Our First Blast

A quick run-down of news for Newporters.

• Billionaire Oracle founder Larry Ellison is out as CEO of Oracle. No word yet if this will have any effect on Ellison’s Newport estate, Astors’ Beechwood Mansion, or the BMW/Oracle Sailing team.

• If you’ve been under a rock the last 24 hours, Newporter Mat Franco won America’s Got Talent last night.

• Global property information, analytics and data-enabled services provider CoreLogic ranked Rhode Island as the #2 state at risk of property loss from natural hazards.

• RI Monthly has a great write-up on Rhode Island craft beer brewers.

• In a 2012 report to Gov. Chafee, Christiansen Capital Advisors LLC predicted a financial hit to RI of $150 million if Massachusetts opens three resort casinos and a slot parlor…and Newport Grand would be lucky to survive.

• If you’re wondering what all that naval hardware is doing docked by Newport Naval Station, the International Seapower Symposium being held at the Naval War College.

• The Newport Jazz Festival has announced its dates for it’s 61st year (July 31-August 2, 2015)

• ICYMI, Jim Morrison predicted the current state of American music…back in 1969.

Compiled by Tristan Pinnock, Blast Aggregation Correspondent