What's Up Today: Thursday, March 30

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.”

Looking for more to do? Visit What’s Up This Week: March 27 – April 2.

Here’s what stories folks were reading the most on WhatsUpNewp.com yesterday;

We published 33 stories yesterday on WhatsUpNewp.com; here’s a look at the latest;

The concert marks a special occasion for Dave Sarazen, who was born and raised in East Greenwich.

Sardella’s 43rd Anniversary menu will be offered on April 6, 13, 20, and 27.

Here’s what’s on tap for weather this week and weekend.

Forecast includes rip current risk, surf height, weather, winds, and more.

The annual event raised more than $150,000 in 2022 for local charities.

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 and Sail Newport Join Forces to Clean up the Shore of Fort Adams Ahead of the Arrival of The Ocean Race

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.

“Testing period is underway, let’s help our students do their best!”

RIDOT says that the change will create a more direct link between Downtown Newport and the City’s North End