Making the move up to middle school becomes a little less scary if you can visit the school before the first day when you have to navigate busy, unfamiliar hallways and have lunch in a big, new lunchroom. Jaylianna Fernandez and Camilla May, soon-to-be fifth graders, clearly seem to be enjoying working together as a team during Newport Community School’s […]
Summer Academics Limited
Long, hot summer days mean “no more pencils, no more books” for many American students, but the extended vacation may have academic consequences. By the end of summer, students perform at levels that average one month behind where they left off in the spring, according to RAND, a nonprofit research company. The impact is cumulative over the years, and children […]
Allen’s ‘Newport’ Film Debuts at Pickens
“And I fell in love with Newport. If I ever get a summer house, it will be there.” –Woody Allen, on page six of the New York Post. Director Woody Allen’s true summer house is the Jane Pickens Theater, outside of which many scenes of his latest film, “Irrational Man,” were shot last summer around Washington Square. Allen’s latest dip […]
City Manager Decision Elusive
One year after former Newport City Manager Jane Howington left her job for a similar post in Ohio, there is no word on when a new administrator will take the lead at City Hall. A consulting firm was hired six months ago to spearhead the recruitment of a new city manager, and several councilors said in May that the number […]
Land Trust Celebrates Silver Anniversary
Over 350 guests joined in the fun of a “Turn of the Century Fair”-themed Fiesta Verde at Sweet Berry Farm on July 25 in support of the Aquidneck Land Trust’s 25th anniversary. This year, ALT has conserved over 2,500 acres of open space on Aquidneck Island. The event raised more than $215,000, which will go to support ALT’s ongoing time-sensitive […]
Yappy Hour
Sunday, July 19, was a beautiful evening for “Yappy Hour,” a fundraiser to benefit the Potter League. The event, formally known as “Tea for Tails,” was attended by 225 animal lovers who enjoyed spectacular views of the bay, fun cocktails, delightful culinary treats, and the cool Caribbean sounds of steel drums. Several Potter League pups mingled with enthusiastic guests who […]
Thames, Spring Street Input Still Sought
William R. Riccio Jr., Newport director of public services, has a message for those of you who wish improvements promised for Lower Thames and Spring streets were ready for use the day before yesterday: Think of the project as though it were a nine-inning baseball game. And, he quickly adds, “Think of it as being in the early innings of […]
Budget Reflects City’s Responsibilities and Resources
On June 24, the Newport City Council passed a $129 million budget for 2015-2016, which municipal leaders described as “the blueprint for the financial and policy decisions to be implemented during the fiscal year.” In introductory remarks prepared prior to the vetting of the budget proposal throughout May and June, interim City Manager Joseph Nicholson described the plan’s practical, as […]
NEWS BRIEFS
Business as Usual on Broadway Since the start of the second 600-foot segment on July 15 of renovations and repairs being made through the Broadway Streetscape Project, cars may experience slowdowns but the merchants and eateries are still open for business as usual. And in the thick of things, the cacophony of vehicles seen near City Hall on Aug. 5 […]
Last Week for Beach Idol
Caeli Sullivan, 7, was the July 30 Beach Idol winner. The last chance to participate will be on Aug. 6 following the children’s night show. The season ends with a beach bonfire and concert on Tuesday, Aug. 18.
