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« March 2008 | Today | May 2008 » April 30, 2008Suspect in Central Falls shooting taken to hospitalAnthony Strobert, the 19-year-old Central Falls man charged with Saturday's shooting death of Helder Tomar, was transported from the Adult Correctional Institutions in Cranston to the hospital today for treatment of a medical condition, a state corrections spokeswoman said. Strobert was taken from the ACI intake to the hospital at 1 p.m. today, according to Tracy Z. Poole, spokeswoman for the state Department of Corrections. He was accompanied by two correctional officers. He was not expected to be released tonight, she said. Although officials would not release the name of the hospital, an ACI van was parked in front of Rhode Island Hospital's emergency entrance earlier this afternoon. Rhode Island Hospital spokeswoman Gail Carvelli would say only that there was heightened security at the hospital today, but said she could not elaborate. The police said witnesses told them that Strobert and Tomar got into a fight Saturday in Jenks Park, Central Falls. After Tomar shot Strobert, Strobert took the gun from Tomar and shot and killed him, according to the police. The shooting of Tomar was one of two separate shootings in Central Falls over the weekend that prompted a 9 p.m. to 5.a.m curfew in the city for all people under age 18 unless accompanied by a parent or guardian. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney with reports from Jennifer D. Jordan Posted by Mike McKinney at 7:15 PM | Comment Senate OKs bill to end minimum jail time in drug casesPROVIDENCE -- The state Senate today threw support to eliminating mandatory minimum sentences for offenders in certain drug-related crimes. The bill, sponsored by Sen. Harold M. Metts, D-Providence, was approved 33 to 3 in the Senate, according to a news release. The same legislation won approval from the Democrat-controlled General Assembly last year but Governor Carcieri, a Republican, vetoed it. The legislature opted not to override that veto last year. Metts asserted the bill would not make Rhode Island soft on crime, but, rather, give judges discretion when it comes to deciding when someone would benefit from treatment and when it’s time to penalize. “Judges are selected because they have the ability to weigh the facts and make reasonable decisions, and we should give them the freedom to use that discretion in each individual case,” said Metts, according to the news release. “This legislation will inject common sense and a certain level of compassion into sentencing people with drug problems. We need a better balance between punishment and restoration. “As it stands now, judges are not allowed to consider any type of mitigating circumstances. In my opinion, judges should be given some sort of discretion in these types of cases,” he added. The bill would end mandatory minimum sentencing for drug possession and change the maximum sentences to 20 years for the smaller quantities of drugs, and 30 years for larger quantities. It eliminates minimum fines -- currently $10,000 for smaller quantities and $25,000 for bigger ones. But maximum fines will remain -- at $50,000 and $1 million, respectively. The Senate bill goes next to the House. A matching House bill, sponsored by Rep. Joseph S. Almeida, D-Providence, got House Judiciary Committee approval last week. The House is expected to take it up next week, according to the news release. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:35 PM | Comment 14 co-workers in R.I. share $200,000 Powerball winFourteen co-workers calling themselves the "FMG Fab Fourteen" today claimed a $200,000-winning Powerball ticket from Saturday night's drawing. They work at a Johnston-based company, but a lottery news release did not say which one. The employees have played the lottery together for six years. The group’s organizer bought the winning ticket from the Stop & Shop at 3 Stilson Rd., Richmond. Another $200,000 Powerball ticket sold for the Saturday drawing remains unclaimed. It was bought from Parkway Convenience & Deli at 1154 Narragansett Parkway, Warwick. Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:30 PM | Comment Alert: Senate sends gambling hours bill on to governorPROVIDENCE -- The state Senate late this afternoon approved the House-passed version of legislation to allow 24-hour gambling on weekends and holidays at Rhode Island's video-slot emporiums: Twin River in Lincoln and Newport Grand. The bill cleared the Senate in a 29-to-6 vote. The approval was expected and marks the final legislative vote. The bill will go to the governor. Governor Carcieri said at an impromptu new conference earlier today that he will "most likely" veto the bill, which won House approval last night. (The House and Senate each passed their versions of 24-hour gambling yesterday. As is customary at the State House, Senate members had to approve the House version of the bill, and vice versa, if one or both is to become law). Read coverage of the gambling-hours expansion debate and vote in the House last night. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Katherine Gregg of the Journal State House Bureau Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:56 PM | Comment Photo: That'll be a comb and dry, please
Posted by Andrea Panciera at 4:42 PM | Comment Same-sex divorce case is back in courtPROVIDENCE -- While the state Supreme Court has said she can’t get divorced in Family Court, one of the women seeking Rhode Island’s first same-sex divorce wants the high court to weigh in on whether another state court -- Superior Court -- can dissolve her marriage. Margaret R. Chambers and Cassandra B. Ormiston married in Fall River, Mass., in 2004, shortly after Massachusetts became the first state to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples. The Providence couple sought a divorce in Rhode Island Family Court in 2006. But in a December 2007 decision that drew national attention, a divided Supreme Court ruled that Family Court lacked jurisdiction to grant the divorce. The majority opinion said that under the law allowing Family Court to handle divorces, the word “marriage” means just one thing: the union of a man and a woman. Last week, a lawyer representing Chambers filed a motion asking Superior Court to pose a different question to the Supreme Court: “May the Superior Court properly recognize, for the purpose of entertaining a divorce petition, the marriage of two persons of the same sex who were purportedly married in another state?” That question “is one of extreme public importance, which is capable of repetition but will evade review unless decided by the Supreme Court,” the motion said. Chambers’ lawyer, Louis M. Pulner, said in an interview that the December decision was based on the Supreme Court’s interpretation of the 1961 statute that created Family Court, but there would be no such statute to analyze in determining if the Superior Court can grant the divorce. Superior Court, the state’s main trial court, has broader jurisdiction than Family Court, and it handled all divorces before Family Court was created, Pulner said. “So I’m going to back to the court of original jurisdiction,” he said. “How can these people not have a valid right to get a divorce somewhere in this state?” Pulner asked. “How can this state not provide a forum for a lawfully married, albeit same-sex couple to get divorced — just as for any other unhappy, heterosexual, legally married couple?” But Ormiston doubts the Supreme Court will allow the couple to get divorced in Superior Court, and she is preparing to move to Massachusetts, according to Julie A. Lynch, a Fall River lawyer who has been retained by Ormiston to eventually file for divorce in Massachusetts. Lawyers have said the women could get divorced if one of them moves to Massachusetts and lives there for a year. -- Journal staff writer Edward Fitzpatrick Lynch, who is not representing Ormiston in the Superior Court matter, said the new motion to certify a question to the Supreme Court is “just delaying the inevitable.” “([Ormiston]) feels, as I do, that they will get the same answer, although I am not, obviously, on the Supreme Court,” Lynch said. “They are asking the same body of people the same question. I find it hard to believe they would answer differently.” Lynch said the couple has been seeking a divorce for two years now and has gotten “absolutely nowhere.” And while she is still living in Providence, Ormiston is planning to move to Massachusetts soon, Lynch said. “She’s looking at different options in Massachusetts,” she said. “The sooner the better, because she needs to get divorced.”
Lynch agreed that it’s an unfair burden. “It’s unfortunate she has to do this, but it’s what the country is going to be facing: All these people who have gotten married in Massachusetts don’t all live in Massachusetts,” she said. “And they are faced with the same issue that my client faces faces, of states that won’t recognize same-sex marriages and won’t allow divorces or annulments.” The case received national attention because it was believe believed to mark the first time that any of the same-sex couples married in Massachusetts had sought a divorce in another state. In December’s 3 to 2 decision, the Supreme Court said, “It is possible that today’s members of the General Assembly might have an understanding of the term ‘marriage’ that differs from the understanding of those legislators who enacted ([that law]) in 1961, but our role is to interpret what was enacted and not to speculate as to what some other not-yet-enacted statute might say or mean.” Citing definitions of marriage from 1961 dictionaries, Justice William P. Robinson III said, “There is absolutely no reason to believe that, when the act creating the Family Court became law in 1961, the legislators understood the word marriage to refer to any state other than ‘the state of being united to a person of the opposite sex.’.” Pulner said he is hopeful Superior Court will grant Chambers a divorce. “The Supreme Court didn’t say they were not validly married,” he said. “It’s impossible to think that these people, who are legally married, have no recourse.” Pulner said Chambers has “absolutely no intention of packing up and moving to Massachusetts, nor should she have to. That is why I continue to pursue this litigation in the state of Rhode Island, which is where she lives.” The motion to certify a question to the Supreme Court is scheduled to be heard before Superior Court Judge Patricia A. Hurst on May 8. Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:03 PM | Comment Senate to take up House's gambling bill todayPROVIDENCE -- The state Senate today will take up -- for immediate consideration -- the House-passed version of legislation to allow 24-hour gambling at Rhode Island's video-slot emporiums: Twin River in Lincoln and Newport Grand. If approved, as is expected, it would mark the final legislative vote and the bill would go to the governor. (The House and Senate each passed their versions of 24-hour gambling yesterday. As is customary at the State House, Senate members still have to approve the House version of the bill, and vice versa if one or both is to become law). But Governor Carcieri said at an impromptu new conference earlier today that he will "most likely" veto the bill, which won House approval last night. Read coverage of the gambling-hours expansion debate and vote in the House last night. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Katherine Gregg of the Journal State House Bureau Posted by Mike McKinney at 3:54 PM | Comment Will May weather wither April flowers?You'd really dig this, were it an April Fool's joke that got lost in the e-mail and arrived the last day of the month. But it's not: A frost advisory is in effect from midnight tonight to 7 a.m., according to a National Weather Service advisory out today. Yes, frost -- the cold stuff that comes when fall heads toward winter -- is arriving as April turns into May. Temperatures are expected to dip into the mid-30s between midnight and 7 a.m. That will result in areas of frost, the weather service said. The advisory applies to southeast Providence, eastern Kent, Bristol, and Newport counties. Not digging it? At least you won't be plowing through inches of cold stuff on May 1. That's according to what the weather service advisory says, anyway. (Rhode Islanders know to never tempt fate). The weather service reports that a cool Canadian air mass "will continue to overspread" southern New England tonight. People with "agricultural interests" are advised to harvest or protect tender vegetation. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 3:37 PM | Comment Update: Governor 'likely' to veto 24-hour gambling billAt an impromptu press conference this afternoon, Governor Carcieri said he would “most likely’’ veto the 24-hour gambling bill approved last night by the House and Senate. He said he has “serious reservations and concerns about the amount they are estimating. I really think its way over inflated.’’ He said he was also unswayed by the pledge that up to $14.1 million of the new gambling dollars would go into school aid, because “money from lots of different pockets goes into schools aid.’’ But Carcieri said the overriding issue for him is this: “I just don’t feel that it’s the state’s role to steamroll cities and towns…and both Lincoln and Newport have been pretty clear they don’t want 24-hour (gambling). I’ve said this consistently. I told that to the speaker and Senate president…so I’ve got to see, but it’s going to be very difficult for me to support this.’’ Representatives of both communities also weighed in today on the bill's passage. -- Journal staff writers Katherine Gregg and John Hill Despite the promise of additional money for Lincoln, Town Councilman Keith E. Macksoud, whose district includes the Twin River gaming complex, had this to say: “I’m disappointed it passed...the General Assembly has gone against the wishes of the people of Lincoln.” He said he was at least pleased that the bill included their three requests: limiting it to weekends and holidays; more money for Lincoln and a "sunset" provision in 2009. “But the town has already said no. I think he [the governor] should veto it … He said he would leave it up to the people of Lincoln.” Town Council Vice President James R. Jahnz said, “The expansion really doesn’t follow the wishes of the citizens of Lincoln. … If the governor sticks to what he said, he’ll veto it. That would go with the wishes of the community and the council." Asked if the money was enough to assuage his displeasure, Jahnz said, “My real concern is that there is going to be a steady stream of traffic up from Providence after 1 a.m. We’re going to need additional police and fire” and road work. He said he was somewhat resigned to the change. “I’m not sure what the alternative is,” Jahnz said. “You can sit there and scream as loud as you want, but it doesn’t look like anyone is listening.” Newport Mayor Stephen C. Waluk said his community’s position “has been and is opposition to any kind of increase in hours or table games, any kind of expansion of gambling without our approval and there has been no referendum. There has been no ballot question whatsoever on the issue so we remain opposed to it.’’ “We appreciate the governor keeping us in mind as well as the people of Lincoln who have spoken out against it as well,’’ he said. “From my personal perspective, Newport Grand is a good neighbor. I have no problems with them whatsoever and I don’t even think this is their doing necessarily, but the the reality is this is an end-around the people of Newport having a say (in) what actually goes on in our own community.That’s bad. It’s bad at present, and it doesn’t bode well for the future when other casinos attempts are made to cut us out of the loop.’’ With the threat of 24-hour gambling in the wind, the Newport City Council voted unanimously in September for a resolution opposing 24-hour gambing and noting that “the citizens of Newport have voted consistently against the establishment and expansion of gambling facilities in Newport.’’ Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 3:07 PM | Comment Verizon expands its technology investment in R.I.Verizon said this morning it is making a capital investment of approximately $86 million in new network technology to expand its FiOS cable television service to more communities in Rhode Island. The company said it is also expanding its Providence-based Fiber Solutions Center, where at least 50 more union-represented technicians and customer service representatives will be hired. A total of 350 new jobs have been created since the center opened in 2006. The company also will upgrade its Verizon High Speed Internet Service, based on DSL technology, to Cranston, Hope Valley, Jamestown, Narragansett, Pawtucket, Providence, Tiverton and Weekapaug. Earlier this year, Verizon Wireless announced that it spent $292 million to upgrade its New England voice and data networks and hired more than 500 employees in the region in 2007. -- Journal Business Editor John Kostrzewa Posted by Jack Perry at 3:01 PM | Comment Pawtucket man sentenced for 'fill this bag' bank robberyPROVIDENCE -- A Pawtucket man was sentenced today to more than three years in prison for robbing the Pawtucket Credit Union in March last year. William Harper, 41, received the 37-month sentence for taking about $3,600 from the the Pawtucket Credit Union on Broadway, according to a news release from U.S. Attorney Robert Clark Corrente's office. Harper pleaded guilty in October to bank robbery. Prosecutor Zechariah Chafee said at the plea hearing the government could show that on March 14 last year Harper, wearing a ski mask, went into the Credit Union at 540 Broadway. According to the news release, when Harper did not get attention at one teller window, he went to another teller, pushed in front of a customer, and thrust a plastic bag toward the teller, saying, “Fill this bag. Hurry up.” The teller put about $3,600 in the bag, and Harper fled. He was arrested at his Woodlawn Avenue apartment about a month later. Prosecutors said that after detectives confronted him with bank surveillance photos, he admitted to the robbery. Pawtucket police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 2:55 PM | Comment Mass. eyes rail link to New Bedford, Fall RiverBOSTON -- State transportation officials say they've narrowed their list of possible routes for a proposed $1.4 billion commuter rail link to New Bedford and Fall River, Mass. Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick made the rail project one of his top transportation goals. It's intended to help reinvigorate the South Coast economy. Officials looked at 65 possible alternatives and narrowed the list to five. The final list includes running the commuter rail through Attleboro or Middleborough using diesel or electric power or running through Stoughton also using diesel or electric power. Another option is creating an express bus in a dedicated lane to South Station using Routes 24 and 128. A final decision is expected in 2010. -- The Associated Press Posted by Mike McKinney at 2:52 PM | Comment Update: A plea to Bishop Tobin to reach out to abusedThe national director for a group representing clergy abuse victims called this morning on the Most Rev. Thomas Tobin, bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Providence, to take a more active role in helping prosecute two priests who once worked in the diocese and are now facing allegations that they molested children. ``We’re begging Bishop Tobin to be a true pastor and reach out to the wounded,’’ said David Clohessy of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, describing Tobin’s response to the issue so far as ``reckless.’’ ``When any of us have an ability to jail a serial predator’’ and chose instead to do ``the bare minimum,’’ Clohessy said, ``we believe that is reckless.’’ Clohessy says his group believes that there are, in the Providence diocese, victims of abuse by The Revs. Phillip A. Magaldi and Aaron J. Cote, or at least witnesses, who, if Tobin encouraged them to step forward, could help police criminally prosecute the two priests. Father Magaldi served in at least three Rhode Island parishes from 1961 through the 1980s before being transferred to parishes in Texas in 1990. Father Magaldi was removed from active priesthood in 1999 after a sexual-misconduct allegation emerged here. Two more local allegations arose in 2002 and 2007. Three other allegations have arisen in Texas. He lives in a private retirement center in Texas and is now reportedly HIV positive. Last year the Dominican order and the archbishop of Washington awarded a Maryland man $1.25 million to settle a suit that he was allegedly abused as a teenage boy by the Rev. Aaron J. Cote, who later, in 2003, was transferred to Providence to be a youth minister at St. Pius V Church. Clohessy said this morning that police in western Massachusetts are now investigating another allegation that Cote molested two young brothers after the Providence diocese suspended him in 2005. The Diocese issued a statement today, saying it's "important to note that allegations of sexual abuse relative to Fr. Magaldi were not made until after he left the Diocese of Providence. The diocese did however launch an investigation into the allegations. The findings were then forwarded to the Diocese of Ft. Worth to assist in their investigation. Additionally, Bishop Tobin has written to Bishop Kevin Vann of the Diocese of Ft. Worth in support of his efforts to seek laicization of Fr. Magaldi. The Office of Education and Compliance is in frequent communication with local law enforcement concerning allegations of sexual abuse by clergy." It added, "Upon receiving a credible allegation of abuse relative to Fr. Cote, the Diocese of Providence immediately requested that his order remove him from ministry. Fr. Cote was never a diocesan priest, rather a Dominican priest assigned to the diocese by his order." Clohessy suggested that if Tobin does not respond in the more aggressive way, Catholics could withhold church donations and give their money to other charitable causes. The Diocese responded by saying it "is unfortunate that SNAP would encourage the faithful to withhold donations that support a number of charitable efforts for those in need. As state leaders face difficult choices and are forced to cut social service programs, organizations such as the Diocese of Providence make every effort tofill gaps created by such cuts. Withholding charitable donations to the diocese only hurts the most vulnerable Rhode Islanders who struggle each day to provide life’s basic needs for their families." The diocese says anyone who wants to report sexual misconduct by anyone who serves the church to contact Lt. Robert McCarthy, Office of Education & Compliance, at 941-0760. McCarthy is in "regular contact with local law enforcement about such matters," according to the diocese. -- Journal staff writer Tom Mooney Posted by Mike McKinney at 1:56 PM | Comment Providence woman admits forging prescriptionsPROVIDENCE -- A Providence woman has admitted to a drug distribution and health-care fraud operation in which she sold forged oxycodone and hydrocodone prescriptions or traded them for crack cocaine. Carol M. DiPina, 55, pleaded guilty in federal court yesterday to forging prescriptions for oxycodone and hydrocodone on stolen forms and having other people fill the prescriptions at pharmacies, according to a news release today from U.S. Attorney Robert Clark Corrente's office. They got the prescriptions at little or no cost because health insurers, including Medicaid, reimbursed the pharmacies. Prosecutor Adi Goldstein said at the plea hearing the government could show DiPina got pads of blank prescription forms from Rhode Island Hospital then forged prescriptions for various drugs, including OxyContin, Percocet, Roxicet, and Vicodin. The prosecution at the plea heaing said evidence showed DiPina obtained the Rhode Island Hospital pads through other individuals. She sometimes drove conspirators to the hospital so they could steal the forms, the prosecution contended, according to Tom Connell, a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's office. DiPina had no connection to Rhode Island Hospital. It was not clear whether conspirators had a direct connection to the hospital. DiPina pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance, distributing a controlled substance, conspiracy to commit health-care fraud, and health-care fraud. She faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine for conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and distributing a controlled substance; 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for health-care fraud; and five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for conspiracy to commit health-care fraud. Sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 5. According to prosecutors, DiPina wrote prescriptions in the names of people who benefitted from Rhode Island Medicaid, Blue Cross Blue Shield RiteCare or private insurance. She sometimes used her own maiden name, Carol Sheed. A DiPina associate told investigators that DiPina would pay him between $50 and $90 for each OxyContin prescription that he filled.
A January search of DiPina’s apartment found a shoe box containing Rhode Island Hospital prescriptions for controlled substances. Agents also seized prescription pill bottles, ledgers containing DiPina’s customers' names, health insurance information of other people, doctors' names and their DEA registration numbers, and crack pipes. Using forged prescriptions, DiPina got about 307,000 milligrams of OxyContin -- a typical pill has 40 to 80 milligrams -- for her and customers, plus some 13,100 dosage units of hydrocodone. From 2001 to January 2008, Medicaid reimbursed pharmacies about $121,000 for the fraudulent prescriptions, and Blue Cross Blue Shield reimbursed about $17,000. Posted by Mike McKinney at 1:01 PM | Comment Loudspeakers deliver curfew message in Central FallsThe police in Central Falls hit the streets last night in police cruisers to enforce the first night of a curfew initiated by the mayor after two teenagers were shot and killed on the streets. Patrol officers used the loudspeakers to remind residents that anyone younger than 18 had to be off the streets or with a guardian between 9:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. “First we did education,” Police Chief Joseph Moran said today. On Saturday, 19-year-old Helder Tomar, of Pawtucket, was shot in Jenks Park. The police say Tomar and Anthony Strobert, 19, Central Falls, got into a fight and Tomar pulled out a gun. He shot Strobert, who was able to take the gun from Tomar, and shot and killed him, the police say. Strobert, who was being treated at Rhode Island Hospital, was charged with Tomar’s death. The next day, thr police found 16-year-old Edelmiro Roman, a Central Falls High School student, shot at the intersection of Dexter and Darling Streets. The police have not made an arrest in his killing. Moran has said he believes Sunday’s shooting may have been retaliation for Saturday’s shooting. Your Turn: React to the curfew imposed in Central Falls Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 12:46 PM | Comment Senate resolution honors Khmer Rouge survivorA resolution to honor the life and work of a Cambodian photojournalist and human rights advocate has passed in the Senate. Senate Resolution 515 –– sponsored by Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse and co-sponsored by 11 additional senators, including Jack Reed –– refers to Dith Pran as a modern day hero; an exemplar of what it means to be an American citizen as well as a citizen of the world. Pran documented many of the atrocities by the Khmer Rouge regime in Cambodia in the late 1970s. He also coined the term “killing fields” -- the title of a feature film released in 1984 -- to refer to the concentrations of dead bodies he saw as he made his way from Cambodia to Thailand. “From his efforts to help foreign journalists escape from a collapsing Cambodia, to his own struggle to escape the Khmer Rouge’s killing fields, to his tireless work on behalf of genocide victims worldwide, Dith Pran showed a never ending commitment to human rights and dignity,” Whitehouse said in a statement. “On behalf of Rhode Island’s Cambodian community, I’m proud that the Senate has honored Dith Pran, and I hope this resolution will help his message endure.” Rhode Island is home to one of the largest Cambodian refugee populations in the country. Pran, who died March 30 in New Jersey, sought refuge in the United States in 1980 and eventually became a citizen. He founded the Dith Pran Holocaust Awareness Project to educate the world about what he witnessed in Cambodia. Read the text of the resolution online. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 12:16 PM | Comment RIC poll: Voters weigh in on ways to close deficitTo close a projected budget deficit, majorities of Rhode Islanders support getting rid of the lieutenant governor's office, cuts to welfare and merging Rhode Island College and CCRI, according to a poll out today. A news release on the poll, conducted from April 17 to 28 by the Bureau of Government Research and Services, at Rhode Island College, also notes that people opposed cutting state money to Rhode Island College, the University of Rhode Island and the Community College of Rhode Island. The poll took in 400 randomly selected registered voters and has a 4.5 percentage-point error margin. Voters surveyed favored Governor Carcieri's proposal to reduce the maximum amount of time a family can stay on welfare. Majorities also supported eliminating the office of lieutenant governor and merging Rhode Island College and CCRI into one school to reduce expenses. But they were closely divided on the following proposals: * About one in two supported round-the-clock gambling in Newport and Lincoln, while an almost identical number opposed it. * Almost half of poll takers opposed large state employee layoffs, while a similar number supported them. * Slightly more than half disagreed with the proposal to release early well behaved, non-sex-offender prisoners from the ACI, while four in 10 supported the proposal * A little more than half opposed privatization to reduce the state workforce about 40 percent were in support. * About half were against RIte Care cuts, while one-third support them. State aid cuts to CCRI, RIC,and URI or to cities/towns did not win majority support, according to the release summarizing the poll: * More than eight in 10 surveyed disagreed with cutting $17.1 million from the budget of CCRI, RIC, and URI; about one in 10 supported it. * Two in three opposed cuts in state aid to cities and towns for non-school purposes. Posted by Mike McKinney at 12:11 PM | Comment T.F. Green to install new emergency notification systemThe Rhode Island Airport Police at T. F. Green Airport said this morning it will install a new emergency notification system to aid in their communications during emergencies and security breaches. The system, supplied by PURVIS Systems Inc., based in Middletown, will allow airport police officials to establish immediate contact with officers, first responders and outside units nationwide. RI Airport Police Chief David Hayden said, “Since our work at T.F. Green presents a myriad of security issues, we required a communications system that would allow us to extend our reach beyond the members of our own unit, while enabling us to inform key officials in other airports nationwide.” Don Dupuis, director of public safety at PURVIS Systems, Inc., said, “Travel safety remains a top-of-mind issue among officials, employees and travelers alike, and the need to communicate effectively is a critical element in providing that security. PURVIS ENS has been designed precisely to accommodate this form of communication, and we look forward to working with the Rhode Island Airport Police as they put the system to use.” -- Journal Business Editor John Kostrzewa Posted by Jack Perry at 12:08 PM | Comment Doctor convicted for legal abortion to speak tonightKenneth Edelin was convicted of manslaughter after performing a legal abortion in Massachusetts in the 1970s. One year later, his conviction was overturned, and Edelin went on to become a dean at Boston University’s Medical School. Tonight he is set to address Planned Parenthood of Rhode Island’s annual spring fundraiser: Justice for All. The event is set for tonight 6 p.m. at the Rhode Island Convention Center. Edelin will talk about the experiences chronicled in his book, “Broken Justice: A True Story of Race, Sex and Revenge in a Boston Courtroom." Tickets for the event range from $25 to $100. For more information, or to purchase tickets, visit the PPRI Web site. Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 11:26 AM | Comment Providence pub owner in D.C. to see Irish P.M.The owner of Patrick’s Pub, on Smith Street, is in Washington today to hear an address by the prime minister of Ireland. The bar’s owner, Patrick Griffin, is a native of Ireland who came to the United States in 1984. Two years later he opened the bar, and has also served as the president of the state’s St. Patrick’s Day parade. “I’m proud that Patrick Griffin will represent Rhode Island on this remarkable occasion,” Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, who sponsored Griffin’s visit, said in a statement. Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, the Irish prime minister, is stepping down after more than a decade. Joining Griffin will be Speaker of the House William Murphy and John Murphy, Chairman of Home Loan Investment Bank, FSB. The two Murphy's are guests of Rep. James Langevin. “I am delighted that Speaker Murphy and Mr. Murphy will be able to join me on this historic occasion, especially since this will likely be the Taoiseach’s last address before Congress,” Langevin said in a statement. "As active members of the Irish community in Rhode Island, I thought they were fitting to represent our state at this address.” Ahern’s address to Congress will be televised on C-SPAN 1 today at 11:00 a.m. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 10:59 AM | Comment Taking the State House to the people tonightCapitol City is coming to Warwick. The House Committee on Health, Education and Welfare is holding a formal hearing in that city today. Testimony will be heard on the following bills: H-8187, by Rep. David Segal, D-Providence, East Providence, would prohibit any hospital, chair and/or network of hospitals from merging when the resulting entity would control or operate more than 50 percent of the hospitals beds in the state. H-7714: A bill by Rep. Smith to give the Board of Regents for Elementary and Secondary Education the authority to require parents of “chronically disruptive students” to attend conferences. H-7713: A bill by Rep. Steven Smith, D-Providence, Johnston, to make changes related to the Rhode Island Certification Standards Board for teachers and administrators. H-8167, by Rep. Carol Mumford, R-Scituate, Cranston, would create an ordinance allowing Scituate Town Council to charge for animal licenses. The hearing is set for this evening at the Aspray Boat House, near Pawtuxet Park. It should begin between 6 and 6:30 p.m. The hearing is open to the public and will be taped by Capitol TV for later broadcast. Capitol TV programming can be seen on Channel 15 by Cox Communications and Full Channel subscribers and on Channel 34 for Verizon subscribers. Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 8:41 AM | Comment Health care forum heads to WoonsocketIn the sixth of several meetings, Lt. Gov. Elizabeth Roberts is taking her health-care proposal on tour, this time, to Woonsocket. Tonight Roberts will be joined by local officials and supporters of her eight-bill health-care plan to a community meeting. The public is invited and encouraged to ask questions and share stories about the effects of rising health care costs. Woonsocket and Smithfield residents are invited to the meeting, scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at the Thundermist Health Center, 450 Clinton Street in Woonsocket Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 8:31 AM | Comment Signs the circus is coming to townPROVIDENCE -- If you drove into work through downtown this morning, you may already have spotted the sure signs that the circus is in town. Pink, yellow, blue fluffy "things" are hanging from poles near parking garages and crosswalks, aimed at catching the eye of youngsters as they head to the Dunkin' Donuts Center on Sabin Street. Tonight, the 138th edition of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus opens a five-day run at the Dunk with a 7 o'clock show. Tickets are $15 to $75, available at the Dunk box office or through Ticketmaster at (401) 331-2211 and www.ticketmaster.com. For information, call (401) 331-0700 or visit www.ringling.com. Posted by Andrea Panciera at 8:27 AM | Comment Former New England mob leader indicted in Mass.DEDHAM, Mass. -- A grand jury indicted 13 people, including former New England mob leader Vincent Ferrara of Boston, on state gambling charges yesterday. Ferrara, 59, once a captain of the New England Mafia, was released early from a federal racketeering sentence in 2005 by a federal judge who found that prosecutors may have coerced Ferrara into admitting to a murder he did not commit. In the Norfolk County indictment, he is accused of one misdemeanor charge of conspiring to use a telephone for gambling purposes. He faces a possible year in jail and $2,000 fine if convicted. He could be sent back to prison if found to have violated his federal probation by committing any new crimes. Ferrara's attorney, Martin Weinberg, declined to comment on the gambling case, saying he has not seen the indictment. "The mere allegation of being involved in a misdemeanor does not dictate that he's culpable or facing federal jeopardy," Weinberg said Tuesday night. -- The Associated Dominic Santoro, 62, of Quincy and Marston Mills is accused of being the leader of the alleged gambling ring that operated in Boston and on the South Shore between June and October last year. He is charged with organizing a gambling ring, using a telephone to register bets, placing bets and conspiracy. Santoro could not immediately be reached. It's not known if he has an attorney. Norfolk District Attorney William Keating said the indictments ended "a substantial illegal gaming racket." The defendants have not been arrested, and will be summoned to court when a date is set for arraignment. U.S. District Judge Mark Wolf in Boston released Ferrara in May 2005. He found that a federal prosecutor failed to tell defense lawyers a key witness recanted testimony claiming Ferrara ordered the 1985 killing of Vincent "Jimmy" Limoli, a mob foot soldier who allegedly stole drugs from another mobster. Weinberg said Ferrara was innocent, but pleaded guilty to the murder along with racketeering charges to avoid a possible life sentence. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:02 AM | Comment Rain reprieveToday is starting off sunny and dry, but only one of those two will persist throughout the day. The National Weather Service is forecasting increasing cloud cover as the day goes on with a high temperature near 61 degrees and west winds up to 16 mph. Skies should clear up later tonight when the temperature drops to the freezing point and breezy winds come from the west. There's a slight chance of rain tomorrow when the temperature is set to reach 62 degrees. Expect clouds all day and a light, south wind. To keep an eye on the weather, check projo.com's weather page. Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 7:01 AM | Comment Today's front pageToday's front page features a story about a curfew set in Central Falls after the fatal shootings this weekend of two teenagers. Download a copy of today's front page in .pdf format. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:00 AM | Comment April 29, 2008Update: Central Falls orders curfew for those under 18
Some 300 people attended a community meeting this afternoon about what's happened. They included parents, police and community officials. Parents were urged to be vigilant, keep children indoors and watch who they're hanging out with. Police have released the name of the second of two teenage boys who were killed in the separate shootings in Central Falls over the weekend. Police Chief Joseph Moran said 16-year-old Edelmiro Roman, a Central Falls High School student, was found shot and unarmed at the corner of Dexter and Darling Streets on Sunday night. No suspects have been named. Moran has said that Roman's death may be retaliation for a shooting Saturday afternoon that left 19-year-old Helder Tomar, of Harvey Street in Pawtucket, dead in Jenks Park. Anthony Strobert, 19, of Pacific Street -- who was also shot during Saturday's incident -- has been charged with Tomar’s slaying. Fears of another retaliatory shooting led to students being released from Central Falls High School yesterday afternoon under the watch of local police. Dozens of parents took their children out of school early. Many students stayed out of school today, according to Angelo Garcia, the executive director of Channel One, despite administrators' assurance that school is the safest place for kids to be. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Journal staff writer Tatiana Pina Parents have been calling Channel One, a youth services center, saying they were afraid to let their children out of their sight. But Garcia said he's tried to convince them that the safest place the children can be is at the school. Bryan Ramos, 16, said he was a friend of Roman's. He remembered the teenager as the calm, quiet type who kept to himself and was interested in business. The two had finance class together. "He didn't really talk a lot unless you knew him," Ramos said. Ramos didn't put much stock into the idea that his friend was shot as part of an ongoing dispute. "He was in the wrong place at the wrong time," the teenager said of Roman. "He wasn't involved in any of that type of stuff." Channel One's Garcia said he is taking this recent rash of violence in Central Falls personally. "People say 'Don't go to Central Falls,'" he explained, "But I'm a Central Falls guy, and it's hard to hear that ... we've never been a violent community."
Posted by Mike McKinney at 7:10 PM | Comment House passes bill requiring employers to use E-VerifyPROVIDENCE -- The House today approved legislation that would require employers to use a program that checks whether a prospective new hire is in the country legally or can work here legally. The House voted 53 to 17 for the bill sponsored by Rep. Jon D. Brien, D-Woonsocket, in what a news release called an initiative to deter illegal immigration. All Rhode Island companies would have to use the Federal Basic Employment Verification Pilot Program -- known as “E-Verify” and “Basic Pilot." According to a news release, about 115 employers in the state already voluntarily use the program in which employers use the Internet to submit to the federal government information they are already must collect from new hires to see -- usually within seconds -- if the person is allowed to work in the United States. Employers enter a person's name, birth date and Social Security number or immigration documentation into a form and submit it using the Internet to the Department of Homeland Security and the Social Security Administration. Companies with 200 or more employees would have to apply to participate in E-Verify by July 1, 2009. Those with 50 to 199 employees would have to apply by Jan. 1, 2009, and those with fewer than 50 would have until Jan. 1, 2010. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney “Instituting E-Verify would send a message to people who are in this country illegally that Rhode Island is not the place for them," Brien said in the statement. "Knowing they won’t be able to work because every employer is going to check their status will make people who are here illegally go somewhere else, relieving our state of the burden that illegal aliens place on our state budget in terms of education, health care, incarceration, and social services." Matching legislation is pending in the Senate. Legislation passed in the House last year but not in the Senate. The use of the E-Verify system is also part of a recent executive order by Governor Carcieri that aims at dealing with several issues tied to illegal immigration. His order, however, only requires state agencies and vendors to use E-Verify. Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:45 PM | Comment Senate OKs 24-hour gambling on weekends, holidaysPROVIDENCE -- The state Senate voted 27 to 6 early this evening to approve 24-hour gambling on weekends and state and federal holidays at two slot parlors. But with one twist -- the Senate's approval includes an amendment setting a sunset clause of June 30, 2009. The House is expected to take up the measure tonight. The votes come at a time when the General Assembly grapples with several measures to deal with a looming budget deficit. Earlier this year, officials at Twin River estimated the extra gambling hours could raise an additional $11.8 million for the state. The state already depends on slot machines to provide about 8 percent of state income. And the Senate gave a little extra money to Lincoln -- where the Twin River gaming facility is located -- and Newport, which hosts Newport Grand. Lincoln will get a projected additional $1.1 million and Newport, a projected additional $173,005, in revenue from the expanded gambling hours. Also, the Senate committed up to $14.1 million of additional projected gambling revenue to school aid for communities, but there is no explicit promise that will increase anyone's school aid -- just that the expanding gambling will be a source of the aid. Extra: Take a look at who voted for and against the Senate bill, as well as those who did not vote.
The vote, originally scheduled for last week, was repeatedly delayed while House Speaker William Murphy and Senate President Joseph Montalbano fought over how much extra gambling revenue Lincoln and Newport should receive for putting up with longer gambling hours. Republican Governor Carcieri will not support expanded gambling if residents in Lincoln and Newport are against it, Carcieri spokesman Jeff Neal said today. Neal would not comment on whether Carcieri would veto the bill. Last week, Carcieri told Rep. Robert Watson, the Republican minority leader, that he would veto, Watson said. Democrats hold a veto-proof majority in the House and Senate. "We're in a tough spot right now," said Democratic Rep. William San Bento Jr., who sponsored the bill. "We need to raise revenue. We're trying not to hurt the elderly and the poor." But the proposals have critics, particularly among people who live near the slot parlors. In a nonbinding referendum in November, Lincoln residents rejected longer gambling hours at Twin River and also opposed turning the slot parlor into a traditional casino offering card and table games. Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:32 PM | Comment Nursing home supporters rally against proposed cutsPROVIDENCE -- Several hundred nursing home supporters rallied at the State House rotunda this afternoon, protesting Governor Carcieri’s proposed cuts to payments to nursing homes and chanting “No cuts, no cuts,” as lawmakers arrived for the afternoon session. “What these cuts mean is that nursing home residents will have to wait a little longer for help,” said Virginia M. Burke, president of the Rhode Island Health Care Association, as hundreds of protesters assembled on the steps of the rotunda and filled the second floor balcony. “These cuts will have a real human impact.” Approximately 9,000 Rhode Islanders live in nursing homes across the state. In an effort to bridge a projected $385 million deficit for the coming fiscal year, Carcieri has proposed a series of cuts across virtually all areas of state government. Nursing home advocates say that two areas targeted for reduction in their budgets -- delaying payment of an annual inflationary increase and reducing the labor reimbursement nursing homes receive -- are untenable and would result in the loss of matching federal money. Under the governor’s budget plan, the state would save $1.9 million by delaying the inflation increase. Nursing home advocates point out that by doing so, the nursing homes would lose and additional $2.1 million in federal funds -- a net decrease of $4 million. Because the inflationary increase comes one to two years after nursing homes have already paid their bills, the nursing homes are not being reimbursed for money they have already spent, Burke explained. Last year, a similar delay cost Rhode Island nursing homes $7 million, “in money they’ve already spent and will never get back,” Burke said. -- Journal staff writer Jennifer D. Jordan The other proposed cut would save the state $2.4 million by lowering the amount nursing homes are reimbursed for labor costs. Advocates say the nursing homes would lose an equal amount in matching federal money. One local nursing home would have to lay off 12 percent of its staff in order to break even after the cuts, said Richard Gamache, administrator of the Elmhurst Extended Care Facility. “When elders call the bell for help, who will be there? Who will help them get to a bathroom or help with meals or soiled sheets?” Gamache asked the cheering crowd. “Is that acceptable to you? These cuts are not only unacceptable -- they are insane.” Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:33 PM | Comment Update: PC loses power, cancelling 7 p.m. classesPROVIDENCE -- A power failure hit Providence College this afternoon, spurring the cancellation of all 7 p.m. classes. The college is largely without power at this hour. There is some back-up power in place, according to college spokeswoman Pat Vieira. Power went down shortly before 3 p.m., Vieira said, adding that National Grid is working on the matter. David Graves, a National Grid spokesman, said it looks as though a wire that belongs to the college may have come down and struck a device called a riser on a utility pole. He said National Grid personnel were checking to see if there was any damage to a power cable that runs within the riser. Classes at 4 p.m. were going on as scheduled. Students may call the emergency message line at 865-1012 for information. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:54 PM | Comment College Graduate Job Fair now at Save The Bay CenterPROVIDENCE — Today, companies are at the Save The Bay Center, 100 Save The Bay Drive, on the Providence/Cranston line, from 4 to 7 p.m., conducting interviews for job openings as part of the projoJobs College Graduate Career Fair. Sponsored by The Providence Journal, this free career fair features résumé critiquing, on-the-spot interviewing, and prize giveaways. Posted by Andrea Panciera at 4:47 PM | Comment Newfoundland comes to Warwick -- dogs, that isWARWICK -- The Newfoundland Club of America National Specialty Show began today and will run through Saturday at the Crowne Plaza hotel. More than 600 people, some bringing their dogs and some to watch the proceedings, are expected from nearly every state and many countries for the event, whose theme this year is "SEAS the Day." Opening day features a Draft Test with 15 dogs and carts in the competition, obedience trials, regional rally trial, a cardiac clinic, and a speech by Janet Wojciechowski, DVM, on allergies and skin problems. Tomorrow, a second Obedience Trial National Rally will be held along with judging for puppies and veteran dogs. A Breeders’ Class will showcase successful breeders. There will be a working dog educational seminar and forum on breeding with a panel of experts, from 8 until 10 p.m. More dog classes and selections will be held on Thursday including a Pet Partners event for those interested in animal-assisted activities and animal-assisted therapy. In the afternoon there will be a rescue parade featuring personal stories of people and their Newfoundlands. In the evening a black-tie event will follow the awards and allow spectators to visit with the dogs, their owners and handlers. On Friday more events and judging are planned, including a Decorative Darting Exhibition on the theme of “by the sea.” The day will end with the Honors Parade to salute title holders and celebrate versatile Newfoundlands. The final day will be judging for Junior Showmanship, Best of Breed, and an awards banquet. All the events are open to the public. See a show schedule here. Posted by Andrea Panciera at 3:49 PM | Comment Brown professor joins National Academy of ScienceA 145-year-old scientific organization that politicians and scientists look to for guidance has inducted 72 new members. And Rhode Island has made a contribution. The group for was signed into being by Abraham Lincoln to be called upon by government to act as investigators an advisers on issues of science and technology. The newest inductees, who are chosen each April from a list of nominees, were announced today. The operating arm of the National Academy is the National Research Council. These two organizations, along with the National Academy of Engineering and the Institute of Medicine are known as the National Academies. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 2:10 PM | Comment Man gets 2 years in prison for role in mob-linked extortionPROVIDENCE -- A Taunton, Mass., man linked to a Rhode Island-based extortion ring was excoriated by a federal judge today for ``a history of assaultive behavior,’’ and sentenced to two years in prison. Chief U.S. District Court Judge Mary M. Lisi told the defendant, Lawrence Crites, that she felt he deserved more time than the 18 months in prison that had been recommended by the U.S. Attorney’s office. Crites, a large strapping man in a dark suit, stood before a microphone and answered several questions that Lisi posed. She was bewildered that a married father with three children who runs his own roofing company would agree to be a ``muscle’’ guy for the mob. ``What were you thinking?’’ she said. ``Evidently, I wasn’t,’’ he said. In imposing the stiffer sentence, Lisi noted that Crites had previously been arrested four times on assault charges, including one that involved a police officer. ``You’ve got some issues that you need to deal with,’’ she said. The extortion plot dates back to 2006. The authorities say that the ring was directed by Anthony M. ``The Saint’’ St. Laurent, a longtime capo regime in the Patriarca crime family. St. Laurent ran the ring from his home at 2 Rotary Dr., in Johnston. In January 2007, St. Laurent was sentenced to five years in prison. -- Journal staff writer W. Zachary Malinowski At the sentencing, federal prosecutors said that had the case gone to trial, the government could prove that in April 2006, St. Laurent directed James G. Manning of Cranston, and Ricky E. Silva, of North Providence, a felon with a lengthy and violent past, to collect $100,000 from a pizza parlor owner and bookmaker/drug dealer in the Taunton area. If the two targets failed to pay, St. Laurent instructed Manning and Silva to ``bash’’ them. On April 6, 2006, Manning, Silva and an unnamed FBI informant traveled to Massachusetts to look for the intended victims. Once there, Crites met them and he was supposed to help them find the extortion targets. All four men were arrested the next day. Silva was sentenced to 5 years in prison, while Manning received 2 years. Today, Crites’ lawyer, Timothy Morgan, and Peter H. Nerohna, the federal prosecutor, had very different views of Crites’ role in the extortion scheme. Morgan described him as a minor player; while Nerohna said,``he was the muscle with Mr. Silva.’’ Nerohna said that Crites was secretly recorded telling one of the extortion victims, ``You’re dealing with The Saint. You’re paying now and that’s it.’’ That recording, coupled with Crites’ record of assaults, weighed heavily on Lisi. She also felt that Crites deserved the same penalty as Manning: 2 years in prison. ``There is a history of assaultive behavior and that’s exactly what (Crites) was going to do here,’’ she said. ``You had every opportunity to walk away from it and you didn’t,’’ she said. She ordered Crites to report to a yet-to-be named federal prison on May 23 to begin serving his sentence. Until then, he remains free on bail. Posted by Mike McKinney at 2:06 PM | Comment Update: 2nd teen shooting victim in Central Falls ID'dPolice have released the name of the second of two teenage boys who were killed in separate shootings in Central Falls over the weekend. Police Chief Joseph Moran said 16-year-old Edelmiro Roman, a Central Falls High School student, was found shot and unarmed at the corner of Dexter and Darling Streets on Sunday night. No suspects have been named. Moran has said that Roman's death may be retaliation for a shooting Saturday afternoon that left 19-year-old Helder Tomar, of Harvey Street in Pawtucket, dead in Jenks Park. Anthony Strobert, 19, of Pacific Street — who was also shot during Saturday's incident — has been charged with Tomar’s slaying. Fears of another retaliatory shooting led to students being released from Central Falls High School yesterday afternoon under the watch of local police. Dozens of parents took their children out of school early. Many students stayed out of school today, according to Angelo Garcia, the executive director of Channel One, despite administrators' assurance that school is the safest place for kids to be. Correction: The police earlier today gave an incorrect spelling for the 16-year-old boy's name. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson, with reports from Journal staff writer Tatiana Pina Parents have been calling Channel One, a youth services center, saying they were afraid to let their children out of their sight. But Garcia said he's tried to convince them that the safest place the children can be is at the school. Bryan Ramos, 16, said he was a friend of Roman's. He remembered the teenager as the calm, quiet type who kept to himself and was interested in business. The two had finance class together. "He didn't really talk a lot unless you knew him," Ramos said. Ramos didn't put much stock into the idea that his friend was shot as part of an ongoing dispute. "He was in the wrong place at the wrong time," the teenager said of Roman. "He wasn't involved in any of that type of stuff." Channel One's Garcia said he is taking this recent rash of violence in Central Falls personally. "People say 'Don't go to Central Falls,'" he explained, "But I'm a Central Falls guy, and it's hard to hear that ... we've never been a violent community." Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 1:01 PM | Comment Photo: Car crashes into Woonsocket bagel shop
Posted by Jack Perry at 12:34 PM | Comment Teen wanted in mall guard slashing turns himself inA teenager whom the police say stabbed a security guard in Providence Place mall turned himself in this morning. Providence Police Capt. Hugh Clements said 19-year-old Anthony Osorio came to the police station this morning at about 8 a.m. Clements said the police had been working the case since the incident on April 20 when, they say, four shoplifting suspects were approached by security guards. According to the police account, Osorio slashed one of the guards in the neck with a folding knife. Clements said Osorio turned himself in as a result of cooperation from his family. Osorio is scheduled for arraignment on two charges of felony assault today at 2 p.m. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 12:30 PM | Comment Senate finance panel to consider deficit bill tomorrowPROVIDENCE -- The Senate Finance Committee has scheduled the hearing on the deficit-avoidance plan, known as the supplemental budget, for tomorrow afternoon. It is slated to start at rise of the Senate session, around 4:45 p.m., in Room 211 on the State House's second floor. A hearing on the bill, which was passed by the full House on Friday, was originally scheduled for today. Read The Journal story on its passage. Posted by Mike McKinney at 12:28 PM | Comment State House will move committee hearing to WarwickCapitol City is coming to Warwick. The House Committee on Health, Education and Welfare is holding a formal hearing in that city tomorrow. Testimony will be heard on the following bills: H-7713: A bill by Rep. Steven Smith, D-Providence, Johnston, to amend change the Rhode Island Certification Standards Board H-7714: A bill by Rep. Smith to give the Board of Regents for Elementary and Secondary Education the authority to require parents of “chronically disruptive students” to attend conference. H-8167, by Rep. Carol Mumford, R-Scituate, Cranston, would create an ordinance allowing Scituate Town Council to charge for animal licenses H-8187, by Rep. David Segal, D-Providence, East Providence, would prohibit any hospital, chair and/or network of hospitals from merging when the resulting entity would control or operate more than 50 percent of the hospitals beds in the state. The hearing is set for tomorrow at the Aspray Boat House, near Pawtuxet Park. It’s should begin between 6:00 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. The hearing is open to the public and will be taped by Capitol TV for later broadcast. Capitol TV programming can be seen on Channel 15 by Cox Communications and Full Channel subscribers and on Channel 34 for Verizon subscribers). Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 11:23 AM | Comment R.I. economic development wants to expedite permitsThe Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation wants to let businesses looking for an expedited permitting process to promise more jobs and higher wages. Today, RIDEC announced in a press release that it has revamped the Certificate of Critical Economic Concern –– the process by which businesses can request expedited permits. “Adjustments to the CCEC program are an important step in realigning Rhode Island's economic development toolkit to support our strategy,” RIDEC Director Saul Kaplan said in a statement, “to build a higher wage economy that provides job opportunities for all Rhode Islanders.” The new rules will impose several requirements on projects seeking expedited permitting create at least 100 new full-time jobs that have average wages at or higher than 105 percent of the average state wage –– which, according to the Department of Labor and Training, is $37,067. RIDEC is also working with state agencies –– such as the Department of Environmental Management –– to speed up communications between them for faster responses. Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 10:42 AM | Comment Traffic Alert: Accident on 95 NorthThe right shoulder is closed this on Route 95 after an accident just north of the city. The accident is on the southbound side of the roadway at Exit 24/Branch Avenue. To keep up with traffic this morning, see the Transportation Management Center's Web cameras. Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 8:17 AM | Comment R.I. lawmakers likely to vote on 24-hour gambling todayPROVIDENCE -- State lawmakers are hoping to strike a deal allowing the state's two slot parlors to operate around-the-clock on weekends and holidays. The General Assembly has scheduled a vote today on identical bills allowing 24-hour gambling on weekends and holidays and setting a 3 a.m. closing time on weekdays. Lawmakers hope that more gambling will mean more revenue for a state facing a $568 million budget deficit. Critics have said the state should find other ways to balance its books. A vote on the bills was repeatedly delayed last week because Senate President Joseph Montalbano wanted more slot parlor revenue for the town of Lincoln, which he represents. A Montalbano spokesman said negotiations were ongoing last night. -- The Associated Press Posted by Jack Perry at 7:02 AM | Comment More rain today, flooding, thunderstorms possibleShowers, downpours, flooding, thunderstorms. It's all in the forecast. Keep an eye on drainage problems and ponding, especially on the roads. And look out for sideways rain, with a north wind gusting as high as 30 mph. On the bright side, temperatures are fairly mild, with a high in the high 50s. The rain should clear up tonight, with clear skies and a low temperature near 36 degrees. Winds from the northwest between 8 and 16 mph will make it a breezy night. Tomorrow, welcome back the sun, with clear skies, temperatures in the high 50s and breezy northwest winds. To keep an eye on weather around the state, see projo.com's weather page. Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 7:01 AM | Comment Today's front pageToday's front page features a story about parents, fearful of retaliation for two fatal shootings over the weekend, pulling their kids out of Central Falls High School. There's also a story about economists who say that Rhode Island is the only Northeast state already in recession. Download a copy of today's front page in .pdf format. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:00 AM | Comment April 28, 2008Tonight: Rapper Akon at Ryan CenterAkon comes to the University of Rhode Island tonight. The Grammy-nominated R&B singer and rapper will perform at URI's Ryan Center at 8. Rapper Flo Rida will open the show. Tickets are $27. Get them at the center box office, Ticketmaster outlets -- www.ticketmaster.com -- or by calling (401) 331-2211. Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:59 PM | Comment Economists: R.I. 'picture of weakness' in NortheastPROVIDENCE -- Rhode Island stands alone as the only Northeastern state “in recession,” according to economists who reported today that the state’s economy hasn’t been this bad in nearly two decades. The Ocean State’s employment figures, its foreclosure rates, and personal income growth are worse than its neighbors and national averages. Rhode Island is one of just nine states in recession -- the next closest is Ohio -- while Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Connecticut have growing economies, according to Steve Cochrane, senior managing director for Economy.com, which is owned by Moody’s Investors Service. “Clearly, in the northeast, Rhode Island is a picture of weakness,” Cochrane said. The somber news was delivered today in a State House committee room where a dozen budget analysts will convene for the next two weeks to pour through tax receipts, economic trends and state expenditures. The bi-annual event -- dubbed the Revenue & Caseload Estimating Conference -- is more important than the empty chairs in the audience would suggest. Especially this year. The governor’s budget office has projected a $384-million deficit for the fiscal year that begins in July, based on data collected the last time the budget analysts gathered in the fall. A growing chorus of state leaders has suggested recently that the massive deficit is actually larger than $384 million. The analysts who gather in Room 35 will decide in the next two weeks exactly how much larger. -- Steve Peoples of the Journal State House Bureau The Revenue & Caseload Estimating Conference always begins with economic forecasts, because the regional economy has a direct impact on the state’s primary sources of money: income taxes, sales taxes, business taxes and lottery receipts. Cochrane, of Moody’s, was joined today by economists from the international consulting firm Global Insight. “Without a doubt, it was a very poor year for the Rhode Island economy,” Michael Lynch, of Global Insight, told the panel of budget analysts, who represented the House, Senate and the governor’s budget office. Rhode Island was the only New England state to report negative employment growth between March 2007 and March 2008, Lynch said. The state’s unemployment rate grew to 6.1 percent as Rhode Island lost 7,200 jobs in the third quarter of 2007 alone. Personal income growth in Rhode Island increased by 4.8 percent, but fell short of the national average of 6.2 percent. And Rhode Island’s foreclosure rate was among the worst in the nation, according to Lynch. Approximately 2.4 percent of all home loans were in foreclosure in the fourth quarter of last year, which was the 7th highest rate nationally. State officials expected today’s outlook to be bad. But they didn’t expect Rhode Island to be singled out as worse than its neighbors. “I am disappointed that it’s looking like we’re kind of an outlier in terms of how bad it is in Rhode Island,” state budget officer Rosemary Booth Gallogly said. “I expected that this would be a recession that hit all of New England. It looks like we’re in worse shape.” Why did Rhode Island fare so poorly, given that most of the country has been hurt by the subprime mortgage crisis and subsequent credit crunch? Cochrane cited these primary factors: Rhode Island is losing population at a rate that he likened to the exodus in Silicon Valley after the dot-com bust. People returned to Silicon Valley, he said. But there’s no evidence to suggest that Rhode Island will soon increase its pool of potential taxpayers and consumers. Rhode Island’s size is also working against it, according to Cochrane. Most larger states have several metropolitan areas; when one area struggles, another may be doing well. On average, therefore, the state may show growth. Rhode Island, however, is essentially just one metropolitan area, he said. The economists had varying estimates for how long Rhode Island’s recession may last, but agreed that a slow recovery may begin at the end of 2008 into 2009. But even those predictions were based on major assumptions, such as lower oil prices and improving confidence among consumers and the business community. State budget officer Gallogly said the good news, if there was any today, was that the economists suggested that a full recovery in state employment may require five years, compared to the 10-year recovery that followed the recession of the early 1990s. Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:40 PM | Comment Update: Fire in vacant house called suspicious / Photo
PROVIDENCE -- A fire of suspicious origin this morning heavily damaged a vacant triple-decker at 45 Reynolds Ave. in South Providence, Fire Department officials said. The electrical service to the house apparently had been disconnected, according to Deputy Assistant Chief Manny Costa, which would lead an investigator to believe the blaze was not accidental. The cause is under investigation. The fire apparently began in the front of the house on the second floor and spread to the third floor, according to Costa. Firefighters arrived at about 10 a.m. and had to quell the fire in a steady rain. A firefighter was injured when debris fell on his head, and he was taken to Rhode Island Hospital for evaluation and treatment. The house is near the intersection of Reynolds and Prairie Avenue. -- Journal staff writer Gregory Smith Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:33 PM | Comment URI research boat towed to port after losing powerPROVIDENCE -- A research boat for the University of Rhode Island has been towed back into port after it lost power amid 6-foot swells in Narragansett Bay. The 50-foot Cap'n Bert stalled this morning just east of Point Judith. Coast Guard officials say the two-person crew lowered a quahog dredge to keep the powerless boat from drifting too fast in the swells and 30-knot winds. A Coast Guard boat towed the research vessel back to land. -- The Associated Press Posted by Mike McKinney at 3:28 PM | Comment Update: Fear of retaliation spurs school's early closing
CENTRAL FALLS -- Parents poured in and out of Central Falls High School today to take their children home early following rumors there could be a retaliatory shooting prompted by the deadly shooting last night of a 16-year-old boy. The 16-year-old, who was a student at Central Falls High School, and a 19-year-old were killed in separate shootings this weekend. The Central Falls police have said the shootings may be related. At a news conference this afternoon, the police said the 16-year-old boy was found with multiple gunshot wounds at about 11:25 last night near the corner of Dexter and Darling Streets. In the high school's entrance/foyer by about 12:45 p.m., parents were picking up students early -- some parents said they had gotten phone calls from their children about a rumored possible retaliation shooting today when school was scheduled to let out. The police are working with the school district to notify parents and to emphasize a message to parents: Check on your children; know whom they're hanging out with, and be vigilant. In the other fatal shooting, 19-year-old Anthony Strobert was charged with murder yesterday after a Saturday shooting in which he and the victim, Helder Tomar, 19, of Pawtucket, are believed to have shot at each other. -- projo.com staff writers Michael P. McKinney and Brandie M. Jefferson, with reports from Journal staff writer Tatiana Pina Posted by Mike McKinney at 2:20 PM | Comment Last day for tickets for R.I.'s Heritage Hall of Fame eventIt started with Roger Williams in 1965, and soon, a journalist, an artist, a senator, baseall player and several other other prominent Rhode Islanders will join the founder of the Ocean State in the Rhode Island Heritage Hall of Fame. For the 44th year, a group of individuals who have “brought credit to Rhode Island, brought Rhode Island into prominence, and contributed to the history of the state” will be inducted, according to a statement released by Patrick Conley, president of the hall's board of directors. Included in this year’s induction is the late John “Jack” White, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist who became a national figure when he covered President Nixon’s tax problems for The Providence Journal. White died in 2005. Also among the inductees: U.S. Sen. Jack Reed is a three-term U.S. congressman who served in the Rhode Island Senate before moving to Washington. Reed participated in a live chat on projo.com today. The transcript can be found online. Today is the last day to buy tickets for the Hall of Fame dinner event, which is scheduled for Saturday at 6 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online for $75 from ArtTix. Call at (401)621-6123. Those interested can also buy tickets from the Heritage Hall of Fame at (401)433-0044. Click below for more inductees. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Also on the list is former Providence public safety commissioner John Partington, who died in 2006. Partington was integral in the founding of the U.S. Witness Protection Program. Artist Marjorie Joy Vogel, who died last year, will also be inducted; she’s best known for detailed pen-and-ink drawings of Rhode Island scenes, including homes, villages and skylines. Joseph DiStefano is a civic leader who has been involved in many facets of Rhode Island politics. The attorney is a former state Democratic chairman, former chairman of the State Board of Elections, and served as general counsel for the Providence & Worcester Railroad. Ernest Frerichs is the former dean of the Brown University graduate school. The educator has edited or co-edited nearly 30 books and is the president of the Dorot Foundation, which promotes archaeological research in the Middle East. Ira Magaziner was adviser to the Clinton administration, a think-tank participant and the principal designer of Rhode Island's "Greenhouse Compact." James Procaccianti is a hotel magnate with more than 50 hotels in 20 states. The real estate developer and has spearheaded the Downtown Providence building boom. David R. Stenhouse was a Major League Baseball pitcher for 14 years and the first rookie to start an All-Star game. He played baseball and basketball at the University of Rhode Island, and promotes youth sports around the state. Stenhouse is now a baseball coach at Rhode Island College and Brown University. Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 2:13 PM | Comment Blackstone River Bikeway getting longer / Photo
The new, 1-mile segment brings the path up to 10.3 miles in each direction, from Cumberland to Woonsocket. At a ribbon-cutting ceremony today, bikers and a few onlookers stood in the rain to attend the dedication ceremony for the path, which boasts an elevated boardwalk to carry bikers through the Lonsdale Marsh -- giving bikers an up-close look at the habitat without disturbing it. "This environmentally sensitive feature allows the bikeway to continue on an off-road path while not disturbing the flow of water in the marsh – something that is critical during times of high river levels,” RIDOT Director Michael P. Lewis said in a statement. “Combined with the restoration of the Lonsdale Drive-In into a scenic meadow and wetland, these projects improve the ecology of the river while allowing everyone access.” This year also marks the debut of the Blackstone River Valley Bikeway Patrol -- volunteers who will ride the path and help riders with everything from patching flat tires to giving historical tours. “The continuing expansion of the path provides better access to historic areas along the river that otherwise might be overlooked,” Lewis said. “Each area on its own may not attract much attention, but when linked together by the bikeway, the whole becomes greater than the sum of the parts.” Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 1:30 PM | Comment R.I. education official finalist for top college job in Penn.HARRISBURG, Pa. -- An education official in Rhode Island is among three finalists to become the new chancellor of Pennsylvania's 14 state-owned universities. Jack Warner is the commissioner of Rhode Island's Board of Governors for Higher Education. The other candidates are University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh Chancellor Richard Wells and University of West Florida President John Cavanaugh. A spokesman for the State System of Higher Education in Pennsylvania says the candidates will be interviewed on Tuesday and Wednesday. He was not certain when a final decision will be made. Posted by Mike McKinney at 1:19 PM | Comment Chat: Sen. Jack Reed on projo.com / Transcript
In answer to one of the questions, the Rhode Island Democrat acknowledged that he has not yet decided whom he will vote for as a superdelegate to the presidential campaign. "I have not made a decision with respect to the candidacies of either Senator Clinton or Senator Obama," he said. "I am confident that both are eminently qualified to serve. I recognize that we should determine a nomination in the next several weeks in order to prepare for the fall campaign." See more of what the Rhode Island Democratic senator had to say, in a transcript of the chat, hosted by Journal staff writer G. Wayne Miller. As with all chats on projo.com, Reed was given the option of choosing the questions to answer. Answers were also be limited by the amount of time available. The Rhode Island Democrat is the subject of a Journal profile by Miller and multimedia report, called "A Humble Path to Power." Click here to visit. Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 1:18 PM | Comment Money announced for Newport yacht school expansionNEWPORT -- The International Yacht Restoration School will use $500,000 in federal money to help renovate the 1831 Aquidneck Mill building to expand school offerings and help draw businesses to that area of the city. The building is on the National Register of Historic Places. The money will also "help revitalize the waterfront area on Lower Thames Street: to attract new businesses to the neighborhood, according to U.S. Sens. Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse in a news release. The senators secured $500,000 in the 2008 appropriations spending bill to expand the school’s buildings for marine vocational training and help "provide sustainable careers" for more residents. When restored, the 30,000-square-foot mill will accommodate demand for the school's programs. It will house a library open to students and the public and lease space for organizations and businesses. Several firms-including yacht design firm Sparkman & Stephens, Boothbay Harbor Shipyard, Confident Captain, Legacy Yachts, and The Museum of Yachting-plan to occupy space in the mill, adding a concentration of maritime businesses in the neighborhood. The mill will be added to the school's 2.5-acre campus, which is open year-round to the public. “For years, people and businesses have flocked to Rhode Island for our marine trades industry, which is central to our economy and particularly Newport’s waterfront community,” Whitehouse said in the statement. "This funding is a smart investment in our state’s future, and in the men and women whose skilled work is known around the world.” Reed stated that the money "will enable the school to expand their reach and help more Rhode Islanders get sustainable, high-paying jobs." -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 12:47 PM | Comment Two $200,000 lottery tickets are sold in Rhode IslandTwo $200,000-winning Powerball tickets were sold for Saturday night's $143.2 million drawing. Each ticket matched the first five numbers but not the PowerBall number, a Rhode Island Lottery news release today says. One ticket was bought from Stop & Shop at 3 Stilson Road, Richmond. The other was sold at Parkway Convenience & Deli at 1154 Narragansett Parkway, Warwick. Posted by Mike McKinney at 12:01 PM | Comment Little Compton landmark gets national recognition
Craig Pishotti and Zachary Miller, Little Compton residents who own the building, applied for the historic designation in the fall. Pishotti and Miller are founding partners of development and management company Goosewing Hotels & Resorts, a news release from their company says. The owners' statement says "significant structural modifications" have been made to the Stone House and "luxury hotel amenities have been provided for every room." That includes repair of the outside stonework and restoration being done "in the historic technique as it was in 1854." Structural steel was installed to allow for porches and cupola that had been lost to storms over the last century. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney According to an account by the Journal last year, the owners bought the property for $5.4 million. The granite building is on 3 Sakonnet Point Road and was originally a private home built by David Sisson, whose son, Col. Henry Tillinghast Sisson, served in the Civil War and also was a Rhode Island lieutenent governor. The building was variously a boarding house, had a basement speakeasy during Prohibition and was flooded during the 1938 hurricane. It's been a hotel prior to its new ownership, with 13 guestrooms. A barn on the property is a restaurant. "We are balancing the preservation and renovation of this property with sustainable development and green building standards. This project is leading the way in establishing that these two endeavors are not mutually exclusive,” Miller said in the statement. Pishotti said Goosewing's "mission is to make every effort possible in developing hotels, restaurants, and spas in a very thoughtful and sensitive manner. Placement on the register means: * Recognition that a property is of local, state and national signifiance significance * Consideration of the building's status in the planning for federal or federally assisted projects. * Eligibility for federal tax benefits. * Qualification for federal assistance for historic preservation when money is available. Posted by Mike McKinney at 11:54 AM | Comment 7th teen charged in underage Barrington drinking partyBARRINGTON - Benjamin W. Geldmaker, the 19-year-old who admitted buying alcohol that may have played a role in the November car crash that killed Barrington teen Jonathan Converse, became the seventh person to be charged in connection with underage drinking discovered at Brickyard Pond on April 19. It's the third time in less than a year that the Barrington man has been publicly charged with underage alcohol possession. He turned 18 in January, 2007. He will be arraigned in District Court, Providence, on May 15, Chief John LaCross said today. Last Tuesday, another person at the party in the woods, 17-year-old Ryan Greenberg, was sent to the ACI after his bail was revoked for refusing to take a breath test, a condition of remaining free on personal recognizance while awaiting trial for second degree murder in the July boating death of Patrick Murphy. Five other people, four minors and 18-year-old Corey J. Place, have also been charged with underage possession of alcohol after police stumbled onto the party. On June 18, Geldmaker, of 128 Maple Ave., was ordered to pay $150 plus court costs for underage alcohol possession. Then in December, he was accused of going to Douglas Liquor in East Providence on Nov. 5 and using fake identification to buy a 30-pack of beer. He gave about six cans to a 17-year-old acquaintance, also from Barrington, who took it to an the informal party involving several local youth. Four of those teenagers got into a car later that evening and the drunk driver, Michael J. Silveira, then 16, ended up slamming into a tree, killing Jonathan Converse, also 16. Silveira is serving a two year sentence at the state Training School. Geldmaker, for his second offense, was fined $500 and order to undergo substance abuse treatment. Then on Saturday evening, April 19, a town police officer on ``party patrol'' found Geldmaker and seven others while walking the wooded area from the end of Legion Way to Brickyard Pond, according to the police. Of the seven, one was reported to have not used or possessed any alcohol and will not be charged, LaCross said. Two girls, age 15 and 16, and two boys, age 16 and 17 were charged. In all, police found over a dozen beer cans on the ground, a 30-pack with more empty cans on the ground, and over 15 full cans of beer in backpacks, along with a couple of bottles of Gatorade that apparently contained vodka. Two of the eight were asked to take a breath test; both refused. One of the two, identified in the police report as #6, ``was using his cell phone calling his parents'' as he walked out of the woods, according to the police report from Ptlm. Wesley G. McCoy Jr. ``He was yelling into the phone, `Call my lawyer, I'm going to the ACI.' '' The teens also refused to acknowledge that they owned the backpacks that contained beer. Posted by Mike McKinney at 11:23 AM | Comment Gas prices hit new high, up another 15 centsGasoline prices in Rhode Island have set another record high, jumping 15 cents in the past week, according to AAA Southern New England. This week's increase follows last week's 19-cent jump. The average prices for a gallon of regular, unleaded gasoline is now $3.589 at the self-service pump, according to AAA's weekly survey. Rhode Island drivers are paying about two cents less than the national average, but 69 cents more per gallon than they were at this time last year. Diesel fuel is even higher at $4.40 per gallon.
Posted by Jack Perry at 10:36 AM | Comment New trial request postponed in smoke-shop caseThe Superior Court has put off hearing a request by defense attorneys for a new trial in the case of Narragansett tribe members arrested during a police raid on a tribal smoke shop. The motion hearing has been rescheduled for May 12. No reason was given for the postponement. The case stemmed from a July 2003 state police raid on a Narragansett Indian smoke shop that was selling cigarettes tax free. The raid on tribal land turned violent, and seven adult Narragansetts were arrested. On April 4, after a six-week trial in Providence County Superior Court, a jury found Chief Sachem Matthew Thomas guilty of assaulting a state trooper, but acquitted him of disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. In addition, the jury found Tribal Councilman Hiawatha Brown of assaulting a trooper and also of disorderly conduct. He was acquitted of resisting arrest. First Councilman Randy Noka was found guilty of disorderly conduct, while being cleared of resisting arrest. The jury cleared four tribal members altogether. Extra: Our full report on the raid and trial Posted by Jack Perry at 9:45 AM | Comment S. County police come together to catch suspectsThree people were arrested and an investigation is ongoing after Charlestown police caught up with an alleged ring of thieves. Someone called Charlestown police early yesterday morning to report a person trying to steal a car from the driveway. When officers arrived, according to the report, three people ran into the surrounding woods. Officers responded from Richmond, South Kingstown, Hopkinton and Westerly’s K-9 unit to find the suspects. The officers set up a perimeter, the dogs set out on the suspects’ trails, and just before 6 a.m., police had two people in custody. Christopher Menard and David Silva, both 19-year olds from Warwick, were arrested when they came out of the woods onto Route 112, just north of Old Mill Road. About 4 hours later, Joseph Sherman, 35, also of Warwick, was also arrested. During the investigation, police say they recovered a mini-van which had been stolen in early March and tools that police believe were stolen from construction sites in Hope Valley. The three were arrested and face with various charges, including receiving stolen goods –– a felony. They are all being held at the Adult Correctional Institutions in Cranston. Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 8:21 AM | Comment Traffic Alert: Lane blocked on Route 295An accident this morning has the right lane blocked on Route 295 near the Warwick Mall. The accident, on the northbound side of the roadway, is near Exit2/Route 2 North/Oaklawn/Warwick Mall. To keep an eye on traffic, see the Transportation Management Center's Web cameras. Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 7:45 AM | Comment Bringing back the working waterfront in NewportA formerly derelict building on Newport’s working waterfront is getting a boost from the federal government for restoration. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse will join Keith Stokes, the executive director of the Newport County Chamber of Commerce, and Terry Nathan, president of the International Yacht Restoration School, at the school this morning. The group will announce new funds for the restoration of the 1831 Aquidneck Mill Building, a landmark on the National Register of Historic Places that had fallen into disrepair. The senators say they’ve secured hundreds of thousands of dollars to expand the school’s vocational training facilities. A press conference is scheduled for 10:15 a.m. today at 449 Thames St. Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 7:09 AM | Comment Water main break in Boston could hamper commuteBOSTON -- Motorists are being strongly urged to avoid Boston's financial district and take public transportation after a weekend water main break flooded the underground gas system. Officials said Congress State would be reduced to one lane today and that the presence of trucks and other equipment would significantly impact traffic in the area. National Grid has already pumped more than 26,000 gallons of water out of the flooded system. Hundreds of gas customers in the financial district and North End neighborhood lost service when the flood caused a nearby gas line to rupture. Efforts to restore gas service to North End customers began Sunday, but had to be suspended when crews encountered more water in the system. A National Grid official says crews could face similar problems Monday when they start to restore service in parts of the Financial District. -- The Associated Press Posted by Jack Perry at 7:02 AM | Comment Spring is back and with it, comes rainAfter a brief summer-like reprieve last week, spring is back: cool temperatures, cloudy skies and rain. The National Weather Service is forecasting a high temperature near just 54 degrees today with east winds and rain all day. The heaviest rain should fall tonight, with an expected 1 to 2 inches through tomorrow morning. Temperatures should stay fairly mild, with an overnight low of about 51 degrees, patchy fog, and wind gusts from the southeast as high as 21 degrees. Tonight's rain should continue into tomorrow morning, ending by 10 a.m.. Temperatures should reach the low 60s with breezy north winds. To keep an eye on the rain, check projo.com's weather page. Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 7:01 AM | Comment Today's front pageToday's front page features the first in a five-part series on the high cost of oil and gas. Download a copy of today's front page in .pdf format. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:00 AM | Comment April 25, 2008Tonight: Swan Lake begins in ProvidenceA production of Swan Lake, by 19th-century Russian composer Pyotr Tchaikovsky, is the final offering of Festival Ballet's 30th season. It opens tonight at 7:30 at Veterans Memorial Auditorium, 1 Avenue of the Arts, Providence. There will also be performances tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2:30 p.m. Tickets are $17 to $62. Get them by calling (800) 919-6272 or by going to www.tickets.com. For more information, call Festival Ballet Providence at (401) 353-1129. Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:51 PM | Comment House voting on deficit-avoidance plan at this hourPROVIDENCE -- The House slogged through hours of fiery arguments and failed amendments and is voting this evening on a deficit-avoidance plan that lawmakers say would close this fiscal year's $168-million budget gap. Known as a supplemental budget, the plan under consideration would mean reductions in programs for poor children, financial assistance to cities and towns, and the state payroll in the budget year ending June 30. But it also calls for no tax increases -- though some have argued on the House floor it will simply lead communities to raise property taxes. If approved by the House, the budget bill would head to the Senate. Some highlights: * The governor's proposal to cut non-education state aid to cities and towns by $12 million remains intact so far -- though this budget article is getting heavy debate at this hour. * The plan would drop subsidized health care for about 2,800 immigrant children. * The bill would reduce health-care benefits for state employees who retire after Sept. 30, 2008. * The proposal would also end welfare benefits for adults and children after 60 months. Rep. Steven M. Costantino, chairman of the powerful House Finance Committee, said on the House floor this evening that the plan mostly keeps to what Governor Carcieri proposed, mentioning one change each to the revenue and expenditures sides of the ledger. "I can tell you, this is a very difficult budget," Costantino said. "This supplement budget is a first step in getting Rhode Island back on track." The more difficult step may be yet to come: Lawmakers will have to grapple with a projected $384-million deficit in next year's budget. See the amended budget online. Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:40 PM | Comment School bus and pick-up truck collision in West GreenwichWEST GREENWICH -- A school bus with children aboard collided this afternoon with a pick-up truck on Nooseneck Hill Road off exit 6 on Route 95, the police said. The accident occurred around 3:30 p.m. No one on the school bus was injured, but someone may have been injured in the pick-up truck, a police dispatcher said. The police are on the scene. -- Journal staff writer Lisa Vernon-Sparks Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:17 PM | Comment Couple injured in motorcycle accident are in trauma ICUCOVENTRY -- Kevin and Edwina Koerner, injured Thursday in a motorcycle accident, are in the trauma intensive care unit at Rhode Island Hospital, a hospital spokeswoman said. The accident is still under investigation. -- Journal staff writer Lisa Vernon-Sparks Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:14 PM | Comment Providence will investigate officer for motor-vehicle stopsPROVIDENCE -- The Police Department is conducting an internal investigation of a patrolman accused of “improper conduct during motor vehicle stops,” Deputy Police Chief Paul J. Kennedy acknowledged today. Neither Kennedy nor Maj. Paul C. Fitzgerald, commander of the Uniformed Division, to which the patrolman had been assigned, would discuss details of the allegation or allegations or say how many people have complained about the patrolman. “It could compromise our investigation, and I don’t want to do that,” Kennedy said. Under a state statute called the Law Enforcement Officers Bill of Rights, police management is not permitted to identify an officer who is under criminal or disciplinary investigation until a criminal charge is brought or a disciplinary process is concluded with a finding against the officer. In light of the allegation or allegations, the unnamed patrolman has been transferred for the time being from patrol duty to “administrative duty,” Kennedy said. He would not say what work the officer will be assigned while on administrative duty. -- Journal staff writer Gregory Smith Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:11 PM | Comment Police: Bicycle rider started fire at South County cemeteryNORTH KINGSTOWN -- Too drunk to ride his bicycle home, Steven W. O’Dell told police he decided to spend the night next to the Elmgrove Cemetery on Tower Hill Road. O'Dell lit a fire to keep warm over night, and at some point, O’Dell told police he passed out. When he woke up, the brush fire was out of control. According to the police report, O’Dell ran across the woods looking for water. But he ran into a tree and cut his upper lip, which was bleeding when police arrived. O’Dell, 45, of 24 Chestnut St., Westerly, declined medical attention, police said. North Kingstown Police, called to the scene at 12:19 a.m., charged O'Dell with sixth degree arson, a felony. Police said “a large portion of the southeast corner of the cemetery [was] engulfed in flames.” The fire did not spread to the houses that surround the cemetery, the police said. -- Journal staff writer Maria Armental Posted by Mike McKinney at 3:57 PM | Comment Swamp stops fire near Washington Co. FairgroundsRICHMOND -- Firefighters -- and a well-placed swamp -- have largely thwarted a brush blaze on the Washington County Fairgrounds that ignited this afternoon from sparks caused by a caretaker's cutting metal with a demolition saw. Grass caught fire and flames cut a path toward the northeast -- until the fire reached a swamp. "That's what saved us -- the swamp was full of water," said Fred A. Stanley, the Hope Valley-Wyoming Fire District chief. That, and some 35 firefighters from the Carolina, Charlestown, Ashaway, and Richmond-Carolina companies. This afternoon, a couple of firemen were spraying water on brush to tamp things down. The fire began about 1:53 p.m. in woods at the far end of the fairgrounds parking lot, an estimated three football fields' distance from the nearest fairgrounds buildings. Flames spread rapidly in part because of some hay stored in the area. -- projo.com staff writers Michael P. McKinney and Brandie M. Jefferson, with reports from Journal staff writer Paul Davis Posted by Mike McKinney at 3:50 PM | Comment Coming Monday: How gas prices affect the way we liveThe record high gas prices are affecting the way we live, from our daily commute to our vacation plans to our choices at the grocery store. On Monday, we begin a five-part series in The Providence Journal and on projo.com exploring how the high gas prices are forcing many painful decisions. Monday’s installment will examine why prices have risen so quickly –– and why they are likely to stay high indefinitely. Each day's report will be available on projo.com, plus tools and other resources to help you cope with the rising cost of gas. Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 3:28 PM | Comment Bank robbery suspect is being held without bailATTLEBORO, Mass. -- A bank robbery suspect is being held without bail after a confrontation with Mansfield police that ended when they shot and killed his alleged accomplice. George Moore of Easton, Mass., the alleged getaway driver, was arraigned Friday in Attleboro District Court and pleaded not guilty to unarmed bank robbery. Police said 20-year-old David Semenza of Easton was shot Thursday in a residential neighborhood about a mile from the bank he allegedly robbed. Police said Semenza confronted officers in "a threatening manner" and appeared to reach for a weapon. The lawyer for the 21-year-old Moore said his client didn't know Semenza was robbing a bank until he saw him with the cash. Attorney Daniel Rich said Moore pulled over as soon as he saw police behind him and did exactly what they told him. -- The Associated Press Posted by Mike McKinney at 3:06 PM | Comment TSA officers and bomb-sniffing dogs visit train stationPROVIDENCE -- Federal transportation security officers and bomb-sniffing dogs have paid a visit to the Providence train station as part of a national homeland security operation. WPRI-TV is reporting that the officers screened bags and checked passengers' identification and tickets on Friday. Both uniformed and undercover officers participated in the unpublicized security check. Joe Salter, the Rhode Island head of the federal Transportation Security Administration, tells WPRI that there's no specific threat but that it's important for terrorists to not know when and where officers will show up. The TSA did a similar security check in Boston on Thursday. Alex Leaven, who was at the train station, says he had no problem with the security check and that it made him feel safer. -- The Associated Press Posted by Mike McKinney at 3:01 PM | Comment Tax rebates will start Monday, earlier than announcedWASHINGTON -- President Bush said tax rebates will start going out Monday, earlier than previously announced, and should help Americans cope with rising gasoline and food prices, as well as aid a slumping economy. Democrats said they were glad the rebate checks were about to go out, but suggested that multinational oil companies were not among the businesses the stimulus package was originally designed to help. "Starting Monday, the effects of the stimulus will begin to reach millions of households across our country," Bush said today in remarks on the South Lawn of the White House. Those first rebates will be directly deposited into people's bank accounts. The Internal Revenue Service had been saying direct deposits wouldn't start until next Friday. Bush said paper checks would begin going out on May 9, a week earlier than previously announced. "The money is going to help Americans offset the high prices we're seeing at the gas pump, the grocery store, and also give our economy a boost to help us pull out of this economic slowdown," Bush said. Bush's emphasis on fuel and food prices differed from other comments he's made since signing the economic stimulus legislation, intended to aid the economy by boosting overall consumer spending - which accounts for roughly two-thirds of the nation's economic activity. Bush has suggested the rebates could trigger a spending spree. "When the money reaches the American people, we expect they will use it to boost consumer spending," he said last month. By saying expressly that people could use these one-time checks to pay for such necessities as food and gas, Bush underscored the deepening challenges facing the economy. -- The Associated Press Democrats were quick to pick up on the change of focus. "It's galling to think that taxpayers' stimulus checks will be lining the pockets of OPEC. The sad truth is that the average American family will spend almost their entire stimulus check on higher gas prices this year," said Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., chairman of the Joint Economic Committee of Congress. OPEC is the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries. "Unless the administration gets OPEC to increase oil supply, American consumers are going to be in for a scorching summer of $4 gasoline with no relief in sight," Schumer said. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., agreed that people "need this rebate to cope with the rising cost of gas and groceries." She said that, while the rebates would help to get the economy moving, there was a need for a second stimulus package "and we have begun some conversation with the administration and Republicans." As he had earlier in the week, Bush used the word "slowdown" to describe the state of the economy. He has denied that the nation is in a recession, although many economists say it is. "It's obvious our economy is in a slowdown. But, fortunately, we recognized the signs early and took action," Bush said. The rebates - up to $600 for an individual, $1,200 for a couple and an additional $300 for each dependent child - are the centerpiece of the government's $168 billion stimulus package, enacted in February. Roughly 130 million households are expected to get them. Bush made the comments before boarding his helicopter at the start of a day trip to Connecticut. People must file a tax return for their 2007 income to be eligible for a rebate check. The IRS now says all checks for those who filed tax returns on time are scheduled to be deposited or mailed by July 11. The economy - burdened by the collapse of home prices, a financial and credit crisis, and now rising energy and food prices - grew at an anemic 0.6 percent in the final three months of last year and is believed to have gotten even weaker in the first three months of this year. The government will report on the first quarter's performance next week. With the economy faltering, the nation's unemployment rate has climbed to 5.1 percent, the highest since September 2005, when it suffered from the devastating blows of the Gulf Coast hurricanes. Job losses in the first three months of this year neared the quarter-million mark. Foreclosures have surged to record highs and financial companies have taken multibillion losses on mortgage investments that soured. The situation has sent a tremor through Wall Street and has sent the administration, Congress and presidential contenders looking for ways to provide relief. Posted by Jack Perry at 2:34 PM | Comment Fire at Washington County FairgroundFire crews from around South County are on the scene of a blaze at the Washington County Fairgrounds on Route 112 in Richmond. Hope Valley Fire Captain Raymond Bader at the Hope Valley-Wyoming District was not at the scene, but he said crews there are calling the fire "extensive." "Everybody is out there," Bader said. "They've called out numerous departments in the area." More to come ...
Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 2:29 PM | Comment Carcieri will name advisory group on immigrationPROVIDENCE -- Governor Carcieri, after meeting with Rhode Island clergy today about his executive order cracking down on illegal immigration, said there will be an advisory group to monitor how the order is carried out. Bishop Thomas Tobin of the Diocese of Providence called the meeting with the governor today "wonderful and productive." The order has drawn controversy from various groups. The governor did not know what the make-up of the advisory group would be. Carcieri said he is not rescinding the order, but will seek input about how it is being implemented from his advisory board. Read a previous story on clergy reaction to the order. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Journal staff writer Karen Lee Ziner and The Associated Press Posted by Mike McKinney at 1:44 PM | Comment Westerly tries to take a bite out of mosquitoesWESTERLY -- To rein in mosquito breeding, a helicopter will drop larvicide on 500 swamp acres on Monday -- something the town has carried out yearly since 1997. The larvicide will be applied from 7 a.m. to noon. If there's a rain-out, the action will be moved to the first available following date. Larvicide may be applied on future days as well after the town issues notification. Chapman's Swamp and the swamp next to Hespar Drive will be targeted, a state Department of Environmental Management news release said today. The DEM approved the town's application to apply the larvicide called Bti in the target areas. Bti is described as a naturally occurring bacterium that is applied in granular form to swamps and other mosquito breeding grounds to stop larval mosquitos from reaching adulthood. The town is notifying homeowners next to the targeted areas and the public of what's intended, the DEM said. The DEM said the state is not advocating "wide-scale aerial application of larvicide" and recommended that most cities/towns apply larvicide by hand in road-side catch basins. But Chapman Swamp in Westerly is "unique," the DEM said, because it is large and inaccessible due to presence in 1996 and 2003 of Eastern Equine Encephalitis-carrying mosquiotes. Westerly started in 1997 using the Bti larvicide after the disease-carrying mosquitoes were found to be breeding in Chapman Swamp. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 1:36 PM | Comment Car hits median in Providence; 5 hospitalizedPROVIDENCE -- A Pawtucket man and his four passengers were taken to Rhode Island Hospital today with serious injuries after the car they were in struck a concrete median, bounced off and ended up on a sidewalk. At about 1 a.m., Brandon P. Genereux, 22, of 32 Seba Kent Road was driving south on Eddy Street where it meets Point Street when the car went through a red traffic light, struck the median divider and came to rest on the sidewalk, according to police. Police Maj. Paul Fitzgerald said the crash is under investigation. Along with driver, taken to the hospital were Levys Tovar, 28, the front seat passenger; Eliza G. Richardson, 19, the left back seat passenger; Corrine M. Butler, 20, the center back seat passenger; and, Alexander Tovar, 22, the right back seat passenger. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Journal staff writer Gregory Smith Posted by Mike McKinney at 12:44 PM | Comment Creating a greater canopy of urban treesThere are about 25,000 trees in Providence, creating a canopy covering about 23 percent of the city. But as the state marks the annual Arbor Day, Mayor David N. Cicilline and Acting Parks Superintendent Robert McMahon announced a plan to add about 40,000 trees to the city, increasing that canopy to 30 percent. “We know that the quality of life in our neighborhoods is inextricably linked to the health of our natural environment,” Cicilline said today at a tree-planting in the Elmhurst neighborhood. “The State of Providence’s Urban Forests report provides valuable information that will help guide our efforts to create greener, more vibrant neighborhoods by setting reasonable goals to increase our tree canopy.” The report outlines a plan to add trees to public as well as private spaces, including which neighborhoods to target for intense tree planting. Download a copy of the report here. An increased tree canopy has a variety of benefits, aside from aesthetics. Trees mitigate particulate pollution; lower temperatures in the summer; stabilize soil, and slow polluted runoff from dumping into the Bay. Visit the city’s Department of Forestry to learn more about urban forests. http://forestry.providenceri.com/forestry/urban.php Click below for more Arbor Day events across the state. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson The Rhode Tree Council is planting up to 100 tall shade trees at Goddard Memorial State Park in Warwick. The tree-planting is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the site known as the "Oaks," or "Mansion Hill." It's the section of the park where the Goddard Family's house once stood. Providence's District 6 Community Police are sponsoring a Neighborhood Clean-up. The event, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., includes mulching trees, mural painting and a cook out at Riverside Park, on Aleppo Street. Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 12:36 PM | Comment Block Islanders seeing whales spout and surfaceBLOCK ISLAND -- For more than a week, people on Block Island have been treated to whale sightings off the eastern shore. Believed to be finback, minke or possibly humpback whales, the massive marine mammals have been seen spouting and occasionally surfacing off Pebbly and Crescent beaches. All three species are baleen, meaning they filter phytoplankton, bait fish and tiny crustaceans from huge gulps of water using plates along their upper jaw. The whales are likely migrating to cooler waters as summer approaches, said Janelle Schuh, stranding coordinator for Mystic Aquarium. “Maybe they just got lucky and found themselves some good food,” said Schuh, who learned of the sightings yesterday. Whales could be seen blowing from their blow holes east of Old Harbor at least a dozen times Wednesday as the 5 p.m. ferry departed from the island. -- Journal staff writer Katie Mulvaney Posted by Mike McKinney at 12:18 PM | Comment Friedman will let Brown decide pie thrower's fatePROVIDENCE -- New York Times columnist and author Thomas L. Friedman says he'll leave it for Brown to decide what to do with a student who threw a green whipped cream pie at him during a speech earlier this week. Friedman says he isn't pressing charges against Margaree Little, a 22-year-old English literature major. Little says she's undergoing disciplinary action by the dean's office and expulsion is ``not off the table.'' Little and an unidentified man threw pies at Friedman as he opened an Earth Day speech Tuesday at Brown. She says they were protesting Friedman's support of biofuels, although Friedman has written about taking a careful approach to biofuels to ensure biodiversity. She also says they were hoping to open up a dialogue about what it really means to have free speech on an elite college campus.
Posted by Mike McKinney at 11:57 AM | Comment Tonight: HSGameTime All-State boys swimmingTonight at 6, you can find the 2008 HSGameTime Providence Journal All-State boys swimming team online at www.hsgametime.com/rhodeisland. We asked each of our first-team selections to fill out a personal survey with questions including favorite TV show, favorite subject in school, and something people would be surprised to know about me. The swimmers' answers, as well as audio clips of the swimmers talking about what inspired them this past season, will accompany their bios on their own personal pages. Also, you will find full listings for second-team and All-Division selections. The All-State boys swimming page in The Providence Journal will run tomorrow. Here is the full schedule for the All-State teams. The teams will be revealed at 6 p.m. each day online, and in the following day's newspaper. Online now: Wrestling, gymnastics, cheerleading, girls basketball, boys basketball, girls indoor track, boys indoor track, girls swimming Posted by Mike McDermott at 11:05 AM | Comment Central Falls reports second case of TB in high schoolThe state has announced another case of infectious tuberculosis at Central Falls High School. Finding a second case was not surprising, State Health Director David Gifford said in a statement, because this second person had close contact with the last infected student, who was identified as ill in January. "Central Falls faculty and staff will once again fully cooperate with the Department of Health as we gear up for this round of testing,” Central Falls Superintendent Frances Gallo said in a statement. “We are fortunate indeed to have a process in place where every person at our high school will be screened,” he said. Officials from the Centers for Disease and Control said because of the way TB spreads, Central Falls High School should not do another round of testing until June 1. The DOH says it sees about 50 cases of active TB every year in Rhode Island. The infection comes from the mycobacterium tuberculosis bacteria, which spreads through the air. It can cause disease in the lungs and other parts of the body, including loss of appetite, fatigue, coughing and other problems. Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 10:51 AM | Comment Topping off ceremony today for downtown hotel
A steel beam will be raised to the top of the building marking the end of the steel construction phase and the beginning of the interior work in the hotel. The site of the former St. Francis Chapel, and the original home of Old Colony Bank, the historic building is located at 58 Weybosset St. in the heart of the financial district. When completed in December, the Hampton Inn & Suites will offer 110 hotel rooms. The project is joint venture between First Bristol Corporation and Granoff Associates and was designed by Newport Collaborative Architects. -- Journal Business Editor John Kostrzewa Posted by Jack Perry at 9:45 AM | Comment Brown is Green today on College HillWorld-famous policy wonks and grassroots organizers can –– and do –– work together, despite what recent headlines may suggest. Today and tomorrow they’ll join industry leaders, educators, academics and a host of other interested stakeholders at the “Brown Is Green: Strategies for Shaping a Sustainable Future” conference. The three-day conference, which began yesterday, is aimed at bringing seemingly unrelated groups together to share their ideas on environment-related issues. Today the university is sponsoring plastic bottle recycling as well as several guests, including the former Sierra Club President and Brown alum, Adam Werbach, who has created quite a stir after announcing he is working with Wal-Mart stores on sustainability and efficiency. Also set to speak are Ira Magaziner, chairman of the Clinton Climate Initiative, and a host of Rhode Island politicians including Providence Mayor David Cicilline and U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse. Find a full schedule of events online. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 9:15 AM | Comment Gas hits $4 per gallon on Martha's VineyardEDGARTOWN, Mass. -- The prospect of $4 per gallon of gas has already become reality on Martha's Vineyard. An informal survey of island gas stations by WMVY-FM found an average price of $4 per gallon for regular unleaded. And it's not just residents of the island and tourists who ferry their cars over from the mainland who are feeling the pinch. Many small businesses, including taxi companies, are being forced to absorb the higher fuel costs or pass them on to customers. Martha's Vineyard Taxi owner Morgan Reitzas says he's been forced to raise fares for longer routes to Chilmark and Aquinnah, which can now cost $75. Reitzas says even with the higher fees and some disgruntled customers, he's barely breaking even. The most recent statewide survey by AAA Southern New England found a record high average price of $3.38 per gallon for self-serve regular. -- The Associated Press Posted by Jack Perry at 9:12 AM | Comment Reporter's query: Given up pets due to foreclosure?Seeking your experiences for a possible Providence Journal story: Has anyone been forced to give up their pet to an animal shelter because of a foreclosure? If so, please contact reporter Linda Borg at 277-7823 or lborg@projo.com. Thank you. Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 8:38 AM | Comment Feds recognize state for childhood immunizationsThe federal government thinks Rhode Island’s childhood immunization rates are impressive, and today, at the end of Infant Immunization Week, the state is getting recognition. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention today is giving the state an award for its work immunizing children entering pre-school and kindergarten against serious diseases such as measles, mumps, rubella and polio. Melinda Wharton, deputy director of the National Center of Immunization and Respiratory Diseases at the CDC, will present Lt. Gov. Elizabeth Roberts and Director of Health David R. Gifford with an award for the state’s achievements. Following the awards ceremony, nurses from Thundermist Health Center and the state’s Department of Health will talk to parents about the importance of full vaccinations –– and how to get children to go willingly. Thundermist offers a Teddy Bear Clinic, where children can bring stuffed animals to get shots too. The event is set for 3 p.m. at the Connecting for Children & Families Child Care Center at 46 Hope St. in Woonsocket. Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 8:35 AM | Comment Former councilman in court today for sexual assaultA former Central Falls Councilman who has been charged with several counts of sexual assault of a 15-year-old boy is scheduled for a conference today in Superior Court. Luis Gil, 45, of Central Falls was arrested in November after Providence police allegedly found him in a car, partially dressed in a car with the 15-year-old boy. Police say the boy was in the back seat, buttoning his jeans and trying to put a shirt on. The boy and Gil allegedly met in August while the boy was waiting for a bus. Gill approached the boy at the bus stop, but the boy declined to go with him, according to police reports. Gill followed the bus until the boy got off, talked to him, and the two went to Lincoln Woods in Lincoln, police said, where they twice had consensual sex. In all, Gil faces four charges of third-degree sexual assault, which involves a defendant older than 18 who engages in sexual penetration with someone older than 14 and younger than 16. Gil was not seeking another term as councilman when the allegations were raised. He resigned Nov. 23 after repeated calls for him to step down from Central Falls Mayor Charles Moreau and a majority of the five-member council. Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 7:37 AM | Comment House scheduled to vote on supplemental budget todayThe House is set to vote on a supplemental budget this afternoon. A revised proposal was passed earlier this week and a special session is scheduled for today at 2 p.m. to vote on the governor's proposed budget for the 2008 fiscal year. Relying on cuts as opposed to tax increases, legislators say the budget closes a $168-million deficit for the current fiscal year. Some highlights of the proposed budget: The governor's proposal to cut non-education state aid to cities and towns by $12 million remains intact. Dropping subsidized health care for about 2,800 immigrant children stays on the table. And a proposal to end welfare benefits for adults and children after 60 months was left in. In a statement Tuesday, Gov. Carcieri said of the Democrat-led committee's decision: “When I introduced my supplemental budget plan several months ago, I said that we needed to make difficult spending reduction decisions in a host of areas and that tax increases were out of the question. The House Finance Committee appears to agree.” Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 7:26 AM | Comment Chat with Sen. Reed live on MondaySen. Jack Reed will answer questions from projo.com readers during a live chat from 11:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. Monday, April 28. You can submit questions now: go to projo.com/chat, click "launch chat", choose a display name (you don't need a password) and enter the chat room "senator reed." The senator will see your questions when he logs in on Monday morning, and he may not be able to answer every question. When sending in a question, do not press enter or click send until you have completed your thought; doing so will cause us to receive an incomplete question. The questions will display to the room as Senator Reed answers them on Monday. Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 7:02 AM | Comment Clergy to meet with Carcieri over immigration crackdownPROVIDENCE -- Religious leaders plan to meet with Gov. Carcieri to voice their concerns about his executive order cracking down on illegal immigrants. The meeting, set for today, will include Roman Catholic Bishop Thomas Tobin, Rabbi Alan Flam of the Rhode Island Board of Rabbis and the Rev. Donald Anderson, executive minister of the Rhode Island State Council of Churches. The religious leaders have criticized an executive order Carcieri signed last month requiring state police and prison officials to identify suspected illegal immigrants for possible deportation. It also requires state agencies and companies that do business with the state to verify the immigration status of new hires. A lobbyist for the Catholic Diocese of Providence says the bishop plans to tell Carcieri that his order is scaring Hispanics. -- The Associated Press Posted by Jack Perry at 7:02 AM | Comment Ah, springNow this is a spring day. The National Weather Service is forecasting a high temperature just shy of 70 degrees with clear sunny skies and a mild southwest wind. We should see some clouds tonight, when the temperature drops to about 45 degrees. Winds from the southwest will be mild. Tomorrow looks cool, with a high temperature near 58 degrees and mild east winds. We'll also see some clouds for the first time in a while. Tomorrow night there's a slight chance late showers with a low temperature near 39 degrees and mild east winds. The possibility of rain continues into Sunday morning. There should be clouds all day, and a high temperature near 56 degrees with calm, east winds. Rain could return Sunday night when we'll have cloudy skies and a low temperature near 41. Back to Monday -- there's rain likely in the afternoon, and it could get heavy at times. Expect clouds all day and temperatures in the high 50s. To keep an eye on the spring showers, visit projo.com's weather page. Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 7:01 AM | Comment Today's front pageToday's front page features a story about problems at the city of Providence's summer lunch program. The director has been fired after a state audit found that the program falsely claimed it had served far more lunches than it actually had over the past several years, resulting in hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of improper federal reimbursement payments, according to city officials. Download a copy of today's front page in .pdf format.
Posted by Jack Perry at 7:00 AM | Comment April 24, 2008Brush fire being fought at farm preserve in BurrillvilleBURRILLVILLE -- Firefighters are reported to be battling a large brush fire this evening at Addieville East Farm, a 650-acre area in the Mapleville section. The farm has been rated by Esquire magazine as one of the top shooting preserves in the United States. The fire comes on a day when the National Weather Service had issued a "red flag" for northern Rhode Island, warning of possible fires due to dry, windy conditions. -- Journal staff writer John Castellucci Posted by Andrea Panciera at 7:09 PM | Comment House puts off votes on E-Verify, gambling hours billsPROVIDENCE -- The House has delayed a vote on a bill that would require private employers to verify the legal status of their workers with a federal database, or face a fine up to $5,000. A vote on Democratic Rep. Jon Brien's bill was scheduled for today, but it has been pushed back until Tuesday. Brien's proposal would make private employers use a federal database called E-Verify before they hire anyone. Critics say the system is prone to errors and could disqualify legitimate job seekersBut Brien says making the database mandatory will discourage employers from hiring illegal immigrants. Last month, Governor Carcieri signed an executive order forcing government agencies and companies doing business with the state to use E-Verify. Also delayed: A House vote on the expansion of gambling hours at Twin River and Newport Grand gambling facilities. -- The Associated Press Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:52 PM | Comment Tonight: Blithe Spirit on stage in ProvidenceYou can catch a production of Noel Coward's Blithe Spirit at Trinity Rep at 8 tonight in Providence. It's described on the Trinity Web site as "a wickedly delectable treat from the master of sophisticated comedy." Check out a synopsis of the play. If tonight doesn't work out, there are more performances. See what else is happening around our area at: projo.com/lifebeat Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:48 PM | Comment House OKs bill fining knockoff musical groupsPROVIDENCE -- The House today approved legislation mandating that live musical performers in Rhode Island who use names or songs of another performer acknowledge their act is a "tribute or salute," according to a news release. Known as the Truth in Music Advertising Act, it would penalize knockoff musical groups that misrepresent themselves as originals. Civil fines would run from $5,000 to $10,000 for violations. The House bill is sponsored by Rep. Peter John Petrarca, D-Lincoln. Under the legislation, a band must include at least one member of the original recording group. Tribute bands would not be affected. The bill now goes to the Senate. Similar bills have passed in many states. In February, Jon "Bowser" Bauman, the former baritone singer of the doo-wop revival group Sha Na Na, testified at the State House in support of the legislation. Bauman is chairman of the Truth in Music Committee of the Vocal Group Hall of Fame and in testimony cited The Drifters, The Coasters, The Platters and The Marvelettes, whose names are being used by other performing ensembles in the country. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with Journal archival reports Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:32 PM | Comment Summer lunch program under investigation; director firedPROVIDENCE -- The director of the city’s summer lunch program has been fired and the entire administrative staff will not be brought back after a state audit found that the program falsely claimed it had served far more lunches than it actually had over the past two years, and improperly received hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of federal reimbursement over that span. A criminal investigation conducted by Providence police is under way, though city officials would not divulge the details or the targets of the investigation. Program Director Jane Shugrue has been fired, according to Providence Chief of Operations Alix Ogden. Her entire 11-person administrative staff will also not return for the summer season. The city will now hire a new director, and subcontract the summer lunch contract to a private food-service provider. The program serves lunches to school-age city children at roughly 100 parks and community centers during the summer months. Shugrue has run the program since 1991 and been on staff since 1984. Ogden said that Shugrue was fired for mismanagement of the program, but would not say if she is a target in the criminal investigation. Chief of Administration Richard I. Kerbel said that the dollar amounts in play are not yet clear, but it appears that at least several hundred thousand dollars worth of lunches were falsely claimed over the past two years. In the last five years, the program spent about $680,000 a year. The discovery is the result of a state inquiry into the program last summer and this fall. The state informed Providence of the over-claiming at the end of January. Providence is also conducting its own audit looking into the program. The program is paid for with federal dollars, but administered at the local level. -- Journal staff writer Daniel Barbarisi Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:56 PM | Comment Update: 1 building still without power at Pastore complexCRANSTON -- The Hazard Building remains the only building without full power this afternoon at the Pastore Complex of state offices after outages hit seven buildings this morning. The power failure's cause? Beneath Howard Avenue, steam from a pipe eroded a conduit carrying electrical wiring, according to Adelita Orefice, executive director of the Office of Health and Human Services. It is being repaired, she said. Orefice said she was taking the lead on providing the update on the situation because she has responsibility for five agencies affected, among them Department of Human Services, Department of Mental Health and Retardation, and Department of Children, Youth and Families. Six buildings are running at full power on generators, Orefice said. They include the Training School facility. The Hazard Building, which houses the Department of Elderly Affairs, is expected to be up and running by tomorrow morning. The Hazard Building only has power today to light stairwells and exit signs. The complex, which is home to several health and correctional services buildings, was plagued by power failures last summer after an electrical surge caused underground power lines to fail. Orefice said Department of Human Services employees who want to check on the status of the building for tomorrow may call (401) 462-2121, where she said a message should be available. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney A capital improvement project exists for the repair and replacement of wiring in the Pastore Complex, a press release said today. "Until the project is completed, we will continue to inspect the wiring in the system and do our best to prevent this from happening again," Director of Administration Jerome Williams said in the release. At the Ferand Building, which tends to get warm in hot weather and where power was out for part of the day, some employees used the option of vacation leave or personal leave, Orefice said. The Ferand Building houses the Department of Human Services. She added that about 60 to 70 employees from the building were deployed to offices in other communities while about 30 to 40 stayed in the building's atrium to assist the public. "We expect state employees will return to work as usual tomorrow," she said. Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:51 PM | Comment Weather update: High temp 1 degree shy of tying recordWe missed tying the high-temperature record for this day by one degree. Today's high was 76 degrees in the Providence area, according to the National Weather Service. The record, however, is 77 degrees -- hit in 1982 and 2001. Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:34 PM | Comment Actress Bracco: 'The vortex had a hold on me' / Photo
The 53-year-old told the crowd in her signature raspy Brooklyn accent that during the mob drama’s early years in about 2000-2001, she realized she was suffering from a “deep” depression. “The vortex had a hold on me,” said the actress, who has shoulder-length brown hair, and wore a tailored charcoal-colored pants suit and spike-heeled open-toed sandals. “It was like I was dead inside.” In front of the audience of about 525, she spoke for about 15 minutes at Butler Hospital’s annual "Real Stories, Real Recoveries" event. It raised $120,000 for the private mental health facility on Providence’s East Side. In addition to raising money for Butler, Bracco came to Providence to promote her autobiography, "On the Couch." Critics have hailed her memoir as “from the heart.” She also participated in the luncheon to dispel the stigma that sometimes surrounds mental illness, she said. “If you break your leg, you have it fixed. If you have a toothache, you go to the dentist. When it comes to mental health, people tend to think they can just get over it. I thought I could yoga my way out of it.’’ -- Journal staff writer Faye B. Zuckerman Posted by Andrea Panciera at 4:51 PM | Comment Station fire lawyers want to question DerderiansPROVIDENCE -- Lawyers representing victims of The Station nightclub fire are asking a federal court judge to allow them to proceed with questioning of Jeffrey and Michael Derderian, the owners of the West Warwick nightclub. The court issued a stay in November 2004 that barred the victims’ lawyers from questioning the brothers while they were facing manslaughter charges in connection with the deadly fire at their club. One-hundred people died from the Feb. 20, 2003, fire; more than 200 others were injured. Now, the lawyers say, they should be allowed to proceed with taking sworn testimony from the Derderians because their criminal cases are over and “it no longer appears that Jeffrey or Michael Derderian will be subject to further state or federal criminal charges.” The lawyers say that the Derderians’ testimony concerning the events that occurred the night of the fire at their club “is critical to the plaintiffs’ case. Jeffrey was a witness to the events that took place on that night,” the lawyers say in their motion. “In addition, a number of [other defendants who have been sued by the victims] have listed Jeffrey and Michael Derderian as people they would depose because their testimony is of general interest.” On Sept. 29, 2006, the brothers were sentenced in Superior Court after pleading no-contest to 100 counts of involuntary manslaughter. Jeffrey was spared a prison sentence and last November, completed 500 hours of community service. Michael was sentenced to a four-year term at the Adult Correctional Institutions in Cranston. The Parole Board decided in January that he will be released one year early from that sentence. He is now scheduled to be freed in October 2009. -- Journal staff writer Tracy Breton Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:05 PM | Comment Jane Goodall to cut ribbon on Hopkinton parrot sanctuaryHOPKINTON -- She did internationally known study of chimpanzees in Tanzania. She founded an institute, was named a dame of the British Empire and got the French Legion of Honor. Next stop for Jane Goodall: Hopkinton. On May 7, Goodall, the well-known primatologist, and a Massachusett state senator will do the official ribbon cutting ceremony to open the Foster Parrots Exotic Wildlife Sanctuary in Hopkinton, which a news release today says is New England’s first non-profit permanent care center for parrots and other exotic wildlife. Foster Parrots Ltd. recently moved to Rhode Island, and is now located in a building on the former Chickadee Farms on Woodville-Alton Road.
Goodall started studying of chimpanzees in 1960 at what was then called the Gombe Stream Chimpanzee Reserve with her mentor, the anthropologist and paleontologist Dr. Louis Leakey. In 1977, she set up the Jane Goodall Institute, which the news release called "a global leader in the effort to protect chimpanzees and their habitats." The institute also sets up conservation and development programs in Africa, and the Roots & Shoots education program involving tens of thousands of young people in almost 100 countries. Then-United National Secretary-General Kofi Annan in 2002 named Goodall a United Nations Messenger of Peace. She was reappointed in 2007. Posted by Mike McKinney at 3:18 PM | Comment ISO: Electricity supplies should be enough for summerHOLYOKE, Mass. -- The organization that oversees New England's power grid says electricity supplies appear to be adequate to meet spiking demand this summer. An annual update from Holyoke-based ISO New England Inc. says grid operators should have enough flexibility to handle sharply higher electricity use, even in a prolonged heat wave. This summer, the region is expected to have nearly double the amount of so-called "demand resources" than it had last summer. Demand resources include large industrial customers that agree to cut electricity use during peak demand. The organization forecasts this summer's peak New England demand could reach 28,000 megawatts under 90-degree temperatures. The region's all time peak power use was set Aug. 2, 2006, at 28,130 megawatts. One megawatt serves as many as 1,000 homes. -- The Associated Press Posted by Mike McKinney at 3:16 PM | Comment RWU offers reward for information on acts of vandalismBRISTOL -- Roger Williams University is offering a $1,000 reward to anyone with information about two recent acts of vandalism on campus in which racist messages were scrawled on cars and posted on a dormitory wall. The more recent of the incidents occurred on the evening of April 15 when two student cars were keyed with racist words. The previous week someone had stuck a piece of paper with racist and derogatory messages targeting a faculty member on an interior wall of a residence hall. Following the discovery of the second act of vandalism, John King, the university’s vice president for student affairs, sent out a campus-wide e-mail on April 16 telling the student body that the incidents were being investigated and announcing a reward for information that leads to any arrests. In response to the news, at noon this past Wednesday, about 200 students, professors and administrators gathered in the campus’s main quadrangle to rally against racism. It was a peaceful protest, said university spokesman Brian Clark. “Obviously, students were concerned,” he said. Although the reward was initially offered to students on campus, Clark said that if persons outside the university are able to help with the investigation, they may receive it, too. The incidents are being investigated by campus police. The Bristol Police Department is also participating in the investigation into the vandalism to the cars. King would not comment on whether police had received any tips about the incidents, saying the investigations are ongoing. -- Journal staff writer Alex Kuffner Posted by Mike McKinney at 3:12 PM | Comment FBI SWAT team arrests man in Mass. for R.I. robberiesThis morning, an FBI SWAT team arrested a man in Mendon, Mass., who is wanted for robberies at a Lincoln bank and several Rhode Island pharmacies. Prosecutors say in June last year, David R. Cahill, 31, wore a floppy brimmed hat, sunglasses and one latex glove into a Bank of America branch on George Washington Highway in Lincoln. Prosecutors say Cahill told the teller he had a gun and left with $2,361. That month, prosecutors say, he also broke into a Brooks Pharmacy on Mineral Spring Avenue in North Providence, showed a gun, and took about seven bottles of Oxycodone pills. Cahill is charged with several similar crimes, including a robbery at the CVS drug store on Reservoir Ave. in Cranston, where he was able to escape police during a high-speed chase through the streets of Cranston, according to prosecutors. He now faces felony charges of bank robbery and robbery affecting interstate commerce. Cahill. appearing this afternoon in U.S. District Court before Magistrate Judge David L. Martin, was ordered held pending a hearing slated for Monday at 3:30 p.m. Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 2:43 PM | Comment House agenda includes 24-hour gambling, martial artsPROVIDENCE -- Legislation to allow 24-hour gambling on weekends and federal holidays at Twin River and Newport Grand is on the House's schedule today. Also on the agenda is a bill that would create a commission to license the sport of mixed martial arts, also known as ultimate fighting. The commission would oversee matches through the state Department of Business Regulation’s division of racing and athletics, which supervises boxing and wrestling. The bill is sponsored by Rep. John J. McCauley Jr., D-Providence. Check out Journal coverage of the martial arts legislation. Posted by Mike McKinney at 2:22 PM | Comment Photo: A good day to climb a tree
Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 1:49 PM | Comment Tonight: HSGameTime All-State girls swimmingTonight at 6, you can find the 2008 HSGameTime Providence Journal All-State girls swimming team online at www.hsgametime.com/rhodeisland. We asked each of our first-team selections to fill out a personal survey with questions including favorite TV show, favorite subject in school, and something people would be surprised to know about me. The swimmers' answers, as well as audio clips of the swimmers talking about what inspired them this past season, will accompany their bios on their own personal pages. Also, you will find full listings for second-team and All-Division selections. The All-State girls swimming page in The Providence Journal will run tomorrow. Here is the full schedule for the All-State teams. The teams will be revealed at 6 p.m. each day online, and in the following day's newspaper. Online now: Wrestling, gymnastics, cheerleading, girls basketball, boys basketball, girls indoor track, boys indoor track Posted by Mike McDermott at 1:37 PM | Comment Police ID suspect in attack on security guard at mallPROVIDENCE -- Police have an arrest warrant out for a suspect accused of attacking a security guard with a box cutter Sunday afternoon outside a Providence Place department store. Police are seeking Anthony Osorio, 19, of Providence, who has been charged in the warrant with two counts of felony assault. The first is for slashing the neck of Spencer Jones, a security guard for JCPenney, with the box cutter and the second for threatening another guard with the weapon. The assault occurred after the two guards spotted what looked like four men shoplifting in a coordinated way at the JCPenney store, police said. One guard followed one of the men out of the store into the promenade area of the mall. Jones then left to help him, when police say he was attacked about 15 feet from the store's entrance. The police say they suspect three others in the incident, but do not have arrest warrants for them at this time. Jones was brought to the hospital for stitches that day and released, police said. -- Journal staff writer Gregory Smith Posted by Andrea Panciera at 1:16 PM | Comment Update: Pastore Complex hit by power failuresCRANSTON -- Two buildings in the Pastore Complex of state offices are without power, while five others are up and running on generators this morning, according to a spokesman for the governor's office. Seven buildings had lost power, including the state Training School for those under age 18 convicted of crimes. The training school is among the five that have power from to generators. The Hazard building, where the state Department of Elderly Affairs is located, and the Ferand building, where the Department of Human Services is located, are without power. Governor's spokesman Jeff Neal said officials are working to determine the cause of the problem and to install generators in order to have the Hazard and Ferand buildings back on line today. The complex, which is home to several health and correctional services buildings, was plagued by power failures last summer after an electrical surge caused underground power lines to fail. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 12:30 PM | Comment Pharmacists give pneumonia shots today at State HousePneumonia vaccinations will be given out today at the State House and soon, thanks to legislation passed last year, they’ll be available at local pharmacies. The vaccinations are free and available to the public to bring attention to the new law, which allows pharmacists to administer vaccinations. Today’s event, “Face of Pharmacy,” is sponsored by the Rhode Island Pharmacists Association, the Rhode Island Society of Health Systems Pharmacists and URI. Vaccines are free and available to adults only from 2 to 4:30 p.m. at the State House. In addition to the vaccines, pharmacists will screen participants’ blood pressure, glucose and cholesterol and provide other information. Jeff Bratbert, a clinical assistant professor of pharmacy at the University of Rhode Island said this new dimension of his job allows him to educate patients. “Some people work all day and are unable to get to a doctor's office or flu clinic when they are open,” Bratbert said, “so being able to get the flu shot at the pharmacy is a major convenience.” Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 12:25 PM | Comment Reporter's query: Given up pets due to foreclosure?Seeking your experiences for a possible Providence Journal story: Has anyone been forced to give up their pet to an animal shelter because of a foreclosure? If so, please contact reporter Linda Borg at 277-7823 or lborg@projo.com. Thank you. Posted by Andrea Panciera at 12:16 PM | Comment Weather update: Fire warning on for northern R.I.A "red flag" is up and running now, as the National Weather Service warns that today's dry and windy conditions are ripe for possible fires. The warning, which took effect at 10 a.m., is on until 6 p.m. tonight. The warning area covers northern Rhode Island, northern Connecticut, most of Massachusetts and south and central New Hampshire. It could also be a record breaker when it comes to the temperature today. The National Weather Service is forecasting a high temperature near 78 degrees. The record is 77 degrees, set in 2001. Aside from that, more of the same ... sunny, clear skies and breezy north winds up to 17 mph. More clear skies tonight, with a low temperature in the mid 40s and a north wind that could gust as high as 23 mph. Tomorrow is looking cooler, with a high temperature near 68 degrees and mild northeast winds. Check projo.com's weather page for any changes in the forecast. Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 12:11 PM | Comment Legislative panel studying autism seeks inputParents, teachers or doctors of children with autism; students with autism, or anyone else who wants to add their stories are invited to comment during the final stages of a study by a legislative commission. The House Commission to Study the Education of Children with Autism in RI convened in December. It has since gathered what Rep. Peter Palumbo, D-Cranston, called “formal” and “policy-type” information on educating children with autism. “What we would really like to add to the mix, before we move toward making any formal, legislative recommendations, is the personal side of the issue,” he said in a statement. The commission is inviting testimony at its next meeting, at noon on Wed., April 30, in the State House, room 313.
Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 11:22 AM | Comment projo.com will host Senator Reed for live chat MondaySen. Jack Reed will answer questions from projo.com readers during a live chat from 11:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. Monday, April 28. You can submit questions now: go to projo.com/chat, click "launch chat", choose a display name (you don't need a password) and enter the chat room "senator reed." The senator will see your questions when he logs in on Monday morning, and he may not be able to answer every question. When sending in a question, do not press enter or click send until you have completed your thought; doing so will cause us to receive an incomplete question. The questions will display to the room as Senator Reed answers them on Monday. Posted by maria caporizzo at 10:42 AM | Comment Soymilk recalled for containing dairy proteinA soymilk product has been recalled after several reactions alerted its makers to the presence of an undeclared milk protein. WhiteWave Foods Company’s Chocolate Silk Soymilk is being recalled. The 11-ounce, single serve plastic bottles have a “use by” date of May 7, 2008 and UPC code 2529360028. The information is on the back of the bottle. Silk Soymilk is distributed nationwide and is available in most supermarkets. WhiteWave representatives said in a press release, that its sales team is trying to recover the product from shelves. In the meantime, people with allergies or severe sensitivity to milk proteins should not consume Silk Chocolate milk. For more information, contact the company at 1-800-587-2259. Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 10:04 AM | Comment Providence wants to plant 40,000 treesTrees in cities –– or “urban forests” –– have been shown to lower temperatures that are driven higher by heat-trapping asphalt; to limit runoff and pollution of water supplies; to dampen noise; and to mitigate particulate pollution. And, really, they just look nice. Mayor David Cicilline and City Forester Douglas Still are hoping to increase the number of trees in the city of Providence. They plan to unveil the State of Providence’s Urban Forests, a report that uses satellite imagery to calculate the total tree canopy of the city. The study will be released at a tree planting ceremony tomorrow, which is also Arbor Day. Ultimately, the mayor’s office says it wants to plant 40,000 trees in the next 12 years. The ceremony is set for 10 a.m. tomorrow at the intersection of La Salle Drive and Sharon Street. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 9:36 AM | Comment Group takes credit for throwing pie at FriedmanA YouTube account holder who posted a video of two people throwing whipped "pies" at columnist Thomas Friedman before an Earth Day speech at Brown claimed the pie-throwers, and others who distributed leaflets, are a group called "Greenwash Guerrillas." The group has posted press releases and a link to the video on its Web site. One of the pie-throwers was identified yesterday as a Brown student. A statement from the university said the student was "apprehended." The incident will be reviewed by the school's non-academic disciplinary system, the statement said. Friedman, a Pulitzer-prize winning author and columnist for the New York Times, has coined the term "geo-green" to describe an environmental advocacy that, through the mechanisms of capitalism, he believes can strengthen both our political and economic standing in the world. Leaflets dropped by attendees who ran out of Friedman's lecture said he deserved a pie in the face for suggesting that the free market and "techno fixes can save us from climate change," and for his support of the war in Iraq. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson . Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 7:55 AM | Comment Lawmakers plan vote on bill expanding slot parlor hoursPROVIDENCE -- Rhode Island lawmakers could vote on a plan allowing the state's two slot parlors to operate around-the-clock on weekends and holidays. Just don't bet on it. First scheduled for a vote Tuesday, the bills have been pushed back until today because of a disagreement between Senate President Joseph Montalbano and House leaders. Lawmakers are looking for new ways to raise money. Under their proposal, Twin River in Lincoln and Newport Grand could operate 24 hours on weekends and holidays. Closing time would be 3 a.m. on weekdays. A spokesman for Montalbano says he believes Lincoln should get a larger slice of the profits for putting up with longer gambling hours. -- The Associated Press Posted by Jack Perry at 7:02 AM | Comment Today's front pageToday's front page features coverage of a potential settlement in the pollution case brought by a group of Tiverton residents against the Texas-based utility Southern Union. Download a copy of today's front page in .pdf format. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:00 AM | Comment April 23, 2008Tonight: Half-way through the week, but the music's playingWe're at the half-way point in the week, but you don't have to wait for it to end to hear some tunes in the clubs. Fishing With Finnegan, The Jennifer Logue Band and Jordan Cannady play at AS220, 115 Empire St., Providence. 831-9327. 9:30 p.m. to 12:45 am. $6. All ages. Surprise Me Mr. Davis and The Low Anthem play rock at Firehouse 13, 41 Central St., Providence. 270-1801, www.firehouse13.org. 9 p.m. Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:55 PM | Comment Central Falls police investigating a drive-by shootingCENTRAL FALLS -- Police are investigating a drive-by shooting today in which someone in a gray SUV shot at a person riding on a bike while he passed in front of a tax service business at Dexter and Darling streets. Neither the person on the bike or anyone else was hurt during the shooting which occurred at 12:55 p.m., said Central Falls Police Chief Joseph Moran. Moran said the person riding the bike was the intended target. “It was not a random shooting,” he said. The person was lucky he was not hit, Moran said. He said he did not know if the victim and shooter know each other but police are investigating that and other aspects of the shooting. The bullets hit the window of the business. -- Journal staff writer Tatiana Pina Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:35 PM | Comment R.I. House passes hurdle for future LNG plansPROVIDENCE -- The House approved legislation requiring both General Assembly and a municipality to sign-off on any emergency response plan developed for transporting liquefied natural gas on Narragansett and, or Mount Hope bays. The bill, sponsored by state Rep. Raymond E. Gallison Jr., passed 66 to 1. It goes next to the Senate. State resources should not be committed to "advancing the proposal," the Gallison says. Any emergency plan would have to be ratified by the General Assembly and the town or city council of each community along the route proposed for LNG tankers. In the current state of things, that would include Newport, Jamestown, Middletown, Portsmouth, Tiverton, Bristol, and Warren. Gallison is a Bristol Democrat who represents his hometown and Portsmouth. “Just about every state leader and municipal leaders in all the towns and cities along the bay are opposed to the use of the bay by dangerous LNG tankers. If Weaver’s Cove wants this project, it should be Weaver’s Cove’s responsibility to pay for the preparation of response plans for emergencies that its project could cause,” Gallison stated. Gallison goes on to state that the legislation's vitality is not weakened by Weaver’s Cove recent statements that it would also seek an offshore berth for LNG tankers if it can not win approval for its Fall River location. It would still see LNG tankers in the bays and so shoreline communities need to be protected, Gallison said. His statement noted a Government Accountability Office study that, according to Gallison, said liquefied natural gas can not be safely moved using tankers as they are vulnerable to terrorism. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:22 PM | Comment Update: Settlement in Tiverton soil contamination suitTIVERTON -- On the eve of a federal trial, lawyers have reached a potential settlement of the most complicated and extensive soil contamination case in Rhode Island. About 100 homeowners have sought remediation of a total of 50 acres of property in North Tiverton for the last five and a half years, ever since a sewer construction crew came across soil tinged a cobalt blue – a marker of cyanide. Jury selection in the trial was to start today. But yesterday afternoon, U.S. Senior Judge Ernest C. Torres heard from lawyers for the homeowner plaintiffs and the defendant, the Texas-based utility Southern Union, that they had reached a “potential settlement,” according to Torres’ clerk, Ryan Jackson. He said Torres received the news in a “sealed hearing” and declined further comment, except to say that the trial has been taken off the judge’s calendar. Robert McConnell, a lead lawyer for the plaintiffs, described the deal hammered out by the lawyers as a “conditional settlement.” McConnell said he expected “that the condition will be met and the case will be resolved,” but he declined any further comment. Lead plaintiffs Gail and John Corvello said that they are “cautiously optimistic.” Corvello is president of the Environmental Neighborhood Awareness Committee of Tiverton, ENACT, the grass-roots group that spearheaded the lawsuit. They, too, said they were not allowed to talk about the case. John Corvello cautioned that there could be a “bump in the road” which would land them back in court. “Everything is still up in the air,” Corvello said. -- Journal staff writer Gina Macris The state Department of Environmental Management has placed civil responsibility for cleaning up the contamination on Southern Union, the successor to the former Fall River Gas Co., which manufactured gas from coal in the early part of the 20th century. Southern Union has vigorously denied any responsibility, contesting the case in exhaustive discovery proceedings on parallel tracks both in U.S. District Court and in an administrative appeal of a DEM order dating from January 2006 that the utility submit plans to remediate the soil. The plaintiffs were prepared to present eyewitness testimony that wastes from the Fall River Gas Co. were dumped just over the city line in what was to become the Bay Street neighborhood of Tiverton. In addition to cyanide, the contaminants include lead, arsenic, naphthalene, and polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), which are known carcinogens, according to DEM. In a 2004 Journal profile of the issue, residents told of how they use plastic flowers as lawn decorations and how Corvello covered her backyard with $2,000 worth of foam tiles so children at her house-based daycare center could play outside. The Journal reported this January that some 250 people in 100 houses in the Bay Street neighborhood have been unable to sell or refinance because of the toxic soil on their properties. Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:50 PM | Comment Parole denied for Barrington man jailed in driving deathsThe state Parole Board today denied parole for a Barrington man who is four years into his 12-year prison sentence in connection with a drag-racing crash that killed two Bristol passengers Steven J. Botelho, 19, and Justin M. Nunes, 17. Brendan Lombardi was 19 when he was sentenced in Providence County Superior Court in April 2004, almost a year after the April 19, 2003, crash in which the police said Lombardi and Michael Cabral raced cars on Market Street and Metacom Avenue through Swansea, Bristol and Warren at upwards of 80 mph. Shortly before 3 a.m., Lombardi's car went into a tree, and Botelho and Nunes were thrown from the car and killed. A statement from the parole board said that to parole Lombardi "so soon" on his sentence "would depreciate the serious nature of the crime and the devastating impact the crime has had on so many individuals." The statement also said the board, which met today on the matter, will reconsider Lombardi for parole in 18 months. Lombardi, in an agreement reached with prosecutors, pleaded no contest to two counts of driving under the influence, death resulting; one count of DUI, serious injury resulting; two counts of reckless driving, death resulting; and one count of conspiracy to commit reckless driving. For the reckless driving charges, he was sentenced to 10 years' probation, to be served after his release from the Adult Correctional Institutions in Cranston. He was also ordered to serve 200 hours of community service and seek alcohol and substance-abuse counseling while on probation.
Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:35 PM | Comment Hot day to yield to dry, windy one and a fire watchThat sure feels like record-breaking heat out there for a day in April. And it may be. The record for today's date, set 100 years ago, was a balmy 85 degrees. At mid-afternoon today, the National Weather Service says we’ve reached a high of 84. And I, for one, have to believe that in at least one spot in the state, the temperature hit 85 degrees. The temperature is set to drop a few degrees per day through the end of the week, when we may also see some rain. But there's a hitch. The National Weather Service has issued a "fire weather watch" for tomorrow morning through tomorrow afternoon. That means that that critical fire weather conditions are possible, the service says. The watch area covers most of Rhode Island and Massachusetts except for their southern coasts. It also incluces northern Connecticut and southwest New Hampshire. A cold front will cross the region overnight. Behind it, winds will shift to the northwest and increase to around 15 to 20 mph by tomorrow morning. Drier air will filter in, with relative humidities dropping down into the teens by late tomorrow morning. Then, the topper. Wind gusts to near 25 mph are expected to develop, and possibly greater. The combination of gusty winds and low relative humidity may create the potential for dangerous fire weather conditions. A week ago tomorrow, a large brush fire burned wetlands near the East Bay Bike Path, and several more fires broke out over the next couple of days. - projo.com staff writer Brandie Jefferson, with projo.com staff reports Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 4:24 PM | Comment Joyner-Kersee will speak at RWU commencementBRISTOL -- Track star Jackie Joyner-Kersee, a three-time Olympic gold medalist who is considered one of the greatest female athletes of all time, will deliver the keynote speech at Roger Williams University’s graduation ceremony May 17. Joyner-Kersee is the latest big name to speak at the university’s commencement, following the filmmakers Peter and Bobby Farrelly last year and First Lady Laura Bush in 2006. “For many of us, Jackie Joyner-Kersee is a household name as one of the greatest athletes of all time,” University President Roy J. Nirschel said in a statement. “But off the track, her commitment to advancing opportunities for girls in sports and enhancing the lives of children across the world makes her the perfect embodiment of the RWU core value of community service.” Joyner-Kersee, 46, won two Olympic gold medals in the heptathlon and one in the long jump along with one silver and two bronzes. Her record in the heptathlon set during the 1988 Seoul Olympics still stands. She’ll address Roger Williams’ more than 900 graduates at the commencement ceremony for bachelor’s and master’s degree recipients, which will be held on the Bristol campus, One Old Ferry Road, at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, May 17. The university will award her an honorary doctorate of humane letters. At the School of Law’s commencement May 16, Supreme Court reporter Linda Greenhouse will be the keynote speaker. Greenhouse joined the New York Times in 1968 and became Supreme Court correspondent for the newspaper 10 years later. For her coverage of the country’s highest court, she was awarded a Pulitzer Prize in journalism in 1998. In other assignments, she also covered Congress and the New York state legislature. She accepted a buyout from the Times earlier this year and will become a journalist-in-residence at Yale Law School next January. Greenhouse will receive an honorary doctorate of laws at the law school’s ceremony, which begins at 1 p.m. The university will also award honorary degrees to Richard L. Bready, chairman and CEO of Nortek, Inc. and chairman of the board of trustees at Roger Williams, Henry Rosovsky, an economist and the Lewis P. and Linda L. Geyser university professor emeritus at Harvard University, Howard G. Sutton, publisher of the Providence Journal. The law school will award an honorary degree to the Honorable Phillip Rapoza, chief justice of the Massachusetts Appeals Court. -- Journal staff writer Alex Kuffner Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:20 PM | Comment DOT finishes one project early, gets ready for nextThe Department of Transportation finished a project in Providence last night that was initially scheduled to be completed Thursday. The project had closed the ramp from Route 195 westbound to Route 95 southbound as work continued on the relocation of Route 195. There will be lane closures tonight, however. The left lane will be closed on the north and southbound sides of Route 95, between Exits 18/Thurbers Avenue to Exit 20/Route 195 from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. tomorrow. During that time, workers will install signs with information about the next phase of the Route 195 relocation: opening a temporary ramp from Point to Hoppin Streets to Route 195 eastbound. Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 4:03 PM | Comment Coventry man pleads guilty in bank fraud casePROVIDENCE -- A Coventry man pleaded guilty in federal court today to bank fraud in which he used worthless checks and transfers to inflate accounts in an attempt to get $92,002 out of two banks. Michael R. Robitaille, 25, entered the plea before Judge Mary M. Lisi in U.S. District Court in Providence, U.S. Attorney Robert Clark Corrente's office said in a news release. Sentencing is scheduled for July 18. Maximum penalty for bank fraud is 30 years imprisonment and a $1 million fine. The government did not agree to any sentencing recommendation in exchange for the plea. Robitaille is in state custody. Prosecutor Peter F. Neronha said at the plea hearing the government could show that in May 2006 Robitaille opened a checking account at a Massachusetts branch of Commerce Bank Trust with a $25 cash deposit. Over the next several weeks, Robitaille opened two checking accounts and a savings account at different Rhode Island branches of Domestic Bank, and a checking account and two savings accounts at BankRI. Depositing only $11 in real money, he inflated the accounts' value by depositing worthless checks drawn against previous accounts or by making fraudulent transfers between checking and savings accounts Robitaille then several times withdrew cash or wrote checks to third parties against the various accounts at Domestic Bank and BankRI. Robitaille tried to get the $92,002 from Domestic Bank and BankRI, after depositing just a total of $26 in real money in the three banks. Domestic Bank and BankRI denied payment on most of the checks, losing a combined $22,985 between them, mostly to cash withdrawals. In June 2006 -- a month or so after Robitaille began his scheme -- a Secret Service agent questioned him and, prosecutors say, Robitaille admitted the fraud. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 3:28 PM | Comment Proposed commission would license ultimate fightingPROVIDENCE -- Legislation scheduled to be heard in the House of Representatives today would create a commission to license the sport of mixed martial arts, also known as ultimate fighting. The commission would also oversee matches through the state Department of Business Regulation’s division of racing and athletics, which supervises boxing and wrestling. The House bill is sponsored by Rep. John J. McCauley Jr., D-Providence. It is one of many bills on the House calendar today. Read Journal coverage of the mixed martial arts legislation. Posted by Mike McKinney at 2:02 PM | Comment Update: Makeshift firebombs tossed at fire station, church
EAST PROVIDENCE -- A Molotov cocktail was thrown through the window of a city fire station in the Rumford section, sparking a brief fire, and a similar device was tossed on a nearby local church’s walkway late last night. No one was hurt in either incident. Fire Chief Joseph Klucznik confirmed a pane at the Greenwood Avenue entrance of the fire house at the corner of Greenwood and North Broadway was broken around 11:04 p.m. when someone threw the makeshift firebomb at it. The on-duty firefighters were in the kitchen when an overhead sprinkler went off near the entrance. The internal alarm also sounded. Klucznik said the sprinkler put out the brief fire a short time later. He said there was “limited” fire damage to the entrance as well as smoke and water damage to the surrounding area. The station, built in 2002, is the newest of the city’s fire houses. Firefighters cleaned up the section after city police detectives and the state fire marshal’s office collected evidence. Witness statements from the shift’s firefighters are also being gathered. Police Department Capt. Walter Barlow said a similar, but smaller device, was thrown onto a walkway in front of the Newman Congregational Church further up North Broadway. He said the only damage was a charred section of the concrete. Barlow said the department is following leads, but have not arrested any suspects. The Providence police and other state agencies have also offered their help in the investigation. -- Journal staff writer Alisha A. Pina Klucznik said the Fire Department initially moved some of its engines to make sure all of the city was covered if there were a fire last night and early this morning because some at the Rumford station were being tied up for this incident. When asked if the station was back to normal, the chief said, “As normal as the Fire Department can be given all the media, adjusters, police officers and sprinkler system people around. We’re trying to get used to the hectic lifestyle.” Posted by Mike McKinney at 1:48 PM | Comment Former Pats' assistant will meet with NFL commissionerNEW YORK -- Former Patriots assistant Matt Walsh will meet with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell on May 13 about New England's videotaping of opposing teams. The league reached an agreement with Walsh today. The NFL had been negotiating for two months with Walsh, now an assistant golf pro in Hawaii, who has indicated he has further information regarding Spygate. Goodell fined Patriots coach Bill Belichick $500,000, the team was fined $250,000 and was stripped of its first-round draft choice for taking video of New York Jets coaches on the sideline of the 2007 season opener. But the specter of what information Walsh might have has hung over the matter since the Super Bowl, when Walsh reportedly said he had other tapes. The agreement with Walsh will allow him to "share with the NFL information about activities occurring during his employment with the club from 1997-2003," the league said in a statement. Walsh also will be required to return any tapes and other items in his possession that belong to the Patriots. -- The Associated Press "Today, Mr. Walsh and the National Football League reached an agreement under which the NFL will provide legal indemnification and a release of claims against Mr. Walsh relating to his employment by the Patriots and the Patriots' videotaping operations," said Walsh's lawyer, Michael Levy of McKee Nelson LLP. "I am pleased that we now have an agreement that provides Mr. Walsh with appropriate legal protections. Mr. Walsh is looking forward to providing the NFL with the materials he has and telling the NFL what he knows." Patriots spokesman Stacey James said the team has no immediate comment on the Walsh-Goodell meeting. Walsh will be required to provide any documents he may have, including videotapes, relating to Spygate. He also will not be allowed to speak with any third parties before meeting with Goodell. Last September, Belichick acknowledged using such videotapes on a regular basis, calling it a misinterpretation of the rule. Goodell issued his fines, then destroyed the tapes from the Patriots-Jets game, the first win in New England's unbeaten regular season, along with other materials submitted by the team. At the time, Goodell said he took the Patriots' word that those were the only tapes. During Super Bowl week, however, there were reports of possible earlier videotaping by the Patriots, including the St. Louis Rams' walkthrough before the 2002 Super Bowl. Belichick vehemently denied the existence of any such tapes. "I've never seen a tape of another team's practice. Ever!" Belichick said at last month's NFL owners meetings. "Certainly not that one. "I think they've addressed everything they possibly can address. I've addressed so many questions so many times from so many people I don't know what else the league could ask." He might find out once Walsh and Goodell meet. Posted by Jack Perry at 1:47 PM | Comment Police chief: Broad effort needed to fight teen drinkingBarrington Police Chief John LaCross thinks that if a person has alcohol in their bodies, then that person possesses alcohol. But as it stands now, the police can only arrest an underage drinker if the person is holding alcohol, has it in a bag, or within arm’s reach. “If you come across someone and they are intoxicated,” LaCross said of the current laws, “there’s no charge.” LaCross, whose town has seen several tragic accidents involving teens and alcohol, said he has been working with Kathleen Sullivan, the town’s task force coordinator, researching consumption laws in some states that make it illegal for minors to have alcohol in their system. In some states, this means police can administer a blood alcohol content test to minors who are not behind the wheel. “Clearly,” LaCross said this morning, “if you’re not 21, you shouldn’t be drunk.” In the meantime, he said, aggressive patrol work is a good thing: last Saturday, eight teenagers were found drinking in the Brickyard Pond area of the town. One of the teenagers arrested was Ryan Greenberg, the now-18-year-old who is awaiting a trial on a second-degree murder for the summer death of his friend, Patrick Murphy. The teenagers were allegedly outside for hours, with three bottles of vodka and at least one –– maybe two –– 30-packs of beer, he said. Patrolman Wesley McCoy Jr. “basically prevented another adverse event,” LaCross said of the officer who found the teenagers. “Alcohol poisoning, or fighting, or a car crash; we know the negative consequences from underage drinking. But apparently,” he added, “the tragedies and deaths of their friends is not changing the culture the way it should.” But neither, ultimately can the police, he said. “It has to start at home, with parents, the coaches, the community in general and the kids themselves.” There are a lot of good kids, he said –– some that have made good decisions and some that have made bad decisions –– just as there are in any city or town across America. Drinking is a national problem, LaCross said, and he thinks it needs a national solution; tighter regulations on advertising and portrayals in TV and film. Teens, he said caught “into this culture of drinking because they’re inundated with these images: Super Bowl ads; movies that glamorize house parties when the parents aren’t home… it’s a tough battle.” "We can't solve the problem," LaCross said. "The kids and the parents have to be a part of the solution." -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 1:42 PM | Comment Tonight: HSGameTime boys indoor trackTonight at 6, you can find the 2008 HSGameTime Providence Journal All-State boys indoor track team online at www.hsgametime.com/rhodeisland. We asked each of our first-team selections to fill out a personal survey with questions including favorite TV show, favorite subject in school, and something people would be surprised to know about me. The athletes' answers, as well as audio clips of the athletes talking about what inspired them this past season, will accompany their bios on their own personal pages. Also, you will find full listings for second-team, All-Division and Academic All-State selections. The All-State girls indoor track page in The Providence Journal will run tomorrow. Here is the full schedule for the All-State teams. The teams will be revealed at 6 p.m. each day online, and in the following day's newspaper. Online now: Wrestling, gymnastics, cheerleading, girls basketball, boys basketball, girls indoor track Posted by Mike McDermott at 12:51 PM | Comment GoogleTransit and RIPTA get you where you want to goNot using public transportation because it’s too confusing is no longer an excuse. Today, the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority announced that local bus and trolley schedules are now accessible through Google Maps. The system, Google Transit, is also automatically available anytime a user enters directions into Google Maps. Along with driving directions, bus and trolley stops are shown, with upcoming departures. Google Transit, according to RIPTA General Manager Alfred Moscola, is “incredibly easy to use, gives you all the information you need, and is perfect for the person who hasn’t used RIPTA’s bus system before.” “It’s a great incentive to use transit in Rhode Island,” he added, “because it figures out the whole trip for you. It does all the work. With this tool, Google is providing a tremendous public service.” According to Moscola’s statement, RIPTA provided the schedule information, and the service is provided free from Google. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 12:12 PM | Comment Residents of polluted Tiverton neighborhood settle suitPROVIDENCE -- Lawyers for dozens of residents of a polluted Tiverton neighborhood say they have agreed to settle a lawsuit brought against an energy company over contamination that turned the soil under their homes blue. Terms of the settlement with Southern Union Co. are sealed and lawyers would not discuss details today. But Robert McConnell and Mark Reynolds, who represent the neighbors, tell The Associated Press they have reached a settlement that is contingent on several conditions. Reynolds says the settlement involves money to the property owners as well as a pledge to clean up the contaminated properties. A spokesman for Houston-based Southern Union did not immediately return a message left today. Tests revealed the ground was contaminated with arsenic, cyanide, lead and other toxins. About 150 residents of the Bay Street neighborhood had filed the lawsuit, which was scheduled to go to trial in U.S. District Court, Providence. Jury selection was to begin today and testimony was to start Monday. -- The Associated Press Posted by Jack Perry at 11:58 AM | Comment Brown student apprehended after 'pie' thrown at speakerA Brown University student was apprehended by Brown University police last night after allegedly throwing a green pie container filled with what appeared to be green whipped cream at a New York Times columnist who had been invited to speak to students about energy. Thomas Friedman ducked the pies, which were thrown by two people who rushed the stage just after he stepped to the microphone. He avoided the brunt of the contents, stepped off stage for a few minutes, and returned to deliver his speech. “We are grateful that Mr. Friedman went on to deliver his lecture to a full audience, who gave him a standing ovation,” reads a statement from Vice President of Public Affairs Michael Chapman. The two rushed the stage with the pies, and then threw fliers into the crowd which aired their criticisms of Friedman’s views on the free market and climate change. "Freedom of speech is prized on a university campus,” Chapman said in his statement, “While Brown students are encouraged to express their opinions on any subject and in a variety of forums, the University does not tolerate such assaults against a speaker or disrupting the right of others to hear a speaker’s perspectives.” The student was placed in the custody of the Department of Public Safety. The school in a statement said it will review the incident through a “non-academic disciplinary system,” and determine what to do from there. The Brown statement doesn't say whether the other alleged pie thrower was apprehended. The event was open to students and the public. Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 10:36 AM | Comment As prom season starts, state police offer safety tipsProm season is just around the corner, and in addition to dress-picking and arranging corsages, there are a few other things prom-goers should keep in mind. According to the Rhode Island State Police's prom-safety tips, staying safe and sober is easy if students take a few precautions and parents stay involved. Among the tips: • Keep an eye on your date/driver to make sure he or she does not drink any alcohol. Alcohol slows reaction time and impairs vision, clear thinking, judgment, and coordination. Posted by Pam Cotter at 10:05 AM | Comment Parole considers drag-racer's releaseThe parole board is considering the case of a man who was sentenced –– as a teenager, four years ago –– to spend 12 years in jail after a drag-racing crash ended in the death of two of his passengers. Brendan Lombardi is now 23 years old, and has the chance to be released from jail. Lombardi, formerly of Barrington, pleaded no contest to two counts of driving under the influence, death resulting; one count of DUI, serious injury resulting; two counts of reckless driving, death resulting; and one count of conspiracy to commit reckless driving. In April of 2003, Lombardi and Michael C. Cabral were drag racing, prosecutors said, when Lombardi crashed into a tree. Steven J. Botelho, 19, and Justin M. Nunes, 17, were killed and David Arruda, 17, was critically injured. Cabral was also charged with reckless driving. As part of his sentence, Lombardi will be on probation for 10 years after he is released from the Adult Correctional Institutions. He will also have to serve 200 hours of community service and attend alcohol and substance-abuse counseling. Lombardi has spoken to teenagers in Barrington since his arrest about the dangers of driving under the influence. When he was arrested, the police say he had cocaine and alcohol in his system. -- projo.com staff writer, with Journal archive reports Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 10:00 AM | Comment Speaker brings "happyness" message to Rhode IslandHe was broke at times, and even homeless, but Christopher Gardner went on to found a successful international brokerage firm, and serves on a number of charitable boards aimed at providing families with housing, food and opportunity. Today, the man whose bestselling autobiography was made an award-winning film, “The Pursuit of Happyness,” is bringing his life story, and lessons learned, to Rhode Island. (The misspelling of happiness in the title is intentional). Gardner is the featured speaker at the Rhode Island Community Food Bank’s 25th anniversary luncheon today, set for noon at the Rhode Island Convention Center. Since 1982, the Food Bank has distributed food to hungry families around Rhode Island. So far this year, according to its Web site, the organization has seen requests for food increase 10 percent from last year’s monthly average. Find out how to help, make a donation, or purchase a ticket for today’s luncheon, online. Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 9:13 AM | Comment EMC 1Q profit dips 14 percent, revenue up 17 percentBOSTON -- EMC Corp.'s first-quarter profit dipped 14 percent on acquisition-related charges, but the data storage vendor managed to post a double-digit revenue gain amid a slow U.S. economy, beating Wall Street expectations. Its shares rose more than 5 percent on premarket trading. Hopkinton, Mass.-based EMC said today that net income fell to $268.8 million, or 13 cents per share in the three months ended March 31. That's down from $312.6 million, or 15 cents per share, in the same period a year ago. The latest quarter's performance was hurt by a $79 million non-cash charge to write off research and development operations from recent acquisitions. Without that charge and other one-time items including employee stock options costs, EMC's profit was $477.3 million, or 23 cents per share. Revenue rose 17 percent to $3.47 billion, beating the $3.45 billion consensus estimate of analysts surveyed by Thomson Financial. Despite a lagging U.S. economy that threatens to slow technology spending, EMC posted 14 percent revenue growth in North America, which accounted for 57 percent of total company revenue. Overseas, where EMC has consistently posted stronger growth, the revenue gain was 21 percent. -- The Associated Press EMC's biggest business area, storage systems, posted a 10 percent revenue gain, with software license and maintenance revenue rising 18 percent. Revenue from a segment that includes professional services and systems maintenance posted 30 percent revenue growth. EMC shares rose 81 cents, or 5.2 percent, to $16.40 in premarket trading. "EMC is off to a solid start to the year, and we remain on track to achieve the 2008 financial targets we set for the business at the beginning of the year," said Joe Tucci, chairman, president and chief executive of EMC, whose rivals include IBM Corp., Hewlett-Packard Co., and Network Appliance Inc. EMC reported earnings a day after VMware Inc., a storage software maker in which EMC holds a majority ownership stake, said its first-quarter profit rose 5 percent, as corporate and international sales headed higher. VMware posted a 69 percent revenue gain on Tuesday, reflecting strong growth for VMware's virtualization software, which allows a computer to act like multiple machines, each with its own operating system and software. EMC's stock broke out of a yearslong slump last year amid August's initial public offering of VMware, in which EMC sold a 10 percent stake. VMware's growth prospects sent EMC's shares briefly above $25 apiece in late October, but the stock has recently hovered around the $15 level - the same as about a year ago - amid a downturn in the broader economy, and after the emergence of new rivals to VMware. EMC's first-quarter acquisition-related charges stem from the latest of a string of deals to expand beyond EMC's core business of supplying hardware that stores troves of data for large corporate customers. The latest deal, announced April 8, was EMC's $213 million purchase of Iomega Corp., which will expand EMC's offerings targeting small businesses and consumers. Posted by Jack Perry at 9:05 AM | Comment Photo: Fire station damaged by firebomb
Posted by Jack Perry at 9:03 AM | Comment Opponent could hear it from Celts' 'fair weather fans'BOSTON -- Mike Bibby thought the Celtics' crowd was loud in the playoff opener. He should get an even bigger earful in Game 2 after slamming the fans. Bibby called Boston's backers "fair weather" fans who jumped on the "bandwagon" when the Celtics grew from one of the NBA's worst teams last season into the one with the best record in the league this season. "I wouldn't say it's the smartest comment," Kevin Garnett said yesterday. Bibby heard it from the crowd Sunday night when the Celtics beat the Atlanta Hawks 104-81. He scored just five points on 2-for-10 shooting. "It's good that they know I'm here," he said before practice yesterday on the same floor where he missed all those shots. "Fair weather fans if you ask me." The Celtics drew decent home crowds last season despite their 24-58 record, the second-worst in franchise history. Bibby played in front of one of them Jan. 19 when he was with Sacramento, which won 96-91. He scored 11 points in that game, Boston's sixth straight loss in an 18-game slide that is the worst in franchise history. Sunday's crowd was "kind of loud at the beginning," Bibby said calmly, "but a lot of these fans might be bandwagon jumpers. They try to get on this now. Because I played here last year, too. I didn't see three-fourths of them so it might be that. "I remember them having bags on their heads," he said. "Are they the ones that had bags on their heads last year? It's just a different look, but I guess that happens when you win." Winning one game in the best-of-seven series that resumes Wednesday night will be tough for the Hawks. Top-seeded Boston had 29 more wins than eighth-seeded Atlanta, the biggest discrepancy between first-round opponents since 1996. And Bibby, a 10-year veteran with the most playoff experience of any Hawk, got outplayed by Boston point guard Rajon Rondo, who had 15 points, nine assists and six rebounds in his postseason debut. Several Celtics said they didn't want to get into a verbal exchange with Bibby. Some of them, though, managed to slip in a few jabs. "He said that?" center Kendrick Perkins said when told of Bibby's remarks. "I mean, coming off a 2-for-10 night shooting, he would say something like that. ... We've got the best fans in the world, so we don't expect other players from other teams to like our fans." There are bandwagon fans in every sport, Paul Pierce said. But Boston's fans "really showed up for us even a year ago. We sold out a lot of games and they were there for us, so the guy really doesn't know what he's talking about," Pierce said. "These guys have been there for us all year long and with Bibby's comments I hope they come even louder." The Celtics expect Bibby, Joe Johnson and Josh Smith to be more aggressive Wednesday night after all shot poorly in the opener. But they'll be facing the team that held opponents to the lowest field goal percentage in the NBA and the player, Garnett, who was named defensive player of the year Tuesday for the first time in his 13 seasons. "They're going to make some adjustments. We make some adjustments," Garnett said. "If anything, this award comes right at the right time to be more defensive than ever." The Hawks will be in front of their home crowd for Games 3 and 4. There's considerable doubt about their ability to avoid a sweep and return to Boston for a fifth game on April 30. "It's a seven-game series, so now you have a chance to redeem yourself," Johnson said. "We've just got to relax." The young Hawks may have gotten rid of the jitters from the first playoff game of most of their careers, although rookie center Al Horford was their best player in the opener. "I remember my first game in the playoffs going against John Stockton," Bibby said. "I was nervous. I came out (and) threw the first pass away." Garnett also was a different player early in his career. Now he knows when to avoid controversy and take it out on opponents on the court. So he brushed off Bibby's shot at the fans. "That's Mike speaking his mind," Garnett said. "If I was back in my younger days I probably would have said something, but I learned. Let your play do your talking." Posted by Jack Perry at 7:07 AM | Comment Cranston raises Armenian flagCranston residents can join that city’s mayor today in a ceremony to mark the 93rd anniversary of what is widely held to have been the beginning of a genocide that eventually killed 1.5 million Armenians in the former Ottoman Empire. An opening ceremony will begin on the third floor of Cranston City Hall this evening at 6 p.m. The event will then move outside to the front of City Hall where Mayor Michael Napolitano will raise an Armenian flag.
Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 7:02 AM | Comment Not so fast, summerDo we only get one week of spring? Today should feel more like a summer day with high temperatures reaching the low 80s, with the National Weather Service forecasting some areas reaching the mid 80s. We'll still have clear, sunny skies and mild, west winds. Clouds should roll in tonight, when the temperature drops to about 53 degrees. Tomorrow we'll get back to spring, with highs in the high 70s with sun and northwest winds between 11 and 14 mph. Check projo.com's weather page to find out when the rain is expected to fall. Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 7:01 AM | Comment Today's front pageToday's front page features coverage of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's win in the Pennsylvania Democrat primary, and a report about a Barrington teen, facing a murder charge in a summer boating fatality, whose bail was revoked after the police say he was caught with alcohol. Download a copy of today's front page in .pdf format. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:00 AM | Comment April 22, 2008Tonight: A mix of blues, folk and rock -- or politicsHead to Fall River, Mass., tonight where Surprise Me Mr. Davis, featuring singer-songwriter Nathan Moore, will perform at 8. The performance, which mixes blues, folk and rock, is at the Narrows Center for the Arts, 16 Anawan St. Tickets are $17 at the door. For information, go to www.ncfta.org or call (508) 324-1926. Into politics? You can always wait for the results of the Democratic presidential primary in Pennsylvania. Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama are vying for 158 delegates -- the largest prize remaining in a primary season that ends on June 3. Polls close at 8 p.m. Check for the latest news from the polls via projo.com's politics feed from the Associated Press. Posted by Mike McKinney at 7:04 PM | Comment Update: Finance panel OKs little-changed budget planPROVIDENCE -- The House Finance Committee has approved a supplemental budget proposal that is little changed from the proposed budget unveiled by Governor Carcieri in January. The committee passed the revised proposal in about an hour this afternoon, voting 12-0, with three abstentions. Voting to approve were the panel's Democrats; those abstaining are Republicans. An amended version of the budget bill has been posted on the General Assembly's Web site. In a briefing with reporters this afternoon, committee Chairman Steven M. Costantino said that most of the GOP governor's recommendations -- aimed at balancing a current-year deficit of $151 million -- were left as is or only slightly changed. High among them is the plan to cut the health-care benefits of retiring state employees. The governor's plan called for instituting the cut by June 30. Despite heavy lobbying by state worker unions, the proposal going before the committee retains the cut but extends the date to Sept. 30. (Correction: An earlier version of this post incorrectly reported the extended date.) Dennis Grilli, leader of Council 94, the largest state employees' union, said he was disappointed by the move. But, he said, he hopes there is still time to work on it between now and votes before the full House and Senate. Three thousand state workers are eligible to retire now. Most are expected to retire before the cutoff date, to avoid losing significant health-care benefits. Also: The governor's proposal to cut non-education state aid to cities and towns by $12 million remains intact. Dropping subsidized health care for about 2,800 immigrant children stays on the table. And a proposal to end welfare benefits for adults and children after 60 months was left in. In a statement sent out just before 5:30 p.m, Carcieri said of the Democrat-led committee's decision: “While we have not had a chance to analyze it in detail, the revised budget plan presented today by the House Finance Committee appears to include many of the tough spending decisions I advocated in January. “When I introduced my supplemental budget plan several months ago, I said that we needed to make difficult spending reduction decisions in a host of areas and that tax increases were out of the question. The House Finance Committee appears to agree.” The proposal now goes to the full House for a vote, in a special session set for this Friday. -- With reports from Steve Peoples, Journal State House bureau The bill will address a budget gap in the fiscal year that ends in roughly two months -- June 30. The Assembly will consider a separate plan to balance next year's budget -- and a projected $384 million deficit -- later in the session. The House Finance Committee has been working off a supplemental budget proposed by Governor Carcieri in January. The governor's proposals included: - Cutting state aid to cities and towns in the current year by more than $12 million. Posted by Andrea Panciera at 7:00 PM | Comment Photo: Saving the planet at Roger Williams University
Posted by Andrea Panciera at 5:53 PM | Comment Trio pulls woman, toddler from car in Coventry brookCOVENTRY -- Three Good Samaritans teamed up this morning to rescue an older female driver and her toddler passenger who were trapped in a vehicle that veered off Fish Hill Road, flipped over and landed upside down in a brook, the police said today. When police arrived on the scene sometime after 10 a.m., the driver, a 66-year-old Coventry woman, was floating in the 3 ½ -foot deep water and supported by Shamus Horan, who held her head above water, according to Sgt. John Shields. Horan was aided by neighbor Bonnie Fogarty and Linda Bokorser, who held a 2-year-old girl. Police say that Horan -- who is a Station nightclub survivor -- administered cardiopulmonary resuscitation to the woman before rescue crews arrived, but she was not fully alert when crews transported her to Kent County Hospital. The toddler, who police believe is the woman’s granddaughter, was not hurt, but taken to Hasbro’s Children Hospital in Providence. Horan, a resident of the Fish Hill Road area, was passing by and heard the distress calls and saw the vehicle, which lay roof-side down in the brook, and waded into the water to investigate, according to a police report. He rescued the toddler from the vehicle and passed the child to Bokorser, who had pulled over in her car when she saw the vehicle in the brook. Next, Horan got the woman out of the vehicle with help from Fogarty, who was driving on Fish Hill Road and stopped. By that time, Officer David Tucker had arrived to help Horan and Fogarty bring the woman to shore. -- Journal staff writer Lisa Vernon-Sparks Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:22 PM | Comment Tonight: HSGameTime All-State girls indoor trackTonight at 6, you can find the 2008 HSGameTime Providence Journal All-State girls indoor track team online at www.hsgametime.com/rhodeisland. We asked each of our first-team selections to fill out a personal survey with questions including favorite TV show, favorite subject in school, and something people would be surprised to know about me. The athletes' answers, as well as audio clips of the athletes talking about what inspired them this past season, will accompany their bios on their own personal pages. Also, you will find full listings for second-team, All-Division and Academic All-State selections. The All-State girls indoor track page in The Providence Journal will run tomorrow. Here is the full schedule for the All-State teams. The teams will be revealed at 6 p.m. each day online, and in the following day's newspaper. Online now: Wrestling, gymnastics, cheerleading, girls basketball, boys basketball Posted by Mike McDermott at 3:57 PM | Comment Barrington teen accused of violating bail in boating death
Magistrate Judge Joseph A. Keough ordered Greenberg, 17, of Lamson Road, held without bail at the Adult Correctional Institutions after prosecutors argued that he violated the terms of his bail on the charges stemming from the July 17 boating death of Patrick Murphy on the Barrington River. A May 1 bail violation hearing with witnesses is scheduled. Greenberg appeared in court today wearing a maroon golf shirt, khaki pants and sneakers. Keough expressed surprise that Greenberg was again before him. The magistrate rejected a request that Greenberg be placed on home confinement, saying essentially that the boy's parents had been unable to prevent his going out on Saturday with other teens and allegedly possessing alcohol. In the boating death case, Greenberg was charged with operating a boat to endanger, death resulting; refusal to submit to chemical/breath test after he failed a field sobriety test; and, underage possession of alcohol. Greenberg pleaded not guilty to the charges at Superior Court arraignment in January. Greenberg, who had been released on $100,000 personal recognizance bail, had four conditions of that bail: * To abstain from alcohol and drugs. In Providence County Superior Court today, prosecutor Christian Capizzo presented Greenberg as a bail violator. The state Attorney General's Office sought to have Greenberg held without bail pending the outcome of a bail violation hearing. According to prosecutors, Greenberg violated bail over the weekend by allegedly doing the following: refusing to submit to a breath or field sobriety test, failing to keep the peace and be of good behavior, and by being in possession of alcohol as a minor. The Barrington police said yesterday they had arrested two Barrington teens, and that more arrests were expected, after the teens were found drinking near Brickyard Pond Saturday evening. Chief John LaCross has said an officer was on foot doing a "party patrol" when he came upon the gathering at about 5:19 p.m. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Journal staff writer C. Eugene Emery Jr. Arrested Saturday night were a Barrington girl, whose name was withheld because she is 15 years old, and Corey J. Place, 18, of 416 Sowams Rd. Both were charged with underage possession of alcohol. Place will be sent to District Court. The girl will go to Family Court. The police said they found more than a dozen beer cans on the ground, a 30-pack with more empty cans on the ground, and more than 15 full cans of beer in backpacks. The group the officer came upon, according to the police, also included a second 15-year-old girl, a 16-year-old boy, three 17-year-old boys, and a 19-year-old man. Greenberg became the most high-profile of so-called gap kids in Rhode Island, in which 17-year-olds were briefly prosecuted as adults following a General Assembly change to the law. Such is the case with the charges stemming from the boating death. The law has since returned to having 17-year-olds prosecuted in Family Court, but Greenberg and others have pending cases in which they were being tried as adults. A Superior Court judge in February dismissed cases against 115 of the gap kids, but not the second-degree murder indictment against Greenberg and indictments against a few other teens. The judge also put a 20-day hold on the dismissal of the 115 cases so that the Attorney General's office could appeal to the state Supreme Court -- a matter the state's highest court is slated to consider in June. Posted by Mike McKinney at 2:58 PM | Comment Judge's ruling allows hospital-bed lawsuit to go forwardPROVIDENCE -- A judge has ruled a lawsuit against Rhode Island Hospital over a free hospital bed can move forward. Children's Friend and Service, a charitable organization in Rhode Island, is suing the hospital over a 1912 will that endowed a bed for permanent free medical care. Louisa Lippitt left $4,000 to the hospital on the condition that the charity would be able to nominate patients for the bed. The charity found the will in its archives several years ago and sued last November after negotiations broke down. The hospital sought to have the case dismissed, arguing that Children's Friend and Service is a different entity than the charity Lippitt named in her will. Superior Court Judge Patricia Hurst denied the request today, allowing the suit to proceed. Posted by Mike McKinney at 12:36 PM | Comment House panel 'very likely' to vote on budget-balancing billPROVIDENCE -- The House Finance Committee is "very likely" to vote today on a sweeping proposal to help balance a current-year budget deficit of at least $151 million, a House spokesman said. The "supplemental" budget bill is scheduled to be heard this afternoon after the House recesses -- generally around 5 p.m. But it's not the first time it's been posted on an agenda, only to be put off. House spokesman Larry Berman, however, said that the House leadership has met and that it is "very likely" that the plan will be heard and voted on today. The bill will address a budget gap in the fiscal year that ends in roughly two months -- June 30. The Assembly will consider a separate plan to balance next year's budget -- and a projected $384 million deficit -- later in the session. The House Finance Committee has been working off a supplemental budget proposed by Governor Carcieri in January. But what the panel has done with that proposal will be unveiled today. The governor's proposals included: - Cutting state aid to cities and towns in the current year by more than $12 million. - Steve Peoples, Journal State House Bureau Posted by Steve Peoples at 12:34 PM | Comment Update: N. Kingstown water is pretty close to the bestDo you balk at the thought of taking a swig of tap water without a filter? Spend too much money on bottled water? If so, North Kingstown may be the place for you. It's just been judged to have the third best-tasting water of 750 water districts across the country, according Susan Licardi, Director of North Kingstown water supply. The southern Rhode Island town was one of five finalists for America’s best-tasting water. The National Rural Water Association, a nonprofit trade group, runs the annual competition and this year judged more than 750 water samples from 45 states. “Clean drinking water is a vital part of our daily lives,” Sen. Jack Reed said in a statement today, “And I’m proud that North Kingstown’s efforts have been recognized.” Reed is a member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water. Judges today tested the five finalists –– North Kingstown, Southhampton, Mass., Lewis, Del.; Lorain County, Ohio; and Avilla Ind. –– in Washington on clarity, taste and bouquet. On all three counts? Refreshing. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson, with reports from Journal staff writer Paul Davis Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 12:33 PM | Comment DOT to close ramp from Route 195 to 95 tonightPROVIDENCE -- The Department of Transportation says that for safety reasons, it will close the ramp from Route 195 westbound to Route 95 southbound from 9 p.m. this evening until 5:30 a.m., and also Wednesday and Thursday nights because of work on its Route 195 relocation project. The DOT said its detour will send that traffic north on Route 95 to Exit 22B (Routes 6/10) and then to follow Route 10 south to Cranston, to rejoin Route 95 southbound. There will also be lane closures on Route 95 in both directions. Department spokeswoman Frances Segerson said the agency will close the ramp because the work it is doing forces the elimination of the merge lane for Route 195 traffic joining Route 95. "Traffic on the ramp doesn't slow down and there is no merge lane," she said. "It's not safe." During the I-95 South lane and ramp closures, Exit 19 to Rhode Island, Women & Infants and Hasbro Hospitals will remain open for traffic on I-95 south, the DOT said. Traffic on I-195 west heading to the hospitals will be directed to take Exit 2 (South Main Street) and then directed over the Point Street Bridge and onto Eddy Street to reach the hospitals. -- Journal staff writer Bruce Landis Posted by Jack Perry at 12:05 PM | Comment One day's worth of road trash equals 800 bags / Photo
That's the result of one day's work cleaning up roads in Rhode Island this week. The pile was used by the state Department of Transportation to illustrate the trash problem in the state. DOT Director Michael Lewis said, “Every piece of trash we had to pick up was disposed of improperly and that’s a shame.” The biggest litter problems in Rhode Island are beverage containers, including water, soda and alcohol bottles, fast food packaging, and cigarette butts, according to the DOT. Nationally, the top three litter problems are fast food waste, paper products, and aluminum beer cans. The DOT says debris on roadways nationwide causes 25,000 accidents and over 80 fatalities each year. About 55 percent of roadside litter occurs intentionally by people dropping their trash on the road. The other 45 percent of roadside litter is caused by trash blowing out of uncovered trucks or falling off of unsecured loads. “While it might only take two to five weeks for a banana peel to decompose, it takes 200 to 500 years for an aluminum can to do the same. RIDOT is asking motorists to take their trash home and dispose of it properly because Earth Day isn’t just today but every day,” said Lewis. Posted by Andrea Panciera at 12:01 PM | Comment Reporter's query: How do higher gas prices affect you?Gasoline is officially more expensive than it has ever been. Wages are stagnant. Houses are worth less. It costs more to heat our homes, feed our families, and pay our medical bills. How are you coping? What are you doing differently, and what are you doing without? The Journal wants to talk to individuals and families about their day to day costs, the challenge of making ends meet, and what happens when they no longer do. If you're willing to be interviewed for a story on coping with higher costs during this economic slowdown, e-mail The Journal at pjnews@projo.com. Please put "high costs" in the subject line, and include a phone number and a good time to call. Posted by maria caporizzo at 12:00 PM | Comment R.I. lawmakers could vote on budget fixPROVIDENCE -- Democratic lawmakers are considering a vote on a revised budget that tries to close a multimillion dollar shortfall. Democrats on the House Finance Committee were scheduled today to release their version of a budget to close a $151 million deficit in the current fiscal year ending in June. They still face an estimated $400 million deficit in the coming year. A spokesman for Democratic House Speaker William Murphy said budget talks were ongoing last night. It was unclear if the committee would delay the vote. Earlier this year, Republican Gov. Carcieri proposed balancing this year's deficit by making deeps cuts to school funding, reducing state aid for cities and towns and reducing social welfare spending. Democrats hold a veto-proof majority in the General Assembly and can alter Carcieri's plans. -- The Associated Press Posted by Jack Perry at 10:58 AM | Comment Earth Day 2008Thirty-eight years ago U.S. Sen. Gaylord Nelson, of Wisconsin, proposed people take a day to contemplate their environments; a day for teach-ins, clean-ups, tree plantings. We all know Earth Day by now, and some of those same activities are planned for this April 22. But the dialogue about what needs to be done to ensure we leave a safe and healthy environment for generations to come has grown more complex and more pervasive. Today, you can still go pick up trash at a local park, but you can also see what some local, national and even international businesses are doing on a large scale to reduce their impacts on the world around them. At the first Annual Green Hospitality Certification Awards Program, the state Department of Environmental Management will recognize hotels, restaurants and other tourist-related businesses for sustainable and efficient building methods. A vendor showcase is set for 11 a.m. today, and the awards will be presented in the early afternoon at the R.I. Convention Center. Not building a world-class hotel? The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has some tips for being more efficient at home, work, school and in your immediate community. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 10:27 AM | Comment President of Bolivia comes to BrownA farmer, llama herder, brick maker, baker, musician and now, the head of state in Bolivia; Evo Morales is coming to Providence. He is set to give the Stephen A. Ogden Jr. Memorial Lecture on International Affairs this afternoon. Morales’s speech, “From the Andes: New Visions, New Voices,” will touch on his life, from an agricultural laborer and llama herder to Bolivia’s first indigenous head of state. The lecture is set to begin at 4 p.m. in Sayles Hall on the main green. Doors will open at 3 p.m. In 19997, Morales was voted into his first national post, in 2007 he was elected president. Since then, he has said that redressing the effects of discrimination against the country’s indigenous people would be his goal. Morales's visit is part of Brown's year-long focus on Latin America. The series began in 2007 with a visit by Fernando Henrique Cardoso, former president of Brazil, and Ricardo Lagos, former president of Chile. Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 8:29 AM | Comment Teens will pair with inmates to face DUI consequencesState officials are hoping that they can get local teenagers to understand the reality of drinking and driving. In what the Attorney General’s office and the Department of Corrections are calling the Zero Fatalities Project, they’ve recruited the help of inmates at the state's prison. “The panelists will speak about their crimes, the effects of their poor choices, and their incarceration,” reads a statement from the two agencies. The project will bring 11th and 12th graders from high schools across the state to the Adult Correctional Institutions, where they will hear from inmates who have been sentenced for drunk and reckless driving violations. In a bid to get to teenagers before the prom season, the panel groups will be held on Wednesdays, beginning tomorrow, and running through the end of next month. There will also be evening groups for families and other community groups who’d like to participate. Attorney General Patrick Lynch and Corrections Director A.T. Wall will join Family Court Justice Jeremiah S. Jeremiah Jr., Warwick Police Chief Stephen McCartney, who is president of the State Police Chiefs Association, and others are planning to announce the initiative this afternoon at the medium security facility in at the ACI. Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 7:57 AM | Comment Today's weatherSometimes more of the same is OK. Today the National Weather Service is forecasting temperatures in the low 70s with calm south winds and bright, blue skies. Skies should remain clear tonight, when the temperature dips to 46 degrees. More sun tomorrow, with temperatures rising into the mid-70s and west winds up to 13 mph. For updates, see projo.com's weather page. Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 7:01 AM | Comment Spend a day in the sun, fish for shopping cartsThe forecast for today: 70s and sunny. Wouldn’t it be nice to be outside? Spread some mulch, paint a mural, fish a shopping cart out of the river. The Narragansett Bay Commission and the Woonasquatucket River Watershed Council is sponsoring a clean-up tomorrow along the riverbank. Volunteers are meeting along the Woonasquatucket River in Providence. The event runs from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. If it rains –– which it probably won’t –– the clean-up will be moved to Thursday. For more information, call (401) 461-8848. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 7:01 AM | Comment Today's front pageToday's front page features a story about record-high gas prices. Download a copy of today's front page in .pdf format. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:00 AM | Comment April 21, 2008Friends recall URI student struck, killed by carSOUTH KINGSTOWN -- More than 100 people attended a memorial service this afternoon for Mary Ellen Claire Offer, a University of Rhode Island sophomore who was struck by a car and killed while walking along Route 1A in Narragansett. Friend after friend took the podium at the 90-minute service, held at the URI Catholic Center, to recall an always-smiling young woman who never had an unkind word to say. Maganzini, who was walking with Offer, was also hit. Posted by Andrea Panciera at 7:20 PM | Comment Tonight: Cool hockey and hot rock 'n' rollOK, all you hockey fans out there, have we got a game for you. The Boston Bruins take on the the Montreal Canadiens in the seventh and deciding game in the first-round Eastern Conference playoffs, starting at 7 tonight. Something icy not your cup of tea? Watch the Greatest Rock and Roll Band on the big, big screen or catch some lesser known bands on the local stage. Shine A Light, director Martin Scorsese's documentary of The Rolling Stones, is at the the IMAX Theatre in Providence Place Mall. It's reserved seating, so call ahead. I Am the Sea, Novels, Shryne and Exiles play rock at AS220, 115 Empire St., Providence. 831-9327. 9 p.m. $6. All ages. Posted by Mike McKinney at 7:10 PM | Comment Update: Guardsman accused of computer monitor theftA North Kingstown man serving in the Rhode Island National Guard has been arrested for felony larceny, accused of stealing two computer monitors from Guard offices in the Cranston-based joint operations center. Michael Denis, 43, of 30 Sixth St. was charged with one count of larceny over $500 on Saturday. He was released on personal recognizance. Lt. Col. Denis Riel, a Rhode Island National Guard public affairs officer, said that Denis is a sergeant and full-time Guard member who was working evening hours at the joint operations command. Riel said he did not work in security, as state police had said previously. Denis has since been relieved of his full-time duties but remains a member of the Guard in a weekend capacity until his case is adjudicated. Riel said that his status will be revisited, with possible further steps to be taken per the military justice code, depending on what happens in the civilian court system. On Friday, the state police were called by the Rhode Island National Guard about the apparent theft of two 19-inch computer monitors, each valued at $311, said Lt. Steve Lefebvre of the state police Lincoln barracks. An employee noticed two were missing as he was preparing to install various monitors. The computer monitors -- which were new and had not been installed -- were allegedly taken some time between April 15-18. Lefebvre said the monitors have been recovered. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 7:00 PM | Comment 1 candidate on ballot tomorrow to fill state Senate seatResidents of parts of Cumberland and Woonsocket go to the polls tomorrow in a special general election to fill the Senate District 20 seat left vacant by after the death of Sen. Roger Badeau. But only one candidate's name will appear on the ballot. Rep. Roger Picard, D-Woonsocket, who is serving in his eighth term representing in House District 51, won the Democratic primary for the Senate seat in March, besting Rosina L. Hunt, of Woonsocket, and Thomas J. Scully, of Cumberland Picard, 51, is the only person whose name appears on the ballot for tomorrow's general election. There were no Republican candidates in the primary election. He has been an attendance officer/social worker for the Woonsocket School Department for 11 years. He has said he wanted to run for the Senate because it would allow him to serve a larger constituency. Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:36 PM | Comment Arrests follow teen drinking party in BarringtonBARRINGTON -- Two people were arrested, and more arrests are expected this week after eight teenagers were found drinking in the vicinity of Brickyard Pond Saturday evening. Police Chief John LaCross said an officer was on foot doing a “party patrol” when he came across the gathering of underage drinkers around 5:19 p.m. Two were arrested that night: one Barrington girl, whose name is being withheld because she is 15 years old, and Corey J. Place, 18, of 416 Sowams Road. Both were charged with underage possession of alcohol. Place will be sent to District Court. The child will go to Family Court. The group also included a second 15-year-old girl, a 16-year-old boy, three 17-year-old boys, and a 19-year-old man. Police arrived to find over a dozen beer cans on the ground, a 30-pack with more empty cans on the ground, and over 15 full cans of beer in backpacks. LaCross said there were also a couple of bottles of Gatorade that tested positive for alcohol, probably vodka. “They were trying to kick [the empty cans] into the pond when the officer arrived,” LaCross said. “We will be charging more people as a result of the investigation this week,” he said. Barrington has been the site of several teen deaths and accidents tied to drinking in recent years. Since his arrival in Barrington as police chief in January 2002, LaCross has actively focused on cracking down on teen drinking. The Police Department set up an underage-drinking tip line and uses "party patrols," in which officers go out on overtime to patrol areas known for underage drinking.
Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:00 PM | Comment Update: Gas jumps 19 cents to another record / Video
The average price for a gallon of regular, unleaded gasoline is $3.439 at the self-service pump, breaking last week's "short-lived" record of $3.24, according to AAA's weekly survey. Rhode Islanders were paying $2.819 at this time last year. Diesel jumped another 11 cents in the last seven days to $4.37. Still, Rhode Islanders are paying 7 cents less than the national average. The price jumped to an average $3.50 a gallon at filling stations across the country. Crude oil, meanwhile, set a new record of its own, spiking after an attack on a Japanese oil tanker in the Middle East to close above $117 a barrel for the first time. "It's killing us," said Jean Beuns, a cab driver in New York who estimated he is making $125 to $150 a month less than in the fall because of costlier fuel. "And it was so quick. Every day you see the price go up 5, 6, 10 cents more." Diesel prices at the pump also struck a record high, of $4.20 a gallon, according to AAA and the Oil Price Information Service, putting pressure on truckers and other shippers who rely on the fuel to transport goods to market. Prices are expected to keep climbing as they trace the path of crude, which has surged to new records for six trading sessions in a row. Oil prices are rising along with a host of commodities, from corn and wheat to gold and platinum, that are enticing speculators seeking hedges against a weakening dollar. Video: What's behind the gas crunch nationwide -- With projo.com and Associated Press reports Posted by Jack Perry at 5:33 PM | Comment Politicians focus on climate change's threat to speciesSurrounded by photographs of polar bears, Narwhal whales and other species whose existence is threatened by climate change, a group of local politicians stressed that federal, state and municipal action is necessary to address the problem. U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, state Rep. Art Handy of Cranston and Providence City Councilman Cliff Wood spoke today about global climate change and its effect on endangered species to a small group of environmental advocates in the lobby of the Peerless apartment building in downtown Providence. The traveling exhibit, which part of the Irreplaceable campaign, is sponsored by Earthjustice, the Noah Alliance, the International League of Environment Photographers, Conservation International and several other environmental groups. The photographs will be displayed until April 26. Democrat Whitehouse said endangered species protection legislation he authored has been added to the Lieberman-Warner global warming bill that will hopefully reach the Senate floor before its recess in August. But stiff Republican resistance in the Senate will likely stall efforts to pass the bill soon. “We are seeing an astonishing amount of Republican opposition,” Whitehouse said. Supporters of climate change legislation should not lose hope for federal limits on greenhouse gases, Whitehouse said while looking at his watch, alluding to the nearing end of the Bush administration, which has been criticized worldwide for its sluggish response to global warming. At the state level, Democrat Handy spoke about the Global Warming Solutions Act, a piece of legislation he sponsored. The bill calls for the same emissions cuts at the federal bill, which is an 80-percent cut of emission levels from 1990 by 2050. -- Journal environment reporter Natalie Garcia Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 5:15 PM | Comment RIPTA board chooses Batting as new chairmanPROVIDENCE -- The state transit agency board elected Robert D. Batting, a retired business executive, as its new chairman today. Batting said the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority faces enormous financial challenges, particularly because it is threatened with the loss of up to $14 million in revenue from the state's RIte Care insurance program for the disadvantaged. The federal government said the state Department of Human Services has been improperly using Medicaid money to pay for monthly bus passes for as many as 18,000 poor Rhode Islanders served by Rite Care. Carcieri appointed Batting to the board in 2003. He was elected chairman, but later voted out of office. His election today reflected Governor Carcieri's securing, after years of trying, a majority of the seats on the RIPTA board for his own appointees. Batting, who lives in Barrington, was president and CEO of Kenney Manufacturing Co., in Warwick, a group vice president of Textron and vice president and general manager of Brown & Sharpe in North Kingstown. Batting replaced Thomas Deller, who remains on the board. -- Journal staff writer Bruce Landis Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:45 PM | Comment Ryan's Market, a Wickford institution, closes doorsNORTH KINGSTOWN — Ryan’s Market, a family-owned business that has survived 10 recessions and the Great Depression, closed Saturday, its future uncertain. A throwback to an earlier time, the 122-year-old business featured hand-carved aged beef, naked fluorescent bulbs and bag boys who walked customers to their cars. “In small towns there are certain things that are a part of your life, and they’re very reassuring" because they never change, said Carole Byers, the town’s canvassing authority supervisor and a customer for 50 years. On Friday, Byers bought a beef and broccoli dinner at the Brown Street store. “It’s an institution. It’s very sad.” The store will hold an inventory sale later this week. After that, “it’s up in the air” whether the store will reopen, be renovated or sold, a store spokesman said yesterday. The owner, E.J. Ryan, put the building up for sale about a year ago, and in recent months the amount of stock has dwindled. Last Friday, some shelves were empty and a dairy case was papered over. Today, a sign on the door said, simply, “Sorry, We’re CLOSED.” Bundled newspapers sat on the front concrete steps. The store closed with no fanfare, and some customers today were surprised to find it dark and empty. “It’s a terrible shame,” said Newport shopper Glenna Kalen, who stood at the locked door at 10:30 in the morning, an hour after Ryan’s usually opens. Kalen said she loved the store’s small lamb roasts –– “just big enough for two people” –– and scrapple, a Pennsylvania specialty that includes cornmeal mush made with pork meat, broth and onions. The closing is the second this spring in the historic village, which hugs a sheltered harbor midway between the Narragansett town line and the old Quonset Navy base. -- Journal staff writer Paul Davis Last month, owner Ugur Yilmaz closed Wickford Gourmet, a landmark store known for its gourmet spices, specialty cheeses and gift baskets. Both stores acted as anchors for the strip of boutique stores, offices and restaurants on Brown, Main and West Main Streets. Karla Driscoll, director of the North Kingstown Chamber of Commerce, said the closings will only be temporary. “I don’t think it will have a long-term effect,” she said. “I’m optimistic both locations will be open by summer.” Posted by Andrea Panciera at 4:33 PM | Comment Branch falls on line; 2,000 Bristol customers lose powerBRISTOL -- More than 2,000 homes and businesses lost electricity today when a National Grid tree-trimming crew dropped a branch onto a power line on Hope Street. The disruption occurred at 9:30 a.m. after the line just north of Poppasquash Road was hit, said David Graves, a spokesman for National Grid. Houses and shops stretching from downtown to Gooding Avenue were affected by the outage. About half the 2,038 customers had their power restored at 10:08 a.m. after workers repaired the line. The other half were back on line at 10:17 a.m. -- Journal staff writer Alex Kuffner Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:17 PM | Comment Author to discuss high oil prices with legislators, publicWith gasoline prices reaching higher and higher, a lot of people are wondering: Why is oil so expensive? Or is it, even? An author and lecturer on oil –– in particular, “peak oil” –– will be speaking to those questions and others today at the State House. Richard Heinberg, a fellow at the Post Carbon Institute in California and an author on energy issues, is set to speak to legislators and the public today at the State House. His discussion, “Cheap Oil – Going, Going, GONE!,” is set for today at 3 p.m. in room 313 at the State House. The lecture is being presented by the Progressive Legislators Group and the Environmental Council, as an Earth Day event. But with the recent record-breaking gasoline prices, it would be fitting, Earth Day or not. Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 2:32 PM | Comment Crossroads opens shelter for homeless women / Photo
The shelter, which cost about $500,000 to build and will cost another $350,000 to operate for a year, will house up to 55 women a night, said Anne M. Nolan, president of Crossroads. "I’m not happy that we need to have a shelter,’’ Nolan told more than 100 guests and political dignitaries gathered in the sunshine outside the Broad Street center. But the community’s response to the emerging crisis of homeless women, Nolan said, made today one of her proudest moments. Crossroads is the state’s largest provider of services for the homeless. But in the year since the state closed one of its largest shelters, in Cranston, it has also been taxed as an overnight shelter. Dozens of women each night were sleeping on the floors of the center, which once housed the YMCA. Now in the basement, which once held the gym’s weight room and lockers, are rooms painted cheerful lavender, bunks with bedspreads of lime, mauve and lemon, and even a beautician station for women on their way to a job interview. Nolan said Crossroads is still raising money to pay the operating cost of the shelter, which will open tonight. -- Journal staff writer Tom Mooney Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 2:25 PM | Comment Cause of correctional job candidate's death still unknownThe state Medical Examiners Office says it needs the results of more studies before determining what killed an East Providence man who was stricken after a physical test for a correctional officer job. Jamal E. Jackson of 10 McCausland Ave., East Providence, who was applying for a correctional officer job at the Donald W. Wyatt Detention Facility in Central Falls, was fatally stricken Saturday after taking an agility test, the Journal reported. Jackson was one of about 20 recruits taking the test at a track near the privately run jail, Wyatt spokesman Dante Bellini Jr. said over the weekend. Jackson had finished the sit-and-reach, push-ups, sit-ups and a 1.5-mile run. Cooling down afterwards, he reported feeling dizzy, and two staff members walked beside him. He collapsed while talking with them. A Central Falls rescue truck took Jackson to Memorial Hospital of Rhode Island, in Pawtucket, where he was pronounced dead at 11:30 a.m. The state Medical Examiners Office previously said that an autopsy was scheduled for today. Posted by Mike McKinney at 2:00 PM | Comment Shellfishing industry gets $400,000 boostLocal oyster growers and researchers gathered on the public docks in Wickford this morning for an announcement of $400,000 in federal funding to bolster Rhode Island's shellfishing industry and preserve coastal resources. U.S. Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, secured the funding. A statement from Reed's office said he believes sustainable aquaculture is good for the environment, good for the state's economy and can help improve water quality. Read more about the funding and Rhode Island's shellfishing industry later today on projo.com and in Tuesday's Business Section. -- Journal Business Editor John Kostrzewa Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 1:45 PM | Comment Update: Remains at Warwick home from burial site
WARWICK -- Warwick police say human remains found in the cellar of a Charlotte Drive house are likely from a Colonial-era burial, and the site is not being investigated as a crime scene. The state's forensic anthropologist and the state archaeologist have determined they have found a fairly old burial site, Warwick Police Capt. Michael Babula said today. The remains seem to be from some time between the Colonial era of the 1700s to a couple of hundred years ago, Babula said. Investigators do not believe that the remains are from an earlier, Native American burial. The state archaeologist will need to work with the home owner to investigate the scene further and ensure that the house is not sitting on a massive grave site. But at this point, Babula said, "It's clearly not a criminal matter." The house, just east of Goddard State Park, is right on the water's edge in the city's Potowomut section.
Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 12:50 PM | Comment KFC recalls chocolate cakeAfter at least one allergic reaction to an undeclared ingredient, the KFC Corporation is recalling a dessert product. The fast-food chain’s double chocolate chip cakes are not individually labeled with ingredients and contain eggs, milk, wheat, soy ingredients and, maybe, tree nut residue. The product –– which comes in a round, 16-ounce package with a black or clear bottom and clear plastic dome –– is sold in KFC restaurants across the country. The product will return to the stores once the labels have been updated to reflect all of the ingredients. Meanwhile, customers who have allergies to any of the unlisted ingredients can return the products to a KFC restaurant for a full refund or call 1-800-CALL-KFC. Download a full list of ingredients as a .PDF file. --projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Customers with these allergies who have purchased Double Chocolate Chip Cakes are urged to return them to a KFC restaurant for a full refund. Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 12:17 PM | Comment Human remains found in Warwick cellarHuman remains have been discovered in the basement of a recently sold house in Warwick, according to the Warwick police. Someone working on the house discovered the remains Saturday morning while working in the cellar 183 Charlotte Drive, Warwick Police Capt. Michael Babula said. The house, just east of Goddard State Park, is right on the water's edge in the city's Potowomut section. “They are human remains,” Babula said, “most definitely. At this point, the medical examiner is really just beginning the investigation.” A forensic anthropologist is at the house along with the medical examiner, according to the Warwick police. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson, with reports from Journal staff writer Mike McKinney Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 11:41 AM | Comment How much road-side trash is there? You'll see.The state is picking up your trash today, just like other days. But tomorrow, the trash that the Rhode Island Department of Transportation collects today off the sides of highways and bridges will be on display. And if trash collection is “typical,” that means between 750 and 1,000 bags of litter, according to a statement released by the RIDOT. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 10:53 AM | Comment Photo: On your mark...
BOSTON -- The first racers have just crossed the start line, but they're still hours away from making it to the finish line. Today is Patriots' Day in Massachusetts -- that means today is the annual Boston Marathon. The race began at 9:25 a.m. with the men and women's wheelchair division. Then it's onto the men and women runners. The starting line is in Hopkinton, Mass., and the course runs through Ashland, Framingham, Natick, Newton and then into Boston, ending more than 26 miles later, in front of the Boston Public Library. Download a .PDF file of the route here. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson, with reports from Journal columnist M. Charles Bakst Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 9:41 AM | Comment Newsman Brokaw speaks at BrownBoom! Brokaw comes to Brown. A newsman for more than 40 years, Tom Brokaw is coming to Providence today to speak about the 1960s and the legacy of World War II veterans in today’s political climate. He’ll also be signing copies of, and discussing his latest book: Boom!: Voices of the ‘60s and the Greatest Generation. Brokaw was an anchor of the Today Show on NBC from 1976 to 1981 and was the managing editor and anchor of NBC Nightly News for 21 years until he stepped down in 2004. He still writes and produces documentaries in his capacity as a special correspondent for NBC News. His speech, “The Call of Citizenship,” is set to start at 6 p.m. at Brown University’s Salomon Center for Teaching on the University's main green. Brokaw will he on hand to sign copies of his book at 5 p.m. The lecture is free and open to the public. Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 9:20 AM | Comment Senate investigation into URI contract continuesThe state Senate Committee on Government Oversight is set to continue its investigation into the way state contracts are awarded. The committee today will focus on the construction contract awarded for the Center for Biotechnology and Life Sciences at the University of Rhode Island. University officials used an alternative, state–approved method that allows the construction manager to continue negotiations while working on the project. This method is helpful in particularly complex situations, URI officials said. URI President For Administration Robert Weygand and Paul DePace, director of the university’s Office of Capital Projects, are expected to testify at today's hearing, which is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. in the Senate Lounge. Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 9:11 AM | Comment Hasbro 1Q profit grows 14 percentPAWTUCKET -- Toymaker Hasbro Inc.'s earnings rose 14 percent in the first quarter of 2008 on growth in brands such as Transformers and Littlest Pet Shop. The world's second biggest toy company said today that its profit rose to $37.5 million, or 25 cents per share, for the three months ended March 30 from $32.9 million, or 19 cents per share, during the same quarter a year ago. The results beat the expectations of analysts polled by Thomson Financial, who had predicted net income of 14 cents per share. Sales grew 13 percent to $704.2 million from $625.3 million a year ago. The company said international revenue rose 22 percent to $248.3 million, while revenue in the U.S. and Canada segment grew 6 percent to $428.5 million. -- The Associated Press Posted by Jack Perry at 8:58 AM | Comment Road work will close lanes on Route 95PROVIDENCE -- Construction work on the Providence I-Way project will cause lane closures for motorists on Route 95 this week. Department of Transportation officials say the highway work will take place between the exits for Thurbers Avenue and Route 195. Tonight road crews are scheduled to be working on the northbound lanes of the highway. By 11 p.m., only one lane of traffic will be open. More lane closures are expected tomorrow through Thursday, when work is planned for the southbound lanes. The ramp between Route 195 West and Route 95 South will be closed during this period. Detours will be marked. -- The Associated Press Posted by Jack Perry at 7:01 AM | Comment Sunny and sunnierRhode Island is in store for another beautiful day today with early morning clouds parting, leaving us with clear, sunny skies today and a high temperature likely surpassing 65 degrees. It will continue to be breezy, with an east wind between 6 and 13 mph. The only "fly in the ointment," to use the words of the National Weather Service, is a QPF -- quantitative precipitation forecast. The forecast discussion says rain is unlikely, but the possibility is there. Clouds will return tonight, when the temperature drops to 41 degrees and we get calm, southeast winds. Tomorrow's looking even nicer, with temperatures reaching 70 and warmer, and light south winds between 10 and 13 mph. To keep track of the weather, step outside, or see projo.com's weather page. Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 7:01 AM | Comment Download today's front page: The pope and the marathonA story on the pope's Mass in Yankee stadium and an inspirational advance on the Boston Marathon lead today's Journal. Posted by Peter Phipps at 6:54 AM | Comment April 18, 2008This weekend: From indoors to outdoorsTonight: Lisa Schneckenburger, a folk singer who plays fiddle, will be joined by guitarist Keith Murphy, accordionist Jeremiah McLane and Corey DiMario, who plays double bass, for a performance and CD release party at 8. The event will be at the Blackstone River Theatre, 549 Broad St., Cumberland. Tickets are $12. For information, go to www.riverfolk.org or call (401) 725-9272. See what else is happening tonight and this weekend on the entertainment scene here. This weekend: While Earth Day is officially on Tuesday, many groups and communities are holding related events, from cleanups to festivals. Click here for a list of activities around our area. And no matter what you do, enjoy the spring sun! Posted by Mike McKinney at 7:00 PM | Comment Update: Police probing Bristol brush fire's cause / Photo
A brush fire had spread through the area yesterday, damaging a board walk to the Narragansett Bay owned by the Audubon Society of Rhode Island. Firefighters were dousing hot spots early this morning, but a half-mile section of the bike path that had been blocked off was reopened today. And Earth Day activities and events at the Audubon’s Environmental Education Center will be held as planned tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The brush fire was reported yesterday at about 4 p.m. near Hanley Farm Road, in neighboring Warren, and spread south toward the East Bay Bike Path and Narragansett Bay, burning wooded areas and marshland near the North Farm residential development and the Audubon’s educational center. Burning phragmites, an invasive reed that grows in marsh or water areas, were responsible for the thick black smoke that could be seen for miles against clear skies. The Warren police are asking anyone with information on how the fire might have started to call (401) 245-1311. “There was a witness that stated that while they were out in the vicinity, they heard three juveniles saying something along the lines of, ‘I’m not getting caught for this, let’s get out of here,’” Warren Police Lt. Joseph Loiselle said today. “Then we got a call from somebody along Blount Shipyard who observed some jet skis leaving the area of the fire shortly before the fire was reported.” -- Journal staff writers Meaghan Wims and Alex Kuffner This afternoon, workers from the state Department of Environmental Management, which helps manage the bike path, replaced portions of the log fence on either side of the path that were burned by the flames. The Audubon Society is still trying to assess the extent of damage to its boardwalk, which cost $1 million to build in 2000 and crosses over the bike path to a salt marsh along the Bay. Fundraising will likely be needed to pay for the repairs. “We lost a big chunk of it right in the middle and there was heavy damage at the end,” said Jeff Hall, the society’s director of advancement. “The Fire Department said that even though the deck looked fine, there’s a lot of charred, burned places underneath. It’s going to be a significant expense.” “We’re just thankful no one was on the boardwalk and no one got hurt,” Hall added. The fire, he said, was mostly contained to the west side of the bike path, and although it leveled a significant amount of phragmites, those reeds are invasive and the Audubon staff isn’t bemoaning the loss. “They’ll come back strong,” Hall said. Since it’s only the start of nesting season, not much wildlife was in the area at the time of the brush fire, Hall said. “There may have been some frogs or turtles that couldn’t get out of the way,” Hall said. “Even after the fire, the birds were back flying over the trees and roosting for the night. If there was a time of year for it to happen, it’s better earlier in the season than later. A lot of marsh will grow back. It will be bright, vivid green.” He continued, “We’ll use the fire as a lesson to explain how nature bounces back. Fires have been part of the environment forever. It was a quick, hot fire, and burned a lot of groundcover, but the trees near the bike path will be back. It would have gotten a lot nastier if it had gone up into North Farm and hopped the bike path. The habitat acted as a barrier.” Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:32 PM | Comment Hopes for osprey license plate delivery dashed
The plates were due to be available tomorrow at Earth Day events held by the Audubon Society and Save The Bay. But officials from the two organizations learned today that plates produced for their initiative apparently need a dash between letters and numbers to conform to state format. The design of the plates shows a nesting osprey at left and the slogan "conservation through education." From each $40 plate purchase, half is going to environmental education programs at Audubon Society and Save The Bay. Lawrence J.F. Taft, executive director of the Audubon Society of Rhode Island, said he, Save The Bay and DMV officials learned of the problem this morning when they were set to to present the first plate to Jill Victo, a teacher at Forest Park Elementary School in North Kingstown. A Division of Motor Vehicles spokeswoman could not be reached for comment late this afternoon. Correctional Industries oversees license plate production at the Adult Correctional Institute in Cranston, according to a previous Journal report on the new plates. Those pickups have been postponed to Sunday, April 27, at Audubon Society of Rhode Island headquarters, 12 Sanderson Road, Smithfield, and at Save The Bay Headquarters, 100 Save The Bay Drive, Providence. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney People can also pick up plates as scheduled on Saturday, April 26, at the Audubon Society of Rhode Island Environmental Education Center, 1401 Hope St., Bristol, and at Save The Bay Exploration Center, Easton's Beach Rotunda, 175 Memorial Drive, Newport. If someone can't make those dates, plates will be available at the Pawtucket Division of Motor Vehicles' plate desk, 100 Main St., during normal business hours beginning April 28. The four pick-up dates at different Rhode Island locations are for the more than 1,200 people who made orders during an order period that ended in March, said Taft. Taft said that people can still order the plates, which they will be able to pick up at the Division of Motor Vehicle office in Pawtucket. Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:10 PM | Comment Butler Hospital nurses ratify 3-year contractButler Hospital's unionized staff today ratified a new three-year contract that includes annual pay raises and limits the use of "travel" nurses, whose use is a nettlesome factor for the psychiatric center's employees. Members of the union representing nearly 300 nurses, mental-health workers and other employees had voted earlier in the week to strike if their contract demands were not met. The members of District 1199, the New England Health Care Employees Union/SEIU picketed the hospital earlier in the week to call attention to the contract issues that remained unresolved to that point. The nurses had been working under an extension of a three-year contract since March 31. But just before midnight Wednesday, union negotiators reached an agreement with management that will keep staff members working. Staff members voted throughout the day today, ultimately approving a new three-year contract, according to a hospital statement. The new contract includes annual pay raises of 4 percent, 4.25 percent and 4 percent, respectively, limits the use of contracted staff ans excludes mental-health workers from having to work mandatory overtime. The new contract maintains the union members' current health-care coverage. Hospital management says the use of travel nurses, who work on contracts through temporary staffing agencies, is rare but necessary. The 117-bed private pyschiatric and substance abuse treatment facility has used travel nurses in the past, according to a hospital spokeswoman. About 2 percent of the nursing shifts are filled by the temporary workers. -- Journal staff writer Paul Grimaldi Posted by Paul Grimaldi at 5:36 PM | Comment Annual rabies clinic this Sunday in CoventryCOVENTRY — The Coventry Animal Control Department will host its annual rabies clinic, this time with the help of local veterinarian Ryan Loiselle from Salmon River Vet Service to dispense vaccine and examine animals. The clinic will be held from 9 a.m. to noon Sunday, at the Coventry Highway Garage, the town’s pound, behind Town Hall offices at 1670 Flat River Rd. A rabies shot will cost $10, said Carolyn Lacombe, the town’s animal control supervisor. All dogs must be on a lease and cats in carriers. People are asked to park in the Town Hall parking lot. The clinic is open to everyone. The Town Clerk’s Office will also be open if anyone wants to get a dog license. Lacombe said it’s important for pet owners to get their animals vaccinated or licensed, so that the town can keep track of the pet’s rabies status. It also prevents the need to quarantine an animal in the event it has come in contact with a rabid animal. “If there is an outbreak of rabies in the area, we can notify people,” Lacombe said. Starting next month, animal control officers will be going door-to-door to check for unlicensed dogs and owners could be fined up to $250, she said. Call (401) 822-9106 for more information. Posted by Andrea Panciera at 5:05 PM | Comment Update: Suspended Johnston police officer resignsJOHNSTON -- A Johnston police officer who was suspended with pay after an incident that raised questions about his behavior, has resigned, town officials said today. In a news release today, Major Joseph Polisena requested the state Attorney General's office and the state police to investigate unspecified allegations of improper conduct. "Although the officer has resigned, these are very serious allegations that should be reviewed by the highest law enforcement agencies in the state of Rhode Island," the mayor's statement said. He added that "this will ensure the public of the integrity and independence of any conclusions reached regarding the conduct of this officer." Police Chief Richard S. Tamburini would not identify the officer, saying that is because the town has asked the state Attorney General's office and the state police to review the findings of a Johnston police investigation of what happened. Nor would the chief say what the officer is being investigated for. "We want to make sure this is a thorough investigation. We're taking it very seriously," Tamburini said. "I am relieved he's off the force," Tamburini said. "He has tarnished the badge and forfeited his right to wear the Johnston police uniform." Earlier today, Tamburini declined to identify the officer by name or comment any further on the nature of the allegations or the incident, citing the Law Enforcement Officers Bill of Rights. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Journal staff writer Mark Reynolds Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:07 PM | Comment Study: Foreclosure rate here to be slightly above averageA study by the Pew Charitable Trusts released this week projects that an average of one in 31 homeowners in Rhode Island who took out high-cost mortgages during the real-estate boom will lose their homes to foreclosure, most of them by the end of next year. Rhode Island’s projected foreclosure rate exceeds the national average of 1 in 33 homeowners, and is higher than any other New England state, according to the study, “Defaulting on the Dream: States Respond to America’s Foreclosure Crisis.’’ Massachusetts’ projected foreclosure rate is forecast at 1 in 48 homeowners. The state with highest projected foreclosure rate — 1 in 11 homeowners— is Nevada. The projections are for 2007-2011, but the foreclosure are expected “primarily” to occur this year and next year, the study said, when rates on the loans are set to adjust upwards. (The forecasts are for “actual homes lost,” not late payments or foreclosures started but not completed.)
Posted by Peter Phipps at 4:05 PM | Comment Another round of lane, ramp closings for Iway projectPerhaps you've been out of the loop and off the roads while on spring vacation this week. But anyone who drives through the Providence metro area at night should take notice of upcoming highway closings for construction work. Weather permitting, lane and ramp closings on Route 95 will begin Sunday night for work on the Route 195 interchange relocation project known as the Iway. The roadwork involves installing what are called stay-in-place forms, which help create an area for poured concrete to solidify into what will be the ramp taking drivers from Route 95 south to Route 195 east. Route 95 north between Exit 18 -- Thurbers Avenue -- and Exit 20 will be affected Sunday and Monday nights, and Route 95 south in the same area will be affected Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nights. It will begin with one lane closing at 8 p.m. From 11 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. three lanes are slated to close, with one lane open to traffic, the Department of Transportation said. On Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, when work is on Route 95 south, the ramp from Route 195 west to Route 95 south will be closed from 9 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. Traffic on Route 195 west heading to Route 9 south will be directed to take Route 95 north to Exit 22B -- Routes 6/10 -- and to follow Route 10 south to Cranston, in order to continue on Route 95 South. During Route 95 south lane and ramp closings, Exit 19 to Rhode Island, Women & Infants and Hasbro hospitals will stay open for Route 95 south traffic. Traffic on Route 195 west heading to the hospital campus will be directed to take Exit 2 -- South Main Street -- then routed over the Point Street Bridge and onto Eddy Street to get to the hospitals. For more information this coming week on highway restrictions around Rhode Island, see the DOT Web site's travel advisory page. Posted by Mike McKinney at 3:04 PM | Comment Sweet, sweet vinyl; fading but not forgotten
New records, used records, old records that have never been opened, records in piles without sleeves, records meticulously wrapped in cellophane, really bad LPs for a quarter each, ridiculously expensive 45s -- yes, some of us still get very excited about vinyl, lucky for us, tomorrow is Record Store Day. In Rhode Island we've seen records shops close one after another, such as Luke's Record Exchange, but there are still a few around. If your allergies aren't too bad, you should stop by one of these dusty shops tomorrow and show your support for independent music and independent businesses. Stores such as Round Again Records in Providence's East Side neighborhood are good if you're looking for an old Sam Cooke 45, and Music Box in Newport carries a variety of mainstream rock, pop and hip hop -- they've even printed up Record Store Day t-shirts and flyers. There's also In Your Ear in Warren -- formerly known as Zingg Records, run by the owner of the former In Your Ear in Providence -- Looney Tunes, in South Kingstown, and a handful of other shops around the state. One of the the better known record stores in the region, Armageddeon Shop, on Providence's West Side, is listed as a participant on the Record Store Day Web site. The store -- which carries just about anything that could loosely be interpreted as "rock," "noise," "punk" or "metal" -- isn't planning anything special for the day, according to co-owner Ben Barnett. "But if people want to buy some beers and come shop around," he said this afternoon, "that's cool." Cool, indeed. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 2:07 PM | Comment Join the Celtics bandwagon; test your knowledgeIt's playoff time in Boston.
Join the Celtics bandwagon: See photo galleries of the starting five, catch up on team stats and test your knowledge with Providence Journal sports editor Ken Hamwey's Celtics quiz. The Atlanta series opens Sunday night at the Garden. Posted by Peter Phipps at 1:48 PM | Comment Tonight: HSGameTime All-State girls basketballTonight at 6, you can find the 2008 HSGameTime Providence Journal All-State girls basketball team online at www.hsgametime.com/rhodeisland. We asked each of our first-team selections to fill out a personal survey with questions including favorite TV show, favorite subject in school, and something people would be surprised to know about me. The athletes' answers, as well as audio clips of the players talking about what inspired them this past season, will accompany their bios on their own personal pages. Also, you will find full listings for second team, All-Class and All-Division selections. The All-State girls basketball page in The Providence Journal will run tomorrow. Here is the full schedule for the All-State teams. The teams will be revealed at 6 p.m. each day online, and in the following day's newspaper. Online now: Wrestling, gymnastics, cheerleading Posted by Mike McDermott at 1:36 PM | Comment Update: Bristol Earth Day events on despite brush fire
The fire moved toward Narragansett Bay -- not the Audubon's Education Center -- and was contained by the Bristol and Warren Fire Departments to an area between the McIntosh Wildlife Refuge between the bike path and the Bay. The fire began somewhere opposite of Hanley Farm Road, in Warren, around 4 p.m., spreading south through Bristol. See an aerial shot of the region here. Fire crews were on the scene this morning, extinguish the remaining hot spots. For more on Earth Day, click here to find out more about the annual Audubon celebration and find a list of events in Bristol and beyond. Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 1:15 PM | Comment Pope visit: On camera at United Nations / Photo, video
Video: Watch Pope Benedict XVI address the United Nations. Posted by Andrea Panciera at 12:36 PM | Comment Bristol tries to crack down on underage drinkingBristol officials announced today a three-point plan that includes increased communication and “party patrols” to help combat underage drinking. Several months ago, Bristol and about a dozen other cities and towns, were awarded grants from the US Mental health Service Administration’s Center for Substance Abuse Prevention. After months of investigation, the Bristol Substance Abuse Prevention Task Force decided to focus on underage drinking. The task force today released a strategic plan that lays out a three-part approach: Education: Substance abuse prevention at Kickemuit Middle School and Mount Hope High School “It is imperative that we work together to deal with this public health and safety issue, Diane Mederos, Town Administrator, said in a statement. “We’ve all seen the stories, we all know this is a problem, now it’s time for all of us to take this plan and use it to keep our children safe and healthy.” In February, a 16-year-old Mt. Hope High School student died after a car crash. Witnesses said they saw the car’s driver, also a teenager, was taking shots at a party in Bristol before getting behind the wheel. And in November, more than two dozen La Salle Academy students were suspended and pulled from the big Thanksgiving Day football game after the school investigated their conduct at a house party where alcohol and marijuana were being used. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 12:01 PM | Comment Pope visit: Attention turns to New York and the UNWASHINGTON (AP) -- After a dramatic three days in which he put America's clergy sexual abuse scandal front and center, Pope Benedict XVI turned his attention today to the original purpose of his first U.S. visit as leader of the Roman Catholic Church. The pope took an early morning flight from the nation's capital to New York City, where he will deliver an address to the General Assembly of the United Nations. Landing amid tight security, the pope was greeted by New York Cardinal Edward Egan and taken to a helicopter for the ride into Manhattan. Hundreds of people had gathered at a plaza outside the U.N., some brought banners saying "Wilkomen Pope Benedict XVI." One added the words "You Rock!" The U.N. setting contrasted dramatically with the intimacy of a meeting yesterday, at which Benedict prayed with weeping victims of childhood sexual abuse by priests. Video: Live video of the pope's appearance at the United Nations is expected to start momentarily. Posted by Andrea Panciera at 10:35 AM | Comment Airport Road in Warwick slated for repairs this summerRepairs on Airport Road in Warwick -- which is used by more than 30,000 vehicles every day –– are set to begin this summer. Warwick Mayor Scott Avedisian and Michael Lewis, the director of the RI Department of Transportation today announced that the project is set to begin in July. “Airport Road is one of the City’s most heavily traveled streets, and has been in need of significant repairs for some time,” Avedisian said in a statement. “We greatly appreciate RIDOT’s commitment and perseverance in ensuring that this project remained a priority.” The resurfacing project will cover about 1.5 miles of Airport Road from Post Road to Warwick Avenue. The roads will be resurfaced and concrete curbing, sidewalks, traffic signals, signage and striping will be added. The project will also being the sidewalks into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Bids have recently been advertised and the bid opening date is next month –– if all goes well, the project bay be completed by summer 2009. Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 8:59 AM | Comment Today's front pageThe pope made a surprising visit with victims who were sexually abuse by clergy members during his first trip to the United States. John E. Mulligan, at the Journal's Washington bureau, writes about the meetings on today's front page. And Journal staff writer Jennifer D. Jordan talks to kids who feel let-down after being rejected by their colleges of choice, thanks to a record number of high school graduates. Download a .PDF file of today's front page Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 7:02 AM | Comment It's warm, it's sunny, it's dry -- it's Friday!What a way to end the week. High temperatures are expected to hit the mid 70s -- even 80 in some areas of the state. And the National Weather Service is forecasting clear, sunny skies and north east winds between 6 and 13 mph. Along the coast, ocean winds should hold temperatures in the 60s. Skies should remain clear tonight with a not-too-low low temperature of about 46 degrees and mild east winds. Tomorrow looks cooler, with a high temperature near 67 degrees, clear sunny skies and mild east winds. A few clouds are expected tomorrow night, when the temperature drops to about 44 degrees with mild, east winds. More sun on Sunday, with cooler temperatures climbing toward 60 and east winds between 7 and 13 mph. Sunday night may bring rain late. Otherwise we'll see cloudy skies with lows in the mid-40s. Monday may bring more rain during the day, with temperatures in the high 50s and clouds into the night. To check on the ever-dynamic forecast over the weekend, see projo.com's weather page. Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 7:01 AM | Comment State Police tells students: Make good decisionsAs the school year enters it's final leg, some high school students aren't concerned with final exams yet, they've got prom to think about! Law enforcement authorities in Rhode Island say they want teens to enjoy prom and graduation, but they're also concerned that kids act responsibly. To that end, the State Police Superintendent Colonel Brendan Doherty, Attorney General Patrick Lynch, Stephen McCartney, president of the State Police Chief's Association, and other advocates and insurance representatives are holding a press conference to share tips with parents and teens. "Make Good Decisions" is set for 2:00 this afternoon at MetLife Auto and Home, in Warwick. The company is funding the program, which boasts a billboard on Route 95 South near Thurbers Avenue. Parents and teens can also download a .PDF file the State Police prom safety brochure here. Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 6:59 AM | Comment April 17, 2008Update: Smoky brush fire strikes at Bristol-Warren line
It appeared the fire started somewhere opposite Hanley Farm Road, in Warren, sometime around 4 p.m. and rapidly spread south, burning through land near the Audubon’s education center in Bristol and the sprawling North Farm residential development. Bristol fire and police personnel blocked off a half-mile section of the bike path as firefighters battled flames engulfing trees and scrub along the shoreline. Dark smoke from the fire was visible as far away as Barrington. Kristen Swanberg, the Audubon’s education director, said phragmites, an invasive marsh plant that grows in the area, produce thick smoke when they burn. She and other Audubon employees, including Anne DiMonti, director of the Bristol center, were at the boardwalk inspecting the damage caused by the flames as the fire continued to burn in other spots nearby. They said the boardwalk, which winds through a salt marsh, will have to be replaced. Parts of the log fence along the bike path were also badly burned. No houses were in the way of the fire. The residences at North Farm and Hanley Farm Road sit on the other side of the bike path. -- Journal staff writer Alex Kuffner Posted by Mike McKinney at 7:16 PM | Comment Tonight: Jesus, moonwalking and the MississippiReligion was center stage in Washington today with the pope's continuing visit. Tonight at 8 you can catch performances of ... and Jesus moonwalks the Mississippi at Brown University Theatre. Brown Theatre and Sock & Buskin present this "story of love and longing set at the bitter end of the Civil War in the American South," according to the Web site description. The performance is at the Leeds Theatre, 77 Waterman St. For tickets, call 863-2838. There will also be performances at the same time tomorrow and Saturday. Posted by Mike McKinney at 7:01 PM | Comment Update: Tentative pact averts nurses' strike at ButlerPROVIDENCE -- A threatened nurses’ strike at Butler Hospital has been averted, now that a tentative three-year deal has been reached. Union members had voted overwhelmingly earlier in the week to go on strike today if their contract demands were not met. But they reached an agreement with management this morning that will keep them on the job. "It addresses many of our concerns," said Stan Israel, executive vice president of the New England union. The primary concern, Israel said, was the use of "travel nurses," which are essentially temporary people brought in to work a vacation shift or when a hospital is shorthanded. The union argued that the private psychiatric and substance abuse hospital was using the travel nurses instead of hiring full-time employees. Hospital management says the use of travel nurses is rare but necessary. The tentative agreement includes pay raises, but Israel refused to say what they were. The agreement also moves forard on health benefits, he said, but did not specify how so. -- With reports from The Associated Press and Journal staff writer Paul Grimaldi Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:45 PM | Comment Pope visit: Victims' meeting 'an extraordinary gesture'A Diocese of Providence official who has handled the sex-abuse scandal for the diocese and who has experience in dealing with the Vatican reacted to Pope Benedict XVI's meeting in Washington today with several victims of a problem that has affected dioceses around the country. "This was an extraordinary gesture, a tremendous gesture" that breaks with a long-standing tradition of papal distance from the pastoral concerns of individual Catholics, said Msgr. Paul Theroux, the vicar general of the Roman Catholic Diocese in Providence. "This is the head of the universal church, the vicar of Christ on earth. The Holy Father on a day to day basis deals with heads of state," Theroux said, explaining that a pope almost always handles pastoral concerns through the church hierarchy. Therefore, Theroux said, the pope's meeting with the abuse victims today is strikingly dramatic to any students of papal history. Coming after three successive days in which Benedict discussed the shame of the sex abuse scandal in terms unprecedented for a pope, Theroux said that Benedict's meeting with the sex-abuse victims will carry a powerful symbolic message throughout the church. "Even though this is only a small, representative group" of the many Catholics harmed by abusive priests, Theroux said today's meeting "speaks of how significant this issue is to the Holy Father." However, Theroux said he thinks it unlikely that many individual victims of the sex abuse or the organized groups that represent them "will suddenly say tomorrow, `Well, now we've turned the corner.' " Theroux said he also fears that because the pope has met with so few victims today, some critics will view the gesture as insufficient. -- John E. Mulligan of the Journal Washington Bureau, with projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:16 PM | Comment Pope visit: A 'historic' meeting with sex-abuse victimsWASHINGTON -- After his third public call in as many days for healing of the victims of Roman Catholic clergy victims of sex abuse, Pope Benedict XVI met with several of them today, The Reverend Federico said the visiting Benedict met with the victims and Archbishop of Boston Cardinal Sean P. O'Malley after celebrating Mass today at Washington Nationals Park. One of the victims Bernard McDade of Lynn, Mass., who was one of more than a dozen parishioners of the late Joseph Birmingham, a priest who sexually abused boys in parishes outside Boston between 1961 and his death in 1989. "This man was allowed to breed his pedophilia from parish to parish," McDade told the AP six years ago this month as the widening scandal triggered a crisis in the archdiocese, with charges that then-Cardinal Bernard F. Law and other high church officials had long been aware of the abuse and failed to put a stop to it. Law resigned in disgrace in 2002. He was replaced in 2003 by O'Malley, a bearded, sandal-wwearing Capuchin friar who first impressed church leaders with his handling of sex abuse scandal around the Rev. James Porter in the Fall River diocese. "This is a historic moment," said Raymond L. Flynn, former U.S. ambassador to the Vatican, who was told by one of the Boston-area victims that his long-awaited meeting with the pontiff had come through. "Now the pope has opened the door, and the healing can finally begin," said Flynn, who is also a former Boston mayor. Referring to the pope's latest admonition to Catholic clergy to bind the wounds of the sex-abuse victims, Flynn said, "Now the pope has done his part in the process. He's a man of his word." "This was an extraordinary gesture, a tremendous gesture" that breaks with a long-standing tradition of papal distance from the pastoral concerns of individual Catholics, said Msgr. Paul Theroux, the vicar general of the Roman Catholic Diocese in Providence. Theroux has handled the sex-abuse scandal for the diocese and has experience in dealing with the Vatican. Video: The Reverend Federico describes the pope's meeting with victims of clergy sex abuse. -- John E. Mulligan, Journal Washington bureau "This is the head of the universal church, the vicar of Christ on earth. The Holy Father on a day to day basis deals with heads of state," Theroux said, explaining that a pope almost always handles pastoral concerns through the church hierarchy. Therefore, Theroux said, the pope's meeting with the abuse victims today is strikingly dramatic to any students of papal history. Coming after three successive days in which Benedict discussed the shame of the sex abuse scandal in terms unprecedented for a pope, Theroux said that Benedict's meeting with the sex-abuse victims will carry a powerful symbolic message throughout the church. "Even though this is only a small, representative group" of the many Catholics harmed by abusive priests, Theroux said today's meeting "speaks of how significant this issue is to the Holy Father." However, Theroux said he thinks it unlikely that many individual victims of the sex abuse or the organized groups that represent them "will suddenly say tomorrow, `Well, now we've turned the corner.' " Theroux said he also fears that because the pope has met with so few victims today, some critics will view the gesture as insufficient. Earlier this week, Journal reporters John E. Mulligan and Richard Dujardin, who are covering the visit, have captured comments about Benedict's remarks on the sex-abuse scandal from several local officials. They include former Vatican Ambassador and ex-Boston Mayor Raymond Flynn, Congressman James Langevin, D-R.I., and Diocese of Providence Bishop Thomas J. Tobin. Audio: Listen to an audio clip featuring some of their comments. Posted by Andrea Panciera at 5:31 PM | Comment Suspended doctor now faces federal fraud complaintPROVIDENCE -- A federal complaint was filed today against Tarek W. Wehbe, a physician with Providence and North Providence practices, whose license was suspended less than two weeks ago by the state Department of Health. The complaint accuses him of health care fraud, money laundering and illicit distribution of drugs such as Percocet, Vicodin and OcyContin. An arrest arrant has been issued for Wehbe, but he is believed to be out of the country, possibly in Lebanon, according to the news release from U.S. Attorney Robert Clark Corrente's office announcing the criminal complaint. According to the affidavits, Wehbe owns and runs Renaissance Medical Group with offices on North Main Street, Providence, and on Mineral Spring Avenue, North Providence. The criminal complaint follows a civil complaint filed last week. Prosecutors are seeking $3 million from Wehbe, who the federal government accuses of fraudulently billing Medicare, Medicaid and private insurers for services he did not perform. Wehbe already has his medical license suspended this month by Dr. David R. Gifford, the state Department of Health director. According to the affidavit supporting the drug distribution charge, Wehbe wrote prescriptions for substances such as Percocet, Vicodin and OcyContin in a manner that was “without any medical necessity and outside the usual course of the practice of medicine,” the news release says. The affidavit details interviews with Wehbe’s patients, some of them in drug recovery programs, who said he would easily prescribe Percocet or OxyContin. One patient, identified as “JM,” said he had monthly appointments with Wehbe that lasted less than three minutes. Wehbe had written more than thirty prescriptions for OxyContin for him. According to the affidavit, JM said that Wehbe was known on the street as “Dr. Feel Good.” -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with Journal archival reports Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:16 PM | Comment Margarita time at the Newport Folk Festival?Jimmy Buffet of Margaritaville fame and blues rockers The Black Crowes are among the headliners at this summer's Newport -- yes -- Folk Festival. Also in the lineup announced today are: Levon Helm, The Avett Brothers, Cat Power, Jim James (of My Morning Jacket), Jakob Dylan, Stephen and Damian Marley, Gillian Welch, She & Him featuring Zooey Deschanel & M. Ward, Calexico, Kaki King, Brandi Carlile, Willy Mason, Over the Rhine, The Felice Brothers, Jake Shimabukuro, Kate Taylor, Richard Julian and Jesca Hoop. While many of these musicians are not considered traditional folk musicians, organizers say the musicians – some reggae, some country, some blues - come from folk music backgrounds and are expected to return to their roots for their performances in this festival. The festival is scheduled for Aug. 2-3, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Fort Adams in Newport. Tickets for which will go on sale at 9 a.m. on April 23 via www.festivalnetwork.com. Prices have not yet been set. Wondering about the annual JVC Jazz Festival in Newport? No lineup announced yet, but the festival will be held Aug. 8-10.
Posted by Andrea Panciera at 2:28 PM | Comment Tonight: HSGameTime All-State gymnasts, cheerleadersTonight at 6, you can find the 2008 HSGameTime Providence Journal All-State gymnastics and cheerleading teams online at www.hsgametime.com/rhodeisland. We asked each of our first-team selections to fill out a personal survey with questions including favorite TV show, favorite subject in school, and something people would be surprised to know about me. The athletes' answers, as well as audio clips of the gymnasts and cheerleaders talking about what inspired them this past season, will accompany their bios on their own personal pages. Also, you will find full listings for second team gymnasts and cheerleaders, as well as All-Division gymnasts. The All-State gymnastics and cheerleading page in The Providence Journal will run tomorrow. Here is the full schedule for the All-State teams. The teams will be revealed at 6 p.m. each day online, and in the following day's newspaper. Online now: Wrestling Posted by Mike McDermott at 2:19 PM | Comment Update: Guilty plea in kidnap, assault, murder of girl, 8
Joshua Davis, 22, formerly of 564 Coe St., Apt. 2, apologized to the family of Savannah Smith today in court. His public defender, John Hardiman, said that Davis had intended to plead to the three charges all along, to save the Smith family from going through a trial. Davis is scheduled for a pre-sentencing hearing in two months. Sentencing is slated for June 5. Attorney General Patrick C. Lynch said in a statement that "in order to do real justice, it is more than our prerogative -- it is our obligation -- to impress upon the court the heinousness of this defendant’s crimes and to advocate for the maximum sentence allowable under Rhode Island law." Lynch said that although the plea "spares Savannah’s family and loved ones the torment of a long trial, it does not in any way mitigate the monstrous crimes that the defendant pled guilty to this morning in open court. A plea is this defendant’s prerogative, as it is any defendant’s prerogative. This outcome, however, is not a plea bargain; we did not give up any of our rights in securing it." Savannah's family members were in Providence County Superior Court today, crying when details of the investigation were read aloud into the record. The family declined to speak with reporters today. Lynch's statement said Davis acknowledged, during his guilty plea, that the state would have proven he molested Savannah, then murdered her and that the state could have proven the death was consistent with "aggravated battery and torture." The court therefore has the option of imposing a life-without-parole sentence. -- projo.com staff writers Brandie M. Jefferson and Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Journal staff writer Tatiana Pina and Journal archival reports According to the state, had Davis gone to trial, evidence would have shown that on May 7, 2006, David Smith told his daughter, Savannah, that she could not go for a ride with Davis, who lived across the street. David Smith told police he later saw his daughter waving from Davis’s red convertible. It was the last time he saw her alive. Five hours later, Smith said Davis returned home alone. When questioned by police, according to court records, Davis said he left the girl in a park. Smith said Davis “jumped in his car and tried to get away,” but he was apprehended, handcuffed, and taken away. Savanna Smith’s body was found in Cranston the next day, after which, Davis was charged with murder, kidnapping and child molestation. Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 2:02 PM | Comment DEM warns of lion's mane jellyfish in the Bay
BARRINGTON - The Department of Environmental Management warned people today to stay away from lion's mane jellyfish after receiving a report -- with photographs -- that some of the creatures had washed ashore and were "all over" Barrington Beach yesterday. The cold-water jellyfish, which tend to be small this year but often grow up to a foot wide, have a painful sting. Because the animals move with the tides, currents and winds, they may be in other areas of Narragansett Bay as well, the department said. Although it was the first reported case this year of the lion's mane jellyfish washing ashore, "DEM fisheries biologists have seen this year's crop throughout the Bay for the past month or so," according to a statement from spokeswoman Stephanie Powell. Wondering what the water temperatures are like right now? Check this link for temps in waters around New England. Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 1:47 PM | Comment Pope visit: A cry from section 316: 'Peace be with you!'
At that point, cheers broke out, with some shouts in Spanish here and there around the stadium, many along the lines of "long live the pope!" As the ancient rite proceeded, members of Benedict's flock were by turns rapt, reverent and even giddy at a few points, as people from the field-level boxes to the nosebleed seats appeared to share a gigantic inside joke. After the mass singing of the Lord's Prayer, the faithful made the traditional exchange with neighbors of handshakes, embraces and the words "peace be with you." In a grandstand high above the third-base line, Carol Young, one of hundreds of volunteer attendants clad in red "Benedict XVI" warm-up jackets, cried out to the scores of people in her section of the ballpark, "Peace be with you, 316!" Tens of thousands received communion from scores of priests arrayed around the stadium. Placido Domingo, the world-famous tenor who is chief of the Washington National Opera, sang "Panis Angelicus." The pontiff, meanwhile, attended to his most basic priestly duty, dispensing the bread to 50 communicants near the altar. The grand recession began about 90 minutes after the opening of the Mass. The pontiff departed the altar and walked down the center aisle from his white-roofed sanctuary, pausing as he went to offer his hands and his ring to members of his congregation. Beaming and waving, the pontiff walked through the infield and past the pitcher's mound to a flag-waving ovation from the crowd and, at 10:36 a.m., he disappeared into the hometown dugout. -- John E. Mulligan of the Journal Washington Bureau Posted by Mike McKinney at 12:59 PM | Comment Pope visit: A Mass for the crowd at the ball park
Like priests at High Mass around the world for centuries, Benedict spooned incense into a sensor and slowly circled the altar, swinging the vessel from his hand as the scented smoke rose. The first reading, from the New Testament's Acts of the Apostles, was tailor-made for the Easter season and for the pluralistic American audience. It was the story of the Pentecost, the visitation of the Holy Spirit upon Christ’s followers from many nations after his death: “They gathered in a large crowd, but they were confused because each one heard them speaking in his own language.” It was read in Spanish by Yolanda Bolanos of the Office of Hispanic Ministry of the Archdiocese of Washington. -- John E. Mulligan, Journal Washington bureau The second reading from Saint Paul’s Letter to the Romans echoed the motto of Benedict’s pastoral journey to the United States: “Christ is our Hope.” “New hope that sees is not new hope,“ read Valencia Camp, a lector from the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. “For who hopes for what one sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait with endurance.” The gospel, from St. John, told a story of how Jesus instructed his first priest to hear and to forgive the sins of the people. This was the foundation of the Catholic sacrament of penance. In his homily, Benedict sounded all these themes once again and spoke at the same time to American Catholics and to the larger culture of many peoples in which they live. As he did yesterday at the White House, Benedict praised the American Church, founded two centuries ago in Baltimore, Boston, New York, and Philadelphia. He praised the church –– and the nation at large –– for “bringing together wildly differing immigrant groups.” He spoke of Americans as always “A people of hope” whose ancestors arrived expecting to find “new freedom and opportunity, while the vastness of the unexplored wilderness inspired in them the hope of being able to start completely anew.” But as he has done now several times since his arrival in the US, Benedict looked at the other side of the American ledger. This nation’s “promise was not experienced by all the inhabitants of this land; one thinks of the injustices endured by the Native American peoples and by those brought here forcibly from Africa as slaves” Yet said that here again Christian hope and forgiveness has inspired Americans to try to repair these wrongs. Benedict then spoke for the third time in three days of a contemporary wrong, inflicted by members of the church itself.: the sexual abuse of children. “No words of mine could describe the pain and harm inflicted by such abuse,” the pope said. “It is important that those who suffered be given loving pastoral instruction. Nor can I adequately describe the damage that has occurred within the community of the church great efforts have already been made to deal honestly and fairly with this tragic situation, and to ensure that the children –– whom our lord loves so deeply, and who are our greatest treasure –– can grow up in a safe environment.” Benedict told the crowd: “Today I encourage each of you to do what you can to foster healing and reconciliation and to assist those who have been hurt.” Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 11:25 AM | Comment East Providence fire: Garage or shed engulfedPolice and firefighters are on the scene of a fire in a small building at a house in East Providence. East Providence Police say that either a shed or a garage was fully engulfed when they arrived on-scene of the residence near the corner of Juniper and Fleming Streets. Crews are still on scene, police at the station do not know if the fire has been knocked down yet. --projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 11:19 AM | Comment Pope visit: He cites injustices to Native AmericansIn his homily, Pope Benedict XVI praised the American Church, founded two centuries ago in Baltimore, Boston, New York, and Philadelphia. He praised the church –– and the nation at large –– for “bringing together wildly differing immigrant groups.” He spoke of Americans as always “A people of hope” whose ancestors arrived expecting to find “new freedom and opportunity, while the vastness of the unexplored wilderness inspired in them the hope of being able to start completely anew.” But as he has done now several times since his arrival in the US, Benedict looked at the other side of the American ledger. This nation’s “promise was not experienced by all the inhabitants of this land; one thinks of the injustices endured by the Native American peoples and by those brought here forcibly from Africa as slaves” Yet said that here again Christian hope and forgiveness has inspired Americans to try to repair these wrongs. Benedict then spoke for the third time in three days of a contemporary wrong, inflicted by members of the church itself.: the sexual abuse of children. “No words of mine could describe the pain and harm inflicted by such abuse,” the pope said. “It is important that those who suffered be given loving pastoral instruction. Nor can I adequately describe the damage that has occurred within the community of the church great efforts have already been made to deal honestly and fairly with this tragic situation, and to ensure that the children –– whom our lord loves so deeply, and who are our greatest treasure –– can grow up in a safe environment.” Benedict told the crowd: “Today I encourage each of you to do what you can to foster healing and reconciliation and to assist those who have been hurt.” Compared to the drama with which Pope John Paul II addressed the crowds among the national monuments a couple of miles from here almost 29 years ago, Benedict spoke in conversational, sometimes almost intimate, tones. He spoke quietly with a soft-edged German accent that was sometimes breathy and occasionally piping. When he returned to the topic of clerical sexual abuse, Benedict's tempo slowed and his demeanor seemed to take on added emotion. -- John E. Mulligan, Journal Washington Bureau Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 11:15 AM | Comment Pope visit: Popemobile takes a drive around the field
WASHINGTON, DC -- At 9:34 this morning, the popemobile emerged through the gate in the green wall in center field of the Washington Nationals' baseball field to cheers from the sellout crowd. The pope's wide-windowed white car rolled past the bullpen in left field, the third base line the visitors dugout, and around the diamond as the faithful waived their tiny yellow and white papal flags. The smiling pontiff gestured repeatedly to the crowd, outstretched his arms and then blessed the faithful again and again, his right hand inscribing the sign of the cross. The choir sang “Holy God We Praise Thy Name,” and thousands in the crowd joined in: "Holy god we praise thy name. Infinite thy vast domain everlasting is thy name." In a special tribute to the Bavarian pontiff, the choir sang the third verse in German. -- John E. Mulligan, Journal Washington Bureau
Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 10:36 AM | Comment Nurses strike averted at Butler HospitalPROVIDENCE — A threatened nurses’ strike at Butler Hospital has been averted. But they reached an agreement with management early Thursday that will keep them on the job. A key sticking point was the hospital’s use of so-called “travel nurses,” who work for staffing agencies. The union argued that the hospital was using the travel nurses instead of hiring full-time employees. Hospital management says the use of travel nurses is rare but necessary. -- The Associated Press Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 8:57 AM | Comment Pope's visit: Crowds gather at ballpark for morning Mass
In this photo provided by the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, Pope Benedict XVI says Vespers in the Crypt at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception with the bishops of the United States in Washington yesterday. WASHINGTON –– World Series-class multitudes streamed before sunrise toward Pope Benedict XVI’s ballpark altar where he was to say Mass later this morning. By 8:30 a.m., the newly built National's Park stadium was halfway filled, and a great river of humanity poured down Half Street from the direction of the sun-washed Dome and into the gates. Inside the Park it was reconciliation alfresco as a hundred priests heard confessions under white tents on a concrete plaza among the hot dog stands and beer concession (not yet open for business at this hour). “It’s a pretty powerful witness –– 50,000 people or more here to see the pope say Mass,” said the Rev. Bernard Healy, the State House lobbyist for the Diocese of Providence, who was seated in a luxury box off third baseline, courtesy of some fellow political priests form Maryland. “It’s a ballpark, but it looks like a beautiful outdoor church,”said Healey. From the left-field b bleachers, near the 336-foot sign, hand-slapping gospel choir, 200 strong and clad in white, sang “Jesus is Nigh” with a brass band punctuating their words. Nuns and lay workers patrolled the gates, giving directions and handing out programs wearing black baseball caps that bore the red papal seal. The Rev. James Cuddy, O.P., said it was “Beautiful to see how hundreds of people want to take the opportunity in these days of great grace to prepare themselves as well as possible spiritually to be here with the pope.” A 31-year old Braintree, Mass. native with a crew cut, blue eyes and a hooded white vestment, Cuddy said of his own spiritual journey, “I never considered a vocation until I went to Providence College and met the Dominicans there.” Cuddy said, “If I could look back 15 years and imagine being here today to witness the pope –– let alone being a priest, hearing confessions –– it would’ve been a bit too much for me to handle.” The priest lives and works in the Dominican House of Studies in Washington, not far from the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, where Benedict prayed last night with the nation’s bishops, and The Catholic University of America, where he will address educators this evening. -- John E. Mulligan, Washington Bureau Chief Projo.com will stay on top of events with constantly updated coverage from the Associated Press, live video, and on-the-scene reports from John E. Mulligan, The Providence Journal's Washington bureau chief. Mulligan will be filing news of special interest to Rhode Islanders for projo.com. As a veteran of a visit by former Pope John Paul II, Mulligan has a special vantage point in terms of comparisons and impressions. Here's the pope's itinerary for the pope's entire visit. Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 7:17 AM | Comment Today's front page, the pope leads the paperOn today's front page, Journal Staff writer Bruce Landis writes about the cost and extent of repairs needed on the Henderson Bridge, which connects the East Side of Providence to East Providence. John E. Mulligan, at the Washington Bureau and Richard C. Dujardin, Journal religion writer, cover Pope Benedict XVI's visit to the United States. Download a .PDF copy of today's front page. Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 7:01 AM | Comment Meet the HSGameTime All-State wrestlers, online in printThe 2008 HSGameTime Providence Journal All-State wrestling team is online at www.hsgametime.com/rhodeisland. We asked each of our first-team selections to fill out a personal survey with questions including favorite TV show, favorite subject in school, and something people would be surprised to know about me. The athletes' answers, as well as audio clips of the wrestlers talking about what inspired them this past season, will accompany their bios on their own personal pages. Also, you will find full listings for the second team, All-Division and Academic All-State teams. Here is the full schedule for the All-State teams. The teams will be revealed at 6 p.m. each day online, and in the following day's newspaper. Wednesday: Wrestling Posted by Mike McDermott at 7:00 AM | Comment A good day to lunch outside; it will hit 71More sun, more blue skies, and warmer temperatures are in store for us today. The National Weather Service is forecasting the high temperature will surpass 70 degrees with an expected high of 71. We'll have calm east winds and clear, sunny skies. Along the coast, a distant ocean storm should keep temperatures cooler, reaching the lower 60s. Tonight the temperature drops to a mild 42 degrees with clear skies and mild, north winds. And tomorrow -- it will be hard to stay inside for this -- sunny, clear, and a high temperature on the warm side of 75 degrees. To keep tabs on the beautiful weather, see projo.com's weather page. Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 6:55 AM | Comment April 16, 2008Tonight: Blues at Chan's, rock at AS220, jazz in NewportHere's a random sample of some of the music you can hear tonight: Jimmy Nurns plays the blues at Chan's Restaurant, 267 Main St., Woonsocket. 765-1900. 8 p.m. $12. Forca Macabra/Kuolema and TBC play rock at AS220, 115 Empire St., Providence. 831-9327. 9 p.m. $7. All ages. Dick Lupino, Kirk Feather and Yvonne Monnett play jazz at Sardella's Restaurant, 30 Memorial Blvd., Newport. 849-6312. 7 to 9:30 p.m. Check out projo.com's full club and other listings. Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:45 PM | Comment Pressler, Bryant coach, wins right to sue Duke spokesmanDURHAM, N.C. -- A judge has allowed former Duke lacrosse coach Mike Pressler, who is now lacrosse coach at Bryant University in Smithfield, to pursue a slander and libel lawsuit against an official at Duke. The News & Observer of Raleigh reported that Durham County Superior Court Judge Howard Manning rejected claims Wednesday by Duke University that Pressler had to first go through the school's arbitration process. Pressler's attorneys said he is no longer bound by the terms of his past contracts. Pressler has accused Duke spokesman John Burness of making slanderous, libelous and defamatory remarks about him. Pressler lost his job several weeks after the 2006 party at which a stripper falsely claimed three players raped her. Pressler has written a book about the case. -- The Associated Press Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:20 PM | Comment Duffy, 32, gets 28 years at ACI for Pawtucket murderPROVIDENCE -- A Norton, Mass., man pleaded no contest this afternoon to one count of second-degree murder in the stabbing of Ronald Leone Jr. in Pawtucket in 2006. John Duffy, 32, of 3 Sailor Lane, was sentenced by Judge Mark A. Pfeiffer to 50 years -- with 28 of them to be served at the Adult Correctional Institutions in Cranston, and 22 years suspended with probation. In consideration of his plea in Providence County Superior Court, the state changed the charge from first-degree murder to second-degree murder. Members of the victim’s family were present today, and addressed the court, the Attorney General's office said. “I thank everyone involved in ensuring that this criminal is prevented from threatening the safety of our communities, and from creating more sorrow and heartbreak, such as that experienced by the Leone family,” said Attorney General Patrick C. Lynch. Duffy has been held without bail at the ACI since his 2006 arrest. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:55 PM | Comment Photo: Relaxing along the Providence River
Posted by Andrea Panciera at 5:01 PM | Comment Bid to get contractor's license leads to ID fraud arrestState police arrested a man yesterday that they allege is an illegal immigrant who presented a fake Rhode Island driver's license in an attempt to get a contractor's license. In a news release, the state police stated that Mario Chirinos, 31, of 96 Priscilla Ave., Providence, said he was a Bolivian citizen who entered the United States illegally. He is charged with identity fraud and filing a false document. "One of the major initiatives Superintendent Doherty committed to when he was sworn in a year ago was [investigating] ID theft,” Maj. Steven O’Donnell said in an interview, referring to Brendan P. Doherty, who heads the state police. “It’s a national problem, and this is another example.” O’Donnell said that Chirinos told investigators that he’d bought the identification cards off the streets in Providence. The state police are investigating whether the names on the identification cards belong to others. Chirinos was working for a company that installs carpets but wanted to go out on his own, O’Donnell said. So, Chirinos used false identification to attempt to get a real contractor’s license from the state, so he could form his own business, O’Donnell said. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Journal staff writer Amanda Milkovits The news release said that a man yesterday went to the counter at the Contractor's Registration and Licensing Board at the state Department of Administration building and presented an affidavit and a driver's license that bore the name and birth date of Effrain Tarquino, 34, of 364 Academy Ave., Providence. But an employee saw that the license did not bear the state seal, became suspicious and called Capitol Police. At 12:35 p.m., Capitol Police in Providence contacted the state police Lincoln barracks, and a state trooper found the driver's license was fake. Along with not having a state seal, its photo was not consistent with Rhode Island licenses.
State police said he told Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and state troopers that he had come into the United States illegally through Mexico and is a Bolivian citizen. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents put a detainer on Chirinos as "being amenable to deportation (illegal entry)," the state police said. Chirinos was arraigned at the state police Lincoln barracks before a justice of the peace and posted surety bail of $5,000. He was put in the custody of federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement and taken to the federal Wyatt Detention Center in Central Falls. Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:58 PM | Comment Traffic: Two lanes blocked on Route 95, Exit 22CPROVIDENCE -- Two left lanes are blocked on Route 95 south in the Exit 22C area because of a reported overturned vehicle, the state Transportation Management Center advised at 4:15 p.m. That is the Providence Place mall exit. State police are on scene. Check the Transportation Management Center Web site for traffic updates and Webcam views. Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:26 PM | Comment Art dealer who escaped from prison is going backPROVIDENCE -- New Jersey is the next destination for Rocco P. DeSimone, the Johnston art dealer charged with escaping from a minimum-security prison in that state after he was convicted of tax evasion. DeSimone today waived the right to hearings that could have kept him in Rhode Island, at least temporarily. His lawyer, Kevin Bristow, told Magistrate Judge Lincoln D. Almond that DeSimone would request a preliminary hearing once he is returned to the jurisdiction of the federal courts in New Jersey. DeSimone, who remained silent except to say, “Yes, your honor” when questioned by Almond, could have asked the judge to conduct a hearing in Rhode Island, although it was not certain that such a request would have been granted. A jury convicted DeSimone of tax evasion in 2005 after a trial that produced testimony about famous works of art worth large sums of money. The jury however acquitted him on charges of cheating a New York art dealer. He was within nine months of completing a prison sentence when, authorities said, he walked away on March 15 from the Federal Correctional Institution in Fairton, N.J. If he is convicted of escaping, he could get a prison sentence of up to five years, and be fined up to $250,000. He surrendered after five days of freedom. -- Journal staff writer Thomas J. Morgan His wife, Gail DeSimone, has been charged with harboring a fugitive for allegedly helping her husband escape. She has been ordered held in home confinement at the couple’s house, at 103 Hopkins Ave., Johnston. Federal authorities have said that Gail DeSimone flew to Philadelphia, 50 miles from the prison, rented a car, picked her husband up and drove him to Connecticut. Prosecutors presented evidence in a trial in March 2005 indicating that Rocco DeSimone in 1999 had brokered the sale of three paintings for $8.3 million: Canal at Zaandam, by Claude Monet, for $4.65 million; Les Mouettes, by Henri Matisse, for $650,000; and Jeune Fille Blonde, by Pierre Auguste Renoir, for $3 million. Prosecutors said that DeSimone told Janet Traeger Salz, the New York owner of Canal at Zaandam, that he had instead sold the painting for $2.7 million, pocketing most of the difference. Yet on his 1999 tax return, DeSimone reported only $1 million of that income. The government also said DeSimone falsely claimed the $1 million as a long-term capital gain rather than ordinary income, which is taxed at a higher rate. DeSimone was sentenced to 27 months in prison after that trial. Posted by Mike McKinney at 3:55 PM | Comment Henderson Bridge needs $50 million in repairsPROVIDENCE -- Another state bridge needs millions of dollars in repairs. And the state Department of Transportation today said it doesn't have the money. The Henderson Bridge, which crosses the Seekonk River from Providence's East Side to East Providence, is the latest in a series of bridges that need major repairs because of significant deterioration. Kazem Farhoumand, the agency's acting chief engineer, said the Henderson Bridge needs a $50 million rehabilitation, but that the DOT can only afford $3.3 million in repairs to the bridge's rusting steel beams. The bridge's center lanes have already been closed for more than a decade because of cracks in its concrete supports. Together, the flaws contributed to the bridge's substructure's "serious" rating under the Federal Highway Administration's classification system. Farhoumand said that, with the repairs planned now, the Henderson Bridge "should be good for at least another for 5 or 10 years. Built in 1969, the Henderson Bridge -- also known as the Red Bridge -- connects with Waterman and Angel streets in Providence and with Massasoit Avenue and Broadway in East Providence. The DOT, meanwhile, has also awarded another bridge repair contract for this construction season, for $2.1 million to add to the temporary shoring holding up nine bridges on Route 195 in the city. They won't be needed after the DOT finishes shifting traffic from that highway to a new section it is building. -- Journal staff writer Bruce Landis Posted by Mike McKinney at 3:30 PM | Comment Coventry man, 18, charged in stabbing of 15-year-oldCOVENTRY -- The police have arrested an 18-year-old man they allege stabbed a 15-year-old boy in the 500 block of Washington Street last night. Bryan Bainter of Coventry is charged with felony assault and was slated for arraignment some time after 2 p.m. today, a Coventry police news release said. At 8:17 last night, officers went to the Coventry Greenway for a reported stabbing, finding the 15-year-old bleeding. The boy told police he was hanging out with some friends when another group of people approached. Someone from the victim's group began fighting with someone from the other group, and the 15-year-old was stabbed during the disturbance. The victim was taken to Kent County Hospital. Police issued a broadcast including Bainter's name and description, and an officer spotted him walking west of the Washington Street stabbing scene, the police said. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 3:19 PM | Comment Pope visit: Rep. Kennedy stirred by call for serviceWASHINGTON -- Rep. Patrick Kennedy, D-Rhode Island, said he was inspired by Pope Benedict XVI's call to serve the less fortunate and to be politically engaged. "It was really interesting to hear him speak so powerfully for politics," Kennedy said. "He spoke so eloquently for the need for people to be politically involved as the means to be a good, moral being." Kennedy said that listening to the pope reminded him of the call to service that his uncle, President John F. Kennedy, sounded in his 1961 inaugural speech. "He said, 'Here on earth, God's work must truly be our own,' " said Kennedy. Kennedy said it was a good reminder "that we have an obligation to fight for social justice" and to help the less fortunate. Rep. James Langevin, D-Rhode Island, who attended the White House welcome for Benedict with his mother, June, said, "We were both very moved." Langevin said it is always "an awesome experience" to visit the White House but that to attend this ceremony has "special significance for me as a Catholic and as someone who is very proud" that the pontiff is visiting the Untied States. Langevin said he took special note of the pope's references to the principle upon which this nation was founded, particularly the "inalienable rights" of individuals. And Langevin said he also appreciated Benedict's emphasis on the idea that freedom "is not only a gift but also a summons to personal responsibility." -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from John Mulligan of the Journal Washington Bureau Posted by Mike McKinney at 3:10 PM | Comment Sotheby's sells Attleboro museum painting for $713,000ATTLEBORO, Mass. -- A painting by Russian artist Alexandre Iacovleff donated to the Attleboro Art Museum a half century ago has been sold at auction for $713,000. The 4-foot by 7-foot painting entitled “Under a Kirghiz Tent” was sold Tuesday by auctioneer Sotheby’s. Sotheby’s did not disclose the name of the buyer. The painting was donated to the city in 1957 by W. Charles Thompson, who worked at a Boston art gallery and knew the artist personally. The Attleboro Art Museum decided to sell the painting after examining the cost of insurance and security. The 1932 painting shows a family gathering inside a tent. It was inspired by Iacovleff’s trip to Central Asia. The museum had originally put the painting up for auction in London last June, where it failed to sell. It had been expected to bring from $800,000 to $1 million. Attleboro Arts Museum, a small city-owned museum, was seeking to use the money from the sale to beef up its endowment and expand its community outreach programs. -- The Associated Press Posted by Mike McKinney at 2:58 PM | Comment Exeter accident sends at least two to the hospitalEXETER -- An accident in Exeter this afternoon has sent at least two people to local hospitals. Officers from the Hope Valley Barracks have said that one person was taken to Hasbro Children’s Hospital and another to Rhode Island Hospital. Witnesses to the accident, which was at Woody Hill Road and Ten Rod Road, said that sometime between 12 and 12:30 p.m. today they heard a squealing noise, and then a crash, and then another crash. The crash is under investigation. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson, with reports from Journal staff writer Donita Naylor Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 2:35 PM | Comment Car rolls over, catches fire; no occupants foundCRANSTON -- Fire and rescue crews are on the scene of an accident on Route 295 this afternoon where a car rolled over and caught on fire. When they arrived, on between Exits 3 and 4, there was no one in the vehicle. State police, local fire and emergency crews are still there, and the roads are still open, according to Cranston officials. It's not clear yet if there were any injuries.
Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 2:12 PM | Comment Pope visit: Tommy Lasorda's impressions at White HouseWASHINGTON -- Among those attending Pope Benedict XVI's White House visit today was Tommy Lasorda, the former Los Angeles Dodgers manager, who said: "This is a day that I'll remember for the rest of my life. I'll remember the pope coming coming here and sharing his love for this country." Comparing the ceremonial layout of the South Lawn to that of a baseball diamond, Lasorda said: "I was about as far away from the pope as Jeff Kent is when he's playing second base." (Translation for Red Sox Nation: Kent plays for the Dodgers). Lasorda said the message he heard from Benedict was "we're all brothers and we're all sisters and we have to live like that and we have to appreciate life." -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from John E. Mulligan of the Journal Washington Bureau Posted by Mike McKinney at 1:44 PM | Comment Pope visit: Hopes that church, U.S. can do good together
Monsignor Paul Theroux, vicar general of Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence, has had much experience working on the travels of the late Pope John Paul II. He said he believed that Benedict in his remarks at the White House was laying a foundation of themes that he will sound out during his visit to the United States this week. Theroux took note of the pope's remarks applauding the generous American response to disasters around the world and speculated that –– perhaps at the United Nations later this week –– the pope will urge “we ought to be doing this all the time on a global level, every day, rather than just when catastrophe strikes.” Former Boston Mayor Raymond Flynn, who was a U.S. ambassador to the Vatican during the Clinton administration, said he was reminded while watching President Bush and the pope today of the first meetings in the 1980s between President Ronald Reagan and John Paul II. “When I was a kid we used to pray for the end of communism, never thinking that it would come about,” Flynn recalled of his school days in Boston. “It took Ronald Reagan and it took John Paul II working together” to help trigger the fall of the Iron Curtain, Flynn said. “That is the power of working together for a joint cause. Let us hope that these two leaders, the leader of the Roman Catholic Church and the leader of the United States can get together” to achieve another such unlikely achievement for the world. -- John E. Mulligan, Journal Washington bureau Posted by Andrea Panciera at 12:34 PM | Comment Lt. Gov. Roberts to air health plan in W. WarwickIn the third of several planned meetings, Lt. Gov. Elizabeth Roberts and a handful of local officials will answer questions in West Warwick tonight about Roberts' proposed Healthy Rhode Island Reform Act, eight bills aimed at increasing the availability of health care. Roberts is also soliciting anecdotes from residents illustrating how poor or no access to health care has affected their lives. The public meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at the West Warwick Senior Center, at 20 Factory St. Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 12:14 PM | Comment R.I. single-family home sales, prices plunge in FebruaryPROVIDENCE -- The number of single-family homes sold in Rhode Island in February dropped 18.6 percent, and median prices fell 4.7 percent in the biggest February declines since the 1990s. Real estate tracking firm The Warren Group says the last time sales fell so precipitously in February was in 1991. The last time median prices fell so far in the month was 1995. The median price of a single family home dropped to $245,000, down from $257,000 in 2007. Timothy Warren Jr., the group's chief executive, says prices have declined for 11 of the last 12 months. The Warren Group says condo sales also plunged 30 percent in February. The one bright spot is that the median price of condos sold in February rose 3.1 percent to $219,500, up from $213,000 in February 2007. -- The Associated Press Posted by Mike McKinney at 12:12 PM | Comment Pope visit: Planned pomp and a bit of improv
WASHINGTON -- The trumpeters sounded "Hail to the Chief" at 10:25 as President Bush arrived in a dark suit with First Lady Laura Bush clad in white. The vice president and his wife, Lynn Cheney, entered with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice as the honor guard presented its flags and black automobiles pulled in front of the Truman Balcony. Snare drums were beating. The Bushes approached a black limousine and greeted Pope Benedict XVI, as he stepped out, onto the South Lawn of the White House. The pontiff stood with the president, put his arms out peacefully to the crowd and stood for the playing of the National Anthem of the Holy See and the National Anthem of the United States. An unscripted moment: After the fife and drum cops marched in review, someone in the bleachers yelled, “Happy Birthday!” The crowd then treated the pontiff to a bit of American improv for his 81st birthday -- a round of "Happy Birthday," off the cuff and a capella. After the pope said, “God bless America,” a chorus sang “Battle Hymn of the Republic.” The president, first lady and pope left the stage and mounted the steps to the Truman Balcony. The pontiff stood between two gleaming white columns, and stretched out his arms above a box of yellow daffodils that matched the yellow in the papal flag, toward the crowd. Kathleen Battle led the congregation in a second round of "Happy Birthday." Start to finish, 10:25 to 10:59 a.m. -- John E. Mulligan, Journal Washington bureau Posted by Andrea Panciera at 11:17 AM | Comment Art and healing; RISD program wins international awardA Rhode Island School of Design course that pairs fine arts students with young psychiatric patients has won an international award. The Rhode Island School of Design’s Art as a Source of Healing class has been awarded top honor in the Blair L. Sadler International Arts and Healing Competition for representing “one of the most innovative arts projects, demonstrating a unique partnership between a hospital, a medical school and an art school.” The program runs in collaboration with Bradley Hospital, Brown University and RISD. It brings undergraduate students together with patients at the East Providence Hospital, the country’s first that exclusively helps children, adolescents and teenagers with mental and emotional problems. “This course helps our students develop awareness and interest in serving their community through their artistic talents, an important lesson and one that can’t be easily taught in a classroom,” said program coordinator Melinda M. Bridgman. “In many ways, my students are actually learning more from the children at Bradley, not the other way around.” The program brings art students, pre-med students, and psychiatric patients together to work on art projects and develop mentor-type relationships that benefit all parties. “Art as a Source of Healing is more than just a college course,” Margaret Paccione-Dyszlewski, director of the department of behavioral education at Bradley said in a statement. “It is truly a life-changing experience for both the students as well as the patients here at Bradley Hospital,” says Margaret. Margaret Paccione-Dyszlewski and Bridgman will be presented with awards on April 18 at the Society for the Arts in Healthcare’s 19th annual conference in Philadelphia. Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 11:11 AM | Comment Pope visit: Thousands await outside White HouseWASHINGTON -- Shortly after 9 a.m., scores of American cardinals and bishops entered the White House, wearing their red-trimmed black vestments and red skull caps. Seated in the VIP section were Rep. Patrick J. Kennedy, D-R.I., seated with his father, Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., and Rep. James R. Langevin, D-R.I. The younger Kennedy remarked, “It’s a beautiful morning for this.” Rhode Island's Sens. Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse were not in the VIP section today. But tonight Reed will be among those at a birthday party for the pope at the Italian embassy. The sun was shining on the Truman Balcony of the White House and the South Lawn below, and volunteers handed out ornate programs and tiny flags –– both American flags and the yellow and white flags bearing the papal seal. The pope is expected to enter along a red carpet and sit on a small stage with just two seats behind a microphone. He’ll address a crowd which is already thousands strong –– the largest ever for such a White House event. Among the procession is Cardinal Sean Patrick O’Malley, the Capuchin friar who first came to public attention as bishop of the Fall River Diocese who settled lawsuits by sexual abuse victims of Father James Porter. O’Malley took over in Boston for Cardinal Bernard Law, who resigned in disgrace after revelations of sexual abuse cases in 2002. As the crowd ringed the stage behind ropes stuffed with red, white and blue bunting, “The President’s Own” Marine band played sacred airs. A military color guard holding papal and American flags is lined up on the steps leading to the Truman Balcony, where flower boxes hold bright yellow tulips. Boy and Girl Scouts, wearing sashes of merit badges, Knights of Columbus in purple and crimson capes, and a fife and drum corps in colonial-style "Minute Men" uniforms add to the array. Live Associated Press video of the pope at the White House is scheduled to start at 10:30 a.m. To keep up with The Journal's coverage of the pope's visit, see our special section. -- John E. Mulligan, Journal Washington Bureau Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 10:20 AM | Comment Virginia Tech massacre: The impact one year later
Among his victims: Rhode Islander Daniel O'Neil, 22, of Lincoln. Yesterday, his father spoke to The Journal for the first time. William F. O'Neil says he takes some solace that the tragedy led colleges and universities across the country to enact safety rules and programs for their campuses. “Every college in the country is safer today than it was a year ago,” O'Neil said Since then, many campuses have taken steps, including those in Rhode Island. They include text alerts on cell phones, emergency sirens and "blue-light" emergency phones. Today, Virginia Tech will mark the tragedy's anniversary when parents, faculty and students will participate in a memorial service. Live video coverage will start at 10:30 a.m. Posted by Andrea Panciera at 9:50 AM | Comment From Marines to Al Jazeera: Correspondent speaksA former U.S. Marine captain turned Al Jazeera International correspondent is coming to Roger Williams University today to talk about intellectual freedom in the Middle East. John Rushing spent 15 years in the Marines and worked in Qatar as a spokesman during the war in Iraq. His work as an American spokesman on Al Jazeera was presented in the 2004 independent film “Control Room,” which was released at the Sundance Film Festival. Rushing resigned his commission and now works for Al Jazeera where, he says, he works to bridge a cultural divide that he believes is partially responsible for wars the United States is involved in. Rushing’s lecture is free and open to the public; it’s set to be held at 5:30 this evening at the university’s Recreation Center Gymnasium, One Old Ferry Road in Bristol. To reserve tickets, call 401-254-3067. The lecture is part of a two-day colloquium at Roger Williams University, “Intellectual Freedom in the Middle East: Perspectives and Opportunities.” The colloquium is by invitation only. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 9:07 AM | Comment Art dealer who escaped from prison due in court todayPROVIDENCE -- Rocco P. DeSimone, a former Johnston art dealer accused of escaping from a federal prison camp where he'd been serving time for tax evasion, is set to appear in court this afternoon. He's expected to ask that the escape case be moved to Rhode Island from New Jersey. DeSimone, 55, was charged in a federal warrant with fleeing the Federal Correctional Institution, in Fairton, N.J., a minimum-security facility for men. Federal authorities have said he was found to be missing at a 7 p.m. check on Saturday, March 15. He surrendered to U.S. marshals in Providence and first appeared in U.S. District Court March 19, two days after his wife, Gail DeSimone, was accused of helping him to escape. DeSimone had only nine months left to serve. That will be lengthened by any term he gets if convicted of escaping. He could receive up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 for the new offense, a U.S. Attorney's Office spokesman has said. Gail DeSimone surrendered to authorities and has been ordered held in home confinement at the couple’s house, at 103 Hopkins Ave., Johnston. Authorities have alleged that after DeSimone walked away from the New Jersey incarceration facility, his wife picked him up in a rental car after flying from Rhode Island to Philadelphia on Saturday. DeSimone made his bid for freedom just two days after FBI agents searched his home as part of an investigation into suspected fraud and money laundering, federal authorities said. The agents seized numerous items, including a $180,000 Ford GT sports car, Japanese swords and artifacts. -- With reports from Journal staff writer Thomas J. Morgan and Journal archival reports Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 9:02 AM | Comment Traffic: One seriously hurt in 3-car Cumberland crashOne person was seriously injured this morning after a crash in Cumberland. Police say there were three vehicles involved in the crash, near 266 High St. One car rolled over, Police said, and one person is being transported to the Rhode Island Hospital Trauma Center. The street is partially closed, and the accident is under investigation. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 8:29 AM | Comment Didn't make the tax filing deadline? It's not too lateWas it 12:01 a.m. by the time you made it to the post office to mail your tax forms? Or did you already file taxes only to realize you forgot something? There may be hope. Taxpayers can still file late returns. But here's the catch: If you owe money, you had to have paid your estimated tax by April 15 to avoid penalty fees. If you remembered an additional deduction, or forgot to include an income source, you can add an amendment -- but again, if you owe money, and to avoid a penalty, you needed to file the amendment by April 15. And, according to the IRS Web site, amended returns should not be filed until after the original return has been processed, about six to eight weeks. Online filers can get six-month extensions, but to do so, you must have filed the automatic extension of time to file form -- by April 15. In essence, you needed to anticipate a problem, let the IRS know, and then go about solving it. For more information on taxes, visit Tax Time on projo.com, or see the IRS Web site, where taxpayers can check the status of refunds, find help from taxpayer advocates. If you've ever wondered "Why do I have to pay taxes?"... the IRS has a few answers. And, the IRS has one last reminder: It is never too late to file. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 8:25 AM | Comment The pope's visit to the U.S., with a Rhode Island anglePope Benedict XVI's visit to the United States will go into high gear today with his first full day in the nation's capital. Projo.com will stay on top of events with constantly updated coverage from the Associated Press, live video, and on-the-scene reports from John E. Mulligan, The Providence Journal's Washington bureau chief. Mulligan will be filing news of special interest to Rhode Islanders for projo.com. As a veteran of a visit by former Pope John Paul II, Mulligan has a special vantage point in terms of comparisons and impressions. Here's the pope's itinerary for his entire visit. Coming up today will be live video from Pope Benedict XVI's meeting with President Bush at the White House at 10:30 a.m. While the meeting itself is closed, the Associated Press will have live coverage of the arrival and departure ceremonies. The pope will also take part in a small parade on leaving the White House to return to the Vatican residence in Washington. For more about the pope's visit, and our coverage, see projo.com's special section. Projo.com also wants to know: What does the pope's visit mean to you? Please respond to our survey with your answer and see what others have to say. Posted by Andrea Panciera at 7:57 AM | Comment You can hear Scorsese talk at Brown film festPROVIDENCE -- Legendary director Martin Scorsese, the force behind such films as "Taxi Driver," which forever made the question "You talkin' to me?" ominously iconic, "Raging Bull" and the more recent "The Departed," is slated to speak at Brown University on Saturday. Scorsese, who emerged on the gritty 1970s film scene, will appear as part of the Ivy Film Festival, the university said today. He'll give what film fest organizers call a "master class" in Salomon 101 at 3 p.m. Tickets are required and can be picked up at the Faunce Box Office starting at 11 a.m. today. His documentary on the Rolling Stones, "Shine a Light," is in IMAX and other theaters now. The university said it is scheduled to be shown at the Avon Theater, on Providence's East Side, at noon and 5 p.m. on Saturday. Passes, which admit two people, are required and can be picked up at the Faunce Box Office today and Friday or at the festival's table on the green on Thursday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. On Saturday, 30 student films will be screened at the seventh annual Ivy Film Festival, along with several professional films presented by their directors. All are free and open to the public -- no advance tickets required. The festival's awards ceremony will be at 8 p.m. Saturday, with keynote speaker Tom Rothman, co-chairman of Fox Filmed Entertainment. Winning films will be screened on Sunday. Want to know more about Scorsese and his work? Click below. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney "Shine a Light" is not Scorsese's first foray into rock and roll on camera. During the 1970s, he also filmed an acclaimed documentary on the farewell concert of The Band -- many of whose members previously played behind Bob Dylan -- called "The Last Waltz." Dylan, Eric Clapton, Joni Mitchell and others performed with The Band at the Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco, a venue that hosted legends-in -the-making in the 1960s but would close by the end of the '70s. "Taxi Driver" centered on Travis Bickle, a portrait of a driver who eventually carries out violence. In the film were Robert DeNiro, the driver who uttered the now famous question before killing a pimp, and Jodie Foster, who played a young prostitute. "Raging Bull" portrayed boxer Jake LaMotta. "The Departed," which came out in 2006, starred Jack Nicholson as a gangster who had an informant in the Boston Police Department, which, in turn, had an informant among Nicholson's cadre of tough guys. Posted by Andrea Panciera at 7:20 AM | Comment 3 supporters of crime victims to be honored by stateThree local women will be honored today for their work helping victims of crimes at a ceremony commemorating the 28th anniversary of National Crime Victims' Rights Week. Attorney General Patrick Lynch will join the the Crime Victim Service Providers Steering Committee at the Victims Grove Memorial at Memorial Park in Providence, on South Main Street, to present the citations. "Whether in working to end violence or in helping victims overcome its awful and damaging effects," Lynch said in a statement, "all three of this year's honorees are making extraordinary contributions in increasing protections for individuals, and creating safer communities as well." Recognized will be Ann Burke of Saunderstown who has worked with her husband, Christopher, and the state to create the Lindsay Anne Burke Act. The law, which aims to end dating violence by thought the schools and other means, was named after the Burkes' daughter, who was killed by her former boyfriend in 2005. Lisa Davis of Jamestown, will be recognized for her work with the advocacy group Day One, assisting survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence and hate crimes. And Carol Peloquin, a full-time Rhode Island College student, will be honored for her work as an intern with the Institute for the Study and Practice of Nonviolence's victims' support center. There the Woonsocket resident also works with the Victims Compensation Program. For information about victims' support services in Rhode Island, visit the Department of Corrections' Office of Victims' Services, which offers information about the state's offender notification system as well as connections to support services throughout the state. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 7:15 AM | Comment Weather: Don't worry, it will warm upWe're in store for another nice day, despite its chilly start. Temperatures are only in the mid-30s now, but the National Weather Service says thanks to a very dry airmass, temperatures will quickly rise, hitting about 65 degrees this afternoon. We'll have sunny skies all day long and calm, south winds. It should be cooler near the coast, with sea breezes keeping temperatures in the high 50s. Tonight the temperature should drop to around 37 degrees with calm, south winds. More of the same, only a little better, tomorrow with sunny skies, high temperatures reaching toward 70, and calm east winds. For weather updates, check projo.com's weather page. Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 7:01 AM | Comment April 15, 2008Photo: A day for international diversity at J&W
Posted by Andrea Panciera at 7:03 PM | Comment Tonight: Jazz at URI and rock at AS220Jazz is on tap at the University of Rhode Island tonight, while in Providence there's rock. The Afro-Cuban Ensemble directed by Eric Platz and URI Jazz Prototype, Version 2.0, directed by Jared Sims, play jazz at the University of Rhode Island, Fine Arts Center, 105 Upper College Rd. (off Route 138), Kingston. 874-2431. 7:30 p.m. $8; $2 students. Musee Mechanique, Alec K. Redfearn and Hannes Buder play rock at AS220, 115 Empire St., Providence. 831-9327. 10 p.m. $6. All ages. The Mike Tanaka Trio and Friends have a jazz jam at The Blackstone, Hope Artiste Village, 1005 Main St., Pawtucket. 726-2181. 8 p.m. to midnight. No cover. For more of what's playing, check the Journal's club calendar. Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:54 PM | Comment New PC coach: 'We can do something special here'
PROVIDENCE -- Keno Davis, introduced today as Providence College's new men's basketball coach, said at a news conference that the team "is at a tipping point where we can do something special here." With as many as 300 people, including cheerleaders and a band, attending the 5 p.m. announcement in Alumni Hall, Davis expressed thanks to Drake University, where he has been coach this season and assistant coach for four prior seasons. "They did everything they could and more to try to keep me there," Davis said. "It was a tough decision." But he said the lure of playing in the Big East and one of the biggest conferences in the country drew him to Providence College. Davis, 36, won the Associated Press' National Coach of the Year award at the Final Four last week after leading Drake to a 28-5 record in his first season as head coach. Davis arrived in Providence on Monday and discussed particulars of the job into the night with athletic director Bob Driscoll. A contract was apparently agreed upon this morning. The question of who would replace former PC coach Tim Welsh had been hovering over the program for a month. The Friars thought they had a new coach twice before in this laborious process and were ultimately turned down, first by George Mason’s Jim Larranaga and then by UMass’ Travis Ford. -- With reports from Journal sports writers Paul Kenyon and Kevin McNamara Davis is the son of Dr. Tom Davis, who was the head coach at Boston College from 1977-82. Keno was born in 1972 and raised as a BC fan before his dad left to take a job at Stanford and then moved on to Iowa and then Drake from 2003-07 where he was joined by his son, Keno. Bob Driscoll, Providence College's athletic director, said at the news conference: "This is a great day to be a Friar." Driscoll introduced the coach and the coach's wife, Krista. Driscoll said the good news is Davis spent part of his childhood in Boston and his father coached ar Boston College -- and that the new coach is a Red Sox fan. (His wife is a Cardinals fan). Father Brian Shanley, Providence College's president, was involved in the search for the new coach. "Keno is an answer to prayer. I really believe that," Shanley said. Shanley noted that Keno has gotten several coaching awards. "To get the consensus national coach of the year to come to Providence College, is a great treat for us," Shanley said. The Drake University Bulldogs were picked to finish ninth in the 10-team Missouri Valley Conference but blossomed into the most surprising team in the nation on the way to a conference title with a 15-3 record. At one point, Drake won 21 games in a row. Drake advanced to the NCAA's for the first time since 1971. The Bulldogs lost to Western Kentucky in the first round on a last-second 3-point shot in overtime. Keno Davis was previously an assistant coach at Drake from 2003–2007, Southeast Missouri State 1997–2003, Southern Indiana 1995–1997, as well as an undergraduate assistant coach at Iowa from 1991–1995. He and his wife Krista, whom he married in 2005, have a son, Brady, who was born in November 2007. Read more about the new coach in the school's news release. Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:24 PM | Comment Providence man dies after being pinned under truckPROVIDENCE -- A man died today after he was crushed by a truck when the jack being used to prop it up slipped, public safety officials said. “There were two guys working on a pickup truck and somehow there was a mishap and the truck fell on the chest of one of the men,” said Fire Department Acting Battalion Chief David Soscia. The police identified the victim as Jairo Rivas, 43, of 30 Lucy St. The accident occurred shortly before 11 a.m. in the driveway of a house at 73 Salina St., at the corner of Berkshire Street in the Wanskuck neighborhood. Soscia said that when emergency services workers arrived at the scene, the truck had been propped up again. Rivas was pulled out from beneath the truck and placed on a backboard, and a neck collar was attached to him. Medical technicians performed CPR because he was not breathing, Soscia said. In the rescue truck, he said, the technicians were able to restore a tentative heartbeat but were unable to sustain it. A faltering heartbeat was restored again at Rhode Island Hospital, but then Rivas was pronounced dead, according to Soscia. The police said that the full-sized pickup somehow moved forward on the jack and then fell off and pinned Rivas. A witness, Alex Recinos, of 73 Salina, told the police that he saw the driveshaft of the truck resting on Rivas’s chest, that he yelled for help, and that with the assistance of two neighbors, he was able to get the truck jacked up again. -- Journal staff writer Gregory Smith Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:57 PM | Comment R.I.'s senators honor Cambodia's Dith PranRhode Island's senators today introduced a resolution in honor of Dith Pran, who in the 1970s worked with New York Times reporter Sydney H. Schanberg to cover the war that spilled into Cambodia and who then spent years under Pol Pot's ensuing brutal Khmer Rouge regime before escaping. Dith, who came to live in the United States and became a voice for never forgetting the tragedy in Cambodia, died of cancer on March 30. He had become a photojournalist for The New York Times in this country. Schanberg won the 1976 Pulitzer Prize for international reporting for the Cambodia coverage. Schanberg's 1980 New York Times Magazine article, "The Death and Life of Dith Pran" was the basis for "The Killing Fields," the 1984 Academy Award-winning film. In a news release, Democratic Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse and Jack Reed note that Rhode Island's Cambodian community is celebrating the Cambodian New Year as the resolution is introduced. "Dith Pran was a witness to, and a fierce critic of, the greatest atrocities men have inflicted upon their fellow men,” Whitehouse said in the statement. “His willingness to share his story brought light to dark places, and hope to millions.” Reed stated: “Dith Pran devoted his life to exposing the horrors he experienced during the Cambodian genocide,” and added, "He gave a voice to the 2 million men, women, and children who were killed by the Khmer Rouge. By sharing their stories and his own experiences, Mr. Dith’s work as an advocate for human rights will continue to have an impact for generations to come.” Extra: Read about Rhode Island Cambodians recalling Dith Pran following his death. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:46 PM | Comment Mobster Marrapese won't be getting out tomorrowJailed mobster Frank L. "Bobo’’ Marrapese Jr. won’t be getting out of prison as planned tomorrow. Apparently so much media attention has been given to his expected place of work, Anthony’s Restaurant, that the Johnston eatery has had second thoughts about employing him, said state corrections spokeswoman Tracey Poole. Marrapese, now 65, was expected to be paroled from the Adult Correctional Institutions in Cranston for the first time in 25 years. The convicted killer was to spend tomorrow morning getting processed and fitted for an electronic monitoring bracelet on his ankle before rejoining society. "What this means is he has to get a job placement planned approved [by the Parole Board] before he gets released,’’ said Poole. One of the conditions of parole is that inmates must have an approved job plan before they are released. -- Journal staff writer Tom Mooney Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:41 PM | Comment Scorsese to give 'master class' at Brown's Ivy film festPROVIDENCE -- Legendary director Martin Scorsese, the force behind such films as "Taxi Driver," which forever made the question "You talkin' to me?" ominously iconic, "Raging Bull" and the more recent "The Departed," is slated to speak at Brown University on Saturday. Scorsese, who emerged on the gritty 1970s film scene, will appear as part of the Ivy Film Festival, the university said today. He'll give what film fest organizers call a "master class" in Salomon 101 at 3 p.m. Tickets are required and can be picked up at the Faunce Box Office starting at 11 a.m. tomorrow. His documentary on the Rolling Stones, "Shine a Light," is in IMAX and other theaters now. The university said it is scheduled to be shown at the Avon Theater, on Providence's East Side, at noon and 5 p.m. on Saturday. Passes, which admit two people, are required and can be picked up at the Faunce Box Office tomorrow and Friday or at the festival's table on the green on Thursday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. On Saturday, 30 student films will be screened at the seventh annual Ivy Film Festival, along with several professional films presented by their directors. All are free and open to the public -- no advance tickets required. The festival's awards ceremony will be at 8 p.m. Saturday, with keynote speaker Tom Rothman, co-chairman of Fox Filmed Entertainment. Winning films will be screened on Sunday. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney "Shine a Light" is not Scorsese's first foray into rock and roll on camera. During the 1970s, he also filmed an acclaimed documentary on the farewell concert of The Band -- many of whose members previously played behind Bob Dylan -- called "The Last Waltz." Dylan, Eric Clapton, Joni Mitchell and others performed with The Band at the Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco, a venue that hosted legends-in -the-making in the 1960s but would close by the end of the '70s. "Taxi Driver" centered on Travis Bickle, a portrait of a driver who eventually carries out violence. In the film were Robert DeNiro, the driver who uttered the now famous question before killing a pimp, and Jodie Foster, who played a young prostitute. "Raging Bull" portrayed boxer Jake LaMotta. "The Departed," which came out in 2006, starred Jack Nicholson as a gangster who had an informant in the Boston Police Department, which, in turn, had an informant among Nicholson's cadre of tough guys. Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:06 PM | Comment Update: Man, 19, wounded in Providence shooting
Journal photo / Bill Murphy An evidence marker is placed near a shell casing at the scene. PROVIDENCE -- The man shot and wounded this morning on Harvard Avenue has been identified as 19-year-old Donald Young of Providence, according to police reports. Young, of 23 Robin St., was shot once in the right thigh, a non-life threatening injury, according to police, and taken by a relative to Rhode Island Hospital in Providence. He also scraped his hand when he fell running from the scene. Police said they received a call at about 10:30 a.m. from someone reporting gunshots at 39-41 Harvard Ave. About a dozen shell casings were found in the street outside the building, a duplex with a historical plaque that reads "William Halton House." There are also bullet holes in the building's ground floor window. Maj. Paul C. Fitzgerald said this morning that police believe the shooter left in a Ford Explorer. Witnesses said they saw the person who was shot leave in a car. Fitzgerald said no victim or suspect was at the scene, but a male with gunshot wounds was located by police at the hospital. -- projo.com staff writers Michael P. McKinney and Brandie M. Jefferson, with reports from Journal staff writer Gregory Smith Posted by Mike McKinney at 3:46 PM | Comment DOT gets out the broom tonight on metro area highwaysIt's spring cleaning time for the state Department of Transportation. Tonight, the DOT will sweep sand leftover from winter storm operations from highways in the Providence metropolitan area, between 9 o'clock and 7 a.m. Motorists on I-95, I-195, Route 6 and Route 146 may encounter a moving operation of road sweepers and accompanying vehicles, the DOT says. Various lanes and exit ramps may be closed briefly as the moving operation passes. DOT urges drivers to slow down and take care if they encounter sweepers. The limits of the sweeping operations are: - I-95 North and South from Exit 11 (I-295) in Warwick to the Massachusetts state line. DOT will also provide information on sweeping operations on its Web site, at www.tmc.state.ri.us/traveladvisories.asp, on electronic message boards, the Highway Advisory Radio system (1630 AM) and 511. Posted by Andrea Panciera at 3:34 PM | Comment Patriots' 2008 regular-season schedule unveiledThe National Football League has just unveiled the full schedule for the 2008 season. Click here to view the full schedule. The New England Patriots will begin their 2008 season with a home game at 1 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 7, against the Kansas City Chiefs. The Pats will play one Monday night game -- at Gillette Stadium on Oct. 20 against the Denver Broncos -- as well as three Sunday night games, all on the road: at San Diego on Oclt. 12, at Indianapolis on Nov. 2 and at Seattle on Dec. 7. Additionally, the Patriots will host the Jets for a Thursday night prime-time game on Nov. 13. Here's the full schedule for the Pats: Sept. 7: Kansas City Chiefs, 1 p.m. Posted by Mike McDermott at 2:08 PM | Comment Alert: Drake's Davis is PC's new coachProvidence College has just confirmed that it will hire Drake University coach Keno Davis has its next basketball coach. The question of who would replace Tim Welsh had hovered over the program for a month now. The Friars thought they had a new coach twice before in this laborious process and were ultimately turned down, first by George Mason’s Jim Larranaga and then by UMass’ Travis Ford. Davis will be introduced at a news conference at 5 p.m. today at PC's Alumni Hall. Fans and friends of the program are encouraged to attend the new coach's introduction. Davis, 36, won the Associated Press' National Coach of the Year award at the Final Four last week after leading Drake to a 28-5 record in his first season as head coach. Davis arrived in Providence on Monday and discussed particulars of the job into the night with athletic director Bob Driscoll. A contract was apparently agreed upon this morning. Davis is the son of Dr. Tom Davis who was the head coach at Boston College from 1977-82. Davis was born in 1972 and raised as a BC fan before his dad left to take a job at Stanford and then moved on to Iowa and then Drake from 2003-07 where he was joined by his son, Keno. The Bulldogs were picked to finish ninth in the 10-team Missouri Valley Conference but blossomed into the most surprising team in the nation on the way to a conference title with a 15-3 record. At one point, Drake won 21 games in a row. Drake advanced to the NCAA's for the first time since 1971. The Bulldogs lost to Western Kentucky in the first round on a last-second 3-point shot in overtime. Keno Davis was previously an assistant coach at Drake from 2003–2007, Southeast Missouri State 1997–2003, Southern Indiana 1995–1997, as well as an undergraduate assistant coach at Iowa from 1991–1995. He currently lives with his wife Krista, whom he married in 2005. They have a son, Brady, who was born in November 2007. Posted by Mike McDermott at 12:54 PM | Comment DOT holds construction opener at Washington Bridge
“Today, we are pleased to hold our construction season opener,” Michael P. Lewis, the DOT's new director, said in a statement. “Although I won’t be throwing out a first pitch, I will be pitching a message of safety.” Lewis asked motorists to be aware of construction workers, and pay attention to signs, cones and work zones. Projects include: * Replacing the Washington Bridge, which carries Route 195 east over the Seekonk River between Providence and East Providence. It is slated to be finished by year's end. * More work on the Route 195 interchange relocation, known as the Iway: Opening the new Fox Point pedestrian bridge and opening a new ramp to carry Route 195 east into India Point Park. It should be finished this year. * Replacing the Main Road Bridge in Tiverton, which the DOT said is under way. It is targeted to be finished this summer and precedes the Sakonnet River Bridge replacement. * Relocation of Route 403 in North Kingstown and East Greenwich is continuing with several bridge projects. Parts of the project should finish in the summer and fall, while other parts will wrap up in summer 2009. Several other projects in the state, from Warwick to Block Island, will be under way as well, the DOT said. Take a look at construction projects, and their status, on the DOT's Web site. -- projo.com staff writers Michael P. McKinney and Brandie M. Jefferson Posted by Mike McKinney at 12:09 PM | Comment Body found in Blackstone ID'd as Woonsocket womanCUMBERLAND -- The woman's body recovered from the Blackstone River in Saturday was identified as that of Diane Derosier, 50, of Woonsocket, the state Office of the Medical Examiners confirmed. Derosier, who was unemployed and living with friends at 119 Chester St., was reported missing on Feb. 21, according to Woonsocket police. The medical examiners' office completed an autopsy on the body yesterday, but said that it was not releasing the findings because officials had been unable to reach her family. A cause of death is pending further tests, according to Health Department spokeswoman Helen Drew. Rescue personnel from Cumberland and Lincoln recovered the woman’s body from the river near the Route 295 overpass after a jogger on the bike path along the Blackstone River noticed it floating downriver at around 3:30 p.m. They found the body about 15 feet offshore in water about 15 to 20 feet deep, not far from The River Lofts at Ashton Mill on Front Street, police said. Cumberland Police Chief John Desmarais said over the weekend that the woman was found wearing a long-sleeve black shirt, blue jeans and work boots. There were no apparent signs of trauma, Desmarais added. -- Journal staff writer Philip Marcelo Posted by Mike McKinney at 11:49 AM | Comment Money to help female prisoners reenter societyThe state’s Department of Corrections is getting help from the federal government to help women who have been incarcerated reenter society. The money –– more than $134,000 –– will go to the DOC’s Prisoner Reentry Initiative to help women find and keep jobs, and to provide them with other work- and life-coaching services. “Once inmates serve their sentences and reenter society, it’s important that they be able to contribute to their communities and begin to rebuild their lives positively and productively,” Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse said in a statement. Whitehouse and Sen. Jack Reed worked on the Second Chance Act in March, which the president signed into law earlier this month. The law is aimed at helping corrections departments coordinate reentry services for former inmates. “Every year, hundreds of women are released from Rhode Island’s prison system,” Reed said in a statement. “Helping these women develop the skills they need to find steady jobs, regain their self-respect and reconnect with their families gives them the opportunity to successfully transition back into society.” The Second Chance Act gives the federal government authority to award grants worth up to $500,000 for state, local and tribal re-entry courts and to provide former inmates with social service assistance. “Finding employment is often the most critical factor in the ability to break the cycle and avoid the downward cycle that brought them to prison in the first place,” A. T. Wall, DOT director, said in a statement. “Coming on the heels of the Second Chance Act, this grant will enable us to augment the important work we have already begun.” Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 11:00 AM | Comment Brown hockey player pleads guilty to video voyeurismHarrison "Harry" Zolnierczyk, a forward with the Brown University hockey team, has pleaded guilty to charges that he secretly made a sex tape, according to a story in The Vancouver Sun. Canadian prosecutors said the surreptitiously recorded video involved an underage girl, and was posted on YouTube. Zolnierczyk is pleading guilty to secretly recording sexual activity and making available voyeuristic recordings. The "video voyeurism" charges are new in Canada, according to the newspaper story, and there is a lack of sentencing precedent. Prosecutor Gordon Baines told the newspaper that the sentence for Zolniercyzk could be "anywhere from discharge to six months in jail and three years probation." Prosecutors agreed to stay more serious charges of producing and distributing child pornography, charges which would have carried a minimum jail sentence. Posted by Peter Phipps at 9:19 AM | Comment Photo: Morning fire on Prairie Avenue in Providence
Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 9:12 AM | Comment Baroness appeals her loss in Nazi-era art claimPROVIDENCE — A German baroness living in Providence is appealing a court decision forcing her to give a portrait auctioned by the Nazis to the estate of a late Jewish art dealer. An attorney for Maria-Luise Bissonnette filed the arguments Monday with the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston. Among other points, Bissonnette’s attorney says the estate of Max Stern may have waited too long before seeking the return of the oil painting “Girl from the Sabine Mountains.” Germany’s Nazi government forced Stern to liquidate his family’s Dusseldorf art gallery in 1937 because Stern was Jewish. Bissonnette’s stepfather, a low-ranking Nazi, bought the painting at auction. Stern’s estate located the painting when Bissonnette tried to auction it three years ago. It won the lawsuit in December. -- The Associated Press Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 9:04 AM | Comment Friends, family of R.I. man killed at Va. Tech release CDLINCOLN — Family and friends of a student from Rhode Island who was killed in last year’s Virginia Tech shootings have released an album of his original music. A student gunman killed 32 people, including Lincoln native Daniel O’Neil, before shooting himself. O’Neil attended Virginia Tech as an engineering graduate student. The CD, titled “Resident Hippy,” is available online starting Wednesday -- the one-year anniversary of the shooting. It costs $10, plus shipping and handling. It includes songs O’Neil, a self-taught musician, recorded as an undergraduate at Lafayette College and at Virginia Tech. Meanwhile, a memorial fund in O’Neil’s honor is raising money for college scholarships for graduating seniors of Lincoln High School. -- The Associated Press Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 7:32 AM | Comment Reporter's query: looking for college rejection storiesAre you a high school senior or a parent of one who has received depressingly thin envelopes from colleges this spring, containing rejection letters, not the acceptance letters you'd hoped for? We want to hear from you. Due to a population surge this year, many colleges accepted fewer applicants than in previous years, leaving a lot of stressed out and sad high school seniors. Please e-mail or call Jennifer D. Jordan to share you college rejection (and acceptance!) stories: jjordan@projo.com; (401) 277-7254 Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at |
