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« July 2006 | Today | September 2006 » August 31, 2006State objects to Biechele motion to lessen sentencePROVIDENCE -- The state Attorney General's Office has objected formally to Daniel M. Biechele's motion to reduce his sentence of four years to serve at the Adult Correctional Institutions. Biechele, 29, of Winter Springs, Fla., was the band manager who shot off fireworks that ignited The Station nightclub fire that killed 100 people in February 2003. His attorneys filed a one-sentence motion with the court last week seeking to reduce his sentence, which was applied in May after he pleaded guilty to manslaughter charges. Today, the state filed a motion objecting to the reduction. "The sentence that the court imposed was well-reasoned and appropriate under all the circumstances," reads the state's motion. "There has been no change in circumstances since the imposition of the defendant's sentence that would in any way warrant a reduction...The state submits that no factual or legal basis exists to alter the sentence..." Biechele's attorney said he filed the motion to beat a court deadline. He has not asked the court to schedule a hearing on the matter. -- projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples Posted by Steve Peoples at 6:48 PM | Comment Sox' 'Broadway' Charlie Wagner dies at 93BOSTON -- "Broadway" Charlie Wagner, a former pitcher for the Boston Red Sox who worked for the organization 70 years, died early today of an apparent heart attack. He was 93. Wagner was stricken after attending a Reading Phillies-New Britain Rock Cats game in his hometown of Reading, Pa. Red Sox CEO Larry Lucchino said Wagner's dedication and loyalty to the Red Sox were unmatched. "In recent years, we had been honored with his frequent visits to Fenway Park and looked forward each opening day to his call of, 'Play Ball,"' Lucchino said. -- Associated Press Johnny Pesky, Wagner's former teammate and also a longtime member of the Red Sox organization, said Wagner was "a wonderful man." "I never heard him say anything bad about anybody," Pesky said. "It was a little unusual for any type of ballplayer because you gripe about something. But he never griped about anything. "I thought he'd live to be 100," Pesky said. Reading Police Capt. Francis Drexler said Wagner was found in the passenger seat of his car in the parking lot at FirstEnergy Stadium, where he was a fixture and had earlier participated in an awards ceremony. He was pronounced dead of natural causes at 12:09 a.m. Thursday. -- Associated Press Posted by Steve Peoples at 6:39 PM | Comment Firefighter hurt in blaze at abandoned Providence buildingPROVIDENCE -- A firefighter was hurt this afternoon after falling through the floor of an abandoned building while battling a fire on the city's west side. Police were called to empty two-story brick commercial building at 18 Constitution St., which is just off Cranston Street, at about 4 p.m. Lt. Ernest Young, of Engine Company 8, was in charge of the first group of firefighters that arrived at the two-alarm blaze. Soon after the group entered the burning building, Young stepped into an opening in the floor that was partially covered with debris, according to J. Curtis Varone, deputy assistant fire chief. Young fell 12 feet to the basement floor. He was rushed to Rhode Island Hospital, where he was being treated for knee, wrist and back injuries, Varone said. The injuries do not appear to be life threatening. "We're hopeful he'll be released tonight, but that's pending," Varone said. "He has some pretty significant back pain. They want to see if he has any cracked vertebrae." The fire badly damaged the building, which was a former automobile repair facility. Firefighters contained the blaze by about 4:30 p.m. Authorities are investigating the cause. -- projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples Posted by Steve Peoples at 6:25 PM | Comment Providence toddler falls from second-story windowPROVIDENCE -- A 15-month-old boy was hospitalized this afternoon after falling through a second-story window. The child apparently fell off a couch and through a screen from a second-floor apartment located at 174 Chad Brown St., according to J. Curtis Varone, deputy assistant fire chief. The child suffered trauma to the face, Varone said. He was conscious and crying when rescue personnel arrived, who took him to Hasbro Children's Hospital. The child was not identified. Posted by Steve Peoples at 6:21 PM | Comment Update: RIC poll finds Laffey surging ahead of ChafeePROVIDENCE -- With their primary less than two weeks away, Cranston Mayor Stephen P. Laffey has surged ahead of U.S. Sen. Lincoln D. Chafee in the battle for the Republican nomination in the November election, according to poll results released today by Rhode Island College's Bureau of Government Research and Services. If the Sept. 12 primary were held today, 51 percent of likely Republican primary voters say they will vote for Laffey, 34 percent support Senator Chafee, and 15 percent are undecided. A RIC survey of Republican voters conducted in June had Laffey at 39 percent and Chafee at 36 percent. “Since early summer, Senator Chafee has been unable to expand his base of support," said Victor Profughi, a longtime political science professor and Rhode Island pollster, who ran the poll. "The Lieberman phenomenon, where a partisan base closes ranks around the ‘true partisan’ candidate, seems to be at work in Rhode Island, as it was on the Democratic side in Connecticut. Laffey’s efforts to link Chafee with the extremely unpopular President Bush also appear to be paying off.” The statewide survey of 363 likely Republican primary voters was conducted Aug. 28 to Aug. 30. The poll has a margin of error of 5.1 percentage points. A previous poll by RIC, conducted in June, showed the two GOP candidates in a virtual tie for the nomination. Chafee spokesman Ian Lang dismissed today's poll results. "We’ve always known that this was going to be a tough race. And [today's poll] certainly doesn’t respect what our own internal polls are showing," he said. "We feel good with where we are going into the primary." Laffey's spokeswoman Nachama Soloveichik said the new data is "evidence that the mayor's message in resonating" with voters. Other polls continue to show the likely Democratic candidate for Senate, Sheldon Whitehouse, with commanding leads over Laffey, and small leads over the moderate Chafee. National Republicans, including President Bush, continue to support Chafee, who they believe is more likely to win in the general election. -- projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples, with reports from Journal staff writer Katherine Gregg Posted by Steve Peoples at 1:35 PM | Comment State seeks to block 5 Derderian defense witnessesPROVIDENCE -- The state attorney general's office filed motions today seeking to block five witnesses -- including a foam expert and the state fire marshal -- from testifying in Michael Derderian's looming trial stemming from The Station fire disaster. In separate motions for each of the five witnesses, the state has argued that their expected testimony is either irrelevant, or that the defense team violated court rules by waiting too long to notify the prosecution of the witnesses. The witnesses include state Fire Marshal George Farrell and Assistant Deputy Fire Marshal William Howe, who are expected to testify about the complexities of the fire code and Rhode Island's general practice of notifying a property owner of a fire code violation before filing criminal charges. Derderian and his brother, Jeffrey Derderian, owners of The Station nightclub, are charged with 200 counts of involuntary manslaughter for the deaths of 100 people during the fire in February 2003. The state claims the brothers are criminally negligent in the deaths for using highly flammable soundproofing foam that violated the state's fire code and because the club was overcrowded. The state also seeks to block testimony by Robert Schroeder, a fire safety expert expected to testify that he examined various types of soundproofing foam, finding it impossible to determine by sight whether they were flame-resistant. -- projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples Another contested witness, Thomas Brown, is expected to provide critical testmony regarding former West Warwick Fire Inspector Denis Larocque's occupancy limits. "Mr. Brown will testify as to the calculation errors made by [Larocque] using his own figures as contained in his notes," reads the initial defense motion describing Brown's expected testimony. Superior Court Judge Francis J. Darigan Jr. has yet to schedule a hearing to rule of the state's motions. Jury selection for Derderian's trial is set to begin next week, though opening statements likely won't begin until early October. -- projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples Posted by Steve Peoples at 1:23 PM | Comment Ortiz released from hospitalSlugger David Ortiz was released from Massachusetts General this morning, according to Red Sox spokesman John Blake. Ortiz returned to Boston from the team's West Coast trip for evaluation after he felt heart palpitations just before Monday night's game in Oakland. It was the second time in August that Ortiz was treated for the problem. Blake had no additional information. -- The Associated Press Posted by Jack Perry at 12:18 PM | Comment Late summer rerun: More filming in ProvidencePROVIDENCE – It would be hard to miss the CBS television crew for the series Waterfront if you’re downtown today. The big film trucks and trailers line Exchange Street in front of the Rhode Island Foundation. The crew is filming in City Hall today and plans to be back tomorrow, said Jenny Peek, the city’s film manager in the Department of Art, Culture & Tourism. Starring Joe Pantoliano as the charismatic but “ethically challenged” mayor of Providence, the show has been picked up by CBS as a mid-season replacement. That means it will probably be broadcast in either January or March. And since they’re now planning to film nine episodes, we’ll be seeing a lot of them here in Providence – from now through February or so, Peek said. But they won’t have to do all their filming right downtown. That’s because they’ve re-created a full replica of the Providence mayor’s office – with their own “stylistic enhancements,” according to Peek – in a warehouse in Cumberland. Nevertheless, prepare to see those movie trucks and trailers quite a bit downtown and in some city neighborhoods, including the East Side and over near the courthouses, Peek said. The trucks do take up parking spots, but they’re working to be as unobtrusive as possible, Peek said. The crew wants to keep coming back here, so they have “an incredible desire” to figure out how to make this work for the residents of Providence, she said. -- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson Posted by Kate Bramson at 11:49 AM | Comment Sox' Lester tested for enlarged lymph nodesBOSTON -- Boston Red Sox left-hander Jon Lester was admitted to Massachusetts General Hospital for testing after enlarged lymph nodes were discovered during a medical exam, the team announced today. Lester was placed on the disabled list with a strained back Monday and was being tested to determine the cause of his back pain when the enlarged lymph nodes were identified, according to the statement from Dr. Thomas Gill, the team's medical director. The Boston Herald first reported the enlarged lymph nodes on its Web site Wednesday night. Lester is 7-2 with a 4.76 ERA and 60 strikeouts in 81 and 1/3 innings. Gill said he was resting comfortably. Lester's problems were the latest on a team that's been riddled with injuries. Slugger David Ortiz returned to Boston from the team's West Coast trip for evaluation after he felt heart palpitations just before Monday night's game in Oakland. It was the second time in August that Ortiz was treated for the problem. Ortiz was released from Massachusetts General on Thursday morning, according to Red Sox spokesman John Blake. He had no additional information. Left fielder Manny Ramirez has missed several games with a knee injury, and center fielder Coco Crisp injured his shoulder making a diving catch Tuesday. Catcher Jason Varitek, shortstop Alex Gonzalez and outfielders Trot Nixon and Wily Mo Pena are also out with injuries. Varitek, Gonzalez and Nixon were scheduled to make rehab appearances Thursday night for Boston's Triple-A affiliate in Pawtucket. Posted by Jack Perry at 11:27 AM | Comment Gas leak at Warwick home spurs evacuationWARWICK -- A gas leak inside a city home has prompted police to evacuate a small area around Kilvert Street. There were no details about the leak, which was reported at 10:39 a.m. at 77 Cottage St., but Lt. Mark Brandreth said that police, fire, and the gas company were on the scene and the evacuations were precautionary.
Posted by Steve Peoples at 11:26 AM | Comment School for the Deaf, teachers reach tentative dealThe state-run School for the Deaf in Providence will open next Tuesday as scheduled, thanks to a tentative contract agreement reached early today between the school's 41 teachers and its board of trustees. “We reached a tentative agreement at about 1:30 this morning, and the teachers are at orientation today,” said Marc Gursky, chairman of the board. “The talks were productive, and I thought negotiations went just as well as we would expect them to go when there are difficult issues to address.” Gursky declined to specify what the key issues were, saying the new contract needs to be ratified by the union first. Gursky said the teachers will meet Sept. 7 to ratify a new three-year contract and the trustees will meet to approve it Sept. 12. The current contract expires today, and teachers yesterday did not attend a professional development day. However, the missed day will not affect the opening of school next week, Gursky said. The School for the Deaf has about 105 students. -- Journal staff writer Jennifer D. Jordan Posted by Kate Bramson at 11:12 AM | Comment Photo: Golf tips from Tiger
Posted by Jack Perry at 10:14 AM | Comment As strike deadline nears, hospital heads back to mediationPAWTUCKET – Nurses and hospital administrators at Memorial Hospital of Rhode Island head back to the mediation table at 5 p.m. today as a strike deadline of 7 a.m. Saturday looms. The hospital and the United Nurses & Allied Professionals, Local 5082, were no closer late yesterday to an agreement that would avoid a strike. Both sides have met twice with a federal mediator since the union that represents 400 health-care workers issued its 10-day strike notice that would allow a walkout on Saturday. Administration has drastically reduced the number of patients in the hospital as it prepares to care for the remaining patients with nurse managers and doctors who will continue to work if there’s a strike. The union plans one final vote, set for tomorrow, on whether to go forward with strike plans. Read more in today’s Journal about the situation at Memorial Hospital. Posted by Kate Bramson at 9:29 AM | Comment $6.9M in grants will help Providence kids learn to readPROVIDENCE -- U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings will visit Providence today to announce $6.9 million in grants that will help some 1,500 children learn to read. The two grants are being awarded to Ready to Learn Providence, a program operated by The Providence Plan. The Providence Plan is a nonprofit organization working to reduce poverty and urban decline. The grants will be used to help 3- to 5-year-old children at risk for early reading difficulty. Governor Carcieri and U.S. Sen. Lincoln Chafee will join Spellings. Shortly before the noon grants announcement, Carcieri, Chafee and Spellings will read to kindergarten students of John Hope Settlement House at Ready to Learn Providence on Westminster Street. Posted by Jack Perry at 9:21 AM | Comment Overnight fires in Providence displace 11, injure 1PROVIDENCE – Fire crews this morning are investigating two house fires from overnight, one in the Elmwood neighborhood that displaced four adults and seven children and one in a vacant building in Smith Hill that sent a firefighter to the hospital with minor injuries. The fire in Elmwood, in a three-family house at 69 Laura St., displaced three families, according to Red Cross spokeswoman Angie Moncada. The fire started in a child’s first-floor bedroom around 9 p.m., Moncada said. Crews put it out in 15 or 20 minutes, according to James Taylor, chief of communications for the Providence Fire Department. The Red Cross provided food and clothing for all three families and paid for one family of two adults and a child to stay in a hotel, Moncada said. One adult and two children were just moving in and could stay in their former residence, Moncada said. The fire broke out in the apartment of the third family, which consisted of one adult and four children. That family stayed in the neighborhood with family and friends, Moncada said. The second fire, at 26-28 Frederick St., broke out on the second floor of a three-and-a-half story building. Crews were called at about 2:55 a.m., and the fire was under control at 3:35 a.m., Taylor said. Fire crews were called out of the building when they couldn’t control the blaze from inside, Taylor said. They fought it from outside until they could safely go back inside, he said. The firefighter who suffered minor injuries was taken to Roger Williams Hospital, Taylor said.
Posted by Kate Bramson at 9:12 AM | Comment Update: Traffic better on Rt. 195 East, Route 95 SouthPROVIDENCE -- Traffic is easing around Providence after early morning jams on Route 195 East and Route 95 South because of road work. Traffic on Route 195 was flowing well in both directions around 8:20 a.m., according to the state's Traffic Management Center. But there was still some residual backup on Route 95 South. At about 6:30 a.m., traffic appeared to be down to one lane on Route 195 East in Providence as paving work continued past a 6 a.m. deadline. Traffic was backed up on Route 195 East. Traffic on Route 95 South was also backed up as drivers tried turning onto Route 195 South. Posted by Jack Perry at 8:32 AM | Comment Update: Smiling Cumberland teachers head to workCUMBERLAND -- Cumberland teachers emerged at 6:51 from a meeting this morning at the Lusitana Club ready to go to work. Negotiators reached a tentative agreement on a new contract for the teachers at 10:35 last night, and union leadership recommended that the teachers report for work this morning. "We're happy to go to school," one of the teachers told a reporter. The teachers refused to show up for the first day of classes yesterday. School starting times have been delayed for an hour this morning, so the teachers could meet and discuss the tentative agreement. Two teachers leaving the meeting said they would vote at 4 p.m. tomorrow on whether to ratify the new contract. They discussed the terms at this morning's meeting. The teachers voted unanimously to return to work today, the teachers said. Union president Rod McGarry later said the teachers were "definitely satisfied," although teachers didn't get everything they wanted. He wouldn't discuss specifics of the proposal, but confirmed tomorrow's vote at McCourt Middle School. The School Committee must also approve the contract. Its next scheduled meeting is Sept. 14. The tentative agreement was reached after several long sessions starting Saturday. "Our teachers are looking forward to getting back to doing what they do best, which is teach," McGarry said. Read today's Journal story about the contract issue. -- Journal staff writer Kate Bramson Posted by Jack Perry at 7:27 AM | Comment More demolition work today on old Jamestown BridgeNORTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. -- Traffic on the Jamestown-Verrazzano Bridge will be temporarily delayed today by more underwater demolition work on what remains of the old Jamestown Bridge. Some of the bridge's piers will be blown up. The state police will conduct rolling roadblocks to temporarily clear the bridge of traffic at times. Work will be done from 1 p.m. until 2 p.m. The state Department of Transportation says explosives are being used to blow the piers far enough below the surface to pave the way for safe boat navigation. For boaters, the Coast Guard will enforce a 3,000-foot safety zone on either side of the bridge during demolition. The denotations are expected to continue through October to complete the process of taking down the bridge. Its center truss was demolished in April. -- The Associated Press and staff reports. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:18 AM | Comment A fine day on the wayToday should be mostly sunny with a high near 76 degrees, according to the National Weather Service. Rain could move into the region for the Labor Day weekend. For more weather and updates, see projo.com/weather. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:00 AM | Comment August 30, 2006Update: Memorial nurses' union, hospital still far apartPAWTUCKET -- As a weekend strike deadline approaches, Memorial Hospital of Rhode Island and its nurses are no closer to an agreement that would avert a walkout by unionized employees. There have been two federal mediation sessions since the union set a 7 a.m. Saturday strike deadline. Despite them, negotiators for the hospital and nurses remain far apart on several key issues, including mandatory overtime. Although a final mediation session is set to take place late tomorrow, Christopher Callaci, a union field representative, said the union, Local 5082 of the United Nurses and Allied Professionals, has scheduled a strike vote. He said union members will vote Friday after being informed of any progress that was made at the final mediation session, scheduled to begin 5 p.m. tomorrow at the Comfort Inn. Memorial said it is preparing for a strike by reducing the number of patients in its intensive care and medical and surgical units. More to come in tomorrow's Journal and on projo.com ... -- Journal staff writer John Castellucci "We’re almost at the level we need to be at for a long-term walkout,’’ said Francis R. Dietz, the hospital president. As of yesterday morning, there were just 47 patients in medical and surgical beds, and 4 or 5 patients in the intensive care unit, Dietz said. Dietz said the goal is to shrink the number of patients so that the few that remain in the hospital can receive quality care from the nurse managers and doctors who will remain on duty if unionized employees strike In press release today, the hospital vowed not to compromise patient care and is "standing firm" on what it says is the one remaining issue in dispute -- mandatory overtime for nurses. At an afternoon rally, the leaders of three unions, including Stan Israel of District 1199 and Debbie Ruggierio of the Massachusetts Nurses Association, voiced solidarity with the nurses, and two state legislators promised to reintroduce bills restricting mandatory overtime at hospital throughout the state. The legislation, sponsored by Rep. Raymond E. Gallison Jr., D-Bristol, and Sen. John J. Tassoni Jr., D-Smithfield, would prohibit a hospitalt from requiring hourly employees who provide direct medical care to patients to work beyond their scheduled 8-, 10- or 12-hour shifts except in emergencies. The legislation passed unanimously in the House but died in the Senate, where Tassoni said it arrived too late in the session for review. -- Journal staff writer John Castellucci Posted by Kate Bramson at 7:06 PM | Comment 7 beaches re-opened to swimming, 8 stay closedPROVIDENCE -- Hoping to get in a last few swims before the unofficial end of summer? You may be cheered to know that the state Department of Health has recommended the re-opening of seven beaches today to swimming, after bacteria levels were once again found to be acceptable. They are: Atlantic Beach Club Beach in Middletown, Easton's Beach in Newport, Goddard Memorial State Park, City Park Beach and Oakland Beach in Warwick, North Kingstown Town Beach and Scarborough State Beach in Narragansett. But eight beaches remain closed due to bacteria levels. They are: Barrington Town Beach, Bristol Town Beach, Conimicut Point Beach and Gorton Town Beach in Warwick, Fort Adams State Park in Newport, Mackerel Cove Beach in Jamestown, Third Beach in Middletown and Warren Town Beach. Still, the Health Department reminds, the status of beaches could change on a daily basis. You can check its Web site for updates here or call (401) 222-2751. Posted by Andrea Panciera at 6:45 PM | Comment Update: Striking Cumberland teachers to try mediation again / Photo
CUMBERLAND -- They'll try again tonight to reach agreement on a new teachers' contract, after the failure to do so last night led to teachers not showing up for work today and the cancellation of the first day of school. A mediation session has been scheduled for tonight, with teachers due to meet at 6 a.m. tomorrow to decide on what step to take next. The school department said today it plans to hold classes tomorrow. However, that had been the plan for today, too. Schools Superintendent Donna A. Morelle said union President Rod McGarry called her at 7:20 a.m. and told her that "teachers took a vote not to report to work today." "So in reaction to that vote, the district canceled school," Morelle said. Some of the teachers and supporters were picketing outside the high school today. -- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson, with reports from Journal staff writer Philip Marcelo A mediation session lasted until 2:30 or 3:30 a.m. today, according to Morelle. At that point, administrators decided to delay the start of school for an hour to give the teachers time to meet and decide whether to report for work. In an interview later this morning, McGarry said about 400 teachers voted unanimously this morning to not report for work. The union has about 428 members. He said no decision has been made about what the teachers will do tomorrow. McGarry said he's hoping for another mediation session today, but whether to hold another session is up to the mediator. Asked whether the teachers are calling their action a strike, McGarry said, "We are not using that word." Morelle said she was "quite dumbfounded" by the teachers' decision. She said teachers reported to school Monday for orientation and yesterday for professional development. Posted by Jack Perry at 5:47 PM | Comment Licensing board drops complaint against Sidebar tavernPROVIDENCE --For want of some records, a case was lost today at the Board of Licenses. The board threw out a police complaint against Sidebar & Grille, a downtown tavern owned by lawyer Artin H. Coloian, former chief of staff for imprisoned former Mayor Vincent A. Cianci Jr. City officials failed to produce records of cellphone calls and transcripts of traffic on police radios that the board subpoenaed at Coloian’s request. That failure, board members said, gave them no choice but to dismiss the allegations of overcrowding, unruliness and serving of underage patrons. Coloian needed the records to defend himself, said Chairman Andrew A. Annaldo and Vice Chairman Gordon Fox. The board delayed a decision until Friday. -- Journal staff writer Gregory Smith Posted by Andrea Panciera at 5:25 PM | Comment Photo: Demolition of old Kent County Courthouse begins
Posted by Andrea Panciera at 5:16 PM | Comment Update: Biechele files motion to reduce his sentenceThe band manager who shot off fireworks that ignited The Station nightclub fire has asked a Superior Court judge to reduce his sentence of four years to serve at the Adult Correctional Institutions. Daniel M. Biechele, 29, of Winter Springs, Fla., filed a one-sentence motion with the court on Aug. 25, which was announced today. It does not list reasons for seeking a reduction in the sentence, which included 11 years suspended and three years of probation. Biechele's lawyer, Thomas G. Briody, said the motion was submitted to beat a filing deadline in order to preserve Biechele's rights to seek a reduced sentence. Biechele is not seeking a hearing on his motion at this time. Under state law, defendants have 120 days to seek a reduction in sentencing. Judge Francis J. Darigan Jr. sentenced Biechele on May 10, so the 120-day deadline is approaching. On Feb. 7, Biechele pleaded guilty to 100 counts of involuntary manslaughter, one for each of the people who died in the Feb. 20, 2003, fire in West Warwick. -- Journal staff writer Paul Edward Parker Posted by Andrea Panciera at 4:31 PM | Comment Schilling throws 3,000th strikeoutOAKLAND, Calif. -- Boston Red Sox ace Curt Schilling became the 14th pitcher in major league history to reach 3,000 strikeouts when he fanned Oakland's Nick Swisher in the first inning today. The 39-year-old Schilling allowed a leadoff double to Jason Kendall before getting Swisher swinging for the miletstone strikeout. His accomplishment was announced, and Schilling received a lengthy ovation. He stepped off the mound and tipped his hat. The score was tied 1-1 in the second inning of play. Posted by Andrea Panciera at 4:11 PM | Comment Update: P&W stock dips as trading re-opensAfter setting a 52-week high yesterday, the stock of Providence & Worcester Railroad didn't trade for four hours today. When trading finally began at 1:30 p.m., the stock began to fall back. At 3 p.m. it it was off about 5 percent from Tuesday's high. The stock closed Thursday, Aug. 24 at $19.01 a share on volume of 200 shares. Then on Friday trading jumped to 10,500 shares. Volume was 11,100 shares on Monday and 8,700 shares yesterday when the stock closed at a 52-week high of $20.75. At 3 p.m. today, the stock was down 98 cents a share at $19.77 on volune of 3,600 shares. The railroad, based in Worcester, runs 516 miles of track between New Haven and Worcester.
Posted by Peter Phipps at 3:20 PM | Comment Former lead paint makers ask judge to dismiss suitPROVIDENCE - - Lawyers for three former lead paint manufacturers found liable for creating a public nuisance asked a judge today to dismiss the state's lawsuit against them, saying the state failed to provide enough evidence to support the verdict. A jury in February found three companies - Sherwin-Williams Co., NL Industries Inc. and Millennium Holdings LLC - liable for creating a public nuisance by manufacturing and selling a toxic product. The state says the verdict could cost the companies billions of dollars to clean up lead paint contamination in Rhode Island, though a judge has not yet decided how much, if anything, the companies must pay or even whether to uphold the jury's judgment. -- The Associated Press Lawyers for the companies, speaking before a packed courtroom today, said the state failed to show that lead pigment or paint manufactured by their clients or their predecessors was ever sold in Rhode Island or significantly contributed to any public nuisance here. Lawyers for the state planned to respond to the defense arguments this afternoon. Superior Court Judge Michael Silverstein said he expected the arguments to stretch into tomorrow. Don Scott, a lawyer for NL Industries, said it was not enough for the state to suggest that the company at some point sold some type of lead product somewhere in Rhode Island. He said there was nothing to connect the companies' activities to the state's lead paint problems. "The record of any kind of nexus is thin, at best, as to NL or the other two defendants," Scott said. "I would suggest worse than thin, it is legally insufficient." The lawyers said the state promised evidence before the trial that never materialized and that jurors were forced to make a series of inferences to reach their verdict. Mickey Pohl, a lawyer for Sherwin-Williams, said the state tried to suggest that because the defendants were the dominant lead paint manufacturers, collectively, that their products must have ended up in Rhode Island. He said the state should have presented evidence "party by party, defendant by defendant." "The collective behavior is not a shoehorn by which the state can say its verdict can be sustained against Sherwin-Williams," Pohl said. Posted by Jack Perry at 2:21 PM | Comment Pollster: R.I. women cynical about political processRhode Island women tend to be disengaged from politics and many don't regard political activity as an effective way to influence their world, according to interpretations of a survey released today by the Women's Fund of Rhode Island. The telephone survey of 507 women age 18 to 75, conducted last week, found that Rhode Island women are focused on their local communities, willing to volunteer, committed to voting, but "cynical" about the political process, pollster Anna Greenberg said in presenting the results today. A key reason, Greenberg asserted, is that Rhode Island has had few women In a finding that Greenberg called "stunning," only 13 percent of the This is in spite of the fact that Rhode Island voters could help tip the balance of power in the U.S. Senate if they elect a Democrat in November, and that in a small state, each vote carries more weight. Read another story on the survey from today's Journal. -- Journal staff writer Felice Freyer The survey was done as a followup to a 2002 study of status of Rhode The Women's Fund, founded in 2001 with the help of the Rhode Island Cone-Tighe said that the Women's Fund would use the survey results to The survey was conducted by Greenberg Quinlan Rosner, a research and Posted by Jack Perry at 2:06 PM | Comment School for the Deaf teachers didn't go to workPROVIDENCE – Without a settled teachers contract, the 41 School for the Deaf teachers did not attend a professional development session today. Students are set to start school next Tuesday. Union leader Robert A. Walsh Jr. “very concerned” about reaching a settlement for the school, which educates about 105 students, ages 3 through 21. Walsh is executive director of the Rhode Island chapter of the National Education Association, which represents the school’s teachers. “Now I’m very concerned,” Walsh said early this afternoon. “I’ve gone from concerned to very concerned. Folks didn’t go to professional development today, so we really have to get this done this weekend so school can open for the kids next week.” The NEA represents the state-run School for the Deaf and several local districts where contract talks have come down to the wire this year, including the Cumberland School District. Teachers in Cumberland are out on strike today instead of teaching on what was scheduled to be the first day of school for students. Walsh has declined to say what issues are holding up contract negotiations at the School for the Deaf, but he did offer one piece of information following news reports that teachers there do not pay a portion of their health insurance. "Co-pay [for health insurance] is not the issue, by the way," he said. "That's not the issue." Walsh said he does not know when the next negotiation session will be set. Nothing was scheduled as of last night, he said. "I think it's absolutely safe to say we are hoping to meet with management tonight to continue negotiations, and we will be available from tonight through the weekend to make sure we can get things done," he said. -- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson Posted by Kate Bramson at 1:46 PM | Comment Mass. announces plans to ease Boston trafficBOSTON -- State transportation officials plan to add more commuter trains and boats and urge commuters to car pool under steps announced today to ease traffic delays around Boston when the number of cars on the road increases after Labor Day. Tunnel closures caused by a fatal Big Dig ceiling collapse in July have clogged roads and frustrated motorists traveling in and out of the capital city. The governor has said it could take several months before traffic is flowing again through the entire Big Dig tunnel system. Read the full Associated Press story. Posted by Jack Perry at 1:34 PM | Comment Husband of woman killed in Big Dig tunnel wants "justice"BOSTON -- The husband of a woman who was killed by falling concrete ceiling panels in a Big Dig tunnel today criticized the contractors and overseers of the massive highway project for putting financial concerns above the safety of motorists. "I want justice for what happened," said Angel Del Valle, 46, of Boston, who managed to squeeze through the window of his crushed car to escape the July 10 accident that killed his wife, Milena Del Valle, 39, a mother of three. Read the full Associated Press story. Posted by Jack Perry at 11:16 AM | Comment U.S. basketball team advances to world semifinalsThe United States basketball team, looking to rebuild its international prestige after a half-decade of failure on the world stage, cruised past Germany, 85-65, this morning in Saitama, Japan, and advanced to the semifinals of the world basketball championships. The U.S. will play Greece in the semifinals, with Spain and Argentina meeting in the other semifinal matchup. Posted by Art at 9:30 AM | Comment Ernesto, there's still a small chance he'll visit usThe National Hurricane Center puts the probability that tropical storm Ernesto will blow through Providence this weekend at 3 percent. The probabilities of sustained winds of around 40 mph are higher for other east-coast cities: New York, 10 percent; Atlantic City 14 percent; Baltimore, 22 percent. In contrast, the Weather Service predicts that Myrtle Beach and Charleston, South Carolina have more than a 40 percent chance of getting hit by the storm. Ernesto made land in southern Florida early this morning. Peter Phipps Posted by Peter Phipps at 7:17 AM | Comment Clouds and a chance of showers todayThe National Weather Service calls for a slight chance of showers before 9 a.m. today and a mostly cloudy day with a high near 76 degrees. Clouds should clear out tonight with the temperature dropping into the 50s. Tomorrow should be sunny with a high near 72 degrees. For more weather and updates, see projo.com/weather. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:00 AM | Comment August 29, 2006Judge agrees to make some Astor court files publicNEW YORK -- A judge in New York agrees to partly open the court file in the family feud over the care of 104-year-old philanthropist Brooke Astor. Justice John Stackhouse says he'll make public all documents except for information about Astor's medical condition and care. Any future testimony about her health also will be kept private. The judge says the Astor file will remain sealed until 5 p.m. Thursday to give either side a chance to appeal his decision. The case had been sealed at the request of Astor's grandson, Philip Marshall, a professor at Roger Williams University in Rhode Island, after the Daily News reported that he had gone to court to remove his father as legal guardian. Lawyers for news organizations had challenged the sealing order, arguing the public had a genuine interest in the well-being of the well-known socialite. -- Staff and wire reports In court papers, Marshall says his grandmother was living a squalid life under the care of his father. "Her bedroom is so cold in the winter that my grandmother is forced to sleep in the TV room in torn nightgowns on a filthy couch that smells, probably from dog urine," he said in an affidavit. Astor's nurses, the court papers allege, had to use their own money to buy hair bonnets and no-skid socks for the elderly woman when requests for the items were denied. A French chef was fired, leaving her at the mercy of an "unmotivated cook" serving pureed peas, liver, carrots and oatmeal, they add. Marshall also accuses his father of enriching himself with millions of dollars in his capacity as Astor's legal guardian. Anthony Marshall, a former diplomat and Broadway producer, denies the charges and said they are "completely untrue." He claims the family spends more than $2.5 million a year to care for Astor at her Park Avenue duplex. -- Staff and wire reports Posted by Steve Peoples at 6:58 PM | Comment Hallmark buys portion of Paramount Cards assetsA Superior Court judge today approved the $8 million sale of some of the assets of the failed Paramount Cards Co. of Pawtucket to Hallmark Cards Inc. The assets sold to Hallmark include machinery and equipment at Paramount's manufacturing operations in Canada, plus another $1.4 million in inventory in Rhode Island and intellectual property related to its distributor, Image Craft. Neither the Paramount name nor its CardSmart retail chain were a part of the sale approved by Judge Michael A. Silverstein. Posted by at 6:36 PM | Comment Poll: Casino supporters outnumber opponents, 49-43%A Channel 12 (WPRI -TV) poll released this evening suggests that supporters of the state constitutional amendment to allow the proposed Harrah's-Narragansett Indian casino now outnumber opponents, 49 to 43 percent, with 8 percent undecided. The telephone survey of 401 likely voters was conducted between Aug. 16 and Aug. 21 by Fleming & Associates. Among the other findings: Men are measurably more keen on the casino proposal than women, and support for the proposal decreases by the age of those polled. If the proposal did not entail changing the state Constitution, the poll found, the margin of support from all voters would increase to 53 percent over 36 percent. The casino proposal is due to go to voters statewide in November. Read more about the poll and the efforts of the opposition group Save Our State in tomorrow's Journal and on projo.com. -- Journal staff writer Katherine Gregg Posted by Steve Peoples at 6:24 PM | Comment Update: Oil spills from Cumberland auto shopCUMBERLAND -- A state hazardous materials crew responded to the corner of Broad and Elm streets this afternoon, where a spill from an auto shop sent oil trickling across a two-block area. The state Department of Environmental Management emergency response worked with the Cumberland Fire Department to contain the spill, putting red sand and pads on the leaking substance. The crews were called to the scene of George's Auto Sales on Broad Street at about 3 p.m. No roads were closed and no injuries were reported, according to John Leo, an engineer with DEM's office of emergency response. Leo said that an improper cleanup of oil at the buisiness mixed with heavy rains today likely exacerbated the problem. Leo did not immediately know how much oil spilled into local storm drains or where the drains led. -- With reports from Journal staff writer Philip Marcelo Posted by Steve Peoples at 5:57 PM | Comment Westerly teachers ratify new contractThe Westerly teachers union has ratified a new contract, clearing the way for classes to begin as planned tomorrow, according to Robert A. Walsh Jr., executive director of the Rhode Island chapter of the National Education Association. The union and school department had agreed on a tentative contract yesterday. The union voted to accept the new contract this afternoon. Walsh wouldn't immediately release the details of the contract. Cumberland is the only school district in Rhode Island due to start classes tomorrow that remains without a contract. Both sides are meeting again tonight for a mediation session. Posted by Steve Peoples at 5:55 PM | Comment Pawtucket man charged with 3rd count of murderPROVIDENCE -- A Pawtucket man returned to District Court today to face his third charge of first-degree murder in the shooting deaths of his ex-girlfriend and two other people in Central Falls. Adelino Duarte is accusing of shooting his former girlfriend Elizabeth Orellana, 37, of 712 High St., Central Falls, a mother of five daughters, in the head. She died Friday, seven days after the shooting. She was the last of the three people shot in the Aug. 18 incident to die. The two other victims were one of Orellana's daughters, Kristal L. Duarte (no relation to Adelino Duarte), and a man Orellana had been dating, Octavio J. Calcagno. With a Creole interpreter translating, Duarte was charged as sheriffs stood guard. A status hearing has been scheduled for this Friday, and a bail hearing has been scheduled for Sept 7. Duarte, 38, is being held without bail at the Adult Correctional Institutions pending the bail hearing. -- Journal staff writer Tatiana Pina CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story misstated Octavio Calcagno's connection to Orellana. Posted by Steve Peoples at 5:46 PM | Comment Update: Rain, fog to go away by tomorrow / Photo
But the recent wet weather should start moving out of the area tomorrow, with partly cloudy skies on tap and temps in the upper 70s. A small craft advisory is in effect until 6 o'clock tonight for Rhode Island and Block Island Sounds. Check for the latest conditions and forecasts. Posted by Kate Bramson at 3:00 PM | Comment Sox' Ortiz to undergo battery of testsThe Red Sox released a statement regarding David Ortiz this afternoon that shed no new light on the slugger's condition. Ortiz was briefly hospitalized on Saturday night, Aug. 19, because of heart palpitations suffered after an afternoon game against the Yankees. he was treated and released, and played the next night against New York. On Monday night in Oakland, he suffered a recurrence of the symptoms. Although he was scheduled to play against the A's, he was removed from the lineup approximately 15 minutes prior to game time. He was sent back to Boston this morning to be examined by the Red Sox' medical staff. The Sox said the examination and testing will be done ''over the next few days'' to ''determine the cause of these recurring symptoms''. The statement made no mention as to what the problem might be, nor did it say when he might return to the playing field. The complete statement: "Prior to Monday night's game in Oakland, David Ortiz experienced palpitations and was removed from the lineup. At that time, it was determined that he would return to Boston to undergo further examination and testing to determine the cause of these recurring symptoms. The examination and testing will be done over the next few days led by Red Sox Team Internist Dr. Larry Ronan , with the support of a group of specialists." "David had experienced similar symptoms approximately ten days ago. He was admitted to the hospital on August 19 where he was fully examined by specialists and a series of tests were performed. Based on the results of these tests, and David's symptomatic improvement, he was cleared to play. David had not experienced any additional episodes of palpitations until Monday evening." "With the recurrence of these symptoms, we would like David to be fully examined and tested before he is allowed to return to the field." Posted by Art at 2:33 PM | Comment Demolition accomplishedNORTH KINGSTOWN – After some delay, four underwater piers of the old Jamestown Bridge were demolished this afternoon. Only one of four planned blasts initially worked around 1 p.m., but they have now all gone off. The new Jamestown-Verrazzano Bridge, which runs alongside the old bridge, is open and traffic is operating as usual, according to the state Department of Transportation. Posted by Peter Phipps at 2:23 PM | Comment Update: R.I. SAT scores down, following national trendSAT scores for college-bound Rhode Island high school students fell this year for the first time since 1999, according to a report released today by the company that administers the test. Rhode Island's high school seniors (both from private and public schools) earned an average score of 495 for the critical reading section of the test, and 502 in the math section -- a drop of 8 and 3 points respectively from last year. The decline follows a national trend of slightly lower test scores after seven years without a drop. See a list of test scores for every public high school in Rhode Island. In Massachusetts, scores also fell to 513 for critical reading and 524 for math. That's down from last year's average scores of 520 and 527. Nationally, the Class of 2006 scored an average of 503 on the reading section, down five points from the previous year. They earned an average of 518 on the math section, down two points. At a press conference today, the state education commissioner attributed the decline to the addition of a writing portion of the test, a change that added 45 minutes to the exam. “Though I am disappointed to see this one-year decline in Rhode Island SAT scores, I believe that the one-year drop can in part be attributed to the newly structured SAT exams,” said Peter McWalters, Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education. “I am confident that by next year the scores will once again improve, as they have done throughout the past decade.” -- projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples Posted by Steve Peoples at 2:00 PM | Comment School starts in Providence / Photo
Cicilline began visiting the Charles N. Fortes Academy at 7:45 a.m. He planned to move on to the Alfred A. Lima Sr. Elementary School, Webster Avenue Elementary School, Vartan Gregorian Elementary School and then Harry Kizirian Elementary School. In tomorrow's Providence Journal and on projo.com, Journal staff writer Jennifer Jordan will write about the state's efforts to improve the health of students by banning soda machines and increasing their physical activity, among other measures. Posted by Kate Bramson at 1:35 PM | Comment Study: Rhode Islanders among least obese in nationRhode Island ranks among the 10 least obese states in the nation, according to a study released today by the Trust for America's Health, a nonprofit, non-partisan organization that promotes public health. Rhode Island is ranked 48th least obese, according to the study, which includes the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Colorado has the best ranking, followed by Hawaii and Massachusetts. On the other end of the scale, Mississippi, Alabama and West Virginia rank as the most obese. The study finds that 19 percent of Rhode Island adults are obese, compared to the national average of 23.2 percent and Mississippi's total of 29.5 percent. -- projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples "Obesity is a gateway to heart disease, diabetes and a host of other diseases," said Parris N. Glendening, former two-term Governor of Maryland, and co-author of the report. Approximately 119 million Americans, or 64.5 percent, of adult Americans are either overweight or obese, according to the Trust for America's Health. Estimates of the number of obese American adults rose from 23.7 percent in 2003 to 24.5 percent in 2004. -- projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples Posted by Steve Peoples at 12:13 PM | Comment Cumberland teachers to talk tonight as school loomsCUMBERLAND – Mediation in the Cumberland School District will continue tonight in ongoing teacher-contract talks as the first day of school looms tomorrow. The new session was set after agreement was not reached in a mediation session last night. Teachers reported today to their scheduled professional development sessions, according to Robert A. Walsh Jr., executive director of the Rhode Island chapter of the National Education Association. NEA represents Cumberland teachers. School is scheduled to start in Cumberland tomorrow. Posted by Kate Bramson at 11:30 AM | Comment North Smithfield teachers approve new contractNORTH SMITHFIELD –Teachers today approved a tentative agreement that was reached last night, according to School Committee Chairman Gary S. Ezovski. Ezovski declined this morning to discuss specifics on the tentative contract because his board hasn’t yet voted on it. He said they’d vote at their next regular meeting, which is set for Sept. 19. Throughout negotiations, both sides have said the start of school tomorrow was never in question, even if an agreement had not been reached before the scheduled start of school. Union members could not be reached this morning, but Ezovski said he has been told that teachers approved the deal by a margin of about 3 to 1. “It kind of reflects the kind of discussions we’ve had,” Ezovski said of that vote. “These are difficult times in the public employment sector. Everyone is not going to be happy. The committee is not completely content.” Check the start of school in your community at the state Department of Education's website. -- with reports from Journal staff writer John Hill Posted by Kate Bramson at 10:42 AM | Comment Lottomatica completes GTECH purchaseItalian lotto operator Lottomatica SpA, this morning completed its $4.65 billion purchase of GTECH Holdings Corp., eight months after the deal was announced. GTECH shareholders received $35 a share for their GTECH stock, and the company’s stock has stopped trading on the New York Stock Exchange. The deal creates the largest lottery supplier and operator in the world. GTECH, which is currently based in West Greenwich, will retain its name as a business unit within Lottomatica Group Holding Co. At the end of the year, GTECH will move its headquarters from West Greenwich to a prominent, new corporate headquarters in downtown Providence. --- Andrea L. Stape Posted by Peter Phipps at 10:16 AM | Comment Car crashes into ice cream shop in SmithfieldSMITHFIELD – A car crashed into an ice cream shop at the corner of Esmond St. and Putnam Pike shortly before 10 a.m. today. Police crews are still on scene, and the town’s building inspector is heading out to make sure the building is stable before the car is pulled out of the shop, Police Detective Lt. Michael Rheaume said this morning. -- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson Posted by Kate Bramson at 10:15 AM | Comment Update: Accident delays traffic on 95 NorthPROVIDENCE – Traffic on Route 95 north is backed up this morning before exit 18 due to an accident in the center lane. Passing motorists could see that a car has rear-ended a tractor-trailer. Rescue crews are still on scene at 9:18 a.m., for what the state police say is a six-car accident. No more details on the accident are yet available. Once motorists pass the accident, traffic is moving alone fine. -- with reports from Tim Murphy Posted by Kate Bramson at 9:21 AM | Comment Pawtucket man to be arraigned on 3rd murder chargeThe accused shooter in the Aug. 18 triple murder in Central Falls is due back in court today. Adelino Duarte, 38, of North Main St., Pawtucket, will be arraigned in Sixth District Court, Providence, on a third murder charge now that the third victim in the shooting, his former girlfriend, has died. Elizabeth Orellana, 37, of Central Falls, died Friday afternoon, and the police upgraded a charge against Duarte to a murder charge. Duarte was arraigned last week on two first-degree murder charges for the deaths of Orellana’s daughter, 20-year-old Kristal L. Duarte (no relation to Adelino Duarte), and Octavio Calcagno, 23, who died in the days after they were shot. The police say all three victims were shot in the head when Duarte entered Orellana’s apartment early on the morning of Aug. 18. Posted by Kate Bramson at 7:59 AM | Comment August 28, 2006Update: Carcieri manager fires back at Fogarty campaignPROVIDENCE – Governor Carcieri’s campaign manager this afternoon said he and a team of lawyers are looking into what he called a “bogus complaint” filed this morning by the campaign for his Democratic gubernatorial challenger. The complaint filed by Lt. Gov. Charles J. Fogarty's campaign manager accuses Carcieri of failing to disclose that his fundraising has exceeded a $1.96 million cap. But Carcieri campaign manager Kenneth K. McKay IV said it appears that the regulation that Fogarty is relying on isn’t on the books anymore. McKay said his research shows that a regulation from 1994 would have mandated the governor’s campaign to file such summary reports about Carcieri’s fundraising. However, during what McKay called a “massive regulatory overhaul” in 2002, the Board of Elections never re-filed that regulation. According to McKay, it does not appear on the Secretary of State’s Web site under campaign regulations and does not appear in the campaign manual issued by the Board of Elections. “If it does require us to file, then we will,” McKay said, but the governor’s team simply hasn’t determined yet whether they believe they are bound by that old regulation. Fogarty’s campaign said earlier today that campaign finance laws require the candidates for governor to notify the Board of Elections and their opponents within 24 hours of exceeding a cap under the state’s matching funds program. -- projo.com staff writers Kate Bramson and Steve Peoples McKay said the Republican Carcieri is not taking taxpayer dollars as matching funds for what he raises in the campaign. Fogarty is relying on the matching-funds program. The idea behind the old regulation, McKay said, is that if the governor raises more than the $1.96 million cap, then his campaign must alert Fogarty, thus allowing Fogarty to raise more and receive more matching funds as well. “This law in place for a reason," Fogarty campaign manager Brett Smiley stated this morning. "The amount of money our campaign can raise and spend is directly related to the amount of money Governor Carcieri raises and spends. His decision to disregard the law puts our campaign at a disadvantage." Early this evening, Fogarty’s campaign responded to McKay’s comments, saying the regulation the Fogarty campaign is relying on is on page 19 of the 2006 campaign finance manual for the public financing of campaigns for candidates for general office. Fogarty spokesman Adam Bozzi faxed a page to The Journal labeled “MPF Manual 6/06,” which states: “All candidates for general office, including those who have elected not to avail themselves of the public funding provided under 17-25-18 through and including 17-25-29, will report to the Board when such candidate has exceeded either the contribution or expenditure limits of 17-25020 (2).” -- projo.com staff writers Kate Bramson and Steve Peoples Posted by Kate Bramson at 7:02 PM | Comment Update: Memorial Hospital, union clash over buttonsPAWTUCKET – The union representing nurses and other health-care workers at Memorial Hospital of Rhode Island today filed an unfair labor practice charge against the hospital with the National Labor Relations Board. United Nurses & Allied Professionals, Local 5082 – which represents 373 hospital employees -- says the hospital has ordered employees to remove union buttons, which the union says is in violation of federal labor law. The union has issued a notice saying it intends to go on strike at 7 a.m. on Saturday. The hospital is allowing managers, supervisors, administrators and other non-union employees to wear buttons, said Christopher Callaci, the field representative for the union and the chief negotiator in the labor dispute. Callaci said the union’s buttons say, “Know Respect.” He said he has not seen the hospital’s buttons, but is told they say something such as “Vote yes/Accept the contract.” “What’s remarkable is that they have decided to discriminate against union employees,” Callaci said. “They’ve said we’re going to allow non-union folks to wear our button, but not allow union folks to wear their buttons. That’s a clear double standard, and it’s discriminatory, which is the basis of the charge.” Both sides are scheduled to meet with federal mediator Joseph Kelleher tomorrow morning and Thursday evening. The union intends to ask its members to vote once more on the hospital’s final offer, which the union rejected earlier this month 229 to 58. The NLRB's office in Boston will handle the union's complaint. -- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson On Friday, the hospital called for union members to stop "subjecting patients to undue stress and rhetoric," according to a press release issued that day. The hospital took issue with what it called "inflammatory" buttons union members were starting to wear on the job. "This attempt to subject patients, many of whom are gravely ill, to inflammatory, combative rhetoric is unacceptable," said Francis R. Dietz, president/CEO of the hospital. -- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson Posted by Kate Bramson at 6:56 PM | Comment Teacher talks: Tentative pact in Westerly, Burrillville teachers ratifyThe Westerly teachers union and school administrators have reached a tentative contract agreement that union members will vote on tomorrow afternoon. Students are due to return to class on Wednesday. That narrows to three the number of public school districts that are still without ratified teacher contracts for the upcoming school year, according to Robert A. Walsh Jr., executive director of the Rhode Island chapter of the National Education Association. The state-run School for the Deaf is also still working to reach agreement. Earlier today, the Burrillville Teachers Association ratified a contract settlement hammered out in a Friday-night mediation session that lasted until 3:30 a.m. Saturday morning, according to Walsh. The Burrillville School Committee plans to vote on the proposed settlement at a special meeting Thursday. Teachers returned to school today, and students start Wednesday in Burrillville. The remaining public districts without ratified contracts are Cumberland, where teachers picketed today instead of reporting to work, Middletown and North Smithfield, according to Walsh. -- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson, with reports from Journal staff writer Cynthia Needham The NEA is the teachers' union that represents teachers in all of the districts and the School for the Deaf that have outstanding contracts. Cumberland teachers and administrators met until 5:30 a.m. today with a mediator and are expected to meet again with a mediator at 6 p.m. tonight, Walsh said. Classes start Wednesday, although teachers were expected back today. Middletown teachers and administrators have a negotiation session set for Wednesday. Teachers in that district are due back next Tuesday, and students begin a week from Wednesday. North Smithfield teachers and administrators have a negotiation session tonight at 6, Walsh said. Classes start next week. Teachers and administrators at the state-run School for the Deaf are still negotiating and are considering going into mediation, Walsh said.
Posted by Kate Bramson at 5:52 PM | Comment Former nursing home owner indicted on state chargesA statewide grand jury handed up an indictment today charging former nursing home owner Antonio L. Giordano with one count of embezzlement, one count of conspiracy to embezzle, 34 counts of money laundering, one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, four counts of Medicaid fraud and four counts of conspiracy to commit Medicaid fraud. John Montecalvo, Giordano's longtime chief financial officer, was also indicted on the same charges. Additionally, Montecalvo is named on 10 counts of patient neglect, according to the state Attorney General’s Office. The counts against the two men relate to the operation of the Hillside Health Center, LLC, at 99 Hillside Ave. in Providence, which went into receivership in March 2004, according to the Attorney General’s Office. Giordano and Montecalvo pleaded guilty in June to federal charges they skimmed $780,539 from the Hillside Health Center, the former Coventry Health Center and Mount St. Francis Health Center in Woonsocket. -- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson Posted by Kate Bramson at 5:10 PM | Comment Demolition of Old Kent County Courthouse setWARWICK -- Demolition of the old Kent County Courthouse is scheduled to start this Wednesday morning. The work is expected to be done with a mechanical claw that will pull the building apart and take about two weeks. The structure, built as an office building in the 1970s, had been plagued with environmental and design problems for many years. Workers have been doing site work at the old courthouse, such as capping utilities and removing hazardous materials, since it closed at the end of July. Posted by Andrea Panciera at 3:46 PM | Comment Update: Accident slows traffic on Rte. 295N in SmithfieldSMITHFIELD – Traffic on Route 295 North at Route 44 is backed up because of what appeared to be a minor two-car accident. The two right lanes had been closed before 3:30 p.m. The accident is now cleared, according to the state Department of Transportation. No significant injuries have been reported. Posted by Kate Bramson at 3:36 PM | Comment Photo: Over the top of the new bridge
Posted by Peter Phipps at 3:29 PM | Comment Astor family feud: Of public interest or gossip-mongering?NEW YORK - The grandson of 104-year-old philanthropist Brooke Astor and news organizations squared off in court today over whether a family feud over her care is of genuine public interest or just fodder for gossip-mongering journalists. Intimate detail of the famed socialite's declining health "is not the kind of thing that belongs on the front page of the newspaper," attorney Ira Salzman argued on behalf of her grandson at a hearing in state Supreme Court in Manhattan. Coverage of the case so far, he added, has been "nothing more than gossip." Justice John Stackhouse reserved decision on a request by The Associated Press, the Daily News, The New York Times and the New York Post to reopen the case file. It was sealed in July at the request of the grandson, Philip Marshall, a professor at Roger Williams University in Rhode Island, after the Daily News reported that he had gone to court to remove his father as her legal guardian. Marshall has alleged that his grandmother, a woman best known for sharing her vast wealth with worthy causes, was reduced to sleeping on a filthy couch to escape a cold bedroom and subsisting on pureed peas and oatmeal, the News reported. His father, Anthony Marshall, has denied any mistreatment. Family lawyers say that both records and court hearings need to be kept out of the public eye to protect Astor's privacy - a position challenged today by Katherine Bolger, an attorney for the news organizations. -- Associated Press Bolger argued that the public had a genuine interest in the well-being of Astor as a "self-described public monument." She also warned against setting a double standard for rich people. A decision in Philip Marshall's favor "would send the message the people who are wealthy have closed proceedings," she said. An attorney for Anthony Marshall told the judge his client agrees with his son on one point: that their dispute should be fought behind closed doors. He claimed the publicity had made Anthony Marshall the target of anonymous threats. "You're dealing with real-world consequences," said the lawyer, Harvey Corn. -- Associated Press Posted by Andrea Panciera at 3:01 PM | Comment Update: Police seek suspects in Rte. 95 rock throwingCRANSTON -- Police today are looking for the people responsible for throwing rocks and pieces of concrete from a highway overpass onto Interstate 95 over the weekend, an incident that damaged more than a dozen vehicles. "For 10 to 15 minutes, it rained stones," state police Capt. James Swanberg said today. The police received several calls from motorists who reported being hit by falling objects between 1:15 and 1:30 a.m. Saturday. Damage included smashed windshields, headlights, and dents to hoods, bumpers and trunks, Swanberg said. There were no injuries reported. Authorities believe that the suspects threw small crushed stones onto the speeding vehicles. It could have been worse, according to Swanberg. "They weren't bolders," he said. "But I'm sure it gave the folks quite a jolt." CORRECTION: An earlier blog item on this incorrectly reported the time of the incident. -- projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples Posted by Steve Peoples at 2:12 PM | Comment R.I. sending teams to help with Tropical Storm ErnestoRhode Island is preparing to dispatch its Disaster Medical Assistance Team to the Southeast to help those affected by Tropical Storm Ernesto, which is bearing down on the Florida coast and may strengthen soon. Members of the state's DMAT team have been told to report to Atlanta, Ga., by 6 p.m. tomorrow. A division of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the volunteer team consists primarily of medical professionals such as doctors, nurses and emergency medical technicians. Rhode Island's group, one of 32 on-call teams across the country, previously responded to New York City during the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and Hurricane Katrina in Louisiana. The state Red Cross chapter has also sent one person to Alabama to work on communications systems to prepare for Ernesto. The Red Cross is expected to send at least two more people to work at emergency shelters. -- projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples with reports from Amanda Milkovits Posted by Steve Peoples at 12:42 PM | Comment Suspect in Central Falls killings to face 3rd murder chargeCENTRAL FALLS -- The man accused of killing three people in Central Falls when he shot them each in the head on Aug. 18 will be arraigned tomorrow morning on a murder charge for the third victim. Central Falls police said one charge against Adelino Duarte, 38, of Main Street in Pawtucket, has been upgraded to a murder charge since the death of Elizabeth Orellana, 37. She died Friday at 4:45 p.m. at Rhode Island Hospital, spokeswoman Andrea Barbosa said today. Duarte will appear in Sixth District Court, Providence, where he was arraigned last Thursday on two charges of first-degree murder after the deaths of Orellana’s daughter, 20-year-old Kristal L. Duarte (no relation to Adelino); and Orellana’s boyfriend, Octavio Calcagno, 23. Adelino Duarte was initially arraigned last Monday on a number of charges, including three counts of assault with intent to commit murder and felony domestic assault. He was not initially charged with murder because no one died immediately from the shootings. For some time, all three people who were shot at Orellana’s Central Falls apartment were on life support at Rhode Island Hospital. -- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson and Journal staff writer Tatiana Pina Posted by Kate Bramson at 12:36 PM | Comment Update: Charlton Memorial power outageFALL RIVER -- Charlton Memorial Hospital likely will be running on backup power into this evening, according to a hospital spokeswoman, who said the hospital lost power at about 3 a.m. after "a meltdown at our main switch gear." All elective surgeries have been postponed and some non-essential employees have been sent home, said spokeswoman Joyce Brennan, noting that emergency surgeries will take place. "There was a seamless transition to backup power," she said. "Right now our main concern is getting our power up and running at Charlton." The hospital has enough backup power to last "several days," Brennan said. While she expects power to be restored soon, it takes hours of testing before the hospital can access that power, she said. "When power is restored to a hospital, it's a little different than to a residence, because of all the equipment we have on site," Brennan said. "You can’t just have a surge, you need methodical testing, which can take hours. It’s a delicate process." Roughly 2,200 electric customers lost power this morning, according to National Grid spokesman David Graves. "There is a piece of equipment that has failed at the hospital," he said. "Right now we’re trying to figure out why it failed." Power has been restored to all customers, with the exception of the hospital, Graves said. National Grid crews are currently working with a hospital contractor to fix the problem. -- projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples Posted by Steve Peoples at 11:56 AM | Comment Update: Bridge in place, crowd cheersPROVIDENCE -- Workers and the tide slowly put the new Providence River bridge into place this morning. Using two barges, construction crews earlier this morning started shifting the 400-foot center arch of the new Route 195 bridge into position adjacent to the Providence hurricane barrier along Wickenden Street. The falling tide helped the arch settle onto piers on each side of the river. By about 11:50 a.m., the arch was in place. Workers patted each other on the backs and shook hands. Spectators on both sides of the river cheered. -- Peter Phipps Posted by Jack Perry at 11:53 AM | Comment Gas prices drop another 8 centsGasoline prices in Rhode Island dropped an average of eight cents this week, the fourth straight week of falling prices, according to AAA Southern New England. The average price for regular, unleaded gasoline is $2.97 per gallon at the self-service pump, according to AAA's weekly survey. It's the lowest price locally since the last week of June, but still 33 cents more than drivers were paying at this time last year. Posted by Jack Perry at 11:31 AM | Comment Cumberland teachers don't show for work todayCUMBERLAND -- District teachers did not report for work today after weekend negotiations with school administrators failed to produce a tentative contract, according to union president Rod McGarry. The union and the district, which broke off a 12-hour negotiation session today at 5:15 a.m., will resume state mediated negotiations at 6 p.m. Meanwhile, around 350 teachers are picketing in front of the high school on Mendon Road. “Both negotiating teams are functioning on six hours of sleep. It is not for a lack of trying on both sides” that a contract has not been reached, McGarry said. “Talks have gotten much more serious, and there is much more dialogue than there was leading up to today.” McGarry added that the district rejected the union’s proposal this morning to work “per diem” until a contract is settled. Teachers were scheduled to attend the first of two professional development days today before the start of school Wednesday. -- By Journal Staff Writer Philip Marcelo Posted by Jack Perry at 11:25 AM | Comment Update: Journal Register exploring sale of R.I. papersThe Journal Register Co. today said it is looking to sell newspapers it owns in Rhode Island and Massachusetts. The papers include the daily Pawtucket Times, Woonsocket Call, Kent County Daily Times, all in Rhode Island, and the Fall River Herald News and Taunton Daily Gazette in Massachusetts. It is also exploring the sale of its weekly group, the Southern Rhode Island Newspaper Group in Wakefield. Company chairman and CEO Robert M. Jelenic stated in a press release, "Although we are continuing to operate our business well despite an extremely challenging period in today's complex newspaper environment, we must continuously consider how to best deploy our resources. In that regard, we are evaluating a strategic divestiture of our New England Cluster and focusing our efforts on those operations, including our growing online operations, which generate a higher return on capital and produce a higher level of profitability and cash flow." For the year ending June 30, the properties generated $39.9 million of revenues and $8.9 million of operating cash flow. But the company said it has hired Dirks, Van Essen & Murray to help it to "focus on more profitable operations." According to the company's press release, there is no guarantee any transaction would occur. Journal Register Company owns 27 daily newspapers and 366 non-daily publications. It operates 222 individual Web sites affiliated with the company's daily newspapers, non-daily publications and its recently acquired network of employment Web sites. All of the company's operations are clustered in seven geographic areas: greater Philadelphia; Michigan; Connecticut; greater Cleveland; New England; and the capital-Saratoga and mid-Hudson regions of New York. The company owns JobsInTheUS, a network of seven employment Web sites in the Northeast. Posted by Peter Phipps at 10:45 AM | Comment Update: Bridge moving into place
Using two barges, construction crews this morning have already started shifting the 400-foot center arch of the new Route 195 bridge into place adjacent to the Providence hurricane barrier along Wickenden Street. The plan is to have the massive structure in place by high tide, which is scheduled for 11:32 a.m., according to state Department of Transportation spokeswoman Dana Alexander Nolfe. The arch section of the new Providence River bridge made a calm trip up the Bay from North Kingstown yesterday morning, ending up next to the piers on which it is to be installed today. The 400-foot-long arch is part of a 1,235-foot bridge that will carry a relocated section of Route 195 across the river. Read more about the bridge in today's Journal. Posted by Steve Peoples at 9:15 AM | Comment Save the Bay celebrates Barrington projectBARRINGTON -- A host of local, state and federal officials plan to gather at the Walker Farm this morning, the site of an eight-year, $494,000 restoration of a salt marsh set along 100 Acre Cove. U.S. Sen. Lincoln D. Chafee and Rep. Patrick J. Kennedy will join representatives from Save the Bay, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the state Coastal Resources Management Council at the 9:30 a.m. celebration. The project successfully restored the natural tidal flow in and out of the marsh. It also improved public access to the area, which "was once an overgrown and inaccessible thicket of invasive plants," according to a statement released by Save the Bay. Posted by Steve Peoples at 7:33 AM | Comment Hold on to your umbrellaPROVIDENCE -- The rain isn't supposed to stop for a while. The National Weather Service is calling for periodic rain throughout today and into tomorrow, with up to an inch and a half of rain possible over the two days. Today's high temperature should only reach 73, the weather service says, and the bulk of the rain should fall before noon. There will be a chance of showers tonight with a cool north wind blowing between 5 and 7 mph. Heavy rain isn't supposed to start tomorrow until about 9 a.m. For more weather and updates, see projo.com/weather. Posted by Steve Peoples at 7:00 AM | Comment August 25, 2006New bridge takes first step to final locationNORTH KINGSTOWN -- The Providence River bridge made its first move today as contractors prepared for the project's most delicate, and watchable, stages. This afternoon, Mammoet, the Dutch company that specializes in hauling huge objects, moved the bridge about 150 feet, close to the edge of the pier where it was built at Quonset Point/Davisville. The state Department of Transportation said it plans to move the 400-foot-long bridge with a pair of barges early tomorrow and tow it to Providence about 5 a.m. on Sunday. On Monday, the DOT hopes to have the bridge installed at its permanent location, just south of the Hurricane Barrier, as part of the relocation of Route 195. While the trip up Narragansett Bay on Sunday will be the most visible part of the voyage, officials at Mammoet say that the trickiest part of moving the 5.5-million span is getting it on the barges tomorrow. More to come in tomorrow's Journal and on projo.com ... -- Journal staff writer Bruce Landis Posted by Andrea Panciera at 6:59 PM | Comment Poll finds gubernatorial candidates in tight raceCandidates for governor are locked in a tight race, with Republican Governor Carcieri leading the Democratic challenger, Lt. Gov. Charles J. Fogarty, by 45 percent to 41 percent, according to a poll released today. The poll, conducted by Fleming & Associates for Channel 12 Eyewitness News, found 14 percent were “not sure” whom they would vote for in November and had a margin of error of about 5 percent. The results included those who “lean toward a candidate,” and were based on interviews with 401 registered voters Aug. 16-21. Fogarty’s campaign spokesman, Adam Bozzi, called the latest poll “great news,” saying, “We are right where we need to be at this point. We are seeing Rhode Islanders who want a change responding to Charlie Fogarty’s message.” Polls conducted by Rasmussen Reports also have shown Carcieri and Fogarty either tied or very close for several months. The most recent Rasmussen poll had the candidates tied at 43 percent. Bozzi said, “All the polls solidify the idea that this race is a dead heat.” Carcieri’s campaign manager, Kenneth K. McKay IV, said, “We only worry about getting the job done. We’ll let career politicians worry about the polls.” McKay said the Carcieri campaign relies on its own polls. While he would not release those polls, he said they showed a larger lead for Carcieri. “We don’t worry about public polls,” McKay said, emphasizing that the campaign’s internal polls focus on likely voters as opposed to registered voters. But Fleming & Associates said it only interviewed people who passed two screens designed to show that the respondents were registered to vote and were likely to vote in November. -- Journal staff writer Edward Fitzpatrick The poll broke down the results by gender and age. Among males, Carcieri led by 48 percent to 42 percent, with 10 percent not sure. Among females, Carcieri led by 43 percent to 40 percent, with 17 percent not sure. Among those age 18 to 39, Fogarty led by 48 percent to 27 percent, with 25 percent not sure. Among those 40 to 59, Carcieri led by 50 percent to 40 percent, with 10 percent not sure. And among those 60 and over, Carcieri led by 46 percent to 39 percent, with 15 percent not sure. Posted by Andrea Panciera at 6:03 PM | Comment Update: Providence police ID homicide victim / Photo
PROVIDENCE -- The police have identified the victim of a fatal shooting this morning in the Manton neighborhood as William Garcia, 42, of Providence. In a press release late this afternoon, police said Garcia had apparently been shot in the head. An autopsy by the state medical examiner's office has been done, and the case has been ruled a homicide. Emergency crews responded to a Salmon Street home at about 7 a.m. and were told that a male was down, James Taylor, chief of communications for the Providence Fire Department, said this morning. The police confirmed that a male body was found lying face down in the parking lot at the rear of 29 Salmon St. Police have begun an investigation. Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call the city police's Detective Division at (401) 243-6406. -- With reports from projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples and Journal staff writer Gregory Smith Posted by Steve Peoples at 5:51 PM | Comment Aquidneck land trust buys time to raise $3M for easementPORTSMOUTH --Thanks to the philanthropy of a van Buren heiress, the Aquidneck Island Land Trust has secured the right to purchase a perpetual conservation easement for close to 125 acre of woods and farmland on Wapping Road, near the Middletown line. Barbara Van Buren, great-granddaughter of the inventor of Campbell's condensed soups, has agreed, for $70,000, to give the trust two years to raise $3 million for the easement. She is the principal of a company that snatched the land away from prospective developers for $8 million last year, with the intent of reaching an agreement with the trust. "It's a major contribution,'' said Ted Clemente, executive director of the trust, which announced the deal today. "Without that kind partnership, we truly would not be at the table.'' If the trust is successful at raising the $3 million and exercising its option, farming can continue and wildlife habitats will be conserved, said Clemente. The parcel features swamp, pond and field habitats and the largest unfragmented forest on Aquidneck Island. It is home to such birds as the northern harrier, dark-eyed junco and blue-winged teal. -- Journal staff writer Rich Salit The site is located on the eastern side of Wapping Road, just north of Old Mill Lane, and was formerly owned by the Derektor family. Beginning in the 1980s, the state began a protracted effort to force the owners to clean up soils contaminated with PCBs from dumped transformers. Clemente said the area where Robert Derektor dumped transformers from his Middletown shipyard is about 2,500 square feet and has since been capped and cleaned up. Nevertheless, he said, this area is not part of the 125 acres included in the conservation easement. In April, van Buren helped the trust protect another large farm off Wapping Road. Her company sold the trust a conservation agreement for the 128-acre Vaucluse Farm for $150,000. -- Journal staff writer Rich Salit Posted by Andrea Panciera at 5:18 PM | Comment Update: Hasbro hospital worker accused of molesting girlJOHNSTON -- An employee at Hasbro Children's Hospital has been charged with molesting an 11-year-old girl in Johnston. Anthony Maini, 34, of 36 Beechnut Drive, was arrested last night and arraigned this morning in Providence District Court on one count of second-degree child molestation. He was given $10,000 surety bail and ordered to have no contact with the alleged victim or any children, according to Johnston police Deputy Chief Gary Maddocks. Maini was placed on unpaid leave today soon after hospital officials were notified of the charges. Hospital spokeswoman Nancy P. Cawley said that Maini works weekends as a respiratory therapist at Rhode Island Hospital. He occasionally works in the children's hospital, she said. Maddocks said that the victim told her parents that she was molested at 6:30 a.m. Sunday inside Maini's home. Maddocks would not comment on why the girl was with Maini, a friend of her family's, at that time of day. “We’re taking the incident very seriously,” Maddocks said. "All the witnesses appear to be very credible and reliable.” Cawley said the hospital has placed Maini on unpaid leave, pending the outcome of the charges. "Given that this is a pending police investigation, we cannot comment further on the specifics of this matter," she said. -- projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples Posted by Steve Peoples at 3:15 PM | Comment Students run in Providence to help Sudanese / Photo
Ryan Gilbert, 21, who has an American flag strapped to a harness on his back, plans to run small loops in the downtown area for several hours. Thomas Whalen, also 21, is accompanying Gilbert today. Gilbert's effort, which began Sunday in Lowell, will end in New York City on Sept. 2 -- two days before classes resume. The two men are students at UMass Lowell. "This is a patriotic thing," Whalen said. "We have no connection to Sudan at all, we don't know anybody there. We're just two regular college kids." The pair is trying to raise money to send to the region. Those interested in making donations can do so directly on the Unicef Web site. Whalen didn't know how much had been raised so far. -- projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples Posted by Steve Peoples at 3:00 PM | Comment Patriots give Branch permission to seek tradeIn an unusual move, the New England Patriots have posted on their Web site a two-sentence statement saying that they are giving wide receiver Deion Branch permission to seek a trade and negotiate a contract with another team. The statement says that the permission is granted to Branch through Sept. 1. Branch, the Patriots' top wide receiver, is under contract but has been holding out for a richer deal. Posted by Mike McDermott at 1:51 PM | Comment Neighbor indicted in Woonsocket girl's slaying, rapePROVIDENCE -- Joshua A. Davis has been indicted on charges he kidnapped, raped and murdered his 8-year-old Woonsocket neighbor, Savannah Smith, according to the grand jury report released today by the Attorney General's Office. Today's three-count indictment includes the charge of first-degree child molestation, or rape. The police investigating the case previously would not say whether the girl had been sexually assaulted. Davis, 20, of 564 Coe St., Woonsocket, is also charged with one count of murder and one count of kidnapping a minor, with, the prosecution contends, the intent to sexually molest her. Davis had been arrested only on a murder charge. His next court appearance is scheduled for Sept. 13. The indictment is "significant because it means that an independent panel of 23 Rhode Islanders have looked at the case and decided that probable cause exists to charge Davis," said Michael Healey, spokesman for the Attorney General's Office. "But for us, it’s really just the beginning of the prosecution." -- projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples Posted by Steve Peoples at 1:10 PM | Comment Update: Exeter man gets 150 months for posing as doctorA federal judge today sentenced an Exeter man who offered false hopes to the sick by prescribing bogus treatments to more than 12 years in prison. In sentencing John E. Curran to 150 months, U.S. District Court Judge Mary M. Lisi called him "the worst of the worst" con artists for preying on people's worst fear -- their health. Curran, 41, was convicted last May of pretending to be a doctor, after a two-week trial presented evidence that Curran performed bogus diagnostic tests and frightened people into buying expensive treatments. Lisi scheduled a second sentencing hearing for Oct. 12 to determine a fine and the amount of restitution Curran must pay to his victims. Curran was taken into custody after being sentenced today. Curran also forfeited to the government treatment machines that he used to promote his scheme and about $15,000 in a Citizens bank account in the name of his business, the Northeastern Institute for Advanced Natural Healing. -- With reports from Journal staff writer Tom Mooney The jury of five men and seven women in U.S. District Court, Providence, deliberated for seven hours over two days before finding Curran guilty of all 21 charges: 18 counts of wire fraud and 3 of money laundering, related to the financial transactions that fueled his business. According to evidence presented at the trial, Curran wore a lab coat with "M.D." after his name as he looked at people's blood under a microscope, and told them they had parasites, immune-system failure or even cancer. He told dying people that he could make them better and healthy people that they were in danger of dying. As treatment, he sold them "E-water," which he said had healing powers similar to the waters at Lourdes, and "Green Drink," a powdered vegetable mix that he said helped the body fight disease. He also had an array of machines in his office that patients could use for $10,000; they included a hyperbaric chamber, an "ionizing footbath," and devices that applied heat, water, oxygen, massage or infrared lights. In two years, Curran's patients bought $1.4 million in treatments, federal investigators showed. Posted by Andrea Panciera at 12:47 PM | Comment Cranston woman seeking to mate before she turns 30A 29-year-old woman from Cranston who says she's a virgin has asked a national magazine to help her find a mate before her 30th birthday. Sarah DiMuro, who now lives in New York City, is being featured on a page on Jane magazine's Web site entitled, "Sarah Need Us: Meet Sarah, a 29-year-old virgin, who wants us to help her find a guy." Readers are encouraged to submit candidates to date DiMuro, who plans to write in detail about her experiences in a dating blog on the site. DiMuro attended the all-girl's Lincoln School in Providence and then the all-female Smith College in Massachusetts. And she currently lives in an all-female boarding house in New York, according to the site. She works as an assistant in a gourmet baking company and is an aspiring standup comedian. In a video posted on Jane's site, DiMuro said she wants to find someone who makes her laugh, loves movies and, preferably, is a Red Sox fan. Posted by Steve Peoples at 12:29 PM | Comment More than 100 to be sworn in to AmeriCorpsPROVIDENCE -- U.S. Sen. Lincoln Chafee will administer the oath of service to 110 new AmeriCorps VISTA volunteers at the Providence Biltmore Hotel today. At least 12 members of the group will be assigned to Rhode Island community agencies including the RI Free Clinic, RI Campus Compact, the United Way and Providence Community Policing. "These Americans who have answered the our country's call to service are to be saluted for their sacrifice and willingness to help their neighbor and community," said Incent Marzullo, Rhode Island director of the Corporation for National & Community Service, in a statement. The volunteers serve full-time for one year at social service agencies and receive a stipend plus $4,725 for college tuition. The swearing in ceremony is scheduled for 12:45 p.m. Posted by Steve Peoples at 9:11 AM | Comment Electric rates going down next week
The decrease from 10 cents to 9.4 cents per kWh will present a $3.12 a month savings for a typical consumer using 500 kWh of electricity per month. National Grid, which first petitioned the PUC in March to lower its rates, says its oil and natural gas costs are lower than it expected. Posted by Peter Phipps at 8:57 AM | Comment TV show to feature missing Middletown manMIDDLETOWN -- A man wanted by police for molesting three girls in Rhode Island will be featured tomorrow on ``America's Most Wanted.'' The police say 52-year-old James Bell molested the girls, ages 9 to 13, two years ago. He had been working at the Newport County YMCA in Middletown. Bell was arrested and charged with several counts of child molestation, but escaped in 2004 while released on bail. The Middletown police say they enlisted the help of the show to bring more publicity to the alleged sex offender. They believe he is now living on the West Coast and hope the show will limit his movement. Posted by Peter Phipps at 7:22 AM | Comment A hard rain's gonna fallDylan was in Pawtucket last night, and it is forecast to rain off and on through Tuesday. There's a chance of thunderstorms and flooding today. Saturday looks like the best beach day, but the National Weather Service still says there's a 1 in 5 chance that you'll get wet. And the high temperature is only expected to reach 72. Sunday looks wetter. Then the rain will stay around Monday and Tuesday, complicating plans to move the new Providence River bridge up the Bay from Quonset. --- Peter Phipps, projo.com Posted by Peter Phipps at 6:57 AM | Comment August 24, 2006State fire marshal to testify for Derderian defensePROVIDENCE -- The state fire marshal is expected to testify for Michael A. Derderian's defense that business owners are not criminally charged in Rhode Island for fire code violations unless they are first cited for that violation, according to court documents filed today by Derderian's attorneys. The filing hints at one of the strategies to be used by the defense team during the trial, scheduled to begin Sept. 5. The prosecution has charged Derderian and his brother, Jeffrey Derderian, owners of The Station nighclub, with 200 counts of involuntary manslaughter for the deaths of 100 people during the February 2003 fire. The state claims that Derderian and his brother are criminally negligent in the deaths for using highly-flammable soundproofing foam that violated the state's fire code. But fire marshal George Farrell is expected to testify that "it is only when no appeal of the notice of violation is taken and the violation is not remedied within a prescribed time period that a criminal complaint is filed against the owner," according to the court filing. "[Farrell] is unaware of any case as fire marshal ... where any owner was ever criminally prosecuted without first having been provided notice of the violation ..." it states. But the strategy may be a losing cause. On a separate motion filed last year, Superior Court Judge Francis J. Darigan Jr. -- the same judge who will preside over this case -- rejected virtually the same argument. Darigan wrote that prohibiting prosecution for code violations without prior notice "would be inappropriate under the statutes and defeat the very purpose for their enactment in the first instance." "It is clear," Darigan wrote, "that the legislature intended for building owners, not just building inspectors, to use the Fire Safety Code to insure compliance with standards." -- projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples Posted by Steve Peoples at 6:20 PM | Comment Electric Boat lowers layoff numbersGROTON, Conn. -- Electric Boat officials said today that the submarine maker expects fewer job cuts than originally anticipated. The Groton-based company, which employs more than 11,000 people, had said between 1,900 and 2,400 jobs could be eliminated this year because of a decline in submarine design, maintenance and repair work. But company officials now project 1,400 to 1,700 job cuts, citing additional repair work the company has received. The company recently finished negotiations for a maintenance project on the USS Miami nuclear-powered submarine. That project was not anticipated when the layoffs were announced earlier this year. The fast-attack submarine was built by Electric Boat and launched in 1988. It is one of five vessels that make up the Atlantic Fleet's Submarine Squadron 4. -- The Associated Press Posted by Steve Peoples at 6:01 PM | Comment Update: Memorial Hospital and union in mediationPAWTUCKET – Mediation talks between hospital administrators and union officials have ended for the day "without any progress towards averting a strike," according to a statement released by Memorial Hospital of Rhode Island this afternoon. The union representing nearly 400 nurses and other health-care workers has issued a 10-day strike notice indicating it may walk out on Sept. 2. The two sides held their first session today with a federal mediator in the labor dispute. The mediator has requested two more sessions in the hope of avoiding a walkout. It is unclear if and when those sessions will be held. The hospital is in the midst of reducing the number of patients at the hospital, so that if the workers represented by United Nurses & Allied Professionals, Local 5082, do go on strike the remaining hospital workers can care for a far lower number of patients than is typically at the hospital. With about 120 patients at the hospital in recent days, Hospital President Frank R. Dietz said this week that the hospital is working to reduce the number of patients to 40. Posted by Kate Bramson at 5:47 PM | Comment Providence woman pleads guilty in tax refund schemePROVIDENCE -- A Providence woman faces 10 years in prison for filing false income tax returns in 2003. Ana Holguin, 34, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court today to conspiracy to defraud the United States, admitting that she filed "returns in the names of other individuals, claiming false earned income tax credits and tax withholdings for fictitious businesses," according to a statement released by the U.S. Attorney's Office. Holguin admitted to recruiting people to file tax returns and helped create ”Schedule C” tax forms for fake businesses. She reported profits for the fictitious businesses, allowing them to claim earned income tax credits. Holguin is free on bond pending sentencing, which is scheduled for Dec. 15. She faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Posted by Steve Peoples at 4:36 PM | Comment Bank robber gets 46 months in prisonPROVIDENCE -- A Providence man was sentenced today to 46 months in federal prison for stealing less than $2,000 from an Elmwood Avenue Sovereign Bank branch last year. Raul Ortiz, 35, pleaded guilty to bank robbery in April. He admitted to entering the Sovereign branch at 520 Elmwood Avenue last December, handing the teller a note demanding money and claiming he had a gun. He fled the bank with about $1,760. Providence police arrested Ortiz four days later. They traced him through a surveillance video of his car, which had been parked outside a nearby store during the robbery. U.S. District Court Judge Ernest C. Torres imposed the sentence. Posted by Steve Peoples at 4:20 PM | Comment Update: Arson squad investigates downtown church firePROVIDENCE – The fire department’s arson squad is investigating a suspicious fire that broke out this afternoon in the Gloria Dei Lutheran Church downtown. Crews were called on scene at 1:15 p.m. by construction workers at the nearby Masonic Temple, who also helped get a woman out of the church safely. Maria Perez's grandchildren were playing basketball outside the church when the workers told them about the fire. They then called their grandmother to get out. Perez is a community development consultant for the church. No one was injured. It’s hard to say how much damage the church sustained, Varone said, but he characterized damage by fire as “relatively minor” and damage by smoke as “considerable.” The 116-year-old church, located at 50 Hayes St., is sandwiched in between the Providence Place Mall and the Masonic Temple that’s being turned into a Marriott Renaissance hotel. Deputy Assistant Chief J. Curtis Varone said the fire was tough to access, down in one of two boiler areas in the church basement, yet his crews had it under control by about 2 p.m., he said. -- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson “If this were 2 a.m., and those guys weren’t there, this would have been a much worse fire,” Varone said. The Rev. Santiago Rodriguez and his wife, Keila Rodriguez, had left the church to go home for lunch around 12:30 p.m. Perez called to tell them about the fire, Keila Rodriguez said. The church is insured, the pastor said. About 100 active members belong to the church, although Sunday services often have more people attending than that, the pastor and his wife said. The next scheduled gathering at the church is the Friday-night youth hour tomorrow at 7 p.m., the pastor said. Fifty to 60 youth, ranging in age from 5 to 17, get together on Fridays at the church for recreational activities, worship, arts and crafts, church members said. If the activity tomorrow night is canceled, the pastor and his wife said members would activate a call chain to let people know. Posted by Kate Bramson at 3:34 PM | Comment Testimony in Derderian trial more than a month awayThe Superior Court is refining its schedule for the pending trial of Station nightclub co-owner Michael A. Derderian. Opening statements in the trial now aren’t expected until early October. Jury selection in the case is set to begin Sept. 5 in the new Kent County Courthouse. The court has summoned 800 potential jurors for the case. About 300 of those potential jurors have already been excused because they are unable to serve. They will report in four groups on Sept. 5 and 6 to fill out a 30-page questionnaire, according to courts spokesman Craig N. Berke. Although the questionnaire has not been made public, such questionnaires typically ask whether potential jurors are related to anyone involved in the case, whether they have had life experiences similar to the crime being tried or whether they have employment backgrounds that might make them sympathetic toward one side or the other. After the questionnaires are completed, Judge Francis J. Darigan Jr. and lawyers for both sides will review them. At that point, some of those potential jurors will be excused. It is expected that the remaining jury pool will return to the courthouse the following week to be questioned individually to determine whether they can be impartial. No one knows how long it will take to seat a jury, but Darigan has said testimony in the case will not begin until the week of Oct. 2, if jury selection is done by then. Derderian and his brother, Jeffrey A. Derderian, the nightclub’s other owner, each face 200 counts of involuntary manslaughter, two for each of the 100 people killed by a fire at their West Warwick nightclub on Feb. 20, 2003. -- Journal staff writer Paul Edward Parker Posted by Steve Peoples at 3:22 PM | Comment Foot belongs to missing URI studentNARRAGANSETT -- A shoe found a month ago contained the remains of a University of Rhode Island student missing since March, the state medical examiner said today. Geoffrey Wilkes, 18, of Glocester, disappeared after he and two fellow students rowed an aluminum boat onto chilly Narragansett Bay early March 13. The empty rowboat was found hours later. The remains of 21-year-old Fandia Shloul and 20-year-old Daniel Donahue were discovered in the water about a month later. A fisherman found the shoe containing Wilkes' bones July 25 in the water off Narragansett. -- The Associated Press Posted by Steve Peoples at 3:22 PM | Comment State: Block Island inn can serve alcoholNEW SHOREHAM -- The state Department of Business Regulation has blocked efforts by Block Island officials to temporarily suspend the liquor license of a popular waterfront inn. The New Shoreham Town Council earlier this week voted to strip the Ballard's Inn of its liquor license starting today through next Tuesday after learning of repeated rescue calls to treat patrons for extreme intoxication. The popular establishment was also fined a total of $2,000 -- $500 for each infraction. Ballard's attorneys appealed the council's decision to the state, appearing in Providence yesterday for a 15-minute hearing. Today, the state agreed to stay, or delay, the suspension pending a hearing, which has yet to be scheduled. -- Projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples with reports from Journal staff writer Katie Mulvaney Posted by Steve Peoples at 12:20 PM | Comment Uncertainty for Rhode Island in Brooks-Eckerd saleThe Jean Coutu Group Inc. of Canada announced this morning a $3.4 billion deal to sell its Brooks/Eckerd drugstore chain to rival Rite Aid Corp. in a business transaction that poses risk for Rhode Island. The Brooks/Eckerd chain is headquartered in Warwick, and construction of a new 250,000-square-foot headquarters in East Greenwich at the former Rocky Hill fairgrounds is nearing completion. In Rhode Island, the question looming over the sale concerns the future of the Brooks/Eckerd headquarters. Will the headquarters remain? Will it be shut down and hundreds of corporate jobs lost? In the statement announcing the deal this morning, the companies did not address the future of the Rhode Island headquarters. The companies only said the sale includes the Warwick facility. Rite Aid is based in Camp Hill, Pa., and the larger company will remain headquartered there, the deal announcement said. The Jean Coutu Group’s decision to sell off the Brooks/Eckerd chain follows trouble the company has had containing costs associated with the integration of roughly 1,500 Eckerd stores bought in 2004. Once completed, the Rite Aid acquisition of 337 Brooks stores and 1,521 Eckerd locations will cement Rite Aid’s standing as the nation’s third-largest drugstore chain behind CVS Corp. of Woonsocket and Walgreen. The new Rite Aid will have 5,177 stores to CVS’s 6,171 and Walgreen’s 5,401. The Jean Coutu Group will become the single largest shareholder in Rite Aid and will hold four seats on the 14-member Rite Aid board. -- Journal staff writer David McPherson Posted by at 12:14 PM | Comment West Nile virus found in BarringtonPROVIDENCE -- The state Department of Environmental Management announced today that several mosquitoes found in Barrington have tested positive for West Nile Virus. The postive results came from mosquitoes trapped during the week of Aug. 14, according to DEM, which plans to increase testing in the area. No human cases of the virus have been reported. The infected mosquitoes do not come as a surprise, according to a DEM press release. "West Nile Virus is well established throughout the state, and indeed, throughout the country," it reads. "The positive test results should send a strong reminder to all Rhode Islanders that it is important to routinely protect themselves against mosquito bites now and throughout the rest of the mosquito season," said Alan Gettman, the mosquito abatement coordinator for the Department of Environmental Management. Mosquitoes trapped in Middletown and Richmond have also tested positive for the virus earlier this month. -- projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples Posted by Steve Peoples at 11:32 AM | Comment Disney's open casting for kids at noonMIDDLETOWN -- Want your kid to be a star? Today may be the day. Beginning at noon today, the company filming a Walt Disney movie in Rhode Island this fall will hold an open casting call for 2- to 14-year-olds. Walt Disney Studios will return to film Dan in Real Life, a romantic comedy starring Steve Carell and Juliette Binoche. The audition will be held from noon to 6 p.m. at Gaudet Middle School, 1113 Aquidneck Ave., Middletown. Take the Turner Road entrance. The parking lot is next to the football field. No acting experience is necessary and the children do not need to be members of the screen actors union. For more information, read the full story in today's Journal. Posted by Steve Peoples at 11:29 AM | Comment Red Cross called to help after West End firePROVIDENCE – The Red Cross has been called to assist four adults and three children after a house fire in the West End this morning. Firefighters brought the fire at 51 Ellery St. under control within 11 minutes of being called, according to James Taylor, chief of communications for the Providence Fire Department. Firefighters responded to a 10:09 a.m. call about a fire on the second floor of a three-story house that was occupied, Taylor said. The fire in the multi-family house was contained to the contents on a dresser in a bedroom. It was under control at 10:20 a.m., he said. No one has been injured. CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story listed an incorrect house number on Ellery Street. -- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson Posted by Kate Bramson at 11:01 AM | Comment Cookout for patients today at Hasbro Children's HospitalPROVIDENCE – Hasbro Children’s Hospital is hosting a cookout today for about 75 patients and their families. In the hospital garden, staff members are volunteering to serve hamburgers, hot dogs and other cookout fare to the families. Children can play on the swings and on the antique fire engine in the garden. The cookout is sponsored by The Tomorrow Fund, a nonprofit organization that helps children with cancer and their families. Posted by Kate Bramson at 10:58 AM | Comment Update: Central Falls shooter arraigned for murderCENTRAL FALLS – The man accused of shooting three people in Central Falls last Friday was arraigned this morning on two charges of first-degree murder in Sixth District Court, Providence. The police say Adelino Duarte, 38, of Main Street in Pawtucket, allegedly shot his ex-girlfriend Elizabeth Orellana, 37; her daughter, 20-year-old Kristal L. Duarte (no relation to Adelino); and Octavio Calcagno, 23, in Orellana's apartment in Central Falls. Kristal Duarte and Calcagno have died. A bail hearing for Adelino Duarte was set today in court for Sept. 7. Prior to that, he is due back in District Court on Sept. 1 for a status hearing in the case. Duarte is held without bail at the Adult Correctional Institutions in Cranston. Today in court, Duarte sat waiting to be arraigned in a slate-blue prison jumpsuit, looking expressionless at the courtroom seating area. Few people appeared to be in court to watch the arraignment. Orellana remains in critical condition this morning at Rhode Island Hospital, according to spokeswoman Andrea Barbosa. Adelino Duarte was arraigned Monday in District Court on a number of charges, including three counts of assault with intent to commit murder and felony domestic assault. That day, about two-thirds of the people present in court were family members of the victims and the accused. -- Journal staff writer Tatiana Pina and projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson Duarte was not initially charged with murder because no one died immediately from the shootings. For some time, all three people who were shot were on life support at Rhode Island Hospital. The police upgraded the charges against the Pawtucket man after Kristal Duarte and Calcagno died. Posted by Kate Bramson at 10:41 AM | Comment Cool morning should warm up to mid-70sPROVIDENCE – It’s rather cool this morning, but our days are still heating up nicely. Nevertheless, when the high arrives, it should be a little cooler today than it has been the last few days. Expect a high near 76. Tonight, expect a low around 59, about the same nighttime temps we’ve had all week. The National Weather Service predicts we could have showers today, mainly after 3 p.m., and this evening and tomorrow. Saturday still looks like a beautiful sunny day, so plan your outdoor weekend activities for that day. A chance of rain is on the horizon for Sunday, mainly after 9 a.m. Check back with us throughout the day for the latest conditions and forecasts. Posted by Kate Bramson at 7:06 AM | Comment August 23, 2006Update: Fire at Providence's LaMoia RestaurantPROVIDENCE – An apparent electrical fire heavily damaged LaMoia Restaurant and Tapas Bar, located at 292 Pocasset Ave., early this morning, fire officials said today. The establishment, which hosted a fire department fundraiser last year, suffered extensive smoke and water damage during the fire, which began just after midnight. One firefighter suffered burns to his neck while fighting the blaze. He was treated and released from Roger Williams Hospital today. The fire was under control at about 12:48 a.m., but fire crews were on the scene until about 2 a.m. In other news today, the Fire Department battled a blaze at 207 Hanover St. Called to the scene at about 5:15 a.m., fire crews had the fire under control within a half-hour, according to James Taylor, chief of communications for the Providence Fire Department. -- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson with reports from Gregory Smith Posted by Kate Bramson at 5:36 PM | Comment Patriots cut Gramatica; Rookie will be the team's kickerThe New England Patriots released veteran kicker Martin Gramatica, who was signed four months ago as a possible replacement for Adam Vinatieri. Gramatica's release leaves rookie Stephen Gostkowski as the only kicker on the Patriots' roster. Gramatica, 30, made both of his field goal attempts during the team's first preseason game. Gostkowski, 22, made his only attempt in the opener and was 3-of-3 on field goal tries in last week's exhibition win against Arizona. Gostkowski joined the Patriots as a rookie out of the University of Memphis, where he kicked three field goals of more than 50 yards during his senior season. -- Bloomberg News Posted by Peter Phipps at 5:25 PM | Comment Urciuoli says he hasn't been adequately representedLawyers for Robert A. Urciuoli, the embattled former president of Roger Williams Medical Center, argued today that federal corruption charges should be dismissed against him because the hospital stopped paying his legal bills. Urciuoli is charged with 36 counts of conspiracy, mail fraud and other corruption charges, including stealing the honest services of former state Sen. John A. Celona. The crux of Urciuoli's argument is that his constitutional rights were violated when the hospital, as part of a plea agreement with the government, stopped paying his legal bills. Had the government not pressured the hospital to stop the payments, his lawyers argued that they would have filed motions and examined thousands of important documents that they haven't had the financial resources to pursue. The lawyers would not specify which motions or documents they were referring to. Chief U.S. District Judge Ernest C. Torres did not rule on the motion to dismiss this afternoon. He continued the matter until tomorrow morning to hear more evidence and take testimony. Torres asked several skeptical questions at today's hearing. "Are we going to do this in every case that comes down the pike?" Torres asked. "Are we going to exclude plea agreement testimony, saying it was all coerced?” In April, Torres dismissed federal corruption charges against Roger Williams -- the first ever leveled against a Rhode Island nonprofit agency. As part of an agreement with the government, the hospital took responsibility for the "criminal misconduct" of its executives, including Urciuoli. Tomorrow's hearing is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. Posted by Steve Peoples at 4:40 PM | Comment Cicilline to meet residents tonight on Elmwood Ave.PROVIDENCE -- Mayor David N. Cicilline will meet one-on-one with city residents tonight on Elmwood Avenue as part of his "Mayor's Night Out" initiative. Beginning at 5 p.m. at the Center for Hispanic Policy and Advocacy on 421 Elmwood Ave., Cicilline will meet privately with residents for 10 minutes each on a first-come, first-served basis. There is no set agenda, and residents are free to discuss whatever they want. Cicilline's next "night out" will take place Sept. 19. Posted by Steve Peoples at 3:30 PM | Comment Langevin again calls for Rumsfeld to resignWARWICK – U.S. Rep. James R. Langevin today called for the resignation of Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld. “Secretary Rumsfeld was a key architect of the war in Iraq, and he has mismanaged it from the start,” said Langevin, a member of the House Armed Services and Homeland Security committees, in a statement issued this afternoon. “Instead of enhancing our national security as he promised, the conflict has led to an overstretched military, frayed alliances and the prospect of civil war in an important global region.” Langevin said the decision to call up 2,500 Marines from the Individual Ready Reserve “further illustrates the extreme burden that our operations in Iraq are placing on our service members and our military readiness, and the need for civilian leadership changes to be made at the Pentagon.” Langevin also called for Rumsfeld’s resignation earlier this month and has criticized the Bush administration for excessive use of the National Guard and for “running our military equipment into the ground.” -- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson Posted by Kate Bramson at 3:25 PM | Comment Two Cranston police officers arrestedThe state police have arrested two Cranston police officers, charging them with one count each of simple assault and disorderly conduct for allegedly fighting last week outside a police training facility. Sgt. Ralph Palmieri and Patrolman Daniel Nuey were arraigned last night at state police headquarters on the two misdemeanor charges and released on $1,000 personal recognizance. According to state police Maj. Steven O'Donnell, Cranston Police Chief Stephen McGrath filed a complaint last week after the incident at the Phenix Avenue training facility, which includes a firing range. A rescue vehicle was called to the training facility, O'Donnell said. -- projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples Posted by Steve Peoples at 2:52 PM | Comment Urciuoli to appear in court this afternoonPROVIDENCE -- The former head of Roger Williams Medical Center will ask a federal judge this afternoon to dismiss corrpution charges lodged against him. Longtime Roger Williams Medical Center president Robert A. Urciuoli and two others were indicted on corruption charges for allegedly using former state Sen. John A. Celona to do their bidding at the State House. Celona has admitted to charges of selling his office to Roger Williams, and is expected to testify when the three go to trial this fall. Today's hearing is scheduled for 3 p.m. at the U.S. District Court in Providence. Posted by Steve Peoples at 1:27 PM | Comment More bridge blasts this morningJAMESTOWN -- The explosions keep coming in South County. Demolitions crews blasted four more underwater piers at about 10:45 this morning on what's left of the old Jamestown Bridge, according to Department of Transportation project engineer Wilfred Hernandez, who said there would be no more explosions or traffic delays today. In contrast to the first series of underwater explosions earlier this month, today's blasts went off without any problems, Hernandez said. State troopers slowed traffic on the new bridge for about 10 minutes before and after the blast, but there were no significant delays, Hernandez said. During the first series of underwater explosions earlier in the month, an underwater line was disconnected during the first detonation, forcing crews to reconnect the line before conducting a second explosion. More than a dozen underwater piers remain, according to Hernandez. Demolition teams will conduct more blasts next week, on Tuesday and Thursday mornings. Minor traffic delays on the new bridge are expected. -- projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples Posted by Steve Peoples at 12:45 PM | Comment Power back on after failure stalls T.F. Green AirportWARWICK -- An approximately 20-minute power failure brought airline passengers to a standstill this morning at T.F. Green Airport and left about 4,000 residential and commercial National Grid customers in the dark. The power came back on at about 9:15 or 9:20 a.m., and passenger lines at the airport are moving again. An airport spokeswoman said that no flights were delayed as a result of the outage. The problem lies at the National Grid substation on Kilvert Street in Warwick, but the company does not know yet what exactly happened, spokesman David Graves said. Technicians on scene are trying to determine what kind of equipment problem caused the power to go out at about 8:55 a.m. today, Graves said. Warwick streets affected by the failure include Bretton Woods Drive, Sagamore Road, Tome Street, Selma Street and Hazelton Street. -- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson and Journal staff writers Elizabeth Gudrais and Daniel Barbarisi Posted by Kate Bramson at 9:29 AM | Comment URI scientists: Volcano among history's largestPROVIDENCE -- Rhode Island scientists say a volcanic eruption that devastated the ancient Mediterranean was bigger than originally thought. That's according to a study published today in a geophysics newspaper. Researchers at the University of Rhode Island, working with Greek scientists, charted undersea volcanic debris left by an eruption on the Greek island of Santorini. The team now calculates that in about 1600 BC the volcano spewed as much as 60 cubic kilometers of earth, almost twice the size of a previous estimate. That means the eruption on Santorini rivals the 1815 explosion of Mount Tambora in Indonesia, which is regarded as the largest volcanic eruption in recorded history. That explosion flung between 50 to 100 cubic kilometers of earth skyward. -- The Associated Press Posted by Kate Bramson at 8:06 AM | Comment Nice end-of-summer temps, but a touch of rain, tooPROVIDENCE – It still should be a nice partly cloudy-partly sunny day today, as we’ve had the last few days, but expect some scattered showers after noon as well. With a high around 83 and a low around 57, we’ll see the same kind of temps we’ve had earlier this week. As for the rain, the National Weather Service predicts a 30 percent chance of precipitation, with less than a tenth of an inch of rain possible. The rest of this week, Saturday looks like the next best day. There’s a 30 percent chance of rain again tomorrow, a 10 percent chance on Friday and sunshine on the horizon for Saturday. Get the latest conditions and forecasts from projo.com. Posted by Kate Bramson at 7:00 AM | Comment August 22, 2006Serious accident on 146 closes one northbound laneLINCOLN -- State authorities have closed one lane on Route 146 North following a serious car accident near Interstate 295. The state Department of Transportation issued an alert at about about 5:10 p.m. with information regarding the lane closure, but the state police could provide further information on the accident. The DOT is suggesting that commuters avoid 146. Posted by Steve Peoples at 5:15 PM | Comment Update: Memorial Hospital prepares for strikePAWTUCKET -- Preparing for a strike, Memorial Hospital officials this afternoon said it had a plan to reduce the number of patients at the Pawtucket institution from 120 to 40 over the next 10 days. The union representing hundreds of nurses and health care professionals at Memorial Hospital of Rhode Island issued a 10-day strike notice today, prompting the hospital management to implement the patient-reduction plan. The management plans to keep the hospital and emergency room open in the event of a strike. The union has been in negotiations with hospital managment since mid June. The employees' contract expired Aug. 6. "Based on the positions the hospital is taking at the bargaining table, it is clear to us that the hospital has no respect for the employees, their families, or the patients," said local union president Bill George in a statement. Memorial president and CEO Francis R. Dietz said there's no need for patients to worry. "Our patients need to know that we remain committed, no matter what the situation, to ensuring they receive quality health care," he said in a statement. The two sides have clashed over mandatory overtime and domestic partner benefits, among other issues. Under federal law, the 10-day notice would allow the 400-member union, which includes nurses, technologists, social workers, pharmacists and physical therapists, to strike beginning Saturday, Sept. 2. -- projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples with reports from Journal staff writer John Castellucci. Posted by Steve Peoples at 4:29 PM | Comment Providence woman leaves $10 million to local charitiesPROVIDENCE -- A Providence woman has left about $10 million to a host of local charities, including $2.5 million to the Rhode Island Foundation for the preservation of the state's trees and another $3 million for animal care and "no kill" shelters. Hellen Walker Raleigh, whose father headed the Providence architecture firm William R. Walker & Son, died last August at 87. She is credited with helping to restore the Benefit Street area on Providence’s East Side in the 1970s, the Rhode Island Foundation said in a statement today announcing the grants. In addition to the funds for animal care and tree conservation, Raleigh's left $3 million for research and treatment of macular degeneration, from which she suffered; $750,000 for an endowment to benefit the Providence Athenaeum; and $750,000 for an endowment to benefit equally the Boys and Girls Club of Providence, the Boy Scouts of America, Narragansett Council, and the Girl Scouts of Rhode Island. “The Foundation had a long, wonderful relationship with Mrs. Raleigh,” remarked Foundation President Ronald V. Gallo. “She had a great sense of humor and an equally powerful sense of compassion. We are honored to keep her causes and her legacy alive.” -- projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples Posted by Steve Peoples at 3:52 PM | Comment M.Derderian to claim he can't be tried for overcrowdingPROVIDENCE -- A lawyer for The Station nightclub co-owner Michael A. Derderian will argue tomorrow whether he can be held criminally responsible for overcrowding at his West Warwick club the night of the fire that killed 100 people. Derderian's lawyers plan to use a multi-strategy defense claiming that he can't be tried for 200 counts of involuntary manslaugher because he wasn't there on the night of the fire. The lawyers are asking Superior Court Judge Francis J. Darigan Jr. to bar state prosecutors from presenting any testimony or evidence that Derderian had any duty to supervise crowd control. They are also asking Darigan to instruct the jury that is selected to hear the case "that any person who was not present at the time of the fire cannot be deemed responsible for the occupancy at the time of the fire." Michael Derderian and his brother, Jeffrey A. Derderian, each face 200 counts of involuntary manslaughter. Eight hundred potential jurors have been summoned to the new Kent County Courthouse for the trial of Michael Derderian -- scheduled to begin Sept. 5 -- who is to be tried separately from his brother. Tomorrow's hearing is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. at the new Kent County Courthouse in Warwick. -- projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples Posted by Steve Peoples at 3:06 PM | Comment Rhode Island farmers are eligible for federal assistancePROVIDENCE -- Rhode Island farmers are getting some help from the federal government for crops damaged by rain. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has declared the state a disaster area. That designation qualifies farmers for federal low-interest loans if they've lost a minimum 30 percent of at least one crop. U.S. Sen. Jack Reed asked for the assistance after heavy spring rains damaged crops including strawberries, pumpkin and corn. Several other New England states have sought aid as well. -- The Associated Press Posted by Steve Peoples at 1:36 PM | Comment North Providence man died in motorcycle accidentPROVIDENCE – The police today identified the 20-year-old man who died in a motorcycle-car crash last night as Joseph A. Pierno, of North Providence. Police responded to the accident, which was at the intersection of River Ave. and Sunbury St., at 9:05 p.m. Pierno, of 74 Gaudet St., was taken to Rhode Island Hospital, according to the police accident report. He died at the hospital at 9:15 p.m., spokeswoman Andrea Barbosa said. Pierno was riding his 2006 Kawasaki Ninja westbound on Sunbury St. in the wrong lane, according to the accident report. Approaching the intersection with River Ave., Pierno attempted to stop. Pierno’s motorcycle left about 87 feet of skid marks in the eastbound lane of travel on Sunbury St. It then fell to its right side and slid approximately 38 more feet, at which point it collided with the left front corner of a 1996 Land Rover. Just before that collision, Pierno fell off the motorcycle. He struck the driver’s side rear door and the rear wheel of the Land Rover and landed on his back in the middle of River Avenue, just south of Sunbury St., according to the police. Driving the Land Rover was Mary E. Frawley, 36, of 25 College Rd. in Providence, who gave the police a statement about the accident this morning. She had been driving the Land Rover south on River Ave., which does not have stop signs at the intersection of Sunbury St., according to the police. Posted by Kate Bramson at 1:35 PM | Comment Delays Wednesday on Jamestown-Verrazzano BridgeMotorists will be delayed crossing the Jamestown-Verrazzano Bridge Wednesday. Underwater demolition of the old Jamestown Bridge will also close a 3,000-foot safety zone around the bridge. The delays are expected between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Underwater demolition of the old bridge's piers is also scheduled for Aug. 29 and Aug. 31. Posted by Peter Phipps at 1:35 PM | Comment State ethics board to investigate MollisPROVIDENCE -- The state Ethics Commission will pursue an investigation into North Providence Mayor A. Ralph Mollis. Commissioners decided in closed session today that there is sufficient evidence to warrant a full-scale investigation into allegations that Mollis, a Democratic candidate for secretary of state, solicited campaign donations from North Providence town employees. The commission's next step is to schedule a probable cause hearing. Earlier in the month, Mollis said he doesn't see anything wrong with taking money from municipal employees, aside from a fundraising letter that went out from Mollis' chief of staff -- who is also his campaign manager -- to a donor list that included many town employees. Mollis returned some contributions he got as a result of that letter, and said he won't solicit money from town employees anymore. But he intends to keep accepting their contributions, he said in an interview earlier this month. -- With reports from Journal staff writer Bruce Landis Posted by Steve Peoples at 1:25 PM | Comment Judge denies Tiverton motion to block gas co. mergerPROVIDENCE -- A Superior Court judge has denied an attempt by the town of Tiverton to block National Grid's plan to buy the Rhode Island assets of New England Gas Co. Judge Alice Gibney this morning called Tiverton's effort "a cheap shot," denying its motion to "stay," or set aside, the state's approval of the electric company merger. Gibney said that Tiverton had ample time to take legal action while the merger was being reviewed by the Rhode Island Division of Public Utilities and Carriers, which ultimately approved the plan. “Tiverton chose to sit on its hands during the lengthy proceeding,” she said. And the town did so "at its peril." The town's appeal claimed that the DPUC erred in its decision because it didn't require Southern Union, the parent of New England Gas, to put funds into an escrow account in case Southern Union is found liable for cleaning up a major hazardous waste site in Tiverton. -- projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples, with reports from Journal staff writer Gina Macris During the hearing process at the DPUC, Tiverton, as well as the attorney general's office, recommended that the sale be conditioned upon Southern Union establishing an escrow account of between $30 million and $55 million, the anticipated cost of the cleanup. The DPUC issued its approval without any such condition. The hearing officer, John Spirito, said that Southern Union had demonstrated that it had the means to pay for a cleanup, if the company is found liable. -- projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples, with reports from Journal staff writer Gina Macris Posted by Steve Peoples at 12:54 PM | Comment Examiner: Cause of death could take weeks in TASER casePROVIDENCE -- It will be "several weeks" before the state Medical Examiner's office determines a cause of death for the Woonsocket man who died this weekend after being shot twice by the police with a TASER gun. The state Medical Examiner's office released a statement early this afternoon regarding the autopsy of Timothy Picard. "The cause of death for Timothy Picard... who became unresponsive while in Woonsocket police custody, is pending multiple test results," according to the statement. "Final determination of cause of death is dependent on review of these tests and not expected before several weeks." -- projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples Posted by Steve Peoples at 12:51 PM | Comment Block Island inn loses liquor licenseNEW SHOREHAM -- Ballard's Inn won't be serving drinks this weekend. The Block Island Town Council voted last night to suspend the waterfront inn's liquor license six days after hearing testimony about repeated rescue calls to treat patrons for extreme intoxication. The popular establishment was also fined a total of $2,000 -- $500 for each infraction. About 140 people attended the hearing at Block Island School, at which past and present managers of the legendary bar testified, as well as emergency medical technicians, Town Clerk Fiona Fitzpatrick said. "It was disheartening to hear Ballard's take very little responsibility for what's happening down there,'' Town Manager Nancy Dodge said. The town has accused the bar of serving customers alcoholic drinks until they were incapacitated and vomiting. A spokesperson for the establishment has said there is a misperception that Ballard's was over-serving people who, in fact, were drinking to excess on a nearby breakwall and docks. The bar was also accused of serving a minor on July 29. Though the sanctions are slated to take effect Thursday through Tuesday, the owners were expected to file for a restraining order. -- Journal staff writer Katie Mulvaney Posted by Steve Peoples at 12:51 PM | Comment Ethics Commission declines to investigate LynchPROVIDENCE -- The state Ethics Commission today declined to launch a full-scale investigation into Attorney General Patrick Lynch's acceptance of campaign money from a lawyer for DuPont Co. when he was negotiating to drop DuPont from a lawsuit potentially worth billions. Commissioners dismissed a complaint brought by Lynch's challenger in the November election, Commission Chairman James Lynch said. He did not discuss the commissioners' reasoning. Lynch is not related to the attorney general. Patrick Lynch, a Democrat, has said he did nothing wrong and the complaint was politically motivated. The complaint alleging conflict of interest and influence peddling was filed by Bill Harsch, a Republican. Lynch praised today's decision. "I firmly believe that, in time, this agreement will be seen as what it truly is -- a historic jumpstart toward abating all of Rhode Island’s existing and potential lead hazards." -- The Associated Press Posted by Steve Peoples at 11:37 AM | Comment ACLU urges TASER moratoriumPROVIDENCE -- The head of Rhode Island's ACLU sent a letter to police chiefs across the state today, urging them to stop using TASER guns on suspects in light of the weekend death of a 41-year-old Woonsocket man. Timothy R. Picard died Sunday morning after being shot twice with a TASER gun while in police custody. The medical examiner has yet to release autopsy results detailing the cause of death. But in his letter, ACLU executive director Steven Brown blames the TASER for contributing to Picard's death. "Unfortunately, this death was in some sense inevitable in light of the continually-growing evidence that stun guns are not the non-lethal device that proponents purport them to be," Brown wrote. "At the very least, however, in light of the evidence that is already available, this death should serve as a wake-up call that the Taser’s use is potentially lethal and should only be employed as an alternative to deadly force." The Rhode Island ACLU sent a similar letter to police chiefs in 2004, urging department's to "carefully examine" their decision to use TASER guns. In today's letter, Brown called on police chief to implement a moratorium on TASER use "until additional information can be gathered on this tragic incident, until the safety of the weapon has been independently and more thoroughly scrutinized by your department, and until your department has had a chance to carefully review both its policies and training procedures governing the weapon’s use." Brown also requested copies of any policies, procedures and training materials police departments have regarding TASER use. -- projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples Posted by Steve Peoples at 11:20 AM | Comment Central Falls: Second shooting victim diesThe second of three people shot in a Central Falls home early Friday has died at Rhode Island Hospital. Kristal L. Duarte, 23, died last night at 6 p.m., hospital spokeswoman Andrea Barbosa said this morning. Duarte, her mother and a man in the apartment where the two women live at 712 High St. were all shot below the ear Friday morning, according to Central Falls police. The alleged shooter, Adelino Duarte, 38, was arraigned yesterday in Sixth District Court, Providence. -- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson Posted by Kate Bramson at 11:03 AM | Comment Six-hour standoff in Silver LakePROVIDENCE -- The Providence police today arrested a man who they say had threatened a person with a gun and then locked himself in an apartment for six hours. Deputy Chief Paul J. Kennedy said the threatened person called police at about 2 a.m. this morning after the man locked himself into a third-floor apartment at 554 Union Avenue. Evelina Cordero, who lives at 552 Union Ave., said the trouble started when one neighbor came home late and rammed into the suspect's car. She said the suspect lives in the third-floor apartment. No shots were fired, Kennedy said. He said a hand gun was confiscated. Posted by Peter Phipps at 8:57 AM | Comment Moped driver hospitalized in WarwickWARWICK – One man has been transported to Kent Hospital this morning after an accident involving a moped and a car near the intersection of Main and Groveland avenues, just outside the southern edge of T.F. Green Airport. His name, condition and more details about the 7:15 a.m. accident are not yet available but should be later today, Warwick Police Lt. Thomas C. Snow said. Posted by Kate Bramson at 7:46 AM | Comment Relish these end-of-summer daysPROVIDENCE – It’s rather cool early this morning, but these late-August days are shaping up into some beautiful summer days, aren’t they? We should see more of what we saw yesterday – mostly sunny weather with a high near 84 today and then a low around 61 tonight. There’s a 20 percent chance of some rain showers, but that shouldn’t overshadow our mostly sunny forecast. Check back with us for the latest conditions and forecasts throughout the day. Posted by Kate Bramson at 7:03 AM | Comment August 21, 2006Providence man killed, another's throat cut, in morning attackPROVIDENCE -- A 62-year-old man was found slain in the basement apartment of a cottage in the Hartford neighborhood this morning, the police said. The elderly owner of the cottage, whose throat had been slashed, was admitted to Rhode Island Hospital. A suspect in the alleged murder and the attack on the cottage owner, who was spotted driving a stolen car on Route 95, was arrested a short while later. Maj. Stephen Campbell, commander of the police Investigative Division, said the medical examiner will do an autopsy to determine the exact cause, manner and time of the victim's death, but that the victim bore obvious injuries. Campbell said the police would charge the suspect with murder. He withheld the name of the victim. Campbell said police officers were dispatched to 56 Bowlett St. at 10:45 a.m. after the cottage owner, identified as 74-year-old Domenic A. Baldini, an employee of the Providence Water Supply Board, telephoned a relative for help once he removed duct tape and wires the attacker used to bind and gag him. -- Journal Staff Writer Gregory Smith Baldini had allowed the 62-year-old victim, who was an acquaintance, to live for a while in his basement apartment. Yesterday morning Baldini went downstairs to do his laundry and said he was jumped from behind by a man who cut his throat with a knife and demanded his money and credit cards, the police said. The attacker gagged Baldini with duct tape and bound his hands and ankles with duct tape and wire. After lying on the floor, bleeding, for several hours, Baldini managed to work himself free of his bonds, and he went into the other room in the basement and discovered his lodger dead on a bed or small sofa, the police said. -- Journal Staff Writer Gregory Smith Posted by Steve Peoples at 6:12 PM | Comment Thursday's Chafee/Laffey debate moved to SaturdayRepublican Senate candidates Lincoln D. Chafee and Stephen P. Laffey will hold their fourth and final debate this Saturday at 7 p.m. on live television. The campaigns originally planned the fourth debate for Thursday night, just a day after Wednesday's debate, which is scheduled be broadcast at 8 p.m. live on WPRI Channel 12, and C-SPAN, with streaming video on projo.com and wpri.com. Saturday's debate will be broadcast live on WJAR Channel 10. -- With reports from Journal Staff Writer Mark Arsenault Posted by Steve Peoples at 5:50 PM | Comment Yankees sweep in FenwayIt's over. Red Sox fans can exhale, because the worst four days of baseball in recent memory have ended. The Yankees completed a five-game sweep with a 2-1 victory at Fenway Park today over the punchless Red Sox. David Wells pitched 7.1 strong innings today, but the offense brought nothing to the table, going hitless with runners in scoring position. If not for Wily Mo Pena's two-out, eighth-inning home run, they would have been shutout by New York's combination of Cory Lidle, Mike Myers, Scott Proctor and Kyle Farnsworth. Posted by Steve Peoples at 4:22 PM | Comment Woonsocket man's death follows violent struggle, taserWOONSOCKET – Police used a taser "to subdue" a 41-year-old man in police custody who died yesterday, according to state investigators. The state police, which are investigating the incident, released a statement this afternoon describing the events that preceded Timothy Picard's death. Picard's wife called the police at 3:17 a.m. yesterday because of a fight between her husband and 19-year-old son at their 44 Hillside Ave. home, according to O'Donnell. A violent struggle ensued between two police officers inside and outside the house during which the police used pepper spray on Picard. The chemical spray was "not effective," according to the state police. Two additional Woonsocket officers responded to the scene, and Picard was eventually handcuffed and taken into custody. At the Woonsocket police station, the state police said Picard again became "uncooperative and combative" with officers. It was during this second struggle, an officer used a taser on Picard. "Shortly thereafter, Picard became unresponsive, and Woonsocket Rescue was called to the scene," reads the statement. Picard was transported by rescue to Landmark Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. An autopsy today should provide details about how Picard died early yesterday morning while in the custody of Woonsocket Police, State Police Maj. Steven G. O’Donnell said. -- projo.com staff writers Kate Bramson and Steve Peoples Posted by Steve Peoples at 4:07 PM | Comment Man shot in Central Falls rampage is brain deadA 23-year-old Providence man who was shot early Friday morning in Central Falls, along with two others, is officially brain dead, according to Rhode Island Hospital spokeswoman Jane Bruno. The other victims remain in critical condition. The alleged shooter, Adelino Duarte, was arraigned this morning on related charges in Sixth District Court, Providence, and ordered held pending a bail hearing. Octavio J. Calcagno was shot in the head Friday, as were two women also in the residence, in what Central Falls Police Chief Joseph Moran III said were among the worst shootings he has seen in 23 years of police work. Calcagno was pronounced brain dead at 10:16 p.m. Saturday, according to Bruno. “For reasons we can’t discuss, he is receiving organ support at this time,” she said. The police said that if and when Calcagno's life support is turned off, the charges against Duarte would be upgraded. The other two victims were in critical condition this morning, hospital spokeswoman Andrea Barbosa said. They are Kristal L. Duarte, 23, and her mother, Elizabeth Orellana, 37, who both live at 712 High St., where the shootings took place. The police early Friday morning apprehended the alleged shooter, Adelino Duarte, 38 (no relation to Kristal Duarte). He was lying face down in a bedroom, with his hand extended under a mattress, where the police found a .25-caliber handgun. On Friday, Adelino Duarte was charged with two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon inside a dwelling house, one count of domestic assault with a dangerous weapon inside a dwelling house, three counts of assault with the intent to commit murder, discharge of a firearm while committing a crime of violence, carrying a pistol without a license, and firing a pistol in a compact area. Until about a month ago, Adelino Duarte and Orellana were dating, Moran said Friday. Posted by Kate Bramson at 4:03 PM | Comment Cranston mayoral candidate outspends opponentCRANSTON -- New campaign finance reports show Cranston mayoral candidate Michael T. Napolitano greatly outspending his Democratic primary opponent, City Council member Cynthia M. Fogarty. From July 1 to Aug. 15, Napolitano spent $51,442 on his campaign, more than four times Fogarty's spending, $11,640. -- Journal staff writer Benjamin N. Gedan Posted by Steve Peoples at 3:16 PM | Comment Photo / Manatee visits Greenwich Bay
Posted by Peter Phipps at 3:00 PM | Comment Update: Bridge rising in QuonsetNORTH KINGSTOWN – Mammoet, the Dutch company that specializes in moving huge objects, today began hoisting the arch for the new Providence River Bridge at Pier 1 at Quonset Point. By about 11:30 a.m., the arch was jacked up 30 feet in the air. Construction crews used winches on towers at each end of the bridge to hoist the 400-foot bridge. Later today, crews will lower the bridge onto self-propelled transporters. The wheeled transporters will then carry the bridge across the pier and onto two barges that will move it to Providence. The state Department of Transportation hopes the bridge can be floated to Providence on the barges on Friday and set into place on Saturday. -- Journal staff writer Bruce Landis Posted by Steve Peoples at 12:07 PM | Comment Gas prices fall againThe AAA reports that the average price of a gallon of unleaded gasoline fell another 4 cents a gallon last week. The average price in today's survey is $3.04 a gallon, down six cents a gallon from three weeks ago. A year ago, the average price was $2.64 a gallon. Today survey found the price for self-service unleaded gasoline varied from $2.97 to $3.11 a gallon. Posted by Peter Phipps at 10:41 AM | Comment Update: Police ID Woonsocket man who died in custodyWOONSOCKET – The police have identified the 41-year-old man who died in police custody yesterday as Timothy Picard. That’s all the information that Deputy Woonsocket Police Chief Richard Dubois would release this morning. He would not provide the address where the man was taken into custody. An autopsy today should provide details about how Picard died early yesterday morning while in the custody of Woonsocket Police, State Police Maj. Steven G. O’Donnell said. The city police were called to a home on Hillside Avenue when Picard’s wife called 911 at 3:17 a.m. yesterday because of a fight between her husband and 19-year-old son, according to O'Donnell. At this time, O’Donnell said he does not know “what transpired at the station.” He said the state police will likely hold a news conference this afternoon. They have taken the lead in the investigation. -- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson When the police arrived at the home yesterday morning, the 19-year-old was gone, O’Donnell said. Picard was “acting in a confrontational manner with the police,” O’Donnell said. The police arrested Picard for disorderly conduct and took him to the station. According to the Woonsocket Police, the man “continued to fight and be belligerent," O’Donnell said. The police called 911 and Picard was brought to Landmark Medical Center in Woonsocket, where he was pronounced dead at 4:40 a.m., O’Donnell said. The Woonsocket Police Department called the state police at 5:30 a.m., on the advice of the attorney general’s office, O’Donnell said. Local departments typically call the attorney general’s office when they have an “in-custody death,” O’Donnell said. Posted by Kate Bramson at 10:17 AM | Comment Mostly sunny week expected, with high pollen countsPROVIDENCE – We’ve got a nice end-of-summer-vacation week on the horizon. Expect a high of 81 today, with a low around 59 tonight. We’ll have highs this week in the upper 70s to mid-80s and lows in the high 50s to low 60s at nights. If you haven’t done your school shopping yet, don’t plan to go Tuesday or Thursday, predicted as the sunniest days of the week. If you can hold off until Friday, there’s a chance of showers and you might want to be inside on that day. Otherwise, hit the beaches this week if you can. And don’t forget your allergy medicine. The pollen count is high today and is expected to remain so through Wednesday. Get the latest conditions and forecasts from projo.com. Posted by Kate Bramson at 7:12 AM | Comment August 18, 20064 R.I. beaches re-openedThe state Department of Health has recommended re-opening four beaches that had been closed to swimming this week due to high bacteria levels. They are Conimicut Point Beach and Oakland Beach in Warwick, Camp Grosvenor in North Kingstown and Warren Town Beach. Water tests showed bacteria levels within acceptable limits, according to an announcement released this afternoon by the heath department. Gorton Pond Beach in Warwick remains closed. Because beach closures change daily, beachgoers are encouraged to check the health department's Web site. Posted by Andrea Panciera at 6:38 PM | Comment Update: 3 shot in head in Central Falls, suspect chargedCENTRAL FALLS -- Two women and one man were shot in the head early this morning, and the man suspected of shooting them was found lying face down among the victims, police said this afternoon. Adelino Duarte, 38, has been charged with various criminal charges, including three counts of assault with the intent to commit murder. The three victims are listed in critical condition at Rhode Island Hopsital. Duarte was the ex-boyfriend of one of the victims, Elizabeth Orellana, 37, who lived at the scene of the crime, 712 High St. Orellana's 20-year-old daughter, Kristal Duarte (no relation to the suspect), and 23-year-old Octavio Calcagno were also shot. When police arrived at the scene at about 2:30 a.m. they found Adelino Duarte face down on the floor in the same room as the bleeding victims, according to the police. The police noticed that Duarte's hand was under a mattress. They restrained him and discovered a .25 caliber hand gun -- believed to be the weapon used in the shootings -- under the mattress. Duarte will be held at the Central Falls police station pending a court appearance Monday morning. -- With reports from Journal staff writer Tatiana Pina The High Street home where the shootings took place is a vinyl-sided, neatly maintained Colonial with four living units. Although about a block around the home was cordoned off with yellow police tape, there is no sign on the street early this afternoon that anything was amiss. Posted by Steve Peoples at 5:43 PM | Comment Update: Man in Slater park was not armedPAWTUCKET -- The police confirmed this afternoon that the man they found in Slater Memorial Park this morning was not armed, despite initial reports that he was carrying a cache of weapons including a crossbow and knives. Authorities evacuated the park for over an hour this morning as the police searched for the man, whose family contacted police fearing he would hurt himself or someone else. The park was closed from 8:45 to 10 this morning, according to Cindy Medeiros, a clerk in the park office. Before leaving his home this morning, the man told a family member "that he was suicidal and he wanted to die," said Pawtucket police Maj. Arthur Martins. The suspect is being held on criminal charges, Martins said, though he would not release the suspect's name or the charges he is facing. Police discovered a small Swiss Army knife on the man, but no other weapons. A subsequent search of the park revealed nothing else, Martins said. -- projo.com staff writers Steve Peoples and Kate Bramson Posted by Steve Peoples at 5:29 PM | Comment Judge overturns $10M verdict against Custer BattlesALEXANDRIA, Va. - A federal judge has overturned on a technicality a $10 million jury verdict against military contractor Custer Battles, accused of defrauding the U.S. government in the initial months of the Iraq war. The verdict, awarded in March against Custer Battles LLC, had been the first civil fraud verdict arising from the Iraq war. Custer Battles, which also operated out of Fairfax, Va., based most of its operations in Rhode Island. A former Custer Battles employee filed the lawsuit under a whistleblower statute, alleging that Custer Battles used shell companies and false invoices to vastly overstate its expenses on a $3 million contract to assist in establishing a new currency to replace the old Iraqi dinar used during Saddam Hussein's regime. The verdict reached $10 million because the law calls for triple damages, plus penalties, fines and legal costs. But U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III, in a ruling made public today, ruled that Custer Battles' accusers failed to prove that the U.S. government was ever defrauded. Any fraud that occurred was perpetrated instead against the Coalition Provisional Authority, formed shortly after the war to run Iraq during the occupation until an Iraqi government was established. Posted by Andrea Panciera at 5:20 PM | Comment Tomorrow's Pats game won't be on local TVFOXBORO, Mass. -- The New England Patriots' exhibiition game tomorrow night will not be shown on local TV. Instead, the game against the Arizona Cardinals will be carried nationally on the NFL Network. The 8 p.m. home game will be carried by Boston's Channel 5 in Massachusetts, which the NFL considers the extent of the team's home market. "This is an NFL decision. We don't like it. But they are pretty much going to do what they are going to do.'' said Jay Howell, president and general manager of WPRI-TV and Fox Providence, Channel 64. Viewers in Rhode Island may be able to get Channel 5 with an antenna. NFL Network is available on at least one of the satellite services and on Cox Digital Cable, channel 137. "The Patriots tried to get us this game,'' said Howell, adding that the team's last two exhibition games will be carried on Channel 64. Posted by Peter Phipps at 1:30 PM | Comment Update: Bishop recalls Channel 10's White as man of faith
PROVIDENCE -- The Most Rev. Robert E. Mulvee, bishop emeritus of Providence, recalled Channel 10 news anchor Doug White as a man of strong, simple faith during White's funeral Mass this morning at the Cathedral of Sts. Peter and Paul. Mulvee recalled going to White's house to administer the Sacrament of the Sick and noticing that White, a telegenic figure for Rhode Islanders since the 1970s, still had a twinkle in his eye. White, 61, died Tuesday at his Warwick home after a battle with cancer. He had worked at Channel 10 since 1978 and started his Rhode Island broadcasting career at Channel 12 in 1972. Many of those who turned out for White's well-attended funeral were newsmakers or, like White, news reporters. Among those in the church were Governor Carcieri, U.S. Sens. Jack Reed and Lincoln Chafee; U.S. Reps. Patrick Kennedy and James Langevin; Attorney General Patrick Lynch and Providence Mayor David N. Cicilline. Many of White's Channel 10 colleagues filled the pews, including investigative reporter Jim Taricani and anchor Gene Valicenti. White's sons, Matthew and Jonathan, also spoke during the Mass, recalling their father as a family man and sharing memories of growing up. Extras: See Channel 10's coverage of White and his career. To share condolences and memories, go to an online guest book.
Posted by Jack Perry at 1:08 PM | Comment Deadline extended for seats for Laffey-Chafee debateThe deadline to reserve seats for the debate this Wednesday between Republican primary opponents U.S. Sen. Lincoln D. Chafee and Cranston Mayor Stephen P.Laffey has been extended until 5 p.m. today. The debate, co-sponsored by The Providence Journal and WPRI-TV, will be held at Tollgate High School at 575 Centerville Road, Warwick, at 8 p.m. To register to attend, e-mail your full name, address and daytime phone number to debates06@projo.com. Reservation requests also can be dropped off to The Providence Journal, 75 Fountain Street, in Providence. Reservations are limited to 200 seats and two names per request. Registrants will be notified by phone this Monday. The debate is third in a series of four between Chafee and Laffey. Posted by Andrea Panciera at 11:52 AM | Comment Princeton is first, Brown 15th in magazine's rankingsPrinceton University broke a three-year tie with Harvard to become the top college for undergraduates in the nation, according to the influential U.S. News & World Report rankings released today. Harvard ranks second and Yale University came in third. Brown University maintained its ranking as 15th highest among the 50 best national universities. For the 11th year in a row, Providence College ranks as one of the top colleges granting master's degrees in the north region. The private liberal arts college run by Dominican Friars shares the number-two spot with Loyola College in Maryland. Villanova University ranks number one out of 85 institutions in that category. Several other Rhode Island colleges saw their rankings improve in the survey's myriad listings. Bryant University moved up a spot this year, to 19th place, and Salve Regina University jumped from 44th place last year to 37th this year, both in the same category as PC. Roger Williams University climbed from 13th place to 10th in the category of comprehensive colleges granting bachelor's degrees in the north region. For a complete list of U.S. News and World Report's 2007 rankings, visit: www.usnews.com. -- With reports from Journal staff writer Jennifer Jordan. Posted by Jack Perry at 11:37 AM | Comment Missing Cumberland toddler is foundCUMBERLAND – A missing 20-month-old boy has been located by a police and fire search crew in briar bushes not far from a Massachusetts Avenue home. The police are looking into whether the boy, who was reported missing about 9:30 a.m. and was found 10 to 15 minutes later, had wandered away from the home, Cumberland Police Lt. James P. Coyne said this morning. About 10 police officers and 10 firefighters responded quickly to the scene and combed the area for the boy, Coyne said. No more details are yet available. Posted by Kate Bramson at 9:52 AM | Comment Police: Driver hits cars, but can't run from retired copPROVIDENCE -- A 28-year-old Warwick man will be arraigned this morning in Sixth District Court, Providence, after several alleged hit-and-run accidents last night in Warwick and Cranston, according to the state police. Troy Procaccianti, of 145 Bakers Creek Rd., was caught by a retired Providence police officer who chased him down on foot after a crash on Route 10 in Cranston, State Police Sgt. Nicholas M. Tella said. Procaccianti is charged by the state police with possession of a stolen vehicle, leaving the scene of an accident with an occupied vehicle, driving while intoxicated, refusal to submit to a chemical test and operating on a suspended license, Tella said. He is also expected to be charged by the Warwick police with two counts of leaving the scene of an accident with an occupied vehicle for two hit-and-run accidents that prompted Warwick to issue a bulletin about the car last night, Tella said. -- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson The state police got involved around 8 p.m. last night when the Warwick police broadcast that a maroon Dodge minivan was involved in two hit-and-run accidents. A few minutes later, several 911 calls came in reporting an accident where Route 95 North and Route 10 intersect in Cranston, Tella said. When a state trooper arrived at that accident, the trooper saw that a Dodge minivan and a small white Mazda had collided, with evidence that the minivan had hit the other car, Tella said. The Warwick police were there, and a man was in custody. He was turned over to the state police, who had jurisdiction in that area, Tella said. After that accident, Procaccianti fled out the passenger side of the minivan, across the exit to Elmwood Avenue, Tella said. He jumped over a guardrail and ran down the embankment toward Wellington Avenue, Tella said. But he was caught while running down that embankment by the retired Providence police officer, who had witnessed the crash, Tella said. The Dodge was stolen out of Cranston, Tella said. Posted by Kate Bramson at 8:08 AM | Comment Sun will burn off this morning's patchy fogAfter morning fog burns off, southern New Englanders should enjoy mostly sunny weather today with a high near 83 degrees, according to the National Weather Service in Taunton, Mass. The weather service is advising drivers that patchy, dense fog will reduce visibility to less than one-half mile in areas this morning, primarily along and south of a line from Providence to Plymouth, Mass. The fog should burn off by 8 a.m. For more weather and regular updates, see projo.com/weather. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:00 AM | Comment August 17, 2006Chafee-Laffey debate: Character, tactics dominateThe personalities and campaign tactics of Rhode Island's Republican candidates for U.S. Senate dominated the air waves this afternoon as the two primary challengers met for a second in a series of debates. “Absolutely, I helped start it,” Chafee said, noting that he encouraged Laffey to run for Cranston mayor years ago. Laffey acknowledged the meeting but dismissed Chafee’s impact. “Senator, you had no role in my decision-making process,” Laffey said. “I don’t mean that in a rude way.”
Laffey criticized Chafee’s work as a career politician, saying that Chafee was “out of touch” with the real world. “I do think that people should have a real career before they enter into public service, and I did,” Laffey said. “Too often in Rhode Island we see people going form office to office starting at a young age.” Chafee, the son of the late U.S. Sen. John H. Chafee, former mayor of Warwick and, at one time, a blacksmith, dismissed the criticism. “Ever since I was in high school, I had a summer job,” he said. “I have over 20 years of private sector experience.” The candidates also clashed several times over allegations made in negative political advertising aired in recent weeks by both sides. “These personal attacks that are mischaracterizations don’t serve you well and they need to stop,” Laffey said of Chafee’s commercial that depicts a confrontation between Laffey and city firefighters during a public meeting. “The lies in your commercials like that do not serve you well.” But Chafee defended the ads. “If that’s not you in the video…I’ll take them down,” he said. During the first half of the hour-long debate, Laffey dismissed poll results that show him far behind Sheldon Whitehouse, Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate candidate. "After the primaries are over, things will change radically," Laffey said. Chafee said he should be the Republican candidate to face Whitehouse in November. “The polling numbers are not in Mayor Laffey’s favor,” he said. "Thirty points difference, that’s gigantic." As it was during their first debate last week, the candidates were civil throughout the first half hour, in which they discussed personal character and campaign advertising. When asked Yorke, Chafee said he wanted to end Laffey's political career, or at least "put a bump in the road" for him. Laffey, when asked if he would leave politics if he loses in September, said, "I don't think that way. There is no Plan B." Today’s debate was the second of four scheduled meetings of the candidates. The next --- set for Aug. 23 at 8 p.m. -- will be the first televised debate.
Posted by Steve Peoples at 6:22 PM | Comment Photo: A journey back to the past
Posted by Andrea Panciera at 5:56 PM | Comment Warwick teachers to vote on new contract tonightWARWICK -- The union representing 1,125 Warwick public school teachers is scheduled to vote tonight on a contract that would end a three-year stalemate between the union and school officials. Most union members will get their first look at the proposed agreement when they meet at 7 p.m. tonight at the Rhode on the Pawtuxet in Cranston. If approved tonight and then at a special school committee meeting tomorrow afternoon, the proposed three-year contract would be in effect until 2009 and would include retroactive raises for the last three years that the teachers have been working without a contract. -- With reports from Journal staff writer Daniel Barbarisi Posted by Steve Peoples at 5:33 PM | Comment Brady addresses Balco questionsTom Brady long since has become accustomed to drawing crowds, but even by his standards yesterday was big. And this was not one of his most pleasant sessions. As soon as the Patriots finished practice this afternoon, television camera people set up in a circle in the interview area to get position for Brady. The Pats' quarterback knew what was coming, knew what everyone wanted to ask about. He greeted the crowd with, ``Nice day today, nice of you to come out. All right, so who wants to start?' '' ``Any time, as an athlete, you're even mentioned in something like this, it's disappointing,'' Brady said. ``But it was long time ago. I was back in the Bay area. I wanted to work out for a day. I knew he had a gym. I called, he wasn't around. That was about it. That was the first of it and the last of it. Five years later, I guess it's a big deal. That's kind of the entire extent.'' Brady said he was not aware his name had come up in the investigation until this morning. ``It's just one of those things. I don't make anything of it,'' he said. ``Something like that is not what I stand for. I represent a lot of things. Certainly fair play and me trying to be a role model is what I'm all about.''
Posted by Peter Phipps at 4:59 PM | Comment Beacon Mutual gets new board memberPROVIDENCE -- Carol Saccucci, vice president of Saccucci Lincoln Mercury Honda in Middletown has been named to Beacon Mutual Insurance's board of directors as The state's dominant workers' compensation insurer announced the appointment today. Beacon board chairman Carl Hayes says Saccucci understands workers' compensation and its impact on the Rhode Island business community. Saccucci says she looks forward to reforming Beacon Mutual and searching for a new chief executive officer. According to a company commissioned report, Beacon Mutual gave improper price breaks to favored policyholders. Beacon's board of directors has since fired its then CEO, Joseph Solomon, and several members have resigned. -- The Associated Press Posted by Steve Peoples at 3:45 PM | Comment Alleged brothel manager "Big Sister MaekDo" in jailPROVIDENCE -- A federal magistrate ordered alleged Providence brothel manager "Big Sister MaekDo" held in prison today pending a hearing in a New York court. The woman, 54-year-old Kyong Polachek argued in court this afternoon that she was not the woman federal authorities were looking for. Her defense attorney Edward Roy told Magistrate Judge David Martin that his client was only a cook at the downtown Providence establishment Down Town Spa, located on the fourth floor of One Custom House St. Martin rejected the argument, ordering Polachek to appear in a federal court in New York to answer charges related to a human trafficking sex slave operation across the Northeast. -- With reports from Amanda Milkovits Posted by Steve Peoples at 3:01 PM | Comment Mohegan Sun hosts downtown celebration todayPROVIDENCE -- The Mohegan Sun casino will hold its 10th anniversary celebration this afternoon at Providence's Waterplace Park. The Connecticut casino is sponsoring a 4 p.m. concert by Blood, Sweat & Tears and special guest Chuck Negron at 7:45 p.m. Also, there will be a Taste of Mohegan Sun, a collaboration of Mohegan Sun restaurants serving samples from their menus. In the coming days, the casino will also host free festivals in Hartford and New Haven to celebrate its October anniversary. Posted by Steve Peoples at 2:42 PM | Comment Seats available for next week's Chafee-Laffey debatePROVIDENCE -- The general public can reserve seats to the Aug. 23 debate between Republican Senate opponents U.S. Sen. Lincoln D. Chafee and challenger Stephen P. Laffey, which is being co-sponsored by The Providence Journal. The debate, also co-sponsored by WPRI-TV, will be broadcast live and commercial free at 8 p.m. on WPRI (Channel 12) and be picked up by C-SPAN. To attend, e-mail your full name, address and daytime phone number to debates06@projo.com by noon tomorrow. Requests also can be mailed or dropped off to The Providence Journal, 75 Fountain Street, Providence, R.I., 02902, c/o Promotion. Reservations are limited to 200 seats and two names per request. Registrants will be notified by phone on Monday. The candidates are also scheduled to debate from 5 to 6 p.m. today on The Dan Yorke Show on WPRO (630-AM), their second live debate. Posted by Jack Perry at 1:59 PM | Comment DOT again delays Providence River Bridge movePROVIDENCE -- State transportation officials have again postponed plans to move the new Providence River Bridge, putting off the first step -- jacking up the bridge -- until at least Saturday. Citing preparation delays, the state Department of Transportation issued a statement today revising the scheduled for moving the bridge by barge from where it is now, sitting on the pier at Quonset Point where it was assembled, to its destination just south of the Providence Hurricane Barrier. The center part of the bridge, which was largely assembled in Quonset, is 164 feet wide, 400 feet long and 80 feet high. Officials plan to place the massive strucuture on two barges Aug. 22. The DOT will issue an update about the moving schedule this Saturday. Posted by Steve Peoples at 1:48 PM | Comment Update: Providence warns residents of lead in waterPROVIDENCE -- Due to slight increases in the levels of lead in the water it supplies to its customers, the Providence Water Supply Board is launching a mandatory public education program to urge its customers to flush their water systems each morning before drinking. People should turn on their faucets -- any time they have not been used for six or more hours -- and run the water until it's as cold as it will get, which could take one to five minutes, said Maria E. Wah-Fitta, spokeswoman for the state health department. The Providence Water Supply Board supplies water either directly or through wholesale sales to some 600,000 Rhode Islanders, but it is focusing its campaign on a portion of its 300,000 retail water users who live in older homes supplied by lead service pipes. -- Journal staff writer Peter Lord Posted by Steve Peoples at 1:47 PM | Comment Red Sox trade for Eric Hinske
AP photo
The 29-year-old Hinske also can play first and third base. He will give the Red Sox a valuable left-handed batting option going into this weekend's five-game series with the New York Yankees. Posted by Mike McDermott at 1:29 PM | Comment Woman due in Providence court today after brothel bustPROVIDENCE -- A 54-year-old woman described in court papers as a brothel owner/manager is scheduled to appear in U.S. District Court, Providence, this afternoon following the bust yesterday of 20 brothels in the Northeast, including at least one in downtown Providence. Kyong Polachek is among 31 people arrested yesterday and charged in a wide-ranging human trafficking operation. With the arrests, officials said, more than 70 enslaved sex workers have been freed. They are now being questioned in secret locations, according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. This afternoon, she faces an identity hearing in U.S. District Court in Providence before Magistrate Judge David Martin. In that hearing, the U.S. government has to prove that she is the person identified in the complaint issued by the United States Attorney’s Office for the eastern district of New York, according to Martin’s office. Polachek is identified only as a brothel owner/manager, age 54, who is also known as “Ji-yeon Kim,” “Jennifer” and “Hana” in U.S. District Court documents. A spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney's Office for the eastern district of New York described Polachek as being from Rhode Island. The complaint also identifies a Rhode Island brothel, “Downtown,” owned by “MaekDo,” where a brothel worker identified as Kyung-Jin was arrested during a previous raid. Another of the defendants listed in the complaint spoke of the possibility that Kyung-Jin could be deported after she was detained by Immigration because she did not have a green card, according to the complaint.
Posted by Kate Bramson at 11:59 AM | Comment Vt. woman facing charges today for flight outburstBOSTON (AP) -- A 59-year-old Vermont woman faced federal charges today for interfering with a flight crew, after her outburst on a London-to-Washington flight prompted a massive security scare and raised questions about the thoroughness of passenger screening. Catherine Mayo, of Braintree, Vt., muttered incoherently, occasionally saying "Pakistan," as she paced up and down the aisle of United Flight 923 yesterday, passengers said. She was eventually tackled by two plainclothes men and flight attendants, who threw her to the ground and handcuffed her, passengers said. Her behavior - just a week after London authorities said they foiled a terror plot to blow up trans-Atlantic flights - caused the pilot to declare and emergency. The flight, with 182 passengers and 12 crew members, was diverted and escorted by two F-15s into Boston's Logan International Airport, federal officials said. Read the full Associated Press story. Posted by Jack Perry at 10:31 AM | Comment Poll: Lamont gaining support, but still trailing LiebermanHARTFORD, Conn. (AP) -- Ned Lamont, whose anti-war campaign rattled the political landscape by toppling Sen. Joe Lieberman last week in Connecticut's Democratic primary, is gaining support in November's three-way Senate race, according to a poll released today. But the Quinnipiac University poll shows that Lamont still has an uphill battle against Lieberman, the 2000 nominee for vice president who is now running an independent campaign. Lieberman leads Lamont among registered voters 49 percent to 38 percent. Republican Alan Schlesinger gets support from 4 percent. Read the full Associated Press story. Posted by Jack Perry at 9:03 AM | Comment The weather: Déjà vu all over againPROVIDENCE – We’ve got another beautiful day on the horizon, with the high expected to be near 83 on this partly cloudy day. Expect lows in the 60s tonight. Then, let’s do that all over again tomorrow and Saturday. If you’ve got plans for outdoor activities this weekend, try to schedule them on Saturday, as there’s a 50 percent chance of rain on Sunday, with thunderstorms possible in the afternoon. All you allergy sufferers, the pollen count is creeping up. We’ll have a medium-high count today and tomorrow and a pretty high pollen count on Saturday, according to pollen.com. Get the latest conditions and forecasts from projo.com. Posted by Kate Bramson at 7:05 AM | Comment August 16, 2006Washington County Fair opens up five-day run
RICHMOND -- Have you been itching to see a tractor pull or a motorcycle rodeo? Then hitch up your wagon -- or 4x4 or convertible or whatever wheels you like -- and head on down to the annual Washington County Fair. The fair, which opened its five-day run today, features livestock shows, carnival rides, arts and crafts, tractor and horse pulls, a horse show and a motorcycle rodeo each day through Sunday. Admission to the fairgrounds on Route 112 is $9, free to children 10 and under. And it's not too late to drop by tonight. Three bands are scheduled to appear beginning at 8 p.m. on the main stage: The Platters, Cornell Gunther's Coasters, and Elsbeary Hobbs Drifters. The fair kicks off tomorrow morning at 9 a.m. with a sheep show. But the motorcycle rodeo isn't scheduled to start until 8 p.m. For more information check the fair's Web site. Posted by Steve Peoples at 7:06 PM | Comment Five Bay beaches closed to swimmingThe state Department of Health today recommended closing several beaches on Narragansett Bay to swimming because of high bacteria counts in the water. They are the Barrington Town Beach, Warren Town Beach and three Warwick beaches: City Park Beach, Conimicut Point Beach and Oakland Beach. State health officials plan to monitor the water quality and recommend re-opening when the areas are safe for swimming, according to the statement. Posted by Steve Peoples at 6:28 PM | Comment Funeral Friday for Channel 10 anchor WhiteCRANSTON -- Funeral arrangements for Channel 10 anchor Doug White have been finalized, according to an announcementthis afternoon by the station. A funeral Mass will be held at 10 a.m. Friday at the Cathedral of Saints Peter & Paul, One Cathederal Square, in Providence. White, 61, died yesterday following a battle with cancer. He was an anchor at the station since 1978 before going on medical leave in September 2005. Posted by Steve Peoples at 6:22 PM | Comment Update: Sex-slave ring includes Providence siteNEW YORK -- Twenty brothels around the Northeast -- including one in downtown Providence -- posing as legitimate businesses were shut down and 31 people were arrested, freeing more than 70 sex workers enslaved by a large human-trafficking ring, officials said today. The arrests Tuesday capped a 15-month probe that began when a Korean couple who owned and operated a chain of brothels in Queens tried to bribe an undercover New York Police Department detective, said Julie L. Myers, assistant secretary for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Those arrested on federal charges including conspiracy to engage in human trafficking, prostitution and conspiracy to transport illegal aliens included brothel owners and managers, middlemen who worked as transporters and individuals who handled the money. The arrests occurred in Washington, D.C., New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Maryland, California and Rhode Island. If convicted, those charged faced maximum sentences of five to 10 years. At least one establishment in downtown Providence was involved, according to Thomas Connell, a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's Office in Rhode Island. Connell referred questions about its exact location and any arrests to the U.S. Attorney's Office in New York. The spokesman there was not immediately available. Myers said the victims who were working in brothels throughout the Northeast were being interviewed by ICE agents at secret non-detention locations, where they were receiving health care, clothing, food and other services as they were being questioned. Read the full Associated Press story -- With reports from projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples Posted by Andrea Panciera at 5:23 PM | Comment Misquamicut motel owner charged with operating without licenseWESTERLY – The owner of Ocean View Motel was charged today with 26 counts of operating a motel without a license. He is due in municipal court on Aug. 24. Police shut down the eight-room motel at 140 Atlantic Ave. in Misquamicut on Friday afternoon, expelling all tenants. The town licensing board has denied the motel owner’s application for a license, citing insufficient septic. -- Journal staff writer Maria Armental Posted by Steve Peoples at 5:18 PM | Comment Update: Fighter jets escorted diverted flight to BostonBOSTON -- Fighter jets escorted a London-to-Washington, D.C., flight to Boston's Logan airport today after the pilot declared an emergency because an apparently claustrophobic passenger caused a disturbance, federal officials said. The federal security official for Logan said there was no indication of terrorism and denied reports that the 60-year-old woman had a screw driver, matches and a note referring to al-Qaida. The passenger aboard United Flight 923 said she was claustrophobic and became very upset and got into some kind of confrontation with the flight crew, said George Naccara, security director for the Transportation Security Administration for Massachusetts' airport. Read the full Associated Press story. Posted by Jack Perry at 2:44 PM | Comment Johnston man gets nine years in prison in FBI stingPROVIDENCE -- A Johnston man was sentenced to nine years in prison today for his part in a cocaine traficking conspiracy that turned out to be an FBI sting. Federal Judge Ernest C. Torres today sentenced 50-year-old Alan Blamires, six months after Blamires admitted that he was one of two men who guarded an apparent shipment of 67 kilograms of cocaine. Matthew Guglielmetti, 57, of Providence and Anthony Moscarelli, 46, of Cranston also pleaded guilty to the conspiracy. Last year, Torres sentenced Guglielmetti to 11 years in prison and, in May, he sentenced Moscarelli to eight years. In January 2005, Guglielmetti sent two men -- Blamires and Moscarelli -- to a hotel room in Warwick to guard three suitcases containing 67 kilograms of cocaine. Undercover agents were also in the room and other agents arrived later to remove 18 kilograms of the cocaine, supposedly for distribution in Rhode Island. Guglielmetti had arranged to earn $500 per kilo that was guarded. But the man with whom he made the arrangement was an undercover FBI agent. -- projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples Posted by Steve Peoples at 2:26 PM | Comment Carcieri orders DEM to fine gas company for contaminationPROVIDENCE -- About 50 people who live in contaminated properties in Tiverton gathered at the State House today as state leaders pledged to force New England Gas Co. to clean up their homes. Governor Carcieri ordered the state Department of Environmental Management to file a notice of violation with the gas company's parent, Southern Union, within the next seven to 10 days. Once the violation is issued, the gas company will be fined $25,000 each day that the Tiverton contamination isn't dealt with, according to DEM Director W. Michael Sullivan. The notice of violation can be appealed. Carcieri also said he planned to meet with the head of Southern Union face-to-face as soon as Friday to force the company into action. -- With reports from Journal staff writer Michael McKinney Roughly 500 residents live in Tiverton's Bay Street neighborhood found to be contaminated with various toxic chemicals consistent with coal gasification waste discarded by power companies decades ago. DEM has said that the waste came from a former Fall River Gas Co. plant a few miles away. New England Gas, which purchased Fall River Gas in 2000, has denied that it is liable for the cleanup costs. Property values have plummeted and residents have been warned not to grow gardens or let their children play outside. At the State House today, residents carried signs and plastic baby dolls with blue coloring on their knees, a reminder that their children can't play in the dirt without being exposed to the toxins, which have turned the soil blue. Last month state regulators approved the sale of the Rhode Island operations of New England Gas Co. to National Grid Plc, allowing the creation of a massive utility company that controls both electricity and gas distribution throughout the state. The state Division of Public Utilities and Carriers chose not to impose any conditions on the approval, despite calls by some state officials and the Tiverton residents to do so. One of the most contentious conditions rejected was a proposal by Attorney General Patrick Lynch to require Southern Union to set aside $55 million in an escrow account, in case the company is found liable for the hazardous waste site in Tiverton. Posted by Steve Peoples at 1:56 PM | Comment Hornoff to get $600,000WARWICK -- The city of Warwick has reached a settlement Scott Hornoff, the detective who wrongfully served six years in prison for murdering a former lover. Hornoff will be paid $600,000 and will receive a work-related disability pension, beginning July 18 of this year. The settlement was reached yesterday afternoon. Under the terms of the federal court resolution, the city will pay $525,000 out of its legal reserve fund, and the remainder will be paid by the Rhode Island Interlocal Trust, Warwick's insurer. Hornoff was released from prison in 2002 after Todd Barry confessed to the 1989 murder of Victoria Cushman. He later filed suit in Superior Court against the city of Warwick, seeking reinstatement to the city's police department and, in Federal Court, for an alleged civil rights violation stemming from his wrongful conviction. He asked for $11 million in damages. "The city is pleased to be able to put this issue behind us and behind Mr. Hornoff,'' said Mayor Scott Avedisian. ``I hope that this bad chapter of city history is finally behind us, and I wish Mr. Hornoff all the best.'' -- Journal staff writer Daniel Barbarisi Posted by Steve Peoples at 1:00 PM | Comment Update: Derderian's bankruptcy petition clearsPROVIDENCE -- The deadline for challenging a Chapter 7 bankruptcy petition filed by Jeffrey and Michael Derderian has passed, clearing the way for the federal court to shield the brothers from civil claims filed in The Station fire case. But those civil suits filed by victims of the fire name nearly 50 defendants besides the Derderians. Besides the Derderians, the suits name foam manufacturers, a radio station and a beer company. The state Department of Labor and Training's $1 million fine against the Derderians for not carrying workers' compensation insurance coverage is not affected by the bankruptcy. The brothers own The Station nightclub in West Warwick, which burned to the ground in February 2003, killing 100 people. The brothers are each facing 200 counts of involuntary manslaughter. Michael Derderian's trial is slated to begin Sept. 5. The Derderians released a statement this morning, indicating that they intend to continue to make voluntary monthly payments to some employees' families who died in the fire. "While we are deeply aware that no amount of money could ever provide solace to those affected, we remain fully committed to doing all we can to assist those affected by this tragedy for as long as we are able to do so," reads the Derderians' statement. -- projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples and Journal staff writer Lynn Arditi
The bankruptcy petition, expected to go through later this week, would wipe out the more than $200,000 in workers' compensation benefits that state labor officials last year ordered the Derderians to pay to the families of the nightclub employees killed in the fire. In lieu of those benefits, the Derderians have been sending the employees' families monthly checks -- $125 for those without children and $500 for those with children -- since April 2005, lawyers said. Posted by Steve Peoples at 12:16 PM | Comment GTECH: Florida latest state to approve mergerWASHINGTON -- GTECH Holdings Corp. said today that the Florida Lottery has consented to Gtech's merger with Lottomatica SpA, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Lottomatica, of Italy, announced in January it would buy West Greenwich, R.I.-based GTECH Holdings for $4.8 billion, or $35 a share. Under the merger terms, Florida and other major customers have to agree to keep GTECH contracts. Several states, including Rhode Island, New York, Illinois, Ohio and Georgia, already have told the company the merger won't affect their contracts with GTECH. GTECH said it believes that the merger condition has been satisfied with respect to the Florida contract, the SEC filing said. -- The Associated Press Posted by Steve Peoples at 11:57 AM | Comment North Kingstown high school students get an extra 15 minutes of sleepNORTH KINGSTOWN – When school starts on Aug. 30, high school students will get to sleep in, a little. The School Committee last night voted 4-2 to start high school at 7:20 a.m., 15 minutes later than last year. Last week, the School Committee had decided the high school would start at 7:30 a.m. But because that later time pushed elementary schools to start even later, parents of the younger children were upset. So the School Committee went back to the drawing board last night, listening to parent concerns and debating from 7 p.m. until an 11:30 p.m. vote, according to Karen Nutini, administrative assistant for Supt. James M. Halley and the School Committee. All the school start times are dependent on each other because the district buses must transport students to all the schools. Last night's vote was a compromise. The superintendent had originally recommended start times five minutes earlier than what was approved last night, but the board had gone with even later starts for nearly all students. Now, exactly two weeks from now, students must be prepared to start: high school at 7:20 a.m., middle school at 8:20 a.m., Davisville Elementary School at 8:05 a.m. and all other elementary schools at 9:10 a.m., Nutini said. For all starting and ending times, see the district's web site. Voting for the new start times were board members Donald DeFedele, the chairman, F. Renee Cockerill, Bill Mudge and Barry Martasian. Voting against were Denise Coppa, the vice chairwoman, and Melvoid Benson. Member Janice DeFrances was absent. Posted by Kate Bramson at 10:06 AM | Comment Washington County Fair starts todayThe Washington County Fair, marking its 40th anniversary, starts this morning in Richmond and runs through Sunday. Today's events include an antique car show, a swine obstacle course, a pony pulling contest and a concert by The Platters. Check out the fair's Web site for more information. Posted by Jack Perry at 9:22 AM | Comment AOL thinks there could be gold in spammer's backyardIt’s got all the makings of a good story. Internet giant AOL is going after a man who became a millionaire by sending out massive amounts of spam e-mail messages to its subscribers. The company now wants to bring in bulldozers to search the two-acre property in Medfield, Mass., where the man’s parents live. AOL believes the man has buried large amounts of gold and platinum bars near the home, and the company wants to seize them to make good on a $12.8 million lawsuit it won against the man. Davis Wolfgang Hawke’s own mother complains of the embarrassment her son has brought to the family and says AOL won’t find a thing. But, she says, if AOL's people go through her yard with a bulldozer they are just going to “make fools of themselves.” Wanna read more? We did. The full Associated Press story is available here. Posted by Kate Bramson at 7:57 AM | Comment Romney seizes control of Turnpike board and Big DigBOSTON -- Gov. Mitt Romney officially seizes control of the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority and the troubled Big Dig today as his hand-picked successor to former Turnpike Chairman Matthew Amorello calls his first board meeting to order. New Turnpike Chairman John Cogliano is set to push through a series of changes that Romney has characterized as reforms, including a motion to revoke free FastLane transponders and tolls for board members and Turnpike management. Read the full Associated Press story. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:40 AM | Comment Beautiful days on the wayPROVIDENCE – Summer is already waning. We’ve got some beautiful weather forecast for the next few days, with highs in the low 80s and lows at night down in the 60s. With temps like that at night, it sure is starting to feel like fall. The National Weather Service has issued a small craft advisory, in effect until 11 a.m. today, for the coastal waters stretching from Montauk, N.Y., to Block Island and on to Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket. We'll keep you posted on the latest weather conditions at projo.com/weather. Posted by Kate Bramson at 7:03 AM | Comment August 15, 2006New Providence River Bridge move delayed againPROVIDENCE -- With the weather doubtful, the Department of Transportation today again postponed moving the new Providence River Bridge, putting off the first step, jacking up the bridge, until at least Friday. The DOT's contractors want calm weather and a good forecast before beginning the days-long job of moving the bridge by barge from where it is now, sitting on the pier at Quonset Point where it was assembled, to its destination just south of the Providence Hurricane Barrier. -- Journal staff writer Bruce Landis Posted by Andrea Panciera at 6:49 PM | Comment N. Kingstown school board meeting on start timesNORTH KINGSTOWN – The School Committee will hold an emergency meeting tonight at 7 to reconsider – and possibly re-vote – on daily school starting times for the coming year. Last week, the school board approved a new high school start time of 7:30 a.m. – compared with the previous 7:05 a.m. time -- and a new middle school start time of 8:30 a.m., compared with the earlier 8:05 a.m. time. Tonight, the board’s reconsideration of the start times will follow an open forum at the high school, 150 Fairway Drive. Posted by Kate Bramson at 6:44 PM | Comment More detonations at old Jamestown span next weekJAMESTOWN – Additional explosions at the old Jamestown Bridge are now set for next Wednesday, Aug. 23, the state Department of Transportation announced today. The detonations will be similar to those done last Tuesday to demolish portions of underwater piers. Motorists may experience brief delays on the new Jamestown-Verrazzano Bridge between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., but the DOT hopes to avoid the previously planned 30-minute closure of the bridge. Posted by Kate Bramson at 6:42 PM | Comment Update: 2 nabbed in Woonsocket shootingWOONSOCKET – The man found shot today on a city street has been treated and released from Rhode Island Hospital, while two of his acquaintances now face charges. Jeremi Mills, 18, of Woonsocket suffered a single gunshot wound to the back, according to a news release issued this afternoon by police Lt. Steven M. Nowak. After the shooting, the police found Mills walking on Rathbun Street. Charged with one count each of assault with a dangerous weapon and discharging a firearm within city limits are John Disano, 23, of 84 Chester St., and a 17-year-old juvenile, according to Nowak. The shooting took place at 10:39 a.m. The police received multiple calls reporting gunshots in the area of Chester Street, and an undercover officer in the area also heard the shots, according to the police. With a description of a suspect vehicle, that officer followed the vehicle until other officers joined him and stopped the car. The occupants – Disano and the juvenile – were taken to the station for questioning and later charged, according to Nowak. -- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson Posted by Kate Bramson at 5:55 PM | Comment Update: Program launched to rid Bay of debris / Photo
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration presented the state Department of Environmental Management and the group Clean the Bay with a $150,000 grant to support the 18-month initiative. The grant is the largest ever given to a state under the Federal Marine Debris program, according to the governor’s office. Debris in the bay and along its shore includes wrecked boats, docks and dozens of huge blocks of creosote-soaked wood and steel known as camels. The lawmakers at the Oakland Beach boat ramp credited two private sea captains Alan Wentworth and Ed Hughes for creating Clean the Bay, the group that spearheaded the cleanup. "I'm amazed. The system works," Wentworth said. -- Journal environment writer Peter B. Lord Posted by Jack Perry at 5:42 PM | Comment Doug White, longtime Channel 10 anchor, dies at 61
Journal file photo Doug White, in 1990 Doug White, anchorman for Channel 10 since 1978 and a presence in Rhode Island broadcasting since 1972, died today at his Warwick home. The 61-year-old White had been battling cancer. White went on medical leave from Channel 10 in September 2005 to receive cancer treatment. "All of us at NBC 10 are saddened by the news of Doug's death,'' Channel 10 said in a statement. "We are losing a generous friend and esteemed colleague who has touched each of our lives. "Doug served as this station's evening news anchor for 27 years. His leadership was marked by his commitment to the highest standards of journalism and his genuiune affection for his co-workers and his audience. We will all miss him very much.'' Channel 10 broadcast news of White's death at 5 p.m. today and plans to air a half-hour tribute to White. As anchorman on Channel 10 for so long, White was the trusted face of local broadcasting for thousands of Rhode Islanders. "There are not many people in a TV market who become an icon the way Doug became an icon here,'' Channel 10 meteorologist Gary Ley said. White took a straightforward, no-nonsense approach to the news that served him well, whether he was dealing with blizzards or election returns. "He displayed a steadiness, a trustworthiness and a consistency that was important in maintaining Channel 10's dominance in the ratings,'' said John Martin, who covered television for The Providence Journal from 1987 to 1999. "He had a very natural, normal way of talking to you -- he always talked to you, not at you.'' White worked at Channel 10 since 1978. He started his Rhode Island broadcasting career at Channel 12 in 1972. He was a member of the Silver Circle of the New England Chapter of the National Television Academy, which recognizes individuals who have made a signifciant contribution to broadcasting for 25 years or more. 
Journal file photo Doug White, in 2002 Tim Gray, Channel 10 sports reporter and anchor from 1999 to 2004, said he grew up in South Kingstown watching White. "The hair was part of the legend,'' Gray said. In a 1993 Journal article about haircuts, White said that was just the way his hair naturally grew: "Believe it or not, I don't use any hairspray. I'm blessed. I have my father's hair. It just kind of falls straight down.'' White is survived by his wife, Barbara, two sons, Matthew and Jonathan, a daughter-in-law and three grandchildren. Funeral arrangements are not yet complete. Share your memories of White, and post condolences. -- Journal TV writer Andy Smith Posted by Andrea Panciera at 5:01 PM | Comment Whole Foods recalls soy cream that may contain milkWhole Foods Market has recalled an ice cream-like soy product because it may contain undeclared milk proteins. The Texas company that has two locations in Providence has issued a recall notice for “365 Everyday Value Soy Cream Chocolate” and “365 Everyday Value Soy Cream Vanilla.” People with allergies or severe sensitivity to milk run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reactions if they eat the milk proteins, according to the Austin, Texas-based Whole Foods Market. The frozen product is sold in half-gallon yellow packages with gold and white lettering inside a red box and may be in all stores nationwide, according to a Whole Foods statement released today by the Rhode Island Department of Health. Anyone who has bought the soy cream is urged to return it for a full refund to the market where it was purchased. The chocolate-flavored soy cream has a UPC code of 9948241414, and the vanilla-flavored soy cream has a UPC code of 9948241415. The product was recalled after a confirmed allergic reaction was reported and the company conducted random testing on the soy cream. Posted by Kate Bramson at 4:13 PM | Comment Chafee-Laffey debate draws C-SPAN to Rhode IslandIn a Senate race that's gaining national attention, the first televised debate between Republican opponents U.S. Senator Lincoln D. Chafee and challenger Stephen P. Laffey will be broadcast nationally on C-SPAN. Locally, the Aug. 23 debate will be broadcast on WPRI-TV (Channel 12), which is co-sponsoring the 8 p.m. hour-long debate with The Providence Journal. The debate will also air on projo.com and wpri.com. The winner of the Republican primary, on Sept. 12, faces the winner of the Democratic primary between Sheldon Whitehouse, the former U.S. Attorney and state attorney general, and Carl Sheeler, a West Greenwich business consultant who has never held elective office. In a race that could affect which party controls the U.S. Senate – where Republicans only have a five-seat majority – Chafee and Laffey have agreed to face off four times this month, twice on television and twice on the radio. Last week, they clashed in the first radio debate [on Arlene Violet's radio show on WHJJ (920-AM)] over the issues of immigration, taxes and federal spending, the Iraq war and Mideast policy, school vouchers and stem-cell research. Thursday, they’ll spar on the Dan Yorke Show on WPRO (630-AM) from 5 to 6 p.m. The fourth and final debate is set for next Thursday at 7 p.m. on WJAR (Channel 10). Posted by Kate Bramson at 4:00 PM | Comment Photo: Timeout at the pool
Posted by Andrea Panciera at 3:02 PM | Comment Elderly complex evacuated after apartment firePROVIDENCE – A late-morning fire led to an evacuation of an apartment complex for the elderly at 993 Manton Ave. and sent three residents to Roger Williams Hospital. The conditions and personal information about the three are not yet available, according to James Taylor, chief of communications for the fire department. Firefighters were called to Riveredge Village apartments at 11:35 a.m., where a blaze apparently started in one of the apartments. They were still on the scene early this afternoon. It was not clear, however, how much damage had been done. More than 100 people were evacuated from the the six-floor building, which has 99 apartments and houses about 114 elderly and disabled residents, apartment manager Karen Doherty said. They were still out early this afternoon as crews assessed the damage and cleaned up the water from the complex’s sprinkler system, Doherty said. She was already back in her first-floor office, however, and anticipated that cleanup should be done by the end of the day. -- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson The Providence Emergency Management Agency, which could help provide shelter for apartment residents, also responded to the fire, Taylor said. Doherty said the agency assured her they will help house displaced residents, but until a damage assessment is completed, she won’t know if that’s necessary. The apartment where the fire started is not habitable at this time, but that resident – not one of the three who were hospitalized – has already gone to stay with family, Doherty said. Posted by Kate Bramson at 2:22 PM | Comment South County news, classical radio stations soldA small family company, Judson Group Inc., has purchased two Rhode Island radio stations – including the state’s only classical station – from Massachusetts-based Charles River Broadcasting. The final sale of classical station WCRI 95.9 FM of Block Island and News Radio WCNX 1180 AM of Westerly is pending Federal Communications Commission approval, which will likely come in late October, according to Jamie Jones, who will work for Judson under his father, Christopher Jones, the current president of Charles River Broadcasting. The Judson Group – named for the street where the Jones grew up – also includes Jamie’s brother and a family friend. Jamie Jones said the company would look to grow in the near future. “After we get our feet on the ground, we’re hoping we can expand beyond the two stations,” he said. Jones wouldn't disclose the sales price. -- projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples Posted by Steve Peoples at 2:06 PM | Comment High surf advisory this afternoonA high surf advisory will be in effect until at least 4 p.m. in Rhode Island and in southeastern Massachusetts, according to the National Weather Service. Waves are expected to reach 7 to 10 feet on south-facing beaches in Rhode Island and Massachusetts. The weather service also warns of dangerous rip currents. Conditions are expected to moderate tomorrow. Posted by Steve Peoples at 1:57 PM | Comment Police looking for missing 17-year-old Woonsocket girlWOONSOCKET -- The police are investigating the disappearance of 17-year-old Courtney Palin, a local teenager last seen more than a week ago.  Courtney Palin Palin, of 300 Cass Ave., Woonsocket, was first reported missing Aug. 9 by her father, who temporarily let his daughter stay with friends while he was working in Hawaii. The father apparently grew worried when his daughter stopped answering her phone, according to the police. The girl's mother said that Courtney didn't call her brother on his birthday, which is not normal. "Right now, we consider all [missing person reports] suspicious until we prove otherwise," Woonsocket Lt. Steven Nowak. "There is somebody actively working the case and looking for her." The girl's father told the police that Courtney "had family issues that caused her to leave home before," according to Nowak. People with information about the girl's whereabouts are encouraged to call the Woonsocket police at (401) 766-1212. -- projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples Posted by Steve Peoples at 9:55 AM | Comment For about $400, you can ride on a B-17NORTH KINGSTOWN -- Always wanted to be a bomber pilot? Now's your chance. Pilots at the Quonset Airport will offer public rides on a restored World War II-era B-17 bomber today beginning at 9:30 a.m. Aluminum Overcast, operated by the Wisconsin-based Experimental Aircraft Association, is on national tour this summer. It arrived yesterday at Quonset's Landmark Aviation. Though they cost $385 to $425 each, flights will occur today and tomorrow every 45 minutes from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. A minimum of six people is required per flight. For those with a tighter budget, tours of the plane will be offered from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m both days, are $10 for a family, $6 for adults, $5 for students, and no charge for WWII veterans or to accompany children under age 8. Posted by Steve Peoples at 7:57 AM | Comment Wet weather today, but not for longDon’t get used to it. While the National Weather Service is calling for periods of light rain and possibly a powerful thunderstorm before noon, this week’s forecast should give vacationers something to smile about. The rain is expected to stop later today and things are expected to dry out for good tomorrow morning. The weather service is calling for partly sunny skies with day-time temperatures in the mid 80s through Saturday. But today will be muggy, with highs around 84 degrees. Chance of precipitation is 90 percent, and late morning thunderstorms could bring heavy rainfall. For more weather and regular updates, see projo.com/weather. Posted by Steve Peoples at 7:54 AM | Comment August 11, 2006State closes two South Kingstown beachesThe State Health Department today closed two South Kingstown beaches today Matunuck Beach on Matunuck Beach Road and the Willow Dell Beach Club 156 Card's Pond Road. The state tested the beaches yesterday. The state cites unacceptable levels of enterococci bacteria on its web site. The bacteria, associated with human sewage, can most commonly cause urinary tract and wound infections, according to several medical sites on the internet. No date is given to reopen the two ocean beaches, which are next to each other. Posted by Peter Phipps at 6:01 PM | Comment Coming tomorrow: the million-dollar weather vaneFrom 1882 to 1971, a five-foot long copper weather vane topped the Woonsocket train depot. The craftsmanship of the 19th century-style locomotive and its coal car was unmistakable. Through storms and every change of the wind, it was an unofficial symbol of the city. And now for an eye-opening $1.2 million, Woonsocket's treasure belongs to Pawtucket antiques dealer Richard Kazarian Jr. Get the full story on Kazarian's recent purchase, and the weather vane's travels since 1971, tomorrow in The Providence Journal and on projo.com. John Hill, Journal staff writer Posted by Peter Phipps at 5:44 PM | Comment Royal visitor to get star treatment at Newport jazz fest
File photo Prince Albert II NEWPORT -- When it comes to mingling in high society, the presence of a royal is, shall we say, the creme de la creme. And that's what will happen this weekend, when the City by the Sea hosts Prince Albert II, ruler of Monaco, as a special guest of the Newport Jazz Festival. The prince's personal connections add to the cache. He's the son of the late Grace Kelly, who starred in the 1956 movie High Society, filmed here with a story line that tied into the early days of the jazz fest. He's scheduled to attend tonight's opening of JVC Jazz Festival-Newport to see singer-guitarist John Pizzarelli and his big band perform a tribute to Frank Sinatra at the International Tennis Hall of Fame, following an invitation-only cocktail reception at The Elms. Tomorrow and Sunday, the festival's setting will be the shorefront grounds of Fort Adams State Park.
Posted by Andrea Panciera at 5:23 PM | Comment Narragansetts hold annual pow-wow this weekendCHARLESTOWN -- The Narragansett Indian Tribe is planning to hold its annual pow-wow this weekend. The tribe says the event numbers its 331st annual recording August meeting, dubbed the Green Corn Thanksgiving. It will be open to the public, on tribal lands on Route 2. Gates are scheduled to open at 10 a.m. each day, with the major ceremonies planned for 1 p.m. Posted by Steve Peoples at 4:21 PM | Comment Carcieri asks Bush to boost taxes on big oilPROVIDENCE -- Governor Carcieri says the United States needs to stop subsidizing oil companies and increase taxes on their profits. Carcieri sent a letter to President Bush today asking him to support a windfall profits tax on the oil industry, which earned more than $110 billion last year. He also says Congress must repeal subsidies and tax breaks for oil companies. Carcieri's letter says he is asking the president to take action because rising gasoline prices have created a national crisis. John Bisney, a spokesman for the American Petroleum Institute, says more taxes won't solve the problem. He says a windfall profits tax passed under President Jimmy Carter resulted in a drop in oil production, not prices. Posted by Steve Peoples at 2:47 PM | Comment Photo: Out of the shadows
Posted by Jack Perry at 1:49 PM | Comment Beacon to reduce rates by 16 percentPROVIDENCE -- Governor Carcieri announced today that state regulators have approved a plan by Beacon Mutual Insurance Co. to reduce workers’ compensation insurance rates for Rhode Island employers by an average of 16 percent, less than half the reduction requested by the state’s attorney general. State Attorney General Patrick C. Lynch last month called on Beacon to slash its rates by 34.5 percent, citing the company’s large market share, its financial success and its mission to serve as the "insurer of last report.’’ The state Department of Business Regulation said that the issues raised by the attorney general "require further review and analysis,’’ so regulators had decided to allow the 16 percent reduction pending a full investigation at a further rate hearing, according to an Aug. 10th letter from the agency’s director, A. Michael Marques, to Beacon’s acting chief executive officer, Clifford Parent. Beacon, a nonprofit mutual insurance company, is the state’s dominant workers’ compensation insurance carrier, providing coverage to about 90 percent of all Rhode Island employers. The company has been the subject of an investigation by independent auditors, the state attorney general and a statewide grand jury about allegations of mismanagement and favoritism in pricing. State regulators are also in the process of conducting a "market conduct" examination of the insurance company. Posted by Steve Peoples at 11:51 AM | Comment Green travelers getting accustomed to new restrictionsWARWICK – T.F. Green Airport has been busy this morning -- but not as busy as yesterday -- in the wake of the thwarted terrorist plot in London. Airline passengers appear to have gotten the message about what they can and cannot bring on board, Green spokeswoman Patti Goldstein said this morning. Security lines snaked through the airport early yesterday morning as people dealt with the new travel restrictions. There was some confusion about whether lipstick and lip gloss were allowed on flights, Goldstein said. They are not. “The best thing to do, whenever in doubt, is to pack it in your checked bags,” Goldstein said. That way, you won’t have to throw it away, she said, as many people did with all kinds of health care products they had left in their carry-on bags after checking luggage. During peak travel times -- 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. -- Goldstein recommends that passengers arrive 90 minutes to two hours before their flights. Posted by Kate Bramson at 11:44 AM | Comment Update: DOT kicks off Providence River Bridge movementRhode Island Department of Transportation officials will hold a kickoff press event today as they gear up to tow the 5.5-million-pound Providence River Bridge up Narragansett Bay and into place. The bridge is the signature structure of the Interstate 195 relocation project. The DOT initially planned to begin lifting the bridge into place tomorrow. However, due to some materials being held up in customs, they now plan to lift the bridge into place next Tuesday and actually move it to Providence on Aug. 21 or Aug. 22. Today’s event is set for 1 p.m. at Pier 2 at Quonset Point. Posted by Kate Bramson at 10:23 AM | Comment Runners seeking world harmony in R.I. todayThey’ll run into Rhode Island today carrying a torch and the message of harmony. They’ll meet with children from the Pawtucket YMCA and the mayors of Cumberland, Pawtucket and Providence as they run a 44-mile route through Rhode Island. They are about a dozen runners participating in the U.S. leg of the World Harmony Run, which seeks to strengthen international friendship and understanding. The nonpolitical volunteer group of runners isn’t seeking donations. They’re just sharing their message, local coordinator Khipra Nichols said this morning. “It’s more about making people aware of the spirit of harmony and how harmony begins within each individual and can be shared from person to person,” Nichols said. “So when we run with the torch, the torch symbolizes that inner harmony we can pass from person to person.” The group expects to enter Rhode Island at 12:10 p.m. on Route 121 in Cumberland, from Wrentham, Mass. They’ll stop in Cumberland at 2:15 p.m. on the Broad Street Bridge, in Pawtucket around 2:45 p.m. on the Main Street Bridge and in Providence around 3:30 p.m. on the steps of City Hall. Posted by Kate Bramson at 9:50 AM | Comment Sales-tax holiday this weekend in MassachusettsWhile it's a holiday weekend for Rhode Islanders, Massachusetts hopes to entice Ocean Staters to cross the border with its annual sales-tax weekend. Tomorrow and Sunday, the Bay State will give consumers a break on selected items, including back-to-school items and clothing. In general, the law provides for the break on non-business purchases under $2,500. While 14 other states have sales-tax holidays, Rhode Island is not among them -- although the pressure to do so appears to be mounting. Politicians here introduced competing tax-holiday proposals this year, spurred by the popularity of the annual tax holiday in the neighboring Bay State, and the Rhode Island Retail Federation backed the idea. But it failed over concerns about its impact on tax revenues -- a projected loss of more than $5 million over a two-day holiday. Posted by Andrea Panciera at 9:37 AM | Comment A three-day weekend for Rhode IslandersRhode Island asserts its independence again this weekend, as it continues to mark Victory Day as a holiday. That means, for many of us, this Monday is a day off. State offices are closed, though federal business goes on as usual. Some businesses will remain open, others will decide to shut down. Most retail establishments are open, while most banks are closed. No other state observes the day, which marks the United States' victory over Japan in 1945 and the end of World War II. It is commemorated on the second Monday in August.
Posted by Andrea Panciera at 9:05 AM | Comment 'Big Papi' to get big Maine lobster feastAUGUSTA, Maine -- Forty-one Maine lobsters -- one for each of his home runs this season -- will be delivered to Red Sox slugger David Ortiz before the start of today's game against the Baltimore Orioles at Fenway Park. Maine Gov. John Baldacci says he is sending "Big Papi" the lobsters and an invitation to visit the state because Ortiz loves seafood but says he's never been to Maine. Baldacci's invitation followed a Maine Day interview at Fenway last month. He said he wasn't sure how far away Maine was or even how to get there. Read the full Associated Press story. Posted by Jack Perry at 8:59 AM | Comment A comfortable day on the way, unusually cool tonightThe National Weather Service is forecasting a dry, partly cloudy day with a high temperature of 77 degrees for the Providence area. The temperature tonight will be unusually cool and could approach record lows, dropping into the 50s and even the 40s in some areas, the weather service says. The weekend looks great, sunny with highs in the upper 70s. For more weather and regular updates, see projo.com/weather. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:00 AM | Comment August 10, 2006Update: Chafee, Laffey civil but not shy in first debatePROVIDENCE -- The tone was relatively civil, but Cranston Mayor Stephen Laffey and U.S.Sen. Lincoln Chafee weren't shy about confronting each other in their first head-to-head debate. The two Republicans will face each other in the Sept. 12 primary for Chafee's Senate seat. Tonight, they brought their campaigns to live radio. "If you don't bring up my family, I won't bring up yours, Mayor Laffey," Chafee said to his opponent, who suggested Chafee didn't support school vouchers because he could afford to send his children to private school. The hour-long debate, moderated by former state attorney general Arlene Violet, ranged from school vouchers to Iraq to leadership style. The usually unassuming Chafee went on the offensive early and often. When discussing leadership style and the ability to compromise, Chafee brought up Laffey's Web site, in which a picture of a political foe was intentionally distorted last year. If Laffey has a problem with a U.S. senator, Chafee asked, "Are they going to be pixelated out?" In his opening and closing statements, Chafee asked voters to focus on which Republican candidate has the best chance of winning in November -- a reference to polls that show Laffey well behind Democratic candidate Sheldon Whitehouse. And Chafee asked listeners to "look at people's character over the long term" in choosing a candidate. "This is a six-year term, you're electing somebody to serve until January of 2013," he said. Laffey's message was less focused as he listed a variety of issues -- taxes, government spending, prescription drugs, and energy policy -- as his priorities. In his closing statement, Laffey drew upon his personal hardships and accomplishments, an attempt to differentiate himself from his opponent, whose personal wealth comes largely from his family. "Growing up, life wasn't always easy," Laffey said, noting that he worked hard to become the head of a company worth about a half-billion dollars. Tonight's debate was the first in a series of four debates, two of which will be televised. -- projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples Posted by Steve Peoples at 7:04 PM | Comment Debate over casino plan to be aired tonightPROVIDENCE -- A 30-minute debate today over the proposed casino in West Warwick, due to go to voters statewide this November, was more rhetoric from both sides than a presentation of detailed facts. Richard Oster, the former head of a group opposing the proposed West Warwick casino, called the casino a bad deal -- one that voters won’t know the full details of until after they’ve cast their ballots. "I don’t think the citizens of Rhode Island should be hoodwinked,’’ he said on the PBS show A Lively Experiment, which was taped this afternoon and is scheduled to be aired at 7:30 tonight. Narragansett Indian Tribe Chief Sachem Matthew Thomas countered that the casino his tribe is proposing with Harrah’s Entertainment will bring jobs and property tax relief to the state. "We know what it’s like to be screwed,’’ Thomas said. "We’re not going to screw the people of Rhode Island.’’ Oster, who said he is not opposed to casinos, said that the state could get a better deal by opening up a casino license to competitive bidding. "Let’s not be had,’’ the former Cookson America chief executive officer said. "You can hear the laughter coming form the boardrooms in Las Vegas.’’ Thomas countered: "There are a lot of people who hear laughter. They’re in rubber rooms.’’ Thomas was asked if the tribe would continue to push for a casino if the Nov. 7 ballot question fails. "We’re going to cross that bridge when we come to it,’’ he said. The show airs at 7:30 tonight and again Sunday at noon on Rhode Island PBS, Channel 36 or cable channel 8. It was moderated by James G. Hagan, former president of the Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce. The chamber now and under Hagan’s leadership came out against the casino. Thomas said this casino would have upscale amenities allowing it to compete with casinos in Connecticut. He suggested it would be a lot nicer than the state’s two current gambling halls: Lincoln Park and Newport Grand. "I can’t remember anybody having a wedding reception at Lincoln Park,’’ Thomas said. Harrah’s spent $2.7 million last month on its effort to win votes. (Some of that money was spent on future advertising, but the casino company won’t say how much.) "They’re throwing around millions like we throw around dimes,’’ said Oster, who recently resigned as chairman of the casino-opposition group Save Our State. Thomas countered that the money was being spent in Rhode Island, benefiting the state’s economy. -- Journal staff writer Scott Mayerowitz Posted by Steve Peoples at 6:24 PM | Comment Terror plot: Get used to carry-on limits, R.I. officials sayCRANSTON -- Get used to strict limits on what you can carry on to commercial flights. A host of state officials told the media this afternoon that the restrictions enacted today that prohibit any kind of fluid -- even hair gel and lotion -- in carry-on bags will continue indefinitely. The group -- including Governor Carcieri, Lt. Gov. Charles Fogarty, Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency Executive Director Robert J. Warren and Adjutant General Robert T. Bray -- also indicated that Rhode Island would not call on the National Guard to help with airport security, as Massachusetts officials have done for Boston's Logan Airport. There are no indications that flights are being affected at T.F. Green Airport or any airport in the nation, according to Mark Brewer, who heads the Rhode Island Airport Corporation. -- With reports from Journal staff writer Amanda Milkovits Posted by Steve Peoples at 5:53 PM | Comment Update: Vegetable oil spill in Newport clearedNEWPORT -- The eastbound lanes of Route 138 in front of the Newport Grand have have been re-opened following a vegetable oil spill that clogged area traffic this afternoon. While police have not released any details regarding the spill, the state Department of Transportation issued an alert at about 4:30 p.m. saying that crews had cleared most of the oil and sanded the road. Traffic, which had been detoured to the Connell Highway, is now flowing through the affected area, directly in front of the Newport Grand to about 100 yards east. Posted by Steve Peoples at 4:38 PM | Comment New early childhood degree program at Johnson & WalesPROVIDENCE – Johnson & Wales University will offer a new degree program this fall for people who are, or who want to be, administrators of early childhood education programs. Students can pursue a masters of education degree in early childhood administration and leadership, a program that has been developed over the past year, according to a statement issued by the university today. The program integrates theory, research and best practices to help early childhood professionals understand children’s social, emotional, cognitive, language, motor and value development, according to the university. It was developed by William Strader, director of the university’s new Institute for Early Childhood Leadership and Professional Development. Posted by Kate Bramson at 2:40 PM | Comment Terror plot: R.I. congressmen urge continued vigilanceWARWICK -- Rhode Island's congressmen praised the work of investigators in Great Britain and the United States in uncovering a terror plot to bomb planes bound for the United States from Britain. U.S. Rep. James Langevin and U.S. Rep. Patrick J. Kennedy, both Democrats, also urged continued vigilance. Langevin, a member of the House Homeland Security Committee, said in a statement, "We stand ready to offer any assistance necessary to our British friends. This morning's developments serve as a reminder of the continuing threat of terrorism faced not only in this country, but around the world. Thanks to the swift and professional work of American and British authorities we have undoubtedly saved thousands of lives. "I will continue to monitor this situation and have been in contact with authorities at T.F. Green. In the meantime, I urge all Rhode Islanders, especially those traveling, to remain ever vigilant," Langevin said. Kennedy said the "expertise and swift work" of the intelligence and military in both countries "prevented what could have resulted in the horrific loss of lives. "I once again urge this [Bush] administration to implement the full recommendations of the non-partisan 9/11 commission to make our country as safe as possible during these ever changing times," Kennedy said, also in a statement. "We need to strengthen our military capabilities and intelligence to intervene in these evil acts while developing and installing explosive detection technologies that can detect lethal materials like those involved in this latest plot." Posted by Steve Peoples at 2:03 PM | Comment Romney denies tunnel tests caused potential damageBOSTON -- Gov. Mitt Romney said today he does not believe pull tests used to gauge the safety of ceiling panel connections in the Ted Williams Tunnel caused potential damage to the bolts being tested, a concern raised by project overseer Bechtel/Parsons Brinckerhoff. In a memo to Romney administration officials, Bechtel/Parsons Brinckerhoff warned that the safety load tests may have damaged the tunnel ceiling by putting too much pressure on epoxy bolts that have been a focus of concern since a July 10 accident in which 12 tons of ceiling panels fell and crushed a passing motorist. Read the full Associated Press story. Posted by Jack Perry at 1:52 PM | Comment Lieberman kicks off campaign as independentWATERBURY, Conn. -- Stripped of Democratic Party support and with most of his staff gone, Sen. Joe Lieberman launched a new campaign as an independent today with a pizza party in a city where voters supported him and the mayor understands his unusual position. The "thank you" stop in Waterbury was Lieberman's first public event since losing Tuesday's primary and his first since dismissing his campaign staff. Read the full Associated Press story. Posted by Jack Perry at 1:50 PM | Comment Terror plot: State leaders to discuss R.I. reactionCRANSTON -- State officials plan to hold a press conference this afternoon to react to news of a major terrorist plot that was apparently thwarted in England. Governor Carcieri is scheduled to appear at 2:30 p.m. with Lt. Col. Robert T. Bray, adjutant general of the Rhode Island National Guard, at the Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency headquarters in Cranston. The governor held a conference call at noon with representatives from all of Rhode Island's cities and towns to discuss the state's reaction. -- With reports from Journal staff writer Amanda Milkovits Posted by Steve Peoples at 1:37 PM | Comment Casino foes square off on PBS tonightNarragansett Chief Sachem Matthew Thomas will square off tonight against vocal casino opponent Richard Oster in a special edition of the Rhode Island PBS program "A Lively Experiment." Oster, the former head of anti-casino group Save Our State, opposes the Narragansett's effort to amend the state Constitution to allow a casino in West Warwick. The question is set to appear on the November ballot. The PBS program will be taped this afternoon and is scheduled to be aired locally at 7:30 p.m. on Channel 36. Another airing is planned for Sunday. -- With reports from Journal staff writer Scott Mayerowitz Posted by Steve Peoples at 1:32 PM | Comment Providence fire draws haz-mat team / Photo
PROVIDENCE – Firefighters have responded to a fire of lithium batteries at Northland Environment, at 275 Allens Ave., and the city’s hazardous-materials team is preparing to go, too. Firefighters cannot use water to battle the fire because of the way the lithium batteries react with water, according to James Taylor, chief of communications for the fire department. Taylor believes the fire is outside the building. More details are not yet available. Posted by Kate Bramson at 1:28 PM | Comment Terror plot: A peek at some bloggers' reactionsNot everyone is going into a panic over the news of the foiled terror plot. In a quick trip around the blogosphere, projo.com producer Sheila Lennon finds these reactions: - Just another day in the war on terror (from the blog of the managing editor of the Beaumont , Texas, Enterprise) Posted by Andrea Panciera at 12:53 PM | Comment S. Kingstown councilman pleads innocent to disorderly conductSOUTH KINGSTOWN -- Town Councilman Paul Tasich pleaded innocent to disorderly conduct today in District Court, Wakefield. He and his wife, Kimberly, were arrested late Friday after complaints about loud music and obscenities coming from their home at 33 Eagle Nest Terrace. The police charged Kimberly Tasich, 43, with simple assault against her daughter and a police officer, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. She pleaded innocent to all counts. They were released on personal recognizance. Tasich, 41, said he had no intention of resigning the council post he held for the past two years. ``The whole story will come out. ...I'm innocent until proven guilty,'' he said. He intends to seek re-election as a Democrat in November. -- Journal staff writer Katie Mulvaney Posted by Steve Peoples at 12:47 PM | Comment `Survivor' winner Richard Hatch says prison life is hardMORGANTOWN, W.Va. -- Richard Hatch, who won the $1 million prize on the debut season of Survivor, says he's finding it difficult to adjust to life in prison. Hatch, 45, of Newport, was convicted by a federal jury in January of failing to pay taxes on the prize and other income. He was sentenced in May to 51 months in prison by a judge who said the reality TV star had repeatedly lied on the witness stand. He arrived at the minimum-security facility in Morgantown on July 25. Hatch, who became known as the "fat naked guy" for refusing to wear clothes on the CBS show, is now required to wear khaki shirts and pants. "I'm doing lots of intake stuff, like clothing and getting to know the place ... but I don't think I will adjust to any of this until I can prove I was unethically prosecuted," he told The Dominion Post of Morgantown during a phone interview yesterday. Hatch said he will be tutoring inmates, helping them to earn their GEDs and hone their job-hunting skills. -- The Associated Press "Sure, people know my name ... there are 1,300-plus inmates who think they know me, so it's an interesting experience," he said. "They all have questions - want to know what this experience is like and what `Survivor' was about." While his lawyer works on his appeal, Hatch said he is using his time to read and write a book about his experiences on "Survivor" and his subsequent legal problems. "I'm focused on writing what has gone so terribly wrong," he said. Posted by Jack Perry at 12:39 PM | Comment Terror plot: URI expert says '100s of molecules' are explosiveThe British authorities have been vague enough on the type of liquid explosives that were suspected in the bomb plot that a URI chemistry professor and explosives expert says it's difficult to know yet exactly what the ingredients were -- and whether they were something common enough not to be detected. There are many types of liquid explosives -- Timothy McVeigh used fuel oil and fertilizer to explode a Ryder truck parked outside the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City in 1995 -- says URI professor Jimmie Oxley. "Truthfully, there are hundreds of molecules that are explosive, just as there are hundreds of molecules that are sweet," she said today. The professor has served on committees for the National Research Council in studying airport security. While bottle-screening equipment is being developed and becoming available since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Oxley said the technology still isn't perfect. But she predicts the technology will be pressed to improve soon, because of the thwarted plot in the United Kingdom. The plot "doesn't surprise me," Oxley said. "It makes me really sad." The first attack on the World Trade Center, in 1993, broke down the barrier that the United States was invulnerable, she said. "Mankind can always figure out how to be nasty," Oxley said. -- Journal staff writer Amanda Milkovits Posted by Steve Peoples at 12:27 PM | Comment Terror plot: A list of items restricted from carry-on bagsAirline passengers cannot carry the following items on board with them, although they can check them: Anything in aerosol cans, beverages, creams, hair and other gels or anything of similar consistency, liquids of any kind, lotion, perfume, shampoo, suntan lotion, toothpaste. The following can be brought on airplanes: Baby formula or breast milk in bottles – as long as the passenger is actually traveling with a baby For more information on the latest restrictions, check the Transportation Security Administration’s website. Posted by Kate Bramson at 11:56 AM | Comment Terror plot: Tossed away at Green / Photo
Trash cans at T.F. Green Airport in Warwick this morning were filled with water bottles, cups, deodorant and shaving cream cans as passengers were prohibited from carrying on many items after a terror threat was foiled in London. Posted by Jack Perry at 11:00 AM | Comment Terror plot: Romney activates Guard for LoganBOSTON -- Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney on today activated the National Guard to help with security at Logan International Airport for the first time since the Sept. 11 terror attacks, after a terror plot targeting U.S.-bound flights was foiled in London. The security alert was raised at Logan and airports around the nation early today after officials in Great Britain disrupted a plan to blow up airplanes from Great Britain to the United States. Read the full Associated Press story. Posted by Jack Perry at 10:31 AM | Comment Ah summer, hot with a chance of a thunderstormPROVIDENCE – There’s a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms after 3 p.m. today, which has prompted the National Weather Service to issue a hazardous weather outlook for the region. As a cold front moves through the region, there’s a chance of thunderstorms that could produce gusty winds and small hail. Expect the high today to be near 85 degrees. As we’re heading into a long weekend, looks like a warm and partly cloudy weekend is on tap. Check back with us for weather updates throughout the day. Posted by Kate Bramson at 7:01 AM | Comment Terror plot: First flight from Logan to Heathrow canceledBOSTON -- The terrorist threat to blow up airplanes that was uncovered in Great Britain affected Logan Airport in Boston, prompting at least two flights to be canceled and forcing delays on others because of strict searches of passengers and airline crews. The first flight to Britain's busy Heathrow Airport - American Airlines Flight 156 that was due to leave Logan at 9 a.m. was cancelled, according to John Hotard, American Airlines spokesman in Ft. Worth, Texas. American Airlines Flight 95 from Heathrow to Logan also was canceled. Read the full Associated Press story. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:01 AM | Comment August 9, 2006Defense: Derderian not responsible for overcrowdingPROVIDENCE -- Lawyers for Station nightclub co-owner Michael Derderian filed a motion in Superior Court today arguing that their client wasn't responsible for overcrowding at the club on the night of the fire that killed 100 people. The motion cites a state law that says occupancy should be supervised "by the responsible management or person...delegated that responsibility" and that the maximum occupancy should be visible "on a sign posted by the state fire marshal's office." There was no sign, the attorneys argue, and Derderian wasn't in the club during the fire so he couldn't have been "the responsible management or person" referred to in the law. Derderian is one of two brothers who owned The Station, a West Warwick nightclub that burned down in February 2003, killing 100 people. His trial on involuntary manslaughter charges is scheduled to begin with jury selection on Sept. 5. The trial for his brother, Jeffrey A. Derderian, is expected to follow. Today's motion, which sheds light on at least one defense strategy less than a month before the trial's scheduled start date, cited testimony from former West Warwick fire marshal Denis Larocque, who acknowledged there was no sign regarding club capacity posted at the club. "Because the state fire marshal never provided the sign required [by the law], and because Michael Derderian was not present at the time of the fire, he cannot be deemed the 'person responsible' for occupancy ... " reads the motion. The filing asks Superior Court Judge Francis J. Darigan to issue an order banning any prosecutor or witness from suggesting Derderian was responsible for club capacity. And it asks Darigan to instruct the jury that "any person who was not present at the time of the fire cannot be deemed responsible for the occupancy at the time of the fire." A hearing has not yet been scheduled for Darigan to rule on today's motion. -- projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples Posted by Steve Peoples at 6:53 PM | Comment 41 witnesses named by Derderian defensePROVIDENCE -- Attorneys for Station nightclub co-owner Michael Derderian filed a motion in Superior Court today listing 41 witnesses expected to testify for the defense in their client's looming trial. The defense list includes a host of West Warwick police and fire officials and several building code and fire inspection experts. Derderian's attorney indicated in today's motion that the defense would have listed more people, but that some of them were already among the 257 potential witnesses subpoenaed by the prosecution last month. For a full list of the witnesses, click here. Michael Derderian and his brother, Jeffrey Derderian, the nightclub's other owner, each are charged with 200 counts of involuntary manslaughter, 2 for each of the 100 people who died in the Feb. 20, 2003, fire, at their West Warwick club. Michael Derderian's trial is slated to begin Sept. 5 with jury selection. Jeffrey Derderian's trial is expected to follow his brother's. Posted by Steve Peoples at 5:57 PM | Comment Update: Rt. 95 south open after truck fireHOPKINTON – All lanes are cleared and open after the State Police temporarily closed Interstate 95 south at Exit 2 because of a tractor trailer fire. Traffic had been diverted to Route 3, according to an alert issued by the state Department of Transportation. No other details were immediately available.
Posted by Steve Peoples at 2:33 PM | Comment Cumberland motorcyclist improving after crashA 21-year-old Cumberland man is in fair condition at Rhode Island Hospital this afternoon, a day after his motorcycle collided with a car on Mendon Road. Joseph P. Borges, of 150 Staples Road, was riding south yesterday afternoon on a 1988 Suzuki motorcycle when he collided with a 2002 Chrysler sedan driven by Eugene Turgeon, of 65 Heroux Blvd., Cumberland. The police say Turgeon, driving in the northbound lane, was making a left turn into a Shell gas station at 3492 Mendon Rd. Borges, who was not wearing a helmet, was taken to Rhode Island Hospital and was listed in critical condition late last night, according to Lt. James Coyne. Turgeon and his passenger, Estelle D. Turgeon, were not injured.
Posted by Steve Peoples at 1:43 PM | Comment Poll finds Carcieri, Fogarty still deadlockedThe race for Rhode Island's next governor continues to be a tossup, according to an independent poll released today showing that voter sentiment about the state's high-profile races has not changed substantially in the past month, despite a barrage of media advertisements from each campaign. Governor Carcieri and his Democratic opponent, Lt. Gov. Charles J. Fogarty, each received support from 43 percent of 500 likely voters polled Aug. 3 by Rasmussen Reports. Carcieri trailed Fogarty 43 to 42 percent in last month's Rasmussen survey. Today's poll also showed that U.S. Sen. Lincoln Chafee, for the second consecutive month, trails Democratic challenger Sheldon Whitehouse, this time by 6 points: 38 percent support the Republican incumbent, 44 percent picked Whitehouse, and 11 percent said they weren't sure. The poll's margin of error is 4.5 percent. Whitehouse continues to enjoy a double-digit lead over Cranston Mayor Stephen P. Laffey, 55 percent to 31 percent. -- projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples Posted by Steve Peoples at 1:33 PM | Comment Cranston man pleads guilty to fatally stabbing brotherMichael F. O'Connor, 30, pleaded guilty this morning to fatally stabbing his older brother in September 2004. He will be sentenced on manslaughter charges on Oct. 17. He faces up to 30 years in prison, but his lawyer, Matthew B. Smith, plans to ask for no prison term, saying O'Connor had been attacked by his brother after the two returned to their mother's Cranston home after a day fishing in Jamestown. Daniel O'Connor, 37, who lived with Michael O'Connor and other family members at 140 Bluff Ave., was found at their mother's house with a fatal wound to his upper left chest, according to the police. The brothers had spent much of Saturday together and argued periodically before matters escalated to an early-morning knife fight. -- Journal staff writer Benjamin N. Gedan Posted by Steve Peoples at 12:53 PM | Comment 800 potential jurors sought for Station fire trialEight hundred Kent County residents will be summoned as potential jurors for the Michael A. Derderian trial in letters mailed tomorrow and Friday. The potential jurors will be told to report to the new Kent County Court House, Warwick, in groups of 200 on Sept. 5 and 6, at four different times – 8:30 a.m. both mornings and 1:30 p.m. both afternoons, according to John O’Hara, the state’s deputy jury commissioner, who works in Kent, Newport and Washington counties. More typically, the court sends summons letters to about 80 people and then selects from that pool for two to three trials, O’Hara said. Derderian is one of two brothers who owned the The Station, a West Warwick nightclub that burned down in February 2003, killing 100 people. His trial on involuntary manslaughter charges is scheduled to begin with jury selection on Sept. 5. The trial for his brother, Jeffrey A. Derderian, is set to follow. -- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson The summons letters will carry no indication that potential jurors are being called for the Derderian trial, O’Hara said. They will be the court’s standard summons letters, although no summons letters for any other trials are going out today, tomorrow or Friday, O’Hara said. In order to be called for jury duty, O’Hara said, people must meet at least one of the following qualifications within the last year: be a registered voter, be a licensed driver, have a valid form of identification from the registry of motor vehicles, have filed an income tax return or have collected unemployment compensation. The court is seeking people who have not formed an opinion on the case. Posted by Kate Bramson at 11:45 AM | Comment Boston Bruins' president stepping downHarry Sinden, who coached the Boston Bruins to a Stanley Cup championship in 1970 and then served the franchise as general manager and, later, team president from 1972 to 2006, is stepping down. The Bruins announced this morning that Sinden will now serve as an advisor to owner Jeremy Jacobs, and that his hockey responsibilities will be assumed by new general manager Peter Chiarelli. More details on projo.com's Bruins Blog. Posted by Art at 10:17 AM | Comment City firefighter hospitalized after battling morning firePROVIDENCE – One firefighter was taken to Rhode Island Hospital this morning for high-blood pressure after fighting an early morning fire in the machine room of a commercial building at 60 King St. He’s under evaluation, and his condition is unavailable at this time, according to James Taylor, chief of communications for the Fire Department. Reported at 3:12 a.m., the fire was under control at 3:53 a.m., Fire Lt. Kevin Gomes said. According to Providence property records, the building used for manufacturing is owned by Independent Management Llc. Firefighters quickly extinguished another early morning fire. The 3:44 a.m. fire at 1 Valley St., the Olney Towers apartment complex, was under control by 3:58 a.m., Gomes said. No evacuations were necessary, and there were no injuries from the fire that started in a dumpster in the trash room, at the base of a trash chute, Gomes said. Posted by Kate Bramson at 8:55 AM | Comment Bruschi has broken wrist, will miss preseason gamesFOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- New England Patriots linebacker Tedy Bruschi has a broken wrist and will not play in any preseason games, Coach Bill Belichick said early today through a team spokesman. It was not clear whether Bruschi, 33, will be available for the Patriots' regular-season opener Sept. 10 against the Buffalo Bills. Bruschi was injured July 31, likely in morning practice, and has missed the team's last 10 workouts. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:22 AM | Comment Big Dig ramp reopens after closing for safety concernsBOSTON -- Boston drivers could look to some traffic improvement today with the reopening of a Big Dig tunnel ramp that had been closed for repairs and inspections after a deadly ceiling collapse in a nearby section of the $14.6 billion highway system. The reopened ramp funnels drivers south of the city toward Logan International Airport through the eastbound Ted Williams Tunnel. The ramp was closed after tons of concrete panels fell from the ceiling in a nearby connector tunnel July 10, crushing a passing motorist. Read the full Associated Press story. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:07 AM | Comment Off to a pleasant start, day should see high of 81PROVIDENCE – The air this morning was rather chilly, wasn’t it? We’ve got a beautiful, sunny day with highs around 81 predicted, but still, wasn’t it nice to feel some cool air early today? At 6:15 a.m., it was actually just 57 degrees. Tonight, the low should be around 61. Cool enough to turn those air conditioners off at night and sleep with the windows open. For those of you allergy sufferers, take note that the pollen count is hovering at a medium-high level today and tomorrow. Stick with us through the day for the latest conditions and forecasts from projo.com. Posted by Kate Bramson at 7:06 AM | Comment August 8, 2006Big Dig ramp to reopen at midnightBOSTON -- A Big Dig ramp, closed amid safety concerns in the wake of the deadly collapse of a nearby tunnel ceiling, will reopen at midnight tonight, Gov. Mitt Romney said. The eastbound ramp funnels traffic toward the Ted Williams Tunnel and Boston's Logan International Airport, and is key to easing traffic congestion originating south of the city. The ramp was closed shortly after an accident July 10 that killed a 39-year-old woman as she and her husband drove through a connector tunnel and their car was crushed by 12 tons of falling ceiling panels. Since the accident, authorities have zeroed in on the bolt-and-epoxy system that failed to hold suspended ceiling panels in place where Milena Del Valle was killed. Inspections have revealed slippage in dozens of other tunnel locations, and workers have been reinforcing potentially weak connections. -- Associated Press Posted by Andrea Panciera at 6:52 PM | Comment Party for Corrente kicks off R.I. film fest tonightPROVIDENCE – The Rhode Island International Film Festival opens today, a whirlwind event set to air 283 films in the next six days. Tonight, festival organizers plan to show 10 "amazing short films which will include three noteworthy animations,” starting at 7 p.m. at the Columbus Theater on Broadway. For a full schedule and ticket information check the festival's Web site. -- projo.com staff writers Kate Bramson and Steve Peoples Posted by Steve Peoples at 6:14 PM | Comment Update: Judge denies bid to block casino questionPROVIDENCE -- A federal judge refused to intervene in the state casino debate today, rejecting a bid to block a ballot question planned for November that would amend the state Constitution to allow a casino in West Warwick. But U.S. District Judge William E. Smith hinted that the proposed amendment may be unconstitutional and left open the possibility of revisiting the issue in the future, even after the election. "Even if the measure passes in November, it must pass through the judicial gauntlet (this Court and the Court of Appeals) before it becomes a constitutional fixture," he wrote. In the nine-page opinion released this afternoon, Smith said "that while plaintiffs and the attorney general have raised serious constitutional questions regarding the proposed constitutional amendment, the dispute is simply not yet ripe for adjudication." Interfering with "an election is one of the most drastic powers of equity within the arsenal of the federal district court. While this court clearly has that power, prudence requires enormous discretion in its exercise." The ballot question asks voters to approve a constitutional amendment to allow a casino to be privately built and run by the Narragansett Indians and their partner, Harrah's, in West Warwick. The state Constitution currently allows state-operated gambling facilities. -- projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples Today's ruling comes in response to a lawsuit brought by the Town of Johnston and Colorado developer David H. Nunes, who tried to build a casino in Johnston. Joined by the attorney general's office, they argued that the amendment would violate the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. The judge today suggested that the proposed casino may indeed be unconstitutional on the very grounds argued by its opponents. But he said that the attorney general's office and others failed to convince the court of the "irreparable harm" that would result in the ballot question going forward. The judge also pointed out that there's a good chance that voters would reject the question, rendering his intervention unnecessary. "This court may never be called upon to rule on the constitutionality of the proposed amendment: the electorate may vote it down in November," Smith wrote. "Courts should not wade into constitutionally torrid waters unless doing so is unavoidable." Posted by Steve Peoples at 5:42 PM | Comment Police: Hit-run victim was Providence man, 33PROVIDENCE -- The police have identified the victim of the fatal hit-and-run yesterday on the Union Avenue exit ramp of Route 10 south. Jose Ruiz, 33, of Providence, was struck by two separate vehicles and killed as he was walking in the area, authorities said today. The drivers fled the scene before rescue crews arrived. The police are still searching for the vehicles involved, identified as a Honda, color and model unknown, with a missing driver’s side mirror, and a silver Mercedes Benz Coupe SL, possibly a 2003 model, bearing a temporary Rhode Island registration. Anyone with information about the accident is asked to call the police's Hit and Run Squad at (401) 243-6409. -- projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples Posted by Steve Peoples at 3:36 PM | Comment Immigration protesters get hostile reception in R.I. / Photo
Counter-protesters gave them a hostile reception outside the State House, with bullhorn-amplified shouts of "Get Up! Get Down! Get the Racists Out of Our Town!" "Oh yeah, this is about the tenth state where we’ve had opposition," said Howard J. Wooldridge of Colorado, ride coordinator and 55-year-old retired police detective from Colorado. Wooldridge said he advocates an end to illegal immigration, "and then the discussion is, what number (of legal immigrants) to bring in every year." The group’s 17,000-mile journey to 48 state capitols began in Colorado. It will wrap up Saturday in Washington, D.C., Wooldridge said. The face-off ended without incident, and the riders roared out at 10:30. -- Journal staff writer Karen Lee Ziner Posted by Jack Perry at 1:30 PM | Comment Ferry carts disaster supplies to Block Island / Photo
Prompted by the devastation left by Hurricane Katrina in the South, FEMA officials loaded one truck with enough supplies -- cots, blankets, wheelchairs, and a generator -- for 250 people and stuffed other items -- 3,300 bottles of water and 7,000 military-issued Meals Ready to Eat -- in the tractor trailer. The trucks were moved onto the regular passenger ferry in Galilee as tourists with beach chairs and duffel bags looked on. -- With reports from Journal staff writer Amanda Milkovits Posted by Steve Peoples at 1:21 PM | Comment One-two blasts demolish bridge's underwater piersJAMESTOWN -- Demolition teams successfully blew up two underwater piers on the old Jamestown Bridge this morning -- with a small hitch. The explosions were supposed to destroy piers 9 and 10 at the same time, but the first blast apparently disconnected the line to the second pier, forcing crew members to reconnect the underwater line, according to Wilfred Hernandez, project engineer for the state Department of Transportation. The blasts took place at about 10:30 and 11 a.m., respectively. Officials planned to stop traffic on the new bridge for about a half hour after each explosion. Previous blasts this spring brought down the span's center section and trusses at each end and attracted large crowds to the scene. There are still about two dozen underwater piers that must be cleared from the old bridge. The next set of underwater explosions is planned in about three weeks. -- With reports from Journal staff writer Randal Edgar Posted by Steve Peoples at 1:16 PM | Comment Capco Steel worker killed in accident ID'dPROVIDENCE -- Police today released the identity of the Capco Steel employee killed late last week in an apparent work accident. John Maki, 60, of Cranston, was working inside the company's 25 Acorn St. facility when he was hit in the head with a piece of steel. He was pronounced dead at 11 a.m. last Friday "due to a work-related accident," according to an incident report released by the police today. Maki spent the past 14 years working as a welding supervisor for Capco, which is the largest steel manufacturer in Rhode Island. Maki's funeral was held this morning, according to his published obituary. He was to be buried in St. Ann Cemetery in Cranston. -- projo.com staff writers Steve Peoples and Kate Bramson Posted by Steve Peoples at 12:31 PM | Comment Lieberman pitches voters heading to Connecticut pollsHARTFORD, Conn. -- Democratic Sen. Joe Lieberman, locked in a battle with a political novice fueled by anti-war sentiment, crisscrossed the state in a final attempt keep his Senate seat and reassure voters going to the polls today in Connecticut's primary election. Lieberman planned stops in Stratford, Shelton, New Haven, Waterbury, Bristol and Hartford today, where polls opened at 6 a.m. If defeated, Lieberman would be only the fourth incumbent senator since 1980 to lose a primary election. The three-term senator, nationally known for his centrist views, has endured harsh criticism in his home state for supporting the Iraq war and has been labeled by some Democrats as too close to Republicans and President Bush. -- The Associated Press Posted by Jack Perry at 12:24 PM | Comment Update: High court rules against Carcieri on ballot issuePROVIDENCE -- The state Supreme Court ruled today that the governor cannot order the Secretary of State to place two nonbinding ballot questions on the November ballot, reversing part of a recent Superior Court ruling. The order upholds the General Assembly's arguments, and effectively strips Governor Carcieri of his power to place nonbinding questions on the ballot. "Now that the time has come for the Secretary [of State] to perform his statutorily prescribed duties, the governor no longer has the authority to compel the secretary to honor that previously issued order," writes the court in its seven-page decision. Last month, Superior Court Judge Stephen J. Fortunato surprised everyone by addressing the constitutionality of nonbinding ballot questions as a whole. While the General Assembly approved a bill stripping the governor of that right, Fortunato ruled that the governor didn't need the Assembly's permission to do so. The Supreme Court said that Fortunato overstepped his authority in his sweeping ruling. "In our opinion, the hearing justice should not have reached a perceived constitutional ground that was not raised or argued by the parties. Neither this court nor the Superior Court should decide constitutional issues unless it is absolutely necessary to do so," writes the court. Carcieri said he was upset with today's ruling. “I’m very disappointed that the people of Rhode Island will not have an opportunity to voice their opinions on these two important questions. The two questions that I had ordered placed on the ballot – voter initiative and a constitutional cap on government taxes and spending – are tremendously important issues for Rhode Island’s future," he said in a statement. "Rhode Islanders should have had the chance to voice their support or their disapproval for these two critical public policy matters.” Carcieri said he'd introduce a bill during the next legislative session to "restore the people's right" to vote on non-binding questions in the future. "The people’s right to express themselves on important public policy matters must be restored,” he said. Read the full decision by the high court. -- projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples Posted by Steve Peoples at 11:58 AM | Comment Decision stands, West Warwick candidate stays on the ballotWEST WARWICK -- The state Supreme Court has declined to hear the case filed by a town resident challenging the legitimacy of a State House candidacy. The court’s decision, filed today, means the State Board of Elections’ ruling -- to allow Patricia A. Serpa to run for the District 27 House seat – stands. Resident Alan G. Palazzo had filed his appeal with the state’s highest court of the Board of Elections’ decision to uphold a ruling by the West Warwick Board of Canvassers that allowed Serpa to continue as a candidate. Read more about this case in the Journal. Posted by Kate Bramson at 10:55 AM | Comment One of state's most wanted criminals nabbed in NYCOne of Rhode Island’s most wanted criminals -- charged with first-degree child molestation -- has been arrested by U.S. marshals and New York City police officers in the Bronx, N.Y. Maximo Guerrero, 53, of 21 Star St. in Pawtucket is now being held in New York pending an extradition hearing, according to a news release issued today by Pawtucket Police Major John J. Whiting Guerrero is charged with first-degree child molestation for incidents on Star Street over the past eight years involving a girl who is now 12, according to Whiting and information on the state’s most wanted criminals website. Guerrero’s arrest was the result of a joint investigation by the Pawtucket and Providence police departments and the Rhode Island Children’s Advocacy Center, a program of Day One, The Sexual Assault & Trauma Resource Center, according to Whiting. When the initial complaint against Guerrero was filed, he was believed to have fled the state, according to the Pawtucket police. Investigators later learned that he was hiding in the Bronx. Posted by Kate Bramson at 10:23 AM | Comment Pawtucket teen ID'd as victim in fatal ATV crashPAWTUCKET – The police have identified the teenager who died yesterday in an all-terrain vehicle accident as an 18-year-old Pawtucket man. Josh S. Lebrun, of 90 Cameron St., sustained a serious head injury and was unresponsive at the accident scene after the ATV he was driving hit a tree in Slater Park, according to a news release just issued by Pawtucket Police Major John J. Whiting. Lebrun, who also hit the tree, was later pronounced dead at Memorial Hospital of Rhode Island, according to the police. The police have also identified Lebrun’s passenger, who was thrown from the rear of the ATV, as Samuel Saviano, 19, or 100 West Cole St. in Pawtucket. Saviano narrowly missed striking the tree himself and landed on the ground several feet beyond it, the police said today. Saviano was treated for his injuries, which the police have not detailed, at Memorial Hospital of Rhode Island, according to the news release. Operating ATVs and other motorized vehicles is prohibited in Slater Park, according to the police. Posted by Kate Bramson at 9:08 AM | Comment Ruling on casino question expected todayPROVIDENCE – The federal judge charged with deciding the fate of the casino ballot question expects to rule on the issue by the close of business today. U.S. District Judge William E. Smith said he will focus on whether the Narragansett Indian Tribe would profit from a casino in West Warwick because the tribe is a political entity or because of the ethnic or racial background of its members. Smith is mulling over whether voters should be allowed to decide if the state Constitution should be amended to allow a casino in West Warwick. Tomorrow is the Secretary of State Office’s deadline for printing the November ballot. Posted by Kate Bramson at 7:41 AM | Comment Underwater blasts today for old Jamestown BridgeMotorists and boaters could spend some time idling near the old Jamestown Bridge today as demolition work continues on the bridge. A series of underwater explosions is planned between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., according to the state Department of Transportation. Instead of closing the nearby Jamestown-Verrazano Bridge altogether for half-hour periods, as initially planned, state troopers plan to block bridge traffic by "traveling very slowly in all lanes of travel and momentarily clearing traffic from the bridge," the DOT said in a statement. The Coast Guard plans to set a 3,000-foot safety zone on either side of the bridge during the detonations. The underwater explosions will involve two detonations on the North Kingstown side of Narragansett Bay. The explosives will remove two piers to the mud line, about 15 feet deep, according to the DOT. The explosions will not be as spectacular as the above-water detonations earlier in the year , the DOT said. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:08 AM | Comment Partly cloudy today with a chance of showers laterThe National Weather Service in Taunton, Mass., forecasts a partly cloudy day with a high near 86 degrees and a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms after 3 p.m. Tonight will also be partly cloudy before gradually clearing, the weather service says. For more weather and regular updates, see projo.com/weather. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:00 AM | Comment August 7, 2006Update: Vandalism probed at water office in Big River area / Photo
WEST GREENWICH -- State authorities are searching for clues, fingerprints and other physical evidence at a government office in the Big River Management Area where vandals spray-painted swastikas and obscenities over the weekend. A state employee discovered the vandalism on the state Water Resources Board field office building at 612 Nooseneck Hill Road yesterday morning after receiving calls from nearby residents. “It appears the building was not broken into, but there’s a fair amount of graffiti,’’ said Capt. James Swanberg, the Southern District commander for the Rhode Island State Police. “It’s not the normal graffiti you find in the city. This is more vandalism than tagging. It looked like someone had a mission.” The markings were in black spray paint and found on all sides of the building, Swanberg said. The field office mailbox was smashed, the mail inside the box was scattered over the front lawn, and some of it was destroyed. It included several rent checks from the 37 commercial properties that the water board owns. The front door was not broken, but some window screens were torn. The building, an old white Cape Cod, is the agency’s field office in the Big River Management Area, an 8,600-acre expanse that stretches from West Greenwich to Coventry, said Juan Mariscal, the board’s general manager. State authorities believe the crime happened sometime between late Saturday night and early Sunday morning. It was discovered by Elaine Maguire, the board’s property manager and the only person who works at that location. She was not there when the incident occurred, police said. “I know she [Maguire] was doing evictions on the property,” Swanberg said. “We are looking at all different angles.” -- Journal staff writer Lisa Vernon-Sparks Mariscal said, “The rent checks were destroyed and strewn across the front lawn. All four sides of the building predominated [with graffiti] plus vulgar or threatening language. It is language I would never use. It’s very graphic and disgusting. Something you’d hear in a movie. They may be X-rated statements.” He said there were other threatening messages, such as “Leave us alone,’’ “We are coming for you’’ and “Tax this.’’ “I would think we are very good neighbors. We have demonstrated we are very good neighbors,’’ Mariscal said. “It must be someone that has a gripe with the Water Resources Board. I can’t even begin to imagine who that might be.’’ -- Journal staff writer Lisa Vernon-Sparks Posted by Steve Peoples at 6:56 PM | Comment Underwater blasts tomorrow for old Jamestown spanA series of underwater explosions are planned tomorrow as the demolition of the old Jamestown Bridge continues. The explosions will not be as spectacular as the above-water detonations earlier in the year, but traffic will be slightly affected from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., according to the state Department of Transportation. Instead of closing the new bridge altogether for half-hour blocks, as initially planned, state troopers plan to execute a "rolling block" on bridge traffic by "traveling very slowly in all lanes of travel and momentarily clearing traffic from the bridge," the DOT said in a statement. Tomorrow's underwater explosions will involve two detonations on the North Kingstown side of Narragansett Bay. The explosives will remove two piers to the mud line, about 15 feet deep, according to the DOT. These detonations are among the last steps involved in razing the old bridge that once connected North Kingstown and Jamestown. The contractor has spent the past several weeks using jackhammer-like devices to break apart the concrete piers to the waterline. The Coast Guard plans to establish a 3,000-foot safety zone on either side of the bridge during tomorrow's detonations. If delayed due to weather, alternative dates are Wednesday, Aug. 9, and Thursday, Aug. 10. The forecast for those days, however, is for fair weather. -- projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples Posted by Steve Peoples at 6:46 PM | Comment Police officer misses deer, hits treeSOUTH KINGSTOWN -- A veteran police officer plans to spend the night in the hospital after hitting a tree to avoid a deer on a rural Matunuck road today. The officer, Robert L. Simeone, was taken by town rescue workers to South County Hospital, where he was listed in stable condition this afternoon. Simeone was on routine patrol on Matunuck Schoolhouse Road when a deer apparently darted in front of his 2004 Crown Victoria just after noon. Under South Kingstown's policy, the investigation was turned over to the State Police. No other car was involved. -- Journal staff writer Paul DavisPosted by Steve Peoples at 5:52 PM | Comment DEM: Still no signs of West Nile virus or EEEPROVIDENCE -- The state Department of Enviromental Management announced today that tests of dozens mosquito pools from across the state showed no evidence of the West Nile virus or Eastern Equine Encephalitis. Despite some recent positive tests in southeastern Massachusetts, testing done throughout the summer in Rhode Island has shown no instances of the diseases, according to DEM. But heavy rains in July mean that more mosquitoes have hatched, raising the possibility of disease transmission, DEM said in a statement released today. Residents are encouraged to protect themselves by eliminating mosquito breeding grounds -- such as pools of standing water -- and wearing long clothes to minimize exposed skin. Posted by Steve Peoples at 5:43 PM | Comment Warwick man wins $60,000 on scratch ticketA Warwick man won $60,000 on a scratch ticket over the weekend, the Rhode Island Lottery announced today. The man, whom the lottery did not identify, purchased a $10 scratch ticket on Saturday from the Lakewood Liquor on Warwick Avenue in Warwick. He has no immediate plans for the prize money, according to the lottery. Posted by Steve Peoples at 5:37 PM | Comment Update: Judge will rule tomorrow on casino ballot questionPROVIDENCE -- A federal judge will decide tomorrow whether a proposal to amend the state Constitution to allow a casino in West Warwick will appear on the November ballot. U.S. District Court Judge William E. Smith heard arguments this afternoon from several lawyers, including the two partners in the proposal, the Narragansett Indians and Harrah's Entertainment. Attorneys for the town of Johnston and Ajax Gaming Ventures, which had ties to developer Donald Trump, alleged that Rhode Island lawmakers illegally gave Harrah’s a monopoly. Smith suggested there would be no problem with the question if the tribe, as a political entity, would benefit from a casino. However, if tribal members would benefit solely by their ethnic or racial background, not as a sovereign nation, then the question would probably be unconstitutional under the equal protection clause. Smith said he would issue his ruling by the close of business tomorrow, the day before the Secretary of State Office's deadline for printing the November ballots. -- With reports from Journal staff writer Scott Mayerowitz Posted by Steve Peoples at 3:32 PM | Comment Patriots' Rodney Harrison returns to actionFOXBORO -- Rodney Harrison, who became the heart and soul of the Patriots' defense in his two years at safety before suffering a career-threatening knee injury in the third game of last season, is back on the field. The Patriots today removed Harrison, and four other players, from their Physically Unable To Perform list. Harrison is on the field with the Pats this afternoon for their regularly scheduled practice. For more information, go to projo.com's Patriots Blog. Posted by Art at 3:01 PM | Comment Update: Providence police seek 2 cars in fatal hit-and-runPROVIDENCE – The police are searching for suspects in connection with the hit-and-run death of a pedestrian early this morning on the Union Avenue exit ramp of Route 10 south. The police believe the man, whose identity is being withheld pending notification of his family, was struck by two separate vehicles, according to a press release just issued by Police Chief Dean M. Esserman. Specifically, the police are searching for two cars they believe may have been involved in the accident. They are asking anyone with information about the accident to contact the department’s Hit and Run Squad at (401) 243-6409. They have identified the vehicles as a Honda, color and model unknown, with a missing driver’s side mirror, and a silver Mercedes Benz Coupe SL, possibly a 2003 model, bearing a temporary Rhode Island registration. The investigators are not releasing the plate number of the second vehicle, according to the news release, until they can ascertain ownership of the vehicle. Fire and police crews were called to the scene around 12:55 a.m. with the report of a pedestrian struck on the off ramp, according to James Taylor, the Fire Department’s chief of communications. Posted by Kate Bramson at 1:36 PM | Comment Westerly officer pleads not guilty to sex assaultSOUTH KINGSTOWN -- Westerly police Officer Don M. Thompson pleaded not guilty this morning to two counts of second-degree sexual assault. Judge Edwin J. Gale, sitting in Washington County Superior Court, ordered Thompson released on $10,000 personal recognizance bail and scheduled a Sept. 18 pre-trial conference. Thompson, a six-year officer on the force, was charged after he was accused of assaulting a 17-year-old hostess at a Misquamicut restaurant. State police said Thompson followed the teenager to her car after speaking to her intermittently throughout the night at Paddy's Beach restaurant and bar. The state police said Thompson touched the girl, who resisted, and then exposed himself. -- projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples The teenager reported the incident to the police, who found Thompson at the Atlantic Avenue restaurant, records show. He then drove away at a "high rate of speed," despite commands to stop. He was located at the Venice Restaurant on Shore Road and taken to the Westerly Police Department under suspicion for driving under the influence of alcohol. Thompson has been suspended without pay since his arrest on June 26, said Westerly Chief Edward A. Mello. -- projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples Posted by Steve Peoples at 12:45 PM | Comment Update: High court hears ballot question argumentsPROVIDENCE -- The state Supreme Court this morning heard oral arguments on whether the governor has the power to put nonbinding resolutions on the state ballot. Governor Carcieri wants to put two nonbinding measures on the ballot, relating to a state spending cap and a voter initiative program. The legislature voted in the past session to strip the governor of the authority. Supreme Court justices peppered both sides with questions and seemed cool to the suggestion that the executive branch had an "inherent right" to place nonbinding questions on the ballot. Chief Judge Frank J. Williams said the court would do its best to give a decision in time for the Secretary of State to have the ballots printed; tomorrow is the deadline to get that portion of the ballot to the printer without the state having to pay a higher price. Find more background in today's Journal story. -- Journal staff writer Mark Arsenault Posted by Jack Perry at 11:56 AM | Comment Seekonk crash victim was recent high school gradSEEKONK -- Myles J. Goulart of Seekonk was identified by police Sgt. Frank John today as the 18-year-old man who was killed Friday night after the car he was driving crashed into a fire hydrant and then hit a tree at 83 Bradley St. Goulart, a recent graduate of Seekonk High School, was pronounced dead at Rhode Island Hospital Friday night. John also identified Carl Danielson, 19, and Lee A. Trahan, 18, also a recent Seekonk High School graduate, as the two passengers that accompanied Goulart. Danielson and Trahan were taken to Rhode Island Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, the police said. The police are still investigating whether the men were wearing seatbelts, John said. -- Journal staff writer Justin Amoah Posted by Kate Bramson at 11:48 AM | Comment R.I. gas prices drop for the first time in 5 weeksGasoline prices in Rhode Island have fallen for the first time in more than a month, but they didn't fall by much -- just one penny per gallon, according to AAA Southern New England. The average price for regular, unleaded gasoline is $3.10 per gallon at the self-service pump, according to AAA's weekly price survey. The price had climbed five straight weeks before falling this week, but the break could be short-lived, since prices are expected to increase nationally with BP's shutting off shipments from a major Alaskan oil field while the company assesses pipeline corrosion. Posted by Jack Perry at 10:28 AM | Comment Acquistion, retirement costs weigh down LIN TVLIN TV, the owner and operator of 30 television stations around the country including Channel 12, today reported a net loss of $244 million in the second quarter. That figure includes a $91 million tax benefit. Without it, the company posted a loss of $335.7 million for the quarter. Revenues grew in the quarter by 17 percent, the company said. But if The company said acquisition expenses for those seven stations were booked in the second quarter. Those costs, the company said, included "an impairment charge" of $333.6 million relating to a loss of goodwill. LIN posted an operating loss of $315.1 million in the second quarter as compared to an operating gain of $23.9 million for the same period last year. The company today also said its second quarter results were weighed down by the $5.6 million it paid to its former chairman and chief executive officer, Gary R. Chapman. Posted by Peter Phipps at 8:27 AM | Comment Small craft advisory and thunderstorms predictedPROVIDENCE – Boaters, beware of a small craft advisory in effect from 11 a.m. today through evening, for coastal waters from the Merrimack River in Massachusetts to Watch Hill, R.I. Showers and thunderstorms are also forecast for the region. The showers and thunderstorms will become more widespread across central and western New England late this afternoon and by evening should hit all of southern New England. The weather service warns that there is a slight risk that much of southern New England will experience severe thunderstorms today. Heavy rainfall and flooding are possible. As for temps, expect a high around 84 today and a nighttime low around 68. Get the latest conditions and forecasts from projo.com. Posted by Kate Bramson at 7:08 AM | Comment August 4, 2006Patriots cancel Saturday practicePlanning on attending Patriots' practice tomorrow? Change your plans. The team announced late this afternoon that tomorrow's scheduled session has been canceled. The team thus will have the weekend off, and won't return to the practice field until Monday. -- TOM E. CURRAN Posted by Art at 7:05 PM | Comment Photo: Arriving for a bit of fresh air
Posted by Andrea Panciera at 6:23 PM | Comment Update: Worker struck by steel, killed at CapcoPROVIDENCE – A worker was killed this morning at Capco Steel after he was struck in the head with a piece of steel. Fire and police crews responded to the accident at 25 Acorn St., around 10:50 a.m., according to James Taylor, the Fire Department’s chief of communications. Details about the man's identity and how the accident happened are not yet available. Company officials at the site refused to comment. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration, however, confirmed late this afternoon that it is investigating the incident. Capco Steel is also the steel fabricator and erector for the new Kent County Courthouse In Warwick. -- With reports from the Associated Press and projo.com staff writers Kate Bramson and Steve Peoples Posted by Kate Bramson at 6:07 PM | Comment Leader of anti-casino group resignsPROVIDENCE -- Richard Oster has resigned as chairman of a group organized by Rhode Island business and citizen groups to oppose the proposed Narragansett Indian-Harrah's casino in West Warwick. The proposed casino project is scheduled for a statewide referendum at the November general election. No replacement for Oster has been named, but former Republican Gov. Lincoln C. Almond, a staunch opponent of a casino during his eight years as governor from 1995 to 2003, has been approached to take over leadership of the group, he acknowledged in an interview today. -- Journal staff writer Scott MacKay Posted by Steve Peoples at 5:20 PM | Comment Dangerous bacteria found in Conimicut shellfishWARWICK -- The state Department of Health has discovered a dangerous bacteria in the water and inside some shellfish found in Conimicut Point, according to an announcement released today. The health department was alerted to the area after someone complained of being infected with Vibrio vulnificus, a natural bacteria that can cause severe illness if eaten in raw or undercooked shellfish. People can also become infected through exposure of an open wound to contaminated seawater or shellfish, according to the health department. State officials are testing shellfish and water in the upper Bay, from Greenwich Bay to Providence, and in some inlets and coastal ponds such as Ninigret Pond and Great Salt Pond. They encourage people to cook shellfish thoroughly to avoid infection. In healthy people, Vibrio vulnificus infection causes symptoms such as vomiting or diarrhea. But certain individuals -- such as people with liver disease, blood disorders, cancer and diabetes -- are at higher risk for contracting severe infection and life-threatening illness because the bacteria can invade the bloodstream. -- projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples Posted by Steve Peoples at 5:02 PM | Comment Newport Folk Festival kicks off tonightNEWPORT -- The Newport Folk Festival will get underway this evening with a performance sure to make Yankees' fans cheer. Irish tenor Ronan Tynan -- who often sings God Bless America after the 7th inning during New York Yankees' home games -- and dance ensemble Cherish The Ladies are scheduled to appear in Newport tonight at the International Tennis Hall of Fame. Other acts scheduled to appear in the weekend festival are Roseanne Cash, The Meters and Indigo Girls. Tonight's show begins at 8 p.m. The weather is expected to be beautiful this weekend for outdoor performances at Fort Adams. Posted by Steve Peoples at 3:30 PM | Comment Citizens profits rise 4 percentCitizens Financial Group of Providence today reported a 4-percent increase in first half earnings as business growth helped off set unfavorable interest rate trends. The holding company for Citizens Bank said its earnings for the first six months of this year totaled $1.45 billion, up from $1.40 billion in the same period last year. "We are growing our business in the face of the impact that the sustained flattening of the interest rate yield curve is having on the entire banking industry," Citizens chairman and chief executive officer Lawrence K. Fish said in a statement. Net interest income declined slightly in the first half, but that drop was overcome with an increase in noninterest income from fees and other revenue sources. Citizens is a subsidiary of the The Royal Bank of Scotland Group PLC, which yesterday reported overall, after-tax profit growth of 21 percent in the first half. Posted by at 3:18 PM | Comment R.I. fugitives to be featured on America's Most WantedPAWTUCKET -- Two Rhode Island fugitives wanted for killing a Pawtucket woman will be featured on the TV show "America's Most Wanted" tomorrow. Nineteen-year-old Barry Offley, of Woonsocket, and 28-year-old Alonzo Shelton of Central Falls are wanted in the fatal shooting of 24-year-old Jessica Imran in her home last Thursday. Pawtucket police enlisted the help of the show after failing to find them. Another woman, 28-year-old Julie Lange of Central Falls, was also shot but survived. Jon Leiberman, a producer for America's Most Wanted, says the show picked up the story because of how heinous the crime was. He says the show has helped capture almost 900 fugitives in the 19 years they've been on the air. -- The Associated Press Posted by Steve Peoples at 3:18 PM | Comment Red Sox obtain Javier Lopez; will send Adam Stern to OriolesThe Boston Red Sox today obtained Javier Lopez from Baltimore, and will send outfielder Adam Stern -- currenly playing for the Pawtucket Red Sox -- to the Orioles in exchange for the veteran catcher. But, due to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Stern probably will finish the year in Pawtucket and not be officially sent to Baltimore until the season is over. Read the complete story on projo.com's Red Sox blog. Posted by Art at 2:31 PM | Comment Update: Lincoln High hockey star dies in single-car crashLINCOLN – The teen who died in a car crash early this morning is a 2006 Lincoln High graduate who helped the school’s hockey team win its first state title since 1985 this past March, police said. Derek R. Parenteau, 18, of 86 Old River Road, was alone and driving a white Jeep Cherokee when the accident occurred near 96 Twin River Road. His body was found trapped underneath the vehicle, from which he apparently had been thrown. It's unclear when the accident happened because there were no witnesses, according to Deputy Police Chief Brian Sullivan. A passing motorist called the police around 4 a.m. after seeing the car off the road in a ditch. The police believe the teenager was heading home, Sullivan said, probably driving east on Twin River Road and entering a curve in the roadway where construction is being done for Lincoln Greyhound Park. Parenteau had joined the Rhode Island National Guard this spring and was preparing to leave in September for basic training and the U.S. Air Force Fire Fighting School, according to an article on the National Guard’s Web site. Parenteau was also a volunteer firefighter with Lincoln’s Albion Fire Department, according to the National Guard article, which said his goal was to become a full-time firefighter. -- With reports from Journal staff writer Mark Reynolds According to Providence Journal articles, the Lincoln Lions hockey team wasn’t a favorite to win the Division II-Large boys hockey championship. They had won just six games during the regular season. But they upset top-seeded Cranston West in the semifinals and then beat Moses Brown in three games to win their first state title in 21 years Last spring, Parenteau won the Hobey Baker High School hockey award for Lincoln, an award given to one senior member of each Interscholastic League hockey team. The Hobey Baker recognizes exemplary character and sportsmanship in the student athlete’s school and community. In Rhode Island, one of three states that gives out the high school award, the Hobey Baker is presented by the R.I. Hockey Coaches association in conjunction with the Hobey Baker Memorial Foundation. The Hobey Baker is the award presented annually to the top American college hockey player. An autopsy was to be conducted today and may help police determine the time of the accident, based on Parenteau's time of death, Sullivan said. There was no indication that alcohol or drugs played a role in the accident, Sullivan said earlier today. Police are checking on whether speed may have been a factor. -- With reports from Journal staff writer Mark Reynolds Posted by Kate Bramson at 2:17 PM | Comment Bankruptcy filer faces jail for lying about assetsPROVIDENCE -- A man who filed for bankruptcy five years ago was arraigned in federal court today after authorities charged him with concealing real estate assets in connection with that bankruptcy. Richard M. Cecca, 53, whose address does not appear in court papers, pleaded not guilty, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office in Providence. He is being held in federal custody in lieu of a $75,000 surety bond. FBI agents arrested him in Plymouth, Mass., yesterday. The six-count indictment, which the grand jury returned earlier in the week, charges Cecca with repeatedly lying under oath about his or his company's assets during a 2001 bankruptcy hearing. He allegedly failed to reveal he had an ownership interest in about 20 parcels of real estate in Providence and other locations, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. Each count of bankruptcy fraud carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison. -- projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples Posted by Steve Peoples at 2:04 PM | Comment Mass. woman charged with stealing $286,000PROVIDENCE -- A federal grand jury has charged a Massachusetts woman with using fake checks to steal $286,000 from her Providence company's clients. Jodie Walsh, 33, of Middleboro, Mass., could receive 30 years in prison for bank fraud if convicted, according to an announcement released by the U.S. Attorney's Office this afternoon. The U.S. Attorney's Office alleges that while working for Envision Technology Advisors, of Providence, Walsh used bank account information from Envision’s clients to create fake checks. She allegedly applied the checks to her personal line of credit at Citibank, depositing 51 checks ranging from $1,500 to $7,800 over four months. She allegedly withdrew funds by check to pay for various personal expenses, including the installation of a swimming pool. Walsh is scheduled to appear in court Aug. 14. -- projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples Posted by Steve Peoples at 12:47 PM | Comment Providence man gets 11 years for drug ringPROVIDENCE -- A federal judge sentenced 35-year-old Modesto DeJesus Castillo to 11 years in prison for running a drug ring in which packages of cocaine and marijuana were shipped to Rhode Island from California. In February, Castillo and his brother Ramon DeJesus Castillo -- who was previously sentenced to seven years in prison -- pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute cocaine and marijuana. Federal agents arrested two people in February 2005 as they picked up brown UPS packages at Providence homes. The packages together contained seven kilograms of cocaine. The Castillo brothers admitted to recruiting people to accept packages of cocaine that had been sent via commercial carriers to various addresses in the greater Providence area. The U.S. Attorney's Office announced the sentenced today. It was imposed Wednesday. -- projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples Posted by Steve Peoples at 12:42 PM | Comment PUC to hold hearing on shutoff ban during heat wavesPROVIDENCE -- The Public Utilities Commission this morning decided not to establish an emergency ban on utility shutoffs when the temperature exceeds 90 degrees. Instead, the three-member commission decided to enter a public hearing process on whether to establish a permanent rule that will prohibit utility shutoffs when the temperature is above 90 degrees. The hearing is expected to take place sometime this month. -- Journal staff writer Andrea L. Stape Posted by Steve Peoples at 12:41 PM | Comment Temporary delay on Route 95 in Providence areaPROVIDENCE – Traffic on Interstate 95 south was backing up at midday, with the right lane closed for construction. The delay was being experienced between Exit 23 and the Smithfield Avenue exit sign. The construction manager on scene expects to clear the area by 1 p.m., Transportation Management Center operator Stephen McGovern said. Northbound traffic was moving smoothly and was not affected by this work, according to the TMC. Check out the Department of Transportation's traffic cameras for the Metro region for live views. Posted by Kate Bramson at 12:24 PM | Comment Open meetings changes topic of today's summitChanges to the state’s open meeting laws that make it OK for School Committee members to comment on issues raised during the public comment portion of meetings will be discussed this morning. Roger Williams University is host today to the 8th annual Open Government Summit, which is co-sponsored by the university’s law alumni association and the state Department of Attorney General. The changes to the laws are welcomed by the Rhode Island Association of School Committees. Read more about them in today’s Journal. Posted by Kate Bramson at 11:18 AM | Comment Aerial spraying planned for SE Mass. to fight Triple EBOSTON -- Heavy rains this spring and summer helped boost the mosquito population, prompting Massachusetts to plan aerial spraying to reduce the threat of eastern equine encephalitis. State health officials say the spraying will take place over 159,000 acres of land in southeastern Massachusetts. The operation could begin as early as Monday and will take place after sunset. Read the full Associated Press story. Posted by Jack Perry at 10:27 AM | Comment Carcieri joins governors objecting to nuke waste storageMONTPELIER, Vt. -- Governor Carcieri and other governors from the Northeast are objecting to a U.S. Senate proposal that would allow nuclear waste to continue to be stored in their states. Members of the Coalition of Northeastern Governors have written to key Senate leaders objecting to the proposal, included in a larger spending bill. The governors say the plan could result in spent fuel being stored at local or regional storage facilities in as many as 31 states. They say there's already 50,000 tons of nuclear waste awaiting permanent storage, which was supposed to be in Nevada. Posted by Kate Bramson at 9:18 AM | Comment Patriots' morning training camp pushed back to afternoonFOXBORO – If you’ve planned to attend the New England Patriots training camp session today, we hope your day is flexible. Given this morning’s rainy weather, the early practice that was scheduled has been postponed until this afternoon, and the evening practice has been canceled. One practice will now be held today from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. For more information about upcoming practices and how the team is preparing for the season, check out our Patriots page or call the training camp hotline at (508) 549-0001. Posted by Kate Bramson at 9:05 AM | Comment Power restored for most of the stateFewer than 100 Rhode Island households and businesses are still without power this morning after a power failure left 4,900 customers in the dark last night. “We basically are all cleaned up,” National Grid spokeswoman Debbie Drew said this morning. The remaining customers without power are scattered throughout the state, and National Grid employees will be working to bring their power back as quickly as possible – “likely this morning,” Drew said. National Grid worked yesterday to restore electricity to some 20,000 customers who lost power in the afternoon as the result of problems stemming from a lightning strike during Wednesday night’s storm. Virtually all power was restored around 6 p.m. last night. But then, last night’s high winds and downed branches knocked out power to 4,900 Rhode Island customers, mostly in South County and West Bay communities. Throughout the night, National Grid employees worked to bring power back to those customers, Drew said. Read more about the power outages in today’s Journal.
Posted by Kate Bramson at 8:06 AM | Comment The heat breaks, a nice weekend on the wayRelief has finally arrived. After three days of oppressive heat, the temperature is in the 60s early this morning and should climb to only 79 degrees in the Providence area, according to the National Weather Service. The weekend looks nice with sunny skies and highs in the mid 80s. For more weather and updates, see projo.com/weather. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:00 AM | Comment August 3, 2006Update: Another record high, T-storm watch / Photo
-- Journal photo Bill Murphy PROVIDENCE -- For the second time this week, a daily record for high temperatures has been broken, as the thermometer soared to 98 degrees in the greater Providence area, according to the National Weather Service. The previous record high for this date, 97 degrees, was set back in 1930. And again, a scorching day will be followed by the threat of violent thunderstorms. The weather service has issued a severe thunderstorm watch until late tonight for much of the southern New England area. With wind gusts up to 80 mph, the storm cells that will rumble through the region could also hit the area with large hail and frequent lightning. The weather service encourages people to be on the lookout for threatening weather conditions. Severe thunderstorms can, and occasionally do, produce tornadoes, it says. Posted by Andrea Panciera at 5:35 PM | Comment A month of free weekends at the Children's MuseumPROVIDENCE -- Starting this weekend, admission to the Providence Children's Museum will be free Saturdays and Sundays through Sept. 3, as part of a donation to the museum from Woonsocket-based CVS Pharmacy. The donation was part of $404,500 in donations CVS announced today to a dozen local nonprofit organizations. Recipients include: Autism Project of Rhode Island, Best Buddies – Rhode Island, Boys & Girls Club of Woonsocket, Boys & Girls Clubs of Providence, Bradley Children’s Hospital, Family Resources Community Action, Golf Foundation of RI (Button Hole Short Course & Teaching Center), Make A Wish Foundation of Rhode Island, March of Dimes, RI Chapter; Providence Children’s Museum, Special Olympics Rhode Island, Teaberry Knoll Academy of Therapeutic Riding, and Teen Action Group. Posted by Steve Peoples at 5:08 PM | Comment Update: Portsmouth accident scene clearedPORTSMOUTH -- Late this morning authorities cleared an accident on East Main Road that closed four lanes of traffic for nearly 10 hours. A 24-year-old Portsmouth man crashed into a utility pole on East Main Road early this morning while searching for his cell phone. Sgt. Bill Burns said Brandford Paull, of 52 Lee Ave., lost control of his 2006 Nissan Altima on a tight curve at about 1:30 a.m. He ran into the pole at 2701 East Main Rd. Paull was transported to Newport Hospital with a compound fracture to the right leg and cuts on his face. -- Journal Staff Writer Justin Amoah Posted by Peter Phipps at 4:41 PM | Comment Photo / police officers get the feel of a taser
Lt. Joe Hart was one of the North Kingstown police officers who volunteered to get shot with a Taser X26. The idea of today's training at North Kingstown High School was to demonstrate what the weapon really feels like. --- Journal photo by John Freidah Posted by Peter Phipps at 4:22 PM | Comment W. Warwick: Meeting to consider charter changes canceledWEST WARWICK -- Tonight's public hearing and special Town Council meeting has been canceled because of a violation of state Open Meetings Law, according to Town Council member Peter F. Calci Jr. The 7 p.m. meeting was set to consider proposed charter amendments, however that was not specified on the agenda posted in advance of the meeting, as required by state law, Calci said. Calci said the meeting will not be rescheduled. Short of approval of the proposed charter amendments, the amendments will not get onto the ballot to go before voters in November. Instead, the town likely will convene a Charter Revision Commission next year to examine the full charter, Calci said. -- With reports from Journal staff writer Talia Buford Posted by Steve Peoples at 4:20 PM | Comment 'Lost substation' leaves about 20,000 without powerAbout 20,000 households and businesses are without power in West Bay and South County this afternoon, according to National Grid spokesman David Graves. At about 12:30 p.m., the electric company "lost a substation" in Warwick that feeds large quantities of electricity to South County. Graves did not know if the failure was related to last night's thunderstorms or today's high demand on the system. The failure occurred just after power had been restored to the last of the utility's customers who lost it last night after a violent thunderstorm passed through much of the state. Crews are on the scene working to identify and fix today's problem, he said. Affected customers include: -- 6,000 in Coventry Posted by Steve Peoples at 1:22 PM | Comment Meeting on utility shutoffs postponedThe Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission has postponed from today until tomorrow morning its debate about an issue that affects low-income residents. The George Wiley Center of Pawtucket, an agency that lobbies on behalf of low-income families, wants the PUC to implement an emergency summer shutoff moratorium. That would prevent utility companies in the hot weather from shutting off someone’s service for not paying their bills. The PUC was set to discuss the idea at a meeting this afternoon, but announced this morning that it would postpone the meeting until 9:30 a.m. tomorrow. The meeting will be held at 89 Jefferson Blvd. in Warwick. At the request of Public Utilities Commissioner Mary Bray, National Grid has temporarily halted residential utility shutoffs for nonpayment through tomorrow. -- With reports from Journal staff writer Timothy C. Barmann Posted by Kate Bramson at 12:43 PM | Comment City heat prompts many to call for medical helpPROVIDENCE – More than a dozen people in the city have needed assistance from fire rescue crews for heat-related illness since Tuesday. None of the runs have been very serious. Most have been elderly people feeling weak and dizzy from the heat, according to James Taylor, chief of communications for the fire department. Tuesday and Wednesday, crews responded to 12 calls. By late morning today, they had responded to two or three more, Taylor said. Posted by Kate Bramson at 12:38 PM | Comment Doctor: Wife may have died helping stricken husbandFALL RIVER, Mass. -- It could be weeks before the state medical examiner determines what caused the death of an elderly Fall River couple found in their Ray Street home Tuesday, but an autopsy found no evidence of foul play, according to Bristol County District Attorney Paul F. Walsh Jr.'s office. “Both individuals had health issues which may have contributed to their deaths. A final determination of the cause of death is still pending toxicology,” the Bristol County District Attorney’s office said in a statement. The district attorney’s statement does note that a broken sports trophy was found behind a door in the home at 139 Ray St., “with what could be blood and hair on it.” Crime lab chemists are examining the trophy. A medical examiner theorizes that Michael Mone likely died first and Victoria Mone, “in an attempt to assist Mr. Mone, strained herself and caused her death. There is no evidence of foul play,” according to the district attorney’s statement. Michael Mone was on several medications, some for diabetes. -- Journal staff writer Michael P. McKinney The bodies of Michael and Victoria Mone, of 139 Ray St., were found when a police officer entered the home on Tuesday. “There were no apparent signs of a struggle or other violence in the house, nor were there any apparent signs of violence to victims’ bodies,” the district attorney said. A medical examiner, after doing an autopsy Wednesday, reported that he did not find signs of violence on either body. The autopsy found that Michael Mone “had extensive heart and lung disease." Posted by Kate Bramson at 12:34 PM | Comment Photo: Reaching for relief
Caitlin Dunlevy, 22 months, checks out the fountain at the Roger Williams Park Zoo in Providence while her parents, Lisa and Tim, watch. They are from Charleston, S.C., and are in the Ocean State visiting relatives in Cranston, Jamestown and Saunderstown. The temperature has already reached 95 degrees in Providence. Posted by Jack Perry at 12:08 PM | Comment Carcieri helps Fidelity celebrate new downtown officePROVIDENCE – If you see some commotion this morning over at 100 Finance Way, next to the Providence Amtrak Station, it’s the ribbon-cutting ceremony for Fidelity Investments’ new office in the capital city. Governor Carcieri should be there now, along with city and state officials, to celebrate the opening of the space where 325 Fidelity employees are now working. The company has signed a three-year lease for the building as it constructs a new office building at its Smithfield campus. Today’s ceremony follows 18 months of renovations at what was formerly known as the American Express building. Posted by Kate Bramson at 10:14 AM | Comment CVS 2Q profit jumps 23 percent on sales growthWOONSOCKET - - Drug store chain CVS Corp. said today its second-quarter profit rose 23 percent on solid sales growth, improved margins and greater cost controls. Net income grew to $334.4 million, or 40 cents per share, from $272.4 million, or 33 cents per share, a year ago. Revenue rose 16 percent to $10.56 billion from $9.12 billion in the prior year. Quarterly same store sales, or sales at stores open at least on year, grew 8.8 percent, with same-store pharmacy sales up 9.1 percent, and front-end same store sales - or non-pharmacy sales- rising 8.1 percent for the quarter. Analysts surveyed by Thomson Financial expected earnings per share of 37 cents on $10.43 billion in sales. CVS attributed its results to strong sales growth across all markets in both the retail and the pharmacy, as well as improved operating efficiencies. -- The Associated Press Posted by Jack Perry at 8:36 AM | Comment Beating the heat: Free beach parking, library moviesIs it even possible to beat this heat? You could join the masses at the state beaches, sitting under umbrellas and spending lots of time in the water as the sun beats down on you. State beaches are free again today – the third day in a row, at Governor Carcieri’s order because of the current heat wave. Before you head out to your favorite beach, though, make sure it’s open by checking the Department of Health’s beach closures page, where officials keep us posted on any health-related closures. Or, you could try for those air-conditioned places, such as community and senior centers, libraries, movie theaters and restaurants. The Providence Public Library will show free family movies and offer another children’s story time for the second day in a row at its air-conditioned central location, 150 Empire St. The 2:15 p.m. story time on the ground level is geared toward children ages 4 to 6. The 12:15 p.m. and 3 p.m. family movies will be shown in the Barnard Room on the third floor. Remember, the central library doesn’t open until noon on Thursdays, but it does stay open until 8 p.m., two hours after the National Weather Service’s heat advisory is set to end. Again today, two library branches without air conditioning will remain closed -- Knight Memorial Library, 275 Elmwood Ave., and Smith Hill Branch Library, 31 Candace St. Posted by Kate Bramson at 8:30 AM | Comment Suspicious morning blaze at Johnston salvage yardJOHNSTON – Police and fire crews are investigating a suspicious fire at Johnston Auto Salvage, 77 Armento St., early this morning that destroyed 16 to 18 cars. The fire at the salvage yard near the Woonasquatucket River was reported around 4 a.m. after people in North Providence heard explosions, got up and saw the flames across the river, battalion chief Charles Cavallaro said. The explosions were probably gas tanks in some of the cars, he said. Three engine companies – 9 or 10 firefighters – worked about an hour to extinguish the blaze, which threatened to spread to another couple dozen cars, Cavallaro said. The firefighters had to work in between the cars to stop the flames from spreading, he said. The salvage yard, which contains a couple hundred cars, has a fence around its front area, but the back isn't fenced and borders a wooded area, old train tracks and the river, Cavallaro said. The cause of the fire is unknown at this time, but Cavallaro stressed, “18 cars don’t start on their own.” There were lightning storms in the area, but they struck 10 hours earlier, he noted. The police called the owner of the salvage yard, and he came to the fire this morning, Cavallaro said. All of the burned vehicles were a total loss, so the salvage yard cannot strip off parts and sell them, he said. The town fire marshal and the police department’s bureau of criminal investigation are investigating, Cavallaro said. Posted by Kate Bramson at 7:50 AM | Comment About 400 in R.I. still lacking electricityPROVIDENCE, R.I. -- As of 7 a.m. today, about 400 Rhode Islanders were still without electricity after violent thunderstorms last night knocked out power to about 24,000 customers, according to National Grid. High wind and lightning strikes damaged equipment and knocked trees and branches onto power lines, National Grid said. Crews worked throughout the night and will continue working through the day to restore power to everyone, National Grid said in a message recorded at about 7 a.m. Earlier this morning, 1,100 customers were still without power. In Massachusetts,10,500 National Grid customers were without electrcity as of 7 a.m. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:31 AM | Comment Man shot in Providence early this morningPROVIDENCE – A 19-year-old male with three gunshot wounds was taken early this morning to Rhode Island Hospital. His name and condition are unknown at this time. The shooting was reported in the vicinity of 20 Whelan Rd. at 3:19 a.m. to the Providence Fire Department, which responded and took the man to the hospital at 3:29 a.m., Fire Lt. Kevin Gomes said this morning. The police could not be reached immediately. -- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson Posted by Kate Bramson at 7:03 AM | Comment Not quite as hot today, thunderstorms likely laterThe intense heat and humidity should let up a little today, but the temperature should still climb to 93 degrees in the Providence area, and afternoon thunderstorms could bring heavy rain and wind gusts of 60 to 80 mph., according to the National Weather Service. The weather service has replaced its excessive heat warning with a heat advisory until 6 p.m. today. Clouds this afternoon should help prevent the temperature from climbing as high as it did yesterday -- when the mercury reached 100 in the Providence area -- but the combination of temperature and humidity should nevertheless make it feel like 100 to 105 degrees. For more weather and updates, check projo.com/weather. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:00 AM | Comment August 2, 2006Severe thunderstorms heading into northern R.I.A severe thunderstorm warning is in effect for northern Rhode Island until 6:30 p.m. A line of severe storms capable of producing destructive winds in excess of 60 to 70 mph is moving into the area now. Check their progress on live radar on projo.com. Posted by Andrea Panciera at 6:15 PM | Comment No record: Temperature tops out at 100 / Photo
As of 4 p.m. the temperature was at 100 degrees, recorded at T.F. Green Airport in Warwick. "We may sneak up to 101, but that’s about it," said Dunham, who is based at the NWS office in Taunton, Mass. The record for today is 104. An excessive heat warning for the region has been extended until 5 p.m. tomorrow, which is expected to be humid with highs in the 90s under partly-cloudy skies. Showers and thunderstorms are likely for the afternoon. Temperatures will drop into the 70s overnight, rising into the 80s on Friday. Get the latest conditions and forecasts. Posted by Steve Peoples at 5:42 PM | Comment No sign of violence in Fall River couple's deathsFALL RIVER, Mass. -- The Massachusetts Office of the Chief Medical Examiner has ruled out physically induced "traumatic injury" as a cause of the deaths of an elderly Fall River couple found in their Ray Street home yesterday. "There is no consideration of any violent trauma," said Kelly Nantel, director of communications for the state Executive Office of Public Safety, said this afternoon. What did cause the deaths of Michael and Victoria Mone "is pending further study," Nantel said. The police received a call from a neighbor at 9:42 a.m. yesterday because the couple had not been seen for days, according to a Fall River press release. Officer Gary Pasternam went into the 139 Ray St. home and found the two. The police are saying little about the case. Their home has been treated as a crime scene by the city's Major Crimes Division with assistance from state police who are assigned to the office of Bristol County District Attorney Paul F. Walsh Jr. -- Journal staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Steve Peoples at 5:12 PM | Comment Guard team trained to respond to terror attacks / Photo
The 13th Weapons of Mass Destruction Civil Support Team will be on call to assist first responders in the event of a chemical, biological or radiological terrorist attack. The 22-member squad recently earned national certification after a training period of nearly three years. Amid a slew of hazardous materials suits, gas masks, computer equipment and a mobile laboratory, Carcieri lauded the team, standing stalwart in fatigues in a semi-circle behind the him. Also present were the adjutant general to the Rhode Island National Guard, Lt. Col. Robert T. Bray, and former adjutant general Reginald A. Centracchio. Carcieri emphasized the team's intensive training record and how its presence enhances Rhode Island ’s overall preparedness for any public threat, natural or terrorist. “They underwent vigorous and rigorous training. It’s a great accomplishment,’’ Carcieri said. “It’s another asset for our state. It’s another part of the process to bring up our capability. In a [post-] 9/11 world, we know how important that is. We hope we never have to use their expertise.’’ -- Journal staff writer Lisa Vernon-Sparks Posted by Kate Bramson at 5:06 PM | Comment Tomorrow: Ozone alert, Day 3Tomorrow will be another ozone alert day in Rhode Island, which means that air quality is expected to be at unhealthy levels, with the most unhealthy levels in southern Rhode Island. The designation also means that regular-route buses and trolleys operated by the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority will be free. In issuing its third ozone alert this week, the state Department of Environmental Management offered advice on how to help lower ground-level ozone levels and create cleaner air: Limit driving, minimize starts and unnecessary vehicle acceleration, reduce idling by avoiding congested traffic and lines at drive-through windows, drive your lowest-emission vehicle, refuel at stations that have a vapor-recovery system, maintain your vehicle with regular tuneups, minimize lawn-mower emissions, limit the use of solvent-based household products, and limit barbecue emissions by using an electric starter instead of lighter fluid to start charcoal fires. Posted by Kate Bramson at 4:32 PM | Comment Are boaters to blame for high bacteria levels?High levels of bacteria, particularly in Greenwich Bay, have the state Department of Health wondering whether weekend boaters are disposing of sewage as they should. Legally, boaters are supposed to discharge the sewage from their vessels at sewage treatment centers or at pump-out stations at various marinas, according to Ernest Julian, chief of the Health Department’s Office of Food Protection, which also regulates the state's beaches. Typically, levels of bacteria high enough to require the Health Department to close beaches follow days of heavy rain, Julian says. But recent high bacteria levels – on these hot, sticky heat-wave days – are not the result of too much rain, he said. “The only thing we have right now as a plausible reason is boaters,” he said. Three beaches today remain closed per the Health Department, after being on the closure list yesterday, Julian said. They are City Park Beach in Warwick, Atlantic Beach Club Beach, in Middletown, and Warren Town Beach. Julian said that such a hot day is the "worst day for a beach closure." Also, two pond beaches – Browning Mill Pond, in Exeter, and Gorton Pond in Warwick – remain closed. High bacteria levels there are likely the result of waterfowl pollution, Julian said. The Health Department is continuously updating and changing its beach closure page and will continue to do so as water tests come back from various labs, Julian said. -- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson Posted by Kate Bramson at 4:27 PM | Comment Update: Derderian defense team will attack fire marshal's credibilityPROVIDENCE -- Michael Derderian's lawyer made it clear in court today that he will attack the credibility of former West Warwick fire marshal Denis Larocque when Derderian's trial begins early next month. “Let there be no doubt about his credibility being questioned,” Richard M. Egbert said of Larocque during this afternoon's proceeding. Superior Court Judge Francis J. Darigan Jr., who heard several pretrial motions brought by the defense team today, ruled that Larocque would be allowed to testify about how he determined the capacity of The Station. But Darigan said that he wasn't sure whether he'd allow into evidence a memo from Larocque to the police chief about the matter. “The document is somewhat suspect, there’s no question about it," Darigan said today. "I’m concerned about the genuineness.” Darigan today also said he would likely allow jurors see photographs of dead bodies taken at the fire scene, and denied attempts by the defense team to ban the term "misdemeanor manslaughter" from the trial. Derderian's trial is set to begin Sept. 5. -- Projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples, with reports from Journal staff writer Paul Edward Parker Although defense lawyer Kathleen Hagerty called the photographs of the fire victims at The Station "the most horrible photographs I have ever seen," Darigan said he "probably will allow some of them." "They're heartbreaking, heartbreaking photographs," Hagerty said. Lawyers for the prosecution and defense also discussed the use of other types of photographs as evidence. Darigan said he would also probably let the prosecution introduce photographs of the victims taken before the night of the tragic fire. The defense argued that the photographs were not relevant. The defense didn't object to the prosecution's plans to show photographs of the West Warwick nightclub before and after the fire. In arguing against the use of "misdemeanor manslaughter," the defense team said the term is misleading and inaccurate. "The use of 'misdemeanor manslaughter' is quite misleading for potential jurors, for it suggests to them that a defendant convicted on that theory would only be liable for a misdemeanor" when it is really a felony, wrote Derderian's attorney in a motion supporting today's arguments. Darigan rejected the defense's argument this morning, but said he would instruct the jury of the term's meaning before and after testimony in the trial. Darigan also denied a defense motion to preclude testimony from the medical examiner, but he instructed the prosecution to avoid repetition in that testimony. One hundred people were killed and more than 200 were injured when a band's pyrotechnics ignited a blaze in the West Warwick club on Feb. 20, 2003. Michael Derderian and his brother, Jeffrey, were co-owners of the club. Each are charged with 200 counts of involuntary manslaughter -- two for each of the 100 people who died. They are charged with criminal negligence manslaughter, which alleges they ignored the risks to the safety of people in their nightclub, and with misdemeanor manslaughter, which means they committed a petty offense that resulted in death. "Misdemeanor manslaughter" refers to that petty offense. Both types of manslaughter are felonies. Posted by Steve Peoples at 4:19 PM | Comment Lynch sues closed computer-repair shopAttorney General Patrick C. Lynch has sued an East Providence computer repair shop for failing to do work they had been paid to do. Lynch, who filed the complaint under the Rhode Island Deceptive Trade Practices Act, is seeking a refund for all of the consumers who paid Computer Exchange to repair their computers and have not had their property returned to them. The Attorney General's Consumer Protection Unit investigated and determined that in some instances, Computer Exchange was neither repairing nor returning its customers' computers. "It's unconscionable that a business would deceive customers by claiming to correct computer problems, taking their money, and then closing their doors with the property of consumers' left inside," Lynch said today. Posted by Peter Phipps at 4:16 PM | Comment 2,000 RI electric customers without powerMore than 2,000 National Grid customers in Rhode Island have no electricity this afternoon, according to a spokesman for the electric company. That includes about 800 customers in Barrington, 720 in Cumberland, 240 in North Kingstown, 170 in Warwick and 120 in East Greenwich, National Grid spokesman David Graves said at about 3 p.m. Electric company repair crews are working to correct the problems. Hot weather creates higher usage and higher usage creates greater demand, Graves said, adding that greater demand means the system runs overtime, like a car that runs at 80 mph for 12 hours straight. -- With reports from Journal staff writer Timothy C. Barmann Posted by Steve Peoples at 4:14 PM | Comment Foot found may belong to missing URI studentNARRAGANSETT -- A foot caught in a fisherman’s net last week may belong to Geoffrey M. Wilkes, the Glocester teen who disappeared along with two other University of Rhode Island students on Narragansett Bay in March, state authorities said today. On July 25, a fisherman discovered a black shoe with bones in his net while trolling off Bonnet Shores before 9 a.m., said Department of Environmental Management spokeswoman Gail Mastrati. The Coast Guard and DEM turned the remains over the medical examiner’s office, she said. “The medical examiner is in possession of some human remains, and based on the personal effects found with those remains,” they are likely from Wilkes, spokeswoman Annemarie Beardsworth said. The medical examiner has asked the FBI to do DNA testing to confirm the state’s findings, Beardsworth said. She would not elaborate on what personal items were found. “Our investigation is not officially closed,” she said. The 18-year-old Wilkes was one of three URI students who rowed onto the fog-shrouded Bay in the predawn hours on March 13. The three students drank and socialized with a small group of friends before taking an aluminum rowboat into the Bay. The bodies of Fandia Mahoud Shloul, 21, of Pawtucket, and Daniel P. Donahue, 20, also of Glocester, were found by the Coast Guard in late April. -- Journal staff writer Paul Davis Posted by Steve Peoples at 3:50 PM | Comment Heat chases meter readers off Providence streetsPROVIDENCE – Meter readers for the city have stopped patrolling the streets today because of a union contract clause that sends outdoor city employees either home or to work in a cooler locale on days when the mercury in downtown Providence hits 90. The meter readers are now working in an air-conditioned location, according to Rhoades Alderson, the city’s communications director. He was not sure what type of work they're doing. The union contract with Local 1033 of the Laborers International Union of North America includes the meter readers, the city’s parks and public works departments and those city employees who work for the Providence Water Supply Board, Alderson said. The contract clause states that when the temperature hits 90 degrees, “all outside crews shall be dismissed without loss of pay and inside City Hall employees in non-air-conditioned offices shall be reduced to a skeleton force.” If they act before it hits 90, department directors can call their outside workers in to either an air-conditioned working environment or a “pre-approved enclosed cooler working environment which is not air-conditioned” instead of sending them home, according to the contract language. Alderson does not yet have details on how many city workers have been sent home today and yesterday. However, when the mercury hit 90 a few weeks ago, he said 39 parks employees, 45 public works employees and 32 water employees were sent home. Posted by Kate Bramson at 3:08 PM | Comment Governor urges Rhode Islanders to conserve powerGovernor Carcieri is asking Rhode Islanders to voluntarily reduce their electricity consumption to avoid potential power losses this afternoon. He plans to make this plea at a press conference at 3:15 p.m. today at the Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency headquarters in Cranston, 645 New London Ave. The governor has also instructed the Emergency Management Agency to open the state’s Emergency Operation Center to coordinate the state response to the current heat wave. The region has already set a record for energy demand, according to ISO New England, operator of the region's bulk power system. Posted by Kate Bramson at 2:28 PM | Comment Photo: Tearing it up at the Dunk'
Posted by Andrea Panciera at 2:02 PM | Comment Narragansett man was electrocuted on boatPROVIDENCE -- A Narragansett man found dead on his sport fishing boat Monday night was electrocuted, the state medical examiners office said today in announcing his cause of death. William H. Carr, 47, of 14 Perriwinkle Road, was found by his 10-year-old son, who rode his bike to the dock in Galilee when his father hadn't returned home when expected, according to state authorities investigating the death. Carr was last seen Monday at about 11 a.m., when he went to a nearby marina to buy some new wires for his boat, the 42-foot "Ashley." The specific cause of death was "low voltage electrocution." -- Projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples Posted by Steve Peoples at 1:30 PM | Comment Court hears appeals in Lincoln Park bribery caseBOSTON – Lawyers for Lincoln Park and two former executives brought their clients' bid to dismiss their convictions on bribery conspiracy charges before a federal appeals court today. The defendants themselves, who were convicted a year ago, were not there. Nigel Potter and Daniel Bucci are serving terms in federal prison. The business entity once known as Lincoln Park exists only as a limited liability company, and the Lincoln Park gambling facility itself has been bought by another firm. Their pleas were heard by a three-judge panel sitting at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, including one Rhode Islander, Judge Bruce M. Selya. Defense lawyers argued that no evidence proved that an actual scheme had been hatched to bribe the law partner of former Rhode Island House Speaker John Harwood. They also contended that no scheme, whose aim was to have been to obtain more video lottery terminals at Lincoln Park, was ever executed. At one point, Bucci's lawyer, Anthony M. Traini, said that it had been portrayed as if Harwood could do anything. '"We're not talking about the president of the United States, we're talking about the Rhode Island Speaker of the House," Traini said. Judge Selya joked back, "Well, some would say that's a more powerful figure," drawing laughs from the courtroom. The judges made no decision on the appeal today and did not announce a time for doing so. -- With reports from Journal staff writer Edward Fitzpatrick Last August, a federal jury convicted Lincoln Park, Potter and Bucci of conspiring to bribe Harwood with up to $4 million to secure state approval for at least 1,000 more VLTs and to block a rival casino. A Providence jury had deadlocked on many charges in an earlier trial, and the second trial was held in Worcester after defense lawyers sought a change of venue. Potter, former CEO of Lincoln Park's former parent company, Wembley plc, was sentenced in October to three years in prison. And Bucci, Lincoln Park's former CEO, was sentenced to three years and five months in prison. U.S. District Judge Mary M. Lisi also imposed a $1.5-million fine on LPRI, the limited liability company remaining from Lincoln Park's former owners. Posted by Andrea Panciera at 1:11 PM | Comment Update: Morning fire in Warwick sends one to hospitalWARWICK -- A fire probably caused by a candle igniting a mattress caused minor damage to a single-family home at 83 Symonds St. this morning, and sent its one resident to the hospital for observation. Warwick Battalion Chief Joseph Greenwell said that the fire call came in at 10:13 a.m., and that firefighters responded to find a fire in the bedroom, probably started by a candle near the bed igniting the mattress. Firefighters were able to douse the flames before there was any structural damage to the two-story Cape-style home, Greenwell said, though there was smoke damage to the first floor. One resident, a renter whose name was not released, was home at the time. He was taken to Kent Hospital to be examined for smoke inhalation. He was treated and released. The fire is under investigation, Greenwell said. -- Journal staff writer Daniel Barbarisi Posted by Steve Peoples at 1:05 PM | Comment Region breaks another record for electricity use
Electricity use had already reached 27,798 megawatts by early this afternoon, according to ISO New England's Web site. That broke yesterday's record of 27,401, according to ISO New England. The previous record of 27,395 was set July 18. Peak demand today is expected to reach 28,030 megawatts. Demand today will push supply levels, although ISO New England says power levels are expected to be adequate. To help ensure adequate supply, the power manager has asked New Englanders to conserve energy between 1 p.m. and 8 p.m. For example, it has asked customers to turn up the thermostats on their air conditioners, turn off unneeded lights and electrical equipment and put off using major appliances until late in the day. Posted by Jack Perry at 12:43 PM | Comment Beacon Mutual hires firm to help find new CEOPROVIDENCE -- The Beacon Mutual Insurance Co. board of directors has hired an outside company to conduct a nationwide search for a new chief executive officer, according to an announcement released today. The executive search firm Witt/Kieffer is charged with finding a new leader for the state's largest workers' compensation insurer. The former CEO, Joseph Solomon, was fired earlier in the year after a report surfaced that exposed, among other things, how Solomon had granite countertops installed in the kitchen of his East Greenwich house -- at a cost of $10,000 -- by a company that received undocumented breaks on its workers' compensation insurance. "We would like to have a new CEO engaged by the end of the year but this process will not be driven by a deadline," Carl Hayes, Beacon board chairman, said in a statement. "Our goal is to get the best candidate for the job with the requisite skill set to manage the Beacon in an effective, transparent and productive manner." -- Projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples Posted by Steve Peoples at 12:42 PM | Comment State announces sale price for AmEx buildingPROVIDENCE -- The state pension fund has sold the former American Express building across from the State House for $20 million, according to an announcement released today. The buyer, RI Gateway Properties, LLC, is involved in the construction of the new GTECH Holding Corp. headquarters nearby. Neither side would disclose the price yesterday, prior to finalizing the sale of the four-story office building next to the Providence train station and formerly known as the American Express building. The pension fund bought the building for $17.9 million in a bankruptcy court proceeding last year. Read the story in today's Journal about the sale. Posted by Steve Peoples at 12:41 PM | Comment Verizon worker dies after suffering electrical shockThe Verizon worker who was severely injured on July 18 while working from a bucket truck on a utility line in South Providence died yesterday, according to Verizon. Joseph Allard, a splice service technician, suffered an electrical shock and was burned when the bucket apparently made contact with an electric power line in front of 78 Oxford St. on that July afternoon. “On behalf of all Verizon employees, we want to offer our prayers and deepest sympathy to his family and colleagues,” the company said in a statement issued this morning. Posted by Kate Bramson at 11:00 AM | Comment Story hours and free family movies at Providence libraryThe Providence Public Library has scheduled additional children’s story hours and free family movies in its main branch today for families trying to beat the heat. The first story hour has just begun, at 10:30 a.m., and the next one is at 2:30 p.m. today. The movies will be shown at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. in the Barnard Room on the third floor. “The special story times will be held in a spacious conference room set up to accommodate as many kids as possible, with seating to give city residents a comfortable place to relax and escape stifling heat for a couple of hours,” spokeswoman Tonia Mason said in a news release. The Central Library at 150 Empire St. is air-conditioned. Posted by Kate Bramson at 10:40 AM | Comment Patriots practice time pushed backFOXBORO, Mass. -- The New England Patriots have announced that today's practice session will start at 3 p.m., not 2:30 as originally scheduled. The practice will still conclude at 4:30. Posted by Mike McDermott at 10:16 AM | Comment Communities open cooling centersCommunities around the state are opening cooling centers today to protect Rhode Islanders from the record heat. Posted by Jack Perry at 8:47 AM | Comment Providence closes two library branches without ACPROVIDENCE – Two Providence Public Library locations can’t take the heat. The Knight Memorial Library, at 275 Elmwood Ave., and Smith Hill Branch Library, at 31 Candace St., will be closed today because they don’t have air conditioning. Also, the library services offered at the Washington Park Foundation, at 1380 Broad St., are canceled for today. All other library locations will be open normal hours today. Posted by Kate Bramson at 7:50 AM | Comment Lawyers in Lincoln Park case seek to overturn convictionsBOSTON -- Lawyers for Lincoln Park and two former executives will ask a federal appeals court in Boston today to overturn their clients' convictions. Nigel Potter, Daniel Bucci and the park itself were convicted of plotting to pay a multi- million-dollar bribe to former Rhode Island House Speaker John Harwood in exchange for political favors. Bucci, the park's general manager, was sentenced to 41 months in prison. Potter was the CEO of the corporation that owned Lincoln Park until last year. He's serving a three-year sentence. Defense lawyers say their clients were discussing paying a performance bonus or retainer fee to Harwood's law partner, who did legal work for the park. No money ever changed hands, and no one else was charged. -- The Associated Press Posted by Kate Bramson at 7:44 AM | Comment Hot. Hot. Hot. It's forecast to break 100PROVIDENCE – We’re not alone as we wake up in Rhode Island to this hot, sticky weather. A quick look at the National Weather Service’s eastern region map shows lots of fuschia – the color for its “excessive heat warning.” The warning that was issued earlier this week to last through this evening has now been extended to 5 p.m. tomorrow. With widespread haze, today should see a high around 101. Considering the effects of the temperature and humidity, today’s heat index is expected to hover around 111. Locally, the state Department of Environmental Management has issued another ozone alert day for today, on the heels of yesterday’s warning. Unhealthy levels of ozone can cause throat irritation, coughing, chest pain, shortness of breath and aggravation of asthma. With that warning in place, all RIPTA routes will be free throughout the day, to encourage people to avoid walking outside or driving their cars. DEM regularly issues updates on the state's air quality. We’ll keep you posted on the latest weather news. Check back with us throughout the day. Posted by Kate Bramson at 7:15 AM | Comment August 1, 2006Update: 'Cooling centers' opening around the statePROVIDENCE -- With an "excessive heat warning" in effect into tomorrow evening, more emergency shelters are being opened around the state for those who need a refuge from the high temperatures. So-called "cooling centers" have been established in 31 of Rhode Island's cities and towns, Governor Carcieri's office said early this evening, with some communities hosting more than one. They range from libraries and senior centers to the ice rink in Smithfield. Many of them will be open until late this evening. They are being staffed by American Red Cross of Rhode Island volunteers, according to spokeswoman Angie Moncada. She also expects the centers to be open tomorrow, when the temperatures in the current heat wave are expected to reach their peak. Click here for the full list of centers and their hours of operation. The governor has also ordered free admission at all state beaches, and at Carcieri's request, National Grid has agreed not to shut off power to any customers through tomorrow. Get the latest weather conditions and forecasts here ...
Posted by Andrea Panciera at 6:51 PM | Comment Today's temperature soars to 97, a new recordA record high temperature for today's date was set for Providence when the mercury hit 97 degrees shortly before 1 p.m. The old record was 96 degrees, set in 1995, said National Weather Service meteorologist Kim Buttrick in Taunton, Mass. And while the weather service describes this as being set "at Providence," the temperatures are actually recorded at T.F. Green Airport in Warwick. With temperatures expected to approach or exceed 100 degrees tomorrow, the Weather Service continued its excessive heat warning for southern New England. The Weather Service called this heat wave "an extreme event'' with potentially life-threatening consequences for elderly, children and disabled people and those who work outdoors between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. every day. -- Journal staff writer Karen Lee Ziner Posted by Andrea Panciera at 6:33 PM | Comment Red Sox' captain, Jason Varitek, to undergo knee surgeryBOSTON -- The Boston Red Sox found out in the last hour that they will be without their captain, catcher Jason Varitek, for at least one month because of a torn miniscus in his left knee, suffered in Monday night's game against the Cleveland Indians. Varitek's injury comes on the heels of a biceps strain suffered by right fielder Trot Nixon, which is expected to sideline him for as long as a month. Read more on the Red Sox blog. -- SEAN McADAM Posted by Art at 6:20 PM | Comment Photo: Run, paddle, run
Posted by Andrea Panciera at 5:54 PM | Comment I-195 bridge will sail up Bay to final home this monthPROVIDENCE – The new Providence River Bridge is expected to sail up Narragansett Bay and into Providence on Aug. 23, as long as the weather is right. The state Department of Transportation today announced plans for bringing what they call the “signature structure” for the Interstate 195 relocation project to the capital city. It should be quite a sight. The DOT is recommending several public viewing areas: Conimicut Point Park in Warwick, Colt State Park in Bristol and Crescent Park or the East Bay Bike Path Overlook, both in East Providence. State engineers plan to haul the structure from Quonset Point/Davisville in North Kingstown up Narragansett Bay using two barges. The center part of the bridge, which was largely assembled in Quonset, is 164 feet wide, 400 feet long and 80 feet high. The DOT will hold a kickoff press event on Aug. 11 and begin moving the bridge into place on Aug. 12. As long as water and wind conditions are right, the bridge will then leave Quonset around 5 or 6 a.m. on Aug. 23 and travel five to six hours into Providence, according to spokeswoman Heidi Cote. “We are truly excited to see an engineering marvel of this magnitude travel up Narragansett Bay and hope that all Rhode Islanders will have the opportunity to share in this excitement as well,” said RIDOT Director James R. Capaldi in a news release today. Posted by Kate Bramson at 4:37 PM | Comment Crossroads says homeless could be targetsCrossroads Rhode Island officials today said a small group of men have attacked five or six homeless people over the last few days. “They’re saying, ‘We’re looking for homeless people,’” Crossroads Director of Social Services Russell Partridge said this afternoon. One homeless man, William Spencer, his left wrist in a cast, and his left eye bruised and blackened, said he was attacked around 3 p.m. Saturday. Spencer said that three men, around 18- to 20-years-old, approached him at a bus stop on Broad Street and asked for a light. “All I remember is reaching for my lighter in my right front pocket and waking up in intensive care at Roger Williams Hospital,” he said this afternoon. Alan Neville, Crossroads’ vice president of marketing and development said it seems the men are beating people up “for the sport.” Spencer said he doesn’t know if he was a target because he’s homeless – or just an easy mark. He said the men crushed his left wrist, broke three of his ribs, broke his nose and have left him unable to see out of his left eye. He said he'll need an operation to fix his wrist. . -- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson Posted by Kate Bramson at 2:25 PM | Comment Photo: Who cares if Brady's a bit sweaty?
Posted by Andrea Panciera at 1:35 PM | Comment Power grid operator to consumers: Please conserveThe company that operates New England's power grid has asked consumers to cut back on electricity usage as the hot weather pushes demand for power close to record levels. ISO New England, based in Holyoke, Mass., said this afternoon that power resources should be adequate, but "supplies could be tight." The nonprofit company said it is requesting consumers to conserve electricity as a "prudent, precautionary measure to help keep supply and demand in balance during this high heat and humidity." Hot weather puts extra stress on the regional power grid because of greater demand for air conditioning. According to ISO's Web site, power conditions were normal at 1:30 p.m. ISO New England suggests reducing electricity use, especially during the hours of peak demand -- 1 to 8 p.m. -- by raising air conditioning thermostats to 74 degrees to 78 degrees, if health permits; turning off uneeded lights, appliances and office equipment; and delaying laundry and other chores that require electricity to the evening. New England's energy usage is expected to break a new record tomorrow. The ISO is forecasting that demand will reach 28,030 megawatts. That would break the previous record set two weeks ago on July 18, when usage reached 27,395 megawatts. More information and tips for managing electricity use year round are available at www.takecharge-ne.org. Posted by Tim Barmann at 1:31 PM | Comment Gavel to fall in new Kent County court todayWARWICK -- Judges to hear the first cases in the new Kent County Court House this afternoon. The old court house closed last week. The new venue is next door on Quaker Lane. A broad, four-story 197,000-square-foot building with a glass facade, the new building opened to the public this morning without any hitches, said court spokeswoman Lisa Dinerman. The court house serves Coventry, East Greenwich, Warwick, West Warwick, and West Greenwich. Cranston, Johnston, and North Providence will change jurisdiction and move to Kent to relieve congestion at Providence's J. Joseph Garrahy Judicial Complex. The courthouse will be the site of the trials of Station nightclub owners Jeffrey and Michael Derderian. Michael Derderian's trial was delayed several weeks to allow for some extra time to get the court house ready. It is scheduled to begin Sept. 5. -- Projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples Posted by Steve Peoples at 1:10 PM | Comment Derderian seeks to ban testimony on club capacityPROVIDENCE -- Lawyers for one of the owners of The Station nightclub are trying to keep witnesses from testifying about the number of people who were in the building on the night a fire killed 100 people there, according to motions released by the court this morning. Prosecutors say they plan to prove that 458 people were at the West Warwick club on Feb. 20, 2003, and that the West Warwick building was packed beyond capacity. But defense lawyers say they're willing to stipulate to the number of people in the club. They say it'd be a waste of time for prosecutors to prove that 458 people were present. The defense also wants to prevent witnesses from estimating the crowd size at earlier concerts at the club, where the fire was ignited by pyrotechnics set off by the band Great White. A hearing on the requests is scheduled for tomorrow. Derderian's trial is scheduled to begin Sept. 5. For more background, read the story in today's Journal.
Posted by Steve Peoples at 12:36 PM | Comment Town of Foster joins pilot for wireless InternetFOSTER -- A Providence company announced today that it will include Foster in a pilot program testing wireless Internet capabilities for the entire community. The company, Business Innovation Factory, has already started such programs in Providence and Newport. "Supporting the extension of the [pilot program] into Foster will not only speed up our efforts to make Rhode Island the first sate in the country with a border-to-border broadband mobile network, it creates an opportunity to bring infrastructure into a rural community where this kind of technology is not available," Governor Carcieri said in a statement. The state provided $200,000 for the purchase and installation of a base station -- roughly the size of a mini-fridge -- in Foster that broadcasts the wireless signal. All Foster Internet users will likely have access to the wireless network in four to six months. -- projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples Posted by Steve Peoples at 11:42 AM | Comment Narragansett man found dead on his boatNARRAGANSETT -- A Narragansett man was found dead last night aboard his sport fishing boat, state authorities said this morning. William H. Carr, 47, of 14 Perriwinkle Road, was found by his 10-year-old son, who rode his bike to the dock in Galilee when his father hadn't returned home when expected, said Steven Hall, chief of the division of law enforcement for the state Department of Environmental Management. Hall doesn't believe the death is suspicious, but the state medical examiner's office will perform an autopsy today to determine a cause of death. Carr was last seen yesterday at about 11 a.m., when he went to a nearby marina to buy some parts for his boat, the 42-foot "Ashley." The local fire department pronounced him dead at about 6:30, Hall said. -- Projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples Posted by Steve Peoples at 9:05 AM | Comment Providence heat index could hit 105PROVIDENCE -- Today's high temperature will be "right around 96" degrees, according to National Weather Service meteorologist Bill Simpson. So it wouldn't surprise him if the record for the hottest day in the Providence area was broken today -- it currently stands at 96 degrees, set back in 1995. "I certainly wouldn’t discount it," Simpson said this morning of the possibility of a new record, adding that today's heat index will be around 105. The heat index factors in humidity. It's sort of like the wind-chill temperature, in reverse. Tomorrow's high temp could break 100, he said, though it won't likely surpass the record high of 104 degrees, set in 1975. "Usually to get to 104 you need a west wind with dew points not so high," he said. "But with heat indices of 110, that's pretty bad." -- Steve Peoples, projo.com staff writer Posted by Steve Peoples at 8:14 AM | Comment Ozone alert issued for todayPROVIDENCE -- It may hurt to breathe outside today, according to the state Department of Environmental Management, which has issued an ozone alert for today as temperatures are expected to climb well into the 90s. It "warns that unhealthy levels of ozone can cause throat irritation, coughing, chest pain, shortness of breath, and aggravation of asthma," according to a statement urging people to stay in air-conditioned environments today. All RIPTA routes will be free throughout the day to encourage people to avoid walking outside and not to drive their cars. Governor Carcieri has ordered all state beaches to be free today and has asked each community to designate at least one public air-conditioned facility to stay open late serving as a "cool center." DEM regularly issues updates on the state's air quality. More weather information to come ... |
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