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September 7, 2006

'Push poll' attacks Chafee

PROVIDENCE -- Less than a week before the Republican primary, U.S. Sen. Lincoln Chafee has become the target of a "push poll" attacking him for supporting abortion rights.

A push poll is a telephone survey in which questions are designed to weaken support for one candidate or build up support for another. The negative campaign tactic is illegal in some states, but not in Rhode Island.

Chafee, who is running for a second full term, faces Cranston Mayor Stephen Laffey in Tuesday's Republican primary, a race that has garnered national attention.

Several voters said today that they received automated telephone calls asking whether they would vote in the primary and which candidate they would choose. Those who chose Chafee heard graphic descriptions of an abortion procedure opponents call "partial-birth abortion," which the poll said Chafee supports.

Laffey spokeswoman Nachama Soloveichik said his campaign had nothing to do with the push poll.

-- The Associated Press

Posted by Steve Peoples at 6:48 PM | Comment

Fire guts Wiley Center in Pawtucket

PAWTUCKET -- An early-morning fire that investigators believe was electrical in origin gutted the offices of the George Wiley Center, an organization of antipoverty activists that has campaigned aggressively to stop utility shutoffs in the state.

The fire, which broke out around 5 a.m. today in the Wiley Center’s small storefront office at 50 East Ave., temporarily left the organization without a headquarters.

No one was hurt in the fire. Fire Chief Timothy P. McLaughlin said it appeared to have started in an extension cord or electrical appliance in the Wiley Center while the office was closed.

Maggi Rogers, a volunteer with Wiley Center’s Campaign to End Childhood Poverty, said the center has been offered temporary office space at Project Hope, the social agency operated by the Diocese of Providence in Central Falls at 400 Dexter St.

No decision has been made yet, Rogers said. The organization is still cataloguing its losses. But the Wiley Center is known for its resilience, and Rogers said it will persevere.

"We’ve got to see what we’ve got. We’ve got to see what we need. And we will rise from the ashes like a phoenix,’’ she declared.

-- Journal staff writer John Castellucci

Henry Shelton, the Wiley Center’s longtime coordinator, couldn’t immediately be reached for comment. Witnesses described him as shaken.

Despite the fire, most, if not all, of the building’s tenants said they would be open for business, including Blackstone Picture Frame, 34 East Ave., and the Singer Factory Service Center, 38 East Ave., a sewing machine repair shop that has been in business 35 years. The only exception was Rhode Island Taekwondo, a school for martial arts at 36 East Ave.

R. Thomas Magill, a retired Pawtucket firefighter running against Mayor James E. Doyle in Tuesday’s Democratic primary, has his campaign headquarters on the second floor of the building. "We were very fortunate’’ the fire was stopped before it spread, Magill said. "Five days before the election, it would have been devastating,’’ he said.

-- -- Journal staff writer John Castellucci

Posted by Andrea Panciera at 6:28 PM | Comment

Block Island can keep runway open during construction

BLOCK ISLAND -- The Rhode Island Airport Corporation announced today it has reached an agreement with the Town of New Shoreham on a plan to keep a turf runway open as construction at Block Island Airport gets under way this fall.

RIAC had planned to close the airport to all flights during the repaving of its runway from Oct. 11 through Nov. 21. Block Island health and rescue personnel vehemently opposed the closure, saying it would cut off critical access to the mainland.

Islanders rely on New England Airlines -- the island’s only regular air service -- for everything from delivering medical prescriptions and Chinese food to hurrying pregnant women off to the mainland to give birth.

Under the agreement, New England Airlines will run an afternoon and morning flight each day, with all construction activity halted during arrivals and takeoffs, said Patti Goldstein, spokeswoman for RIAC. The town will provide a van to transport passengers between the terminal and the aircraft.

Read more in tomorrow's Journal and on projo.com...

-- Journal staff writer Katie Mulvaney

Posted by Steve Peoples at 6:22 PM | Comment

Update: Pawtucket murder suspects caught in Florida

PAWTUCKET -- Two men wanted in the execution-style murder of a Pawtucket woman were discovered by federal marshalls early this morning near Gainesville, Fla. sleeping in the same bed in a small windowless room.

Barry Offley, 19, of Woonsocket, and Alonzo P. Shelton, 28, of Centrall Falls, had been on the run since late July, after they were named as the prime suspects in the murder of 24-year-old Jessica C. Imran, who was shot in the head inside her Pawtucket apartment, and the attempted murder of her friend, 28-year-old Julie Lange, of Central Falls.

The men had been featured on various nationally-televised programs in recent weeks, including America's Most Wanted.

Rhode Island authorities detailed the arrests in an afternoon press conference inside Pawtucket City Hall.

Four U.S. marshalls and one local police officer raided a three-unit building in Ocala, Fla. -- which is about 45 minutes south of Gainesville -- at 7:30 this morning, finding the two murder suspects sleeping in the same bed in a small windowless room, according to authorities.

The men are each facing first-degree murder charges and attempted murder charges. They are being held by local authorities pending extradition hearings.

-- With reports by Journal staff writer Tatiana Pina

The Marion County Sheriff's Department notified Pawtucket police of the arrests this morning.

Following a tip that was generated in Rhode Island, police pursued a lead that the men may have a connection to the Ocala area. They monitored the area for three weeks, eventually raiding three residences, including the unit where the men were discovered this morning.

The state medical examiner has ruled that Imran's death was caused by a single gunshot wound to the head. Lange, who survived the attack despite being shot four times, was taken to Rhode Island Hospital, where she initially remained under police guard because of fears for her safety.

More to come in tomorrow's Journal...

-- With reports by Journal staff writer Tatiana Pina

Posted by Steve Peoples at 4:15 PM | Comment

Confirmed: PC student being treated for meningitis

PROVIDENCE -- The state Health Department today confrimed that a Providence College student is being treated for bacterial meningitis, the first case of the disease reported in Rhode Island this year.
A department spokeswoman said the student, who lives off-campus, was improving and that no other cases of the contagious infection have been reported at the college.

The student, whose name was not released, was being treated with antibiotics at Roger Williams Medical Center, said department spokeswoman Helen Drew.

The college says it has identified people who had close contact with the student in the days before the disease was diagnosed and provided antibiotics and medical advice aimed at preventing the infection.

The illness cannot be transmitted through casual contact, though it can be spread through coughing and kissing.

Symptoms, which appear in just a few hours, include severe headaches, high fever, stiff neck and fatigue. There are usually five cases a year in the state, said Helen Drew, a Health Department spokeswoman.

-- The Associated Press

Posted by Steve Peoples at 3:54 PM | Comment

Cicilline is cracking down on political vandalism

PROVIDENCE -- Providence Mayor David Cicilline is calling for a crackdown on political vandalism.

At a news conference today, the mayor offered a $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrests and convictions of people involved in recent acts of political intimidation.

Those acts include a threatening phone call made to a campaign office and damage to a campaign worker's vehicle.

Cicilline says the city will have zero tolerance for that behavior and calls the incidents "serious crimes." He says Providence has more candidates for local office now than it's had in decades.

-- The Associated Press

Posted by Steve Peoples at 3:45 PM | Comment

Update: Accident cuts sedan in half in Glocester

GLOCESTER – A 21-year-old Burrillville woman is at Rhode Island Hospital after a single-car crash at 12:50 this morning tore her 1995 Volkswagen in half.

The woman is in critical condition at Rhode Island Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit after she struck a tree.

Brittany Niemi was heading westbound on Route 44 in a 1995 Volkswagen sedan when she lost control of the vehicle near a small curve in the road in the area of the White Rock Motel, according to Glocester Police Lt. Joseph Mattera.

The vehicle apparently crossed into the eastbound lane and slid down an embankment where it struck a tree.

The impact “split the car in two,” with the front half of the car detaching from the rear portion and trapping Niemi, who was not wearing a seatbelt, inside, Mattera said.

“I’ve never seen anything like it before,” he added.

Fire and rescue workers responded to the scene at 12:50 a.m. and extracted Niemi from the vehicle. Speed was a factor, Mattera said.

---Journal Staff Writer Philip Marcelo

Correction: An earlier version said the car was a Volvo.

Posted by Kate Bramson at 3:20 PM | Comment

Motorcyclist flown to hospital after Westerly crash

WESTERLY – The eastbound lanes of Route 78 were closed for about 20 minutes this morning due to a traffic accident, the police said.

The road has reopened.

Westerly police Sgt. Shawn Lacey said a man lost control of his motorcycle around 11:30 a.m. He suffered a serious leg injury and was flown to William W. Backus Hospital in Norwich, Conn.

-- Journal staff writer Maria Armental

Posted by Steve Peoples at 2:43 PM | Comment

Bruschi returns to Pats' practice field

After missing most of training camp and all four preseason games because of a broken wrist, Patriots linebacker Tedy Bruschi is practicing today in Foxboro as his team prepares for Sunday's season opener against the Buffalo Bills.

Joining Bruschi today are two others who had been out with injuries: rookie wide receiver Chad Jackson and offensive tackle Nick Kaczur.

Keep your eye on the PatsBlog for more on these stories and updates during the afternoon.

Posted by Mike McDermott at 1:11 PM | Comment

Update: Chafee says campaign Web site hacked

U.S. Sen. Lincoln D. Chafee says his campaign's computer system has been "hacked into," and the FBI is investigating.

The campaign's Web site has been "compromised," and e-mails have been "stolen," the Rhode Island Republican said today.

But Chafee staff members don't believe the incident was politically motivated.

Chafee is involved in a tight Republican primary race with Cranston Mayor Stephen P. Laffey that has attracted national attention. The primary election is next Tuesday, Sept. 12.

Chafee was interrupted during a telephone interview with a Journal columnist this morning and informed of the situation.

The campaign Web site and e-mail system were hacked from a remote location sometime between midnight and 10 a.m. today, campaign manager Ian Lang and Chafee Senate spokesman Stephen Hourahan confirmed at the senator's campaign headquarters later today.

The staff members say they think they know who did it, and they do not believe it was politically motivated, but they would not elaborate.

Staff members at Chafee's Warwick campaign headquarters say they could not access the site for a time this morning, and they could not send or receive e-mails. (Projo.com was able to view the site late this morning; at a glance, nothing seemed out of order.)

The senator was in Washington, D.C., but is returning to Rhode Island today as previously planned. His campaign headquarters is on 2364 Post Road, Warwick.

Chafee said, "Hopefully, we can get to the bottom of it" and apprehend who ever is responsible.

-- With reports from Journal political columnist M. Charles Bakst and Journal staff writer Katherine Gregg

Posted by Jack Perry at 12:57 PM | Comment

Pawtucket murder suspects arrested in Florida

The police announced this morning that two men wanted for the shooting death of a Pawtucket woman in July have been arrested in Florida.

Barry Offley, 19, of Woonsocket, and Alonzo P. Shelton, 28, of Central Falls, are facing first-degree murder charges in the death of 24-year-old Jessica C. Imran, of Pawtucket, and attempted murder charges in the shooting of 28-year-old Julie Lange, of Central Falls.

The men are being held in the Marion County Jail in Florida, pending extradition hearings. The Marion County Sheriff's Department notified Pawtucket police of the arrests this morning.

Florida authorities, working with the U.S. Marshall's Office, had set up a surveillance operation in Marion County over the past four weeks that led to the arrests, according to a statement released by the Pawtucket police.

Offley and Shelton were featured on various national television shows in recent weeks, including America's Most Wanted.

The police say the men are wanted for Imran's execution-style slaying that took place in Imran's apartment at 86-88 Lawn Ave. in the early morning hours of July 27.

Pawtucket police plan to hold a press conference this afternoon at 2:30 to discuss the situation. More to come on projo.com...

-- projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples

Posted by Steve Peoples at 12:32 PM | Comment

Police probe fatal motorcycle crash in S. Kingstown

SOUTH KINGSTOWN -- The police are still investigating a motorcycle accident on Route 1 yesterday that claimed the life of a South Kingstown man.

David R. Buiniskas, 51, of 48 Erin Dr., was driving a 2000 Harley Davidson north on Route 1 around 5:49 p.m. in the low-speed lane when he crashed near the Jerry Brown Farm Road exit, according to the police.

It appears Buiniskas lost control after hitting the chatter strip, said Capt. Jeffrey Allen.

Officers responding to the scene found Buiniskas and his vehicle in the roadway. He was taken to South County Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

-- Reported by Journal staff writer Katie Mulvaney.

Posted by Jack Perry at 12:11 PM | Comment

Carcieri plans Sept. 11 anniversary events

PROVIDENCE -- Governor Carcieri today announced plans for the fifth anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in New York City and Washington, D.C.

The governor will join with victims' families at 10 a.m. this Monday in the State House Bell Area, where there will be music, poetry readings and speeches by political and religious leaders.

Musical selections will be performed by the Pilgrim High School Choir, Trinity Repertory Company’s Joe Wilson, Jr., vocalist Elizabeth Lewis and flutist John Curran of the Rhode Island Philharmonic music school.

Carcieri will be joined by Rhode Island National Guard Maj. Gen. Robert Bray, Imam Ansari of the Muslim American Dawah Center of Rhode Island, the Rev. Frank Sevola of St. Francis Chapel, and Rabbi Peter Stein of Temple Sinai.

Posted by Steve Peoples at 12:03 PM | Comment

Senate delays vote on Bolton

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- A Senate panel postponed a vote today on approving John Bolton as U.N. ambassador, a job he has held temporarily since last year when President Bush appointed him over Democratic opposition.

Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Richard Lugar, R-Ind., gave no reason for the delay and did not say when the vote would be held. Bolton had been opposed by many Democrats but was expected to be confirmed by the Republican-led panel of which Rhode Island's Lincoln D. Chafee is a member.

Lugar said he removed the nomination from the agenda of today's committee meeting after conferring with several senators.

Bolton's approval by the committee would pave the way for a confirmation vote on the Senate floor.

-- The Associated Press

Posted by Steve Peoples at 12:00 PM | Comment

These political questions all have the same answer

PROVIDENCE _ Each time, the correct answer was: Zero.

The questions included: How many women now hold statewide office? How many women have been governor? How many women have been lieutenant governor? And how many women have represented Rhode Island in the U.S. Senate?

“It is clear that Rhode Island faces a huge gap in gender involvement in political leadership,” said Kathleen A. Swann, president and CEO of Leadership Rhode Island. “We care about closing the gender gap in political office holders in Rhode Island.”

Swann joined female candidates at the State House this morning for a breakfast rally to support women running for public office this fall. The event, in the grand State Room, was hosted by Leadership Rhode Island and the Rhode Island Commission on Women.

-- Edward Fitzpatrick, Journal staff writer

Swann this morning cited a Women’s Fund of Rhode Island survey released last week, saying that while there’s a shortage of female office holders, “women care deeply about this state and the issues.” She pointed out that about 80 people attended yesterday’s event, including a range of female candidates for state and local office.

Lisa A. Pelosi, director of programs for Leadership Rhode Island, noted a front-page Journal article about the survey included six black-and-white photographs of women who have held statewide office in the past. “Is that how long it’s been since we’ve had women in higher office that we don’t even have color photos of them?” she asked.

The audience then heard from three current candidates: Jennifer Lawless, who is running in a Democratic primary in the 2nd Congressional District; state Sen. Elizabeth H. Roberts, who is running in a Democratic primary for lieutenant governor; and Sue Stenhouse, the Republican candidate for secretary of state.

Posted by Peter Phipps at 10:25 AM | Comment

There's little hope Paramount employees will get paid

Monday a Superior Court judge could decide what chance more than 180 former Paramount Cards workers have to collect unpaid commissions, bonuses, vacation and sick pay.

It doesn't look good the U.S. workers of the failed company will ever see the $844,000 owed to them.

Paramount's court-appointed receiver, Allan M. Shine, said there will be no money for employees if the company's lender, Citizens Bank, succeeds in pressing its own claim for more than $42 million.

On Monday, a Superior Court judge will consider a request by Citizens Bank to require that all proceeds from the sale of the Pawtucket-based card maker's assets be used to repay its bank debts.

The sale of Paramount's assets is expected to fall far short of its $42 million bank debts, which means that anyone who files claims against Paramount_ including former employees _ will likely get nothing, according to Shine.

--- Lynn Arditi, Journal staff writer

Posted by Peter Phipps at 9:10 AM | Comment

Photo: Tears before daddy goes to war

Journal photo / Kathy Borchers

Rhode Island National Guard member Hector Silvestre comforts his crying children, Dera, 9, Zane, 5, and wife, Stacie, all from Providence, as he says goodbye before returning for duty in Southwest Asia. Forty-one members of the Guard's 143rd Airlift Wing were leaving Quonset Air National Guard Base in North Kingstown today.

Posted by Jack Perry at 7:23 AM | Comment

Sunny and 77

PROVIDENCE – We’ve got a beautiful day ahead of us, so get outside and enjoy it.

We’ll have a high of 77 and mostly sunny weather.

Tomorrow looks like much of the same, but even warmer – with a high of 81 expected.

Check back at projo.com/weather for local conditions and forecasts throughout the day.

Posted by Kate Bramson at 7:00 AM | Comment

Florence: A storm to watch

Still just a tropical storm more than five days away, Florence is expected to become Hurricane Florence tomorrow. Then Florence could take a turn our way.

Florence will pick up energy over the warm water north of Puerto Rico and should pass west of Bermuda Monday.

It's too early to say what will happen next. But the forecasters at the National Hurricane Center say it looks like Florence will gradually strengthen and could become a major category three storm by early next week.

Posted by Peter Phipps at 6:55 AM | Comment