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« April 2006 | Today | June 2006 » May 31, 2006Assembly passes dam safety billPROVIDENCE -- Spurred by the near-failure of a Massachusetts dam last fall, the General Assembly approved legislation today to speed up repairs to dams in Rhode Island. Governor Carcieri asked Republican members of the General Assembly to introduce the legislation, and he is expected to sign it. The bill authorizes the director of the Department of Environmental Management to declare a dam unsafe, have water in the reservoir drawn off as a temporary safety measure and order the dam's owner to make repairs. If the dam owner doesn't complete repairs in a timely fashion, the DEM's director can have them done and bill the owner for the cost. The House passed the bill 65-0 without discussion. The Senate previously approved it. The legislation strengthens the DEM's power to compel repairs to Rhode Island's 622 dams - 70 percent of which are privately owned. The department has had to go to court to get repairs done in the past, and its records show that even with a court order, the work often took years. The legislation also requires cities and towns to prepare emergency plans for dams that are likely to cause significant property damage or a loss of life if they fail. The DEM can order owners to prepare emergency plans for less hazardous dams if needed. The DEM has declared five of the state's most hazardous dams unsafe, said David Chopy, who oversees dam inspections and repairs for the Department of Environmental Management. They are the Slack Reservoir Dam in Smithfield, Yorker Mill Pond Dam in Exeter, Limerock Dam in Lincoln, Stone Pond Dam in Cranston and Coventry Reservoir Dam. Repairs are under way at Slack and Coventry reservoirs, and the dams will be removed from the list when the work is complete, Chopy said. -- The Associated Press Posted by Steve Peoples at 6:56 PM | Comment Another audit finds 'questionable' nursing home paymentsFor the second time this year, federal auditors have identified more than a million dollars in “questionable” payments that a financially strapped nursing home made to a web of companies tied to nursing home owner Antonio L. Giordano. And this time, the financial mess has cost taxpayers nearly $6.3 million, auditors say. An audit by the inspector general for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development found that the owner and/or management agent for the former Coventry Health Center made $1.85 million in “questionable” payments between January 1998 and February 2001. Coventry Health Center’s general partners included Giordano, who also was a general partner in Mount St. Francis Health Center, a Woonsocket nursing home which auditors have accused of making $4.4 million in “questionable” payments. The latest audit heightens the scrutiny of Giordano, a Providence developer who owned the defunct Hillside Health Center, an East Side nursing home that closed in 2004 after chronic problems with finances and patient care. Giordano, 62, of North Kingstown, also was a major delinquent borrower in Rhode Island’s credit union crisis of 1991. More to come in tomorrow's Journal and on projo.com ... -- Journal staff writer Edward Fitzpatrick Posted by Andrea Panciera at 6:50 PM | Comment Update: R.I. homeland security funds drop sharplyJudged to be a low risk state, Rhode Island received much less than last year in the new round of federal grants for homeland security announced today. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced the recipients of the $1.7 billion in grants for fiscal year 2006. Rhode Island is getting $7.8 million -- about half of what it received in 2005 and far less than the state requested from the federal government. The grants are being awarded based on the calculated risk and vulnerability of each state and 50 major urban areas. See the state-by-state breakdown. Rhode Island ranked 47th of the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Compared with other New England states, Rhode Island is getting less than Connecticut ($13.5 million), Massachusetts ($41.2 million), New Hampshire ($7.88 million), and Vermont ($10.9 million). Only Maine, at $7.7 million, is receiving less grant money in New England. The states receiving the most money are California, at $231.9 million, New York, at $183.6 million, Florida, $100.1 million, and Texas, with $89.8 million. Rhode Island had requested $60 million for various projects, such as completing detailed plans to handle catastrophes, finishing a project that will allow first-responders throughout the state to communicate during a disaster, and purchasing portal radiological detection equipment to screen transportation. -- Journal staff writer Amanda Milkovits Previous grants had been used to buy millions of dollars of emergency equipment, begin a statewide project that'll allow all first-responders to communicate with each other during a disaster, and outfit and train the state's six hazardous-material teams, seven decontamination teams, and an urban search-and-rescue team. "I am disappointed that state officials will be forced to become more creative with our state's homeland security efforts due to decreased funding levels for this fiscal year," said Rep. James R. Langevin, D-R.I., a member of the Homeland Security Committee. "Despite Rhode Island's cut in funding, I am confident that our Emergency Management Agency will remain dedicated to keeping us all safe in the face of natural disaster or terrorist attack." Governor Carciieri also expressed his disappointment with the decision. “While I’m pleased that federal officials don’t believe the Ocean State is a target, Rhode Island deserves to receive the federal funding necessary to protect our citizens from terrorist threats and natural disasters,” he said in a statement. This time, each state received a baseline amount calculated according to population and then had to bid for more money based on risk, need and vulnerability. More money was also shifted to 50 most at-risk cities in the nation -- the Boston area was the only city in New England to make the list. -- Journal staff writer Amanda Milkovits Posted by Steve Peoples at 6:36 PM | Comment Boil water advisory lifted at Navy housing sitePORTSMOUTH -- Authorities at Naval Station Newport today lifted a boil water advisory for families living in a base housing area. Families in the Melville Navy housing area, along with a Portsmouth elementary school and the Melville Campground, had been advised yesterday to boil drinking water for at least one minute. Authorities said low water pressure in the Melville section of the base's water distribution system was affecting water quality. They said testing today showed the water is safe for drinking. -- The Associated Press Posted by Steve Peoples at 6:29 PM | Comment DEM warns of gypsy-moth infestations
PROVIDENCE -- The Department of Environmental Management issued a warning today that gypsy moth caterpillar outbreaks have been reported in central Rhode Island and across the East Bay. "It is likely the caterpillars will spread further," reads today's announcement. Now is the ideal time to ward off such infestations, said DEM, noting that the state has no plan to deal with the pests, leaving it up to individual residents to arrange for pesticide spraying. "We are seeing heavy populations of gypsy moths in localized areas, and recommending that residents who want to protect their trees, particularly oaks, from damage, do so now," Catherine Sparks, the acting chief of DEM's Division of Forest Environment, said in a statement. Although gypsy moth caterpillars prefer oaks, they will attack other trees such as apples, willows, poplars, hawthorns, pines, hemlocks and spruce. Posted by Steve Peoples at 5:25 PM | Comment Hendricken's Sampson nails high school golf title / Photo
CRANSTON -- To say that golfing is a Sampson family tradition is an understatement. Bishop Hendricken senior David Sampson's father John picked up the game from his father. And like his father did, John passed the game down to his children. Sampson's older brother Greg is a former state champion (2000, St. Raphael Academy), and Sampson, who finished tied for second place at the state tournament last season, has been one of the better golfers in the Interscholastic League over the last four years. Sampson felt a lot of pressure heading into the two-day Rhode Island state tournament played at the Cranston Country Club, and he more than lived up to expectations. He overcame a two-shot deficit to win the 2006 boys' golf individual state title by shooting an even par 73-69-142 to edge Tiverton's Matt Sterling (71-72-143) by one stroke. Bishop Hendricken's Dan Mollicone (76-71-147) took home the bronze medal. -- Journal sportswriter Robert Lee Individual scores: Brian Jorge, Mount St. Charles 77-75-152; Ben Conway, Tiverton 74-80-154; Matt Osman, Barrington 78-76-154; Tom Kirinsky, Cranston West 77-77-154; Matt Broome, Barrington 78-77-155; Alex Jestings, La Salle 76-79-155; Katherine Murphy, Portsmouth 74-82-156; Derek Jensen, Cumberland 75-82-157; Mike Boyd, Burrillville 79-79-158; Pete Taylor, Hendricken 81-78-159; Andy Coughlin, La Salle 76-83-159; Devin Beck, Tiverton 77-83-160; Jame Green, North Kingstown 81-80-161; Pete Weatherby, Portsmouth 78-83-161; Ethan Bonas, Tiverton 79-83-162; Tyler Fay, Barrington 79-83-162; Greg Morris, East Greenwich 78-84-162; Matt Fattore, Mount St. Charles 81-82-163; Mike Kollett, Cranston West 78-87-165; Sean O'Brien Middletown 81-86-167; Steve Savitt, East Greenwich 78-90-168; Alex Tutsch, Toll Gate 80-88-168; Alex Zegarzewski, Chariho 80-93-173. Posted by Andrea Panciera at 4:55 PM | Comment Update: Written test does in R.I. speller\WASHINGTON -- He called out the letters of "swaraj'' flawlessly in today's first public round of the Scripps National Spelling Bee. He was sponsored by The Providence Journal, with Amtrak covering his journey by rail with his mother and grandmother, Deborah and Helen Danielewicz, and two representatives of St. Philip's. The modern rules of the spelling bee call for an opening elimination round that tests all the entrants on a list of 25 words – including, this year, such oddities as "oeillade,'' "lycanthropy'' and "scopolamine.`` Posted by Kate Bramson at 4:45 PM | Comment Red Sox' Wily Mo Pena to undergo surgeryThe Red Sox issued a statement this afternoon in which they announced outfielder Wily Mo Pena will have surgery on his ailing left wrist tomorrow. The entire statement: --- Wily Mo will immediately begin rehabilitation on the wrist. He will be able to continue his throwing and conditioning programs throughout the entire post-operative period. NOTE: Pena was placed on the 15-day disabled list on May 28 (retroactive to May 27). He is batting .321 with four homers and 18 RBI in 36 games with Boston in 2006.'' ---- Posted by Art at 4:05 PM | Comment Hearing tonight on traffic islands by Blackstone ParkPROVIDENCE -- The Blackstone Park Improvement Association is expected tonight to discuss a controversial city plan to construct two traffic islands at the southern end of Blackstone Boulevard, which Councilwoman Rita Williams says will improve traffic flow. While Williams says that community groups and city officials have been working to slow traffic on the boulevard and believe traffic islands could help, some neighbors believe the islands may result in more accidents. The boulevard runs along a popular walking path and play area. At tonight’s meeting, city officials will make a presentation on their plans for the intersection and will be available to hear from residents. The issue is on the association’s agenda for tonight’s meeting, at 7 p.m. at School One, 220 University Ave. Posted by Kate Bramson at 3:46 PM | Comment Forecasters agree: Busy hurricane season for East CoastYet another group has concluded that this year's hurricane season -- which begins tomorrow -- will be unusually active along the East Coast. Researchers at Colorado State University announced today there is a 69 percent chance that a major hurricane will make landfall along the East Coast, a high probability attributed in large part to abnormally warm temperatures in the Atlantic Ocean. Earlier this month, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration made a similar finding, predicting 13 to 16 named storms for the North Atlantic, with 8 to 10 becoming hurricanes. Of those, 4 to 6 could become major hurricanes -- Category 3 or greater. AccuWeather also predicts Southern New England has a "very high" risk of being struck by a hurricane this season. Governor Carcieri recently approved Rhode Island's hurricane preparedness plan. Posted by Steve Peoples at 3:05 PM | Comment New Bruins GM wants 'fresh culture'BOSTON -- Peter Chiarelli, introduced today as the new general manager of the Boston Bruins, said he wants to introduce "a new fresh culture" to the struggling organization. "I want players to want to play here," Chiarelli said at his first news conference since being hired Friday. "I want players to want to stay here." Chiarelli, who spent the past two years as assistant general manager of the Ottawa Senators, succeeds Mike O'Connell, who was fired March 25 with the Bruins on their way to their third nonplayoff season in the past six years. Read the full Associated Press story. Posted by Jack Perry at 2:20 PM | Comment Senate to vote on Carcieri's choice for Mental Health postPROVIDENCE -- The Senate is scheduled to vote this afternoon on Governor Carcieri's choice to head the state Department of Mental Health, Retardation and Hospitals, Ellen R. Nelson. Nelson, a former associate director of public health in Massachusetts, easily won the approval of the Senate's Health and Services Committee last week, earning a unanimous recommendation. Today's vote is not expected to be controversial. Nelson began as acting director of the department last month. If confirmed when the full Senate meets today at 4 p.m., she would be the department's first permanent director in nearly three years. -- With reports from Journal staff writer Elizabeth Gudrais Posted by Steve Peoples at 2:04 PM | Comment Amgen to move into GTECH buildingWEST GREENWICH -- Amgen, the world's largest biopharmaceutical company, announced this afternoon that it will lease GTECH's West Greenwich corporate headquarters to accommodate plans to add 450 jobs this year. Amgen will enter into a 7-year lease with an option to buy the building, according to company officials and Governor Carcieri, who announced the plan today at a West Greenwich press conference. The lease is made possible largely because GTECH has plans to move its operation to Providence this fall. Even without the staffing increases, Amgen was suffering from a lack of space. While the company already occupies a building adjacent to the West Greenwich GTECH facility, some employees had been working in temporary trailers for the past four years. Amgen currently employs 1,700 people in West Greenwich. Amgen employees are expected to begin moving into GTECH's building by the second quarter of 2007. -- With reports from Journal staff writer Andrea L. Stape Posted by Steve Peoples at 2:00 PM | Comment Kerry to speak at Fogarty eventFormer presidential candidate Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts is coming to Rhode Island to boost Democratic Lt. Gov. Charles Fogarty's candidacy for governor. Kerry is speaking June 19 at the opening of Fogarty's new campaign headquarters on Atwells Avenue in Providence and at a meeting the same night of the Rhode Island AFL-CIO Executive Board. The labor organization is expected to endorse Fogarty's campaign against Republican Governor Carcieri. Kerry was the Democratic candidate for president in 2004. -- Journal staff writer Scott MacKay Posted by Jack Perry at 12:37 PM | Comment Update: Astros win Clemens, Sox lose out / VideoHOUSTON --The Red Sox have lost out on the Roger Clemens sweepstakes. Clemens has agreed to a $22 million contract to pitch for the Houston Astros for the rest of 2006. The 43-year-old Clemens, who will be entering his 23rd major league season, is agreeing first to a minor league contract that pays $322,000 over the five-month minor league season, and his first start is likely to be at Lexington, Ky., the Class A team where his oldest son, Koby, plays. Clemens announced his return today at a news conference. The Sox had hoped to sign Clemens, a former Red Sox star, to strengthen their struggling pitching staff.
Read a full report from sister site khou.com in Houston Watch a live Webcast from the press conference Posted by Jack Perry at 12:35 PM | Comment Woman sentenced to 3 years for attacking aunt with bleachNEWPORT -- Evangeline "Lea" Henry, a Middletown mother of three, was sentenced this morning to serve three years in prison for attacking her elderly aunt with Chlorox bleach in an assault that almost killed her. Superior Court Judge Edwin J. Gale ordered Henry to perform 200 hours of community service when she is released from prison and also ordered Henry to make restitution to her aunt, Mary S. Goulios, for money she stole while acting as her guardian. - Journal staff writer Tracy Breton Henry, 45, of 64 Beagle Drive, Middletown, pleaded no contest to the felony assault and battery charge April 3 during a jury trial in which prosecutors presented evidence that she nearly killed her 70-year-old aunt by stuffing a rag soaked with Clorox into her mouth and pouring bleach over her. The attack was in Goulios's Newport apartment on Dec. 15, 2004. In court today, Henry pleaded no contest to a charge of embezzling more than $100 from her aunt, a felony for which she received a 10-year suspended sentence to run concurrently with the sentence imposed for the bleach attack. Prosecutors allege that Henry stole tens of thousands of dollars from Goulios while acting as her guardian. She has already repaid her aunt almost $20,000, but prosecutors are looking for much more in restitution. The amount of restitution will be determined at a later date by a Superior Court magistrate. Henry apologized to her aunt for the first time in court today. "I am very sincerely sorry for all the bad judgment and everything that I have done to hurt my aunt, and I'd like to really apologize to her," she said. Goulios asked Gale to sentence Henry to the maximum term he could have imposed under a plea agreement with prosecutors last month -- six years imprisonment. "This was premeditated attempted murder to cover up embezzlement and greed of monumental proportions," the victim told the judge. Henry became Goulios's guardian in 2002 after she suffered a diabetic coma. "When I went into a diabetic coma, I had a two-apartment house, a car, clothes, furniture, jewelry and over $123,000 in bonds in the bank, everything I needed. In a year, almost everything was gone. Fifty years of work went down the drain. "Mrs. Henry from day one conspired behind my back to make me look incompetent in order to control my finances and my life," Goulios said. - Journal staff writer Tracy Breton Posted by Jack Perry at 12:33 PM | Comment Flu panel examines effect on R.I. businessesWARWICK -- The Health Department this morning held the first meeting of its newly convened Pandemic Flu Advisory Committee, which includes representatives from businesses, energy companies, banks, grocery stores, health care, social services, community-based organizations, education and government. Dr. David R. Gifford, director of health, told the gathering at Sheraton Airport Hotel that he's used to working with health-care organizations, but "the Department of Health doesn't work with banking too much, or grocery stores too much." Yet these businesses will be hampered if 20 percent to 30 percent of their workforce is sick with the flu. Their ability to function, he said, is essential to the rest of society. As head of the state's effort to prepare for a flu pandemic, Gifford said he needed advice from all sectors. Click here to see the Department of Health's bird flu information page. -- Staff report by Felice Freyer -- Journal staff writer Felice J. Freyer Posted by Steve Peoples at 11:57 AM | Comment Updated: Missing kayaker OK, was at friend's housePORTSMOUTH - A missing kayaker has been found safe at a friend's house, the Coast Guard said late this morning. The Coast Guard had been searching for Portsmouth resident Michael Lunt, 18, of Cherokee Drive, since about 8 a.m. today. He had left yesterday morning for a solo ride in his kayak and told family he would return in the evening. Lunt was located this morning at a friend's house in Portsmouth. He hadn't told his family he was going there. -- Staff report by Alisha Pina Posted by Jack Perry at 11:56 AM | Comment High court to mull Carcieri bid for Beacon stayPROVIDENCE -- The Rhode Island Supreme Court will consider Governor Carcieri’s request for a stay of a Superior Court order that prevented the governor from dismissing the two gubernatorial appointees to the Beacon Mutual Insurance Co. board of directors, it was announced today. The governor’s motion for a stay pending appeal and motion to expedite the matter have been placed on the Supreme Court’s June 7 conference calendar for consideration by the full court, according to court documents. Vowing to overhaul the leadership of the embattled Beacon board, Carcieri moved earlier this year to remove George H. Nee and Henry R. Boeniger from the board. The two labor-backed Democrats have charged the Republican governor with discriminating against them because of their union affiliations. Last Monday, Superior Court Judge Stephen J. Fortunato Jr. delivered a stinging critique of the governor's attempt to remove, "for cause," the two appointees, saying that Carcieri had displayed his "obvious hostility" and "bias" toward Nee and Boeniger. Fortunato called the governor's invitation to the two men to discuss their termination with him in his State House office "a sham" and a "kangaroo court." Fortunato concluded his remarks and had stood to leave the bench when Carcieri's co-counsel, Robert G. Flanders Jr., asked for a "stay" of the ruling because the governor might want to appeal to the Supreme Court. Fortunato denied the request, saying that based on the evidence presented thus far, the Supreme Court is unlikely to rule in the governor's favor. Carcieri filed an appeal of the Superior Court order last Thursday. Posted by Kate Bramson at 11:51 AM | Comment Is it vandalism, or respect for the dead?PROVIDENCE -- It has become quite common when people die in car accidents for friends and relatives to post messages of condolence on the web. But a fatal car crash Sunday night has prompted quite a different outpouring of emotion. After three young men died when a car driven by a friend crashed into the Ferguson Perforating and Wire Co. on Ernest St., the first posting to the blog came not from a mourner, but from a writer wondering who would pay to repaint the building. Of the nearly three dozen messages posted in the first 12 hours that the blog item ran, more than a dozen concerned the graffiti, which some writers called vandalism. “If the car had crashed into your house, would you be ok with all the spray paint, and would you tell people it’s not the time to discuss it?” Steph posted. “Respect the deceased, but while you are at it, respect the living.” About two dozen people, some who also were upset about the spray-painted messages, expressed sorrow for the loss of life. "RIP Marco, Chris and Carlos,” wrote Ashley. “You will forever be missed and please watch over us as we will do the same for your kids. Love Ashley. Sweet dreams, guys.” Nine people lashed out at those who complained about the spray painting. “I don’t think that this post was meant for you idiots to comment about the graffiti art on the abandoned building,” wrote someone who just signed “K.” “People died here," that writer continued. "Someone lost a son, a brother, nephew, father maybe. Really, people! This was meant for people to post condolences and memories of the deceased! Where is the empathy? Where is the respect?” Alternatively, another area on the projo.com web site where people were asked to share their memories/thoughts/reactions to the accident drew just half a dozen comments. While people shared similar sentiments there as on the blog, there’s much less back-and-forth discussion and debate about the accident and the impromptu memorial. Posted by Kate Bramson at 9:24 AM | Comment Communities to get $8 million for open space, recreationWEST GREENWICH -- Governor Carcieri is scheduled to announce $8 million in community grants for recreational playing fields and open space during a morning press conference. A total of 65 grants will be spread among 31 communities across the state for construction and renovation of playgrounds, ballfields, walking paths, boat launches and picnic areas. U.S. Sen. Lincoln Chafee and state Department of Environmental Management Director W. Michael Sullivan will join the governor for the 10 a.m. ceremony to be held at the Exeter/West Greenwich Regional Track and Field Facility. Posted by Steve Peoples at 7:11 AM | Comment Chilly and foggy now, but temps should rise to 80PROVIDENCE -- It’s a tad chilly out there this morning, so you might want to wear a jacket when leaving the house. Plus, if you’re driving along Cape Cod or portions of south coastal Massachusetts and southern Rhode Island, use caution in the patchy fog, which should hang low until about 9 a.m. However, as the morning’s clouds gradually clear, temps are expected to rise to a high around 80, and you shouldn’t need that jacket anymore. Enjoy today’s partly cloudy skies as rain is in the forecast tomorrow through Saturday. Get the latest conditions and forecasts from projo.com. Posted by Kate Bramson at 7:00 AM | Comment May 30, 2006Astros owner hopeful Clemens will returnThe Houston Astros owner is denying media reports that Roger Clemens has signed a one-year deal with his team. Some news agencies, including ESPN.com and Newsday, are reporting this afternoon that Clemens has chosen the Houston Astros over other suitors, who include the Boston Red Sox. Projo.com's sister site, khou.com in Houston, spoke to the Astros' owner, Drayton McLane, who would not confirm this afternoon that a deal exists. McLane said he's waiting to hear back from the former Red Sox pitching ace and his agents regarding a return to the Astros. Listen to the full audio report from khou.com ...
Posted by Steve Peoples at 6:35 PM | Comment Senate panel taking testimony on casino billPROVIDENCE -- The Senate Committee on Constitutional and Gaming Issues is hearing testimony this afternoon on a bill that would allow voters to decide whether to change the state Constitution to accommodate a casino in West Warwick. The Senate committee is expected to hear testimony from a variety of people, including representatives of Donald Trump, who wants to build a resort casino in Johnston. The bill under review specifically refers to a casino proposed by the Narragansett Indians in conjunction with Harrah's on non-Indian land. The House approved the measure last week. The Senate panel hearing is expected to stretch into the evening. A vote is possible, but isn't expected today. -- With reports from Journal staff writer Katherine Gregg Posted by Steve Peoples at 5:51 PM | Comment Study: More education needed on cyanide dangersPROVIDENCE -- Firefighters, medical personnel, and the general public need more education on the dangers of cyanide poisoning, according to the results of a 90-page study released this afternoon by a Providence Fire Department task force. The group investigated the issue for two months, finding that "overwhelming evidence exists that cyanide is present in fire smoke more commonly and in greater quantities than previously believed," according to the report. The task force was formed in March days after nearly two dozen city firefighters, including one who suffered a heart attack, were tested for cyanide poisoning at building fires. Aside from training, other task force recommendations include the acquisition of cyanide detection equipment. City officials plan to work with a Connecticut company to devise better testing protocols. -- With reports from Journal staff writer Amanda Milkovits Cyanide is present in smoke produced by the burning of plastic, rubber, asphalt, and many synthetic materials. Symptoms of cyanide poisoning are often confused with carbon monoxide poisoning, according to the study, which also found the blood test for cyanide poisoning isn't readily available in most Rhode Island hospitals. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health is also reviewing the cyanide poisoning. -- With reports from Journal staff writer Amanda Milkovits Posted by Steve Peoples at 5:25 PM | Comment Update: 3 killed in Providence car crash ID'd / Photo
PROVIDENCE – The driver of a car that crashed here Sunday night, killing three passengers, has been charged with three felony counts of driving to endanger with death resulting. The driver, Jose Baret, 24, of 137 Whittier Ave., Providence, was the only one to survive. He was also issued summonses for failure to maintain control, presence of alcohol beverage while operating a motor vehicle and for neither himself or his passengers wearing seatbelts. Police recovered a half-full bottle of Cognac, an empty beer bottle, and an empty cup that smelled of alcohol from the car, a 2000 Mercedes-Benz, according to the police report of the accident. The deceased passengers were identified this morning. They are: Marco Couto, 27; Carlos Polanco, 27; and Christopher Verissimo, 23; all of Providence, according to police spokesman Gene D. Riccio. The police had refused Monday to identify anyone in the accident. Sgt. Paul Zienowicz said the car was traveling on Ernest Street "at a high rate of speed" at 10:20 p.m. and went out of control when the driver attempted to turn left onto Johnston Street. The car struck Ferguson Perforating & Wire Co. at 130 Ernest St. The building, in an industrial section of the city, has become an informal memorial to the three crash victims, tagged with their names and decorated with flowers. Friends and family members gathered there today. Posted by Kate Bramson at 5:11 PM | Comment Carcieri to veto nonbinding ballot question billPROVIDENCE -- Governor Carcieri is scheduled to hold a special ceremony this afternoon to veto a bill that would strip the governor of the authority to place nonbinding questions on the ballot. Despite today's 5 p.m. ceremony inside the State House, the General Assembly is expected to override Carcieri's veto, making the bill law. Carcieri previously announced that he would seek voter approval this November for two constitutional amendments designed to limit the growth of state government spending and local property taxes. Rhode Island is the only state that allows the governor to place such nonbinding items on the ballot without lawmakers' approval. Posted by Steve Peoples at 3:58 PM | Comment $200k federal grant will help families hurt by violencePROVIDENCE -- A nonprofit agency that works with victims of violent crime has received a $200,000 grant from the federal government to build a family trauma center. U.S. Sen. Lincoln Chafee met with officials from Family Service of Rhode Island this morning to announce the grant, which was included as an earmark in the 2006 transportation and housing bill. Family Service will use the money to transform a house into a center with rooms designed for family therapy, play therapy and normal family activities like preparing meals together. “We believe healing is more likely in a non-institutional setting. Using that simple inter-active experience can be a way to rebuild relationships severed by trauma,” Family Service CEO Margaret Holland McDuff said in a statement. Family Service received $420,000 in federal funding last year to establish the Providence Safe Start program with the Providence Police Department. Posted by Steve Peoples at 2:42 PM | Comment Faxon, Andrade announce CVS golf pairingsGolfers Chris DiMarco and Fred Funk will have the chance to defend their 2005 CVS/pharmacy Charity Classic title next month at the Rhode Island Country Club in Barrington. DiMarco and Funk will again play together in this year's charity classic, which is scheduled for June 19 and 20. Twenty golf professionals, in two-player teams, will compete for $1.35 million. Here are the rest of the pairings and tee times, announced today by hosts Brad Faxon and Billy Andrade:
Posted by Jack Perry at 2:09 PM | Comment Fairhaven teen held in classmate's stabbing deathFAIRHAVEN, Mass. -- The Fairhaven high school senior who police say stabbed his classmate to death during an argument after the two and another friend broke into a house was ordered held without bail today. The police found Thomas Reynolds, 18, of Acushnet, slumped over the wheel of a Jeep Cherokee early Sunday with multiple stab wounds. He was pronounced dead at a hospital. His friend, John Blomgren, 19, was ordered held without bail today at his arraignment in New Bedford District Court on a murder charge. Read the full Associated Press story. Posted by Jack Perry at 1:47 PM | Comment Pro-casino business group launched / Photo
PROVIDENCE -- More than two dozen business people gathered on Federal Hill this morning to announce formation of a group dedicated to drumming up support for the proposed West Warwick casino. The biggest company in the group is GTECH Holdings Corp., the West Greenwich-based gambling systems provider that stands to secure a share of the casino if the Narragansett Indians and Harrah's Entertainment are succesful in winning approval for the project. The group said it has 50 members in all. "We want to educate others about the benefits of this project," restaurant owner Rick Simone declared at a press conference at DePasquale Square on Federal Hill. Contrary to some in the hospitality industry who say a casino would drain away customers from existing businesses, Simone said a casino would strengthen the Rhode Island tourism industry's ability to compete with Connecticut and its two casinos. Glenn Ahlborg, president of TPG Construction, pointed to the benefits of the $1 billion Harrah's says would be spent building the proposed "destination casino" in West Warwick. The House last week passed a bill allowing the casino issue to be put before voters in a referendum question. The bill now stands before the Senate. Governor Carcieri is opposed to the proposed casino. Posted by at 11:49 AM | Comment Update: Biechele can participate in work-release programPROVIDENCE – Daniel M. Biechele can participate in the state's work-release program, but must go through the state Department of Corrections process first, Superior Court Judge Francis J. Darigan Jr. ruled this morning. Biechele filed a request to be put into the work-release program, shortly after he was sentenced to four years in prison for his role in sparking the disastrous Station night club fire. Biechele has been offered a job as a bookkeeper at The Arc of Northern Rhode Island, his attorneys told the court today. Arc CEO Robert L. Carl Jr., who has offered Biechele the job, was former Gov. Lincoln Almond’s director of administration and former chief of the state Department of Mental Health, Retardation and Hospitals. Biechele was not in court today. He is being held in minimum security at the Adult Correctional Institutions in Cranston. Earlier this month, Biechele was sentenced to four years in prison after he pleaded guilty to 100 counts of involuntary manslaughter, one for each of the people who died in the 2003 nightclub fire. Posted by Kate Bramson at 11:09 AM | Comment Gasoline prices drop 4 centsGasoline prices in Rhode Island have dropped another four cents this week, the second consecutive week that prices have fallen, according to AAA Southern New England. Your Turn: Has the cost of gasoline affected your vacation plans? The average price for a gallon of regular, unleaded gasoline is $2.94 at the self-service pump, according to AAA's weekly survey. The price has dropped six cents in the past two weeks, but drivers are still paying 68 cents more than they were at the beginning of the year, according to AAA.
Posted by Jack Perry at 10:27 AM | Comment Westport, Mass., man charged with attempted murder of police officerWESTPORT, Mass. -- A 24-year-old Westport man will face attempted murder charges today at Fall River Second District Court for allegedly trying to run down a police officer who responded to a call that he'd been fighting with his brother. George Stowell Jr. allegedly got in his car when Officer Bob Thatcher arrived Saturday, put it in reverse and turned it around to face the cruiser. The police said he was ordered to stop but that Stowell sped up and drove the car toward the cruiser. The impact knocked the cruiser back five feet. Read the full Associated Press Story. Posted by Jack Perry at 9:55 AM | Comment High around 77, potential thunderstormsAfter the beautiful holiday weekend, temperatures have dropped today, and the National Weather Service has issued a hazardous weather outlook for parts of northern Connecticut and Massachusetts and most of Rhode Island. There’s a slight chance of showers, and we could see patchy fog before 9 a.m. today. Highs should hover around 77, and the nighttime low should be about 55. The hazardous weather outlook calls for a slight chance of thunderstorms and a risk of lightning. For tomorrow and into the rest of the week, an approaching cold front could bring thunderstorms, strong wind gusts and large hail on Thursday. Get the latest conditions and forecasts from projo.com. Posted by Kate Bramson at 7:01 AM | Comment May 26, 2006C-SPAN to air First Lady's speech at RWU graduationThe cable station C-SPAN plans to air First Lady Laura Bush's commencement speech at Roger Williams University twice tomorrow. Mrs. Bush delivered the university's commencement address in Bristol last weekend, focusing on the school's committment to education around the world. The 22-minute speech will air at 8:45 p.m. and again at 11:45 p.m. Posted by Steve Peoples at 6:31 PM | Comment On eve of season, R.I. gets first hurricane planJust days before the start of hurricane season, the Ocean State has its first, statewide hurricane plan. Governor Carcieri approved the plan this afternoon after being briefed on the 68-page document by state Emergency Management Agency Executive Director Robert J. Warren. The plan is "excellent," Carcieri said. The next step: Convincing Rhode Islanders to take the threat of hurricanes seriously -- and prepare. “For me, the big thing right now is outreach, making people understand this is serious,” Carcieri said by phone after the briefing. “It’s been a long time since we had a major hurricane, and we’ve gotten complacent.” The official hurricane season begins June 1, and forecasters are predicting an unusually high number of hurricanes this year. -- Journal staff writer Amanda Milkovits Just this week, officials at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said that the North Atlantic was predicted to have “very active” hurricane season this year: 13 to 16 named storms, with eight to 10 becoming hurricanes. Of those, four to six could become major hurricanes – category 3 or greater. Meanwhile, Accuweather is predicting that Southern New England has a “very high” risk of being struck by a hurricane this season. Rhode Island hasn’t seen a major hurricane since Hurricane Bob swung into New England in the summer of 1991. The hurricane’s105 mph winds, heavy rains and storm surge blew down trees, knocked out power for at least a week in parts of the state, and caused an estimated $780 million in damages of insured property throughout the Northeast. -- Journal staff writer Amanda Milkovits Posted by Steve Peoples at 6:00 PM | Comment Update: Cranston service honors fallen Marine / Photo
CRANSTON -- Fallen Marine Lance Cpl. Holly Charette was honored this afternoon at the Hugh B. Bain Middle School, where students, friends and family planted a tree in the soldier's honor. Charette, 21, was killed June 23, 2005 by a bomb attack in Iraq. She graduated from the middle school in 1997, and from Cranston High School East in 2001. Charette is the 46th Bain graduate to die on active duty in the armed forces. The sapling planted in her honor today was the first since the Vietnam War. Extra: Post a tribute to Charette via projo.com's Tribute to the Troops. Posted by Steve Peoples at 5:56 PM | Comment Insurance study: R.I. ranks last in driving test -- againRhode Island has the worst drivers in the nation, according to the results of an annual study released today by one of the nation's largest auto insurance companies. Rhode Islanders on average scored 75 percent -- worst in the nation -- in an online survey testing driving knowledge, administered on the GMAC Insurance Web site. The score dropped two points from last year, in which Rhode Island also ranked last. Around 5,300 people took the online tests, with at least 100 people from each state, according to GMAC. "If retested today, nearly 18 million would fail the test required to get a license," including more than 25 percent of Rhode Island drivers, according to the executive summary of the survey results. Neighboring Massachusetts didn't fare much better. It ranked third to last. Oregon, for the second year in a row, finished first. Posted by Steve Peoples at 5:27 PM | Comment Bruins hire Chiarelli as general managerThe Boston Bruins announced today that they have signed Peter Chiarelli to a four-year contract as the team's general manager. Chiarelli, who spent the past two years as assistant general manager of the Ottawa Senators, will succeed the fired Mike O'Connell. Many fans were dismayed this week after The Providence Journal reported that the Bruins had failed to reach a deal with Nashville assitant general manager Ray Shero, who was thought to be their leading candidate for the job. The Pittsburgh Penguins hired Shero last week. Click here to read the Associated Press story on Chiarelli's hiring. Posted by Mike McDermott at 4:07 PM | Comment Weather alert: Storms on way to northern R.I.PROVIDENCE -- A line of thunderstorms and showers is moving into northern Rhode Island now, the National Weather Service warns. They are moving in a northeast direction at a rate of about 25 mph. If they approach, the services says to head indoors immediately and postpone outdoor activities until they pass. Check live radar for the position of the storms. Posted by Steve Peoples at 3:38 PM | Comment Update: Jury finds 'natural healer' guilty on all 21 countsPROVIDENCE – A jury has found John E. Curran, the “natural healer” accused of pretending to be a doctor, guilty on all 21 counts against him – 18 counts of wire fraud and 3 counts of money laundering. The jury returned to the courtroom of U.S. District Court Judge Mary M. Lisi at 2 p.m. after seven hours of deliberations. Curran stood facing the court clerk as he read the jury's verdict. Each separate count against Curran carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Wearing a light tan jacket and dark dress pants, Curran stood with his hands clasped in front of him as the clerk read the same statement 21 times, altering just the number of the charge against Curran: “As to Count 1 of the indictment, we, the jury, find the defendant, John Curran, guilty.” Minutes after the verdict was read, a loud sobbing could be heard outside the courtroom, prompting the judge to send someone into the hallway to investigate. According to a court sheriff, the sobbing came from Curran’s wife, who was in a hallway in the courthouse with a friend. The wailing filled the courtroom. The jury began deliberating yesterday afternoon, the ninth day of the trial, after closing arguments in the case. Curran, who has practiced in Cranston, Providence and East Greenwich, had been under investigation by federal authorities since April 2004. -- projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples Posted by Kate Bramson at 2:55 PM | Comment Judge denies Journal's bid for Biechele presentence lettersPROVIDENCE –Superior Court Judge Francis J. Darigan Jr. today denied The Providence Journal’s request to release letters he received before the sentencing of Daniel M. Biechele, the band manager who lit off the pyrotechnics that started The Station nightclub fire. The week before Biechele’s May 10 sentencing date, the newspaper requested that Darigan make public the “victim impact statements,” letters to the judge from relatives of many of the 100 who died in the February 2003 West Warwick nightclub fire. Darigan rejected that request, and the newspaper then expanded its request to include all the letters the judge received regarding Biechele’s sentencing. The Journal requested, and was granted, a hearing. Darigan said that he would not rule until after Biechele’s sentencing. Today, the judge issued a 21-page ruling denying the request, saying that much of what The Journal requested falls under the state law that bars the court from releasing information in a defendant’s presentence report. The state Corrections Department compiles presentence reports on criminals to help judges determine a sentence. The Journal’s lawyer had acknowledged before Biechele’s sentencing date that the state law bars the release of some of the requested material. In a detailed ruling that reviews all of the various types of communication to the court and Darigan himself that The Journal requested, Darigan denied access to all of it. “The Court holds that even if the avenues of access were to reach the sentencing letters, the strong reasons for confidentiality of presentence reports and documents akin to presentence reports would clearly and unequivocally outweigh the release of any such letters because of the chilling effect such release would have on future honest communication,” Darigan wrote in conclusion. “The Court further holds that if the presentence confidentiality did not apply to the letters, none of the avenues of access to judicial records would extend to reach the requested letters. “The petition is therefore DENIED.” Biechele was sentenced to four years in state prison after pleading guilty to manslaughter charges. Posted by Kate Bramson at 2:26 PM | Comment Brown taps into clean energy to light graduation dancePROVIDENCE -- Tonight's campus dance for graduating seniors from Brown University will be powered by renewable energy -- a first for the annual campus event. Student organizer and graduating senior Noam Ross says student activists and alumni members have raised at least 750 dollars to pay for 25 megawatt hours of electricity that would be consumed tonight. The money would pay for the extra cost currently generated by renewable energy facilities, such as solar power plants. Ross says buying such credits help development of renewable energy in the region. The annual dance is part of Brown's commencement events. About 6,000 students will graduate on Sunday. School officials say the dance, which lights up the campus with more than 600 lanterns, attracts more than 11,000 people. Can't attend the graduation? Brown will Webcast the ceremonies, between 12:10 and 2:10 p.m. -- The Associated Press Posted by Steve Peoples at 1:27 PM | Comment R.I. congressional staffs in offices despite gunfireWASHINGTON -- The staffs of Rhode Island's two congressmen have not been evacuated from their congressional office building today, despite reports of a shooting two buildings away that caused a lockdown of the Capitol complex. Rep. James R. Langevin was not working at the complex today. Rep. Patrick Kennedy entered rehab for a problem with prescription drugs early this month. Spokesmen for both congressmen said their staffs are working in the Cannon building, very close to the reported scene of the shooting in the Rayburn office building. Each of the buildings is connected to the Capitol via underground tunnels. Warnings were broadcast over the public address system this morning inside Cannon instructing staffs not to leave their offices, according to Langevin spokeswoman Joy Fox. "They did as they were told," Fox said. "They are all OK." Kennedy spokeswoman Robin Costello said she spoke to staff members via telephone this morning and was told everyone is OK as well. But the situation is not resolved. "[The capitol] was locked, then they unlocked it, now they just locked it up again," Costello said, calling the situation "fairly significant." Police are investigating the reported shooting. There are no reports of arrests or injuries at this time. Get the latest on the incident from The Associated Press ... Posted by Steve Peoples at 1:01 PM | Comment Update: Judge lets lawyer Pine off Station fire case / Photo
PROVIDENCE – A Superior Court judge this morning approved Jeffrey B. Pine's request to be removed as a lawyer for Jeffrey Derderian, one of the owners of The Station nightclub that burned to the ground in 2003, killing 100 people. Judge Francis J. Darigan Jr. granted Pine's motion after the state Attorney General's Office withdrew its objection. The state did so after the lawyer who would replace Pine, Anthony M. Cardinale of Boston, told the court he was prepared to try the case on schedule. Darigan said that Jeffrey Derderian's case would likely start in late October or early November. Derderian was in the courtroom today, along with his brother, Michael Derderian, co-owner of the club. Michael Derderian is scheduled to go on trial on the same charges, starting July 31. Darigan also emphasized today that that trial would likely last eight to 10 weeks, and not six months, as had been previously reported. Pine, a former state attorney general and a sole practitioner in Providence, had argued that Jeffrey Derderian's case would take so long that he would not be able to adequately serve other clients. He said in his motion that he had already dedicated more than three years to the case.
-- With reports from projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson Posted by Kate Bramson at 11:45 AM | Comment WWPD: What's it all mean?PROVIDENCE – As Channel 10 is reporting that a state registry clerk is on administrative leave for taking a vanity plate, projo.com is wondering about the appeal of WWPD. The vanity plate reportedly sold recently on e-Bay for $32.57. One could speculate that the plate stood for West Warwick Police Department. Perhaps. But at a time when those “WWJD” bracelets get lots of people thinking about what Jesus would do, there might be other possibilities. Seems everyone wants to jump on the WW … bandwagon. And WWPD has so many possibilities. Could the e-Bay buyer have wanted to question what Phoebe, pirates, Picard (as in the Star Trek captain) or Paris would do? Plenty of gear is available on line begging the question: What would P do? The popular UrbanDictionary.com says the letters are “undefined” and urges readers to “add a definition for WWPD.” Perhaps we’ll never know just what the P on this plate will stand for in the mind of the e-Bay buyer. Channel 10 reports that the seller has not replied to a reporter’s e-mail and that his listed phone numbers are disconnected. As for the registry employee, the state Division of Motor Vehicles has said she may face criminal charges and termination, according to Channel 10. Posted by Kate Bramson at 8:06 AM | Comment Hail today, gone tomorrow in time for holiday weekendPROVIDENCE -- We’ve just got to get through a little hail and frequent lightning this afternoon and evening and possible showers and thunderstorms tomorrow morning before the weather turns downright gorgeous for the holiday weekend. But yes, you heard that right. Hail first. The National Weather Service has issued a hazardous weather outlook for northern Connecticut, parts of Massachusetts and central Rhode Island. Some thunderstorms this afternoon could produce winds gusting at more than 40 miles per hour and penny-sized hail. Otherwise, expect highs in the mid-70s today. With some areas of dense fog expected tonight, visibility could be one-quarter mile or less. But then, Sunday and Monday of the holiday weekend are still predicted to be holiday-perfect days. Sunday should see high 70s and Monday high 80s. Get the latest conditions and forecasts from projo.com. Posted by Kate Bramson at 7:04 AM | Comment May 25, 2006R.I.'s senators vote in favor of immigration billWASHINGTON -- Rhode Island's senators both voted in favor of the comprehensive immigration reform bill that the Senate approved early this evening. Republican Sen. Lincoln Chafee and Democratic Sen. Jack Reed were among the 62 voting "yea" on the measure. It was opposed by 36 senators; two did not vote. The vote, which crossed party lines, was considered a triumph for President Bush. The vote cleared the way for summertime compromise talks with the House on its version that focuses on border enforcement - with no guarantee of success. View the full roll call vote here. -- With reports from the Associated Press Posted by Andrea Panciera at 6:59 PM | Comment Update: 'Natural healer's' fraud case in hands of juryPROVIDENCE -- The jury in the federal trial of a "natural healer" accused of fraud began its deliberations today after listening to closing arguments this morning. It wrapped up for the day at about 4:30 p.m. and will continue tomorrow. John E. Curran, of Exeter, had been indicted by a federal grand jury on 19 counts of wire fraud and 4 counts of money laundering. The grand jury accused Curran of posing as a doctor, falsely diagnosing people with frightening conditions, and selling them $1.4 million in purported remedies, including nutritional supplements, drinks he called Green Drink and E-water, and sessions inside various machines applying heat, water, oxygen, massage or infrared lights. The current jury must sift through the testimony given by dozens of witnesses and hundreds of exhibits as it makes its decision.
Posted by Andrea Panciera at 6:10 PM | Comment Update: Rally wraps up walk for homeless / Photo
PROVIDENCE -- A group of more than 50 people arrived at the State House at about 3:30 this afternoon, ending a 57-mile, five-day walk across the state to fight homelessness. The activists left Westerly on Sunday, averaging 2 mph on the trek. Several hundred people have gathered outside the State House for an afternoon rally to bring attention to the plight of the homeless, and to the high costs of housing. Find out more about the walkers from today's Journal story. Posted by Steve Peoples at 5:37 PM | Comment Carcieri moves ahead with Beacon board appealPROVIDENCE -- An attorney for Governor Carcieri filed a notice of appeal in state Supreme Court this afternoon as part of the governor's bid to overturn an order blocking his firing of two Beacon Mutual Insurance Co. board members. Earlier in the week, Superior Court Judge Stephen J. Fortunato Jr. invoked an injunction barring Carcieri from dismissing George Nee and Henry Boeniger, both long-time board members for the embattled workers' compensation insurer. No date has been set for a hearing in the Supreme Court. Posted by Steve Peoples at 5:32 PM | Comment House begins debate on casino amendmentPROVIDENCE -- The House of Representatives has begun debating a controversial amendment to the state Constitution that would allow the Narragansett tribe to operate a casino in West Warwick. "The Rhode Island Constitution is not the Ten Commandments," said the bill's sponsor, Rep. Timothy A. Williamson, D-West Warwick, as debate commenced at about 4:30 p.m. "It is a living breathing document" that citizens can change if they see fit, he said. Legislators are preparing for a long debate tonight and the introduction of various amendments to the bill. In just the first few minutes, Rep. Nicholas Gorham, R-Coventry, introduced an amendment that would prohibit state legislators from profiting from the casino while in office and for five years afterward. Read more about the bill and the casino proposal in today's Journal story ... Posted by Steve Peoples at 5:13 PM | Comment $25k cleans up nursing home's waste-water billWEST WARWICK -- The president of Haven Healthcare personally delivered a $25,000 check to West Warwick Town Hall today to stop officials from shutting off the waste-water removal system at a nursing home the company owns in Coventry. The Connecticut-based company had not paid its waste-water bills since last December, and officials at the regional sewage-treatment plant in West Warwick said all attempts to collect the money had been fruitless. The Journal reported on the dispute yesterday and this morning. Haven Healthcare President Anthony Scierka submitted the payment. -- Journal staff writer Benjamin N. Gedan Posted by Steve Peoples at 5:00 PM | Comment Hearing Tuesday on Biechele's bid for work releasePROVIDENCE -- A Superior Court judge will hear arguments Tuesday over whether Daniel M. Biechele, who pleaded guilty to Station fire manslaughter charges, should be allowed to leave prison during the day to work. Biechele's attorneys have filed a motion requesting that he be allowed to participate in a work release program open to non-violent criminals held in minimum security facilities. The Attorney General's Office opposes the request. Judge Francis J. Darigan Jr. scheduled a hearing to consider the request for next Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. Earlier this month, Biechele was sentenced to four years in prison for his role in igniting the pyrotechnics that started The Station nightclub fire in 2003. Biechele's attorneys said their client has been offered a job in Rhode Island as an accountant or bookkeeper, though they would provide no details regarding the offer. Posted by Steve Peoples at 4:15 PM | Comment Update: Amtrak getting back on track / Photo
PROVIDENCE -- As Amtrak service was being restored after a major power outage stopped trains between Washington and New York this morning, a handful of delays remain among afternoon trains passing through Providence. But "everything's starting to fall back into place," Amtrak ticket agent Kimberly Lasso-Menezes said this afternoon, and most trains now won't be affected. Hundreds of Providence commuters were stranded or unable to reach their final destinations after the power outage between 8 a.m. and 11 a.m. halted service along the Northeast Corridor. About a dozen would-be passengers were waiting for their trains at the station here when the notice board began flipping, showing trains delayed and then canceled, at about 10 a.m. Several said they were caught completely by surprise by the announcement, but seemed to adjust quickly to finding an alternative to the train. The outage stranded thousands of commuters this morning and left some trains stopped on tracks and in tunnels between New York and Washington. -- With reports from staff writers Amanda Milkovits and Kate Bramson Late this morning, Amtrak said it restored power. By early afternoon, Amtrak said its trains were operating, and delays were expected to decline as more trains are put in service. By mid-afternoon today, full Amtrak train operations are expected to resume. The cause of the outage is not yet known, Amtrak officials said. Click here to check the status of trains in the Northeast Corridor. Posted by Andrea Panciera at 3:44 PM | Comment Update: Derderian lawyer Pine asks to drop out of fire casePROVIDENCE - Lawyer Jeffrey Pine announced today he plans to withdraw from representing Station nightclub co-owner Jeffrey Derderian in the criminal case stemming from the disastrous fire at the club. A Boston-based defense attorney whose clients have included mob figures has asked to take his place. Jeffrey Derderian is charged along with his brother, Michael, in the fire that killed 100 people and was sparked by a rock band's pyrotechnics. Pine's request to withdraw comes as the Derderians await trial on 200 counts of involuntary manslaughter. Jeffrey Derderian is expected to stand trial at some point after his brother, whose trial has been scheduled for July 31. "My specific concern was the extended commitment that would be required to go forward on my part, and the potential impact upon my responsibility to other clients," Pine said in an interview with The Associated Press. "That's my primary concern." Pine's request has been filed in Superior Court, where Judge Francis Jr. Darigan Jr. will hear the motion tomorrow morning. The state Attorney General's Office will object to the request, a spokesman told The Journal today. In a statement released today, Pine said he still believed in Derderian's innocence and that Derderian agreed with his decision to withdraw. -- Associated Press, with reports from Journal staff writer Tracy Breton Pine, a former Rhode Island attorney general, is requesting to withdraw from the case in Providence Superior Court. Attorney Anthony Cardinale has asked a judge's permission to take Pine's place. He has represented New England mafia boss Francis "Cadillac Frank" Salemme, and Timothy Mello, the ringleader of an organized crime ring in southeastern Massachusetts. Jeffrey Derderian's other lawyers still include Kathleen Hagerty and Thomas Dickinson. The Feb. 20, 2003, fire at the West Warwick nightclub began when pyrotechnics used by the heavy metal band Great White ignited flammable foam lining the club's walls. Besides the 100 killed, more than 200 others were injured. The Derderians were charged with having the flammable soundproofing foam that fueled the fire, and for alleged negligence in their management of the club. They have pleaded not guilty. Daniel Biechele, the former tour manager for the band, was sentenced to serve four years in prison earlier this month after pleading guilty to manslaughter charges stemming from his role in setting off the explosives. Biechele has asked to be assigned to work release. Darigan will be hear that motion in court next Tuesday, according to information obtained today by The Journal. -- Associated Press, with reports from Journal staff writer Tracy Breton Posted by Andrea Panciera at 11:52 AM | Comment Woonsocket High students nabbed for jaywalkingWOONSOCKET - More than two dozen Woonsocket High School students walking home after school got a ride - right to the police station. Twenty-two police officers, detectives and undercover officers were waiting yesterday to nab students in a jaywalking crackdown police say was aimed at deterring bad after-school behavior. Two students also now face criminal charges stemming from the sting: One boy was charged with disorderly conduct for spitting at a police captain, and another boy was charged with a weapons violation for walking with an exposed folding knife, The Call of Woonsocket reported. Police organized the sting after police officers and neighbors complained about the rowdy after-school crowd. -- Associated Press Posted by Andrea Panciera at 11:46 AM | Comment Reacting to complaints, Hasbro pulls plans for doll linePAWTUCKET – Local toymaker Hasbro Inc. listened when a national advocacy group for fathers and daughters this week urged 13,000 on its e-mail list to speak out and complain about the toymakers’ plans to release a line of dolls based on the Pussycat Dolls. The Pussycat Dolls, a six-woman music group, perform what the advocacy group Dads & Daughters characterizes as highly eroticized dance routines and songs. Just hours after Dads & Daughters, based in Duluth, Minn., and the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood at Harvard University jointly launched a campaign urging those on their e-mail lists to write complaint letters to Hasbro, the company began blocking the e-mails that came in via the advocacy group’s site, Dads & Daughters president Joe Kelly said this morning. And just 48 hours after the e-mail campaign began, Kelly said that Hasbro issued a short statement saying the company had pulled the plug on plans to create the dolls.
“Hasbro and Interscope have jointly agreed that Hasbro will not move forward with the line of dolls based on the recording group, The Pussycat Dolls,” read the statement that Hasbro’s Gary Serby e-mailed to Kelly yesterday afternoon. “Interscope’s current creative direction and images for the recording group are focused on a much older target than we had anticipated at the time of our original discussions, thereby making a doll line inappropriate for Hasbro.” Kelly said the campaign against the planned dolls was unusual for Dads & Daughters. The seven-year-old advocacy organization began running e-mail campaigns about a year after it began, but they’re more often targeted at marketing campaigns or public policy. A very small number of the approximately 10 e-mail campaigns that Dads & Daughters does each year are targeted at products, Kelly said. He called Hasbro's decision “a very nice victory.” “And I think it was a smart decision by Hasbro,” he said. “But more important, I think it was the right decision because what we asked Hasbro executives to do was to put their own children and grandchildren in the picture.” Dads & Daughters is in the midst of a much longer-term advocacy project called See Jane, Kelly said. Working with actor Geena Davis, the organization is analyzing the content of movies and television shows aimed at children 11 and younger. Posted by Kate Bramson at 9:18 AM | Comment R.I. Guard major returns from Iraq for son's graduationCRANSTON -- A Rhode Island National Guard major has returned from duty in Iraq to attend his son's graduation Saturday from the United States Military Academy at West Point, the Guard announced today. Maj. Anthony Desmarais, of Glocester, is a member of the 43rd Military Police Brigade, which was deployed to Iraq in October 2005. His son, Anthony Desmarais Jr., will be graduating from West Point with an engineering degree and will be commissioned as a second lieutenant. Maj. Desmarais will return to Iraq in early June. Posted by Jack Perry at 8:32 AM | Comment Scenes of R.I. calendar to benefit local hospitalsGovernor Carcieri plans to unveil what his office is touting as the “first ever” Scenes of Rhode Island desk calendar at 5:30 p.m. today at Hasbro Children’s Hospital. The work of local artists is featured in the calendar. Its proceeds will benefit the Healing Arts Program at Lifespan hospitals. Posted by Kate Bramson at 8:12 AM | Comment Here's to a beautiful weekendThe forecast for this long weekend has gotten even better. That’s right. The National Weather Service now predicts that Memorial Day Monday should be a high of 87 and mostly sunny. Just yesterday, meteorologists were only predicting high 70s. So if you haven’t done so yet, pull out your grill and start planning your holiday weekend barbecues. We just have to contend with potential showers on Saturday, mainly before 3 p.m., and a little fog that morning, and then the weekend is golden. Sunday should see a high of 79 and sunny skies. What about today, you say? Well, it’s looking good, too, with a high of 75 and mostly sunny. Now if you could just kick out of work a little early, huh? Keep an eye on the latest conditions and forecasts at projo.com. Posted by Kate Bramson at 7:06 AM | Comment May 24, 2006Cranston mayoral candidate bows outDemocrat Michael S. Pisaturo withdrew from the race for mayor of Cranston this afternoon, leaving two Democrats and one Republican in the race. The current mayor, Stephen P. Laffey, is not seeking reelection because he is running for U.S. Senate. In a message emailed to the media, Pisaturo, a veteran city councilman, said he also will not run for reelection to his council seat and is withdrawing from public service "to focus more attention on other areas of my life.” The remaining candidates are Democrats Cynthia M. Fogarty and Micheal T. Napolitano, and Republican Allan W. Fung. -- Journal staff writer Zachary R. Mider Posted by Steve Peoples at 6:21 PM | Comment Assembly passes bill forcing cat fixingsPROVIDENCE -- Rhode Island could become the first state to require cat owners to spay or neuter their pets under legislation passed today by the General Assembly. The House approved a bill 59-3 to require cat owners to spay or neuter pets older than six months unless they pay $100 for a breeder's license or permit for an intact animal. Violators will be fined $75 per month. The Senate previously passed the bill, and it now goes to Gov. Don Carcieri for his signature. Supporters say the bill could save thousands of cats from being killed each year and ease overcrowding in animal shelters. Private shelters and municipal pounds in Rhode Island killed 5,452 cats from 2002 to 2004, according to the state Department of Environmental Management. But other animal rights advocates, while wanting to reduce the state's cat population, worry the bill could prompt cat owners to abandon their pets rather than risk a fine or pay several hundred dollars for the birth control procedures. The bill has a provision for low-income pet owners to receive subsidies for low-cost spay and neuter surgery. It also exempts farmers. -- The Associated Press Posted by Steve Peoples at 6:20 PM | Comment Court rules against tribe in smoke shop casePROVIDENCE -- The 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled this afternoon that the state was well within its legal bounds when troopers raided a Narragansett Indian smoke shop, seizing cigarettes and arresting tribal leaders in a violent confrontation three summers ago. In a 34-page decision written by Judge Bruce M. Selya, the court concluded that the Narragansetts traded in their immunity from state law when they entered into the agreement that gave them 1,800 acres of their aboriginal lands in 1978. That settlement -- now federal law -- subjects the tribal land to the civil and criminal laws and jurisdiction of the state. The Narragansett Indian Tribe began selling tax-free cigarettes against the state’s wishes from a roadside store on tribal lands in Charlestown in 2003. Two days after they began, the state police, acting on a state search warrant, raided the shop in a widely televised clash. Officers seized cigarettes and arrested eight tribal members, including Chief Sachem Matthew Thomas. The tribe filed suit in U.S. District Court in the aftermath, arguing that as a sovereign nation, it was outside state taxing authority. U.S. District Judge William E. Smith ruled against the tribe, landing the case before the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Last May, a three-judge panel from the appeals court found that the state had violated the tribe’s sovereign rights by executing the raid. -- Journal staff writer Katie Mulvaney Posted by Steve Peoples at 5:40 PM | Comment Library petitions demand local servicesPROVIDENCE -- Public library representatives today delivered hundreds of letters and a petition with 3,000 signatures to the City Council supporting local library branches that may be closed. The petition and letters were presented to the library board of trustees last week with the intention of passing them on to city officials. “While this outpouring of concern and support for the Providence Public Library is a testament to the wonderful work our library staff is doing in the community, we recognize that only by working together with city officials can we map out long-term solutions for sustainable municipal neighborhood library services,” Board Chair Mary B. Olenn wrote in a letter to Council members. Because of insufficient funding, library officials are considering closing 6 of 10 local branches and laying off workers. Posted by Steve Peoples at 5:32 PM | Comment R.I. science scores lagPROVIDENCE -- Rhode Island’s science scores have not improved in the past five years, according to test results released today by the National Assessment of Educational Progress. The state continues to trail the five other New England states and is stuck in the middle of the pack nationally, according to the latest results of standardized science tests. Just 63 percent of Rhode Island’s fourth graders scored at or above proficient in science in 2005, a drop of 2 points since 2000, the last time the national test, commonly called the Nation’s Report Card, was administered. The national average for 2005 was 66 percent. Eighth grade scores showed a similar gap. Scores were stagnant in Rhode Island, with 58 percent of students performing at or above proficient -- the same as five years earlier. In Rhode Island, 2,700 fourth graders and 2,800 eighth graders from urban, suburban and rural districts took portions of the test, which were administered by the National Assessment of Educational Progress and are the only continuing national assessments that measure what students know in a variety of subjects. -- Journal staff writer Jennifer D. Jordan Posted by Steve Peoples at 4:45 PM | Comment Carcieri names new chief of staffPROVIDENCE -- Governor Carcieri today announced this afternoon a series of high-profile staffing changes, two days after his campaign manager, Timothy Costa, decided to quit for personal reasons.  McKay The governor's chief of staff, Kenneth K. McKay IV, will leave his current position and take over the re-election campaign. The chief of staff position will be filled by Jeffrey Grybowski, the governor's current policy director and deputy chief of staff. “Ken McKay has been the lynchpin of my team from the very beginning,” Carcieri said in a statement released this afternoon. Carcieri said he's confident with his new chief of staff, Grybowski, who "has been intimately involved in every detail of my administration." Posted by Steve Peoples at 4:15 PM | Comment Warwick Mayor joins walk for homeless / Photo
WARWICK -- About 60 activists briefly paused at the Warwick/East Greenwich town line this afternoon as Warwick Mayor Scott Avedesian joined the group in their fourth day of walking for homelessness. The walkers are still cheerful, reports Journal staff writer Mark Arsenault, who is on the scene with the group, which began walking Sunday in Westerly and will finish tomorrow at the State House. The activists have been passing out leaflets promoting a rally at the Capitol tomorrow to pedestrians and local businesses along their route. Many motorists are honking to encourage the marchers, who are traveling along Route 1. The average walking speed today is 2 mph, reports Arsenault. Posted by Steve Peoples at 4:00 PM | Comment The Pops sign Linda Eder, Temptations, Peter, Paul, MaryThe second season of Rhode Island Philharmonic pops concerts will include Linda Eder's Holiday Concert on Dec. 9; The Temptations on Feb. 17; and Peter, Paul and Mary on March 24, the Philharmonic and the Providence Performing Arts Center announced today. The shows will be at PPAC, where this past year's concerts -- starring Ronan Tynan, the Beach Boys and Bebe Neuwirth -- were held. For more information or to subscribe to the series, call (401) 421-2787 or go to ppacri.org. Posted by at 3:25 PM | Comment 3 Barrington HS students hit by carBARRINGTON -- Three high school students were hit by a car this morning as they crossed the street in front of Barrington High School. The students, all girls, were transported to Hasbro Children's Hospital in Providence, though none of their injuries are considered serious, according to Barrington Police Chief John LaCross. They were struck while standing in a crosswalk at about 11:15 a.m. by a 2001 Hyundai driven by another female Barrington High School student, who was travelling with two female friends. LaCross said he does not believe the car was speeding. No criminal charges were filed today, he said, though the incident is still under investigation. The students had been released early from school to work on a project, LaCross said. -- With reports from Journal staff writer Alex Kuffner Posted by Steve Peoples at 3:06 PM | Comment Guardsmen return from Middle East todayCRANSTON -- Eleven members of the Rhode Island Air National Guard will return to the Ocean State this afternoon after spending six months in the Middle East. The soldiers will fly into Quonset Air National Guard Base at 4 p.m. The troops -- members of the 143rd Airlift Wing -- were stationed at Al Udeid Airbase in Qatar, where they were assigned to the 379th Air Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron. The Rhode Island National Guard has 276 troops deployed in the Middle East. Posted by Steve Peoples at 1:35 PM | Comment Three indicted in Dunkin' robbery plotMIDDLETOWN -- Three people have been indicted for their alleged roles in the robbery of an East Main Road Dunkin' Donuts in January, according to the attorney general's office. The Newport County Grand Jury charged Jason Abdullah, 20, of 195 Admiral Kalbfus Road, Newport; Alexander Barra, 21, of 36 Forest Avenue, Middletown, and Jamie Lyn Santos, 21, of 77 Bayview Avenue Bristol with one count each of conspiracy to commit the crime of embezzlement. Police believe that Santos drove Barra to the Dunkin' Donuts to stage a robbery, while Abdullah was behind the counter. While Barra wielded a pair of scissors in the "robbery," a Middletown police officer pulled up to the donut shop and recognized Barra -- a former Dunkin' Donuts employee -- as he fled the scene with $333 in a paper bag. Abdullah was also charged with one count of embezzlement, while Barra was charged with one count of breaking and entering, two counts of felony assault, and one count of resisting arrest. The defendants are scheduled to appear in court on June 22. Posted by Steve Peoples at 1:03 PM | Comment Contractor troubles? Speak up todayPROVIDENCE -- A special House commission wants to hear from you today if you’ve had problems with contractors. The commission is considering tightening regulations for contractors, including requiring them to take ethics and contract law classes, raising the penalties for working without registering as a contractor and increasing the fines that the state Contractors’ Registration Board can impose. The commission expects to hold a public hearing today at 2 p.m. in room 313 at the State House. Posted by Kate Bramson at 12:41 PM | Comment Chafee ad campaign attacks LaffeyThe Chafee campaign is launching a new radio and television advertising campaign today, attacking the incumbent senator's primary opponent, Cranston Mayor Stephen Laffey for implementing "record tax increases" while in office. "Laffey promised spending cuts. Instead, he increased spending nearly 20 percent," the radio ad states. "Worse, Laffey paid for his higher spending with higher tax increases. Record tax increases...Cranston now pays the highest taxes in Rhode Island." The television ads, which are nearly identical in substance to the radio spots, will appear on local and cable stations beginning today for the next two weeks, Chafee's campaign spokesman Ian Lang said today, noting the media spots cost about $150,000. When asked why the campaign is attacking Laffey instead of focussing on Chafee's achievements, Lang said that Laffey set the tone for a negative campaign weeks ago. "It's already out there," Lang said. The Democratic candidate seeking Chafee's seat, Sheldon Whitehouse, launched his media campaign last week, buying $100,000 worth of television air time. Posted by Steve Peoples at 12:21 PM | Comment Bruins' GM talks fail; Ottawa assistant may get offerBOSTON -- The Boston Bruins' search for a new general manager hit a snag today. Earlier this week, the club reportedly offered the position to Nashville Predators assistant GM Ray Shero. But, according to an industry source, negotiations have broken down because Shero, 43, is asking for too much money. As a result, it now appears Ottawa Senators assistant GM Peter Chiarelli is once again the lead candidate. Chiarelli was said to have had the edge late last week, but Bruins management began leaning toward Shero over the weekend. Sources say the Bruins will likely send a second-round pick to the Senators as compensation for Chiarelli, who once captained the hockey team at Harvard. Click here to read the full story. -- JOE McDONALD Posted by Art at 12:07 PM | Comment Providence to host school planning sessionPROVIDENCE -- What do you want the Providence school system to look like in 15 years? Do you want a middle school system or K-8 schools? Smaller high schools or smaller learning academies within a larger high school? For a detailed look at the various proposals, check the Web site of the consulting firm hosting tonight's meeting. -- Journal staff writer Linda Borg Posted by Steve Peoples at 12:04 PM | Comment ACLU requests telephone records probePROVIDENCE -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Rhode Island today asked state utility regulators to investigate whether Verizon and AT&T have improperly turned over Rhode Islanders' telephone records to the National Security Agency. The complaint to the Rhode Island Division of Public Utilities and Carriers was part of a coordinated action by the ACLU in about 20 states, demanding that state utility regulatory agencies or attorneys general investigate accusations that some of the nation's biggest telecommunications companies gave the government records from millions of their customers' records. The Rhode Island complaint, directed to the divison's administrator, Thomas F. Ahern, said, "The phone companies' apparent action in releasing this private information amounts to a systematic and flagrant violation of their customers' privacy rights" and the companies' own promises to protect their customers' privacy. -- Journal staff writer Bruce Landis Posted by Jack Perry at 11:53 AM | Comment Voters OK eastern Conn. studio, theme park ideaHARTFORD, Conn. (AP) -- Voters in Preston yesterday approved a proposed $1.6 billion movie studio and theme park project that backers say will pump tax revenue and tourist dollars into eastern Connecticut but opponents fear will lead to crowded roads and other urban problems. The unofficial tally was 1,330 to 1,023, or 56.5 percent in favor and 43.5 percent opposed. Voter turnout was about 68 percent. Utopia Studios, based in Melville, N.Y., intends to build movie studios, a climate-controlled theme park, hotels and an arts school on the former Norwich Hospital property. The developers estimate the attractions would bring 8 million to 10 million visitors a year and employ 22,000 workers. Read the full Associated Press story. Posted by Jack Perry at 11:18 AM | Comment Amos House celebrates 30 yearsPROVIDENCE – Amos House is celebrating its 30 years of helping the homeless at a luncheon today that will raise money for the organization’s programs and services. At the luncheon at the Warwick Crowne Plaza today, Amos House is honoring Lawrence K. Fish, the chairman and chief executive officer of Citizens Financial Group, for his contributions in the state to the homeless and hungry. Read more about Amos House in the Journal.
Posted by Kate Bramson at 11:10 AM | Comment Mass. governor makes unannounced visit to IraqBOSTON -- Gov. Mitt Romney made an unannounced visit to Iraq this week, an effort to visit Massachusetts troops and understand an international hotspot that could also burnish his foreign policy credentials should he run for president in 2008. The Republican governor met with military and diplomatic leaders in Baghdad yesterday and today, before returning to a United States staging area in Kuwait City, Kuwait, according to his communications director, Eric Fehrnstrom. Romney is scheduled to stop in Pakistan tomorrow en route to Afghanistan, where he will meet with President Hamid Karzai. After an overnight stay at the U.S. embassy in Kabul, Romney will fly to Ramstein Air Base in Germany on Friday. The governor is scheduled to return to Massachusetts on Saturday. Read the full Associated Press story. Posted by Jack Perry at 11:07 AM | Comment Governor to visit Burrillville salami-production plantGovernor Carcieri plans to visit a new salami-production company, Stedagio, in a Burrillville industrial park this morning. Stedagio, located at 1000 Daniele Drive off of Route 102, is an offshoot of Daniele Inc., an Italian meat-processing company that has been in the village of Pascoag, in Burrillville, since 1976. Stefano L. Dukcevich, who is president of the family businesses Daniele and Stedagio, could not be reached this morning since he was preparing for the governor’s visit. However, after his family purchased 34 acres in Burrillville’s new industrial park in late 2002, he promised that when it opened Stedagio would employ 60 to 80 people and use the latest in salami-production technology. The company is already open and operating, a company employee said this morning. Posted by Kate Bramson at 9:32 AM | Comment Child advocacy group addresses childhood obesityRhode Island Kids Count will release an issues brief today on preventing childhood obesity. One in five children entering kindergarten last year was obese, according to the children's policy organization. The agency will release the brief, Preventing Childhood Obesity in Rhode Island, at a forum from 10:30 until noon today at its office, One Union Station, Providence. Posted by Jack Perry at 8:41 AM | Comment Cabbie robbed in ProvidencePROVIDENCE – Police are investigating an armed robbery of a taxicab driver early this morning at 62 Fairfield Ave., said Lt. Luis San Lucas, who responded to the incident. The cab driver cut his thumb when he tried to grab a knife from the assailant, but the lacerations were not serious, San Lucas said. The man allegedly fled with about $200. The cab driver had stopped his taxicab at Atwells Avenue and Valley Street and was talking with another driver, San Lucas said, when a man approached them for a ride. When the driver arrived at 62 Fairfield Ave., San Lucas said the passenger put a knife to the driver’s throat and demanded his money. The driver gave him the $200 in the cab. “And then the cab driver decides to grab the knife, and he cut his thumb and I guess the assailant fled after that,” San Lucas said. The police have stopped two suspects who fit the cab drivers’ description of the man, but both were released when it was determined they were not the assailant, San Lucas said. The Providence Fire Department transported the cab driver to Rhode Island Hospital, Fire Lt. Kevin Gomes said. Posted by Kate Bramson at 8:39 AM | Comment Sun and clouds, temps in the 70sPROVIDENCE -- Today should bring a mixture of sun and clouds – and possibly rain showers after 3 p.m. Temps are on an upward track – near 70 today, in the mid-70s over the next couple days and even high 70s by Sunday and Monday. Yes, that’s right. This long Memorial Day Weekend is looking like it could be a good one weather-wise. We might have a couple showers Saturday morning, but the weather should clear and temps should rise. Get the latest conditions and forecasts from projo.com. Posted by Kate Bramson at 7:03 AM | Comment May 23, 2006James W. Carey, journalism scholar, teacher, dies at 71SOUTH KINGSTOWN -- James W. Carey, a nationally-known scholar and teacher of journalism, died of complications from emphysema last night at the family's home on South Road in Wakefield. He was 71. A former dean of the University of Illinois College of Communications, Carey was most recently the CBS professor of international journalism at the prestigious Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism in New York City. He also served on the National Advisory Board for the Poynter Institute, a respected school for journalists in Florida. Carey was a graduate of Mount Pleasant High School in Providence, the University of Rhode Island and the University of Ilinois. Nicholas Lemann, dean of Columbia's journalism school, announced Carey's death in a letter to faculty that was also posted on Poynter's Web site: "There is so much to say about Jim that I can't do anything but scratch the surface now. Suffice it to say that he was a figure of world renown in the field of communications scholarship, the founder of our Ph.D. program...and a man with a rare gift for touching practically everybody he met." "He was a magical teacher," Lemann added. Roy Peter Clark, senior scholar at Poynter, called Carey "one of the truly great scholars on journalism and democracy." "Our debt to Jim is profound," Clark wrote in an e-mail. "The only way we can repay it is to follow in his footsteps: to study the deep significance of journalism as a practice, to honor its best practitioners and examples, and to remember that journalism means little for its own sake, but means everything in the struggle for freedom, justice, and self-government." Calling hours for Carey will be held this Friday from 7 to 9 p.m., at Nardolillo's Funeral Home, at 1111 Boston Neck Rd. in Narragansett. A funeral Mass has been set for Saturday at 10 a.m. at St. Francis of Assisi Church in Wakefield, followed by an 11:30 a.m. reception at the University Club at URI's Kingston campus. He survived by his wife, Elizabeth, and sons J. William Carey, of Santa Fe, New Mexico; Timothy J. Carey, of Denver; Matthew F. Carey of Los Angeles, and Daniel R. Carey of Galway, Ireland. Posted by Steve Peoples at 7:05 PM | Comment Senate leaders open citizenship door to LiberiansWASHINGTON -- Senate leaders have accepted a provision in a landmark immigration bill that would put most Liberians in this country on a pathway to U.S. citizenship. "It's long overdue,'' U.S. Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., said of the mechanism that Republican and Democratic leaders have agreed to open to Liberian immigrants. If it becomes law, the measure secured by Reed would be a dramatic step for Rhode Island's 10,000 to 15,000 Liberian immigrants -- proportionately the largest Liberian population in any state. Reed's office estimates that the vast majority of those Liberians would meet the immigration bill's criteria for securing full citizenship over the course of several years. -- Journal Washington bureau writer John E. Mulligan Large numbers of Liberians have sought refuge in the United States since the late 1980s, when civil war broke out in the West African nation founded in the late 19th century by former American slaves. Since then, Liberians here have clung to a tenuous legal status that has generally been extended year by year -- amid much anxiety for the immigrants and their employers. Under the provision that Reed secured, qualified Liberian immigrants would essentially seek citizenship under the same ground rules that the bill has created for some of the more than 11 million undocumented aliens now estimated to live in the United States. The immigrants would have to be able to show that they have been in the United States continuously -- except for brief visits home -- since April 5, 2001, have worked for three of the past five years and expect to work for the coming six years. They would have to meet other criteria, such a knowledge of English and of American history and civics. The immigrants would obtain green cards and then have a wait of several years -- depending on the number of prospective citizens in line ahead of them -- before securing full citizenship. -- Journal Washington bureau writer John E. Mulligan Posted by Andrea Panciera at 6:39 PM | Comment House delays vote on casino-enabling billPROVIDENCE -- House leaders have delayed a vote on a bill that would ask Rhode Islanders to amend the state Constitution to allow the Narragansetts to operate a casino in West Warwick. The high-profile vote was originally scheduled for tomorrow, but was moved to Thursday, according to an announcement released this afternoon. The House Finance Committee voted yesterday to approve the amendment -- subject to a vote by the full House. If passed on Thursday and later in the Senate, Rhode Island voters will decide the issue in November. According to the bill, the issue would appear at the top of the list of ballot questions. To review the proposed amendment, click here. Posted by Steve Peoples at 6:24 PM | Comment Biotech tax-credit bill heading to govenorPROVIDENCE -- Biotechnology companies that pay above-average wages would benefit from an expanded tax credit program under a bill passed by the General Assembly today. Governor Carcieri plans to sign the bill tomorrow, his spokesman Jeff Neal said. The House approved it 63-0. The Senate passed it previously. The bill extends existing tax credits for biotechnology companies from seven to 15 years. Its supporters say that will help make Rhode Island competitive with Connecticut, Massachusetts and other states offering similar tax incentives. The biotechnology tax credits mimic those offered for television and film companies doing production work in Rhode Island. Four major productions - two films and two televisions series - have brought $105 million worth of business and more than 700 jobs to Rhode Island since the General Assembly created those tax credits last year, said Steven Feinberg, director of the Rhode Island Film and Television Office. -- Associated Press Posted by Andrea Panciera at 5:03 PM | Comment Photo: The retiring of a household name
-- With reports from Journal staff writer Lynn Arditi Posted by Andrea Panciera at 4:40 PM | Comment State objects to work release for BiechelePROVIDENCE -- State prosecutors today filed an objection in Superior Court to Daniel Biechele's request for work release. Biechele, the tour manager for Great White, is serving a four-year prison term for igniting The Station nightclub fire. Biechele's attorneys last week asked Superior Court Judge Francis J. Darigan Jr. to allow Biechele to leave prison during the day to work as an accountant or bookkeeper. In objecting to Biechele's request, the attorney general argued that the Department of Corrections, not Darigan, should make the determination. Darigan has yet to schedule a hearing on the matter. Posted by Steve Peoples at 4:06 PM | Comment Providence man gets 30 months for gun possessionPROVIDENCE -- A Providence man has been sentenced to 30 months in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a gun, according to an announcement by the U.S. Attorney's Office today. John Polanco, 22, previously convicted of assault with a dangerous weapon, pleaded guilty to the gun charge stemming from an arrest last September when he fled Providence police officers during a routine traffic stop. Polanco sped away, crashed into a parked car, and then ran from his car. He admitted tossing a .40 caliber pistol from his waistband on the ground during a subsequent foot chase. Polanco was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Court Judge William E. Smith. Since 2001, federal firearms prosecutions in Rhode Island have more than doubled and gun offenders have been sentenced to a total of more than 700 years in federal prison, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. Posted by Steve Peoples at 3:42 PM | Comment Republican candidate to challege CarcieriPROVIDENCE -- It appears that Gov. Carcieri will face an opponent in the Republican primary this fall, as an adjunct economics professor at Brown University announced his candidacy for governor this afternoon. Dennis W. Michaud, 55, of Providence, held a press conference today at the Old State House on Benefit Street to announce his intention to challenge the governor for the Republican nomination in the general election. Michaud, a former consultant for the embattled Beacon Mutual Insurance Co., has said he decided to challenge Carcieri because of the incumbent's "failed economic performance" and "failed performance to deliver on jobs." Posted by Steve Peoples at 3:36 PM | Comment House committee to hear energy-related billsPROVIDENCE -- The House Corporations Committee is expected to hear bills today or tomorrow that are aimed at keeping utility costs down through energy efficiency programs and stronger regulations for utility company mergers. Sponsored by House Majority Leader Gordon D. Fox and others, the bills are posted on the committee’s schedule for both days in case the committee does not get to them during today’s meeting, which is set to start in Room 203 at the rise of the House session around 5 p.m. House bill 8025 would create a public corporation to develop and fund energy efficiency and weatherization programs for electricity, gas and oil that would help commercial, industrial and residential customers, according to the legislative press bureau. House bill 8116 is written to protect ratepayers from bearing the costs or losing previous investments in a utility in the case of a merger. Posted by Kate Bramson at 3:33 PM | Comment State unveils help hotline for seniors, disabledCRANSTON --The Point Resource Call Center, a new state hotline aimed at assisting seniors and those with disabilities, marked its grand opening this morning. The hotline, dubbed "The Point," gives guidance to callers on topics ranging from changes to Medicare Part D to chronic care services. While today marked the ceremonial opening of the service, the resource center has been taking calls since last November and has already logged around 20,000 phone calls, according to Governor Carcieri's office. "This is the first time Rhode Island has offered a one-stop shopping assistance call center to help the elderly and disabled of our state and it is already proving successful," Carcieri said in a statement. The governor was among those attending the opening. The hotline number is (401) 462-4444. Its hours are Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 4 p.m., additional evening hours Tuesday and Thursday until 8 p.m., and Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to noon.
Posted by Steve Peoples at 1:13 PM | Comment Child molester gets life for assault on toddlerSOUTH KINGSTOWN -- A convicted child molester was sentenced this morning to life plus one year in prison for sexually assaulting his neighbor's 17-month-old daughter. A jury convicted John Bergevine, formerly of 795 Tower Hill Rd., North Kingstown, of first-degree child molestation in March. He was babysitting the toddler when the girl's father returned home unexpectedly and walked in as the molestation was taking place. Bergevine was talking to his attorney through much of this morning's hearing and vowed to appeal the sentence immediately after it was ordered by Superior Court Judge Edward C. Clifton. Clifton gave Bergevine the maximum sentence, adding an extra year in prison because of a courtroom outburst last October. In 1994, Bergevine admitted to kidnapping a minor and was given a 10-year suspended sentence, with probation. He had been held in prison since his latest arrest. -- With reports from Journal staff writer Katie Mulvaney Posted by Steve Peoples at 12:47 PM | Comment Update: Fire crews still on scene at Downcity building / Photo
PROVIDENCE – About 30 firefighters and 10 trucks remain at the Downcity Food and Cocktails restaurant at 151 Weybosset St., which was destroyed by fire yesterday, to ensure the safety of the demolition crew, Fire Lt. Kevin Gomes said this morning. They’re there to prevent anyone on scene from being injured by sparks and smoldering as crews dismantle the remains of the three-story building, Gomes said. “They want to make sure the building’s sound and make sure nobody’s hurt,” he said. Hot spots in such a fire can last for days and could re-kindle if the appropriate precautions aren’t taken, Gomes said. “That’s why the demolition is quick,” he said. “They want to get it all down and get rid of those hot spots so they don’t go up again.” At about 6:30 a.m. today, the top portion of the red brick building that housed Downcity Food and Cocktails was gone. Fire hoses were still attached to the hydrant at the corner of Weybosset and Dorrance Streets. Weybosset remains closed for a few blocks. The restaurant’s Web site says the restaurant will be closed indefinitely because of the fire. Posted by Kate Bramson at 12:05 PM | Comment Update: Tiverton police say armed men robbed coupleTIVERTON – The police are investigating a home invasion where two armed men wearing ski masks forced a man and his fiancée into theirRiverscape Drive home last night and robbed them, police Chief Thomas Blakey said this morning. Blakey said the men, armed with a hand gun and a stun gun, had staked out the home and were waiting outside when the couple drove into the garage attached to the house. “The point I want to stress on this is that all the evidence and indications are that this was not a random act or a crime of opportunity,” the chief said in an interview. “The victims had been targeted by the perpetrators. This was something that was planned, and these victims had been targeted.” The homeowner called the police around 8:30 p.m., and he reported that the armed men bound the couple with plastic flex cuffs, grabbed a large kitchen knife, led the couple into the basement, stunned them with the stun gun and demanded cash and jewelry, Blakey said. The men fled in one of the victim’s cars, a 2001 silver Audi with Rhode Island plates, Blakey said. They stole an undetermined amount of jewelry and cash, both from the home and from the couple, he said. The police do not have any suspects at this time, Blakey said. Blakey asked anyone with information about the robbery to contact the department, at (401)625-6716. Det. Michael Miguel and Officers James McGuinness-Rossi and John Miranda are conducting the investigation. Posted by Kate Bramson at 11:41 AM | Comment Developer proposes wind farm for Buzzards BayNEW BEDFORD, Mass. -- A Boston developer wants to build a $750 million offshore wind farm with 90 to 120 turbines in Buzzards Bay, a proposal that would dramatically alter the appearance of the ecologically sensitive waterway, The Standard-Times reported today. Windmills 407 feet high would be planted 3 to 4 miles off the coast of Sconticut Neck in Fairhaven, Barneys Joy in Dartmouth and Naushon Island, one of the Elizabeth Islands. An estimated 30 to 40 turbines would be built at each of the three sites under the plan. Patriot Renewables LLC, a renewable energy subsidiary of Jay Cashman Inc., must win numerous regulatory approvals for mega-project. Read the full Associated Press story. Posted by Jack Perry at 9:15 AM | Comment Burnt breakfast no problem this time in ProvidencePROVIDENCE -- The sight of four fire trucks, their lights flashing, and an ambulance outside the Rhode Island Convention Center early this morning might have caught more attention than usual after a smoky blaze yesterday destroyed a building and disrupted traffic just a few blocks away. Firefighters went to the convention center for a report of burnt toast, but big problems can result from such seemingly minor incidents. It was, after all, a burning brisket that started the fire early yesterday at Downcity Food and Cocktails restaurant, 151 Weybosset Street. No such problems resulted from the convention fire call at 7:30 a.m., which drew about a dozen firefighters. The incident, in an eastern office on the second floor of the convention center, was so minor that it really wasn’t even considered a fire, Lt. Kevin Gomes said. Firefighters cleared the scene after about 20 minutes. Posted by Kate Bramson at 8:23 AM | Comment DEM bans goldfish as fishing baitPROVIDENCE -- Goldfish can make good pets, but they shouldn't be used as bait. That's according to the Department of Environmental Management. It has issued emergency regulations banning the use of goldfish as fresh water bait. DEM says goldfish are an invasive species that can destroy the state's fresh water habitats. They eat plants that provide food and cover for native fish, carry disease and push out native fish with aggressive behavior and breeding. Rhode Island's ban applies to all goldfish varieties. Neighboring Massachusetts has banned "Black Salty" goldfish. Goldfish can be used as bait in salt water. They also can be kept in enclosed goldfish ponds. The emergency ban lasts for 120 days. The DEM says it expects to issue permanent rules after that. -- The Associated Press Posted by Steve Peoples at 7:25 AM | Comment Partly cloudy, highs in the mid-60sThis morning’s clouds should stick around, but the sun is out and we should see temps in the mid-60s today. Our days are getting longer, as the sun is rising earlier every day. Sunrise today was 5:18 a.m., and sunset will be at 8:06 p.m. Get the latest conditions and forecasts from projo.com. Posted by Kate Bramson at 7:05 AM | Comment May 22, 2006Pell awards being handed out tonightPROVIDENCE -- Chita Rivera, a actress, singer and dancer, who starred in the original West Side Story, will receive a lifetime achievement award tonight when the annual Pell Awards for Excellence in the Arts are given out. Glass artist Toots Zynsky and conductor George Kent will also be honored this evening at the event being held at the Rhode Island Convention Center. Kent serves as the music director of the Chorus of Westerly, which he founded in 1959. The 200-voice choir is one of the few choruses in the nation which has children singing alongside adults. Its members' ages range from eight to 94. Zynsky, a Rhode Island School of Design graduate, is among the group of glass artists who founded the world-renowned Pilchuck Glass School. She is known for her distinctively unique sculptural vessels she creates using her “filet de verre” technique. The Pell Awards, hosted by the Trinity Repertory Company, honor excellence in the artist’s chosen field, work that significantly advances the art form, and contribution to the betterment of the community and the world at large through artistic presence and community service. They are named after former U.S. Sen. Claiborne Pell of Rhode Island. Posted by Steve Peoples at 6:49 PM | Comment Interim leader named new president of CCRIPROVIDENCE -- The Board of Governors for Higher Education voted this afternoon to appoint Ray M. DiPasquale as the new president of the Community College of Rhode Island. DiPasquale, 56, has served as interim president since January. His permanent position pays about $180,000 a year. DiPasquale is expected to sign a three-year contract within the next few days. “To know I had the support of faculty and staff and now the search committee -- it’s a great feeling to know the last four months have really made a difference,” DiPasquale said. -- With reports from Journal education writer Jennifer D. Jordan Posted by Steve Peoples at 5:53 PM | Comment Update: House panel OK's vote on casino-enabling changePROVIDENCE – The House Finance Committee voted this afternoon, 14-5, to approve a measure that would ask voters in November to amend the state Constitution to allow a casino in West Warwick. The measure applies only to the proposal by Harrah's, in conjunction with the Narragansett Indians. The measure did not mention a competing proposal by Donald Trump for a site in Johnston – that would require a separate amendment to the state Constitution. In a last-minute change, the bill was stripped of any specific tax rate that would be applied to the casino. If voters approved it, the rate would be set by the General Assembly in the next session. -- With reports from projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples With the vote today, the measure passed an important hurdle, but it next it moves to the full House. If it passes there, it goes to the Senate. Governor Carcieri criticized the panel's vote in a statement issued early this evening, saying: “Today’s vote to authorize a no-bid casino deal for Harrah’s Entertainment is a black mark on the House Finance Committee. While we don’t have much information about the Harrah’s casino deal, one thing is clear: A bad constitutional amendment just got a lot worse.” Carcieri's office said he will continue his opposition to a constitutional amendment. Posted by Andrea Panciera at 5:50 PM | Comment Judge halts Carcieri's bid to oust Beacon board membersPROVIDENCE – A Superior Court judge today stopped Governor Carcieri's bid to remove two members from the embattled board of the Beacon Mutual Insurance Co. Judge Stephen Fortunato Jr. did not mince words in granting the preliminary injunction this afternoon, the latest chapter in the saga involving the state's major workers' compensation insurer. While Carcieri had the authority to remove longtime gubernatorial appointees Henry Boeniger and George Nee, Fortunato said, the governor gave them inadequate notice and, after the two protested, offered them "a sham hearing in a kangaroo court." He also said the Republican governor had demonstrated his bias against the labor-backed Democrats, in both letters and press releases, and as a result, had no status as a hearing officer. Fortunato also refused to grant the governor's lawyer an immediate stay pending an appeal to the state Supreme Court, saying there was not enough evidence to show the governor would succeed in the appeal. As a result, both Boeniger and Nee say they plan to attend the next Beacon board meeting tomorrow at 5 p.m. -- With reports from Journal staff writer Lynn Arditi Posted by Andrea Panciera at 5:12 PM | Comment 2 Great White members subpoenaed in Derderian casePROVIDENCE -- Two members of the rock band Great White have been subpoenaed as witnesses in the criminal trial of Michael Derderian, co-owner of The Station nightclub, charged with involuntary manslaughter in the deaths of 100 people during a fire started by the band's pyrotechnics. In court papers, prosecutors said they would call David Filice, Great White's bass player, and Eric Powers, the band's drummer, as material witnesses to testify at the trial. Three more people were also subpoenaed: two patrons at the West Warwick club who witnessed the fire on the night of the Feb. 20, 2003, and a musician who had previously performed at the club. The fire began as pyrotechnics were ignited at the start of Great White's set. It ripped through the packed club, spread by flammable foam that lined the club's walls and ceiling and quickly filled the building with toxic smoke. The filings say the band members witnessed the fire and were familiar with the placement of foam in the club. -- Associated Press, with projo.com reports Derderian's trial on 200 counts of manslaughter - two counts for each death under separate legal theories - is scheduled to begin July 31. His brother and club co-owner, Jeffrey Derderian, is also charged with 200 counts of involuntary manslaughter. His trial date has not been set. Filice and Powers testified before the grand jury that indicted the Derderians and the band's former tour manager, Daniel Biechele, who lit the pyrotechnics. Biechele pleaded guilty to 100 counts of manslaughter and was sentenced earlier this month to serve four years in prison. Biechele is expected to testify at the trial. It's not clear whether lead singer Jack Russell and guitarist Mark Kendall will be asked to testify. Michael Healey, a spokesman for the attorney general's office, did not immediately return phone messages seeking comment. -- Associated Press Posted by Andrea Panciera at 4:23 PM | Comment Update: Fire still burning in Downcity building / Photo
PROVIDENCE -- A stubborn fire was still burning at mid-afternoon inside a Weybosset Street building that housed a popular dining spot, whose kitchen was apparently the source of the blaze. A burned brisket apparently started the three-alarm fire inside Downcity Food and Cocktails at 151 Weybosset St. at about 6:30 a.m., sending clouds of smoke billowing across downtown and clogging city streets during rush hour. Abby Cabral, owner of the restaurant – formerly known as the Downcity Diner – said a chef was cooking a brisket to prepare for a catering job when the meat apparently caught fire. Flames moved behind the stove and into the walls, where the fire spread throughout the three-story, mid-1800s building. By 2:45 p.m., the fire had not spread to other buildings. But hazy smoke was still coming from the three-story brick structure, with firefighters limited to pouring water on it from the outside because of fears the structure would collapse. No one else was in the building when the fire started, according to Cabral. The chef got out safely. The building's second floor was vacant, while the third floor housed a dance studio. Firefighters have been on the scene since about 7 a.m. Although he said there was fire in the kitchen when crews arrived, Providence Fire Chief David Costa said the official cause will not be determined until after the fire's out. The building will be a total loss, Costa said shortly before noon. A few firefighters have been taken to the hospital -- one with a strained back and three for observation for "various ailments," Costa said. Several blocks of Weybosset Street remain closed. A ladder truck continues to pour water in through the second floor. Spectators continued to gather at the scene. The restaurant was a popular spot for the downtown lunch crowd, as well as theater-goers. It changed hands last year. -- With reports from Journal staff writer Tom Mooney and projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson A partial second-floor collapse slowed firefighting efforts earlier today, Costa said. The restaurant's owners have confirmed that heavy steel equipment from a previous business in the building is on the third floor, he said. Since firefighters suffered from cyanide poisoning at a downtown restaurant fire earlier this year, Costa said the department has been much more aggressive rotating crews in and out of burning buildings. At one point this morning, all the firefighters outside the building on the Eddy Street side, where the smoke was quite thick, had their air packs on as a precautionary measure against dangerous burning gases, Costa said. Many people stopped to watch the fire, including some children and members of the crew from Underdog, the Disney movie shooting nearby. The Underdog crew is set up in an empty lot on Union Street, between Weybosset and Westminster, about a block away from the fire. Earlier this morning, heavy brown smoke poured out of the second floor of the 3 1/2-story brick building. About 10 fire trucks and ambulances were parked on the street, which was closed for about three blocks. Empty stretchers were out near ambulances. Underdog publicist Scott Levine had just arrived on scene around 8 a.m. and said filming was expected to be done on Westminster Street today. He didn't know yet what impact the fire could have.
Posted by Jack Perry at 3:30 PM | Comment Update: Suspect in girl's murder waives bail hearing / Photo
PROVIDENCE -- The man charged with killing a Woonsocket girl earlier this month has waived his right to a bail hearing. Joshua Davis, 20, of 564 Coe St., Woonsocket, will continue to be held at the Adult Correctional Institutions, a judge ordered this morning after a brief session in District Court. The case will be presented to a grand jury after police have completed their investigations, according to state Attorney General's Office spokesman Michael Healeyl. The state has until Nov. 7 – six months after the arrest of Davis – to present its case to a grand jury and secure an indictment, Healey said. Davis’s next scheduled court date is a pre-trial conference set for July 10. Davis has been held without bail since he was charged May 8 with the murder of Savannah Smith, a second grader who lived across the street from Davis. Prosecutors say Davis picked up Savannah at a park in her neighborhood May 7 and took her to Cranston, where her body was found. -- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson Posted by Jack Perry at 3:06 PM | Comment Sox and Yankees to begin series at FenwayFirst place in the American League East will be on the line when the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees renew hostilities tonight at Fenway Park. The first pitch will be just after 7 o'clock. The Red Sox enter the series ahead of New York by a game and a half. Unlike the last time the Yankees came to town, the forecast is for calm, though cool, weather tonight. The struggling Curt Schilling will take the mound for the Red Sox, while Chien-Ming Wang starts for the Yankees. The Yanks enter Fenway a banged up squad, with seven players on the disabled list. Starting pitcher Shawn Chacon became the seventh when the team put him on the disabled list, effective Sunday. The Yankees called up veteran outfielder Terrence Long from Triple-A Columbus to take Chacon's roster spot. In the meantime, the Bronx Bombers signed a veteran free agent, Erubiel Durazo, to bolster their ailing offense. Durazo signed a minor-league contract and will be assigned to one of the team's farm squads. General manager Brian Cashman says more signings could be coming, including possibly free agent outfielder Richard Hidalgo. But the real story for the Yankees, aside from tonight's game, will be Gary Sheffield, who will make a rehab appearance tonight in New Britain, Conn., for Double-A Trenton. Nothing in the short term could help New York's outfield more than a healthy return by Sheffield, who injured his wrist on April 29. If all goes well for Sheffield tonight, he could be ready to play in Boston tomorrow. Posted by Mike McDermott at 3:03 PM | Comment Godspeed tour to visit NewportA replica of one of the three ships that carried the founders of America's first permanent English settlement in 1607 embarked this morning on an East Coast tour that will eventually bring it to Newport. The $2.6 million Godspeed left Jamestown, Va. and will make its first stop during the 80-day tour in Alexandria, Va. It will then head to Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York, Boston, and Newport. The ship will be accompanied at each port by a free "Landing Party," with live performances, historical exhibits and cultural displays. At each stop, the Godspeed's crew of paid staff and volunteers will be dressed in costume as visitors come on board. While the ship is in "museum mode," modern navigational equipment and amenities such as a shower and small kitchen will be hidden to preserve the 17th-century atmosphere. The ship will be in Newport July 25. -- The Associated Press Posted by Steve Peoples at 12:27 PM | Comment Potholes slow traffic on Route 195PROVIDENCE -- Traffic was slowed, and tires went flat, as motorists this morning hit potholes on Route 195 carved out by heavy rain on a surface in the midst of being repaved. Crews were out repairing the potholes today, according to the state Department of Transportation. Workers had removed the top 1 1/2 to 2 inches of pavement on a section near the Broadway Bridge Thursday night, but they weren't able to repave over the weekend because of wet weather, Carrao said. Potholes occur when the rain "gets under and pops the pavement," Carrao said. Traffic was unusually slow on Route 195 west heading into Providence at 6:30 this morning, apparently because drivers were slowing before passing the uneven pavement. A couple of hubcaps were off to the left side of the road, and one car was pulled off on the right side with a flat tire. Carrao said the DOT had received reports of flat tires from some drivers who had passed over the rough pavement. Posted by Jack Perry at 12:25 PM | Comment Gas prices drop 2 cents in R.I.Gasoline prices in Rhode Island have dropped an average of 2 cents per gallon, according to AAA Southern New England. The average price for a gallon of regular, unleaded gasoline is $2.98 per gallon at the self-service pump, according to AAA's survey. That's still 82 cents more than drivers were paying at this time last year. A similar survey by the state Energy Office found the average at $2.99. Nationally, the price has dropped about 2 cents per gallon over the past two weeks to $2.93. Posted by Jack Perry at 11:05 AM | Comment Hearing in lead-paint contempt case against LynchPROVIDENCE -- Lawyers in the lead paint case will be back in court today to argue over possible sanctions for Attorney General Patrick Lynch. Lynch was held in contempt for comments he made in February after a jury found three former lead paint manufacturers liable for creating a public nuisance. Lynch was quoted as saying the companies had refused to clean up lead paint contamination and that the verdict could spawn additional lawsuits. It was the second contempt order imposed against Lynch in the lead paint case. Superior Court Judge Michael Silverstein fined Lynch $5,000 in December and held him in contempt after the attorney general publicly accused the companies of spinning and twisting the facts. The state has appealed that fine. -- The Associated Press Posted by Jack Perry at 9:30 AM | Comment Sen. Roberts to announce run for lt. governorState Sen. Elizabeth Roberts, D-Cranston, plans to officially launch her campaign as a candidate for lieutenant governor this morning. Roberts will be joined by U.S. Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., and U.S. Rep. James Langevin, D-R.I., when she kicks off her campaign at 10:15 a.m. at the Aspray Boathouse in Pawtuxet Village. Posted by Jack Perry at 9:00 AM | Comment Brisk morning but sunny skiesIt’s a bit nippy, but with this morning’s sunlight streaming down, we’ll take it, right? We'll have partly cloudy skies today with a high around 68. Northwest winds should be between 16 and 20 miles per hour, but some gusts could be as high as 34 miles per hour. Get the latest weather conditions and forecasts from projo.com. And for those of you who are allergy sufferers, the pollen count will be high today and is expected to remain so through Thursday. Posted by Kate Bramson at 7:00 AM | Comment May 19, 2006First lady takes 10 minutes to back ChafeePROVIDENCE – In a 10-minute speech this evening before a crowd of about 200, First Lady Laura Bush urged local Republicans to get behind U.S. Sen. Lincoln D. Chafee's campaign for re-election. Mrs. Bush brought her brief message of support to the 17th floor of the Providence Biltmore hotel, as Chafee and GOP Governor Carcieri stood behind her at the podium. "Redouble your efforts and make sure he's elected," she told those attending, who paid $500 for the privilege. Chafee is facing a primary challenge from Cranston Mayor Stephen P. Laffey. Instead of focusing on the fact that Chafee, known as a Republican maverick, doesn't always vote as her husband wishes, she touted his work on some of the issues they agree on, including environmental preservation. -- With reports from projo.com staffer Steve Peoples Posted by Andrea Panciera at 6:21 PM | Comment Bumper crop of mosquitoes may be on the wayShowers may bring flowers. They also bring mosquitoes. In the wake of the recent heavy rain, scientists are expecting a bumper crop of mosquitoes in Rhode Island and beyond. Entomologists say eggs laid by some species of mosquito can lie dormant for long periods along the edges of floodplains and drainage ditches. When the water rises, nature goes to work. Al Gettman works as a medical entomologist for the Department of Environmental Management. He expects Rhode Islanders will start feeling mosquitoes bites in a few weeks. He says the ground is covered with puddles and organic debris, a nursery for mosquito larvae. But there's some good news: Each mosquito crop lives only four weeks. -- The Associated Press Posted by Steve Peoples at 5:58 PM | Comment Update: College graduation season kicking in / Photo
Don't be surprised if you see people scurrying around this weekend in caps and gowns, as the annual college graduation season kicks into high gear. The Community College of Rhode Island graduates its 40th class today during a 3:30 p.m. ceremony at its Warwick campus. The St. Joseph Hospital School of Nursing will hold its graduation tonight at 7 p.m., at Tomorrow, several Rhode Island institutions will hold commencement ceremonies, including Johnson & Wales University, Rhode Island College, Bryant University, and Roger Williams University, where First Lady Laura Bush will be the featured speaker. Sunday commencements include the University of Rhode Island, Providence College, and Salve Regina University. For a full list of this year's college graduations, stories, e-cards and more, click here. Posted by Steve Peoples at 5:51 PM | Comment Jury may have to 'view' Station fire scene at warehouseIn what will probably be a first for Rhode Island, the jury in this summer’s planned Station fire criminal trial may be taken to see a crime scene that is no longer located where the crime took place. Prosecutors today filed a request in Superior Court for what is known as a view, which, in ordinary cases, is a visit to the crime scene. But, in the case of The Station nightclub, which caught fire Feb. 20, 2003, killing 100 people and injuring more than 200 others, the crime scene is no longer there. The remains of the West Warwick nightclub have been bulldozed, covered with dirt and converted into a makeshift memorial. Before the site was cleaned up, though, lawyers who anticipated filing civil suits stemming from the fire had hired experts to dismantle what was left of the nightclub’s stage and reassemble it in a Cranston warehouse. The filing asks that the jury in the trial of nightclub co-owner Michael A. Derderian be brought to that warehouse to see the stage, including the drummer’s alcove to the rear of the stage. -- Journal staff writer Paul E. Parker On the night of the fire, band manager Daniel M. Biechele had set up fireworks between the main stage and the drummer’s alcove. When rock band Great White took the stage, Biechele shot off the fireworks, which showered sparks onto the walls of the stage. The walls had been covered with highly flammable polyurethane packing foam to dampen sound after the club’s neighbors had complained of noise. The foam caught fire and helped flames race through the building. Michael Derderian’s trial on 200 counts of involuntary manslaughter -- two for each of the people who died -- is scheduled to start July 31 in the new Kent County courthouse. His brother, Jeffrey A. Derderian, the club’s other owner, faces a separate trial later on the same charges. Last week, Biechele was sentenced to serve four years in prison after pleading guilty in February to 100 counts of involuntary manslaughter. -- Journal staff writer Paul E. Parker Posted by Andrea Panciera at 5:19 PM | Comment Update: Mixed receptions for First Lady
PROVIDENCE -- First Lady Laura Bush is in the building, more than an hour before her scheduled appearance tonight at a fundraiser for Republican U.S. Sen. Lincoln D. Chafee. Both protesters and media have gathered outside the Providence Biltmore hotel in downtown Providence, where the 6 p.m. event will be held. And another group of supporters was expected to attend a special reception for Mrs. Bush at the Biltmore, just before her speaking engagement, according to a Chafee spokeswoman. They paid $2,500 each for the privilege of mingling with her in a second-floor room at the hotel. Those attending the later event paid $500 to attend. As the wind blew outside, about 20 protesters gathered to express their opinions on a variety of fronts, although most were expected to be there to protest the war in Iraq. But one carried a sign reading, "$500 a plate? I don't make $500 a week." -- With reports from projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples Earlier today, the hotel and the surrounding area was crawling with Secret Service agents and local law enforcement preparing for her appearance. Parking was restricted around the hotel, and bomb-sniffing dogs were checking the adjacent parking garage. Several Secret service agents, sporting the traditional dark suits and ear pieces, were inside the downtown hotel's lobby. Tomorrow, Mrs. Bush heads to Bristol, where she'll be the commencement speaker tomorrow afternoon at Roger Williams University. Posted by Steve Peoples at 5:05 PM | Comment Update: Students rally against Providence library closings
Mayor David N. Cicilline attended the rally, as did eighth grader Chairis Rivas and about 25 students from Gilbert Stuart Middle School. "I feel like this is going to make a big difference," Chairis said from a cell phone during the rally. "The kids really need these libraries." In all, Rivas said about 75 people attended the afternoon rally, which spanned about an hour. Participants also signed a petition to stop the closures, which will be sent to the Providence City Council and to the library's board of trustees. Making Connections Providence, a community-change initiative, provided some guidance and assistance to the students who are organizing today’s rally, communications coordinator Sally Turner said earlier today. -- With reports from projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples Posted by Kate Bramson at 4:47 PM | Comment Update: Da Vinci Code draws small protest
WARWICK -- The Da Vinci Code opened at the Showcase Cinemas today amid mild protest by a handful of Catholics who held signs depicting Jesus Christ, shared in the saying of the Rosary and criticized the movie, based on the best-selling book, as blasphemous. "I have no problem at all with entertainment,’’ said Francesca Silvestri, 53, of Providence, as she stood outside the movie theater at the corner of Division Street and Route 2, one of several protests and prayer vigils planned around the region. "I’m here to protest this movie for the way it depicts our Lord.’’ Silvestri said her major objection -- and what sits at the heart of the fictional tale -- is the assumption that Christ had married Mary Magdalene and had children and that a clandestine organization had existed for 2,000 years to protect that secret and their descendants. Silvestri was one of four people at the Showcase who held signs reading: "I love our Lord Jesus Christ. I reject the Da Vinci Code.’’ Their protest received a mixed reception by passing motorists. Some honked their horns in supports. Others shouted epithets out the window. Four protests were scheduled for today in Rhode Island and 19 in Massachusetts. They are among about 1,000 throughout the country affiliated with an organization called America Needs Fatima, according to Cranston resident Dawn Cousineau. -- With reports from Journal staff writer Tom Mooney and projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson Cousineau was dashing out the door this morning for a prayer vigil she’s holding at the Showcase Cinema in Warwick, from 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., to protest the message in the movie. The three others are being coordinated by people in Providence, Westerly and Middletown, according to the Fatima site. Prayer vigils are also being held in Newport today, tomorrow and Sunday at the Opera House from 3 to 6 p.m.; and in North Attleboro, Mass., today at the Showcase Cinema from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. As a volunteer who describes herself as a devout Catholic, Cousineau said she’s deeply opposed to this film, which she has not seen and will not because she says it is “blasphemous.” “I’m very deeply opposed to this film,” Cousineau said. “It’s a Christ-bashing film, and it’s deeply insulting to the Catholic Church.” Find out more about the movie and the book, and add your reaction to both, at: Posted by Kate Bramson at 3:58 PM | Comment European Union OKs GTECH saleBRUSSELS, Belgium -- The European Union today allowed Italy's betting company, Lottomatica, to buy GTECH Holdings Corp., a Rhode-Island-based provider of technology for the gaming industry, saying it saw no antitrust problems. It gave the green light after an antitrust investigation of the gaming and betting markets in Italy, where Lottomatica operates the state-run "Lotto" sports events and betting services. The company had sales of 586 billion euros ($748.2 billion) in 2004. Based in West Greenwich, from where it operates traditional lotteries and supplies gaming technology and machines worldwide, GTECH has only "a limited presence in gambling and betting in Italy," the EU said. GTECH employs some 5,300 people in over 50 countries and had sales of $1.3 billion in 2005. Lottomatica is paying some 4 billion euros ($5.1 billion) for Gtech. -- The Associated Press Posted by Steve Peoples at 1:42 PM | Comment Carcieri to announce deal with Coast GuardPROVIDENCE -- This afternoon Governor Carcieri will disclose details of a new partnership with the Coast Guard that will give local authorities more law enforcement power at sea. Under the terms of the agreement, Rhode Island law enforcement officers, working with the Coast Guard, will have the authority to stop and board vessels and take action against people violating federal safety and security zones. Carcieri and a Coast Guard commander will discuss the terms of the partnership at a State House briefing scheduled for 2 p.m. The plan has drawn opposition from at least one lawmaker -- Rep. Raymond Gallison, D-Bristol, who fears Carcieri's agreement will hurt the state's ability to block plans for a liquefied natural gas operation in nearby Fall River. A Carcieri spokesman, Jeff Neal, said that Gallison doesn't have his facts straight. The partnership does nothing to "promote, encourage, or enable the passage of LNG tankers through Rhode Island waters," Neal said. Posted by Steve Peoples at 12:49 PM | Comment Prosecutor: Mass. gay bar attack suspect just passing through Ark.Prosecutor closes case in slaying of Gassville officer MOUNTAIN HOME, Ark. -- The Arkansas prosecutor investigating the slaying of a police officer by a man wanted for a hatchet attack at a New Bedford, Mass., gay bar has ended his investigation, but can't say why Jacob Robida fled to Arkansas. Robida, 18, shot and killed Gassville officer Jim Sell, 63, on Feb. 4 after Sell stopped Robida because his license tag didn't match his car. Sell didn't know Robida was suspected in a gun and hatchet attack two days before in New Bedford, in which three men were injured, according to the report by prosecutor Ron Kincaide. Kincaide said Robida and a woman traveling with him, Jennifer Rena Bailey, 33, of Charleston, W.Va., sped away after the shooting but returned so Robida could retrieve his license. "He (Robida) pulled his driver's license from Sell's dead hand to prevent us from knowing who he was," Kincade said. Read the full Associated Press story. Posted by Jack Perry at 12:43 PM | Comment Anti-war demonstrators to protest first lady in R.I.PROVIDENCE -- Anti-war demonstrators are planning a protest when First Lady Laura Bush visits Providence this afternoon. The Rhode Island Community Coalition for Peace plans to protest outside the Providence Biltmore Hotel in downtown Providence, where Mrs. Bush is expected to attend a fundraiser for U.S. Sen. Lincoln Chafee. The group says it wants the troops brought home. Mrs. Bush is also expected to speak at Roger Williams University commencement ceremony tomorrow. Both the fundraiser and commencement ceremony are closed to the public. -- The Associated Press Posted by Jack Perry at 10:48 AM | Comment Municipal officials converge to discuss cost cuttingWARWICK -- Officials from the Carcieri administration will meet with a host of representatives from Rhode Island's cities and town this morning to talk about saving tax dollars. The event is part of Cariceri's Fiscal Fitness Program, an effort that he says is projected to save taxpayers $140 million by the end of June. Department of Adminstration Executive Director Brian Stern, who is the chief purchasing agent for the state, will explain how the model can save local communities money on things like records storage and centralizing town operations. The meeting is planned for 8 a.m. at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Warwick. The governor is not expected to attend. Posted by Steve Peoples at 7:31 AM | Comment Raindrops keep fallingIf you were up by 5:30, you might have thought the rain was going to skip over Providence. But no such luck. The morning’s clear air has turned to dark clouds in Providence, and heavy rain has begun to drench portions of southern New England as thunder claps in downtown Providence. The National Weather Service reports there could be as much as one inch of rain in a few southern New England locations. This rain should cause many of the local rivers to hold steady or even rise slightly before resuming the recession that followed more than a week of steady rain. This morning’s rain and patchy fog should clear, but our partly cloudy afternoon could also include showers. Expect highs in the mid-60s. As for this weekend, expect highs in the lower 70s but know that we could have afternoon showers both days – and thunderstorms on Sunday. Get the latest conditions and forecasts from projo.com. Posted by Kate Bramson at 7:00 AM | Comment Updated: Bike to Work Day in the rain / Photo
PROVIDENCE -- Today is Bike to Work Day, and some hardy bicyclists participated despite the heavy rain that hit the region. Providence Mayor David Cicilline had planned to ride his bike to work but canceled because of a downpour that hit Providence at 7:30 a.m., when he was planning to leave, according to his spokeswoman. Bike to Work Day was established to encourage people to go to work or school using alternative forms of transportation. -- The Associated Press with projo.com reports. Posted by Jack Perry at 2:18 AM | Comment May 18, 2006Judge: Bevilacqua doesn't have to pay probe costsA federal appeals court says a judge overstepped her authority when she ordered Joseph A. Bevilacqua Jr. to pay the $152,247 cost of a special prosecutor's investigation into who leaked a videotape from Operation Plunder Dome. U.S. District Judge Mary M. Lisi could have imposed a fine on Bevilacqua when she sentenced him to 18 months in prison on September 2005. But instead she ordered him to pay the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts for "costs associated with the investigation and prosecution," the appeals court said today. The Boston-based 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals overturned that decision yesterday, sending the matter back to Providence for a decision on whether Bevilacqua should now be fined. -- Journal staff writer Edward Fitzpatrick "The American legal tradition does not, absent specific statutory authority, require defendants to reimburse the government for the costs of their criminal investigations or their criminal prosecutions," Circuit Judge Sandra L. Lynch wrote in the 12-page opinion. Bevilacqua, a prominent defense lawyer and son of the late Rhode Island Supreme Court chief justice, pleaded guilty to perjury and contempt of court for lying about his role in handing an undercover FBI videotape to Jim Taricani, an investigative reporter for Channel 10. The tape showed Frank Corrente, a top aide to then-Providence Mayor Vincent A. Cianci Jr., taking a bribe, and it was key evidence at the Operation Plunder Dome corruption trials that put Corrente and Cianci behind bars. -- Journal staff writer Edward Fitzpatrick Posted by Andrea Panciera at 6:57 PM | Comment Coast Guard, R.I. joining forces for coastal securityPROVIDENCE -- Governor Carcieri announced today that the Coast Guard and the state of Rhode Island have entered a maritime security partnership that will give state law enforcement agencies more authority in coastal areas and waterfront facilities. Under the terms of the agreement, R.I. law enforcement officers, working with the Coast Guard, will have the authority to stop and board vessels and take action against people violating federal safety and security zones. "By strengthening the relationship between our state and local police departments and the U.S. Coast Guard, we have enhanced our ability to protect Rhode Island and to safeguard our citizens,” Carcieri said in a statement. Carcieri will finalize the agreement with the Coast Guard tomorrow afternoon at the State House. Posted by Steve Peoples at 6:48 PM | Comment Biechele seeks work release; apology letters receivedPROVIDENCE -- Daniel M. Biechele, sentenced last week in The Station fire case, has petitioned the court to allow him to leave prison periodically for work release. The court also announced today that the Probation Department has received 100 handwritten apologies previously drafted by Biechele and will soon contact victims' families to distribute them. Biechele, whose pyrotechnics ignited the nightclub fire, was sentenced to four years in prison last Wednesday. Today, his lawyers filed paperwork in Superior Court, saying that their client had received “an offer of employment that would permit him to continue in his usual occupation as a bookkeeper or accountant.” State law allows prisoners in a minimum security facility at the Adult Correctional Institutions to qualify for work release. If granted by Judge Francis J. Darigan Jr., Biechele would be locked up only during non-working hours. Biechele's motion does not indicate where he might be working. Darigan has yet to schedule a date to review the request. Posted by Steve Peoples at 5:09 PM | Comment Update: Clue to dead shark's fate may be found in tagNEWPORT -- Scientists are studying a large, dead shark that washed up overnight on a Newport beach. Biologists say the 20-foot fish is a basking shark. And a clue to what happened may be contained in a satellite tag attached to its fin. The shark was tagged last year by the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries, and the satellite transponder found on the corpse could provide months of information on its movements. Greg Skomal, a shark specialist for the division, placed the $3,500 tag on the shark's dorsal fin in June about a mile off Martha's Vineyard. It was supposed to detach from the shark's dorsal fin after six months, float to the ocean's surface and transmit data to a satellite orbiting above. For unknown reasons, the tag never detached, Skomal said. The device is being sent to its manufacturer whom Skomal hopes can tap into its data. -- The Associated Press Nancy Kohler, a biologist with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, says the shark feeds off plankton and is harmless to humans. They're found between Florida and Newfoundland in Canada. She and her colleagues are studying the life cycle of basking sharks, and they performed a necropsy today to learn more about this fish. While the shark was a female, Kohler says researchers aren't sure how old the fish was or what caused its death. The basking shark is protected under a United Nations treaty called the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, but it's not listed as an endangered species by the U.S. government. -- The Associated Press Posted by Steve Peoples at 2:53 PM | Comment Avian flu seminar planned for URIThe state Department of Environmental Management today announced plans to hold an avian flu seminar next week for Rhode Island poultry owners and wild bird organizations. There will be lectures and panel discussions Monday evening at the University of Rhode Island focused on small farm and backyard poultry with emphasis on the role of wild birds in the spread of the disease. Scientists have been worried about the possibility of an influenza pandemic sparked by a lethal strain of bird flu -- called H5N1 -- which has passed from birds to humans in Asia and Europe, killing about half the people known to have been infected. Experts worry that the virus might mutate into one that is easily passed from person to person. Those who attend the DEM seminar will receive updates on Asian bird flu, avian influenza in the United States, wild birds in Rhode Island, control and prevention of avian influenza, and state planning for a possible pandemic. The event will be held from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the Chafee Building, Room 271, at URI's Kingston Campus. No registration is necessary. Rhode Island business leaders met last month to prepare for a possible outbreak of the disease. Posted by Steve Peoples at 2:26 PM | Comment State police museum opens / Photo
NORTH SCITUATE -- The Rhode Island State Police have opened a new museum dedicated to the history of the state police force in the Ocean State. Retired police officers say the memorabilia inside the museum brings back memories of their days of service. The two-story building houses old police equipment, photographs of uniforms and stories of special investigations. The museum was dedicated this morning at an annual memorial service to remember fallen officers. At the service, Governor Carcieri said the successes of the state police and law enforcement in Rhode Island were built on the sacrifices and services of those who went before. Seven state police officers have been killed in the line of duty since 1925. -- The Associated Press Posted by Jack Perry at 1:27 PM | Comment BridgeBlog: Kaboom! 2nd detonation done / Photo
NORTH KINGSTOWN -- With a loud roar, much of the remaining old Jamestown Bridge dropped into Narragansett Bay. Red flashes were followed by a heavy cloud of smoke. Smoke poured off the water. People clapped. "Wasn't that cool," somebody said. It appeared that at least part of the western truss remained standing, while the eastern truss fell into the water. The piece appears to be 200 to 300 feet of steel. DOT Director James Capaldi says he's unsure why the section didn't come down. He believes it can be taken down manually. Crews set nearly 1,200 pounds of explosives in an effort to remove 2,200 feet of deck trusses and girder spans, as well as the top 50 feet of the two concrete piers that supported the former center section of the bridge. Unlike the first explosion on April 18, there was no strong wind blowing, making it easier for viewers to watch without their eyes watering. The adjacent Jamestown-Verrazzano Bridge was closed for the demolition. By 1 p.m., it had re-opened, according to DOT Webcams. -- projo.com's demolition correspondent Kate Bramson A Utopian day for an explosion NORTH KINGSTOWN -- On the sprawling green lawn of homeowners Kenneth and Dori D'Ambrosio, about 45 invited guests of the state Department of Transportation have gathered in the bright, warm sunlight to watch the explosion. DOT officials, print reporters and television and radio crews are mingling with cameras lined up on tripods just behind a low stone wall at the edge of Narragansett Bay. A white party tent sits on the lawn gleaming in the sun, almost silver looking from up on the hill where the house sits. The second part of the demolition of the old Jamestown bridge is now expected to blast off between 11:15 and 11:30 a.m. Crews are working to prepare the bridge for the blast that should remove 2,200 feet of deck trusses and girder spans, as well as the top 50 feet of the two concrete piers that supported the former center section of the bridge. As they did for the April 18 explosion, the D'Ambrosios opened their yard as the official viewing area for the DOT and other state officials. "They're just very generous and we thank them immensely because we couldn't do this without them," DOT spokeswoman Dana Nolfe said this morning. The governor, who ceremoniously triggered the detonation last month, is not here today. He's in North Scituate for the dedication of the Rhode Island State Police Museum. DOT Director James R. Capaldi is expected to address the crowd around 11:10 a.m., shortly before the blast. Everyone is talking about the weather. "Compared to what we've just gone through, this is Utopia for us," said Frank Corrao, deputy chief engineer for the DOT. "You don't get too many of these. Look. Not a cloud in the sky.". A few minutes later, just a few fluffy, white clouds were starting to float toward the bridge. Waiting for another awesome blast NORTH KINGSTOWN -- People are gathering for shuttle rides over to the yard that will be the official viewing site for the second demolition of the old Jamestown Bridge. Over in Narragansett, on URI's Bay Campus, a handful of people sat on the beach that drew hundreds, if not more, for the first explosion. It's not an official site today, so the three women sitting on the beach around 9 a.m. had their own clear view of the bridge. Ann Storti and her grown daughter, Debbie Storti, both of Cranston, sat in beach chairs on the same spot where they sat last month to watch the first blast. "It was pretty awesome," Debbie said of the blast that brought down the center span. Peggy Ross, a retired secretary who used to work for the state, sat on the rocks with her little white dog, Meghan. Ross was away for the first explosion, so she made the trip from Providence this morning. Old Jamestown Bridge to have another blast projo.com was there for the Closed since 1992 when the new Jamestown-Verrazzano Bridge opened, the old bridge holds a place in the hearts of many Rhode Islanders. People who remember their scary trips over the bridge, looking down through the grating at the water below, showed up en masse last month to watch the detonation from the shores of Narragansett Bay. Plus, people who just wanted to see a good explosion also turned out during school vacation week. They weren’t disappointed. So we’re heading back today. Last month, with reports throughout the day, we told you what it was like when the center span of the bridge came down, even at the moment of explosion: "Orange sparks Gray smoke There goes the boom And a real big rumble It's like a big parade Everybody's cheering and smiling A light mist left behind It's all gone" Today, there’s no public viewing area set for the explosion, which could be the last in terms of the large-scale detonations planned for the bridge. Although the state Department of Transportation originally planned for three major detonations, it’s possible that today’s blast will bring down enough of the bridge that the DOT won’t need the third, which was to be sometime before the Fourth of July. So we’ll keep you posted -- from the official viewing area, where DOT folks and politicos expect to watch, and, hopefully, from the perspective of some locals gathered in the area to watch the second phase. Posted by Jack Perry at 1:09 PM | Comment Atlantic City's Boardwalk off latest Monopoly gameA plan to keep Atlantic City's Boardwalk property on a new version of the Monopoly game board is bankrupt. In a letter addressed to members of New Jersey's congressional delegation, the president and CEO of Pawtucket-based Hasbro Inc., which makes Monopoly, said the company was unable to include Atlantic City in Monopoly: Here & Now Edition. "At this time, we are regrettably unable to add another candidate to the board or include a 23rd property to this special edition game," wrote Alfred J. Verrecchia. Instead of using properties that in the original game were drawn strictly from Atlantic City, the Here & Now version, to be released late this summer, will feature streets, neighborhoods and national monuments from 22 U.S. cities. Those cities, picked by Hasbro based on population, their popularity as tourist destinations and input from the company's game designers, include Chicago, San Francisco and New Orleans - but not Atlantic City. -- Associated Press Posted by Andrea Panciera at 12:09 PM | Comment Details of first lady's R.I. visit releasedPROVIDENCE -- Details of the first lady's visit to Rhode Island were released earlier this morning. Laura Bush plans to deliver remarks at a reception for U.S. Sen. Lincoln Chafee at exactly 6:02 p.m. tomorrow. Security will be tight at the Providence Biltmore Hotel event. The next morning at exactly 10:42 a.m., Mrs. Bush is scheduled to give the commencement address to graduates at Roger Williams University in Bristol. The speech will take place on the university's main athletic field, 1 Old Ferry Road. Neither speaking engagement is open to the general public. Posted by Steve Peoples at 11:56 AM | Comment R.I. Red Cross to help Mass. flooding victimsTwo volunteers from the Rhode Island chapter of the American Red Cross are heading to the Merrimack Valley in Massachusetts to help with flooding relief efforts. Joanne Ramsey of Pawtucket and Steve Anderson of Coventry this morning will be driving Rhode Island emergency response vehicles to Ward Hill, a section of Haverhill, Mass., the Red Cross says. Posted by Jack Perry at 9:03 AM | Comment Morning fog should clear for some sun, cloudsDespite a hazardous weather outlook in parts of the region, it looks like it’s going to be a good day for a bridge explosion – in Jamestown, Rhode Island, that is, where the old Jamestown Bridge faces its second detonation. The National Weather Service predicts patchy fog before 9 a.m. in parts of Rhode Island, but the bridge explosion is set for about 11:30 a.m. today – plenty of time for the fog to clear and the sun to peek out from the clouds that are also expected today. We should see highs in the low 70s across Rhode Island, despite a continued hazardous weather outlook throughout northeast Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire because of continued flooding. Get the latest conditions and forecasts from projo.com. P.S. Pollen levels in Providence are high today, but they’re expected to drop quite a bit tomorrow before creeping back up over the weekend. Check pollen.com for more details.
Posted by Kate Bramson at 7:06 AM | Comment May 17, 20063 Providence officers get award for major coke bustPROVIDENCE -- Mayor David N. Cicilline announced today that three Providence police officers have earned national awards for taking part in the largest cocaine bust in state history. The 2004 investigation, known as Operation Royal Flush, led to the arrest of 26 members of the Latin Kings gang, the seizure of more than $1 million in cocaine, and more than $200,000 in cash. Providence police Lt. Thomas Verdi, Detective Robert Enright and Detective Joseph Colanduono were honored last weekend in Washington D.C. by the National Association of Police Organizations as "Top Cops," for their work in the case. Posted by Steve Peoples at 6:30 PM | Comment Body found in Woonasquatucket was missing man'sPROVIDENCE -- Police today released the identity of the body discovered in the Woonasquatucket River early this week. Maj. Stephen Cambell said the man is Victor Solis, a 46-year-old disabled man who had been missing for more than six months. He lived about six blocks away from where he was discovered Monday behind Riverside Mills in Olneyville. Solis' family and friends had been searching for him since he disappeared last November. Cambell said no foul play is suspected in Solis' death. A preliminary report from the medical examiner's office determined the cause of death was drowning. -- With reports from Journal staff writer Gregory Smith Posted by Steve Peoples at 6:18 PM | Comment Ex-Mass. selectman nabbed on child-sex chargeEAST PROVIDENCE -- A former Massachusetts town selectman was arrested this morning for arranging on the Internet to "engage in sexual activities" with an undercover police officer posing as a 15-year-old girl, according to the state police. William J. Christensen, 59, of 17 Granuaile Road, Southborough, Mass., was arrested as he got out of his car at an East Providence apartment complex where police said he had set up a meeting with the "girl" this morning. He was charged with indecent solicitation of a child, a felony punishable by no less than five years in prison. The State Police Computer Crimes Unit learned last Friday that someone, using a Yahoo screen name, was on the Internet "enticing minor children to meet with him to engage in sexual activities," according to the state police. A Rhode Island state police officer then posed as a 15-year-old girl and had sexually explicit online conversations with the man, who police say was Christensen. Christensen served on the Southborough Board of Selectman for 12 years, most recently as its chairman. He lost his seat in an election last week. Posted by Steve Peoples at 5:11 PM | Comment Update: An uplifting time at construction career fair / Photo
More than 1,200 high school juniors and seniors from 50 area schools can operate bucket trucks, drive forklifts, build toolboxes and design virtual bridges at the 6th annual Construction Career Days, sponsored by RIDOT and the Federal Highway Administration. Students have registered in advance for the career fair, according to DOT spokeswoman Heidi Cote. The career fair is now over for today, but continues tomorrow from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at RIDOT’s midstate maintenance facility in Coventry. Posted by Kate Bramson at 4:35 PM | Comment Daily opening of Ocean State beaches coming upSummer is on its way. And here's how we know: Today, officials released the 2006 schedule for the Ocean State's beaches. Two exceptions are World War II Memorial State Park in Woonsocket and the Burlingame picnic area and campground in Charlestown. Those facilities will be open only on the weekends until June 17. Other beaches are already open on weekends, including Scarborough North and Roger Wheeler in Narragansett, and Misquamicut in Westerly. How much will it cost this year? The daily beach parking fee for Rhode Island residents is $6 on weekdays and $7 on weekends and holidays. The non-resident beach parking fee is $12 on weekdays and $14 on weekends and holidays. A season pass is $30 for Rhode Island residents and $60 for non-residents. Seniors receive half-price rates, and, as always, freshwater beaches at state parks remain free of charge for all. And if you bought a season pass last year with the bar-coded windshield sticker -- that sticker does not need to be replaced. But you must pay to renew it. Posted by Steve Peoples at 3:59 PM | Comment Photo: What a bloomin' day
Posted by Andrea Panciera at 3:36 PM | Comment Fogarty details his proposed Smith Hill reformsPROVIDENCE -- Lt. Gov. Charles Fogarty today unveiled new details of his plans to reform government and root out corruption on Smith Hill. Fogarty, who is running for governor, is calling for the disclosure of every meeting lobbyists hold with elected officials and decision makers in the administrative branch. Under his plan, lobbyists would file a form (click here to see an example) each week with the Secretary of State's Office, detailing campaign contributions, whom they met with and what bills were discussed. At a morning press conference, Fogarty also called for tougher revolving door laws in the state, barring public officials from profiting from any business or entity they have regulated, funded, or controlled for two years after they leave office. The current time limit is one year. The Democrat Fogarty will face off against incumbent Governor Carcieri, a Republican, in November. Posted by Steve Peoples at 2:41 PM | Comment Chafee filing elections complaint against LaffeyU.S. Sen. Lincoln Chafee's campaign this afternoon disclosed plans to file a complaint with the Federal Election Commission against Republican primary challenger Stephen Laffey, accusing the Cranston mayor of violating campaign finance laws. In a letter sent to the FEC today, Chafee's camp complained about a few specific moves, including circumstances surrounding Vincent Indeglia’s letter to his employees at American Labor Services, Inc; possible misrepresentation of mailing related expenditures in FEC filings; and a failure to identify the Club for Growth as the conduit for more than $200,000 in donations. "Over the course of a campaign, honest mistakes will be made. However, it has become increasingly apparent that Mr. Stephen P. Laffey's campaign has systematically violated the rules that ensure that political campaigns compete on a level playing field and are openly and honestly run," reads a letter from the Chafee campaign to the FEC provided to The Journal this afternoon. The letter was mailed today, according to Chafee's office. Laffey, through a spokeswoman, dismissed the complaint. "Senator Chafee’s complaints are completely baseless and frivolous, and one of the last gasps of a desperate campaign of a Washington insider," Laffey said. Posted by Steve Peoples at 2:17 PM | Comment Johnson & Wales president honored by UConnPROVIDENCE -- The president of Johnson & Wales University’s Providence campus has been named the 2006 Outstanding Higher Education Professional from the Neag School of Education Alumni Society of the University of Connecticut. Irving Schneider, president of the Providence campus since 2004, earned his master’s degree in 1975 and a Ph.D. in technical and industrial education in 1982 from the University of Connecticut. He began his career as a teacher with Johnson & Wales in 1970. Schneider serves on the advisory boards of the Salvation Army, United Way of Rhode Island, the Providence After School Alliance, Rhode Island for Community & Justice and the Rhode Island Children’s Crusade, according to Johnson & Wales University. Posted by Kate Bramson at 2:02 PM | Comment Update: Rains force shellfish beds closures in Mass., not R.I.BOSTON -- The record rain and resulting runoff has forced state officials to shut down shellfish beds from the New Hampshire border to Cape Cod. State officials said today they did not know when the beds would reopen. Officials shut down shellfish beds from the New Hampshire border to Hull on Sunday, then on Monday extended the closure to the Barnstable-Sandwich line, Buzzards Bay and bays and ponds on the south side of Falmouth, said Michael Hickey, the state's chief shellfish biologist. Runoff from flooded rivers and overwhelmed sewer systems carry waste and bacteria that pollute the beds, Hickey said. The swelled Merrimack River is probably affecting water quality down to Boston, he said. The rain hasn't forced the closing of any additional shellfish beds in Rhode Island, according to Gail Mastrati, a spokeswoman for the state Department of Environmental Management. "We did not get the sustained rains that Massachusetts had," she said. Some areas had been closed previously on a conditional basis because of pollution, and they remain closed, according to Mastrati. Read the full Associated Press story. -- With staff reports Posted by Jack Perry at 1:37 PM | Comment Coventry officer not indicted in fatal shootingPROVIDENCE -- Coventry police officer Kevin P. Nolan will not be charged criminally in the shooting death of a 24-year-old local man who was killed after threatening police with a crowbar on his mother's front lawn last month. The statewide grand jury today completed its investigation of Timothy Gileau's death without bringing an indictment against the officer. "In terms of any sort of criminal charges, that’s it," said Michael Healey, a spokesman for Attorney General Patrick Lynch. "In not returning an indictment, the grand jury found that officer Kevin Nolan was legally justified in his use of deadly force in the shooting death of Timothy Gileau." Nolan had been on paid administrative leave since the incident early last month. Authorities said that Gileau was holding a crowbar, while standing on his mother's front lawn at 4 a.m. when police arrived. Gileau was about to hit one of the officers with the crowbar when Nolan shot him, according to Coventry police. While the criminal investigation is complete, Gileau's family is free to pursue a civil lawsuit. Posted by Steve Peoples at 1:24 PM | Comment Waterfront, Woods drama picked up by CBSPROVIDENCE -- Two television shows with Rhode Island connections will be featured on CBS next season. Shark, a legal drama starring Rhode Islander James Woods as a cutthroat prosecutor, will begin airing at 10 p.m. Thursdays this fall, according to CBS. And CBS says it's picking up the show Waterfront for the mid-season. Waterfront filmed several episodes in Providence, and its producers said it would continue filming there if it was picked up. Steven Feinberg, director of Rhode Island 's Film & Television office, said filming in Providence for future episodes will probably begin about Aug. 1. It stars Joe Pantoliano -- best known as Ralphie on the Sopranos. He plays a corrupt mayor who bears more than a passing resemblance to imprisoned former mayor Vincent "Buddy" Cianci. The network was considering adding Waterfront to its fall schedule, but passed. Read television writer Andy Smith's story from today's Journal. -- With reports from Journal television writer Andy Smith and the Associated Press Posted by Steve Peoples at 12:40 PM | Comment DOT gives green light to old Jamestown bridge blastAll systems are go for the second major demolition of the old Jamestown Bridge. The detonation is still set for tomorrow, but closer to 11:30 a.m. than the earlier expected time of 10:30 a.m., said Frank Corrao, deputy chief engineer for the state Department of Transportation. “Nothing but good news. We’re on schedule,” he said this morning. The adjacent Jamestown-Verrazzano Bridge will close at 10:30 a.m. and could be closed for up to four hours. Despite an expected four-hour closure, the new bridge was closed for just two hours for the first phase of the bridge demolition, on April 18, according to Corrao. Unlike the first detonation, the University of Rhode Island will not be opening its Narragansett Bay Campus as a public viewing area. With more than 10 times the explosives used for the first blast, this second blast is expected to remove 2,200 feet of deck trusses and girder spans, as well as the top 50 feet of the two concrete piers that supported the former center section of the bridge. Posted by Kate Bramson at 12:34 PM | Comment Slow going for morning commutersSome morning commuters have reported traffic tie-ups on Route 195 westbound, starting at the Massachusetts state line and continuing until the South Main Street exit in downtown Providence, and on Route 95 northbound in Providence. The state police report that they’ve cleared a minor accident on Route 95 north, south of exit 18. No injuries were reported. For more information on the morning's commute, check traffic cameras on the state Department of Transportation’s web site.
Posted by Kate Bramson at 9:32 AM | Comment Agriculture Day travels to Smith HillPROVIDENCE -- The governor, some fishermen and a handful of farmers are expected to attend festivities at the State House later today celebrating Rhode Island Agriculture Day. The gala begins at 11:30 a.m., with various events planned until 5 p.m. Agriculture Day was established to highlight the state's industry -- Rhode Island has 858 farms, which occupy 61,000 acres, according to the Department of Environmental Management. Today's events feature a 2 p.m. speaking program focused on the role of farms as tourist venues and a new marketing campaign for quahog sales. Posted by Steve Peoples at 7:15 AM | Comment Career fair today at McCoy StadiumPAWTUCKET -- More than a dozen companies are at McCoy Stadium in Pawtucket from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. today looking to hire college graduates as part of a free career fair, sponsored by The Providence Journal and the Pawtucket Red Sox. Job seekers should bring a hard copy of their resume for free distribution to all participating companies and for immediate posting. A panel from the Rhode Island Department of Labor & Training also will be on hand for a free resume critique. For a list of exhibitors, go to www.projoJobs.com. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:08 AM | Comment Blue sky beckons todayPROVIDENCE -- Blue skies look so good after all that rain, don’t they? Enjoy them while they’re here today because showers are predicted starting tonight and through the weekend. Expect partly cloudy skies and a high near 70 today – and close to 70 throughout the weekend. Flooding continues today through northeast Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire, according to the National Weather Service. Flood warnings remain in effect for several rivers in this region as well as for the lower Connecticut River. The good news is that rivers are expected to recede, despite forecast showers through the weekend, since rainfall is not expected to be significant. Get the latest conditions and forecasts from projo.com. Posted by Kate Bramson at 7:00 AM | Comment May 16, 2006Forecast: Seeking sun? Look to the eastAnyone in Rhode Island who's awake tomorrow at 5:24 a.m. can look to the east and see something that hasn't happened in a while. The sun will shine. After several consecutive days of dreary, wet, weather, the National Weather Service is predicting a sunny start for tomorrow with highs in the mid-70s. Mostly clear skies are expected through the morning. But don't get used to it. Clouds are expected to return as the day progresses. And the National Weather Service is predicting the possibility of showers. P.S. Why wait until tomorrow when you can have some sun today? If you're in the Providence area, blue skies have already broken out. Posted by Steve Peoples at 6:47 PM | Comment Senate candidate Whitehouse's TV ads start todayPROVIDENCE -- Democrat Sheldon Whitehouse will appear on television sets across the state today as the U.S. Senate candidate unveils his first televised ads. The two alternating, 60-second spots trumpet Whitehouse's pedigreed upbringing (his father was U.S. ambassador to Laos and Thailand), political backers (Democratic U.S. Sen. Jack Reed, among them) and professional credentials (former President Bill Clinton appointed him U.S. attorney for Rhode Island). The Whitehouse campaign has booked a reported $96,990 worth of ads running through May 22 on network television. The spots are scheduled to run 29 times on WJAR TV (NBC 10) at a cost of $52,500; 14 times on WLNE (ABC 6) at a $6,240 cost; 7 times on WNAC (Fox) at a $7,860 cost, and 30 times on WPRI (CBS 12) at a $30,390 cost. Whitehouse would face the winner of the Republican primary -- incumbent Sen. Lincoln Chafee or Cranston Mayor Stephen Laffey -- in November. -- Journal staff writer Katherine Gregg Posted by Steve Peoples at 5:27 PM | Comment Release of arrest record bounced to high courtPROVIDENCE -- State Supreme Court Justice Maureen McKenna Goldberg refused to decide this afternoon whether to make public an arrest report for the man police allege murdered 8-year-old Savannah Smith. Goldberg ordered the full arrest report for 20-year-old Joshua A. Davis of Woonsocket to be sealed until Thursday, at which time the full state Supreme Court could review the matter. Superior Court Judge Stephen J. Fortunato Jr. ruled yesterday that Cranston police must release the public record. "I think there is an overriding public interest in this," he said. Attorney General Patrick C. Lynch appealed Fortunato's ruling to the Supreme Court, arguing that the release of the report would jeopardize the police investigation. -- With reports from Journal staff writer Mark Arsenault Posted by Steve Peoples at 5:19 PM | Comment Update: Flood watch off, warm temps on the way / Photo
Journal photo / Frieda Squires Paul Allard of North Kingstown headed to the Wyoming Dam on Wood River this morning after finishing his third shift at nearby Kay Dee Designs. Several hours later, he had three trout to take home. PROVIDENCE -- The National Weather Service this afternoon cancelled the flood watch for Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and the majority of New England. Some flooding is still occurring in portions of New Hampshire and northeast Massachusetts, but renewed substantial flooding is not expected during the next two days. The National Weather Service warns that existing lowland flooding across New England could continue for several days, but that the worst appears to be over. Skies should turn partly cloudy tonight, with showers. As for tomorrow, some clouds will remain, but no rain is called for, and temperatures could hit -- the lower 70s.
Posted by Jack Perry at 5:11 PM | Comment Casino bid tied to Johnston council vote tonightJOHNSTON -- The Town Council plans to vote tonight on a measure that would move Johnston one step closer to becoming home to a casino owned by Donald Trump. The council will consider a resolution requesting that the General Assembly enact legislation to allow local voters to vote in November as to "whether a destination resort casino shall be allowed in town." The meeting is set for 7:30 p.m. at the Johnston Municipal Court, 1395 Atwood Ave. There is no guarantee, however, that voters will have a chance to weigh in on the measure, even if the Town Council approves it tonight. Trump's proposal, like a similar proposal to bring a casino to West Warwick, would require the state Constitution to be changed -- something that requires a General Assembly vote and another statewide vote in the November election. A recent poll found that Rhode Island voters are evenly split on whether to change the constitution to accommodate a casino. Posted by Steve Peoples at 4:36 PM | Comment Supreme Court hears argument to suppress recordPROVIDENCE -- Attorney General Patrick Lynch has appealed yesterday's Superior Court ruling ordering Cranston police to release the arrest report for Joshua A. Davis, the 20-year-old Woonsocket man accused of murdering 8-year-old Savannah Smith. Supreme Court Justice Maureen McKenna Goldberg will hear arguments today at 3 p.m. from lawyers for Lynch and The Providence Journal, which sued Cranston police for failing to release Davis' complete arrest report. Superior Court Judge Stephen J. Fortunato Jr. ruled yesterday that Cranston police must release the public record. "I think there is an overriding public interest in this," he said. Fortunato ordered Cranston police to release the record by 4:30 p.m. today, pending the outcome of today's appeal. -- With reports from Journal staff writer Mark Arsenault Posted by Steve Peoples at 1:56 PM | Comment 3 teens hospitalized after Newport brawlNEWPORT -- Three teenagers were hospitalized after being beaten with baseball bats during a street fight involving more than 50 people last night in the Tonomy Hill housing complex. Two were transferred to Hasbro Children's Hospital in Providence last night, while the third was treated at Newport Hospital. None of the injuries are considered life threatening. Police responded to the scene at the intersection of Chadwick and Hillside streets, at about 7 p.m., just after the fight had ended. Newport Police Lt. Michael Brennan said the violence stemmed from a dispute between two neighborhood families. The “animosity between the two families has grown into physical conflicts over the last several weeks,” he said. -- With reports from Journal staff writer Gina Macris The police arrested two teens and 19-year-old Keara Taylor, of 19 Evans St., on charges of felony assault. A third teen was arrested for possession of a knife and disorderly conduct. While police confiscated at least one knife after arriving at the scene of the brawl, there were no stabbings reported. -- With reports from Journal staff writer Gina Macris Posted by Steve Peoples at 1:50 PM | Comment Update: Hundreds attend Woonsocket girl's funeralWOONSOCKET -- Hundreds of people gathered this morning in Woonsocket for the funeral of Savannah Smith, the 8-year-old Woonsocket girl found slain in Cranston last week. Police officers, young schoolchildren and teachers filled the pews at Sacred Heart Church to remember the second-grader. Rev. Ronald J. Bengford told the crowd to remember how much Savannah liked to play in the park. And he reminded them of her "spunkiness." When the hour-long service ended at about 11:30 a.m., many drove through pouring rain to the burial site in Blackstone, Mass. Prosecutors say Smith was taken by her neighbor, 20-year-old Joshua Davis, on May 7. The police found her body in Cranston the next morning. Davis is being held without bail on a murder charge. At the cemetery, heavy rain continued as Savannah's small white casket was moved to the gravesite. The girl's parents, siblings, and extended family attended the burial, as did police officers from Woonsocket and Cranston, where Savannah's body was discovered. -- With reports from Journal staff writer Cynthia Needham Posted by Jack Perry at 12:20 PM | Comment Update: Harsh sentence for HatchPROVIDENCE -- Survivor star Richard Hatch was sentenced today to serve 51 months in prison for tax evasion and perjury, plus three years of supervised release after his sentence. U.S. District Court Judge Ernest Torres gave Hatch a harsher sentence after finding that Hatch had perjured himself on the witness stand and had given false information to authorities. Hatch, of Newport, had been convicted Jan. 25 of two counts of tax evasion and one count of filing a false income tax return. Federal guidelines had called for a sentence ranging from 33 to 41 months on those charges. After an eight-day trial, a federal jury concluded that Hatch had failed to report multiple sources of income, including the Pontiac Aztec and $1 million he won on the first season of Survivor, the $320,000 he received for cohosting a Boston radio program and $27,000 he collected in rent. Hatch has been held at the Plymouth (Mass.) County Correctional Facility since his conviction. Posted by Jack Perry at 12:13 PM | Comment Fire guts former tavern in Cranston / Photo
CRANSTON -- A fire, erupting shortly after midnight this morning, gutted the former Bowling Green Tavern, at 411 Niantic Ave. The building was apparently vacant, and no injuries were reported. The city ordered the tavern closed in April 2003 after inspections conducted in the wake of The Station nightclub fire found code violations there. -- Journal staff writer Zachary R. Mider Posted by Steve Peoples at 11:47 AM | Comment Carcieri to be briefed on Newport shipwrecksNEWPORT -- Governor Carcieri will be in Newport this afternoon to discuss the recent discovery of the remains of four Revolutionary War British ships waters off Newport Harbor. The governor will be briefed by the Rhode Island Marine Archaeology Project, which has led exploration efforts. The discovery means a total of six Revolutionary War-era shipwrecks have now been found in waters off Newport. RIMAP officials believe there is a strong chance the ship, the Endeavour, which sailed to Australia under British Capt. James Cook as part of an around the world voyage in 1770, may be among the other shipwrecks remaining in waters off Newport. Today's briefing will take place at 1 p.m. in the Old Colony House -- a pre-Revolutionary War structure -- on Washington Square. Posted by Steve Peoples at 11:45 AM | Comment May 15, 2006R.I. lawyers sue over release of phone records to NSAPROVIDENCE -- Rhode Island lawyers filed class-action lawsuits against Verizon Communications Inc., BellSouth Corp. and AT&T Corp. today, claiming the companies illegally turned over phone and Internet records to the National Security Agency as part of a secret government surveillance program. On Thursday, USA Today reported that the NSA has been secretly collecting the phone call records of tens of millions of Americans since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, using data provided by the three telecommunications companies. Since then, class-action lawsuits have been filed against the companies in New York, California and Oregon. And as soon as the U.S. District Court clerk’s office opened at 9 a.m. today, Warwick lawyer Michael A. St. Pierre and Providence lawyer Amato A. DeLuca filed a single class-action complaint against Verizon and BellSouth on behalf of 20 plaintiffs and “all other similarly situated.” The lead plaintiff is Charles F. Bissitt, of North Providence. At about 2 p.m., Providence lawyer Peter N. Wasylyk filed separate class-action complaints against Verizon and AT&T on behalf of plaintiff Pamela A. Mahoney, of Warwick, and other customers. -- Journal staff writer Edward Fitzpatrick “The phone companies’ release of their customers’ records has implicated the most widespread invasion of privacy in history,” Wasylyk said in a news release. The suits seek damages of no less than $1,000 per violation, plus punitive damages, and they ask the U.S. District Court to stop the phone companies from turning over any more records to the National Security Agency without authorization.
Posted by Steve Peoples at 7:12 PM | Comment Update: Fallen police officers honored in D.C. / Photo
“I wish there was some way I could heal the hurt in your heart,” Bush said. All the officers have been honored in ceremonies over the last several days, including the midday proceedings near the Capitol and a candlelit vigil last weekend at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial . On a wall at that site, the names of the officers slain last year have been carved in stone among those of 3,700 officers so honored over the years. -- John E. Mulligan, Journal Washington Bureau About 65 to 70 active and retired Providence police officers were expected to be in Washington this weekend and today to honor the inscription of Allen’s name on the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial at Judiciary Square. Allen, 50, was shot to death with his own gun as he questioned Esteban Carpio at police headquarters about the stabbing and attempted robbery of an elderly woman. Carpio is accused of wresting Allen's gun from him, then shooting the detective. Posted by Jack Perry at 5:50 PM | Comment 2 arrested in Cranston on charges of DVD piracyCRANSTON -- State police announced today they arrested two people and seized more than 3,000 pirated DVDs, computer equipment and supplies used as part of a illegal DVD distribution operation. Pablo Calderon, 29, of 212 Smith St., and a juvenile were arrested as they were unloading boxes of pirated DVD movies from a Cranston garage on Saturday. Many of the movies that were seized have not been released on DVD and are currently playing in the theaters, according to the police. Calderon's garage was considered a lab or distribution point, according to police, which was believed to be supplying several local area flea markets and street vending locations.
This investigation was the result of collaboration between the state police, the Motion Picture Association of America, and the Recording Industry of America to address the the distribution of counterfeit movies and music CDs across Rhode Island. Posted by Steve Peoples at 5:29 PM | Comment DEM: No evidence of wasting disease in R.I. deerPROVIDENCE -- The Department of Environmental Management today announced that a round of recent testing has found no evidence of chronic wasting disease in the state's deer population. DEM's Division of Fish and Wildlife last fall collected nearly 200 samples from the state's deer herd for testing as part of a nationwide effort to monitor the spread of the deadly neurological disease. "This is very good news," Michael Lapisky, acting chief of the Division of Fish and Wildlife, said in a statement. "CWD has been detected in some eastern states such as New York and West Virginia." Like many states, Rhode Island is actively working to prevent the disease, which has not been seen to affect humans. DEM will continue testing samples provided by hunters and road kill. Posted by Steve Peoples at 5:26 PM | Comment Update: Cleaning up mercury spill at RISD / Photo
Officials said the poisonous material wasn't stored or used in the building, and that its origin was a mystery. One state official said it appeared to him as though the mercury was put where it was deliberately, rather than being spilled. Alan Cantara, RISD's director of environmental health and safety, said students noticed the puddle of mercury, about two inches across by an eighth of an inch thick, about 4:30 p.m. yesterday on a wooden floor in a stairwell. He guessed that it contained from two to four ounces of mercury. The Fletcher Building, where the mercury was found, is at 169 Weybossett St., and contains graduate student art studios and classrooms. By the time the substance was noticed, a student said, it was tracked "everywhere" about the building. -- Journal staff writer Bruce Landis Some of the students and staff, meanwhile, were standing in their socks today while the cleanup crew, from Clean Ventures, of Framingham, Mass., cleaned mercury from their shoes. "They cleaned them once," said Shelly Bergeron, a computer support specialist. "They weren't clean enough, so they've got to clean them again." -- Journal staff writer Bruce Landis Posted by Steve Peoples at 5:24 PM | Comment Judge: Release arrest record in Woonsocket girl's slayingThe Attorney General's Office and the City of Cranston must turn over the city's 15-page arrest record of Joshua A. Davis, who is charged with the murder of an 8-year-old Woonsocket girl, a Superior Court judge ruled today in a public records lawsuit. At the direction of the attorney general, the City of Cranston had blacked out portions of the report before releasing it. The Providence Journal sued, arguing that public records law is clear that arrest records are public documents. Judge Stephen J. Fortunato Jr. sided with The Journal this afternoon, saying that the document, which lists several witnesses and pieces of evidence obtained by police, must be turned over. The judge ordered personal information of several witnesses -- phone numbers and birth dates -- redacted. He stayed his order 24 hours to allow the state time to appeal to the Supreme Court. Meanwhile, a wake for the victim, Savannah Smith, is being held today. About 40 people, many wearing butterfly pins with pink and blue ribbons, arrived before the wake began at 4 p.m. and waited in the rain for the doors of the funeral home to open. Several Woonsocket police officers, including Police Chief Michael Houle, attended the wake, which lasts until 8 p.m. Savannah's funeral is tomorrow. -- Journal staff writer Mark Arsenault, with Associated Press reports Posted by Andrea Panciera at 5:00 PM | Comment Update: Pawtuxet nears flood stage / Photo
As of 9 a.m. today, the river had risen to 8.7 feet. The river will reach flood stage, which is 9 feet, by 4 p.m., and will rise to 9.2 feet by 8 p.m., the weather service says. "Minor lowland flooding will occur along the river as it flows through Warwick and Cranston," reads an alert issued this afternoon by the National Weather Service. The Blackstone River is expected to overflow tomorrow afternoon. Posted by Steve Peoples at 4:15 PM | Comment Hatch to be sentenced on tax counts tomorrowPROVIDENCE -- Former reality-show star Richard Hatch will learn tomorrow morning how much time he'll spend in a federal prison for tax evasion. Hatch, 44, is facing 33 to 41 months in federal prison, though prosecutors plan to argue for an additional 10 months, claiming that he lied on the witness stand during his trial. The sentencing is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. in U.S. District Court, Providence. Hatch, who previously lived on Aquidneck Island, has been held at the Plymouth (Mass.) County Correctional Facility since his conviction in January. Hatch was found guilty of two counts of tax evasion and one count of filing a false tax return. The charges were linked to the more than $1 million in prize money he received after winning the first season of the Survivor show.
Posted by Steve Peoples at 4:00 PM | Comment Flutie announces retirementNew England's own Doug Flutie has announced the end of a professional football career that spanned 21 years. Flutie, the 43-year-old former Heisman Trophy winner from Boston College, had spent the offseason deciding whether to come back for one more season as Tom Brady's backup quarterback. Instead, he said he will begin a second career as a college football commentator on ABC and ESPN. Born in Maryland, Flutie moved to Natick, Mass., when he was 6 years old. He retires as one of the best-loved sports figures in the region. His Hail Mary touchdown pass that gave Boston College an improbable Black Friday victory over Miami in 1984 remains one of the most iconic plays in football history. At a news conference today at Gillette Stadium to announce Flutie's retirement, Patriots chairman Robert Kraft lauded Flutie's work raising money for autism research, a cause Flutie took up in honor of his son, Doug Jr., who has autism. Kraft announced a $22,000 gift to the Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation -- an amount picked because Flutie wore number 22 in college. Flutie said he always looked at the sport as fun. "I just love playing football," Flutie said. "I love competing, I enjoy playing and it's still a game to me." Flutie later added that he is still a "big kid." Although he was a college superstar, Flutie was dismissed by some in the NFL because of his relatively small stature; he stands 5 feet 9 inches tall. Flutie started his pro career with the New Jersey Generals of the now-defunct United States Football League. He entered the NFL in 1986 as a backup with the Chicago Bears. The following year, he joined the Patriots, where he played for three seasons, appearing in 11 games in 1988. But after sitting most of the next season, Flutie left for the Canadian Football League, where he was Most Outstanding Player for six seasons. Flutie's NFL career took off when he returned, a decade later, to play for the Buffalo Bills. Flutie thrilled Buffalo fans for three years with his exciting style of play, before being bumped for the starting job by the larger quarterback Rob Johnson. The next stop for Flutie was San Diego, where he played for four years, seeing gradually less playing time with the emergence of young quarterback Drew Brees. Flutie returned to New England last year to serve as Brady's backup. He saw little game action, but he did give fans an enduring memory when he dropped-kicked home an extra point during a game at Gillette Stadium against the Miami Dolphins. Flutie appeared in 91 NFL games, completing 1,177 of 2,151 passes for 14,715 yards, with 86 touchdowns and 68 interceptions. His best season came in 1998 with Buffalo, when he threw a career-high 20 touchdowns and led the Bills to the playoffs. Posted by Mike McDermott at 12:35 PM | Comment Bridge demolition delayed againState transportation officials have decided yet again to delay the second controlled demolition of the old Jamestown Bridge. Wet weather has forced the state to push back the second round of controlled explosions one day to this Thursday. “The relentless rain has made it difficult for the Department to load the explosive charges on the bridge,” said Department of Transportation Director James R. Capaldi in a statement. “While the Jamestown side is all set to go, we still have to finish placing the controlled explosive devices on the North Kingstown side as well as in the center piers. We apologize for any inconvenience, but safety comes first.” Demolition teams plan to detonate the deck trusses and six girder spans as well as the top of two center supporting piers between 10 a.m. and noon Thursday. A set of explosions will remove 2,200-feet of the deck trusses and girder spans, 1,100-feet on either side of the gap created during the first round of detonations last month. Seventy-two pounds of explosives have been positioned on the deck trusses and girder spans of the bridge and the controlled demolition charges will take only seconds to go off. Traffic will be stopped along the new Jamestown-Verranzzano Bridge for up to four hours during the demolition. Posted by Steve Peoples at 12:31 PM | Comment Wie receives exemption for U.S. Women's OpenNEWPORT, R.I. -- Teenage golfing sensation Michelle Wie has received an exemption to the U.S. Women's Open, which will begin June 29 at the Newport Country Club. The special exemption was hardly a surprise. USGA executive director David Fay had said this year that officials would consider where Wie, 16, would be ranked on the LPGA Tour money list. Wie finished third in the Fields Open and tied for third at the Kraft Nabisco Championship, both times missing a playoff by one shot. She has earned $181,449, which would place her 16th on the money list. The top 35 players are eligible for the Women's Open. She does not appear on the official money list because she is not an LPGA member. -- The Associated Press Posted by Jack Perry at 12:19 PM | Comment Body found in Woonasquatucket River / Photo
The police were still on the scene, near Aleppo Street, late this morning after a state medical examiner's van left with the body. No further information was immediately available. The body was found near the site of a planned park for the Woonasquatucket River Greenway. The river is running high from recent heavy rain, and it's full of debris. -- With reports from Journal staff photographer Steve Szydlowski and Journal staff writer Gregory Smith. Posted by Jack Perry at 11:52 AM | Comment Students honored for business studiesThe state’s general treasurer is honoring 45 students from throughout Rhode Island this morning for outstanding performance in business studies. The students have attained a B+ average or equivalent for the first three years of high school and the first semester of their senior year, and they have demonstrated leadership potential for “future success in the business world,” according to the office of General Treasurer Paul J. Tavares. They were chosen by high school principals and guidance counselors. Award recipients and their families were invited to have breakfast with Tavares and tour the historic State House this morning before a ceremony in the House Chamber. A list of the students is included in the extended entry. Here's a list of the students: Barrington High School, Christopher Breen Bishop Hendricken High School, Robert A. Sherman Bishop Keough Regional High School, Amanda Roque Central Falls High School, Doris Moret Central High School, Guillermarie Rivera Chariho Regional High School, Melissa Landry Coventry High School, Matthew Hicks Cranston Area Career & Technical Center, Isabel Dueri Cranston High School East, Kyle Pirolli Cranston High School West, David G. Ricci Cumberland High School, Ann-Marie Schlindwein East Greenwich High School, James Mason East Providence Area Career & Technical Center , Ashley M. Mann East Providence High School, Amy Medeiros Exeter-West Greenwich High School, Chelsea Perry Hope High School - Leadership, Jonathan Drew Johnston High School, Sean Burdick La Salle Academy, Matthew Fortin Lincoln High School, Robert Mainelli Middletown High School, Lindsey Vidinha Mount Hope High School, John Coletta Mount Pleasant High School, Emilia Molina Narragansett High School, Shawn Hainer Nichols Newport Area Career & Technical Center, Yesenia N. Fuerte North Kingstown High School, Anna Miniutti North Providence High School, Tiffany Shorey North Smithfield Junior - Senior High School, Brendan Zwolenski Our Lady of Fatima High School, Tanya M. Darosa Pilgrim High School , Jarred Burrell Ponaganset High School, Ashley Winsor Portsmouth High School, Kyle Coleman Saint Raphael Academy, Kayla Wall Scituate High School, Craig Auker Charles E. Shea High School, Jennifer Quiroz Smithfield High School, Mary Katherine Carey South Kingstown High School, Sean Meehan Tiverton High School, Alexander James Walsh Toll Gate High School, Brian Plamondon William E. Tolman Senior High School, David Andrews Warwick Area Career & Technical Center, Briana Perez Warwick Veterans Memorial High School, Andrew Morris West Warwick High School, Kylie M. Nightingale Westerly High School, Adam Comolli Woonsocket Area Career & Technical Center, Yoreidy Velez Woonsocket High School, Jennifer Lynn Savage Posted by Kate Bramson at 10:32 AM | Comment Gas prices climb another 8 centsGasoline prices in Rhode Island jumped an average of eight cents per gallon last week, and Rhode Islanders are now paying more than $3 per gallon in many places, according to AAA Southern New England. The average price for regular, unleaded gasoline is 2.999 per gallon at the self-service pump, according to AAA’s May 15 survey. The state Energy Office reports the average at $3.01. The average price is now 74 cents more than it was at the beginning of the year. Posted by Jack Perry at 10:17 AM | Comment Flooding help-line available to Mass. residentsIf you’re a Massachusetts resident dealing with flooding today, and you’re not sure where to go for help, the Secretary of State’s office wants to lend a hand. They’re operating a 24/7 emergency operations center to help people navigate the kinds of help that exist. So if you need help getting your basement pumped out, if you have a problem with a utility, if you’re looking for someone who might be in a shelter somewhere or you want to know about bus schedules, but you don’t want to make 14 phone calls before you find the answers to your questions, call (800) 293-4031. The number is for flooding emergency calls only. People should still call 911 for life-threatening emergencies, the department said. Secretary of State staffers and volunteers will refer callers to the best department or agency to handle their problem, spokesman Peter Judge said. “Essentially, we’re a clearinghouse more than anything else,” Judge said. “People don’t necessarily know who to call for help.” However, be prepared. The number has been ringing busy as projo.com has tried to get through. Judge said staffers are all working and answering calls and people may need to be patient. The office has worked over the years, he said, to determine the best system. An older system that allowed people to leave messages didn’t work that well because the department discovered that most people didn’t want to leave voice mail, he said. Posted by Kate Bramson at 9:31 AM | Comment May 12, 2006Johnston council plans vote tied to casino planJOHNSTON -- The Town Council plans to vote Tuesday night on a measure that would move Johnston one step closer to becoming home to a casino owned by Donald Trump. Notice of a special meeting for the purpose was posted on the secretary of state's Web site late today. The council will consider a resolution requesting that the General Assembly enact legislation to allow local voters to vote in November as to "whether a destination resort casino shall be allowed in town." The meeting is set for 7:30 p.m. at the Johnston Municipal Court, 1395 Atwood Ave. The council is also expected to vote on a memorandum of understanding between the town and the Trump outfit, Ocean State Gaming Ventures. Even if the Town Council approves the measure, the plan faces an uphill battle. Trump's proposal, like a similar proposal to bring a casino to West Warwick, would require the state constitution to be changed -- something that requires a General Assembly vote and another statewide vote in the November election. A recent poll found that Rhode Island voters are evenly split on whether to change the constitution to accommodate a casino. Posted by Steve Peoples at 6:55 PM | Comment Woman pleads no contest in revenge murderPROVIDENCE -- One of three people charged in the revenge murder of a Providence woman has entered a no contest plea and received a 45-year prison term. The Attorney General's Office says Shonda Northup pleaded no contest yesterday to second-degree murder in the killing of Stacy Ann Brissett, 19. Brissett's body was found partially submerged in the Yantic River in Norwich, Conn., last July. Authorities allege Northup, along with her sister, Tawanna Sampson, and their cousin, Shea Cook, killed Brissett last July in Charlestown and dumped her body. Criminal cases are still pending against Sampson and Cook. Northup is 25 and is from Ledyard, Conn. She also pleaded no contest to conspiracy and weapons charges. The charges stem from the July 26 slaying of Brissett, a native of Jamaica, who was shot three times and strangled before her body was dumped. Seven weeks earlier, her boyfriend, Dwayne Sampson, was killed outside their Providence home. The case is unsolved. The police say that his sisters, Northup and Sampson, and cousin, Cook, believed that Brissett had set up her boyfriend to be killed.
Posted by Steve Peoples at 6:45 PM | Comment Open house at URI East Farm on despite rainSOUTH KINGSTOWN -- Despite the rain, the University of Rhode Island plans to go forward tomorrow with its annual open house at East Farm. Perennial flowers grown by master gardeners from around the state will be on sale at the free open house, which runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The farm is on Route 108 about a mile south of its intersection with Route 138. URI had announced a rain date of Sunday, but with so much rain forecast for the weekend it decided yesterday to have the open house as planned -- rain or no rain. Posted by Andrea Panciera at 6:25 PM | Comment Flood watch for region on through tomorrowA flood watch for the region, on through late tomorrow night, has been expanded to cover Rhode Island and southeast Massachusetts. The National Weather Service bureau in Taunton, Mass., said rain will fall heavily at times across the area, with 2 to 4 inches expected through tomorrow. Higher amounts are possible. The rain will bring the potential for urban as well as small-stream flooding. Get the latest forecasts, live radar views and more ...
Posted by Andrea Panciera at 5:56 PM | Comment Update: 2nd detonation of old Jamestown bridge delayedThe second detonation of the old Jamestown Bridge has been pushed back a day because of this week's rain, the state Department of Transportation said today. The new target date is Wednesday, May 17, between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. However, the DOT cannot be certain that date will work either, said Frank Corrao, deputy chief engineer for the DOT. The new detonation day has been set based on current weather conditions and predictions, he said this afternoon. The DOT plans to detonate the deck trusses and six girder spans, as well as the top 50 feet of the two center supporting piers that were beneath the center span the DOT demolished last month, Corrao said. If all goes well, the DOT might not need the third planned detonation, which was to be sometime before the Fourth of July, he said. The first blast, which brought down the bridge's center span, drew thousands of spectators last month to the shores of Narragansett Bay. Initially, the DOT expected this second detonation would be just the two outer sides of the bridge, and the third detonation would be those center piers, he said. The DOT had said each of three large detonations would require them to close the new Jamestown Bridge for four hours each, but with the first detonation, the roadway was open after two hours, Corrao said. Now, if they can avoid a third hours-long closure during the height of tourist season, he said, “That’s good for everyone.” For the explosion planned next week, the DOT must have time without heavy wind or heavy rain, for the safety of its workers, so they can set the charges for the detonation in place, Corrao said.
Posted by Jack Perry at 5:36 PM | Comment Update: Woonsocket girl died of strangulation, head injuriesSavannah Smith, the 8-year-old Woonsocket girl who was found murdered early Monday, died of “manual strangulation and blunt-force injuries of head,” the state Medical Examiner’s Office announced this afternoon. The one-sentence announcement was signed by Dr. Thomas Gilson, the chief medical examiner. It provided no other information. Savannah was found in Cranston on Monday. A suspect has been arrested. Authorities have been tightlipped about her death. The funeral service will take place the next day at 9:30 a.m. at Sacred Heart Church, Second Avenue, Woonsocket. Burial will follow at St. Charles Cemetery in Blackstone, Mass. Posted by Kate Bramson at 3:36 PM | Comment Biechele transferred to minimum security at ACICRANSTON -- Daniel M. Biechele, who was sentenced this week for his role in triggering The Station nightclub fire, was transferred this morning from the intake center at the Adult Correctional Institutions to the minimum security facility. Prison spokesman Kenneth G. Findlay said Biechele was moved to a minimum-security dorm at about 11 a.m. He had been in custody since his 4-year prison term was handed down on Wednesday afternoon. The minimum-security dorms do not have cells. They have a series of rooms on a central corridor. The rooms house two to 12 men on bunk beds. The doors to the rooms are not usually locked, and inmates can move freely into the hallway or the dorm’s day room. The outside doors to the building are locked, and a chain-link fence encloses the prison yard. -- Journal staff writer Paul Edward Parker Most inmates in minimum security work a job each day. That can be work release, where a prisoner reports to an employer each workday morning and returns to the prison in the evening. Or it can be correctional industries, which includes a wide variety of jobs, such as making and delivering furniture to customers of the ACI, picking up litter along highways or janitorial work inside the ACI. Minimum-security inmates are allowed up to three one-hour visits per week. Visits take place in a cafeteria-like room, and inmates are not physically separated from their visitors, though contact is limited, said Findlay. “They can have a brief embrace and kiss,” he said. Biechele had pleaded guilty to 100 counts of involuntary manslaughter for lighting the pyrotechnics that started the fire at the club. One hundred people died in the Feb. 20, 2003, blaze, the worst in the state's history. -- Journal staff writer Paul Edward Parker Posted by Andrea Panciera at 3:20 PM | Comment $1.4M arrives for recovery of R.I. brownfieldsThe Environmental Protection Agency today awarded seven grants worth $1.4 million to revitalize contaminated industrial and commercial sites across Rhode Island. The funding will help pay to assess, clean and redevelop abandoned, U.S. Sen. Lincoln Chafee, R-R.I., was on hand this afternoon to help announce the awards, $400,000 of which will go to the city of Providence, and another $400,000 to Woonsocket, to assess levels of contamination at various sites and determine which are best suited for re-development or open space initiatives. Seven $200,000 grants were awarded in Rhode Island. Posted by Steve Peoples at 2:39 PM | Comment National teachers union endorses WhitehouseThe National Education Association announced today its endorsement of Sheldon Whitehouse in the race for the U.S. Senate. Whitehouse will likely face the winner of the Republican primary -- incumbent Republican Sen. Lincoln Chafee or his challenger, Cranston Mayor Stephen Laffey -- in November's general election. "This year, Rhode Island's educators have an extraordinary opportunity to send to Washington a Whitehouse we can trust to be there for us, to help our kids get the best education possible," Larry Purtill, president of the union's Rhode Island affiliate, said in a statement. "Electing Sheldon Whitehouse our next U.S. senator is clearly in the best interests of NEA members and their families, as well as Rhode Island, our country, and our children." The National Education Association is a teachers union with 2.7 million members across the country. Posted by Steve Peoples at 2:04 PM | Comment Woman charged with selling fake immigration docsPROVIDENCE -- A local woman appeared in U.S. District Court earlier today to face a charge that she sold counterfeit immigration and Social Security cards. Prosecutors allege that Julia Pensoy-Calel, 51, of Newark Avenue, Providence, sold fake Resident Alien Cards -- also known as green cards -- and Social Security cards for $125 a set. Federal agents listened in on phone conversations in which the transactions were discussed, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office, which is prosecuting Pensoy-Calel on the felony charge. Federal judge David L. Martin today set Pensoy-Calel's bail at $5,000 with surety. Posted by Steve Peoples at 1:55 PM | Comment Update: Families descend on returning Guard / Photo
About 115 Guard members, a few from other units, touched down with the 172nd around 8 a.m. Upon leaving the airplane, the unit briefly tried to line up in formation in the airport hanger, but the family members and friends of the returning soldiers couldn't stand to wait -- they charged their loved ones and the scene dissolved into an excited mayhem. The 172nd left Rhode Island on deployment in January 2005, and has spent the last 11 months in Iraq, where it was involved in anti-insurgency operations. Headquartered at Camp Fogarty in East Greenwich, the combat infantry company did not suffer any casualties during the deployment, according to the National Guard. Governor Carcieri and Lt. Gov. Charles Fogarty mingled with the returning soldiers, shaking hands and welcoming them back. The Rhode Island National Guard now has 270 members deployed overseas. -- Journal staff writer Mark Arsenault and projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson. Posted by Jack Perry at 12:39 PM | Comment Canadian premiers meet governors in Newport / Photo
NEWPORT -- Governor Carcieri and Premier Pat Binns of Prince Edward Island opened the 30th Conference of New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers today at the Hyatt Regency Hotel. The governors and premiers will spend two days discussing regional issues, including energy policy, oceans, the environment and trade between the United States and Canada. Rhode Island's Carcieri and Binns, co-chairmen of the conference, will host a state reception and state dinner tonight at Rosecliff mansion. Posted by Jack Perry at 11:59 AM | Comment More rain and fog todayRain and fog this morning, with highs expected in the mid-50s for today. The National Weather Service reports a flood watch will be in effect from this evening through late Saturday night for northern Rhode Island, eastern Massachusetts, northeastern Massachusetts, northern Connecticut and southern New Hampshire. That means there’s a potential for flooding based on current forecasts. So if you live in areas prone to flooding, the weather service urges you to be prepared. Get the latest conditions and forecasts from projo.com. Clouds and rain are still expected throughout the weekend and into next week. Posted by Kate Bramson at 7:08 AM | Comment May 11, 2006Rainy forecast cancels this Saturday's WaterFirePROVIDENCE -- The rainy forecast has washed out the first full WaterFire of the season, which had been set for this Saturday. Orgnanizers late this afternoon announced the cancellation of the popular performance art event. The next WaterFire is set for Saturday, May 27, along the riverfront in downtown Providence at sunset. Posted by Andrea Panciera at 6:12 PM | Comment Yashar finally served with pension lawsuitIt has taken more than a month, but Attorney General Patrick C. Lynch's office has found former Traffic Tribunal Judge Marjorie R. Yashar and served her with a lawsuit seeking to reduce her pension. Lynch's office had tried sending the complaint by certified mail, but never heard back from Yashar. Next, they hired somebody to hand-deliver the summons. But after 11 attempts, still no success. Then, last week, Lynch got permission from a Rhode Island judge to tack the summons onto Yashar's front door in Florida. Which method was successful is not clear. Lynch's spokesman Michael J. Healey today could only say that Yashar was "personally served'' Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. Healey had no details about how Yashar was served and he was unable to say if the notice was ever tacked on her door. -- Journal State House bureau writer Scott Mayerowitz Posted by Andrea Panciera at 6:02 PM | Comment Update: Bending to their task / Photo
WARWICK -- Ten teams of high school automotive technology students were trying to diagnose and repair deliberately "bugged" cars this morning at the Warwick Mall. The 20 students participating in the annual AAA/Ford Auto Skills state finals are competing for prizes, scholarships and a chance to represent Rhode Island in the national finals next month in Dearborn, Mich. The test began at 10 a.m. before a row of cars parked by Firestone. There's a nationwide shortage of trained service and repair technicians estimated at 60,000, according to AAA. Annual salaries can range from $35,000 to $75,000, AAA says. Posted by Jack Perry at 4:25 PM | Comment CVS shareholders reject several proposals
Journal photo / Mary Murphy Thomas M. Ryan, CVS company's chairman, president and chief executive officer, welcomes stockholders to the annual meeting at corporate headquarters today. WOONSOCKET -- CVS Corp. shareholders today voted down a number of proposals that could have changed the way the drugstore chain does business -- including initiatives to change its corporate governance and one to alter some of the cosmetics it sells. Shareholders rejected calls for an independent chairman and, in a close vote, for board nominees to receive a majority of the votes cast, rather than a plurality. By a wide margin, the shareholders killed a proposal to study whether it would be feasible for CVS to reformulate its private-label cosmetics to free the products of chemicals linked to cancer and other ill health effects. The votes were announced during CVS’ annual meeting, held at the drugstore chain’s headquarters in Woonsocket. -- Journal business writer Paul Grimaldi Posted by Andrea Panciera at 4:10 PM | Comment Lester pitches well as PawSox winJon Lester gave up one earned run over five innings and struck out six to get the win as the Pawtucket Red Sox defeated the Syracuse Sky Chiefs, 8-4, today at McCoy Stadium. The PawSox got two home runs from designated hitter Jeff Bailey and another dinger from third baseman Rodney Nye. The PawSox scored in each of the first three innings, including four runs in the third inning, to take an early 7-1 lead. The win moves Pawtucket to 17-18 on the season, four and a half games behind division-leading Scranton/Wilkes Barre. Posted by Mike McDermott at 3:42 PM | Comment URI's 22 intercollegiate sports spared budget axSOUTH KINGSTOWN -- Swimmers, gymnasts, golfers, runners and volleyball, tennis and baseball players at the University of Rhode Island can breathe easier. They will compete again next year. Despite the state budget crisis that has forced university administrators to consider painful cuts in every department, officials announced today that URI would continue to sponsor 22 intercollegiate sports for the 2006-7 academic year. More to come tomorrow on projo.com and in The Journal ... -- Journal sportswriter Mike Szostak Posted by Andrea Panciera at 3:41 PM | Comment Judge ordered Biechele held in minimum securityPROVIDENCE -- The band manager sentenced yesterday for his role in setting off the deadly Station nightclub fire in West Warwick should be housed in minimum security at the Adult Correctional Institutions in Cranston, according to paperwork filed today in Superior Court. The commitment papers filed for Daniel M. Biechele show that Superior Court Judge Francis J. Darigan Jr. ordered Biechele to be committed to minimum security. The judge also ordered Biechele to pay $1,650 in court costs. Darigan sentenced Biechele to 15 years, with 4 to serve and 11 years to be suspended. In addition, Darigan sentenced Biechele to 3 years of probation, which would begin after he serves the four years. The club owners, brothers Jeffrey and Michael Derderian, still face criminal charges stemming from the fire. Today, in the case against Jeffrey Derderian state Attorney General Patrick C. Lynch has requested the Keeper of Records at Channel 7, WHDH-TV, in Boston to produce a television news story that aired in 2001. The story, which was reported by Jeffrey Derderian, was called "Getting Out Alive" and focused on emergency evacuations. The subpoena includes a written version of that broadcast. After leaving WHDH-TV, Derderian was a reporter for WPRI-TV, Channel 12, in Providence, which was filming a report at the club when the fire broke out. Subpoenas were also filed in Kent County Superior Court today to compel four out-of-state witnesses to testify in the case against club co-owner Michael Derderian. The Derderian brothers, each facing 200 counts of manslaughter, are to be tried separately. Jeffrey Derderian's trial date has not been scheduled, but a trial has been scheduled for Michael Derderian, on July 31, at Kent County Superior Court. In the case against Michael Derderian, the attorney general is requesting as material witnesses four people from outside Rhode Island who were at the club on the night of the fatal fire. They are: Kris Somers, 28, of Pembroke, Mass.; Deborah M. Peduzzi, 37, of Sutton, Mass.: Craig Fontaine, 34, of New London, Conn.; and Craig A. Ballard, 44, of Norwich, Conn. The paperwork includes a police interview with Ballard three months after the fire. Ballard said he went to the concert with his ex-wife, Sarah Jane Telgarsky. He escaped the fire, but she didn't. Ballard told the police how he saw fire moving quickly up the wall and across the ceiling as he tried escaping with Telgarsky. "It was moving fast," he said. "And my girl was getting scared, and I tried telling her, 'We have to get...This is the way out.' She wanted to go out the back way where the band was going. I told her, 'No, it's too small' and all this stuff. And she got away from me and went there anyway," he said. Posted by Kate Bramson at 3:22 PM | Comment Rally to protest social services cuts in governor's budgetPROVIDENCE -- Hundreds are expected to rally at the State House at 3 p.m. today to urge legislators not to make cuts to the state budget that they say would hurt Rhode Island mothers and children, said Karen Jeffreys, director of communications for the Rhode Island Coalition Against Domestic Violence. People who would be affected if Governor Carcieri’s proposed budget is approved are expected to speak at the rally, Jeffreys said. They’ll talk about proposed cuts to services such as RIte Care and Medicaid, the court-advocates program for survivors of domestic violence, child care assistance for the low-income and services for children in state custody, she said. “We’re doing this around the whole Mother’s Day theme,” Jeffreys said. “On Sunday, we all take our mothers out, we send her chocolates, but if our state really honors mothers, we wouldn’t be passing a budget that puts so many mothers at risk, and their children.” The coalition is organizing the rally along with Parents for Progress and Sisters Overcoming Abusive Relationships (SOAR). Jeffreys said the groups are also supporting the Emergency Campaign for Rhode Island’s Priorities and One Rhode Island, two groups that represent about 150 other organizations.
Posted by Kate Bramson at 12:43 PM | Comment Man's body found in ProvidencePROVIDENCE -- The body of a man who has not been identified was found around 11 a.m. today near the intersection of Charles and Ashburton Streets, according to police Maj. Paul Fitzgerald. The police do not suspect foul play and do not know yet how long the man had been dead, Fitzgerald said. He was carrying no signs of identification, and the police believe he was homeless. When the body was located, police detectives and representatives from the state medical examiner’s office and the state Bureau of Criminal Investigation went to investigate, Fitzgerald said. By 11:30 a.m., the police had left the area. -- With reports from staff writer Linda Borg Posted by Kate Bramson at 11:40 AM | Comment Providence seen as a top arts destinationReaders of a national magazine consider Providence one of the top 25 arts destinations in its mid-sized cities category. In the June issue of AmericanStyle, Providence has slipped a tad in the ranking, to 19 from last year’s spot of 18. Mayor David N. Cicilline reports in a press release that the magazine’s publisher, Wendy Rosen, said in a letter to Cicilline that “the arts in your city continue to draw the support and appreciation of both natives and visitors alike.” Buffalo, N.Y., tops the list for cities with populations of 100,000 to 499,000, the category for Providence. In the magazine’s other categories, New York City tops the big cities and Santa Fe, N.M., tops the small cities. According to the magazine’s Web site, AmericanStyle is available at large retail bookstores and newsstands. Providence also makes the cut in another magazine’s listing, but it has slipped on that ranking as well. The annual Forbes list of best places to do business and have careers ranks Providence 46. According to Journal archives, Providence landed at No. 37 on that list last year. Posted by Kate Bramson at 9:14 AM | Comment No sunshine in 7-day forecastMore rain on the horizon today. Highs in the upper 50s expected. Were you hoping for a better forecast? Sorry to say, but it could be a while before we see the sun again. The National Weather Service’s 7-day forecast has no sunshine in it. Get the latest conditions and forecasts from projo.com. Posted by Kate Bramson at 7:07 AM | Comment May 10, 2006StationBlog: Biechele gets 4 years to serve / Photo
PROVIDENCE -- Superior Court Judge Francis J. Darigan today sentenced Daniel Biechele to 15 years in prison, with four to serve and 11 years suspended for his role in setting off the disastrous Station nightclub fire. His decision came after a tearful plea from Biechele, who had been charged with 100 counts of involuntary manslaughter, and an hour each of arguments by the prosecution and defense. "The greatest sentence that can be imposed on you has been imposed on you by yourself," Darigan told Biechele, as he stood before the judge in court. In handing down the much-anticipated sentence, Darigan noted Biechele's sense of remorse, good background, potential for rehabilitation and willingness to accept responsibililty. He also took great pains to explain the differences between charges related to causing the death of another, from murder to involuntary manslaughter. The 29-year-old former tour manager for the band Great White, who set off the pyrotechnics that launched the Feb. 20, 2003, blaze that killed 100 people, had pleaded guilty after reaching a plea agreement in his case. His lawyer had asked for community service, while the prosecution sought the maximum possible sentence of 10 years. Full report to come on projo.com ... Tearful Biechele apologizes in court He said he would do anything to undo the harm of that night. "I'm so sorry for what I've done," he said. "I don't want to cause anyone any more pain. I will never forget that night, and I will never forget the people..." Judge Francis J. Darigan is now addressing the court and will soon impose the sentence.
In an argument that lasted about one hour, Briody started with a reference to President John F. Kennedy's book "Profiles in Courage." "It's courage we all need to do justice in this case," Briody said. Briody followed prosecutor Randall White, who also spoke for about an hour, in the final phase of the sentencing hearing for Biechele in his Station fire manslaughter case. White asked for a 10-year prison sentence, the maximum allowed in a plea agreement. Briody portrayed his client as courageous, noting that Biechele pleaded guilty instead of listening to his lawyer's advice. Briody said Biechele told him, "I want to bring peace, I want this to be over." "He's the only man to say, 'I apologize,' " Briody said, in an apparent reference to Great White lead singer Jack Russell, that "the big rock n' roll singer, the man who abandoned my client," and others, including club owners Jeffrey and Michael Derderian, who have not done so in the wake of the disastrous club fire more than three years ago. Briody said a series of factors came together to create The Station tragedy, touched off by pyrotechnics that Biechele, the former tour manager for Great White, set. "Dan Biechele committed a misdemeanor that night without any way of knowing the stage had been set for what the attorney general is calling the perfect storm," Briody said. He noted that some family members of fire victims feel a 10-year sentence wouldn't be long enough, but some believe that prison isn't necessary. "I submit that a brutal, Draconian sentence like 10 years in prision is not warranted by Dan Biechele's conduct," he said. Prosecutor wants full 10 years for Biechele PROVIDENCE -- As expected, prosecutor Randall White asked Judge Francis J. Darigan Jr. today to sentence Daniel M. Biechele to serve 10 years in prison, citing the massive loss of life in The Station fire and the need to send a message. White wrapped up his argument at about 2:30 p.m., after talking for an hour. He also asked that Biechele spend five years on probation after completing the full prison term allowed in a plea agreement. "The devastation wrought by the defendant is unparalleled in our state's history," said White, who addressed the judge in the final phase of Biechele's sentencing hearing today. In support of his argument, White pointed to Biechele's experience managing a band called W.A.S.P. before he went to work for Great White, whose pyrotechnics started the disastrous fire. That band also used pyrotechnics for its shows, and White pointed to documents taken from Biechele's computer during which he discussed the need for permits and other approvals in using pyrotechnics for W.A.S.P. shows in various states. "Dan Biechele's failure to get a permit in Rhode Island was not an unwitting, innocuous oversight, but a deliberate, intentional decision not to abide by Rhode Island law," White said. He argued that Biechele lacked common sense in setting off the pyrotechnics in the crowded club. He used a type of gerb that sent fireworks 15 feet into the air for 15 seconds, White said. "A child could have seen and foreseen the harm," White said. White also said the sentence should send a message because safety procedures are often overlooked. "Societal deterrence is a sound objective," he argued. -- With reports from projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples
PROVIDENCE -- Judge Francis J. Darigan Jr. has taken the bench, and the main courtroom in Superior Court has filled in anticipation of the final phase of the sentencing hearing for the band manager who started The Station nightclub fire. The hearing was starting just before its scheduled time of 1:30 p.m. Before the sentence is imposed on Daniel M. Biechele, former tour manager for the band Great White, the prosection and defense will each have 45 minutes to argue their cases to Darigan. Biechele, 29, of Florida, will then be allowed to make a statement, if he so chooses, before Darigan pronounces the sentence. Biechele pleaded guilty to 100 counts of involuntary manslaughter in February and faces up to 10 years in prison under a plea agreement.
PROVIDENCE -- The man who started the 2003 Station nightclub fire will learn today how much time, if any, he will spend in prison for the incident that killed 100 people, injuring 200 others. After two days of emotional testimony from victims' families, Judge Francis J. Darigan Jr. will decide on the length of Daniel M. Biechele's sentence during a Superior Court hearing that begins at 1:30 p.m. Biechele is expected to address the court before Darigan makes his ruling. According to the terms of the plea bargain, Biechele could receive up to 10 years in prison, or as little as community service.
Posted by Andrea Panciera at 5:25 PM | Comment Red Sox-Yankees game is onNEW YORK -- The Red Sox and Yankees should be able to play tonight's game as scheduled, as weather conditions here at Yankee Stadium aren't much different than they were last night. The forecasts call for a chance of light rain or drizzle. The outlook for Thursday is more ominous, and tomorrow night's game could be in jeopardy. -- SEAN McADAM Posted by Art at 5:06 PM | Comment Update: Nurse guilty of neglect in patient's death / Photo
PROVIDENCE -- A nurse accused of neglecting her patient in a Woonsocket nursing home was found guilty this afternoon of a single count of neglect. Gloria A. Baillargeon was freed on bail after the Superior Court jury announced its verdict on the charge against her. Baillargeon, a licensed practical nurse, was accused of felony neglect in the July 2004 death of Emma Morel, a 93-year-old patient at Woonsocket's Oakland Grove Health Care Center. She is scheduled to be sentenced in July. Defense lawyer James E. O'Neil made a motion for a new trial, which will be considered May 18.
Posted by Andrea Panciera at 3:29 PM | Comment Man held without bail in funeral home theft case
Journal photo/Kathy Borchers Lorth Pha
PROVIDENCE -- A man accused of stealing jewelry from the body of an 86-year-old woman in a funeral home was ordered held without bail at his arraignment today in District Court. Lorth Pha, 42, of 85 Colfax St., was charged with one count of burglary, and an innocent plea was entered on his behalf this morning. A bail hearing was scheduled for May 24. The police allege that Pha went into Bell Funeral Home, 571 Broad St., South Providence, through an unlocked front door, saw the body in the casket in the visitation room, and removed her jewelry. He is accused of stealing a necklace, a pair of earrings and a wedding band, and an employee time clock from a wall of the funeral home. Providence police Maj. Stephen Campbell described Pha as "a street guy, he's a can collector," Campbell said. "He's trying doors [in the neighborhood] and the door's unlocked, and he walked in and took the items." The crime happened between 9 p.m. April 27 and 5 a.m. April 28, according to the police. Pha was arrested yesterday. -- With reports from Journal staff writer Karen Davis. Posted by Jack Perry at 11:11 AM | Comment Mail carriers to begin food driveThe 14th annual Letter Carriers Food Drive will kick off this morning with a 10 a.m. press conference and presentation at the Rhode Island Community Food Bank, 200 Niantic Ave., Providence. During their delivery routes this Saturday, letter carriers will collect canned and other non-perishable food left at mailboxes for donation to the Rhode Island Community Food Bank. The food will be distributed to families at a time when the food bank anticipates an increase in need because children will soon have their summer vacations and won't be participating in school breakfast and lunch programs. Posted by Jack Perry at 8:27 AM | Comment Mob gambling arraignments set for todayPROVIDENCE - - Arraignments are scheduled today in Superior Court for 18 men accused of taking part in a $3-million-a-month organized crime gambling ring. Investigators have said the gambling ring was run from three bars on Douglas Avenue in Providence -- Danny's Place, Prime Time Cafe and the Eagle Square Independent Club. The police have said two alleged mob associates -- Raymond "Scarface" Jenkins and Richard Angell -- ran the operation behind the scenes at Danny's Place and Prime Time Cafe. The defendants are accused of taking part in a gambling ring between Oct. 24, 2005, and Jan. 4, 2006. After a 70-day investigation that included wiretaps, the police swept in and arrested the alleged participants on Jan. 4. A Providence County grand jury returned indictments April 14. Posted by Jack Perry at 8:02 AM | Comment R.I. Guard to get a new plane todayCRANSTON -- The Rhode Island Air National Guard is scheduled to receive a new plane today. The plane, a C-130J Transport aircraft, will be the fourth delivered to the 143rd Airlift Wing since December 2001. It's coming from a Lockheed Martin Marietta plant in Georgia. The plane is supposed to land at 4 p.m. at Quonset Air National Guard Base in North Kingstown. Guard officials say the new aircraft have modern technology that lets them fly farther and higher than older models and take off from shorter distances. The Guard has had at least one plane deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan for the past two years. -- The Associated Press Posted by Jack Perry at 7:27 AM | Comment Rain, rain won't go awayPROVIDENCE -- Rain, rain and more rain. That's the forecast for the next several days, according to the National Weather Service. Three storms will affect southern New England from today until early next week, bringing lots of clouds and rain to the region, according to the weather service. For boaters, the weather service is also warning of seas up to 11 feet on the waters off the eastern coast of Massachusetts. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:00 AM | Comment May 9, 2006No new information in Woonsocket girl's deathAuthorities would not release more information today regarding the death of 8-year-old Savannah Smith, the Woonsocket second grader whose body was discovered yesterday in a wooden area in Cranston. Authorities in Cranston, Woonsocket and at the attorney general's office refused to comment today on the girl's death and the case in general. Smith's neighbor, Joshua Davis, 20, of 564 Coe St., Woonsocket, was arrested yesterday for the murder. Prosecutors promised "the evidence at the bail hearing will be overwhelming" against Davis, though they did not release any details about the evidence today. -- With reports from Journal staff writer Amanda Milkovits Posted by Steve Peoples at 6:47 PM | Comment Update: Judge denies Hazard's motion for new trialPROVIDENCE -- Superior Court Judge Edwin J. Gale today denied Derick Hazard's motion for a new trial, leaving the convicted murderer little recourse but to appeal the decision to the state Supreme Court. Hazard sought a new trial after evidence surfaced that a car rented by his girlfriend was stopped by New Jersey police hours before David S. Andrews was gunned down in South Providence on July 18, 1996. Hazard argued that he was in the car, and that his lawyer, Vincent J. Oddo failed to do his job by not presenting that evidence in the trial. "This court finds that [Hazard] has failed to show that there is a reasonable probability that, but for Oddo's unprofessional errors, the result at trial would have been different," Gale wrote, noting that Oddo met with family countless times, was active in cross examination, and mounted an alibi defense. "Such efforts are not at all indicative of 'representation so lacking that the [trial became] a farce and mockery of justice,'" as is required to grant the petition for a new trial. Hazard has been serving a life sentence for Andrews' murder since 1998. He previously lost an appeal for his conviction. But the motion that Gale is considering is the first to center on the competence and effectiveness of Oddo's representation. Read Gale's ruling (23-page pdf). In a statement late this afternoon, state Attorney General Patrick C. Lynch reacted to Gale's ruling, saying: "The legal process to which the petitioner is constitutionally entitled has taken 10 years, but today the Court has affirmed the essential truths we never doubted: namely, that Derick Hazard murdered David Andrews on July 18, 1996, and that Hazard's post-trial claims of evidence exonerating him were never credible."
Posted by Steve Peoples at 5:41 PM | Comment StationBlog: 'Ty was supposed to be my life partner'Heidi Longley didn't think her boyfriend, a guitarist for Great White, had a dangerous job. "When a musician goes to work, he's not supposed to not come home," she told the judge. Ty Longley died in the fire when Heidi was three and 1/2 months pregnant. "Ty wasn't just a member of Great White, he wasn't just a guitar player. He was a son and a brother. He's my baby boy's daddy," she said, crying. "Ty was supposed to be my life partner." But Heidi -- known as Heidi Peralta at the time of the fire but who used the last name Longley today -- is trying to move on. She doesn't blame Biechele. "I know he wouldn't want me or anybody to be stuck in an angry state. Anger doesn't solve anything," she said. "What bothers me most, is that other bands are out in the same clubs doing the same thing. I'd love for things to change, for bands not to use pyros, for clubs not to be oversold." Her testimony concluded in the sentencing hearing for Daniel M. Biechele, the band manager who set off the fireworks that sparked The Station nightclub fire. The hearing will resume at 1:30 p.m. tomorrow, when Judge Francis Darigan is scheduled to impose a sentence. Biechele, who pleaded guilty to 100 counts of involuntary manslaughter, faces up to 10 years in prison. The StationBlog has been following the sentencing hearing for Daniel M. Biechele, the band manager who set off the fireworks that sparked the fire at The Station nightclub. In an emotional two days at Superior Court, friends and family members of those killed in the fire told Judge Francis Darigan how the tragedy affected their lives. 'We only seek justice'
He was a talented writer, a musician, a comedian and an actor, said his father Dave Kane. And while he and his wife were devastated by their son’s death, they don’t fully blame Biechele. “The chain of events that culminated Feb. 20, began months earlier, when the fire marshal,” Kane said before the judge cut him off, as he has consistently throughout the trial when family members stray from talking only about their loved ones. “We don't seek revenge, your honor. We seek only justice,” Kane said, noting that justice may be an illusion in this case. “We know that our gentle loving son…would want us to accept Mr. Biechele's apology. That's the kind of boy we raised.” Biechele broke down in tears while Kane was finishing his statement. He openly sobbed for a few moments, dabbing his eyes with his neck tie.
Photographs and memories are all that Derek Johnson's family has left, his father, Robert Johnson Sr., says. "My wife, all you’ve got to do is mention his name, Derek, and she’s done. Just a basket case," Johnson said. Derek had so many friends and “did so much for so many people,” his father told the judge. Derek was a wish-granter for the Make-A-Wish Foundation in Orange County. When the Internet security company he worked for in California brought Derek to Rhode Island to manage the site here, he brought some colleagues with him from California. One of those friends, who grew up with Derek, couldn’t stay in Rhode Island after Derek died. That friend now lives with Derek’s older brother in California. “Derek was just everything,” his father said. “ When Derek’s father paused in his comments to cry, the judge told him he appreciated his coming forward to speak. The judge said he had read everything the family sent him, but when the father said he didn’t send anything to the court, he continued, “I beg the court’s indulgence here.” Standing there at the podium, the father was shaking, crying and wiping his nose. Then he continued, saying he wanted to talk about how his son’s death had impacted him. He said he has no social life anymore. “I used to go to a club, join in the laughter, beers and so forth,” he said. “Now, after this happened, I walk into a club … and you get this feeling that, you know, people go out to enjoy themselves, and you walk in and the atmosphere changes.”
"I told her I was jealous she was going to die because she’d get to be with Bridget," Swidwa said. "My mom was 58, and she chose not to fight for her life because she didn’t want Bridget to be alone in heaven, so I lost my mother, too.” Annmarie's daughter, Bridget Sanetti, died in The Station fire. "People in Hurricane Katrina. They lost their homes. Big deal. They lost their jobs. Big deal. They didn’t lose everything," she said.
Matthew Darby's daughter wonders who will walk her down the aisle now that her father is gone, Darby's wife, Melinda said in court today. “Who will do it?” the girl asks. “I’m not getting married if my father cannot be there,” Melinda Darby said. “My daughter has been cheated out of her childhood. My daughter has paid the consequences,” she said. Melinda was 8 months pregnant with their second daughter when her husband died in the fire. “What I saw that night looking for my husband was unbearable – the only way to describe it – war zone,” she said. She was diagnosed with melanoma the day after her husband’s funeral. She said her children have had to watch me work 70 hours a week because they have no insurance.
John Hoban calls his son Andrew "a racehorse" in the game of life. Andrew Hoban, 22, of North Kingstown, "always, always exceeded our expectations," he said. He graduated from URI in 2002 with a degree in political science. "We knew he was going to achieve," his father said. "Andrew was the best son that any man could ask for."
Claire Bruyere lost her best friend in The Station fire: her daughter. “They took my best friend, my reason for life," she said. Bonnie Lynn Hamelin, 27, was from Warwick.
Benjamin Suffoletto's sister Diana has big shoes to try and fill. She lost her brother and sister-in-law, Linda Suffoletto, in the fire. Their son, Diana's nephew, misses having wrestling matches with his father. He misses talks, trips, spending time with his mother and father, Diana said. "We cannot take the place of his mother and father," she said.
 Journal photo / Mary Murphy Daniel Biechele listens today as prosecutors' read statements on the behalf of fire victims' families.
PROVIDENCE -- The judge overseeing the sentencing hearing in The Station nightclub fire case took time this morning to address concerns by family members about strict rules placed on those delivering statements on how the disaster has affected their lives. Some family members yesterday said they wanted more time to talk at the sentencing hearing for Daniel Biechele, whose pyrotechnics display started the 2003 fire. The rules limit the statements to five minutes. Others said they were upset that only one person could testify for each victim killed. And several people were cut off by Superior Court Judge Francis Darigan when they spoke about what kind of sentence they wanted, or when they spoke about Biechele personally. That isn't allowed. Darigan today said he understood the concerns, but said the rules are state law. He said he would have liked to allow everyone a chance to speak, but there aren't enough resources or time to allow that. -- The Associated Press Making statements on their behalf
'Have you ever had to tell your daughters?'Posted 11:57 a.m. Melvin Gerfin's death has left his wife feeling helpless. "My daughters were 11 and 12 when their daddy was taken from their lives," she wrote. "Have you ever had to tell your daughters their father was missing and presumed dead?" Their father, of Groton, Conn., was 46. His daughters have many questions their mother doesn’t know how to answer: "Did daddy suffer? Do you think he was scared? Was he thinking about us? Do you think God was by his side?" "I feel so helpless, I can’t fix this problem for my girls," she wrote.
Derek Gray's family suffered for four days waiting to learn if he had died. When they got the news, "It was the day we died inside," Derek's mother wrote. Derek, 22, was from Dracut, Mass. His daughter was born after he died. He will never enjoy bedtime stories, birthdays, his mother wrote. "We have lost the ability to enjoy anything."
Tracey Romanoff's mother says her daughter's death "will never be erased from my mind." "It is a lifelong feeling of loss," she wrote. Tracey, 32, was from Coventry and the mother of two. "My family no longer has the opportunity to have family gatherings," her mother wrote. "Our grandchildren...now have to grow up without their mother and stepfather."
"The world lost an angel," when Kelly Viera died, her father wrote. Kelly Viera, 40, was from West Warwick.
Thomas Barnett's father suffered a stroke and died a week after his son's funeral. Like the rest of the family, Barnett's father "adored him." Barnett's mother, now 78, was left to mourn two losses. She wrote that the whole family adored Thomas, who was 38 and from West Greenwich. "And he had a profound love for all of us."
"He was not only my heart and soul, but my best friend," she said of her 38-year-old son, who had lived in Providence. Since his death, she has often considered taking her own life.
Eric J. Hyer's mother still keeps his ashes on her nightstand “There is not a day I don’t shed tears for him," she said in a letter read this morning. Hyer, 32, was from Scituate.
Karla's father also recently died, according to White. Karla was 41, of Randolph, Mass.
“You have to go through something like this to know what it’s like," they said in a letter read by Christopher R. Bush, a special assistant attorney general.
Robert Daniel Young's wedding band was used to help identify his remains. "Now I only have that gold band, that helped bring my husband home, for me to hold on to," his wife, Jennifer, said in a letter read this morning. She stood crying behind prosecutor Randall White as he read the letter. Her husband was 29, from Taunton, Mass. "You’d like to think you’ll know the last time you’ll see a person," she said in the letter. "You don’t realize how important those things are. 'The last words, the last moments, the last time you will hear him say I love you.' "
James Gooden's wife sat in the courtroom as Randall White read a letter she wrote while sitting in the cemetery. “I wonder what justice is,” she wrote. “I wonder if any punishment can fit the crime” "To know the person I loved most in the world crawled on the ground gasping for air, not being able to breathe, and there wasn’t anything I could do about it. There is nothing anyone can give me to take that image out of my head." "He will never grow old with me," she wrote of her husband, who was 37 when he died. "We will never understand this or accept it." "We will try not to become bitter."
Christopher Prouty, 24, of Pawtucket never lived to see his daughter. After he died in the fire, his parents learned that his girlfriend was pregnant. "My son never lived to see his daughter," Prouty's father said in a letter written by William J. Ferland, an assistant atttorney general.
Shawn Sweet's father has suffered from muscle spasms, tremors and severe depression since his son died. His doctors feel most of his problems are connected to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder resulting from the death, prosecutor William J. Ferland said,recounting a conversation with the victim's father. Sweet, 28, of Pembroke, Mass., used to contribute income of the family. His mother has since had to start a part-time job out of fear of losing their home. Sweet's father wants other people, in addition to Biechele to be held responsible. "He feels the defendant has done something stupid," Ferland said speaking for Sweet's father. "He would like to see the defendant get the full 10 years."
Judy O'Brien also suffers from constant pain since the death of her son Robert L. Reisner III. She was going to graduate in May 2003, but couldn't finish. "It’s lonely, empty, and not happy anymore without my son," she said. "The pain is endless." Robert was 29, of Coventry.
"When he moved to Rhode Island, we would not have thought that his first trip back to California would be in a casket," his brother David Griffith wrote in a letter read by Randall White, an assistant attorney general. Griffith, 37, struggled with a drug addiction, but entered rehab, cleaned up his life and accepted Jesus as his savior, according to his brother. Finding Jesus "dramatically changed his life," his brother wrote.
The family of Kevin P. Anderson showed some sympathy for defendant Daniel M. Biechele in a letter addressed to Judge Francis Darigan. Christopher R. Bush, a special assistant attorney general, read the letter in court. "We know that Mr. Biechele did not intentionally set out to destroy many lives that night," reads the letter. "But we hope and pray that justice will be done."
Assistant Attorneys General plan to read statements on behalf of about 18 victims this morning. Biechele, who pleaded guilty to 100 counts of involuntary manslaughter in February, faces up to 10 years in prison when Judge Francis Darigan sentences him tomorrow. -- With reports from projo.com staff writers Kate Bramson and Steve Peoples, compiled by projo.com news producer Jack Perry
Posted by Jack Perry at 5:21 PM | Comment Update: Governor picks Farrell as new state fire marshalPROVIDENCE -- Governor Carcieri has nominated George Farrell, the chairman for the state Fire Safety Code Board of Appeal and Review, as Rhode Island's new fire marshal. Farrell is a former Providence fire marshal and has been serving as head of that city's Department of Inspection and Standards since February. Pending Senate confirmation, Farrell would succeed Irving J. Owens, who retired in December amid criticism following The Station nightclub fire in 2003 and after working for more than a year after his appointment had expired. State Police Superintendent Col. Steven Pare has served as the interim fire marshal since Owens’ retirement. Victims and their families have said that Owens is ultimately responsible for the failure of local inspectors, who are trained by his office, to cite flammable packing foam used inside The Station as soundproofing.
Owens and the state of Rhode Island, as his employer, are named in the largest civil lawsuit in the aftermath of the nightclub fire, which was re-filed in U.S. District Court in mid-February. The foam inside the nightclub ignited from a fireworks display during a rock concert, and quickly spread flame through the wooden roadhouse packed with people, on Feb. 20, 2003. One hundred died, and more than 200 were hurt. “The tragic Station nightclub fire showed all of us how important this office – and how important fire safety and prevention are – to the wellbeing of our citizens,” Carcieri said in a statement today. “Since that time, we have dramatically updated our fire codes to make Rhode Island one of the safest states in the country. As chairman of the board that handles appeals of the new fire codes, George has an intimate knowledge of how they are being implemented, how they are working, and what remains to be done.” Carcieri said that Farrell has a lot of work ahead of him. Specifically, the governor is calling for better coordination between the state fire marshal and local fire marshals, who conduct the vast majority of local inspections, reporting their findings to the state. “In the coming months, I expect George to recommend the reforms necessary to make that happen,” Carcieri said.
Posted by Kate Bramson at 5:03 PM | Comment Lineups announced for Newport folk, jazz festsThe Meters, The Indigo Girls, Rosanne Cash, Odetta and Ronan Tynan are among the headliners of the Dunkin' Donuts Newport Folk Festival, to be held Aug. 4-6. The Meters are the legends of '60s and '70s New Orleans funk who reunited last year. The next weekend's JVC Jazz Festival-Newport will bring George Benson, Al Jarreau, The Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Dave Brubeck, Chris Botti, John Pizzarelli and more to the city Aug. 11-13. Tickets for both festivals go on sale tomorrow at 10 a.m. You can get them by calling (866) 468-7619 or going to www.ticketweb.com. Call 847-3700 for more information. Posted by at 1:21 PM | Comment WWE Raw coming to Ryan CenterWWE and "See No Evil" come to the URI Ryan Center June 17th at 8 p.m., the arena announced. Tickets go on sale Saturday at 10 a.m. Ticket prices are $42.50, $32.50, $27.50, and $22.50, and will be available at the Ryan Center box office, at Ticketmaster outlets, online at www.Ticketmaster.com, or by calling Ticketmaster (401-331-2211 in Rhode Island, 203-624-0033 in Connecticut). Posted by at 9:35 AM | Comment Fire at the Gap store in Providence Place mallPROVIDENCE – The Gap store at Providence Place Mall was damaged overnight by a fire that started in a second-floor storage area. Asst. Chief Mark S. Pare said the fire call came in at around 2 a.m. There was smoke damage in the area around the store on the second floor and water damage on the first and second floors from the sprinkler system and the water used to extinguish the fire, Pare said. There was some damage on the floor above the Gap as well, Pare said. Fire investigators are examining everything in the area, but the cause of the fire is unknown at this time, Pare said. Pare said he does not know how many stores were affected, nor if the Gap will be open and operating today. Twelve fire vehicles responded to the fire, and Pare said the fire was under control when he left the scene after about an hour. Posted by Kate Bramson at 8:00 AM | Comment Updated/ Tractor-trailer overturns on Route 95, PawtucketA tractor-trailer overturned on Route 95 northbound at Exit 30 this morning, spilling some of its contents on the roadway and forcing state police to close two lanes, the police said. As of about 8:20 a.m., traffic was slowing in the northbound lane near the exit and the tractor-trailer was on its side in the breakdown lane. It was the second tractor-trailer rollover in the same location, an area known as the S Curve, in two weeks. No other vehicles were involved in the 7 a.m. crash that caused minor injuries to the driver, the police said. The state police and Pawtucket Fire Department responded, according to the state police. The state Department of Environmental Management responded to check on the spill, according to the police. -- With reports from Journal staff writer Paul Grimaldi. Posted by Kate Bramson at 7:37 AM | Comment Cloudy, rainy day with gale warnings in effectThis morning’s cloud cover is expected to remain, and rain is likely today, mainly after 3 p.m. Expect a high around 55. The National Weather Service has issued a hazardous weather outlook for portions of northern Connecticut, Massachusetts, southern New Hampshire, Rhode Island and the Atlantic coastal waters adjacent to southern New England. Gale warnings are in effect for the outer waters as well as for Cape Cod Bay and Nantucket Sound. Get the latest conditions and forecasts from projo.com. Posted by Kate Bramson at 7:01 AM | Comment May 8, 2006Update: Neighbor held in murder of girl, 8 / Photo
PROVIDENCE -- A neighbor was charged with murder this afternoon in the death of an 8-year-old Woonsocket girl, whose body was found early this morning in Cranston. Joshua Davis, 20, of of 564 Coe St., Woonsocket, was ordered held without bail after his arraignment before Judge Michael A. Higgins in Sixth District Court. Davis lives in a second-floor apartment from the victim, Savannah Smith. His girlfriend sometimes picked up Savannah from school, her father, David Smith, said today. Thin and red-haired, with a tattoo on his neck, he appeared in court barefoot, wearing blue scrubs. Assistant Attorney General J. Patrick Youngs told the judge that "the evidence at the bail hearing will be overwhelming" against Davis. Savannah's body was found at about 3:30 a.m. today in the woods near Mill Street and Parkview Boulevard, near an industrial area in Cranston, said Michael Healey, a spokesman for state Attorney General Patrick C. Lynch. No information has been released on how she was killed. Posted by at 6:05 PM | Comment Carcieri to name new state fire marshal tomorrowPROVIDENCE -- Governor Carcieri will nominate a new state fire marshal tomorrow afternoon, according to an announcement late this afternoon. The new marshal would succeed Irving J. Owens, who retired in December amid criticism following The Station nightclub fire in 2003 and after working for more than a year after his appointment had expired. State Police Superintendent Col. Steven Pare has served as the interim fire marshal since Owens’ retirement. Victims and their families have said that Owens is ultimately responsible for the failure of local inspectors, who are trained by his office, to cite flammable packing foam used inside The Station as soundproofing. That foam ignited from a fireworks display during a rock concert, and quickly spread flame through the wooden roadhouse packed with people, on Feb. 20, 2003. One hundred died and more than 200 were hurt. Posted by Steve Peoples at 5:49 PM | Comment StationBlog: Biechele hearing ends for todayPROVIDENCE -- After 21 statements from emotional relatives of Station fire victims, today's sentencing hearing for Daniel M. Biechele is over. Superior Court Judge Francis J. Darigan concluded today's session at around 4 p.m. Thirteen victims' relatives spoke this morning, and another eight addressed the judge this afternoon, with Biechele, the man who ignited the pyrotechnics that started the nightclub blaze, looking on. Sentencing proceedings will continue tomorrow morning at 10 a.m. Lawyers from the attorney general's office will read 19 statements from victims' family members in the morning session, while as many as 10 more relatives will appear in the afternoon. Darigan is exepcted to issue a sentence on Wednesday afternoon. Biechele is facing up to 10 years in prison, after pleading guilty to 100 counts of manslaughter. Click on "continue reading" for reports on what each speaker said at today's sentencing hearing for Daniel Biechele in The Station nightclub fire case. Biechele pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the wake of the Feb. 20, 2003, blaze in West Warwick, which killed 100 people. 'I knew I would never see him alive' Evelyn King feels blessed to have had her husband, Tracy, in her life, even if his life was cut short at 39 years. "His memory is a reminder to live our lives to the fullest," said Mrs. King, the final speaker in a long, emotional day, as the sentencing hearing for Daniel Biechele began. She recalled frantically calling her husband's cell phone on the night of the fire, hoping against all odds he had escaped the fire safely. "Once I realized the severity of the fire, I knew I would never see him alive. I knew that my husband would never leave the building if there were people inside." Tracy King was from Warwick. Mrs. King says she's relieved she has been spared a trial, because Biechele pleaded guilty to 100 counts of involuntary manslaughter. "I can only hope that others do the same," she said. Club owners Jeffrey and Michael Derderian are the only others to have been charged in the case. They are each awaiting trial on 200 counts of manslaughter. Before the hearing, Mrs. King told her son Jacob she was going to the sentencing. "So, the man who killed my dad is going to jail. How long is he going to jail for?" her son asked. "I told him that he’s not the only one going to jail, there are others," she said. "I do hope the state of Rhode Island dutifully enforces the laws."
Gina Russo survived The Station fire, but she lost her fiance, Alfred Crisostomi, 38, of Providence. After awaking from a coma, she learned "the person I loved and planned to marry was dead." Russo spent four months in the hospital and endured 45 surgeries. She said 40 percent of her body is covered by burns. She said her fiance was "taken away by somebody without any common sense." "I ask that the court system provide the proper justice for the lives that were taken away from us," she said.
James Gahan III believes his 21-year-old son would have wanted "some measure of mercy," so that's what he requested from Judge Francis Darigan during a brief address this afternoon. James Gahan, of Falmouth, Mass., was 21 when he died on that terrible night in February 2003. "I'm here to relate what I believe Jimmy might say if he was here today," his father said. "We pray that calmed and wiser heads than ours can appreciate the depth of our loss, the sorrow we feel, and at the same time, balance that with some measure of mercy," his father said. "I feel Jimmy would like it that way."
PROVIDENCE -- Pills help Diane Mattera get through the days and nights now that she's lost her daughter Tammy. "I take one pill so I can get out of bed in the morning. And another so I can sleep at night," Mrs. Mattera told Judge Francis Darigan. And she's not the only one to feel the pain. Tammy Mattera-Housa, 29, of Warwick, left behind a son, who is now 9. He's been disruptive in school, according to his grandmother. "Is there any wonder?" she said. One of Tammy's sisters had a scholarship to Boston University. After the Tammy's death, "she tried to go back to school – she became terrified of leaving the house, afraid that one of us wouldn’t be there when we got back," Mrs. Mattera said. She ended up taking the semester off, but never went back. A brother has dropped out of high school. "When you lose someone, people tell you things will get easier as time passes," Mrs. Mattera said. "They lie. Time passes, but the pain and the loss are always there." 'I miss her every day' Linda Dalton wishes she could get one more hug from her sister. Judith Manzo, 37, of North Providence, a mother of two, was her best friend and "always gave the best hugs." 'You'll see her in the morning' PROVIDENCE -- Laura Gillett was the mother of two boys, Jake, who was 6, and Jared, who was 3 when their mother died. Laura's mother, Peg Paterno, recalled how Jared woke up twice asking for his mom on the night she died. “I said go to sleep, 'You’ll see her in the morning,' " Mrs. Paterno said. Now there are only photographs and memories. "We go to the boys baseball games now and think about how much Laura would have liked to be there, too," Mrs. Paterno said. Mrs. Paterno thinks about her daughter when she sees other little boys running up to their moms. Jared and Jake's mom was just 32 when she died. After Laura's death, her parents developed film from Laura's camera. There were pictures of the last day she spent with her boys. They had gone sledding. 'That would be the last kiss' Twenty-one-year-old Leigh Ann Moreau wore a light blue sweater that "matched her eyes" the night she went out to The Station nightclub. "My wife remembers the look on her face as she adjusted her hair and clothing," Leigh's father, Richard Moreau said this afternoon. "She asked her mother, 'Do I look OK?' " Before going out, she kissed her mother on the cheek "as she always did," Moreau recalled. "Little did my wife know that would be the last kiss," he said. Leigh, a December 2002 college graduate who majored in art therapy, had planned to spend the evening with her boyfriend, Mark Fontaine. With his arm around his wife, Richard Moreau cried as he spoke. He said many people must be held accountable for the fire that claimed the life of his daughter and her boyfriend. The owners of the nightclub, Jeffrey and Michael Derderian, are the only others to have been charged in relation to the fire. They each face 200 counts of manslaughter. Their trials are pending. Meanwhile, Richard Moreau says, "We know we will never adjust to life without Leigh." She feels 'overwhelming physical pain' The pain Susan Howorth Pritchard feels after losing her brother in The Station nightclub fire is not just emotional, but physical. As statements from friends and family members of people killed in the fire resumed this afternoon in Superior Court, Pritchard was the first to tell Judge Francis Darigan about her loss. Thirteen people addressed the court this morning. Pritchard's only brother, Carlton “Bud” Howorth III, 39, of Norton, Mass., died in the fire. She gets migraine headaches. At the holidays or whenever she's reminded of him, she feels "overwhelming physical pain." "We can’t figure out how to make it go away," she said. "The pain is intellectual, emotional and phsycial for us." "I feel like what’s been taken is 50 years of happiness," she said. ted 12:30 Michael and Sandy Hoogasian walked down the aisle together and later died together at The Station nightclub. Friends and family members lost not just one, but two people they loved. "Do you know what it's like to have two people you love so much die in such a horrific manner they can only be identified by dental records?" Michael's sister, Paula A. McLaughlin said. "Have you ever had to call your little brother's and sister's cell phones over and over again, until they were shut off, just so you could hear their voices?" "Do you know what it's like to wake up 1,142 days later in complete sadness saying I can't believe they're not here?" “Today is day 1,142 of our never ending nightmare.” Michael, 31, and Sandy, 27, were from Cranston. Sandy's brother asked for the maximum allowable sentence. He said he appreciated that Daniel Biechele has cooperated, but that he made a conscious decision to set off the pyrotechnics. -- projo.com staff writers Kate Bramson and Steve Peoples Sentencing hearing's first morning concludes PROVIDENCE -- The first morning of a sentencing hearing for Daniel Biechele in The Station fire case has concluded. Statements from victims' families on the impact of the fire that killed 100 people will continue this afternoon at 2:30 p.m. in Superior Court. Nine people are scheduled to be heard, after 13 this morning over about two hours. Biechele pleaded guilty to 100 counts of manslaughter in the 2003 nightclub blaze. He will be sentenced on Wednesday afternoon after another day of statements from victims' families tomorrow.
PROVIDENCE -- John Michael Longiaru, 23, of Johnston, planned to become a writer. "We will never know all that John would have become," his mother said this morning. He was a former class president and an avid reader. "We will never hear, 'I love you,' and he always said that. We will never see John's big beautiful smile as he walks in the door, his arms open wide, just to give you a great big hug." Our lives are changed forever," she said adding that she cannot sleep more than two hours a night. She said, "I lost my first born and my best friend." 'We have been sentenced to life without parole' Eileen DiBonaventura kept waiting for a phone call telling her that her son Albert Anthony DiBonaventura was all right. “The call we prayed for never came,” she said, crying, her husband standing next to her. Their 18-year-old son, of North Dighton, Mass., had died in the fire. They needed dental records to identify him. “We need for the court to realize the overwhelming devastation we have been forced to endure since this needless tragedy," she said. “A parents’ worst nightmare had come true for us. Why did this have to happen?” “We have been sentenced to life without parole," she said. "Our lives are incomplete and lonely.”
PROVIDENCE -- Tina Ayer's twin sister, Tammy, still feels anger toward Daniel Biechele and others she considers responsible for the fire that caused Tina's death. Tammy said her sister, a 33-year-old Warwick resident, was "a beautiful sister, daughter, mom." "They say time will heal all wounds," Tammy said. "I'm living proof that time has not begun to touch the hurt or pain we feel. "Your honor, there is nothing more painful in life than to bury your only child," William C. Bonardi told Judge Francis J. Darigan Jr.
With his wife at his side, Bonardi told Darigan that his namesake William C. “Billy” Bonardi III, 36, of Smithfield was their only son. "A part of us died with him," he said. He didn't live long enough to give them grandchildren. "This horrific tragedy also destroyed our family name," he said. "Bonardi will no longer exist." He said their son was "loved by many," and the couple will never get over his death. "We lost our best creation, and our future."
PROVIDENCE -- How do you condense a life of 34 years into five minutes? That's the task that faced Anna Gruttadauria when she tried preparing a victim-witness impact statement about her daughter Pamela Ann Gruttadauria. During a break outside the courtroom this morning, Mrs. Gruttadauria said it took her two months to decide what to say. Getting up there and talking was scary, she said. Pamela was her life, she said outside the courtroom. Time hasn't healed her wounds. If anything, it's gotten worse, she said. The stories from family members of other victims made her and her sister, Tina Florio, cry she said. Florio said, "I hate when people say, 'This is closure.' It never is."
PROVIDENCE -- Rosanna Fontaine, mother of fire victim Mark Adam Fontaine, 22, rushed to the The Station nightclub after receiving a call from her distraught daughter. It was 11:23 p.m. She and her husband were there for hours, "searching frantically for our children and not finding them." She saw three firefighters covered in soot. All three were sobbing. That's when she realized how bad it was.
Leland Hoisington never got to say goodbye to his daughter Abbie Hoisington, 28, of Cranston. She was a special education teacher in Burrillville. "Her students adored her," he said. "One of student's mothers came up to me at the funeral and said, ‘Your daughter changed my daughter's life. She hated school. Now she loves school.’ " She sent it three weeks before she died.
PROVIDENCE -- Jessica Garvey struggled to comfort her mother over the loss of Jessica's sister, Dina A. DeMaio, 30, of West Warwick. "I remember finally getting there and sitting by my mother," she said. "She put her arms around me and I didn’t know what to say." "All I could do was hug her and cry."
Suzanne Fox wants people to be held accountable for the death of her son, Jeffrey W. Martin, 33, of Melrose, Mass. “There is not a shred of forgiveness in my heart," she said. "I miss my son more than I ever could have imagined." "Jeff was my bright star.”
"How do you tell 4-year-olds their uncle died in the worst fire in state history?" "How do you express such pain?'
Anna Gruttadauria described her daughter, Pamela Ann Gruttadauria, 33, of Johnston, as a "beautiful, loving, kind woman." "She was just starting to get her life together when she was struck down by this fire in the prime of her life," Mrs. Gruttadauria said. Pamela became the fire's 100th victim. "I never thought in our lives we'd be sitting by our daughter's side waiting for her to die," Mrs. Gruttadauria said.
Posted 9:37 a.m. Superior Court Judge Francis Darigan will take the victim-impact statements into consideration when he imposes a sentence on Daniel M. Biechele, the 29-year-old band manager who set off the fireworks that started The Station fire nightclub blaze. Biechele pleaded guilty to 100 counts of involuntary manslaughter in February and faces up to 10 years in prison. The tragic fire, which killed 100 people and injured 200 more in February 2003, captured the nation's attention. Court TV plans to provide gavel-to-gavel coverage of the sentencing hearing over the next three days. Television trucks are parked outside the Licht Judicial Complex on 250 Benefit St. Here is a list of those scheduled to speak at this morning's session: (The first name is the deceased. The second is the speaker.)
For Michael Hoogasian, Paula A. McLaughlin. -- With reports from projo.com staff writers Kate Bramson and Steve Peoples Posted by Jack Perry at 4:41 PM | Comment Salve Regina president joins Beacon boardBeacon Mutual Insurance Co.'s newest board member is Sister Therese Antone, a Catholic nun who serves as the president of Salve Regina University. Governor Carcieri today named Antone to the board of directors of the embattled workers' compensation insurer, saying she would bring experience and ethics to the board. "As someone who has devoted her life to serving her community as a Catholic nun, Sister Therese's ethics are above question," Carcieri said in a statement. Antone will replace former board member John Holmes, who resigned from the board last week amid mounting pressure from Carcieri, who had called for a shakeup of company leadership. Posted by Steve Peoples at 3:42 PM | Comment R.I. gas prices take tiny dipGasoline prices in Rhode Island have fallen for the first time since late February, according to AAA Southern New England. But not much. The average price for a gallon of regular, unleaded gasoline dropped by one cent, to $2.92 at the self-service pump, according to AAA's weekly survey. A survey by the state Energy Office found the average price at $2.94, the same price it found last week. Posted by Jack Perry at 3:10 PM | Comment Update: Man accused of killing off-duty ACI guard
Raymond C. Potter, 37, was ordered held without bail after the hearing in Kent County District Court before Judge William Clifton. Potter argued that he acted in self-defense, contending that the victim, James Martin, 47, of Coventry pulled a knife on him during a fight in Potter's apartment. The police found Martin in the apartment, in the Cowesset section of town. He was taken to Kent County hospital where he was pronounced dead. -- With reports from Journal staff writer Zachary Mider Posted by Andrea Panciera at 11:43 AM | Comment Rep. Kennedy expected to receive endorsementWEST WARWICK -- Rhode Island Democrats are expected to endorse Representative Patrick Kennedy for re-election when they meet tonight in West Warwick. Party members will endorse candidates for Congress and the state's top jobs -- governor, secretary of state, general treasurer and attorney general. Kennedy has checked himself into the Mayo Clinic for treatment for addiction to prescription drugs following a Thursday car accident in Washington. He says he can't remember driving to Capitol Hill or crashing his car. Kennedy's doctors say he was taking Phenergan for stomach and intestinal problems and Ambien, a commonly prescribed sleeping medication. The police say he appeared intoxicated. -- The Associated Press Posted by Jack Perry at 9:14 AM | Comment Cloudy today; rain to come later in weekEnjoy the clouds predicted for today. There’s rain in the forecast for the rest of the week. Today, highs are expected in the mid-60s. Get the latest conditions and forecasts from projo.com. Posted by Kate Bramson at 7:00 AM | Comment May 5, 2006Man who pepper-sprayed dogs on beach apologizesNEWPORT -- The man who attacked two dog owners and their unleashed pets with pepper spray on Middletown's Second Beach this past winter apologized and pleaded no contest in District Court today to misdemeanor charges of simple assault and disorderly conduct. David T. Hayes, 51, of 7 Renfrew Park, Middletown, was ordered to make restitution -- the cost of one of the pet owner's damaged clothing -- and to stay away from his victims. Judge Stephen Erickson also banned Hayes from returning to the town's most popular beach for a year. The charges were filed for one year and will only be revisited if Hayes runs afoul of the law during the next 12 months. The incident sparked an emotional debate in Middletown over whether dogs should be allowed on the beach without a leash during off-peak times of the year. Hayes complained to the pet owners about their unleashed dogs before using the pepper spray one person and one dog. The police arrested Hayes, but also cited the pet owners with violating the town's leash law. -- Journal staff writer Rich Salit Posted by Andrea Panciera at 6:50 PM | Comment Flanders on Carcieri legal team against BeaconRobert G. Flanders is among a team of attorneys representing Governor Carcieri in his court battle with Beacon Mutual Insurance Co. board members George H. Nee and Henry R. Boeniger. Flanders, a former Rhode Island Supreme Court justice, has been nominated to join the 1st Circuit Court of Appeals. Carcieri's spokesman, Jeff Neal, confirmed this afternoon that Flanders is one of the attorneys from the law firm Hinckley Allen Snyder assigned to the case. He could not say how many attorneys are on the team fighting to preserve the governor's right to fire the embattled Beacon Mutual board members. Flanders was recommended to the federal court by U.S. Sen. Lincoln Chafee, R-R.I., in March. President Bush has yet to act on the recommendation, which is subject to Senate confirmation. Posted by Steve Peoples at 6:45 PM | Comment WaterFire begins anew May 13PROVIDENCE -- Downtown will be aglow next Saturday, May 13, when WaterFire is held for the first time this season. The"full" lighting will begin shortly after sunset, around 7:55 p.m., and continue until 1 a.m. Thousands of visitors are attracted to to the rivers of downtown Providence each year for WaterFire, a free, dream-like multimedia fire installation by artist Barnaby Evans. This is WaterFire's 11th year. Posted by Steve Peoples at 6:25 PM | Comment Electric Boat designers' union inks dealNEW LONDON, Conn. -- Submarine builder Electric Boat agreed to a four-year contract with its unionized designers earlier today, a deal the company said provides union stability as it seeks work on the next generation of nuclear subs. The deal covers about 1,500 members of the Marine Draftsman Association, which represents designers, draftsmen and technicians. Electric Boat, a division of General Dynamics Corp., is suffering from a slow pace of submarine work. In December, the company announced plans to eliminate up to 2,400 jobs this year. Today's deal allows the company and its congressional allies to lobby for a faster submarine construction schedule without the threat of labor disputes hanging over EB. Unlike past contracting slumps, there is no next-generation submarine being designed to offer hope of a future boom. "We're going to have to be scrambling to find work for this part of our work force and they've agreed to work with us to go get it," company spokesman Robert Hamilton said. The deal includes a $1,000 signing bonus, 3-percent annual raises and increases in the pension, Hamilton said. -- The Associated Press Posted by Steve Peoples at 5:30 PM | Comment R.I. building permits jump in first quarterBuilding permits for new single-family homes in Rhode Island jumped 24 percent in the first quarter, running counter to a six-year decline that has prompted complaints from builders about restrictive zoning regulations in the state. Single-family building permits totaled 415 in the first three months of this year, the Rhode Island Builders Association reported today. That is up from 334 in the same period last year. The builders group attributed the rise, in part, to a warm winter. Posted by at 5:07 PM | Comment Red Sox sign record radio dealBOSTON -- In a landmark deal guaranteed to reverberate throughout baseball and the broadcasting industry, the Red Sox today secured a record-breaking 10-year, $200 million deal to return their play-by-play rights to Boston flagship WEEI Radio. The rights had been the subject of a bidding war between Entercom Radio, the parent company of WEEI, and Greater Media, which owns a handful of stations in Boston, including WBOS-FM. -- Journal sports writer Sean McAdam Greater Media had offered the Red Sox an equity stake in WBOS-FM in return for the play-by-play rights for the team's broadcasts, but, ultimately, Red Sox principal owner John Henry opted for the more conventional -- if record-setting -- standard rights-fee arrangement. The deal more than doubles the Red Sox' rights fee from this past season, the final year of a multiyear arrangement with Entercom/WEEI. The last deal, which escalated yearly, topped out at approximately $8 million for this season. The $20 million-per-year average, which combined cash and value, is unprecedented in its length and value. It's believed the New York Yankees, whose deal with WCBS-AM in New York expires after this season, had held the previous record for most lucrative rights fees, earning in the neighborhood of $10 million annually. The deal benefits Entercom in two ways. First, in keeping the rights away from Greater Media, Entercom also succeeded in preventing a potential competitor taking shape on WBOS-FM. It had been Greater Media's intent to turn WBOS-FM, which currently has a music format, into an all-sports station to compete directly with WEEI. WEEI's ratings dominance in Boston is unchallenged. The station is a powerhouse, leading the market in the critical men's 25-54 demographic throughout the day. A recent broadcast trade industry report said the station billed $47 million in advertising in 2005. Secondly, Entercom can attach the successful Red Sox brand to its family of stations. It's likely Entercom will place the team's broadcasts on WRKO-AM in Boston to help lift the sister station's profile. The games will continue to air in the Rhode Island market on WEEI-FM (103.7). Henry is likely to be hailed by fellow baseball owners for securing such a significant leap in local media income. Several small-market teams have local TV deals which don't equal one-quarter of today's radio windfall. -- SEAN McADAM Posted by Art at 4:28 PM | Comment 3 ACI guards accused of assaulting 5 inmatesPROVIDENCE -- Three state prison guards, including a captain who allegedly forced an inmate to taste his own feces, were arrested today for assaulting five inmates at the Adult Correctional Institutions. Capt. Gualter Botas, 37, was charged today with eight counts of simple assault; Lt. Kenneth Vivieiros, 53, was charged with four counts of simple assault, and Ernesto Spaziano, 37, was charged with one count of simple assault. They were arraigned on the misdemeanors today in District Court and released on their own recognizance. If convicted, ACI Director A.T. Wall said today he would move to fire the three officers who will remain suspended from work with pay.
Posted by at 3:55 PM | Comment Kennedy says he will enter rehabWASHINGTON - - Rep. Patrick Kennedy will enter rehab for addiction to prescription pain medication today after a highly publicized car crash near the Capitol. Kennedy, D-R.I., plans to seek treatment at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. -- The Associated Press Posted by Jack Perry at 3:04 PM | Comment Judge fines Lynch for comments in lead-paint casePROVIDENCE -- A judge fined Attorney General Patrick C. Lynch $5,000 and held him in civil contempt after he publicly accused former lead paint makers of twisting the facts during Rhode Island's landmark lawsuit against the companies, according to newly unsealed court documents. In a ruling dated Dec. 6, Superior Court Judge Michael Silverstein said Lynch's remarks violated rules on court conduct regulating what lawyers may say publicly about cases. The judge said in his contempt order that he had earlier warned Lynch to comply with the rules during the state's second trial against former lead paint manufacturers. The contempt order was among dozens of documents from the civil trial that were unsealed late yesterday and made publicly available today in Providence Superior Court. After fining Lynch, Silverstein agreed to stay the penalty to allow the state to appeal it. In a statement this afternoon, Lynch said he disagreed with the court's findings of contempt: "I did not commit, and never would commit, any willful act to challenge any Court order concerning the limiting of statements that could affect pre-trial or trial publicity." However his comments were interpreted, he said, "they carried my deep concern" for the thousands of Rhode Island children and families who have been, and continue to be, harmed by lead-based paints." -- The Associated Press, with projo.com reports Lynch referred to the companies as "those who would spin and twist the facts" during comments made outside court, according to a Nov. 17 article in The Providence Journal. The comment came after Silverstein rejected mistrial motions filed by the four defendants a few weeks after the trial began. A jury in February held three of the companies - Sherwin-Williams Co., NL Industries Inc. and Millennium Holdings LLC - liable for creating a public nuisance. They will be ordered to clean up contamination caused by lead paint, which the state says could cost billions of dollars. After the article appeared, Millennium Holdings filed a motion to have Lynch held in contempt. The company argued in its memo that Lynch's comments represented a "direct and unambiguous assault upon the very character and credibility of the defendants" and said the words "spin" and "twist" were prejudicial. -- The Associated Press, with projo.com reports Posted by Jack Perry at 1:52 PM | Comment Police report: Kennedy cited for 3 infractionsWASHINGTON, D.C. -- U.S. Rep. Patrick J. Kennedy received three "notices of infractions" in connection with his car crash early yesterday morning near the Capitol, according to a police report. The report by a U.S. Capitol Police officer said Kennedy drove his green 1997 Ford Mustang convertible into a security barrier near the Capitol shortly before 3 a.m. Thursday, and that Kennedy had red, watery eyes, slurred speech and unsteady balance. The Rhode Island Democrat, 38, told the officer he was "headed to the Capitol to make a vote," the report said. It said he failed to keep in proper lane, traveled at "unreasonable speed" and failed to "give full time and attention" to operating his vehicle. Kennedy spokeswoman Robin Costello acknowledged earlier today that the police report was filed, but said "we have no knowledge of any citations." Kennedy aides received the accident report this morning at his congressional office, said Costello, who is Kennedy's spokeswoman in Rhode Island. The accident involving the son of U.S. Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., and member of the famous Kennedy clan has drawn widespread attention. National media are camped outside his Washington home this morning. -- Associated Press, with reports from Journal Washington bureau writer John E. Mulligan Posted by Steve Peoples at 12:37 PM | Comment Where's Marjorie Yashar?How hard is it to find a retired judge? If it’s former Traffic Tribunal Judge Marjorie R. Yashar, it’s been almost impossible. For the last month Attorney General Patrick C. Lynch has been trying to serve Yashar with notice of a lawsuit seeking to reduce her pension benefit. First a complaint was sent certified mail. Then Lynch hired somebody to hand-deliver the summons – but after 11 attempts, Yashar has yet to answer the door at her Florida home. At times, there' s a car with Rhode Island license plates in the driveway, according to court records. Now, Rhode Island judge has given Lynch permission to tack the summons onto Yashar’s front door. Judge Yashar retired in September after spending eight months on unpaid leave. However, court officials gave her credit for those months of leave, which boosted her annual pension from $81,650 to $120,310. ``Our effort to protect the taxpayers of Rhode Island against this gross overpayment has been stuck in neutral, but I am confident that taking it to the next level and tacking the summons and complaint onto Judge Yashar's door will soon shift the legal process into drive,’’ Lynch said in a statement. -- Journal State House bureau Scott Mayerowitz Posted by Jack Perry at 11:50 AM | Comment Health care experts to discuss nursing shortageA nonprofit organization that conducts research on health care issues has gathered national experts today to discuss what it calls “Rhode Island’s dangerous nursing shortage.” The Rhode Island Shape Foundation, which has conducted a study on nursing shortages, has invited university leaders and health care professionals to discuss topics such as why nurses are needed at the bedside and creative models for nursing education. The conference continues throughout the day at the Providence Marriott, with expert lectures in the morning and small group discussions in the afternoon to consider solutions to the nursing shortage, according to Allison Kerbel, a policy communications associate for Clarendon Group, which represents the Shape Foundation. The conference is not open to the public. Posted by Kate Bramson at 9:42 AM | Comment Warmest day of the year?PROVIDENCE -- That’s right. With temps in the lower 80s expected for the Providence area, today is poised to be the warmest day of the year -- so far, that is, according to National Weather Service meteorologist Tracy McCormick. Today’s temps would top yesterday’s 77-degree high at T.F. Green Airport in Warwick and two April days in the lower 70s, but they won’t break the record temperature for May 5 of 91 degrees set back in 1949, McCormick said. Nevertheless, low 80s are high for this time of year. Normal would be mid-60s, according to the National Weather Service. Get the latest conditions and forecasts from projo.com. Posted by Kate Bramson at 6:59 AM | Comment May 4, 2006Rep. Kennedy in car crash in D.C.WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Rep. Patrick Kennedy was involved in a single-car crash early this morning in downtown Washington, his office said late this afternoon. Kennedy's press secretary, Robin Costello, confirmed that the accident took place near the Capitol building, at the intersection of 1st and C Streets, SE. She said the Rhode Island Democrat and member of the famous Kennedy clan was not hurt. Reacting to some media reports, Kennedy said he was not under the influence of alcohol when he crashed the green Mustang. "I consumed no alcohol prior to the incident. I will fully cooperate with the Capitol police in whatever investigation they choose to undertake," Kennedy said through Costello. More to come on projo.com and in tomorrow's Journal ... Posted by Steve Peoples at 5:55 PM | Comment 2 women seriously hurt in crash on Tiverton lineFALL RIVER, Mass. – Two women with serious injuries were transported by helicopter to Rhode Island Hospital today after their car veered off Route 177 and hit a tree. Maltais said a gray 2005 Nissan Sentra with Massachusetts registration heading west on Route 177 traveled out of the left lane and crossed the center line before crashing into a tree in Fall River on the Tiverton, R.I., line. Authorities temporarily shut down the road while responding to the accident. Maltais would not release the victims' identity or their ages, but said both are “adults.” Route 177 reopened around noon. Reconstruction experts from Tiverton and Fall River are still investigating the cause of the accident. Posted by Steve Peoples at 5:14 PM | Comment Judge blocks Carcieri's Beacon board firingsPROVIDENCE -- Superior Court Judge Stephen J. Fortunato Jr. has temporarily blocked Governor Carcieri from firing two members of the Beacon Mutual Insurance Co. board of directors. Fortunato issued his ruling this afternoon after listening to arguments from attorneys for the governor and the board members, George H. Nee and Henry R. Boeniger. Fortunato granted Nee and Boeniger's request for a temporary restraining order blocking the termination, ruling that Carcieri was not an impartial hearing officer, as required by law. The judge scheduled a full hearing for May 12 to decide whether to extend the temporary restraining order. -- With reports from Journal staff writer Lynn Arditi Carcieri is seeking to purge the leadership of Beacon Mutual, which has come under fire since the scathing report issued last month by outside consultants revealed that Beacon gave preferential rates to some companies and maintained "inappropriate relationships" with certain insurance agents. Carcieri threatened to forcibly remove Nee and Boeniger, both Democrats who work for labor unions, if they did not resign voluntarily by April 25. http://www.projo.com/digitalbulletin/content/projo-20060425-beaconfolo.6ef72a14.html Nee and Boeniger filed suit to stop Carcieri. Nee and Boeniger’s lawyer, Marc B. Gursky called the governor’s actions “illegal” and “discriminatory treatment” based on their labor union ties. Beacon, a nonprofit mutual, was created by the General Assembly to provide coverage to Rhode Island employers at the ``lowest-possible cost.'' It has become the state's dominant workers' compensation carrier, insuring about 90 percent of all Rhode Is land employers. Beacon is now under investigation by the state attorney general and a statewide grand jury. State investigators will be assisted in their probe by the FBI. When Fortunato asked Gursky in court today if Carcieri has the power to remove Beacon board members, the labor lawyer replied, “Not at all.” “Because he has prejudged these two … [the governor] is not in a position to make a fair decision,” Gursky argued. In the half-hour hearing before Fortunato this morning, discussion centered on what laws regulate Beacon, the state’s dominant workers’ compensation insurer, and whether the governor has the authority to remove members of the Beacon board. -- With reports from projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson Posted by Steve Peoples at 3:54 PM | Comment Biechele seeks community service in Station fire casePROVIDENCE -- Community service, instead of prison time, is being sought by the man who ignited The Station nightclub, according to a motion in Superior Court today. The motion was submitted by the lawyer for former Great White band tour manager Daniel M. Biechele, who has pleaded guilty to 100 counts of manslaughter in connection with the 2003 nightclub blaze in West Warwick, which killed 100 people. He ignited the pyrotechnics that caused the tragedy. Biechele is facing up to 10 years in prison at a sentencing hearing next week. -- With reports from Journal staff writer Paul Edward Parker In a court filing today, Biechele's attorney says that community service is an appropriate punishment. "Daniel Biechele is already serving a life sentence and there will be no parole," writes his lawyer, Thomas G. Briody. "But he will better serve the memory of these victims by performing community service and working as a productive citizen than by sitting in a prison cell.” Attorney General Patrick C. Lynch has already filed a motion asking Superior Court Judge Francis J. Darigan to impose the maximum sentence. In the motion filed today, Briody writes that the court should show mercy. "Many months ago, during pretrial hearings, this court stated that no one would be happy at the end of this case. The end is almost upon us, and the court's observation is truer now than ever before," according to the motion. "If there is one lesson to be taken from this proceeding, it is that grief and retribution should not determine the sentence of Mr. Biechele. Instead, in this unusual case, where the loss is so extreme but the criminal conduct was no more than a misdemeanor, the court should show mercy." Biechele's sentencing will span three days beginning this Monday, with statements from relatives of fire victims. -- With reports from Journal staff writer Paul Edward Parker Posted by Steve Peoples at 3:48 PM | Comment Holmes says he was forced off Beacon boardJohn A. Holmes Jr., the Beacon Mutual Insurance Co. board member who resigned yesterday, said in an interview this afternoon that he was forced to go. Holmes told a Journal reporter that Governor Carcieri’s chief of staff, Kenneth K. McKay IV, told him a week ago that he must resign or expect a sheriff to deliver a letter to him, just like those delivered to the two board members who are today fighting in Superior Court to keep their posts. George H. Nee and Henry R. Boeniger, both Democrats who work for labor unions, are requesting a temporary restraining order against the Republican governor, who moved to fire them on April 20. A call to the governor's office for comment was not immediately returned. -- With reports from Journal Staff Writer Lynn Arditi Posted by Kate Bramson at 2:33 PM | Comment Photo: Gardeners sprout after days of rain
Posted by Andrea Panciera at 2:29 PM | Comment Brady wants Flutie to stay with Pats
Journal file photo
Brady and Flutie talk during the opening of the Patriots mini-camp last June at Gillette Stadium. FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Tom Brady wants Doug Flutie to return as one of his backup quarterbacks with the New England Patriots. Brady said today he'd love Flutie, who is considering retirement, to stay with the team for a second season. "I don't know how that's going to work out," Brady said at his first news conference since the Patriots were eliminated in Denver in their second playoff game. Flutie, 43, said he'd announce as early as this week if he will retire. He has said he does not want to play outside New England. Posted by Jack Perry at 2:13 PM | Comment Judge: Mall eatery must stop selling white ricePROVIDENCE -- A Superior Court judge this afternoon sided with a Chinese restaurant at the Providence Place food court and ordered a competitor to stop selling white rice. In a courtroom battle dubbed the "Rice Wars," Judge Stephen J. Fortunato Jr. ruled that Cathay Cathay's lease gives it exclusive rights to sell white rice, and so he ordered Japan Cafe to remove several dishes from its menu. Fortunato gave Japan Cafe until May 18 to comply. -- With reports from Journal staff writer Tom Mooney During 10 days of earlier testimony, expert witnesses talked, among other culinary topics, about the difference between boiled rice and parboiled rice. Japan Cafe argued that it parboiling its rice, not steaming or boiling it, so it wasn't infringing on Cathay Cathay's rights under the lease. But Fortunato, in a decision from the bench early this afternoon, rejected that argument, essentially ruling that white rice is white rice. Last fall, Cathay Cathay filed a lawsuit against Japan Cafe, Gourmet India and the mall itself, arguing its lease entitled it to the exclusive sale of "white rice (boiled and steamed)" and about a dozen other specific menu items. Gourmet India was later dropped from the suit. -- With reports from Journal staff writer Tom Mooney. Posted by Jack Perry at 12:43 PM | Comment Photo: Waiting for hearing on casino vote bill
Posted by Steve Peoples at 12:31 PM | Comment 6 arrested in fraud tied to Boston's Big DigBOSTON -- Six men who worked for the Big Dig's largest concrete supplier were arrested today on federal charges alleging they falsified records to hide the poor quality of concrete delivered to the massive highway project. The six, all current or former employees of Aggregate Industries, face a variety of charges including making false statements, mail fraud and conspiracy to commit highway fraud, said FBI spokeswoman Gail Marcinkiewicz. "My understanding is what they did was mix, commingled leftover concrete with new concrete," she said. The actions allegedly took place from 1999 to 2003. Authorities have said there's no reason to believe the substandard concrete has affected the project's structural integrity because it was delivered six years ago and problems would have surfaced by now. Lawyers for Aggregate Industries have defended the quality of its concrete and said it never delivered any that did not meet strength specifications called for in its state contract. -- The Associated Press The Big Dig, formally called the Central Artery and Third Harbor Tunnel project, buried Interstate 93 in tunnels beneath downtown and connected the Massachusetts Turnpike to Logan Airport with a third tunnel beneath Boston Harbor. The project was plagued by long delays and soaring costs that ballooned from $2.6 billion to $14.6 billion. Earlier this year, after more than a decade of traffic detours, the last major section of the project opened. The heavy construction had started in 1991. The allegations about concrete strength stemmed from a whistleblower suit filed in May 2005 in Suffolk Superior Court. Aggregate provided 60 percent of the concrete used to build the Big Dig. According to Marcinkiewicz, arrested were: Robert Propseri, 63, general manager; Mark Blaise, 36, a dispatch manager; John Fahar, 42, a dispatch manager; Jerard McNally, 53, quality control manager; Gregory Stevenson, 53, district operations manager; and Keith Thomas, 50, a dispatch manager. Fahar was arrested early today in Connecticut and Stevenson was arrested in Pennsylvania, Marcinkiewicz said. She did not know which of the men were current employees, and did not give their hometowns. -- The Associated Press Posted by Steve Peoples at 12:22 PM | Comment Beacon board members ask judge to stop CarcieriPROVIDENCE – Superior Court Judge Stephen J. Fortunato Jr. announced in court this morning that he will reconvene a hearing at 2 p.m. today for further arguments on whether Governor Carcieri can remove Beacon Mutual Insurance Co. board members George H. Nee and Henry R. Boeniger from their posts. In a half-hour hearing before Fortunato this morning, discussion centered on what laws regulate Beacon and whether the governor has the authority to remove members of the Beacon board. Fortunato asked several times if he could have more time to read over what he called a “voluminous” amount of court documents in the matter that he received this morning after they were filed yesterday afternoon. Nee and Boeniger, both Democrats who work for labor unions, are requesting a temporary restraining order against the governor. Carcieri is seeking to purge the leadership of the state’s dominant workers’ compensation insurer, which has come under fire since the scathing report issued last month by outside consultants revealed that Beacon gave preferential rates to some companies and maintained "inappropriate relationships" with certain insurance agents. As Nee and Boeniger accuse the Republican governor of discriminating against them because of their union affiliations, a Republican Beacon board member resigned yesterday. John A. Holmes Jr. said in his resignation letter to the governor that he wanted to put an end to accusations by fellow board members of “discrimination for not removing me from the Board because of our political affiliation.” More to come on projo.com. Posted by Kate Bramson at 12:02 PM | Comment Study cites progress in reducing racial profilingPROVIDENCE -- Rhode Island police have made some progress in reducing differences in the way they treat minority drivers, a new state racial profiling study released today says. Meanwhile, the police continued to find contraband more often in vehicles Read an executive summary of the report. -- Journal staff writer Bruce Landis The study's authors, experts from Northeastern University's Institute on Race and Justice, said that "represents a dramatic improvement." Since the previous study, 14 police departments reduced the disparity between non-white stops and the number of non-whites in the driving population, but the disparity increased in 13 other jurisdictions, the study said. The change in the other 12 jurisdictions was negligible, it said. The new study covers data on 288,483 traffic stops by every police department in the state during the year ending Sept. 30, 2005. All municipal police and the state police were supposed to fill out a data card each time they stopped a vehicle. The information included the race of the driver, the reason for the stop and whether a search was conducted. -- Journal staff writer Bruce Landis Posted by Jack Perry at 11:28 AM | Comment Happy Independence DayToday is Independence Day -- in Rhode Island anyway. Governor Carcieri will recognize the day of special observance during an 11:45 a.m. ceremony at the State House. May 4th was established as Rhode Island Independence Day as a tribute to members of the state's General Assembly who renounced allegiance to the British crown on May 4, 1776, declaring Rhode Island sovereign and independent, according to the state General Assembly's Web site. Rhode Island was the first of the 13 colonies to take such an official action, the site says. Posted by Jack Perry at 10:16 AM | Comment Restored section of Cliff Walk opens todayA restored portion of Newport’s famed Cliff Walk will open to the public today after a 1 p.m. ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the early completion of a $4.3 million restoration project. The Rhode Island Department of Transportation’s ceremony will be on the Cliff Walk behind the Rosecliff mansion on Bellevue Avenue in Newport. The Cliff Walk follows the natural beauty of the Newport shoreline while highlighting the grandeur of the Newport mansions. The restoration project was designed to repair undermined sections of the Cliff Walk and to prevent any further erosion of the southern section of the Cliff Walk from Ruggles Avenue to Bailey’s Beach, according to the DOT. Posted by Kate Bramson at 9:28 AM | Comment Air National Guard unit departs for southwest AsiaToday is a day of goodbyes for the families and friends of 22 men and women in the Rhode Island Air National Guard who are expected to depart this morning for a two-month stint in southwest Asia, according to Lt. Col. Michael M. McNamara, spokesman for the Rhode Island National Guard. Members of the 143rd Airlift Wing will meet at 8:30 a.m. at the Quonset Air National Guard Base on Airport Road in North Kingstown to conduct their final checks for equipment and baggage and to say goodbye to their families and friends before a 10 a.m. takeoff, McNamara said. The 22 Guardsmen will fly to Greece and then on to Qatar, which will be their base of operation, McNamara said. The Air National Guard’s 143rd Airlift Wing provides combat airlift and combat support for the coalition forces throughout the Middle East, so these servicemen and servicewomen will be transporting people and supplies all over southwest Asia with the C-130J transport aircraft, McNamara said. These 22 members of the Air National Guard will join more than 390 Rhode Island Guardsmen on active duty. The Air National Guard tours last 60 to 90 days. Another group of about 20 Guardsmen is nearing the end of its tour and should return home within the next few weeks after some overlap time with the new crew departing today, McNamara said. Posted by Kate Bramson at 8:07 AM | Comment Net income up 13 percent at CVSCVS this morning reported first quarter net income of $329.6, or 39 cents a share. That's an increase of 13.8 percent over the $289.7 million, or 34 cents a share, that the company made in the same period last year. Total revenues for Rhode Island's largest corporation increased by 8.7 percent in the quarter to $10 million. Same store sales increased 6.2 percent for the quarter. "First quarter results were driven by strong sales growth and healthy margins, said Tom Ryan, the company's chairman, president and CEO. Ryan singled out the turnaround performance of stores in Florida and Texas that were acquired in 2004 in the Eckerd drugstore deal. For more go to http://investor.CVS.com CVS, based in Woonsocket, operates 5,483 stores in 37 states and Washington D.C. Posted by at 7:12 AM | Comment Here comes the sunPROVIDENCE -- Welcome back, sunshine. After two days or rain, fog and drizzle, the skies have cleared over southern New England. Today will be partly cloudy with a high near 73 degrees, according to the National Weather Service. There's a chance of sprinkles early tomorrow morning and then a high near 80 degrees. For more information and updates, check out projo.com's weather page. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:00 AM | Comment May 3, 2006Circus shows start at Dunk tonightPROVIDENCE -- Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey are in Rhode Island tonight for the first of nine shows planned for the next five days. "You’ll have to check all realities at the door, because the 136th Edition of Ringling Bros. will take you on a journey filled with imagination, dreams come true and circus-sized spectacles," reads a statement on their Web site. Tonight's show at the Dunkin' Donuts Center begins at 7 p.m. Check the circus Web site for a full schedule. Posted by Steve Peoples at 7:03 PM | Comment Beacon board members go to court to block removalPROVIDENCE -- Two Beacon Mutual Insurance Co. board members filed a Superior Court motion today asking a judge to block Governor Carcieri from removing them from the board. Carcieri sought to terminate long-time board members George H. Nee and Henry Boeniger last month as part of a shake-up of the company leadership after an internal investigation produced evidence of abuses at Beacon. Company CEO Joseph A. Solomon was subsequently fired. Last week, Nee and Boeniger asked Carcieri for an independent hearing to review his decision to remove them. A meeting was planned for tomorrow afternoon. But today, Boeniger and Nee filed paperwork in Superior Court asking a judge to approve a temporary restraining order preventing Carcieri from firing them. They claim that Carcieri discriminated against them because of their union affiliations. Boeniger and Nee are also seeking to be reimbursed for legal fees. Carcieri spokesman Jeff Neal dismissed the move as a waste of time. “While we have not had an opportunity to review the complaint in detail, one thing is clear: This lawsuit has absolutely no merit, and simply represents an audacious and completely self-interested effort by Mr. Nee and Mr. Boeniger to distract from their abject failure to prevent the rampant mismanagement that occurred under their noses at Beacon Mutual,” Neal said in a statement released this evening. A judge is expected to review the motion tomorrow morning. Posted by Steve Peoples at 6:08 PM | Comment 12 arraigned on charges linked to gambling ringPROVIDENCE -- Eleven men and one woman were arraigned today on charges stemming from an illegal gambling ring with ties to organized crime. The operation was brought down earlier in the year after authorities wiretapped the suspects' phones, monitoring gambling transactions believed to be worth approximately $1 million over two months in bets on football games. Eleven were charged with violating the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, one count of bookmaking, and one count of organized criminal gambling. Each pleaded not guilty at the hearing today in Providence Superior Court. Those arraigned are: Joseph F. Achille, 70, of 75 Windmill St., Providence; Donald P. Capasso Jr., 49, of 19 Maribeth Drive, Johnston; Robert Cucinotta, 38, of 103 Scituate Ave., Johnston; Frank Pirri, 49, of 6 Pleasant Ave., Johnston; Robert Graziano, 47, of 29 Deborah St., Providence; Michael Russo, 40, of 84 Victor Ave., Johnston; Robert Passaretta, 41, of 35 Ann Lane, Burrillville; John MacArthur, 62, of 5 Atwells Ave., Providence; Steven Verdecchia, 55, of 3 Western Hills Lane, Apt. 1604, Cranston; Sandra Verdecchia, 49, of 3 Western Hills Lane, Apt. 1604, Cranston, and Peter Derhagopian, 47, of 4 Garwaine Drive, Lincoln. David Achille, 39, of North Providence, faces assault and drug-related charges. All were released on bail. Posted by Steve Peoples at 5:51 PM | Comment 2 more students arrested in Breakers' break-inNEWPORT -- Two more Salve Regina University students have been arrested in connection with a recent break-in at the Breakers mansion that resulted in the theft of more than $100,000 worth of small items. Newport Police announced the additional arrests this afternoon -- bringing the total number of Salve Regina students charged to four, all of them freshmen. Avery W. Lloyd, 19, of Portland, Maine, and William C. Elliott, 18, of Peabody, Mass., were charged this afternoon with one count each of breaking and entering. Police allege the two into the mansion one night, while two other men arrested yesterday broke in on two consecutive nights. University officials said the students are facing punishments ranging from suspension to expulsion. More from today's earlier projo.com report ... -- With reports from Journal staff writer Richard Salit Posted by Steve Peoples at 4:59 PM | Comment Photo: Zoo sets stage for new dinosaur exhibit
Whether it was by truck, crane or dint of human hands, the dinosaurs took their places once again today at Roger Williams Park and Zoo. This season's exhibit is designed to give visitors a behind-the-scenes look at what the robotic creatures are made of and how they move and roar. The "Dinosaurs, Hollywood style" exhibit opens Saturday, May 13, and goes through Labor Day, Sept. 4. Above, zoo worker Mark Marine peers into the mouth of a dinosaur just unloaded from a truck. Posted by Andrea Panciera at 4:15 PM | Comment Bill Clinton to speak at Scholar Athlete GamesPROVIDENCE -- Bill Clinton, the 42nd president of the United States, will be the keynote speaker for the 2006 World Scholar Athlete Games, to be held this summer in Rhode Island. Clinton's appearance was announced during an afternoon State House press conference, hosted by the Institute for International Sport. Lt. Gov. Charles Fogarty, Attorney General Patrick Lynch, and General Assembly leaders attended the event. "Never before in the history of the games have we combined the talents, enthusiasm and joy of student scholar-athletes across the globe with a speaker of this caliber and international fame," Lynch said in a statement. The scholar athlete games bring together student athletes from 160 countries and all 50 states. This year's games will take place June 24 to July 2 on the University of Rhode Island campus and in Newport. Clinton's address is scheduled for June 26. Posted by Steve Peoples at 3:28 PM | Comment Brown bookstore will remain independent operationPROVIDENCE -- Brown University officials will not outsource their locally-run bookstore to a national chain, according to a decision released today. A statement posted on the bookstore's Web site said that a university committee spent the past several weeks meeting with various groups to decide whether to outsource bookstore operations. It acknowledges that some improvements are needed. "While the committee feels both models are viable, the committee also believes Brown’s values, culture and customers can be best represented and successfully served at this time in a self-operated store," reads the statement from Beppie Huidekoper, Brown executive vice president for finance and administration. Members of the university community rallied outside the bookstore in March to protest the possible move to bring in a national chain such as Barnes & Noble. Posted by Steve Peoples at 3:28 PM | Comment Schedule set for Biechele's sentencing in Station firePROVIDENCE -- The sentencing for the man who ignited The Station nightclub fire will span three days beginning this Monday with "victim impact statements." The Superior Court today released the schedule for the sentencing of former Great White tour manager Daniel M. Biechele, who pleaded guilty to 100 counts of manslaughter in connection with the deaths of 100 people in the 2003 blaze in West Warwick. The sentencing itself is scheduled to begin at 1:30 p.m. a week from today. Biechele faces up to 10 years in prison. Superior Court Judge Francis J. Darigan will hear from relatives of about 30 of the fire victims. Each relative will have five minutes to address the court, before Darigan's ruling on the length of the sentence. The proceedings will take place in the Licht Judicial Complex at 250 Benefit St. They will be aired live on Court TV, which is carried locally on the Cox Communications network on Channel 71, on the Full Channel network on Channel 80, and DIRECTV on Channel 203
Posted by Steve Peoples at 2:52 PM | Comment Defendant's illness delays nurse's trialA Superior Court judge has delayed the trial of a nursing home worker who allegedly neglected a patient in her care, because the defendant has been hospitalized. "The defendant is ill at this time and the court has verified that she has a legitimate illness that requires treatment before she can return to court," Superior Court Judge Daniel A. Procaccini told the jurors this morning. Nurse Gloria A. Baillargeon fell ill yesterday after leaving Superior Court, where she spent the better part of two hours testifying on her own behalf. Baillargeon is accused of ignoring repeated warnings from other workers at the facility that her patient, 93-year-old Emma Morel, was suffering from a respiratory attack that ultimately killed the elderly woman that morning in July 2004. Procaccini said he expects the trial to resume either Friday or next Tuesday and said it may wrap up within a day. The state rested its case yesterday morning and Baillargeon took the stand yesterday afternoon. Prosecutor Cindy Soccio was expected to continue cross examining Baillargeon this morning. -- Journal staff writer Cynthia Needham Posted by Steve Peoples at 12:55 PM | Comment Riverside man wins $200,000 in PowerballCRANSTON -- A Riverside man came forward this morning to claim a $200,000 prize from the April 19 Powerball drawing. The man requested no publicity, but said the money would be a "big help" with the construction of his family's new home, according to a statement released by the Rhode Island Lottery. The winner learned of his good fortune while watching last night's evening news. He stopped at a gas station this morning to double-check the winning numbers. The attendant behind the counter scanned the ticket and said, "Dude, I think you won the $200,000," according to the statement. Posted by Steve Peoples at 12:37 PM | Comment PC recruit charged in stabbingNEW BEDFORD -- Providence College basketball recruit Brian Rudolph, a New Bedford High standout, was arraigned this morning in New Bedford District Court on charges related to a stabbing that took place last month at a house party. Rudolph, 17, pleaded not guilty to charges of assault and battery and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. Rudolf, a point guard who averaged 23 points and 10 assists this year for New Bedford High, signed a letter of intent with Providence College last month. A Providence College spokesman could not immediately be reached for comment. -- With reports from Journal sports writer Kevin McNamara Posted by Steve Peoples at 12:17 PM | Comment Carcieri proposes ballot question on voter initiativePROVIDENCE -- Governor Carcieri today unveiled plans to seek voter approval for two constitutional amendments. During an announcement at the State House, Carcieri said he wants voters to be able to vote in November on whether they believe the state's Constitution should be amended to limit the growth of state spending to the rate of inflation plus 1.5 percent and to limit annual increases in property taxes to 4 percent. The second ballot question would empower the citizens of Rhode Island to directly change state laws and amend the Constitution through "direct voter initiatives." The House of Representatives expects to vote soon on a bill that would take away the governor's power to put such nonbinding questions on the ballot. The governor criticized that effort, and House Majority Whip Peter Kilmartin, D-Pawtucket, criticized the governor's move today. -- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson Posted by Jack Perry at 12:01 PM | Comment Feds to target R.I. in counterfeit CD crackdownWASHINGTON -- After years of suing Internet users for downloading songs illegally, the music industry is targeting people in Providence and 11 other cities who copy CDs and DVDs and sell them at flea markets, shops and even mainstream record stores. Executives identified the cities as Atlanta; Austin, Texas; Chicago; Dallas; Houston; Los Angeles; Miami; New York; Philadelphia; Providence; San Diego and San Francisco. These were selected based on market surveys, earlier raids and industry reviews of sales data suggesting lost sales during the past five years. "We tried to narrow down the areas where we're going to focus, where we find the most piracy," said Brad Buckles, executive vice president for anti-piracy at the Washington-based Recording Industry Association of America, the trade group for the largest labels. The RIAA released details of the new campaign today. The trade group estimates the industry lost $1 billion in CD sales last year, including more than $300 million in losses blamed on underground sales of illegally copied discs. Police seized more than 5 million illegal CDs and arrested 3,300 people last year, it said. The Rhode Island State Police arrested five people and seized 5,000 pirated CDs and DVDs and a number of vehicles in a sweep through Providence in late January. Last September, the police raided a Providence flea market, seizing 10,000 bootlegged CDs and DVDs worth about $150,000. Buckles, the former head of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, said urban and Latin music is overwhelmingly popular among pirates. who copy discs. Illegal Latin CDs also are commonly produced using high-quality commercial press equipment, rather than the inexpensive computer drives frequently used to illegally copy urban-music CDs, the trade group said. That can make it difficult for consumers - and even retailers - to identify counterfeit CDs, which are sometimes sold at full price. "Unless you really know the product, you would not be able to tell," Buckles said. Other counterfeit CDs sometimes sell for as little as $3 each with poor-quality labels or include compilations that aren't available commercially. "You've got people who are out to get music cheap," Buckles said. Part of the industry's new campaign will describe the consequences of buying inexpensive, illegal CDs rather than paying full price for legal copies. The trade group said lost sales affect the industry's ability to invest in new artists, and counterfeit discs often suffer from inferior quality. "People can rationalize not paying for something, but the fact of the matter is they're stealing," Buckles said. "This (music) doesn't get created for free. The consumers are really getting cheated." -- Projo.com staff and The Associated Press Posted by Steve Peoples at 11:46 AM | Comment Updated: 2 Salve students nabbed in Breakers' theft / Photo
NEWPORT -- Two Salve Regina University students were scheduled to be arraigned in Second District Court this morning in connection with the recent theft of more than $100,000 worth of small objects from The Breakers mansion. Eric Fudge, 18, of 6 Foster St., Boxford, Mass., and Joseph Sullivan, 18, of 16 Old Colony Lane, Scarborough, Maine, are charged with two felony counts each of breaking and entering, Police Lt. Michael Brennan said. Brennan said more arrests were expected today. Nine items have been recovered, according to the police. The police say that the students took the items to a home in Maine, but returned to Rhode Island with them after learning that the police were investigating students. A detectives’ investigation has determined that the mansion was broken into twice last week, in the early morning hours of Friday and Saturday, Brennan said. The Preservation Society of Newport County, which owns the historic home of the Vanderbilts and opens it for tours and other events, contacted the police on Saturday. The society had noticed damage to a door at the home Friday and then realized on Saturday that items were missing, Brennan said. Initial reports from the society were that eight items were missing: a glass vase, three silver vases, a clock, a candelabrum and two small decorative objects – a brass caryatid casting by Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney and an obelisk. Police photos of the recovered items don’t seem to match that description exactly. The Preservation Society earlier this week offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to the recovery of eight stolen objects. Brennan said the police are reviewing an inventory list with the Preservation Society to determine if everything has been recovered. The investigation was aided by information from the director of Salve Regina security, John Mixter, who told the police that he had information on the larceny, according to Brennan. The Catholic university's campus is steps away from the Breakers; both properties front the Cliff Walk near Bellevue Avenue. The police allege that the students left the items on Second Beach in Middletown and intended to make an anonymous call reporting that the items could be recovered there. But the police arrested the students before any phone call was made, Brennan said. Posted by Kate Bramson at 11:45 AM | Comment Governor does brunch with R.I. centenariansPROVIDENCE -- Governor Carcieri celebrated with centenarians this morning at a brunch for Rhode Islanders age 100 or older and those who will turn 100 later this year.
Posted by Kate Bramson at 10:55 AM | Comment Business Expo today: CNBC anchor and local CEOPROVIDENCE -- Business Expo 2006 continues today at the Rhode Island Convention Center with an 8:30 a.m. business breakfast talk by CNBC anchor Liz Claman and the noon Economic Outlook Luncheon talk by Richard L. Bready, chairman and CEO of the Providence-based Nortek Inc. More information about registering and the cost of both events is online. Produced by the Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce, the expo is a chance for local companies to promote their products and services to other businesses. The expo features about 300 exhibits. Bready has pledged $2 million in donations to the new YMCA of Greater Providence, which just got the green light last week to begin construction on its new facility off Adelaide Avenue. He also recently made news when he donated $6,000 to the Hawaii Democratic Party after he had “maxed out” on the lawful limit of his campaign contributions to then-U.S. Senate candidate Matt Brown, whose campaign came under fire with allegations that it illegally “laundered” money. Brown has now dropped out of the race. The Providence Journal, which is among the expo's sponsors, is also offering workshops geared to career advancement at its booth, #1137, today. Details are available here. Posted by Kate Bramson at 8:41 AM | Comment Carcieri to unveil ballot questions this morningPROVIDENCE -- Governor Carcieri will hold a press conference at 11:15 a.m. today to unveil two nonbinding questions he plans to place on the November ballot. Under current law, the governor has the authority to place any question on the ballot he deems necessary, though the General Assembly is considering a bill that would strip him of that right. Carcieri's spokesman, Jeff Neal, would not say what questions the governor would place on the November ballot prior to today's press conference. Posted by Steve Peoples at 7:06 AM | Comment Hoping for sunshine? Don't count on any todayThis morning’s rain could turn to a heavy downfall at times throughout the day. Don’t expect to see the sun today. Patches of fog, particularly along the coastline, could bog down your morning commute. Expect a high around 50 degrees. The sun could peek out tomorrow, when we’re expected to get a high near 70. Get the latest conditions and forecasts from projo.com. Posted by Kate Bramson at 7:00 AM | Comment May 2, 2006Updated: Tonight's Sox-Yanks game rained outBOSTON -- Tonight's game between the Red Sox and Yankees has been rained out. The rivals were scheduled to face off for the second time this year at Fenway Park. The game's 7:05 p.m. start had at first been delayed by the rain. By 7:40 p.m., with 100 percent chance of rain in the forecast, the game was officially called off. -- With reports from Journal sportswriter Steve Krasner Posted by Steve Peoples at 7:22 PM | Comment Cicilline to unveil his 2007 budget for ProvidencePROVIDENCE -- Mayor David N. Cicilline will unveil his 2007 budget for the first time tonight at a presentation before the City Council. Cicilline will discuss the $610-million spending plan at 7 p.m. at City Hall. The last of his four-year term, the mayor has said it will be his most difficult budget of all. The meeting is open to the public. Posted by Steve Peoples at 6:32 PM | Comment Photo: CNN's Amanpour speaks at Business Expo
The expo continues tomorrow, opening with an 8:30 a.m. address by Liz Claman, co-anchor of the business channel CNBC’s Morning Call. Click here for a full list of the expo's events, which is sponsored in part by The Providence Journal. More on Amanpour's speech in tomorrow's Journal and on projo.com ... Posted by Andrea Panciera at 6:22 PM | Comment No charges in wake of mall guard, TV reporter clashPROVIDENCE -- City police have decided not to file criminal charges against Providence Place mall personnel accused of threatening a television reporter last month. Channel 6 reporter Jim Hummel and cameraman John Guice filed a complaint with the Providence police after an April 5 incident with mall employees as they reported on a security vehicle dangling from the fourth level of the mall parking garage. A police report filed today said the case is closed. "After an investigation by the Providence Police Detective Bureau and review by the City of Providence Law Department, it was determined that no charges will be filed ..." reads the report. No reason for the decision was given in the report. Posted by Steve Peoples at 6:05 PM | Comment Langevin joins D.C. rally for spinal cord research
WASHINGTON -- Rep. James Langevin joined hundreds of people gathered on Capitol Hill today to support legislation aimed at fighting paralysis. The rally was organized by the Christopher Reeve Foundation. Langevin, a Rhode Island Democrat, is a co-sponsor of Christopher Reeve Paralysis Act, a bill that would coordinate and expand research, rehabilitation and quality of life programs for people with spinal cord injuries. The event, called a Working 2 Walk rally, was hosted by actress Susan Sarandon. Langevin, a quadriplegic since an accidental shooting at age 16, worked closely with the late Christopher and Dana Reeve in recent years on a range of issues that affect people living with paralysis and their loved ones. Posted by Steve Peoples at 5:25 PM | Comment Study: Outpatient treatment of alcoholism can succeedPROVIDENCE -- Doctors and nurses can successfully treat alcoholism on an outpatient basis with the use of regular monitoring and medication -- reducing the need for costlier, more intensive programs -- a major study concludes in an article that will be published tomorrow in The Journal of the American Medical Association. "The huge implication is that instead of folks having to go to 'specialty people' to get treatment for their alcohol addiction they can get it right in the primary care setting, with much less fanfare,'' said Richard H. Longabaugh, professor of psychiatry and human behavior at Brown Medical School in Providence. Longabaugh, who has spent much of his career studying alcoholism, is one of the authors of the study, which involved nearly 1,400 patients at 11 academic centers across the country. In conjunction with Roger Williams Medical Center, Brown enrolled 133 patients, making it the largest group in the clinical trial, which was conducted from 2001 to 2004. "One of the problems with alcoholism is there is a big mismatch between the number of people afflicted and the number in treatment. This extends the options. Really, people can get treatment in their doctor's office,'' said co-author Dr. Robert M. Swift, psychiatry professor and associate director of Brown's Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies. -- Journal staff writer G. Wayne Miller Posted by Andrea Panciera at 4:09 PM | Comment Date set for 2nd detonation of old Jamestown spanJAMESTOWN -- In case you missed the first blast... The state Department of Transportation has set the date for a second round of explosions on the old Jamestown Bridge. A demolition team plans to destroy approximately 1,600 feet of bridge trusses -- 800 feet on each side of the existing gap -- on Tuesday, May 16. The team also hopes to demolish the top 50 feet of the central supporting pier with a simultaneous blast. The work is contingent on good weather. Officials plan to close the new Jamestown-Verrazzano Bridge at 10 a.m. for up to four hours. The controlled explosion is planned for shortly after 10 a.m. Crews destroyed the middle section of the bridge last month. Officials are still working to remove pieces left in Narragansett Bay from the first denonation. Posted by Steve Peoples at 3:55 PM | Comment R.I. Red Cross names new CEO
Journal file photo The Rev. John Holt
The nonprofit agency announced today the selection of the Rev. John E. Holt, of Newport, who previously led efforts to help Hurricane Katrina evacuees in Middletown as the executive minister of the Rhode Island State Council of Churches and executive director of the Interfaith Counseling Center. Holt also served as the chair of the Station Nightclub Fire Relief Fund, helping to to raise $3.4 million for those who lost loved ones or were injured in the 2003 fire. Holt will lead the Red Cross in preventing, preparing for, and responding to emergencies in Rhode Island and nearby Massachusetts communities. He will assume CEO duties on May 15. Posted by Steve Peoples at 3:22 PM | Comment Lottery: $200,000 PowerBall prize still unclaimedIt's been almost two weeks, and nobody has come forward to claim a $200,000 winning PowerBall ticket sold in East Providence, according to the Rhode Island Lottery. The ticket was purchased from Sonny's Convenience Store on Willett Avenue for the April 19 drawing, according to the lottery. The ticket matched the first five numbers (5-28-32-34-53), but not the PowerBall number (10), according to the lottery. The jackpot was $20 million. Posted by Jack Perry at 1:26 PM | Comment Speaker addresses Providence's child poverty ratePROVIDENCE -- Throwing up your hands and giving up after examining health and economic data about Providence children is not the answer, a policy analyst with Rhode Island KIDS COUNT said this morning. Kathleen Keenan expects to talk this afternoon about what can be done in response to Census and other data that shows a high rate of child poverty in Providence. Keenan's 1 p.m. session is free and open to the public at the Providence Children’s Museum, 100 South St. The 90-minute program is the first of six planned for the six Rhode Island communities with 15 percent or more children living in poverty, Keenan said. Providence’s child poverty rate is second in the state – behind Central Falls – and third in the nation for cities of 100,000 or more. Nationwide, Providence is tied with New Orleans behind Brownsville, Texas, and Hartford, Conn. Keenan plans to follow a 45-minute presentation with a community discussion about what’s working in Providence. Elected officials and service providers are among those expected to attend. Posted by Kate Bramson at 12:43 PM | Comment S. Kingstown man accused of killing own pitbullSOUTH KINGSTOWN -- A local man is facing multiple criminal charges for allegedly shooting his own dog in a residential neighborhood and burying it in a shallow backyard grave. Edgar Goulet, 58, of 20 Nautilus Drive East, appeared in 4th District Court in Wakefield this morning to answer charges of domestic malicious injury to or killing an animal, firing in a contact area, and possession of a sawed-off shotgun. He was released on $40,000 personal recognizance bail, and ordered to surrender any firearms in his possession. Police say that Goulet's 3-year-old pitbull got loose yesterday morning and ran into a neighbor's yard. Neighbors told police that Goulet screamed at his pet, named Sparky, and said he would shoot the dog if he caught it. Before retrieving Sparky, the police say that Goulet dug a shallow grave in his backyard with a backhoe -- a machine he uses for work. Then he brought the dog back into his yard and shot it with a .22-caliber gun, according to police. In an interview outside the courthouse this morning, Goulet said he shot Sparky in self defense. "I had no choice," he said. -- With reports from Journal staff writer Katie Mulvaney Posted by Steve Peoples at 12:36 PM | Comment R.I., other states to sue over fuel economy rulesWASHINGTON - - Ten states, including Rhode Island, said today they plan to sue the federal government to try to force the Bush administration to strengthen gas mileage requirements for sport utility vehicles and pickup trucks. The lawsuit will contend the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration failed to conduct a thorough analysis of the environmental benefits of fuel economy regulations and the impact of gasoline consumption on climate change. The states were filing a petition for review with the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco later today. The action follows the release of a government rule in late March setting tighter gas mileage rules for pickups, SUVs and vans covering the 2008-2011 model years. In addition to Rhode Island, the states are California, Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, and Vermont. The District of Columbia and New York City were also plaintiffs. -- The Associated Press Posted by Jack Perry at 12:23 PM | Comment Updated: Chamber to report on R.I. income taxPROVIDENCE -- Rhode Island's income tax is hurting the state's economic growth. That's the conclusion of a report the Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce is expected to release today at 3 p.m. in the House Lounge of the State House. Chamber officials say they are making a change in the tax code a top priority. At the General Assembly, legislation that would lower income taxes for Rhode Island’s richest residents is a major piece of the House leadership’s agenda for the year. -- The Associated Press and projo.com staff Posted by Kate Bramson at 11:03 AM | Comment Amanpour says U.S. credibility at 'all-time low'PROVIDENCE – The credibility of the United States has dropped to an “all-time low” around the world, with people unsure about what the U.S. will do next, CNN correspondent Christiane Amanpour said this morning when she addressed working journalists and alumni, faculty, administrators and students from her alma mater, the University of Rhode Island. In Providence for the day, CNN’s chief international correspondent will speak again at 11 a.m. today as part of Business Expo 2006, an annual business showcase held today and tomorrow at the Rhode Island Convention Center. That talk is free and open to the public. (See who is exhibiting at this year’s show, which is sponsored in part by The Providence Journal).
Considering the view of the U.S. around the world, Amanpour encouraged young people – regardless of the profession they’re pursuing – to take a year off and go out into the world “and show the real face of the U.S.” “And start building bridges,” she said. Amanpour said she still believes this is the “best profession” and an important one. “Good journalism enriches our societies and our world,” she said. “There is no doubt, but that message has been lost.” Asked to comment on new media on the Internet, including blogs, and the impact it has in countries with state-run media, such as Iran, Amanpour pointed out that Farsi, the language spoken in Iran, is the fourth most-used language on the Internet. By all means, the Internet breaks down the barriers that exist in countries with state control over the media, she said. What concerns her with the Internet, though, is that “anything goes.” “Now, anybody who wants to can be your provider of news,” Amanpour said. -- Projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson Posted by Kate Bramson at 10:02 AM | Comment Rain, rain and more rainLooks like this morning’s rain will just keep falling. Moderate to heavy rain should continue to roll in off the ocean and into eastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island, making for a messy rush hour. Take it slow on the commute. Today’s high temps are expected to be in the lower 50s. Get the latest conditions and forecasts from projo.com. Posted by Kate Bramson at 7:01 AM | Comment May 1, 2006Rallyblog photo: Fulfilling their mission
Posted by Andrea Panciera at 6:46 PM | Comment Rallyblog: 'We want to breathe air of freedom'PROVIDENCE -- Up the hill past |
