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May 3, 2006

Circus shows start at Dunk tonight

PROVIDENCE -- 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 removal

PROVIDENCE -- 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 ring

PROVIDENCE -- 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-in

NEWPORT -- 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

Journal photo / Andrew Dickerman

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 Games

PROVIDENCE -- 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 operation

PROVIDENCE -- 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 fire

PROVIDENCE -- 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

More about the disastrous fire and its aftermath ...

Posted by Steve Peoples at 2:52 PM | Comment

Defendant's illness delays nurse's trial

A 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 Powerball

CRANSTON -- 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 stabbing

NEW 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 initiative

PROVIDENCE -- 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 crackdown

WASHINGTON -- 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 Police Department photo
These items were recovered by police. Initial reports from the Preservation Society said the following items were missing: glass vase, three silver vases, a clock, a candelabrum and two small decorative objects – a brass caryatid casting and an obelisk.

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. centenarians

PROVIDENCE -- 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.

The brunch was at 10 a.m. at the assisted-living facility Capitol Ridge at Providence, which was formerly the Village at Elmhurst, on Smith Street.

Posted by Kate Bramson at 10:55 AM | Comment

Business Expo today: CNBC anchor and local CEO

PROVIDENCE -- 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 morning

PROVIDENCE -- 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 today

This 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