Projo 7 to 7 News Blog

A bail hearing is scheduled today for an 18-year-old accused of stabbing another man to death in Smithfield.

The police say Aaron Menard, of Burrillville, killed 26-year-old Kenneth J. Wanamaker of Smithfield in Aug. 17 in the parking lot of the East Smithfield Neighborhood Center.

Wanamaker tried to get into an apartment on Esmond Street, according to the police, next door to the Neighborhood Center where Menard was staying with Nicole Sherman, Wanamaker's former girlfriend.

The couple woke up when they heard something at the window. Menard and Sherman went to see what was making the noise and they wound Wanamaker outside, the police say.

Wanamaker and Menard argued and, according to the police, Menard stabbed Wanamaker three times, leaving him in a pool of blood behind the Neighborhood Center.

Menard is scheduled for a bail hearing in District Court, Providence.

Coventry police last night spoke to a man whom they believe made a threatening phone call that prompted a police search, the closing of some area streets and the locking down of some area schools.

Yesterday a man identifying himself as William Otte called the police and said he wanted to speak with his mother-in-law's boyfriend, according to Coventry Chief of Police Ronald DaSilva.

The man said he was armed and waiting at a salvage yard on the New London Turnpike. "I don't know what he was thinking when he called," DaSilva said.

The road was shut down and SWAT teams and K-9 units searched the area, but Otte was nowhere to be found.

Now, DaSilva said, the police believe Otte may have been out of town. When he spoke to the police last night, he said he was with his wife, out of state.

DaSilva said the police do not know where Otte is, but that he and his wife are "fine."

The next step, DaSilva said, is waiting to talk to Otte again.

More than $5 million is still available to Rhode Islanders who have not claimed their federal economic stimulus rebates, according to the Internal Revenue Service.

About 17,865 residents -- more than 70 percent of whom are aged 65 and older -- are still eligible for a check. But the deadline to file a tax return is Oct. 15.

Today, Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., is joining representatives from the IRS at the Woonsocket Senior Center to answer questions and help seniors file for their rebates.

Veterans, too, are encouraged to file before Oct. 15, as is anyone who does not typically file taxes. A tax filing is required to receive a check.

People living on fixed incomes are eligible for a $300 rebate.

Whitehouse and IRS representatives will be at the senior center, at 84 Social Street, today at 11 a.m.

An accident has a lane closed on Route 146 this morning.

The accident is blocking the left land on the southbound side of roadway a Admiral Street in Providence.

See how the accident is affecting traffic this morning on the Transportation Management Center's Web cameras.

J.J. Barnes comes from a long line of Detroit soul singers. Here he does "Chains of Love."

Here, another band, the Dirtbombs, one of the many rock 'n' roll bands from Detroit, covers the song. If you like what you hear, they're scheduled to play in Providence on Saturday.

It can't be sunny and in the 60s all the time.

Today we've got scattered showers this morning, but as the day goes on, the clouds should clear and we'll end up with sunny skies and temperatures hitting 75 degrees -- not so bad after all.

Skies will remain clear tonight when temperatures drop to about 50 degrees.

Tomorrow looks pretty great, too, with sunny skies and temperatures near 70 degrees.

To take a peek at the weekend forecast, see projo.com's weather page.

Do you? Ray Charles does, and it's nothing a doctor can fix. Here he is singing "I Don't Need No Doctor" followed by "Go On Home."

Another clear, sunny day today with the National Weather Service forecasting a high temperature of 68 degrees with calm southwest winds.

There is a 30 percent chance of rain late tonight and into tomorrow morning. Clouds should roll in early in the evening and temperatures will drop to a mild 51 degrees with calm south winds.

Tomorrow we've got a 30 percent chance of rain during the day. Clouds will slowly clear and the day will become mostly sunny with temperatures reaching a pleasant 73 degrees. Winds will come from the west between 10 and 15 mph. with gusts as high as 9 mph.

To see how much warmer it will get on projo.com's weather page.

Joe Jutras, of North Scituate, prepares to fit his pumpkin into a gathering strap during the annual New England Giant Pumpkin Weigh-Off at the Topsfield Fair, Sept. 29, 2007, in Topsfield, Mass. The gourd set a world record, weighing in at the fair at 1,689 pounds.

If you want to see something insane this weekend, take a trip to Warren. The tiny town is hosting the 15th annual Southern New England Giant Pumpkin Championship.

Giant is not an exaggeration. In fact, it may be an understatement. Gigantic, humongous, monstrous -- all of these words are appropriate for pumpkins that grow well beyond the 1,000-pound mark.

This year's contest is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 11 at Frerichs Farm. Growers will begin unloading their gourds at 10 a.m. The "weigh off" is scheduled for 1 p.m.

In addition to pumpkins, there will be a pumpkin coach to shuttle people around, corn and hay bale mazes to get lost in, and refreshments -- maybe loser pumpkin pie?

The contest is sponsored by Southern New England Giant Pumpkin Growers Association and the Department of Environmental Management's Division of Agriculture.

A former Jamestown town council member is scheduled for arraignment in the British Virgin Islands today on a charge that he murdered his wife during a 1999 vacation.

Shelley Tyre, 46, died on the last day of the couple's vacation to the British Virgin Island of Tortola. David Swain and his wife were scuba diving when, Swain said, the couple separated. She drowned.

Officials in the British Virgin Islands originally ruled Tyre's death an accident.

But in 2006, Swain, now 52, was found responsible for the death of his wife in a civil trial in Rhode Island.

An extradition request was filed in May 2007, and after a hearing, officials in Tortola decided to charge Swain with murder earlier this year. He is now being held in prison on the island, awaiting his trial.

Best known, probably, for his tune "Duke of Earl," Gene Chandler here sings a pretty uplifting song.

Gene Chandler sings "Nothing Can Stop Me:"

Also, here's some more great footage of an another young Jamaican group. Toots and the Maytals. Toots still tours, but nothing beats this footage. Click "continue reading" below to pick up some new (old) dance moves.

Toots and the Maytals sing "Treat Me Bad" and "Never Let Me Down:"

>> Continue reading: Brandie's wake-up call: Nothing can stop me

A disabled vehicle has a shoulder closed at Routes 95 and 195 this morning.

The vehicle has the right shoulder closed on Route 195 westbound at the Route 95 junction.

To see how traffic is affected, see the Transportation Management Center's Web cameras.

Not much to say today, and that's OK. We'll have clear, sunny skies through the day with wind from the north between 7 and 13 mph. Temperatures should reach about 65 degrees.

Tonight the skies should remain clear as temperatures drop to a chilly 39 degrees.

We'll begin a modest warm-up tomorrow, as temperatures hit about 68 degrees with clear, sunny skies.

See how much warmer it will get in the next few days on projo.com's weather page.

PROVIDENCE -- Today will be the fifth day the jury deliberates in the corruption case of two former Roger Williams Medical Center executives accused of corruptly hiring former North Providence state Sen. John A. Celona to do political favors at the State House beneficial to the medical center and its affiliated nursing homes.

Robert A. Urciuoli, the hospital's former president and chief executive, is charged with one count of conspiracy and 35 counts of honest-services mail fraud.

Frances P. Driscoll, former vice president for marketing, is charged with one count of aiding and abetting the alleged conspiracy.

The jury is scheduled to return to deliberations at 9 a.m. today in federal court in Providence.

Friday afternoon Chief U.S. District Court Judge Mary Lisi told jurors, "I understand you would like to go home" and a short time after she dismissed them for the weekend.

Earlier Friday the jury had asked Judge Lisi for clarification on the second count of the indictment, which is the lone count against Driscoll.

They asked the judge to clarify the meaning of "willfully" and "voluntarily" in Count 2 , which charges Driscoll with aiding and abetting her co-defendant Robert A. Urciuoli in a scheme to steal the honest services of Celona.

Lisi said that the first question regarding Count 2 was too broad for her to answer, and for guidance on their second question, the judge referred jurors to her instructions.

At trial, the defense maintained that Celona was legally hired to perform valid work promoting the hospital and its affiliates to senior citizens and that the state Ethics Commission issued a ruling that allowed him to work as a consultant, provided that he did not vote on health-care legislation that directly affected Roger Williams.

This was the second trial for both Urciuoli and Driscoll.

In October 2006, Urciuoli was convicted of one count of conspiracy and 35 counts of theft of honest services -- which is mail fraud -- and sentenced to three years in prison. Driscoll was convicted of one mail fraud charge and sentenced to 8 months in prison.

The two appealed the convictions, their lawyers arguing that Senior U.S. District Judge Ernest C. Torres gave the jury instructions that allowed them to convict Celona for work he did that was legal.

The First Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston overturned the convictions in January 2007. The retrial began in early September.

Both were free on bail pending the retrial.

Read more about the trial and the federal investigation.

-- With reports from Journal staff writer Edward Fitzpatrick and Journal archival reports

Students are returning to Lincoln High School this morning three days after a school aide died when he drove his car into the school building.

Students say Jay D. Paul, 34, of Cumberland, was called to the school's office Friday afternoon. Paul was described as a "scribe" who took notes for injured students.

Paul was described as fiercely intellectual, reclusive and eccentric.

Minutes after he went to the office, students and parents outside saw a blue station wagon, registered to Paul, drive into the front of the building. It burst into flames and the driver was killed.

The Lincoln police say there was an accelerant in the car, but they have not said what it was. One student reported smelling gasoline.

The police have not yet positively identified the victim as Paul, they are waiting for state Medical Examiners to identify the body.

So while Sam and Dave were doing their thing in the United States, the Blues Busters were building up a discography of original ska music as well as covers of American soul music. Here's great, live footage of the duo singing "I Don't Know"

We may have a few scattered sprinkles late this morning. Otherwise expect cloudy skies through the day, clearing this afternoon. Temperatures should reach about 61 degrees and north winds between 6 and 11 degrees.

Skies should stay clear tonight, when temperatures drop to a chilly 39 degrees.

The sun should return tomorrow, with temperatures hitting about 64 degrees.

Get an early look at the week's forecast on projo.com's weather page.

Robert and Donna Urciuoli leave Federal Court in Providence this afternoon, where jurors failed to reach a verdict after four days deliberating. Journal photo / Bob Thayer

PROVIDENCE -- There was no verdict today -- day four of jury deliberations -- in the corruption case of two former Roger Williams Medical Center executives accused of corruptly hiring former North Providence state Sen. John A. Celona to do political favors at the State House beneficial to the medical center and its affiliated nursing homes.

Robert A. Urciuoli, the hospital's former president and chief executive, is charged with one count of conspiracy and 35 counts of honest-services mail fraud.

Frances P. Driscoll, former vice president for marketing, is charged with one count of aiding and abetting the alleged conspiracy.

The jury is scheduled to return to deliberating at 9 a.m. Monday in federal court in Providence. Shortly after 4:20 p.m. today, Chief U.S. District Court Judge Mary Lisi said "I understand you would like to go home" and a short time after she dismissed them for the weekend.

The jury earlier this afternoon asked Lisi for clarification on the second count of the indictment, which is the lone count against Driscoll.

They asked the judge to clarify the meaning of "willfully" and "voluntarily" in Count 2 , which charges Driscoll, the former hospital vice president with aiding and abetting her co-defendant, Robert A. Urciuoli, in a scheme to steal the honest services of a state senator, John Celona.

Lisi said that the first question regarding Count 2 was too broad for her to answer, and for guidance on their second question, the judge referred jurors to her instructions.

At trial, the defense maintained that Celona was legally hired to perform valid work promoting the hospital and its affiliates to senior citizens and that the state Ethics Commission issued a ruling that allowed him to work as a consultant, provided that he did not vote on health-care legislation that directly affected Roger Williams.

This was the second trial for both Urciuoli and Driscoll.

In October 2006, Urciuoli was convicted of one count of conspiracy and 35 counts of theft of honest services -- which is mail fraud -- and sentenced to three years in prison. Driscoll was convicted of one mail fraud charge and sentenced to 8 months in prison.

The two appealed the convictions, their lawyers arguing that Senior U.S. District Judge Ernest C. Torres gave the jury instructions that allowed them to convict Celona for work that he did which was legal.

The First Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston overturned the convictions in January 2007. The retrial began in early September.

Both were free on bail pending the retrial.

Read more about the trial and the federal investigation.

-- With reports from Journal staff writer Edward Fitzpatrick and Journal archival reports

BOSTON -- The consortium that operates and maintains the MBTA's commuter rail system has a new chief.

Richard Davey was named the Massachusetts Bay Commuter Railroad Co.'s general manager Friday. He succeeds James O'Leary who stepped down after two years at the helm. Davey was previously O'Leary's top deputy.

O'Leary took over in Aug. 2006 to deal with a rash of commuter complaints about the nation's fifth-largest commuter rail network. Davey says he also will focus on reliability and customer satisfaction.

O'Leary will continue to serve on the MBCR's board of directors.

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority's commuter rail system serves 40 million passengers a year.

-- The Associated Press

A bail hearing is scheduled today for a murder suspect after a man who was stabbed Sept. 13 died five days later.

Emilio Gutierrez, 19, was initially charged with felony assault after the police say he stabbed 38-year-old Pedro Baquiax. The police found Baquiax wounded next to his car outside of his apartment in Providence's West End.

Gutierrez, a Guatemalan immigrant whom authorities say may be living in the United States illegally, lived upstairs from Baquiax.

While Gutierrez was being held at the Adult Correctional Institutions in Cranston, Baquiax died from his injuries, on Sept. 18.

The U.S. Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement has also filed a detainer with local law-enforcement authorities saying that the accused is in the United States illegally.

Gutierrez is scheduled for a bail hearing today in Superior Court, Providence to face a felony murder charge.

What kind of weekend do you want to have? If it's going to be a nonstop, party time, can't-stop-dancing kind of weekend, this one's for you:

Jr. Walker & the All Stars perform "Shotgun"

If you plan on staying in, sitting back, and relaxing, this one may better get you in the mood.

Siblings Alton and Hortense Ellis sing "Sitting in the Park"

Today's looking not too good, not too bad.

Skies should be cloudy for most of the day, with a 20 percent chance of rain in the afternoon. Temperatures should reach about 66 degrees with high winds from the west, reaching 3 mph. at times.

Skies should clear out tonight with temperatures dropping to about 44 degrees with mild west winds.

Tomorrow is looking pretty nice, but brisk with sunny skies and temperatures hitting about 65 degrees.

Tomorrow night, skies will remain clear, and temperatures will drop to about 44 degrees.

Sunday looks sunny too. Temperatures will reach about 62 degrees and mild, south winds. Clouds will roll in Sunday evening when the temperatures drop to about 43 degrees.

Rain may return Monday, after noon. Otherwise it should be cloudy and cool, with temperatures in the upper 50s.

Keep an eye on the weekend forecast on projo.com's weather page.

The Senate just approved a massive bailout plan that calls for spending up to $700 billion to buy bad assets from failing financial institutions. And today, the bill faces the House.

But what happens if it passes? If it fails?

Join Brown University professors Peter Howitt, Ross Levine and David Weil tomorrow afternoon at an economic roundtable.

During the discussion, presented by the Economics Department and the Departmental Undergraduate Group, the three will give their views on the current economic situation.

Audience members are also invited to ask questions; the event is open to the public.

The roundtable is scheduled for 3 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. tomorrow at Salomon Hall, on the University Green, 101.

Catch up on local and national business news on projo.com's business page.

Journal photo/ Kathy Borchers
Rob "the Drummer" Gottfried, a nationally acclaimed children's motivational educator who uses the drums to deliver an anti-bullying message performs at the Providence Performing Arts Center.

PROVIDENCE -- Rob "the Drummer" doesn't want kids to beat each other up -- he wants them to beat drums.

Robert Gottfried is a motivational educator for children. He uses drums and animation to spread an anti-bullying message.

A few hundred kids from around Rhode Island got into his message today at the Providence Performing Arts Center.

They clapped, and cheered and made some strange noises to beats provided by Rob and his various drums and beat machines.

"If you want to lash out, if you want to hit something, hit this drum," he said.

"Because it lets you express yourself, but in a good way ... it loves to be played hard."

Video: Drumming an anti-bully message

Check out his Web site.

-- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson

WEST GREENWICH -- A two-car collision injured two people late this morning.

The accident was on Route 3, near the Coventry-West Greenwich Elks Lodge #25.

An 83-year-old woman and a man whose age was not released were both taken to Rhode Island Hospital, according to police.

No other information was available at this time.

-- Journal staff writer Lisa Vernon-Sparks

An accident that closed the shoulder on Route 95 South near Atwells Avenue has been cleared.

The accident was at Atwells Avenue/Exit 21.

See how the accident -- and the weather -- is affecting traffic on the Transportation Management Center's Web site.

It's a little silly, but it's a good, poppy song, I think. I don't know that I could follow the instructions, though... It sounds complicated. Especially this early in the morning.

Shirley Ellis does "The Clapping Song"

More rain this morning, but things are looking up. Skies should begin to clear around 9 a.m. and the sun may actually make an appearance later in the day. We'll have west winds between 7 and 17 mph. and a high temperature near 67 degrees.

Skies should stay clear tonight, when the temperature drops to about 45 degrees.

Tomorrow looks nice, with sunny skies an temperatures again hitting about 67 degrees and winds from the west.

Will we have a dry weekend? Cross your fingers and check.
.

PROVIDENCE -- An alleged crack addict who drove a car onto a sidewalk, killing one young boy and seriously injuring his brother last year, was sentenced to serve 14 years in prison today.

Dennis Cherry fled after the incident in Providence, but later turned himself in at a church parking lot.

Killed in the accident was Ivan Jimenez, 8. His brother, Eric Jimenez, 12, was seriously injured.

The two were walking home to Bellevue Avenue in Providence from a quick trip to a nearby convenience store to buy food, according to the police.

Cherry was charged with leaving the scene of an accident death resulting, and leaving the scene of accident, injury resulting. He had previously pleaded guilty.

Cherry received a 25-year sentence with 14 years to serve.
Gallery: The trail of a fatal hit-and-run
.