” will present the commencement address and be awarded an honorary degree.
The university will also award honorary degrees to Dr. M. Therese Antone, R.S.M., Salve Regina chancellor who served as the university’s sixth president from 1994-2009, and to Gen. Anthony C. Zinni, United States Marine Corps (retired).
A live stream of the commencement exercises will be available here.
🍍 The Pineapple Club at Newport Harbor Island Resort (formerly Gurney’s) opens for the season this weekend. They will be open 11 am to 9 pm through Sunday and then open daily beginning on May 26.
🚧 The City of Newport yesterday announced that the Mary Street Parking Lot is once again OPEN for visitors. In addition to repaving the popular downtown lot, crews were also able to install new ADA sidewalks leading up to the public restrooms and even added 6 new parking spaces. As usual, Newport residents are entitled to 3 free hours of parking at the lot each day. To qualify, please be sure to enter your license plate in the parking kiosk at the lot. Motorists without residential parking stickers are asked to pay either at the lot or on their phones by using the City's Passport Parking App, which can be downloaded at CityofNewport.com/Parking
What’s Up Today - 5.20.23
☀️ Weather
Today: Rain, mainly after 10am. The rain could be heavy at times. High near 63. Southeast wind 9 to 17 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New precipitation amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.
Tonight: Rain and possibly a thunderstorm before 2am, then rain likely. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. Low around 57. Breezy, with a south wind 14 to 21 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New rainfall amounts between three quarters and one inch possible.
Tomorrow: Cloudy through mid morning, then gradual clearing, with a high near 70. West wind 8 to 10 mph.
🛥️ Marine Forecast
Today: SSE wind 8 to 11 kt increasing to 12 to 15 kt in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 21 kt. Rain, mainly after 11am. The rain could be heavy at times. Seas 1 ft or less.
Tonight: SSE wind 14 to 18 kt becoming SSW after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 25 kt. Rain and possibly a thunderstorm before 3am, then rain likely. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. Seas 1 ft or less.
Tomorrow: W wind 7 to 9 kt. A chance of rain, mainly before 7am. Seas 1 ft or less.
Coastal Water Temperature: 54°F.
🌊 Sun, Moon, & Tide
Sunrise: 5:21 am | Sunset: 8:03 pm | 14 hours & 41 minutes of sun.
High tide at 9:05 am & 9:25 pm | Low tide at 2:47 am & 2:06 pm.
Moon: New Moon. 0 days, 0% lighting.
🎭 Things To Do
8 am to 4 pm: Flea Market/Antiques/Craft Fair at The Elks Club
10 am to 12 pm: Middletown Valley Clean up at Middletown Valley Park
10 am to 7 pm: Ocean Live Park open at Fort Adams State Park
10:30 am to 12:30 pm: May Wake + Create at Newport Art Museum
11 am to 6 pm: Newport Oyster & Chowder Festival on Bowen’s Wharf
1:30 pm to 4:15 pm: The Ocean Race In-Port Viewing Cruise with Coastal Queen Cruises
4 pm to 6 pm: Motors at the Mansion Cocktail Party at The Vanderbilt
6 pm: Mount Gay Spirit Dinner at One Bellevue Restaurant at the Hotel Viking
7 pm & 9 pm: Improv with the Bit Players at The Firehouse Theater
Read More: What’s Up in Newport: May 16 – 21
For more events and things to do, visit our events calendar.
⛵ Ocean Live Park Newport
Weather is having an impact on the activities at Ocean Live Park today. For the full schedule and updates, click here.
🎶 Entertainment
Bar & Board: Mel from 7:30 pm to 9:30 pm
Bowen’s Wharf: Motion Ave from 11 am to 2 pm, The Copacetics from 3 pm to 6 pm
Blue Anchor Grill: Two Across from 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm
Busker’s Irish Pub: Brian Twohey at 9 pm
JPT Film & Event Center: Book Club: The Next Chapter at 4:30 pm & 7:30 pm
La Forge: Dave Manuel at 6 pm
Landing: Jay Parker at 1 pm, Timeless at 5 pm
Narragansett Cafe: Blockhead from 8 pm to 11:30 pm
Newport Blues Cafe: Never In Vegas at 9 pm
Newport Playhouse: Run For Your Wife at 6 pm
O’Brien’s Pub: CGray the DJ at 10 pm
One Pelham East: Timmy Smith from 4 pm to 7:30 pm, Adam Go from 8:30 pm to 12 am
Speakeasy: Live music at 9:30 pm
The Firehouse Theatre: Live improv comedy with The Bit Players at 8 pm
The Reef: Brian Scott from 12 pm to 3 pm, Justin Draper from 7 pm to 10 pm
Top of Pelham: Dueling Pianos at 7:30 pm & 10:30 pm
🏛️ City & Government
Middletown: Middletown Town Council at 8 am
Portsmouth: Prudence Island Water District at 1 pm
See the agendas and a full list of public meetings across Rhode Island here.
On WhatsUpNewp.com
Organizers announced changes to Saturday’s schedule at Ocean Live Park due to a forecast of severe weather, including strong winds and torrential rain.
Youngest member of Newport band The Cowsills
The following road and lane closure notices have been scheduled by the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) and Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority (RITBA).
Commencement 2023: Student Senator makes connections
Sidewalks along the north side will be temporarily closed and pedestrians will need to follow signage to avoid construction area
🆕 The Latest
WUN: Around New England
Rafael Devers homered twice and drove in four runs to help the Boston Red Sox beat San Diego 6-1 Friday night to hand the staggering Padres their 10th loss in 12 games.
Grant Williams poked Jimmy Butler, Jayson Tatum went cold again in the fourth quarter and the Boston Celtics are staring at a 2-0 deficit in the Eastern Conference finals.
Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont said Friday he’s planning to meet with NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman about the possibility of moving the Arizona Coyotes to Hartford.
📈 Popular Stories
Here’s what stories folks were reading the most on WhatsUpNewp.com yesterday;
🗞️ Further Reading
Boston Magazine: On the Market: A Gilded Age-Era Estate in Newport
That’s all for this morning, thanks for reading!
~ Ryan Belmore
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