Rhode Island news | projo.com | The Providence Journal

« February 6, 2008 | Today | February 8, 2008 »

February 7, 2008

Update: SRO crowd at hearing on 24-hour gambling

NEWPORT -- 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.

-- 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 slippery

Scattered 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 library

Catch 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' case

CRANSTON -- 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 routes

In 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
Hill will take the regular route to Verry and Railroad, take a right onto Railroad Street, left onto Arnold Street, right onto Blackstone Street, right onto Main Street, and then a left onto Railroad Street to the temporary bus stop located at the top of the street near the parking lot. The trip will then continue by Railroad Street, left onto Arnold Street, right onto Main Street, right onto River Street, and then resume regular route.

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 polls

PROVIDENCE -- 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

Journal photo / Steve Szydlowski
An aerial view of the project shown at today's State House announcement, whose attendees included House Speaker William J. Murphy and Senate President Joseph A. Montalbano. The plan calls for legislation providing a tax credit for such a studio.

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 help

NEWPORT -- 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.

-- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney

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.

Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:37 PM | Comment

Oster trial: Let's go to the videotape

PROVIDENCE -- 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.”

Ironically, Campellone, whose car dealership was down Route 116 from the site, was Picerno’s first bribery target for the H&H land. Campellone, who said in his testimony earlier this week that Picerno lied to his face about the terms of the deal, backed out and demanded his $25,000 bribe money back. Picerno sought the bribe from Daniel and Gelfuso to pay back Campellone.

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 season

The 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 Hopkinton

Hollywood 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.

The developer also has also secured options to purchase several private residences in the area to build an access road, DiLibero said.

-- With reports from Journal staff writer Maria Armental

Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 2:02 PM | Comment

New theater owner seeks meeting with Feinstein

National 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.

Board considering proposal to ban photography at polls

PROVIDENCE -- 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 problems

Testimony 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 again

A 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 campaign

WASHINGTON -- 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 raid

PROVIDENCE -- 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.

Extra: Recap Journal coverage of the 2003 raid and its aftermath, including video and photos of the raid.

-- The Associated Press

Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 12:47 PM | Comment

Alert: Romney leaving presidential race

WASHINGTON -- 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 bills

NEWPORT -- 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.

Posted by Mike McKinney at 12:29 PM | Comment

Film production studio may be heading to Hopkinton

Hollywood 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 trial

PROVIDENCE -- 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

AP/Photo
A man watches fireworks near the Bell Tower in Beijing on the eve of the Chinese New Year. Thousands of Chinese are expected to flock to temple fairs across the city to celebrate Spring Festival, the annual holiday which marks the arrival of the Lunar New Year, on Thursday.

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 Brown

Social 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 colder

The 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.

For weather updates, visit projo.com's weather page.

Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 7:01 AM | Comment

Today's front page

Today'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