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« May 2007 | Today | July 2007 » June 29, 2007Catch the circus and the Tall Ships this weekendIt's not too late to catch the circus or check out the Tall Ships. The Cole Brothers Circus brings acrobats, aerial artists and clowns. There's one more show at the Warwick Mall tonight at 7:30. There will also be trained elephants, horses and poodles. The show continues tomorrow and Sunday. Tickets are $17. For children younger than 13, it's $12. To reserve tickets, call (888) 332-5200 or visit www.tickets.com. And the Tall Ships event in Newport continues through the weekend. From 11:45 a.m. 1 p.m. tomorrow is the parade of Tall Ships crews and captains, local marching bands and militias. The parade runs from Colony House down Thames Street to Wellington Avenue. On Sunday, there's the parade of sail at 12:30 p.m. on Narragansett Bay. Admission aboard Tall Ships is free. Parking at various satellite lots is $15 per car. The lots are at Middletown High School on Valley Road, Gaudet Middle School on Turner Road in Middletown, and the highway interchange at the Claiborne Pell Bridge in Newport. For more information, call 841-0080 or visit projo.com's collection of stories and useful links at projo.com/lifebeat. Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:59 PM | Comment Update: Conn. man accused of defrauding immigrantsWARWICK -- A Connecticut man accused of defrauding illegal Irish immigrants out of millions of dollars will be returned to that state after his arrest near T.F. Green Airport. Ralph Cucciniello appeared in a Rhode Island court today. He waived extradition, and authorities say he'll be returned to Connecticut sometime within the next week. He's being held at the Adult Correctional Institutions, in Cranston. He was arrested yesterday. The Hartford Courant reported that Cucciniello was charged on an arrest warrant issued in Connecticut with 59 counts of larceny and one count of racketeering. Cucciniello is accused of posing as a lawyer affiliated with Yale University in New Haven, and of swindling Irish immigrants with promises of helping them gain U.S. citizenship. -- The Associated Press Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:38 PM | Comment Fall River man found guilty in RI of drug traffickingPROVIDENCE -- After a two-day trial and two hours' deliberation, a federal jury has found a Fall River man guilty of drug trafficking. According to a news release today from the office of U.S. Attorney Robert Clark Corrente, the jury rendered its verdict yesterday against Kent Awer, 32. East Providence police found 500 grams of crack cocaine during a traffic stop last year on Route 195. Awer was a passenger in the vehicle that was stopped. The penalty is ordinarily 10 years to life imprisonment plus a $4-million fine. But the prosecution told the court Awer has three past drug trafficking convictions in New York, which could subject him to a mandatory life sentence for the Rhode Island offense. -- projo.com stafrf writer Michael P. McKinney During the trial, Assistant U.S. Attorney Sandra R. Beckner presented evidence that at about 1 a.m. on May 2, 2006, Awer was a passenger in a car that East Providence police stopped for speeding on Route 195. The driver did not have a driver’s license, according to the police, and officers took her into custody and had Awer and another passenger removed from the car. During a search, the police said, they found a black bag in the trunk, men's clothing and a vacuum-sealed pack containing a half-kilogram of crack, packaged in bundles for distribution. The bag also held "items of paperwork" in Awer’s name. Awer later told officers that he had obtained the crack in New York City. Awer was found guilty of possessing with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of cocaine base. Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:32 PM | Comment Superior Court presiding justice is hospitalizedPROVIDENCE -- Superior Court Presiding Justice Joseph F. Rodgers Jr. was hospitalized after collapsing at a social event in Providence at about 5:15 p.m. Thursday, a courts spokesman said today. Rodgers, 65, of Narragansett, was taken by rescue squad to Rhode Island Hospital and was “resting comfortably” at the hospital, spokesman Craig N. Berke said. Superior Court Judge William E. Carnes Jr., a former Lincoln police officer who sworn in as a judge on March 30, was at the social event and “rendered immediate assistance” to Rodgers, Berke said. He said he had no further information about what caused Rodgers to collapse. Rodgers was expected to remain at Rhode Island Hospital last night, Berke said. “He’s under observation,” he said. Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:20 PM | Comment DCYF allegations 'extremely' concern CarcieriPROVIDENCE -- A day after a lawsuit became public alleging children in state foster care are being burned with cigarettes, beaten, molested, and in one instance, killed, Governor Carcieri's office this afternoon issued a statement saying he was "extremely concerned over the allegations of abuse." But Carcieri also defended steps taken by his administration, saying in the statement that some information in the lawsuit "may be outdated and fails to take into account the reforms that have been made under Department of Children, Youth & Families (DCYF) Director Patricia Martinez." “Any case of abuse involving children is extremely upsetting to me, which is why I take this lawsuit very seriously. Children who are placed in foster care are extremely vulnerable, and we have worked very hard since I took office to ensure that their needs are met,” Carcieri said in the statement. “We have instituted a number of reforms within DCYF that are making a difference, but are not reflected in the lawsuit.” The suit says Rhode Island was the nation's worst in the number of children abused and neglected while in state foster-care custody between 2000 and 2005. The lawsuit was announced yesterday morning while the governor was in Newport for scheduled events that included greeting President Bush during his visit to the Naval War College, a meeting with Republican political donors at the Hyatt Regency Hotel on Goat Island, and a clambake at Fort Adams State Park. Carcieri has refused interview requests from The Journal today. Carcieri, who was elected in 2002, said he would meet with Child Advocate Jametta O. Alston -- who is suing Carcieri, the governor who appointed her to the post -- on Monday. He said they will talk about the suit and ways to "improve the lines of communications between her office and the Governor’s office, [the Department of Children, Youth and Families], and the Executive Office of Health and Human Services." The child advocate's suit is being assisted by a national group Children's Rights that has gotten involved in similar cases around the country. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:12 PM | Comment L.A. Times reporters win RI-based environment awardNARRAGANSETT -- Two Los Angeles Times reporters, whose series gave readers and policymakers a vivid wake-up call about a "virulent pox on the world's oceans," have won the 2007 Grantham Prize for Excellence in Reporting on the Environment. Reporters Kenneth R. Weiss and Usha Lee McFarling will receive the $75,000 prize for the five-part "Altered Oceans" series that ran from July 30 to Aug. 3, 2006. The Metcalf Institute for Marine and Environmental Reporting, based at the University of Rhode Island, and the Grantham Foundation for the Protection of the Environment made the announcement today. It began awarding the prize in 2005. The prize and the three awards of special merit will be given at a Sept. 24 ceremony and seminar to be held at the Metcalf Institute in Narragansett. The institute was named for Michael P. Metcalf, the late publisher of The Providence Journal, "who was keenly interested in marine and environmental issues and was known for his integrity, vision, and high standards for writing," according to the institute. In a news release, the jurors said the Los Angeles Times reporters "did more than simply research the literature and talk to the best minds. They went to the scene to make the case. "This extraordinary series gives life to all those generalities about the decline of the oceans in a way that should grab the imaginations not only of politicians responsible for taking corrective steps but also of ordinary readers." The series drew an "overwhelmingly positive response," according to the news release, and the U.S. House of Representatives Oceans Caucus distributed copies of the series to every House member. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney The awards jury also named three award of special merit recipients: -- Eugene Linden for his book The Winds of Change, published by Simon & Schuster. -- The NOVA television program "Dimming the Sun," a DOX Production for NOVA/WGBH and the BBC, produced by senior executive producer Paula S. Apsell, written and produced by David Sington and directed by Duncan Copp. -- A team of writers from the East Oregonian Publishing Company for their series, "Our Climate Is Changing … Ready or Not." The jurors said Linden's book "manages the remarkable feat of bringing a new light to the most written-about environmental challenge of the era, climate change," according to the news release. The NOVA production for presented "a different, but critical, take on global warming… Exceptional production values, great storytelling, and important subject matter make this a fascinating and disturbing report." And the East Oregonian Publishing Company series "represented an extraordinary effort on the part of a group of small newspapers in the Pacific Northwest. The result is sophisticated, compelling journalism, extraordinary for publications of this size and scope." The Grantham Prize was paid for by Jeremy and Hannelore Grantham through The Grantham Foundation for the Protection of the Environment. The foundation supports natural resource conservation programs both in the United States and internationally. Eligible for the annual prize are journalists, writers and producers in the United States and Canada. So is nonfiction work published or broadcast in the previous calendar year. Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:00 PM | Comment State lowers weight limit for Sakonnet River BridgeAfter finding steel-truss deterioration on the Sakonnet River Bridge, the state Transportation Department this afternoon is lowering to 22 tons the posted weight limit for a truck that can use the bridge. Thirty-eight tons was the previous posted weight limit for three- and five-axle trucks and 22 tons the limit for two-axle trucks. The department said the bridge is safe for travel, but that heavier vehicles will need to use alternate routes. “This weight posting mainly impacts large truck travel,” said Jerome F. Williams, the transportation department director. The department "has reached out to the Rhode Island Trucking Association to help get the word out.” Regularly scheduled bridge inspection crews discovered the steel truss deterioration, the department said, and repairs will start as soon as possible. The bridge connects Portsmouth and Tiverton. The affected steel trusses, which are below the bridge and run across it width-wise, not length-wise, are closer to the Tiverton side. Crews will take between six and eight weeks to complete their work. Construction that might affect drivers will be scheduled for non-peak travel times. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 3:05 PM | Comment Update: Abandoned car leads to robbery arrests
Two people entered the squat, small building just after 9:42 a.m. brandishing a handgun and demanding money, according to police. The robbers fled shortly thereafter in a gray, older model vehicle with an undisclosed amount of currency. Officers received a tip that the getaway car was abandoned at a nearby construction site on Amflex Drive next to Route 295. A Cranston police officer saw two people matching the description of the robbers crossing the highway and entering the woods. Officers from Cranston, Johnston, Coventry and the State Police set up a perimeter and called in search dogs from surrounding departments. Police are still working to identify the suspects. -- Journal staff writer David Scharfenberg Posted by Mike McKinney at 3:02 PM | Comment Providence no longer New England's 2nd biggest cityWORCESTER, Mass., -- Once again, Worcester, Mass., can lay claim to the title of New England's second-biggest city. Worcester surpassed Providence in the latest round of census data -- but not by much. The central Massachusetts city had just 199 more people than the Rhode Island city as of July 2006. The latest federal census estimate lists Worcester's population at 175,454, with Providence at 175,255. Providence had moved ahead of Worcester as New England's second-largest city behind Boston in 2001. Worcester City Manager Michael O'Brien says it's nice to have the title back. A spokeswoman for Providence Mayor David N. Cicilline did not immediatelty return a phone call seeking comment. -- The Associated Press Posted by Mike McKinney at 3:00 PM | Comment Woman sentenced for spate of bank fraudPROVIDENCE -- A California woman was sentenced to more than four years in federal prison in connection with making $332,600 in fraudulent withdrawals from Bank of America branches in Rhode Island and six other states. Zelpha Conyers, 53, of Inglewood, Calif., was sentenced to 51 months by U.S. District Court Judge Mary M. Lisi, according to a news release from U.S. Attorney Robert Clark Corrente. Conyers and two other Los Angeles area women were arrested last July after making withdrawals at Rhode Island Bank of America branches. Previously, Judge Lisi sentenced the other defendants who pleaded guilty: Patricia Moore, 55, of Los Angeles, to 42 months; and Debbie Jolene Tucker, 45, of Rialto, California, to 32 months, according to the release. Conyers was also linked to similar fraudulent withdrawals in Florida, South Carolina, Massachusetts, Missouri, Kansas, and Connecticut, the U.S. Attorney's office said. -- projo.com stafrf writer Michael P. McKinney At Conyer’s February plea hearing, prosecutor Lee H. Vilker said the government could prove that on July 11, 2006, Conyers, Moore, and Tucker drove to Bank of America branches in Cranston, East Providence and North Providence. Moore waited in the car, either Conyers or Tucker entered the bank branch, presented fake identification in the name of a real bank customer with a California address, and made or attempted to make a withdrawal, authorities said. They successfully made about $10,800 worth of withdrawals at three branches. Tucker unsuccessfully tried to withdraw money at a branch in Cranston, and the manager notified other branches of her suspicious activity. Another branch manager later saw Tucker and Conyers changing wigs in a car outside a branch on Smithfield Road in North Providence. That manager called North Providence Police, who broadcast the car’s license plate number. Seekonk, Mass., police stopped the women’s car on Route 6, and notified North Providence Police. Seekonk police seized $13,646 from Conyers and Moore. North Providence police seized luggage from the women’s motel room in Seekonk and, in the luggage, found ten fraudulent California driver’s licenses in various names, bearing either Tucker’s or Conyer’s photograph. They also found fake social security cards in various names, and Bank of America customer profiles. At separate hearings, the defendants pleaded guilty to bank fraud conspiracy, various counts of bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft, which is committing identity theft in connection with another felony, the U.S. Attorney's office said. The United States Secret Service and North Providence Police investigated the case, with assistance from Seekonk Police. Posted by Mike McKinney at 2:52 PM | Comment Update: At Providence Place mall: I want my iPhonePROVIDENCE -- Mum’s the word on how many Apple iPhones are for sale in Rhode Island, but the six people at the front of the line at the Apple store in Providence Place mall are pretty confident there’ll be enough for them. The talk of gadget lovers everywhere, the cell phone with the 3.5-inch display screen is being offered to consumers for the first time today. Signs posted on mall entrances state that lines were to form today at 6 a.m. at The Apple Store on Level 1 and the AT&T store on Level 3. They also noted that customers were prohibited (with that word in bold) from lining up anywhere on mall property prior to 6 a.m. That didn't stop some from trying to get into the mall last night, but they were asked to leave -- and another was asked to leave at 4:30 a.m. today. Inside The Apple Store, employees and a man who said he was the manager but couldn’t give his name to the media said only that the iPhones would be on sale today at 6 p.m. – but only after the store closes at 2 p.m. as all Apple stores have been instructed to do, they said. By about 2 p.m., 55 people stood in line. The Apple store itself had perhaps six to eight shoppers inside just after 10 a.m., when the mall opens. Outside the store, some 25 people had staked out a spot in line -- set apart from other shoppers by pedestals with line dividers -- hoping to buy the much-anticipated phone as soon as it goes on sale. Six of them were there right at 6 a.m., they said, two in sets of two and two others there individually. -- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson, with reports from Journal staff writer Tim Barmann A few were disappointed Apple hadn’t given them chairs or a spot against the wall where they could wait. They felt a bit as if they were in a fishbowl. Chris Silva, 21, of Narragansett, sat at the front of the line with his PowerBook. He was perusing the Web site MacRumors.com to see what new information he could learn about the iPhones and sharing information with others on line. He’s eager to get his hands on the iPhone. “What isn’t there about the iPhone that I want?,” he replied when asked which features he most wanted. He’s excited about the visual voice mail, which will allow him to view who has left messages for him and when and then decide in which order he wants to listen to his voice mail messages. And he’s glad he’ll be able to fast forward and rewind messages by touching a scroll bar on the iPhone, he said. He has his mind set. He wants the more expensive version of the iPhone, which is selling for $499 with 4 Gigs of memory and $599 for 8 Gigs. Silva said the MacRumors site is reporting that the flagship Apple stores will have 1,000 iPhones each for sale. Granted, Providence probably isn’t one of the flagship stores, but at the front of the line, Silva wasn’t worried about not getting one of the coveted iPhones. When someone walked by and asked what the line was for, a few at the front replied they were waiting to buy the iPhone. The passer-by said he’d just order his online. “But he won’t get it until Tuesday or Wednesday,” said one of the men at the front of the line. One of the first six people to make up the line, Bassem Megally, 27, hails from Milwaukee, Wis., but he was quick to say that he hadn’t traveled all the way from Wisconsin to buy his iPhone from The Apple Store in Providence. He’s in the capital city to help his cousin at the Transformers BotCon convention at the Rhode Island Convention Center. He was glad to come help, but he told his cousin he’d need to find an Apple store where he could get his iPhone while here for the convention. Those near the front of the line were making friends and said they felt like one big family by 10 a.m. Want to know more about the phone? Projo.com's Sheila Lennon has blogged advance reviews from a variety of tech experts. Projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson knows a thing or two about making friends while waiting in a line. She met her husband hoping to buy tickets to the Women’s Olympic Figure Skating final in Norway in 1994. That was the year of the Nancy Kerrigan and Tonya Harding controversy – which meant no extra tickets for Kate, her mom or the man she’d later marry. Posted by Jack Perry at 2:39 PM | Comment Transformer lovers find soulmates at BotCon / Photo
PROVIDENCE -- His luggage is lost. Yet Erwin De Jong is happy. He’s here, in the Rhode Island Convention Center. The 28-year-old Dutchman is thousands of miles from home, without a change of clothes, but he’s finally with his people. He’s at BotCon. That’s a contraction for robot convention. It began here yesterday and continues through Sunday, celebrating all things Transformers: the toys, the comics, the videos, the TV series, the movies . . . the life. With airfare, lodging, food and Transformers paraphernalia purchases all totaled, De Jong figures this trip will cost him $2,000. "It’s worth it, once. It’s the whole experience.” It’s an experience De Jong is sharing with about 2,000 people, who come from all over this country and more than a dozen others, including Japan, New Zealand and Australia. BotCon is in its 11th year. And it’s never been bigger. It’s the timing: the convention, the new Transformers movie (opening on Tuesday, although BotCon goers got a sneak peak yesterday), and the tours yesterday of Hasbro, the Pawtucket-based toymaker of Transformers and the orchestrator of this weekend’s perfect promotional storm. “You have the convention, the movie and Hasbro,” De Jong says. “If you’re going to go to BotCon, this is the year.”
-- Journal staff writer Bryan Rourke This is the first year BotCon has been in Rhode Island. And for that Joseph Igo is grateful. The 22-year-old East Providence man didn’t have to travel far. He just had to arrange his work schedule, months in advance. Maybe you wouldn’t understand. “Most people remember Transformers from watching the cartoon one day. Or they just nod and smile. They don’t get it, but they try to be polite.” Transformers are robots that can convert into cars, trucks, planes, animals, you name it. They were first introduced in 1984, and there have been hundreds, even thousands of variations on the theme since. Igo, who “lost count at 900” for his collection, recalls the draw of Transformers as a child. “It was like getting two toys in one. You get a robot and you can transform it into another toy.” However, toys tend not to be sought by adults, which is most of the BotCon crowd. And most Transformers come packaged with the words: For ages 4 and up. “Well, we were 4 and up when the Transformers first came out,” says Stephan “Us,” in this case, refers to Bibeault and his companion Heather Chase, 28, also of Montreal. “I’m the addict,” she says. “He’s the follower.” Chase says that as an adult she “respects Transformers as an art form,” and marvels at their engineering, and their potential for intrigue. Her follower agrees. “It’s like a Rubik’s Cube with a purpose,” Bibeault says. “At the end, you get more than just colors.” All these people at the convention can see Transformers characters online, on TV, on videos and on display in their homes. They come to BotCon for many reasons, which include dozens of forums with, among others, the writers, actors and designers involved in various Transformers projects. They also shop. They get exclusive access to Transformers not yet released to the public, and the opportunity to purchase replacements. “They’ll have parts I’m missing,” says Evan Brown, 30, of San Francisco. “The guns are always gone.” You’ve got to understand, Transformers fans say, there’s a huge range of “We’re on the fringe,” says Mary Rogers, 27, of Washington D.C. “There is a feeling of solidarity here.” That, in part, is why De Jong, the Dutchman, has traveled so far: to be part of the Transformers community. He’s wearing a black T-shirt and a dark brown pair of pants, the only clothes that successfully made the trip with him. And he’s standing in a long line, waiting to buy new Transformers merchandise. And he has a brilliant thought. “I’m going to buy a T-shirt!” BotCon continues tomorrow, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., in the Convention Center, 1 Sabin St., Providence. Admission is $10, $5 for children 5-12. -- Journal staff writer Bryan Rourke Posted by Andrea Panciera at 2:26 PM | Comment Smooth sailing for second day of Tall Ships visitNEWPORT -- It's cloudy, and not very hot in the City by the Sea this afternoon -- very comfortable for walking around and taking a turn aboard a Tall Ship. It's the second official day of the Tall Ships event here, and signs of their presence are obvious on land and at sea. Sailors from the ships, who have gathered from several corners of the world, walk in small groups in their dress whites and caps. Lots of foreign languages are being spoken. There are lines of people waiting to board some of the larger ships, like the Gloria on Bannister's Wharf. But at others, especially smaller ships, there's no wait at all. Even the car traffic is bearable, with no signs of gridlock. (Organizers have urged drivers to park at designated sites outside the downtown.) Back at the Gloria, a woman is playing an accordion, helping to keep those waiting in line entertained. A nautical jig perhaps? No, not quite, a reporter on the scene suddenly realizes. He knows that song. It's "A small world after all." And today and through this weekend, in Newport, it certainly is. -- projo.com staff, with reports from Journal reporter Richard Salit Posted by Andrea Panciera at 1:49 PM | Comment Photo uploads: Of lightning strikes and tall ships
Scott Lindemann of Providence sent projo.com this photo he took from his porch in Smith Hill as the storm passed over the region last night. You, too, can send in your photos of Providence life, and look at others, via our photo upload gallery. And, today, we're also inviting readers to send in their pictures of the Tall Ships visit to Newport. S. Taylor of Pawtucket has already sent some in. Take a look, and upload yours here.
Posted by Andrea Panciera at 12:18 PM | Comment Explosion heaves, loosens pavement in ProvidencePROVIDENCE -- National Grid utility workers confirmed an underground explosion today on Elmgrove Avenue on the city's East Side, leading to some power failures in nearby houses. It caused pavement to swell around a manhole cover. A 5-by-5 section section of pavement also broke loose and heaved up around the manhole. The cover is in front of the home at 511 Elmgrove Ave., near the intersection of Woodbury Street. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Journal staff writer Gregory Smith Posted by Mike McKinney at 12:00 PM | Comment DMV begins new surcharge next weekThe state Division of Motor Vehicles announced today that a $1.50 surcharge will be added to customer transactions starting Tuesday. The surcharge goes into effect as a result of the recently approved state budget. The surcharge will go on such things as license and registration renewals, said Gina Zanni, a spokeswoman for the Division of Motor Vehicles. It will not apply to sales tax paid when someone buys a new or used car. It also will not apply to things where no fee is charged, such as a handicapped placard, she said. The revenue from the surcharge will be used "exclusively" for paying debt service on a $13-million bond issuance for a new computer system at the DMV, according to the release. The division said the computer system "will dramatcially enhance the ability of the DMV to offer efficient and quality customer service." To find out more about the surcharge, the Division of Motor Vehicles said to call (401) 462-4DMV or go to www.dmv.ri.gov. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 11:51 AM | Comment Warwick police still seek clues in fatal shootingWARWICK – For the second day in a row, the Warwick police are searching the house at 43 Warwick Lake Ave. for clues to an early morning shooting that killed a man and injured two of his relatives. “We have a great deal of materials being brought in by our forensics” unit, Deputy Police Chief Mark Titus said this morning. The police do not yet know when they will release the crime scene.
 Sketch of the suspect Also this morning, detectives are still on the lookout for the masked assailant who allegedly entered the house just after midnight yesterday with a gun. When the owner, Caesar Medeiros, confronted the suspect, he was shot in the arm. His wife, Claire, was shot in the leg and Caesar’s brother, Gabriel Medeiros, who was living with the couple, was shot in the chest and killed. The gunman escaped through a back door. After releasing a sketch of the assailant, the police say they’ve received several phone calls, but have not yet identified a suspect. The gunman is described as clean shaven, 5’8” to 5’10” with a thin build and red hair. Titus said the police “continue to talk” to the injured couple – Caesar and Claire Medeiros – about the incident. Both were released from the hospital late yesterday and Titus said they are being cooperative. It is unknown if the assailant is still in the Warwick area. Titus said Warwick residents who are concerned about safety should practice basic crime prevention: lock their doors, activate alarms and turn on floodlights if they are available. The police ask anyone with any information about the shootings to call them at (401) 468-4233 or (401) 732-8477. -- Journal staff writer Cynthia Needham Posted by Jack Perry at 11:26 AM | Comment Beach and marine info as you plan your weekendOn this beautiful beach weekend, nearly all beaches around the state are open and ready for sunbathers, swimmers and surfers. Just the GINNY-B Campground Beach in Foster, which the state Health Department recommended closing yesterday because of high bacteria counts, is closed today, according to the department’s Web site. To check the status of any beach for swimming, go to the department’s beach-monitoring site or call (401) 222-2751 for recorded information. If you’re looking for marine weather information, check out the National Weather Service’s interactive coastal marine map for this region. Also, for all your nautical needs, boaters love the Maine Harbors site, which is packed with tide charts, marine weather news, information on fishing tournaments and links to local boat builders, charter operators, lighthouses and publications. The tide charts on this site are so well done that boaters rave about them. Check out Rhode Island’s chart. Posted by Kate Bramson at 7:25 AM | Comment Traffic: Light problems on Route 4, North KingstownNORTH KINGSTOWN – The state Department of Transportation is on its way to fix a malfunctioning traffic light on Route 4 at West Allenton Road. For now, the police are directing traffic, which is building already, according to a police dispatcher. Otherwise, traffic in the Ocean State seems pretty normal for the moment. That could change, of course, as people begin heading out of town for the July Fourth holiday, which AAA Southern New England predicts will bring a record number of travelers onto the roads, beginning as early as today. 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 and listen to or read the radio reports for the week about traffic and construction on specific roadways. To report a traffic incident, call the Transportation Management Center at (401) 222-5826 and choose option #2. Posted by Kate Bramson at 7:17 AM | Comment Fire Safety Day comes to Washington ParkPROVIDENCE – The Providence Fire Department plans to bring safety tips, free smoke detectors and a Fire Safety House that simulates how quickly fire and smoke spread to Washington Park tomorrow. Fire Safety Day in the city’s 10th ward will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Columbia Park. On Michigan Avenue, the park is in front of Johnson & Wales University’s Harborside campus. Pizza and other food is free, and attendees are eligible to win children’s toys, fire extinguishers, carbon monoxide detectors and other raffle prizes, according to James Taylor, chief of communications for the fire department. -- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson The fire department will give tours of the Fire Safety House, which is a trailer designed for demonstrations on how fires start and spread. Firefighters will offer tips on fire prevention and fire safety and will hand out fire safety pamphlets. Providence residents are also invited to sign up to receive free smoke detectors, which fire prevention specialists will install in homes and apartments at a later date, Taylor said. The safety day is sponsored by City Councilman Luis A. Aponte, state Rep. Joseph S. Almeida and Sen. Harold M. Metts, both Democrats from Providence. Posted by Kate Bramson at 7:07 AM | Comment Heat wave over, great summery weather in storePROVIDENCE – Relief. The heat wave has broken, and it’s comfortably cool out there now, at just 63 degrees now. Feels nice, doesn’t it? Today is expected to be less humid than in the past few days, with highs in the mid-70s. This weekend should be beautiful. The National Weather Service predicts highs in the low-80s and mid-70s and lows at night in the low- to mid-50s. Get the latest conditions and forecasts from projo.com. Posted by Kate Bramson at 7:03 AM | Comment Today's front pageToday's front page features photographs and a story on President Bush's visit to Rhode Island, the first of his presidency. Download a copy of today's front page in .pdf format. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:00 AM | Comment June 28, 2007Delta cancels some flights to RI, rest of northeastATLANTA -- Delta Air Lines Inc. canceled about 200 flights to and from several northeastern airports Thursday to minimize delays caused by heavy thunderstorms forecast across the region. Atlanta-based Delta said it made an early call to cancel the flights in hopes of giving at least 12-hours notice to affected passengers via automated e-mail and cell phone messages or calls from reservations staff. Passengers could ask for refunds or switch to other flights for no additional fees. The airline said flights were canceled in New York; Newark, N.J.; Hartford, Conn.; Providence, Boston; Washington; Baltimore and Philadelphia. Joe Kolshak, Delta's executive vice president for operations, said the canceled flights made up about a third of Delta's departures and arrivals in the Northeast Thursday. He said Delta trimmed the flights after the Federal Aviation Administration alerted airlines Thursday it would slow air traffic in the region because of forecasts of heavy rain and lightning. Kolshak said the leaner schedule would reduce delays among the remaining Delta flights. "While it does inconvenience some people, the goal is to minimize the impact to as few people as possible," he said. -- The Associated Press Kolshak said having to cancel some flights to reduce delays to others illustrates the nation's need for an upgraded air traffic control system. The airlines and FAA are pushing Congress to authorize a new multibillion-dollar system that would replace radar navigation with global-positioning satellites - allowing plans to fly closer together. "If you think of a freeway at rush hour, the current FAA system is like metering a car on the freeway every five minutes," Kolshak said. Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:24 PM | Comment Advocacy group complains about 'Transformers'PROVIDENCE -- A child advocacy group complained today to the Federal Trade Commission that ads and toys tied to the upcoming "Transformers" movie are aimed at children as young as 2 years old even though the film is rated PG-13. The movie is getting a premiere tonight at Providence Place Cinemas. Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. And the Transformers toys are the focus of the "BotCon" convention this weekend at the Rhode Island Convention Center. This is the first time the convention, now in its 11th year, is being held in the state. There will be new toys and the old ones from the early 1980s. Check out the BotCon Web site by clicking here. The Boston-based Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood called on the commission to work with the toy industry and media companies to develop a uniform rating system so toys tied to PG-13 movies would not be marketed to children younger than 13. It also asked the FTC to investigate the marketing of PG-13 movies to children. "We are reviewing the letter with great interest," said Jackie Dizdul, a spokeswoman for the FTC. Hasbro spokesman Wayne Charness said in a written statement that parents can rely on the existing toy coding and movie rating to decide whether they are appropriate for their children. "We believe that we are already taking the necessary steps in keeping the public informed so they can make decisions within the home, as opposed to further government mandates," Charness said, pointing out that Transformers toys have been around since 1984, long before the movie. -- The Associated Press Spokespeople for the Toy Industry Association and Paramount, which produced the movie along with Dreamworks, did not immediately return requests for comment. "Transformers," due to be released nationwide during the July 4 holiday, was rated PG-13 for violence and other content. Hasbro has released dozens of toys related to the film, some for children as young as 3 years old. The Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood told the FTC it monitored the Nickelodeon cable channel Monday and recorded "Transformers" movie ads during the shows "Fairly Odd Parents" and "Jimmy Neutron," both rated TV-Y for all children, including those age 2 to 6. It also recorded ads during "Ned's Declassified," which is rated for children 7 and older. "'Transformers' is a film that the industry itself deems to be too violent for children under the age of 13," said Susan Linn, a psychologist who co-founded the group. "When the toys and the film have ads during shows that children watch, the message that everyone is getting is, 'Well, it must be fine.' Yet the industry is actually saying that it isn't." Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:21 PM | Comment Man gets 30 days to get out of SomersetSOMERSET, Mass. -- A Fall River District Court judge has ordered John Makuch, 49, to get out of town and stay out in the wake of dozens of complaints that he harassed and intimidated his Lake Street neighbors, to the point that some said they feared for their safety. In all, he pleaded guilty to four counts of criminal harassment, three counts of witness intimidation, one count of assault with a dangerous weapon, five counts of disturbing the peace and one count of disorderly conduct. Judge Mary Amrhein said he has 30 days to sell his two homes and leave town, and he can’t set foot Somerset again except for documented doctor appointments. She also put him on probation for 2-1/2 years and ordered him to have no contact with three of the families that had complained about him. Since at least 1998, police have been called to area about 120 times as a result of varying complaints, usually involving Makuch. He also faced a misdemeanor charge of assaulting his brother June 17 at 136 Crestview Ave., but that charge was dismissed after the brother, Thaddeus, said under oath that he wasn’t hurt and that the two siblings were engaging in “just horseplay.” Witnesses had told police that the brothers were rolling around on the ground during the altercation. Thaddeus Makuch said those witnesses were far away and didn’t really know what was going on. Makuch said his neighbors were making up the allegations, and the fact that he’s not a troublemaker is borne out by the fact that he has spent the last year and a half living on Hanley Road in Somerset, away from his wife and children, without any problems. But one Lake Street resident and one ex-neighbor said the sentence wasn’t stiff enough. -- Journal staff writer C. Eugene Emery Jr. “I think it’s too light for what he has done to people,” said James Rockcliffe. “To me, he should have served jail time.” Rockcliffe said Makuch’s harassment became so bad, he and his family were forced to move out of state. “We kept saying it couldn’t get any worse,” Rockcliffe said during his session with the judge. But it did. “For our own health and sanity we had to leave. No one should be allowed to run roughshod like that.” Rockcliffe said Makuch “chased people out [of the neighborhood] before us.” “He went at my son-in-law and my grandson head on,” said Edward Holewiak, who moved to the neighborhood in 1992, four years before Makuch. He apparently enjoyed terrorizing neighbors with vehicular close calls. “He’s cut me off [on the road]. He thinks it’s fun,” Maria Holewiak told the judge, saying he had followed her several times. “This is years of abuse.” “It’s not just my family, it’s my whole neighborhood,” she said. “He’s like a time bomb. You don’t know when he’s going to go off. He does not respect anyone.” The four criminal harassment complaints to which Makuch pled guilty are based on 41 separate reports from the neighborhood extending from July 23, 1998 to Aug. 3, 2005. In a few, Makuch complains about his neighbors, such as an instance where he called police and alleged that some neighborhood children had stuck their tongues out at him. But all of the rest are against him. The complaints range from someone saying Makuch stared out his window at them and used an obscene gesture, to vowing to kill a neighbor’s dog for barking. For example, according to a June 13, 2000, complaint from the neighbor and his 22-year-old son, the son was washing his car and saw Makuch drive by. Makuch stopped, backed up, and reportedly demanded to know, “What the [expletive] are you looking at?” The son said he wasn’t looking at him, to which Makuch reportedly responded, “Why don’t you [expletive] Portuguese go back to your own country.” That report from Officer William Tedford says he approached Makuch, who claimed it was a minor argument about nothing. Makuch reportedly added, “I hope those two know that I could wipe the street with both of them.” And it’s not just neighbors. Court files include a few complaints against Makuch — such as two road rage incidents — that don’t even involve neighbors. Most of the remaining charges stem from incidents beginning June 1, 2005. On that date, police were called to his house because he was blasting music. The cops told him to turn it down. He did. He turned it right back up moments after the police left. They arrested him on two counts of disturbing the peace. The next day, he decided to mow his lawn — after dark. Neighbors complained about the noise. One said he did it while shouting obscenities at him. When police arrived at 9:49 p.m., his lawnmower was off, but still warm. He was cited again for disturbing the peace. Two weeks later, he was arrested on the same charge again because of loud music and revving his motorcycle. Seven weeks after that, he was arrested for using a trailer to block in the cars of people visiting neighbors. He began shouting obscenities when police arrived. He received scored another disturbing the peace charge and a disorderly conduct charge. The following December, he brought his truck around and arranged a near-collision with the vehicle of one of the neighbors who had complained about him. That produced the assault with a dangerous weapon charge and one witness intimidation charge. For a while, Makuch was asking for a jury trial. While that request was pending, a judge ordered him to keep away from Lake Street. He resided in Westerly for a while, according to court records, and subsequently moved to Hanley Road, an isolated street close to Route 195. Then, on April 28 of this year, with his trial just nine days away, the Holewiaks complained that Makuch had driven by their auto dealership on GAR Highway and made an obscene gesture toward them. The couple said it wasn’t the first time. Makuch got pegged with two felony counts of witness intimidation. The probation means that Makuch will have to stay out of trouble until Dec. 28, 2009. Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:39 PM | Comment We've got ourselves a heat waveIt wasn’t supposed to happen -- today was originally supposed to bring enough relief to keep temperatures below 90 degrees -- but we’ve logged the first official heat wave of the summer. Preliminary data today from the National Weather Service show that the temperature hit 90 degrees or higher for the third straight day, the criteria for a heat wave. With thunderstorms closing in on some parts of the region, the official Providence temperature (measured at the airport in Warwick) hit 90 degrees just before 4 p.m. The highs on Tuesday and Wednesday were 95. The actual high temperature could be a bit higher. The official high won’t be posted for a few hours. Posted by Peter Phipps at 5:37 PM | Comment Health Department advises closing Foster beachThe state Health Department today recommended closing GINNY-B Campground Beach in Foster to swimming because of high bacteria counts. Officials will watch the water quality and recommend re-opening when it's deemed safe for swimming. To check beaches, go to www.health.ri.gov or for recorded information call (401) 222-2751. Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:00 PM | Comment Motorcyclist dies in North SmithfieldNORTH SMITHFIELD -- A 24-year-old Massachusetts man died Wednesday night in a motorcycle accident, according to the police. The accident occurred around 7:30 on Douglas Pike between Mattity Road and Rankin Path. The driver, Gregory A. Amaral, of 20 Hough Road in Sutton, Mass., was traveling in the southbound lane when he entered the northbound lane, lost control of the motorcycle and collided with the pavement, according to a statement released by Lt. Bradley C. Aubin. Amaral was pronounced dead on the scene, and the accident remains under investigation by members of the department’s patrol and accident reconstruction units, Aubin said. -- Journal staff writer Kia Hall Hayes Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:49 PM | Comment Reporter's press pass revoked by Bush staffWPRI-TV, Channel 12 reporter Jarrod Holbrook had his White House press pass snatched today after he shouted “Mr. President” twice as President Bush greeted Air and Army National Guardsmen gathered on the tarmac at Quonset airport in North Kingstown. A member of the president’s entourage pointed at Holbrook after he first tried to get Bush’s attention. The man then ripped the pass from Holbrook’s belt after he shouted to the president, who was less then 10 feet away, again. Holbrook said afterward that he just wanted to ask Bush how he enjoyed his visit to Rhode Island. Members of the media were not told they could not ask the president questions. Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:42 PM | Comment Severe thunderstorm watch issued for Rhode IslandPeruse every Rhode Island county on the National Weather Service Web site, and the result is the same this afternoon: a severe thunderstorm watch. The same goes for much of southeastern Massachusetts. Late this afternoon, there could be periods of showers, potential for hail in the region and damaging winds, according to the National Weather Service in Taunton, Mass. Tonight, the forecast says showers and thunderstorms likely before 9 p.m., then a chance of showers. Click here to check on the forecast. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:13 PM | Comment President, aboard Air Force One, bids RI good-byeNORTH KINGSTOWN -- President Bush has left Rhode Island. Air Force One took off from Quonset Point around 3:30 p.m. after the president shook the hands, and signed hats for, some of the 100 or so Air and Army National Guard personnel gathered at Quonset, where the president landed about 10:30 this morning. Mr. Bush spent the day in Newport, addressing about 500 or so people at the Naval War College, where the Naval Command College is celebrating its 50th reunion. The president defended his Iraq, Middle East and foreign policies in a speech before a supportive audience at the college. Chanting "What do we want? The troops out," about 200 protesters -- other estimates put it at 100 and 150 -- walked to the intersection with Third Street, but could not go any farther, as they were met by the police and told not to block the street. The president apparently never saw the protestors. They had wanted to leave a list of demands, including immediate withdrawal of troops from Iraq, but indicated they would have to mail the list. Inside the college, Bush was embraced by a much more welcoming group, getting three standing ovations. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Journal staff writer Katie Mulvaney Posted by Mike McKinney at 3:38 PM | Comment Pawtucket man pleads guilty to drugs-for-gunsPROVIDENCE -- A Pawtucket man pleaded guilty today to trying to trade crack cocaine and heroin for guns. Tracy Angiolillo, 49, has several felony convictions, which could subject him to a sentence of at least 15 years in federal prison, U.S. Attorney Robert Clark Corrente's office said in a news release. At a Sept. 28 sentencing, the government will argue for the 15-year-minimum sentence, asserting Angiolillo is an "armed career criminal," with two or more convictions for drug trafficking or violent felonies. Angiolillo entered the guily plea before U.S. District Court Judge Mary M. Lisi in Providence. At the plea hearing, Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter F. Neronha said the government could show that on Feb. 22 Angiolillo met with an undercover ATF agent in a Pawtucket hotel parking lot. Angiolillo gave the agent 1.15 grams of crack, about a half gram of heroin, and $100 in cash, the U.S. Attorney's office said, The agent gave Angiolillo two handguns, and agents arrested Angiolillo. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Earlier in February, according to an affidavit, agents got information that Angiolillo wanted to get guns in exchange for cash and drugs, the news release said. An undercover agent made contact with Angiolillo, who said he wanted cheap “burners,” which authorities said is slang for guns. In exchange, he could offer both cash and “product" -- a street term for drugs. Angiolillo pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of firearms, distribution of crack cocaine, and distribution of heroin. The maximum penalty for the firearms offense is ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The maximum penalty for distributing crack cocaine, and for distributing heroin is 20 years in prison and a $1-million fine. Posted by Mike McKinney at 3:26 PM | Comment Update: State House workers return to buildingPROVIDENCE -- People ordered to evacuate the State House this afternoon were allowed back in around 2:45 p.m. The evacuation appeared to be for some sort of electrical problem. About 100 people, including Secretary of State A. Ralph Mollis, left the building shortly after 2:30 p.m. and stood in front of the state Department of Transportation building, across the street from the State House -- where the legislature meets and the governor's office is. Governor Carcieri has been in Newport for President Bush's visit and his schedule shows him remaining there until 5 p.m. for a conference. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Steve Peoples of the Journal State House Bureau Posted by Mike McKinney at 2:52 PM | Comment Tall Ships: Blue sky and haze, no signs of stormNEWPORT – Despite the National Weather Service forecast that we could see thunderstorms and showers this afternoon, it’s a blue sky day in the city right now. It’s hazy, but nothing looks in danger of being canceled as the city celebrates the Tall Ships festival. Sailboats are on the water, going back and forth on what appears to be an ideal Newport Harbor day. One addition: With President Bush here and security officials on alert because of the vast number of visitors for the Tall Ships, a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter is making the rounds, flying loop after loop from the Naval War College over to the Pell Bridge and back. -- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson, with reports from Journal staff writer Amanda Milkovits Posted by Kate Bramson at 2:31 PM | Comment Bush visit: Bush takes his leave / Photo
Posted by Peter Phipps at 2:01 PM | Comment Child advocate files lawsuit for foster-care childrenPROVIDENCE -- With 10 Rhode Island foster-care children as plaintiffs, the state's child advocate filed a class-action lawsuit against the state "to protect the rights of approximately 3,000 children in state custody" from abuse and neglect. That's according to a news release, which says the suit aims to reform Rhode Island's welfare system. "The evidence is well-documented that abused and neglected children are not getting the protection and services that they need -- and are entitled to -- from the Rhode Island child welfare system," state Child Advocate Jametta Alston said in the statement. "Consistent with our obligation to protect the best interests of our state's children, this suit seeks to achieve systemic, sorely needed reforms." The suit is "Sam and Tony M. v. Carcieri," and the child advocate's office said it has hired law firm Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP. Child advocacy organization Children's Rights, which has brought cases of the same sort in other parts of the country, is also involved, according to the release. The news release asserts: -- Rhode Island was the worst in the nation in the number of children abused and neglected while in state foster care in five of the six years between 2000 and 2005, and in the sixth year it was the second-worst. -- Children are put in "large, orphanage-like institutions rather than in homes, and are frequently left to languish there, sometimes for years." -- Caseworkers have "dangerously high caseloads that far exceed national standards and that endanger the children" the state has to protect. The child advocate says the problems with the state's systems are documented at www.childrensrights.org. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 1:49 PM | Comment Bush visit: Staying strong on staying in Iraq / Photo
NEWPORT -- President Bush presented a strenuous defense of his Iraq, Middle East and foreign policies in a speech before a supportive audience at the Naval War College today. The late-morning speech wrapped up with questions from the audience of more than 500 people, which included military officials and foreign leaders gathered at the college for the 50th anniversary of its Naval Command College program. Also in the audience: fellow Republican Governor Carcieri, the only Rhode Island leader to be there. Bush received a standing ovation three times from the crowd, as he gave a stout defense of his Iraq policy. But the president, who is facing heavy pressure to withdraw troops from Iraq, also warned that more patience is needed because there is still a long way to go and there will be more casualties before all is over. While he did say progress was being made on the ground, in ways that the media may not report, he added: "We've got to prepare ourselves for more violence and more setbacks." In vintage Bush form, he invoked the reason why time and time again -- because he wants to protect the world from terror. The themes are similar to those he employed after the Sept. 11 terror attacks -- which he also kept coming back to in his speech today. Bush also declared there is a decrease in sectarian violence between the Sunnis and Shiites around Baghdad. But despite success, he said, Anbar province remains a dangerous place. His comments came on a day when a car bomb killed at least 22 people in a bus station in western Baghdad, and police said 20 beheaded bodies had been discovered on the banks of the Tigris River southeast of the capital. Government security officials raised doubts about the decapitation report. Bush is expected to have lunch at the military college overlooking Newport Harbor before heading back to Quonset State Airport for his departure later this afternoon. -- With reports from Journal staff writer Scott MacKay Posted by Andrea Panciera at 1:40 PM | Comment Bush visit: A setback for his immigration plan / VideoWASHINGTON -- The Senate drove a stake today through President Bush's plan to legalize millions of unlawful immigrants, likely postponing major action on immigration until after the 2008 elections. After the stinging political setback, Bush sounded resigned to defeat. "Legal immigration is one of the top concerns of the American people, and Congress' failure to act on it is a disappointment," he said after his appearance at the Naval War College in Newport. "A lot of us worked hard to see if we couldn't find common ground. It didn't work." The bill's Senate supporters fell 14 votes short of the 60 needed to limit debate and clear the way for final passage of the legislation, which critics assailed as offering amnesty to illegal immigrants. The vote was 46 to 53 in favor of limiting the debate. Rhode Island's Sens. Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse, both Democrats, voted in favor of the motion. Some senators in both parties said the issue is so volatile that Congress is unlikely to revisit it this fall or next year, when the presidential election will increasingly dominate American politics. Bush -- who had just delivered a forceful and well-received speech before a military audience on his defense policies -- appeared glum as he spoke. His negotiators had expressed optimism the vote would go their way or at least be closer. "Congress really needs to prove to the American people that it can come together on hard issues," Bush said. He turned attention to his other goals in Congress this year, including energy, health care and balanced-budget initiatives. Video: See Bush's reaction to the failed vote. -- The Associated Press, with projo.com reports Posted by Andrea Panciera at 1:34 PM | Comment Drug-trafficking 'leader' gets 14 years in prisonPROVIDENCE -- A Providence man has been sentenced to 14 years in federal prison as the "leader and organizer" of a drug-trafficking organization that shipped cocaine from Colorado to Rhode Island last year. Estroredarcio Bernard, 51, led the organization's efforts to ship multi-kilogram loads of the drug into the state, according to a news release today from U.S. Attorney Robert Clark Corrente's office. U.S. District Court Judge Ernest C. Torres imposed the sentence yesterday. In December, Bernard -- also known as Beligue -- pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary E. Rogers said at the plea hearing the government could prove that, in January 2006, agents with a drug trafficking task force monitored conversations between Bernard, in Providence, and Fernando Gonzalez-Ramirez, in Colorado They talked about the price of cocaine that Gonzalez-Ramirez wanted to sell to Bernard, the U.S. Attorney's office said. They agreed on $19,000 per kilogram, and Gonzalez-Ramirez said a shipment would arrive in Providence within a few days. Agensts saw a car on Jan. 30 last year with Colorado license plates outside California Liquors, a store on Union Avenue that Bernard ran. The agents said they followed the car to a warehouse on Hathaway Street. Drug Enforcement Administration agents said that later that day they seized from the warehouse 11 packages, each containing a half-kilogram of cocaine. Bernard was arrested as was the driver of the Colorado car, Adalberto Bejarano-Gonzalez, who is a cousin of Gonzalez-Ramirez. After additional investigation, federal agents arrested Gonzalez-Ramirez in Colorado in August 2006.
In February, a jury found Gonzales-Ramirez, 34, guilty of conspiracy to traffic in five kilograms or more of cocaine. Chief U.S. District Court Judge Mary M. Lisi sentenced him last month to 20 years in prison. Federal agents said they also seized nearly $100,000 in cash: $9,300 from a home in West Warwick, $70,500 from California Liquors, and $20,000 that Bernard’s wife turned over to the FBI. She was not charged. Posted by Mike McKinney at 1:28 PM | Comment Bush visit: Protesters chant, 'The troops out.'NEWPORT -- About 200 protesters, from middle schoolers to retirees, chanted, "What do we want? The troops out!," as they converged at the Connell Highway rotary during President Bush's speech today at the Naval War College. The group walked to the intersection with Third Street but could not go any farther, as they were met by the police and told not to block the street. The protesters held signs, including one that said, "Bush 911 murderer scum," and another that said, "Impeach the beast." And they chanted, "Hey, hey, ho, ho, Bush and Cheney's got to go!" They also planned to present a list of demands, which include: -- Immediately withdraw all of the "occupying force" from Iraq. -- Reparations for Iraq. -- Full benefits for returning servicemen and servicewomen. -- No military action against Iran. At around 12:40 p.m., the group appeared to be finishing. The president apparently never saw the protesters. They said they would have to mail the list of demands. At least four helicopters were seen overhead at around 11 a.m., though you could not tell what kind of helicopters they were. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Journal staff writer Meaghan Wims By 10:30 a.m., about three-dozens people had gathered for the protest in the Wal-Mart parking lot on Connell Highway. Tom Padwa and his wife, Joanne DeVoe, of Warren, were among them. Members of the group East Bay Citizens for Peace, they said they believe there should be an immediate withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq. They believe the United States’ Middle East policy has failed. “We’ve destroyed their country,” Padwa said about Iraq. “The Iraqi people have no more reason to be grateful to us than a dog has to be grateful to an owner that kicks it.” One of the organizers, Warwick resident Nicholas Schmader, is a member of the Green Party and of the Rhode Island Unitarian Universalists for Social Justice. The group planned to walk to the nearby rotary at Connell Highway They wanted to get as close as they could to the Naval War College base, where they planned to leave their list of demands. “We are a counter-presence to the Bush visit,” Schmader said. “Rhode Island has given Bush his lowest approval ratings. We want to be consistent with that.” Among the protesters was Rod Driver, a former state representative who has had four runs for U.S. Congress. Posted by Mike McKinney at 1:08 PM | Comment Tall Ships: Mobile command post ready -- just in caseNEWPORT -- A modern-day military and public safety encampment is at the top of the hill at Fort Adams, in place to provide security for the Tall Ships festival – and to handle the first visit to Rhode Island by President Bush. The Rhode Island National Guard, the state Emergency Management Agency, and several state and municipal public safety teams are in command trucks and tents in the command post. They are overlooking the harbor, the dock, Tall Ships and the historic old fort. At the state’s mobile command center, state and local search-and-rescue teams and the National Guard’s civil support team are posted along with teams that handle hazardous materials and decontamination. Meanwhile, downtown amid the crowd, roving patrols from the state hazardous materials team, a decontamination team and the National Guard are keeping watch, according to state EMA executive director Robert J. Warren. Earlier today, when the president’s helicopter was spotted flying over Fort Adams as Mr. Bush made his way to the Naval War College, everyone stopped and ran to the grassy edge with binoculars and cameras and cell phones to watch the four helicopters cruise by. -- Journal staff writer Amanda Milkovits Posted by Kate Bramson at 12:56 PM | Comment Bush visit: Quotes from his speechSelect quotes from President Bush's speech at the Naval War College today: "Al-Qaeda's strategy is to use human beings as bombs to create grisly images for the world to see. ... They aim to cultivate a sense of despair about the future of a free Iraq. They hope to gain, by the teleivision screen, what they cannot gain on the battle field against U.S. and Iraqi forces ... " "We’re involved in a broader war against these ideological killers. Iraq is just a theater in this war." "And what makes the war even more significant is that what happens overseas matters to the security in the United States of America, wihich is what we learned on Sept. 11 ... " "[If we were to] yield the future of Iraq to terrorists like Al-Qaeda ... we would give a green light to extremists all throughout a troubled region. The consequences for America would be disastrous ... " "It is a huge honor to be the commander-in-chief of such noble men and women. Our military's not only great. It’s good. Good-hearted people. All volunteers who said, 'I want to serve in the face of danger.' " Posted by Kate Bramson at 12:30 PM | Comment Tall Ships: Aboard the Virginia, accents from afarNEWPORT -- At the schooner Virginia, here for Tall Ships Newport festivities that kicked off this morning, perhaps it's appropriate some of the accents weren't quite Rhode Island ... err ... Vo Dilun. One couple came from North Carolina just for the Tall Ships -- a trip planned three months ago. An Atlanta, Ga., couple, on their way back from Nantucket, Mass., also decided to stop by the Tall Ships today. At the Virginia, there was no long line to get aboard, but a steady flow of people, many of them snapping photos. For more about Tall Ships, click here. And watch for coverage on projo.com during the day and in the Journal tomorrow. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Journal staff writer Richard Salit Posted by Mike McKinney at 12:11 PM | Comment Bush visit photo: Bush greets Warwick's mayor
Posted by Peter Phipps at 12:00 PM | Comment Bush visit: Addressing Naval War College / VideoNEWPORT -- President Bush is speaking now at the Naval War College. He just received loud applause when he said of U.S. troops: “We owe them the time and support they need to succeed." Later in the speech, he spoke to the issue of withdrawing troops from Iraq: "If we withdraw before the Iraqi government can defend itself ... the consequences for the area could be disastrous." Bush also said that the future of the United States depends on standing with the "moms and dads across the Middle East." His formal speech has ended just before noon, and he is now taking questions from the audience. His speech is also being broadcast live on WPRO-630 AM. Posted by Kate Bramson at 12:00 PM | Comment Update: Police ID Warwick shooting victims / Photo
The man who died was identified as Gabriel Medeiros, 35, of 43 Warwick Lake Ave., the scene of the shooting. The two injured people are the dead man's brother, Caesar Medeiros, 43, and Caesar's wife, Claire Medeiros, 39, also of 43 Warwick Lake Ave. The survivors told the police that they awakened to find a masked gunman in their home just after midnight. A violent struggle ensued. Gabriel was shot in the chest. Caesar Medeiros and Claire Medeiros were also shot. They are being treated at Rhode Island Hospital for injuries that are apparently not life threatening. The police believe the gunman was also injured in the struggle, but wouldn't say how he was injured. The police searched the area last night with dogs, but didn't find the suspect. Nobody has been arrrested. The police don't have any evidence to indicate that the victims knew the gunman. -- Journal staff writer Cynthia Needham. Posted by Jack Perry at 11:55 AM | Comment Bush visit: The president begins speech / VideoNEWPORT -- President Bush has just begun speaking at the Naval War College in an auditorium where 500 or more people are gathered. The president's speech is expected to concern terrorism before an audience of Navy officials and military leaders. The president, dressed in a dark suit, a light blue shirt and a red tie, was introduced at the college by Governor Carcieri. It is Mr. Bush's first visit to the state of his presidency. The president said he saw the Tall Ships, visiting Newport Harbor this week, from the air, and called them magnificent. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Journal staff writer Nicole Dungca Posted by Mike McKinney at 11:28 AM | Comment Couple are convicted in pyramid schemeBOSTON -- A former Attleboro, Mass., couple is convicted of running a $27-million pyramid scheme targeting hundreds of Cambodian immigrants. A federal jury deliberated for two days before returning the guilty verdicts against James Bunchan and Seng Tan. Prosecutors said the victims were told they would receive $300 a month for the rest of their lives -- and the lives of their children -- for every $26,000 they invested. But prosecutors say the payments eventually stopped, and that Tan and Bunchan spent millions of dollars of investors' money on gambling trips, a Florida home and even tennis lessons. Sentencing is set for September. A third defendant, Christian Rochon of Warwick, pleaded guilty to his role in the scheme and testified against Bunchan and Tan. -- The Associated Press Posted by Mike McKinney at 11:21 AM | Comment Tall Ships: Safety precautions for severe weatherNEWPORT – Severe weather could curtail some of the Tall Ships activities this afternoon, if the National Weather Service’s predictions for heavy downpours, thunderstorms and “frequent and dangerous cloud to ground lightning” hold true. Tall Ships organizers, the U.S. Coast Guard, the state Department of Environmental Management and the Newport harbormaster are listening to constant weather reports and working together to determine if activities must be postponed or canceled, according to Robert Toracinta, harbormaster assistant in Newport. The National Weather Service has issued both a special weather statement and a hazardous weather outlook. While most of the reaction to weather today should be common sense, Toracinta said the harbormaster has the jurisdiction to “shut things down at his discretion.” If he needs to, the harbormaster would cancel the shuttle boats taking visitors out to visit the ships and over to Fort Adams State Park, Toracinta said. If severe weather whips up while people are already aboard ships or at Fort Adams, those people would need to stay put, secured below on the ships or at the office facilities at Fort Adams, Toracinta said. The Tall Ships organizers have experience dealing with inclement weather, Toracinta said. In a previous visit, they secured a ballroom at the Newport Marriott where passengers waited out a storm, he said. “Everyone’s in contact with one another, and they do have emergency plans in place,” he said. Need harbormaster info? Click here. Heading to or already in Newport? Check the latest weather conditions for the city. Going by boat? Check the latest marine forecasts. Posted by Kate Bramson at 11:13 AM | Comment Bush visit: Presidential helicopter takes in the sightsMoments before 11 a.m., the president’s helicopter and three other large helicopters flew over Fort Adams. They arrived from the west, crossed Narragansett Bay to Newport, hovered over Newport Harbor and the Tall Ships and then flew over Fort Adams, where some of the Tall Ships are docked. They continued on their way. The president is due any minute at the Naval War College. -- Journal staff writer Amanda Milkovits Posted by Kate Bramson at 11:00 AM | Comment Bush visit: A quick greeting and another flight / Photo
After getting off Air Force One, the president shook hands with dignitaries waiting for him, including Governor Carcieri, former Gov. Lincoln Almond and Warwick Mayor Scott Avedisian. He hugged Tiverton resident Sherrill Estes and gave her an award for her volunteer work. The president asked Warwick Mayor Scott Avedisian if he still likes being mayor. Avedisian told him it's a lot of fun on most days. Bush replied that his job is like that too. Avedisian's job was anything but fun early today. He'd been up most of the night because of a shooting in Warwick early this morning that has left one person dead and two wounded. Bush left in a helicopter with the governor and Mrs. Carcieri. He's scheduled to speak later this morning at the Naval War College in Newport. -- Journal staff writer Katie Mulvaney Posted by Jack Perry at 10:57 AM | Comment Bush visit: About 3 dozen protesters gatherNEWPORT – About three dozen protesters have gathered by 10:30 a.m. for a planned protest against President Bush in the Wal-Mart parking lot on Connell Highway. They don’t plan to get started for another half hour or so. Tom Padwa and his wife, Joanne DeVoe, of Warren, are among those at the rally. Members of the group East Bay Citizens for Peace, they said they believe there should be an immediate withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq. They believe the United States’ Middle East policy has failed. “We’ve destroyed their country,” Padwa said about Iraq. “The Iraqi people have no more reason to be grateful to us than a dog has to be grateful to an owner that kicks it.” One of the organizers of today’s protest, Warwick resident Nicholas Schmader, is a member of the Green Party and of the Rhode Island Unitarian Universalists for Social Justice. He said the group plans to walk to the nearby rotary at Connell Highway and have a short protest there. Some of the protesters will then try to walk as close as they can to the Naval War College base, where they will try to leave a list of demands. “We are a counter-presence to the Bush visit,” Schmader said. “Rhode Island has given Bush his lowest approval ratings. We want to be consistent with that.” Among the protesters is Rod Driver, a former state representative who has had four runs for U.S. Congress. Some students are here as well, but the group is more heavily retirees. -- Journal staff writer Meaghan Wims Meanwhile, traffic is building in the city that is host today of Mr. Bush’s first presidential visit to Rhode Island and to the annual Tall Ships festival. Police are posted along West Main Road, Valley Road and Admiral Kalbfus Road, not yet directing traffic but looking ready to do so when needed. People arriving in the city to view the Tall Ships are gathering in the shuttle lots at the high school on Valley Road and at the Route 138-Pell Bridge interchange. Posted by Kate Bramson at 10:51 AM | Comment Bush visit: Air Force One lands at Quonset / Photo
The president hasn't yet stepped on Rhode Island soil. Several dignitaries are waiting for him, including Governor Carcieri and his wife, Sue. Former Governor Lincoln Almond is also waiting. -- Journal staff writer Katie Mulvaney Posted by Jack Perry at 10:35 AM | Comment Bush visit: A busy day already for the presidentPresident Bush should be on his way to Newport by now and a speech at the Naval War College. But he's already taken care of some important business this morning. Moving toward a constitutional showdown with Congress, he asserted executive privilege and rejected lawmakers' demands for documents that could shed light on the firings of federal prosecutors. Bush's attorney told Congress the White House would not turn over subpoenaed documents for former presidential counsel Harriet Miers and former political director Sara Taylor. Today was the deadline for surrendering the documents. The White House also made clear that Miers and Taylor would not testify next month, as directed by the subpoenas, which were issued June 13. The stalemate could end up with House and Senate contempt citations and a battle in federal court over separation of powers. Bush is also working on salvaging his broad immigration bill that's in peril before a crucial test vote by calling senators early this morning to rally support. Republicans and Democrats could put the brakes on the bipartisan plan to legalize millions of unlawful immigrants today, after the measure's roller-coaster ride through a Senate deeply divided over the issue. Like many supporters of the complex bipartisan measure, both of Rhode Island’s Democratic senators see flaws in it, and both note strong currents of opposition from Rhode Islanders. But both plan to vote to limit debate on the bill today, -- With Associated Press reports Posted by Andrea Panciera at 10:30 AM | Comment A poor grade for Ocean State highwaysA study out today says Rhode Island has some of the least cost-effective roads in the nation. The study used factors including traffic fatalities, congestion and maintenance to measure the cost-effectiveness of highways in each state. It ranked Rhode Island in the bottom five, along with New Jersey, Alaska, New York and Hawaii. The report was based on data from 1984 through 2005. It was conducted by the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and financed by the Reason Foundation, a libertarian think tank based in Los Angeles. Posted by Kate Bramson at 9:50 AM | Comment Tall Ships: Flags fluttering in the breezeOn the Newport waterfront at 7 this morning, the towering masts of Tall Ships were shrouded in summer haze, ceremonial flags fluttering in the blustery southwest breeze. Last night the waterfront was lit up like Christmas, decorated by lights strung from masts and yardarms. Sailors in white uniforms strolled in small groups up and down the narrow sidewalks of Thames Street. Many appeared to be saluting the crowds, but were instead holding cell phones to their ears. -- By Capt. Frank Gerardi, Newport resident and Journal artist. Posted by Jack Perry at 9:47 AM | Comment Update: One dead after triple-shooting in WarwickWARWICK – One man is dead and a man and woman are at Rhode Island Hospital with injuries that don’t appear life-threatening after a triple shooting at 43 Warwick Lake Ave. just after midnight. The police have no one in custody at this time, Det. Lt. Michael Higgins said this morning. They expect to release more details at a 10 a.m. press conference. Mayor Scott Avedisian said the shooter appears to have fled the immediate area after the shooting, which occurred in the Chatham Village neighborhood, on the line of the Hoxsie neighborhood. In the middle of the night, as police and city leaders believed the suspect might be in the area, Avedisian was warning Warwick residents to lock their doors and windows and be on the alert for any suspicious activity. By this morning, he was urging people to report any suspicious activity. Avedisian said the state police assisted in the search for the suspect with a team of dogs to complement the one dog and handler the local police have. All three shooting victims were taken to Rhode Island Hospital, and the man who died succumbed to his injuries after arriving at the hospital, Higgins said. Avedisian said the kinds of warnings he has issued to residents are the sort the city typically makes after a crime. He wants people to call the main police department, at (401) 468-4200, to report any suspicious behavior or activity. “Really, for us, it’s no different than what we normally tell people,” he said. Check back with projo.com throughout the day for more details as they emerge. -- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson Posted by Kate Bramson at 8:47 AM | Comment Bush visit: A whirlwind trip plannedPresident Bush is expected to arrive this morning on Air Force One at Quonset State Airport for his first presidential visit to Rhode Island. He has a busy schedule that includes a speech on terrorism before Navy officials and military leaders at the Naval War College in Newport. Governor Carcieri will introduce the president at the war college. Among those expected at Quonset for the president’s arrival is Warwick Mayor Scott Avedisian, a Republican in his fifth term as mayor. Mr. Bush is also expected to honor Tiverton resident and active volunteer Sherrill Estes and to meet with the family of the late Sgt. Michael R. Weidemann, a 23-year-old Newport soldier who was killed in Iraq last October. His visit falls on a day when Newport is expected to be packed with tourists and residents enjoying the Tall Ships festival, adding to the security challenges inherent with any presidential visit. Read tips on getting around Newport today. We have photographers and reporters on the scene. Check back with projo.com throughout the day. Posted by Kate Bramson at 8:24 AM | Comment Southwest cuts some Providence-Philly flightsPHILADELPHIA -- Southwest Airlines is trimming service between Providence and Philadelphia as part of a broader move to cut some routes nationwide. Southwest plans to trim service between Providence and Philadelphia from six to five daily round-trips. Also, Southwest will stop flying direct flights from Philadelphia to California this fall, at least temporarily. Nationally, the airline plans to cut 39 round-trips and add 45. The discount carrier is wrestling with high fuel costs and a slow economy. -- The Associated Press Posted by Jack Perry at 7:09 AM | Comment We could see a heat wave, thunderstormsPROVIDENCE – We could see a heat wave this week before it’s all over. After two days of 90-degree-plus days, the National Weather Service is now predicting a high near 91 today – higher than predictions from earlier this week. Three days in a row of 90-plus days equals an official heat wave. We’ve got an 80 percent chance of heavy rain today and thunderstorms, mainly after 3 p.m. Then, we’ve got a 60 percent chance of more heavy rain tonight. That should cool things down for us. Today's air quality alert and chance of gusty thunderstorms and lightning have caused the National Weather Service to issue a hazardous weather outlook. Tomorrow is slated for a high of 76, with a slight chance of more showers. So hang in there, be careful managing the heat and know that some relief is on the way. But remember, it is summer, after all, and we’re sure to have more of this weather soon. Posted by Kate Bramson at 7:07 AM | Comment Another air quality alert todayPROVIDENCE -- Another Air Quality Alert has declared for today -- the third day in a row that state officials expect unhealthy air to blanket the region. The Department of Environmental Management says it expects a high level of fine particles in the air, which can cause eye, nose and throat irritation, shortness of breath and problems for people with asthma. Officials are asking people to limit their driving and help reduce emissions from power plants by saving energy -- like turning off lights and computer screens when not in use. Most RIPTA lines continue to be free tomorrow. -- The Associated Press Posted by Jack Perry at 7:01 AM | Comment Today's front pageToday's front page features photographs and a story about the tall ships visiting Newport and a preview on President Bush's visit to Rhode Island today. Download a copy of today's front page in .pdf format. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:00 AM | Comment June 27, 2007Before the prez and ships, catch a comedianNEWPORT -- Before the Tall Ships thing really gets going here and the leader of the free world rolls into town tomorrow, you can mellow out with some laughs tonight. Comedian Ron White performs at the Newport Yachting Center. White, known for his “Blue Collar Comedy Tour” with Jeff Foxworthy and Larry the Cable Guy, goes on at 7 p.m. For tickets, $45, call (401) 331-2211 or go to www.newportcomedy.com. Or go to Ticketmaster. Posted by Mike McKinney at 7:05 PM | Comment For Governor Carcieri, a busy day tomorrowGovernor Carcieri has one of those days tomorrow. He is scheduled to be at Quonset State Airport in North Kingstown from 10:30 to 10:35 a.m. to greet President Bush, who will be making the first visit of his presidency to Rhode Island. According to the schedule released by the governor's office, from 10:55 a.m. to noon, the governor is scheduled to be at the Naval War College in Newport, where Mr. Bush is expected to speak on the war on terror at 11 a.m. The president will be there as part of the 50th anniversary celebration of the college’s Naval Command College, a school for military officers from around the world. But that's not all. From 12:30 to 5 p.m., Carcieri will host at the Republican Governors Association's Education and Financial Services Forum at the Hyatt Regency on Goat Island, Newport. And, of course, he may work in a few glimpses of the Tall Ships as they sail around Newport Harbor for the first official day of their visit here.
Posted by Mike McKinney at 7:02 PM | Comment High court ruling: It started with noises in the atticPROVIDENCE -- It began with five baby raccoons, spread to rabies vaccinations for dozens of residents, led to firing of an East Providence animal control supervisor and ended with today's state Supreme Court ruling. The state's highest court upheld that an arbitrator exceeded authority in reassigning John Smith, the former animal control officer, to another position -- police dispatcher -- as a result of a union complaint following the city's firing of Smith from animal control. Smith was animal control supervisor in May 2004 when he received a call from his father about animal noises apparently coming from the attic of the father's East Providence home, according to the Supreme Court opinion. Smith removed an adult raccoon from the house, but noises continued. Smith investigated more and found infant raccoons, determined they were too young to survive by themselves and brought them to the animal shelter. At the arbitration hearing, Smith testified that after trying to place the raccoons with two animal rehabilitators failed, he asked Tracey Blackledge, a part-time animal shelter employee, to care for the raccoons at her home. Blackledge agreed and about a month later, after animal control officers removed another infant raccoon from a local golf course, she took in a sixth raccoon, according to the court. "The raccoons, however, did not remain little for long," the court's opinion states, and by July 2004 they were too big for the cage at Blackledge’s house. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Smith had them brought to the shelter and put in a kennel. He planned to keep them there until old enough to be released into the forest and fend for themselves, the court said. "During the raccoons’ stay at the kennel, they apparently became something of an attraction," the court opinion states. People, including employees of the city garage next to the animal shelter, "came into direct, physical contact with the raccoons." Shelter staff let visitors enters the raccoons’ kennel and "provided virtually no warnings about the potential danger of such interactions," the court said. When one raccoon started showing signs of rabies, Smith ordered it to be quarantined. Eventually, the animal was euthanized and state lab test results showed it had rabies. Smith told East Providence Police, filed a written report as requested by the police chief and issued a news release to warn city residents about possible exposure. Though there were no recorded examples of people getting the disease, 56 people received rabies shots from the state Division of Disease Prevention and Control. East Providence Police investigated the animal shelter and found "a number of irregularities and violations" under Smith's tenure. On Aug. 14, 2004, Smith received a letter stating he was being suspended without pay for five days and then being terminated from the job at the end of the suspension. The letter gave three alleged violations of state laws as grounds for firing Smith and "also reprimanded Smith for boarding his own pet dog at the animal shelter and allowing other city employees to do the same," the court said. The union lodged a grievance, leading to arbitration hearings from which the arbitrator found the city had just cause to terminate Smith but also found it did not give him constitutional due process before the firing. He ordered the city to reinstate Smith to the police dispatcher position, a job Smith had held before. A Superior Court judge last year sided with the city's motion to vacate the arbitator's reinstatement of Smith to dispatcher. "Because we concur with the hearing justice that the arbitrator exceeded his authority by reinstating Mr. Smith to the position of police dispatcher, we affirm the judgments," the Supreme Court stated in its ruling today. Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:01 PM | Comment Ex-Providence officer linked to cheating gets pensionPROVIDENCE -- The city Retirement Board today approved a pension for former police Detective Sgt. Tonya King Harris although she was implicated in a long-running scandal over cheating on promotional tests. Harris was fired after being accused of cheating on a promotional test to achieve sergeant’s rank, but she won reinstatement in a settlement of a lawsuit against the city on condition that she retire. As part of the same settlement, her husband, former Sgt. Michael M. Harris, who was accused of cheating on the same test to win sergeant’s stripes, agreed to retire, too. Michael Harris retired last year and is receiving a $2,606-a-month pension. As a result of the settlement terms, Tonya King Harris now qualifies for a $2,768-a-month pension. Both Harrises, who live in Woonsocket, were implicated in cheating in investigations done by the FBI and the Police Department. Neither Harris admits wrongdoing in the settlement, and the city has promised not to say otherwise. Tonya King Harris always has maintained that she did not cheat and Michael Harris never has had to confront the issue publicly. -- Journal staff writer Gregory Smith Posted by Andrea Panciera at 5:48 PM | Comment Update: Richardson murder trial ends in hung juryWARWICK -- The murder trial of James Richardson, accused of killing Margaret Duffy Stephenson of Warwick in 2005, ended in a hung jury this afternoon. Jurors could not reach consensus in the case in Kent County Superior Court today, the fourth day of deliberation. Richardson, 40, was accused of murdering Duffy-Stephenson, 37. She was found stabbed to death on Nov. 18, 2005, days after she returned from a family vacation in Florida. She was a teacher’s aide for special-needs students in East Greenwich. Yesterday, the jurors told the judge they had deadlocked, but Judge Francis J. Darigan urged them to continue deliberating. Ealier today, the jury asked to have more of the court record read back this morning. This time, the portions of testimony read to jurors were from cross examination of Dr. Dorota Latuszynski, a physician with the state medical examiner’s office. Jurors also heard testimony from the direct, the cross examination and the redirect questioning of Sharon E. Mallard, a state Health Department forensic scientist. Over several weeks, the jury heard more than 20 witnesses testify and saw 171 pieces of evidence. Much of it focused on Richardson's DNA. “DNA is the final piece of the puzzle,” Special Assistant Attorney General Thomas O’Brien told jurors at one point. Darigan told the jurors that to find Richardson guilty, they had to decide whether the state met its burden and proved, beyond a reasonable doubt, each of the components of the charges have been satisfied. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Journal staff writer Talia Buford After the jurors reported they were deadlocked today, Judge Darigan then denied a motion by defense counsel to release Richardson on bail. He has been held at the Adult Correctional Institutions since his arrest. The decision to retry Richardson is up to the attorney general, according to a spokesman for the court system. Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:39 PM | Comment Woonsocket firefighters at Parker Street blazeWOONSOCKET -- Firefighters are at the scene of a structure fire at 48 Parker St., off South Main Street. No other details are yet available. Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:21 PM | Comment Jamestown councilwoman arrested on fraud warrantJAMESTOWN -- Town Councilwoman Barbara A. Szepatowski was arrested today as a fugitive from justice in connection with a Massachusetts warrant for fraud, the state police said. State Police Capt. Stephen J. Lynch said Szepatowski turned herself in this morning at the Jamestown Police Station, where she was arrested and taken to Sixth District Court, in Providence. Szepatowski was arraigned as a fugitive and turned over to the Massachusetts State Police, Lynch said. It's not clear at this time what the fraud charge entails.
Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:13 PM | Comment Update: Keep a weather eye on thunderstormsYou already know it's hot. You may also know that thunderstorms could pop up at any time. (You can see a few scattered storms on the radar for southern New England now.) And, in fact, the National Weather Service has just sent out a "severe thunderstorm watch" for northern Rhode Island, eastern Connecticut, much of Massachusetts, southern New Hampshire and coastal waters. It's effective until 10 o'clock tonight. Hail, with wind gusts up to 70 mph and dangerous lightning are possible, the weather service advises. Persons in these areas should be on the lookout for threatening weather conditions and listen for later statements and possible warnings, the service says. A heat advisory for our region is in effect until 6 p.m. Heat advisories are issued when high humidities are expected to combine with hot temperatures, resulting in heat indices of 100 degrees or greater. And in Boston, the temperature tied a record for the day --96 at Logan International Airport. The last time it was that hot in this date was in 1941. Relief is on the way -- but we may have to face more thunderstorms first. The National Weather Service expects numerous thunderstorms to develop tomorrow from the late morning into the afternoon, and some of them could be become severe. The main threat: Damaging straight-line wind gusts, but large hail is also possible. Thinking of heading out to the Tall Ships festival in Newport tomorrow? Get the latest conditions and forecasts at: http://projo.com/weather But after that, it could be clear sailing for the ships and their visitors through Sunday, when the cold front helps cool down the temps and leaves behind dry and sunny skies. Posted by Jack Perry at 5:08 PM | Comment Update: Cicilline considering tax increase and cutsPROVIDENCE -- Providence Mayor David N. Cicilline is proposing a property-tax increase of just over 4 percent and major cuts to balance the city’s budget. The city faces a budget deficit in excess of $27.5 million, when the city factors in an accounting error in the school budget and the loss of several additional revenue streams. Even if Cicilline gets his proposed tax increase through the City Council, it would only amount to $10 million. The city would then have to make $17 million in cuts or tap one-time revenues. Cicilline announced today that to fill that gap, he will look to eliminate any unfilled city positions -- believed to be several dozen. He said he would also cut the school department, and introduce mandatory four-day furloughs and increase health care costs for the few non-union city employees. More details will be available when he presents the completed package to the City Council on Monday. Cicilline blamed the city’s financial situation on the state for shifting the tax burden from the state to local property taxpayers, and, in the short term, for failing to fund education and for rejecting his package of proposals to increase targeted fees. “The state budget passed last week will have serious consequences for every city and town in Rhode Island,” Cicilline said. “I put forward legitimate legislative options that would have eliminated costly mandates and moved certain costs away from property tax payers to a pay-for-service model,” Cicilline said. “The state has consistently decreased its share of school costs over the past five years, leaving local property tax payers to make up the difference. Instead of providing some measure of property tax relief, state leaders have placed us on an unsustainable path that guarantees growing state deficits and threaten our quality of life,” Cicilline said. -- Journal staff writer Daniel Barbarisi Posted by Mike McKinney at 3:32 PM | Comment President to meet with family of fallen Newport soldierPresident Bush is set to meet tomorrow with the family of the late Sgt. Michael R. Weidemann, a 23-year-old Newport soldier who was killed in Iraq last October. Weidemann’s grandmother, Gertrude K.C. Miller, and his four siblings have been invited to meet with Mr. Bush, according to Ambrose C. Miller, of South Kingstown, Weidemann’s uncle. A White House spokesman would not confirm or deny whether the president will meet with Weidemann’s family as part of his trip, which includes a speech on the war on terror at the Naval War College, in Newport. Miller said he was working with the governor's office to discuss which of the soldier's relatives meet The President. A spokesman for the Governor confirmed that his office had been in touch with Miller. -- Journal staff writer Alex Kuffner “I cannot comment on President Bush’s schedule or any potential meetings he may or may not be having,” Jeff Neal said. “ However, this office did receive a call from Mr. Miller, and we have relayed his information to the White House.” Weidemann was born in Canada and came to Rhode Island at age 7 when his mother moved here. Susanna Weidemann, a single parent, raised him and his four siblings in her mother’s house in Middletown. But Susanna Weidemann died a victim of cancer in 1999 at age 40, and Michael, her second eldest, was placed in a group home. He attended the Newport Area Career and Technical Center, part of Rogers High School, and got involved in the school’s ROTC program. He rose to the rank of senior noncommissioned officer in the program. In 2001, the month after his graduation, he enlisted in the Army as an auto mechanic, his area of study at the technical school. He joined the 1st Battalion, 36th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 1st Armored Division, stationed in Glessen, Germany. He served a tour in Iraq and re-enlisted for another four years. He was nearing the end of his second tour when he died Oct. 31 while on patrol in an armored vehicle near Hit, a town west of Baghdad in Anbar province. He was the 11th Rhode Islander to die in Iraq since 2003. Posted by Kate Bramson at 2:36 PM | Comment With heat advisory, National Grid stops shut-offsWith a National Weather Service heat advisory issued at 10:20 a.m. today, National Grid stopped shut offs of power to customers who haven't kept up with bills. Spokesman David Graves said that comes under a moratorium approved last year for times of excessive heat, which includes heat advisories and warnings. Advisories are issued when a figure, known as the heat index, is forecast to be at least 100 degrees, and a warning is given when the index is forecast to be at least 105 degrees. In December, the state Public Utilities Commission agreed to put in place a heat-related moratorium on shutoffs, making Rhode Island the seventh state to do so at the time. No heat warning or advisory was issued for yesterday. Graves said that before this morning's advisory there could have been some shutoffs. Graves said the company has had people going out to contact customers in danger of losing service because of not paying bills. Posted by Mike McKinney at 2:26 PM | Comment President Bush to honor Tiverton volunteerTiverton resident Sherrill Estes has logged more than 1,800 hours volunteering to stock shelves and package boxes of food for local people in need. Now, the volunteer with the East Bay Community Action Program and Meals on Wheels of Rhode Island will be honored by President Bush when he arrives in North Kingstown tomorrow. He will present her with the President’s Volunteer Service Award, which he awards to children 14 or younger who have completed 50 hours or more of volunteer service and to people 15 and older who have completed 100 or more hours of volunteer service, according to a statement issued by the White House. Mr. Bush honors local volunteers as he travels throughout the country and thanks them for making a difference in the lives of others. He has met with more than 575 volunteers like Estes since March 2002, according to the White House. The White House release about Estes’ award encourages people to check online or call (877) USA-CORPS to find volunteer opportunities in their area. -- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson Estes volunteers in the social services department of the East Bay Community Action Program, a nonprofit organization that provides health and human service programs to East Bay residents. She has also volunteered for six years with Meals on Wheels of Rhode Island, where each week she delivers meals to the homebound. In his January 2002 State of the Union address, Mr. Bush called on all Americans to make a difference in their communities by volunteering. “My call tonight is for every American to commit at least two years -- 4,000 hours over the rest of your lifetime -- to the service of your neighbors and your nation,” Mr. Bush said, according to the text of that address posted on the Web site of the White House. “Many are already serving, and I thank you. If you aren't sure how to help, I've got a good place to start. To sustain and extend the best that has emerged in America, I invite you to join the new USA Freedom Corps. The Freedom Corps will focus on three areas of need: responding in case of crisis at home; rebuilding our communities; and extending American compassion throughout the world.” Posted by Kate Bramson at 2:23 PM | Comment Jury in Warwick murder trial has more testimony readWARWICK -- As the jury entered a fourth day deliberating the fate of James Richardson, who is accused of killing Margaret Duffy-Stephenson in 2005, it asked to have more of the court record read back this morning. This time, the portions of testimony read to jurors were from cross examination of Dr. Dorota Latuszynski, a physician with the state medical examiner’s office. Jurors also heard testimony from the direct, the cross examination and the redirect questioning of Sharon E. Mallard, a state Health Department forensic scientist. Read about some of what they had to say during testimony. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Journal staff writer Talia Buford It wasn't the first time during deliberating that the jury has asked to have portions of testimony read. On Monday, the jury asked to hear part of the court record from Mallard. Read about that day in court here. Mallard testified on June 19 about DNA found beneath Duffy-Stephenson’s fingernails and how DNA is transferred. Yesterday, the jury told the judge they had deadlocked, but Judge Francis J. Darigan jurors a talk and urged them to continue deliberating. Read about that here. Richardson, 40, is accused of murdering Duffy-Stephenson, 37, of Warwick. She was found stabbed to death on Nov. 18, 2005, days after she returned from a family vacation in Florida. She was a teacher’s aide for special-needs students in East Greenwich. Posted by Mike McKinney at 2:05 PM | Comment Providence porch fire contained, injuries avoidedPROVIDENCE – A small fire on the balcony of a three-story woodframe house in Fox Point has been confined to the porch. Everyone in the building has gotten out, and no injuries have been reported, according to James Taylor, chief of communications for the Providence Fire Department. The fire at 9 Preston St. was reported around 1:35 p.m. and was under control by 1:50 p.m., Taylor said. -- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson Posted by Kate Bramson at 1:58 PM | Comment Navigating Newport for visits by a president, Tall Ships
Journal photo / Frieda SquiresThe Pride of Baltimore, seen in Narragansett Bay between Jamestown and Newport, heads into Newport Harbor yesterday for the Amica Insurance Tall Ships Rhode Island 2007 event. NEWPORT -- With the double whammy of Tall Ships festivities and President Bush's visit tomorrow, people heading to events or just trying to get around the City by the Sea through the weekend should be prepared for big changes. Remember, first of all, that Newport is on an island and accessible to most by bridges -- the Pell Bridge connecting it with Jamestown and the Mount Hope Bridge linking it to Bristol. Traffic may back up at either point. If you're thinking of going by boat, you might want to weigh anchor first at the Newport harbormaster's site. "All visitors" to Newport are urged to park outside of the city and to use a bus-shuttle system, which will be in place tomorrow through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., according to the Tall Ships Web site. The cost to park in any of the lots to take the shuttle is $15 per car. The shuttle bus to downtown Newport is free. Admission to Tall Ships is free. Here are the places to park and from there take the shuttle, and click here for a map to help orient yourself: -- For visitors coming from places south or west, lot one is at the bridge interchange from the Pell Bridge. Shuttles will run every 20 minutes to the Gateway Visitors Center on America's Cup Avenue in downtown Newport. -- Lot two is at Middletown High School -- in Middletown, immediately north of Newport -- for people arriving from places north and east. Middletown High School is on Valley Road between East Main Road -- Route 138 -- and Green End Avenue. -- Also for people arriving from places north and east, lot three is at Gaudet Middle School in Middletown. Gaudet Middle School is on Turner Road, south of where the road meets East Main Road (Route 138). Signs will direct traffic to lots, and the state traffic radio station AM 1630 will have updates. Read on for more ways to get around in the next few days. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Parking meters will be posted “No Parking” in the Long Wharf area to accommodate vendors’ tents from today through Sunday, the polcie said. On Saturday, there is a ship crew parade from 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. that begins at the Old Colony House on Washington Square, marching down to Thames Street and onto America's Cup Avenue, then to Thames Street to King Park on Wellington Avenue. As a result, according to the police, parking will be restricted from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the metered spaces on the south side of Washington Square and on Thames Street from the Red Parrot restaurant to Lee Avenue. The police said all businesses should ask their regular delivery companies to complete their deliveries prior to 9 a.m. for their convenience. A free bus shuttle will run between the corner of America's Cup Avenue and Thames Street -- the Red Parrot Jug Handle -- to Fort Adams State Park every 20 minutes for those visiting ships, the Fort Adams Tall Ships Fair, and to view crew and cadet sports activities from this scenic harbor vista. There is also a harbor shuttle connecting the downtown and Fort Adams locations via Perrotti Park. Perrotti Park is one block south of the Gateway Center, overlooking the harbor. Handicapped accessible shuttle buses will be available from all three Tall Ships parking lots. Handicapped accessible parking spaces are also available at the Gateway Center and Fort Adams. Tall Ships organizers recommend people needing handicapped accessibility and who plan to visit Fort Adams drive directly to Fort Adams and park there. The Tall Ship Friendship is the only one with handicapped accessibility and is berthed at Fort Adams. Visitors who want to view the Tall Ships berthed along America’s Cup Avenue may find convenient parking at the Gateway Center and use a handicapped-accessible shuttle service, which will run along America’s Cup between Gateway Center and the Post Office -- the corner of America’s Cup and Memorial Boulevard. -- Traveling by water? The Rhode Island Public Transit Authority -- RIPTA -- has a Providence to Newport ferry boat. It has stops at Conley's Wharf -- Providence Piers located at 180 Allens Ave. -- and Newport's Perrotti Park. Reservations are recommended. Call (401) 453-6800 or reserve seats at www.nefastferry.com. And there's a Jamestown to Newport ferry, which makes stops at Jamestown, Rose Island, Fort Adams, Bowen's Landing and Perotti Park. Two boats will run during the Tall Ships period due to more visitors. Go to www.conanicutmarina.com. Parking is available to customers, which is part of the ticket price. -- Traveling by bus? Rhode Island Public Transit Authority runs from Kennedy Plaza in downtown Providence to various routes. Check out RIPTA information by clicking here. There's also a Peter Pan Bonanza bus terminal in Providence By train, there's the Amtrak Kingston Station off Route 138 in West Kingston, which is 18 miles -- about 30 minutes -- from Newport. And there's the Amtrak Providence Station in Providence, which is 34 miles, or 45 minutes, from Newport. There are also car rental agencies in the region. Posted by Mike McKinney at 1:20 PM | Comment Newport preparing for Bush's first visit to R.I.NEWPORT – The city’s gearing up for an even busier day than normal tomorrow as a visit by President Bush coincides with this year’s Tall Ships festival In his first presidential visit to Rhode Island, Mr. Bush is expected to speak tomorrow on the war on terror at the Naval War College at 11 a.m. He is here as part of the 50th anniversary celebration of the college’s Naval Command College, a school for military officers from around the world. Mark Stahl, coordinator for the Rhode Island Community Coalition for Peace, sent out e-mails last week announcing plans for a demonstration. He has said that protesters plan to be outside the college during the president's speech. -- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson Posted by Kate Bramson at 11:54 AM | Comment Record travel predicted for July 4thHave you started packing your bags for the July Fourth holiday week? With the summer holiday falling on a Wednesday this year, AAA Southern New England reports today that many who want to maintain their traditional celebrations with family and friends are making a week out of it rather than a long weekend. Extra: Where are you going for the July 4th holiday? Nationally, AAA expects the largest percentage of travelers – almost 38 percent – to leave on or before this Friday. Only 8.6 percent plan to leave on the Fourth for their destinations. AAA estimates that a record 41.1 million Americans will leave home during the holiday week, stretching from this Friday through Sunday, July 8. That’s .8 percent more than the 40.8 million who traveled last year. If you’re driving to your holiday destination, you’re in good company. AAA estimates that 84 percent of all holiday travelers – 34.7 million people – expect to go by motor vehicle, while 11 percent (4.7 million people) plan to fly and 5 percent (1.7 million people) will travel by train, bus or other mode of transportation. -- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson Posted by Kate Bramson at 11:06 AM | Comment Another perfect day for the beachIt’s another good day to hit the beach. It appears as if all beaches monitored by the state Department of Health are open and ready for sunbathers, swimmers, boaters, etc. To check the status of any beach for swimming, go to the state Department of Health’s beach-monitoring siteor call (401) 222-2751 for recorded information. If you’re looking for marine weather information, check out the National Weather Service’s interactive coastal marine map for this region. Also, for all your nautical needs, boaters love the Maine Harbors site, which is packed with tide charts, marine weather news, information on fishing tournaments and links to local boat builders, charter operators, lighthouses and publications. The tide charts on this site are so well done that boaters rave about them. Check out Rhode Island’s chart. Posted by Kate Bramson at 9:16 AM | Comment Traffic: Flowing again after accident on Pell BridgeA minor accident this morning on Newport’s Claiborne Pell Bridge has been cleared and traffic is flowing again, according to the state police. So if you’re heading to Newport for the Tall Ships activities, you should be OK and dealing with just ordinary Tall Ships traffic and not extra post-accident congestion. For a schedule of Tall Ships events, click here. For other traffic needs, check out the state roadways, via the Department of Transportation's online traffic offerings. You can find 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 and listen to or read the radio reports for the week about traffic and construction on specific roadways. To report a traffic incident, call the Transportation Management Center at (401) 222-5826 and choose option #2. Posted by Kate Bramson at 9:01 AM | Comment Photo: Hazy days of summer
Posted by Jack Perry at 8:32 AM | Comment Deliberations to resume in Warwick murder trialWARWICK -- A jury is set to continue deliberating today to decide whether a landscaper killed his boss's wife in 2005. Jurors yesterday told Superior Court Judge Francis J. Darigan Jr. they were deadlocked, but the judge urged them to continue deliberating. "It's an inexact science," Darigan told the jurors. "Don't get discouraged." Deliberations began Friday afternoon and were suspended for the weekend. They will resume today at 9:30 a.m. Richardson, 40, is accused of murdering Margaret Duffy-Stephenson, 37, of Warwick. She was found stabbed to death on Nov. 18, 2005, days after she returned from a family vacation to Florida. She worked as a teacher’s aide for special-education students in East Greenwich. Posted by Jack Perry at 8:06 AM | Comment Road closure tonight for Route 195 relocation projectPROVIDENCE – Nighttime drivers, beware a road closing scheduled for tonight. The split taking traffic from Route 195 west to Route 95 south will be closed for work on the highway relocation project, according to the state Department of Transportation. DOT said it's closing the connection for driver and highway worker safety. All lanes will reopen for tomorrow morning's commute, the DOT promised. There will be detour signs and some other related closings. Here's tonight's closure schedule: -- Route 95 north: One lane closed 8 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., between exit 18 (Thurbers Avenue) and Exit 20 (Route 195). -- Route 195 west ramp to Route 95 south: closed 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. -- Route 95 south: Three left lanes closed 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. between exits 18 and 20. Drivers on Route 195 west who want to go south on Route 95 will be directed to take Route 95 north to Exit 22B to Routes 6/10 south. That road rejoins Route 95 south at Exit 16, south of the work zone. Traffic going to the Rhode Island/Women & Infants/Hasbro Hospital campus should use exit 2 from Route 195 west and follow signs to the hospitals. The DOT encourages through traffic on Route 95 south to use Route 295 or the Routes 6/10 detour to avoid delays. The DOT said the closings are needed so workers can adjust the steel beam assembly put in place in late April and May when parts of the highway were closed. Future lane and highway closures may be needed over the summer, as well as a series of highway closures beginning in late July or early August when workers will begin setting steel beams for a new ramp from Route 95 south to Route 195 east. Posted by Kate Bramson at 7:13 AM | Comment Sticky, hot and humid -- and highs in the 90sPROVIDENCE – At 76 degrees already, it’s hot and sticky – and only expected to get worse. Expect widespread haze before noon, patchy fog before 9 a.m. and a high near 91 on this mostly sunny day. With unhealthy ozone levels expected across all of southern New England today, this is the second ozone alert day in a row. That means free bus rides from the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority – except for special services. So if you can, take a bus and leave the car at home. Do what you can to stay cool, and come back later to check the latest conditions and forecasts from projo.com. Posted by Kate Bramson at 7:06 AM | Comment Today's front pageToday's front page features photographs and a story about life aboard a tall ship. Download a copy of today's front page. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:00 AM | Comment June 26, 2007Providence sings the blues at Lupo's tonightThe blues, in all their timeless, trend-defying glory, come to Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel in Providence this evening. Josh Barber, who's opening tonight at Lupo's for the power lineup of Jimmie Vaughan, Roomful of Blues and Lou Ann Barton, made a page on projo.com's mp3 site last night and uploaded five tunes. For a link to the mp3, head over to Sheila Lennon's Subterranean Homepage News blog here on projo.com. For the uninitiated, Vaughan's brother was the late Stevie Ray Vaughan, a guitar player who could channel otherworldly rock and blues of Jimi Hendrix and jazzier stylings of Wes Montgomery. Jimmie Vaughan has some scorching licks of his own and has played with other heavyweights such as Eric Clapton and Buddy Guy. For tickets, $25, go to www.etix.com. For more info, call (401) 331-5876 or (401) 272-5876. Lupo’s is at 79 Washington St. Posted by Mike McKinney at 7:05 PM | Comment Update: AG Lynch signs off on using tobacco fundsPROVIDENCE -- Attorney General Patrick C. Lynch signed off today on bond authorization needed to use millions of tobacco settlement dollars to shore up the state budget. He did so, he said later, after the signing document was revised. "With the important revisions that have been made, literally within the last two hours, however, I believe Rhode Islanders are better protected than they had been previously, and I have signed the document," Lynch announced in a late-afternoon statement. People across state government -- including legislators and officials in the governor’s office and the state budget office -- had been waiting to see if Lynch would decide on whether to sign the bond authorization or not after he signaled concerns last night. The recently adopted state budget includes using $22 million of anticipated tobacco-settlement bonds to end the current fiscal year in the black. And about $153 million in tobacco funds also will be used to balance the 2007-08 budget, despite Governor Carcieri's vocal opposition. Lynch, who must approve such bonding authorizations, had said yesterday that he might not be ready to do so by a 3 p.m. deadline today because he and his staff had not had enough time to review the bond documents and their implications. The Master Settlement Agreement included technical and complex conditions the state must continue to meet in order to receive money, Lynch said. "It's my job to slash through the technicalities and, ultimately, make the promise that the state of Rhode Island is continuing to comply with the terms of the MSA because, absent such compliance, the spigot could be turned off," said Lynch.
Lynch said he had concerns -- and still does -- about how lawmakers and the governor intended to spend the money, how it is prioritized in the budget. In the governor’s office earlier today, spokesman Jeff Neal said the state will have enough cash on hand to get through the fiscal year, which ends Saturday, without implementing any emergency measures, even if Lynch did not sign the bond authorization by today’s deadline. Lynch complained yesterday that he was being rushed and the tobacco money comes with strings attached. At issue was the attempt to raise $154 million for next year’s budget -- and another $20 million to finance shortfalls in this year’s budget -- by selling a portion of future payments from the tobacco master settlement, a 1998 agreement by tobacco companies and 46 states designed to recoup the societal costs of smoking. Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:56 PM | Comment Task force on DOT contracts: Binders, but no reportPROVIDENCE -- The task force assembled by Governor Carcieri to review contracting practices of the state Department of Transportation had a June 22 deadline that has come and gone. The governor's office has released four binders containing copies of contracts and rules and regulations, but the team was called off before it could complete a report and did not produce one. The task force was told to stop on June 15 and turn everything over to state police. Earlier this month, Carcieri said he asked the task force he assembled in May -- in response to news accounts of "outrageous'' overhead payments to contractors for staff, such as the now infamous $102,858 typist -- to "turn over to the state police and the U.S. Attorney's Office any documents related to DOT contracts.'' The governor said the Federal Highway Administration has also promised to "begin a review.'' More in tomorrow's Providence Journal and on projo.com ... -- With reports from Katherine Gregg of the Journal State House Bureau and Journal archival reports Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:42 PM | Comment Governor vetoes time-share taxation legislationPROVIDENCE -- Governor Carcieri has vetoed a bill that calls for a different way of taxing time-share developments, calling it "a tax hike in disguise." The legislation would allow taxation of time-shares based on the resale value of interval weeks, along with "any other identifiable and commonly accepted methods of appraisal," according to the bill's description. Carcieri vetoed similar legislation twice before. "Time-share developments are now taxed like all other real estate properties. This bill would allow assessors to create special and so-far undisclosed new schemes to tax these properties ..." Carcieri's veto message from his office says. Carcieri also expressed concern that "additional legal challenges would occur." Time-share developments, his message said, have "certain intangible aspects," such as services that allow exchange of weeks in other time-share developments. Since cities and towns tax tangible property, "but are not constitutionally authorized to tax intangible property," turning the bill into law would "likely" mean more litigation, the veto message said. For a look at other bills the governor has vetoed this year, click here. Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:37 PM | Comment Bush's visit coincides with GOP meeting in NewportOn the same day President Bush is reportedly speaking at the Naval War College in Newport, Governor Carcieri is hosting a fund-raiser in the City by the Sea for the Republican Governors Association, which finances Republican campaigns for governor across the United States. According to RGA spokesman Matt Moore, Carcieri will be joined by U.S. Education Secretary Margaret Spellings and GOP governors Jim Douglas of Vermont, Mark Sanford of South Carolina and Matt Blunt of Missouri. Spellings will be the keynote speaker at the event, which will also feature a discussion of education and financial services, Moore said. The meetings, including a luncheon, will be held at the Hyatt Regency Hotel on Goat Island, overlooking Newport Harbor, where the Tall Ships are now gathering for a visit to the city this week. The Republican contributors will also be feted at a New England clambake Thursday evening at the Eisenhower House (yes, named after former GOP President Dwight D. Eisenhower) at Fort Adams State Park. The White House has not officially announced Mr. Bush’s visit yet, but state and federal officials have said that the Naval War College campus is being readied for a presidential visit. It would coincide with a 50th anniversary celebration of its Naval Command College, a school for military officers from around the world. Carcieri has been in Prince Edward Island, Canada, over the past two days attending the annual conference of New England Governors and premiers from Canada’s eastern provinces. Jeff Neal, Carcieri’s spokesman, declined comment on the governor’s fund-raiser, or Mr. Bush’s appearance, saying only that ``I expect the governor will be at the war college’’ on Thursday. -- Journal staff writer Scott MacKay Posted by Andrea Panciera at 6:24 PM | Comment Gryphon Solo first to finish Bermuda 1-2Joe Harris and Dobbs Davis won line honors in the second leg of the Bermuda 1-2 race just before midnight, but they had to work for the finish. "We were lucky to get through the Gulf Stream and keep a steady breeze all the way to the finish,” said Harris, skipper of the Open 50, Gryphon Solo. “We scratched and kicked and clawed our way through the Stream in light air and emerged on the north side with a nice southwesterly breeze allowing us to make 10 knots toward Newport." The second leg of the Bermuda 1-2 started Friday off St. George’s, Bermuda. Gryphon Solo’s unofficial elapsed time for the passage to Newport was 82 hours, 41 minutes 30 seconds. Harris set a course record for the solo leg of the event earlier this month. His elapsed time sailing south was 62 hours, 37 minutes from his start on June 9th. The old Bermuda 1-2 solo course record of 66:57 was set in 2005 by Kip Stone aboard the Open 50 Artforms. The record for Leg 2 of 70:14 set by Artforms in 2005 remains unbeaten. Meanwhile, Ken Read, driving the 90-foot Rambler, was leading the two other big boats that started the HSH Nordbank trans-Atlantic Race Saturday off Newport. A larger fleet of smaller boats started the race a week earlier, and were blessed with strong winds for the beginning of their passage. After three days of moderate breeze, the three big boats - Parsifal III, Bon Bon and Rambler – are expecting the wind to freshen. Posted by Tom Meade at 6:03 PM | Comment Weather update: More poor air tomorrow / Photo
PROVIDENCE --The latest forecast calls for more high temperatures, spurring more concerns about unhealthy air quality tomorrow aftermoon. State environmental officials have predicted high ozone levels for the second day in a row. That means all RIPTA bus and trolley routes, aside from special services, will again be free. The poor air quality is driven by higher ozone concentrations at ground level. Ozone is a big part of smog and is formed by a reaction of pollutants that come from motor vehicles, industry and other sources on days with hotter temperatures. The state Health Department said unhealthy ozone levels of ozone can cause throat irritation, coughing, chest pain, shortness of breath, increased susceptibility to respiratory infection and and aggravation of asthma and other respiratory ailments. Symtoms get worse with exercise and heavy activity. Children, elderly people and those who have lung diseases, such as asthma, are at particular risk of suffering from the air quality. Check the latest predictions on the area's air quality. The hot and humid weather will continue across southern New England through Thursday, the National Weather Service says, before a cold front brings much cooler weather from Friday into the weekend. Temperatures tomorrow are expected to reach into the 90s again tomorrow. Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:39 PM | Comment Providence mayor attacks the state budgetPROVIDENCE -- Mayor David N. Cicilline's office announced he will hold a news conference tomorrow about to the state budget that "fails to give Rhode Island cities and towns the tools they need to provide property tax relief." The news conference will be held tomorrow at 1 p.m. in the mayor’s office at City Hall. According to a news release, the mayor will announce steps the city will take to "address the ramifications" of the budget. Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:35 PM | Comment No verdict today in Richardson murder caseWARWICK -- The jury weighing the fate of James Richardson, the man accused of killing Margaret Duffy-Stephenson of Warwick in 2005, finished a third day of deliberations without reaching a verdict. The jury -- which this afternoon asked for information that was taken up with the lawyers in chambers and therefore not disclosed -- will be back in Kent County Superior Court tomorrow morning. That was after the jury told the judge at 1:23 p.m. today that it was dead-locked. Keep deliberating, Superior Court Judge Francis J. Darigan Jr. replied. When the jurors reported they have been unable to reach a verdict, Darigan essentially gave them a pep talk, encouraging them to go back in and deliberate more. "Two days and some hours isn't that much time, considering you've spent three solid weeks on this case," he told them. "You've been asked to do a difficult task. My hope is that you successfully complete that task by rendering a unanimous verdict." After a reasonable amount of time, if the jury cannot reach a verdict, Darigan said he'd go from there. The jury went back into deliberations at 1:33 p.m. Richardson is accused of the multiple-stabbing murder of Margaret Duffy-Stephenson, a teacher's aide from Warwick who was found dead in 2005 by her father after no one had been able to contact her. The jury in Kent County Superior Court began weighing the fate of Richardson, of Cranston, on Friday afternoon. Earlier today, the jury sought clarification from the judge on what constitutes a reasonable doubt. Reasonable doubt is based on evidence or lack of evidence, the jury was told today. It does not mean it is beyond all doubt, beyond all shadow of doubt or all possible doubt. "Mere suspicion, however strong, cannot sustain or justifiy a guilty verdict," Darigan told the jury. Yesterday, the jury asked to have some a transcript of some testimony read to them. -- With reports from Journal staff writer Talia Buford Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:25 PM | Comment Mom tells of finding daughter injured on Rte. 1SOUTH KINGSTOWN -- When Grazyna Chylinska answered the phone early Saturday, she heard her daughter’s worried voice. It was after midnight and Sylvia was stranded on Route 1 with a flat tire. Sylvia said she was afraid someone would hit her car on the dark highway, so she left it in the breakdown lane and waited for her mother in the grass nearby. Chylinska, a divorced mother of two, drove the five-minute stretch from her Green Hill home to the highway. Her daughter, Sylvia Bogusz, who graduated from South Kingstown High School June 18, had already enrolled in three summer courses at the University of Rhode Island. To celebrate Sylvia’s accomplishments, the family had eaten at an area restaurant. “Do I look beautiful?” Sylvia asked at dinner. “Yes,” her mother said, “of course you do.” Now, on Route 1, Chylinska spotted her daughter in a southbound lane of traffic, bleeding and unconscious. Only a few minutes before Chylinska had arrived, police said Heidi L. Harrall had lost control of her car and struck Sylvia, breaking her bones and throwing her more than 100 feet away. “I stood in the middle of the road and tried to slow down the traffic. I didn’t want a car to run over my baby,” Chylinska said today. “I was just five minutes away. If I had the power to fly, I could have flown to her and lifted her and saved her,” she sobbed. Sylvia remains in serious condition this afternoon at Rhode Island Hospital, where she had been upgraded yesterday morning from critical. -- Journal staff writer Paul Davis Chylinska spent this morning resting at her Aspen Street home. Unable to sleep well since the accident, she needed the rest, she said. The day before, she had cried in District Court as Harrall -- the 45-year-old woman charged with hitting her daughter -- was arraigned on felony charges of driving under the influence resulting in serious injury and driving with reckless disregard for the safety of others. Police said Harrall, who was held without bail on a previous charge, had been driving 90 miles an hour when she lost control of her 1994 Audi. But Chylinska today said little about Harrall. Instead, she focused on her daughter, born the same day as her mother: Dec. 21. “She’s my miracle baby, born on my birthday,” she said. “God gave me that baby for a reason.” Full story to come in tomorrow's Providence Journal and on projo.com ... Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:08 PM | Comment Alert: AG Lynch signs off on using tobacco moneyPROVIDENCE -- Attorney General Patrick C. Lynch today signed a bond authorization needed to use tobacco settlement money to close holes in the state budget. Lynch will elaborate on his reasons at a 4:30 p.m. news conference. People across state government -- including legislators and officials in the governor’s office and the state budget office -- were holding their breath today, waiting to see if Lynch would decide on whether to sign the bond authorization. Lynch, who must approve such bonding authorizations, had said yesterday that he might not be ready to do so by a 3 p.m. deadline today because he and his staff had not had enough time to review the bond documents and their implications. In the governor’s office earlier today, spokesman Jeff Neal said the state will have enough cash on hand to get through the fiscal year, which ends Saturday, without implementing any emergency measures, even if Lynch did not sign the bond authorization by today’s deadline. Lynch complained yesterday that he was being rushed and the tobacco money comes with strings attached. At issue is the attempt to raise $154 million for next year’s budget -- and another $20 million to finance shortfalls in this year’s budget -- by selling a portion of future payments from the tobacco master settlement, a 1998 agreement by tobacco companies and 46 states designed to recoup the societal costs of smoking. -- With reports from Journal staff writer Elizabeth Gudrais Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:07 PM | Comment 195 connection to 95 south closes Wednesday nightPROVIDENCE -- The split taking traffic from Route 195 west to Route 95 south will be closed tomorrow night for work on a relocation project, the state Department of Transportation announced today. DOT said it's closing the connection for driver and highway worker safety. All lanes will reopen for Thursday morning's commute, the DOT promised. There will be detour signs and some other relating closings. Drivers on I-195 West who want to go south on Route 95 will be directed to take I-95 north to Exit 22B to Routes 6/10 south. That will rejoin Route 95 South at Exit 16, south of the work zone. Traffic going to the Rhode Island/Women & Infants/Hasbro Hospitals campus should use exit 2 from Route 195 west and follow signs to the hospitals. The DOT encourages through traffic on Route 95 South to use Route 295 or the Routes 6/10 detour to avoid delays. The DOT said the closings are needed so workers can adjust the steel beam assembly put in place in late April and May when parts of the highway were closed. Future lane and highway closures may be needed over the summer, as well as a series of highway closures beginning in late July or early August when workers will begin setting steel beams for a new ramp from Route 95 South to Route 195 East. Here's tomorrow's closure schedule: -- Route 95 north: One lane closed 8 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., between exit 18 (Thurbers Avenue) and Exit 20 (I-195). -- Route 195 west ramp to Route 95 south: closed 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. -- Route 95 south: Three left lanes closed 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. between exits 18 and 20. Posted by Mike McKinney at 3:03 PM | Comment R.I. senators back revival of immigration billWASHINGTON -- The Senate voted today to jump-start a stalled immigration measure to legalize millions of unlawful immigrants. President Bush said the bill offered a "historic opportunity for Congress to act," and appeared optimistic about its passage by week's end. The pivotal test-vote was 64-35 to revive the divisive legislation. It still faces formidable obstacles in the Senate, including bitter opposition by GOP conservatives and attempts by some waverers in both parties to revise its key elements. Supporters needed 60 votes to scale procedural hurdles and return to the bill. A similar test-vote earlier this month found just 45 supporters, only seven of them Republicans. This time, 24 Republicans joined 39 Democrats and independent Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman of Connecticut, to back moving ahead with the bill. Opposing the move were 25 Republicans, nine Democrats and independent Sen. Bernard Sanders of Vermont. Rhode Island senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse, both Democrats, voted in favor of reviving the bill. Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., an architect of the bill, said he was proud of the vote, calling it "a major step forward for our national security, for our economy, and for our humanity." "We did the right thing today because we know the American people sent us here to act on our most urgent problems. We know they will not stand for small political factions getting in the way," Kennedy said in a statement following the vote. Today's outcome was far from conclusive, however. The measure still must overcome another make-or-break vote as early as Thursday that will also require the backing of 60 senators. And there is no guarantee that it will ultimately attract even the simple majority it needs to pass. The Senate was preparing to begin voting as early as this afternoon on some two dozen amendments that have the potential to either sap its support or draw new backers. -- Associated Press, with projo.com reports Posted by Andrea Panciera at 2:48 PM | Comment Update: Jury deadlocked in Richardson murder caseWARWICK -- The jury in the James Richardson murder trial told the judge at 1:23 p.m. today that it's dead-locked. Keep deliberating, Superior Court Judge Francis J. Darigan Jr. replied. When the jurors reported they have been unable to reach a verdict, Darigan essentially gave them a pep talk, encouraging them to go back in and deliberate more. "Two days and some hours isn't that much time, considering you've spent three solid weeks on this case," he told them. "You've been asked to do a difficult task. My hope is that you successfully complete that task by rendering a unanimous verdict." After a reasonable amount of time, if the jury cannot reach a verdict, Darigan said he'd go from there. The jury went back into deliberations at 1:33 p.m. Richardson is accused of the multiple-stabbing murder of Margaret Duffy-Stephenson, a teacher's aide from Warwick who was found dead in 2005 by her father after no one had been able to contact her. The jury in Kent County Superior Court began weighing the fate of Richardson, of Cranston, on Friday afternoon. Earlier today, the jury sought clarification from the judge on what constitutes a reasonable doubt. Reasonable doubt is based on evidence or lack of evidence, the jury was told today. It does not mean it is beyond all doubt, beyond all shadow of doubt or all possible doubt. "Mere suspicion, however strong, cannot sustain or justifiy a guilty verdict," Darigan told the jury. -- with reports from Journal staff writer Talia Buford Posted by Mike McKinney at 1:49 PM | Comment Assault charges dropped against man, 72SOUTH KINGSTOWN -- Misdemeanor charges of assault and malicious destruction of property were dismissed against 72-year-old Thomas Grimshaw, whom the police said had smashed windows at the home of a man who served prison time for defrauding Grimshaw and 40 other people. Another misdemeanor charge, disorderly conduct, was filed for one year in District Court, South Kingstown, which means that as long as Grimshaw, of North Kingstown, stays out of trouble during that time the charge will be dismissed and expunged. Eight years ago, Ronald Acton of North Kingstown was sentenced to three years in prison after defrauding Grimshaw and 40 others of more than $1 million. Read more about the case by clicking here. In late 1997, Acton, a former lawyer for Newport Electric, approached Grimshaw with a real-estate investment opportunity. He said he was buying houses and selling them for a profit. Grimshaw invested $5,000 and said he was told he would get a $1,000 return on his money. Between December 1997 and March 1998, Grimshaw gave Acton more than $65,000, according to court records. He was never repaid. In August 1998, Acton wrote Grimshaw a check for $12,000 that bounced, Grimshaw said. Last month, the police said, Grimshaw took a bat from his garage, drove around the block to the house where Acton lives and smashed several windows. Grimshaw was arrested and faced four charges, including felony assault, because Eleanor Acton, Ronald Acton’s wife, was standing behind a window when Grimshaw smashed it. The charges were reduced. -- With reports from Journal staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Posted by Mike McKinney at 1:48 PM | Comment People escape unharmed when Coventry garage burnsCOVENTRY – No one was injured this morning when fire broke out in a garage attached to an occupied home on Kiley Way. The garage burned to the ground, though, and the fire damaged the aluminum siding on that side of the house and caused some damage to a neighboring home, Police Capt. Bryan Volpe said. Volpe said he was surprised the house didn’t sustain more damage. People inside the home escaped unharmed, Volpe said. The cause of the fire is unknown at this time, but it does not appear suspicious, he said. -- with reports from Journal staff writer Lisa Vernon-Sparks Posted by Kate Bramson at 1:31 PM | Comment Driver gets 5 to 7 years in crash that killed officer / Photo
The sentence drew fury from family members of Cabral, who wanted more time than the sentence Judge Robert C. Rufo imposed. Tom Cabral, Robert's brother, told reporters after the sentencing that the judge was "spineless" and said the state's laws need to be tougher. Questioned by reporters, C. Samuel Sutter, the Bristol County district attorney, who was at the courthouse with the Swansea police chief, said that the laws for the crime are sufficient. Before the sentencing, Smith, 50, sobbed in the courtroom and said what happened in early November 2005 was a terrible mistake he lives with every day. Smith changed his plea to guilty on June 4. Quinn said Smith first started drinking in the early evening hours of Nov. 4 at a firefighters' fundraiser at a local Knights of Columbus hall. He continued to drink after he left to hear a fellow firefighter's band play at a nearby bar. He was heading home when he hit Cabral. In changing his plea, Cabral admitted to charges of manslaughter under the influence of alcohol. A second and lesser charge -- motor vehicle homicide, a felony -- was dismissed with the changed plea. First Assistant District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn today recommended a sentence of 7 to 10 years in prison. The minimum is five years and the maximum is 20. Smith's family spoke in the coutroom today, as did Smith's lawyer, Jeffrey S. Entin. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Journal staff writer Alisha A. Pina Posted by Mike McKinney at 1:25 PM | Comment Judge: Woman, 90, can stay at R.I. facilityPROVIDENCE -- It looks like Laurette Borduas Eifrig will be able to continue living at Capitol Ridge for the indefinite future. This morning, Superior Court Judge Alice B. Gibney removed Eifrig’s Virginia daughter, Francine Ardito, as co-trustee of her mother’s trust. The judge also revoked Ardito’s power of attorney for her 90-year-old mother, a retired schoolteacher who is now blind and suffers from dementia. At the request of Eifrig’s Providence lawyer, Richard A. Boren, Gibney made Eifrig’s guardian, North Providence lawyer Paula M. Cuculo, co-trustee of Eifrig’s trust, and also gave Cuculo power of attorney for her ward, who has been living since February in assisted-living on Smith Street. Cuculo said after court that she will immediately request all of the Virginia institutions that hold Eifrig’s trust funds to send all of Eifrig’s money to her so that she can continue to pay Eifrig’s bills and move her to a larger unit at Capitol Ridge. Ardito, who has been trying for more than a year to move her mother back to Virginia, began a campaign last month to freeze her mother’s trust funds in Virginia, acting under her power of attorney and as co-trustee of her trust. That came days after her mother testified that she wanted to remain living in Rhode Island, at Capitol Ridge. In court today, Boren argued that Ardito had breached her fiduciary responsibility to her mother by ordering Virginia banks not to release money to Cuculo for payment of Eifrig’s bills in Rhode Island. He also argued that she had breached a duty to her older sister, Suzette Gebhard, when she accompanied her mother to a Virginia lawyer a few years ago, a visit that resulted in changes to her mother’s trust that gave the Ardito family members more than 82 percent of her mother’s assets when she dies. Cuculo told Gibney Eifrig has told her she wants her two daughters, who have been engaged in a bitter tug of war over Eifrig’s care and finances, to share equally in her trust, along with her granddaughter, Alicea Ardito. Cuculo says Eifrig told her that she does not remember ever giving Francine and her family the lion’s share of her money. Extra: More on the Eifrig case in a special report by Journal writer Tracy Breton on elder abuse ... -- Journal staff writer Tracy Breton Ardito, of Reston, Va., did not show up for today’s hearing even though she entered her appearance last week to represent herself. In papers FAXed to Gibney last week, she had asked for a nine-week continuance of today’s hearing. Since Ardito wasn’t present, the judge forced the lawyer Ardito had discharged, Janet Mastronardi, to appear in her stead –which delayed the hearing for an hour so that Mastronardi could be contacted and drive to court from East Greenwich. The hearing became tense with Mastronardi repeatedly challenging Gibney on her authority to make her represent Ardito’s interests, since she’d been discharged by her client and wasn’t being paid by her anymore. At various points in the hearing, she called arguments made by Boren and Cuculo “stupid” and “a farce, a sham on this court.” “I’d like to be discharged right now. There is no way this court can keep me here uncompensated and having been discharged,” she argued. “I want to go now.” Gibney ordered her to stay and told her before the hearing adjourned that she wasn’t letting her out of the case yet since Ardito wasn’t present to represent herself. Mastronardi told Gibney that she was forcing her to violate the Rhode Island Supreme Court’s Rules of Professional Conduct. Gibney told her that under the lawyers’ rules of practice, she remains in the case for now and will leave the case when the court gives her permission to do so. After the judge left the bench, Mastronardi complained that Gibney was “holding me out for malpractice” and that she was going to get a lawyer to represent her. Posted by Mike McKinney at 12:42 PM | Comment Jury asks judge for clarification in murder caseWARWICK -- The jury deliberating the murder case against James Richardson, who is accused of killing Margaret Duffy-Stephenson in 2005, sought clarification from the judge today on what constitutes a reasonable doubt. Reasonable doubt is based on evidence or lack of evidence, the jury was told today. It does not mean it is beyond all doubt, beyond all shadow of doubt or all possible doubt. "Mere suspicion, however strong, cannot sustain or justifiy a guilty verdict," Judge Francis Darigan told the jury. The jury began weighing the fate of Richardson, on Friday afternoon, and yesterday afternoon they asked to have read to them a transcript of testimony about how DNA is transferred. The court reporter read a transcript of a portion of testimony by Sharon E. Mallard, a state Health Department forensic scientist. Her testimony included the varying likelihood of DNA being transferred from one person to another by different means. Duffy-Stephenson, 37, had returned to her Warwick home early from a family wedding in Florida. Her husband, James O. Stephenson III, and then 3-year-old son, Robert, stayed behind to visit with relatives. A teacher’s aide for special-needs students, Duffy-Stephenson returned to work at Archie R. Cole Middle School in East Greenwich on Nov. 14. She was last seen alive on Nov. 16 at an appreciation dinner. Sometime that night, Duffy-Stephenson descended the stairs from her second-floor bedroom and was met by her attacker. She was stabbed several times before dying at the bottom of the stairs. Her attacker ransacked the basement and stole $11,000 from a locked safe before fleeing through the basement bulkhead door. Duffy-Stephenson’s body was discovered on Nov. 18 by her father, John Duffy, who’d come to check on her after no one had been able to contact her. Her death was ruled a homicide by the state medical examiner and an autopsy was performed. DNA was found beneath one of Duffy-Stephenson’s fingernails, and Richardson could not be excluded as the source. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, With reports from Journal staff writer Talia Buford Posted by Mike McKinney at 12:08 PM | Comment Photo: A tall ship sails for Newport Harbor
Posted by Jack Perry at 11:00 AM | Comment Burrillville police ID man killed in motorcycle-car crashBURRILLVILLE – The police this morning have identified the man who died last night in a motorcycle-car crash on Hill Road as Michael A. Marcone, 38, of Hill Road in the village of Pascoag. The accident remains under investigation, and the medical examiner’s office is expected to conduct an autopsy today, according to Lt. John Connors. Shortly before 8 p.m. last night, Marcone was traveling east on Hill Road. A 40-year-old Glocester woman -- identified as Rebecca A. Carrier, of 160 Echo Rd. -- was driving a 1996 Ford Taurus west on Hill Road. As Carrier attempted to turn left onto Centennial Street, the motorcycle and car collided, Connors said. -- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson It appears as if Marcone skidded into the intersection, the vehicles collided and the motorcycle spun off and landed perhaps 10 to 12 feet from the motorcyclist, Connors said. Marcone was transported to Landmark Medical Center in Woonsocket, where he was pronounced dead, Connors said. The police don't believe he was wearing a helmet. Marcone may have moved recently to Burrillville, as his driver’s license lists a Hopedale, Mass., address, Connors said this morning. Carrier suffered “very minor” injuries. She had no passengers traveling with her, according to the police. Posted by Kate Bramson at 10:26 AM | Comment Keep cool at the coastIt’s going to be cooler near the coast, so boaters and swimmers may want to head to the water today. Also, for all your nautical needs, visit the Maine Harbors site, which is packed with tide charts, marine weather news, information on fishing tournaments and links to local boat builders, charter operators, lighthouses and publications. Be sure to review the Rhode Island tide charts on this site. To check the status of any beach for swimming, go to the state Department of Health’s beach-monitoring siteor call (401) 222-2751 for recorded information. Posted by Kate Bramson at 7:37 AM | Comment Warwick jury deliberations to enter third dayWARWICK -- The jury weighing the fate of James Richardson, who is charged with murdering Margaret Duffy-Stephenson in 2005, is expected to return for a third day of deliberations this morning in Kent County Superior Court. The jury began deliberating on Friday afternoon. Yesterday afternoon, the jury asked for a transcript of testimony to be read to them about how DNA is transferred. DNA was found beneath one of Duffy-Stephenson’s fingernails, and Richardson could not be excluded as the source. The court reporter read a transcript of a portion of testimony by Sharon E. Mallard, a state Health Department forensic scientist. Mallard's testimony included the varying likelihood of DNA being transferred from one person to another by different means. According to Mallard's testimony last week, Mallard said that, even in controlled tests, many times scientists are not able to recover any DNA from beneath fingernails. DNA constantly transfers from surface to surface through blood, sweat, skin cells and semen, among other things, she said. For DNA to embed itself beneath Duffy-Stephenson’s nails suggests she was involved in a struggle with her assailant, Mallard said. Posted by Kate Bramson at 7:28 AM | Comment The heat is on, so is an ozone alertThe temperature could reach 93 degrees today in the Providence area, contributing to unhealthy ozone levels for much of New England, according to the National Weather Service. An ozone alert will run from 6 a.m. until 9 p.m. today, the National Weather Service says. The temperature should fall to about 70 degrees tonight. Rides on all RIPTA buses, except special services, will be free because of the ozone alert. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:01 AM | Comment 3 indicted in Providence gang murderPROVIDENCE -- A grand jury today indicted three Providence men who are accused in the gang-related murder of 23-year-old Viceth Klakratok in January, the city's first homicide of the year. Named in the indictment charging each with one count of conspiring to murder and one count of murdering Klakratok are: Sarith Chith, 19, of 140 Bridgham St., Thomas Havey, 19, of 11 Oak Ave., and Tavarez Morales, 18, of 10 Barry Rd, Apt. #1. The three will be arraigned in Providence County Superior Court on July 18, according to a statement from Attorney General Patrick C. Lynch's office. The indictment does not detail the case particulars. But earlier this year, the police said that on Jan. 28 that Hanover Boyz street gang members confronted a member of the Young Bloods gang and chased him to his death. The police arrested two suspects described as Hanover Boyz, and charged them with murder in the slaying of Klakratok, of 110 Atlantic Ave., Elmwood. When the police announced arrests in the case in late January, they included Veasna F. Pich, 20, of 172 Whitmarsh St., in the West End and a 17-year-old who was not identified because of his age at that time. The third arrest -- of Sarith Chith -- followed soon after. Pich was not named in today's indictment. "Our investigation continues" and it's possible other individuals may be charged, said Michael Healey, spokesman for Lynch. Morales, the 17-year-old who has since turned 18, agreed to be waived out of Juvenile Court and be tried as an adult, according to the Attorney General's Office. Klakratok was struck in the head several times with a club or pipe and fell in the middle of Cranston Street in the West End, dead from blunt-force trauma, the police and Special Assistant Attorney General James Baum said in January. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with Journal archival reports Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:55 AM | Comment Download today's front pageQuestions about the state budget and the latest on Newport Grand lead today's Journal. Posted by Peter Phipps at 6:46 AM | Comment June 25, 2007An act of courage: Try an open-mike nightIf it's a warm Monday night in summer, maybe it's time for an open microphone and a lot of courage. There are a few open-mike opportunities tonight in the area, including: On every first and fourth Monday, there's one at The Providence Black Repertory Company, 131 Washington St. Suite 405 (4th Floor), Providence. Call 351-0353 In Johnston, there's one every Monday at The Coda Lounge Bar & Grille, 678 Killingly St., Johnston. Call 331-5291. It runs from 9:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. with "DJ Nova and Sense." And there's the Custom House Tavern, 36 Weybosset St., Providence. Call 751-3630. Posted by Mike McKinney at 7:00 PM | Comment Weather update: Ozone alert on for tomorrowThe state has delared an ozone alert for tomorrow. All RIPTA routes, excluding special services, will be free. The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management is predicting that air quality will approach unhealthy levels, especially in southern Rhode Island in the mid- to late afternoon. The forecast calls for sunny skies in the 80s for the south coastal section of the state, with mild southwest winds. In the Providence area, it's expected to be hot and humid, with temps into the 90s. The DEM urges residents to help reduce air pollutant emissions by driving less and by limiting the use of small engines and charcoal lighter fuels. The Department of Health warns that unhealthy levels of ozone can cause throat irritation, coughing, chest pain, shortness of breath and an increased susceptibility to respiratory infection and asthma. These symptoms are worsened by exercise and heavy activity. The children, elderly and people who have underlying lung diseases, such as asthma, are at particular risk of suffering from these effects. You can check daily ozone levels for Rhode Island here. Get the latest weather conditions and forecasts at: http://projo.com/weather Posted by Peter Phipps at 6:22 PM | Comment Carcieri vetoes motor vehicle, health-care council billsPROVIDENCE -- In the wake of the end of this year's General Assembly session early Saturday, Governor Carcieri's office this evening announced that he has vetoed several bills. They include one to allow motorists one business day to provide proof of insurance after being stopped by a police officer. Carcieri said in his veto message that the state police asked for a veto because the legislation would impose "a substantial burden on law enforcement agencies," including an "unnecessary and burdensome increase" in administrative paperwork. The change would also impede the state police's efforts to modernize its citation-system technology, according to the governor, who vetoed similar legislation last year. Read the bill here. Vetoes apply to both House and Senate versions of bills. Carcieri also vetoed a bill that would create a Health Care Planning and Accountability Advisory Council, which would do studies, issue opinions and create a plan for the state's health-care delivery and financing system. "In a time when the state should be streamlining its delivery of health services to consumers, this council adds yet another layer of bureacrqacy to an already crowded field," Carcieri said in his written veto message. He added that the legislature did not include any money for the council and that the council is "completely contingent on funding." The council is "large and unwieldy" has an "ill-defined" mission and duplicates things already being done by agencies, Carcieri stated. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:46 PM | Comment No West Nile, EEE in first R.I. mosquitoes testedPROVIDENCE -- Good news, so far, for skeeter-wary Rhode Islanders: The season's first mosquitoes tested by the state Department of Environmental Management did not carry West Nile virus or Eastern Equine Encephalitis. The DEM collected mosquitoes from 38 traps set around the state on June 5 and June 13 and separated them into 64 mosquito pools for testing by the state Department of Health. DEM received the results Friday. Results from more mosquitoes trapped last week are expected by week's end. DEM said it will normally report mosquito test results once a week, with additional reports when needed. If results find mosquitos carrying West Nile or EEE, that generally will trigger additional trapping to assess risk. But there's still plenty of summer left. At this time of year, the DEM urges people to to get rid of anything in their yards that holds standing water -- think old tires, buckets, junk, and more. People should also make sure gutters are clean so they drain properly. And swimming pools should be properly maintained. Mosquitoes breed in standing water, and one cup of water alone can allow the births of hundreds of mosquitoes, the DEM said Aerial or ground spraying will be recommended only when mosquito-control experts find the public is at "substantial risk" of contact by infected mosquitoes, the DEM said. For more information, check the DEM Web site here. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney West Nile virus and Eastern Equine Encephalitis are both "firmly established throughout the state," so DEM said it won't be necessary to test birds for those viruses as an "early warning." The DEM said there's no evidence birds can transmit West Nile Virus to humans; mosquitoes that bite infected birds and then bite humans are the transmitters. But people should still use gloves or an inverted bag to place it in the double bag for disposal. Last year, 10 Rhode Island mosquito pools tested positive for West Nile virus, and three mosquito pools tested positive for EEE. There were no reported human cases in Rhode Island. But in Massachusetts, there were five human cases of EEE, including two deaths. More than 150 mosquito pools tested positive for EEE in that state. Connecticut had nine human cases of West Nile virus, including one death. EEE, a virus, is not as common as West Nile virus but has a higher death rate. It affects the brain with symptoms that appear 5 to 15 days after being bitten by an infected mosquito. Symptoms may include high fever, headache, stiff neck and decreased consciousness. Up to 50 percent of cases may result in death. People with symptoms suggestive of EEE should contact their doctor immediately. West Nile virus causes encephalitis. The elderly and people with weakened immune systems are more prone to infections. Symptoms begin 3-15 days after the bite from an infected mosquito and may include fever, headache, nausea, rash, stiff neck, muscle weakness, and disorientation. In cases with serious symptoms, up to 15 percent may result in fatality. Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:46 PM | Comment Update: No verdict again in Richardson murder trialWARWICK -- The jury weighing the fate of James Richardson, who is charged with murdering Margaret Duffy-Stephenson in 2005, deliberated for a second day without reaching a verdict. The jury resumes deliberations tomorrow morning in Kent County Superior Court. It began deliberating on Friday afternoon. This afternoon, the jury asked to have read to them a transcript of testimony about how DNA is transferred. The court reporter read a transcript of a portion of testimony by Sharon E. Mallard, a state Health Department forensic scientist. Mallard's testimony included the varying likelihood of DNA being transferred from one person to another by different means. According to Mallard's testimony last week, Mallard said that, even in controlled tests, many times scientists are not able to recover any DNA from beneath fingernails. DNA constantly transfers from surface to surface through blood, sweat, skin cells and semen, among other things, all of the time, she said. For DNA to embed itself beneath Duffy-Stephenson’s nails suggests she was involved in a struggle with her assailant, Mallard said. “[It’s] not from a handshake,” she said in court. “It requires more than casual contact.” Richardson was a friend of the family and an employee of the husband's landscaping business who had house-sat for the family in the past. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Journal staff writer Talia Buford Duffy-Stephenson, 37, returned to her Warwick home early from a family wedding in Florida. Her husband, James O. Stephenson III, and then 3-year-old son, Robert, stayed behind to visit with relatives. A teacher’s aide for special-needs students, Duffy-Stephenson returned to work at Archie R. Cole Middle School in East Greenwich on Nov. 14. She was last seen alive on Nov. 16 at an appreciation dinner. Sometime that night, Duffy-Stephenson descended the stairs from her second-floor bedroom and was met by her attacker. She was stabbed several times before dying at the bottom of the stairs. Her attacker ransacked the basement and stole $11,000 from a locked safe before fleeing through the basement bulkhead door. Duffy-Stephenson’s body was discovered on Nov. 18 by her father, John Duffy, who’d come to check on her after no one had been able to contact her. Her death was ruled a homicide by the state medical examiner and an autopsy was performed. DNA was found beneath one of Duffy-Stephenson’s fingernails, and Richardson could not be excluded as the source. Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:02 PM | Comment Man, 61, accused of videotaping women at air showNORTH KINGSTOWN -- Alert for suspicious behavior of a terrorist nature, authorities at the Rhode Island National Guard Open House and Air Show last weekend caught a suspected criminal of a different sort -- a retired New Bedford school teacher accused of surreptitiously videotaping up women’s skirts. Instead of taping the antics of planes, 61-year-old Philip Riviere was allegedly seen filming the underwear of unsuspecting women strolling around the air show at Quonset State Airport. Riviere caught the attention of two National Guardsmen when they saw him at first filming the planes and then holding the camera down and tilting it low as he followed different women and tried not to be noticed, according to state police Lt. David Neill. The two Guardsmen followed Riviere for two hours and then contacted the state police, who arrested him, Neill said. Riviere told state police investigators that he was embarrassed and had “never done anything like this before,” but had gotten the idea from Internet pornography sites, said Neill. The state police seized the 8mm camera and the video showing the underwear of three women, which Riviere told them he’d intended to watch for himself, Neill said. Riviere, of 64 Katherine St., was charged with video voyeurism, which makes it a felony for anyone to use cameras or other “imaging devices” to take pictures or video another person’s “intimate areas” without the other person’s knowledge or consent, and when the other person would have a reasonable expectation of privacy. The retired Parker Elementary School sixth-grade teacher was charged under a three-year-old law that had been backed by the Attorney General’s Office, law enforcement and women who’d been the victims of voyeurs. -- Journal staff writer Amanda Milkovits The crime caught attention in Rhode Island in 2003, after a Warwick man was arrested for trying to shoot pictures up a teenage girl’s skirt as she shopped at a store, and a North Providence man was arrested for videotaping his then-girlfriend’s daughter with a camera hidden behind her bedroom mirror. Other women came forward and told their stories to the General Assembly of landlords and former friends who set up hidden cameras in their bedrooms and showers. The women said they felt violated and were worried their images were being sold on the Internet. The problem the police discovered at the time was that the state law did not cover this type of crime. State Rep. Donald J. Lally Jr., D-South Kingstown, and Sen. Daniel Daponte, D-East Providence, sponsored the legislation that made it a felony, punishable by three years in jail and/or fines of up to $5,000. The bill became law in 2004. Riviere was arraigned at the Wickford barracks by a justice of the peace and released on $5,000 bail with surety, Neill said. Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:57 PM | Comment Watch Hill mansion draws $4.5M bid at auctionGROTON, Conn. -- A Connecticut couple has offered $4.5 million at auction for the Watch Hill mansion belonging to the owner of the defunct Bess Eaton coffee-shop chain. The couple’s winning bid is short of the mansion’s assessed value and could be rejected by Louis A. Gencarelli Sr. and his wife, Karen E. Gencarelli, who have been trying to sell the property -- known as Treasure Hill -- for more than three years. The 17-room, 10,500-square-foot house at 2 Kidds Way in Watch Hill has an assessed value of close to $7 million, according to records from the Westerly tax office. The Westerly-based Bess Eaton chain was sold in a 2004 bankruptcy court auction to Tim Hortons Inc, the Canadian coffee-shop chain that was seeking expand in the United States. The Kidds Way house has been on the market since Louis Gencarelli pushed the coffee-shop chain founded by his family into bankruptcy. The original asking price for Treasure Hill was $7.75 million. The house was built in 1988 to replace a house that burned to the ground in 1987. Gencarelli bought the property in 2002 for $3.15 million from Anthony Fonda. Treasure Hill stands on the second-highest elevation in Watch Hill and comes with little more than one acre of land. It overlooks the Atlantic Ocean. -- Journal staff writer Paul Grimaldi The Westerly estate was offered in an open auction yesterday, with New York-based Sheldon Good & Co. handling the event at the Mystic Marriott Hotel in Groton. About 15 people attended the auction, including at least two people relaying bids via cell phone. Bidding opened at the $3 million suggested by the auctioneer and moved quickly above $4 million, but offers never threatened to approach the mansion’s assessed value during the auction’s roughly 15 minutes. Mike and Diane McLean, of Simsbury, Conn., came out the winners at $4.5 million. A 7.5-percent buyer’s premium -- $337,500 in this case -- was added to the winning offer. A property closing will be scheduled within 45 days of the bid being accepted by the Gencarellis. After the auction, the McLeans said they will use Treasure Hill as a vacation home. They plan only “cosmetic” changes. In February of this year, Karen Gencarelli sold a house at 8 Cedar Rock Meadows in East Greenwich for $2.2 million, according to information from The Warren Group of Boston, a real-estate information service. Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:27 PM | Comment Photo: Kids sell cool drinks for a good cause
Posted by Jack Perry at 2:54 PM | Comment State trooper still in serious conditionMore than a week after state trooper Brendan R. Doyle was critically injured – allegedly by a reckless driver he tried to stop in downtown Providence while off-duty – he remains in serious condition today at Rhode Island Hospital, according to spokeswoman Nancy Cawley. The son of Rhode Island running legend Robert Doyle, trooper Doyle has been fighting for his life. The man accused of punching Doyle to the pavement in downtown Providence was arraigned last week in District Court. James Proulx had allegedly called an ex-girlfriend as he sped away, leaving her an obscenity-laced message in which he bragged about giving “the beating of their [expletive] life.” Visitors to Doyle's hospital roomhave included state troopers, firefighters, family, friends and Bishop Thomas J. Tobin of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence. -- with reports from Journal staff writer Amanda Milkovits Posted by Kate Bramson at 2:46 PM | Comment Procaccianti Group backs out of Newport Grand dealThe Procaccianti Group is backing out of its plan to purchase Newport Grand for $155 million. The family that owns Newport Grand issued a statement that it "has received notice of termination from the Procaccianti Group to purchase Newport Grand and the 24-acre adjacent property." "I want to reassure the state, the city of Newport, and our employees of our commitment to develop Newport Grand into a world class gaming facility," Newport Grand CEO, Diane Hurley, said. Procaccianti had put down a $5 million deposit and signed a contract with Newport Grand earlier in the year. Within the sales contract was language that allowed Procaccianti to back out of the deal before July 15 and recover its deposit if a proposal to extend a five-year extension on the freeze on the video slot tax rate was unlikely. House Speaker William J. Murphy said last week that legislation introduced to that effect would not be voted on this year. Procaccianti spokesman Ralph Izzi issued a brief statement earlier today. "We had to make a business decision because of the result of the legislation," he said. "It was our decision." Newport Mayor Stephen Waluk said today that he was not surprised the deal fell through. "As long as Newport Grand operates and is a good community partner, I don’t know how much it matters to the city who operates it," he said. Procaccianti announced in April that it would continue the expansion of Newport Grand, which is under contract with the state to make $20 million in improvements, including building a hotel and adding 800 video slot terminals, bringing the total to 2,101. The expansion is part of larger plans announced last month by Procaccianti, calling for constructing hotels, restaurants, recreational and entertainment venues, in Newport and elsewhere in the state, for total spending in Rhode Island of $1.4 billion. -- Steve Peoples, Journal State House Bureau Posted by Steve Peoples at 1:25 PM | Comment Update: Teen's condition serious, driver arraigned
Harrall during arraignment
The police this morning identified the 17-year-old girl who was critically injured when she was struck by an alleged drunk driver on Route 1 in South Kingstown as Sylvia Bogusz. Bogusz graduated from South Kingstown High School last Monday night, Police Capt. Jeffrey Allen said this morning. Her condition at Rhode Island Hospital has been upgraded from critical to serious, spokeswoman Andrea Barbosa said around 10 a.m. today. When her car broke down early Saturday morning, Bogusz did everything right, Allen said. She pulled well off the road, she called for help and then she got out of her vehicle and stood off to the right of the passenger side – because she thought it would be safer to stand outside the car, he said. The driver, Heidi L. Harrall, 45, of South Kingstown, was arraigned this morning in Washington County Court, Wakefield, on charges of driving under the influence resulting in serious bodily injury, driving to endanger resulting in serious bodily injury and refusing to submit to a chemical test. Harrall was held without bail as a violator on a conviction from last year. -- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson, with reports from photographer Mary Murphy The police say Harrall was driving southbound in the left lane of the two-lane road, the same direction Bogusz had been driving when her car broke down near the Charlestown line. Harrall apparently lost control of her vehicle, drove onto the median to the left of the southbound lanes, struck a guardrail and crossed back over the two lanes of traffic, Allen said. Her car then apparently drove around Bogusz’s stopped car and struck the girl, Allen said. “The poor girl was doing what she felt was the safest thing to do, and it ended up being, unfortunately, the wrong thing,” Allen said. Bogusz was thrown “quite a distance,” probably at least a couple hundred feet, before she struck the pavement, Allen said. Posted by Kate Bramson at 1:20 PM | Comment Update: Police ID body pulled from Pawtuxet RiverCOVENTRY -- The police this afternoon identified the body pulled from the Pawtuxet River yesterday as Richard G. Abramson. Abramson, 45, had a last known address of 10 Doris Drive, Coventry, the Coventry police announced in a statement. The investigation continues, while authorities await autopsy results from the medical examiner's office. A preliminary examination of the body when it was found "no sign of major trauma," the police said. At about 10:40 a.m. yesterday, the police responded to an access to the river, near Pilgrim Avenue, to speak to two Coventry residents who called the police and said they had found a body in the river. The residents said they were fishing from a canoe when they located the body floating, face down. The residents described the body as that of an older male with long hair. Police and fire personnel brought the body to shore and turned it over to the medical examiner's office, which will do an autopsy "at a later date," the news release states. -- projo.com staff writers Michael P. McKinney and Kate Bramson Posted by Mike McKinney at 12:43 PM | Comment Marriage-ad campaign includes spot from ProvidenceA new ad campaign by a committee of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, titled "What did you do for your marriage today?" features spots shot in Providence, among several cities. That's according to a news release on PRNewswire today, which says the bishops' Committee on Marriage and Family will introduce the campaign "to highlight the value of marriage and to provide supports for engaged and married couples." The ads, described as public service announcements for television and radio airing, "stand as a creative response to concerns for marriage in U.S. Society." There will also be a Web component. The release does not specify what those concerns are. Spots for the ads were also shot in Washington, New York, Los Angeles, and Austin, Texas. The formal unveiling of the ads is scheduled for Wednesday in Denver. Posted by Mike McKinney at 12:39 PM | Comment Fireworks over Providence announced for July 3PROVIDENCE -- City officials today announced the fireworks display over Providence will be held July 3 at 9:30 p.m. This year's Independence Day celebration is sponsored by the City of Providence and the Providence Tourism Council. In a news release today, Mayor David N. Cicilline and the City’s Department of Art, Culture and Tourism promise a "spectacular fireworks display." Posted by Mike McKinney at 11:57 AM | Comment Gas prices down for 4th week in a rowGasoline prices have dropped in Rhode Island for the fourth consecutive week – for a total of 15 cents per gallon during that period, according to AAA Southern New England. Self-serve, regular unleaded gasoline is averaging $2.93 per gallon. That’s three cents less than last week and four cents below this week’s national average. Prices around Rhode Island are ranging 31 cents for self-serve, regular unleaded gasoline – from $2.83 to $3.14. The priciest gasoline is full-serve premium unleaded, which is averaging $3.30 in today’s AAA survey of prices. On AAA’s Gas Savings Tips & Tools Web page, find the most up-to-date local gas prices. Posted by Kate Bramson at 11:41 AM | Comment Bishop Tobin still making news over Giuliani criticismBishop Thomas J. Tobin is in the news again today for his harsh criticism of Republican presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani's stand on abortion. The bishop, head of the Diocese of Providence, is quoted in a story in today’s New York Times examining the Catholic Church’s position on Catholic politicians, including Giuliani, who support abortion rights while personally opposing the procedure. In a recent column in the Rhode Island Catholic, Bishop Tobin compared Giuliani to Pontius Pilate, who sentenced Christ to death – and called the former New York City mayor’s stance ``pathetic’’ and ``hypocritical.’’ When Giuliani was asked about Bishop Tobin’s criticism during a Republican presidential debate, a lightning strike knocked out the sound system – and Giuliani’s initial response. A video of the moment went on to be a popular clip on YouTube. Today’s story is teased on the Times’ front page. -- Journal staff writer G. Wayne Miller Posted by Kate Bramson at 10:01 AM | Comment Coventry police pull body out of Pawtuxet RiverCOVENTRY – The Medical Examiner is reportedly examining the body of a man that was pulled out of the Pawtuxet River yesterday by the Coventry police. Sgt. Michael Flanagan said this morning that more details should be available later today. He’s uncertain if the body has been identified. Channel 12 is reporting that the police say two fishermen spotted the body and called 911. The medical examiner’s office is reportedly conducting an autopsy. -- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson Posted by Kate Bramson at 7:31 AM | Comment Today brings good beach and boating conditionsNot working today? Lucky you. Head to the beach. It should be a gorgeous beach day, and it looks as if all of Rhode Island’s beaches are open and ready for sunbathers, surfers and swimmers like you. If you’re looking for marine weather information, check out the National Weather Service’s interactive coastal marine map for this region. Also, for all your nautical needs, boaters love the Maine Harbors site, which is packed with tide charts, marine weather news, information on fishing tournaments and links to local boat builders, charter operators, lighthouses and publications. The tide charts on this site are so well done that boaters rave about them. Check out Rhode Island’s chart. To check the status of any beach for swimming, go to the state Department of Health’s beach-monitoring siteor call (401) 222-2751 for recorded information. Posted by Kate Bramson at 7:12 AM | Comment Summer's really here -- expect highs in 80sPROVIDENCE – It’s still cool and comfortable this morning – at 63 degrees – but it’s going to be hot today and even hotter later this week. Expect a high of 86 today and then into the low 90s for the next two days. Rain on Thursday should cool temps back down – to a high of 78 on Friday. Get the latest conditions and forecasts from projo.com. Posted by Kate Bramson at 7:07 AM | Comment R.I. watching ruling on Ca. global warming emissionsWASHINGTON -- Rhode Island is among the states watching for the Environmental Protection Agency's ruling on California's petition to implement greenhouse gas reductions on automobiles. The EPA plans to rule by the end of the year. The law can't take effect unless California gets a federal waiver. While the federal government has authority to make air pollution rules, California has unique status under the Clean Air Act to enact its own regulations as long as it receives permission from the EPA. Other states can then follow either the federal or California standards. At least eleven other states, including Rhode Island, are ready to implement California's emissions standards if it gets the waiver. At issue is a 2002 California law that requires automakers to cut emissions by 25 percent from cars and light trucks and 18 percent from sport utility vehicles starting with the 2009 model year. -- The Associated Press Posted by Jack Perry at 7:01 AM | Comment Today's front pageToday's front page features photographs and a story on how development in the resort community of Westerly has generated a parking crisis. There's also a story about an East Greenwich man who is embedded with an Army Civil Affairs Unit in Iraq. He will be sending periodic reports to The Journal. Download a copy of today's front page in .pdf format. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:00 AM | Comment June 23, 2007Assembly: What they did, the uncut version / Photos
By early evening, the anticipated introduction of legislation allowing round-the-clock gambling at the state’s two slot parlors on weekends and holiday eves had also evaporated. But in a session that spanned more than 13 hours, lawmakers passed hundreds of bills in their race to adjournment, including a bill to allow people with disabilities, on public boards, to call in their votes by phone and another to ban forced overtime for nurses. Both were headed to the governor’s desk. Previously unseen bills surfaced – and passed - including one that would levy a new tax on the health-care bills paid by private insurers that, depending on who you talk to, could raise the health-insurance rates of the insured to create a new pool of money to help the uninsured. Another surfaced that was aimed at reversing a heavily criticized feature of the new state budget: the sentencing of 17-year-old criminals to the state prison to save money, because the Training School is more expensive. But it failed to pass both chambers. Lawmakers also went home without making any of the major revisions, sought by business owners, in the fire-code requirements adopted in the wake of The Station nightclub fire that killed 100 people. They debated a citizenship-verification bill that appeared the only survivor among a spate of dueling immigration-related bills. Despite House passage, the bills both died when the Senate refused to take them up. Continue reading ... -- By Katherine Gregg, Steve Peoples, Elizabeth Gudrais and Bruce Landis, Journal State House Bureau UNEXPECTED RECESS Three House members who are medical professionals – former municipal firefighters Rene R. Menard and Peter T. Ginaitt, and registered nurse Elizabeth M. Dennigan – rushed to Sullivan’s aid as rescue workers were called. Sullivan soon regained consciousness; House Speaker William J. Murphy explained that Sullivan hadn’t eaten much during the long day. Debate continued. Among the biggest shocks of the night was the House’s passage of Rep. Richard W. Singleton’s so-called Easter Bunny Protection Act, which was introduced in April, heard in early May, and moved to the floor last night without advance posting. Singleton’s bill responded to an incident in which Tiverton Schools Supt. William Rearick prohibited a parents’ group from sponsoring a photo booth featuring the Easter Bunny at a middle-school craft fair in March. A costumed Peter Rabbit appeared instead. The bill would have prohibited cities and towns and their subdivisions from enacting regulations “requiring the alteration of the name or concept of any religious or secular holiday or any religious or secular figure or symbol associated with any such holiday.” The House debated the bill for 30 minutes, then approved it at 11:13 p.m. on a vote of 55 to 12. The Senate, however, never took it up. POLLUTER FEES “It’s a vital piece of legislation,” said House Environment Committee Chairman Peter T. Ginaitt, D-Warwick. The existing law provides for $1,000 per day fines for violations, “an affordable cost” to a major company, Ginaitt said, while the bill would raise that to a maximum of $40,000 per day, a serious penalty even for a big company. And while the House passed the bill near 3:30 a.m., the Senate never took a vote, in effect killing the proposal for the year. There were four Tiverton residents watching incredulously from the front row of the Senate gallery. For the last five years, they have been living in a neighborhood contaminated with coal gasification waste allegedly dumped almost a century ago by the former Fall River Gas Co., which was bought by Southern Union Co. “I am angry,” said Gail Corvello. “How can they let our children be exposed to hazardous chemicals every day for the next six months? That is unconscionable.” The governor’s office said the higher fines in the new bill is “the difference between a feather duster and a Louisville Slugger,” according to the governor’s deputy chief of staff, John R. Pagliarini. Senate President Joseph A. Montalbano largely blamed the bill’s death on the governor for putting the bill in without consulting the Senate. “The Senate never agreed to legal fees,” he said. “They’re trying to justify spending $3.5 million in taxpayer money in legal fees.” The bill also would have required companies guilty of contamination to pay legal fees incurred by the state. But Montalbano wasn’t concerned with the language in the bill. He was upset that the DEM had paid nearly $800,000 to pay a Washington, D.C. law firm, and requested another $3.5 million, to fight Southern Union. The bill had nothing to do with those legal fees, although Senate Finance Committee Chairman Stephen D. Alves, D-West Warwick, later reiterated Montalbano’s concern. Gary Rose, another Tiverton resident, said he didn’t know what he and his neighbors would do next. “We’re flying by the seat of our pants right now,” he said, shaking his head in disbelief. GAMBLING HOURS As of May, the state’s official revenue estimators were anticipating a total of $256.3 million from video-gambling this year, and $271.1 million in the new state budget year that begins July 1. As to how much round-the-clock gambling on weekends and holidays might add to the state’s coffers, no one seemed to know. However, lawmakers — talking one-on-one with lobbyists for lottery giant GTECH and the Lincoln dog track — came away with the impression the state could raise an additional $17.5 million from Lincoln alone, and “$25 million to $30 million’’ more from the two facilities. Were those numbers pinned to extended weekend and holiday openings only, or to 24-hour, seven-day-a-week operations? No one could say. The new money would have been dedicated to local education aid. Governor Carcieri — the leading opponent of last year’s West Warwick casino proposal — gave the proposal his tacit approval. “If the town of Lincoln and the city of Newport are supportive, I would support that,” Carcieri told reporters after a news conference on Thursday. His director of communications, Steve Kass, cited what he called persuasive “public safety’’ arguments for extending the hours to reduce the rush of patrons out the door and onto the highways at closing time. Along the way, Rep. Sullivan recruited more than 30 co-signers for his bill to allow the 24-hour operations on weekends and the night before federally recognized holidays. But after talking privately with House Speaker William J. Murphy, D-West Warwick, Sullivan said he agreed that “with so much happening on the last day of the session,’’ it would be more responsible to introduce the bill early in next year’s session so the idea gets a “full committee vetting.’’ “We’ve all heard estimates as to what this might mean in terms of additional revenue,” Sullivan said. But, “without a firm grasp of how much revenue this would actually produce, I felt uncomfortable,’’ he said. Added Murphy during a break: “I don’t think I’ll personally have an objection,” but “we don’t have any numbers” and “at this point, this being most likely the last day of the session, we are not going to have time to go in tonight and have the Finance Committee vet the issue.’’
MUNICIPAL AID All together, the package was expected to raise $41 million for cities and towns. By 4 a.m., it was clear that the entire package was dead. The proposals, backed by the House leadership, were aimed at helping communities cope with the state budget finalized Thursday that stripped $19 million in state education aid from the governor’s proposal. Mayors and town administrators gathered at the State House this week to plead for help. It had been obvious early in the night that the package was in trouble. “They all came bombardiering up here because they want more money and they expect us to just start raising taxes to accommodate them?” House Minority Leader Robert A. Watson, R-East Greenwich, said of the mayors during a heated debate that found several Democrats joining the Republicans in attacking the proposed hikes. Among the most controversial was a bill to allow municipally owned water-supply companies, such as the Providence Water Supply Board, to add a “reasonable rate of return” — essentially, a profit — of at least 8 percent to their rates. More than 150,000 water customers would have been affected. But it was heated debate over a less-controversial fire-hydrant bill that set the tone. After nearly an hour of debate on the fire hydrant provision in which the chamber was largely divided, House Majority Leader Gordon Fox reluctantly withdrew that bill. Over the course of the rest of the session, Fox withdrew each tax proposal from the calendar when it was announced. But it wasn’t certain that a proposed tax on cable TV bills was dead until the House adjourned after 4 a.m. without voting on the measure. That had never been placed on the floor calendar, but as the rules had been suspended, it could have been brought up any time. The “video services tax” would have imposed a new 3.5-percent tax on all cable television and direct-broadcast satellite bills to raise a projected $7.68 million to be split among the cities and towns in proportion to their population. House leaders had been working to salvage one piece of the “municipal aid” package that initially included five bills: a hike in the real estate transfer tax from $2 to $3 on every $500 of selling price. But Fox gave up at close to 3 a.m. and moved to send the proposal back to the House Finance Committee. “It’s disappointing,” said Dan Beardsley, head of the Rhode Island League of Cities and Towns, which had pushed the package. “But it’s Friday night. It’s getting warm. It’s the last night of the session. It’s almost to be expected.” ANTI-PRIVATIZATION FIRE CODE The bill would have given business owners tax credits for installing sprinklers or new fire alarms, and would have exempted some theaters from sprinkler requirements if they doubled their exit capacity. It would have mitigated some of the stringent requirements adopted after The Station nightclub fire in West Warwick in 2003, which killed 100 people and injured 200 more. The legislation was the product of months of work by a House oversight commission co-chaired by Rep. Ginaitt and Rep. Joseph A. Trillo, R-Warwick. They were taking last-minute testimony, and crafting amendments in response, through Friday evening. Senate Majority Leader M. Teresa Paiva Weed said the bill simply came over too late for the Senate to consider, given that no senator sat on the commission and there was no Senate companion bill for the measure. But Ginaitt called that “a poor excuse” and said the Senate was welcome to be part of the process in any way they chose from the beginning. Ginaitt said the Senate had let down businesses that were counting on Assembly action. “You can’t even imagine the amount of work that’s gone into this,” he said. HOSPITAL BED TAX The chairman, Alves, said the anticipated $15 million in new revenue would go to reducing the number of Rhode Islanders who are underinsured or have no health insurance, with the method to be chosen by a legislative commission. Matthew Stark, policy chief in the health insurance commissioner’s office, said the money might be used in a number of ways, including allowing discounted insurance rates for employers with low-income employees or to raise the income eligibility level for federally supported health insurance for children. Stark said the 3-percent tax would probably translate into a 1-percent increase in insurance premiums. Blue Cross spokesman Scott A. Fraser left no doubt the cost would be passed on to the insured: “The money’s got to come from somewhere, and that’s our members.” DOMESTIC PARTNER BENEFITS The 54-16 vote came after 30 minutes’ debate, part of which consisted of Rep. Al Gemma, D-Warwick, reading the entire Senate vote into the record, name by name. House Majority Leader Gordon D. Fox, who is gay, spoke in support of the bill. “This is really about trying to be progressive,” he said, adding that his partner would not benefit from it. Fox said he chooses not to seek any benefits for his partner because he does not want to open himself up to criticism. SENTENCING OF 17-YEAR-OLDS The change is expected to save as much as $3.6 million because the cost of housing inmates at the Adult Correctional Institutions is much cheaper than at the Rhode Island Training School. But the plan to send 17-year-olds to adult prison brought a wave of opposition from national as well as local groups, including Human Rights Watch, The Sentencing Project and Rhode Island Kids Count. The Senate approved a bill proposed by the coalition, which would have raised the age of majority back to 18 and capped the number of inhabitants at the training school at 150. (There are more than 200 youths in the Training School now, officials said.) Putting young adults in prison “is not done in a civilized society,” said Sen. Daniel Issa, D-Central Falls. But the youths diverted from the Training School would have gone into community-based programs that also cost the state money, and Costantino, the House Finance chairman, said he wasn’t convinced the proposal could save as much money as advocates said it could. “That bill is not revenue neutral,” he said last night. And ultimately, no House committee ever considered the bill. CORRECTIONS The bills were part of a package aimed at reducing the state’s exploding prison population. Before this year’s legislative session even began, lawmakers were vowing to do something about prison costs, but specific measures did not begin to emerge from committees until the session’s final two weeks. Also on its way to the governor is a bill that would allow judges to waive the routine one-night stay at the Adult Correctional Institutions for people sentenced to serve on home confinement. Other proposals seemed destined for action when they moved through committees last week, but ultimately, lawmakers dropped proposals to increase the amount of time prisoners can get subtracted from their sentences for good behavior; release people who are incarcerated because they lack the money to pay court fines; and dismiss probation violations if people are not convicted of the criminal charge that constituted the violation. SEPARATION OF POWERS Common Cause of Rhode Island, the Conservation Law Foundation and Save the Bay unsuccessfully fought the resolution. The resolution’s supporters say the state Constitution gives the Assembly special responsibility for environmental matters, and therefore the CRMC should continue to include legislative appointees and lawmakers themselves. IMMIGRATION The American Civil Liberties Union had opposed the bill. So had several advocacy groups for immigrants, which said the bill encouraged discrimination against all immigrants, legal or illegal. Rep. Joseph S. Almeida, who voted against the bill, called supporting it “a vote against poor people, a vote against ethnic folks, and definitely a vote against human rights.” Rep. Elizabeth M. Dennigan, D-East Providence, stood up to oppose the bill, saying the database is full of errors and so ineffective it’s about to be phased out. The bill’s sponsor, Rep. Jon D. Brien, D-Woonsocket, said Dennigan was citing old information and that many problems with the database have been corrected. He also noted that more than 10 other states already mandated employers’ participation. House Majority Whip Peter F. Kilmartin, D-Pawtucket, said the Assembly should pass the bill to avoid a situation here like the one that recently occurred in New Bedford, Mass. On March 6, federal agents raided a factory there and detained 361 people accused of being in the United States illegally. The workers told of working conditions that included locked emergency exits, working without heat in the winter, and a $20 fine if they were one minute late for work. “These people are being used,” said Kilmartin, D-Pawtucket. He added: “This bill is not anti-immigration. It is anti-illegal immigration.” Rep. Richard W. Singleton, R-Cumberland, introduced many immigration-related bills throughout the session, but got none through. Singleton called Brien’s bill “a start.” HEALTH INSURANCE Costantino’s plan frees insurers from most of the mandates that govern health insurance, the idea being that they’ll be able to offer cheaper plans if they aren’t required to provide such comprehensive coverage. The American Cancer Society, the March of Dimes, the American Diabetes Association and AARP all opposed the bill on the grounds that it would leave people with less coverage than they need. They said people would forego diagnostic tests if the tests aren’t covered, and would struggle to pay high deductibles while still paying insurance premiums. The criticisms prompted Sen. Leo R. Blais, R-Coventry, to accuse the groups of “ignoring the reality” that many sick people are already uninsured and some coverage is better than none. “How can you be against making health insurance more affordable for people in this state?” Blais asked during a Health and Human Services Committee hearing. The bill challenges insurers to offer a premium equal to 7.5 percent of the average state wage, or $240 a month, for an individual plan. It does not spell out for them how to get there. The new plans aim to attract employers that do not currently offer health benefits. They will be open only to employers that have not offered coverage in at least a year. Also on its way to the governor is a bill that sets criteria for the state health insurance commissioner’s review of requests by Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island to compensate its board members. Health Insurance Commissioner Christopher F. Koller denied the insurer’s 2005 request to begin compensating its board. PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY CAMPAIGN FINANCE Rep. Thomas C. Slater, D-Providence, wanted to excuse everyone from mandatory online filing, saying the requirement was too onerous for candidates and officials who did not own computers or were not computer literate. Rep. Edith H. Ajello, D-Providence, fought Slater’s proposal, saying it would diminish the public’s ability to get information about who pays for campaigns and how candidates spend their money. Ajello said she is satisfied with the compromise because it makes the Board of Elections responsible for putting the information online, in the searchable database, within a day for candidates below the threshold. The board’s executive director, Robert Kando, has said the board doesn’t have enough staff to comply.
APPOINTMENTS Kerins, who lobbied in the past for the Narragansett Indians casino drive and this year for the Waste Management Association of Rhode Island and the Fraternal Order of Police, would replace the soon-to-retire Joseph Baffoni. Starting pay for the job is $98,670. With longevity bonuses, Baffoni makes $113,470. Kerins’ pay could not be determined. The full Senate approved Governor Carcieri’s nomination of Gary D. Alexander as director of the state Department of Human Services, a post that pays $138,000 a year. Carcieri nominated Alexander on a permanent basis last week. “I am confident that Gary will be able to provide the Department of Human Services with strong leadership in challenging times,” Carcieri said through spokesman Jeff Neal. All of Carcieri’s department heads required reconfirmation at the start of his second term. But not all have fared as well as Alexander. Department of Administration Director Beverly Najarian’s confirmation hearing was indefinitely postponed, and Carcieri withdrew the nomination of another facing defeat, Labor Director Adelita Orefice. Both can continue indefinitely until they or a replacement is confirmed. -- By Katherine Gregg, Steve Peoples, Elizabeth Gudrais and Bruce Landis, Journal State House Bureau kgregg@projo.com / (401) 277-7078 Posted by Andrea Panciera at 8:54 AM | Comment Assembly: What they did, at a glanceThe General Assembly finished its legislative work for the year overnight, in a marathon session ending at 4:04 a.m. Here's a quick look at major action taken over that one session spanning more than 13 hours: VETOES OVERRIDDEN Medical use of marijuana $7-billion state budget PASSED Eliminate mandatory minimum sentences for drug convictions Allow Sunday auto sales Prohibit nurses and certified nurse aides from being forced by their employers to work overtime Limit the ability of companies providing homeowners insurance to institute excessive deductibles on coastal properties Prohibit Newport from using zoning to block more slot machines at Newport Grand Ask the state Supreme Court whether separation of powers applies to the Coastal Resources Management Council Prevent judges from getting pension credit for time spent on unpaid leave Eliminate the in-state residency requirements that applied to some state employees Allow youths to preregister to vote at age 16, with registration automatic at 18 Pull state pension investments out of firms that do business with the Sudanese government Require birth certificates for stillborn babies Remove threat that a charitable contribution here will cost the donor residency in a more tax-friendly state Prohibit “human trafficking’’ Place time limits on building permits Allow a board of five Central Falls residents, appointed by the mayor, to run the federal Donald W. Wyatt Detention Facility directly. FAILED Move up the date of the presidential primary Freeze Newport Grand’s slice of the video lottery terminal revenue pie five additional years Relax fire-code requirements to ease the burden on businesses Finance a $41-million municipal aid package with tax and rate hikes on cable TV, real estate transfers, water and fire alarms Raise the fine on polluters from $1,000 to $40,000 a day Force lawmakers to pay part of the premium cost for their health insurance -- By Katherine Gregg, Steve Peoples, Elizabeth Gudrais and Bruce Landis, Journal State House Bureau Posted by Andrea Panciera at 7:57 AM | Comment Assembly: Wrapped up for the year at 4:04 a.m.PROVIDENCE — Despite pressure from municipal leaders and unions to add money to the local-aid pot, lawmakers squelched a $41-million package of eleventh-hour tax-and-fee increases before closing up shop for the year at 4:04 a.m. By early evening, the anticipated introduction of legislation allowing round-the-clock gambling at the state’s two slot parlors on weekends and holiday eves had also evaporated. But in a session that spanned more than 13 hours, lawmakers passed hundreds of bills in their race to adjournment, including a bill to allow people with disabilities, on public boards, to call in their votes by phone and another to ban forced overtime for nurses. Both were headed to the governor’s desk. Previously unseen bills surfaced – and passed - including one that would levy a new tax on the health-care bills paid by private insurers that, depending on who you talk to, could raise the health-insurance rates of the insured to create a new pool of money to help the uninsured. Another surfaced that was aimed at reversing a heavily criticized feature of the new state budget: the sentencing of 17-year-old criminals to the state prison to save money, because the Training School is more expensive. But it failed to pass both chambers. Lawmakers also went home without making any of the major revisions, sought by business owners, in the fire-code requirements adopted in the wake of The Station nightclub fire that killed 100 people. They debated a citizenship-verification bill that appeared the only survivor among a spate of dueling immigration-related bills. Despite House passage, the bills both died when the Senate refused to take them up. More to come ... -- By Katherine Gregg, Steve Peoples, Elizabeth Gudrais and Bruce Landis, Journal State House Bureau
Posted by Andrea Panciera at 7:46 AM | Comment June 22, 2007Assembly: Will they finish?PROVIDENCE -- After a dinner break, House lawmakers reconvened at 8 p.m. and headed into a night of closing out the state's legislative business for the fiscal year. They were working on item 49 on a list of 93 bills -- although, in practice, legislators do not always stick to items in the order listed on their agenda. Check in with projo.com late this evening or early this morning for updates of what the General Assembly hopes will be its last session of this year. And if the House and Senate go past deadlines for The Journal newspaper, projo.com will post another update tomorrow during the day. Gotta see what's happening yourself? Turn to Cox Cable Channel 15, where action is being carried live. Posted by Mike McKinney at 8:01 PM | Comment Assembly: Tax package backed by mayors is dying
Journal photo / Gretchen ErtlMembers of the House on the job today. PROVIDENCE -- In a major development out of the General Assembly tonight, the state tax package pushed by several mayors and town administrators appears to be dying. The House of Representatives killed two of the five bills that make up the package, and the remaining ones are not expected to survive. "It's on life support," House Finance Chairman Steven Costantino said of the package after the House recessed for dinner at 7 p.m. It's expected to reconvene shortly. The Senate has also taken a break. One of the two killed bills is H-6381, which would have allowed cities and towns to pass ordinances to assess a charge on people who use fire departments' master fire alarm boxes. The other bill, H-6414, would have saved a projected $5 million by prohibiting municipal water providers from charging rental fees for fire hydrants to cities and towns. Most of the bills would simply allow communities to enact service-related fees and taxes. The tax package -- also called a "municipal-aid package" by supporters -- was to let cities and towns raise a projected $37 million-plus in new taxes and fees, significantly more than the $19 million in education aid the Assembly stripped from the governor’s budget proposal. Debate spanned an hour on the fire-hydrant tax-package provision alone today, with many Democrats speaking out against the bill. And House Majority Leader Gordon Fox moved to "recommit" the bill, which given that this is the session's final hours, killed it for the year. Another proposal in the package calls for instituting a 3.5-percent tax on cable and satellite television service (the tax would not apply to Internet and digital telephone services) and would apply to all users across the state. The tax would cost an additional $1.75 for a customer with a $50 monthly cable bill. And it would provide hundreds of thousands of dollars to municipalities each quarter after being distributed based on population proportion. Another proposal would generate an estimated $8.5 million by raising municipal water rates by 8 percent. And another water-related bill would save $5 million by prohibiting municipal water providers from charging rental fees for fire hydrants to cities and towns. A separate real estate transfer tax would raise an estimated $15 million by increasing the fee paid by home seller at the time of sale. Governor Carcieri has said he would veto the bills if approved by the legislature. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Steve Peoples of the Journal State House Bureau Posted by Mike McKinney at 7:07 PM | Comment Assembly: A little shelter for man's best friendPROVIDENCE -- It's no secret to anyone who's watched that House members sometimes bark at each other this time of year. But beneath the State House dome this afternoon the barking went to the dogs. And then on to the Senate. The bill was H-5179, which would establish penalties against anyone who keeps a dog outside "tethered, caged, fenced" or confined in a number of other ways "without adequate shelter from the elements." According to the legislation, it would be a violation if a dog was confined outside for more than two hours without "access to an outdoor housing facility." It would also be a violation in several other scenarios. The House of Representatives, wading through a lengthy list of bills as the legislative session's adjournment awaits, narrowly passed it 34-31 and sent it to the Senate. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:35 PM | Comment President Bush will visit R.I. next weekPresident Bush will be in Rhode Island this coming Thursday -- his first visit to the state of his presidency -- a White House spokesman confirmed for the first time today. The spokesman would not say yet whether the president's visit will be to the Naval War College in Newport -- the location it's been rumored he is going to visit. But more details are expected to be forthcoming over the weekend. Cmdr. Karen Sellers, the War College’s public affairs officer, yesterday would not comment on talk that Mr. Bush will be in Newport on June 28 as part of the 50th anniversary celebration of the Naval War College’s Naval Command College, a school for military officers from around the world. The five-day symposium and reunion for the 1,600 alumni of the Naval Command College will be held June 25-29. An exhaustive schedule for the celebration posted online by the War College lists in detail each day’s events, including presentations, speeches and meals. No events, however, had been scheduled for next Thursday. Mark Stahl, coordinator for the Rhode Island Community Coalition for Peace, sent out e-mails this week announcing plans for a demonstration. The reunion also coincides with the arrival of the Tall Ships to Newport. A flotilla is expected to be sailing into and around Newport Harbor -- which the Naval War College overlooks -- from Wednesday through Sunday, July 1. -- Journal staff writer Alex Kuffner Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:07 PM | Comment Weather update: Shifting from sunny to scaryDepending on where you sit in Rhode Island right now, you could see nasty dark gray clouds or bright blue sky. Isolated to scattered thunderstorms will continue to develop late this afternoon and move south-southeast across southern New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and northern Connecticut. While many locations could remain dry through 6 p.m., rainfall should generally range from one-tenth inch or less, with up to a half-inch in the heavier thunderstorms. Any thunderstorms will pose a lightning risk and contain briefly moderate to heavy rainfall, the National Weather Service warns. A few of these thunderstorms may also produce small hail. Take a look at the sky above downtown Providence via projo.com's Webcam, and check out the latest line of showers with our live radar, at: http://projo.com/weather. Posted by Andrea Panciera at 5:50 PM | Comment Photo: A familiar sight in the House
Posted by Andrea Panciera at 5:43 PM | Comment Update: Driver in fatal Barrington crash ID'd
BARRINGTON -- The police have identified the woman who died in a single-car crash today as 22-year-old Danielle M. Mello. Mello, who lived at 44 Maple Ave., was pronounced dead at the scene, according to a news release. Earlier today, the police said Mello, who died early this morning, was believed to be exceeding the 45 mph speed limit on Route 114 north near the Riverside turnaround. "Investigation to date indicates that excessive speed contributed to the cause of the accident," the most recent news release said. At about 2:26 a.m., the driver apparently lost control of the Lexus she was driving on Route 114, also known as Wampanoag Trail, and struck a tree broadside, snapping it in half and uprooting it, LaCross said. The car also rolled over, but LaCross said he’s not sure whether that happened before or after the car struck the tree. LaCross said earlier today he does not believe Mello was wearing a seat belt. LaCross said such tragedies are particularly difficult in a town as small as Barrington. "On behalf of the men and women of the Barrington Police Department, our deepest sympathies and condolences are extended to the Mello family during their tragic loss," LaCross said in the statement this afternoon. -- projo.com staff writers Kate Bramson and Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:35 PM | Comment Update: No verdict yet in teacher's aide murder trial
WARWICK -- The jury weighing the fate of James Richardson, the Cranston man accused of killing Margaret Duffy-Stephenson in 2005, was released this afternoon without reaching a verdict. The jury is scheduled to resume deliberating on Monday at 9:30 a.m. in Kent County Superior Court. The defense delivered its closing arguments this morning, contending that all the prosecution had was a trace of what could be Richardson's DNA found on the dead woman's hand. In his closing argument, Special Assistant Attorney General Thomas O'Brien said the state had much more than that: Opportunity and motive. The DNA was the final piece in the puzzle, O'Brien said. The case went to the jury about 1:30 this afternoon. Duffy-Stephenson, 37, a teacher's aide in East Greenwich, was found slain in her Blackmore Street home on Nov. 18, 2005. Officials placed her time of death sometime during the night of Nov. 16 into the early morning hours of Nov. 17. In his closing, defense attorney John Hardiman argued that the DNA sample presented as evidence of Richardson's culpability is too small to be conclusive. He said it also could have come from casual contact. The DNA alleged to be from Richardson was found under a fingernail on the victim's right hand, according to the prosecution. Hardiman also said the crime scene was compromised, and there's more evidence against the victim's husband, James Stephenson, than Richardson. -- Journal staff writer Talia Buford Richardson is charged with one count each of burglary and first-degree murder. Read about yesterday's testimony in the case here. Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:50 PM | Comment Judge makes lawyer, not daughters, Eifrig's guardianPROVIDENCE – Superior Court Judge Alice B. Gibney decided today that neither of Laurette Borduas Eifrig’s grown daughters is suitable to be her guardian, saying there is too much animosity between them to put either in charge of their mother’s care and finances. Gibney, in a 33-page written decision issued late this afternoon, ordered that North Providence lawyer Paula M. Cuculo remain as Eifrig’s guardian and that only Cuculo should have access to Eifrig’s trust funds. Cuculo was appointed Eifrig’s temportary guardian by Gibney last summer after the 90-year-old Eifrig, who is blind and suffers from dementia, was moved by her older daughter, Suzette Gebhard, to Rhode Island from Virginia, where she resided for 13 years, near her younger daughter, Francine Ardito. Gebhard, former head of the Rhode Island League of Women Voters and a one-time Democratic congressional candidate here, secreted her mother in her house in Warren for many months and refused to let her sister or Cuculo visit. In late January, after police knocked down Gebhard’s door to gain access to Eifrig, she was hospitalized briefly and then moved by Cuculo to Capitol Ridge, where she has said she wants to continue to reside, according to testimony she gave to Gibney last month. Ardito, who has power of attorney for her mother and is co-trustee of her mother’s Virginia trust, has now started a legal battle in Virginia to wrest control of her mother’s money away from Cuculo so she can freeze her mother out of Capitol Ridge and bring her back to an assisted-living facility in Virginia. She has directed financial institutions there not to release any more money to Cuculo. Gibney has scheduled a hearing for next Tuesday to decide whether Ardito should be held in contempt. Until her further order, the judge also ordered that Eifrig remain at Capitol Ridge, where Gibney says she's adjusted well --Journal staff writer Tracy Breton Posted by Andrea Panciera at 4:27 PM | Comment A topping off at Fidelity / Photo
SMITHFIELD -- Boston-based Fidelity Investments held a "topping-off" ceremony today for its newest and largest building in Rhode Island, a 577,000-square-foot structure being constructed on its 500-acre Smithfield campus. The building will house 1,000 employees, according to the mutual funds giant. Two years later, Fidelity completed a second building in Smithfield, a 275,000-square-foot structure. Combined, the two, four-story buildings cost $100 million. The newest building will triple Fidelity’s total investment in the 500-acre campus. -- Journal staff writer Benjamin Gedan Posted by Peter Phipps at 3:49 PM | Comment Assembly: Separation of powers question back againPROVIDENCE -- Asking the state Supreme Court whether the Coastal Resources Management Council is subject to the 2004 separation of powers constitutional amendment won House approval after fiery debate this afternoon. But there's a long way to go, and H-6266, the bill asking the court to weigh in on whether the coastal permitting agency is subject to separation of powers, got plenty of talk. The question is whether the state Constitution gives the Assembly special jurisdiction over environmental matters, and therefore enables lawmakers and their appointees to continue sitting on the CRMC in spite of separation of powers, the 2004 ballot question whose passage removed lawmakers and their appointees from statewide bodies with executive power. The watchdog group Common Cause of Rhode Island claimed the question was worded so broadly that the opinion, depending on what it said, might have the effect of undoing separation of powers completely. Rep. Laurence W. Ehrhardt, R-North Kingstown, criticized it, saying, "We should hang our heads in shame" over the bill. But Rep. Al Gemma, D-Warwick, expressed support, as did Rep. Peter F. Kilmartin, D-Pawtucket. Kilmartin said that regardless of the voter-approved separation of powers amendment, the bill is worthwhile because there is a "natural tension" in the state Constitution. That tension is similar to the one between freedom of the press and protection of privacy, he said. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Rep. Nicholas Gorham, R-Coventry, criticized the bill as one that will amount to asking the state Supreme Court whether it really counted when the state's voters approved the separation of powers amendment. "We're just delaying implementation of separation of powers," Gorham said. Later he added, that it is among the "most disengenuous" items he's heard the House consider. The House asked the state's highest court the exact same question last year, but the court declined to give an opinion. The reason was that the legislature returning this year would have some new members, so the court would be giving an answer to a different legislature than the one that asked. Later this afternoon, the House also passed H-6566, also sponsored by DeSimone, which is a House resolution asking the state Supreme Court justices to give a written opinion on the matter. Posted by Mike McKinney at 3:45 PM | Comment Assembly: The final push beginsPROVIDENCE -- The traffic jam inside the State House begins this afternoon. In what could be the legislative session's final day, though it may go into tomorrow morning, the House and Senate will settle a host of unresolved, but potentially critical, controversial and sometimes last-minute, proposals. One to watch: Talk of allowing video-slot parlors at Newport Grand and Twin Rivers in Lincoln to stay open 24 hours a day on weekends. Just don't look for anything on paper telling you what it's all about -- the bill hasn't been introduced yet. By day's end, it could be. And by night's end, it could be law -- or not. Many more questions could soon be answered: - Will legislation pass easing some restrictions in the state's toughest-in-the-nation fire code? Read more about it here. - Will the legislature ban overtime for nurses? - Will a package of what officials call prison reforms survive? - Will Rhode Island join a herd of states in moving up its presidential primary date? - Will a hospital bed-tax that insurers would pay, but which could result in some cost being passed down to the public, win approval? Some bills will live as laws, some will be killed and others will simply die on the vine. The House Finance Committee, which will take up certain bills and then slingshot some to the House, has been meeting since about 1 p.m. The House was slated to go in at 2 p.m. but was actually called to order at 2:45 p.m.. Go here to see what the House has on its calendar today. The Senate has a full to-do list, too. Take a look here. Projo.com will help you keep up with the action by providing updates this afternoon and evening. If staying inside on another beautiful day in front of a TV doesn't faze you, you can also watch much of what happens on Cox Cable's Channel 15. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 3:25 PM | Comment Operation helps gimpy cheetah get back up to speedArthritis can even slow down the fastest animals on land. But Togo, a 15-year-old cheetah at Roger Williams Park Zoo, should start feeling better after a veterinarian spent two hours today operating on his right front leg. Togo, who is old for a cheetah, had been showing signs of discomfort over the past two years, and animal care staff at the zoo discovered arthritis in Togo's leg last fall. The operation fused what is the equivalent of the animal's wrist joint, according to Laura Dunn, a spokeswoman for the zoo. That will alleviate pain because it will stop the joint from moving and also provide more support, she said. The operation "went great. Everything went as expected. There weren't any complications," Dunn said this afternoon. Togo will be kept in a confined area of his exhibit for a while to limit his running and jumping. The public won't be able to see him again until possibly Sunday, Dunn said. Cheetahs are the fastest animals on land, capable of speeds up to 70 mph. And while Togo may never reach that speed, he should soon be able to move as he pleases around his space at the zoo, according to Dunn. "He's an old guy but he's in remarkable shape otherwise," she said. Posted by Jack Perry at 3:06 PM | Comment Europe OKs sale of drug produced in SmithfieldSMITHFIELD -- Alexion Pharmaceuticals has received permission to sell its drug Soliris in Europe, greatly expanding the market for the medication it plans to produce in its new facility in Smithfield. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the drug in March, and Alexion began selling it in the U.S. the following month. This morning, the European Medicines Agency, a London-based Europen Union body, granted permission for sales in Europe, according to Alexion. Soliris is the only approved therapy in Europe and the U.S. to treat paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria, an illness that destroys red blood cells. The disease can cause anemia, severe fatigue, pain and kidney disease. -- Journal Staff Benjamin N. Gedan Posted by Jack Perry at 2:44 PM | Comment Photo: Portugal's president visits Fall River
Posted by Jack Perry at 2:03 PM | Comment Man charged with 42 lbs. of pot deported in 2005More details are emerging today about the man charged with possession of 42 pounds of marijuana. Juan Paula, 41, of 230 Dexter St., had been deported to the Dominican Republic in February 2005 after serving time in New York state for drugs, said State Police Lt. James O. Demers, commander of the high-intensity drug trafficking area task force. However, Paula returned illegally and set up shop in Providence, where he was selling marijuana to smaller dealers throughout the city, Demers said. The 42 pounds of marijuana would have sold for a total of more than $50,000. -- Journal staff writer Amanda Milkovits Posted by Kate Bramson at 1:58 PM | Comment Update: Jury begins deliberations in Warwick murderWARWICK -- Jurors began deliberating the fate of James Richardson, the man accused of killing Margaret Duffy-Stephenson in 2005. The defense delivered its closing arguments this morning arguing that all the prosecution had was a trace of Richardson's DNA found on the dead woman's hand. In his closing argument, Special Asstistant Attorney General Thomas O'Brien said the state had much more than that: opportunity and motive. The DNA was the final piece in the puzzle, O'Brien said. The case went to the jury about 1:30 this afternoon. Duffy-Stephenson, 37, a teacher's aide in East Greenwich, was found slain in her Blackmore Street home on Nov. 18, 2005. Officials placed her time of death sometime during the night of Nov. 16 into the early morning hours of Nov. 17. Richardson is charged with one count each of burglary and first-degree murder. In his closing, defense attorney John Hardiman argued that the DNA sample presented as evidence of Richardson's culpability is too small to be conclusive. He said it also could have come from casual contact. The DNA alleged to be from Richardson was found under a fingernail on the victim's right hand, according to the prosecution. Hardiman also said the crime scene was compromised, and there's more evidence against the victim's husband, James Stephenson, than Richardson. Read a story from yesterday's testimony. -- Journal staff writer Talia Buford Posted by Jack Perry at 1:55 PM | Comment Findings: No wrongdoing by Westerly chief, policeWESTERLY -- Police Chief Edward Mello did nothing wrong in storing two handguns at his home and he and police officers handled properly a May incident in which his ex-girlfriend allegedly broke into his home and seized the guns, an investigator announced today. The department was also within rights to omit the incident from the daily police log so as not to reveal the address of the police chief, because that address would be sensitive information, according to the investigation by John J. Leyden, a retired U.S. Marshal asked by the town manager to investigate the police's handling of the incident. The findings were released at a Town Hall news conference this morning. Town Manager Joseph T. Turo had Leyden this month to look into the events of the early hours of Sunday, May 13, in which a woman, who Mello had dated regularly for a time, allegedly was in the chief's house. A report had described the offense as a "B&E dwelling house w/o consent" and said Mello declined to pursue charges. The investigation cleared the police for not pursuing the charges against the woman because she and the chief were deemed to no longer be seriously dating, so the incident did not fall under a domestic incident, which would have required pressing of a charge. The chief came home to find the ex-girlfriend with the guns, and she threatened to shoot herself. Before today's findings, some Police Department members called for a union vote of no confidence in the chief, but the union decided to wait until the investigation concluded. From 1994 to 2002, Leyden was the state's U.S. Marshal. He worked in law enforcement for 47 years before the 2002 retirement. Previously he was a major in internal affairs in the Providence Police Department. He served as North Kingstown police chief, after taking over as interim director of public safety in 1983. He has helped reorganize troubled police departments in North Smithfield, Scituate and Burrillville. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Journal staff writer Randal Edgar Posted by Mike McKinney at 1:47 PM | Comment Injured state trooper opens his eyes again todayPROVIDENCE -- Trooper Brendan Doyle opened his eyes again this morning, as he continues to show signs of improvement since he was critically injured by an alleged reckless driver in downtown Providence early Saturday morning. Doyle is still listed in serious condition at Rhode Island Hospital. The 25-year-old man is being fitted for a special helmet to protect his injured head, said his father, Robert Doyle. The helmet will have a camouflage design and the Rhode Island State Police emblem on it. Doyle’s mother, Maureen Adams, a nurse at Rhode Island Hospital, has rarely left her son’s side. She has been holding her son’s hands and talking to him, protective of him, as he’s slowly brought out of the medically induced coma. “She’s a fantastic mother,” said Robert Doyle, her ex-husband. “Even though he’s 25, I can tell when she’s leaning over him and whispering in his ear, it’s like he’s one years old again,” Robert Doyle said. Doyle has also been visited by Governor Carcieri, Atty. Gen. Patrick Lynch, Providence Mayor David N. Cicilline and Providence Police Chief Dean M. Esserman, as well as numerous troopers, police officers and the firefighters who rescued him. State Police Col. Brendan Doherty has visited daily, Robert Doyle said. -- Journal staff writer Amanda Milkovits Doyle was off-duty and out with friends on Pine Street after 2 a.m. on Saturday when he saw a convertible BMW suddenly jump the curb twice and drive recklessly through the pedestrian-clogged narrow road. Doyle ran after the car and yelled to the driver that he was a state trooper and should stop. When the car screeched to a stop in traffic at Dorrance Street, Doyle caught up to the vehicle and began to make a call, the police said. That’s when the driver, James D. Proulx, 36, of Smithfield, allegedly got out and sucker-punched the young trooper in the face, causing him to strike his head on the pavement. Proulx, a mortgage loan officer and formerly a state correctional officer and Smithfield police reservist, is being held on $1 million bail with surety for the assault. Posted by Kate Bramson at 1:36 PM | Comment Police believe fatal crash victim was speeding / Photo
At about 2:26 a.m., she apparently lost control of the Lexus she was driving on Route 114, also known as Wampanoag Trail, and struck a tree broadside, snapping it in half and uprooting it, Police Chief John M. LaCross said. The car also rolled over, but LaCross said he’s not sure whether that happened before or after the car struck the tree. The police have not yet named the woman. LaCross said her parents, also of Barrington, have been notified, but he wants to give them time to contact other relatives and friends before he releases the woman’s name. LaCross said he doesn’t believe the woman was wearing a seat belt. He believes she died on impact. -- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson Accident reconstruction teams were on scene all morning, LaCross said. It’s unclear how fast the woman may have been driving, he said, but evidence suggests she was exceeding the speed limit and lost control of the car. That evidence includes the skid marks and the fact that the car snapped in half and uprooted a tree that was perhaps 8 to 10 inches in diameter, LaCross said. The police do not know where the woman was going. She was pronounced dead at the scene by the state medical examiner’s office, which is now examining the body, according to the police. LaCross said such tragedies are particularly difficult in a town as small as Barrington. “Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family of the deceased, on behalf of the police and fire department,” he said. Posted by Kate Bramson at 10:29 AM | Comment N. Kingstown police ID man from fatal crashNORTH KINGSTOWN – The police have identified the 83-year-old local man who died yesterday after a two-car crash on Boston Neck Road as Manuel Rocha, of 1955 Boston Neck Rd. Rocha was a passenger in a white Pontiac Grand Prix, which was driving north when the Pontiac and a gray Subaru Legacy wagon collided head-on at the intersection of Earle Drive, Lt. Carlton Arruda said this morning. The collision remains under investigation, and a police reconstruction team expects to go back to take measurements today, Arruda said. Rocha lived on Boston Neck Road, about two miles south of the accident scene, Arruda said. Posted by Kate Bramson at 10:04 AM | Comment Marine weather: Small craft advisory for later todayThe National Weather Service has issued a small craft advisory for coastal waters from the Merrimack River in Massachusetts to Watch Hill, R.I., in effect from 2 p.m. today through this evening. Thunderstorms developing in southern New Hampshire during midday are expected to move southeast across the eastern Massachusetts coast this afternoon. They may arrive in the Merrimack River-Cape Ann region around 1 p.m., Boston Harbor and the upper part of Cape Cod Bay between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. and then Plymouth and possibly the upper part of Narragansett Bay between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m., according to the National Weather Service. With those storms, we could get small hail, wind gusts to 30 knots and a few dangerous lightning strikes. For additional marine weather information, check out the National Weather Service’s interactive coastal marine map for this region. Also, for all your nautical needs, boaters love the Maine Harbors site, which is packed with tide charts, marine weather news, information on fishing tournaments and links to local boat builders, charter operators, lighthouses and publications. The tide charts on this site are so well done that boaters rave about them. Check out Rhode Island’s chart. To check the status of any beach for swimming, go to the state Department of Health’s beach-monitoring siteor call (401) 222-2751 for recorded information. Posted by Kate Bramson at 7:29 AM | Comment Recycle fluorescent bulbs tomorrowPROVIDENCE -- The state Department of Environmental Management urges Rhode Islanders to take advantage of a fluorescent light bulb recycling day hosted by Wal-Mart stores, Supercenters and Sam's Clubs in Rhode Island tomorrow. Rhode Island was chosen as one of five states across the country to host the event, which will offer consumers a free opportunity to drop off and recycle their used compact fluorescent light bulbs and fluorescent tubes, according to the DEM. The bulbs, which contain small amounts of mercury, will be collected outside the stores from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Customers can bring an unlimited number of CFLs, but there is a limit of five fluorescent tubes of 4 feet in length or smaller per household. Wal-Mart is partnering with Waste Management for the event. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:05 AM | Comment Today's front pageToday's front page features coverage of the General Assembly's overriding Governor Carcieri's budget veto and a feature on Race Week on Block Island. Download a copy of today's front page in .pdf format. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:00 AM | Comment Sunny today with a chance of thunderstormsIt's going to be a great day. Sunny and dry with an interesting little wind blowing from the northwest. And if you like thunderstorms, it could get even better this afternoon and tonight. The National Weather Service has issued a Hazardous Weather statement for most of southern New England. If a storm hits, winds could hit 40 mph with hail and lightning. The storms are most likely to hit between 3 a nd 9 p.m. Tomorrow will be clear and warmer with a high of 78. Then on Sunday there will be a chance of more thunderstorms. Posted by Peter Phipps at 6:52 AM | Comment June 21, 2007Gallery Night Providence expandsArt is in the air tonight. The summer edition of Gallery Night Providence starts tonight, featuring many of the city’s top galleries, museums and historical sites. There will be traditional and contemporary works by Southwestern artist Caroline R. Carpio at the Gallery at 17 Peck; photographs of modern-day Vietnam at URI’s downtown campus; an exhibit chronicling recent excavations on the Greek island of Crete at Providence College; and a celebration of contemporary Rhode Island art at Gallery Z on Federal Hill. Two new venues, in the Wayland Square area, debut tonight: Twist on Angell, an Italian restaurant at 500 Angell St., celebrates its in-house art gallery with an exhibit of works by Russian-born painter and collage artist Onega Astaltsova. And the former Sexual Assault & Trauma Center is marking the opening of its new headquarters at 100 Medway St. with an exhibit of works by members of Wakefield’s Hera Gallery. The center is now called Day One. There will be free buses among Gallery Night sites. Free parking is available, including at the Metro Park lot behind One Citizens Plaza and the Providence Art Club lot at 186 Benefit St. For information, call (401) 490-2042 or go to www.gallerynight.info. Posted by Mike McKinney at 7:05 PM | Comment Bill to ease fire code hits some snagsPROVIDENCE — A bill to ease some fire code restrictions on businesses hit opposition today from the fire services professionals who would have to enforce it, sending the architects of the legislation into new rounds of meetings to pound out the differences. The bill’s lead sponsor, state Rep. Peter T. Ginaitt, D-Warwick, said late this afternoon that after several hours of meetings with members of the fire services, the bill was “almost there.” He sounded optimistic that the General Assembly would have a chance to pass the legislation before the end of the session. “We don’t want to leave here without something approved,” he said. The bill struck opposition at a hearing before the House Finance Committee today. Providence Fire Chief George Farrell, a former Rhode Island state fire marshal, suggested the legislation had been rushed. “We haven’t clearly looked at all the issues in this bill,” he said. “There has not been enough time to address the drastic changes...I’m just not in favor of this piece of legislation.” The bill filed last week proposes a variety of changes to address complaints from businesses. Under the bill, business owners forced to install sprinklers or new fire alarms would be entitled to a tax credit of up to $10,000, retroactive to 2003, though a business owner could not claim it until 2009. It would provide a 10-percent credit on Rhode Island income tax for safety improvements totaling up to $100,000. The bill also proposes that “performances theaters” that hold 800 or fewer patrons and stage events without alcohol, such as the Odeum in East Greenwich and the Columbus in Providence, would be exempt from sprinkler requirements — if they double their exit capacity. -- Journal staff writer Mark Arsenault Representatives of the fire sprinkler industry objected today to a section of the bill calling on the Department of Labor and Training to create a new license to allow pipe fitters to install a properly designed, retrofitted sprinkler system in buildings smaller than 10,000 square feet. That work, several representatives said, should be done by people specially trained to install lifesaving fire protection systems. Farrell objected to language in the bill to extend deadlines for businesses that haven’t complied with new fire alarm standards. Under the legislation as it was proposed, certain businesses with older alarms in working order would have until 2012 to upgrade to a new system that meets modern standards. Owners of buildings with no alarm would have until 2009 to install a system. Owners of small, mixed-use buildings that include residents would have one year to upgrade existing alarms. The bill would compel local fire inspectors to attend at least two training sessions per year to be conducted by the state fire marshal’s office. This regular training is an effort to even out the enforcement, addressing what has been a persistent complaint since the new laws were passed — that enforcement is inconsistent among the cities and towns. Farrell questioned if the state fire marshal’s office had the resources to provide the training. The commission’s leaders include Ginaitt and Rep. Joseph A. Trillo, R-Warwick. After The Station nightclub in West Warwick burned down in 2003, killing 100 people and injuring twice that number, Ginaitt and Trillo sat on a 17-member commission that took testimony from dozens of experts and then crafted a new state fire code, which adopted national standards, removed grandfather protection that had shielded older buildings from newer codes, and added special requirements for nightclubs and other places where people gather. Representatives from a number of local chambers of commerce testified in support of the bill today. Posted by Andrea Panciera at 7:00 PM | Comment House completes override of medical-marijuana vetoPROVIDENCE -- The House and Senate have made permanent the state's medical marijuana program by overriding Governor Carcieri's veto and giving final approval to the legislation. The medical marijuana law, which had been due to expire this month, allows seriously ill patients to use marijuana to ease their symptoms for a range of debilitating medical conditions. The Senate overrode the veto yesterday 29 to 4. The House followed suit this evening in a 58-to-11 vote. Democrats hold large majorities in the House and the Senate. Carcieri, a Republican, was against the law because he said it could allow federal prosecution of those who use it and encourages them to buy drugs from illicit dealers. He vetoed it on June 5, but Democratic legislative leaders expected an override to follow. A patient diagnosed as having a debilitating medical condition would be allowed to possess up to 12 marijuana plants and 2.5 ounces of marijuana. An adult who has agreed to help an ill person’s medical use of marijuana — a caregiver — could have 12 plants and 2.5 ounces of marijuana for each of up to five qualified patients. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Steve Peoples of the Journal State House Bureau Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:17 PM | Comment Update: Legislature overrides Carcieri's budget vetoPROVIDENCE -- The Democrat-controlled House and Senate muscled past Governor Carcieri's noontime veto and gave final approval early this evening to the nearly $7-billion state budget for the coming fiscal year. The approved override means the fiscal 2008 budget stands as Democratic legislative leaders proposed it. The House approved the override 58 to 12, a party-line outcome save for two Democrats who broke ranks: Rep. Rene R. Menard, who represents Lincoln and Cumberland, and Rep. Steven F. Smith, who represents Providence and Johnston and is a teacher in the Providence schools. The Senate approved the override 28 to 7. A three-fifths majority was required in each chamber to achieve the override. To find out more about what's in, and what's not in, the budget, click here.
As Carcieri signed the expected veto at shortly after noon today, he tore into Democratic legislative leaders for a budget that would eliminate an education-aid increase, keep funding in for a new state courthouse in Lincoln and raises taxes. "This budget in my judgment puts the burden of the state's fiscal crisis clearly on the backs of Rhode Island families," Carcieri said in opening his veto press conference at the State House. Carcieri had touted his budget proposal as one that provided a 3-percent across the board education aid increase to communities. But he had also sought to cut 1,000 state employees jobs, a proposal that came in for heavy criticism. Carcieri said he opposed the $6.99 billion spending plan because it cuts school aid, raises taxes, "squanders" a one-time payment from tobacco settlement funds and limits the governor's ability to use private firms. He says the budget prioritizes a new $113 million courthouse in Lincoln at the expense of property taxpayers and communities. He said the General Assembly eliminated his proposal to increase school aid by 3 percent. The assembly also eliminated his proposal to include $5 million in scholarship money, he said. Carcieri claims the General Assembly's spending plan "will result in school budget cuts that will impact children, putting tremendous pressure on property taxes." The governor had promised to veto the budget immediately after it was passed by the Senate Tuesday evening. The proposal was the same as that passed by the House early last Saturday morning. Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:04 PM | Comment Providence man had 42 pounds of pot, police sayPROVIDENCE -- A Providence man has been charged with possession of 42 pounds of marijuana, the state police announced today. Juan Paula, 41, of 230 Dexter St. was charged with marijuana possession in excess of five kilograms and with possession of marijuana with intent to deliver. He was also wanted on a warrant for illegal re-entry into the country after deportation, according to a news release. At about 9:30 p.m., the state police said authorities used a search warrant at the Providence residence and seized the mairjuana, $2,236 and drug-packaging materials in Paula's residence. Paula is being held without bail after arraignment in District Court, Providence, this morning, the police said. A bail hearing is slated for July 5. Involved in the arrest were members of the State Police/Federal Bureau of Investigation HIDTA Task Force and members of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:43 PM | Comment Somerset town administrator can move on to new jobSOMERSET, Mass. -- The Board of Selectmen unanimously signed a release agreement for Town Administrator John McAuliffe this afternoon, allowing him to move to a similar -- but better-paying -- post in Wareham, Mass. -- Journal staff writer C. Eugene Emery Jr. His chief critic on the board, Eleanor Gagnon, is now the chairwoman. She had called for his suspension in connection with the lawsuit, and the two of dueled repeatedly over several issues, including a controversy over whether her husband properly developed land on North Street, an issue now in Superior Court. Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:18 PM | Comment N. Kingstown beach can reopen to swimmersOn a day like this outside, here's news with timing. The state Health Department today recommended re-opening North Kingstown Town Beach to swimming, based on water sample results that show bacteria levels within acceptable limits. The beach had been closed to swimming since Tuesday, when the Health Department announced findings of elevated bacteria. To check the status of beaches for swimming, go to the Department of Health Web site's beach closings page or call (401) 222-2751. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:14 PM | Comment Alexion Pharmaceuticals opens R.I. plant / Photo
The company already produces the drug at a contract laboratory in New Hampshire. It has hired more than 100 people to staff the Smithfield plant, its first commercial manufacturing facility. At a ceremony today, Governor Carcieri celebrated the company's arrival as a sign that the state's nascent biotechnology sector was growing. "This is really an exciting day," he said. "This is the future." -- Journal staff writer Benjamin N. Gedan Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:04 PM | Comment Defense rests after murder suspect's mother testifiesWARWICK -- The defense rested in the murder trial of James Richardson after calling his mother and his son's former girlfriend to the stand today. Closing arguments are expected tomorrow. Edythe Richardson's son, James, is accused of murdering Margaret Duffy-Stephenson in Warwick in 2005. Her testimony was aimed at establishing an alibi for her son for the time police have said that Duffy-Stephenson was killed -- during the night of Nov. 16 or morning of Nov. 17, 2005. . Edythe Richardson testified that on Nov. 16, 2005, she and her son cleaned the house, had dinner and then she, her grandson and the grandson's girlfriend watched a movie while James was upstairs. James Richardson went upstairs after dinner, came downstairs around 8:30 p.m. or so, went upstairs a little bit later and returned downstairs around 10:20 p.m., Edythe Richardson said. He went back upstairs about 10 minutes later. Edythe Richardson said she went to bed around 12:30 a.m. and said her son did not come back down the rest of the night. She got up around 3:30 a.m. and went into the bathroom and stayed awake, first in the living room and then in bed upstairs until she had to wake up her husband and grandson at 5:45 a.m. After that, she slept for about a half-hour, waking up around 8 a.m. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Journal staff writer Talia Buford The prosecution countered today that what happened in the middle of the night through the morning was not in Edythe Richardson's statement to the police. "They only asked me up until the time I went to bed," she said in court, but did not ask her what happened through the next morning. Duffy-Stephenson, 37, was found slain in her Blackmore Street home on Nov. 18. She had come back a few days earlier from a wedding in Florida while her husband and son remained there to see relatives. Duffy-Stephenson worked as a teacher’s aide for special education students at Archie R. Cole Junior High School in East Greenwich. James Richardson is also charged with stealing $11,000 from a safe in the basement office of James O. Stephenson III, Duffy-Stephenson’s husband. The prosecution rested its case yesterday after calling more than 20 witnesses since the trial opened on June 7. Among the prosecution's arguments has been testimony from a state medical examiner's official who said that while more than 99 percent of the population could be ruled out for having DNA found under Duffy-Stephenson's fingernail, Richardson could not. Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:37 PM | Comment Journal reporter catches some air / Photos
Sitting in front of Air National Guard Maj. John Klatt in his Extra 300L aerobatics plane, I couldn’t see what he was doing. Being just 5’3”, I couldn’t even see over the nose of the plane. But once we took off, it didn’t matter. Looking up, there, flying up-side-down and within arms reach was Sean D. Tucker. Flying nearby, were Eric Tucker and Michael Goulian. Looking down were the houses dotting Prudence Island, the Claiborne Pell Bridge, sailboats in the Bay. With short notice, down became up, I was hanging on the seatbelt harnesses and Klatt was exclaiming “Isn’t this great?” We agreed we may have the best jobs in the world. -- Journal staff writer Brandie Jefferson
After some loops, spirals and a hammerhead turnaround – straight up, pause, spin, straight down – I felt the first wave of nausea. As soon as we touched down, it faded, only to return with a vengeance as I was driving down Post Road. I was wrecked. I pulled into a shady lot, rolled down the windows and breathed the deepest breaths I could, keeping down the morning’s coffee. Would I do it again tomorrow? My boss asked. Tomorrow? No. Next week? Without a doubt. If you go: The Quonset Air Show brings a roster of fighter aircraft from all over the world to North Kingstown's Quonset Point Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Thunderbirds, the U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron, will perform along with F-15, F-16, and C-17 aircraft, precision-flying teams and parachute teams. Gates open to Quonset at 9 a.m. both days. The Rhode Island National Guard event is free, but a parking donation is requested. For more information on the family-oriented show, call (401) 275-4110, or visit www.riairshow.com. Posted by maria caporizzo at 4:35 PM | Comment Update: Assembly due to override budget veto / Photo
PROVIDENCE -- Before the ink on it dries, Governor Carcieri's budget veto may become a document of the past. The House and Senate this afternoon are scheduled to vote to override the Republican governor's noontime veto of the nearly $7-billion state budget that the two chambers passed over the past week. The House will go first, beginning with a 4 p.m. session and the Senate will follow. Democrats hold large majorities in both chambers. As Carcieri signed the expected veto, he tore into Democratic legislative leaders for a budget that would eliminate an education-aid increase, keep funding in for a new state courthouse in Lincoln and raises taxes. "This budget in my judgment puts the burden of the state's fiscal crisis clearly on the backs of Rhode Island families," Carcieri said in opening his veto press conference at the State House. -- projo.com staff writer Michael McKinney, with reporters from Journal staff writer Steve Peoples Carcieri said he opposes the $6.99 billion spending plan, because it cuts school aid, raises taxes, "squanders" a one-time payment from tobacco settlement funds and limits the governor's ability to use private firms. He says the budget prioritizes a new $113 million courthouse in Lincoln at the expense of property taxpayers and communities. He said the General Assembly eliminated his proposal to increase school aid by 3 percent. The assembly also eliminated his proposal to include $5 million in scholarship money, he said. Carcieri claims the General Assembly's spending plan "will result in school budget cuts that will impact children, putting tremendous pressure on property taxes." The governor had promised to veto the budget immediately after it was passed by the Senate Tuesday evening. The proposal was the same as that passed by the House early last Saturday morning. The Democrat-controlled Assembly is expected to easily override the Republican governor's veto.
Posted by Jack Perry at 4:20 PM | Comment North Kingstown man, 83, dies after two-car crashNORTH KINGSTOWN -- An 83-year-old North Kingstown man died at South County Hospital from injuries he sustained as a passenger in a two-car crash early this afternoon at the intersection of Boston Neck Road and Earle Drive, the police said. Police Capt. Charles Brennan said in an afternoon news release that the police are withholding identification of the man pending notification of next of kin. At about 1:20 p.m., the police and fire departments were called to the accident, which temporarily closed Boston Neck Road (Route 1A). Police on scene told the ambulance to "expedite their response to urgent" and said that the driver of one of the vehicles would need to be removed using an extrication device. A police accident reconstruction team has been investigating. The crash involved a Subaru Legacy wagon and a Pontiac Grand Prix. One person from the Subaru and two from the Pontiac went to the hospital. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:09 PM | Comment Trooper opens eyes for 1st time since hurt, father saysPROVIDENCE -- State Trooper Brendan R. Doyle opened his eyes this morning, for the first time since he was critically hurt early Saturday while trying to stop an alleged reckless driver in downtown Providence. His father, Robert Doyle, said today that his 25-year-old son was showing some signs of improvement, although his prognosis is still uncertain. Trooper Doyle opened his eyes at around 7 a.m. today, his father said, and seemed to recognize his family. The younger Doyle had been off duty and out with friends when they saw a convertible BMW jump the curb and speed into crowded Pine Street, according to the police. Doyle held out his badge and yelled for the driver to stop, but when he approached the car and began to make a call, the driver got out and punched him in the face, the Providence police said. Doyle fell backward and hit his head on the pavement, suffering severe head injuries that nearly cost him his life that morning. He is listed in serious condition at Rhode Island Hospital, where his father said he has been in a medically-induced coma. -- Journal staff writer Amanda Milkovits Posted by Andrea Panciera at 3:41 PM | Comment Tractor-trailer rollover slows Middletown trafficMIDDLETOWN – A tractor-trailer rollover at the intersection of Routes 138 and 214 has severely restricted traffic flow. The truck was removed around 2:30 p.m., and Transportation Management Center operator Stephen McGovern said the area will likely be cleared within 20 minutes. Posted by Kate Bramson at 2:32 PM | Comment Update: Boston Neck Road re-opens after crashNORTH KINGSTOWN – A section of Boston Neck Road has just re-opened after a two-car accident sent three people to the hospital, according to the police. As of about 2:20 p.m., an accident reconstruction team was investigating. The accident, near Earle Drive, was reported at about 1:19 p.m. It involved a Subaru Legacy wagon and a Pontiac Grand Prix. One person from the Subaru and two from the Pontiac went to the hospital. You can find traffic alerts describing accidents on the state DOT's Web site. -- with reports from Journal staff writer Randal Edgar Posted by Kate Bramson at 2:25 PM | Comment Former N.Y. exec. guilty in Nantucket murderNANTUCKET, Mass., -- A former New York bank executive today was found guilty of killing his former girlfriend by a jury that rejected his claim that he was temporarily insane when he stabbed her to death in her island bungalow. Jurors returned the verdict of guilty of first-degree murder against Thomas Toolan III following about five hours of deliberations over two days. Afterward, Toolan, 39, was immediately sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Prosecutors said Toolan killed Elizabeth Lochtefeld, 44, a successful New York entrepreneur, after she rejected his marriage proposal and broke up with him. Toolan had been held at the Adult Correctional Institutions in Cranston for a time in 2004 since Rhode Island State Police arrested him that October on a drunken driving charge -- hours after Lochtefeld was found slain on Nantucket. He was charged with driving under the influence and as a fugitive from justice.
Toolan's defense lawyer told jurors that Toolan was suffering from a mental disease and struggling with alcohol addiction when he killed Lochtefeld on Oct. 24, 2004, three days after she turned down his proposal. Defense experts claimed years of drug and alcohol abuse by Toolan had caused brain damage and left him unable to control his behavior. But a psychiatrist who testified for the prosecution said Toolan knew his actions were wrong, despite his substance abuse problem. Toolan, a former Citigroup executive, met Lochtefeld during Labor Day weekend of 2004. The couple had a whirlwind romance, but Lochtefeld broke off their relationship the weekend before she was killed. Prosecutors said Toolan held Lochtefeld hostage in his New York City apartment the night she broke things off, but she escaped while he was asleep and fled to Nantucket. Toolan attempted to board a plane bound for Nantucket the day before Lochtefeld was killed, but was stopped after security screeners at New York's LaGuardia Airport found a knife in his coat. The next day, Toolan took another flight to the island, then rented a car and bought a fishing knife at a local store, authorities said. Posted by Mike McKinney at 1:44 PM | Comment Photo: Courting summer at the State House
Posted by Andrea Panciera at 1:42 PM | Comment House to consider changes to fire codePROVIDENCE – The House Finance Committee is poised to begin debate this afternoon on changes to the state fire code, which was altered in the aftermath of the tragic Station nightclub fire that killed 100 and injured 200. Business owners forced to install sprinklers or new fire alarms would be entitled to a tax credit of up to $10,000 under legislation written after several months of hearings by a special House panel. In the General Assembly’s rush to wrap up the session this week, there’s plenty more on committee calendars this afternoon, including coastal home insurance. Check out committee sessions here. Also, check out the House calendar here and the Senate calendar here. Debate on the fire-code bill was set to start at 1 p.m. but appears not to have begun yet. Posted by Kate Bramson at 1:25 PM | Comment Providence's leafy limbs save greenbacks / Photo
City of Providence photoThis tree's estimated benefit is displayed by its sign. PROVIDENCE -- The mayor says there's value in the city's trees: $2,932,731 annually, to be exact. That's the annual benefit -- $118 per tree -- in terms of the amount of carbon and pollution the trees "intercept," the storm water they collect and the cut in energy consumption and increase to property values, according to a Providence tree inventory. Mayor David N. Cicilline's office called it the most comprehensive tree inventory in the city's history and said the tally will allow Providence to make decisions about caring for the nearly 25,000 street trees. The tally found that for every dollar the city spends on its tree program, it is "paid back" $3.33 in benefits yearly. More than 23 percent of trees were in excellent condition and 48.9 percent in good condition, according to the tally results. More than 18 percent were in fair condition, 7.3 percent in poor condition and 1.6 percent were dead. The tally also found that 41.5 percent of the trees had utility wires above them. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney “One hundred dedicated volunteers became our foot soldiers and spent the past year collecting critically important information about one of our most precious resources, our street trees," Cicilline said in a statement. Heading into "every single" city neighborhood, the volunteers used hand-held electronic devices to record the number of trees, species, age, location, size and the trees’ condition. More than 1,000 of the city's trees were planted last year. The Providence Tree Tally was paid for by the Helen Walker Raleigh Tree Care Trust and the Rhode Island Foundation. Posted by Mike McKinney at 1:12 PM | Comment State police announce new anti-graffiti effortA State Police anti-graffiti effort will include use of undercover surveillance detectives and installing new surveillance cameras to work with Providence, Cranston and Pawtucket police. The State Police today announced the "2007 Graffiti Initiative" to address excessive graffiti in Greater Providence. "This graffiti vandalism is a crime that is not only unsightly but reduces property values and encourages further criminal acts in these affected areas," according to the news release. The Rhode Island Island State Police Graffiti Initiative will use new surveillance cameras as well as state Department of Transportation cameras. And there will be increased patrols in areas impacted by graffiti to try to prevent more graffiti and to identify and arrest those who do it, the state police said. The public is asked to report acts of graffiti vandalism, which can make them eligible for up to a $500 award for information that leads to detection, apprehension, and conviction of any offender. The state police ask that Information about graffiti acts be reported to State Police headquarters at 444-1000 or the State Police Lincoln Woods Barracks at 444-1100. Posted by Mike McKinney at 1:11 PM | Comment Photo: Fire burns 3-family house in Pawtucket
Posted by Kate Bramson at 9:23 AM | Comment Defense set to begin today in Warwick murder trialWARWICK – The defense in the murder trial of James Richardson is expected to begin presenting its case today. Richardson is accused of killing Warwick resident Margaret Duffy-Stephenson, 37, who was found slain in her Blackmore Street home on Nov. 18, 2005. The prosecution rested its case yesterday, after calling more than 20 witnesses to the stand. A physician with the state medical examiner’s office and a forensic scientist at the state Department of Health were the state’s last two witnesses. They testified about the autopsy report and DNA findings. Posted by Kate Bramson at 8:06 AM | Comment Time to settle in for some good summer readingPROVIDENCE – There are some old classics and lots of newer titles on the children’s summer reading list available on the Providence Public Library Web site. Created collaboratively with the Providence Public Schools, the reading lists are online at the library’s site and are linked directly to the library’s catalog so parents and children can easily find the books, place them on hold and check them out. The reading lists are broken down in classroom groupings, like kindergarten through first grade, grades 2 to 3, etc. Also, check out the library’s summer performance schedule, which includes visits from authors, musicians and storytellers to branch libraries. Posted by Kate Bramson at 7:45 AM | Comment Mariners, beware of afternoon lightning threatMariners, beware today’s weather forecast. What with the threat of hail, strong to severe thunderstorms and lightning, boaters and surfers should be prepared to seek safe harbor this afternoon. For marine weather information, check out the National Weather Service’s interactive coastal marine map for this region and the ever-popular Maine Harbors site. The latter is packed with tide charts, marine weather news, information on fishing tournaments and links to local boat builders, charter operators, lighthouses and publications. The tide charts on this site are so well done that boaters rave about them. Check out Rhode Island’s chart. Beach-goers, if you’re looking to welcome summer with a laid-back trip to the beach, we’d suggest an early trip, given the afternoon forecast. To check the status of any beach for swimming, go to the state Department of Health’s beach-monitoring siteor call (401) 222-2751 for recorded information. Posted by Kate Bramson at 7:33 AM | Comment A gusty arrival for summerPROVIDENCE – Thunderstorms, lightning and hail could arrive this afternoon, prompting the National Weather Service to issue a hazardous weather outlook for today. But for now, this first day of summer looks glorious. It’s 59 degrees already and should approach low-80s later today. The skies are dazzlingly blue. Scattered storms could begin developing as early as mid-afternoon but are more likely to arrive between 5 p.m. and 10 p.m. The thunderstorms could be strong to severe. Along with the potential hail, we could also get gusty winds, the weather service reports. We’ve now got a 20 percent chance of rain tomorrow, a sunny Saturday on deck and a potentially rainy Sunday. Get the latest conditions and forecasts from projo.com. Posted by Kate Bramson at 7:05 AM | Comment Today's front pageToday's front page features a photograph and story about a survey by Rhode Island Kids Count that shows a troubling increase in the percentage of pre-term births in Rhode Island. Download a copy of today's front page in .pdf format. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:00 AM | Comment June 20, 2007Looking for laughs? Go to East ProvidenceFor laughter tonight, head to East Providence. Cambridge, Mass., native Stephanie Peters will be on stage at the Comedy Connection, at 39 Warren Ave. Call (401) 438-8383 for more information. Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:50 PM | Comment Senate overrides governor's medical marijuana vetoPROVIDENCE -- The state Senate has overridden Governor Carcieri's veto of a medical marijuana program. A spokesman for Senate President Joseph Montalbano says the vote was 29 to 4. House lawmakers are planning a similar vote later this week. Democratic lawmakers are trying to make permanent a program allowing seriously ill patients to use marijuana to ease their symptoms. The program will expire this month unless the House and Senate override Carcieri's veto. The program applies to patients with cancer, AIDS and other debilitating illnesses. Carcieri, a Republican, opposes the program because he says it leaves patients open to federal prosecution and encourages them to buy drugs from illicit dealers. Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:48 PM | Comment Sharks and waves aren't the only dangerATLANTA -- Waves and sharks aren't the only dangers at the beach. A father-and-son team of doctors reports more than two dozen young people have been killed over the last decade when sand holes collapsed on them. They found that since 1985, at least 20 children and young adults in the United States have died in beach or backyard sand submersions. And at least eight others died in Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. That's according to a letter from the doctors published in this week's issue of The New England Journal of Medicine. Among the victims was Matthew Gauruder, who died from a collapse at an after-prom beach party in Westerly six years ago. The 17-year-old was playing football with friends when he fell backward into an eight-foot-deep hole someone had dug earlier. Gauruder, of Manchester, Conn., was a senior at Rockville High School in Vernon, Conn. -- The Associated Press, with Journal archival reports. Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:30 PM | Comment Prosecution rests in Richardson murder trialWARWICK -- The prosecution rested its case in the murder trial of James Richardson, with a medical examiner testifying that Margaret Duffy-Stephenson had 11 stab wounds to her body. Wounds to Duffy-Stephenson's neck caused her death, according to testimony in Kent County Superior Court by Dorota Latuszynski, a physician in the medical examiner's office. A major vein in Duffy-Stephenson's throat was cut. Also today, Sharon Mallard, a forensic scientist at the state Department of Health who did DNA work in the case, said that male DNA was found under one of Duffy-Stephenson's fingernails. Richardson could not be excluded as a source of the DNA, while testimony in the case has already said that more than 99 percent of the population could be excluded. Richardson, of Cranston, according to testimony, was hired in 2000 by Duffy-Stephenson's husband, James O. Stephenson III, through a Cranston-based temporary-employment company, Labor Ready, to work at Stephenson’s company, Picture Perfect Landscaping. Richardson worked for the company, full- or part-time, until 2005, Stephenson said. But beyond his work for the company, Richardson also performed odd jobs for the Stephensons, including tending to their Blackmore Street lawn and painting rooms in the house. The defense, in its opening statement, has said Richardson had an alibi and family members could account for his presence during the time Duffy-Stephenson died. The defense can begin calling witnesses tomorrow. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Journal staff writer Talia Buford and archival reports Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:24 PM | Comment Court upholds 2003 conviction of NYC manPROVIDENCE -- The state Supreme Court today upheld the conviction of Timothy Stone, who robbed and shot a cab driver and then assaulted two employees inside Capriccio's Restaurant in Providence seven years ago. Stone, who was from New York City, was convicted in 2003 on nine charges, among them first-degree robbery, assault with intent to commit murder, committing a crime of violence while armed with a firearm, and carrying a firearm after having been previously convicted of a crime of violence. In appealing to the state's highest court, Stone asserted the Superior Court judge erred in denying several motions to dismiss various counts of the indictment. The high court disagreed. Read the reasoning in depth here (pdf). On June 11, 2000, Connecticut cabdriver Joseph Koch picked up two men, one of them Stone, who asked to be driven to Providence, according to the court decision. Koch asked for payment ahead of time because of the long distance and Stone gave Koch $100. Eventually, while stopped at a red light, Koch was shot in the back of the head and lost consciousness for a while. He regained consciousness to find the two men gone. Koch honked the car horn to try to get help, and a Johnston and Wales University security officer discovered Koch "bleeding profusely from the neck," the court's decision says. Another Johnson and Wales security officer heard the gunshots and saw the bleeding Koch outside the cab. Koch told the officers he'd been shot by his passengers. Laurence Russolino and Armando Gomes Alves -- Capriccio’s restaurant employees -- testified that after 10 p.m. they had finished their shifts and were standing outside when they heard gunshots. Russolino said he noticed a taxi stopped in the middle of the street and saw two men leave it. Stone approached Capriccio's while the other man ran away. Russolino testified that he and Alves went back in to Capriccio’s and Stone ran after them. Inside, Russolino yelled for someone to call 911 and tried to leave but could not get out using a route that took him to the front door, which was locked with a chain. Russolino ran back downstairs and came upon Stone beating Alves on the head with the gun. Alves testified that after Stone chased him into Capriccio’s, the two men struggled for the firearm. While Alves had the gun he emptied the bullets from the clip. When Stone grabbed the weapon, Alves ran into the dining area. Stone attacked him with the gun and Alves "suffered serious head injuries; he was hospitalized and required stitches and staples to his skull," according to the court. Alves was also shot in the hand. Providence police officers Brian McNally and Frank Villella went into the restaurant through the back entrance, went down the back stairs, through the kitchen, and to the front door, where they said they found Stone holding a gun to a cook's head and threatening to kill him. After repeatedly ordering Stone to drop the gun, the officers fired their weapons. Stone was shot in the wrist and was taken into custody. Police said they recovered the $100 bill that Stone was found to have taken from the cab driver. Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:12 PM | Comment Fourth suspect pleads guilty in debit-card schemePROVIDENCE -- The fourth suspect this week admitted his role in a scheme to steal debit and credit card information from Stop & Shop customers. Mikael Stepanian, 28, of Studio City, Calif., pleaded guilty to federal charges of conspiracy to commit fraud and aggravated identity theft, according to U.S. District Court documents. He is the last of four men arrested in February at a Stop & Shop in Coventry as they tried to retrieve a doctored PIN pad from a checkout lane. Federal and state authorities later charged the men with helping divert $132,000 from customers at two of the supermarket chain’s Rhode Island stores. Three other suspects, all from California, pleaded guilty in the same case: Gevork Baltadjian, 20, of Winnetka; Arutyun Shatarevyan, 20, of Los Angeles; and Arman Ter-Esayan, 22, of Valley Glen. Law-enforcement officials said the four men, all from the Los Angeles area, flew into Southern New England twice in February to pull off the scheme. They are accused of removing or trying to remove PIN pads from Stop & Shops in Rhode Island and Massachusetts. -- Journal staff writer Paul Grimaldi In as little as 12 seconds, officials said, the group could replace the devices with doctored machines capable of recording financial information belonging to supermarket customers. The suspects would return days later to retrieve the doctored PIN pads and extract the information from the units. State and Coventry police arrested the men Feb. 26 at the Stop & Shop on Tiogue Avenue in Coventry. At least 1,100 credit and debit accounts were compromised at Stop & Shop stores in Coventry and Cranston, federal officials said. U.S. Secret Service agents have confirmed that fraudulent charges or withdrawals totaling $132,000 were made in Arizona and California on at least 232 of the accounts. As a result of their guilty pleas, the four men are subject to up to five years’ imprisonment on the first charge and at least two more years in prison on the second charge, plus fines of up to $250,000 on each charge, according to federal court documents. Stepanian is scheduled to appear Friday in U.S. District Court. Sentencing for Ter-Esayan and Baltadjian is set for Sept. 7. Shatarevyan’s sentencing is set for Sept 21. All four men are being held at the Adult Correctional Institutions in Cranston. Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:49 PM | Comment R.I. Supreme Court orders new trial for convicted manPROVIDENCE -- The state Supreme Court today ordered a new trial for a Providence man convicted on drug charges, saying a mistrial should have been declared because the defense lawyer was not given certain FBI reports before trial. Radames Gonzalez, 44, of 301 Blackstone St., was sentenced to three years in prison after a jury convicted him on numerous drug charges, including three counts of delivery of cocaine, and on a charge of resisting arrest. On appeal, Gonzalez’s lawyer argued that the state violated discovery rules, which require prosecutors to turn over certain information to the defense to prevent “trial by ambush.” During the trial, an undercover detective testified that he watched Gonzalez dealing drugs several times before he made his first purchase from Gonzalez on Aug. 7, 2003. During cross-examination, the detective revealed for the first time that he prepared reports about those earlier incidents, and the FBI had the reports. But those reports were not provided to defense lawyer John F. Cicilline prior to trial, so Cicilline asked for a mistrial, arguing that he had inadvertently “opened the door to evidence of uncharged drug offenses” because he didn’t know about the FBI reports. The prosecutor, Special Assistant Attorney General Kelly A. McElroy, said she did not find out about the FBI reports until after the trial began. -- Journal staff writer Edward Fitzpatrick Superior Court Judge Gilbert V. Indeglia agreed discovery rules had been violated, but he said the violation was not intentional and refused to declare a mistrial. And instead of declaring a mistrial, he apparently decided to let the defense cross-examine the detective with information from the reports while preventing the prosecutor from asking follow-up questions. In a 12-page opinion written by Justice Maureen McKenna Goldberg, the Supreme Court said, “We are satisfied that, in the case before us, a mistrial was warranted and a continuance or any lesser measure could not counterbalance this evidence or remedy the fact that defendant’s trial strategy was neutralized.” The high court agreed that the failure to disclose the FBI reports was unintentional but said, “The prejudice was significant.” “The jury learned about prior, uncharged criminal conduct of the defendant, and the defense strategy was irreparably altered,” Goldberg wrote. “In light of defense counsel’s representation that, had he known of those reports beforehand, he would not have engaged in that line of questioning, we are satisfied that the refusal to pass the case was a clear abuse of discretion.” So the Supreme Court wiped out the convictions and sent the case back to Superior Court for a new trial. In a footnote, the court said, “Because it is undisputed that the discovery violation was unintentional, we discern no double jeopardy issues that would preclude a new trial.” Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:45 PM | Comment Carcieri pulls labor nominee; blasts NeePROVIDENCE -- In a big dust-up today, Governor Carcieri withdrew his nomination of Adelita Orefice for state Labor Department director and blasted George Nee, secretary treasurer of the state AFL-CIO with killing Orefice's nomination. The governor, a Republican, charged that the maneuver was retaliation for Orefice's role as a whistleblower in the Beacon Mutual case. Nee readily acknowledged that he intended to speak against Orefice’s confirmation at the cancelled hearing. Why? "Because I think she has been a very poor director of the Department of Labor and Training. I’ve dealt with directors since 1976. They’ve come from the business community. They’ve come from the labor community and they’ve come for governmental service and I would say she’s been the worse." He cited a number of issues of concern, including what he called the “pathetic’’ enforcement of prevaiing wage laws, and ill-advised use of state p risoners to transport documents with social security numbers, that were inadvertently dumped at the state landfill, tback to her department for shredding.
Nee, the governor said, lost $20,000 a year when he lost his position at Beacon. “In the last few days, we understand that George Nee -- who lost his seat on the Beacon board in the wake of the scandal -- has been actively lobbying against Adelita’s re-confirmation," Carcieri said in a news release. "He has even gone so far as to personally warn people not to testify on her behalf.” Beacon is the state's dominant provider of workers' compensation insurance with about 14,000 policyholders. At least one now-former Beacon official has been indiated by a statewide grand jury on charges of conspiracy and insurance fraud. And an outside review of Beacon released in April 2006 found indications of unfair pricing practices and preferential treatment by Beacon of some of Rhode Island's big businesses. Beacon's board hired a new chief executive with ties to the governor. The appointment of DeOrsey is part of a management overhaul of Beacon that began more than a year ago with the firing, for cause, of Clark and Beacon's president and chief executive officer, Joseph A. Solomon. An outside review of Beacon released in April 2006 turned up evidence of unfair pricing practices and preferential treatment by Beacon of some of the state's big businesses. Carcieri "temporarity withdrew" Orefice's nomination for Department of Labor & Training as the Senate Labor Committee was due to vote on the nomination at its 2:30 p.m. meeting today. “It is clear that the Senate planned to reject Director Orefice’s nomination as political retaliation for standing up to organized labor and defending Rhode Island taxpayers,” Carcieri said in the statement. “Members of my staff have been told that her nomination was doomed to failure.” -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney and Katherine Gregg, Journal State House bureau chief Nee todau cited a number of issues of concern regarding Orefice's tenure, including what he called the “pathetic’’ enforcement of prevaiing wage laws, and ill-advised use of state prisoners to transport documents with social security numbers. Asked if the union campaign to scuttle her nomination was payback for her role in bringing problems at Beacon to light, he said: “Beacon is behind us. The statements in the governor’s press release are not even worthy of comment. He’s gotten to the point of being irrelevant and pathetic.’’ Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:10 PM | Comment Carcieri calls for investigation of TV targetPROVIDENCE -- Governor Carcieri today called for an investigation of a former state employee shown on television "frequenting" a bar during work hours, an announcement that comes as the governor and largest state employees union have battled over the state budget. A news release from Carcieri's office notes in a headline that former employee Robert Pelosi is a Council 94 member and calls the employee's alleged behavior "outrageous." Pelosi would "regularly arrive at the bar in the morning in a state owned vehicle while at the same time collecting $21,000 in overtime payments" in 2006, the governor's office said citing the ABC6 newcast. Carcieri asked the director of the Department of Mental Health, Retardation and Hospitals to review the case of Pelosi, who worked for the department. According to an ABC6 newcast, Pelosi was shown frequenting the bar. In recent weeks, the governor and Council 94 have been at loggerheads. Carcieri proposed cutting 1,000 state employee jobs as one component of a deficit-closing plan. Democrats who command large majorities in the House and Senate easily pushed aside that proposal in passing a budget the governor has vowed to veto. Democrats have said they can override a veto. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:05 PM | Comment Cranston police ID officer who shot manCRANSTON -- The Cranston police officer who shot an apparently suicidal man Thursday afternoon has been identified as Jaime Cahill, an eight-year veteran of the police department. Cahill, according to a police report released today, responded to a call about a possible suicide attempt at an apartment building at 28 Harris Ave. at about 4:53 p.m. that day. The officer made his way to apartment 229 with several firefighters in tow and encountered a man, standing at the doorway, who said, “He’s got a knife, I’m not going in there.” As Cahill approached, he saw a second man standing in the kitchen, holding a knife in his right hand and yelling at the officer to “get out.” The officer ordered the second man, Keith Olin, 44, of Cranston, to put the knife down several times, according to the report. Olin, who was bleeding from one arm, swore several times and at one point said “blow me away,” according to the report. He moved into the living room, and Cahill walked into the kitchen. -- Journal staff writer David Scharfenberg Olin lowered his knife at one point, at Cahill’s command, but when Olin raised his knife and began moving toward Cahill, the officer fired two shots at him. Olin stumbled back into the living room and went down on a knee. Olin, who has been charged with aggravated assault, was taken to Rhode Island Hospital, where he was listed in fair condition today. Cahill has been placed on administrative duty, according to procedure, while the attorney general’s office, the state police and Cranston police conduct an investigation. Posted by Kate Bramson at 2:31 PM | Comment Photo/Cianci leaves halfway house, returns to R.I.
PROVIDENCE -- Former Mayor Vincent A. "Buddy" Cianci Jr., convicted in 2002 for racketeering conspiracy, was released today from Coolidge House halfway house in Boston. He will remain on home confinement until July 28, presumably at the home of his nephew in East Greenwich. Cianci will leave federal Bureau of Prisons custody on July 28 and will be on two years of supervision by the U.S. Probation office, said Mike Truman, a spokesman for the federal Bureau of Prisons. Cianci has sought approval to live in nephew Brad Turchetta's home in East Greenwich. Truman said he did not know where Cianci will live. On June 11, Turchetta faxed a no-trespass order to The Journal and other news organizations telling media members to stay away from his East Greenwich home. At Cianci's trial, the prosecution said he oversaw widespread corruption at City Hall. He was only convicted on one conspiracy count. Cianci was released from federal prison in Fort Dix, N.J., last month after about 4 1/2 years there and arrived at Coolidge House to a horde of media waiting for him. He, his nephew and his daughter got out of an SUV and entered the building's graffiti-scrawled back entrance. Since his release from prison, there's been talk about whether Cianci would get a talk-radio program and whether he could run for office again. But he's had the more immediate need of securing employment while finishing out the terms of his sentence. At first, a public relations firm announced Cianci would work at Fifteen Beacon, a luxury hotel on Boston's Beacon Hill. Later, a different public relations firm announced Cianci was working at The 903 Residences -- a 330-unit condominium complex in Providence behind Providence Place Mall. Cianci started work at The 903 Residences, co-owned by another former Providence mayor, Joseph Paolino, in early June. He is an assistant to project manager Frederick J. Vincent, who retired in 2005 as acting director of the state Department of Environmental Management. Read more about his job here. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with archival reports Posted by Mike McKinney at 1:47 PM | Comment Businessman convicted of tax evasionPROVIDENCE -- A businessman who used aliases, post-office box mail drops and extensive ATM withdrawals to "distance himself" from his income, according to prosecutors, has been found guilty of evading taxes on about $1.2 million, the U.S. Attorney's office announced today. A jury in U.S. District Court, Providence, found Neil Stierhoff, 51, of Hollywood Avenue, Providence, guilty yesterday, according to the release from U.S. Attorney Robert Clark Corrente and Eileen O'Connor, an assistant attorney general with the U.S. Department of Justice. Between 1999 and 2002, Stierhoff "attempted to conceal" the income by doing business under aliases, such as Joseph Adams, Adams Associates, and Universal Audio, according to a news release. An IRS revenue agent testified that Stierhoff owed more than $450,000 in federal taxes for the years 1999 through 2002. The jury found Stierhoff guilty of four counts of income tax evasion. The maximum penalty for each count is five years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine. He is scheduled for sentencing September 26. Stierhoff had been free on bond, but, after the verdict, Chief U.S. District Court Judge Mary M. Lisi ordered him detained. Stierhoff used mail drops in Providence and White Plains, N.Y., the release says, along with withdrawing about $240,000 from ATMs between 1999 and 2002. A state police detective said he found more than $100,000 in cash in a room of Stierhoff's residence. He used a fictitious name, Joseph Adams, to introduce himself to customers and has fake identification cards and bank cards under the name. He opened accounts at Fleet bank and through Paypal on the Internet and used ATM withdrawals as a kind of cash conduit, according to the prosecution. He used cash to buy money orders that he in turned used to pay off bills to avoid a paper-trail of checks. Posted by Mike McKinney at 12:27 PM | Comment Injured trooper still in serious conditionA state trooper remains in serious condition at Rhode Island Hospital this morning after being upgraded yesterday from critical condition for injuries sustained early Saturday morning. Brendan R. Doyle was off-duty Saturday when the police say he attempted to stop a reckless driver in downtown Providence who then allegedly punched him so hard he fell backward onto the street and struck his head. The man accused of punching Doyle is being held at the Adult Correctional Institutions on $1 million bail with surety on a charge of felony assault on Doyle. He is also held without bail for violating a protective order from his ex-girlfriend. -- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson Posted by Kate Bramson at 11:54 AM | Comment State flags lowered in honor of fallen firefightersOn Governor Carcieri’s orders, Rhode Island flags will be flown at half-staff through Sunday in honor of the nine firefighters who died battling the inferno in a South Carolina furniture warehouse. “As Rhode Islanders, we know all too well the horrors that fire can bring on a community. We recognize that firefighters put themselves on the line to save people and property every time they arrive at a blaze,” Governor Carcieri said in a statement issued this morning. “Our thoughts and prayers go out to the firefighters and people of Charleston, South Carolina, today.” Posted by Kate Bramson at 10:35 AM | Comment Not a great day to hit the beachToday is not a good beach day – at least not at this hour. The next few days should be better swimming weather. One of Rhode Island’s beaches remains closed today, according to a Department of Health press release. North Kingstown Town Beach is closed to swimming due to high bacteria counts. If you’re looking for marine weather information, check out the National Weather Service’s interactive coastal marine map for this region. Also, for all your nautical needs, boaters love the Maine Harbors site, which is packed with tide charts, marine weather news, information on fishing tournaments and links to local boat builders, charter operators, lighthouses and publications. The tide charts on this site are so well done that boaters rave about them. Check out Rhode Island’s chart. Today, winds should be southwest 10 to 15 knots, with seas of 2 to 3 feet. Posted by Kate Bramson at 8:00 AM | Comment Traffic: Fog and some congestionTraffic delays are heating up this morning. What looked like an easy-going commute on the area’s roadways at 7 a.m. now looks more congested. Before you start your morning drive, check out the state roadways, via the Department of Transportation's online traffic offerings. And look out for this morning's fog, which is expected to clear around 9 a.m. 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 and listen to or read the radio reports for the week about traffic and construction on specific roadways. To report a traffic incident, call the Transportation Management Center at (401) 222-5826 and choose option #2. Posted by Kate Bramson at 7:29 AM | Comment 'Well Workplaces' recognized this morningGovernor Carcieri will present "Well Workplace" awards to 44 Rhode Island organizations this morning. The organizations recently achieved "Well Workplace" status by the Wellness Councils of America. The awards will be presented at a breakfast sponsored by the Worksite Wellness Council of Rhode Island. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:04 AM | Comment Morning fog should liftPROVIDENCE – It’s a hazy, foggy morning, and we’ve got a 60 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. The fog should lift before 9 a.m. As for the showers, they’ll accompany a cold front moving across southern New England today. The National Weather Service has issued a hazardous weather outlook for the region because it expects occasional lightning strikes and heavy downpours in some areas. When it’s not raining, today should be a cloudy one. Expect a high near 77 today. The next three days should be mostly sunny, with highs in the high 70s or low 80s. Get the latest conditions and forecasts from projo.com. Posted by Kate Bramson at 7:03 AM | Comment Today's front pageDespite their concerns in several areas, the state Senate yesterday approved the $6.99 billion budget approved by the House early Saturday, according to a story on today's front page. Download a copy of today's front page in .pdf format. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:00 AM | Comment June 19, 2007Update: Senate passes House's budget unchangedPROVIDENCE -- The state Senate has approved a $6.99 billion spending plan, despite strong objections from some lawmakers over provisions regarding sending 17-year-olds to the state prison and restricting the governor's ability to privatize state services. The Senate approved the budget with a 29 to 9 vote at 6:10 p.m., about an hour and a half after the debate began. The vote comes four days after the House overwhelmingly approved the same exact budget. The budget now goes to the desk of Governor Carcieri, a Republican, where it faces a certain veto, although his office has acknowledged it doesn't have the votes to block a veto override by the Democrat-controlled Assembly. Less than an hour after passage, Carcieri released a statement saying he had no choice but to veto the budget. “This budget is a huge disappointment for every Rhode Islander who wants a bright future for their children and grandchildren,” Carcieri said. “But it is a huge win for the labor leaders who appear to be in charge of both the House and the Senate.” The Senate was not expected to make any substantive changes to the 2007-2008 spending plan. And it did not. Senators voted down several budget amendments this afternoon. One would have increased the capital gains tax to help restore state education aid. Another would have increased income limits to restore state subsidized child care for the 2,400 children who will lose coverage on July 1. The Senate also shot down an amendment that would have stripped the budget of a provision that institutes a series of strict standards regarding the governor's plan to privatize state services. Each amendment was killed by an overwhelming majority in the Senate. "It takes a lot of courage to vote for this particular budget," Senate Finance Committee Chairman Stephen D. Alves said. "It's what needs to be done at this stage." The spending plan balances a budget deficit for next year projected at around $200 million. “Instead of agreeing to my plan to solve the budget problem by reducing personnel costs, the General Assembly has decided instead to balance the budget on the backs of Rhode Island families,” Carcieri said in his statement. “In particular, the General Assembly cut school aid, raised taxes and squandered one-time tobacco settlement funds.” Carcieri had proposed laying off 1,000 state employees, freezing union-negotiated pay increases and privatizing virtually every state service possible. Posted by Steve Peoples at 7:14 PM | Comment International film fest offers movies in Kingston tonightKINGSTON -- It's been a nice day out there, and if you want to cap it off with a movie, head to the Courthouse Center for the Arts for some thing you won't catch in the big cineplex. The Rhode Island International Film Festival’s Encore Series presents "Class Act," a 90-minute documentary that looks at arts education in public schools and tells the story of drama teacher Jay W. Jensen. Also being shown are two shorts: "Caught in Paint" and "Reflection of Self." The Center for the Arts is at 3481 Kingstown Rd. (Route 138). Admission is $5, $4 for members. Call (401) 782-1018, or visit www.courthousearts.org. Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:51 PM | Comment Update: Man pleads not guilty in Fall River 'cold case'FALL RIVER, Mass. -- A man accused of committing a "cold case" murder that is more than two years old pleaded not guilty in Fall River District Court today. Jermaine Holley, 24, formerly of 671 Durfee St., Fall River, is charged with the first-degree murder in connection with the April 2005 stabbing of 23-year-old Suzy Goulart in her Pleasant View apartment. Holley is being held without bail at the Plymouth County, Mass., House of Corrections. He has been serving an unrelated jail sentence in Plymouth County. Last month, in announcing the arrest of Holley, Bristol County District Attorney C. Samuel Sutter said Goulart was “brutally, viciously stabbed." He declined at the time to provide additional details on her death or say whether Holley and Goulart knew each other. Goulart was struggling with drug addiction at the time of her death, Sutter said last month. “Nevertheless,” he said, “she had her entire life ahead of her. Her life was just as valuable as anyone else’s … It was a senseless, vicious, brutal murder.” -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Journal staff writer Meaghan Wims and archival reports Sutter has encouraged residents to call the new telephone tip line — (866) SOLVE-07 — if they have information on unsolved killings. In Bristol County, 80 homicides over the last 25 years remain unsolved, including the so-called highway murders in 1988 and 1989 of nine women whose bodies were dumped along area highways. Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:48 PM | Comment Update: Rte. 95 backups from Exit 9 car fire are overTraffic backups that resulted from a car fire at exit 9 on Route 95 south are over, the state Transportation Management Center reports. Traffic flow is normal in the areas of Route 95 south from exit 14 -- Route 37 -- to Exit 9, Route 4 south. Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:33 PM | Comment ME: 2 women found dead in fire died violentlyPROVIDENCE -- The two women found dead in a burning Plainfield Street apartment this month died not from the fire but from other violent causes, the state Medical Examiner's Office announced this afternoon. Amanda Sousa, 17, died from "multiple blunt impact and sharp force injuries" and Heather Jesus, 21, died from "sharp force injuries and asphyxia due to neck and chest compression," the office said in a statement. Before the medical examiner's announcement, the police said they are investigating the case at 381 Plainfield St., in the Silver Lake section, as a double murder. Both women had lacerations, according to police, and their injuries occurred before the fire started. The police have also said the fire was set intentionally, apparently to destroy evidence. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:32 PM | Comment Traffic advisory: Serious accident on Rte. 95, Exit 9A warning to drivers: Traffic is backed up on Route 95 south because the Exit 9 ramp has been affected by a serious accident involving a car fire in the area, according to the DOT. Also, most lanes on Route 4 south -- which is what Exit 9 connects to -- are closed, with just the right lane open. "The areas of 95 southbound from the [Route 295 south merge] to 95 South, to Exit 9 (Route 4) is currently experiencing very heavy traffic congestion," the state DOT's Transportation Management Center says in a 5 p.m. advisory. The car fire has been brought under control, the TMC says. Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:27 PM | Comment Update: 'Mega-yacht' repair yard planned at QuonsetNORTH KINGSTOWN -- A Florida developer plans to build a $150-million shipbuilding and repair yard for servicing "mega-yachts" at Quonset Point, according to the Quonset Development Corporation, the agency that controls the former Navy base in North Kingstown. The company, Island Global Yachting, began discussing the project with the QDC in January. Last night, the QDC granted the company access to the 43-acre site, where it says it will employ as many as 450 workers servicing yachts ranging from 80 to 600 feet in size. In addition to a shipbuilding facility, Island Global Yachting hopes to construct two buildings for repairing so-called mega-yachts, as well as space for yacht storage and sales. Services would include painting, general maintenance and the upgrading of electrical systems. Mega-yachts require up to $5 million in maintenance and refitting every year, according to the Quonset Development Corporation. In all, the company says the 500,000-square-foot facility, including equipment to raise and transport yachts measuring 600 feet, would employ about 400 craftsmen, according to state records. They would earn an average salary of $50,000. The company says it could take two years to complete the final design and obtain the necessary permits from federal and state agencies. --Journal staff writer Benjamin N. Gedan Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:16 PM | Comment Update: N.K. beach again recommended for closureThe state Health Department has again recommended closing North Kingstown Town Beach to swimming because of high bacteria counts. Officials will monitor the water quality and recommend re-opening when the area is deemed safe for swimming, according to a news release today. The department had recommended closing the beach to swimming earlier this month as well. This most recent closing is not yet reflected on the Health Department's list of beach closings on its Web page, but is referenced in a press release on that page. Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:06 PM | Comment Schilling back in Boston to have his shoulder examinedJournal sports writer Sean McAdam reports this afternoon from Atlanta that veteran pitcher Curt Schilling has left the Red Sox and returned to Boston to have his shoulder examined. Details on projo.com's Sox Blog. Posted by Art Martone at 4:35 PM | Comment Cink, Henry win CVS Caremark Charity Classic
Faxon and teammate Zach Johnson needed to birdie the 18th hole today to force a playoff with Stewart Cink and J.J. Henry at minus-20. Things weren't looking so good when Faxon's tee shot went onto the crushed shell cart path near the 16th. But his relief spot -- the ball had also landed behind one of the electric scoreboards -- gave him a favorable spot and he gave himself about a 12-footer for the tie. Johnson's birdie try was a little bit longer, and he put it just inches right of the cup. Faxon and Johnson had a two-shot lead after 11 holes, but Cink-Henry birdied the 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th and 16th holes to get to 20-under. Faxon-Johnson, at minus-17 after a birdie on 11, added just two more the rest of the way. For more on the Classic, check out Shalise Manza-Young's entries on the SportsBlog. Posted by Mike McDermott at 2:47 PM | Comment Update: Suspect in trooper attack put in high securityThe former state correctional officer accused of punching Rhode Island state Trooper Brendan R. Doyle in downtown Providence this weekend has been placed in high security in protective custody at the Adult Correctional Institutions. James Proulx, 36, of Smithfield was moved out of the general inmate population at the intake center of the state prison because of the high profile of the case and because he’s a former correctional officer at the ACI, prison spokeswoman Tracey Z. Poole said today. Meanwhile, Trooper Doyle has been upgraded to serious condition at Rhode Island Hospital, a hospital spokeswoman said at noontime today. Doyle, 25, had been hospitalized in critical condition since Saturday morning after he was punched while taking action when he was off-duty in Providence. The police have said Doyle was trying to prevent others from being hurt by Proulx, who was allegedly driving a BMW recklessly through the streets. Proulx is accused of hitting Doyle so hard that he fell backward and struck his head on the pavement. Proulx is charged with felony assault and reckless driving, which is a misdemeanor. He is held at the ACI on $1 million bail with surety that was set yesterday for the assault charge. Even if he were to post that bail, he would remain at the ACI because he is being held without bail for a prior charge until a July 2 violation hearing. -- Journal staff writer Amanda Milkovits and projo.com staff writers Kate Bramson and Michael McKinney Posted by Kate Bramson at 1:48 PM | Comment Accidental fire damages condo in PortsmouthPORTSMOUTH — Fire investigators could not determine what caused a blaze that badly damaged a condominium in Oakland Farms early this morning. Although it started on the outside of the building, as did a series of suspicious fires in nearby Newport earlier this year, this one has been deemed purely accidental. “This fire was not suspicious in any way, shape or form,” said Deputy Chief Philip Simmons. “This is an accidental fire, although we can’t pinpoint the cause.” The fire started on the exterior of one of two units in a single-story condominium building at 51-53 Cornell Dr., Simmons said. It’s one of many condominiums in the Oakland Farms development off East Main Road, south of the State Police barracks. Donna Bouressa lives in the unit with John Butler and two dogs. When one of the dogs got agitated just after midnight, Bouressa awoke and noticed light coming through one of the windows, Simmons said. It was flames shooting up one of the outside walls. She called 911, and he tried but failed to extinguish the fire with a garden hose. The flames had penetrated the soffits and reached the attic. “It had probably been burning in the attic for some time,” said Simmons. “It made it a very difficult fire to fight.” Firefighters had to punch holes through the ceiling to fight the fire in the attic, he said. It took 45 minutes to get the fire under control, said Simmons, but firefighters continued to douse hot spots in the attic for several hours more. -- Journal staff writer Richard Salit Bouressa’s condominium was seriously damaged and left uninhabitable, Simmons said. The adjacent condominium received smoke and water damage and will have to be professionally cleaned before its occupants return, he said. A fire wall between the two units and separate attics spared the adjacent condominium worse damage, he said. “It definitely stopped it,” he said. Simmons said there was some shrubbery and mulch in the area where the fire started, but could not say for sure whether they were a factor. There was no source of electricity near the fire’s origin. The state Fire Marshal’s Office assisted in the investigation. “We just don’t have a substantial amount of hard evidence” to determine an exact cause, Simmons said. “It’s pretty much a closed case.” Posted by Andrea Panciera at 1:30 PM | Comment Plea hearing postponed in steroid distribution casePROVIDENCE -- A plea hearing was postponed today for a former New York doctor charged in a steroid distribution case. Ana Maria Santi had planned to plead guilty in federal court today to charges that she wrote prescriptions for steroids and human growth hormones for customers she never met or examined. But U.S. District Judge William Smith continued the hearing until July 13 after Santi challenged the government's description of the case against her. Santi is accused of writing medically unnecessary prescriptions under the name of a doctor who was retired and living in California. Santi today said she had permission from that doctor to use his name. A federal prosecutor said Santi's claim was irrelevant, but the judge said he would not accept a guilty plea today. Prosecutors have said Santi and other doctors were enlisted by the president of New Jersey-based American Pharmaceutical Group to write prescriptions for bodybuilders and other customers, including some in Rhode Island. -- Associated Press Posted by Mike McKinney at 1:14 PM | Comment Group protests budget hours before Senate votesPROVIDENCE -- Hours before the Senate will take up the state budget, about 25 business leaders and Republicans gathered at the State House this afternoon calling on state leaders to properly close the structural budget deficit. They held signs bearing messages such as "stop putting today's burden on the backs of our children." As they held a news conference, a large group of children on a State House tour stopped by and watched for a bit. Meanwhile, state Sen. Stephen Alves, the Democratic chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, and Senate Majority Leader M. Teresa Paiva Weed, D-Newport, watched the news conference from the second-floor balcony for about five minutes. Alves and Paiva Weed indicated later that they did not expect significant change to take place today when the Senate considers the proposed budget passed by the House last week (H 5300 Sub A). Democrats hold a wide majority in both houses. The Senate Finance Committee is scheduled to consider the budget at 3 p.m. and then the Senate will take it up at 4 p.m. Amendments are expected to be introduced in the Senate, but none are expected to pass. The debate is not expected to match the 11-hour marathon the House held on Friday night into Saturday morning before giving its approval to the proposal, which Governor Carcieri, a Republican and former business executive, has decried. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Steve Peoples of the Journal State House Bureau Posted by Mike McKinney at 1:07 PM | Comment Quigleys prosper at the CVS in Barrington
Posted by Peter Phipps at 11:54 AM | Comment Commission sets calendar for Montalbano casino casePROVIDENCE -- The Ethics Commission this morning established a schedule for briefs to be filed regarding the prosecution of Senate President Joseph Montalbano on charges that he used his political position to reap financial benefits from a proposed casino in West Warwick. Commission lawyer Dianne L. Leyden proposed that Montalbano, through his lawyer, Max Wistow, has until July 6 to submit a legal brief to the Ethics Commission. She will have until Aug. 6 to respond to Montalbano’s position. After both sides exchange briefs, Montalbano will have until Aug. 16 to counter Leyden’s argument. Finally, Leyden and Wistow are scheduled to appear before the Ethics Commission on Aug. 21 to air their positions. The Ethics Commission unanimously approved the schedule and ruled that each side will be limited to 30-minute presentations at the public hearing followed by 10-minute rebuttals. A trial-like hearing against Montalbano was indefinitely postponed more than two weeks ago after Wistow raised multiple constitutional challenges about the proceedings. In a related development, the Ethics Commission decided to table any action against former Senate President William Irons, who is being prosecuted in a separate case, until Montalbano gets an answer to several constitutional law issues. -- Journal staff writer W. Zachary Malinowski The rulings could have a direct impact on the Irons case. Among the claims Wistow has raised that most concern reform groups is that immunity legislators enjoy under the state and federal constitutions bars the commission from even trying Montalbano on four of the eight charges against him because they depend on his votes in the Senate. After this morning’s brief hearing before the Ethics Commission, Wistow met with reporters in the hallway. He said Montalbano’s voting record “itself can’t be the basis for the charge against him.” But, he said, if Montalbano -- or any other elected official -- was involved in an “elicit arrangement,” he could face criminal prosecution. Posted by Kate Bramson at 11:18 AM | Comment Beach report: All open in R.I. and ready for actionIt’s a beautiful beach day today, and all of Rhode Island’s 118 licensed bathing beaches appear open and ready for sunbathers, swimmers, joggers and beachcombers. Before you head to your favorite beach, check the state Department of Health’s beach closures and advisories on the department's Web site. You may also call (401) 222-2751 for an update on swimming at the state’s beaches. Beach status may change on a daily basis, particularly if we get heavy rains. However, there's none of that on the forecast for any day soon. -- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson Posted by Kate Bramson at 10:43 AM | Comment Traffic: Check out your commute via DOT siteRoute 195 west is slow in downtown Providence, but what else is new? It appears to be a typical commuting morning at this 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. Also, check out congestion mapping -- i.e., how heavy the traffic is – here and listen to or read the radio reports for the week about traffic and construction on specific roadways. To report a traffic incident, call the Transportation Management Center at (401) 222-5826 and choose option #2. Posted by Kate Bramson at 7:48 AM | Comment Download today's front pageThe arraignment of the man accused of beating Trooper Brendon Doyle and a story on the state budget lead today's Journal. Posted by Peter Phipps at 7:45 AM | Comment Enjoy the prelude to summerPROVIDENCE – It’s going to be a beauty today, so if you can find some time to get outside and enjoy, be sure to do so.
We should see a high of 85 or so, with coastal areas cooler than inland areas.
Aside from a few morning showers tomorrow, we’ve got sun and 80s or near 80s for the rest of the week.
Get the latest conditions and forecasts from projo.com. Posted by Kate Bramson at 7:35 AM | Comment Baby giraffe gets a name, awaiting half-sibling
Journal file photoThe new giraffe shortly after his birth in May.
He is now known as Mtembei (pronounced mu-TEM-bay), which is Swahili for “one who roams.” What Mtembei may not be able to do is remain “the new baby giraffe” for long, as he is likely to have a half-sibling born “any day now,” according to zoo spokeswoman Laura Dunn, who said that zookeepers and the zoo’s director for animal programs believe a second giraffe birth at the zoo is imminent. The giraffe who was born May 5 to Sukari – before a crowd of oohing and ahhing spectators – has been named after the zoo held a naming contest that drew more than 5,000 entries. The contest began on Mother’s Day and concluded yesterday, on Father’s Day. The zoo selected the name suggested by the Wojtyszyn family of North Kingstown – Lori and Bill and the couple’s 4-year-old son, Riley. Read more about the giraffes at Roger Williams Park Zoo and about Mtembei’s birth. Also, check out the zoo’s Web site for video of Mtembei’s birth and of his first attempts to stand. -- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson As winners of the naming contest, the Wojtyszyn family were given a family membership to the zoo, a framed photo of the calf and a chance to meet the zookeeper. At a zoo with one adult male giraffe and two adult females – who gave birth to two calves less than two weeks apart back in 2002 – animal experts are expecting another birth soon. “We’re still waiting with baited breath” for another birth, Dunn said today. It’s difficult to know precisely when a pregnant giraffe is expected to give birth, and it can even be difficult to be sure if a giraffe is pregnant, according to the zoo’s deputy director for animal programs. Posted by Kate Bramson at 7:07 AM | Comment June 18, 2007Martines Pina sentenced on 3 drunk-driving chargesNEW BEDFORD — The wife of a former Bristol County district attorney was sentenced today to serve six months in prison on three charges of drunken driving, despite a prosecutor’s call for a longer sentence. Sheila Martines Pina, 50, pleaded guilty to all three charges in New Bedford District Court before Judge John Julien, who sentenced her, over the objections of district attorney Gregory Tinsworth, to 30 months in prison, with all but six months suspended. Pina must serve at least five months of the sentence, according to a statement today by the district attorney’s office. The judge also placed Pina on probation for three years and ordered her to pay $1,050 in fines and court fees. -- Journal staff writer Meaghan Wims The district attorney’s office had recommended Pina serve mandatory, consecutive sentences totaling 3 1/2 years for the charges, which are her third, fourth and fifth drunken-driving offenses. Pina had been out on bail on two 2006 drunken-driving cases when she was arrested on May 29 near the Davy Jones restaurant in New Bedford on suspicion of driving drunk. The wife of Ronald Pina, Sheila Martines Pina was previously a Rhode Island television personality. She was fired last January from her 18-year post as president of the Southeastern Massachusetts Convention and Visitors Bureau. She was convicted in 1989 and in 1997 on drunken-driving charges.
Posted by Kate Bramson at 7:01 PM | Comment Carcieri: Privatization bill '11th hour sellout to unions'PROVIDENCE -- This afternoon, Governor Carcieri blasted the House of Representatives for effectively killing his plans to save millions of dollars by expanding the privatization of state services. In the wee hours of Saturday morning, the House of Representatives bypassed the standard legislative process and overwhelmingly approved a privatization bill as part of the 2007-08 budget. Privatization is a key a key part of the governor’s plan to close a structural budget hole by cutting 1,000 state jobs. “It was an 11th-hour sellout to the unions. It’s shameful,” Carcieri said during today's State House press conference. “It essentially turns over the keys of state government to the unions.” The proposal, which is expected to be approved tomorrow when the Senate votes on the budget, gives the Legislature new oversight by requiring detailed cost comparisons and a Superior Court appeals process for state services set to be replaced by the private sector. George H. Nee, secretary-treasurer of the state AFL-CIO, said that labor has been fighting for the proposal for more than 10 years. The intent was not to handcuff the governor, Nee said, but “to make it a difficult process, because you're dealing with peoples lives.' For it to be a difficult process I think is a good thing.” -- Steve Peoples, Journal State House Bureau Posted by Steve Peoples at 5:58 PM | Comment Man accused in domestic slaying held without bailPROVIDENCE – A man accused of stabbing his former girlfriend to death last month in the Federal Hill apartment they used to share was ordered held without bail today. Hamlet Lopez, 51, remains at the Adult Correctional Institutions, where he has been since his arrest May 21, the day after the police allege he killed child-care operator Miledis Hilario. The case against Lopez has not yet gone to a grand jury, according to Michael J. Healey, spokesman for the state Attorney General’s Office. Healey said the office is preparing to present the case to a grand jury. -- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson Today, Sixth District Court Judge Elaine T. Bucci set a deadline of Aug. 17 for indictment, Healey said. If the state has not presented the case to a grand jury and secured an indictment against Lopez by that date, Bucci will discuss possible bail, Healey said. The state is prepared to present the case in time to meet that deadline, Healey said. In court today, Lopez did not contest that the state has enough information to hold him without bail, Healey said. Posted by Kate Bramson at 5:46 PM | Comment Duke, 3 former lacrosse players reach settlementDURHAM, N.C. -- Duke University has reached an undisclosed financial settlement with three former lacrosse players falsely accused of rape, the school said today. Duke suspended Reade Seligmann, Collin Finnerty and Dave Evans after they were charged last year with raping a stripper at an off-campus party. The university also canceled the team's season and forced their coach to resign. Seligmann is due to transfer to Brown University this fall and play lacrosse there. The players' former coach, Mike Pressler, is now coaching at Bryant University in Rhode Island. "We welcomed their exoneration and deeply regret the difficult year they and their families have had to endure," the school said in a statement. "These young men and their families have been the subject of intense scrutiny that has taken a heavy toll." The allegations were debunked in April by state prosecutors, who said the players were the innocent victims of a "tragic rush to accuse" by Durham County District Attorney Mike Nifong. He was disbarred Saturday for breaking more than two dozen rules of professional conduct in his handling of the case. The players' families racked up millions of dollars of legal bills in their defense, and appear likely to file a lawsuit against Nifong. The players said in a joint statement that they hoped the agreement would "begin to bring the Duke family back together again." Posted by Andrea Panciera at 5:07 PM | Comment Update: Fire at Federal Hill apartment building / Photo
Everyone was out of the three-story building at the intersection of Almy and Tell streets when fire crews arrived this afternoon, Fire Chief George S. Farrell said. As people begin coming home from work, the fire department may learn of additional people displaced by the blaze, which was reported at 3:55 p.m. Despite an initial report of children trapped on the third floor, all occupants were safely out of the building, according to James Taylor, chief of communications for the fire department. The two-month-old girl was found at a store nearby and was taken to Hasbro because she was having trouble breathing, Taylor said. She was breathing on her own, Farrell said at the scene. The fire was under control within about 20 minutes, Farrell said. By 4:30 p.m., fire crews were pouring water on the triple-decker, but no flames were visible. The department sent eight engines, four ladder trucks and three rescue vehicles to the two-alarm blaze, Farrell said. The fire is under investigation. Farrell said the cause is unknown at this point, and it’s not even clear yet where the fire started. Most of the damage was to the second and third floors. -- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson, with reports from Journal staff writer John Hill Posted by Kate Bramson at 4:55 PM | Comment CCRI student gets 10 years for DUI double fatalSOUTH KINGSTOWN -- CCRI sophomore Brandy Graff was sentenced this afternoon to 15 years in prison, with 10 to serve, after pleading guilty to two counts of driving under the influence, death resulting, for the 2005 crash that killed two sisters who were taking a scenic drive on Ocean Road. Graff, 20, apologized in court today to the families of the two sisters, and she addressed Judge Stephen P. Nugent in Washington County Superior Court. “I never thought my choices would ever hurt anyone but myself,” Graff said to the judge. “There isn’t one minute that passes that I don’t wish I made better choices that day.” More to come ... -- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson, with reports from Journal staff writer Katie Mulvaney Posted by Kate Bramson at 3:57 PM | Comment Senate panel to meet on legal fees paid by DEMPROVIDENCE -- The Senate Finance Committee will meet tomorrow to investigate legal fees paid by the state Department of Environmental Management, according to a news release issued today. The committee is "expanding the scope" of the hearing after reports of "exorbitant amounts" paid to an out-of-state law firm hired by DEM in connection with a case of soil contamination in a North Tiverton neighborhood. Legislative leaders have said they want to question Carcieri administration officials about the hiring of a Washington law firm that's billed the state $448,000 in a Tiverton environmental case. Senate President Joseph A. Montalbano told The Journal last week that the Senate Finance Committee would hold a public hearing on the circumstances surrounding the Department of Environmental Management’s hiring of Sutherland Asbill & Brennan at rates of up to $680 an hour. The commiteee has asked DEM Director W. Michael Sullivan, Department of Administration Director Beverly E. Najarian and DEM executive counsel Patty Allison Fairweather to appear at the hearing, the news release says. The hearing is scheduled to start at the rise of the Senate tomorrow and be held in the Senate Lounge. -- With archival reports Posted by Mike McKinney at 3:52 PM | Comment Update: $1M bail for man accused of injuring trooper
Journal photo/ Bill MurphyFormer ACI guard James Proulx (center) of Smithfield is arraigned in Providence District Court this morning. PROVIDENCE -- After allegedly punching State Trooper Brendan Doyle so hard Saturday that Doyle is now fighting for his life in a hospital, James Proulx, a former state correctional officer, made a profanity-laced cell phone call to an ex-girlfriend that same morning, the police say. During the call, Proulx accuses his ex-girlfriend, Erica Geisser, of sending people after him, according to the text of a voice mail message that prosecutor James Baum read in District Court, Providence, this morning. Proulx says he has has given "them" the beating of "their ... life" and says they are "probably all sucking their lunch out of a straw right now," according to the transcript of the message. "That's so ... not right that you ... sent those guys after me, okay," he continued. "I would never do that to you, okay. But they're not telling -- Trust me when I tell you, they ain't coming after me again, 'cause they're ... hurting right now. All right. But that was really funny." With the state police superintendent and five state troopers standing in the back of the courtroom, Chief District Court Judge Albert DeRobbio initially talked of setting bail at $500,000 for the felony assault charge but ultimately set it at $1 million with surety. In any event, Proulx, 36, was ordered held without bail today for violating a no-contact order on a prior charge of domestic violence. Proulx, wearing a green shirt and blue jeans, said little during the arraignment. Doyle, 25, is in critical condition at Rhode Island Hospital after the incident, which happened around 2 a.m. Saturday. Defense lawyer Michael DeMarco argued that guidelines for a felony assault charge call for $20,000 with surety bail. "$500,000 is very excessive," DeMarco told the judge. But the judge said he took a host of circumstances in this case into account, including the text of the cell-phone call. "High bail is not excessive bail," the judge said. After the arraignment, State Police Col. Brendan Doherty said outside the courtroom that he was "pleased" with the judge's decision. DeMarco declined comment, other than to say the bail was excessive, as he left the courthouse surrounded by reporters. Trooper Doyle's father, Robert Doyle, said his son can hear them, and he has squeezed his mother’s hand. This morning, he gave the family a "thumbs up" when asked to hold up two fingers. His prognosis is still uncertain, his father said. The doctors say all brain injuries are different and all patients are different, Robert Doyle said. Trooper Doyle is from a family of athletes — his father is a six-time winner of the Ocean State Marathon and has the fastest time of any Rhode Islander in that race. His uncle is the track coach at Bishop Hendricken High School, Warwick. The family had owned Doyle Sporting Goods in Pawtucket years ago. Doyle himself an avid runner. When he became a state police trooper two years ago, he joined other troopers in benefit runs. He is also part of the family of state police officers — one uncle is a retired state police lieutenant, and another, Lt. Eric LaRiviere, is still serving. State police, Providence police, the firefighters who first treated Doyle Saturday morning, and his friends and fellow runners from all over the state have been visiting, his father said today. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney and Journal staff writer Amanda Milkovits, with reports from projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson Posted by Mike McKinney at 3:27 PM | Comment Carcieri to 'express dismay' over House budget planPROVIDENCE -- Governor Carcieri will hold a press conference this afternoon to "express his dismay' over the budget passed by the House of Representatives early Saturday morning. In a media advisory just issued, his office says Carcieri will address several areas of particular concern, specifically: Aid to local schools, use of the national tobacco settlement, raised taxes and "preventing cost-savings initiatives from privatization from taking place." The House approved a $6.99 billion budget following a marathon session that spanned more than 11 hours. The plan froze state education aid, closed a series of corporate tax shelters, knocked an estimated 2,400 children off state subsidized childcare, agreed to allow Sunday auto sales, dedicated millions from the sale of tobacco-settlement bonds to balance the budget and required that 17-year-olds be tried as adults for criminal offenses. The Senate will take up the proposal this week. Posted by Andrea Panciera at 11:42 AM | Comment Gas prices drop againGasoline prices in Rhode Island have dropped for the third straight week, according to AAA Southern New England. The average price is $2.969 for a gallon of regular, unleaded gasoline at the self-service pump, according to AAA's weekly survey. That's four cents less than last week. The price has dropped 12 cents in the past three weeks, AAA said. Posted by Jack Perry at 10:38 AM | Comment R.I. Guard members heading to IraqCRANSTON -- Nine members of the Rhode Island Army National Guard's Public Affairs Operations Center are shipping off to Iraq for one year. They will depart today for initial deployment in Fort Dix, N.J., before forward movement to Iraq. Their mission will be to develop and deliver internal command and external media messages. They are expected to depart from the Rhode Island National Guard's Joint Force Headquarters in Cranston following a send-off ceremony set for 1:30 p.m. -- The Associated Press Posted by Jack Perry at 10:33 AM | Comment Verizon launches cable service in West Bay / Photo
WARWICK -- Verizon Communications launched its cable television service in the West Bay area this morning, becoming the first new provider of cable TV in Rhode Island in about 20 years. The company held a launch event at a new Verizon dispatch facility in Warwick that included a ribbon "cutting" ceremony: a convoy of 10 Verizon service trucks rolled off the lot to begin the first installations. The lead truck broke through a red ribbon that officials had stretched between two poles. The company has permission from the state to offer its FiOS TV service to Service Area 6, which includes 79,600 households in Coventry, East Greenwich, Exeter, North Kingstown, Warwick, West Warwick and West Greenwich. Its expanded tier will cost customers $42.99 per month plus $4.99 for a cable box and remote control. The company has also applied for licenses to serve Service Areas 2, 3 and 8, which include 158,000 households in Charlestown, Cranston, Foster, Hopkinton, Johnston, Narragansett, North Providence, Providence, Richmond, Scituate, South Kingstown and Westerly. The company could get final approval for those three areas as soon as this fall, according to a state official. Posted by Tim Barmann at 10:13 AM | Comment 2,000 sailors converge upon Block Island this weekThe population of tiny Block Island will swell by more than 2,000 sailors while marinas fill with an extra 200-plus boats when the Storm Trysail Club arrives to coordinate -- for its 22nd time -- Block Island Race Week. The event, presented by Rolex, is one of the most popular sailing weeks in America, repeating itself on the island biennially since 1965. In 2005, through contributions and a raffle, Race Week raised in excess of $18,000 for three charities. Benefiting this year will be Block Island North Lighthouse, BIock Island Rescue Squad and Block Island Early Learning Center. Highlight of the event happens on Wednesday, when a sea of colorful spinnakers makes its way completely around Block Island. Posted by Pam Cotter at 9:20 AM | Comment So far, traffic's moving smoothly on major roadsPROVIDENCE -- It appears to be a mostly smooth ride through the capital city and its adjacent communities this morning on Routes 95 and 195. The state Transportation Management Center's cameras show no standing traffic on those highways. Things are moving fine on Routes 10 and 6 as well. See for yourself: Click here to go to the Transportation Management Center. On the site, click on traffic cameras to see how various stretches of roads are looking. And you can click for the latest report of an accident. Posted by Mike McKinney at 7:13 AM | Comment Temperatures will rise into the 80s, mostly sunnyIt's expected to rise into the 80s and be mostly sunny today. Right now, it's 67 degrees in the Providence area, 65 degrees in Newport, 67 degrees in North Kingstown, 65 degrees in Pawtucket and in Westerly, and 64 on Block Island. The high in the Providence area is expected to be 84 degrees, according to the National Weather Service. So far, the humidity is above 60 percent in most of the state, with an exception of Newport, where it's 75 percent, and Block Island, where it's 84 percent. Tonight, the forecast calls for mostly clear skies with lows in the upper 50s. The forecast's first sign of trouble is tomorrow night, when there is a 40 percent chance of thunderstorms. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 7:03 AM | Comment Today's front pageIt was a busy Father's Day weekend at Women & Infants Hospital in Providence with about 30 babies being born, including Hailee Ava Pomeranz, who is featured in a story and photograph with her mother, Ria, and father, Mike, on today's front page. Download a copy of today's front page in .pdf format. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:00 AM | Comment June 16, 2007House budget final: Much debate, few surprisesPROVIDENCE -- The House of Representatives approved a 2007-08 budget early this morning following a marathon session that spanned more than 11 hours. There were few surprises, but plenty of political posturing and emotional debate before exhausted lawmakers approved a $6.99 billion spending plan at 1:34 a.m. that froze state education aid, closed a series of corporate tax shelters, knocked an estimated 2,400 children off state subsidized childcare, agreed to allow Sunday auto sales, dedicated millions from the sale of tobacco-settlement bonds to balance the budget and required that 17-year-olds be tried as adults for criminal offenses. The Senate will take up the budget next week. No changes are expected, according to Senate Finance Chairman Stephen D. Alves, D-West Warwick.  Journal photo / Ruben W. Perez House Speaker William Murphy listens to House Labor Committee Chairman Arthur Corvese last night. The budget passed this morning largely mirrors the spending plan passed last week by the House Finance Committee -- with one exception. Democrats fought through Republican outrage to pass an amendment that limits the governor’s ability to privatize state services. The move comes about a week after Governor Carcieri, a Republican, released a plan to lay off 1,000 state workers and expand efforts to replace union employees with private workers. Governor Carcieri’s spokesman characterized the privatization effort as “nothing more than a blatant giveaway to the state employee unions.” The governor wasn’t happy with the other provisions either. The Democrat-led House did not provide any additional education aid. The capital gains tax phase-out was frozen at 1.67 percent. And lawmakers did vote to use $154 million in tobacco settlement bonds to balance the budget. “It appears that the House [passed] a budget that will be a disaster for Rhode Island taxpayers, businesses and local schools,” Carcieri spokesman Jeff Neal said late last night. “Unless this budget dramatically changes before passage by the Senate, the governor would have no choice but to veto.” The passionate debate over education financing divided the House’s Democratic majority and forced lawmakers to go on record voting for a budget that gives cities and towns $19.4 million less than Carcieri proposed earlier in the year. “I think I’m agreeing with a conservative Republican governor that we have to fund education,” said Steven F. Smith, D-Providence. “If we’re the school board for the state, we have to fund education properly; $19 million is not a lot of money in a $6-billion budget.” The political implications of the school-aid vote were not lost on Republicans, who were a small but vocal presence last night, representing just 13 of 75 members. “This is the showdown vote,” said House Minority Leader Robert A. Watson, R-East Greenwich. “If you vote for this article, you might be doing what the leadership in the chamber wants you to do. You decide. Are you with your community, or is your vote in this room?” Smith, the president of the Providence Teachers Union, was among 12 Democrats who joined the 13 Republicans voting against level funding. Fifty Democrats, including House Speaker William J. Murphy, Majority Leader Gordon D. Fox, D-Providence, and House Finance Committee Chairman Steven M. Costantino, D-Providence, voted for the measure. “There’s nothing to be embarrassed about,” Fox told those who voted yes. While lawmakers did not increase funding over last year’s amount, the state will distribute $864 million to communities next year, he noted. “That is providing aid,” Fox said, adding that “a message has to be sent” to local school committees to control spending. And with virtually no debate, lawmakers approved, on a 48-to-19 vote, one of the more controversial proposals of the night: trying 17-year-olds as adults on all criminal charges. “I understand that we must do this,” said Rep. Joseph S. Almeida, D-Providence, who ultimately voted against the change. But, he warned, time spent at the Adult Correctional Institutions “doesn’t correct anybody.” Continue reading for the full report ... -- Journal staff writers Steve Peoples, Elizabeth Gudrais and Amanda Milkovits While the vote represents a major policy shift, it was framed as a budget decision. The average annual cost of incarcerating someone at the ACI is about half the average cost of housing a youth at the Rhode Island Training School. Starting July 1, 17-year-olds tried as adults, convicted of crimes and sentenced to probation, rather than prison time, will also fall under the Department of Corrections budget rather than the Department of Children, Youth and Families. All told, the changes are expected to save $3.6 million. SOCIAL SERVICES Lawmakers approved the social-services budget as proposed by House Finance last week, which restores some, but not all of Carcieri’s proposed cuts. They made no changes to the structure of state’s cash assistance or subsidized health insurance programs, although changes in federal law to require increased documentation are expected to cause 5,750 people to lose their state-paid health coverage. They maintained the so-called Independent Living Program, which provides services such as health insurance, college tuition payments and housing assistance to former foster children, but cut half of the program’s funding and told the state Department of Children, Youth and Families, which administers the program, to find a way to make it less expensive. Lawmakers made two changes to the state’s subsidized child-care program. Together, the changes are expected to make 2,400 children ineligible for the program. Legislators are lowering the upper age limit for the program from 16 to 13. House fiscal staff said about 300 children between ages 13 and 16 now qualify for state-subsidized care. They are also lowering the income-eligibility threshold from 225 percent of the federal poverty level ($46,463 for a family of four) to 180 percent ($37,170). That change is expected to disqualify about 2,100 children. A group of lawmakers, led by Rep. Grace Diaz, a Providence Democrat who has been a child-care provider in the past, tried to amend the budget to bring the rate back up to 225 percent. “We’re talking about parents who work every day and pay their taxes,” said Rep. Joseph S. Almeida, D-Providence, who voted for Diaz’s amendment. But the amendment ultimately failed. Costantino noted that Carcieri proposed pushing the threshold down to 150 percent of poverty ($30,975 for a family of four), and lawmakers had to add in $7.6 million to bring it up to 180 percent. Diaz’s amendment would cost another $7 million, “which quite frankly, we do not have,” Costantino said. “I don’t think there’s any question that child care…keeps people in their jobs,” he said. “At this point, we just can’t afford it.” 
Journal photo / Ruben W. Perez House Finance Chairman Steven M. Costantino, right, chats with House Majority Leader Gordon Fox last night. TAXES: Lawmakers fought off a proposal to increase the long-term capital-gains tax to 5 percent. It fell from 5 percent this year to 1.67 percent and was set to be phased out next year as part of the Assembly’s recent tax-reform package. House leaders supported freezing capital gains at the current 1.67-percent rate, but would go no further. Opposition came from Republicans — who fought anything but a phase-out — and a handful of Democrats, who saw an increase to 5 percent as a way to pay for education and social services. “We have to give this at least a try to see if it works to see if we can get the kind of investment and job growth in this state that is severely lacking,” Costantino said of a reduced capital-gains tax, responding to a push by Rep. David Segal, D-Providence, to bump it up to 5 percent. While the majority of Republicans joined the Democratic leadership against Segal’s proposal, one Republican broke ranks. “Our mission is not to give breaks to people who can afford it,” said Rep. Joseph N. Amaral, R-Tiverton. “If we take the responsibility off our corporate citizens…then we’re transposing the tax burden onto our constituents, many of whom are working poor or ... senior citizens.” The House also voted to close a series of tax shelters that would have cost the state more than $10 million next year. The vote on the measure was largely split along party lines. House Republicans, like Carcieri, opposed changing the state’s corporate tax code, fearing that it would scare away business. “One man’s loophole is another man’s incentive,” said Rep. Carol Mumford, R-Scituate. “And it’s an incentive to do business in Rhode Island.” But Costantino said the perceived “loopholes” benefited large multi-state corporations above local business. “Quite frankly, the small business community should be outraged,” Costantino said. “When large businesses have these kinds of issues, the tax burden gets put on residents and small business.” An estimated 10 to 20 companies operating in Rhode Island — primarily large banks and major retailers — use loopholes to reduce their tax liability. The vote prevents companies from using real estate investment trusts and passive investment companies, which currently allow corporations to save by paying an out-of-state subsidiary to manage its property and “intangible assets” such as its own corporate logo. Rep. Nicholas R. Gorham, R-Coventry, held a yo-yo to reinforce the point that lawmakers were inconsistent with their tax policy. “You know what we look like? A bunch of yo-yos,” he said. SUNDAY AUTO SALES: Lawmakers spent about an hour debating whether to allow car dealerships to open from noon to 6 p.m. on Sundays. Their ultimate verdict: yes. The change is expected to produce tax revenue as people buy cars in Rhode Island on Sunday rather than cross the border into Massachusetts and pay sales tax there instead. “These are 20, 30, 40-thousand-dollar vehicles that we’re losing 5 percent on,” said Costantino. The House defeated attempts by Republican representatives to kill the Sunday-sales provision and to add a sunset clause so the General Assembly would need to revisit the issue next year. Dealership owners “work 14-hour days, 6 days a week,” said Mumford. “They need Sundays” for relaxation and family time, she said. Mumford’s comments prompted Rep. Timothy A. Williamson, D-West Warwick, to comment that it was unusual to find Republicans sticking up for workers’ rights. “This must be bizarro world,” he said. The length of debate on the issue prompted Minority Leader Watson to remark: “Mr. Speaker, when we’re done with the budget, we can leave here and buy a car, because it will be Sunday.” TOBACCO: Lawmakers voted to use $153 million from the sale of tobacco-settlement bonds to balance the budget, following the recommendation of the House Finance Committee. In his original budget proposal, the governor outlined a plan to raise $160 million through the sale of the bonds, but suggested that revenue be used for capital improvements and transportation projects. Watson, echoing the governor’s concerns, accused the Democratic majority of “squandering” the tobacco money. “These tough budgets are going to continue to come our way,” he said. “And guess what? The tobacco money is gone.” Costantino blamed the Carcieri administration in part for the need to spend tobacco money on the operating budget. He said that state departments overspent in the current fiscal year by $20 million. “That … overspending could have been the 3 percent for education.” The leadership has also cited the need to use tobacco money because an $80-million settlement from the insurance giant American International Group was tied up in litigation. BLACKSTONE VALLEY COURTHOUSE: The House approved a measure to pay $71 million for a new Blackstone Valley Courthouse. The vast majority of the chamber voted for the proposal, but a vocal Republican minority sought to block the move. John A. Savage, R-East Providence, tried and failed to eliminate the funding for the courthouse entirely. “In this budget year, we can’t afford it,” Savage said. “It’s not the time. It’s not the place.” Rep. Peter F. Kilmartin, D-Pawtucket, disagreed. “If anything, it has positive impact. It’s something that’s necessary,” he said. “You can say we can’t afford it now. But when can we?” The proposal would cost taxpayers $113 million over the next 20 years, beginning in 2009. MOTOR VEHICLES: Lawmakers increased registration fees for some types of vehicles and some types of license plates, but they maintained the same rate on the car-tax phase-out. Starting July 1, Rhode Island residents will pay twice as much — $60 instead of $30 — to register their much-loved vanity plates. Knowing the fee hike might result in fewer people getting vanity plates, lawmakers did not budget for the revenue from vanity plates to double, instead estimating that 30 percent fewer people will choose vanity plates. The state will also begin charging higher registration fees for heavier vehicles. Anything under 4,000 pounds will still be subject to the current annual fee of $30 (which translates into a $60 total bill when people renew every two years). For vehicles heavier than 4,000 pounds, the annual fee will range from $40 to $140. Regarding the car tax, the first $6,000 of any car’s value will be exempt from taxation next year. Taxpayers’ actual bills will vary depending on the tax rate in the community where they live, but most taxpayers should see their bills go down as their cars depreciate and the same amount of value is exempted. The General Assembly created the car-tax phase-out program in 1998, agreeing to reimburse cities and towns for some portion of cars’ value so the municipalities could phase out the tax without suffering from the lost revenue. Lawmakers originally envisioned the program exempting the first $1,500 of value in 2000, and gradually increasing that value through $15,000 in 2005 and then a car’s full value in 2006. By the time the phase-out program took effect in 2000, lawmakers had already begun to tinker with the formula, lowering the exemption values for the out-years so just $9,400 would be exempt in 2005, and the full value would be exempt in 2007. In 2002, they brought the exempt value up to $3,500 for the current year and $4,500 for the next year, but scrapped the out-years from the formula altogether. They increased the exemption to $5,000 in 2005 and $6,000 last year.
The House passed a measure after midnight to limit the governor’s ability to privatize state services without legislative oversight. In addition to disclosing plans to lay off 1,000 state workers, Carcieri last week said he would replace union employees with private workers for "every state service that could possibly be performed more efficiently by the private sector." An article, introduced by Rep. Charlene M. Lima, D-Cranston, passed last night would set up a series of oversight provisions for the Department of Administration required “prior to the closure, consolidation or privatization of any state facility…” Several fiscal analysis reports must be issued 60 days before bids are sought by the state. “This amendment is essential if we are to stop scandals,” Lima said referring to governor’s use of private staffing firms. The measure also gives competitors the right to appeal privatization decisions. And it gives the Assembly essentially a veto over any privatization plan. The Assembly has “the right to review any final program decision…in the event that it believes that the public interest is sufficiently at risk.” House Republicans were outraged that the proposal was even brought up in budget discussions last night. It was initially proposed as an individual bill and was set to be heard in committee next week. “This is literally an 11th-hour power grab,” Watson said. “It’s the legislature trying to invade the executive branch.” Mumford agreed: “We have a blatant giveaway to the state employee unions at the expense of the Rhode Island taxpayer.” The party-line vote to pass the measure was 61 to 13. DEPARTMENT REORGANIZATION The House approved a major reorganization plan that would shift the oversight of the Traffic Tribunal, set uniform terms for all the magistrates, and assign the state Office of Health and Human Services to manage five state health agencies. The office will lead the departments of children, youth and families, elderly affairs, health and human services, and mental health, retardation and hospitals. But coming fresh off a contentious debate over school funding, some of the Republican legislators went after the Health and Human Services by trying to cut the budget by 3 percent. Republican Rep. Watson’s idea was heatedly shoved off by several Democrats. The reorganization also lays out terms to create a new state Department of Public Safety by the next fiscal year that would include all of the state’s public safety agencies: the state police, the E-911 division, the state fire marshal, the Fire Safety Code Board of Appeal and Review, the justice commission, municipal police training academy, and the sheriffs and capitol police. The state police superintendent will be the director. The plan would take effect as early as July 1, 2008, and no later than Jan. 1, 2009. The article, which originated out of the House Finance Committee, is intended to save money by consolidating some services. While the new department didn’t attract much interest from the legislators last night, the fates of the 18 magistrates did, mildly. This plan shuffles the eight-year-old Traffic Tribunal from under the oversight of the District Court chief judge to a chief magistrate – a new position – who will be appointed by the state Supreme Court chief justice. That magistrate will in turn appoint other magistrates to the Traffic Tribunal, eventually saving money instead of having judges, but not putting them through the same merit-selection process that judges face. All new magistrates will have to be appointed by the top judges or magistrates in their division, undergo Senate confirmation, and serve 10-year terms. Right now, some serve 8 or 10 years, others are lifetime magistrates. Rep. Donna Walsh, D-Charlestown, said she had “philosophical problems” with the magistrates, but she’d pursue that issue next year. Rep. Mumford suggested voting on the magistrates and Traffic Tribunal changes separately. “There’s quite a bit that needs to be reorganized in state government,” she said. “However, we have something that’s working well, and that’s the Traffic Tribunal.” The majority voted for the new plan.
The House declined to act on a proposal to impose a new tax on cable TV service, but said the idea might return next week in the form of a bill separate from the budget. The proposed 3.5-percent tax would generate an estimated $7 million to $9 million for the state next year, but the state would parcel it out to municipalities proportionally based on population. According to a chart produced by the House, the City of Providence would get $1.5 million; East Greenwich would get $111,000. Costantino said the new tax was conceived as part of a “municipal aid package” to help municipalities in other areas since they won’t be getting any increase in education aid from the state. The package of ideas also included prohibiting water authorities from charging cities and towns to use their systems, and allowing cities and towns to charge for the use of master box fire alarms. All three ideas were meant to bring municipalities extra money without costing the state anything, but some lawmakers objected, saying the cost would be passed along to the taxpayers in the form of increased water rates and cable bills. Several said they wanted to see hard numbers on the impact to consumers before deciding. House leaders withdrew the amendment because it was too controversial, but said they would consider it further next week. 
Journal photo / Ruben W. Perez Rep. Nicholas Gorham expresses his displeasure with the budget. UNLIKELY VICTORY: Rep. Nicholas Gorham, R-Coventry, the perpetual thorn in the side of House Democrats, offered four amendments at the end of the night, prompting groans from his colleagues. At one point, Democrats cut Gorham off mid-sentence with a procedural motion to kill his amendment, which would have given the governor the power of line-item veto on the budget. “I haven’t even finished the description!” Gorham protested. But in the end, the House did adopt one of Gorham’s ideas. That amendment, the “farm to school income tax credit,” creates a tax incentive to encourage schools to buy locally grown produce and other Rhode Island farm products. Posted by Andrea Panciera at 9:12 AM | Comment June 15, 2007House budget: School aid level-funded
After more than two hours' debate, the vote was 50 to 25 -- not uniformly along party lines, indicating the difficulty the education aid plan posed for legislators who will return home to some districts where school committees may not be pleased. Symbolically, though, it represented a two-thirds majority, which will be required to pass the overall budget when House members reach that point. Rep. Amy Rice, D-Portsmouth, for instance, announced on the House floor after all amendments had been heard that she would vote against the education-aid article. The level-funded aid set forth by House Democratic leaders cut a 3-percent across the board education aid increase that Governor Carcieri's budget proposal had included. The proposal, contained in Article 21 of the House budget, still needs to go before the state Senate next week. Republican House members launched into amendments beginning in the afternoon. All failed. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Steve Peoples of the Journal State House Bureau Rep. Robert Watson, R-East Greenwich, the House minority leader, offered an amendment to add more than $6 million to be distributed equally among every community. Watson's proposal called for level funding the state Department of Education's budget. He cast it as an ultimatum for the other representatives. "You're either going to support your communities" or support a bureacracy, Watson said during the televised debate. "My vote's going to be with the children." The House voted it down. Rep. Joseph Trillo, R-Warwick, offered an amendment that he said would have given school systems the option of nullifying a collective bargaining agreement. Trillo said his community is facing serious problems without some way to make available more money for education. An amendment by Rep. John Loughlin, R-Tiverton, called for allowing school districts the choice of going to the state Department of Education to say they are not going to comply with certain "unfunded mandates" that they currently must pay for themselves. Details were not fully available, but it appeared that it generally would have applied to communities where such mandates push them over a tighter budget cap that communities must adhere to. An amendment by Rep. David Segal, D-Providence, sought to raise the capital gains tax back to 5 percent to provide more money for education aid. The capital gains tax was 5 percent last year, went down to 1.67 percent this year and was due to be phased out next year, Though Segal's amendment failed, the House budget already includes a provision -- prior to today's debate -- to freeze the capital-gains tax at 1.67 percent next year. One amendment did pass. It added $615,000 to the education-aid article. But that simply brought the education aid up to level funding in communities slated to lose money because the budget had called for reductions in towns that had fewer group-home beds than in the previous year. Shortly after 7 p.m., the House went into recess for dinner. Projo.com will update the House's budget actions later tonight. Posted by Mike McKinney at 7:33 PM | Comment Weekend: Hear Rhode Show, Lennon tributes
Rhode Show, the youth hip-hop group that’s an outgrowth of the Broad Street Studio at AS220, finally cut a CD, and projo.com has put half of it online as mp3s at projo.com/music. Also there, you'll find links to samples from Instant Karma: The Campaign To Save Darfur, a 23-track double CD on which musicians such as U2, Green Day, Willie Nelson, REM, The Deftones, Barenaked Ladies and many, many more cover John Lennon tunes. Listen, then chime in on our survey on our music page: In these tributes, "Who honors Lennon and who doesn't?" Posted by Sheila Lennon at 6:57 PM | Comment House budget: Big debate about school aid ensues
The level-funded aid set forth by House Democratic leaders cut a 3-percent across the board education aid increase that Governor Carcieri's budget proposal had included. The House has been taking up its budget since just after 2 p.m., and Article 21, which covered the education-aid-to-communities component, is pushing the discussion into the evening. The House budget contains 42 articles. As 6 p.m. nears, the House is debating an amendment by Rep. David Segal, D-Providence, to raise the capital gains tax to provide more money for education aid. A raft of Republican lawmakers' amendments have all failed. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Rep. Robert Watson, R-East Greenwich, the House minority leader, offered an amendment to add more than $6 million to be distributed equally among every community. Watson cast his proposal as an ultimatum for the other representatives in the House chamber. "You're either going to support your communities" or support a bureacracy," Watson said during the televised House debate. "My vote's going to be with the children." The House voted it down. Rep. Joseph Trillo, R-Warwick, offered an amendment that would give school systems the option of nullifying a collective bargaining agreement. Trillo said his community is facing serious problems without some way to make available more money for education. An amendment by Rep. John Loughlin, R-Tiverton, called for allowing school districts the choice of going to the state Department of Education to say they are not going to comply with certain "unfunded mandates" that they currently must pay for themselves. Details were not fully available, but it generally would have applied to communities where such mandates push them over a tighter budget cap that communities must adhere to. Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:03 PM | Comment Update: Ex-Latin Kings member nabbed on 10 chargesNORTH SCITUATE -- Two Providence men, one a former Latin Kings gang member who served time, were arrested today on a bevy of charges, the state police said at a news conference today. Kareem Abdullah, 31, identified by police as the former gang member, and Francisco Perez, 25, were both living at 362 Carpenter St., Apt. 1, Providence. Police leveled 10 charges against Abdullah, from firearms possession to drug possession, to fireworks possession, to counterfeit money possession. Perez faces a total of 9 similar charges. The police said that Abdullah served about 11 years in prison for his role in the Latin Kings gang and got out in April 2006. (In a news release earlier today, a man arrested was described as a "chief enforcer" of the Latin Kings. It is not clear at this time whether that applied to Abdullah and when.) Other than the fact that the two men were living at the same address, the police would not say what the connection was between Abdullah and Perez. The police did not say whether Perez had any Latin Kings connection. There may be future arrests, the police said. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Journal staff writer Paul Grimaldi The twoy will be held at the Adult Correctional Institutions in Cranston until District Court arraignment, probably on Monday, according to the police. The police said that the Latin Kings nationally saw an upsurge in the 1990s and then investigations by federal, state and local authorities helped reduced that. But there has apparently been a spike nationally recently. Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:49 PM | Comment House budget: Corporate tax 'loopholes' closedPROVIDENCE -- In approving another part of its state budget proposal, the House voted to close a series of perceived "loopholes" that let multi-state corporations avoid paying certain Rhode Island corporate taxes. The provision won overwhelming approval in the Democratic-majority House over Republican opposition. "One man's loophole is another man's incentive," said Rep. Carol Mumford, R-Scituate. Governor Carcieri, a Republican, expressed opposition to the move, saying earlier this week that it was among proposals in the House Democrats' proposal that amounts to "backsliding" from already enacted tax "reforms" the governor has supported. For anyone keeping score -- and ignoring the amazingly sunny day outside -- the House was wading into article 21 of its 42-article budget proposal as of 5:15 p.m. That's the one covering the highly controversial issue of education aid to communities. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Steve Peoples of the Journal State House Bureau Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:15 PM | Comment House budget: A new courthouse survives -- for nowPROVIDENCE -- House consideration of its version of the state budget drew its first mini-debate this afternoon -- whether to keep a proposed new Blackstone Valley state courthouse in the spending plan. And it appears the courthouse, which would be built in Lincoln, survived that debate. Rep. John Savage, R-East Providence, offered an amendment seeking to cut the courthouse capital project, included in a section of one of the budget articles the representatives are voting on this afternoon into the evening. The amendment went nowhere, with the House voting 52 to 13 against it. "I do not think this is the type of thing we should be considering at this time," Savage said during floor debate, which is being televised live on Channel 15. House Finance Committee Chairman Steven M. Costantino, D-Providence, stood up twice -- once during Savage's amendment debate and then during another courthouse amendment debate -- to defend inclusion of the capital project. Costantino said the courthouse was needed, in part, to relieve heavy congestion that occurs at the Garrahy Judicial Complex in Providence. Another Republican-offered amendment, to take the courthouse out and have it go before voters in the future, also died. Governor Carcieri, a Republican, has opposed the courthouse, projected to cost $71 million in borrowing at a time when the state is running a deficit. The courthouse amendments were in Article 5 of the House budget proposal. As of 3:40 p.m., they're on Article 10. Only 32 more budget articles to go. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Steve Peoples of the Journal State House Bureau Posted by Mike McKinney at 3:43 PM | Comment Update: Police ID man shot by officer in CranstonCRANSTON -- A local man who was shot by the police yesterday after he charged at an officer with a weapon has been identified today as Keith Olin. Police Chief Col. Stephen McGrath said that the police were called to an apartment in a complex at 28 Harris Ave. after the Fire Department responded first to reports of a man who had had tried to kill himself. When the first officer arrived shortly before 5 p.m., McGrath said that he found the 44-year-old Olin bleeding and brandishing a weapon. McGrath declined to identify the weapon, citing the fact that the case is under investigation. Olin was transported by rescue to Rhode Island Hospital where he was listed in critical but stable condition this morning. Olin, who lives on nearby Bain Street and was visiting a friend in apartment 229 of the building, came toward the patrol officer with the weapon and refused to put it down despite repeated verbal commands to do so, according to the police. The officer, whom McGrath refused to identify, then shot Olin. “He came at the officer with a weapon, and that’s what led to the use of deadly force,” McGrath said. The officer was carrying a department-issued .40-caliber Glock handgun. McGrath said the incident is being investigated by the Attorney General’s office, State Police and Cranston police and could possibly be sent to a grand jury. In accordance with Cranston Police Department regulations, the officer will be placed on administrative duty until the matter is resolved, McGrath said. -- Journal staff writer Barbara Polichetti Posted by Mike McKinney at 3:09 PM | Comment Bicyclist struck by auto in ProvidencePROVIDENCE – A bicyclist has been struck by an auto at 66 Branch Ave., in the street near the Benny’s. More details are not yet available about the accident in the Mount Hope neighborhood that happened shortly before 3 p.m., according to James Taylor, chief of communications for the Providence Fire Department. -- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson |
