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June 28, 2007

Delta cancels some flights to RI, rest of northeast

ATLANTA -- Delta Air Lines Inc. canceled about 200 flights to and from several northeastern airports Thursday to minimize delays caused by heavy thunderstorms forecast across the region.

Atlanta-based Delta said it made an early call to cancel the flights in hopes of giving at least 12-hours notice to affected passengers via automated e-mail and cell phone messages or calls from reservations staff. Passengers could ask for refunds or switch to other flights for no additional fees.

The airline said flights were canceled in New York; Newark, N.J.; Hartford, Conn.; Providence, Boston; Washington; Baltimore and Philadelphia.

Joe Kolshak, Delta's executive vice president for operations, said the canceled flights made up about a third of Delta's departures and arrivals in the Northeast Thursday.

He said Delta trimmed the flights after the Federal Aviation Administration alerted airlines Thursday it would slow air traffic in the region because of forecasts of heavy rain and lightning.

Kolshak said the leaner schedule would reduce delays among the remaining Delta flights.

"While it does inconvenience some people, the goal is to minimize the impact to as few people as possible," he said.

-- The Associated Press

Kolshak said having to cancel some flights to reduce delays to others illustrates the nation's need for an upgraded air traffic control system.

The airlines and FAA are pushing Congress to authorize a new multibillion-dollar system that would replace radar navigation with global-positioning satellites - allowing plans to fly closer together.

"If you think of a freeway at rush hour, the current FAA system is like metering a car on the freeway every five minutes," Kolshak said.

Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:24 PM | Comment

Advocacy group complains about 'Transformers'

PROVIDENCE -- A child advocacy group complained today to the Federal Trade Commission that ads and toys tied to the upcoming "Transformers" movie are aimed at children as young as 2 years old even though the film is rated PG-13.

The movie is getting a premiere tonight at Providence Place Cinemas. Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. and 10:30 p.m.

And the Transformers toys are the focus of the "BotCon" convention this weekend at the Rhode Island Convention Center. This is the first time the convention, now in its 11th year, is being held in the state. There will be new toys and the old ones from the early 1980s. Check out the BotCon Web site by clicking here.

The Boston-based Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood called on the commission to work with the toy industry and media companies to develop a uniform rating system so toys tied to PG-13 movies would not be marketed to children younger than 13. It also asked the FTC to investigate the marketing of PG-13 movies to children.

"We are reviewing the letter with great interest," said Jackie Dizdul, a spokeswoman for the FTC.

Hasbro spokesman Wayne Charness said in a written statement that parents can rely on the existing toy coding and movie rating to decide whether they are appropriate for their children.

"We believe that we are already taking the necessary steps in keeping the public informed so they can make decisions within the home, as opposed to further government mandates," Charness said, pointing out that Transformers toys have been around since 1984, long before the movie.

-- The Associated Press

Spokespeople for the Toy Industry Association and Paramount, which produced the movie along with Dreamworks, did not immediately return requests for comment.

"Transformers," due to be released nationwide during the July 4 holiday, was rated PG-13 for violence and other content. Hasbro has released dozens of toys related to the film, some for children as young as 3 years old.

The Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood told the FTC it monitored the Nickelodeon cable channel Monday and recorded "Transformers" movie ads during the shows "Fairly Odd Parents" and "Jimmy Neutron," both rated TV-Y for all children, including those age 2 to 6. It also recorded ads during "Ned's Declassified," which is rated for children 7 and older.

"'Transformers' is a film that the industry itself deems to be too violent for children under the age of 13," said Susan Linn, a psychologist who co-founded the group. "When the toys and the film have ads during shows that children watch, the message that everyone is getting is, 'Well, it must be fine.' Yet the industry is actually saying that it isn't."

Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:21 PM | Comment

Man gets 30 days to get out of Somerset

SOMERSET, Mass. -- A Fall River District Court judge has ordered John Makuch, 49, to get out of town and stay out in the wake of dozens of complaints that he harassed and intimidated his Lake Street neighbors, to the point that some said they feared for their safety.

In all, he pleaded guilty to four counts of criminal harassment, three counts of witness intimidation, one count of assault with a dangerous weapon, five counts of disturbing the peace and one count of disorderly conduct.

Judge Mary Amrhein said he has 30 days to sell his two homes and leave town, and he can’t set foot Somerset again except for documented doctor appointments.

She also put him on probation for 2-1/2 years and ordered him to have no contact with three of the families that had complained about him.

Since at least 1998, police have been called to area about 120 times as a result of varying complaints, usually involving Makuch.

He also faced a misdemeanor charge of assaulting his brother June 17 at 136 Crestview Ave., but that charge was dismissed after the brother, Thaddeus, said under oath that he wasn’t hurt and that the two siblings were engaging in “just horseplay.”

Witnesses had told police that the brothers were rolling around on the ground during the altercation. Thaddeus Makuch said those witnesses were far away and didn’t really know what was going on.

Makuch said his neighbors were making up the allegations, and the fact that he’s not a troublemaker is borne out by the fact that he has spent the last year and a half living on Hanley Road in Somerset, away from his wife and children, without any problems.

But one Lake Street resident and one ex-neighbor said the sentence wasn’t stiff enough.

-- Journal staff writer C. Eugene Emery Jr.

“I think it’s too light for what he has done to people,” said James Rockcliffe. “To me, he should have served jail time.”

Rockcliffe said Makuch’s harassment became so bad, he and his family were forced to move out of state.

“We kept saying it couldn’t get any worse,” Rockcliffe said during his session with the judge. But it did. “For our own health and sanity we had to leave. No one should be allowed to run roughshod like that.”

Rockcliffe said Makuch “chased people out [of the neighborhood] before us.”

“He went at my son-in-law and my grandson head on,” said Edward Holewiak, who moved to the neighborhood in 1992, four years before Makuch.

He apparently enjoyed terrorizing neighbors with vehicular close calls.

“He’s cut me off [on the road]. He thinks it’s fun,” Maria Holewiak told the judge, saying he had followed her several times. “This is years of abuse.”

“It’s not just my family, it’s my whole neighborhood,” she said. “He’s like a time bomb. You don’t know when he’s going to go off. He does not respect anyone.”

The four criminal harassment complaints to which Makuch pled guilty are based on 41 separate reports from the neighborhood extending from July 23, 1998 to Aug. 3, 2005.

In a few, Makuch complains about his neighbors, such as an instance where he called police and alleged that some neighborhood children had stuck their tongues out at him.

But all of the rest are against him. The complaints range from someone saying Makuch stared out his window at them and used an obscene gesture, to vowing to kill a neighbor’s dog for barking.

For example, according to a June 13, 2000, complaint from the neighbor and his 22-year-old son, the son was washing his car and saw Makuch drive by. Makuch stopped, backed up, and reportedly demanded to know, “What the [expletive] are you looking at?” The son said he wasn’t looking at him, to which Makuch reportedly responded, “Why don’t you [expletive] Portuguese go back to your own country.”

That report from Officer William Tedford says he approached Makuch, who claimed it was a minor argument about nothing. Makuch reportedly added, “I hope those two know that I could wipe the street with both of them.”

And it’s not just neighbors. Court files include a few complaints against Makuch — such as two road rage incidents — that don’t even involve neighbors.

Most of the remaining charges stem from incidents beginning June 1, 2005.

On that date, police were called to his house because he was blasting music. The cops told him to turn it down. He did. He turned it right back up moments after the police left. They arrested him on two counts of disturbing the peace.

The next day, he decided to mow his lawn — after dark. Neighbors complained about the noise. One said he did it while shouting obscenities at him. When police arrived at 9:49 p.m., his lawnmower was off, but still warm. He was cited again for disturbing the peace.

Two weeks later, he was arrested on the same charge again because of loud music and revving his motorcycle.

Seven weeks after that, he was arrested for using a trailer to block in the cars of people visiting neighbors. He began shouting obscenities when police arrived. He received scored another disturbing the peace charge and a disorderly conduct charge.

The following December, he brought his truck around and arranged a near-collision with the vehicle of one of the neighbors who had complained about him. That produced the assault with a dangerous weapon charge and one witness intimidation charge.

For a while, Makuch was asking for a jury trial. While that request was pending, a judge ordered him to keep away from Lake Street. He resided in Westerly for a while, according to court records, and subsequently moved to Hanley Road, an isolated street close to Route 195.

Then, on April 28 of this year, with his trial just nine days away, the Holewiaks complained that Makuch had driven by their auto dealership on GAR Highway and made an obscene gesture toward them. The couple said it wasn’t the first time.

Makuch got pegged with two felony counts of witness intimidation.

The probation means that Makuch will have to stay out of trouble until Dec. 28, 2009.

Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:39 PM | Comment

We've got ourselves a heat wave

It wasn’t supposed to happen -- today was originally supposed to bring enough relief to keep temperatures below 90 degrees -- but we’ve logged the first official heat wave of the summer.

Preliminary data today from the National Weather Service show that the temperature hit 90 degrees or higher for the third straight day, the criteria for a heat wave.

With thunderstorms closing in on some parts of the region, the official Providence temperature (measured at the airport in Warwick) hit 90 degrees just before 4 p.m. The highs on Tuesday and Wednesday were 95.

The actual high temperature could be a bit higher. The official high won’t be posted for a few hours.

-- Journal staff writer C. Eugene Emery Jr.

Posted by Peter Phipps at 5:37 PM | Comment

Health Department advises closing Foster beach

The state Health Department today recommended closing GINNY-B Campground Beach in Foster to swimming because of high bacteria counts.

Officials will watch the water quality and recommend re-opening when it's deemed safe for swimming.

To check beaches, go to www.health.ri.gov or for recorded information call (401) 222-2751.

Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:00 PM | Comment

Motorcyclist dies in North Smithfield

NORTH SMITHFIELD -- A 24-year-old Massachusetts man died Wednesday night in a motorcycle accident, according to the police.

The accident occurred around 7:30 on Douglas Pike between Mattity Road and Rankin Path. The driver, Gregory A. Amaral, of 20 Hough Road in Sutton, Mass., was traveling in the southbound lane when he entered the northbound lane, lost control of the motorcycle and collided with the pavement, according to a statement released by Lt. Bradley C. Aubin.

Amaral was pronounced dead on the scene, and the accident remains under investigation by members of the department’s patrol and accident reconstruction units, Aubin said.

-- Journal staff writer Kia Hall Hayes

Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:49 PM | Comment

Reporter's press pass revoked by Bush staff

WPRI-TV, Channel 12 reporter Jarrod Holbrook had his White House press pass snatched today after he shouted “Mr. President” twice as President Bush greeted Air and Army National Guardsmen gathered on the tarmac at Quonset airport in North Kingstown.

A member of the president’s entourage pointed at Holbrook after he first tried to get Bush’s attention. The man then ripped the pass from Holbrook’s belt after he shouted to the president, who was less then 10 feet away, again.

Holbrook said afterward that he just wanted to ask Bush how he enjoyed his visit to Rhode Island. Members of the media were not told they could not ask the president questions.

Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:42 PM | Comment

Severe thunderstorm watch issued for Rhode Island

Peruse every Rhode Island county on the National Weather Service Web site, and the result is the same this afternoon: a severe thunderstorm watch.

The same goes for much of southeastern Massachusetts.

Late this afternoon, there could be periods of showers, potential for hail in the region and damaging winds, according to the National Weather Service in Taunton, Mass.

Tonight, the forecast says showers and thunderstorms likely before 9 p.m., then a chance of showers.

Click here to check on the forecast.

-- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney

Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:13 PM | Comment

President, aboard Air Force One, bids RI good-bye

NORTH KINGSTOWN -- President Bush has left Rhode Island.

Air Force One took off from Quonset Point around 3:30 p.m. after the president shook the hands, and signed hats for, some of the 100 or so Air and Army National Guard personnel gathered at Quonset, where the president landed about 10:30 this morning.

Mr. Bush spent the day in Newport, addressing about 500 or so people at the Naval War College, where the Naval Command College is celebrating its 50th reunion.

The president defended his Iraq, Middle East and foreign policies in a speech before a supportive audience at the college.

Chanting "What do we want? The troops out," about 200 protesters -- other estimates put it at 100 and 150 -- walked to the intersection with Third Street, but could not go any farther, as they were met by the police and told not to block the street.

The president apparently never saw the protestors. They had wanted to leave a list of demands, including immediate withdrawal of troops from Iraq, but indicated they would have to mail the list.

Inside the college, Bush was embraced by a much more welcoming group, getting three standing ovations.

-- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Journal staff writer Katie Mulvaney

Posted by Mike McKinney at 3:38 PM | Comment

Pawtucket man pleads guilty to drugs-for-guns

PROVIDENCE -- A Pawtucket man pleaded guilty today to trying to trade crack cocaine and heroin for guns.

Tracy Angiolillo, 49, has several felony convictions, which could subject him to a sentence of at least 15 years in federal prison, U.S. Attorney Robert Clark Corrente's office said in a news release.

At a Sept. 28 sentencing, the government will argue for the 15-year-minimum sentence, asserting Angiolillo is an "armed career criminal," with two or more convictions for drug trafficking or violent felonies.

Angiolillo entered the guily plea before U.S. District Court Judge Mary M. Lisi in Providence.

At the plea hearing, Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter F. Neronha said the government could show that on Feb. 22 Angiolillo met with an undercover ATF agent in a Pawtucket hotel parking lot.

Angiolillo gave the agent 1.15 grams of crack, about a half gram of heroin, and $100 in cash, the U.S. Attorney's office said, The agent gave Angiolillo two handguns, and agents arrested Angiolillo.

-- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney

Earlier in February, according to an affidavit, agents got information that Angiolillo wanted to get guns in exchange for cash and drugs, the news release said. An undercover agent made contact with Angiolillo, who said he wanted cheap “burners,” which authorities said is slang for guns. In exchange, he could offer both cash and “product" -- a street term for drugs.

Angiolillo pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of firearms, distribution of crack cocaine, and distribution of heroin.

The maximum penalty for the firearms offense is ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The maximum penalty for distributing crack cocaine, and for distributing heroin is 20 years in prison and a $1-million fine.

Posted by Mike McKinney at 3:26 PM | Comment

Update: State House workers return to building

PROVIDENCE -- People ordered to evacuate the State House this afternoon were allowed back in around 2:45 p.m.

The evacuation appeared to be for some sort of electrical problem.

About 100 people, including Secretary of State A. Ralph Mollis, left the building shortly after 2:30 p.m. and stood in front of the state Department of Transportation building, across the street from the State House -- where the legislature meets and the governor's office is.

Governor Carcieri has been in Newport for President Bush's visit and his schedule shows him remaining there until 5 p.m. for a conference.

-- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Steve Peoples of the Journal State House Bureau

Posted by Mike McKinney at 2:52 PM | Comment

Tall Ships: Blue sky and haze, no signs of storm

NEWPORT – Despite the National Weather Service forecast that we could see thunderstorms and showers this afternoon, it’s a blue sky day in the city right now.

It’s hazy, but nothing looks in danger of being canceled as the city celebrates the Tall Ships festival.

Sailboats are on the water, going back and forth on what appears to be an ideal Newport Harbor day.

One addition:

With President Bush here and security officials on alert because of the vast number of visitors for the Tall Ships, a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter is making the rounds, flying loop after loop from the Naval War College over to the Pell Bridge and back.

-- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson, with reports from Journal staff writer Amanda Milkovits

Posted by Kate Bramson at 2:31 PM | Comment

Bush visit: Bush takes his leave / Photo

Journal photo / Bob Breidenbach
President Bush leaves the stage at the Naval War College.

Posted by Peter Phipps at 2:01 PM | Comment

Child advocate files lawsuit for foster-care children

PROVIDENCE -- With 10 Rhode Island foster-care children as plaintiffs, the state's child advocate filed a class-action lawsuit against the state "to protect the rights of approximately 3,000 children in state custody" from abuse and neglect.

That's according to a news release, which says the suit aims to reform Rhode Island's welfare system.

"The evidence is well-documented that abused and neglected children are not getting the protection and services that they need -- and are entitled to -- from the Rhode Island child welfare system," state Child Advocate Jametta Alston said in the statement.

"Consistent with our obligation to protect the best interests of our state's children, this suit seeks to achieve systemic, sorely needed reforms."

The suit is "Sam and Tony M. v. Carcieri," and the child advocate's office said it has hired law firm Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP. Child advocacy organization Children's Rights, which has brought cases of the same sort in other parts of the country, is also involved, according to the release.

The news release asserts:

-- Rhode Island was the worst in the nation in the number of children abused and neglected while in state foster care in five of the six years between 2000 and 2005, and in the sixth year it was the second-worst.

-- Children are put in "large, orphanage-like institutions rather than in homes, and are frequently left to languish there, sometimes for years."

-- Caseworkers have "dangerously high caseloads that far exceed national standards and that endanger the children" the state has to protect.

The child advocate says the problems with the state's systems are documented at www.childrensrights.org.

-- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney

Posted by Mike McKinney at 1:49 PM | Comment

Bush visit: Staying strong on staying in Iraq / Photo

President Bush today at the Naval War College in Newport
--- Journal photo Bob Breidenbach

NEWPORT -- President Bush presented a strenuous defense of his Iraq, Middle East and foreign policies in a speech before a supportive audience at the Naval War College today.

The late-morning speech wrapped up with questions from the audience of more than 500 people, which included military officials and foreign leaders gathered at the college for the 50th anniversary of its Naval Command College program. Also in the audience: fellow Republican Governor Carcieri, the only Rhode Island leader to be there.

Bush received a standing ovation three times from the crowd, as he gave a stout defense of his Iraq policy.

But the president, who is facing heavy pressure to withdraw troops from Iraq, also warned that more patience is needed because there is still a long way to go and there will be more casualties before all is over.

While he did say progress was being made on the ground, in ways that the media may not report, he added:

"We've got to prepare ourselves for more violence and more setbacks."

In vintage Bush form, he invoked the reason why time and time again -- because he wants to protect the world from terror. The themes are similar to those he employed after the Sept. 11 terror attacks -- which he also kept coming back to in his speech today.

Bush also declared there is a decrease in sectarian violence between the Sunnis and Shiites around Baghdad. But despite success, he said, Anbar province remains a dangerous place.

His comments came on a day when a car bomb killed at least 22 people in a bus station in western Baghdad, and police said 20 beheaded bodies had been discovered on the banks of the Tigris River southeast of the capital. Government security officials raised doubts about the decapitation report.

Bush is expected to have lunch at the military college overlooking Newport Harbor before heading back to Quonset State Airport for his departure later this afternoon.

-- With reports from Journal staff writer Scott MacKay

Posted by Andrea Panciera at 1:40 PM | Comment

Bush visit: A setback for his immigration plan / Video

WASHINGTON -- The Senate drove a stake today through President Bush's plan to legalize millions of unlawful immigrants, likely postponing major action on immigration until after the 2008 elections.

After the stinging political setback, Bush sounded resigned to defeat.

"Legal immigration is one of the top concerns of the American people, and Congress' failure to act on it is a disappointment," he said after his appearance at the Naval War College in Newport. "A lot of us worked hard to see if we couldn't find common ground. It didn't work."

The bill's Senate supporters fell 14 votes short of the 60 needed to limit debate and clear the way for final passage of the legislation, which critics assailed as offering amnesty to illegal immigrants. The vote was 46 to 53 in favor of limiting the debate.

Rhode Island's Sens. Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse, both Democrats, voted in favor of the motion.

Some senators in both parties said the issue is so volatile that Congress is unlikely to revisit it this fall or next year, when the presidential election will increasingly dominate American politics.

Bush -- who had just delivered a forceful and well-received speech before a military audience on his defense policies -- appeared glum as he spoke. His negotiators had expressed optimism the vote would go their way or at least be closer.

"Congress really needs to prove to the American people that it can come together on hard issues," Bush said. He turned attention to his other goals in Congress this year, including energy, health care and balanced-budget initiatives.

Video: See Bush's reaction to the failed vote.

-- The Associated Press, with projo.com reports

Posted by Andrea Panciera at 1:34 PM | Comment

Drug-trafficking 'leader' gets 14 years in prison

PROVIDENCE -- A Providence man has been sentenced to 14 years in federal prison as the "leader and organizer" of a drug-trafficking organization that shipped cocaine from Colorado to Rhode Island last year.

Estroredarcio Bernard, 51, led the organization's efforts to ship multi-kilogram loads of the drug into the state, according to a news release today from U.S. Attorney Robert Clark Corrente's office.

U.S. District Court Judge Ernest C. Torres imposed the sentence yesterday.

In December, Bernard -- also known as Beligue -- pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine.

-- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney

Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary E. Rogers said at the plea hearing the government could prove that, in January 2006, agents with a drug trafficking task force monitored conversations between Bernard, in Providence, and Fernando Gonzalez-Ramirez, in Colorado

They talked about the price of cocaine that Gonzalez-Ramirez wanted to sell to Bernard, the U.S. Attorney's office said. They agreed on $19,000 per kilogram, and Gonzalez-Ramirez said a shipment would arrive in Providence within a few days.

Agensts saw a car on Jan. 30 last year with Colorado license plates outside California Liquors, a store on Union Avenue that Bernard ran. The agents said they followed the car to a warehouse on Hathaway Street.

Drug Enforcement Administration agents said that later that day they seized from the warehouse 11 packages, each containing a half-kilogram of cocaine. Bernard was arrested as was the driver of the Colorado car, Adalberto Bejarano-Gonzalez, who is a cousin of Gonzalez-Ramirez.

After additional investigation, federal agents arrested Gonzalez-Ramirez in Colorado in August 2006.

In January, Bejarano-Gonzalez was sentenced to 37 months in prison after pleaded guilty to conspiracy and to possessing with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine.

In February, a jury found Gonzales-Ramirez, 34, guilty of conspiracy to traffic in five kilograms or more of cocaine. Chief U.S. District Court Judge Mary M. Lisi sentenced him last month to 20 years in prison.

Federal agents said they also seized nearly $100,000 in cash: $9,300 from a home in West Warwick, $70,500 from California Liquors, and $20,000 that Bernard’s wife turned over to the FBI. She was not charged.

Posted by Mike McKinney at 1:28 PM | Comment

Bush visit: Protesters chant, 'The troops out.'

NEWPORT -- About 200 protesters, from middle schoolers to retirees, chanted, "What do we want? The troops out!," as they converged at the Connell Highway rotary during President Bush's speech today at the Naval War College.

The group walked to the intersection with Third Street but could not go any farther, as they were met by the police and told not to block the street.

The protesters held signs, including one that said, "Bush 911 murderer scum," and another that said, "Impeach the beast." And they chanted, "Hey, hey, ho, ho, Bush and Cheney's got to go!"

They also planned to present a list of demands, which include:

-- Immediately withdraw all of the "occupying force" from Iraq.

-- Reparations for Iraq.

-- Full benefits for returning servicemen and servicewomen.

-- No military action against Iran.

At around 12:40 p.m., the group appeared to be finishing.

The president apparently never saw the protesters. They said they would have to mail the list of demands.

At least four helicopters were seen overhead at around 11 a.m., though you could not tell what kind of helicopters they were.

-- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Journal staff writer Meaghan Wims

By 10:30 a.m., about three-dozens people had gathered for the protest in the Wal-Mart parking lot on Connell Highway.

Tom Padwa and his wife, Joanne DeVoe, of Warren, were among them. Members of the group East Bay Citizens for Peace, they said they believe there should be an immediate withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq. They believe the United States’ Middle East policy has failed.

“We’ve destroyed their country,” Padwa said about Iraq. “The Iraqi people have no more reason to be grateful to us than a dog has to be grateful to an owner that kicks it.”

One of the organizers, Warwick resident Nicholas Schmader, is a member of the Green Party and of the Rhode Island Unitarian Universalists for Social Justice.

The group planned to walk to the nearby rotary at Connell Highway They wanted to get as close as they could to the Naval War College base, where they planned to leave their list of demands.

“We are a counter-presence to the Bush visit,” Schmader said. “Rhode Island has given Bush his lowest approval ratings. We want to be consistent with that.”

Among the protesters was Rod Driver, a former state representative who has had four runs for U.S. Congress.

Posted by Mike McKinney at 1:08 PM | Comment

Tall Ships: Mobile command post ready -- just in case

NEWPORT -- A modern-day military and public safety encampment is at the top of the hill at Fort Adams, in place to provide security for the Tall Ships festival – and to handle the first visit to Rhode Island by President Bush.

The Rhode Island National Guard, the state Emergency Management Agency, and several state and municipal public safety teams are in command trucks and tents in the command post. They are overlooking the harbor, the dock, Tall Ships and the historic old fort.

At the state’s mobile command center, state and local search-and-rescue teams and the National Guard’s civil support team are posted along with teams that handle hazardous materials and decontamination.

Meanwhile, downtown amid the crowd, roving patrols from the state hazardous materials team, a decontamination team and the National Guard are keeping watch, according to state EMA executive director Robert J. Warren.

Earlier today, when the president’s helicopter was spotted flying over Fort Adams as Mr. Bush made his way to the Naval War College, everyone stopped and ran to the grassy edge with binoculars and cameras and cell phones to watch the four helicopters cruise by.

-- Journal staff writer Amanda Milkovits

Posted by Kate Bramson at 12:56 PM | Comment

Bush visit: Quotes from his speech

Select quotes from President Bush's speech at the Naval War College today:

"Al-Qaeda's strategy is to use human beings as bombs to create grisly images for the world to see. ... They aim to cultivate a sense of despair about the future of a free Iraq. They hope to gain, by the teleivision screen, what they cannot gain on the battle field against U.S. and Iraqi forces ... "

"We’re involved in a broader war against these ideological killers. Iraq is just a theater in this war."

"And what makes the war even more significant is that what happens overseas matters to the security in the United States of America, wihich is what we learned on Sept. 11 ... "

"[If we were to] yield the future of Iraq to terrorists like Al-Qaeda ... we would give a green light to extremists all throughout a troubled region. The consequences for America would be disastrous ... "

"It is a huge honor to be the commander-in-chief of such noble men and women. Our military's not only great. It’s good. Good-hearted people. All volunteers who said, 'I want to serve in the face of danger.' "

Posted by Kate Bramson at 12:30 PM | Comment

Tall Ships: Aboard the Virginia, accents from afar

NEWPORT -- At the schooner Virginia, here for Tall Ships Newport festivities that kicked off this morning, perhaps it's appropriate some of the accents weren't quite Rhode Island ... err ... Vo Dilun.

One couple came from North Carolina just for the Tall Ships -- a trip planned three months ago.

An Atlanta, Ga., couple, on their way back from Nantucket, Mass., also decided to stop by the Tall Ships today.

At the Virginia, there was no long line to get aboard, but a steady flow of people, many of them snapping photos.

For more about Tall Ships, click here. And watch for coverage on projo.com during the day and in the Journal tomorrow.

-- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Journal staff writer Richard Salit

Posted by Mike McKinney at 12:11 PM | Comment

Bush visit photo: Bush greets Warwick's mayor

On the ground at Quonset, President Bush shakes hands with Warwick Mayor Scott Avedisian. The governor and his wife stand behind the president.
-- Journal photo Bill Murphy

Posted by Peter Phipps at 12:00 PM | Comment

Bush visit: Addressing Naval War College / Video

NEWPORT -- President Bush is speaking now at the Naval War College.

He just received loud applause when he said of U.S. troops: “We owe them the time and support they need to succeed."

Later in the speech, he spoke to the issue of withdrawing troops from Iraq:

"If we withdraw before the Iraqi government can defend itself ... the consequences for the area could be disastrous."

Bush also said that the future of the United States depends on standing with the "moms and dads across the Middle East."

His formal speech has ended just before noon, and he is now taking questions from the audience.

Video: View a live broadcast of his speech from wpri.com. (Wait for the video to load into the page.)

His speech is also being broadcast live on WPRO-630 AM.

Posted by Kate Bramson at 12:00 PM | Comment

Update: Police ID Warwick shooting victims / Photo

Journal photo / Kathy Borchers
Three people were shot early this morning in this house at 43 Warwick Lake Ave., Warwick. One person died. The other two are being treated at Rhode Island Hospital.

WARWICK -- The police have released the names of the man who was killed and the two people injured in a shooting early this morning in Warwick.

The man who died was identified as Gabriel Medeiros, 35, of 43 Warwick Lake Ave., the scene of the shooting.

The two injured people are the dead man's brother, Caesar Medeiros, 43, and Caesar's wife, Claire Medeiros, 39, also of 43 Warwick Lake Ave.

The survivors told the police that they awakened to find a masked gunman in their home just after midnight. A violent struggle ensued.

Gabriel was shot in the chest. Caesar Medeiros and Claire Medeiros were also shot. They are being treated at Rhode Island Hospital for injuries that are apparently not life threatening.

The police believe the gunman was also injured in the struggle, but wouldn't say how he was injured.

The police searched the area last night with dogs, but didn't find the suspect. Nobody has been arrrested.

The police don't have any evidence to indicate that the victims knew the gunman.

-- Journal staff writer Cynthia Needham.

Posted by Jack Perry at 11:55 AM | Comment

Bush visit: The president begins speech / Video

NEWPORT -- President Bush has just begun speaking at the Naval War College in an auditorium where 500 or more people are gathered.

The president's speech is expected to concern terrorism before an audience of Navy officials and military leaders.

The president, dressed in a dark suit, a light blue shirt and a red tie, was introduced at the college by Governor Carcieri.

Video: View a live broadcast of his speech from wpri.com. (Wait for the video to load into the page.)

It is Mr. Bush's first visit to the state of his presidency.

The president said he saw the Tall Ships, visiting Newport Harbor this week, from the air, and called them magnificent.

-- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Journal staff writer Nicole Dungca

Posted by Mike McKinney at 11:28 AM | Comment

Couple are convicted in pyramid scheme

BOSTON -- A former Attleboro, Mass., couple is convicted of running a $27-million pyramid scheme targeting hundreds of Cambodian immigrants.

A federal jury deliberated for two days before returning the guilty verdicts against James Bunchan and Seng Tan.

Prosecutors said the victims were told they would receive $300 a month for the rest of their lives -- and the lives of their children -- for every $26,000 they invested.

But prosecutors say the payments eventually stopped, and that Tan and Bunchan spent millions of dollars of investors' money on gambling trips, a Florida home and even tennis lessons.

Sentencing is set for September.

A third defendant, Christian Rochon of Warwick, pleaded guilty to his role in the scheme and testified against Bunchan and Tan.

-- The Associated Press

Posted by Mike McKinney at 11:21 AM | Comment

Tall Ships: Safety precautions for severe weather

NEWPORT – Severe weather could curtail some of the Tall Ships activities this afternoon, if the National Weather Service’s predictions for heavy downpours, thunderstorms and “frequent and dangerous cloud to ground lightning” hold true.

Tall Ships organizers, the U.S. Coast Guard, the state Department of Environmental Management and the Newport harbormaster are listening to constant weather reports and working together to determine if activities must be postponed or canceled, according to Robert Toracinta, harbormaster assistant in Newport.

The National Weather Service has issued both a special weather statement and a hazardous weather outlook.

While most of the reaction to weather today should be common sense, Toracinta said the harbormaster has the jurisdiction to “shut things down at his discretion.” If he needs to, the harbormaster would cancel the shuttle boats taking visitors out to visit the ships and over to Fort Adams State Park, Toracinta said.

If severe weather whips up while people are already aboard ships or at Fort Adams, those people would need to stay put, secured below on the ships or at the office facilities at Fort Adams, Toracinta said.

The Tall Ships organizers have experience dealing with inclement weather, Toracinta said. In a previous visit, they secured a ballroom at the Newport Marriott where passengers waited out a storm, he said.

“Everyone’s in contact with one another, and they do have emergency plans in place,” he said.

Need harbormaster info? Click here.

Heading to or already in Newport? Check the latest weather conditions for the city.

Going by boat? Check the latest marine forecasts.

-- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson

Posted by Kate Bramson at 11:13 AM | Comment

Bush visit: Presidential helicopter takes in the sights

Moments before 11 a.m., the president’s helicopter and three other large helicopters flew over Fort Adams.

They arrived from the west, crossed Narragansett Bay to Newport, hovered over Newport Harbor and the Tall Ships and then flew over Fort Adams, where some of the Tall Ships are docked.

They continued on their way. The president is due any minute at the Naval War College.

-- Journal staff writer Amanda Milkovits

Posted by Kate Bramson at 11:00 AM | Comment

Bush visit: A quick greeting and another flight / Photo

Journal photo / Bill Murphy
President Bush presents the President's Volunteer Service Award to Sherrill Estes of Tiverton upon his arrival at Quonset Point this morning.

NORTH KINGSTOWN -- President Bush spent only about 10 minutes at Quonset before boarding a helicopter.

After getting off Air Force One, the president shook hands with dignitaries waiting for him, including Governor Carcieri, former Gov. Lincoln Almond and Warwick Mayor Scott Avedisian.

He hugged Tiverton resident Sherrill Estes and gave her an award for her volunteer work.
"I was hoping I wouldn't pass out or throw up," Estes said afterward.

The president asked Warwick Mayor Scott Avedisian if he still likes being mayor. Avedisian told him it's a lot of fun on most days. Bush replied that his job is like that too.

Avedisian's job was anything but fun early today. He'd been up most of the night because of a shooting in Warwick early this morning that has left one person dead and two wounded.

Bush left in a helicopter with the governor and Mrs. Carcieri. He's scheduled to speak later this morning at the Naval War College in Newport.

-- Journal staff writer Katie Mulvaney

Posted by Jack Perry at 10:57 AM | Comment

Bush visit: About 3 dozen protesters gather

NEWPORT – About three dozen protesters have gathered by 10:30 a.m. for a planned protest against President Bush in the Wal-Mart parking lot on Connell Highway.

They don’t plan to get started for another half hour or so.

Tom Padwa and his wife, Joanne DeVoe, of Warren, are among those at the rally. Members of the group East Bay Citizens for Peace, they said they believe there should be an immediate withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq. They believe the United States’ Middle East policy has failed.

“We’ve destroyed their country,” Padwa said about Iraq. “The Iraqi people have no more reason to be grateful to us than a dog has to be grateful to an owner that kicks it.”

One of the organizers of today’s protest, Warwick resident Nicholas Schmader, is a member of the Green Party and of the Rhode Island Unitarian Universalists for Social Justice.

He said the group plans to walk to the nearby rotary at Connell Highway and have a short protest there. Some of the protesters will then try to walk as close as they can to the Naval War College base, where they will try to leave a list of demands.

“We are a counter-presence to the Bush visit,” Schmader said. “Rhode Island has given Bush his lowest approval ratings. We want to be consistent with that.”

Among the protesters is Rod Driver, a former state representative who has had four runs for U.S. Congress. Some students are here as well, but the group is more heavily retirees.

-- Journal staff writer Meaghan Wims

Meanwhile, traffic is building in the city that is host today of Mr. Bush’s first presidential visit to Rhode Island and to the annual Tall Ships festival.

Police are posted along West Main Road, Valley Road and Admiral Kalbfus Road, not yet directing traffic but looking ready to do so when needed.

People arriving in the city to view the Tall Ships are gathering in the shuttle lots at the high school on Valley Road and at the Route 138-Pell Bridge interchange.

Posted by Kate Bramson at 10:51 AM | Comment

Bush visit: Air Force One lands at Quonset / Photo

Journal photo / Bill Murphy
President Bush does the wave from the door of Air Force One upon his arrival at Quonset Point this morning.

NORTH KINGSTOWN -- Air Force One has just landed at Quonset Point Air National Guard Base.

The president hasn't yet stepped on Rhode Island soil.

Several dignitaries are waiting for him, including Governor Carcieri and his wife, Sue. Former Governor Lincoln Almond is also waiting.

-- Journal staff writer Katie Mulvaney

Posted by Jack Perry at 10:35 AM | Comment

Bush visit: A busy day already for the president

President Bush should be on his way to Newport by now and a speech at the Naval War College.

But he's already taken care of some important business this morning.

Moving toward a constitutional showdown with Congress, he asserted executive privilege and rejected lawmakers' demands for documents that could shed light on the firings of federal prosecutors.

Bush's attorney told Congress the White House would not turn over subpoenaed documents for former presidential counsel Harriet Miers and former political director Sara Taylor.

Today was the deadline for surrendering the documents. The White House also made clear that Miers and Taylor would not testify next month, as directed by the subpoenas, which were issued June 13. The stalemate could end up with House and Senate contempt citations and a battle in federal court over separation of powers.

Bush is also working on salvaging his broad immigration bill that's in peril before a crucial test vote by calling senators early this morning to rally support.

Republicans and Democrats could put the brakes on the bipartisan plan to legalize millions of unlawful immigrants today, after the measure's roller-coaster ride through a Senate deeply divided over the issue.

Like many supporters of the complex bipartisan measure, both of Rhode Island’s Democratic senators see flaws in it, and both note strong currents of opposition from Rhode Islanders. But both plan to vote to limit debate on the bill today,

-- With Associated Press reports

Posted by Andrea Panciera at 10:30 AM | Comment

A poor grade for Ocean State highways

A study out today says Rhode Island has some of the least cost-effective roads in the nation.

The study used factors including traffic fatalities, congestion and maintenance to measure the cost-effectiveness of highways in each state. It ranked Rhode Island in the bottom five, along with New Jersey, Alaska, New York and Hawaii.

The report was based on data from 1984 through 2005.

It was conducted by the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and financed by the Reason Foundation, a libertarian think tank based in Los Angeles.

Read the full study here.

Posted by Kate Bramson at 9:50 AM | Comment

Tall Ships: Flags fluttering in the breeze

On the Newport waterfront at 7 this morning, the towering masts of Tall Ships were shrouded in summer haze, ceremonial flags fluttering in the blustery southwest breeze.

Last night the waterfront was lit up like Christmas, decorated by lights strung from masts and yardarms. Sailors in white uniforms strolled in small groups up and down the narrow sidewalks of Thames Street.

Many appeared to be saluting the crowds, but were instead holding cell phones to their ears.

-- By Capt. Frank Gerardi, Newport resident and Journal artist.

Posted by Jack Perry at 9:47 AM | Comment

Update: One dead after triple-shooting in Warwick

WARWICK – One man is dead and a man and woman are at Rhode Island Hospital with injuries that don’t appear life-threatening after a triple shooting at 43 Warwick Lake Ave. just after midnight.

The police have no one in custody at this time, Det. Lt. Michael Higgins said this morning. They expect to release more details at a 10 a.m. press conference.

Mayor Scott Avedisian said the shooter appears to have fled the immediate area after the shooting, which occurred in the Chatham Village neighborhood, on the line of the Hoxsie neighborhood.

In the middle of the night, as police and city leaders believed the suspect might be in the area, Avedisian was warning Warwick residents to lock their doors and windows and be on the alert for any suspicious activity. By this morning, he was urging people to report any suspicious activity.

Avedisian said the state police assisted in the search for the suspect with a team of dogs to complement the one dog and handler the local police have.

All three shooting victims were taken to Rhode Island Hospital, and the man who died succumbed to his injuries after arriving at the hospital, Higgins said.

Avedisian said the kinds of warnings he has issued to residents are the sort the city typically makes after a crime. He wants people to call the main police department, at (401) 468-4200, to report any suspicious behavior or activity.

“Really, for us, it’s no different than what we normally tell people,” he said.

Check back with projo.com throughout the day for more details as they emerge.

-- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson

Posted by Kate Bramson at 8:47 AM | Comment

Bush visit: A whirlwind trip planned

President Bush is expected to arrive this morning on Air Force One at Quonset State Airport for his first presidential visit to Rhode Island.

He has a busy schedule that includes a speech on terrorism before Navy officials and military leaders at the Naval War College in Newport.

Governor Carcieri will introduce the president at the war college. Among those expected at Quonset for the president’s arrival is Warwick Mayor Scott Avedisian, a Republican in his fifth term as mayor.

Mr. Bush is also expected to honor Tiverton resident and active volunteer Sherrill Estes and to meet with the family of the late Sgt. Michael R. Weidemann, a 23-year-old Newport soldier who was killed in Iraq last October.

His visit falls on a day when Newport is expected to be packed with tourists and residents enjoying the Tall Ships festival, adding to the security challenges inherent with any presidential visit.

Read tips on getting around Newport today.

We have photographers and reporters on the scene. Check back with projo.com throughout the day.

Posted by Kate Bramson at 8:24 AM | Comment

Southwest cuts some Providence-Philly flights

PHILADELPHIA -- Southwest Airlines is trimming service between Providence and Philadelphia as part of a broader move to cut some routes nationwide.

Southwest plans to trim service between Providence and Philadelphia from six to five daily round-trips.

Also, Southwest will stop flying direct flights from Philadelphia to California this fall, at least temporarily.

Nationally, the airline plans to cut 39 round-trips and add 45.

The discount carrier is wrestling with high fuel costs and a slow economy.

-- The Associated Press

Posted by Jack Perry at 7:09 AM | Comment

We could see a heat wave, thunderstorms

PROVIDENCE – We could see a heat wave this week before it’s all over. After two days of 90-degree-plus days, the National Weather Service is now predicting a high near 91 today – higher than predictions from earlier this week.

Three days in a row of 90-plus days equals an official heat wave.

We’ve got an 80 percent chance of heavy rain today and thunderstorms, mainly after 3 p.m. Then, we’ve got a 60 percent chance of more heavy rain tonight. That should cool things down for us.

Today's air quality alert and chance of gusty thunderstorms and lightning have caused the National Weather Service to issue a hazardous weather outlook.

Tomorrow is slated for a high of 76, with a slight chance of more showers.

So hang in there, be careful managing the heat and know that some relief is on the way. But remember, it is summer, after all, and we’re sure to have more of this weather soon.

Posted by Kate Bramson at 7:07 AM | Comment

Another air quality alert today

PROVIDENCE -- Another Air Quality Alert has declared for today -- the third day in a row that state officials expect unhealthy air to blanket the region.

The Department of Environmental Management says it expects a high level of fine particles in the air, which can cause eye, nose and throat irritation, shortness of breath and problems for people with asthma.

Officials are asking people to limit their driving and help reduce emissions from power plants by saving energy -- like turning off lights and computer screens when not in use.

Most RIPTA lines continue to be free tomorrow.

-- The Associated Press

Posted by Jack Perry at 7:01 AM | Comment

Today's front page

Today's front page features photographs and a story about the tall ships visiting Newport and a preview on President Bush's visit to Rhode Island today.

Download a copy of today's front page in .pdf format.

Posted by Jack Perry at 7:00 AM | Comment