Rise & Shine! Your Newport County guide for Jan. 20
Rise & Shine! I’m Scott Barrett, digital editor for The Daily News, and today is Jan. 20, the 20th day of the year — 345 days remain in 2022. On this day in 1981, minutes after President Ronald Reagan was inaugurated, 52 people held in captivity for 444 days at the U.S. embassy in Iran were released.
Here & Now
• It came as a surprise to everyone when the Marina Cafe and Pub on Goat Island announced on social media it would be closing its doors permanently, even to the man who made the decision, owner Richard Sardella.
On Jan. 15, the seasonal establishment posted on Facebook it would be going out of business because its landlord — IDC Inc. owner Tom Roos — rejected Sardella's proposal to extend the lease on the building. The restaurant had been operating for 13 years under an informal lease — "a gentlemen's agreement" — that had expired.
Reporter Savana Dunning spoke to Sardella, a former mayor of Newport, about what transpired leading up to the closure announcement. Read her story here.
• Nola Ganem found tranquility on a recent walk at the Sachuest Point National Wildlife Refuge. Then she heard the gunshots.
“I go to Sachuest Point for exactly that, for refuge, and to connect with the animals and the land that we have here on Aquidneck Island,” Ganem, a Newport resident, told reporter Laura Damon.
Those gunshots came from duck hunters in boats located off the federal property in Middletown. While some feel unsafe knowing there are hunters nearby, the activity is legal as long as restrictions are followed. Read Laura's story here.
• A staggering statistic: Of the more than 16,000 cases of COVID-19 reported across Newport County since the start of the pandemic in March 2020, nearly 30% of them have been recorded in 2022. Find the latest data from the state Department of Health here.
• Speaking of COVID, upward of 20,000 at-home test kits will be administered to Aquidneck Island communities and organizations. Reporter Bethany Brunelle-Raja checked in with local officials to see how they will be distributed. Read more here.
• Municipalities in Newport County are preparing for expected snow by implementing parking bans. Learn more here.
• Speaking of snow, Daily News food columnist Dan Lederer this week writes that food delivery drivers keep you fed, no matter the elements. So be kind, be patient and tip them well. Read his column here.
• Today marks your last chance to vote for The Newport Daily News Athlete of the Week for Jan. 10-16. The poll closes at 7 p.m. Cast your ballot here.
• From the inbox: By now you've all heard of "The Great Resignation," but how has Rhode Island been impacted? According to chamberofcommerce.org, the Ocean State ranks No. 40 in employment "quit rate." Alaska, Nevada and Georgia hold the top three spots. See the state-by-state breakdown and other tidbits here.
Don't keep missing out on all the big stories everyone is talking about. Become a digital subscriber to The Daily News — for as little as $1 — and you'll have full access to all of the content on NewportRI.com. Click here to get started.
Born today
Stacey Dash (actress), 55
Rainn Wilson (actor), 56
Bill Maher (TV host), 66
Paul Stanley (musician), 70
Buzz Aldrin (astronaut), 92
Weather report
Low tides: 2:19 a.m., 3:03 p.m.
High tides: 9:04 a.m., 9:33 p.m.
Sunrise: 7:04 a.m. Sunset: 4:47 p.m.
Water temperature: 43.7 degrees.
Municipal meetings
Newport
City Council, 5:30 p.m.
Portsmouth
Mooring Assignment Appeal Committee, 10 a.m.
Parks and Recreation, 5:30 p.m.
Conservation Commission, 6 p.m.
Glen Manor House Authority, 7 p.m.
Zoning Board of Review, 7 p.m.
Tiverton
Tax Assessment Board of Review, 4:15 p.m.
Jamestown
Tree Preservation & Protection, 6:30 p.m.
Local obituaries
Today is …
National Cheese Lover’s Day
National DJ Day
National Penguin Day
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This article originally appeared on Newport Daily News: Rise & Shine! Your Newport County guide for Jan. 20
