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October 5, 2006

Mass. to begin random MBTA bag searches

BOSTON -- Police will resume inspections of bags on public trains, buses and boats in the greater Boston area for the first time since the city hosted the Democratic National Convention in 2004, Gov. Mitt Romney said today.

Romney, a Republican weighing a 2008 run for president, said the inspections will be random and were not in response to an immediate threat, but were an acknowledgment that railways and subways are vulnerable to terrorist attacks. They will begin as early as next week.

The inspections will occur across the entire MBTA system, which stretches into Rhode Island.

Michael Maynard, a spokesman for Rhode Island Gov. Donald Carcieri, said Rhode Island State Police had no plans for anything similar.

To conduct the inspections police will use a detection system that allowed them to inspect for possible explosives hidden in bags. The system lets police swab the outside and seams of a bag, then put the swab in a detector to search for traces of explosive materials without opening the bags.

The process takes about a minute and police can request a rider to open a bag if warranted.

-- The Associated Press

The method is the same that was used during the 2004 convention. MBTA officials say the inspections will occur before riders enter a station. They said the inspections - set to begin as early as next week - could occur across the entire MBTA system including subways, buses, boats and commuter rails.

In Massachusetts, Police will either inspect all riders entering a station or pick out riders on a random numerical basis - every third, or fifth or eighth rider - to guard against racial or ethnic profiling, according to Transit Police Chief Joseph Carter.

Carter would not say how many machines the system has or where they would be located, saying one goal is to build some unpredictability into the inspection process to throw off would be attackers.

"It could be daily. It could be every other day," he said.

The transit system is also adding uniformed teams of officers trained to try to pick out potential terrorists based on their behavior.

Daniel Grabauskas, general manager of the MBTA, said the inspections can be done quickly enough to guarantee that riders aren't slowed down or miss their trains.

Romney said when he's talked to MBTA riders, they've urged him to increase security.

"Their questions are: How can you do more? Can't you do more searches?" He said. "They never say 'Gosh we're really concerned about being inconvenienced."'

Amie Cressman isn't so sure. The graduate student rides the subway from her home in Somerville to classes at Boston University and says she understands the need for security, but isn't looking forward to an even longer commute.

"I don't want the train to be bombed, but there's a fine line between better homeland security and infringing on people's privacy rights," Cressman said, exiting the city's Park Street stop. "I think a lot of people are going to be mad."

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority was the first subway system in the nation to begin random inspections of bags and packages on subway and commuter trains. The 2004 convention was the first national political convention after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

Fears of terrorism during the convention prompted extraordinary security measures in the city, including shutting down some roads and sealing off the area around the former FleetCenter where the convention was held.

Those inspections ended after the convention was over.

Civil liberties groups opposed the measure saying the policy violated Fourth Amendment rights protecting people against unreasonable searches.

Posted by Steve Peoples at 6:00 PM | Comment

New polls, same results: Whitehouse, Chafee even

Another national pollster has weighed in on Rhode Island's Senate race. And for the third consecutive poll, Sheldon Whitehouse and the incumbent Sen. Lincoln Chafee are locked in a dead heat.

With the election less that five weeks away, the poll released today by Zogby International gives Whitehouse a slight edge, 45 percent to 41 percent. But because the margin of error in the poll is 4.1 percentage points, the lead is statistically insignificant. Nearly 13 percent are undecided.

The results reflect a survey of 601 likely voters conducted between Sept. 25 and Oct. 2.

They were asked, "If the election for U.S. Senate were held today and the candidates were Democrat Sheldon Whitehouse and Republican Lincoln Chafee, for whom would you vote?"

Another national pollster, Mason Dixon Polling & Research reported Monday that Whitehouse lead Chafee 42 percent to 41 percent -- also a difference within the poll's margin of error. Brown University reported similar findings late last month.

People across the nation are eyeing Rhode Island's Senate race because it tip the balance of the Senate. Democrats must pick up six seats.

Zogby today is reporting that of 10 "battleground states," Democratic candidates are leading in five races, trailing in two, with two others tied. Independent candidate Joseph Lieberman, who lost his Democratic primary, leads in the other race.

-- projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples

Posted by Steve Peoples at 4:29 PM | Comment

Another day passes and no verdict in Urciuoli case

PROVIDENCE -- Two days and no verdict.

The jury in the Roger Williams Medical Center corruption case has adjourned for the second consecutive day without reaching a verdict.

Deliberations will continue at 9:30 tomorrow morning.

Former hospital President Robert A. Urciuoli, Frances P. Driscoll, a former hospital vice president, and Peter J. Sangermano Jr., a partner in the hospital's assisted-living center, are facing conspiracy and mail fraud charges. Prosecutors say the officials conspired to steal the honest services of former state Sen. John A. Celona by hiring him to do the hospital's bidding at the General Assembly.

Posted by Steve Peoples at 4:27 PM | Comment

Finger pointing, feisty one liners during casino debate

CRANSTON -- The opposing faces of the casino debate met today inside Channel 10 WJAR's studio. And it wasn't pretty.

There was plenty of finger pointing, shouting and feisty one liners to go around during the debate between Narragansett Chief Sachem Matthew Thomas and former governor Lincoln Almond, who heads the casino opposition group Save Our State.

And the cameras never stopped rolling.

Thomas: "The problem with the governor is that he's got an eight-track mentality in a CD world."

Almond: "This is all hocus pocus."

During the half-hour exchange, the opponents largely recycled the arguments that have been presented on television and radio ads in recent weeks. Thomas said the casino would provide property-tax relief. Almond said it would end up costing taxpayers in the long run because of a loss of tax revenue from Lincoln Park and the Newport Grand.

The debate will be aired on Channel 10 tomorrow at 12:30 p.m. and again Sunday morning at 6:30 a.m.

Voters will be asked in one month to amend the state Constitution to allow a casino in West Warwick.

-- projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples with reports from Journal staff writer Scott Mayerowitz

Posted by Steve Peoples at 3:46 PM | Comment

Speakers: Coventry police guilty of racial profiling

The recent search by Coventry police of the Central Falls soccer team was racial profiling said several speakers at a State House meeting today.

Elected minority officials and members of the NAACP, Progreso Latino, the Urban League, the Hispanic Ministry Association, Immigrants in Action, the Rhode Island Mexican Association and the Black and Latino political action committees met today to respond to the incident.

They said the search was racial profiling.

Rep. Joseph Almeida, D-Providence called for the reactivation of the Select Commission on Race and Police Community Relations.

Ramon Martinez, executive director of Progreso Latino, read a four-point plan of action that includes passing legislation to direct Rhode Island schools to include ethics as part of their curriculum and creating a Minority Caucus Advisory Council that would develop, monitor and evaluate a list of legislative bills that impact minority communities each year.

“Racial profiling will stop now,” Martinez said. “We do not tolerate this illegal practice. Racial discrimination must end in Rhode Island. We will not accept this immoral conduct.”

-- Journal Staff Writer Tatiana Pina

The Select Commission on Race and Police Community Relations,
which has been defunct for about a year, addressed issues such as racial profiling and discrimination and other matters regarding race relations between police and the community.

In Coventry on Sept. 28, as the Central Falls team prepared to go home, about 20 members of the Coventry football team confronted Central Falls coach Bobby Marchand and accused his players of stealing cell phones and iPods from their locker room.

Marchand searched his boys’ items and found nothing. Then, with Marchand’s permission, the police took the boys off the bus and searched their belongings. A crowd formed, and the Central Falls players and coaches said that they were humiliated to be searched by the police in front of the crowd.

During today’s meeting, the parents of the soccer players were encouraged to file suit against the Coventry Police.

Posted by Kate Bramson at 1:49 PM | Comment

Leak prompts evacuation of Pawtucket supermarket

PAWTUCKET -- Firefighters evacuated a Shaw's Supermarket late this morning after a refrigeration system leaked potentially harmful gas.

Nobody was injured.

Pawtucket Battalion Chief Richard Meerbott, the first to arrive at the store at Smithfield Ave. and North Main Street, ordered the 30 to 35 employees and 20 to 25 customers out of the building.

"We didn't know what we were dealing with and when you don't know what you're dealing with, you get everybody out," Meerbott said.

Firefighters later determined that the leak was spreading a mist of pentafluorethane, a potential asphyxiant, into the store, Fire Chief Timothy P. McLaughlin said.

The leak was contained quickly, according to firefighters. Firefighters were called at 11:26 a.m., and employees went back in about 1 p.m., after firefighters had used fans to clear the air.

After firefighters gave the okay for workers to return to the store, store manager Tom Dwyer said, "Let's go. Everybody back. We're on the clock."

Dwyer earlier referred a reporter to corporate headquarters when asked why the store wasn't evacuated before firefighters arrived.

--Journal staff writer John Castellucci.

Posted by Jack Perry at 1:39 PM | Comment

Cranston candidates for mayor to debate again

CRANSTON -- The candidates looking to succeed Mayor Stephen P. Laffey agreed today to participate in two debates.

Republican Allan W. Fung, a Laffey loyalist and City Council member, will face Democratic newcomer Michael T. Napolitano in a Nov. 2 debate hosted by the Cranston Herald and the Comprehensive Community Action Program.

The two campaigns also agreed to take questions from WPRO radio talk show host Dan Yorke. Their exchanges will be broadcast live on the Dan Yorke Show. The date of that debate has not been announced.

The two candidates debated Tuesday at Cranston East High School.
-- Journal staff writer Benjamin N. Gedan

Posted by Kate Bramson at 1:38 PM | Comment

Rep. wants renewal of race relations commission

The controversy over the Coventry police search on Sept. 28 of the Central Falls soccer team continues today.

A group of Latino organizations and state Rep. Joseph Almeida of Providence is holding a news conference this morning to talk about the situation at the State House.

Almeida, co-chairman of the Rhode Island Minority Leadership/Legislative Caucus, plans to call for the reactivation of the governor’s Select Commission on Race and Police-Community Relations, which he complained was underfunded in 2004.

During a news conference yesterday afternoon at Central Falls High School, the executive director of the Rhode Island Interscholastic League urged students from both schools to come together and urged schools to kick fans and parents out if they can’t behave themselves during a game.

The search took place after the Coventry and Central Falls soccer teams finished a game with a 2-2 tie in Coventry. About 20 members of the Coventry football team confronted the Central Falls soccer coach and accused his players of stealing iPods and cell phones.

The discussion yesterday centered on race, and perceptions and emotions ran high at times.

Today, Latino and minority elected officials were expected to be at the 10 a.m. State House news conference.

-- with reports from Journal staff writer Tatiana Pina

Posted by Kate Bramson at 11:19 AM | Comment

Updated: Jury resumes deliberations in corruption case

PROVIDENCE -- The jury in the Roger Williams Medical Center corruption case has started its second day of deliberations today, set to start at 9:30 a.m.

After a full day of deliberations yesterday – and lunch that was sent into the jury room – no verdict was set, and there was no visible sign of how deliberations were progressing. U.S. Chief District Judge Ernest C. Torres sent the jurors home yesterday shortly after 4 p.m.

Although the case officially went to the jury late Monday, the four men and eight women did not begin deliberations that day, and they had the day off on Tuesday due to a death in one juror’s family.

Posted by Kate Bramson at 9:49 AM | Comment

Suspicious fire damages Warwick home

WARWICK – Fire officials are investigating a suspicious early-morning blaze in a two-story home at 16 Jennison Rd.
No one was injured in the fire that left two residents of the second-floor apartment temporarily homeless, battalion chief Frank Colantonio said this morning. The first floor was unoccupied.

The fire was reported at about 3 a.m. in the wood-frame house located on Jennison, a short street just off Route 117 (also known as West Shore Road) in the Conimicut neighborhood. It started on an open front porch and extended up into the walls of the house, causing substantial structural damage, Colantonio said.

Firefighters brought the fire under control within 20 to 30 minutes.

Colantonio said that anytime a fire begins outside a structure at night, fire inspectors begin with the assumption that it’s suspicious.

-- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson

Posted by Kate Bramson at 9:06 AM | Comment

Disaster drill closes road near Warwick's Pilgrim High

WARWICK – If you see emergency vehicles over at Pilgrim High School this morning, don’t panic.

It’s just a drill.

The school, police and fire departments and the Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency are conducting a mock airplane crash exercise at the school today.

The road the school is on, Pilgrim Parkway, will be closed to traffic from 8:15 a.m. to 10:45 a.m., so if your morning commute takes you that way, plan to detour around the road.

Anyone wishing to watch the drill was advised to arrive by 8 a.m.

The drill will be held near the industrial wing of the school and will most likely not be visible from the roadway.

Posted by Kate Bramson at 8:17 AM | Comment

Cooler today, gale warnings still in effect

PROVIDENCE – It cooled down considerably overnight.

It’s 50 degrees at this hour and expected to rise just to 67 or so today. It should be mostly sunny all day.

However, the National Weather Service reports that a gale warning remains in effect from for outer waters in the area as northerly wind gusts are expected up to 35 knots.

Get the latest conditions and forecasts from projo.com.

Posted by Kate Bramson at 7:05 AM | Comment