Portsmouth
4 stories from Portsmouth, Rhode Island
Sunset Cove liquor license expansion sparks neighbor backlash over noise, unpermitted bar
Portsmouth's council approved an outdoor bar at Sunset Cove 5-1 on July 27, but only after neighbors described noise, marijuana smoke and near-misses in the parking area — and after the owner acknowledged the bar had run for years without building or coastal permits.
By Adriana Vossari | August 4, 2026
Mount Hope Bridge to Halt Traffic Both Ways Aug. 5
The Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority will hold traffic in both directions at several intervals between 9:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 5, for two large lifts tied to the Mount Hope Bridge dehumidification project.
By Adriana Vossari | August 3, 2026
Portsmouth council approves Island Park outdoor bar — with permits, a 9 p.m. cutoff and a neighbors' meeting attached
Portsmouth's council approved an Island Park restaurant's outdoor bar through November 30 — but only if it obtains permits it never had, closes outside service at 9 p.m., and meets with angry neighbors first.
By Adriana Vossari | August 2, 2026
Portsmouth Zoning Board Denies Bid to Cut Private Road Through Prudence Island Forest
The Portsmouth Zoning Board of Review denied a variance for a roughly 500-foot private road through undeveloped Prudence Island forest, while approving several smaller garage, deck and addition variances elsewhere in town.
By Adriana Vossari | July 26, 2026