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« July 2007 | Today | September 2007 » August 31, 2007To our readers: 7to7 newsblog off for Labor DayThe 7to7news blog will be giving itself a Labor Day break, as it follows its practice of publishing local breaking news on business days and not holidays. As usual, projo.com will continue to be updated with news from The Journal as it becomes available, automated wire feeds and reports from several others of our bloggers, especially our sports writers, who feed the main SportsBlog -- especially from this weekend's Deutsche Bank golf tournament, SoxBlog and PatsBlog. We're sure projo.com's Sheila Lennon will continue to post her eclectic reports at any time of the day or night on her Subterranean Homepage News blog. And when big local news breaks over the holiday weekend, we'll do our best to get it to you ASAP -- officially on duty or not. Haven't had a chance to keep up with all the breaking news this week? You can always go back, via the 7to7 newsblog's daily calendar links or its archived headlines, to get a wrapup of past events. Posted by Andrea Panciera at 7:02 PM | Comment For some R&R this weekend, head to CharlestownMaybe it's time for a little R & R tonight, as in rhythm and roots. The 10th annual Rhythm & Roots Festival is at Ninigret Park, 4813 Old Post Rd. (Route 1), Charlestown, through Sunday. Here's the schedule: • Tonight, from 5 to midnight: Red Stick Ramblers, Natalie MacMaster, The Pine Leaf Boys, Creole Cowboys, The Racines, The Buddhahood, Paul Cebar and the Milwaukeeans and Ray Bonneville. • Tomorrow: Red Stick Ramblers, Susan Tedeschi, Donna the Buffalo, The Pine Leaf Boys, Creole Cowboys, Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys, Los Straitjackets with Big Sandy, Paul Cebar and the Milwaukeeans and Corey “Li’l Pop” Ledet, noon-midnight. • Sunday: Red Stick Ramblers, Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, The Pine Leaf Boys, Gandalf Murphy and the Slambovian Circus of Dreams, Johnny Nicholas and the Texas Allstars featuring Joel Guzman & Greg Piccolo, Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys, Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives, James McMurtry and Corey “Li’l Pop” Ledet, noon-midnight. Call (888) 855-6940 or go to www.rhythmandroots.com. Fees range from $30 to $160 (for a full three-day ticket). Children 12 and under get in free. There's also a senior discount at gate. Parking is free. Posted by Mike McKinney at 7:00 PM | Comment Alert: Tiverton teachers back strike call -- if neededTIVERTON -- The teachers union membership this evening authorized its negotiating committee to call a strike if it deemed it necessary next Tuesday. Amy Mullen, the NEA-Tiverton teachers union president, said the members authorized the committee at a 4:30 p.m. meeting to "to take whatever action it deems necessary up to and including a strike on Tuesday." She said the negotiating committee is making itself available to meet with one or more members of the School Committee over the weekend "in hopes that significant progress can be made" before Tuesday, when students would come back after the Labor Day weekend. Mullen also said the committee will not continue to meet with the School Committee's current configuration of negotiators. Teachers did report for the opening of school this past week as scheduled. Their contract is due to expire at midnight tonight. (An earlier report incorrectly said it had expired yesterday.) Yesterday, the teachers’ union filed an unfair labor practice charge against the School Committee, asserting the committee has bargained in bad faith by failing to appoint a negotiator authorized to reach a tentative agreement. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Journal staff writer Gina Macris And tensions have flared this week. Crowley last night released a copy of a memo Schools Supt. William J. Rearick sent to teachers Tuesday apologizing for telling them to "sit down and shut up" at a district orientation meeting in the high school auditorium earlier that day. “My intention was to get the meeting started in a timely manner, in retrospect I should have chosen my words more carefully,” Rearick wrote. “I want to take this opportunity to apologize to anyone I may have offended,” the superintendent added. Rearick last night said it happened after he'd tried to call the orientation meeting to order without success. Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:33 PM | Comment Child missing briefly on Lincoln bike path foundLINCOLN -- Police have found a child who had been reported missing late this afternoon on the bike path here. The report had come in about 4 p.m. of a girl who was on her bike. No other details are available. Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:17 PM | Comment City won't close El Tiburon after fatal shooting
PROVIDENCE -- The city will not shut down El Tiburon, the Valley Street restaurant and bar where a leader in the Latin Kings gang was shot and killed last weekend. But the bar must hire a detail of two police officers to oversee the premises on every night it is open for the immediate future, according to a decision rendered by the city’s Board of Licenses today. The bar has been closed all week, following the shooting early Saturday of Vidal “Lucky” Rodriguez, 33, a leader in the Almighty Latin Kings Nation street gang. Rodriguez, who had stepped out of the bar to have a cigarette, was shot while standing on the sidewalk outside El Tiburon just before 1 a.m. The police had requested that the city’s Board of Licenses hold a hearing to consider revoking the bar’s license. Police have not made any arrests, and have not determined whether the killing was gang related. Today, Oscar Valverde, and his son, Steven, met with a reporter at a table inside the bar at 370 Valley St. to dispute the Police Department’s characterization of his bar as a hangout for members of the Latin Kings. The Valverdes said that Rodriguez had been in the bar for only “10 to 15 minutes,” before he was killed. They said that he used to drop in about once a month, and they did not know that he was member of a notorious street gang. -- Journal staff writer Daniel Barbarisi Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:42 PM | Comment Tiverton teachers meeting to debate work returnTIVERTON -- In another closely watched contract matter, the teachers union here will begin debating at 4:30 p.m. whether "to report to work" on Tuesday, according to a union spokesman. The union membership is slated to meet at Green Valley Country Club in Portsmouth, spokeman Patrick Crowley, deputy executive director of National Education Assocation-Rhode Island, said in a statement. Teachers did report to school this week as scheduled. Their contract is due to expire at midnight tonight. An earlier item reported incorrectly that it had expired yesterday. Yesterday, the teachers’ union -- NEA-Tiverton -- filed an unfair labor practice charge against the School Committee, asserting the committee has bargained in bad faith by failing to appoint a negotiator authorized to reach a tentative agreement. And tensions have flared this week. Crowley last night released a copy of a memo Schools Supt. William J. Rearick sent to teachers Tuesday apologizing for tellimg them to "sit down and shut up" at a district orientation meeting in the high school auditorium earlier that day. “My intention was to get the meeting started in a timely manner, in retrospect I should have chosen my words more carefully,” Rearick wrote. “I want to take this opportunity to apologize to anyone I may have offended,” the superintendent added. Rearick last night said it happened after he'd tried to call the orientation meeting to order without success. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Journal staff writer Gina Macris and Journal archival reports Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:55 PM | Comment Montalbano asks judge to intervene in ethics casePROVIDENCE -- Senate President Joseph Montalbano has asked a judge to intervene in his ethics case. Montalbano, a North Providence Democrat, is accused of improperly supporting a referendum for a casino in West Warwick at the same time he was doing legal work for the town. His lawyer, Max Wistow, says the state Ethics Commission shouldn't be allowed to prosecute the Senate president while there are unresolved questions about whether the case is constitutional. Wistow says the constitution bars lawmakers from being prosecuted based on their votes. The Ethics Commission rejects that argument. Superior Court Judge Allen Rubine has agreed to hear from both sides on Tuesday about whether the block the prosecution. -- The Associated Press Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:34 PM | Comment E. Greenwich teacher talks: Long weekend haul ahead?In East Greenwich, where schools are scheduled to open on Tuesday, mediated teacher contract talks will start again today at 5 p.m. They are expected to continue through the three-day Labor Day weekend to replace a contract that expires today. Union representatives say if a new agreement is not reached by Monday, the union is expected to vote Monday night on whether to strike or continue working without a contract. School Superintendent Charles E. Meyer says he doesn’t really have a plan in place to notify parents in the event of a last-minute decision to strike, other than possible postings on the district's Web site or via listservs. He said the School Department has been focusing its energies on trying to resolve the contract issue, which he hopes will be by Tuesday. In Exeter-West Greenwich, a mediation session will be held tomorrow. But lead negotiators are meeting now to outline proposals and discuss terms. If necessary, mediation will continue on Wednesday. School has already begun in Exeter-West Greenwich. -- Journal staff writer Lisa Vernon-Sparks Posted by Andrea Panciera at 4:20 PM | Comment Judge orders Burrillville to resume teacher talksPROVIDENCE -- A Superior Court judge today told both sides in the Burrillville teachers' contract dispute to return to collective bargaining talks over the long holiday weekend. Judge Netti C. Vogel said she would direct teachers back to work, if she deems it necessary, at 6:30 a.m. Tuesday. Her hope is that both sides would reach a resolution over the weekend so that no such last-minute decision would be necessary. Vogel made the judgment after the union's lawyer suggested the parties were closer to a contract agreement than either side had previously indicated. School Department lawyer Benjamin M. Scungio said that if Vogel orders teachers to resume work, school would start on Tuesday after a one-hour delay. The school wants to compel teachers -- who voted to strike -- to come to work. School in the district had been due to start this past Wednesday. But instead, classes were cancelled for that day, yesterday and today. The teachers' contract expires today. Between 80 and 100 teachers turned out to see the proceedings today at Superior Court in Providence, which was based on a request and complaint by the School Department. Extra: Read a copy of the school department's complaint. Teacher contract talks are also on-going in East Greenwich, Exeter-West Greenwich, Providence and Tiverton. -- projo.com staff writers Michael P. McKinney and Brandi Jefferson, with reports from Journal staff writer Mark Reynolds Exeter-West Greenwich has returned to school, while mediation continues in that district. Mediated sessions are also expected to continue through the holiday weekend for East Greenwich, where school is due to start Tuesday. The Tiverton teachers’ union filed an unfair labor practice charge against the School Committee yesterday, maintaining that the committee has bargained in bad faith by failing to send appoint a negotiator authorized to reach a tentative agreement. The teachers’ contract expired yesterday, and the union membership will meet after school today to consider its next steps. The first day of classes in Tiverton was Wednesday. Providence teachers are also negotiating a new contract, but union leaders there have said they expect schools to open next Wednesday, as scheduled. Jamestown has a tentative agreement in place that will be considered by its teachers union and School Committee on Thursday, Sept. 6. New Shoreham ratified a new three-year contract last week. North Kingstown's contract was also due to expire today, but teachers and the School Committee there ratified a new agreement earlier this summer. Posted by Mike McKinney at 3:32 PM | Comment Man gets 15 years after cocaine, gun found under bedPROVIDENCE -- A Pawtucket man was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison after a gun and cocaine were found under his bed, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office in Providence. Robert Viruet, 38, was arrested in August 2005 after police found a safe under his bed containing six bags of crack cocaine, one bag of powder cocaine and a loaded .25-caliber pistol. Viruet initially said a friend had paid him $200 to store the safe, but in 2006, he pleaded guilty to two charges of possession with intent to distribute and possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 2:33 PM | Comment Update: Victims in fatal Seekonk rollover ID'dSEEKONK, Mass. -- A 21-year-old woman died and four people were hurt when a SUV car rolled over in the middle eastbound lane of Route 195, just east of Exit 1 in Seekonk early this morning. Massachusetts state police say Angela R. Sbardella, of Fall River, was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident, which occurred at about 1:40 a.m. The driver of the 1996 Jeep Cherokee, 21-year-old Kyle R. Whalen, also of Fall River, and a juvenile passenger were taken to Rhode Island Hospital with serious injuries. Two other passengers, 18-year-old Amy L. Garant, of Fall River and 26-year-old Brendan Reagan of San Diego, Calif., were taken to Rhode Island Hospital with minor injuries. Garant was treated and released. Whalen and Reagan are still being evaluated early this afternoon, according to a hospital spokeswoman. No information is available on the unidentified juvenile passenger. The State Police Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Section is investigating the accident with the State Police Crime Scene Services Section and the Bristol District Attorney’s Office. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 1:25 PM | Comment Update: Pursuit of robbery suspect ends in 5-car crash
PROVIDENCE -- An alleged bank robber fleeing in a stolen car crashed into cars on Broadway late this morning, sending four smashed vehicles spinning and debris flying across the road and into a nearby ballfield. The suspect, who was driving, and his passenger both ran off in different directions, but they were caught moments later by officers rushing to the scene, said Maj. Stephen Campbell. One of the men was brought to the hospital, as was a person in one of the struck cars, but neither had life-threatening injuries, Campbell said. The suspect is accused of trying to rob a young man at knifepoint at an ATM outside a nearby Citizens Bank, Campbell said. The victim got away and rushed inside the bank for help. Officer Joseph Hanley happened to be working a detail inside the bank. Hanley ran outside and saw the suspect toss a knife into the passenger side of a gray Mazda parked near the bank. Another man was in the passenger seat as the suspect jumped into the driver’s side and tried to take off, Campbell said. Hanley tried to stop him, hitting the driver with his baton and spraying him with pepper spray, but the men sped off, Campbell said. As the officer radioed in that the suspects were heading into the city on Broadway, the car smashed into other cars at Barton Street. Officers specializing in traffic reconstruction were on the scene trying to piece together how the accident occurred. One SUV with Connecticut license plates was up on the sidewalk next to the walk traffic light. The stolen car was smashed, its engine in pieces, from where it landed into the back of a red Nissan. A Mercury sedan with war veteran plates had been broadsided. -- Journal staff writer Amanda Milkovits Debris and glass from the cars was scattered across the roadway from one end to the other. Fresh blood was spattered on the sidewalk on Barton Street next to the ball field and across from the Paul Cuffee School, where children in school uniforms were lining up in the playground. Campbell said the blood was from one of the suspects, who was injured in the crash. Officers seized a black folding knife with a 4-inch blade believed to be the one used to threaten the man at the bank ATM, Campbell said. Detectives were going to review the video from the camera at the ATM, Campbell said. The names of the suspects or the robbery victim, or the person injured in the crash, were not available. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 1:23 PM | Comment Sunny skies, lots of travel predicted for Labor DaySunny skies, mild weather and a long weekend. If you’re thinking this Labor Day weekend is looking like a time to get out of town, you’re not alone. AAA is estimating more than 36.5 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles from home this holiday. About 4 million will travel by air; about 1.6 million will take trains, buses or another mode of transportation. And about 84 percent of Labor Day weekend travelers – nearly 29 million – will be driving. They may be pleased to find that, according to AAA, regular gas -- at about $2.67 in the Providence metro area -- is about 25 cents cheaper than it was going into the Labor Day weekend last year. Compare prices throughout the past year at AAA's Daily Fuel Gauge Report. If you plan on staying in town, remember RIPTA buses and trolleys will be operating on a holiday schedule. Flex service will be suspended, except for the Kingston/URI line, which will be on a holiday schedule. The RIde program will continue to run uninterrupted. When the weekend is over, and the buses resume a regular schedule, it will be the new fall schedule, which is different for about a half dozen bus routes and adds service on Route 57 to the new Park n’ Ride lot in North Providence. For more information, visit the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 12:39 PM | Comment After Newport scam: More bomb threats in OhioCLEVELAND, Ohio -- The bomb threats and extortion attempts against stores around the country this week are continuing today. The FBI says four more threats forced evacuations at stores in northeastern Ohio early today. The threats were phoned in to a Wal-Mart and three Giant Eagle grocery stores. They were all temporarily evacuated, but each reopened within three hours after being searched by police. The FBI says it thinks all of the threats are coming from the same individual or group. Authorities are investigating bomb threats at least 15 stores in more than a dozen states, including one at a Wal-Mart in Newport. Authorities say the threats appear to be coming from overseas. -- The Associated Press Posted by Mike McKinney at 12:25 PM | Comment DEM warns of potential for fish die-offThe state Department of Environmental Management warned today that a large school of menhaden, chased into the Blackstone River by predatory fish, may be at risk. An estimated one million to two million menhaden -- many of them juveniles -- were spotted late yesterday and early this morning in the river near Slater Dam. Menhaden contribute to Narragansett Bay's health and to the economy: They are bait fish for the lobster fishery and are used to attract striped bass, among other things. DEM biologists in the fish and wildlfie division are monitoring the situation. In July, the DEM carried out emergency rules to control harvesting of menhaden to preserve the menhaden stocks. Adult menhaden are typically in Narragansett Bay from May through September, but juveniles remain throughout the year. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney DEM said its fish monitors noted large numbers of menhaden being chased into the less salty waters of the Providence and Blackstone rivers by bluefish, which can tolerate fresh water. DEM says that if someone sees a fish die-off, the DEM's law enforcement division should be contacted at 222-3070. Posted by Mike McKinney at 12:10 PM | Comment Teachers turn out for hearing on Burrillville strikePROVIDENCE -- Superior Court Judge Netti Vogel addressed the court later than expected today at a hearing requested by the Burrillville School Department. The school wants to compel teachers -- who voted to strike -- to come to work. School in the district had been due to start this past Wednesday. The teachers' contract expires today. Extra: Read a copy of the school department's complaint. Vogel announced that she had asked attorneys on both sides to meet in private to work on “preliminary matters.” She wanted them to come up with a “joint statement of undisputed facts” and exhibits. It was unclear exactly when the formal hearing in court would begin. Between 80 and 100 teachers turned out to observe the proceedings at Superior Court in Providence. “I plan on continuing with the matter from day to day until that hearing is complete,” Vogel said. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson, with reports from Journal writer Mark Reynolds Teacher contracts are also expiring today in East Greenwich, Exeter-West Greenwich, Providence and Tiverton. Exeter-West Greenwich has returned to school, while mediation continues in that district. Mediated sessions are also expected to continue through the holiday weekend for East Greenwich, where school is due to start Tuesday. The Tiverton teachers’ union filed an unfair labor practice charge against the School Committee yesterday, maintaining that the committee has bargained in bad faith by failing to send appoint a negotiator authorized to reach a tentative agreement. The teachers’ contract expired yesterday, and the union membership will meet after school today to consider its next steps. The first day of classes in Tiverton was Wednesday. Jamestown has a tentative agreement in place that will be considered by its teachers union and School Committee on Thursday, Sept. 6. New Shoreham ratified a new three-year contract last week. North Kingstown's contract was also due to expire today, but teachers and the School Committee there ratified a new agreement earlier this summer. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 11:31 AM | Comment Coventry firefighter's funeral procession draws crowdA funeral procession for Americo DiPetrillo, 53, of Coventry, has brought firefighters out to pay their respects. The Hopkins Hill firefighter died Sunday after being pulled out of the water at a beach in Narragansett. Local firefighters waved flags and fire engines lined an overpass north of Exit 6A on Route 95 this morning as a state police-escorted funeral procession for the firefighter headed from Coventry to Cranston. DiPetrillo was a firefighter for more than 30 years, serving as the assistant training officer for six years. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 11:26 AM | Comment Fire sends Providence firefighter to hospitalPROVIDENCE -- A fire at a vacant house this morning sends one firefighter to the hospital with heat exhaustion. Heavy fire on the first and second floor of the three-story house broke out at about 4:40 a.m. at 92 Veazie Street, and was under control by about 5:30 according to James Taylor, chief of communications for the Providence Fire Department. Officials are still investigating the cause of the fire. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 9:37 AM | Comment Water pipe break closes street in CranstonBretton Woods Drive in Cranston is closed after a water main break at Woodstock Lane. According to Providence Water, a main sprung a leak earlier this morning, leading them to turn off water along the residential street. Police say the disruption was caused by a depression in the road. The leak is not major, however the water will probably be off on Bretton Woods for the rest of the day. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 9:18 AM | Comment "Close to identifying suspect" in bomb threatsPROVIDENCE – Federal authorities say the caller or callers who have threatened more than a dozen stores in the past week asked that money to be wired to Portugal. Although the FBI said the investigation is focused overseas, a spokesman has declined to elaborate or say whether or not an arrest was imminent yesterday. But FBI spokesman Rich Kolko said the Bureau is close to identifying one or more suspects who have called more than 15 large stores or banks, including a Wal-Mart in Newport, in the past week and threatened to blow up workers with a bomb unless they wired money. “We certainly have some good leads,” Kolko said. “We’re close to identifying somebody who may be responsible.” One man has been charged Hutchinson, Kan.in connection with an incident Wednesday that police determined to be a copycat crime. -- The Associated Press The FBI has not said how much money was wired to the caller from the Hutchinson store on Tuesday, but police in Newport said workers at a Wal-Mart were so frightened by a bomb threat on Tuesday that they wired $10,000 to the caller. Large grocery and discount stores as well as banks in roughly a dozen states have received calls from an unidentified man who is able to provide such specific details that employees believe he is inside or somehow watching them. On Thursday evening, the FBI provided an updated list of stores and banks believed to be traceable to the same suspect or group of suspects. The bureau is also investigating whether other reported threats are connected. The FBI list includes: a credit union in Albuquerque, N.M.; a Safeway store in Sandy, Ore.,; a grocery store in Buchanan, Mich.; Wal-Marts in Newport, R.I., and Rio Grande City, Texas; bank branches at Wal-Marts in Salem, Va., and Fairlawn, Va.; a Macey's grocery store in Orem, Utah; a Dillons grocery store in Hutchinson, Kan., a bank branch in Milford, Conn.; a Vons in Vista, Calif., near San Diego; a bank in Savannah, Mo.; a bank in Ithaca, N.Y.; and banks in Tampa and Wesley Chapel, Fla. Authorities in Buchanan, Mich., had earlier said workers at a Harding's Market sent $3,000 to an account in Portugal. But on Thursday, Police Chief William Marx said flustered store employees made a mistake and the money was sent to Paraguay rather than Portugal, as the caller had demanded. "They got their p's messed up," Marx said. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 7:52 AM | Comment MegaMillions jackpot is up to $330 millionDidn't win the PowerBall? You're not alone. But you may have another shot. The MegaMillions Jackpot is up to $330 million dollars, that's $16 million more than the last week's Powerball Jackpot, the 4th largest in that game's history. The odds of winning the MegaMillions Jackpot are about one in 176 million, while the Powerball odds were about one in 146 million -- it's a longer shot, but a bigger payoff. And there's also the drive. You can buy a MegaMillions ticket in Massachusetts, but not in Rhode Island. Is it worth it? See what people are saying they'd do with the money. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 7:23 AM | Comment Hearing this morning on Burrillville teachers strikePROVIDENCE -- A hearing is scheduled for this morning in Superior Court on a teachers strike that's shut down Burrillville schools this week. Classes have been canceled until at least today, when the current contract expires. An attorney for the school district has asked Judge Netti Vogel to order the teachers' union back to work. Extra: Read a copy of the school department's complaint. The teachers' union voted to strike after both sides failed to reach an agreement during a negotiating session Tuesday night. Both sides say sticking points include health care costs and class sizes. Patrick Crowley, a spokesman for the union, says the teachers will obey court orders. -- The Associated Press and Journal reports Posted by Jack Perry at 7:22 AM | Comment Another toy recallToys 'R' Us is recalling 27,000 crayon and paint sets made in China because of lead contamination. This is the second recall Chinese-made products in less than a month. The first recall prompted Pawtucket-based Hasbro to “redouble its safety reviews,” according to Wayne S. Charness, senior vice president of corporate communications for the nation’s No. 2 toymaker.
See a report here. -- The Associated Press Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 7:04 AM | Comment Woman dies in early morning crash on 195, SeekonkA woman is dead after a car accident early this morning. Massachusetts state police say the cause of the accident is still under investigation, but at about 2:15 a.m. a car traveling east on Route 195 in Seekonk, just past Exit 1, rolled over. A passenger was ejected, and died as a result of her injuries. The other four passengers were taken to Rhode Island Hospital. Massachusetts state police and Bristol County detectives are investigating. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 7:02 AM | Comment Gloomy today, improving for the weekendThe Labor Day weekend will get off to a gloomy start with the National Weather Service predicting a 20-percent chance of showers and thunderstorms and cloudy skies all day and an overnight low of about 60. But Saturday and Sunday are looking good with clear and sunny with a high of 79 and an overnight low of 60. And Labor Day should be even warmer, with a high in the mid 80s. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 7:01 AM | Comment Today's front pageToday's front page features a photograph and story reporting on the $78 million cost of painting the Pell Bridge. Download a copy of today's front page. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:00 AM | Comment August 30, 2007Tonight: Comedy improv., rock and jazzThere's comedy in Newport tonight and plenty of tunes in the clubs around the state. At the Firehouse Theater in Newport, starting at 9:09 p.m., the Bit Players comedy improv troupe goes to work. Call 849-FIRE (3473). Also in Newport, Blockhead plays rock at One Pelham East, 270 Thames St. Call 847-9460. The show begins at 9 pm. Copperhead plays rock at Newport Blues Cafe, 286 Thames St.. Call 841-5510. 9 pm. Mark Cutler and Friends play rock and rhythm and blues at Nick-A-Nee's, 75 South St., Providence. Call 861-7290. 9 pm. Al Deston plays some jazz at Capriccio, 2 Pine St., Providence. Call 421-1320. 7-11 pm. Also in Providence, East Side Horns and Mac Odom and Chill play rhythm and blues and Motown at The Hi-Hat, 3 Davol Square, Providence. Call 453-6500. Show goes from 8 p.m. to midnight. Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:54 PM | Comment Warwick man indicted on child molestation chargesWARWICK -- A local man was indicted today by the Providence Grand Jury on child molestation charges stemming from a Pawtucket case last year. Christopher Smith, 26, of 393 Palmer Ave., Warwick, was indicted on three counts of first-degree child molestation and two counts of second-degree child molestation. The charges stem from what police say was Smith’s actions between August and December 2006 when he allegedly molested a preteen girl while her mother was not at home. Smith was living in the home with the child’s mother in Pawtucket at the time. Police said they were alerted to the alleged abuse via a hot line and the Department of Children, Youth and Families. Smith was arrested in March and has been held without bail at the ACI. In April, the case was referred to the grand jury, which handed up the indictment. -- Journal staff writer Talia Buford Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:43 PM | Comment FBI chasing overseas leads in Wal-Mart bomb threatPROVIDENCE -- The Federal Bureau of Investigation is working on evidence connecting the bomb threat against the Newport Wal-Mart and threats in 12 other states to suspects overseas, a spokesman said. Wal-Mart this week wired $10,000 to an overseas account after a caller threatened to detonate a bomb. Spokesman Jason Pack, a special agent in Washington, said today that similar threats have been phoned into businesses in 15 communities in 12 states. In most of these cases, a caller has threatened to detonate a bomb unless money was wired to him. On Tuesday, the Newport Wal-Mart complied with the demand for $10,000. Asked about reports that the calls originated in Portugal, the FBI spokesman would not confirm that. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with Journal archival reports Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:44 PM | Comment State campground reservations are coming, for a feePROVIDENCE -- The state Department of Department of Environmental Management plans to announce tomorrow that it has hired a company to operate a reservations system for public campgrounds for the first time in state history. Starting in November, campers will be able to reserve campsites as long as a year before their visit. In the past, it was first come, first served. “We are excited about this,” Steven T. Wright, acting chief of the DEM’s Division of Parks and Recreation, said. “It’s a long time coming.” Burlingame State Campground, in Charlestown, Fishermen’s campground, in Narragansett, East Beach, in Charlestown, and the George Washington Campground, in Glocester — will be included in the program, to be operated by ReserveAmerica Holdings Inc. The state is not increasing the cost of renting a campground, $14 a night for state residents. The out-of-state fee is $20 a night. But Reserve America, a New York-based subsidiary of Ticketmaster, will charge campers $9 to maker a reservation online or $10 by telephone. So for a Rhode Island resident the cost of a camp site with an online reservation will increase by 64 percent. -- Journal staff writer Benjamin N. Gedan Posted by Peter Phipps at 5:14 PM | Comment Photo: Tiger on the prowl at Deutsche Bank Pro-Am
Posted by Andrea Panciera at 4:04 PM | Comment Photo: This dog looks after the vet
Posted by Jack Perry at 3:08 PM | Comment Update: Rubbish fire calls firefighters to Broad St.PROVIDENCE -- Firefighters are responding to a rubbish fire outside of a building at 1195 Broad St. According to James Taylor, chief of communications for the Providence Fire Department, the fire originated in rubbish piled up against the garage door of the building. No other information is available at this time. The area is just east of where Route 95 crosses over Broad Street, and borders the northeast end of Roger Williams Park. See a map. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 2:12 PM | Comment Another push for Carcieri's plan for wind farmsPROVIDENCE – Governor Carcieri is pushing forward with his plan to build one or more wind farms off the coast of Rhode Island, even though it’s unclear how the state will go about financing the ambitious project. Today, the governor’s top energy adviser convened the first meeting of “stakeholders” -- people who represent municipalities, agencies and organizations that want a say in how the project will proceed. About 35 attended the meeting, held at Save The Bay headquarters. Their top priority is to tackle what may be the most vexing decision -- where the wind turbines should be located. Andrew Dzykewicz, chief energy adviser to the governor, said he is aiming for the group to come to a consensus at its third meeting in October. Extra: Look back at the the state's first conference on wind power last April, and read the governor's wind study on locations for wind farms.
Posted by Andrea Panciera at 2:08 PM | Comment Providence man sentenced on gun chargeProvidence – A 22-year-old Providence man was sentenced to more than six years in federal prison today for being a previously convicted felon with a gun, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Providence. Prosecutors say Juan Cuthbert was one of four men in a car that Providence police officers pulled over for a traffic violation on New Years’ Eve. When officers told the men to get out of the car, Cuthbert got out, pushed an officer aside, and tried to escape, according to prosecutors. The police said they saw him toss a handgun, which they later retrieved. Cuthbert, who has prior convictions involving drug trafficking and gun posession, was arrested and prosecuted under Project Safe Neighborhoods, a federal initiative against gun crimes. He was sentenced to 77 months in prison. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 1:48 PM | Comment Mentor program for youth will receive federal moneyA mentoring program for at-risk children in Warwick and Woonsocket will get $187,537 from the U.S. Department of Education, Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse's office announced today. The money will go to the Rhode Island Mentoring Partnership for students in grades 4 through 8. The program is meant to recruit, train and help adults to be positive role models for young people "with emotional difficulties, low self-esteem, poor peer relationships, or low academic performance" statewide, according to a news release. Volunteer mentors serve at least one hour per week for a year. “When I was attorney general, I saw first-hand the enormous change that supportive, involved adults could make in students’ lives through the after-school and mentoring programs we built at Oliver Hazard Perry Middle School in Providence,” Whitehouse said in the statement. “This federal funding, combined with the tireless work of volunteer mentors, will make a real difference in these young people’s lives.” Whitehouse said he wrote to the federal education department to support the partnership’s grant application and co-signed a letter with other senators urging $100 million in federal money for mentoring programs in fiscal 2008. Posted by Mike McKinney at 12:24 PM | Comment After big oil spill, new vessel rules for Buzzards BayFour years after an oil spill in Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts, Coast Guard rules announced today will create a bay "vessel movement reporting system" and require that single-hulled tanker barges be accompanied by escort tugs as well as the primary tug. The new regulations take effect on Nov. 28, according to a news release. "In creating this resolution, the Coast Guard aimed to strike a balance not only between the stakeholders and interest groups involved in Buzzards Bay, but also, our ultimate duties to protect the public, the environment, and the U.S. economic interests," First Coast Guard District Commander Rear Adm. Tim Sullivan said in a statement. The goal is to cut down on the likelihood of an incident that might include a collision, grounding of a vessel and a resulting spill of oil or other hazardous materials. In April 2003, a tanker barge from New York-based Bouchard Transportation Co. became damaged, and thousands of gallons of No. 6 fuel oil spilled into the bay, some of it coating birds initially and raising problems for the shellfish industry. Among the other new rules are: * A pilot, separate from the vessel's master and crew and operating under a properly endorsed federal pilot's license, must be aboard the tug towing single-hulled tank barges transiting Buzzards Bay. * A vessel movement reporting system -- VMRS -- will be monitored by Coast Guard and Army Corps of Engineers. Vessels that are subject to the "Vessel Bridge-to-Bridge VHF Radiotelephone regulations," including tug/barge combinations, will be required to participate in the movement reporting system. * Recommended navigation routes will remain recommended, not mandatory, "to allow maximum flexibility for masters to meet unusual or challenging situations," according to the release. The Coast Guard said the matter was published today in the Federal Register at www.archives.gov/federal-register. For full text of the regulations, go here. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 12:07 PM | Comment Hearing on R.I. waterfowl hunting rules is tonightThere's a public hearing tonight on proposed Rhode Island waterfowl hunting rules and proposed regulations for falconry. The state Department of Environmental Management will hold the hearing at 7 p.m. at the North Kingstown Community Center, Beach Street, off Route 1A south of Wickford. Waterfowl rules set up the hunting seasons, bag limits and methods of taking for 2007-2008. There here are some changes in the federal waterfowl regulations with which the state must comply, according to the DEM. One change increases the daily bag limit for canvasbacks from one to two birds. And the number of days open for hunting Atlantic Brant has been raised to 30 to 50 days -- Dec. 2 through Jan. 20. Check out the rules proposed at www.dem.ri.govThey cal also be seen at the Oliver Stedman Government Center, 4808 Tower Hill Rd., Wakefield, or by calling (401) 789-3094 on weekdays. Comments will be accepted at DEM's Division of Fish and Wildlife through today at 4 p.m. They will also be accepted at the hearing. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney The DEM's Division of Fish and Wildlife will show a video on the breeding status of waterfowl in the Canadian Provinces. No "substantial changes" to falconry regulations are proposed -- there are five falconers in Rhode Island. There will be waterfowl stamps, hats, and early goose permits (for September season) at the hearing. Exact change will be required. Posted by Mike McKinney at 12:05 PM | Comment Another New England store threatened / VideoAnother store in New England has been contacted by a male caller threatening to detonate a bomb unless employees wire money. In at least 11 states, including at a Newport Wal-Mart Tuesday, a caller has threatened to blow up a bomb unless employees wired money. The Associated Press reports the most recent incident was yesterday, at a Hannaford supermarket, in Millinocket, Maine, population 5,200. See video taken at the scene here. No one has been arrested, and no bombs have been found in any of the incidents. Read a Journal story today following up on the threat at the Newport Wal-Mart and what investigators think of scam. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 11:25 AM | Comment RIC launches alert system using cell phones, e-mailPROVIDENCE -- After a review spurred by the Virginia Tech massacre, Rhode Island College is launching a system that sends alerts of a crisis or disaster by cell phone and e-mail to students, faculty and staff. A news release on the college's Web site today says it's something new "that the college's administrators hope they’ll never have to use." The system, offered by Apogee Telecommunications, is free to customers using Apogee technology and allows for up to 24 messages a year. The college has used Apogee technology for about three years. If there's an emergency, a campus administrator can send a text message through any registered messaging device, such as a cell phone or personal digital assistant, to all users with a cell phone number in the college’s information systems. It could also be sent to e-mail. The college says there is a one-time, $50 set-up fee for each device that is allowed to send messages through the system. The college plans to program about a dozen devices assigned to certain campus administrators to trigger messages. “People are very mobile these days, it’s the best way to communicate quickly. Cell phones and text messaging methods are the most favorable,” Richard Prull, the college's assistant vice president for information services, said in the statement. An advantage of text messaging is contacting people before they arrive on campus if needed, according to the college. The college has many commuter students. The move follows a 14-member committee's review of its emergency response after the Virginia Tech shootings that killed 32 people, including one Rhode Islander. A report out today found that lives could have been saved if the university had sent out warnings sooner. RIC classes begin again for the fall on Wednesday, Sept. 5. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Over the summer, the college’s began collecting cell phone numbers to use in the system. The college says it told incoming students about he service and asked for their cell phone numbers at freshman orientation. Cell phone information is recorded through the person’s on-line college administrative systems account. The system tested successfully several times over the summer, the college says. Posted by Mike McKinney at 11:19 AM | Comment Ex-Mass. selectman changes plea in sex-sting casePROVIDENCE – A former Massachusetts selectman accused of trying to have sex with a minor has changed his pleato guilty today in US District Court. William J. Christensen, 60, of Southborough, Mass., pleaded not guilty to two charges in March after Prosecutors said he arranged a sexual encounter with someone he met on the internet that he thought was a 15-year-old girl. Today, Chief Judge Mary M. Lisi accepted a guilty plea in exchange for a sentence recommendation from the US District Attorney. The first charge, traveling across state lines to engage in illicit sexual conduct, carries a maximum 30 year prison sentence. The second charge, using the internet to entice a minor, has a five-year minimum prison sentence and a 30-year maximum. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for Nov. 30. Prosecutors allege that Christensen set up a meeting with the supposed teenager-- actually an undercover police officer -- at an East Providence apartment complex last May. Christensen was arrested when he arrived at the complex. Six days later, he was arrested in a separate incident in Massachusetts under similar circumstances. In that case, he was given a 26 1/2-year suspended prison sentence with five years probation. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 11:15 AM | Comment Duke lacrosse prosecutor pleads innocentDURHAM, N.C. -- Disgraced former prosecutor Mike Nifong pleaded not guilty today to criminal contempt charges stemming from his failure to turn over complete DNA testing results during the now-discredited Duke lacrosse rape case. If found in contempt, Nifong could face up to 30 days in jail and a fine of up to $500. As Durham County district attorney, Nifong led the investigation into a woman's allegations that she was raped at a 2006 lacrosse team party where she was hired as a stripper. He won indictments against three lacrosse players, but eventually recused himself from the case, and state prosecutors dropped all remaining charges, saying the players were innocent victims of a "tragic rush to accuse." Defense attorneys for the three falsely accused young men asked a judge to punish Nifong for initially telling the court he had turned over all DNA test results when he knew, and failed to disclose, that genetic material from multiple men was found on the accuser - but none from any lacrosse player. Reade Seligmann, one of the falsely accused players, has transferred to Brown University and will play lacrosse for the Bears. The team's former coach, Mike Pressler, became the coach at Bryant University in Smithfield after he was forced to resign from Duke in April of 2006. -- The Associated Press Nifong's attorney, Jim Glover, told Superior Court Judge W. Osmond Smith III during the hearing today that it wasn't about whether the statements were true or false but "were they willfully and intentionally false and were they also part of an effort ... to hide potentially exculpatory evidence." Nifong was disbarred in June for more than two dozen violations of the state's rules of professional conduct during his prosecution of the lacrosse case. During a hearing last month, he apologized and acknowledged there was "no credible evidence" that the three formerly charged players committed any of the crimes he accused them of. He said then: "It is my hope that all of us can learn from the mistakes in this case, that all of us can begin to move forward." Posted by Jack Perry at 10:58 AM | Comment Va. Tech report: Faster warning could have saved livesRICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Virginia Tech officials could have saved lives if they had quickly warned the campus that two students had been shot to death and their killer was on the loose, a panel that investigated the attacks said. Instead, it took administrators more than two hours to get out an e-mail warning students and staff to be cautious. The shooter had time to leave the dormitory where the first two victims were killed, mail a letter, and then enter a classroom building, chain the doors shut and kill 31 more people, including himself. Even before the killings, the university had failed to properly care for the mentally troubled student gunman, Seung-Hui Cho, the panel found. Daniel Patrick O’Neil, a 2002 graduate of Lincoln High School in Rhode Island, was among those slain. The 22-year-old O’Neil had been pursuing a graduate degree in environmental engineering. Read the full story from the Associated Press ... Extra: Read the complete report. Video: Watch a scheduled 11 a.m. report on the findings. Blog: Look back at 7to7 blog reports on the shootings and our local connections. Posted by Andrea Panciera at 10:48 AM | Comment R.I. inmates train dogs to help injured vetsCRANSTON – Puppies, combat veterans and inmates. They are coming together at the Rhode Island Department of Correction today, for a reunion of sorts. The inmates are participants in the Prison Pup Partnership Program, an arm of the National Education for Assistance Dog Services (NEAD). They’ve been training puppies as assistant dogs for the Canines for Combat Veterans Program. Today at 11 a.m., 27-year-old Army Specialist Sue Downes of Tennessee – who lost both of her legs in Afghanistan – and 21-year-old Army Cpl. Christopher Strickland of Connecticut – who lost both legs, half of an arm and vision in one eye – will meet their dogs’ trainers. “What a happy occasion it is when a disabled partner and adult service dog return to meet the inmate puppy raiser,” Sheila O’Brien, executive director of NEADS said in a press release. “This reunion completes the cycle of training, companionship and love.” Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 10:26 AM | Comment 20 firefighters battled trailer-park fire in PortsmouthPORTSMOUTH — Portsmouth and Bristol firefighters spent much of the overnight hours battling a fire that left extensive damage to a mobile home in the Melville Trailer Park. It took six hours for firefighters to contain the blaze at 15 Scotty Drive, which sparked at about 2:30 a.m. The residents – listed as Lorraine and Theodore Amado – were alerted to the fire by a passerby, Portsmouth Deputy Fire Chief Robert Church said this morning. The fire started in a front porch and quickly spread to the eaves and the attic, collapsing and destroying the wooden-truss roof, Church said. Portsmouth sent two engines and a ladder truck to the fire and requested an engine from the Bristol Fire Department. About 20 firefighters were on-scene until about 9:30 a.m. Firefighters were worried that the blaze might spread to nearby units in the densely-occupied mobile home park, but only the one home was burned, Church said. Officials believe the fire was accidental, though they are still investigating the cause, Church said. No one was injured. — Meaghan Wims, Journal staff writer
Posted by Peter Phipps at 10:09 AM | Comment Roger Williams University to welcome Iraqi scholarWARWICK -- An Iraqi who formerly worked as an interpreter for the U.S. Army is set to return to Rhode Island today. Qussay Al-Attabi will teach Arabic at Roger Williams University while studying English literature at Brown University. Officials at Roger Williams say Al-Attabi visited the Bristol-based university in 2005 as part of a delegation of Iraqi students. They say they offered to help him when the former Army interpreter decided that Iraq had become too dangerous. Roger Williams President Roy Nirschel plans to greet Al-Attabi when he lands at T.F. Green Airport this evening. Posted by Jack Perry at 9:56 AM | Comment Update: Johnston officers on duty day after "sick-out"JOHNSTON – “Everyone is present and accounted for,” Johnston Police Chief Richard S. Tamburini said today, one day after 10 police officers called in sick across two shifts. A Superior Court judge later issued a restraining order banning police from taking part in a "sick-out." At a news conference yesterday, town officials said the officers were protesting an investigation into what Mayor Joseph Polisena called “sweetheart pension deals” for individual officers negotiated by former the former mayor’s administration. Superior Court Judge Netti Vogel said officers need to present a doctor’s note to call in sick. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 8:29 AM | Comment More schools re-opening around R.I. / Photo
More students around Rhode Island are headed to school today. It's the first day for kids in Central Falls, Foster, Glocester, Pawtucket and Warwick. Freshmen began school yesterday at William M. Davies Jr. Career and Technical High School in Lincoln; the rest of the students start today. The Ponaganset regional school district, shared by Foster and Glocester, was still in mediation yesterday, but doors were open at the district's high school and middle school this morning. Get tips on heading back to school, statewide education coverage, and more information about your district and schools, on our education page. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 8:15 AM | Comment Textron wins battle to retain internal tax documentsPROVIDENCE -- Textron, Inc., the world's biggest maker of business jets, has won a legal battle to retain internal tax documents after a U.S. federal judge ruled that the Internal Revenue Service isn't entitled to examine them. The Wall Street Journal reported that U.S. District Court Judge Ernest C. Torres rejected the government's request to enforce an IRS summons and described the papers as protected by "work product" privilege, because they were prepared in anticipation of litigation with the IRS. The IRS asked Providence-based Textron for all its tax work papers for several years as part of a scrutiny of leasing-related transactions that might have yielded large tax benefits, the Journal added. -- Bloomberg Posted by Andrea Panciera at 8:01 AM | Comment Two firefighters killed in BostonBOSTON -- Two Boston firefighters were killed and two others critically injured after crews became disoriented in dense smoke and trapped in a restaurant fire in the city's West Roxbury neighborhood, officials said early today. Killed were Paul Cahill, of Scituate, and Warren Payne, of Canton, who served on Engine 30, Ladder 25, the first unit to respond to the Wednesday evening fire, said Fire Department spokesman Scott Salman. Eight other firefighters had less serious injuries, and an EMS paramedic was being evaluated for chest pains, he said. See video shot on the scene here. -- The Associated Press "Tonight is a very sad night for the city of Boston," Mayor Thomas Menino said. "Two of our bravest have lost their lives in a fire in West Roxbury. Our prayers and offers of help are extended to the families of those two firefighters and the other firefighters who were injured in the line of duty. This is a dangerous job, and these firefighters answered the call." Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 7:02 AM | Comment Sunny and warmerLook out for a bit of fog this morning which should clear up by about 9 a.m. Then it's another sunny day, warmer than yesterday with a high in the mid-to-high 80s and humidity rising as the day goes on. The National Weather Service predicts a slight chance of rain and areas of fog after midnight with an overnight low of 64. Enjoy the sun today; tomorrow we may see rain and thunderstorms with temperatures in the high 70s. For more weather and regular updates, see projo.com/weather. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 7:01 AM | Comment Today's front pageToday's front page features photographs and a story about the recent rash of shootings in Providence. Download a copy of the front page. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:00 AM | Comment August 29, 2007Update: A wrapup of teacher contract talksWhile teachers took a strike vote and school was canceled in Burrillville, the Tiverton School Committee announced today rejection of its teachers union's healthcare proposal and the sides in East Greenwich continued a marathon negotiation. The scorecard on teachers' contracts around Rhode Island currently reads: one cancellation, two agreements and five contracts pending. New Shoreham has reached a contract agreement, and Jamestown has reached a tentative agreement -- which its teachers union and School Committee are expected to separately consider on Sept. 6. Providence, where school starts Sept. 5, is in negotiations. The Burrillville School Committee has asked a judge to order teachers to come to work after the teachers' union voted to strike last night, forcing the cancellation of the district's return to classes today. Teachers did not report to their classrooms this morning for what had been the first day of school. The matter is scheduled for a Superior Court, Providence, hearing this Friday morning at 10:30, Superior Court Associate Justice Netti C. Vogel decided this afternoon after a conference with lawyers from both sides. In Tiverton, a school district news release this afternoon said the union has proposed a high deductible plan coupled with a health-care savings account. The account allows people to reserve pre-tax dollars for use against medical expenses. -- projo.com staff writers Michael P. McKinney and Brandie Jefferson, with reports from Journal staff writers Jennifer D. Jordan, Mark Reynolds, Lisa Vernon-Sparks, Gina Macris and Randal Edgar Denise deMedeiros, the School Committee president, said in the statement that the committee's analysis shows "the suggested savings aren't there and that, in fact, this will increase the cost to the district and therefore to our taxpayers." But Patrick Crowley, deputy executive director of NEA Rhode Island, said the School Committee has not done the math correctly. He said that the School Committee's own analysis shows there would be a net savings of nearly $24,000. The committee has asked Schools Supt. William Rearick to ask the union to respond directly to the committee's health-care proposal, which the union has had since May. The committee said it proposed in May that teachers increase premiums on a sliding scale depending on their salaries. They now pay a flat rate, the committee said. Crowley said deMedeiros and other committee members have not sat down face to face with the union. The NEA Tiverton teachers union has a membership meeting lsated for Friday at 3:30 p.m. at Green Valley Country Club in Portsmouth, according to Pat Crowley, deputy executive director of NEA Portmsouth. School in Tiverton began today. The teachers' contract expires Friday. In East Greenwich, hunkered down in separate rooms, top school administrators and members of the East Greenwich Education Association are in the midst of a mediation session, hoping to come to terms with the three-year-old contract before it expires Friday. School opens in East Greenwich on Sept. 4. Both groups have been mediating with their lawyers present since 10 a.m. They were not expected to break until 7:30 p.m., an official said. The district has been in mediation status since Aug. 10. Exeter-West Greenwich Regional School District also is in mediation status, with a contact set to expire Friday. School began today. The sides in Ponaganset (the Foster-Glocester regional district) are in mediation today. School is scheduled to start tomorrow, according to the state Department of Education Web site. Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:51 PM | Comment Man indicted in ex-girlfriend's stabbing deathPROVIDENCE -- Hamlet Lopez, a former teacher's aide, was indicted today on one count of murder in the stabbing death of his former girlfriend. The indictment alleges that on May 20 Lopez murdered Miledis Hilario, whom the police said was stabbed on the floor of her second-floor apartment at 42 Courtland St. in Providence. Hilario ran her day-care business there. The police have said her body was found around 10:45 p.m. after one of her teenage daughters, who was at work, asked the police to check on her because of previous threats on her mother's life. The daughter had not been able to reach her by phone. Arraignment is slated for Sept. 12 in Providence County Superior Court. Lopez is being held at the Adult Correctional Institutions in Cranston. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with Journal archival reports Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:36 PM | Comment Man wielding gun robs Providence store of $195PROVIDENCE -- A man wielding a handgun robbed $195 from the Academy Farm Mart convenience store, 524 Academy Ave., Mount Pleasant, this morning, the police said. He got rid of his sunglasses and dark shirt near the store, the police said, and left so hastily that he may have dropped some of his loot. There were three or four witnesses to the getaway, and one said that a woman in a silver station wagon stopped her car and picked up some cash that the robber apparently dropped. The holdup occurred at about 10:30 a.m. The robber came into the store with a dark shirt draped over his head and part of his face and stole the cash from the drawer of the cash register, clerk Mohama Khadam Aljamea told the police. He fled west on Whitford Avenue and south on Webb Street, and then jumped into a small red car with Massachusetts license plates at the corner of Webb and Farm streets, according to a witness. Patrolwoman Rhonda Kessler recovered the shirt and sunglasses in front of 61 Webb. -- Journal staff writer Gregory Smith Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:29 PM | Comment Conn. man admits to string of Northeast robberiesHARTFORD, Conn. -- A Connecticut man is sentenced to more than nine years in prison after admitting in a plea agreement that he robbed 28 banks throughout the Northeast. Michael Gola, 33, pleaded guilty to 17 counts of bank robbery. Prosecutors say Gola admitted he robbed 15 banks in Connecticut, as well as banks in Massachusetts, New Jersey and Rhode Island. They say Gola netted nearly $55,000 in the robberies during the spring and summer of 2004. He has been ordered to repay the money. Gola told authorities he was addicted to prescription drugs and wanted the money to help support his disabled daughter. -- The Associated Press Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:26 PM | Comment Tiverton school panel rejects union's health planTIVERTON -- The School Committee announced today it rejected the teachers union's health-care proposal in closed session last night, as the sides attempt to reach a contract deal. According to a school district news release, the union has proposed a high deductible plan coupled with a health-care savings account. The account allows people to reserve pre-tax dollars for use against medical expenses. Denise deMedeiros, the School Committee president, said in the statement that the committee's analysis shows "the suggested savings aren't there and that, in fact, this will increase the cost to the district and therefore to our taxpayers." But Patrick Crowley, deputy executive director of NEA Rhode Island, said the School Committee has not done the math correctly. He said that the School Committee's own analysis shows there would be a net savings of nearly $24,000. The committee has asked Schools Supt. William Rearick to ask the union to respond directly to the committee's health-care proposal, which the union has had since May. The committee said it proposed in May that teachers increase premiums on a sliding scale depending on their salaries. They now pay a flat rate, the committee said. Crowley said deMedeiros and other committee members have not sat down face to face with the union. The NEA Tiverton teachers union has scheduled a membership meeting for Friday at 3:30 p.m. at Green Valley Country Club in Portsmouth, according to Pat Crowley, deputy executive director of NEA Portmsouth. What the meeting will entail is not yet clear. The union filed last week for compulsory mediation to renogotiate a contract that expires Friday. School in Tiverton began today. Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:20 PM | Comment Amgen uses buyouts to begin cutting R.I. staffWEST GREENWICH -- Amgen Inc. has begun reducing its Rhode Island staff as the international biotech company prepares to shut down one of the two drug-production facilities at its West Greenwich complex. A segment of the plant’s 1,600 employees have been offered a buyout package that includes a lump-sum payment, a period of continued health insurance and career counseling, Amgen spokesman Larry Bernard said. Staff who have worked for Amgen fewer than five years are ineligible. The individual “voluntary transition program” packages, part of a companywide program, are structured based on an employee’s salary and tenure. Bernard declined to disclose how many, if any, of Amgen’s Rhode Island workers have agreed to retire voluntarily. Their decisions are due early next month. “We still need Rhode Island,” Bernard said. “We’ll still be big, we just won’t be as big.” --Journal staff writer Benjamin N. Gedan Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:10 PM | Comment Rash of phoned-in bomb threats appear relatedNEWPORT -- In Vista, Calif., the manager of a grocery store was warned over the telephone that he could be shot at any time and was being watched. In Prescott, Ariz., a caller said he knew the supermarket manager was sitting down because he could see him, making his violent threats against the store more believable. And in Hutchinson, Kan., supermarket employees were ordered to get rid of their cell phones and to take off their clothes by a caller who said he could see inside the store. Some actually disrobed. In each of these recent episodes, as happened at a Wal-Mart in Newport yesterday, the caller threatened to explode a bomb if money was not wired to him. But the Wal-Mart in Newport appears to be the only store that reportedly conceded to his demands by wiring him $10,000 overseas. A manager at a grocery store in Buchanan, Kan., was on the phone with the caller arranging for money to be sent when the line went dead. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, which is assisting local police, say these and other phoned-in extortion attempts to supermarkets, banks and department stores in nearly a dozen states around the country appear to be related. Most have occurred in just past the week. “At this point, there are enough similarities that it appears to be one person or one group of folks,” said FBI spokesman Rich Kolko. “Some of the leads have led us to look overseas.” Some reports have suggested the calls originated in Portugal. The Newport case, while proving to be the most rewarding to the scammer and the most costly to any business, may actually be the most helpful to authorities. Newport say the foreign money transfer is giving them leads to follow. “We now know where the money was transferred to. Once the money was wired, it was cashed right away,” he said. “The officials on the other end have been working with us…in an attempt to identify someone. They are closing in on the identity of the individual.” A Wal-Mart spokeswoman declined to answer questions today. “It is an open investigation. We’re referring any questions over to the investigation units. I can tell you we are assisting federal and local law enforcement units as they conduct their investigations. And beyond that I wouldn’t have any additional information,” said spokeswoman Sharon Weber. -- Journal staff writer Richard Salit Kolko, the FBI spokesman, said the agency could not officially make decisions on whether businesses should make payments: "That’s a decision they have to make.” He did urge businesses across the nation to “keep your people safe” and to “be a good witness for us.” He suggested that victims immediately take notes of what they have observed and said many companies provide handy tip sheets for employees on how to handle bomb threats. Kolko said the first reported bomb scam occurred on Aug. 23. But, he said, “it really started going on Sunday.” He listed the victims as “grocery stores, banks and Wal-Marts” in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Arizona, Oregon, Virginia, Texas and Utah, in addition to Rhode Island. Media reports also indicated the scam targeted businesses in Indiana, California. Many of these businesses have banks or offer in-house money-wiring services. Yesterday, an anonymous caller made a bomb threat against a Dillons grocery in Hutchinson, Kan., demanding money and ordering everyone in the store to disrobe, according to the Associated Press. Police said no money was paid. Today, police responded to three more bomb threats against Dillons. Authorities said the caller yesterday appeared to have visual access to the grocery, although officials were investigating whether the caller was out of state and may have hacked into the store’s security system. -- Journal staff writer Richard Salit Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:53 PM | Comment Update: Judge bans 'sickout' by Johnston policeJOHNSTON -- Ten police officers called in sick across two shifts today, and a Superior Court judge later issued a restraining order banning police from taking part in a "sickout." At a news conference this afternoon, town officials asserted the calls were in protest of an investigation by Mayor Joseph Polisena over what he called sweetheart pension deals negotiated by predecessor William Macera's administration with individual police officers. The officials also said the officers called in sick on the second and third shifts, which run from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and 4 p.m. to midnight, respectively. Meanwhile, Superior Court Judge Netti Vogel, in her order, said an officer can only call in sick if he or she has a doctor's certificate that details the nature of the illness, the diagnosis, prognosis, and a specific recommendation from the doctor that the person be excused from work. Five officers individually called in sick for the day shift today and another called in with a family leave illness. As the change toward the 4 p.m. shift came, two patrol officers and two sergeants had called in sick. The department had to hold over officers from the previous shift and call in people on double time. The union president took a previously arranged compensatory time; Judge Vogel's order did not apply to that. Gary T. Gentile, the lawyer for the union, said the union leadership had not known about the action and did not sanction it. Gentile said he did not know until the town's lawyer contacted him this afternoon. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Journal staff writers Philip Marcelo, John Hill and Mark Reynolds Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:46 PM | Comment Restaurant owner pleads no contest to shellfish chargeSOUTH KINGSTOWN -- The owner of popular Chinese restaurant in East Greenwich pleaded no contest today to charges that he harvested quahogs and oysters from Narrow River’s polluted waters. Brian K. Cheng, who has owned China Buffet on Division Street for 14 years, pleaded no contest to one count each of taking quahogs and oysters from polluted waters in District Court, Wakefield. Under the plea agreement, the state dropped a charge of harvesting undersized blue crabs. The state Department of Environmental Management environmental police say Cheng and a couple of friends dug about 12 gallons of quahogs and a few oysters from flats on the west side of the Narrow River, just south of Middle bridge, on Aug. 6. The Pettaquamscutt, or Narrow River, is closed to shellfishing because of pollution. Officers seized a large Kikkoman soy sauce bucket brimming with quahogs and two other buckets that were partially filled with shellfish. Cheng, 38, of 110 Scituate Ave., Hope, initially pleaded not guilty. Judge John A. McLoughlin today ordered that he contribute $100 to the crime victims’ indemnity fund and that the case be placed on file for one year. Cheng referred all questions to his lawyer Charles N. Redihan Jr., who declined to comment. -- Journal staff writer Katie Mulvaney Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:38 PM | Comment Update: Hearing Friday on Burrillville teachers' strike
That request will be heard in Superior Court, Providence, this Friday morning at 10:30, Superior Court Associate Justice Netti C. Vogel decided this afternoon after a conference with lawyers from both sides. Benjamin Scungio, a lawyer for the school committee, filed the complaint and a request for an injunction that would compel the teachers back to school. Read the full complaint. The Burrillville Teachers' Union announced that it had voted in favor of a strike last night, telling the school department in time for it it to handle today like a snow day -- notifying parents and other staff members that there would be no school today. Today was supposed to have been the district's first day of school for the year. Classes have also been cancelled for tomorrow and Friday, the school department said. The union's bargaining agreement expires Friday. The hearing Friday morning will be held in Courtroom 6 on the third floor of the Licht Judicial Complex. Read more about the contract situation from our report earlier today. -- With reports from Journal staff writer Mark Reynolds Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 4:35 PM | Comment Governor will convene wind-power group tomorrowGovernor Carcieri tomorrow will convene the first meeting of a group that will review plans for possible wind power projects and talk about them with stakeholders from communities involved. The group is scheduled to meet at 9 a.m. at Save the Bay headquarters, 100 Save the Bay Drive, Providence. The governor has expressed support for wind power, asserting it is an affordable energy source that would be better for the environment. The Office of Energy Resources was charged with finding a way to increase use of renewable energy, with wind power used to generate 15 percent of the state’s electricity, and another 5 percent from other renewable sources, according to the governor's office. The community stakeholder group has been created to figure where wind power sructure would go. It's meeting Thursday. Community representatives have been invited from Newport, Warwick, Barrington, Bristol, Charlestown, Little Compton, Middletown, Narragansett, New Shoreham, Portsmouth, Tiverton, Warren, and Westerly. Also invited are various state agencies, the U.S. Coast Guard, environmental groups, trade and activity associations, university representatives, tourism and chamber of commerce representatives. Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:34 PM | Comment Judge's order bans sick out by Johnston policeA Superior Court judge this afternoon issued a restraining order banning Johnston police officers from participating in a "sick out," after ten officers called in sick today across two shifts in apparent protest over stalled contract talks. An officer can only call in sick, under the order from Judge Netti Vogel, if he or she is accompanied by a doctor's certificate that details the nature of the illness, the diagnosis, prognosis, and a specific recommendation from the doctor that the person be excused from work. Five officers individually called in sick for the day shift today and another called in with a family leave illness. As the change toward the 4 p.m. shift came, two patrol officers and two sergeants had called in sick. The department had to hold over officers from the previous shift and call people in on double time. The union president took a previously arranged comp. time -- Judge Vogel's order did not apply to that. Gary T. Gentile, the lawyer for the union, said the union leadership had not known about it and did not sanction it. Gentile said he did not know about the sick out until the town's lawyer contacted him this afternoon. Ealier today, Mayor Joseph M. Polisena called a 4 p.m. news conference to explain the town’s response to the “sick-out” by town police officers this morning. Polisena added that some officers had talked with him on Tuesday about various concerns involving their employment. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Journal staff writers John Hill and Mark Reynolds Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:03 PM | Comment E. Greenwich in marathon school mediation sessionEAST GREENWICH -- Hunkered down in separate rooms, top school administrators and members of the East Greenwich Education Association are engaged in a marathon mediation session, hoping to come to terms with the three-year-old contract before it expires Friday. School is scheduled to open in East Greenwich on Tuesday, Sept. 4. Both groups have been mediating with their lawyers present since 10 a.m. They are not expected to break until 7:30 p.m., an official said. The district has been in mediation status since Aug. 10. Posted by Andrea Panciera at 3:43 PM | Comment Lincoln group home won't close while appeal ongoingFamilies of several adults with severe retardation won a reprieve today. The families are fighting an effort to close their Lincoln group home. The two sides in the matter emerged from a meeting in Superior Court Judge Netti C. Vogel's chambers with an agreement that the home will remain open while the families and their lawyer have a grievance heard by the state Department of Mental Health, Retardation and Hospitals. Today's developments do not yet guarantee the Lincoln home will stay open, but the lawyer for the families cast it as a win. The adults have lived together for 25 years in the same group home in Lincoln and don't want to be moved to another home in Smithfield. The judge's message was there is an appeal process, go through it and see what the process produces before closing the home. Saying it is for budget reasons, the state has again opted to close the Southwick Drive home and transfer the four, who are in their late 40s and early 50s, to the Smithfield home. In 1995, the state Department of Mental Health, Retardation and Hospitals first closed the adults' Southwick Drive home in Lincoln, and moved the group to a home in Smithfield to save $100,000. William L. Brennan, the father of resident Patrick Brennan, filed suit on behalf of the four adults, asserting it was a traumatic move that negatively impacted their development. Superior Court Judge Patricia A. Hurst ordered the home reopened. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Journal staff writer John Hill and Journal archival reports Posted by Mike McKinney at 3:32 PM | Comment Johnston police call in sick this morningJOHNSTON – Mayor Joseph M. Polisena has called a press conference to explain the town’s response to a “sick-out” by town police officers this morning. Police officers on the day shift called in sick today, Polisena said, adding that some officers had talked with him on Tuesday about various concerns involving their employment. The press conference is scheduled for 4 p.m. at Town Hall. -- Journal staff writer Mark Reynolds Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 2:59 PM | Comment The pediatrician's prescription: A dose of readingIn the future, the doctor might prescribe something new for your child: a book. If it becomes law, a five-year $85-million proposal written by U.S. Sen. Jack Reed, D-Rhode Island, would have doctors and nurses give parents a children's book to take home at every wellness visit. Doctors would also advise parents it's important to read aloud to your children and give age-appropriate reading tips. Reed's office said in a news release that Reach Out and Read is a national, nonprofit children’s literacy program that focuses on children at greatest risk: those 6 months to 5 years old living at or near poverty level. Each child in Reach Out and Read begins kindergarten with a home library of up to 10 books and a parent who has heard at every well-child visit about the importance of books and reading. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 2:13 PM | Comment 2nd suspect in Providence murder surrendersPROVIDENCE -- A second suspect has been arrested in the Sylvester Moses, 20, of Providence, turned himself in this morning and has been charged with murdering Marc Quintal, according to the Providence police. Moses is the second person arrested in connection with the August 15th murder. David Mello, also 20, was arrested on August 23. The police have not said which of the suspects is believed to have pulled the trigger on Quintal. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 2:05 PM | Comment Update: School bus hit in movie-like crash / Photo
The car driven by Roland Boutiette, 31, of Woonsocket, then hit a tree and rolled over several times before coming to a stop at the location just north of the Sayles Hill Road exit. No one was seriously injured, and no children were sitting in the back of the bus, where the car hit, Deputy Chief Brian Sullivan said. None of the 38 students were hurt, according to North Smithfield Schools Supt. Stephen Lindberg. The bus was serving students in the Halliwell and North Smithfield elementary schools -- kindergarten through sixth grade, according to Robert Lafleur, the School Committee chairman. The crash was in the northernmost tip of Lincoln -- an area where a bus route briefly crossed into Lincoln before returning to North Smithfield. Parents were called and the district will be tracking the students with counselors to see how they are doing and that there are no traumatic after effects, particularly for the youngest who were aboard. A note will be going home with all elementary school students explaining what happened. Sullivan said the car, a Mercury, was so damaged, he couldn’t tell what model it was. “It looked like it had been through a car crusher,” he said. The driver, Boutiette, was taken to a local hospital and has been released. No charges have been filed, and the accident reconstruction team is investigating with state police. -- projo.com staff writers Brandie Jefferson and Michael P. McKinney, and Journal staff writer John Hill "In many ways we are blessed as a community -- it could have been worse," Lindberg said. Lindberg said emergency responders checked all students thoroughly and found no bumps or bruises. Lindberg said the children ranged in age from five years old to 11 or 12. For the kindergartners aboard, it was just their second day on a school bus. In the accident's aftermath, students could be seen boarding another bus, from North Smithfield, which then drove away with the students on board. Lindberg credited the driver and bus monitor with calling central office to keep people apprised of the situation.
Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 1:48 PM | Comment R.I. racing pigeon flys off trackPROVIDENCE - A local pigeon has found its way across state lines. Gert Iannazzi tells the Eagle-Tribune of North Andover, Mass., that there were a few unusual things about a bird she’d been seeing in her Methuen yard for the past week. For one thing, the bird was unusually comfortable around humans. She could pick it up without it trying to fly away. For another, it was wearing a nametag. The bird, Iannazzi learned, is racing pigeon. According to the band it wears around its ankle, it's a member the Rhode Island Racing Club. The pigeons typically race in late summer and fall and can find their way back from more than 1,000 miles away. But rather than send this bird off on its own, Iannazzi plans to care for it while she looks for its owner. Find more information about pigeon racing at the American Racing Pigeon Union. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 1:47 PM | Comment RIPTA service changes take effect SaturdayRescheduled trips on about six bus routes and service on Route #57 to a new park n' ride lot in North Providence are among changes to bus service for the fall, the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority announced today. RIPTA will carry out the changes beginning this Saturday. They are part of regular updates three times a year due to seasonal change and passenger use, a RIPTA news release said. The new park n’ ride lot is at Smith and Turcone streets in North Providence. Also, Providence school service and service to Salve Regina University resumes for the academic year. The following routes will be affected by the service changes: * 1 Eddy/Gaspee * 11 Broad Street * 18 Union Avenue * 19 Plainfield/Westminster * 22 Reservoir/Pontiac * 42 Hope Street * 54 Lincoln/Woonsocket * 57 Smith Street * 60 Providence/Newport * 62 Thames/Towne Center * 64 Newport/URI * 66 URI/Galilee * 67 Bellevue/Salve Regina * 211 Kingston Connection RIPTA advised passengers to check the new printed individual schedules effective Sept. 1. The schedules are at Kennedy Plaza and www.ripta.com. For information, call 781-9400 or go to the Web site. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 1:10 PM | Comment Photo: Golfer Sergio Garcia warms up to the fans
Posted by Jack Perry at 11:37 AM | Comment Burrillville schools will ask court to bring teachers backThe Burrillville School Department plans to ask a judge to order teachers to come to work after the teachers' union voted to strike last night and the first day of school was canceled today. Supt. Steven Welford said the school department is "seeking an order from a judge to have (teachers) come to work." Benjamin Scungio, a school department lawyer, said he plans to file the paperwork today. The Burrillville Teachers' Union announced that it had voted in favor of a strike last night, telling the school department in time for it it to handle today like a snow day; notifying parents and other staff members that there would be no school. The union's bargaining agreement expires Friday. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 10:04 AM | Comment Burrillville teachers meeting todayUnion representatives are meeting with Burrillville teachers on what was supposed to be the first day of school to discuss how to move forward after teachers voted in favor of a strike. Spokesman Patrick Crowley said the union representatives won't meet with the school department until Tuesday at 5 p.m. "The local union has directed everyone not to report to work until further notice," he said this morning. He added that the teachers do not consider themselves to be on strike today. The administration called for a snow day after teachers announced they would not go to work today, canceling classes and providing an administrative framework to handle staff that is not part of the teacher's union including secretaries and bus services. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 9:02 AM | Comment No school in Burrillville, teachers strike / Photo
The teachers’ union leaders announced a strike late last night on the heels of fruitless collective-bargaining negotiations stretching back to late last year. Schools Supt. Steven Welford confirmed last night that the district had canceled today’s classes. -- Journal reporter Mark Reynolds The teachers are dissatisfied with contract proposals that, according to a union official, offer too little money and try to change their roles. They also disagreed with proposals to increase limits on class size. “We wanted to try and get this resolved,” said the official, Patrick M. Crowley, assistant executive director of the National Education Association of Rhode Island. “We’ve invested the time and effort into trying to get a deal that would work. “It’s not a matter of one group walking away,” he added. “It’s a matter of two sides that can’t reach a deal.” The union’s representatives have negotiated with representatives of the School Committee on various occasions since last November. The talks have been intense since Friday. On Monday, the union membership, numbering 203 teachers, voted overwhelmingly in favor of a strike should their union leaders deem it necessary. The teachers then went to work as scheduled on Monday and again yesterday in anticipation of a breakthrough that would head off a strike. However, both sides seemed to be anticipating a standoff late yesterday afternoon. A lawyer representing the school district — which educates about 2,700 students — advised parents to log onto the district’s Web site ( www.bsd-ri.net) and tune into local television news channels to see if the first day of school would be delayed. Any change in the opening of school would be treated as a snow day, he said. The same lawyer, Benjamin M. Scungio, issued a news release that sought to reinforce the district’s commitment to continued negotiations. “The school committee fully supports its teachers and the good work they do in the educational interests of the children in the town of Burrillville,” Scungio wrote. “The school committee is grateful that the teachers continue to perform their professional duties even though we have yet to achieve an agreement.” Scungio’s release says the school system wants to reform the existing contract in a way that allows greater cost-sharing of health care and other benefits and creates “efficiencies within the contract to free-up additional money.” Crowley was less specific when he was asked to identify sticking points in the negotiations. “Management is asking for things they can’t afford to buy this year,” he said. The system wants to change the role of teachers from professionals to staffers who take direction, Crowley said. He declined to elaborate. Scungio cited the town’s limited ability “to meet union financial requests” as an issue in the contract negotiations. For example, a new state regulation requires high school teachers to spend 330 minutes per day in instructional time, the release says. The requirement forced the district to hire five new teachers at a cost of more than $300,000, but the state did not supply any financial aid to help the district pay for the additional cost, according to Scungio. The highest paid teacher earns $66,000 a year in the Burrillville system, Crowley said. A teacher on the first step earns about $34,000, he said. He rated that pay scale between the 16th and 19th highest in the state. Language in the existing contract could add a twist to any legal wrangling in the event of a strike. The existing contract expires Friday, but it also stipulates that teachers must work no more than 181 school days, according to Crowley. The teachers logged their 181st day of work on the last day of school in the spring, he said. Thus, they are under no contractual obligation to report to work, he said. He acknowledged that the school system interprets the contract differently. The schools’ lawyer, Scungio, was not available to comment on the issue yesterday afternoon. Welford was uncertain about the prospects of school opening tomorrow. “We don’t know,” he said. “Obviously there’s process. We will go through that process.” He promised that the system would explain its plans in a news release today. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 7:02 AM | Comment The string of nice weather continuesThis weather should feel familiar. Again, we're looking at sunny and 83 degrees, according to the National Weather Service. Tonight's low is expected to be 61 degrees. Tomorrow we may see patchy fog in the morning, followed by a hotter day with temperatures in the high 80s. For more weather and regular updates, see projo.com/weather. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 7:01 AM | Comment Today's front pageToday's front page features photographs and a story about a bomb threat that cleared the Wal-Mart in Newport anda story about Governor Carcieri's efforts to privatize more state jobs. Download a copy of today's front page.
Posted by Jack Perry at 7:00 AM | Comment August 28, 2007Tonight: Dave Matthews tribute, politics and jazzYou can watch a husband and wife wrestle with integrity and politics tonight on stage at the 2nd Story Theatre in Warren. The performance begins at 8 p.m. Call 247-4200. Or head next door to Bristol to hear a tribute band do its best Dave Matthews Band vocal rasp at Gillary's Tavern, 198 Thames St. The performance starts at 9:30 p.m. Call 253-2012. The tribute band is Dancing Nancy. In Providence, the Hi-Hat Trio with Mary Ann Solivan plays jazz at The Hi-Hat, 3 Davol Square. Call 453-6500. 8 p.m. to midnight. See what else is happening around our area via projo.com's calendar of events. Posted by Mike McKinney at 7:00 PM | Comment Burrillville teacher talks down to wire tonightBURRILLVILLE -- With the clock ticking on the start of the new school year, the teachers’ union might announce a strike later this evening. Tomorrow is the first day of school, and lawyers representing both the union and the school district are still locked in contract negotiations. Both sides reached out to the media earlier today in an effort to ensure open lines of communication later tonight – in the event that union officials decide to declare a strike. The union said it would announce any decision about a strike around 10:30 p.m. and the schools superintendent, Steven Welford, said he would make a late-night statement on the prospect of school opening between 10:45 p.m. and 11 p.m. A lawyer representing the district advised parents to log onto the school district’s Web site and tune into local television news channels to see if the first day of school would be delayed. Any change in the opening of school would be treated as a snow day, he said. “We wanted to try and get this resolved,” said one union leader, Patrick M. Crowley, assistant executive director of the National Education Association of Rhode Island. “We’ve invested the time and effort into trying to get a deal that would work.” “It’s not a matter of one group walking away,” he added. “It’s a matter of two sides that can’t reach a deal.” The union’s representatives have negotiated with representatives of the town’s school committee on various occasions since November of last year. The talks have been intense, and almost around the clock, in recent days. On Monday, the union membership, numbering 203 teachers, voted overwhelmingly in favor of a strike should their union leaders deem it necessary. That meant their negotiators had the power to call a strike when they sat down with the town’s lawyer and other officials for a final talk. Meanwhile, the teachers went to work on Monday and today in advance of opening day. -- Journal staff writer Mark Reynolds Both sides reached out to the media late this afternoon in an effort to ensure open lines of communication later in the evening, when the newspapers went to press and television stations delivered their 11 p.m. broadcast. Projo.com will also carry a late-night report. The union made plans to announce a strike. Meanwhile, the schools superintendent, Steven Welford, announced that he would make a late-night statement on the prospect of school opening. Earlier in the day, the school committee’s lawyer, Benjamin M. Scungio, sent out a written news release that sought to reinforce the district’s commitment to continued negotiations. “The school committee fully supports its teachers and the good work they do in the educational interests of the children in the town of Burrillville,” Scungio said. “The school committee is grateful that the teachers continue to perform their professional duties even though we have yet to achieve an agreement.” The release also cited the town’s limited ability “to meet union financial requests.” For example, a new state regulation requires high school teachers to spend 330 minutes per day in instructional time, the release says. The requirement forced the district to hire five new teachers at a cost of more than $300,000, but the state did not supply any financial aid to help the district pay for the additional cost. Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:59 PM | Comment Providence police add live cams to fight crimePROVIDENCE -- Saying it is a measure to prevent violent crime and behavior, the city police announced this afternoon that officers will be able to use portable video cameras in the Chad Brown public housing area to monitor the immediate vicinity. The two portable Motorola surveillance cameras, which were acquired on loan, are going into use today. They allow officers to remotely watch non-recorded, or live, activity in selected areas from terminals in their police cruisers, according to a news release. "The current deployment is in response to recent violent criminal activity in the Chad Brown Housing Community," the police release said. The camera are being used on "an experimental basis" and, if successful, the system can be placed in other locations to help officers prevent violent crime. Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:41 PM | Comment 2 treated for smoke inhalation after kitchen firePROVIDENCE -- An adult and a child were treated for smoke inhalation after food being prepared on a stove ignited a kitchen fire in a two-story wood-frame house shortly before 4 a.m. today, a fire official said. The blaze occurred at 237 Hartford Ave., in the Hartford neighborhood. Assistant Fire Chief Michael J. Dillon said flames leaped up from the stove and spread to the kitchen cabinets. The fire was under control by 4:20 a.m., and the unidentified victims were treated at Rhode Island Hospital. There was fire, smoke and water damage centered in the kitchen, but the house remains habitable, Dillon said. -- Journal staff writer Gregory Smith Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:08 PM | Comment Police to target trucks, drunk drivers this weekendPROVIDENCE -- Whether you’re driving an SUV full of children or an 18-wheeler with a load of cargo, the eyes of law enforcement will be on you in southern New England this Labor Day weekend. The holiday weekends typically bring out extra police patrols on the roads to enforce highway safety. This weekend, though, the state police in three states are also scrutinizing the safety of truck drivers. Using a grant from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, state police in Rhode Island, Connecticut and Massachusetts are putting extra patrols on their interstates to focus on commercial truck drivers this weekend. Col. Brendan Doherty, the superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police, said this weekend’s patrols are focusing on driver education and enforcement of commercial truck drivers. State troopers in all three states will be pulling over trucks and checking for violations, while other troopers will be on the road watching for speeders and people driving aggressively, he said. The state police leaders from all three states joined with Governor Carcieri and Atty. Gen. Patrick Lynch today to announce the highway safety initiative. The effort will concentrate on all major corridors through the three states for inspections of commercial vehicles and reduce risky driving. The Rhode Island state police are also putting five extra patrols out this weekend on all the state’s highways to curb drunken-driving, Doherty said. “With traffic increasing as the unofficial end of summer is marked this weekend, it’s important to conduct this public exercise during which inspections of trucks and other commercial vehicles -- including the substantial numbers bearing hazardous cargo -- are intensified in all three participating states,” Lynch said in a statement. “Although this enforcement effort is focusing on commercial vehicles, it also serves to heighten the need for all drivers to operate vehicles more safely and responsibly, and to conform with all laws and regulations of the road," Lynch said. Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:37 PM | Comment Bar closed where police say gang leader was shotPROVIDENCE -- The city has shut down a bar where a Providence gang leader was shot early Saturday morning, after Providence Police said they fear that the bar might be the scene of reprisals. Vidal “Lucky” Rodriguez, 33, who police said is a leader in the Almighty Latin Kings Nation, was gunned down outside The El Tiburon Sports Bar, at the corner of Valley Street and Harold Street, early Saturday morning. Police say that the bar is a hangout for the Latin Kings, and could be the site of reprisals if not closed. Monday, the city’s Board of Licenses held an emergency session and decided to shut the bar down until it could hold a full hearing on revocation of the bar’s license, scheduled for tomorrow afternoon, according to Assistant City Solicitor Max Foster. If the incident is gang related, the city feared that El Tiburon could become a dangerous place. “There’s a possibility that there may be reprisals,” Foster said. The bar was closed effective Monday night, and should stay shuttered through tomorrow afternoon’s hearing. -- Journal staff writer Daniel Barbarisi Major Stephen Campbell, commander of the Police Department Investigative Division, said that they have made no arrests in the shooting and that despite Rodriguez’ gang association, they are not positive the killing was gang related. “The motive is still unclear,” Campbell said. “We’ve made no arrests and the investigation is continuing.” Rodriguez was standing on the sidewalk outside the bar when he was shot, and he was not alone at the time, Campbell said. Campbell said that in addition to a team of detectives, the city’s gang unit and its liaisons with the State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation are working the case. Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:58 PM | Comment Census: Number of R.I. children living in poverty dropsThe number of Rhode Island children living in poverty decreased by nearly 25 percent from 2005 to 2006, according to data released this morning by the U.S. Census Bureau. The data show a significant decrease in the poverty rate among Rhode Island children. Last year, 15.1 percent of children here were living in poverty – defined by the federal government as annual income of $16,242 or less for a family of three – compared to 19.5 percent of Rhode Island children the previous year. That gives Rhode Island the 17th lowest rate of children in poverty among states in 2006. Rhode Island ranked 35th in 2005. The same year, it had the highest child poverty rate in New England. The new data put Rhode Island second to Maine, which had a child poverty rate of 17.6 percent. Elizabeth Burke Bryant, executive director of Rhode Island Kids Count, hailed the findings as “good news for Rhode Island families.” “Rhode Island is clearly making progress,” she said. “We must continue to invest in quality child care, early education and affordable health care for low-income families.” The Census Bureau found that the rate of uninsured children remained stable from 2005 to 2006, at 6.4 percent, roughly half the national average of 11 percent. For more information, read the Census Bureau's press release, which includes a link to the full report. A Powerpoint presentation showing highlights is also available. -- Elizabeth Gudrais, Journal State House bureau Posted by Andrea Panciera at 4:57 PM | Comment Carcieri proceeds with privatization, conflict loomsPROVIDENCE – The Carcieri administration has selected the international firm Hurley of America, Inc. to replace scores of housekeeping employees at Eleanor Slater Hospital with private contractors. The move, announced this afternoon, will save an estimated $13 million over the next five years, according to the governor's office. The announcement represents a direct challenge to the General Assembly, which passed a law two months ago as part of the state budget aimed at slowing Carcieri’s aggressive push to expand privatization. The Department of Administration's legal team reviewed the new law and felt it didn't apply to the current negotiation, which began before the Assembly passed the privatization provision in June, according to the governor's spokesman Jeff Neal. “The Administration’s action is a violation of the law we enacted," House Majority Leader Gordon D. Fox said today. "The legislation is very clear that it applies to all pending awards and pending privatization contracts. I would like to see the Department of Administration’s legal opinion and analysis to the contrary.” -- Steve Peoples, Journal State House Bureau The new privatization law requires several steps that the Carcieri administration did not follow: The director of administration must conduct an in-depth cost-benefit analysis 60 days prior to requesting bids from private companies. Based on the analysis, current employees and their union representatives would first be given a chance to "present new cost estimates" for their own work, "reflecting any innovations that they could incorporate…" The law prohibits the director of administration from awarding a contract to a private firm unless "the savings to the state is substantial," although it does not define "substantial" savings. And it gives "affected parties" - program recipients, state employees or unions - 60 days to appeal any privatization decision to a Superior Court judge. Posted by Steve Peoples at 4:42 PM | Comment Bill Cosby to perform at the Ryan CenterComedian and actor Bill Cosby will perform on Nov. 3 at the the Ryan Center on the University of Rhode Island campus, the Ryan Center's managers announced today. The performance is scheduled to begin at 8 PM. Presented by the URI Student Entertainment Committee, the show will be part of the university's family weekend. Tickets for the public are $43 and will go on sale Sept. 7th at 10 AM. Tickets will be available at The Ryan Center box office, at all Ticketmaster outlets, online at Ticketmaster.com, or by calling Ticketmaster at (401) 331-2211 or, in Connecticut, (203) 624-0033. Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:35 PM | Comment E. Providence police seize $88,000 stuffed in shoesEAST PROVIDENCE -- Some of these shoes were not made for walkin,' according to the police. The police said today they seized $88,061 in cash stuffed inside shoes in three of the 150 to 200 shoe boxes found inside the bedroom of an East Providence man they arrested on drug charges yesterday. Jared Demendonca, 28, of 18 Silver Spring Ave. was charged with possession with intent to deliver cocaine, possession with intent to deliver marijauna and possession of a controlled substance, said Sgt. Diogo Mello. He is being held at the Adult Correctional Institutions in Cranston pending a Sept. 11 bail hearing in Providence District Court, the police said. Mello said the police used a search warrant at the address and seized 60 grams of marijuana, approximately 20 grams of cocaine and 10 Oxyconton tablets, plus the cash. The police said they have been investigating Demondonca for the past two months. Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:29 PM | Comment Initiative linking housing, open space launchesRhode Island Housing announced today it's prepared to invest up to $10 million to help support affordable housing that also preserves open space -- an investment that will support the first three to five such developments. It's the agency's new KeepSpace Communities program, which aims to promote "development practices that preserve and enhance as much open space as possible while revitalizing existing areas that are underutilized or poorly developed," a news release says. At the same time, a goal is to "support safe, healthy homes, a sound economy, sustainable infrastructure and a better environment." The idea is for the housing communities created through this to be tailored to fit the flavor of the city or town they are in. Officials and advocates have said in recent years that the state's affordable housing situation has reached crisis levels. Rhode Island Housing says it will leverage its money with other public, private and non-profit agencies. It's seeking proposals from cities/towns and developers by Nov. 15. The expectation is that those chosen will integrate the involvement of government, business, and civic representatives, and result in replicable models of sustainable communities that would benefit all Rhode Islanders. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney KeepSpace will preserve our state's limited resources, provide jobs within the community, and contain attractive, quality homes that workers can afford," said Richard Godfrey, executive director of Rhode Island Housing, in the statement. "By engaging the state’s knowledge base of experts to work together, KeepSpace neighborhoods will be places where neighbors meet, people work and children play." The new initiative is a collaboration among Rhode Island Housing, Grow Smart Rhode Island and the state Department of Planning. To learn more, go to www.keepspace.org. Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:24 PM | Comment Update: Threat to Wal-Mart included $10,000 demand
NEWPORT -- In an incident similar to others around the country, the caller who made bomb threats to the Wal-Mart on Connell Highway today also demanded that $10,000 be wired to a location, and the Wal-Mart sent the money. "This appears to be tied into some type of an elaborate money scheme," Sgt. James Quinn said this afternoon. Quinn said there "have been several in a very short period of time, bearing very similar circumstances." A similar threat was received today by a Wal-Mart in Salem, Va., according to a report on roanoke.com. It's very likely the FBI will get involved, he added. And if the money has been sent to a foreign location, there could be international implications. This latest information has led the police to believe the incident had nothing to do with a disgruntled employee or former employee of the giant retailing chain. A Wal-Mart employee or employees used an in-house financial service in the store to wire three separate transactions totaling nearly $10,000 following the threats and demand. Earlier today, a special response team was sent inside the Wal-Mart to determine if anyone was in the building after all of the employees were evacuated after the bomb threats were made. -- projo.com writers Michael P. McKinney and Brandie M. Jefferson, with reports from Journal staff writer Richard Salit Newport police say they received a call from a store employee at about 6:50 a.m. employees had received three phone calls at the store where the caller threatened to do harm to the employees with a bomb. Quinn said the employee took the threats seriously because the caller seemed to have more information about the store than the average person would. No injuries were reported. When police arrived, the 25 employees were all at the front of the building, but still inside. Quinn said it’s not clear why they did not immediately exit. Officials reacted as if it were a possible hostage situation, although it is still not clear if it was, Quinn said. The employees all evacuated, and at about 9:30 a.m., the special response team went inside to conduct a “sweep” of the building, to see if there was someone in the building who had been threatening the employees. Through a statement issued by Wal-Mart spokeswoman Sharon Weber, the company confirms there was an "incident" at the store "which gave us concern for the safety of our associates." Posted by Mike McKinney at 3:20 PM | Comment An old way to cross Blackstone River re-opens
Today, Department of Transportation Director Jerome Williams and Department of Environmental Protection Director W. Michael Sullivan joined other state and local officials at the official opening of the Berkeley Martin Bridge, reestablishing the former Martin’s Way as a route over the river. They also re-opened the Blackstone River Bikeway, which now travels under the bridge, giving bikers and pedestrians a route that doesn’t cross traffic. Previously, the river and Martin Street Canal had been spanned by two structures. The new bridge crosses the river, canal and bike path. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson, with reports from Journal staff writer John Hill Edward Sanderson, the executive director of the Rhode Island Historical Preservation and Heritage Commission, noted the history of Martin’s Way, saying the challenge in redesigning the juncture “was how do we meet 21st century needs for transportation with the history that has been here 300 years or more?” Sullivan told a group of about 200 people – including many on bikes getting ready to hit the path – that he remembered fishing and kayaking in the river. “What today is about for me,” he said, “is a restoration of those early childhood memories.” Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 2:26 PM | Comment Central Falls police seek leads on missing womanThe Central Falls Police are asking the public to contact them if they see anyone fitting the description of a woman who was last seen Aug. 23 when she told others at a residential care facility that she was leaving and never coming back. Darlene Teresa Rahman, 58, was wearing blue capri pants, white socks and sneakers and a blue and white flowered-print blouse when last seen at 10 a.m. around the 600 block of Broad Street, the police news release said. She is described as a white female, five-feet-one-inch tall, weighing 140 pounds, with brown eyes and blondish-gray hair. Rahman had been a voluntary resident at a Central Falls residential care facility sinc Aug. 2. She was free to come and go as she pleased, the police said. Before living at the Central Falls facility, she lived at an assisted living facility in Florida. The police said she takes prescription medication and has been without since Aug. 23 and that her family indicated she has in the past disappeared for long time periods without contacting anyone. She has no known history of beign a danger to herself or the community, the police said. Posted by Mike McKinney at 1:08 PM | Comment Rhode Island SATs: Math down; reading, writing upThe SAT scores for the Class of 2007 dipped nationally for the second year in a row, while in Rhode Island, math scores fell four points, and reading and writing scores increased slightly. As in past years, high school seniors in Rhode Island trailed most of their New England neighbors, which are ranked among the highest in the country. Only Maine trailed Rhode Island, according to the College Board, which administers the test and released the most recent scores this morning. In Rhode Island, 8,287 high school seniors took the college entrance exam, averaging 496 in reading, a 1-point increase over last year; 498 in math, a 4-point drop; and 492 in writing, a 2-point jump. The scores lagged behind the national averages, which are 502, a 1-point drop from last year; 515 in math and 494 in writing, each down 3 points from last year. Each section is worth 800 possible points, for a total of 2,400. Nationally, the College Board said scores had dropped because more students, including minority and low income – are taking the test than ever before. Regionally, students in New Hampshire scored the highest once again: 521 in reading; 521 in math and 512 in writing. Extra: Take a look at Rhode Island's 2007 SAT scores by school district. -- Journal staff reporter Jennifer Jordan Students in Massachusetts averaged 513 in reading, 522 in math and 511 in writing, while Vermont scored 516 in reading, 518 in math and 506 in writing. Connecticut averaged 510 in reading, 512 in math and 511 in writing. Maine’s scores dipped significantly this year: 466 in reading, 465 in math and 457 in writing, but officials from the College Board said this was because the state now requires all high school seniors to take the exam, whether or not they intend to go to college. About 1.49 million members of the class of 2007 took the test in their junior or senior years of high school, 24 percent of whom do not speak English exclusively at home. In addition, the College Board reports a 31 percent increase in the number of low-income students who receive SAT waivers, which exempts them from paying the $43 exam fee over the past two years. “The Class of 2007 is the largest and most diverse SAT takers on record … and 4 out of 10 were minority students,” said Laurence Bunin, senior vice president of operations for the College Board. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 1:03 PM | Comment Update: Bomb scare spurs Wal-Mart evacuation
NEWPORT – A special response team is inside the Wal-Mart on Connell Highway to determine if anyone is in the building after all of the employees were evacuated earlier this morning when bomb threats were made, according to Sgt. James Quinn. Newport police say they received a call from a store employee at about 6:50 a.m. reporting employees had received three phone calls at the store where the caller threatened to do harm to the employees with a bomb. Quinn said the employee took the threats seriously because the caller seemed to have more information about the store than the average person would. There are no injuries reported. There have been no arrests, and Quinn says there are no suspects at this time. When police arrived, the 25 employees were all at the front of the building, but still inside. Quinn said it’s not clear why they did not immediately exit. Officials reacted as if it were a possible hostage situation, although it is still not clear if it was, Quinn said. -- projo.com writer Brandie M. Jefferson, with reports from Journal writer Richard Salit The employees all evacuated and at about 9:30 a.m., the special response team went inside to conduct a “sweep” of the building, to see if there was someone in the building who had been threatening the employees. Through a statement issued by Wal-Mart spokeswoman Sharon Weber, the giant retail company confirms there was an "incident" at the store "which gave us concern for the safety of our associates." Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 12:50 PM | Comment Baggage screener's sentencing postponedPROVIDENCE -- A baggage screener at T.F. Green Airport who was found guilty in May of making a false statement on a federal security questionnaire because he didn't disclose previous employment and disability payments will be sentenced Oct. 2. John Riccio of North Kingstown had initially been scheduled for sentencing today, but it is now slated for October. Riccio was suspended from the baggage position, which comes under the federal Transportation Security Administration, pending sentencing. The jury reached a verdict after a three-day trial before U.S. District Judge Ernest C. Torres in Providence Posted by Mike McKinney at 12:47 PM | Comment Census: U.S. poverty rate declinesThe U.S. Census Bureau released new data on income, poverty and health insurance coverage this morning. Nationwide, median household income increased seven tenths of a percent from 2005 to 2006, the census bureau found. Real median household income increased to $48,200, but is still below the 1999 level when adjusted for inflation. The poverty rate declined from 12.6 percent in 2005 to 12.3 percent to 2006. The uninsured rate increased from 15.3 percent to 15.8 percent, for a total of 47 million U.S. residents without health insurance in 2006. The census bureau is making state-by-state data available later today, and Rhode Island Kids Count will comment on the Rhode Island data this afternoon. Come back to projo.com later for an update, and read full coverage in tomorrow’s print edition. -- By Elizabeth Gudrais, Journal State House bureau Posted by Jack Perry at 11:10 AM | Comment Photo: A reassuring touch on the first day of school
School was also starting today in North Smithfield, Portsmouth, Bristol-Warren, and Chariho, which includes elementary schools in Charlestown, Richmond and Hopkinton, as well as the Chariho high and middle schools. Many more districts kick off their openings in the coming days or next week, after the Labor Day holiday on Monday. See which district starts when, according to the state Department of Education statewide school calendar for 2006-7.
Posted by Jack Perry at 11:05 AM | Comment R.I. building permits up in second quarterThe number of single-family home building permits issued in Rhode Island increased in the second quarter to 409, compared to 384 during the second quarter of last year, according to data released by the Rhode Island Builders Association. That's an increase of 6.5 percent. The increase is not enough to offset a weak first quarter, which was down 17.3 percent, compared to the first quarter of 2006. For the first six months of 2007, 752 permits were issued, compared to 799 last year, a decline of about 5.9 percent. “The housing market continues to show signs of cooling in response to past overheated conditions,” said Roger Warren, executive director of the builders association. “Yet it is important to understand that this correction is leading us to a healthier market with greater choices of available stock and a better balance between buyers and sellers.” “Moreover, Rhode Island’s market is performing quite well, in comparison to other parts of the country,” Warren said in a statement. -- Timothy C. Barmann, Journal staff writer Warren said inventories are now closer to historic levels and interest rates are still near all-time lows. In an interview, Warren said that it appears that people who are considering building a home have been holding off. “If you look at Rhode Island, the economy is basically good,” he said. People have been unsure how the fallout from the subprime loan market might affect them, he said, so they have waited. “The market is coming back,” he said. “It’s really a matter of consumer confidence that’s holding it back.” Of Rhode Island’s 39 cities and towns, 15 showed a second-quarter increase in building permits, 22 had a decrease, and 2 were unchanged. Communities with the biggest increases in building permits issued in the second quarter were New Shoreham, which issued 26 permits, up 767 percent from 3 in the second quarter of last year; Lincoln, with 11 permits issued, up 450 percent; and North Kingstown, with 55 permits issued, up 358 percent. The biggest declines were seen in North Smithfield, with 4 permits issued, compared to 21 in the second quarter last year; Jamestown, with 3 permits issued, compared to 9 last year; Barrington, with 3 permits issued, compared to 8 last year; Portsmouth, with 10 permits issued, compared to 24 last year; and Providence, with 13 permits issued, compared to 27 last year. -- Timothy C. Barmann, Journal staff writer Posted by maria caporizzo at 10:41 AM | Comment Pawtucket lauded for thorough recycling programWhat happens to your garbage after the trucks pick it up? If you live in Pawtucket, someone is going through it. It’s not the paparazzi; it’s the department of public works, separating cardboard, unfinished wood and metal – all of which can be recycled – from everything else destined for the central landfill in Johnston. Today at 10 a.m., Mayor James Doyle will head a ceremony at Pawtucket City Hall to acknowledge the city’s progress, which was recently credited by the Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation -- with New Shoreham and West Warwick -- as one of the most improved municipal recycling programs. The three split a $25,000 prize. -- projo.com staff write. Brandie M. Jefferson Pawtucket Public Works Director Jack Carney says the city will use its $8,333 award money to hire inspectors to monitor residential recycling. If people aren’t using the mandated blue or green recycle bins, Carney said, the town will notify the resident of a violation. The city has been able to pull it off thanks the the addition of a recycling coordinator, Dennis Leach, and "a constant effort on everybody's part to pull everyone out the mainstream that we can." “We want to continue to do more,” he said. Twenty-one cities and towns were recognized for their recycling efforts. Find out more about recycling in your city or townhere. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 10:04 AM | Comment Providence fire sends 2 to hospitalOfficials are investigating an early morning fire that broke out at 235 Hartford Avenue in Providence. The call came in at about 3:45 a.m. Firefighters had the blaze under control by about 4 a.m. Two people were taken to the hospital with respiratory problems. Firefighters believe the fire started in the kitchen. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 8:28 AM | Comment Mashpee chairman removed for lyingMASHPEE, Mass. (AP) -- The Mashpee Wampanoag tribal council has voted to immediately remove Glenn Marshall as chairman following his acknowledgment that he lied about his military service and was convicted of rape in 1981. Marshall met with the council Monday night and offered to resign effective in 30 days, but the council voted 9-1 to make his resignation effective immediately, said Greg D'Agostino, a spokesman for the tribe. The tribe, with Marshall at the helm, won federal recognition this year and is trying to build a $1 billion casino in the southeastern Massachusetts town of Middleborough. -- The Associated Press Vice chairman Shawn Hendricks, who presided over Monday's meeting, now becomes chairman, D'Agostino said. "I hope we can unify and bring our tribe back together," Hendricks told the Times after Monday's meeting. Marshall handed over his day-to-day duties to Hendricks on Friday after the rape conviction and military record lies were made public in a story in the Cape Cod Times. Hendricks plans to take the next step on Thursday, D'Agostino said, filing a petition with the federal government to take more than 500 acres of land in land Middleborough and 100 acres in Mashpee into a trust. The Legislature still needs to approve expanded gambling before a full-scale casino can be built. Gov. Deval Patrick, who made a surprise visit to Mashpee when the tribe celebrated its federal recognition, has said he would announce his gambling position around Labor Day. A published telephone listing for Marshall could not immediately be found. The spokesman said said the tribal council met in executive session, then invited Marshall to join them. The council took its vote in an open session with about 45 tribe members present, he said. Council member Nellie Ramos cast the dissenting vote, he said. "Glenn is my cousin, I'm proud of what he's done," tribe members Anne Peters Brown told the Times as she stood in front of Marshall's car outside the meeting. Another tribe member, Winnie Johnson Graham told the newspaper, "I'm just glad it's over and done with." She had said before the vote she wanted to see a new council entirely. Many of the onlookers headed to another meeting of tribe members nearby, the newspaper said, where some members had said they would bring up the issue of recalling the council. The meeting continued late Monday night. The tribe will elect a new vice chairman in October. Marshall was in his second four-year term. The next scheduled election is 2008. Marshall said Friday he let misstatements about his service stand. He said he was giving up day-to-day duties to "deal with the mental and physical issues I'm facing." Marshall also acknowledged the rape conviction in an interview with The Boston Globe published Saturday. "It's an apology to my family, tribe, and the Commonwealth," Marshall said. "I could only ask that they could forgive me, because I'm not a bad person." The Cape Cod Times, citing its own archives and court records, reported that Marshall was convicted in 1981 of raping a 22-year-old visitor to the Cape. Marshall was accused of sexually assaulting the woman in a secluded spot in West Barnstable after offering to drive her from a party to her sister's house. Marshall, 57, was sentenced to five years in state prison, but served just three months before being released on probation, court records show. During a congressional oversight hearing on the tribe's request for federal recognition in 2004, Marshall testified he survived the siege of Khe Sahn, during which Marines fought back a 77-day onslaught by the North Vietnamese from January to April of 1968. Marshall made the same claim in a Cape Cod Times interview in 1998 and before a state gaming panel in 2002. But during the siege, Marshall was still a senior in high school in Falmouth. School records confirm he graduated from Lawrence High School on June 9, 1968, a school spokeswoman said. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 8:12 AM | Comment Eclipse was a special companion this morningToday's drive to work was a special treat, which is something I usually can't say about my commute from Cape Cod. I have to leave the house at 5:30 a.m. For the first 15 or 20 minutes, I kept one eye on the road and one on the sky, monitoring the lunar eclipse. The highlight came as I crossed the Bourne Bridge. To the east, the sky was brightening and the rising sun had turned the thin, low clouds and fog red and orange. A cabin cruiser plowed through the calm, silvery water of the Cape Cod Canal, spreading a ripply V in its wake. To the west, a dark shadow had eclipsed the top of the moon, leaving a bright white bowl hovering over the mouth of the canal. Not long after I reached Route 25, the moon, more than half blocked, looked like a contact lens. I wondered if other drivers, struggling to wake up, even noticed. I hoped they did. On the other side of the highway, a car had pulled over. I looked to see if it had broken down. No. Somebody was standing by the driver's side door, holding a camera over the roof. As the moon dropped and sky brightened, it became tougher to catch a glimpse. It felt like I had dropped off a friend and had to make the rest of the ride alone. -- Jack Perry, projo.com staff writer Posted by Jack Perry at 7:22 AM | Comment It's back to school for kids in 5 districts todayLook out for the yellow buses this morning. School starts in the Cranston, North Smithfield, Portsmouth, Bristol-Warren and Chariho districts today. Teachers' unions have signed contracts in all five of these districts. Find information about your local schools and share back-to-school pictures, here.
Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 7:02 AM | Comment Another beautiful day on the wayAnother beautiful day today with the National Weather Service calling for clear, sunny skies and a high near 81 degrees. Tonight should be clear as well, with a low of 61 and a calm South wind. Tomorrow, more sun and a high in the low 80s. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 7:01 AM | Comment Today's front pageToday's front page featueres a story on the start of the school year for Rhode Island children. Download a copy of the front page. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:00 AM | Comment August 27, 2007Fund invests more in Concordia Fibers' transformationCOVENTRY -- The Slater Technology Fund, a taxpayer-backed source of venture capital, has invested an additional $250,000 in Concordia Fibers. In all, Slater has now invested $500,000 in the 87-year-old company, which has transformed itself from a producer of synthetic yarns and threads for textile plants to a biotechnology firm making material that can be implanted in the human body. Slater first invested in Concordia, based in Coventry, in 2003. Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:22 PM | Comment Update: Fire heavily damages Johnston houseJOHNSTON -- The police blocked off busy Atwood Avenue this morning while firefighters battled a blaze that caused heavy damage to a house at 1056 Atwood. Fire Chief Andrew J. Baynes said the fire broke out around 11 a.m. in the single-family house, which at the time was occupied by two women and a small child. He said the first engine company to arrive found flames erupting from the front of the wood-frame structure and from its roof. He said the engine company, only two firefighters strong, “did a magnificent job” of rescuing the occupants and keeping the fire from spreading while other companies arrived. The names of the occupants were not available. Baynes said he summoned fire equipment from surrounding communities to stand guard in Johnston stations during the operation. He also requested an engine and rescue truck from Cranston, the former to relieve Johnston firefighters laboring on a hot day. The chief said that the cause of the fire had not yet been determined, but that it did not appear suspicious. Police officers blocked Atwood at Morgan Avenue and at Plainfield Street, sending vehicles on a long, winding detour. Atwood Avenue is also state Route 5, a heavily traveled secondary highway. -- Journal staff writer Thomas J. Morgan Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:18 PM | Comment 2 men die in incidents off Narragansett shoreNARRAGANSETT -- Sunday afternoon proved to be a deadly stretch in this seaside town. Evan Davidson, 43, of Brewster, Mass., and another man were in the water off Hazard Avenue preparing to scuba dive. Davidson had not yet dived yet and was apparently looking for a lost fin when something happened to him, according to the police. His friend helped to get him out of the water, and some on shore called for help. The call came in at 1:15 p.m. and Davidson was taken to South County Hospital where he was pronounced dead, the police said. In an unrelated incident reported at 2:48 p.m., Americo Dipetrillo, 53, of Coventry died after he had been seen struggling in waters north of the Town Beach, north of the Dunes Club, according to the police. A surfer helped Dipetrillo get out of the water. Dipetrillo collapsed on the beach, accoring to the police, and a lifeguard and bysander did CPR on him when rescue personnel arrived. Dipetrillo was taken to South County Hospital. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Journal staff writer Randal Edgar Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:50 PM | Comment First R.I. mosquitoes test positive for West Nile virusEAST PROVIDENCE -- A pool of mosquitoes in East Providence has tested positive for West Nile Virus. It's the first time this year that scientists detected the mosquito-borne disease in Rhode Island. State environmental authorities say the mosquitoes were taken from a trap set near the border with Seekonk, Mass., early last week. Results from an additional 75 mosquito pools are still pending. The disease, which can be fatal, is spread when mosquitoes bite humans. Symptoms range from mild flu-like illness to inflammation of the brain and coma. The Department of Environmental Management recommends people prevent mosquito bites by using screens in open windows and wearing bug spray, but with no more than 30 percent DEET. Don't use repellant on infants. IThe DEM also advises homeowners to get rid of water puddles so the bugs can't breed there. People should put mosquito netting over playpens and baby carriages when outside. "The positive findings are not unexpected," said Alan Gettman, the DEM mosquito abatement coordinator. "We are at the height of the mosquito-borne diseases transmission season. " So far, no mosquitoes have tested positive for Eastern Equine Encephalitis. -- The Associated Press and projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Meanwhile, in neighboring Connecticut, state health officials have confirmed that a fourth person has come down with the West Nile virus this season. The unidentified resident of Hartford became ill during the first week of August and was likely exposed to infected mosquitoes during the last week of July. The person, who is between 40 and 49 years old, was briefly hospitalized and has recovered. The person's symptoms were fever, headaches, joint and muscle pain, stiff neck and lack of coordination. The three others who contracted the disease this summer were from Danbury, New London and Woodbridge and have recovered. -- Associated Press Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:00 PM | Comment It's back to school in 5 R.I. districts tomorrow / Photo
School starts tomorrow in five Rhode Island districts: Cranston, North Smithfield, Portsmouth, Bristol-Warren, and Chariho, which includes elementary schools in Charlestown, Richmond and Hopkinton, as well as the Chariho high and middle schools. None of the districts beginning school tomorrow are among those with teacher unions that have not signed contracts. Many more districts kick off their openings in the coming days or next week, after the Labor Day holiday on Monday. See which district starts when, according to the state Department of Education statewide school calendar for 2006-7. Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:50 PM | Comment Sex offender wanted on Mass. charge found in WarrenAn unregistered sex offender living in Warren was in Taunton District Court today on a charge he exposed himself to a little girl at a Lowe’s home improvement store in Seekonk, Mass., this month. Seekonk police informed Warren police last Friday that Paul Stockford, 40, was living in Warren and that they had a warrant for his arrest on a charge of open and gross lewdness. He had been arrested on the charge in Massachusetts previously, said Seekonk Capt. Craig Mace Stockford had been living for several months at 7 Union St., Warren, said Warren Police Lt. Joseph Loiselle. Early Saturday morning, just after midnight, Officer Christopher Perreault located him in the passenger seat of a car that he pulled over on Main Street. He arrested him without incident. Stockford admitted that he had been arrested previously for indecent exposure and that he had lived in Pawtucket and registered with police there as a sex offender, presumably as a Level 1 offender. Level 1 offenders, deemed a “low risk” to the public, are not identified on the Web site of the Rhode Island Parole Board & Sex Offender Community Notification Unit. The names of Level 2 and Level 3 offenders do appear on the Web site, but Stockford’s name is not among them. Warren police charged Stockford with failing to register as a sex offender, a felony. He was arraigned, released on bail of $2,000 with surety and ordered to return to court on Sept. 10. Then Seekonk police took custody of him. -- Journal staff writer Richard Salit On Aug. 15, Stockford “exposed himself to a 6-year-old girl” in the lighting aisle of the store, said Capt. Mace. He said that the girl told an adult what happened and that store employees were notified of the incident. Employees located the man’s vehicle while he was leaving and were able to give police a description of it, Mace said. The Seekonk charge of open and gross lewdness, subsequent offense, is a felony, Mace said. Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:12 PM | Comment Gas prices keep on droppingRegular, unleaded self-serve gasoline is down about 7 cents to $2.689 according to the American Automobile Association’s weekly gas price survey. That's six straight weeks of lower prices. And it's down from a year ago at this time, too, when the average price for regular gasoline in the Ocean State was $2.96. The national average for regular gasoline is $2.74 Mid-grade gasoline averages $2.82 across the state while premium is selling for $2.94. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 3:44 PM | Comment Anniversary of women getting the vote to be notedPROVIDENCE – Planned Parenthood is inviting residents to celebrate Women’s Equality Day at the State House today. The rally begins at 4 p.m. The event commemorates the movement that led to the passage of the 19th Amendment in 1920, giving women the right to vote. The ceremony isn’t just for women; Planned Parenthood will be registering people to vote and discussing the history of the women’s suffrage movement. Find out more about how to register to vote in Rhode Island. Read President Bush's proclamation on Women's Equality Day 2007. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 3:37 PM | Comment Update: Ginaitt quits Assembly, citing job responsibilitiesPROVIDENCE -- State Rep. Peter T. Ginaitt, who led efforts to reform the state's fire code in recent years, is leaving the General Assembly. The Warwick Democrat,46, will resign his post after 15 years in the legislature, effective this Friday, citing increased responsibilities at his job at Rhode Island Hospital. As a Fire Department captain, Ginaitt had been one of the first responders at the disastrous Station nightclub fire in 2003, which spurred efforts to strengthen the state's fire code. He was co-chair of the House Oversight Commission to Study the Ramifications of the Fire Safety Code, an advisory committee also chaired by Rep. Joseph Trillo, R-Warwick. -- Steve Peoples, Journal State House Bureau "I am shocked and disappointed. It’s like a kick in the stomach, to be honest," Trillo said when notified of Ginaitt's departure this afternoon. "Peter brought a unique aspect to the fire issue – he was a fireman, a first responder, in a leadership position. He brought a unique set of skills to the table." The commission produced a package of legislation, backed by the state fire marshal, that cleared the House but failed to win Senate approval in the session's final hours in June. Ginaitt was recently promoted from his position at Rhode Island Hospital, where he had served as director of emergency preparedness. He will now assume the position of director of emergency preparedness for the entire Lifespan hospital network, which includes Hasbro Children's Hospital, Miriam Hospital, Newport Hospital and Bradley Hospital. Ginaitt won his eighth consecutive election in November, running unopposed. There will be a special election to fill his post within the next three months. Ginaitt, first elected to the Assembly in 1992, also chairs the Environment and Natural Resources Committee and is the vice chair of the Health, Education and Welfare Committee. Ginaitt's absence isn't expected to have an immediate impact on the Assembly, which isn't expected to reconvene until January. While in session from January to June, the Assembly generally conducts business starting at 3 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday. State law requires a special election to be held between 70 and 90 days from the date of Ginaitt's departure from the Assembly. Trillo continued: "He was the kind of guy who had a pretty good relationship with everybody. You could argue with him – and I had some heated arguments with him – but you could move past it and work together," he said. "Sometimes you get the most accomplished when you don’t see eye to eye. Especially when you keep and open mind. And Peter always had an open mind."
He added, "Chairmen Ginaitt was a true environmental champion working both in public and behind the scenes to protect Rhode Island’s air, water and open spaces. As a member of the House leadership team, he was a key player in moving pro-environmental legislation forward, including bills to promote renewable energy, phase-out mercury from household and commercial products and to reduce global warming pollution. " Posted by Steve Peoples at 3:16 PM | Comment Update: Foster man killed in motorcycle crash ID'dThe police this afternoon identified the Foster man killed in a motorcycle accident in Glocester this morning as James R. Wilson, 61, of 191 Hartford Pike. He was driving a 2005 Harley Davidson south on Reynolds Road just north of Route 101 at about 1:20 a.m. The police say he was riding around a slight curve when he lost control, driving off the right side of the road and hitting several trees. The police are investigating. So far, they say, there is no obvious reason for the crash. -- projo.com staff writers Brandie Jefferson and Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Journal staff writer John Hill Posted by Mike McKinney at 3:12 PM | Comment R.I. among states doing best keeping obesity at bayPROVIDENCE -- New England residents are faring well in the battle of the bulge. A survey released today by a national health advocacy group shows that Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Vermont have among the lowest adult obesity rates in the country. The report was issued by Trust for America's Health. It measured obesity rates for adults in all 50 states, and the District of Columbia. It also looked at overweight rates of children ages 10 to 17. Experts say there are multiple reasons for the report's findings. They say the New England population on the whole tends to be higher-earning and better-educated than people in other parts of the country. They also say the cities are more walkable and the approach to eating is different. -- The Associated Press Posted by Mike McKinney at 1:41 PM | Comment $200,000 Powerball win waits to be claimedA $200,000 ticket was sold in Providence during the national drawing for the $314.3 million Powerball jackpot on Saturday. The Providence prize has not yet been claimed. The jackpot was drawn in Indiana, but someone bought a ticket at El Bombazo Market, 981, Broad St., Providence, entitling him or her to the $200,000 prize, the Rhode Island Lottery announced today. The $200,000 ticket matched the first five numbers but not the Powerball number. The winning numbers are: 2 8 23 29 35 and Powerball 19. There were also four $10,000 tickets sold in Rhode Island. They were purchased at: Stop & Shop, 300 Quaker Lane, Warwick; Colbea Enterprises, 7025 Post Road, North Kingstown; Diamond Hill General, 3782 Diamond Hill Road, Cumberland; and North Tiverton News, 15 Main Road, Tiverton. The one at Diamond Hill General has been claimed but the others have not, Rhode Island Lottery said in a news release this morning. The Rhode Island Lottery is at 1425 Pontiac Ave., Cranston, (401) 463-6500 or at www.rilot.com. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 1:20 PM | Comment Dunkin' D's: Coffee, doughnuts but hold the trans fatThose who troop into a Dunkin' Donuts every morning on, well, every corner in Rhode Island use words like "coffee," "bacon," "egg" and, for the daring, "chocolate frosted." Now Dunkin' Donuts is adding to the vocabulary list "zero grams trans fat." If that doesn't quite slide off the tongue, it may keep more of the pounds sliding off you. Your Turn:How will this change your morning routine? All new menu offerings nationwide will be zero grams trans fat by Oct. 15, the popular chain announced today. "This includes the brand's signature doughnuts," a news release says. The zero-trans fat doughnuts are already being served in New York City and Philadelphia. They've been served in about 400 restaurants around the country as part of a "nationwide blind test" over a four-month period. The news may be of special importance in Rhode Island, where the trip-over-each-franchise proximity of the doughnut shops is legendary. Dunkin Brands Inc.'s chief told the Journal last summer that a goal was to have one store for every 12,000 people in a given market. There were 6,500 shops in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states at the time; a goal was to have 15,000 east of the Mississippi. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 12:04 PM | Comment R.I. delegation welcomes Gonzales's resignationRhode Island's two senators and one of its congressmen, all Democrats, issued statements this morning, indicating that Attorney General Alberto Gonzales's resignation was overdue and necessary to restore confidence in the office. U.S. Sen. Jack Reed said, "This departure is long overdue. During his tenure in the Bush Administration, Alberto Gonzales has been involved in policies that have undermined our standing in the world and our historic commitment to the rule of law. Although he plans to leave office, the investigations into his stewardship of the Department of Justice should continue. The next Attorney General needs to be someone who is competent and can restore credibility to the Department of Justice,” said Reed, a member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, and Science (CJS) which oversees federal spending of the Department of Justice.
“I hope that whoever the President nominates to be the new Attorney General at this critical time will put the interests of the Department, its employees, and the American people foremost – before partisanship, and before politics.”
Langevin's statement also noted that the Rhode Island congressman had joined his colleagues this summer in cosponsoring a no-confidence resolution, which urged President Bush to request that the attorney general step down.
Posted by Jack Perry at 12:01 PM | Comment Pats' Samuel rejoins teammates in FoxboroAsante Samuel is indeed here at Gillette Stadium and has re-joined his Patriots teammates. You can read more about this story on the projo PatsBlog. -- Journal sports writer Shalise Manza Young Posted by Jack Perry at 10:52 AM | Comment Foster man, 61, killed in Glocester motorcycle crashThe Glocester police say a 61-year-old Foster man was killed in a motorcycle accident on Reynolds Road early this morning. The police are withholding his name until all family members are notified. The man was driving a 2005 Harley Davidson south on Reynolds Road just north of Route 101 at about 1:20 a.m. The police say he was driving around a slight curve when he lost control, driving off the right side of the road and hitting several trees. The police are investigating. So far, they say, there is no obvious reason for the crash. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 10:37 AM | Comment Divers begin assessing sunken Russian sub
Journal photo / Bill Murphy
Navy diver Max Yeager emerges after a dive to examine the sunken sub this morning.
The Army and Navy are hoping to rescue a bit of history while sharpening their skills. Begining today, 30 Army and Navy divers began studying Juliette 484 -- known to many simply as the Russian Sub -- which sank in Providence Harbor after a heavy storm in April. Frank Lennon, head of the Russian Submarine Museum, says the plan is to stabilize the submarine by rotating it with cables into a more upright position. Right now it's settled into river mud, listing away from the pier at about 48 degrees. Studying and securing the submarine at the bottom of the Bay is expected to cost the military more than $1 million. They'll require budgetary approval to move on to the next phase: actually raising the submarine. What do you think should be done to the submarine? Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 10:33 AM | Comment Driver shot by Attleboro police to be arraignedJohn Peters is scheduled for arraignment in Attleboro District Court today. An Attleboro police officer shot the 44-year-old Milford, Mass., man in the arm Friday after he allegedly tried to run them down in what the police said was a stolen car. He'll be charged with assault with a deadly weapon, possession of stolen property, and a host of driving violations, the Attleboro police say. The police say 45-year-old Joyce Sumpter, also of Milford, was in the car with Peters. She was arraigned and released on personal recognizance Friday. She faces stolen vehicle charges. The officer who shot Peters, Gilbert Bechtel, 37, is on paid leave while the shooting is investigated. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 9:29 AM | Comment Get up early tomorrow to see the lunar eclipseHere's a reason to roll out of bed at 4:30 in the morning: Total lunar eclipse. For the second time this year, the Earth will be positioned between the sun and the full moon, blocking the direct sunlight that usually reflects off the moon's surface. See a video explaining the phenomenon here. The eclipse will begin at 4:51 a.m. when the moon begins to make its way into the Earth's shadow. The moon will take on a copper-red glow once it is fully eclipsed, at about 5:52 a.m.; it will be fully engulfed in shadow for about one and a half hours. The sun will begin to rise as the moon sets. And for East Coasters, the moon will still be in the sun’s shadow as it sets. North America can see up to three total lunar eclipses a year. This is the second this year, but the first that will be visible throughout the continental United States. If you can’t pry yourself out of bed at 4:30 a.m. you’re in luck. The next total lunar eclipse -- visible to the entire continent -- will be February 21, starting at 7:30 p.m. See the schedule for upcoming eclipses -- through the year 2100 – on NASA's lunar eclipse Web site. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 9:19 AM | Comment Victim's parents support parole for BiecheleDave Kane and Joanne O’Neil say Daniel Biechele should be considered for parole. Although Biechele lit the pyrotechnics that started the fire at the Station Nightclub that killed 100 people – including the their son, Nicholas O’Neill -- the two say he is the only person involved in the fire who has accepted responsibility. In a letter to the Rhode Island Parole Board, they say “Biechele’s honest and straight forward acknowledgement of his guilt and his remorse” was the only justice to come out of the Station Fire aftermath. Biechele, the former tour manager for the rock band Great White, pleaded guilty to 100 counts of involuntary manslaughter for the 2003 nightclub fire. He began serving a four-year prison sentence last summer. He will be considered for parole on Sept. 19. Click below to read the entire text of the letter. Ms. Lisa S. Holley Dear Ms. Holley, We, the parents of Nicholas P. O’Neill, the youngest victim of the Station Nightclub fire, are writing to you to express our feelings regarding the possible parole of Daniel M. Biechele. In the period following this tragedy, it was Mr. Biechele, alone, who stood up and admitted responsibility for his part in this horrible event. He apologized to the families of the victims and made no attempt to mitigate his guilt. Although, Mr. Biechele was the person who lit the fuse, there are still many more people who had a huge part in this tragedy that may never be brought before the court. When you add to this the abysmal actions and misdeeds of both the Trial Judge and the prosecution team, you will find that we were left with only one scintilla of justice. That came with Mr. Biechele’s honest and straight forward acknowledgement of his guilt and his remorse. Although, we are sure that there are victim’s families who feel that Daniel Biechele should have received a life sentence, our family members feel that enough lives have been damaged and destroyed by this fire. It is, therefore, our belief that Mr. Biechele should be seriously considered for parole at this time.
Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 8:22 AM | Comment Farmer's Almanac predicts rough winter in EastLEWISTON, Maine -- Keep your boots, long johns and snow shovels handy this winter if you live in the East, the Farmers' Almanac's forecast suggests. Residents of the West, however, can look forward to a milder winter this time around. "Mother Nature is going to be sort of two-faced," almanac editor Peter Geiger said. The almanac's 2008 edition, which goes on sale tomorrow, foresees plenty of snow across the Northeast, temperatures averaging as much as 3 degrees below normal along most of the Atlantic Coast, and four major frosts as far south as Florida. The Great Lakes region will also take a pounding. The outlook is tamer for the Great Plains, the Rocky Mountains, the desert Southwest and the Pacific Coast, but Geiger said snow in Colorado will be more than adequate for skiing. Read the full Associated Press story. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:50 AM | Comment Pats' Samuel expected in camp this morningAsante Samuel will report to Gillette Stadium this morning, ending his de facto holdout, a source close to the cornerback confirmed last night. When Samuel arrives, expected to be prior to the team's 8 a.m. meeting, he will sign the one-year, $7.79 million franchise tender and prepare for his fifth NFL season. The 26-year old left his Florida home last night to fly to the area. He has missed 31 days of training camp, though he has not amassed any fines because he was not under contract. New England designated Samuel as its franchise player in February, after the corner had a career-high and league-best 10 interceptions last year. He added two more picks in the playoffs, both of which he returned for touchdowns. Samuel has three career postseason interception returns for touchdowns, tying an NFL record. Samuel's representatives and Patriots' brass tried to work out a long-term deal for several months, but an agreement could not be reached before the July deadline. The two sides cannot resume talks until after the conclusion of the regular season; the option also exists for the Patriots to franchise Samuel again for the 2008 season. If that happens, he will receive an estimated $9.5 million - the average of the top five salaries at his position plus 20 percent. It will be interesting to see when Samuel gets on the field. Though he has been working out in Florida throughout the offseason, he is probably not game-ready. Without him during training camp, third-year corner Ellis Hobbs has slid into the number one role. After veteran Chad Scott suffered a season-ending injury on the first day of camp, Randall Gay has performed well opposite Hobbs. While Samuel's return likely means Gay will be coming off the bench, it also gives New England good depth at the position. -- Journal sports writer Shalise Manza Young Posted by Jack Perry at 7:09 AM | Comment Revelations about chairman fueling rift within tribeBOSTON -- The revelation that Mashpee Wampanoag tribal Chairman Glenn Marshall lied about his military service and was convicted of rape in 1981 is fueling a rift within the tribe as they seek to build a $1 billion casino in Massachusetts. One of five members of the tribe shunned by the tribal council in December is calling for an emergency meeting of the tribe today to discuss the situation. "Our people understand that we have been called to action and plan to follow up with Mr. Marshall's announcement," Michelle Fernandes, one of five members shunned by the council, told the Cape Cod Times. "We're looking to prevent Glenn Marshall from returning to the tribal council." Read the full Associated Press story. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:02 AM | Comment Sunny with a high near 80 todayIt should be sunny and warm today with a high of 80 degrees. The National Weather Service is also predicting an East wind of about 9 mph. The overnight low should be about 60 degrees. Tomorrow, look for more of the same: sunny and warm. For more weather and updates, see projo.com/weather. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 7:01 AM | Comment Today's front pageToday's front page features photographs and a story about yesterday's rally to protest alleged brutality by North Providence police officers. Download a copy of today's front page. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:00 AM | Comment August 24, 2007What's happening: Meddling matchmakers on stageHead to Westerly tonight for some summer theater, where you can catch the story of two meddling fathers who try to get their children to become a couple in The Fantasticks. The musical comedy starts at 8 p.m. at the Granite Theatre. Call (401) 596-2341. Still casting around for something to do tonight and this weekend? Browse highlighted events on projo.com's Lifebeat page, and check out our calendar and movie listings. Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:58 PM | Comment Weather update: A weekend for the beach / Photo
The forecast for the weekend is hot and hazy. So much so that for tomorrow, the National Weather Service has issued a heat alert between the hours on noon and 7 p.m. for southern New England. Near-record heat is expected to spread over the region, with high temperatures climbing into the mid- and upper 90s across the Connecticut River valley, the Providence to Boston corridor and the Merrimack River valley of southern New Hampshire and northeast Massachusetts. There is even a low probability that one or two locations in southern New England will hit 100 degrees tomorrow afternoon. The advisory does not include the south coast of New England and the higher terrain, where slightly lower temperatures are expected. Nevertheless, the weather service warns, the combination of high temperatures and high humidity will increase the chances of heat exhaustion and or heat stroke with any outdoor activities, especially in the advisory area. So, it sure sounds like beach weather -- and there are plenty to choose from. As of today, 118 beaches around the state were open to swimming. For up-to-the-minute information on Rhode Island beach closures, call the Department of Health's beach closures hotline at (401) 222-2751. To get the latest weather conditions and forecasts, go to projo.com's weather page. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 6:53 PM | Comment DOT to check 3 overpasses on Rte. 295 on weekendTraffic may be pared down at times to one lane along parts of Route 295 in Cumberland and Lincoln this weekend while the state Department of Transportation inspects three overpasses. State DOT spokeswoman Dana Nolfe said today that the department anticipates few, if any, delays during the work, which will happen from 5 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. “We generally find that Route 295’s weekend capacity is less than weekdays,” said Nolfe. “We are not anticipating heavy delays.” The work is being done to prevent a repeat of the Monday collapse that damaged three cars driving under the overpass at Exit 10. Department officials say a 20-foot long, 4-inch wide piece of “decorative,” as opposed to “structural,” concrete broke off from the overpass and fell into the highway during mid-afternoon traffic. Three cars were damaged after they drove over chunks of concrete in the roadway, but no car was hit directly by the falling concrete and no one was hurt in the incident. This weekend, state DOT inspectors will examine the Old River Road overpass in Lincoln and the Diamond Hill Road overpass in Cumberland -- the two overpasses immediately north and south of the Mendon Road overpass. Both of the bridge spans were part of a 1965 contract that saw the construction of the Mendon Road overpass, said Nolfe. The Route 146 overpass (at Exit 9 of Route 295) will also get an inspection, though it was not built under that construction contract. “Since we were going to be in the same proximity, we thought we might as well look at it,” said Nolfe. -- Journal staff writer Philip Marcelo State DOT crews are tentatively scheduled to work on the northbound and southbound side of Diamond Hill Road overpass and the northbound side of Old River Road overpass on Saturday, she said. Work will continue if needed on Sunday, and crews will continue on to the southbound side of Old River Road overpass and both sides of the Route 146 overpass. Nolfe said the state DOT completed maintenance work at the Mendon Road overpass on Wednesday, removing more pieces of the decorative concrete in the area of the bridge near the grassy median (crews on Monday cleared loose concrete from the parts of the overpass that spanned the highway and determined that the overpass was structurally sound). “The bridges are over 40 years old,” she said. “The decorative concrete has outlived its useful life. We are checking to see that other bridges of the same era and same location and that are experiencing the same impacts -- the weather changes and road salt -- are good.” Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:03 PM | Comment Update: Drive-by shooting in Providence wounds twoPROVIDENCE -- A white minivan rolled down Bellevue Avenue in the West End, and someone in the vehicle flashed the peace sign to two men sitting on the front porch of a house. A few minutes later, the minivan returned, and this time, a passenger began firing a gun. The two men on the porch were wounded but not seriously. This incident, according to the police, occurred at about 11 p.m. yesterday at 66 Bellevue. Shot once in the leg was Saran Mam, 42, of 97 Wesleyan Ave., Elmwood, and shot once in the hand was Bunnara Nara Chao, 20, of 140 Bridgham St., in the West End. All told, four to five shots were fired. Chao told the police that he knows the driver of the minivan as Shorty. Maj. Stephen Campbell said detectives are aggressively investigating the incident. In an unrelated shooting, the police Thursday night arrested a 16-year-old Smith Hill youth and charged him with conspiracy to commit felony assault. The charge stems from the shooting of Alexander Reigosa, 34, of 51 Wayne St., Smith Hill, who was shot Tuesday night after an argument with another youth behind a house on Chalkstone Avenue. Campbell said the 16-year-old youth, who did not fire the round that struck Reigosa in the face, was ordered held at the Rhode Island Training School. Reigosa is recovering in the hospital. -- Journal staff writer Gregory Smith Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:50 PM | Comment Cranston man nabbed; drugs, weapons seizedA Cranston man has been charged with possession of explosives, cocaine and a firearm. Thomas Giannini, 49, of 446 Laurel Hill Ave., was arrested about 4 p.m. yesterday by members of the Rhode Island State Police/FBI High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force, the state police said in a news release today. Giannini is charged with possession of cocaine one ounce to one kilo, possession of cocaine with intent to deliver, possession of a firearm while in possession of a controlled substance, and possession of explosives. Edward Gelsomino, age 46, of 85 Silver Spring Ave., East Providence was also arrested and charged with possession of cocaine. The arrests came after the task team used a search warrant at Giannini’s Laurel Hill Avenue residence, the news release said. The raid followed a five-month investigation into Giannini’s alleged drug activities. Seized from the home were 11 guns -- including rifles, semi-automatic weapons, revolvers and shotguns -- four ounces of cocaine, two hand grenade simulators and fireworks. Police said they also seized $2,837 in cash and a 2007 Cadillac CTS. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Giannini was arraigned by a justice of the peace at state police headquarters and ordered held without bail at the ACI Intake Center. He was slated for formal arraignment in Kent County District Court today. Gelsomino was arraigned by a justice of the peace and released on $1,000 personal recognizance. Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:47 PM | Comment Security operation at Providence train station / Photo
PROVIDENCE -- Federal Transportation Security Administration personnel, a police bomb squad, state police and others were carrying out a security operation at the train station today aimed at deterring terrorism or similar threats to a public transportation hub. Known as a VIPR -- Visible Intermodal Protection and Response -- it falls under the security administration, which is part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. There was "no credible threat" that had the personnel on scene today, said Joseph Salter, the region's federal security director with the TSA. The exercise at the train station was one of several this year in different locations around the state. Another was done earlier today at the Providence-to-Newport ferry station, and others have been conducted in such places as Point Judith, Salter said. He said they are not simply drills, explaining that "the concept is basically to upset any thought anybody might have to come into a transportation venue" and threaten it and dissuade them from causing harm. Messages were broadcast in the train station to let people know there there was no credible threat this afternoon. None of the people sitting or standing around the circular central area on the station's ground level seemed anxious. Many read books or magazines as they might any other day. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Others participating in the exercise were from the federal Air Marshal Service and behavioral detection officers from the Transportation Security Administration. While there were many personnel in different uniforms carrying out their duties, Salter said such operations can also involve people who are in plain clothes. Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:41 PM | Comment Tiverton teachers' union seeks compulsory mediationTIVERTON -- The union representing some 200 public school teachers here has requested compulsory mediation from the state Department of Labor and Training to force members of the School Committee to the bargaining table. In the meantime, teachers plan to show up as scheduled for orientations on Monday and Tuesday and the first day of classes Wednesday, according to Patrick Crowley, deputy executive director of the National Education Association-Rhode Island, the state affiliate of the Tiverton Education Association. Crowley said the pace of contract talks has been slowed by the fact that the School Committee’s chief negotiator, Schools Supt. William J. Rearick, does not have the authority to reach a tentative agreement. Instead, Rearick must pass along the union’s proposals for a response from the School Committee, whose members have not participated in negotiations, Crowley said. State law provides for compulsory mediation to resolve outstanding issues in any teachers’ contract which has not been renegotiated 10 days after the last day of school in the final year of the agreement. In compulsory mediation, the Department of Labor and Training is “empowered to compel the attendance of all the parties to any and all meetings it deems necessary until the dispute is resolved,” according to department spokeswoman Laura Hart. She said the mediation process will move forward but could offer no additional details today. The union request was received yesterday, Hart said. -- Journal staff writer Gina Macris Crowley, meanwhile, said that the union fully understands the fiscal restraints faced by the School Committee as a result of new property tax relief legislation and the legislature’s level-funding of state aid to local schools. The union has proposed a shift from traditional health insurance that Crowley said would save the school district a significant amount of money, although he was not prepared today to release any figures. He said the change would involve a high-deductible plan coupled with a health savings account. The union hand-delivered its latest counterproposal last Tuesday night to Denise deMedeiros, president of the School Committee, and other committee members, while they were touring the newly-constructed Walter E. Ranger Elementary School on North Brayton Road, Crowley said. An executive session of the School Committee has been scheduled for tomorrow morning to consider the union’s offer. Posted by Andrea Panciera at 4:15 PM | Comment Traffic alert: Boat on Route 195 east causing backupSOMERSET, Mass. -- If you're planning to head east on Route 195 through this community at this hour, expect a big traffic backup -- and a boat in the road that's causing it. The state police said there's been a motor vehicle accident involving a vehicle that was towing the boat, which is now in the road. There were no injuries reported. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Jack Perry Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:10 PM | Comment Update: 'Operation Hook a Crook' snags 28Twenty-eight people have been indicted on cocaine, Oxycodone, marijuana and other drug charges after a five-month wiretap investigation called "Operation Hook a Crook" -- a title drawn from the last name of one of the accused. A statewide grand jury handed up the indictments Wednesday naming the suspects on 63 counts, Attorney General Patrick C. Lynch's office announced this morning. The investigation, which concluded in February, was led by Cranston police and involved the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and police from Providence, Coventry, East Providence, Pawtucket, Warwick, and West Warwick. The indictment follows arrests announced in February of 22 suspects, which has since grown to the 28. The indictment details charges ranging from cocaine possession with intent to deliver, possession with intent to deliver such drugs as the painkillers Oxycodone and Hyrdrocodone, marijuana possession, marijuana distribution near a school, and criminal solicitation by one person of another to deliver cocaine. Alleged to be the top dealers and suppliers are: Anthony L. Crook, 31, 17 Maxim St., Apt. #3, Cranston; Joseph E. Duhamel, 24, 94 Briggs St., Cranston; Alexandre Fidalgo, 33, 159 Indiana Ave., 3rd floor, Providence; and Miguel Ruiz, 33, 121 Whittier Ave., Providence. Crook is charged with 16 counts, Duhamel with 20 counts, Fidalgo with 8 counts, and Ruiz with 10 counts. In February, the police said the investigation began in September and that in December court permission allowed investigators to tap cell phones of alleged drug dealers. According to one estimate, authorities listened to more than 10,000 hours of conversations, monitored phone-sent text messages and wireless computer communications. The authorities also showed a fleet of seized cars, trucks and motorcycles -- including a BMW, a Hummer and a Mercedes -- that the police said were seized through the investigation. "This is what they do with their money -- buy fancy cars and other bling," Lynch, the attorney general, said in February. "Well, that bling bling is soon going to be replaced by the clang clang of prison bars around them." All 28 defendants will be arraigned in Providence County Superior Court on Sept. 5.
-- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with Journal archive reports The 24 others indicted on one or more of the charges are: * Robert J. Benedetti, 34,108 Danielson Pike, Foster, charged with 3 counts. * Michael Boghosian, 25, no address given, charged with 3 counts. * Thomas Cardente, 19, 107 Earl St.,West Warwick, charged with 5 counts. * Anthony V. Ciampanelli, 28, 185 Crescent Ave., Cranston, charged with 1 count. * Tanya Colaluca, 26, 1735 Main St., West Warwick, charged with 6 counts. * Janine Dansereau, 46, 91 Leading St., Johnston, charged with 3 counts. * William J. Gaynor, 24, 86 Oak Hill Drive, Cranston, charged with 2 counts. * Matthew Guerriero, 24, 33 Beacon St., Johnston, charged with 2 counts. * Erika Key Middleton, also known as Erika Key, 28, with a last known address of 7 Jade Road, Coventry, charged with 1 count. * Gary W. LaRoche, 50, 34 Forsythia Lane, Cranston, charged with 1 count. * Joanne LaRoche, 48, 34 Forsythia Lane, Cranston, charged with 1 count. * John A. MacAndrew, 28, of 465 Audubon St., Johnston, 1 count. * Sean P. Mahoney, 35, 1216-A Main St., Coventry, charged with 1 count. * Franco Marraffino, also known as Franco Marafino, 31, 349 Greenville Ave., charged with 1 count. * Eugene R. Matera, 46, 102 Old Oak Road, Cranston, charged with 3 counts. * Joseph J. Moreid, 36, 14 Greenview Road, Cranston, charged with 1 count * Victor Otero, 28, charged with 1 count. * Konstantinos Revis, 27, 203 Pleasant View Ave., Smithfield, charged with 1 count. * Daniel A. Robles, 36, 14 Harriet St., Providence, charged with 4 counts. * Frank J. Russo, 25, 152 Pippin Orchard Road, Cranston, charged with 1 count. * David P. Scungio, 44, 330 Cherry Hill Road, 1st Floor, Johnston, charged with 1 count. * Anthony M. Sivo, 22, 34 Vigilant St., Cranston, charged with 5 counts. * May A. Tomassi, 41, 90 Oakside St., Warwick, charged with 2 counts. * Matthew Zaccagnini, 30, 13 Elm St., North Providence, charged with 1 count. Posted by Mike McKinney at 3:33 PM | Comment Update: Attleboro officer on leave after shooting suspectATTLEBORO, Mass. -- A man shot in the arm by police after he allegedly tried to run them down in a stolen car remains at the Rhode Island Hospital emergency room this afternoon, and a police officer has been placed on leave. Attleboro police have secured a warrant for the arrest of John Peters, 44, of Milford, Mass. Once he is released from the hospital, he is expected to be arrested and held by local authorities until he can be arraigned and returned to Massachusetts. Peters faces charges of assault with a dangerous weapon and possession of a stolen vehicle, as well as a host of driving violations stemming from the incident early this morning. Officer Gilbert Bechtel, 37, a nine-year veteran of the Attleboro police force with five years patrol experience was placed on paid leave during an investigation. “Preliminary findings lead us to believe he did follow departmental procedure,” Lt. Scott Killough said. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Just before 12:30 this morning, police say Peters was speeding on West Street near Clifton Street. Officers said they followed the vehicle and tried to stop it on Peck Street, when the driver drove at two cruisers. The officers were not hit, and followed the vehicle, a 2007 Jeep Cherokee with stolen registration and plates, for about three miles, where it turned onto a dead end at East Street. When the officer got out of his car to arrest the suspect, the car accelerated, turned around, and headed for the officer, who shot at the suspect, striking him once in the arm, the police said. Peters' passenger, Joyce Sumpter, 45, also of Milford, was arraigned today on stolen vehicle charges. She was released on personal recognizance Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 3:21 PM | Comment An inferno of a rematch: Downtown roller derby
PROVIDENCE -- In its second outdoor bout of the summer, Providence Roller Derby tonight will present Derby Inferno, pitting last year's local champions, the Old Money Honeys of Newport, against the Providence Mob Squad. Last time these two teams met, the competition was fierce and a derby record was set when five overtime jams were needed to break a tie, according to the league Web site, providencerollerderby.com. The league was established by Brown alumna Sarah "Doom" Kingan in 2004, who returned from a Tucson internship with a love of all things derby. Skaters trained for more than a year before two teams were created -- the Mob Squad and the Sakonnet River Roller Rats. The league has since added a third team, the Old Money Honeys, and an all-star travel team, the Rhode Island Riveters. The roller derby leagues, at least 90 nationwide, are all female and mostly compete on flat tracks. It all takes place tonight at the Bank of America Skating Center in Kennedy Plaza, downtown Providence. For more information, contact Anna WrecksYa at annawrecksya@gmail.com Posted by maria caporizzo at 3:00 PM | Comment Tests negative for West Nile, EEETests results from more than 100 mosquito samples across the state are in -- all were negative for both West Nile Virus and Eastern Equine Encephalitis. The Department of Environmental management -- which conducted the tests -- said that despite the negative tests results, both diseases are firmly established in the region. People should take precautions, DEM said, such as removing anything in their yard that holds standing water, which mosquitoes are attracted to, using mosquito netting and bug repellent. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 2:59 PM | Comment Former tax clerk pleads not guilty in grocery scamNEWPORT — A former clerk in the Newport tax collector’s office and her husband both pleaded not guilty today in District Court to charges of shoplifting from a local supermarket. Mary E. Zalewski, 55, of 34 Hall Ave., Middletown, and her husband, Donald, who works at Naval Station Newport, were each released on $1,000 personal recognizance on one count each of misdemeanor shoplifting. The pair had been arrested Aug. 5 at Shaw’s Supermarket in Middletown after allegedly stealing $150 worth of groceries by misusing a self-checkout aisle, according to the police. The Zalewskis are scheduled to appear next in court on Sept. 21 for a pre-trial conference. Mary Zalewski, who had worked more than nine years as a clerk in the tax collector’s office, was reassigned by the city to another part of the Finance Department following her arrest. — Meaghan Wims Posted by Peter Phipps at 2:25 PM | Comment Update: 4 teens killed in Conn. crashBRISTOL, Conn. -- Four teens heading home after a night of swimming with friends were killed when their sports car crossed into oncoming traffic and struck another car late yesterday, the police said. Three of the teens died at the scene. The 19-year-old driver died as medics rushed him to a nearby hospital, the police said today. One of the three people in the other car also was critically injured. -- Read the full Associated Press story Posted by Jack Perry at 2:18 PM | Comment Chairman of Mass. tribe seeking casino resignsBOSTON -- The chairman of the tribe seeking to build a $1 billion casino in Massachusetts stepped down from his daily duties today after a published report revealed he was a convicted rapist and had lied to Congress about his military service during Vietnam. Glenn Marshall, of the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe, issued a statement acknowledging he let misstatements about his service stand. The statement said nothing about the rape conviction. He said he was giving up day-to-day duties to "deal with the mental and physical issues I'm facing." The Cape Cod Times, citing its own archives and court records, reported that Marshall was convicted in 1981 of raping a 22-year-old visitor to the Cape. Marshall was accused of sexually assaulting the woman in a secluded spot in West Barnstable after offering to drive her from a party to her sister's house. -- Read the full Associated Press story. Posted by Jack Perry at 2:14 PM | Comment Fish and Wildlife Service searches Warwick homeWARWICK -- Details surrounding the mysterious search of a Warwick house yesterday remain murky today. Federal agents from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service spent close to 12 hours riffling through a Greenwood Avenue home confiscating dozens of items, most of them concealed in boxes and drawers, which were loaded into a storage truck. A spokeswoman for U.S. Fish and Wildlife said agents were “serving a federal search warrant” on a federal investigation. She refused to give details about the nature of the search, citing a sealed warrant, and the need to "protect the integrity of the investigation," which is continuing. -- Journal staff writer Cynthia Needham The state Department of Environmental Management assisted in the effort, but spokeswoman Stephanie Powell declined to discuss the raid because it was a federal investigation. The occupants of the house – said to be a couple -- were present at the time of the search, and neighbors said they stayed in their Greenwood Avenue home after the agents left last night. There is conflicting information about the exact street address. By this morning, the local rumor mill was churning as neighbors speculated about what exactly had been removed from the ranch-style house and whether the presence of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife meant there were animals involved. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 12:52 PM | Comment 28 indicted on drug charges after 5-month probeTwenty-eight people have been named in a massive indictment on cocaine, Oxycodone, marijuana and other drug charges after a five-month wiretap investigation called "Operation Hook a Crook." The Statewide Grand Jury handed up the indictments Wednesday naming the suspects on 63 counts, Attorney General Patrick C. Lynch's office announced this morning. The investigation ended in February and was led by Cranston police. It also involved the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and police from Providence, Coventry, East Providence, Pawtucket, Warwick and West Warwick. The accused will be arraigned in Providence County Superior Court on Sept. 5. Details of the charges were not immediately available. Some of the accused face only a few of the wide range of drug charges while others face many counts. Generally, the indictment details charges ranging from cocaine possession with intent to deliver, possess with intent to deliver such drugs as the painkillers Oxycodone and Hyrdrocodone, marijuana possession, marijuana distribution near a school, and criminal solicitation by one person of another to deliver cocaine. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney The accused on one or more of the charges are: * Robert J. Benedetti, 34,108 Danielson Pike, Foster, charged with 3 counts. * Michael Boghosian, 25, no address given, charged with 3 counts. * Thomas Cardente, 19, 107 Earl St.,West Warwick, charged with 5 counts. * Anthony V. Ciampanelli, 28, 185 Crescent Ave., Cranston, charged with 1 count. * Tanya Colaluca, 26, 1735 Main St., West Warwick, charged with 6 counts. * Anthony L. Crook, 31, 17 Maxim St., apt. #3, Cranston, charged with 16 counts. * Janine Dansereau, 46, 91 Leading St., Johnston, charged with 3 counts. * Joseph E. Duhamel, 24, 94 Briggs St., Apt., Cranston, charged with 20 counts. * Alexandre Fidalgo, 33, 159 Indiana Ave., 3rd Floor, Providence, charged with 8 counts. * William J. Gaynor, 24, 86 Oak Hill Drive, Cranston, charged with 2 counts. * Matthew Guerriero, 24, 33 Beacon St., Johnston, charged with 2 counts. * Erika Key Middleton, also known as Erika Key, 28, with a last known address of 7 Jade Road, Coventry, charged with 1 count. * Gary W. LaRoche, 50, 34 Forsythia Lane, Cranston, charged with 1 count. * Joanne LaRoche, 48, 34 Forsythia Lane, Cranston, charged with 1 count. * John A. MacAndrew, 28, of 465 Audubon St., Johnston, 1 count. * Sean P. Mahoney, 35, 1216-A Main St., Coventry, charged with 1 count. * Franco Marraffino, also known as Franco Marafino, 31, 349 Greenville Ave., charged with 1 count. * Eugene R. Matera, 46, 102 Old Oak Road, Cranston, charged with 3 counts. * Joseph J. Moreid, 36, 14 Greenview Road, Cranston, charged with 1 count * Victor Otero, 28, charged with 1 count. * Konstantinos Revis, 27, 203 Pleasant View Ave., Smithfield, charged with 1 count. * Daniel A. Robles, 36, 14 Harriet St., Providence, charged with 4 counts. * Miguel A. Ruiz, 33, 121 Whittier Ave., Providence, charged with 10 counts. * Frank J. Russo, 25, 152 Pippin Orchard Road, Cranston, charged with 1 count. * David P. Scungio, 44, 330 Cherry Hill Road, 1st Floor, Johnston, charged with 1 count. * Anthony M. Sivo, 22, 34 Vigilant St., Cranston, charged with 5 counts. * May A. Tomassi, 41, 90 Oakside St., Warwick, charged with 2 counts. * Matthew Zaccagnini, 30, 13 Elm St., North Providence, charged with 1 count. Read the full press release with full details here. Posted by Mike McKinney at 11:50 AM | Comment Planned Parenthood to host rally for women MondayPlanned Parenthood Rhode Island will host a rally Monday at the State House to celebrate Women's Equality Day, a holiday that commemorates the ratification of the 19th Amendment, which gave women the right to vote 87 years ago. From 4 to 7 p.m. on the back lawn of the State House, people can register to vote, and learn about the women's suffrage movement. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 11:12 AM | Comment How would you like your $300 million?It’s a question someone might have to think hard about if there is a winner in this weekend’s Powerball drawing. If it’s hit, the $300 million prize will be the fourth largest in the game's history, and the winner will have to decide: $300 million paid in 30 installments over 29 years, or a lump sum, estimated to be about $140.3 million? Decisions. Decisions. It’s a tough one, to be sure, but the people at Powerball break down the differences between the two options on their FAQ Web site. They also have some advice for the winner-to-be: deciding how to take the prize can be a complicated decision, but it is an important one that deserves your attention. See a financial adviser, tax expert, accountant -- someone who can help you make an informed decision. And cross your fingers. The drawing is tomorrow at 10:59 p.m. Check the winning numbers here. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 10:34 AM | Comment Commendation for life-saving crews MondayFire Lt. Jeffrey T. Rayner knew the child was close to death as soon as he saw the boy limp in his aunt’s arms, his arms and legs flopping aimlessly. But Rayner, firefighter Michael Cairone, and the rest of the team were quick thinkers, ensuring that Oandi Cruz survived his first birthday after nearly drowning in his bathtub. The crew, along with a number of other Providence firefighters who responded to more than 16 emergency incidents will be commended Monday by Mayor David N. Cicilline and Fire Chief George Farrell. The ceremony, at the Smith Arts Center at Providence College, will begin at 7 p.m Read about the rescue in today's Providence Journal. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 9:36 AM | Comment Attleboro police shoot suspect in armATTLEBORO -- An Attleboro police officer shot a Massachusetts man in the arm this morning after a three- to four-mile chase during which, the police say, the man attempted to ram them with an allegedly stolen car. Just before 12:30 this morning, an officer tried to stop a vehicle driven by John Peters, 44, of Milford, Mass., that was speeding on West Street near Clifton Street, according to the police. Police officers followed the vehicle and tried to stop it on Peck Street, when the driver drove at two police cruisers, the police said. The officers were not hit, and followed the vehicle, a 2007 Jeep Cherokee with stolen registration and plates, for about 3 miles, where it turned onto a dead end at East Street. When the officer got out of his car to arrest the suspect, the car accelerated, turned around, and headed for the officer, who shot at the suspect, striking him once in the arm, the police said. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson The police say the suspect drove into a tree. Peters was taken to Rhode Island Hospital. According to the hospital, he is currently in holding in the emergency ward. The police say he’ll be returned to Massachusetts. The police say a passenger, Joyce Supter, 45, also of Milford, was arrested and faces charges of possession of a stolen vehicle. The car had been stolen from a car lot in Maine. Supter is scheduled for arraignment in Attleboro later today. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 9:28 AM | Comment Doctor who killed husband wants to return to medicineBROCKTON, Mass. -- A Cape Cod doctor who killed her husband after years of physical and mental abuse has asked the state to reinstate her medical license, saying that she is eager to return to her practice. Prosecutors dropped a murder charge against Ann Gryboski last week, after a Barnstable County grand jury declined to indict her for the April 8 murder of her husband of more than 20 years, Patrick Lancaster. Gryboski, a 51-year-old internist who worked in a Yarmouth practice, voluntarily surrendered her medical license after being charged with her husband's murder. Her attorney, Kevin Reddington, said they are working with the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Medicine to get her license back. Read the full Associated Press story. Posted by Jack Perry at 9:05 AM | Comment 4 teens dead after Connecticut crashBRISTOL, Conn. -- Four teenagers were killed and three other people were injured in a two-car collision in Bristol, Conn., about 20 miles southeast of Hartford, late last night, the police said early today. The crash occurred around 11:30 p.m. when one car crossed the center line of Route 6 near St. Joseph Cemetery and struck the other car, then hit a telephone pole, the police said. The four teenagers died at the scene, Bristol police Lt. Thomas Grimaldi said. Their identities and home towns were not released early today. -- The Associated Press The three occupants of the other vehicle were taken to Waterbury Hospital and St. Mary's Hospital in Waterbury, the police said. One person was treated and released, while one remained hospitalized in stable condition, Grimaldi said. The third person was reported to be in critical condition early today and required surgery at St. Mary's, the police said. Officers have not determined whether alcohol may have been a factor, but they believe speed played a role, Grimaldi said. Investigators were attempting early today to determine how fast the vehicles were traveling, where they were coming from, which one crossed the center line and other specifics, he said. "Our biggest concerns right now are for the families of everybody involved in the accident and also getting any unanswered questions answered," Grimaldi said. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 7:51 AM | Comment 2 people shot in ProvidenceTwo people were shot at 66 Bellevue Avenue, Providence, last night shortly after 11 p.m. Police say the victims were taken to a local hospital with injuries that don't appear to be life-threatening. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 7:02 AM | Comment Summer returnsSummer is back, sort of. Temperatures are expected to reach the mid-80s today, according to the National Weather Service, but the skies should stay cloudy most of the day and night. The expected low is 69 degrees. Then tomorrow will be hot, hot, hot with a high of 93 and a heat index reaching 100 degrees. For more weather and regular updates, see projo.com/weather.
Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 7:01 AM | Comment Today's front pageToday's front page features a photograph and update on the Route 195 relocation project, which should partially open by November. Download a copy of today's front page. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:00 AM | Comment August 23, 2007$1.25M settlement in suit alleging abuse by priestPROVIDENCE -- A national group today announced a $1.25-million settlement of a lawsuit that alleged a teenage boy was sexually molested in Maryland and Washington, D.C., by a Roman Catholic priest who was later transferred to Providence to be a youth minister at St. Pius V Church. No one has alleged that the Rev. Aaron J. Cote molested anyone in Providence, but the Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests said Father Cote should never have been allowed to continue parish ministry, much less be placed in regular contact with youths. “This is the type of behavior and actions that allowed the sexual abuse scandal to fester for decades,” the group’s president, Barbara Blaine, said during a news conference in the shadow of the Cathedral of SS. Peter & Paul, near diocesan headquarters. “Our perpetrators were abusing people and church officials knew it and left them out there without warning parents,” Blaine said. “That’s why there were thousands and thousands of children abused, and what we see here is a continuation of that same old policy.” Brandon Rains, who is now 20, filed the suit in 2005 against the order of Dominicans, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington and Father Cote. The suit alleged that in 2001 and 2002 Father Cote “engaged in unpermitted and harmful sexual conduct” with Rains, who was 14 and 15 in that time frame and was involved in the youth ministry at Mother Seton Church in Germantown, Md. The suit says Rains reported the incidents to the police and church officials in 2003. But Father Cote was not charged criminally. In 2005, the police in Montgomery County, Md., told The Providence Journal that the case remained open but the investigation had been suspended pending further information. In 2003, Dominican officials transferred Father Cote to St. Pius V Church, on Elmhurst Avenue. In 2005, the Providence Diocese suspended Father Coted when Rains filed the civil lawsuit in Washington, D.C. Blaine said Father Cote is now living at a Dominican provincial house in Manhattan, and Rains is working in construction on the Gulf Coast, helping to rebuild the hurricane-damaged city. -- Journal staff writer Edward Fitzpatrick The Dominican provincial, the Rev. Dominic Izzo, also wrote to the diocese at the time about Father Cote’s “good character and reputation” and assured Bishop Mulvee that an allegation against Father Cote had “been closed as unfounded.” Also, the diocese said, a background check conducted by the Rhode Island Attorney General’s Office revealed no criminal background for Father Cote. “Upon hearing of an allegation in November of 2005, officials on behalf of the Bishop of Providence immediately contacted the Dominican Provincial instructing that he be removed from public ministry and recalled to the Dominican Provincial house in New York,” the diocese stated. Father Cote was dismissed from the diocese and returned to the provincial house in New York shortly thereafter. The statement concluded saying: “The diocese remains committed to the protection of children and young people as it has for many years.” The Dominican Fathers and Brothers, Province of St. Joseph, based in New York City, issued a written statement confirming that it had entered into a settlement with Rains “regarding his allegations of sexual abuse by one of our brothers.” “We are awaiting confirmation that this settlement has been accepted by the court and the suit has been dismissed with prejudice to the plaintiff,” the statement said. “It is our sincere hope that this settlement will be a source of healing and reconciliation for all involved in these allegations.” The statement encouraged people with allegations to contact a victims assistance coordinator, Teresa Rodriguez, at (518) 573-8254. Blaine said that while she knows of no allegations of Cote molesting youth in Rhode Island, most children are reluctant to talk about such incidents “until well into adulthood.” She said if any parishioners have information about abuse, “they should report that to the police, not the church.” -- Journal staff writer Edward Fitzpatrick Posted by Mike McKinney at 7:18 PM | Comment American Idol hopeful heading to Philly / Photo
PROVIDENCE -- A friendly send-off was held today for an American Idol contestant from Providence. Alexis Brown is winner of this year's New England competition. She leaves for Philadelphia on Sunday to prepare for an audition before the hit show's judges. The farewell party was hosted by Providence Mayor David Cicilline and Donald King, the executive artistic director of the Providence Black Repertory Company. The event was held this afternoon at the Black Rep theater in downtown Providence. Posted by Jack Perry at 6:45 PM | Comment Donations sought for Peru earthquake victimsPROVIDENCE -- Hispanic leaders plan to hold a fundraiser next month to benefit victims of an earthquake in Peru that killed hundreds of people last week. The fundraiser is scheduled for Sept. 8 at the Providence office of the Center for Hispanic Policy and Advocacy. It will take place between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. People are being encouraged to bring cash donations, food, blankets and linens. The Latin Solidarity Committee, which helps people affected by disasters in Latino countries, announced the fundraiser at a press conference today. -- The Associated Press Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:37 PM | Comment Man gets 6 years in prison for meth possessionPROVIDENCE -- A Providence man today was sentenced to 15 years, with 6 to serve in prison, for possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine and for possession of a stolen motor vehicle. Francisco Sanchez Torres, 23, with a last known address of 30 Hollis St., pleaded no contest to the charges in Providence County Superior Court, Attorney General Patrick C. Lynch's office said in a news release. Torres was arrested on July 12 when the Providence police said they saw him on Congress Avenue holding a white plastic bag, and Torres fled into an apartment building. The authorities said Torres discarded the bag behind an abandoned refrigerator in the hallway. He was later arrested driving a stolen car, the news release says. Police found about 6 ounces of crystal methamphetamine -- a potent stimulant also known as "crank" and "ice" -- in the bag. “Although Rhode Island has largely been spared from the proliferation of meth manufacturing and abuse that has wreaked devastation and spiked crime in many sections of our country, we must, and do, recognize the presence of meth in our state,” Lynch said in the statement. “It’s incumbent on us to heighten public awareness, and especially the awareness of young people, about the extraordinarily harmful effects of methamphetamine.” The news release noted that Lynch introduced a bill in the recent legislative session that would stiffen penalties on methamphetamine manufacturing and use.
Judge Daniel A. Procaccini sentenced Torres to 15 years, with 6 to serve and 9 suspended with probation, on the drug count and to 10 years, with 6 to serve and 4 suspended with probation, on the stolen-motor vehicle count. The sentences will run concurrently. Torres had been held without bail as a probation violator since his arrest. He pleaded no contest to two counts of breaking and entering in January 2005 and got a 10-year sentence, with 18 months to serve and 8½ years suspended with probation. Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:36 PM | Comment Voyage to the Black Sea, without leaving Smithfield
SMITHFIELD -- Teachers from districts throughout northern Rhode Island gathered at Smithfield High School library today to use high-tech equipment to confer with ocean explorer Robert Ballard, who is on a voyage of discovery to the bottom of the Black Sea. Ballard was broadcasting from the Mystic Aquarium. Scientists were broadcasting live from the Black Sea. The scientists are excavating the wrecks of two sunken ships from the Byzantine era. Extra: You, too, can watch video reports live from the expedition, via the Mystic Aquarium's Web site, here. Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:35 PM | Comment Sandwich-eating Providence man, 18, shot in legPROVIDENCE -- An 18-year-old city man who said he'd been sitting on a sidewalk eating a sandwich was shot in the leg before noon today. The police went to 2 Carver Court, which is off Pleasant Street, for a report of shots fired. James Goddard stated he was eating on the Pleasant Street sidewalk when he saw a navy blue or black car heading west on Pleasant, according to the police report. He said he started to run after seeing the car and, as he did, shots were fired at him. Goddard's mother, Jeanne Wilson of Pawtucket, stated that she had just made a sandwich for her son when he ran back into the house saying, "Mom, I got shot in my leg," the police report says. Detectives collected shell casings from the scene. A witness recalled for the police hearing approximately eight shots fired and seeing a black car, possibly a Honda or Hyundai, driving off with a male in it. Goddard was initially taken to Miriam Hospital. The injuries were apparently not life-threatening according to the police report, but his condition could not be immediately determined. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:48 PM | Comment Projo launches new high school site, HSGameTime.comHSGameTime.com, a new Web site dedicated to local high school sports, launched today on projo.com, the Web site of The Providence Journal. HSGameTime.com will bring a new Web experience to the local southeastern New England high school sports scene with specific pages for every sport and every school. HSGameTime.com's emphasis on interactivity allows athletes, coaches and fans the opportunity to blog, post photos and videos, create their own Web pages and form their own sports networks. "This site will build interest and participation in high school sports in Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts," said Thomas E. Heslin, managing editor for new media for The Providence Journal. "Its development reflects the importance we attach to this content, and our recognition that high school sports is central to the lives of an important local audience," added Heslin. The site will track player and team stats, team scores, standings, schedules and rosters. Along with breaking news, up-to-date scores and game reports, HSGameTime also will feature the complete, enhanced content from the sports pages of The Providence Journal. HSGameTime.com is a Belo Corp. initiative. Posted by Peter Phipps at 4:19 PM | Comment Report: A WaterFire draws Secret Service eyesThe Kansas City Star reports that WaterFire creator Barnaby Evans and volunteers were setting up a WaterFire Tuesday when they got a visit from the Secret Service, a canine unit and a bomb squad. President Bush was coming to a nearby hotel, the paper reports. The paper quotes Evans as saying the visitors were friendly and "just doing their job." WaterFire has been a Providence nighttime fixture for years. The next one here is scheduled for Sept. 1, kicking off at the 7:20 p.m. sunset. Posted by Mike McKinney at 3:37 PM | Comment Burrillville gets $150,000 grant for 'rail-trail' landBURRILLVILLE -- The town is getting a $150,000 grant toward the purchase of a 60-foot-wide former railroad bed for a project that would enable residents a way to walk and ride bikes between the villages of Harrisville and Pascoag. The Department of Environmental Management grant, for the Harrisville-Pascoag rail trail project, was announced at 11 a.m. today at Levy Elementary School, the DEM said in a news release. The plan is to revive an old railroad track in Burrillville not for trains, but as a trail for pedestrians, bikers or cross-country skiers. The idea is also for people to be able to quickly get to undeveloped open space around Duck Pond, which is south of the land in question. "Burrillville has taken a number of steps to identify and protect its character-defining features. Restoration and revitalization of its villages is taking development pressure off farms and forests, capitalizing on its public investment in infrastraucture, and strengthening its local tax base," W. Michael Sullivan, the DEM director, said in a news release. Nancy Binns, the Burrillville Town Council president, stated: "It affirms our ongoing commitment to a smart-growth comprehensive development plan and rehabilitation of village centers. Regulating growth and preserving green spaces are two major components of any town's continued vitality." -- With Journal archival reports Posted by Mike McKinney at 3:16 PM | Comment Suspect arrested in Providence killing in MayPROVIDENCE -- Police have arrested a suspect in the May murder of 21-year-old Aneuris Caceres. No additional details about the arrest of Kelbyn Ramirez were available. Deputy Chief Paul J. Kennedy says the police department will release more information later today. Police say Ramirez, 26, of Providence, shot Caceres to death after an argument. -- With reports from Journal staff writer Gregory Smith Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 2:29 PM | Comment Small businesses learn about health insurance planSmall business owners, employees and insurance brokers – about 125 people in all – attended an informational session this morning at the Providence Marriott on new, low-cost health insurance plans for small businesses. The plans will be offered to all Rhode Island-based business with 50 or fewer employees, for enrollment beginning Oct. 1. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Rhode Island and UnitedHealthcare of New England will each offer a version of the plan, dubbed HealthPact. Each insurer will limit enrollment to 5,000 people. Those at the info session said they don’t know how high demand will be and urged employers to consider enrolling right away. Paperwork would be due in mid-September for Oct. 1 enrollment. -- Journal Staff Writer Elizabeth Gudrais The United plan will cost an average of $310 a month for individual coverage. An individual plan with Blue Cross will cost an average of $321 a month. Specific companies’ rates will vary from that average based on factors including the average age of the company’s work force. Officials said the insurers would use the same small-group rating system they currently used for small employers. The relatively low premiums depend on employees to take steps to improve and maintain their own health, including regular checkups with a primary-care doctor, maintaining or working toward a healthy weight, and quitting smoking or refraining from smoking. People who do not comply with the plan requirements could be switched into a plan with higher out-of-pocket costs. The General Assembly, in cooperation with the governor’s office, approved the framework for the new plans last year, and asked the insurers and the state Office of the Health Insurance Commissioner to work with representatives of small business and other community members to work out the plan details. This morning’s information session was organized by the Cornerstone Group, a West Warwick-based benefits advisory firm that counts among its clients more than 700 small businesses based in Rhode Island. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 2:16 PM | Comment Portsmouth session on big-box stores is tonightPORTSMOUTH -- The brainstorming session to discuss the proper location of big box stores in town, involving municipal officials and the Aquidneck Island Planning Commission, will be held tonight at 6:30 at the Senior Center on Bristol Ferry Road. It was incorrectly reported in today’s Journal and on projo.com that the session would be held tomorrow night. The event grew out of the controversy over a recent proposal by the Target Corp. to build a 146,500-square-foot department store on West Main Road at Union Street. Town Administrator Robert G. Driscoll said the workshop will be a “critical opportunity” for residents to voice opinions on “where the town should head, so everyone with an idea should definitely plan to be there.” -- Journal staff writer C. Eugene Emery Jr. Posted by Mike McKinney at 1:36 PM | Comment 1 of 2 suspects nabbed in Fall River man's murderDavid Mello, a suspect in the murder of a Fall River man in what police described as a drug deal gone bad in Providence, has been arrested by the state police. The police have not released any additional information about the arrest. Mello, 20, has a criminal history and has lived at several addresses in Providence. Police said yesterday they are also looking for Sylvester Moses, 20, last known address 519A Dexter St., in the West End of Providence. Authorities believe 20-year-old Marc Quintal came to Providence to buy drugs but was instead robbed, then fatally shot. Police have not said which man -- Moses or Mello -- they believe pulled the trigger. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie Jefferson Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 1:12 PM | Comment Textron agrees to fines in Iraq oil-for-food kickbacksProvidence-based Textron Inc. has agreed to pay a $1.15-million fine, acknowledging responsibility for several French subsidiaries' employees' making $600,000 in kickbacks to the Iraqi government in order to get contracts. The U.S. Department of Justice has entered into the agreement with Textron, according to a news release today. It's part of the Justice Department's continuing probe into the United Nations oil-for-food program. Subsidiary employees made "improper payment" to obtain contracts with Iraqi ministries to provide equipment, including industrial pumps and gears. Between 2000 and 2003, three of Textron’s David Brown French subsidiaries in its fluid and power business unit paid a total of about $600,000 to the Iraqi government by inflating the price of contracts by 10 percent before submitting the contracts to the United Nations for approval. "The subsidiaries concealed from the United Nations the fact that the price contained a kickback to the Iraqi government," the Department of Justice says. The oil-for-food program aimed to allow Iraq to sell its oil for humanitarian purposes and required that oil-sale proceeds be deposited in a United Nations bank account and that those proceeds be used by Iraq only to buy United Nations-approved humanitarian goods and services, such as food and medicine. In 2000, the Iraqi government started requiring companies wanting to sell humanitarian goods to government ministries to pay a kickback, "often mischaracterized as an after-sales services fee, in order to be granted a contract," the Justice Department said. The fee was usually 10 percent of the contract price. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Under the agreement, Textron is required to cooperate with the oil for food investigation. The Justice Department agreed not to file criminal charges against the company or subsidiaries given Textron’s "early discovery and reporting of the improper payments" and the company's thorough review of payments and discovery and review of improper payments made in other countries, including India, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates. Also, the Justice Department says the company’s carried out "enhanced" compliance policies and procedures. In a related matter filed earlier today, Textron agreed to pay about $3.5 million in penalties under a Securities and Exchange Commission civil injunctive action. The Justice Department and FBI are investigating Textron and other humanitarian goods suppliers involved with oil for food. Posted by Mike McKinney at 11:56 AM | Comment Newport Grand to start on $20-million renovationNewport Grand is looking to grow. At a groundbreaking ceremony this afternoon, the 31-year-old business is expected to begin work on a $20-million investment that will transform its former jai alai fronton into two floors, housing an additional 835 slot machines. The work is scheduled for completion next summer. When it's done, Newport Grand will offer more than 2,000 slot machines and simulcast wagering to tracks around the country. Newport Grand pledged this investment, which officials say will create 200 additional jobs, in 2005 after entering into a long-term tax stabilization contract with the state. All facilities should be up and running during the construction. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 11:38 AM | Comment Could you be the winning ticket holder?No one hit the $251.1 million jackpot in last night's Powerball drawing, but two Rhode Island players still came out on top. The tickets, both purchased in Pawtucket, matched four of the six numbers drawn. One ticket is worth $10,000, the other worth $40,000. Neither of the winners has claimed their winning, according to a press release. Check your numbers here. After 16 drawings in this game, there has not been a winner. If someone wins the jackpot Saturday, the $300 million prize will be the 4th largest in the history of the Powerball. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 11:11 AM | Comment Police dashboard redesigned for safety
All of this struck Jr. Neville Songwe, a former graduate student in industrial design at the Rhode Island School of Design, as unsafe, especially in the confined space of the modern police cruiser. So he designed something that he thought was better. And today, the Providence police, along with Mayor David N. Cicilline, will unveil Songwe's design, the "Brijo" at the Public Safety Complex. The department will begin road testing vehicles with the new dashboard design soon. After he decided the police cruisers' cluttered dashes had to go, Songwe started his own business, Joneso Design, based in Central Falls. He has shown off his designs -- which include large buttons, dashboard cameras and retractable keyboards -- to police chiefs from around the world at the International Association of Chief of Police conference in Boston. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 10:43 AM | Comment Bryant ranks high in job placementBryant University students are in a good position to find work after graduation, according to the Princeton Review. Its 2008 book, “Best 366 Colleges” ranks the Smithfield-based university’s Amica Center for Career Education number nine among college and university career and job placement services. The center’s services help put “future executives … on a career fast track,” according to the book, which notes that 98.5 percent of the surveyed 2006 graduating class was employed or enrolled in a graduate program six months after commencement. The school recently ranked 17th in the U. S. News & World Report for schools in the northern United States granting master's degrees. The center, formerly the Office of Career Services, has more than 450 companies affiliated with its corporate recruitment program, according to director Judith Clare. The Princeton Review's other top-10 schools for career services are University of Texas at Austin; University of Notre Dame; Pennsylvania State University-University Park; Clemson University, Sweet Briar College; Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology; Southwestern University; Smith College and Cornell University. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 9:34 AM | Comment Fundraiser planned for Peru earthquake victimsPROVIDENCE -- Hispanic leaders plan to hold a fundraiser to help the victims of last week's deadly earthquake in Peru. The disaster ravaged parts of the country and killed hundreds of people. The Latin Solidarity Committee says it plans to announce details of the fundraiser at a press conference in Providence this afternoon. The group -- which was formed to aid those affected by disasters in Latino countries -- says it expects Providence Mayor David Cicilline and other elected officials to attend the announcement -- The Associated Press Posted by Mike McKinney at 8:02 AM | Comment Wrong-sided-surgery patient, 86, diesDoctors are waiting for the results of an examination by a brain specialist before releasing a cause of death for the 86-year-old man who has died less than a month after a neurosurgeon performed surgery on the wrong side of his head, according to state Health Department spokeswoman Andrea Bagnall. Bagnall says she believes the patient, whose name has not been released, died about five days ago. The man went to the emergency room because of increasing lethargy three days after taking a fall. Doctors discovered blood between his brain and skull on the left side, but "failed to make an accurate assessment of the correct location," according to the Health Department, and on July 31, operated on the wrong side. Dr. J. Frederick Harrington, who performed the surgery, was suspended from the hospital and ordered not to perform surgery by the Health Department. This was the third wrong-site surgery at Rhode Island Hospital in six years. The Health Department has ordered the hospital to hire an independent consultant to review and monitor neurosurgery practices. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 7:04 AM | Comment The sun will be a stranger todayDon't expect too much sun today. There may be some sprinkles this morning. The National Weather Service is predicting cloudy skies with a high temperature near 74 degrees. Tonight expect a low of 66 degrees, and patchy fog that may last into tomorrow when the temperature should rise to about 84 degrees. For more weather and regular updates, see projo.com/weather. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 7:01 AM | Comment Today's front pageToday's front page features photographs and a story on the difficulty some Rhode Islanders have in getting to the supermarket, because there aren't any nearby.
Posted by Jack Perry at 7:00 AM | Comment August 22, 2007Still time to catch some art in Providence tonightThere's everything from politics to self-exploration and fulfillment in the artwork on display tonight at the new AS220 Project Space in Providence, as The Journal describes the work of South County artist Claudia Flynn. The exhibit ends Saturday at the AS220 Project Space, 93 Mathewson St. Hours are Tuesday through Friday, 1 to 8 p.m. and Saturday from noon to 4 p.m. Call (401) 831-9327. For more of what's going on tonight and later this week, see projo.com's calendar listings -- already updated with the listings from The Journal's LIVE section, published on Thursdays. Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:55 PM | Comment Intoxicated driver in fatal 2001 crash denied paroleCRANSTON -- The state Parole Board refused today to release the intoxicated driver responsible for stealing a van and killing college student Brigid Kelly in a fatal car crash in South County six years ago. The board found that it would be a disservice to the Kelly family to release Wayne P. Winslow, 55, formerly of Providence, after serving slightly more than five years of a 17-year sentence for ending Kelly’s life on Dec. 1, 2001. "To parole Mr. Winslow would depreciate the seriousness of the offense’’ that led to Kelly’s death and injuries to a mother and two young children in another van that he struck, the board ruled. Today was the first time Winslow had been eligible for parole. He had been sentenced in 25 years, 17 years to serve -- the longest sentence for driving under the influence in Rhode Island ever meted out at that time. The decision to deny Winslow parole was unanimous among the three parole board members: Bennett Gallo, Victoria Almeida and Thomas A. Verdi. The board also ruled that Winslow will not be eligible for parole again until August 2012. Chris Kelly, Brigid’s father, appeared before the parole board today and read an eight-page letter asking the board to keep Winslow behind bars. Kelly was pleased with the board's decision. "I’m very, very happy with the outcome today,’’ he said. "As far as I’m concerned, (Winslow) can die in prison.’’ Kelly vowed to return to the Adult Correctional Institutions in five years to oppose Winslow’s release. -- Journal staff writer W. Zachary Malinowski Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:04 PM | Comment Providence set to send off American Idol hopefulPROVIDENCE -- Before Providence native and regional American Idol winner Alexis Brown goes before the sharp tongues of Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson to try to make it to the Idol finals, she'll get a warm city send-off tomorrow. Brown heads to Philadelphia Sunday to get ready for an audition in front of the Idol judges early next week. She must clear that in order to make it to the finals in Los Angeles for the popular television show. Brown won the New England Idol competition, and Mayor David N. Cicilline and Providence Black Repertory Company executive artistic director Donald W. King will host a send-off news conference at 1 p.m. at the Black Rep, 276 Westminster St. Brown, a Classical High School graduate, "has been singing, dancing and acting most of her life," according to an afternoon news release from the mayor's office. She's also been involved in productions at Black Rep where her stepfather, Michael S. Van Leesten, is the board chairman. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:00 PM | Comment In the heart of the big city, an afternoon dog rescuePROVIDENCE -- Sometimes, even in the big city, where blazes or other calamities claim ownership of the rescue headlines, firefighters come to the aid of a dog. It happened downtown this afternoon. Maybe you were out there watching or just saw the police cars and the Fire Department's special hazards truck, lights flashing, as you passed by in your car and wondered what was up. A brown dog, breed not known, had apparently been swimming for some time in the Providence River. The dog did several "laps" back and forth between the direction of the Providence Place mall and WaterPlace Park, and there was concern the dog was tired but had no way of getting onto land. One estimate was a 200-yard distance -- for just one lap. That's where the police, animal control and firefighters came in around 4:30 p.m. Firefighters Al Sousa and Chris Brown set out on the waters of WaterPlace Park in an inflatable gray raft, wending past the braziers that become ethereal lanterns on WaterFire nights but looked as cold as gray charcoal this afternoon. The dog eluded them, as the firefighters followed a brown head around the water park. Finally, with one of the firefighters reaching over the front of the raft, making clapping motions with his hands, the dog was pulled in and brought ashore. Pockets of people who'd been watching applauded. Do firefighters get calls like this much? "Occasionally," said Fire Department Lt. Tom Walden, as Sousa and Brown prepared to carry the raft back to the truck. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:59 PM | Comment Police name 2nd suspect in Quintal murder / Photo
Police photoSuspect Sylvester Moses
The police said today the warrant is for Sylvester Moses, 20, with a last known address of 519A Dexter St., Providence. He is described as being 6 feet, 1 inch tall, black, weighing 200 pounds and having tattoos on both forearms. Last Friday, the police named David Mello, a 20-year-old with a criminal history, tattoos on his eyelids and a tattoo on his neck that says "Loyalty," as a suspect in either shooting Quintal, or being an accomplice of the second suspect who may have pulled the trigger. Police allege Quintal had come to Providence to buy drugs from Mello. As Quintal pulled into a driveway, police say Mello and another man tried to rob him at gunpoint, and he was shot. Police described both suspects as armed and dangerous. Anyone with information on their whereabouts is asked to call police detectives at (401) 243-6406. All inquiries will be kept confidential, police said. Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:24 PM | Comment Gang member sentenced in triple Fall River shootingFALL RIVER, Mass. -- Mafioso gang member Nigel Vaughn, 21, has been sentenced to serve 18 to 20 years in prison in connection with an April 2005 triple shooting at the former Larry's Sports Pub. A jury had convicted him of three counts of mayhem, three counts of armed assault to murder and one count of unlawful possession of ammunition. All of his victims survived. A fourth person was grazed in the incident. District Attorney Sam Sutter said Vaughn will be on probation for 10 years once he is released from state prison, and the sentence should "serve as a warning to drug dealers and gang members about the kinds of sentences we are going to be asking for when they use their illegal firearms." Police said Vaughn had attacked four suspected rival crack cocaine dealers. -- Journal staff writer C. Eugene Emery Jr. Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:59 PM | Comment PowerBall jackpot tonight weighs in at $245 millionThe PowerBall jackpot tonight bulks up to $245 million -- if someone draws the magic number, it would be the sixth heftiest jackpot in PowerBall history. A PowerBall news release says there have been 15 consecutive drawings with no winner and tonight is the 16th. The $235 million would be paid in 30 installments over 29 years. But if the winner goes for the lump sum option, that payment is estimated at $114.7 million. The drawing will be televised on Channel 12 WPRI tonight at 10:59 p.m. The winning numbers will also be available online at the PowerBall Web site. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:52 PM | Comment 5 more Providence police officers sworn in / Photo
Esserman told the recruits that they have entered a special fraternity, one that will change their lives in ways they can’t imagine. “Today, you join the oldest police department in Rhode Islands and the second-oldest in the United States,” he told the five patrolmen. “You join that long, blue line that includes those who came before you and those who will come after you. Your job involves putting your life on the line. It is a noble job, a proud job. We welcome you and salute your families.” The five recruits are the last graduates of the Police Department’s 64th training academy to join the department; 18 recruits were hired in January and six were appointed last month. As vacancies open, appointments are made to the $823-a-week jobs according to each graduate’s class rank. The Providence Police Department, Cicilline said, has been “one of the city’s great success stories of the last five years.” “For many visitors and newcomers to Rhode Island, you are their first contact,” Cicilline said. “You are the face of the city of Providence, the ambassadors of goodwill.” -- Journal staff writer Linda Borg Then, Esserman removed each man’s badge from a velvet display, attached it to his blue uniform shirt, exchanged salutes and shook his hand. The recruits saluted the mayor before resuming their place in line. As a crowd of some 50 visitors looked on, Kennedy asked each man to step forward while he read a brief biography of the officer’s educational and family background: * Taylor Britto, 25, of Warwick, a graduate of Veterans Memorial High School, who earned a bachelor's degree in criminal justice form Norwich University in 2004. * Ludwig Castro, 30, of Providence, a graduate of Mount Pleasant High School who holds a bachelor's degree in aviation management from Bridgewater State College in 2005. * Alberto DaCruz, 27, of Fall River, Mass., a graduate of Mount Hope High School in Bristol who has a bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of Rhode Island. * Kennedy, 21, of Cranston, a graduate of Pilgrim High School in Warwick who has an associate's degree in law enforcement from the Community College of Rhode Island. * Ivan Tavarez, 29, of Providence, a graduate of Central High School in Providence who attended Roger Williams University. Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:47 PM | Comment Providence man in serious condition after shootingPROVIDENCE -- A 34-year-old city man was in serious condition today after being shot in the face last night. Alexander Reigosa, of 51 Wayne St., was hospitalized at Rhode Island Hospital this afternoon. At about 9 p.m. last night, police went to 49 Wayne St. for the report of a shooting and met with Reigosa, who said a Hispanic male shot him in the face, according to the police report. Police saw that Reigosa had an injury to his face's left side. The police report said a witness stated there was an argument between an unknown suspect and Reigosa. The report said that the suspect, described as being in his teens, about 5 feet, 8 inches tall, and wearing a hoodie, pulled out a gun and shot Reigosa. Police said they located a .22-caliber round in the driveway of nearby 442 Chalkstone Ave. and a spent .22-caliber casing at the rear porch. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:24 PM | Comment URI ushers in 3 new dorms and a dining hallThe University of Rhode Island today dedicated a new dining hall and three new dormitories named after former Gov. J. Joseph Garrahy, retired Judge Alton Wiley and late university President Ted Eddy. The university is opening its first new dining hall in 45 years. The original Hope Dining Hall, which was the oldest campus dining hall, closed in spring 2005, razed to make way for the new Hope Commons, according to a news release. That's a 600-seat main dining hall and a 110-seat coffee/pizza/ice cream shop with a four-sided gas fireplace and a mini-market. "The official opening of Hope Commons marks another momentous step in our efforts to create robust residential communities at the University," university President Robert L. Carothers said in a statement. "Indeed, students can gather here to eat, to study in groups, to enjoy a late-night snack while watching a big game or to meet with a professor in comfortable surroundings." The 47,000-square-foot Hope Commons replaces the original Hope (10,600 square feet) and Roger Williams Dining Center (17,500 square feet).
The new dining area includes several choices. There's Fusion, which has two salad bars offering 48 different items and cook-to-order Asian and pasta stations. Each station has choices such as beef, chicken, tofu and shrimp that are prepared in front of the student. On Saturdays and Sundays, the stations will offer cooked-to-order omelets all day. Astro's Grill, which the university says is meant to evoke a1950s diner, has burgers, hot dogs, soy burgers, soy hot dogs, French fries and "humongous" onion rings. Home Style has dishes "one might eat with his or her family:" meatloaf, roast chicken and turkey, macaroni and cheese, and swordfish among them. Deli Creations includes grilled sandwiches, wraps and subs, and soups. Roger Williams Dining Center closed in the spring, but the plan is to convert it to a student wellness center. Butterfield Dining Hall, which is part of the freshman village, remains open. Posted by Mike McKinney at 3:04 PM | Comment Protest at State House over utilities-aid cut / Photo
Lela Coons, left, of the Warwick chapter of the Campaign to Eliminate Childhood Poverty, talks to Steve Kass, the Governor's representative, during a protest outside the Governor's office today. With her is Kathy Whipple of Central Falls, who has had problems with her electricity being shut off. Coons, Whipple and others were protesting because the state cut some $15 million that would have helped low-income and disabled people pay their utilities. The money was diverted to help close the state budget deficit. Posted by Mike McKinney at 2:51 PM | Comment ACLU backs system of juvenile hearing boardsBARRINGTON -- The Rhode Island affiliate of the American Civil Liberties Union has asked the Barrington Town Council to reject Family Court Chief Judge Jeremiah S. Jeremiah's request to have all cases of underage alcohol and drug abuse sent directly to Family Court instead of the town's Juvenile Hearing Board. The ACLU request is in a two-page letter to the council from Executive Director Steven Brown, who also happens to be a resident. Brown said similar letters are being mailed out today to all police chiefs and municipalities that have local hearing boards that mete out punishment to young offenders who have, in effect, pled guilty to a misdemeanor. Jeremiah, who made the request in response to underage drinking incidents in Barrington, has said he will ask the General Assembly to turn his request into law next year. The Town Council will be weighing the issue at its next meeting, on Sept. 4. Brown's letter does not raise Constitutional questions, just issues of policy and practicality. It notes that the Juvenile Hearing Board system saves on the expense of hiring a lawyer and the long waits involved in having a case heard in Family Court, often during school. Hearing boards usually meet at night. "Juvenile hearing boards have been established in communities across the state for a number of good reasons," said Brown, urging the Town Council to maintain its current system of allowing misdemeanor cases to be heard in town. -- Journal staff writer C. Eugene Emery Jr. Jeremiah's action came in the wake of the death of Barrington teenager Patrick Murphy, who was killed while skimboarding. The 17-year-old operator of the boat faces several charges, including reckless boating, death resulting; refusing to take a breath test; and underage possession of alcohol. Hours after Murphy's memorial service, four teens were charged with underage drinking and the Barrington police broke up a house party with 35 to 40 teens. After that, Jeremiah sent letters to police chiefs throughout the state, saying, "As of Aug. 1, 2007, I am respectfully requesting that all wayward alcohol and drug charges be referred to the Rhode Island Family Court instead of your local juvenile hearing board." Posted by Andrea Panciera at 1:02 PM | Comment Coast Guard derails fishing trip for drinkingThe crew of a New Bedford fishing boat was allowed to re-board this morning, a day after the Coast Guard ordered the boat into port, because two crew members tested positive for alcohol consumption. A Coast Guard team from the Woods Hole station boarded the Competition in Vineyard Sound at about 5:30 p.m. yesterday. The boat was escorted to Great Harbor in Woods Hole. One crew member registered 0.15 on a breath alcohol test, the other 0.12, according to the Coast Guard. The legal alcohol limit for anyone aboard a fishing vessel is .04. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Commercial vessels are boarded “from time to time,” spokeswoman Petty Officer 2nd Class Lauren Downs. “We’re always on the lookout for people who are operating under unsafe conditions.” This morning the New Bedford Marine Safety Office inspected the vessel for safety. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 12:25 PM | Comment Court wants Mollicone to speed up restitutionPROVIDENCE -- The state's most notorious embezzler was back in Superior Court yesterday because a judge wants to speed up his restitution payments. At the rate he's paying now, Joseph Mollicone Jr. needs 13,000 years to make good his debt to the court. He's paying $75 a month toward a $12 million restitution bill. Mollicone was convicted of embezzling in 1993, sent to prison and ordered to make payments for his role in triggering a statewide banking crisis. The former president of the Heritage Loan and Investment Company, Mollicone stole roughly $12 million from his own firm, a move that caused financial turmoil across the state after it came to light on New Year's Day in 1991. Mollicone was also vice president of Rhode Island Share and Deposit Indemnity Corporation -- known as RISDIC --which was declared insolvent. The resulting financial crisis closed 35 credit unions and 10 banks. Hundreds of thousands of Rhode Islanders couldn't access their money for more than a year. In 1993, Mollicone was tried and convicted. He was sentenced to serve 30 years in prison, ordered to repay the $12 million and fined $420,000. Mollicone was released from prison in 2002, but is on parole until 2023. -- The Associated Press, with Journal archival reports Posted by Mike McKinney at 11:45 AM | Comment New trail to connect Harrisville and PascoagAn old railroad track in Burrillville will again give residents a way to get back and forth between the Harrisville and Pascoag villages. The rail is being revived not for trains, but for pedestrians, bikers or cross country skiers as a trail. W. Michael Sullivan, the director of the Department of Environmental Management tomorrow will announce the awarding of a grant to help fund the Harrisville-Pascoag RailTrail project. The design is based on smart-growth, and will allow access to undeveloped open space in the town. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 11:33 AM | Comment Providence patrolman pleads not guilty in alleged rape
Providence Patrolman Marcus Huffman, left, is arraigned in Superior Court.
The 13-year veteran of the police force pleaded not guilty to first-degree sexual assault in Superior Court this morning. “I’m confident we will successfully refute the charges,” his lawyer, Raymond Angell, said. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson, with reports from Journal staff writer Gregory Smith Prosecutors say Huffman encountered the 19-year-old outside of Platforms Dance Club where a bouncer had denied her entrance because she seemed intoxicated. Special Assistant Attorney General Erik B. Wallin said a video shows them entering the District Two police substation on Gordon Avenue together, and shows him exiting alone. She is seen leaving later, alone. In what Wallin called “a cruel irony,” when the alleged victim went to a relative's home and called the police to report that she had been raped, Huffman was the responding officer. Prosecutors asked for bail to be set at $30,000 with surety, however Judge Daniel A. Procaccini set it at $50,000 with surety. Huffman faces first-degree sexual assault, which carries a minimum sentence 10 years in prison. (Correction: The initial version of this report described this as the maximum sentence.) Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 11:02 AM | Comment India Point bridge work to close lanes on 195PROVIDENCE -- Some lanes on Route 195 in Providence will be closed starting Sunday night for construction of the India Point Park Pedestrian Bridge, according to the state Department of Transportation. Crews will be installing 24 concrete beams to carry the bridge over the highway. On Sunday, Aug. 26, construction will begin between Gano Street and Exit 1 on the west side of the highway. One lane will be closed on each side of the highway starting at 8 p.m. Starting at 11 p.m., crews will begin installing beams on the west side of the highway. Drivers will be shifted to the highway's east side with one lane traveling in each direction, according to the DOT. Motorists looking for an alternate route can use the Henderson Bridge. The work could be postponed because of bad weather. But as of now, crews are scheduled to work for two nights, Sunday and Monday, on the west side of the highway, then switch to the east side for Tuesday and Wednesday, Aug. 28 and Aug. 29. Installation could continue for the night of Thursday, Aug. 30. No work is scheduled for Labor Day weekend. Five more weeks of construction will follow beginning Sept. 9. All lanes are scheduled to reopen by 5:30 a.m. Posted by Jack Perry at 10:29 AM | Comment Coast Guard plans oil spill recovery exerciseNEWPORT -- The Newport-based Coast Guard cutter Juniper takes part in an oil spill recovery exercise today in Narragansett Bay. The vessel will deploy an oil recovery system, which includes a containment boom, outrigger arm, inflatable storage device and floating oil-skimming device. The equipment would be used by the Juniper in the event of maritime oil spill in Rhode Island's water. Members of the Coast Guard's Atlantic Strike Team will also participate in this morning's exercise that will deploy from Naval Station Newport. The Juniper's area of responsibility stretches from New Jersey to Cape Cod. -- The Associated Press Posted by Jack Perry at 8:12 AM | Comment City seeking proposals for after-school activitiesPROVIDENCE -- The city is looking for proposals from community-based youth program providers to create an after-school learning activity program for high school students. The proposal that wins would get a $100,000 grant from the city to start a multi-year effort to build a network of after-school programs around the city’s high schools, Mayor David Cicilline's office said in a news release. The team would also need to identify and meet the needs of students going from eighth to ninth grade. And it would track student achievement through graduation from high school. Posted by Mike McKinney at 7:55 AM | Comment Governor to sign bill okaying smaller school busesBRISTOL -- Governor Carcieri today will ceremonially sign a school bus bill that his office said is "expected to result in thousands of dollars of savings for local school districts." School districts will be allowed to use small-size buses, vans and SUVs to take students to and from school as of Sept. 1. The signing is slated for noon at the Bristol-Warren Regional School Department Building, 151 State Street, Bristol. The bill, H-6371, was sponsored by Rep. Douglas W. Gablinske, who represents Bristol and Warren, and co-sponsored by Rep. Roger A. Picard of Woonsocket. Examples of the new buses will be at the ceremony. According to records on the General Assembly Web site, the bill was officially signed into law on July 2. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 7:03 AM | Comment More cool weather on tapRelatively cool weather will continue today with the temperature expected to reach only 68 degrees in the Providence area, according to the National Weather Service. It should be mostly cloudy today with wind from the east between 7 and 9 mph. There's a slight chance of showers tonight after 9 p.m. The temperature should drop to about 57 degrees. For more weather and regular updates, see projo.com/weather. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:02 AM | Comment Today's front pageToday's front page features a story about a ban on religious events at the State House that has been ignored for years. Download a copy of today's front page in .pdf format. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:00 AM | Comment August 21, 2007Photo: Beach blanket required
Posted by Andrea Panciera at 6:58 PM | Comment A story before bed tonight for the young -- at heartWould you like someone to tell you a story before you go to bed -- 30-year-old, 40-year-old, 65-year-old you? "IDs Required: Storytelling and Fun for Grownups" is tonight at 7:30 at The Towers in Narragansett. Bill Harley and Keith Munslow with Marty Ballou will be telling stories and performing tunes for grownups. Admission is $15; the address is 35 Ocean Drive. For more information, call (401) 782-2597 or go to www.thetowersri.com. Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:47 PM | Comment Blackstone River bridge, bikeway opening next weekA special ceremony next Tuesday will mark the opening of the Martin Street Bridge and the portion of the Blackstone River Bikeway that runs underneath it, the state Department of Transportation announced today. The opening of the link between the Berkeley section of Cumberland and the Quinnville section of Lincoln comes after a 10-month delay and a $1.1-million cost overrun. The completed project will provide suitable passage for tractor-trailers and emergency vehicles over the Blackstone River and allow pedestrians and cyclists to ride along the Blackstone River Bike Path via a passage underneath the bridge. The new bridge replaces a more-than-100-year-old span that serves as a vital link between Route 122, or Mendon Road, in Cumberland, and Route 126, or Old River Road, in Lincoln. The 10 a.m. ceremony will be held on the bikeway below the bridges. Speakers will include representatives from the state Department of Transportation, the state Department of Environmental Management, the Federal Highway Administration, the John H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor Commission, and the state Historical Preservation and Heritage Commission. The bridge and the bikeway will reopen to the public at the close of the ceremony. -- Journal staff writer Philip Marcelo Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:40 PM | Comment Cranston to Hollywood: A star on the Walk of FameCranston, Newport and the Hollywood Walk of Fame are about to have something in common: Vin di Bona. Di Bona, who introduced America's Funniest Home Videos in 1989, is slated to get the star in a ceremony Thursday, according to the list of upcoming Hollywood Walk ceremonies. It will be the 2,346th star on the walk of fame. The ceremony will be at 1559 Vine St., Hollywood, at 11:30 a.m. Di Bona, who grew up in Cranston and is a part-time resident of Newport, has won Emmy and Peabody awards. He has many credits to his name , including the cable program Sherman Oaks on Showtime. -- projo.com staff and wire reports Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:17 PM | Comment Update: Renaissance Hotel wraps up opening / Photo
It took more than 80 years, but the Masonic Temple finally got its ribbon ceremony today, as it officially opened as the Renaissance Providence Hotel. Ground was broken on the building site in 1926. Financial mishaps and unfinished proposals kept the building mostly empty until 2004, when Denver-based Sage Hospitality began work on the 272-room hotel. The hotel has actually renting rooms and holding events for more than a couple of months. And it had an "opening of the hotel doors" ceremony in early June, which was preceded by "soft" opening. The proceeds from today's room rentals will be donated to the The VMA Arts and Cultural Center, the Rhode Island State House Restoration Society and the Music School of the Rhode Island Philarmonic. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 5:57 PM | Comment Update: After concrete falls, other spans to get a lookCUMBERLAND -- After falling concrete from a Route 295 overpass damaged cars yesterday afternoon, the State Department of Transportation said today that engineers are currently looking at other bridges in the state’s inventory that may have the potential for similar problems. Transportation officials said a 20-foot-long, 4-inch wide piece of concrete edging apparently broke off from the Mendon Road overpass and fell into the roadway. The concrete damaged three northbound cars, forcing the partial closure of both sides of the interstate and all four lanes of Mendon Road that cross over the highway. (See a map of the area.) The closures caused traffic delays into the evening commute. Baker said all loose concrete has been removed from the parts of the overpass that span the roadway, assuring that there is no danger to motorists. An inspection of the overpass late yesterday found it to be structurally sound. The department is determining how many overpasses were built similar to the Mendon Road overpass, which is classified as a steel-stringer type bridge. If deemed necessary, the department will send crews to the bridges, according to Joseph Baker, senior civil engineer for the department. Baker was unsure how many of the state’s 1, 014 bridges were built in this design. “We have a few hundred different designs for overpasses,” he said. “Design selection is based on what is appropriate for a given area.” State DOT maintenance crews were expected to return to the overpass tomorrow from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. in order to check areas of the bridge around the grass median, but not over the roadway. State DOT spokeswoman Dana Nolfe said the department may close one lane on either side of the overpass, depending on what crews find. (All lanes of Route 295 were re-opened at 5:10 a.m. Tuesday). -- Journal staff writer Philip Marcelo “We don’t expect many more areas of concern,” said Baker. Concrete edging from the Mendon Road overpass, located just before Exit 10 heading northbound on Route 295, fell sometime before 2 p.m. on Monday. State and local police closed two northbound lanes on I-295 and the portion of Mendon Road (also known as Route 122) while state Department of Transportation workers removed loose concrete material from the underside of the overpass. The cars were damaged after they drove over chunks of concrete in the roadway, but no car was hit directly by the falling concrete and no one was hurt in the incident, according to the state police. The operators were able to drive their vehicles off the roadway. The concrete was not reinforced since it was not a structural component of the bridge, said Baker. “It’s not typical of every overpass,” said Baker, who described the concrete as residue from when the deck of the bridge was poured. The state DOT says there is likely no one cause for the crumbling concrete, but rather said a number of factors contributed to its deterioration. Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:22 PM | Comment State replaces Smart Staffing after reviewing bidsPROVIDENCE -- Smart Staffing is out of a job. The temporary hiring firm that received an emergency no-bid contract last fall worth up to $11 million will be replaced by the New York company Adil Business Systems, Inc. in the coming weeks. Foxboro-based Smart Staffing currently employs 276 people in state government -- dentists at the state prison, homeland security specialists, health data analysts -- and became the face of a contentious inquiry into Governor Carcieri’s use of contract employees last legislative session. Smart Staffing’s contract expired July 1 and was extended 90 days while a committee reviewed bids from nine staffing firms, including Smart Staffing. Adil edged Smart Staffing out by just a few points based on the committee scoring system, which was weighted heavily toward each company’s overhead rate. Smart Staffing currently charges the state 22.5 percent overhead, but had proposed dropping the rate to 19.75 percent in its bid. Adil, which has come to a tentative three-year agreement with the state, will charge 16.7 percent, a number so low that government officials initially worried it may force the company into bankruptcy, like Smart Staffing’s predecessor Data Logic, according to Dan Majchercq, supervisor of fiscal services for the Department of Administration. “We were all surprised that the rate came in as low as it did, but we’re comfortable that the new vendor can meet the requirements,” Majcher said. -- Steve Peoples, Journal State House Bureau Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:39 PM | Comment Rollover delaying traffic at Exit 9 on Rte. 95SDrivers should expect delays if they are heading south on Route 95 near Exit 9, where there has been an accident, the state Transportation Management Center reported at 4:05 p.m. The location is the exit for Route 4 south in East Greenwich. A vehicle is reported to have rolled over into the grass median. It's not yet known if emergency vehicles have blocked any lanes. Check here for the status of the traffic incident. Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:35 PM | Comment Attorneys general fight 'misleading' drink adsRhode Island's Patrick C. Lynch is one of 29 attorneys general urging the federal Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau to stop alcoholic energy drink-makers from running what the officials called misleading advertising. In a letter to John Manfreda, the trade bureau administator, the attorneys general said energy drinks containing alcohol mimic non-alcoholic energy beverages that are popular with young people. And the officials say alcoholic energy drinks pose serious health and safety risks. “Beverage companies are unconscionably and deliberately targeting young drinkers in touting their claims about the stimulating properties of alcoholic energy drinks,” Lynch said in the news release. “The advertising and marketing of these drinks -- with claims that the alcoholic energy beverages increase stamina or can have an energizing effect -- appeal to teenagers as well, heightening our level of concern. Lynch's office states that medical researchers and public health professional say stimulants in alcoholic energy drinks "may cause an intoxicated person to falsely believe that he or she can continue to drink and function normally, even behind the wheel of a car." -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 2:27 PM | Comment Lots of lottery players pick the lucky numbersA lot of people have lucky numbers, and apparently, a lot of people have the same lucky number. The lucky number? 1954. On a single game, the Lottery typically brings in more revenue than it pays in prizes. Last night’s drawing paid out $198,000 -- nearly three-times as much as it brought in. Jennafer Rampone, a lottery spokeswoman, says she can't say for sure how many people bought tickets, but total revenues were $68,345 and tickets cost either 50 cents or one dollar. In the past year and a half, the machines have stopped accepting certain numbers because of their popularity twice. It didn't happen last night, but it happened in December 2006, when the lucky number was 12-26 ; and in May, when a winning player talked his family into buying dozens of tickets after, he said, the numbers came to him in a dream. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 1:54 PM | Comment Crews will take another look at Cumberland bridgeMaintenance crews will return to the highway overpass in Cumberland where falling concrete damaged three cars and backed up the evening commute yesterday. Officials had originally planned to do the inspection tonight at midnight, but will wait until tomorrow morning. The department does not expect that any traffic lanes will be closed for the inspection. Joseph Baker, a senior civil engineer with the state Department of Transportation, says a maintenance crew will return to the Mendon Road overpass of Interstate 295 to look at additional sections of the bridge that are not directly over the interstate. See a map of the area. Officials are also looking at other bridges around the state that may have a similar problem – loose, non-structural concrete. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 1:46 PM | Comment Ethics panel doesn't drop charges against Montalbano
It rejected a request today from Montalbano's attorney to dismiss charges or to allow him a jury trial. Montalbano is accused of violating state ethics rules by supporting a referendum for a casino in West Warwick at the same time he was doing legal work for the town. He failed to report that work on mandatory financial disclosure forms. His attorney, Max Wistow, says he'll appeal the decision through the courts. Wistow claims there was no conflict of interest. He says the state constitution allows General Assembly members to vote however they choose without fearing criminal prosecution or other penalties. -- The Associated Press Posted by Mike McKinney at 1:38 PM | Comment Carcieri appoints King executive counselGovernor Carcieri has appointed a former candidate for lieutenant governor as his new executive counsel, the governor's office announced today. Kernan "Kerry" King, of Saunderstown, replaces Andrew Hodgkin, who recently left his position, according to the governor's office. King will join the governor's office late next month. King lost in the Republican primary for lieutenant governor last September. King, a 1965 graduate of Providence College, spent most of his career, from 1969 to 1996, with New England Mutual Life Insurance Co., where he was the company’s general counsel for nine years, according to Carcieri's office. He eventually became president and director. King earned his law degree from Boston University Law School in 1968. He also earned a legal master’s degree in taxation from the school in 1971. Carcieri also announced that Claire Richards, who has served as his special counsel since 2003, will also be leaving state service. Richards served former Governor Almond as executive counsel from 2001 to 2003 and as deputy executive counsel from 1995 to 2001. Posted by Jack Perry at 12:01 PM | Comment Providence ranked as likely tourism 'hot spot'PROVIDENCE -- What do Providence; Almaty, Kazakhstan; and Newfoundland, Canada have in common? The Wall Street Journal says they're contenders for the next "Hot Spot" in the world of tourism. An interactive map says travel industry experts think Providence is poised to become a major tourist destination thanks to the city's varied restaurants and an art scene that visitors can explore by "gallery hopping." Other destinations to watch out for, according to the article: Honduras; Montenegro; Rwanda; Seychelles; Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi; Sanya, Hainan Island, China; and Boracay, Phillipines. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 10:56 AM | Comment Swansea police see increase in heroin, make arrestSWANSEA —The police announced today that they apprehended a suspected drug dealer after a car and foot chase that resulted in the seizure of $10,000 in heroin and more than $100,000 from the man’s car. The arrest of Matthew K. Langevin, 25, of 226 Swansom Road, followed a chase that took place Tuesday. The incident was the result of an investigation by local police and the Southcoast Anti-Crime Team (SCAT) into what the authorities described as an “increase in heroin sales and availability in the Swansea/Somerset/Rehoboth area.” The investigation led the narcotics investigators to set up a sting last Tuesday. Around 5:15 p.m., an undercover officer purchased an undisclosed amount of heroin from Langevin, according to police. When officers attempted to take him into custody, he fled. Det. Marc Haslam, Somerset Det. Tracy Costa and Sheriff’s Office Lt. Michael Nunes pursued Langevin down Route 6 and through a residential neighborhood off Maple Avenue, where he blew out a tire. Langevin jumped out of the car and ran. But the officers caught up to him and took him into custody. A search of Langevin’s car led to the seizure of 2,442 bags of heroin, $110,000 in cash, a small amount of marijuana, suspected drug ledgers, and two double-edged knives, according to the police. The car and a cell phone were also seized. Langevin was charged with trafficking in heroin, heroin possession, reckless driving, resisting arrest, possession of a dangerous weapon, using a motor vehicle during the commission of a felony, failure to stop for police and possession of marijuana. His bail was set at $5,000 cash at his arraignment. -- By Richard Salit, Journal staff writer Posted by Jack Perry at 10:18 AM | Comment Accident on Route 6, Providence, slows commuteAn accident on Route 6 Eastbound in Providence has put a snag in morning traffic. Check out the road conditions online on the Department of Transportation's traffic cameras. Fire apparatus are at the scene.
Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 7:21 AM | Comment Arguments today in Montalbano ethics casePROVIDENCE -- The state Ethics Commission takes up its case against Senate President Joseph Montalbano this morning. Montalbano's attorney is expected to ask the commission to dismiss charges against his client -- or grant his request for a jury trial. Montalbano is accused of violating state ethics rules by supporting a referendum for a casino in West Warwick at the same time he was doing legal work for the town. Montalbano's attorney, Max Wistow, says there was no conflict-of-interest. He also says the state constitution allows General Assembly members to vote however they choose without fearing criminal prosecution or other penalties. -- The Associated Press Posted by Jack Perry at 7:02 AM | Comment Mild and cloudyMild and cloudy. That's what the National Weather Service is predicting for Providence today. We'll see a high temperature of about 70 degrees and a low of 53. There's a 20 percent chance of rain. More of the same is expected tomorrow. For more weather and regular updates, see projo.com/weather. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 7:01 AM | Comment Today's front pageToday's Providence Journal features a story reporting that charges were dropped against a drug suspect in U.S. District Court, because Providence police investigators withheld records of their investigation. Download a copy of today's front page. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:00 AM | Comment August 20, 2007Update: Overpass work under way after concrete falls
CUMBERLAND -- A state transportation spokeswoman said concrete that fell this afternoon from the Mendon Road overpass that crosses Route 295 caused no "structural impact" to the bridge. The concrete that fell was "purely decorative," said DOT spokeswoman Dana Nolfe. She described the falling concrete as a 20-foot-long, 3- to 4-inch wide piece that had apparently broken off from the edge of a support beam near the concrete haunches that hold up the overpass. Three northbound cars were damaged after they drove over chunks of concrete in the roadway, but no car was hit directly by the falling concrete and no one was hurt in the incident, according to state police. The falling pieces led officials to close two northbound lanes on I-295 between Exits 10 and 11. All four lanes of Mendon Road were closed. The state Department of Transportation said an inspection of the overpass late today found it to be structurally sound and that crews were working into the night to remove any loose material from the structure. The DOT hoped to reopen the lanes later today. Traffic on Mendon Road, also known as Route 122, was diverted from the overpass area while DOT crews inspect the structure. See a map of the area DOT's Nolfe said the crumbling concrete could be attributed to the contraction and expansion of the concrete during the recent weather changes. Corrosion from road salt may also be a factor, she said. Department inspectors will have a better idea what may have caused the collapse in the coming days, said Nolfe. The state DOT issued an alert for "emergency road work" at the location and noted throughout the afternoon and early evening that traffic was heavier than normal in the area. Check here for status updates. The falling concrete came weeks after a Minneapolis bridge collapse put national attention on bridge safety. That was a large span crossing water, and several people died as a result of its collapse. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson andf Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Journal staff writer Philip Marcelo Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 6:43 PM | Comment Paz, facing assault charge, proclaims innocenceWARWICK -- Former boxer Vinny Paz gave a statement to the media today, decrying the latest charges he faces and proclaiming his innocence. Paz turned himself in to police last month and was charged with domestic simple assault and domestic disorderly conduct against his girlfriend, Ashley P. Spencer, 25, of Eliot, Maine. On July 27, police found Spencer, bloody-nosed and crying, on Cowesett Road, not far from Paz’s home at 54 Tivoli Court. He is set to appear in Kent County Court for a Sept 10 trial. Speaking via e-mail through his publicist, Nick Cordasco of Prince Marketing GroupNew Jersey, Paz expressed disdain for domestic violence. “Domestic abuse, I don’t like it,” the statement said. “I am against it and I don’t do it. I never have and I never will ... This has been the worst month of my life because of this accusation. I am known for beating up world champion fighters, never women.” Paz went on to state that he maintains friendships with all of his former girlfriends. -- Journal staff writer Talia Buford Most recently, he pleaded no contest to a drunken-driving charge last month stemming from a February incident when he refused to take a chemical breath test when Warwick police found his yellow Jeep parked with its engine running at a gas station. He was asleep behind the wheel. For his plea, Paz was sentenced to substance-abuse treatment and 60 hours of community service, and prosecutors dismissed the charge of refusing an alcohol test. Paz was also fined $600 and his driver’s license was revoked for 18 months. The Cranston native and current Warwick resident changed his legal name from Vincent E. Pazienza to Vinny Paz four years ago. Paz has worked as a TV sports commentator and endorsed a number of products since his retirement from the boxing world in 2004. He is currently playing the lead role in the movie Thunder Doyle, which is being filmed in Rhode Island. Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:22 PM | Comment Report: Deaths involving drunk drivers in R.I. declineThe number of fatal motor vehicle crashes involving at least one drunk driver/motorcyle operator in Rhode Island dropped by nearly 15 percent last year from 2005, according to national data out today. There were 34 such crashes in 2005 and 29 in 2006 in which at least one driver or operator had a blood alcohol account of 0.08 or above, the National Highway and Transportation Safety Administration's annual assessment found. Massachusetts saw a 7.4 percent drop. New Hampshire saw a 13 percent decrease. But Connecticut saw an 11.2 percent increase. In another category -- crashes found to be "alcohol related'' -- Rhode Island's numbers dropped by 12.5 percent, the reports says, from 48 to 42. These crashes involved at least one driver, a passenger, pedestrian, cyclist with a blood alcohol content of 0.01 or above. (Those numbers include the fatal accidents in which at least one driver had at least a 0.08 blood alcohol content in the first category). -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:35 PM | Comment 8 school districts without contracts; no strikes loomWith Rhode Island schools scheduled to start opening next week, teacher unions in eight districts have not signed new contracts -- including Providence, the state’s largest district, with 26,000 students and 2,100 teachers. Contracts in Burrillville, East Greenwich, Exeter-West Greenwich, New Shoreham, Providence and Tiverton are due to expire Aug. 31. Teacher contracts in Jamestown and the Ponaganset regional district shared by Foster and Glocester expired June 30. The first day of school is as early as Aug. 28 in some districts and as late as Sept. 5 in others, including Providence. So far, no district is threatening to strike. Representatives of the state’s two teacher unions, the National Education Association of Rhode Island and Rhode Island Federation of Teachers, say they think teachers will report to work as usual, even if a new contract is not in place by the time school starts, although they emphasized that decision is up to individual districts. Union officials say Jamestown, New Shoreham and Tiverton have tentative agreements in place and are close to signing new contracts. Burrillville, East Greenwich and Ponaganset are in mediation. The union in Exeter-West Greenwich is waiting for a mediator, said Robert A. Walsh Jr., executive director of NEARI, which represents the seven suburban districts with unsigned contracts. -- Journal staff writer Jennifer D. Jordan Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:33 PM | Comment Union won't take to street on demonstrator's behalfNORTH PROVIDENCE -- Town officials and union members agreed today that a rally on behalf of a protester hurt when she was taken into custody here by police will be held at the high school parking lot, and not as a street march. Members of the Industrial Workers of the World met with the mayor and representatives of the police department this morning, more than a week after Alexandra Svoboda, 22, sustained a broken leg while being arrested. Conflicting accounts of the incident have surfaced, as well as calls for investigations into the police's behavior. Svoboda remains hospitalized; she was listed in good condition today at Rhode Island Hospital. IWW members initially said they would march down Mineral Spring Avenue again this Sunday -- and was calling in members from around the Northeast -- to bring attention to the Svoboda incident. The group initially had said that it intended to defy the town and parade without a permit. But today, labor representative Mark Bray said, “An agreement has been reached between police, the town and the Industrial Workers of the World." Instead of a march down the center of town, the group will hold a rally at the high school parking lot. “We don’t need to have anyone encourage any further confrontation,” Mayor Charles Lombardi said. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Lombardi says he has seen flyers on the streets for counter-protests. "We don’t need this at that time," he said. “The mere fact that there will not be a march… I want to say it’s a win-win for everyone.” The confrontation with police occurred on Saturday, Aug. 11, on Mineral Spring Avenue as the group marched to protest against Jacky’s Galaxie restaurant, which the union said was doing business with a distributor that did not abide by fair labor practices. The restaurant's owner, Kin Wah “Jacky” Ko, has since said he stopped doing business with the company after hearing the union's allegations. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 4:22 PM | Comment Update: Charges dropped for 1 who alleged conspiracyPROVIDENCE -- The U.S. Attorney's Office has dropped drug charges against one of the two men who alleged that the Providence police and their former defense lawyer, the brother of Providence Mayor David N. Cicilline, conspired to set them up and then make the case against them disappear for $200,000. The decision to drop the charges against Khalid Mason came after police surveillance dating back to 2004 was discovered in the attic of the case's lead investigator, Sgt. Scott Partridge. Partridge testified in July that he had little-to-no notes or recorded records of the investigation. The finding “irreparably damaged the procedural aspects of this case,” U.S. Assistant Attorney Stephen Dambruch said this morning. Last month, Mason testified that the Providence police had planted drugs in his apartment at 214 Pavilion Ave. in Providence. He also claimed that his former defense lawyer, John Cicilline, offered to have the charges dropped if Mason and Isom each paid him $100,000. Co-defendant Derek W. Isom has pleaded guilty and is scheduled for sentencing next month. Mason was set to go to trial today. The U.S. Attorney's Office filed a motion to dismiss charges last week. Isom, formerly of 85 Dunnell Ave, Pawtucket, has pleaded guilty to crack cocaine charges and was awaiting sentencing. Mason, who testified at a hearing last month before U.S. District Judge William E. Smith, charged that Cicilline and his paralegal/interpreter, Lisa Torres, conspired to shake down the drug dealers. Cicilline and Torres, subpoenaed to testify by Mason’s lawyer, Michael J. Connolly, of Boston, both took the stand last month and invoked their Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination in refusing to answer questions. CORRECTION: The initial version of this report incorrectly said that charges had been dropped against both Mason and Isom. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson, with reporting from Journal staff writer Gregory Smith and archival reports. Cicilline was indicted on federal charges in Boston in January, along with lawyer Joseph A. Bevilacqua Jr., of a similar scheme to collect $150,000 from two drug-dealer clients to manipulate the criminal-justice system. Juan A. Giraldo, a paralegal and interpreter for the two lawyers, was also charged. Providence Police Chief Dean M. Esserman today said he agreed with the U.S. attorney's decision to drop the charges. He also said there would be an internal investigation – aided by the U.S. Attorney – of the conduct of Partridge. When asked whether Partridge committed perjury when he said he did not have written records of the investigation, Esserman said he'd look into it. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 2:24 PM | Comment Alert: Concrete falls onto Rt. 295 in CumberlandCUMBERLAND -- State Police say concrete from an overpass has fallen into the northbound high-speed lane of Interstate 295. Capt. James Swanberg says he believes some vehicles were hit by the concrete, which fell off the Mendon Road, or Route 122, overpass near Exit 10. He said he has not been informed of any injuries. The state Department of Transportation has issued an alert for "emergency road work" at the location. Check here for status updates. More to come ... Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 2:22 PM | Comment Sunken sub giving military divers real-world trainingPROVIDENCE -- For U.S. Army and Navy divers, it's not every day they work on the potential rescue of a Russian submarine. But in another only-in-Rhode-Island moment, they're getting that chance in the Providence River for the next two weeks. Divers today are slated to continue underwater surveying of the former Soviet cruise missile submarine K-77 -- which had been reborn as a museum -- to figure out if it can be recovered and how from the river bottom, the organizers of the sub museum said in a news release. The Juliett 484 sank during a storm on April 17. The underwater surveys were scheduled to begin yesterday and are slated to run through Sept. 4. The information they collect will be forwarded to engineers at Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) to determine how best to recover the ship. Frank Lennon, the museum president, said in the statement that approximately 30 divers and an Army Landing Craft unit will be involved -- part of the Department of Defense's Innovative Readiness Training program. Under the training program, the surveying here is a joint project of active-duty and reserve divers from the Army and Navy and, in this case, the landing craft. They get "training by taking part in real-world, community-based projects," the sub museum says. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney The landing craft unit is to serve as the diving platform for personnel at Collier Point Park, where the sub is located. The Army divers are coming from from Fort Eustis, Va., and the Navy divers are coming from Norfolk, Va. The idea is to give the divers training that differs depending on the location and conditions in terms of underwater visibility and other factors, said Lt. Cmdr. Leslie Hull-Ryde, public affairs officers with Navy Expeditionary Combat Command, in an interview. In Providence, Hull-Ryde said the divers will be tethered to an air source on the diving platform or land; they are not scuba divers in the sense of wearing tanks on their backs. "Whenever possible, we want to simulate a realistic training environment," she said. Such divers do find themselves called to all sorts of real-life situations. They've been working in Minneapolis at the site of the tragic bridge collapse. They've worked on a project to remove tires used in the creation of a reef off Florida. "We get this training while at the same time helping to benefit a local community," said Hudd-Ryde. "So it's a win-win situation for everybody." Posted by Mike McKinney at 2:04 PM | Comment Gas prices down for fifth week in a rowAccording to AAA Southern New England, we'll see cheaper prices at the pump for the fifth straight week. The company's survey shows prices for regular, unleaded gasoline averaging $2.769 per gallon at the self-service pump. That's down five cents from last week and 19 cents from last month. With the lowest gasoline prices since April 9 -- last year this time it was $3.049 -- the state is matching the national average, according to the AAA survey. To compare national gas prices, AAA refers to the Oil Price Information Service. Its numbers, obtained by a different method, are available here. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 12:04 PM | Comment Hurricane Dean heads for Grand Cayman
The westward moving storm is expected to gather speed before it hits the Yucatan Peninsula, a popular vacation destination spot in Mexico, tonight. The storm’s impacts are reaching beyond the Caribbean. Far beyond. Astronauts on the space shuttle Endeavour had to pack up early after concerns from NASA officials that the winds might threaten mission control, located at the Johnson Space Center in Houston. Track the storm, which is moving westward at about 21 miles per hour, and read the latest updates and warnings at the National Hurricane Center's Web site. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 9:39 AM | Comment All state beaches open for businessSure, the sun is hidden behind gray clouds and the National Weather Service is predicting a high temperature of just 68 degrees today, but every one of the state's beaches are open for business. After follow-up testing, the state's Department of Health says the bacteria levels were once again safe at the Bristol, Barrington and Warren Town Beaches, as well as the Atlantic Beach Club beach in Middletown. Warren Town Beach had been closed since August 9th. The others were closed on the 15th. All four beaches were re-opened last week. For more information, visit the state's beach closure page at www.ribeaches.gov Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 7:33 AM | Comment Is it really August?Yes, it's still August, but temperatures are not expected to climb any higher than 68 degrees, according to the National Weather Service. In Providence, expect an overnight low of about 53 degrees. There's a slight chance of rain around 3 a.m. Tomorrow's high temperature is also forecast to be on the chilly side of 70 degrees, and there's slightly higher chance of rain
Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 7:02 AM | Comment Rhode Island Hospital "tops off" new buildingPROVIDENCE -- Rhode Island Hospital is preparing to celebrate a milestone today in the construction of its latest expansion project. One of the final pieces of steel for the hospital's newest buildings will be lowered into place after being signed by hospital staff, management and board members. It's all part of a traditional ``topping off'' ceremony. The new addition will offer more private rooms and new cardiac care and telemetry units. It's the largest portion of a three phase project to increase the number of beds at the hospital while taking the oldest beds out of service. -- The Associated Press Posted by Jack Perry at 7:01 AM | Comment Today's front pageToday's front page features photographs and a story about a farm in Matunuck run by members of the Carpenter family since the late 1800s. Download a copy of today's front page. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:00 AM | Comment August 17, 2007Truck accident briefly shuts Rt. 95S lane at Exit 7WEST WARWICK -- A truck struck a bridge in the areas of Exit 7 on Route 95 south this evening, causing a minor battery acid spill and closing the right lane in that area, the state Transportation Management Center reported at 6:08 p.m. All lanes were reported back open by 7 p.m. The tractor-trailer was hauling a fork truck, according to an initial report from the TMC on the incident. Posted by Mike McKinney at 7:10 PM | Comment Cumberland 10-year-old to appear on Jeopardy!When Kids Week arrives this year on Jeopardy! -- and grown-ups' jaws drop as impossible questions are easily fielded by half-pints -- Rhode Island will be represented. Eddie Kwiatkowski, 10, of Cumberland will be a contestant during the Kids Week, scheduled to air Oct. 8 through Oct. 12, according to a Jeopardy! news release today. He is one of 15 child contestants, ages 10 to 12. They are scheduled to be in Los Angeles next week and will tape five shows. The winner of each show keeps the cash he or she wins, with a minimum guarantee of $10,000. Posted by Mike McKinney at 7:05 PM | Comment New owner for the Capital Grille, Longhorn chainsMIAMI -- Darden Restaurants Inc., which operates the Olive Garden and Red Lobster restaurant chains, has agreed to buy the owner of the LongHorn Steakhouse and Capital Grille chains for about $1.19 billion. Darden, the world's biggest casual dining operator, said it would buy all Rare Hospitality Inc.'s outstanding shares for $38.15 per share in a tender offer. The price is a 39 percent premium to Rare's closing price Thursday of $27.51. The deal value is based on 31.1 million shares outstanding. Clarence Otis, Darden's chairman and chief executive, had hinted recently that the Orlando-based company might buy another chain to boost growth. It already has plans to aggressively expand Olive Garden, its Italian eatery, after failing to get its Smokey Bones barbecue concept to catch on. Darden valued the deal at $1.4 billion, which includes outstanding debt and capital lease obligations. Darden has 1,400 restaurants, with more than 600 Olive Gardens and 600 Red Lobsters. Atlanta-based Rare Hospitality has 317 restaurants, including 287 LongHorn Steakhouse restaurants, including one in Warwick, R.I., and 28 Capital Grille restaurants, including one in Providence, R.I. "Rare Hospitality's two outstanding brands and the talented leadership and restaurant teams behind them enhance Darden's entire organization, but particularly our unit growth prospects," Otis said in a statement. -- The Associated Press Darden has stayed mostly steady despite tough times in dining, with high mortgage interest rates, skyrocketing gas prices and even increased competition from fast-food restaurants possibly crimping profits. For the fiscal year ended in June, Darden sales were up 4 percent to $5.57 billion. Darden said savings will be created by supply chain and purchasing integration, increased advertising effectiveness and consolidation of corporate and restaurant support infrastructure. "Darden has the right culture and the resources to help LongHorn and Capital Grille prosper in an intensely competitive industry," said Philip J. Hickey Jr., chairman and chief executive of Rare Hospitality. Hickey will stay on for a year as an adviser to Otis, who will retain his titles. Darden said it would finance the deal through cash, a new $1.2 billion senior interim credit facility and a $700 million senior revolving credit facility. The restaurant operator said the acquisition would be neutral to its earnings in 2008, excluding one-time transaction and integration costs. Darden and Rare's boards both have already approved the deal. The tender offer is expected to close in October. In May, Darden closed nearly half its 129 Smokey Bones locations and put the other 73 on the sales block because stores weren't selling enough. It also owns Bahama Breeze, a Caribbean-themed restaurant and bar, and Seasons 52, an upscale dining experiment. Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:20 PM | Comment Jury: Shooting by Cranston officer legally justifiedA grand jury has found the actions of a Cranston police officer, who shot an apparently suicidal man who lunged at him with a knife, were "lawful and legally justified." A news release from Attorney General Patrick C. Lynch's office said the Providence County grand jury finished its investigation into facts and circumstances of eight-year Cranston Police veteran Jaime Cahill's June 14 shooting of Keith Olin and did not indict. On that day, Jeremiah Rainville, 21, of Cranston called 911 at about 4:53 p.m. to report a possible suicide attempt by a friend, Olin, 44, also of Cranston, in Rainville's apartment at 28 Harris Ave., according to the police information in June. Cahill wounded Olin when Olin lunged at him with a knife, according to a police report released in June. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:53 PM | Comment Providence man sought in city's most recent murderPROVIDENCE -- The police are seeking a 20-year-old Providence man with "loyalty" tattooed on his neck who is wanted in connection with the city's eighth homicide of the year. The police announced this afternoon they obtained an arrest warrant for for David Mello, described as 5 feet, 8 inches tall, weighing 150 pounds, with the neck tattoo and tattoos on his eyelids. The arrest warrant charges him with one count of murder. "To Mr. Mello, I would recommend that you turn yourself in," Police Chief Dean Esserman said at a news conference in front of the public safety complex. The police said they had five known addresses for Mello. The police stopped short of saying Mello was the shooter in the Wednesday night killing of Marc Quintal, 20, of Fall River, Mass., in South Providence. The police are also looking for a second suspect, whom they have not identified, described as a 6-foot black male with a tattoo on his right arm. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Journal staff writer Gregory Smith The police have said Quintal drove to South Providence with three other men in a silver Nissan Altima, looking to buy drugs, and parked in the driveway of a house at 255 Pearl St. at about 6:40 p.m. Wednesday. The police said today that during the trip from Fall River to Providence, Quintal was in cell phone contact with Mello. More than one person then approached the car in an attempted robbery, and Quintal was shot. Quintal managed to drive about a half-block to the parking lot of a Burger King on Broad Street, where the car stopped and a passenger ran into the restaurant and asked someone to call 911. Quintal was rushed to Rhode Island Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:24 PM | Comment Great White to play club where 'Dimebag' Darrell diedCOLUMBUS, Ohio -- The rock band whose pyrotechnics ignited a deadly nightclub fire is scheduled to play an Ohio venue tonight that has its own troubled past. Great White is booked to perform at Alrosa Villa, the Columbus nightclub where guitarist ``Dimebag'' Darrell Abbott and four others died in a 2004 shooting. The fire on February 20, 2003, at The Station nightclub killed 100 people. It began when the band's pyrotechnics ignited flammable soundproofing foam inside the club. Concert industry watchdog Paul Wertheimer of Los Angeles-based Crowd Management Strategies calls it ``a match made in hell.'' The club's manager says he realized the booking would raise eyebrows but was thinking of the fans. Great White lead singer Jack Russell says his band will always be under a cloud but wants to keep moving on. -- The Associated Press Posted by Mike McKinney at 3:34 PM | Comment No signs in RI of skeeters with West Nile or Triple-EWe've cleared the muggiest month's halfway mark, and no mosquitoes in Rhode Island have tested positive for West Nile Virus or Eastern Equine Encephalitus. Test results from 35 mosquito pools -- from 32 traps around the state -- during the week of Aug. 6 came back negative for West Nile and Triple-E, the state Department of Environmental Management said today. Results from two samples that were pending from the week of July 30 also came baclk negative. But the DEM advises that people take precautions because "west Nile Virus and Eastern Equine Encephalitus are both firmly established throughout the state." That means eliminating mosquito breeding grounds, namely standing water. Get rid od old tires, buckest, junk and debris, and clean gutters so they drain properly. Maintain swimming pools. One cup of standing water can produce hundreds of mosquitoes, the DEM said. The DEM notes that Triple-E has been detected in mosquito samples just over the line in Seekonk and Rehoboth. For more information, go to www.dem.ri.gov and click on "public health updates" or go to www.health.ri.gov and click on "E" for Triple-E or "W" for West Nile. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 3:01 PM | Comment Coast Guard cuts fishing boat's trip for safety rulesThe Coast Guard today ended a 38-foot boat's fishing trip from Block Island to Montauk, N.Y. -- Long Island's eastern tip -- because it said the vessel failed to meet safety regulations. In a news release, the Coast Guard said crew from its cutter Chinook, from New London, Conn., boarded the Karen Sue at about 11 a.m. and found the life raft had expired and that the three-man fishing crew aboard had just two survival suits aboard. Federal regulations require commercial fishing vessels to have enough suits for every crewman aboard, the Coast Guard said. The Chinook escorted the boat and crew to Montauk, where they were told not to get underway until violations were corrected. "Our main concern is preservation of life," Ted Harrington, the First District Coast Guard chief of vessel compliance oversight, said in the statement. "If we find a fishing crew that is dangerously out of regulation, we're going take action to make sure they have what they need to be safe." Posted by Mike McKinney at 2:50 PM | Comment Idol in Cranston: Hundreds with 1 dream / Photo
CRANSTON -- Hundreds of American Idol hopefuls gathered at Gibbs College this morning, vying for a free trip to a regional audition in Philadelphia on Aug. 27. Contestants came from as far as California to sing before panels of local musicians, radio personalities and music producers. Organizers plan to announce finalists at about 3 p.m., and a single winner will be chosen later in the afternoon. Stephanie Lariviere, 16, of Cranston was one of a handful of singers who camped out last night. “We had a half hour of sleep,” she said. The event is sponsored by WPRI Channel 12. -- Journal staff writer David Scharfenberg Posted by Mike McKinney at 1:02 PM | Comment Bird deaths in Barrington draw a $1,000 rewardBARRINGTON -- Defenders of Animals today said it would pay $1,000 to anyone with information leading to the arrest and conviction of the people responsible for the bizarre deaths of at least 15 birds at a birdhouse on Humphreys Road. Some type of spray adhesive was apparently used in the case, said Dennis Tabella, the organization's director. "After traces of residue were found around the birdhouse, there is no doubt that this was a deliberate and sick act by an individual (or individuals) that need to be identified," he said. The remains of the birds were discovered Aug. 4 on the ground near the large cedar birdhouse, which can hold eight nests and resembles a UFO with spikes. Owner Reed Caster said the clear substance, which never seems to dry, was apparently sprayed up into the roof of the birdhouse. It continues to coat the inside of the roof and the foliage beneath it. He said he hopes the Department of Environmental Management, which is investigating the case, can identify the substance. "Apparently something was sprayed and some wings stuck together," said Tabella. "I know there are sprays to glue things down at photo and copying places, but this sounds like something really strange." "It's terrific someone would put up a reward. That's great," Caster said. "It was such a stupid act." -- Journal staff writer C. Eugene Emery Jr. Posted by Mike McKinney at 12:00 PM | Comment Update: 3 killed in Tiverton car crash ID'd / Photo
They are Michael Tripp, 23, of 262 Wilbur St., Fall River, Mass., and formerly of Tiverton; Kenneth P. Griffin, 18, of 301 Bulgarmarsh Road, Tiverton; and Kimberly Sartini, 18, of 21 EastView Drive, Little Compton, according to Police Chief Thomas Blakey. According to the preliminary investigation, speed was a factor and no one was wearing seatbelts. Tripp is believed to have been the driver. The police said the car had been heading west when it flipped onto its roof. This morning, the father and stepmother of Kimberly Sartini embraced young people at the scene and surveyed the area. Roger Sartini told press at the site that it looked to him as though the car -- a compact Volkswagen -- may have hit a large rock on the road, went into the air and came to rest in a field. Small trees appeared to have been damaged.
The four were described as friends, Blakey said. The state police have been asked to reconstruct the accident. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Journal photographer Bob Thayer Posted by Mike McKinney at 11:59 AM | Comment Quaker files for bankruptcy; liquidation is nextFALL RIVER -- The struggling Quaker Fabric Corp. has filed for bankruptcy, the company announced today. After years as a major player in the region's upholstery and fabric sector, Quaker fired all 920 of its employees, including at least 62 Rhode Island residents, earlier this summer. In a statement released this morning, Quaker said a bankruptcy judge will now oversee the sale of all of the company's equipment and real estate. Posted by Peter Phipps at 11:50 AM | Comment Could Harvard-Brown game move for Yom Kippur?CAMBRIDGE, Mass. -- Harvard wants to reschedule a football game against Brown University next month because it conflicts with the start of Yom Kippur. Harvard had scheduled the game against Brown for Sept. 21 at 7:30 p.m. The Jewish high holiday of repentance begins at sundown that day. Harvard fans complained -- and the university has asked Brown to move the game to Sept. 22, after Yom Kippur ends. Chris Humm, a spokesman for Brown football, says the program hasn't decided whether to honor the request. Robert Scalise, Harvard's athletic director, says the Friday night game time was scheduled because Harvard believed it would draw the most freshmen to its newly illuminated stadium. -- Associated Press Posted by Mike McKinney at 11:48 AM | Comment A Purple Heart for Guard lieutenant / Photo
All present applaud Lt. Robert Vaccaro after Maj. Gen. Robert Bray, left, pinned the Purple Heart on him at the Providence Armory this morning. In back are his parents, Richard and Sarah, and siblings Bethany, 22, Nathaniel, 10, Anna, 19, and John, 17, (in back). Journal photo / Kathy Borchers PROVIDENCE -- Rhode Island Army National Guard Lt. Robert Vaccaro was awarded the Purple Heart in an early morning ceremony at the Providence Armory. The medal is awarded in recognition of wounds Vaccaro sustained while serving in Iraq earlier this year. Vaccaro, 24, was critically wounded Jan. 14 in Baghdad while conducting route clearing operations. He has recently returned home after treatment in Maryland and Florida, and remains on active duty during his recovery. Vacarro deployed with th 130th Engineering Company, Puerto Rico National Guard. He was commissioned through the Reserve Officer Training Corps when he graduated frmo the University of Rhode Island in 2005, when he joined the Guard and was assigned to the 861st Engineering Company, which had recently returned from Iraq. Upon completing the U.S. Army Basic Officer Engineering course, he volunteered to deploy with the 130th Engineering Company, Puerto Rico, according to a news release from the Rhode Island National Guard. "We are thrilled to have Lt. Vaccaro back with us here in Rhode Island today. His actions in Iraq on the day he was injured speak to the incredible level of dedication to duty which he displayed," said Maj. Gen. Robert T. Bray, adjutant general of Rhode Island and commanding general of the Rhode Island National Guard, in the news release. Posted by maria caporizzo at 9:50 AM | Comment Download today's front pageThe crisis at DCYF and a rogue slot machine at Twin River lead today's Journal. Posted by Peter Phipps at 8:49 AM | Comment Marine forecast: No time for the queasyThere's a small-craft advisory for the Massachusetts and Rhode Island coast through tonight. The National Weather Service warns boaters that both the seas and the winds will be uncomfortably high today and tomorrow. And if a thunderstorm develops, things could get really dangerous. The weather service expects conditions to moderate by Sunday. But for today and tonight, the forecast is for 3 to 5 foot seas with wind gusts tonight of 20 kts. That's not a forecast for the weak of stomach. Those 5-foot swells should still be around Saturday before calming on Sunday to 2 to 3 feet by the end of the weekend.
Posted by Peter Phipps at 6:55 AM | Comment Just one more day of this; the weekend looks greatBrace yourself for another hot and muggy day. There might even be some rain and even a thunderstorm this afternoon. The National Weather Service puts the chances at 40 percent. But then the cold front that is stalled over the coast will move out, and dry, cool and clear weather will move in for the weekend. Tomorrow and Sunday, the weather service says it will be clear with highs in the mid 70s. Posted by Peter Phipps at 6:52 AM | Comment Why the new highway crisscrossesAll lanes of Route 95 south between exits 18 to 20 and the Route 195 connector ramp to Route 95 south reopened this morning between 4:15 to 4:30. The work soars overhead Route 95 just east of Rhode Island hospital. The giant turquoise steel structure of the new highway can now be traced connecting Route 195 to Route 95. And because the infamous high-speed merges are being eliminated, the lanes have to cross overhead. So, for the work going on now, the connection between Route 95 south and Route 195 east has to cross over 95 and crossover the connector to the new 195 bridge to get to the southern most eastbound lanes. Think about it. That's the safe way. But it would have been much easier to connect to the high-speed lanes. -- Peter Phipps, projo.com Posted by Peter Phipps at 6:41 AM | Comment August 16, 2007The King, 30 years gone, may have had one wishSure there are Elvis look-alikes and -- sort of -- sound-alikes, but perhaps on this, the 30th anniversary of the King's passing, he would have simply liked us all to go out tonight for some tunes. (And enjoy a peanut butter and banana sandwich -- said to be one of his favorites). 
Photo courtesy of Jeanne LeMay DumasElvis Presley and Jeanne LeMay Dumas, 1973: "Elvis and me looking elated after receiving my diamond ring".
Steve Anthony and Persuasion, pop, 20 Water Street, 20 Water St., East Greenwich. 885-3700. 8:30 pm-12:30 am. The Automatics, rhythm and blues, American Legion Post 10, 830 Willett Ave., Riverside. 433-9859. 9 pm. Matty B. & Joe, pop, Club Royale at Newport Grand, Admiral Kalbfus Boulevard, Newport. 849-5000. 9 pm. Black & White featuring Ted Stevens, rhythm and blues, Rusty's, 44B Wave Ave., Middletown. 846-8141. 9 pm. Chris Botti, pop, Cape Cod Melody Tent, 21 West Main St., Hyannis, Mass. (508) 775-5630, www.melodytent.org. 8 pm. $37.25, $51.25. Brass Force, pop, Bovi's Town Tavern, 287 Taunton Ave., East Providence. 434-9670. 9 pm-1 am. The Complaints, rock, Olives, 108 North Main St., Providence. 751-1200. 10 pm-2 am. $5. The Coppola Sisters, pop, Cher's Restaurant, 86 Waterman Ave., North Providence. 231-6209. 9 pm. Cruise Control, rhythm and blues, The Room at Waterstreet Cafe, 36 Water St., Fall River. (508) 672-8748, www.waterstreetcafe.com. 9 pm. For the full array, check out the Journal's club listings. And note this: Rhode Island has a stronger connection to Elvis than just a group of bands trying to find that magic on the road. Jeanne LeMay Dumas, a former secretary of the King's, now lives in Coventry. You can read about her -- she's gone to Graceland this week. For those who choose to stay in, you can remember the King by learning more about him here. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 7:05 PM | Comment DCYF director: R.I. needs 50 more social workersPROVIDENCE -- Rhode Island must hire almost 50 social workers at the state's foster care agency to meet national guidelines. That's according to testimony today from Patricia Martinez, the director of the Department of Children, Youth and Families. She spoke before a state Senate committee investigating how DCYF handles children in foster care. A federal civil rights lawsuit filed this summer alleges that the agency failed to stop the abuse and neglect of some children in its care. The lawsuit by the state's child advocate alleges that DCYF social workers are overwhelmed -- especially in its Providence office. A national advocacy group recommends a standard of 14 families per caseworker. Martinez says achieving that goal would require hiring 44 social workers and four more supervisors. Fifteen new social workers are starting the job in September. -- The Associated Press Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:39 PM | Comment Union won't picket, restaurant stops using supplierPROVIDENCE -- The Industrial Workers of the World, which waged a demonstration Saturday outside the North Providence Jacky's Galaxie restaurant, said in Superior Court today it will no longer picket the state's five Jacky's Galaxies. And the owner of the North Providence restaurant, Kin “Jacky” Ko, assured in court that he is no longer using Dragon Land Trading, a New York restaurant supplier that spawned the labor union's protest. The organization has accused the restaurant of buying supplies from Dragon Land and that Dragon Land has violated labor laws. Saturday's demonstration led to an apparent scuffle with police. A 22-year-old woman involved in the protest suffered serious leg injuries. The IWW's Providence chapter had said it would demonstrate outside state Attorney General Patrick C. Lynch's office today if he did not respond to "demands" they had listed. But Lynch did respond, so the group held a news conference outside the attorney general's building instead. Lynch, through a spokesman yesterday, called on North Providence police to turn over the results of any investigation into the injuries suffered by the demonstrator, Alexandra Svoboda, so his office can conduct a review. He said the state police will assist in the review. Top North Providence police officials have denied police brutality, and Major Joseph Lombardi said in today's Journal -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Journal staff writer Richard C. Dujardin Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:36 PM | Comment Governor appeals ruling he must testify about raidGovernor Carcieri this afternoon filed an appeal of a judge's ruling that he must testify at the trial of seven Narragansett Indian tribal members who were arrested during a state police raid on a tribal smoke shop in 2003. The appeal, which had been anticipated, was filed at about 3 p.m. with the state Supreme Court. Earlier this month, Judge Susan E. McGuirl ruled in Providence County Superior Court Friday that the defendants’ rights to put on a defense and cross-examine witnesses outweighed the governor’s claim of executive privilege. Extra: More about the raid and its aftermath ... Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:58 PM | Comment Update: Bristol veterans home chief put on leaveBRISTOL -- The administrator of the Rhode Island Veterans Home has been placed on administrative leave, with pay, while the state carries out a review of management issues at the Bristol facility. David Kirchner, who has been administrator since July 1998 and is paid an annual salary of $93,592, was placed on leave yesterday, according to a spokeswoman for the state Department of Human Services, which oversees the operation of the nursing home. Charles Ramos, who has been an assistant administrator at the home for many years, has taken on Kirchner’s duties on an interim basis. Ramos is a licensed nursing home administrator. The move follows the public release last month from a special legislative commission studying the home of an interim report that criticized some aspects of its management and operation. The commission, convened by the House Veterans Affairs Committee, found signs of problems in the nursing system, low morale among staff members, antagonism toward residents or their families who complain or challenge established procedures, and abuse of policies concerning the authorized release of information to families. -- Journal staff writer Alex Kuffner The 11-page report, dated July 6, included allegations that the president of the home’s Residents Council had been ordered to take 35 mental competency evaluations in a seven-year period because of his advocacy for residents’ rights and his frequent disagreements with home administrators. It also reported that members of at least two families who had frequently disagreed with resident care had, on separate occasions, been threatened with arrest by home administrators. In its report, the five-member special commission chaired by state mental health advocate H. Reed Cosper cautioned that it had not confirmed the accusations. The commission is set to write a second interim report before issuing its final report in January. Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:17 PM | Comment Parole denied for drunk driver in fatal 2003 crashPAWTUCKET -- The drunk driver who caused the accident that killed community-minded businessman Joseph T. McHale four years ago has been denied parole. The decision came after an emotional hearing at which McHale’s wife, son and daughter described the devastating effect that McHale’s death has had on them and implored the Parole Board to keep Dean M. Martin behind bars. “I hope that he will be made to complete his sentence because he imposed on my son, daughter and me a life sentence,” Rose McHale, 64, said during yesterday's hearing. The accident that took her husband’s robbed her of a longtime companion, Mrs. McHale said. “I will never be the same and the depth of that loss is immeasurable,” she said. McHale, who lived in Seekonk, Mass., was chief executive officer and co-owner of John J. McHale and Sons, Inc., and PRM Concrete Corp. of Pawtucket. He was 59, a businessman active on local boards and commissions, when he died of the injuries he suffered in the June 24, 2003, crash. The Parole Board decision was made public today, 24 hours after Parole Board members met with the McHales, then talked to Martin in prison. -- Journal staff writer John Castellucci Martin, a 45-year-old Pawtucket man who was a mason at the time of the accident, won’t be eligible for parole again until August 2009, Parole Board spokeswoman said. He is serving a nine-year sentence at the Adult Correctional Institutions as a result of his conviction on charges of driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol, death resulting, and reckless driving, death resulting. Assistant Attorney General Jay Sullivan said Martin had methadone in his bloodstream, plus twice the legal limit for alcohol, when his car, traveling at 65 mph, rear-ended the McHales’ car in a construction zone near the Pawtucket ‘S’ curve on Route 95. Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:07 PM | Comment Update: GTECH pays out $450,000 for slot errorGTECH has reimbursed the state for more than $450,000 that a video lottery terminal at the Twin River gambling parlor paid out in error over a seven-week period earlier this summer. The state is entitled to a share of the video slot-machine gambling revenues at Twin River. GTECHis conducting an investigation to determine how the error occurred and whether the company might recover any of that money, a spokesman for the lottery giant, Bob Vincent, said today. The machine was accepting patrons’ money and immediately doubling the amount inserted -- for example, allowing patrons to redeem a $40 credit if they inserted $20 -- up to a maximum of $100 credit for $50 inserted, Vincent said. Although the investigation is ongoing, Vincent said it appears the machine was equipped with a feature that allowed gambling facilities to double patrons’ money on purpose as part of a promotion, and that the option may have been turned on by mistake when the machine was installed May 25. Vincent said the machine was removed from the Lincoln gambling facility on July 15 after GTECH noticed the machine’s payout-to-play ratio was higher than it should have been. Vincent said the machines are monitored continuously, but malfunctions may still go unnoticed for a period of weeks because a large payout can also temporarily drive a machine’s ratio much higher than the average. A ratio that stays elevated, rather than returning to average, would indicate a malfunction, he said.
Vincent said the company is reviewing surveillance videos to see if it’s possible to identify individuals who redeemed the doubled credits. In particular, he said the company will try to determine whether anyone organized an effort to obtain the payouts systematically. “I would assume that would go into an area that is criminal activity,” Vincent said. Although the state police are the enforcement arm of the state lottery, the police are not yet involved in the investigation, officials said. “We have no criminal investigation being conducted at this time,” Maj. Joseph R. Miech, state police spokesman, said today. “There’s been no criminal complaint filed.” Posted by Mike McKinney at 3:46 PM | Comment R.I. Guardsman to receive Purple Heart tomorrowA Rhode Islander back from Iraq will receive the Purple Heart tomorrow morning at a ceremony in Providence. Lt. Robert M. Vaccaro of Kingston will get the medal -- awarded in the name of the nation's president to anyone in the armed forces who is wounded or killed during combat -- after being wounded on Jan. 14 while doing route-clearing operations in Baghdad, the Rhode Island National Guard said in a news release today. Vaccaro, of the Rhode Island National Guard, had critical wounds and was treated initially at Bethesda Medical Center and then at the Veterans Affairs hospital in Tampa, Fla. He recently returned home. The ceremony will be held at the Armory of Mounted Commands, 1051 North Main St., at 7:45 a.m. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Vaccaro was comissioned through the Reserve Officer Training Corps upon graduating from the University of Rhode Island in 2005. He immediately joined the Rhode Island Army National Guard and was assigned to the 861st Engineering Company, which had recently returned from Iraq. After completing the U.S. Army Basic Officer Engineering Course, he responded to a request for volunteers to deploy with the 130th Engineering Company, Puerto Rico Army National Guard. He remains on active duty while recovering from wounds. "We are thrilled to have Lt. Vaccaro back with us here in Rhode Island today. His actions in Iraq on the day he was injured speak to the incredible level of dedication to duty which he displayed," Maj. Gen. Robert T. Bray, who commands the Rhode Island National Guard, said in the statement. "That he volunteered to deploy with another unit so that they did not have to go short handed is a true testament to Lt. Vaccaro and we couldn't be prouder of his actions nor happier that he is back with us." Posted by Mike McKinney at 2:15 PM | Comment Providence murder victim ID'd as Fall River man, 20PROVIDENCE -- Providence police today identified last night's murder victim as Marc Quintal, 20, of Fall River, Mass. Maj. Stephen Campbell, commander of police investigative division, said Quintal and three other men drove to Providence last night to make a drug deal. Campbell said Quintal parked his Nissan Altima at Hayward and Pearl streets. He was approached by a group of men who attempted to rob him. Then, one or more of the men pulled a gun and fired into the car. Quintal was hit. The gunman ran away. Quintal was able to drive half a block to the parking lot of a Burger King where one of the passengers asked someone in the restaurant to call 911. Quintal was pronounced dead at Rhode Island Hospital. The police later found a semi-automatic handgun in the area that they suspect killed Quintal. No arrests have been made. But Campbell said detectives have information that they believe will lead them to a suspect. -- Journal staff writer Gregory Smith Posted by Peter Phipps at 1:52 PM | Comment Public can share DCYF experiences at hearingPROVIDENCE -- The Senate Committee on Health and Human Services is holding a http://www.projo.com/news/content/dcyf_public_hearing_08-14-07_066M2DQ.326e367.html3 p.m. hearing on the public's experiences with the state Department of Children, Youth and Families. It is scheduled to be in the Senate Lounge on the second floor of the State House. The committee is holding hearings in part because of the recent state child advocate's lawsuit over DCYF's handling of children in state care. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with Journal archival reports Posted by Mike McKinney at 1:41 PM | Comment New ice rink bubbles up in Cranston / Photo
Posted by Andrea Panciera at 12:02 PM | Comment Campaign against drinking and driving to beginThe Rhode Island Police Chiefs Association announced today it's teaming with the Department of Transportation to crack down on people who drink and drive, beginning tomorrow and running through Sept. 17. The campaign's theme is "choose a designated sober driver or someone else will choose one for you," the chiefs' association said in a news release. Nearly half of Rhode Island's highway deaths involve alcohol, the association said. The kickoff will be held tomorrow at the Veterans Memorial Auditorium in Providence at 2:15 p.m. Speakers includes Col. Brendan P. Doherty -- who heads up the state police -- the vice president of the chiefs assoication, the Department of Transportation director, and the chief state medical examiner. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 11:50 AM | Comment Route 95 lane restrictions tonight for the Iway projectPROVIDENCE -- Drivers tonight can expect temporary lane restrictions in the exit 18 to exit 20 area, the Department of Transportation said. Starting at 8 p.m., workers will begin shutting lanes on one or both sides of the highway between Exits 18 and 20, with the maximum lane closures taking place after 11 p.m. At least one lane in each direction will be open. All lanes will be reopened by 5:30 a.m. for the morning commute. Work will take place on Sunday through Thursday nights. No work is scheduled for Friday or Saturday night or holidays. The DOT advises drivers to use Route 295 or Route 10 as alternate routes during the overnight. The DOT had shut down part of I-95 over the past two weeks to allow for safe installation of steel beams on the Iway project. Steel beam setting will resume in approximately six weeks over Eddy Street and Allens Avenue. Local road closures may happen then. And the DOT expects to resume overnight full highway closures sometime toward year's end to allow for pouring of a concrete deck on top of the steel assemblies. Information on lane restrictions will be posted daily at www.dot.state.ri.us/traffic. Posted by Mike McKinney at 11:14 AM | Comment Update: Bristol veterans home chief put on leaveBRISTOL -- The administrator of the Rhode Island Veterans Home has been placed on paid administrative leave, pending review of the management issues at the veterans home, a state Department of Human Services spokeswoman said. David Kirchner was put on leave yesterday while the department investigates complaints from families of residents about limited access to their loved ones after questions were brought up about care. It was not yet clear what dollar figure is attached to the paid leave. A special legislative commission's interim report earlier this month criticized some operations at the veterans home, finding problems that include antagonism toward residents. The report said "reliable sources" gave information to the five-member Special House Commission to Study Potential Administrative and Functional Improvements at the Rhode Island Veterans Home. The study is continuing and the commission won't issue a final report until the General Assembly regular session resumes in January. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Journal staff writer Alex Kuffner Posted by Mike McKinney at 11:11 AM | Comment Smithfield couple: Essay won't get you their houseSMITHFIELD -- A Smithfield couple has decided to sell their ranch house the traditional way after an earlier plan to give it to the winner of an essay contest met with little interest. Yelena and Anoosh Khaze said they wanted the four-bedroom house to go to a low-income family who would explain in an essay why they needed the home. The couple charged a $100 entry fee for the contest and said they needed a minimum of 3,200 entrants to make the contest financially viable for them. They didn't come close. Despite attempts to publicize the contest, the Khazes said they received only 48 entries. The couple promised to reimburse 90 percent of the entry fees if they failed to reach the minimum number of entrants, and they say they will now make good on that promise. -- The Associated Press Posted by Mike McKinney at 11:07 AM | Comment $200,000 PowerBall ticket bought in PawtucketThe Lottery Commission says a winning ticket worth $200,000 was sold in Rhode Island. The ticket matched the first five numbers in last night's PowerBall drawing for $183.7 million, but not the final PowerBall number. The ticket was bought at Joe's Cedar Street Shell in Pawtucket. Posted by Peter Phipps at 9:57 AM | Comment Update: Cianci makes a deal with WPROFormer Providence Mayor Vincent Buddy Cianci will be resuming his talk-show career at WPRO. He'll start September 20. Cianci, who got out of federal prison this spring, will host a show in a time slot that has yet to be determined. The station manager today said a decision would be made in two weeks. The announcement was made at 7:10 with morning host Ron St. Pierre and Cianci chatting about the former mayor's return to WPRO. There had been speculation that Cianci was going to WPRO's rival, WHJJ. And Cianci this morning didn't deny that he had looked at more than one proposal. So why, St. Pierre asked, did Cianci choose WPRO? In addition to the money, or as Cianci called it, "the faces of the presidents," the former mayor said he picked WPRO because it's "the heritage station of Rhode Island." Over the past 20 years, Cianci has sandwiched radio work around two long stretches at Providence City Hall. He first worked at WHJJ and then briefly at WPRO in 2002 before going to prison on a corruption charge. St. Pierre introduced his interview today with Cianci with a joke about how early it was. "I bet you didn't think I could get up this early," Cianci replied. Cianci said he would be provocative, but not negative. "I don't have an agenda. I'm out of politics," Cianci said. -- Peter Phipps Your turn: What time slot is best for Buddy? Program Director Paul Giammarco said the details of the station's line-up of talk show hosts will be announced later. Giammarco said that the station's four existing hosts, St.Pierre, John DePetro, Rush Limbaugh and Dan Yorke, will all remain at the station. "Ron, John, Rush and Dan are important members of our station's line-up," he said. "Each provides the public with their unique perspectives on local, regional and national issues, and the forum for the public to engage, be entertained and be informed." "Right now," Giammarco said, "everyone is going to be here." Posted by Peter Phipps at 7:56 AM | Comment Thunderstorm possible today; weekend looks greatIt will be mostly cloudly today and hot. But there's a cold front on the way, the National Weather Service says. That means we could get a thunderstorm tonight and tomorrow. But then the weekend looks like it will be dry and sunny. Posted by Peter Phipps at 6:55 AM | Comment Routes 95 and 195 reopen on schedule.All three parts of Routes 95 and 195, closed overnight, reopened this morning by 4:40. The crews building the new 195-95 interchange last night closed all or parts of: Route 95 north between exits 18 and 20; the Route 195 ramp to 95 south and Route 95 south. The lanes closed at 11 last night. The Department of Transportation promised to have the highways reopened by 5:30 for the morning commute. Posted by Peter Phipps at 6:49 AM | Comment Download today's front pageThe latest crisis at DCYF and part 5 of Download file">Green Power lead today's Journal. Posted by Peter Phipps at 6:46 AM | Comment August 15, 2007In Warren, ' State of the Union' takes center stageTonight could be a nice one to catch some theater. In Warren, 2nd Story Theatre puts on "State of the Union," which its describes as a Pulitzer Prize-winning comedy that "waltzes between back room and bedroom, between affairs of state and affairs of the heart." The play starts at 8 p.m. Admission is $25. Performances run through Sept. 1. Looking for more going-out ideas? Check projo.com's calendar of events. Posted by Mike McKinney at 7:08 PM | Comment Airport Corp. backs lease for yacht yard at QuonsetNORTH KINGSTOWN -- The Rhode Island Airport Corporation gave preliminary approval today to lease 32 acres of land at the Quonset Airport to a Florida developer seeking to construct a shipbuilding and repair yard for giant yachts at the Quonset Business Park. The state agency that controls the business park, the Quonset Development Corporation, has already indicated its support for the project, setting aside 43 acres along Narragansett Bay south of the southern pier at Davisville. But the airport property is considered critical to that project, and the initial approval today gave a promising signal to Island Global. “This was a crucial piece for Island Global Yachting to move forward,” Dyana Koelsch, a QDC spokeswoman, said. “Without it, the deal would not have gone through.” -- Journal staff writer Benjamin N. Gedan Posted by Mike McKinney at 7:05 PM | Comment Fox tests positive for rabies in HopkintonHOPKINTON -- Police shot a fox over the weekend that tested positive for rabies. A man, who was previously bitten by a fox, is being treated for rabies as a precaution. Philip Scalise, 49, of 16 Esta’s Way, told police he was bitten by a fox twice Sunday afternoon, first as he took out his trash and then as he showed an officer where the original incident occurred. The fox ran away before the officer could do anything. Minutes later, another patrol officer shot a wandering fox on nearby Collins Road. The state Department of Health tested that fox and found it had rabies. Scalise, a former town councilman and member of the Zoning Board of Review, will be treated for rabies as a precaution. The DOH regularly tests for rabies wildlife when there is human or pet contact, said a spokeswoman for the department, Andrea Bagnall Degos. -- Journal staff writer Maria Armental Posted by Mike McKinney at 7:03 PM | Comment Alert: Shooting in Burger King parking lot in ProvidencePROVIDENCE -- Police and other emergency personnel are at the scene of a shooting reported in the parking lot of the Burger King at 280 Broad St. The call came in at 6:26 p.m., according to Jim Taylor, chief of communications for the Providence Fire Department. Early indications are that one person was shot. The person's condition was not yet known. No other information is available. Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:56 PM | Comment N. Kingstown government hits the little screenNORTH KINGSTOWN -- If you missed last week’s Town Council meeting, don’t worry. You can always catch it on the town’s Web site, at www.northkingstown.org. It’s no big-screen experience. The image is about 3 by 3 ½ inches. But you can watch the entire meeting – public hearings , the town manager’s report and liquor license approvals -- on your computer screen. You can even find past meetings, agendas, reports and minutes. The municipal Web portal is the first in New England powered by the San Francisco-based company Granicus, says Jason Albuquerque, the town’s director of information technology. Most meetings in the area are viewed on cable television rather than on computer screens. Granicus began recording local meetings on June 11. Five are archived on the site. “The need for a more streamlined and open government is apparent,” Albuquerque said today. Providing Webcasts of meetings “allows our government to communicate that much more effectively.” The Town Council has considered the move for several years. This year it acted, said Council President Edward J. Cooney, and the service was announced today. -- Journal staff writer Paul Davis By taking the first step in the region, the council was able to strike a deal with the company – about $1,000 a month for the service, Cooney said. “Being first is nice, but economically it was a good deal for the town,” he said. Town officials signed a three-year contract for the service, which will include planning, zoning and school board meetings in the future, Cooney said. Granicus provides video streaming to more than 200 communities, counties and clients, from Anaheim, Calif. to Tallahassee, Fl. “The benefits to residents are two-fold,” Cooney said. “It’s often tough for people to get out, and meetings can go on for three or four hours. Now, you can watch the meetings from home.” Also, after 48 hours, the meetings are archived, which means residents can search videos by agenda item rather than watch an entire recording (the longest archived meeting is 4 hours and 22 minutes). “It’s a significant way to bring government to the citizens without requiring the citizens to come to the government,” Cooney said. “It makes government friendlier.” Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:50 PM | Comment DOT finishes latest phase of Rte. 95 closuresThe state Department of Transportation announced today it's finished the latest phase of overnight highway closures on Route 95 in Providence. The DOT had shut down part of the highway over the past two weeks to allow for safe installation of steel beams on the Interstate 195 relocation project, called the Iway. The recent steel assembly will carry future traffic from Route 95 south to Route 195 east. Work continues tonight with lane restrictions only. Beginning at 8 p.m., workers will start shutting down lanes on one or both sides of the highway between Exits 18 and 20, with the maximum lane closures taking place after 11 p.m. A minimum of one lane in each direction will be maintained. All lanes will be reopened by 5:30 a.m. for the commute. The DOT advises drivers to use Route 295 or Route 10 as alternate routes during overnight closings. Steel beam setting will resume in about six weeks over Eddy Street and Allens Avenue. Local road closures may be needed during that time. The DOT said it expects to resume overnight full highway closures sometime toward year's end to allow the pouring of a concrete deck on top of the steel assemblies. More information on lane restrictions will be posted daily at: www.dot.state.ri.us/traffic. Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:41 PM | Comment Update: Barrington, Bristol, Warren beaches openThe state Health Department late today recommended re-opening to swimming Barrington Town Beach, Bristol Town Beach and Warren Town Beach Earlier today, the department re-opened Atlantic Beach Club Beach in Middletown. Re-opened on Sunday was Easton's Beach in Newport, just down the shore from the Atlantic Beach Club. To check information about swimming at Rhode Island beaches, go to the beach closings page on the Health Department's Web site or call (401) 222-2751. Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:56 PM | Comment Brazil wants investigation of immigrant's death in R.I.The Brazilian government today asked the U.S. government to “investigate deeply” the death of Edmar Alves De Araujo, a 34-year-old illegal immigrant who died last Tuesday while in federal custody here. Araujo was pronounced dead at Rhode Island Hospital after he suffered an apparent seizure while at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement processing center in Providence. Araujo was taken into federal custody on an outstanding deportation warrant, after Woonsocket police arrested him on a traffic violation and learned he was in the country illegally. His death drew public outcry from community advocates and family, who called his death “senseless” and “tragic.” “Our government is pushing our consulate (in Boston) to follow carefully the investigation, because it is something not so usual – especially when somebody is under the custody of police,” said a spokesman for Celso Amorim, Brazil’s Minister of External Relations. “Our minister director our consulate in Boston to follow all the investigations carried out” by federal authorities, the spokesman said. Araujo’s death is under investigation by the Homeland Security’s Office of the Inspector General; the ICE Office of Professional Responsibility, and the Rhode Island Office of State Medical Examiners. Meanwhile, Providence lawyer Randy Olen said today the family is making preparations to return Araujo’s body to Brazil. -- Journal staff writer Karen Lee Ziner Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:09 PM | Comment Group asks AG to probe N. Providence protest incidentThe organization whose protest in North Providence Saturday saw a member sustain a serious leg injury today issued a "list of demands" to Attorney General Patrick C. Lynch. The demands include a "full investigation into the actions of the North Providence Police Department" and that all police charges be droppped against Alexandra Svoboda, whose leg was broken, and Jason Friedmutter. The group also wants "financial enumerations" to "compensate for physical and mental anguish." The Industrial Workers of the World said in a news release it has set a noon deadline tomorrow for Lynch to respond. And the union said members and supporters will be at the the attorney general's office in Providence tomorrow at 2 p.m. to follow up on their demands. "We are also requesting that the attorney general have an audience with an IWW delegation," the statement said. A spokesman for the attorney general could not be immediately reached. The police are probing whether officers used excessive force against 22-year-old Svoboda, whose leg was twisted and broken during the protest against an Asian restaurant on Mineral Spring Avenue. Both Deputy Police Chief Paul Marino and Mayor Charles Lombardi both reiterated yesterday they don’t believe local officers did anything wrong. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:36 PM | Comment Sales slump spurs staff cuts at AmgenWEST GREENWICH -- Pharmaceutical giant Amgen Inc. has announced plans to reduce its staff by 12 to 14 percent in response to slumping sales of its anemia drugs. Amgen employs 1,700 people at its manufacturing plant in West Greenwich. In a statement today, the company said it plans to close several production operations. It did not mention any by name. A call to Amgen spokesman Larry Bernard was not immediately returned. -- Journal staff writer Benjamin N. Gedan Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:12 PM | Comment Rhode Islander held after tossing liquid in whale tankMYSTIC, Conn. -- A Rhode Island man has been taken into custody at the Mystic Aquarium and Institute for Exploration in Connecticut after throwing liquid into a whale tank. Stonington police say Paul Watkins of East Providence is charged with disorderly conduct and criminal trespass. He was ordered held on $25,000 bond. He's accused of tossing a mixture of iodine and a substance used for soldering into a 750,000-gallon tank that is home to three whales. A spokesman for the aquarium says the whales were not hurt and tests have determined that the water is fine. Police say the 54-year-old Watkins said he threw the liquid into the tank to keep the fish warm and protect them from Agent Orange. -- The Associated Press Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:09 PM | Comment Man accused of hitting ex-girlfriend's pit bull with pipeNEW BEDFORD, Mass. -- A 35-year-old man is charged with felony cruelty to animals after the police said he pulled up in a truck to his ex-girlfriend and struck her pet pit bull in the head with a metal pipe. Brentwood Knowles, with a last known address in New Bedford, was slated for arraignment today in New Bedford District Court. On Tuesday, a woman whom police did not name, was walking the pet pit bull on a leash on Mill Street in the city's west end. The news release said the pit bull was friendly and appropriately licensed. The dog fell to the ground and "had obviously serious injuries bleeding from its head and mouth," the police said in a news release. Knowles got back into the truck and fled, the police said. The woman called the police, and officers and animal control arrived on scene. A broadcast was sent out, and Officer Nelson Goncalves found Knowles and took him into custody without incident, according to the police. The dog was treated at a veterinary clinic for lacerations, contusions and a concussion but is expected to make a full recovery. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 3:37 PM | Comment Update: Excavator tips at station demolition site / Photo
An equipment operator working on the demolition suffered an ankle injury when his excavator tipped over just before 1 p.m., said Deputy Assistant Fire Chief Henry Cochrane. As the unidentified operator was piling up debris, his tracked excavator ran over the void of the building’s open basement and turned onto its side, Cochrane related. The operator was thrown out of the cab and into the basement. “In a way he lucked out because he landed in the cellar and the machine stayed up on top” and did not fall on him, Cochrane said. There was no obvious way to safely get into the basement, the sides of which are bristling with exposed metal rods, Cochrane explained. But because the building used to be their home, firefighters knew right away that they could get into the basement by using a door on the Fountain Street side that used to lead to the bays where the chiefs’ vehicles were parked. Once in the basement, rescue workers unfolded what they call a stair chair and sat the victim in it so he could be safely and comfortably carried up the staircase and then transferred to a gurney. The operator suffered a sprained or broken ankle, he said. -- Journal staff writer Gregory Smith The police notified the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration, which sent two inspectors to the work site at 209 Fountain St. downtown. Firefighters, whose main station is now housed in the Public Safety Complex several blocks away, have been interested observers of the progress of demolition. When the emergency call came in, Cochrane said, some of them were chatting about how they wished they could have a brick as a memento. Cranston developer The Procaccianti Group began demolishing the building this month to clear the area for a parking lot. -- Journal staff writer Gregory Smith
Posted by Mike McKinney at 1:50 PM | Comment ACLU wants governor to withdraw brief on gay divorceThe local chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union announced today it's called on Governor Carcieri to withdraw a legal brief submitted for a state Supreme Court case that could decide if a lesbian couple married in Massachusetts could divorce in Rhode Island. The ACLU said it and three other organizations sent a letter to the governor because the "strong opposition to same-sex marriage contained in the governor's brief -- written by an out-of-state private attorney -- has been widely noted." In a news release, the ACLU specifically says it's focusing on the governor's "inexplicable attack" on Rhode Island's "no-fault divorce laws." The ACLU quotes the brief asserting that no-fault divorce has resulted in "more children ill equipped to cope in a world already fraught with problems" and even that it's led women to take "steps to protect their human capital by entering the work force and pursuing education." In response to that, the ACLU news release said it knows there are "some people out there who long for a return to the 'idyllic' 1950s when women knew their place was in the kitchen, but we do not expect to hear echoes of it emanating from a gubernatorial court brief." If the brief is not withdrawn, the ACLU says, then "we request that [the governor] formally clarify your position on these issues."
Today's announcement follows one issued by the state Democratic Party chairman last week. The chairman, William Lynch, announced he was pursuing under the Freedom of Information Act whether taxpayers have paid for the out-of-state lawyer's services. Lynch characterized the lawyer, James Bopp Jr., as "right wing," saying he "has made a living representing the narrow-minded ideology of people like Tom DeLay." Lynch -- the brother of state Attorney General Patrick C. Lynch, who filed a brief with the court on gay divorce that comes to different conclusions than the governor's -- asserted that the brief filed for the governor pushed the governor's personal views and should therefore have been paid for with personal money. Carcieri is a Catholic and Republican. The Democrat Lynch brothers, who hail from an Irish-Catholic family, have a sister who married a woman in Massachusetts Carcieri's office signed a $15,000 contract with Indiana lawyer Bopp to submit a friend-of-the-court brief by a court deadline. Last week, a spokesman for the governor said that Bopp was one of at least two nationally known lawyers who contacted the governor's office about writing the brief. Bopp was picked for the no-bid contract and spent about two weeks writing the brief. Spokesman Michael Maynard said last week the governor “wanted to get someone who had expertise on this issue who could file a brief that would get to the core of the issue. That was Bopp." Maynard said that the office found Bopp's rate was the best available. Posted by Mike McKinney at 1:44 PM | Comment 5-day Washington County Fair opens gates / Photo
RICHMOND -- Rhode Island celebrates its agrarian roots this week, with the opening tonight of the 41st annual Washington County Fair. The fair, sponsored by the Washington County Pomona Grange, runs through Sunday at the fairgrounds off Route 112. From freshly-harvested produce and classic New England foods, to prize farm animals to amusement rides and country music stars, the fair has something to delight just about all ages and interests. The grounds opened today at 9 a.m. Today is also $1 day at the food booths, and senior citizens day with a $1 reduction in price for seniors. Special events are planned throughout the fairgrounds each day, including the Washington County Fair Queen and Princess announcement tonight at 7. To find a complete listing of fair events, check the fair’s Web site, www.washingtoncountyfair-ri.com. To find out what it takes to put on the fair, read Journal staff writer Arline Fleming's story today.
Posted by Andrea Panciera at 11:15 AM | Comment Middletown beach re-opened to swimmingThe state Department of Health today recommended re-opening the Atlantic Beach Club Beach in Middletown to swimming, after finding bacteria levels within acceptable limits. Still closed to swimming are Barrington Town Beach, Bristol Town Beach and Warren Town Beach, all East Bay-area beaches. Re-opened on Sunday was Easton's Beach in Newport, just down the shore from the Atlantic Beach Club. Beach status could change at any time, the Health Department reminds, as it continues its testing. For up-to-date information about swimming at Rhode Island beaches, go to the beach closings page on the department's Web site, or for recorded information, call (401) 222-2751. Posted by Andrea Panciera at 10:53 AM | Comment No teacher contract in Providence and other districtsA number of Rhode Island school districts have yet to settle contracts with teachers. The largest is Providence with 26,000 students. Other districts without labor agreements include Burrillville, East Greenwich, Exeter-West Greenwich, Jamestown, Foster-Glocester, New Shoreham, North Kingstown and Tiverton. But Rhode Island Federation of Teachers and Health Professionals President Marcia Reback says the state's refusal to provide new funding for education has been a ``death blow'' for Providence schools.
Posted by Peter Phipps at 9:26 AM | Comment Route 95 open again today ahead of schedulePROVIDENCE -- Route 95 northbound lanes between exits 18 and 20 reopened this morning around 4:45 a.m., according to the state Department of Transportation. The highway closed at 11 p.m. to complete a span connecting Route 95 south to the new Route 195 bridge. This is the third week of this second round of closures for the highway project. Last night was to have been the last full closure of Route 95 that will be needed in this phase. For a look back at the earlier closures this year, see projo.com’s special reports section. Posted by Kate Bramson at 7:15 AM | Comment Sunny today; a bit dangerous off shoreToday looks like a good day to hit the beach, except for one thing. The National Weather Service has issued a small craft warning and a hazardous weather outlook for southern Rhode Island. The weather service forecasts a moderate risk of rip currents today and tonight at beaches facing the south. Out in the ocean, the weather service warns that gusts could hit 25 kts this afternoon with 1 to 2-foot swells. Otherwise, the day will be grand with sunny skies and a high temperature of around 82. Watch out for thunderstorms tomorrow. Posted by Peter Phipps at 6:52 AM | Comment Download today's front pageThe latest installment of Green Power, this one on biodiesel, and the official reaction from North Providence police about an injured demonstrator lead today's Journal. Posted by Peter Phipps at 6:49 AM | Comment Gas prices drop again in Rhode IslandGas prices fell again in Rhode Island, shedding 5 cents in the last week and 16 cents from last month, AAA Southern New England reports. Self-serve regular unleaded averaged $2.819 per gallon, the AAA's latest survey found. A year ago at this time, the average price locally was $3.089. A month ago, on July 16, the average price was $2.979. The current price is also 27 cents below the highest price recorded in Rhode Island by AAA this year -- $3.089 on May 28. But the state is still 5 cents above the national average of $2.769 for regular unleaded. The prices in the latest survey of regular-unleaded self serve ranged from $2.699 to $2.909. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:47 AM | Comment August 14, 2007Update: Injury at protest spurs probe, demonstration
That image emerged from Saturday's demonstration outside Jacky's Galaxie restaurant in North Providence in which the union and North Providence police scuffled. The union -- the International Workers of the World -- said the restaurant does business with Dragon Land Trading, a New York-based restaurant supplier that the union says has violated labor laws. See freelance photos of Saturday's protest, posted here. The restaurant's owner said Monday that he had ceased doing business with the supplier targeted by the marchers. Officials said today the police department is doing an internal investigation into the conduct of officers at the demonstration. Deputy Police Chief Paul Marino denied allegations of police brutality. As part of the investigation, police are asking businesses with outdoor security cameras near the demonstration site to give police their tapes. Police are making a similar request to the state Department of Transportation, which has a traffic camera at the intersection where the protesters staged. The mayor met with police officials this afternoon. Those attending what they called a vigil at the hospital this afternoon said they hand-delivered this morning a letter to the state attorney general asking for an investigation, according to Jason Tompkins, a member of Industrial Workers of the World. They have set a deadline for noon on Thursday for a response form the attorney general. If there is no response, they will demonstrate at the attorney general's office that afternoon at 4. Mark Bray, another spokesman for IWW, said the organization has been served with a temporary restraining order prohibiting them from picketing at any of the five Jacky's Galaxie locations in the state and that there is a hearing on the restraining order Thursday in Superior Courr. As the vigil began, Svoboda's parents were outside the hospital for a time while their daughter was undergoing her second surgery, this one to repair a severed vein at the back of the knee. Scott Svoboda, Alexandra's father, flew in from Nebraska and said earlier today that his daughter is doing “as well as can be expected.” His daughter has been listed as in “good” condition in the Intensive Care Unit. -- projo.com staff writers Michael P. McKinney and Brandie M. Jefferson, with reports from Journal staff writers Gina Macris and Richard C. Dujardin Alexandra had already had one operation to reattach a detached fibula (calf bone), and will be having another to reattach severed arteries and relieve pressure from accumulating fluids, Scott said. Alexandra's mother, Jan Enstrom, said the first surgery havrested a vein from Alexandra's foot to repair the artery and it saved the leg. She said the second operation is to increase the blood flow to the lower leg and to make sure she wil have use of the leg. "I’m amazed at the support and the rallying around this incident for Alex," Scott Svoboda said. He said this afternoon that said there are two FBI agents and a deputy sheriff in the extended family -- that's espeiclaly why his daughter knows not to resist police. "She’s a very passive individual, not the type that would strike out at a police officer ... she respects law, and respects her right to protest," he said earlier today. He added, "I respect her right to protest as well." Svoboda said his daughter called from the hospital on Sunday, after her first surgery “with just enough information to scare the living daylights out of me.” In a statement, the IWW says police told the protesters to move to the sidewalk. After first ignoring the order, the protesters began to move. As they did, police surrounded them and began making arrests. Svoboda and her friend, Jason Friedmutter, were arrested. She faces charges of assaulting an officer, disturbing the peace and resisting arrest. Friedmutter was released shortly after his arrest, according to Mike Brey, spokesman for the IWW, and faces minor charges. A spokesman for the Industrial Workers of the World says the labor union will be meeting with attorneys Thursday to discuss what action the group will take. “I can’t comment on what we have in store, but we will be filing complaints and trying to gain compensation for Alex and for her injuries,” Brey said. Brey said the union is planning an anti-police brutality rally in North Providence on Aug. 26. He said he was shocked at what he saw Saturday. “Many of us have been to larger protests, and even with riot police, none of us had ever seen an injury like (Svoboda’s) in our entire lives,” he said. Posted by Mike McKinney at 7:20 PM | Comment New Bedford man accused of assault in baby's deathNEW BEDFORD, Mass. -- A 28-year-old New Bedford man is accused of assault and battery on a 10-month-old boy who was pronounced dead today at Hasbro Children's Hospital in Providence. Manuel Antonio Torres Lopez, described by police as the boyfriend of the boy's mother, was arrested on warrants, the police said in a news release. The baby, Josiah Pacheco, died at approximately 10:35 a.m., the police said. On Saturday at about 2:12 p.m. the police got a 911 call reporting the baby had stopped breathing at 56 Deane Street in New Bedford. Detectives Paul Demers and Shane Reul found the baby unresponsive and not breathing when they arrived. The detectives began CPR, reviving the child until fire department and emergency medical services arrived to take over. The child was taken to St. Luke’s Hospital in New Bedford and then immediately taken Hasbro Children's Hospital because of severe injuries, the police said. He remained there on life support. New Bedford Police investigators and State Police assigned to District Attorney Sam Sutter’s office investigated and Lopez was questioned at police headquarters. Lopez, who was arraigned today in New Bedford District Court, was charged with assault and battery upon a household member and with assault and battery upon a child under 14 resulting in serious bodily injury. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:20 PM | Comment Labor Dept. grants $617,515 for ex-Quaker workersFALL RIVER -- Former employees of the shuttered Quaker Fabric Corp. plant received a rare piece of good news today, when the Department of Labor announced that it had approved a National Emergency Grant of $617,515 to assist former Quaker staff. The money will pay for career counseling and job search assistance at a special career center being established in Fall River for former Quaker employees, according to Linnea Walsh, spokeswoman for the Massachusetts Department of Labor and Workforce Development. Massachusetts has set aside $250,000 to help establish the reemployment center, where four former Quaker workers have been hired as staff. It is scheduled to open next month, Walsh said. “While my preference would be to make changes in our national economic policies that would prevent these kinds of closures from happening, as long as they do occur, we need to do all we can to see that those who lose their jobs receive as much help as possible,” U.S. Rep. Barney Frank said in a statement today. Last month, Quaker fired all 930 employees, including at least 62 Rhode Island residents, when it ceased manufacturing. Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:30 PM | Comment N. Kingstown officials want faulty concrete removedNORTH KINGSTOWN -- Two Town Council members are urging the state Department of Transportation to remove what they say is unsafe concrete used on a bridge tied to a Route 403 road project. In a news release today, GOP councilmen Anthony F. Miccolis Jr. and John A. Patterson asked the state to replace 75 cubic feet of concrete that was used by the construction company Cardi Corp. on a bridge abutment. In an earlier interview, Frank Corrao III, the DOT’s deputy chief engineer, said that a batch of concrete used on a highway project near Quonset Point did not meet state specifications. The concrete was used to build a 21-foot high bridge abutment. The abutment holds up one end of the bridge carrying Frenchtown Road over an off-ramp from Route 4 north to the new Route 403 east. Corrao earlier dismissed the problem as a minor one related to the concrete’s strength. Where the specification called for it to be able to resist 5,000 pounds of pressure per square inch, the batch in question failed at 4,781 pounds per square inch, Corrao said. That doesn’t mean the bridge is unsafe, Corrao said today.
“We test to ensure that we get the highest quality products,” he said. In this case, DOT engineers determined that the concrete is more than strong enough for the job. “There’s absolutely nothing unsafe about it,” Carrao said. Instead, the state will take a $6,000 credit from the Cardi company. But Miccolis and Patterson today said the state cannot be too careful -- especially in light of the Aug. 1 collapse of an interstate highway bridge in Minneapolis during the evening rush hour. Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:29 PM | Comment Update: N. Providence police to probe protest incidentNORTH PROVIDENCE -- Officials said today the police department is doing an internal investigation into the conduct of officers at Saturday’s demonstration that left a protester hospitalized. Deputy Police Chief Paul Marino denied allegations of police brutality. As part of the investigation, police are asking businesses with outdoor security cameras near the demonstration site to give police their tapes. Police are making a similar request to the state Department of Transportation, which has a traffic camera at the intersection where the protesters staged. The mayor met with police officials this afternoon. The father of a 22-year-old who was injured Saturday during a labor union protest in North Providence has flown in from Nebraska and said ealrie rtoday that his daughter is doing “as well as can be expected.” Alexandra Svoboda suffered serious injuries after an encounter with the North Providence police during the protest outside a restaurant. Scott Svoboda said he will not be outside during a planned vigil this afternoon at Rhode Island Hospital, where his daughter is listed as in “good” condition in the Intensive Care Unit. He’ll be inside with Alexandra, who has already had one operation to reattach a detached fibula (calf bone), and will be having another to reattach severed arteries and relieve pressure from accumulating fluids, Scott said. "I’m amazed at the support and the rallying around this incident for Alex," he said. "She’s a very passive individual, not the type that would strike out at a police officer ... she respects law, and respects her right to protest." He added, "I respect her right to protest as well." -- projo.com staff writers Michael P. McKinney and Brandie M. Jefferson, with reports from Journal staff writer Richard C. Dujardin Svoboda said his daughter called from the hospital on Sunday, after her first surgery “with just enough information to scare the living daylights out of me.” Alexandra, who works at a restaurant, was protesting outside Jacky’s Galaxie restaurant Saturday with the Industrial Workers of the World. The IWW says the restaurant does business with Dragon Land Trading, a New York-based restaurant supplier that the union says has violated labor laws. The restaurant's owner said Monday that he had ceased doing business with the supplier targeted by the marchers. In a statement, the IWW says police told the protesters to move to the sidewalk. After first ignoring the order, the protesters began to move. As they did, police surrounded them and began making arrests. Svoboda and her friend, Jason Friedmutter, were arrested. She faces charges of assaulting an officer, disturbing the peace and resisting arrest. Friedmutter was released shortly after his arrest, according to Mike Brey, spokesman for the IWW, and faces minor charges. A spokesman for the Industrial Workers of the World says the labor union will be meeting with attorneys Thursday to discuss what action the group will take. “I can’t comment on what we have in store, but we will be filing complaints and trying to gain compensation for Alex and for her injuries,” Brey said. Brey said the union is planning an anti-police brutality rally in North Providence on Aug. 26. He said he was shocked at what he saw Saturday. “Many of us have been to larger protests, and even with riot police, none of us had ever seen an injury like (Svboda’s) in our entire lives,” he said. See freelance photos of the protest, posted here. Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:10 PM | Comment Truck roll-over closes exit on Route 146 northNORTH SMITHFIELD -- The Route 104 exit ramp off northbound Route 146 north was closed for the entire morning rush hour today, after a truck loaded with approximately 1,000 one-gallon jugs of bleach rolled over while trying to get off the highway. The driver of the truck, Papa Mbodji, 50, of 27 Cady St. Woonsocket, suffered a broken arm and a broken rib in the accident, State Police Sgt. Mark B. Surtel said. Mbodji was transported to Rhode Island Hospital, where he was being held for evaluation, Surtel said. The accident occurred at about 5:20 a.m., when Mbodji who had been driving all night from Aberdeen, Md., with a load of between 750 and 1,000 gallon jugs of bleach destined for the BJ’s warehouse in Uxbridge, Mass., tried to get off the northbound highway. Surtel said the truck failed to negotiated the curve of the ramp and drifted on the grass on the left side of the off-ramp. At that point, it lost traction on that side and tipped over and down the embankment. The trailer came to rest on its roof and the cab was crushed, he said. Most of the bleach jugs that burst stayed in the trailer, Surtell said, as did the bleach that leaked out of them. Clean Harbors envirmental cleanup crew removed the intact jugs and put them in another tractor-trailer, Surtel said, and then clean up the spilled bleach in the truck and removed what soil was affected by the spill. The ramp reopened at around 1 p.m., Surtel said. -- Journal staff writer John Hill Posted by Mike McKinney at 3:34 PM | Comment Hasbro upping safety reviews in wake of toy recallsThe recent spate of toy recalls has prompted Hasbro to “redouble its safety reviews,” according to Wayne S. Charness, senior vice president of corporate communications for the nation’s No. 2 toymaker. The bulk of Hasbro’s toys are manufactured through contracts with factories in China and Asia. The company still makes its classic board games, puzzles and activity sets at a factory it owns in East Longmeadow, Mass. The Pawtucket-based company pulls samples from production runs for testing before the goods reach store shelves around the world, he said. “We conduct regular reviews at a variety of quality control points during manufacturing,” Charness said. “The paints that are used on our products are screened, tested and retested.” When Hasbro finds a problem with a product, it first gives the manufacturer an opportunity to correct the flaw, he said. The toymaker has “terminated” relationships with manufacturers who fail to meet its quality standards. The recent recall of the Hasbro’s Easy-Bake Oven was due to a design flaw, Charness noted, and not a manufacturer’s mistake. Hasbro is considering a redesign of the toy. “We would certainly hope to have it back on the market,” he said. -- Journal staff writer Paul Grimaldi Posted by Andrea Panciera at 3:03 PM | Comment Group urges donations to finish WWII monument
PROVIDENCE -- The committee overseeing the building of the World War II memorial here launched an urgent campaign today to finish the South Main Street monument. Committee members said they need to raise an additional $600,000 in order to finish the monument by this Veterans Day, Nov. 11. Former Gov. Bruce Sundlun, himself a World War II pilot, called specifically on the Rhode Island banking industry to pick up a majority of the tab. Sundlun said only one Rhode Island bank, which he did not name, has donated to the memorial, giving $25,000. Other speakers at the news conference called on regular Rhode Islanders to each donate a few dollars so that the monument could be finished in time. People can send checks to the The World War II Memorial Commission, 408 Broadway, Providence, R.I., 02909. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Journal staff writer Tom Mooney Posted by Mike McKinney at 2:55 PM | Comment Sex offender arraigned on rape charge / Photo
Gary P. Lamountain, of 37 Miller St., is now scheduled to appear in Superior Court for a bail violation hearing Aug. 28 for a previous offense. A 27-year-old resident of Ashton Village section of Cumberland went to the police early Sunday morning and alleged that Lamountain -- a man she knew from the neighborhood -- had forced his way into her home and raped her. Lamountain had been released from the Adult Correctional Institutions on April 23 and registered with the police as a Level III, or "high risk," sexual offender. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson, with reports from Journal staff writer Philip Marcelo Police had begun the process of notifying local schools, public buildings and places where children frequent that there was a "high risk" offender in the neighborhood. According to a police statement, Lamountain was arrested on this new charge "prior to the process being completed." Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 2:50 PM | Comment Tougher fight urged against Cranston concrete plantCRANSTON -- Advocates this morning urged city officials to offer more robust opposition to a partially-built concrete batching plant on which construction has stopped while the dispute winds through the court system. At a news conference outside City Hall, representatives of Boston-based Toxics Action Center, the American Lung Association and the Sierra Club protested the half-built plant on Marine Drive, off Pontiac Avenue near the Pawtuxet River, and called on the mayor and city council to ramp up the fight. Mayor Michael T. Napolitano and council have expressed opposition to the plant,. by Cullion Concrete Corp. And local opposition to the plant has gone on a year or so now, with neighbors raising concerns about traffic, noise and dust. Concerns about runoff into the river have also been expressed. Some residents have deemed the support from city officials as not strong enough. Toxics Action Center organizers passed out flyers in neighborhoods on Sunday and yesterday. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Journal staff writer David Scharfenberg Posted by Mike McKinney at 1:54 PM | Comment Vote today in Woonsocket on $74 million for schoolsWoonsocket voted today on a $74 million bond issue to build two middle schools on Hamlet Avenue. Officials say it's time to move forward in replacing Woonsocket Middle School, which some refer to as the city's 100-year-old "dungeon." With 1,600-plus students, it's the largest middle school in New England and the fifth largest in the nation, according to the school district. The bond issue is supported by the School Committee, City Council and the administration. A group of people from the School Department, the Parent Advisory Council, the School Committee, the City Council and the Building Committee have held meetings at high rises and housing complexes for senior citizens for the past three weeks to explain the bond referendum and why it’s important to get the money for the schools this year. -- based on reports by Tatiana Pina Posted by Pam Cotter at 1:41 PM | Comment Quaker Fabric asks to have its stock delistedFALL RIVER, Mass. -- The struggling Quaker Fabric Corp., which fired its 920 employees last month and shut down its Fall River plant, has asked to have its stock delisted from NASDAQ. The former textile giant, founded in 1945, had previously announced plans to liquidate its assets to pay back lenders. Late Monday, Quaker told the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission that it had asked NASDAQ to "terminate the listing of its common stock" and suspend trading after the market closes on Thursday. -- Journal staff writer Benjamin N. Gedan Posted by Mike McKinney at 12:40 PM | Comment Update: Father of injured protest marcher speaksThe father of a 22-year-old who was injured Saturday during a labor union protest in North Providence has flown in from Nebraska and says his daughter is doing “as well as can be expected.” Alexandra Svoboda suffered serious injuries after an encounter with the North Providence police during the protest outside a restaurant. Scott Svoboda said he will not be outside during a planned vigil this afternoon at Rhode Island Hospital, where his daughter is listed as in “good” condition in the Intensive Care Unit. He’ll be inside with Alexandra, who has already had one operation to reattach a detached fibula (calf bone), and will be having another to reattach severed arteries and relieve pressure from accumulating fluids, Scott said. "I’m amazed at the support and the rallying around this incident for Alex," he said. "She’s a very passive individual, not the type that would strike out at a police officer ... she respects law, and respects her right to protest." He added, "I respect her right to protest as well." -- projo.com staff writer Brandie Jefferson He said his daughter called from the hospital on Sunday, after her first surgery “with just enough information to scare the living daylights out of me.” Alexandra, who works at a restaurant, was protesting outside Jacky’s Galaxie restaurant Saturday with the Industrial Workers of the World. The IWW says the restaurant does business with Dragon Land Trading, a New York-based restaurant supplier that the union says has violated labor laws. The restaurant's owner said Monday that he had ceased doing business with the supplier targeted by the marchers. In a statement, the IWW says police told the protesters to move to the sidewalk. After first ignoring the order, the protesters began to move. As they did, police surrounded them and began making arrests. Svoboda and her friend, Jason Friedmutter, were arrested. She faces charges of assaulting an officer, disturbing the peace and resisting arrest. Friedmutter was released shortly after his arrest, according to Mike Brey, spokesman for the IWW, and faces minor charges. A spokesman for the Industrial Workers of the World says the labor union will be meeting with attorneys Thursday to discuss what action the group will take. “I can’t comment on what we have in store, but we will be filing complaints and trying to gain compensation for Alex and for her injuries,” Brey said. Brey said the union is planning an anti-police brutality rally in North Providence on Aug. 26. He said he was shocked at what he saw Saturday. “Many of us have been to larger protests, and even with riot police, none of us had ever seen an injury like (Svboda’s) in our entire lives,” he said. North Providence police say they will release a statement later today. See freelance photos of the protest, posted here.
Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 11:43 AM | Comment IWW to hold vigil at hospital for injured marcherA labor union is planning a vigil this afternoon for a woman who suffered a broken leg after a scuffle with police during a protest Saturday. The vigil will be at Rhode Island Hospital where 22-year-old Alexandra Svoboda is in the Intensive Care Unit. Svoboda was with the Industrial Workers of the World, protesting outside Jacky's Galaxie in North Providence on Mineral Spring Avenue. According to the IWW, the restaurant does business with a supplier the union accuses of violating labor laws. Svoboda faces charges of resisting arrest, assaulting an officer and obstruction of justice. See a photo gallery of photos from the protest. The restaurant's owner said Monday that he had ceased doing business with the supplier targeted by the marchers.
Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 7:24 AM | Comment Four East Bay beaches remain closedIt may be sunny out, but four beaches are off-limits for health's sake, according to the state Health Department. Atlantic Beach Club in Middletown, and the Barrington, Bristol and Warren Town Beaches are still closed due to high bacteria counts. The beaches were closed to swimmers Friday after heavy rains washed pollutants into the water. The Health Department will continue to monitor water quality. For up-to-date information on which of the state's beaches are closed, and when they reopen, visit the state's beach monitoring site at www.ribeaches.org or call the beach closure hotline at 222-2751 Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 6:56 AM | Comment Download today's front pageDay three of Green Power and the status of the state's fire code lead today's Journal. Posted by Peter Phipps at 6:49 AM | Comment So far, no West Nile or EEE in RI mosquito testsThe stickiest month is well under way, but so far no mosquitoes in Rhode Island have tested positive for West Nile Virus or Eastern Equine Encephalitis. Results from 54 mosquito pools -- from 37 traps set around the state -- came up negative, the state Department of Environmental Management said today. The traps were set during the week of July 30. Results from two additional mosquito pools are still pending. But the DEM cautions that the viruses "are both firmly established throughout the state," so people should take protective measures. Eliminate mosquito breeding grounds from yards by removing anything that holds standing water, such as old tires, buckets, junk and debris, clean gutters so that they drain correctly, and maintain swimming pools properly, the DEM says. Use screens on windows and doors to avoid mosquito bites and cover up at dawn and dusk. Place mosquito netting over playpens and baby carriages when they are outside. And use mosquito repellent, but with no more than 30 percent DEET. Don't use repellent on infants. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:39 AM | Comment Today's Weather: BeautifulNice and cool. Tonight's low is expected to be around 58 degrees with patchy fog rolling in after 3 a.m. It should warm up tomorrow to the high 80s, and there's a slight chance of rain tomorrow evening. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 6:33 AM | Comment August 10, 20077to7 newsblog will be back in business TuesdayYes, it's a three-day, holiday weekend as Rhode Island continues as the only state in the nation to mark Victory Day. It also means a short week for the 7to7 newsblog, which will be taking a break on Monday. Projo.com will return to blogging at 7 a.m. on Tuesday. Posted by Andrea Panciera at 6:56 PM | Comment Newport jazz festival starts swinging tonightNewport's JVC Jazz Festival opens tonight after a rainy, chillier-than-normal day. But the weather's looking up for the rest of the festival tomorrow and Sunday. Tonight, it's Dianne Reeves and Her Band and The Count Basie Orchestra featuring Nnenna Freelon, Newport Casino, International Tennis Hall of Fame, 194 Bellevue Ave., Newport. (401) 847-3700, (866) 468-7619, www.Ticketweb.com, www.festivalproductions.net. 8 pm. $30-$85. Tomorrow and Sunday, the show goes on at Fort Adams State Park, off Ocean Drive, 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. There's a $65 per day advance, $70 festival weekend (if available); $5 children under 12; children under 2 free. On-site parking $6. Reserved seating, JVC Stage, $75. For more information, visit the festival's Web site at: www.festivalproductions.net Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:55 PM | Comment Check your stocks while the roller coaster is stoppedIt's been a crazy week in the stock market. Up and down, down and up. So, while the market takes a breather this weekend, see how your portfolio has performed with projo.com's financial tools. You can check your stocks, get information on those pesky mortgage rates, use financial calculators, see how CEOs are doing on our "wealthmeter" and more. Sign up for the free service at: http://www.projo.com/business/financialcontent/ And watch a quick video wrap of the week via AP's Money Minute. Posted by Andrea Panciera at 6:44 PM | Comment Pinning down things to do this weekend / Photo
For more ideas of what to do over the next three days, visit projo.com's Lifebeat page, and check out our calendars. Posted by Andrea Panciera at 6:07 PM | Comment Tractor-trailer crash knocks down electric linesSOUTH KINGSTOWN -- A tractor-trailer truck making a delivery to Chen’s Restaurant in Wakefield hit a utility pole today, and power lines fell across a car, trapping two people for about an hour, a co-owner of the restaurant said. Leo Lau said about six parties were in his restaurant when the power failed. An Agar truck maneuvering around the building hit a pole toward the rear of the lot, which snapped, causing a transformer to pop and leaving power lines draped across a car. Police said the call came at 12:32 p.m. Traffic was tied up briefly at 60 Old Tower Hill Rd. as the delivery truck was removed and National Grid trucks arrived. No one was injured, police said. A woman, 40, and a girl, 11, were waiting in the car, Lau said, while a member of their party picked up food. They were trapped about an hour, he said, before they could safely drive away. Lau said this is the third time the pole has been hit, twice by an Agar truck. He couldn’t accept the delivery because it required refrigeration. Gas is used for cooking but the exhaust fans run on electricity, so he closed temporarily, hoping to reopen for the evening. A new pole was still being installed at 5 p.m. Chris Mabbott from Ransom Environmental Consultants said the pole held three transformers, each of which holds from 7 to 11 gallons of oil, in this case a vegetable-based oil. A crew from Clean Harbors used absorbent pads to remove the oil. Mabbott said he searched about a half-mile radius for oil slicks and leaving oil-absorbent booms, which he described as giant white cotton snakes, at streams and storm drains in that area. -- Journal staff writer Donita Naylor Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:27 PM | Comment 3 Bay beaches closed to swimmersThe state Health Department today recommended closing Barrington Town Beach, Bristol Town Beach and Warren Town Beach to swimming because of high bacteria counts. Officials will monitor water quality and recommend re-opening when the areas are deemed safe for swimming. All closed beaches will be posted closed at the beach. Because of rain today -- which can cause bacteria counts to climb -- the DEM advises the public to check the hotline at (401) 222-2751 and go to www.ribeaches.org throughout the weekend for updated closure/opening information. Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:11 PM | Comment Downed tree cuts power in WarrenWARREN -- About 600 National Grid customers in Warren are without power after a tree came down across power lines on Main Street at about 3:45 p.m., a National Grid spokeswoman said. At the height of the outage, about 3,000 customers in parts of Warren and Bristol were without power, but a majority have been restored. Spokeswoman Deborah Drew said that crews are trying to get to the site of the outage, but there is traffic on the route there. She said the crews will work as quickly as they can to clear the tree and restring wire to restore power. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:42 PM | Comment Accident blocks Rte. 10S left lane at Reservoir Ave.PROVIDENCE -- An accident was blocking the left lane of Route 10 south at Reservoir Avenue, the state Transportation Management Center advised at 4:23 p.m. Check for updates of this incident at the TMC's Web site.
Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:40 PM | Comment Alert: DEM denies dredge permit for LNG projectIn a blow to the controversial liquefied natural gas terminal proposed for Fall River, Mass., the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management today denied Weaver's Cove Energy's request for a permit to dredge 230,000 cubic yards of sediment from Mount Hope Bay. The DEM issued a news release saying the company behind the terminal proposed over the state line in Massachusetts, which would require tankers to traverse Rhode Island waters, submitted an "incomplete and invalid application." Weaver's Cove Energy failed "to provide a valid application with a definitive project proposal, and its failure to demonstrate that the proposed activities would not violate surface water quality and anti-degradation standards pursuant to [Rhode Island] water quality regulations, " the DEM said. Along with denying the application because it was incomplete, the DEM says it also found that the scope of the project "had substantially changed and that Weaver's Cove had failed to provide adequate information to enable the department to determine the exact nature of its project or how the project is viable" in light of a U.S. Coast Guard letter dated May 9 "effectively denying the project." -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney The DEM's news release described the area this way: "The waters of Mount Hope Bay in Rhode Island and Massachusetts bear the states' highest water quality classifications -- SA and SB waters -- that provide high quality fish habitat and a resource for fishing. The waters are designated for shellfish harvesting for direct human consumption, primary and secondary contact recreational activities, and fish and wildlife habitat. Mount Hope Bay and Lower Taunton River is a valuable natural resource, supporting important habitat for quahogs, oysters, and finfish such as winter flounder." Posted by Mike McKinney at 3:35 PM | Comment Patriots exhibition season begins tonightFootball fans rejoice: You get a chance tonight to see your Patriots heroes (even it it's only for a quarter or so) as they open their preseason with a road game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The game, which begins at 7:30, will be televised on Channel 5 Boston and Fox 64 in Providence. Projo.com will have pregame blog reports from Shalise Manza Young (on our PatsBlog) in Tampa, as well as a live scoreboard. For now, read what questions the Patriots have entering the preseason, and vote in our survey: What's the best thing about the preseason? Posted by Mike McDermott at 3:27 PM | Comment Lanes blocked on Rte. 95 north from exits 15 to 16CRANSTON -- Three left lanes of Route 95 north from exit 15 to exit 16 are blocked because of a motor vehicle accident, the state Transportation Management Center reported at 2:42 p.m. Exit 15 is Jefferson Boulevard and exit 16 is for Route 10 north. Posted by Mike McKinney at 2:44 PM | Comment Six more R.I. communities ordered to fix sewersSix more Rhode Island communities are under order to fix their sanitary sewer systems, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced today. The administrative orders from the EPA's New England office were issued to East Greenwich, Jamestown, Narragansett, Warwick, West Warwick, and An EPA news release said the orders are part of a strategy of "both enforcing existing regulations and increasing targeted compliance assistance to help municipalities take necessary steps" to deal with sewer overflow problems. The systems are below-ground pipes that take sewage from homes and businesses to a wastewater treatment plant. Breaks and other problems with pipes can result in water pollution, beach closings and fishing and shellfish harvesting bans. Each community named in the most recent order must get to the EPA and the state Department of Environmental Protection a report about the problems and a schedule of improvement plans by November. The orders mean developing plans to fix "any deficiencies found" and dopting a long-term preventative maintenance program, the EPA news release said. (The first list of towns, receiving the February order, were told to make their filings by August). The EPA said it and the DEM are providing guidance to communities through workshops, fact sheets and onsite assistance, on how to come up with long-term plans for future sewer protection. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with Journal archival reports Posted by Mike McKinney at 2:34 PM | Comment Local television reporter is a Quill Award recipientQUINCY, Mass. -- A Rhode Island TV reporter is among five New England journalists receiving the 2007 Yankee Quill Award for their contributions to improving journalism in the region. The award is presented annually by the Academy of New England Journalists through the New England Society of Newspaper Editors. It's considered the highest individual honor awarded by fellow journalists in the region. WJAR-TV investigative reporter Jim Taricani will be honored for his role as an advocate for journalists' rights and a defender of the First Amendment. Taricani was sentenced in 2004 to home confinement for refusing to divulge the source of an FBI videotape showing an aide to former Providence Mayor Vincent ``Buddy'' Cianci taking a bribe -- The Associated Press Posted by Mike McKinney at 2:08 PM | Comment Fingerprints on robbery note lead to prison sentenceA Rhode Island woman who passed a note to a Providence bank teller, claiming she had a gun and demanding money, was sentenced today to more than six years in federal prison for robbery. U.S. District Court Judge Mary Lisi sentenced Dawn Walker, 28, to 77 months. Prosecutor Stephanie S. Browne said at the plea hearing that the government could show Walker passed the note to a teller on Dec. 27 last year and the teller gave her $4,438, U.S. Attorney Robery Clark Corrente' s office said in a news release. Providence police lifted fingerprint from the note that they matched to Walker, and detectives familiar with her from past contacts identified her from bank surveillance photos. Walker had numerous past convictions for a range of offenses, "and was classified at the highest level of criminal history under federal sentencing guidelines," the U.S. Attorney's office said. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 2:01 PM | Comment Would-be robber arrived in a limo, but heads to jailA woman who came to Rhode Island by way of a hired Connecticut limousine to attempt a bank robbery in Cranston was sentenced today to more than three years in federal prison. Evonne D. Maurice, 22, of Westbrook, Conn., pleaded guilty in May to attempting to rob a drive-in window teller at a Citizens Bank branch on Garden City Drive in December 2005, according to a news release from U.S. Attorney Robert Clark Corrente's office. U.S. District Court Judge Mary M. Lisi imposed a 37-month sentence on Maurice. Prosecutor Andrew J. Reich said at the plea hearing the government could prove Walker had hired a limousine to drive her to T. F. Green Airport. She told the driver at some point that she had missed her flight, and asked him to take her to a bank so she could withdraw money to pay him, the U.S. Attorney's office said. At the drive-up window, Maurice got out of the back seat and passed a note through the deposit drawer demanding money and claiming there were bombs in the bank. The teller hit an alarm, Maurice got back into the limousine without the money, and the unsuspecting chauffeur drove away, the authorities said. Maurice was arrested in May 2006 in Tampa, Fla., after Cranston and Tampa police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, investigated. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 1:56 PM | Comment Wife, 88, waited for husband, 49, to get out of prisonBRIDGEPORT, Conn. (AP) -- A 49-year-old man who bludgeoned his grandmother and great-aunt to death more than three decades ago left prison this week ready to settle down with his 88-year-old wife. Frank Czumalowski wed Radmilla Dobrijevick on Jan. 31, 2006, the day he was sentenced to 2 1/2 years in prison for violating his probation on a decade-old conviction for sexually assaulting a 12-year-old girl. Last year, Dobrijevick, who lives in Bridgeport, pledged in court that she would wait for Czumalowski. His lawyer, Rob Serafinowicz, says she has. -- The Associated Press "Frank Czumalowski has paid his debt to society and it's time for everyone to forgive him and welcome him back with open arms," Serafinowicz said. "This is a man who is working to better himself, who has a woman who is a good influence on his life, and hopefully, the two of them will be able to lead a life free of controversy and put everything that has happened behind them. I wish them the best of luck." Thirty years ago, police say Czumalowski, then 19, bludgeoned his grandmother and great aunt to death as they huddled over the stove, preparing Easter dinner for him. He loaded their bodies into a wheelbarrow and buried them under their beloved rose garden. Czumalowski was found not guilty by reason of insanity and released from a state psychiatric hospital after about six years. He told police at the time that he had taken LSD before the killings. He was arrested in 1994 and convicted of two counts of first-degree sexual assault. He was released from prison in 2003 and placed on probation with the condition he undergo sex-offender treatment and stay away from children. But he failed a lie detector test on whether he had been alone with a boy related to his landlady and was kicked out of his sexual behavior program for making threats. He also threatened his probation officer and told her that he would "revert back to his past criminal inclinations," according to an arrest warrant affidavit. Just before Czumalowski was sent to prison last year, Dobrijevick defended her husband to the judge. "He didn't want to kill a bug on the porch. I had to use my velvet slipper to kill the bug," she said. "He is a very unlucky person. I hope I will have a good life with him." Czumalowski was released from prison Thursday after serving 1 1/2 years. Posted by Jack Perry at 1:44 PM | Comment Massachusetts offers tax holiday this weekendRhode Islanders willing to do a little traveling this weekend can save money by driving to Massachusetts, which is observing a sales-tax holiday Saturday and Sunday. The holiday exempts most single items priced at up to $2,500 from the 5-percent state sales tax. Sales of telecommunications services, tobacco products, gas, steam, electricity, motor vehicles, motorboats, meals and items priced above $2,500 remain subject to the sales tax. Also, prior sales and layaway sales are ineligible. In some cases, Rhode Islanders won't have to drive so far to catch a break. Some Rhode Island businesses are offering discounts to counter the Massachusetts tax advantage. Rhode Island businesses have tried unsuccessfully to get the state to enact its own tax holiday. More information from the Massachusetts Department of Revenue's Web site. Read a full story on the Massachusetts sales-tax holiday. Posted by Jack Perry at 12:18 PM | Comment Hasbro and video game maker team upREDWOOD CITY, Calif. -- Hasbro is teaming with the world's largest video game maker, Electronic Arts, to create digital versions of its games and toys like Monopoly, Scrabble and Littlest Pet Shop. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. But the deal seeks to capitalize on the growing popularity of casual games, which are easier to play and target a mass audience beyond hardcore players. Under the deal, Electronic Arts gets exclusive rights to create digital games based on toys by Pawtucket-based Hasbro. Hasbro will receive rights to bring some of Electronic Arts' franchises to toys and traditional games. The first games are planned for next year. The deal doesn't include Hasbro's Transformers brand, which is already licensed to another vide game company. -- The Associated Press Posted by Mike McKinney at 12:04 PM | Comment URI pharmacy dean stepping down, going to IowaThe dean of the University of Rhode Island College of Pharmacy is leaving to become dean of pharmacy at The University of Iowa’s Academic Health Science Center. Donald E. Letendre, who had been identified earlier this year as one of the Iowa school’s five top candidates in its dean search, announced in an e-mail early this morning on a URI list-serve that he’ll leave URI effective Friday, Nov. 2. “Our collective efforts in recent years have resulted in remarkable strides in all aspects of our educational and research enterprise. Our students and all whom we strive to serve have been and will continue to be the beneficiaries of your commitment to excellence and high professional ideals. I feel most privileged and honored to have had the opportunity to work with you. URI's school of pharmacy is considered one of the university's top programs. Letendre has served as dean since 2001 and has been executive secretary of the Rhode Island State Crime Laboratory Commission. Under his tenure, the State Crime Laboratory, housed at the school, gained its first accreditation, and, last November, a new pharmacy building was approved by voters. -- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson Posted by Kate Bramson at 11:29 AM | Comment 6 journalists win Metcalf environmental fellowshipsNARRAGANSETT -- Six journalists have been awarded 10-month environmental reporting fellowships from the Metcalf Institute for Marine and Environmental Reporting through the University of Rhode Island. They are: * Julia Kumari Drapkin, photographer and multimedia reporter for the St. Petersburg Times, St. Petersburg, Fla. * Ambar Espinoza, researcher for Marketplace Productions, Los Angeles, Calif. * Natalie Garcia, reporter for Visalia Times-Delta, Visalia, Calif. * Ngoc Nguyen, freelance journalist and editor for NHA Magazine, San Jose, Calif. * MA Shumin, independent filmmaker, Paris and New York City. * Julie Varughese, reporter for the Norwich, Conn., Bulletin and NorwichBulletin.com. Read more about the recipients here. The fellowship is for early-career minority journalists and includes four weeks of independent study in environmental science at the University of Rhode Island, including a science immersion workshop on environmental justice. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney After that, the recipients will work for nine months reporting on science and the environment at: PRI's The World; Minnesota Public Radio, The Providence Journal; The Sacramento Bee, Talk of the Nation: Science Friday, and The Times Union, of Albany, N.Y., in order of the recipients' listing above. The Metcalf Institute for Marine and Environmental Reporting was named for Michael P. Metcalf, late publisher of The Providence Journal, and was started in 1997 with money from the Belo Corporation -- the Dallas-Texas-based company that owns the Journal -- The Providence Journal Charitable Foundation, The Philip L. Graham Fund, and the Telaka Foundation. The Institute's endowment was established at the University of Rhode Island's Graduate School of Oceanography and is manahed by the university's nonprofit foundation. According to a news release, the fellowships "are intended to increase quality environmental reporting and diversity in newsrooms around the country." They are paid for with a grant from the Geosciences Division of the National Science Foundation. Posted by Mike McKinney at 11:28 AM | Comment National Geographic Adventure loves NewportNewport is the place to be in Rhode Island. So says National Geographic Adventure magazine, which has chosen Newport as one of the 50 Top Adventure Towns for 2007. The magazine selected one town per state for its September issue cover feature, and Newport was the selection from Rhode Island. The magazine hits newsstands next Tuesday, but you can check out a sneak preview online. The magazine breaks the Top 50 towns into five categories: wilderness, small town, mountain, waterfront and city. A few communities – labeled “Hot Spots” – will be highlighted in the issue. Newport made the list in the waterfront category. This weekend, the city hosts the JVC Jazz Festival Newport. Posted by Kate Bramson at 11:20 AM | Comment Narragansetts invite the public to annual powwowCHARLESTOWN — This weekend, the Narragansett Indian tribe holds its 332nd recorded annual August Meeting, the tribe’s annual powwow and Green Corn Thanksgiving. Held on tribal land deep in the Charlestown woods off Route 2, the gathering celebrates the ripening of the corn and is one of the oldest of its kind in the region. Festivities begin tomorrow and Sunday at 10 a.m. and last until sundown. They will draw Native Americans from across the country, Mexico and Central America. Chief Sachem Matthew Thomas has invited all Rhode Islanders to share in the celebrations. Led by Thomas and other tribal leaders, the grand entry takes place at 1 p.m. each day to the beat of pounding drums and chanting. Medicine Man Lloyd Wilcox will cleanse the sacred grounds tomorrow, followed by a peace pipe ceremony for representatives from all the tribes in attendance. Posted by Kate Bramson at 10:47 AM | Comment Sunshine and events on tap for Victory Day weekendThe weather looks pretty good for our upcoming three-day holiday weekend, as long as you don’t plan all your outdoor activities just on Monday. The National Weather Service is predicting a high of 80 and mostly sunny skies for tomorrow, a high of 86 and sunshine for Sunday and a high of 88 on Monday, with a 30 percent chance of thunderstorms. As Rhode Island prepares to celebrate Victory Day on Monday, we are the only state left in the union to celebrate the surrender of Japan and, consequently, the end of World War II on this day. The holiday was established by President Harry Truman in a 1946 proclamation. Critics of Rhode Island’s continued celebration of the day would like to eliminate the holiday or at least remove any reference to the victory over Japan. Arkansas is believed to be the state that most recently dropped Victory Day as a holiday, in 1975. As for how Rhode Islanders will celebrate the day, we’ve included a smattering of planned events below. Let’s hope those thunderstorms aren’t here mid-morning. And if you’re planning to hit the beach this weekend, make sure to check out the state Health Department’s beach-monitoring site before you go. For now, Warren Town Beach is closed due to high bacteria counts. -- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson Some of Monday's Victory Day celebrations: In Bristol: In Barrington: In Pawtucket: In Newport: Posted by Kate Bramson at 9:16 AM | Comment 31 to become citizens in Fall River todayFALL RIVER – Thirty-one Bristol County residents from more than 15 nations are preparing for their U.S. citizenship ceremony this morning aboard the historic battleship USS Massachusetts. The citizenship ceremony for those from Angola, Cape Verde, Haiti, Ireland, Portugal and Russia – among other countries – helps kick off a weekend of events for Fall River Celebrates America, a family oriented waterfront festival. Congressman Jim McGovern expects to address the new citizens. Posted by Kate Bramson at 8:24 AM | Comment Showers likelyLook for periods of showers today, mainly between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m., according to the National Weather Service. The high should reach 70 degrees with an east wind of 6 to 11 mph. There's also a chance of showers tonight with a low of 53. For more weather and regular updates, see projo.com/weather. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:01 AM | Comment Today's front pageToday's front page features a story about Beacon Mutual Insurance Co.'s financial backing of professional golfer Mike Capone. Download a copy of today's front page in .pdf format. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:00 AM | Comment Morning commute on Route 95 should be normalPROVIDENCE -- Route 95 is ready again for morning commuters after overnight work on the route 95-Route 195 interchange project overnight closed a portion of the highway. Three southbound lanes of the highway between exits 18 and 20 reopened at 4:25 a.m., and Route 95 north along that same stretch opened at 4:35 a.m., according to the state Department of Transportation. Last night's closure of the highway allowed traffic to get through on Route 95 south. Just the three left lanes of the highway closed, according to the DOT. Route 95 north closed completely for the overnight work. This is the second week of this second round of closures for the highway project. The DOT has just two more overnight closures planned -- none for the weekend. Sunday and Monday, the closures are expected to affect just Route 95 north and Eddy Street. Check out the road-closure schedule on the DOT’s site. For a look back at the earlier closures this year, see projo.com’s special reports section. -- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson Posted by Kate Bramson at 6:27 AM | Comment August 9, 2007Photo: Snack time knows no boundaries
Posted by Andrea Panciera at 6:47 PM | Comment Matunuck theater, jazz fest at center stageFaithful fans appear to be flocking to the re-opened Theatre by the Sea in Matunuck, where the second of two previews of its first show of the season takes the stage tonight. The preview of "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" starts at 8 p.m. All seats are $35. Tomorrow is the official opening night, where $75 will cover the show, a champagne reception and an opening night party. More information here ... Competing for attention tomorrow will be opening night of the JVC Jazz Festival-Newport: Dianne Reeves and Her Band and The Count Basie Orchestra will perform at the International Tennis Hall of Fame, 194 Bellevue Ave., Newport, at 8 p.m. For more information, contactl 847-3700, (866) 468-7619, www.Ticketweb.com, www.festivalproductions.net. What else is shaking tomorrow? Browse this preview of The Journal's calendar of events. Posted by Andrea Panciera at 6:39 PM | Comment Photo: Paratroopers hope practice makes perfect
Posted by Andrea Panciera at 6:06 PM | Comment Update: Policy probes urged after detainee's deathIt could take three months to determine why a Brazilian man died Tuesday while in custody, according to the Rhode Island Office of the State Medical Examiners. Edimar Alves Dearaujo, 34, a Brazilian national of Milford, Mass., died Tuesday at Rhode Island Hospital 78 minutes after being taken into custody in Woonsocket by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, according to Paula Grenier, an ICE spokeswoman in Boston. The medical examiners' office released a statement this afternoon, saying the cause of death is "pending further studies." Ancillary testing could take up to three months, the statement said. Also today, the local chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union says it has filed an open records request to obtain copies of Woonsocket Police Department policies on how the medical needs of individuals in the department’s custody are handled. The ACLU has also called on the state attorney general "to conduct an immediate inventory of other municipal police department policies across the state regarding the provision of medication to detainees who may have emergency medical needs." Federal authorities are investigating the death, according to Grenier. Dearaujo's sister has said that he was an epileptic who needed medication, but that the Woonsocket police would not let her deliver his anti-seizure medication when she showed up at the police station. This afternoon, the International Institute of Rhode Island called for a "full and open investigation" into Araujo's death. The independent, nonprofit group, which describes itself as a full-service center for immigrants and refugees, also asked Congressman Patrick Kennedy, whose district includes Woonsocket, and other elected officials to advocate for such a probe. "All members of the Rhode Island community need to know why and how this sad event occurred. We also need to think long and hard about the connection between what has been happening politically around the issue of immigration and immigrants -- and whether such immigrants are legally or illegally present in our community -- and this unfortunate and apparently unnecessary incident." The institute said that comprehensive immigration reform and police practices when dealing with immigrants need to move to the top of the agenda, nationally and locally. In its press release, the ACLU's letter to Attorney General Patrick C. Lynch states: “Obviously, we have no first-hand knowledge of what transpired in this particular case, but we believe undertaking this inventory is essential in order to determine if appropriate procedures are in place so as to prevent similar tragedies like this from occurring. If the policies are deficient, we hope you will do all that is necessary to ensure that proper screening protocols are promptly adopted by all police departments in Rhode Island.” For more background, read today's Journal story on the death. Posted by Jack Perry at 5:19 PM | Comment Update: Carcieri to appeal order to testify about raidGovernor Carcieri will appeal to the state Supreme Court a judge’s ruling last week that he must take the stand at the criminal trials of seven Narragansett Indians arrested in a state police raid on a tribal smoke shop in July 2003, arguing that his testimony is not relevant to the cases. Judge Susan E. McGuirl ruled in Providence County Superior Court Friday that the tribal members’ lawyers could call the governor to testify. She said the defendants’ rights to due process outweighed the governor’s claim of executive privilege, particularly since he made numerous public statements following the raid. The judge limited any questioning to the instructions Carcieri gave Col. Steven M. Pare, then superintendent of the state police, in the days leading up to the raid. “Governor Carcieri’s conversations with Col. Steven Pare have no relevance to the criminal charges against the seven defendants,” Michael Maynard, the spokesman for the governor, said in a statement. “The Governor believes that there is nothing that he could say that is in any way relevant to the charges of resisting arrest and disorderly conduct, which is what this trial is about.” “He believes that his testimony at trial would only serve to deflect attention away from the conduct of the defendants,” Maynard said. “We do not see how these conversations have any bearing on the actions that were taken by the defendants on the day of the incident that led to the criminal charges against them.” “Moreover, compelling the governor to testify in a case like this sets a dangerous precedent. If the defendants are successful here, there will be a long line of litigants seeking gubernatorial testimony going forward. In effect, the high bar to compel gubernatorial testimony will be substantially lowered,” Maynard continued. This afternoon, Narragansett Indian Chief Sachem Matthew Thomas issued a statement saying that the tribe is "very disappointed" in Carcieri's decision to appeal McGuirl's ruling. Thomas, who is among the seven defendants in the case, said the governor's instructions to the state police are relevant to their defense and their effort to obtain a fair trial. He continued: "We were hoping that the governor would have said, that, 'If the judge thinks my testimony is relevant, I look forward to testifying because the right of defendants in criminal cases to a fair and public trial is paramount.' "However, this is apparently not the case. To use an old hunting expression, it looks to us like the governor is 'running into the tall grass'." -- Journal staff writer Katie Mulvaney, with projo.com reports Carcieri had ordered the state police to execute a search and seizure warrant on the roadside smoke shop after learning the tribe was selling cigarettes without charging Rhode Island taxes. The raid, on July 14, 2003, erupted into a violent clash as cameras rolled when officers met resistance as they came onto Narragansett Indian land in Charlestown. At a news conference the following day, with Pare by his side, Carcieri said he had directed the state police to withdraw if they met any resistance. On the stand last week, Pare denied ever receiving those instructions, but said there was an understanding no one should get hurt or killed over untaxed cigarettes. The eight tribal members face misdemeanor charges of resisting arrest, assault, obstruction and disorderly conduct. They are set to go to trial Sept. 17. Extra: More about the raid and its aftermath ...
Posted by Jack Perry at 4:58 PM | Comment Photo: Planting color amid the concrete
Posted by Jack Perry at 2:28 PM | Comment Bahamian delegation visiting Rhode IslandPROVIDENCE -- Rhode Island is getting a visit by a group of businesses from the Bahamas as part of a National Guard program that partners U.S. states with foreign nations. The State Partnership Program pairs the Rhode Island National Guard with the Bahamas. Among the programs they've done in the past are an exchange between the University of Rhode Island and the College of the Bahamas, and training of Bahamian police by Providence and Rhode Island State Police. A delegation including representatives from the Bahamas Development Bank, the Bahamas Chamber of Commerce and the Bahamas Tourism Council is visiting the Ocean State this week. The bank and chamber of commerce are also signing an agreement with the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation to develop economic partnerships and promote joint economic cooperation in financial services, tourism and education. -- The Associated Press Posted by Jack Perry at 2:14 PM | Comment Newport fishing boat being rescued by Coast GuardBOSTON -- U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Seneca is towing a Newport-based fishing vessel with four people aboard after it became disabled last night about 55 miles south of Martha's Vineyard, Mass. Brian Ohara, the owner of the 72-foot Leviathan, contacted Coast Guard Sector Southeastern New England by cell phone at 6:30 p.m. yesterday, saying the boat had experienced an engine casualty and was adrift. Sector Southeastern New England broadcasted a request on VHF marine radio for vessels in the area to assist the Leviathan, but none responded, according to the Coast Guard. The sector maintained communications with the Leviathan throughout the night. The 270-foot Seneca, homeported in Boston, arrived on scene about 9:30 a.m. today and plans to tow the Leviathan to Nomans Land, where arrangements will be made to bring the vessel into port, according to the Coast Guard. "We encourage vessels to have multiple means of communication in case one of them fails to work," said Senior Chief Petty Officer Phillip Jordinelli, the Sector Southeastern New England command center supervisor. "The Leviathan was equipped with a VHF radio, but they were also able to communicate by cell phone." Posted by Pam Cotter at 1:18 PM | Comment Catch some Journal sunglasses to block those raysHeading over to Second or Third Beach in Middletown for a lunch break today? The Providence Journal's Beach Patrol will be on duty until 1 p.m. handing out free, promotional sunglasses. To spot them, look for the crew wearing T-shirts with projoJobs, projoHomes and projoCars logos. Posted by Andrea Panciera at 12:17 PM | Comment Derderians willing to testify for lawsuits tied to fireThe owners of the former Station nightclub are willing to testify for attorneys who have brought lawsuits related to the deadly fire at the club that killed 100 people and injured another 200 in February 2003. Brothers Michael and Jeffrey Derderian indicated their willingness in papers filed this week in the U.S. District Court of Rhode Island. The papers were filed in response to Magistrate Judge David L. Martin's invitation to the involved parties to give input on how the requests for discovery would be conducted. "The defendants are still committed to actively participating in the discovery process, including presenting for their depositions. Furthermore, defendants are willing to present for depositions on all areas of inquiry permitted by Federal Rules of Civil Procedures 26 and 30, and not just the areas of inquiry applicable to the summary judgment motions," the response says. Extra: Read the court document in .pdf format. Last week, band manager Daniel M. Biechele lost his bid to avoid questioning. Biechele is serving a four-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to 100 counts of involuntary manslaughter. He admits he lit the pyrotechnics that triggered the blaze, but he said resulting injuries were unintentional. Biechele’s lawyer, Thomas Briody, argued that Biechele should be spared further questioning because his answers could lead to federal prosecution or charges in other states in connection to his job with the band Great White. Martin ruled Friday that lawyers representing victims’ families may question Biechele, but Martin also said that Biechele can use his constitutional right against self-incrimination by declining to answer questions that he believes might incriminate him. In September, the Derderians pleaded no contest to 100 counts of involuntary manslaughter each for their part in the deadly blaze. Michael Derderian is serving a four-year term at the Adult Correctional Institutions. Jeffrey received a suspended sentence and was ordered to perform 500 hours of community service and serve three years’ probation. Attorneys for the Derderians noted that Michael Derderian would have to be transported from the Adult Correctional Institution to the courthouse to provide his deposition. Also in papers filed this week, Biechele requests that he'd be required to provide just one deposition, which would be limited to a maximum of four hours. Posted by Jack Perry at 11:39 AM | Comment Mobster ordered back to prisonPROVIDENCE -- Mobster Edward C. Lato, a capo regime in the Patriarca crime family, was ordered to return to federal prison today for violating the terms of his federal probation. U.S. District Court Ernest C. Torres sentenced Lato, 60, of North Providence, to five months in prison for associating with a person involved in criminal activity. He told Lato to report to a yet-to-be determined federal prison by noon on September 4. Upon completing his sentence, Lato will remain on supervised probation for 20 months. Last December, Lato, two mob associates and nine others were arrested and charged with participating in a gambling and drug ring that had ties to Houston. At the time, Lato was in the final months of his probationary period for a prior extortion conviction. In accepting the five-month sentence, federal prosecutors said that an additional federal violation charge stemming from the recent raid has been dropped. -- Journal staff writer W. Zachary Malinowski Posted by Jack Perry at 11:17 AM | Comment Former Roger Williams execs appeal convictionsPROVIDENCE -- Two former medical center executives have asked a federal appeals court to overturn their convictions for paying a state senator to advance the hospital's political agenda, saying the trial judge gave the jury flawed instructions. Robert Urciuoli, the former president and chief executive of Roger Williams Medical Center, was convicted last fall along with former vice president Frances Driscoll for directing ex-state Sen. John Celona to support bills favorable to the hospital and oppose legislation the hospital was against. Their convictions were part of a sweeping federal probe into State House corruption. Defense lawyers argued in written briefs submitted yesterday to the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston that the judge erred by permitting the jury to consider work that Celona did for the hospital - such as lobbying towns for increased ambulance runs and facilitating meetings with insurance company executives - that had nothing to do with legislation or his job as a senator. -- Eric Tucker, The Associated Press U.S. District Judge Ernest Torres told jurors they could consider any work that Celona performed on the hospital's behalf either behind the scenes or "under the cloak of his office." But the defense lawyers said those instructions were overly broad and permitted jurors to convict their clients for conduct that was not illegal and for "activities entirely unrelated to the legislative duties which the public elected (Celona) to perform." In addition, Driscoll's attorney argued that conflicts of interest are almost inevitable in states like Rhode Island, which has a part-time legislature. Certain conflicts are tolerated under state law, and the onus is on legislators to know when they must recuse themselves from voting, wrote defense attorney John "Terry" MacFadyen. "This case is about the difficulties which may ensue when non-legislators, not covered by the ethics code, enter business relations with a politician who is, and when that politician proves to have moral blinders, an oversized ego and feet of clay," MacFadyen wrote. The appeals court has allowed both defendants to remain free on bail pending their appeal, saying they were raising important questions about the jury instructions. Urciuoli, who was convicted of conspiracy and 35 counts of mail fraud, was sentenced to three years in prison. Driscoll, found guilty of a single mail fraud charge, was sentenced to eight months in prison followed by eight months home confinement. Celona, a once-powerful lawmaker who chaired a Senate committee that dealt with health care legislation and resigned from the General Assembly in March 2004, was hired as a consultant for an assisted-living home that was affiliated with Roger Williams. In reality, prosecutors said, he was being paid by the hospital executives to promote their legislative agenda and perform other favors. Defense lawyers argued that Celona and Driscoll were upfront about Celona's job with the medical center and that the relationship was always above board. "Taken in the light most favorable to the defense, as required when instructions are at stake, the evidence showed that Celona was hired for his contacts with the senior community and not as an under-the-table lobbyist," MacFadyen wrote. Celona earned more than $250,000 for his Roger Williams work between 1998 and 2004. He pleaded guilty in 2005 to having improper business dealings with Roger Williams, CVS Corp. and Blue Cross and Blue Shield. He is serving a two and a half year federal prison sentence. Two former CVS vice presidents were indicted last January and have pleaded not guilty. Federal prosecutors say their investigation is continuing. A spokesman for U.S. Attorney Robert Clark Corrente declined to comment on the defendants' arguments. The government will have an opportunity to file reply briefs. Posted by Jack Perry at 9:17 AM | Comment Marine forecast: Small craft warnings in outer watersIt should be a good day for the beach, even if some sun worshippers find it a little cool. The temperature in Narragansett is expected to reach 76 degrees with a north wind of 9 to 11 mph. shifting to the east. The humidity has dropped. Small craft warnings for waters south and east of Nantucket should continue until later this morning. Posted by Jack Perry at 8:53 AM | Comment Today's front pageToday's front page features photographs and a story about the reopening of Theatre by the Sea in Matunuck. Download a copy of today's front page in .pdf format. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:00 AM | Comment Not a cloud in the forecastPROVIDENCE -- What a beautiful day the National Weather Service is predicting. This morning's temp of 63 is expected to rise to a high near 80, and there's none of the rain that has dampened the last few days on the horizon. Until tonight, that is, when we've got a 30 percent chance of showers with a predicted low of 59 degrees. We've got heavy rain predicted for tomorrow, cloudy weather for Saturday and mostly sunny for Sunday. Check back with projo.com throughout the day for the latest weather updates. Posted by Kate Bramson at 6:36 AM | Comment DOT says Route 95 lanes open on time againPROVIDENCE -- The stretch of Route 95 in Providence that was closed for the Route 95-Route 195 interchange project overnight has opened again on schedule for the morning commute. Three southbound lanes of the highway between exits 18 and 20 reopened at 4:30 a.m., and Route 95 north along that same stretch opened at 5 a.m. Last night's closure of the highway allowed traffic to get through on Route 95 south. Just the three left lanes of the highway closed, according to the state Department of Transportation. Route 95 north closed completely for the overnight work. This is the second week of this second round of closures for the highway project. The DOT has just three more overnight closures planned. Tonight's is expected to work the same as last night, with one lane of Route 95 south remaining open while Route 95 north shuts down completely. No closures are planned for Friday and Saturday nights. Sunday and Monday, the closures are expected to affect just Route 95 north and Eddy Street. Check out the road-closure schedule on the DOT’s site. For a look back at the earlier closures this year, see projo.com’s special reports section. -- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson Posted by Kate Bramson at 6:27 AM | Comment August 8, 2007Tonight the drums sound on the big screenIf you didn't catch the free concert that included an Ohio drum line, which was scheduled to sound off at noon today at WaterPlace Park, you can watch them on the big screen tonight in Providence. The producers of the film "From the 50 Yard Line" presented the performance earlier today. Now the movie about the award-winning Centreville, Ohio, band is slated to be screened at 7 p.m. at the Columbus Theater as part of the ongoing Rhode Island International Film Festival. Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:57 PM | Comment Longtime Somerset fire chief announces retirementSOMERSET -- Stephen J. Rivard, the town's fire chief for the past 19 years, announced this evening that he is retiring, probably in January. The 52-year-old chief, a firefighter for more than 32 years, cited health reasons for his departure, but declined to be specific. He has been out on sick leave for two months, working in an advisory role with Deputy Chief Dana K. Hilliard, who has been acting chief. He declined to speculate on a successor, saying that would be up to the Board of Selectmen. Rivard said he has asked the selectmen for permission to continue his work as director of the town's Emergency Management Agency. ``I want to give back to the community I love so much,'' he said. Rivard has been in the business for over 32 years. He was hired as an emergency medical technician in Fall River on St. Patrick's Day 1975. He became a Somerset firefighter in August 1977, was promoted to lieutenant in 1986 and was named chief July 10, 1988. At 33, he was one of the youngest chiefs in the Commonwealth. ``It's been a great run for me,'' he said. -- Journal staff writer C. Eugene Emery Jr. Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:28 PM | Comment Newport police investigate shootingNEWPORT -- Newport police are investigating a shooting that left one man injured. Investigators say the attack Tuesday night injured a 27-year-old man, but none of his wounds are life threatening. The gunfire broke out outside an apartment complex near the Middletown border around 8 p.m. Police Lt. William Fitzgerald Jr. says officers found several empty shell casings at the scene -- but no victim or weapon. A short while later, detectives were sent to Newport Hospital to interview a man seeking treatment for a gunshot wound. Fitzgerald wouldn't release the victim's identity or discuss a motive. But he says the attack wasn't random. On Monday, a 17-year-old boy was stabbed near the same apartment complex. The police say the incidents appear unrelated. -- The Associated Press Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:05 PM | Comment Company indicted today in Big Dig collapseBOSTON -- The company that provided the epoxy blamed in the fatal Big Dig tunnel collapse was indicted today in the death of a motorist crushed by ceiling panels. Powers Fasteners Inc., was charged with one count of involuntary manslaughter, Attorney General Martha Coakley said. The Brewster, N.Y.-based firm was the only company involved in the construction and design of the tunnel to be indicted by the Suffolk County grand jury, Coakley said, while stressing the investigation remains open. A report from the National Transportation Safety Board released last month found the July 10, 2006, collapse could have been avoided if designers and construction crews had considered that the epoxy holding support anchors for the panels could slowly pull away over time. Milena Del Valle, 39, was killed when 26 tons of concrete panels and hardware came crashing down from a tunnel ceiling onto her car as she and her husband drove through the westbound I-90 connector tunnel. Her husband crawled out of the rubble with minor injuries. The company did not immediately return a call seeking comment. Prosecutors said Powers Fasteners knew the type of epoxy it marketed and sold for the Big Dig project was unsuitable for the weight it would have to hold, but never told project managers. "They failed to make that distinction clear," said Paul Ware, hired as a special investigator by Coakley. The maximum penalty for a company charged with manslaughter in Massachusetts is $1,000. Coakley said the case highlights a need to change the law, saying the criminal statute may be "wholly inadequate." The indictment comes after more than a year of investigations by state and federal agencies. The charge does not directly affect a separate wrongful death lawsuit that Del Valle's husband and daughter filed against Powers, the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority and eight other companies. -- The Associated Press Mario Garcia, a Miami attorney for Raquel Ibarra Mora, who lives in Costa Rica, said Mora applauded the attorney general's efforts to hold the people accountable for the accident that killed her mother. "She hopes that this is just the beginning of many more who would hopefully be held responsible," Garcia said. Jeffrey Denner, an attorney for Angel Del Valle, said he believes the grand jury would continue to consider criminal charges against others involved but that it was appropriate to charge Powers. "They are certainly as culpable as it gets. They are the people who supplied the epoxy," he said. In the report released last month, federal investigators spread blame for the collapse among the many corporations, consultants and engineers involved in the Big Dig project. The agency also faulted the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority for failing to conduct a timely tunnel inspection program. The NTSB singled out Powers for providing "inadequate and misleading" information about its Power-Fast epoxy. Tests had shown the epoxy's "Fast Set" formulation to be "subject to creep under sustained tension loading," the report said. Officials from Powers Fasteners issued a statement after the report was issued saying it would be "an absurd conclusion if the federal investigators were to consider Powers Fasteners in any way responsible, since the overwhelming evidence is that the fault lies elsewhere." On Aug. 3, the NTSB sent Powers Fasteners a letter recommending they "revise the packaging, for all distributors, of your Power-Fast Epoxy Injection Gel Fast Set formulation to state explicitly that this formulation is approved for short-term loads only." Del Valle's death prompted tunnel and road closures and sparked a public furor over the Big Dig project, the most expensive highway project in U.S. history. The $14.79 billion Big Dig, which had an initial price tag of $2.6 billion, has been plagued by problems and cost overruns throughout the two decades it took to design and build. The construction buried the old elevated Central Artery that ran through the heart of Boston with a series of tunnels, ramps and bridges. Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:03 PM | Comment Update: Drivers identified in tractor trailer crashA Central Falls man is in stable condition at Rhode Island Hospital after the tractor trailer he was driving rear-ended another truck on Route 95 northbound around 4:30 a.m., causing the highway to be closed to traffic during the morning commute, the state police said. Gilbert Galvin, 59, of 106 Sacred Heart Ave., is being treated in the hospital’s trauma intensive care unit, state police Sgt. Karen Pinch said. The driver of the other rig, Brenda Falke, 45, of Alto Bay, N.H., was taken to Westerly Hospital, where she was treated and released. The accident happened at about 4:30 a.m. just south of Exit 3. State police closed a portion of Route 95 northbound for several hours as crews worked to clear the roadway in Richmond and Hopkinton of wreckage and diesel fuel that spilled from the vehicles, Hope Valley-Wyoming Fire Chief Frederick Stanley said. Traffic was detoured off the highway onto Route 3 until around 10 a.m. Galvin drove the double tractor trailer, which rear-ended the single tractor as both traveled in the low-speed lane, Pinch said. Galvin’s cab dislodged from the trailer upon impact and flipped, Stanley said. Hope Valley firefighters used an extrication device to pull him from the wreck, where he was hanging by his seatbelt with serious head injuries, Stanley said. He was taken to Rhode Island Hospital by Hope Valley ambulance, Stanley said. An accident reconstruction team is investigating to see whether speed was a factor or whether there will be charges, Pinch said. The state departments of Transportation and Environmental Management oversaw the fuel clean-up, Stanley said. Fire crews from Ashaway and Richmond-Carolina also responded to the scene. -- Journal staff writer Katie Mulvaney, with reports from projo.com staff writers Michael P. McKinney and Kate Bramson Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:01 PM | Comment Smithfield soon gets traffic divider to reduce crashesSMITHFIELD -- The state Department of Transportation announced today that work crews will soon build a traffic divider on Cedar Swamp Road at the Apple Valley Mall, an area prone to traffic accidents. The DOT admitted that a “bad design” has been the culprit in the crashes. The area is question is just east of the Route 44 intersection. A convenience store and gas station lies across the street. Cedar Swamp Road, also known as Route 5, is six lanes wide, and cars that exit the mall to turn left must cross three to five lanes of traffic headed in opposite directions. Motorists leaving the gas station also often encounter the same difficult traffic pattern in making left turns. Under the plan announced today workers will install a 2-foot-wide raised island along Cedar Swamp Road starting at Route 44 and stretching east along Cedar Swamp for approximately 225 feet. Drivers leaving the mall or the gas station will be able only to turn right, eliminating awkward encounters. The work, expected to begin within a week, was urged by Smithfield’s three General Assembly delegates: Sen. John J. Tassoni Jr. D-Smithfield and North Smithfield, Rep. Thomas J. Winfield, D-Smithfield and Glocester, and Rep. Peter J. Petrarca, D-Lincoln, Smithfield and Johnston. At the request of the legislators, DOT officials examined the intersection, acknowledged the complexities of its configuration and ordered corrections to improve traffic safety, the DOT said. -- Journal staff writer Thomas J. Morgan Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:58 PM | Comment Alert: Urciuoli files appeal of his convictionPROVIDENCE -- A former medical center executive asked a federal appeals court today to overturn his conviction for paying a state senator to advance his hospital's political agenda, saying the trial judge gave the jury flawed instructions. Robert Urciuoli, the former president and chief executive of Roger Williams Medical Center, was convicted last fall of conspiracy and mail fraud for directing ex-state Sen. John Celona to support bills favorable to the hospital and oppose legislation the hospital was against. Urciuoli was convicted with Frances Driscoll, a former medical center vice president, as part of a sweeping federal probe into State House corruption. Defense lawyers argued in written briefs submitted to the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston that U.S. District Judge Ernest Torres erred by permitting the jury to consider work that Celona did for the hospital -- such as lobbying towns for increased ambulance runs and arranging meetings with insurance company executives -- that had nothing to do with legislation or his job as a senator. The appeals court has allowed both defendants to remain free on bail pending their appeal, saying the men raised important questions about the jury questions. Urciuoli was sentenced to three years in prison, and Driscoll was sentenced to eight months in prison followed by eight months of home confinement. Celona, a once-powerful lawmaker who chaired a Senate committee that dealt with health-care legislation, was hired as a consultant for an assisted-living home affiliated with Roger Williams. In reality, prosecutors said, he was paid by the hospital executives to promote their legislative agenda and perform other favors. He was paid more than $250,000 for his work. Celona pleaded guilty in 2005 to having improper business dealings with Roger Williams, CVS Corp. and Blue Cross and Blue Shield. He is serving a 2 1/2 year federal prison sentence. -- The Associated Press Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:18 PM | Comment Chief justice appoints tribunal-chief selection panelState Supreme Court Chief Justice Frank J. Williams announced today he has appointed the three-member committee that will seek and review candidates for the new chief magistrate position of the state Traffic Tribunal. Appointed are Judge Edward C. Parker, who will served as chairman, Alfred A. Russo, who will serve as the attorney member of the committee, and Robert Murray, who will serve as the public member. According to the chief justice's executive order, the committee will serve until a chief magistrate candidate is "appointed and qualified." Besides reviewing applications and other evidence of "good character, judgment, legal ability, temperament, and commitment to equal justice" to decide which candidates to interview, it will also consider the public's and members of the bar's written comments. A list of interviewees will be forwarded to the state police, the state Ethics Commission, disciplinary counsel, and the attorney general’s office. They will do a background check and give the results to the committee. The committee will discuss the candidates and vote, then submit the list of three to five candidates for the position to the chief justice -- within 45 days of today's executive order. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:15 PM | Comment Providence plans for 2009 annual conference of mayorsPROVIDENCE – Poised to host 1,500 people at the 2009 annual conference for a national mayors organization, the capital city has been praised as “a good example for American cities to follow.” The United States Conference of Mayors President Tom Cochran said Providence was selected from among more than 20 cities vying for the 2009 USCM conference, according to Providence Mayor David N. Cicilline’s office. The two met privately today to discuss plans for the conference, which is expected to draw 400 mayors and staff from across America. This will be the first time Providence hosts the annual meeting. Designating a city as conference host is a way of “honoring a great city and state,” Cochran said in a news release issued by Cicilline’s office. In January, Cicilline was named national chairman of the group's Committee on Children, Health and Human Services, 1 of its 11 standing committees. -- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson Posted by Kate Bramson at 4:10 PM | Comment Woonsocket man indicted on molestation countsA 36-year-old Woonsocket man was indicted today on three counts of first-degree molestation and 10 counts of second-degree molestation for alleged incidents over several years involving children 14 years old or younger. Angel Rodriguez, of 193 River St., is accused of committing three crimes of first-degree child molestation and three crimes of second-degree molestation between Jan. 1 and April 24, according to the Providence Grand Jury indictment. He also allegedly committed three crimes of second-degree molestation between July 1, 2003, and Jan. 1 this year, one crime of second-degree molestation between Jan. 1 and April 4, and three crimes of second-degree molestation between July 1, 2003, and July 1, 2004 The authorities said the incidents all happened in Woonsocket. Rodriguez is scheduled for an Aug. 29 arraignment. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with Journal archival reports Rodriguez had already been facing charges for allegedly inappropriately touching another girl who is 10, over a four-year period. He was arrested on those charges on May 3, according to police reports. Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:05 PM | Comment Richardson's second murder trial set for NovemberWARWICK – A new trial date of Nov. 26 has been set for James Richardson, the 40-year-old Cranston man accused of murdering Margaret Duffy-Stephenson in her Warwick home in November 2005. Richardson’s first trial for first-degree murder, which lasted a month, ended on June 27 when a Superior Court jury was unable to reach a verdict. Lawyers from the Public Defender’s Office and the attorney general’s office met today at the Kent County Court House to decide on a new trial date. They also set a status conference date of Nov. 14, according to Beryl Kenyon, a spokeswoman for the attorney general’s office. -- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson The new trial will be in the Kent County Court House, as was the first trial. The same prosecutors will try the case again, Kenyon said. Richardson is accused of fatally stabbing Duffy-Stephenson, 37, in her home and stealing $11,000 from a locked safe. She was a teacher’s aide for special-needs students in East Greenwich. Richardson worked for a landscaping business operated by Duffy-Stephenson’s husband, James O. Stephenson III. In Richardson’s first trial, the jury deliberated for 3½ days, considering testimony by more than 20 witnesses and scores of pieces of evidence. On June 27, they told Judge Francis J. Darigan Jr. that they could not agree on a verdict on the charges of first-degree murder and burglary. Posted by Kate Bramson at 2:33 PM | Comment Democrats challenge Carcieri on 'right-wing' lawyerThe state Democrats' chairman is seeking under the Freedom of Information Act whether taxpayers have paid for a "right-wing" lawyer's services in a court case that could decide if a lesbian couple married in Massachusetts could divorce in Rhode Island. Chairman William Lynch said in a news release he filed the request with the Carcieri administration today about lawyer James Bopp Jr. Lynch said if taxpayers have footed the bill, he wants to know for how much. "Jim Bopp has made a living representing the narrow-minded ideology of people like Tom DeLay, and I’m sure he doesn’t come cheap. I think the taxpayers have a right to know if they’re paying the legal bills of this right-wing Republican lawyer, whose only role appears to be that of advocating the governor’s personal and political point of view,” Lynch said in the statement. The governor's office says it will respond this afternoon. The Supreme Court had invited state officials and interested parties to file friend-of-the court briefs by last week's deadline. The responses included briefs from the bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence, the American Civil Liberties Union and the Marriage Law Foundation. Governor Carcieri, a Republican, and Attorney General Patrick C. Lynch, a Democrat -- William Lynch's brother -- agreed in legal briefs submitted to the state Supreme Court last week that a state court can grant two Providence women a divorce without answering the highly charged question of whether a same-sex marriage performed in Massachusetts should be recognized in Rhode Island, However, Carcieri and Patrick Lynch differed over what the case's outcome should be if the high court does take up the larger issue. Carcieri, a Republican and a Catholic who has opposed bills to legalize same-sex marriage, argued that Family Court should not recognize the marriage between Margaret R. Chambers and Cassandra B. Ormiston. "Marriage as a legal union of one man and one woman is clearly the bedrock of Rhode Island family law," Carcieri's brief said, citing gender-specific terms such as "husband and wife" in state law. "Because of the pervasiveness of this position throughout its family law statutes, Rhode Island has a strong public policy against recognition of any other marriage than that between one man and one woman." Lynch, a Democrat and a Catholic who has a sister who married a woman in Massachusetts, argued that Family Court should recognize the Chambers/Ormiston marriage under principles of comity, in which states recognize the laws and judicial decisions of other states. "The crucial issue is whether there is a public policy in this state that is so strong it will require Rhode Island to except same-sex marriages from the traditional respect and recognition it has shown to laws of its sister states," Lynch's brief said. "Rhode Island's case law and legislative enactments do not support such a finding." Asserting that Carcieri "holds no known legal standing in the case of Chambers v. Ormiston," Lynch wants to know if the governor billed the state for legal services "to advocate what is clearly a personal and politically-motivated opposition to marriages of same sex spouses." -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with Journal archival reports Posted by Mike McKinney at 1:44 PM | Comment Matunuck summer theater opens tonightSOUTH KINGSTOWN – The historic Theatre By the Sea in Matunuck ends its nearly four-year closure tonight with a preview performance at 8 p.m. of “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.” About 35 tickets are still available for tonight and tomorrow’s previews, according to the theater box office. Preview tickets cost $35. Opening night is Friday, and the box office reports perhaps 25 to 30 tickets remaining for that performance. Those tickets range from $39 to $49. Since the theater opened in 1933, there have been other halts in the shows as well. During World War II, the place was used for diving practice, as planes practiced strafing runs - the theater's large size and the way it stood out from its surroundings made it an ideal target. For information on ticket sales and the reopening of the summer stock theater, check out the theatre’s Web site. -- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson Posted by Kate Bramson at 12:27 PM | Comment Governor endorses redesign of Quonset projectNORTH KINGSTOWN -- The state agency that controls the Quonset Business Park officially unveiled today a significant redesign of the Quonset Gateway project, a $144-million development that was quashed by state planners in March amid criticism about its focus on large retail stores and sprawling paved surfaces. The Providence Journal obtained the plans yesterday. The new design places the so-called big-box stores - outlets of the Lowe's and Kohl's chains - behind a proposed Davisville Square, made up of a collection of small shops, cafés and benches that would replace the surface parking lots that had been planned for the border with Route 1. In a statement released today, Governor Carcieri endorsed the project. “In addition to supporting greater job growth within the park, the revised plan leverages private sector dollars to create a mixed-use site that will enhance the quality of the surrounding neighborhoods both today and in the years to come,” Carcieri said in the statement. React to the revised proposal. Posted by Kate Bramson at 11:14 AM | Comment Mt. Pleasant Branch library to close for renovationsPROVIDENCE – The city library’s Mount Pleasant Branch will be closed for a little more than two weeks for painting and carpeting renovations, beginning Aug. 20. The branch located at 315 Academy Ave. will reopen on Sept. 4, the Tuesday after Labor Day Weekend, the Providence Public Library announced today. Library users can return books to the branch using the book drop in front of the library. Book requests through the branch that come in during the closure can be picked up at the Wanskuck Branch Library, 233 Veazie St., unless otherwise specified. The Mount Pleasant Branch staff will answer questions at the branch before Aug. 20. They can be reached at (401) 455-8105. Posted by Kate Bramson at 11:09 AM | Comment Update: Crews extinguish house fire in LincolnLINCOLN – The occupants of a house at 31 Angell Rd. escaped injury when a fire started in their home this morning. The Lime Rock Fire Department was called around 8:45 a.m. and firefighters appear to have knocked it down as of about 9:50 a.m., but smoke could still be seen, and they were still spraying water from inside the house. Two cats and a dog perished. The outside of the house appeared to be intact, but soot was visible above a broken front window and other parts of the house. Lime Rock Asst. Fire Chief Arthur Jaques says fire officials believe the fire, which started in the living room, was caused by an electrical problem. Jacques said the home's occupants, a married couple, were home but got out safely. Trucks, firefighters and equipment from several Lincoln fire departments were there. -- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson and Journal staff photographer Andrew Dickerman and The Associated Press Posted by Kate Bramson at 10:21 AM | Comment Providence to host meeting of mayorsPROVIDENCE -- Providence Mayor David Cicilline plans today to discuss preparations for an annual meeting of American mayors. Providence in 2009 is hosting a meeting of the United States Conference of Mayors. Cicilline will meet privately this morning with the organization's executive director Tom Cochran. Cicilline is chairman of the organization's Children, Health and Human Services committee. The nonpartisan USCM represents more than 1,100 cities in the country. -- The Associated Press Posted by Jack Perry at 7:02 AM | Comment Rain likely this a.m., clearing and humid laterHeavy showers with the possibility of thunderstorms are likely this morning for much of southern New England, according to the National Weather Service. The rain could be heavy enough to bring flooding in poor drainage areas, the weather service says. It should turny sunny and humid this afternoon. The temperature should reach 89 degrees in the Providence area today then drop to 69 tonight. As usual in the summer, it will be cooler at the coast. Today's high should be about 79 in Narragansett. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:00 AM | Comment Route 95 open in Providence, but closed in RichmondThe stretch of Route 95 in Providence that was closed for the Route 95-Route 195 interchange project overnight has opened again on schedule for the morning commute. However, an accident further south on Route 95 has closed a portion of the highway to morning commuters, according to the state Department of Transportation. Only emergency vehicles were getting through on Route 95 north at exit 3A (the Route 138 east exit to Kingston and Newport), the DOT's Transportation Management Center reported around 5:20 this morning. Last night's closure of the highway between exits 18 and 20 in Providence went as planned, with both northbound and southbound lanes of Route 95, between exits 18 and 20, shutting down just before 11 p.m. and re-opening before the state Department of Transportation's self-imposed 5:30 a.m. deadline. The northbound lanes opened at 4:30 a.m., and the southbound lanes opened at 4:50 a.m., according to the Transportation Management Center. This is the second week of this second round of closures for the highway project. Tonight and tomorrow, just the northbound lanes are expected to close by 11 p.m. – with individual lane closures starting at 8 p.m. The lanes are expected to reopen by 5:30 a.m. tomorrow in time for morning commuters. More work will take place after a weekend (Friday-Saturday night) break from the overnight closures. Check out the road-closure schedule on the DOT’s site. For a look back at the earlier closures this year, see projo.com’s special reports section. -- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson Posted by Kate Bramson at 6:26 AM | Comment August 7, 2007Police name 2 shot at memorial servicePROVIDENCE – The police have identified the two men who were shot last night at a memorial service near the Chad Brown housing complex. Keywion A. Brown, of 90 Fillmore St. F in Providence, and Matthew Harvey, of 364 Curtis Corner Rd., Apt. C5, Wakefield, were both taken to Rhode Island Hospital. They are both listed in good condition. Brown was shot in the left biceps, and Harvey was shot in the right elbow, according to the police report. Witnesses of the shooting have told the police that about 30 people were conducting a memorial service in front of the Berkshire Street residence when a green Chrysler Caravan carrying perhaps four people drove east on Berkshire Street. They were remembering Kyle Johnson, a 17-year-old Providence youth who was killed in a motorcycle accident at that site on Aug. 6, 2004, Det. Capt. Hugh T. Clements Jr. said today. Johnson, who was not wearing a helmet, was "popping wheelies" -- driving on the back wheel -- when he hit a speed bump and the motorcycle bounced off the curb several times and flew 69 feet before striking a fire hydrant, the police said at the time. The memorial shrine to Johnson adorns a telephone pole near the front of 57 Berkshire St. -- projo.com staff writers Kate Bramson and Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Journal staff writer Gregory Smith A small brown teddy bear is lashed to the pole, at perhaps eye level. A few necklaces – a silver beaded chain, one with a National Guard pin on it and one bearing a cross – hang from the teddy bear. Religious candles in tall glass holders surround the pole. This morning, the candles with pictures of saints and Jesus on them were not lit. As the Chrysler Caravan passed 57 Berkshire St. last night, a male in the back seat who was wearing a dark-color full ski mask began discharging a firearm into the crowd, witnesses told the police. The vehicle then fled on Berkshire Street toward Admiral Street. The shooting happened around 12:30 a.m. in the city's north end. Posted by Kate Bramson at 6:35 PM | Comment Foes to rally against Smithfield council presidentSMITHFIELD – A “resignation rally” calling to replace Town Council President Stephen G. Tocco, who was dismissed last month as chief of the Rhode Island Capitol Police, is scheduled for 7 p.m. tonight – a half hour before the council’s meeting. The council then plans to take up two motions. One would reorganize the council (translation: replace Tocco as president) and the other would strip him of his office altogether. Tocco was dismissed as chief of the Rhode Island Capitol Police on July 20 and was transferred to a civilian state job after The Providence Journal disclosed that years ago he had negotiated bribes and carried thousands of dollars in bribes on a number of occasions both to Gary Garafano, deputy public works director in Providence, and to Louis S. Simon, public works director in Pawtucket during the administration of Mayor Brian J. Sarault. Simon and Sarault pleaded guilty and served jail terms. Garafano was convicted after a trial in 1993 and was sentenced to prison. Tocco testified for the prosecution in a deal that allowed him to escape criminal charges. He committed these acts while he was also an officer of the Capitol Police, he testified. -- Journal staff writer Thomas J. Morgan Posted by Kate Bramson at 6:18 PM | Comment New park: State moves to buy Rocky Point shorelinePROVIDENCE -- The State Properties Committee today endorsed a plan to purchase 41 acres along the Warwick Neck waterfront – including a one-mile stretch of undeveloped coastline, believed to be the only property of its kind left on Narragansett Bay. Officials hope to transform the dilapidated property into a place where Rhode Islanders can jog, fish and picnic. The land is expected to cost $4.4 million. “Having the ability to protect that for the State of Rhode Island is a once in a lifetime chance we have right now,” said Lisa Primiano, head of the land conservation program for the state Department of Environmental Management. The plan has already received the preliminary blessing of the City Council and City Planning Director Mark Carruolo says the purchase and sales agreement could be signed in the next “few days.” Ultimately, the deal must be approved by a federal bankruptcy court. Under the terms of the agreement presented to the properties committee today, the City of Warwick would maintain ownership of the 41-acre property. But the state would own a “conservation and public access easement,” which would give the DEM strict control over use of the property. Development would likely be limited to two parking lots on either end of the property, walking paths along the 5,000-plus feet of coastline, a handful of benches and a picnic area, according to Primiano. And a crumbling pier that remains on the property may be restored for fishing or ferry access, DEM director W. Michael Sullivan said. “There will be unconditional statewide access,” Sullivan told the properties commission. “It is a phenomenal opportunity for what is, to someone my age, a very memorable property.” -- Steve Peoples, Journal State House Bureau Posted by Steve Peoples at 5:37 PM | Comment Cranston softball team not going to World SeriesA Cranston girls fast-pitch softball team isn’t moving on to the Junior League Softball World Series in Kirkland, Washington. The Cranston National Budlong Little League Junior Division lost its regional match in Syracuse, N.Y., this afternoon, and the girls then headed to a mall in Syracuse to get something to eat and to do some shopping, said one of their coaches, Bill Lavey. “Unfortunately, we lost 2 to nothing to Connecticut, which was one of the better teams in the tournament,” Lavey said from the car as his wife and the team manager, Betsy Lavey, drove to the mall. “They were a little bit stronger than us.” The Cranston team was recently profiled in the Journal. -- projo.com staff writers Kate Bramson and Michael P. McKinney Heading into this afternoon’s game against Connecticut, the Cranston team of 13- and 14-year-olds had a 1-2 record in its quest to reach the regional semifinals. To get to Thursday's regional seminfinal, the Cranston team would have had to beat Connecticut and then Connecticut would have had to lose tomorrow to the New York team, Betsy Lavey said this morning. “Maybe next year,” Bill Lavey said following this afternoon’s defeat. “The kids are over it,” he said. “Kids get over these things very quickly.” The team has mostly 13-year-olds, so many can come back and compete again next year, he said. The regional matches included 12 teams from 11 states (from Maine to Maryland) – New York had two teams, since host Syracuse played in addition to another New York team, he said. Tonight, the Cranston softball players are just going to enjoy themselves in Syracuse, Bill Lavey said. They’re staying overnight since they had already reserved the hotel in case a win today meant another game tomorrow. They’ll be back in Cranston tomorrow, he said. Posted by Kate Bramson at 5:26 PM | Comment EEE found for 2nd time this year in MassachusettsSEEKONK – The Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) virus has been detected for the second time this year in mosquitoes in Massachusetts. The state Department of Health announced today that the rare but serious illness has been detected in mosquitoes collected from Seekonk. The first mosquito pool that tested positive for EEE in Massachusetts this year was detected early last month in the town of Raynham in Bristol County. The EEE virus is spread by the bite of an infected mosquito. Although it can infect people of all ages, children under age 15 and adults over age 50 are at the greatest risk for serious illness. For more information about the virus, check out the state Department of Public Health’s web site. -- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson, with reports from Journal staff writer Meaghan Wims EEE virus activity has been “very intense” since 2004, according to the state health department. In 2006, five human cases of EEE in Massachusetts resulted in two fatalities. Last month, Massachusetts detected West Nile Virus, another mosquito-borne illness, in a mosquito and in a bird for the first time this year in Berkeley and Marlboro, Mass., respectively. There were three cases of that virus in 2006, with no fatalities. Last year, Rhode Island reported that three mosquito pools in Westerly tested positive for EEE. Statewide, 10 mosquito pools also tested positive for West Nile virus. No cases of human infection were reported in the state. Posted by Kate Bramson at 4:58 PM | Comment Bus driver sentenced to life plus for sexual assaultsA bus driver was sentenced today to two concurrent life sentences plus 16 years to serve for sexually assaulting three developmentally disabled passengers during his route to and from an adult rehabilitation center in South Kingstown. A jury found Jose R. Rivera, of 12 Kent St., Pawtucket, guilty in June of two counts of first-degree and four counts of second-degree sexual assault, as well as simple assault for incidents that took place in the woods and other places along the route he drove two years ago as a RIPTA bus driver, according to the attorney general’s office. In Washington County Superior Court today, Judge Stephen P. Nugent said Rivera had no potential for rehabilitation because he isn’t accepting responsibility, showed no remorse and is arrogant. “The bottom line is: Society in general, and the most vulnerable in particular, need to be protected,” Nugent said. Rivera was accused in August 2005 of assaulting three women during his route to and from the Adeline LaPlante Center, an adult rehabilitation center in Peace Dale. Police investigated after learning special-needs clients had revealed independently the driver had “touched them in private places,” according to court records. Nugent sentenced Rivera, 48, to the two concurrent life sentences for each of the two first-degree sexual assaults. For two of the second-degree sexual assaults, Nugent sentenced Rivera to 15 years to serve concurrently with the life sentences. For the other two second-degree counts, Nugent sentenced Rivera to 15 years to serve, concurrently with each other but consecutive to the life sentences. For the simple assault conviction, Nugent sentenced Rivera to serve one year consecutively after the other terms. In all, that’s one life term plus 16 years to serve. CORRECTION: An earlier item incorrectly stated which of the sentences were to be served concurrently and which were to be served consecutively. -- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson, with reports from Journal staff writer Katie Mulvaney The women, ages 22, 37 and 39 at the time of the assaults, testified during the two-week trial. Rivera’s sister, Laura James, said in court today that he had been railroaded. She accused the court of discriminating against Rivera because he’s a native of Puerto Rico and the victims were Caucasian. The judge rebuffed that idea. “To say that Mr. Rivera was railroaded … is, frankly, an insult,” Nugent said. He had a fair trial, the judge said. Rivera, too, addressed the court. “I hope in the end , I know in the end, justice will be served,” he said. Posted by Kate Bramson at 3:23 PM | Comment Report: RI beaches closed more often last yearRhode Island's beaches were closed more often last year than in 2005 for elevated bacteria levels, in part because the state soaked in twice the rainfall, says a national report released today by an environmental group. Warren Town Beach exceeded the state's daily maximum bacterial standards last year more than any other beach by percentage, says the "Testing the Waters" report. Warren Town Beach exceeded the limit 29 percent of the time. Following it were Plum Beach Club at 25 percent, Saunderstown Yacht Club at 23 percent, and Third Beach in Newport at 17 percent. To see the full list, go here. Kent County had the most beach closings, accounting for more than a third of the state's beach closing days. In one category, the report said Rhode Island and four other states were worst in the country. It's for beaches that most often failed to meet federal healtjh standards and are highly popular with beachgoers, close to a pollution source, or both. The report examined more closely what it labels these "high-risk" beaches -- ones with high use or proximity to pollution sources, known as "tier one" in the report. Besides Rhode Island, the others deemed worst in the high-risk catergory were Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Minnesota. Over all, the report asserts the following: "There are national health standards ... and those five states were the worst in failing to meet the national standards," Hamlet Paoletti, a senior media associate with the council, said in an interview. But amount of rainfall, and where, is a factor in deeming the tier-one beaches' results and, therefore, the states, he said. "Every time it rains, the rain carries more pollutants to the seas," said Paoletti, noting that in Hawaii, for instance, high-than normal rainfall caused its results to shoot up. The report does offer positives about Rhode Island's beaches, too. For instance, 59 percent of all monitored beaches in the state did not exceed limits. Rhode Island "has a strong source identification emphasis" in its monitoring program of water and potential pollutants, the report found. "Because of the monitoring program, problems with storm drains, sewer lines, and septic systems have been revealed and corrected or are in the process of being corrected." And none of Rhode Island's beaches made the "beach bums" list in the report for beaches that don't meet federal standards more than half of the time. Those that did make the list were in California, Maryland, New Jersey, and Illinois. The report gave a statistical breakdown of the state's individual beaches, including ones that are not in tier one. For the full list, go here. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 2:17 PM | Comment Alexion appoints accounting officerSMITHFIELD -- Alexion Pharmaceuticals has appointed Scott Phillips, 30, as its principal accounting officer. The Connecticut company is building a $47-million biomanufacturing facility in Smithfield, at the former Dow Chemical plant. Phillips previously served as Alexion's corporate controller and chief accounting officer. He was hired in April, after he left the accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. He has also worked for Ernst & Young LLP. At Alexion, Phillips will take over for Vikas Sinha, who will retain the roles of chief financial officer and principal financial officer. Posted by Kate Bramson at 1:08 PM | Comment Actor Chevy Chase to host Newport jazz festNEWPORT -- Comedian Chevy Chase will host this week's JVC Jazz Festival in Newport, the organizers have announced. Chase, described as a jazz fan, will host the festival Saturday and Sunday, introducing segments of programming on the main JVC stage, where musicians such as Dave Brubeck, Branford Marsalis, Marcus Miller, B.B. King, and Al Green are set to perform. Chase initially gained fame as a cast member on Saturday Night Live. Posted by Mike McKinney at 12:00 PM | Comment Big day for R.I. softball team eyeing national tourneyA Cranston girls fast-pitch softball team has to win its regional match in Syracuse, N.Y., this afternoon, if it hopes to keep alive its dream of reaching the Junior League Softball World Series in Kirkland, Washington. The Cranston National Budlong Little League Junior Division team, consisting of 13- and 14-year-olds, is scheduled to play a Connecticut team at 2:30 p.m. Cranston has a 1-2 record and is trying to reach the regional semifinals. To get to Thursday's regional seminfinal, the Cranston team must beat Connecticut and then Connecticut must lose tomorrow to the New York team, said Cranston team manager Betsy Lavey "You just try to stay with what got us here: Right now, we are not hitting the ball as well," said Lavey, but she added the team's defense has been good. And people have gotten on base -- it's just a matter of getting them home. The team was recently profiled in the Journal. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 11:47 AM | Comment Ex-employee admits stealing $981,794 from RISDPROVIDENCE -- A former fire safety chief at the Rhode Island School of Design pleaded guilty today to stealing nearly $1 million from the East Side college through a fraudulent billing scheme. Patrick ``Berney’’ Clyne, 65, of Providence, appeared before Chief U.S. District Court Judge Mary M. Lisi and admitted that he engaged in mail fraud and filed a false tax return. Clyne, who had been living in Ireland with his wife, Ibtisama Bradley, 58, surrendered to the authorities last spring at Logan International Airport in Boston. As part of the plea agreement, Clyne also agreed to forfeit the couple’s home and property that they bought through their ill-gotten gains in Ballinamore, Ireland. Thomas Connell, spokesman for U.S. Attorney Robert Clark Corrente, said that the government will move to have the criminal charges dropped against his wife. Andrew J. Reich, an assistant U.S. attorney, said that Clyne falsely billed RISD $981,794 between June 1997 and November 2005. He also failed to declare $162,743 of that money in his 2003 federal income tax return. Clyne, who is out on bail with an electronic monitoring device attached to his ankle, is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 2. He faces a maximum of 23 years in prison and fines of $500,000. -- Journal staff writer W. Zachary Malinowski Posted by Jack Perry at 11:08 AM | Comment Photo: Morning mist
Posted by Jack Perry at 8:23 AM | Comment A morning with patchy fog and storms possible laterAs you head out this morning, there could be patches of fog before 9 a.m. Expect potentially rapid changes in driving visibility, with the weather service reminding motorists to keep a safe distance behind each other. The temperature is forecast to hit a high of 87 degrees on a partly cloudy day. And humidity -- air you can wear -- will continue: 88 percent humidity is forecast. Tonight there's a chance of showers and thunderstorms, and some of the storms could bring gusty winds and heavy rain, according to the National Weather Service. And that patchy fog? Some is forecast after 9 p.m., ending the day as it began. Posted by Mike McKinney at 7:02 AM | Comment Today's front pageToday's front page features a story and photographs on the state Department of Transportation's decision to review and reinspect bridges in Rhode Island in the wake of the bridge collapse in Minnesota. Download a copy of today's front page in .pdf format.
Posted by Jack Perry at 7:00 AM | Comment Route 95 overnight work goes as planned againPROVIDENCE – The second set of teal-colored steel beams of the Route 95-Route 195 interchange project are moving into place, over Route 95, as motorists traveling the highway can see for themselves. Last night's closure of the highway to accommodate the work went as planned, with both northbound and southbound lanes of Route 95, between exits 18 and 20, shutting down just before 11 p.m. and re-opening before the state Department of Transportation's self-imposed 5:30 a.m. deadline. The northbound and southbound lanes opened at 4:55 a.m., according to the DOT's Transportation Management Center. We're into the second week of this second round of closures for the highway project. Both directions of the highway are expected to close by 11 p.m. tonight – with individual lane closures starting at 8 p.m. -- for the third time this week. The lanes are expected to reopen by 5:30 a.m. tomorrow in time for morning commuters. Then, just the northbound lanes are expected to close tomorrow night and the next. More work will take place after a weekend (Friday-Saturday night) break from the overnight closures. Check out the road-closure schedule on the DOT’s site. For a look back at the earlier closures this year, see projo.com’s special reports section. -- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson Posted by Kate Bramson at 5:40 AM | Comment August 6, 2007Name that tune tonight: rock, blues or jazzCatch rock at AS220 in Providence, blues at, well, the Newport Blues Cafe and jazz at the True Brew Cafe in Wakefield, among shows tonight. Tinsel Teeth, Banana Hands, Mammoth Hunter and The Inevitable Minor Fires play at AS220, 115 Empire St., Providence. Call 831-9327. 9 pm. $6. All ages. Heavy Rescue is at Newport Blues Cafe, 286 Thames St., Newport. Call 841-5510. 10 p.m. Joe Parillo and Friends play the True Brew Cafe, 213 Robinson St., Wakefield. Call 284-1850. 6:30-9:30 p.m. $5. Or to see what else is going on, check the Journal's online listings. Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:50 PM | Comment Portsmouth limits outdoor water usePORTSMOUTH -- Customers of the Portsmouth Water and Fire District are asked to voluntarily limit their outdoor water use to every other day, effective immediately, in response to a high demand for water. Today, the district asked those with even-numbered addresses to use water outdoors only on even-numbered days. Customers with odd-numbered addresses should use water outdoors only on odd-numbered days. --By Gina Macris Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:13 PM | Comment Fire in Tiverton unit today caused by candleTIVERTON -- A candle caused a fire in a house at 11 A Connell St., around noon. A man who lived in the second-floor unit had stepped out momentarily to go downstairs, according to Fire Chief Robert Lloyd. The man returned to find heavy fire in the bedroom. It appears the candle caught bedding on fire. Lloyd said it was the second candle-caused fire the department has responded to in less than a week. Tiverton engines, with a ladder truck assisting from Fall River, and a medical rescue responded. One person was taken to a hospital for, but there were no life-threatening injuries. The Red Cross helped an elderly resident who lived on the first floor.
Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:33 PM | Comment Designer Joseph Abboud buys Fall River companyMen’s clothing designer Joseph Abboud has purchased a Fall River textile company and is poised to re-enter the design world. He was a hometown hero. Abboud sold his label in 2000 and J.W. Childs Associates, a Boston private-equity firm, bought the Abboud operation for $73 million in 2004. The Abboud line was put under the control of JA Apparel Corp., which continues to produce garments under the brand name at a factory in New Bedford. Marty Staff, an apparel industry veteran, led the buyout. A noncompete clause apparently lapsed in 2005. Now, Abboud is poised to re-enter the design world with jaz, a new menswear label to be produced by the workers at the Fall River Shirt Co., which was owned until last month by George Nova. “Our main interest was to find a way to retain the jobs,” Nova said today in a phone interview. “The people there are hard-working . . . they had developed a skill that was so exceptional in shirt making that it would have been criminal had it been lost. “This was a win-win for everybody.” -- Journal staff writer Paul Grimaldi Nova and four partners bought the clothing factory in 1988. The company remained in business even as others around it fell to overseas competition. Fall River Shirt’s 165 workers still can churn out 5,000 shirts in a week. In 2006, the company developed its own line of shirts to complement its contract work for department stores, distributors and designers. Stores in 30 states carry the “Singles and “Custom” lines. The company also developed a “modular” sewing system to make easier the handling of small batch orders and custom requests that come from independent stores. In a February interview, Nova asked a rhetorical question: “The question is, ‘Can we sell the shirts? The answer to that is in -- retailers love us.” Still, Nova and his partners were on the lookout for an investor who could pump $1.5 million into the plant to finish revamping it, to hire more people and expand its marketing program. According to Nova, Abboud will maintain Fall River Shirt’s existing lines and produce his own designs there as well, opening up the possibility of new hiring at the plant. “As far as I know, the marketing plans that we put in place will continue,” Nova said. “I think the plan is to run them both.” JA Apparel said Abboud’s decision won’t affect its operations. Last year, the company had $300 million in sales. "Mr. Abboud’s return has no practical impact on our business,” the company said in a statement e-mailed to The Journal.“The Joseph Abboud lifestyle brand has grown by double-digit margins in each of the last four years and is bigger than any one individual. The brand embodies sophisticated American style and our excellent growth since Mr. Abboud’s departure is strong evidence that we are connecting with our extremely loyal customers.” Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:17 PM | Comment Barrington car crash probed; patient releasedBARRINGTON -- The police said speed was a factor in this morning's crash in which an 18-year-old Barrington man's car hit utility poles on Nayatt Road -- less than 10 yards from where two teens were killed in a car accident two years ago. Douglas Vartanian, 18, of 5 Collins Court, was treated and released from Rhode Island Hospital. There is no indication that alcohol was a factor, Chief John LaCross said. The police received a call of a "loud bang" from a Nayatt Road resident about 2:40 a.m., LaCross said. Officers found a serious crash at the scene, with two telephone poles damaged or destroyed and a heavily damaged car. After hitting the poles, the car crossed the center double-line and struck a pole opposite the side of the road that Vartanian had been traveling, the investigation indicated today. The investigation is continuing, and the chief said that given the proximity of the road to Vartanian's address and the late hour, there could be several possibilities for the crash, including falling asleep while driving. Vartanian was issued a summons for operating a motor vehicle with an expired license, lane roadway violations, and failure to maintain control of a motor vehicle, the police said. Vartanian was removed from the silver Dodge Charger and taken by rescue to the hospital. -- Projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney and Journal staff writer W. Zachary Malinowski The road was closed for much of the morning -- as late as 7:10 a.m. -- from Bluff Road to Clarke Road. Journal staff writer Bill Malinowski, who lives on Middle Highway about a mile from the accident, was awoken shortly after 2:30 a.m. by the sound of a car traveling past his house and skidding near the top of Middle Highway and Nayatt Road. He heard the car turn left, which is east, and accelerate again. Seconds later, he heard a loud boom and called the 911 emergency number. The police and fire rescue were at the scene within minutes. The car had snapped one utility pole in two and knocked down a second pole. It also downed power lines and a tree that was lying completely across the two-lane road. About an hour after the crash, a crew from Narragansett Electric was busy trying to clear the downed tree and restore the utility lines. In May 2005, Zachary Stiness and Michael Neubauer were killed after they lost control of their car and crashed into a tree a few feet from the scene of this morning's crash. The police have said speed was a factor in that crash. Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:53 PM | Comment Restaurateur accused of violating shell-fishing banSOUTH KINGSTOWN -- The state Department of Environmental Management today charged the owner of the China Buffet in East Greenwich with harvesting clams from the Narrow River’s polluted waters. The owner, Brian K. Cheng, of Scituate, said the clams were for personal use. The state Department of Health found no signs of questionable shellfish being served at the restaurant after an inspection, a spokeswoman said. DEM’s environmental police received a call around 8:15 a.m. that several men were shellfishing in restricted waters south of Middle Bridge, officer Stephen Alfonso said. Officers discovered Cheng and his friends had dug about 12 gallons of quahogs and a few oysters from flats on the west side of Narrow River. DEM prohibits shellfishing on the Pettaquamscutt, or Narrow, River because of pollution, Alfonso said. Officers seized a large Kikkoman Soy Sauce bucket brimming with quahogs and two other buckets that were partially filled with shellfish. Cheng, 38, of 110 Scituate Ave., Hope, was charged with shellfishing in a closed area; possession of undersized blue crabs; and taking oysters out of season, Alfonso said. Cheng said he and his friends from church intended to go crabbing on the river, which DEM permits as long as the shell is five inches across. He was not aware that clamming was not allowed and did not plan to serve any of the shellfish at his restaurant, he said. He had been there once before to crab. “There’s no way we would do anything like that,” said Cheng, who is originally from China and has owned China Buffet for 14 years. “Every clam we sell in the restaurant has a tag.” He first said that they had dug the clams for a party at his house. Later, he said that his friends were going to split the shellfish and that he wasn’t planning to take any at all. “It’s the stupidest thing I ever did,” Cheng said. -- Journal staff writer Katie Mulvaney DEM notified the Department of Health, which sent two inspectors to the 1000 Division St. restaurant, said Andrea Bagnall-Degos, Health Department spokeswoman. “They didn’t find anything there that looked questionable,” she said. “They think he may have been doing it for personal use,” such as a party. The inspectors were awaiting an arrest report from DEM to make a final determination, she said. Cheng was issued a summons to appear in District Court, Wakefield, Aug. 29. Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:41 PM | Comment Report: Many states toughened immigration lawsThough federal comprehensive reform of U.S. immigration laws stalled this summer, many states have stepped up efforts to enact their own immigration-related laws, according to a report issued today by the National Conference of State Legislatures’ Immigrant Policy Project. The report states that 1,404 pieces of legislation related to immigrants and immigration law have been introduced among 50 state legislatures: roughly two and a half times more bills this year than last. From January to July this year, 140 of those bills became law in 41 states. Rhode Island’s efforts to join the trend all but failed this year when the General Assembly took a pass on some 36 immigration-related bills. All but one which failed to make it out of committee; the lone surviving bill, a citizenship-verification measure, died at the close of the Assembly session in June. The report cites a new Rhode Island law as part of the trend: It makes human-trafficking a crime. -- Journal staff writer Karen Lee Ziner Next session, the two Rhode Island legislators who introduced the majority of this year’s failed legislation -- Rep. Peter G. Palumbo, D-Cranston, and Rep. Richard W. Singleton, R-Cumberland -- will introduce more such legislation. “Peter and myself, we’re not running away from this issue,” Singleton said today. “In fact, there will be more bills, not less. Obviously, the bills I put in will be re-entered. I would also like to put a bill prohibit any city or town in state of Rhode Island from becoming a sanctuary city or town.” Singleton said, however, that he wants to sit down with House and Senate leadership to try and reach “some kind of agreement” on these issues before January. Posted by Mike McKinney at 3:53 PM | Comment Severe thunderstorms could hit region this afternoonScattered thunderstorms could be here soon, if you haven't heard booms already, and some could be severe, the National Weather Service reports. The weather service, under its "hazardous weather outlook," lists northern Rhode Island and, specifically, Providence, Kent County abd Bristol County
The chance of rain is 70 percent in the late afternoon and 40 percent tonight, the weather service said. Posted by Mike McKinney at 3:04 PM | Comment Secretary of State wants voters' elections ideasWARWICK -- Think you've got a way to improve Rhode Island elections? Secretary of State Ralph Mollis says he will hear from you tonight. In what his office today called part of an effort to is do comprehensive election reform ahead of the 2008 elections, Mollis and the Voters First Advisory Commission hold a public hearing at 6:30 p.m. It's at the Warwick Central Library, 600 Sandy Lane. “Improving the current system will make it easier for Rhode Islanders to vote and give them more confidence in the integrity of our elections," said Mollis. The focus is on 10 proposals including weekend voting, developing a voter identification system and expanding the 50-foot “no-canvassing” zoning around polling places that is off-limits to campaign workers. The public's comments "will guide the development of a detailed a legislative package for improving the way Rhode Islanders vote," which Mollis will introduce in the 2008 legislative session. For more information, go to www.sec.state.ri.us. Posted by Mike McKinney at 2:48 PM | Comment Photo: Everybody wants to hear from Brady
Posted by Peter Phipps at 2:30 PM | Comment ACLU sues police chief over removal of political signsThe American Civil Liberties Union, Rhode Island affiliate, filed a federal lawsuit today accusing the town of Richmond and Police Chief Raymond Driscoll of repeatedly taking down political signs of former congressional candidate Rod Driver. In a news release, the ACLU alleges the alleged actions "amounted to a willful violation" of Driver's First Amendment rights. Driver lost to incumbent Democrat James R. Langevin in the race for U.S. representative from the state's 2nd Congressional District. Driver put up a sign in August on private property of supporters across from the Washington County Fair Grounds in Richmond, the ACLU said. When the sign was removed, Driver replaced it but found it taken down on several occasions, the ACLU said. Driver complained to the police chief, but the chief said he had removed the signs, asserting they violated state law prohibiting signs “within the limits of a public highway without first obtaining the written consent of the chief of police.” Driver argued there was no basis for the chief's conclusion the signs were within the limits of Route 112. Driver nevertheless posted signs farther from the road but discovered those were taken down as well. Driver put up a sign almost 30 feet away from the centerline of Route 112 and attached a note to Driscoll saying: “This sign is on private property, well outside the highway right of way.” The ACLU said Driscoll let the sign stay but had a police cruiser parked with lights flashing "directly in front of and blocking the sign, preventing fairgoers from seeing it." -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 1:27 PM | Comment Unclaimed lottery tickets worth more than $230,000If you had lottery tickets for Saturday night drawings, you’re going to want to check your tickets – especially if you had a Wild Money ticket. An unclaimed ticket for Rhode Island’s progressive jackpot game hit the Wild Money jackpot – and it will make the ticket holder $201,288.14 richer. The winning ticket was purchased from Capital Liquors, at 811 Park Ave. in Cranston, according to the Rhode Island Lottery. Two other tickets sold in Rhode Island for Saturday drawings – PowerBall, this time – were also winners. Both matched four numbers and the PowerBall number. One ticket is worth $10,000, the standard payout, and one is worth $20,000 because the person who bought it opted to buy the Power Play feature, which doubles the typical prize by the Power Play number – 2 – on Saturday. The $20,000 ticket was purchased at Cumberland Farms, 94 Aquidneck Ave. in Middletown. The $10,000 ticket was bought at Tiverton Liquors on Main Road in Tiverton. Posted by Kate Bramson at 1:14 PM | Comment Block Island airport gets $920K for more plane spaceBlock Island State Airport is getting more than $920,000 in federal money to make available about 30 more parking spaces for planes on existing airport property, U.S. Sen. Jack Reed's office announced today. Reed's office said in a news release there is a shortage of spaces for planes during the summer. The Rhode Island Airport Corporation will get the $927,542 from the U.S. Department of Transportation to help build a turf tie-down area to allow for aircraft parking overflow that is not met by the existing apron. “This federal funding is an essential investment in keeping Block Island’s airport up-to-date, safe, and convenient," said Reed, a member of the Senate Banking Committee, which oversees federal transportation projects. The town of New Shoreham has less than 1,000 year-round residents, but summer tourism can inflate that to more than 10,000 inhabitants a day. Lacks of spaces for visiting planes can raise safety concerns, because planes must circle longer to wait for a place to land and park. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 12:15 PM | Comment North Scituate motorcyclist killed in JohnstonJOHNSTON -- A 59-year-old North Scituate motorcyclist was killed over the weekend when he collided with a Jeep on Plainfield Pike, the police said today. Charles Bowers, of 304 Rockland Rd., was headed east on Plainfield at 9:33 p.m. Friday night when he collided with a Jeep Liberty driven by Claire Ramieri, 54, of 47 Underwood St. in Warwick, Johnston Deputy Police Chief Gary W. Maddocks Jr. said. Investigators still haven’t determined who was at fault in the crash, Maddocks said. Ramieri, a Warwick school teacher, was headed west on Plainfield and attempted to turn left onto Pippin Orchard Road. The Suzuki Katana 750 motorcycle hit the front door of the Jeep on the passenger side, Maddocks said. Bowers was pronounced dead at the scene by a medical examiner. -- Journal staff writer Mark Reynolds The police are looking at speed and other timing issues in the crash. Investigators did not find any evidence of skidding by either vehicle shortly before the crash, according to Maddocks. Ramieri, who was wearing her seatbelt, passed a field sobriety test as well as a preliminary breathalyzer test, the police said. Posted by Kate Bramson at 11:38 AM | Comment Bristol police ID man found dead at town beachBRISTOL – The police have identified the 58-year-old Warwick man found dead in the water early Saturday morning about 25 feet from the shore of the Bristol Town Beach. The body of Donald J. Brennan, of 203 Sandy Lane, was found floating in the water shortly before 7:30 a.m., Bristol Lt. Nick Guercia said this morning. There was “no obvious trauma” to his body, and the cause of his death is unknown at this time, Guercia said. The state medical examiner is expected to conduct an autopsy. The police have learned that Brennan frequently swam at the town beach where his body was found. As he generally arrived at the beach around 5:30 a.m., the police don’t believe Brennan was in the water for more than a couple hours, Guercia said. Brennan was wearing a wetsuit, swimming cap and goggles when he was found. The weather and the water that day were calm, and there’s no riptide in that area, Guercia said. Two other people this weekend drowned in Rhode Island waters. -- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson Posted by Kate Bramson at 11:03 AM | Comment Gas prices drop 4 centsGasoline prices in Rhode Island have dropped an average of four cents this week, the third straight week the prices have fallen, according to AAA Southern New England. The average price for a gallon of regular, unleaded gasoline is $2.869 at the self-service pump, according to AAA's weekly survey. A similar survey by the state Energy Office found the average price at $2.88. The price has fallen 11 cents in three weeks, AAA says. The average price was $3.099 a year ago at this time, AAA says. -- With reports from The Associated Press Posted by Jack Perry at 10:36 AM | Comment Small craft advisory for Mass. and R.I. marinersWe hate to report that it’s not a good beach day, although all Rhode Island beaches appear open and ready for business today, according to the state Department of Health. Mariners in Massachusetts and Rhode Island coastal waters, beware the small craft advisory the National Weather Service has issued from noon today through tomorrow morning. You can find more marine weather information on the National Weather Service’s interactive coastal marine map for this region. Also, for all your nautical needs, boaters love the Maine Harbors site, which is packed with tide charts, marine weather news, information on fishing tournaments and links to local boat builders, charter operators, lighthouses and publications. The tide charts on this site are so well done that boaters rave about them. Check out Rhode Island’s chart. To check the status of any beach for swimming, go to the state Department of Health’s beach-monitoring siteor call (401) 222-2751 for recorded information. Posted by Kate Bramson at 9:00 AM | Comment State engineers to review bridge records todayPROVIDENCE -- State engineers expect to review records today on 53 Rhode Island bridges that lack “redundancies” that maintain the integrity of a bridge in the event that one part fails. The engineers will determine if any of those bridges should be reinspected. “There is no mandate to do this,” said Kazem Farhoumand, deputy chief engineer for the state Department of Transportation. “Just in an abundance of caution we will determine if these bridges should be inspected again, or inspected more frequently.” The extra focus on bridge safety comes after the fatal failure of a steel truss highway bridge last week in Minneapolis. The U.S. Transportation Department has urged states to inspect any bridges that use similar steel truss construction. Rhode Island has no bridges of that type, said Farhoumand. However, Rhode Island ranks worst among all states in the percentage of its bridges listed as “structurally deficient” or “functionally obsolete,” although state officials say local bridges are not dangerous to drivers. Posted by Kate Bramson at 8:08 AM | Comment Barrington crash sends driver, 18, to hospital
BARRINGTON -- An 18-year old man crashed a car into two utility poles and took down a tree this morning on Nayatt Road, less than 10 yards from where two Barrington teens were killed in a car accident two years ago. The man, whose name the police have not yet released, was removed from the car -- a silver Dodge Charger -- and taken by rescue to a local hospital. His injuries did not appear life-threatening, Sgt. Thomas Poirier said this morning. The accident took place around 2:35 a.m. The road was still closed as of 7:10 a.m. from Bluff Road to Clarke Road. Journal staff writer Bill Malinowski, who lives on Middle Highway about a mile from the accident, was awoken shortly after 2:30 a.m. by the sound of a car traveling past his house and skidding near the top of Middle Highway and Nayatt Road. He heard the car turn left, which is east, and accelerate again. Seconds later, he heard a loud boom and called the 911 emergency number. The police and fire rescue were at the scene within minutes. The car had snapped one utility pole in two and knocked down a second pole. It also downed power lines and a tree that was lying completely across the two-lane road. About an hour after the crash, a crew from Narragansett Electric was busy trying to clear the downed tree and restore the utility lines. In May 2005, Zachary Stiness and Michael Neubauer were killed after they lost control of their car and crashed into a tree a few feet from the scene of this morning's crash. -- Journal staff writer W. Zachary Malinowski Posted by Jack Perry at 7:47 AM | Comment Thunderstorms likely, maybe even a tornadoWatch out for showers and thunderstorms developing over southern New England today. The storms could be severe with lightning and heavy rain, but damaging winds and an isolated tornado cannot be ruled out, the National Weather Service says. The temperature should reach about 77 degrees in the Providence area, the weather service says. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:02 AM | Comment Today's front pageToday's front page features a story and photographs about the state Department of Environmental Management's efforts to find mosquitoes carrying Eastern equine encephalitis and West Nile virus, another in the summer series Creature Chronicles. Download a copy of today's front page in .pdf format. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:00 AM | Comment Route 95 open and ready for morning commutersPROVIDENCE – A second week of nighttime closures for the work on the Route 95-Route 195 interchange project has begun without a hitch. Both northbound and southbound lanes of Route 95 opened this morning ahead of schedule, after both directions of the highway were closed for the second time this month as the state Department of Transportation continues overnight work on the project. The northbound lanes opened at 4:45 a.m., and the southbound lanes opened at 5 a.m., according to the state Department of Transportation. The work halted over the weekend, with no closures Friday and Saturday nights, and began again last night in this second round of closures for the highway project. The DOT's Transportation Management Center reported that Route 195 west to Route 95 south and Route 95 itself, between exits 18 and 20, were all closed by around 11 p.m. last night. The highway is expected to close again by 11 p.m. tonight – with individual lane closures starting by 8 p.m. The lanes are expected to reopen by 5:30 a.m. tomorrow in time for morning commuters. Check out the road-closure schedule on the DOT’s site. For a look back at the earlier closures this year, see projo.com’s special reports section. -- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson Posted by Kate Bramson at 6:32 AM | Comment August 3, 2007Ronstadt, Allmans and more: Newport Folk beginsTonight, tomorrow and Sunday, the Dunkin’ Donuts Newport Folk Festival draws musicians ranging from Linda Ronstadt to searing slide guitar of the Allman Brothers, to acoustic music and more. Tonight, the big act is Ronstadt, playing at the Newport Casino, International Tennis Hall of Fame, 194 Bellevue Ave. The show starts at 8 p.m. Fees range from $30 to $85. Tomorrow, the events move to Fort Adams State Park: On the Dunkin’ Donuts Stage: The Allman Brothers Band, The North Mississippi Allstars, The John Butler Trio, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, and The Dirty Dozen Brass Band. Harbor Stage: Assembly of Dust, Tom Morello, Martha Wainwright, Song Circle with Martha Wainwright & Sloan Wainwright and Phonograph. Waterside Stage: Vishten and others, 11 a.m.-7 p.m. On Sunday: Dunkin’ Donuts Stage: Alison Krauss and Union Station featuring Jerry Douglas, Emmylou Harris, Amos Lee, Alejandro Escovedo and The Carolina Chocolate Drops. Harbor Stage: Alejandro Escovedo, Ralph Stanley and the Clinch Mountain Boys, Cheryl Wheeler, Rani Arbo & daisy mayhem and Elvis Perkins in Dearland. Waterside Stage: The Carolina Chocolate Drops, Julie Lee, Song Swap with Hazel Dickens, Dudley Connell & Diana Jones and Sierra Hull and Highway 111, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Read more about this year's festival here. Call 847-3700, (866) 468-7619 or go to www.ticketweb.com, www.newportfolk.com. Advance: $55, $75; $5 children 2-12; children under 2 free. Weekend of show: $59; $95 two-day, if available. Posted by Mike McKinney at 7:05 PM | Comment Moving up adult age clouds public records accessBRISTOL -- When they pushed the new law that treats 17-year-olds as adults on criminal charges, the General Assembly and Governor Carcieri’s administration introduced some vagueness into the state’s Access to Public Records laws, a special assistant attorney general said today. Christy Hetherington, special assistant to Attorney General Patrick Lynch, told a group of lawyers and public officials meeting at the Roger Williams University Law School that her office has not determined yet whether the state’s open records laws should apply to 17-year-olds who are now treated as adults. "I really have no idea,’’ said Hetherington, who oversees public records and public meetings compliance for the attorney general. ``I don’t think it is a black and white case, it is not easy.’’ Hetherington confirmed that a Rhode Island "police agency’’ has asked the attorney general’s office for an opinion on the issue, but declined to say which police agency had made the request. The issue comes into play when citizens -- often media representatives -- ask police officials for police and criminal arrest records. For example, all initial arrest records of an adult are public records, but most juvenile records are shielded from public disclosure. "This is something we are trying to sort out,’’ said Hetherington. -- Journal staff writer Scott MacKay At the urging of Carcieri, the legislature enacted a budget for the 2007-2008 fiscal year that includes treating 17-year-olds as adults, rather than juveniles, for purposes of criminal charging and sentencing. The reason the change was made: Carcieri and legislative leaders believed that the move would save money, because sending 17-year-olds to the state Adult Correctional Institutions, the state’s adult prison, would be cheaper than incarcerating them at the Rhode Island Training School, which houses juvenile offenders. While the change was supposed to save $3.6 million, some have disputed whether that figure will be reached in the next 11 months. But what is known is that the change has presented a conundrum for those -- such as police officers -- who must administer the open records provisions of state law. Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:55 PM | Comment Bolivian independence fest in Providence tomorrowPROVIDENCE -- A Bolivian Independence Day celebration will be held at City Hall tomorrow at 2 p.m. Mayor David N. Cicilline and Rhode Island Bolivian-American Association President Nelson Valdivia will host it at City Hall. It's meant to commemorate 182 years of Bolivian independence and will inuce a Bolivian art display, music, dancers, and traditional food. The event is free and open to the public. Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:49 PM | Comment A sub, security scare, and 2 Rhode Islanders / Photo
NEW YORK -- A Brooklyn artist manning a replica Revolutionary War submarine -- along with two Rhode Islanders -- caused a scare this morning after police found the strange-looking vessel foundering in a security zone near the docked Queen Mary 2, authorities said. The handmade wood and fiberglass vessel, at the end of a tow rope tied to an inflatable boat, was spotted by police near the luxury ocean liner docked at the cruise ship terminal in the Buttermilk Channel off Red Hook in Brooklyn. "It was a strange sight," said Coast Guard Petty Officer Angelia Rorison. Police held the artist, Philip "Duke" Riley, and Jesse Bushnell of Providence and Michael Cushing of Newport for questioning. But there was no indication the trio meant any harm with the replica of the 1776 "Turtle submarine." One of the Rhode Islanders claimed he was descendant of David Bushnell, the inventor of the original one-man vessel that inspired the replica, police said. Riley, according to his Web site, is a 1995 graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design. The makeshift sub "is the creative craft of three adventuresome individuals," Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said in a statement. "It does not pose any terrorist threat. ... We can best summarize today's incident as marine mischief." -- The Associated Press The brown, egg-shaped wooden vessel was a replica of a submarine used during the American Revolution, Rorison said. The inflatable boat was towing the submarine, authorities said. Rorison said the vessel resembled a diving bell, with a hatch on top, and was about 8 feet long and 4 feet wide. It was propelled by a pedal-operated paddle. The Coast Guard issued two citations to Riley, 35, of Brooklyn - one for having an unsafe vessel, the other for violating a security zone. The sub came within 200 feet of the bow of the Queen Mary 2, Rorison said. "Basically, the vessel was not safe to sail. It had no lights, no flares. It was not registered," she said. "Instead of safety violations, this could have turned into a search and rescue." Riley is a sculptor and performance artist whose work "addresses the prospect of residual but forgotten unclaimed frontiers on the edge and inside overdeveloped urban areas, and their unsuspected autonomy," according to his Web site. "All three males are expected to be charged with a number of violations and both vessels will be secured by the Harbor Unit," the NYPD said. Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:48 PM | Comment Judge: Fire survivors' lawyers can question BiechelePROVIDENCE -- The man whose pyrotechnics ignited The Station nightclub fire can be questioned by lawyers who represent survivors of the February 2003 blaze and relatives of the 100 who died from the fire. That's according to a ruling this afternoon from U.S. Magistrate Judge David Martin. But the ruling also permits Daniel Biechele, the former tour manager for the rock band Great White, to avoid answering questions he believes could expose him to future criminal prosecution. Biechele pleaded guilty last year to 100 counts of involuntary manslaughter for lighting the pyrotechnics inside The Station nightclub. He is serving a four-year prison sentence, but his lawyer says he's concerned that Biechele could be prosecuted in federal court or in other states if he testifies before lawyers for the victims and their families. -- The Associated Press Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:45 PM | Comment Update: RITBA says Pell, Mt. Hope bridges safe
Both the Pell Bridge and Mount Hope Bridge have been thoroughly inspected and regularly maintained and motorists should feel assured of their integrity despite the deadly collapse this week of the Interstate 35 span in Minneapolis, according to authority chairman David Darlington. “I can report, without reservation, that both bridges entrusted to this authority are in very good shape,” Darlington said at a news conference outside the authority’s headquarters, at the Pell Bridge tolls. Unlike many other bridges in Rhode Island, the spans are not the responsibility of the state Department of Transportation. “As of late 2006 -- just months ago -- we completed inspections that are part of an on-going inspection regime in which major bridge components are inspected annually. These inspections have satisfied us that our maintenance and rehabilitation efforts have been successful in placing major bridge components to a state of good repair,” he said. Darlington said the authority has spent $50 million on bridge repair and maintenance, $10 million in just the past year alone. Another $120 million will be spent over the next 10 years on the two spans, which he described as “aging.” Peter M. Janaros, the authority’s director of engineering, held up two reports -- each a couple of inches thick -- on the results of recent inspections of the two spans. “It’s not an inspection periodically. These bridges receive an inspection each year,” Janaros said. “These inspections are done by professional engineers by professional companies.” Janaros said the inspections occur every year -- twice as frequently as federal regulations call for -- because they are so large, because safety is paramount and because of their importance to the economy of the state. He and Darlington noted both of the authority’s spans are suspension bridges, unlike the truss bridge that failed in Minneapolis. The engineering firms that inspected them have expertise in suspension designs, said Janaros. PB Americas, which is the consultant on the Pell Bridge, designed the span and oversaw its construction. -- Journal staff writer Richard Salit, with reports from the Associated Press Reading from the report, Janaros said the 78-year-old Mount Hope Bridge, which connects Bristol and Portsmouth, “is in generally good condition.” The rehabilitation of the bridge, which has been taking place for the last few years, has been “successful in having the major components established in good shape.” As for the 38-year-old Pell Bridge, formerly known as the Newport Bridge, he said that engineers determined that “The bridge is in good condition and functions as designed.” Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:04 PM | Comment Update: 2 Mass. men victims of Smithfield crash
SMITHFIELD -- The police this evening identified the two men killed in a horrific accident on Route 295 north this morning as Shawn M. Sullivan and Daniel Joyce, both of Bellingham, Mass. Sullivan, 26, of 29 Pond St. and Joyce, 25, of 45 Rondeau Rd., were both thrown from a pickup truck they were in. Police may never know for certain which of them was driving and which was the passenger. Joyce landed in the highway and was struck by several vehicles, including an 18-wheeler, after the initial crash, state police Capt. Raymond S. White said. Joyce landed on the grassy right edge of the highway. The state police closed a stretch of the highway for nearly four hours, White said. Evidence at the scene indicates that excessive speed may have been a factor, White said. The accident, which was reported at 4:09 a.m., closed the highway between Exit 7, which is Route 44, and Exit 8, which is Route 7. The state Department of Transportation reported the highway opened at 7:55 a.m. Route 295 southbound remained open. At about 7:20 a.m., what appeared to be a pickup truck split in two lay on a flatbed truck. A crane helped clear the debris from the highway just north of the Route 104 (Farnum Pike) overpass. Skid marks perhaps 100 feet long begin in the center lane of Route 295. Those marks were from the vehicles attempting to avoid striking the man who lay in the road, White said. It appears that one vehicle was in the far left lane and swerved into the center lane, where the marks begin, and then off into the right lane of the three-lane stretch of highway. The Toyota pickup truck carrying the two men landed off the right side of the highway, down a gulley, where it struck a cliff wall, White said.
Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:45 PM | Comment Update: Carcieri can be made to testify about raidPROVIDENCE -- Judge Susan E. McGuirl ruled this afternoon that defense lawyers can compel Governor Carcieri to testify in the Narragansett Indian smoke-shop raid case going to trial on Sept. 17. But the Superior Court judge also said the testimony must be limited to the instructions the governor gave that day to Col. Steven M. Pare, at the time the state police superintendent. Carcieri ordered the state police to use a search warrant on the roadside shop on tribal land in Charlestown on July 14, 2003, after learning the tribe was selling cigarettes without charging Rhode Island taxes. The raid turned into a violent clash when officers met resistance as they came onto Narragansett Indian land. The governor has not yet decided whether to appeal today's ruling. “We are disappointed by Judge McGuirl’s decision," Michael Maynard, a spokesman for Carcieri, said in a statement. "We believe that the governor’s testimony is not relevant to the criminal trial of the seven individuals. Furthermore, even if the testimony were relevant we believe that the defendants have access to the same information that they are seeking without requiring the governor’s personal testimony.” The statement goes on to say that "it is important to remember that this trial is not about the governor’s actions but about the actions of the defendants.” Yesterday, McGuirl decided that jurors weighing the criminal charges against seven Narragansett Indians arrested in the raid will hear testimony about the orders that led to that confrontation. McGuirl ruled that defense lawyers can question witnesses about the instructions state troopers received that day. Repeatedly, the governor said he directed the state police to withdraw if they met resistance. Pare told the court this week that he never received such instructions. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Journal staff writer Katie Mulvaney and Journal archival reports Lawyers for the tribal members subpoenaed Carcieri Wednesday to testify next month at the criminal trials of the Narragansetts arrested during the raid. Seven Narragansetts, including Chief Sachem Matthew Thomas, face misdemeanor charges, including resisting arrest, obstruction, disorderly conduct and assault. They face up to a year in jail and a $1,000 fine. A lawyer for the governor is fighting the subpoena, arguing that high-ranking public officials should be able to carry out their duties without fear of being called to testify. Extra: More about the raid and its aftermath ... Posted by Mike McKinney at 3:16 PM | Comment Beaches in Scituate and Warwick are reopenedThe state Health Department today recommended reopening to swimming the Hope Community Services Beach in Scituate and Kent County YMCA Beach in Warwick. The decision is based on water sample results that show bacteria levels within acceptable limits. To check information about swimming at Rhode Island beaches, go to www.health.ri.gov or call (401) 222-2751. Posted by Mike McKinney at 3:12 PM | Comment Authority says Pell and Mt. Hope bridges safePROVIDENCE -- The Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority says its two bridges -- the Pell Newport Bridge and the Mount Hope Bridge -- are safe. David Darlington, chairman of the authority, says both bridges are in very good shape. The Pell Bridge -- formerly called the Newport Bridge and opened in 1969 -- connects Jamestown and Newport, on Aquidneck Island, while the Mount Hope Bridge -- opened in 1929 -- spans the waters between Bristol and Portsmouth, on the northern end of Aquidneck. He made his comments today amid concern about bridge safety after a bridge in Minneapolis collapsed this week, killing several people. Peter Janaros is the authority's director of engineering. He says the two bridges are inspected every year -- twice as frequently as federal regulations call for -- because they are so large, because safety is paramount and because of their importance to the economy of the state. He says both bridges are in good condition. Bridge maintenance and repairs are paid for through tolls.
Posted by Mike McKinney at 2:45 PM | Comment 3 indicted after New Bedford immigration raidFive months after a sweeping immigration raid at the Michael Bianco Inc. plant in New Bedford, company president Francesco Insolia and two of his top managers have been indicted on charges of conspiring to harbor and hire illegal immigrants, to fulfill almost $230 million in government contracts. U.S. Attorney Michael J. Sullivan said the indictment “should send a clear message to all employers that hiring illegal or unauthorized aliens, or conspiring to shield them from detection, will not be tolerated.” Extra: Read a special report on the immigration debate. Insolia and the other two defendants will be arraigned on Thursday, August 9. Insolia, of Pembroke, Mass., had no comment. He remained on the job, according to a spokesman. The indictment was announced yesterday by Sullivan and Bruce M. Foucart, special agent in charge for the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement office of investigations in Boston. The Bianco company, which produces rucksacks and other military gear for U.S. soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan, is operating on a reduced production schedule agreed to by the Department of Defense, said spokesman Doug Bailey, of Rasky Baerlein Strategic Communications of Boston. If convicted of the charge of conspiring to hire illegal aliens, Insolia, Costa and Melo each face maximum sentences of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and a $100 special assessment, plus at least two years of supervised release. They face months in prison, a $100 special assessment, and a $10,000 fine for each illegal alien hired by the Bianco company on the charge of conspiracy to hire illegal aliens. The indictment stems from an ongoing investigation that started last year and culminated with a March 6 raid at the plant at 89 West Rodney French Boulevard, during which 361 illegal immigrants were detained. -- Journal staff writer Karen Lee Ziner The raid sparked widespread community outrage. Social service agencies, immigrant advocacy groups and public officials decried a “humanitarian crisis” that disrupted the lives of families. After the raid, workers accused Insolia and his managers of maintaining “sweat-shop” conditions referenced in the affidavit. They said Insolia fined workers $25 for arriving more than a minute late, or staying too long in the restrooms, and charged them for aspirin. They also said that the front door was the sole entrance and exit. Last month, the Bianco company agreed to pay a reduced fine of $37,500 after the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited the company for 15 alleged serious violations of workplace health and safety standards, including, mechanical, electrical and chemical violations. Left uncorrected, those conditions expose employees to the hazards of lacerations, amputation, burns, electrocution, eye and face injuries, and to being caught in moving machine parts or struck by machinery," said Robert B. Hooper, OSHA’s acting area director for southeastern Massachusetts. Bailey, the Bianco spokesman, said OSHA reduced the proposed $45,000 fine after the company remedied the conditions cited in the inspection. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is continuing its investigation with assistance from the Social Security Administration’s Office of Inspector General; the Department of Defense’s Criminal Investigative Service; the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General; the Massachusetts Insurance Fraud Bureau and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Posted by Jack Perry at 2:25 PM | Comment Citizens sees 2-percent increase in period earningsPROVIDENCE -- The Citizens Financial Group earned $1.48 billion in the first half of the year, a 2-percent increase over the same period last year, the Providence-based bank announced today. Citizens, owned by the Royal Bank of Scotland Group, said it had made "good progress" in credit card issuing and experienced "strong growth" in corporate and commercial lending that compensated for decreased demand for mortages. In March, the Royal Bank reorganized its North American operations, replacing Lawrence K. Fish, the chief executive officer of Citizens, with Stephen D. Steinour. Fish was named chairman of RBS America, a new organizational unit. --Journal Staff Writer Benjamin N. Gedan Posted by Mike McKinney at 1:48 PM | Comment Hot and muggy, but still no sign of West Nile VirusWe're into August and there's still no sign in Rhode Island of West Nile Virus or Eastern Equine Encephalitis. Test results taken from 78 mosquito pools came up negative for the virus, the state Department of Environmental Management announced today. The results are from 35 traps set around the state during the week of July 23. Results from two additional pools are pending. Still, the DEM warns that West Nile and Triple-E are "both firmly established throughout the state. Therefore, throughout the mosquito season, residents are encouraged to protect themselves by eliminating mosquito breeding grounds and avoiding mosquito bites." People should get rid of mosquito breeding grounds from yards by removing anything that holds standing water, such as old tires, buckets, junk and debris, clean gutters so that they drain correctly, and maintain swimming pools properly. Mosquitoes breed in standing water. Avoid getting bitten by putting screens on windows and doors, covering up at dawn and dusk, and putting mosquito netting over playpens and baby carriages when they are outside. And use mosquito repellent, but with no more than 30 percent DEET. Do not use repellent on infants. For information about mosquito-borne diseases, go to www.state.dem.ri.gov, and click on "Public Health Updates", or go to www.health.ri.gov and click on "E" (Eastern Equine Encephalitis) or "W" ((West Nile Virus)) under "Health Topics". -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 1:32 PM | Comment Update: Man charged in case of body found at schoolJOHNSTON – A North Providence man has been charged in connection with the death of a woman who police said died while the two of them were using drugs last Saturday at the man's home. Police had found the decomposing body of the woman, identified today as Gina Hughes, 34, behind the Winsor Hill School on Wednesday. The man, Frank A. Marsella, 45, of 17 Brown St., North Providence, has been charged with failure to report Hughes' death with the intent to conceal a felony, that is, a violation of the uniformed controlled substance act; and a misdemeanor charge of failure to render assistance to Hughes, who was in need of medical assistance. Police said Marsella said Hughes died at his apartment on Saturday while the two were using drugs. He told police that he wrapped her body in two tarps on Sunday, put it in the trunk of a vehicle and drove to the Winsor Hill School at 100 Theresa St., where he left her body in a grassy area next to the road. Police, who initially indicated that the death might be a homicide, said the investigation is ongoing. Marsella is being held at the police station in Johnston until his arraignment this afternoon at District Court in Warwick. At a press conference today, Johnston police said that because Hughes' body was so badly decomposed, she had to be identified by fingerprints. A preliminary exam from the state medical examiner's office showed there were signs of cocaine and opiates in her system, the police said. It appears the woman died of an overdose, and Marsella was apparently concerned that if he reported the death, his own drug use would become known to authorities and he would go back to jail, Police Chief Richard S. Tamburini said before the press conference. The police have also said they had identified the woman as having a criminal record. They said she had been released from the Adult Correctional Institutions June 26. Today, Tamburini thanked the Attorney General's Office, the state police and the Providence police and medical examiner's office for their help. -- With reports from projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson and Journal staff writer Mark Reynolds Posted by Kate Bramson at 1:30 PM | Comment Motorcyclist to serve 15 years for fatal crash/ Photo
Joseph Santos, of 133 Chester Ave., was convicted June 11 of driving under the influence, death resulting, and driving to endanger, death resulting. Superior Court Judge Susan E. McGuirl also fined Santos $5,000, ordered that he perform 200 hours of community service, undergo alcohol counseling and lose his driver's license for five years. Santos has been held without bail since the jury convicted him after two hours of deliberations, according to Michael J. Healey, spokesman for the state Attorney General’s Office. According to evidence presented during the six-day trial, Santos had a blood-alcohol content of .163, twice the legal limit, about an hour after the crash that killed passenger Susan Renaud, 37. While awaiting trial, Santos twice violated the conditions of his bail and was placed in custody, according to Healey. In August 2006, he was pulled over driving in Providence and failed a breath test measuring the alcohol in his blood, Healey said. Four months later, he was released to home confinement, but in February of 2007, a random urine screen tested positive for opiates and barbituates, Healey said. -- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson A witness, 18-year-old Elicia Poland, testified during the trial that on Saturday, July 30, 2005, she was in a car driven by her boyfriend at around 10:20 p.m. On Route 44 in Smithfield, the couple saw a motorcycle traveling in front of them swerve dramatically as it came to a stop at a traffic light in front of Benny’s. Both the driver, later identified as Santos, and his passenger appeared drunk, Poland testified, according to Healey. Poland said her boyfriend pulled up alongside the motorcycle, and Poland called out to the driver, offering to give him and his passenger a ride home. The driver made an obscene gesture and remark and sped off, Healey said. Poland and her boyfriend followed the motorcycle along Route 44 and onto Route 295 north, where Poland testified that Santos nearly wiped out on the entrance ramp. He managed to get onto the highway and then proceed to “take off so fast that I couldn’t believe it,” she testified, Healey said. The couple tried to keep up with the motorcycle but when they reached a speed of 95 mph, they became concerned for their own safety and decided not to “risk our lives for this,” she testified. They pulled back, lost sight of the motorcycle’s taillight and then saw a large cloud of dust ahead and came upon the motorcycle tipped over in the high-speed lane, according to the evidence presented at the trial. An off-duty West Warwick firefighter, 28-year-old Arthur Houle, was at the scene when the couple stopped. Houle asked Poland and her boyfriend to help him find the people who had been on the motorcycle, Healey said. Poland testified that she found and approached Santos, whom she described as smelling of alcohol and having slurred speech. He told her he was coming from Bonnie & Clyde’s, a bar on Putnam Pike (Route 44), and he had been drinking, Healey said. The last thing Santos said to Poland, as emergency sirens approached, was, “Please don’t tell the cops I’m drunk,” Poland testified. After Poland and her boyfriend pulled back from following the motorcycle, a second witness observed the bike. Michael Levesque testified at the trial that when the motorcycle passed him on Route 295 north, his full-size Chevy pickup truck shook, Healey said. Levesque then testified that he saw the motorcycle slam into the back of an SUV and saw both the driver and passenger fly through the air. He called 911 at 10:32 p.m., Healey said. Renaud, Santos’ passenger, died six days after the crash, on Aug. 5, 2005, as a result of skull fracture and brain injuries due to blunt force trauma, Healey said. Posted by Jack Perry at 12:55 PM | Comment Cranston man gets 2 years in mob extortion plotPROVIDENCE -- A Cranston man who was snared in a mob extortion scheme last year was sentenced to two years in federal prison today. Chief U. S. District Court Judge Mary M. Lisi brushed off a defense argument that James G. Manning, 64, is elderly and infirm and should be sentenced to probation or electronic monitoring on home confinement. She said that Manning, who used a walker to enter the courtroom, was well enough to travel to Massachusetts and participate in the mob-sanctioned extortion plot last year. ``At your age, I’m wondering, `What are you thinking?’’’ Lisi said. ``I’m not convinced that Mr. Manning gets it today.’’ Manning was one of four men arrested for participating in the April 2006 shakedown of two men, a pizza parlor owner and bookmaker/drug dealer, in the Taunton, Mass., area. Under the direction of Anthony M. ``The Saint’’ St. Laurent, the two men were supposed to make an initial payment of $200,000 and later weekly payments of $2,000. St. Laurent was sentenced to five years in prison last January. Manning, who has had a gambling problem and has known St. Laurent for 35 years, was ordered to surrender to a yet to be named federal prison on Aug. 24. Until then, he will remain on home confinement. -- Journal staff writer W. Zachary Malinowski Posted by Jack Perry at 12:12 PM | Comment Ken Weber, outdoor writer, dies at 63
“For many years, Ken Weber was a beloved institution here, bringing deep knowledge, acute observation, and charm to his weekly explorations of the world of nature,” said Robert B. Whitcomb, Journal vice president and editorial pages editor. “We will greatly miss his columns and his quiet, affable, good-humored and cooperative personality.” Weber is survived by Bettie J. (Hoorman) Weber, his wife of 42 years; four children, and nine grandchildren. Weber and his wife lived on Deerfield Drive in Greenville. Weber began his career at The Journal in 1971, when he was hired as a copy editor; he retired as a section editor in 1996. His nature columns ran for years in the Sunday Magazine, and when the magazine ceased publication, in 1995, his columns continued on the commentary pages of the Saturday paper. Weber was also the author of several popular books, including Weekend Walks in Rhode Island: 40 Trails for Hiking, Birding & Nature Viewing, now in its fourth edition, and Paddling Southern New England: 30 Canoe Trips in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut, in its second edition. A Mass of Christian burial to which relatives and friends are invited will be held Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. in St. Philip Church, 622 Putnam Pike, Greenville. Burial will be private. Visitation Monday 4-7 p.m. in the Anderson-Winfield Funeral Home, Route 44 at Greenville Common, Greenville. In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to the Audubon Society of Rhode Island, 12 Sanderson Road, Smithfield, R.I., 02917. For messages of condolence, visit www.andersonwinfield.net -- Journal staff writer G. Wayne Miller Posted by Peter Phipps at 11:49 AM | Comment R.I. gets $600,000 grant to curb juvenile delinquencyRhode Island will get a $600,000 federal grant to keep up programs that aim to identify young people who are most likely to commit crimes and to come up with and carry out plans to curb juvenile delinquency. The grant is from the U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. Sen. Jack Reed's office said in a news release today. "I know the state will put this federal investment to good use by focusing on efforts to prevent and reduce juvenile crime throughout the state," said Reed, Rhode Island Democrat and member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, and Science, which oversees federal spending on law enforcement. There are various prevention strategies and services intended to keep juveniles out of the courts, such as tutoring, mentoring, recreational activities, and leadership development activities. Posted by Mike McKinney at 11:29 AM | Comment Today's front pageIn the wake of the disastrous bridge collapse in Minnesota, today's front page features a story reporting that Rhode Island's bridges are rated the worst in the country. Download a copy of today's front page. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:00 AM | Comment Do you like it hot and unhealthy with thunderstorms?It's going to be a day of extremes: extreme temperatures, extremely bad air and the risk of extreme thunderstorms. The state has posted an ozone alert, warning children and those at risk to limit their exercise. The National Weather Service cautions that the area could be hit with a powerful thunderstorm this afternoon. The high today could hit 91 with a 30 percent chance of rain. The humidity was at 87 percent at 7 a.m. Tomorrow will be similar. Sunday, however, looks like a gem. The weather service says it will be clear, sunny and cooler. Posted by Peter Phipps at 7:00 AM | Comment Ozone alert today; RIPTA is freeThe air is bad and the buses are free. The Department of Health, which declared today's ozone alert, warns that unhealthy levels of ozone can cause throat irritation, coughing, chest pain, shortness of breath, increased susceptibility to respiratory infection and aggravation of asthma and other respiratory ailments. These symptoms are worsened by exercise and heavy activity. Children, the elderly and people who have underlying lung diseases, such as asthma, are at particular risk of suffering from these effects. As ozone levels increase, the number of people affected and the severity of the health effects also increase. Posted by Peter Phipps at 6:55 AM | Comment Route 95 open in both directions by 5 a.m.PROVIDENCE – Both northbound and southbound lanes of Route 95 opened ahead of schedule tonight, after both directions of the highway were closed for the first time this month as the state Department of Transportation continues overnight work on the Route 95-Route 195 interchange project. The northbound lanes opened at 4:10 a.m., and the southbound lanes opened at 5 a.m., according to the state Department of Transportation. Last night was the fourth closure in a row for portions of the highway in this second round of closures for the highway project. The DOT's Transportation Management Center reported that Route 195 west to Route 95 south and Route 95 itself, between exits 18 and 20, were all closed by around 11 p.m. last night. The nighttime closures now take a break until Sunday, when northbound and southbound lanes of Route 95, between exits 18 and 20, are expected to close again by 11 p.m. – with individual lane closures starting by 8 p.m. The lanes are expected to reopen by 5:30 a.m. Monday in time for morning commuters. Check out the road-closure schedule on the DOT’s site. For a look back at the earlier closures this year, see projo.com’s special reports section. -- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson Posted by Kate Bramson at 6:39 AM | Comment August 2, 2007Rhythm and Blues Society plays tonight in ProvidenceBefore the Newport Folk Festival starts jamming this weekend, you can catch some tunes tonight. The Rhode Island Rhythm and Blues Preservation Society Band plays at the Concert Under the Elms, on the grounds of the John Brown House, 52 Power St., Providence, at 6:30. Admission is $8, $5 for RIRBPS members; children under 12 are admitted free. Be warned, finding a place to park could prove tricky. Find out who else is playing where this week, for the folk fans who will be gathering at Fort Adams State Park in Newport, to those whose ears are attuned to a different drummer, iPod or cell phone, at: projo.com/music
Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:55 PM | Comment Seal hit by bullet is 'a bit better today'MYSTIC, Conn. -- Mystic Aquarium veterinarians today tried to feed the adult male harbor seal that was found shot in the left eye, but the seal did not eat. However, refusing to eat it not unusual for animals that have been moved for treatment, given the change in environment and original feeding habits. The seal had been rescued from seaside park in Bridgeport. “He’s a bit better today, a little perkier,” said Cara Field, a veterinarian at the aquarium. “However, tests results on a possible viral infection won’t be back until probably next week. We should know more then. We believe there is more going on with the seal than just the bullet wound. That’s what the tests will show.” The seal’s left eye has not responded to any visual stimuli, meaning it's not functioning. The animal was given more antibiotics today in an effort to fight any possible infections. The National Marine Fisheries Service and local law enforcement officials have been told of the seal’s condition and that it was wounded by a bullet. Harbor seals are a protected species. Harassing or injuring a harbor seal is a federal offense and punishable by jail time and a fine. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:39 PM | Comment Update: Pawtucket motorcyclist critical after crashThe motorcyclist in this morning's motorcycle-car collision on Route 95 south is in critical condition at Rhode Island Hospital. Douglas Oliveira, 46, of Sachem Street, Pawtucket, was taken to the hospital from the 8 a.m. accident that happened between the Branch Avenue and Charles Street exits. According to state police Lt. Glenn Skalubinski, a white Toyota Camry driven by Evan Fullerton, 17, of Attleboro, Mass., was traveling south and, about 250 feet south of Branch Avenue, began to slow down because of heavy traffic. Oliveira's motorcycle did not slow down enough in time and collided with the back of the Camry. -- projo.com staff writers Michael P. McKinney and Kate Bramson Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:30 PM | Comment Update: Motorist thrown from SUV out of hospitalCRANSTON -- A West Warwick passenger thrown from a Ford Explorer this morning when it rolled over on Route 37 east was treated and released from Rhode Island Hospital. The police said the injuries to Beverly Labbee, 30, of Providence Street had been serious but not life threatening in the accident that happened about 7:45 a.m., according to state police Lt. Glenn Skalubinski. Her three children -- whose ages ranged from about 6 to 10 -- and stepfather, who were in the SUV with her, were all taken to Hasbro Children’s Hospital with minor injuries, according to Leo F. Kennedy, deputy chief of emergency medical services with the Cranston Fire Department. Emergency crews were called to the crash around 7:50 a.m. Skalubinski said a black Volkswagen apparently cut in front, causing Labbee's SUV to slow down suddenly. A truck pulling a 23-foot boat atop a trailer was unable to reduce speed in time and struck the SUV from behind. The SUV veered to the left, hitting a guard-rail, deflecting off that, veering to the right and rolling over. The SUV stopped toward the middle of the highway. Labbee, thrown from the SUV, landed in the road. The boat detached from the truck that was towing it and came to rest about 60 feet east of the SUV. That maneuver forced the SUV up onto the guardrail, where it rolled over. The trailer detached from the truck and was left behind in the roadway, Kennedy said. The boat dislodged from the trailer, he said. -- projo.com staff writers Michael P. McKinney and Kate Bramson A father and his adult son were traveling in the truck. The father was taken to Kent Hospital in Warwick, with what appeared to be minor injuries, and his son refused treatment at the scene, Kennedy said. Everyone but Labbee appeared to be wearing seatbelts, Kennedy said. She was conscious when rescue crews arrived and was taken to the hospital with lacerations and a possibly fractured arm, he said. “I think she’s very lucky,” Kennedy said. The crash closed the east side of the road for about an hour between Pontiac Avenue and Route 95, said Skalabinski. Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:27 PM | Comment Update: R.I.H. doctor operates on wrong side of brainThe state Health Department today ordered Rhode Island Hospital to hire a consultant and double-check surgical sites after a neurosurgeon operated on the wrong side of a patient’s head on Monday -- the second wrong-site procedure this year at the hospital. Additionally, the surgeon who performed Monday’s case, Dr. J. Frederick Harrington, has been ordered to stop performing surgery and undergo an evaluation. Health Director David R. Gifford said the order against the hospital -- called an “immediate compliance order” -- is the first such order that his staff can recall being issued against a hospital. It indicates that the problem was serious enough to require immediate action even before a full investigation can be completed. Gifford said he issued the order because of the “pattern” of wrong-site surgeries, all involving neurosurgery at Rhode Island Hospital. In addition to Monday’s surgery, wrong-site neurosurgery procedures were performed in January 2007 and in December 2001. (Earlier today, the Health Department had issued a news release giving the incorrect date for the 2001 incident.) “The hospital needs to change its culture and its systems,” Gifford said. “Maybe these were three isolated events. It certainly doesn’t look that way.” The patient involved in Monday’s surgery had blood between his brain and his skull, on the left side, according to Health Department documents. Harrington and others “failed to make an accurate assessment of the correct location,” the documents said, and operated on the wrong side. When the error was discovered, they immediately performed the surgery on the left side. The hospital said the patient is in stable condition today.
The other wrong-site surgeries both also involved bleeding on the brain. In January a drain to relieve bleeding was placed on the wrong side, and in 2001, doctors drilled holes in the wrong side of a patient’s head after an X-ray was placed backwards on the viewing screen. After the 2001 incident, Dr. John Duncan III, the hospital’s neurosurgeon-in-chief who had supervised the surgery, was deemed responsible for the error and ordered to make recommendations on preventing such errors in the future. “We deeply regret the incident that occurred on Monday, July 30,” the hospital said in a statement. “This should not have happened: We have policies and procedures in place to prevent an incident like this from occurring. The preliminary investigation indicates that at least one of our standard policies was not followed.” The hospital said it was in the process of hiring the consultant as ordered by the Health Department; in addition it plans to hire “a prominent neurosurgeon to review our entire neurosurgical program.” “The public trusts and relies on our hospital for this care,” the hospital’s statement concluded. “We can and must do better to ensure the safety of our patients.” -- Journal medical writer Felice J. Freyer Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:24 PM | Comment Man suspected of high-level drug dealing nabbedPROVIDENCE -- A man who police allege had about $100,000 worth of packaged drugs in his attic and more than $183,000 in his bank account was arrested by the state police yesterday morning, the police said today. Steven T. Corry, a 34-year-old bartender at a high-end private social club on the East Side, is suspected of being a high-level drug dealer supplying mid-level dealers in Providence County, according to state police Lt. John T. Leyden III. The state police began investigating Corry a week ago after learning of an allegation he was running a large-scale drug-dealing operation. Then, while detectives had him under surveillance yesterday morning, Corry picked up a bag from a storage garage behind his house and drove off. The detectives tailed him as Corry headed south, and on Route 4 in East Greenwich, a state trooper pulled him over for a “lane violation,” Leyden said. He told the trooper that he was on his way to the beach, Leyden said. But when Corry acted nervous, the troopers searched him and found an ounce of marijuana and three grams of cocaine, Leyden said. “He said he was just going to the beach to have a little party,” Leyden said. The detectives returned to Corry’s apartment house in the Charles neighborhood. The state police said they found 60 pounds of marijuana packaged in one pound increments inside duffle bags in the attic at 245 Hawkins St., as well as 6 ounces of cocaine and $935 cash in his second-floor apartment. This morning, the state police seized $183,237.04 from Corry’s bank account, believed to be the proceeds of drug deals, Leyden said. The street value for the marijuana and cocaine is approximately $100,000, according to the state police. Leyden declined to identify the social club where Corry is employed. He formerly worked for the New York Yacht Club in Newport, and he is a landlord in Providence, according to records. -- Journal staff writer Amanda Milkovits Corry is charged with possession of marijuana in excess of five kilograms, possession of cocaine between one ounce and one kilogram, possession of marijuana with intent to deliver, possession of cocaine with intent to deliver, and possession of cocaine and marijuana. He is being held without bail pending a hearing set for Aug. 16. He was also presented as a bail violator based on a misdemeanor charge in Newport in April. Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:51 PM | Comment DOT: Many bridges deficient, but not about to collapsePROVIDENCE -- More than half of Rhode Island’s 764 bridges are considered “structurally deficient” or “functionally obsolete,” according to the Federal Highway Administration. That is the highest percentage of any state in the nation. “On the structurally deficient, it doesn’t mean they are in danger of collapsing,” said DOT Director Jerry Williams, when asked in the wake of yesterday's collapse of a bridge crossing the Mississippi River in Minnesota. “It could mean they are scheduled for replacement in 5 or 6 years, for example," Williams continued. "If you look at a number of our bridges, they have been shored up by either timber or steel, and that is done to make sure of the integrity of the bridge. But obviously you don’t want to maintain that for 20 years. While they are safe to travel on, it is something where they need to be rehabbed or replaced in order to take them out of that category.” The term “functionally obsolete” generally means the bridge is not the ideal width or height for the job is has to do. It does not mean unsafe. The eight-lane Interstate 35W bridge, a major Minneapolis artery, was in the midst of repairs when it buckled during the evening rush hour. Dozens of cars plummeted more than 60 feet into the Mississippi River, some falling on top one of another. The death toll is now at four, but more bodies are said to be in the water. The White House said an inspection of the 40-year-old bridge in 2005 found problems. The Interstate 35W span rated 50 on a scale of 100 for structural stability and was classified as "structurally deficient," transportation officials said. In Rhode Island, state officials blame the state’s old infrastructure, its dense population and the winter climate for the percentage of bridges considered in some way deficient. Governor Carcieri said today that state officials "have every reason to believe" that every Rhode Island bridge currently open to traffic is safe. “My office has been in contact with the Rhode Island Department of Transportation throughout the day,” Carcieri said in a news release. “We had the same questions as everyone else: Are Rhode Island bridges safe and are any of our bridges in danger of collapsing?” Carcieri said the state Department of Transportation is "largely up-to-date" with road and highway bridge inspections and, therefore, officials have every reason to believe the open bridges do not "pose a threat to the driving public." But the governor said that even though they are safe for use, many of the bridges "are in less than perfect condition." He added that though currently safe for travel, "bridges deemed 'structurally deficient' will require repairs in the coming years to ensure their future safety." Those repairs, he said, "will require a huge investment of scarce dollars." The state Department of Transportation began several months ago to analzye what investments will be needed make all needed repairs to all state bridges and related highway infrastructure. "I expect that DOT officials will be prepared to brief me on this analysis by the end of the month," Carcieri said. -- Journal staff writer Mark Arsenault and projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with Associated Press reports DOT director Williams has asked his team to do another review of the Rhode Island bridges that have been deemed safe, but structurally deficient, Carcieri said. “While we believe all these bridges have been recently inspected, we are determined in light of the collapse in Minnesota to take extra precautions to ensure the safety of everyone traveling on Rhode Island roads," he said. The governor, a Republican, also used today's statement to say that he tried to use "residual money" from Rhode Island's share of the national tobacco settlement to pay for road and bridge repairs. He blamed a General Assembly -- controlled by Democratic majorities -- that "declined to approve this plan." So, Carcieri said he will reach out to the state's congressmen to ask for federal assistance. “In that light, I am pleased that two delegation members sit on the House and Senate Appropriations Committees, while another sits on the committee that oversees federal highway programs," the governor said. Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:50 PM | Comment Providence company's scientists get genome grantsPROVIDENCE -- Scientists affiliated with the Providence life sciences company NABsys Inc. have been awarded nearly $1 million in grants from the National Human Genome Research Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health. The two grants, announced today, were among eight awards for researchers in the U.S. and Canada who are trying to discover more affordable methods of sequencing the human genome. In an interview today, the president of NABsys, Barrett Bready, said the company’s technology would promote “personalized medicine,” allowing patients to learn their vulnerability to certain illnesses and pursue preventative treatment or lifestyle changes. “It’s working on an incredibly important problem, some would day the most important problem in medicine,” Bready said. Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:24 PM | Comment Complaint filed against former E. Providence mayorEAST PROVIDENCE -- East Providence Democratic Committee Chairman John F. Conley filed a formal complaint today with the state Ethics Commission against former Mayor and Republican Joseph S. Larisa Jr. for allegedly violating Rhode Island’s code of conduct for public officials. A section in Chapter 36 of the state’s general laws says public officers and employees cannot “represent any other person before any state or municipal agency of which he or she is a member or by which he or she is employed.” It also states the person can’t do this for “a period of one year after he or she has officially severed his or her position.” Larisa lost against current Mayor Isadore Ramos Jr. for the at-large council seat during a close election and recount late last year. Ramos was sworn in to the position in December. Seven months later, Larisa, a lawyer, represented Canvassing Authority member Thomas Riley for free in a disciplinary hearing in front of the council. The July 12 hearing concluded with a written reprimand in Riley’s personnel file. “My members believe that no one is above the rule of law,” Conley said in a short, three paragraph news release. “These rules and regulations were put in place for a purpose.”
The city Democratic Committee’s corresponding secretary, Wendy S. Caputo, who writes the news releases on behalf of Conley, who is blind, added, “It wouldn’t have mattered whether a Democrat or Republican filed this complaint…. Mr. Larisa, of all people being an attorney, should have known. I was very surprised he was there [at the hearing] that night.” In a page-long response to The Journal, Larisa said he “actually” represented himself, the city’s taxpayers and voters on three occasions pro bono, not once, since his departure from office. He said all the appearances were in full compliance with the state’s Code of Ethics and protected by the First Amendment of the United States Constitution. “The complaint by Mr. Conley is baseless,” Larisa wrote. “If he and others truly want to start following the law, they should join the good government groups in demanding that the voter list be cleaned up immediately instead of obstructing and resisting night time meetings where complaints can be heard.” Posted by Mike McKinney at 3:33 PM | Comment Report: Beacon played favorites, spent lavishlyBeacon Mutual Insurance Co., the state's dominant workers compensation insurer, has agreed to pay fines and refund policyholders after an investigation uncovered favoritism in pricing, lavish spending and disregard for the regulatory process, among other things, the state Department of Business Regulation announced this afternoon. As a result, Beacon must refund policyholders $7 million and pay a fine of $2.5 million, with $1.5 million suspended, pending compliance with recommendations made in the report, according to the Department of Business Regulation. For instance, according to the 312-page market conduct examination, Beach paid hundreds of thousands of dollars for senior managers' country club memberships, Beacon also paid $20,000 to support the PGA golf career of the son of a Beacon Mutual agent. A copy of the report is available on the Department of Business Regulation's Web site. Here are some of the report's specific findings, according to the DBR: -- Certain employers related to board members and other favored employers were given unsupported discounts. -- Charitable contributions were made to institutions related to board members and senior management with little or no evidence to support the efficiency of the contributions. -- Commissions were paid to select agents, although minimum performance thresholds in their contracts were not met. -- Management, favored agents and some clients enjoyed golf trips and other perks constituting unsuitable expenditures. In a news release, Governor Carcieri said the report shows "the problems went much deeper than even I suspected. In short, it is a damning indictment of Beacon Mutual’s behavior as the state’s dominant workers compensation insurer, and insurer of last resort.” James V. Rosati, Beacon's president and CEO, said in a press release, "The report is a review of Beacon’s past practices. It does not reflect the reforms and changes that have been instituted at Beacon since April of 2006. We have worked in a cooperative manner to address all of DBR’s recommendations contained in the report and I am pleased to say we have accomplished that goal on behalf of our policyholders. “Today at Beacon there are procedures and guidelines in place which will prevent the type of findings contained in the report from reoccurring in the future," he said. -- projo.com staff writers Jack Perry and Michael P. McKinney The market conduct examination was undertaken to evaluate Beacon's compliance with laws and insurance regulations. It also set out to determine whether Rhode Island employers and claimants were being treated equitably. The state exam began in September 2005 as a routine market-conduct review, and expanded. Investigators found Beacon spent more than $1.1 million on golf-related events, clothing from 2003 through 2005 that that "these expendutiures benefited Solomon and David Clark. Here's the breakdown: * More than $540,000 paid to a Massachusetts golf club for a corporate membership where Beacon senior management "entertained select agents and other guests." The amount included the cost of certain functions "where Beacon's sponsorship was kept private and the benefit to Beacon was unclear," the report says. * More than $340,000 paid to a Rhode Island country club, including $203,000 paid to the pro-shop for merchandise. * About $110,000 incurred by Beacon releated to golf trips that senior management and selected agents took to Florida, Scotland, California, North Carolina, and Wisconsin. The trip to Scotland alone cost $34,000. * At least $20,000 was paid "to support the PGA career of an agent's son." * From 2003 through 2005, Beacon paid $1.1 million to charitable organizations. The investigation found Solomon approved a $25,000 payment to a hospital in December 2005 that the Board of Directors had not approved. Solomon was corporate chairman for a charity event and his wife was on the board of trustees of the organization. Senior management members got other perks. * Solomon was provided a leased corporate car under his employment contract. Beacon payments for a Lexus and a Volvo over from 2003 through 2005 came to about $50,000. "Solomon also authorized Beacon to buy a Lexus vehcile that was previously leased fro him, and then to immediately sell the car to a Beacon vice president," the report says. Beacon sold the car tot eh vice president for $11,363 less than it cost Beacon, and the price difference was not included as income on the vice president's tax forms. * Solomon paid for club memberships in addition to the corporate country club membership, for several senior managers. The report found $41,000 in payments related to the club memberships. State law makes it illegal for someone to knowingly give false information to the Department of Business and Regulation. "We found one instance where Beacon underwriting management instructed underwriting personnel to create and backdate a document to be provided to [the Department of Business and Regulation] as part of the examination," the examination says. A separate study, commissioned by Beacon and conducted by consultants from a company of New York City's former mayor, Rudolph Giuliani, was released last April. The Giuliani report concluded that Beacon had given preferential rates to some companies and maintained "inappropriate relationships" with certain insurance agents. In the past 1½ years, Beacon has fired its former CEO and chief of underwriting and accepted the resignations of several board members who had served since the nonprofit mutual insurer was formed by an act of the General Assembly in the early 1990s. Beacon's former board chairman, Sheldon S. Sollosy, resigned in February 2006, after an internal audit conducted by Beacon named Sollosy as refusing to cooperate with the auditors looking into allegations that Beacon was unfairly discounting insurance rates for companies with connections to Beacon's board. A statewide grand jury last October indicted Beacon's former chief of underwriting, David R. Clark, of conspiracy and insurance fraud in what was described as a widening criminal probe of the company. Last January, the board hired Rosati -- a former executive at Old Stone Bank with Carcieri -- to be the new president and CEO. Rosati replaced Joseph A. Solomon, whom the board fired early last year amid an ongoing criminal probe of alleged price breaks given to certain companies and "inappropriate relationships" with certain insurance agents. Posted by Jack Perry at 2:06 PM | Comment Judge: Trial can probe whether Carcieri ordered raidPROVIDENCE -- A judge ruled today that the issue of whether Governor Carcieri ordered the raid on the Narragansett Indian smoke shop in 2003 will be allowed at the upcoming trial. This afternoon, lawyers are slated to argue in Providence County Superior Court for and against the subpoena to have Carcieri testify at the trial. The governor received the subpoena on Tuesday afternoon. On Tuesday, the former superintendent of the state police testified that the governor did not order him to withdraw troopers if they met resistance when they raided the smoke shop on tribal land in Charlestown in July 2003. The testimony contradicted statements the governor made in days following the raid. Carcieri repeatedly said he told the state police to retreat if they encountered opposition. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Journal staff writer Katie Mulvaney Posted by Mike McKinney at 1:02 PM | Comment 6 injured in Cranston crashCRANSTON – A woman thrown from her SUV this morning when it rolled over in a two-vehicle crash on Route 37 east was taken to Rhode Island Hospital with injuries that don’t appear life-threatening. Her three children – whose ages ranged from about 6 to 10 -- and stepfather, who were in the SUV with her, were all taken to Hasbro Children’s Hospital with minor injuries, according to Leo F. Kennedy, deputy chief of emergency medical services with the Cranston Fire Department. Emergency crews were called to the crash around 7:50 a.m. after a pickup truck pulling a boat on a trailer either touched or cut off the SUV, Kennedy said. That maneuver forced the SUV up onto the guardrail, where it rolled over. The trailer detached from the truck and was left behind in the roadway, Kennedy said. The boat dislodged from the trailer, he said. The state police are investigating the crash, Kennedy said. -- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson A father and his adult son were traveling in the truck. The father was taken to Kent Hospital in Warwick, with what appeared to be minor injuries, and his son refused treatment at the scene, Kennedy said. Everyone but the woman thrown from the SUV appeared to be wearing seatbelts, Kennedy said. She was conscious when rescue crews arrived and was taken to the hospital with lacerations and a possibly fractured arm, he said. “I think she’s very lucky,” Kennedy said. The crash caused the road to be closed for about 40 minutes between Pontiac Avenue and Route 95. Posted by Kate Bramson at 12:36 PM | Comment Photo: Spraying it cool at City's new water park
Water Parks: Cabral Park – next to Vartan Gregorian School at Fox Point Davey Lopes Recreation Center – 227 Dudley St. Posted by Jack Perry at 12:22 PM | Comment Overwhelming interest in Underdog's early showing
The supply of free tickets "has been exhausted" for the showing at the Providence Performing Arts Center tonight "due to overwhelming response," according to the hotline at Rhode Island Film and Television. The movie was filmed in Providence. Some passersby may remember trucks and crews and areas cordoned off last summer at the State House for some of the filming. No doubt some viewers will see the movie to catch glimpses of Providence buildings as well as the pooch with the cape. Tomorrow, The Journal's Michael Janusonis will review the film, based on a popular cartoon about a superhero dog. Can't make either premiere? There's no need to fear! Underdog is here -- in a collection of trailers from the movie. Just click on the Bloopers link. Posted by Mike McKinney at 12:11 PM | Comment State posts new laws on Web siteIf you’ve been wondering what new laws were enacted during this year’s legislative session, you can now find out online. The state’s Law Revision Office has completed updating the General Assembly’s Web site to reflect this year’s new laws, Speaker of the House William J. Murphy announced today. Posted by Kate Bramson at 12:06 PM | Comment Study says New England will rely on natural gasBOSTON, Mass. -- A new study says New England's electricity market will continue to heavily rely on natural gas as a fuel source over the next two decades. The report today from ISO New England says unless the price of natural gas falls sharply, there will be no significant drop in electricity rates. Few energy investors are forecasting such a decline. ISO New England runs the region's power girl as well as its $10-billion wholesale power market. Its report highlights the region's growing reliance in recent years on natural gas to produce electricity. The report examines 52 approaches to meeting demand for electricity through 2025 -- including massive conservation efforts and building nuclear generators at existing nuclear plants. -- The Associated Press Posted by Mike McKinney at 12:00 PM | Comment Giant anteater to debut at zoo Saturday / Photo
PROVIDENCE -- The Roger Williams Park Zoo offered a preview glimpse this morning of its new giant anteater exhibit, which opens to the public on Saturday. The giant anteater is the world’s largest species of anteater. It measures up to 7 feet long from snout to tail and weighs up to 80 pounds. Plus, with its 2-foot-long tongue, it devours up to 35,000 insects a day. The exhibit is part of the zoo’s $35-million “New Zoo” master plan and capital campaign. It’s the third new exhibit to open this summer. African wild dogs opened in May, and the new bald eagle habitat opened last month. Check out the zoo’s plans for revitalization. Admission is $12, $8 for seniors and $6 for children, 3 to 12. The zoo, located at 1000 Elmwood Ave., is open daily, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, call (401) 785-3510 or visit www.rogerwilliamsparkzoo.org. -- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson Posted by Kate Bramson at 11:47 AM | Comment Today's front pageToday's front page features a story and photograph about a workshop that encourages teens to take part in alcohol-free activities. There's also more on how the police linked convicted killer Alfred "Freddie" Bishop to a home invasion and murder in Warwick. Download a copy of today's front page in .pdf format.
Posted by Jack Perry at 10:15 AM | Comment Mother to tell how drunk driver hurt daughter, familySome 160 teenagers attending a Mothers Against Drunk Driving workshop at Bryant University will hear this morning from the mother of a West Warwick teenager critically injured by a drunk driver. The teens’ parents, too, are invited to Cathy Andreozzi’s talk, when she is expected to dispel the notion of “It won’t happen to me,” according to MADD. Andreozzi will talk about the ongoing medical challenges her daughter, Tori, faces and the ripple effect that a drunk-driving crash has on someone’s family. Tori Andreozzi was walking home from Deering Middle School in West Warwick in March 2003 when driver Marilyn D. Brownell struck her while driving drunk. Brownell was later sentenced to serve 10 years in prison. Read more about the MADD conference in today’s Journal. Posted by Kate Bramson at 9:45 AM | Comment Update: Collisions on Rte. 95 and Rte. 37/ Photo
One was a car-motorcycle collision on Route 95 south at Charles Street, which is south of the Branch Avenue exit, Lt. Glenn Skalubinski said. The other was a rollover in Cranston on Route 37 east, above the southbound lane of Route 95. Motorists on Route 95 can see the overturned vehicle, with wheels in the air, and state police in the roadway on Route 37. Skalubinski said he doesn’t have details about how many vehicles were involved in that accident. Two lanes on Route 37 east were closed around 8:30 a.m. because of the accident, according to the state Department of Transportation. 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 and listen to or read the radio reports for the week about traffic and construction on specific roadways. To report a traffic incident, call the Transportation Management Center at (401) 222-5826 and choose option #2. -- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson Posted by Kate Bramson at 9:38 AM | Comment CVS Caremark 2Q profit doubles on revenue surgeWoonsocket -- Retail drug store company CVS Caremark Corp. said today its second-quarter profit more than doubled along with a near-doubling of revenue. The company earned $720.1 million, or 47 cents per share, compared with $334.4 million, or 40 cents per share, during the same period a year prior. Analysts surveyed by Thomson Financial expected profit of 46 cents per share. Revenue jumped to $20.7 billion from $10.6 billion. Analysts were expecting revenue of $20.6 billion. CVS bought Caremark for $26.5 billion on March 22 to create the new company. CVS Caremark had just over 1.54 billion shares outstanding as of June 30, compared with 850 million shares outstanding a year earlier. -- The Associated Press
During the quarter the company opened 37 new stores, including a specialty pharmacy store. It also closed 15 stores and relocated 30 stores. As of June 30, the company operated 6,177 retail pharmacy stores, 53 specialty pharmacy stores, 22 specialty mail order pharmacies and 10 mail order pharmacies in 44 states and the District of Columbia. Posted by Jack Perry at 9:00 AM | Comment Get free projo.com shades at two beachesThe Providence Journal’s “Beach Patrol” will be at Narragansett Town Beach and Horseneck State Beach in Westport, today from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. handing out promotional sunglasses. Just look for the Journal crew wearing t-shirts with the projoJobs, projoHomes and projoCars logos.
Posted by Peter Phipps at 8:41 AM | Comment Beach Report: Woonsocket beach reopensIt's hot. It's humid. It's the Ocean State. Temperatures are expected to reach the 90s in much of the state today and humidity will hit 80 percent, according to the National Weather Service. The state Health Department reopened World War II Memorial State Park Beach in Woonsocket today after testing showed bacteria levels returned to acceptable levels. For up-to-date information about beaches around the state, call the beach hotline at 222-2751 or visit RI Beaches Boaters can check marine conditions at the National Weather Service Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 8:12 AM | Comment University of Iowa provost to lead UCONNSTORRS, Conn. -- The vice president and provost of the University of Iowa has been selected as 14th president of the University of Connecticut, officials said yesterday. Michael J. Hogan, who has been Iowa's top academic officer since 2004, will replace outgoing UConn president Philip E. Austin. Austin was president of UConn for more than 10 years before announcing plans last year to retire in September. Read the full Associated Press story. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:01 AM | Comment Mostly clear with a high of 91More sunshine today. The National Weather Service says Providence can expect a high of 91 degrees today with mostly clear skies and calm, south winds. It should cool down to about 70 degrees overnight. Tomorrow is expected to bring haze after 9 a.m., and there's a 30 percent chance of rain after 3 p.m. In some areas, thunderstorms may lead to hail and gusty winds. The high for Friday is 91 degrees. For more weather updates, visit projo.com/weather
Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 7:00 AM | Comment Route 95 S lanes open for morning commutePROVIDENCE – The southbound lanes of Route 95 and the Route 195 westbound lanes to Route 95 south reopened this morning without a hitch after the nighttime closure for the Route 95-Route 195 interchange work. The southbound lanes were open by 4:45 a.m., according to the state Department of Transportation. Last night was the third closure in a row for the southbound lanes in this second round of closures for the highway project. The DOT's Transportation Management Center reported that Route 195 west to Route 95 south and Route 95 south itself, between exits 18 and 20, was closed by 11 p.m. last night. Tonight's work is expected to shutter both northbound and southbound lanes of Route 95 between exits 18 and 20 by 11 p.m. – with individual lane closures starting by 8 p.m. The lanes are expected to reopen by 5:30 a.m. tomorrow. Check out the road-closure schedule on the DOT’s site. For a look back at the earlier closures this year, see projo.com’s special reports section. -- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson Posted by Kate Bramson at 6:35 AM | Comment August 1, 2007Tonight in Newport, a picnic with musicYou can catch a musical picnic tonight if you happen to be in Newport. The Newport Art Museum’s annual PM Musical Picnic Series offers the pop music of Shelly, Bill & Dill. Bring a blanket and a picnic to the art museum, 76 Bellevue Ave. for the 6:30 p.m. performance. Admission is $5 for adults, or $10 per family. There is no charge for children 5 and under or museum members. For more things to do, check projo.com's calendar listings and Summer Guide. Posted by Mike McKinney at 7:00 PM | Comment Gunshot victim: 212 pounds, 5 feet long, flippersMYSTIC, Conn. -- The 5-foot, 212-pound victim is suffering from a gunshot wound. Only the victim is an adult male harbor seal. Mystic Aquarium and Institute for Exploration said in a news release today it is treating the seal, which was found at Seaside Park in Bridgeport, Conn., for a gunshot wound to its left eye. The seal spent several hours on the beach before aquarium stranding experts placed the seal in a carrier for the trip to Mystic. The seal is showing indications of central nervous system problems. The left eye is badly injured and may need to be removed at some point, according to Dr. Lawrence Dunn, staff veterinarian for the aquarium. "It's effectively gone," Dunn said in the release. Lifeguards, police and others in Bridgeport were important in keeping the seal out of harm's way early during the rescue, the aquarium said. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:58 PM | Comment Technic exec pleads guilty to sabotaging testAn executive of a Rhode Island chemical company pleaded guilty to sabotaging a test of a formula developed by competitor Rohm & Haas Co. for electroplating Intel Corp. microchips. Robert Schetty III, a vice president in charge of developing and marketing electroplating products for Cranston-based Technic Inc., pleaded guilty today in federal court in Central Islip, N.Y., to destroying a Rohm & Haas solution called ST380 that was being tested for Intel. "This is a very, very stupid caper in his life and he's doing his best to put it behind him," Ron Russo, Schetty's lawyer, said in an interview Schetty faces as much as 10 years in prison, three years probation and a $250,000 fine, prosecutors said. He agreed to pay $15,536 restitution to Rohm & Haas. Schetty worked in Plainview, N.Y., for the Advanced Technology Division of closely held Technic, prosecutors said in a court document filed under seal July 17 and released today. He schemed to ruin the tests because he feared Rohm & Hass would take Technic's Intel account. Bob Sheeran, a Technic spokesman, didn't return a call seeking comment. Electroplating is an industrial process that uses an electrical current to coat microchips with a thin later of metal. -- Bloomberg News Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:48 PM | Comment Man killed by train in Central Falls identifiedCENTRAL FALLS -- The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority has identified the man killed yesterday morning by a commuter train traveling from Providence to Boston as Hector Cortes, 59, of Providence. Lydia Rivera, a spokeswoman for the MBTA, said today that no other information was available on Cortes and that an investigation into the accident is ongoing. Rivera said yesterday that the man appeared to be homeless based on information from MBTA officers. Cortes was killed by a 6:33 a.m. train when he was struck on the tracks near the Clay Street overpass in Central Falls. -- Journal staff writer Tatiana Pina Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:37 PM | Comment Affidavit reveals details behind Freddie Bishop's arrestAn affidavit released to The Providence Journal today by Warwick police sheds light on details behind the arrest of career criminal Alfred "Freddie" Bishop for a murder at a Warwick home on June 28. The affidavit describes what happened at the Warwick Lake home the night that Gabriel Medeiros was shot to death and his brother, Caesar Medeiros, and sister-in-law Claire Mederios were also shot. It also tells how the police came to suspect Bishop -- through a lead generated by a composite sketch of the intruder -- and how DNA samples were used to link Bishop to samples obtained from the scene. Bishop was arraigned on seven charges related to the shootings yesterday and ordered held without bail. He previously had been jailed on an unspecified parole violation since July 3. Bishop, the second-longest-serving inmate in state prison history, had only been out of the ACI since August 2006. Known for violent behavior and past domination in the prison system, he had been serving a sentence for another Warwick murder before his release. Extra: Read the police arrest report, affidavit and arrest warrant for Bishop. Full report to come in tomorrow's Journal and on projo.com ... Posted by Andrea Panciera at 6:34 PM | Comment Amgen vice president of operations leaving companyWEST GREENWICH -- Dennis Fenton, the executive vice president of operations for Amgen Inc., is leaving the company, Amgen announced today. Fenton, 55, has worked at Amgen for 25 years. He will leave the company at the end of the year. In an interview with The Providence Journal in May, Fenton praised Amgen's manufacturing facility in West Greenwich, where the company employs 1,700 people to produce the drug Enbrel. If sales of Enbrel were to decline, Fenton said in the interview, Amgen would continue to operate the plant. "We're looking at other uses for the facility," he said. "It's been a great site." After years of strong sales and a soaring stock price, Amgen recently hit a rough patch when studies raised questions about the effectiveness of some uses of Amgen's highly profitable anemia drugs, Aranesp and Epogen. The company, based in Thousand Oaks, Calif., said today that Fabrizio Bonanni, senior vice president of manufacturing, will succeed Fenton. -- Journal staff writer Benjamin N. Gedan Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:16 PM | Comment Providence police officer indicted on rape chargePROVIDENCE -- Patrolman Marcus Huffman, a 13-year-veteran of the police force, was indicted today on a rape charge and immediately suspended from duty without pay. The Providence County grand jury handed up an indictment charging that Huffman vaginally penetrated a woman on March 18 "at a time when he knew or had reason to know that she was mentally incapacitated, mentally disabled, or physically helpless." Under the law, the alleged offense is formally called first-degree sexual assault. When Huffman reported for duty on the 3 to 11 p.m. work shift, he was informed that he was suspended without pay due to the indictment, said police Maj. Paul C. Fitzgerald, commander of the Uniformed Division. Huffman, 37, of West Warwick, had been on restricted duty while the case was under investigation, monitoring the metal detector at the entrance to the Public Safety Complex. The complaint by the woman, a 20-year-old Fall River, Mass., resident, has been jointly investigated by the State Police and the city police. Fitzgerald declined to discuss the case. Huffman is due to be arraigned in Superior Court, Providence, on Aug. 15, according to a press release from the Attorney General's Office on today's grand jury indictments. -- Journal staff writer Gregory Smith Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:11 PM | Comment Update: Body found behind Johnston school ID'dJOHNSTON -- Investigators have identified the decomposing body of a woman found today behind the Winsor Hill School, Police Chief Richard S. Tamburini said. But her identity has not yet been released pending notification of next of kin. The cause of the person’s death was not apparent at the scene, Tamburini said. But police are treating it as a homicide. The body was in a state of decomposition when a Johnston police sergeant went to the school this morning in response to a janitor’s telephone call, Tamburini said. Investigators have evidence suggesting someone brought the body to the location behind the school from somewhere else, said Tamburini, who declined to elaborate on the evidence. “We can say with certainty that it didn’t happen here,” Tamburini said. “It appears a person or persons drove back there and placed a body there. They dumped the body there.” Tamburini declined to speculate on exactly how long the body had been behind the school at 100 Theresa St. But it was there long enough to decompose, he said. “It was there for a while,” he added. -- Journal staff writer Mark Reynolds The body was found near a ball field at the school, on the opposite side of a fence that surrounds the field. Janitorial staff at the school were uncertain as to what was behind the school, but they smelled a distinct odor and alerted police, Tamburini said. Sgt. Joseph Razza, the on-duty supervisor for the department’s overnight shift, went to the school and found the body, he said. Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:54 PM | Comment Lawyer fears Biechele could face further prosecutionPROVIDENCE -- A lawyer representing Daniel M. Biechele, the former rock band tour manager who lit pyrotechnics that started the disastrous Station nightclub fire, said today that he fears his client could be prosecuted for other crimes beyond what he is currently imprisoned for. Lawyer Thomas Briody told U.S. Magistrate Judge David L. Martin that Biechele could face federal prosecution or be charged in other states in connection with his former job with the band Great White. He said his client has great sympathy for the victims but that he has advised Biechele that it would not be in his best interest to respond to questions posed by the victims’ lawyers for the lawsuits they have brought for money damages. Lawyers for those who died and were injured in the Feb. 20, 2003, fire say that the prospect of further prosecution of Biechele is “remote.” They termed Briody’s arguments both vague and speculative. They say they now that Biechele is serving a prison sentence in Rhode Island, he should not be allowed to invoke his Fifth Amendment privilege to block them from questioning him about events leading up to the fire. Martin did not issue an immediate decision on the victims’ lawyers request that they now be allowed to question Biechele. He said he would do so later in writing. Currently, there is an order in place -- issued in 2005 when Biechele was still facing state manslaughter charges -- that block the lawyers from trying to question him. During today’s hour-long hearing, Martin pressed Briody to recite what crimes he feared Biechele could still face and why he believes prosecutors in various venues are still targeting Biechele. He said he might order Briody to provide a list of potential crimes in a private memo that he would review before deciding his issue. -- Journal staff writer Tracy Breton Biechele, the former tour manager for the rock band Great White, is serving a four-year sentence at the Adult Correctional Institutions, in a work-release program, as a result of his Feb. 7, 2006, guilty plea to 100 counts of involuntary manslaughter. He admitted unintentionally causing the deaths of 100 nightclub patrons by setting off pyrotechnics without a permit inside the club. The fire began when sparks from the pyrotechnics ignited highly flammable polyurethane foam that had been installed as soundproofing by the club’s owners. One hundred people died in the fire; more than 200 people were injured in the West Warwick blaze. In court today, lawyers for the victims told Martin that there was no evidence that any prosecutors -- state or federal -- were currently trying to build another case against Biechele. They said that now that the manslaughter case against him is over, they should be allowed to elicit information from him that will give a clearer picture of events leading up to the fire. They assert that his testimony is important to their cases. In a brief filed with Martin, lawyers representing some of the victims lay out why Biechele’s testimony is important to them: “The products involved, the planning and operation of the concert and ignition of the gerbs, the identities of other participants and/or public officials, and the owners’ knowledge of these activities whether at The Station or at other venues -- to name just a few topics -- are important to a complete understanding of what occurred and a related evaluation of the legal claims pending against several defendants. "Biechele,” they say, “should not be permitted to raise a trifling or imaginary Fifth Amendment claim at this stage to foreclose this discovery.” While Briody says he is concerned that more charges could be leveled at Biechele if he cooperates with the questioning, the victims’ lawyers counter: “It stands to reason that if Biechele’s guilty plea to 100 counts of manslaughter did not provoke a parallel federal charge arising from the same transaction, then his testimony concerning his involvement in that event -- and possibly others like it -- will most likely not subject him to additional criminal liability. More than four years have elapsed since the fire and no federal charges have been brought.” Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:48 PM | Comment Update: Body of quahogger, 74, foundNORTH KINGSTOWN -- The body of a 74-year-old summer resident was found late this afternoon about 100 yards off shore in the area known as The Hummocks. A land and water search had been launched for Wayne Forsyth, of Waldron Avenue, when the summer resident didn’t return from quahogging yesterday at Rome Point, the police said. The nephew of Forsyth notified the police at 8 p.m. yesterday that his uncle never came home from clamming near the John H. Chafee Nature Preserve that day, said Capt. Charles Brennan. Before contacting the police, the nephew searched by kayak himself for several hours after realizing that his uncle’s rake and quahog bag were missing, the police said. Forsyth, who lived in Florida most of the year, clams regularly during the summer. Local and state police immediately launched a foot search of the area with the assistance of Charlestown officers on all-terrain vehicles. The harbor master and U.S. Coast Guard patrolled the waters, with Coast Guard helicopters searching from the air, Brennan said. The effort continued until 1 a.m. and resumed at 8 this morning without the help of the Coast Guard, Brennan said. The body was found at about 4 p.m. -- Journal staff writer Katie Mulvaney Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:20 PM | Comment Victorian on the move
--- Journal photo/Sandor Bodo Posted by Peter Phipps at 1:40 PM | Comment Wrecking ball goes to work on ex-police/fire stationPROVIDENCE -- The Procaccianti Group started to knock down the former Police and Fire Station in LaSalle Square this morning, mere moments after an appeal by a neighborhood group was dismissed by the city’s Building Board. Just after 11 a.m., wrecking balls started to bash in the face of the building, which served as the city’s police and fire headquarters from 1938 to 2002. The Cranston developer had received emergency demolition permits last week to demolish the vacant station and replace it with a parking lot, after the city’s building official found that it would be a public safety hazard to leave the building standing. But several neighborhood groups immediately appealed that decision to the city’s Building Board of Review, which put a hold on Procaccianti’s permits until the body could review the appeal. -- Journal staff writer Daniel Barbarisi This morning, board members, city housing officials, city lawyers and Procaccianti representatives toured the building, examining the structural integrity and viewing the shattered interior, which has been heavily damaged by asbestos removal work done by the developer over the last six months. The appeal by the West Broadway Neighborhood Association argued that while the interior may look bad, the building is in no imminent danger of collapse. Procaccianti has also stated that exterior limestone panels may pop off and injure passersby. The appeal discounts this danger. But in the end, it did not matter how structurally sound the building was: the board determined that because the WBNA was not directly impacted by the demolition, and was not an abutter within 200 feet, they were not capable of halting the demolition with an appeal. “They couldn’t meet the minimum threshold of an aggrieved party, so we couldn’t hear the case,” said Building Board Chairman Steve Nappa. Perhaps 20 minutes after the appeal was dismissed, the wrecking balls began to demolish the building. Project superintendent Steve Perfetto said the developer would be opening up the west face of the building today and removing debris gathered on those floors. Total demolition could take eight weeks, but within two, the building should no longer be recognizable, he said. Posted by Mike McKinney at 1:05 PM | Comment Body found behind Winsor Hill School in JohnstonJOHNSTON -- Someone dumped a body behind the Winsor Hill School, Police Chief Richard S. Tamburini said today. The body, which appears to be the remains of a woman, was in a state of decomposition when a Johnston police sergeant went to the school this morning in response to a janitor’s telephone call, Tamburini said. The cause of the person’s death was not apparent at the scene, Tamburini said. But police are treating it as a homicide. Investigators have evidence suggesting someone brought the body to the location behind the school from somewhere else, said Tamburini, who declined to elaborate on the evidence. “We can say with certainty that it didn’t happen here,” Tamburini said. “It appears a person or persons drove back there and placed a body there,” he said. “They dumped the body there.” Tamburini declined to speculate on exactly how long the body had been behind the school at 100 Theresa St. But it was there long enough to decompose, he said. “It was there for a while,” he added. -- Journal staff writer Mark Reynolds, with a report from Journal staff photographer Bob Thayer Investigators have no suspects and they have not identified the deceased. Tamburini said he hopes to have the woman’s identity later today. Meanwhile, detectives are coordinating with Providence police who have a number of fresh missing person cases, including some cases involving women, Tamburini said. Janitorial staff at the school were uncertain as to what was behind the school, but they smelled a distinct odor and alerted police, Tamburini said. Sgt. Joseph Razza, the onduty supervisor for the department’s overnight shift, went to the school and found the body, he said. The body was found near a ball field at the school, on the opposite side of a fence that surrounds the field. Around noon today, police tape surrounded the area where the body was found. No officers remained at the scene. As the investigation proceeds, Tamburini is emphasizing that the body was brought to the location behind the school. “Based on my experience in dealing with these matters it definitely does not appear that it happened anywhere in the vicinity of the school,” he said. “…I just want the neighbors to understand that.” Posted by Mike McKinney at 1:04 PM | Comment Does Dow Jones deal mean sale of local papers?FALL RIVER, Mass. -- The fate of several New England newspapers owned by Dow Jones & Co., which has agreed to be acquired by the News Corp., remains unclear today. In an e-mail sent this morning to Dow Jones employees -- including reporters at The Standard-Times, in New Bedford -- Richard F. Zannino, the Dow Jones chief executive officer, said the sale will “accelerate” progress at Dow Jones publications. “First and foremost, Rupert Murdoch and News Corp. will be investing in a growing, profitable and vibrant enterprise,” Zannino said in his memo. “News Corp. has the money -- and the intention -- to invest in our businesses on a scale we can’t. “We can’t have great journalism without a great business to support it,” Zannino added. “And without the journalism, there is no business. This combination with News Corp. acknowledges as much in a very real way.” Zannino’s 875-word letter, however, does not mention the local newspapers, and it leaves open the possibility that Murdoch might choose to sell some or all of Dow Jones’ local publications. A press release from Dow Jones about the sale also avoided discussion about the future of the local newspapers. “I know this doesn’t end the uncertainty,” Zannino said. “Closing a transaction of this sort will likely take three months or so. And we can’t begin to predict the details of the integration to follow.” Dow Jones & Co., the corporate parent of The Wall Street Journal, owns Ottaway Newspapers Inc., a national chain of local newspapers that includes several prominent New England publications. The company’s Local Media Group includes at least 12 publications in Massachusetts, such as the Cape Cod Times, The Standard-Times, in New Bedford, The Inquirer and Mirror, in Nantucket, and The Barnstable Patriot. It also owns daily and weekly newspapers in Maine and New Hampshire. -- Journal staff writer Benjamin N. Gedan The local daily newspapers had an average circulation of 282,000 last year, according to filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Including the non-daily publications, the newspapers generated $252 million in sales in 2006, up $2.3 million, or nearly 1 percent, over the previous year. Net income for Dow Jones’s local newspapers was $48.2 million. Based in Campbell Hall, N.Y., the Ottaway newspapers circulate in markets where the median income is $56,300, according to Dow Jones. James H. Ottaway started the newspaper chain in 1936. His son, James H. Ottaway Jr., served as publisher of The Standard-Times, which Ottaway acquired in 1966 along with the Cape Cod Times. In 1970, Dow Jones bought the Ottaway group. The current chief executive officer of the Ottaway group, John N. Wilcox, was named president and publisher of the Cape Cod Times in 1996, six years before he was transferred to the Ottaway corporate offices to serve as executive vice president. Posted by Mike McKinney at 1:01 PM | Comment Voluntary outdoor water-use ban issued in WesterlyWESTERLY -- Town Manager Joseph Turo has declared a voluntary ban on outdoor water use until wells have a chance to regenerate. On the recommendation of Superintendent of Utilities Paul G. Corina, Turo issued a call today for people to refrain from watering their lawns, filling swimming pools and washing autos, boats, sidewalks and exterior siding and to generally conserve water use. The wells in Crandall and Bradford III stations, Corina said, “have to run continuously to keep up with demand. This has caused the well levels in all the Bradford Stations to reach a critical level. Without rest, and a significant lack of rainfall, the wells have been unable to regenerate water back into the system.” Corina said he hoped the cooperation of all water system users would provide enough relief to avoid imposing mandatory restrictions. -- Journal staff writer Donita Naylor Posted by Mike McKinney at 12:45 PM | Comment Jack-knifed truck affecting Route 95 south trafficCOVENTRY -- A jack-knifed truck on Route 95 south near exit 6A is affecting traffic in left lanes, according to the Rhode Island State Police. That is the Hopkins Hill Road exit. The state Transportation Management Center reported the incident at 10:59 a.m. As of about 12:35 p.m., the truck was still there, according to the state police at the Hope Valley barracks. Posted by Mike McKinney at 12:44 PM | Comment Photo: Fallout from the wrecking ball
Posted by Jack Perry at 12:41 PM | Comment Opening slated for new Providence water parkPROVIDENCE -- It's August, a fancy word for too hot, and a new water park is due to become official and provide some relief for people in Wanskuck and Mount Pleasant neighborhoods. Mayor David N. Cicilline, City Council President Peter Mancini and area children will cut the ribbon on the park at One Recreation Way tomorrow at 10 a.m. The 3,000-square-foor water park is one of eight in the city and "features 11 different spray components," the mayor's office announced today. New picnic tables and benches are in the park. The $105,000 project was paid for through a Community Development Block Grant from City Council President Mancini and Parks Department money. On Aug. 7, the ninth water park is slated to open, at George West Park on Chalkstone Avenue in Mount Pleasant. The water parks and pools are open seven days a week from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. and are free to the public. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 12:03 PM | Comment Update: Biechele's lawyer argues in federal courtPROVIDENCE -- A former rock band tour manager whose pyrotechnics sparked a nightclub fire that killed 100 people wants to avoid being questioned in a lawsuit over the fire. An attorney for Daniel Biechele argued in federal court today that his client could face federal prosecution or even be charged in other states if he says something potentially incriminating. Biechele is already serving a four-year prison sentence for his role in The Station nightclub fire in 2003. Lawyers for survivors and victims' relatives say the prospect of federal prosecution is remote. They say it's time for Biechele to reveal all that he knows about what led to the blaze. -- The Associated Press Posted by Mike McKinney at 11:45 AM | Comment Teens' conference combating drunken driving beginsSMITHFIELD -- About 160 high school students from across Rhode Island are at Bryant College in Smithfield for a four-day conference on teenagers combating drunken driving. The conference falls a week after the memorial service for a Barrington teenager who died in a boating accident. The teenage driver of the boat is charged with underage possession of alcohol and refusing to submit to a breathalyzer, among other charges. Just nine hours after the service for 17-year-old Patrick Murphy, the Barrington police broke up a house party with dozens of teenagers and arrested four for underage drinking. The conference, sponsored by the Rhode Island chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving, includes workshops on coalition building for teenagers interested in getting others to avoid drinking. The workshops end tomorrow afternoon with speaker Kathy Andreozzi, whose daughter, Tori, was struck by a drunken driver while she walked home from Deering Middle School. Tori Andreozzi is now in a wheelchair. -- Journal staff writer Amanda Milkovits Posted by Mike McKinney at 11:28 AM | Comment Cape Cod town says no to filling barrierCHATHAM, Mass. -- Opting to let nature take its course, residents overwhelmingly rejected a proposal to borrow $4.1 million to plug a widening breach on Nauset Beach that could threaten oceanfront homes. The breach has grown to nearly 1,000 feet wide since it was blasted open by a fierce April storm. The beach forms a natural barrier that prevents the ocean from encroaching on the Chatham mainland. About 600 residents attended a special Town Meeting yesterday on the issue, which was seen as pitting wealthier owners of seaside homes - many of them seasonal residents - against permanent residents who faced higher property taxes to fill the breach. Read the full Associated Press story. Posted by Jack Perry at 9:49 AM | Comment Station fire victims want Biechele to talk in civil suitPROVIDENCE -- Lawyers for the victims of a deadly nightclub fire want the band tour manager who ignited the blaze to talk about what happened. Those lawyers are scheduled to ask a U.S. District Court judge today to lift an order preventing Daniel Biechele from being questioned in a civil lawsuit. Biechele set off the pyrotechnics inside a West Warwick nightclub on February 20, 2003 that sparked the fire. He pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and is serving a four-year prison sentence. -- The Associated Press A judge previously decided Biechele didn't have to undergo questioning in the civil lawsuit. At the time, Biechele's criminal case was ongoing and he had a right against self-incrimination. Now that the criminal case is over, those lawyers want the protection lifted. Biechele's lawyer has warned his client could still face federal prosecution and shouldn't talk. Posted by Kate Bramson at 8:41 AM | Comment Woonsocket police arrest 16 in prostitution crackdownWOONSOCKET -- Sixteen people face prostitution-related charges following a series of undercover police operations in Woonsocket. The police say the crackdown was triggered by an increase in complaints about prostitution in the city, especially during the early-morning hours. The police say five women were arrested in recent days after they allegedly offered sex to undercover detectives. Also arrested were 11 men accused of soliciting sex from female police officers posing as prostitutes, The Call of Woonsocket reports this morning. Det. Lt. Eugene Jalette says the operations were focused on Blackstone, North Main and Arnold streets. -- The Associated Press Posted by Kate Bramson at 8:03 AM | Comment It's a beach day (in case you haven't noticed)With weather like this, who cares that it's Wednesday? After a dreary start to the week, the National Weather Service predicts temperatures in the mid-to-high 80s and clear, sunny skies around the state. Wind speeds are between 5 and 10 knots throughout the bay. It's expected to get even warmer tomorrow, with early morning fog giving way to temperatures in the high 80s and low 90s. Hope Community Services Beach in Scituate and World War II Memorial State Park Beach in Woonsocket are closed because of high bacteria counts, more common after heavy rains, which most of the state saw last weekend. For current boating conditions, visit the National Weather Service's marine page For up to date information on beach conditions throughout the state, call the beach hotline at 222-2751. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie Jefferson Posted by Peter Phipps at 7:55 AM | Comment Man shot in Providence's Mount Hope neighborhoodPROVIDENCE – A man was shot early this morning at 61 Pleasant St. and taken to Rhode Island Hospital. Emergency crews from the fire department responded to the 12:53 a.m. report of a man shot twice in the Mount Hope neighborhood, and they took the man to the hospital, according to James Taylor, chief of communications for the Providence Fire Department. Police in the capital city cannot be reached for comment. The man is believed to have been shot twice, Taylor said. His condition is unavailable at this time. -- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson Posted by Kate Bramson at 7:51 AM | Comment After Conn. home invasion, tougher rules for paroleesMIDDLETOWN, Conn. -- Burglars convicted of breaking into occupied homes will get random visits from parole officers under a new policy announced by Conn. Gov. M. Jodi Rell in the wake of a deadly Cheshire home invasion. That crime, which left a mother and her two daughters dead, could also prompt lawmakers to order longer mandatory sentences for offenders who break into homes at night or while residents are inside. Rell said she also will ask the General Assembly to reclassify such offenses as violent crimes, meaning offenders must serve at least 85 percent of their sentences before parole is a possibility. Read the full Associated Press story. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:03 AM | Comment Sunny with a high near 86The National Weather Service forecasts a sunny day with a high near 86 degrees in the Providence area. The wind will come from the north at 5 to 8 mph. Look for a clear night with a low around 65 degrees. There could be patchy fog after 3 a.m. For more weather and regular updates, see projo.com/weather. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:01 AM | Comment Today's front pageToday's front page features a story about a convicted killer who has been charged with another murder less than a year after being paroled from state prison. Download a copy of today's front page. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:00 AM | Comment Route 95 S lanes re-opened around 4:30 a.m. todayPROVIDENCE – Highway workers on the Route 95-Route 195 interchange project that is requiring nighttime closures of Route 95 began picking up the cones that had closed the southbound lanes at 4:20 a.m. today. The road was opened to traffic soon afterward, about an hour before the state Department of Transportation's promised 5:30 a.m. reopening, according to the Last night was the second night of closures for the southbound lanes in this second round of closures for the highway project. The DOT reported that Route 195 west to Route 95 south and Route 95 south itself, between exits 18 and 20, was closed by 11:05 p.m. last night. Route 95 southbound lanes are expected to close again tonight by 11 p.m. – with individual lane closures starting by 8 p.m. The lanes are expected to reopen by 5:30 a.m. The last night of the work this week – tomorrow – is expected to shutter the northbound and southbound lanes. Check out the road-closure schedule on the DOT’s site. For a look back at the earlier closures this year, see projo.com’s special reports section. -- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson |
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ProJo 9 to 5 News Blog
Oct 2005 - March 2006