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« January 2008 | Today | March 2008 » February 29, 2008Tonight: Follies for ticket-holders, RVs for the restThe Providence Newspaper Guild Follies will take place tonight -- for those with tickets. The annual event brings Rhode Island politicos, journalists and others to the statued Venus de Milo restaurant in Swansea, Mass., for skits and song -- all capturing the foibles of Rhode Island events and politics of the past year. For everyone else, there's always the 15th annual RV Camping Show, which runs to 9 p.m. Hundreds of exhibitors show the latest RVs at the Rhode Island Convention Center, 1 Sabin St., Providence. Or check out here what's doing in the club scene tonight. Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:55 PM | Comment Mollis: Assembly more compliant with meetings lawPROVIDENCE -- State lawmakers improved their compliance with the state Open Meetings Law in 2007, according to Secretary of State A. Ralph Mollis. The Access 2007 report gives grades of A, B, C, D and F for two categories. One is letter of the law, which is "technical compliance" with the Open Meetings Law and the other is spirit of the law, which tries to gauge the House and Senate's intent to meet the law. Mollis's office offered these highlights in a news release: * Every House and Senate standing committee got an “A” in meeting the spirit of the law. * The House's compliance with the letter of the law was 86 percent of its 2007 meetings, compared to 57 percent in 2006. The House went from an F to a B in the letter of the law category and maintained an A in meeting the spirit of the law. Every House standing committee improved. * Senate compliance with the letter of the law was 90 percent of its 2007 meetings, compared to 67 percent in 2006. The Senate got an A, up from a D in 2006, in meeting letter of the law, Mollis's office said, and it maintained an A for meeting the spirit of the law. All but one Senate standing committee performed better. The Open Meetings Law mandates that most state and local agencies, departments, commissions, and others post electronic and written notices of meetings at least 48 hours before a meeting is held. Such public notices must have the date, time, place and the agenda. The General Assembly is not subject to the law. "To their credit, the House and the Senate made more than a good-faith effort to keep the public apprised of their work even though compliance with the Open Meetings Law is completely voluntary on their part," Mollis said in the statement. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:30 PM | Comment N. Kingstown school panel pays fine for meeting violationNORTH KINGSTOWN -- The School Committee has agreed to pay a $1,500 fine for an Open Meeting Act violation, Attorney General Patrick C. Lynch's office announced this evening. Lynch's office had sued, asserting a "willful or knowing violation" by the North Kingstown School Committee when it held an Aug. 23, 2006 meeting, despite having posted public notice for the meeting less than the mandated 48 hours before the meeting was held. Under the consent judgment, entered in Washington County Superior Court today, the School Committee agreed to pay the state a $1,500 fine and "has represented that it has taken corrective measures to ensure that it electronically files notice of a meeting with the Secretary of State’s Office at least 48 hours in advance," Lynch's news release said. Also, all votes taken at the August 23, 2006 meeting were reaffirmed by the School Committee at a subsequent meeting. “It stands to reason that the North Kingstown School Committee will be more mindful of complying with our open-government laws as a result of this litigation,” Lynch said in a statement. “Upon realizing that the meeting was not properly posted, the committee should have canceled and then rescheduled the meeting. Open government is at the very core of our democratic principles, and it is incumbent on public bodies to abide by the laws governing the Open Meetings Act and the Access to Public Records Act.” -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:54 PM | Comment Chelsea Clinton stays on target at Roger WilliamsBRISTOL -- Although she sounded hoarse from campaigning, Chelsea Clinton stayed on target for an hour and 20 minutes this afternoon as she spoke on behalf of her mother, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, at Roger Williams University. The former First Daughter -- now 28 -- answered questions from an attentive and alert audience of about 325 students assembled in a former cafeteria at the school. They asked, and she answered, questions about Senator Clinton's positions on policies ranging from the war on drugs to the war in Iraq. Unlike her father, former President Bill Clinton, who stopped in Rhode Island yesterday, she had few laugh lines in her speech. But she also held back on attacks on her mother's chief rival, Sen. Barack Obama. Instead, her target of choice was President Bush, saying she was very disappointed in his administration. Dressed in dark blue jeans, shiny black shoes, with a tight blue jacket over a floral blouse, Chelsea Clinton looked casual yet tailored. It was an outfit that could take her several places in a day. She has already been in Vermont today. Her next stop -- the Venus de Milo restaurant in nearby Swansea, Mass., where she's expected to stand on the receiving line at The Providence Journal Newspaper Guild Follies. No, for those who may wonder, she is not expected to be the Mystery Guest at the annual satire on state and local politics. Instead, she has another stop to make tonight between 8 and 9 p.m., back in Providence, with a meeting of young professionals at the Paragon restaurant. -- With reports from Journal staff writer John Castellucci Posted by Andrea Panciera at 5:48 PM | Comment Update: Police chief says officers used 'great restraint'EAST PROVIDENCE -- Police Chief Hubert Paquette emphasized this afternoon that his officers used "great restraint" during a struggle with a 40-year-old man who fell unconscious and died. But he acknowledged that his department "mistakenly" interpreted protocol in belatedly informing the state attorney general of the death. In a statement issued at a late-afternoon press conference -- the department's first since the Wednesday evening incident was announced in a statement yesterday afternoon -- the chief said his officers "risked great personal injury" rather than use deadly force. The reason his department delayed notifying the attorney general's office, the chief said, was because his officers did not use methods of restraint defined as deadly force. Instead, he said, they used verbal commands, "OC" spray, and strikes to the body, which he said "are commonly used by police departments." A cause of death has not yet been determined for Leonel Farias, a 6-foot, 300-pound man diagnosed as schizophrenic and diabetic, who confronted the police with a steak knife when they responded to a help call from his 513 James St. home. For the first time, Paquette indicated how many officers may have been on the scene. He said three members of the force initially responded and encountered Farias in front of his house early Wednesday evening. One of them, a female, sustained enough injuries in struggle with Farias so that she is now on Two other officers, he said, who also were injured to some degree, are still on the job. Last night, in an interview with a Journal reporter, family members alleged the officers continued beating Farias after he'd been knocked out with chemical spray and was down. Farias was later pronounced dead at Rhode Island Hospital. Yesterday afternoon, a spokesman for Attorney General Patrick C. Lynch said it “is troubling and does not inspire confidence” in the East Providence Police Department that the attorney general's office was not notified by the police of the death until 8:30 a.m. yesterday. “You can’t reconstruct a scene 15 hours after the fact,” spokesman Michael J. Healey yesterday. “That’s the salient issue here.” In a Journal interview earlier today, Paquette admitted his department had made a protocol mistake in not informing the AG's office sooner. He also said he has sent out a department memo to prevent such late notification from happening again. He also said at the press conference that he had wanted to look at reports of the incident before holding the press conference. He did not release any reports. -- With reports from projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Andrea Panciera at 5:37 PM | Comment WPRI poll: Clinton holds 9-point lead over ObamaHillary Clinton holds a 9-point lead over Barack Obama among Rhode Island voters surveyed this week as the Democratic presidential primary looms, a Channel 12 WPRI/RIpolitics.tv poll released this afternoon found. People polled were asked whom they would vote for if the state's Democratic primary were held that day. Forty-nine percent said Clinton, 40 percent said Obama and 11 percent were not certain. The poll, done by Fleming & Associates in phone interviews from Feb. 24 to 27, used 401 registers voters statewide. The primary on Tuesday is one of several nationwide. Despite its small size, Rhode Island's role in the tight race is considered signficant, and both candidates have been actively campaigning here. A high voter turnout is expected in Rhode Island. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Andrea Panciera at 5:10 PM | Comment Update: Opening statements in smoke-shop trial / Photo
The prosecution took about an hour to lay out its case against the defendants, using up to 10 photos taken the day of their arrests. Prosecutor Pamela Chin says they will help prove the state’s case that the police were “just doing their job,” executing what she called a court authorized search warrant on the shop, which was selling tobacco products tax free. The defense team put on a lengthy argument this morning in which lawyer William P. Devereaux alleged that what happened on the Narragansett land was not so much an execution of a search warrant, but "a raid." Devereaux said that the state, rather than execute a search warrant, chose a means of confrontation in trying to shut down the tribe's plan to sell untaxed cigarettes. He said the state chose confrontation over going to court to seek an injunction. Fellow defense lawyer Kevin Bristow went further in his allegations, saying that the governor of the state of Rhode Island wanted to "do the maximum economic harm to the Narragansett Indians" by ordering that the raid take place when a shipment of cigarettes were being delivered. Bristow said the state chose not to get a federal warrant to stop the selling of cigarettes, or to simply ban customers from entering the shop. And Bristow said the defense would produce the state police major in charge of the operation, who will testify that never in his 25 years on the state police had he been ordered directly by the governor to execute a search warrant. And finally, Bristow said the attorney general, who is the chief law enforcement officer of the state, "had nothing to do with the execution of the search warrant." -- Journal staff writer Tom Mooney But even before opening arguments, Superior Court Judge Susan E. McGuirl outlined the history of the relationship between the Narragansetts and the state. She focused primarily on the last few decades and explained a 1978 tribal land settlement agreement that essentially put tribal members under the civil and criminal jurisdiction of the state. McGuirl also outlined how some elements of the smoke-shop case had played out in federal court here, and in appeals court in Boston, in the last 4 ½ years. Both courts ruled against the defendants, and the state Supreme Court refused to hear the case. The defense is set to make opening arguments shortly. Yesterday, the jury visited the site of the shop on tribal land on Route 2 in Charlestown. Extra: See video and photos of the raid and coverage of the ensuing events. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 4:04 PM | Comment Man, 28, dies after being hit by train in New BedfordA 28-year-old former Fall River, Mass., man struck by a train yesterday in New Bedford died from his injuries last night, the New Bedford police said today. Richard Boyden, most recently of Springfield, Mass., was run over by a train just after noon in the area of Worcester and Lynn streets. Preliminary investigation found was trespassing on the railroad tracks and was drinking with a friend when Boyden tried to jump onto the train's caboose. He slipped off the train and was then run over by it "causing significant threatening injuries to his lower extremities," the police said in a statement today. Boyden's friend ran for help, with New Bedford and Massachusetts State Police and emergency personnel responding. Boyden was taken to St. Luke's Hospital in New Bedford with what the police said were life-threatening injuries. He was moved to Beth Israel Hospital in Boston. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 3:55 PM | Comment No misstep here; Pawtucket St. Pat's parade tomorrowThe Pawtucket St. Patrick’s Day Parade is getting ready to roll. Although it’s more than two weeks before the day the world typically celebrates the patron saint of Ireland, March 17, the parade is scheduled this year for tomorrow, March 1. And yes, the mayor’s office said, it’s on, despite the fact that tomorrow’s forecast isn’t exactly parade friendly: A wintry mix of 2 to 4 inches of sleet and snow with temperatures in the mid-30s. For the first time since 1940, St. Patrick’s Day falls during Holy Week, the week before the Christian holiday of Easter. The Roman Catholic Church has said masses in honor of Patrick cannot be held during the week. And some bishops are trying to keep parades and other celebrations from going on, too. Pawtucket's parade, however, was not moved to accommodate those wishes -- it's traditionally been one of the earliest celebrations in the state. Led by state Rep. Peter F. Kilmartin, the procession will start at Jenks Junior High, taking Walcott Street to downtown and ending in front of City Hall. After the parade, there will be food and music at the Pawtucket Armory on Exchange Street; $2 for adults and free for kids 12 and younger. To accommodate the parade, the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority will detour buses in Pawtucket. Click to see the changes. -- With reports from the Journal archives and the Associated Press Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 3:50 PM | Comment Providence's historic Turk's Head building sold
"The property was not actively on the market," said Thomas V. Moses, a Providence lawyer who advises the Granoff family. "They were offered far beyond what the value was and were able to make a sizeable profit." Brothers Evan and Lloyd Granoff bought the building, now 95 years old, in 1997 for $4.2 million. The brothers spent "millions" renovating the building during the decade they owned it, according to Moses. The building is located in the heart of the city's financial district - it's the one with the rounded corner at the intersection of Weybosset and Westminster Streets. A scowling Turk's head is carved above the second floor and stares out over the streets. The building became part of a block of properties they assembled in the city's financial district, which included The Arcade, a Weybosset Street building that was formerly home of the St. Francis Chapel, a parking garage, and the Union Trust Building at 170 Westminster St. The Granoffs are also partners in the One Ten Westminster hotel-condo project. Last August, the Granoffs sold the 12-story Union Trust building to FB Capital Partners for $6.55 million. FB Capital Partners lists the same Philadelphia address as the entity that purchased the Turk's Head building - 76 Westminster St. LLC. The Turk's Head sale closed Feb. 8. "It was almost with a heavy heart that they agreed to sell it," Moses said of the Turk's Head building. -- Journal staff writer Paul Grimaldi Posted by Jack Perry at 2:41 PM | Comment Photo: Kennedy father-son appear on Obama's behalf
Posted by Andrea Panciera at 2:37 PM | Comment 3 sentenced for beating death of rival gang memberPROVIDENCE -- The three gang members looked like boys today as they stood before the judge and pleaded guilty to charges stemming from their roles in the beating death of a rival member of the Young Bloods street gang. But the youthful defendants will be middle-aged men the next time they see the world outside the walls of the Adult Correctional Institutions. Superior Court Judge Robert D. Krause sentenced the three killers -- Sarith Chith, 20, Thomas P. Havey, 20, and Tavares Morales, 19 -- to lengthy prison terms for last year’s murder of Vicheth Klakratok. Klakratok, 24, was the city’s first homicide of 2007 and the fatal beating underscored the growing problem of gang violence in the West End. Chith, Havey and Morales are members of the Hanover Street Boyz street gang. In the early morning hours of Jan. 27, 2007, Klakratok just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. To make matters worse, he was wearing the red colors of the Young Bloods. Klakratok’s gang and the Hanover Boyz have been bitter rivals for years. Chith and Havey pleaded guilty to charges of second-degree murder, while Morales pleaded guilty to manslaughter. All three defendants also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit felony assault. Chith, who struck Klakratok in the head with a pipe, received the stiffest sentence -- 60 years in prison, 42 years to serve with 18 years suspended. Havey, who admitted to striking the victim in the head with a baseball bat, received 50 years, 30 years to serve with 20 years suspended. Morales was sentenced to 30 years in prison, 18 years to serve with 12 years suspended. He was not armed with a weapon, but he repeatedly kicked Klakratok on the ground. View a special report: The Gangs of Providence. -- Journal staff writer W. Zachary Malinowski All three of them declined to address the court. They were shackled and chained before they were paraded out of the courtroom for their next stop: the state prison complex in Cranston. Michael McCarthy, an assistant attorney general, told the court that, had the case gone to trial, he would have proven that Chith, Havey and Morales beat Klakratok to death on the corner of Cranston Street and Benedict Street in the West End. At about 2:30 a.m., a brawl between the Young Bloods and Hanover Boyz erupted near a 7-11 convenience store at 775 Cranston St. The street fight involved about 40 gang members armed with baseball bats and pipes. Several car windows and head lights were smashed. There were reports of shots fired and the police raced to the scene. Meanwhile, two cars with the Young Bloods drove off, leaving Klakratok behind. Prosecutor McCarthy said that the gang member ran east on Cranston Street toward the downtown area. He said that Havey, driving a dark sports utility vehicle, chased after him and caught up to him near the corner of Benedict Street. Chith, Havey and Morales piled out of the car and attacked Klakratok. The police found him on the ground, blood flowing from his head into a freshly fallen snow. Standing before the judge, the three gang members all agreed with the prosecutor’s version of the events leading up to and including the murder. White also said that Klakratok hoped that the stiff penalties would steer other youths away from gangs. He cried and wiped tears from his eyes as the interpreter translated the message. Members of the Havey and Morales families also were teary-eyed as the young men pleaded guilty and were sent away. No one was there to offer support for Chith. A police officer who worked on the investigation said that Chith called a family member after he was charged in the murder. "Don’t bother calling us anymore,’’ said the loved one. Posted by Jack Perry at 2:01 PM | Comment Police chief admits protocol mistake in reporting deathEAST PROVIDENCE -- Police Chief Hubert Paquette said today it was a mistake for his department not to notify the Attorney General's Office until yesterday morning about resident Leonel Farias's death while in police custody Wednesday. In an interview today, the chief said he has sent out a department memo to prevent such late notification from happening again. He would not release any more information on the incident than he had previously because, he said, it is still under investigation. Sisters of Leonel Farias, the 6-foot-tall, 300-pound, 40-year-old man who died, did not deny yesterday that their diagnosed schizophrenic brother waved a knife at police or that he struggled with them after his violent outburst in his 513 James St. home. But the sisters allege the officers continued beating Farias after he'd been knocked out with chemical spray and was down. Farias was later pronounced dead at Rhode Island Hospital. Today, the state Medical Examiners Office said the cause of Farias's death is not yet determined "pending further studies." -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Journal staff writer Alisha A. Pina and Journal reports A statement released yesterday by Paquette said Farias told officers, who been called to the house for a domestic disturbance, to "come and get him" and that they "would have to shoot him." Farias attempted to go inside, police used pepper spray and struck him in an attempt to subdue him. But he "continued to act completely unreasonable," the statement said, and a "violent struggle ensued" between Farias and several officers. Officers put him in handcuffs, but Farias continued kicking at officers while lying on the ground until he fell unconscious. Paquette's statement said several police officers at the scene Wednesday received treatment from rescue workers for injuries they suffered in the struggle. No injuries were reported from the knife, described the sisters as a small, serrated steak knife. Yesterday afternoon, a spokesman for Attorney General Patrick C. Lynch said it “is troubling and does not inspire confidence” in the East Providence Police Department that the attorney general's office was not notified by police of the death until 8:30 a.m. yesterday. “You can’t reconstruct a scene 15 hours after the fact,” spokesman Michael J. Healey yesterday. “That’s the salient issue here.” East Providence police were supposed to follow a protocol put in place by the Rhode Island Police Chiefs Association in the wake of the accidental fatal shooting of an off-duty Providence police officer, Sgt. Cornel Young Jr., in January 2000. Earlier this month, Pawtucket police shot and killed a man at his home after responding to a 911 call there of a 6' 5", 300-pound man wielding a "Samurai-style sword." It was the third fatal shooting involving that city's police in seven months. Posted by Mike McKinney at 1:42 PM | Comment Bristol company to lay off 90 starting in JuneSaint-Gobain Performance Plastics will begin laying off 90 employees in June, according to a filing the company made to the state Department of Labor and Training. Last October, the Bristol-based company, a subsidiary of the France-based Compagnie de Saint-Gobain, first notified the plant's 160 employees about the plan, Providence Journal writer Alex Kuffner reported. One of the plant's manufacturing lines, the company said, is moving moved to Mexico. “We appreciate the contributions made to our business by our Bristol employees and want to do what we can to help them during this transfer,” Donald Stinnett, general manager of the company’s Polymer Products Unit, said in a statement at the time. “We will work closely with each of our employees to ease the transition for them and their families.” Earlier this month, Saint-Gobain told the Department of Labor and Training that the layoffs would begin on June 1 and be complete by September 2009. The letter, signed by human resource manager Christine Jocelyn, said the 90 employees will receive at least 60-days notice. Saint-Gobain operates a 100,000-square-foot plant on Metacom Avenue, where it produces polymers for the automotive, medical and aviation industries. It has run the plant since 1999, and company officials have said they have no plans to close it. The federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN) compels companies in Rhode Island to notify the state before closing a plant or making "mass layoffs." For more local breaking business news, visit the Biz Blog at projo.com/business. -- Journal Business writer Benjamin Gedan Posted by Jack Perry at 12:00 PM | Comment Still no cause found for E. Providence man's deathThe state Medical Examiners office has not yet determined a cause of death for the 40-year-old East Providence man who died Wednesday after a confrontation with the police. In a statement released today, the medical examiners office said the cause of death of Leonel Farias, 40, was "pending further studies." Farias's death has raised questions. Family members don't dispute that Farias waved a knife at the police, but they claim that police officers used excessive force against Farias, a diagnosed schizophrenic, beating him after he was subdued. The attorney general's office was not notified of the death until the next morning, according to spokesman Michael Healey. The police have not responded to the family's claims of excessive force. The attorney general's office and the East Providence Police Department are investigating the death. Earlier this month, a Pawtucket police officer shot and killed 30-year-old Jason Swift at his home. Swift also had emotional problems, according to his mother, who had called the police to help get her son to a hospital. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 11:23 AM | Comment Chelsea Clinton to visit R.I. todayA third Clinton is coming to Rhode Island. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's daughter, Chelsea Clinton, is scheduled to speak at Roger Williams University this afternoon to talk about her mother's candidacy for president. The younger Clinton will be meeting with students and faculty at a the school's Bristol campus, according to Jennifer Sullivan, spokeswoman for the university, who announced the visit this morning. At about 3:15 this afternoon, Clinton will expected to speak for about 10 minutes and then answer questions. Chelsea's father, former President Bill Clinton, spoke at Bryant University in Smithfield yesterday, and the Sen. Clinton was in town Sunday at Rhode Island College. Clinton's rival for the Democratic nomination, Sen. Barack Obama, is scheduled to campaign at Rhode Island College tomorrow. Today, U.S. Sen. Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts will be at University of Rhode Island's Feinstein Providence Campus to lead a "get out the vote" rally for Obama's campaign. Before the rally, Kennedy will be joined by his son, U.S. Rep. Patrick Kennedy, D-Rhode Island, for an 11:15 a.m. visit to the Woonsocket Senior Center, 84 Social St. Doors will open at 12:30 p.m. for the rally at the 80 Washington St. campus in the Paff Auditorium, the Obama campaign announced today. Both Kennedys and state Attorney General Patrick C. Lynch will attend. Obama's wife, Michelle Obama, visited the Community College of Rhode Island last week. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 10:59 AM | Comment Sister McKillop, former Salve Regina president, diesNEWPORT – Sister Lucille McKillop, the fifth president of Salve Regina University and the longest-serving president in its history, died last night in Chicago, the school announced this morning. Sister McKillop served as president of Salve Regina from 1973 to 1994. “Sister Lucille McKillop was first a Sister of Mercy,” said the university's current president, Sister M. Therese Antone, said in a statement. “Her dedication to education and the traditions of the Sisters of Mercy contributed significantly to those traditions continuing to thrive on the campus of Salve Regina University. "Sister Lucille worked diligently to serve the needs and interests of generations of students. The best years of her life were spent ensuring that the mission of Salve Regina University would continue. McKillop Library, named in her honor, is a fitting tribute to her enabling spirit. She was deeply admired and will be missed.” A memorial service will be held on Wednesday at 5 p.m. at Salve Regina’s Ochre Court. The public is invited to attend. Posted by Andrea Panciera at 10:31 AM | Comment Does Leap Day add up for you?For once, the working-class folks are getting a break. For hourly workers, a Leap Year could be a benefit -- extra hours squeezed into a year's paycheck. And an extra day to pay those February bills. But for salary earners, you may be working an extra day this year without making any more money. That's because just about every four years, an extra day is added to February in an attempt to keep our clocks in line with the solar year -- what we see in the sky as one full orbit of the earth around the sun. But even the extra day doesn't square everything away -- that would be too easy. The difference between the solar year (also called the tropical year) and 365 days is about .2422 days -- not .25, which would bring us back in line exactly every four years. So we don't add an extra day every four years, but every four except those years that can be divided by 100. But if that year, divisible by 100, is also divisible by 400, it is a Leap Year. That's why we had an extra day in 2000. We won't in 2100. And that just about does it. Except for leap seconds -- but that's a different story all together... In any event, you can (sort of) look at at this as an "extra" day. So what are you going to do with it? See what people across the world say. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 8:42 AM | Comment Four years later, smoke-shop trial beginsMore than four years after the state police raided a smoke shop on Narragansett tribal land, the seven tribal members who were charged with misdemeanors for scuffling with police are going to trial. After the judge and lawyers questioned potential jurors over three days, ten women and six men were selected yesterday. They toured the site of the raid, in Charlestown, with Judge Susan E. McGuirl and lawyers from both sides. Opening statements are scheduled for this morning. The trial, which has been delayed several times -- most recently as police responded to a subpoena for records -- is expected to take about one month. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 7:53 AM | Comment Judge awards $1.3M to man beaten on UConn campusNEW BRITAIN, Conn. -- A Southington man who suffered severe head injuries after he was beaten at the University of Connecticut has been awarded $1.3 million. A judge has ruled that Jonathan Stewart can collect the money from Bryan Kapustinski, a student from Meriden who was the center for the UConn rugby team at the time. Stewart was hit in the head with a fence post in April of 2004 at the UConn campus in Storrs. The attack was apparently triggered after Stewart and others apparently didn't move fast enough to allow the truck operated by a girlfriend of one of Kapustinski's teammates to pass. Kapustinski was given a one year suspended prison sentence. His lawyer says he hasn't had a chance to read to decision. -- The Associated Press Posted by Jack Perry at 7:02 AM | Comment Cold today and then snow likely tomorrowThe clouds are expected to increase today as the temperature rises – a little – to about 28 degrees. The National Weather Service is also forecasting mild northwest winds to become south as the day goes on. Snow is also in the future, when the temperature drops a few degrees into the mid 20s. We may see as many as 3 inches of accumulation after midnight. Precipitation may continue into tomorrow, first as snow, then as rain when the temperature rises to the high 30s. We can also expect a southeast wind up to 16 mph, later becoming west. Rain or snow may continue into the evening, tapering off by 9 p.m. Temperatures are expected to drop to the mid 20s and winds to pick up, gusting from the west as high as 33 mph. The sun returns Sunday, with a high temperature near 40, and northwest winds gusting near 40 mph. The skies should stay clear through the night when the temperature dips to the low 20s. Monday looks good, with partly sunny skies and temperatures in the mid-to-high 40s. To keep an eye on the weather through the weekend, visit projo.com's weather page. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 7:01 AM | Comment Today's front pageToday's front page features a story about an East Providence man dying after waving a knife at the police and then struggling with them. There's also a report that Rhode Island's losing 1,700 jobs last months signals that the state is nearing a recession. Download a copy of today's front page in .pdf format. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:00 AM | Comment February 28, 2008Update: Man dies after struggle with E. Providence policeEAST PROVIDENCE -- A knife-wielding man who fell unconscious during a struggle with police yesterday and who later died has been identified by his family as Leonel Farias, 40, of 153 James St. The family, who spoke to a Journal reporter this evening, said they had called police to their home yesterday evening for help after Farias turned violent. Family members said he had been diagnosed some time ago as a schizophrenic and, more recently, as a diabetic. Two sisters, Genoveva Porto, 46, and Gabriela Farias, 45, said they witnessed the incident. Both allege that police in subduing their brother used "excessive force" which the two believe caused his death. City police, in their account first provided this afternoon, would not disclose the name of the man involved or the location of the disturbance. The man, later identified as Farias, was described by police as 6 feet tall and weighing 300 pounds. According to the family, the knife he held was a small, serrated steak knife. Earlier this afternoon, Police Chief Hubert J. Paquette issued a statement which said the suspect, armed with a knife, confronted two police officers outside his home when they initially responded to the report of the domestic assault. The statement said the man later identified as Farias told police to “come and get him” and said they “would have to shoot him,” according to the statement. When the man turned and tried to get back inside, police used pepper spray and struck him in an effort to subdue him, “but the subject continued to act completely unreasonable,” the statement said. -- Journal staff writers Gina Macris and John Castellucci, with reports from Journal staff writer Alisha Pina and projo.com In the statement, Paquette said “a violent struggle ensued” between the man and several officers, who eventually put him in handcuffs. The man, lying on the ground, continued to kick at the officers until he fell unconscious, Paquette’s statement said. The man was taken by rescue workers to Rhode Island Hospital, where he was pronounced dead shortly after he arrived, Paquette said. He could not say what time the man was pronounced dead. Paquette also declined to release additional details of the incident, which he said is under investigation. He said the identity of the dead man will be made public once all his family members are notified. Several police officers at the scene received treatment from rescue workers for injuries they sustained in the struggle, according to the statement. No injuries were reported from the knife the man had been carrying. The Attorney General’s Office was not notified of the death until 8:30 a.m. today, a delay which “is troubling and does not inspire confidence” in the East Providence police department, said a spokesman for Atty. Gen. Patrick C. Lynch said late this afternoon. Michael J. Healey said, “You can’t reconstruct a scene 15 hours after the fact. That’s the salient issue here.” Earlier this month, Pawtucket police shot and killed a man at his home after responding to a 911 call there of a 6' 5", 300-pound man wielding a "Samurai-style sword.". It was the third fatal shooting involving that city's police in seven months. Posted by Mike McKinney at 7:56 PM | Comment Tonight: Hip-hop showcase comes to AS220Over at AS220 in Providence, you can catch a local hip-hop showcase -- and there's an open-mike component. The club's Web site says the show will feature Charles ExSavior, Left Over Wine, Big City, and more acts. The club is at 115 Empire St. (401) 831-9327. 9 p.m. $6. All ages. Posted by Mike McKinney at 7:05 PM | Comment Group seeks to end 'climate of fear' for immigrants
PROVIDENCE -- Proponents of a new legislative platform promoting “racial and economic equality for every Rhode Islander” said today they want to end a “climate of fear” against immigrants, no matter their legal status. Five legislators unveiled a legislative platform called “Campaign for Fairness, Respect and Civil Rights,” on behalf of the Immigrants United advocacy group, which marks a counterpoint to numerous bills aimed at curbing illegal immigration. “These bills all come down to the fact that community safety, civil rights and economic opportunity must apply to all Rhode Islanders, regardless of immigration status,” said Ellen Gallagher, community outreach coordinator for the International Institute of Rhode Island. -- Journal staff writer Karen Lee Ziner Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:14 PM | Comment Obama will hold rally at Rhode Island College SaturdayPROVIDENCE -- Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama will make a campaign stop at Rhode Island College on Saturday, as the March 4 primary here and in three more states could prove crucial in picking the Democratic nominee. Doors open at noon for the "stand for change" rally, which is free and open to the public, the campaign just announced. He will be at the college's recreation center, 600 Mount Pleasant Ave. Delegate-rich Texas and Ohio hold primaries the same day as Rhode Island, as does Vermont. Former President Bill Clinton visited Rhode Island today, speaking to a crowd at Bryant University in Smithfield, on behalf of his wife, Obama's opponent for the nomination, New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton. Obama's wife, Michelle, visited last week, and Hillary Rodham Clinton was here last weekend, making her campaign stop at Rhode Island College as well. -- With reports from Journal staff writer Scott MacKay Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:56 PM | Comment Photo: Jury tours Narragansetts' smoke shop
Posted by Andrea Panciera at 5:43 PM | Comment Kennedy duo to stump in R.I. on Obama's behalfPROVIDENCE -- U.S. Sen. Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts will be at University of Rhode Island's Feinstein Providence Campus tomorrow to lead a "get out the vote" rally for Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama's campaign. Before the rally, Kennedy will be joined by his son, U.S. Rep. Patrick Kennedy, D-Rhode Island, for an 11:15 a.m. visit to the Woonsocket Senior Center, 84 Social St. Doors will open at 12:30 p.m. for the rally at the 80 Washington St. campus in the Paff Auditorium, the Obama campaign announced today. Both Kennedys and Lynch will attend. Obama is slated to visit Rhode Island on Saturday, through the campaign has not yet said where and when. His wife has already come to the state on his campaign's behalf. Obama, the Illinois senator, and New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton are battling for the Democratic presidential nomination, and this coming Tuesday's primaries in Rhode Island, Vermont and delegate-rich Texas and Ohio could go a long way to settling things. Today, Former President Bill Clinton was campaigning for his wife at Bryant University in Smithfield. Hillary Clinton came to Rhode Island last Sunday for a campaign rally at Rhode Island College. Another member of the Kennedy political clan, Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, appeared on her behalf in Providence yesterday. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:22 PM | Comment Clinton to Bryant crowd: Hillary needs your vote / Photo
SMITHFIELD -- Former President Bill Clinton told a crowd at Bryant University that his wife needs them to swing the vote in the presidential primary on Tuesday. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are locked in a tight race for the Democratic presidential nomination. The next big contest is Tuesday, when voters go to the polls in Rhode Island, Vermont, Ohio and Texas. Speaking to a crowd of more than 2,000, Clinton said that if his wife can get a victory here, along with victories in Ohio and Texas, then she is on her way to the White House. Clinton said to the crowd if they were having trouble deciding who to vote for -- or somebody they knew was -- they should perform a simple exercise. Don't ask how you feel right now or how you will feel on Inauguration Day, but, when it's over, how will you if the next president has done a good job, Clinton said. He said he asked his wife that months ago. " ...After a while she said, 'I believe, if I'm luck enough to be elected, I believe I will think I did a good job if I could say, at the end, these things: Number one, the American people are better off when I quit than when I started. Nmber two, our children and grandchildren have a brighter future. And number three, this troubled but fascinating world is coming together instead of being driven apart," Bill Clinton said. He added: "If you want the next president to say, yes, yes, yes, I urge you to vote for her. I hope you will volunteer to help her in the closing days." The former president was in Philadelphia earlier today and was scheduled to hit Ohio later in the day. Hillary Clinton was campaigning in Ohio and Texas. Her opponent for the Democratic nomination, Obama, the Illinois senator, is slated to campaign in Rhode Island this Saturday. Wwhen and where had not been determined, his campaign said yesterday, but it's probably an early-afternoon visit. Obama’s wife, Michelle, made a campaign stop in the state last week. Republican candidates John McCain, the Arizona senator and presumptive GOP nominee, and Mike Huckabee, who distantly trails McCain in the delegate tally ahead of the party convention, have also made stops here this month. -- The Associated Press and projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:03 PM | Comment Lincoln man wins $1 million-plus in game at Twin RiverA Lincoln man today decided to take a $1 million-plus payout in cash after hitting the jackpot playing the multi-state game called Ca$hola at Twin River in Lincoln, Rhode Island Lottery announced. Michael Goudreau hit a jackpot of $1,936,695.28, the largest Ca$hola prize won awarded in the state and the third biggest in the game's history. By taking the cash option, he will get $1,094,139.66, according to the news release. The game debuted in Rhode Island, Delaware and West Virginia in 2006, the lottery news release said, and Ca$hola has a "starting cash value jackpot" of $250,000. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:58 PM | Comment Photo: Young and old gather to hear Bill Clinton
Posted by Peter Phipps at 3:41 PM | Comment Early-morning fire damages Providence homePROVIDENCE -- A fire that apparently began in a third-floor ceiling light fixture routed five adults and four children from their tenement house at 70-72 Spicer St., Washington Park, early this morning, the Fire Department reported. Assistant Fire Chief Michael J. Dillon said the apparent electrical fire resulted in smoke and water damage to the third-floor apartment, leaving that unit uninhabitable. But firefighters spread out salvage covers on the furniture and appliances in the second-floor apartment, and if the house’s electrical service is maintained, the first- and second-floor tenants will be able to stay there, he said. The occupants, he noted, declined assistance with temporary shelter. The fire was called in at 3:50 a.m. and firefighters were on the scene for about one hour. -- Journal staff writer Gregory Smith Posted by Mike McKinney at 3:28 PM | Comment Traffic Alert: Lane closed on Route 10An accident has a lane closed on Route 10 this afternoon. The right land on the southbound side of the roadway is blocked at Reservoir Avenue in Providence. For updated traffic information, see the Transportation Management Center's Web site. See updated pictures of the roadways on the site's traffic cameras. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 2:35 PM | Comment State environmental agency improving its own recyclingThe state Department of Environmental Management is launching a new recycling program tomorrow for its own employees. It turns out, much of the paper that DEM employees were setting aside to be recycled was actually finding its way into the general trash. Now, thanks to a grant from the Governor’s Commission on Disabilities, the Department will be able to safely recycle some of its sensitive information. The grant will also help Better Shred, a wing of Cranston Arc, which employs adults with developmental disabilities. Tomorrow at 9 a.m., Better Shred will deliver 17 66-gallon, secure plastic recycling containers to DEM’s offices at the Foundry Building on Promenade Street, Providence. About 320 employees use the bins to dispose sensitive or confidential information that would otherwise find its way to the landfill. When the bins are full, Better Shred employees will pick them up and take them to a facility in Cranston and have them shredded in accordance with federal regulations. The paper will be sold for reuse. Other state offices will participate, including the Department of Elderly Affairs, DCYF Juvenile Corrections and the even the Disability Commission. Recently, the DEM announced it would reinvigorate its current law regarding corporate recycling, asking 2,300 businesses to report information about their trash and recycling efforts online. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 2:34 PM | Comment Train hits man in New Bedford; Police say he was drinkingA former Fall River man was "run over" by a train in New Bedford, the police said today. The 29-year-old man, who police did not identify in a news release, was hit near Worcester and Lynn streets. A preliminary investigation suggests the man was trespassing on the railroad tracks, drinking with a friend, when the man tried to jump onto the train's caboose. The man, who is now from Springfield, slipped off the train and was then run over by it. The police say his injuries are "life threatening." His friend ran for help, and New Bedford and State Police and other emergency responders came. The victim was taken to St. Luke's Hospital in New Bedford and will likely be taken to a Boston or Providence trauma center, the police statement said. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 1:18 PM | Comment R.I., Conn. lawmakers will push for submarine fundsWASHINGTON -- Connecticut and Rhode Island lawmakers eager to protect local jobs say they will push hard on Capitol Hill to safeguard federal funding for doubling Virginia-class submarine production to two ships a year. "Looking ahead to this year, it looks like we still got some work to do," said Rep. Joe Courtney, D-Conn., whose district includes the submarine manufacturer Electric Boat. "The competition is going to be even more intense this year with all of the challenges that our country faces." Courtney's remarks came at a breakfast gathering today of submarine industry officials who want to make sure the money for a second submarine stays in future defense spending bills. Congress is beginning work on its new budget bills. A key mission for Connecticut and Rhode Island lawmakers has been to convince the Navy to accelerate plans to double production of the 377-foot long high-tech attack sub as soon as possible. Such a move could help safeguard jobs at Electric Boat, which has facilities in both states. "I want to stress how important it is to continue this effort," said Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I. About 7,600 people work at Electric Boat's shipyard in Groton, while about 2,000 are employed at the company's Quonset Point facility in Rhode Island. Rep. Jim Langevin, D-R.I., said maintaining a strong shipbuilding industry is vital to the nation's security, particularly since nations such as China are bent on producing more and more submarines. "We have to do all we can to protect that base," Langevin said. -- The Associated Press Submarine supporters who had fought for funding for a second ship for several years on Capitol Hill scored a major breakthrough in the recently approved defense spending bill. The measure signed by President Bush in January allows the Navy to accelerate plans to double Virginia-class submarine production to two ships a year. The Navy had opposed moving up its plans for a second sub before 2012. But the defense bill included $588 million requested by Courtney, who spearheaded the effort along with lawmakers from both states. The $588 million allows construction of two ships a year as early as 2010 or 2011, officials said. "The amazing thing that happened last year was we succeeded in actually changing the direction of the shipbuilding budget," Courtney said. Electric Boat officials were thrilled about the boost in the military's shipbuilding budget, but they want to make sure they don't lose ground as new strains on the federal budget arise. "There's certainly some momentum that's been built," Electric Boat President John P. Casey said. "But we can't take for granted that there will not be a change in the tides. We need to keep the program sold." In addition to protecting current funding, submarine backers are seeking more money as Congress crafts a new defense spending bill for fiscal year 2009. Submarine supporters want $79 million in new funding to speed up construction on a second sub. They're also seeking an additional $53 million for design work on next-generation submarines. Electric Boat, a division of General Dynamics Corp., and Northrop Grumman Newport News in Virginia, together produce one $2.5 billion submarine a year. Electric Boat officials say doubling annual sub production would help to reduce costs, something the Navy has been pushing for. The production increase would also make it cheaper to buy materials while making it easier to keep workers and equipment in place, they say. Posted by Mike McKinney at 12:38 PM | Comment Citizens operating profit drops 9%; revenue up 2%Turmoil in the real estate and credit markets is straining Citizens Financial Group, the bank's parent company, Royal Bank of Scotland, said today. In all, operating profit at Citizens dropped 9 percent last year, to $2.65 billion. The continuing devaluation of the U.S. dollar made that drop even more painful for RBS; net income was down 16 percent after the conversion to British pounds. In announcing its 2007 earnings, RBS said the sputtering U.S. economy slowed the growth of Providence-based Citizens last year. "Against a weaker economic backdrop in the U.S., Citizens, whilst performing well relative to its peers, experienced testing conditions," RBS said in its earnings report. "Market conditions remain difficult," RBS said, "and we continue to respond to challenging income prospects with tight cost control." U.S. operations were not all bad news for Scotland-based RBS. Citizens, the ninth-largest bank in the United States, grew its consumer banking customer base by 2 percent, RBS said. Boosted by higher fees, Citizens saw its revenue grow by 2 percent to $6.24 billion. Average loans increased by 4 percent in 2007, despite "close attention being paid to our risk appetite," RBS said. Average customer deposits rose by 1 percent. And Citizens increased its credit card customer base by 20 percent. But the crisis in the credit market undermined those gains. Impairment losses increased from 0.31 percent of loans to 0.60 percent. After the conversion to pounds, total revenue dropped by 6 percent. Over all, RBS reported an 18-percent rise in net income in 2007. For more local breaking business news, visit the Biz Blog at projo.com/business. As of November, Citizens had 5,400 employees in Rhode Island, more than in any other part of the country. Citizens operates in 13 states and has 24,500 U.S.-based employees. Last March, Lawrence K. Fish stepped down as Citizens' chief executive officer. In December, he relinquished his remaining operational responsibilities at the bank. Posted by Benjamin N. Gedan at 12:38 PM | Comment Package of bills aims for equalityFour Providence legislators are meeting this afternoon to introduce a package of 10 bills they say will promote racial and economic equality throughout the state. Rep. Grace Diaz, D-Providence; Sen. Juan M. Pichardo, D-Providence; Rep. David A. Segal, D-Providence, East Providence; and Rep. Joseph S. Almeida, D- Providence, are meeting with a number of immigrant activist groups, neighborhood associations and other activist groups . The news conference will be moderated by the Ellen Gallagher, community outreach coordinator for the International Institute of Rhode Island, which offers legal and social services to immigrants and refugees. The group is meeting at the State House today at 3 p.m. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 12:32 PM | Comment R.I. high court upholds conviction of motel owner's killerPROVIDENCE -- The state Supreme Court has upheld the murder conviction and life-without-parole sentence of Roger Graham, who went into Founder's Brook Motel and Suites in Portsmouth six years ago and shot the owner in front of his 8-year-old son. "The cold-blooded and shocking nature of this act reveals a heart of stone and a character unconcerned with the standards of a decent and law-abiding society," Supreme Court Justice Francis X. Flaherty wrote in the court's opinion out today. "We cannot in good conscience say that the citizenry ever would be safe if again exposed to this callous criminal. Therefore, we affirm the sentence of life without parole imposed by the trial justice." Graham appealed his February 2005 conviction in Newport County Superior Court. Graham, an immigrant from Barbados who had been living illegally in New York City, became the 22nd convicted felon in Rhode Island sentenced to life without parole possibility. The prosecution said Graham had been hired by the victim's brother-in-law to kill motel manager Sanjeev Patel on New Year's Day 2002. Patel's bullet-riddled body was found by his wife, the high court opinion says. There were two consecutive hung juries before a third jury convicted Graham and concluded the crime met the conditions that is was a murder for hire, enabling the judge to consider the life-without-parole sentence. Graham's appeal argued the Superior Court judge gave improper jury instructions, incorrectly ruled on certain evidence matters, incorrectly denied the defendant’s motion for acquittal on the conspiracy charge; erred in life-without-parole proceedings and sentence, and erred in not appointing additional legal counsel for the defendant for his third trial. The Supreme Court said Graham's "troubling character, record, and propensity for criminal activity persuade us that it is unlikely that he could be rehabilitated" and that he "has been engaged in a life of crime, including selling bootleg tapes and compact discs, installing bootleg cable, selling weapons, and selling drugs." The high court adds it was "unable to find any indication" that Graham has, "to this day, shown any real remorse for what he has done." -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with Journal archival reports Posted by Mike McKinney at 12:30 PM | Comment Providence Place sales jumped in December
PROVIDENCE -- Sales tax receipts at Providence Place mall jumped 28.4 percent in December, reaching a record of nearly $2.6 million, according to figures compiled by the state Division of Taxation. The monthly tax figure bests the previous monthly record of $2 million, set in December 2006. For the year, stores in Providence Place generated $13,981,625 in sales taxes for the state, also a new record. The financial and legislative assistance that helped make Providence Place a reality put a unique requirement on the mall: It is the only shopping center in the state that must file sales tax returns. Because of the way mall stores turn over their sales tax receipts to the state, there is a lag of more than four weeks before the totals can be made public, according to division officials. Consequently, December’s total weren't available until this month. For more local breaking business news, visit the Biz Blog at projo.com/business. Posted by Benjamin N. Gedan at 12:08 PM | Comment Update: Car in river unoccupied, reported stolen / Photo
Divers had entered the frigid watersr near the bottom of Manville Hill Road, near the Lincoln/Cumberland border. The car is about 40 feet offshore, according to police Lt. Stephen Duda, and was called in by a passing driver. Crews were having trouble fishing the car out of the water, Duda said, because they did not have enough cable to reach the car. Another tow truck is on its way.
Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 11:37 AM | Comment Jury of 10 men, 6 women picked for smoke-shop casePROVIDENCE -- A jury of 10 men and 6 women will hear the case the state makes against seven Narragansett Indians charged with resisting and fighting with State Police during the 2003 raid of a tribal smoke shop in Charlestown. Among jurors are a school principal, an elementary school clerk, a high school English teacher, a special education director, a pest-control company employee, a construction company employee, and an activities director at an assisted-living facility. This afternoon, the jury is slated to tour the smoke-shop site on tribal land on Route 2. This week, lawyers questioned each prospective juror about such things as their view on the Narragansett Indian tribe’s casino quest and whether they could accept defense arguments that state troopers might lie under oath. State police used a search warrant on July 14, 2003, to halt tax-free sale of cigarettes by the Narragansetts at the roadside store. The situation turned violent and seven adult tribal members, including Chief Sachem Matthew Thomas, are on trial in Providence County Superior Court on misdemeanor charges of resisting arrest, disorderly conduct, obstruction and assault. Read more about jury selection this week. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Journal staff writer Katie Mulvaney Posted by Mike McKinney at 11:27 AM | Comment Executive tells R.I. conference: Green is the word
The web page of 1E, a global Windows management software and services company was on hand with software that automatically shuts down computers when not in use. Brown University is hosting a conference today to highlight "green" technology in the business world.
In just the last 120 days, Makower said: A leading manufacturer has produced a green cell phone that uses minimal energy when recharging. A major auto maker has developed a production plant that produces zero waste. A line of green cleaning products has gone to market and another company converted its fleet of 1,000 trucks to bio-diesel. However, Makower said there are still no standards for what makes a company green, activists don’t reward companies that do good, Wall Street still isn’t paying attention and the public doesn’t know who to believe. Steve Hamburg, director of the Global Environment Program at Brown, challenged everyone at the conference, sponsored by the Brown Forum for Enterprise, to come up with one idea that would make money, reduce carbon emissions and lessen energy usage. At the same time. -- Journal staff writer Peter B. Lord Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 10:31 AM | Comment Amtrak to spend millions on defective ties in NortheastWASHINGTON -- Amtrak says it must spend tens of millions of dollars to replace defective railroad ties on the heavily traveled Northeast Corridor. The problem could delay trains - and thus cost Amtrak business - if not addressed quickly, the railroad warned in a letter to Congress last week. The concrete ties were purchased beginning in the 1990s and have already begun to crack, Amtrak spokesman Cliff Black said yesterday. Concrete ties normally last about 50 years. The total cost of fixing the problem is still unclear. But in its annual funding request to Congress, Amtrak said it expects to spend at least $23.5 million on it this year alone. Black said costs are likely to be similar next year. The ties are manufactured by Rocla Concrete Tie Inc. at a plant inside an Amtrak maintenance yard in Bear, Del. Amtrak said that under the terms of the contract, the supplier must replace the defective ties for free, but won't reimburse the railroad for the labor. -- The Associated Press "Amtrak and Rocla are working together to ensure that the replacement ties that they are providing us are top quality," Black said. "Amtrak is comfortable that the manufacturer has corrected the problem." If concrete ties fracture severely, they can't properly support the rails, Black said. However, he emphasized that the problem does not pose a danger because it was caught early and is being addressed. It's not the first time Rocla has been blamed for defects. New York's Metro-North commuter railroad sued the company in 2006 for premature cracks in ties purchased in 1997. The case was settled out of court. Metro-North spokesman Dan Brucker said Rocla agreed to replace the ties as part of the settlement. That process is expected to be completed within the next three years, Brucker said. The president of Denver-based Rocla, Peter Urquhart, declined to comment Wednesday on Amtrak's concerns. Black said the cracking was first spotted in the fall. Since then, Amtrak has been implementing speed restrictions, known as slow orders, on sections of track between Washington and Boston. "This is a critical problem, since tie-related slow orders are already delaying trains on the Corridor," Amtrak Chief Executive Alex Kummant wrote in the $1.67 billion funding request. The Northeast Corridor is home to Amtrak's only high-speed service, the Acela Express. Good on-time performance has helped the railroad take business away from the airlines between Boston and Washington. In 2007, the Acela Express arrived at its destination within 10 minutes of the scheduled time 87.8 percent of the time. That has fallen to 84.2 percent in the current fiscal year, which began Oct. 1. However, Black said the drop for the most part is not connected to the slow orders, but stems from running more trips with the same number of trains. Still, if enough slow orders were to accumulate, it would be difficult to make up the time. The degree of the speed reduction depends on the concentration of faulty ties in a given area. In the worst cases, they force trains to drop from 135 miles per hour all the way to 60 mph. So far Amtrak has replaced about 5,000 defective ties on a spot basis, lifting slow orders as the problem spots are fixed. In the spring, the railroad plans to begin using a track-laying machine to replace ties systematically, Black said. The process may require adjusting timetables to lengthen trip times or temporarily reducing the number of trips on the corridor. It could also affect commuter lines that operate on Amtrak-owned tracks. Black said he did not know how many of the 3.4 million concrete ties on the corridor were supplied by Rocla since Amtrak began doing business with the company in the early 1990s. According to the Web site for Chatswood, Australia-based Rocla Pty Ltd., its U.S. affiliate produced 895,000 for Amtrak and Metro-North from 1996 to 1999. The U.S. company is no longer part of Rocla Pty. Ltd. Amtrak began replacing its wooden ties on the Northeast Corridor with concrete ones in 1978. Concrete ties are more expensive, but last longer and require less maintenance. They are also better for high-speed operations, Black said. Posted by Jack Perry at 8:33 AM | Comment The environment and the bottom lineCan a business grow its bottom line while at the same time working to improve environmental conditions? Could including environmental stewardship in a business model actually be better for business? Brown University is hosting a conference today focused on those questions and others concerning sustainable technologies in the business world. Today's event will bring together "the region's top business leaders to address cutting edge topics in this emerging field, from environmentally friendly building to 'green ventures' in business," according to a statement released by the school. "It is said that the field of green technology innovation could well become the largest economic opportunity of the coming century." The daylong conference, "Green Technology: Science, Innovation and Enterprise in the Region," is being organized by the Brown Forum for Enterprise. It's set to take place at the Rhode Island Convention Center and will feature 25 speakers discussing renewable energy, environmentally friendly building, financing "green ventures" and other themes. The conference runs from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. today at the Rhode Island Convention Center. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 8:25 AM | Comment This is only a test, in the event of a real emergency...Don’t panic when you hear the sirens go off this afternoon. Brown University is testing its new emergency warning system between noon and 1 p.m. The sirens are atop university buildings on the East Side campus. The system will sound a loud tone and voice message. The system will be tested twice a year, according to a statement from the University. It would only be used otherwise for life-threatening emergencies during which people need to immediately seek indoor shelter. Most emergencies – forecast weather events, for example – will not trigger the system. A large chemical release, or unforeseen weather event such as a tornado would. Several other security initiatives – including the city’s reverse 911 system -- would supplement the alarm system in the event of a real emergency. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 8:06 AM | Comment Another Clinton comes to Rhode IslandFormer President Bill Clinton is coming to the Ocean State today, less than one week before Rhode Island's March 4 presidential primary election. Clinton has been traveling the country, campaigning on behalf of his wife, presidential hopeful Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton. He will be hosting a rally at Bryant University in Smithfield, according to a statement from the Hillary Clinton campaign. Doors open at 2:15 p.m., and the event is expected to begin at 3:15. The rally, titled “Solutions for America,” will be at the Chace Athletic Center, and is open to the public. Attendees are encouraged to carpool because of the limited parking. Sen. Clinton has already visited the state; she held a rally at Rhode Island College on Sunday. Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama will make a campaign stop in Rhode Island Saturday -- the March 4 primary here and in three other states could prove crucial in picking the Democratic nominee. But exactly when and where are still to be determined, his campaign said at a news conference yesterday. His wife visited the state last week. Sen. John McCain spoke to an audience of more than 1,000 at the Crowne Plaza hotel on Feb. 14. Former Arkansas governor and Republican presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee was on the radio, and visited a school and this newspaper Monday in a day-long campaigning tour of Rhode Island. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 7:05 AM | Comment Sunny but coldThe clouds should clear later in the day and the National Weather Service is forecasting a sunny, albeit cold day with a high temperature near 30 degrees. Skies should remain clear tonight when the temperature drops down to about 11 degrees. Clouds are expected to return tomorrow, and they may bring snow in the afternoon. The temperature should only reach the high 20s with a northwest wind becoming south later in the day. For more weather and regular updates, see projo.com/weather. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 7:01 AM | Comment Today's front pageToday's front page features a story about the state's poor showing on high school math tests and a story about three stolen paintings worth about $1 million turning up in a Rhode Islander's home. Download a copy of today's front page in .pdf format. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:00 AM | Comment February 27, 2008Tonight: Magic Slim and the Teardrops play the bluesMagic Slim and the Teardrops bring the blues to Chan's in Woonsocket tonight. The band picked up an award in 2003 as Blues Band of the Year, The Journal's Seize Today listing says in the Lifebeat section. It's $15 for the 8 p.m. show, $10 for the 10 p.m. show or $18 to catch both shows. For more things to do, browse projo.com's calendar of events. Posted by Mike McKinney at 7:00 PM | Comment Jury selection nearly complete in smoke-shop trialPROVIDENCE — Jury selection continued today in the trial of seven Narragansett Indians charged with resisting and fighting with the state police as they raided a tribal smoke shop in July 2003. Prosecutors and defense lawyers appeared to be nearing a complete jury in Providence County Superior Court, but Judge Susan E. McGuirl replaced several members of the 16-person panel this afternoon after they were challenged by attorneys involved in the case. A bank branch manager was released after she told the court she was concerned by TV footage that showed apparent excessive force by the state police and tribal members during the raid. A Central Falls man who said he had many close friends on that city’s police force was also released. Lawyers are quizzing each prospective juror about issues ranging from their position on the Narragansett Indian tribe’s casino quest to whether they could accept defense arguments that state troopers might lie under oath. The state police executed a search warrant on July 14, 2003, to stop the Narragansetts from selling tax-free cigarettes from the roadside store in Charlestown. The confrontation turned into a violent scuffling match. Seven adult tribal members, including Chief Sachem Matthew Thomas, are now on trial for misdemeanor charges of resisting arrest, disorderly conduct, obstruction and assault. Prospective jurors will continue to be questioned tomorrow morning. -- Journal staff writer Katie Mulvaney Posted by Karen Bordeleau at 5:55 PM | Comment EPA: Four R.I. companies paying penaltiesFour Rhode Island companies have been assessed $2,000 fines by the federal Environmental Protection Agency for not filing reports on chemicals present at their facilities. An EPA news release today said the local companies are Geib Refining Corp. in Warwick, National Chain Co. in Warwick, Technodic Inc. in Providence, and M. Weisman Roofing Co. in Warwick. They are among 11 New England companies that have been assessed fines. The EPA said it reached settlements with the companies after inspections found they failed to report as required under the federal Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act. The hazardous chemical inventory reports give information on "nature, amount, location, and hazards of chemicals stored at the facility," the EPA statement said. “Chemical reporting is very important for the public-at-large, and it is essential for the safety of first responders if there is an accident at one of these facilities,” Robert Varney, EPA's New England administrator, said in the statement. “Regular reporting of hazardous chemicals helps first responders to protect themselves, and protect the public, if there is a fire or other dangerous event at a facility. Officials also use this information for disaster planning -- for example when simulating a response to a hurricane.” -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:45 PM | Comment State gives its OK to plans to improve Newport schoolsNEWPORT -- The state has given preliminary approval to plans to replace the city’s aged elementary schools with modern facilities, including the construction of one new elementary school at the site of Underwood School. The project, estimated to cost between $20 million and $24 million, would be eligible for 30 percent reimbursement from the state if given final approval. The ultimate approval, however, must come from city voters, who are expected to be presented a referendum in November. The School Committee spent several years holding public hearings and discussing what to do about its five antiquated elementary buildings before finally settling upon a plan late last year. The committee voted to build a new K-2 elementary school at the site of the Underwood School, send all students in grades three to six to what is now Thompson Middle School and use surplus space at Rogers High School to create a separate wing for seventh and eighth graders. -- Journal staff writer Richard Salit The 5-2 vote allowed Supt. John Ambrogi to complete an application for Stage 1 preliminary approval for the project from the Department of Education. He received a letter last week from Carolyn Dias, director of finance and administration. She wrote that the department “recognizes the great need for facilities work in Newport. To that, we are both approving your Stage 1 application and encouraging you to begin work on the Stage 2 application as soon as possible. We will continue to work with you to the extent needed during the Stage 2 process with the goal of full Board of Regents approval of the project by late April or early May. "Approval by the Regents by May should allow Newport sufficient time to obtain General Assembly approval for enabling legislation in this session.” Ambrogi said it took longer than expected to receive the preliminary approval. But the news was welcome. “I was obviously pleased we would be able to move forward with the project. It is one of the most important things that will be faced by the voters in November in terms of making a determination as to whether or not they support quality education for students at a very reasonable price,” he said. “Now hopefully we’ll quickly get Stage 2 approval and we’ll be able to show that a new school construction program benefits everyone in the city, the students, first and foremost, but additionally the taxpayers. According to Ambrogi, the consolidation, from seven schools to three, would translate into $21 million in savings in personnel costs alone during the next 20 years, not to mention heating and other expenses. In addition, the four elementary schools that would no longer be needed could be sold by the city for an estimated $7.7 million, generating about $16 million in taxes for the city over the next years If the city were to continue relying on its old elementary schools, it would still be faced with costly renovations, he said. The timetable calls for the three schools to be fully realigned and renovated by the fall of 2011. The plan is not without its critics. At hearings, parents have criticized moving seventh and eighth graders to Rogers and realigning grades at Thompson, which was refurbished with the intention of housing students in grades 6 to 8. Some said that a K-2 school should be built not at Underwood, but at a more central location. Ambrogi said that the Stage 2 application will require the city to submit detailed plans to the state. It’s where the city would have to commit to a location and grade alignment. Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:41 PM | Comment Update: Bush pays tribute to Sox -- again / Photo, video
The First Fan -- President Bush -- clearly in his element among owners and players of the Sox -- paid tribute to individual stars with several humorous jabs at them and at himself. Bush welcomed "Dice-K" -- Daisuke Matsuzaka -- and told the crowd, which included a large contingent of Japanase reporters, "His press corps is bigger than mine. We both have trouble answering questions in English." It was the team's second trip to the White House in recent years. Many of the players also attended a ceremony in the spring of 2005, months after the Sox won the 2004 World Series. The president also got a big laugh by noting the absence of Manny Ramirez and joking that the slugger's grandmother "must have died again." But as is his custom at these White House gatherings of champions from beyond the world of politics, Bush also made some serious points about the value of teamwork and diligent effort. He also noted that members of the Red Sox planned after the White House celebration to visit wounded warriors at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. "Thank you for really honoring the true heroes of America," Bush told the players. As the ceremony wound down, a military band struck up "Sweet Caroline," the number traditionally played during the seventh-inning stretch at Fenway Park. And as the champions walked up the stairway to the Truman Balcony of the White House, a chant rose up from the crowd, "Let's go Red Sox!" Video: See a clip of the White House ceremony today. -- John Mulligan of the Journal Washington Bureau Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:10 PM | Comment Update: Candidate Obama to visit R.I. SaturdayPROVIDENCE -- Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama will make a campaign stop in Rhode Island Saturday as the March 4 primary here and in three other states could prove crucial in picking the Democratic nominee. But exactly when and where are still to be determined, his campaign said at a news conference this afternoon. The venue is not yet confirmed, though the time is likely to be early afternoon. Such uncertainty in scheduling has been typical of campaign visits, as candidates shuffle their schedules from state to state. Former President Bill Clinton is coming to Rhode Island tomorrow to campaign on behalf of his wife, Obama's opponent for the nomination, Hillary Rodham Clinton Obama's wife, Michele, visited last week, and Obama's opponent in the Democratic primary, Hillary Rodham Clinton, was here last weekend. -- With reports from Journal staff writer Scott MacKay Posted by Jack Perry at 3:59 PM | Comment Live video: Red Sox welcomed at White HouseThe Red Sox are in Washington, D.C., where the team is scheduled to take part in a ceremony at the White House with President Bush, saluting the world champions. It will be the second trip to the White House in recent years. Many of the players also attended a ceremony in the spring of 2005, months after the Sox won the 2004 World Series. After leaving the White House, the Sox will travel to Walter Reed Army Medical Center where they will visit with some wounded soldiers and bring the World Series trophy. Francona recalled the team’s last visit to the hospital as emotional and inspiring. “It was humbling and an honor to be there,” said Francona. “I didn’t hear one person say, ‘Let’s go.’ Everybody wanted to stay and talk [to the patients].” Weather-permitting, projo.com plans to have a live video feed of the ceremony on the South Lawn today, when the MLB champion Red Sox meet President Bush. Video: See live coverage of the event. -- Journal staff writer Sean McAdam Posted by Jack Perry at 3:00 PM | Comment Conn. woman gets probation for groping SantaDANBURY -- A woman accused of groping Santa Claus at the Danbury Fair Mall won't have to serve any jail time if she stays out of trouble. Sandrama Lamy of Danbury has been sentenced under an accelerated rehabilitation program that will wipe her record clean if she completes two years of probation. Danbury Superior Court Judge Susan Reynolds has ordered the 33-year-old to stay away from the mall. In December, Lamy was charged with fourth-degree sexual assault and breach of peace for allegedly touching Santa inappropriately while sitting on his lap. -- The Associated Press Posted by Jack Perry at 1:36 PM | Comment RIPTA routes to detour for Pawtucket St. Pat's paradeTwelve Pawtucket-based RIPTA bus routes will be detoured Saturday for the St. Patrick's Day Parade in Pawtucket, the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority said today. The affected inbound and outbound trips are on these numbered routes: * 42: Hope Street Pick-ups and drop-offs for the routes will be at Navigant Credit Union at Goff and Dexter streets. The buses will not stop at Pawtucket Transit Center from noon to 2:30 p.m. on Saturday. Customers may call 781-9400 for the detoured route or go to www.ripta.com. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 12:12 PM | Comment R.I. 11th graders earn low marks in math test scoresPROVIDENCE -- Just 22 percent of Rhode Island’s 11th graders scored proficient in math on the new standardized tests that more than 11,000 students took in October, the lowest rate of proficiency recorded in the past decade. Education officials say the depressing scores offer a far more accurate and honest measure of students’ math performance than previous tests. Even worse, the majority of students — 51 percent — missed proficiency by a wide margin and were classified as “significantly below proficient,” receiving the lowest possible score. Just 1 percent of juniors — 123 students — did well enough to be classified as “proficient with distinction.” Another 27 percent of students scored “partially proficient” on the test, which focuses on algebra and geometry skills. Some high schools, particularly in urban areas, reported proficiency rates as low as 3, 2, even 1 percent, a troubling indication of the low level of math instruction occurring in those schools and the weak preparation low-income and minority students receive in elementary and middle school to handle challenging math concepts. The dismal results were released by Governor Carcieri and education officials at an 11 a.m. press conference today at the State House. Read a press release from the Rhode Island Department of Education's Web site. See the scores for each school. -- Journal staff writer Jennifer Jordan Officials point to three main problems behind the scores on the new test. Too few students have access to rigorous algebra and geometry classes as freshmen and sophomores. Instead, thousands of students who struggle in math are channeled into “math to nowhere classes,” as one education official calls them. In addition, problems in math start well before high school, but are compounded as students fall farther behind and the classes get harder. Often, there are not enough supports for struggling students. Third, many districts do not have high quality math programs and teachers adequately prepared to teach them across all grade levels. This lack of expertise has been exposed through the test scores, said Peter McWalters, Rhode Island’s education commissioner. “We need to look at teacher prep programs at the local colleges and the level of professional development offered to veteran teachers,” McWalters said. Not surprisingly, students in wealthy suburbs received the highest scores. Even there, however, math scores were significantly lower than reading. At Barrington High School, just 63 percent of students scored proficient in math, compared with 90 percent proficient in English. At the next highest scoring school, East Greenwich High, just 54 percent scored proficient in math; 88 percent in reading. Last year, 43 percent of juniors statewide scored proficient in math on the old test, the New Standards Reference Exam. But that test included basic skills, giving students credit for easier concepts, said Mary Ann Snider, director of assessment for the state Education Department. The new test, which was developed in part by math teachers from Rhode Island, New Hampshire and Vermont, is considered harder, Snider said. But it was designed to assess students on “what they should be learning in ninth and tenth grades,” Snider said. New Hampshire and Vermont, which developed the “New England Common Assessment Program” tests with Rhode Island, also fared poorly in math, with less than 30 percent of students in those states scoring proficient on the math test. Both states have smaller concentrations of poverty and have fewer English language learners than Rhode Island, and students in New Hampshire and Vermont generally score higher than Rhode Island on other national tests, such as the SATs. Yet all three states saw grim results on the NECAP math test. “It’s an American phenomenon to say ‘I can’t do math.’ People in Europe and Asia don’t say that,” McWalters said. “This is different than the literacy issue because people think they should read. But not all people assume they should do math.” Students scored higher in reading, with 61 percent of Rhode Island’s juniors scoring proficient or better, and 37 percent proficient in writing. New Hampshire students scored 67 percent proficient in reading, 28 percent in math and 33 percent in writing. Vermont plans to release its results next month. Posted by Jack Perry at 11:30 AM | Comment Advocate wants protective orders for pets, spayingAn activist organization is set to speak on proposed legislation related to animal treatment at the State House today. Defenders of Animals, a Rhode Island organization that, according to its Web site, consists of Daniel Tabella and volunteers, is set to promote four bills: A bill to prohibit a person from keeping animals outside for more than a half hour when conditions go beyond conditions deemed safe by the Tufts Animal Care and Condition Scale (.pdf) A bill that would issue protective orders against a person who has been found guilty of abusing an animal. A bill that gives a judge discretion to give jail time to people convicted of crimes related to animal fighting. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 11:03 AM | Comment Whitehouse to testify on vote caging prohibitionSen. Sheldon Whitehouse is scheduled to testify today in favor of legislation that would prohibit challenges to people’s right to vote based on a mailing address. The process in question, known as “vote caging,” is when mail that has been “returned to sender” is used as a way to question a person’s residency and, therefore, right to vote. The Caging Prohibition Act was introduced last November. It would prevent challenges to voter eligibility based only on these returned mail lists. Whitehouse sponsored the bill along with 13 co-sponsors. His testimony in front of the Committee on Rules and Administration will be available on the Committee's Web site. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 10:57 AM | Comment No injuries reported in East Providence fireEast Providence fire crews are on the scene of a fire. The fire is at 935 Broadway, a residential building, according to the East Providence fire chief. As of 10:25, he says the fire is under control, and so far, there are no reports of any injuries. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 10:45 AM | Comment Kennedy Townsend visits R.I. to rally 'Women for Hillary'Lt. Gov. Elizabeth Roberts, former Maryland Lt. Gov. Kathleen Kennedy Townsend and other women from around the state are meeting today as “Rhode Island Women for Hillary,” a group that aims to organize women supporters of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton’s bid for the White House. Also involved are Senate Majority Leader M. Teresa Paiva Weed, former Senate Republican leader Lila Sapinsley and Suzanne Magaziner, a Bristol resident. The women are meeting today at 1:30 p.m. at the 3 Steeple Street restaurant. Last week, Sen. Barack Obama's wife, Michelle Obama, visited Rhode Island to rally women and encourage support for her husband's candidacy for the Democratic presidential nomination. Last Wednesday, Mrs. Obama spoke to about 150 professional and politically active women at an invitation-only rally for Rhode Island Women for Obama at the Providence Biltmore. She later spoke before an estimated 2,200 people at a rally for her husband’s campaign at the Community College of Rhode Island’s Warwick campus. Some of Kennedy Townsend's relatives, including her uncle Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, and cousins U.S. Rep. Patrick Kennedy, and Caroline Kennedy have thrown their support behind Obama. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 10:42 AM | Comment Boston gives reprieves to 57 bars without sprinklersBOSTON -- Dozens of bars and nightclubs in Boston are being given more time to comply with state regulations requiring fire sprinklers. The fire department had warned owners of these establishments in November that if they did not install sprinklers within two months, they would be shut down. But officials are now giving reprieves to 57 bars and nightclubs who they say are either in the process of installing the equipment or have shown a commitment to do so. The 2004 law requires that establishments with capacities of 100 or more people have automatic sprinkler systems. It was approved in the wake of the February 2003 Station nightclub fire in West Warwick that killed 100 people. -- The Associated Press Posted by Jack Perry at 8:42 AM | Comment Kennedy Plaza reimaginedKennedy Plaza can get pretty hectic – with the students, the workers, the buses, the cabs, not to mention the car traffic. Is there a way to improve that public space? A group of residents, public safety officials, representatives from other public and private sectors of the community are getting together today to discuss ways to improve the public space in and around Kennedy Plaza. The workshop is led by the Project for Public Spaces, a nonprofit organization that has worked with communities around the world to transform public spaces. A statement from Mayor David Cicilline's office says some ideas that spring from the brainstorming session may be implemented as soon as this spring. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 8:31 AM | Comment Former Israeli ambassador to talk peaceThe former Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. is scheduled to make a stop in Rhode Island today. Daniel Ayalon will speak at Roger Williams University about the prospects of resolving some of the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East. Ayalon’s speech, “Prospects for Peace in the Middle East,” is part of the University’s Civil Discourse lecture series. “It’s imperative that our University’s students – and our nation’s future generation of leaders – appreciate the complex array of issues affecting the Middle East," Roger Williams President Roy J. Nirschel said in a statement. “We expect that discussing the prospects for peace will cultivate both understanding and hope.” The lecture begins at 5:30 tonight at the University’s Recreation Center Gym. It’s free and open to the public, but there are limited spaces available. To reserve a ticket, call 401-254-3067 Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 8:28 AM | Comment URI gets explosive recognition, grantThe University of Rhode Island has been named a leading authority on explosives. The Department of Homeland Security has designated the school a national Center for Excellence for Explosives Detection, Mitigation, and Response. With the designation -- shared with Northeastern University -- comes a grant worth millions of dollars over four to six years to manage research and certificate programs. “This grant from Homeland Security recognizes URI’s leading research and outreach in explosives, energetic materials and pyrotechnics,” URI Professor Jimmie Oxley said, “and its ability to partner with other institutions doing work in these areas,” While URI will head the education aspect of the new Center, Northeastern will be the research wing. “This is tremendous news for the University of Rhode Island, and for our entire state,” Rep. Jim Langevin said in a statement. Langevin chair’s Homeland Security Committee’s Subcommittee on Emerging Threats, Cybersecurity and Science and Technology. “The recognition of URI’s status as a premier education and research institution is well-deserved,” he said, “and this new Center of Excellence will be an asset to the whole country.” The Center will research and evaluate risks, costs and consequences of terrorism and develop tools and methods to protect against it – especially in airplane cargo security, baggage screening and passenger identification. The Center will be get about $4 million per year for four to six years -- up to $2 million will go to URI. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 7:52 AM | Comment Carcieri to announce high school test resultsPROVIDENCE -- Rhode Island will soon learn how its high school students fared on a statewide test of skills in mathematics, reading and writing. Gov. Carcieri was expected to announce the results of the New England Common Assessment Program test during a news conference today at the State House. The test was administered in New Hampshire, Vermont and Rhode Island in October. Results for Rhode Island students in grades three through eight were announced earlier this month. -- The Associated Press Posted by Jack Perry at 7:02 AM | Comment Chance of rain showers today and snow showers tonightThere's a chance of showers mainly before noon, according to the National Weather Service. The high temperature should be about 44 degrees in the Providence area with a west wind of 7 to 15 mph. There's a slight chance of snow showers tonight with the temperature dropping to about 21 degrees. For more weather and regular updates, see projo.com/weather. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:01 AM | Comment Today's front pageToday's front page features a story about last night's debate between the Democratic presidential candidates and a story about expected voter turnout in Rhode Island. Download a copy of today's front page in .pdf format. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:00 AM | Comment February 26, 2008Tonight: Debate watches or Superstar at PPACDueling Democratic debate watches are on tonight in Providence. The Cleveland, Ohio, debate between Democratic presidential contenders Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton begins at 9. You can go to Local 121 at 121 Washington St., Providence, to join Obama supporters. Or you can join Clinton supporters at Clinton headquarters at 175 Broad St., Providence at 8:30 p.m. An alternative: A touring performance of Jesus Christ Superstar is tonight at 8 at Providence Performing Arts Center, 220 Weybosset St. Tickets are from $43 to $65. For information, call (401) 421-2787 or go to ppacri.org Posted by Mike McKinney at 7:00 PM | Comment Update: Prospective jurors for smoke-shop trial grilledPROVIDENCE -- Prospective jurors in the trial of the seven Narragansett Indians accused of resisting and fighting with state police during the 2003 smoke-shop raid were barraged today with questions ranging from their thoughts on smoking to their opinions about casino gambling. Special Assistant Attorney General Maria Deaton asked the 16 people seated, at least temporarily, about their thoughts on cigarettes, whether they had strong opinions about casino gambling or had participated in rallies or given money to the cause. A court spokesman earlier today said the judge excused jurors this morning who could not attend what could be a month-long trial Seven Narragansett Indians, including Chief Sachem Matthew Thomas, face misdemeanor charges related to the state police raid on a tribal smoke shop that grew violent in July 2003. -- Journal staff writer Katie Mulvaney, with Associated Press reports And while the case is not about the tribe’s efforts to get a casino, Deaton and Judge Susan E. McGuirl asked prospective jurors whether their views on gaming would impair their ability to consider the case with an open mind. The Narragansetts have sought to open a casino, or other gaming venture, in Rhode Island for approaching two decades. McGuirl broadened the inquiry to touch on thoughts about Native Americans, in general, and the Narragansett Indian tribe specifically. Likewise, Deaton quizzed those seated about their past interactions with police and their reflections on being stopped for speeding. Had they or their relatives been charged with or the victim of a crime? Prosecutors will continue their questioning this morning, with the defense to follow. The lawyers will then be able select which jurors they’d like to go or stay. Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:44 PM | Comment Generosity that came with makeover was extreme, too
WARWICK -- As the Silva family prepared to spend their first night in their new “home sweet Extreme Makeover home” today on Yucatan Drive, they learned that the road ahead lies strewn with further generosity. Free flat-screen televisions and computers. A house full of furniture from Cardi’s (AKA Nick, Ron and Pete). A $20,000 donation in their name to Adoption Rhode Island. Free visits to Six Flags, all summer long. And, for the next year, all the Dunkin’ Donuts coffee they can drink; all the Friendly’s ice cream they can eat; and all the free cable TV they can watch. “Thank you isn’t enough,” said Kenny Silva, as he hugged one donor after the next. The gift parade occurred in front of the New England shingle-style house that was one feverish, round-the-clock week in the making and courtesy of the reality TV program, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. The finished product was unveiled to the Silvas yesterday afternoon. -- Journal staff writer Karen Lee Ziner Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:00 PM | Comment Two Bristol men charged in molestation caseBRISTOL -- Two men who serve as foster parents have been arrested for allegedly molesting a 14-year-old child, according to the police. The Department of Children, Youth and Families, which conducted its own investigation and involved the police, took custody of two foster children and two adopted children from the couple’s home months before Friday’s arrests, according to an agency spokesman. Today, the two men, Sedonio Rodriques, 57, and Raymond Grenier, 53, both of 26 Sampson St., were arraigned in District Court, Providence. They face multiple counts of first- and second-degree child molestation and attempted first-degree child molestation. They are being held without bail until a March 10 hearing. The DCYF began its investigation after receiving a tip to its child abuse hot line in late November, said Kevin Aucoin, the agency’s executive counsel. The tip concerned the licensed foster home of Rodriques and Grenier, who had two adopted children and two foster children, he said. A preliminary investigation concluded that the children were in “immediate peril,” said Aucoin. On Nov. 30, DCYF workers, escorted by Bristol police, removed the four children from the home. The DCYF continued its investigation. “We were able to substantiate the facts as alleged,” Aucoin said. At that point in a child-abuse investigation, he said, the agency informs the police. Aucoin said the two men, whom he identified as a same-sex couple, first obtained a foster-care license in 2001. The license lapsed for several years before they obtained a new one last year, he said. “They went through the rigors of the foster-care licensing process both in 2001 and 2007,” he said, noting that the process involves interviews, home visits and background and criminal record checks. “There is absolutely nothing in their background that would have indicated these individuals would have been prone to this type of conduct.” The DCYF is currently in the process of revoking the couple’s foster-care license, he said. The DCYF asked the police to participate during an interview on Feb. 15 of Rodriques and Grenier. “As a result of that portion of the investigation, the arrest warrants were issued,” Guercia said. “These allegations go back over a three-year period.” Guercia said there have been no allegations that any other children were abused. The police encountered no difficulty when they arrested the men at their home on Friday, he said.
Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:55 PM | Comment R.I. to get $500,000-plus for emergency food, shelterRhode Island is getting $543,321 for emergency food and shelter for families in need, U.S. Rep. James Langevin, D-Rhode Island, announced today. The money, awarded under the federal Emergency Food and Shelter program, breaks down to $395,583 for Providence and several surrounding communities, and $147,738 for the Rhode Island State Set-Aside Committee, which may award money to additional communities, according to Langevin. “As our nation faces uncertain economic times, it is more important than ever that we provide basic resources to the most vulnerable in our communities," Langevin said in the statement. The Emergency Food and Shelter National Board, led by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and made up of representatives from organizations such as American Red Cross and Catholic Charities USA, provides money to shelters, soup kitchens and food banks. Also, it can provide one-month awards for rent, mortgage and utility assistance. The money is used to help a person or people with non-disaster, temporary emergency situations. In each community receiving money, a local board advertises the money availability, sets out local priorities, selects the local nonprofit and government agencies that will get the money, and keeps watch over program compliance. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:25 PM | Comment Aquarium helps 3 distressed seals in R.I., Mass., MaineMYSTIC, Conn. -- Mystic Aquarium is nursing three seals back to health after they were stranded in three different states within 24 hours. The aquarium's stranding team was called to help distressed seals in Maine, Massachusetts and Rhode Island. A male yearling harp seal was brought in after it beached itself Sunday in Little Compton. On Sunday night, New England Aquarium in Boston called to say that a three- to four-week-old female gray seal spotted in Gloucester, Mass., had been brought in by a concerned citizen. The next day, the Maine Division of Marine Resources called about a female harp seal that beached itself. Experts at the aquarium say the prognosis is good and all three seals will likely be released back into the wild after they've been treated. -- The Associated Press Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:15 PM | Comment Officials expect record turnout for March 4 R.I. primaryPROVIDENCE -- Election officials expect a record-breaking turnout for Rhode Island's presidential primary on March 4. Secretary of State A. Ralph Mollis says he estimates that up to 30 percent of registered voters, or about 180,000 people, could cast ballots. That would be a major increase over the 2000 primary election, the last closely contested ballot in Rhode Island. About 82,000 people voted then. Mollis says his office has printed extra ballots and has set up a telephone hot line for voters who have questions. He's urging residents to vote late in the morning and early in the afternoon to avoid crowds. Board of Elections Executive Director Robert Kando says local officials have reduced the number of polling stations but increased their staff to accommodate the turnout. -- The Associated Press Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:15 PM | Comment Carcieri staff 're-examining' cuts in services for disabledGovernor Carcieri -- in a statement released just before developmentally disabled people and their family members rallied at the State House against budget cuts -- said he's told his staff to work with the Department of Mental Health, Retardation and Hospitals and providers for those disabled to "re-examine" a previously proposed budget cut. The governor's afternoon statement acknowledged the proposed payment cuts over the next several months "will be particularly difficult for these contractors to absorb." So Carcieri's office, the MHRH and contractors providing the disabled the services will look at options for smaller spending cuts and other money-saving possibilities in the department’s budget. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:14 PM | Comment Biechele will be released from prison on March 19CRANSTON -- The man who set off the pyrotechnics that sparked The Station nightclub fire that killed 100 people will be released from prison on March 19. Daniel Biechele has been at the ACI since May 2006 for his role in the Feb. 20, 2003, fire at the West Warwick club. But in the fall the parole board decided to release him in March, though it didn't set a specific date. Kim Avedisian, the parole coordinator for the state Department of Corrections, said today that there's no schedule for exactly when Biechele will be released on March 19. Tracey Poole, a spokeswoman, confirmed the release date to projo.com. Station nightclub co-owner Michael A. Derderian will be released one year early from his four-year prison sentence, receiving his freedom on parole in October 2009, the state’s Parole Board decided in January. Derderian, who had pleaded no contest, was sentenced in September 2006 to serve four years in prison followed by three years of probation. He was also given an 11-year suspended sentence, which he may have to serve if he gets into trouble while on probation.
Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:09 PM | Comment Station fund concert raises nearly $200,000The Phoenix Rising concert to benefit the Station Family Fund sold more than 4,000 tickets and, with the help of donations from sponsors and the artists, raised nearly $200,000, according to Todd King, a board member of the fund and co-organizer of the concert at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center last night. “I’m speechless,” King said. King added that all musical merchandise not sold last night would be displayed at various locations of Daddy’s Junky Music Stores and sold to benefit the fund. And the higher profile won’t stop there. The music cable channel VH1 was at the concert, filming the show and interviews with the artists and fire survivors for a one-hour documentary on the aftermath of the fire, to be aired on Easter weekend. King hopes the national exposure will focus renewed attention, and money, on the fund’s efforts to meet the medical and other needs of those injured in the West Warwick nightclub fire, and thinks that the fund has turned a corner. “We’ve found our voice,“ King said. Read coverage of last night's concert. Posted by Mike McKinney at 2:26 PM | Comment Potential investors eye Veterans Memorial Auditorium
PROVIDENCE -- Businesses interested in managing the Veterans Memorial Auditorium toured the performance hall this morning, examining both the building's new seats and repaired ceiling and its three floors of vacant and neglected office space. The nonprofit group that runs the VMA had been scheduled to take full ownership from the state in July. But concerns over its fundraising ability have caused state officials to reconsider that agreement, The Providence Journal has reported. Now, the Rhode Island Convention Center Authority, which also runs the Dunkin' Donuts Center, is moving to take over the VMA as well. The authority organized today's tour, inviting management companies to study the building before submitting proposals to help operate it. The current operator, the Veterans Memorial Auditorium Foundation, estimates that the building may need millions of dollars in improvements. For more local breaking business news, visit the Biz Blog at projo.com/business. Posted by Benjamin N. Gedan at 12:39 PM | Comment Coming up: Three-and-a-half hours without StarbucksDon't get jittery when you duck out of work later today for a grande skinny cafe mocha, only to find your favorite Starbucks closed. It's only temporary. And it's not just here. Almost all the stores' corporate locations will be closed today starting at 5:30 p.m. for retraining of "baristas" -- AKA wait staff. Stores with evening hours are scheduled to re-open at 9 p.m. The international chain has been suffering the effects of poor growth, with sales falling at U.S. stores that have been open for at least 13 months. As part of efforts to boost sales, the store is pulling its recently introduced expanded foods section, experimenting with $1 coffee, and a focus on international as opposed to domestic stores. During the 3 1/2-hour sessions, workers will go through coffee quality and preparation training. In the meantime, take a look, via Google maps, at other at other local coffee shops, or become your own barista. And, it just so happens, competitor Dunkin' Donuts is offering small lattes, cappuccinos or espressos for 99 cents today, between 1 and 10 p.m. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson, with reports from the Associated Press Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 12:32 PM | Comment Sha Na Na leader to testify for 'Truth in Music' actPROVIDENCE -- He played at Woodstock -- one of the '50s-style guys in gold outfits who went on right before '60s icon Jimi Hendrix -- but this afternoon the member of Sha Na Na fame has a different gig at the Rhode Island State House. John "Bowzer" Bauman, will speak at a news conference for what sponsors call the "Truth in Music Advertising Act," legislation that aims to protect music performers from identity theft and to protect people who buy music from being misled into thinking they are seeing "legendary artists that made hit songs famous," according to a legislative news release. (Note: The release spelled his nickname/alter ego "Bauser.") The proposal would ban advertising for certain live musical performances by "false and misleading affiliations with other musical groups," according to the summary in the legislative news release. A news report out of Tennessee last year described Bauman as lobbying states to "prevent phonies and fakers from passing themselves off as authentic members" of groups. MSNBC also carried a report last May on his efforts. State Rep. Peter John Petrarca D-Lincoln, and Sen. John J. Tassoni Jr., D-Smithfield, said they will be joined by Bauman at 3 p.m. in the House Lounge. Bauman is chairman of the Truth in Music Committee of the Vocal Group Hall of Fame and has promoted “truth in music advertising” legislation around the country, the news release says. The release said Bauman plans to testify for the bill at a House Corporations Committee hearing. The committee will meet at the rise of the House -- about 4:45 p.m. -- in Room 203 of the State House. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 12:16 PM | Comment Fire near Providence CollegeFire crews are on the scene of a fire this morning near Providence College. The call came in just after 11 for a basement fire in a 2 1/2-story house at 15 College Rd., according to James Taylor, chief of communications for the Providence Fire Department. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 11:27 AM | Comment Fire crews called to Burrillville power plantThe Harrisville Fire Department was called to the Ocean State Power Plant on Sherman Farm Road, Burrillville, this morning for a small fire. Asst. Fire Chief Mike Gingell said no one was injured and that the power plant’s internal fire protection system put the fire out. There was a similar situation one week ago, when, according to a power plant spokeswoman, smoke from an oil leak in one of the plant’s turbines set off the fire alarm The 560-megawatt power plant, operated by TransCanada Power Operations, was built in 1990. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 11:26 AM | Comment Expecting large primary turnout, state plans aheadThe Secretary of State will go over plans today to try to ensure voting in the March 4 primary is efficient and accessible. The State Board of Elections, local boards of canvassers and the Secretary of State worked together with different groups to try to make sure there are enough poll workers, and that employers give workers time to get to the polls. More details on the state's plans to try to simplify March 4 voting will be released at a 3 p.m. press conference. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 11:14 AM | Comment Former President Clinton is coming to BryantFormer President Bill Clinton is coming to the Ocean State this week, less than one week before Rhode Island's March 4 presidential primary election. Clinton has been traveling the country, campaigning on behalf of his wife and presidential hopeful, Sen. Hillary Clinton. He will be hosting a rally at Bryant University in Smithfield Thursday, according to a statement from the Hillary Clinton campaign. Doors open at 2:15 p.m., and the event is expected to begin at 3:15. The rally, titled “Solutions for America,” will be at the Chace Athletic Center, and is open to the public. Attendees are encouraged to carpool because of the limited parking. Sen. Clinton has already visited the state, holding a rally at Rhode Island College on Sunday. Former Arkansas governor and Republican presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee was on the radio, and visited a school and this newspaper yesterday in a day-long campaigning tour of Rhode Island. No word yet on Sen. Barack Obama's plans to visit the state, but his wife, Michelle Obama, was in town last week; she held two events on Feb,. 20: one private at the Biltmore Hotel, and one public at Community College Rhode Island. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 10:39 AM | Comment Will new fishing laws affect you? Find out tonightThe Department of Environmental Management is holding a public hearing this evening to answer questions and get input from those who may be affected by proposed changes to fishing laws. The changes to state’s marine fisheries regulations would affect monkfish, menhaden, striped bass, and scup for both commercial and recreational fishermen. People can attend the hearing at the University of Rhode Island’s Narragansett Bay Campus Corless Auditorium at 6 p.m. today. The Department is also accepting written comments, but they must be submitted by noon today, to DEM’s Division of Fish and Wildlife, 3 Fort Wetherill Road, Jamestown, R.I., 02835. The proposals would affect the commercial tautog quota management plan; the recreational tautog management plan; the commercial scup quota management plan; the commercial striped bass quota management plan; the R.I. menhaden regulations; and the R.I. monkfish regulations. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 8:09 AM | Comment Funeral today for convicted former Lincoln administratorFuneral services for former Lincoln Town Administrator Jonathan F. Oster are scheduled for today at 11 a.m. at Sugarman-Sinai Memorial Chapel. Oster killed himself less than a day after he was found guilty of two counts of bribery and two counts of conspiracy for a scheme he was involved in when he headed the town of Lincoln, from 2001 to 2002. Because Oster died before an appeal -- which his lawyer says he planned to file -- was resolved, under Rhode Island law, his conviction must be vacated, according to the state's Attorney General's office. Oster's family has asked that a donation to the Cove Center, which offers vocational training and support to people with behavioral and mental health problems, be made in lieu of flowers. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 7:41 AM | Comment Conn. mom accused of hassling son's hockey opponentBRIDGEPORT, Conn. -- Bridgeport police have accused a Trumbull woman of retaliating against a 10-year-old boy who bumped her son during a youth hockey game over the weekend. Police have charged 47-year-old Madeline Fromageot for the incident that allegedly occurred Saturday at the Wonderland of Ice. Police say the woman grabbed the boy's helmeted head and banged it against the Plexiglas partition around the rink until the player's mother interceded. Fromageot is charged with breach of peace, but she strongly denies the allegations and insists she did not touch the other player. Police say the incident took place during a hockey game between a team from Easton and the team on which Fromageot's 7-year-old son is a player. -- The Associated Press Posted by Jack Perry at 7:03 AM | Comment Rain likely this afternoonRain is likely this afternoon, but the National Weather Service has also warned that a burst of snow is possible in the northern part of the state later this afternoon. The temperature is expected to reach 42 degrees with a calm south wind. The rain is expected to continue into the early morning tomorrow, getting heavy at times over night when the temperature drops to about 37 degrees. Tomorrow we'll still have a slight chance of even more rain. Expect cloudy skies and and a high temperature near 45 degrees with west wind gusts as high as 29 mph. For updated information through the day, visit projo.com's weather page. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 7:01 AM | Comment Today's front pageToday's front page features stories on presidential candidat Mike Huckabee's visit to Rhode Island and the return of the Silva family to their new home in Warwick, courtesy of the ABC television show Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. Download a copy of today's front page in .pdf format. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:00 AM | Comment February 25, 2008Update: Huckabee, in several R.I. stops, remains hopeful
PROVIDENCE -- Republican Mike Huckabee says he's hoping for a win in Rhode Island, although he acknowledges he's not as well known here as his rival, Sen. John McCain. Despite McCain's big lead, Huckabee insisted he could still win the Republican presidential nomination – if the contest goes to the GOP convention in Minneapolis during the fall. “I’ve said at times that we may end up going to the convention this time,” the former Arkansas governor said at a meeting with the editorial board of The Providence Journal, where he came this afternoon seeking the paper’s endorsement. “You can’t say I can’t be. John McCain might have an implosive moment tomorrow,” Huckabee said. Huckabee also spoke on WPRO-AM this afternoon before heading to a visit at the Community Preparatory School in Providence. This evening, he was drawing an estimated 500 people at a rally at the Crowne Plaze Hotel in Warwick. McCain has won the backing of most of the prominent Republicans in the state, including Governor Carcieri, House Minority Leader Robert Watson and Warwick Mayor Scott Avedesian. Huckabee also told WPRO that he's remaining in the race because McCain had not yet secured the number of delegates needed to win the nomination. He says he won't rule out running for president again in four years. -- The Associated Press and Journal staff writers John Castellucci and Linda Borg Huckabee, who spent about 40 minutes answering questions put to him by The Journal's editorial board, was critical of the primary process. “It almost becomes more of a chase of money and name identification than it does about leadership qualities to be president,” he said. “One of the problems that I’ve had with this entire process, if you listen to the first 12 debates, we spent most all of the time arguing over thee issues of Iraq that frankly can’t define the Republicans because there’s not a dime’s difference with all the Republicans with the exception of Ron Paul. He was scathing about McCain-Feingold campaign finance law, complaining it takes money out of the hands of the individual candidate, and puts it in the hands of the special interests, who can “hide in the trees and aim cheap shots” at people running for office. “It’s true guerrilla warfare,” he said. Huckabee came to the editorial board meeting accompanied by his daughter, Sarah, and a local campaign volunteer, Dave Talan. Asked what he had learned from running for president, Huckabee quipped, “That a person can live on very little sleep and still function.” Asked whether he would appoint a Supreme Court justice who would vote to overturn Roe Vs. Wade, the landmark ruling that legalized abortion, Huckabee replied: “Personally, I think Roe vs. Wade overturning is not the goal;. I think it’s the Human Life Amendment.” What about privacy? Huckabee was asked. “This isn’t about privacy. It’s about the life of a child. It’s a human life,” he answered. “Biologically, it’s not a piece of broccoli. It’s a human life. And of all the scientific arguments that people can have, there’s no argument that once you have a 46-chromosome DNA that is 23 of a male, 23 of a female, you have a unique DNA schedule that has never been typed like that before. And the only kind of life it can be is a human life.” At another stop, Huckabee wowed a pint-sized crowd today with a soulful rendition of a 1960s favorite, "The House of the Rising Sun." Wisely, Huckabee left out the lyrics, which refer to a New Orleans whorehouse. Huckabee toured Community Prep School, a private school on the city's South Side where most students are members of minority groups and where 90 percent receive full scholarships. After a quick tour of grades 3-8 schools, Huckabee went into the music room where students were clapping and drumming to an Indian folk song. When the teacher asked if Huckabee could play acoustic guitar, he obliged. Fortunately, he said later, the students didn't know the lyrics to the song. Afterward, the candidate engaged the students in a discussion about the value of the arts in education and the different roles played by the right and left sides of the brain. "When you learn music, you learn how to learn," Huckabee told them. "The creative side of your brain is natural to you. The worst thing that can happen is when someone tries to take that away from you." Later, Huckabee told reporters that he began playing the guitar at age 11 and that he belonged to a rock band called Capitol Offense. Earlier, he asked three students how old they thought he was. "Twenty-five," one girl said. "You just got another scholarship," joked Huckabee. He's 52. Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:59 PM | Comment Tonight: Bands perform in Station Fire charity eventsFive years after the Station nightclub fire in West Warwick, the Phoenix Rising concert begins at 7 tonight at the Dunkin' Donuts Center in Providence. Proceeds from the event will benefit the nonprofit Station Family Fund. The fund was founded by survivors of the Station fire. Tom Scholz of the group Boston, Aaron Lewis, Tesla, Twisted Sister, Kevin Max, and Stryper are slated to perform as well as Emmy-nominated composer and musician Marc Bonilla, who will be the concert's music director. Other performers include famed drummer Carmine Appice’s SLAM! as well as Gary Pihl of the band Boston, Eric Martin of the group Mr. Big, and more. It won't be all musicians of the hard-rocker variety. John Rich of Big & Rich, Alabama’s Randy Owen, Dierks Bentley, Kellie Pickler and Gretchen Wilson are also slated to perform. The Station Family Fund is committed to providing survivor relief, including costs of ongoing treatment and rehabilitation. Check out ticket prices and other information. Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:45 PM | Comment Westerly school board member gets 6 months' probationSOUTH KINGSTOWN -- Westerly School Committee member Dominic DiFazio avoided a jury trial today when the state dropped two felony fraud charges and he entered a plea to a third charge that resulted in 6 months’ probation. Westerly police charged DiFazio with two counts of obtaining money under false pretenses when he took two deposit checks in June totaling $2,761.72 to replace an elderly couple’s windows and hadn’t started the work by September. To a charge of unlawful appropriation of more than $1,000, DiFazio, the owner of Dom DiFazio Contracting, entered an Alford plea, in which he did not admit guilt but conceded that a jury might find him guilty if the case went to trial. Superior Court Judge Stephen P. Nugent said the plea, which comes from the case North Carolina vs. Alford, is treated like a nolo contendere plea. “I guess the distinction is in the so-called Alford plea, you admit that the facts that the prosecutor puts on the record to prove the charge would be enough if believed by the jury to result in a guilty verdict.” In a nolo plea, a defendant does not contest the facts. In both cases the defendant gives up his right to appeal the decision. “It’s an empty victory,” DiFazio said today. “I wanted a jury to prove me not guilty.” He said he accepted the agreement partly because his mother is ill and because “I didn’t want to cause the state any more expense than I have already.” The couple who ordered the windows are in Florida, and “the state would have had to fly them up here,” DiFazio said. Attorney General Patrick C. Lynch's spokesman, Michael Healey, who called the plea a nolo Alford, said “What he admitted was the fact that he took $2761.72 from the victims to install windows and he further admitted that he gave them the runaround.” Judge Nugent told DiFazio to report to the probation office and make full restitution. He said the money is already in the account of DiFazio lawyer Michael P. Lynch, who must get it to the Central Registry in a bank check or money order by Friday. The registry distributes restitution to victims. Healey said that special assistant attorney general Mark Trovato, who prosecuted the case, agreed to drop the fraud charges because “the victims simply wanted their money back. They’re in Florida,” Healey said. “They’re not in the best of health.” -- Journal staff writer Donita Naylor Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:12 PM | Comment R.I. lawmakers propose medical-error tracking systemPROVIDENCE -- Lawmakers are proposing a system to investigate and track medical mistakes and so-called ``near misses'' after brain surgeons at Rhode Island Hospital operated on the wrong side of patients' heads last year on three separate occasions. Bills introduced in the House and Senate would create a Rhode Island Patient Safety Organization. The Department of Health already requires hospitals and nursing homes to report medical mistakes, but they don't have to report near misses. Health Director David Gifford says that information is crucial to preventing similar mistakes in the future. As a way to encourage people to come forward, the system would be voluntary and people could not be punished for reporting to the organization, according to Gifford. -- The Associated Press Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:05 PM | Comment Medical examiner: Oster died from gunshot to headThe cause of death of former Lincoln Town Administrator Jonathan F. Oster was a shotgun wound to the head, and there was no evidence of foul play, the Office of State Medical Examiners said this afternoon. Oster was found dead at his law office Friday morning in what investigators called an apparent suicide. A jury had declared him guilty of bribery and conspiracy the day before. The police said on Friday that they were summoned to the office by a 911 call. Services for Oster will be held tomorrow at 11 a.m. at Sugarman-Sinai Memorial Chapel, 458 Hope St., Providence. Oster, 56, was the husband of Joan (Chabot) Oster and leaves two daughters, according to obituary information. The notice says that in lieu of flowers, contributions may be directed to The Cove Center, 610 Manton Ave., Providence, RI 02909. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with Journal archival reports Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:29 PM | Comment The Silvas are in their new homeWARWICK -- The Silvas are in their new house. Unlike the spontaneous image one gets watching the moment during the ABC episodes of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, it is a more choreographed sight in person. Between 3:30 and 4 pm, Kenny and Doreen Silva and their children arrived at their new three-times-as-big house on the site where the Extreme Makeover crew knocked the old one down last week. The Silvas walked up to the house, with the show's cameras capturing them, but could not go in at first. Then cameramen went around to the back of the house and got inside and positioned. The Silvas stepped back from the house and then approached the door again and went inside where cameras were now ready to capture that image. A man in a black cowboy hat and with red earphones led the large crowd amassed outside the home in cheers. While at the doorway to their new home, the Silvas spokes with show host Ty Pennington, but you could not hear what they were saying. Before the big reveal, as it's known, the Silva family had been sitting in a limousine for a half-hour or more, just around the corner from where finishing touches were being put on their new, three-times-as-big home. That's the word from an Extreme Makeover: Home Edition crew member to media gathered outside the home on Yucatan Drive -- in the same spot where the Extreme Makeover crew knocked the old one down last week -- around 2 p.m. But in the half-hour or so leading up to about 3:15 p.m., a mattress was delivered for a race car-shaped bed that had been brought in. The Silvas returned from Florida yesterday, then were put up in a hotel room so that today's surprising sight would be preserved. A needy family is selected for each episode of the ABC program. As the big moment neared, the show's host, Ty Pennington, worked the crowd outside the new home. Read about the dismantling of the house. Posted by Mike McKinney at 3:59 PM | Comment Photo: Waiting for the Silvas to come home
Posted by Peter Phipps at 3:57 PM | Comment Extreme Makeover family awaiting big revealWARWICK -- The Silva family has been sitting in a limousine for a half-hour or more, just around the corner from where finishing touches have been put on their new, three-times-as-big home. That's the word from an Extreme Makeover: Home Edition crew member to media gathered outside the home on Yucatan Drive -- in the same spot where the Extreme Makeover crew knocked the old one down last week -- around 2 p.m. But in the half-hour or so leading up to about 3:15 p.m., a mattress was delivered for a race car-shaped bed that had been brought in. Kenny and Doreen Silva and their family returned from Florida yesterday, then were put up in a hotel room so that today's surprising sight would be preserved. A needy family is selected for each episode of the ABC program. As the big moment awaits, the show's host Ty Pennington has been working the crowd outside the new home. Read about the dismantling of the old house. Posted by Mike McKinney at 3:25 PM | Comment Update: High court hearing on tribal land welcomedWASHINGTON – The U.S. Supreme Court agreed today to take up the state of Rhode Island’s dispute with the Narragansett Indians over the tribe’s effort to remove tribal lands from the reach of state law. The governor, the state's attorney general and the Narragansett chief said today that they welcomed the court's decision to consider the issue. Specifically, the case deals with the question of the federal government’s right to take in trust land granted to tribes, a key issue not just for Rhode Island and the Narragansetts but for Indian land claims disputes around the nation. At issue is whether a 31-acre lot in Charlestown purchased by the Narragansetts should be subject to Rhode Island law, including a prohibition on casino gambling, or whether the parcel should be governed by tribal and federal law. The dispute dates to 1991, when the Narragansetts purchased the land to build an elderly housing complex, which remains incomplete. The state has argued that federal law prevents the federal government from taking land into trust, or largely removing land from state and local control, for tribes recognized after the 1934 Indian Reorganization Act, unless Congress specifically authorized it. The Narragansetts became a federally recognized tribe in 1983. Read Rhode Island's petition for a Supreme Court hearing. -- With reports from Journal Washington bureau chief John E. Mulligan, Journal staff writer Katie Mulvaney and the Associated Press The 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston rejected the state’s claim in July. Read the ruling in Attorney Joseph Larisa Jr., who represents the town of Charlestown, said he welcomed the Supreme Court’s involvement. State leaders fear the Narragansetts want to build a casino on the site. Casino are banned under state law. “The paramount issue of state sovereignty is the potential that this could open the door to a casino, at least a crack, over the objections of Rhode Island voters,” Larisa said. The Supreme Court will hold oral arguments on the case, known as Carcieri v. Kempthorne, during the term that begins next fall. Dirk Kempthorne is the Secretary of the Interior, the federal cabinet agency that oversees Indian affairs. The governor said, “This is great news for the people of Rhode Island and an important step for every state facing similar issues. For too long, the legitimate concerns of states in the federal land-to-trust process have been ignored. It is simply not acceptable for any state to be stripped of its sovereignty over land within its borders by mid-level bureaucrats in Washington.” A statement from Attorney General Patrick Lynch's Office calls the case one of national interest and significance. "With the stroke of a pen," the statement reads, "the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Interior can unilaterally strip a state of its sovereign jurisdiction by taking land into trust -- even where there are currently no federally recognized Indian tribes. There is something fundamentally wrong with this principle. We look forward to representing Rhode Island’s interests to the very best of our abilities when the case is reviewed in the fall." Narragansett Chief Sachem Matthew Thomas welcomed the high court's review, saying it would give the tribe an opportunity to demonstrate that it never agreed to give up its rights to acquire land or to self government. "There is no language to abrogate our current or future rights," Thomas said between sessions today of another key case for the tribe – the state Superior Court trial of charges stemming from the state police raid of the Narragansetts’ smoke shop in 2003. In the land trust case before the Supreme Court, he said, "Our rights are clear. At the end of the day our rights should be upheld," Thomas said. He said the land would be used for housing, but he has previously left the door open for some type of economic development on the 32 acres. He said he couldn't predict how the court might rule. "As of late, I don't exactly think they're friendly to Indian tribes," he said. Thomas has said his tribe intends to complete the unfinished elderly housing complex on the property, but could also consider other economic development options. He has not ruled out building a casino on the land. Posted by Jack Perry at 3:15 PM | Comment Green businesses come to Rhode IslandBrown University is hosting a conference later this week to highlight "green" technology in the business world. Thursday's event will bring together "the region's top business leaders to address cutting edge topics in this emerging field, from environmentally friendly building to 'green ventures' in business," according to a statement released by the school. "It is said that the field of green technology innovation could well become the largest economic opportunity of the coming century." The daylong conference, "Green Technology: Science, Innovation and Enterprise in the Region," is being organized by the Brown Forum for Enterprise. It's set to take place at the Rhode Island Convention Center and will feature 25 speakers discussing renewable energy, environmentally friendly building, financing "green ventures" and other themes. "People are showing a much greater awareness of our impact on the environment and how we can minimize it," Charles Kingdon, director of the Brown Forum for Enterprise, said in a statement. "This is a fantastic opportunity for the business community to gather and explore this new challenge. Together we can identify ways to meet it in Rhode Island and beyond." Speakers include: J. Patrick Adcock, a senior vice president of World Energy, which operates leading online exchanges for energy and green commodities; Clyde Briant, vice president for research at Brown; and Kathy Loftus, who focuses on sustainable engineering, maintenance and energy management for Whole Foods. The conference is open to the public with advance registration. Organizers expect 300 people to attend. For more information on the conference, visit: http://brownenterpriseforum.org. -- Journal business writer Benjamin N. Gedan Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 2:34 PM | Comment Smoke-shop trial: Nearly all potential jurors know of raidPROVIDENCE — Jury selection in the Narragansett Indian tribe smoke-shop case is slow going today in Providence County Superior Court. Seven Narragansett Indians, including Chief Sachem Matthew Thomas, face charges that they resisted and fought with state police executing a search warrant on a tribal smoke-shop in July 2003. Troopers raided the roadside store in Charlestown to stop the tribe from selling cigarettes without charging taxes. Of the 120 prospective jurors called, almost all raised their hand when asked if they had heard or read about the raid. Dozens, too, said that the trial’s expected month-long time frame poses a hardship. Judge Susan E. McGuirl is questioning each about their concerns as she tries to winnow the pool with prosecutors and defense attorneys. She released more than a dozen from consideration this morning, saying the four-week trial would represent a significant financial burden to them. The selection continues this afternoon. The trial is expected to last about a month. Earlier today, the state Supreme Court turned down a request from the defendants to delay the trial. -- Journal staff writer Katie Mulvaney But the high court said today it will take up tribe members' appeal later this week to allow a computer expert to scour State Police computers for e-mails about the raid that might have been deleted. Judge McGuirl earlier denied that request, saying it's unlikely the e-mails can be recovered. -- With Associated Press reports Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 2:20 PM | Comment New airport director starts today
WARWICK -- Kevin A. Dillon, the new director of the Rhode Island Airport Corporation, moved into his office at T.F. Green Airport today. Dillon arrives at a time of declining passenger traffic at Green Airport and financial strain for many air carriers, which are struggling with rising jet fuel prices. Green Airport started 2008 by recording its lowest January passenger tally in the past four years. The airport moved 5.02 million passengers last year, down 3.5 percent from 2006. That decline followed a 9-percent drop the year before. Dillon has promised to quickly begin an effort to reverse those trends. In an interview with The Providence Journal last month, he said he would push for the speedy lengthening of the runway, compete for new carriers and solicit support from Rhode Island businesses. In other states, businesses have committed to buying a minimum of tickets to encourage an airline to begin service. "The business community has to support the airport in order for it to be successful," Dillon said at the time. "People start to take success for granted. They need to be reminded that the success can only continue if they continue to support the airport." -- Journal business writer Benjamin N. Gedan Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 2:04 PM | Comment Wachovia sues to get out of Clear Channel dealWachovia Corp. has sued Providence Equity Partners to get out of providing financing for the Providence-based buyout firm’s revised $1.1 billion purchase of television stations from Clear Channel Communications Inc. Wachovia, the fourth-largest U.S. bank, said Providence officials changed the terms of the accord without consent from the Charlotte, North Carolina-based bank and voided the agreement, according to a lawsuit filed in state court in North Carolina Friday. Providence and two of its investment banks, Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and UBS AG, agreed over the weekend to drop the price from $1.2 billion for the Clear Channel unit, a person briefed on the negotiations said. The bank “is no longer obliged to provide any financing contemplated” for the acquisition, Wachovia’s lawyers said in the 15-page complaint against Providence and its Newport Television LLC unit. -- Bloomberg News San Antonio-based Clear Channel, the largest U.S. broadcaster, has been in talks with Providence about changing the terms of the sale of the 56 TV stations, located in cities such as Memphis, Tennessee, and Syracuse, New York. Julie Fisher, a spokeswoman for Providence Equity Partners, wasn’t immediately available for comment. “Providence told us it had renegotiated key terms of its deal with Clear Channel but then demanded that the lenders be held to the terms of the deal it had rejected,” Wachovia spokeswoman Christy Phillips-Brown said today in an interview. “Our efforts to resolve the issue were unsuccessful and we felt it was in the best interest of our shareholders to ask a court to confirm that the prior commitment is no longer in effect,” she said. Wachovia fell 39 cents, or 1.1 percent, to $33.94 at 10:13 a.m. in New York Stock Exchange composite trading. Clear Channel fell $1.24, or 3.8 percent, to 31.14 on the NYSE. The case is Wachovia Bank v. Newport Television LLC, 08-CVS- 4056, Superior Court of North Carolina (Charlotte). Posted by Mike McKinney at 1:11 PM | Comment Retired Marine to head Providence emergency agency
Journal photo / Steve Szydlowski Marine Lt. Col. Peter T. Gaynor, left, with Mayor David N. Cicilline today. PROVIDENCE -- A retired Marine Corps colonel has been appointed to head the city’s Emergency Management Agency and office of Homeland Security. In a statement released today, Mayor David N. Cicilline said Lt. Col. Peter T. Gaynor wasn’t someone who had just planned for a crisis. “He’s actually experienced them and proven himself to be ready and capable," Cicilline said. The appointment comes two months after Cicilline fired Leo Messier from the position, citing mismanagement of the Dec. 13 snowstorm that left children stranded on school buses and caused gridlock on the highways. Gaynor worked as a manager for operations during the U.S. Marine Corps headquarters after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks and worked security for the president at Camp David. Gaynor, who steps into the job today, said in the statement that his crisis management and leadership skills “were honed under that pressure of real-world events,” and that the would “help to ensure that Providence is prepared to rapidly respond in a coordinated and strategic manner to extraordinary incidents that may threaten the safety of residents, commuters and visitors to the City of Providence.” Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 11:21 AM | Comment R.I. high court won't delay trial, but will take up appealPROVIDENCE -- The state Supreme Court has turned down a request from seven Narragansett Indians to delay a trial for fighting with State Police during a 2003 raid on a tribal smoke shop. But the high court said today it will take up tribe members' appeal later this week to allow a computer expert to scour State Police computers for e-mails about the raid that might have been deleted. A Superior Court judge earlier denied that request, saying it's unlikely the e-mails can be recovered. Also today, jury selection began for the trial. Chief Sachem Matthew Thomas and six others are charged with misdemeanor crimes ranging from disorderly conduct to assault. The trial is expected to last about a month. -- The Associated Press Posted by Mike McKinney at 11:12 AM | Comment Gas prices up 9 centsGasoline prices jumped an average of nine cents per gallon in Rhode Island last week, according to AAA Southern New England. It's the second week of price increases after five weeks of falling prices. The average price for a gallon of regular, unleaded gasoline is $3.109 at the self-service pump, according to AAA's weekly survey. The price has climbed 12 cents over the past two weeks. The national average is about three cents higher than what Rhode Islanders are paying. AAA attributes the increase to the jump in oil prices, now about $100 per barrel. Posted by Jack Perry at 11:06 AM | Comment Today's front pageToday's front page features coverage of presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton's visit to Rhode Island and a story on speculation that Sen. Jack Reed is a candidate for vice president or a cabinet post. Download a copy of today's front page in .pdf format. Posted by Jack Perry at 10:48 AM | Comment Alleged flim-flam man in court todayA former lobsterman accused of scamming people out of more than $25,000 is set to appear in court today to argue that the charges against him should be dropped. John Kluth is accused of scamming money from at least 40 people – including several prominent Rhode Islanders – by feeding them sob stories about disabled trucks and broken refrigerators that put his cargo of lobsters at risk. Kluth filed motions asking for most of the charges against him to be dropped, because alleged victims’ identifications were too far removed from the alleged crimes to be reliable. This process is expected to take a week in Superior Court, Providence. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 10:32 AM | Comment Photo/ Before and after the Extreme Makeover
Posted by Jack Perry at 9:59 AM | Comment Photo: Finishing touches on Extreme Makeover home
Posted by Jack Perry at 9:04 AM | Comment Concert tonight will benefit Station survivorsThe Station Family Fund has been supporting survivors of the 2003 fire who are still paying medical bills. The Phoenix Rising concert is the latest benefit event for the fund. Tonight, it's bringing rock bands -- including Tesla and Twisted Sister -- and country bands to the Dunk. The show starts at 7 p.m. Tickets range from $12 to $61. If you buy them at the Dunkin' Donuts box office, you can get two-for-one. Tickets are also available at Ticketmaster. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 8:28 AM | Comment Fire at restaurant supply business in ProvidenceFirefighters are on the scene of a morning fire. A call came in at about 7:40 this morning, according to James Taylor, chief of communications for the Providence Fire Department. The fire broke out on the second floor of A-1 Restaurant Supply, at 221 Admiral St. The building appeared to be unoccupied, Taylor said. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 8:08 AM | Comment 2 brothers shot dead in TauntonTAUNTON, Mass. -- The police are looking for suspects after two brothers were shot to death in Taunton. The men were found yesterday after officers responded to reports of gunshots coming from a Somerset Avenue apartment. Police say a 4-year-old child and a 2-year-old child were also found at the scene - physically uninjured - and are now in the care of family members. The brothers were not immediately identified but are reportedly in their 20s. Taunton Police Chief Raymond O'Berg says it appears the victims were targeted, but would not comment on whether investigators had a motive. Neighbors said the men had lived in the apartment for about a year. -- The Associated Press Posted by Jack Perry at 8:06 AM | Comment Cicilline, directors to meet with residents tonightMunicipal issues on your mind? Meet with the mayor tonight at the Robert F. Kennedy Elementary School for Mayor’s Night Out. Mayor David Cicilline and city department directors are set to meet at the school to give residents a chance to ask questions and share concerns. Residents and groups can get 10 minutes of face time with Cicilline; meetings are on a first-come first-serve basis. The meetings are held every month in a different neighborhood. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 8:00 AM | Comment Trial in alleged gang killing starts todayA trial is set to begin today for three alleged gang members who are accused of beating to death a member of a rival gang last year on a street in the Elmwood section of Providence. Sarith Chith, 20, Thomas Havey, 20 and Tavarez Moralez, 18, face murder and conspiracy charges for the January 2007 death of Vicheth Klakratok, 23. The police say the three are members of the Hanover Boyz street gang. Klakratok was said to be a member of a rival gang. Prosecutors say he died of blunt force trauma after being hit in the head with pipes in the middle of Cranston Street, in West End. The three pleaded innocent in July. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 7:40 AM | Comment Smoke shop trial scheduled to begin todayPROVIDENCE -- Jury selection is scheduled to start today in the trial of seven Narragansett Indians accused of scuffling with State Police who raided a tribal smoke shop in 2003. But jury selection could be delayed if the state's highest court acts on a last-minute appeal to delay the trial. Defense lawyers filed the request with the state Supreme Court late Friday afternoon. They are asking the top court to delay the criminal trial so a computer expert can scour State Police computers looking for police e-mails about the raid that might have been deleted. Superior Court Judge Susan E. McGuirl earlier denied their request, saying it's unlikely the e-mails can be recovered. A court spokesman says the Supreme Court has not decided whether to hear the appeal. Attorney General Patrick C. Lynch said Friday that the state expects to be in front of McGuirl on today at 9:30 a.m. ready for the trial. The defendants, including Chief Sachem Matthew Thomas, were arrested in July 2003 when state police raided the tribe's recently opened smoke shop, which was not collecting state taxes, on tribal land in Charlestown. -- The Associated Press and projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Jack Perry at 7:02 AM | Comment Presidential Huckabee to visit Rhode Island todayPROVIDENCE -- Republican Mike Huckabee brings his presidential campaign to Rhode Island today, one of the states holding primaries on March 4. The former Arkansas governor is scheduled to visit the Community Preparatory School in Providence this afternoon before holding an evening rally in Warwick. Huckabee continues to wage his campaign despite long odds of overcoming GOP front-runner John McCain. During a tongue-in-cheek appearance on Saturday Night Live, Huckabee was asked whether it's even mathematically possible for him to beat McCain. He said he's not a ``math guy'' but ``more of a miracle guy.'' But he also added that he would not ``overstay his welcome.'' -- The Associated Press Posted by Jack Perry at 7:01 AM | Comment Clearing with a high near 44The few clouds in the sky are expected to clear as the morning goes on, and the National Weather Service is forecasting a high temperature near 44 degrees. The clouds should return tonight, when the temperature drops to about 24 degrees. Rain returns tomorrow, starting in the afternoon with a half inch possible in all. The temperature should reach 43 degrees and high south wilds could gust as high as 29 degrees. For weather updates through the day, visit projo.com's weather page. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 7:00 AM | Comment February 22, 2008Storm update: Pell Bridge re-opens after accidentsBoth the eastbound and westbound lanes of the Pell Bridge have been cleared after three minor accidents closed the span temporarily, according to the state's Traffic Management Center. Sgt. Frank Sullivan of the Portsmouth barracks of the State Police said no serious injuries were reported in the bridge accidents. The bridge connecting Jamestown and Newport was closed around 6:10 p.m. as sleet and freezing rain made driving hazardous around the state. The eastbound lane was re-opened at 6:48 p.m., while the westbound lane was still closed. Sullivan said the slippery surface would be retreated after the accidents were cleared. Mixed conditions following the day's snowfall began sooner than expected, state officials said this evening, so drivers should slow down if they must be out on the roads. Icy roads were being reported around the southern part of the state between 6 and 7 p. m., and those conditions were expected to move northward. “Motorists need to use extreme caution. The freezing rain is making roadways slippery," Brendan Doherty, who commands the State Police, said in a statement earlier this evening. The EMA said the evening commute appeared to be lighter "thanks to partnering with municipalities and employers across the state heeding the warnings to stagger releases." The sleet and freezing rain will help keep snow accumulation from continuing to rise, but it can cause other, slippery problems. The National Weather Service says the mixed precipitation will change back to all snow after 10 p.m. It, too, advises travelers to plan for extra time and use caution as hazardous weather conditions are expected. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 7:17 PM | Comment Update: Narragansetts seek trial delay from high courtPROVIDENCE -- Seven Narragansett Indians accused of scuffling with State Police who raided a tribal smoke shop in 2003 have filed a last-minute appeal and want to delay next week's trial. Defense lawyers filed the request with the state Supreme Court late this afternoon. They are asking the top court to delay the criminal trial so a computer expert can scour State Police computers looking for police e-mails about the raid that might have been deleted. Superior Court Judge Susan E. McGuirl earlier denied their request, saying it's unlikely the e-mails can be recovered. A court spokesman says the Supreme Court has not decided whether to hear the appeal. Jury selection is scheduled to begin Monday. Attorney General Patrick C. Lynch said this evening that the state expects to be in front of McGuirl on Monday at 9:30 a.m. ready for the trial. "Judge McGuirl has been remarkably patient and studious in reviewing each issue brought before her," Lynch said. He added that it is the defense's prerogative to again seek a delay. But, he added, the state is grateful McGuirl saw fit to deny a motion to stay, or delay, the case, and that "enough is enough." The defendants, including Chief Sachem Matthew Thomas, were arrested in July 2003 when state police raided the tribe's recently-opened smoke shop, which was not collecting state taxes, on tribal land in Charlestown. -- The Associated Press and projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:29 PM | Comment Weather cancelling, delaying flights cancelled at GreenSeveral flights were cancelled today at T.F. Green Airport, according to its Web site, from a 3:05 p.m. departing flight to Atlanta to a 6:30 p.m. departure to Toronto. Life was no better for scheduled arriving flights as the snow falls here. A 5:30 p.m. scheduled arrival from Cleveland was cancelled, and a 10:49 p.m. scheduled arrival from Newark is listed as cancelled. The bright spot, at least according to the airport's Web site? The Windy City: Flights to and from Chicago remain listed as "on time." But to be sure of a flight's status, it may be best to call the airline directly. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:03 PM | Comment Justice Department opens internal waterboard probeWASHINGTON -- The Justice Department has opened an internal investigation into whether its top officials improperly authorized or reviewed the CIA's use of waterboarding when interrogating terror suspects, according to documents released today. The investigation was revealed at the request of Democratic Sens. Dick Durbin of Illinois and Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island. A Justice Department spokesman, however, said the inquiry has been ongoing for several years. Questions about waterboarding are part of a larger Justice probe of the so-called Bybee memo, wrote Marshall Jarrett, head of the department's Office of Professional Responsibility, in a Feb. 18 letter to the two senators. "Among other issues, we are examining whether the legal advice contained in those memorandums was consistent with the professional standards that apply to Department of Justice attorneys," Jarrett wrote. Asked for details, Justice spokesman Brian Roehrkasse said, "This is not a new investigation, but rather has been ongoing for some time." Waterboarding involves strapping a person down and pouring water over his or her cloth-covered face to create the sensation of drowning. It has been traced back hundreds of years, to the Spanish Inquisition, and is condemned by nations around the world. Critics call it a form of torture. -- The Associated Press The memo at the heart of the internal Justice inquiry was dated Aug. 1, 2002, and written by then-Assistant Attorney General Jay Bybee for then-White House Counsel Alberto Gonzales. It defined torture as recognized by U.S. law as covering "only extreme acts" causing pain similar in intensity to that caused by death or organ failure. The Bush administration maintains waterboarding was legal when it was used by CIA interrogators in 2002 and 2003 on top al-Qaida detainees Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, Abu Zubaydah and Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri. Earlier this month, CIA Director Michael Hayden said waterboarding was used, in part, because of widespread belief among U.S. intelligence officials that more catastrophic attacks were imminent. The CIA banned its personnel from using waterboarding in 2006. Attorney General Michael Mukasey has refused to publicly discuss whether waterboarding is currently legal since it is no longer used by CIA interrogators. Durbin called the internal Justice inquiry "long overdue" and noted that the U.S. government has previously prosecuted waterboarding as a war crime. "Within the question how America could come to use interrogation techniques of the Inquisition is the question how the Department of Justice could have overlooked its own precedents to authorize waterboarding," added Whitehouse, a former federal prosecutor. He suggested "the answer was preordained and the department was driven by politics and obedience, not law and independence." Mukasey told Congress earlier this month that he would not pursue criminal charges against CIA officials who used waterboarding after relying on Justice Department guidance that the interrogation tactic was legal. He said today he did not believe the Bybee memo was politically motivated. "I have no reason to believe that politics was involved in that or any other analysis," Mukasey said. Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:35 PM | Comment Snow spurs several accidents on area highways / Photo
The state Transportation Management Center's Web site has listed several of them. An accident closed a lane on Route 10 north in the area of Union Avenue in Providence, the TMC reported at 3:52 p.m. An accident Route 95 north at exit 27 for downtown Pawtucket was cleared at 4:03 p.m. An accident was cleared on Route 195 west at exit 6 -- the Broadway exit in East Providence -- this afternoon. Another was cleared on Route 6 west at Hartford Avenue in Providence. Check out the Transportation Management Center's Web site for traffic alerts and Web cam views of major roads throughout the state. The National Weather Service has advised commuters to take care as the snow makes its way through the area. It will continue to fall at the rate of 1 to 2 inches per hour across northern Connecticut, northern Rhode Island and central and western Massachusetts through 7 p.m. Some sleet and freezing rain will begin to mix with the snow in the immediate Providence area. Visibilities will be reduced to one half mile or less in many locations. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:26 PM | Comment R.I. to get $800,000-plus more for heating assistanceThe state will get $843,229 more in emergency heating money for families' homes this winter, U.S. Sen. Jack Reed, D-Rhode Island, announced today. Nearly 30,000 Rhode Island households last year relied on LIHEAP to help pay for heating their homes and to pay delinquent utilities bills so they can restart service, Reed's office said. Rhode Island is one of 11 states to receive this second wave of money from the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program contingency fund, the release said. The other states are Alaska, Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Vermont. “When temperatures drop, heating bills rise for many Rhode Island families. This additional funding will help lift the burden on many seniors and parents who need help paying their energy bills,” Reed said. Reed is chairman of the Northeast-Midwest Coalition, a group of senators that he said pushes ahead policies to improve region's economy and environment. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:20 PM | Comment Cicilline to appoint new city EMA director MondayPROVIDENCE -- Mayor David N. Cicilline will appoint a new city Emergency Management Agency director, who also will head up the local Office of Homeland Security, on Monday. Cicilline will make the announcement at a 10 a.m. news conference in the mayor's office that day, his office announced today. Providence Police Maj. Monty Monteiro is the city's acting EMA director. He was assigned to the slot after the previous director, Leo Messier, was fired in the wake of a Dec. 13 snowstorm that paralyzed much of the metropolitan region and left some city students stranded on school buses for hours. Posted by Mike McKinney at 3:34 PM | Comment Update: Oster apparently kills self in verdict's wake
Oster's body was found in a conference room in his law office in Lincoln, a spokesman for the state Attorney General Patrick Lynch said this afternoon. In a separate statement, Lynch's office said a gun was found in the office. Police had been called there this morning by a 911 call. While not saying how or when Oster died, the statement added, "There is no evidence suggesting that the gun was used by anyone except Mr. Oster." Acting Lincoln Police Chief Brian W. Sullivan, speaking outside Oster's Old Louisquissett Pike law office late this morning, declined to comment specifically on the death, saying police were awaiting the arrival of the state medical examiner. Sullivan described the case as "an active investigation" and would not characterize it beyond that. The medical examiner’s office is also investigating, Lynch's office said this afternoon, and will do the official autopsy on Monday. This morning, police cars were parked in the lot of the law office, and officers were going in and out of the building. In a previous statement at midday, Lynch's office had said "it does not have any details about the apparent suicide today" of Oster, saying those would have to come from police agencies handling the incident. Lynch did say, "This is a tragedy upon a tragedy and, obviously, a heartbreaking loss for Mr. Oster's family and loved ones. I offer them our sincerest sympathies." C. Leonard O'Brien, who was Oster's lawyer during the trial, told a Journal reporter, “My heart goes out to his family. Knowing the guy as I do I feel very, very sorry that he found himself in this desperate a situation.” Oster leaves a wife and two daughters. -- With reports from Journal staff writer John Hill A Superior Court jury returned its verdict against Oster yesterday afternoon, after deliberating less than two days. It found him guilty two counts of bribery and two counts of extortion for actions he took while town administrator from 2000-2002. As he had throughout the almost four-week trial, Oster sat straight-backed and stoic as the verdicts were read, his head only shaking slightly as the first guilty verdict was announced. His wife’s eyes were red and moist as the jury filed out of the room, and a group of friends who had been in court nearly every day embraced and whispered to each other. Oster faced up to 20 years in prison on each bribery count and 10 years on each conspiracy count. Oster was slated for sentencing on May 8; his lawyer said yesterday his client had planned to appeal the jury's verdict. According to prosecutors, Oster had in 2001 been engaged in two conspiracies with Robert R. Picerno to sell a piece of town-controlled land for $105,000 — less than the $600,000-plus that was owed in back taxes on the property. Picerno -- who brought in nearly a quarter of the $43,284 Oster raised for his 2000 town administrator run -- was supposed to find the targets and collect the payoff money, the state said. Oster’s role was to get Town Council approval of the sale. -- With reports from Journal staff writer John Hill Posted by Mike McKinney at 2:45 PM | Comment Storm watch: Leave early, but not all at once / Photo
After 4 p.m., the snow may start to mix with sleet and rain; it’s expected to continue overnight. State agencies are working together to come up with a plan to send employees home early without clogging the roads as snow falls throughout this afternoon. After a conference call this morning, the Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency, the governor’s office, the Department of Transportation, state police, local emergency management agencies, the Rhode Island National Guard, local colleges and universities and the Chamber of Commerce have asked employees to stagger the times they leave. According to a statement from the EMA, the roads are still in fairly good shape, and will be for an hour or so, the safest times to travel. Ideally, the Agency would like everyone off of the roads between 3 p.m. and 10 p.m. And in Massachusetts, the state Emergency Management Agency has already activated its State Emergency Operations Center to provide manpower and other assistance to communities hit hard by the storm. Check the latest closings and cancellations for around our area, courtesy of wpri.com. Not only are the roads a mess, the weather service has issued an airport weather warning for heavy snow at the state airports. Nearly 40 arriving and departing flights have been canceled at T. F. Green Airport, and a handful of flights have been delayed. One plus: This is winter vacation week for the state's public schools. While there have been many cancellations of youth activities and daycare programs so far today, the problem of sending students home on school buses is not likely to arise. Providence students stranded on buses for hours after a December snowstorm led to a widespread outrage and a review of how the city and state conduct their emergency system during snowstorms. In Providence, a parking ban went into effect at noon today and based on weather conditions, could remain in effect until noon tomorrow. The ban may be lifted earlier if weather conditions permit. The Department of Public Works has nearly 85 plows on the roadways, including private vendors, clearing the main arteries, overpasses and hospital routes before working their way to secondary roads, the mayor's office said. District lieutenants from the Providence Police Department have been assigned to monitor key intersections in the city and are prepared to respond needed. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 2:04 PM | Comment Providence chamber: Consider sending workers homeThe Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce has sent its members an email, asking them to consider sending their employees home on "a staggered basis" over the next four hours because of the storm. The Chamber sent the email late this morning after a conference call with Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency officials, Governor Carcieri, Lt. Governor Elizabeth Roberts, Mayor David N. Cicilline, representatives of the Rhode Island State Police and the National Weather service. While the state's highways are currently in good conditions, heavy snowfall is forecast for this afternoon, the email said. The email added that major employers who have workers coming in on the 3 p.m. to 11p.m. shift should consider making alternative arrangements. Posted by Jack Perry at 12:17 PM | Comment Ex-House leader Martineau to serve 37 months in prisonPROVIDENCE -- Former House Majority Leader Gerard M. Martineau this morning was sentenced to 37 months in prison on corruption charges. Judge Mary M. Lisi also ordered him to pay a $100,000 fine and serve two years of supervised probation following his release. He will have to report to a prison to be determined by 2 p.m. March 14. Martineau, a longtime state representative from Woonsocket, pleaded guilty in November to corruption charges for steering legislation that benefited the CVS drugstore chain and Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island, with which he had plastic and paper bag contracts worth more than $800,000. Martineau was sentenced in U.S. District Court, Providence. He faced a maximum of 46 months and a fine of $1.8 million on each count. The prosecution had asked Lisi to sentence Martineau to 37 months. Martineau's lawyer asked for a split sentence that would have allowed him to spend part of the sentence on home confinement. Also revealed at this morning's hearing: Martineau is cooperating with the federal investigation into corruption at the State House, Operation Dollar Bill. He has met with the FBI six times. John R. 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. -- With reports from Journal staff writer W. Zachary Malinowski Posted by Jack Perry at 11:39 AM | Comment Convicted killer Bishop pleads not guilty to new chargesConvicted murderer Alfred "Freddie" Bishop pleaded not guilty in Superior Court today to a host of charges, including another murder charge. Prosecutors say Bishop, 65, killed Gabriel Medeiros, 35, last June after breaking into a home, and shooting both Medeiros’s brother and sister-in-law before fatally shooting Medeiros. Bishop had spent 33 years in jail for the 1973 murder of James Dunn, who had been Bishop's close friend. He was out of jail for less than a year when he was charged in the Medeiros murder. A 1993 Providence Journal profile reported that in 1978, corrections officials sent out of state Bishop and 14 other inmates deemed to be wielding control inside the prison. Then-Gov. J. Joseph Garrahy said at the time that “guards and inmates live in constant mortal fear for their lives.” Bishop was in shackles, surrounded by marshals at his arraignment today in Kent County Superior Court. Members of the Medeiros family were also on hand. In all, Bishop faces nine charges, including murder, breaking and entering and numerous firearms charges. He's being held on bail and scheduled for a bail hearing March 6. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson, with reports from staff writer Tom Mooney Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 11:17 AM | Comment Pawtucket exit closed SundayThe Exit 28/School Street off-ramp from Route 95 north will be closed this Sunday from 5 a.m. to 4 p.m. The state Department of Transportation will be boring soil near the Pawtucket River Bridge; the closure should help make the area safer for workers. The boring is one of the first steps toward designing a replacement for the Pawtucket River Bridge The bridge is currently off limits to heavy trucks because of deterioration in its support system. A detour will direct driver to the George Street/Downtown exit and onto School Street via Division Street. This phase of soil boring is expected to end by Friday, Feb. 29. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 10:46 AM | Comment Photo: Extreme weather doesn't stop Makeover
Posted by Jack Perry at 10:37 AM | Comment Don't forget, snow can be funWhat’s winter break without snow? There’s plenty to do locally now that the flakes are beginning to fall. Skiing, sledding, skating -- it’s all in Rhode Island. Although Yawgoo Valley makes snow all winter long, isn’t there something special about skiing while it’s snowing? Check out the current conditions at the Exeter slopes online. Another way to capture that fun side of winter? Ice skating. Of course, there's the Bank of America City Center rink downtown, a great place to take a half-hour twirl on the ice during lunch -- or after work, while everyone else is skidding out on the highway, you can work on your double axel (it's got that funny spelling because it's actually named after someone). There are also rinks in South County, East Bay and along the Blackstone Valley River. If you'd rather watch, you're in luck, too. The U.S. Synchronized Skating Championships are in Providence at the Dunkin Donuts Center. But remember, ice does not an ice skating rink make. According to the state Department of Environmental Management, you can't tell if ice is safe just by looking. There are many factors that determine ice stability, including the salinity, and presence of currents and streams. Get more information about the ice skating safety in the DEM's ice safety guide. Find a list prime sledding hills online at Kidoinfo.com, a blog devoted to activities for parents and kids in Rhode Island. And for a winter break lesson in civic responsibility, have the kids help shovel the sidewalks. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 9:51 AM | Comment Photo: Careful on the roads
The electronic traffic sign on Route 146 South tells the story of the slippery commute Rhode Island state police are dealing with about a dozen accidents on highways across the state. And at the North Dartmouth barracks of the Massachusetts state police, trooper say Route 24 northbound is down to a crawl, and throughout the area -- which includes Fall River and New Bedford -- there are between 25 and 30 accidents and cars off the road. And more than two-dozen arriving and departing flights have been canceled at T. F. Green Airport. If you're planning to travel or expecting visitors today, check the airport's Web site before you leave. The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning -- the snow began earlier this morning and is expected to fall through Saturday. The flurries falling now are just a precursor to what's expected. To quote the NWS, the morning commute will be bad, but not as bad as "the expected, more treacherous mid afternoon hazardous travel." The temperature is expected to hover near 30 degrees and snow is expected to pick up between 2 and 8 p.m. when we can expect an inch per hour at times. The Weather Service is telling commuters to prepare for evening commute times to triple. Total accumulation could pile as high as 8 inches today with another few inches overnight, when the temperature drops to 25 degrees. Snow is expected to taper off Saturday morning, but clouds are here to stay, with a forecast high temperature in the mid 30s. To keep an eye on the weather without having to go outside, visit projo.com's weather page. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 9:45 AM | Comment Photo: Spin out in Swansea
Posted by Jack Perry at 9:42 AM | Comment Lottery today for ballot in special Senate raceThe Secretary of State is holding a lottery today to decide how the candidates for the District 20 state Senate seat appear on the March 18 primary ballot. The special election was scheduled to fill the seat of former Sen. Roger Badeau, D-Woonsocket, who died on Jan. 25. Rep. Roger Picard will appear first on the ballot because he is the endorsed Democratic candidate. The lottery will determine in what order the other hopefuls - Rosina L. Hunt and Thomas Scully – appear. The special election is scheduled for Tuesday, April 22. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 9:36 AM | Comment Convicted killer 'Freddie' Bishop due back in courtAlfred “Freddie” Bishop, a convicted killer who spent 33 years behind bars for murder, is scheduled to be arraigned today for a new murder charge. Prosecutors say Bishop, 65, killed Gabriel Medeiros, 35, last June after breaking into a home, and shooting both Medeiros’s brother and sister-in-law before fatally shooting Medeiros. Bishop had spent 33 years in jail for the 1973 murder of James Dunn, who had been Bishops close friend. He was out of jail for less than a year when he was charged in the Medeiros murder. A 1993 Providence Journal profile reported that in 1978, corrections officials sent Bishop and 14 other inmates deemed to be wielding control inside the prison out of state. Then-Gov. J. Joseph Garrahy said at the time that “guards and inmates live in constant mortal fear for their lives.” Bishop’s arraignment is scheduled for this morning in Kent County Superior Court. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 8:19 AM | Comment Closings, delays and bans are rolling inSchool closings and parking bans are already rolling in in anticipation of what's to come, namely, lots and lots of snow. We're expecting about 8 inches today, and maybe more tomorrow. It's vacation week for public schools, so they're closed anyway. But because of the snow, private schools from Cranston to West Warwick are closed, and so are many daycares. Visit projo.com's closings page to find out what schools are closed and what towns have initiated parking bans. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 7:20 AM | Comment Ex-House leader to be sentenced, asks for leniencyPROVIDENCE -- Former House Majority Leader Gerard M. Martineau, who is scheduled to be sentenced today on federal corruption charges, is asking the sentencing judge for leniency. Martineau, a longtime state representative from Woonsocket who did not run for reelection in 2002, pleaded guilty in November to corruption charges for steering legislation that benefited the CVS drugstore chain and Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island, with which he had plastic and paper bag contracts worth more than $800,000. Martineau’s sentencing is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. before U.S. District Judge Mary M. Lisi. Martineau’s lawyer, William P. Devereaux, filed a motion with the court seeking a lenient sentence, citing Martineau’s record as a businessman, legislator and “devoted family man.” “In this case, the Court has before it a man who is truly remorseful; recognizes that he must be held accountable; but asks the Court for consideration of how he has lived his life in comparison to the unfortunate events which have brought him before this Court,” the motion says. Martineau faces up to 46 months in prison and a maximum fine of $1.8 million for each count. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:01 AM | Comment Today's front pageToday's front page features a story reporting that Jonathan F. Oster, former town administrator in Lincoln, was convicted of bribery and extortion charges. There's also a photograph and story on the synchronized skating competition in Providence. Download a copy of today's front page in .pdf format. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:00 AM | Comment February 21, 2008Tonight: In sync on ice at the Dunk / Photo
PROVIDENCE -- You can still catch the U.S. Synchronized Skating Championships tonight at the Dunkin' Donuts Center in Providence. Today's events go until 9 p.m. The championships run from today through Saturday. Ticket prices for today and tomorrow are: regular admission, $23.50, while the fee is $17.50 for people age 65 or older, children under age 6 and active military personnel. For more on the skating championships, including a gallery of photos, visit projo.com tomorrow. Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:57 PM | Comment Hillary Clinton will appear at RIC this SundayDetails of Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton's visit to Rhode Island this Sunday were announced this evening. She will appear at a 1:30 p.m. "Solutions for America" rally at Rhode Island College's recreation center in Providence, her campaign said. Doors open at 11:30 a.m., and the program starts at 1:30 p.m. Clinton will also attend at least one more public event in Rhode Island on Sunday to be announced later, the campaign news release said. Her husband, former President Bill Clinton, is slated to visit Rhode Island on Feb. 28. Yesterday, Michelle Obama, wife of Clinton's competitor for the Democratic nomination, Barack Obama, visited Rhode Island, speaking in Providence and at Community College of Rhode Island in Warwick. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:48 PM | Comment Democratic Party elder Pells split on presidential votesThe presidential primary campaign between New York Sen. Hillary Clinton and lllinois Sen. Barack Obama has split some Rhode Island Democratic households, including one of the most revered of party elders, the Pells of Newport. Former U.S. Sen. Claiborne Pell, who was first elected to that post in 1960, is someone so well-liked by Rhode Island voters that he never lost an election, even defeating the late John H. Chafee, a former Rhode Island governor and later senator, in a 1972 race. Pell retired from the Senate in 1996. Claiborne Pell, 89, has been suffering from Parkinson’s disease for years and no longer speaks in public. But his wife, Nuala Pell, is a spry 84 and often attends political events, most recently yesterday’s speech at the Providence Biltmore by Michelle Obama. Mrs. Pell is a member of Rhode Island Women for Obama and is voting for the Illinois senator. Mrs. Pell said today that her husband has voted by shut-in ballot for Clinton. "He can’t get to the polls,’’ she said. "But he worked with [former President] Bill Clinton and he really likes Hillary Clinton.’’ Mrs. Pell said she is a bit more focused on the future and believes Obama would make a good president for the 21st century. -- Journal staff writer Scott MacKay Posted by Andrea Panciera at 6:35 PM | Comment Police: Girl, 7, accidentally hangs self at Warwick homeWARWICK -- A 7-year-old girl apparently hanged herself to death while playing with a ribbon in a bedroom of her family’s Crestwood Road home on Wednesday, police officials said today. Police Chief Col. Steven McCartney said that police and fire rushed to the house at about 1:40 in the afternoon after receiving frantic phone calls from family members who were apparently trying to revive the girl. He declined to name the girl, who he said was found in an upstairs bedroom by her 5-year-old brother. Firefighters were already trying to resuscitate her when police arrived at the home at 205 Crestwood Road, McCartney said, describing a scene of “great trauma and anxiety.” The girl was transported to Hasbro Children’s Hospital where she was pronounced dead on arrival, he said. According to McCartney, the mother was so distraught that she also had to be taken to the hospital by rescue, and there were initial reports that the father, who was still inside the house, may have suffered a heart attack. Police are conducting a full investigation, he said, but are treating the death as accidental at this time. He said initial reports from the medical examiner’s office indicate that the girl died from self-inflicted strangulation. -- Journal staff writer Barbara Polichetti McCartney identified the parents as Christie Robinson, 28, and Frank Cannon, 39. There are believed to be six children in the household, ranging in ages from 2 to 13, McCartney said. Because of the unusual circumstances of the death plus the fact that the adults were so distraught, McCartney said that the state Department of Children Youth and Families was called in and initially took custody of the children. He said he did not know that status of that department’s involvement as of today. Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:19 PM | Comment Photo: Now that's a vanity plate
Posted by Andrea Panciera at 5:42 PM | Comment Update: Martineau seeks leniency in corruption sentencePROVIDENCE -- Former House Majority Leader Gerard Martineau has asked a judge for leniency ahead of his scheduled sentencing hearing tomorrow on federal corruption charges. Lawyers for Martineau have filed court papers asking for a sentence below the federal guideline range, which recommends a prison term of between 37 to 46 months. Martineau pleaded guilty in November to two counts of federal mail fraud. He will be sentenced on Friday by U.S. District Judge Mary Lisi. Martineau earned roughly $900,000 in business from the CVS pharmacy chain and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Rhode Island. Prosecutors said Martineau arranged to sell paper and plastic bags to the companies for use in their businesses at the same time he promoted their legislative interests at the State House. In a sentencing memorandum, defense lawyers argue that Martineau's business relationship with CVS started several years before he was elected to the General Assembly and therefore had nothing to do with his political clout. They say Martineau, a Woonsocket Democrat, has accepted responsibility for his actions, and that his bad judgments do not reflect his upbringing or overall values. He was charged as part of a federal investigation into State House corruption, dubbed Operation Dollar Bill, that prosecutors say involves both politicians and corporations. Martineau's sentencing is slated for 9:30 a.m. in U.S. District Court, Providence, before Judge Mary M. Lisi. -- The Associated Press Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:36 PM | Comment Kerry copter makes emergency landing in AfghanistanWASHINGTON -- Helicopters carrying three senior U.S. senators -- including John Kerry of Massachusetts -- made emergency landings today in the mountains of Afghanistan because of a snowstorm. Sens. Kerry, Joseph Biden and Chuck Hagel were aboard the aircraft. No one was injured, according a statement from Kerry’s office. The senators and their delegation returned to Bagram Air Base in a motor convoy, and have left for Turkey. “After several hours, the senators were evacuated by American troops and returned overland to Bagram Air Base, and left for their next scheduled stop in Ankara, Turkey,” the Kerry statement said. “Senator Kerry thanks the American troops, who were terrific as always and who continue to do an incredible job in Afghanistan.” The lawmakers were on a trip this week that included stops in India, Turkey and Pakistan, where they observed the elections earlier this week. Kerry and Biden are Democrats from Massachusetts and Delaware, respectively, and the Republican Hagel is from Nebraska. -- The Associated Press Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:27 PM | Comment Update: Oster found guilty of bribery, conspiracyPROVIDENCE -- A jury today found ex-Lincoln Town Administrator Jonathan F. Oster guilty on all bribery and conspiracy counts stemming from attempts by Oster and a then-political ally to extort bribes from potential buyers of a nearly six-acre, town-controlled property on Route 116. Oster, who was town administrator from 2000 to 2002 when the plot played out, was found guilty on two counts of bribery and two counts of conspiracy in Providence County Superior Court after less than two full days of deliberations. The state's case held that Oster’s role was to get the town to sell the land for $105,000 in exchange for $25,000 cash payoffs, working, the state contended, with Robert R. Picerno, a former Lincoln Planning Board member and Oster ally, to shake down different potential land buyers. Picerno pleaded no contest in 2004 to four counts of taking or trying to solicit bribes, and three counts of conspiracy to solicit bribes. As he had through most of the trial, Oster sat stoically at the defense table, his head shaking only slightly, as the verdict on the first count was read. His wife’s eyes were red and the group of friends who had sat through the trial hugged and whispered to each other after the jury left the room. Oster's sentencing is set for May 8. After the verdict, Oster’s lawyer, C. Leonard O’Brien, said Oster would appeal. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Journal staff writer John Hill and Journal archival reports "An unfortunate chapter in the town of Lincoln's proud history," current Lincoln Town Administrator T. Joseph Almond said in a statement today. He added that "these disgraceful but brief actions were quickly halted by the efforts of the Rhode Island State Police with the cooperation from members of the Lincoln Police Department. "We can now place this unfortunate incident behind us and move forward, ensuring both residents and business owners in the town of Lincoln that all of their elected officials are working honestly, openly and in the best interest of the community to enhance the longstanding integrity of their government." Attorney General Patrick C. Lynch said in a statement that Lincoln and Rhode residents deserved "faithful, true and honest" service from public officials. "What they got from Oster, however, was pure greed and corruption -- conduct so glaring and objectionable that a jury unanimously found it to be criminal. Thanks to outstanding police work from and cooperation with the Rhode Island State Police, and the sheer persistence of our current prosecutors, Assistant Attorneys General Bethany Macktaz and Bill Ferland, as well as the many people in our office who assisted them along the way, we have secured a very important victory against public corruption today." In closing arguments Tuesday, prosecutor Bethany Macktaz in part focused on a meeting in which Picerno went to Oster’s law office wearing state police transmitters. A state trooper was outside videotaping. Picerno had met over several weeks with contractors David Wayne Daniel and Robert Gelfuso, who were working with the state police, to get them to pay the $25,000 bribe in exchange for getting the town to sell them the H&H Screw Co. property, on Route 116, for $105,000. Picerno had an envelope filled with $10,000 when he went to Oster’s office -- money Picerno was to say was from Daniel. On video, Oster and Picerno are standing outside and Picerno puts the envelope in a metal mailbox, saying, “All right, that’s from Wayne, for that H&H [expletive].” A police search later that day found the cash-containing envelope in Oster's office, according to testimony. “There’s the proof,” Macktaz said in closing arguments. “The hard, direct evidence to convict this man.” Before the attempt to extort money from Gelfuso and Daniel, Robert R. Campellone, whose car dealership was down Route 116 from the land, was Picerno’s first bribery target for the H&H land, according to testimony. Campellone, who faced his own bribery charges in the state police investigation, testified earlier in the trial that Picerno lied to him about the deal's terms -- and Campellone said he backed out and sought his $25,000 back. Picerno wanted the bribes from Daniel and Gelfuso to pay back Campellone. Daniel testified Picerno had him make out the $15,000 “legal fees” check to Campellone, whom he didn’t know. Before the trial started, O’Brien had objected to a decision Judge Gilbert V. Indeglia made to allow the state to introduce other persons’ bad acts, particularly those of Picerno, into evidence. Oster was not charged with any crimes related to those actions, was never present when those acts took place, O’Brien said, adding the state could not prove he knew of them. “Jon has options,” O’Brien said after the verdicit, “and one of the most important is to appeal this ruling.” The conspiracy charges were a particular challenge for Oster. Under state law, if the prosecution can prove a conspiracy existed between the two men, Oster’s legal exposure was huge because a criminal conspiracy is in itself is a crime. The state ddin’t have to prove a bribe was ever paid, only that Picerno and Oster schemed to get it. All members of a conspiracy are culpable for the acts of other conspirators whether they knew what they were doing or not, Indeglia said. One conspirator could even order another not to commit a specific crime, but if the other did it anyway, both are equally liable. Or, as Macktaz put it during trial, “Mr. Oster is criminally responsible for all of Mr. Picerno’s actions, even if he wasn’t there.” O’Brien argued during trial that Picerno was an extortionist who was doing whatever he could to get the state police to give him a break less than two days following his arrest. The defense also used testimony to argue that the land Oster was accused of selling at a too-low value might actually have so much industrial contamination as to have a negative value, so that any offer for it a good one. And O’Brien established that the car dealer had done favors for Picerno for at least a year prior to Osters' taking office. O'Brien also got Campellone to say he had never talked to Oster about bribes he paid Picerno. Read about the case's closing arguments. Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:05 PM | Comment Double stabbing in ProvidenceRescue crews are on the scene at a stabbing in the city's Elmwood neighborhood. Two people were transported to local hospitals at about 2:30 from 153 Stanwood Street with stab wounds, according to James Taylor, chief of communications for the Providence Fire Department. One of the victims was a 30-year-old man with wounds to the forehead. Taylor did not yet have information on the second victim. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 2:53 PM | Comment Hasbro pulls countries from Monopoly site after Israel flapPROVIDENCE -- An employee of Hasbro Inc. eliminated the word "Israel" after the city of Jerusalem in an online contest to select names for a new Monopoly board game after complaints from pro-Palestinian groups and bloggers who believe the city is not in Israel, the company said today. A day after "Israel" was removed, the Pawtucket-based company apologized and pulled all country names from cities listed on the site. Hasbro is asking people to vote at the Monopoly Web site on which cities will be included in its upcoming Monopoly Here and Now: The World Edition. Until Tuesday, every city on the site listed a country, including Paris, France; Cairo, Egypt and Jerusalem, Israel. But a "mid-level" employee, based in London, decided on her own without consulting senior management to pull "Israel" from Jerusalem after hearing the complaints, Hasbro spokesman Wayne Charness said today. Israel considers the whole of Jerusalem to be its capital, while Palestinians claim east Jerusalem as the capital of a future state. The change left Jerusalem as the only one of dozens of cities listed without a country. Hasbro management was alerted to the change Wednesday when its London office saw a spike in traffic on the site and figured out what happened, Charness said. The company then pulled every country name, so Paris and Cairo also are now listed alone, he said. "It was a bad decision, one that we rectified relatively quickly," he said. "This is a game. We never wanted to enter into any political debate. We apologize to our Monopoly fans." -- The Associated Press Charness added that the game, due out in the fall, was never meant to include countries. The countries were added to the Web site to make it easier to vote. "Monopoly is the world's most popular game," he said. "We want it to remain that way." Voting in the contest ends Feb. 29 for the Top 20 cities and March 9 for two wild card cities nominated by voters. The top vote-getting city will get the prime Boardwalk spot: as of Tuesday, it was Istanbul, Turkey. Posted by Jack Perry at 2:53 PM | Comment Update: Oster found guilty of bribery, conspiracyPROVIDENCE -- A jury today found ex-Lincoln Town Administrator Jonathan F. Oster guilty on all bribery and conspiracy counts after Oster and a then-political ally twice attempted to extort bribes from potential buyers of a nearly six-acre, town-controlled property on Route 116. Oster, who was town administrator from 2000 to 2002 when the plot played out, was found guilty on two counts of bribery and two counts of conspiracy in Providence County Superior Court after less than two full days' deliberations. The state's case held that Oster’s role was to get the town to sell the land for $105,000 in exchange for $25,000 cash payoffs, working, the state contended, with Robert R. Picerno, a former Lincoln Planning Board member and Oster ally, to shake down the different potential land buyers. 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 closing arguments Tuesday, prosecutor Bethany Macktaz in part cited a Feb. 16, 2002, meeting that Picerno went to at Oster’s law office wearing state police transmitters. A state trooper was outside videotaping. Picerno had met over several weeks with contractors David Wayne Daniel and Robert Gelfuso, who were working with the state police, to get them to pay the $25,000 bribe in exchange for getting the town to sell them the H&H Screw Co. property, on Route 116, for $105,000. Picerno had an envelope filled with $10,000 when he went to Oster’s office -- money Picerno was to say was from Daniel. On video, Oster and Picerno are standing outside and Picerno puts the envelope in a metal mailbox, saying, “All right, that’s from Wayne, for that H&H [expletive].” A police search later that day found the cash-containing envelope in Oster's office, according to testimony. “There’s the proof,” Macktaz said in closing arguments. “The hard, direct evidence to convict this man.” Before the attempt to extort money from Gelfuso and Daniel, Robert R. Campellone, whose car dealership was down Route 116 from the land, was Picerno’s first bribery target for the H&H land, according to testimony. Campellone testified earlier in the trial that Picerno lied to him about the deal's terms -- and Campellone said he backed out and sought his $25,000 back. Picerno wanted the bribes from Daniel and Gelfuso to pay back Campellone. Daniel testified Picerno had him make out the $15,000 “legal fees” check to Campellone, whom he didn’t know. Oster's defense lawyer, C. Leonard O’Brien, argued that Picerno was an extortionist who was doing whatever he could to get the state police to give him a break less than two days following his arrest. The defense also used testimony to argue that the land Oster was accused of selling at a too-low value might actually have so much industrial contamination as to have a negative value, so that any offer for it a good one. And O’Brien established that the car dealer had done favors for Picerno for at least a year prior to Osters' taking office. O'Brien also got Campellone to say he had never talked to Oster about bribes he paid Picerno. Read about the case's closing arguments. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Journal staff writer John Hill and Journal archival reports Posted by Mike McKinney at 1:52 PM | Comment Update: 'Missing' students found: 1 in jail, 1 at home
Amy Scott and Daniel Querzoli
Police now know the whereabouts of two college students who didn’t return home after borrowing a friend’s car to run errands last week. Twenty-two-year-old Daniel Querzoli is in state police custody in Pennsylvania, and 21-year-old Amy Scott is in New Jersey with her mother, Laura Tool. Tool said her daughter and her daughter’s roommates were all in danger, but would not elaborate to police. The car Scott allegedly left Providence in -- her roommate's Honda, which has been reported stolen -- was found in a parking garage in mid-town Manhattan. Querzoli, a student at Bridgewater State University, was arrested in what Pennsylvania state police say was a different stolen vehicle with stolen plates. Providence Police Det. Sgt. Carl W. Weston Jr. said he had an unusual series of conversations with Tool, who reported her daughter missing last week. --projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson, with reports from journal staff writer Gregory Smith Tool said her daughter had been in touch and that she and her husband were going to pick up Scott, Weston said. But, he added, she was not forthcoming in answering all of his questions. At one point, Weston said, Tool remarked that Scott said she and her roommates were in danger. Tool said police should send an officer to the apartment, but would not tell Weston the nature of the danger. Out of an abundance of caution, police sent an officer to the house yesterday to check on the eight residents of the multi-family house. No one was home, Weston said. A police sergeant in Beach Haven, N.J., went to Tool’s house and confirmed that Scott was OK. But the sergeant did not get much more information, Weston said, because the two women had a lawyer with them. Tool did say that her daughter and Querzoli were no longer dating. Querzoli was arrested at about 3:15 a.m. today when a state police trooper reported seeing a vehicle being driven erratically on Interstate 81 in Cumberland, just outside of Carlisle, Penn. According to Sgt. Jonathan Mays, Querzoli was driving a stolen Buick Century with stolen plates. Querzoli is currently being held on $50,000 bail while he awaits his hearing. On cable television last night, Querzoli's father, Brian Warren, said he had received a postcard from his son that said the two college students were on a “road trip.” Weston said the case reminds him of the runaway bride. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 1:49 PM | Comment Martineau, former majority leader, faces sentencingPROVIDENCE -- Former House Majority Leader Gerard M. Martineau is scheduled for sentencing tomorrow on corruption charges. Martineau pleaded guilty in November to corruption charges for steering legislation to benefit businesses with which he had plastic and paper bag contracts. Martineau's sentencing is slated for 9:30 a.m. in U.S. District Court, Providence, before Judge Mary M. Lisi, according to an advisory from U.S. Attorney Robert Clark Corrente's office. Martineau, who was a longtime state representative from Woonsocket, pleaded guilty to two felony charges of depriving Rhode Islanders of the right to his honest services for $891,500 worth of paper and plastic bag contracts from the CVS drugstore chain and Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island. Martineau then tried to influence health-care and other legislation for the two companies. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with Journal archival reports Posted by Mike McKinney at 12:59 PM | Comment Life without parole upheld for man who killed his wifePROVIDENCE -- The state Supreme Court today upheld a historic sentence of life in prison without parole for a domestic violence case in which a Narragansett man stabbed his wife to death in 1996. The high court's ruling was also the first time that court had considered and upheld such a sentence. In writing the decision for the court, Chief Justice Frank J. Williams described it as a "heinous and horrific case" and "execution-style killing." According to the court, Joseph E. McManus Jr. capped years of abusing Kelly McGinity McManus by stabbing her six times with an 11-inch knife in their Bonnet Shores home. McManus -- who while in prison for that crime received another 20-year sentence in 2001 after offering to pay an inmate to shoot then-Attorney General Jeffrey B. Pine and to break a state prosecutor's legs -- did not dispute in 1996 that he fatally stabbed his wife in her home. He gave a "diminished-capacity" defense at the eight-day trial. But a jury convicted McManus, then of 6 King Phillip Rd., Narragansett, of one count of first-degree murder. His life sentence without possibility of parole was the first such issued in a Rhode Island domestic-violence case. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with Journal archival reports The couple, who'd been together about 20 years and married for four, had three children. According to the state Supreme Court decision out today, the couple argued often and McManus at times assaulted his wife. The fighting got worse, largely because McManus believed his wife was having an affair with a player on his softball team. Starting in March 1996, Kelly McManus relied on friends' protection from her husband's abuse. On June 28, 1996, Joseph McManus packed belongings in a laundry basket and left the home following an argument. In the evening, after some drinks at several local taverns, McManus told a softball teammate, "If I can't have her, nobody is going to have her" and "If I can't have her, I will kill her." Two of the children were home the early morning of June 29, 1996, when they heard McManus trying to get in the house, pleading with Kelly McManus to let him in. After he got in, he was heard pleading with her to sit down and talk. Eventually, McManus stabbed his 35-year-old wife with a kitchen knife. He kept stabbing her until their son hit him over the head with a coffee table, according to the high court decision. At his Superior Court sentencing, Judge Judith Savage said: "Everyone is blaming themselves for this tragedy, but the blame, Mr. McManus, lies . . . with you." McManus's appeal to the high court argued there were case errors, contending that he was entitled to a new trial because the state "deliberately failed to provide him with two statements" in the court process known as discovery, the high court decision says. Other arguments were that: The trial court erred in denying his motion to disqualify one of the two prosecutors in the case; McManus should get a new trial because of his lawyers had a conflit of interest with one prosecutor; and the Superior Court erred in denying McManus' request for a mistrial. Also, appellate counsel for McManus argued in a supplemental brief that a life imprisonment was unwarranted in the case. But the state Supreme Court decision states that after reviewing the case record, "we conclude that the trial justice captured perfectly the defendant's bad character and evil propensities. It comes as little surprise that an individual capable of committing such a brutal slaying would be the same individual who inflicted a lifetime of abuse on his wife and children." Justice Francis Flaherty dissented, saying that while "there is no doubt this was a brutal murder for which the defendant was convicted of first-degree murder," he said after reviewing the record he did not conclude the case should be include in a narrow group of cases of the most heinous crimes "for which this most extreme sentence should be reserved." Flaherty states he would reduce the sentence to life imprisonment. Posted by Mike McKinney at 12:38 PM | Comment Traffic Alert: Rollover accident in Cranston cemeteryPolice and rescue crews are on the scene at an accident at a Cranston cemetery. Police Maj. Ronald Blackmar says the rollover accident happened in St. Ann's Cemetery, on Church Street. Two cars were involved in the accident, he said; one broadsided the other, which then rolled over. Two people in the vehicle that rolled were transported to a local hospital with non life-threatening injuries. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson
Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 12:10 PM | Comment Photo: Building extremely fast in Warwick
Posted by Jack Perry at 10:01 AM | Comment Oster jury gets back to businessPROVIDENCE -- The jury in the bribery and conspiracy trial of former Lincoln Town Administrator Jonathan F. Oster has begun the third day of deliberations in Providence County Superior Court. The jurors deliberated until 4 p.m. yesterday without reaching a verdict. Oster, the town administrator from 2000 to 2002, has been on trial for two counts of bribery and two counts of conspiracy to commit bribery in connection with what the state says were two efforts to get bribes from potential buyers of town-controlled land on Route 116 known as the H&H Screw Co. property. The state alleges Oster and former planning board member Robert R. Picerno conspired to sell the land for $105,000, an amount far lower than what the state said it was worth. -- With reports from Journal staff writer John Hill Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 9:58 AM | Comment Providence teen dies in wake of October surgeryA funeral will be held Saturday for a local teenager whose medical plight became a national story. According to published reports, 16-year-old Javona Peters, of Providence, had been in an irreversible coma since having brain surgery at a New York hospital in October. She reportedly had an unexpected reaction to anesthetic. Articles in the New York Daily News, the North Country Gazette and ABC.com say Peters was admitted to Montefiore Medical Center in New York City for what the hospital calls a routine procedure to drain fluid from the head. Peters did not awaken after the Oct. 17 operation. The hospital said it was the result of "an unforeseeable reaction to a routine anesthesia agent." Peters, who was 16, went to Hope High School. She died Feb. 13 in Massachusetts. The funeral service is set for Saturday at 10:30 a.m. in Union Baptist Church, 50 Lupine St. in Pawtucket. Calling hours are from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Read her obituary and sign an online guestbook. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 9:36 AM | Comment Spring in the middle of winter at the flower show/ Photo
The 15th annual Rhode Island Spring Flower & Garden Show begins today, and the fairy tales theme is bringing scenes from some of the the best-known fairy tales to the Rhode Island Convention Center. It's a foliage festival that will turn Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Sleeping Beauty and other fables into mid-winter gardens through Sunday. For more information, see the show's Web site. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 8:38 AM | Comment Photos: Eclipse over East Providence
Posted by Jack Perry at 8:15 AM | Comment Photos: Did you see the eclipse?
A sequence of images taken approximately every twenty minutes show the moon passing through the shadow of the earth as photographed in Toronto Wednesday Feb. 20, 2008. A total lunar eclipse, can only occur on a full moon, when the moon passes through the shadow of the earth. If you missed last night's total lunar eclipse, you've got plenty of time to prepare for the next one -- almost three years. In Rhode Island, the weather was fickle but in Providence. At least, the skies cleared just in time to see the the moon move into the darker part of the earth's shadow, the umbra. At about 10 p.m., the moon moved into position almost directly opposite of the sun on the other side of the earth. The moon's surface turned rust-colored; a result of light bending through the earth's atmosphere and scattering, leaving the longer wavelength red light to hit the moon. In effect, a reflection of all the world's sunsets. The next chance for North America to catch a total lunar eclipse? December 10, 2010. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 7:41 AM | Comment The Omnivore's dilemma: What to eatWe've seen image upon image of sick animals that should have been euthanized instead being turned into food for humans. . And though there’s been no indication that any of the cows from the Hallmark/Westland Meat Co. were carrying illnesses that could be transferred to humans, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Sunday ordered the recall of more than 140 million pounds of beef -- some of which were destined for schools across the country, including in Rhode Island. Just in time comes Michael Pollan, the author who’s book, The Omnivore’s Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals, takes a shot at answering the questions “What should we eat? … How did we ever get to a point where we need investigative journalists to tell us where our food comes from and nutritionists to determine the dinner menu." Pollan is set to speak at Brown University’s Salomon Center, on the campus green, today. His talk, "In Defense of Food: The Omnivore's Solution,” is set to begin at 6 p.m. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 7:28 AM | Comment Conn. city considers banning sex offenders from parksBRISTOL, Conn. -- Bristol's city councilors are considering a local law that would ban child sex offenders from certain areas of the city. They would be barred from schools, parks and other public places where young people congregate, which would be designated as child-safety zones. The council's Ordinance Committee is urging the full City Council to adopt a local law next month targeting those who have committed a sex-related crime against a child. The proposed ordinance is similar to one already in place in Danbury. City Councilor Frank Nicastro has proposed the law citing an incident in September when a convicted sex offender allegedly raped a 13-year-old in Brackett Park. -- The Associated Press Posted by Jack Perry at 7:02 AM | Comment It's cold, and snow is on the way tomorrowIts cold, and it's going to stay that way. The National Weather Service is forecasting a clear, sunny day with a high temperature of 32 degrees and a northwest wind between 6 and 11 mph. Tonight the clouds roll in, and the temperature should drop to the mid-teens with a calm west wind. Expect a snow-and-rain mix tomorrow with a high temperature in the low 30s and a calm south wind. Snow accumulation could reach between 1 and 3 inches. To keep an eye on that snow, check projo.com's weather page. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 7:01 AM | Comment Today's front pageToday's front page features a story and photograph on the visit to Rhode Island by presidential candidate Barack Obama's wife, Michelle. There's also a photograph and story about a family's house in Warwick being torn down and rebuilt, courtesy of the television show Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. Download a copy of today's front page in .pdf format. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:00 AM | Comment February 20, 2008Tonight: Film of Station fire victim's play airs on TVOn the five-year anniversary of the Station nightclub fire, a film of the play written by an 18-year-old who died in the fire airs tonight at 7 on Cox Channel 71. The play, They Walk Among Us, was written by Nicholas O'Neill and is about teenagers who die, but return as guardian angels. Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:46 PM | Comment Skies clearing for tonight eclipseWednesday night – there’s going to be a great, prime-time sky show: a total lunar eclipse visible throughout the Americas, Europe and Africa and, if you miss it, you'll have to wait more almost three years for the next one, in December 2010. The National Weather Service says sky should be clear across Rhode Island for at least par tof the show. At about 8:25 p.m., the moon will begin moving into the edge of the earth’s shadow, the penumbra. About 20 minutes later, the real show begins when the moon moves into the darker part of the shadow, the umbra. At about 10 p.m. the moon will be fully within the shadow as it lines up opposite the sun, on the other side of the earth. Posted by Peter Phipps at 6:29 PM | Comment Former President Bill Clinton is coming to R.I. Feb 28Former President Bill Clinton is scheduled to come to Rhode Island for a Feb. 28 rally on behalf of the Democratic presidential campaign of his wife Hillary Rodham Clinton, who is locked in a battle with Barack Obama for the party nomination. The Clinton campaign today announced the visit, saying details of it are still being worked out. Hillary Clinton is coming to Rhode Island this Sunday. Rhode Island is one of four states holding what could be a potentially decisive March 4 primary. Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:23 PM | Comment Line stretched 100 yards to hear Michelle Obama at CCRIWARWICK -- More than 500 people were waiting tonight to hear Michelle Obama, wife of Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama, at the Community College of Rhode Island night campus. Doors opened at 5:45 p.m. and the line to get in was about 100 yards long to the free event open to the public. The crowd chanted "Yes We Can" while waiting for the speech to begin. Hillary Rodham Clinton, who is battling for the party nomination against Barack Obama, is visiting Rhode Island on Sunday. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Journal staff writer Mark Arsenault Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:19 PM | Comment Station fire is part of a firefighting lesson planMaybe here is some solace, if just a little. Five years ago tonight, the Station nightclub fire erupted unimaginably before Rhode Islanders' eyes. But in a Pennsylvania school district you may not have heard of, a high school firefighting club now includes a lesson about the West Warwick blaze. James Startzel, a Hanover, Penn., career firefighter, said by phone today that for the past couple years the club's students typically spend four of their every-two-weeks, half-hour classes going over the Station fire. "My hearts go out to those people," Startzel said of those affected by the fire. "I feel bad for the families," but he hopes the lessons can save lives, preventing something like the nightclub fire from happening again. Five years after the fire spawned by hard-rock band Great White's pyrotechnics show, the students in Hanover watch a CD-ROM, put out by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, that examines the club and what happened the night of Feb. 20, 2003, Startzel said. The institute puts out CD-Roms focusing on specific fires, such as a house fire that happened in Washington D.C. And those Hanover students who choose to, in their last session, see video from the Station fire, after Startzel warns them that it is difficult. "I'll tell you, the first time I played this, you could have heard a pin drop," Startzel said. "They were all shocked that this happened." Startzel said the firefighting club's sessions examine fires in general, the basics on what can happen, use of fire extinguishers, a little bit of everything. They learn that emergency exits are not necessarily a door or doors through which they entered a building or room. Those who wish to don firefighter air-packs and learn about what a firefighter does. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:55 PM | Comment Photo: Gere film takes to the streets of Woonsocket
Posted by Andrea Panciera at 5:12 PM | Comment Oster trial: Jury ends first day without verdictPROVIDENCE -- The jury in the bribery and conspiracy trial of former Lincoln Town Administrator Jonathan F. Oster adjourned its first full day of deliberations today without a verdict. Oster is charged with two counts of bribery and two counts of conspiracy. The state's case alleges he and Robert R. Picerno, a former Lincoln Planning Board member and former Oster political ally, twice attempted to extort bribes from potential buyers of the nearly six-acre, town-controlled land on Route 116 called the H&H Screw property. Picerno pleaded no contest in 2004 to four counts of taking or trying to solicit bribes, and three counts of conspiracy to solicit bribes. Read about yesterday's closing arguments in the case. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Journal staff writer John Hill Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:30 PM | Comment Update: Michelle Obama speaks of 'amazing journey'
"This has been an amazing journey for me, Barack and my whole family," she said. She's gotten to travel the country, she said, adding that "people are hungry for a different kind of politics. They are tired of negativity and sniping." She also offered a lawyer's-style brief for her husband's campaign. She talked of Obama's upbringing as the child of a single-parent mother and spoke of her own childhood as the daughter of a working-class family from Chicago's South Side. In an interview with The Journal this afternoon, Obama responded to criticism about her remarks, made in Milwaukee on Monday, about her pride in her country. She was quoted by the Associated Press as saying: “Let me tell you, for the first time in my adult life, I am really proud of my country. Not just because Barack is doing well, but I think people are hungry for change." This afternoon, she said in the interview: “I think that if people look at the clip, essentially what I was commenting on was the pride that I felt in how people were engaging in the political process in ways that they hadn’t. I think that everybody had made that comment this year, that this election is like no other. "The amount of turnout that you’re seeing in primaries and caucuses and people going to rallies. I’ve said this before, it’s not just about Barack, but that people feel some level of hope and engagement. And that gives me a source of pride.” Without mentioning by name Hillary Clinton, the New York senator and rival for the Democratic presidential nomination, Obama in her remarks to the crowd today criticized what she called the negativity and thrust-and-parry politics she indicated the Clintons have used on her husband. Obama is visiting the state to help the campaign of her husband, the Illinois senator, ahead of the March 4 primary, one of four such contests -- including delegate-rich Texas and Ohio -- nationally that may sort out the party's nominee. The visit comes after her husband's primary wins in Wisconsin and Hawaii, bringing his winning streak to 10 over Clinton. On Sunday, Clinton will stop in Rhode Island for a campaign visit. -- With reports from Journal staff writers Scott MacKay and Mark Arsenault Obama got perhaps the biggest cheer of the afternoon when she mentioned the war in Iraq. "The facts are pretty clear," she said. She talked about how "a lot of years of Washington experience" did not stop the rush to war after the terror attacks on Sept. 11, 2001 -- a jibe at Sen. Clinton, who voted to authorized President Bush to militarily prosecute the war in Iraq. "A lot of years of Washington experience, and they all [senators], said, yeah, let's go to war," Obama said. The invitation-only event was billed as the launch of Rhode Island Women for Obama. Among those attending were Nuala Pell, an advocate for higher education in Rhode Island and wife of former U.S. Sen. Claiborne Pell; Attorney General Patrick Lynch; former Rhode Island Secretary of State Susan Farmer, a Republican; and, many other professional women from around the state. Michelle Obama has a speech at 5:45 p.m. at the Community College of Rhode Island's night campus in Warwick, an event free and open to the public. She is slated to be joined by her brother, Brown University basketball coach Craig Robinson, at the event. Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:14 PM | Comment Synchronized skating competition comes to the Dunk
The United States Synchronized Skating Championships begin today with free skating until about 4:30 p.m. Opening ceremonies are tomorrow at 3:30 p.m. – and then the competitions begin. More than 90 teams are competing for two spots to compete next spring in the World Synchronized Team Skating Championships. Martha Sheridan, CEO of the Providence Warwick Convention Center, says the event will lead to more than 4,000 hotel rooms booked in the area and says it's "another unique opportunity to showcase our fantastic facilities in our great location." The Colonial Figure Skating Club of West Acton, Mass., with support from Warwick Figure Skaters, will host this year's event. Tickets start at $15 and are available at the box office. See the schedule and read more about synchronized ice skating. Can't get there? Icenetwork.com, U.S. Figure Skating and MLB Advanced Media's partnership, will provide live and on-demand video coverage of the event for “season pass” subscribers. The site will also feature near-live results, event recaps, practice video and photo galleries for subscribers and nonsubscribers. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 3:13 PM | Comment RISD's new president to speak at Business EXPOJohn Maeda, the new president of the Rhode Island School of Design, will deliver a speech at this year's Business EXPO, the Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce announced today. The speech, advertised by the chamber as Maeda's "first appearance in Rhode Island," will take place at the Rhode Island Convention Center. The Business EXPO will be held on May 6 to May 7. Maeda's speech, titled "The Future of Technology, Design, and Simplicity,” is scheduled for Tuesday, May 6. The Providence Journal reported on Maeda's hiring in December, calling him "a prominent artist, designer and educator who is currently the associate director of research at the Media Lab at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology." For more local breaking business news, visit the Biz Blog at projo.com/business. Posted by Benjamin N. Gedan at 2:20 PM | Comment Hasbro to produce movies with Universal PicturesPawtucket-based Hasbro and Universal Pictures said this morning they have signed a six-year agreement to produce at least four movies together. The movies, the first of which will be released in 2010 or 2011, will be based on Hasbro's games such as Monopoly, Candy Land, Battleship and Clue. After the first movie, at least one film will be released each year, the companies said. Hasbro's Transformers toys made a splash with a blockbuster film last year. A sequel is now in production. There's also a movie being made based on Hasbro's G.I. Joe toys. Neither of those toys is covered by the new partnership. "Universal's creativity and worldwide marketing and distribution strength make them the perfect partner," Brian Goldner, Hasbro's chief operating officer, said in a statement. "Today's Hasbro is so much more than a traditional toy and game company, and this partnership is a powerful example of how we are offering our consumers new ways to enjoy unique and immersive experiences with our brands." Hasbro recently hired Lisa Licht as its new general manager of entertainment and licensing; she is based in Los Angeles. In addition, in August 2007, Hasbro announced an agreement with Electronic Arts to develop digital games based on many of its properties across a variety of platforms. Universal Pictures is owned by General Electric Co. -- John Kostrzewa with reports from the Associated Press Posted by Jack Perry at 2:18 PM | Comment Feds award Cranston $1M for housing, other programsThe city of Cranston is coming into some money – more than a million dollars. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is awarding the city about $1.06 million for housing rehabilitation programs, Mayor Michael T. Napolitano’s Scholarship and fuel funds, in addition to other programs aimed at helping low-to-moderate Cranston residents. The money is part of the Community Development Block Program, which is still accepting applications from public service organizations for some of its other grant programs. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 2:09 PM | Comment Michelle Obama speaks to gathering at BiltmorePROVIDENCE -- More than 150 cheering women -- and some men -- are gathered at the Providence Biltmore hotel for an appearance of Michelle Obama. She's visiting the state to boost the campaign of her husband, Sen. Barack Obama, ahead of the March 4 primary. Among those in attendance: Nuala Pell, an advocate for higher education in Rhode Island and the wife of former U.S. Sen. Claiborne Pell; Attorney General Patrick Lynch; former Rhode Island Secretary of State Susan Farmer, a Republican; and many other professional women from around the state. The invitation-only event, billed as the launch of Rhode Island Women for Obama, precedes a public talk by Michelle Obama this afternoon at the Community College of Rhode Island in Warwick. She will join her brother, Brown University basketball coach Craig Robinson, at the event, which begins at 5:45 p.m. The visit comes on the heels of her husband's primary wins in Wisconsin and Hawaii, bringing his winning streak to 10. His chief competitor, U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton, is facing a virtual must-win scenario in Democratic contests coming early next month in Texas and Ohio. On Sunday, Sen. Clinton will stop in Rhode Island for a campaign visit. -- Journal staff writer Scott MacKay Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 2:08 PM | Comment Journal's Freidah wins international photo contest
A woman losing her Cranston apartment looks out a window in one of the photographs that earned Journal photographer John Freidah first place in Pictures of the Year International's annual contest.
See the winning photographs from Pictures of the Year International's Web site. Posted by Jack Perry at 1:34 PM | Comment House update: 'Oh oh there they go' / Photo
12:41 p.m. He's inched up, on the front yard of the house Orange claw in front (Constant beeping in background) Second one -- yellow vehicle with claw Both going up with claws It's reaching out with the claw right now Here it goes It's reaching over the roof They both are now And there's a little chant in the crowd -- can't tell what they're saying (before they were doing "Swing the truck, swing the truck") Stopped -- suspended -- two claws over roof of the house -- just waiting, we'll see what happens I feel like I'm calling a golf match -- (lowers his voice) OK, Jack Nicklaus is getting ready to putt, it's all come down to this The guy in orange just closed the door to his compartment The yellow excavator to the right of orange is moving You can hear the engines starting to roar now Still waiting here C'mon guys, do something 12:46 p.m. We're kind of in suspended animation waiting for the claws to rip up some house It was all this suspense and now it's just suspended suspense, literally (Mike promises to call back when they actually get ready to tear down the house, hangs up) 12:57 p.m. Here they go, here they go Oh, sorry, it didn't actually -- false alarm again (Crowd yelling) Oh oh there they go Oh it really went right throught the roof, it's huge It's really smashing through it, you should see it They're really making short work of the house It's gone already Oh my gosh, i thought it would be a little slower than that, but it's fast There goes the front wall of the house, oh wow, oh boy, there it goes again You can see like pink insulation among the debris getting clawed apart (Beeps from the excavators) Wow, it's really something Now, cheers from people dressed in blue Home Edition T-shirts They stopped It looks like a hurricane hit it 12:58 p.m. Yellow excavator -- has its claw hanging in suspense at top Other has its claw firmly dug in pile Some house still standing Most down Front yard chewed up 12:59 p.m. Most of the front of thouse smooshed up, back barely standing 1:23 p.m. The house is a pancake now Posted by Andrea Panciera at 1:05 PM | Comment Coventry man indicted for fatal ATV crashA Coventry man was indicted today for one count of driving to endanger, death resulting and one count of leaving the scene of an accident after he allegedly left his injured passenger at the scene after he crashed his all-terrain vehicle. Ashley Renea Phelps died July 2 at Rhode Island Hospital, according to Coventry Police Capt. Bryan Volpe. Phelps was being treated for serious head injuries she suffered as a passenger on an ATV being driven by Gregory Hebert, also of Coventry. According to the police, the two were at a party together on June 23 when Hebert, with Phelps riding on the back, lost control of the ATV and crashed into mailboxes, causing the vehicle to roll over. Hebert left Phelps, according to the police, and drove off. She was found lying in the street. The next day, Hebert and a lawyer went to the Coventry Police Department, where he was arrested and released. Hebert is scheduled to be arraigned March 7 in Kent County Superior Court. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 12:40 PM | Comment Update: First try fails to bring the house down / Photo
WARWICK -- Plan A didn't work. Now, they'll have to come up with Plan B. Curious neighbors crowded the street in front of 106 Yucatan Drive, Warwick to await the house's destruction as part of its starring role in "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition." They were briefly treated to an unusual site: A crane slamming the container portion of a City of Warwick dump truck, like a wrecking ball into the 1,000-square-foot Cape that was home to a family of nine just two days ago. But a truck swinging in the air was not enough to bring the house down. It only managed to make a few dents in the front of the house. Worse, it swung back and struck the crane, breaking a hydraulic fuel line and sending fuel onto the road. Now crews are trying to remove the crane. Some heavy excavating equipment has been seen on site, it's not clear what the crew will use next for its demolition. After all, before they can build a two-story, 2,900-square foot home for the Silva family, they must tear down their existing home. The house is too small and dangerous because of lead paint for a family that includes Doreen, 33, and Kenny Silva, 35, their two biological children, 14 and 11, both with autism, their three adopted children, 6, 5 and 2, all with disabilities, and their two foster children, 6 and 19 months. The Silvas are getting a new home courtesy of the popular ABC television show and some 200 volunteers, a group that includes contractors, subcontractors, neighbors, strangers and city officials. Standing along the street on this cold February morning, the onlookers have seen the crew of men and women in matching shirts and hard hats march down the street in a parade of blue. They've watched the white city dump truck back up to the house and retrieve its remaining contents. And they've seen the big yellow crane back into position in front of the house. Once the old house is demolished, construction will begin immediately on the new home. Crews of 35 will work around the clock. By the time the family returns from its first vacation ever -- a week in Disney World -- they will have a new home, a project that would normally take six to eight months. For more background, read yesterday's story. -- With reports from Journal staff photographer Bill Murphy and projo.com staff member Mike McKinney Posted by Jack Perry at 12:27 PM | Comment Offley gets two consecutive life terms for 2006 murderA judge today sentenced Barry Offley to two consecutive life prison terms plus 20 years for killing 24-year-old Jessica Imran and shooting her friend, then 28-year-old Julie Lang. By statute, Superior Court Judge Robert D. Krause was required to impose the sentences consecutively, meaning the second sentence goes into effect after the first is completed. Offley’s attorney, Terence Livingston asked in court today whether -- considering Offley’s lack of a prior criminal record and overall reputation, before the shooting, as a respectful young man – the judge would have still imposed the sentences consecutively if he didn't have to. “Would I do it without that statute?” Krause replied. “In a heartbeat.” Offley was convicted of murder, conspiracy, assault, and firearms charges December; his accomplice -- his uncle Alonzo P. Shelton -- was also found guilty and sentenced last spring to 72 years in prison. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson, with reports from Journal staff writer John Castellucci During Offley's trial, Lang testified that in July 2006, Offley shot and killed Imran, then pointed the gun at her, but it jammed when he tried to shoot her. Shelton seized the gun from Offley and shot her four times, Lang testified, allegedly because she told the Woonsocket police that crack cocaine found in her pocketbook was Shelton's. It took a jury just two hours to find Offley guilty. Krause sentenced Offley to serve a one life sentence for Lang’s murder and one for the discharge of a firearm, death resulting – a total of at least 40 years. He was also given the maximum sentences for conspiracy and assault, to be served concurrently with the two life sentences. “This was a two-man execution team that went into that apartment,” Krause looking to Offley. “You were the designated executioner. Were it not for the malfunction of that weapon, you would have killed two people.” Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 11:25 AM | Comment Jury deliberating in trial of ex-Lincoln administratorPROVIDENCE -- The jury in the bribery and conspiracy trial of former Lincoln Town Administrator Jonathan F. Oster has begun deliberating this morning in Providence County Superior Court. Oster, the town adminstrator from 2000 to 2002, has been on trial for two counts of bribery and two counts of conspiracy to commit bribery in connection with what the state says were two efforts to get bribes from potential buyers of town-controlled land on Route 116 known as the H&H Screw Co. property. The state alleges Oster and former planning board member Robert R. Picerno conspired to sell the land for $105,000, an amount far lower than what the state said it was worth. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 10:33 AM | Comment French Film Festival starts tomorrow in ProvidenceFor the 10th year in a row, French Cinema is taking over Providence. The French Film Festival begins tomorrow at 7 p.m. with “Le Voyage du Ballon Rouge,” at the Cable Car Cinema. For the following 10 days, the Cable Car will show several French films per day; $8 each for general admission and $6 each for students. And Francophile film fanatics can purchase an eight-ticket package for $45 -- $34 for students. On Sat., March 1, Michel Blanc will be on hand to discuss his films, including “Je Vous Trouve Très Beau,” which will be showing at the Cable Car on Friday, Feb. 29. For more information, including a complete schedule of films, visit the Providence French Film Festival Web site. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 10:10 AM | Comment Former Iraq official comes to ProvidenceA former Iraqi official is coming to Rhode Island to talk about the ways the war has affected political, economic and social stability of the region. Ali A. Allawi, former senior minister for the post-Saddam Hussein government is delivering Brown University’s inaugural Peter Green Lecture on the Modern Middle East. “The Iraq Crisis and the Middle East Order,” is scheduled for this evening. Allawi worked as the interim minister of trade for Iraq between September 2003 and June 2004, when he became the minister of defense for the transitional government. The next year, Allawi was appointed minister of finance. He is also the author of “The Occupation of Iraq: Winning the War, Losing the Peace.” He’ll be signing copies of his book at 4 p.m. in the lobby of the Salomon Center for Teaching, on the campus green. The lecture will begin at 5 p.m., in room 101. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 9:38 AM | Comment Update: Satellites, missiles, spaceships, and more
The Space Shuttle Atlantis returned to earth, landing shortly after 9 this morning, to avoid the possibility that the ship would be damaged when a missile, launched from the ground, destroys a disabled spy satellite that officials say malfunctioned shortly after it was launched in 2006 that may be carrying a hazardous load of fuel. Or classified information. Or both. And as if to ensure the spectacle of it all, the satellite may be destroyed mid-way through a total lunar eclipse, flanked by Saturn and Regulus, a bright start in the constellation Leo. To think, it was just 46 years ago – to the day – that John Glenn became the first American to enter earth's orbit. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson, with reports from The Associated Press To shoot down the out-of-control satellite, a missile will be launched from a Navy cruiser, and the government is warning people to steer clear of a certain area in the Pacific starting at around 10:30 p.m. The goal: to hit the fuel tank aboard the satellite, keeping the tank – and its toxic fuel – from reentering the earth’s atmosphere. The satellite has been in a deteriorating orbit that would bring it down to Earth by early next month, it left alone. Even if it’s hit by a missile, emergency officials are preparing for the possibility that large pieces of the satellite could still hit populated areas, though any debris is expected to land in the Pacific Ocean. Even the Ocean State – the Atlantic Ocean State – is keeping an eye out. The Rhode Island Emergency management Agency has been briefed on what to do in the unlikely event that something goes wrong. “While it’s premature to think anything will land here in Rhode Island,” REMA’s deputy director said in a statement, “it is not premature to plan for the possibility.” But if you’re looking for a sky show, you’ll you don’t have to look to the failed chunks of technology – nature does spectacle quite well. The last total lunar eclipse for nearly ten years begins at about 8:30 p.m. The moon will fully enter the earth’s shadow at about 10 p.m., where it will stay for 52 minutes. Of course, the weather is not looking good for sky gazing of any type -- exploding satellites or eclipses. But if you're the optimistic sort, the Margaret M. Jacoby Observatory on the Knight Campus in Warwick will be open for business (to look at the eclipse, not the satellites). Assistant Professor Brendan Britton of the Physics Department will be on hand to answer questions. Remember to dress warm, because the Observatory in winter, like space, can get very cold. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 9:13 AM | Comment Photo: March to the makeover
Posted by Jack Perry at 8:46 AM | Comment The Station fire: Five years ago today
The flames and billowing smoke rapidly consumed the wooden building on Cowesett Avenue. Patrons in the crowded room struggled to get out. Many did not. One hundred people died. More than 200 were injured. And the repercussions last to this day, the fifth anniversary of the fire. The Providence Journal and projo.com have provided continuing coverage of the blaze, from its cause to resulting legislation and court cases to its impact on victims, families and friends. Find our most recent stories, as well as in-depth coverage of the fire's aftermath, at this special online report: http://projo.com/stationfire
Posted by Andrea Panciera at 8:31 AM | Comment Photo: Ready for the lights, camera, demolition
Posted by Jack Perry at 8:15 AM | Comment Candidate Obama's wife visiting R.I. todayMichelle Obama is coming to Rhode Island today to talk about her husband, Sen. Barack Obama, and his run for the presidency. This evening she’ll join her brother, Brown University basketball coach Craig Robinson, at Community College Rhode Island’s Knight Campus in Warwick for a rally. The 5:45 p.m. event is open to the public but it’s at the Student Dining Commons, so there’s limited space; you can secure tickets online. Earlier in the day, she’ll attend a private get-together for a “Women for Obama” launch event at 1:30 p.m. The gathering at the Providence Biltmore hotel is by invitation only, the campaign said. Democratic presidential contender Sen. Hillary Clinton is set to visit the Ocean State on Sunday, though she hasn't yet announced where. Her state headquarters opened yesterday. GOP front runner Sen. John McCain stopped here for a campaign rally last week. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 7:59 AM | Comment Convicted killer set for sentencingThe judge who presided over the murder trial of Barry Offley rejected Offley's motion for a new trial yesterday and characterized the testimony Offley offered in his own defense before he was found guilty in December as "wholly unworthy of belief." Today, Offley is set to be sentenced for murder. Offley was convicted in December; his accomplice -- his uncle Alonzo P. Shelton -- was convicted and sentenced to 72 years last spring. Both men were found guilty in the shooting and wounding of 28-year-old Julie Lang and the shooting death of Lang's friend, 24-year-old Jessica Imran in Imran's Pawtucket apartment in July of last year. In September 2007, U.S. Marshals found the men in Ocala, Fla., hiding out in a windowless room. During Offley's trial, Lang testified that Offley shot and killed Imram, then pointed the gun at her. Shelton seized the gun from Offley and shot her four times, Lang testified, allegedly because she told the Woonsocket police that crack cocaine found in her pocketbook was Shelton's. It took a jury just two hours to find Offley guilty. He's set for sentencing in Superior Court, Providence today for murder, conspiracy, assault, and firearms charges. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 7:02 AM | Comment Bad timing: Cold and cloudy for tonight's eclipseWe may see snow early this afternoon. Until then, expect increasing clouds. The National Weather Service is forecasting a high temperature of 35 degrees with west winds between 9 and 14 mph. More snow and clouds tonight -- bad news for those hoping to catch tonight's total lunar eclipse. The temperature should drop to about 16 degrees with north winds between 6 and 8 mph. Not much snow accumulation is expected. Thursday should be clear, sunny and cold, with a high temperature near 32 degrees and a west wind between 7 and 10 mph. To keep an eye on the weather, visit projo.com's weather page. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 7:01 AM | Comment Today's front pageToday's front page reports that hold times are up for the state's emergency 911 service, while the state is trimming its budget and diverting collected fees to other uses. Download a copy of today's front page in .pdf format. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:00 AM | Comment February 19, 2008Tonight: Multiculturalism lecture at URIAnna Everett gives the University of Rhode Island's 13th annual multiculturalism lecture tonight. She has studied and written about the impact of race, ethnicity and digital media on young people. The free lecture is open to the public and begins at 7:30 in Room 271, Chafee Social Science Center, on the university's Kingston campus. For information, go to www.uri.edu/news. Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:50 PM | Comment Satellite debris unlikely, but EMA ready just in caseRemember that damaged satellite the government plans to shoot down? If debris starts falling in Rhode Island, the state Emergency Management Agency says it's got a plan. It's an "unlikely event" that debris would fall here, the state EMA said in a news release today, but the agency has received guidance from the federal Emergency Management Agency on the potential for such debris landing on Earth. The state EMA has met with the National Guard. The Associated Press reports a Navy heat-seeking missile may be used, possibly tomorrow night. So the department has disseminated information to all Ocean State cities and towns, HazMat teams, and various state agencies "on how they are to deal with any satellite debris if it lands in Rhode Island," the release says. “The National Guard’s 13th Civil Support Team is ready to respond if necessary," Major General Robert T. Bray, who heads up the state EMA, stated. “They are specialized in response to nuclear, biological, chemical, and hazardous materials.” Out of an abundance of caution, the EMA said, it is putting out the word to the public if anyone suspects satellite debris has landed. The state EMA said people should do this: * Keep informed about the satellite destruction. * Any debris should be considered possibly hazardous -- don't touch, handle or move it. * People who see or encounter falling debris should notify the local public safety agency First Responders are being told: * Any debris should be considered potentially hazardous, and first responders should not pick it up or move it. * Cities/towns and emergency managers should inform the state Emergency Management Agency of any debris reported. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:45 PM | Comment Demolition making room for mid-price downtown hotelPROVIDENCE -- Demolition is underway downtown at the future site of a Hotel Sierra, a mid-price hotel whose Kansas developers are banking can fill a gap in Providence’s stratified hotel market. The hotel, formerly known as a Sierra Suites, would be erected between Washington Street and Fountain Street downtown, tying in with the parking garage next door. It is one of several moderately-priced hotel projects now in various stages of completion or development in Providence, where luxury hotels dominate the marketplace. To build the 11-story, 162-room hotel, the developer, Kansas’ Lodgeworks, needs to knock down two buildings: 149-157 Washington St., a three-story building that once housed the restaurants Cuban Revolution and New Japan, and the bar Talk of the Town, and 132-134 Fountain St., the former site of a McDonald’s restaurant. The demolition contractor, Coventry Wrecking Co., began tearing the back out of the Washington Street building Monday, and continued today. Demolition is expected to take roughly a month, said Matthew T. Marcello, one of the partners in the deal. The project is a partnership between Lodgeworks and Civic Center Parking Associates, a consortium of several local developers and lawyers which owns the site and the Civic Center Parking Garage next door. The project was first proposed two full years ago, but it has taken several redesigns and the granting of a series of zoning variances to get the project to this point. Now, it has all its approvals, and the project is ready to obtain a building permit and go forward, said atty. David Barricelli of Providence’s Hinckley, Allen & Snyder, representing Lodgeworks. -- Journal staff writer Daniel Barbarisi The developers are still pricing the project, Barricelli said, and looking to hire a general contractor to oversee it. “We’re ready to go,” Barricelli said. “We anticipate starting this construction season,” meaning this spring or summer. LodgeWorks is the owner of more than a dozen Hotel Sierras and Summerfield Suites Hotels along the East and West coasts. Their Sierra Suites sites were rebranded to Hotel Sierras last year. They envision that the Hotel Sierra will be a good fit for extended-stay travelers because of its proximity to business and convention center activity. Extended-stay travelers are defined as hotel guests who stay longer than four days. The Civic Center Parking Associates own the property that the proposed hotel would be built on. The company has operated the parking garage for 20 years, in addition to developing other properties in the city. Civic Center Associates also owns the Mercantile Block next door, and plans to sell that to local arts collaborative AS220, which will renovate the building into artists space and lease to commercial sites on the first floor, according to Matthew T. Marcello III, one of the principals in the Civic Center Associates. The principals of the Parking Associates are Joseph DiBattista, Marcello, Ed Ritchie, and the Bliss family, which owns Warwick Mall. Posted by Andrea Panciera at 5:20 PM | Comment Janitors at Providence College ratify new contractFifty janitors who work at Providence College have ratified a new contract with Hurley of America, the college-hired subcontractor for cleaning services, after going on strike for several days at the beginning of the month. The janitors, who are part of the Service Employees International Union Local 615, ratified the contract on Saturday, the union announced today. The union news release said the janitors launched a week-long strike on Feb. 1 after the previous contract expired the day before. The strike, the union said, was against unfair labor practices by the company. The strike happened as the college held Family Weekend for upperclass students, when hundreds of families were expected. "Many students were active in showing their support for the contracted janitors' efforts to secure a just contract," the statement said. Several teachers also cancelled classes or took classes off the campus in support of the janitors, a union spokeswoman told the Journal early this month. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with Journal archival reports Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:12 PM | Comment Oster trial: Jury begins deliberations tomorrowPROVIDENCE -- The jury in the bribery and conspiracy trial of ex-Lincoln Town Administrator Jonathan F. Oster will begin deliberating tomorrow morning in Providence County Superior Court. The jury finished for today after hearing closing arguments from the sides and receiving jury instructions from Judge William V. Indeglia. Prosecutor Bethany Macktaz today repeatedly called the jury's attention to a tape of a Feb. 16, 2001, meeting between Oster and Robert R. Picerno, a former Lincoln Planning Board member and Oster political ally, which she said showed not a law-abiding town administrator being tricked by a friend but a knowing co-conspirator accepting a bribe. Oster, the town adminstrator from 2000 to 2002, has been on trial for two counts of bribery and two counts of conspiracy to commit bribery in connection with what the state says were two efforts to get bribes from potential buyers of town-controlled land on Route 116 known as the H&H Screw Co. property. The state alleges Oster and Picerno conspired to sell the land for $105,000, an amount far lower than what the state said it was worth. In her closing arguments, Macktaz today told the jury to consider a point on the tape where Oster and Picerno stand outside Oster's law office near the building mailboxes. At that point, Picerno put an envelope with $10,000 in cash inside Oster's office mailbox and said, "This is from Wayne, this is for that H & H bull-[expletive]." State police found that envelope during a search of Oster's office later in the day. But Oster's defense lawyer, C. Leonard O'Brien, argued in court today that his client was guilty of poor judgment in choice of friends but not of bribery and conspiracy. O'Brien repeatedly pointed out places where he said the state had failed to connect with Oster the efforts of Picerno, to solicit bribes. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Journal staff writer John Hill Oster trial: Defense finishes closing arguments PROVIDENCE -- The defense made its closing arguments this morning in the bribery and conspiracy trial of former Lincoln Town Adminstrator Jonathan F. Oster. Defense lawyer C. Leonard O'Brien, in a slightly more than hour-long presentation in Providence County Superior Court, argued today that his client was guilty of poor judgment in choice of friends but not of bribery and conspiracy. O'Brien repeatedly pointed out places where he said the state had failed to connect with Oster the efforts of Robert R. Picerno, a former Lincoln Planning Board member and Oster political ally, to solicit bribes. Picerno pleaded no contest into 2004 to bribery and conspiracy. Oster, who served as town administrator from 2000 to 2002, has been on trial for two counts of bribery and two counts of conspiracy to commit bribery in connection with what the state says were two efforts to extort bribes from potential buyers of town-controlled land on Route 116 known as the H&H Screw Co. property. The state's accusations are that Oster and Picerno conspired to sell the land for $105,000, an amount far lower than what the state said it was worth. O'Brien claimed in court today that the state failed to keep the promises it made in its opening statements in the case. O'Brien pointed out testimony that indicated that because of hazardous waste dumped on the property, the land was worth far less than $105,000. And rather than being a favor to buyer, a $105,000 price would have been a bargain for the town, the argument goes. O'Brien hammered away at what he called the state's reliance on recordings of Picerno and the targets of the bribe efforts. He told the jury that the state police were so focused on indicating his client they were willing to overlook Picerno's untrustworthiness. "They trusted Picerno," said O'Brien, "you can't trust Picerno." Read about the final day of case testimony. -- With reports from Journal staff writer John Hill Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:24 PM | Comment Report aims to up awareness of possible toxic threatsWith the aim to create greater public awareness about potential toxic threats in Rhode Island’s cities and towns, the non-profit group Toxics Action Center released a report today called “Toxic in Rhode Island: A town by town profile,” which lists the presence of possible environmental and health risks from former landfills to chemical manufacturers. Predominantly using information from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the state Department of Environmental Management, the report provides a comprehensive inventory of contaminated sites, power plants and leaking underground storage tanks, which the group said will provide local communities the information they need to demand tougher regulations and enforcement from responsible parties to clean up harmful chemicals that pose dangers to human health and the environment. “Rhode Island citizens are often left in the dark when it comes to toxic threats in their communities,” said Toxics Action Center community organizer Amelia Rose, who is also the report’s author. “This report reveals a legacy of pollution in the state that may surprise most residents.” The report, which is posted on the group’s Web site, also contains maps detailing the prevalence of different types of cancer in the state and the locations of potential dangers like Superfund sites, textile manufacturers and hazardous waste sites. The report did not rank the toxicity of cities and towns or explain the acute risks of individual sites, but it does make recommendations to state and federal governments, such as phasing out the use of persistent toxic chemicals like lawn pesticides and adequately funding the cleanup of hazardous waste sites. -- Journal environment writer Natalie Garcia Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:03 PM | Comment Mayors, unions join to support Mass. casino effortBOSTON — A coalition of politicians, labor and business leaders is forming to support the development of resort-style casinos in Massachusetts. The group, which includes Boston Mayor Tom Menino, officially launched its effort today. The Massachusetts Coalition for Jobs and Growth includes the state AFL-CIO and the mayors of other cities, including Salem and Chicopee. They’re coming together to support Gov. Deval Patrick’s efforts to build three casinos in the state. Chelsea City Manager Jay Ask says he recently got a flyer for a Chelsea Chamber of Commerce trip to Foxwoods. Menino says approving casinos in Massachusetts is about economic survival. -- The Associated Press Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 3:05 PM | Comment Police dismantle indoor marijuana garden in NewportNEWPORT -- The Newport police this weekend dismantled an indoor marijuana garden -- a total of 162 plants growing under fluorescent lights -- and arrested the proprietor on felony drug charges, according to the police. Benjamin Benigno, 28, of 120 Carroll Ave., was arraigned yesterday in District Court, Newport, and ordered held without bail by Judge Stephen Erickson, the police said today. The police vice and narcotics unit confiscated 3.85 pounds of cultivated marijuana in a raid on Benigno’s home Sunday, according to the police. Benigno was charged with felony counts of possession of marijuana, possession of marijuana with intent to deliver, and manufacturing marijuana with intent to deliver, according to police Lt. William Fitzgerald. The presence of Benigno’s two children -- aged 3 and nine months -- in the home-based marijuana garden gave rise to additional charges of neglect of a child, a felony; and contributing to the delinquency of a minor, a misdemeanor, according to Fitzgerald. He said the police received confidential information over the last month that marijuana was being sold out of the Benigno home and sent officers to check on the welfare of the children late Sunday afternoon. When Benigno allowed them to enter, the police noticed the odor of burning marijuana and saw a glass pipe packed with marijuana, according to a statement issued by Fitzgerald. After Benigno was arrested, the police discovered the marijuana garden in a second-floor room, the police said. The size of the plants ranged from about 12 inches to 3 feet, according to Fitzgerald’s statement. -- Journal staff writer Gina Macris Posted by Mike McKinney at 3:02 PM | Comment Smoke closes Ocean State Power brieflyFirefighters responded to the Ocean State Power plant in Burrillville this morning, after an oil leak led to smoke in one of the gas turbines. The situation was handled by plant personnel, according to Shela Shapiro, spokeswoman for TransCanada, which operates the station. She said employees were not in danger, and there was no equipment damage. The cause is under investigation. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 2:51 PM | Comment State police lieutenant to run N. Providence police
Mayor Charles Lombardi this afternoon announced that state police Lt. David Palmer will head the department. Lombardi had turned to the state police for help after Ernest Spaziano, the town's chief for the last six years, told him he was stepping down. Lombardi did not say how long Palmer would be in charge. Spaziano had testified as a witness for the defense in the trial of North Providence Police Sgt. Michael Ciresi, who was convicted last Monday on 9 of 10 counts, including two counts of burglary, receiving stolen goods and attempted larceny. The chief testified he always viewed Ciresi as an exemplary officer and told of instances in which Ciresi came in even on his days off to undertake dangerous assignments. He said that because of Ciresi’s ability to bring in arrests, he was given more “leeway” when it came to bending the rules. Lombardi had earlier said he "a little surprised” by Spaziano's retirement. “I know that he mentioned before that he was thinking about retiring, but said he wanted to get the Ciresi trial behind him first. I didn’t think he would go until the end of the fiscal year,” Lombardi said. -- With reports from Journal staff photographer Andrew Dickerman Posted by Jack Perry at 2:38 PM | Comment Oster trial: In the jury's handsPROVIDENCE -- Was ex-Lincoln Town Administrator Jonathan F. Oster being tricked, or was he actively involved in soliciting bribes? It's for a jury to decide now; they went into deliberation this afternoon. Prosecutor Bethany Macktaz today repeatedly called the jury's attention to a tape of a Feb. 16, 2001, meeting between Oster and Robert R. Picerno, which she said showed not a law-abiding town administrator being tricked by a duplicitous friend but a knowing co-conspirator accepting a bribe. In her closing arguments, Macktaz told the jury to consider a point on the tape where Oster and Picerno stand outside Oster's law office near the building mailboxes. At that point, Picerno put an envelope with $10,000 in cash inside Oster's office mailbox and said, "This is from Wayne, this is for that H & H bull-[expletive]." State police found that envelope during a search of Oster's office later in the day. Oster, who served as town administrator from 2000 to 2002, has been on trial in Providence County Superior Court for two counts of bribery and two counts of conspiracy to commit bribery in connection with what the state says were two efforts to extort bribes from potential buyers of town-controlled land on Route 116 known as the H&H Screw Co. property. The state's case alleges Oster and Picerno conspired to sell the land for $105,000, an amount far below what the state said it was worth. Picerno, a former Lincoln Planning Board member and former Oster political ally, pleaded no contest in 2004 to bribery and conspiracy. Read about the final day of case testimony. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Journal staff writer John Hill Macktaz today also pointed out to the jury that Oster had moved the meeting outside after telling Picerno that lawyers' offices could be bugged. "What admininstrator who is doing the lawful business of the town is going to worry about that?" Macktaz said in court. " ... A criminal, that's who does that." Because Oster is charged with conspiracy, the state does not have to prove he had specific knowledge of Picerno's specific actions as part of the state's allegation that Oster was involved in a bribery scheme. Under conspiracy law, if the state can prove a conspiracy existed and then prove that Oster was part of it, Macktaz said, it does not matter if Oster knew what Picerno was doing. Posted by Mike McKinney at 1:43 PM | Comment Healthcare career fair this afternoon in WarwickWARWICK -- More than 10 healthcare companies are conducting on-the-spot interviews at projoJob’s Nursing & Allied Healthcare Career Fair, going on now through 5 p.m. at the Crowne Plaza, Route 5, in Warwick. Plus, there are free seminars on improving your interview presentation at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Click here to see the full list of exhibitors and events. Posted by Jack Perry at 1:24 PM | Comment Clinton to open R.I. headquarters with rally todayPROVIDENCE-- The Hillary Clinton campaign will officially open its headquarters here this afternoon. Supporters of the Democratic presidential contender are expected to be joined by some of the state's top Democratic politicians, including U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, U.S. Rep. James Langevin, Lt. Gov. Elizabeth Roberts and Providence Mayor David n. Cicilline. The opening and rally at 175 Broad St. is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. Clinton will visit Rhode Island herself this Sunday. Details have not yet been announced. A local headquarters for fellow Democratic contender Barack Obama was opened last Wednesday at 235 Westminster St. in downtown Providence. Posted by Andrea Panciera at 12:51 PM | Comment Photo: An extreme trim before the extreme makeover
Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 12:39 PM | Comment Play, documentary recall youngest Station fire victimPROVIDENCE -- A documentary about the youngest person killed in The Station nightclub fire will be screened in Providence next month. The movie, "41,'' will be shown March 3 at the Cable Car Cinema and Cafe. It's about Nicholas O'Neill, who was 18 years old when he and 99 other people were killed in the Feb. 20, 2003, fire at The Station nightclub in West Warwick. The film is co-directed by O'Neill's older brother, Christian, and includes family members reminiscing about the teenager's life. In addition, "They Walk Among Us,'' a play written by O'Neill about teenagers who die and return as guardian angels will air on statewide television tomorrow, the fifth anniversary of the fire. The production will be broadcast on Cox Cable Channel 71 at 7 p.m. On Sunday, several hundred people attended a memorial service for the victims of the fire at the former site of the club in West Warwick. Read more about The Station fire and its aftermath. -- The Associated Press Posted by Mike McKinney at 12:19 PM | Comment Michelle Obama to campaign in R.I. tomorrowMichelle Obama is coming to Rhode Island tomorrow to talk about her husband, Sen. Barack Obama, and his run for the presidency. First, she’ll be meeting at a private get-together for a “Women for Obama” launch event at 1:30 p.m. The gathering is by invitation only, the campaign said. Tomorrow evening she’ll join her brother, Brown University basketball coach Craig Robinson at Community College Rhode Island’s Knight Campus in Warwick for a rally. The 5:45 p.m. event is open to the public but it’s at the Student Dining Commons, so there’s limited space; you can secure tickets online.
-- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 12:05 PM | Comment Oster trial: Defense finishes closing argumentsPROVIDENCE -- The defense made its closing arguments this morning in the bribery and conspiracy trial of former Lincoln Town Adminstrator Jonathan F. Oster. Defense lawyer C. Leonard O'Brien, in a slightly more than hour-long presentation in Providence County Superior Court, argued today that his client was guilty of poor judgment in choice of friends but not of bribery and conspiracy. O'Brien repeatedly pointed out places where he said the state had failed to connect with Oster the efforts of Robert R. Picerno, a former Lincoln Planning Board member and Oster political ally, to solicit bribes. Picerno pleaded no contest into 2004 to bribery and conspiracy. Oster, who served as town administrator from 2000 to 2002, has been on trial for two counts of bribery and two counts of conspiracy to commit bribery in connection with what the state says were two efforts to extort bribes from potential buyers of town-controlled land on Route 116 known as the H&H Screw Co. property. The state's accusations are that Oster and Picerno conspired to sell the land for $105,000, an amount far lower than what the state said it was worth. O'Brien claimed in court today that the state failed to keep the promises it made in its opening statements in the case. O'Brien pointed out testimony that indicated that because of hazardous waste dumped on the property, the land was worth far less than $105,000. And rather than being a favor to buyer, a $105,000 price would have been a bargain for the town, the argument goes. O'Brien hammered away at what he called the state's reliance on recordings of Picerno and the targets of the bribe efforts. He told the jury that the state police were so focused on indicating his client they were willing to overlook Picerno's untrustworthiness. "They trusted Picerno," said O'Brien, "you can't trust Picerno." Read about the final day of case testimony. -- With reports from Journal staff writer John Hill Posted by Mike McKinney at 12:00 PM | Comment Update: New trial rejected in Pawtucket murder casePROVIDENCE -- The judge who presided over the murder trial of Barry Offley rejected Offley's motion for a new trial this morning, characterizing the testimony Offley offered in his own defense before he was found guilty in December as "wholly unworthy of belief." Offley is the nephew and, the jury found, the accomplice of Alonzo P. Shelton, who was found guilty last spring of murdering one woman and wounding another. They were convicted in separate trials of shooting and wounding 28-year-old Julie Lang and shooting and killing her friend, 24-year-old Jessica Imran, after entering Imran’s Pawtucket apartment during the early morning of July 27, 2006. A jury on Dec. 5 found Offley guilty of murder, conspiracy to murder, assault with intent to murder and discharging a firearm during an act of violence, death resulting. Judge Robert D. Krause set Offley's sentencing for tomorrow in Providence County Superior Court. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Journal staff writer John Castellucci Posted by Mike McKinney at 11:51 AM | Comment R.I. home construction slows furtherRhode Island home construction slowed last year, with the number of single-family building permits falling 9 percent for the second straight year, according to a report from the Rhode Island Builders Association. There were 1,458 single-family building permits issued last year, compared with 1,606 permits in 2006. Home construction in the state as measured by single-family building permits has been falling every year since 2000, with the overall number of permits during the last seven years down 35.4 percent, according to the Builders Association data. The steepest one-year drop recorded by the Builders Association was in 1995, when single-family building permits fell 11 percent. During the next four years, home construction activity picked up, with building permits from 1995 through 1999 climbing nearly 28 percent. Of the 39 cities and towns, building permits last year declined in 24 communities, increased in 14, and remained unchanged in one, according to the report. -- John Kostrzewa Posted by Jack Perry at 11:29 AM | Comment Author to discuss 'Omnivore's Dilemma' at BrownWe’ve recently been bombarded with images of sick animals that should have been euthanized instead being forced into the food supply. And though there’s no indication that any of the cows from the Hallmark/Westland Meat Co. were carrying illnesses that could be transferred to people, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Sunday ordered the recall of more than 140 million pounds of beef -- some of which were destined for schools across the country, including in Rhode Island. Just in time comes Michael Pollan, the author who’s book, The Omnivore’s Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals, takes a shot at answering the questions “What should we eat? … How did we ever get to a point where we need investigative journalists to tell us where our food comes from and nutritionists to determine the dinner menu." Pollan is set to speak at Brown University’s Salomon Center Thursday. His talk, "In Defense of Food: The Omnivore's Solution,” is set to begin at 6 p.m. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 11:02 AM | Comment Be on the lookout for lunar eclipse tomorrow night
PROVIDENCE -- We’ve just got one shot until 2010, so don’t blow it. Take a midday nap, drink some coffee, set an alarm... Tomorrow night – weather permitting, though it's not looking too good – there’s going to be a great, prime-time sky show: a total lunar eclipse visible throughout the Americas, Europe and Africa and, if you miss it, you'll have to wait more almost three years for the next one, in December 2010. At about 8:25 p.m., the moon will begin moving into the edge of the earth’s shadow, the penumbra. About 20 minutes later, the real show begins when the moon moves into the darker part of the shadow, the umbra. At about 10 p.m. the moon will be fully within the shadow as it lines up opposite the sun, on the other side of the earth. For about 50 minutes, the moon will be in this shadow – if may be dark gray, but it’s more likely to be a striking reddish color. The effect is created by the light from the sun that is bent through the earth’s atmosphere, scattering the shorter wavelengths and leaving the longer, red light waves to hit the moon. The moon then makes its way through the southeastern edge of the umbra and penumbra, slipping out of the shadow entirely at about 12:30 a.m. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 10:27 AM | Comment Closing arguments to begin in ex-Lincoln head's trialClosing arguments are set to begin today in Providence Superior Court in the bribery and conspiracy case against ex-Lincoln Town Administrator Jonathan F. Oster. Both sides have been arguing over admissibility of evidence not directly related to the four counts against Oster, who served as town administrator from 2000 to 2002. He faces two counts of bribery and two counts of conspiracy in the case. The state alleges that he and Robert R. Picerno -- the former Lincoln Planning Board member who has since pleaded no contest to bribery and conspiracy -- attempted to extort bribes from would-be buyers of town-controlled land known as the H&H Screw Co. site on Route 116. The state says Picerno collected the payoffs while Oster was to get the town to sell the land for $105,000. Read about yesterday's testimony. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 8:44 AM | Comment Carcieri to present award honoring Station victimsGovernor Carcieri tonight will announce the winners of an award that honors the victims, survivors and affected family members of The Station nightclub fire, which killed 100 people and injured more than 200 on Feb. 20, 2003. Rhode Island's Hope Award is being given to citizens who distinguish themselves as good Samaritans during an emergency or tragedy. The ceremony, marking the fire's fifth anniversary, will be at 7 p.m. at Rhodes-on-the-Pawtuxet. The public is invited. The honorees were selected by the Rhode Island’s Hope Award Committee, comprised of Dr. Joseph Amaral, Jane Hayward, Frank McGonagle, Kathy Sullivan and Sue Stenhouse. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:02 AM | Comment Second man to be sentenced for Pawtucket murderThree days before his 21st birthday, a man found guilty of murdering a woman and injuring another is set to be sentenced today. Barry Offley was convicted in December; his accomplice -- his uncle Alonzo P. Shelton -- was convicted and sentenced to 72 years last spring. Both men were found guilty in the shooting and wounding of 28-year-old Julie Lang and the shooting death of Lang's friend, 24-year-old Jessica Irman in July of last year. In September 2007, U.S. Marshals found the men in Ocala, Fla., hiding out in a windowless room. During Offley's trial, Lang testified that Offley shot and killed Irmam, then pointed the gun at her. Shelton seized it from Offley and shot her four times, Lang testified, allegedly because she told the Woonsocket police that crack cocaine found in her pocketbook was Shelton's. It took a jury just two hours to find Offley guilty. He's set for sentencing in Superior Court, Providence today for murder, conspiracy, assault, and firearms charges. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 7:02 AM | Comment The good news: sunnier; the bad news: colderWe'll see more sun today than yesterday, but there's a price -- the temperature is only set to hit 45 degrees, according to the National Weather Service. That's quite a bit cooler than yesterday, which reached 61 degrees in the Providence area, but still not bad for this time of year. The weather service is also forecasting a breezy day, with west winds gusting as high as 34 mph. Skies should remain clear tonight, and the temperature is set to drop to 23 degrees. Winds will keep up, gusting as high as 30 mph. Tomorrow afternoon may bring snow, with a high temperature near 36 and a milder, west wind. For weather updates, visit projo.com's weather page. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 7:01 AM | Comment Today's front pageToday's front page features a story that one third of the state's judges could decide to retire if the General Assembly adopts Governor Carcieri's plan to cut judicial pensions. Download a copy of today's front page in .pdf format. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:00 AM | Comment February 18, 2008Tonight: Open mike with community choral groupPeople can take the microphone tonight starting at 7 as Unisong, the community choral group, holds open-mike night at The Media & Performing Arts Center, The Met School, 325 Public St., Providence. You can get involved with the monthly community singing session that organizer Jodi Glass calls “bringing together people of different cultures, generations, genders and musical experience in order to learn from each other and have a good time making music.” The event is free and experience is not required. For information, go to www.unisong.net. Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:45 PM | Comment Providence house fire deemed suspiciousPROVIDENCE -- Five adults and six children escaped unhurt early this morning when a fire of suspicious origin partially destroyed their 2½-story house at 15-17 Waverly St., in the West End, fire officials said. A sixth adult, an older woman, was taken to Rhode Island Hospital to be examined for possible smoke inhalation, according to fire officials and the police. Fire Department Battalion Chief Joseph Desmarais, who commanded the firefighting effort, said the house has a suspected illegal basement apartment -- he described it as “well-finished” -- and said the discovery of the apartment is expected to be referred to the city Department of Inspection and Standards for enforcement action. Two people living in the basement apartment managed to squeeze through a standard-sized basement window in order to reach safety, he said. The house also was the apparent location of a daycare center. There was a daycare sign in the window and on the first floor there were a number of playpens, cribs and highchairs. The occupants were left homeless because the extent of damage makes the house uninhabitable, Desmarais said. But a representative of the Rhode Island chapter of the American Red Cross came to the scene to help them with temporary lodging and other assistance. -- Journal staff writer Gregory Smith The police identified the owner of the house, who lived on the first floor, as Antonia Ferrera, 43. The second-floor tenant was identified as Garnite Descollines, 39. “We believe the first-floor rear porch is where the fire began,” Desmarais said. The volume of fire and the likely point of origin make the blaze suspicious, Desmarais said. A fire investigator pronounced the fire as suspicious and took debris samples for evidence of an accelerant. The fire was called in at 4:30 a.m., and Desmarais said firefighters “did an outstanding job” by halting the flames before they took down the entire structure. As it is, the fire destroyed the two-story porch at the rear and took down the rear portion of the house itself. “It went into the first and second floors and consumed some of the contents, too,” he said. Flames scorched a 6-foot fence at the rear of the dwelling and melted the vinyl siding on a neighboring house. There also was extensive smoke and water damage to what remains of the structure, he said. Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:20 PM | Comment Little b-r-r-r-r-r, plenty of action at Newport Winter fest
Several activities finish at 4 and 5 p.m., but, weather permitting, you can go skating from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. at Sovereign Bank Family Skating Center. You get a $2 discount with button on one session of skating. Call (401) 846-3018. From 5 to 6 p.m., there's a wine tasting presented by Greenvale Vineyards at Brick Alley Pub, 140 Thames St. The wine tasting presentation is upstairs. Presentation is $5 per person/$3 w/ button. Proceeds to benefit Aquidneck Island Land Trust. At 6 p.m., there's the Candlelight Tour of Belcourt Castle at 657 Bellevue Ave. $18 for all ages, $1 off w/button. Tour is one hour. Not for children under 5. Reservations needed (401) 846-0669 or www.belcourtcastle.com At 7 p.m.. there's "Pete Seeger: The Power of Song" at the Jane Pickens Theatre, 49 Touro St. The theatre has a full array of great refreshments and more for sale! Movie $7 w/button. Also at 7 p.m, there's family night at The Rhino Bar & Grille, 337 Thames St. Parents can enjoy dinner and a Wine Tasting in the Rhino Bar while kids eat their free M&M sundaes watching "Happy Feet" in the Mamba Room 7pm showing. Wine Tasting: $7/ $5 w/button. Kids Movie Sundaes and Movie: $3/$1 w/button. (401) 846-0707. The festival runs through Sunday. Check the schedule of what's coming. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:29 PM | Comment Photo: It's a warm Feb. 18, but no record-breaker
It was warm out there for Feb. 18 -- but not record-breaking warm. The record temperature for the Providence area on this day remains 72 degrees, set in 1981, according to the National Weather Service' s office in Taunton, Mass. The temperature peaked at 61 degrees today. Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:17 PM | Comment Providence police looking for robber of Savers MartPROVIDENCE -- The police are looking for a “strong-arm robber” in a dark-colored Hyundai who held up Savers Mart, 871 Elmwood Ave., Elmwood, and fled with a reported $1,450. Amir Kattan, 24, a clerk, told the police that a man walked into the store shortly after 8 p.m. Sunday, asked to buy two cigarettes and handed him a dollar bill. When Kattan opened his cash register to make change, the man jumped the counter, knocked Kattan against the wall and barked, “I’m loaded. Don’t do nothing stupid.” The man then scooped the cash from the register, ran out and left in a dark four-door Hyundai with Rhode Island license plates. When someone uses his physical might rather than a weapon to steal something, the police call it a strong-arm robbery. The suspect was described as white, with salt and pepper hair and scruffy facial hair, and in his late 30s or early 40s. He was said to be muscular, about 6 feet tall and 200 pounds, and wearing blue jeans, a black leather jacket, black leather gloves, a black baseball cap and large silver sunglasses. -- Journal staff writer Gregory Smith Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:09 PM | Comment Oster trial: Sides rest, closing arguments tomorrowPROVIDENCE -- The bribery and conspiracy case against ex-Lincoln Town Administrator Jonathan F. Oster could go to the jury on Wednesday, after the prosecution and defense rested their cases today. Both sides are due for closing arguments tomorrow in Providence County Superior Court. Both have been arguing over admissibility of evidence not directly related to the four counts against Oster, who served as town administrator from 2000 to 2002. And Judge Gilbert V. Indeglia had promised the defense he would provide the jury with instructions on how it can legally consider a videotape of a meeting between Oster and Robert R. Picerno -- the former Lincoln Planning Board member who has since pleaded no contest to bribery and conspiracy -- on Feb. 16, 2002. The state has said the tape is crucial to its case. The judge has predicted the case will go to the jury on Wednesday. Oster faces two counts of bribery and two counts of conspiracy in the case. The state alleges that he and Picerno attempted to extort bribes from would-be buyers of town-controlled land known as the H&H Screw Co. site on Route 116. The state says Picerno collected the payoffs while Oster was to get the town to sell the land for $105,000. Read about Friday's testimony. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Journal staff writer John Hill Posted by Mike McKinney at 3:47 PM | Comment Photo: Adding a presidential touch to penne at URI
Posted by Andrea Panciera at 3:38 PM | Comment Police suspend search after student contacts friend
PROVIDENCE -- After a Johnson & Wales University student who was reported missing contacted a friend by phone yesterday, the Providence police are no longer worried that either she or her boyfriend is in immediate peril and have suspended the active search for them. Amy Scott, 21, of New Jersey, and boyfriend Daniel Querzoli, 22, of East Bridgewater, Mass., were last seen around Thursday night at her 521 Angell St. apartment in Providence when they borrowed a car from one of Scott’s roommates, the police said. Scott called a friend from a pay phone yesterday, and the friend noticed the call was coming from a 309 area code, said Detective Sgt. Carl Weston, the case's lead investigator. The police said the telephone she called from is in McLean, Illinois. "The friend said Amy was very cryptic as to where she was and what she was doing. Amy said she was OK and still with Dan, the kid she left with, but she was very brief," Weston said today. He added that the friend reported that Amy said, "We're fine." Weston said Scott also said that she did not want to stay on the phone too long because the call might be traced by the police. While it was initially thought they had left with no money, Weston said the police have since learned that Querzoli has access to cash. The police would not be more specific. The police have asked that anyone with information call (401) 272-3121. -- projo.com staff writers Michael P. McKinney and Brandie Jefferson, with reports from Journal staff writer Gregory Smith Scott’s mother called the police to report her daughter missing. Under most circumstances, Weston said earlier, police wouldn't start a search so soon, but, he said, there were some odd circumstances that led the police to act. The police described Scott as Caucasian, 5-foot-7, 105 pounds with wavy red hair and Querzoli, a student at Bridgewater State College in Massachusetts, as 5-foot-10 to 6 feet tall, with medium build and brown hair. The police put out a nationwide missing-persons alert for Scott, describing her as a "endangered missing person," Weston said. No bulletin was put out on Querzoli because his father has not reported him missing. At the same time, the police put out a "try to locate" on the car that was borrowed from one of Scott's roommates. The car they drove off in is a 2004 silver Honda Civic with New Jersey plates -- RUF20X. The Providence police all day Saturday, that night and on Sunday searched the city, especially looking near water in case the car they were in had gone into water. Officers also looked up and down streets and in lots -- anywhere the car might have been left. The police sent out an alert to all officers in the city. The police canvassed stores where the two might have gone and for hours the police went over surveillance video at the stores. Scott’s mother told the police that it was “completely uncharacteristic” for her daughter to be gone without contacting anyone, Weston said earlier. Posted by Mike McKinney at 2:18 PM | Comment Warwick family to reap benefits of 'Extreme Makeover'The Silva family of Warwick was sent away for a week this morning. When they come back, they should be returning to a rebuilt house. At 8 a.m., the crew from the TV show "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" showed up at the home of Doreen and Kenny Silva and their five children. The family was informed that it would be going to Disney World for a week. The Silvas have two biological children, both of whom have autism, and three adopted children, who also have special needs. Kenny Silva works for Warwick’s sanitation department. Work on the project is expected to begin on Wednesday and be completed on Sunday. Oldport Homes of Portsmouth is the primary builder on the job, although numerous companies and volunteers are also participating. -- Journal staff writer Bryan Rourke Posted by Andrea Panciera at 1:34 PM | Comment Beef now under recall has been served in R.I. schoolsRhode Island schools have served beef from a California slaughterhouse that is now subject to the largest recall in the United States, according to Andrea Bagnall Degos, spokeswoman for the state Department of Health. And at the moment, there is food from an August shipment that’s on hold, she said. The U.S. Department of Agriculture yesterday ordered the recall of 143 million pounds of beef from Hallmark/Westland Meat Co., which is the subject of an animal-abuse investigation. The recall affects beef products dating to Feb. 1, 2006, the federal agency said. The company provided meat to various federal programs. The Health Department is also checking grocery and wholesale inventory. So far, Bagnall Degos said, the Department knows that Shaw's and Whole Foods did not receive product from this company. It’s important to remember, Bagnall Degos said, that “there’s a low potential for illness.” The recall was not due to any reported or suspected illness, but because the companies handling of the animals violated health regulations. An undercover video showing crippled and sick animals being shoved with forklifts led to the largest recall in the United States. There's now a scramble to find out if any of the meat is still destined for school children's lunches. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson, with reports from Associated Press Secretary of Agriculture Ed Schafer said his department has evidence that Westland did not routinely contact its veterinarian when cattle became non-ambulatory after passing inspection, violating health regulations. "Because the cattle did not receive complete and proper inspection, Food Safety and Inspection Service has determined them to be unfit for human food and the company is conducting a recall," Schafer said in a statement. A phone message left for Westland president Steve Mendell was not returned yesterday. Agriculture officials said the massive recall surpasses a 1999 ban of 35 million pounds of ready-to-eat meats. No illnesses have been linked to the newly recalled meat, and officials said the health threat was likely small. Officials estimate that about 37 million pounds of the recalled beef went to school programs, but they believe most of the meat probably has already been eaten. "We don't know how much product is out there right now. We don't think there is a health hazard, but we do have to take this action," said Dr. Dick Raymond, USDA Undersecretary for Food Safety. Federal officials suspended operations at Westland/Hallmark after an undercover video from the Humane Society of the United States surfaced showing crippled and sick animals being shoved with forklifts. Two former employees were charged Friday. Five felony counts of animal cruelty and three misdemeanors were filed against a pen manager. Three misdemeanor counts - illegal movement of a non-ambulatory animal - were filed against an employee who worked under that manager. Both were fired. Authorities said the video showed workers kicking, shocking and otherwise abusing "downer" animals that were apparently too sick or injured to walk into the slaughterhouse. Some animals had water forced down their throats, San Bernardino County prosecutor Michael Ramos said. No charges have been filed against Westland, but an investigation by federal authorities continues. About 150 school districts around the nation have stopped using ground beef from Hallmark Meat Packing Co., which is associated with Westland. Two fast-food chains, Jack-In-the-Box and In-N-Out, said they would not use beef from Westland/Hallmark. Most of the beef was sent to distribution centers in bulk packages. The USDA said it will work with distributors to determine how much meat remains. Federal regulations call for keeping downed cattle out of the food supply because they may pose a higher risk of contamination from E. coli, salmonella or mad cow disease since they typically wallow in feces and their immune systems are often weak. Upon learning about the recall, some legislators criticized the USDA, saying the federal agency should conduct more thorough inspections to ensure tainted beef doesn't get to the public. "Today marks the largest beef recall in U.S. history, and it involves the national school lunch program and other federal food and nutrition programs," said U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin, chairman of the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry. "This begs the question: How much longer will we continue to test our luck with weak enforcement of federal food safety regulations?" Advocacy groups also weighed in, noting the problems at Westland wouldn't have been revealed had it not been for animal right activists. "On the one hand, I'm glad that the recall is taking place. On the other, it's somewhat disturbing, given that obviously much of this food has already been eaten," said Jean Halloran, director of food policy initiatives at Consumers Union. "It's really closing the barn door after the cows left." Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 1:18 PM | Comment 'But wait! There's more': Road would be 'Ginsu Way'Here's some cutting-edge legislation. An unnamed street in Warwick would become "Ginsu Way" if state Rep. David A. Caprio, D-Narragansett, has his way. The bill is "in honor of the Warwick company, Dial Media, that turned a simple little knife into an infomercial icon," Caprio's news release out today says. The bill would "christen" as Ginsu Way the unnamed street on the west side of Bald Hill Road "at that certain location known as 1775 Bald Hill Road." Caprio said he introduced the bill in the General Assembly at the request of Rhode Island resident Ed Valenti, who helped open Dial Media. That's not all or, in the words of Caprio's statement echoing the Ginsu ad campaign of yesteryear, "But wait! There's more." Ginsu knives, according to Caprio, were initially marketed as Eversharp, which never quite, um, cut it with the public. Since then, as Ginsu brand, the knives have become a big seller. Caprio hails a duo -- NBC affiliate broadcasting executive Vaenti and an AAMCO transmission franchise owner Barry Becher -- with opening the direct-marketing advertising agency Dial Media. The agency would "soon redefine direct marketing" by using product demonstrations and "high-intensity sales language," the release says. Consider such urgency-packed gems as "this is a limited time offer, so call now!" or the line "act now and you'll also receive ... ." Caprio goes on to say that Ginsu Knives, the Miracle Slicer and Miracle brought to the public by the agency's marketing "are part of American culture, a little bit of American that was born right here in Rhode Island." -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 12:31 PM | Comment Green traffic for Jan. at lowest level in 4 years
Passenger traffic at T.F. Green Airport dropped again last month as the airport recorded its lowest January total since 2004. For the month, 345,465 travelers landed or boarded flights at Rhode Island's largest airport, a 2.1-percent drop from the same period last year. In January 2005, 380,622 passengers used Green Airport, 9.2 percent more than last month. The Rhode Island Airport Corporation announced the January numbers one week before Kevin Dillon is set to arrive as the agency's new director. Dillon, in a brief visit to Rhode Island last month, promised bold moves to reverse the airport's slump, The Providence Journal reported. He has his work cut out for him. In December, Green Airport recorded 354,641 passengers, 5.6 percent fewer than the same period in 2006 and 17.1 percent fewer than in December 2004. Last year, Green Airport moved 5.02 million passengers, down 3.5 percent from 2006. That decline followed a 9-percent drop the year before. For more business-related news, please visit the Biz Blog at projo.com/business. Posted by Benjamin N. Gedan at 11:56 AM | Comment Scattered power outages, North Kingstown to JohnstonAbout 2,900 people were out of power as of 11 this morning. That included about 750 from Cranston, 400 from Johnston, 800 in Pawtucket, 265 in North Kingstown, and 475 in Warwick. But those numbers are changing constantly. “Things are a little dynamic,” Jackie Berry of National Grid said. “Virtually all of these outages are weather related.” The National Weather Service is calling for winds gusting upwards of 40 mph throughout the day. Barry says trees and tree limbs are to blame for most of the power outages. What’s happening, she said, is an outage is called in, crews go out to fix it, “and as soon as they finish, another one is called in. The numbers are all over the place.” -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 11:55 AM | Comment Gas prices bump back upGas prices climbed three cents last week after falling for the five previous weeks, according to AAA Southern New England. The average price for a gallon of regular, unleaded gasoline is $3.019 per gallon at the self-service pump, according to AAA's weekly survey. A year ago at this time the average price of regular, unleaded gasoline in Rhode Island was $2.239. Posted by Jack Perry at 11:23 AM | Comment Traffic Alert: Tractor trailer off the roadA truck on the side of Route 95 is tying up traffic this morning. A Journal editor on her way to the office says it’s off the side of the high-speed lane of the northbound side of the roadway in West Greenwich. She said it looked like the cab had jackknifed, and is flanked by emergency vehicles. Traffic is slow all the way to Exit 8, near the Route 95 and Route 4 split. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 10:45 AM | Comment Candidate Obama's wife to campaign in R.I.Michelle Obama, Sen. Barack Obama’s wife, is coming to Rhode Island. A statement from the presidential hopeful’s campaign says she’ll be here on Wednesday. Michelle Obama has ties to Rhode Island that go beyond the March 4 primary. Her brother, Craig Robinson, is men’s basketball coach at Brown University. The campaign has not yet said where she'll make an appearance. Sen. Hillary Clinton has announced her plans to visit on Sunday, Feb. 24. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 10:41 AM | Comment Westerly School committee member in court todayA Westerly School Committee member who faces two felony counts of fraud is scheduled to appear in court today. An elderly couple told the police they wrote Dominic DiFazio's company -- Dom DiFazio Contracting -- two checks totaling more than $2,700 to replace the windows in their house. According to a police report, both checks were cashed the day they were written – Sept. 4 and Sept 7 -- but the work was never done. Police Chief Edward A. Mello described the couple, Harold and Florence Plympton, as "more than patient" and DiFazio as "less than patient," refusing to turn himself in when he was arrested during a budget retreat on Nov. 17th. He is scheduled to be in Superior Court, Wakefield, this morning for a pre-trial conference. He pleaded not guilty in January. Earlier this month, a judge filed a misdemeanor fraud charge against DiFazio for allegedly writing a bad check to A-1 Rolloff Disposal. He pleaded not guilty, and will have the charge expunged from his record if he stays out of trouble and pays $100 to the victims-of-crimes fund. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 9:41 AM | Comment Rhode Island man dies in ski accidentKILLINGTON, Vt. — A Rhode Island skier has died after crashing into a tree at Killington Ski Resort. Police say Kirk W. O’Brien, 44, of Cumberland, caught an edge of his ski in the snow, lost control and struck a tree off the Bittersweet trail Sunday at 10 a.m. O’Brien, who was wearing a helmet, suffered massive head trauma. Police say he was lifeless when emergency personnel arrived and was pronounced dead on the way to the hospital. Family and friends say O’Brien was an expert skier who started skiing at age 9 and had skied around the world. -- The Associated Press Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 8:37 AM | Comment What's open, closed on Presidents' DayIt's Presidents' Day and you won't get your mail, but you can go out for a beer. Click here for a listing of what's open and what's closed. Posted by Jack Perry at 8:32 AM | Comment Download today's front pageA story on the memorial park planned for the Station fire site leads today's Journal. Download file Posted by Peter Phipps at 8:26 AM | Comment Check out the Venus Fly Traps at Roger Williams ParkThere's really no denying it; Venus Fly Traps are pretty cool. If you'd like to get your hands on one -- for your kid's educational purposes, of course -- here's your chance. During February school break, which starts today, the Botanical Center at Roger Williams Park will be giving guided tours daily through its carnivorous plant collection. Storyteller Len Cabral will be on-hand after the tours to share his stories, and the gardens will also be hosting scavenger hunts. Today only, the first 100 kids 14 and younger will get their own Venus Fly Trap. If you're nice, maybe they'll even let you feed it. For more information, call (401)785-9450 -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 7:35 AM | Comment Video prompts largest recall of beef in U.S.LOS ANGELES, Ca. -- An undercover video showing crippled and sick animals being shoved with forklifts has led to the largest beef recall in the United States and a scramble to find out if any of the meat is still destined for school children's lunches. The U.S. Department of Agriculture yesterday ordered the recall of 143 million pounds of beef from a Southern California slaughterhouse that is the subject of an animal-abuse investigation. The recall will affect beef products dating to Feb. 1, 2006, that came from Chino-based Westland/Hallmark Meat Co., the federal agency said. The company provided meat to various federal programs. Secretary of Agriculture Ed Schafer said his department has evidence that Westland did not routinely contact its veterinarian when cattle became non-ambulatory after passing inspection, violating health regulations. "Because the cattle did not receive complete and proper inspection, Food Safety and Inspection Service has determined them to be unfit for human food and the company is conducting a recall," Schafer said in a statement. -- The Associated Press A phone message left for Westland president Steve Mendell was not returned Sunday. Agriculture officials said the massive recall surpasses a 1999 ban of 35 million pounds of ready-to-eat meats. No illnesses have been linked to the newly recalled meat, and officials said the health threat was likely small. Officials estimate that about 37 million pounds of the recalled beef went to school programs, but they believe most of the meat probably has already been eaten. "We don't know how much product is out there right now. We don't think there is a health hazard, but we do have to take this action," said Dr. Dick Raymond, USDA Undersecretary for Food Safety. Federal officials suspended operations at Westland/Hallmark after an undercover video from the Humane Society of the United States surfaced showing crippled and sick animals being shoved with forklifts. Two former employees were charged Friday. Five felony counts of animal cruelty and three misdemeanors were filed against a pen manager. Three misdemeanor counts - illegal movement of a non-ambulatory animal - were filed against an employee who worked under that manager. Both were fired. Authorities said the video showed workers kicking, shocking and otherwise abusing "downer" animals that were apparently too sick or injured to walk into the slaughterhouse. Some animals had water forced down their throats, San Bernardino County prosecutor Michael Ramos said. No charges have been filed against Westland, but an investigation by federal authorities continues. About 150 school districts around the nation have stopped using ground beef from Hallmark Meat Packing Co., which is associated with Westland. Two fast-food chains, Jack-In-the-Box and In-N-Out, said they would not use beef from Westland/Hallmark. Most of the beef was sent to distribution centers in bulk packages. The USDA said it will work with distributors to determine how much meat remains. Federal regulations call for keeping downed cattle out of the food supply because they may pose a higher risk of contamination from E. coli, salmonella or mad cow disease since they typically wallow in feces and their immune systems are often weak. Upon learning about the recall, some legislators criticized the USDA, saying the federal agency should conduct more thorough inspections to ensure tainted beef doesn't get to the public. "Today marks the largest beef recall in U.S. history, and it involves the national school lunch program and other federal food and nutrition programs," said U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin, chairman of the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry. "This begs the question: How much longer will we continue to test our luck with weak enforcement of federal food safety regulations?" Advocacy groups also weighed in, noting the problems at Westland wouldn't have been revealed had it not been for animal right activists. "On the one hand, I'm glad that the recall is taking place. On the other, it's somewhat disturbing, given that obviously much of this food has already been eaten," said Jean Halloran, director of food policy initiatives at Consumers Union. "It's really closing the barn door after the cows left." Posted by Jack Perry at 7:12 AM | Comment 4 deaths at Nantucket nursing home linked to virusNANTUCKET -- Four recent deaths at a Nantucket nursing home are being blamed on a respiratory virus typically found at day care centers. The patients ranged in age from 71 to 96. They died over the span of a week, with the last death occurring Feb. 10, according to the Cape Cod Times. Officials at Our Island Home nursing home say the virus is the most common cause of pneumonia among infants and children under 1, and is rarely found in nursing homes. The nursing home's administrator Pamela Meriam said the virus has been contained and no more patients have been infected. -- The Associated Press Posted by Jack Perry at 7:05 AM | Comment Weather: Could be better, could be worseYou can leave your winter coat at home today, not your umbrella. Rain is the word today, on and off with periods of thunderstorms. The National Weather Service is forecasting a high temperature today just shy of 60 degrees with high winds gusting up to 37 mph. It's pretty mild, but not nearly as warm as the record temperature for this day, 72 degrees in 1981. More rain, and maybe snow, are on tap for early tonight, when the temperature drops to 30 degrees. Tomorrow should start dry out, but rain may return later in the afternoon when the temperature hits 40 degrees and west winds gust as high as 30 mph. For updates throughout the day, check projo.com's weather page. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 7:00 AM | Comment February 15, 2008Tonight: Spiderwick Chronicles or Indiana Jones -- a peekYou can catch the Spiderwick Chronicles at the IMAX theatre at Providence Place Mall tonight -- a fantasy film filled with adventures and creatures that will see whether it catches a wide audience. Showings are at 7:10, 10:05 and an early show at 12:30 a.m. in the regular cinepex; the IMAX -- or big, big screen -- version at 7:10 and 9:30 p.m.Read a review by the Journal's Michael Janusonis. Or, you can stay at your computer and catch a glimpse of a long-awaited fourth chapter in a time-tested adventure: the preview for the new Indy movie, Indiana Jones: Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Posted by Mike McKinney at 7:00 PM | Comment Local educators to education chief: Change reform law
Providence Mayor David N. Cicilline wants to expand after-school programs and protect art and music classes. Providence Schools Supt. Donnie Evans said his top priority is improving urban schools. Robert G. Flanders, chairman of the state Board of Regents, pushed for stronger early childhood education. Several teachers asked Spellings to provide enough resources -- including federal money -- for teacher support and training. Union leaders urged Spellings to find fair ways to track the progress of struggling schools, rather than simply classify all of them as “in need of improvement.” Governor Carcieri moderated the candid roundtable discussion at the Alan Shawn Feinstein Elementary School after Spellings visited a second-grade classroom. She praised Feinstein for its significant strides in student proficiency in math and English on standardized tests -- a central goal of No Child Left Behind. In addition, the school participates in the federal Reading First program, an early reading intervention program geared toward urban schools with high concentrations of poor and minority students. Spellings is traveling throughout the country gathering feedback on the law, which she helped draft when she served as President Bush’s domestic education adviser. Mr. Bush considers No Child Left Behind his most significant domestic policy, but its future remains unclear. The law was scheduled for reauthorization by Congress at the end of last year. But lawmakers never voted, so the current law remains in effect until they reauthorize or abolish it. -- Journal staff writer Jennifer D. Jordan “It may or it may not get reauthorized this year,” Spellings said. “One of the things we can do in the meantime is to make this law better … and bring the dream that every child will be educated closer to reality.” The law has brought sweeping change to education systems throughout the country, requiring states to test annually all students in grades three through eight and one high school year in English and math, report the results and break out the performance of all groups of students -- minority, low income, special education and English language learners. The law classifies schools based on test scores as highly or moderately performing or in need of improvement and requires districts to intervene in struggling schools. The law also established 2014 as the year all students must reach proficiency in English and math. Supporters of the law, who include Carcieri and state Education Commissioner Peter McWalters, agree with Spellings that the law has “changed the national conversation about education.” “Before six years ago, the discussion was whether or not we should, or is it reasonable to fuss on every kid,” Spellings said in her characteristic Texas drawl. “Now it’s about how are we going to do it, what are the necessary steps, what are the barriers and impediments to helping every student.” Critics of the law, which include the country’s largest teachers’ union, the National Education Association, and groups that oppose standardized testing, say the law unfairly punishes struggling schools and strips creativity and autonomy from teachers, who are under pressure to boost student performance on the tests. Spellings said the federal Education Department is already considering several changes to the law. They include allowing states to track the progress of a cohort of students year to year, in order to assess long-term progress; expanding school classifications to allow more “nuance” in the system; focusing on making high schools more rigorous; finding ways to reward teachers, particularly those who work in challenging urban schools; and providing adequate resources to states. Spellings called the recent 60 percent cut to the federal Reading First budget “regrettable,” noting it means a loss of about $2 million to Rhode Island. The issue of federal financing is a sore one, as many educators and lawmakers throughout the country argue Mr. Bush’s law passed without the money needed to help states develop high quality tests, provide training for teachers and offer students in struggling schools tutoring and other interventions. Critics also lament the focus on math and English at the expense of other subjects, including art, music and social studies. “The high-stakes standardized testing that is the cornerstone of NCLB has undermined the quality of teaching in those subject areas by directing teachers to focus on test material,” said Larry Purtill, president of Rhode Island’s NEA chapter, in a statement. Purtill also participated in the roundtable discussion. “There is much more to education than test taking.” But Spellings disagreed, saying it is up to states to push for more art and music in their schools. She also said that before the federal government demanded states to test students and report the results, too many students were lost along the way. “There is broad affirmation that every kid matters, that we need to measure their progress … that we need to get kids extra help,” Spellings said. “Things happen based on data.” Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:37 PM | Comment Providence drug ringleader gets 14 years in prisonJoanna Gonzalez, a 28-year-old mother of three who owned a Porsche and other vehicles while collecting welfare -- and heading up a large Providence drug ring -- has been sentenced to 14 years in prison. Another 14 years of the 28-year sentence imposed Monday by Judge Susan E. McGuirl will be suspended with probation, Attorney General Patrick C. Lynch's office announced this evening. Gonzalez, of 49 Anchor St., Providence, waived indictment on Sept. 12, 2007, and pleaded no contest in October to the four counts before Judge McGuirl. She is now serving her sentence at the ACI, where she has been held without bail since her arrest last July. Gonzalez was arrrested as part of "Operation Rosa," in which 29 people have been charged with various drug offenses. Ten search warrants were carried out and more than 20,000 telephone calls intercepted during 74 days of monitoring, the attorney general's office said. More than $60,000 in cash was seized, as were five cars/SUVs and three motorcycles -- $300,000 worth of vehicles all told. The police have said Gonzalez bought a $45,000 Porsche, a Nissan Maxima, and paid $4,000 cash for a motorcycle, all registered in her name. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with Journal archival reports If the case had gone to trial, prosecutor James Dube would have offered evidence that Gonzalez led one of the city's biggest drug operations. "Her drug distribution empire employed dozens of people including her mother, sister, boyfriend, and children. The organization had an enforcer, banker, manager, and distributors," Lynch's news release said. “Gonzalez led a criminal family operation that supplied many in Providence and surrounding areas with illegal drugs, and used the criminal enterprise to fuel a lavish lifestyle,” Lynch said in the statement. “With the illicit drug ring destroyed and its leader and other members at the ACI, that lifestyle is now but a memory and our streets are safer, as a result.” Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:10 PM | Comment Big Dig's Lewis on the road to Rhode Island DOTMichael P. Lewis, the controversial director of Boston’s embattled Big Dig construction project, is coming to Rhode Island. Lewis will take over as head of the state’s Department of Transportation next month, assuming the title now held by Jerome Williams who is moving to the Department of Administration, Gov. Carcieri announced today. Lewis retired from the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority at the end of November, having served with the agency for more than 20 years before becoming embroiled in the controversies that plagued the final stages of the massive $14.8 billion construction project. He oversaw the authority’s response to the dozens of leaks found in the city’s main tunnel, and continued to lead the project following the death of motorist Milena Del Valle who was killed in the Interstate 90 tunnel collapse in 2006, Lewis led that investigation and battles that followed. In an interview today, Lewis, 46, was frank about the project’s troubles. “Are there controversies with the Big Dig? Absolutely,” he said. “The most important and most obvious is the fatality in 2006. Everybody who worked at the Big Dig up to and including me will always be affected by that. It’s something that shouldn’t have happened. It’s a failure of the system that should never have happened.” Despite that, he says he continues to be “very proud” of the project, calling it “an enormous undertaking that has delivered what was promised” by improving transportation in and around Boston, making for easier airport access and removing the city’s unsightly Central Artery. The Carcieri administration declined to directly discuss Lewis’ role in the Big Dig though it issued a statement saying Lewis helped move the massive project “from disarray to completion in seven years.” “As the project director of the Big Dig – the largest and most complicated transportation project in American history – Mike Lewis has the talent and the experience necessary to help Rhode Island maintain and improve the state’s system of highways and bridges,” Carcieri said. “Rhode Island major highways and bridges will require serious rehabilitation in the coming years.” The shift in leadership in DOT was part of a major shakeup in the governor's inner circle announced today. -- Cynthia Needham, Journal State House Bureau Deputy Chief of Staff John R. Pagliarini has been replaced in a change that shifts Department of Administration Director Beverly Najarian into Pagliarini's job. It appears that Communications Director Steve Kass may be replaced as well. The governor has hired former state House of Representatives candidate John Robitaille as a "senior adviser --communications," and said that the restructuring would not result in "a net addition in staff." The governor's office could not immediately clarify Kass's status. Kass is on medical leave, Carcieri spokesman Jeff Neal said. Posted by Andrea Panciera at 5:49 PM | Comment Katharine Gibbs in Cranston among those closingCareer Education Corporation announced today that it plans to close all of its Gibbs schools and colleges -- including the one operating in Cranston -- after current students enrolled in the programs graduate. A news release issued by the CEC says that it anticipates all programs will cease operating by December 2009. The CEC, a publicly-traded company, announced in 2006 that it planned to sell its Gibbs division campuses but said yesterday in its news release that it had not been able to attract “viable buyers” or “identify and structure a transaction that made sense for all parties.” “Despite the company’s best efforts, it could not find a suitable arrangement that would be acceptable to purchasers and protect the short and long-term interests of the schools’ students, faculty and staff,” the news release said. The CEC, the second-largest for-profit education company in the United States, operates Gibbs Colleges in Cranston; Boston; Livingston and Piscataway, N.J.; and Norwalk, Conn.; and Katharine Gibbs Schools in New York City, N.Y., and Norristown, N.J. The Gibbs College in Cranston is located at 85 Garfield Ave. Katharine Gibbs was founded in Providence in 1911 as an institution for the career education of young women. A few years later, the institution opened satellite campuses in New York and Boston. -- Journal staff writer Tracy Breton Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:13 PM | Comment 5 years later: Station fire victims to be rememberedWEST WARWICK -- Relatives of the 100 people killed by The Station nightclub fire will mark the fifth anniversary of the blaze with a memorial service this weekend. The event Sunday afternoon will be held at the former site of the West Warwick club on Cowesett Avenue. Details for a permanent memorial planned for the site are expected to be released then. The Feb. 20, 2003, fire began when pyrotechnics used by the 1980s rock band Great White ignited flammable soundproofing foam on the walls and ceiling. Besides the 100 people killed, more than 200 others were injured in one of the worst nightclub fires in the nation's history. Survivors and victims' relatives have marked each anniversary of the fire with a memorial service at the roadside site. Extra: Look back at the fire, in stories and multimedia, and its aftermath. -- The Associated Press Posted by Mike McKinney at 3:07 PM | Comment Oster trial: Jury sees and hears Oster, Picerno tapesPROVIDENCE -- The jury in the bribery and conspiracy trial of former Lincoln Town Administrator Jonathan F. Oster today watched and heard a taped meeting between Oster and Robert R. Picerno, who has since pleaded no contest to bribery and was wearing a transmitting device during the meeting. The roughly 40 minutes of recording covered a meeting in Oster's law office and then outside the building's main entrance. State police videotaped their encounter outside from a police vehicle about 100 feet away. The device Picerno wore allowed for an audio recording. Three video screens were arrayed in front of the jury box, as well as a larger screen. The tape began with State Police briefing Picerno on how the devices work and then heading over to Oster's office to talk local politics and about the H&H Screw Co. property -- town-controlled land at the case's heart. Oster is on trial in Providence County Superior Court on two counts of bribery and two counts of conspiracy. The state alleges that he and Picerno twice plotted to get bribes from would-be buyers of the H&H Screw Co. site on Route 116. The state's case contends that Oster’s role was to get the town to sell the land for $105,000 in exchange for $25,000 cash payoffs. Picerno pleaded no contest in 2004 to four counts of taking, or trying to solicit, bribes, and three counts of conspiracy to solicit bribes.
-- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Journal staff writer John Hill Posted by Mike McKinney at 1:07 PM | Comment Hillary Clinton is coming to R.I. on Feb. 24Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton will visit Rhode Island on Sunday, Feb. 24, her campaign announced today. Republican candidate John McCain visited the state yesterday -- the same day that Lincoln Chafee, former Republican Rhode Island senator, said he was endorsing Clinton's rival for the Democratic nomination, Barack Obama. Obama has opened a campaign office in Providence, but hasn't campaigned here. The Rhode Island primary is March 4. Posted by Mike McKinney at 12:52 PM | Comment Man gets 8 months for extortion, impersonating agentPROVIDENCE -- A Warwick man has been sentenced to eight months in federal prison for posing as a federal Homeland Security agent to extort $25,000 from a gas station owner of Middle Eastern descent by claiming he could link the owner to terrorists. George Tabora, 45, also received two months of home confinement and must do 300 hours of community service after he's released from prison in the sentence imposed by U.S. District Court Judge William E. Smith, according to a statement from U.S. Attorney Robert Clark Corrente's office. Tabora pleaded guilty in September to attempting to obstruct interstate commerce through extortion, and attempting to obtain money by impersonating a federal officer. Prosecutor Lee H. Vilker said at the plea hearing that the government could prove that Tabora, posing as an officer named Carl Johnson, called the gas station owner last May, asserting he had information linking the owner to terrorist organizations, including al-Qaida. If the gas station owner did not pay him the $25,000, he said he would “go after” his family and put him in jail, the U.S. Attorney's office said. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney The gas station owner reported to Warwick police more threatening calls from the man claiming to be Johnson. Each time the caller demanded money in exchange for a file he claimed to have on the station owner. Warwick police determined that Tabora’s wife worked at the gas station owned by the victim of the crime. In more phone calls, some monitored by Warwick detectives, Tabora sought money in exchange for the supposed file on the gas station owner. The owner agrees -- at Warwick detectives' direction -- to pay $15,000. Tabora told him to put the money in a drain pipe on a Centerville Road property. Detectives found that the property with the drainpipe is next to Tabora’s home. Posted by Mike McKinney at 12:48 PM | Comment Armed man gives up after confrontation in LincolnLINCOLN -- A 56-year-old man barricaded himself inside his apartment with a loaded shotgun this morning after preventing workers from getting in to work on an alarm system, the police said. He came out of the multi-unit building without a weapon after about a half-hour. Huntley Westcott, who lives at the Eagle Phase Apartments on Spring Street, never fired the gun, according to the police. He is slated for District Court arraignment later today on a charge of assault with a deadly weapon, for pointing the gun at one of the workers who were trying to repair a building-wide alarm system, according to Lincoln Police Deputy Chief Brian Sullivan. The call came in at 9:10 a.m., and about a dozen officers were at the scene, many with guns drawn. Lincoln, Cumberland and state police responded. The police got about a half-dozen people out of the area of the building. Others were told to stay in their apartments. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Journal staff writer Tatiana Pina Posted by Mike McKinney at 12:02 PM | Comment Alert: Major shakeup in governor's office announcedPROVIDENCE -- The governor's office announced a major shakeup this morning of key directors and top aides. At least one high-profile member of Governor Carcieri's inner circle -- Deputy Chief of Staff John R. Pagliarini -- has been replaced in changes that shift Department of Administration Director Beverly Najarian into Pagliarini's job and Department of Transportation Director Jerome Williams into Najarian's position. It appears that Communications Director Steve Kass may be replaced as well. The governor has hired former state House of Representatives candidate John Robitaille as a "senior adviser --communications," and said that the restructuring would not result in "a net addition in staff." The governor's office could not immediately clarify Kass's status. Kass is on medical leave, Carcieri spokesman Jeff Neal said. "I think Governor Carcieri and Steve Kass will sit down and discuss Steve's future role when Steve returns from his medical leave," Neal said. Rhode Island's new Department of Transportation director will be Michael Lewis, the former embattled director of Boston's "Big Dig," who retired from the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority at the end of November. Robitaille, the Portsmouth Republican who lost a bid to unseat Rep. Amy G. Rice in November 2006 by just nine votes, is the president of Middletown's Perspective Communications Group, a communications firm. The staffing moves come four days after a Brown University poll showed Carcieri's approval ratings had dropped to 40 percent -- an all-time low for the term-limited Republican governor. The governor's office would not immediately explain the rationale for the staffing changes. In a press release issued this morning, the governor would only praise the staffers involved in the shakeup. -- Steve Peoples of the Journal State House Bureau Lewis's road to Rhode Island has been marked by challenges. Lewis had been director of the Big Dig since April of 2000. He took over the project after the former turnpike chief was fired for concealing $1.4 billion in cost overruns. Lewis had been involved in a series of controversies during the final months of Big Dig construction. He led the agency's response to hundreds of leaks found in the Thomas P. "Tip" O'Neill Tunnel, and was in charge during the death of motorist Milena Del Valle, who was killed in the Interstate 90 tunnel collapse.
Posted by Steve Peoples at 11:56 AM | Comment Payette pleads not guilty on murder; remains in prison
The judge also sentenced Payette to four years in prison for the violation of his probation. At the arraignment today, Payette pleaded not guilty to a single charge of first-degree murder. He is charged with stabbing a 66-year-old West Warwick man to death in a dispute over a debt last November. The stabbing occurred seven months after Payette had been released from the Adult Correctional Institutions. Payette, 44, has spent 20 years of his life in jails in Rhode Island, New Hampshire and New Jersey. His first stint came when he was just 19 on a breaking and entering charge. His pre-trial hearing on the Rhode Island is set for April 1. Posted by Peter Phipps at 11:22 AM | Comment Carcieri to present Hope award to honor Station victimsGovernor Carcieri on Tuesday will announce the winners of an award that honors the victims, survivors and affected family members of The Station nightclub fire, which killed 100 people and injured more than 200 on Feb. 20, 2003. Rhode Island's Hope Award is being given to citizens who distinguish themselves as good Samaritans during an emergency or tragedy. The ceremony, marking the fire's fifth anniversary, will be at 7 p.m. at Rhodes-on-the-Pawtuxet. The public is invited. The honorees were selected by the Rhode Island’s Hope Award Committee, comprised of Dr. Joseph Amaral, Jane Hayward, Frank McGonagle, Kathy Sullivan and Sue Stenhouse. Posted by Jack Perry at 10:58 AM | Comment Traffic Alert: Disabled truck on 195A disabled vehicle has slowed traffic on Route 195. The the vehicle, a truck, is stopped on the westbound side of the Washington Bridge. For updates on traffic, visit the Transportation Management Center's Web site; to see updated photos of the roads, see the TMC's traffic cameras. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 9:57 AM | Comment Woman accused of killing her baby's father remains in jailThe bail hearing for a 21-year-old Cranston woman accused of stabbing the father of her child to death has been postponed. Pawtucket police say on Feb. 1, Misty Ospina was dropping off her infant son at Richard Gibson’s house when the two got into an argument. Ospina allegedly grabbed a knife and stabbed the 22-year-old Gibson, according to police. Two 911 calls were made – one form a resident of the house, at 19 Thornston St., and another from someone who had been with Ospina, according to Police and the Attorney General’s office. Ospina told police that Gibson had punched her in the face four times and choked her, according to a prosecutor. But, Pawtucket police said they did not see any marks on Ospina that were consistent with being hit. She has been at the Adult Correctional Facilities since her arrest, Feb. 2. Today’s scheduled hearing was postponed as Ospina, whose case had been referred to the public defender’s office, gets a private lawyer. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson, with reports from Journal staff writer Tatiana Pina Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 9:41 AM | Comment U.S. Education Secretary is coming to townThe U.S. Secretary of Education is coming to the Ocean State today. Margaret Spellings will be visiting classrooms at a local elementary school. She’ll also meet with educators and education officials for a roundtable discussion moderated by Governor Carcieri. The meeting is set for 12:30 at the Alan Shawn Feinstein Elementary School on Broad Street, Providence. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 9:20 AM | Comment Accused killer due in courtA 45-year-old West Warwick man is set to be arraigned in court today in the stabbing death of 66-year-old Ronald Dufour. Robert E. Payette was arrested in November, and has been at the Adult Correctional Institutions since his arrest. Police say Payette stabbed Dufour on Nov. 10 at River Run apartments and dumped the body into a ravine that feeds into the Pawtuxet River because of a disagreement over a debt. Payette has spent more than 20 years in jail and had been released less than a year before the stabbing. He has served time for several different crimes, including once for stabbing a corrections officer with an ice pick while in jail. Payette is set for arraignment in Superior Court, Warwick, today. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 7:44 AM | Comment From Valentines to Sex workers in three daysThe Sex Workers Art Show nationwide tour is making a stop in Providence. Sunday at 7 p.m., strippers, phone sex operators, internet models and a host of others involved in the commercial business of sex will take to the stage at the burlesque-type show that aims, according to the event web site, “Dispel the myth that they are anything short of artists, innovators and geniuses.” That means talking about the good, the bad and the complicated aspects of the industry. The show, which will feature, music, poetry, spoken word and more, will be downtown, at the Rhode Island School of Design’s Auditorium. Admission is $5. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 7:29 AM | Comment Accused drug dealer to be sentencedPROVIDENCE -- A sentencing hearing has been set for an accused drug dealer who made corruption allegations against a Providence lawyer now facing federal criminal charges. Derrick Isom is accused of dealing crack cocaine and faces up to life in prison. Prosecutors are recommending a 30-year sentence. A sentencing hearing is set for today. Last year, Isom testified that attorney John Cicilline, the brother of Providence Mayor David Cicilline, said he could make the criminal case disappear for $200,000, some of which would be used for bribes. A federal judge said the allegations were troubling but ultimately unproven. Prosecutors accuse Isom of lying. Charges against a co-defendant were dropped after a Providence police detective found reports in his attic on the eve of trial that he earlier testified did not exist. -- The Assocated Press Posted by Jack Perry at 7:02 AM | Comment Spring-like today, but colder, wet weather on the wayIt's going to warm up today, with the National Weather Service forecasting a high temperature of 48 degrees and some sunshine. The winds haven't died down, though; expect gusts as high as 29 mph. Tonight, the temperature takes a sharp drop to 16 degrees. Winds will keep up, gusting up to 24 mph., and partly cloudy skies. Don't let today's weather fool you, though. It's still winter. Tomorrow's temperature is expected to be about 20 degrees colder than today, at 27 degrees and mild northwest winds. Saturday night the temperature drops to about 15 and winds will die down. Rain may return Sunday afternoon when clouds roll in and the temperature reaches the low 40s. Showers may continue into the night when the temperature dips slightly to the high 30s. Monday -- Presidents' Day -- is looking rainy as well, but very mild with temperatures reaching the 50s. To keep track on the weather throughout the weekend, visit projo.com's weather page. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 7:01 AM | Comment Today's front pageToday's front page features coverage of presidential candidate Sen. John McCain's visit to Rhode Island. Download a copy of today's front page in .pdf format. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:00 AM | Comment February 14, 2008Update: Texas diocese: Ex-R.I. priest is HIV positiveFORT WORTH, Texas -- Roman Catholic church officials in Texas say a priest who is accused of sexually abusing children --and who once served as a pastor in Rhode Island -- is HIV positive. The Rev. Philip Magaldi was removed as a priest in 1999 after sexual misconduct allegations arose in Rhode Island and Fort Worth, Texas. “Magaldi acknowledged to me that he is HIV positive. We do not know when Magaldi was diagnosed as HIV positive,” Fort Worth Vicar General Michael F. Olson said . Olson said the diocese does not have access to Magaldi’s medical records, because of privacy laws. But he said the diocese believes Magaldi has been HIV positive at least since 2003. The diocese says it started alerting people who claim Magaldi assaulted them. Church officials also say they also notified parishes where Magaldi served. Magaldi left the diocese in spring 2001, for Florida, and returned in spring, 2003. He has been living in a retirement center since his return, the diocese said. Magaldi had a checkered history while in Rhode Island, which included being accused of lying as part of the infamous 1980s case involving socialite Claus von Bulow and serving time after pleading guilty to embezzling more than $120,000 from his North Providence parish, St. Anthony's. Then, in 1997 and 1998, he was accused by men in both Massachusetts and Texas of having molested them in the course of his priestly duties, in Rhode Island in the 1970s and in Fort Worth in 1995. In a statement this evening, the Diocese of Providence said it is in the process of contacting those who have made allegations against Magaldi to share the Texas Diocese's announcement about his HIV status. -- With reports from The Dallas Morning News, Providence Journal archives and The Associated Press In the 1980s, Magaldi, charged with lying in a sworn statement on behalf of von Bulow as part of the legal maneuvering surrounding the second trial, saw perjury and obstruction-of-justice charges dropped in 1987. But his legal problems were far from over. In 1992, he was sentenced to two years in prison after pleading guilty to stealing more than $120,000 from his North Providence parish, St. Anthony’s. Authorities said he had spent some of the stolen money for tropical vacations with adolescent boys and once gave a teenager he met in a park enough money to get a car. He served eight months before being paroled. After the first allegation of molestation in the late 1990s, The Dallas Morning News reported, church investigators found him “guilty of sexual exploitation” and he was barred from supervising altar boys but allowed to continue as chaplain of the Fort Worth diocesan Boy Scout program. After the second, he was suspended, but returned to part-time ministry after his accuser died; he was accused of misconduct with boys at his new job and removed again. Still, in 2000 he celebrated Mass with Pope John Paul II at the pontiff’s private chapel at the Vatican. Parishioners argued that if he was fit to share the altar with the pope, he ought to be able to preach in North Richland Hills, Texas. He was allowed to continue his ministry at the North Richland Hills retirement home where he was living until August 2006, when a new bishop revoked all his priestly powers. But The Morning News reported in November that he had defied the bishop’s orders and remained in ministry at the home. A message left for him there this month was not returned. But Jerry Koller, a friend and former parishioner of Father Magaldi’s who described himself as the ex-priest’s caregiver, said Wednesday that Magaldi is in “too weak condition” to continue his ministry. Koller said Magaldi suffers from dementia and has had a series of strokes, which have affected his eyesight and left him legally blind. In its statement tonight, the Diocese of Providence said anyone who wishes to report sexual misconduct by Magaldi or "by anyone who serves the church" to contact Lt. Robert McCarthy, Office of Education & Compliance, 401-941-0760. Posted by Mike McKinney at 7:20 PM | Comment Tonight: All that jazz -- several schools' worthWhile affairs of the heart may be top of mind for some tonight, a musical alternative is on tap. Local high school bands will jazz it at up starting at 7 tonight in Woonsocket's Stadium Theatre. Participants include Woonsocket High School, Mount St. Charles Academy, North Smithfield, and Blackstone-Millville High School. Tickets are $5. The stadium is at 28 Monument Square, Woonsocket. For information, go to www.stadiumtheatre.com. For other events in the area, visit projo.com's calendar. Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:59 PM | Comment Blue Cross chief Montanaro to step downBlue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island announced this evening that Frank J. Montanaro will resign as board chairman when his term ends April 30. Blue Cross & Blue Shield said that will give the Board of Directors "ample time to elect his replacement," the state's dominant health insurer said in a news release shortly after 6 p.m. "My decision comes after a great deal of reflection," said Montanaro in the statement. "Having been on the board for many years, it¹s my belief that BCBSRI has never been in better hands. I ask the remaining board members to continue the tradition of keeping BCBSRI an organization that takes the very best care of its members and the citizens of the state." Montanaro is also the president of the state's unit of the AFL-CIO union, and a Democratic National Committeeman. James E. Purcell, president and CEO, said of Montanaro: "He always has fought for the people of Rhode Island and their families. Thus, his legacy is not just the bottom line. It's the human touch. I am so proud to have had Frank serve as chairman of the board." The new Blue Cross chairman would be in place when Montanaro¹s term ends, Blue Cross & Blue Shield said. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:23 PM | Comment Romney endorses McCain for GOP nominationBOSTON -- Republican campaign dropout Mitt Romney endorsed Sen. John McCain for the party's presidential nomination and asked his national convention delegates to swing behind the likely nominee. "Even when the contest was close and our disagreements were debated, the caliber of the man was apparent," the former Massachusetts governor said today, standing alongside his one-time rival at his now-defunct campaign's headquarters. "This is a man capable of leading our country at a dangerous hour." "Primaries are tough," said McCain, referring to their earlier rancor. "We know it was a hard campaign and now we move forward, we move forward together for the good of our party and the nation." The two met privately before appearing together at a news conference. McCain had campaigned in Vermont and Rhode Island today but added a flight to Boston to accept the endorsement. McCain effectively sealed the nomination last week when Romney withdrew from the race; only former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and libertarian-leaning Texas Rep. Ron Paul remain. But neither has a chance to catch McCain in the convention delegate hunt. In early primaries and caucuses, Romney collected 280 delegates. The number is enough to move McCain close to the total of 1,191 needed to clinch the nomination a full nine months before the November general election. Huckabee was not ready to bow out. "Right now there's a great big 'me, too' crowd coming together (for McCain)," Huckabee said in LaCrosse, Wis. "There's a lot of folks, sort of, in the establishment of the party that is not now wanting to be left out." -- The Associated Press Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:32 PM | Comment Survey of 11 to 14 year olds finds date violenceA national survey released today says larger numbers of children as young as 11 are sexually active -- and experience abusive relationships of some kind. The survey found one in five children between ages 11 and 14 say friends have been dating violence victims. "Alarmingly, 40 percent of the youngest tweens, those between the ages of 11 and 12, report that their friends are victims of verbal abuse in relationships and nearly 1 in 10 say their friends have had sex," says a news release summarizing the survey results. The survey was done by Teenage Research Unlimited and commissioned by Liz Claiborne Inc. -- which issued today's news release -- and the National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline. The poll is described as exploring how young adolescents' relationships are "fueling high levels of dating violence and abuse." Rhode Island Attorney General Patrick C. Lynch pointed to the findings today to highlight the need for schools around the country to teach about the signs of dating violence. Lynch, the incoming National Association of Attorneys General president, is expected to introduce a resolution at the association's June meeting in Providence urging other states to follow Rhode Island's lead and require schools to teach about dating violence and abuse every year from grades 7 through 12.
Among American teenagers who had sex by age 14, 1 out of 3 teens said they have been physically abused -- hit, kicked or choked -- by an angry partner compared to 20 percent of other teens. Sixty-nine percent of teens who had sex before 14 said they had experienced all aspects of dating abuse including verbal, emotional, physical and mental abuse, according to the release. “We know that education for tweens and teens helps and is critically important if we are going to break the cycle of abuse and strengthen healthy relationships,” said Sheryl Cates, chief executive of National Domestic Violence Hotline, which runs a teen dating abuse helpline called loveisrespect.org, said in the statement. Other survey results outlined in the news release are: * Nearly three in four tweens say boyfriend/girlfriend relationships usually begin at age 14 or younger. * More than one in three 11-12 year olds say they have been in a boyfriend/girlfriend relationship . * Sixty-two percent of tweens who have been in a relationship say they know friends who have been verbally abused (called stupid, worthless, ugly, etc) by a boyfriend/girlfriend * Two in five tweens, who have been in a relationship know friends who have been called names, put down, or insulted via cellphone, IM, social networking sites (such as MySpace and Facebook), etc. * One in five 13-14 year olds in relationships say they know friends and peers who have been struck in anger (kicked, hit, slapped, or punched) by a boyfriend or girlfriend * Only half of all tweens claim to know the warning signs of a bad/hurtful relationship * Nearly half of teen girls who have been in a relationship say they have been victims of verbal, physical, or sexual abuse by their boyfriends. * More than one in three teens report that their partners wanted to know where they were and who they were with all the time. Among teens who had sex by age 14, it’s 58 percent and 59 percent, respectively). * Twenty-nine percent of teens say their boyfriends/girlfriends call them names and put them down, compared to 58 percent of teens who had sex by age 14. * Twenty-two percent of teens say they were pressured to do things they did not want to do, compared to 45 percent of teens who had sex by age 14. * Twenty-four percent of teens in a relationship said their boyfriends/girlfriends called them stupid, worthless, and ugly compared to 45 percent of teens who had sex by age 14. Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:40 PM | Comment Bridge repairs to close a portion of Route 6 in Mass.SOMERSET, Mass. -- Expect some headaches for the next two weeks if you travel between Somerset and Fall River along Route 6. And the headaches will last even longer beginning next month if you cruise along Route 103 from Warren into Somerset. Beginning Saturday, the Brightman Street Bridge portion of Route 6 will be closed for two weeks for emergency repairs. MassHighway needs to fix a baseball-size hole found in one of the girders. That will cause extra traffic along the Braga Bridge portion of Route 195. Then, the first week of March, after the Brightman is fixed, MassHighway will shut down the Route 103 bridge on the Somerset-Swansea border so it can be replaced. Businesses near the bridge are fearing a downturn in business and Swansea officials complained today that the two-mile detour necessitated by the closure will cost precious minutes if people need to be transported to Fall River hospitals. ``To a guy in the back of an ambulance, that [two-mile detour] can be an eternity,'' said Kenneth Furtado, chairman of Swansea's Board of Selectmen. ``We're hoping to get the road open to traffic by the end of this calendar year,'' said Gerald Bernard, an assistant construction manager for MassHighway. But, he said, that's if things go well. -- Journal staff writer C. Eugene Emery Jr. Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:26 PM | Comment Pawtucket man ordered held on drug chargesA Pawtucket man has been arrested on cocaine and marijuana charges by a State Police/Federal Bureau of Investigation task force, the State Police announced today. Aaron Carpenter, 24, of 34 Harrison St., first floor, was arrested at about 6 last night for possession of marijuana over 5 kilos, possession of marijuana with intent to deliver and possession of cocaine with intent to deliver. After a two-month investigation, the State Police SWAT Team, with assistance from the FBI High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area task force, used a search warrant and seized 12 pounds of marijuana, 11 grams of cocaine and $3,197 in cash, according to the news release. Carpenter was on home confinement status from the Department of Corrections at the time of last night's raid. Carpenter was ordered held without bail at District Court, Providence, arraignment today before Judge Michael Higgins. A Feb. 29 bail hearing is scheduled. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 3:45 PM | Comment New: McCain: I will carry Rhode Island / Photo
WARWICK -- U.S. Sen. John McCain rallied a crowd of Republican Party faithful here today with a strong defense of the military surge in Iraq, a pledge to combat global warming, and a hope for economic recovery. McCain also told the crowd that, though he respected his opponent, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, "I expect to be the Republican party nominee." The senator spent the early part of the day campaigning in Vermont -- another fairly liberal Democratic state -- and the afternoon here in Rhode Island, which hasn't voted for a Republican presidential candidate since Ronald Reagan in 1984. The audience of more than 1,000 at the Crowne Plaza hotel was sprinkled with veterans and, as veteran McCain always does, he recognized them for their contributions and said that he would "fix veterans' health care" if he became president. "I will carry the state of Rhode Island," he said emphatically. "I do believe I am on the path to getting the nomination of my party." In an interview outside the rally, McCain was asked how he felt about former U.S. Sen. Lincoln Chafee's announcement this morning that he will be endorsing Democrat Barack Obama. Rhode Islander Chafee, who has since left the GOP, said he chose Obama because he had not supported the war on Iraq, as had McCain and other top Democratic contender, U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton. McCain replied, "I have great respect and affection for Senator Chafee and I respect whatever decision he makes." Audio: Journal political columnist M. Charles Bakst interviews McCain (6 min, 46 sec). -- Journal staff writer Scott MacKay, with reports from Journal political columnist M. Charles Bakst Governor Carcieri, who originally supported former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney in the 2008 presidential race, gave a ringing endorsement today to McCain. "I'm going to do everything I possibly can" to make sure that he's the next president, Carcieri said. After leaving Rhode Island, McCain headed to Boston, where he is expected to accept Romney's endorsement. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 3:24 PM | Comment Woman convicted on gun and drug charges in Mass.A woman arrested in Fall River, Mass., on gun and drug distribution charges has been convicted in Taunton, Mass., Superior Court after a two-day trial. Rebecca Nater, 28, formerly of 18 Augustus St., Fall River, will spend five-and-a-half years in state prison, Bristol County District Attorney Sam Sutter's office announced today. Nater was sentenced by Judge Lloyd MacDonald to serve three years in state prison on the illegal firearm charges and then another 30 months on the cocaine distribution charge. Nater will also be placed on probation for an additional five years after serving her full state prison sentence. Fall River vice unit detectives arrested Nater on June 13, 2006, while using a search warrant at her Augustus Street apartment, Sutter's office said. Officers found four young children inside, along with Nater and two other individuals and during the apartment search, detectives said they seized about 13 grams of crack cocaine, a .22 caliber revolver loaded with nine rounds of ammunition, a 9mm Hi-Point firearm with nine rounds in the magazine and one in the chamber, $2,570 in cash, marijuana, more ammunition and drug paraphernalia, according to the news release. Nater was convicted after 40 minutes' deliberation yesterday for possession of a large capacity firearm, two counts of possession of an illegal firearm without a card that authorizes the possession of certain firearms, possession of a firearm while having been previously convicted of a serious drug offense, possession of ammunition, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and possession of marijuana. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 3:10 PM | Comment Carcieri endorses John McCain for presidentWARWICK -- Governor Carcieri, who originally supported former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney in the 2008 presidential race, gave a ringing endorsement today to Sen. John McCain. "I'm going to do everything I possibly can" to make sure that he's the next president, Carcieri said minutes ago. More than 1,000 McCain supporters are gathered to hear a speech from the first major presidential candidate to visit Rhode Island in this election cycle. Among those in the crowd are some of his old Naval Academy classmates, including Ed Clune, of North Kingstown, and George Brenner, from Newport. They were both in the class of 1958 with McCain. “He was a great guy, a real character,” Brenner said of his former schoolmate. “He was always straightforward and very hard-nosed.” Clune called McCain a “man’s man. He liked to party, he liked women, he liked sports -- he was just one of those guys, very charismatic, the kind of guy everyone liked.” When asked if he thought he saw McCain as a future president, Brennar said “actually, I thought it more likely that he would become an admiral like his grandfather and father before him. But now that you think of it,” he added, “I’m not surprised because he’s a real leader.” Adding to his classmates endorsement, is Mitt Romney, who, officials tell the Associated Press, will endorse McCain today. Journal staff writer Scott MacKay with reports from the Associated Press Posted by Jack Perry at 2:05 PM | Comment U.S. education secretary visiting R.I. tomorrowThe U.S. Secretary of Education is coming to the Ocean State tomorrow. Margaret Spellings will be visiting classrooms at a local elementary school. She’ll also meet with educators and education officials for a roundtable discussion moderated by Governor Carcieri. The meeting is set for tomorrow at the Alan Shawn Feinstein Elementary School on Broad Street, Providence, at 12:30 p.m. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 2:03 PM | Comment Central Falls school chair named to Board of RegentsGovernor Carcieri has selected Anna Cano-Morales, chairwoman of the Central Falls School Board, as his nominee for the State Board of Regents for Elementary and Secondary Education. Cano-Morales would replace Gary Grove, who has served on the board for nine years and whose term is expiring. The Board of Regents oversees secondary and elementary education in the state, and is the chief policy-setting body. The three-year appointment must first be approved by the state Senate. Cano-Morales is also senior community philanthropy officer at the Rhode Island Foundation and a member of the Urban Education Task Force. Through her work with the Central Falls school district, Carcieri said, such as her work forging a relationship between the University of Rhode Island and Central Falls schools, Cano-Morales has “demonstrated her commitment to improving education in Rhode Island.” “I am honored to be chosen,” Cano Morales said in a statement. “And I look forward to working under (Chairman of the Board of Regents) Justice Flanders on policies and issues that are pressing in today’s education system.” Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 12:47 PM | Comment Oster trial: A fake $105,000 cashier's checkPROVIDENCE -- To help crack an alleged bribery scheme involving then-Lincoln Town Administrator Jonathan F. Oster, the State Police needed to show accused co-conspirator Robert R. Picerno the money. So the State Police got a fake $105,000 cashier's check from Citizens Bank and gave it to David Wayne Daniel, a contractor working with authorities, to give to Picerno, according to testimony today by Officer Stephen Bannon, who at the time was sergeant in charge of the State Police Financial Crimes Unit. That amount was what prosecutors accuse Picerno and Oster of attempting to get from two different potential buyers at different times for the town-controlled H&H Screw Co. property on Route 116 while also conspiring to get a bribe. Oster, who served as town adminstrator from 2000 to 2002, in on trial in Providence County Superior Court, where he faces two bribery counts and two conspiracy counts. Picerno pleaded no contest in 2004 to four counts of taking, or trying to solicit, bribes, and three counts of conspiracy to solicit bribes. Robert Gelfuso, who was a business partner with Daniel on a contract for a playground project in Lincoln, also cooperated with state police investigators, wearing recording devices to meetings when Picerno discussed his plan for Gelfuso to pay him and, the state says, Oster, $25,000 in exchange for getting what was a discount price on the Route 116 land. Bannon also testified today as to how the State Police put together other money in cash that Daniel was to give Picerno. And he described how authorities set up listening devices and videotape equipment to record a meeting in Daniel's office that happened just before Picerno's arrest. Bannon described visiting Lincoln Town Hall with some auditors to investigate a file concerning information about the property assessment of Picerno's Lincoln home. Also today, the jury heard about a recorded telephone conversation Bannon had with Oster, Bannon testified, Oster denied that Picerno was involved in the H&H Screw Co. land and he described how the previous summer's deal with Lincoln car dealer Robert Campellone for the H&H Scre Co. property had fallen through. And testimony today also covered how authorities set up a Feb. 16, 2002, meeting in Oster's law office. Oster was arrested after the meeting. From today's Journal: Read about yesterday's testimony in the trial. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports form Journal staff writer John Hill Posted by Mike McKinney at 12:36 PM | Comment Sports chat: URI's Jimmy Baron live on projo.com at 1University of Rhode Island's star guard Jimmy Baron will answer projo.com readers' questions in a live chat today from 1 to 2 p.m. You can send in your questions now: Go to projo.com/chat, click launch chat, choose a display name (you don't need a password) and enter the college hoops chat room. When typing a question, remember not to press enter or click send until you have completed your thought. Questions will display to the room as Jimmy answers them beginning at 1. Last month, URI teammate Will Daniels chatted with projo.com. You can read a transcript of his chat here. Posted by Andrea Panciera at 12:24 PM | Comment Update: R.I.'s Chafee backs ObamaFormer Republican U.S. Sen. Lincoln Chafee today endorsed Democrat Barack Obama for president, citing the Illinois senator’s longstanding opposition to the war in Iraq. Chafee, who lost a run for reelection in 2006, was the only Republican in the Senate to vote against giving President Bush the authority to attack Iraq. Chafee left the Republican Party last year and changed his registration to unaffiliated. Chafee hinted several days ago that he was considering a vote for Obama. In his upcoming book, Chafee criticizes Democrats who supported the resolution to authorize the war, saying a vote for the war should be a career-ending lapse of judgment. In backing Obama, the former senator said the nation cannot afford another presidential election with two candidates who supported the war. In a conversation this morning with The Journal, Chafee emphasized that was a major factor in his decison. Obama was not in the Senate in 2002; he announced his opposition to the war that October in a speech in Chicago. During a conference call with reporters late this morning, Chafee said he called Obama personally this past Tuesday to offer his support and told him that he was "at his disposal." The other top contenders, U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton, a Democrat, and Republican U.S. Sen. John McCain, voted for the authorization. McCain, who campaigned for Chafee in 2006, is in Rhode Island today for a campaign event. He is the likely Republican nominee. -- Journal staff writer Mark Arsenault Posted by Jack Perry at 11:58 AM | Comment Court: Assembly can limit commercial fishing licensesThe Rhode Island Supreme Court today issued a ruling that upholds the state legislature’s right to restrict the issuance of commercial fishing licenses as part of an overall effort to conserve and protect the state’s fisheries. “The General Assembly regulates fisheries in trust for the public, and it is precisely because ‘the rapacity of man’ remains a legitimate concern to the economic viability of this important industry that there is a need for conservation and preservation for future generations,” wrote Justice Francis X. Flaherty. He wrote for the full court except Justice Maureen Goldberg, who did not participate. -- Journal staff writer Peter B. Lord The ruling was in response to an appeal of a Superior Court ruling that was filed by Steven Riley, who was a commercial fisherman in the 1970s before pursuing a career in engineering. In 2003, Riley wanted to return to fishing so he applied for a commercial license that would provide him access to six species of finfish as well as quahogs and lobsters. The year before, the General Assembly passed a law allowing the state Department of Environmental Management to limit the issuance of many commercial fishing licenses to help protect certain species of fish that were depleted. DEM turned down Riley’s license application because he didn’t have a valid license from the previous year. Riley argued DEM’s denial violated his fundamental right to pursue a lawful calling and violated his rights to equal protection and due-process under the law. The Supreme Court found that Riley had no fundamental right to pursue the specific license he wanted and that DEM was not unreasonable because it was willing to issue him a license that would allow him to harvest 100 other species. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 11:52 AM | Comment Obama campaign to announce 'key' R.I. endorsementThe campaign of Democratic presidential candidate Barrack Obama says it will announce a "key" Rhode Island endorsement today at 11 a.m. The announcement will be made in a conference call with reporters. Obama has already been endorsed by Rhode Island's Rep. Patrick Kennedy, his father, U.S. Sen. Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts, and Caroline Kennedy, daughter of the late President John F. Kennedy Jr. Rhode Island will hold its presidential primary on March 4. Today, GOP frontrunner for the nomination, John McCain of Arizon, will hold a campaign rally in Warwick, at the Crowne Plaza hotel.
Posted by Andrea Panciera at 10:50 AM | Comment Schilling arrives at spring trainingBOSTON (AP) - Injured Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling has arrived at spring training. All pitchers and catchers must report by 5 p.m. They'll undergo physicals Friday, and the first official workout is Saturday. Schilling has an injured shoulder tendon. The Red Sox's team physician believes the tendon is damaged, not torn, and rehabilitation gives the right-hander his best chance to play this year. Posted by Mike McDermott at 9:44 AM | Comment Miriam's critical care unit gets new directorMiriam Hospital's critical care unit has a new director. Paul L. Marino has been named director of that unit, and will be responsible for overseeing patient care in the intensive care unit, including medical and surgical patients. The Boston native is best known to the medical community for “The ICU Book,” the top-selling critical-care textbook in the country, according to a statement from Miriam. Before coming to Miriam, in Providence, Marino was medical director, chairman of the department of medicine, and critical care director at Saint Vincent’s Midtown Hospital in New York City. “Dr. Marino’s reputation in the medical community precedes himself,” Miriam President Kathleen C. Hittner said in a statement. “We are thrilled to have someone with his expertise managing the care of some of our most fragile patients.” Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 9:11 AM | Comment Weather calming, flooding still possibleThe clouds are breaking, and the sun is making a welcomed appearance this morning, but there are still flood warnings in several parts of the state. The flood warning for the Pawtuxet River at Cranston was canceled. However, some streams and rivers continue to swell thanks, in part, to record-breaking rainfall. Yesterday, Providence got 2.74 inches of rain; the record, set in 1966, was 2.59 inches. The sheer volume of rain added to the frozen ground and snow-blocked drainage pipes was a recipe for flooding throughout the state. In Worcester and Providence Counties, the National Weather Service warns the Blackstone River at Woonsocket is still in danger of flooding, as well as several rivers in Connecticut and Massachusetts. Within the next 8 hours – or earlier if need be – the NWS will issue an updated statement. In the meantime, the Service warns people not to play near the rivers, streams or culverts in the warning areas. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 9:02 AM | Comment City police celebrate 5 years of community policingSince 2003, the Providence Police Department has opened up community police substations across the city. Today, Police Chief Dean N. Esserman, Mayor David N. Cicilline, members of the Providence Police Department and the community will celebrate five years of community policing. Organizations and residents who have worked with the police department will receive awards and the group will march together through the neighborhood, “symbolizing the collective efforts of police and residents to reclaim the streets and rid Providence neighborhoods of crime," according to a statement from the mayor’s office. The event is set to begin today at 10:15 a.m. at the community room at Lockwood Plaza, 50 Prairie Ave. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 8:37 AM | Comment Guglietta to be sworn in as chief of traffic tribunalThe traffic Tribunal's got a new chief magistrate. William R. Guglietta will be sworn in tomorrow afternoon in a ceremony in Cranston. Rhode Island Supreme Court Chief Justice Frank J. Williams will swear Guglietta in, and Chief Justice Williams, House Speaker William J. Murphy, Senate President Joseph A. Montalbano and House Majority Leader Gordon D. Fox will speak at the ceremony. Guglietta's appointment was confirmed by the state Senate after he was chosen by Williams from a pool of five applicants. He'll be sworn in at 2 p.m. tomorrow at the John O. Pastore Governmetn Center in Cranston. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 8:34 AM | Comment Photo: A river runs over it
Posted by Jack Perry at 7:57 AM | Comment Candidate McCain to visit R.I. todayRepublican presidential candidate John McCain will come to Rhode Island this afternoon for a rally in Warwick. He's the first presidential candidate to do so in the lead-up to the state's March 4 primary. McCain is slated to appear at 1:30 p.m. at the Crowne Plaza, said state Rep. Robert Watson, who is chairman of McCain's campaign in Rhode Island. Watson said the rally is a free-to-the-public, first-come first-serve event. “We're very excited,” said Watson, an East Greenwich Republican who is House minority leader and who recently traveled with the McCain campaign in New Hampshire and South Carolina. After commanding wins in many of the Feb. 5 “Super Tuesday” primary contests, and with former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney's campaign suspended, McCain is the GOP front-runner. McCain is set to fly from Washington, D.C., for Vermont for a morning event and then come to Rhode Island, where he is expected to spend about two to two-and-a-half hours in Warwick, according to Watson. There is also expected to be an official meet-and-greet with McCain for his campaign team in the state and McCain supporters. There is also expected to be a fund-raising component. No word yet on visits from the Democratic candidates, with New York Sen. Hillary Clinton and Illinois Sen. Barack Obama locked in a battle for delegates. Rhode Island, Vermont, Texas, and Ohio hold presidential primaries on March 4. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Jack Perry at 7:02 AM | Comment More rain or snow possible this morningWe may see more rain or snow, or rain and snow, this morning, but the clouds should clear later in the morning and the National Weather Service is forecasting a high temperature of 40 degrees. Expect a breezy day, with northwest winds up to 16 mph. Skies should stay clear through the night, when winds calm and the temperature drops to about 25 degrees. There's a slight chance of more rain tomorrow afternoon, but temperatures will be milder, climbing toward 50. Winds will pick up again, with gusts upwards of 26 mph. To keep an eye on the weather during the day, check projo.com's weather page. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 7:01 AM | Comment Today's front pageToday's front page features coverage of a fatal police shooting in Pawtucket, including an interview with the mother of the 30-year-old man who was shot and killed. Download a copy of today's front page in .pdf format. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:00 AM | Comment February 13, 2008Tonight: A tribute to the Boss; Latin salsa danceThe Boss gets a tribute show in Providence tonight. And at Providence Black Repertory Company, there's an exploration of Latin jazz and salsa -- with dance lessons. Bruce In the USA plays a tribute to Bruce Springsteen at Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel, 79 Washington St., Providence. 331-5876, 272-5876, www.etix.com. 9 p.m. $12. The Acoustic Outlaws play acoustic rock at Olives, 108 North Main St., Providence. 751-1200. 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. No cover. Don Ross and Andy McKee play folk, rock and jazz at Tazza Caffe and Lounge, 250 Westminster St., Providence. 421-3300, www.tazzacaffe.com. 10 p.m. Welldown plays rock at AS220, 115 Empire St., Providence. 831-9327. 9 p.m. $6. All ages. Meanwhile, the Providence Black Repertory Company performance, featuring Carlos De Leon, begins at 9 p.m. You must be at least 18 years old; $5 cover. Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:55 PM | Comment Vacant building collapses in ProvidencePROVIDENCE -- Police are the scene of a building collapse at Smith and Orms streets, which has littered the area with debris. No one was injured and the building was onoccupied, according to police Lt. Luis San Lucas. But Orms Street is expected to be blocked off because of debris in the road. San Lucas said he did know the type of building it is. But the Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency issued a news release today warning the public that the combination of wet snow and strong rain "presents a threat for roof collapses." An EMA news release said snow "acts as a sponge," absorbing sleet and rain that follows it and putting stress on buildings.
To lower risk of snow putting too much stress on a building roof, the EMA advises: * Stay alert for large snow build-up or snowdrifts on your roofs. * If roof snow can be removed by using a snow rake, available at most hardware stores, do so. But use caution becayse metal snow rakes conduct electricity if they make contact with a power line. * Try to avoid working from ladders because ladder rungs tend to ice up. Snow and ice accumulate on boot soles and metal ladders. * Flat roofs can be shoveled clear, but only if it is determined that the roof is safe to stand upon. Exercise care when on the roof to avoid potentially dangerous falls. * Flat roof drainage systems should be kept clear to minimize the risk of excess roof ponding in the event of subsequent heavy rainfall or melting. * Large icicles can form on roof overhangs, but do not necessarily mean ice damming is occurring. Icicles overhanging doorways and walkways can be dangerous and should be carefully removed. All of the above steps should be done onyl by able-bodied adults, the EMA said, because snow is heavy,and roofs and other surfaces may be slippery. And the actions should only be performed in properly lighted environments. Protective headgear and eye protection is also recommended. Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:55 PM | Comment Resource Recovery board member quits 'in frustration'Warwick Mayor Scott Avedisian told The Journal today that he quit the Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation board in frustration over paralysis on the board, which he joined about a year ago and which has not met since September. Michael Salvadore, who has served since 2002, also resigned last week. That leaves just two voting board members, chairman Austin Ferland and Kenneth Aurecchia. One of the reasons for the conflict are allegations by Resource Recovery’s new executive director, Michael O’Connell, of wasteful spending, conflicts of interest and inflated land deals. O’Connell took those concerns to Governor Carcieri in November, and the state recently hired Deloitte Financial Advisory Services to conduct a forensic audit. Deloitte, which also conducted an exam of controversial practices at the Beacon Mutual Insurance Co. last year, is being paid $100,000 to conduct a preliminary audit that is due March 12, says O’Connell. Until those concerns are resolved, Carcieri has preferred that the board not meet. But Avedisian says that the business of the state’s Central Landfill needs to move forward, the audit notwithstanding.
``I’m frustrated by the whole process,’’ says Avedisian. ``I want to talk about things like recycling, not wrangling over quorums and coups. There’s a lot of business that’s not getting done now. So I’ll move on and do other things.’’ Avedisian says that a Carcieri staffer called him today, asking him to reconsider his resignation, but he refused. Meanwhile, O’Connell wrote in Resource Recovery’s annual financial statement at the end of 2007 that the impasse has stalled ``key hiring, contract, construction and other important decisions . . . Failure to resolve this inability to act by the end of February will precipitate a trash collection crisis in 2009 as we will miss the 2008 construction season for our Phase VI expansion (of the landfill).’’ O’Connell says that he met with top Carcieri aides today to discuss his concerns, and that they asked him for a list of projects that need prompt attention. In the meantime, he said, they told him that they prefer to hold off on reconstituting the shrinking Resource Recovery board until after the audit. Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:45 PM | Comment Judge: No trials of 'gap kids' until Supreme Court rulesPROVIDENCE -- None of the “gap kids” charged with felonies during the 130 days that 17-year-olds were prosecuted as adults will go to trial until the state Supreme Court decides whether to uphold a ruling that dismisses most of those charges, a judge ordered today. But under the order by Superior Court Presiding Justice Joseph F. Rodgers Jr., state prosecutors will be allowed to pursue steps such as arraigning those teens and setting bail. Rodgers’ decision follows a sharply worded debate about what prosecutors can do in the wake of a ruling that dismisses felony charges filed against 115 of those teens. The chief public defender decried the “audacity” of the attorney general’s office in trying to proceed with those cases. And the attorney general accused the chief public defender of being “disingenuous,” saying prosecutors were not trying to bring the cases to conclusion. In today’s one-page administrative order, Rodgers said that “in the interest of judicial economy and in order to maintain the status quo,” cases involving those teens “shall not be assigned for trial” until the Supreme Court hears the attorney general’s appeal. Exceptions will be made, however, when “a ‘gap kid’ moves in the Superior Court for a speedy trial” or when, after a hearing, a teen is waived out of Family Court and into Superior Court. Also, Rodgers said prosecutors could proceed in Superior Court with “prosecutorial responsibilities” such as “arraigning defendants, addressing bail, setting conditions of relief, and conducting bail violation hearings.” Motions may be filed challenging the jurisdiction of the Superior Court to handle “gap kid” cases, but there won’t be hearings on those motions until the Supreme Court rules on the appeal, Rodgers said. -- Journal staff writer Edward Fitzpatrick In July, the General Assembly adopted Governor Carcieri’s budget proposal to save money by treating all 17-year-olds as adults in criminal matters. But the savings turned out to be questionable, at best, and in November the legislature repealed the law without making the repeal retroactive. That created a group of about 500 “gap kids” charged as adults between July 1 and Nov. 8. Last week, Superior Court Judge Daniel A. Procaccini dismissed the felony charges filed against 115 of those teens, saying they should have had Family Court hearings to determine if probable cause existed to charge them with crimes in Superior Court. But Procaccini agreed to put his ruling on hold for 20 days so the attorney general’s office could appeal to the Supreme Court, and the attorney general has appealed. Today, chief public defender John J. Hardiman declined to comment on Rodgers’ order. Attorney General Patrick C. Lynch “thinks the process wins because cases continue to move along without being disposed of,” Healey said. “And if anything can be construed as good news for victims and their family members, this is good news.” Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:10 PM | Comment Update: Heavy rain leading to flooded roads / Photo
So, before you head out after work, keep in mind that runoff may be covering low areas on roadways. As the National Weather Service says in an updated flood warning this afternoon: "Do not drive your vehicle into areas where the water covers the roadway. The water depth may be too great to allow your car to cross safely. Move to higher ground." Just after 3 p.m., observations had indicated that between 1 and 2 inches of rain has fallen over much of eastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island. A swath of heavy rain will cross over the region until 5:30 p.m., "resulting in significant urban and street flooding." Some streams will also cross their banks. The weather service also noted that area rivers are rising. In particular, it expects the Pawtuxet River in Cranston to reach its flood stage of 9 feet early this evening and possibly hit 9.9 feet by midnight. At 10 feet, it predicts flooding will occur along Pioneer Avenue, Bellows Street and Venturi Avenue in Warwick. Some homes may also be affected on Avery Road and Wellington Avenue in Cranston. The river will fall below flood stage by early tomorrow, the weather service says. The flood warning, originally set to end tomorrow, is now due to expire at 9 tonight.
Posted by Andrea Panciera at 5:08 PM | Comment Update: Bomb squad finds nothing at middle schoolCUMBERLAND -- A bomb squad today searched the North Cumberland Middle School and found nothing, according to Schools Supt. Donna E. Morelle. At about 1:30 p.m. today, the police said a teacher found a note in a second-floor girls bathroom. The bomb squad was called and the school was searched until about 4 p.m. The police said said no arrests have been made. The investigation continues. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Journal staff writer Philip Marcelo Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:51 PM | Comment Presidential candidates beginning to notice R.I.PROVIDENCE -- Presidential candidates are starting to take notice of Rhode Island ahead of the state's March 4 primary. Republican front-runner John McCain is scheduled to swing through the Ocean State tomorrow, and Democratic candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton is planning a visit. Joseph Paolino, a senior member of Clinton's campaign committee here, says Clinton and others plan to campaign here before March 4, although details are still being worked out. The campaigns of both Clinton and her rival, Barack Obama, opened offices in Providence this week. The Obama campaign says it has more than 250 volunteers and more than a dozen paid staffers. Paolino says the Clinton camp is sending a similar number of staffers. Congressman Patrick Kennedy, an Obama supporter, said on a conference call with reporters today that it's a unique moment for Rhode Island to be a small state with a loud cry. -- The Associated Press Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:26 PM | Comment Officer in fatal shooting ID'd; cause of death confirmedPAWTUCKET -- The police officer who shot and killed a 30-year-old man yesterday was identified by the city's Police Department as Officer Wallace Martin. Martin has been placed on administrative leave until an investigation into the shooting is finished, according to a brief press release issued this afternoon. Martin began work at the Police Department in June 2005, the release said. His current permanent assignment has been to the third platoon, working midnight to 8 a.m. No other information was provided. In a press release issued five minutes later, the Office of the State Medical Examiners said the cause of Swift's death was "gunshot wounds of torso with injuries of heart, lungs, aorta, liver, esophagus, stomach and kidney." The examiners' press released added, "The decedent was shot at his residence during an altercation with police." Yesterday, the police said, the officer shot and killed Jason M. Swift, of 71 Lupine St., after he brandished a “Samurai-style” sword and later struggled naked with officers inside his apartment building. Police Chief George L. Kelley III yesterday said the police had been responding to a 7:31 a.m. call regarding an “emotionally disturbed individual with a knife” outside the building. Swift was shot two times by the officer and was pronounced dead at the scene, police said yesterday. In an interview this morning, Swift's mother, Betty Swift, said when her son had emotional problems a few months ago in Massachusetts, she called the police for help. They took him to the hospital without incident. "I thought he could get the same help here," she said. "But I was wrong." Read the full interview with Betty Smith.
Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:18 PM | Comment Oster trial: Expert questions land documents' validityPROVIDENCE -- In his opening statement at the outset of ex-Lincoln Town Administrator Jonathan F. Oster's bribery trial, defense lawyer C. Leonard O'Brien promised the jury that at one point the trial would turn into a real estate values seminar. This afternoon, he and the state's prosecutor delivered. Afternoon testimony began with Richard G. Riendeau, a former Providence assistant city solicitor with a specialty in tax sales and title transfers. Prosecutor William Ferland questioned Riendeau about the state laws specific to cities' and towns' transfer of title on land when the owners have not paid taxes. Discussion included the special processes used when the taxes due on a property exceed the property value, which was the situation at the H&H Screw Co. property, the town-controlled land at the heart of allegations against Oster. Riendeau testified that tax title documents the Oster administration had drawn up in July 2001 were not, in his opinion, valid under the state laws concerning tax title transfers. He mentioned that it did not include a listing of the taxes, penalties and interest -- dating to 1987 -- due on the nearly six acres, an amount he calculated at $718,789. The agreement the Oster administration drew up would have sold the title to the property for $105,000. Oster, who was town administrator from 2000 to 2002, faces two bribery counts and two conspiracy counts in Providence County Superior Court. The state's case alleges that Oster conspired to shake down a contractor who was working on a playground renovation. Testimony has sought in part to link Oster with Robert R. Picerno, a Lincoln Planning Board member and former Oster political ally who pleaded no contest in 2004 to four counts of taking, or trying to solicit, bribes, and three counts of conspiracy to solicit bribes. Read about testimony from earlier today. 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 4:15 PM | Comment Pawtucket bridge work will close some side streetsStarting tomorrow, the state Department of Transportation will do soil borings in the area of the Pawtucket River Bridge in Pawtucket, which will mean temporarily shutting local streets, sidewalks and shoulders. For the most part, work will take place from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. except for work on Route 95, which will be limited to the off-peak traffic times of 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The department expects to finish by Feb. 29. The DOT new release said the department also plans to close the School Street off-ramp -- exit 28 -- from Route 95 north next Sunday, Feb. 24, only, from 5 a.m. to 4 p.m. Drivers will be directed to use exit 27 -- George Street/downtown -- and Division Street to get to School Street. The work is related to replacing the 50-year-old bridge, which carries Route 95 north and south over the Pawtucket River. A lowered weight limit of 22 tons for trucks has been in place. Trucks over that weight must use Route 295 and/or Route 146 to get through the area or use local detours in the Pawtucket area. Truck drivers violating the restriction face fines. The DOT "continues to move expeditiously to replace this bridge in an effort to remove weight restrictions as quickly as possible,” Jerome F. Williams, the DOT director, said in the statement. People can check out Work schedules -- hours of operation and affected streets -- on the DOT Website. Schedules depend on weather and are subject to change. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:07 PM | Comment Flu season reaches its peak, shots recommendedAs if the weather is not reason enough to stay home, it’s peak influenza season in Rhode Island, according to the state Department of Health. Not only is the flu “widespread” in the state, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is warning several of this year’s flu strains are not covered by this year’s vaccine. But that doesn’t mean the flu shot isn’t a good idea, according to health officials. The vaccine has three strains of influenza virus; the antibodies that an immune system makes to all three can still give some protection against the related strains. “While the vaccine may not be 100 percent effective at preventing all strains of influenza circulating this year, it can still protect many people,” Director of Health David Gifford said. “Getting vaccinated could mean the difference between getting mildly sick and having serious flu-related complications. And for older or immuno-compromised people, the vaccine can save their lives.” And of course, remember: wash your hands often with warm, soapy water; cover your mouth and your nose with tissue or your arm when you sneeze; stay away from people who are sick; and, for everyone else’s sake, if you or your kids are sick, stay home. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 2:45 PM | Comment Disabled LNG tanker has power, no propulsionPower has been restored to the liquid natural gas tanker that went adrift earlier this week off the coast of Massachusetts, but the ship still has no propulsion. Full electrical power was restored to the Catalunya Spirit's switchboard last night, according to a statement sent jointly by the Coast Guard, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, and the Teekay Corporation, which owns the tanker. But crews are still working on the vessel, trying to bring its propulsion back online. The Coast Guard Cutter Escabana is with the Spirit at the future site of the Neptune Offshore LNG facility, off Eastern Point Light, near Gloucester, Mass. Several other ships from around the region are also on scene, and more than 15 are ready to respond within 3 to 4 hours should they be needed, according to the statement. The Spirit, which regularly delivers LNG to Boston, was not structurally damaged and has not leaked any product. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 2:21 PM | Comment Beat the winter blues with kung fuWinter weather got you down? What could be better than a double dose of kung fu to get the blood flowing? Tonight marks the second week of Kung Fu Flicks double features at Providence Place Cinema’s 16. For $5, catch Deadly Duo and The Legend of Bruce Lee at 7 p.m. Next Wednesday it’s The Master With Cracked Fingers and The Master. The weekly double feature came by way of patrons' requests, after last year’s successful Attack of the B Movies series. Tickets can be purchased at the box office, by phone, or online. Because of violence, the movies are limited to patrons 17 and older, unless they're joined by a parent or guardian. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 1:56 PM | Comment Oster trial: Wearing a wire to the restaurant meetingPROVIDENCE -- Irony was on the menu. Over a meeting at Shanna's Country Kitchen in Lincoln, contractor Robert Gelfuso wore a state police listening device as he tried to pull out of Robert R. Picerno, a then-political ally of Lincoln Town Administrator Jonathan F. Oster, whether Oster was involved in a bribery plot to shake down businessmen through a land deal. Picerno remarks at one point to Gelfuso, "There are too many guys out there who are ... [expletive] wired out there." A straight answer was hard to come by. At another point in the recorded Dec. 5, 2001, conversation played today in Oster's bribery and conspiracy trial, Picerno says to Gelfuso, after being pressed on whether Oster was involved: "You have to understand, it's going somewhere, OK?" Picerno says at another point: "But as far as, as far as Oster, don't worry about it ." The taped conversations were part of Oster lawyer C. Leonard O'Brien's cross examination of Gelfuso, who co-owned the company renovating the Fairlawn playground in town -- a project that has figured through much of case testimony in the state's efforts to tie Oster to Picerno. Oster, who was town administrator from 2000 to 2002, faces two bribery counts and two conspiracy counts in Providence County Superior Court. The state's case alleges that Gelfuso was a target of that conspiracy. Picerno, a Lincoln Planning Board member during the time of the allegations, pleaded no contest in 2004 to four counts of taking, or trying to solicit, bribes, and three counts of conspiracy to solicit bribes. Gelfuso yesterday told how Picerno attempted to extort a $25,000 cash bribe and a $15,000 payment disguised as legal fees from Gelfuso and his company in exchange for help in buying the H&H Screw Co. land, a piece of town-controlled property on Route 116 that is at the center of the allegations. Read about testimony from earlier today. Read about yesterday's testimony. Posted by Mike McKinney at 1:32 PM | Comment Clear Channel offers to pay $22M to Station fire victimsPROVIDENCE -- Clear Channel Broadcasting has tentatively agreed to pay $22 million to the victims of The Station nightclub fire, bringing the pool of settlement money offered thus far to $71.5 million. Lawyers for those who lost loved ones or suffered injuries in the February 2003 fire sued Clear Channel because it owns Providence radio station WHJY, one of the sponsors of the Great White concert that began with a burst of pyrotechnics which ignited the club’s foam soundproofing and led to the deaths of 100 people. More than 200 others were injured. Clear Channel Broadcasting is a division of the San Antonio, Texas-based Clear Channel Communications, a publicly traded company that is the nation’s largest radio station owner. Clear Channel owns and operates more than 1,200 radio station in the United States and was one of the companies with deep-pockets that lawyers for the fire victims had targeted in hopes of securing large damages for them. The settlement offer covers Clear Channel, WHJY and Clear Channel’s subsidiary, Capstar Radio Operating Co., the successor to WHJY Inc., all of which were named as defendants in the federal lawsuits brought by the fire victims. In the lawsuits, the victims allege that Clear Channel Broadcasting was negligent and partly to blame for the deaths and injuries suffered by the fire victims because it “directly manages and controls the day-to-day affairs” of WHJY, including “decisions made with respect to promotion and sponsorship of concerts such as that which occurred at The Station on February 20, 2003.” -- Journal staff writer Tracy Breton The victims allege that WHJY -- which is named as a separate defendant -- “knew or should have known that the concert and band it promoted” at The Station the night of the fire “was one that customarily utilized pyrotechnics and that Great White had repeatedly, openly and illegally used unlicensed pyrotechnics on its tour on numerous occasions” before Feb. 20, 2003, and had planned to set off illegal fireworks the night the club burned down. The victims’ lawsuits also allege that WHJY and its disc jockey, Michael Gonsalves (known as Dr. Metal) who died in the blaze, “had both the authority and opportunity to stop or delay Great White’s performance over any issue relating to safety or equipment” but failed to do so. Clear Channel Broadcasting and Capstar had asked the federal court to dismiss the claims against them but in a decision issued in 2005, Senior U.S. District Court Judge Ronald R. Lagueux, who is overseeing the fire victims’ claims, refused to throw them out. In a written decision, Lagueux said, “To the extent that paintiffs can establish that WHJY had control over the planning and operation of the concert, then the court can find that WHJY owed a duty…to the plaintiffs. That duty, if proven to exist, may have been breached when WHJY failed to take any steps to prevent the ignition of the fireworks inside the small and crowded nightclub.” Clear Channel’s proposed settlement agreement will have to be approved by Lagueux – who has yet to sign off on any of the settlement offers that have been made by other parties -- before any of the victims can receive any money. Posted by Mike McKinney at 1:27 PM | Comment Feeling romantic? Send a card, take the quiz
Posted by Andrea Panciera at 1:19 PM | Comment Fire official who inspected Station nightclub retiresPROVIDENCE — The West Warwick fire inspector who failed to detect flammable soundproofing foam blamed for fueling the 2003 Station nightclub fire has retired. West Warwick Fire Chief Gerard Tellier says Denis Larocque retired on “occupational disability,” effective Feb. 3. He declined to comment further. Larocque’s inspections of The Station nightclub failed to note flammable polyurethane foam that the owners had illegally used as soundproofing on the walls and ceiling. A Feb. 20, 2003, fire at the club killed 100 people after a rock band’s pyrotechnics set the foam on fire. Larocque has not spoken publicly about his inspections. But he told a grand jury investigating the fire that he did not see the foam because he was so focused on other safety violations. Larocque is the third prominent town official to leave office since December. Town Manager Wolfgang Bauer was fired in December after overspending the town’s River Walk budget by more than $800,000. And in January, the town’s Fire Chief, Charles D. Hall left the department after 5½ years as chief. After 34 years in firefighting, he took a job as deputy chief of operations and training with the firefighting team at T.F. Green Airport. Extra: Read the Journal's coverage, see pictures and hear first hand accounts of the 2003 fire. -- The Associated Press Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 12:48 PM | Comment Oster trial: Defense probes contractor's cooperationPROVIDENCE -- The defense lawyer in ex-Lincoln Town Administrator Jonathan F. Oster's bribery and conspiracy trial this morning questioned contractor Robert Gelfuso about the method and extent of Gelfuso's cooperation in the State Police investigation that led to arrests of Oster and an Oster political ally. Lawyer C. Leonard O'Brien went through a taped conversation Gelfuso had with Oster's then-political ally, Robert R. Picerno, pointing out where Picerno made mention of other government officials. After going through some names, O'Brien asked Gelfuso whether police had him try to gather more information on those officials. Gelfuso, who co-owned the company renovating the Fairlawn playground in town, answered that his instructions were to get Picerno to talk about Oster. Oster, who was town administrator from 2000 to 2002, faces two bribery counts and two conspiracy counts. The state's case alleges that Gelfuso was a target of that conspiracy. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Journal staff writer John Hill Picerno pleaded no contest in 2004 to four counts of taking, or trying to solicit, bribes, and three counts of conspiracy to solicit bribes. Gelfuso also said Picerno had not warned him that if he were to buy the H&H Screw Co. property -- six town-controlled acres on Route 116 that are at the heart of the bribery allegations -- he would have to sign an indemnification agreement freeing the town from any legal responsibilty for cleaning up any hazardous waste on the site. Previous witneses have testified that cleanup of the waste on the property could run from $400,000 to more than $2 million. State Police told Gelfuso to call Picerno and tell him he had seen a state Department of Environmental Management vehicle on the H&H Screw site to see how Picerno would react. Picerno told Gelfuso there was a proposal to build a hotel near the site and that was probably why a DEM vehicle was there. Picerno never mentioned the hazardous waste. Read about yesterday's testimony in the case. Posted by Mike McKinney at 12:01 PM | Comment R.I. study: Simple test detects CO poisoningA simple test done to people admitted to the emergency room can detect carbon monoxide poisoning in people who did not suspect they were poisoned, according to the results of a local study. More than 14,000 patients that visited the Rhode Island Hospital emergency room were given a non invasive test to screen for exposure to the gas, which can cause dizziness, nausea, permanent heart damage, and in extreme cases, death. According to the study, published in the Journal of Emergency Medicine, researchers found that11 people were being exposed to dangerous levels of the gas, but didn't know it. In all, 28 cases of carbon monoxide poisoning were detected. The detection is done using a CO-oximeter , a sensor that can be placed on a patient's finger and measure the level of gas in a person's blood stream using a LED light. Carbon monoxide poisoning is more common in the winter, according to the paper’s lead author, Selim Suner, director of emergency preparedness and disaster medicine at Rhode Island Hospital. “Unless you have a carbon monoxide detector, it’s extremely difficult to know if you’re being exposed to toxic levels of this gas,” Suner said. “If we can identify these cases of unsuspected poisoning early on, we can administer treatment and prevent them and others from being further exposed.”
Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 11:00 AM | Comment Esquire says East Side eatery has best gyros in U.S.It’s never too early to start thinking about lunch. And if you like gyros, you’re in luck, at least according to Esquire magazine, says East Side Pocket’s on Thayer Street has the best gyros in the country. Quite a claim. The magazine says the gyros, which can be ordered with just about any Middle Eastern or Mediterranean accoutrement imaginable – tahini, veggies, hummus, tabouleh – are the best Syrian street food outside of Damascus. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson If you’re looking for a sandwich-themed weekend -- and why not? – try a three-day weekend in Connecticut. Our neighbor to the west apparently has three of the best sandwiches in the country, according to the magazine. The Cove Fish Market in Stonington wins for its fried cod sandwich; Abbot's Lobster in the Rough in Noank for its mayo-free hot lobster roll; and West Hartford's Restaurant Bricco for its grilled lobster and Havarti sandwich. And Massachusetts, like Rhode Island, apparently knows lamb. Matt Murphy’s in Brookline scores a win for its lamb sirloin sandwich, served with pickles and relish, and a slightly minty sauce. Hungry yet? Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 10:45 AM | Comment Mother: 'I called them for help and they killed him'Betty Swift said when her 30-year-old son had emotional problems a few months ago in Massachusetts, she called the police for help. They took him to Massachusetts General Hospital without incident. “I thought he could get the same help here,” she said this morning in a telephone interview. “But I was wrong.” Instead, a Pawtucket police officer yesterday shot and killed Jason M. Swift in the apartment he shared with his mother, at 71 Lupine St. It was the fourth fatal police shooting in Pawtucket in the past two years. “I called them for help and they killed him,” she said. Click below to continue reading her account... -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Betty Swift said she went to a neighbor’s to call police after her son began talking to himself yesterday morning. She said her son had had what she described as non-violent “nervous breakdown” a few months earlier. She said she called 911 for help getting him to Butler Hospital, a private psychiatric hospital in Providence. When the police arrived, at about 7:30 a.m., Betty Swift said, “I told them he’s a big man, and he’s going to think you’re trying to harm him.” Jason Swift was big, about 6’4” and 300 pounds. When came outside, he was brandishing a Samurai-type sword that, according to his mother, was sheathed. His mother said Jason dropped the weapon when police told him to. She said she then grabbed it and threw it out of the yard. According to police, the sword was later found outside. Police told Jason Swift to put his hands behind his back, she said, but instead her son pulled his shirt over his head. According to Betty Swift, police tried to subdue him, and he struggled, hitting one of the officers in the head and knocking his sunglasses to the ground. “You could see it, they got so angry when Jason hit (the officer’s) glasses off,” she said. At that point, she said, the officers used pepper spray on Jason. Chief George L. Kelly III said yesterday that officers had used the spray, which he said was in line with the department’s protocol for use of force. But Jason wasn’t subdued. He ran back into the apartment. “He was trying to get into his house,” Betty Swift said, “To his safe haven. He was afraid of them,” she said, “They didn’t need to kill him.” At this point, she said, she was standing near the stairs, trying to keep her son from going inside. “They yelled at me to let go, but they didn’t follow him,” she said. Instead of subduing him while he was still disoriented from the pepper spray, she said, “they waited for him to get up there.” According to police, once in the apartment, Jason Swift agreed to be handcuffed, but then there was a “violent struggle.” One officer fired two shots, killing Swift. Meanwhile, Betty Swift said she was escorted from the building, and taken farther away. “They didn’t tell me anything,” she said. “I was down the road and I saw the ambulance … I thought maybe they gave him a beating.” The officers would not tell her what had happened, Swift said. They had her wait for a superior to arrive on the scene. “He said, ‘Ma’am, your son is dead.’” Chief Kelley emphasized yesterday that questions remain about the incident. It was also unclear, Kelley said, whether Swift was armed at the time he was shot. He said at a press conference after the shooting, “We’re not proud or happy when we have to do it, but sometimes we have to do it.” Betty Swift said she hasn’t gone to see her son’s body, which is at the medical examiner’s office. “I can’t see him because I feel like I killed him,” she said, gasping for air over the phone. “I called them for help, and they killed him. If I hadn’t called them, he would still be alive.” -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Posted by Andrea Panciera at 10:44 AM | Comment Photo: Plowing the slush in Lincoln
Posted by Jack Perry at 9:20 AM | Comment Reporter who's been there, talks about coverage of IraqLearn about the media’s coverage of Iraq from a reporter who’s covered the country from the ground. National Public Radio’s Pentagon correspondent Tom Bowman is set to talk about coverage in Iraq, and his experience in the country, at a the Central Library tonight. The award-winning journalist visited Iraq in October and November of last year. Prior to his arrival at NPR in 2006, he spent 19 years at the Baltimore Sun covering the Pentagon, Congress, and other federal agencies. In 1995 he was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize for a six-part series on the National Security Agency. Tonight’s talk, “A Conversation about Iraq,” is sponsored by the Providence Public Library and WRNI, Rhode Island's Public Radio station. Bowman will be at the Providence Public Library Central Branch, 150 Empire St., from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.; the event is free and open to the public. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 8:52 AM | Comment Photo: Clearing the way in Cumberland
Posted by Jack Perry at 8:18 AM | Comment EPA considers Jamestown water designationFederal representatives are coming to Jamestown to consider giving the town a special designation that would highlight the fragile nature of its water supply. The Environmental Protection Agency is set to hold a long-awaited hearing on a petition to have the island’s main water supply designated as a sole-source aquifer. If that designation is approved, the EPA would review any federally funded building project on the island to ensure it would not disturb the water supply. More than half of the island’s population gets its water from the aquifer – a water supply in the fractured rock below the ground. Three Rhode Island aquifers are currently designated as sole source: one along the Pawcatuck River, one in the Annaquatucket-Pettaquamscutt area and one on Block Island. The hearing is scheduled for 7 p.m. at the Jamestown Town Library. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 7:49 AM | Comment Trial begins over secret phone monitoring systemPROVIDENCE — Opening statements are scheduled for today in a trial over a secret telephone monitoring system at the Providence Public Safety Complex. About 150 people, mostly employees of the Public Safety Department but also some of their relatives and friends, are suing the city and current and former city officials, claiming that the use of system, discovered five years ago by a mayoral task force, invaded their privacy. Criminal investigations didn't produce any charges, but the civil trial is scheduled to begin this morning in U.S. District Court, Providence. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:02 AM | Comment Sleet, snow, rain, ice, floodingIt's like some sort of dangerous ice kingdom out there. Everything from stairs, to cars, to banisters are covered in a thin, slick layer of ice. Roads too, so be careful this morning during the commute. And there's something else to look out for: with the National Weather Service forecasting a high temperature near 50 degrees, the snow is already melting and there are likely be floods on the way. NWS has already issued a flood warning with 1 to 2 1/2 inches of rain expected through the afternoon, adding to melting snow, leading to runoff and slush-blocked drains. The rain is expected to continue into the night, when the temperature drops to about 30 degrees. More precipitation tomorrow -- some snow, some sleet -- mostly in the early morning. Clouds will persist during the, clearing in the afternoon when the temperature rises to the mid 30s and north winds reaching about 25 mph. For updates throughout the day, visit projo.com's weather page. And to check on school delays, parking bans and other weather-related inconveniences, check the delays/cancellations page. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 7:01 AM | Comment Today's front pageToday's front page features coverage of Barack Obama's moving past Hillary Rodham Clinton with primary wins in Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia. The front page also has stories about a fatal police shooting in Pawtucket and a visit to Providence from Chief Justice of the United States John Roberts. Download a copy of today's front page in .pdf format. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:00 AM | Comment February 12, 2008Update: McCain is coming to Rhode Island ThursdayRepublican presidential candidate John McCain will come to Rhode Island Thursday afternoon for a rally in Warwick. He's the first presidential candidate to do so in the lead-up to the state's March 4 primary. McCain is slated to appear at 1:30 p.m. at the Crowne Plaza, said state Rep. Robert Watson, who is chairman of McCain's campaign in Rhode Island. Watson said the rally is a free-to-the-public, first-come first-serve event. “We're very excited,” said Watson, an East Greenwich Republican who is House minority leader and who recently traveled with the McCain campaign in New Hampshire and South Carolina. After commanding wins in many of the Feb. 5 “Super Tuesday” primary contests, and with former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney's campaign suspended, McCain is the GOP front-runner. McCain is set to fly from Washington, D.C., for Vermont for a morning event and then come to Rhode Island, where he is expected to spend about two to two-and-a-half hours in Warwick, according to Watson. There is also expected to be an official meet-and-greet with McCain for his campaign team in the state and McCain supporters. There is also expected to be a fund-raising component. No word yet on visits from the Democratic candidates, with New York Sen. Hillary Clinton and Illinois Sen. Barack Obama locked in a battle for delegates. Rhode Island, Vermont, Texas, and Ohio hold presidential primaries on March 4. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 7:39 PM | Comment Update: Cicilline assesses 'State of the City'PROVIDENCE -- Mayor David N. Cicilline focused his fifth State of the City address this evening in part on the city's economic concerns relative to the state's and the nation's financial difficulties. Cicilline, a Democrat, was slated to begin speaking at 7 in the fifth-floor rotunda of the Rhode Island Convention Center -- a speech open to the public. Couldn't make it? See a copy of the mayor's prepared remarks, now available on the city's Web site. Among the quotes: “The human soul can handle tremendous adversity if we know it’s necessary for something better in the long run. That’s called sacrifice. After all, it is that spirit of possibility, innovation, and original thinking that has powered the incredible story of Providence.” The Journal reported today that Cicilline spokeswoman Karen Southern's advisory said this speech will focus on city economic issues, among other things. Posted by Mike McKinney at 7:26 PM | Comment NFL head to meet with Specter on Pats' 'Spygate'NEW YORK -- NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell will meet tomorrow with U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter to discuss the Spygate case involving the New England Patriots. NFL officials say the afternoon meeting will take place in Specter's office. The Pennsylvania Republican has asked Goodell to explain his decision to destroy the tapes and notes from the case. Patriots coach Bill Belichick was fined $500,000 and the team was fined $250,000. The Patriots also forfeited a first-round draft pick. -- The Associated Press Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:44 PM | Comment Firefighters at Tobey Street fire in ProvidencePROVIDENCE -- Firefighters and rescue personnel are on scene of a fire reported in a three-story occupied building at 106 Tobey St. The call came in at 6:05 p.m. for the fire, which is on the first floor, according to James Taylor, spokesman for the Providence Fire Department. No other details were yet available. Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:34 PM | Comment Ethics board: Warren shouldn't hire chief's son-in-law
The commission also moved to resolve an impasse in Smithfield by offering a way for the town Zoning Board to act despite conflicts of interest involving some of its members, and it issued the latest in a series of rulings in a long-running dispute between the Tiverton Yacht Club and its neighbors. Members also fired back at a state representative who criticized the commission. Warren Chief Thomas D. Gordon had said he insulated himself from the selection and supervision process involving his son-in-law, Darrell Forman. However, the candidates’ scores were partly based on interviews conducted by two police lieutenants who report to Gordon, and officers reporting to Gordon would continue to supervise his son-in-law. With two other candidates getting high scores in the evaluation process but on the verge of being passed over, commission member Ross Cheit said, "I couldn’t possibly tell them this process was fair." The town has already made a conditional job offer to Forman, according to the commission staff. Gordon and other town officials had created an "alternate chain of command" and said it insulated Gordon from the hiring and supervision. The commission staff agreed, but the commission members didn’t, vigorously. "If there’s a nepotism problem in this state, it’s because of this," said commission Chairman James Lynch Sr. Gordon had asked the commission for a legal advisory opinion approving the ethical propriety of his son-in-law’s hiring and supervision. Its denial today means that if it goes ahead, he could be found in violation of the state ethics laws if a complaint were filed against him by any member of the public. -- Journal staff writer Bruce Landis Also, the commission apparently resolved an impasse in Smithfield, where ethics issues left the town Zoning Board of Review unable to act on a 12-lot subdivision plan. The board needs five voting members to decide an appeal, but the commission has said that three of the board’s seven members have conflicts of interest and can’t vote. Today, the commission said the board can use a state law permitting one of the disqualified board members, chosen by lottery, to vote in order to give the board enough voting members to make a decision. The commission also took another step in the long battle concerning the Tiverton Yacht Club, which wants a zoning change to permit it to rebuild its burned-down clubhouse in a residential area. The commission said that the fact that Tiverton Planning Board member Frederick C. Stachura’s children took swimming lessons there last summer doesn’t mean he would have a conflict of interest in voting on the club’s plans. Several of the Planning Board members have a relationship with the club, but David M. Campbell, a neighbor and one of the club’s opponents, said yesterday’s decision would apparently leave the board with enough members to make a recommendation on the proposal to the Town Council. He said, however, that the neighbors will continue to oppose the proposal on a number of grounds. The commission also took up, and made public, a letter from state Rep. Douglas W. Gablinske, D-Bristol, saying the commission has reinforced "the public’s distain for all elected officials." He faulted the commission’s finding that state Sen. Frank Ciccone, D-Providence, didn’t break the ethics rules when he voted for legislation that would benefit unions he works for. The commission decided that because the legislation would benefit more than 100 other bargaining units similar to the ones Ciccone is involved with, his votes qualified for an exception under the state Ethics Code. Gablinske, however, said that "just because it is the rule, it does not mean the rule is right." Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:03 PM | Comment Rescued harp seal is released todayCHARLESTOWN -- A harp seal that was rescued last month after getting stranded off Napatree Point in the Watch Hill section of Westerly has been released back into the ocean. The seal was found stranded at Napatree Point on Jan. 16. Staff from Connecticut's Mystic Aquarium & Institute for Exploration saw him on the beach eating sand. The aquarium says it treated the seal for dehydration and an elevated white blood count. He was released early Tuesday afternoon from Blue Shutters Beach in Charlestown. Harp seals are typically found farther north and aren't usually seen in Rhode Island. The seal is thought to be one to two years old. -- The Associated Press Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:55 PM | Comment Tonight's storm may be messy, but timing could helpAnother messy winter storm is on the way. Rhode Island storm response planners expect snowfall to begin closer to the end of this evening's commute -- timing that bodes better for any plowing because traffic should be much lighter than the Dec. 13 daytime exodus that became an epic traffic morass. “At this point in time, the forecasts are showing that commutes tonight and tomorrow morning may be minimally affected by the snow and rain,” Major Gen. Robert T. Bray, the state emergency management director, said in a statement. “With that in mind, weather changes quickly and commuters should check on road and weather conditions before getting on the road and allow themselves extra time to complete their travels.” Snow is expected to start between 6 and 7 p.m. and change over to sleet, freezing rain and eventually to all rain later this evening. A southwest-to-northeast transition is currently forecast, with heaviest snowfall north and west of the Providence area. Several organizations have already cancelled events scheduled for tonight, and some communities, including Providence, are putting parking bans in place. Check the continuously updated list from partner wpri.com. Tomorrow could prove more of a concern, when the forecast suggests potentially heavy rains during the day and flooding. The National Weather Service issued both a winter weather advisory for tonight and a flood watch for tomorrow morning into Thursday morning. The service said one to two inches of rain are expected to fall tomorrow between 7 a.m. and mid-afternoon. Runoff from this rainfall, coupled with some snow melt, will lead to the potential for "significant urban and poor drainage flooding." Areas of slush-covered storm drains and underpasses are also a flooding risk. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Some smaller rivers and streams may rise out of banks tomorrow and into tomorrow night. That includes but is not limited to the Pawtuxet River in Cranston and other rivers more north in Massachusetts. "What is important about the morning commute is that people should probably get up a little earlier than normal to check out the weather and the conditions -- there may be flooding if they live in [flood-prone areas]" and they may wan to seek alternate travel routes, Brittan K. Bates, Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency spokeswoman, said in an interview. If people do drive later this evening, do not attempt to pass plows and give them space to get the job done, urged Charles St. Martin, a state Department of Transportation spokesman. With a snow-to-rain changeover, St. Martin said plows will try to clear any snow build-up in such a way as to not block drainage and take another pass, after pushing snow off a road, to better free up drains. There could still be flooding of course, and St. Martin said the DOT can dispatch maintenance crews to such locations. “The combination of snow this evening and rain early tomorrow morning may impact storm drains causing localized street flooding,” Jerome F. Williams, the DOT director, said. Check the latest weather forecasts and conditions, including live radar. Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:37 PM | Comment Update: Pawtucket police officer shoots, kills man
It is the third fatal shooting involving a Pawtucket police officer within the last year. The officer was one of three responded to a 7:31 a.m. call of an "emotionally disturbed individual with a knife" outside an apartment building at 71 Lupine St. The man shot was identified as Jason Swift, who lived in the building. The officers were not identified. All have been placed on administrative leave. Police Chief George L. Kelley 3rd said some of the circumstances surrounding the shooting today remain unclear. But he emphasized that Swift -- who was 6 feet tall and 300 pounds -- had been acting in an "aggressive and threatening" manner when discovered outside the building, fully clothed and with the knife. At some point, he got past the officers, went inside the building -- where he lived with his mother -- and up to a third-floor apartment. Two of the officers followed him and found him naked. What happened next is still unclear, the chief said. The officers apparently tried to subdue Swift with pepper spray. The chief said he agreed to be handcuffed, and then refused. There was a struggle. Two shots were fired by one of the officers, killing Swift. It is not clear if he was armed at the time. A Samurai-style knife was found outside the building. -- With reports Journal staff writer Philip Marcelo The chief said that police had gotten a domestic violence call complaining about Smith about midnight last night from the mother of one his two children. She had come into the station to make a statement. Police were planning to follow up today. The woman and child were not in the apartment building when the shooting occurred today, the chief said. It's not clear if they also lived there. Last summer, Pawtucket police were involved in two fatal shooting in two days. A grand jury on Oct. 17 determined that Officer Derrick Smith believed his life was in danger when he shot and killed Bridget DeGraftt, a 49-year-old woman who police said hijacked an SUV at knifepoint and led police on a chase down the highway. No charges were filed against Smith, who was injured on July 26 when, according to police, DeGraftt tried to run him down with the vehicle. The next day, July 27, three Pawtucket police officers opened fire on Jason Audette, a 34-year-old burglary suspect who, police said, refused to drop his gun. Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:12 PM | Comment Judge does not dismiss smoke-shop case / Photo
Defense lawyers had sought dismissal, saying the state has been “grossly negligent” in meeting pre-trial discovery rules that mandate the state to turn over any evidence that could be used to exonerate a defendant. But the judge today said that it did not rise to the level of flagrant prosecutorial misconduct and that the defendants were not significantly prejudiced. She did say that the prosecutors and the State Police did not do their due diligence and that she is concerned about defendants who are less privileged -- essentially, if this could happen in a high-profile case such as this one, what happens in your average case? "More worrisome is the thought of less prominent cases seeing such handling," McGuirl said in Providence County Superior Court. Asked for comment after the judge's decision, Matthew Thomas, the Narragansett Indians' chief sachem, said: "This is Rhode Island, I didn't expect anything different."
McGuirl on Friday denied a request by lawyers for the Narragansett Indians to have forensic investigators appointed to try to recover potentially deleted state police e-mails. McGuirl ruled that security concerns such an invasive search would raise, the estimated $30,000-plus cost and the improbability that valuable information could be retrieved outweighed the potential benefit to the tribal members’ defense. At the governor's order, State Police used a search warrant at the smoke shop on tribal land in Charlestown on July 14, 2003, to stop the tribe from selling tax-free cigarettes. The raid. however, soon turned into a scuffle and was caught on television cameras. Seven tribal members, including Chief Sachem Matthew Thomas, have been waiting trial for misdemeanor charges related to the raid. The trial was set to begin later this month. During arguments yesterday, McGuirl questioned Special Assistant Attorney General Pamela Chin on why the state was late in getting evidence to defense lawyers and in some instances did not turn over information until under court subpoena. Chin, however, said she had asked State Police to disclose relevant material and that she too was not aware of some of the hundreds of documents turned over by state police in recent weeks until they were subpoenaed. Defense lawyers had asked McGuirl to order a search of the state police computer systems to recover e-mails and other records possibly sent to retired Inspector Gary Treml. They argued the state should bear the projected cost. Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:06 PM | Comment Update: Lt. governor unveils health-reform packagePROVIDENCE -- Lt. Gov. Elizabeth Roberts unveiled her proposed health-care reforms today to a State Room packed with legislators, advocates and medical professionals. "People have told me that we cannot afford to reform health care this year. I know that we can't afford not to. This is not one of those problems that will just go away if we ignore it," she said. The lieutenant governor announced eight bills that were developed after nine meetings with stakeholders and guest speakers over the past few months. The package is aimed at increasing access to health care for the 13 percent of Rhode Islanders who don’t have it, in part by requiring individuals and employers to purchase health insurance or face penalties. For more details, read today's Journal story. -- With reports from Cynthia Needham, Journal State House bureau Posted by Andrea Panciera at 3:51 PM | Comment Multimedia: Red Sox set up camp in Fort MyersClick the play button below to see Bob Breidenbach's photos from today in Fort Myers, and to hear how it all sounded today, as recorded by Bob. Posted by Mike McDermott at 3:43 PM | Comment Update: Art as therapy opening postponedArtwork by people suffering from Alzheimer's Disease and other memory disorders will be displayed at an art gallery on Providence's East Side starting tomorrow. An opening night reception was scheduled for 6 to 8 p.m. today at the Bellini Ruggeri Gallery, 182 Wayland Avenue, but has been postponed because snow is expected. It has been rescheduled for 6 to 8 p.m. next Tuesday. The show will feature more than 30 watercolor paintings, as well as vases and bowls created as part of the pottery program at Hope Alzheimer's Center in Cranston. “Not only is the work we are exhibiting beautiful, it tells a story of hope and love and achievement” says gallery owner Angela Ruggeri. “We want our show to truly honor the artists, their families and the wonderful work being done at Hope.” Cynthia Conant-Arp, Hope executive director, said, “We are delighted to see our artists receiving this kind of recognition. Art therapy has been a centerpiece of our program for more than a decade and we have seen over and over how working creatively expands our participants’ worlds, brings them joy and helps them rediscover memories and feelings that once seemed lost.” The show runs through Feb. 19. Posted by Jack Perry at 3:08 PM | Comment Swiffer inventor: Innovators must anticipate needs
PROVIDENCE -- Successful business innovation isn’t about giving consumers what they need now, says Gianfranco Zaccai, but about giving them something they’ll desire in the future. Since the early 1980s, Zaccai’s Newton, Ma.-based design company, Continuum, has been helping some pretty big companies develop products that customers hadn’t yet realized they wanted. Among its successes has been the Reebok ``pump’’ basketball shoe, the Moen Pure Touch shower faucet and the Swiffer mop. Each innovation earned their respective companies more than $1 billion in sales. And each was created, Zaccai said today during a lecture at Johnson & Wales, using the principle: that ``design innovation isn’t just what something looks like but how it interacts with people and moves people emotionally.’’ Read more in tomorrow's Business section. -- Journal staff writer Tom Mooney Posted by Jack Perry at 3:02 PM | Comment Whitehouse amendment gets approval from SenateThe most recent version of a 30-year-old bill that sets the parameters for spying gives the court the ability to approve law enforcement’s strategy for surveillance, including how far an agency can go in regards to spying on Americans. Today the Senate passed an amendment to the 1978 Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) that would ensure that the court not only has the authority to approve surveillance procedures, but that the court retains the power to review whether the procedures are being followed and, if not, to order compliance. “We need to assure that rules protecting Americans’ rights are being followed,” Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, sponsor of the amendment, said in a statement, “and because this administration fears and rejects judicial oversight; that is precisely what is most needed.” The amendment deals with information gathered about Americans abroad who are not the targets of surveillance, but whose information is gathered incidentally during an investigation. The ability to review whether an agency is complying with a court order is common to all courts, but was not explicit in the most recent version of the FISA. “It makes no sense to limit the court’s inherent authority to see whether rules it has approved are being followed, and to enforce compliance with these approved rules,” Whitehouse said in his statement. “It is not up to the executive branch to grade its own exams. That is a job for the courts.” -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 2:49 PM | Comment North Smithfield family loses home in fireThe Rhode Island chapter of the American Red Cross is providing shelter, food and clothing to three adults and three children whose North Smithfield home was destroyed by fire this morning. Firefighters responded to the fire reported at 8:51 a.m. at 492 Farnum Pike. Heavy flames and smoke were visible from two sides of the first floor of the two-story wood-frame house, according to Joel Jillson, chief of North Smithfield Fire and Rescue Service. Once responders opened the roof, the fire was brought under control within an hour. All people were out safely. Four pets were lost in the fire. The fire's cause was not yet known, Jillson said, but the local fire marshal is working with the state fire marshal on the investigation. Marisa Albanese, Red Cross community relations director, said in a news release that the chapter typically spends $1,000 per family of four and that all Red Cross disaster assistance is provided to clients free of cost to them, due to contributions from people and organizations. The Red Cross news released encouraged people and local businesses to send a donation to the Rhode Island Chapter at 105 Gano Street, Providence, R.I., 02906 or online at www.riredcross.org. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 2:31 PM | Comment Ex-R.I. teacher to step down as head of national unionEdward J. McElroy, a past president of the Warwick and state teachers unions, announced today he will not seek re-election as leader of the national 1.4 million-member American Federation of Teachers. He plans to retire from it. McElroy, who started as a Warwick social studies and English teacher, was elected president of Warwick Teachers Union in 1967. He became president of the Rhode Island Federation of Teachers and president of Rhode Island AFL-CIO at age 30. He held the two state positions until 1992 when he went to the national organization. A news release said McElroy has spent 16 years as a national officer of the American Federation of Teachers, including a dozen years as secretary-treasurer. The organization said it's added 500,000-plus new union members during the 16 years. "From my time as a newly minted junior high school teacher, I knew that being a part of the AFT would help me make a difference," McElroy said in the statement. "And it has -- from improving conditions for teaching and learning, to lobbying for issues important to AFT members and those they serve, to giving professionals a voice on the job, the AFT makes a difference." McElroy will continue to lead the organization until its July convention in Chicago, where more than 2,000 delegates are expected to vote for a new president and several more positions. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 2:21 PM | Comment Update: Tractor trailer rig accident shuts down I-84
WATERBURY, Conn. — Dozens of homes were evacuated today because a tractor trailer was leaking highly volatile hydrogen gas after crashing on Interstate 84 in the Waterbury/Middlebury area. The evacuations took place in the Shadduck Road area of Middlebury following the shutdown of I-84 in both directions from the early morning tractor-trailer accident. The police said the highway, one of the main routes from Massachusetts into New York state, might be shut down for most of the day. Middlebury Police Chief Richard Guisti said 60 to 70 people were evacuated from their homes when officials learned of the danger from the hydrogen leak. They were taken to a shelter at the Middlebury Fire Department. Guisti said the highway would remain shut down for most of the day. “We’re waiting for a company out of Massachusetts to attempt to unload the vehicle before we can have it removed from the site,” Guisti said. U.S. Rep. Rahm Emanuel, of Illinois, the fourth highest-ranking Democrat in the House, got stuck in the traffic while traveling from New York to Hartford for a fundraiser for Connecticut Rep. Joe Courtney. Emanuel said he had to get off at Exit 16 on the Southbury/Middlebury line and take Route 188. “We’re just in one long snake-line here,” he said in a cell phone conversation with Courtney and reporters. -- The Associated Press Highly volatile hydrogen gas was leaking from some canisters of compressed gas on the flatbed truck, which overturned about 5:30 a.m. near exit 17. The highway was first shut down westbound, but discovery of the hydrogen leak prompted the closing of the highway eastbound from exit 16 and the call for evacuations. Guisti said the shutdown of the highway meant that local roads in his town and Waterbury were congested almost immediately. He said Route 64, a main thoroughfare in his town, was almost at a standstill five hours after the truck overturned. Guisti said state and local police still had their hands full with trying to get traffic around and away from the area and were encouraging travelers to use Route 8 north and south or Routes 6 and 67 to avoid the area. State police said the driver of the overturned rig suffered minor injuries. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 2:17 PM | Comment Oster trial: Director told Oster of bribe allegationsSharon Barr, the town’s finance director for the first five months of Jonathan F. Oster’s administration in 2001, and the wife of former state Rep. John D. Barr II, testified that she told Oster about contractor Robert Gelfuso’s allegations that Robert Picerno had sought a bribe in connection with the Fairlawn Playground project and that his first reaction was to call the state police. Former Lincoln town administrator Jonathan F. Oster is on trial in Superior Court, facing conspiracy and bribery charges for allegedly working with Picerno to sell a piece of town-owned land on the cheap in exchange for bribes. Barr said she had overheard the charges when then-Lime Rock Fire Chief Frank Sylvester had brought Gelfuso to their home early one morning in August 2001. She said she overhead Gelfuso, who was upset, Sylvester and her husband discussing Gelfuso’s statements that Picerno had extorted $5,000 from his Gelfuso’s business partner. “(Oster) got extremely mad and wanted to call the state police right away,” Barr testified. She said at the time she told Oster that Gelfuso was concerned about threats he said Picerno had made against his family and was undecided over whether to call police.
In testimony earlier this morning, Sylvester described his perspective of that meeting, saying he’d brought Gelfuso to see Barr because he, Sylvester, was concerned about the bribery allegations and wasn’t sure who to talk to. He recommended Gelfuso contact the state police, which Gelfuso ultimately did. Sylvester also testified that some time after that session, Picerno invited him Picerno’s house. Sylvester said when he arrived, around noon, his was the only car in the driveway. He said when Picerno let him in much of the interior was covered in drop cloths because painting was going on. He said Picerno asked him if he had heard rumors of kickbacks and payoffs in town. “My response was I didn’t know what you’re talking about,” Sylvester testified. Sylvester said he then noticed a shadow on the floor and turned to see Stephen Balestra, the town official who was overseeing the Fairlawn project, in Picerno’s house. He said he became concerned about Balestra’s presence and left. On cross examination, defense lawyer C. Leonard O’Brien pressed Sylvester on who he passed his concerns on to. Sylvester mentioned that he passed Oster in the hallway at Town Hall and told the administrator that Picerno “isn’t doing you any favors.“ “That’s all you said,” O’Brien said. Despite having talked to Gelfuso about the shakedown at Fairlawn, and his surprise encounter with Balestra at Picerno’s house, he didn’t mentioned those events. “No, I did not,” Sylvester said. But, O’Brien continued, after he mentioned his general discomfort with Picerno, Picerno’s presence in Town Hall decreased. He saw evidence that Oster “heeded your warning.” "Picerno was no longer there,” Sylvester said. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 2:13 PM | Comment Senate committee finds shortage of DCYF caseworkersA key Senate committee issued a comprehensive report today warning that there aren’t enough Department of Children, Youth and Family workers looking after neglected and abused children across the state. “State budget constraints and the cap on state FTE’s (full-time equivalent positions) that may be filled, contribute to a disconnect between cases and staffing -- between children in need of protection and the state’s ability to respond,” reads the 25-page report, which includes a host of recommendations by the Senate Health and Human Services Committee following four public hearings aimed at investigating DCYF practices. The committee heard several hours of testimony from DCYF director Patricia Martinez, in addition to dozens of people concerned with the state of Rhode Island’s child welfare system. DCYF Family Service Unit caseworkers monitor approximately 2,576 families, according to figures released last month. -- Steve Peoples of the Journal State House Bureau The Senate report notes that staffing levels are moving in the right direction. DCYF told the panel in the fall that it had hired 17 new workers in September, which would help in moving towards the nationally-recognized goal of assigning 14 families to every caseworker. “Adding 17 new workers will bring caseloads to a median of 16-17 cases per worker, when these workers pick up full caseloads, and if no new vacancies occur,” reads the report. But data released last month suggest that the situation has not improved. In every part of the state aside from Kent and Washington Counties, DCYF staff were each assigned at least 18 families, according to the January figures. In East Bay, for example, the average caseload was 20.2 families (representing 29 children) for each caseworker, who is charged with visiting each child at least once a month. “The Department of Children, Youth and Families has enormous responsibilities and very limited resources with which to fulfill them. Our committee’s study has shown us just what DCYF’s caseworkers are up against, and it’s not surprising that they’re feeling frustrated and overwhelmed,” said Health and Human Services Committee Chairwoman Rhoda E. Perry, D-Providence. “Ultimately, we want DCYF to have what it needs to properly protect all the children and families in Rhode Island.” The report calls on better cooperation between DCYF and the Family Court to allow state resources to be shifted to where they are most needed. The Family Court ultimately approves the placement of each child, and the report says that many children – especially truancy cases – don’t need state involvement. But the relationship between the DCYF and the Family Court has been strained in recent months. “I personally try to cooperate with DCYF. They don’t cooperate with me half the time,” Family Court Chief Judge Jeremiah S. Jeremiah Jr. said yesterday. DCYF attorney Andrew Johnson said today that he believes his agency has a good working relationship with the Family Court, but declined to comment specifically on Jeremiah’s concerns. The DCYF and various child welfare advocates were contacted by The Journal today, but have yet to respond to the report. More to come. Posted by Steve Peoples at 1:54 PM | Comment Chief justice: Courthouse a central place in R.I. history
PROVIDENCE -- Chief Justice of the United States John G. Roberts Jr. this morning launched the centennial celebration of the federal courthouse in downtown Providence, marking the first time a sitting Supreme Court chief justice has been in Rhode Island on official business in more than two centuries. Roberts noted the day also marked the 199th anniversary of President Abraham Lincoln’s birth, and during his 16-minute speech in a packed courtroom, he traced Lincoln’s career as a lawyer ranging from a frontier courthouse in Boonville, Indiana, to the single case Lincoln argued before the U.S. Supreme Court. Roberts began with some humor. After being introduced by Senior Circuit Judge Bruce M. Selya, a Rhode Islander noted for using long and little-known words in his decisions, Roberts said, “It is truly an historic anniversary, or as Judge Selya might put it, a primogenial antecedent for jollification.” A group could be heard protesting on the sidewalk outside the courthouse, and Roberts said, “Some of you may be able to hear the protesters outside. This is a group of people who prefer the Classical Revival style to the Beaux Arts style [of the courthouse] that was actually adopted, and they are, of course, entitled to be heard.” (The group of at least 70 was demanding that the United States close its detention center at Guantanamo. See a related post.) Looking out over a crowd filled with dark pinstriped suits and more than one bow tie, Roberts said, “It is, of course, not unusual to see contractors and architects with many lawyers in a courtroom, but it’s usually not on such a happy occasion. And there is good reason today to celebrate historic courthouses such as this one.” “Throughout our nation’s history, federal and state courthouses have been both literally and figuratively at the center of civic life,” Roberts said. “This courthouse, gracing Exchange Place, is no exception. As Chief (U.S. District) Judge (Mary M.) Lisi has explained, the courthouse not only sits prominently in the heart of Providence, but it occupies a central place in Rhode Island’s history.” Robert’s day-long visit highlights a year-long centennial celebration for the five-story gray granite building, which was built between 1904 and 1908 as the Providence Post Office, Court House and Custom House. In recent years, the building has hosted high-profile legal cases such as the 2002 corruption trial of then-Providence Mayor Vincent A. Cianci Jr. and the tax evasion trial of "Survivor" winner Richard Hatch two years ago. Both were convicted. In 1991, former Pawtucket Mayor Brian J. Sarault admitted he was the ringleader of a criminal enterprise operating out of Pawtucket City Hall. And in the 1970s, the late Chief U.S. District Judge Raymond J. Pettine ordered and began overseeing a years-long overhaul of the state prison system. Gallery: See a collection of photos of the federal courthouse.
Posted by Mike McKinney at 1:17 PM | Comment Update: LNG tanker disabled off Cape Cod under towBOSTON — The Coast Guard says a problem with the computers that control an LNG tanker’s boilers caused a loss of power that left the tanker adrift off Cape Cod. The Coast Guard said today that the 933-foot Catalunya Spirit was being towed by tug to an area about 20 miles east of Provincetown where it can safely sit while being repaired. The tanker was carrying 138,000 cubic meters of liquified natural gas from Trinidad and Tobago to Boston when it lost power early Monday about 45 miles off Chatham. Coast Guard Lt. John Cusch said Distrigas, which operates the facility where the tanker was headed, was speeding up its next LNG shipment and there were no concerns about local LNG supplies. -- The Associated Press Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 1:01 PM | Comment Update: Pawtucket police involved in shootingPawtucket police were involved in a shooting early this morning. The shooting was at 71 Lupine St., at about 7:31 a.m., according to a statement released by the police department. Pawtucket and state police, and representatives from the Pawtucket mayor’s office and the Attorney General’s office are meeting for a joint news conference at 3 p.m. Last summer, Pawtucket police were involved in two fatal shooting in two days. A grand jury on Oct. 17 determined that Officer Derrick Smith believed his life was in danger when he shot and killed Bridget DeGraftt, a 49-year-old woman who police said hijacked an SUV at knifepoint and led police on a chase down the highway. No charges were filed against Smith, who was injured on July 26 when, according to police, DeGraftt tried to run him down with the vehicle. The next day, July 27, three Pawtucket police officers opened fire on Jason Audette, a 34-year-old burglary suspect who, police said, refused to drop his gun. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 1:01 PM | Comment Dozens use chief justice's visit to protest Guantanamo
PROVIDENCE -- At least 70 protesters marched outside the federal courthouse today during the visit of Chief U.S. Supreme Court Justice John G. Roberts Jr., demanding that the United States close its detention center at Guantanamo. Many dressed in orange jumpsuits, signifying the detainees held at Guantanamo. They marched to chants and carried signs: “Patriot Act = Lost Rights,” and “Shut Down Guantanamo.” “The present administration in Washington does not believe in the rule of law. Our country is in the business of torture,” said Martin Lepkowski, a member of Witness for Peace. “I think the chief justice is making wrong decisions,” said Constance Allen, a member of the Raging Grannies. “I think prisoners should have rights. Torture is wrong. We should close Guantanamo -- it’s a shame on America.” The protest began with a rally in Burnside Park at 10:30, and moved over to the sidewalk in front of the courthouse. It began breaking up at noon. -- Journal staff writer Karen Lee Ziner Posted by Mike McKinney at 12:30 PM | Comment Update: Snow expected, then flooding possibleThe National Weather Service has issued a winter weather advisory, effective at 5 p.m., for "a significant winter storm" expected to affect southern New England late this afternoon into tomorrow. A storm is expected to two to four inches of snow to much of southern New England, four to six inches north and west of Boston before turning to rain. And when it turns to rain, it could bring other problems -- flooding. The National Weather Service has also put out a flood watch for Rhode Island and neighboring places for tomorrow morning through Thursday morning. It means flooding potential based on current forecasts. But first, snow should develop near the end of this evening's rush hour, becoming heavy at times late tonight, before mixing with sleet and freezing rain by midnight, according to the National Weather Service. Some cities and towns have already instituted parking bans. Afternoon and evening activities have been canceled at some schools. Check here for more information. Mixed precipitation is expected to change to all rain between 5 a.m. and 9 a.m. tomorrow. The winter weather advisory continues until 9 a.m. tomorrow. But then the flood watch goes into effect into Thursday. The service said one to two inches of rain are expected to fall tomorrow between 7 a.m. and mid afternoon. Runoff from this rainfall, coupled with some snow melt, will lead to the potential for "significant urban and poor drainage flooding." Areas of slush-covered storm drains and underpasses are also a flooding risk. Some smaller rivers and streams may rise out of banks tomorrow and into tomorrow night. That includes but is not limited to the Pawtuxet River in Cranston and other rivers more north in Massachusetts. Posted by Jack Perry at 12:10 PM | Comment Oster trial: Contractor turns for advice after shakedownThe state fire marshal told a jury today that when an alleged ally of the Lincoln town administrator was shaking down a contractor, the contractor came to him for advice. At the time, Frank Sylvester was not the state fire marshal; he was the chief of the Lime Rock Fire Department in Lincoln. Sylvester testified today in the trial of former Lincoln town administrator Jonathan F. Oster, who faces conspiracy and bribery charges for allegedly working with Robert Picerno to sell a piece of town-owned land on the cheap in exchange for bribes. Under direct examination by Assistant Attorney General Bethany Macktaz, Sylvester corroborated earlier testimony by the contractor, Robert Gelfuso, about Gelfuso’s coming to him after his partner had been shaken down by Picerno for more than $4,700 at the site of a job the company was working on. Sylvester told the jury that he brought Gelfuso to meet then-state Rep. John Barr II. Sylvester said after conversations with Barr, he urged Gelfuso to contact the state police. Gelfuso would later cooperate with the authorities by providing evidence and recording conversations with Picerno. Sylvester also said he would see Picerno around town hall in the months after Oster’s election in November, 2000, boasting of his roll on Oster’s transition team and talking about personnel changes he wanted to make in town hall. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson, with reports from Journal staff writer John Hill Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 11:58 AM | Comment ALDI Supermarkets recruits workers for RI storesALDI Supermarkets, the German-based company that plans to open five stores in Rhode Island is recruiting cashiers and shift managers for stores in Warwick and Cranston. The company held a job fair on Monday and is holding interviews today. Resumes can be sent by email to aldiswncareers@yahoo.com ALDI said it plans to open stores in Cranston, Warwick, West Warwick, East Providence and Providence. ALDI, also known as Albrecht Discount, has 7,500 stores worldwide and 850 in the U.S. The company is making a push to expand its presence in New England and is building a distribution center in South Windsor, Conn. Posted by Peter Phipps at 11:42 AM | Comment Photo: Dice-K lets it fly in Florida
Providence Journal/Bob Breidenbach
Minor league players and a few major league starters from last year were working out before the official start of training camp. Red Sox pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka threw the ball for a while this morning at the training facility. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 11:31 AM | Comment PC honored for serviceProvidence College made the honor roll last year. The school is one of nearly 530 schools across the country that made the President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll, which is sponsored by the Corporation for National and Community Service, a public-private organization, and a handful of federal agencies including the Department of Education. The honor roll recognizes colleges and university community service programs based on about a dozen factors, including: - Percentage of total student enrollment engaged in community service activities and service learning courses - Requirements for academic service-learning as part of the core curriculum - Percentage of students enlisted in the Army, Navy, or Air Force ROTC - Percentage of alumni in the Peace Corps In addition to the Corporation for National and Community Service, sponsors include the Department of Education; the Department of Housing and Urban Development; USA Freedom Corps; Campus Compact; and the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation. Download a .PDF file of all the colleges and universities that made the list. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 11:14 AM | Comment Protesters demonstrate for chief justice's visitPROVIDENCE -- A group of protesters has gathered outside the U.S. District Court, Providence, for the arrival of U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John G. Roberts. Roberts is visiting Rhode Island today for a celebration of the courthouse. More than 50 protesters, many of them carrying signs, are outside the courthouse. Some of the protesters are wearing orange to symbolize prisoners at the Guantanamo Bay Prison. Protesters are also carrying signs with messages such as "Close Guantanamo," "Respect the Bill of Rights" and "Uphold the Constitution." -- With reports from Journal staff photographer Andrew Dickerman Posted by Jack Perry at 11:09 AM | Comment Rescued seal heads home todayIt’s a cold day for a swim, unless you’ve got blubber keeping you warm. Luckily for the harp seal rescued from Watch Hill, it’s got blubber. The seal was rescued on Jan. 16 from Napatree Point. The Mystic Aquarium’s Marine Animal Rescue team nursed it back to health, and has deemed the animal fit to return to the wild. The seal is set to be released at 11:30 a.m. from Blue Shutters Beach in Charlestown, at the end of East Beach Road, where the rescue team releases many of its rescued animals. Each year, the staff cares for more than 50 stranded animals including whales, dolphins, porpoises, sea turtles and, of course, seals. Learn more about the animal rescue program on the aquarium's Web site. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 9:19 AM | Comment Chief justice to be met by Governor, protestorsPROVIDENCE -- U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John G. Roberts is set to visit Rhode Island today for a celebration of the federal courthouse in downtown Providence. Roberts’ visit will highlight a yearlong centennial celebration of the five-story gray granite building, which was built between 1904 and 1908 as the Providence Post Office, Court House and Custom House. Governor Carcieri is scheduled to be at the celebration, from 11 to 11:50 a.m. The governor's schedule also shows a noon to 2 p.m. federal courthouse centennial celebration luncheon at Cafe Nuovo, One Citizens Plaza, in Providence. A group of protesters will also try to catch Roberts' attention. According to a statement released last week, the religious, political and activist groups say they'll hold a rally and procession to advocate for the closure of Guantanamo Bay detention camp and "an end to U.S. use of torture." Groups endorsing the rally include RI Spring Mobilization Committee, the International Socialist Organization and the Rhode Island Unitarian-Universalists for Social Justice. They're set to meet at 10:30 this morning at Burnside Park. The Journal has reported that it will be the first time a sitting chief justice has come to Rhode Island since Charles Evan Hughes was here in 1937. Yet Roberts' visit won't be the last by a sitting justice of the nation's highest court this year. Justice Antonin Scalia is scheduled to visit the Roger Williams University School of Law in Bristol in April. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 7:07 AM | Comment Smoke-shop ruling due todayA judge is expected to decide whether or not seven Narragansett Indians will have to stand trial for various misdemeanor charges resulting from a 2003 state police raid on a smoke shop on tribal land. The defendants argued that the case should be dismissed after a subpoena uncovered documents that the state police had not handed over to the court. After Judge Susan E. McGuirl ordered officers to inspect computer and paper files, the state turned over hundreds of pages of additional e-mails, several witness statements, a civilian complaint and McGuirl said yesterday that she'll rule on today the request to have the charges dismissed. Extra: Read coverage and see photographs of the 2003 raid. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 7:02 AM | Comment Today's weather could add up to a stormToday looks like yesterday, minus wind, plus snow. The National Weather Service is forecasting a high temperature near 29 degrees with a much milder wind. Yesterday we saw gusts as high as 50 mph., today a northwest wind should should be between 6 and 9 mph. Snow is a maybe, with a 30 percent chance of precipitation after 3 p.m. continuing into the night. The temperature will drop to 25 degrees, and the snow will turn to sleet and freezing rain with a southwest wind picking up a bit to 13 mph. Expect some accumulation -- 2 to 4 inches of wintry mix. The rain should continue into tomorrow, getting heavy at times. The temperature is expected to rise significantly to the mid-40s. For updates on the snow situation, check projo.com's weather page. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 7:01 AM | Comment Today's front pageToday's front page reports that a Brown University poll found that three-quarters of Rhode Islanders think the state is heading in the "wrong direction," and an increasing number of Rhode Islanders don't approve the way Governor Carcieri and Providence Mayor David N. Cicilline are doing their jobs. Download a copy of today's front page in .pdf format. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:00 AM | Comment February 11, 2008Coming up: Chief Justice Roberts to visit ProvidencePROVIDENCE -- U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John G. Roberts is slated to visit Rhode Island tomorrow for a celebration of the federal courthouse in downtown Providence. Roberts’ visit will highlight a yearlong centennial celebration of the five-story gray granite building, which was built between 1904 and 1908 as the Providence Post Office, Court House and Custom House. Governor Carcieri is scheduled to be at the celebration, from 11 to 11:50 a.m. The governor's schedule also shows a noon to 2 p.m. federal courthouse centennial celebration luncheon at Cafe Nuovo, One Citizens Plaza, in Providence. The Journal has reported that it will be the first time a sitting chief justice has come to Rhode Island since Charles Evan Hughes was here in 1937. Yet Roberts' visit won't be the last by a sitting justice of the nation's highest court this year. Justice Antonin Scalia is scheduled to visit the Roger Williams University School of Law in Bristol in April. Posted by Mike McKinney at 7:10 PM | Comment LNG tanker adrift east of Cape CodThe 933-foot liquefied natural gas tanker Catalunya Spirit is disabled and adrift in wind-driven seas some 37 miles east of Chatham, Mass., today. But the Coast Guard said the vessel is "not in immediate danger" and is drifting away from Cape Cod. The Coast Guard said in a news release this evening that it is monitoring and helping the tanker, which lost propulsion. About 29 people are aboard the tanker, which is carrying a full load of liquefied natural gas from Trinidad and Tobago to Boston. The tanker became disabled about 3 a.m. today. The crew is reporting hourly to Coast Guard in Boston. Air Station Cape Cod has delivered a Coast Guard marine inspector and a technical representative to the Catalunya Spirit. The Coast Guard Cutter Escanaba is on scene with the tanker to assist with communication. Teekay Corporation, the company that runs the Catalunya Spirit, has contracted with two tug boats to help; they expected to arrive on scene at 11:30 p.m. A second Coast Guard marine inspector is aboard one of the tugs. There were 30- to 35-knot winds from the west with 12-foot seas late this afternoon, but that is expected to diminish during the night. "As part of our response plan, we've notified our National Strike Team, and we're coordinating salvage and pollution response assets," Gail Kulisch, Captain of the port of Boston, said in the statement. "A very comprehensive safety system has been developed by the Coast Guard in conjunction with port partners and the shipping company to minimize the risk to the marine environment and public safety." Concerns over safety led the Coast Guard last year to reject a proposed LNG tanker route up Narragansett Bay in Rhode Island en route to a terminal in Fall River in southeastern Massachusetts. Posted by Mike McKinney at 7:04 PM | Comment Providence teachers signal their dissatisfaction / Photo
“Enough is enough,” said PTU President Steven Smith. “This is about two years of ineffective leadership.” Smith said that the union’s executive board voted last week to hold a series of such informational pickets. Teachers will also be asked to take a vote of no confidence in the leadership of Supt. Donnie Evans’ and School Board President Mary McClure on or about March 13. The union, however, does not plan to ask teachers to work to rule, a condition under which faculty only fulfill the letter of the law when it comes their jobs. The union action comes as no surprise. Teachers and principals have been expressing their dissatisfaction with Evans’ leadership for the past two years, citing poor communication, a lack of support and no clear sense of direction. Those issues were compounded by two recent events: the Dec. 13 snowstorm, which left busloads of students stranded for hours, and the W-2 mistake, in which the school department failed to take out enough federal taxes from teachers’ paychecks, money that faculty members have to pay back. “This is global,” said Bethany Beretta, a first-grade teacher at Nathanael Greene Middle School, which went without a principal for two months earlier this winter. “There has been a lack of leadership, a lack of direction and a lack of accountability.” Evans, in a prepared statement, said that he values the dedication and hard work of each teacher but said that the district must focus on improving student performance. “In order to accomplish this goal, we must do things differently,” he said. “The old ways of doing business in this district are simply not working.” Evans also said that he and the board remain committed to negotiating a “forward-looking” contact that will put children first. -- Journal staff writer Linda Borg Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:00 PM | Comment Oster trial: Defense lawyer seeks to sow doubtPROVIDENCE -- The defense lawyer for ex-Lincoln Town Administrator Jonathan F. Oster this afternoon sought again to raise doubts about allegations that his client was entangled in a bribery scheme involving town-controlled land. Lawyer C. Leonard O'Brien in part used cross examination of Robert Gelfuso, who was working on a Lincoln playground renovation under contract during Oster's 2000-2002 term, to turn attention to Stephen Balestra, who was Lincoln's federal money coordinator and designated contact for the playground project. Gelfuso testified in Providence County Superior Court that at one point Robert Picerno, a then-Lincoln Planning Board member, suggested Gelfuso and Gelfuso's business partner David Wayne Daniel bill the town for extra items that would never be installed and that Balestra would sign off on them -- and Picerno and Gelfuso could split the money for the never-installed items. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Journal staff writer John Hill Picerno, who pleaded no contest in 2004 to bribery and conspiracy, is a former Oster political ally. Oster faces two counts of bribery and two counts of conspiracy involving alleged bribes he and Picerno are said to have sought from potential buyers of the H&H Screw Co., about six acres on Route 116 in Lincoln. The state's case alleges Picerno and Oster conspired to extract a $25,000 bribe from Gelfuso in exchange for selling the property to Gelfuso and Daniel for $105,000. Oster does not face charges with regards to the handling of the contract to renovate Fairlawn Playground, which is on different land, but Judge Gilbert V. Indeglia ruled the state could use it to try to demonstrate a behaviorial pattern by Picerno and Oster. Under a prosecutor's direct examination, Gelfuso continued testifying this afternoon about his dealings with Picerno and Picerno's efforts to collect bribes from him. Gelfuso also talked about his working with the State Police. Gelfuso said State Police were particularly interested in his getting Picerno to elaborate and specify what role, if any, Oster had in the scheme. O'Brien questioned Gelfuso about events concerning his experience on the $150,000 playground renovation in the town's Fairlawn section. Read a report from this morning's testimony here. Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:15 PM | Comment Opponents of Somerset gas plant to meet tonight
SOMERSET, Mass. -- Groups hoping to block a plan that would allow the town's smaller electric power plant to convert coal into synthetic natural gas will hold a "public citizen's hearing" tonight at 6:30 p.m. at the AmVets Hall, 659 Brayton Ave. NRG Energy, which owns the Somerset Station, says the conversion process, which uses high energy gas, is clean, efficient and would allow the plant to also burn clean biomass, such as wood chips. But critics say NRG should stick to its original 2002 promise to either close the facility or convert the plant from coal to clean natural gas by 2010. There is fear that the gassification process could be used to burn construction and demolition debris, which can contain dangerous and unregulated chemicals. NRG says that won't happen without further approval from the Massachusetts Department of Environment Protection. Last month the DEP approved the plasma gassification process for coal and clean biomass. Environmental groups are appealing. The plant, formerly known as Montaup, is three miles northeast of the much larger Brayton Point Power Station. -- Journal staff writer C. Eugene Emery Jr. Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:13 PM | Comment Public defender, AG's office battle over 'gap kids'PROVIDENCE -- The chief public defender is accusing the attorney general’s office of displaying stunning “audacity” by trying to proceed with felony cases against 17-year-old “gap kids.” even as prosecutors appeal a ruling that dismisses those cases. The attorney general's office, which is appealing a ruling that dismisses those cases, accuses the chief public defender of being “disingenuous,” it is not trying to bring any of those cases to a conclusion but is, rather, “exercising its statutory right to appeal while maintaining the status quo.” The sharply worded debate came before Superior Court Presiding Justice Joseph F. Rodgers Jr. this morning. Judge Rodgers said he plans to issue a decision within 48 hours. In July, the General Assembly adopted Governor Carcieri’s budget proposal to save money by treating 17-year-olds as adults in criminal matters. But the savings turned out to be questionable, at best, and in November the legislature repealed the law without making the repeal retroactive. That created a group of about 500 “gap kids” charged as adults between July 1 and Nov. 8. Last week, Superior Court Judge Daniel A. Procaccini dismissed felony charges filed against 115 of those teens, saying they should have had Family Court hearings to determine if probable cause existed to charge them with crimes in Superior Court. But Procaccini agreed to put his ruling on hold for 20 days so the attorney general’s office could appeal to the state Supreme Court, and he rejected the public defender’s request to lift that stay. -- Journal staff writer Edward Fitzpatrick In a legal brief, chief public defender John J. Hardiman said state prosecutors had made a motion that would allow them to proceed with prosecuting those 17-year-olds despite Procaccini’s ruling. “The audacity of the attorney general’s request is astonishing: because he does not agree with the trial court’s dismissal of these actions, he requests leave to simply ignore it by proceeding on an accelerated path to disposition as if this court had never issued its decision at all,” Hardiman wrote. “He wants to totally undercut this court’s dismissal by moving ahead with proceedings 100 percent inconsistent with dismissal and by so doing deprive these defendants of precisely the relief that this court held is due them.” Hardiman cited a 1977 case in which the Supreme Court of Louisiana rejected an attempt by prosecutors to get around a ruling that rejected a change of venue for a highly publicized case, and he accused Attorney General Patrick C. Lynch of “trying to play the same game” to get around the decision to dismiss the cases. “The suggestion that proceeding with the prosecution is somehow a reasonable next step is preposterous,” Hardiman wrote. “Besides, it is inequitable. The defendants sought relief in this court and they won that relief. If the attorney general is allowed nonetheless to proceed with these prosecutions -- as if dismissal had never been granted -- that relief will surely be a hollow victory.” In a legal brief, Special Assistant Attorney General Christian F. Capizzo said, “It must be noted at the outset that the public defender’s blatant misstatement of the facts and court proceedings regarding the above cases is disingenuous.” The attorney general’s office never made a motion to proceed with prosecution of those cases, Capizzo said. Rather, the public defender requested a stay of all proceedings in those cases, and prosecutors “merely objected,” he said. “At no time has the state moved to put the above cases on a so-called ‘accelerated path to disposition’ as the public defender wants this court to believe,” Capizzo wrote. “At no time has the state proposed to move these cases to final adjudication in order to circumvent the court’s decision. In actuality, the state is merely looking to maintain the status quo under the law as it currently exists.” Prosecutors do want to continue with arraignments, bail violations and status conferences involving these 17-year-olds, attorney general’s spokesman Michael J. Healey said. But, he said, “We are not talking about substantive pretrial conferences at which both sides ordinarily could be expected to talk about possible disposition. And we are not talking about disposition.” Capizzo said, “The state is exercising its statutory right to appeal while maintaining the status quo and following the law as proscribed in the state of Rhode Island. One does not have to turn to distant states and long-ago decisions, as the public defender has resorted to, in order to determine how the law in Rhode Island applies to these cases.” Also, Capizzo questioned whether the stay sought by the public defender would result in the release of “dangerous individuals” now being held without bail, or whether the state would be precluded from prosecuting them if they committed new offenses or violated bail conditions. In his brief, Hardiman said, “There is a simple solution to the attorney general’s apparent need to rush to judgment: Let him proceed in the Family Court.” But Capizzo said it has not been determined whether Family Court would have jurisdiction. Posted by Mike McKinney at 3:51 PM | Comment Update: N. Providence officer convicted of most counts
Ciresi
PROVIDENCE -- A suspended North Providence police sergeant has been convicted of nine of 10 charges against him, including two counts of burglary, following a Superior Court trial. Judge Robert D. Krause ordered Sgt. Michael Ciresi held on $1 million bail surety, meaning $100,000 cash or the full amount in property, and he was taken from the courtroom in handcuffs. A sentencing date has not been set. Along with the two counts of burglary, Ciresi was convicted of two counts of conspiracy to commit burglary, use of a firearm in the commission of a crime of violence, receiving a stolen generator (a misdemeanor), attempted larceny from a stolen ATM, harboring a criminal and obstruction of a police officer. He was found not guilty of receiving a stolen gold and diamond bracelet (a felony). The jury began deliberations on Thursday after hearing 10 days of testimony from convicts, crime victims, informants and members of the North Providence and Pawtucket police departments and state police.
Lawyers argued whether Ciresi was an officer who has been falsely accused or one who enlisted drug-dealing informants to commit crimes for his financial gain. On Friday afternoon, the jurors asked the judge to see transcripts of testimony of two witnesses -- informant Pine, who was caught burglarizing the home in which he used a gun belonging to Ciresi, and retired North Providence police Capt. Christopher Cardarelli, who was Ciresi’s superior at the time and is currently a North Providence firefighter. -- Journal staff writer Richard Dujardin and Journal archival reports Posted by Mike McKinney at 2:55 PM | Comment Barrington police post reward for clues to car break-insBARRINGTON -- Frustrated by dozens of unsolved overnight breaks into cars parked in driveways near Rumstick Road, police today posted a $500 reward for information that leads to an arrest in the case. The breaks date back to the summer. Police Chief John LaCross said there have been more than three dozen since July. Three happened early Sunday morning. In most cases, the robbery follows a pattern. Between 1 and 4 a.m. someone walks up the driveway and peers inside the passenger compartment of a vehicle looking for a handbag, backpack or some other object that might contain money. If the doors are locked, the robber breaks a window to get inside, often moving so quietly that even dogs don't react. But in many cases, the vehicles have been left unlocked, even after police have repeatedly warned Barrington residents to lock their cars and remove valuable items. The robber then swipes the object, dumps the contents on a nearby lawn, only takes cash, and leaves the rest to be found by residents the next morning. The department's anonymous tip line is 437-3933. -- Journal staff writer C. Eugene Emery Jr. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 2:46 PM | Comment Oster trial: At Stuffies, real-estate talk and $5,000PROVIDENCE -- The jury in ex-Lincoln Town Administrator Jonathan F. Oster's trial today heard a recorded meeting at a North Providence restaurant where a businessman, working with authorities, handed an envelope containing $5,000 in state police-supplied cash to Robert R. Picerno, who with Oster allegedly attemped a bribery scheme. Robert Gelfuso, who was working on a Lincoln playground project on contract, got the money and a recording device from the state police in the parking lot of a liquor store on Dec, 19, 2001, then drove about a half-mile to Stuffies, a then-restaurant in North Providence. On the tape, Picerno, who since pleaded no contest in 2004 to bribery and conspiracy charges, and Gelfuso commiserate at the restaurant about the real estate business in general and in Lincoln. At conversation's end, Gelfuso passed the envelope bearing the $5,000, the first installment of a $25,000 bribe the state says Picerno and Oster conspired to extract from Gelfuso in exchange for selling the town-controlled H&H Screw Co. property to Gelfuso and his business partner, David Wayne Daniel, for $105,000. Oster faces two counts of bribery and two counts of conspiracy involving alleged bribes he and Picerno are said to have sought from potential buyers of the H&H Screw Co. land, as it's known, which is about six acres on Route 116 in Lincoln. Oster does not face charges with regards to the handling of the contract to renovate Fairlawn Playground, but Judge Gilbert V. Indeglia ruled the state could use it to try to demonstrate a behaviorial pattern by Picerno and Oster. Read about Friday's testimony in the case. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Journal staff writer John Hill Posted by Mike McKinney at 1:34 PM | Comment Kennedy announces $6.9 million for VA hospitalU.S. Rep. Patrick Kennedy visited the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Providence this morning and announced that $6.9 million in federal money had been approved for a new addition and operating room there. The money is part of an appropriations bill signed into law in December. It will be used to replace three operating suites now on the top floor of the 60-year-old building, said medical center spokesman James W. Burrows. The operating rooms will be housed in a new two-floor addition to the front of the building, explained Burrows, with the operating areas on the second floor and new administration offices on the first floor. Burrows said construction will hopefully begin in September and be completed within a year. Said Kennedy: ``These projects are an important part of our plan to ensure the long-term future of the Providence VA as a national leader in serving America’s veterans.’’ -- Journal staff writer Tom Mooney Posted by Mike McKinney at 1:12 PM | Comment Judge to rule tomorrow on smoke-shop case dismissalPROVIDENCE — Superior Court Judge Susan E. McGuirl will rule tomorrow on whether to dismiss the cases against the seven Narragansett Indians charged in the 2003 state police raid on a tribal smoke shop. In hearing arguments this morning, McGuirl barraged Special Assistant Attorney General Pamela Chin with questions about why the state was late in turning over evidence to defense lawyers and in some case did not turn over information until being subpoenaed by the court. Defense lawyers have asked that the cases be dismissed because they say the state has been “grossly negligent” in complying with pre-trial discovery rules that require the state to turn over any evidence that could be used to exonerate a defendant. “I would submit it’s almost a cavalier attitude in the state’s response to discovery,” said William P. Devereaux, who represents six of the seven tribal members. He asked that if the court does not dismiss the cases, that it make the state pay court costs or impose not guilty filings for each of the defendants. Chin defended her actions, explaining she had asked state police to disclose relevant material and that she too was not aware of some of the hundreds of pages of documents turned over by state police in the past several weeks until they were subpoenaed. “In this case, it wasn’t an intentional nondisclosure,” Chin said.
Still, McGuirl, a former prosecutor herself, had strong words for the prosecution team. “There are things a prosecutor has to do,” McGuirl said. “You have a duty to do more than prosecute a case. You have a duty to do justice.” State police executed a search warrant the recently-opened smoke shop on tribal land in Charlestown, at the governor’s order, on July 14, 2003, to stop the tribe from selling tax-free cigarettes. The raid disintegrated into a scuffling match. Seven tribal members, including Chief Sachem Matthew Thomas, are awaiting trial for misdemeanor charges related to the raid. The trial is set to start Feb. 25, if it proceeds. Extra: Look back at the raid, including videos and photos, and its aftermath. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 1:11 PM | Comment Langevin announces national health-care planCRANSTON -- U.S Rep. Jim Langevin this morning announced legislation to provide health coverage for all Americans through a system modeled after the program that provides health benefits to federal employees. Declaring his plan the first bipartisan health-care proposal in the U.S. House of Representatives, Langevin was joined by his co-sponsor, Rep. Christopher Shays, a Connecticut Republican, at the Comprehensive Community Action Program in Cranston. Langevin’s and Shays’ plan calls for creating a new federal agency that will negotiate with private health insurers to provide a range of health-insurance options, just as the federal Office of Personnel Management now negotiates for the plans in the Federal Employee Benefits Program. Any individual will be eligible to participate. Significantly, individuals will be required to buy health insurance if they don’t already have coverage through federal programs or an employer-sponsored health plan that meets certain standards. Employers will have a choice of continuing to offer health coverage for their employees or paying into the federal system, to be called the American Health Benefit Program. With money from a payroll tax, the government will pay 72 percent of the premiums, and individuals will pay the rest – with subsidies available for the poor. Langevin said his proposal is “based on a tried and true program…that has withstood the test of time.” Because of the federal government’s negotiating powers, the premiums in the federal employees’ plan went up an average of only 1.8 percent this year, he said. “The reality is,” Langevin said of health-care reform, “we can’t wait another day. … I truly believe the time has come.” -- Journal staff writer Felice Freyer Posted by Jack Perry at 1:08 PM | Comment Bradford Soap union approves contract
WEST WARWICK -- Employees at Bradford Soap Works, who are represented by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Local 251, have accepted a new five-year contract, according to the company. The current contract was due to expire in 15 months. Employees approved the new agreement yesterday. The deal is a positive development for a company that has previously threatened to leave the state. In 2004, Bradford Soap announced plans to close its West Warwick plant and move 250 jobs to facilities in Indiana and Ohio, citing high labor costs. But Governor Carcieri and the state Economic Development Corporation intervened, brokering a new contract agreement between the company and its employees. Bradford Chairman John Howland celebrated the contract vote. "A win for Bradford is a win for Bradford employees and a win for the state of Rhode Island," he said in a statement. "The actions and decisions made in 2004, however necessary, ushered in a long period of Posted by Benjamin N. Gedan at 1:02 PM | Comment Verrecchia stepping down as Hasbro CEOAlfred J. Verrecchia said this morning he will step down in May from his post as chief executive officer of Hasbro Inc., the Pawtucket-based toymaker. Verrecchia will become Hasbro's chairman and be succeeded by Brian Goldner, Hasbro's chief operating officer. Alan G. Hassenfeld, currently Hasbro's non-executive chairman, will remain on the company's board of directors, as head of its executive committee. Verrecchia, who turns 65 next week, has been with Hasbro for more than 40 years, one year less than G.I. Joe, the iconic action figure that became the company's first big hit. Verrecchia told The Journal his approach always has been that "as long as I'm having a lot of fun and things are going well [then] I'm going to keep going at it. [But] I think the time is right." Verrecchia became chief executive officer in 2003, when Hassenfeld, a member of the company's founding family, relinquished the role. Verrecchia assumed the day-to-day responsibilities of running the nation's number-two toymaker and helped guide it through a turnaround centered on reinvigorating its classic toys and games and adapt the company's lineup to the increasing influence of electronics. A highlight came last year as the company generated more than a $1 billion in revenue from a movie and new toys based on its Transformers line. Verrecchia announced the change during a quarterly video conference he holds with employees, he said. "The moving standing ovation that the employees gave him says it all," said Wayne S. Charness, Hasbro's senior vice president for corporate communications. "He is respected and admired for being the great leader that he is." Goldner, 43, was promoted to chief operating officer in 2006 as part of the succession plan that saw Hassenfeld become non-executive chairman. -- Paul Grimaldi Posted by Jack Perry at 12:58 PM | Comment 140 acres of Jamestown farmland preserved for $9.3M
Purchasing the development rights to the two farms cost $9.3 million. The 140 acres saved out of the two farms are part of nearly 1,000 acres in the middle of the island that have been preserved during the last 20 years. The expanse, seen by every tourist enroute to Newport, also includes the Watkins Farm and the town-owned golf course. “These farms go back hundreds of years, so we are recognizing good things here,” U.S. Sen. Jack Reed said to the shivering crowd. The Rhode Island Democrat also praised the Rhody Fresh cooperative that markets locally produced milk and helps support local farmers. The town contributed $2.1-million -- $500,000 in town coffers and a $1.6-million bond issue that will be paid back over 20 years. The other sources of money include $3.5 million from the federal Farm and Ranchlands Protection Program, $800,000 from the Rhode Island Agricultural Land Preservation Commission, $750,000 from the Champlin Foundation and $2.1 million from the Conanicut Island Land Trust, according to figures from the town. Read the deeds and management plans online on the Jamestown Web site. -- Journal environment writer Peter B. Lord Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 12:12 PM | Comment Brown poll finds Clinton leads Obama, McCain in R.I.Sen. Hillary Clinton holds an 8-point lead over Sen. Barack Obama among likely Rhode Island Democratic presidential primary voters, a Brown University poll released this morning found, as the state gears up for what looks like an increasingly vital March 4 primary. Those results were based on a survey of 474 voters who indicated they were "very likely to participate" in the Democratic primary. It has a margin of error of about plus or minus five percentage points. If the primary were today, 36 percent of the voters said they would likely vote for Clinton compared to 28 percent for Obama. Twenty-seven percent said they would vote the "uncommitted" line on the ballot, while 9 percent said they were undecided. That puts Obama up from where a September poll had him. At that time, 35 percent of likely voters indicated support for Clinton and 16 percent for Obama. John Edwards, Joseph Biden, Bill Richardson, Christopher Dodd, and Dennis Kucinick were still in the Democratic primary race at that time, and each received single-digit support in that poll; they are not in the new poll. The overall poll was based on 739 registered voters in Rhode Island and had a margin of error of about plus or minus 4 percentage points. It was conducted done Feb. 9-10 by Darrell M. West, director of Brown University's Taubman Center for Public Policy and the John Hazen White Sr. Public Opinion Laboratory. If the presidential election were today, the poll found that voters would support Clinton over Republican John McCain by 43 percent to 32 percent -- a decrease from the 55 percent to 26 percent margin in the September poll for that matchup. Were it Obama vs. McCain, the new poll found 42 percent supporting the Democrat and 30 percent for McCain. Meanwhile, President Bush's approval rating sank still lower in Rhode Island, with 14 percent saying they believe he's doing a good job compared 16 percent in the September poll. Extra: Read the press release on the poll's findings.
Posted by Mike McKinney at 12:03 PM | Comment Wind advisory in effect until 3 p.m.So is this the worst wind we’ve had in years, or what? The short answer is no. Still, it's uncomfortable. As of 11 a.m., the temperature in Providence had reached 18 degrees, but wind from the northwest gusting to 31 mph. made it feel like three degrees, according to the National Weather Service. “It’s February 11, in New England. It’s winter … so this isn’t that unusual,” said Alan Dunham, at the National Weather Service in Taunton, Mass. It may be a little unexpected, though, after the mild temperatures we were having up through yesterday morning. “It got up yesterday morning, in some spots, into the 40s,” Dunham said. “So for an arctic front to come through, it’s sort of a shock to the system. But,” he reiterated, “it’s not that unusual.” And it’s not expected to last. A wind advisory for gusts up to 50 mph. remains in effect until 3 p.m. Winds are expected to calm down this afternoon as high pressure builds in the region. The temperature tonight should drop to 12 degrees before the temperature climbs to 31 degrees with a chance of snow tomorrow and the low 40s with rain Wednesday. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 11:10 AM | Comment Stock in A.H. Belo starts tradingA.H. Belo Corp., the newspaper company spun off from Dallas-based Belo Corp., began trading this morning under the ticker symbol AHC on the New York Stock Exchange. A..H. Belo Corp., based in Dallas, owns The Dallas Morning News, The Providence Journal, The Press-Enterprise in Riverside, Calif., and the Denton (Texas) Record-Chronicle, plus the newspapers’ Web sites. The company also owns certain niche products and direct mail and commercial printing businesses. Belo Corp. completed the spin off last week by distributing one share of A.H. Belo for every five shares of Belo Corp. that shareholders owned on Jan. 25. For example, an owner of 100 shares of Belo Corp. received 20 shares of A.H. Belo. Belo Corp. continues to trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol BLC. Shares in Belo Corp. opened this morning at 9:30 at $13.45. Belo Corp. owns 20 television stations. -- John Kostrzewa Posted by Jack Perry at 10:49 AM | Comment Cicilline prepares for State of the City addressWhat's the state of the city? Mayor David N. Cicilline is preparing to give his take on that question tomorrow at his annual State of the City address. Cicilline says he'll outline a plan for "protecting Providence's momentum in the wake of a state budget crisis," and what he has said could potentially become a local budget crisis. The speech is set for 7 p.m. at the Rhode Island Convention Center, on the 5th floor in the rotunda. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 10:25 AM | Comment Gas prices fall below $3 per gallonGasoline prices in Rhode Island dropped another five cents to fall below $3.00 per gallon for the first time since early November, according to AAA Southern New England. The average price for a gallon of regular, unleaded gasoline is $2.989 per gallon at the self-service pump, according to AAA's weekly survey. The average price has dropped for the past five weeks, but Rhode Islanders are still paying 81 cents more per gallon thean they were at this time last year. Rhode Islanders are also paying about three cents more than the national average of $2.959. Posted by Jack Perry at 10:14 AM | Comment Alleged bank robber in court todayA 56-year-old man is scheduled for arraignment today for allegedly being half of a bank robbing duo. The police say Dennis Evans charged into a Cranston branch of Rhode Island Bank last July with Christopher Thibodeau. The robbers wielded a handgun and a blunt object, jumped the counter, according to Cranston police, and made off with "a substantial amount of money." Evans and Thibodeau were arrested when officers from Cranston, Johnston, Coventry and the Rhode Island State Police surrounded a wooded area where the robbers were seen to have fled. Evans faces several charges; first-degree robbery, conspiracy and larceny of an automobile over $500 in U.S. District Court, Providence. Thibodeau faces felony charges of first-degree robbery, conspiracy and driving a vehicle without consent of the owner. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 9:53 AM | Comment Hasbro boosts profits, revenuesSales of Transformer action figures and purchases by consumers in foreign countries helped boost Hasbro's fourth quarter profits by 24 percent. Net income rose to $133.7 million, or 84 cents a share, from $108.3 million, or 62 cents a share, in the year earlier period. Sales increased 16 percent to $1.3 billion, the Pawtucket-based toymaker said. International sales climbed 29 percent to $489.2 million in the quarter. North American revenue rose 7.6 percent to $766.8 million. Shares of Hasbro (HAS:NYSE) closed Friday at $25.87 and are up 1.1 percent in 2008. -- John Kostrzewa Posted by Jack Perry at 8:33 AM | Comment Photo: Fighting the cold
Posted by Jack Perry at 8:18 AM | Comment Langevin, Conn. Rep. to announce health care planA Rhode Island Democrat and a Connecticut Republican are set to announce a universal health care plan today in Cranston. U.S. Rep. James Langevin, of Rhode Island, and U.S. Rep. Christopher Shays, of Connecticut, are announcing the plan today. Langevin will speak at at the Comprehensive Community Action Program Family Health Center in Cranston. Shay will make an announcement later at a Connecticut hospital. The congressmen say three principals – choice, shared responsibility, and affordability – are required for a successful health program. The American Health Benefits Program, Langevin and Shays say, is modeled after the federal Employees Health Benefits Program. “My vision is that all Americans will one day have access to the same level of care as members of Congress,” Langevin said in a statement. The announcement is set for 10 a.m. at the Health Center, 1090 Cranston St. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 7:02 AM | Comment Freezing would be nice -- it's cold out thereAnd all of a sudden, it's winter again. Not a pretty winter-wonderland kind of winter, either. It's freezing; actually, below freezing, with the National Weather Service forecasting a high temperature of 27 degrees. That would be cold enough, but with the wind chill factored in, it will feel closer to -4 degrees. And the wind is no joke today, it's coming from the west between 18 and 22 mph, and gusting as high as 43 mph. Needless to say, tonight will be pretty rough, with temperatures dropping to 15 degrees and wind gusts as high as 31 mph. Tomorrow looks like more of the same with the addition of clouds and possible snow in the late afternoon. Temperatures should reach the high 20s, and we'll have milder, south winds. For weather updates throughout the day, visit projo.com's weather page. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 7:01 AM | Comment Today's front pageToday's front page features a story about a United Way-sponsored hotline that helps people in need, fielding 100,000 calls in its first seven months. Download a copy of today's front page in .pdf format. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:00 AM | Comment February 8, 2008Tonight: Ballet by the masters in Providence“Masters of Motion: Three Great Ballets by Three Masters” will be performed tonight at 7:30 p.m. by Festival Ballet at Veterans Memorial Auditorium, 1 Avenue of the Arts, Providence. It includes Viktor Plotnikov’s "Coma," Agnes De Mille’s "Rodeo," and Antony Tudor’s "The Leaves Are Fading." Tickets are $17 to $62. For more information, call the VMA box office at (401) 272-4862 or go to www.festivalballet.com. Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:45 PM | Comment Bridge's weight limit lowered in BurrillvillePROVIDENCE -- The state Department of Transportation has lowered the weight limit on the Shippee Bridge in Burrillville. The DOT announced today that it had reduced the weight from five tons to three tons after finding that certain parts of the bridge were deteriorating. DOT Director Jerome Williams says the new weight limit will be in effect while the bridge is repaired. In addition, traffic on the bridge will be reduced to one-way for northbound and southbound traffic. Cars coming from opposite directions will have to wait their turn before they can cross. The bridge carries Route 98 over the Nipmuc River. -- The Associated Press Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:42 PM | Comment Last rides on horizon for Providence-Newport ferryPROVIDENCE -- The state’s popular high-speed ferry from Providence to Newport, a breezy way to see Narragansett Bay from one end to the other, will end this fall, Rhode Island Public Transit Authority officials say. The cause is the expiration of the last of a series of federal grants that the authority has used, sometimes imaginatively, to keep the seasonal service going. The ferry service will resume May 16 after a winter break and make its last trips on Oct. 16, the authority said. Since 2000, the ferry has offered a pleasant trip and a great view of the Bay in place of spending time on the highway and finding parking in Newport. The ferry, the Ocean State, is a 68-foot catamaran that cruises at 30 knots, carries up to 146 passengers and leaves a kid-satisfying white wake. On a good day, people hustle to get a seat on its open upper deck.
The ferry service had a literally bumpy start. It initially docked at Point Street, inside the Fox Point Hurricane Barrier. That forced its skipper to make a dicey passage through one of the barrier’s openings, a space so narrow that the ferry hit the barrier. In 2006, it moved to its present berth, Conley’s Wharf, off Allens Avenue near the head of Providence Harbor. The move got passengers better parking, cut the trip to Newport by 10 minutes, to about an hour, and avoids the hurricane barrier. In Newport Harbor, the ferry docks at Perrotti Park, on America’s Cup Avenue. “We’ve been very pleased to see the positive reception" the ferry got from residents and tourists, RIPTA General Manager Alfred J. Moscola said. Ridership hit 47,002 last year, its highest, he said. The ferry has, however, never been self-supporting. The adult fare this season will be $8 one-way, and $16 for a round trip. Meanwhile, the federal government is paying $575,000 per year, Moscola said, for a total of $5,175,000. The operating loss in 2007 was $107,000, according to preliminary RIPTA figures. With the whole state budget under pressure and RIPTA’s buses full to the point that some passengers are being left behind, the state government isn’t likely to pick up the cost of running the ferry. But even as it announced the ferry’s end, RIPTA hasn’t entirely given up on it. Henry Kinch, RIPTA’s deputy general manager, said he expects that a legislation will be filed in the current General Assembly session to cause the state to assume the ferry’s cost, which he estimated at $450,000 per year. "I hope that people see the value in it," and see the ferry as part of a range of transportation options that RIPTA should offer, he said. Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:33 PM | Comment Five-and-half towns into one? Welcome to 'Westconnaug'It would give birth to the biggest town in the littlest state. A Coventry lawmaker wants Exeter, West Greenwich, Foster, Scituate, Glocester and western Coventry to become one -- a land called "Westconnaug." That would be pronounced West-ka-nog, according to state Rep. Nicholas Gorham, R-Coventry, who says he is prepared to introduce an act "to dramatically bring the towns of western Rhode Island into the 21st Century." Gorham said in an interview that he is serious about introducing the legislation and said the bill in draft form -- the form in which bills appear on the General Assembly's Web site -- could be drafted by Tuesday and available mid-week. If the voters of the proposed new town voted in favor of the act at the 2008 general election, "Westconnaug would come into existence on July 1, 2009." The towns of western Rhode Island were created, Gorham says, "in a time when travel was by horse and limited areas could be served by town government. Those days are past. There are tremendous advantages to consolidation of services -- not just in money saved by the elimination of duplicate departments, but in professional and efficient government." Gorham would give Westconnaug a seven-member town council with an appointed town administrator and a five-member school committee appointed by the council. There would be a single superintendent instead of six now, and there'd be one administrative staff. "There would be one Police Department with one Chief of Police. There would be one Public Works Department with one Director of Public Works," he says in his press release. "Westconnaug’s office and town hall functions would be combined into a single town hall with a single Town Clerk." Gorham says the proposal does not affect current fire and rescue services -- separate volunteer companies and fire districts would remain. "This is an act whose time has come," he says. A little more than a week ago, Gorham -- known to speak out colorfully on the House floor during legislative debates -- was escorted from Coventry Town Hall by two police officers at a meeting of the Town Council, School Committee and legislative delegation that turned into a shouting match. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with Journal archival reports Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:54 PM | Comment Dismissal of suit against R.I. Catholic officials upheldPROVIDENCE -- While saying it has empathy for her, the state Supreme Court has upheld a judge's dismissal of a Burrillville woman's lawsuit that she brought against Catholic church officials after being raped by a priest who was later convicted of the crime. In October 1978, Mary Ryan became sexually involved with Monsignor Louis W. Dunn in what would become a four-year relationship, the high court opinion made public today says. Dunn was later convicted of first-degree sexual assault and given a suspended sentence. He died in 2001. Dunn was among several priests in the state who "engaged in inappropriate and lamentable sexual abuse" of certain people, the high court said -- 38 civil actions resulted, including Ryan's, against 12 religious figures accused of being perpetrator and non-perpetrator defendants. In summer 2002, all the cases except for Ryan's were settled for $13.5 million. Ryan and her husband had chosen not to be part of the settlement and to pursue a separate case against defendants, the high court says. It was the last remaining such suit against the church officials. A Superior Court judge issued a decision that, based on a three-year statute of limitations, the latest the Ryans could have begun their suit was on June 7, 1985. Their suit had been filed more than 10 years after the limit. The judge also concluded that some legal theories -- known as tolling theories -- were not valid in moving forward with the suit in court. On Sept. 3, 2003, the case was dismissed. The Ryans filed a motion to reconsider, which was denied, and then they appealed to the high court.
Defendants named in case were the Most Rev. Louis E. Gelineau, Most Rev. Daniel P. Reilly, Most Rev. Kenneth A. Angell, the Roman Catholic Bishop of Providence (a corporation sole), and St. Thomas Church of Manton. Ryan offered testimony that she was induced to perform the acts in part because of love for Dunn and also because of her belief that "each and every act was an act of God." And she testified she held a conviction that, as a priest, Dunn possessed God's power and should be feared and obeyed. Their relationship stopped on June 7, 1982, when Dunn "forcibly had intercourse with Ms. Ryan against her will," the opinion says. Ryan did not reveal the assault or their relationship until 1986, when she told a friend in general terms that she'd had a sexual relationship. The court concludes by saying it has "genuine empathy" for Ryan. "She was the victim of heinous criminal conduct commited by one who showed himself to be unworthy of the honorific title that he once bore, " the opinion says. But it adds that Ryan was called upon to make decisions at times during the process and so was Superior Court judge. The American judicial system "is admirable" as its exists, the court says, but "nevertheless, our judicial system is not a panacea that can satisfy everyone who has recourse to it. Some wrongs and injuries do not lend themselves to full redressment by the judicial system." Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:44 PM | Comment Smoke-shop judge says no to police computer checkPROVIDENCE -- A judge this afternoon decided not to order a computer expert to analyze the State Police computer system for potentially deleted e-mails, denying a motion from lawyers for seven Narragansett Indians charged in the 2003 state police raid on a tribal smoke shop. The defense motion sought to have a computer expert do what's called a forensic analysis on the system to see if e-mails could be retrieved. After hearing testimony this week, Judge Susan E. McGuirl said in Providence County Superior Court that the security concerns, the cost and the improbability that documents would be reocovered outweighed potential benefits to the defense. The judge did offer critical words in court yesterday about the state's efforts to provide evidence in the case. Defense lawyers subpoenaed State Police last month to produce all documents pertaining to the raid after they said they became suspicious about the absence of reports from high-ranking officers at the scene. A court order also had officers inspect computer and paper files. The state has provided hundreds of pages of e-mails, witness statements, a civilian complaint, and a defendant's recorded comments. Some of that came in after what would have been the start date of the trial of seven Narragansett Indians on misdemeanor charges stemming from the raid.
Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:22 PM | Comment DiFazio misdemeanor filed for one yearSOUTH KINGSTOWN -- A misdemeanor fraud case against Dominic DiFazio, a member of the Westerly School Committee and a private contractor, was filed for a year today on the condition that he stay out of trouble and pay $100 to the victims-of-crime fund. Judge William C. Clifton met with the lawyers and agreed that because DiFazio had no record, had paid restitution and the victim had agreed not to prosecute, he would accept a not guilty plea and file the case for a year. DiFazio gave the owner of A-1 Rolloff Disposal in Warwick a payment of $779 in December, but the check bounced. DiFazio made good on the check about a month later. Defense lawyer Michael P. Lynch said that under ordinary circumstances, the case should have been “dismissed out of hand.” After conferring with the judge, he said, he and the special prosecutor reached a resolution, but the town wanted to proceed.
Posted by Mike McKinney at 3:21 PM | Comment Oster trial: Defense tries to establish another theoryPROVIDENCE -- In an effort to establish an alternative theory for the case, the lawyer for accused ex-Lincoln Town Administrator Jonathan F. Oster today repeatedly pointed out that it was another official who caused a contractor the most problems at a playground project site in Lincoln. Questioning by Oster lawyer C. Leonard O'Brien today in part focused on Stephen Balestra, whose office oversaw federal money for the project and who was designated the town contact point for the Fairlawn playground project in the contract. He has been described as a friend of Robert R. Picerno, the former town planning board member who pleaded no contest in 2004 to bribery and conspiracy. The state argues in its case against Oster, who was town administrator from 2000 to 2002 and is on trial for bribery and conspiracy charges, that Picerno, a former Oster political ally, would shake down potential buyers of a piece of town-controlled land on Route 116 -- known as the H&H Screw Co. property -- and Oster would arrange the sale. A videotape of Picerno was part of yesterday's testimony in Providence County Superior Court. O'Brien today asked West Warwick contractor David Wayne Daniel to describe his meetings with Oster on the playground project, which was on a different piece of land in town. Under questioning, Daniel said Oster was cordial and seemed to listen to him. O'Brien focused on a July 20, 2001, meeting -- the last of several Oster had with Daniel in his office -- at which Daniel had arrived early and was able to discuss the project privately with Oster without Balestra present. O'Brien also questioned Daniels about the state police procedures in starting the investigation of the town-controlled land known as the H&H Screw Co. property, a parcel at the heart of the case. Daniel testified that his partner Robert Gelfuso had volunteered to wear a wire and record his dealings with Picerno. Daniel said he himself did not want to do that. O'Brien also questioned Daniel how, when the state police were preparing Daniel for his Feb. 14 meeting with Picerno, they encouraged him to mention Oster's name and to try to get Picerno to say that the money he was being paid was going to the town administrator. But Daniel was not able to do that. Read more about testimony regarding the playground project's role in the case. Posted by Mike McKinney at 3:16 PM | Comment Local zoo concerned about fate of polar bears in wild
But the animals are due back in Rhode Island in about two years, according to Laura Dunn, spokeswoman for the zoo. “They’re probably our most popular exhibit,” she said. “A polar bear is right in our logo. We’re definitely all about polar bears.” Across the world, however, wildlife conservationists are concerned that soon they won’t be seeing many polar bears anywhere. The World Wildlife Federation and other groups are stepping up their campaigns to have the animals listed as “threatened” under the Endangered Species Act after the sale of nearly 30 million acres of offshore Alaska; much of the Chukchi Sea and part of the bears’ habitat. The Minerals Management Service, a division of the Department of the Interior, said in a statement that it is conducting more than 40 Arctic-specific ecological studies to monitor the effects of industry activity. The industry in question being oil. On its Web site the MMS says that the area is “one of the last frontier areas in North America with potential as a significant source for oil and gas.” If the polar bear makes it to the endangered species list, some of the waters contained in the sale might be designated as critical habitat and other protective measure could be put in place. On the MMS Web site, a statement says that if the bear is listed, the service will consult with the Fish and Wildlife service. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson
“Many zoos are already treating polar bears as threatened animals,” she said, managing them under the Species Survival Program. The program aims to maintain a healthy, genetically diverse population of animals, as well as educate the public about threats to the species. One thing the program is not working on, at the moment, is reintroducing the animals into the wild. “The problem is, they don’t have anywhere to go in the first place,” Dunn said. Their survival is closely tied to sea ice. Hopefully there will come a day when things will change,” she added, “and you can have reintroduction areas that are safe and not melting.” Extra: see video of the bears in their natural habitat. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 2:50 PM | Comment Rescued seal has a date with freedom on TuesdayA harp seal rescued on Jan. 16 from Napatree Point in Westerly's Watch Hill section is slated to be released on Tuesday at 11:30 a.m., Mystic Aquarium and Institute for Exploration said today. The seal will be released at Blue Shutters beach in Charlestown. Posted by Mike McKinney at 2:33 PM | Comment Photo: Weathering some twists and turns
Posted by Andrea Panciera at 1:26 PM | Comment Coventry man indicted on child molestation chargesA Coventry man has been indicted on several counts of child molestation. Thomas Phillips, 44, of 80 Read Schoolhouse Road ia accused of committing two first-degree child molestation crimes and two second-degree molestation crimes in Coventry on someone 14 or younger between May 1 and Aug. 31, 2002, Attorney General Patrick C. Lynch's office said today. Phillips is also accused in the indictment of commiting one second-degree child molestation crime in Coventry on someone 14 or younger in December 2002. The statewide grand jury handed up a secret indictment on Wednesday naming Phillips. Lynch's office screened the case and presented it to the grand jury, which resulted in the secret indictment -- meaning neither an arrest nor a District Court complaint generated it. Coventry Police arrested Phillips, who was brought to Kent County Superior Court yesterday when the indictment was unsealed. He was arraigned before Judge William E. Carnes Jr., who ordered Phillips held without bail at the Adult Correctional Institutions in Cranston. A bail hearing is slated for Feb. 18 at 2 p.m. before Judge Carnes. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 1:14 PM | Comment Man gets three more prison years for assaulting guardPROVIDENCE -- A man with a history of criminal convictions got three more years in federal prison today for punching a guard repeatedly in the face and head in May 2006 at Wyatt Federal Detention Center in Central Falls. He was at Wyatt awaiting sentencing in a Massachusetts drug case. Kacey D. Jones, 27, received the sentence from U.S. District Court Judge William E. Smith, U.S. Attorney Robert Clark Corrente's office announced. Jones pleaded guilty in July to assaulting the guard. Prosecutor Zechariah Chafee said at the plea hearing the government could show that on May 11, 2006, while Jones and other inmates were waiting to be released to a Wywatt exercise yard, some inmates grew impatient, approached a guard at a desk and demanded to be let into the yard. When the guard told the inmates to move away from the desk, Jones began punching the guard repeatedly in the face and head, the U.S. Attorney's office said in a news release. The two men fell to the floor. Responding to the guard’s alarm, other guards came in and pulled Jones away. The assaulted guard was treated for several injuries at Miriam Hospital. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Chafee, in a sentencing memorandum filed in connection with the case, described Jones as having a lenghty history of criminal convictions and violence. He was sentenced to prison in 1998 for assaulting a Massachusetts corrections officer and, twice in 2005, Jones assaulted guards at the Hampden County House of Corrections in Massachusetts, the U.S. Attorney's office said. In December 2004, while being arrested for a drug allegation, Jones reached for a loaded handgun, according to the sentencing memorandum. The arrest led to a guilty plea to a federal drug-trafficking offense and Jones' detention at Wyatt, awaiting sentencing in Boston. A federal judge in Boston sentenced Jones in October to 10 years in prison. Smith today imposed a 134-month prison sentence to be served concurrently with the 98 months remaining on the 10-year drug sentence, meaning 36 more months in prison for the assault. Posted by Mike McKinney at 12:44 PM | Comment Oster trial: A playground project under scrutinyPROVIDENCE -- Testimony this morning in the bribery/conspiracy trial of ex-Lincoln Town Administrator Jonathan F. Oster resumed with the defense questioning contractor David Wayne Daniel, whose company had a playground contract with the town in 2001. Daniel had testified earlier under prosecution questioning that town officials had been pestering his crews, but that the scrutiny vanished after he agreed to buy $5,000 worth of political fund-raising tickets from then-town Planning Board member and accused Oster co-conspirator Robert R. Picerno. Defense lawyer C. Leonard O'Brien today used his questioning to lay out the assertion that the town scrutiny on the project was not harassment but, instead, a chief executive -- Oster -- legitimately concerned with getting a troubled project back on schedule. Oster, who served as town administrator from 2000 to 2002, is charged with two counts of bribery and two counts of conspiracy. The state alleges that as part of a conspiracy, Picerno, a former Oster political ally, would shake down potential buyers of a piece of town-controlled land on Route 116 -- known as the H&H Screw Co. property -- and Oster would arrange the sale. Picerno pleaded no contest in 2004 to bribery and conspiracy charges -- a videotape of Picerno took centerstage in yesterday's testimony in Providence County Superior Court. The playground project, on a different property in town, started with a delay because Daniel's company had not gotten the appropriate wetlands permit from state Department of Environmental Management. That was despite documents that specifically said the permit was the contractor's responsibility. Daniel also testified that Oster had been intensely interested in the reasons for the delays from the first time he met the town administrator. Oster had attended a fundraisier for state Sen. Stephen Alves, D-West Warwick, at Daniel's home in June 2001. Daniel testified he was taken aback at the event because the first words out of Oster's mouth were to complain about the delays with the Fairlawn Playground project. Part of the probelm with the permit was that Daniel had sent in the initial application, but the DEM returned it to the town, and no one from the town had told Daniel that. It was after Oster's encounter at the fundrasier that Daniel discovered the miscommunication. O'Brien pointed out in his questioning that Daniel would not have discovered that so soon had Oster not pressed him on the point. Before the morning break, O'Brien went through three weekly July meetings Oster had in his office with Daniel and the town employees who were monitoring the job. Daniel testified that Oster was polite to him at all those sessions, but that the town officials he was working with were not. "It was the other guys who were jumping all over you," O'Brien said, and Daniel agreed. Daniel also talked about confusion about where town officials wanted a foundation built. He said issues over the location caused him to lose a scheduled concrete subcontractor, which caused a further delay. He said that during the Oster meetings, Oster pressed for there to be a single line of communication between the town bureaucracy and Daniel. -- With reports from Journal staff writer John Hill Posted by Mike McKinney at 12:26 PM | Comment Still time - and local place - to mark Chinese new year
The Chinese new year may have started yesterday, but the 15-day celebration of the first new moon in the first month of the lunisolar calendar is still in full swing. So if you had to work during the week but want to welcome the Year of the Rat, there’s still plenty of time. The second day of the Chinese new year is traditionally a day for families to gather – particularly for husbands to get together with their wives’ families. And in Rhode Island, at least one celebration is scheduled for tomorrow at Bryant University’s Multi-purpose Activities Center (MAC). The festival, sponsored by several university groups, will include lion dancing, martial arts demonstrations, a fashion show, music and prizes. It’s free and open to the public, and for $5, you can get lunch. Extra: watch video of thousands in New York City celebrating with fireworks and dragon dances. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 12:22 PM | Comment Journal's McDonald named R.I. Sports Writer of the YearThe Providence Journal's Joe McDonald has been named Rhode Island Sports Writer of the Year for the second time by the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association. The announcement was made today by the NSSA, which names a sports writer and sportscaster of the year for each of the 50 states. Steve Hyder, play-by-play announcer for the Pawtucket Red Sox, was named Rhode Island Sportscaster of the Year. McDonald also won the award in 2004. Other Providence Journal winners currently on staff include Bill Reynolds, Sean McAdam and Carolyn Thornton. Jim Nantz of CBS Sports and Bob Ryan of The Boston Globe were the national winners. All the award winners will be honored at a dinner at association headquarters in Salisbury, N.C., on May 3-5. See a list of McDonald's most recent stories here. Posted by Art Martone at 11:44 AM | Comment Jury deliberating case of North Providence officerPROVIDENCE — A jury is continuing its deliberations this morning in the Superior Court trial of suspended North Providence police Sgt. Michael Ciresi. Ciresi is charged with two counts of burglary, two counts of conspiracy to commit burglary, use of a firearm in the commission of a crime of violence, receiving a stolen generator, receiving a stolen bracelet (a felony), attempted larceny from a stolen ATM, harboring and obstruction of a police officer. The jury started its deliberations yesterday after listening to lawyers argue whether Ciresi was a “good cop” who has been falsely accused or a “dirty cop” who enlisted his drug-dealing informants to commit crimes for his financial gain. Much of the closing arguments yesterday centered on charges linked to Ciresi’s alleged role in the burglary of a drug dealer’s apartment at 459 East Ave., Pawtucket, two days before Christmas 2004. Jurors ordered lunch this morning, so they could be at work a while longer. Read a full story on the trial and yesterday's testimony. -- With reports from Journal staff writer Richard Dujardin Posted by Jack Perry at 11:21 AM | Comment Today's front pageToday's front page features coverage of a hearing to allow 24-hour gambling at Newport Grand and Twin River. Download a copy of today's front page in .pdf format. Posted by Jack Perry at 11:19 AM | Comment Salve Regina president to step down next yearThe president of Salve Regina University in Newport will be stepping down when her contract expires, in July 2009. Sister M. Therese Antone, president of the university since 1994, will help the board of trustees begin the process of selecting her successor, according to the university. After stepping down, Sister Antone will take a new position as chancellor of the university. In that position, she won’t have a vote on the board of directors, but she will play an advisory role, “Chancellor is more of an emeritus position,” Boxler said. Sister Antone will "stay connected with the top level of the university.” The chancellor position was created in 2005, according to a written statement by Joseph R. DiStefano, chairman of the board of trustees. “Sister Therese Antone has led the dynamic and substantial development of Salve Regina’s academic community and has worked diligently to increase the profile and recognition of the university as a quality, liberal arts institution,” DiStefano said. “Her continued service to Salve Regina ensures the further development of strong relationships with all constituents and a vibrant and influential presence of the Sisters of Mercy.” Sister Antone also serves on the board of directors of The Beacon Mutual Insurance Company. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 11:13 AM | Comment Whitehouse hosts community dinner in WoonsocketThe public will have a chance this Sunday to find out what’s going on in Washington when Senator Sheldon Whitehouse returns to the Ocean State and hosts one of his community dinners. The event, at the St. Joseph’s Veteran’s Association at 99 Louise St. in Woonsocket, is free and open to the public. It begins at 6 p.m Attendees will get a chance to ask Whitehouse questions and hear about issue he’s been involved with in Washington, such as the Senate hearings where Whitehouse and other senators questioned Attorney General Michael Mukasey about torture. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 9:37 AM | Comment Judge may decide on smoke shop e-mails todayThe state police may be required to hand over their computers to a specialist who will try to recover deleted emails. A judge in the trial of seven Narragansett Indians accused of misdemeanors stemming form the 2003 smoke shop raid is expected to make a decision on the matter today. Defense lawyers subpoenaed state police last month for all documents related to the raid. The state supplied hundreds of pages of e-mails, witness statements, a civilian complaint, and recorded comments of one of the defendants. Still, Superior Court Judge Susan E. McGuirl said yesterday, “there’s no assurance they have all the statements now." Read the Journal's coverage and see pictures of the 2003 smoke shop raid. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 8:26 AM | Comment First of two trials begins for Westerly officialThe trial for a Westerly School Committee member accused of writing a bad check is scheduled to begin today. Dominic DiFazio is also facing felony charges for allegedly taking money for contracting work that his company – Dom DiFazio Contracting – never did. In today’s trial, DiFazio faces allegations that he wrote a bad check to a disposal company that did work for his contracting company. The check in question was for less than $1,000 -- $779 – which makes the charge a misdemeanor. The trial is set for District Court, Wakefield. DiFazio also faces felony charges after a couple told the police that he deposited two checks totaling $2,500 to replace windows in their home. The couple said the work was never done, but both checks were deposited. He's scheduled for a pretrial conference for the felony charges on Feb. 18. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 8:12 AM | Comment Connecticut recovers millions for UCONN dorm problemsSTORRS, Conn. -- State officials say the University of Connecticut will recover $14.98 million spent to fix fire code and safety problems at a dormitory complex. The settlement with an Alabama development company is just over half the $25.5 million UConn has spent to fix problems at the Hilltop Apartments dorm complex. Hilltop is where UConn's construction problems were first discovered in the summer of 2004 when elevated levels of carbon monoxide were detected in two apartments. Emergency inspections of Hilltop and several other dorms found hundreds of fire and safety violations. UConn officials say they're close to signing a settlement with the design builder for the Charter Oak Suites and Charter Oak Apartments, which were plagued by fire code issues. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:04 AM | Comment Domestic violence vigil for man tonight in PawtucketA vigil will be held at 5 p.m. today by the Blackstone Valley Advocacy Center and the Rhode Island Coalition Against Domestic Violence in memory of Richard Gibson, a victim of domestic violence, according to the organization. The vigil will be at 19 Thornton Street, Pawtucket. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:02 AM | Comment A mixed batch of weather on the wayJust like yesterday, we've got rain, freezing rain and snow throughout the day. The National Weather Service is forecasting a high temperature of about 41 degrees and a mild, north wind. Tonight the temperature should drop to the mid-20s. Tomorrow may bring more snow in the morning, then rain later in the day when the temperature rises to about 42 degrees. The rain may turn back to snow tomorrow night -- whichever it is, precipitation is expected to continue through the night and into the early morning when the temperature drops to about 31 degrees. We can also expect a west wind of about 10 mph. Guess what's in store for Sunday? Snow and rain with a high temperature near 36 degrees. We'll have stronger winds, too, with gusts up to 44 mph. And Sunday night it gets really cold, with cloudy skies and a low temperature in the teens. The sun should return Monday and the temperature should just make the freezing point. For weather updates throughout the weekend, visit projo.com's weather page.
Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 7:01 AM | Comment February 7, 2008Update: SRO crowd at hearing on 24-hour gamblingNEWPORT -- At a standing-room-only hearing this evening on bills that would expand gambling hours, almost everyone who spoke opposed the proposal. The exceptions: Twin River and Newport Grand slot parlor representatives, the lawmaker who introduced the main bill and a union representative. About 150 people filled the Old Colony House in Newport, where the House Finance Committee held its hearing on two bills. The hearing stretched more than two hours. Rep. William San Bento, prime sponsor of the bill to expand to round-the-clock gambling at the two parlors, said he supports it to generate more revenue for the state. A Teamsters official expressed support, saying it would create more jobs. On the agenda were two bills dealing with proposed 24-hour gambling at Twin River and at Newport Grand. One is House bill 7040, which would allow video lottery games to run 24 hours a day at Newport Grand and Twin River, with revenue from the additional hours going to the state's general fund. The other bill, House 7161, would mandate approval from voters in host communties and from the state's electors if video lottery game expansion is sought between 1 and 8 a.m. Extra: Read the Twin River representative's full prepared remarks and see projections on revenue. Read more about the legislative proposals in today's Journal story. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Journal staff writer Alex Kuffner Posted by Mike McKinney at 7:28 PM | Comment Weather alert: Light snow could leave roads slipperyScattered light snow showers will be moving through the region through 9 tonight, the weather service warns. A coating to one-half inch of new snow accumulation will be possible through the evening hours. Untreated roadways may become slippery so motorists are urged to drive with extreme caution. Get the latest conditions and forecasts at: http://projo.com/weather Posted by Andrea Panciera at 7:13 PM | Comment Tonight: Folk duo performs at Cranston libraryCatch some folk music tonight from 7 to 8:15 when the duo Atwater Donnelly perform a free concert at the Cranston Public Library. The duo will present traditional folk and dance, with focuses on songs of the sea and gospel music. The library is at 140 Sockonosset Cross Rd. For information, go to www.cranstonlibrary.org. For more on what's going on around the area, visit projo.com's calendar page. Posted by Mike McKinney at 7:05 PM | Comment Cranston canvassers consider another 'insanity' caseCRANSTON -- The Cranston Board of Canvassers today took the first step toward deciding whether to purge Anthony Tavares, who was found not guilty of murder by reason of insanity after stabbing his social worker in the head with an 8-inch knife, from the city's voter rolls. The board, in a similar case, voted in August to drop from the voter rolls William Sarmento and John A. Sarro. Both had been found not guilty of murder by reason of insanity some 20 years earlier. Mental health advocates have opposed the board's maneuvering in all those cases, arguing essentially that the incidents that happened in those moments years ago say nothing about a person's ability to choose candidates. The board today voted to notify the attorney for Tavares that it would hold a public hearing on the matter. -- With reports from Journal staff writer David Scharfenberg Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:41 PM | Comment Film's stop in Woonsocket changes RIPTA routesIn other Hollywood-comes-to-Rhode Island news, some RIPTA bus riders should expect relocated routes beginning tomorrow for a movie shooting in the area. In Woonsocket, Route 54 -- Lincoln/Woonsocket -- and Route 87 -- Fairmount/Walunt Hill -- will be detoured because of filming. The bus stop has been moved from Main and High streets in Woonsocket to the top of Railroad Street near the parking lot. The stop relocation and detour will begin with the first trip tomorrow and remain that way for about two weeks. Richard Gere's movie, Hachiko: A Dog's Story, which has been filming at various locations in Rhode Island, is now apparently ready to shoot in Woonsocket. Get details on the RIPTA changes by clicking the link below. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Route 54, Lincoln/Woonsocket, will detour these way: Outbound: Trips leaving Providence traveling via Park Avenue will travel the regular route to Park and Bernon, take a left on Bernon Street, right onto Truman Street to Worrall, left onto Social Street through to Main Street, and then right onto Railroad Street. Passengers will then board and get off at a temporary bus stop at the top of Railroad Street near the parking lot. Inbound: Trips leaving Woonsocket traveling via Providence Street will take the regular route to South Main Street and Bernon, right onto Bernon, then take a left onto Truman through to Worrall Street, right onto Social Street through to Main Street, and then right onto Railroad Street. Passengers will then board and get off at a temporary bus stop at the top of Railroad Street near the parking lot. Inbound: Trips coming into Providence will leave Railroad Street via a left onto Arnold Street, take a left onto Bernon Street, right onto Main Street and then resume regular route. Route 87 (Fairmount/Walnut Hill) will detour these ways: Outbound: Trips leaving Veterans Memorial Housing and traveling to Diamond Outbound: Trips leaving Woonsocket High School and traveling to Main and High streets will take the regular route to the temporary bus stop at the top of Railroad Street near the parking lot. The trip will continue by Railroad Street, left onto Arnold Street, right onto Main Street, right onto River Street, and then resume regular route. Inbound: Trips leaving Diamond Hill traveling to the Veterans Memorial Housing will travel the regular route to Main and Railroad Street, take a right onto Railroad Street to the temporary bus stop located at the top of the street near the parking lot. The trip will then leave by Railroad Street, take a left onto Arnold Street, right onto Main Street through to South Main Street, left onto Front Street, left onto Bernon, right onto Truman Drive, right onto Clinton Street, and then resume regular route. Inbound: Trips leaving Main and High streets traveling to Woonsocket High School will leave the temporary bus stop on Railroad Street via a left onto Arnold Street, a right onto Main Street through to South Main Street, left onto Front Street, left onto Bernon, right onto Truman Street, right onto Clinton Street, an then resume regular route. Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:33 PM | Comment Elections board puts off vote on banning photos at pollsPROVIDENCE -- The Rhode Island Board of Elections has put off a scheduled vote on a measure that would ban taking pictures inside polling places. The decision came as critics called the measure unneccessary and overly broad during a public hearing today. The board's Executive Director Robert Kando says he proposed the measure to protect the secrecy of voters' ballots. He says he's been troubled by newspaper photographs showing voters with ballots. The proposed change would ban the use of cameras, cell phone cameras and video recorders. Several speakers at today's hearing urged the board to reject the ban. Howard Merten, a lawyer for The Providence Journal, says a ban on cameras would prevent photographers from documenting historic votes. -- The Associated Press Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:07 PM | Comment Update: Major film studio seeks home in Hopkinton
Hollywood may be coming to Hopkinton. A film production development company wants to create Rhode Island Studios, the first major film studio in the state built specifically for that purpose, on a parcel of land off Exit 2 on Route 95. At an announcement of the project at the State House today, Pacifica Ventures, the development company behind the studio touted its economic benefits. The company says the studio is expected to create 2,200 movie production-related jobs per year, each paying an average $56,000 salary and generating $125 million more in Rhode Island payroll, according to statistics released today. It is also projected to create 90 full-time studio jobs, paying an average of $37,500, and generating about $3.4 million more in Rhode Island payroll. This would be Pacifica Ventures' third such facility in the United States. One is in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and the company plans to break ground on another in Philadelphia this summer. The company says there will be a $100 million "construction investment" and 500 unionized construction jobs over the projected two-year construction, with each job paying on average more than $50,000. The plan, however, depends on legislation that would create a Rhode Island Motion Picture Studio Tax Credit, modeled on the state's Motion Picture Production Tax Credit. -- With reports from Journal staff writer Maria Armental and projo.com staff Discussions started last spring, Town Manager William A. DiLibero said earlier today, when the developer approached state Sen. Kevin Breene, West Greenwich’s town manager, about a property off Exit 5 on Route 95. The town was already in negotiations with a developer for that land, so Breene suggested they look at Hopkinton, given the town was looking to develop its Exit 1 and Exit 2 areas. Pacifica Ventures was represented today by Hal Katersky, a Tiverton native who is a managing director of the firm and also a 1964 University of Rhode Island graduate. DiLibero said most of the proposed development would be built on the east side of Route 95, on land currently owned by Rob Dubs, one of the original founders of Ocean State Job Lot, and George Reynolds, owner of the Brook Knoll Farm. The developer also has also secured options to purchase several private residences in the area to build an access road, DiLibero said. According to the company's Web site, Pacifica Ventures focuses on "worldwide acquisition, development, and operation of filming and production facilities for motion pictures and television production," and "serves the major Hollywood studios, as well as the world's most successful independent producers, and all members of the entertainment community who create, finance, produce and distribute media content." Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:22 PM | Comment Twin River official: Longer gambling hours could only helpNEWPORT -- An official from the Twin River gambling facility in Lincoln is expected to tell a House Finance Committee hearing that "additional revenue can be generated with little or no impact to the local community" if Rhode Island enacts round-the-clock gambling there. In remarks prepared for the hearing scheduled to start at 4 p.m. at the historic Old Colony House, Craig Sculos, Twin River vice president and general manager, said such revenue "may, in part, assist you in addressing your broader budgetary problems." Twin River says the state could expect to get a projected $16.5 million more in annual revenue if Twin River went to 24-hour gambling. "We believe that we could be up and operating on that basis within four to six weeks from the date of your decision," Sculos says. "From that point forward, we expect that the state would receive an additional $318,000 weekly. These are revenues that could perhaps be of assistance in meeting current fiscal year shortfalls." On the agenda at the hearing are two bills dealing with proposed 24-hour gambling at Twin River and at Newport Grand. One is House bill 7040, which would allow video lottery games to run 24 hours a day at Newport Grand and Twin River, with revenue from the additional hours going to the state's general fund. The other bill, House 7161, would mandate approval from voters in host communties and from the state's electors if video lottery game expansion is sought between 1 and 8 a.m.
Sculos said in his prepared remarks that extended hours could be better in that guests would no longer have to leave at a set time but, rather, at different intervals, lessening the traffic that now happens at Twin River's closing. "We expect that the vast majority of the additional revenue will come from existing players who simply choose to extend their stay," Sculos says. "There is also a niche segment to the market that we are now losing to Connecticut [casinos] because of their extended hours, and we do hope to capture a portion of that segment. But, we believe that to be fairly small in terms of both numbers and revenue." Tiwn River would continue to use police and fire details throughout the extended hours along with the parlor's security and surveillance departments, he says. Sculos also says the state would benefit because extended hours would create more jobs at Twin River -- payroll subject to state taxes. And he says Twin River would expect restaurant revenues to rise because there would be later reservations available. The slot parlor's restaurants, Fred & Steve’s Steakhouse, Fado Irish Pub, and Carmine’s, "experience a significant drop off in reservations" after 9 p.m. because patrons decide to play the casino games before Twin River's closing time. Read more about the legislative proposals in today's Journal story. Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:37 PM | Comment Oster trial: Let's go to the videotapePROVIDENCE -- Until this afternoon, the jury in former Lincoln town administrator Jonathan F. Oster’s bribery and conspiracy trial had only heard about Oster’s alleged co-conspirator, ex-Planning Board member Robert R. Picerno. But today Picerno himself -- or at least video of him -- took center stage. The prosecution played a 20-minute videotape of the man defense lawyer C. Leonard O’Brien has called a “personable scoundrel” and a "flim-flam man” and whom state’s witnesses have said was a schmoozer and a ”nudge." In the videotape made by a hidden state police camera in the office of builder David Wayne Daniel on Feb. 14, 2002, Picerno met with Daniel to iron out details of a plan for Daniel and his partner Robert Gelfuso to pay Picerno a $25,000 bribe to buy a town-controlled property on Route 116. Picerno is seen reassuring Daniel about the H&H Screw property agreement that's at the heart of the case, seeking thanks for favors and dropping names from the Lincoln development world, including that of Raymond Patriarca Jr., the former mob boss who established a post-prison career as a high-end housing developer in southern Lincoln. Picerno was arrested by state police moments after leaving Daniel’s office. Oster is facing two counts of bribery and town counts of conspiracy in connection with what the state says was a scheme during 2001 to solicit bribes from potential buyers of the property, which had been under town control for unpaid taxes since 1991. The state says that Picerno would solicit the money and Oster would use the machinery of town government to accomplish the bribers’ objectives. -- Journal staff writer John Hill At the time Picerno was a member of the town’s Planning Board, which could approve or veto developers’ building plans. As he talked to Daniel about the H&H property on Route 116, he also tried to get the West Warwick contractor interested in other deals he hinted he had on tap. He implied he had two potential buyers or tenants for the H&H property, an unnamed condo developer and car dealer Robert Campellone. He told Daniel that his involvement in any development plans will have to be kept secret and Daniel will have to be the public face of any project. “You’ve got to come forward with the lawyers,” Picerno tells him. “ … I can’t do that, I could be sitting on the other end, listening.”
Picerno hinted to Daniel that he might be able to convince Campellone to rent space to park cars from his dealership on the site and dangled the prospect of building a 7-Eleven store Campellone wants to build across the street from his dealership. He suggests Daniel could offer a price that matches what another contractor could do, ”and you say can do it for, or maybe you can do it for 10 percent more, you know what I’m trying to say?” Campellone testified earlier this week that he indeed wanted to build a 7-Eleven across from his dealership, but said he dumped the plan when Picerno said he’d need to be paid off to get it approved. At the meeting, in Daniel’s office, which took place on Valentine’s Day 2002, Picerno showed Daniel a copy of the tax title document that he said would enable Daniel and his partner to take over the land. The agreement was that Daniel’s partner, Robert Gelfuso, would pay Picerno a $25,000 bribe and Daniel would pay $15,000 for what Picerno called legal fees and the Daniel would pay the town $105,000 for the land, which Daniel was convinced was worth more than $1 million. When it came time for Daniel to pay the $15,000 in legal fees, Picerno had the check made out, not to a lawyer, but the car dealer Campellone. He then gave that check to Campellone as the final refund payment on Campellone’s returned bribe. Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:32 PM | Comment Reports: Sox' Curt Schilling injured, may miss seasonThe Boston Herald and Boston Globe, both citing unnamed sources, are reporting that Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling is suffering from a shoulder injury that may sideline him for the entire season. In addition, both news organizations reported the Red Sox looked into the possibility of voiding the one-year, $8 million contract Schilling signed with the team last November. The Herald said Schilling has ''a significant shoulder injury that could end the veteran’s season and is causing tension and friction between the player and the team.'' The Globe -- which had broken the story a bit earlier in the afternoon with a report that said Schilling would miss the beginning of spring training and might not be ready for the beginning of the season -- updated its report, saying the sides disagree on whether or not Schilling needs surgery and that surgery would probably sideline him for the season. The Globe said the injury is not related to the shoulder woes that sidelined Schilling from late June to mid-August last year. Schilling has his own Web site, 38pitches.com, which he frequently updates. As of mid-afternoon, he had not addressed the issue on his site. Posted by Art Martone at 2:13 PM | Comment Update: Hollywood is coming to HopkintonHollywood is coming to Hopkinton. That’s according to Town Manager William A. DiLibero, who said that a new development, which is set to be officially announced later this afternoon, will include a film studio and a hotel. Discussions started last spring, when the developer approached state Sen. Kevin Breene, West Greenwich’s town manager, about a property off Exit 5 on Route 95. The town was already in negotiations with a developer for that land, so Breene suggested they look at Hopkinton, given the town was looking to develop its Exit 1 and Exit 2 areas. The company is Pacifica Ventures, LLC, who was to be represented today by Hal Katersky, a managing director of the firm, who is also a University of Rhode Island graduate. DiLibero said most of the proposed development would be built on the east side of Route 95, on land currently owned by Rob Dubs, one of the original founders of Ocean State Job Lot, and George Reynolds, owner of the Brook Knoll Farm. The developer also has also secured options to purchase several private residences in the area to build an access road, DiLibero said. According to the company's Web site, Pacifica Ventures focuses on "worldwide acquisition, development, and operation of filming and production facilities for motion pictures and television production," and "serves the major Hollywood studios, as well as the world's most successful independent producers, and all members of the entertainment community who create, finance, produce and distribute media content." -- With reports from Journal staff writer Maria Armental Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 2:02 PM | Comment New theater owner seeks meeting with FeinsteinNational Amusements, Inc., which has purchased the Feinstein Imax Theatre at the Providence Place mall from the Imax Corp., said it hopes to meet shortly with Cranston philanthropist Alan Shawn Feinstein "to discuss common matters relating to the Imax Theatre." Feinstein said he would be happy to meet with National Amusements, but no date has been set. National Amusments said it had no plans at this time to change the theater's name Feinstein is in a dispute with Imax over free and discounted tickets that Feinstein said he had paid for under an agreement with Imax, but are no longer being honored. -- Journal staff writer Andy Smith Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 1:47 PM | Comment Board considering proposal to ban photography at pollsPROVIDENCE -- The state Board of Elections holds a 3:30 p.m. hearing today on proposed regulation changes, including one that would ban photos in polling places. Robert Kando, the board's executive director, has said he wants to protect secrecy of the ballot and prevent fraud. The proposed ban would apply to cameras and video recorders as well as items such as cell phones, which can also be used to photograph. Campaign buttons and other types of communication aimed at influencing an election would also be prohibited inside the polling place and within 50 feet of its entrance. The photo ban has drawn criticism from journalists. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with Journal archival reports Posted by Mike McKinney at 1:44 PM | Comment Oster trial: Contractor says donation ended problemsTestimony in the trial of former Lincoln Town Administrator Jonathan Oster ended yesterday with a contractor telling jurors that Oster’s alleged associate said he’d keep town officials from nosing around a construction site if the contractor would donate to Oster’s fundraiser. Testimony resumed today with David Wayne Daniel, who’s company, Major Construction Associates, was hired for a playground renovation project in 2001, telling the jury that once he donated about $5,000, the pressure from town officials “instantly evaporated.” Oster is facing two counts of bribery and conspiracy for allegedly working with an associate – Robert Picerno – to solicit bribes for a piece of land on Route 116 that was under the town’s control. Daniel testified today that his business partner insisted the money be returned and that when he went to Picerno to try to get the money back, Picerno floated the idea of Daniel buying a piece of the property. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson, with reports from Journal staff writer John Hill Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 1:21 PM | Comment Illinois hedge fund is going after Bank R.I. seats againA pair of dissident investors this week resumed their fight with the management of Bank Rhode Island and will once again try to force a sale of the Providence bank. The two men who lead PL Capital LLC, an Illinois hedge-fund investment firm, are once again seeking seats on the board of directors of Bancorp Rhode Island, the bank's parent company. It is the second time the men, Richard Lashley and John Palmer, have sought board seats. PL Capital has a history of taking on the management at banks it considers underperforming. It seeks to profit from improved earnings, a quick run-up in stock prices or the sale of its targets. Lashley and Palmer lost a bid last May to gain seats on the Bancorp Rhode Island board (BARI: Nasdaq) as company shareholders sided with the bank's management in a proxy fight. This year, the two men are joined by former investment banker Daniel Mullane, of Connecticut, who headed Advest Group Inc. before its sale to the Merrill Lynch brokerage house. He is also being nominated for a board seat. Bancorp Rhode Island's management has nominated its own slate of board candidates, headed by company founder and board chairman Malcolm G. Chace. The company's shareholders will vote on the board nominations May 21, during their annual meeting. This year, they are joined by Daniel Mullane, who was head of Advest Group Inc. before its purchase two years ago by the Merrill Lynch brokerage house. Posted by Peter Phipps at 1:16 PM | Comment Update: McCain gains as Romney leaves campaignWASHINGTON -- John McCain effectively sealed the Republican presidential nomination today as chief rival Mitt Romney suspended his faltering presidential campaign. “I must now stand aside, for our party and our country,” Romney, former governor of Massachusetts, prepared to tell conservatives. “If I fight on in my campaign, all the way to the convention, I would forestall the launch of a national campaign and make it more likely that Senator Clinton or Obama would win. And in this time of war, I simply cannot let my campaign, be a part of aiding a surrender to terror,” Romney will say at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington. “This is not an easy decision for me. I hate to lose. My family, my friends and our supporters... many of you right here in this room... have given a great deal to get me where I have a shot at becoming President. If this were only about me, I would go on. But I entered this race because I love America, and because I love America.” McCain prevailed in most of the Super Tuesday states, moving closer to the numbers needed to officially win the nomination. “I disagree with Senator McCain on a number of issues, as you know. But I agree with him on doing whatever it takes to be successful in Iraq, on finding and executing Osama bin Laden, and on eliminating al-Qaida and terror,” Romney said. -- The Associated Press Posted by Mike McKinney at 12:50 PM | Comment Update: Judge limits turning over AP photos of raidPROVIDENCE -- A Superior Court judge has ruled that The Associated Press does not have to turn over about half of its unpublished photographs from a 2003 raid on a tribal smoke-shop because they're irrelevant to an ongoing criminal case. She did not immediately rule on the other half. Seven Narragansett Indians are charged with misdemeanors for allegedly fighting with police during the raid on the shop -- on tribal land in Charlestown -- that was not collecting state taxes. They're now preparing for trial, and prosecutors subpoenaed more than 200 unpublished photos taken of the raid by an AP photographer. The photographer has been called as a defense witness, and prosecutors want the photos so they can prepare for her testimony. AP's lawyer, Joseph Cavanagh, has questioned whether prosecutors need all the pictures to make their case. -- The Associated Press Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 12:47 PM | Comment Alert: Romney leaving presidential raceWASHINGTON -- Mitt Romney will suspend his presidential campaign for the Republican nomination, The Associated Press has learned, effectively ceding the nomination to John McCain. “If I fight on in my campaign, all the way to the convention, I would forestall the launch of a national campaign and make it more likely that Senator Clinton or (Barack) Obama would win. And in this time of war, I simply cannot let my campaign, be a part of aiding a surrender to terror,” Romney planned to say in a speech to the Conservative Political Action Conference. “This is not an easy decision for me. I hate to lose. My family, my friends and our supporters ... many of you right here in this room ... have given a great deal to get me where I have a shot at becoming president. If this were only about me, I would go on. But I entered this race because I love America, and because I love America, I feel I must now stand aside, for our party and for our country.” More to come... -- The Associated Press Posted by Mike McKinney at 12:38 PM | Comment House panel heads to Newport to hear gambling billsNEWPORT -- The House Finance Committee decamps to the City by the Sea today to hold hearings on bills dealing with proposed 24-hour gambling at Newport Grand and Twin River in Lincoln. The committee is scheduled to meet in Newport's Colony House at 4 p.m. On the agenda are two bills dealing with gambling. One is House bill 7040, which would require that video lottery games are running 24 hours a day at Newport Grand and Twin River, with revenue from the additional hours going to the state's general fund. The other bill, House 7161, would mandate approval from voters in host communties and from the state's electors if video lottery game expansion is sought between 1 and 8 a.m. Read more about the proposals in today's Journal story. Posted by Mike McKinney at 12:29 PM | Comment Film production studio may be heading to HopkintonHollywood is already filming movies in Rhode Island. The next step, it seems, is production. House Speaker William Murphy and Senate President Joseph Montalbano will join a handful of local legislators and politicians today to discuss the future of production in the state. A statement today from the General Assembly says the legislators will be announcing a venture that’s bringing “a major film production studio” to the Ocean State. Among those attending the conference will be Hopkinton Town Council President Vincento Cordone and the area's state Sen. Kevin Breene and Rep. Brian Kennedy. Hopkinton has been seeking business development at Exits 1 and 2 along Route 95. Also attending, according to the House press release, is Hal Katersky of Pacifica Ventures, whose focus is on the development and operation of film studies for movies and TV. It's based in Santa Monica, Calif., with affiliate offices and studios worldwide. Katersky is also a University of Rhode Island graduate. A news conference is scheduled for 2:15 p.m. today at the House Lounge on the second floor of the State House. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 11:05 AM | Comment Oster trial: Judge denies motion to stop trialPROVIDENCE -- A Superior Court judge denied a defense motion to stop the bribery and conspiracy trial of former Lincoln Town Administrator Jonathan F. Oster this morning, because the prosecution had neglected to provide the defense records of phone messages. Associate Justice Gilbert Indeglia said that the prosecution's failure to disclose the phone records was serious, but it was not reason enough to stop the trial. Indeglia said he would instead adjourn today's testimony early to give the defense time to go through the messages, contained on 25 books of 100 pages each. Indeglia said he didn't think it would take the defense too much time to go through the books. He described them as mostly containing mundane messages about everyday town business. Indeglia told the defense, "You should be able to pick out the ones of significance.'' The prosecution told Indeglia that the evidence had been misplaced while in custody of the Rhode Island State Police. Defense Attorney C. Leonard O'Brien told Indeglia that he believed the prosecution's failure to provide him the messages during discovery was inadvertent, but he argued that the messages could be crucial to his case. He said the prosecution's case this week had entered a phase where the state was trying to show connections between town officials' actions and his client. He said whether people were calling Oster to ask for things or not calling him were significant details he needed to have to defend his client. Read about yesterday's trial testimony.. -- Journal staff writer John Hill Posted by Jack Perry at 11:03 AM | Comment Happy Chinese New Year
Spruce up your house and put on your best red outfit: today is Chinese New Year, the first day of a celebration that marks the beginning of the year for more than one billion people worldwide. Falling between late January and mid-February, the celebration begins the day of the first new moon in the first month of the lunisolar calendar. That day is today, the end of the Year of the Pig and the start of the Year of the Rat. Tradition holds that, in preparation for the festival houses are spotless, and that the color red and firecrackers are used liberally – to scare away a mythical beast that was said to visit annually. By now, for more than one billion people, it’s already Thursday night, and the first day of celebrations is coming to an end. But the New Year festivities last for 15 days, ending in the Lantern Festival on the 15th night. In Rhode Island, at least one celebration is scheduled Saturday at Bryant University’s Multi-purpose Activities Center (MAC). The festival, sponsored by several of the university groups, will include lion dancing, martial arts demonstrations, a fashion show, music and prizes. It’s free and open to the public, and for $5, you can get lunch. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 9:17 AM | Comment Social activist Angela Davis comes to BrownSocial activist, former face on the FBI Most Wanted list, and professor Angela Davis is coming to Rhode Island. She is scheduled to deliver the Brown University Martin Luther King Jr. Lecture at 4 p.m. today. Davis has spent the past 15 years at the University of California-Santa Cruz, where she is a professor of history of consciousness, an interdisciplinary doctoral program. The author of eight books, Davis has studied, taught and lectured around the world. An active radical in the 1960s and 1970s, Davis spent 18 months in jail, and on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted List She was charged and acquitted in connection with a kidnapping and shooting in a California courthouse. Davis has spent much of her time since bringing attention to the condition of prisons and is known for her activism and scholarship relating to what she has called the “prison industrial complex,” and called for the abolition of prisons. Her lecture, “Recognizing Racism in the Era of Neo-Liberalism,” is free and open to the public in room 101 of the Salomon Center for Teaching, on the University's Main Green. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 7:50 AM | Comment Wet and getting colderThe word today is wet. Whether its rain or sleet or snow, there's a chance we'll see it. And it's getting colder. The National Weather Service is forecasting a high temperature near 37 degrees with a north wind gusting as high as 22 mph. Tonight the temperature will drop to the mid-20s and the winds will be lighter, between 4 and 7 mph. There's a chance we'll see some snow, too, but no accumulation is expected. Tomorrow looks similar, with freezing rain mixed with snow in the morning, and snow showers later in the day. The temperature should reach the mid-30s, and winds should be mild. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 7:01 AM | Comment Today's front pageToday's front page features a story reporting that Rhode Island's March 4 presidential primary vote now matters with the Democratic nomination up for grabs. Download a copy of today's front page in .pdf format. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:00 AM | Comment February 6, 2008Tonight: Catch Richard III at Trinity Rep at 7If you hurry now, you might catch a performance of Richard III, one more great work by Shakespeare, tonight at 7 at Trinity Repertory Company in Providence. Or you can catch 8 p.m. performances over the next several days. Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:39 PM | Comment Navy plans investments at Newport Naval StationNEWPORT – Naval Station Newport plans to spend about $111 million on new buildings and infrastructure improvements over the next two years, largely as a result of the Base Realignment and Closure project (known as BRAC) that shifts several Navy operations to Newport. The improvements to the 1,503-acre base are needed to handle the expected influx in the next three years of an additional 6,800 Navy personnel, most of will come to Newport for training, said Capt. Michel Poirier, commander of Naval Station Newport. That represents a 74 percent increase from the current level. Those investments are on top of $46.3 million in contracts already awarded over the past two years. Poirier discussed the changes and investments planned for the Navy base yesterday at a luncheon hosted by the Newport County Chamber of Commerce. Among the 200 people in attendance was Governor Carcieri, Lt. Gov. Elizabeth Roberts, General Treasurer Frank Caprio and Senate Majority Leader M. Teresa Paiva Weed, as well as Aquidneck Island business owners, town officials and real estate developers. -- Journal staff writer Timothy C. Barmann Three years after the Navy examined its bases across the United States to determine which ones to keep and which ones to close, it has become more evident that the Navy base in Newport has emerged as one of the winners. That influx of new personnel, as well as the new spending on development projects, will have a positive economic impact on the Newport area and on Rhode Island in general, Poirier said. Poirier, a former submarine commander, took charge of the Newport Naval Station at the end of September. He asked for this post, he said, because of his fondness for Rhode Island. He said his parents were from Woonsocket. Although he grew up in Virginia, he would come to Rhode Island each summer to visit his extended family, he said. The projects for which contracts recently been award are:
And, $15.8 million has been appropriated to replace one of two automobile bridges connecting the Navy base on Coasters Harbor Island to Aquidneck Island. The Navy base has proposed building a new fitness center at $26.2 million, a maritime subsurface facility for $13.6 million, a new Army Reserve Center, and a new building to replace one currently used for Nimitz training, at a cost of $40.4 million. Poirier said that the proposed projects have yet to be approved, and his job will be to persuade Navy officials to move forward with them. “The hard part will be working within the Navy to advocate for those particular projects against, frankly, a crush of other projects.” There not enough money to fund all the improvements requested by Navy bases around the country, he said. “I think Newport is well positioned,” he said, because of its importance to the Navy, and because of the commitment to keep the base open. There will likely be more development proposals as a “master plan” for the Navy base is developed, he said. Even so, he said he anticipates that there will still not be enough space to house the 16,000 students that will be on base in coming years. The Navy will probably look to local hotels for space during peak times. Posted by Tim Barmann at 6:35 PM | Comment Toll debate pits commuters in Newport, BristolPROVIDENCE -- Legislators from the areas that would be affected by a change in the toll policies on the Mount Hope and Pell bridges made their cases before the House Finance Committee today, arguing for conflicting bills that could significantly alter their constituents’ cost of getting to work. The intense interest in tolls was prompted by a study by the Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority saying that it will probably run a $223-million budget deficit over the next 20 years as its maintenance costs far outstrip its revenue, and that it needs to do something -- perhaps a toll increase -- to make up the difference. The authority maintains two bridges, both from the mainland to Aquidneck Island: the Pell Bridge, from Jamestown to Newport, and the Mount Hope Bridge, from Bristol to Portsmouth. The Pell Bridge has tolls, which pay for the upkeep of both that bridge and the Mount Hope Bridge, which is free. The study suggested several scenarios, including one where the Pell Bridge cash toll for cars would rise to $3 from $2 and a $1 toll would be charged at the Mount Hope Bridge. The authority held a series of hearings last month in the areas served by both bridges, where testimony made two things clear: • The people who depend on the Pell Bridge don’t want that toll to increase, especially to help pay for repairs to the Mount Hope Bridge. • The people who use the Mount Hope Bridge don’t want to pay tolls and would prefer an alternative plan. -- Journal staff writer Bruce Landis Rep. Raymond Gallison, D-Bristol, representing the users of the Mount Hope Bridge, pushed a bill that would maintain the status quo by amending state law with a brief sentence banning tolls on that bridge. Unless something changes, that would leave the authority to continue paying to maintain the Mount Hope Bridge from the Pell Bridge tolls, while the users of the Mount Hope Bridge continued to pay no tolls. Gallison argued that the authority said in 1998 that the Pell Bridge tolls could support both bridges, that rebuilding the toll booths that once stood at the north end of Mount Hope Bridge would cause a safety hazard, and that imposing tolls on Mount Hope Bridge users would amount to "a disproportionate tax" on them. He also said that tolls would threaten the area’s important defense industry and might cause the Defense Department to take away Naval Station Newport in some future round of base-closings. Gallison’s solutions: either keep the status quo, with the Mount Hope Bridge continuing to be supported with Pell Bridge tolls, or divert about $4 million per year from the state gasoline tax. The 30-cent gasoline tax revenue is already fully committed to other state programs, notably at the state Department of Transportation and the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority. Rep. Bruce Long, R-Jamestown, represented the Pell Bridge users. His bill would restrict the use of Pell Bridge toll revenue to maintaining only that bridge. That would reflect his constituents’ desires by taking back the tolls they pay that are now maintaining the Mount Hope Bridge. How would the Mount Hope Bridge be maintained? "It’s got to be covered through the state budget, or its own tolls," Long said. The state’s other bridges are maintained mostly with federal highway aid funneled through the state Department of Transportation. That’s how the state is paying for its current construction program, including the relocation of Route 195 in Providence, the new Washington Bridge, and the new Sakonnet River Bridge it plans to build. Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:20 PM | Comment Four charged after police find 2,600-plus heroin bagsFALL RIVER, Mass. -- The police have charged four people with a variety of drug offenses after finding more than 2,600 bags of heroin and $52,289 in cash during a search of a Cherry Street apartment Tuesday. Nicholas Stephen Denardo, 27, and Ashley Cierra Bright, 20, were both charged with one count each of trafficking in heroin, over 28 grams, trafficking in a Class A drug in a school zone, and conspiracy. Carlos Jose Alomar, 36, was charged with possession of a Class A drug. Jared J. Mello, 24, was charged with possession and intent to distribute a Class A drug, possession and intent to distribute in a school zone, conspiracy, and resisting arrest. On Tuesday, vice detectives executed a search warrant at a first-floor apartment at 843 Cherry St., occupied by Denardo and Bright. The police said no one answered when they knocked on the door, but they could hear someone inside. They said when they forcefully entered the apartment, they found Bright, along with 150 small bags of heroin. The police said a further search of the apartment yielded a drug ledger and $2,200 in cash. While the police were inside, Alomar knocked on the door. The police said they found two bags of heroin in his possession and he was taken into custody. Denardo arrived by car shortly afterward with a plastic bag containing another 2,000 bags of heroin, the police said. A man later identified as Mello accompanied him but fled the scene upon encountering the detectives. He was pursued on foot and arrested after falling from a wall at Ruggles Park. A search of the Nissan the men arrived in turned up an additional 450 bags of heroin, according to the police. Denardo was out on bail after a Sept. 11, 2007 arrest on drug charges. In that incident, vice detectives raided an apartment he had been renting on Whipple Street and discovered nearly 5,000 bags of heroin and $11,000 in cash, according to the police. “The seizure of this quantity of heroin along with the substantial amount of proceeds from the illicit sale of drugs in our city is of significant proportions,” said Police Chief John M. Souza. “The message should be loud and it should be clear. Individuals who elect to become involved in the illegal distribution of dangerous drugs in this city will be discovered. They will be arrested, and they will be vigorously prosecuted.” Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:15 PM | Comment Oster trial: Political fund-raising tickets at the playgroundPROVIDENCE -- Today's testimony in the trial of ex-Lincoln Town Administrator Jonathan F. Oster closed with another account of what it was like to do business with Robert R. Picerno, the former Lincoln planning official who the state says was engaged in a bribery/conspiracy scheme with Oster. The state called David Wayne Daniel, a contractor who was hired by the town in summer 2001 to do improvements, including building a bathhouse and concession stand at the town’s Fairlawn playground. Under questioning by prosecutor William Ferland, Daniel testified that shortly after his company, Major Construction Associates, got the approximately $150,000 contract, the work site was visited daily by an assortment of town officials. He mentioned Stephen Balestra, whose office oversaw the federal money used to pay for the project and whom Daniel said would stay at the site for entire days; Parks and Recreation director Paul Prachniak and then-public works director David T. Harrison. “It made everyone nervous,” Daniel said of the visits. “This was a small project.” He said the three officials were constantly criticizing the pace of the work and ordering changes. The situation developed to where Daniel said he had three Friday morning meetings in a row with Oster and others in Town Hall. He described the purpose of the meetings as “jumping on my back.” The Monday after the third such meeting in Oster’s office Daniel testified that Picerno showed up at the job site. “He asked me how things were going and I told him they’re busting my ... balls and he started to laugh a little slyly,” Daniel said. Daniel said Picerno then took out a stack of 100 Oster fundraiser tickets worth $50 a piece -- $5,000 total -- and asked if he could take care of them. “I said ‘If you can get those ... guys off my back,’ ” Daniel said he told Picerno. “He said `No problem.’ ” Daniel testified he had his office cut a check for $4,750, because he had already donated $250 to the Oster campaign, and he didn’t want to double pay; but Picerno turned down the check. “He said `I’m going to need it in a nicer way,’ ” Daniel quoted Picerno as telling him. He said he understood that to mean Picerno wanted the tickets paid for in cash. Daniel said he accommodated him. Daniel was scheduled to resume testifying tomorrow -- Journal staff writer John Hill Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:55 PM | Comment Sakonnet Vineyards will be preserved for agricultureLITTLE COMPTON -- Sakonnet Vineyards will be preserved for agricultural use forever. The preservation deal was announced today by the Little Compton Agricultural Conservancy Trust. The trust spearheaded the purchase of the development rights to the 94-acre vineyard for $2.225 million from owners Earl and Susan Samson, ending several years of uncertainty about the future of the property. “Had the vineyard not been protected in this manner, it would easily have been converted into nine buildable house lots. Back in 1968, a prior owner had a nine-lot subdivision that was accepted,” said George Mason, the trust’s chairman. “This special place could have been lost.” Mason said people have always seen the vineyard as not only a place to enjoy wine, but as a beautiful place for locals and tourists to visit. It also hosts a number of community events, including the annual Sakonnet Rhythm & Blues Festival. -- Journal staff writer Richard Salit “It’s not only a working vineyard or farm, but it also plays a very important role in the social fabric of Little Compton and our part of the state,” said Mason. “Were it ever sold to a developer…we would have lost the vineyard and the whole cultural aesthetic of it.” The Samsons will still pursue the sale and development of 70 acres surrounding the vineyard. But they plan only five lots with development restrictions, which will be marketed to people who want to live next to a farm. The Samsons plan on their family continuing to operate the vineyard. But if the vineyard were to cease operating, the land would still have to be used for farming, according to the agreement with the land trust. “The Samsons have agreed to keep the land in permanent agricultural use,” said Mason, saying an area farmer or the town could be entrusted to keep the land active if the vineyard were to go out of business. The trust acquired grants of $500,000 from the state Agricultural Land Preservation Commission, which is connected to the Department of Environmental Management, and $1.1 million from the U.S. Natural Resources Conservation Service. The trust contributed the remainder, about $612,000, much of which comes to the trust through a fee collected on certain land transactions in town. “A lot of these deals can only happen through partnerships,” said Mason, who was thankful for the assistance of the state and federal governments as well as the generosity of the Samsons. The state Properties Committee unanimously approved the use of the $500,000 at a meeting in December. “This has been a priority for us for many years,” Mary Kay, a DEM lawyer, told the committee members. The couple also agreed in the transaction to continue allowing community events on the property each year. “That shows the kind of people they are,” said Mason. “This is the consummation of close to four years worth of work between the Little Compton Conservancy Agricultural Trust and [the Samsons]…For the trust, it adds to a continuous greenway that we’ve been building for the last 12 to 15 years.” According to the trust announcement, the vineyards constitute important watersheds for the adjacent Watson Reservoir, which supplies drinking water to Newport, and Dundery Brook, which flows into Briggs Marsh and helps replenish wells for Little Compton residents. The brook also helps support migratory waterfowl such as the rare marsh wren and piping plover. “The preservation of Sakonnet Vineyards ensures continued agricultural use of this prime farmland as well as the protection of an important watershed and scene area,” said W. Michael Sullivan, DEM director. The land trust, created by town voters in 1986, has helped protect 1,650 acres of agricultural land and open spaces in Little Compton from development. Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:42 PM | Comment Freddie Bishop is indicted on new murder chargeAlfred "Freddie" Bishop, the convicted killer who spent 33 years at the Adult Correctional Institutions for murdering a close friend, has been indicted today on a new charge of murder, one count of burglary and two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon. Bishop, 65, of 61 Hollywood Ave., Warwick, is accused of murdering Gabriel Medeiros, 35, in Warwick on June 28 last year. He was also indicted with burglarizing a house and assaulting two people using a handgun with intent to commit murder and/or robbery. Authorities now accuse Bishop of fatally shooting Medeiros and wounding Medeiros' brother and sister-in-law during a late-night burglary in June. Police have said family attempted to fight off their intruder, and the intruder then opened fire. Documents disclosed that DNA from a bloody ski mask matched a sample taken from Bishop. Bishop, who had been released from the Adult Correctional Institutions, had been out of prison for a little more than 10 months when police charged him in the Medeiros case. The Statewide Grand Jury handed up the indictment today naming Bishop, who is slated for arraignment in Kent County Superior Court on Feb. 22. Bishop was sent to prison for the December 1973 shotgun death of a friend, James Dunn. In a 1993 Journal profile of Bishop, it said Warwick police found him a couple of hours later and that the next day he was taken to maximum security prison. The profile also said Bishop controlled a wing of the prison as a "heavy" and that he'd once been a partner of a mobster who was at that time in controlling another wing of the prison. Another profile reported that corrections officials in 1978 sent Bishop and 14 other inmates deemed to be wielding control inside the prison out of state. Then-Gov. J. Joseph Garrahy said at the time that “guards and inmates live in constant mortal fear for their lives.” Bishop was in prisons in Pennsylvania, Maine and New Hampshire over the next several years. He returned to the Adult Correctional Institutions, in Cranston, in 1989 from Pennsylvania. In 1993 various officials and law enforcers presented a unified front in trying to block plans to parole Bishop. In 2005, the Parole Board recommended releasing Bishop and he was eventually released. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with Journal archival reports Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:26 PM | Comment Will Rhode Island continue to be Clinton country?Now that Super Tuesday is over, campaigns are focusing on the remaining primaries – including the increasingly relevant March 4 Rhode Island primary. The Clintons are well known here. Bill Clinton and Hillary came to the state more than a dozen times during the eight years of the Clinton presidency. Bill Clinton raised money at Mark and Susan Weiner's house in East Greenwich. He campaigned for Myrth York, Jack Reed and Patrick Kennedy. In turn, Rhode Island voters delivered big numbers to Clinton in 1992 and 1996. Thursday in projo.com and in print, staff writers Scott MacKay and Mark Arsenault will talk to the Clinton and Obama campaigns about their plans for Rhode Island. The story will also catch up with the Romney and McCain organizations. Posted by Peter Phipps at 4:19 PM | Comment Pawtucket man indicted for murder, arsonA Pawtucket man serving time in Florida was indicted by a statewide grand jury today on first-degree murder and arson charges in connection with the slayings of Heather V. Jesus and Amanda L. Sousa last June. He was also indicted today by the state grand jury on six robbery counts, and indicted on robbery charges with an accused conspirator by a Providence County grand jury. Anthony J. Carter, 23, whose last known address was 13 Busby St., is accused of conspiring with Raymond Clements of Pawtucket to commit murder. In June, firefighters responded to a blaze at Jesus’ 375 Plainfield St. apartment in Silver Lake and found the two women inside. The police later determined the women had been killed before the fire began -- and investigators have said the fire was arson with the goal of to destroying evidence. In another statewide grand jury indictment handed up today, Carter is named for six counts of first-degree robbery and six counts of using a firearm while committing a crime of violence. Carter on or about June 2 last year allegedly robbed a victim and used a handgun "while committing a crime of violence, to wit, robbery," in Cranston. On June 5, Carter allegedly did the same in incidents in North Providence. The Journal has reported that Carter was charged by North Providence police with a June 5 robbery of a Waterman Avenue convenience store. Also today, a Providence County grand jury handed up an indictment naming Carter and Clements each on two counts of first-degree robbery, one count of conspiracy to commit robbery, one count of using a firearm while committing a crime of violence, and one count of possessing a firearm without a license. On June 13, Clements and Carter allegedy robbed two people and used a firearm while "committing a crime of violence, to wit, robbery, and that they carried a handgun without a license." Those alleged incidents happened in Cranston. A warrant was issued today for Carter, Attorney General Patrick C. Lynch's office said in a news release announcing the Providence County grand jury indictment. Carter is serving a 55-year sentence for 10 armed robberies in Polk and Hillsborough counties. Lynch's office stated it is initiating the process to bring Carter back to Rhode Island, -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 3:50 PM | Comment AP fights court order over smoke-shop photographsPROVIDENCE -- The Associated Press is fighting a court order to turn over unpublished photographs of a 2003 state police raid on a tribal smoke shop. Superior Court Judge Susan McGuirl has set a hearing on the matter for Thursday. Seven Narragansett Indians were arrested for allegedly scuffling with police during the raid on a shop that was not collecting state taxes. Lawyers want to see more than 200 unpublished photos taken of the raid by an AP photographer. The AP has turned over seven published photographs in response to a subpoena. But it objects to turning over unpublished photographs, saying the court already has videotapes and photographs that duplicate much of what's in the unpublished photos. The attorney general's office said it won't comment on why it wants the photos because the matter is -- The Associated Press Posted by Mike McKinney at 3:08 PM | Comment Spalding to step down as director of Save The BayCurt Spalding, the executive director of Save The Bay, Rhode Island’s largest environmental group, told his staff today he was stepping down by this summer and will spend some time considering a new career move. The group’s board of directors plans a national search for a new director. As the head of the state’s most influential environmental advocacy and educational group since 1990, Spalding, 50, has long been a major figure both in Rhode Island’s environmental community, but also among business and political leaders. He took over from Trudy Coxe, who launched an unsuccessful bid for Congress that year. Spalding, who had worked at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency before joining Save The Bay as an assistant director, was less confrontational than Coxe. But under his leadership the group grew, built a state of the art headquarters at Fields Point, and introduced thousands of local children to Narragansett Bay through its educational programs. Spalding has led campaigns to restore the ecosystem of Narragansett Bay, to block development of a container port at Quonset Point, and to expand and improve sewer systems around the Bay. Most recently he called for reforms at the Coastal Resources Management Council, the state agency that regulates coastal activities in Rhode Island. In the last year, Spalding kept up with the times and started his own blog of observations and musings – always surrounding Narragansett Bay, which he often said was his passion. -- Journal staff writer Peter Lord Posted by Jack Perry at 2:15 PM | Comment State Police: "Unlikely" deleted emails can be retrievedThe computer systems manager for the state police testified today that he didn’t believe deleted files related to the 2003 raid on a Narragansett Indian smoke shop could be retrieved. James Shea, who has handled state police data processing for 12 years, said it was highly unlikely given the amount of time that had passed and the condition of the department’s servers. It is estimated the work would cost $20,000 to $50,000. Shea said he asks state police personnel whether they want to save any items when they retire. He then asks their replacement whether they chose to save an of their predecessor’s files. If so, then those documents are transferred, he said. He said he relies of officers to tell him what documents should be saved. At issue are files retired Inspector Gary Treml used in writing the internal investigation into the raid. Treml testified today that he believed he relied on computerized witness statements as well as hard-copy accounts from the 51 officers involved in completing his findings. No e-mails to or from Treml have been included in any of the documents turned over by state police. Shea said he had security concerns about a computer expert for the defense trying to extricate files from the state police system.
“Basically, if you have a map to my network you have the map to attack my network,” he said. Defense lawyers have asked that the cases be dismissed because state police have delayed turning over documents as part of the pre-trial discovery process. A computer expert for the defense is expected to testify this afternoon. Read the Journal's extended coverage of the 2003 smoke shop raid. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 2:04 PM | Comment Gov. Patrick opposes Wampanoag's casino applicationBOSTON -- Gov. Deval Patrick today formally opposed a plan by the Mashpee Wampanoag Indian tribe to build a $1 billion casino in Middleborough. The tribe is applying to the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs to place more than 500 acres of land into trust, a key step in building a casino. The bureau had asked the Commonwealth to submit comments by today. In a letter to the bureau, the administration said the tribe failed to provide the criteria required by the bureau's regulations. The administration also said the plan failed to adequately address issues surrounding environmental and consumer protection, zoning, transportation, labor, safety and public health. "Because the placement of lands in trust may exempt certain activities on those lands from state and local laws, there are significant jurisdictional concerns at the state level," the letter said. The administration also said the tribe's casino plan doesn't guarantee strict oversight of gaming activities by the state.
Posted by Jack Perry at 1:58 PM | Comment Oster trial: His successor saw unusual aspects in land dealPROVIDENCE -- Sue P. Sheppard, who succeeded Jonathan F. Oster as Lincoln town administrator, testified today in Oster's bribery and conspiracy trial that while serving as town clerk she saw what she considered unusual aspects of a land-title transfer agreement now at the case's heart. The proposed agreement with a businessman to assume tax title of the town-controlled H&H Screw Co. property for $105,000 was not equal to the taxes owed on the land, according to her testimony. Sheppard also testified that she did not bring those questions/concerns directly to Oster. The testimony came as prosecutor Bethany Macktaz questioned Sheppard in Providence County Superior Court. Much of the state's case has sought to show a link between Oster and a then-Oster political ally Robert R. Picerno, who in 2004 pleaded no contest to bribery and conspiracy allegations. In testimony yesterday, Lincoln car dealer Robert J. Campellone described how Picerno, a Lincoln Planning Board member at the time, shook him down for $25,000 in early 2001. Campellone is one of the men the state says was targeted in the bribe scheme when he tried to buy the six-acre H&H Screw land on Route 116. Oster, who was town administrator from 2000 to 2002, is facing two bribery and two conspiracy charges, one each in connection with the alleged plot to get Campellone to pay the $25,000 bribe. Sheppard, who took office as town administrator in 2003, also testified about how meeting minutes of town council closed sessions were prepared, particularly circumstances surrounding a June 26, 2001, closed-council session in which Oster presented the council with Campellone's $105,000 offer for the H&H Screw Co. property. The council later voted 4-0, with one abstention, to approve the deal. Ironically, Sheppard had worked for the H&H Screw Company from 1961 until 1985, with a two-year break during that time. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 1:55 PM | Comment Proposed changes would affect fishermenProposed changes to state’s marine fisheries regulations would affect monkfish, menhaden, striped bass, and scup and, both commercial and recreational fishermen. The Department of Environmental Management today announced it’s holding a public hearing Feb. 26 at 6 p.m. to answer questions and get input from stakeholders. Interested parties can attend the hearing, at the University of Rhode Island’s Narragansett Bay Campus Corless Auditorium, or submit written comments by no later than noon on the day of the hearing, to DEM’s Division of Fish and Wildlife, 3 Fort Wetherill Road, Jamestown, R.I., 02835. The proposals would affect the commercial tautog quota management plan; the recreational tautog management plan; the commercial scup quota management plan; the commercial striped bass quota management plan; the R.I. menhaden regulations; and the R.I. monkfish regulations -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 1:48 PM | Comment Women's Center gets new directorAn organization that serves women and children who are victims of domestic abuse is getting a new Executive Director. Kris Lyons, of Seekonk, is moving up from Associate Director, a position she’s held since 2005, to be the Executive Director of the Women’s Center of Rhode Island. Lyons is a licensed clinical social worker who worked for the Massachusetts Department of Public Health for more than 12 years, most recently as the program director for its Domestic Violence Screening, Care, Referral and Information program. “I am excited about stepping up to this new role,” Lyons said in a statement. “I believe our staff and the work we’ve done at the Center during the last few years will provide the foundation that will continue to provide safety for women and children to help them rebuild their lives.” Lyons replaces Kyle Macdonald. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 1:47 PM | Comment N.H. developer bucks economic trend with mill project
PAWTUCKET -- A New Hampshire developer said this morning his company will move forward with a $22-million project to build rental residences in a Pawtucket mill building, despite the slackening economy. Arthur W. Sullivan, of Brady Sullivan Properties, said the project will succeed despite an economic downturn that has tightened credit markets and all but crushed the demand for condominiums. "The market is slowing down a bit," Sullivan told The Providence Journal. "[But] we have the capital to make these things work." Sullivan's plan to convert the Slater Cotton Mill in central Pawtucket to 124 rental units is his company's second project in Rhode Island. In October, the company paid $2.4 million for the Grant Mill building in Providence. Like the Grant Mill project, which a previous developer converted to residences, redevelopment of the Slater Cotton Mill will rely on a financing mix that takes advantage of the state's historic tax-credit program. Governor Carcieri has proposed a retroactive cap on the program to help solve the state's budget problems. Pawtucket Mayor James E. Doyle, speaking this morning after a press conference at the mill on South Union Street, said Carcieri's proposal threatens the credibility of state government. Pawtucket officials yesterday spoke in favor of maintaining the tax-credit program during a hearing at the State House. The Journal reported on that hearing in today's newspaper. "You're being supported with as much juice as we can give you," Doyle told Sullivan. For more business-related news, please visit the Biz Blog at projo.com/business. Posted by Benjamin N. Gedan at 12:48 PM | Comment Hearing today on bill banning Mount Hope Bridge tollsPROVIDENCE -- The House Finance Comittee this afternoon is scheduled to hear legislation that would ban tolls on the Mount Hope Bridge -- a bridge that has not had tolls for years. A consultant's report recently mentioned resuming tolls as a potential way to address a projected shortfall years from now in the budget of the Rhode Island Bridge and Turnpike Authority, which operates the Mount Hope and Pell Bridges. But a lawmaker has introduced legislation that would stop such a move before it can leave the parking lot. The committee hearing, which includes several bills on a range of topics, not just the toll-banning bill, begins at 1 p.m. in the Trainor Hearing Room -- Room 35 -- at the State House. The bridge connects Bristol and Portsmouth. Rep. Raymond Gallison, a Bristol Democrat who also represents Portsmouth, is the bill's prime sponsor. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney CORRECTION: The original version of this post incorrectly said the toll was being considered to correct a deficit was in the state budget. Posted by Mike McKinney at 12:33 PM | Comment Chat: Sports columnist Bill Reynolds taking questionsJournal sports columnist Bill Reynolds will take your questions in a live chat today from noon to 1 p.m. on projo.com. You can submit your questions now: Go to projo.com/chat, click launch chat, choose a display name (you don't need a password) and enter the college hoops chat room. Do not press enter or click send until you have finished typing; questions will display to the room as Bill answers them at noon. Come back later for a transcript of the chat, too. Posted by Andrea Panciera at 12:05 PM | Comment Offended activists offer invitation to governor, first ladyA group of Southeast Asian American student activists who say they want an apology from the governor’s wife have invited her to visit their headquarters. But a spokesman for the Governor said this morning that the Carcieris never received an invitation. The Providence Youth Student Movement criticized Sue Carcieri for comparing them to suicide bombers after the activists criticized Governor Carcieri’s decision to lay off three Southeast Asian translators. One of the activists called the decision “racist,” a move the Governor Carcieri said calls for an apology, itself. The group issued a press release, announcing a press conference to be held this afternoon and asking the Carcieris and the public to tour their facility. Steven Brown, executive director of the local American Civil Liberties Union affiliate, will join student activists and the daughter of one of the laid off translators at today’s press conference, scheduled for 3:30 p.m. at 807 Broad Street. The press conference is also open to the public. CLARIFICATION: An earlier version of this post incorrectly indicated that the group had issued an invitation to the Carcieris to their press conference. Their press releases invite the Carcieris to visit their facility and to attend a community meeting. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 11:40 AM | Comment Musicians to hold benefit for anniversary of Station firePROVIDENCE -- Metal acts like Twisted Sister and Stryper are joining country singers Gretchen Wilson and John Rich, American Idol contestant Kellie Pickler and others for a benefit concert to mark the fifth anniversary of The Station nightclub fire that killed 100 people. The blaze at the West Warwick nightclub also injured more than 200 people. Many survived with severe burns and other injuries that still require medical care. Proceeds will benefit the Station Family Fund, a nonprofit group that helps survivors with the costs of treatment and rehabilitation. The concert at the Dunkin Donuts Center in Providence is scheduled for February 25, five days after the fifth anniversary of the blaze. Tickets cost between $41 and $61. -- The Associated Press Posted by Jack Perry at 11:23 AM | Comment 'Gap kids' ruling to stay on hold during appealPROVIDENCE -- A ruling to dismiss charges against 17-year-olds charged as adults under a short-lived state law has been put on hold while it's appealed to the state Supreme Court. Superior Court Judge Daniel Procaccini made the ruling yesterday, but said it would not go into effect while prosecutors decided whether to appeal. They appealed to the high court later that day. Public Defender John Hardiman argued in court today that the ruling should go into effect immediately because he fears 17-year-olds could be punished in the interim for cases that could be dismissed. But Superior Court Judge Daniel Procaccini says the ruling is automatically put on hold since it's been appealed. Hardiman says he hasn't yet decided how to proceed. -- The Associated Press Posted by Jack Perry at 11:11 AM | Comment Girl critical after being hit by car at Mass. polling placeBOSTON — A second-grade girl struck by an SUV at a polling station in Randolph on Super Tuesday is in critical condition. Police say 86-year-old William Geisler lost control of his car and hit 8-year-old Britney Noel as she stood outside the Elizabeth G. Lyons Elementary School. He had driven to the school to vote. The girl was taken to Boston Medical Center where she was listed in critical condition Wednesday morning. Lyons Principal Leo Flanagan says she has a fractured skull and is in a medically induced coma. Police says Geisler was trying to park when he lost control of his vehicle, drove across a grassy area, mounted the sidewalk and hit the school, pinning the child between the SUV and the school. Geisler has not been charged and the investigation continues. -- The Associated Press Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 11:09 AM | Comment Kennedys, Patrick couldn't deliver Mass. to ObamaBOSTON -- U.S. Sen. Edward Kennedy and Gov. Deval Patrick couldn't deliver their home state for Barack Obama as Massachusetts women voters helped propel Hillary Rodham Clinton to victory, while former Gov. Mitt Romney easily turned back Republican rival John McCain. More women voted on the Democratic side on Super Tuesday, and six of every 10 of them sided with Clinton, whose husband counted Massachusetts among his best states in two presidential elections. The endorsement from Kennedy -- and his son, U.S. Rep. Patrick Kennedy of Rhode Island, and niece, Caroline Kennedy, daughter of the late President John F. Kennedy Jr. -- had been heralded as a big boost for Obama. Other members of the influential Kennedy clan, however, backed Clinton. Clinton also relied on rank-and-file lawmakers, who cranked up their get-out-the-vote efforts for the New York senator to overcome Obama's headline-grabbing endorsements from Kennedy and Patrick. Both Kennedy and Patrick downplayed Obama's loss, with the governor telling Obama supporters in Cambridge that "we picked up our share of delegates." Kennedy added: "I commend Sen. Clinton, but I'm also very excited about the growing momentum we've seen for the Obama campaign." U.S. Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts also endorsed Obama. Turnout of more than 1.69 million people set a new primary election record, surpassing 1980 when more than 1.3 million people voted on a ballot that included Sen. Kennedy and Jimmy Carter on the Democratic side, and Republicans Ronald Reagan and George Bush. On Tuesday, more than 1.2 million Democrats voted, and more than 479,000 Republican ballots were cast. On the Republican side, Mitt Romney, criticized for treating Massachusetts as a stepping stone while governor, won his home state by finding favor with voters who support him on immigration and the economy, according to preliminary exit poll results conducted for The Associated Press. -- Associated Press, with projo.com reports Posted by Andrea Panciera at 11:02 AM | Comment MBTA chief says agency is brokeBOSTON -- Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority general manager Daniel Grabauskas says the agency is “broke,” despite last year’s fare hikes. The MBTA is the agency in charge of public transportation in Massachusetts, including the commuter rail line that extends to Providence. Grabauskas tells The Boston Globe that the $70 million dollars the MBTA raised by increasing fares on buses, trains and subways wasn’t enough to prevent an estimated $75 million dollar deficit in the next fiscal year. Grabauskas said he’s ruled out another fare increase this year, as well as any cuts in service. The MBTA has heavy debt, with 27 cents of every dollar it spends going to pay it off. The agency has also been hurt by rising energy and labor costs and slow growth in the collection of state sales tax, it’s primary money source. -- The Associated Press Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 9:53 AM | Comment Video: Senate panel hears defense budget requestsThe U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee is holding a hearing this morning on budget requests for the Defense Department. U.S. Sen. Jack Reed, D-Rhode Island, is a member of the committee. Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Joint Chiefs of Staff chair Admiral Michael Mullen are expected to testify. To watch video of the hearing, click on this link. Posted by Jack Perry at 9:49 AM | Comment Dog breeder faces drug chargesA dog breeder is set to appear in court today after the police say they found pots, fertilizer, lamps, more than a dozen marijuana plants and 11 pounds of packaged marijuana in his house. The police searched Kevin White’s house in South Kingstown last month after thermal imaging cameras suggested heat from heat lamps was being used to possibly cultivate marijuana. And last year, he lost a fight with the town over selling puppies from his home. The town's animal control officer turned 14 dogs - including a French mastiff, a boxer, and a number of pugs - and a rabbit over to the South Kingstown Pound following White’s arrest Friday, Jan. 18. White is being held, and is scheduled for a bail hearing today in District Court. He faces multiple felony charges for the marijuana and a charge for posession of a firearm - a handgun - while committing a crime of violence. Possession of marijuana with intent to deliver is a crime of violence under state law. The police also charged White with possessing about an eighth of an ounce of cocaine after searching his car, according to police. He did not enter pleas because the charges are felonies and will likely be moved to Superior Court.
Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 9:38 AM | Comment Ash Wednesday a sign that Lent has begunThe 40 days of Lent have begun. It's Ash Wednesday, and in the Roman Catholic calendar, that means a day of repentance, fasting -- and ashes. Churches throughout this most Catholic of all states will be holding masses where celebrants may receive a sign, made of ash, on the forehead. Today, at 12:05 p.m., Bishop of Providence Thomas J. Tobin will celebrate a special Lenten mass for Catholic School students the Cathedral of SS. Peter and Paul in Providence. The theme for this year’s celebration is “Discover Jesus Christ, the Way.” More than 600 students are expected to gather in the cathedral. Several students will also participate in the Mass as altar servers, readers, and gift bearers, according to a Diocese news release. The music for the celebration will be provided by the St. Mary Academy-Bay View choir under the direction of Christine Kavanagh. Posted by Andrea Panciera at 9:25 AM | Comment Blizzard of '78 anniversary: Reflecting on visions in plaid
According to Journal photo archives, Richard A. Bouchard was snapped wearing plaid pants on the job. While then-Gov. J. Joseph Garrahy has gone down in local folklore as donning a casual plaid-flannel shirt and turtleneck as he oversaw operations during the storm, Bouchard not only was clad in plaid slacks, but with at least one rolled-up shirt sleeve. Bouchard was part of the emergency team at the time. Five years after the storm that brought the state to a standstill, whose 30th anniversary is today, he was quoted in a Journal story as urging community officials not to be caught off guard in the event of another major storm. The occasion was a gathering of officials called on Dec. 1, 1983, to call attention to being prepared for winter storms. Then-senior telecommunications and warning officer with the state's Emergency Management Agency, Bouchard asked his audience of emergency officials, "If it had come up on a weekend, could you have gathered your troops as quickly?" At that time, Bouchard noted that cable television presented a new wrinkle during a weather emergency, with cable lines just as susceptible to storm damage as telephone and power lines. Maj. Gen. John W. Kiely, then-state adjutant general and emergency-management director, termed that 1983 conference "of critical importance. Our concern is that once a year, we face the possibility that (storms) may approach in any given time frame. The public should begin now to review their preparedness actions for the winter season." Last Dec. 13, in an age of cell phones and high-tech weather reports, gaps in communication were blamed for the failure to act quickly and decisively during a weekday snowstorm that left much of the state crippled. With Governor Carcieri in Iraq, the EMA directors for the state and city of Providence later took the rap. References to the Blizzard of '78 abounded. While the Dec. 13 snowfall was minor compared to the Blizzard of '78, Providence police Sgt. Paul Zienowicz said that day "it's almost comparable" in the fact that businesses and other institutions dismissed employees early -- which caused massive congestion -- and some of those people abandoned cars after getting stuck in hours-long traffic jams. Last month, Bouchard, now a reservist with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, was again quoted in a Journal story, this time assessing the response to that storm and the firing of state EMA director Robert Warren. What's next? Well, today's forecast calls for relatively mild, wet weather. But winter may return tomorrow, with some rain and sleet expected early and a chance of snow later. Perhaps just enough of a chance to break out the plaid. -- With Journal archival reports
Posted by Andrea Panciera at 9:15 AM | Comment Traffic Alert:Two lanes blocked on Route 95/Pawtucket TThe a lane is blocked on Route 95 after an accident just north of the city. The right center lane and left center lanes are blocked on the southbound side of the roadway at Exit 27/US 1. For up-to-date information on traffic, see the Transportation Management Center's Web site, and see live camera shots on the TMC's Traffic Cams. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 9:12 AM | Comment Photo: Fog dogs
Posted by Jack Perry at 8:21 AM | Comment Parties in smoke-shop case talk computer forensicsState police and experts working for the Narragansett Indians are expected to return to court today to talk forensics. Not bodies and blood, but computer forensics. In the trial for seven Narragansett Indians awaiting trial on criminal charges stemming from the state’s 2003 raid on a tribal smoke-shop, the state police turned over hundreds of pages of documents – including e-mails – after being subpoenaed by Superior Court Judge Susan McGuirl. Now a computer expert working for the Narragansett Indians says it’s “highly likely” that e-mails that were deleted from state police computers can be retrieved. State police experts say, not likely. McGuirl is expected to hear arguments today on whether she should order an expert to try to recover the messages and, if so, who should pay for it. Extra: Take a look back at the raid, including video, and its aftermath. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 7:41 AM | Comment Winter weather may be returningWe can expect another soggy day today with cooler temperatures than yesterday. The National Weather Service is forecasting a high temperature near 43 degrees with mild, northeast winds. The rain should continue into the night, getting heavy at times. Temperatures should drop to near 33 degrees with breezy northeast winds. Tomorrow may bring more winter-like weather in the morning, with some rain and sleet expected early and a chance of snow later. To keep an eye on the weather, visit projo.com's weather page. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 7:01 AM | Comment Today's front pageToday's front page features coverage of the Super Tuesday presidential primaries, including coverage of the races in Massachusetts, won by Republican Mitt Romney and Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton. Download a copy of today's front page in .pdf format. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:00 AM | Comment February 5, 2008For some, just a few hours left to fill up before fasting
It's not too late to stock up on a stack of pancakes tonight. But be sure you drizzle them with sugar, syrup or honey, for the full Fat Tuesday -- also known as Mardi Gras and Shrove Tuesday -- affect. The idea, projo.com blogger Sheila Lennon finds, is not so much to eat pancakes but to fill up on and get rid of rich foods on the last day before Lent in the Roman Catholic calendar. According to bbc.com, that included pancake ingredients eggs and butter, which it says were among foods that used to be forbidden during Lent. Ash Wednesday, a day of repentance and fasting, is tomorrow, marking the official start of the 40 days of Lent. Posted by Andrea Panciera at 7:00 PM | Comment Conn. primary: McCain has been working hard to winHARTFORD, Conn. -- With the backing of Gov. M. Jodi Rell and support from independent Sen. Joe Lieberman, Arizona Sen. John McCain hoped for a win today in Connecticut's Republican presidential primary. With early victories in New Hampshire, South Carolina and Florida, McCain emerged as the Republican front-runner and hoped to all but secure the Republican nomination today. More than 20 states, including Connecticut, held primaries. "He's got more experience and I like his stand on the major issues," said Willard Ernst, 77, of Windsor. But he has doubts about whether Republicans can win the general election. "I think Bush has screwed things up too much." McCain was the only Republican contender to campaign in Connecticut, visiting Fairfield on Sunday. His main GOP challenger, former Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts, attended a private fundraiser in Greenwich last May. A January poll showed McCain had the support of 39 percent of Connecticut Republicans, followed by 16 percent for New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani and 11 percent for Romney. Giuliani dropped out of the race and endorsed McCain. Lieberman, who was re-elected to the Senate as an independent in 2006 after losing the Democratic primary, has also campaigned for McCain. Turnout on Tuesday was expected to be heavy, despite drizzling rain and overcast skies. McCain has long been popular in moderate Connecticut. In 2000, he narrowly won the state's Republican primary over then-Texas Gov. George W. Bush, who was born in New Haven and went on to win the GOP nomination. McCain has returned several times since to campaign for Republicans in key congressional races. -- The Associated Press Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:59 PM | Comment Conn. primary: Clinton seeks to fight of Obama surgeHARTFORD, Conn. -- Sen. Hillary Clinton, who once had a comfortable lead among Connecticut Democrats, sought to fight off a late surge from Sen. Barack Obama as voters went to the polls today for a historic presidential primary. Obama, a first-term senator from Illinois, is vying to become the first black candidate to win the nomination of a major U.S. political party; Clinton is hoping to become the first woman to do so. Clinton, from neighboring New York, once held a commanding lead in polls in Connecticut, but has seen her advantage slip away as the once-crowded Democratic field narrowed to two choices. They were competing for 48 delegates to the Democratic national convention, a tiny fraction of the 2,025 needed to clinch the party's nomination. Among Connecticut's 12 super delegates, top state party officials who get an automatic vote at the national convention, Obama currently holds the advantage. Clinton campaigned twice in Connecticut during the final days of the campaign, including a visit Monday to Yale University, where she attended law school. Later Monday, Obama drew 15,000 to a rally at the XL Center in Hartford. State officials predicted record turnout that could approach 50 percent. The previous record was 43.3 percent turnout for the 2006 Democratic Senate primary between Sen. Joe Lieberman and challenger Ned Lamont. "It's a close call," said psychology professor Tony Lemieux, 32, who voted for Obama on Tuesday morning in Milford. "My wife voted for Hillary. We're splitting the delegates, at least in our house." The split was reflected at the highest levels of Connecticut government. Democratic U.S. Reps. Rosa DeLauro, John Larson and Chris Murphy backed Obama, while Attorney General Richard Blumenthal and Comptroller Nancy Wyman stumped for Clinton. Sen. Christopher Dodd, who dropped out of the campaign after a poor showing in the Iowa caucus, did not endorse a candidate. Former U.S. Rep. Sam Gejdenson, a Dodd supporter who voted in Bozrah on Tuesday, declined to say whether he picked Obama or Clinton but predicted they would split the state's delegates. "I think they're both terrific, they're both very capable, they both, I think, have very solid ideas for the country," he said. "It's a very hard decision." -- The Associated Press Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:58 PM | Comment 2 Cranston men charged in Bank RI robbery last JunePROVIDENCE -- Two Cranston men, accused of donning masks and robbing more than $37,000 from a Bank Rhode Island branch in Cranston, now face federal charges. The police said they caught up with one of them beneath a tree, lying over a garbage bag full of cash. Christopher M. Thibodeau, 40, and Dennis R. Evans, 58, are named in informations filed Jan. 31 and today, respectively, U.S. Attorney Robert Clark Corrente and other law enforcement officials announced today. The informations charge Thibodeau and Evans with conspiracy to commit bank robbery and armed bank robbery. Also filed was an agreement signed by the defendants to plead guilty to the charges, though they remain presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty, or until they formally enter guilty pleas called for in the agreements. Convictions carry maximums of five years in prison for conspiracy and 25 years for armed bank robbery. Each offense also has a maximum fine of $250,000. The police said they arrested the men in woods near Route 295 last year after an officer responding to the robbery spotted two men wearing masks running across the highway. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney An affidavit says two men wearing masks entered the branch on Plainfield Pike on the morning of June 29, one holding a gun. One jumped over the teller’s counter, took money from the drawers and stuffed it into a dark plastic garbage bag. One man then ordered tellers to open the ATM, from which the robbers took cash. The men fled the bank in a stolen car, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office, and a customer at the bank’s drive-up window who witnessed the robbery followed the get-away car to a nearby industrial area, where two men left the vehicle and ran across the highway. Several police departments' officers searched woods and found Evans lying beneath a tree and over a garbage bag full of money. Police arrested Thibodeau walking through the woods, several hundred yards away from Evans. A BankRI tally put the stolen money at about $37,553, and the police recovered all but $75. Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:40 PM | Comment Economy top of mind for Mass. voters / Photo
BOSTON -- The nation's rocky economy is top on the minds of voters heading to the polls this primary day in Massachusetts. Preliminary exit poll results conducted for The Associated Press show close to half of all Republican and Democratic voters say the economy is the most important challenge facing the nation. For Democratic voters, the war in Iraq places a close second with nearly four of ten calling it the top issue. Health care placed a distant third. For Republican voters, immigration placed second with about one of four voters calling it the nation's top issue. The war in Iraq and terrorism placed farther down the list. Polls close across the state at 8 p.m.
Posted by Andrea Panciera at 6:35 PM | Comment Leak, mold affecting N. Kingstown High auditoriumNORTH KINGSTOWN -- Workers at the high school are watching a leak and mold problem in the auditorium, which was closed Friday, Monday and part of today. School officials discovered “a couple of wet spots” after touring the building with an insurance agent, said Ned Draper, administrative services director. A crew cleaned the area and a contractor opened a wall near the hall entrance and found mold, Draper said. Some sheetrock and carpeting was removed and the area is “being dried out,” he said. The auditorium was scheduled to reopen this afternoon, said Principal Gerald Foley. But part of a wall near the entrance will remain open so that workers can determine how water is entering the space. An air quality test done today revealed no danger to students. “The space was always safe,” Draper said. The auditorium, which includes a large stage, is used by music and theater students and for school plays, assemblies and town and school board meetings. -- Journal staff writer Paul Davis The mold is the latest in a handful of problems to beset the six-year-old school, a state-of-the-art building with a towering glass wall but also past heating and construction problems. The start of the 2001-02 school year was delayed for two weeks while a New York construction company tried to finish the $33-million building. When the school finally opened, some parts were off limits. A year later the town fired the company, claiming it left $1.4 million in unfinished work. Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:32 PM | Comment Pats linebacker Andrews arrested on marijuana chargeLOWELL, Mass. -- New England Patriots defensive back Willie Andrews pleaded not guilty to drug possession today, hours after authorities said they found him with a half-pound of marijuana. Andrews was charged with possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and driving an unregistered motor vehicle, a black Crown Victoria. Prosecutors said he had $6,800 in cash, three bags of marijuana, and no means to smoke the drugs. According to authorities, Lowell police responded to an anonymous caller who reported possible drug activity in a black motor vehicle. Police later pulled over the car, and when they approached it, detectives smelled a strong odor they believed to be marijuana, District Attorney Gerry Leone said. Andrews was released on personal recognizance after entering not guilty pleas during his arraignment in Lowell District Court. Andrews' lawyer, Sean Delaney, declined to comment. The arrest came one day after the team returned from Arizona, where the New York Giants upset New England 17-14 in the Super Bowl to end the Patriots' perfect season. The Patriots declined to comment specifically on Andrews' arrest. -- Associated Press Posted by Andrea Panciera at 6:29 PM | Comment Romney hopes home state will carry him to victoryBOSTON -- Former Gov. Mitt Romney looked to the loyalty of Massachusetts Republicans to carry him in his home state over surging Republican rival John McCain, while voters here had a tight race to settle between Democrats Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton. Cold rain and sleet covered much of the state early today, but officials still expected a record number of people to vote in the primary in Massachusetts, one of more than 20 electing delegates on Super Tuesday. Romney and his wife, Ann, voted in their hometown of Belmont at 2:30 p.m. "That's pretty fun. First time I ever voted for myself for president," said Romney, leaving town hall with a souvenir - a sample ballot. Romney said he planned to take a hot bath, open a month's worth of mail, and eat dinner before heading to the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center to watch election results. Video: Watch Romney and his wife cast their votes at the Belmont, Mass., poll. Full story from the Associated Press ... Posted by Andrea Panciera at 6:23 PM | Comment Update: R.I. fire marshal quitting after less than 4 monthsFrank M. Sylvester, who was appointed state fire marshal at the end of October by Governor Carcieri, is leaving the post on Feb. 15, according to state Sen. John J. Tassoni Jr. Sylvester, who had served as chief of the Lime Rock Fire District in Lincoln, will become the second Rhode Island state fire marshal to resign in less than a year. “While I am not privy to the specific reasons for Chief Sylvester’s resignation, I can’t help but wonder if it is not, at least in part, because of frustration,” Tassoni, D-Smithfield, said in a news release in which he expresses a range of concerns about fire readiness. “I know from personal discussions that many firefighters and fire officials are growing very tired of the Carcieri Administration’s foot-dragging in an area of public safety that should be getting more attention.” Tassoni said in his statement he is upset with a six-year delay in creating a Rhode Island Fire Academy, for which voters approved a $6.4 million bond issue, among other concerns. And he that he planned to write to the governor to "urge action" on various fire concerns "and to ask that the fire marshal’s position be filled quickly." Jeff Neal, spokesman for Governor Carcieri, confirmed the governor's office has received Sylvester’s resignation. Neal said that Sylvester expressed interest in returning to his old job in Lincoln and did not mention the Fire Academy. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Journal staff writer Amanda Milkovits Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:01 PM | Comment Oster trial: Free tires and dealer's plates for a yearPROVIDENCE -- More than a year before prosecutors allege the wheels started turning on a bribery scheme for which an ex-Lincoln town administrator is standing trial, an accused co-conspirator wanted a set of tires -- free ones. Car dealer Robert Campellone testified today that in December 1999 he met Robert Picerno -- the man the state says was the partner of ex-Lincoln Town Administrator Jonathan F. Oster in trying to bribe businessmen in a property deal -- when Picerno brought a car from Campellone's dealership. Picerno has since been convicted, in 2004, on bribery charges. Oster is on trial facing two counts of bribery and two counts of conspiracy from 2000 to 2002, when he served as town administrator. Campellone said in Providence County Superior Court today that Picerno later pressed him for a new set of tires for the car. Campellone, who owns a car dealership on George Washington Highway in Lincoln, said he provided the tires because he was intimidated by Picerno's status as a member of the land-regulating Lincoln Planning Board. Campellone said that Picerno got him to buy tickets to a campaign fundraiser for Oster, who was running for town administrator in 2000. In early 2001, Campellone testified, he was contacted by Picerno about buying the old H&H Screw Co. site on Route 116 in Lincoln, a six-acre piece the town controls. Campellone said that Picerno said the price would be $105,000 paid to the town and $25,000 in cash paid to Picerno. Campellone said he secretly taped the transaction to protect himself. Campellone testified he paid Picerno the cash, but months later no progress had been made in his purchase of the site. He said he got so frustrated that he called Oster to find out what was going on. He said that Oster told him it's going to happen and that Picerno was not lying to Campellone. Campellone was able to get a meeting with Picerno and lawyer Donald Lembo. Campellone said that Picerno told him at the meeting that Picerno and Lembo were to be his partners in a company called Campo Investments Ltd. Campellone indicated in court that he was troubled by that because he was putting up all the money for the deal, yet Picerno and Lembo were partners. "I just told him I don't need partners," Campellone testified. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Journal staff writer John Hill Campellone said he got the documents concerning the acquisition to his lawyer, Joseph DeAngelis. After talking about the matter with his lawyer, Campellone pulled out of the deal and demanded his money back. He said Picerno paid back $10,000 of the $25,000 bribe with a a check in August 2001 and paid off the $15,000 balance with a check from Major Construction Associates. Major Construction was a company working on a playground renovation in Lincoln at the time. Its owner, the state says, is Robert Gelfuso, who was the second buyer the state alleges Picerno lined up to buy the same H&H Screw property and pay the bribe. During cross-examination this afternoon, Oster's defense lawyer, C. Leonard O'Brien, questioned Campellone on his relationship with Picerno before the 2001 period covered by the case against Oster. Under O'Brien's questioning, Campellone acknowledged selling Picerno a car in December 1999 -- more than a year before Oster took office -- at $400 over invoice, and to letting Picerno use dealer plates on the car for at least a year. That allowed Picerno to avoid paying Rhode Island sales tax on the car, which Campellone estimated he sold the Planning Board member for $22,000. Campellone testified that Picerno said he planned to register the car out of state, which also would enable the then-Planning Board member to avoid paying local property taxes on the car to the town of Lincoln. Campellone testified he extended those favors to Picerno because of his position as a Planning Board member. He said he knew Picerno to know people in town government and have political power. "He knows how to put you out of business," said Campellone. O’Brien also specifically questioned Campellone on whether, when he questioned Oster about how the sale of the property was progressing, he ever mentioned that he, Campellone had paid Picerno $25,000. “You didn’t tell Mr. Oster you’d given Robert Picerno $25,000, did you?” O’Brien asked. “No,” Campellone replied. Campellone has testified that Oster told him “Bob isn’t lying” when he asked Oster about the status of his bid for the H&H Screw property in the first half of 2001. O’Brien asked if that was about the bid going before the Town Council and that was the question that Oster was answering when he said Picerno wasn’t lying. Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:24 PM | Comment Report rates nursing homes on bed sores, restraintsThe federal government today identified 12 Rhode Island nursing homes that have high rates of bed sores or use physical restraints excessively, saying these homes will be targeted for improvement over the next three years. Kerry Weems, acting administrator of the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, said the nursing homes on the list are not necessarily the worst ones in the state, because CMS considered only two aspects of care, and these homes may be doing well in other areas. But Dr. Stefan Gravenstein, clinical director of long-term care at Quality Partners of Rhode Island, said that difficulty with restraints and pressure ulcers often signal more widespread problems in a nursing home, such as high staff turnover. CMS listed two nursing homes as having problems with both physical restraints and pressure ulcers: Kent Regency Center, in Warwick, and Bethany Home of Rhode Island, in Providence. Haven Health Center of Coventry performed poorly on use of physical restraints. The remaining nursing homes on the list had problems with pressure ulcers only: Epoch Senior Health Care on Blackstone Boulevard, in Providence; the Friendly Home, in Woonsocket; Harris Health Center, in East Providence; Haven Health Center of Pawtucket; Hopkins Manor, in North Providence; Jeanne Jugan Residence-Little Sisters of the Poor, in Pawtucket; Morgan Health Center, in Johnston; Pine Grove Health Center, in Pascoag; and Watch Hill Care and Rehab, in Westerly. CMS released the list of low-performing nursing homes around the country this morning to add focus and accountability to the work of its quality-improvement organizations – private agencies hired in each state to improve the care of Medicare beneficiaries. These agencies will be required, over three years starting Aug. 1, to show measurable reductions in pressure ulcers (bed sores) and inappropriate use of restraints in some of the targeted nursing homes. Quality Partners is the quality-improvement organization for Medicare beneficiaries in Rhode Island. CMS also released a list of hospitals that performed poorly in measures to prevent surgical infections and that will face similar improvement efforts. But no Rhode Island hospitals made the list because hospitals in this state perform very well on those measures, said H. John Keimig, chief executive officer of quality partners. -- Journal medical writer Felice J. Freyer “All the hospitals performed well above the national average,” Keimig said. Keimig said that his agency would work for further improvements in Rhode Island hospitals and also focus on such issues as reducing infections with drug-resistant bacteria. “Even though none of hospitals hit the list,” he said, “there’s opportunity for further improvement.” CMS is pushing the quality-improvement organizations to bring about change in the nursing and hospitals, but nothing requires these providers to cooperate. Weems said that being publicly listed as low-performing “is incentive enough for them to improve.” And in Rhode Island, said Keimig, the Health Department gives an added push. The state health director, Dr. David R. Gifford, was previously chief medical officer of Quality Partners, and the Health Department, which controls nursing home licenses and inspections, “can put some pressure on nursing homes to work with us,” Keimig said. Although CMS came up with a list of 13 nursing homes (one of which has closed), it has not yet decided how much money it will pay for this effort. So Quality Partners is not sure how many nursing homes it will be able to work with, nor which ones, Keimig said. Additionally, very small nursing homes may not have chronic quality problems but rather an issue involving a few patients that looms large percentage-wise because of the small number of residents, said Gail Patry, director of long-term care at Quality Partners. In the case of the two smallest nursing homes on the list – Bethany Home, with 33 beds, and Harris Health Center, with 32 – Paltry said she had not analyzed the data to determine if their inclusion was a statistical fluke or a sign of trouble. Gravenstein said the work on reducing pressure ulcers would involve not just the nursing homes but the hospitals where nursing home residents are often admitted, and where their bed sores may get worse. And for the nursing homes, he added, quality-improvement efforts often end up saving money. -- Journal medical writer Felice J. Freyer Posted by Andrea Panciera at 5:18 PM | Comment Update: Bradford Dyeing to lay off more workersWESTERLY -- The owner of a textile-finishing mill that is one of the Westerly area's largest employers says he'll lay off about a third of the mill's work force because of problems reaching a deal with his union on work rules, as well as higher energy prices. About 53 employees at Bradford Dyeing Association, most of them members of the union, will be laid off in April. "We have made the decision to proceed with a mass layoff that will take place in 60 days. The exact number of employees who will be affected by this decision remains unclear, however it will be many," said a statement today from Bradford Dyeing Association President Michael Grills. The statement says the company was forced to outsource its bleach house operations due to the heavy blaze last May that drew dozens of fire and rescue personnel to the riverside facility on Route 91 on the Westerly-Hopkinton border. Grills said he asked workers to make concessions in the work rules provision of the contract with Unite Here! Local 431. In the statement, Grills said the benefit package costs the privately held company an average of nearly $50,000 per employee yearly. And he stated that increasing energy prices, and uncertainty regarding them, "has plagued our operations. As an example, our oil prices have almost tripled over the last two years." Union Vice President Joe Edwards says the union didn't agree to the changes because it could affect its contracts in other mills. BDA laid off 48 workers last November. At that point the workforce was down to 160. The company, which specializes in printing fabrics for the military, has operated in Westerly since 1911. -- The Associated Press and projo.com staff reports Posted by Mike McKinney at 3:41 PM | Comment Photo: State House rally protests housing cuts
Advocates say two such cuts proposed in the governor's supplementary budget, would have a devasting impact on affordable housing. The first plan would scoop $26 million from Rhode Island Housing, the independent state agency that lends money and provides grants for affordable-housing projects. The second eliminates all money for the $7.5-million Neighborhood Opportunities Program, the seven-year-old state fund that helps finance affordable housing for those who make less than $30,000 a year. The supplementary budget proposal seeks to offset millions in projected overspending and a shortfall in revenue by making $83.2 million in spending cuts, and bringing in $68.8 million by capping the state’s popular historic tax credit program and scooping millions of dollars from various quasi-public agencies such as Rhode Island Housing and the Resource Recovery Corporation. If approved by the General Assembly, the spending plan would reduce the state-financed portion of the budget adopted in June by $36.3 million. -- With Journal archival reports Posted by Andrea Panciera at 3:26 PM | Comment Bradford Dyeing expects to lay off a third of work forceWESTERLY -- The owner of a textile mill that is one of the Westerly area's largest employers says he'll lay off about a third of the mill's work force because of problems reaching a deal with his union on work rules, as well as higher energy prices. About 53 employees at Bradford Dyeing Association, most of them members of the union, will be laid off in April. Michael Grills says he asked workers to make concessions in the work rules provision of the contract with Unite Here! Local 431. He told The Westerly Sun the proposed changes would have allowed workers to do the jobs of people who don't come to work. Union Vice President Joe Edwards says the union didn't agree to the changes because it could affect its contracts in other mills. -- The Associated Press Posted by Mike McKinney at 2:54 PM | Comment Mayors announce grant to improve Broad Street
CUMBERLAND -- Broad Street runs through Central Falls, Cumberland and Pawtucket – and all three want to do something to revitalize it. Today mayors Charles Moreau, of Central Falls, Daniel McKee, of Cumberland, and James E. Doyle, of Pawtucket, announced a $50,000 grant to regenerate the street and the surrounding neighborhoods. Bob Billington, of the Blackstone Valley Tourism Council, joined the mayors in announcing the Preserve America Grant, which will be used to develop a sustainable community plan. The group announced the grant today at the Blackstone River Theater in Cumberland. -- Journal staff photographer Bob Thayer Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 2:09 PM | Comment Strong voter turnout expected in Mass. and Conn.Connecticut election officials expect a record turnout for today's presidential primary and Massachusetts officials also expect a strong turnout despite cold, rainy weather. Connecticut and Massachusetts are among the states holding primaries or caucuses today on what is being billed as "Super Tuesday." Rhode Island doesn't hold its presidential primary until March 4. Polls in Connecticut opened at 6 a.m. today and were to remain open until 8 p.m. Turnout records could be broken, according to Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz. Bysiewicz predicted voter turnout close to 50 percent - higher than the 43.3 percent turnout for the closely watched 2006 Senate Democratic matchup between Sen. Joe Lieberman and Ned Lamont. In Massachusetts, a stream of early voters, braving a cold, steady rain, entered a heavily democratic precinct in Boston's Jamaica Plain neighborhood shortly after the polls opened. Outside, supporters of Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama held signs and shouted last-minute arguments. Massachusetts state Secretary William Galvin predicted a heavy turnout in both Democratic and Republican primaries, with more than 30 percent of the electorate showing up at the polls - a number he said could climb even higher. Read a full story on the Connecticut primary. Read a full story on the Massachusetts primary. -- From Associated Press reports Posted by Jack Perry at 1:25 PM | Comment Update: Judge reconsiders delaying 'gap kids' dismissalPROVIDENCE -- A Superior Court judge now says he will hold a hearing tomorrow to determine whether he should put on hold his decision to dismiss felony charges against so-called "gap kids." Judge Daniel A. Procaccini Jr. this morning announced that he is dismissing felony charges against so-called "gap kids," defined as 17-year-olds who were charged as adults during a brief window this summer and fall when those teens were considered adults in the courts. Procaccini had also said he would put the decision on hold for 20 days, pending an appeal by the Rhode Island Attorney General's Office, but he is now reconsidering that hold at the request of the Office of the Public Defender. Procaccini has scheduled a hearing for 9:30 a.m. tomorrow. Judge Procaccini earlier announced that he is also holding in abeyance the indictment against a Barrington teen charged in the boating fatality last summer, pending a hearing in Family Court. Ryan Greenberg has been charged with second-degree murder and underage possession of alcohol in the July death of Patrick Murphy, 17, on the Barrington River. A short-lived law enacted last July treated 17-year-olds accused of crimes as adults. The move was intended to save money since it's typically less expensive to house someone at the state prison than at the Rhode Island Training School. The law was repealed in November after lawmakers realized that it wouldn't save money. The state's public defender has led efforts to return the teens to Family Court. But the attorney general's office says it would create chaos to apply the change retroactively. In the conclusion of his decision today, the judge says: "The Legislature’s short-lived decision to subject seventeen-year-olds to Superior Court jurisdiction was constitutional in all respects. The manner in which this decision was implemented, however, failed to consider the entire statutory scheme conferring jurisdiction upon the Family Court."
Posted by Jack Perry at 1:12 PM | Comment Lt. governor seeking details on long-term care changesGovernor Carcieri has said the state could save tens of millions of dollars by diverting elderly care from institutions to home care. But how, exactly, will these changes play out? Lt. Gov. Elizabeth Roberts is planning a series of meetings to flush out the details of the potential changes to elderly care that could result from the governor's proposed budget. The meetings will be facilitated by the Long Term Care Coordinating Council, a body that aims to “develop and coordinate state policy concerning all forms of long term care for elderly and adults with chronic disabilities.” “This is one of those times when by doing things differently and in a more cost-effective manner we can also better meet the needs of our citizens,” said Roberts, who chairs the council. “We have an opportunity to make some very positive changes in these tough budget times." Roberts said she has requested presentations from the Office of Health and Human Services, Human Services, and the Department of Elderly Affairs at the first meeting, scheduled for next Wednesday, Feb. 13 at 10 a.m. in the State House. By statute, the department representatives are required to attend. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 11:35 AM | Comment Youth group wants an apology -- so does governorPROVIDENCE – An activist youth group for Southeast Asian Americans wants an apology from Governor Carcieri's wife for comparing teenagers who criticized her husband to suicide bombers. Governor Carcieri, however, thinks he’s the one entitled to an apology. During a protest two months ago, a 16-year-old boy called the governor’s decision to lay off three Southeast Asian interpreters “racist.” She compared that to terrorists convincing youths to blow up other people, such as former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, who was assassinated in December. Staff at Providence Youth Student Movement say it was inappropriate to compare them to terrorists, and they want an apology. Jeff Neal, the governor’s spokesman, said in a statement that Sue Carcieri did not mean to imply any connection between the activists and those responsible for the death of Benazir Bhutto. And the governor wants the group to apologize to him for “calling him a racist,” according to Neal’s statement. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 9:50 AM | Comment Commander of Newport Coast Guard cutter suspendedThe commander of a Newport-based Coast Guard cutter has been relieved of duty after allegations that he was involved in an inappropriate relationship with a subordinate. Commander Jeffery Dow had been commander of the cutter Willow since the summer of 2005. He was temporarily relieved of duty Feb. 1. The 225-foot cutter was launched in 1996 and commissioned in April 1997. “We take these types of allegations very seriously,” said Rear Adm. Timothy Sullivan, “and we will investigate this case fully.” The case remains under investigation.
Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 9:20 AM | Comment It's just Regular Tuesday in Rhode IslandThis could be a defining day in the 2008 race for the White House. Millions of Americans are heading to the polls to cast primary ballots on Super Tuesday, though not here in Rhode Island. The Ocean State holds its presidential primary on March 4. Meanwhile, our New England neighbors, Connecticut and Massachusetts, are part of today's primary frenzy. In all, two-dozen contests from coast to coast are delivering 1,023 Republican and 1,681 Democratic delegates. The number needed to win the nomination: 1,191 Republican and 2,025 Democratic. The contests offer an enormous chunk of the delegates that are ultimately needed to win each party's nomination at the political conventions this summer. Party rules are stacked against a knockout for Democrats. All their primaries and caucuses award delegates proportionately, so it doesn't hurt to come in second. In the Republican field, nine contests offer all delegates to the winner. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson, with reports from the Associated Press Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 8:09 AM | Comment Today's front pageToday's front page features coverage of Super Tuesday, when voters in 23 states, including Massachusetts and Connecticut, turn out for primaries. Download a copy of today's front page in .pdf format. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:01 AM | Comment Rainy and warmWe're in store for another wet and relatively warm day. The National Weather Service is forecasting a high temperature of 50 degrees -- 12 degrees higher than the average but 12 degrees lower than the record high. The rain is expected to continue, and we may see some thunderstorms in the early afternoon. A half inch of rain is expected by the end of the day. More rain is expected late tonight when the temperature drops to the mid 40s. Rain continues into tomorrow, with patchy fog, and temperatures again reaching about 50 degrees. For weather updates throughout the day, visit projo.com's weather page. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 7:01 AM | Comment February 4, 2008Tonight: Music to put football out of sight, out of mindAfter the Super Bowl, Giants fans aside, everyone else in these parts may need a diversion for the evening -- something to get away from it all -- whether it's rocking out or feeling the blues. Illuminati and Number O.N.E. Click play rock at AS220, 115 Empire St., Providence. 831-9327. 9 p.m. $6. All ages. The John Allmark 16 Piece Jazz Orchestra plays at Bovi's Town Tavern, 287 Taunton Ave., East Providence. 434-9670. 9 p.m. Mark Taber plays the blues at The Hi-Hat, 3 Davol Square, Providence. 453-6500, www.thehihat.com. 7 to 11 p.m. Posted by Mike McKinney at 7:00 PM | Comment Senate attacks Carcieri for Smart StaffingPROVIDENCE -- A state Senate oversight committee says the Carcieri administration gave a no-bid state contract to a Massachusetts company and then fronted the company's payroll in what it charged amounted to an interest-free loan.
The committee, in a press release, said it "can not make a determination as to whether the incompetence was due to ignorance, or arrogant and willful violation of the law. However, the committee is certain that the public deserves better.” The oversight committee -- eight Democrats and one Republican -- met for six months last year, taking testimony as it probed state government's purchasing practices. The news release says the committee had "17 areas of concern" and said the Carcieri administration "inhibited" the committee's progress and "violated the spirit" of the state Access to Public Records Act. That undermined the "transparency, accountability and public confidence by not providing the prompt production of requested documents or consistent, responsive testimony.” -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Other problems the committee's report found: * Though mandated to do so, the state Properties Committee has failed to issue regulations for acquiring and disposing of state property and for granting permission to use state property. * The rules and regulations for the State Properties Committee are outdated. * The chief purchasing officer has neither an active nor supervisory role in relation to the State Properties Committee "and is therefore in violation of state law." * Also violating law, the Department of Administration has failed to prepare and disseminate training materials to state Properties Committee members. The state Properties Committee has also failed to come up with and put into use a training course for its new members. * The State Purchase Card Program "may lack controls to ensure purchases are in compliance with the Master Price Agreement and fairly distributed among vendors." * The Division of Purchasing violated the requirements of the Administrative Procedures Act and the state purchasing statutes when attempting to amend its small purchase regulations by memorandum. * The Division of Purchasing does not supervise agency use of small purchasing authority. * The Division of Purchasing has violated the Administrative Procedures Act by failing to set regulations "concerning all current formal and informal proceedings." * Current records retention violated law by not including all contract documents "such as written determinations and supporting detail" in one contract file. * The division did not produce written determinations dealing with noncompetitive contracts in a reasonable time, violating its own regulations. * The division failed to produce statutorily-required reports. * The expansion of, and changes to, the DataLogic Consulting contract -- the company whose place Smart Staffing took -- "resulted in a substantive change to the service being procured." The lack of documentation and absence of a new bidding process "undermines the basic statutory tenets of competition, accountability and transparency." Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:38 PM | Comment Attleboro police probing dozens of house break-insATTLEBORO, Mass. -- Police are investigating a series of as many as four dozen house break-ins over the past three months here and in surrounding towns that they believe are being committed by the same person or group. Capt. David Proia said the breaks are occurring in house that are located in neighborhoods in Attleboro and North Attleboro that are nears exits to Interstate 95. That proximity to the interstate would provide the thieves with a quick getaway route, Proia said, but police don’t know if that is the reason for them being there. The burglars’ method of operation is to break into houses from rear or side windows, ones that aren’t visible from the street and in the afternoon or early evening hours when occupants are not home. “We’re asking people to clear bushes and shrubs near their windows, so we can see better,” Prioa said. “They are taking small, expensive items,” Proia said. “They aren’t taking anything like big-screen TVs.” It is not unusual to see a rash of burglaries by an individual or group in a geographic area, Proia said, but the breaks that police have seen here and in North Attleboro have lasted longer and spread over as large an area as this one. Casie like those are usually broken when an arrest is made inn one burglary and then police connect the suspect to others. They can also be cracked when a suspect is stopped for some other violation, such as a traffic citation, and evidence connecting them to a break in is detected. Proia said police have collected evidence from some of the crime scenes, but he declined to describe what it was. Police have tried to increase their patrols in residential neighborhoods they think might be targets. “Everyone is out,” he said. “I’ve been out myself, I used an unmarked car.” Police are asking anyone who sees someone suspicious or a suspicious vehicle in their neighborhood to call police. “Give us a call,” he said. “We’ll respond.” -- Journal staff writer John Hill Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:20 PM | Comment Pats flying home from Arizona tonightThe Patriots are on their way home. According to The Journal Sports Department, the team is expected to land at Boston's Logan International Airport around 7 tonight. The Pats are then expected to head to Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Mass., and could arrive there around 8 p.m. Check for reports on their welcome home after yesterday's Super Bowl loss, from The Journal's Joe McDonald, via projo.com's PatsBlog. Posted by Andrea Panciera at 4:58 PM | Comment Fires are up, and Red Cross has gone through its budgetPROVIDENCE -- In the last two months local Red Cross volunteers have responded to 60 percent more fires around the state than they did a year ago, prompting ``a very real crisis’’ in the agency’s ability to offer help, said its chief executive officer, John Holt, today. ``We’re only halfway through our fiscal year and we’ve already exceeded the annual budget [of $130,000] we use to provide lodging, food, clothing, shelter and infant supplies,’’ Holt said. The agency held a news conference to appeal to people and businesses go give more to the local Red Cross, which receives no financial support from the national organization. In December and January, the Red Cross responded to 40 fires across the state compared to 25 for the same period a year ago. And last weekend, the first weekend of February, volunteers responded to four more fires. More alarming than the number of fires, said Holt, is the increasing number of people needing assistance. Because of the tough economy and the high cost of heating fuel, more families are living together and trying to save money by using alternative -- and often more dangerous -- forms of heating, said Holt. ``When our disaster action teams arrive at the scene of a home fire, it is not uncommon for them to find 10 or more clients who need assistance,’’ Holt said. Holt said those wishing to make contributions to the Red Cross can write checks to: American Red Cross RI Chapter, 105 Gano St., Providence, RI 02906. -- Journal staff writer Tom Mooney The Red Cross helped 247 people between December and the end of January, said Holt, compared to 133 during the same period a year ago. The United Way of Rhode Island offered today to give the Red Cross another $10,000 above its annual contribution if the agency matched the grant from other donors. Met Life also committed another $5,000 for the cause. ``We need the financial support of the whole community to replenish our disaster assistance fund,’’ said Holt. Providence Fire Chief George Farrell said many of the fires in the city this winter have been caused by space heaters used improperly. People place them too close to combustibles, use them with extension cords rather than plug them directly into outlets, and are even using them to dry their clothes, he said. Posted by Mike McKinney at 3:53 PM | Comment Felon pleads guilty to gun possession in PawtucketPROVIDENCE -- A New York man pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm. He admitted he had a gun in his waistband while sitting in a parked car in downtown Pawtucket. Felix Rodriguez, 31, of the Bronx was in a car parked on April 19 at Broad and Exchange streets when Pawtucket police approached. Officers were responding to a dispatch about a car in which occupants had shown a gun. The car matched description and officers ordered three people out of the car and patted them down, according to a news release from U.S. Attorney Robert Carl Corrente's office today. An officer found a loaded, snub-nosed .44-caliber handgun. Rodriguez asserted he’d found it earlier that night during a fight at a strip club, the U.S. Attorney's office said. Rodriguez has past convictions in Virginia for cocaine trafficking and possessing a firearm, the U.S. Attorney's Office said. Felons are barred by federal law from possessing a firearm. Maximum penalty for being a felon in possession of a firearm is 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Rodriguez made the plea before Judge William E. Smith in U.S. District Court, Providence. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 3:47 PM | Comment Seabees donate $50,000 for new museum at Quonset
PROVIDENCE -- The Seabee Museum and Memorial Park at the Quonset Business Park announced a $50,000 donation today that will help pay for a new museum celebrating the history of the Seabees. The New Boston Fund, the Boston developers who are building the Quonset Gateway project at the state-owned park, are giving the money. "We have come to know the Seabees," Jerry Pucillo, a senior vice president at New Boston, said today at a press conference at the State House, where he called the Seabees "our heroic engineers." The new museum is being incorporated in the Quonset Gateway development. In all, the Seabees hope to raise $250,000 for the new museum by the end of next year. The Seabees were "naval construction battalions that speedily built docks, housing, and airstrips in combat zones during World War II," according to the Encyclopedia Britannica. Known by their slogan, “We Build, We Fight,” the Seabees' primary mission has been to handle critical construction projects in war zones. For more business-related news, visit the Biz Blog at projo.com/business. Posted by Benjamin N. Gedan at 3:24 PM | Comment Can yoga can help women quit smoking?PROVIDENCE -- Miriam Hospital researchers say they want to find out if yoga can help women stop smoking. The hospital said in a news release today that in one of the first such studies, researchers at the hospital's Centers for Behavioral and Preventive Medicine are including yoga in a smoking-stopping program to determine effectiveness. The eight-week “Quitting in Balance," paid for by the National Institutes of Health's National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, includes counseling and "complimentary health and wellness treatments" to help participants. All get smoking cessation counseling, but they will also be divided into one group enrolled in yoga and another group receiving "video-based health information." The hospital said those eligible to participate must be: * Women smokers, 18 to 65 years old, who want to quit * Not regular exercisers * In general good health "As a form of exercise, yoga shares many of the same properties as traditional aerobic exercise, which past research has shown to be an effective addition to smoking cessation," the hospital news release said. "In addition, yoga’s emphasis on meditation may be of particular benefit in combating the negative effects and emotional stress that accompanies smokers during nicotine withdrawal." -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 2:52 PM | Comment Groundhog Day tally: Block Island population takes dipNEW SHOREHAM -- The annual Groundhog Day tally is in, and as sure a Punxsutawney Phil is promising six more weeks of winter, six fewer people were on Block Island this past Saturday than last year. Islanders have marked each Groundhog Day for going on five decades by counting every person on the three-by-seven-mile island. This year’s count -- 971 -- is down six from the year before and another 15 from 2006. Organizers attribute the slight decline to Groundhog Day falling on a weekend, when some workers return to their homes on the mainland. “If it’s a weekday and they’re here, they get counted,” said Donald Thimble, one of those overseeing the event. The unofficial census is an annual ritual that takes place over beers and laughter at the Albion Pub, and makes an entertaining diversion during the cold winter months. Dozens of volunteers fan out to count anyone who spends the night on the island, checking to see if any unusual house lights are lit. Calls are placed; and the boats are closely monitored throughout the day to see who's coming and going. “We make a ton of calls to see who’s here and who’s not,” Thimble said. The census showed that the population on Old Town Road had risen slightly, while the number of people living on Spring Street and Center Road had declined, he said. Despite the numbers, the island’s tight-knit year-round community continues to hover at 950, he said. “Everything is pretty much the same" -- which is a good thing in his book, he says. -- Journal staff writer Katie Mulvaney Posted by Mike McKinney at 2:45 PM | Comment Carcieri appoints two to ethics boardGovernor Carcieri has named two people to the state Ethics Commission: J. William Harsch, a lawyer in private practice who's served in state government and recently ran for state attorney general, and Sister Deborah H. Cerullo, a Catholic nun and former assistant district attorney in Massachusetts and New York. Sister Cerullo, who replaces George Weavill, Jr., will serve a term that expires Sept. 1, 2011. Harsch, a Providence lawyer who was the Republican candidate for attorney general in 2006, served in President Carter's administration, directed the state Department of Environmental Management and served as solicitor in Tiverton and Jamestown. He replaces James C. Segovis. His term expires on Sept. 1, 2012. “Despite years of effort, Rhode Island’s political system is still beset by many ethical challenges,” Carcieri said in a statement today. “The Rhode Island Ethics Commission needs the leadership to not only prosecute misdeeds under the existing rules, but also to ensure that the current rules are sufficient to cover all the potential conflict of interest situations in state and local government.” Carcieri said that as a former assistant district attorney and as a law school instructor, Sister "Cerullo is an ideal person to help enforce Rhode Island’s ethics laws." The governor said Harsch “has proved his worth as a public servant in the federal, state and local governments, and as a private attorney" and that “Bill’s long experience will make him a huge asset to the Ethics Commission.” The appointments do not require General Assembly approval, Carcieri's office said. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 1:31 PM | Comment Students show improvement in statewide testingPROVIDENCE -- Rhode Island elementary and middle school students once again improved on statewide tests, a clear sign of sustained progress, state officials announced this morning, with 65 percent of students scoring proficient in English in 2007 -- 3 percent higher than in 2006 -- and 54 scoring proficient in math, up 1 point from the previous year. Most school districts showed gains, most notably in four urban areas: Central Falls, Pawtucket, Providence and Woonsocket, and five of the state’s charter schools. In addition, different groups of students -- white, Hispanic, Black, Asian, Native American, low-income, special education and English language learners -- have shown steady improvement on the standardized tests which are administered in October. Governor Carcieri and Education Commissioner Peter McWalters said the results establish a clear picture of progress over the three years the tests have been taken by about 72,000 students each year in grades three through eight. “We’ve really been pushing hard on the new standards and the new assessments and we are beginning to see the results of that,” Carcieri said at a State House news conference. “There is much more work to be done, but we are moving in the right direction, with significant improvement in all grade levels and among all student groups.” Fifth and eighth graders also took a writing test, but those scores were flat, with 48 percent of students scoring proficient, compared to 47 percent in 2006 and 51 percent in 2005, the first year the test was administered. -- Journal staff writer Jennifer D. Jordan Rhode Island developed the tests, called the New England Common Assessment Program, or NECAP, with Vermont and New Hampshire three years ago. “By joining with two other states that do not have high urban populations and that score among the highest on national tests, it was a policy decision to tie ourselves to high performing states,” McWalters said. Not surprisingly, those states scored higher, with 70 percent of Vermont students and 73 percent of New Hampshire students scoring proficient in reading and 63 percent of Vermont students and 67 percent of New Hampshire students scoring proficient in math. Writing scores were about the same as Rhode Island’s: 48 percent in Vermont and 49 percent in New Hampshire. Eleventh graders took the NECAP for the first time last October. High school results will be released Feb. 25, said state education officials. Posted by Mike McKinney at 12:42 PM | Comment DOT's main Web site down, but traffic center fineThe state Department of Transportation Web site is down today because of a computer server problem. "It is the problem with the server itself -- and they are saying it should be up by tomorrow," said Frances Segerson, a DOT spokeswoman. She said the DOT noticed the problem around 7:30 a.m. But that doesn't affect people who want to see the traffic situation on various highways around the state. Traffic accident descriptions and live camera views are up and running on the DOT-affiliated Web site of the state Transportation Management Center. The DOT's main site that is not working provides broader types of information and news releases. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 12:20 PM | Comment Former Brown football star gets Super Bowl ringPROVIDENCE -- A former Brown University football star gets a Super Bowl championship ring. Rookie linebacker Zak DeOssie is the Giants' snapper on punts. His father, Steve, was a linebacker and snapper who also won a Super Bowl with the Giants in 1991. In a sideline interview with WLNE-TV, the younger DeOssie said Sunday's Super Bowl win was the pinnacle of any player's career. He says he's lucky it happened so early. His father says watching his son's team win the Super Bowl was even better than winning one himself. -- The Associated Press Posted by Mike McKinney at 11:51 AM | Comment Major donation being made to Seabee museumPROVIDENCE -- A museum honoring a famed Naval construction unit founded in Rhode Island plans to announce a major donation. Officials from the Seabee Museum and Memorial Park say they'll release more details during a news conference today at the State House. The museum commemorates the Naval Construction Battalions, where were created just before World War II. Unit members were skilled craftsmen, including electricians and carpenters, who also were trained to fight. The museum wants to expand its facility at a former Navy base in where more than 100,000 Seabees were trained during World War II. The new site is located in Port Hueneme, Calif. -- The Associated Press Posted by Mike McKinney at 11:45 AM | Comment Update: Bowl ads: Some more winning than othersWhile this Super Bowl watcher found the game much more gripping than the much-vaunted ads, some at least verged on entertaining. Two of the most talked-about commercials, according to the Associated Press this morning, were the spots for Tide and FedEx. See more sneak previews of the ads as collected on projo.com's Get Ready for Super Bowl page. Or, as we're sure Fox chieftain and MySpace owner Rupert Murdoch hopes you do, watch them all again at: http://myspace.com/superbowlads Meanwhile, a separate survey from TiVo Inc., makers of digital video recorders, found that the E-Trade ad showing a baby talking about stock deals -- and spitting up at the end -- was the most-watched commercial during the game. Counting in people who played back material on their DVRs, the commercials were watched by more people than the game, TiVo said. Posted by Andrea Panciera at 11:28 AM | Comment Gas prices fall for fourth straight weekGas prices in Rhode Island dropped again last week, the fourth straight week the price has fallen, according to AAA Southern New England. The average price for a gallon of regular, unleaded gasoline is $3.039 at the self-service pump, down one cent since the previous week, according to AAA's weekly survey. The average price here is 10 cents less than it was at the beginning of the year. But Rhode Island prices are still six cents above the national average of $2.979. And Rhode Islanders were paying 86 cents less per gallon, $2.179, at this time last year. Posted by Jack Perry at 10:55 AM | Comment Singer Buble to perform in ProvidenceNew-school crooner Michael Buble returns to Providence with a show Thursday, April 10, at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center. Tickets go on sale Friday 8 Feb at 10 a.m. They are $87, $67 and $51.50 and are available at the box office, all Ticketmaster outlets, by calling (401) 331-2211 or by going to www.ticketmaster.com. -- Rick Massimo Posted by Jack Perry at 10:42 AM | Comment Oster trial postponed due to illnessPROVIDENCE — The trial of former Lincoln Town Administrator Jonathan F. Oster has been postponed for a day because two jurors have the flu. Testimony concluded early Friday when one of the jurors felt ill. Oster is on trial in Superior Court for bribery and conspiracy. He is facing two counts of bribery and two counts of conspiracy. He is accused of conspiring with former planning board member Robert Picerno to shake down two different potential buyers of the land in 2001. The trial is expected to resume tomorrow. -- John Hill Posted by Jack Perry at 10:02 AM | Comment We'll be grieving, but not for longWhat is the appropriate mourning period for a Super Bowl loss? Under normal circumstances, I'd say 10 days. But this time, when an unknown catches a pass with one hand on top of his helmet, it's not worth being down for more than a few days. On top of his helmet! What are you supposed to do about that? Besides, on Thursday the URI Rams go for their fifth win in a row against U. Mass. The Pats aren't the only winners around here. The Rams are 19-3 and a good bet to make the NCAA tournament. Not only that, but Spring Training starts for the Red Sox in less than two weeks. The defending World Champions play their first exhibition game Feb. 28. So hang in there. This too will pass. -- Peter Phipps, projo.com Posted by Peter Phipps at 9:23 AM | Comment From a distance: Super Tuesday in New EnglandJust because we won’t be voting on Super Tuesday doesn’t mean some Rhode Islanders won’t be doing their part to help their candidate of choice tomorrow. Supporters of Democratic candidate Sen. Barack Obama are departing by bus from Hope High School in Providence tomorrow morning for a Get Out the Vote trip to those nearby states – Connecticut and Massachusetts – that will be holding a presidential primary. Candidates and their supporters have already been working the New England Super Tuesday states. Republican Sen. John McCain spoke at a rally at Sacred Heart University in Fairfiield, Conn. yesterday. And Democratic candidateSen. Hillary Clinton and her daughter Chelsea are scheduled to arrive in the state today, as is Obama, who had the Democrats’ 2004 presidential candidate Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts, campaigning on his behalf at a Baptist Church in Bridgeport. No word on the whereabouts of Republican and former Mass. Gov. Mitt Romney's whereabouts tomorrow, but today he's in Georgia. When do Rhode Islanders get their chance to vote? On Tuesday, March 4.-- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson, with reports from the Associated Press Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 8:41 AM | Comment Post-Super Bowl calendar: Mardi Gras, Ash WednesdayNew Englanders may be forgiven for not noticing. But there was another extravaganza going on this past weekend aside from Super Bowl frenzy. It's Mardi Gras time in New Orleans, with parades and parties leading up to tomorrow's culmination. Watch a video of the celebrations as the city celebrates its post-Katrina recovery. And remember, after tomorrow's Fat Tuesday indulgences, it's time for Ash Wednesday, and for those who follow the practice, the season of Lent. In Rhode Island, the Diocese of Providence lists Lenten events and information on its Web site. Posted by Andrea Panciera at 8:36 AM | Comment Emergency responders to discuss this busy fire seasonWith a handful of house fires last week – including two fatals – and more than 40 in the past two months, the emergency responders find themselves at nearly two times as many disasters as this time last year. The Red Cross Rhode Island Chapter, United Way of Rhode Island and the Providence Fire Department come to the aid of people who are affected by fires. The three organizations are holding a press conference today to talk about what they do and what they need to do it better. Providence Fire Chief George Farrell is going to talk about fire prevention and safety measures. Joining him will be John Hold, CEO of Red Cross, United Way President and CEO, Anthony Maione. They’ll discuss what they do and their organizations’ need for assistance to do it. The press conference is set for 1:30 p.m. at the Public Safety Complex. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 7:27 AM | Comment Fires in Mattapoisett, Milton, Mass., kill 2Two people have died in house fires in Milton and Mattapoisett. Massachusetts Fire Marshal Stephen Coan withheld the identities of the victims and said investigators were working to determine the causes of the fires Sunday. In Milton, authorities received a call about 7:30 Sunday night from a man saying his house was one fire. When firefighters arrived, they found most of the windows blown out and every room in flames. Deputy Fire Chief Kevin Mahony says a body was found in second-floor bathroom, near a window. He says the house was full of clutter, which made it hard for firefighters to enter. -- The Associated Press Posted by Jack Perry at 7:02 AM | Comment Today's weatherIt's going to be unseasonably mild today, but not unseasonably dry. The National Weather Service is forecasting a high temperature near 44 degrees today with cloudy skies and a slight chance of rain in the early evening. The rain could turn to snow later in the evening, when the temperature drops to the mid 30s. Late tonight and early tomorrow morning, we could see more rain and winds between 5 and 10 mph. More mild temperatures tomorrow with a high of 47 and winds between 9 and 14 mph. For weather updates throughout the day, visit projo.com's weather page. Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 7:01 AM | Comment Today's front pageToday's front page reports the bad news of the Patriots' Super Bowl loss. Download a copy of today's front page in .pdf format. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:00 AM | Comment February 1, 2008Tonight: Music of North Africa, France and Middle EastThere'll be traditional music tonight from North Africa, France and the Middle East, plus jazz and improvisational works, when Trio Actuel performs at University of Rhode Island's Fine Arts Center Concert Hall, 105 Upper College Rd., Kingston, at 8 p.m. The performance is part of the University Artist Series. Admission is $8, with the box office opening at 7:15 p.m. Seating is on a first-come basis. For information, call (401) 874-2431. Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:45 PM | Comment Lottery machine determines ballot order of candidatesPROVIDENCE -- Here's how the Democratic and Republican presidential candidates' names will appear on the March 4 Rhode Island primary ballot -- courtesy of a borrowed lottery machine that's more often used to determine a jackpot. "Uncommitted" will appear first on the Democratic ballot, followed by Hillary Clinton, John Edwards and Barack Obama. John McCain will be first on the Republican ballot, followed by Ron Paul, Hugh Cort, Mitt Romney, Uncommitted, Alan Keyes and Mike Huckabee. Today at 5 p.m. in the state room of the State House, Secretary of State A. Ralph Mollis used a borrowed lottery machine to determine the order. A Rhode Island Lottery representative removed "specially calibrated, numbered white plastic balls as they floated to the top of the lottery machine," Mollis' office said in a news release. Each candidate was represented by a ball. Mollis announced the candidates' names in the order the balls appeared. Mollis' office said about 20 people attended. In other action, the Secretary of State’s office also used the machine to figure out ballot position for the 184 Rhode Islanders competing to attend the Democratic or Republican National Conventions as a delegate. Some of the names on the ballot are Governor Carcieri, former Lt. Gov. Charles Fogarty, House Minority Leader Robert Watson, former Providence Mayor Joseph Paolino and former Democratic gubernatorial candidate Myrth York. The Secretary of State's office added that tomorrow is the deadline for registering to vote in the state’s presidential primary. City and town officials have made arrangements to register applicants, despite the deadline falling on a Saturday. For information about the primary or registering to vote, go to www.sec.state.ri.us. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:48 PM | Comment Computers with worker info stolen from diocese schoolsDesktop computers holding information about current and former Catholic school employees were stolen from the Diocese of Providence's Catholic Schools Office, according to a release sent by the office today. Someone shattered a window in the school office and broke through two locked doors to steal the computers, according to a news release. The office has sent letters to current and former employees of Rhode Island Catholic schools about the thefts. The State Police have been notified and the Providence police are investigating. The news release said the office "follows appropriate recommended security measures, which include restricting access to all computers with passwords. The information was not stored on a laptop." The stolen computers have not been recovered. The Providence police fraud unit recommends that anyone who could be affected to contact one of the three major credit-reporting bureaus to tell them of the possible theft of their personal information, the release said. The Catholic Schools Office has also set up information on the diocese's Web site -- www.dioceseofprovidence.org -- that offers answers to questions, links to resources and contact information for credit bureaus and diocesan officials. Inquiries can also be made by calling (401) 278-4678, a number that will be staffed from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. tomorrow and through the coming week. The schools office apologized for any inconvenience the incident may have caused current and former employees. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:37 PM | Comment Burrillville woman, 23, dies in Glocester collisionGLOCESTER -- A 23-year-old Burrillville woman was killed in a vehicle collision today on Route 44, west of Jackson School House Road. The police did not identify her pending notification of her family. The police said the woman was driving her car west on Route 44, appeared to lose control while negotiating a curve, skid sideways on the ice- and sleet-covered road, and crossed into the east lane. A truck heading east was unable to stop, the police said, and the vehicles collided. The accident happened at 11:36 a.m. Chepachet and West Glocester fire departments used extrication tools to get the woman, who was alone in the car, out. She was pronounced dead at the scene by the Office of the State Medical Examiners, according to a Glocester police news release. The truck, a 2000 International car carrier, was driven by Michael Sobczak, 33, of Lincoln, the police said. The investigation continues by Glocester police, the State Police Commercial Truck Unit and the Office of the State Medical Examiners. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:04 PM | Comment Intense fire in Seekonk home kills 6 pets / photo
Susan Saucier, a first-floor resident at 239 County St., told firefighters that she was in the kitchen at about 8:45 a.m. when she heard a popping sound in a bedroom and spotted the fire, which apparently ignited near a bed. Saucier and second-floor tenants Fred and Carolyn Haney escaped before firefighters arrived. Homeowner Russell L. Governo Sr. and his teenage daughter were not home at the time. The heavy fire smashed windows and quickly spread to a front enclosed porch, where it was fueled by combustibles including packing boxes and furniture, Seekonk Fire Chief Alan R. Jack said today. “There was just so much damage,” Jack said. “Doors were burnt of their hinges. It was pretty dramatic. There were bright orange flames.” Jack pegged the damage at more than $200,000. “They lost pretty much everything,” Jack said. Fire crews cut a hole in the roof to ventilate and attack the fire, Jack said. It took about 10 minutes to contain the blaze. The cause of the fire is being investigated. It was the latest in a series of fires in the region over the last 48 hours, two of which were fatal.
Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:50 PM | Comment Carcieri speaks about "historic" state budget proposal
“The budget that I am submitting today is historic,” Carcieri said. “It proposes a fiscal year 2009 general revenue spending of $3.272 billion which is a decrease of 3.8 percent, a decrease, let me repeat that, from the ‘08 budget that was enacted by the legislature. This is historic. Nobody can recall … a time when our state has had to do this." The governor added: "You heard me say we’re at a tipping point. History will be written about Rhode Island at the beginning of the third millennium as either a tale of struggle and decline or a story of hard work and success. I intend it to be the latter and we begin with this budget.” Carcieri also acknowledged that his budget submission “is just the beginning of a long conversation,” regarding next year’s spending. “The Legislature will conduct hearings and deliberations on what I have proposed,” he said. “There will be many voices in that conversation.” Carcieri's 2008-09 budget proposal calls for, among other things, cutting millions from the state’s public college system, diverting hundreds of elderly, disabled and neglected children away from residential programs on a voluntary basis, and freezing state education aid to cities and towns. -- With reports from staff writers Cynthia Needham and Steve Peoples of the Journal State House Bureau Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:50 PM | Comment Child hit by vehicle on Atwells AvenuePROVIDENCE -- A child has been taken to Hasbro Children's Hospital after being struck by a vehicle in the area of 847 Atwells Ave., according to James Taylor, chief of communications for the Providence Fire Department. The call came in about 3:23 p.m. The area of Atwells where the accident happened is near the intersection with Sears Avenue. No other information was available. Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:45 PM | Comment Computer records a sticking point in smokeshop casePROVIDENCE -- State police and defense experts are at odds about whether potentially deleted e-mail messages related to the 2003 raid on a tribal smoke-shop can be retrieved from the force’s computer system. A computer expert working on behalf of the seven Narragansett Indians awaiting trial for criminal charges stemming from the raid say it’s “highly likely” they can, Judge Susan E. McGuirl said in Providence Superior Court. State police experts say it’s “not likely.” McGuirl will hear arguments next Wednesday on whether she should order an expert to try to recover deleted messages from the state police computer system, and, if so, who should pay for it. William P. Devereaux, who represents six of the tribal members, asked the court today to order prosecutors to do so at an estimated $20,000 to $50,000 cost. He is basing the request on retired state police Inspector Gary S. Treml’s testimony last week that he believed he stored some witness statements from 51 officers who participated in the raid in a file on his computer. Treml retired shortly after the 2003 raid and was replaced by Inspector Stephen Bannon. “The state has an obligation to give us that evidence,” Devereaux said. But prosecutors argue that Treml could not recall exactly how he collected the reports he used to complete his investigation into the raid. Retired Col. Steven M. Pare asked him to conduct the internal investigation, at Governor Carcieri’s request. He found the police used appropriate force. The purported evidence, said Special Assistant Attorney General Pamela Chin, “is clearly not in our possession -- if indeed it exists.” Even so, she said, “this isn’t a case where they’ll find a smoking gun in these records.” The defendants were captured committing their crimes on video, she said. Extra: See the State Police video of the raid, and more about its aftermath. -- Journal staff writer Katie Mulvaney The defense contends that the cases should be dismissed because of the state’s failure to produce documents. Prosecutors by law are required to turn over any evidence that could prove a defendant’s innocence. Prosecutors argue they have made every effort to disclose evidence and that in some cases they were not aware of documents until they were turned over by state police in response to a subpoena this month. State police turned over hundreds of pages of documents on Monday after being ordered by McGuirl to ensure that all evidence had been disclosed. The documents included two new witness statements from officers at the scene, and others already in the record. In addition, there were e-mails from Pare supporting troopers’ conduct during the raid, injury reports, and messages from Sgt. Donald Devine updating his superiors on court proceedings. Other e-mails detailed conversations leading up to the raid, including comments by Devine that the state police would seek a federal restraining order. Another 70 pages were either privileged, or McGuirl found they were not relevant to the case. The state police released 92 more pages today that are being examined by the court. State police executed a state search warrant on a smoke-shop the tribe opened on its land in Charlestown on July 14, 2003, to stop the Narragansetts from selling cigarettes without charging Rhode Island taxes. The raid turned violent, leaving at least eight people injured. Seven adult Narragansetts, including Chief Sachem Matthew Thomas, were arrested on misdemeanor charges of assault, resisting arrest and disorderly conduct. McGuirl has set the trial start date for Feb. 25 in Providence County Superior Court, if it proceeds. Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:26 PM | Comment Update: Appeals court upholds Hatch's tax convictionBOSTON -- A federal appeals court has upheld the tax evasion conviction of "Survivor" reality TV star Richard Hatch of Newport, who was convicted in 2006 for not paying taxes on more than $1 million he got as winner of the blockbuster show's first season. Hatch was sentenced on May 16, 2006, to 51 months in prison -- a sentence the appeals court decision upholds -- after a jury found him guilty of tax evasion and filing a false return for not reporting to the IRS the winnings and other income earned. His lawyer appeared before the appeals court in March 2007 to have the conviction overturned, asserting the trial judge prevented him from asking about alleged cheating on the show that Hatch said prompted him to confront the producers -- discussions that led Hatch to think CBS would pay his taxes if he won the jackpot. The lawyer argued the jury wouldn’t believe there was a deal to pay Hatch's taxes without hearing about the alleged cheating that led to it. But in its ruling made public today, the three-judge First Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston rejected Hatch's appeal, in which he made several arguments in claiming the show's producers were to have paid his taxes. The ruling said that the U.S. District Court in Providence was "well within its discretion to insist" Hatch "first supply specific evidence" of what "Survivor" show creater Mark Burnett "or others actually said that might have led Hatch to believe" the show's production company would pay the taxes. And the ruling says District Court several times gave the defense lawyer "full opportunity" to elicit from Hatch whether or not he was saying executives of "Survivor" had agreed to pay Hatch's taxes "and, if so, what it was he was told at the time." But Hatch failed to present evidence that such conversations happened, which, the appeal courts says, "strongly suggested that no actual promises were made, and no such 'deal' actually existed." -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with Journal archival reports Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:11 PM | Comment Update: Smoke inhalation caused East Side man's deathPROVIDENCE -- An East Side man died from smoke inhalation at a fire at his home this morning, according to a Health Department spokeswoman. The spokeswoman said the state Office of Medical Examiners had found the cause of death for Gerald Shapiro, 54, who had been identified by family members. Shapiro -- Jerry to those who knew him -- was legally blind and was involved with a state association for the blind. "The synagogue was his life," said a cousin, Roberta Rodman of Canton, Mass., at the scene on Lauriston Street. She added: "He was a wonderful, wonderful person who was loved by everyone. He was very religious." It was the second fatal fire in Rhode Island in the past two days. The cause of the fire is under investigation. According to Fire Chief George Farrell, firefighters found the victim in the front doorway. He was the only person in the house. Shapiro's mother, Charlotte, who had also lived at the address, died about a month ago. The fire was reported at about 5:30 a.m. today at 75 Lauriston St. -- projo.com staff writers Brandie M. Jefferson and Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Journal staff writer Gregory Smith Posted by Mike McKinney at 3:09 PM | Comment Tax evader sentenced to 46 monthsTax season is upon us and, as if to make it perfectly clear that it’s not OK to evade taxes, a federal judge today sentenced a Rhode Island man to almost 4 years in federal prison for failing to pay his income taxes. Neil Stierhoff, 52, was also ordered to bay the back taxes -- more than $450,000, according to an IRS agent who testified in U.S. District Court. Prosecutors said Stierhoff sold electronic testing equipment by mail, in person and through eBay, concealing his income by using several aliases and mail drops in New York, and always working in cash and mail orders. A state police detective testified that he found more than $100,000 cash in Stierhoff’s room and evidence presented at the trial showed he withdrew nearly a quarter of a million dollars from ATM machines between 1999 and 2002, the years he did not pay taxes. Stierhoff was found guilty in June and has been in federal custody since. In addition to paying his back taxes, Stierhoff was ordered to pay interest, fined $40,000 and sentenced to 46 months in prison. Find out how to pay your taxes at the IRS Web site. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 2:39 PM | Comment Alert: Appeals court upholds Hatch's tax convictionA federal appeals court has upheld the conviction of "Survivor" winner Richard Hatch of Newport for filing false tax returns, U.S. Attorney Robert Clark Corrente's office announced this afternoon. Extra: Read the ruling here. More to come ... Posted by Mike McKinney at 2:37 PM | Comment Budget plan: Carcieri relies on cuts, fees to close deficitPROVIDENCE – Governor Carcieri released a $6.88 billion spending plan today that seeks to close the largest budget deficit in nearly two decades by cutting millions from the state’s public college system, diverting hundreds of elderly, disabled and neglected children away from residential programs on a voluntary basis, and freezing state education aid to cities and towns. The governor’s 2008-09 budget also dramatically reduces eligibility for the state’s welfare and subsidized health care programs, replaces hundreds of state employees with private contractors, and allows more than 200 prisoners to leave the Adult Correctional Institutions early. Facing a deficit estimated by the administration at $384 million, the governor’s budget officer Rosemary Booth Gallogly said every effort was made “to share the pain.” Virtually every state department was targeted. And Carcieri stood fast by his pledge not to raise taxes. The spending plan relies heavily on spending cuts to balance the budget, which is required in the state constitution. Carcieri rolled out a handful of proposals to raise fees like creating tickets for drivers who talk on hand-held cell phones, but avoided oft-discussed moves such as selling the Ocean State’s bridges, privatize its lottery system, or expand gambling at the state’s slot parlors. The release of the Republican governor’s budget marks the beginning of a process that will unfold over the next five months as the Democrat-dominated General Assembly debates the spending plan for the fiscal year that begins July 1. Ultimately, the legislators have the constitutional power to decide whether to accept Carcieri’s proposals or not. Separately, the Assembly will debate a mid-year budget revision aimed at closing a $151-million deficit by the end of June. That proposal would require all state employees to take off six unpaid days in the next five months and includes a mid-year $12.7 million cut in non-school municipal aid for cities and towns. The 2008-09 budget released by the governor today, however, doesn’t include specifics like furlough days, but assumes $60.6 million in “personnel savings that are currently being discussed with union leadership.” Carcieri’s staff would not be more specific. EXTRA: Read the 180-page executive summary of the governor's proposed spending plan for 2008-9. (Note: PDF file, may take time to load in.) Click below to read reaction to the proposal. -- By Steve Peoples, Cynthia Needham and Katherine Gregg, Journal State House Bureau A glum Dan Beardsley, director of the Rhode Island League of Cities and Towns, described a budget briefing held yesterday as “sadder than a wake at Nardolillo’s funeral home.’’ Staring at aid cuts for the second year in a row, he said: “The governor is again proposing the same, and in my opinion, outrageous fiscal policy of transferring the state’s fiscal problems to the cities and towns.’’ A handful of lawmakers who had been briefed on the budget said they had serious concerns about whether the governor’s plans were realistic, as many require cooperation from federal authorities, the court system, labor unions, and even the elderly and disabled people who would be affected. “[The governor] puts out numbers that aren’t facts,” said Rep. Thomas Slater, D-Providence, a member of the powerful House Finance Committee. “I don’t think they’re real.” More to come ... Posted by Andrea Panciera at 2:03 PM | Comment Photo: The Super Bowl trophy draws a crowd
Posted by Jack Perry at 1:06 PM | Comment R.I. Hospital picks ex-firefighter as emergency chiefPROVIDENCE -- John O’Reilly, a Lincoln resident who retired from the Providence Fire Department, has been appointed Rhode Island Hospital's emergency preparedness director. O’Reilly's duties will include coordinating medical response to all types of terrorism and mass casualty by "allocating resources within the hospital community," the hospital news release said. O’Reilly retired from nearly 29 years in the fire department, where he was last a battalion chief. For the past three years, he was safety and compliance manager for Orion Retail Exhibit Display. O'Reilly succeeds Peter Ginaitt, now director of emergency preparedness for Lifespan, the company that owns Rhode Island hospital. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney “We are incredibly fortunate to have John in this vital role at the state’s largest acute care facility and only Level I trauma center," Ginaitt said in the statement. "His experience and training will provide the vital experience that this role demands and will help to ensure that we are able to be prepared for any and all emergencies that Rhode Island Hospital may face.” O’Reilly graduated magna cum laude from Providence College with a bachelor’s degree in fire science, the hospital said. He has gotten numerous certificates and participated in training courses directly related to his new role, the hospital said, including incident management techniques, incident commander simulation, mass casualty decontamination, weapons of mass destruction detection technologies, and U.S. Justice Department domestic preparedness. He is a National Board-certified safety officer who served as a Providence Fire Academy adjunct faculty member and was an organizing committee member and program originator for the Providence Firefighter Safety and Survival Conference from 1995 to 2001. With the Providence Fire Department, O’Reilly received a meritorious action first class, two commendable actions, two outstanding service awards, seven department unit citations and other recognition. Posted by Mike McKinney at 12:59 PM | Comment Woman charged with fatally stabbing man in PawtucketA 22-year-old man is dead today after a stabbing this morning in Pawtucket. Pawtucket police have not named the victim, but say he and the suspect, Misty Ospina, 21, had been in a relationship in the past, and have a child together. Ospina was dropping the child off with the victim at 19 Thornton St., according to the police, when they got into an argument and then, the police say, Ospina stabbed the victim. He was pronounced dead at 10 this morning at Memorial Hospital. Ospina is scheduled for arraignment on first-degree murder charges in District Court, Providence, this afternoon. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 12:16 PM | Comment Former solicitor: Oster's campaign ally had officeLincoln’s former town solicitor thought it was odd that a man who didn’t work for the town should set up an office at Town Hall. During his testimony today in the bribery and conspiracy trial against former Lincoln Town Administrator Jonathan F. Oster, former Solicitor Mark Krieger said not only did Robert Picerno not have any duties, “I don’t know if Bob Picerno is capable of operating a computer. He was just generally schmoozing around.” And Krieger said when he asked why Picerno was hanging around in Town Hall, Oster told him: “He helped me on the campaign. He’s helping me on the transition.” In 2004, Picerno pleaded no contest to four counts of taking or trying to solicit bribes and three counts of conspiracy to solicit bribes. The prosecution is trying to prove that Picerno and Oster worked together to solicit bribes from two different buyers in exchange for selling them the H&H Screw property at a “rock bottom” price in 2001. Today is the fourth day of testimony in Oster’s trial in Superior Court Providence. Read about yesterday's testimony here and here. Read about Wednesday's testimony here. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson, with reports from Journal staff writer John Hill Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 12:13 PM | Comment Update: Victim of East Side fire ID'd
He was legally blind and was involved with a state association for the blind. "The synagogue was his life," said a cousin, Roberta Rodman of Canton, Mass., at the scene on Lauriston Street. She added: "He was a wonderful, wonderful person who was loved by everyone. He was very religious." It was the second fatal fire in Rhode Island in the past two days. The cause of the fire is under investigation. According to Fire Chief George Farrell, firefighters found the victim in the front doorway. He was the only person in the house. Shapiro's mother, Charlotte, who had also lived at the address, died about a month ago. The fire was reported at about 5:30 a.m. today at 75 Lauriston St.
Chief Farrell said that a neighbor saw smoke and knocked on the door of the Rochambeau Street fire station to report it. At the same time, Farrell said, someone called 911. In all, about 35 firefighters from several different fire companies responded to the 2 1/2 story building. Six fire trucks were still on the scene at about 7:20 a.m. as friends of the victim began arriving. By 7:30 a.m., firefighters' flashlights shone from inside the house and all of the side and front second-story windows were knocked out. In less than 24 hours yesterday, one person died, two were hospitalized and two firefighters suffered injuries in fires at four houses across the state. In East Providence early yesterday, James Marinelli, 42, died in a fire at 39 Peck Ave. His mother, Theresa, 70, was rescued by firefighters and taken to the hospital. Posted by Mike McKinney at 11:54 AM | Comment Globetrotters, Journal partner to promote reading/ Photo
Harlem Globetrotters star “Buckets” Blake visited Warwick's St. Rose of Lima School this morning to congratulate students for their accomplishments in reading. Blake stopped into Jeanne Kelly’s eighth-grade class as a result of the students’ second-place win in the recent Providence Journal’s Newspaper In Education/Globetrotters reading contest. Ms. Kelly’s 11 students read 38,537 pages in the contest. At 11 a.m., Blake heads out to Pawtucket’s Curvin McCabe Elementary School to congratulate the first-place winners of teacher Martha Gomes’ sixth-grade class. Her 25 students logged in 56,493 pages. The Globetrotters are playing two shows in Rhode Island on Saturday, March 22. They play the Dunkin’ Donuts Center at 1 p.m., and they play at The Ryan Center at 7 p.m.
Posted by Jack Perry at 10:02 AM | Comment Family decides not to reopen milk processing plantSUTTON, Mass. — The owners of a milk processing plant linked to a listeria outbreak that resulted in the deaths of three people have decided not to reopen the facility. Wayne Whittier, owner of the Whittier Farms plant in Shrewsbury, Mass., tells the Worcester Telegram and Gazette that he was forced to close the plant because of the high cost of decontaminating it, as well as a drop in business at a retail store there. Public health officials identified various strains of listeria in milk samples and on equipment at the plant. The family will sell the milk from the cows on its Sutton farm to other processors. Three men died of listeriosis contracted after drinking contaminated milk and a pregnant woman became ill and miscarried. -- The Associated Press Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 9:43 AM | Comment Update: 1 dead in fire on Providence's East Side/ Photo
It was the second fatal fire in Rhode Island in the past two days. The fire was reported at about 5:30 a.m. at 75 Lauriston St. According to Farrell, a neighbor saw smoke and knocked on the door of the Rochambeau Street fire station to report it. At the same time, Farrell said, someone called 9-1-1. In all, about 35 firefighters from several different fire companies responded to the 2 1/2 story building. Six fire trucks were still on the scene at about 7:20 a.m. as friends of the victim began arriving on the scene. According Farrell, firefighters found the victim in the front doorway. He was the only person in the house. His name has not been released by authorities. By 7:30 a.m., firefighters' flashlights shone from inside the house and all of the side and front second-story windows were knocked out. The cause of the fire is still under investigation. In less than 24 hours yesterday, one person died, two were hospitalized and two firefighters suffered injuries in fires at four houses across the state. In East Providence early yesterday, James Marinelli, 42, died in a fire at 39 Peck Ave. His mother, Theresa, 70, was rescued by firefighters and taken to the hospital. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 9:31 AM | Comment PC janitors to strike for parents weekendThe Providence College janitors are on strike today after a fruitless evening of contract negotiations with their employer, Hurley of America, Inc. “None of the issues were resolved,” union spokeswoman Sasha Warner-Berry said this morning. The janitors will be joined by PC students, faculty members and others at a news conference today. The weekend strike comes at the beginning of parents weekend and will last through Sunday. At issue are wages, days off and pensions in a newly proposed five-year contract. The press conference is schedule for noon at the Providence College Campus Gates on Huxley Avenue. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 9:14 AM | Comment Fidelity to lay off 250 workersBOSTON -- Fidelity Investments plans to lay off about 250 people as part of a restructuring and merger of some of the mutual fund giant's units. A spokeswoman for Boston-based Fidelity says about 100 of the jobs being lost are in Massachusetts with the rest spread out across the country. The layoffs are in the company's technologies division and two merging units that handle 401(k) plans, savings accounts and health care arrangements for corporate clients. Spokeswoman Ann Crowey says the layoffs are not part of a companywide policy. Fidelity still has about 46,500 employees, including 12,700 in Massachusetts. The company has about $1.6 trillion in assets under management. Fidelity has Rhode Island offices in Smithfield and Providence. -- The Associated Press Posted by Jack Perry at 9:08 AM | Comment Sleet and freezing rain likelyLook for a chance of freezing rain and sleet before 9 a.m. and then rain possibly mixed with sleet after that, according to the National Weather Service. The rain could be heavy at times and the wind could gust to 29 mph. The high should rech 40 degrees. For more weather and regular updats, see projo.com/weather. Posted by Jack Perry at 9:01 AM | Comment Forbes: Providence is 10th most miserable cityYou should be miserable in Providence today. And yesterday and tomorrow. Just should be. After all, Forbes.com declared Providence the nation's 10th most miserable city. (No, Hartford is not in the top 10). At WaterFires, you are miserable. At rock shows at AS220 and Lupo's, miserable. At plays at Trinity Rep., you're miserable. Laughing at Spamalot at PPAC, you are in fact miserable. At the Farmer's Market, round up a bag full of ripened miseries. Well, no. But your tax bill, well, that may bring misery. And the city has plenty of things that aren't so cheery. According to Forbes.com, it looked at the 150 largest American metropolitans areas' unemployment, personal tax rates, commute times, weather, crime, and "that toxic waste dump in your backyard." Cities were rated in the six areas, then the ranks were added together "to establish what we call the Misery Measure," Forbes.com says in its report, posted on Wednesday. Here are the magazine's Providence rankings: Commute times: 69 The Forbes list rated Detroit most miserable, followed by Stockton, Calif., and Flint, Mich. New York City was fourth, Philly fifth, Chicago sixth, and Los Angeles seventh. Modesto, Calif., got eighth and Charlotte, N.C., came in ninth most miserable. Which brings us to Providence. Rhode Island blog anchorrising.com linked to the Forbes item on Thursday, and others in the Rhody blogosphere later riffed on the list. Here's some reaction: NotforNothing was not so impressed, calling the list "utterly stupid." At providencedailydose.com, the item asked whether Forbes editors had seen The Wire, the HBO series that explores Baltimore's plight from several angles. Baltimore wasn't top-10 miserable, according to the Forbes list. In past months, Providence's placement on lists has usually meant a news release on the way from the mayor's office touting it. The fax was miserably quiet on that front Thursday. Let's all take a deep breath and try to get through another day's misery. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 8:00 AM | Comment 1 dead in fire on Providence's East Side/ Photo
It was the second fatal fire in Rhode Island in the past two days. The fire was reported at about 5:30 a.m. at 75 Lauriston St. According to Farrell, a neighbor saw smoke and knocked on the door of the Rochambeau Street fire station to report it. At the same time, Farrell said, someone called 9-1-1. In all, about 35 firefighters from several different fire companies responded to the 2 1/2 story building. According Farrell, firefighters found the victim in the front doorway. He was the only person in the house. By 7:30 a.m., firefighters' flashlights shone from inside the house and all of the side and front second story windows were knocked out. The cause of the fire is still under investigation. In less than 24 hours yesterday, one person died, two were hospitalized and two firefighters suffered injuries in fires at four houses across the state. In East Providence early yesterday, James Marinelli, 42, died in a fire at 39 Peck Ave. His mother, Theresa, 70, was rescued by firefighters and taken to the hospital. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 7:33 AM | Comment Today's front pageToday's front page features a story about the decline in the deer population on Prudence Island. |
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ProJo 9 to 5 News Blog
Oct 2005 - March 2006