‘Gilded Age’ tours, elections discussion and more

Tiverton library hosts screening of ‘The Librarians’

The Tiverton Public Library will host a free screening of the award-winning documentary, “The Librarians”, on Wednesday, April 22, at 6 p.m. This event is free and open to the public and will be held at the Tiverton Public Library on 34 Roosevelt Ave., Tiverton.

About the film: Librarians emerge as first responders in the fight for democracy and our First Amendment Rights. As they well know, controlling the flow of ideas means control over communities. In Texas, the Krause List targets 850 books focused on race and LGBTQia+ stories – triggering sweeping book bans across the United States at an unprecedented rate. As tensions escalate, librarians connect the dots from heated school and library board meetings nationwide to lay bare the underpinnings of extremism fueling the censorship efforts. Despite facing harassment, threats, and laws aimed at criminalizing their work – the librarians’ rallying cry for freedom to read is a chilling cautionary tale.

This screening is part of the library’s celebration of National Library Week. It’s an annual celebration highlighting the valuable role libraries and library professionals play in transforming lives and strengthening our communities. As with all our film screenings, movie snacks and drinks are provided.

Arts and Cultural Alliance of Newport County hosts new Newport Restoration Foundation leader

The Arts and Cultural Alliance of Newport County’s monthly networking event, Arts Around the Fire, concludes on Wednesday, April 15, from 6-8 p.m. at Sardella’s Restaurant, 30 Memorial Blvd West, Newport. This free event is open to the public and no reservations are needed. The Alliance’s guest will be Hilary Fagan, the new executive director of the Newport Restoration Foundation.  A native Newporter, she joins the Foundation with a background in economic development, finance and energy. 

Salve Regina students receive foreign language study awards

Salve Regina University announced that four of its students have been awarded Beatrice S. Demers Foreign Language Fellowships. The program, administered by the Rhode Island Foundation, supports students, educators at any college in Rhode Island as well as any Rhode Island resident who wishes to pursue foreign language study. The awards, ranging from $1,000 to $20,000, contribute to covering tuition, fees, travel, housing and other expenses.  

Adison Caufield, a sophomore double-majoring in European history and global studies with a Hispanic studies minor, will use the fellowship to support her fall semester 2026 study abroad in Sevilla, Spain. Meghanne Cheevers, a freshman double-majoring in Hispanic studies and elementary education, will use the fellowship to support her spring semester 2027 abroad in Spain on her journey to becoming a Spanish teacher. Eliana Koenig, a senior double-majoring in Hispanic studies and psychology, will use the fellowship after graduation, to return to Spain in summer 2026 to study medical Spanish for use in her profession.   

Isabella Meier, a junior double-majoring in Hispanic studies and psychology, will graduate in December 2026. She is currently studying abroad in Spain and will use the fellowship to study Portuguese in Lisbon in spring 2027 to further her research on the Sephardic Jewish diaspora. 

Mosaic Club of Newport County to meet

The next meeting of the Mosaic Club of Newport County will be on Thursday, April 16,at Green Valley Country Club, Portsmouth. This month, there will be a Dime Social. Plans will be discussed to finalize the May 29 Bingo community fundraising event.

Applications are now available in the guidance offices of Rogers, Middletown and Portsmouth High Schools for the Mosaic Club of Newport County’s annual scholarship award which presents a $1,500 Mosaic Club Award to a graduating senior in the three public high schools on Aquidneck Island who will be entering college or a vocational, technical or trade school.  Scholarship recipients will be announced at award ceremonies at each individual school.  Deadline for returning applications is April 24, 2026.  Recipients are selected based on specific criteria: volunteer and community service, an essay and a recommendation.

Membership in the Mosaic Club is open to those interested in and dedicated to furthering the aims and purpose of the organization, which is charitable, educational, and social and service-oriented activities. For more information, contact club President Dottie Maher at dmaher6675@aol.com.

League of Women Voters Newport County to host session on elections

Join the League of Women Voters Newport County for an important and timely community conversation on elections in Rhode Island on April 23, from 6-7:30 p.m. at Innovate Newport, 513 Broadway, Newport.

Secretary of State Gregg Amore, along with Deputy Secretary of State Rob Rock, will lead a discussion on how elections are conducted in Rhode Island, current security measures, and key legislative developments.

This meeting is open to the public and will cover:

• How Rhode Island’s election process works
• Election security
• Potential impacts of proposed legislation, including the SAVE Act and the Rhode Island Voting Rights Act
• Open Q&A session 

During this session, the Newport County Board of Canvassers will be recognized for their essential work supporting elections in the region.

This is a valuable opportunity to hear directly from state election leaders and ask questions about issues that matter to voters. Registration strongly suggested: my.lwv.org/rhode-island/lwv-newport-county.

Newport Mansions offer Inside ‘The Gilded Age’ tours

A special guide-led tour will explore four of the historic Newport Mansions that appear in HBO’s “The Gilded Age” series, offering insights into the making of the Emmy-winning period drama.

The Inside “The Gilded Age” Tour will be offered on Tuesdays and Fridays only, May 12 through August 28. It takes visitors through Marble House, The Breakers, Chateau-sur-Mer and The Elms, all of which were chosen by the series’ creator, Julian Fellowes, to provide authentic scenery. Guides will explain which scenes were filmed in each room, offer perspective on the house’s history, and give an inside view of what it takes to host a major television production in four National Historic Landmark house museums.

Tickets for each tour are limited to 12 and must be purchased in advance at www.newportmansions.org/events/inside-the-gilded-age-tour-2026. The tours run from 1 to 4:45 p.m. Bus transportation is provided, starting and ending at the Gateway Transportation Center, 23 America’s Cup Ave.

Tour participants will visit:

• The Elms, which appears frequently in the series as the Russell family’s Newport cottage as well as places in their New York mansion, including the kitchen where the staff gathers and gossips.

• The Marble House Dining Room, where Bertha Russell hosted a dinner for the Duke of Buckingham; Consuelo Vanderbilt’s bedroom, which is George Russell’s room; and Alva Vanderbilt’s bedroom, which inspired the set design for Bertha’s room.

• The Chateau-sur-Mer Dining Room and Ballroom, used for Mrs. Fish’s doll tea party; the distinctive Stair Hall seen when Mrs. Russell calls on Mrs. Fish in the first season; and upstairs rooms used by Agnes and Oscar van Rhijn.

• The Breakers Billiard Room, where railroad tycoon George Russell talks business over games on the actual billiard table once owned by Cornelius Vanderbilt II; and Music Room, where guests danced during Gladys’ debutante ball and Bertha had her first social triumph.

Fans of “The Gilded Age” can check out the Newport Mansions’ “Deep Dive into the Show” for episode-by-episode insights and commentary: www.newportmansions.org/gilded-age/episode-deep-dive.