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June 6, 2006

Update: Missing Cranston girl found in Providence

PROVIDENCE -- A missing 11-year-old girl from Cranston was found alive and apparently well early this evening, across the street from the Providence Place mall.

Shai Ramsdell was by herself on Park Row West, wearing shorts and carrying some bags. She was surrounded by city police, who quickly bundled her into a cruiser.

"Thank God we got her," one officer said, while another was heard telling Shai, who had been missing since yesterday morning, "You had everybody sick to their stomachs."

Shai was spotted by a surgeon from Roger Williams Hospital, who notified police and followed her.

Police said they had been scouring downtown Providence and the Kennedy Plaza area, popular with youngsters, for Shai. Flyers had been distributed around her Cranston neighborhood, which borders Providence, and local police, FBI, and state police had joined in the search.

For more background, read today's projo.com report.

-- projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples

Journal photo / Mary Murphy
Authorities had been looking for 11-year-old Shai Ramsdell, inset, since last night. Above, they gathered this morning off Montgomery Avenue in Cranston, where she lives.

Late this afternoon, her mother and stepfather appealed to the community to help find their daughter during an afternoon press conference that offered no new clues as to the girl's whereabouts.

Lydia and Clifton Choiniere appeared at the press conference called by Cranston Mayor Stephen P. Laffey.

Early this afternoon, authorities sent out a recorded phone message to 30,000 households in Providence, Cranston and Warwick, expanding outreach efforts to all homes within a 5-mile radius in the search for Shai.

At the request of local police, the Florida-based organization A Child is Missing coordinated the mass distribution of the message, which details Shai’s physical description down to the color of her sneakers and backpack, and a wart above her right eye.

Volunteers were also helping to distribute leaflets with Shai's photo on them.

Shai was described as black, with brown hair and eyes, about 5 feet tall and weighing about 100 pounds. She was last seen wearing blue denim shorts and a blue shirt.

The same message was distributed last night at 8 p.m. to about 2,000 households within a 2-mile radius of her home on Montgomery Avenue in Cranston, on the Providence line.

The message urged people to go outside and check around their yards or housing complexes for signs of the young girl.

Shai was reported missing by her family early last evening. She was last seen just before leaving her home at 270 Montgomery Ave. around 7:30 yesterday morning. She never arrived at Park View Middle School.

--With reports from projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson

Posted by Andrea Panciera at 7:10 PM | Comment

Photo: Putting the hunger problem on the table

Journal photo / Kris Craig
Guy Abelson, special events coordinator for the Rhode Island Community Food Bank and a local caterer, hawks lunch to passerbys outside the skating rink in downtown Providence today, as a fundraiser for National Hunger Awareness Day. The food bank was serving a brown-bag lunch, donated by Whole Foods Market, for a $10 contribution. The goal of the day is to remind people that hunger is a serious, but solvable, problem, the organization says.

Posted by Andrea Panciera at 6:21 PM | Comment

House overrides Carcieri veto of ballot bill

PROVIDENCE - Rhode Island could soon lose its distinction as the only state that allows its governor to place nonbinding questions on the ballot.

The House voted 50-23 today to override Governor Carcieri's veto of a bill that would strip him of that power. The Senate also would have to override the veto.

Carcieri vetoed the bill last week, saying nonbinding questions give state executives an important means of assessing public opinion.

Today, he decried the House vote, calling it "a clear attack on Rhode Islanders’ right to express their opinions on important issues facing our state.”

Posted by Andrea Panciera at 5:53 PM | Comment

Update: 14 Carpio jurors tentatively picked

PROVIDENCE -- Jury selection for Esteban Carpio, accused of killing a Providence police detective last year, has ended for the day without a single juror being confirmed.

However, 14 of the 16 required jurors passed the initial screening and were tentatively seated.

The ultimate composition of the jury could change dramatically by the end of the selection process. Neither attorney exercised a challenge today -- each side is allowed to dismiss eight jurors without cause.

Eighty prospective jurors were brought into court today as active selection began. The process will resume tomorrow afternoon at 1:30 p.m.

Carpio arrived handcuffed and under heavy guard. Instead of prison garb, he was wearing ivory-colored pants, a white shirt with blue pinstripes and white sneakers. His hair is longer than seen previously and curly.

In some previous appearances, he has been more severely restrained, including the wearing of a face mask known as a spit shield. He has been held at the Adult Correctional Institutions in Cranston.

Carpio is accused of shooting Det. Sgt. James Allen at police headquarters in April 2005, then jumping out a third-floor window in a bid to escape.

Allen's widow walked down the hall and into the courtroom a short time after Carpio passed by. The press and other spectators on the floor were kept well away as she and Carpio entered.

Krause also said he will not allow news cameras in the courtroom for jury selection.

Carpio's case had been transferred to Krause from Superior Court Judge William A. Dimitri as his health failed. Dimitri died Saturday.

-- With reports from Journal staff writer Greg Smith and Journal photographer Kathy Borchers

Posted by Steve Peoples at 5:43 PM | Comment

High school graduations galore tonight

High school students will don caps and gowns across the state this evening, as high school graduation season hits its stride.

Among the schools holding commencements tonight are Cumberland High School, Woonsocket Area Career and Technical High School, the Alternate Learning Projects High School, Mount Pleasant High School, Harold A. Birch Vocational School, and Providence Academy of International Studies.

For more coverage of this year's high school graduations, to send an e-card or upload graduation photos, click here.

Posted by Steve Peoples at 5:27 PM | Comment

McCain to visit R.I. for Chafee campaign

U.S. Sen. Lincoln Chafee's campaign announced today that Arizona Senator John McCain will appear at a picnic fundraiser next weekend at Chafee's home in Exeter.

McCain, who stumped for Chafee in 2000, and is often mentioned as a possible Republican presidential candidate in 2008, praised Chafee in a statement released yesterday.

"Senator Chafee is one of the most fiscally responsible members of the U.S. Senate," said McCain.

Said Chafee, "I am so excited that John McCain has agreed to come to Rhode Island on my behalf. He is respected for his integrity, his candor, and his forward-looking positions on the economy and the environment. We both have a reputation for independence and shared commitment to return fiscal responsibility to Washington."

The picnic is scheduled for Saturday, June 17.

Chafee faces challenger Stephen P. Laffey in the Republican primary later this fall.

-- Journal staff writer Scott MacKay

Posted by Steve Peoples at 4:25 PM | Comment

Judge Dimitri's wake set for later today / Photo

Journal photo / Kathy Borchers
A rose placed on the door of Judge William A. Dimitri Jr.'s office at Providence Superior Court.

PROVIDENCE – The wake for Superior Court Judge William A. Dimitri Jr. will be held later this afternoon at the A.A. Mariani & Son Funeral Home at 200 Hawkins St.

Dimitri, a former high-profile criminal defense lawyer and state and federal prosecutor, died Saturday after a lengthy illness. He was 76.

Calling hours for today’s service are scheduled from 4 to 8 p.m. and are open to the public.

Dimitri’s funeral will be held tomorrow at 8:30 a.m. at the same funeral home, followed by a funeral Mass at 10 a.m. in the Church of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, 1081 Mineral Spring Avenue in North Providence. Burial with military honors will follow in St. Ann Cemetery, Cranston.

Posted by Steve Peoples at 2:38 PM | Comment

Senate has bill to lower property tax cap

PROVIDENCE -- The Senate Finance Committee this afternoon is to debate a plan to limit the amount cities and towns can increase property taxes.

Current state law caps annual property tax increases at 5.5 percent, though exceptions may be granted by the state auditor general.

Senate Bill 3050 would reduce the percentage increase to 5.25 percent in 2008 and to 4 percent in 2013.

The committee is scheduled to consider the bill at 4:15 p.m.

Posted by Steve Peoples at 2:36 PM | Comment

DEM needs help counting turkeys

PROVIDENCE -- The state Department of Environmental Management issued a statement today calling on Rhode Islanders to help wildlife biologists count wild turkeys.

The state wants to know of any sightings of turkey hens "with or without broods of young turkeys, known as poults," according to the release.

"The reported information [last year] helped us determine the number of young birds that survived after various mortality factors, such as predators, poor weather, road kills, or domestic cats and dogs took their toll," Brian Tefft, principal wildlife biologist at DEM, said in the statement.

Last year, 157 turkey brood sightings were reported. The total number of adults reported was 208, while 782 poults were reported, for a brood ratio of 3.8 young per hen surviving until fall.

To report turkey sightings, people should record the date, the location, and the total number of hens and poults seen and contact Tefft via email to brian.tefft@dem.ri.gov, or phone at (401) 789-0281.

Posted by Steve Peoples at 1:14 PM | Comment

W. Warwick council preps for casino negotiations

WEST WARWICK -- West Warwick's town leaders will meet behind closed doors tonight to prepare for negotiations with a Las Vegas casino company.

Barring legal challenges, Rhode Island voters will decide this fall whether the Narragansett Indian Tribe and an unnamed business partner should be permitted to build a casino in West Warwick. The tribe has long been partnered with Harrah's Entertainment.

Councilman Peter Calci Jr. says town officials will use the session to discuss their negotiation positions. He says lawyers from the Narragansett Tribe and Harrah's won't be at the meeting.

Council President John Flynn says any deal will be made public before the council votes on it.

Members of the group West Warwick Citizens Against The Casino, led by Frank Lombardo, plan to heckle council members as they arrive for the 7 p.m. closed-door strategy session in advance of negotiations with Harrah's.

-- Staff and wire reports

Posted by Steve Peoples at 1:07 PM | Comment

Bill Weld drops out of New York governor's race

ALBANY, N.Y. -- Bill Weld, the former Massachusetts governor, dropped out of the New York governor's race today, saying it was time to look beyond his own aspirations for the good of the party.

The state GOP backed former Assembly Minority Leader John Faso as its candidate last week, meaning a potentially bruising and expensive September primary if Weld had stayed in the race.

Read the full Associated Press story.

Posted by Jack Perry at 1:03 PM | Comment

Providence restaurants to offer deals in July

More than 30 Greater Providence restaurants will offer special deals as part of Providence Restaurant Week, July 16 to 22, according to the Providence Warwick Convention and Visitors Bureau, which is organizing the event.

The restaurants, including The Capital Grille, New Rivers and XO Steakhouse, are offering three-course lunch specials for $12.95, dinner specials for $29.95, or both.

Some pubs and cafes are offering two lunches or dinners for those prices.

A guide to the participating restaurants will appear in the July issue of Rhode Island Monthly and is now available at ProvidenceRestaurantWeek.com.

The restaurant week deals will be offered in addition to the regular menu.

Posted by Jack Perry at 12:42 PM | Comment

Amgen settles licensing dispute over Enbrel

Massachusetts General Hospital recently received $186 million from Amgen Inc. to settle a licensing dispute over the rheumatoid arthritis drug Enbrel.

Enbrel was created based on research developed by a scientist at Mass General, according to Boston Globe reports.

The drug was licensed to Immunex, which was purchased by Amgen. Amgen now manufactures the drug in West Greenwich and sells it in North America and internationally.

The settlement eliminates any additional royalty payments to Mass General on Enbrel sales in North America. Amgen sold $2.5 billion worth of Enbrel last year. Mass General will continue to earn royalties from the sale of the drug internationally.

-- Journal staff writer Andrea Stape

Posted by Jack Perry at 12:21 PM | Comment

Rep. Kennedy returning to work today in D.C.

Rep. Patrick J. Kennedy is returning to work in Washington, D.C., today, just four days after concluding 28 days of rehabilitation at the Mayo Clinic's addiction center in Minnesota.

Congress goes back into session today after its Memorial Day break.

The Rhode Island Democrat was in Providence yesterday for his first public appearance since the pre-dawn car crash that drove him into treatment last month for alcohol and drug abuse.

He spoke at a Brown University conference on addiction and mental illness that the congressman had helped to organize long before his May 4 crash.

-- John E. Mulligan, Journal Washington bureau

Posted by Jack Perry at 9:15 AM | Comment

Underdog filming at Providence City Hall

PROVIDENCE -- The Hollywood crew in town filming the Disney movie Underdog will be at City Hall again today, where they’ve staked out a room on the third floor for the first three business days of this week, according to Jenny Peek, the city’s cultural affairs and film manager.

There are no street closings today or tomorrow for the filming, Peek said. Trucks have been parked on Eddy Street during the filming, but a travel lane has remained open, she said.

Posted by Kate Bramson at 7:29 AM | Comment

Morning fog should lift; expect high of 73

PROVIDENCE – Before long, this morning’s patchy dense ground fog should be lifting. But until then, the National Weather Service is urging commuters to travel with caution in parts of Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Connecticut.

The dense fog is expected to burn off by about 7:30 a.m., but some could hang low until a little later.

Today’s high is predicted at 73, and there’s a slight chance of showers after noon.
Rain is in the forecast for the next couple of days, so throw an umbrella in your bag to be prepared.

Get the latest conditions and forecasts from projo.com.

Posted by Kate Bramson at 7:00 AM | Comment