Newport Buzz — Newport, RI Local News, Breaking Stories & Community Coverage

Aerial view of Newport Harbor and historic downtown Newport Rhode Island on Aquidneck Island

Newport’s Long List of American “Firsts” Shows the City-by-the-Sea’s Outsized Role in U.S. History

Rhode Island Foundation headquarters building at One Union Station in Providence, RI

Rhode Island Foundation Awards $5.2M to Newport County Nonprofits in Record Grant Year

RI State House

Rhode Island General Assembly Roundup: Gun Lawsuits, Super Speeder Bill and Hospital Sale Highlight Week

New England Patriots plane used to evacuate Americans from the Middle East during the U.S.-Iran conflict

New England Patriots Plane Helps Rescue Americans From Middle East as Iran Conflict Intensifies

Joseph Angelo Belli of Middletown, Rhode Island, who died March 3, 2026

Obituary: Joseph Angelo Belli (1930-2026)

Rhode Island State Police arrested a Newport man after discovering a ghost gun, body armor, and other weapons during a search warrant.

Police Arrest Newport Man After Social Media Threats, Find Ghost Gun and Body Armor

Rhode Island Republican Senator Jessica de la Cruz introduces income tax cut legislation at the State House

Rhode Island Republican Senator Jessica de la Cruz Introduces Bill to Phase In Income Tax Cuts

Jonathan Cooper Newport RI obituary

Obituary: Jonathan Cooper (1967-2026)

27 Marcello Drive contemporary coastal home in Jamestown RI with Newport Bridge and ocean views sold for $3.295 million

Jamestown Home With Newport Bridge Views Sells for $3.295 Million, Highest Sale of 2026

Empty pews inside a Catholic church symbolizing the Rhode Island clergy abuse investigation that identified 75 priests credibly accused of abuse.

Rhode Island Catholic Church Clergy Abuse Report Names 75 Priests Accused of Abusing More Than 300 Children

Susan Mary Hopf Newport Rhode Island

Obituary: Susan Mary Hopf (1964-2026)

Newport City Hall Residential Parking Proposal

Newport City Hall’s Residential Parking Overhaul: Bureaucracy, Fees, and a Lot of Unanswered Questions

Salt marsh habitat along Gull Cove in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, recently conserved by DEM

Portsmouth’s Gull Cove Protected as DEM Secures 70 Acres of Coastal Habitat

Robert “Bobby” Brennan, retired Newport Fire Department firefighter and Air Force veteran, who passed away in February 2026 at age 82.

Obituary: Robert ¨Bobby¨ Brennan (1943-2026)

Xay Khamsyvoravong announcing campaign for lieutenant governor

Former Newport Mayor Xay Khamsyvoravong Announces Bid for Lieutenant Governor of Rhode Island

Jerry Kirby assisting neighbors with snow removal after a massive storm in Newport.

Jerry Kirby vs. the Blizzard: A Newport Legend Goes to Work

Ocean and Fifth Cafe exterior in Newport’s Fifth Ward

What She’s Having: The Fifth Ward Gets Its Gathering Place Back as Ocean & Fifth Cafe Opens March 1

Snowplows clear heavy snow near a Rhode Island waterfront during winter storm conditions.

Rhode Island Says Cities and Towns May Use Waterways for Snow Disposal

Charlene Traynum, Ray Malone, Gianna Merritt, Jereck Cardona, Pauline Perkins-Moye, Jeremiah Weeden, and Orlando Peace

Buzzing Around Newport: NAACP Honors Dr. King with Service, Song and Scholarship

Dr. Joshua C. Brown, new Medical Director of Newport Mental Health

Newport Mental Health Names Dr. Joshua C. Brown as Medical Director

Modern coastal estate perched above Sakonnet Passage

Architectural Masterpiece with Panoramic Coastal Views Lists for $4.45M in Little Compton

Tow truck removing vehicle during Newport Rhode Island mandatory snow emergency parking ban.

State’s Heavy Equipment Deployed as Newport Launches 24/7 Dig-Out, Towing to Be ‘Strictly Enforced’

Middletown Public Works crew clearing snow from residential street after winter storm

All Middletown Roads Passable After Storm, Cleanup to Continue Through Week

P. Michael “Murph” Murphy of Middletown, Rhode Island, longtime Newport hospitality professional and community member.

Obituary: P. Michael Murphy (1954-2026)

Blizzard conditions create whiteout visibility on Newport Bridge

Rhode Island Issues Statewide Travel Ban Ahead of Major Blizzard

Snow-covered Newport street as city enforces winter storm parking ban

Move It or Lose It: Newport Orders Mandatory Parking Ban Ahead of Blizzard

“Jacqueline ‘Jackie’ Feeney Hole of Newport, RI”

Obituary: Jacqueline Feeney Hole (1944-2026)

June Irene Winthrop Erickson of Slidell, Louisiana, formerly of Newport, Rhode Island

Obituary: June Irene Winthrop Erickson (1938-2026)

Monumenta artist Richard Fleischner and contemporary artist Uri Aran

Rosecliff to Host March 6 Panel on Landmark 1974 ‘Monumenta’ Exhibition

Adriana Trevor Carvalho Obituary

Obituary: Adriana “Trevor” Carvalho (2007-2026)

Lauryn Hill performing live on stage during a concert appearance.

Lauryn Hill to Play Newport Folk Festival 2026

Lieutenant Colonel Michele Bernard Barragan, retired U.S. Army Reserve nurse and Desert Storm veteran.

Obituary: Michele Bernard Barragan (1950-2026)

President John F. Kennedy and First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy on a sailboat in Newport, Rhode Island during their time at Hammersmith Farm.

Presidents Day in Newport: A City Steeped in Presidential History

Maureen C. (Shea) Greichen of Newport, who passed away February 12, 2026

Obituary: Maureen C. (Shea) Greichen (1931-2026)

Portrait of Finton Wallace II, Newport resident, Navy veteran and former Bank of Newport vice president.

Obituary: Finton Wallace II (1942-2026)

Blurred still image from October 17 locker room incident at Rogers High School in Newport, Rhode Island

Principal Placed on Leave After Locker Room Assault at Rogers High; Investigation Finds Systemic Failures

Sunset over Second Beach highlights Rhode Island, ranked the most romantic vacation destination in the U.S.

Study Names Rhode Island the Most Romantic Vacation Destination in the United States

Exterior of Cappy’s Hillside Cafe on Memorial Boulevard in Newport, Rhode Island

Cappy’s Hillside Cafe Partners With Kitchen Companion to Launch KC at Cappy’s

“Snow-covered street in Newport during mandatory parking ban”

City of Newport Issues Mandatory Parking Ban From 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday

Cast of The Real Housewives of Rhode Island from Bravo’s new reality TV series

Bravo Sets Premiere Date for “Real Housewives of Rhode Island”

Firefighters respond to overnight fire at Castle Hill Inn in Newport

Two-Alarm Fire Damages Newport’s Castle Hill Inn; Guests Evacuated, No Injuries Reported

Jerry Kirby honored at the MLK Community Center annual meeting in Newport, Rhode Island

Buzzing Around Newport: MLK Center Honors Jerry Kirby as a Keeper of the Dream

Newport Folk Fest 2026 Tickets

2026 Newport Folk Festival Sells Out in Under One Second — Again

The Washington Bridge over the Providence River as Rhode Island transportation leadership changes amid ongoing reconstruction work.

Road to Nowhere: Rhode Island DOT Boss Peter Alviti Finally Out