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October 16, 2006

Tow-truck driver struck, killed by lumber truck

EAST GREENWICH -- A tow-truck operator assisting a disabled motorist was struck and killed this afternoon by a lumber truck on Route 4 when he ran out onto the roadway to pick up debris, the state police said.

The man, whose name is being withheld until family members are notified, was hit by a truck owned by Douglas Lumber of Smithfield at about 2:25 p.m., state Trooper Capt. James Swanberg said. He was pronounced dead at the scene shortly after.

The operator of the 73,000-pound lumber truck has not been charged, the police said.

The victim had been dispatched to Route 4 north, near exit 6, to help a female motorist who had a flat tire, Swanberg said.

The disabled motorist was parked on the shoulder. The tow-truck operator pulled over near her vehicle and got out of his truck. The man ran out to retrieve some debris on the highway and was hit by the truck. The police are not certain what the debris was.

The accident closed one lane on the northbound side of Route 4 for about an hour and a half.

-- Journal staff writer Lisa Vernon-Sparks

Posted by Andrea Panciera at 6:50 PM | Comment

WPRI-TV poll: Majority oppose casino proposal

For the third time in recent weeks, a poll has found that the majority of Rhode Islanders oppose efforts to amend the state Constitution to bring a casino to West Warwick.
A WPRI-TV survey of 402 registered voters found that opponents outnumber supporters, 51 percent to 37 percent, with 12 percent undecided. The margin of error was about 5 percent.

The poll, which was conducted between Oct. 11 to Oct. 14, found that support for the proposal decreases as the age of the voter increases.

For example, those surveyed who are between 18 and 39 years old support the casino, 57 to 31 percent. Of those between 40 and 59, support falls to 38 percent, with 48 against. Voters 60 and over -- traditionally a large voting bloc -- strongly oppose the casino with 66 percent against and 25 percent supporting the proposal.

The difference between men and women surveyed isn't statistically significant. Men oppose the casino, 51 to 37 percent; women oppose it 52 to 38 percent.

A poll released last week by Rhode Island College's Bureau of Government Research and Services showed that 56 percent of likely voters opposed the casino, while 33 percent supported it; 10 percent were undecided.

-- projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples

Posted by Steve Peoples at 6:31 PM | Comment

Update: Chafee, Whitehouse debate on familiar lines

A live radio debate this afternoon between the two candidates for U.S. Senate in Rhode Island was largely civil -- and largely repetitive.

As he has done for months, Democratic challenger Sheldon Whitehouse did his best to connect his opponent to the Republican Party and President Bush. "We need a new direction in Washington...To change America, we have to change the Senate," Whitehouse said.

And as he has done since winning the Republican primary, Sen. Lincoln Chafee downplayed his ties to the GOP, highlighting his character and his ability to work with people from both parties. "Senator Chafee has the guts to make tough decisions," he said.

Chafee added that it would work to Rhode Island's advantage to have at least one member of its Congressional delegation be in the party in power. Rhode Island's three other delegates to Congress are Democrats.

"Not only have I voted my conscience time and time again, but I’ve also delivered for Rhode Island," Chafee said.

The race is being watched nationally as Democrats look to regain the majority in Congress.

Chafee did his best to turn the debate to local issues and Whitehouse's actions as a former U.S. attorney in Rhode Island, compared to Whitehouse's repeated efforts to focus on the direction of the country and other national issues such as health care and Iraq.

Chafee sharply criticized Whitehouse's record as U.S. attorney, alleging he failed to pursue charges related to political corruption while in office. “Mr. Whitehouse is guilty of willful blindness” in not pursuing an investigation, Chafee said. “He did not want to step on the toes of his friends.”

Again and again, Whitehouse focused on the national implications of the election.

“The Bush administration has been a disaster for America and a disaster for Rhode Island," Whitehouse said. “We have a chance to put a Democratic Senate in place, and a Democratic Senate can stop the nonsense.”

-- projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples

Today's debate was held at WHJJ, 920 AM. Radio host Arlene Violet moderated.

Whitehouse and Chafee will meet this Thursday night for their first televised debate. The Providence Journal and WPRI-TV, Channel 12, are co-sponsoring the hour-long debate, which will air live from Warwick’s Toll Gate High School at 7 p.m. on WPRI.

The general election is Nov. 7, about three weeks away.

-- projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples

Posted by Steve Peoples at 6:20 PM | Comment

Providence man gets 15 years for drug-trafficking

PROVIDENCE -- A local man was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison today after pleading guilty to heroin trafficking and being a felon in possession of a gun.

Laron Paschal, 36, of Providence, had at least three prior felony and drug trafficking convictions, which qualified him as an "armed career criminal" under federal law, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Paschal's latest charges came after Providence police stopped his car after observing an apparent drug deal outside the Providence Place mall last November. As Paschal got out of his car, he dropped two bags of heroin, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. Police discovered more heroin and some cocaine on his possession after he was arrested. Authorities later found a .357 caliber revolver and a box of .357 caliber ammunition when they searched his home.

U.S. District Court Judge William E. Smith imposed the sentence today.

Posted by Steve Peoples at 6:14 PM | Comment

Prison for head of Woonsocket temp agency

A federal judge has sentenced a former Woonsocket man to 18 months in prison. His crime: failing to turn over to the government the taxes that he had collected from clients of his Woonsocket-based temporary employment agency.

Chuong V. Nguyen, 40, now of Lowell, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mary M. Lisi on Friday in U.S. District Court, Providence. Sentencing details were posted by U.S. Attorney Robert Clark Corrente. The case had been investigated by the Internal Revenue Service's criminal investigation branch.

Nguyen ran a temporary employment agency out of his residence in Woonsocket, the government said. Client companies paid him for each worker he provided – typically between $6.50 and $8.75 per hour. By 2002, he was supplying about 40 workers, primarily Asian immigrants, to various manufacturing companies in Rhode Island and Massachusetts.

Instead of turning over payroll taxes to the IRS as required by law, Nguyen kept the money and spent much of it on gambling, the government said. Altogether, the government lost $557,180 in withholding taxes that Nguyen should have handed over from 1998 through 2002, the government said.

Nguyen must report to prison Nov. 13. When he eventually gets out, he'll have to file amended tax returns, cooperate fully with the IRS, and pay the taxes he owes. He also must refrain from gambling.

Posted by Neil Downing at 4:05 PM | Comment

Brown students dig into history at country's oldest Baptist church

PROVIDENCE – There’s an archeological dig going on in our own backyard.

That’s right. Brown University students and instructors are over at Providence’s First Baptist Church this afternoon excavating seven test pits on the property of the oldest Baptist church in America. They will be there on Mondays throughout the month as part of a new class at the university that allows students first-hand experience with an archeological dig.

The class of 18 students has unearthed ceramics, coins, a glass marble and some buttons – some dating to the mid-1800s.

The students are enjoying the class, Anthropology 160, which is sponsored by the university’s anthropology department and the Artemis A.W. and Martha Sharp Joukowsky Institute for Archeology and the Ancient World, institute director Susan Alcock said this afternoon.

“And the point is not really so much about what they find,” Alcock said. “If they find some nice things, that’s great. But it’s really just about the process of doing it. It’s like cooking. You can read about it and you can talk about it, but until you do it – it really comes into focus then.”

-- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson

The project began within the church community, Alcock said. The minister of religious education at First Baptist Church talked about the possibility of such an archeological dig with the head of the search committee charged with finding the director of the Joukowsky Institute. When Alcock began that job in January, she learned of the idea and contacted the Rev. Michael Burch, she said.

“At First Baptist Church, we’ve always had the desire to contribute to undergraduate education at Brown,” Burch said in a news release issued by Brown. “In addition, this dig is an opportunity to increase our knowledge of local culture and history of Providence.”

The university would like to continue the class beyond this semester – “whether at the church or elsewhere in the area,” Alcock said.

Posted by Kate Bramson at 3:24 PM | Comment

AG's lawsuit claims Johnston violated public records law

JOHNSTON – The Rhode Island Attorney General's Office announced today that it is suing the town of Johnston for violating the state’s Access to Public Records Act, the second such lawsuit Atty. Gen. Patrick C. Lynch has brought against a public entity in nearly four years.

Lynch is bringing the lawsuit on behalf of Johnston resident Carmine Perrotti, who filed a complaint with the Attorney General’s Office in May, alleging that the town never provided him public records he had sought and never responded to his request under the Access to Public Records Act.

Lynch's office alleges that the town violated the law by failing to respond to Perrotti’s request for copies of two different contractual agreements and that the town’s violation of the law was “knowing and willful.”

Lynch is seeking a civil fine – not only, he said, “to rectify the town’s violation in this case, but also to encourage the town to comply with our Open Government laws in the future and to warn other public bodies that, when warranted, we will litigate these cases aggressively.”

-- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson and Journal reports

After filing papers in Providence County Superior Court, Lynch said in a statement today that the town has not cooperated with his office’s investigation.

“These findings result from a review by our Open Government Unit that was made more difficult because the town of Johnston failed to respond to our reasonable requests for information during our investigation,” Lynch said. “The town has failed to respond to our reasonable inquiries in the past, just as they failed to respond to Mr. Perrotti’s reasonable -- and lawful -- request earlier this year. We are left to conclude that the town’s inaction is a willing and knowing violation of our Open Government laws, and that is unacceptable.”

The first such lawsuit filed by Lynch’s office was against the town of Barrington, on behalf of Jeff and Janice Black, who ran into roadblocks when asking why their home’s assessment nearly doubled.

In July 2005, the town of Barrington admitted – in an unprecedented consent judgment filed in Superior Court -- that it violated the state's open-government laws in the Blacks’ case.

The town agreed to pay a $1,500 fine. The judgment also gave the town 30 days to create specific procedures regarding access to public records -- a document all towns are required to have -- and distribute the policy to every public body in town.

Posted by Kate Bramson at 2:35 PM | Comment

Extension deadline for tax filing is tonight

If you obtained an extension of the usual April deadline for filing your federal or Rhode Island income-tax returns, now's the time to fess up.

The automatic extension postponed the deadline for only six months. So your new filing deadline is midnight tonight.

The Internal Revenue Service has forms and publications available. So does the Rhode Island Division of Taxation. (If you're eligible, you may prepare and file your federal return online at no charge, through the IRS Free File program.)

Posted by Neil Downing at 2:32 PM | Comment

Citizens investment sales arm fined $850,000

The securities industry's self-regulatory body announced today it has fined the investment sales arm of Citizens Bank $850,000 for a series of violations stemming from its sale of variable annuities and 529 college savings plans.

The National Association of Securities Dealers cited CCO Investment Services Corp. for violating regulations relating to supervision, record-keeping and telemarketing, among other practices.

"This bank-affiliated firm missed the mark with regard to several important requirements, including some that impacted retirees -- an especially vulnerable group for whom NASD rules, the federal securities laws, and the telemarketing laws provide valuable protections," NASD executive vice president and head of enforcement James S. Shorris said in a statement.

The fine by NASD follows earlier fines and penalties of $3.8 million imposed by regulators in Rhode Island and Massachusetts over variable annuity sales by Citizens brokers to elderly customers.

Posted by at 1:57 PM | Comment

Update: Vacant building at Rocky Point burns to ground / Video

WARWICK -- The former main office building at the old Rocky Point amusement park burned to the ground this morning in a spectacular fire that sent large plumes of smoke high into the air that were visible for miles.

The building, known as the Cliff House, was unoccupied, according to the Warwick Fire Department, which has about 25 firefighters at the two-alarm blaze. No injuries have been reported.

Shortly after 1 p.m., a pale-gray plume of smoke still towered abve Narragansett Bay, and flames were still active at the scene. Firefighters successfully kept the large fire from spreading.

The wood-frame two-and-one-half-story building, located on a hill, is one of about 25 vacant structures -- most spray-painted and vandalized -- in the area.

The 124-acre parcel is slated for redevelopment, though the owner, the federal Small Business Administration, is still in negotiations regarding the size of the condominium development.

In September 2004, a suspicious fire destroyed The Big House at the park. The building had housed the cooks and other staff members when the park was operating.

The park opened in 1847, and for more than 100 years was one of America's greatest and most famous amusement parks. It was nearly destroyed in the hurricane of 1938, but the park was rebuilt with new rides and enjoyed a renaissance.

The park closed in 1995.

Video, courtesy of wpri.com: See an aerial view of the fire at the park.

-- Journal staff writer Benjamin Gedan

Posted by Steve Peoples at 1:54 PM | Comment

Chief Thomas, Almond debate casino proposal on radio today

EAST PROVIDENCE -- The voices of the casino debate will be broadcast this afternoon when Narragansett Indian Chief Sachem Matthew Thomas and former Gov. Lincoln Almond debate the merits of the proposal on live radio.

The leaders of each side will meet in the East Providence studio of WPRO 630 AM, where radio host Dan Yorke will moderate the hour-long debate.

Almond heads the anti-casino group Save Our State, while Thomas's tribe has partnered with Harrah's Entertainment to sponsor the proposed casino in West Warwick. The issue will appear as Question 1 on the ballot in the Nov. 7 general election.

Posted by Steve Peoples at 1:48 PM | Comment

Senate candidates to debate today on live radio

The candidates in Rhode Island's high-profile U.S. Senate race will meet this afternoon for their second debate, three days after they first traded public barbs in a spirited clash on live radio.

The Democratic candidate, Sheldon Whitehouse, is trying to unseat U.S. Sen. Lincoln Chafee. The race is being watched nationally as Democrats look to regain the majority in Congress.

Today's live radio debate is scheduled for 4 p.m. on WHJJ, 920 AM. Radio host Arlene Violet will moderate.

Whitehouse and Chafee will meet this Thursday night for their first televised debate.
The Providence Journal and WPRI 12 are co-sponsoring the hourlong debate, which will air live from Warwick’s Toll Gate High School at 7 p.m. on WPRI.

The general election is Nov. 7, about three weeks away.

Posted by Steve Peoples at 12:10 PM | Comment

Gas prices down for 11th consecutive week

Gas prices in Rhode Island are at their lowest in eight months, according to AAA Southern New England.

The average price for regular unleaded self-serve gasoline last week was $2.21 per gallon, which is nearly the lowest price of the year, according to a AAA survey released this morning. Last February the average price in the state was $2.19; last year at this time the price was $2.71.

AAA found a range in prices of 20 cents at various gas stations -- from a low of $2.15 to a high of $2.35. Customers are encouraged to shop around to find the best deal.

Posted by Steve Peoples at 11:32 AM | Comment

Civil rights activist to speak in favor of felon voting rights

PROVIDENCE -- A civil and human rights activist, minister and retired Congressman who worked with the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and was one of the founders of the Congressional Black Caucus will speak today in favor of restoring voting rights to Rhode Islanders on probation or parole.

The Rev. Walter E. Fauntroy will speak at noon at the Rhode Island Right to Vote Campaign Headquarters, at 841 Broad St. The Right to Vote campaign is working to promote the passage of Ballot Question 2 – which would amend the state Constitution to allow felons to vote upon release from prison.

“We are honored and pleased that Reverend Fauntroy has joined with us in Rhode Island to spread the word to all members of all faith communities that passing Ballot Question 2 will be as historic for Rhode Island as the Civil Rights marches of the 1960s were for Southern states,” said the Rev. Jeffery Williams, campaign manager of the Rhode Island Right to Vote movement and senior pastor of the Cathedral of Life Christian Assembly, in a statement. “Our civil rights struggles continue to this day, and we hope that everyone recognizes the need to continue to work for justice and equality. Voting yes on Ballot Question 2 on Nov. 7 is an important step toward achieving that justice and equality.”

Posted by Kate Bramson at 11:26 AM | Comment

Providence firm, partner to buy software maker

A Providence-based private equity firm is one of two groups that have agreed to purchase the Glastonbury, Connecticut-based Open Solutions Inc. for about $1.3 billion as buyout firms increase their takeovers of technology companies.

Providence Equity Partners Inc. and Carlyle Group, two U.S. buyout firms, will acquire the Open Solutions, which makes software for financial-services companies, for $35 a share, 25 percent more than the stock’s closing price on Friday. The deal will include takeover of the company’s debt as well.

“We intend to support the continued growth and expansion of Open Solutions with aggressive investment in internal research and development, customer service and complementary acquisitions,” Carlyle Managing Director Bud Watts said in a statement.

-- Bloomberg News and Journal reports

Open Solutions’ management, led by Chief Executive Officer Louis Hernandez, is participating in the buyout, according to a statement issued today.

The transaction follows last year’s $11.4 billion takeover of Sungard Data Systems Inc., which like Open Solutions provides software for financial-services companies, by a group of seven buyout firms. The buyout firms are targeting software companies because their maintenance contracts generate stable revenue. More than three quarters of Open Solutions’ sales are recurring.

Providence Equity Partners was one of a number of investors named last month who plan to acquire Spanish-language broadcaster Univision Communications Inc. for $12.3 billion, a deal that must still pass regulatory approval. The Providence group also led the investor group that bought Kerzner International Ltd., part owner of the Lincoln Park video slots venue.

Posted by Kate Bramson at 10:22 AM | Comment

Providence police investigating home invasions

PROVIDENCE – The police today are investigating two home invasions and an unrelated stabbing yesterday that left two men hospitalized.

No arrests have been made in connection with any of the incidents, Capt. Hugh Clements said this morning.

The stabbing occurred downtown after a large disturbance around 2 a.m. yesterday at the nightclub Bar One, at 1 Throop Alley, Clements said. Weapons were drawn as a group of men argued.

One man was stabbed in the chest and upper abdomen with a knife. He was initially in critical condition, but his condition has now stabilized, Clements said. The other man was stabbed in the right side of his torso and is in stable condition. Both are at Rhode Island Hospital, Clements said.

Last night, around 10:30 p.m., a few men wearing hoodies and dark clothing entered 150 New York Ave. in Washington Park with a shotgun and a handgun. They ran away with numerous items, according to Clements.

In an earlier home invasion, five men wearing masks and hoodies kicked in the rear door to an apartment at 644 Douglas Ave. in the Wanskuck neighborhood around 1:45 a.m. yesterday, firing one shot from a shotgun to gain entrance, Clements said.

-- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson

Posted by Kate Bramson at 9:49 AM | Comment

Candidates to discuss health care today at forum

If you’re interested in what the major party candidates for Rhode Island's U.S. Senate and U.S. House seats and for governor and lieutenant governor think about health care issues in Rhode Island, head over to the Crowne Plaza Hotel at 10 a.m. today.

The candidates plan to discuss their ideas for expanding health insurance to cover more Rhode Islanders and the role that health centers play in providing care to the state’s growing uninsured population. They’ll speak at a forum that’s part of the Rhode Island Health Center Association’s annual meeting.

The 90-minute forum is free and open to the public. It will be held in Salon 3-5.

RIHCA is a health care advocacy and membership organization, representing the 12 community health centers that provide care to 10 percent of the state's population (more than 135,000 people).

Posted by Kate Bramson at 8:59 AM | Comment

Enjoy the sunshine while it lasts

PROVIDENCE – Even if you think it’s a bit chilly today, enjoy the sun.

This is the only day this work week that doesn’t have showers or at least the chance of them on the horizon.

At 6:35 a.m. today, it was only 30 degrees. Thankfully, that won’t last all day. It should rise to about 62 today.

The rest of the week will be in the high 50s or low 60s, with rain, rain and more rain – a 30 percent chance of showers tomorrow during the day, a 90 percent chance of rain tomorrow night and a 90 percent chance of heavy rain Wednesday during the day.

Get the latest conditions and forecasts from projo.com.

Posted by Kate Bramson at 7:03 AM | Comment