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November 13, 2006

Joseph Ungaro, former Journal exec, distinguished journalist, dies at 76

Joseph M. Ungaro, a former managing editor of The Evening Bulletin and assistant vice president for planning and development of The Providence Journal Co., died last night. He was 76.

Ungaro, who went on to a nationally distinguished career spanning 40 years, is also known for posing the question to President Nixon about his underpayment of income taxes that led to Nixon’s famous “I’m not a crook” remark.

Ungaro went from Providence to Gannett's Westchester Rockland Newspapers in January 1974 and served as managing editor, executive editor, president and then publisher of the group of daily papers. He also served as vice president of the Gannett Co.'s Metro Newspaper Division.

He later became president and chief executive of the Detroit Newspaper Agency, the company that managed a joint operating agreement between The Detroit News and Detroit Free Press.

Ungaro worked for the last decade at Stars and Stripes, where he put together a consolidation plan for the newspaper and then became its ombudsman.

Ungaro had settled in Charlestown, where his family had vacationed for years.

There, he became a prominent voice, getting involved in the budget planning process, and at one point chairing both the budget commission and finance committee.

He led efforts to pull out of the embattled Chariho Regional School District and currently was sitting on the town’s ad hoc school options committee. Most recently, Ungaro was voted into an open seat in the Chariho School Committee.

He died at South County Hospital in South Kingstown. The cause of death was not immediately known. He is survived by his wife, two daughters, a son and four grandchildren.

-- Journal staff writer Maria Armental, with Associated Press reports

While president of the Associated Press Managing Editors organization in 1973, Ungaro asked Nixon at the group's annual convention in Orlando, Fla., if he had accurately reported his income taxes.

Nixon's famous declaration came after he had gone on to answer a subsequent question about the Watergate scandal. At the end of that reply, he doubled back to Ungaro's question, saying:

"People have got to know whether or not their president is a crook. Well, I'm not a crook."

Nixon later agreed to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars in back taxes. A reporter for the Providence newspaper, the late Jack White, won a Pulitzer Prize in 1974 for reporting on Nixon's tax troubles.

Posted by Steve Peoples at 5:35 PM | Comment

Police ID victims, suspect in shooting and stabbings

CRANSTON -- The police this afternoon confirmed the identities of the victims and suspect in a violent weekend episode that left three people hospitalized.

Authorities say that Joseph Erice, 25, of 37 Gude St., Seekonk, was shot by police after allegedly stabbing two people off Algonquin Trail in Western Cranston. He faces multiple felony charges for his role in the incident, according to a statement released by Cranston police today, though he won't be charged until he's "medically able to be arraigned."

Erice is currently being treated in Rhode Island Hospital, as is one of his alleged victims, Brian Houle, 23, of Tacumsa Ave., Providence, who was stabbed in the incident Saturday night.

The other stabbing victim, Abraham Boyrazian, 65, was treated and released yesterday.

It's unclear exactly what happened, though the police said they plan to charge Erice with burglary, along with three counts of felony assault -- including one count for bludgeoning a police officer.

"The investigation is ongoing with the assistance of the Rhode Island State Police and attorney general's office," reads the Cranston police statement. "Additional information will be released once the investigation is complete."

The state police and the Attorney General’s Office are involved in the investigation. State law dictates that the state police conduct a parallel investigation anytime a local department investigates a shooting by one of its officers, Maj. Ronald T. Blackmar said.

Read today's Journal story.

-- Projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples

Posted by Steve Peoples at 4:55 PM | Comment

Police identify man found dead in Providence cell

PROVIDENCE -- Authorities have identified the North Providence man who died in police custody over the weekend.

Carmine Porreca, 36, of 18 Home Ave., had been arrested Friday for driving with a suspended license. His body was discovered in the holding cell at Providence police headquarters Saturday morning at about 8:30 a.m.

Police Chief Dean Esserman called the incident "a great tragedy," noting that a preliminary review by the medical examiner found no signs of force or trauma. The medical examiner is waiting for toxicology tests before ruling on the Porreca's death, Esserman said.

The attorney general's office, the state police and the mayor have been notified of the incident. An investigation is underway, according to the police report.

Posted by Steve Peoples at 3:29 PM | Comment

GTECH moves downtown

PROVIDENCE -- As anticipated, about 500 employees of GTECH Holdings Corp. moved into the company's new Providence headquarters near the State House today.

The company closed Thursday and Friday to observe Veterans Day and used the time to move its computer systems and other equipment into the building, according to Robert Vincent, vice president of corporate communications.

"Everything is functioning," Vincent said, noting that the move went "remarkably smoothly."

GTECH's former headquarters in West Greenwich won't be empty for long. Amgen Inc. is scheduled to move in near first of next year, according to Vincent. Some 300 to 400 GTECH manufacturing employees still work out of West Greenwich.

Lawmakers put together a deal in 2003 to give GTECH a 20-year contract to run the state's lottery in return for building a headquarters in Providence.

Posted by Jack Perry at 3:21 PM | Comment

Brown event looks at human rights in China

PROVIDENCE -- China's "greatest exile poet" is scheduled to appear on the Brown campus this afternoon as part of a student group's effort to celebrate Human Rights in China Awareness Week.

Huang Xiang spent more than 10 years in a Chinese prison. He will be joined this afternoon by professor Xu Wenli, a co-founder of the Chinese Democratic Party who spent 16 years in prison for "activities as a dissident," according to an announcement from Brown Amnesty International, which is sponsoring the events.

Today's discussions, which are scheduled from 4 to 6 p.m., are titled, "Beyond Tiananmen and the Democracy Wall: Human Rights in China Then and Now."

The event will take place in room 106 in the Smith-Buonanno building off Meeting Street. It is free and open to the public.

Posted by Steve Peoples at 1:45 PM | Comment

Common Cause's Phil West honored tonight

PROVIDENCE -- As his 18-year career at Common Cause Rhode Island comes to an end, Phil West will be honored tonight at a retirement celebration at the Rhode Island Convention Center.

West served as the executive director for the nonpartisan government watchdog organization for nearly two decades, pushing such reforms as term limits, open meetings and separation of powers.

His group opposed efforts to bring a "no-bid" casino to Rhode Island, and supported last week's successful ballot question that gives voting rights to felons immediately after leaving prison.

Tonight's gala begins at 6 p.m. and will include a presentation by the Ocean State Follies. For more information contact (401) 861-2322.

Posted by Steve Peoples at 1:42 PM | Comment

Update: Cranston recount is Thursday; Fung readies suit

CRANSTON -- Lawyers for Republican mayoral candidate Allan W. Fung say they will go to Providence County Superior Court tomorrow to ask a judge to compel the Board of Elections to grant public access to any ballots that do not register a vote in Thursday's recount.

Fung trailed Democrat Michael T. Napolitano by 71 votes after the provisional ballots were tabulated on Friday.

The Board of Elections has declined Fung's request to view all ballots that are rejected as "undervotes" or "overvotes" during the recount. About 500 ballots cast in the election last Tuesday were given those classifications.

The Board of Elections has delayed the recount in the Cranston contest until Thursday. The manual re-feeding of more than 31,000 ballots had been scheduled for tomorrow morning at 9 a.m.

Today, Fung's campaign lawyer, Angel Taveras, said a review of those ballots could reveal the voter's intent. For example, he said, some voters may have circled the name of a candidate instead of connecting the arrows on the ballot.

"We can't even determine that there's a vote if we can't look at the ballot," Taveras said.

Last week's mayoral contest, to replace Republican Stephen P. Laffey, is thought to have been the closest in city history.

-- Journal staff writer Benamin N. Gedan

Posted by Steve Peoples at 12:35 PM | Comment

Patriots-Bears game time changed to 4:15 p.m.

The NFL today announced several changes to the Week 12 schedule, thanks to the flex scheduling instituted with NBC's Sunday Night Football.

As part of the change, the Bears at Patriots game on Sunday, Nov. 26 has been pushed back to 4:15 p.m. That game will be televised on FOX.

The NBC Sunday night game that day will be Philadelphia at Indianapolis.

-- Journal sports writer Shalise Manza Young

Posted by Art at 12:18 PM | Comment

Check out biodiesel boat before it races around the globe

NEWPORT – An environmentally friendly powerboat that will attempt to break a world record for circumnavigating the globe is docked here today.

Earthrace, which is powered by biodiesel, is in the midst of a promotional tour – trying to raise money and find sponsors – before setting off from Barbados on March 1 to try to break the world record for powerboats, according to spokeswoman Devann Yata.

For a $5 donation, people in Newport today can tour the boat, which is stationed behind the Newport Hotel and marina.

Check out photos and more about the boat online.

Posted by Kate Bramson at 12:10 PM | Comment

Supreme Court won't review murder conviction of Kennedy cousin

WASHINGTON -- The Supreme Court today let stand the murder conviction of Kennedy cousin Michael Skakel, who is serving a prison term of at least 20 years.

The justices declined to take Skakel's appeal of his conviction in the beating death of his Greenwich, Conn., neighbor, Martha Moxley, 31 years ago when the two were teenagers. Skakel, a nephew of Ethel Kennedy, was convicted in 2002.

Now 46, Skakel is serving 20 years to life in prison.

Read the full Associated Press story.

Posted by Jack Perry at 10:35 AM | Comment

Gas prices increase for the first time since summer

Gasoline prices in Rhode Island have increased for the first time since July, according to AAA Southern New England's weekly survey.

The average price for regular, unleaded gasoline is $2.20 per gallon at the self-service pump, an increase of two cents from last week, AAA said.

The price was $2.19 per gallon a year ago.

See AAA's fuel gauge report.

Posted by Jack Perry at 10:25 AM | Comment

Update: Man hospitalized after Providence fire

PROVIDENCE – A man in his late 50s has been taken to Rhode Island Hospital for minor smoke inhalation after a fire broke out this morning in a three-story house in the Mount Pleasant neighborhood.

Firefighters who were called to 188 Leah St. at about 8:35 a.m. had the fire under control at 8:57 a.m., according to James Taylor, chief of communications for the Providence Fire Department.

The fire began on the second floor, Taylor said.

Posted by Kate Bramson at 9:06 AM | Comment

100-mph chase on Route 95 this morning

A Connecticut woman, who was driving about 100 mph on Route 95, sideswiped another vehicle and crashed into the jersey barrier early this morning.

She will be arraigned at the Hope Valley State Police barracks.

Jennifer DeSilva, 23, of 8 North Taylor Ave. in Norwalk, Conn., is charged with reckless driving, eluding police and operating a vehicle with an out-of-state suspended license, according to State Police Lt. David Neill.

Neill said DeSilva, driving a green Toyota Camry, hit 100 mph southbound on Route 95, just north of exit 3.

As troopers attempted to pull the car over around 2 a.m., the Toyota passed a tractor trailer in the breakdown lane and then attempted to squeeze between two vehicles, Neill said.

The Toyota sideswiped the vehicle in the right lane, lost control and then collided head-on with the jersey barrier in the middle of the road. The car spun around and came to a stop up against an embankment on the right side of the road, south of exit 2 in Hopkinton.

As state troopers Michael Brouillette and Michael Ferruccio approached the vehicle, DeSilva attempted to put the vehicle in reverse and flee, Neill said.

DeSilva and her sister, who was in the car with her, were treated at Westerly Hospital.

The passengers in the car she struck were treated at the scene.

-- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson

Posted by Kate Bramson at 8:13 AM | Comment

Worthington jury to resume deliberations

BARNSTABLE, Mass. – The jury in the Christa Worthington trial is expected back in Barnstable County Superior Court at 9 a.m. today for a fifth day of deliberations.

In the trial, trash collector Christopher McCowen, 34, is charged with raping and killing the fashion writer on Jan. 5, 2002.

Prosecutors insist McCowen acted alone and made up a story about his friend being the real killer.

Jurors have been instructed that under the state's joint criminal venture theory, they could convict McCowen even if they believe the story that he gave police that Jeremy Frazier fatally stabbed the victim.

Frazier was not charged and said he was not at Worthington's home the night she was killed.

-- The Associated Press and projo.com reports

Posted by Kate Bramson at 7:32 AM | Comment

Traffic: Rain could cause flooding

Last night’s heavy fog has lifted, but the roads are a bit slick this morning. Rain throughout the day could cause some flooding in poor drainage areas, so look out for puddles on your way to work.

Before you hit the road today, check out the state Department of Transportation's online traffic offerings.

You can find 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 7:19 AM | Comment

Rain, rain and more rain

PROVIDENCE – We hope you enjoyed the glorious fall day on Saturday, because it’s going to rain all week.

It was already drizzling a bit this morning, even though the showers are mainly expected after 9 a.m. The high should be around 53.

Rain is on the horizon through Friday, with high temps up into the low 60s on Wednesday and Thursday, and lows expected in the high 40s and low 50s.

Get the latest conditions and forecasts from projo.com.

Posted by Kate Bramson at 7:09 AM | Comment

Today's front page: The tales of two faces

Today's Journal front page features the smiling face of a big winner from last week, Sheldon Whitehouse. Whitehouse, who beat incumbent U.S. Sen. Lincoln D. Chafee in Tuesday's election, is featured in a story by Journal staff writer Scott MacKay.

The front page also displays the grimacing face of Patriots' quarterback Tom Brady, whose team was beaten by the New York Jets, 17-14, yesterday at home. The sports section includes complete coverage.

See today's front page.

Posted by Jack Perry at 7:08 AM | Comment