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June 30, 2006

Weather: A summery weekend awaits / Photo

Journal photo / Bob Breidenbach
Today's sun brought a clear view of the Newport Country Club clubhouse, which had been shrouded in fog yesterday, postponing the first day of play for the U.S. Women's Open. But golfers there, and around our area, should find the weekend weather just fine.

PROVIDENCE – Start planning for tomorrow. Yes, we’ve got a day expected to be sunny, with a high near 83.

On Sunday, the skies should be partly cloudy, with a chance of showers and thunderstorms inthe afternoon. It'll be humid with highs in the mid-80s and southwest winds10 to 20 mph with gusts.

Looking ahead to the Fourth of July holiday on Tuesday? More clouds are due to roll in, but temps will still be in the 80s, with a chance of thunderstorms.

But, after all, it is July!

Get the latest conditions and forecasts from projo.com.

Looking to keep up with what's happening at the U.S. Women's Open? Keep checking our blog, by projo.com staffer Mike McDermott, who will continue to cover the event, in words and photos, through the weekend.

Posted by Kate Bramson at 6:52 PM | Comment

Naked man nabbed as he ran from N. Kingstown house

NORTH KINGSTOWN -- Police arrested a 26-year-old North Kingstown man early this morning after he tried to run naked from a 77-year-old woman's basement.

Daniel C. Walters of 169 Heritage Rd. was arraigned today at District Court, Wakefield, on the charges of breaking and entering of a dwelling when resident home, simple assault (on a police officer), resisting arrest, disorderly conduct and vandalism.

Police received a call around 1:30 a.m. from Faith Thibault, who was staying at her mother's house with her grandmother. When officers arrived, they found a basement window off of its hinges.

They later heard a male "growling" on the other side of the basement door.

When police opened the door, Walters allegedly tried to run and hit an officer. He was pepper sprayed and taken into police custody.

Capt. Charles Brennan said Walters told police that he had been under the influence of alcohol, Ecstasy and cocaine. Walters' clothes were found close to the house, on a path near Forest Park Elementary School.

Walters was ordered held in prison for violating the terms of his probation. His next court date was scheduled for July 17.

-- Journal staff writer Bethonie Butler

Posted by Steve Peoples at 6:47 PM | Comment

LNG developer accuses CRMC of foot-dragging

Weaver's Cove Energy has accused a Rhode Island regulatory agency of dragging its feet in reviewing the company's dredging plans in order to stall construction of the company's proposed LNG facility in Fall River, Mass.

The company cannot proceed with its plans to build the 73-acre facility until it gets the okay from several agencies, including the Rhode Island Coastal Management Resources Council, or CRMC. That's because some of the dredging would occur in Rhode Island waters.

"... The CRMC has abused its federally delegated authority under [federal law] by using it as a political tool to delay, block or otherwise obstruct this important energy infrastructure,'' Weaver's Cove said in a filing to the U.S. Secretary of Commerce.

CRMC has said in previous filings that it had not processed the application because it was incomplete. It was missing a "water quality certification'' from the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management.

Weaver's Cove said DEM "has shown no inclination" to give it that certification, and that it is not needed anyway.

Posted by Tim Barmann at 6:04 PM | Comment

Record travel, extra police on tap for weekend

PROVIDENCE -- AAA of Southern New England has predicted that 40.7 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more from home this holiday weekend -- a national record -- and the Rhode Island State Police plan to boost theirs presence across the state to meet the high demand.

"We're putting more patrols out there," said State police Maj. Steven G. O'Donnell, noting that six more officers than usual have been assigned to Providence on Monday night, when the city has scheduled fireworks and public concerts.

"Their specific mission is drunk driving enforcement," O'Donnell said.

The state Department of Transportation is reporting just one planned highway lane closure this weekend. Between 1 and 7 a.m. early tomorrow, crews plan to shut down two right lanes on Interstate 195 westbound between Exit 3 (Gano St.) and Exit 1 (Downtown Providence).

Heading out yourself? Check projo.com's collection of online travelers' resources, from highway cameras to ferry schedules to airport information around our area.

Posted by Steve Peoples at 5:44 PM | Comment

High court upholds Barrington affordable housing plan

PROVIDENCE -- The Rhode Island Supreme Court has upheld a decision by the State Housing Appeals Board granting approval for the construction of a 50-unit affordable housing development in Barrington.

The ruling, released to the public today, appears to clear the way for the East Bay Community Development Corporation, a Bristol-based nonprofit, to build the Sweetbriar housing proposal on the site of the former West Barrington Elementary School, off Washington Road.

In its ruling, the court instructs the Barrington Zoning Board to issue all necessary permits and approvals for the $9.8 million project, which has been in the works since 2003. But it does not prohibit the board from imposing conditions on the proposal.

It was the Zoning Board that initially turned down the application for the proposal, finding in 2004 that the housing proposal was not consistent with Barrington’s comprehensive plan. The plan recommended redeveloping the approximately 9-acre site of the school for commercial purposes, rather than housing.

-- Journal staff writer Alex Kuffner

Posted by Steve Peoples at 5:19 PM | Comment

Update: Governor signs state budget into law / Photo

Journal photo / Andrew Dickerman
Govenor Carcieri motions for legislators to join him before the ceremonial budget signing at the State House today. From left are House Speaker William Murphy, Rep. Steven Costantino, House Minority Leader Robert Watson, Sen. Stephen Alves and Rep. Carol Mumford.

PROVIDENCE - Governor Carcieri signed a $6.7 billion state budget today that reduces some taxes while scaling back social services and cutting 420 state jobs to avoid a projected $243 million shortfall.

Carcieri signed the budget one day before the start of the new fiscal year.

"While it does not include all the reforms I would have hoped for, the budget plan that was passed by the General Assembly last week largely addresses the priorities I put forward in February," Carcieri said.

The General Assembly passed the budget a week ago after some last-minute wrangling in which House members voted to lower the state cap on property tax increases in return for Senate passage of the House's budget plan.

The spending plan closes a shortfall estimated at $243 million. Republicans and Democrats call the budget a fair deal in tough economic times.

It enacts tax cuts for high-income families and increases the car tax exemption from five-thousand dollars to six-thousand dollars. Carcieri says he soon expects to sign legislation limiting local property tax increases.

But the budget reduces health insurance for people leaving welfare from 18 months to 12 months. It also keeps new non-citizens from enrolling in the state's health insurance program for the poor after the end of the year.

-- Associated Press

Posted by Kate Bramson at 5:15 PM | Comment

School, tax groups face off in Portsmouth

PORTSMOUTH -- Chanting "Saving Our Schools" and holding signs saying "Shame on You PCC," dozens of concerned parents and students filled the town clerk's office this morning to protest a citizens group's effort to call a special financial meeting and cut the school budget.

Save Our Schools supporters surrounded members of the Portsmouth Concerned Citizens as they submitted 2,200 signatures from residents calling for the meeting, referred to locally as a tent meeting. The group needed about 1,250 signatures – 10 percent of the registered voters.

One teenager stood behind group leader Lawrence Fitzmorris and held a sign saying, "Don't Hurt the Kids, U Had a Good Education, We Need One Too."

A police officer eventually quieted the demonstrators, but the two sides engaged in shouting matches over the $32.5 million school budget approved on Monday that brings a 9.2-percent tax-rate increase.

-- Journal staff writer Kia Hall Hayes

Officials projected the tent meeting would cost around $50,000.

"We could use it for a lot better purposes than holding a tent meeting to cut the budget," said SOS supporter Michelle McGaw, who has two teenagers in Portsmouth schools.

Hearing her comment, PCC member Nancy Askew told her that residents should be proud their town allows people to be heard. "Let the people speak," she said.

Town Clerk Kathleen Viera-Beaudoin said it should take a couple of days to verify the signatures. If enough are deemed valid, the meeting will take place on either Aug. 12 or Aug. 19.

-- Journal staff writer Kia Hall Hayes

Posted by Steve Peoples at 1:10 PM | Comment

Strawberry-picking season in full swing

Near-record rains in June may have flooded area rivers, helped boost mosquito populations, and depressed some Rhode Islanders, but it did not hurt the state's strawberry farmers.

The state Department of Environmental Management issued a statement today reminding state residents that despite recent bad weather, this is the height of strawberry season in Rhode Island.

"Strawberries like water," said Stephen Volpe, deputy chief of DEM's division of agriculture and resource marketing. "Although there may be cases of a field or two being particularly wet, overall the fields are in decent shape, and there is a good crop of strawberries this year."

Volpe said he recently visited 17 pick-your-own berry farms in the area and found no serious problems.

See DEM's list of berry-picking farms in Rhode Island.

June and July are the peak months for strawberry picking. Blueberries and raspberries come in July and last through early fall.

Posted by Steve Peoples at 12:07 PM | Comment

George Mitchell, who's investigating baseball, to address scholar athletes

The former Senate majority leader who has recently been tapped by Major League Baseball to investigate steroid use among players is set to give the 20th anniversary address tonight at the World Scholar-Athlete Games at the University of Rhode Island.

George Mitchell, former U.S. senator from Maine, is set to speak at 7:30 p.m. in the Keaney Gymnasium, on URI’s Kingston campus.

The weeklong event that has brought 1,900 teenagers from 157 nations is set to wrap up tomorrow night with closing ceremonies at 7 p.m. in URI's Ryan Center.

Posted by Kate Bramson at 11:00 AM | Comment

RIPIRG readies to warn against global warming / Photo

Journal photo / Kris Craig
RIPIRG director of canvassing Virginia Robnett, center in blue shirt, instructs canvassers on where they will be heading to spread the global warming message.

PROVIDENCE – An inflatable model of the earth that’s “big enough to attract some attention” will help the Rhode Island Public Interest Research Group release a national report here in Rhode Island today, RIPIRG advocate Matt Auten said this morning.

The globe is about 18 feet high and has flames painted on the bottom, Auten said a few minutes before the news conference was set to begin at 10:30 a.m.

With that as their backdrop, environmental activists are releasing “The Carbon Boom,” a national study about trends in global warming pollution since 1960.

Here in Rhode Island, Auten said that modeling shows emissions will remain at current levels. While it’s good they’re not increasing, the state must do more and decrease emissions levels, Auten said.

Find "The Carbon Boom" report online.

Posted by Kate Bramson at 10:42 AM | Comment

EMC shares fall after announcing $2.1 billion deal

EMC Corp. stock dropped 7.4 percent to $10.24 a share in trading this morning, as investors reacted negatively to the company's plans to purchase Beford, Mass.-based RSA Security Inc. for about $2.1 billion.

The Hopkinton, Mass.-based EMC said yesterday evening that it plans to pay $28 a share to acquire RSA, which specializes in Internet security technology.

EMC, a data storage company, employs several hundred Rhode Islanders in its Massachusetts' facilities.

--- Andrea L. Stape

Posted by Peter Phipps at 10:29 AM | Comment

Photo / A leaderboard with leaders

By 9 a.m., 60 players had begun play with the first groups almost through nine holes.

--- Journal photo Kathy Borchers

Posted by Peter Phipps at 9:03 AM | Comment

Finally, they're playing in Newport

The fog has lifted and the first groups teed off this morning at the U.S. Women's Open in Newport.

The women will pay 18 holes today and 18 holes tomorrow. Then the field will be cut in half and the women will play 36 holes on Sunday. Monday has been set aside if a playoff is required.

Despite all the rain overnight, play began close to schedule this morning. The National Weather Service says there's a 30 percent chance for more rain today.

For news, links, profiles and the latest news from a team of eight projo writers, editors and photographers go to projo's U.S. Women's Open page.

Posted by Peter Phipps at 8:30 AM | Comment

It's going to be a great weekend in Providence

PROVIDENCE -- The big 4 holiday weekend kicks off tonight at WaterPlace Park.

Grammy-nominated jazz saxophonist Greg Abate will perform at 7:30 p.m. He is considered to be one of the best BeBop alto players in the country, according to the mayor's office.

Then tomorrow night, there will be a full lighting of WaterFire will begin downtown at sundown.

And on Monday, a series of events are planned. A 12-member orchestra known as Plena Libre will begin playing at Station Park at 6:30 p.m. The Grammy-nominated group specializes in a new and revitalized form of traditional Afro-Rican musical style.

The Rhode Island Philharmonic Pops orchestra will follow at 8 p.m., with fireworks above Station Park scheduled to begin at 10 p.m.

Posted by Peter Phipps at 6:58 AM | Comment