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« December 2007 | Today | February 2008 » January 31, 2008AG brief asserts CRMC's makeup is unconstitutionalPROVIDENCE -- Attorney General Patrick C. Lynch announced this evening that he filed a state Supreme Court brief today asserting that the Coastal Resource Management Council's provisions for appointing members is unconstitutional. Lynch said the appointment provisions violate the Separation of Powers constitutional amendment approved by Rhode Island voters on Nov. 2, 2004. The General Assembly is seeking the high court's opinion on whether the CRMC is subject to the Separation of Powers amendment, and today was the deadline for most interested parties to file briefs. According to Michael Healey, spokesman for Lynch, the House of Representatives was granted more time to file its brief. “Under the Separation of Powers amendment, the governor is given appointment powers of an executive agency of the state, with all appointees subject to the Senate’s consent,” Lynch said in the statement. “Four of the governor’s appointments to the CRMC -- an executive agency -- don’t require Senate approval. When coupled with the fact that the act allows members of the House and Senate to sit as members of the CRMC and allows appointments of public members by the speaker of the house, the act clearly violates the Rhode Island Constitution and is in opposition to the express will of Rhode Island voters." The Coastal Resources Management Council, an independent regulatory agency, was established in 1971, well before the passage of the act. The question of CRMC's makeup and the application of the Separation of Powers Act was debated in the last Assembly session, in which the House in its final moments approved asking the state Supreme Court for a ruling. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 7:03 PM | Comment Photo: This duo takes 'Go Red' day to heart
Posted by Andrea Panciera at 6:54 PM | Comment Conn. man serious after mini-van falls off Foster bridgeFOSTER -- A 54-year-old Connecticut man was in serious condition this afternoon suffering from hypothermia and possibly some broken bones after his mini-van fell off a bridge and plunged into Moosup River last night. Police said today they were notified by a neighbor along Moosup Valley Road who heard a man’s cries for help coming from the river. Police, fire, and rescue officials arrived at the scene at about 6:45 p.m. and found the vehicle, a Plymouth mini-van, submerged in the river. The driver, Gregory Gunderson, of Danielson, was apparently outside his vehicle but still in the water and conscious. Gunderson was transported to Rhode Island Hospital with hypothermia and other injuries. He was listed in serious condition this afternoon. Lt. Robert Bolger said the accident is still under investigation because police have not had the chance to question Gunderson. Bolger said it is clear that Gunderson was traveling westbound over a bridge on Moosup Valley Road when his vehicle slammed into a guardrail and fell 15 feet into the river. -- Journal staff writer Philip Marcelo The mini-van landed, right side up, about 50 feet from the river bank, in a part of the river that was about four feet deep. The vehicle was damaged extensively on its front and sides, said Bolger. Police estimated that Gunderson’s vehicle was submerged in the water for about half an hour before rescue personnel arrived. By then, the water had reached window-level outside of the car, said Bolger. Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:40 PM | Comment Providence man held in Cranston bank robberyCRANSTON -- A Providence man has been accused of robbing the Domestic Bank at 815 Reservoir Ave. this morning. Alberto J. Reyes, 28, of 26 Benedict St. was being held pending arraignment on the first-degree robbery charge. A police news release said a male went into the bank branch at about 8:45 a.m., showed a silver gun to the teller and demanded money. After getting an undetermined amount of money, the male left the bank and headed north through the surrounding residential area. A bank employee followed the male through the neigborhood and told police in what direction he was heading. Shortly after, Cranston officer Shane O'Donnell located the suspect hiding in the neighborhood. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:21 PM | Comment Providence man to take his chances on 'Pros v. Joes'A Providence man is scheduled to be on tonight's episode of "Pros vs. Joes" on Spike, Cox Channel 26. Robert Foster, 32, is slated to appear on the show, which airs at 11 p.m, according to a news release from Cox Communications. The show has 64 amateur athletes from around the nation competing against professional athletes to try to win $100,000. Foster was selected during a casting call, according to a Cox news release, and he will compete against National Football League running back Ricky Williams, boxer Arturo Gatti and former NBA star Charles Oakley. Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:06 PM | Comment Update: Ex-CVS execs want bribery charge droppedPROVIDENCE -- Lawyers for two former CVS executives asked a federal judge today to force prosecutors to turn over FBI notes of its interviews with former state Sen. John Celona, who they are accused of paying off, and asked the judge to dismiss a bribery charge. John R. "Jack" Kramer, former CVS senior vice president for corporate affairs and government relations, and Carlos Ortiz, former vice president of government affairs, are charged with one count each of conspiracy and bribery and 21 counts each of fraud for contracting with Celona. Celona, who resigned from the General Assembly in 2004 amid questions about his business dealings with CVS, pleaded guilty to federal mail fraud charges in 2005 for his relationships with CVS, Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island and Roger Williams Medical Center. Woonsocket-based CVS Caremark Corp., the nation's largest drugstore chain, has not been charged and has said it is cooperating with the probe. Kramer and Ortiz have been on unpaid leaves of absence from CVS since 2004. The bribery charge in the January 2007 indictment accuses Ortiz and Kramer of giving Celona gifts between 1999 and 2003 as a way to influence Celona "in connection with legislation of interest to CVS." The charge doesn't specify particular bills, but refers to other parts of the indictment that discuss specific legislation. While prosecutors argue that other parts of the indictment were specific enough to address the concern, Scott Corrigan, a lawyer for Kramer, said the language amounted to a "moving target." -- The Associated Press "We're talking about five legislative sessions," Corrigan said. "During each of those sessions, hundreds of bills were introduced." U.S. District Judge Mary Lisi appeared concerned. "'Legislation related to CVS doesn't tell you a whole heck of a lot," Lisi said. Celona was the star witness in an earlier trial involving executives for Roger Williams, and admitted at trial that he lied to the FBI a number of times. Because he is expected to be a key witness in any trial of Kramer and Ortiz, the defense is keenly interested in any instances when Celona lied because it could help cast doubt on his credibility on the stand. While the defense team was given a summary report of nine separate interviews the FBI conducted with Celona between Sept. 1 and Nov. 17, 2004, as well as excerpts of some of those notes, it argues that other documents show Celona changed his story several times during that period. David Fein, a lawyer for Kramer, told Lisi that the defense wanted the complete notes of those interviews. He said they could include instances where Celona told different versions of the same story, or additional information that could be helpful and was not included in the summary notes. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gerard Sullivan told Lisi that prosecutors in the Roger Williams case had carefully gone through the documents' discrepancies, and those notes were turned over to the defense. Lisi said she would issue a written ruling at a later date. Earlier this month, the convictions of two former top Roger Williams Medical center executives, Robert Urciuoli and Frances Driscoll for allegedly paying Celona to press the hospital's legislative agenda at the State House, were overturned on appeal. The U.S. Attorney's Office said it will retry the case. Today, Woonsocket-based CVS Caremark Corp. reported that fourth quarter profits were $815 million, or 55 cents a share, almost double the $417.2 million, or 49 cents a share, in the year-earlier period. Last year, CVS completed a $27 billion purchase of Caremark RX to gain the second largest U.S. drug benefits manager. CVS and the Caremark division also benefited from demand for generic drugs. -- With Journal and projo.com reports
Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:51 PM | Comment Testimony: Oster told to minimize relationship with PicernoPROVIDENCE -- Testimony in the bribery and conspiracy trial of ex-Lincoln Town Administrator Jonathan F. Oster this afternoon included concern about former Lincoln Planning Board member Robert R. Picerno's behavior in Lincoln Town Hall and his closeness with Oster. Leon A. "Lee" Blais, who was Oster's public works director and assistant town administrator for a time, said he had advised Oster to tell Picerno to stay out of areas of Town Hall that were not open to the public and to minimize his relationship with Picerno. Blais testified that after those conversations with Oster, Picerno would seem to disappear from town hall for a while then come back. Blais also testified that Oster told him that Picerno had raised a lot of campaign money for Oster. He said Oster was concerned that if he broke with Picerno completely, Picerno would turn the Italian-American population in town against him in the next election.
Blais also testified that earlier in Oster's administration, Blais became concerned about what's known as the H&H Screw property on Route 116 in Lincoln. Blais said he'd been told about it by an official from a foundation that was developing industrial parks -- and that the foundation had identified the property as a potentially problematic site. The state's case in Providence County Superior Court contends that Picerno was Oster's partner in a bribery scheme centered around the Route 116 land. Picerno pleaded no contest in 2004 to four counts of taking -- or trying to solicit -- bribes, and three counts of conspiracy to solicit bribes. In the first days of trial, the prosecution has tried to show that Oster and Picerno had a relationship in which Picerno had access to Oster's office and got unusual treatment from the town in relation to property taxes. Blais said in court today he did more research and was surprised to find that in the 1990s the town appeared to have taken control of the site and that a company, Banneker, had occupied the site for several years. Blais said he told Oster of his research into the site and that Oster told him to continue looking into it. Blais said he was considering trying to get a private development foundation to develop the property. He said Oster told him that was generally a good idea, but Oster mentioned he had a potential buyer interested in the site. That buyer was Lincoln car dealer Robert Campellone -- one of the men Oster is accused of soliciting bribes from in exchange for letting him buy the H&H Screw property. In his afternoon testimony, Blais, a prosecution witness, did the defense a favor. One of O’Brien’s themes in his opening statement was that the land Oster is accused of seeking bribes to sell was not worth a lot, and therefore any offer the town got would be worth taking. Blais testified that one of his concerns about the H&H Screw property was that it had an undetermined amount of industrial pollution on it and that he had seen a state Department of Environmental Management report that estimated the cleanup could cost as much as $2 million. On cross examination, O’Brien got Blais to theorize that with $600,000 in taxes owed the town on the land and with $2 million in cleanup costs, the land could be seen as having a negative value.
Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:20 PM | Comment April 22 election set to fill late Sen. Badeau's seatPROVIDENCE -- The special election to fill the seat of the late state Sen. Roger Badeau, a Democrat who represented Woonsocket and Cumberland, is set for April 22. A primary will be held March 18, if needed, Secretary of State Ralph A. Mollis announced today. “Our thoughts are with his family, his friends and all the people of his district. He represented them well over the years,” Mollis said in the statement. “Making it easier to vote is our priority. We selected a date that met the letter of the law as well as encouraged the highest voter turnout possible.” Badeau died last week with most of the final year of his term left to serve, which the Secretary of State's Office said triggers law allowing the secretary of state to set a speical election. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:06 PM | Comment The Paragon leaving Westerly, laying off 119
The Paragon, a Westerly mail-order firm that has operated since 1972, is closing its complex in the town and laying off its 119 employees there. Cheryl Rinfret, a company spokeswoman, confirmed in an interview with The Providence Journal that the warehouse and call center will be shuttered on March 31. The work performed in Rhode Island will be handled in a building in West Virginia owned by The Paragon's parent company, the AB&C Group, Rinfret said. "They have the same thing in West Virginia," Rinfret said. "It's duplicated right now." The Paragon has not determined what, if any, severance package its employees may receive, Rinfret said. The company sells a variety of gift products, such as jewelry, rugs and clocks. For more business-related news, visit the Biz Blog at projo.com/business. Posted by Benjamin N. Gedan at 3:56 PM | Comment 8 school districts fail to meet new graduation standardsPROVIDENCE -- Eight districts and a state-run school still fail to meet the state’s more rigorous high school graduation requirements that go into effect for this year’s senior class, the state Department of Education announced this week. Letters went out Tuesday notifying school officials that they did not receive approval for the new diploma system. Failure will not affect the districts’ or the school’s ability to confer diplomas for the next few years. Districts have been given a grace period until 2012 to come into compliance with the state’s new regulations governing high school diplomas. However, failure to receive preliminary approval from the state indicates that a quarter of Rhode Island’s school districts -- 8 of the 32 -- are lagging in their efforts to adapt to the more challenging graduation system. In addition to completing 20 courses and taking the state standardized tests in 11th grade, the new diploma system requires that students show they have mastered key concepts and skills through a combination of portfolios, senior projects and end-of-course exams. Eight districts -- Burrillville, Cranston, Cumberland, Exeter-West Greenwich, North Smithfield, Providence, Tiverton and Woonsocket -- and the Rhode Island School for the Deaf were informed that the state Department of Education had “withheld preliminary approval” of their graduation requirement plans. In every case, the problem was the districts’ failure to “align” coursework and student projects to grade-level expectations established by the state, said Roy M. Seitsinger Jr., director of secondary school reform. “The major issue was lack of alignment with the expectations, and then also issues of access and opportunity -- that means, did districts do enough in terms of scheduling and curriculum to ensure that all students had access to classes that are aligned with the system?” Seitsinger said. Adapting to the more rigorous standards has proven a particular challenge to districts that have not had a consistent, high-quality curriculum in place. In some high schools, such as the state-run School for the Deaf, individual classroom teachers decide what is taught, so aligning each course to state standards is difficult and time consuming. Providence, the state’s largest school system, has no consistent high school curriculum, and many schools even use different textbooks for similar courses. Exeter-West Greenwich High School, classified as high performing for the past three years, does have a curriculum, said Principal Denise Boule. Teachers there began phasing in senior projects in 2002 -- a year before the Regents for Elementary and Secondary Education announced they would be required of all schools within five years, Boule said. “We have really tried to embrace the diploma system because many of us firmly believe in students demonstrating their proficiency in multiple ways, and my staff has worked very hard,” Boule said. “We have spent four years on this, but people have to realize this … changes the way you look at student work and assess it. You are not just having students pass one test and from that assume they have the knowledge. You are asking them to take part in multiple assessments.” The high school’s obstacle to approval, Boule said, is that the Department of Education wants it to more closely align end-of-course exams to state standards. They are doing so and hope to be approved in late April. Peter McWalters, state commissioner of education, said he will approve the districts and School for the Deaf as soon as they can demonstrate they have complied. In addition to information about portfolios, senior projects and end-of-course exams, districts must submit documentation that they are providing adequate support so students and teachers can adapt to the new system, and that they have communicated clearly with their communities about the graduation requirements, through meetings and newsletters. Districts have known the changes were coming since January 2003, when the Regents approved the new diploma system. The state Education Department began providing free training to hundreds of teachers and administrators three years ago, and asked districts to periodically submit updates on their progress in complying with the new regulations. By last summer, the department knew some districts were lagging and would struggle to comply by the December deadline. Some school districts, officials said, were better equipped to adapt to the new requirements, while others suffered from a lack of personnel or resources to start the time-consuming, difficult work. Other districts struggled with poor access to computers and the technical expertise needed to develop portfolios and senior projects, which has delayed their progress. For the moment, there are no penalties for districts that fall behind. Education officials say they will work closely with districts over the next two years to ensure the new diploma system is in place and is rigorous. In 2010, districts that have complied with the new regulations will be allowed to confer “Regents approved” diplomas; districts not in compliance will be able to still give out their present diplomas. By 2012, districts will only be allowed to award Regents diplomas; those not in compliance will not be allowed to grant any type of diploma. Posted by Mike McKinney at 3:45 PM | Comment One dead, 6 households affected in 4 fires across R.I.
A 42-year-old man died and his mother was injured after fire broke out around 6 a.m. at a house on Peck Avenue, according to the East Providence Fire Department. East Providence Fire Chief Joseph J. Klucznik identified the dead man as James Marinelli. Marinelli's mother, Theresa Marinelli, was rescued by firefighters through a second-story window of the home at 39 Peck Ave., the fire department said. She was taken to Rhode Island Hospital with burns on her hands and smoke inhalation. Nadine Dwyer, 41, lives down the street from the Marinelli's. She said she used to shovel the Marinellis' driveway in the winter. Dwyer said she was awake early this morning when the fire started. "The whole sky filled with black smoke," she said from her front stoop today. "It smelled really bad, too. You could see smoke coming out of the roof."
A call came in at about 11:45 p.m. from 19 Kings Factory Road reporting a chimney fire, according to a statement from the Charlestown police. When Charlestown rescue arrived, they reported “extremely heavy” smoke on the first floor and flames reaching the second floor. The house’s owner, Russell G. Spears, was taken to Westerly Hospital for smoke inhalation and admitted into the intensive-care unit for observation. Two Charlestown firefighters were injured on the scene; one fell on the icy ground, but was not treated. Another firefighter was taken to South County Hospital for chest pains. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie Jefferson The state fire marshal is investigating and has not released an official cause. But, according to Charlestown Police statement, the fire may have been sparked by a chimney fire that spread through the house. Firefighters from the Dunn’s Corners and Bradford Fire Districts of Westerly, and the Hope Valley Fire Department responded.
In Central Falls, a fire broke out at a home on Central Street this morning. The fire department said a faulty boiler was to blame.The fire was contained to the basement. Resident Rosemary Michalski will have to find another place to stay, at least temporarily. The Red Cross is helping her.
Damage was confined to the third floor with the bottom two floors sustaining water damage. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 3:17 PM | Comment Oster trial: Defense grills prosecution's witnessPROVIDENCE -- The defense lawyer in ex-Lincoln Town Administrator Jonathan F. Oster's bribery and conspiracy trial tried for much of this morning to diminish the credibility of prosecution witness William Dickie, the former assistant solicitor who handled a tax appeal from the wife of the man the state says was Oster's co-conspirator. Defense lawyer C. Leonard O'Brien pressed Dickie on statements he gave to the state police after Oster's arrest in February 2002 and in April 2002 grand jury testimony. Dickie had said he didn't learn that former planning official Robert R. Picerno and his wife had not paid taxes on their home while their tax appeal was pending. That was important because having paid the taxes first is required for the kind of suit the Picernos filed. The state's case in Providence County Superior Court contends that Robert R. Picerno was Oster's partner in a bribery scheme centered around a Route 116 property in Lincoln. Picerno pleaded no contest in 2004 to four counts of taking, or trying to solicit, bribes, and three counts of conspiracy to solicit bribes. In the first days of trial, the prosection has tried to show that Oster and Picerno had a relationship in which Picerno had access to Oster's office and got unusual treatment from the town in relation to property taxes. Picerno’s wife, Joyce, filed the suit contesting the way the town assessed taxes on the Preakness Drive home for the period of 1998 to 2000, refusing to pay about $22,000 in property taxes over those years, some before Oster took office. O'Brien today played a tape of the Nov. 20, 2001, Lincoln Town Council closed session in which Dickie told the council the taxes were not paid. O'Brien also produced transcripts of Dickie's interview with state police and his grand jury testimony given after Oster's arrest, where he had said he didn't learn about the unpaid taxes until after the Nov. 20 council session. Dickie testified today that he first thought the taxes were not paid but said that during the Nov. 20 meeting Oster said they had been paid. Dickie was not able to show a point on the tape where Oster said that. O'Brien further challenged Dickie, saying that when discussing the settlement, Dickie talked about the Picernos paying the town, not the town refunding taxes already paid. And when Dickie said the taxes had not been paid, Oster never corrected him on the tape. Read about yesterday's testimony. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Journal staff writer John Hill Posted by Mike McKinney at 2:02 PM | Comment Photo: Catching a breath after fighting the fire
Posted by Jack Perry at 1:55 PM | Comment I <3 Robots!A program intended to get more black students interested in robotics and engineering will be bringing students from historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) to College Hill. As part of the Advancing Robotics Technology for Societal Impact (ARTSI) Alliance, Brown University is working with more than a dozen research universities and HBCUs to develop outreach programs to encourage black students at the K-12 and college levels to consider careers in robotics. “To advance computing technology and robotics, we need as many great minds in the field as possible,” Chad Jenkins, assistant professor of computer science at Brown, said in a statement. “So it is critical to draw in dedicated and interested students, whether they choose to work in academia or the commercial sector.” Jenkins will lead the program at Brown, first bringing undergraduate students from HBCUs to Brown in the summers of 2008 and 2009. They’ll work with Jenkins on developing software programs that improve robot interactions with humans. The ARTSI program is funded by a three-year, $2 million grant from the National Science Foundation. Click below to find out what schools are participating. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson HBCUs participating in ARTSI are Spelman College Hampton University Morgan State University Florida A&M University Norfolk State University Winston-Salem State University University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff and the University of the District of Columbia Research universities and private companies involved include: Brown University Carnegie Mellon University of Pittsburgh Georgia Institute of Technology Duke University University of Alabama University of Washington Corporate partners include: Seagate Technology Microsoft Apple iRobot Juxtopia. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 1:40 PM | Comment Former lead paint manufacturers want verdict overturnedPROVIDENCE — Three former lead paint manufacturers who lost a landmark lawsuit brought by the state have asked Rhode Island’s highest court to overturn the verdict. The companies, including Sherwin-Williams, say the judge who handled the trial excluded relevant evidence while permitting prejudicial testimony against them. They also say the verdict, which requires them to remove lead paint contamination from homes and buildings, is at odds with state laws that make landlords responsible for the upkeep of their properties. Attorney General Patrick Lynch wants those companies to pay $2.4 billion dollars to clean up roughly a quarter-million homes. The state will have an opportunity to respond, and the state Supreme Court will hear arguments on May 15. -- The Associated Press Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 1:30 PM | Comment Janitors' strike looms for PC Family weekendProvidence College janitors are planning to go on strike in less than 12 hours if they do not reach an agreement with their employer, Hurley of America, Inc. And they’re not optimistic that much will change between now and midnight, when the janitors’ contract expires. “It doesn’t seem likely,” said Roxana Rivera, the Rhode Island director for SEIU Local 615. The sticking points on the contract, Rivera said, include pension and wage increases over a 5-year period, and the number of days employees can take off. If the workers and the Mass.-based Hurley cannot come to an agreement by midnight, the janitors will strike this weekend, the college’s upperclassmen family weekend, tomorrow through Sunday. “We believe this is a great opportunity to emphasize that the sacrifice parents make for their kids to PC,” Rivera said, “are not unlike the sacrifices that the janitors make for their families.” -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 12:28 PM | Comment Organization rates R.I. 7th best in nation on gun lawsRhode Island ranked seventh best in the nation, showing "good progress," in enacting laws to prevent criminals and others who pose dangers from easily getting guns, but more can be done, according to the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, which released its national scorecard today. Rhode Island scored 47 points out of a possible 100 in the scorecard that measured the 50 states across five areas of law. California was best in the nation, scoring 79 points, followed by New Jersey, and a third-place tie between Connecticut and Massachusetts. Maryland and New York also fared better than Rhode Island, according to the organization. Worst in the nation in enacting gun-control laws were Kentucky and Oklahoma, which each got 2 points. The five areas of law from which scores were reached are: * Curbing firearm trafficking. * Bolstering "Brady Background Checks." * Child safety. * Banning military-style assault weapons. * Making it harder to carry guns in public places. Check out the organization's state-by-state scores, category-by-category, at www.bradycampaign.org. “Rhode Island is doing a better job than most states in adopting laws designed to make it harder for criminals and other dangerous people to access guns,” Paul Helmke, the national organization's president, said in the statement. “While Rhode Island has made some progress, much more needs to be done,” Cathie Whittenburg, director of New England Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence, said in the statement. “We’re certainly not satisfied.” The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence notes in its release that the state is seeking to improve its score by "making crime gun identification and regulating gun dealers as their new top priorities in this year’s legislature." The release cites "cutting-edge" technology called “microstamping" that legislation would give law enforcement -- "a powerful investigative tool to solve more gun crimes and apprehend more armed criminals and gang members by identifying the crime gun -- without the gun." Read more about microstamping here. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 12:17 PM | Comment Suspect in fast-moving robberies arrestedThe Cranston police think they’ve caught up with the fast-moving burglar who attempted to rob more than five businesses in quick succession last Friday and Sunday. Gerald Capozzi, 37, of Cranston, faces two counts of first-degree robbery and four counts of second-degree robbery. He’s due in District Court today. According to the Cranston police, the first report of a robbery was made Friday, Jan. 25, at about 3 p.m. at Park Avenue Liquors. As officers investigated that crime, another robbery was reported at Defusco’s Bakery. Two days later, at about 5:15 p.m., Superior Bakery called the police, reporting a robbery, according to the Cranston police. Less than 15 minutes later, Subway Sandwich Shop called in an attempted robbery. While officers were investigating these two robberies, a third complaint was called in – from Tim Hortons. Then, on Wednesday, another robbery was reported. Descriptions of the suspect and vehicle were similar to the suspect and vehicle described in the other robberies. Victims said the suspect was a white man, about 5’6” tall, wearing a blue, hooded sweatshirt and driving a white, two-door Pontiac. The Cranston police sent the description out, and Warwick police responded with information on Gerald Capozzi as a possible suspect. Capozzi was arrested Wednesday, shortly after the robbery was reported. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 11:36 AM | Comment Barrington teen due to check in with judge todayThe 19-year-old who bought alcohol that may have played a part in a fatal car crash is scheduled to return to court today to check in with Judge Michael A. Higgins. In December, Benjamin Geldmaker was fined $500 and ordered to undergo substance abuse treatment. It was the second time that the then-18-year-old had been arrested for misdemeanor underage alcohol possession, according to Barrington police. Higgins ordered Geldmaker to return today to District Court to make sure Geldmaker has been going to substance abuse treatment. According to prosecutors, Geldmaker bought a 30-pack of beer, and gave six cans to a friend. The friend brought the beer to a party. Four teenagers that were at the party got into a car, the 16-year-old driver -- who was allegedly driving more than twice the speed limit -- slammed into a tree, killing 16-year-old passenger Jonathan Converse. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 10:06 AM | Comment Traffic: Lanes re-opened, but traffic still heavy on 195The Transportation Management Center has cleared an accident on Route 195 westbound, but warns that traffic is still heavy. Two left lanes were blocked at the Washington bridge after the 9 a.m. accident. The lanes have been re-opened, but ti's still slow going on Route 195. For more information, visit the TMC’s Web site. See how traffic is moving on the site’s traffic cameras. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 9:03 AM | Comment Photo: Out in the cold after a fire in Central Falls
Posted by Jack Perry at 8:58 AM | Comment Fourth quarter profits almost double at CVSWoonsocket-based CVS Caremark Corp. reported this morning that fourth quarter profits were $815 million, or 55 cents a share, almost double the $417.2 million, or 49 cents a share, in the year-earlier period. Last year, CVS completed a $27 billion purchase of Caremark RX to gain the second largest U.S. drug benefits manager. CVS and the Caremark division also benefited from demand for generic drugs. Sales at CVS stores open at least a year rose 3.4 percent, including a 3.6 percent increase in pharmacy revenue and a 2.9 percent advance in non-pharmacy goods. -- John Kostrzewa, Business editor Posted by Jack Perry at 8:34 AM | Comment 1 dead, 1 injured in East Providence fire/ Photo
EAST PROVIDENCE -- A 42-year-old man is dead and his mother injured after a morning fire at a house on Peck Avenue, according to the East Providence Fire Department. East Providence Fire Chief Joseph J. Klucznik identified the dead man as James Marinelli. Marinelli's mother, Theresa Marinelli, was rescued by firefighters through a second-story window of the home at 39 Peck Avenue, the fire department said. She has been taken to Rhode Island Hospital with burns on her hands and smoke inhalation. Nadine Dwyer, 41, lives down the street from the Marinelli's. She said she used to shovel the Marinelli's driveway in the winter. Dwyer said she was awake early this morning when the fire started. "The whole sky filled with black smoke," she said from her front stoop today. "It smelled really bad, too. You could see smoke coming out of the roof." Klucznik said the call came in just after 6 a.m. -- By Brandie Jefferson, projo.com staff writer Posted by Jack Perry at 8:17 AM | Comment 2 firefighters, homeowner injured in Charlestown fireTwo firefighters and a homeowner were injured in a late night fire in Charlestown yesterday. A call came in at about 11:45 p.m. from 19 Kings Factory Rd. reporting a chimney fire, according to a statement from the Charlestown police. When Charlestown rescue arrived, they reported “extremely heavy” smoke on the first floor and flames reaching the second floor. Firefighters from the Dunn’s Corners and Bradford Fire Districts of Westerly, and the Hope Valley Fire Department responded. The house’s owner, Russell G. Spears, was taken to Westerly Hospital for smoke inhalation and admitted into the intensive-care unit for observation. Two Charlestown firefighters were injured on the scene; one fell on the icy ground, but was not treated. Another firefighter was taken to South County Hospital for chest pains. The state Fire Marshal is investigating and has not released an official cause, but, according to Charlestown Police statement, the fire may have been sparked by a chimney fire that spread throughout the house. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 7:28 AM | Comment Lead paint companies to file arguments in appealPROVIDENCE -- Three former lead paint makers plan to file their arguments in an appeals case potentially worth billions of dollars. The companies -- Sherwin-Williams, NL Industries and Millennium Holdings -- lost a landmark public nuisance lawsuit two years ago brought by the state attorney general. The lawsuit accused the companies of contaminating homes with toxic lead paint. Lawyers for the companies plan to file their appeal arguments today with the state Supreme Court. Attorney General Patrick Lynch wants those companies to pay 2.4 billion dollars to clean up roughly a quarter-million homes in Rhode Island. Company lawyers have called the plan legally flawed and want the verdict overturned. -- Associated Press Posted by Jack Perry at 7:02 AM | Comment A high of 40 degrees and sunny skiesToday's looking nice, with a high of 40 degrees and clear sunny skies. However, the National Weather Service, is forecasting a slight chance of sleet and snow early this evening as clouds increase and the temperature drops to about 24 degrees. Tomorrow's looking pretty dreary with freezing maybe mixed with sleet in the morning, then rain later in the day. Temperatures should just reach 40 with high, east winds gusting up to 29 mph. For weather updates throughout the day, see projo.com's weather page. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 7:01 AM | Comment Today's front pageToday's front page features coverage of Governor Carcieri's plan to cut Medicaid costs, in large part by moving the elderly and disabled out of nursing homes. Download a copy of today's front page in .pdf format. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:00 AM | Comment January 30, 2008Tonight: Learn to dance or feel the bluesYou can learn to dance in Narragansett tonight, hear some blues music in Woonsocket or hit the clubs in Providence. New York City-based dance teacher Kana Kubota gives weekly dance lessons at The Towers in Narragansett, and tonight she offers salsa style dance at 7. She'll teach beginners Argentine tango at 8 and intermediate tango at 9. It's $12 for one class and $20 for two or more the same evening. Go to www.thetowersri.com for information. An Open Mike Blues Jam is at Chan's Restaurant, 267 Main St., Woonsocket. Call 765-1900. 7 to 10 p.m. No cover. Manbeard, Pwrfl! Power, Green Bean, The Vonneguts and That Goes That play rock at AS220, 115 Empire St., Providence. Call 831-9327. 9 p.m. $6. All ages. John Worsley plays jazz at Capriccio, 2 Pine St., Providence. Call 421-1320. 7 to 11 pm. Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:50 PM | Comment Update: Endowment will help preserve R.I. open spaceRhode Island has more than 100,000 acres of land protected from developers and, thanks to an endowment today, will have more resources and a new coordinated effort to care for the protected open space. The Rhode Island Foundation today announced it will be receiving an endowment of $1 million from Peggy and Henry Sharpe to support the Conservation Stewardship Collaborative. And an anonymous donor offered the CSC more help; for every contribution of $1,000 or more made to the endowment, the donor will make a matching contribution to an environmental organization up to $1 million or until December 2010. Julie Sharpe this morning said her in-laws had the insight to create the endowment. "There is a long-standing interest in the Sharpe family in conservation and land stewardship," Sharpe said in a statement. "We worked very had with these seven organizations to find a meaningful way to advance stewardship of protected areas." Click below for a list of organizations that make up the Conservation Stewardship Collaborative. Correction: An earlier version of this item put the acreage at 1,000 and described the endowment as giving the state the ability to continue buying the rights to open space around the state. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson, with reports from Journal staff writer Peter B. Lord Audubon Society of Rhode Island Rhode Island Chapter of The Nature Conservancy Rhode Island Land Trust Council University of Rhode Island Department of Natural Resources Science Rhode Island Natural History Survey Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management United States Fish and Wildlife Service Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 6:31 PM | Comment Clinton, Obama supporters lobby for Tavares' nodProvidence lawyer Angel Tavares’ phone did not stop ringing this afternoon in the wake of John Edwards' departure from the campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination. Tavares, Edwards Rhode Island campaign chairman, took calls from supporters of New York Sen. Hillary Clinton and Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, the last two major candidates vying for the Democratic nomination. Despite the personal lobbying from such pols as former Providence Mayor Joseph R. Paolino Jr., a major Clinton supporter in the state, and Joseph Fernandez, the Providence city solicitor and a key Obama backer, Tavares said that he is not going to endorse either candidate until he has chance to speak personally with Edwards. ``I am very proud of the campaign John Edwards ran,’’ said Tavares. ``Poverty is something not very many people talked about. John made it a part of the national campaign and the national conversation.’’ ``I haven’t had chance to speak to John yet,’’ said Tavares. ``After I speak with him we’ll see where we go from there.’’ -- Journal staff writer Scott MacKay Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:30 PM | Comment Lawmakers work for bll to stop LNG in Fall RiverBOSTON -- SouthCoast lawmakers are testifying in favor of a bill that would prevent construction of a liquefied natural gas terminal in Fall River, Mass. The measure would mandate that a new LNG terminal be built nearly one mile away from residential areas. If passed into law, it would kill an LNG terminal proposed by Weaver’s Cove Energy. Various government studies have found that fire from a terrorism attack against a tanker carrying LNG could ignite so fiercely it would burn people one mile away. The Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee took testimony at a hearing today As is, Weaver’s Cove Energy faces a tough battle. The Coast Guard has already ruled that the Taunton River approaching the would-be site of the terminal is unsafe for navigation by massive LNG tankers. -- The Associated Press Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:34 PM | Comment Oster trial: Prosecution plays a tapePROVIDENCE -- The prosecution in ex-Lincoln Town Administrator Jonathan F. Oster's bribery trial this afternoon played a tape in which Lincoln Town Council in 2001 talked about whether to settle a tax case involving the home of Robert R. Picerno, a former town planning official who is linked to allegations against Oster. Among other things on the 40-minute tape of the Nov. 20, 2001, closed session, then-assistant Town Solicitor William Dickie recommended settling the suit for $15,000, even though $22,000 was owed on the Picernos' Preakness Drive home. Dickie testified in Providence County Superior Court today that Picerno's wife filed the tax appeal in 2001 contesting the $22,000 in taxes assessed on the Picerno's house from 1998 to 2000. On the tape, among reasons Dickie offered for settling at that time was that the $7,000 difference between what was owed and what was being offered, when looked at in terms of cost of litigating the case, was not worth fighting over. Dickie testified he was subsequently advised the Picernos had not filed legally required appeals to justify such a suit and that he later recommended the council reverse its decision. In earlier testimony today, Dickie explained circumstances of the filing of the complaint and the town's response. Dickie said that Oster told him he had talked about the matter with Picerno and that the town could settle the $22,000 claim for $15,000. Oster had agreed to reduce $7,000 off the delinquent tax bill. Dickie also testified that Picerno never contested the tax bill with the assessor's office or the board of tax review. He also noted that if someone wished to appeal a tax bill, they had to pay it first. Picerno, Dickie said, had not paid taxes on the property since 1998. Today’s testimony wrapped up with Oster's defense lawyer, C. Leonard O’Brien, cross-examining Dickie, particularly on how the town developed its response to the Picerno tax appeal. Dickie testified he relied on then assessor Emerson Johnston for most of the information on the Picernos’ tax status. He said Johston told him the Picernos had filed an appeal of their tax bill, when in fact they hadn’t. He also said he never asked whether they had actually paid the taxes or not, another requirement for the suit to be legal, assuming Johnston would have told him that if it was relevant. Yesterday, prosecutors sought to establish that Oster and Picerno, a former Planning Board member who was convicted in 2004 on his own bribery charges, had a close financial and political relationship. The state's case alleges Picerno collected the bribes and Oster manipulated town government to favor ones who paid. Allegations in part concern six acres on Route 116 in Lincoln known as the H&H Screw property. Oster, the state's case alleges, conspired with Picerno in two instances to solicit bribes to sell the property, which the town controlled. Oster faces two counts of bribery and two counts of conspiracy in the trial. Read about today's earlier testimony here. Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:57 PM | Comment Crews respond to house fire in ProvidencePROVIDENCE -- Crews have responded to a fire in a single-family house at 75 Ashmont St., according to James Taylor, chief of communications for the Providence Fire Department. It's believed there was an occupant or occupants in the house but that they got out. Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:53 PM | Comment Carcieris address antiabortion rally
Governor and Mrs. Carcieri speak to participants at an antiabortion rally today at the State House. Dozens of people attended the rally, which was sponsored by the Rhode Island State Right to Life Committee. Journal photo / M. Charles Bakst Posted by Karen Bordeleau at 4:16 PM | Comment Carcieri wants to cut money for elderly, nursing homesGovernor Carcieri today unveiled a broad plan to save millions of dollars by moving the elderly and the disabled from nursing homes into less-expensive options in the community. He also suggested, as part of a proposal to change that state's welfare system, steps to encourage two-parent families. He acknowledged these changes would not realize savings next year. The governor said the plan can save $67 million in state funds for fiscal 2009, which begins July 1, and is part of Carcieri's overall budget plan slated to be unveiled Friday. The administration plans to divert $7 million into community programs to ensure there are sufficient resources to allow the elderly to be cared for at home. Under the plan, the state hopes to divert around 10 percent of the patients referred to nursing homes each year into alternatives such as adult daycare, assisted living, or in-home care. The governor's proposal is expected to face opposition from the nursing home industry, as the administration estimates 100 patients would leave the institutions in the coming months and that nursing home populations would decrease by as much as 600 next year as vacancies are not filled. "We’re not in the business of trying to make somebody close their business," said Department of Human Services Director Gary Alexander. "If they happen to close as part of the market forces, I don’t think we’re saying that we’re going to bail them out." Carcieri's plan to curtail welfare benefits also contains a provision to encourage two-parent families. A goal is to "prevent and reduce the incidence of out-of-wedlock pregnancies" and "encourage the foundation and maintenance of families." It relies on faith-based institutions to promote marriage and offer programs that promote marriage and oppose out-of-wedlock births. It is not forecast to provide deficit-closing savings next fiscal year. Carcieri said at this morning's State House news conference that "we can disagree, but a family is a father and a mother, nurturing their children and building a future for themselves." The governor acknowledged the state can't force people to marry or stay together, but he said, "You can set a tone and you try to teach people as to what's best." -- With reports from Steve Peoples of the Journal State House Bureau Posted by Mike McKinney at 3:50 PM | Comment Crossroads needs help, cold days are aheadWith temperatures in the high 40s, it may seem like forever ago, but we've had some very cold days and nights in Rhode Island this winter. The facility closes early in the morning, meaning most of its clients spend their days outside. A statement from the shelter says it has received requests from people for gloves and socks, as we move toward the middle of winter. If you're interested in donating, contact Sara Perry at 277-4325. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 3:09 PM | Comment Update: Witness says Oster agreed to reduce tax billFormer Lincoln Town Administrator Jonathan F. Oster agreed to shave $7,000 off a delinquent tax bill for an alleged business partner, according to testimony by the town's former assistant solicitor During questioning by Assistant Attorney General William Ferland, William Dickie testified about an appeal that the wife of former Lincoln planning official Robert Picerno filed in 2001. She contested $22,000 in taxes that were assessed on the Picerno's house from 1998 to 2000, according to Dickie. He explained the circumstances of the filing of the complaint and the town's response. Dickie said that Oster told him he had talked about the matter with Picerno and that the town could settle the $22,000 claim for $15,000. Dickie also testified that Picerno never contested the tax bill with the assessor's office or the board of tax review. He also noted that if someone wished to appeal a tax bill, they had to pay it first. Picerno, Dickie said, had not paid taxes on the property since 1998. Dickie is expected to continue testimony after the lunch break. -- with reports from Journal staff writer John Hill Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 1:32 PM | Comment Update: Man shot in Providence ID'd as cab driverPROVIDENCE -- A driver for Gonzalez Cab was shot and wounded shortly after 10 last night as he waited outside a house. The police also said today that a 17-year-old Providence resident is in custody as a suspect. Carlos Villalona of Providence, 38, had been called to 37 Seabury St. The cab he was driving was outside the address when two people approached him. One of them fired into the cab and a bullet struck Villalona's right thigh, according to the police. It's not clear why it happened. Villalona was treated at Rhode Island Hospital for the non-life threatening wound. The police later detained two suspects, each 17, who were walking on Huntington Avenue. One remains in custody and is to be charged -- it was not clear in which agency's custody and what the charge or charges would be -- while the other was let go. Last July 16, another cabdriver for Gonzalez Cab Inc., Jose Rodriguez, 42, was shot as he drove three men from Providence to Central Falls in the middle of the day. The police found him in his cab on Fuller Avenue between Sumner and Garfield streets in Central Falls. He died the following day. Six months have passed, and no one has come forward with information that might help police find the person or persons who killed him. A reward is now being offered. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Journal staff writer Gregory Smith Posted by Mike McKinney at 1:19 PM | Comment Oster trial: Ex-detective asked about playground projectPROVIDENCE -- In testimony today in the bribery and conspiracy trial of ex-Lincoln Town Administrator Jonathan F. Oster, a former Lincoln police detective spoke about allegations that Robert Picerno, a former planning official linked with charges against Oster, extorted $5,000 from a town playground renovation contractor. Oster's defense lawyer, C. Leonard O'Brien, this morning questioned Albert A. Martell, former Lincoln detective lieutenant, on complaints police received from contractor Robert Gelfuso, who told Martell that Picerno, a former Lincoln Planning Board member, and another Lincoln official pressured Gelfuso to inflate his bills on the playground project. Under O'Brien's persistent questioning in Providence County Superior Court, Martell said Gelfuso never implicated Oster, who served as town administrator from 2000 to 2002, in any of those efforts. Martell also testified to seeing Picerno on a rear deck of Lincoln Town Hall, a deck that has a door to a large conference room that was next to Oster's office. O'Brien sought to play down the significance of Picerno being seen at the back of Town Hall near the door by getting Martell to describe how the conference room also opened to the town public works and engineering departments -- places that Picerno, as a Planning Board member, could be expected to visit.
Oster is facing two counts of bribery and two counts of conspiracy in the trial. The state’s case alleges that Picerno collected the bribes and Oster manipulated town government to favor the ones who paid. Yesterday, prosecutors used Oster’s ex-campaign treasurer and a former town consultant to seek to show a Superior Court jury that Oster and Picerno, convicted in 2004 on his own bribery charges, had a close financial and political relationship. The case in part focuses on six Route 116 acres known as the H&H Screw property. Oster is accused of conspiring with Picerno in two instances to solicit bribes to sell the property, which the town controlled. Posted by Mike McKinney at 11:59 AM | Comment Saturday is deadline to register to vote in primaryIf you haven’t registered to vote, you’ve just got a few days left. Saturday is the deadline for Rhode Islanders to have a say in deciding who runs for president in the presidential primary, which will be held March 4. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are the Democratic candidates – John Edwards’s name will appear on the ballot, although he dropped out of the race today. On the Republican ballot, voters can choose between Hugh Cort, Rudy Giuliani, Mike Huckabee, John McCain, Mitt Romney and Ron Paul. Voters will also get to cast their ballots for delegates to their party’s National Conventions – in all, 184 Rhode Islanders are vying for 13 spots in the Democratic National Convention in Denver this August and 17 Republicans are looking for a seat at the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minn. in September. Register to vote with your city or town's board of canvassers or town clerk. Municipal offices will be open Sat., Feb. 2. To find out exactly where you can vote and what you'll need, visit the Secretary of State's Web site. “I encourage everyone to take advantage of their right to vote,” Secretary of State Ralph A. Mollis said in a statement. “The upcoming presidential election may set America’s course for the next eight years. Get registered, turn out and make your voice heard.” -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 11:56 AM | Comment Mukasey refuses to judge waterboardingWASHINGTON -- The chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee accused Attorney General Michael Mukasey of ducking questions today on whether waterboarding is torture despite his promise last year to study whether it is illegal. The issue briefly stalled Mukasey's confirmation last fall until he assured Senate Democrats he would review the legality of the harsh interrogation tactic and report back. Waterboarding involves strapping a person down and pouring water over his cloth-covered face to create the sensation of drowning. Ultimately, however, Mukasey said today he would not rule on whether waterboarding is a form of illegal torture because it is not part of the current interrogation methods used by the CIA on terror suspects. His non-answer angered Democrats who said the attorney general should be able to address a legal question. "It is not enough to say that waterboarding is not currently authorized," said Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., the Judiciary Committee's chairman. "Torture and illegality have no place in America." U.S. Sheldon Whitehouse, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, should have a chance today to question Mukasey during the hearing. At a Judiciary Committee hearing on Mukasey's nomination for attorney general, Whitehouse questioned him aggressively on his views of torture, particularly waterboarding. Watch Mukasey explain why he will not judge the legality of waterboarding. -- The Associated Press "Tragically, this administration has so twisted America's role, law and values that our own State Department, our military officers and, apparently, America's top law enforcement officer, are now instructed by the White House not to say that waterboarding is torture and illegal," Leahy said. Mukasey, in his trademark monotone, did not appear rattled. He said he has concluded that current methods used by the CIA to interrogate terror suspects are lawful and that the spy agency is not using waterboarding on its prisoners. Beyond that, Mukasey said he would not discuss whether waterboarding is illegal. "Given that waterboarding is not part of the current program, and may never be added to the program, I do not think it would be appropriate for me to pass definitive judgment on the technique's legality," Mukasey said in his first appearance before the committee since being sworn in Nov. 9. At his confirmation hearings in October, Mukasey refused to define waterboarding as torture because he was unfamiliar with the classified Justice Department memos describing the process and legal arguments surrounding it. The CIA and the Pentagon banned waterboarding in 2006. Critics want the Justice Department to join other nations and outlaw waterboarding as illegal. But U.S. intelligence officials fear that doing so could make government interrogators - including those from the CIA - vulnerable to retroactive criminal charges or civil lawsuits. Waterboarding is at the heart of a Justice Department criminal investigation over whether the CIA illegally or otherwise improperly destroyed videotapes in 2005 of two terror suspects being interrogated. The tapes showed harsh interrogations, including possible waterboarding, of suspected terrorists Abu Zubaydah and Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri in 2002, when both suspects were held in secret CIA prisons overseas. The tapes were destroyed as intelligence officials debated whether waterboarding should be declared illegal. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 11:25 AM | Comment Query: Seeking person for Blizzard of '78 storyThe Providence Journal is preparing a story on the 30th anniversary of the Blizzard of 1978, and we’re looking for a woman named Tara who was born in January 1978 and lived then with her family in Woonsocket. If you are Tara or know how to find her, please contact reporter Tom Mooney at 277-7359 or tmooney@projo.com. Posted by Andrea Panciera at 10:26 AM | Comment Former detective returns to the stand in Oster trialTestimony is set to resume this morning in the case of former Lincoln town administrator Jonathan F. Oster, accused of conspiracy and bribery when he held the position from 2000 to 2002. On the stand yesterday, a former Lincoln police detective testified that the man who prosecutors say collected bribes for Jonathan F. Oster had some shady real estate dealings in town. Former police detective Lt. Albert Martell is expected to return to the stand in Superior Court, Providence, this morning for cross-examination. He ended yesterday’s testimony telling a jury that he noticed former planning board member Robert R. Picerno had his home transferred into his son’s name, even though liens for unpaid taxes shouldn’t have allowed a transfer. -- with reports from Journal staff wirter John Hill Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 9:57 AM | Comment Feds may again cut ratesWASHINGTON -- The Federal Reserve is likely to follow its bold action last week to battle an economic downturn with further interest rate reductions, although analysts are split on just what size the future cuts will be. Some believe the Fed will settle into a series of quarter-point moves, especially if upcoming economic reports show the economy is slowing but not toppling into an actual recession. That would mean the Fed will cut its federal funds rate, the interest that banks charge each other, by a quarter point at the conclusion of today's meeting. It would be the fifth rate cut since last September. Last week, the Fed announced a surprise three-quarter-point cut which drove the funds rate down to 3.5 percent. It was the largest reduction in this rate in more than two decades and the first change in the funds rate between meetings since the immediate aftermath of the September 2001 terrorist attacks. Read the full Associated Press story. Posted by Jack Perry at 9:51 AM | Comment Talking about our immigrationIf reader comments to the 7-to-7 Breaking News Blog are any indication, Rhode Islanders are, to put it mildly, concerned about immigration. Today at Roger Williams University School of Law, four speakers are taking up the topic at a mid-day forum, “The Challenges of Immigration Reform in Rhode Island.” Scheduled speakers are Sen. Juan Pichardo, D-Providence; Col. Ramon Martinez, president and CEO of Progreso Latino; Immigration attorneys Alison Foley and Roberto Gonzalez; and Ivette Luna, community organizer at Ocean State Action. The forum, scheduled for 12:30 p.m. today, will be held at the RWU Law School, Room 30, is sponsored by the American Constitution Society, the ACLU, and a host of attorney and law student organizations. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 9:44 AM | Comment 1 in 3 don't take advantage of food stampsAbout 30 percent of the people who qualify for food stamps are not using them. A University of Rhode Island study reports that a majority of that group are from working families or elderly households. A group of advocates will meet today with Gary Alexander, the director of the state’s Department of Human Services today to discus ways to increase participation in the program. Representatives from the George Wiley Center and an advocacy group started by its members, RI Campaign to Eliminate Childhood Poverty, have suggested extending hours that the state accepts applications and recertification for food stamps; adding staff to process the applications, and requiring recertification every year instead of every six months. The advocates will meet with Alexander at 3:00 this afternoon at the Department’s headquarters, 57 Howard Ave. in Cranston. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 9:15 AM | Comment Tankers may be allowed back on Rt. 195, Fall RiverFALL RIVER, Mass. -- For the first time in years, gasoline tankers and other trucks carrying hazardous cargo may soon be able to travel through downtown Fall River on Interstate 195. The trucks have been diverted on to city streets since 1999, when concrete slabs fell from the ceiling of the Government Center underpass and injured seven motorists. Mayor Robert Correia has asked the state highway department to allow tankers to remain on I-195 during the hours of 5 p.m. and 8 a.m. The detours would remain in place between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Correia says the detours bring hazardous cargo into local neighborhoods, posing a danger to residents. He says he decided to act after a tanker fire in December that destroyed two multifamily homes and more than 20 vehicles in Everett. -- The Associated Press Posted by Jack Perry at 8:02 AM | Comment Cause of fire at Foxwoods hotel under investigationMASHANTUCKET, Conn. -- A spokesman for the Foxwoods Resort Casino says the Great Cedar Hotel, where fire broke out on the roof yesterday, will remain closed for a few days. Saverio Mancini says there has been water damage to the upper floors of the hotel, although nobody was injured in the blaze. Mancini says guests who had been evacuated were allowed to retrieve personal belongings this morning. Mancini says the state fire marshal and the chief of the Mashantucket tribal fire department will be inspecting the damage. Officials evacuated the entire 312-room building. As a precaution, officials also evacuated the Great Cedar Casino, located on the ground floor of the hotel and one of Foxwoods' six casinos. Mancini says the casino has been reopened. Last Friday, a blaze on exterior foam-based sculpting at the Monte Carlo in Las Vegas caused employees and guests in some 2,400 occupied rooms to be evacuated. A cause of that fire has not been determined.
Posted by Andrea Panciera at 8:02 AM | Comment Shooting in Providence sends one to hospitalA shooting in Providence last night sent one person at the hospital. The shooting was near 32 Seabury St. just after 10 p.m., according to Providence Fire Department Chief of Communications James Taylor. No more information was available at this time. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 7:41 AM | Comment Carcieri to discuss Medicaid, welfare reform plansGovernor Carcieri will discuss his plans for changing state Medicaid/Family Independence programs, which he says will produce savings that will be part of his fiscal 2009 state budget proposal. The plans will be unveiled at 11:30 a.m. at the State House. The governor expects to submit the 2009 spending plan to the General Assembly this week. The federal/state Medicaid health program is for low-income individuals and families and pays for such things as long-term care for seniors, primarily nursing homes, and helps people with disabilities, often in group homes. Carcieri's office said the state departments of Human Services, Children, Youth and Families, Elderly Affairs, and Mental Health, Retardation and Hospitals spend Medicaid money to support various state programs. The Family Independence Program -- the state’s welfare program -- is run by the Department of Human Services. “One example of the kind of reform I am talking about is in the area of long-term care,” Carcieri said in last week's State of the State address. “I know from experience that most seniors would prefer to stay in their homes, or be cared for by a loved one, rather than enter a nursing home. All the data shows that not only does it result in greater longevity and improved quality of life -- in fact it is less costly.” Carcieri said he intends to change the state’s Medicaid program “from one centered on institutions and agencies to a system that focuses on the people who use it: our children, elderly, and those with disabilities.” -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Jack Perry at 7:02 AM | Comment Warm, windy and rainyYou could be forgiven for thinking it's fall when you first go outside this morning. But rest assured, it's still winter, just a little warm with temperatures already near 40 at 6:30 a.m. and headed toward the high 40s later in the day. The forecast isn't perfect, though. The National Weather Service is forecasting high west winds gusting as much as 46 mph and a 90 percent chance of rain. Skies should clear up tonight, when the temperature drops nearly 30 degrees to about 19 and winds continue, gusting up to 40 mph from the west. We can expect sunny skies and temperatures near 40 tomorrow with milder, northwest winds between 5 and 7 mph. For more weather and regular updates, see projo.com/weather. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 7:01 AM | Comment Today's front pageToday's front page reports on Arizona Sen. John McCain's victory in the Florida primary and also features a local story reporting that housing programs could suffer if Governor Carcieri's proposal for revising this year's budget is adopted. Download a copy of today's front page in .pdf format. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:00 AM | Comment January 29, 2008Photo: No uniform approach to these school clothes
Posted by Andrea Panciera at 7:04 PM | Comment Carcieri to unveil proposed Medicaid changes tomorrowGovernor Carcieri tomorrow will lay out his plans for changing state Medicaid/Family Independence programs, which he says will derive savings that will be part of his fiscal 2009 state budget proposal. The plans will be unveiled at 11:30 a.m. at the State House. The governor expects to submit the 2009 spending plan to the General Assembly this week. The federal/state Medicaid health program is for low-income individuals and families and pays for such things as long-term care for seniors, primarily nursing homes, and helps people with disabilities, often in group homes. At the moment, Carcieri's office said in a news release today, the state departments of Human Services, Children, Youth and Families, Elderly Affairs, and Mental Health, Retardation and Hospitals spend Medicaid money to support various state programs. The Family Independence Program -- the state’s welfare program -- is run by the Department of Human Services. “One example of the kind of reform I am talking about is in the area of long-term care,” Carcieri said in last week's State of the State address. “I know from experience that most seniors would prefer to stay in their homes, or be cared for by a loved one, rather than enter a nursing home. All the data shows that not only does it result in greater longevity and improved quality of life -- in fact it is less costly.” Carcieri said he intends to change the state’s Medicaid program “from one centered on institutions and agencies to a system that focuses on the people who use it: our children, elderly, and those with disabilities.” -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:57 PM | Comment Tonight: The Bard's work at Trinity RepertoryThere's still time, if you hurry over. Trinity Repertory Company in Providence puts on a production of Shakespeare's Richard III -- a "timely, violent" production, writes Journal theater critic Channing Gray. The play starts at 7 p.m. at the 201 Washington St. theater. Tickets are $10 to $30. Call (401) 351-4242 or go to www.trinityrep.com. The play is already sold out for tomorrow's performance, according to its Web site. But the show continues through March 2. Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:49 PM | Comment Fired EMA heads hired by Barrington security outfitThe state and Providence emergency management directors who were fired after the debacle of last month’s fast-moving snowstorm have been snapped up as emergency management consultants for a corporate and public-sector security consulting company in Barrington. Robert J. Warren, the former executive director of the Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency, and Leo Messier, the former director of the Providence Emergency Management Agency, have been retained for their emergency management expertise as part of the consulting work offered by Enright & Associates, Inc. The company is headed by John J. Enright, former U.S. Secret Service agent and former director of counter-terrorism and law enforcement for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Rhode Island. Enright announced Warren’s hiring today in a news release: “Bob Warren adds a level of experience and professionalism to our company that will provide our clients with the expertise they need to address the emergency preparedness challenges of the future, and the comfort of knowing that it is coming from one of the region’s most knowledgeable professionals.” Messier’s biography also appears on the company Web site www.enrightassociates.com, where he’s noted for his emergency management experience and ability to capture federal grants. Enright said that the expertise both men have in emergency management planning and response will add to his company’s ability to help clients in the public and private sector with establishing plans for continuing their business and municipal operations during a crisis. A posting for the job once held by Warren has now been posted by the state -- without requiring experience in emergency management or public safety. It was listed without notice on the state Department of Labor and Training’s Web site yesterday, with an application period that began yesterday and ends Friday. Meanwhile, the association of local emergency directors in Rhode Island sent a letter to Governor Carcieri today urging him to bring Warren back. The letter signed by the association’s president, West Warwick emergency director Thomas Senerchia, said the group was very disappointed in Carcieri’s decision to fire a man who was “responsive,” “dedicated to the cause,” and “very accessible.” “The ‘storm’ of December 13 2007, was fast and furious and caught everyone of us by surprise. I don’t believe that anyone should be held responsible for this ‘act of God,’” the association’s letter stated. “You must know that Emergency Managers don’t self dispatch. We are NOT first responders. We are a supportive agency that provides help with every resource that we may have at our disposal BUT we MUST be asked for that help. We cannot simply ‘show up’ and impose ourselves on any municipality! This is NOT a military state and it should not be run as such! Please reconsider your firing of a man that took this agency to new heights and of a man that we all admired.” -- Journal staff writer Amanda Milkovits Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:01 PM | Comment Oster trial: Land-transfer concerns ends Day One
The property, the Picerno family home on Preakness Drive, was transferred despite liens on it for unpaid taxes. Martell said that should have prevented any change of ownership until the taxes were paid. Oster is on trial in Superior Court on two charges of bribery and two counts of conspiracy for alleged activities when he was town administrator from 2000 to 2002. Oster’s case concerns six acres on Route 116 near the Blackstone River called the H&H Screw property. The land's legal status has remained unresolved since the early 1990s when the owner went bankrupt and no one took title to the property. Another prosecutor, Bethany Macktaz, said in opening statements yesterday that the state will show that twice, in 2001 and 2002, with different buyers, Oster and Picerno conspired to sell the property at a “rock bottom” price in exchange for bribes. In 2004, Picerno pleaded no contest to four counts of bribery and three counts of conspiracy related to this case. The defense lawyer contends Picerno is seeking leniency in his sentencing. This afternoon's testimony was taken up mostly by L. Robert Smith, a civil engineer who worked for the town of Lincoln in 2001 while it was searching for a permanent, certified town engineer. Smith told how he was recruited by Picerno to work for the town. Under direct examination by prosecutor William Ferland, Smith said at one time he had been frustrated at being unable to reach the town’s lawyers -- he was to be a witness in a land use suit -- and Oster. He said during an encounter at the Lodge restaurant with Oster and Picerno, who had invited him there, Oster told him that if he was having trouble reaching him to call Picerno. But on cross examination, Oster's defense lawyer, C. Leonard O’Brien, established that when Picerno contacted Smith about working for the town he was part of Oster’s transition team. O’Brien also got Smith to say that though Oster had told him to call Picerno if the engineer needed to reach him, Smith never did. Click the following link to read reports from trial activity earlier today. -- projo.com staff writers Michael P. McKinney and Brandie M. Jefferson and Journal staff writer John Hill Prosecution seeks to link ex-planning official Earlier today, the prosecution sought to show that Picerno, an ex-Lincoln Planning Board member, was a significant campaign fund-raiser for Oster. Under prosecutor Macktaz's questioning, Michael Hill, Oster’s campaign treasurer, testified that in 2000 Oster's campaign raised $43,284 -- and that $10,655 of it came from a fund-raiser Macktaz said former planning official/former Oster ally Robert Picerno organized at the Aurora civic club in December 2000. O'Brien sought to play down Picerno's role in the fundraising activities. He pointed out that $10,655 figure did not include expenses for a sit-down dinner. He also pressed Hill on how heavily involved Picerno was in the fundraiser, suggesting to Hill that it was not referred to as a Picerno fundraiser until state police started calling it that with Hill.
The first morning of testimony was taken up mostly by current Lincoln Town Clerk Karen Allen as the state began to lay the groundwork for its case. The state introduced into evidence town land records and tax assessor records mostly concerning the Route 116 land. On cross examination, O’Brien challenged some of the records, particularly those from the assessor's office that discussed the value of the land. O’Brien argued that since Allen wasn’t involved in production or recording of the records, she was not qualified to testify about them, and therefore they should not have been entered into evidence. Superior Court Judge Gilbert V. Indeglia overruled O'Brien's objection, admitting the records into the official court documents. Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:56 PM | Comment Update: Foxwoods hotel fire forces out hundreds / Photo
MASHANTUCKET, Conn. -- A seven-alarm fire on a hotel roof forced hundreds of gamblers and guests out of Foxwoods Resort Casino today. It was the second rooftop fire at an American hotel-casino since Friday, when a blaze damaged the top floors of the Monte Carlo on the Las Vegas Strip and sent 17 people to hospitals with minor injuries. There were no injuries reported from the fire today at the Great Cedar Hotel, one of three hotels at Foxwoods, said Arthur Henick, a spokesman for the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe, which runs the casino. The fire, reported shortly after 11:30 a.m., was still smoldering this afternoon. The cause was under investigation. Henick said Foxwoods officials were not speculating about whether the fire was an accident or arson, but they believed it started on the roof of the eight-story building. He said he was not aware of any construction work that was being done on the roof. Officials first evacuated the top three floors of the hotel, then later evacuated the entire 312-room building. As a precaution, officials also evacuated the Great Cedar Casino, located on the ground floor of the hotel and one of Foxwoods' six casinos. Casino officials were assessing the damage. Henick said most of the damage to the top floors is expected to be from all the water used to put out the fire. He said the fire was confined to the roof area. "We've had some smoky things before," Henick said about previous incidents at Foxwoods. "Certainly in the 10 years I've been here, it's the biggest we've ever had." +-- The Associated Press More than 50 firefighters from the tribe's fire department and nearby towns responded. The tribal and state fire marshals' offices also are investigating. Donna Garfield of Lawrence, Mass., told The Day of New London that she was gambling at a slot machine when security personnel told her to leave the building. "All I was told was that we had to leave for safety reasons but I didn't know there was a fire until I saw the fire trucks outside," she said. On Friday, a blaze on exterior foam-based sculpting at the Monte Carlo in Las Vegas caused employees and guests in some 2,400 occupied rooms to be evacuated. A cause of that fire has not been determined. Posted by Jack Perry at 5:37 PM | Comment W. Warwick man indicted today on murder chargeA West Warwick man was indicted today on one count of murder for allegedly stabbing to death Ronald Dufour in November last year in West Warwick. The Kent County Grand Jury handed up an indictment today naming Robert E. Payette on the murder count, Attorney General Patrick C. Lynch's office announced this evening. Payette will be arraigned in Kent County Superior Court on Feb. 15. The Journal reported that Payette, of 19 Maple Ave, was arrested Nov. 11. State police said they received a tip that Payette stabbed Dufour, 66, of 56 Maple Ave., at River Run apartments, then dumped the body into a hole at the bottom of a ravine leading to the Pawtuxet River behind the complex. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with Journal archival reports CORRECTION: The original version of this posting incorrectly reported the name of Ronald Dufour. Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:15 PM | Comment Voters in mock election at Central High pick ObamaPROVIDENCE -- Hillary Rodham Clinton, beware. If today’s mock presidential election at Central High School carries any symbolic weight, then it is clear that Barack Obama has captured the hearts and minds of the millennial generation. Today, six “presidential” candidates from Central High School tried to make their pitch to a room of high school juniors and seniors, many of whom are too young to vote in the March 4 presidential primary in Rhode Island. It was all part of a morning-long primer in the democratic process sponsored by Central High School’s Jill Teixeira, who runs Project Impact, a program that helps students make the transition from high school to adulthood. Besides the teenage candidates, the keynote speakers were Secretary of State Ralph Mollis and General Treasurer Frank Caprio. “This is a historic election,” Mollis told 250 high school juniors and seniors in the high school’s cafeteria. “It’s the first election in more than a generation in which neither the incumbent president nor the vice president are running for re-election.” And the diversity of this year’s candidates -- a black man, a woman, a Mormon and a Vietnam War veteran -- is also unprecedented, he said. “Who in this room,” Mollis asked, “has been paying attention to the campaign?” Only a few hands went up. Next, Mollis underscored the power of one vote. If one person in every polling place in every state had changed their vote seven years ago, President George W. Bush would not be sitting in the White House. Then it was time for the main event. Six young men and women took the microphone and made a case for their respective candidates: on the Republican slate, Octavio Gomez for Mike Huckabee; Fily Rosales for Mitt Romney; Julio Jimenez for John McCain; and, on the Democratic side, Linette de Jesus for Barack Obama; Ariel Acosta for Hillary Rodham Clinton and Steven Hopp for John Edwards. -- Journal staff writer Linda Borg De Jesus read a compelling article from the Atlantic Monthly called “Why Obama Matters,” in which the author argues that Obama is the only candidate who can heal the generational divide between the baby-boomers and the younger generations. “It isn’t just that Obama is about ending the war,” she said, ‘It’s about ending the war within America that has crippled America. It’s the war over culture, gender, race and religion. “When the world is changing this rapidly, sometimes the greater risk is caution,” De Jesus said. “We may have found that bridge to the 21st century. His name is Obama.” Hopp seemed to be channeling Edwards, with his call for a quick end to the Iraq war, his pledge to make health care universal and his promise to reduce poverty. But it was his pledge to raise the minimum wage to $9.50 that really caught the crowd’s attention because this audience knows what it’s like to earn only $7.40 an hour. “I like that!” one teenager yelled. Acosta stayed on message. Clinton, she said, is the only candidate with enough experience to step into the White House and hit the ground running. Borrowing a phrase from Edwards, she said, “Hillary Clinton has been standing up for the middle class since Day 1.” And taking a page from Obama, Acosta said, “She has what it takes to make a new beginning.” Gomez, a Huckabee man, sounded like he wrote the stump speech himself. More importantly, he sounded like he believed in every word he said. “I want our children to think outside the box, to think outside the cardboard factory,” he said, looking sharp in a neutral-toned suit. “It’s just as important to encourage children with artistic talent as it is to encourage children with athletic talent.” Then, Gomez rattled off a bunch of statistics to bolster his argument that the arts make a difference in the lives of impoverished students: Children who are exposed to the arts do better academically; they are less likely to engage in delinquent behavior and they are less likely to drop out. In keeping with Huckabee’s self-proclaimed outsider status, Gomez was more than willing to rattle the chains of organized labor. In one breath, he promised to oppose the teachers’ union, while in the next, he also said he would raise their salaries. “We need to hold teachers accountable,” Gomez said, his voice rising. “We need to test teachers as well as students. We should forgive teachers’ student loans to attract high-quality teachers to low-performing schools.” After the speeches were over, students were invited to vote in a mock presidential election using real paper ballots and an actual voting machine. A highly unscientific exit poll showed that Obama had captured the imagination of the under-19 crowd. Here’s a few reasons why: “Obama comes from the same background,” said Marisol Oppenheimer, a senior. “Race is a big deal. We’ve never had a black president before.” “Every time he speaks on television, he talks about the future of children,” said Nicoli Beasley, a senior. “That concerns me because I’m going to college.” But there were a few voters who were swayed by the gender issue. As Robert Beausoleil put it, “I want to see a girl for president.” When all was said and done, Obama won the Democratic election by a more than 2-1 majority, with 78 votes to Clinton’s 57 votes. Edwards trailed with a total of 27 votes. On the Republican side, McCain demolished his rivals, scoring 20 votes to Romney’s 6. Huckabee received four votes, Rudy Giuliani received two votes and Fred Thompson, who is no longer a candidate, got one vote. Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:10 PM | Comment Providence man injured in Webster, Mass., shootingDUDLEY, Mass. -- A judge has ordered a Worcester man held without bail on a charge of murdering his ex-girlfriend at a Webster auto parts store yesterday. Authorities say 38-year-old William Goddard also shot and injured another worker, who is from Providence, at Action Crash Parts. Goddard was arraigned today in Dudley District Court on a charge of murder and armed assault with intent to commit murder. The charges stem from the shooting death of 30-year-old Kelly Brackley, a mother of five from Auburn. The police say Brackley was the target in the attack and that her co-worker, 25-year-old Yograj Shivoasani of Providence, suffered a gunshot wound in the arm. Goddard eluded the police for several hours before he was arrested in the woods in Berlin after a standoff. -- The Associated Press Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:14 PM | Comment Lynch, other AGs seek denial of S.C. coal-fired plantCHARLESTON, S.C. -- Rhode Island Attorney General Patrick Lynch joined seven attorneys general to ask environmental officials in South Carolina to deny a permit to build a coal-fired power plant. A letter sent this month says the proposed plant would release millions of tons of carbon dioxide in the air, hurting efforts to reduce greenhouse gases. Lynch signed it, as did his counterparts from Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont and other states. The power plant is expected to provide enough power for 600,000 homes. The company proposing it, Santee Cooper, says it will be built with equipment to meet or exceed state and federal standards. The same group of attorneys general sent a letter to Kansas officials last year arguing against a power plant. That permit was denied. -- The Associated Press Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:10 PM | Comment Governor to unveil plans to trim Ocean Staters' figuresGovernor Carcieri, who has made headlines with proposals to put state budget figures on a crash diet, will tomorrow help launch a program aimed at trimming your figure. Carcieri and Dr. David Gifford, the state Health Department director, will be among officials unveiling a "year-long wellness initiative" -- cut the calories, in ordinary-people speak -- called “Healthy Weight in 2008." The announcement will be at 10 a.m. tomorrow at Thundermist Health Center in Woonsocket. Fifity-six percent of adults are overweight or obese in Rhode Island, the governor's office said in a news release today. Health problems related to being overweight and obesity include high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, Type 2 diabetes, asthma, heart disease, stroke, arthritis, depression, and various cancers. Tomorrow's goal is to tell people about activities and events being planned this year. The initiative includes several partner organizations. “Rhode Islanders should stay tuned all through the year for Healthy Weight in 2008 events and information that will be fun and helpful,” the governor said. “Once again, Rhode Island will lead the way in wellness.” The news release focused on trimming calories can't resist a little something about trimming finances: "According to the National Governors Association," it says, "taxpayers pay for half the cost of the nation’s medical expenses directly attributed to obesity. "In the State of Rhode Island, that translates to $185 per taxpayer each year." -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:00 PM | Comment Photo: Overflow crowd at House finance panel hearing
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