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April 1, 2008

Tiverton teachers signal dissatisfaction with latest offer

TIVERTON -- Some 140 out of 192 Tiverton teachers participated in a straw poll of sorts this evening on the School Committee's two-year contract details. Had it been a formal vote, they would have voted down the proposal, according to the union president.

Any gains the union members would have made in the second year would have been virtually wiped out by increases in health insurance co-pays, according to Amy Mullen, president of Tiverton's teachers union.

The total net gain in the second year would be $179 each for the most experienced teachers once a proposed 2.5 percent raise at that level was balanced out out by about a $1,000 jump in the employees' share of the family health insurance premium, according to Mullen.

Teachers attended the 90-minute union membership meeting late today.

Mullen said the union's negotiating committee would continue to talk to the School Committee's negotiators.

Last week, the Tiverton School Committee considered a one-year contract proposed by teachers.

-- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Journal staff writer Gina Macris

Posted by Mike McKinney at 7:21 PM | Comment

Tonight: Learn about WAVES at Barrington library

Barrington Public Library offers "The Waves in World War II: Memories of Rhode Island Women," a free program at 7:30 p.m.

Risa Gilpin of the Naval War College will explore Rhode Island women's memories of serving as Women Accepted for Voluntary Emergency Service -- WAVES -- in the Navy. The library is at 281 County Road.

For more of what's going in, see projo.com's calendar of events.

Posted by Mike McKinney at 7:05 PM | Comment

Dog attacks Smithfield teen, then turns on mother

SMITHFIELD -- A 15-year-old girl was bitten by a dog inside her home today, and when her mother tried to get the dog away, it turned on her, police said.

The girl was lying on the floor in the 227 Farnum Pike house shortly after 5 p.m. with the dog, identified as a bull terrier , next to her, according to Smithfield police Lt. Ken Brown.

She pushed the dog away at some point, and it apparently turned on her. One of her lips may have been bitten off in the attack, according to police.

The girl's mother saw the dog attack and tried to get the dog away, and the dog then turned and bit the mother, according to police.

The dog, said to weigh 50 to 60 pounds, was identified as a bull terrier, according to Smithfield patrol officer Melissa Nye.

Brown said the family had only had the dog for about two weeks, and that it was a gift from a family friend.

When the fire department personnel arrived, the dog kept them at bay for a time, not allowing them in. They got in once Robert Salisbury, the animal control officer, was able to secure the dog, Brown said.

The girl was taken to Hasbro Children's Hospital in Providence. The mother was also taken to a hospital.

The dog has been impounded.

-- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Journal staff writer Thomas J. Morgan

Posted by Mike McKinney at 7:00 PM | Comment

Photo: Not quite a Capitol day for a walk

Journal photo / Bob Thayer
Gary Alexander of the state Department of Human Services, left, and Brian Stern, chief of staff for Governor Carcieri, fight off the wind and rain today as they approach the front entrance to the State House in Providence.

Although there's a slight chance of thunderstorms this evening, and some scattered showers after midnight, you'll be able to put the umbrellas away for tomorrow. The day should be sunny and breezy, with highs in the lower 50s. Watch those gusts, though -- they could get up to 40 mph. Get the latest conditions and forecasts here.

Posted by Andrea Panciera at 6:51 PM | Comment

Smoke-shop case: No verdict after first deliberations

PROVIDENCE -- There was no verdict today after a jury deliberated for about four hours in the case against seven Narragansett Indians arrested as state police raided a tribal smoke shop in Charlestown.

The jury, which began its deliberations today, is slated to resume at 9:30 a.m. tomorrow in Providence County Superior Court.

The jury left the courtroom at 11:18 a.m. today after getting instructions from Superior Court Judge Susan E. McGuirl that lasted about an hour and a half. McGuirl told jurors, "You are to make this decision based on the evidence and the facts."

She said race should not be a factor.

Her instructions regarding the charges of resisting arrest included that a defendant has a right to use reasonable force in an arrest in which an officer uses excessive force. So the jury will have to weigh that.

Six of the seven defendants, including Chief Sachem Matthew Thomas, are charged with resisting arrest.

The tribe started selling tax-free cigarettes on its land in Charlestown on July 12, 2003, over Governor Carcieri’s objections. Dozens of state police, armed with a warrant, went to the shop two days later to halt tax-free tobacco sales. But the action turned into a scuffle, caught on camera by TV journalists and photographers there that day.

Read coverage of yesterday's closing arguments in the case.

Extra: More coverage of the raid and the trial, including video, photos and search warrant documents.

-- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Journal staff writer Katie Mulvaney

Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:48 PM | Comment

Legally Blonde, Grease to stop first at PPAC

Journal photo / Andrew Dickerman
Becky Gulsvig sings a tune in Providence today from the Broadway show, Legally Blonde, in which she is an understudy.

Two popular Broadway musicals will begin their national tours in Providence this fall. The Providence Performing Arts Center will host Legally Blonde The Musical in September, and the tour of Grease will get under way there in early December.

This is the first time PPAC has opened the first national tour of a musical since Dream Girls in 1985, said Lynn Singleton, the theater’s president. A second national tour of Mamma Mia Mia! — a company added to meet increased demand — got its start there about six years ago, he said.

“For us to do two tours in three months is unique,” said Singleton.

The two shows will play the theater for a week each. But the cast and crew will be in town for several weeks beforehand, working out technical bugs and prepping the productions for the road.

The arrival of the two shows is expected to be a boon to the local economy. Legally Blonde alone could translate into more than $1 million in spending, said producer Mike Isaacson, who was on hand for a PPAC press news conference this morning. Isaacson said that 85 company members will be staying in area hotels for a month, and that another 200 friends and family members are expected to join them over the course of the run.

The selection of PPAC to kick off the two tours is also seen as a feather in the cap of the 3,200-seat theater — and for the city of Providence. A number of theaters were vying for the honor of debuting Legally Blonde, said Isaacson, but PPAC won out.

-- Journal staff writer Channing Gray

There is no word on who might play Legally Blonde’s Elle Woods, the sorority star who followers her boyfriend to law school and finds out along the way that she can be smart as well as cute.

But Becky Gulsvig, an understudy for Elle on Broadway, was at PPAC today sing one of the numbers from the show.

Legally Blonde, based on the 2001 movie starring Reese Witherspoon, opens Sept. 23. Grease runs from Dec. 2-7.

Other shows on the PPAC roster include Fiddler on the Roof with Chaim Topol as Tevye, A Chorus Line and Spring Awakening, the Tony Award-winning rock musical about teenage self-discovery. The Color Purple, The Wizard of Oz, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and a musical version of the popular vintage television show Happy Days round out the 2008-2009 season.

Tickets are now available for season subscribers. To subscribe call (401) 421-2787.

Posted by Andrea Panciera at 4:55 PM | Comment

Reed pushes bill to assist those affected by foreclosure

U.S. Sen Jack Reed, D-Rhode Island, today pushed for passage of legislation he said would help deal with home foreclosures afflicting Rhode Island and much of the country.

Reed, speaking on the Senate floor in Washington, D.C., said the legislation is "critical for families and it is particularly critical, I think, to ensure that we begin to work our way out of the looming recession in an economy that is deeply troubled," according to a transcript.

He said it would help families hold on to homes by offering foreclosure counseling, expanding refinancing and by getting the services and the people being counseled together. One component is a "bankruptcy code modification" that would allow such homes to be subject to a bankruptcy judge offering the alternative of modifying their mortgages.

The measure would provide community block grants to cities and towns, helping them "withstand the impact of foreclosures" by allowing them to buy some of the homes that may otherwise decline around a home that has been foreclosed upon. Reed is a senior member of the Banking Committee, which deals with federal housing policy.

-- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney and Bloomberg News

"We have to move quickly," Reed said, because when homes in cities are empty for weeks or even days, "they're stripped, the siding is ripped off, the copper piping is taken out. Unless there is someone to go in there and keep it in use or to board it up and protect it, then these homes are going to be lost, not just temporarily, but for a longer term as we have to repair the destruction."

Senate Republicans said they would allow legislation to stem housing foreclosures to advance, ending a standoff over the measure, Bloomberg News reported.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, said after discussions with Majority Leader Harry Reid that his party would stop blocking the proposal while lawmakers try to resolve remaining disagreements.

“The goal is to do something about housing,” Reid, a Nevada Democrat, said on the Senate floor. “The time has come for us to start legislating and stop talking about the need to legislate.”

The announcement comes after weeks of Republican objections to the Democrats’ plan to allow judges to alter mortgage terms in bankruptcy court. Republicans said that would prompt mortgage lenders to recover losses in court through higher interest rates on other borrowers.
McConnell said allowing the legislation to advance would give Republicans and Democrats a chance to negotiate the details of the measure.

Republicans raised the possibility of backing more narrowly drawn changes in bankruptcy laws. Senator John Ensign, a Nevada Republican, said “everything should be on the table” and “maybe there’s certain things along that edges that we might be able to negotiate.”

Senate Banking Committee Chairman Chris Dodd, a Connecticut Democrat, meanwhile, said a Republican plan to prop up housing prices by offering a temporary $15,000 tax credit for those who buy foreclosed properties has “some value” and ought to be “possibly” included in any foreclosure-relief legislation.

To listen to clips, go to http://demradio.senate.gov/actualities/reed/reed080401.mp3.

Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:41 PM | Comment

Lenders extend deadlines on Twin River's debt

The lenders who financed the purchase and renovations at the Twin River slot parlor gave the Lincoln facility's owners more time to rework their finances.

The lenders have been pressuring Twin River's owner, UTGR Inc., since the company missed a loan payment early last month. The two sides have been negotiating for weeks under a standstill agreement that delayed legal action to collect payment on $577 million in outstanding loans tied to Twin River's operation.

The standstill pact, known as forbearance agreement, was extended twice while negotiations continued. It's now been extended a third time, unil June 30, with options for two additional 30-day extensions.

In effect, Twin River has until Aug. 29 to work out a "permanent financing structure" that would satisfy the lenders, according to Patti Doyle, a spokeswoman for the slot parlor. It also has more time now "to establish a payment schedule with our other creditors, chiefly Dimeo Construction Co.

Dimeo was the primary contractor on the slot parlor's $225-million reconstruction project. The Providence contractor recently placed liens on the property seeking $6 million for some of that work. Other contractors followed Dimeo's lead, filing liens for more than $1 million in all.

The slot parlor’s inability to make the loan payment last month triggered two ratings downgrades on UTGR by Standard & Poor’s, which now rates the company's corporate debt as CCC-.

Posted by Paul Grimaldi at 4:29 PM | Comment

3 R.I. men indicted in connection with murder in Mass.

Three Rhode Island men have been indicted in connection with the shooting murder of 29-year-old Carlos Gomez of Rhode Island, whose body was found in Foxboro, Mass., more than five months ago.

A Norfolk County, Mass., grand jury indicted Luis Lopez, 24, and Ariel Morales, 32, both of Central Falls, on one count each of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder, the Norfolk County District Attorney's office announced today. Jose Perez, 29, of Pawtucket was indicted for conspiracy to commit murder and accessory after the fact to murder.

Lopez and Morales each face possible life imprisonment without parole, while Perez faces upwards of 27 years in state prison, the district attorney's news release says.

Arraignment has not been set. The men have been held without bail awaiting indictment.

On Oct. 15, a driver in the Route 106 area in Foxboro, where it runs under Route 95, saw just after 1 a.m. what was later identified as Carlos Gomez's body. Gomez was lying in the east lane and had been shot "numerous times," the news release says.

-- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney

Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:10 PM | Comment

Tiverton teachers voting this afternoon on latest offer

TIVERTON -- Members of the Tiverton Teachers Union will be voting on the latest proposal from the Tiverton School Committee at an emergency union meeting this afternoon.

The vote will take place at 4 p.m. at the Green Valley Country Club in Portsmouth, according to a press release from NEA Rhode Island.

Posted by Andrea Panciera at 3:52 PM | Comment

Update: Former police chief Smith to head RIEMA

Governor Carcieri has appointed a former Narragansett and Westerly police chief to head the state’s Emergency Management Agency, whose executive director was fired after a crippling snowstorm last December.

Journal file photo
In 2006, then-Narragansett Police Chief J. David Smith, right, explains the coverage area of the 800 radio system in Rhode Island.

J. David Smith is expected to take on his new role as of April 21, almost four months after Carcieri fired Robert J. Warren in the wake of criticism over the handling of the storm..

National Guard Maj. Gen. Robert Bray, who has been serving as acting executive director of agency, said in a statement that Smith’s background would allow him to “hit the ground running.”

“He is well known and respected,” Bray said, “I look forward to working with him to ensure the preparedness of the state.”

As adjutant general of the state National Guard, Bray oversees the RIEMA. The agency is responsible for coordinating governmental resources in the event of disaster.

In addition to his positions as the police chief in Westerly, and then in Narragansett, Smith took on the director of public safety and transportation position at Roger Williams University last year. He is also the past president of the Police Chiefs Association. Carcieri also noted that Smith has "already done critical work for the EMA by spearheading the development of the statewide emergency communication infrastructure."

This afternoon, Lt. Gov. Elizabeth Roberts, who had been one of the most vocal critics of the snowstorm's handling, which occurred while Governor Carcieri was traveling in the Mideast, said:

"Chief Smith has a great track record working with local communities to address challenges that face our state's emergency responders and planners. His actions to upgrade our emergency communications system in the state serve as an example of his diligence, responsibility and ability to work constructively to solve problems.

"I look forward to meeting with Chief Smith to establish the priorities for RI EMA at a time when further progress is necessary to protect and prepare every Rhode Islander for future disasters."

-- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson

Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 3:30 PM | Comment

RIde bus service may be spotty as new program starts

The Rhode Island Public Transit Authority says some buses may run a bit late today as the department rolls out a new scheduling system for its RIde program serving those with disabilities and the elderly.

“We’re experiencing some bumps as we implement the new automated system and they’re creating trip delays,” Ed Scott, assistant general manager for specialized transportation, said.

The new software ultimately is supposed to make scheduling more efficient as demand for services for people with disabilities grow.

According to a statement released by RIPTA, the RIde program makes about 3,500 trips during a work week.

The new software will organize the dispatch of RIde services, which do not all run regular routes.

“It’s a brand-new automated system so it’s not surprising to run into some bumps,” Scott said. “But we’re determined to iron them out and get the trips back on schedule as soon as possible.”

For RIde reservations or cancellations, customers may call 461-9760 or 1-800-479-6902.

Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 2:51 PM | Comment

Probation center can be housed in day-care building

PROVIDENCE –– The State Properties Commission voted today to allow a probation and parole center inside the same South Providence building that houses a day-care center.

Commission members acknowledged that the same Urban League facility already offers therapy for “high-risk” sex offender on one side of the day care and a homeless shelter that serves known sex offenders on the other.

“I still have concerns that we’re mixing two things that really shouldn’t be mixed,” said commission member Richard B. Woolley, who was the only one of the five committee members who did not vote to support the proposal. He abstained.

The commission’s vote was contingent on plans by the Providence Police Department to open a police substation at the Prairie Avenue building in the coming months. As many as 16 officers at one time would use the substation as a home base during the day, according police Lt. George Stamatakos, who testified before the commission this morning.

The Properties Commission has no authority over the day-care center, which is licensed by the state Department of Children, Youth and Families.

“They have a completely clean record. It’s a wonderful program,” said Kevin W. Savage, administrator of licensing and regulations for DCYF, who also testified this morning. “I really can’t think of a better day care.”

-- Journal State House writer Steve Peoples

Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 1:47 PM | Comment

Photo: House fire near E. Providence City Hall

Journal Photo/Mary Murphy

A fire in a multi-family house on Grove Street behind East Providence City Hall is heavily damaged by fire

Fire crews from Providence assisted East Providence firefighters at a late-morning house fire near several municipal buildings.

The fire broke out at a three-story structure on Grove Avenue, next to the U.S. Post Office, directly behind City Hall, according to East Providence Police.

The east side of the house was damaged, with melted vinyl and charred siding apparent after the fire had been knocked down.

Fire officials say they have not yet determined the cause of the fire, which is under investigation.

-- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson, with reports from Journal photographer Mary Murphy

Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 12:08 PM | Comment

Smoke-shop case: Jury begins its deliberations

PROVIDENCE -- A jury of seven women and five men this morning began deliberating the case against seven Narragansett Indians arrested as state police raided a tribal smoke shop that was not charging state taxes on cigarettes.

The jury left the courtroom at 11:18 a.m. after receiving instructions from Superior Court Judge Susan E. McGuirl that lasted about an hour and a half.

McGuirl told jurors, "You are to make this decision based on the evidence and the facts."

She said race should not be a factor.

Six of the seven defendants, including Chief Sachem Matthew Thomas, are charged with resisting arrest.

The jury will be able to draw from raw TV news footage, surveillance video at the shop, state police video of the raid, and photos among other evidence presented during the trial.

Federal courts have ruled state police had authority to use the warrant and seize cigarettes that day.

The jury must decide whether the Narragansetts are guilty of misdemeanor charges of resisting arrest, disorderly conduct and simple assault related to the confrontation. Jurors will consider 17 counts all together for the seven defendants.

Read coverage of yesterday's closing arguments in the case.

Extra: More coverage of the raid and the trial, including video, photos and search warrant documents.

-- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Journal staff writer Katie Mulvaney

Posted by Mike McKinney at 11:56 AM | Comment

Medical leave is ending for two gray seals

Journal file photo / Gretchen Ertl
Mystic Aquarium Staff and volunteers release a seal at Blue Shutters beach in Charlestown in October of last year.

Spring break is over for two gray seals at Mystic Aquarium.

There was food and medicine and surely lots of oohing and aahing, but it’s time to get back to business as usual.

So this Thursday the animals, which were being nursed back to health by the Aquarium’s rescue clinic, will be released back into the wild in Charlestown.

One of the animals was found on Feb. 1 in Maine. After staying overnight at the University of New England in Maine, he was taken to Mystic because of his low white blood cell count and thin frame.

The other was rescued Feb. 28 in New Jersey, where he stayed over night before being transferred to Mystic. The seal had “thick green discharge” from his nose and a high white blood cell count.

Both animals were given antibiotics, fattened up, and are awaiting their final blood tests, scheduled for tomorrow. If all goes well, they’ll be released Thursday from Mystic’s seal-release central: Blue Shutters Beach in Charlestown.

Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 11:38 AM | Comment

Landmark wants to close heart-surgery center

Landmark Medical Center is asking the Health Department for permission to shut down its three-year-old cardiac surgery program because the program is not performing enough operations to sustain itself financially.

The hospital, in Woonsocket, wants to continue to offering angioplasty and diagnostic catheterization, however.

Spokesman Bill Fischer said Landmark needs to perform 320 open-heart surgeries each year for the program to be financially viable, but was expecting to do only 80 this year. The shortfall reflects a nationwide decline in heart surgery because of the success of alternative treatments, he said.

Fisher noted that while the Health Department considers the request, the program remains active. A heart operation was performed yesterday and surgeries continue to be scheduled.

Landmark’s program consists of three parts: heart surgery, angioplasty, and diagnostic catheterization. The hospital is losing $3.7 million a year on the surgery component, but making $3.4 million on the other aspects, Fischer said.

Last month, the Health Department announced that it was reviewing Landmark’s heart program, saying that the cardiac services jeopardized the survival of the financially strapped hospital. But Fischer says the $300,000 loss in cardiac represents a tiny fraction of the hospital’s fiscal woes. He said Landmark was being “proactive” in seeking the heart-surgery shutdown; its request came in a letter sent Friday.

-- Journal medical writer Felice Freyer

Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 11:14 AM | Comment

Two departments on scene at East Providence fire

Providence fire companies have gone to assist East Providence fire and rescue crews at a late morning fire.

According to East Providence Fire, they're on the scene at a structure next to 17 Grove Ave. Providence officials say the address is 1 Grove Ave.

Neither department was able to give additional details at this time. More information to come.

-- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson

Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 11:10 AM | Comment

News director hired at WLNE-TV, ABC 6

B.J. Finnell has been hired as news director of WLNE-TV, ABC6 and will join the station on May 5, the company said this morning.

Finnell is currently the assistant news director at WOIO-TV in Cleveland, Ohio.

Previously, Finnel was news director at WJAR-TV, Channel 10 from 1997 to 2001. After that, he was news director at WVIT-TV in Hartford before going to Cleveland in 2003. He has also been executive producer and assistant news director at WCAU-TV in Philadelphia and worked at WTNH in New Haven and at WCBS News Radio in New York.

A native of Fairfield, Connecticut, Finnell is a graduate of the University of Connecticut.

“We are delighted that a news veteran of BJ’s caliber will be joining ABC 6,” said Stephen Doerr, WLNE-TV, ABC6 vice president and general manager.

-- Journal Business editor John Kostrzewa

Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 9:53 AM | Comment

Bail hearing for woman accused of killing baby's father

A Cranston woman charged with murdering the father of her 8-month-old is set to appear in court today.

Police say Misty Ospina was dropping her baby off at Richard Gibson’s apartment on the morning of Feb. 1 when the two got into an argument.

Ospina allegedly grabbed a kitchen knife and stabbed Gibson once, according to the police. Ospina told the police that during the argument, Gibson punched and choked her. The police said they didn’t see any marks on her.

Two calls were made to 911. The police say Gibson was pronounced dead at Memorial Hospital of Rhode Island.

Gibson’s friends and family in Pawtucket used his death to raise awareness of male victims of domestic violence.

Ospina has been held at the Adult Correctional Institutions since her arrest. She pleaded not guilty at an arraignment on March 4, according to Attorney General Spokesman Michael Healey.

Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 8:30 AM | Comment

4 years later, smoke shop jury set to deliberate

A Superior Court judge is set to issue instructions to the jury today in the trial of seven Narragansett Indians who face a variety of misdemeanor charges more than 4 1/2 years after a state police raid on a tribal smoke shop.

In July 2003, the tribe began selling tax-free cigarettes on its land. When state police showed up to shut it down, the ensuing scuffle led to the arrest of seven tribal members, including the tribe's chief, Matthew Thomas.

Lawyers gave their closing arguments yesterday.

Each of the seven face a combination of the following charges: resisting arrest, disorderly conduct, simple assault and obstructing a police officer.

Judge Susan E. McGuirl is expected to give the jury its instructions at 9:15 a.m. today in Superior Court, Providence.

Extra: See videos and photographs of the 2003 raid, as well as copies of documents filed with the court, on projo.com

Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 7:06 AM | Comment

Big winds, more rain and a high of 62

Rainy, breezy and mild. That's the story today from the National Weather Service, which is forecasting a high temperature near 62 degrees with southwest winds gusting as high as 37 mph -- possibly reaching 50 mph in some places. Rain should continue through the day, and we may even have thunderstorms later this afternoon.

More rain is expected tonight when the temperature drops to about 38 degrees. Skies should clear gradually, and high winds will continue from the west, gusting as high as 34 mph.

Clear, sunny skies are in the forecast for tomorrow, but not as mild with the temperature reaching about 51 degrees. More gusty winds from the west, reaching up to 40 mph.

For weather updates through the day, visit projo.com's weather page.

Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 7:01 AM | Comment

Diocese on immigration order: Carcieri not 'uncaring'

The Diocese of Providence has weighed on Governor Carcieri's controversial executive order on illegal immigration.

A statement issued by the diocese says that Bishop Thomas J. Tobin shares the views of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops reflecting the need for immediate need for comprehensive immigration reform. But, until then, "these types of problems and dilemmas will continue to exist and divide our community."

The diocese's statement says "contrary to what some have said, Governor Carcieri is not mean-spirited or uncaring -- certainly that was not his intention in issuing the executive order. Bishop Tobin recognizes the governor's constitutional duty to enforce existing law."

But, the statement adds, "it is very unfortunate that this policy targets a vulnerable community whose members are also children of God, our brothers and sisters in the human family."

The diocese also noted that details regarding a "religious event" on Wednesday discussing the issue of immigration will be announced tomorrow.

A host of community groups, joined by the lieutenant governor, today urged that the order be rescinded. Carcieri, in a statement from his office, "reaffirmed" the need for the order.