Newport news. Now.

Roxie, taking a break from playing with her new puppy pals.

NEWPORT, R.I. -With summer winding down here in Newport and kids gearing up to head back to school this week, many of you loyal dog owners are going to be looking for the perfect substitute for your favorite dog walker or puppy sitter while your beloved pooch is left home alone on work and school days.

Maia Chrupcala, the mastermind and owner of The Wiggle Room, has opened the only doggy day care facility on Aquidneck Island.  Located at 741 West Main Rd., in Middletown, The Wiggle Room has moved into the old Petrageous pet supply storefront. I recently got the chance to go visit Maia and hang out with several of the cutest and funniest dogs around. Having been open for only a few weeks, Maia says, “So far so good…New dogs are coming every day. It’s been getting busier and busier.”

Read more about The Wiggle Room after the jump…

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Watches and warnings along the East Coast

NEWPORT, R.I. – An ever changing Hurricane Earl has shifted slightly bringing the course of the storm about 50 miles closer to Newport. According to the Associated Press, Officials in New England’s coastal areas are bracing for high seas, heavy rains and strong winds as Hurricane Earl approaches the region. A tropical storm warning has been put into effect for all of Rhode Island and from New Haven, Conn., to Westport, Mass., including Block Island.

Hurricane Center director Bill Read said Thursday the changes to the storm’s eye are pushing hurricane-force winds of at least 74 mph over a broader area. Hurricane-force winds currently extend outward up to 90 miles from the center of the storm.

Read says forecasters expected the eyewall to change, but they are not able to say how far inland the winds will reach. He says the strong winds could topple trees and knock out power to thousands of people along the East Coast.

The National Weather Service is predicting winds gusting up to 85 miles per hour for Cape Cod and gusts of more than 100 mph on Nantucket.

Nantucket Assistant Town Manager Gregg Tivnan says the island opening a shelter at the high school.

Rhode Island Fast Ferries said the Martha Vineyard Ferry service out of Quonset is cancelled Friday and Saturday.  The Fast Ferry is on schedule Thursday.

Ferries from Newport and New London, Conn., to Block Island have been canceled for Thursday. Ferries from Point Judith are still on schedule fro Thursday.

Stay tuned to Newport-Now for more updates on Hurricane Earl.

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NEWPORT, R.I. – Regardless of whether Hurricane Earl pays us a visit later in the week, (current odds place the likelihood of Rhode Island receiving hurricane force winds at around 6 percent), forecasters are warning that the U.S. East Coast can expect a long period of high waves beginning on Thursday for North Carolina, with offshore waves expected to reach 10-15 feet off New England by Friday morning.

Along with the anticipated surf, Weather Underground Meteorologist Jeff Masters is predicting that “significant beach erosion and dangerous rip currents will be the rule.”

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NEWPORT, R.I. – A federal magistrate judge on Monday restricted travel for the owner of a Newport investment fund currently under SEC investigation, however agreed to allow Leila C. Jenkins to use bank accounts opened under her married names.

From the Projo:

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NEWPORT, R.I. – Here’s the latest update on Earl, courtesy of Weather Underground’s Dr. Jeff Masters:

The latest set of computer models runs from 8am EDT (12Z) this morning push Earl’s projected track a little closer to the U.S. East Coast, but still keep hurricane force winds offshore. History suggests that a storm in Earl’s current location has a 25% chance of making landfall on the U.S. East Coast, and Earl’s chances of making a U.S. landfall are probably close to that. We now have one model predicting a U.S. landfall–the latest HWRF model predicts Earl will hit the Maine/Nova Scotia border region on Saturday morning as a Category 1 hurricane. None of the other computer models show Earl hitting the U.S., but the storm will likely come uncomfortably close to North Carolina’s Outer Banks and to Massachusetts. Several models now predict Earl will being tropical storm force winds of 39+ mph to North Carolina’s Outer Banks, beginning on Thursday evening. The Outer Banks of North Carolina and Cape Cod, Massachusetts are both at the edge of the cone of uncertainty, and could potentially receive a direct hit. NHC is giving Cape Hatteras a 11% chance of receiving hurricane force winds. These odds are 10% for Nantucket, 5% for Boston, and 3% for New York City. The main determinant of whether Earl hits the U.S. or not is a strong trough of low pressure predicted to move off the U.S. East Coast Friday. This trough, if it develops as predicted, should be strong enough to recurve Earl out to sea, but it is not unusual for the models to miss the timing and intensity of these troughs significantly in 4 – 5 day forecasts.

Regardless of Earl’s exact track, the U.S. East Coast can expect a long period of high waves beginning on Thursday. Significant beach erosion and dangerous rip current will be the rule, due to waves that will reach 10 – 15 feet in offshore waters.

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