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March 30, 2007

A Buddhist blessing in Cranston

Journal photo / John Freidah
From left, Yon San, Kimly Sao and Sara Brown serve food to Buddhist monks Saveng Sibunroeung and Cen Prum during their blessing today of the Comprehensive Community Action Program's Family Health Service Dental Office to bring prosperity to the building, workers and clients at the Cranston facility.

Posted by Andrea Panciera at 6:51 PM | Comment

2 teen boaters rescued off Pawtuxet

WARWICK -- Two teenagers were rescued off Pawtuxet Cove this afternoon after their small sailboat overturned and could not be righted, a fire official said.

The boaters, who have not been identified, were in the water for approximately five minutes but appeared not to have suffered any injuries.

Just after 4:45 p.m., the Warwick Fire Department received reports of boaters in distress just off Pawtuxet. The department’s marine rescue boat and a Coast Guard crew were alerted and dispatched to the scene.

“It appears they were unable to get the boat righted again, so someone called us concerned,” said Fire Department Battalion Chief Frank Colantonio. “By the time our boat got out there, they had already been taken out of the water and were in a civilian boat. It looked like they were possibly in some sort of [sailing] class. Our guys went out there and just verified that everything was okay.”

The Coast Guard crew was called off before it reached the scene.

Though the spring has arrived on land, rescue personnel still have concerns about water exposure at this time of year, Colantonio said: “When you’ve been in the water for a decent amount of time, you worry they could suffer the effects of hypothermia.”

In this case, the pair had protective suits on and refused medical attention, though they “appeared to be chilled,” the battalion chief added.

The two were taken aboard the civilian boat to the Rhode Island Yacht Club just over the Cranston line in Edgewood, according to Warwick Police Capt. Robert Nelson.

-- Journal staff writer Cynthia Needham

Posted by Andrea Panciera at 6:46 PM | Comment

Catch the saltwater fishing show this weekend

Ocean State anglers, this is for you.

The New England Saltwater Fishing Show is on at the Rhode Island Convention Center through Sunday.

Five hundred exhibitors will have information on fishing equipment, boats, charters, guides and more. The public is also invited to participate in dozens of seminars and to try out a Virtual Fishing Simulator.

Show hours are today until 9 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.; and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $10, with children age 12 and under admitted free. On Sunday only, women are also admitted free.

Discount coupons are offered online at www.nesaltwatershow.com. The Rhode Island Convention Center is at 1 Sabin St., Providence.

Posted by Andrea Panciera at 6:23 PM | Comment

Geography bee winner tops spelling bee champ

PROVIDENCE -- We can tell you who won the statewide Geography Bee today -- but we can't tell you the winning answer.

Samuel Curry of Broad Rock Middle School in Wakefield, in South Kingstown, took first place in the annual contest held at Rhode Island College and organized by the National Geographic Society.

But he and his fellow contestants were among many participating in geography bees across the country today -- all the way to Hawaii.

The same question is being asked at all of them -- and because of that, contest organizers have embargoed its publication until tomorrow, after the contests are over.

We can also tell you who came in second and third in the Rhode Island competition.

Runner-up to Samuel is Rosa Nguyen, of John Deering Middle School in West Warwick.

And if her name sounds a bit familiar, that's because she won the statewide spelling bee last weekend.

Third place went to Timothy Carr, of St. Margaret School in Rumford, in East Providence.

-- With reports from Journal staff photographer Glenn Osmundson

Posted by Andrea Panciera at 5:54 PM | Comment

DMV: Printer malfunction delays registration renewals

The state Division of Motor Vehicles announced today that some registration renewals for March will be mailed about two weeks later than usual due to a malfunction of a printer that produces the registration stickers.

The delay will affect the registrations about 15,000 commercial, combination and commercial trailer registrations. Those owners should expect to receive their registration stickers by April 13. No passenger vehicle registrations are impacted by the delay.

While vehicle owners will not have their new registrations in hand, their renewal information has been updated in the DMV database.

All law enforcement agencies in Rhode Island and nationwide have been notified about this delay in the registration forms. “As long as owners have renewed their registrations, they will be listed as active in our system,” said Charles F. “Ted” Dolan, administrator of the DMV, who apologized for the delay.

Posted by Andrea Panciera at 4:30 PM | Comment

Sports Tonight: Sports purgatory in Philadelphia

We're right at the cusp of, in my mind, the best time of year for sports fans, but tonight really doesn't stack up.

There will probably be plenty of fans from New England in the streets of Philadelphia tonight, as two games that don't mean a whole lot take place at the same time. The Red Sox will be at Citizens Bank Park for the first of two exhibition games there against the Phillies. The game will not be televised. The Celtics, meanwhile, go up against the 76ers in a game you can see on Fox Sports New England. Both games start at 7.

The Providence Bruins continue their playoff drive tonight with a home game against the Springfield Falcons. The game begins at 7 in the Dunkin' Donuts Center.

Mostly, of course, tonight is about getting ready for tomorrow, and the start of the NCAA Final Four. Georgetown-Ohio State will be up first at 6, followed soon afterward by Florida-UCLA. The games are on CBS and on Cox High-Def. Countdown to Opening Day in Kansas City: We're just about 72 and a half hours away.

Posted by Mike McDermott at 3:37 PM | Comment

Suspect wanted in Providence fatal hit-and-run

PROVIDENCE -- The Providence police are looking for the driver of a car involved in a fatal hit-and-run accident last night at the corner of Eddy Street and New York Avenue.

The police say the suspect, Angelo Caba, 26, also known as Angelo Perez, 26, should be considered armed and dangerous.

The police had tried to stop Caba's vehicle earlier in the evening on suspicion of drug and firearms violations, but Caba fled at a high rate of speed and pursuing officers lost sight of his vehicle, which was traveling in excess of 60 mph, according to a police press release.

Sometime later -- the police press release didn't say how long -- the Caba vehicle collided with another vehicle at Eddy Street and New York Avenue. A passenger in the rear of the struck vehicle was ejected, and later died at Rhode Island Hospital, the police said. The victim's name has not been released, pending notification of family.

The other three people in that vehicle -- everyone in the vehicle was from Providence -- were taken to Hasbro and Rhode Island hospitals, treated and released.

The crash was reported at 8:44 p.m.

Caba fled and is being sought on an outstanding assault warrant, drug charges, and numerous traffic related charges, including driving to endanger, death resulting, and leaving the scene of an accident, death resulting, according to the police.

A passenger in his vehicle, Christopher Cuadrado, 28, is being held and is charged with possession with intent to deliver cocaine, possession with intent to deliver marijuana, conspiracy and distribution of narcotics in proximity to a school zone.

Cuadrado was also injured in the accident.

Caba is 5 feet, 9 inches tall and weighs about 130 pounds. Anyone with information should contact the Providence police at 272-3121, ext. 6418.

-- Journal staff writer Gregory Smith

Posted by Jack Perry at 3:36 PM | Comment

Cape Wind project gets a state regulatory approval

The Cape Wind project cleared a significant hurdle today as a key Massachusetts agency announced it had approved the project’s Final Environmental Impact Report.

The Massachusetts Executive Office of Environmental Affairs determined that the wind farm project “adequately and properly” complies with the state’s Environmental Policy Act, the agency said.

“The development of the large scale wind farm as proposed is expressly consistent with and will significantly advance the Commonwealth’s energy policy goals, and will provide immediate and significant benefits to air quality and energy reliability in Massachusetts and the Northeast,” said Ian A. Bowles, secretary of the agency.

“Overall, the project represents a balanced and thoughtful commitment to action that will contribute to the long-term preservation and enhancement of our environment.”

The project still needs a number of state and federal approvals before it can be constructed, including the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, the state’s Office of Coastal Zone Management, and the federal Minerals Management Service.

Posted by Tim Barmann at 2:24 PM | Comment

Update: 1 URI student killed, 1 hurt in crash / Photos

WARWICK – One University of Rhode Island student is dead and another critically wounded after a car crash early this morning on Route 95 south.

Killed in the crash was passenger Tiffany DeSisto, 20, of 71 Broad St. in Warwick, according to state police Lt. David Neill. The driver, who was in critical condition this morning, was Marissa Salabert, 19, of 120 Ben Bridge Ave. in Warwick.

Salabert was driving south when she lost control just south of Route 295, before Exit 10, according to the state police. The car veered left off the road and into the grass median area before shooting back out onto the highway, where it stalled in the center lane, facing west, Neill said.

A tractor-trailer then struck the stationary vehicle broadside, on the passenger side, around 1:46 a.m., Neill said.

DeSisto was pronounced dead at the scene by the medical examiner, and the driver remains in critical condition, Neill said.

A URI spokesman could not say any more about the students this morning.

See Channel 12 video from the scene.

-- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson

Posted by Kate Bramson at 2:16 PM | Comment

N.K. superintendent accuses TV reporter of intimidation

NORTH KINGSTOWN – Supt. James M. Halley is accusing Channel 6 reporter Jim Hummel of intimidation after a confrontation before a School Committee meeting Wednesday night.

Halley filed a complaint against Hummel, a senior reporter with ABC's WLNE, Thursday. It has been forwarded to Town Solicitor Terrence Simpson, Police Capt. Charles Brennan said.

Simpson will look at what criminal charges, if any, grew out of the clash between the superintendent and Hummel.

News clips show Hummel pursuing Halley with questions about a state Department of Education report released Tuesday that found the School Department misspent more than $245,000 of federal money over about 3 1/2 years.

Halley has defended the spending. He has said he simply has a different interpretation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act – a position dismissed by state educators.

Halley was named Rhode Island School Superintendent of the Year last October, but has proven to be a divisive figure in the community. School spending under his leadership has been the focus of “You Paid for It” investigations by Hummel.

Posted by Peter Phipps at 12:09 PM | Comment

Fire on Prudence Island a 'controlled burn'

PORTSMOUTH -- If you're seeing smoke coming from Prudence Island, here's the reason why:

The state Department of Environmental Management is doing a "controlled burn" there as part of its wildlife habitat management, according to the town Fire Department and a DEM spokeswoman.

Posted by Andrea Panciera at 11:38 AM | Comment

Sentencing postponed for man who killed ex-girlfriend

The sentencing for a man convicted of killing his ex-girlfriend, Lindsay Ann Burke, in a jealous rage has been postponed from today until April 12.

Gerardo E. Martinez, the 29-year-old Warwick man Burke dated for two years, will be sentenced in Kent County Courthouse by Superior Court Judge Francis J. Darigan Jr.

A Superior Court jury convicted Martinez in January. The state is seeking life in prison without the possibility of parole for Martinez.

Martinez murdered Burke, 23, on Sept. 14, 2005, after discovering the photo of another man in her purse. Burke had broken up with Martinez by then.

A Web site created in Burke’s memory offers more details about Burke, domestic violence, the Lindsay Ann Burke Act, which is supported by the state’s Attorney General Patrick C. Lynch, and where to go for help if you are in a violent relationship.

-- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson, with Journal archival reports

In his anger, Martinez broke Burke’s nose, stabbed her multiple times in the head and chest, and slashed her throat with a 6-inch knife, depositing her bloodied body in the bathtub of his Warwick apartment.

In the seven-day trial, prosecutors saved their most compelling evidence for the final day of testimony, when they played a six-minute homemade videotape in which Martinez, on the day of the murder, confesses to the killing and begs forgiveness from his parents and son, Enrique.

Burke’s parents have worked in the two years since her murder encouraging high school students to talk openly about unhealthy relationships. Now, if a bill named for Burke becomes law, public school districts across the state would be required to teach middle and high school students about dating violence.

Posted by Kate Bramson at 8:56 AM | Comment

Man freed after crashing into hospital security booth

PROVIDENCE – A man has been freed from his car after crashing it into a security booth at Rhode Island Hospital this morning, and he is now being treated inside the hospital.

Emergency crews were called to the scene, at 593 Eddy St., around 7:34 a.m., according to James Taylor, chief of communications for the Providence Fire Department. The man had been freed by 8:20 a.m., and there was no visible sign of a crash at that time.

No one was in the booth when it was struck, Taylor said.

-- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson, with reports from Journal photographer Bill Murphy

Posted by Kate Bramson at 8:36 AM | Comment

More risk of fire today

The National Weather Service is again warning about the increased risk of fire today, due to dry, windy conditions, and a fire weather watch goes into effect at 1 p.m. through tonight.

Today should be partly cloudy with a high near 63 degrees in the Providence area and a west wind between 6 and 14 mph, the weather service says.

Posted by Jack Perry at 7:05 AM | Comment

Today's front page

Today's front page features a story about the struggle to protect polar bears and includes a photograph of Kobe, a polar bear that was born at Roger Williams Park zoo and now lives at a zoo in Airzona.

Download a copy of today's front page in .pdf format.

Posted by Jack Perry at 7:00 AM | Comment

March 29, 2007

Weather update: Fire watch on for tomorrow

The forecast of another dry day, accompanied by wind, has lead the National Weather Service to issue a fire weather watch for tomorrow afternoon through the evening for all of Rhode Island and eastern Massachusetts.

Relative humidities are expected to fall below 20 percent across most of the region. While winds won't be as strong as the past few days, the service says, they should be coming in from the northwest at 10 to 15 mph. Gusts of 20 to 25 mph are expected during the afternoon and evening.

The service notes that it is not forecasting fires, but conditions that are conducive to them.

Get the latest conditions and forecasts at: http://projo.com/weather

Posted by Andrea Panciera at 6:59 PM | Comment

Panel reports Kent County water recommendations

The special legislative commission charged with studying the Kent County Water Authority released a series of broad recommendations in its final report today that will serve as a "springboard" for future conversations about water access across the state, Rep. Raymond J. Sullivan said.

The eight-member committee began investigating the agency's operation in November 2005, after the authority came under fire for a number of issues, including a 25-percent rate hike, restrictions on outdoor wateruse and a lawsuit from an influential developer. Over the span of about a year, the commission conducted hearings in the State House and in the communities serviced by the authority to find out what issues the agency faced.

The agency services 26,360 households in West Warwick, Coventry, East Greenwich and West Greenwich. It also serves parts of Cranston, Warwick, Scituate and North Kingstown.

Some of the problems, the commission found, were beyond the control of the agency. Sen. J. Michael Lenihan, co-chairman of the commission, pointed to the bureaucracy that keeps organizations such as the Kent County Water Authority from getting straight answers from state agencies.

To address the problems, the commission recommended the Kent County Water Authority connect to the Providence Water Supply Board and develop wells in the Michnock and Big River areas and refine the statute that created the agency to make the organization as efficient as possible.

Statewide regulatory decision making process should be "coordinated and made more efficient and predictable," and economic development decisions should be made with consideration to the current water situation in the area.

The commission also charged the authority to look at spreading costs more fairly among its customers, and reassessing the Big River Reservoir project, which has a $1.8 billion projected price tag and would take nearly 22 years to complete, Lenihan said.

Additionally, both Sullivan and Lenihan expect legislation will be presented to address the problems with water supply across the state during this General Assembly session.

-- Journal staff writer Talia Buford

Posted by Andrea Panciera at 6:51 PM | Comment

Gas odor briefly delays United flights at Green

WARWICK -- United Airlines flights at T.F. Green Airport were delayed briefly this afternoon after an employee reported an odor of gasoline in a bathroom in the airline’s operation area below the main terminal.G

At approximately 2:30 p.m., a United worker reported the smell, prompting an evacuation of the airline’s ground-level facility, said Patti Goldstein, the airport’s spokeswoman and vice president of air service marketing. The Rhode Island Airport Corporation’s Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting unit, as well as the Warwick Fire Department responded to investigate.

As a precaution, officials in the control tower ordered all inbound and outbound United flights be held while fire crews checked out the reported smell. Goldstein said it was premature to delay flights on other airlines until crews could assess the situation.

The odor turned out to be nothing and United planes were back on schedule within 10 or 15 minutes, Goldstein said. The terminal was not evacuated, and no planes or passengers were affected by the incident.

-- Journal staff writer Cynthia Needham

Posted by Andrea Panciera at 6:38 PM | Comment

TV politico hosts party at Beacon Rock / Photo

Journal photo / Gretchen Ertl
Extra Adria Cicilline, of Lincoln, breaks for lunch during the shooting of a new TV pilot at the Beacon Rock mansion.

NEWPORT – Beacon Rock, the former home of the late sculptor Felix de Weldon, was transformed today into the suburban Washington, D.C., mansion of fictional Rhode Island Congressman Noah Benjamin Foxworthy.

Congressman Foxworthy has a young, idealistic aide named Paige Armstrong, and she’s the heroine of a new pilot for The CW network called I Am Paige Armstrong, being filmed in Rhode Island this week.

The production is scheduled to be in Newport tomorrow, then move to the State House in Providence over the weekend.

Beacon Rock, now owned by attorney Brian Cunha, sits atop a small peninsula of land jutting into Newport Harbor.

Today’s scenes involved a casino-themed cocktail party and fundraiser being held by Foxworthy, so several rooms on the ground floor were outfitted with roulette wheels and blackjack tables.

The entry way was crammed with the equipment needed to make a TV show — cables, cameras, lights. Extras emerged from the interior of the house into the brisk spring sunshine in formal wear — tuxedos for the men, gowns for the women.

I Am Paige Armstrong was created by Rod Lurie, the man behing the film The Contender and the Geena Davis TV show Commander in Chief. The basic plot of the show has Armstrong, played by Jaime Ray Newman, becoming so disgusted with the sleazy political maneuverings of her boss that she decides to run against him.

-- Journal staff writer Andy Smith

During lunch break in a big white tent on the Beacon Rock grounds, Lurie talked about the show. He said the project goes back to 2002, when he submitted the idea to ABC. That network passed on the idea, but Thom Sherman, a former ABC executive who’s now executive vice president of drama development at The CW, asked Lurie is he was interested in reviving it.

“It’s not often you get a second chance in TV,” Lurie said.

Lurie said he’s been interested in issues of female empowerment, possibly because he has a 14-year-old daughter. Who happens to be named Paige.

-- Journal staff writer Andy Smith

Posted by Andrea Panciera at 6:33 PM | Comment

5 R.I. Guardsmen to be awarded Bronze Stars

Five members of the Rhode Island Army National Guard will be awarded Bronze Star Medals for distinguishing themselves with heroic or meritorious achievement during their 2005 deployment to Iraq.

The five members of the 173rd Infantry Detachment will receive their awards at the Quonset Officer Club in North Kingstown on Saturday. They are Staff Sgts. Thomas O’Hare, David Raymond, John Shimkus and Justin Hunt and Sgt. Robert Carrigg.

These awards bring to eight the number of Bronze Stars awarded to members of the 56-man 173rd Infantry Detachment.

-- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson

Posted by Kate Bramson at 5:38 PM | Comment

50 new beds available at mission for the homeless

PROVIDENCE — The Providence Rescue Mission, a faith-based shelter on Cranston Street, has added 50 beds to its facility, enough room to accommodate men who have been sleeping on the floors of Crossroads Rhode Island and Harrington Hall, a shelter for the homeless in Cranston.

The shelter will open its doors for men only tomorrow at 4:30 p.m. It is located at 627 Cranston St.

Noreen Shawcross, Governor Carcieri’s chief of housing and community development, said the mission stepped forward last summer, when state officials began planning for the closing of Welcome Arnold House, which was the state’s largest shelter.

That shelter closed for good on March 15 to make way for a new state police headquarters. Clients were directed to stay in smaller, community-based shelters, but the transition was not entirely smooth. Advocates for the homeless have held protests to argue that Governor Carcieri's plan did not provide enough beds.

-- Journal staff writer Linda Borg

Posted by Kate Bramson at 5:38 PM | Comment

Woonsocket detective not guilty of abusing son

WOONSOCKET — A city police detective has been found not guilty of second-degree child abuse after police alleged he hit his 5-year-old son in the family’s Lincoln home last year.

The verdict in favor of Earl Ledoux, 44, of 325 Angell Road, made in Family Court today by Chief Family Court Judge Jeremiah S. Jeremiah Jr.

Lincoln police said that Ledoux was playing with his son last spring when the child, who is now 6, hit his father with a stuffed animal. Ledoux allegedly became upset and struck the boy repeatedly in the back and shoulder area with an open hand, which caused bruising on the boy’s back, according to Michael J. Healey, a spokesman for the Attorney General’s Office.

His mother, who was ill and asleep at the time, noticed the bruises as she was bathing him later that morning, and alerted the state Department of Children, Youth, and Families. The agency ordered Ledoux to leave the home for several days during the investigation.

Initially, the Attorney General’s Office requested that Ledoux have no contact with the boy, or the boy’s sister, but the court denied that request because of Ledoux’s wife’s illness, which requires that he assist at home.

-- Journal staff writer Kia Hayes

A juvenile detective at the time of the incident, he was reassigned to the traffic division and ordered to undergo alcohol- and anger-management counseling while he awaited trail. In January, his status was changed to suspension without pay.

Ledoux had been suspended with pay after he was charged and released on $5,000 personal recognizance in June last year.

Deputy Chief Richard Dubois said he sees no reason why Ledoux would not be allowed to return to work. “I’m sure he’ll be coming back. There’s nothing to stop him if he was found not guilty,” he said.

Dubois said the city will compensate Ledoux for the three-month period that he was suspended without pay.

Posted by Andrea Panciera at 5:20 PM | Comment

W. Warwick officer fired, 3 years after internal fracas

Sean C. Duffy, the West Warwick police officer who beat up two fellow officers in the department break room three years ago, was dismissed from the force today.

The dismissal comes from a decision of a law enforcement hearing committee which found Duffy guilty of 11 of the 17 violations of departmental rules, regulations and general policies.

Duffy had been out on paid administrative leave since the incident on April 4, 2004, when he started a fight in the Police Department roll-call room after fellow officers made jokes about his Chinese takeout dinner.

In the fracas, Patrolman Jonathan P. Izzi and Duffy's supervisor, Sgt. Fernando Araujo, were injured. Duffy was charged with disorderly conduct and assault.

In June 2005, Duffy was convicted of both charges at a District Court trial. He appealed that decision in Superior Court. That trial ended in deadlock. Duffy eventually settled for a plea deal that downgraded his charge to disorderly conduct.

In February, the committee convened as is required by the Law Enforcement Officer's Bill of Rights to determine Duffy's level of culpability and hand down any necessary punishment. Though the decision was given on Monday, Duffy was formally notified today of his dismissal, said acting Chief Charles Desrosiers.

-- Journal staff writer Talia Buford

Posted by Andrea Panciera at 4:42 PM | Comment

The $20 bills are fake; the change is real

NORTH KINGSTOWN – Local police are warning businesses to be on the look-out for counterfeit $20 bills.

The fake bills have turned up in the last several weeks at local businesses, including a Burger King restaurant, Capt. Charles Brennan said. In each case, the individual makes a small purchase with a single bill.

“He’s going in and buying an order of fries and getting $18.50 back,” Brennan said.

The Police Department is asking businesses and their employees to keep an eye out for the counterfeit money, which Brennan described as a “decent” copy that appears slightly aged. They have been turned over to the Secret Service, which investigates all crimes involving U.S. currency.

New, legitimate bills have a watermark image of the appropriate president in the right corner that is visible when held up to a light. The fake bills have no such mark, he said.

The department urges businesses to learn about other security features on the U.S. Secret Service Web site.

-- Journal staff writer Katie Mulvaney

Posted by Kate Bramson at 4:38 PM | Comment

Plan to double sub production moves ahead

WASHINGTON _ Leading Senate supporters of the submarine industry today supported the Navy plans to double production of attack subs in 2012.

Navy Secretary Donald C. Winter asked the Senate Armed Services Committee to support the Navy's plan to raise the production rate from one submarine per year to two in fiscal year 2012.

``We don't want go to two a year'' earlier than 2012 and later find it necessary ``to go back to one,'' Winter said.

--- John E. Mulligan, Journal Washington Bureau

The chief of naval operations, Adm. Michael G. Mullen, also counseled a cautious buildup to the higher rate of production by the team that builds Virginia-class submarines, the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics, based in Groton, and Northrup-Grumman's Newport News Shipbuilding in Virginia.

``We need support for sustained funding of our shipbuilding account,'' both to keep the shipbuilders healthy and to start rebuilding a submarine fleet that, like the Navy at large, has been growing progressively smaller for well over a decade.

Two committee members Sen. Jack Reed, a Rhode Island Democrat, and Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman, a Connecticut independent, said they back the Navy's request for authorization to start a new round of negotiations with the builders for construction of seven submarines over a five-year period beginning in 2009.

But Reed and Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin they are not yet ready to embrace the accelerated shipbuilding budget under consideration in the House.

Posted by Peter Phipps at 4:37 PM | Comment

Driver flees after bumping Providence police cruiser

PROVIDENCE -- A minor accident on Federal Hill around 3 p.m. today has spawned a police search for the driver of a rented Dodge Stratus.

Here’s how it went down:

The gray Stratus collided with something in its path and fled the scene, only to return after circling the block. The driver’s downfall is that a police officer in a cruiser happened to witness that initial collision and then recognized the Stratus once it circled back around to the scene, according to the police.

The cruiser pulled into the lane to cut off the Stratus and prevent it from getting away. The driver jumped out of the vehicle and fled. His mistake? He left the car in gear, and so it rolled forward and bumped the police cruiser at the intersection of Kenyon and America streets.

The man’s on the run now, but the police are pretty confident they’ll find him. They know who he is from the rental car agreement.

The passenger wasn’t as light-footed, and he is now in police custody.

-- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson, with reports from Journal staff writer Gregory Smith

Posted by Kate Bramson at 4:22 PM | Comment

CVS Charity golf tourney moves party to Newport

The annual Monday night party, one of the highlights of the yearly CVS Charity Classic golf tournament, is being shifted from Providence to Newport.

The shift was made necessary because the Westin Hotel in Providence has too many events scheduled on June 18, the night of the party.

The golf tournament itself remains at Rhode Island College Country Club in Barrington.

Read the entire story on projo.com's Sports Blog.

-- Journal sports writer Paul Kenyon

Posted by Art Martone at 3:40 PM | Comment

Sports Tonight: Mazzulla plays for NIT title

The West Virginia Mountaineers, with Hendricken grad Joe Mazzulla coming off the bench, go for the championship of the National Invitation Tournament tonight in New York City. The opponent is Clemson. You can catch the game at 7 on ESPN.

Also tonight, the Boston Bruins face Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins at TD Banknorth Garden. You can see the game at 7 on NESN.

Posted by Mike McDermott at 3:29 PM | Comment

Guida's chocolate milk recalled

The state Health Department knows of no children in Rhode Island affected by the half-pint containers of lowfat chocolate milk that have been recalled by Guida's Dairy of New Britain, Connecticut.

That could be because of swift movement by the Health Department to do all it could to ensure that none of the popular half pints were in Rhode Island schools today.

Notice of the recall came in last night and kept Ernest Julian busy even at midnight. The chief of the department’s food protection office is well aware that half pints of chocolate milk are incredibly popular with schoolchildren and those at child care centers as well.

With something like this, “you don’t take any chances,” Julian said. “Tell people: Don’t use it, get it off the market.”

-- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson

Eight Connecticut schoolchildren became ill yesterday with a burning sensation in their throats, nausea and stomachaches after drinking the chocolate milk, Julian learned as he searched the Internet at midnight seeking details about the recall. The company determined the half-pint milk containers “may contain a presence of food grade sanitizer” and issued the recall.

Julian offered this explanation: Such a sanitizer would be run through the lines at the dairy, and if those distribution lines aren’t then thoroughly flushed before the milk runs through them, a presence of sanitizer could remain in the system.

Given the concerns, the Health Department e-mailed a few thousand notifications overnight to all schools, child-care centers, food-service and retail establishments, Julian said. Then, they collaborated with the state department of education, which sent out its own notice to all schools today, Julian said. On top of that, the health department called all three major food providers that do business with the schools: Sodexho, Chartwells and Aramark.

Posted by Kate Bramson at 2:47 PM | Comment

Fire Chief: Pawtucket mill fire suspicious

PAWTUCKET -- Investigators consider the fire yesterday that raced through a Pawtucket Mill building suspicious, Pawtucket Fire Chief Tim McLaughlin said today.

"When you have an empty building with no electricity or other services in it, and it burns that way at 8:30 in the morning, right away we deem it suspicious," McLaughlin said.

McLaughlin said the fire appears to have begun at a back stairway of the building.

Investigators found multiple starting points, according to Lt. Jeffrey Johnson, of the Pawtucket Fire Marshal's Office.

The fire was contained to the second floor of the two-story, 55,901-square-foot building, but the fire spread quickly through the second floor since there were few partitions dividing the space, according to Johnson.

McLaughlin praised the Pawtucket and Central Falls firefighters for preventing the fire from spreading to nearby buildings.

McLaughlin said neighbors have said vagrants have used the building, which is at Conant and Pine streets.

The building is owned by a Wellesley, Mass., Co., the Standard Management Corporation.

The building doesn't appear to be a total loss and will be boarded up, according to officials.

Read today's story.

-- Journal staff writer John Castellucci

Posted by Jack Perry at 2:45 PM | Comment

Update: Coventry eatery closes; Health investigates

COVENTRY – As the state Health Department continues to investigate a likely norovirus outbreak among party-goers who were at Nino’s on Lake Tiogue Sunday, the restaurant’s owner voluntarily agreed this morning to close and sanitize the business before reopening.

The Health Department will re-inspect the restaurant before it opens again for business, said Ernest Julian, chief of the department’s office of food protection. A man who answered the restaurant’s phone this afternoon declined to comment.

The Health Department has already inspected the restaurant this week, after a call on Tuesday from a patron who became sick after eating there. The department is investigating whether a failed septic system outside the restaurant Sunday morning led to the illnesses of about half the people who attended a christening party at noon that day and more illnesses that are being reported by people who attended another, much larger party at the same restaurant that night.

After state epidemiologists interviewed about 20 of the approximately 65 people who attended the noontime party at Nino’s on Lake Tiogue, located at 446 Tiogue Ave., they’ve estimated that at least 30 people from that party became ill with symptoms consistent with norovirus, Julian said.

Norovirus – which used to be called Norwalk virus – causes vomiting and diarrhea that typically lasts for one or two days, Julian said.

-- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson

With the Tuesday report, the Health Department began investigating right away, Julian said. The first things to look for are whether an employee had been sick, whether employees have been washing their hands and whether employees are using bare hands to prepare ready-to-eat food, which they should not do, he said.

Epidemiologists found no report of an ill worker, don’t know of any problems with employees not washing their hands and believe the restaurant workers routinely wear gloves when handling ready-to-eat food, Julian said. What they did learn is that the septic system pump failed mid-morning on Sunday, sending sewage running out a manhole cover in the restaurant’s parking lot and into Lake Tiogue, near the restaurant, Julian said.

“We know that happened,” Julian said. “The question is: Is that related?”

The department is also examining whether some type of food delivered to the restaurant could have been contaminated, he said.

Once reports in the media surfaced last evening about the illnesses among those attending the christening party, the health department’s phone lines “started lighting up,” Julian said. People who attended a party Sunday night that drew about 250 parents and students from St. Joseph’s School in West Warwick have begun reporting similar illnesses, he said.

It’s too early to say how many people from that evening party may have fallen ill, he said this afternoon.

Posted by Kate Bramson at 2:28 PM | Comment

DA: Swansea horse trainer had photos of children

SWANSEA — More details are emerging about the Swansea man charged with statutory rape of a child and child pornography possession, including, on one computer drive, 265 images of children associated with horse farms where he’s worked.

Eighty-six of those show unclothed children, according to the Bristol County District Attorney’s office.

Joseph Michael Silva, 31, of Swansea is being held on $100,000 cash bail at the Bristol County House of Corrections in Dartmouth, Mass., following arraignment yesterday in Fall River District Court.

The arraignment was for allegations of four counts of statutory rape of a child, one count of child pornography possession and one count of posing a child in the nude, according to Lisa Rowell, a spokeswoman for District Attorney C. Samuel Sutter. Silva pleaded not guilty.

The charges are for an alleged incident or incidents in Swansea; the district attorney’s office would not be more specific about where.

The investigation continues, and the district attorney’s office asks that those with information contact Officer Joe Martin or Sgt. Gregory Ryan of the Swansea Police at (508) 674-8464 or Investigator Linda Pereira at the district attorney’s office, (508) 997-7411.

--Journal Staff Writer Michael P. McKinney

The incidents allegedly happened in early 1996 “and involve a young lady who at the time was under the age of 16,” the district attorney’s office said in a press release.

If and when Silva makes bail, he will then be arraigned in Taunton District Court on one count of posing a child in the nude and one count of statutory rape of a child. Those charges are for an incident of incidents that happened in Berkley, Mass., Rowell said today.

The Taunton charges occurred between June 2002 and October 2004 and “involve a young lady who at the time was between the ages of 13 and 16,” the district attorney’s office said.

The district attorney’s office, in a later press release, states that Silva is an equestrian trainer “who has been associated with Morse Brook Equestrian Center in North Attleboro, Haskins Farm in Berkley, and Holloway Farms in Lakeville.” Rowell said that

The police used a search warrant yesterday at Silva’s Swansea home, the release says, and investigators took 10 hard drives, among other things. Silva was arrested yesterday by the Swansea police with help from investigators of the district attorney’s office.

Norwood, Mass., Police Detective David Paparigis, a forensic analyst, analyzed about 70 percent of one of the hard drives and, so far, found more than 70,000 images, with 265 of those being children associated with horse farms. Rowell said in an interview this morning that others images may include children not associated with the horse farms, but she made clear “we’re not saying all of those images were children.”
One of the victims identified herself in some of the explicit photos, the district attorney's office said.

Silva is scheduled to appear next at the Fall River District Court on April 27 for a probation hearing, which determines whether the case will go forward in Superior Court.

The charges lodged against Silva are for the two victims, the press release states, "although we have identified four [alleged victims] and suspect that more are out there."

Posted by Andrea Panciera at 2:12 PM | Comment

NTSB: Pilot error led to fatal 2005 crash that killed 6

BELLEFONTE, Pa. -- Federal investigators are blaming pilot error for a plane crash two years ago that killed six members of two prominent Rhode Island families in Pennsylvania.

The National Transportation Safety Board says pilot Jeffrey Jacober of Providence failed to maintain enough speed to avoid stalling while trying to land the plane March 26, 2005.

Everyone aboard died, including Jacober's wife and son and three members of the Weingeroff family.

In a report this week, the NTSB says Jacober also appeared to have failed to switch to instrument approach mode, which would have allowed the autopilot to lock onto the instrument landing system.

The families were headed from Florida to watch another Jacober son play in a lacrosse game at Penn State University.

-- The Associated Press

Posted by Kate Bramson at 12:15 PM | Comment

R.I. egg heads to White House

An egg decorated by Joan Klatil Creamer, an East Greenwich artist, will represent Rhode Island at the White House next month in the annual display of eggs from each state, according to the state Department of Environmental Management.

Creamer will present a duplicate of the egg to First Lady Sue Carcieri at 10:30 a.m. today in the State Room of the State House.

The theme of this year's egg is the state bird, the Rhode Island Red with a "Faberge" look, according to the DEM. The eggs were donated by Little Rhody Egg Farm of Foster.

Posted by Jack Perry at 8:18 AM | Comment

Traffic: Online information on the a.m. commute

For information on this morning's commute, check out the state roadways, via the Department of Transportation's online traffic offerings.

You can find any traffic alerts describing accidents here, browse traffic cams to see real-time photos of the highways and check out the DOT’s road construction schedule here.

Also, check out congestion mapping -- i.e., how heavy the traffic is -- here.

To report a traffic incident, call the Transportation Management Center at (401) 222-5826 and choose option #2.

Posted by Jack Perry at 7:47 AM | Comment

Memorial set for revered monk

CRANSTON -- A ceremony for Samdech Preah Maha Ghosananda, revered Cambodian Buddhist monk and international peacemaker who died on March 12, will be held this weekend.

The event is scheduled for Saturday at 10:30 a.m. at the Cranston Cambodian Temple, 2870 Plainfield Pike.

Maha Ghosananda formerly lived at the Khmer Buddhist Society of Rhode Island temple in the West End of Providence, where he served as a religious leader for Buddhists around New England.

The monk was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize six times.

Considered the supreme patriarch of Cambodian Buddhism, (Maha Ghosananda means "Great Joyful Proclaimer''), Ghosananda organized annual walks for peace across Cambodia in the mid-1990s. He was often quoted as saying, "Each step is a meditation. Each step is a prayer. Each step will build a bridge.'' The Dhammayietra peace walk continues in Cambodia today.

-- Journal staff writer Karen Lee Ziner

Posted by Steve Peoples at 7:25 AM | Comment

Today's front page

Today's front page features photographs of yesterday's mill fire in Pawtucket and coverage of UnitedHealth's decision to 'temporarily' withdraw its request to transfer $37 million to its parent company in Minnesota.

Download today's front page in .pdf format.

Posted by Jack Perry at 7:05 AM | Comment

Sunny, breezy and a fire risk today

Windy and dry conditions today have prompted the National Weather Service to issue a fire weather watch for an elevated risk of fire.

Today should bring sunny weather to the Providence area with a high near 56 degrees and a north wind between 14 and 24 mph, with gusts up to 37 mph, according to the National Weather Service's forecast.

The fire watch includes all of Rhode Island as well as other parts of New England and goes into effect at 10 a.m.

For more weather and regular updates, see projo.com/weather.

Posted by Jack Perry at 7:01 AM | Comment

March 28, 2007

Providence cop indicted on sex charge

PROVIDENCE -- The Providence County grand jury today handed up an indictment against Providence police Patrolman Brian Lepore charging him with third-degree sexual assault.

Lepore was on duty last Dec. 27 when the alleged offense occurred, according to Deputy Police Chief Paul J. Kennedy. Third-degree sexual assault involves a teenager between the ages of 14 and 16 and conduct that would be legal if it occurred between consenting adults.

Due to the constraints of a Rhode Island statute known as the Law Enforcement Officers Bill of Rights, Kennedy said he is not free at this time to release details of the incident, which was investigated by the Providence police. The bill of rights controls when police departments may publicly discuss allegations against police officers.

Michael J. Healey, spokesman for state Attorney General Patrick C. Lynch, declined as a matter of policy to give details about the alleged offense. In order to minimize prejudicial pretrial publicity, the Attorney General's Office generally does not give extensive detail about a criminal allegation until a suspect is arraigned on the charge.

Lepore, 35, of 45 Standish Ave., North Providence, is scheduled to be arraigned in Superior Court on April 18.

Lepore, who had been assigned to the 3 to 11 p.m. shift, working in uniform, had been removed from patrol and limited to desk duty during the investigation. He had been assigned to Police District 7. Effective with the indictment, he is now suspended without pay, according to Kennedy.

-- Journal staff writer Gregory Smith

Posted by Andrea Panciera at 6:11 PM | Comment

Mass. horse trainer held on child-sex charges

SWANSEA, Mass. -- A local horse trainer was charged this morning with various child sex charges for alleged incidents in Swansea and Berkeley, Mass.

Joseph Michael Silva, 31, of Swansea, was arraigned today in Fall River District Court on a number of charges including statutory rape of a child, according to the Swansea police.

Silva pleaded not guilty at the hearing and was ordered held at the Bristol County House of Corrections in lieu of a $100,000 cash bail.

Silva works as an "equestrian trainer," the Swansea police said in a statement, without detailing where he works.

Swansea authorities charged Silva with possession of child pornography, posing a child in the nude, and four counts of statutory rape of a child, according the Swansea police. For the alleged Berkley incidents, Silva is charged with posing a child in the nude and statutory rape of a child.

He is scheduled to appear next at the Fall River court on April 27.

Posted by Steve Peoples at 5:37 PM | Comment

Update: High court allows bail for sex offender

PROVIDENCE -- The state Supreme Court today overruled a lower court in granting a convicted sex offender bail pending the outcome of his appeal.

Gerald R. Lynch, a well-known political figure who until last spring was director of the East Providence Boys & Girls Club, was sentenced this morning to serve 10 years in prison and 10 years probation.

In sentencing him, Superior Court Judge Edward C. Clifton denied a motion seeking to have Lynch remain free on bail pending the outcome of his appeal.

Lynch, 62, of 23 Morra Way, Rumford, was found guilty in October of four counts of first-degree sexual assault, all stemming from the oral sex that occurred when he owned a flower shop in Pawtucket and the victim, now a man about 37, worked there as a young teenager.

But the Supreme Court intervened this afternoon, allowing Lynch to remain free on bail pending the outcome of the appeal. There's no set timetable for when the appeal may be decided. They often take months.

Supreme Court Justice Francis X. Flaherty ruled that Lynch may remain free on $10,000 cash bail provided he stays away from people under the age of 18, except for his grandchildren. Lynch also must stay on home confinement on the weekends and cannot apply for a passport.

Lynch's attorneys argued this morning against a prison sentence because of Lynch's poor health. He suffers from high blood pressure and had a stroke two years ago.

CORRECTION: An earlier headline on this post incorrectly said the state Supreme Court rejected bail.

-- projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples and Journal staff writer John Castellucci

Lynch will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release. He must also undergo sex offender counseling at the Adult Correctional Institutions.

Lynch was led out of the courtroom in handcuffs. In a brief statement to the judge before the sentencing, Lynch said he asked his wife and child not to attend the sentencing because they are "emotionally vulnerable."

Because of Lynch's health issues, a lengthy prison sentence, Lynch's attorney Lise J. Gescheidt said, would amount to "a death sentence."

Prosecutors, however, asked the judge to impose a much longer sentence given that, according to prosecutors, Lynch showed no remorse over the course of the lengthy court proceeding.

Lynch's victim was in the courtroom this morning with his mother, father and sister. They all hugged after the sentence was announced. The Journal does not identify the victims of sex crimes.

"My son is no longer a victim. My son is a survivor and a courageous man and I’m very proud of him," the victim's mother said outside the courtroom.

Posted by Steve Peoples at 5:27 PM | Comment

Leads, but no arrest, in hit-and-run death

The police are investigating leads, but have not named any suspects, four days after a West Warwick teen was struck and killed by a hit-and-run driver while mourning at a makeshift memorial for a friend who died after smashing a van into a pole.

Darien Plass, 14, crashed his mother's Ford minivan into a utility pole near their Main Street home late Friday night. He was pronounced dead later at Kent Hospital.

Andrew Coit, 18, was among the friends and family who gathered at the pole, which had been converted into a makeshift memorial in the early hours of the morning. Coit lingered to play one last song on the guitar for his lost friend as the crowd thinned. As he played, a hit-and-run driver struck Coit, killing him.

However, in a press release today, the department said that in addition to investigating a number of leads regarding the hit and run, they are looking into "the possible origins of the alcohol obtained by the fourteen-year-old victim."

That confirms reports friends gave The Journal in the days after the accident. The friends said Plass had been drinking before he grabbed his mother's keys that fateful night.

Autopsies for both victims have been completed, but the department is still waiting for results, the release said.

-- Journal staff writer Talia Buford

Posted by Kate Bramson at 3:41 PM | Comment

Sports Tonight: 2 great pitchers take to practice mound

It would be a marquee pitching matchup, if it counted. But it should still be interesting tonight when the Boston Red Sox (with Curt Schilling on the mound) face the Minnesota Twins (who send Cy Young Award-winner Johan Santana) tonight at 7. The game is on NESN at 7. It will be the Sox' final TV appearance before the real season opens Monday in Kansas City.

The Boston Celtics welcome the Orlando Magic to TD Banknorth Garden tonight at 7:30. You can catch the game on Fox Sports New England. The Magic are fighting for one of the final playoff spots in the Eastern Conference.

Posted by Mike McDermott at 3:37 PM | Comment

United Healthcare drops controversial profit shift

United Healthcare of New England has withdrawn its request to move $37 million in extra profits to its Minnesota parent, saying the insurer wanted to “take time to assess the concerns raised by our Rhode Island members, physicians and other providers.”

United was pilloried at a public forum on March 20, by doctors and other health-care providers who said the company reimburses too little, makes providers fight for payment, and has poor customer service.

The state Office of the Health Insurance Commissioner held the meeting to get public input on United’s request for “extraordinary dividends” – profits beyond those normally taken out, which require state approval.

But on Monday Stephen J. Farrell, chief executive officer, delivered a letter to Commissioner Christopher F. Koller withdrawing its request. Farrell acknowledged that physician payment and customer service were problems the company would have to address, and indicated he would return with a new proposal. Koller released Farrell’s letter today.

-- Journal staff writer Felice J. Freyer

Koller said that three themes emerged at the public meeting, and he would expect United to address them: that primary-care reimbursement rates are too low; that services to providers need improvement; and that United should “make health system investments commensurate with its size and the investments of others.”

Nothing requires United to address those issues, but the insurer needs the commissioner’s approval to take out the $37 million, now sitting unused in a low-interest account.

But the Rhode Island Medical Society, which led the charge against United’s request, regarded United’s letter with skepticism. “This is a trick,” said Dr. Barry W. Wall, medical society president. “They have done this for years and years. … They will make a promise, they will not follow through on that promise. This is just more of the same. We hope that Mr. Koller just sees right through it.”

Wall questioned why United would need time now "to address the concerns we've been raising for years and year and years." He speculated that United might simply want time for the uproar over its profits to quiet down.

United did not return The Journal's phone calls.

Posted by Kate Bramson at 2:31 PM | Comment

Photo: Pawtucket mill fire still burning

Journal photo / Bill Murphy
Firefighters use a ladder to battle a fire this morning in Pawtucket.

PAWTUCKET – Thick wooden beams continue to burn in the middle of the second floor of an abandoned mill building at Pine and Conant Streets in Pawtucket, and the roof of the two-story brick building is collapsing in eight-foot by eight-foot sections.

The roof is expected to continue collapsing throughout the day, Pawtucket Fire Chief Timothy P. McLaughlin said. The building is a complete loss.

“It will have to be torn down,” McLaughlin said. “It’s 100 percent ruined.”

Firefighters cannot get inside the building to extinguish the burning beams, so they are pouring water on them from ladder trucks and from the sidewalk, the chief said this afternoon.

McLaughlin is confident the fire is no threat to other buildings, but he said around 12:30 p.m. today that the second-floor section is not fully under control.

-- With reports from John Hill, Paul Grimaldi, Kate Bramson, Bill Murphy, Mary Murphy and Pam Cotter

Flames were still visible on the second floor shortly after 10 a.m. as firefighters poured water on the two-story building from a ladder truck. Perhaps a dozen emergency vehicles from Pawtucket, Central Falls, Cumberland, East Providence, Lincoln and Providence were on scene.

The neighborhood is home to both residences and businesses. The fire spread quickly through the building, which is the length of two city blocks, and there were initial fears that fire would jump to nearby businesses.

About two dozen neighbors came out of nearby houses and businesses to watch fire crews battle the fire.

Power to the area was cut off, which seemed to impact at least some of the traffic lights on nearby Lonsdale Avenue.

Neighbors say the burning building was the old Standard Uniform building. An aide to the city's mayor said the building had been abandoned, and the city has had to board it up. It has been used as a shelter by homeless people.

Earlier, smoke could be seen filling the sky for miles, at least as far away as Route 95 in Cranston.

Traffic was jammed in the area this morning.

Posted by Kate Bramson at 2:30 PM | Comment

Carcieri awards conservation grants

Governor Carcieri announced $5,388,732 million in open space grants to 17 land trusts, municipalities and nonprofit environmental agencies this morning.

The grants will protect nearly 1,600 acres of open space through purchases or conservation easements.

The following received grants: Westerly Land Trust, Foster Land Trust, Glocester Land Trust, The Nature Conservancy (for land in Exeter) and Prudence Island Conservancy.

Also the City of Providence, Cumberland Land Trust, Tiverton Open Space Commission, North Smithfield Land Trust, Audubon Society of Rhode Island (for land in West Greenwich),Town of North Kingstown

And Smithfield Land Trust, Little Compton Agricultural Conservation Trust, South Kingstown Land Trust, Hopkinton Land Trust, Scituate Land Trust and the Coventry Land Trust

Posted by Jack Perry at 11:56 AM | Comment

Mass. police charge horse trainer with statutory rape

SWANSEA, Mass. -- A local horse trainer was charged this morning with various child sex charges for alleged incidents in Swansea and Berkeley, Mass.

Joseph Michael Silva, 31, of Swansea, is scheduled to be arraigned today in both Fall River District Court and in Taunton District Court on a number of charges including statutory rape of a child, according to the Swansea police.

Silva works as an "equestrian trainer," the Swansea police said in a statement, without detailing where he works.

Swansea authorities charged Silva with possession of child pornography, posing a child in the nude, and four counts of statutory rape of a child, according the Swansea police. For the alleged Berkley incidents, Silva is charged with posing a child in the nude and statutory rape of a child.

Posted by Steve Peoples at 11:49 AM | Comment

Cumberland police seek gunman

CUMBERLAND -- The police are searching for a gunman as they investigate leads into the shooting last night on School Street of a 38-year-old man who was transported to Rhode Island Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

The police responded to 25 School St. at 8:40 p.m. for a call of shots fired, Det. Capt. James P. Coyne said this morning. The first officers to arrive at the scene were met outside by a resident of the apartment building who told them he had been shot.

The police are not releasing the victim’s name at this time, Coyne said. He would not say where the victim was shot. The man remains at the hospital in stable condition, he said.

The police do not know what type of firearm was used, Coyne said.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Cumberland Police detective unit at (401) 333-2500.

-- Journal staff writer Philip Marcelo

Coyne would not say what precipitated the shooting. The victim said he does not know the assailant, according to Coyne.

“Right now we’re looking into a number of leads and don’t want to compromise the investigation by giving away too much of what we are looking for,” Coyne said.

Police officers from Cumberland, Central Falls and Attleboro searched the area last night but were unable to locate the suspect.

Posted by Kate Bramson at 11:39 AM | Comment

Today's front page

Today's front page features photographs and a story on how budget cuts could affect young men and women who have grown up in state care.

Download a copy of today's front page in .pdf format.

Posted by Jack Perry at 9:48 AM | Comment

Building burning in Pawtucket, smoke visible for miles

A fire is burning in an industrial building near Barton and Conant Streets in Pawtucket.

Flames are pouring from the side of the building. Seven fire trucks from Pawtucket and Central Falls are pouring water onto the building.

Smoke can be seen filling the sky from Route 95 in Cranston.

Traffic is jammed in the area. More fire trucks are heading to the scene.

-- With reports from Paul Grimaldi, Kate Bramson, Bill Murphy and Pam Cotter.

Posted by Jack Perry at 8:50 AM | Comment

Motorcycle crash victim has died

PROVIDENCE – The man who was badly injured yesterday afternoon in a motorcycle accident on Route 10 North has died, according to the state police.

Carmine A. Lanni, 40, of 106 Bradley St. in Providence, was later pronounced dead at Rhode Island Hospital, Lt. Eric LaRiviere said.

Lanni was driving north near the Westminster Street exit when he rear-ended a sport-utility vehicle and was thrown from his bike, LaRiviere said. He suffered massive head injuries and was unresponsive when rescue crews arrived, according to James Taylor, chief of communications for the Providence Fire Department.

Lanni was not wearing a helmet, LaRiviere and Taylor both said.

No one else was injured in the accident, and no charges are pending, according to LaRiviere.

-- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson

Posted by Kate Bramson at 7:38 AM | Comment

Funerals set for 2 teens killed in weekend crashes

WEST WARWICK – The wakes and funerals have been set for two teenagers killed over the weekend in separate incidents at the same exact place a few hours apart.

Late Friday night, 14-year-old Darien Plass, of West Warwick, died after crashing his mother's minivan into a utility pole near their Main Street home.

The West Warwick High School student's wake is scheduled for tomorrow from 4 to 7 p.m. at Prata-Murphy Funeral Home, 78 Providence St. in West Warwick. His funeral will be held on Friday at 10 a.m. at the funeral home.

Andrew Coit, 18, of West Warwick, was killed by a hit-and-run driver while at a roadside memorial for Plass just hours after the fatal crash.

His wake will be Friday, from 4 to 7 p.m., at Prata-Murphy Funeral Home, 78 Providence St. in West Warwick.

Coit’s funeral will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Christian Hill Community Church, 56 Tiogue Ave. in West Warwick, according to youth pastor Corey Auger.

A blog item yesterday incorrectly stated the time of Plass’s funeral.

-- projo.com staff with reports from Journal staff writer Talia Buford

Posted by Kate Bramson at 7:27 AM | Comment

Grants to protect 1,600 acres in Rhode Island

Governor Carcieri will announce $5.4 million in open space grants to 17 land trusts and municipalities this morning.

The grants will protect nearly 1,600 acres of open space through purchases or conservation easements.

W. Michael Sullivan, the director of the Department of Environmental Management, will join Carcieri in the announcement at 10 a.m. in the State House.

Posted by Jack Perry at 7:14 AM | Comment

Senate committee to consider medical marijuana law

PROVIDENCE -- A Senate committee is set to consider a proposal today that would permanently legalize medical marijuana in Rhode Island.

The Senate Health and Human Services Committee will discuss State Sen. Rhoda Perry's bill to remove a ``sunset'' provision in the law.

Removing the provision would essentially legalize medical marijuana in the state.

Rhode Island became the 11th state to legalize marijuana for medical purposes in January 2006.

The law will be repealed on June 30th if legislators don't take action.

The hearing will begin at 4:30 p.m. The committee will also consider a bill to ban smoking on public beaches.

-- The Associated Press

Posted by Jack Perry at 7:02 AM | Comment

Sunny and breezy today

Today should be sunny and breezy with a high near 55 degrees in the Providence area, according to the National Weather Service.

The wind will come from the north at 8 to 11 mph. but increasing to more than 20 mph. and gusting to 33, the weather service says.

Tonight should be clear with a low around 28 degrees and a blustery north wind.

For more weather and updates, see projo.com/weather.

Posted by Jack Perry at 7:00 AM | Comment

March 27, 2007

Ex-selectman charged in Internet child-sex case

PROVIDENCE -- A former elected official from Massachusetts pleaded not guilty today in federal court to felony charges of seeking sex with a child over the Internet.

William J. Christensen, 60, of 17 Granuaile Road, Southborough, Mass., was released on $10,000 surety bail and was ordered to wear an electronic monitoring device while on home confinement pending the outcome of the case. He was also ordered not to have access to the Internet or use any computers, according to Tom Connell, a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Christensen, a former town selectman in Southborough, Mass., was arrested last May in a Rhode Island State Police sting. Prosecutors allege that he arranged a sexual encounter with someone he met on the Internet and thought was a 15-year-old girl.

The girl actually was an undercover police officer.

Christensen was arrested as he got out of his car at an East Providence apartment complex where the police said he had set up the meeting.

-- projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples

Today, state officials moved to have the case transferred to federal court, where Christensen is subject to a tougher sentence.

“Our mutual goal is to prosecute a defendant in the venue that’s going to yield the most severe penalty,” said Michael Healey, a spokesman for the state Attorney General’s Office. “If we were able to convict him on the state side, he’d potentially be eligible for parole after serving only one-third of his sentence. In this instance, the federal laws pack more punch than the state laws.”

Christensen faces one count of using the Internet to entice a child to engage in illicit sex and one count of traveling between states to have illicit sex with a child, according to Healey.

Christensen served on the Southborough Board of Selectman for 12 years, most recently as its chairman. He lost his seat in an election a week before his May 17, 2006, arrest in East Providence.

He was also arrested exactly six days later on a separate case in Massachusetts under similar circumstances.

"He was stung in the same manner that he was stung here," Healey said. "He was soliciting a person he thought was a girl under the age of 18."

In that case, Christensen received a 2 1/2-year suspended prison sentence and five years of probation.

He is scheduled to appear again in U.S. District Court in Providence on April 10.

Posted by Steve Peoples at 6:51 PM | Comment

Providence can offer outdoor dining this summer

PROVIDENCE — Start making your patio reservations for WaterFire -- outdoor dining will be allowed in Providence this summer after all.

The state Supreme Court has granted Providence a temporary reprieve and will not require the city’s Licensing Board to go through a lengthy public hearing process when granting restaurant licenses for outdoor dining this summer.

Providence had been rushing to comply with state law that requires notifying abutters and advertising public hearings before a seasonal license can be granted. The city does not think notification is necessary and had appealed to the state Supreme Court, which is preparing to take up the case.

The city asked the Supreme Court to put a hold on enforcing the order. The Supreme Court made its decision during a closed session last Thursday, but the parties only received it late Monday afternoon.

The Providence Licensing Board can now start processing seasonal license applications as it always has, with a single unadvertised hearing.

-- Journal staff writer Daniel Barbarisi

But the decision was something of a compromise. The court also required that once a license is granted, the licensing board shall conduct a full public hearing within 60 days.

At the same time, several legislators have filed a bill in the General Assembly that would remove any requirement for an advertised hearing when granting seasonal licenses. This bill would apply statewide.

-- Journal staff writer Daniel Barbarisi

Posted by Steve Peoples at 6:47 PM | Comment

Westerly Land Trust adds to Pawcatuck River lands

WESTERLY – The Westerly Land Trust executed today a purchase and sale agreement to acquire a six-acre lot between Potter Hill Road and the Pawcatuck River, the land trust announced today.

The land trust needs to raise $310,000 to complete the purchase within the nine-month period of the purchase and sale agreement, said Harvey C. Perry, the organization’s president.

The land acquisition is part of the land trust’s Pawcatuck River Corridor Initiative, which seeks “to preserve sites of scenic beauty and wildlife habitat along the Pawcatuck River as well as the water quality of the river and the aquifer.”

The parcel – bought from Rosemarie and Karl Anderson – offers a large variety of trees and shrubs. It also has a vernal pond that provides an important breeding habitat for insect-eating dragonflies, spotted salamanders, and other amphibians, and a small beach by the river.

The land trust had previously acquired nine other parcels or approximately 740 acres in that area between the village of Bradford and the Potter Hill bridge on the town line between Westerly and the Ashaway village in Hopkinton.

The Pawcatuck River Corridor is an essential feature of the Town of Westerly Comprehensive Plan and the state Greenway Plan.

Those interested in making a contribution to the Westerly Land Trust or in becoming members can contact the organization at The Westerly Land Trust, P.O. Box 601, Westerly, RI 02891.

-- Journal staff writer Maria Armental

Posted by Andrea Panciera at 6:33 PM | Comment

Update: Funerals set for teens killed by roadside

WEST WARWICK – The wakes and funerals have been set for two teenagers killed over the weekend in separate incidents at the same exact place a few hours apart.

Late Friday night, 14-year-old Darien Plass, of West Warwick, died after crashing his mother's minivan into a utility pole near their Main Street home.

The West Warwick High School student's funeral is scheduled for Thursday from 4 to 7 p.m. at Prata-Murphy Funeral Home, 78 Providence St. in West Warwick. A memorial service will be held on Friday at 10 p.m. at the funeral home.

Andrew Coit, 18, of West Warwick, was killed by a hit-and-run driver while at a roadside memorial for Plass just hours after the fatal crash.

His wake will be Friday, from 4 to 7 p.m., at Prata-Murphy Funeral Home, 78 Providence St. in West Warwick.

The funeral will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Christian Hill Community Church, 56 Tiogue Ave. in West Warwick, according to youth pastor Corey Auger.

That is the same church that held the funeral last Monday for 17-year-old Timothy J. Packhem, of Warwick, who was killed the week before in a skateboarding accident.

-- projo.com staff with reports from Journal staff writer Talia Buford

Posted by Steve Peoples at 5:24 PM | Comment

Council president's daughter charged in driving death

PROVIDENCE — The 17-year-old daughter of the Warren Town Council president was arraigned in Providence Family Court this morning on one count of driving to endanger, death resulting, in connection with an accident last month when her car struck a utility pole in Bristol, killing her 16-year-old passenger.

Although the Attorney General’s office would not identify her because she is a juvenile, the Journal has independently confirmed the driver’s identity to be Julie Alfano, a Mt. Hope High School student who is the daughter of Warren council president Frank J. Alfano.

She was charged with the single felony crime by the Attorney General’s office this morning. Because of the severity of the charge, she was immediately arraigned before Chief Family Court Judge Jeremiah S. Jeremiah Jr.

Alfano was forced to turn her driver’s license over to the court and then released into the custody of her parents. She is set to return to court for a pre-trial conference April 17.

The Attorney General’s office alleges that on the night of Feb. 23 she was speeding while behind the wheel of a 1998 four-door Mazda with Mt. Hope junior Kayleigh Raposa as her passenger. In the moments before the car hit a utility pole at Michael and Casey Drives at 11:25 p.m., the car reached speeds of at least 55 mph, according to Michael Healey, spokesman for the Attorney General’s office. The speed limit in that area is 25 mph.

Raposa, also of Warren, was unresponsive at the scene of the accident and pronounced dead at Rhode Island Hospital later that night. Alfano was treated at the hospital for minor injuries and released.

-- Journal staff writer Alex Kuffner

Posted by Steve Peoples at 5:14 PM | Comment

Police find bomb in Richmond home

RICHMOND – The state fire marshal’s bomb squad this afternoon detonated an improvised explosive device at a house in Richmond, according to the Rhode Island fire marshal.

State Fire Marshal George S. Farrell said the state police called them regarding a suspected explosive device at 31 Buttonwoods Rd. Members of the bomb squad found a butane-type bottle explosive with some gunpowder in the living room and detonated it safely in the backyard, Farrell said.

State police also seized from the house other bomb-making material, including PVC pipes and gunpowder, Farrell said.

Timothy G. Winn, 20, of 31 Buttonwoods Rd., Richmond, was charged with one count of manufacturing/possessing a Class B explosive and failing to have a permit to possess explosives.

Hope Valley-Wyoming Fire and EMS responded as well as the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.

-- Journal staff writer Maria Armental

Posted by Steve Peoples at 4:55 PM | Comment

Man clings to life after motorcycle accident

PROVIDENCE -- A man was badly injured in a motorcycle accident this afternoon on Route 10 North at the Westminster Street exit.

Fire department Chief of Communications James Taylor said the victim was unresponsive and suffered massive head injuries.

The accident took place at about 4:20 p.m. The man, described as being in his late 20s or early 30s, was driving his motorcycle on Route 10 North when he rear-ended a SUV and flew over the handlebars, according to Taylor.

The victim was being rushed to Rhode Island Hospital as rescue crews tried to revive him.

He was not wearing a helmet when he crashed, Taylor said.

-- projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples

Posted by Steve Peoples at 4:40 PM | Comment

Photo: Family grieves loss of Coast Guard officer

Journal photo / Kathy Borchers
Jon Gill comforts his father, Ron Gill, in their Cranston backyard as the elder Gill talks about the death of his son, Ron. Ron Gill, a member of the Coast Guard, died in a Coast Guard boat accident on Puget Sound.

On Sunday, Ronald Gill talked to his oldest son and namesake, by phone shortly before the young Coast Guardsman was about to start his afternoon shift on a high-speed response boat in Puget Sound.

Within hours, uniformed military officers were at the door of the family's Jordan Avenue home bearing the tragic news that Ronald "Ronnie" Gill, 26, had died off the coast of Seattle when, in what appears to be a freak accident, he fell off the 25-foot boat and was fatally injured by the vessel's propeller.

"I want people to know how wonderful Ronnie was," Gill said describing his tall, big-hearted son who had an irrepressible, irresistible smile.

"I've always been proud of him," Gill said sitting in the family's backyard with his younger son, Jon. "I want people to know what a great young man Ronnie was," he said as he and Jon leaned against each other for consolation. "I want people to remember him for what he was."

A culinary arts graduate of Johnson & Wales University, Ronnie Gill worked as a chef at Cafe Itri in Cranston for a couple of years before deciding he wanted to do something different with his life, and joined the Coast Guard, his dad recalled. In 2003, he was dispatched to Anchorage, Alaska, to serve with a homeland security unit. His dad said he loved the assignment.

He fell in love with the area and also met his wife, Amber, there.

Ronald and Rosemary Gill have opened their house to a steady stream of friends and neighbors who came to comfort them on the loss of their elder son. A funeral Mass will be held Sunday morning at St. Anne Church in Cranston's Knightsville section.

-- Journal staff writer Barbara Polichetti

Posted by Pam Cotter at 4:30 PM | Comment

Sports Tonight: One more on ice

Smithfield and Ponaganset meet tonight for the Division II title in the final boys ice hockey game of the Interscholastic League season. The Sentinels and the Chieftains split the first two games of the series, with Ponaganset winning Saturday and Smithfield winning Sunday. Robert Lee and John Gillooly will be at Schneider Arena for tonight's game, which begins at 7. You can read their stories tomorrow on projo.com's High School Game Day page, and also check out a photo gallery of the action. For now, we're taking votes until game time on who the winner will be.

Cox Sports Television will show the first two games of the Division I championship series between Hendricken and Mount St. Charles. Game 1 will air at 7, followed by Game 2 at 8:30.

The Boston Bruins are on a road to nowhere, and tonight that road stops in the Canadian capital, with a matchup against the second-best team in the Eastern Conference, the Ottawa Senators (maybe this will be the year they win a playoff round). Boston has lost its last five games, a streak that has included three shutout losses. The game begins at 7:30 on NESN.

In college hoops, Joe Mazzulla's team, the West Virginia Mountaineers, play in the semifinals of the NIT against Mississippi State. The game begins at 7 on ESPN 2. And the two remaining tickets to the Women's Final Four will be punched tonight. Tennessee plays Mississippi at 7, followed by Purdue vs. North Carolina at 9. Both games are on ESPN.

Posted by Mike McDermott at 2:59 PM | Comment

'I was numb;' Woman gets 50 years for revenge killing

WAKEFIELD – The third person charged with the 2005 execution murder of a 19-year-old Providence woman was sentenced this afternoon to 50 years in jail. She will be eligible for parole after 35 years.

In an emotional hearing, Tawanna N. Sampson, 31, apologized to the court and the victim’s family for her actions.

“I certainly cannot change the way that day ended,” Sampson said as she read a two-page, handwritten statement.

“Stacy was my friend,” Sampson said referring to the victim, Stacy Ann Brissett.

“I was numb when these events took place, and I did not see my friend during these events,” Sampson continued reading, her voice breaking up. “It was like a blackout.”

“I apologize from the bottom of my soul for my involvement in this event,” she said.

Her family, who has attended all her court appearances, sat in the back of the courtroom, weeping as Sampson admitted her guilt and sought mercy from the court.

Sampson's 26-year-old sister, Shonda M. Northup, and 22-year-old Shea Cook – whom prosecutors identified as a family friend, but whom the police had said was dating Northup – have already been convicted for their roles in the murder.

Brissett was killed on Narragansett tribal land in Charlestown and her body was disposed in the Yantic River in Norwich, Conn.

-- Journal staff writer Maria Armental

The police said the three plotted to kill Brissett to avenge the murder of Dwayne A. “DA” Sampson – Sampson and Northup’s brother and Brissett’s boyfriend. Sampson was gunned down outside the home he shared with Brissett in Providence’s North End. The police allege the three blamed Brissett for playing a role in Sampson’s killing.

Northup of Ledyard, Conn., reached a plea deal in May under which she agreed to testify against Sampson and Cook and pleaded no contest to an amended charge of second-degree murder and charges of conspiracy to commit murder. . She is serving a 60-year sentence and will be eligible for parole in 45 years.

Cook was also sentenced last month to 50 years with 35 to serve for his role in the murder.

Posted by Steve Peoples at 2:43 PM | Comment

Senate considers felony expungement bill

PROVIDENCE -- The Senate Judiciary Committee plans to consider a bill today that would allow judges to wipe away felony convictions five years after the completion of the convicts' sentences -- half the time allowed under current state law.

The committee is set to meet in State House Room 313 at the rise of the Senate, generally around 4:30 p.m.

The expungement, as proposed by Senate Bill 194, would be allowed only under "extraordinary circumstances," which must include the following:

- since the sentence completion, the petitioner has been continuously employed and is supporting his or her family

- since the sentence completion, the petitioner has furthered his or her education by attaining a college or other advanced degree beyond high school

- since the sentence completion, the petitioner has been "continuously involved in activities that serve to better the community in which they live"

- since the sentence completion, the petitioner has been "continuously and successfully" involved in mental health and/or substance-abuse treatment related to the original felony

- proof that the felony conviction is causing "extraordinary hardship"

The bill has surfaced on Smith Hill before. Last year, it was approved by the Senate, but failed in the House largely because of opposition from police departments.

Sponsors this year include Sen. Harold M. Metts, D-Providence, Sen. Juan M. Pichardo, D-Providence, Sen. Charles J. Levesque, D-Portsmouth, Sen. Rhoda E. Perry, D-Providence, and Paul V. Jabour, D-Providence.

-- projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples

Posted by Steve Peoples at 2:42 PM | Comment

Couple charged with stealing $1 million from RISD

PROVIDENCE -- A couple formerly of Providence has been charged with defrauding the Rhode Island School of Design out of more than $1 million in an alleged billing scheme.

The husband and wife, Patrick Clyne and Ibtisama Bradley, are fugitives believed to be living in Ireland, according to a statement released today by the U.S. Attorney's Office in Providence.

A federal grand jury charged the pair in an 11-count indictment that was unsealed yesterday as federal officials seek to have them extradited from Ireland.

Prosecutors say that in 1997, Clyne and Bradley set up a company called Ankh Electric Ltd., incorporating it in Delaware, and opening a bank account and a post office box in Rhode Island.

Between 1997 and 2005, Clyne allegedly approved fraudulent invoices ranging from $9,500 to $180,000 for fire safety work supposedly performed by Ankh Electric for RISD. The work was never done, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

RISD mailed payments totaling $1.03 million to Ankh Electric over the eight year period.

The grand jury indictment charges Bradley, 58, and Clyne, whose age is not known, with one count of conspiracy and 10 counts of mail fraud.

It also seeks the forfeiture of real estate in Ballianamore, Ireland, and at 67 Ridge St., Providence, the couple’s last known address in Rhode Island.

Posted by Steve Peoples at 11:51 AM | Comment

Rocky Point demolition to start in April

Demolition of the former Rocky Point Amusement Park should start in the next month, given today’s announcement by the city of Warwick and the U.S. Small Business Administration that a company has been hired to do the work.

Providence engineering firm Fuss & O'Neill will conduct asbestos abatement and demolish all but two of the remaining buildings at the 123-acre site on the city’s waterfront.

Officials at city hall today described the two buildings that will remain as safe and secure.

The demolition will cost $190,000.

Meanwhile, the city is soliciting bids for development of the property.

The U.S. Small Business Administration is the park's court-appointed receiver.

-- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson, with reports from Journal staff writer Cynthia Needham

Posted by Kate Bramson at 11:30 AM | Comment

Police investigate computer thefts at Cumberland High

CUMBERLAND – No one is off limits in a police investigation into the thefts of about $10,000 worth of computer equipment from the sprawling Cumberland High School campus.

Several detectives are following up on every lead, interviewing “everyone” they can talk to and trying to track down the equipment, the first of which was stolen in December and sparked the beginning of the investigation back then, Det. Capt. James Coyne said this morning.

Computer equipment that includes nine LCD computer monitors, two PowerPoint projectors and four laptop computers have been stolen from the high school and the transitional school, which is the building for the district’s ninth-graders, Coyne said.

The most recent theft was reported Friday morning. Equipment was taken sometime Thursday afternoon or night, Coyne said. The police are talking to students and staff alike.

“We’re looking at everyone at this point,” Coyne said. “We have no firm suspects. We’re questioning everyone that we can talk to.”

-- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson

Coyne said the news he saw this morning of three Cranston students charged with breaking and entering and other crimes in connection with the theft at a South Kingstown home piqued his interest. The police said the three are suspects in more than 25 similar home burglaries in Cranston, Johnston and other communities. They stole a considerable amount of computers and other electronic equipment, prompting Coyne to call the police handling those crimes, just in case there could be any connection to the Cumberland school thefts.

So far, the police have questioned some students from the school at the police station – with their parents present because they are juveniles – but no suspects have been named, Coyne said. The students interviewed about the computer thefts were suspects in other criminal incidents at the school, which Coyne described as “just normal” crime. No links to the computer crimes have been made, though, he said.

The school is undergoing major construction at this time. A building committee agreed in 2003 after vandals caused about $4,000 in damages to the school to spend up to $60,000 to tighten security at the school immediately, according to Journal reports at the time.

It’s unclear at this point whether those security measures were taken. Coyne said he believes security upgrades are being made as the facility is upgraded, but he referred questions to the school. The school principal referred calls this morning to the district’s human resources legal adviser, who has not returned a call.

The thefts would warrant either felony or misdemeanor charges, depending on whether the amount taken by one person is worth more than $500 or less, Coyne said.

Posted by Kate Bramson at 11:18 AM | Comment

No hit-and-run suspects yet in W. Warwick death

WEST WARWICK – The police have gotten “a substantial amount” of calls from people reporting damage to a neighbor’s car that they hadn’t noticed before Friday, but nothing has panned out yet as they seek information about the hit-and-run crash that killed a grieving student on Main Street early Saturday morning.

They’re getting the kind of calls they’re looking for, and they’re hoping a reward offered by local philanthropist Alan Shawn Feinstein may give someone the right incentive to call, Det. Sgt. James Tiernan said this morning.

Andrew Coit, 18, of West Warwick was killed sometime around 4 a.m. Saturday, where he had been playing the guitar near a makeshift memorial on the side of the road for 14-year-old Darien Plass, also of West Warwick. Late Friday night, Plass crashed his mother’s Ford minivan into a utility pole near their home after he had been drinking with friends, according to friends who have spoken to The Journal. He died at Kent Hospital, Warwick, two hours later.

The police have not released either accident report.

“That’s not going to happen, probably for quite some time because the whole matter is still under investigation,” Tiernan said this morning. “It’s not even completed in its entirety yet.”

Video: Police, friends seek answers

-- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson

When the police have information that’s “worthy of putting out,” they will do so, he said. However, standard department protocol is that accident reports are typically available five business days after an accident, to give the department time to type it up, get it to the records clerk and have it cleared by the officer in charge, Tiernan said.

Coit was “somewhere in the southbound side of the road,” near the pole, when he was struck, Tiernan said.

“I can’t be specific whether he was in the travel lane or not,” he said.

The police were hoping some friend may come forward and say they were there at the time of the crash, but no one has done so, Tiernan said.

Posted by Kate Bramson at 8:46 AM | Comment

Cranston house reportedly struck by car

CRANSTON – The police have responded to the report of a car that has crashed into a house at 129 Legion Way.

More details are not available about the accident, which happened sometime around 7 a.m. today.

Posted by Kate Bramson at 7:21 AM | Comment

Traffic: Alert for abandoned vehicle on Route 4

The state Department of Transportation has issued a traffic advisory for an abandoned vehicle on Route 4 south in North Kingstown.

It's near West Allenton Road.

For other traffic needs, check out the state roadways, via the Department of Transportation's online traffic offerings.

You can find any traffic alerts describing accidents here, browse traffic cams to see real-time photos of the highways and check out the DOT’s road construction schedule here.

Also, check out congestion mapping -- i.e., how heavy the traffic is -- here.

To report a traffic incident, call the Transportation Management Center at (401) 222-5826 and choose option #2.

Posted by Jack Perry at 7:15 AM | Comment

URI to break ground today on biotech center

KINGSTON -- The University of Rhode Island in Kingston breaks ground today on a $60 million dollar biotechnology center.

The Center for Biotechnology and Life Sciences is the largest academic building project in the school's history.

State and school officials say it will be a boon for Rhode Island's expanding biotech industry.

The $140,000 square-foot facility will house classrooms and labs and has plenty of room for high-tech work. There will also be a 100-seat classroom and a 300-seat auditorium.

The center will boast a staircase shaped like a DNA double helix.

The building is being funded with a $50 million dollar state bond approved by voters and $10 million dollars in private donations.

Read today's Journal Business story for more about the center.

-- The Associated Press

Posted by Jack Perry at 7:01 AM | Comment

A high near 67 degrees

Look for a high near 67 degrees today in the Providence area, according to the National Weather Service.

Expect patchy fog before 9 a.m. and then a mostly cloudy day.

For more weather and regular updates, see projo.com/weather.

Posted by Jack Perry at 7:00 AM | Comment

March 26, 2007

Photo: Miss Rhode Island wears it well

AP photos
If you just get our blog's RSS feed, you might have missed these photos of Miss Rhode Island Danielle Lacourse, linked from our home page today. Lacourse (who was on the swim team at St. Mary Academy-Bay View) was a near-miss on Friday night at the Miss USA contest, coming in as first-runnerup. Journal staff writer Paul Grimaldi spoke with her yesterday, and filed this story for today. Here at projo.com, many readers have been writing in to offer her congratulations through a survey. Take a look and add your comments here.

Posted by Andrea Panciera at 7:00 PM | Comment

VA opens Providence hospital to press for tour

PROVIDENCE -- The Veterans Administration has reported maintenance problems of varying severity at its Providence Veterans Administration Medical Center, but officials say they already knew about the problems and are working to fix them.

Today, officials at the massive hospital high on a hill off Chalkstone Avenue quickly agreed to interviews and a tour for a reporter and a photographer following the release of the VA report which outlined problems at its 1,400 hospitals across the country, including its Providence facility.

Medical care for soldiers became a focus of attention because of conditions at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, which is operated by the Department of Defense and serves active-duty soldiers.

Asked today to show the worst of the facility’s problems, officials led a tour including the hall of an in-patient psychiatric ward that William J. Burney, the facility’s associated director for operations, called “the worst-looking ward” at the hospital.

But that and other areas the officials showed evidenced only a modest amount of chipped paint and scattered bits of crumbling plaster reflecting, they said, ongoing repairs.

They volunteered information about more serious problems -- a leaking roof on a wing of the main building that’s in line for replacement, and an original steam heating system that facilities management Cchief John Beliveau said suffers repeated breakdowns.

-- Journal staff writer Bruce Landis

The VA report, issued March 21, included these problems at the local facility:

- Mice sightings in two non-patient-care locations, which officials said included a staff lunchroom
- Numerous occurrences of “minor peeling paint” and ceiling tiles stained by water leaks
- Some worn carpets

-- Journal staff writer Bruce Landis

Posted by Steve Peoples at 6:29 PM | Comment

State: DuPont lead-paint cleanup to cost double

PROVIDENCE -- An agreement by DuPont to clean up lead paint in 600 homes in Rhode Island will cost more than double earlier estimates because of rising costs of labor and materials.

A proposal by Attorney General Patrick Lynch estimates the cleanup to now cost $18.6 million. That's up from the $9 million estimated when the deal was announced in June 2005.

The number could be an early indicator of the potential costs faced by three former lead-paint companies found responsible by a jury last year for creating a public nuisance. Sherwin-Williams, NL Industries and Millennium Holdings are appealing that verdict.

Based on a new estimate of $15,500 per home in Lynch's proposal, cleaning up all 250,000 homes could cost at least $3.87 billion, far more than past state estimates of at least $1.37 billion.

The companies did not immediately comment, but have said in the past it's premature to talk about costs.

-- The Associated Press

Posted by Steve Peoples at 5:10 PM | Comment

Woman gets $2.7 million in sexual-harassment suit

FALL RIVER — After deliberating for about an hour, a jury of seven women and six men today awarded $1,875,000 to a former driver for the Somerset Highway Department, who sued the town for sexual harassment.

With the addition of 12 percent in interest charges going back to 2003, the total award for Kim Pelletier will top $2.7 million.

Administrator John McAuliffe said the town’s legal team is weighing whether to appeal.

The week-long trial featured allegations of on-the-job pornography in the department, groping, and workers mocking Pelletier because she is a lesbian.

In today's closing arguments, the town’s lawyer had contended that Pelletier and those who testified on her behalf — many of them former highway department employees — had greatly exaggerated their stories over time in an attempt to buttress the allegations.

Her lawyer, Carlin J. Phillips, said the town’s defense was “Attack, attack, attack. Hide the harassment, bury the truth.”

He said former workers had testified about lots of adult magazines at the highway department, that in the summer of 2000, workers viewed pornographic movies -- on town time -- at the highway department building, that Pelletier was called names like “diesel dyke,” and that she was not given better assignments even though she was the senior driver in the department.

“We’ve had a parade of witnesses and almost all of them have told the same story,” Phillips told the jury. “[Pelletier] was a second-class citizen, and she was a woman, and she was gay. It was clear as a bell.”

“She was grabbed on her breast, grabbed on her rear end. They walked in on her in the bathroom,” he said.

-- Journal staff writer C. Eugene Emery Jr.

Posted by Steve Peoples at 4:53 PM | Comment

State goes paperless for unemployment, TDI checks

Paper unemployment checks are nearly extinct in Rhode Island.

The state Department of Labor and Training today is beginning to transfer roughly 50,000 recipients of the popular state welfare program to a paperless system that offers people a direct deposit or a debit-card like option.

Paper unemployment checks will cease to exist after the next seven business days, according to department spokeswoman Laura Hart.

While officials say the move will be more convenient for many customers, it is also expected to save the state about $500,000 a year in printing and processing costs.

Recipients had the option of direct deposit prior to the new program, Hart said, adding that most people appear to be sticking with direct deposit over the electronic payment card.

The department should have specific data on the breakdown tomorrow, Hart said.

Still, thousands of Rhode Islanders are expected to opt for the card, which works much like a debit or ATM card. About 2,800 cards have been issued so far, Hart said.

The program gives each card user one free withdrawal per weekly deposit at all Washington Trust, Allpoint and Chase ATMS. And with a Chase Visa logo, recipients can use the cards like a debit or credit card at most stores. Those who use the debit card option will pay 25 cents per transaction.

Electronic payments, including payment cards, also will begin to replace the paper checks used for Temporary Disability Insurance (TDI) in July, in hopes of eliminating all paper TDI checks by Sept. 20.

-- projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples

Posted by Steve Peoples at 4:35 PM | Comment

Sports Tonight: Mount vs. Hendricken for the title

The Division I boys hockey championship will be decided tonight, when Hendricken and Mount St. Charles face off at 7:30 at Schneider Arena. The underdog Mounties lost a 3-0 lead on Saturday night, as Hendricken -- which had gone through the regular season undefeated -- forced tonight's deciding game. If you haven't already, you can vote until 7:30 on how you think this showdown will turn out. Check projo.com's High School Game Day page tomorrow for stories about the game from Rob Lee and John Gillooly, as well as a photo gallery. Until then, you can see galleries today from all eight championship games played so far in the four Interscholastic League divisions.

The Boston Celtics are at home tonight against the Atlantic Division-leading Toronto Raptors. The game begins at 7:30 on Fox Sports New England. If you're in the lose-so-we-can-get-Greg-Oden camp, you didn't see anything this past weekend that would have made you change your mind.

Finally, ESPN has a doubleheader from the regional finals of the NCAA Women's Tournament. It will be Rutgers at Arizona State at 7, followed by LSU at UConn at 9.

Posted by Mike McDermott at 3:22 PM | Comment

Update: Recovered stolen goods on display / Photo

Journal photo / Kathy Borchers
Police Maj. Ron Blackmar, of Cranston, and Capt. Jeff Allen of South Kingstown Police, stand in front of some of the recovered goods today.

The Cranston Police put stolen goods taken during home break-ins around the state on display at a press conference today.

The goods include cameras, computers, cell phones, video games and numerous personal items taken from homes in Cranston, South Kingstown, Scituate, Foster and Johnston, according to a statement this morning by Cranston Maj. Ronald T. Blackmar.

A break in the case came Friday afternoon, according to Blackmar, when a South Kingstown resident came home and interrupted a break-in. The resident immediately called the South Kingstown police, and a Charlestown officer shortly after stopped a car said to have fled the residence.

The Cranston police got involved because two of the three suspects – including a juvenile -- arrested in that stop are from Cranston. Detectives then recovered what Blackmar describes as “a large amount of stolen goods from the home of the juvenile, which were taken from house-breaks in Cranston as well as other jurisdictions.”

Arrested and charged with breaking and entering a dwelling, receiving stolen goods and conspiracy are Ryan Capuano, 18, of 259 Ausdale Rd. in Cranston; Jordan Petit, 19, of 31 Cucumber Hill Rd. in Foster; and a 17-year-old juvenile from Cranston.

Posted by Kate Bramson at 1:50 PM | Comment

URI to hold groundbreaking for $60M biotech center

SOUTH KINGSTOWN -- The University of Rhode Island will hold a ground breaking ceremony tomorrow for a $60-million Center for Biotechnology and Life Sciences.

The facility is being funded in part by a $50 million state bond; URI plans to raise $10 million to complete the project. The ceremony is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. on the Kingston campus.

-- Journal staff writer Benjamin N. Gedan

Posted by Steve Peoples at 1:29 PM | Comment

House panel to meet on fire code complaints

PROVIDENCE -- A special panel will meet today at it prepares to examine controversial changes to the state fire code in the wake of The Station nightclub fire that killed 100 people in 2003.

Opponents of the fire code, including business owners who claim the code is draconian, are trying to build momentum to revisit the law this legislative session.

The House Oversight Commission to Study the Ramifications of the Fire Safety Code meets today to elect its leadership, review the original fire safety legislation, and set future hearing dates.

The commission's members include state Rep. Joseph Trillo, R-Warwick, who argues that the new code goes too far beyond regulating nightclubs, and has hurt businesses.

"Hopefully, we're going to have hearings this session and we'll take some testimony from fire authorities and from individuals and schools and anybody who wants to testify to the kind of problems they've had with this code," Trillo said in an interview last month.

Today's meeting is scheduled for 2 p.m. in Room 313 of the State House.

Posted by Steve Peoples at 1:24 PM | Comment

Portsmouth school closed after trashing by vandals

PORTSMOUTH -- A Portsmouth elementary school is closed today after two boys, ages 12 and 14, allegedly trashed six classrooms, smashing computer equipment and breaking into the library, the nurse’s office and the main office.

Schools Supt. Susan F. Lusi said she was forced to cancel classes at Melville Elementary School today because school officials did not learn of the incident until late yesterday and did not have time to clean up the building before this morning.

Police Det. Stephen Burns said the boys were interviewed at the police station about 9 p.m. yesterday and were subsequently released to their parents.

The boys will be referred to Family Court on charges of breaking and entering, vandalism and larceny, he said.

-- Journal staff writer Gina Macris

The boys were arrested after the fact, Burns said, but he declined to say what led police to them. Nor would he say whether the boys are Portsmouth residents, citing confidentiality rules governing juveniles.

The school department has not yet tallied the cost of repairing the damage, he said.

Lusi said the boys apparently broke in by smashing windows with large rocks.

The Melville School staff reported to work today to help with the cleanup, she said. Classes for more than 300 students will resume tomorrow.

-- Journal staff writer Gina Macris

Posted by Steve Peoples at 1:18 PM | Comment

Update: $10,000 reward offered in fatal hit-and-run

Local philanthropist Alan Shawn Feinstein is offering a $10,000 reward to anyone who steps forward with information that leads to the conviction of the person responsible for a hit-and-run that killed an 18-year-old Coventry High School student.

Around 4 a.m. Saturday, Andrew Coit was playing the guitar at a makeshift memorial in honor of his 14-year-old friend Darien Plass, who died hours earlier after crashing a van he was driving into a utility pole on Main Street. According to the police, Coit was struck by a hit-and-run driver and pronounced dead at Kent Hospital.

The police said they had no suspects this morning and are seeking the public's help.

The reward, Feinstein said today, would be given to the person whom the police say provided the information that led to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible.

"I feel it's the right thing to do," Feinstein said. "I hope that if anyone has any information, they'll come forward."

-- Journal staff writer Talia Buford

Police: No leads in hit-run death of mourning student
Posted 9:32 a.m.

WEST WARWICK – The police in this community continue to seek help from the public in tracking down a hit-and-run driver who killed the second of two teenage boys who died within five hours of each other this weekend.

Andrew Coit, 18, was killed sometime after 4 a.m., when he was hit by a car near an impromptu memorial that had sprung up near a utility pole on Main Street, according to the police. Coit had been at the makeshift memorial grieving a friend he lost five hours earlier, after that boy, 14-year-old Darien Plass, drove his mother’s minivan into the pole, just a few yards from his front door. Friends of Plass have said he was drinking before he got behind the wheel.

The police have no solid leads on who was driving the car that ran into Coit, Sgt. James Tiernan said this morning.

“Unfortunately, we’re still where we were earlier, as far as having nothing solid to go on,” Tiernan said.

If anyone calls to report a suspicious vehicle or damage on a car they hadn’t noticed before, the police will look into it, he said.

“Hopefully, with the public or someone’s conscience, we’ll be able to figure out who it was,” Tiernan said.

Posted by Steve Peoples at 12:23 PM | Comment

Play canceled after Coventry student's death

COVENTRY -- The final two performances of a Coventry High School play that had starred Andrew Coit have been canceled.

Coit, 18, was killed in a hit-and-run accident early Saturday morning as he was mourning at the scene of the death of his friend, 14-year-old Darien Plass, who died in a car crash there hours earlier.

Coit, an honor student and member of the Coventry High School drama club, had been playing one of the leading roles in the play "Passages," a story based on the life of Ishmael, the main character in Herman Melville’s novel "Moby Dick."

Coit did not have an understudy. An encore performance of the play, which was scheduled for tonight at the high school, has been canceled, according to school librarian Dolores O'Rourke, as well as a special free performance planned for tomorrow.

Coventry schools Supt. Kenneth R. DiPietro said grief counselors and social workers were on hand at the school today to help students cope with Coit's death.

West Warwick police said this morning they are still seeking a suspect in the hit-and-run accident.

-- projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples with reports from Journal staff writer Lisa Vernon-Sparks

Posted by Steve Peoples at 11:59 AM | Comment

R.I. gas prices up another 3 cents

Gasoline prices across the state rose an average of three cents over the past week.

Self-serve, regular unleaded gasoline is averaging $2.60 per gallon, according to AAA Southern New England.
Locally, prices have risen 43 cents per gallon over the last six weeks. At this time last year, the average price was $2.45, according to AAA.

Regular unleaded gasoline prices ranged 11 cents in AAA’s weekly survey, from $2.56 to $2.67.

Check out AAA’s gas-saving tips.

Posted by Kate Bramson at 11:54 AM | Comment

2 arrested in connection with Pawtucket robberies

PAWTUCKET – The police announced this morning that they’ve arrested two men in connection with three robberies in the city this month.

Mark W. Larson, 47, of no permanent address, and Geoffrey M. Romano, 43, of 10 Office Parkway #601 in East Providence, are each charged with robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery, according to a statement issued today by the police.

The Pawtucket robberies for which the two were charged took place March 4 at the Honey Dew Donuts, 1515 Newport Ave.; March 18 at the Stop N Save Discount Store, 823 Newport Ave.; and March 21 at the School Street Sunoco, 81 School St.

-- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson

Larson faces two counts of first-degree robbery and two counts of conspiracy. The Portsmouth Police also have an existing warrant out for his arrest on a felony shoplifting charge, according to the Pawtucket Police.

Romano faces three counts of first-degree robbery and two counts of conspiracy. Three other warrants for his arrest exist -- a Superior Court bench warrant for second-degree robbery, on a misdemeanor shoplifting charge out of Warwick and a charge of being an accessory to commit felony larceny out of Portsmouth, according to the Pawtucket Police.

Both men were arrested Friday night, around 8 p.m., in the vicinity of 196-206 Pleasant St. in Pawtucket.

They were arraigned before a bail commissioner at the Pawtucket police station on Saturday. They were remanded to the Adult Correctional Institutions in Cranston and were expected to be formally arraigned in District Court this morning.

Posted by Kate Bramson at 11:32 AM | Comment

Body of Jamestown bridge jumper washes ashore

JAMESTOWN -- The body of a man who jumped from the Jamestown-Verrazano Bridge last week was found washed ashore at a beach in Jamestown.

A pedestrian walking along Head's Beach spotted the body of Charles Ficke, 60, yesterday at about 6 p.m. among some rocks, the police said.

The police responded to a phone call on the evening of March 18 from witnesses who saw a man jump into Narragansett Bay. When they arrived on the scene, they found a 1993 Dodge Caravan parked on the bridge.

The Coast Guard, state Department of Environmental Management, Jamestown, North Kingstown, and state police searched the Bay and beaches.

Ficke was a Newport resident. His wife has been notified.

-- Journal staff writer Brandie Jefferson

Posted by Steve Peoples at 11:04 AM | Comment

W. Warwick police: No leads in hit-and-run death

WEST WARWICK – The police in this community continue to seek help from the public in tracking down a hit-and-run driver who killed the second of two teenage boys who died within five hours of each other this weekend.

Andrew Coit, 18, was killed sometime after 4 a.m., when he was hit by a car near an impromptu memorial that had sprung up near a utility pole on Main Street, according to the police. Coit had been at the makeshift memorial grieving a friend he lost five hours earlier, after that boy, 14-year-old Darien Plass, drove his mother’s minivan into the pole, just a few yards from his front door. Friends of Plass have said he was drinking before he got behind the wheel.

The police have no solid leads on who was driving the car that ran into Coit, Sgt. James Tiernan said this morning.

“Unfortunately, we’re still where we were earlier, as far as having nothing solid to go on,” Tiernan said.

If anyone calls to report a suspicious vehicle or damage on a car they hadn’t noticed before, the police will look into it, he said.

“Hopefully, with the public or someone’s conscience, we’ll be able to figure out who it was,” Tiernan said.

Posted by Kate Bramson at 9:32 AM | Comment

Photo: Spring sprouting in Exeter

projo.com photo / Beth Heaney

Daffodils growing in Exeter could be nourished by spring showers this afternoon and tomorrow morning, according to the National Weather Service.

Posted by Jack Perry at 8:58 AM | Comment

Rain possible this afternoon

PROVIDENCE – With a high of 49 today and 60 tomorrow, there’s no snow left on the horizon for this week. Rain may dampen today and tomorrow, but the rest of the week looks sunny and warm.

If it does rain today – and the National Weather Service says there’s just a 20 percent chance that it will – it’s most likely to do so after 3 p.m.

Expect highs of 59 on Wednesday and in the lower 50s Thursday and Friday.

We’re sorry to report that it’s about time to start checking pollen.com regularly again if you’re an allergy sufferer. Here in Providence, Wednesday should be a medium-high allergy alert day, so you might want to start thinking about pulling out your allergy remedies.

Get the latest conditions and forecasts from projo.com.

Posted by Kate Bramson at 7:13 AM | Comment

Review reveals mice, bugs at area veterans' facilities

BOSTON -- A review of veterans' hospitals and clinics in New England reveals the presence of rodents, bugs, leaks and other poor conditions.

The review was ordered after revelations about poor living conditions and bureaucratic delays at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington.

In New England, a Veterans Affairs Department review found mice at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Providence; persistent reports of flies at an outpatient clinic in Barnstable, Massachusetts; and broken furniture in Manchester, New Hampshire, the Associated Press reported, citing The Boston Globe.

V.A. officials played down the findings, saying the conditions are normal for aging buildings, some of which are more than 75 years old.

But Senator Edward Kennedy says the report highlights bureaucratic neglect of veterans.

-- The Associated Press

Posted by Jack Perry at 7:06 AM | Comment

Today's front page

Today's front page features a story on state Democrats challenging the Carcieri administration's hiring of temporary workers for state jobs.

Download today's front page.

Posted by Jack Perry at 7:00 AM | Comment

March 23, 2007

Weekend weather: Just when you think it's spring...

PROVIDENCE -- The good news is that tomorrow's high temperatures will reach the 50s. The bad news: It may snow late tomorrow into early Sunday morning.

The National Weather Service is calling for both rain and snow tomorrow between 9 p.m. and midnight. The messy mix should turn to primarily snow after 3 a.m. Sunday.

The accumulation isn't supposed to be heavy -- less than an inch, according to the weather service. The forecast calls for cloudy skies on Sunday with temps in the low 40s.

It's now officially spring. Let's hope spring-like weather will make more of an appearance next week.

Get the latest conditions and forecasts...

Posted by Steve Peoples at 7:03 PM | Comment

Aircraft carrier JFK lowers flag for the last time

MAYPORT, Fla. -- The John F. Kennedy lowered its flag and more than 2,000 sailors marched off for the last time, marking the end of service for the aircraft carrier.

U.S. Rep. Patrick Kennedy, the late president's nephew and a Rhode Island Democrat, said in a statement that there was no greater tribute to the legacy of his uncle than the brave service of the sailors who served aboard the ship. President Kennedy was assassinated in 1963.

The first skipper of the vessel -- Admiral Earl Yates -- said he felt sad and tearful as he watched the decommissioning of the ``Big John'' after 40 years of duty.

Navy sailors in dress uniforms stood on the deck of the as guns boomed. Thousands of former crew members, senior military commanders and onlookers gathered in Mayport to say goodbye to the hulking vessel, which was draped with banners.

-- The Associated Press

Posted by Steve Peoples at 6:56 PM | Comment

Pickup driver crashes into cars, tree in Pawtucket

PAWTUCKET -- One man was seriously injured when he apparently lost control of his red pickup truck on Pawtucket Avenue late last night and hit several cars and a tree, the Pawtucket Fire Department said today.

Battalion Chief Michael Carter said that the driver of the pickup apparently hit some cars and kept going. He came to a stop on George Street when he hit a tree about a foot and a half in diameter and snapped it in half, Carter said.

Carter said speed appeared to be a factor in the crash.

Carter said the driver had internal injuries and possible broken bones. Police did not name the driver. He was transported to Rhode Island Hospital.

Carter said that firefighters found the truck practically on its roof with the driver lying against the roof on the inside.

"You wouldn’t recognize the truck. Between the front and the back half there was just a strip of metal holding it together,’’ he said.

The Fire Department used "jaws of life" to extricate the man, who was unconscious the entire time.

A man in a car hit by the pickup was also taken to the hospital for minor injuries, Carter said.

-- Journal staff writer Tatiana Pina

Posted by Steve Peoples at 6:50 PM | Comment

Alert: Hornoff drops wrongful-conviction lawsuit

PROVIDENCE -- Jeffrey Scott Hornoff, a former Warwick police detective who served six years in prison for a murder he did not commit, has voluntarily withdrawn a civil lawsuit against the state.

Hornoff was convicted in 1989 of killing his former lover Victoria Cushman. He was released from prison only after another man confessed to the murder.

While Hornoff settled a civil suit against the city for $600,000 and a work-related disability pension, the state Attorney General's Office had refused to settle alongside the Warwick agreement.

Hornoff alleged that the city and the state violated his civil rights through errors in the murder investigation and by not preserving or considering evidence that would have cleared his name.

Today, Hornoff's attorney released a statement acknowledging his client's decision to withdraw the state suit.

"Mr. Hornoff's decision comes after several years of litigation, which previously resulted in a settlement of related litigation between Mr. Hornoff and the City of Warwick. Mr. Hornoff hopes this concludes the last chapter in his series of legal battles that began in 1989, when he was first identified as a suspect in the Victoria Cushman homicide."

The Attorney General's Office released a statement this afternoon commenting on Hornoff's decision.

"We are confident that continued litigation in this case would have clearly established that the State Police acted fairly, properly, and professionally throughout the investigation into the death of Victoria Cushman," it reads.

-- projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples

Posted by Steve Peoples at 6:08 PM | Comment

Suspect in Central Falls shooting arrested in Bronx

CENTRAL FALLS -- U.S. marshals have arrested a man in the Bronx who the police say shot a Central Falls man in the chest, leaving him in a coma for two weeks.

The U.S. Marshals New York, New Jersey Regional Fugitive Task Force and members of the Marshals Service Technical Operations Group arrested Angelo Marmolejos, 38, yesterday at 7:55 a.m. at a 1916 Grand Concourse apartment. He was charged with assault with intent to murder inside a dwelling.

The police say that Marmolejos shot Jose Lespin Quinones on Dec. 5, 2006, in Central Falls. Authorities found Lespin, 31, unconscious, lying in the driveway at 117 Clay St. with a gunshot wound in his chest.

He was taken to Rhode Island Hospital where he was in a coma until Dec. 18. That's when he identified Marmolejos as the shooter.

Central Falls Police are waiting for extradition proceedings, according Capt. Steven Sullivan.

-- Journal staff writer Tatiana Pina

Posted by Steve Peoples at 5:30 PM | Comment

Update: Royal Bank replaces Citizens CEO Fish

In his new role, former Citizens Bank CEO Lawrence K. Fish, 62, will serve as chairman of a new organizational unit, RBS America, that will oversee all of the Royal Bank of Scotland's North American activities.

Former Citigroup executive Ellen Alemany, 51, has been hired to serve as CEO of the new unit.

The company announced the staffing changes during a conference call today with reporters and analysts.

“I look forward to working with the whole team,” Fish said during the conference call. “I’m not expecting to fade away.”

Fish, who helped dramatically expand the reach of the New England lender, will retain retain his title of chairman as well as his seat on the board of RBS, the bank announced today.

Revenue at Citizens was relatively flat last year, after strong growth in 2005. But in a conference call this morning, RBS chief executive Fred Goodwin said he was satisfied with Fish's performance.

-- Journal staff writer Benjamin N. Gedan

Posted by Steve Peoples at 5:27 PM | Comment

Update: Carcieri must turn over smoke shop evidence

PROVIDENCE -- A Superior Court judge today ordered Governor Carcieri’s office to turn over e-mail, records and footage relating to the state police raid on a Narragansett Indian smoke-shop in July 2003, as the criminal cases proceed against seven tribal members arrested during the clash.

William P. Devereaux, lawyer for tribal members, subpoenaed those documents as well as video from Rhode Island and Boston news stations.

Judge Susan E. McGuirl gave the state until April 23 to respond, though many records have already been submitted. Several stations must comply by April 9, while most have already delivered their video for the court.

State police raided the roadside smoke shop in Charlestown at the governor’s order on July 14, 2003, to stop the tribe from selling cigarettes without charging Rhode Island taxes. A widely televised confrontation ensued in which Narragansett Chief Sachem Matthew Thomas and six other adult tribal members were arrested on misdemeanor assault, disorderly conduct and obstruction charges.

The criminal cases were on hold for more than three years as the federal courts decided what authority the state police had on tribal land. They were resurrected last fall, when the U.S. Supreme Court declined to take the case and, in doing so, let stand a lower court's ruling that the state could enforce its laws on tribal land.

Devereaux said that he would not rule out the possibility that Governor Carcieri could be called to testify at trial. “The governor’s a potential witness in the case,” he said.

Jeff Neal, spokesman for the governor, said it was far too premature to speculate on whether Carcieri might testify. “Many steps would have to be gone through to get to the point of even considering that,” Neal said. The governor’s office had sought to block the subpoenas.

McGuirl narrowed the scope of documents the state must produce to those issued two weeks before and 30 days after the raid, according to Devereaux.

-- Journal staff writer Katie Mulvaney

Posted by Steve Peoples at 5:25 PM | Comment

Casting call tomorrow for Brotherhood

There will be an open casting call for the second season of Brotherhood conducted by LDI Casting tomorrow from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the atrium of 1 Capitol Hill, across from the State House. No appointment is necessary, and all ages are welcome. Applicants are requested to bring a recent picture of themselves that LDI can keep. Union actors should bring their union cards with them.

Brotherhood is the Showtime drama about Rhode Island brothers on opposite sides of the law. It is scheduled to begin shooting its second season in Rhode Island on April 16.

LDI is encouraging everyone who comes to the casting call to bring a non-perishable food item for the Rhode Island Food Bank.

Posted by maria caporizzo at 4:46 PM | Comment

Next release of Station evidence may not be until fall

The attorney general might not disclose additional evidence from The Station nightclub fire investigation until the fall, almost a year after The Providence Journal requested it under the state’s Access to Public Records Act.

“Is there a possibility we can get it done before the end of summer? Maybe,” said Michael J. Healey, a spokesman for Attorney General Patrick C. Lynch.

Lynch has already released more than 10,000 pages of documents and dozens of hours of audio and video recordings that were collected as part of the fire investigation.

That information was disclosed in response to The Journal’s request and in fulfilling a pledge Lynch made when the three men charged with manslaughter in the fire accepted plea deals, ending their cases without trials and without a public airing of the evidence. In a letter to relatives of the 100 people who died in the February 2003 fire, Lynch said he would make as much evidence public as possible.

-- Journal staff writer Paul Edward Parker

The Journal filed its request in October, which, under state law, set a November deadline for the material to be released. Instead, Lynch’s office sent the newspaper a letter describing 17 categories of information and outlining legal arguments that might prevent some of that from being made public.

Two weeks later, the attorney general released some of the requested documents. That was followed by two additional “phased” releases of documents, including normally secret grand jury transcripts, which required Superior Court permission to make public.

Healey and Michael W. Field, a lawyer on Lynch’s staff, explained yesterday that the attorney general is changing tactics and abandoning the notion of phased releases.

The next phase will be the last, containing all remaining unreleased material.

Healey said that relatives of those who died find it painful every time new information about the fire makes headlines. “We’re trying to respect their feelings,” he said.

All of the information has to be reviewed before it is made public, and the pace of that review will be slowing, said Healey. “It’s just a workload challenge. Other things are coming due.”

He said that Field and other staff lawyers have been able to set aside other duties to work on the Station material, but cannot afford to continue.

Field said it is difficult to say what material remains to be disclosed. “There are boxes that are labeled on the outside of the box just miscellaneous.” Documents still being reviewed include crime scene and other photographs, expert reports, test results, phone records, witness statements and search warrants.

The attorney general maintains that some documents cannot be made public until Judge Francis J. Darigan Jr., who was to preside over the criminal trials, lifts orders that restrict who can see the material.

-- Journal staff writer Paul Edward Parker

Posted by Steve Peoples at 4:42 PM | Comment

Sports Tonight: Hockey titans collide

The Rhode Island Interscholastic League hockey finals get started tonight with the first game of the best-of-three series between Hendricken and Mount St. Charles in Division I. The game begins at 7:30 at Schneider Arena.

Projo.com's High School Game Day page will have a photo gallery and a game story. There will be games in all four division series on Saturday, and projo.com will have photos from all four games on Sunday.

Many folks accused the Boston Celtics of going in the tank earlier this week against the Charlotte Bobcats, but they were pretty game last weekend in Dallas against the Mavericks. They'll play those same Mavs at TD Banknorth Garden tonight. The game starts at 7:30 and can be seen on Fox Sports New England.

The Providence Bruins are at the Dunk tonight against the division-leading Manchester Monarchs. Game time is 7.

Perhaps most importantly, March Madness continues tonight with the remaining four regional semifinal games.

CBS will air show Vanderbilt vs. Georgetown at 7:27 and USC vs. North Carolina at 9:57. There will also be cut-in coverage of the other two games, Billy Donovan's Florida Gators vs. Butler and UNLV vs. Oregon. You can see the action on high-def on Cox Channel 701.

And you can keep up with game reports, including interactive brackets, via projo.com here.

Posted by Mike McDermott at 4:00 PM | Comment

Update: Out with Lincoln Park, in with Twin River / Photo

Journal photo / Bob Thayer
The impatient throng heads into the nevamped and renamed gambling facility in Lincoln today after waiting for the grand opening ceremony at 11 a.m.

LINCOLN -- The gambling establishment with a new name today unveiled the goods behind its $220 million expansion.

What has been known as Lincoln Park hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the facility that now identifies itself as Twin River.

But long before the event was supposed to begin, it was clear that patrons weren't in a mood to wait for the ribbon to be cut.

An hour before the 11 a.m. ribbon-cutting ceremony, gamblers were already negotiating the new rotary outside the park and walking through the fresh mulch that grounds crews had not yet finished spreading around the parking lots.

Phyllis Lewis of Cambridge, Mass., had the day off from her dental assistant job and decided to take her sister, Linda, to Twin River. The drive took her 45 minutes compared to about two hours to Foxwoods in eastern Connecticut.

"Why drive two hours when I can drive an hour and still have the same type of fun?’’ she asked.

Lincoln Park’s owners have spent $220 million so far on improving the aging dog track and video slots venue, hoping to transform it from a decrepit warehouse for slot machines into a comfortable, upscale gambling establishment.

-- Journal staff writer Tom Mooney

There will be new high-end restaurants, large open spaces and a 2,000-seat arena that opens next month with a concert by the Goo Goo Dolls.

When all the improvements are done, there will be more slot machines than ever — a total of 4,752. That’s more machines than in any casino in Las Vegas.

Retirees Stan and Darlene Dowgielewicz took the drive to Lincoln today from New Braintree, Mass., mostly for ``the curiosity factor.’’

They visit casinos about four or five times a year and call it a good day if they come close to breaking even, or maybe win enough for lunch.

``Any more than that and you get addicted,’’ Darlene said.

Maryanne Lecouras of Danvers, Mass., on the north shore of Boston said she took the day off and made plans to meet her boyfriend at the new Irish pub, Fado, one of a host of name-brand and upscale eateries recently built.

"I don’t go to Foxwoods or Mohegan Sun anymore,’’ said Lecouras. ``It’s clear to me I seem to win a lot more here.’’

-- Journal staff writer Tom Mooney

Read Journal columnist Bob Kerr’s take on the name change in today’s Journal.

Posted by Steve Peoples at 3:37 PM | Comment

Man charged with beating, robbing prostitute's client

JOHNSTON — A 34-year-old Providence man faces a robbery charge after he allegedly stormed a motel room and beat up a man who had hired a prostitute, the police said today.

The Johnston police allege that the muscular 200-pound suspect – William Shrayer, of 11 Custer Ave. – attacked the male victim in the presence of a prostitute and stole $1,860 in money that the man had received in a tax return, according to Johnston Deputy Police Chief Gary W. Maddocks Jr.

Johnston detectives worked with their counterparts in Providence to track down Shrayer in the aftermath of the Feb. 20 incident at the Johnston Motor Lodge at 2750 Hartford Avenue.

Shrayer was taken into custody by Providence police at 443 Atwells Avenue on Thursday afternoon, Maddocks said.

He was arraigned this morning in District Court, Warwick, on a charge of first-degree strong arm robbery and assault with intent to commit a felony.

Shrayer is being held without bail at the Adult Correctional Institutions in Cranston. He is scheduled to appear March 29 in Superior Court, Providence.

-- Journal staff writer Mark Reynolds

Posted by Steve Peoples at 1:15 PM | Comment

Catholic rights head decries Easter bunny ban

Tiverton's decision to ban the Easter Bunny from school events isn't sitting well with the head of a national Catholic civil rights organization.

As reported in a Journal story today, schools Supt. William Rearick said he decided to remove the word "Easter" from upcoming school events following a complaint from the School Committee. And rather than a visit from the Easter Bunny this weekend, attendees at a middle school craft fair will see Peter Rabbit instead.

Today, Bill Donohue, president of the New York-based Catholic League, had some fun in releasing a sarcastic response:

"It is unconscionable that in this day and age Supt. William Rearick would choose to honor a thief," Donohue said. "As every schoolchild knows, Peter Rabbit stole from Mr. McGregor's garden. To now hold him up as a role model to impressionable youngsters sends the wrong signal. At the very least, grief counselors should be dispatched to tomorrow's event."

Donohue continued: "There is also a more serious matter going on. The event smacks of sexism: Peter Rabbit had three sisters -- Flopsy, Mopsy and Cottontail -- and there is no historical record of them ever having committed a crime. So why were they passed over? Looks like the glass ceiling is still in place."

Donohue then urges "everyone to register their outrage" by e-mailing Rearick and providing his address.

The Catholic League is a national organization headquartered in New York. A civil rights watchdog organization since 1973, it is not officially affiliated with the Catholic Church, according to a spokeswoman.

Your turn: React to the ban on the word "Easter" and the bunny

-- projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples

Posted by Steve Peoples at 12:53 PM | Comment

Parole denied for woman who stole from elderly

Patricia Murtaugh, the former Block Island carrot cake shop owner who stole most of the life savings of two women in their 90s, has been denied parole by the New York State Division of Parole.

Murtaugh, 59, was sentenced by a Queens, N.Y. judge last September to serve one to three years for stealing more than $245,000 from two New York women for whom she was a help-mate.

The women, retired psychiatrist Elisabeth Shanks and former Navy nurse Joan Coughlan, suffer from memory impairment, live alone and had asked Murtaugh to help them pay their bills. She ended up stealing much of their money. As a result of the thefts, Shanks will soon have to move out of her rent-stablized apartment over the Hudson River and move into a state-subsidized nursing home.

Murtaugh has made $5,000 so far in restitution-- $2,500 to each of her victims.

The story of Murtaugh's crimes on her two elderly victims was the subject of a Sunday Journal story published Jan. 7.

-- Journal staff writer Tracy Breton

In denying Murtaugh parole, the commissioners said that Murtaugh was not remorseful for her crimes and that they believed she would commit further crimes if granted release now.

"On two separate occasions, you stole money totalling hundreds of thousands of dollars from two separate extremely elderly victims, aged 94 and 90 respectively. At interview, you offered little to explain your motivation for this monumental theft of your victims' life savings. Additionally, you displayed little remorse for your victims, only claiming to feel remorse after being prompted.

"Therefore, despite your receipt of an earned eligibility certificate and merit time credit, the panel concludes that if you are released at this time there exists a reasonable probability that you will not live and remain at liberty without further violations of the law. All factors considered, including the multiple victims involved and the particularly vulnerable nature of the victims, your release would not be in the best interests of the community at this time," the commissioners said.

Posted by Steve Peoples at 12:09 PM | Comment

Rat poison found in pet food blamed in pet deaths

ALBANY, N.Y. -- Rat poison has been found in pet food blamed for the deaths of at least 16 cats and dogs, a spokeswoman for the State Department of Agriculture and Markets said today.

Spokeswoman Jessica Chittenden would not identify the chemical or its source beyond saying it was a rodent poison.

The Food and Drug Administration has said the investigation was focusing on wheat gluten in the food. Wheat gluten itself would not cause kidney failure, but the common ingredient could have been contaminated by heavy metals or mold toxins, the FDA said.

New York state agriculture officials have scheduled a news conference for this afternoon to release laboratory findings from tests on the pet food conducted this week.

In Rhode Island, state Department of Health spokeswoman Andrea Bagnall Degos said she’s unaware of any local pets affected by the food, but she is checking with the department’s food protection professionals.

-- The Associated Press, with projo.com reports

The deaths led to a recall of 60 million cans and pouches of pet food produced by Menu Foods and sold throughout North America under 95 brand names. There have been several reports of kidney failure in pets that ate the recalled brands, and the company has confirmed the deaths of 15 cats and one dog.

Menu Foods last week recalled "cuts and gravy" style dog and cat food. The recall sparked concern among pet owners across North America. It includes food sold under store brands carried by Wal-Mart, Kroger, Safeway and other large retailers, as well as private labels such as Iams, Nutro and Eukanuba.

Menu Foods is majority-owned by Menu Foods Income Fund of Streetsville. The company also makes food for zoo cats, but those products are unaffected by the recall.

Posted by Kate Bramson at 12:05 PM | Comment

Twin River today replaces the old Lincoln Park

LINCOLN -- The gambling establishment with a new name today unveils the goods behind its $220 million expansion.

What has been known as Lincoln Park is hosting an 11 a.m. ribbon-cutting ceremony for the facility that now identifies itself as Twin River. Even its old Web site directs online users to a revamped site under the new name.

Lincoln Park’s owners have spent $220 million so far on improving the aging track, hoping to transform it from a decrepit warehouse for slot machines into a comfortable, upscale gambling establishment.

There will be new high-end restaurants, large open spaces and a 2,000-seat arena that opens next month with a concert by the Goo Goo Dolls.
When all the improvements are done, there will be more slot machines than ever — a total of 4,752. That’s more machines than in any casino in Las Vegas.

Read columnist Bob Kerr’s take on the name change in today’s Journal.

Read columnist Bob Kerr’s take on the name change in today’s Journal.

Posted by Kate Bramson at 8:38 AM | Comment

Sunny with a high of 65

PROVIDENCE – It’s already 52 degrees out this morning, and it’s shaping up to be a beautiful sunny day with a high of 65.

We’ve got half a nice weekend on tap, too. Tomorrow should be mostly sunny, with a high of 52. Sunday’s another story. Expect a low of 29 overnight leading into Sunday, with a 50 percent chance of rain or snow and then a 30 percent chance of snow on Sunday. That snow, if it comes, is likely to arrive before 9 a.m. The rest of the day, though, should be mostly cloudy with a high of 47.

The weather should turn around again just in time for us to go back to work Monday morning. Expect a mostly sunny day with a high of 55 the first day of the next work week.

Get the latest conditions and forecasts from projo.com.

Posted by Kate Bramson at 7:07 AM | Comment

Smoke shop hearing today

PROVIDENCE -- A court hearing is set for today for a group of Narragansett Indians arrested during a 2003 raid on a tribal smoke shop.

Seven tribe members -- including Chief Sachem Matthew Thomas -- are charged with offenses ranging from disorderly conduct to assault.

They were arrested for allegedly scuffling with state police ordered to shut down a tribal smoke shop that courts later judged to be illegal. The shop wasn't collecting state-mandated taxes.

The raid sparked a legal battle over how much sovereignty Rhode Island's only federally recognized American Indian tribe enjoys over its settlement lands in Charlestown.

The criminal case is being heard in Providence Superior Court.

-- Associated Press

Posted by Jack Perry at 7:01 AM | Comment

Today's front page

Today's front page features a story and photograph about a Rhode Island Marine pilot who won a rare British honor for saving the life of a British officer in Iraq.

Download today's front page in .pdf format.

Posted by Jack Perry at 7:00 AM | Comment

March 22, 2007

Photo: Homeless advocates protest at State House

Journal photo / Ruben W. Perez
Jesse Reedy and Mark Fielder were among those taking part in a protest this afternoon on the State House Lawn, in the wake of the recent closing of the state's largest homeless shelter. Each bed is meant to represent a homeless person now sleeping on floors at Crossroads Rhode Island and the Harrington Hall overflow shelter for men. The signs refer to a contingency plan the governor's office says it has for the homeless, which has not yet been enacted. Spokesman Jeff Neal said this evening that there are no plans to do so at this time.

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

Posted by Andrea Panciera at 7:00 PM | Comment

Man, 20, convicted of accidentally killing friend

PROVIDENCE — Donnell C. Greene was convicted today of fatally, but accidentally, shooting to death his best friend a year and a half ago.

A Superior Court jury convicted Greene of second-degree murder and four other charges after deliberating about 3 1/4 hours at the Licht Judicial Complex downtown.

Greene, 20, was accused of brandishing a pistol on Atwells Avenue as he walked with his girlfriend and his best friend, Matthew J. “Casper” Nicholson on Nov. 14, 2005. He accidentally fired a shot, which struck Nicholson in the back and killed him.

Second-degree murder, Judge Robert D. Krause instructed jurors before they began deliberating, is an appropriate verdict if a killing occurs in the commission of an inherently dangerous felony offense. Greene also was accused — and convicted — of the felony charge of carrying a pistol without a license when he fired the shot.

Greene alternately denied and confessed having shot Nicholson, and his recorded statements to the police were key evidence in the case.

After the verdict was recited, a poker-faced Greene shook the hand of his lead defense lawyer, Assistant Public Defender, Eamonn G. Gill, and hugged him.

Greene had been living with Nicholson and Nicholson’s mother and uncle in a tenement apartment on Atwells at the time of the slaying.

-- Journal staff writer Gregory Smith

Posted by Andrea Panciera at 6:32 PM | Comment

Johnston recreation supervisor cleared of charges

JOHNSTON — Authorities have dropped their case against the town’s recreation supervisor, Ralph DeAngelis, the police said earlier today.

The charges of simple assault, placing obscene phone calls and disorderly conduct were dropped because the woman who initially leveled the allegations against DeAngelis will not cooperate as a witness in the case, said Police Chief Richard S. Tamburini.

The charges were dismissed on Wednesday, the same day DeAngelis was expected to appear in District Court, Warwick.

DeAngelis’s father reached out to the media afterward because he wanted his son’s name cleared.

DeAngelis, 34, of 42 John St., was suspended from his job without pay after his arrest earlier this month.

Now, he just wants to clear his name and move on with his life.

“I’m not going to comment,” he said. “I just want my name cleared.”

“I love my job,” he said. “I love what I do. I love the people I work with.”

DeAngelis’s employment status with the town was still uncertain.

“As far as I know I am still suspended without pay,” he said.

--By Mark Reynolds

Journal Staff Writer
mreynold@projo.com / (401) 277-7490

Posted by Pam Cotter at 5:16 PM | Comment

Update: Beazley objects to privatizing at Zambarano

Journal photo / Mary Murphy
Frank Beazley testifies before the subcommittee of the House Finance Committee today at the State House.

PROVIDENCE _ The state’s leading advocate for the disabled traveled from Burrillville to the State House today to deliver a message to lawmakers and bureaucrats who’d gathered for a House Finance Committee hearing.

Frank Beazley was not pleased.

Among other cuts and changes, Governor Carcieri’s proposed 2008 budget for the state Department of Mental Health, Retardation and Hospitals would privatize housekeeping and food services at the state-run Eleanor Slater Hospital, including its Zambarano unit, where Beazley has lived for 40 years this month.

``A lot of the patients are very concerned out there – just as much as I am,’’ said Beazley, 78, who was left a quadriplegic in a fall in early 1967.

Beazley was not alone.

``Privatization is not going to be able to meet our needs,’’ said Bill Feole, who has been at Zambarano for almost two decades. ``To put a dollar factor on quality of life is really a shame.’’

Legislators also questioned the plan to save what MHRH claims will be an estimated $5.4 million a year by eliminating 180 housekeeping and dietary jobs at Zambarano and the other Slater campus, in Cranston. Food and cleaning services at the two facilities would be provided by outside firms, according to the plan.

-- Journal staff writer G. Wayne Miller

In a letter last month to The Journal, Beazley, on behalf of patients, wrote that Zamabarano ``is a long-term-care facility and has a great reputation among families, representatives, senators, and all who are affiliated with Zambarano. Housekeeping gives 110 percent all of the time. Our whole facility is spotless and I'm proud to call it my home. To lose these valuable, reliable and dependable people, who live in the Burrillville area, would have a detrimental effect on our community.’’

And in a meeting last week with the head of a state Senate subcommittee, Beazley warned of changes that could turn Zambarano into another Walter Reed Hospital, where care for wounded soldiers has suffered.

Extra: The Growing Season, a multimedia series about Beazley and his life, by Journal staff writer G. Wayne Miller.

Posted by Jack Perry at 4:53 PM | Comment

Sports Tonight: Step back into March Madness

The NCAA Tournament resumes tonight with four regional semifinal games. Beginning in the 7 o'clock hour will be Kansas vs. Southern Illinois and Texas A&M vs. Memphis. The late games, starting sometime after 9:30, will be Pitt vs. UCLA and Ohio State vs. Tennessee. Locally, CBS will be featuring the Kansas game and the Pittsburgh game, with live cut-ins from the other action. Cox will be offering high-definition coverage on Channel 701.

Also tonight, the sinking Boston Bruins will try to score a goal for the first time in a week when they host the Montreal Canadiens at TD Banknorth Garden. The game begins at 7:30 on NESN.

Posted by Mike McDermott at 3:49 PM | Comment

Update: Whitehouse's panel OKs subpoenas / Video

WASHINGTON -- U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse took the national stage today as the Senate Judiciary Committee voted to authorize subpoenas for top Bush administration officials over allegations of inappropriate political meddling in the firing of eight U.S. Attorneys.

This morning, Whitehouse, a former U.S. Attorney for Rhode Island who now sits on the Judiciary Committee, was featured on MSNBC.

Rhode Island's junior senator said in the brief interview that it is "highly likely" that the committee would vote to authorize subpoenas today, following the lead of the House Judiciary Committee's authorization yesterday.

He was right. Whitehouse was among the majority of committee members to approve the measure this morning by a voice vote.

"It's important that America hear from these people openly, publicly, and under oath; that they have the opportunity to explain what transpired here and to make sure that we know the real reason these U.S. Attorneys were purged. We've had private meetings before, and the answers we've received simply haven't been truthful," Whitehouse said in a news realease.

"I hope the President and his administration understand that we will continue to pursue this issue and ensure that the impartial and independent administration of justice in this country has not been irreparably harmed by this incident," Whitehouse said.

The committee authorized the subpoenas, but it did not decide to issue them. The president has vowed to fight subpoenas should they be issued to Karl Rove and other top advisers.

"I think there's a certain amount of bluff back and forth," Whitehouse said on MSNBC, adding that a court showdown between the Legislative and Executive branches would be "unfortunate for the American people."

Video: View an AP report of the panel's action.
-- projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples and John Mulligan, Journal Washington bureau

Posted by Steve Peoples at 2:51 PM | Comment

SUV crashes into Providence house

PROVIDENCE – The residents of a house at 393 Friendship St. had to leave the home early this morning after a Nissan Pathfinder crashed into the foundation when the driver apparently lost control.

Although the driver and two passengers fled after the 1:18 a.m. crash, some good old police work helped track them down, Sgt. Paul Zienowicz said.

The driver – Triston Bryson of Brooklyn, N.Y. – is charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, operating a vehicle without a license and failure to maintain control of his vehicle, Zienowicz said. His two passengers were not charged and were released at the scene, according to the police.

The crash caused three different holes in the foundation, which prompted a city building inspector to determine the house was uninhabitable this morning, Zienowicz said.

After the crash, the police aired a broadcast seeking help finding the driver and passengers. A police officer who had been working a detail at Finnegan’s Wake, located at 397 Westminster St., had seen the three at the downtown bar earlier in the evening and watched them leave in the Pathfinder, Zienowicz said. That officer was able to help identify the driver once he was apprehended downtown, according to the police.

Posted by Kate Bramson at 2:41 PM | Comment

WRNI, R.I.'s public radio station, being sold

WRNI-AM, Rhode Island's National Public Radio station, has announced a series of moves that will transfer the station ownership from Boston University to a group of local public radio supporters, who also plan to purchase a second station, broadcasting from Narragansett, that will allow WRNI's programming to cover nearly the entire state.

H. Joseph O'Connor Jr., general manager of WRNI, said Boston University will sell WRNI to a nonprofit organization, Rhode Island Public Radio, formerly the Foundation for Ocean State Public Radio, for $2 million, to be paid back over a 10-year period.

At the same time, he said, Rhode Island Public Radio intends to buy a second station, WAKX-FM (102.7) from the Davidson Media Group, using a $2.65 million loan from the Rhode Island Foundation. The WAKX transmitter is located in Narragansett.

O'Connor said the WAKX signal will allow WRNI programming to reach key parts of the state that have been unable to receive WRNI, including South County, East Greenwich and Newport.

More to come on projo.com and in tomorrow's Journal ...

Posted by Andrea Panciera at 1:58 PM | Comment

Papelbon on deck as Sox' closer

CLEARWATER, Fla. -- After spending the first five weeks of spring training insisting they had no plans to move Jonathan Papelbon back to the bullpen, the Red Sox today are likely to do just that.

The Sox are expected to announce after today's game with the Phillies that Papelbon -- one of the best relievers in baseball in 2006 -- was being reinstated as the team's closer.

His spot in the starting rotation will be taken by Julian Tavarez, who pitched three innings in Sunday's 2-1 victory over the Orioles and was scheduled to pitch four innings in a minor-league game today.

In retrospect, Tavarez' increased workload should have served as a tipoff to the team's plans. As a middle to late reliever, Tavarez would have no call to pitch as much as he has in recent days unless he was being stretched out for greater in-game responsibilities.

Papelbon, conversely, was the Sox' second pitcher today after having been the starter in his last several appearances. He had started the exhibition season pitching on the same day as Tim Wakefield, but they were separated a week or so into the schedule, ostensibly because they would be pitching on different days during the season. The fact that were back together today, and that Papelbon was not starting, was another red flag.

-- By projo.com, with reports from The Providence Journal sports department

On the one hand, the move solves a huge problem for the Red Sox. Unable to sign or trade for an established closer during the offseason, they had planned to give the job to 41-year-old Mike Timlin. When Timlin was suffered a strained oblique muscle early in camp, an injury that will force him to start the season on the disabled list, they had to turn to Plan B.

Although they made no public pronouncements, it was believed Tavarez would be the choice, the reasoning being he had the best mental makeup for the role. The Sox didn't want to place the immense pressure of closing in a market like Boston on Joel Piniero, who is new to the position, and none of the other relievers -- Brendan Donnelly, J.C. Romero, Manny Delcarmen, Craig Hansen, Hideki Okajima -- had the experience or the skills for the job.

Papelbon, of course, was absolutely dominant in the role last year. He was 4-2 with 35 saves and an 0.92 ERA in 59 games, made the American League All-Star team and finished second in Rookie of the Year voting.

On the other hand, however, the stress of relieving led to a shoulder injury that sidelined Papelbon for the final month of the season and the team's medical staff recommended he return to starting to avoid further problems. In returning to the bullpen, Papelbon will be unable to pitch more than an inning at a time except on rare occasions, and pitching back-to-back days could be difficult.

The Sox were strong, but never unequivocal, in their insistence that Papelbon would not relieve this season. Still, they repeated over and over that Papelbon would be a starter and once became very angry with media members who continued to speculate that the Sox would, in the end, return him to the closer's role.

Which is exactly what they wound up doing.

-- By projo.com, with reports from The Providence Journal sports department

Posted by Pam Cotter at 1:54 PM | Comment

Photo: Setting the Dunk stage for Elton John

Journal photo / Mary Murphy

Stage hands erect the lighting and sound stage for the Elton John concert tonight at the Dunkin' Donuts Center in Providence, part of the musician's 60th birthday celebration. John is playing the Dunk despite ongoing renovations.

Posted by Jack Perry at 12:09 PM | Comment

R.I. Marine pilot given rare British honor / Photo

LONDON -- A U.S. Marine helicopter pilot who rescued a wounded British soldier in Iraq has received a rare British honor.

Queen Elizabeth II yesterday presented the Distinguished Flying Cross to Maj. William Chesarek, 32, of Newport.

Press Association, the British news agency, said Chesarek was believed to be the first American to be honored since World War II.

Chesarek was flying a Lynx helicopter for British forces in an exchange program. He braved hostile fire to evacuate a wounded British office in Al Amara province in June.

British Pvt. Michelle Norris, 19, of the Royal Army Medical Corps, received the Military Cross for her action in attending to the wounded officer. She was the first woman to be awarded the Military Cross.

-- The Associated Press

Posted by Jack Perry at 11:00 AM | Comment

A.G. Lynch pushes dating violence bill after murder

PROVIDENCE -- The police found 23-year-old Lindsay Ann Burke's bloody body in her killer's bathtub cloaked by a blanket and alongside her stuffed animals.

Navy seaman Gerardo E. Martinez, Burke's former boyfriend, was convicted of first-degree murder for the gruesome 2005 slaying. And the state attorney general -- backed by Burke's parents -- wants to use the tragedy to help others.

Attorney General Patrick Lynch and Burke's parents, who live in North Kingstown, are scheduled to hold a 12:15 p.m. press conference today to push proposed legislation that would force school districts across the state to adopt a dating-violence policy and implement dating-violence education programs.

Officials will discuss the bill, dubbed the Lindsay Ann Burke Act, this afternoon in the school library of the William M. Davies Jr. Career and Technical High School in Lincoln.

Posted by Steve Peoples at 10:59 AM | Comment

CCRI celebrates on eve of president's inauguration

PROVIDENCE -- On the eve of the inauguration of its fourth president, the Community College of Rhode Island plans to hold a special event today featuring multicultural performances by students and a sampling of ethnic foods from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Atrium on the Liston Campus in Providence.

The college has held special events every day this week in preparation of Ray Di Pasquale's inauguration, set for 2:30 p.m. tomorrow at CCRI's Knight Campus in Warwick.

Serving as master of ceremonies at the inauguration will be Providence Municipal Court Chief Judge Frank Caprio, chairman of the Rhode Island Board of Governors for Higher Education.

After the formal ceremony, guests are invited to attend a community reception featuring Rhode Island culinary delights. RSVP is requested; call (401) 825-2188.

Posted by Steve Peoples at 9:24 AM | Comment

Stop & Shop owner's 4Q earnings double

AMSTERDAM, Netherlands -- Royal Ahold NV, best known as the operator of the Quincy-Mass.-based Stop & Shop grocery chain in the United States, reported a sharp rise in fourth-quarter earnings today and said it plans to boost its planned share buybacks by about $1.3 billion.

The Amsterdam-based company earned $318 million for the last three months of 2006, up from 103 million euros a year earlier.

Ahold had previously said its sales fell 2.8 percent to $13.5 billion for the quarter. Without currency fluctuations, sales would have risen 3 percent, the company said.

Stop & Shop and unions representing 43,000 workers in Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Connecticut averted a possible strike earlier this month when employees approved a three-year contract.

Read the full Associated Press story.

Posted by Jack Perry at 9:18 AM | Comment

Firefighters battle stubborn blaze in Woonsocket

WOONSOCKET – A stubborn fire that got behind walls and spread into nooks and crannies all but destroyed a house in the Bernon District, burning for two hours before firefighters got it under control.

Firefighters were still hard at work around midnight, trying to prevent flare-ups that would reignite the blaze.

A total of 13 fire companies – two from out of town, 11 from the city -- raced to the scene around 8:54 p.m. yesterday, when the fire was reported in the 27 Pine St. home.

Firefighters managed to keep the fire from spreading to adjoining homes in the thickly settled district. But it was a struggle.

“It’s a much older building,” acting Fire Chief Kenneth Finlay said late last night. “There were walls that were put on top of walls and a lot of little voids and air spaces for the fire to travel in, and it had a tremendous head start on us before they got here.”

No one was injured. The three adults living in the house got out, and a cat was rescued from the first floor.

“The first companies that pulled up had heavy fire coming out of the second floor in the back of the building,” Finlay said. “The first three companies in the building, every door that they opened, they were greeted by fire and heavy smoke.”

-- Journal staff writer John Castellucci

CORRECTION: An earlier item misspelled Finlay's name.

Finlay said the large number of possessions in the building made the job difficult.

“There’s a lot of acquired items in the building that have created a pretty dense area of charring and smoldering debris,” he said.

“Evidently the people have been in this house for quite a while,” Finlay said. “They’ve accumulated things over the years that made it pretty difficult for us to get in and get to the walls and knock it down.”

The cause of the fire wasn’t immediately known. Finlay said it was being investigated by two investigators from the state Fire Marshal’s Office, two investigators from the Woonsocket Fire department, along with the arson investigator from the Woonsocket Police Department.

The house appeared to be a total loss.

“The building inspector is on scene. My experience tells me it’s probably not going to be able to be salvaged,” Finlay said.

Posted by Steve Peoples at 7:49 AM | Comment

Traffic: Cameras, jam factor show smooth commute

Despite reports this morning of a breakdown on Route 95 North in Pawtucket, the traffic appears to be flowing smoothly at about 7:30 a.m. throughout the state, according to the state Department of Transportation.

The traffic "jam factor," which is measured and updated in real-time by the state, shows the busiest roadway in Rhode Island this morning is Interstate 195 westbound -- although it's not too bad. The DOT ranks the traffic situation there as a 2.0, meaning that it's a little between "clear" and "slow."

Check out congestion mapping -- i.e., how heavy the traffic is -- here.

For other traffic needs, check out the state roadways, via the Department of Transportation's online traffic offerings.

You can find any traffic alerts describing accidents here, browse traffic cams to see real-time photos of the highways and check out the DOT’s road construction schedule here.

To report a traffic incident, call the Transportation Management Center at (401) 222-5826 and choose option #2.

Posted by Steve Peoples at 7:23 AM | Comment

R.I. museum interested in Wyeth mural

WILMINGTON, Del. -- A Rhode Island museum is interested in taking home a 60-foot N.C. Wyeth mural from the lobby of a Wilmington bank that has been sold to a developer.

The National Museum of American Illustration in Newport says it has made a proposal for the mural.

Museum chairman Laurence Cutler says the museum has already drawn up plans for a building for it.

The mural, called ``The Apotheosis of the Family,'' was painted 75 years ago. The WSFS Bank is moving out and selling the building to a developer with plans to use the space for offices, apartments or hotel rooms.

The lobby will close next month.

-- The Associated Press

Posted by Jack Perry at 7:15 AM | Comment

It'll feel a little more like spring today

PROVIDENCE -- It took two days, but it looks like Mother Nature has decided that spring is finally here.

Yesterday, the first day of spring, was sunny, but a bit cold as temperatures never climbed out of the 30s. Today will feel considerably more mild. And there may even be a few spring showers this morning.

The National Weather Service is calling for the chance of showers, mostly before noon. The precipitation should give way to mostly cloudy skies before the chance of showers returns after 9 p.m.

The good news? The weather service is predicting that today's high temperature will be 57 degrees. And a warm southwest wind should blow between 11 and 18 mph.

For more weather and regular updates, see projo.com/weather.

Posted by Steve Peoples at 7:00 AM | Comment

March 21, 2007

Concept of full-time legislature introduced again

PROVIDENCE -- A North Providence senator has introduced a resolution that would ask Rhode Island voters to change the state Constitution to institute a full-time legislature.

The bill, introduced by Sen. Frank A. Ciccone, D-North Providence, would establish an $85,000 annual salary for the average senator and representative and a $145,000 salary for the Senate president and speaker of the House.

“I know what the arguments are going to be against this, because we have all heard them – many of them are sarcastic and unfair and pretty much without any kind of reasoned debate on the subject,” Ciccone said in a statement released today. “For what it’s worth, opponents are going to raise the question of legislator pay, and whether certain powerful people will become more powerful.”

Ciccone said the constitutional change, which has yet to be debated at the committee level, would reduce conflicts of interest and allow elected officials more time to conduct the state's business.

“By the very nature of our part-time legislature, lots of things need to get done in little time," he said. "There is always criticism about the General Assembly passing hundreds of bills in the last days of the session. With a full-time body, there would be less need to rush, more time for thoughtful study on important issues."

Currently, the General Assembly convenes on the first Tuesday of January each year and generally recesses in June. Legislators currently make around $14,000 each year and receive health benefits. They do not receive state pensions.

A proposal to end the part-time nature of the legislature is not new. This one has been referred to the Senate Committee on Constitutional and Regulatory Issues.

Posted by Steve Peoples at 6:59 PM | Comment

Prosecution rests in Atwells Avenue murder case

PROVIDENCE — Donnell C. Greene, a self-described “well-respected gunman” in his Mount Pleasant neighborhood, gave conflicting statements to the police about how his friend Matthew “Casper” Nicholson was shot to death on the street in 2005, according to testimony in today's trial.

Greene, who is being tried in Superior Court on a charge of second-degree murder in the slaying of the 18-year-old Nicholson, confessed to the police that he shot and killed his buddy by mistake, according to testimony by police Detective Angelo A’Vant.

But at other points during a police investigation of the slaying on Atwells Avenue, according to trial evidence, Greene insisted that Nicholson was shot by another person.

A’Vant testified that Greene boasted that “he is well-respected as a gunman in his neighborhood … (and) they would never understand that he shot Matthew.”

Greene, now 20, was living with Nicholson and Nicholson’s mother and uncle in a tenement apartment on Atwells when Nicholson was killed.

The attorney general’s office wrapped up its case against Greene, and Assistant Public Defender Eamonn G. Gill told Judge Robert D. Krause that Greene would not present any witnesses.

Krause pointedly asked Greene if he was waiving his right to testify, and Greene responded, “Yes, sir.”

The prosecution and the defense are expected to make their closing arguments to the jury tomorrow.

-- Journal staff writer Gregory Smith

Posted by Steve Peoples at 6:50 PM | Comment

Urciuoli, Driscoll can remain free pending appeal

PROVIDENCE -- Two former hospital executives convicted of hiring a state senator to advance their legislative agenda are allowed to remain free on bail while their appeal is pending, a federal appeals court ruled today.

A three-judge panel of the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston said in a written order that the judge's instructions to the jury raised a "substantial question of law."

Robert Urciuoli, the former president and chief executive of Roger Williams Medical Center, and former hospital vice president Frances Driscoll were convicted last October of having improper business dealings with former state Sen. John Celona.

-- Associated Press

Urciuoli, who was convicted of conspiracy and 35 counts of mail fraud, was sentenced to three years in prison. Driscoll, who was found guilty of a single count of mail fraud, was sentenced to eight months.

Both had been ordered to report on Monday, April 2, but the appeals court granted their request to remain free pending their appeals.

"He's asserted from the beginning that he is innocent," said Martin Weinberg, an attorney for Urciuoli. "He certainly welcomes the opportunity to have these very important and in some ways unprecedented issues of law addressed in the court of appeals."

The defendants have challenged instructions that U.S. District Judge Ernest Torres gave jurors before they began their deliberations. They said the judge's instructions made it possible for the jury to convict them for conduct that was not illegal.

Weinberg said there were no dates set yet for submitting briefs to the court or presenting oral arguments.

Tom Connell, a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's Office in Rhode Island, said the court's ruling was just one step in the appellate process.

-- Associated Press

Posted by Steve Peoples at 6:38 PM | Comment

W. Warwick man accused of threatening Carcieri

PROVIDENCE – Mad about what he was reading and hearing about Governor Carcieri’s performance at the State House, a West Warwick man picked up the phone Friday evening and left two nasty messages at the constituent affairs office to let the governor know how he felt.

“I would kill you if I could,” said Robert Pontarelli, 59, according to the state police. “You never had a round pass over your head.”

Then, Pontarelli left his name and phone number for a return call. Both were helpful when the state police came to arrest him at his apartment this morning.

It was unclear what, exactly, infuriated Pontarelli into making two furious phone calls, said Maj. Steven O’Donnell. Pontarelli also confessed to being intoxicated when he dialed the phone, O’Donnell said.

The state office workers heard the messages when they came back to work on Monday morning, and then called the police yesterday, said Capt. Steven Lynch.

Pontarelli, of 565 Quaker Lane, Apt. 80, in West Warwick, was charged today with making threats to a public official, a felony, and making harassing phone calls. He was released on $25,000 recognizance bail with an order not to contact Carcieri, Lynch said.

The governor’s spokesman said Carcieri had no comment on the incident and referred questions to the state police.

-- Journal staff writer Amanda Milkovits

Posted by Andrea Panciera at 4:54 PM | Comment

Textron expects to meet its earning projections

PROVIDENCE -- Textron Inc., a multi-industry company with 40,000 employees, is on track to meet or exceed its projected first quarter earnings per share, the Providence-based company said today.

In a statement released before the company's 2007 Bank and Capital Markets meeting, Textron said it was ready to "confirm" the 2007 and multi-year financial outlook it released last month.

--Journal staff writer Benjamin N. Gedan

Posted by Andrea Panciera at 4:35 PM | Comment

Ex-Field & Stream editor, a Providence native, dies

SANTA FE, N.M. -- Jack Samson, a longtime editor of Field & Stream magazine, has died at his home in Santa Fe.

Samson, who died Sunday, would have turned 85 on Monday.

Samson was born John G. Samson in Providence, R.I., in 1922. He first moved to Santa Fe at age 8 to recover from asthma, and grew up there in the 1930s, according to a friend and fishing buddy, Jeff Bowen.

After serving in World War II as an Army Air Corps navigator aboard a B-24 bomber over China, Samson attended the University of New Mexico on the GI Bill and graduated in 1949 with a degree in journalism.

He covered the Korean War for United Press International, and later joined The Associated Press in Albuquerque. He was awarded a Nieman Fellowship from Harvard University in 1960.

After a stint as a freelance writer, Samson joined Field & Stream in New York City in 1970 as managing editor. He became editor-in-chief in 1972 and traveled throughout the world for the magazine. He retired in 1985.

-- The Associated Press

Posted by Steve Peoples at 4:06 PM | Comment

Sports Tonight: Who don't want it more?

Two of the NBA's worst teams tangle tonight at TD Banknorth Garden when the Boston Celtics (20-47) host the Charlotte Bobcats (25-43) in a game that has more to do with draft order than with any kind of playoff race. You've gotta love Paul Pierce's quote today in The Boston Herald: “We'll see who don't want it more.” The Celts seemed to be playing better before Monday night's disaster in Oklahoma City. Tonight's game begins at 7:30 on Fox Sports New England.

You can catch the top Rhode Island product in the college ranks tonight when St. Andrew's graduate Demetris Nichols and Syracuse take on Clemson in New York City in the NIT quarterfinal, at 7 on ESPN.

The Providence Bruins are at the Dunk tonight to take on the Portland Pirates. The game starts at 7.

Posted by Mike McDermott at 3:21 PM | Comment

State pushes fruit and veggies this afternoon

PROVIDENCE -- Usually it was mom demanding that we eat our fruit and vegetables. Now, it's the State of Rhode Island.

As part of the state's efforts to get its employees to lead healthier lives, Get Fit, Rhode Island, with the state Department of Health, is hosting an event this afternoon at the State House where a chef will demonstrate cooking skills and the benefits of "healthy food choices."

The state says all of its employees are invited, including the 2,500 who work in the State House area.

Read an off beat take on the effort on projo.com's Off Beat blog.

Posted by Steve Peoples at 2:57 PM | Comment

Ethics Commission sets date for Irons complaint

PROVIDENCE -- Former Senate President William Irons faces a trial-like hearing before the state Ethics Commission next month.

It stems from an ethics complaint from a government watchdog group in 2004.

The complaint accuses Irons of having a conflict of interest when he voted against Pharmacy Freedom of Choice legislation while chairing the Senate Corporations Committee.

At the time, he was an insurance broker on a CVS employee health insurance policy provided by Blue Cross and Blue Shield. CVS opposed the freedom of choice legislation.

Irons in 1999 received an advisory opinion from the commission that essentially permitted him to vote on legislation involving the pharmaceutical industry.

The hearing is scheduled for Tuesday April 3 at 10 a.m., though a settlement is possible.

-- The Associated Press

Posted by Steve Peoples at 2:52 PM | Comment

Skate in shorts, save money

PROVIDENCE -- We hardly think it’s the season to pull out your shorts, but here goes.

On this, the first full day of spring, the Bank of America City Center skating rink downtown hosts its “Skate in Shorts” event. If you wear shorts at the rink this evening, you can skate and rent skates at half price. The rink is open until 10 p.m.

If tonight’s potential low of 32 degrees will keep you from donning those shorts, you can catch the same deal this weekend, the rink’s last for the season.

-- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson

Both Saturday and Sunday, skaters can skate and rent skates for half price again, according to the Providence mayor’s office. The rink is open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. those days, according to events manager Justine Welch.

The rink closes Sunday at 10 p.m. for the season.

More than 40,000 skaters enjoyed the rink during this eighth skating season, according to the mayor’s office.

Posted by Kate Bramson at 2:47 PM | Comment

State education head suggests changes to federal act

State Education Commissioner Peter McWalters today asked the U.S. House Committee on Education and Labor to change the No Child Left Behind Act, the 2002 federal law designed to improve the performance of country's primary and secondary schools.

McWalters asked the committee, which is considering reauthorization of the act, to reconsider how states determine whether schools have met their annual targets, how states publicly identify schools that have missed targets and how states can best deliver support to help schools meet their goals, according to his office.

"I supported the law in its passage. It represents the best form of federal intent and has pushed the states to focus on success for every student," McWalters said. "The emphasis on standards and assessments and on public information was needed at the time, and it has been beneficial to the nation.

"But now, five years down the road, I think we can see some areas in which the law could and should be modified to help us achieve the goals that we all share," he said.

McWalters told the commitee members that "test results should be the initial measure of the school, but the law should allow states to employ indicators in addition to student performance to determine whether schools and districts are making adequate yearly progress."

Supplemental indicators could include evaluations of instructional practices, program implementation, teacher development and parental engagement, he said.

Posted by Jack Perry at 2:45 PM | Comment

Boxer Vinny Paz appears in court

WARWICK -- Former boxing star Vinny Paz appeared in a Warwick court today.

He was arrested last month for drunk driving after police discovered him asleep in a yellow jeep.

Authorities say he refused to take a breath test.

After the court hearing, Paz said he still wants to get out his side of the story.

Paz is a former World Boxing Association super middleweight champion and an International Boxing Federation lightweight champion.

-- The Associated Press

Posted by Steve Peoples at 2:32 PM | Comment

CVS tries attracting teens to pharmacy jobs

PROVIDENCE – When the average teenager thinks about a career involving the sciences, the professions that come to mind are medicine, possibly engineering. But pharmacy? Most kids barely know that it exists, much less how much money a pharmacist can make in a culture where there is a pill for every ill.

CVS Corp. announced today that it is bringing its Pathways to Pharmacy program to urban teenagers in Providence, starting out with the students at the Metropolitan Regional Career & Technical Center, a series of small alternative high schools where instruction is built around real-world experience.

“We haven’t done a good job of promoting the field of pharmacy to young kids,” said Steve Wing, director of government programs for CVS. “We want to introduce them to a career that is well-thought of.”

The profession can also be lucrative: the average pharmacist earns between $80,000 and $90,000 a year, according to CVS officials. And, with the first round of baby boomers reaching retirement age, the demand for trained professionals will only grow.

-- Journal staff writer Linda Borg

By creating a paid summer internship program for urban youth, CVS said it hopes to grow the next generation of pharmacists and encourage at-risk teenagers to stay in school and pursue a college education. The internships introduce teenagers to all aspects of the CVS retail business, starting in sales, with the goal of getting students behind the pharmacy counter by the end of their eight-week stay. In Chicago, students typically spend three weeks learning about the science of pharmacy at one of the local colleges. One day a week, the teens spend time working on life skills with a trained professional.

After their paid internships, students will be able to continue working at CVS while they pursue a national certification to become a pharmacy technician. CVS also provides forgiveness loans of up to $5,000 for students enrolled in a college program.

CVS launched the national Pathways to Pharmacy program in 2000 to help urban youth take a first step toward a pharmacy career. The program now serves 1,800 high school students in almost 40 cities and plans to launch a number of new internships this summer in Los Angles, New Orleans, Miami and Chicago.

Posted by Kate Bramson at 1:36 PM | Comment

Assembly looks at minimum wage, immigration bills

PROVIDENCE -- The House and Senate labor committees plan to be busy this afternoon.

On the Senate side, the panel is scheduled to hear testimony on a minimum wage bill that would institute an annual increase tied to the consumer price index.

Bill sponsor Sen. Leonidas P. Raptakis, D-Coventry, says his approach would provide necessary pay raises while ensuring that businesses are able to plan for gradual, annual increases, according to a statement.

The Senate Labor Committee hearing is scheduled for 3 p.m. in State House Room 212.

The House Committee on Labor is set to review at least two bills with implications for undocumented workers and their employers.

House Bill 5480 would disqualify Rhode Island residents who are neither American citizens nor legal permanent residents from receiving unemployment benefits.

And House Bill 5481 would prohibit "the employment of aliens who are not entitled to lawfully reside or work in the United States" and it would also allow the state attorney general to issue a cease and desist order to their employers.

The House Labor Committee is scheduled to meet this afternoon in the House Lounge at the rise of the House.

-- projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples

Posted by Steve Peoples at 12:50 PM | Comment

Providence Watch Hospital to close downtown store

PROVIDENCE – One of three locations of the Providence Watch Hospital – the capital city storefront in Kennedy Plaza – will close its doors for good, most likely tomorrow.

Customers who have left watches at the Providence location for repairs will be contacted and asked to pick up their timepieces at either the Cranston or Wakefield locations for the company that has been in Rhode Island since 1940, according to Shim Silverstein of the Providence Watch Hospital.

The downtown location is closing because it wasn’t doing enough business, Silverstein said.

“Our other two stores, in Cranston and Wakefield, are open and running for business and looking to do more business,” he said. “Any repairs that have been done downtown will be handled. We’ll get them to the people.”

-- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson

All of the merchandise from the Providence location will be moved to the other storefronts – in Cranston’s Garden City Shopping Center, at 168 Hillside Rd., and at 53 Old Tower Hill Rd. in Wakefield, Silverstein said. Those are the only two locations listed on the Web site for the business.

Within the next week or 10 days, those other locations will hold sales on major watch brands to reduce the supplies brought over from the Providence location, Silverstein said.

Silverstein said the Providence shop closure has nothing to do with the recent sale of the Providence Watch Hospital to Providence businessman Fred Levinger. The closure was in the works before that sale, Silverstein said.

Posted by Kate Bramson at 11:37 AM | Comment

R.I. to get federal money to protect against flooding

Nearly $2 million in federal funding is heading our way from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to safeguard Providence from flooding and to protect the state’s coastline, waterways and estuaries.

More than $1 million is dedicated for upgrades and repairs to the Fox Point Hurricane Barrier, which protects the city and surrounding coastal areas from storm surges from Narragansett Bay and the Providence River basin.

The Army Corps’ annual operating plan, announced by U.S. Sen. Jack Reed’s office, contains $1.96 million in total for the hurricane barrier and other initiatives throughout the Narragansett Bay watershed.

“Upgrades to the Fox Point barrier are long overdue,” Reed said in a statement. “This barrier protects thousands of people and billions of dollars in property in and around Providence. By investing in this vital infrastructure now, we can potentially help save lives and prevent millions of dollars in damage to people’s homes. This is a wise use of taxpayers’ money and will prevent costly reconstruction.”

-- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson

Posted by Kate Bramson at 9:37 AM | Comment

2 Providence house fires displace at least 27 / Photo

Journal photo / Bill Murphy
A fire early this morning at 6 Audrey Street in Olneyville caused heavy damage to this three-story house and displaced 19 people.

PROVIDENCE – Crews battled two house fires overnight that have displaced at least 27 residents and sent one woman to the hospital with injuries.

The larger fire was reported at 3:39 a.m. as a basement fire at 6 Audrey St. in Olneyville, according to James Taylor, chief of communications for the Providence Fire Department. The three-story wood-frame house with six apartments is located between Manton Avenue and Valley Street, and the fire was raging so much that smoke was visible from Route 10, which is east of Valley Street, Taylor said.

By 3:48 a.m., crews called the blaze a second-alarm fire, which summoned two more engines, a ladder truck, a chief’s truck and a rescue. The house was overwhelmed with fire, Taylor said.

A woman from the house was taken to Roger Williams Hospital. Her condition is unknown at this time, but Taylor said he doesn’t believe the injuries were too serious.

The Red Cross has provided 12 adults and seven children who were displaced by the fire with shelter, food and clothing, according to spokeswoman Marisa A. Albanese.

The fire forced crews outside for a time because they feared the roof of the building might collapse, Taylor said. The roof held up, but the fire wasn’t under control until 5:37 a.m. – a long time in firefighting terms, Taylor said.

-- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson

The other, earlier fire was also called a second-alarm blaze because there was fear the fire at 76 Whitehall St. in Silver Lake could spread to a nearby house, Taylor said. That fire was reported at 9:54 p.m. last night, Taylor said.

The 2 ½ –story house was occupied. No one was injured, and the fire was under control by 10:14 p.m., Taylor said.

The Red Cross offered food vouchers to two families -- each with two adults and two children. Both families went to stay with relatives, Albanese said.

Both fires are under investigation, and the causes are unknown at this time, Taylor said.

Posted by Kate Bramson at 9:06 AM | Comment

Photo: Sunrise at St. Joseph's Cemetery

projo.com photo / Beth Heaney

On the first full day of spring, the dawn light reveals a wintry scene at St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Cemetery in West Greenwich. The temperature should reach just 39 degrees in West Greenwich today despite sunny skies, the National Weather Service says.

Posted by Jack Perry at 9:04 AM | Comment

State education head to testify in Washington

State Education Commissioner Peter McWalters is scheduled to visit Washington, D.C., today to testify before the U.S. House Committee on Education and Labor about the No Child Left Behind Act, according to his office.

McWalters will ask committee members to reconsider how states determine whether schools have met their annual targets, how states publicly identify schools that have missed targets and how states can best deliver support to help schools meet their goals, according to a press release from his office.

Posted by Jack Perry at 7:01 AM | Comment

It's spring, but it won't feel like it today

The first full day of spring will feel wintry.

Expect a sunny day in the Providence area, but with a high temperature reaching just 39 degrees, according to the National Weather Service.

Tonight brings a chance of rain showers possibly mixed with sleet after midnight.

For more weather and updates, see projo.com/weather.

Posted by Jack Perry at 7:01 AM | Comment

Today's front page

Today's front page features a story on a Superior Court judge's ruling that cuts the pension of retired Traffic Tribunal Judge Marjorie R. Yashar from $120,310 to $81,650 annually. There's also a story on spring's arrival.

Download a copy of today's front page in .pdf format.

Posted by Jack Perry at 7:00 AM | Comment

March 20, 2007

AG: Ruling cuts back ex-judge Yashar's pension

PROVIDENCE -- Former Traffic Tribunal Judge Marjorie R. Yashar's pension has been reduced by nearly $40,000.

The decision -- which follows a high-profile dispute between the courts, state leaders, and the retired judge -- was made this afternoon by Superior Court Judge Judith Colenback Savage, according to the state Attorney General's Office.

Attorney General Patrick C. Lynch and state General Treasurer Paul J. Tavares -- who heads the retirement system -- went to court in April seeking to reduce Yashar's pension.

When Yashar retired in September, court officials credited her with 20 years of service -- and, therefore, entitled to a full pension -- even though she had been on unpaid leave for the last eight months. Those months, as well as a court-wide pay raise while she was on leave, raised Yashar's annual pension from $81,650 to $120,310.

Savage's ruling reduces Yashar's pension by $38,660 a year, to 75 percent -- rather than 100 percent -- of her final salary.

According to the Attorney General's Office, Judge Savage wrote, "An unpaid leave of absence is not paid for because it is not a benefit of a judge's employ. To compensate a judge, therefore, for time not spent in paid employment would be tantamount to converting the pension, to that extent, from a benefit of employment to a gift. A pension, however, is not a gratuity of the State."

Attorney General Patrick Lynch praised the decision:

"This decision is based on two simple premises. We all must work to earn a pension and no one -- and certainly not a judge -- is above the law," he said. "Now that this determination has been made, we will go forward to collect reimbursement for the amount that Marjorie Yashar has been overpaid since she resigned in September 2005."

Posted by Steve Peoples at 6:09 PM | Comment

Spring arrives under cover of darkness

It may not feel like it outside, but spring will begin tonight.

At exactly 8:07 p.m., the center of the sun will be positioned directly over the earth's equator. At 8:08 p.m., the Northern Hemisphere begins to tilt more toward the sun, and days begin to get warmer.

The phenomenon is known as the spring equinox, derived from the Latin word for equal, aequus, and night, nox.

The temperature was 44 degrees in Providence at around 5 p.m. under cloudless skies. Still, a slight northwest wind made it feel like 38 degrees, according to the National Weather Service.

Eleanor Vallier-Talbot, a meteorologist with the weather service, in Taunton, Mass., says that it's been a wild winter.

“It was a highly unusual winter,’’ says Vallier-Talbot. “It had a lot of swings, from extended periods of warmth, and then cold and into this month when it can’t make up its mind.’’

March has “been all over the place,’’ Vallier-Talbot said in terms of cold, snow and rain.
The daily average temperature, as of Monday, was 34.3 degrees — 2.5 degrees below normal and that’s after factoring in one balmy 67-degree day.

After a dry start to winter, March has delivered one or two significant rain storms, leaving the Providence area with 5.48 inches, or about 3 inches above normal for the month.

After a chilly night, the forecast for tomorrow -- the first full day of spring -- calls for sunny skies, highs in the lower 40s and north winds becoming southeast in the afternoon.

Coming up in tomorrow's Journal and on projo.com: Journal staff writer Tom Mooney explains why robins are no longer considered a true harbinger of spring.

Posted by Steve Peoples at 5:44 PM | Comment

Ex-doctor pleads guilty in steroid probe

ALBANY, N.Y. -- A former doctor charged in a federal steroid probe in Rhode Island pleaded guilty today in a separate steroid investigation in New York.

Ana Maria Santi entered the plea to a single felony count of criminal diversion of prescription medications as part of a plea agreement.

A 13-count count New York state indictment in handed up in January alleged that Santi signed illegal prescriptions for drugs from associates including a Florida longevity center.

Santi was previously stripped of her license to practice medicine. She's expected to be sentenced to two to six years in prison.

Santi faces health care fraud, conspiracy and illegal drug distribution charges in Rhode Island. She, another doctor and a pharmaceutical company owner in New Jersey were indicted by a federal grand jury in Providence last month.

-- The Associated Press

The company sold the drugs, the two doctors wrote prescriptions without ever seeing the customers, and all three shared in the ill-gotten profits, according to federal court documents filed in Providence.

About 30 percent of their customers came from Rhode Island and used pharmacies in this state, and Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island, according to a spokesman for U.S. Attorney Robert Clark Corrente.

Santi had her medical license revoked by New York in 1999, but she opened her own company, Omni Health Care, which provided prescriptions. Santi forged the name of a retired physician onto the prescriptions, according to court documents.

An indictment filed in U.S. District Court, Providence, alleges that Santi was joined by Victor Mariani, a doctor in Queens and Manhattan, who used his license to write prescriptions. As the orders were paid, McGlone set aside some of the profits for the doctors. The federal investigators said that McGlone's company netted a profit of at least $800,000 between April 2004 and August 2006.

Posted by Steve Peoples at 5:27 PM | Comment

Update: Carcieri knocks United Healthcare dividend

PROVIDENCE -- Governor Carcieri is weighing in on United Healthcare's plan to issue an "extraordinary dividend" of $36.8 million to its shareholders.

The Minnesota-based company's profits, the governor contends, should be used to reduce health care costs for Rhode Islanders. Carcieri sent a letter to the state Health Commissioner Chris Koller urging him to reject United's proposal, which will be reviewed at 5 p.m. today by the state Health Insurance Advisory Council.

"I am writing to express my strong concerns regarding United Healthcare's proposal to issue a $36.8 million extraordinary dividend to its shareholders," Carcieri writes. "As more and more Rhode Islanders struggle with high health care costs, I believe United's dividend plan is unwise and unhelpful."

United, a for-profit company that was awarded the health care contract for all state employees, is promising to invest 10 percent of the dividend, if approved, "to support Rhode Island statewide healthcare and technology develop initiatives," according to a letter filed with the health commissioner.

Health-care providers, consumers, and others are expected to turn out in force today to protest the proposal. Today's meeting will be at the Department of Business Regulation, 233 Richmond St., Providence.

-- projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples

United needs approval from the state to ship out this “extraordinary dividend.” This is the first time such a request has been considered publicly.

Requests for extraordinary dividends have been handled confidentially in the past. United agreed to waive confidentiality this year, and for the first time ever, the state is seeking input in a public forum.

Posted by Steve Peoples at 4:35 PM | Comment

Update: R.I. Philharmonic branching out

EAST PROVIDENCE -- As student musicians performed Mendelssohn and Debussy and local politicians waxed eloquent, officials from the Rhode Island Philharmonic today announced plans for the state’s first comprehensive music education center, and a $12 million capital campaign to pay for it.

The event took place at the former Meeting Street School on Waterman Avenue in East Providence, the Philharmonic’s new home. Later this month, demolition will begin on 35,000 square feet of former classroom space to create a series of studios and rehearsal halls for the 1,500 students now enrolled in The Music School, the educational arm of the orchestra.

The project is expected to be completed this fall. Sections of the building’s roof will be raised 30 feet.

The New Carter Center for Education will be the first such facility in the state, said Wax. It is expected to triple the number of students the orchestra serves.

On hand for today's announcement were Providence Mayor David N. Cicilline, East Providence Mayor Isadore Ramos Jr., the Carters, Philharmonic board chair Almon Hall, principal flutist Sue Thomas, and Laurie White of the Providence Chamber of Commerce. Punctuating the remarks were performances by a flute choir, piano quartet and drummers made up of Music School students.

-- Journal staff writer Channing Gray

The cost of purchasing the building and the renovations will run about $7 million, a large chunk of which will come from a $2 million challenge grant from the Carter Family Charitable Trust. The trust was established by longtime Philharmonic supporters John and Letitia Carter, who used to own a business in the neighborhood. The orchestra has 12 months to raise the money.

Executive director David Wax admitted those are big numbers for the Philharmonic, but pointed out that the orchestra has already garnered two gifts of $500,000. A decade ago, when it set out to raise $3 million, the largest contribution was $250,000.

That speaks to how far the orchestra has come in recent years, he said. Under conductor Larry Rachleff, it has become one of the outstanding regional orchestras in the country, he said.

Posted by Steve Peoples at 4:00 PM | Comment

Elton John's crew already at work at Dunk

PROVIDENCE -- Rock legend Elton John's crew has begun unloading equipment and rehearsing for his Thursday night concert at the Dunkin' Donuts Center.

That equipment, however, will be dismantled before show time to make room for a Providence Bruins hockey game tomorrow night, according to the Rhode Island Convention Center Authority, which operates the arena. It will be reassembled on Thursday in time for the 8 p.m. performance.

John -- aka Sir Elton John -- is touring to promote his latest record, The Captain and the Kid, released in September.

-- Journal staff writer Benjamin N. Gedan

Posted by Steve Peoples at 3:07 PM | Comment

Sports Tonight: High school hockey endgames

Three high school hockey playoff series will be decided tonight. At 7, St. Raphael will host Narragansett at the Lynch Arena in Pawtucket for a spot in the Division III finals against North Kingstown. At 7:30, East Greenwich will host Lincoln at West Warwick Rink for a spot in the Division I-A finals against Barrington. And at 9, Tolman will take on Ponaganset at the Smithfield Arena for a spot in the Division II finals against Smithfield. Check projo.com's SportsBlog tonight for results, and check our High School Game Day page tomorrow for game stories from John Gillooly in West Warwick and Robert Lee in Pawtucket. We'll also have a photo gallery from the St. Raphael-Narragansett contest.

Elsewhere in the world of sports, the Boston Bruins are on the road tonight to take on their ancient rivals, the Montreal Canadiens. The game begins at 7 on NESN. And the Red Sox play the Minnesota Twins down in Fort Myers, also at 7, in a game you can hear on WEEI.

Posted by Mike McDermott at 2:59 PM | Comment

Assembly to consider affordable housing bill

PROVIDENCE -- A bill that would take away an exemption to the state's Low and Moderate Income Housing Act will be heard today at the State House.

The bill, scheduled to be discussed this afternoon by the House Corporations Committee, would make five cities and towns -- Cranston, North Providence, Pawtucket, Warwick and West Warwick -- subject to the requirement that 10 percent of each community's housing be affordable.

These communities have been exempt from the 10 percent mandate under a 1998 provision that can apply when a community has more than 5,000 occupied rental units.

If those rental units account for more than a quarter of the community's housing, and more than 15 percent of the rental units are affordable, the community is exempt from the 10-percent goal.

-- Journal staff writer Randal Edgar

Posted by Steve Peoples at 12:42 PM | Comment

Update: Miriam CEO to head R.I. Airport Corporation

PROVIDENCE -- Governor Carcieri has appointed the CEO of Miriam Hospital to lead the Rhode Island Airport Corporation.

The governor's office released a statement this morning naming Kathleen Hittner as the chair of the corporation -- a position that will give the 59-year-old anesthesiologist considerable influence over the future of T.F. Green Airport as it considers a major expansion.

Hittner has been president and CEO of Miriam since 2000. She has served as a member of the airport corporation since 2005 and had previously sat on the board at various times in the last six years.

Hittner, a registered Republican, is also a Carcieri campaign contributor. She has given the governor $1,000 on three separate occasions since 2002 -- mostly recent last June, according to the state Board of Elections.

Hittner also has strong ties to state government. She lives in Warwick with her husband Barry Hittner, a former director of the state Department of Business Regulation.

City officials had been calling for the new chair to be a Warwick resident to ensure the leader would understand the quality of life issues that affect those who live near the airport. Many residents have complained about noise and the possible effects of a runway expansion project.

The airport corporation is responsible for the design, construction, operation and maintenance of the six state-owned airports; and the supervision of all civil airports, landing areas, navigation facilities, air schools and flying clubs.

-- projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples

The governor cited Hittner's experience as a leader in explaining his appointment.

“Dr. Hittner is not only a dedicated and talented clinician, but she is an effective administrator who has overseen Miriam Hospital’s tremendous growth over the past seven years,” Carcieri said in a statement. “There are parallels between the goals that she has accomplished at Miriam Hospital and our goals for the airports – namely, well-run institutions that meet the needs of both passengers and employees. Today’s announcement is good news for everyone who has a stake in the future of our state’s airports."

The position is unpaid, according to the governor's spokesman Jeff Neal. And there is no specific term. The chair "serves at the pleasure of the governor," Neal said.

Hittner takes the position of Jim Rosati, who led the airport corporation for the past four years before being the Beacon Mutual Insurance Co.'s board of directors selected him to serve as its new president and CEO.

-- projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples

Posted by Steve Peoples at 12:08 PM | Comment

Fights break out at high school hockey playoffs

WOONSOCKET – A 17-year-old Cumberland student faces a juvenile hearing on a disorderly conduct charge for his involvement in fights that broke out last night at the Mount St. Charles hockey arena during the boys hockey playoffs.

Tensions between Cumberland and Smithfield hockey fans flared around 9:45 p.m., after the second period of the hockey game, Woonsocket Lt. Timothy S. Paul said this morning.

A parent first reported to the police officer who had been hired for the game that a Smithfield student was making crude gestures toward Cumberland fans. Sgt. Todd Boisvert asked the boy to leave, but he said his ride was at the game and not prepared to leave. Boisvert then insisted the boy spend the rest of the game at his side.

A short time later, Cumberland fans surrounded that Smithfield fan. The officer escorted them into the lobby, where several fights broke out among the crowd of about 50 to 75 people in the lobby.

Boisvert called for backup and when every available officer in the city and those from nearby communities arrived, tensions subsided.

The arrest came after the Cumberland student refused police attempts to get him to leave the area and used obscenities against an officer, Paul said.

-- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson

Posted by Kate Bramson at 12:02 PM | Comment

Traffic update: Congestion on Routes 95S and 195W

Route 95 south at exit 7 and Route 195 west are fairly congested at this hour, according to the state Department of Transportation.

More details about why aren’t available yet, according to Transportation Management Center operator Stephen McGovern.

The state police have responded to an incident on Route 95 south, but a dispatcher couldn’t provide any details about how many cars might be involved or what travel lanes might be restricted.

For other traffic needs, check out the state roadways, via the Department of Transportation's online traffic offerings.

You can find any traffic alerts describing accidents here, browse traffic cams to see real-time photos of the highways and check out the DOT’s road construction schedule here.

Also, check out congestion mapping -- i.e., how heavy the traffic is -- here.

To report a traffic incident, call the Transportation Management Center at (401) 222-5826 and choose option #2.

Posted by Kate Bramson at 8:42 AM | Comment

Providence man charged with gun possession

PROVIDENCE -- A Providence man was arrested early this morning after the state police stopped the car he was traveling in and found a loaded and unlicensed handgun in his pocket, the Rhode Island State Police said.

The driver ran a stop sign around 12:45 a.m. on Congress Avenue in the Elmwood neighborhood, prompting the police to pull over the car, according to state police Lt. Eric LaRiviere. The police searched the car after smelling marijuana, he said.

Roberto B. Tantao, 24, Lynch Street, Providence, who was a passenger in the car, is charged with possession of a firearm without a license, possession of a firearm by a person convicted of a violent crime, having a loaded weapon in a vehicle and failure to pay Family Court fines from a previous incident, LaRiviere said. The police said he had a .38 caliber semi-automatic handgun in his right front pocket.

The police do not know where the car was heading or for what reason. Tantao is the only of the three people in the car who was arrested, LaRiviere said.

-- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson

Posted by Kate Bramson at 8:01 AM | Comment

High of 44 today, snow flurries possible

PROVIDENCE – If last night’s snow flurries had kept up, we’d be writing this morning to tell you about snow closings and parking bans, we think.

However, somewhere in the night it warmed up. It’s a mild 37 degrees at this hour, and we’re expecting a high of 44 later today, according to the National Weather Service. There is another chance of snow flurries today, before 3 p.m., but it doesn’t look as if we’ll have much accumulation.

The rest of the week should be fairly warm during the day, with highs of 59 and 57 on Thursday and Friday. Don’t get too excited, though. It could rain both of those days.

As for our nighttime temps, tonight will be the worst of the week – at a low of 15, and tomorrow night we could have a wintry mix of freezing rain and sleet.

Get the latest conditions and forecasts from projo.com.

Posted by Kate Bramson at 7:04 AM | Comment

Today's front page

Today's front page brings readers 300 feet beneath the city of Providence with a story and photographs of the Narragansett Bay Commission's combined sewer overflow project.

Download today's front page.

Posted by Jack Perry at 7:00 AM | Comment

March 19, 2007

Update: Whitehouse optimistic about Iraq hand-off

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse returned from a weekend visit to Iraq today with what he described as a sense of optimism that “at its heart, the mission has really fundamentally changed” toward handing off military duties as rapidly as possible to Iraqi forces so that American troops can begin to withdraw.

But that optimism was leavened by uncertainty about whether President Bush’s new strategy to improve security in Baghdad will attain long-lasting results, the Rhode Island Democrat said in an interview with The Journal this evening.

The junior senator's return from his first visit to Iraq coincided with the fourth anniversary of the war's start. He said he also came back with continuing concerns about whether the pace of political progress is fast enough.

Whitehouse spent Saturday and much of Sunday in Iraq's Green Zone, traveling with a congressional delegation that also included Sens. John Sununu, R-N.H., Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, and Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn.

-- John E. Mulligan, Journal Washington bureau

The group met with American military officials, including Army Gen. David Petraeus, commander of the ground forces in Iraq; with members of the State Department team; and with the Iraqi minister of security and the speaker of the Iraqi Parliament.

Sunday, the delegation traveled by helicopter to the western city of Fallujah, where Whitehouse said he was impressed by the apparent change in the mission, which he said the Marines' leadership there associated with the message that American voters sent in last fall’s elections.

Whitehouse said that U.S. Marines leaders there appear to be intensely focused on a mission of training Iraqi army and security forces and rapidly turning over sectors of the war-torn city to those local units, with an eye toward eventual withdrawal of American troops.

Whitehouse said, again attributing the report to American forces in Fallujah, that Iraqi leaders appear to have gotten the message that the Americans are not in Iraq permanently and have consequently begun to prepare for a reduced American force.

For example, he said the Marines recounted how one Sunni leader recently mustered 500 troops to join Iraqi government forces as volunteers. Whitehouse interpreted that story as meaning that, at least in the western province of Anbar, Iraqis have begun to believe that it would be better to join the government than to risk continuing conflict in which they could lose out to the foreign terrorist forces of Al Q’aida.

-- John E. Mulligan, Journal Washington bureau

Posted by Steve Peoples at 7:11 PM | Comment

Weather update: Yes, that's snow out there

Steady, light snow is overspreading southwest New Hampshire, central Massachusetts and Rhode Island as we write.

But it should end any moment, according to the National Weather Service. Still, visibility may quickly lower to around one mile. The final result: A dusting to a half inch is expected through 8 p.m.

Snow showers this evening may continue this evening, followed by rain and snow showers after midnight, with little or no snow accumulation. Lows will in the lower 30s, with southwest winds 10 to 15 mph and gusts up to 30 mph.

But wait -- tomorrow, the forecast calls for mostly sunny skies, highs in the lower 40s. By tomorrow night, skies will be clear though much colder, down to around 15, as the wind turns to the northwest.

Wednesday, the sun is back, and the wind swings around to come from the warmer south.

Get the latest weather.

Posted by Andrea Panciera at 7:01 PM | Comment

More tickets released for Elton John concert here

PROVIDENCE -- Elton John fans, this is for you.

A few hundred more tickets, some right by the stage, have been made available for Thursday night’s Elton John concert at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center.

The tickets are $69, $99 and $139 and are available at the box office, all Ticketmaster outlets, by calling (401) 331-2211 or by going to www.livenation.com.

Posted by Andrea Panciera at 6:44 PM | Comment

Update: Anti-war protesters target Textron / Photo

Journal photo / Steve Szydlowski
Demonstrators rush up the steps at the Textron world headquarters in Providence today. The police tried to keep them from putting their hands, covered in fake blood, on the outside wall of the building.

PROVIDENCE -- The police arrested one protester this afternoon after an anti-war demonstration in front of Textron headquarters in the capital city's financial district.

The protest at the national defense contractor, organized by Brown Students for a Democratic Society, started in typical fashion, with signs and anti-war chants. Twelve police officers kept watch on the two dozen protesters on the sidewalk – several of whom had red ink or dye on their hands that looked like blood.

Suddenly, a number of protesters rushed the building. The police pushed some away, but several were able to slap red hand prints on Textron’s façade.

One Brown student, Vale Cofer-Shabica – who stayed behind to give a radio interview after the rest of the protesters had left – found himself in handcuffs, interrupted by the police in the middle of his interview. Providence police Capt. David Lapatin said the arrest was due to the handprints on the building, which could lead to a malicious destruction charge.

But about an hour after the protest, a Textron spokesperson said the company had declined to press charges.

Texton is a multi-industry Fortune 500 company whose Bell Helicopter division has defense contracts.

In a press release, the Brown student group contended that Textron makes cluster bombs, which can cause a wide range of damage and are sometimes used against civilian populations.

In a statement released this afternoon, the company denied making cluster bombs.

"With respect to today’s protest, freedom of speech is a cornerstone of our democracy. However, we need to correct at least one serious misconception -- neither Textron Defense Systems nor any other Textron company manufactures Cluster Bomb Munitions," said company spokeswoman Karen Gordon Quintal.

While Textron does produce the Sensor Fuzed Weapon, she said, it is "designed to defeat multiple vehicles such as tanks, armored combat vehicles, and surface-to-air vehicles with a single weapon. It is not designed nor is it employed against buildings, bunkers or people. It works by sensing and targeting the heat signature from these types of combat vehicles, as described."

-- Journal staff writer Mark Arsenault

Posted by Kate Bramson at 5:36 PM | Comment

Update: Rte. 117 re-opened after fuel spill / Photo

Journal photo / Kathy Borchers
Firefighters stand by an oil truck that overturned on Route 117 this morning.

WARWICK – Route 117 has been opened to traffic after being closed for nearly five hours because of an accident near Route 95 that left behind a hazardous fuel spill.

A truck hauling heating oil heading north on Route 95 took the Route 117 exit at about 11 a.m., according to State Police Lt. David Neill.

The truck rolled over onto its passenger side and slid from the ramp through both lanes of traffic on Route 117 before resting in the westbound lane. No other cars were struck, but home heating oil started leaking from the truck onto the road and toward a storm drain, according to Neill.

"We’re not sure why the operator lost control of vehicle," Neill said. "The operator reported that the brakes failed."

The driver, Corey McNulty, 26, of Johnston, was on his way to a home fuel delivery, according to Neill. He works for the Johnston company, Beck's Oil Burner Service.

McNulty was not alone in the truck. His 4-year-old daughter was in the passenger's seat in a "properly approved" car seat, Neill said. Both complained of pain at the scene, Neill said, and were transported to the hospital. Both have since been released.

The Warwick Fire Department worked to block the oil from leaking into the storm drain. It's unclear how much leaked from the truck, or how much went into the drain which leads to Narragansett Bay, according to Neill.

A Department of Environmental Management hazardous materials team arrived, using foam to help contain the mess, Neill said. All of the oil that remained in the truck has been removed, he said.

At this time, both lanes of 117, and the adjacent Route 95 ramp have been cleared.

-- projo.com staff writers Kate Bramson and Steve Peoples and Journal staff photographer Kathy Borchers

Posted by Kate Bramson at 4:08 PM | Comment

R.I. joins complaint against Calif. mortgage lender

IRVINE, Calif. -- Rhode Island is among the states issuing cease and desist orders to a California home lender to people with weak credit.

New Century Financial said in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission that Rhode Island, Connecticut, Maryland and Tennessee issued the orders late last week.

The states allege that New Century units violated state laws, including a failure to fund mortgage loans after home closings.

New Century is the second-largest U.S. subprime home mortgage lender last year based on loan volume. The company has stopped making new loans due to a lack of funds.

The company says it's cooperating in the investigations.

-- The Associated Press

Posted by Steve Peoples at 2:51 PM | Comment

Old Stone case over; Uncle Sam to pay $74.5M

Old Stone Corp.'s longstanding lawsuit against the federal government is finally over.

As a result, Uncle Sam will have to pay Old Stone $74.5 million, said Winfield W. Major, a company director. The payment could come in May -- nearly 15 years after Old Stone filed the legal action.

Old Stone had won its case on the merits, and a federal court awarded the company $192.5 million. But a federal appeals court cut the award to $74.5 million. Old Stone last year asked the U.S. Supreme Court to intervene.

Today, however, the Supreme Court declined, without comment, to hear the case. As a consequence, the $74.5 million award stands. Company directors will meet soon to decide how to distribute the proceeds.

Old Stone Corp. is a former banking and financial services company. It long ago ceased those operations, but has remained in business, as a shell, solely to pursue the lawsuit, through which shareholders hope to receive some money.

Posted by Neil Downing at 2:41 PM | Comment

Update: Warwick High mourns deaths of 2 / Photo

Journal photo / Steve Szydlowski
Warwick firefighters line the sidewalk of the Christan Hill Community Church in West Warwick, at the funeral today for Timothy J. Packhem, the son of a Warwick firefighter, who was killed in a skateboarding accident last week.

WARWICK -- Bereavement teams will be available this morning at Warwick Veterans Memorial High School after the deaths of two students last week.

Seventeen-year-old Corrina Cole died Friday afternoon in a car crash. Timothy Packhem, a 17-year-old junior, died Tuesday after a skateboarding accident.

Packhem's funeral was held today at Christian Hill Community Church, 56 Tiogue Ave., in West Warwick. Read his obituary and sign an online guestbook for Packhem.

Funeral details haven't been announced for Cole.

Counselors and psychologists will be at the school all week, and Superintendent Robert Shapiro hopes the state Department of Education will exempt the high schoolers from taking this week's state exams.

Shapiro says he can't think of anything worse than the death of two promising youngsters in a week. Both students were on the school's honor roll.

-- The Associated Press and projo.com reports

Posted by Jack Perry at 2:00 PM | Comment

Couple gets probation for sex in front of girl / Photo

PROVIDENCE — A Woonsocket woman and her boyfriend were sentenced this morning to three years on probation for having intercourse in front of the woman’s then-9-year-old daughter in order to teach the girl about sex.

A state prosecutor recommended jail time, but Chief Family Court Judge Jeremiah S. Jeremiah Jr. spared the couple time behind bars, saying he did not want to put the girl, who is now 11, through the ordeal of testifying at a trial.

David Prata, 33, and Rebecca Arnold, 37, of 559 Park Ave., entered no-contest pleas to felony child neglect charges and were given suspended prison sentences of three years, in addition to the probation time.

“I was outraged as to what they did,” Jeremiah said during a court hearing, according to a transcript. “I could not believe that any person would do what they did in front of a child."

But “in weighing the interest of the child,” Jeremiah said he did not want to put the girl through a trial.

“In order for the state to prove the case,” he said, “the child would have to come in and testify and we’d have to put the child through a rigorous cross-examination, and I assume she would have to describe what acts they committed, what they did and how they did it and how it affected her. And it would bother me to put the child through that type of examination.”

Prata and Arnold were accused of habitually neglecting the girl in 2004 “by providing an environment that is lewd and depraved in a manner that makes their home unfit for the child to live,” court records show.

Lawyers for Prata and Arnold declined to comment after today’s hearing.

-- Journal staff writer Edward Fitzpatrick

The allegations came to light in December 2004, when the Child Abuse Hotline received a call from a Massachusetts teacher, who said the girl had recently come to live with her biological father after spending the summer with her mother in Woonsocket, court records show.

The girl told the teacher that her mother had sex with her boyfriend in front of her and that the mother did not care if the girl was watching, according to a report by a state child-protective investigator.

The investigator spoke with Prata the next day. “Mr. Prata said that he and [the girl’s] mother believe in a free and open relationship and don’t want to hide anything from [the girl],” the report stated.

The investigator asked Prata what he meant by a free and open relationship. “If (the girl) wants to learn anything about sex, we teach her,” Prata said.

The investigator asked Prata if he masturbated on a couch while watching pornographic videos, and if the girl was present when he did that. “Yes,” Prata said. “But I never demanded that she stand or sit in the room to watch.”

Posted by Steve Peoples at 1:54 PM | Comment

Sports Tonight: Survival contests on ice

Eight high school hockey teams will be fighting for their playoff lives when the Rhode Island Interscholastic League semifinals continue tonight in all four divisions. Click here for a full schedule of games. Projo.com's High School Game Day page will have coverage of four games tomorrow. John Gillooly will be at Thayer Arena as Barrington tries to sweep Cranston West in Division I-A at 7, while in Division I Toll Gate looks to stave off elimination at the hands of Hendricken at 8:30; we'll also have a photo gallery from Thayer. Robert Lee will be at Cranston Veterans Memorial Rink at 7 as Mount St. Charles attempts to finish off La Salle in Division I; and Carolyn Thornton will be at Adelard Arena at 7:30 as East Greenwich tries to stay alive against Lincoln in Division I-A.

Fresh off a stunning victory in San Antonio, the Boston Celtics continue their road trip tonight against the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets. It is the first time the two teams have met since the season opener in Boston. The Hornets won that won, but they've lost 8 of their last 10 games. You can catch the game from Oklahoma City at 8 on Fox Sports New England.

Posted by Mike McDermott at 1:35 PM | Comment

Search on for possible jumper from Jamestown span

The Coast Guard and Rhode Island State Police are continuing a search today after receiving a report yesterday that a man jumped from the Jamestown-Verrazano Bridge.

When the state police responded to the call at 6:30 p.m. yesterday, they found an unattended 1993 Dodge Caravan, according to Lt. David Neill, and two witnesses said they saw a man jump into Narragansett Bay.

The police believe the man was a Newport resident, Charles Fricke, born in 1947. His wife has been notified.

The Coast Guard and state Department of Environmental Management searched the water yesterday while Jamestown, North Kingstown and state police searched the shores.

-- Journal staff writer Brandie Jefferson

Posted by Jack Perry at 1:02 PM | Comment

Senate candidate Harold Ford speaks at Brown today

PROVIDENCE -- Failed U.S. Senate candidate Harold Ford is in Rhode Island today to discuss his views on national politics at Brown University.

Ford narrowly lost to Republican challenger Bob Corker in the Tennessee election, but he became a national figure in the months leading up to Election Day as he sought to become the first black senator in the South in the post-Reconstruction era.

The Republican National Committee was forced to yank a controversial television advertisement during the campaign that some said was racist.

Ford's appearance is schedule for 4 p.m. at Brown's Salomon Center, Room 101.

He had previously served as a congressman in Tennessee since 1996. Now, Ford works as the head of the Democratic Leadership Council.

-- projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples

Posted by Steve Peoples at 12:46 PM | Comment

Providence City Hall celebrates St. Joseph's Day

Happy St. Joseph’s Day! Have you gotten your zeppoles yet?

If you’re looking for a way to celebrate the day, Providence City Hall is hosting a special celebration at noon in the City Council Chambers.

Opera singer Loriana De Crescenzo of Opera Providence will perform Neapolitan favorites. Providence physician Dr.Robert A. Indeglia and Father Anthony Mancini, of the Cathedral of SS. Peter and Paul, are among the featured speakers.

The event is open to the public, and refreshments will be served.

Alternatively, if you’ve got a work meeting planned for today and want to bring the appropriate refreshments, head to just about any bakery for the savory Italian treats.

We encourage you to tell us your favorite place for zeppoles. For a special treat, revisit this blog item from last year by our "young American in Rome."

A couple places to consider:

LaSalle Bakery, 93 Smith St., Providence, (401) 831-9563, and 685 Admiral St., Providence, (401) 228-0081, will be offering a variety of zeppoles for the Italian American feast of St. Joseph's Day: traditional baked or fried, chocolate mousse, Irish Whiskey, Bailey's and Amaretto.

The Original Palmieri's Bakery, 147 Ridge St., Providence, will serve St. Joseph's Day's treats with crème-filled and ricotta-cheese-filled baked zeppole.

Posted by Kate Bramson at 11:20 AM | Comment

Gas prices up again

Gasoline prices in Rhode Island have increased again this week, but this time they've inched up by just a penny, according to AAA Southern New England.

The average price for a gallon of regular, unleaded gasoline is $2.579 at the self-service pump, according to AAA's weekly survey.

The price has increased an average of 40 cents per gallon over the last five weeks, AAA says.

The average price a year ago was $2.449.

Posted by Jack Perry at 9:42 AM | Comment

Traffic: Avoid 195 west if you can

PROVIDENCE – Route 195 west is not the place to be at this hour.

It’s an 8 out of 10 – a rare sight -- on the state Department of Transportation’s congestion mapper. Approaching exit 1 in downtown Providence, the average speed is 18 miles per hour.

For other traffic needs, check out the state roadways, via the Department of Transportation's online traffic offerings.

You can find any traffic alerts describing accidents here, browse traffic cams to see real-time photos of the highways and check out the DOT’s road construction schedule here.

To report a traffic incident, call the Transportation Management Center at (401) 222-5826 and choose option #2.

Posted by Kate Bramson at 8:41 AM | Comment

Coventry High closed due to minor flooding

COVENTRY -- Coventry High School is closed today due to minor flooding caused by this weekend's storm, according to the police.

Lt. Robin Winslow said school officials contacted the police yesterday to report the flooding and closure.

Posted by Kate Bramson at 7:25 AM | Comment

Slight chance of showers

Today will be chilly with a slight chance of showers after 3 p.m., according to the National Weather Service.

The temperature should climb to about 42 degrees with a west wind of 6 to 13 mph.

Clouds will increase, and there's a 10 percent chance of precipitation, the weather service says.

Tonight brings a chance of rain before 9 p.m. and a chance of snow showers between 9 p.m. and midnight.

Posted by Jack Perry at 7:01 AM | Comment

Today's front page

Today's front page features a photograph and stories, including coverage of an anti-war march in Providence, marking the fourth anniversary of the war in Iraq.

Download today's front page in .pdf format.

Posted by Jack Perry at 7:00 AM | Comment

March 16, 2007

Update: Sleet overtaking snow, rain next

PROVIDENCE -- This afternoon's snow is changing over to rain -- cold and sleety, but rain.

Streets outside The Journal office are slushy, and night staff workers have been grumbling about the tough commute as they arrive.

Heading out on the roads later tonight? You might want to see what you can via the state Department of Transportation's traffic cams. Your community might have a parking ban on, too. We've already warned you about the conditions at area airports.

Tonight and through tomorrow, projo.com will be posting links to live, useful information as the storm -- expected to turn to heavy rain -- progresses.

You can check our home page, or find more at: http://projo.com/weather

Posted by Andrea Panciera at 7:05 PM | Comment

Photo: Set your sights on this snowman

Journal photo / Sandor Bodo
Perhaps it's wishful thinking. Perhaps he's just being prepared. But this pedestrian in Providence appears to be equally equipped today for heavy snow or a sudden switch to blinding sun.

Posted by Andrea Panciera at 6:06 PM | Comment

Update: Major flooding likely along Pawtuxet

Heavy rains from the powerful nor'easter pummeling the region today could cause flood levels in Rhode Island tomorrow not seen in more than two decades.

The Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency issued a warning this evening that it is closely monitoring the situation as forecasts for up to 4 inches of rain as the snow changes over in the next few hours.

The rain is expected to cause major flooding in West Bay communities along the Pawtuxet River and minor flooding along the Blackstone River.

"There is a chance Saturday evening that we could have a major flood in Rhode Island," said Nicole Belk, a service hydrologist for the National Weather Service in Taunton, Mass. "This is a potent system. We’re expecting a prolonged period of heavy rain. That’s why we’re so concerned."

The forecast calls for up to 4 inches of rain across Rhode Island late tonight through tomorrow. The weather service has issued a flood watch, and Belk said it's almost certain that the Pawtuxet will reach 11 feet, which is the moderate flood stage.

If the rain totals 3 to 4 inches, Belk said the Pawtuxet should reach major flood stage, which is 13 feet. Flooding in Warwick, West Warwick and Cranston later tomorrow could rival the floods of October 2005 that resulted in evacuations, submerged cars, and several streets completely under water, she said.

The state emergency management agency notes that the Pawtuxet's expected 13.1- foot crest tomorrow at 8 p.m. could be the largest since April 1983. The river crested at 10.5 feet when the river experienced flooding during heavy rains two weeks ago.

Belk participated in a conference call this afternoon with officials throughout the region as they decide how to prepare for the flooding.

Minor flooding is possible along the Blackstone River basin, though Belk said rainfall total would be tempered by prolonged periods of sleet and freezing rain tonight. Coastal areas, however, should get all rain starting late tonight.

A gale warning is also in effect for Rhode Island and Massachusetts coastal waters until 10 tonight, with northeast winds ranging from 25 to 30 knots and seas between 7 and 10 feet.

Map: Check real-time river conditions around the Northeast.

Find local emergency numbers here.

-- projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples

Posted by Steve Peoples at 6:00 PM | Comment

Snow hampering flights in and out of Green

If you're thinking of flying out of Green Airport tonight, you may have to think again.

Ditto for picking up arriving passengers.

The dense snow swarming around the region has forced the cancellation of most flights both in and out of the state airport in Warwick. Others are delayed.

A few flights are landing and departing, according to airport police, and the airport is open.

Check arrivals and departures from Green here. Logan International Airport's Web site is showing similar cancellations and delays for tonight; check its flights here.

Posted by Andrea Panciera at 5:54 PM | Comment

Lead paint appeal headed to state Supreme Court

PROVIDENCE -- The lawyers for two paint companies ordered to pay billions of dollars to remove lead paint from Rhode Island homes have appealed their case to the state Supreme Court.

Lawyers for NL Industries Inc. and Sherwin-Williams Inc. filed the notices of appeal this afternoon immediately after a lower court finalized its decision refusing to retry or throw out the case and massive jury verdict.

The appeals process is expected to take months, according to a statement issued by the court.

Superior Court Judge Michael A. Silverstein last month rejected every plea and motion from the companies to retry or throw out the case.

Instead, Silverstein said he planned to appoint a special master to oversee the removal of lead paint from houses in Rhode Island - a job the state has estimated could cost $1.37 billion to $3.74 billion.

The paint companies said at the time that they would appeal Silverstein's ruling to the state Supreme Court.

"We believe there have been a number of basic legal errors throughout these proceedings. These errors were not corrected in today's ruling," said spokeswoman Bonnie J. Campbell at the time, adding that she hopes the Supreme Court will review the issues with a fresh set of eyes.

Posted by Steve Peoples at 5:22 PM | Comment

Witness says murder started out as a joke

Donnell C. "Nels" Greene, 20, faces five charges, including second-degree murder, for shooting his friend in the back.

His trial began today in Providence Superior Court.

Prosecutors said that early in the morning of Nov. 14, 2005 Greene, Peters and Matthew Nicholson, 18, walked from their apartment on Federal Hill to an all-night store.

Before they left, Greene told Peters to put his handgun in her purse saying they needed it for protection from their enemies. She did.

On the way home, the young men joked about being shot in the buttocks. Nicholson asked Peters: "How would you like it if a bullet was in your ring."

"Me and Casper [Nicholson] were laughing and joking," Peters testified.

Then, Peters testified, Greene took the gun from her purse and cocked the 9 mm semiautomatic. The gun fired and a bullet hit Nicholson in the back.

The bullet pierced his spine, lung and aorta, according to the prosecutor. Nichols died instantly.

Testimony will continue in the trial on Monday.

-- projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples with reports from Journal staff writer Gregory Smith

Posted by Peter Phipps at 4:55 PM | Comment

Johnston police seek possible scam victims

JOHNSTON — The Johnston Police Department is looking for anyone who may have been victimized by an alleged blackmail scam involving a man accused of posing as a federal immigration agent.

The scam came to light after Clemente Estrada, who was headed home from work, saw what looked like some sort of police cruiser traveling up behind him. As flashes of red and blue criss-crossed in the darkness, Estrada pulled to the side of Killingly Street.

But the chef, a 35-year-old of Hispanic ethnicity, was more than suspicious when a man claiming to be a federal immigration officer ordered him to pony up $100 cash or face deportation, according to the police report.

Not long after that, a Johnston police officer came across both vehicles, according to the police report.

The suspect, a Johnston man, Dennis R. Waters, of 25 George Waterman Road, was arrested just before midnight yesterday and charged with extortion and blackmail, impersonation of a public officer, driving under the influence and driving with a suspended license.

Today, Police Chief Richard S. Tamburini took steps to publicize the case. “We’re trying to do everything we can to get the word out on this and find out if this character is involved in other incidents,” he said. The department can be reached at 231-4210.

-- Journal staff writer Mark Reynolds

Posted by Steve Peoples at 4:24 PM | Comment

Photo: A lone clammer working in the storm

Journal photo / Bob Thayer

A quahogger braves the wind and snow to find a few more clams at Colt State Park in Bristol. He was the only person out in the entire park, which is usually filled with strollers and joggers, but not during today's severe weather. The Bristol area should see more periods of snow and sleet this afternoon, then freezing rain and sleet tonight, according to the National Weather Service. Snow and sleet accumulation of 1 to 3 inches is possible.

Posted by Jack Perry at 2:59 PM | Comment

Photo: Stepping out at City Hall

Journal photo / Andrew Dickerman
Irish step dancers from the Goulding School of Irish Dance, in Cranston, perform during a St. Patrick's Day celebration in Providence City Hall. The celebration included traditional Celtic music by the Irish folk band Fishing with Finnegan.

Posted by Jack Perry at 2:41 PM | Comment

Teachers flock to pay respects to long-time educator

CRANSTON -- While the snow fell quietly around them, more than 100 teachers stood outside the Holy Apostles’ Church in Cranston today waiting to say their last goodbyes to their friend, Kathleen Ann Rainone, who had taught in the Central Falls school system for 31 years.

The funeral procession was late, but as a sign of respect, the crowd of educators stood in lines on each side of the walk waiting for the woman they called "Kathy.’’

The Central Falls administration closed Central Falls High School and Calcutt Middle School today because so many teachers wanted to say goodbye to the union leader, friend and mentor. The school district will make up the day, according to Assistant Schools Supt. Ewa Pytowska.

More than 300 people packed the church to pay their last respects to a woman whom they said had a mischievous look in her eye and an ability to see the good in all people and bring it out.

During the service, Kathy's son, Matthew, through tears, asked each person who had been touched by Kathy to get up.

One after another the whole church was on its feet. ``Thank you Kathy,’’ the people shouted.

-- Journal staff writer Tatiana Pina

Posted by Steve Peoples at 2:05 PM | Comment

Weather won't halt Newport's St. Pat's parade

NEWPORT -- The St. Patrick's Day parade here tomorrow may be stepping off into puddles, but step off it will, according to its Web site.

The annual march in a city known for its Irish connections will be held rain, snow or shine, organizers say.

It will begin at 11 a.m. from Newport City Hall and proceed to Carroll Avenue at St. Augustin’s Church in the heart of the Fifth Ward. The parade this year is estimated to last 2 hours.

This year, the parade also falls on St. Patrick's Day. Seeking more St. Pat's festivities? Check our list of events here.

Posted by Andrea Panciera at 2:01 PM | Comment

Central Falls names new school superintendent

CENTRAL FALLS -- The Central Falls Board of Trustees has unanimously chosen Fran Gallo, the former deputy superintendent of the Providence schools, to run the Central Falls school system.

"She is going to hit the ground running. She knows our demographics. She is a listener. She knows how to help people see her vision. She knows how to build relationships,’’ Ana Cano, the president of the Board of Trustees, said today.

Gallo will head a school district that is run by the state. Its 3,500 students hail from places as diverse as Cape Verde, Central America, Poland and China. The majority of the students are Latino.

The Central Falls High School, which has been classified as low-performing for four years, is under restructuring plans. It is poised to enter into a partnership with the University of Rhode Island as a "university academy."

Cano said Gallo would likely start at the beginning of April.

The board made its decision Thursday night after Gallo spent the day in the Central Falls schools.

-- Journal staff writer Tatiana Pina

Posted by Steve Peoples at 1:47 PM | Comment

The dead soldiers flash from a gallery window

PROVIDENCE – More than 3,000 faces flash on the television screen, fast enough that an observer cannot focus on the individual features of the men and women.

The faces almost blend together. There are no names. There are no details.

They are the faces of the soldiers who lost their lives in Iraq over the last four years.

They stare out at passers-by on Westminster Street, at eye level, silently calling attention to themselves on the screen of the black television atop a table draped in black cloth.

The video installation titled “3000 Plus,” at 203 Westminster St., is one of 10 Providence Art Windows that were unveiled at last night’s Gallery Night Providence.

It is the work of film/video and installation artist Joe Graham-Felsen, an artist from Boston who now lives in Providence and studies at the Rhode Island School of Design.

Each face flashes on the screen for about one-tenth of a second, Graham-Felsen said in an interview this afternoon. As he worked on the piece, one of the reasons he chose such quick flashes for each face was to simulate a flashing neon sign that might be in any other store window.

-- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson

“But it also brings about, to me, an idea, a way of counting, or a system of amassing these images,” he said. “I think you almost get an overwhelming feeling from the frenetic motion. … Even at that speed, it takes like 15 minutes to go through all the images. You get a strong feeling of that weight and that amount.”

Graham-Felsen has focused much of his work over the past two years around the Iraq War, which began with the United States striking select targets in the country on March 19, 2003 (in U.S. time). His goal is to get people talking about the war and the issues surrounding it.

He produced a similar piece after the number of U.S. casualties reached 2,000. Shown in a RISD gallery on five television screens, he flashed black and white newspaper images of the second 1,000 soldiers to die in Iraq.

Graham-Felsen has no personal experience with the war, but “as a 22-year-old male, I feel a certain connection to the soldiers over there,” he said. “I could easily be one of those people.”

This latest work includes all U.S. casualties through the middle of last week, the artist said.

He’s eager to see how his work is viewed by the general public, after airing much of his work on the war within the confines of an art gallery.

“I like to think of it almost like an active memorial,” he said. “It’s not generally trying to put across a distinct message or an anti-war message, although there are political overtones to the work, but it’s something that sort of memorializes these people and sort of speaks to the issue of this war and a sort of senseless feeling, and it gets people on the street to think about that as they’re going through the day … and to reinvigorate a dialogue on that in this public forum.”

Today, some early passers-by seemed more focused on keeping their heads down as the wind and snow swept by on the streets of Providence, but the installment remains through May 11. That’s plenty of time for the flashing faces to catch your attention.

Posted by Kate Bramson at 1:41 PM | Comment

Hatch tells People: Life in prison 'horrendous'

Rhode Island's Richard Hatch, who won $1 million on Survivor, says being in prison for failing to pay taxes on his reality TV prize and other income is no day at the beach.

Hatch, who became known as the "naked fat guy" for refusing to wear clothes for much of the CBS show, was convicted last year. He was sentenced to 51 months in prison, and is at the Federal Correctional Institution in Morgantown, W.Va., a minimum security facility.

"Obviously, this is better than the county lockup," Hatch tells People magazine in its March 26 issue. "There's no fence here. But people think I've come to a country club. It's not. This is prison. Just because it's got a beautiful view of the countryside doesn't make it a resort. And it's horrendous because I'm an innocent man in jail."

Following his conviction, Hatch says he spent "six horrendous months" at the Plymouth County Correctional Facility in Plymouth, Mass.

"We were all in a small room - 52 people: child molesters, murderers, rapists and me," he recalls. "For six months I never left that room. There were no doors, no privacy. There were two TVs in that room, so I lived all day long with `Jerry Springer' blaring."

-- The Associated Press

His lawyer, Michael Minns, has said Hatch deserves a new trial because a judge improperly kept him from testifying about claims of cheating on the show. He argued the case in a federal appeals court last week.

CBS, a division of CBS Corp., has said Hatch's claims have no merit.

"I don't apologize for anything," says Hatch, who said he is looking forward to returning to his home and family in Rhode Island. "I didn't do anything wrong."

Hatch says he is "working on a book that I should have no trouble getting published. It begins with my auditioning for `Survivor' and will end with my time in prison."

--
-- The Associated Press

Posted by Steve Peoples at 1:38 PM | Comment

Vinny Paz to talk about movie role, recent arrest

PROVIDENCE -- Rhode Island's best-known boxer, Vinny Paz, will hold a press conference this afternoon to talk about an upcoming movie in which he plays an ex-con carnival worker who returns to the ring after serving time for murder.

Several cast members -- including Vincent Pastore, who played Sal "Big Pussy'' Bonpensiereo on The Sopranos, and Anthony Ribustello, who played Dante Greco -- are expected to attend the 2 p.m. event at the Marriott Courtyard hotel in Providence.

Paz, a five-time world boxing champion, is also expected to discuss a recent charge of drunken driving, on which he's scheduled to appear in court next week.

Director-writer Eugene Celico, whose Westerly-made film The Tournament was screened last August at the Rhode Island International Film Festival and will be shown next week at the Garden State Film Festival in New Jersey, said he plans to shoot Thunder Doyle, starring Paz in the title role of a boxer, starting May 14 on locations in Johnston, Westerly and Burrillville.

Paz plays a boxer who, just out of 10 years in prison for murdering his father, joins a carnival, befriends a dwarf and catches the eye of a fight promoter who gets him back into the professional ring. Celico says he has also signed singer Frankie Valli for a pivotal role in the film.

Celico had planned to shoot Thunder Doyle in 2001. But two weeks before the cameras were scheduled to roll, the investors pulled out. Celico said that six years later he has the money to make the film.

Staged readings from the script will be held this Sunday at the Mill River Theater in Central Falls. Celico hopes the staged reading will "create a buzz'' about the film, attract even more investors and "add an air of legitimacy about it.''

Posted by Steve Peoples at 1:31 PM | Comment

This Weekend: Great college games and a great pro team

There is a whole lot for the sports buff tonight, starting of course with the NCAA Tournament. CBS will feature Virginia Tech vs. Illinois at 7, and Southern Illinois vs. Holy Cross at 9:30. The games can be seen on high definition on Cox Digital Channel 701; there will be additional games on Cox Digital Channels 801 and 802. Click here for more info on NCAA Tournament coverage.

The Boston Celtics take on the best team in the NBA tonight, when they travel to Dallas to face the Mavericks (52-11), a team that will be looking to rebound from their loss to Phoenix on Wednesday, in one of the best regular-season games you'll ever see. The game starts at 8:30 on Fox Sports New England. After the Mavs, Boston goes to San Antonio to face the Spurs (46-19) on Saturday.

The Providence Bruins are entertaining the Hartford Wolf Pack tonight at 7 at the Dunk.

Later this weekend, NESN will air two Red Sox exhibition games: Saturday at 1 against Cincinnati, and Sunday at 1 against Baltimore. The P-Bruins host the Manchester Monarchs on Sunday at 4:05, and the Boston Bruins visit the New York Rangers on Saturday at 7.

The Interscholastic League high school hockey playoffs begin Saturday (click here to see the updated schedule). Check for results Saturday night on the Sports Blog, and game coverage with a photo gallery Sunday on our High School Game Day page.

Also Saturday will be the Hockey East Tournament championship, which Cox Sports Television will air live at 7. The game will feature the winners of tonight's semifinals: UMass vs. New Hampshire and Boston University vs. Boston College.

Posted by Mike McDermott at 1:24 PM | Comment

Crash into Coventry utility pole closes road, cuts power

COVENTRY — A pick-up truck driver traveling east on Route 117 near Route 102 crashed into a utility pole this morning, toppling the pole over onto the shoulder.

A second driver in an 18-wheeler truck came by immediately after and snagged some of the loose wires from the pole that hung over the road, causing some residents on the 5700 block to lose power, the police said.

The Ford pick-up driver from Springfield, Mass. was not injured, said Lt. Ronald DaSilva.

The two-mile stretch of Route 117, between Bowen Hill and Hopkins Hollow Roads, is closed to traffic while utility repairs are being done.

The 8:13 a.m. accident is still under investigation, but the police believe the driver’s truck skidded off the street because of this morning’s icy road conditions, DaSilva said.

-- Journal staff writer Lisa Vernon Sparks

Posted by Steve Peoples at 1:16 PM | Comment

Update: Snow about to get heavy -- then wet

PROVIDENCE -- Today's steady snowfall is about to get even more intense.

Starting at about 1 p.m., the snowfall rate is expected to reach 1 inch or more per hour, continuing at that pace until 5 or 6 p.m, according to a special weather statement issued by the National Weather Service.

Then, the messy mix is scheduled to start at about 6 p.m. Sleet is expected to be followed by very heavy rain -- a total of 2 to 4 inches may fall on top of the frozen precipitation overnight.

The National Weather Service has already issued a flood watch for tonight and tomorrow across the state.

And the Blackstone Valley Tourism Council has issued an alert that the Blackstone River is expected to rise nearly 7 inches. Community officials are preparing to place sandbags in certain areas.

Get the latest weather conditions and forecasts, plus river conditions, at: http://projo.com/weather

Posted by Steve Peoples at 1:10 PM | Comment

Weather postpones high school hockey playoffs

All eight of tonight's scheduled high school ice hockey playoff games have been postponed because of the weather. We'll have more information later today.

The first games in each series will now be played tomorrow night. Second games will be played Monday, and the third game of each series, where it is necessary, will be Tuesday.

Click here to see the revised schedule.

Posted by Mike McDermott at 12:37 PM | Comment

Grammys for peace in downtown Providence

PROVIDENCE – In case you’re wondering who those four bundled-up souls are outside City Hall during the noon hour today, braving the windy, snowy day, we checked for you.

They call themselves the Grammy Peace Brigade and say they join other grannies for peace groups around the country. Opposed to the continued presence of U.S. troops in Iraq, they say they’ve stood outside City Hall every Friday at lunchtime since Jan. 26.

“Our demonstration will be dignified, peaceful, and purposeful,” reads the little pink flyer they’re handing out. “Our motto: Bring them back from Iraq NOW. Grammies of RI, come join us and be part of the Grammy Peace Brigade.”

Anyone with questions is encouraged to call Anita H. Berger, at (401) 724-0006.

-- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson

Posted by Kate Bramson at 12:33 PM | Comment

St. Pats' celebration today at City Hall, Providence

PROVIDENCE – Providence Mayor David N. Cicilline is inviting the public to a St. Patrick's Day Celebration today at City Hall.

The celebration, which starts at noon, will include traditional Celtic sounds provided by the Irish folk band Fishing with Finnegan and Irish Step Dancing performed by the Goulding School of Irish Dance.

Superior Court Judge Francis Darigan is the guest speaker.

Refreshments will be served,

Posted by Jack Perry at 11:06 AM | Comment

Photo: Walking and talking through the snow

Journal photo / Bill Murphy

Carla Thomson, of Glocester, (left) and Karen Bicknell, of North Kingstown, make their way through the snow as they head to a seminar at the 10th annual Woman's Summit, being held at Bryant University in Smithfield, this morning. Both woman work for Fidelity Investments. The National Weather Service forecasts more sleet and snow for Smithfield today and tonight with accumulation between 4 and 8 inches.

Posted by Jack Perry at 11:05 AM | Comment

Photo: The fireworks from Kennedy Plaza

projo.com photo / Kathy Devault
Fireworks capped a topping-off ceremony for the new hotel and condo tower at the Providence Westin in downtown last night. This view was from Kennedy Plaza. See more photos here.

Posted by Peter Phipps at 10:46 AM | Comment

Update: All URI classes, some Green flights canceled

This morning’s slightly blustery snow – and predictions for more to come -- is already affecting flight plans and some students’ days.

A number of flights into and out of T.F. Green Airport have been canceled already today. Be sure to check with your airline or on the airport site before heading to Green to catch a flight or to pick up a visitor expected to arrive today.

There are no more classes, no more books today for University of Rhode Island students. The university has closed classes on all campuses today. Also affected by the morning’s snow are St. Mary’s Bay View students. The East Providence school has announced an 11 a.m. early dismissal. Quite a few afternoon kindergarten programs around the state have already told their children there's no school for them today.

Check for other closings here.

Posted by Kate Bramson at 10:32 AM | Comment

Caremark shareholders approve acquisition by CVS

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Shareholders of Caremark Rx Inc. have approved a $26.5 billion acquisition by Woonsocket-based drugstore operator CVS.

Caremark's rival Express Scripts has been battling with CVS for months on who would get to buy the pharmacy benefits manager.

The companies say the deal creates a $75 billion drug distribution powerhouse that could compete more effectively for customers and drive a harder bargain with drug makers.

Caremark did not announce a vote tally, but says more than 50 percent of the shares voted were cast in favor of the deal.

CVS shareholders voted to approve it yesterday. It's already received regulatory approval. Caremark officials say they expect the deal to close by next week.

-- The Associated Press

Posted by Jack Perry at 10:11 AM | Comment

Update: Kennedy sought treatment for OxyContin

NEW YORK -- U.S. Rep. Patrick Kennedy, who entered rehab last year after an early morning car crash outside the U.S. Capitol, said today he had sought treatment months before the crash for an addiction to OxyContin, a prescription pain medication.

The Rhode Island Democrat said in an appearance on NBC's "Today" show he felt great as he continued his recovery from substance abuse and was determined not to let the disease "take its toll on me ever again."

Read the full Associated Press story.

Posted by Jack Perry at 10:04 AM | Comment

Photo: Sit-in ends at state homeless shelter

David St. Germain, right, Henry Van Ahnen, center, and Mark Fielder spent the night at the Welcome Arnold House in Cranston.
-- Journal photo Bill Murphy

The protest that led about a dozen people to spend the night at the Welcome Arnold shelter the night after it officially closed is about to come to an end.

Workers for the state “spent all day yesterday gutting the place,” said David St. Germain, 40, a disabled former paramedic who recently found a stable place to live but has spent much time at Welcome Arnold. He was among those – homeless advocates, university students and homeless people -- who stayed at the shelter yesterday and overnight to protest the state’s decision to close it.

They watched people haul away the former shelter’s refrigerators, the washers and dryers and nearly half the beds, St. Germain said.

“It looks like we’re going to go,” St. Germain said shortly before 8 a.m. today. “There’s no hope at all that they’re going to keep Welcome Arnold open because they’ve gutted the placed already and we simply aren’t equipped to help people run a shelter.”

-- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson

Posted by Kate Bramson at 9:20 AM | Comment

JetBlue cancels 215 flights due to storm

NEW YORK -- JetBlue canceled 215 flights Friday because of a winter storm on the East Coast, aiming to avoid the days of cancellations and criticism that followed a storm last month, an airline spokesman said.

The cancellations affected about one-third of all JetBlue flights. More than 200 of them involved flights to or from New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport, said company spokesman Sebastian White.

Read the full Associated Press story.

Posted by Jack Perry at 8:46 AM | Comment

Traffic: Storm likely to affect evening commute

The roads look OK now, but the evening commute could be nasty with a winter storm moving into the region.

It might be a good idea to get out of work and on the road early if you can.

For other traffic needs, check out the state roadways, via the Department of Transportation's online traffic offerings.

You can find any traffic alerts describing accidents here, browse traffic cams to see real-time photos of the highways and check out the DOT’s road construction schedule here.

Also, check out congestion mapping -- i.e., how heavy the traffic is -- here.

To report a traffic incident, call the Transportation Management Center at (401) 222-5826 and choose option #2.

Posted by Kate Bramson at 8:00 AM | Comment

Light snowflakes expected to gain momentum

PROVIDENCE – We’ve just got snowflakes in the headlights at this hour, but there’s more to come, starting late this morning.

Check out the cool colors on the National Weather Service map for the Eastern region of the country. The hot pink that stands for a winter storm warning blankets New England, parts of New York and New Jersey and much of Pennsylvania. We haven't seen too much of that color this year. The pale purple “gale warning” color also coats our waters.

The Weather Service has issued a flood watch, a hazardous weather outlook and a winter weather advisory, as the developing winter storm moves up the coast today and early tomorrow. Expect brief periods of heavy snow this afternoon and evening. With a high near 31 and northeast winds between 17 and 20 miles per hour (and gusts as high as 30 mph), we could get 3 to 7 inches of snow today and tonight.

The winter weather advisory remains in effect from 10 a.m. through 8 p.m. today.

Check out any area school closings, parking bans and other storm-related closings here.

Get the latest conditions and forecasts from projo.com.

Posted by Kate Bramson at 7:05 AM | Comment

Today's front page

Today's front page features photographs and a story on Rhode Island's own version of CSI, the Rhode Island State Crime Laboratory.

Download today's front page in .pdf format.

Posted by Jack Perry at 7:00 AM | Comment

March 15, 2007

Fireworks mark Westin 'topping off'

PROVIDENCE -- You’ve still got time to get downtown and catch a 4 ½-minute fireworks display.

They’ll be set off at 7:30 p.m. from the very top of the new, 32-story condominium tower and hotel being added to the Westin Providence.

The light and sound show caps off the Westin’s “topping off” ceremony, which begins tonight at 6:30 p.m. at the Bank of America Skating Center in downtown Providence.

Gallery: Can't make the show? See photos of the tower here.

Posted by Kate Bramson at 6:44 PM | Comment

'Squatters' at state's shelter

A homeless advocate says 10 to 15 people remain at the Welcome Arnold House in Cranston, formerly the state’s largest shelter until the state shut it down this morning.

“Right now, we’re squatters,” said Joseph Freitas with People to End Homelessness, in a telephone call around 5 p.m. “We just walked in, and we’re sitting here and we have the building until the situation is alleviated and we don’t intend to leave.”

While others remain in the shelter at the state's Pastore Complex, Freitas was coming and going. He said he had just left said planned to return there shortly and join the others.

“We’re inside the building, and we’re expecting we’re going to stay there and we’re expecting more people as the night goes on,” he said.

Freitas said homeless people and advocates believe about 50 people will be without a place to go tonight, the first night without the Welcome Arnold shelter, which has been closed to make room for the new state police headquarters.

A spokesman for the governor's office said tonight that there is no representative for the state at the shelter now.

While spokesman Jeff Neal said the state has a "contingency plan" ready for those who have no beds this evening, he would not reveal what it was. "It is not our intention to advertise it unless the situation arises," he said, adding that the state believes at this time it will not have to enact it.

When told of the people still at Welcome Arnold, Neal said "the state has no plans to remove them."

This morning, as the shelter was closing, Noreen Shawcross, director of the state's Office of Housing and Community Development, addressed people who needed a new place to go.

She directed everyone without a bed tonight to go to Crossroads Rhode Island in Providence, which serves as a clearing house for homeless people with no place to go. There, they would be given at least a chair to sit on, she said.

-- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson

Posted by Kate Bramson at 6:16 PM | Comment

8 nabbed in 'significant' drug seizure in Fall River

FALL RIVER, Mass. -- The police arrested eight city residents, seized six guns, $105,000 in suspected drug proceeds and 300 grams of cocaine in what Chief John Souza today called, as a whole, "probably the most significant seizure" in his years helming the department.

Detectives from the vice and intelligence unit used search warrants at three city addresses last night. The chief said the police may discuss with the Bristol County District Attorney's office whether to seek federal charges against some or all of the individuals, which can carry stiffer penalties.

The police said the cocaine had a street value of $30,000, and two pounds of marijuana were valued at $2,000.

At an afternoon news conference, Souza said that at about 8:30 p.m. yesterday police went to 33 Hall St., where the targets of the search warrant were Luis O. Hernandez, 28, and Lirmissett M. Rodriguez, 32, both of that address. Detectives found a .357 Magnum handgun, a bag containing 29 grams of suspected powder cocaine and another bag with 17 grams of suspected crack cocaine, according to the police.

Eight people were arrested there on various drug charges, including Hernandez and Rodriguez.

-- Journal Staff Writer Michael P. McKinney

Det. John Cabral saw William I. Theodore, the target of a search warrant at 354 Gibbs St., leaving the Hall Street apartment and drive away. Police stopped the car and a search of the car found 62 grams of suspected crack cocaine and another 62 grams on Theodore.

Another team of detectives used a search warrant at 354 Gibbs St. and found 20 grams of suspected crack cocaine, two pounds of suspected marijuana, a 22-caliber revolver, a Tek-9 semi automatic machine gun, a 22-caliber semi-automatic handgun, a 9-millimeter semi-automatic handgun, a 40-caliber semi-automatic handgun, ammunition-feeding devices and various ammunition.

The police said they also found a safe holding cash believed to be drug proceeds.

Posted by Kate Bramson at 5:28 PM | Comment

Woonsocket fire displaces three families

WOONSOCKET — Three Thomas Street families were displaced in an apartment fire that began early this morning.

No one was hurt in the fire, which began around 12:45 a.m. in a four-unit apartment building at 3 Thomas St., according to interim Fire Chief Kenneth Finlay. However, three cats and one dog were killed due to smoke inhalation.

The displaced families are all staying with friends or relatives.

As many as 35 fire and rescue personnel worked for more than two hours to put out the blaze, which started in the pantry of a first floor apartment, Finlay said.

-- Journal staff writer Kia Hall Hayes

A Cumberland Hill unit also responded to the fire to relieve Woonsocket officials, Finlay said.

“It was a pretty stubborn fire, and our guys were getting pretty exhausted,” said Finlay, who said crews had the fire under control around 3 a.m.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Posted by Kate Bramson at 3:56 PM | Comment

ME's office: Skateboarder died from brain injury

The state Medical Examiner’s Office has ruled that the Warwick boy who died Tuesday after a skateboarding accident died from brain injury due to blunt force trauma.

Timothy Packhem, 17, was skateboarding with friends on Paine Street in Warwick on Monday night when he rode down a hill on a long board, which is longer than a conventional skateboard, according to the police.

He was found soon after on the ground, having a seizure, by an off-duty police officer who lives in the neighborhood and administered first aid. Packhem died on Tuesday afternoon at Hasbro Children’s Hospital, according to the police.

A vigil in his memory was held last night.

-- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson

Posted by Kate Bramson at 2:48 PM | Comment

Sports Tonight: Hoops all the time

The NCAA Tournament will give hoops fans plenty to watch all through the night. CBS will break its coverage around 5, then pick back up at 7 with the first-round game between Duke and Virginia Commonwealth. Then, at 9:30, it will be Pittsburgh against Wright State. The games can be seen on high definition on Cox Digital Channel 701; there will be additional games on Cox Digital Channels 801 and 802. Click here for more info on NCAA Tournament coverage.

If hockey is more your speed, the Boston Bruins are hosting the Washington Capitals tonight at TD Banknorth Garden. The game begins at 7 on NESN.

Posted by Mike McDermott at 2:36 PM | Comment

Boston College advances in NCAA Tourney

The Boston College Eagles defeated the Red Raiders of Texas Tech, 84-75, in the first round of the NCAA Tournament East Regional, played today in Winston-Salem, N.C.

Playing its flex offense, Boston College pulled away in the second half as scorers repeatedly cut to the basket for easy layups. Texas Tech failed to adjust in time to slow the Eagles down.

Tyrese Rice scored 26 points to lead Boston College, which will play the winner of this afternoon's game between Georgetown and Belmont.

Posted by Mike McDermott at 2:15 PM | Comment

Winter storm watch issued for tomorrow

The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm watch for tomorrow morning through Saturday morning for a powerul northeaster that could bring "significant snow and sleet accumulation" to the region.

A winter storm watch is issued for the potential of accumulating snow of six or more inches in a 12-hour period or eight or more inches in a 24-hour period, according to the weather service.

The pending storm has already prompted a parking ban in Woonsocket for 6 a.m. tomorrow to 6 a.m. Saturday. And the fish dinner for St. Leo the Great School in Pawtucket has been rescheduled to March 31.

Check here for parking bans, closings and cancellations.

"The latest forecast information would bring the storm center over Buzzards Bay, a track which would bring warmer air off the ocean into eastern Massachusetts and turn
the snow into sleet and freezing rain inland and rain along the coast," the weather service says. "However, this may not occur until very late Friday night into early Saturday by which time several inches of snow may have already accumulated."

The weather service advises anyone traveling over the next 24 to 36 hours to monitor weather reports.

Posted by Jack Perry at 2:11 PM | Comment

Two $10,000 PowerBall winners in R.I.

You might want to double check your PowerBall tickets if you bought one for last night’s drawing at Woonsocket’s Liberty Gas & Convenience, 1023 Social St., or at Cranston’s Park Avenue Liquor Store, on Park Avenue.

Although no one had a winning ticket for the $161 million jackpot, two $10,000 winning tickets purchased from each of those local spots have yet to be claimed.

The local winners matched four numbers and the PowerBall number, according to the Rhode Island Lottery.

The PowerBall numbers drawn last night are: 4-27-30-39-44, Powerball 18, Power play 2

The PowerBall jackpot has now grown to $183 million for Saturday’s drawing.

Posted by Kate Bramson at 12:57 PM | Comment

CVS shareholders approve Caremark merger

CVS Corp. shareholders this morning approved a merger with pharmacy-benefits manager Caremark Rx Inc. as the Woonsocket-based company battles a rival to complete the deal.

Nearly 92 percent of the voting shareholders approved the deal.

Caremark is set to vote on the merger tomorrow.

CVS last week goosed its offer for a third time by offering to pay $54.74 a share, plus a one-time dividend of $7.50 a share, as it tried to out bid rival Express Scripts Inc., of Maryland Heights, Mo. CVS will also buy back 150 million of its own shares at $35 each.

CVS' latest bid adds $1.50 a share to its previously offered $6-per-share dividend. The increase adds $3.2 billion to the CVS offer, while the share repurchase would put another $5.25 billion into its shareholders' pockets.

-- With reports from Journal staff writer Paul Grimaldi

Posted by Jack Perry at 11:56 AM | Comment

Homeless leave Welcome Arnold for last time / Photo

Journal photo / Bill Murphy
Dave Horne, a client of the Welcome Arnold House homeless shelter, heads for the RIPTA bus stop as he leaves the shelter for the last time this morning.

CRANSTON -- Most of the homeless who refused to leave the Welcome Arnold Shelter this morning have left.

About 10 homeless people, joined by as many college students and homeless advocates, crowded into the shelter's community room this morning. They sipped coffee and held signs protesting the state's decision to close the shelter to build a new state police headquarters.

"I'm in a situation where I have no place to go and no transportation," Craig Samson, 20, said this at about 7:45 a.m. The small red, white and blue tote bag on the wooden table in front of him held his only possessions.

Samson was among those who peppered a state official with questions for about a half hour this morning as she tried to alleviate their concerns.

Noreen Shawcross, director of the state's Office of Housing and Community Development, promised to get Samson and any of the others a bus pass and to help them find a place to sleep in another shelter.

"We'll take care of it," Shawcross said.

The shelter was scheduled to close for good at 7 a.m. today, and most of the people who spent the night there left, boarding a bus at the nearby stop.

But the 10 homeless people who stayed behind were joined in their protest by about 10 advocates, including several Brown University students.

The state has said it's replacing the more than 100 beds at Welcome Arnold with beds at community based shelters, but homeless advocates contend that about 50 won't have anywhere to go. It's estimated that the state has more than 6,000 homeless. (Read more.)
Shortly before 8 a.m., Norcross left, giving one of the homeless protestors a ride to Crossroads Rhode Island, which serves as a clearing house for homeless people with no place to go.

By about 8:30 a.m., Samson and five of Welcome Arnold's last residents walked out the front door carrying backpacks, tote bags and garbage bags, and trekked across the Pastore Complex grounds grounds to a Pontiac Avenue bus stop.

Following Shawcross' suggestion, they said they plan to go to Crossroads in Providence if there's no other place to go.

-- projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples

Posted by Steve Peoples at 9:04 AM | Comment

Update: Fire controlled at power plant / Photo

Journal photo / Bill Murphy
Providence firefighters respond to reports of fire on the roof of a power plant on Point Street.

PROVIDENCE -- Fire crews have extinguished a fire at a power plant after responding to the 40 Point St. facility at about 8 a.m. when smoke was seen flowing from the roof.

The building was evacuated, according to James Taylor, chief of communications for the fire department.

While there were no visible flames at about 8:30 a.m., heavy smoke was reported on the south side of the plant between the second and third turbines.

"They're trying to peel back the roof to find the fire," Taylor said.

After receiving the initial call at 7:58 a.m., the fire department sounded a second alarm at 8:21 a.m., meaning that it sent an additional two engines, a ladder truck and a chief.

The fire was under control by about 9 a.m.

-- projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples

Posted by Steve Peoples at 8:45 AM | Comment

Today's front page

Today's front page features a photograph and story about the death of a 17-year-old from Warwick in a skateboarding accident.

There's also a photograph and story on the planned "topping off" ceremony for the Westin Providence hotel and condominium tower.

Download today's front page in .pdf format.

Posted by Jack Perry at 7:10 AM | Comment

A.G. Lynch supports air quality system at Green

Attorney General Patrick C. Lynch opposes a bill that would delay for 18 months the installation of a permanent air quality-monitoring system at T.F. Green Airport.

In a letter to Senate Environment and Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Susan Sosnowski, Lynch said:

"Allowing the deadline for compliance to be extended without requiring RIAC to take interim steps toward compliance defeats the legislative purpose and is contrary to the public interest," Lynch said.

Posted by Peter Phipps at 6:57 AM | Comment

Rain, heavy rain, sleet and snow; any questions?

Here's the forecast. Brace yourself. Today: Rain. Tonight: Rain/snow. Friday: Heavy snow. Friday night: Snow/sleet. Saturday: Heavy rain.

Look for rain today with a high of 57.

The turn comes tonight with winds coming from the north and temperatures falling into the low 30s. Tomorrow, the national Weather Service is calling for a classic winter nor'easter with wind gusts up to 20 mph and 2 to 4 inches of snow.

Spring is, afterall, still a week away.

Posted by Peter Phipps at 6:45 AM | Comment

March 14, 2007

Fire at Allens Ave. Dunkin' Donuts

PROVIDENCE -- The Providence Fire Department has brought a fire at a local Dunkin' Donuts under control.

Crews battled the blaze for about 20 minutes. It started in the ceiling at the 820 Allens Ave. location, according to James Taylor, chief of communications for the fire department.

The blaze was reported at about 6:30 p.m. There are no immediate reports of injuries, Taylor said, who also did not have information on damage.

Posted by Steve Peoples at 7:13 PM | Comment

Weather update: Spring today, snow tomorrow

PROVIDENCE -- Today's high in Providence nearly hit 60 degrees. The sun was shining. Some brave young people downtown even donned T-shirts.

But it's not spring yet. And the National Weather Service has issued a winter storm watch for the region beginning tomorrow night and spanning through Friday.

A powerful nor'easter could bring more than 6 inches of snow, the weather service says, before the storm turns to sleet and/or rain.

The weather system could bring higher snowfall amounts or higher rain totals, depending on the storm track.

Periods of rain tomorrow should give way to snow and sleet at around midnight. New accumulations overnight should total less than half an inch, according to the weather service.

Snow, heavy at times, is forecast for Friday. Precipitation could fall for the entire day, ending with a wet snow-rain mix.

Get the latest forecast at: http://projo.com/weather

Posted by Steve Peoples at 7:01 PM | Comment

Update: Lincoln Park works out plan for RIPTA stop

LINCOLN — Lincoln Park’s owners completed their 180-degree turn on public bus access to their dogtrack and video slot complex today, announcing a new bus stop on the park property for riders of Rhode Island Public Transit Authority buses.

Service to the new on-site bus stop will begin Saturday, Lincoln Park spokeswoman Cynthia Stern said. It will be about 100 yards from the southern entrance to Lincoln Park, with a lighted sidewalk and wheelchair access. She said a RIPTA safety officer will be on the property tomorrow to examine the location and make sure it is adequate.

“We are pleased to have reached a satisfactory agreement with RIPTA management on what we had always viewed to be a temporary disruption in service,” Stern said.

Mark R. Therrien, RIPTA’s assistant general manager, said the new stop was “a good spot.” RIPTA brings about 154 people a day to the track.

“I’ll be out there tomorrow with the chief of safety and we will drive it,” Therrien said. “But it looks good to me.”

He said the Saturday start date was at RIPTA’s request, to give the agency time to test-drive the approach and to give it another day to notify all of its drivers of the new stop.

RIPTA had announced Monday that at Lincoln Park’s request, it would no longer be able to drop riders off at the complex. Instead, park ownership said they buses should use an existing stop at the State Police Barracks on Louisquisset Pike. Park patrons could then walk the half-mile up a four-lane inside the park road to get to the restaurants and slot machines.

Park officials said they made the change because they were concerned that disruptions from ongoing construction on the site created a safety hazard for the buses. Stern said the shift was always intended to be temporary until work on the park’s expansion was finished.

But after two days of blistering criticism of the plan from RIPTA and several state legislators, park officials said they realized “an immediate accommodation must be reached.”

-- Journal staff writer John Hill

State Rep. Charlene Lima, D-Cranston had introduced a resolution calling on the house to express “its strong opposition to Lincoln Park’s decision not to allow RIPTA to transport riders into Lincoln Park …”

Lima said she was concerned that the park's earlier decision signaled a desire by Lincoln Park to weed out bus riders in favor of patrons “pulling up in their Mercedes and SUVs.”

-- Journal staff writer John Hill

Posted by Steve Peoples at 6:52 PM | Comment

4 armed robbers hit Woonsocket liquor store

WOONSOCKET -- Authorities today are investigating an armed robbery involving four suspects wielding an array of weapons inside a North Main Street liquor store last night.

Security videotape captured four males in ski masks, hooded sweatshirts and purple gloves inside Warehouse Liquors, at 373 North Main St., around 10 p.m., according to Detective Lt. Timothy Paul. One brandished a silver handgun, and the three others carried “wooden weapons” such as baseball bats and hammers, Paul said.

Store owner Will Tang told the police that he was stocking the shelves when he heard someone enter the store and felt something pressed into his back. He turned around and saw a male holding the gun and wearing a black T-shirt with flames on it and a black ski mask, Paul said.

When the gunman told Tang to give him all of his money, Tang asked the man what he was doing.

The man then turned to another robber and asked, “Should I pop him?” according to Paul. Two of the men jumped over the counter and emptied the register of an undetermined amount of cash, and the four suspects fled the store.

Paul said footage from the store’s security camera is still being processed, and that a canine unit with the State Police searched the area last night.

The police are asking anyone with information about the robbery to call Detective John Dubois at (401) 767-8864.

-- Journal staff writer Kia Hall Hayes

Posted by Steve Peoples at 5:49 PM | Comment

Fire at prof's home ruled arson; linked to wife's car

SOUTH KINGSTOWN – Investigators have ruled that the fire that destroyed a University of Rhode Island accounting professor’s home last month was arson and linked the blaze to evidence found in his wife’s car.

Gasoline was detected on the wood flooring in the house and carpet recovered from the wife's Toyota Camry, which was found parked on the Sakonnet River Bridge hours after the fire, according to police Capt. Jeffrey Allen.

Gasoline had been scattered throughout the house, said Michael J. Sweeney, chief of investigations with the state Fire Marshal's Office. Police recovered two fuel cans inside the home the night of the fire.

URI accounting professor Joseph P. Matoney returned home from class around 9 p.m. Feb. 22 to find his house at 19 French Rd. in flames. Concerned that his wife might be inside, he rushed into the building, but was forced out by smoke and fire.

Firefighters found no one inside.

Around 3:30 a.m. a car belonging to his wife, Adrianne Lynn Matoney, was found parked and locked on the Sakonnet River Bridge in Portsmouth. The discovery sparked a three-day search.

State police searched the waters beneath the bridge again this past Saturday with cadaver sniffing dogs.

The police have exhausted all possible leads into Matoney’s disappearance such as credit card records and travel options. But, Allen said, she remains “a person of interest.”

“Obviously we need to speak to her because of the remnants of gasoline in the vehicle,” he said.

Sweeney would not comment on whether there are other people of interest. The family is cooperating with the investigation, according to police.

-- Journal staff writer Katie Mulvaney

Posted by Steve Peoples at 4:28 PM | Comment

Vigil tonight in memory of Warwick teen / Photo

A vigil in memory of the 17-year-old Warwick student who died after a skateboarding accident Monday will be held tonight at 7 o'clock in front of Warwick Veterans Memorial High School

Timothy Packhem was a junior at the school. All students, as well as the general public, are invited to attend, school officials say. School officials also expect to attend the vigil.

Timothy was the son of Paula Packhem and Timothy Packhem, a Warwick firefighter, and a nephew of state Supreme Court Justice Francis X. Flaherty.

-- With reports from Journal staff writer Cynthia Needham

Posted by Kate Bramson at 2:59 PM | Comment

Parents ask state to keep Providence school open

PROVIDENCE --- A group of parents has filed an appeal with the Rhode Island Department of Education that asks the agency to overturn a decision by the Providence School Board to close the West Broadway Elementary School.

The board voted to close the West End school two weeks ago because the school violates the fire code.

But hundreds of parents, neighbors and community leaders have protested the closing, saying that the decision was made before Schools Supt. Donnie Evans sought the opinion of the community. They have also argued that the reasons for the closing are not adequate and that the children should not be bused across town to the Pell complex.

-- Journal staff writer Linda Borg

Posted by Steve Peoples at 2:53 PM | Comment

Microsoft acquires company founded by R.I. man

PROVIDENCE -- Tellme, a voice service provider co-founded by Providence resident Angus Davis, is being acquired by Microsoft.

The company, headquartered in California, sells voice recognition software that is used for nationwide directory assistance and for customer service at companies, including American Airlines and Domino's Pizza.

Microsoft did not disclose how much it paid for Tellme, a private company Davis helped create in 1999.

-- Journal staff writer Benjamin N. Gedan

Posted by Steve Peoples at 2:50 PM | Comment

In about-face, board cancels Providence hip-hop show

PROVIDENCE -- A concert at the Dunkin' Donuts Center featuring hip-hop star and Bloods gang member Jim Jones has been canceled.

The city Board of Licenses this afternoon voted unanimously to revoke the license for the concert, less than a week after the board initially approved the license over police department objections.

The sticking point was the board's insistence that the concert proceeds be withheld from the promoter for at least 12 hours after the show -- an informal insurance policy that the performers would not create problems at after-parties following the concert.

The promoter's attorney, Robert D’Amico, called the requirement “an unreasonable financial restriction.”

The Providence police had objected to the issuance of the license for the concert, saying that Jones and other performers Lil’ Wayne and Birdman are members of the national Bloods gang and that those individuals, their entourages and fans are prone to violent behavior.

The local stop of the Sweet Dreams Tour was being promoted by a Providence native and University of Rhode Island student.

-- With reports from Journal staff writer Gregory Smith

Posted by Steve Peoples at 2:39 PM | Comment

Update: Cicilline picks state fire marshal for chief

Journal photo / Bill Murphy
New Providence Fire Chief George Farrell, left, speaks during a press conference today during which Mayor David N. Cicilline, second from left, announced Farrell's appointment. Officers of the Providence Fire Department look on at right.

PROVIDENCE -- Mayor David N. Cicilline formalized his choice of the city's new fire chief at a press conference this afternoon, naming state Fire Marshal George Farrell to lead the fire department's top spot.

Cicilline's announcement came about an hour and a half after the firefighters union released a statement naming and condemning the mayor's choice, which was supposed to be a secret until the press conference.

Farrell expressed confidence this afternoon that he could work with the union -- which he led as a Providence firefighter from 1996 to 2000.

Cicilline said this afternoon that when Costa announced his retirement, Cicilline knew right away that Farrell would be the "ideal" replacement. And while Farrell acknowledged being initially reluctant, he said he knew if he didn't take the job he would regret it for the rest of his life.

Farrell will make $112,000 annually, the same salary as Costa. But Farrell will have to give up his $40,000-a-year fire department pension.

He assumes the chief position on May 1.

The Providence firefighters union issued a statement this morning condemning Cicilline's selection and the process he used.

-- projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples with reports from Journal staff writer Richard C. Dujardin

"Providence fire fighters have learned today that Mayor Cicilline has appointed George Farrell, chief of the Providence Fire Department," begins the union statement.

"We are disillusioned with the mayor's selection, particularly with the process used to reach this decision. This position was never posted, not a single advertisement was published and no interviews were held. This is a slap in the face to the talented men and women who serve this department."

Farrell was confirmed as the state fire marshal in June 2006. He was a a 25-year veteran of the Providence Fire Department and chairman of the state fire code appeals board.

The union isn't happy with Farrell's selection, despite his connection to the Providence Fire Department.

"The mayor touts his new, transparent, accountable, post-Cianci-style of government, but a closer inspection of how this job was filled raises the legitimate questions of back room deals, sweetheart compensation packages and cronyism," reads the union statement.

Posted by Steve Peoples at 2:37 PM | Comment

Bishop tells kids, 'Lent is spring training for Christians'

Journal photo / Mary Murphy
The Most Rev. Thomas J. Tobin, bishop of the Diocese of Providence, gives out communion to students from St. Cecilia's in Pawtucket today at the Lenten Mass for about 600 students from 20 Catholic schools around the state.

PROVIDENCE -- The Most Rev. Thomas J. Tobin, Bishop of Providence, looked out into an audience of several hundred young people and asked how many were Boston Red Sox fans.

About three-quarters of the children raised their hands.

How many were Yankees fans?

Almost as many hands went up. ``Some have voted twice!’’ the bishop said.

And how many were Pittsburgh Pirates fans? asked the bishop, a native of the Steel City.

``I see four or five of us,’’ Bishop Tobin said. He pretended to seem wounded.

So began the bishop’s homily this afternoon at the Cathedral of Saints Peter & Paul during a Lenten Mass for students from many of the diocese’s elementary and secondary schools. The annual Mass, ordinarily held on Ash Wednesday, was held today because students were on winter break when Lent began last month.

From humor, the bishop turned to more serious analogy: just as professional baseball teams are now in spring training, so, too, should Christians be practicing and renewing their faith in these weeks preceding Easter, which he called ``Opening Day.’’

-- Journal staff writer G. Wayne Miller

Even the best professional sports players, Bishop Tobin said, need to ``practice the basics’’ as they prepare for another season. ``That’s what Lent is all about, too,’’ he said. ``Lent is spring training for Christians.’’

And while Manny, Dice-K, and their teammates are brushing up on the fundamental skills of hitting and throwing, Bishop Tobin urged the students to ``go back to the basics of Christianity’’ by fasting, praying, and practicing good deeds, a Catholic’s ``spiritual calisthenics,’’ as he termed the three.

Posted by Jack Perry at 2:21 PM | Comment

Sports Tonight: PC plays in that other tournament

The Providence College Friars enter the postseason tonight, although the potential scenarios in the National Invitation Tournament aren't quite so sexy. Tonight's opponent is the Bradley Braves, a team that made the Sweet 16 last year. You can watch the game from Peoria, Ill., beginning at 8 on Cox Sports Television. Click here to tell us if you'll be watching.

Man was it confusing watching the Celtics last night, playing on the road yet wearing their home white jerseys against the Chicago Bulls, who were sporting kelly green for St. Patty's Day. One thing should be clear: Boston can't beat Chicago. Maybe they'll have better luck with tonight's opponent, the Atlanta Hawks (26-39). The game starts at 7:30 from TD Banknorth Garden; you can watch on Fox Sports New England.

The Providence Bruins are at home tonight to take on the Worcester Sharks. The game starts at 7 from the Dunk.

Posted by Mike McDermott at 1:59 PM | Comment

Biker, accused of hitting trooper, found hiding in attic

PROVIDENCE -- A three-day search for a fugitive motorcyclist ended this afternoon as the state police arrested a Providence man who, the police allege, led authorities on a high-speed chase Sunday that ended with shots fired and one officer being driven into.

Mark Costa, 33, of 158 River Ave., Providence, was arrested around noon, according to state police Capt. Stephen Lynch, and charged with assault with a dangerous weapon, reckless driving and eluding police.

The state police "fanned out" this morning and checked locations in Providence, Woonsocket and several communities in Massachusetts before at least seven officers -- the state police fugitive unit and some detectives -- found Costa in an apartment above a car dealership on Valley Street in Providence.

"We found him hiding in some tires in the attic," Lynch said, explaining that Costa had stacked several tires in the attic and was standing inside them.

Police also said Costa had not been wounded in the incident. There had been a question whether the suspect or his motorcyle had been shot.

The motorcycle, a Suzuki, has not been recovered, Lynch said.

The police today also named the trooper who fired the shot. Trooper Brendan Doyle has been placed on paid administrative leave while the shooting is investigated, a standard practice in police shootings.

The police confiscated a motorcycle helmet, which had a distinctive Mohawk fringe, jacket and a pair of jeans they believe Costa was wearing Monday when, the police say, he led them on a chase at speeds between 108 and 120 mph.

-- projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples

After losing the police on Route 146, the motorcyclist, who was driving a blue and white Suzuki and wearing a distinctive blue and white helmet with a centurion fringe, was then spotted by a trooper who was at a red light at Steeple and Canal streets.

The biker was a few lanes over, at the front of the lane. The trooper, Doyle, got out of his cruiser and walked up to the motorcycle, gun drawn, Lynch said.

Doyle stood in front of the bike and ordered the motorcyclist off at gunpoint, Lynch said. But the biker allegedly revved his engine and ran into the trooper, he said.

Doyle fired a shot at close range, and the state police initially believed he either hit the motorcycle or the biker. The motorcyclist drove off. The trooper was uninjured, Lynch said.

Posted by Steve Peoples at 1:22 PM | Comment

Help yourself to some pi today at Brown

Is the romantic in you seeking something constant and never ending?

Well, it may not be the true love spurring all of Westley's frenetic activities in The Princess Bride. But you could find it in a number known as pi, which represents the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter.

The mathematical constant is named after the Greek letter pi, or π -- which is the first letter of two Greek words, perimeter and circumference.

Students may remember it best, however, for its value -- rounded off to 3.14, but, in reality, a calculation that goes on and on and on and on.

The number even has its own birthday -- marked today, which also happens to be the birthday of scientist Albert Einstein.

At Brown University, two groups of undergrads think that's something to celebrate.

Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) and a group of math majors known as the DUG or (departmental undergraduate group) are sponsoring a talk about pi this afternoon.

It's being held between 1:59 and 2:65 p.m., a time based on the first six digits of pi, 3.14159265..., in the Barus & Holly Lobby on the Providence campus.

In the spirt of the number, there will be a series of 5- to 10-minute talks about it, ranging from its history, its role in pop culture -- think The Simpsons -- and songs in its honor. And the hosts will even serve some pie -- the edible kind.

Posted by Andrea Panciera at 1:01 PM | Comment

Union beats Cicilline to punch on new fire chief

PROVIDENCE -- The Providence firefighters union issued a statement this morning condemning Mayor David N. Cicilline's choice for the city's new fire chief, state Fire Marshal George Farrell.

The timing of the release is notable -- as the union statement naming Farrell was issued at about 11:30 a.m., while Cicilline had scheduled a press conference for 1 p.m. to announce his pick.

"Providence fire fighters have learned today that Mayor Cicilline has appointed George Farrell, chief of the Providence Fire Department," begins the union statement.

"We are disillusioned with the mayor's selection, particularly with the process used to reach this decision. This position was never posted, not a single advertisement was published and no interviews were held. This is a slap in the face to the talented men and women who serve this department."

-- projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples

Farrell was confirmed as the state fire marshal in June 2006. He was a a 25-year veteran of the Providence Fire Department and chairman of the state fire code appeals board.

The union isn't happy with Farrell's selection, despite his connection to the Providence Fire Department.

"The mayor touts his new, transparent, accountable, post-Cianci-style of government, but a closer inspection of how this job was filled raises the legitimate questions of back room deals, sweetheart compensation packages and cronyism," reads the union statement.

Check back with projo.com for an update after the mayor's 1 p.m. press conference.

Posted by Steve Peoples at 11:58 AM | Comment

Skateboarder, 17, dies after accident in Warwick

The 17-year-old son of a Warwick firefighter has died after a skateboarding accident Monday night.

Timothy Packhem, 17, was skateboarding on Paine Street just after 7 p.m. Monday when he lost control, fell and hit his head, Warwick Police Chief Col. Stephen M. McCartney said this morning. He died yesterday afternoon at Hasbro Children’s Hospital, Maj. Joseph H. Tavares said.

The boy was skateboarding with friends and had borrowed a long board, which at 3 feet, 9 inches is longer than a conventional skateboard, Tavares said. Although Packhem had used the board in the past, he was not proficient on it. He would typically use it for a short distance and then jump off, Tavares said.

Monday night, the boy stayed on the board longer than usual and headed down the incline on Paine Street, out of the sight of his friends, Tavares said.

After a minute or so, when he didn’t return, Packhem’s friends went looking for him, down the hill. What they saw was an off-duty police officer administering first aid to their friend, who was lying on the ground, Tavares said.

-- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson

CORRECTION: An earlier item incorrectly spelled Packhem's last name.

The officer, whom the police have not identified, was on his way home when he found the boy on the ground, having a seizure, McCartney said. The officer lives in the neighborhood, and although he didn’t know Packhem by name, he knew his face because the boy frequently visited his friend on Paine Street, Tavares said.

There’s no indication of foul play, according to the police. Both McCartney and Tavares described the accident as a terrible tragedy.

“It was just a tragic accident, and the boy was not wearing a helmet or protective gear,” Tavares said. “ He would normally ride [the board] a little time. Unfortunately, he rode it a little longer and, unfortunately, it ended in tragedy.”

The Warwick Police Department is assisting the state Medical Examiner’s Office to help determine the circumstances surrounding the accident, McCartney said.

After Packhem fell off the board, it continued down the hill. A motorist later recovered it, Tavares said.

Posted by Kate Bramson at 11:55 AM | Comment

Navy temporarily loses contact with Connecticut sub

NORFOLK, Va. -- The Navy temporarily lost communication with the USS San Juan off the coast of Jacksonville, Fla., before communications were re-established early today, officials said.

There were no problems with the Los Angeles class submarine, based in Groton, Conn., the Naval Submarine Force said in a statement. The communication lag was not explained, and the Navy continued to investigate the incident today, spokesman Phil McGuinn said.

"Fortunately, the submarine established communications in the early morning hours ... and indicated that there were no problems; hence, units were able to stand down from the search and rescue that was already well under way," the Navy said in a release.

Read the full Associated Press story.

Posted by Jack Perry at 11:36 AM | Comment

Photo: The sun rising in Providence

Journal photo / Bill Murphy
The sun rises this morning over Waterplace Park in downtown Providence. Enjoy today's sun while you can. Clouds will move in tonight. Rain is likely tonight and tomorrow. Rain and snow are possible Friday, according to the National Weather Service.

Posted by Jack Perry at 10:05 AM | Comment

High of 67 expected in Providence, cooler at the coast

Look for another nice, springlike day today with a high near 67 degrees under partly cloudy skies in the Providence area, according to the National Weather Service.

It should be cooler near the coast with a high near 53 expected in Narragansett.

The weather turns tonight with a chance of showers and thunderstorms, then periods of rain Thursday and a high near 59 degrees.

For more weather and regular updates, see projo.com/weather.

Posted by Jack Perry at 7:01 AM | Comment

Today's front page

Today's front page features photographs and a story about the death of 1940s movie star Betty Hutton, who credited a Portsmouth Catholic priest with breaking her addiction to alcohol and drugs.

There's also photographs and a story about a State House hearing where advocates decried cuts to state subsidized childcare.

Download today's front page in .pdf format.

Posted by Jack Perry at 7:00 AM | Comment

March 13, 2007

New DMV director asked to resign over lawsuit lapse

Eight days after being appointed to oversee the state Division of Motor Vehicles, Raymond J. McConaghy Jr. was asked to resign today because he failed to tell Governor Carcieri’s administration that a lawsuit accuses him of sexually harassing a teenage intern in 2005, when he was president of a Warwick credit union.

Neither the Department of Administration nor the governor was aware of the allegations when of associate director of administration on March 5, Carcieri spokesman Jeff Neal said in responding to questions from The Providence Journal.McConaghy began working in the $98,543-a-year job

“We make no judgment regarding the truth of these allegations. But we are disappointed that Mr. McConaghy did not make these allegations known to us during the interview process,” Neal said. “The failure to disclose this information is a serious issue and must be treated seriously. As a result, the Department of Administration has asked Mr. McConaghy to submit his resignation.”

McConaghy handed in his resignation, effective immediately, Neal said. McConaghy did not return calls for comment today or yesterday.

Neal said, “We continue to believe Mr. McConaghy has the skill set necessary to continue to implement reforms that the governor initiated at the DMV. At the time of his hiring, the Department of Administration was very pleased that someone of his qualify was available for such a critical position.”

McConaghy, 53, of Pawtucket, was president of The Greenwood Credit Union from 1996 until 2005.

Tiffany Medeiros, of West Warwick, was 17 when she worked as an intern at the credit union from February 2005 through April 14, 2005, as part of a program run by West Warwick High School’s business department. Last month, Medeiros filed a lawsuit in state Superior Court in Kent County, naming the credit union, McConaghy and a branch-operations manager as defendants.

-- Journal staff writer Edward Fitzpatrick

The suit alleges that McConaghy “subjected (Medeiros) to illegal sexual harassment which (she) neither wanted nor encouraged” and that McConaghy “similarly subjected other female employees to illegal sexual harassment,” court records show.
The suit claims McConaghy’s actions were “so open and notorious,” that the credit union in effect “ratified his illegal actions by failing and/or refusing to take action.”

The suit says Medeiros reported McConaghy’s actions to the branch-operations manager on April 14, 2005, and within one hour of returning home from work, she received a phone call from the head of the school internship program “advising here that the bank no longer needed her services.”

The complaint accuses the defendants of subjecting Medeiros to “discriminatory terms and conditions of employment because of her female gender,” and it accuses the defendants of discriminatory termination and illegal retaliation.

Yesterday, credit union lawyer Frederick Connelly said, “We deny the claims. Our investigation showed there was absolutely no harassment whatsoever.” He said a mediation session is set for next week to try to resolve the matter.

Posted by Andrea Panciera at 7:59 PM | Comment

Providence council mulling bill to 'brand' lobbyists

PROVIDENCE — It’s not exactly a scarlet “A,” but political lobbyists walking the corridors of Providence City Hall might soon be branded with their own permanent label.

A bill is being considered by the City Council that would require lobbyists to identify themselves and their associations whenever in City Hall by wearing a "lobbyist" badge, registering with the city clerk each year, and providing detailed accountings of their employers and their income.

As written, the law would apply not only to paid, professional lobbyists that are normally hired to promote a company’s business interest, but to anyone paid to advance any agenda before city officials.

The bill was introduced by Councilman John Igliozzi, who said he was prompted by the saga of former state Sen. John Celona, who was recently sentenced to 2½ years in prison on charges of selling his office to three health-care related companies that also had bills before his committee: the CVS drugstore chain, Roger Williams Medical Center and Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island.

The ordinance will be officially introduced at Thursday night’s council meeting.

-- Journal staff writer Daniel Barbarisi

Posted by Steve Peoples at 7:40 PM | Comment

Senate finance panel passes Sudan divestment bill

PROVIDENCE -- The Senate Finance Committee has passed a bill that would require Rhode Island to redirect $2 million invested in companies that do business in Sudan.

Seven state senators backed the bill that cleared the committee today. It's now headed to the full Senate for a vote.

Human rights groups accuse the Sudanese government of committing atrocities during a four-year-old civil war that has killed an estimated 400,000 people.

Sen. Rhoda Perry's bill would give companies that do business with the Sudanese government 15 months to change their practices.

After that, Rhode Island would get rid of the investments.

Treasury officials say those investments total less than 1 percent of the state's $7.9 billion retirement fund.

-- The Associated Press

Posted by Steve Peoples at 6:24 PM | Comment

Update: Municipal court for Hopkinton climbs first steps

HOPKINTON – The creation of a municipal court here received an early-green light today from the General Assembly.

The House of Representatives and the Senate each approved a bill authorizing the town to create a court that would handle minor infractions related to town ordinances, municipal code, animal regulations and minimum housing violations.

“The Town of Hopkinton recognizes that a municipal court will more efficiently allow for local enforcement of minor police violations such as trespassing and disorderly conduct, as well as traffic violations and zoning infractions,” stated Rep. Brian Patrick Kennedy, D-Hopkinton, who sponsored the bill in the House. State Sen. Kevin Breene, R-West Greenwich, sponsored the bill in the Senate.

“It will help speed the legal process for disposition of these kinds of violations and should help cut down costs,” Kennedy wrote.

Next steps are in the hands of the town, which would move to hire a judge, for a two-year term, and enact ordinances regarding the personnel, operation and procedure of the court and establishing a schedule of fees and costs for the court.

-- Journal staff writer Maria Armental

Posted by Andrea Panciera at 6:20 PM | Comment

Legislator slams Lincoln Park for barring RIPTA

PROVIDENCE -- A state legislative leader issued a statement this afternoon slamming Lincoln Park for barring public buses from its property as of today.

"Preventing citizens riding RIPTA buses from receiving the same courtesy as Lincoln Park patrons pulling up in their Mercedes, SUV's and BMW’s is ridiculous, callous and unacceptable. It should not be allowed and I want them to know that this House will not tolerate such demeaning actions,” said Rep. Charlene M. Lima, D-Cranston, the House Speaker Tempore. “We regulate Lincoln Park and I will do whatever it takes and exert whatever pressure I can to correct this insulting policy.”

Lima said she is submitting a House resolution voicing her "strong disapproval." She is also asking the gambling venue to "immediately rescind this ill-advised decision."

A Lincoln Park spokeswoman said yesterday that the buses have been temporarily banned -- over RIPTA's objections -- because construction projects at the gambling facility have made bus travel hazardous.

Those taking public transportation to Lincoln Park are now dropped off about a half-mile away at the State Police barracks and must walk.

“Many RIPTA riders are our senior citizens and those with physical disabilities and Lincoln Park’s decision to make them walk over a half-mile shows a total disrespect for our citizens,” Lima continued. “While the owners of Lincoln Park enjoy their jet-set lifestyle outside the United States and grow rich on the profits and expansion of Lincoln Park -- that Rhode Islanders and their elected officials make possible -- they want to let our seniors and RIPTA bus riders walk a half-mile for the privilege of spending money in their facility.”

A call to a Lincoln Park spokeswoman was not immediately returned.

Posted by Steve Peoples at 5:57 PM | Comment

Panel to examine reporting on Station fire's aftermath

SOUTH KINGSTOWN -- The University of Rhode Island will host a panel discussion this evening on media coverage in the aftermath of The Station nightclub fire.

A panel of journalists -- including Providence Journal executive editor Joel Rawson -- and lawyers will explore the difficulties reporters faced in obtaining records regarding the fire case and the investigation.

The presentation, which is free and open to the public, will be held in Independence Auditorium, 60 Upper College Rd., at 7 p.m. on the Kingston campus. The event is jointly sponsored by the URI Journalism Department and ACCESS/Rhode Island, a nonprofit freedom of information coalition dedicated to improving citizen and media access to public records and government information.

The Feb. 20, 2003, fire killed 100 patrons of the club and injured 200 others.

Posted by Steve Peoples at 5:49 PM | Comment

No verdict today in Fall River murder trial

The jury in the murder trial of Carla Carvalho is set to adjourn for the day without reaching a verdict in its first day of deliberations, according to the clerk's office for New Bedford Superior Court.

Carvalho is accused of killing 21-year-old Courtney Sau in a Fall River, Mass., fight on Feb. 5, 2005, that pitted Carvalho and her roommate, Karen Cordeiro, armed with kitchen knives and broken beer bottles, against an unarmed Sau.

Carvalho and Cordeiro traveled to Fall River that night to confront Sau following an altercation outside a Providence nightclub.

Cordeiro was convicted of second-degree murder in January for her part in the killing. She will be eligible for parole in 2020.

The jury in Carvalho's trial is set to resume deliberations tomorrow morning.

Posted by Steve Peoples at 5:16 PM | Comment

Legislator tries again to ban phoning while driving

PROVIDENCE -- The General Assembly today is set to debate a proposed law that would ban all motorists from using hand-held cell phones while driving in Rhode Island.

House Bill 5804 would allow the police to impose a $35 fine for the first offense, $70 for the second and $140 for the third.

And while the House Corporations Committee is scheduled to look at the issue this afternoon at the rise of the House, it's hardly a new topic on Smith Hill.

Lead sponsor, Rep. Peter F. Kilmartin, D-Pawtucket, a Pawtucket police offier, first introduced a similar bill in 1999 after a motorist talking on a cell phone nearly hit him while he was working a traffic detail.

In 2001, Rhode Island would have been the first state in the nation to pass such a law after it cleared both houses of the Legislature, but former Gov. Lincoln Almond vetoed the measure. Since then, several states have enacted cell phone bans, including Connecticut, New Jersey, New York and Washington, D.C., according to the Legislative Press Bureau.

The proposed bill would prohibit drivers from using non-hands-free cellular phones while driving, except when calling law enforcement personnel in emergencies.

Motorists would be still allowed to use a hands-free cellular device, such as a speakerphone or earphone attachment, but earphones and headsets that cover both ears would be prohibited.

Kilmartin said he's optimistic about the bill's likelihood of passage this year.

“I think you’d be hard-pressed to find any driver in Rhode Island who has not watched someone in front of them on the road engage in dangerous driving habits like failing to use turn signals and swerving out of their lane while talking on a cell phone,” Kilmartin said in a statement. “This is by far the most talked-about and positively received piece of legislation I’ve dealt with in the legislature.”

-- projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples

Posted by Steve Peoples at 3:45 PM | Comment

Update: R.I. murder suspect captured in New York

PROVIDENCE -- A murder suspect from Rhode Island has been captured in upstate New York.

Luis Luciano, 30, was indicted last September in the stabbing death of a man in Providence a year earlier. He's also been featured on Rhode Island's Most Wanted.

Luciano was tracked to Schenectady, New York, and arrested yesterday by members of that city's police department as well as members of the U.S. Marshals Service. Though he allegedly gave a false name, authorities say they were able to identify him through fingerprints.

No court date's been set yet for Luciano's extradition to Rhode Island.

The Providence police obtained an arrest warrant for Luciano in September 2005, in connection with the Aug. 20, 2005, stabbing death of Alexander V. Lopez. That 38-year-old man was found bleeding profusely on the front steps of 7 Osborn St., a Smith Hill triple-decker that the police said was not his residence, according to Journal archives.

-- The Associated Press and projo.com reports

Lopez, who suffered several stab wounds, was pronounced dead at Rhode Island Hospital at 1:25 a.m. that day. The police said at the time that his death was drug-related.

Prior to Luciano’s indictment last fall – “and unbeknownst to law enforcement personnel looking for Luciano” – the man had been arrested in New Jersey for a narcotics violation and was in prison until this past November, according to a press release issued today by the U.S. Marshals Service through the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Providence.

Posted by Kate Bramson at 2:17 PM | Comment

Sports Tonight: West back with Celts

It's a pretty light sports schedule tonight, with no high school playoff games and the Red Sox back to their normal afternoon exhbition routine. The Boston Celtics face the same Chicago Bulls team that beat them by 16 points just two nights ago. Tonight's game is on the road. The Celts will welcome back Delonte West, who has been cleared to play after missing two games with a concussion. The game begins at 8:30 on Fox Sports New England.

The NCAA Tournament gets started tonight -- kind of -- as teams number 64 and 65 square off for the right to get thrown to the lions (actually to the Kansas Jayhawks). Niagara and Florida A&M get started at 7:30 on ESPN.

Posted by Mike McDermott at 1:45 PM | Comment

Update: Plan to close shelter questioned / Photo

Journal photo / Steve Szydlowski
David St. Germain, of Providence, and a housing advocate, speaks out at the State House today about the closing of the Welcome Arnold homeless shelter.

PROVIDENCE -- Advocates for the homeless gathered this morning outside Governor Carcieri's office in the State House with concerns about where homeless people will go after Thursday night when the state's largest homeless shelter is set to close.

Jim Ryczek, executive director of the Rhode Island Coalition for the Homeless, said that the alternate plan proposed by the governor may fall short.

There is concern that the network of smaller shelters the state has come up with to replace Welcome Arnold will not provide enough beds and that the loss of a central emergency shelter will leave no haven for people who are homeless for the first time.

They would like the shelter to stay open until their questions are answered.

David St. Germain, who used to live at Welcome Arnold and now is in an assisted living program, said the governor's new plan is “a fantastic one, but it’s just not enough.”

"It’s like having a plane without wings – yeah, we wanted the plane, but we kind of wanted the wings,” he said in an interview after this morning's press conference.

The Carcieri administration has established a network of smaller shelters to provide accommodations for about 100 people beginning Thursday night.

Ryczek said that homeless advocates proposed accommodations for 200 based on recent usage numbers from Welcome Arnold. Last month, he said, 193 people stayed there at least one night. Others stayed for longer than one night, he added.

Noreen Shawcross, head of the state Office of Housing and Community Development, addressed the small rally and said her office was paying close attention.

"It has become clear to all of us over the past month that this is a very mobile population. On any given night, with few exceptions, we only have 100 people stay at the shelter, yet the overall number of people who stay there occasionally is much higher," she said in an e-mail this afternoon. "We do not know how many people will want to move to new programs on Thursday, but we will closely monitor the situation."

-- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson with reports from projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples

Posted by Steve Peoples at 11:39 AM | Comment

Carcieri endorses Romney's presidential bid

PROVIDENCE -- Governor Carcieri is endorsing former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney for president.

Romney is seeking the Republican nomination.

Carcieri has previously stated his support for Romney. Journal political columnist M. Charles Bakst reported Carcieri's backing of Romney in a Feb. 11 column. But Romney formally announced Carcieri's endorsement today.

Carcieri credited Romney with a strong record of results as governor.

"In his four years as chief executive, he erased a deficit and provided health care without raising taxes," Carcieri said in a statement released by the Romney campaign. "Our country faces a new generation of challenges that requires a leader to call upon the strength of the American people."

Romney said in a statement that he was grateful for Carcieri's support.

Other candidates vying for the Republican nomination include Arizona Senator John McCain and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani.

-- The Associated Press and projo.com reports

Posted by Jack Perry at 11:07 AM | Comment

Trooper's shooting at biker draws reader reaction

PROVIDENCE – A lot of projo.com readers have weighed in on a story yesterday about a state trooper's shooting at a motorcyclist whom the police accuse of trying to run down the trooper.

Readers commenting on the story supported the trooper's decision to shoot by a 2-to-1 ratio.

Our blog item about the incident in downtown Providence drew 17 comments -- 15 of them in just a three-hour span -- yesterday.

Posting at 8:36 p.m. last night, Dan took the trooper’s side:

“When a State Trooper says step off the bike at gunpoint, you do it. If you try to run down a State Trooper with a motorcycle you will be fired upon!
This is normal folks! The rules of engagement stand. A motorcycle is just as deadly as a firearm.
This man was resisting arrest despite what he was being pulled over for. It was that Troopers job and duty to use deadly force to protect himself.”

Dan was not alone in saying the trooper had to protect himself.

However, at 12:38 p.m., soon after we posted the first item to the 7 to 7 news blog, FD questioned the decision to shoot:

“Outrageous. You shoot at someone now for failing to stop?
Is this the new protocol? What can be accomplished by shooting at someone for failure to stop? Perhaps he gets hit, falls off, hits his head, the cycle hits a parked car, the motorcyclist dies from head injuries? For what? Failure to stop.
Perhaps we are overreacting a bit now? Shoot at someone for failing to stop? Perhaps we need to rethink the way our officers are trained. We are reading more and more about officers using deadly force, and they never get charged criminally?
Go figure”

The state police said yesterday they’re searching for the biker accused of driving into a trooper who was trying to stop him at gunpoint in downtown Sunday afternoon. Today, the state police have not yet returned calls seeking additional information on the incident.

-- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson

Posted by Kate Bramson at 10:10 AM | Comment

Kitchen fire delays day at North Kingstown school

NORTH KINGSTOWN -- Students at Davisville Middle School got a late start this morning, after a small kitchen fire.

The students are just now going into the building, located at 200 School St., a school employee said around 8:35 a.m. Ordinarily, students must be at the school by 8:10 a.m. and in their homerooms by 8:20 a.m.

-- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson, with reports from projo.com producer Pam Cotter

Posted by Kate Bramson at 8:42 AM | Comment

Betty Hutton, Hollywood star with R.I. ties, dies at 86

Betty Hutton, who exploded onto the screen in such films as "Annie Get Your Gun," "Incendiary Blonde" and "The Greatest Show on Earth," has died.

The 1940s film star, who was living in Palm Springs, Calif., but at one time made Rhode Island her home, turned 86 a couple weeks ago.

Details, including memorial arrangements and when she died, were unavailable last evening, though they are expected to be announced today, according to her obituary that ran today in the Palm Springs, Calif., newspaper, The Desert Sun.

Back in the 1980s, after struggling with an emotional breakdown, Hutton credited a Rhode Island priest with helping her turn her life around, according to Providence Journal archives. In December 1986, in an archived story, she spoke about how she had been hooked on sleeping pills 15 years earlier and decided she wanted to die.

Hutton landed in a hospital and awoke to see a priest helping an alcoholic woman.

"Suddenly I thought to myself: 'That man is going to save my life.' "

The priest, the Rev. Peter Maguire, eventually helped Hutton become the cook at St. Anthony's Church in Portsmouth, R.I., where he was pastor.

"He would talk to me for six or seven hours at a stretch. No one had ever talked to me before," Hutton said. "He didn't care that I had been a star. He just took the time to talk with me. It took a long time to get all the pain out."

Guest book: Post memories, comments about Betty Hutton.

Hutton also served as a drama professor at Salve Regina College in Newport, R.I.,
and occasionally traveled across the country to tell the story of her salvation. In 1984, the private Catholic school awarded her an honorary doctorate. Two years later, it awarded her a master of arts.

In recent years, the reclusive former actress gave few interviews from her Smoketree home, according to The Desert Sun.

Her last "public" appearance in the media was a 2000 "Private Screenings" interview on Turner Classic Movies in advance of the release of "Annie Get Your Gun," Turner's No. 1 requested classic movie before its release.

Get updates from the Associated Press ...

Posted by Kate Bramson at 8:11 AM | Comment

We're getting ahead of ourselves

We know we’re not in the 8 o’clock hour yet, or 9 or 10:00 for that matter. Nor are we predicting future events.

It's just that the time stamps showing up on the news blog have skipped ahead another hour.

Please bear with us as we work to correct the apparent computer glitch since this weekend’s Spring Forward for Daylight Saving Time.

Are you having time-related computer issues since changing the clocks? Please tell us about it. If nothing else, it will make us feel better.

Posted by Kate Bramson at 7:33 AM | Comment

R.I., Mass., safest for truck crashes

WASHINGTON -- Rhode Island is the safest state in the nation when it comes to truck crashes, followed closely by Massachusetts.

The advocacy group Citizens for Reliable and Safe Highways today released numbers that show the two states had the fewest deaths in truck crashes per 100,000 residents based on 2005 numbers.

The group said Rhode Island had .09 fatalities per 100,000 residents. Massachusetts had .38 fatalities.

Wyoming was the deadliest state with more than six deaths per 100,000 residents. Arkansas ranked second with more than four deaths for every 100,000 residents.

The group is calling for tougher federal regulation of truck safety -- and wants to reduce the hours truckers are allowed to drive without rest, require more safety inspections and better training.

-- The Associated Press

Posted by Jack Perry at 7:07 AM | Comment

Another warm day in store

PROVIDENCE – We’ll deal with the clouds today – no problem – because we’re going to have a high near 58 today.

How did it go so quickly from last week’s wintry weather to these spring-like temps? No matter, just enjoy it before cooler temps settle back in later this week.

And the rain is on its way. We’ve got a 20 percent chance of showers tonight and tomorrow, and then 40 percent to 60 percent chances of showers for the rest of the week.

We’ll have highs in the low 60s for the next two days, then in the mid-40s Friday and Saturday, with temps falling to the 30s for Sunday.

Get the latest conditions and forecasts from projo.com.

Posted by Kate Bramson at 7:06 AM | Comment

March 12, 2007

Photo: Playing beach ball

Journal photo / Bob Breidenbach
Mild temperatures and sun drew many outside today, including Colleen Neary, a senior at the University of Rhode Island, and her chocolate Labrador, Bella, at Narragansett Town Beach this afternoon. The weather will stay springlike tomorrow, with partly-sunny skies and temps in the 50s, warmed by light winds from the south. Get the latest conditions and forecasts here.

Posted by Andrea Panciera at 6:55 PM | Comment

Police have signs, little else, of Woonsocket shooting

WOONSOCKET -- They have a bloody T-shirt, five shell casings, and two shot-up cars, but police officials say they still have “no victim, no suspect, and no witness” to a shooting that occurred outside a Front Street restaurant Saturday night.

“[We’ve got] no nothing, the patrons at the place are very uncooperative,” said Detective Lt. Timothy Paul.

Several police officers were dispatched to Asian Gourmet at around 11 p.m. Saturday for a report of a gun being fired.

The restaurant, which was holding a 16th birthday party, had approximately 200 people inside, according to police reports. Officers, who attempted to speak to patrons after the incident, said that “no one wanted to cooperate with the police.”

Vilayphone Khousavath, the restaurant’s owner, said that a group of uninvited males showed up at the party, then walked outside and began assaulting each other.

Khousavath told the police that the crowd split into two groups, and that the group on the right began shooting. All of the males involved in the assault fled the area before police arrived.

-- Journal staff writer Kia Hayes

The police found a bloody white T-shirt in a trash can in the restaurant’s bathroom, and droplets of blood near a car. Officials have contacted Landmark Medical Center and other area hospitals, but have no information about potential victims, Paul said.
“We don’t know if someone was grazed or hit,” he said.

A 1995 silver Subaru and a 1986 black Mercedes, which were parked in front of the restaurant, had their rear passengers windows shattered during the shooting. The Mercedes also had a large bullet hole in its roof, according to reports. Officers found five 9-millimeter shell casings on the sidewalk near the Mercedes.

Police arrested an Attleboro woman, Pamela A. Miclette, 41, who was allegedly combative and uncooperative with police officials. Found hiding in a grassy area behind the building, Miclette initially refused to answer questions and then lied about being at the restaurant, according to reports.

Other witnesses told officers that Miclette may have been involved with the group of males that fired the gun. She was charged with disorderly conduct, assaulting an officer, and resisting arrest.

The owners of the damaged vehicles have told police that they wish to file vandalism complaints, Paul said.

-- Journal staff writer Kia Hayes

Posted by Andrea Panciera at 6:38 PM | Comment

Johnston official accused of pestering woman

JOHNSTON -- The town’s recreation supervisor has been charged with simple assault and other offenses after he was accused of leaving vulgar messages on a woman’s cell phone and trying to kiss her against her wishes, the police said today.

Ralph DeAngelis, 34, of 42 John St., was suspended from his town job without pay after his arrest Friday, the police said.

He also faces charges of placing obscene phone calls and disorderly conduct.

DeAngelis has served as the recreation supervisor since 2003, according to a town record. His job involves the scheduling and refereeing of town-sponsored athletic events, the police said.

Police learned about the situation after the woman contacted DeAngelis's boss, Recreation Director Daniel Mazzulla, the police said.

Police allege DeAngelis made the unwanted telephone contacts, often text messages, between Feb. 1 and last Friday.

The woman, who is married and has children, was unreceptive to DeAngelis’s initial contacts, the police said. He allegedly continued to pursue her after she told him to stop, the police said.

Police said he also approached the woman in the middle school and in a Coventry drug store. On both occasions, police allege, he made unwanted physical contact with her when he tried to kiss her.

-- Journal staff writer Mark Reynolds

After his arrest, DeAngelis was arraigned before a justice of the peace and released on $1,000 personal recognizance. He also received a no-contact order.

He is scheduled to appear in District Court, Warwick, on March 21.

-- Journal staff writer Mark Reynolds

Posted by Andrea Panciera at 6:31 PM | Comment

Freedom Broadcasting sells WLNE Channel 6

Freedom Broadcasting, owner of WLNE-TV, Channel 6, announced today that the station has been sold to Global Broadcasting LLC, a Delaware company owned and operated by Kevin O'Brien and Robinson Ewert.

Freedom did not reveal the station's selling price. Channel 6 is the ABC affiliate in Rhode Island.

"Global is extremely pleased to have the opportunity to take over the reins at WLNE," once the sale has been approved by the Federal Communications Commission, O'Brien said in a written statement. "The employees have all worked hard to strengthen it's brand and increase WLNE's relevance to its viewers in Southern New England. We look forward to continuing those efforts."

Freedom Broadcasting owns nine television stations, including WLNE, across the country. It is a division of Freedom Communications, headquartered in Irvine, Calif., a national privately owned information and entertainment company of print publications, broadcast television stations and interactive businesses. The company’s portfolio includes more than 70 newspapers, including The Orange County Register.

-- Journal staff writer Andy Smith

Posted by Peter Phipps at 5:07 PM | Comment

Update: Biker sought who tried to hit trooper / Photo

PROVIDENCE – The state police are searching for a motorcyclist accused of driving into a trooper who was trying to stop him at gunpoint in downtown yesterday afternoon.

The state trooper fired a shot at the biker, who sped off and was seen by Providence police officers 10 to 15 minutes later heading out on North Main Street, said state police Capt. Stephen Lynch. The motorcyclist is now on Rhode Island’s Most Wanted list.

The trooper, whose name was not released, has been placed on administrative leave since the shooting, as follows the agency’s policy on use of force.

The encounter was caught on camera by a bystander who was nearby and happened to see the incident. The state police released some of the pictures taken by the bystander, in hopes that someone in the public can help them identify the biker.

The biker first attracted attention when another trooper happened to see him speeding and doing wheelies on his motorcycle in the southbound lanes of Route 146, Lynch said.

That trooper, who was heading in the other direction, radioed ahead to another trooper who was on the southbound side and warned him the motorcycle – which was racing at speeds between 108 to 120 mph – was heading up behind him, Lynch said.

The southbound trooper saw the motorcyclist as they approached where Route 146 connects with Route 95 south, and tried to pull him over, Lynch said. Instead, the motorcyclist pulled to the side – and kept going, Lynch said.

As the broadcast went out over the police radio to be on the lookout for this motorcyclist, who was driving a blue and white Suzuki and wearing a distinctive blue and white helmet with a centurion fringe, a trooper waiting at a red light at Steeple and Canal streets happened to look over a few lanes and saw – the motorcyclist.

-- Journal staff writer Amanda Milkovits

The biker was at the front of the lane. The trooper was several cars back and two lanes over, so he got out of his cruiser and walked up to the motorcycle, gun drawn, Lynch said.

The trooper stood in front of the bike and ordered the motorcyclist off at gunpoint, Lynch said. But , he said, the biker revved his engine and ran into the trooper.

The trooper fired a shot, at close range, and the state police believe he either hit the motorcycle or the biker. The motorcyclist drove off. The trooper was uninjured, Lynch said.

A team of detectives from the state police, the Providence police, and the attorney general’s office are investigating the trooper’s use of force, as is standard whenever a law-enforcement officer fires a weapon in Rhode Island.

The motorcyclist faces charges of assault with a dangerous weapon, eluding police, and reckless driving.

The state police are asking anyone with information about the motorcyclist to call 444-1000.

Posted by Kate Bramson at 5:00 PM | Comment

Construction halts RIPTA stop inside Lincoln Park

LINCOLN -- Starting tomorrow, RIPTA buses will no longer take patrons into Lincoln Park, but instead drop them off in front of the state Police Barracks across the street, RIPTA officials announced today.

RIPTA spokeswoman Karen Mansell said Lincoln Park officials requested the change, which RIPTA opposed.

“We regret the inconvenience to our customers, who will now have to walk about a half a mile to and from the Lincoln Park, entrance,” said Alfred J. Moscola, RIPTA’s General Manager. “Unfortunately, we had no say in the park’s decision.”

Lincoln Park spokeswoman Cynthia Stern said the request is meant to be temporary, until construction work on the gambling facility is complete.

She said park officials had gotten reports of buses going down the wrong temporary road on the site, or busting tires after hitting curbs.

“They were coming through the park, but with the construction going on, it was tight for the buses," she said. "They were blowing tires.”

When a new inside-the-property stop could not be set, Stern said the company thought it best to just have people get off at the barracks. She said park officials didn’t think it was an excessive inconvenience.

“People have always gotten off there,” Stern said.

-- Journal staff writer John Hill

But Mansell said RIPTA was troubled about leaving travelers on the street and having them walk up the driveway to the park’s main building.

“They are going to have to walk a half-mile,” Mansell said. “And it’s not an optimal half a mile. It is not particularly pedestrian friendly. We’re concerned about that.”

As to Stern’s saying the park wanted RITPA back once the expansion was complete, Mansell said it was RIPTA's impression, based on it communications with Lincoln Park, that the mass transit agency’s buses were not welcome for the foreseeable future, not just for the construction season.

-- Journal staff writer John Hill

Posted by Andrea Panciera at 4:48 PM | Comment

Monitor editor wins first 'Mimi Award'

David Clark Scott, international news editor with Boston-based The Christian Science Monitor, has been named the first winner of The Mimi Award, a new prize that recognizes outstanding work by a journalism editor.

Scott helped win the release of freelance journalist Jill Carroll after she was kidnapped in Iraq last year.

The Mimi Award was created to honor the memory of Providence Journal editor Mary Dolbier Burkhardt, known by her colleagues and family as "Mimi." Burkhardt, a mentor for many Journal writers, died unexpectedly in December 2004.

The announcement was made this afternoon by the Dart Society, an independent organization of journalists who have won Dart Center Ochberg Fellowships and Dart Awards for Excellence in Reporting on Victims of Violence.

The Dart Center for Journalism & Trauma is headquartered at the University of Washington, Seattle, and has offices in London and Melbourne, Australia.

Scott was nominated for The Mimi Award by Carroll and others at The Monitor. In a nominating letter, a member of Scott’s staff described him as "the editor every Monitor reporter wants on the other end of the phone."

"The Dart Society believes there isn’t enough recognition for editors who advocate relentlessly for the integrity of stories and invest time in shaping the talents of journalists," Penny Cockerell, the society’s president, said in a posting on the Dart Center's Web site.

-- Journal staff writer G. Wayne Miller

Posted by Andrea Panciera at 4:33 PM | Comment

Coventry woman indicted in crash that killed teen

PROVIDENCE -- A 30-year-old Coventry woman was indicted today in the death of a Warwick teen killed when her SUV sport-utility vehicle crossed a center line and collided with his car.

Dawn M. Simas was indicted on one count of driving under the influence, death resulting, one count of driving to endanger, death resulting, and one count of possessing marijuana.

Authorities said she was heading west on Hartford Avenue in Johnston when she struck the car operated by Anthony Gemma, 17, as he drove eastbound on his way home from work in North Scituate on Dec. 15 last year.

Simas will be arraigned in Providence County Superior Court on March 19.

Posted by Andrea Panciera at 4:20 PM | Comment

Cumberland Marine becomes citizen

WASHINGTON -- Marine Lance Cpl. Carlos Lopes, a native of Portugal who grew up in Cumberland, was sworn in today as a naturalized U.S. citizen during a ceremony at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, where he has been recovering from injuries suffered in Iraq in November, 2005.

Health and Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff swore in Lopes and three other new citizens who have served in Iraq, saluting them for service that has helped "to keep alive the dreams of countless immigrant soldiers who came before you."

Ever since he was a child, "I always get these chills up and down my body," when reciting the Pledge of Alligience, said Lopes, 25. He said the recitation at today's ceremony was even better.

Lopes joined the Marines on his 23rd birthday, Sept. 13, 2004, fulfilling a boyhood aspiration. He was deployed to Iraq as combat engineer in August 2005. In November 2005, he was badly injured when a fellow marine in full battle gear fell on top of him from the top of a two-story building, where they were setting up a machine-gun position. He suffered several fractures and an injury of the spine, in addition to a broken jaw -- and was paralyzed for some days after his injury. But he has recovered the ability to walk during his treatment at the National Naval Medical Center in nearby Bethesda, Md.

Today, Lopes works at the liaison office at Bethesda, helping fellow Marine wounded.

-- By John Mulligan
Journal Washington bureau

Posted by Pam Cotter at 2:34 PM | Comment

Sports tonight: Red Sox and Yankees, just for fun

It's been six long months since we've seen the Red Sox take on the Yankees, and tonight ends the drought, even if the game doesn't count. Carl Pavano, the much-maligned and little-seen Yankee pitcher, takes the mound for the Bombers in this year's only Grapefruit League matchup with the Sox. Tim Wakefield will start for Boston. The game begins at 7 on NESN.

There are several do-or-die matchups tonight in the first round of the Rhode Island Interscholastic League ice hockey playoffs. Toll Gate and Moses Brown highlight tonight's action with the deciding game of their best-of-three Division I series. The game is at Thayer Arena beginning at 7. Check out projo.com's High School Game Day page for a gallery of game photos and a story by Robert Lee.

There are three other hockey playoff series to be decided tonight. In Division II, it will be Cumberland against Coventry at West Warwick at 7:30. In Division III, it will be North Providence vs. Mt. Hope at 6:30 at Portsmouth Abbey; and Woonsocket vs. Narragansett at 8 at the University of Rhode Island.

Posted by Mike McDermott at 1:54 PM | Comment

Mass. agency wants release of more detainees in Texas

BOSTON (AP) -- Department of Social Services workers have recommended that 21 people being detained in Texas after an immigration raid at a New Bedford factory be released for humanitarian reasons, Commissioner Harry Spence said today.

One of them has been released, while federal authorities had not responded to the other recommendations made Sunday night, said Spence, who was on an airplane waiting to return to Boston after the emergency trip over the weekend.

State workers made the recommendations after interviewing more than 200 people in detention centers near El Paso and Harlingen.

Read the full story.

Posted by Jack Perry at 1:38 PM | Comment

Express Scripts won't increase offer for Caremark

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Express Scripts Inc., which has been battling CVS Corp. to acquire pharmacy benefits manager Caremark Rx Inc., said today it won't make a higher offer because it isn't allowed to see enough of Caremark's financial data to perform due diligence.

"Our current offer is the best and only offer we can make at this time," George Paz, Express Scripts president, chief executive officer and chairman, told a news release.

The company said Caremark's board refused to permit it to see the financial data.

Since CVS and Caremark announced a stock acquisition agreement in November and Express Scripts offered a rival bid for cash and stock in December, the drug store operator has improved its offer three times. Express Scripts improved its offer once.

Read the full Associated Press story.

Posted by Jack Perry at 12:02 PM | Comment

Gas prices jump another 7 cents

Gasoline prices in Rhode Island have increased another seven cents over the past week and are the highest they've been since last September, according to AAA Southern New England.

The average price for regular, unleaded gasoline is $2.569 at the self-service pump, according to AAA's weekly survey.

The price has increased 39 cents per gallon over the past month.

AAA's fuel cost calculator.

Posted by Jack Perry at 11:20 AM | Comment

Police investigate apparent Woonsocket shooting

WOONSOCKET – A bloody T-Shirt and a report of gun shots, but where's the victim?

The Woonsocket police say they still haven't found anyone with gun-shot wounds after the police discovered a bloody T-shirt in a restaurant restroom when they responded to a report of shots fired late Saturday night.

They continue to investigate and plan to re-interview people who were at Asian Gourmet, 754 Front St., for a Sweet 16 party when the police were called around 11:10 p.m., Lt. Timothy S. Paul said this morning.

“Several officers spoke to several different people, but no one wanted to cooperate with the police,” Paul said of both the restaurant’s owners and the patrons who attended the party which drew about 200.

He said individual follow-up interviews could yield better results, as people often don’t like to say much when others are around.

-- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson

It appears as if a fight broke out in the new restaurant and then spilled out the front door, where gun shots may have been fired, Paul said. Then, the T-shirt suggests someone retreated to the bathroom, he said.

However, after checking area hospitals, the police have not located a gun-shot wound victim, Paul said.

Paul was not sure whether the T-shirt was found in a men’s or women’s restroom. The police report just indicates it was “in the establishment’s restroom,” he said. The police also found shell casings and took swabs of blood found on the ground outside the restaurant near a vehicle, he said.

Posted by Kate Bramson at 10:42 AM | Comment

Photo: Spring is on the way

It was wintery this morning along Parris Brook in Escoheag. But it could hit 60 in parts of Rhode Island later today.

Photo by Beth Heaney, Projo.com

Posted by Peter Phipps at 9:26 AM | Comment

Mass. governor to visit Fall River despite wife's illness

BOSTON -- Gov. Deval Patrick decided against canceling an appearance today in Fall River despite declaring over the weekend that he will limit his public appearances after his wife was hospitalized for exhaustion and depression.

The Democrat planned a morning visit to the Matthew J. Kuss Middle School with his former gubernatorial rival, Boston businessman Chris Gabrieli. The two were slated to talk about extended learning programs for school children, a focus of Gabrieli's since he made millions in the venture capital world, and one of the budget priorities Patrick promised during his successful campaign.

In a statement released Saturday evening, Patrick declared his 55-year-old wife, Diane, was ailing and he would be scaling back his workload to spend more time with her. The spartan, three-sentence statement did not delve into the practical impacts of the decision.

Read the full Associated Press story.

Posted by Jack Perry at 7:14 AM | Comment

Mostly sunny and warm

Today will be mostly sunny with a high near 59 degrees in the Providence area, according to the National Weather Service.

The wind will blow from the west at 3 to 10 mph.

The temperature should drop to 34 degrees tonight and clouds will partly obscure the constellations.

For more weather and updates, see projo.com/weather.

Posted by Jack Perry at 7:01 AM | Comment

Today's front page

Today's front page includes photographs and a feature on harlequin ducks, which are relatively rare on the East Coast but increasing in numbers in Rhode Island.

There's also a story on the closing of Rhode Island's largest homeless shelter to make room for a new state police headquarters.

Download a copy of today's front page.

Posted by Jack Perry at 7:00 AM | Comment

March 9, 2007

FAA releases report on Green expansion

WARWICK — If T.F. Green Airport expands, it will swallow at least 204 homes, up to 53 businesses and several dozen acres of wetlands, according to a draft summary of a Federal Aviation Administration report released today that examines the community consequences of expansion.

Expansion would also increase noise pollution and cut the city’s take base by as much as $2.2 million a year. On the flip side, it will generate $138 million in business revenues within the next 13 years.

Since February 2005, the FAA has been studying the local impact of extending the main runway at T.F. Green to allow airlines to provide nonstop coast-to-coast service. As part of that review, FAA consultant Vanasse Hangen Brustlin Inc. has examined the effects that five proposed expansion scenarios would have on the local community; namely, on quality of life, economics and the environment.

The FAA released a draft summary of its findings today.

Depending on which scenario is ultimately selected, the report’s findings show the following:

-- 204 to 339 houses would be taken

-- 10 to 32 acres of wetlands would be taken

-- 6-53 businesses would be displaced

-- 36 to 60 homes would experience significant levels of noise, loud enough that they would become eligible for a volunteer land acquisition program

The FAA has not ranked any one alternative above another, saying it does not plan to choose a preferred scenario until sometime this summer.

-- Journal staff writer Cynthia Needham

Posted by Steve Peoples at 6:40 PM | Comment

Picket planned to protest immigration raid

PROVIDENCE -- Local immigrants-rights advocates plan to picket in downtown Providence Monday afternoon to protest this week's massive raid at a New Bedford textile plant.

The group plans to meet outside the Immigration and Customs Enforcement building at 200 Dyer St. at 5 p.m., according to a statement released this afternoon by the International Socialist Organization.

They "will demand an immediate halt to ICE raids and deportations an dlegalization for all immigrants," according to the statement. "They will also call for Congress to reject so-called 'guest worker' programs which deny full labor rights and would [legitimize] the kind of sweatshop conditions the Bianco workers face," the group said, referring to M. Bianco Inc., the New Beford company where the raid took place.

Posted by Steve Peoples at 6:38 PM | Comment

Three charged with stealing shoes, jacket and cash

WOONSOCKET — Three men are facing felony robbery and conspiracy charges after inviting two local men to a Woonsocket apartment and then allegedly robbing them outside the door.

Damien H. Levesque, 19, of 335 Dulude Ave.; Jerome Pitts, 27, of 573 Massachusetts Ave. in Boston, Mass.; and Travis M. Bell, 27, of 179 Progresso Ave. were charged with one count each of first-degree robbery, conspiracy to commit robbery, possession of stolen goods and possession of marijuana for the incident, which occurred last night.

The victims --18-year-old Michael Carriere and 23-year-old John Gaudette -- told the police that Levesque invited both of them to Bell’s home last night. As they approached the apartment, Levesque, Bell and Pitts confronted them armed with a folding knife and steak knives, according to the police.

They allegedly took the Carriere’s Nike sneakers, as well as his blue FUBU fur-lined coat, $50 in cash, two bank cards and his car keys. They also opened Carriere’s car and took several CDs.

Then Bell punched Gaudette in the face, the police said.

The victims fled and called the police. A short time later, officers responded to Bell’s apartment and found the stolen items, as well as several baggies of marijuana, a bong, and a glass pipe.

The three men were arraigned on their charges in 6th District Court this morning and ordered held until their bail hearing on March 23.

-- Journal staff writer Kia Hall Hayes

Posted by Steve Peoples at 6:30 PM | Comment

Feds press for details in CVS-Caremark deal

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Federal regulators want more details about Express Scripts' hostile bid for competitor Caremark Rx.

Express Scripts put in a hostile bid for Caremark after Woonsocket-based CVS said it planned to buy the company last year. The two companies have been struggling ever since about which one of them will buy the prescription benefits manager.

They're both now offering about $26.5 billion.

The Federal Trade Commission wants more information from Express Scripts before approving a potential deal -- which could delay the deal closing.

The FTC has already approved the CVS deal. Caremark's board favors the CVS deal and says the Express Scripts offer may not get approved by regulators.

-- The Associated Press

Posted by Steve Peoples at 5:47 PM | Comment

Doctor pleads guilty in steroid case

PROVIDENCE -- A New York doctor who's charged with illegally prescribing steroids and human growth hormone pleaded guilty in federal court today.

Victor Mariani is one of the three people implicated in the probe. He entered his plea in U.S. District Court in Providence today.

Federal prosecutors say Daniel McGlone, the owner of a New Jersey pharmaceutical company, advertised steroids and human growth hormone in bodybuilding publications. When customers called, McGlone allegedly paid Mariani and another doctor to write prescriptions.

-- The Associated Press

Posted by Steve Peoples at 5:45 PM | Comment

Testimony taken on the firing of Tiverton chief

TIVERTON -- Allegations of sexual harrasment have led the town administrator to fire Police Chief Thomas Blakey.

Blakey, the Town Council and lawyers for both sides have been meeting behind locked doors at the town's community center since 8:30 a.m. for an appeals hearing on the firing.

Deputy Police Chief Nicholas Maltais, who is in charge of the department's day-to-day operations, testified before the group this afternoon for 2 1/2 hours, he said after leaving the building. He would not detail his testimony, but characterized the closed-door meeting as an appeal of the town administrator's decision to terminate Blakey.

Blakey was suspended with pay from active duty in mid November after civilian employees of the Police Department filed a grievance alleging sexual harassment. He was dropped from the town payroll in January. There are no criminal allegations against Blakey.

The appeals hearing is expected to span into next week.

-- projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples with reports from Journal staff writer Michael McKinney

Posted by Steve Peoples at 4:48 PM | Comment

Legislature to honor Grammy winner Bill Harley

PROVIDENCE -- The General Assembly plans to honor Rhode Island first and only Grammy Award winner, children's musician Bill Harley.

Harley won the award last month for the Best Spoken-Word Children's Album for Blah Blah Blah: Stories About Clams, Swamp Monsters, Pirates and Dogs.

The Smith Hill celebration will be held Monday at 6:00 p.m. in the House Lounge, according to State House officials. Representative Diaz and Harley will be joined by his friends, family members, musicians, storytellers, educators and librarians. Len Cabral, Harley's friend and fellow storyteller, will lead the event and students from Providence's Paul Cuffee School, where Harley has been an artist in residence for four years, will make a presentation.

Harley, a former Providence resident, is the first performer from the Rhode Island area to win a Grammy since Tavares in 1978 for its presence on the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack.

Rhode Island guitarist Duke Robillard was also nominated Sunday night for Guitar Groove-A-Rama, but the Grammy for Best Traditional Blues Album went to Risin' With the Blues by Ike Turner.

Harley, 52, lives in Seekonk. He and his wife have two children - Noah, 23, and Dylan, 19. They run Round River Records out of their home and are two of the founders of Stone Soup Coffeehouse, the Providence folk-music institution now based in Pawtucket.

Harley's been called "the Mark Twain of children's music" by Entertainment Weekly; Billboard magazine said, "If Calvin of Calvin and Hobbes fame were to grow up, he'd be Bill Harley." Along with his recordings, he's had five books published and hosts Camel's Hump Radio, a show devoted to children's literature, on Vermont Public Radio.

-- projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples

Posted by Steve Peoples at 4:06 PM | Comment

Mollis' stepson released from prison

PROVIDENCE -- The stepson of Secretary of State A. Ralph Mollis is no longer facing attempted-murder charges for his part in a January shooting in North Providence.

Gian Piscione, 19, who lives with Mollis, was initially charged with various felonies including two counts of attempted murder for allegedly twice firing a shotgun into the rear of a gold Lexus with two men sitting inside. Jealousy may have played a role in the crime, according to the police, as the men had been talking with Piscione's girlfriend.

The Attorney General's Office screened the case as it was transferred to Superior Court and changed the two attempted-murder charges to two charges of assault with a dangerous weapon.

The Attorney General's Office has charged Piscione with three additional felonies as well: one count of conspiracy to commit assault with a dangerous weapon, one count of discharging a firearm while committing a crime of violence, and one count of possession of a loaded shotgun in a motor vehicle.

Attorney general spokesman Michael Healey explained the decision not to pursue attempted murder charges.

The assault with a dangerous weapon charges "are not downgrades" because the maximum penalty for both charges is 20 years in prison, he said, adding that the new charges are actually easier to prosecute because they don't require proof of intent.

"On this point, there is no evidence to suggest that Piscione was trying to kill the occupants of the car," Healey said. "The evidence indicates he was trying to scare them. None of the shots he allegedly fired came close to hitting any of the victims."

Healey said that the Attorney General's Office has not been in touch with Mollis and that prosecutors are not going easy Piscione.

"He’s being treated like anybody else who has committed serious crimes," Healey said.

-- projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples

In all, Piscione faces up to 65 years in prison if convicted of the felonies, and another two years for a misdemeanor marijuana-possession charge and misdemeanor discharging a firearm within a compact area.

Further, the Attorney General's Office has charged Piscone's alleged accomplice, 18-year-old James M. Lynch, of 1244 Douglas Ave., with two felonies: one count of assault with a dangerous weapon and one count of misprision for allegedly trying to hide the shotgun in a pond.

Piscione appeared in District Court today on a lesser charge and pleaded guilty to a recent misdemeanor vandalism charge, receiving a one-year suspended prison sentence.

He was released on $5,000 cash bail after spending the last week in prison.

Piscione had been held at the ACI since last week after a passenger in the car he was driving vandalized a mailbox. An off-duty police officer witnessed the incident and called the Lincoln police.

Piscione's next hearing is scheduled for March 29 in Superior Court.

-- projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples

Posted by Steve Peoples at 3:35 PM | Comment

Photo/Car crashes into Cranston building

This car ran a stop sign, hit another car, knocked down a street sign and ran into the front porch of a house on Pontiac Avenue.
Journal photo/Bill Murphy

CRANSTON – Emergency crews have responded to the report of a car crashing into a building at 279 Pontiac Ave.

The accident was reported to the fire department around 12:30 p.m., according to a dispatcher.

More details are not yet available.

-- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson

Posted by Kate Bramson at 3:00 PM | Comment

Sports this weekend: Ocean State hoops fever

The Rhode Island Rams are two wins away from an NCAA Tournament bid, and tonight's win figures to be the toughest one to get. The opponent is the Xavier Musketeers, the class of the Atlantic 10 during the regular season and the same team that vanquished Rhody, 98-72, last month in Cincinnati. The A-10 semifinal begins at 6:30 on Cox Sports Television.

That's only the start of hoops mania in the Ocean State this weekend. Six high school basketball championship games will be played at the Ryan Center, with the girls playing on Saturday and the boys on Sunday. Four of the matchups feature teams that are looking to complete perfect in-league seasons.

On Saturday, it's Prout and Juanita Sanchez playing for the Division III title at 1 p.m., undefeated Feinstein facing Rogers for the Division II title at 3:30, and Hendricken playing Hope at 6 for the Division I title.

All three of Sunday's girls games feature one undefeated team. In Division III, it's Mount Pleasant, which will play Central Falls at 1. In Division II, it's Barrington, which faces Scituate at 3:30. And in Division I, it's La Salle, which faces Bay View at 6.

Projo.com's High School Game Day page will have photo galleries this weekend from all six games, along with coverage by John Gillooly, Robert Lee and Carolyn Thornton. Cox Sports Television will show the Division I games on tape delay; Hendricken and Hope will air at 7 Sunday night while La Salle and Bay View will air at 7 on Monday night.

On the pro sports scene, the Boston Celtics are at home to face the Seattle SuperSonics (25-36) tonight 7:30. They'll host the Chicago Bulls (36-28) on Sunday night at 6. Both games are on Fox Sports New England.

The Boston Bruins have a pair of matinee games this weekend. They'll visit the Philadelphia Flyers (18-38-11) at 1 p.m. Saturday and the Detroit Red Wings (42-16-9) at 12:30 p.m. Sunday. The Saturday game is on NESN, and the Sunday game is on NBC. The Providence Bruins have home games tonight at 7 against Philadelphia, and Sunday at 4 against Lowell.

Posted by Mike McDermott at 2:46 PM | Comment

RIC gets $100,000 donation for investing class

PROVIDENCE -- Rhode Island College announced today it has received a $100,000 donation from an alumnus.

The donor, who graduated in 1989 and wishes to remain anonymous, designated the money to establish a student-run investment fund and an investing course.

The fund will be managed by a team of four to six junior and senior finance majors. Any profits would benefit the state college's School of Management.

“This is not a simulation exercise, the students will be working with real dollars,” RIC economics professor Jeffrey Blais said in a statement.

“One of the key components of any education is the opportunity to develop skills based on practical, real-world experiences. When the student becomes a junior colleague, it enriches the curriculum for everyone,” Peg Brown, executive director of RIC’s Foundation, said in a statement.

Posted by Steve Peoples at 1:43 PM | Comment

Hundreds weigh in on projo.com immigration survey

The answers have been streaming in, sometimes 20 to 30 responses an hour, to the query we posted on projo.com seeking your opinion: “What’s your take on the immigration issue in the U.S.?”

By 2:35 p.m. today, 1,243 people had responded to a survey we first put online during the rallies last April and May and the May 1 boycott for immigrants’ rights that was organized on a national scale and held in cities throughout the country. Perhaps as many as 500 responses have flooded in since the massive raid of the New Bedford textile plant on Tuesday.

The responses are heavily critical of illegal immigrants and are similar to those that came in almost a year ago, although some say the comments they're reading are racist and go against the country's legacy of beginning as a nation of immigrants.

Some examples of both sides weighing in:

At 9:43 a.m. today, one person wrote: "Instead of showing the crying ILLEGAL workers, Why doesn't the Projo interview the competing company who lost the bid for the contract, or better yet, the LEGAL workers for that company who got laid-off because the bid went to a company that hires ILLEGAL help. Maybe they could show their children crying on Christmas morning because there where no presents under the tree. Maybe then you can all see what ILLEGAL workers are doing to this country. But for now we have a one sided press that wants us to feel sad for people who don't belong here. I for one, will not buy this paper again nor support anyone who advertises in it."

At 9:55 a.m. today, a response to some of the negativity: "I am stunned by the level of racism and hatred I'm seeing here. The fact is that immigrants both legal and illegal - are HUGE contributers to the economy and vital to its success and future. They also infuse our culture with the music, food, and other cultural traditions that make this nation interesting and vibrant. What on earth is wrong with you people? These people are an ASSET. America has an extraordinary OPPORTUNITY because they are here. I'm sick of hearing about how people's grandparents came "legally" - the barriers they confronted were nowhere near as as restrictive as those that exist today. Our immigration policy and admission proccess is so profoundly inadequate and short-sighted that the laws surrounding it just compound the problem. They should be changed. To inanely repeat that "the law is the law" is the kind of thinking that sheep do, that facists encourage, and that will ruin us."

Posted by Kate Bramson at 1:35 PM | Comment

Patrick urges feds to stop moving factory workers

BOSTON -- Governor Patrick is urging federal authorities to stop moving any more factory workers detained in a New Bedford immigration raid out of state.

He wants to make sure all the children of those rounded up are located and arrangements made for their care. More than 300 people were detained for possible deportation as illegal aliens in a raid at leather-maker Michael Bianco Incorporated.

About 90 were flown from the former Fort Devens military base to a detention center in Texas. Another 116 were flown to New Mexico. Federal authorities postponed a third flight that was scheduled to depart yesterday afternoon.

Patrick traveled to New Bedford last night to meet the mayor, local lawmakers, community leaders and relatives of those detained.

A woman who was initially detained at Fort Devens was released last night after her infant required hospitalization for dehydration because she couldn't nurse from her mother.

-- The Associated Press

Posted by Steve Peoples at 1:18 PM | Comment

Stop & Shop talks enter last day

PROVIDENCE – Union and company leaders for the Stop & Shop supermarket chain have begun their last scheduled day of negotiations.

Some 43,000 employees are set to vote Sunday on whatever contract proposal has been hammered out by the end of today. If it fails, they’re going on strike that day, according to Jim Riley, secretary-treasurer of Local 328, which represents Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts employees.

Company spokeswoman Faith Weiner has not immediately returned a phone call this morning.

Negotiators for both sides filed into the meeting at the Westin Providence just before the 9 a.m. start time, Riley said.

-- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson

The man who has sounded hopeful through much of the protracted negotiations with the company is sounding less so this week.

“A lot of work has to be done today,” Riley said just minutes before heading into the negotiations. “We need to have an agreement by the end of the day or we’ll be on the picket line Sunday” if the company doesn’t present something employees see as “fair and equitable.”

Yesterday’s session – the first since Saturday – was slow going, Riley said.

“We’re really disappointed with the pace of negotiations,” he said. “We were waiting for a proposal, and it was not forthcoming.”

Last Saturday, the five area unions that have already authorized a strike submitted five separate contract proposals to management and agreed not to strike while talks continue. Both sides agreed not to meet again until yesterday.

Yesterday morning, the company presented a proposal and the union responded with one, Riley said. The response they expected in return from the company never came, he said. He expects to see it this morning.

The unions that have authorized a strike are Local 328, Local 1445 of eastern and central Massachusetts, Local 1459 of western Massachusetts and two unions representing Connecticut workers, Locals 371 and 919.

Posted by Kate Bramson at 9:21 AM | Comment

Cape Cod man killed in Iraq dismantling munitions

A Cape Cod man who dismantled explosives in Iraq for an environmental management, consulting and technical services company was killed on the job yesterday, his sister said.

Donald Neil, 44, of Barnstable, Mass., was handling ammunition on a military base outside Baghdad, said his sister, Lisa Couture. The ammunition detonated, and Neil died instantly. The blast also injured two others, she said.

Neil, a Berlin, N.H. native, had been working for Tetra Tech Inc., of Pasadena, Calif. It was his second tour in Iraq as a civilian. He had previously served in the U.S. Army for more than 20 years.

Read the full Associated Press story.

Posted by Jack Perry at 8:50 AM | Comment

It's time again for smoke detector safety checks

With Daylight Saving Time beginning this weekend – three weeks earlier than usual – fire officials offer some safety tips for homeowners that could save lives.

Change the batteries in your smoke detectors, says James Taylor, chief of communications for the Providence Fire Department.

And if you don’t have a working smoke detector in your house, now is the time to think about it.

Smoke detectors, available in stores for about $10, are among the most effective ways for homeowners to protect themselves and their families, according to Taylor. He says ther