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October 30, 2006

Traffic alert: 'Serious' accident on Rte 95N at Exit 10

The state Department of Transportation's Traffic Management Center is reporting a "serious accident" on Route 95 north at Exit 10, Route 117, in Warwick.

Multiple lanes are reported closed as of about 6:40 p.m. Motorists in the area can expect heavy delays, the TMC says.

Check the "jam factor" here.

Posted by Andrea Panciera at 6:55 PM | Comment

Will he play? Seymour warming up for Pats

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. -- Injured defensive lineman Richard Seymour is on the field now, warming up for New England, his black brace on his left elbow outside of his long-sleeved shirt.

It may all be a ruse, a clever charade to mislead the Vikings, but time will tell.

Keep checking our Pats Blog for more pre-game reports. And come back projo.com after the game for reaction and more coverage from Minnesota as the Patriots battle the Vikings on Monday Night Football.

-- WIth reports from Journal sportswriter Shalise Manza Young

Posted by Steve Peoples at 6:19 PM | Comment

Haz-mat team responds to suspicious package

PROVIDENCE -- A hazardous materials team responded to a downtown building this afternoon after a security guard called the police about a powdery substance on a suspicious package.

The haz-mat team entered One Citizens Plaza at 3:47 p.m. and "secured the package" by 3:51, according to James Taylor, chief of communications for the Providence Fire Department.

The package, which was discovered in the building's lobby with no return address, will be tested for signs of toxins, Taylor said, adding that a white, powdery substance was seen on the outside of the package. It wasn't opened.

There are no reports of any illnesses related to the package.

-- Projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples

Posted by Steve Peoples at 4:17 PM | Comment

Update: Driver in Woonsocket fatal charged with DUI

Journal photo / Mary Murphy
Woonsocket police Lt. Kenneth Paulhus, left, and Detective Edward Doura investigate the scene of the triple fatal accident at Cold Spring Park. The car went through the park fence and hit the tree, far right, at the bottom of the hill in the park.

WOONSOCKET – Two brothers and a third young man are dead after the car they were traveling in left the road and hit a tree last night.

The driver of the car, Patrick G. Coyle, of 41 Congress St., Woonsocket, was the only one to survive the wreck. He was treated at Rhode Island Hospital and released to the custody of Woonsocket Police.

Coyle has been charged with three counts of driving under the influence, death resulting, and driving to endanger, death resulting.

Late this morning, two of the victims were identified by their mother, Paula Mariano of Woonsocket, as brothers Victor Vasquez, 24, of Northbridge, Mass., and Steven Vasquez, 21, of Woonsocket. The police confirmed the identities and the name of the third victim, Travis Thifault, 20, during a brief afternoon news conference.

The accident occurred at about 10:45 p.m. at the intersection of Winter Street and Harris Avenue, near Cold Spring Park.

Two of the men were dead at the scene, and a third man was pronounced dead at Landmark Medical Center in Woonsocket, Capt. Ronald Landry said. The police said all four men were in their early 20s.

All four men remained in the vehicle during the crash. The police have not determined whether they were wearing seat belts, Landry said.

The accident remains under investigation, Landry said.

The state medical examiner will conduct autopsies to determine the cause of death, Landry said.

-- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson, with reports from Journal staff writer Cynthia Needham

Posted by Steve Peoples at 4:01 PM | Comment

Providence "heroes" honored tonight

PROVIDENCE -- City officials will honor 100 firefighters for "heroic actions" during a ceremony tonight at Roger Williams Park Casino.

The firefighters being honored were involved in responding to several incidents in recent memory, including an October 2004 fire on Ophelia Street in which a woman barricaded herself inside a burning house with her two daughters.

Tonight's ceremony is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.

Posted by Steve Peoples at 3:35 PM | Comment

Citizens to buy Chicago bank

Citizens Financial Group Inc. of Providence announced today an agreement to acquire GreatBanc Inc. of Lisle, Ill., for $180 million as it looks to expand in the Chicago area.

GreatBanc will give Citizens' Midwest subsidiary, Charter One Bank, 10 new branches and $1 billion in deposits in metropolitan Chicago.

GreatBanc is a bank holding company with three community banking subsidiaries, GreatBank, GreatBank Chicago and First National Bank. The deal expands Charter One’s presence in Chicago, Skokie and Evanston, Ill., and moves it into several new communities around Chicago.

The deal is the first bank acquisition by Citizens since its breakthrough purchase of Charter One Bank in 2004 that moved Citizens deep into the Midwest.

Citizens Financial Group, the holding company for Citizens Bank, is a subsidiary of The Royal Bank of Scotland Group PLC.

Posted by at 3:17 PM | Comment

Update: Ex-councilman found guilty of 4 sex-assault charges

PROVIDENCE -- A former East Providence city councilman was found guilty today on four of seven counts of first-degree sexual assault against a boy who had worked for him in his flower shop 20 years ago.

Gerald R. Lynch, 62, was found not guilty on the three other counts.

There was some suspense in the courtroom as the Superior Court jury announced it had found Lynch not guilty on the first three counts.

But when the verdicts of guilty came in, the victim, now 37, clasped his fist and said "Got him."

In the courtroom, he was embraced and patted on the arm by his sister and mother. Outside court, he was embraced by other relatives.

After the verdicts, the victim said that trial experience was worthwhile because it gave him a sense of relief and of vindication and because it will "put a pedophile behind bars."

Lawyers in the case argued about whether Lynch should be held pending sentencing or released pending an appeal, which the defense indicated it would do.

Judge Edward C. Clifton denied the prosecution's request that Lynch be jailed immediately. Instead, he ordered that he be placed on home confinement. Lynch was led away in handcuffs by deputy sheriffs for processing.

Each count carries a term of 10 years to life in prison.

The jury reached the verdict late this morning after beginning deliberations late Friday. After having some testimony read back and deliberating about another half hour today, they informed the judge they had made a decision.

-- With reports from Journal staff writer John Castellucci

Posted by Andrea Panciera at 1:37 PM | Comment

Chafee, Whitehouse debate one more time tonight

The candidates for Rhode Island's high-profile U.S. Senate race will go head to head tonight in their last scheduled debate before the election a week from tomorrow.

The meeting will be aired live on Channel 10 at 7 p.m.

It will be the fifth debate between the incumbent Republican Sen. Lincoln Chafee and Democratic challenger Sheldon Whitehouse.

The race has drawn national attention as Democrats seek to regain the Senate majority. They need to pick up six seats. Recent polls show Whitehouse leading.

Posted by Steve Peoples at 1:11 PM | Comment

State trooper sentenced to serve 1 year for assault

PROVIDENCE -- A suspended state trooper has been sentenced to serve one year in prison for beating a handcuffed man in the custody of the South Kingstown police and then lying about it.

Jeffrey L. Clark, a 10-year police veteran, on June 1 was found guilty by a jury of felony assault for punching William Skwirz Jr. as he was handcuffed in the back of a police cruiser on Labor Day weekend 2004.

Clark, who was off duty when the incident occurred, was also convicted of simple assault and filing a false report.

Judge Edward C. Clifton today sentenced Clark to a total of seven years, with one year to serve and six suspended on the felony assault charge.

He also imposed two one-year suspended sentences to run concurrently for the charges of simple assault and filing a false report.

Clifton spoke sternly to Clark during today's sentencing in Superior Court, Providence, about trying to circumvent the law and enlisting help from others. Clark expressed sorrow to his family.

-- Journal staff writer Katie Mulvaney.

Skwirz, of Narragansett, had been celebrating his stepbrother's return from Iraq at his father's house at 274 Laurel Lane early Sept. 5 when Clark, of 254 Laurel Lane, returned home from a wedding and began yelling about a barking dog.

An argument ensued and punches were thrown. Witnesses testified during the trial that Clark threw the first punch. Clark said he acted in self-defense.

Clark moved to press charges against Skwirz. South Kingstown Patrolman Robert F. Costantino II responded.

Skwirz and Costantino, and others, told jurors that Clark repeatedly punched Skwirz as he sat handcuffed in the back of the cruiser. Clark testified he did not know how Skwirz had suffered a gash to the back of his head that required eight staples.

Clark then tried to enlist South Kingstown officers to cover the incident up, prosecutors said -- a claim Clark denied.

Clark has been suspended without pay from the state police since he was arrested Feb. 9, 2005.

Posted by Jack Perry at 12:33 PM | Comment

R.I. gas prices steady after falling for 12 weeks

Gasoline prices in the state have held steady this week, at the lowest they’ve been at any point this year, after falling for 12 consecutive weeks.

Self-serve, regular unleaded gasoline is averaging $2.18 per gallon, according to AAA Southern New England’s weekly survey of gas prices.

At this time a year ago, the average price of gas per gallon was $2.38.

Now, unleaded regular gasoline prices are varying 11 cents, from a low of $2.13 to a high of $2.24. For those of you who don’t pump your own gas, full-serve prices for regular unleaded gasoline average $2.30, with a low of $2.19 and a high of $2.39.

Posted by Kate Bramson at 10:21 AM | Comment

Two sides working the casino debate today

Opposing sides in the casino debate will host events today to build support for their arguments.

At 11 a.m., Rhode Islanders for Jobs and Tax Relief, supporters of the proposed casino, promises to "connect the dots" for the media and unveil the "insidious relationships" between the anti-casino group Save Our State and Rhode Island "insiders," according to a media alert.

Later today, Save our State will co-host a Rhode Island Leadership Rally, where speakers, including Governor Carcieri, Lt. Governor Charles Fogarty and Providence Mayor David N. Cicilline, are expected to speak against amending the state Constitution to allow Harrah's Entertainment and the Narrgansett Indian Tribe to build a casino in West Warwick.

Rhode Islanders for Jobs and Tax relief will host its event at McCormick & Schmick's, 11 Dorrance Street, Providence.

Save our State's rally, co-hosted by We the People, will be from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Airport Sheraton, Post Road, Warwick.

Posted by Jack Perry at 10:07 AM | Comment

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Posted by Peter Phipps at 8:07 AM | Comment

Traffic: Sun glare this early?

PROVIDENCE – When the radio traffic reporter is advising commuters to watch out for the sun glare, we’ll take it at 6:30 in the morning. It’s a nice change, and the early morning sunlight should be with us for about a month or more before the darkness of winter settles in.

So if you’re heading east, bring your sunglasses.

For other traffic needs, check out the state roadways, via the Department of Transportation's online traffic offerings.

You can find any traffic alerts describing accidents here, browse traffic cams to see real-time photos of the highways and check out the DOT’s road construction schedule here.

Also, check out congestion mapping -- i.e., how heavy the traffic is -- here.

To report a traffic incident, call the Transportation Management Center at: (401) 222-5826 and choose option #2.

Posted by Kate Bramson at 7:14 AM | Comment

French company to purchase West Kingston's APC

Schneider Electric SA, a French company that is the world's biggest supplier of circuit breakers, is buying American Power Conversion Corp. for $6.1 billion.

Schneider, based near Paris, offered $31 a share for APC, 30 percent more than last week's close, the French company said in a statement today. It will fund the deal with a $5.7 billion loan and $1.4 billion of new stock.

In September, APC, based in West Kingston, began cutting about 7 percent of its work force to save as much as $32 million. Its second-quarter earnings fell 41 percent to $24.71 million.

APC's board backs the transaction and will recommend it to shareholders, who will vote early next year, the companies said. Approval from Schneider's investors isn't required.

``This transaction provides APC stockholders with an immediate and substantial cash premium for their investment in the company,'' APC Chief Executive Rob Johnson said.

Rodger B. Dowdell Jr., APC's former chief executive, and Neil Rasmussen, the company's chief technical officer, own 9.6 percent of the company and agreed to sell their shares.

Founded in 1981, APC had sales of about $2 billion last year, compared with 11.7 billion euros at Schneider.

Buying APC will double Schneider's sales in a secured-power market that's expected to grow 8 percent a year as clients -- including Microsoft Corp., Boeing Co. and AT&T Inc. -- seek to guard against blackouts and electrical surges.

Shares of Schneider, which makes Square D-brand circuit breakers and automation controls that help bottle Veuve Clicquot champagne, have gained 17 percent this year, giving the company a market value of 20 billion euros. The stock was suspended from trading until noon in Paris.

Read APC's press release.

-- Bloomberg

Posted by Jack Perry at 7:10 AM | Comment

Sunny and breezy today

PROVIDENCE -- At 39 degrees this morning, it’s crisp and invigorating out there.

At least it’s light out, given that we’re back to Eastern Standard Time. What a nice change to step outside and be able to see well enough to put the house key in the lock, huh?

Today should be sunny, and temps are expected to rise to about 58, but it will be breezy. West winds could be between 14 and 21 miles per hour, and gusts could be as high as 31 miles per hour.

Tomorrow, Halloween, is still slated to be the warmest day of the week.

Get the latest conditions and forecasts from projo.com.

Posted by Kate Bramson at 7:04 AM | Comment