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« August 27, 2007 | Today | August 29, 2007 » 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. |
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ProJo 9 to 5 News Blog
Oct 2005 - March 2006