|
|
« January 26, 2007 | Today | January 30, 2007 » January 29, 2007Elton John tour to stop in ProvidenceElton John will sing at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center, in Providence, on Thursday, March 22, at 8 p.m. Tickets are $139, $99 and $69, and go on sale Monday, Feb. 5, at 10 a.m. They’re available at the box office, all Ticketmaster outlets and by calling (401) 331-2211. There is a limit of eight tickets per buyer. Rocket Club members can buy tickets now, according to John's Web site. John is touring in support of his latest record, The Captain and the Kid, released in September as a sequel to his blockbuster 1976 record Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy. The Providence concert comes three days before his 60th birthday concert in New York. Posted by Andrea Panciera at 7:11 PM | Comment 3 months later, Comfort Zone murder suspect arrestedPROVIDENCE -- The police announced today that they have arrested a Massachusetts woman for the Oct. 13 stabbing death of David De La Rosa Ruiz outside a local sports bar. Penny Juan, 26, of 66 Highland Ave., Roxbury, Mass., has been charged with one count of murder. She was arrested Friday on unspecified outstanding arrest warrants and brought to Providence Police headquarters, where she confessed to stabbing De La Rosa Ruiz, according to the police. De La Rosa Ruiz, 36, of 99 Ford St., in the West End, was found by the police lying in a pool of blood in the middle of Public Street on Oct. 13. "It's a disturbance inside this nightclub, the Comfort Zone sports bar, that spills out the front door onto Public Street," Detective Capt. Hugh T. Clements Jr. said at the time. The city revoked the Comfort Zone sports bar's liquor license as a result of the incident. The business, located at 102 Public St., remains closed, according to the police. -- projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples Posted by Steve Peoples at 5:40 PM | Comment Update: 2nd suspect charged in Providence murderPROVIDENCE -- The police have arrested a second suspect in the city's first homicide of the year, which authorities believe to be gang-related. Veasna Pich, 20, of 172 Whitmarsh St., Providence, was charged with murder and ordered held without bail this afternoon pending the results of a Feb. 12 bail hearing. The other suspect, who is facing murder and conspiracy charges, has been identified only as a 17-year-old boy from Providence. His case was referred to Family Court today. The suspects are members of the Hanover Boyz gang, according to the Providence Police. The victim, Vicheth Klakratok, 23, of Providence, is believed to be a member of the rival gang, the Young Bloods. Police discovered Klakratok's body at around 3 a.m. Sunday when they responded to reports of an injured man at the intersection of Cranston and Benedict streets. During today's arraignment, the prosecutor said that a witness reported that Pich hit the victim in the head with a baseball-bat-like object. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Pich appeared today before District Court Judge Michael Higgins in a white prison jumpsuit. He was handcuffed, shackled and barefoot. The police said that they confiscated all of Pich's clothes -- including his shoes and shocks -- for evidence. -- projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples, with reports from Journal staff writer Gregory Smith Posted by Steve Peoples at 5:23 PM | Comment Update: Judge denies Celona's double jeopardy bidPROVIDENCE -- A Superior Court judged ruled this afternoon that former state Sen. John A. Celona can be tried for breaking state laws, despite arguments by the former North Providence legislator that the state case amounts to double jeopardy. Superior Court Judge Daniel A. Procaccini rejected Celona's arguments today, saying that the former North Providence legislator had not met the burden of proof. Celona's attorney hasn't decided whether to appeal the decision. Celona, who has pleaded guilty to federal corruption charges of selling his office to Roger Williams Medical Center, the CVS drugstore chain and Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island, still faces related criminal charges in state court of using his public office for private gain. His lawyer asked Procaccini to dismiss four of the five counts, arguing that Celona has already pleaded guilty to similar conduct before the Rhode Island Ethics Commission. Read Procaccini's written decision. In response to it, Attorney General Patrick Lynch said this afternoon, "This case can now properly move to the next phase, which appears to be a trial."
Posted by Steve Peoples at 4:48 PM | Comment School now says sword photo can run in yearbookPROVIDENCE -- A school district that refused to publish a yearbook photo showing a student with a sword has changed its mind. The American Civil Liberties Union says the Portsmouth School District has agreed to publish the photo of Portsmouth High School senior Patrick Agin -- which showed Agin in chain mail and slinging a prop sword over his shoulder. The school initially wouldn't allow the photo, citing its zero-tolerance policy for weapons. Agin and his mother sued with the help of the ACLU, saying the decision violated his First Amendment rights. Earlier this month, Rhode Island's education commissioner sided with Agin. The ACLU says the district's decision to settle the lawsuit means it won't appeal that decision, and will also pay $2,000 for legal fees. Representatives for the school didn't immediately return calls seeking comment. -- The Associated Press Posted by Steve Peoples at 4:42 PM | Comment Update: Ex-traffic judge fined $500 in accidentA judge this afternoon fined former Traffic Tribunal Judge Marjorie R. Yashar $500 for bumping another judge's car in a courthouse parking lot and driving away without leaving a note. Workers Compensation Court Chief Judge George E. Healy Jr. presided over the unusual two-day trial last week because the Traffic Tribunal judges and magistrates had recused themselves from hearing the case of a former colleague. And while the incident and subsequent fine may seem relatively minor, Healy issued a 12-page written decision this afternoon evoking the teachings of Thomas Jefferson, Daniel Webster and the poet William Wordsworth. "While we may well have come to that point in human civilization where 'The world is too much with us; late and soon. Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers' (William Wordsworth), this Court refuses to believe that society has devolved to the point where we will be held accountable only for the more serious infractions and that violations which do not cause a great deal of harm should be ignored. Despite the eloquence of respondent’s counsel, Ms. Yashar can not avoid responsibility for her actions," Healy wrote. -- projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples Healy continued: "Finally, counsel has suggested that Ms. Yashar should not be held to any higher standard because of her prior position as a judge of the Traffic Tribunal. Initially, it must be noted that the evidence adduced in the present matter would justify a finding against any respondent so charged. Nevertheless, I strongly disagree with counsel’s position. "When the judges of this state are honored with the opportunity to serve their fellow citizens, they take a solemn oath 'To support and defend the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution and Laws of the State of Rhode Island.' While this oath is taken voluntarily, it is nevertheless taken advisedly. It can not be dispensed with simply because it becomes inconvenient. Thomas Jefferson noted: 'When a man assumes a public trust, he should consider himself as public property.' We who have accepted positions of service must be mindful of Daniel Webster’s aphorism regarding our profession: 'The law: It has honored us; may we honor it.' "It is, therefore, not too much to expect that a sitting member of the Traffic Tribunal would stop and provide information regarding the occurrence of a collision in compliance with the statute. "Thus, I do believe that the evidence overwhelmingly demonstrates that Ms. Yashar has violated the provisions of R.I.G.L. § 31-26-4." Posted by Steve Peoples at 4:38 PM | Comment Sports tonight: Girls hoops showdown in East GreenwichTwo of the state's top high school girls basketball teams meet tonight, when La Salle (12-0 in Rhode Island Interscholastic League Division I, 15-1 overall) visits East Greenwich (10-2 Division I, 11-3 overall). The game begins at 7 p.m. Projo.com's GameDay page will have a gallery of photos from the game. In the pros, the Boston Bruins will be looking to right their ship against the New York Rangers at the TD Banknorth Garden. The game is on the Versus Network at 7 p.m. Joe McDonald will have a game story tomorrow in The Providence Journal and on projo.com. Meanwhile, the AHL All-Star Game is on NESN tonight, live from Toronto. The game pits U.S.-born players against Canadian-born players; defenseman Matt Lashoff will represent the P-Bruins on the U.S. team. Posted by Mike McDermott at 3:43 PM | Comment Photo: Brown medical school celebrates $100M gift
Posted by Peter Phipps at 3:27 PM | Comment Cape Cod soldier killed in IraqThe Department of Defense today announced the death of a Cape Cod soldier who was one of two soldiers who died Jan. 25 when an improvised explosive device detonated near their vehicle during combat operations in Baghdad. Sgt. Alexander H. Fuller, 21, of Centerville, Mass., was assigned to the 3rd Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo. Fuller and his wife, Anastacia, 19, were expecting their first child, according to the Cape Cod Times. Pfc. Michael C. Balsley, 23, of Hayward, Calif., was also killed in the attack. Posted by Jack Perry at 2:12 PM | Comment Update: Coast Guard suspends search for 4 fishermenNEW BEDFORD, Mass. -- The Coast Guard is suspending its search for four fishermen missing after their boat sunk in Nantucket Sound. At a press conference at the State Pier here, Coast Guard spokesmen said they believe there is no chance the men could still be alive in the frigid waters. However, divers are trying to reach the Lady of Grace, located in 36 feet of water 11 nautical miles north of Nantucket, to determine if the four are still on board. The vessel, homeported in New Bedford, was found on early Sunday with its life raft in its case and attached to the boat. The 75-foot dragger was first reported missing Friday night. The Coast Guard said they did not yet know why the boat sunk, but a leading theory is that it may have become too heavy with ice and capsized. The crew had previously contacted its owner to say that one attempt at de-icing had been successful and that they expected to make it back to New Bedford. One mile after that, contact with the boat was lost. The Coast Guard identified the crew as Antonio Barroqueiro, Rogerio Vendura, Mario Farinha, and Joao Silva. No ages or hometowns were released. The Guard conducted 27 separate searches covering more than 6,300 square miles, using boats, HU-25 Falcon jets and HH-60 Jayhawk helicopters. See a graphic of the search pattern. -- Journal staff writer Tom Mooney, with Associated Press reports Posted by Andrea Panciera at 12:45 PM | Comment Bank robber sentenced to 4 years, 9 monthsPROVIDENCE -- A man who told a Providence bank teller that he had a bomb has been sentenced to nearly five years in federal prison. Robert G. Palardy, pleaded guilty to bank robbery in the fall for robbing the Bank RI branch at One Turks Head Place in November 2005. Judge Mary M. Lisi sentenced him to serve 57 months in prison on Friday, the U.S. Attorney Office announced today. Palardy admitted that he walked into the bank, placed a plastic bag on the teller counter, and said, “I have a bomb. Give me all your money.” The teller gave him $1,230, and he fled. The Providence police arrested him about 10 minutes after the robbery. Palardy told the police that he’d been drinking and smoking marijuana and needed money for “more marijuana and more booze.” Posted by Steve Peoples at 12:22 PM | Comment Brown poll: R.I. voters favor Sen. Clinton for presidentRhode Island voters prefer U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton of New York for president in both the Democratic primary and general election, according to a new survey by Brown University. If the primary was held today, 33 percent of the 341 voters who indicated they were likely to vote in the 2008 Democratic primary say they will vote for Clinton, 15 percent support Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois, and 8 percent favor former Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina. Four percent would vote for Joe Biden, 2 percent favor Sen. Christopher Dodd of Connecticut, 1 percent support Bill Richardson, 1 percent favor Tom Vilsack, and 0 percent want Dennis Kucinich. Thirty-six percent are undecided. The margin of error for this Democratic primary sample is about plus or minus 6 percentage points. If the presidential general election was held today and the nominees were Democrat Clinton and Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona, 49 percent they would support Clinton, 36 percent favor McCain, and 15 percent are undecided. If the GOP nominee is former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, Clinton has a lead of 49 to 37 percent, with 14 percent undecided. And if the Republican choice is former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, Clinton is favored by 56 to 26 percent, with 18 percent undecided. The survey was conducted Saturday at Brown by Darrell M. West, director of the Taubman Center for Public Policy and the John Hazen White Sr. Public Opinion Laboratory. It is based on a statewide random sample of 475 registered voters in Rhode Island. Overall, the poll had a margin of error of about plus or minus 5 percentage points. Posted by Jack Perry at 11:07 AM | Comment Gas prices fall for 5th straight weekPROVIDENCE -- Gasoline prices in Rhode Island have dropped another eight cents this week and have fallen 15 cents in the last two weeks, according to AAA Southern New England. The average price for a gallon of regular, unleaded gasoline is $2.209 at the self-service pump, according to AAA's weekly survey. Gas prices have now fallen for five straight weeks and are at the lowest price since the middle of November, AAA said. The average price was $2.409 a year ago. Posted by Jack Perry at 10:59 AM | Comment Reed: U.S. must become more self-reliant on energyLINCOLN -- Senior U.S. Sen. Jack Reed this morning outlined critical areas where America must do better in order to flourish in the global economy. Reed told a breakfast meeting of the Northern Rhode Island Chamber of Commerce that energy, education, health care, and a balanced federal budget top his list. ``Unless we become more self-reliant on energy, we're going to face very difficult problems,'' Reed said. ``Time is of the essence.'' Reed, the new father of a baby girl, said that education must be improved for grammar- and secondary-school students. ``We also have to have life-long education,'' he said. In an age of high technology, he said, ``college is a necessity.'' Reed predicted that better health care will be one of the ``marquee issues'' of the 2008 presidential race – which, he noted, is already well underway. The senator was not optimistic that President Bush will make much headway on these issues, given his status as a lame-duck president and the unpopularity of his Iraq war policies. ``The days are ticking off,'' Reed said. -- Journal staff writer G. Wayne Miller Posted by Jack Perry at 10:39 AM | Comment Police arrest suspect in Providence homicidePROVIDENCE -- The Providence police have arrested a suspect in the killing of a 23-year-old Providence man this weekend. The suspect, Veasna Pich, 20, address unavailable, is scheduled for arraignment on a murder charge this afternoon in District Court, Providence, according to the police. The police say Vicheth Klakratok, 23, of Providence, was the victim in the city's first homicide of 2007. At 2:42 a.m. Sunday, police officers found Klakratok when they responded to a report of a man injured at Cranston and Benedict streets, according to a press release from the Providence Police Department. Klakratok had been assaulted and suffered a fatal head injury, the police said. He was pronounced dead at the scene and his body was removed to the state Medical Examiner's Office. -- With reports from Gregory Smith, Journal staff writer. Posted by Jack Perry at 10:29 AM | Comment GTECH owner expects higher salesROME -- The Italian owner of Providence-based GTECH expects sales to increase by as much as 8 percent this year. Lottomatica SpA, the operator of Italy's national lottery, said today sales will probably be in the range of 1.65 billion euros to 1.75 billion euros ($2.13 billion to $2.26 billion). Full-year earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization will probably be in the range of 650 million euros to 670 million euros ($839.9 million to $865.8 million) with growth of 8 percent to 9 percent, the company said. "Our strategic goals over the next three years are to drive growth and maintain our global leadership position in the public gaming markets, to pursue international and domestic value-accretive growth opportunities," said Lottomatica Chief Executive Bruce Turner. Lottomatica last year acquired GTECH, a provider of lottery systems and services. Shares in Lottomatica dipped 2.4 percent to 32.73 euros ($42.29) in Rome. -- The Associated Press Posted by Jack Perry at 10:16 AM | Comment Photo: Car accident in Providence
Two children who were involved in a two-car accident wait for an ambulance around 8:30 a.m. today on the steps in front of 75 General Street in Providence. Another child was transported to the hospital earlier. Posted by Jack Perry at 10:04 AM | Comment World's oldest just 4 days, Conn. woman, 114, diesHARTFORD, Conn. -- Emma Faust Tillman, whose life spanned three centuries and 21 U.S. presidencies, died Sunday night at an East Hartford nursing home, the facility's administrator said. At 114, she was the world's oldest known living person. Tillman, the daughter of former slaves, was born during the administration of President Benjamin Harrison. Her reign as the world's oldest person was short-lived; she assumed the title Jan. 24 with the death of 115-year-old Emiliano Mercado del Toro of Puerto Rico. "She went peacefully," Karen Chadderton, administrator of Riverside Health and Rehabilitation Center, said Monday. "She was a wonderful woman." Read the full Associated Press story. Posted by Jack Perry at 9:10 AM | Comment Curt Schilling says he won't retire after this seasonPitcher Curt Schilling announced this morning on WEEI's Dennis and Callahan show that he will not retire at the end of the 2007 season, but will pitch in 2008. Schilling, who is not under contract with the Boston Red Sox past 2007, says he hopes that he will be back at Fenway, but he left open the possibility that he would pitch in another uniform. He did say that he would not pitch in New York. Schilling had earlier indicated that this year would be his swan song, which had left some to speculate on whether the loquacious pitcher would start a political career in 2008. He said today, though, that he was encouraged by his injury-free 2006 season, and that his family was more than willing to see him remain in the sports limelight. Here's the link to the full interview. Posted by Mike McDermott at 8:48 AM | Comment Traffic: Alerts near T.F. Green AirportThe state's Transportation Management Center has issued two traffic alerts this morning. There's debris on Route 95 South near Exit 13 for T.F. Green Airport in Warwick. An abandoned vehicle nearby is also affecting the right shoulder, the center says. 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 Jack Perry at 7:04 AM | Comment Lots of sun today, but just 25 degreesToday should be mostly sunny with a high near 25 degrees, according to the National Weather Service. Tonight should be partly cloudy with a low near 15 degrees. For more weather and updates, see projo.com/weather. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:01 AM | Comment Today's front pageToday's front page features a photograph and story on ice fishing and a report on a $100 million gift to Brown's medical school. |
|
ADVERTISING |
|
|
|
|
| Su | Mo | Tu | We | Th | Fr | Sa |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | |
| 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 |
| 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 |
| 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 |
| 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 |
ProJo 9 to 5 News Blog
Oct 2005 - March 2006