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December 11, 2007

Tonight: Watch the dancing cop again and again / Video

Dancing cop Tony Lepore has been on TV, the Trinity Rep stage and, of course, many a Providence street corner. Now you can watch him on video, courtesy of the Associated Press.

With the holiday season upon us, Lepore -- a retired Providence police officer -- is dancing in the city streets while directing traffic at various intersections as he has for many years.

Check out the video here.

Lepore walked his, um, beat from noon to 1:20 p.m. today at Weybosset and Dorrance streets.

Lepore will be back in the same spot at the same time tomorrow.

After that, his schedule calls for:

* Dec. 12 and 13 -- Broad and Sackett streets.

* Dec. 14 and 17 -- Thayer Street and Waterman Avenue.

* Dec. 18 and 19 -- Smith Street and Academy Avenue.

* Dec. 20 and 21 -- De Pasquale and Atwells Avenue.

* Dec. 24 -- Dorrance Streets and Westminster streets. For this one, Lepore will don a Santa Claus suit and pass out candy canes.

Posted by Mike McKinney at 7:07 PM | Comment

Investigators at car fire scene in South Kingstown

SOUTH KINGSTOWN -- Firefighters and other responders are at the scene of a car fire on Berry Hill Lane.

A dispatcher said he did not know if anyone was injured in the fire. More information was not available at this time.

Posted by Mike McKinney at 7:00 PM | Comment

2 Providence men indicted for murder in 2004 killing

Two Providence men, now serving time for other, unrelated convictions, have been indicted on murder charges in the Dec. 7, 2004, shooting death of Brian Davis in Providence, Attorney General Patrick C. Lynch's office announced this evening.

The statewide grand jury handed up a secret indictment on Dec. 5 naming Montrel Daniels and Robert Crowell each on one count of murder, one count of conspiracy to commit murder, two counts of using a firearm while committing a crime of violence, two counts of carrying a dangerous weapon when committing a crime of violence, and two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon, the news release said.

The two men's co-defendant is Marquise Jones, who is at the Adult Correctional Institutions awaiting trial on six felony counts, the attorney general's office news release said.

And it is from information in the pre-trial discovery process of prosecutors' case against Jones that the state alleges that one of the two defendants -- Daniels or Crowell -- used a .44-caliber pistol to kill Davis.

"At this time, however, we are not confirming and will not confirm which defendant was the actual shooter," the news release said.

The attorney general's office presented the case to the grand jury, resulting in the secret indictment, which is one in which neither an arrest nor a District Court complaint generated the indictment.

Daniels and Crowell were brought to Providence County Superior Court yesterday afternoon, when the indictment was unsealed, and arraigned before Judge Robert D. Krause. The defendants pleaded not guilty. Krause ordered the defendants remain held without bail at the ACI in Cranston.

A determination of attorney hearing will be held Friday at 9:30 a.m. before Krause. The defendants will be brought in from the prison for the hearing.

-- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney

Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:46 PM | Comment

Dinner theater coming to Providence Biltmore in Jan.

Dinner theater is coming to the Providence Biltmore. Two area actors with ties to Hollywood announced today that they plan to stage Neil Simon’s "Plaza Suite" at the hotel beginning Jan. 17. The show will run through the end of April in the second-floor Garden Room.

“We’re absolutely thrilled about this,” said Lynn Phillip Seibel, the project’s producer and artistic director.

Seibel, who lives on Providence’s East Side, spent many years in Hollywood, where he appeared in more than 50 films and television shows. His credits include "Murder She Wrote," "Knots Landing," "Dallas," "Highway to Heaven" and "Mighty Ducks 3."

He will be starring alongside his ex-wife, Ellen Regan, who now lives in Lincoln and has a similar television track record, having appeared in "Cheers," "Lou Grant," "Remington Steele" and "Little House on the Prairie."

Regan moved to Rhode Island to be near family, and Seibel settled here to be near one of their sons, he said.

Seibel said he hopes to establish a permanent theater at the Biltmore, but for now, has just the Simon play is planned. The play itself is centered in a hotel suite, in three acts each involving different characters.

The Providence Biltmore Dinner Theatre will run five nights a week, from Wednesday through Sunday. The Garden Room, an elegant space with fluted columns and chandeliers, holds about 200, said Seibel. Tickets for the show and a lavish buffet of top round of beef, chicken Marsala and breaded cod are $99, $75 for seniors and students. Student rush tickets for $15 will be available the night of the show, without dinner. Parking is included in the ticket price.

Tickets will be available through www.arttixri.com. or by calling (401) 621-6123.

-- Journal arts writer Channing Gray

Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:42 PM | Comment

DOT to open temporary ramp off Rte. 4 to Rte. 403

The state Transportation Department announced today it will temporarily open a new ramp off Route 4 south to give drivers access to Route 403 -- Frenchtown Road -- in East Greenwich.

The DOT expects to open the ramp on Friday, weather permitting. The project involves modifying the Exit 7B ramp to connect it to Frenchtown Road.

“The town and the business community asked the department to consider other options, including this ramp, to provide access to Frenchtown Road,” DOT Jerome F. Williams said in the statement. “In an effort to cooperate and meet the needs of the town, RIDOT will open the ramp and closely monitor traffic conditions.”

The department decided it will open the ramp "with the understanding that further modifications or a closure of the ramp may be needed if extensive delays or safety problems arise," the release said.

DOT closed the existing ramp to Frenchtown Road in October for construction on the Route 403 relocation. The department set Exit 6 -- Route 2/South County Trail -- as a main detour, including adding a temporary traffic signal on Route 2 to manage traffic coming off Exit 6.

With the new temporary ramp exected to open Friday, drivers going to the Quonset area should continue using existing Exit 7A.

-- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney

The October ramp closing also affected the ramp from Frenchtown Road to Davisville Road and the existing Route 403. Motorists on Frenchtown Road trying to get to the Quonset area should follow Frenchtown Road east to Post Road south.

The permanent ramp to Frenchtown Road is expected to open next fall in about the same location as the old ramp. DOT expects to open all of Route 403 in late 2008. At that time, the ramp being used for temporary access to Frenchtown Road will be changed to allow access only to Route 403, a new limited access highway that gives people a direct route to Quonset Business Park.

Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:32 PM | Comment

Update: Occupant tells of losing home in Woonsocket fire

WOONSOCKET -- Jay Casey spoke mournfully about losing his third-floor apartment in a significant fire this evening at 112 Earle St., but at least his business in a garage at the address appears to be unscathed.

"I've joined the ranks of the homeless," Casey said when reached by phone.

"My apartment is gone now," he added. "The third floor is totaled."

Casey, owner of Papa's Restoration, said his understanding is everyone got out of the building safely.

Casey said that he was working when he got a call telling him the house was burning.

The third floor has apparently caved in from the fire, which may be impacting the second floor as well.

Firefighters have been on scene, and the police are blocking off streets in the area. The Providence Fire Department canteen is also there.

Also today, the Red Cross' state chapter announced it's received a $30,000 gift from Rhode Island-based toymaker Hasbro to help with the Red Cross response to fires. That response sometimes includes temporary help for people who've lost their homes to flames.

-- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney

Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:21 PM | Comment

Update: Suspect in standoff near R.I. identified / Photo

Journal photo / Bill Murphy
A Rhode Island State Police armored vehicle drives past a road block at Route 100 and East Wallum Lake Drive in Burrillville as the hostage standoff ends.

The man who holed up with a rifle inside a Nissan pickup for nearly six hours in Massachusetts near the Burrillville border today after leading police through Connecticut and Rhode Island is being held on a fugitive from justice charge.

Christopher T. Harmon, 38, with a last-known address of Cote Street in Webster, Mass., surrendered, Douglas, Mass., Police Chief Patrick T. Foley said in a news release. The standoff ended without incident this afternoon.

Bail was set at $100,000, and Harmon is being held as a fugitive from justice on a warrant from Connecticut State Police, in whose state a possible protective order violation started the chain of events. Further charges in Massachusetts and Rhode Island may be coming based on investigation results.

The police said Harmon parked the pickup on Wallum Lake Road, also known as Route 100. A Journal photographer on scene said it was a Nissan Titan V-8 pickup bearing Connecticut license plates.

Several residents who live nearby, including just south of the state line in Burrillville, had been kept from returning to their homes.

It all began shortly after 7 a.m. Connecticut State Police received a report of a possible protective order violation by the man in Putnam, Conn. Troopers were in the area when the suspect drove by. When he noticed a trooper, "Harmon raised and leveled the rifle at the trooper," the Webster police statement said.

A pursuit began. Connecticut troopers attempted to stop the pickup the man was driving, but he refused to pull over, said Lt. J. Paul Vance, a Connecticut State Police spokesman.

Rhode Island State Police were notified when he entered the state; they followed the truck.

Then Burrillville police pursued. Harmon drove into Douglas, Mass., stopped on Wallum Lake Road where Burrillville police said they saw Harmon turn the gun toward himself.

Douglas police, Massachusetts and Rhode Island and Connecticut State Police arrived and awaited negotiators. The Massachusetts State Police’s Special Tactics and Operations Team worked with the other authorities on scene.

Allison Joyal, who lives near where the scene unfolded in Douglas, said that at 8:15 a.m. she noticed an unmarked car by her driveway, looked out and saw a group of officers with guns drawn pointing at the vehicle.

-- projo.com staff writers Michael P. McKinney and Brandie M. Jefferson, with reports from The Associated Press and Journal staff photographer Bill Murphy

Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:53 PM | Comment

Fire in Woonsocket building

WOONSOCKET -- Firefighters and police are at the scene of an apparently significant fire in the area of 112 Earle St.

The police are blocking off streets. More information was not available at this time.

Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:48 PM | Comment

Update: Protesters to Carcieri: Laying off interpreters cruel

PROVIDENCE -- Governor Carcieri’s decision to eliminate three Southeast Asian interpreters is “not only cruel, but also unlawful,” said Lucey Ok, a 15-year-old member of the Providence Youth Student Movement and one of several speakers at a news conference today to protest the governor’s actions.

Questioning why Carcieri singled out the Southeast Asian interpreters for layoffs last month, Ok said, “The governor’s message to us is that we are unwelcome ... This is my message to the governor. We are here to stay, to contribute to this economy and this community,” and as such, she said, deserving of staff interpreters at state human service agencies.

The news conference was held at the International Institute of Rhode Island in protest of last month’s layoffs of two Cambodian interpreters and another who works with the Laotian and Hmong communities, and who worked on staff for the state Department of Human Services.

“This isn’t just about providing a service when it’s needed; it’s about giving people a sense of comfort, of feeling welcomed at the DHS office,” said Vichey Chhung, associate executive director of the Southeast Asian Development Corporation. Chhung said the staff interpreters “were liaisons to their communities.”

Speakers said Carcieri’s stated intent to replace the full-time interpreters with interpreters hired on an as-needed basis would be insufficient to deal with complicated bureaucracy and navigation through the many DHS services.

This afternoon, a spokesman for the governor, Jeff Neal, said:

"Governor Carcieri expects that the state will continue to provide access to the foreign language translation services required by federal law and by the 1997 consent agreement. For speakers of more commonly encountered languages like Spanish, the state continues to have people on staff to provide those services. For speakers of less commonly encountered foreign languages, the state will continue -- as it has for years -- to provide translators through outside vendors."

-- Journal staff writer Karen Lee Ziner

Neal noted that the staff cuts were made as part of the governor's effort to address the state's budget deficit.

He said the Department of Human Services determined the positions could be reduced "without adversely affecting the ability to provide benefits to foreign language speakers."

While understanding concerns expressed over budget cuts, Neal said it would be "more helpful if they provided concrete suggestions about what other spending could be cut instead."

Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 5:40 PM | Comment

R.I. bar urges Carcieri to make judicial nominations

The Rhode Island Bar Association today called for Governor Carcieri to get moving on judicial nominations, saying, “Further delay is unwarranted, unjustified and ill advised.”

The state now has six vacant judgeships, with three in District Court and one each in Superior Court, Family Court and Workers’ Compensation Court.

The bar association noted nearly a year has passed since Superior Court Judge Stephen J. Fortunato Jr. retired and Carcieri has yet to nominate a successor although the Judicial Nominating Commission gave him a list of finalists on May 15.

“The Rhode Island Bar Association is deeply troubled by the adverse impact to the administration of justice occurring in Rhode Island as a direct result of your administration’s failure to appoint judges from the pool of nominees previously approved by the Judicial Nominating Commission,” the bar association’s president-elect, Richard A. Pacia, wrote in a letter to Carcieri.

“While the wheels of justice have not ground to halt,” Pacia wrote, “it is evident that access to justice will be impeded and the administration of justice will falter if the existing judicial vacancies are not filled as mandated by law.”

-- Journal staff writer Edward Fitzpatrick

In an interview, Pacia cited a section of state law that says: “The governor shall fill any vacancy within 21 days of the public submission by the commission.”

In the past, the governor’s spokesman has said, “We have always taken the position that the so-called deadline is only advisory.”

But Pacia said, “That section says the governor shall fill any vacancy within 21 days, and our case law has interpreted the word ‘shall’ as a mandatory requirement. It’s a general law, and it specifically addresses this issue.”

Pacia said the bar association is concerned that there might not be enough judges to address the needs of litigants. And the association is concerned about the lawyers who apply for judgeships and go through an extensive screening process, which includes interviews and disclosures of personal information, he said.

“If they make the cut, they are asked to sit and wait like Godot for a confirmation process that may never take place,” Pacia said. “When all is said and done, to be in a sense pocket-vetoed, you wonder if qualified applicants in the future will ask, ‘Why bother? This process is a farce.’ ”

This afternoon, Carcieri’s spokesman, Jeff Neal, said, “We appreciate the bar association’s concerns, but we also recognize these are lifetime appointments. Governor Carcieri believes it is more important to take the time to make the right decisions than it is to rush to make a quick decision.”

Also, Neal noted that while the Senate must confirm nominees, the General Assembly is not in session and won’t be until January. “I expect the governor will begin making nominations to those vacant positions in time for the General Assembly to act reasonably early in the next legislative session,” he said.

As for the law calling for nominations within 21 days, Neal said, “We are aware of that statute, but the governor continues to believe that for lifetime appointments he should take the time necessary to make the right decisions.”

Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:25 PM | Comment

Update: Standoff near R.I. border ends with man's arrest

Journal photo / Bill Murphy
A Rhode Island State Police armored vehicle drives past a road block at Route 100 and East Wallum Lake Drive in Burrillville as the hostage standoff ends.

The situation between a man who had armed himself with a rifle inside a truck parked on Route 100 in Douglas, Mass., has been resolved with his arrest.

A Douglas police dispatcher said the unidentified man was arrested this afternoon.

The man had been in a parked Nissan Titan V-8 pickup, but the standoff ended around or before 2:30 p.m. The truck bore Connecticut license plates.

Several residents who live nearby, including just south of the state line in Burrillville, had been kept from returning to their homes.

Shortly after 7 a.m., Connecticut State Police received a report of a possible protective order violation by the man in Putnam, Conn. Troopers attempted to stop the pickup the man was driving, but he refused to pull over, said Lt. J. Paul Vance, a Connecticut State Police spokesman.

Rhode Island State Police were notified when he entered the state; they followed the truck.

The Massachusetts State Police’s Special Tactics and Operations Team was in Douglas, Mass., working with state and local police there.

Allison Joyal, who lives across from where it happened in Douglas, said that at 8:15 a.m. she noticed an unmarked car by her driveway, looked out and saw a group of officers with guns drawn pointing at the vehicle.

Earlier today, neither state nor local police would say exactly what was happening. A dispatcher at the Douglas police station said officials had been following a car through Connecticut and Rhode Island before stopping the car in Douglas, which is about nine miles north of Burrillville.

Trooper Eric Benson said state police were involved.

-- projo.com staff writers Michael P. McKinney and Brandie M. Jefferson, with reports from The Associated Press and Journal staff photographer Bill Murphy

Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:39 PM | Comment

Red Cross gets $30,000 from Hasbro for fire victims

The Red Cross's state chapter, which has warned this year of dwindling financial resources to help Rhode Islanders put out of homes by fires, said today it's received $30,000 from Rhode Island-based toy maker Hasbro.

The Red Cross said in a news release it's a challenge grant, meaning "a challenge to all Rhode Islanders to match that contribution to the fund."

Hasbro's donation shows its "continued support of the Hasbro Children’s Disaster Relief Fund," the Red Cross said.

Red Cross volunteers and emergency services staff go to fire scenes on the average of one every other day in communities across the state, the Red Cross said.

“We are proud to assist Rhode Islanders in their time of greatest need, but the financial resources that allow us to do so have been diminished by a sharp increase in the number of fires we experienced this summer,” John E. Holt, chief of the Rhode Island Red Cross chapter, said in the statement.

-- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney

Posted by Mike McKinney at 3:45 PM | Comment

Swain extradition hearing scheduled for Jan. 25

The extradition hearing for David Swain, the owner of a Jamestown dive shop who is accused in his wife's death, has been scheduled for Jan. 25 in federal court.

The hearing will be held at 10 a.m. before Magistrate Judge Lincoln D. Almond.

Swain's extradition hearing had been slated for Dec. 5 but his lawyers asked for postponement.

Swain's wife, Shelley Tyre, died in March 1999 during a scuba diving vacation with her husband off the British Virgin Islands.

A Rhode Island civil case resulted in the finding that Swain, a former Jamestown Council member, had intentionally drowned Tyre. Her parents received more than $6 million in damages and interest under that decision.

After the civil decision, an inquest in the death was reopened in the British Virgin Islands.

Swain was arrested Nov. 14.

-- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with Journal archival reports

Posted by Mike McKinney at 3:26 PM | Comment

Man who fell under RIPTA bus died of blunt force trauma

Domenick R. Paola, 57, who wasn't allowed on a RIPTA bus because he appeared drunk then was fatally injured when he fell under the bus's rear wheel in Pawtucket, died from multiple injuries due to blunt force impact, the state Medical Examiner's office said today.

The police have said preliminary results of an investigation showed Paola fell backward and was run over by the bus after the driver, Raymond Belanger, 54, of Cranston, would not let him board.

The accident happened around 4:15 p.m. Friday on East Avenue near Harvey Street.

The police have said an autopsy by the medical examiner’s office should determine whether Paola was intoxicated.

Today's news release from the Medical Examiner's office does not mention findings on whether the man was intoxicated or not.

-- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with archival reports

Posted by Mike McKinney at 1:41 PM | Comment

Photo: Winter wonderland

Journal Photo / Mary Murphy
Ice coats the trees lining the driveway of the SODCO turf farm off Slocum Road in North Kingstown this morning.

Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 12:58 PM | Comment

Providence ranks among 'most dangerously drunk' cities

Providence has made Men's Health magazine's list ranking of the 100 "most dangerously drunk" cities in the nation.

It's not ranked the worst -- that goes to Denver, Colo. -- but with an overall score of 61 out of 100, the Renaissance City falls into the top half.

That means 39 cities were deemed more dangerously drunk than Providence -- and another 60 were seen as less dangerously drunk than Providence. For comparison purposes, the magazine ranked Chicago one worse than Providence, and Fort Wayne, Indiana, one position less drunk than Providence.

Providence ranked fourth in the subcategory of lowest number of drunk-driving arrests.

Among those identified as the "least dangerously drunk" were New York City, which tallied 8 points on the scale and Miami, Fla., which got 2 points. Least drunk of all was Durham, N.C., the magazine said.

Boston wracked up 19 points, the magazine's rankings show, and Hartford, Conn., did one better, with 18 points -- meaning both fared much better than Providence.

Men's Health magazine says it looked at data on binge drinking, fatal crashes involving intoxication, laws, cities with the least driving-under-the-influence arrest rates, and cities with the lowest annual alcohol liver disease rate.

The most drunk cities on the list, after Denver -- the only city to get the perfectly bad 100 points -- are Anchorage, Alaska; Colorado Springs, Colo.; Omaha, Neb.; Fargo, N.D.; San Antonio, Texas; Austin, Texas; Fresno, Calif.; Lubbock, Texas, and Milwaukee, Wisc.

-- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney

Posted by Mike McKinney at 12:06 PM | Comment

Supreme Court upholds lead mitigation law

A law that dictates how landlords must take care of potential lead hazards in their rental units has been deemed constitutional by the state Supreme Court.

The Lead Hazard Mitigation Act, passed in 2002, requires landlords to take a three-hour lead-hazard awareness class and prove that their properties are up to state Health Department standards by having them certified as lead-safe every two years, or each time a new tenant moves in.

But it also has exemptions for owner-occupied two- and three-unit properties; housing legally restricted to people 62 and older; temporary housing and housing certified as lead-safe or lead-free.

A group of landlords argued that the exemptions violated their rights to equal protection under the state constitution.

Attorney General Patrick Lynch hailed the decision as "a victory for children's health and safety."

Joseph Larisa Jr., who represented the plaintiffs, said he understood the Supreme Court's decision, but added: "Just because it's constitutional doesn’t mean it's good policy."

Read the ruling.

-- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson

Although Superior Court Judge Stephen J. Fortunato, Jr. had ruled the law unconstitutional, his decision was not enforceable. He suggested that the General Assembly rework the act.

The law has been in effect since 2005.

In his decision, Chief Justice Frank J. Williams says the Superior Court judge’s job was to decide whether the General Assembly had a “rational basis to believe that its chosen solution would remedy a legitimate state problem.”

Williams goes on to say that it was reasonable for the General Assembly to assume that children were less likely to be exposed to hazardous lead paint in the exempted housing situations.

The Supreme Court also criticized the actions of Fortunato. The Superior court judge's decision left the law on the books, but unenforceable.

“We pause to note our concern with the trial justice’s refusal to enter final judgment. This, coupled with the trial justice’s refusal to restrain the implementation of legislation that he found unconstitutional let the parties in legal limbo," Williams wrote.

Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 12:01 PM | Comment

State to launch special-needs registry

Rhode Islanders with special health needs, chronic illnesses or other disabilities can add their names to a registry that state officials say will help them prepare for emergencies.

The Special Needs Emergency Registry is scheduled to launch Thursday morning with Lt. Gov. Elizabeth Roberts and officials from the Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency and the state Department of Health.

Residents who feel they may require special consideration in an emergency can sign up.

DOH and RIEMA will have access to the full database of information; information about specific individuals will be given to local emergency responders such as police or fire departments, said DOH spokeswoman Andrea Bagnall Degos.

The Registry’s launch takes place 11 a.m. Thursday at Meeting Street, 1000 Eddy Street, Providence.

-- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson

Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 11:03 AM | Comment

3 Mass. racetracks renew push for slot machines

PLAINVILLE, Mass. -- Representatives of three of Massachusetts' four race tracks are meeting to discuss a new effort to legalize slot machines at the tracks.

The owners of the Raynham-Taunton Greyhound Park, Wonderland Greyhound Park and the Plainridge Racecourse have decided to immediately renew their push for the slots, rather than wait for the outcome of casino legislation filed by Gov. Deval Patrick.

The Boston Herald reports, however, that Suffolk Downs officials have decided to skip today's meeting in Plainville. The East Boston track is expected to bid for a resort casino license if Patrick's proposal becomes law.

The Legislature has rejected previous efforts to allow slot machines, which track owners say could generate $470 million in revenue for the state.

-- The Associated Press

Posted by Jack Perry at 10:41 AM | Comment

New traffic pattern in W. Warwick starts tomorrow

View larger map

If you’re planning to drive through West Warwick, keep an eye on the signs. Beginning tomorrow, they could keep you from driving the wrong way along Main Street.

The Rhode Island Department of Transportation is planning to open part of the project known as the Arctic Circulator tomorrow morning. Signs will be put up notifying motorists of the change at about 6 a.m.

The project will, among other changes, restore two-way traffic to part of Main Street that has been one-way, going southbound, since the 1970s.

The project begins at the intersection of Main Street, Roberts Street and Legion Way. It ends at the intersection of Main Street, Legion Way and Providence Street. Traffic patterns on Legion Way will not change.

New traffic signals and additional crosswalks are also part of the project, designed in collaboration with the town of West Warwick to improve pedestrian safety and increase access to Main Street businesses.

-- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson

Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 10:41 AM | Comment

Police involved in hostage negotation in Douglas, Mass.

The Massachusetts State Police’s Special Tactics and Operations Team is currently in Douglas, Mass., working with state and local police there on an incident that involves hostage negotiation.

Neither state nor local police will say exactly what is happening. A dispatcher at the Douglas police station said officials had been following a car through Connecticut and Rhode Island before stopping the car in Douglas, which is about nine miles north of Burrillville.

Trooper Eric Benson said state police were involved.

“Douglas has an incident,” he said, “Massachusetts is assisting with hostage negotiation and our S.T.O.P. team.”

-- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson

Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 10:38 AM | Comment

Motiva to sell 34 gas stations in Rhode Island

Motiva Enterprises LLC, the Houston-based company that owns a terminal in the Port of Providence, said this morning it will sell 34 Shell-branded gasoline stations in Rhode Island to Colbea Enterprises LLC. The price was not disclosed.

Colbea is a joint venture with equal ownership by Motiva and East Side Enterprises LLC. Colbea, run by CEO Andrew Delli Carpini, already operates 21 Shell-branded sites. With the acquisition, Colbea will become one of the biggest fuel companies in the Northeast, supplying 85 million gallons annually to 55 Shell-branded locations in Rhode Island.

Motiva said the sale is part of its publicly-stated strategy to change retail assets to wholesale assets in a number of regions to better support its wholesale business. Shell Oil Co. is a 50 percent owner of Motiva, along with Saudi Refining Inc.

Motiva yesterday reopened its south berth at the Port of Providence after a fire 18 months ago severely damaged the facility.

-- Journal Business Editor John Kostrzewa

Posted by Jack Perry at 9:58 AM | Comment

Photo: The rising sun vs. the clinging ice

Journal photo/ Bill Murphy
Ice clings to a branch at sunrise on River Road in Lincoln this morning. The temperature should climb from about 25 degrees to 39 in Lincoln today with increasing clouds and the chance of rain after 3 p.m., the National Weather Service says.

Posted by Jack Perry at 8:26 AM | Comment

Accused drug dealer wants to withdraw guilty plea

PROVIDENCE -- An accused drug dealer will ask a judge to allow him to withdraw his guilty plea to cocaine dealing charges.

Derrick Isom says he should be allowed to take back his plea because the Providence police detective who investigated the case never gave his defense lawyer police reports and other documents.

His lawyer will argue Thursday in federal court.

Federal prosecutors dropped similar charges against Isom's co-defendant, Khalid Mason, after Detective Sergeant Scott Partridge found reports and notes in his attic that he had previously claimed didn't exist.

Mason alleged he was framed in a conspiracy involving Partridge and defense attorney John M. Cicilline, the brother of Providence Mayor David Cicilline.

John Cicilline has pleaded not guilty in Boston to federal charges of conspiracy, obstruction of justice and making false statements.

-- The Associated Press

Posted by Jack Perry at 7:02 AM | Comment

Freezing rain likely later today

It may get pretty slippery out there today. The National Weather Service is forecasting pockets of freezing rain later today. In the meantime, expect increasing clouds, calm southwest winds and a high temperature near 41 degrees.

The rain is expected to continue into the night, when the temperature drops just a few degrees to 39.

The rain should taper off late tomorrow morning. Clouds should part by mid-morning, and the temperature should reach 50 degrees.

For more weather and regular updates, see projo.com/weather.

Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 7:01 AM | Comment

Today's front page

Today's front page features a story about the threat of disease brought by animals, including household pets.

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

Posted by Jack Perry at 7:00 AM | Comment