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« December 20, 2007 | Today | December 24, 2007 » December 21, 2007Winter arrives in the wee hours
For the next 24 hours we get the least direct sunlight and, (except for some irregularities due to Earth’s precession and elliptical orbit), we'll have shortest period of daylight and the longest night of the year. For thousands of years, people have used this day as an excuse to celebrate the waning days of winter. Zoroastrians in Persia had a yearly festival that corresponded with the solstice, and in the first centuries A.D., the Roman Empire celebrated Saturnalia, a dedication of the temple of Saturn. After tomorrow, things can only get brighter – more sun, more warmth – until the summer solstice in June. Meanwhile, the sun will make its way higher and higher into the sky, its rays hitting us more directly, heating the ground more efficiently, and lingering above the horizon just a little longer. And snowplows will be a distant memory. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 6:57 PM | Comment Sale protects 670 acres along Pawcatuck in Hopkinton
The property, a mix of woods, farmlands and bogs, includes six miles of frontage on the river and is home to plants and species rarely found in North America, officials said during an afternoon ceremony at Town Hall. Seller Richard Grills is the former owner of the Bradford Dyeing Association, located on the Pawcatuck where it forms the border between Hopkinton and Westerly. All of the land being sold is in Hopkinton. Grills said it had been his goal for more than 25 years to see the land protected. “I wanted it to happen,” he said “We have accomplished what we all set out to do.” -- Journal staff writer Randal Edgar Posted by Andrea Panciera at 6:14 PM | Comment Carcieri does not have to testify in smoke-shop caseThe state Supreme Court ruled today that Governor Carcieri does not have to testify in the pending criminal cases against seven Narragansett Indians stemming from the state police raid on the tribal smokeshop in 2003. The ruling came on Carcieri’s appeal of a lower court ruling that he would have to testify in the upcoming case. In a brief statement, the governor's office described Carcieri as "pleased" with the decision that his testimony is not relevant. The question was whether Carcieri would have to testify as to what orders he gave the state police leading up to the raid. The raid turned violent when state police met resistance. It was when the high court agreed to hear the governor’s appeal in the fall that the justices strongly urged the parties to resolve the criminal cases through mediation. Yesterday, attempts to mediate a plea deal in the criminal cases collapsed , and both sides are preparing for trial early next year. --- With reports from Journal staff writer Katie Mulvaney Posted by Andrea Panciera at 5:15 PM | Comment Verizon can offer cable TV in 12 R.I. towns as of Jan. 6State regulators have given Verizon Communications final approval to begin offering cable television service in 12 Rhode Island communities, including Providence, as of Jan. 6. In a 19-page decision, hearing officer John Spirito Jr. concluded that Verizon had met all the requirements to begin service to the 158,000 households in service areas 2, 3 and 8. There were virtually no challenges to Verizon’s application, which the company submitted to the Division of Public Utilities and Carriers on March 8. Verizon’s approval, issued Thursday, applies to Charlestown, Cranston, Foster, Hopkinton, Johnston, Narragansett, North Providence, Providence, Richmond, Scituate, South Kingstown and Westerly -- Journal staff writer Paul Grimaldi Posted by Andrea Panciera at 4:26 PM | Comment Federal omnibus bill remembers the SaratogaThe USS Saratoga Museum Foundation is moving closer to its goal of becoming a family attraction, education center and memorial, thanks to more than a quarter-million-dollar federal appropriation. The money was part of the $485 billion Omnibus Appropriations bill passed by Congress this week. Frank Lennon, president of the Saratoga Foundation, called the $282,000 grant an early Christmas present for the foundation’s volunteers. “Just as importantly,” he said in a statement, “it signals recognition by federal officials that our concept offers meaningful benefits to the communities we intend to serve." The Small Business Administration will administer the funds which will be used to plan, design, develop and equip workforce development and training programs and facilities. Congressman James R. Langevin, D-R.I., announced the grant, saying in a statement that the omnibus bill “begins to reinvest in the priorities of the American people and provides support to many throughout Rhode Island's Second Congressional District." The projects will be implemented as joint ventures with local schools and universities, of which the foundation already has a few, Lennon said. “This grant will allow us to explore new relationships with other facilities such as the Chariho Career & Technical Center, and perhaps some in-house corporate programs." Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 4:21 PM | Comment Update: 2 rollovers, 1 jackknifed 18-wheeler on Rte. 95
At 8 a.m., an 18-wheeler carrying furniture drove off the left side of the road, slamming into trees and flying down an embankment, according to Lt. Kevin Hopkins at the state police Hope Valley Barracks. Police believe the driver fell asleep. The truck’s fuel tank ruptured, Hopkins said, prompting West Greenwich fire and rescue to respond along with the state Department of Environmental Management and Clean Harbors to clean up the fuel. The driver was uninjured. At 1 p.m., just south of Exit 5, another car drove off the road. The driver lost control, drove into the high-speed lane, hitting the median, rolling over several times. Rescue workers had to cut off the roof of the car to get the driver and passenger out. The passenger was taken to Kent Hospital with non-life threatening injures; the passenger didn’t require medical attention. “Just as we finished clearing that one,” Hopkins said, “a half mile south, another car lost control, hit the right Jersey barrier and rolled over.” Again, he said, no injuries. Hopkins said the key is that they all had their seatbelts on. "If people don’t have their seatbelts on, they get ejected. And that’s when they get hurt.” -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 4:14 PM | Comment Now open: New Iway rampPROVIDENCE -- The state Department of Transportation today opened the South Main Street on-ramp to Route 195 east. The Wickenden Street ramp is now effectively closed, although it may be used when construction crews need access to the Main Street ramp to finish construction. Any additional construction should happen during the day during off-peak hours. The DOT has placed signs directing drivers past the old Wickenden Street exit, under the Iway overpass, and left onto the new ramp. Map: See what the new route looks like. The IWay project is creating a new interchange connecting Routes 95 and 195 in Providence. When the DOT opened the first part of the project last month, unanticipated traffic congestion led to confused and irate motorists, especially during the evening commute. In response, the DOT improved signs and opened a temporary ramp to ease traffic pressure. DOT Director Jerome Williams also took part in an online chat with projo.com, answering questions about the situation directly. Read the transcript here. For more information on the project, visit the DOT Web site or call the customer service line at 401-222-2450. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 2:54 PM | Comment Former Warwick man to admit charges in Internet scamA former Warwick man has agreed to plead guilty to federal charges in connection with an Internet sales scheme that bilked nearly $15 million from people across the country who wanted to buy electronic gadgets. Cory Johnson, formerly of 272 Pierce Ave., Warwick, faces up to 15 years in prison and fines totaling $500,000 for his part in a 2005 scam that left electronics distributors and others out millions of dollars, according to federal court documents. He is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering. He is the second person charged in the case. Johnson was the owner of Mixitforme.com, a Providence company that sold iPods, Xboxes, PlayStations, cell phones and other consumer electronics over the Internet. He also ran a related business, Biggles Toy Store Inc. Both businesses were located at 275 Westminster St., in Providence in 2005. -- By Journal staff writer Paul Grimaldi Posted by Jack Perry at 2:25 PM | Comment Update: RISD names MIT professor as its new presidentPROVIDENCE --The Rhode Island School of Design announces its new president. School officials say John Maeda will become the institution's 16th president in June. He is currently a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Boston and is associate director of research at the MIT Media Lab. According to his online biography, Maeda, 41, was named by Esquire magazine as one of the 21 most important people for the 21st century. He is also an exponent of "simplicity" in the digital age. He's described as a graphic designer, visual artist and computer scientist. A practicing designer since 1990, some of his work has been collected by the Museum of Modern Art in New York. He'll replace RISD President Roger Mandle, who has served as leader of the design school for 15 years. Based in Providence, RISD has about 1,900 undergraduates and 400 graduate students who study fine arts, architecture, design and art education. -- The Associated Press with projo.com reports Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 2:23 PM | Comment Carcieri goes on air to discuss state storm responseGovernor Carcieri talked on the air this morning about the state's response to the snowstorm last week that crippled the metropolitan area, unleashing its own storm of criticism and leading to the firing of state and Providence emergency management directors. Carcieri, who was in Afghanistan as part of a trip visiting troops in the Middle East when the storm hit, answered questions about the role of state officials and took questions from listeners. Among his comments, Carcieri denied that he fired state EMA director Robert Warren because of Warren's own comments on DePetro's show Tuesday, in which he tried to explain his actions during the storm. The governor said he made the decision after hours of "fact finding" and review by his staff. The bottom line, Carcieri said today, was that Warren was not doing his job "to my satisfaction and the satisfaction our citizens should expect." Warren says he's being used as a "scapegoat" for the widespread problems that followed the storm. Carcieri's full conversation with WPRO-AM radio-talk show host John DePetro can be heard online now, on WPRO's Web site. Posted by Andrea Panciera at 12:29 PM | Comment Newport police honor officers with blue lightsThe traditional white lights at the Newport Police station have been replaced this year with blue lights in honor of police officers who have died in the line of duty. The department is asking others to put up blue lights and ribbons to show support for those who died, and as a show of respect for police officers who are still on the job. Project Blue Light was introduced by Concerns of Police Survivors, Inc., an organization that helps the families and friends of police officers who were killed in the line of duty. The project began when a woman wrote to the COPS national office after her son-in-law, Dan, died on duty and her daughter, Pam, died in a car accident. That year, she said, she would put two blue lights up in her house. “One is for Dan and the other is for Pam, who believed so much in the Cops organization.” Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 12:06 PM | Comment Winter holiday travelers, bewarePlanning to travel for the holidays? You’re in plenty of company; AAA expects about 65 million people to travel 50 miles or farther from home during the holiday season, and nearly 9 million are expected to fly. No matter your point of departure, expect delays of about 40 minutes to Newark International Airport in New Jersey; 1 hour to JFK International and La Guardia Airports in New York; and expect delays upwards of 3 hours if you're traveling to O'Hare International Airport in Chicago. And if you’re planning to fly out of Logan Airport, however, be sure to check your status before you you leave; a handful of flights were delayed or canceled after a snowstorm yesterday that left more than 7 inches of snow in some areas in the state. Yesterday, more than 150 arrivals and departures were canceled. Check the latest travel delays from the Federal Aviation Administration. If you’re driving, make room for about 53 million others on the road. Check your tires, your fluids, and your wallet – gas in Rhode Island is about 8 cents above the national average at an average $2.999 a gallon for regular unleaded gas. Last year at this time, it was about $2.349. Extra: Find more helpful links for area travelers, including airport links, train schedules, and highway conditions, at: http://projo.com/travlinks And keep tabs on the weekend and holiday weather on projo.com's weather page. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 11:45 AM | Comment Update: Swansea couple claims big Powerball jackpot
The winners are concerned about maintaining their privacy, according to their lawyer, Peter Saulino. They didn't even go to Lottery headquarters in Cranston this morning to pick up their winnings, but were represented by Saulino. And only one half of the couple has been identified -- Sheila Botelho. Her husband's name has not been released. Saulino talked about the pair, but declined to divulge many details. Both were working -- although Saulino refused to say what they did -- but now they're retired. Saulino indicated they were close to retirement age anyway. They have children, but Saulino would not say how many. The winning ticket was among five quick picks the couple spent $5 on. They'll collect the jackpot in a lump sum -- $75,231,092. They plan to use the money for travel, possibly a new house, and to address a health condition afflicting one of them.
The winning ticket, bought at the Warren Mart, at 428 Child St. in Warren, was the biggest Powerball win in Rhode Island’s history. They learned they won soon after the Nov. 28 drawing, put the ticket in a safe-deposit box and contacted Saulino, who was recommended to them. Their first question: "All of this is confidential, right?" The money will be wired to them later today, according to Saulino. Posted by Jack Perry at 11:00 AM | Comment Photo: Fighting a fire on Ralph Street
Posted by Jack Perry at 10:59 AM | Comment And the Powerball winner is: Sheila Botelho of SwanseaThe winner of the $151.9-million Powerball Jackpot bought her ticket in Rhode Island, but she’s a Massachusetts resident. Sheila Botelho, of Swansea, is not expected to make an appearance today, but her lawyer, Peter Saulino, is at Lottery headquarters in Cranston to claim the prize. The winning ticket, bought at the Warren Mart, at 428 Child St. in Warren, was the biggest Powerball win in Rhode Island’s history. If Botelho chooses to receive a lump sum, she’ll be about $51million richer by the end of the day. -- With reports from Journal staff writer Tom Mooney Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 10:14 AM | Comment Coast Guard: Winter water warningThe Coast Guard has issued a winter warning for those brave enough to take to the water during the winter: prepare for the worst. “Coast Guard and state boating officials encourage winter boaters and paddlers to maintain a ‘worst case scenario’ mentality and be prepared for cold-water immersion,” the statement reads, because a sudden plunge into waters that are 40 degrees or less could be fatal. Without both a life jacket and a wet or dry suit, “your chances for survival are limited,” according to Al Johnson, recreational boating safety specialist for the First Coast Guard District. So if you’re still looking for a gift for the boater in your life, there’s an idea: a Coast Guard certified life jacket. The Coast Guard has other suggestions for boating-themed gifts that could save a life in that worst case scenario: • Signaling kit (mirror, flares, whistle, lights, and an air horn, preferably with a pump) “It might sound excessive,” Johnson said, ”but if you give some serious thought to crisis management, this equipment can save your life." -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 9:34 AM | Comment Fire at Olneyville residencePROVIDENCE -- Firefighters are on the scene fighting a blaze at 20 Ralph St., a residence on the city's Olneyville neighborhood. No further information is available right now. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 9:32 AM | Comment Photo: Finding a diamond can be rough -- and slippery
Posted by Jack Perry at 9:28 AM | Comment More snow possible, cloudy and 36There may be more snow on tap this morning. Otherwise, the National Weather Service is forecasting cloudy skies and a high temperature of about 36 degrees. Clouds remain through the night when the temperature drops to about 20. Again tomorrow, look for snow in the mid morning and rain later in the day. Temperatures should reach the mid 30s. Tomorrow night, a slight chance of snow in the early evening and a low temperature of about 30 degrees. On Sunday, expect rain in the afternoon. We'll have milder temperatures, however, with a high temperature in the mid 50s. The rain should continue into Sunday night, periods of heavy rainfall at times. The temperature should drop to about the freezing point, so watch for rain. The sun should finally return Monday morning, with a high temperature near 40 degrees. Check projo.com's weather page for weekend weather updates. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 7:24 AM | Comment Papelbon's dog takes a bite of World Series historyBOSTON -- Controversy is once again dogging the fate of the ball used to make the final out of a Boston Red Sox World Series championship. Closer Jonathan Papelbon repeated to the Hattiesburg (Miss.) American newspaper a story he first told a Boston cable television station: that his dog ate the ball he used to strike out Colorado Rockies pinch hitter Seth Smith on Oct. 28 and clinch Boston's second title in four years. -- The Associated Press "He plays with baseballs like they are his toys. His name is Boss," Papelbon told the newspaper for last Sunday's editions. "He jumped up one day on the counter and snatched it. He likes rawhide. He tore that thing to pieces. Nobody knows that. I'll keep what's left of it." Papelbon told a similar tale to the New England Sports Network for a story that aired Nov. 30 - but with a slightly different ending. Papelbon told the station that he threw what was left of the ball in the trash. "It's in the garbage in Florida somewhere," he said. The Red Sox own an 80 percent stake in NESN. The fate of the last ball became an issue in 2004 when the Red Sox swept St. Louis in the World Series to end an 86-year championship drought. First baseman Doug Mientkiewicz, who caught the final out from pitcher Keith Foulke, kept the ball. The team wanted it back. Mientkiewicz eventually agreed to lend the ball to the Red Sox for a year and then donated it to the Hall of Fame. The Red Sox aren't particularly concerned with what happened to the 2007 last-out ball. "The 2004 ball is obviously very special to us because it was the club's first World Series win in 86 years," team spokesman John Blake said. "This ball was in the hands of one of the players and we take his word at what happened to it, but it's a non-issue as far as the club's concerned." The Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y. has a bunch of Red Sox memorabilia from the 2007 World Series, including Papelbon's glove, but the ball isn't among it. "We did not ask for the ball," spokesman Jeff Idelson said. "We were more focused on other items." Papelbon wasn't in Boston and wasn't immediately available for comment, Blake said. His agent did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Associated Press. Papelbon struck out Smith to end Game 4 of the World Series, then catcher Jason Varitek slipped the ball into his back pocket during on-field celebrations. Varitek said after the game that he'd give the ball to the team, but a few days later said he'd given it to Papelbon. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:02 AM | Comment Today's front pageToday's front page features a story reporting that Rhode Island ranks third nationally in fire department payrolls and coverage of the City of Providence's reaction to its handling of last week's snow storm. |
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ProJo 9 to 5 News Blog
Oct 2005 - March 2006