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June 16, 2006

Season's biggest WaterFire set for tomorrow

PROVIDENCE -- The city will host its largest lighting of WaterFire of the season tomorrow night, according to a statement released this afternoon.

The popular multimedia event along downtown waterways will begin tomorrow at sunset, set for 8:22 p.m.

Highlights of the night will include free live jazz on the Verizon Jazz Stage on Steeple Street. The Debra Mann Trio will play from 8:30 to 11:30 p.m.

There will also be Cape Verdean music and dancing in the Sovereign Plaza Ballroom from 8 p.m. until midnight. From 7 to 8 p.m. there will be a free dance lesson.

Browse more weekend events in our calendar listings.

Posted by Steve Peoples at 6:09 PM | Comment

High school graduations on tap for tonight

Several area high schools will hold commencement ceremonies tonight as the graduation season winds down.

Two graduations are set to begin at 6 p.m., including Westerly High School and Newport's Rogers High School. Narragansett High School's commencement is scheduled for 6:30 p.m., as is Woonsocket's Beacon Charter School. Chariho Regional High School's ceremony in Richmond begins at 7 p.m.

Find coverage of area graduations, send e-cards and upload photos here.

Posted by Steve Peoples at 6:04 PM | Comment

R.I. makes the federal grade for disaster plans

WASHINGTON -- Rhode Island is just one of 11 states rated in a Homeland Security Department scorecard as having sufficient plans to respond to disasters.

Governor Carcieri says the report shows how far Rhode Island has come in upgrading its preparations for catastrophes.

But he says there's still more work to be done, and he hopes Rhode Island can become a national role model for emergency planning.

President Bush ordered the review of state and city emergency plans in a visit to New Orleans last Sept. 15, weeks after Hurricane Katrina ravaged the city. The report analyzes response and evacuation procedures for all 50 states, the nation's 75 largest cities and six U.S. territories.

-- The Associated Press

Posted by Steve Peoples at 5:59 PM | Comment

Update: Line forms for firefighter's wake / Photo

Journal photo / Kris Craig
Two mounted officers survey the line of mourners waiting to enter the funeral home this afternoon for Day's wake.

PROVIDENCE -- A long line of family and friends formed outside a funeral home this afternoon to pay their respects to Deputy Assistant Chief Michael J. Day, the firefighter who died this week while on duty at a city fire station.

Calling hours are 3 to 8 p.m. at the Russell J. Boyle Funeral Home, 331 Smith St. Various firefighters from the region plan to gather at the home with Mayor David N. Cicilline and Fire Chief David Costa at 5:30 p.m.

A funeral Mass will be held tomorrow at 8 a.m. at the Russell J. Boyle Funeral Home. It will be followed at 10 a.m. by a Mass of Christian burial at St. Pius Church, 44 Elmhurst Ave. Burial will follow at St. Ann Cemetery, 75 Church St., in Cranston.

Sign an online guestbook for Day.

In lieu of flowers, the Day family asks that donations be made to the St. Pius V. Church Capitol Campaign, in Deputy Assistant Chief Day’s memory, 30 Elmhurst Ave., Providence, R.I. 02908 or to the Deputy Assistant Chief Michael J. Day Memorial Fund, c/o Providence Firefighters Union Local 799, 92 Printery St., Providence, R.I. 02904.

Posted by Steve Peoples at 5:13 PM | Comment

Red Sox recall Gabe Kapler, place Matt Clement on DL

ATLANTA -- The Red Sox made a dizzying series of roster moves this afternoon, but the result at the major-league level was a one-for-one swap -- one player moving to the disabled list and another being promoted back from Pawtucket.

The player placed on the disabled list was, as expected, starting pitcher Matt Clement. He was removed from Wednesday night's start at Minnesota after 4 2/3 innings because of shoulder pain, and was placed on the 15-day DL because of what was described as ''shoulder weakness''.

Clement was scheduled to start Monday night's game at Fenway Park against the Washington Nationals. As of late this afternoon, they have yet to announce a replacement starter.

The player recalled was outfielder Gabe Kapler. Kapler, recovering from a ruptured Achilles tendon suffered late last season, was batting .200 (3-for-15) in four rehab games with the PawSox.

The Sox also claimed pitcher Kyle Snyder off waivers from Kansas City, but have yet to assign him to a roster in the organization. They have 72 hours to do so. Snyder has spent most of the season at Triple-A Omaha, posting an 0-4 record but with a 3.88 ERA in 10 games, 9 of them starts. In his one appearance with the Royals in 2006 he allowed 10 hits and 9 runs, 5 of them earned, in 2 innings. His career record in the major leagues is 2-9 with a 5.64 ERA.

The Sox had to purchase Kapler's contract to add him to the 40-man roster. To make room for Kapler and Snyder on the 40, the Sox designated relief pitcher Mike Holtz (who had started a rehab assignment at Pawtucket) and outfielder Dustan Mohr (who had been demoted to the PawSox last month) for assignment. The Sox have 10 days to trade or waive the two players; otherwise, they will automatically become free agents.

-- SEAN McADAM

Posted by Art at 5:07 PM | Comment

Mt. Pleasant students rally against violence / Photo

Journal photo / Kris Craig
Branden Ferrell was among the students who spoke out about gun violence in the community. His brother, Barry, was killed last year.

PROVIDENCE -- About 50 Mount Pleasant students staged a peace rally outside Mount Pleasant High School today to demand that adults do something about teenagers killing teens, in response to the death of three of their own in recent years.

Branden Ferrell spoke of how his brother, Barry, was shot to death at a bus stop outside Hartford Park on April 6, 2005. Barry Ferrrel attended an alternative high school but played basketball for Mount Pleasant.

Last month, on the one-year anniversary of Ferrell’s death, the students in Tracy Boothman’s English class wrote a letter decrying gun violence, which was signed by 700 students and staff and sent to 59 elected state and local officials.

Lt. Gov. Charles Fogarty, Mayor David N. Cicilline and U.S. Attorney Robert Corrente attended today's event, held on the last day of school at Mount Pleasant.

-- Journal staff writer Linda Borg

Posted by Steve Peoples at 4:57 PM | Comment

Update: Newport woman only American on missing boat

NEWPORT -- Of the four people aboard the missing sailboat Free Spirit, only Molly Finn is an American citizen.

Finn, 19, of Newport, and a 2004 graduate of Barrington's St. Andrew's School, had met the other passengers in the past year when the boat was docked in Portsmouth for repairs, according to Finn's family.

She became friendly with Jack Bielecki, the 19-year-old son of the boat's owner, Jacek Bielecki, and was invited to join the two British citizens and a United Kingdom citizen for "a long" voyage.

In an interview today, Finn's family said they did not know exactly where the Free Spirit was headed. They were told it would be a long trip from Newport to Europe or even farther.

The Coast Guard began searching for the boat yesterday after getting a phone call from Jacek Bielecki's stepdaughter in Newport, stating that the vessel and crew were in distress and needed to be rescued immediately. Bielecki had called her using a satellite phone.

Today, rescue teams discovered a debris field in the search area that included a gas can, a wooden boat door, and a milk carton. There was no confirmation, however, that the debris was from the Free Spirit.

The Coast Guard has released a map of the 6,500-square-mile search area and a photo of the boat.

-- With reports from Journal staff writer Richard Salit

The massive search by the Coast Guard, Canadian Air Force and Canadian Navy has been stepped up because of the debris located at 5:10 a.m. today, Coast Guard Petty Officer Lisa Hennings said.

Search and rescue crews have found a wooden door from a boat, a nautical hatch cover, a bleach bottle and a milk carton with a line tied to it and a gasoline can about 200 nautical miles south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Hennings said. That is the last known position of the sailing vessel Free Spirit.

The Canadian Navy has assumed command of the search and rescue area, and the U.S. Coast Guard is now following the Canadians’ lead, Hennings said.

More ...

Posted by Steve Peoples at 4:26 PM | Comment

Update: 4 victims of Fall River fire officially identified

FALL RIVER, Mass. -- The city's Fire Department issued a statement this afternoon officially identifying the four victims of Wednesday's deadly fire at a religious social club.

The four -- all women -- are: Emiliana Carvalho, 80, of 22 Covel St., Fall River; Geraldine Andrade, 63, of 505 Tower St., Fall River; Mary Raposa, 70, of 14 Bob St., Westport; and Christina Costa, 31, no address given. Andrade's name had previously not been available.

The fire raced through the small club around 7 p.m. Wednesday when a candle tipped over in a room decorated as a shrine with crepe paper, white paper rose blossoms, satin ribbons and miniature Christmas lights for what was to be the club’s Holy Ghost feast this weekend.

Firefighters were back at the scene of early this morning to douse hotspots, reported around 2 a.m.

More about the blaze from today's Journal story ...

Posted by Steve Peoples at 4:06 PM | Comment

Forecast: Take suntan lotion and head for the beach

This weekend could prove to be the first big beach weekend of the year with the temperature expected to climb well into the 80s Saturday, even reaching the 90s in parts of the region Sunday.

After a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms this afternoon, the weekend should bring partly cloudy skies with the temperature well into the 80s tomorrow and possibly reaching the low 90s Sunday in Providence, according to the National Weather Service.

The weather service is warning that areas northwest of Route 95 could climb into the mid 90s on Sunday. The agency says people outside for extended periods of time should drink a lot of water.

The state Department of Health has recommended the temporary closing of Oakland Beach and Gorton Pond Beach, both in Warwick, because of high bacteria counts.

But the Health Department notes that Rhode Islanders looking to escape the heat have plenty of other options since there are 117 licensed beaches open to swimming.

Check projo.com/weather for more weather and updates.

Posted by Jack Perry at 12:56 PM | Comment

Congress approves money for red tide

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Congress has approved $5 million in federal funding for New England shellfish harvesters hurt by last summer's red tide outbreak.

The money is meant to help the tourism and fishing industries that saw millions of dollars in losses during the outbreak, lawmakers said.

"Last year's red tide outbreak was more massive than any the region has faced in more than 30 years ... This disaster aid is meant to help them get back on their feet," said Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., in a statement.

The toxic algae bloom last summer closed shellfish beds from Maine to Massachusetts putting thousands of clammers, oyster farmers and mussel harvesters temporarily out of work.

"Anyone who visited Maine last summer saw first hand the effect it had on the state and regions economy," said Sen. Olympia Snow, R-Maine.

Red tide is formed when a microscopic algae reproduces at an explosive rate. The algae produces a neurotoxin that can paralyze or make breathing difficult for fish, manatees or even humans that inhale or ingest it. No illnesses associated to the outbreak were reported last year in Massachusetts.

-- The Associated Press

Posted by Steve Peoples at 12:28 PM | Comment

State rep urges shift in Providence library trustees

Representative Paul Moura, D-Providence, said he will introduce a resolution urging the Providence Public Library to accept more publicly appointed representatives on its Board of Trustees.

The library, a private nonprofit, has only two public appointments on its 33-member board, although the city and state provide more than half of the library's budget.

Moura announced his resolution at a rally outside the Smith Hill neighborhood library this morning. The rally was hosted by a citywide coalition that is advocating to keep the library branches open and to change the governance of the library.

-- Journal staff writer Cathleen F. Crowley

Posted by Steve Peoples at 11:56 AM | Comment

Underdog filming will close Providence streets

Several streets in downtown Providence will be closed starting at 6 p.m. today for the filming of Underdog, according to the mayor's office.

The following streets will be closed from 6 p.m. today until 6 a.m. tomorrow: Weybosset Street between Dorrance and Westminster; Peck Street between Pine and Weybosset; and Orange Street between Westminster and Weybosset.

The following streets will be closed from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. Sunday: College Street between South Main and Prospect; Benefit Street between George and Waterman.

Posted by Jack Perry at 7:46 AM | Comment