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June 28, 2006

Update: Few surprises in candidate filings

The parade of local candidates running for election this year became official as those seeking political office met the state deadline for filing documents needed to qualify for the September primary and November general election ballots.

There were few surprises.

In the U.S. Senate race, Republican incumbent Lincoln D. Chafee of Exeter faces Cranston Mayor Stephen Laffey for the GOP nomination. On the Democratic side, former attorney general Sheldon Whitehouse of Providence, Carl Sheeler of West Greenwich, Christopher Young of Providence and Rebeka Palmer Rockefeller of Providence seek the nod.

For Congress, 1st District Rep. Patrick Kennedy has no primary opposition, but three Republicans -- Edmund Leather of East Providence, Joseph Zuccolo of Providence and Jonathan Scott of Providence -- have taken out papers for the GOP nomination.

In the 2nd District, incumbent Democratic Rep. James Langevin of Warwick is opposed by Jennifer Lawless of Cranston. No Republican candidate is running for the 2nd District U.S. Congress.

In the governor's race, Republican voters have a choice between incumbent Governor Carcieri of East Greenwich and Dennis Michaud, a Providence business consultant.

Lt. Gov. Charles Fogarty was the lone Democrat to file for governor, but Democrats will have a primary for lieutenant governor between Spencer Dickinson of South Kingstown and state Sen. Elizabeth Roberts of Cranston.

Republicans have two candidates to choose from for lieutenant governor: Former state adjutant general Reginald Centracchio of Scituate and Kernan "Kerry" King of Narragansett.

The Republican attorney general candidate is William Harsch of Jamestown. He will face Democratic incumbent Patrick Lynch.

Democrats have a secretary of state primary between North Providence Mayor Ralph Mollis and Guillaume deRamel of Newport. The lone GOP candidate to file for secretary of state is Warwick City Councilwoman Sue Stenhouse.

-- Journal staff writer Scott MacKay

Posted by Steve Peoples at 6:44 PM | Comment

Detective's widow gives thanks for 'justice for Jimmy'

PROVIDENCE -- The widow of slain police Detective Sgt. James L. Allen issued a statement of gratitude late this afternoon to many of those involved in what she called bringing "justice to Jimmy."

Marguerite Allen's remarks came about 24 hours after a jury convicted Esteban Carpio of her husband's murder at Providence police headquarters last year, rejecting Carpio's insanity defense.

Marguerite Allen said that she is indebted to the men and women of the jury "who recognized the truth and acted on it."

She acknowledged staff of the state Attorney General's Office, which prosecuted the case, Police Department members, the mayor of Providence and family and friends.

"But most of all, I am thankful to God," she said, "whose presence and protection I have never doubted.

"I miss Jimmy every day, his face, his laugh, his love," the mother of two daughters continued. "He was a loving husband and a great father. May he now rest in peace."

Read today's Journal story about the verdict, find photos and coverage of the trial and Allen's shooting.

Posted by Steve Peoples at 6:30 PM | Comment

R.I. Training School to hold graduation tonight

CRANSTON -- They will don caps and gowns tonight, pose with smiling family members for pictures, and receive diplomas.

But these graduates won't go home after the ceremony. Some won’t go home for years.

The Rhode Island Training School -- a detention facility for convicted criminals between the ages of 13 and 21 -- will hand out diplomas or GEDs to 71 students at 6:30 tonight at a ceremony inside the locked facility’s cafeteria. An outdoor program under a large tent was canceled because of the rain.

“It’s a commencement and a celebration of an academic milestone for these youths that they might otherwise not have achieved if they weren’t here,” said Arlene Chorney, the principal of the facility’s school program, which employs more than 40 teachers and school staff and caps class sizes at 12 students.

“In actually a brief amount of time, by attending school every day -- and school is mandatory here -- they’re able to fill in the gaps in their education,” Chorney said. “It’s amazing how much they’re able to do by simply attending class. And we have just about 100 percent attendance here.”

Many of the students had spotty school attendance records before entering state custody, she said.

Most of the graduates are between 17 and 19 years old, though some are as old as 21.

Chorney said she expects about 150 family and friends to attend tonight’s ceremony.
“It’s a time that their families can come and really be proud of their kids,” she said.

Posted by Steve Peoples at 5:50 PM | Comment

Women's Open: 1st day may be tough, wet slog

Journal photo / Bob Breidenbach
Morgan Pressel, right, signs an autograph for Emma Orton, 9, of Cranston during the final practice round today at the Newport Country Club.

NEWPORT -- If the worst forecasts turn out to be true, tomorrow could be a rough first day of play at the U.S. Women's Open.

The United States Golf Association is expecting anywhere from a quarter to a full inch of rain, in addition to the 3.7 inches that fell on the course over the weekend.

"I think it's fair to say it can probably handle a quarter inch, maybe a half inch without too much problem," said Mike Davis, the USGA's senior director of rules and competitions. "If we truly get the inch, then we're going to have some severe puddling out there and probably some bunkers that are going to need to be pumped. It's going to be a wet, long U.S. Open, at least tomorrow."

The rain could force delays in play or possibly force the action to be suspended, in which case four days of golf would have to be compressed into Friday, Saturday and Sunday, when better weather is expected.

The wet conditions will also make the course in the famed City by the Sea harder to play, and make long drives a necessity. The USGA is contemplating shortening the course, to make it less difficult, if things get really rough.

See the latest forecast for Newport.

- With reports from Journal sports writer Paul Kenyon

Journal photo / Bob Breidenbach
Michelle Wie prepares to hit a ball during the final practice round today on the windswept Newport Country Club. At left, armed with an umbrella, is her coach, David Leadbetter.

Despite the rain, the final day of practice play for the U.S. Women's Open went as as scheduled.

Projo.com will ramp up coverage of the U.S. Women's Open tomorrow, with a special section from The Journal newspaper and expanded coverage on projo.com.

Beginning at noon, you can satisfy your appetite for news and pictures from Newport on the U.S. Women's Open Blog. We'll keep it running through the weekend and until a champion is crowned.

Posted by Mike McDermott at 5:08 PM | Comment

Update: Body found in Hopkinton ID'd as British man

Rhode Island authorities confirmed this afternoon that the body discovered in a shallow grave in the Rockville Management Area is that of a missing British man, Adrian Exley, 32, of London.

The state police issued a statement indicating that the state medical examiner's office used dental records to verify the man's identity.

Lynn, Mass. police had been investigating Exley's disappearance since late April. They were led to the gravesite yesterday morning by a suicide note.

More to come ...

Posted by Steve Peoples at 4:45 PM | Comment

Carcieri signs sex offender monitoring bill

PROVIDENCE -- Governor Carcieri signed a law requiring electronic monitoring for certain sex offenders this afternoon.

The new law requires state authorities to track some sex offenders with global positioning software from the time they're released from prison until their death. The bill also raises the minimum mandatory sentence for first-degree sexual assault to 25 years in prison, a five-year increase.

The law takes effect January 1, 2007.

It applies to child rapists and other sex offenders deemed likely to reoffend.

Senator James Doyle, a bill sponsor, says the General Assembly will create a commission next year to consider excluding sex offenders from certain areas, for example, around schools. He says the new tracking system would allow state authorities to see if any offenders have violated those zones.

-- The Associated Press

Posted by Steve Peoples at 3:22 PM | Comment

Report: Bruins to hire new coach

DETROIT -- Former Detroit Red Wings coach Dave Lewis has been hired as coach of the Boston Bruins, an official within the NHL said today.

The official spoke on the condition of anonymity because the Bruins had not yet made an announcement.

The Bruins fired Mike Sullivan yesterday, ending weeks of speculation. Sullivan coached the team the past two seasons. Boston finished last in the Northeast Division last season.

The Bruins said today they would hold a news conference tomorrow at 1 p.m. to introduce their new coach, although the team did not disclose his name.

Lewis coached the Red Wings during the 2002-03 and 2003-04 seasons and remained with the team as a scout.

Messages left with him Wednesday were not immediately returned.

-- The Associated Press

Posted by Steve Peoples at 3:06 PM | Comment

Deadline looming for declaration of candidacy

Planning to run for office in Rhode Island this year? This afternoon is the deadline for filing your declaration of candidacy.

The deadline applies to candidates who may run in a primary this September or as an independent in November.

Those running for statewide and federal offices have until 4 p.m. to file with the Secretary of State. Candidates for General Assembly, local offices, state and district committees and local committees file with their local boards of canvassers.

Come back to projo.com and The Journal tomorrow morning for a look at some of those who filed today.

Posted by Andrea Panciera at 1:44 PM | Comment

High surf advisory equals poor surfing today

MIDDLETOWN -- The National Weather Service has issued a high surf advisory for the Rhode Island coast starting at 1 p.m., warning of high winds and powerful rip tides.

And while such waters keep swimmers away, local surfers often flock to Ocean State beaches during such storms.

Not today.

Although the waves are reportedly at least waist high at Middletown's Second Beach -- a popular surf spot -- they're terrible for surfing.

"It is super bumpy, really windy, choppy, sloppy swell," according to today's surf report from Middletown's Elemental surf shop.

Today's strong off-shore winds cause the waves to break very quicky and come in from different directions -- far from ideal surf conditions regardless of how large the waves are, according to local surfer Christopher Murphy.

Surfline.com's report for Narragansett beaches agrees, reporting that wave heights were 1 to 2 feet just before noon, with poor conditions.

Posted by Steve Peoples at 12:37 PM | Comment

North Kingstown man arrested after police chase

After a police chase from East Greenwich to Woonsocket early this morning, Woonsocket Police arrested a 21-year-old North Kingstown man who now faces multiple charges of assault with a dangerous weapon and other charges after allegedly ramming police vehicles.

Rocky Cote, of 42 Iron Horse Terrace, in North Kingstown was arrested by Woonsocket officers after a struggle, Johnston Deputy Police Chief Gary W. Maddocks Jr. said this morning.

The Woonsocket officers used a taser gun to incapacitate Cote, Maddocks said.

East Greenwich police wanted Cote for felony assault on a police officer, Maddocks said.

“It appears that East Greenwich tried to stop him, and he tried to assault the officers with his vehicle,” Maddocks said. Johnston police joined the chase at 12:27 a.m. today.

More details to come on projo.com

Posted by Kate Bramson at 10:43 AM | Comment

Fire in vacant Providence building quickly controlled

PROVIDENCE – Within a half hour, a fire this morning in a vacant three-story wood structure at the corner of Friendship and Broad streets was under control, according to Battalion Chief Joseph Desmarais.

At least two dozen firefighters responded to the 6:49 a.m. blaze that Desmarais said appeared to start on the first floor and spread to the upper two floors. There were no injuries, he said.

The building has been vacant for years and had been boarded up, Desmarais said.
The white building sits close to other triple-deckers in the neighborhood near Grace Cemetery and across Broad Street from the Jacqueline M. Clements Memorial Park.

The cause of the fire is unknown at this time, Desmarais said.

Posted by Kate Bramson at 9:32 AM | Comment

Warning: Heavy surf, thunderstorms due this afternoon

PROVIDENCE -- Here’s to Saturday! A change in the forecast now predicts that it will be partly cloudy – but without rain – during the day.

Yes, you heard that right. After days of rain on the horizon and in the forecast, looks like we might get a partly sunny-partly cloudy weekend day, with a high of 83.

As for today, it should be mostly cloudy with a high around 76. Rain is likely and a thunderstorm in the early afternoon is possible.

Along the southern coast of Rhode Island and Massachusetts, the National Weather Service has issued a high surf advisory and urges anyone venturing out on the water this afternoon or tonight to be cautious.

Get the latest conditions and forecasts from projo.com.

Posted by Kate Bramson at 6:59 AM | Comment