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« April 2008 | Today | June 2008 » May 30, 2008Police prepared for busy night on Providence streetsPROVIDENCE -- It’s going to be a busy night in Providence, which could mean a busy night for the Providence police. Police Chief Dean Esserman said he’s prepared for tonight’s festivities, which include a full WaterFire performance on downtown rivers and streets, Hot Night 2008, a hip-hop concert at the Dunkin' Donuts Center, the annual Pell Awards for achievement in the arts on Empire Street, and two prom celebrations. This afternoon, Esserman said there will be a 22-person special police detail at the Dunkin' Donuts Center for the concert and another 16-person detail for WaterFire and a 13-person detail at Providence Place mall. And he’ll be coordinating from the department’s mobile command center until about 3 a.m. to keep an eye on emptying bars and clubs. “We think it’s going to go wonderfully,” Esserman said. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson, with reports from Journal staff writer Gregory Smith Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 7:05 PM | Comment Crews on scene of a structure fire in ProvidencePROVIDENCE -- Crews at this hour are on scene of a structure fire, believed to be in a residence, at 125 Whittier Ave., according to fire dispatch. Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:58 PM | Comment 3 bitten by foxes in Hopkinton; at least 1 fox rabidA fox caught in Hopkinton has tested positive for rabies while test results are pending for a second fox caught in the town -- and three people who were bitten will undergo treatment, the state Department of Environmental Management says. The foxes were caught separately in the area of Sweet Valley Estates, near the Lindhbrook Golf Course near the center of town, the DEM environmental police said this evening. Earlier today, a DEM news release warned Hopkinton residents that there have been two incidents in which people in town were bitten by foxes in unprovoked attacks -- and that one fox had tested positive for rabies. Last night, a person was bitten while using a weed-whacking device in the yard in the Sweet Valley Estates area. Police called the DEM, whose officers captured and brought the fox to the state Department of Health laboratory, where it tested positive for the disease. A second person got bitten during the capture, the DEM says. Today, another person was bitten by a fox in an unprovoked attack, the DEM says. At the time of the news release, the fox was not captured. The three people will get a series of vaccinations as part of the treatment regimen. The DEM news release asked people in Hopkinton to be to be vigilant and to report any contact with foxes to DEM's environmental police office at 222-3070. More about rabies from the state DEM ... -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Journal staff writer Scott MacKay Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:45 PM | Comment R.I. chef in finals for Next Food Network StarThe Next Food Network Star is back for a fourth season on Food Network with a local chef, Jennifer Cochrane, 32, of Woonsocket among the 10 finalists. And the restaurant where she was executive chef is throwing a party on Sunday. Geppetto’s Restaurant, 57 De Pasquale Ave., Providence, will host a premiere party to preview the first episode of the Next Food Network Star from 7 to 9 p.m. There will be free give-aways and food and drink specials for this Food Network sanctioned event. The episode appears on the Food Network at 10 p.m. and replays at 1 a.m. Posted by Andrea Panciera at 6:39 PM | Comment Pre-trial conference for Barrington teen postponedPROVIDENCE -- A pre-trial conference slated for Monday for Ryan Greenberg, the Barrington teenager charged with second-degree murder in the boating death of another Barrington teen, has been put off. Instead, on June 20, the various sides in the case will decide on a new pre-trial conference date. As part of the scheduling change, a bail review that was to be held June 23 will be held June 20, according to Michael Healey, spokesman for Attorney General Patrick C. Lynch. Earlier this month, Greenberg admitted to violating terms of his bail after the Barrington police said they found him and seven other underage Barrington residents at a pond with beer and liquor in April. -- With Journal archival reports Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:51 PM | Comment Arguments for new trial for 3 Narragansetts postponedArguments for motions for a new trial for the three Narragansett Indians convicted of misdemeanor charges related to the state police smoke-shop raid were postponed to June 11 to give lawyers more time to prepare, a court spokesman said today The arguments had been scheduled for Monday. A Providence Superior Court jury found Chief Sachem Matthew Thomas guilty of assaulting a state trooper during a six-week trial. Two other tribal members were also convicted of misdemeanor crimes, while four Narragansetts were acquitted altogether. State police executed a search warrant on the roadside shop on tribal land in Charlestown July 14, 2003, to stop the Narragansetts from selling cigarettes without charging Rhode Island taxes. The raid descended into a confrontation in which eight Narragansetts were arrested. Charges against a juvenile were dismissed in Family Court. The seven other tribal members were tried earlier this year -- Journal staff writer Katie Mulvaney Posted by Mike McKinney at 2:43 PM | Comment Reporter's query: Did you get caught in house price drop?Did you get caught in the house price downturn? If your plans to sell your house and retire, travel, downsize, or pursue some other venture have been scuttled by this real estate bust, we want to hear your story. Please contact Providence Journal staff writer Lynn Arditi at larditi@projo.com or call (401) 277-7335. Please include a daytime phone number where you can be reached. Thank you. Posted by Andrea Panciera at 2:33 PM | Comment Black bears and youIn case you haven’t heard, there may be a black bear meandering through South County. With all of the publicity, the Department of Environmental Management has decided to issue some tips on how to live alongside bears: Fist thing’s first. Bears like food that’s accessible and reliable. Who doesn't? If the garbage is left out, a bear will keep coming back for more. If the grill is still dripping with grease from Memorial Day, the bear will sniff you out. And as one Narragansett resident already knows –– black bears can eat some bird seed. So, according to DEM, keep garbage out of sight, in sheds and garages, or double bag your trash. Clean your grill, it will make your food taste better too. And there’s plenty of food for birds without birdseed, especially from April to November, so DEM recommends taking down the bird feeders. For more tips on life with your new, wild neighbors, download this .PDF brochure from the DEM, or click below. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson The DEM also says the animals, fierce as they can be, "generally shy and secretive, and usually fearful of humans." This doesn't mean, of course, that they're not dangerous, but according to DEM, it's safe to make loud noises and waive your hands to scare one away from a safe distance -- but remember, the bars can climb trees, swim and run up to 35 mph. Keep that in mind when considering a safe distance. If, in a reverse of fortune, you happen to surprise a bear and it's at close range, back away slowly. But don't make eye contact! It may be perceived as a threat. The animals are typically nocturnal, with poor eyesight, decent hearing and a keen sense of smell. They eat grass, leaves, fruit, nuts and berries, according to DEM, and will sometimes eat small mammals and insects. But without a supply of food, bears are likely to leave the suburbs and head back to the forest. So keep food under wraps, and you and the bears should get along just fine. Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 2:23 PM | Comment Entwistle fails to block his trial in wife, daughter's deathsWOBURN, Mass. — A judge refused Friday to dismiss murder charges or change the location of a trial for a British man accused of killing his wife and infant daughter, and delayed ruling on whether prosecutors can introduce evidence that Neil Entwistle trolled the Internet looking for sex. Judge Diane Kottmyer rejected the defense claim that the intense media coverage of the case has made it impossible for Entwistle to find an impartial jury. The judge also denied a request to move the trial to Edgartown on Martha’s Vineyard after Entwistle’s lawyer said it might be the only place in Massachusetts where the case has not received saturation media coverage. Kottmyer said jury selection will begin as scheduled Monday in Middlesex Superior Court. Entwistle is charged with fatally shooting his wife, Rachel, 27, and daughter, Lillian Rose, 9 months, on Jan. 20, 2006. Their bodies were discovered curled up in bed together in their rented Hopkinton, Mass., house two days later. -- The Associated Press Kottmyer postponed a ruling on a request from prosecutors to show the jury Entwistle’s computer history, which includes numerous visits to escort service Web sites and other sites that help people find sexual partners. Weinstein said hearing about the Web sites could prejudice the jury against Entwistle because prosecutors plan to use his online history to argue he was motivated to kill his wife in part because he was unhappy with his sex life. “The evidence in this case will show that there was nothing but a loving relationship between Neil and Rachel Entwistle,” Weinstein said. Assistant District Attorney Michael Fabbri said prosecutors want to tell the jury about Entwistle’s computer history to “show what was going on in the mind of the defendant at or around the time of the crime.” Kottmyer said she will review earlier cases to decide whether the jury will hear about the sex sites. According to a summary of the case filed in court by prosecutors, Entwistle’s computer records showed he exchanged e-mails with a woman he met on a Web site called Adult Friend Finder. He told the woman he was in a relationship “but looking for a bit more fun in the bedroom” and “a very discrete relationship just for fun.” Prosecutors have said Entwistle was despondent because he was unemployed and deeply in debt. They have also said that he may have planned to kill himself after killing his wife and daughter. Entwistle told police he returned home from doing errands to find his wife and daughter dead. He said he was so distraught upon finding their bodies that he contemplated suicide, but instead flew to England to be comforted by his parents. Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 2:15 PM | Comment Update: CVS Trial: Kramer, Ortiz cleared of all charges
PROVIDENCE -- Former CVS executives John R. "Jack" Kramer and Carlos Ortiz have been cleared of charges that they tried bribing former state Sen. John Celona to win favor in the State House for the Woonsocket-based drugstore chain. The jury of eight men and four women reached their verdict in less than two hours, clearing them of all 23 charges lodged against each defendant. Jurors got the case at 10:35 this morning after receiving instructs from Chief U.S. District Judge Mary M. Lisi. Some in the courtroom sighed with relief as the not-guilty verdicts in the high-profile case were quickly read around 12:15 p.m. After the verdict, trial participants, reporters, family and friends gathered outside the federal courthouse. Descending the steps into a pleasant, blue-sky afternoon, Kramer, 75, wearing a dark suit, clapped his hands once or twice, then waved his arms, motioning a dozen or so waiting reporters forward. Kramer said he could not believe what he had been through. "This has been an unfair, unjust prosecution," he said. Kramer said that as he waited for the verdict to be read, “I was just so nervous, just so nervous.” He added that “frankly, it was my faith that carried me through this.” Kramer said he had put his life on hold for 3 ½ to 4 years, and now, “You’re like, ‘Now what?’” 
Journal photo / Bill Murphy
Ortiz, 64, also clad in a dark suit, left the courthouse to the applause of family members and friends. But his wife, Jan, said, "I'm not real happy with the government for putting together this sham of a case." Ortiz himself declined to characterize the government's case after his wife spoke. Both men thanked their lawyers. Asked if he was disappointed by the verdict, U.S. Attorney Robert Clark Corrente said, "Well, that's the way the system works, so we'll go on from here." Asked what went wrong, he said: “I’m not sure anything went wrong.” Your Turn: Do you agree with the "not guilty" verdict in CVS case? -- projo.com staff writers Jack Perry and Michael P. McKinney, with archival reports The government's star witness was Celona, who is serving a 2 1/2-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to charges that he sold his office to CVS, Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island, and Roger Williams Medical Center. Reporters' questions after the verdict centered in part on Celona's effectiveness as a witness. Scott Corrigan, one of Kramer's lawyers, reflecting on the swifly delivered verdict, said of Celona in the trial: "You can see for yourself what kind of a witness he was.” Celona spent four days on the witness stand, but for three of those days, he was under cross-examination, and defense attorneys pointed out inconsistencies in his testimony. Celona testified how he came to be hired as a consultant by CVS, how he did the company’s legislative bidding while neglecting the other duties spelled out in his consulting agreement, and how he concealed the arrangement because he didn’t want the public to think he had switched sides on pharmacy-choice legislation because CVS was paying him. CVS was opposed to the pharmacy-choice legislation. But on cross-examination Celona was confronted with evidence that he had cheated on his taxes, failed to correct tax problems as promised in his plea agreement with prosecutors and lied to the authorities more times than he could remember. The defense rested without calling any witnesses. Neither Kramer, nor Ortiz took the stand to explain why CVS hired Celona, a state senator from North Providence, as a $1,000-a-month consultant from 2000 to 2003. In closing arguments over five hours yesterday, the prosecution argued that Celona abused his political office for CVS’ gain, at the behest of Kramer and Ortiz. The defense countered that Celona was hired for legitimate purposes, promoting CVS charities on his cable-access television show –– work that was permissible under Rhode Island law defining the state’s “citizen legislator” form of government. After the verdict, CVS issued a statement this afternoon, saying the company "believes that the judicial process has produced a fair and just outcome. "Today’s verdict is consistent with the company’s long-held view that Mr. Kramer and Mr. Ortiz had not engaged in criminal conduct. We are pleased for these two men and their families that this long and painful ordeal has ended," the statement said. U.S. Attorney Corrente said his office would continue with its investigation into corruption at the State House, "Operation Dollar Bill." "If anyone thinks were going away, we're not," Corrente said. Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 1:17 PM | Comment Providence police to patrol on electric scooters / Photo
PROVIDENCE -- Providence Police Chief Dean Esserman and Mayor David N. Cicilline today unveiled a fleet of four electric scooters that will supplement this summer’s police patrol. Although the nearly emissions-free scooters have been touted as a "green" alternative to motorcycles, this summer they will be replacing the city's emissions-free foot and bicycle patrols, Esserman said at a press conference this morning. The scooters are on loan from manufacturer Vectrix Corporation, a Middletown-based company that has sold fleets to police departments in New York and California. The scooters, which have a suggested retail price of $8,400 to $8,500, have a top speed of 62 mph and are black except for Providence police decals and amber caution lights. “They are cool,” Esserman said today. And Providence will be just the third city in the nation to use them, even on a tryout basis. Although the department gets to use the scooter for free this summer, the program is costing the city about $1,450 for helmets and police decals. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson, with reports by Journal staff writer Gregory Smith Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 12:10 PM | Comment Big party fights small enemy -- the tickPROVIDENCE -- How's this for the theme of your next party: Ticks and Vector Borne Diseases? Too bad, it's taken. Tonight, politicians and scientists are getting together for the Big Tick Gala, an event that highlights people who work to spread the word about and prevent against tick bites and the harm they can cause. There's even a silent auction and an awards ceremony. The "Think TICK, Take Action" awards recognize government, philanthropic and grass-roots efforts to combat ticks. The event is taking place from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at the Botanical Gardens in Roger Williams Park. Tonight's event will also serve as the launch for the University of Rhode Island's upcoming tick awareness program. Guests will include U.S. Sen. Jack Reed, Governor Carcieri, URI scientists and researchers, including Thomas Mather, head of the school's Center for Vector-Borne Disease, which is hosting the gala. Tickets are $25 -- for more information, call 874-2928 or email frostee@uri.edu. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 12:09 PM | Comment CVS trial: It's in the jury's hands now
At 10:35 this morning, a jury of eight men and four women received the federal corruption case against former CVS executives John R. "Jack’’ Kramer and Carlos Ortiz. "You should exercise reasonable and intelligent judgment,’’ advised Chief U.S. District Judge Mary M. Lisi. She urged them not to feel pressured to yield their position if they are in the minority, but also not to be stubborn and to "keep an open mind.’’ The deliberations began after a three-week trial and followed an hour of instructions this morning from the judge on the law. Lisi defined such basic concepts as "beyond a reasonable doubt’’ and then outlined the elements of the 23 counts that Kramer and Ortiz are charged with -- 1 count of conspiracy to commit honest-services mail fraud, 21 counts of honest-services mail fraud and 1 count of bribery. Kramer and Ortiz are accused of hiring a Rhode Island senator, John Celona, as a $1,000-a-month consultant to help further the legislative agenda of the Woonsocket-based drugstore chain giant. By doing so, they allegedly deprived the citizens of Rhode Island of the honest services of an elected official. Read Journal coverage of the lawyers' closing arguments. Extra: Trial coverage and more on the related Operation Dollar Bill investigation. -- Journal staff writer Mike Stanton A key question that the jury must decide is whether Kramer and Ortiz acted "knowingly and willfully’’ to corrupt Celona by hiring him to influence his actions as a senator. Under Rhode Island law, Lisi explained to the jury, part-time legislators can participate in legislation affecting a company they work for, as long as the legislation affects all similar types of businesses equally. It is the legislator’s responsibility to determine if there is a conflict, and whether to avoid participating. Furthermore, Lisi instructed, the law allows a business with a legislator on its payroll to communicate with that legislator regarding legislation, provided that the payments to the legislator are not intended to influence his official actions. Kramer and Ortiz maintain that CVS hired Celona for legitimate public relations purposes and that the defendants’ communications with Celona on legislation was permissible. The prosecution counters that there was no sensible reason for CVS to hire Celona, other than for political favors, since the evidence shows that he didn’t do the public relations work mentioned in his consulting agreement, that he was paid from CVS’s political contributions account and that Kramer and Ortiz sought to conceal the relationship. Prosecutors hammered at the point that Celona helped kill pharmacy choice legislation that Kramer and Ortiz reported would have cost CVS millions of dollars in profits. Posted by Mike McKinney at 11:12 AM | Comment No bears in sightWhere's the bear? Taken up residency? Taking a nap? Taken off? Whatever the case, the black bear -- or bears -- that has been spotted from Scituate to Narragansett in the past few weeks has been nowhere in sight since about 4 p.m. yesterday, according to the Department of Environmental Management. And neither officials in North Kingstown or Narragansett, where the last two sightings came from, have fielded any sighting calls recently. And so, for now, there are no DEM Environmental Police waiting in the woods, no municipal police pounding the pavement, and no calls from residents missing bird feeders. But it's early yet. And here's a question, where did the bear or bears come from? -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 10:17 AM | Comment Lottery today for spots order on Foster ballotFOSTER - Candidates for the open town council seat will find out later today the order in which their names will appear on the July 8 ballot. Secretary of State A. Ralph Mollis scheduled a lottery late this afternoon to determine the order of names on the ballot. Democrat Roger Hawes, Republican Gordon Rogers and Jonathon Vorro, who is running unaffiliated, are facing off for the seat left open after Harold Shippee Sr. resigned in March. "When I ran for office, I pledged to make government more transparent," Mollis said in a statement. "There is nothing that will give voters more faith in the fairness of their elections than the chance to see firsthand how the process unfolds." The lottery is set for 4:30 p.m. at the elections division, 148 West River St., Providence. Mollis has invited the candidates and Foster residents to attend. Foster residents must register to vote in the special election by June 7. Voters must be at least 18 years old, U.S. citizens and have a valid Social Security number or Rhode Island driver’s license. State law gives Mollis the authority to hold lotteries to determine ballot placement. Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 9:04 AM | Comment Entwistle lawyers to ask for dismissal, venue changeWOBURN, Mass. — Lawyers for the British man accused of killing his wife and infant daughter in the family’s Hopkinton, Mass., home say they will ask a judge to dismiss the charges or change the location of the trial scheduled to start Monday. Attorney Stephanie Page says Neil Entwistle can’t get a fair trial in Middlesex County because of intense international media coverage. Lawyers are scheduled to argue motions in Middlesex Superior Court today. The defense also intends to ask the judge to exclude from trial the evidence prosecutors gathered against Entwistle since his arrest in February 2006. Prosecutors claim Entwistle killed his 27-year-old wife, Rachel, and 9-month-old daughter, Lillian Rose, in January 2006. Entwistle told police he found them dead after returning from an errand. -- The Associated Press Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 8:59 AM | Comment CVS Trial: Jury instructions todayChief Judge Mary M. Lisi is set to read instructions today to the jury charged with deciding whether two former executives of Woonsocket-based CVS are guilty of trying to buy influence from former state Sen. John Celona, who is serving time in a federal prison for corruption. Yesterday the jury heard four hours of closing arguments in the trial. The prosecution argued that Celona abused his office to help CVS at the State House on behalf of John R. “Jack” Kramer and Carlos Ortiz, two former executives at the drugstore giant. Lawyers for the two argued instead that Celona was legitimately hired to promote CVS charities on his cable-access television show. After three weeks of testimony, Lisi is set to instruct the jury and deliberations may begin today. Special Report: More on the trial and the Operation Dollar Bill corruption investigation. Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 7:59 AM | Comment Traffic Alert: Route 195 east, one lane blockedAn accident this morning has a lane closed on the Washington Bridge heading to Massachusetts. The accident, on the eastbound side of Route 195, has the right lane closed on the bridge. See how traffic is moving near the site of the accident, and along your commute, on the Transportation Management Center's Web cameras. Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 7:50 AM | Comment Today in historyOn this day in 1431 Joan of Arc, condemned as a heretic, was burned at the stake in Rouen, France. Read more about today in history. Check out a video report about today in history. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:02 AM | Comment Nice Friday, not-so-nice SaturdayI didn't want to spoil the beautiful day, but today I have to. After a reprieve last week, it’s back to the same ol’ “beautiful week, crummy weekend” business that we’ve seen for the past month or so. Today will start off wonderful. By 8 a.m., we should hit 60 degrees and the National Weather Service is forecasting a clear, sun-filled sky, a high temperature near 76 degrees and the mildest of north winds. Tonight looks good too, with temperatures dropping just 20 degrees to about 56 degrees, increasing clouds and a light, south wind. But early Saturday morning we'll have a slight chance of showers, and as the morning goes on, we get hit: showers, thunderstorms and breezy west winds gusting up to 36 mph. The temperatures will stay mild, with highs in the low 70s. The same goes for Saturday night, with showers and thunderstorms on and off throughout the day. Temperatures will remain mild, with a low of 58 degrees and west winds gusting up to 31 degrees. In all Saturday, we can expect three-quarters of an inch of rain -- and more in areas of the most intense thunderstorms. But the rain should take off as quickly as it arrives, and Sunday we'll get back to sun, partly sunny skies and highs in the mid 70s. West winds should be between 8 and 14 mph. Clouds should thicken Sunday night, but no rain in the forecast. We'll have an overnight low in the low 50s. And Monday, the trend should continue: back to work, back to sunshine, blue skies, and mild temperatures in the mid 70s. Cross your fingers and check projo.com's weather page -- maybe Saturday's forecast will change. Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 7:01 AM | Comment Today's front pageToday's front page features a report on the average price for a gallon of gasoline reaching the $4 mark in Rhode Island. Download a copy of today's front page in .pdf format.
Posted by Jack Perry at 7:00 AM | Comment May 29, 2008Tonight: 'Frankenstein Project' is in PawtucketThe Frankenstein Project continues its run at the Mixed Magic Theatre in Pawtucket, with a 7:30 performance tonight. It's described on the theater's Web site as "a laboratory production of Mary A. Shelley’s novel." Jim Brown plays Dr. Victor Frankenstein, and Bill Pett is his father in the production. On a less terrifying note, you can experiment with some music in Providence. Mark Cutler and Friends play rock and rhythm and blues at 9 p.m. at Nick-A-Nees 75 South St. Call 861-7290. The East Side Horns and Mac Odom and Chill, rhythm and blues and Motown, The Hi-Hat, 3 Davol Square, Providence. 453-6500, www.thehihat.com. 8 p.m. to midnight. For more events, see projo.com's list of calendars. Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:56 PM | Comment Senate passes bill toughening DUI penaltyPROVIDENCE -- The state Senate today passed a bill that would make driving with a suspended license a felony when it results from a conviction for driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol or refusing to submit to a chemical test. Punishment would be up to five years' imprisonment, up to a $5,000 fine and taking an alcohol and/or drug treatment program, according to a news release. The bill heads next to the House of Representatives. “When we talk of zero tolerance for drunk drivers, we have to put plenty of teeth behind it and give police the enforcement tools to make sure our streets and highways are safe," said bill sponsor Sen. Leonidas P. Raptakis, D-Coventry, in the statement. The goal, according to the news release, is to get tougher on repeat offenders. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:52 PM | Comment Update: Historic Arcade building to get $8M facelift
The building's tenants, primarily lunch counters and retail shops, will have to vacate the building by June 30, so construction can begin, according to Granoff. Granoff expects the renovation of the Weybosset Street building to take about a year. "Our goals are to reposition the Arcade so that it can be sustainable in the long term, and to deepen our firm's commitment to the historic preservation and economic vitality of Downcity," Evan Granoff, managing member of Granoff Associates, said in a press release. -- projo.com staff writer Jack Perry, with reports from Journal staff writer Daniel Barbarisi Granoff said its application for a historic tax credit was approved by the state on May 15. Granoff also figured the time was right for renovation because Johnson and Wales University had earlier announced plans to move its Johansson's Bakery to the school's hospitality facility in Seekonk by June 30. The bakery represents 25 percent of the Arcade's revenue, according to Granoff. The building has 13 tenants. Tenants have been renting on a month-to-month basis since 2005 in anticipation of the project, according to Granoff. Later today, store owners said that the Granoff never told them they would have to vacate, and that they learned about it today via a report on projo.com, The Providence Journal's Web site. “Everybody’s shocked that we’ve only been given 30 days notice. How does anyone move a business in 30 days?” said Don Beohner, owner of Copacetic, a jewelry store on the Arcade’s second floor. Posted by Jack Perry at 6:34 PM | Comment Change in drug crime sentences goes to CarcieriPROVIDENCE -- For the second year in a row, a bill to eliminate mandatory minimum sentences for certain drug crimes is headed to Governor Carcieri, who vetoed similar legislation last year. The House today approved the bill 52 to 13, with nine not voting. It had gotten Senate backing. Shortly after, a spokeswoman for Carcieri sent a statement saying that, since the bill is essentially the same as last year's, and the governor vetoed it that version, "it is reasonable to believe it will receive the same treatment this year." -- With reports from Katherine Gregg of the Journal State House Bureau Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:02 PM | Comment House backs bill allowing flexible kindergarten entry agePROVIDENCE -- The House has approved a bill that would let school departments decide whether to admit a child who turns 5 between Sept. 1 and Dec. 31 into kindergarten. The bill would permit individual school districts to create policies for allowing students who have not met the minimum age requirement to attend kindergarten -- if space is available and it's determined that it would be in the best interests of the child to be enrolled in school. The current law holds that children must be 5 by Sept. 1 of any school year if they are to enroll in kindergarten. In 2002, the General Assembly changed the date of enrollment eligibility date from Dec. 31 to Sept. 1. “I’ve heard concerns from many constituents whose children are more than prepared for kindergarten but have missed the Sept. 1 deadline by weeks or even days. Then the child has to wait an entire year before being enrolled in school,” bill sponsor Stephen R. Ucci, D-Johnston, said in the statement. "This puts those children who are ready for school at age 4 at a disadvantage.” It's the second year Ucci introduced legislation to relax kindergarten entrance age requirements. The bill won House approval last year but died in the Senate. The legislation has been referred to the Senate Education Committee. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:16 PM | Comment Suspended police officer gets 20 years in prison / Photo
Ciresi, who had been on home confinement since February, was ordered to the Adult Correctional Institutions in Cranston by Judge Robert J. Krause. On Feb. 11, a jury convicted Ciresi on two counts of burglary, one stemming from an armed home invasion in Pawtucket in which his gun was found. He was also found guilty of two counts of conspiracy to commit burglary, the use of a firearm to commit a crime of violence, attempting to steal money from a stolen ATM after a police raid, receiving a stolen generator, obstructing a police officer and harboring a criminal by hiding a traffic summons in his police locker. The verdict ended an investigation that started in 2004 when a man caught in an armed home invasion of a drug dealer in Pawtucket told police Ciresi had given him the gun. Ciresi indicated today to the Providence County Superior Court judge that he wanted to make a brief statement. But, after talking to his lawyer, Richard Corley, he did not on the lawyer's advice. At that point, Ciresi, who has showed little emotion during the course of the trial, got teary-eyed. On the first count of breaking and entering into the Pawtucket home, he was sentenced to 35 years with 20 to serve. He received lesser sentences on other counts, which are to run concurrently. On a count of using a firearm to commit a crime of violence, he was sentenced to serve 10 years consecutively, but that sentence was suspended. Lawyer Corley said he would be preparing an appeal for Ciresi. Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:28 PM | Comment CVS trial: Closing arguments end; jury instructions next
PROVIDENCE -- The jurors in the CVS corruption trial will return to federal court tomorrow morning for final instructions and then begin deliberating the fates of John R. "Jack" Kramer and Carlos R. Ortiz, former vice presidents for the Woonsocket-based drugstore giant. The trial concluded at 2:15 p.m. today following lengthy closing arguments from the defense teams and prosecution. David B. Fein, one of Kramer’s defense lawyers, spent two hours hammering home the point that the allegations against Kramer and Ortiz did not amount to crimes. He whittled away at the prosecution’s case by zeroing in on "lies" and inconsistencies uttered by John A. Celona, the government’s star witness. Fein accused Celona of "giving the government what he thinks they want." Thomas R. Kiley, a lawyer for Ortiz, followed Fein and continued the attack on Celona’s credibility. He told the jurors that Celona talked to government investigators 25 times and spent nearly a week on the witness stand without providing any evidence that he talked to Kramer and Ortiz "about legislation." "They never asked John Celona to do something against his will, to alter his position," on legislation, Kiley said. -- Journal staff writer W. Zachary Malinowski Read more about closing arguments from earlier today. Extra: More on the trial and the Operation Dollar Bill corruption probe. Kiley also underscored that it was Kramer, not Ortiz, who wanted to hire Celona as a $1,000-a-month consultant. And, he said, Ortiz asked Celona whether the state Ethics Commission had approved the consulting agreement. "That’s not an obvious question for a person who is about to engage in a bribe," Kiley said. Kiley said that Ortiz never saw the John Celona State House Report cable television show where Kramer was a frequent guest, and he had no interest in Celona’s role as a public relations guy for CVS. In a 10-minute rebuttal, prosecutor Dambruch seized on Kiley’s characterization of Ortiz. He said that Kiley’s statement offered proof that CVS brought Celona on board as a consultant to influence legislation at the State House. He said that CVS is a "billion-dollar corporation," that did not need to hire a public relations consultant for $12,000 a year. "The one thing, however, he could offer was his position on legislation," Dambruch said. Posted by Mike McKinney at 3:13 PM | Comment Gas hits record high of $4 per gallon in the Ocean StateThe average price for a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline in Rhode Island has reached the $4 mark, setting a new record along the way, according to AAA Southern New England and the Oil Price Information Service. The price has jumped 4 cents since the beginning of the week and almost 20 cents in the past 10 days, according to AAA. AAA surveys gas prices at the start of every week, but the travel club put out a special release today to announce that gas had hit the $4 mark. In its regular survey released Tuesday -- a day later than usual because of the Monday holiday -- AAA reported the average price for a gallon of regular, unleaded gasoline was $3.969 at the self-service pump. Rhode Island's average price is 5 cents above the national average of $3.95, AAA says. AAA offers gas saving tips and tools on its Web site. Posted by Jack Perry at 1:44 PM | Comment Funeral Saturday for North Kingstown coupleA funeral is scheduled for Saturday for Brad S. and Rosemarie Randall, a North Kingstown couple killed Monday in an accident. According to Connecticut state police, Brad Randall was driving his motorcycle at 11:30 a.m. with Rosemarie as his passenger on South Canterbury Road, just north of Depot Road in Canterbury, Conn., when a car driven by Lisa Ramos crossed the double yellow line, hitting the Randalls. Brad Randall was pronounced dead at the scene; Rosemarie Randall was taken to The William W. Backus Hospital in Norwich, Conn., and later pronounced dead. Ramos was taken to the hospital for observation. Connecticut state police are still investigating. Saturday's funeral is scheduled for 8:45 a.m. at Nardolillo Funeral Home, 1278 Park Avenue in Cranston. A Mass of Christian Burial is scheduled for 10 a.m. at St. Ann's Church in Cranston. Visiting hours are tomorrow from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. The couple will be buried in Highland Memorial Park in Johnston. In lieu of flowers, the families have requested contributions to be made in Brad and Rosemarie’s names to Meeting Street School, 1000 Eddy St., Providence, RI, 02909, where Rosemarie worked. You can read the Randalls' obituary and sign a guestbook on projo.com. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 1:00 PM | Comment Reporter's query: Staying home on vacation this year?The Providence Journal is looking to interview readers who have dropped their typical summer travel plans in favor of a “staycation,” a stay-at-home vacation. If you are among these people, e-mail Journal staff writer Mark Arsenault at marsenau@projo.com.
Posted by maria caporizzo at 12:57 PM | Comment Dunk to close for summer to complete renovationsPROVIDENCE -- The Dunkin’ Donuts Center will close tomorrow night after its last concert, Hot Night ’08 featuring L’il Wayne, for the third and final phase of renovations. Sheduled for completion this summer are: finishing the old lobby, a new Providence Bruins store, upgrades to seating areas, exterior work, and creating new seats in the arena bowl. The three-year phased renovation program is slated to culminate in a Sept. 5 re-opening. During an abbreviated season that spanned Nov. 14 to May 30, The Dunk hosted 109 events with estimated attendance of 523,800, according to a news release today. There will be no events at the facility from June 1 through Sept. 5. The box office will be open through the summer. Scheduled September grand opening events include a ribbon cutting, a Sept. 6 public open house, and several concerts. The first event after the September reopening will be the American Idols Live Tour 2008 on Sept. 7. The Rhode Island Convention Center Authority runs the convention center, the Dunkin' Donuts Center-Providence and two parking garages. An 11-member board governs the authority. Posted by Mike McKinney at 12:45 PM | Comment Providence police to test-drive eco-friendly scootersPROVIDENCE -- The Providence police will become the first New England force to test out electric, high-performance two-wheel scooters -- billed as an eco-friendly alternative to smoke-spewing motorcyles. Mayor David N. Cicilline and Chief Dean M. Esserman will kick off the program to road test Vectrix electric two-wheel vehicles on Friday at 10:30 a.m. at the public safety complex, 325 Washington St. A news release out today says the "silent, all-electric Maxi-scooters are virtually emissions free compared to larger traditional motorcycles that emit two tons of carbon dioxide each year." Four police officers have been tapped to test the Vectrix scooters over a three-month period. Mike Boyle, president and chief executive officer of Rhode Island-based Vectrix, is slated to be on hand Friday as officers take a test drive. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 12:10 PM | Comment CVS trial: Prosecution, defense make closing argumentsPROVIDENCE -- Closing arguments got under way in the CVS corruption trial this morning with a federal prosecutor laying out a trail of legislation, e-mails and memos -- proof, he said, that John R. "Jack" Kramer and Carlos Ortiz, former CVS executives, are guilty of criminal wrongdoing. During an hour-long closing, prosecutor Stephen G. Dambruch built his case around the actions and hiring of ex-state Sen John A. Celona, the government's star witness. Celona was hired as a $1,000-a-month consultant for the Woonsocket-based drugstore giant in 2000. Dambruch provided evidence that Celona reversed his position on pharmacy-choice legislation and became an eager advocate for CVS. CVS had long opposed pharmacy-choice legislation, and Dambruch today quoted from a document in which Ortiz had said that if the legislation passed, it would cost CVS millions of dollars in sales. Dambruch also suggested in his closing that Kramer and Ortiz made repeated attempts to hide that Celona was a paid consultant. He pointed out that Ortiz told Todd Andrews, a former CVS corporate communications director, to keep Celona's consulting role quiet. After a break this morning, David B. Fein, one of Kramer's lawyers, began his closing argument, telling the jurors they are probably wondering why they had to sit through three weeks of testimony. He said the government has not proved its case and there is no evidence of criminal intent by Kramer or Ortiz. Fein said the hiring of Celona -- whether right or wrong -- should never have reached a courtroom. "That discussion belongs in a corporate office in Woonsocket, Rhode Island, not a federal courtroom in Providence, Rhode Island," Fein told the jury. After Fein, Thomas Kiley, a lawyer for Ortiz, will give a closing argument. Dambruch will have the opportunity to offer a rebuttal. Extra: More on this trial and the Operation Dollar Bill investigation corruption probe. -- Journal staff writer W. Zachary Malinowski Posted by Mike McKinney at 11:30 AM | Comment Operator killed after MBTA trains collide in Mass.NEWTON, Mass. — The operator of a commuter train died and several passengers were injured after the trolley she was driving slammed into the back of another train, derailing both, officials said. Investigators did not know what caused yesterday's wreck, which killed Terrese Edmonds, 24, and injured about 10 passengers in an aboveground accident near a station in suburban Newton, said Joe Pesaturo, a spokesman for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. The two-car train Edmonds was operating struck the back of another two-car train approaching Woodland Station outbound on the D branch of the Green Line at about 6 p.m., Pesaturo said. The trains had about 200 passengers combined. “The first one was stopped at a red signal and was ready to proceed to the station when it was struck,” he said. For several hours, firefighters struggled frantically to free Edmonds from the mangled wreckage. She was finally extricated early this morning, about seven hours after the crash. “It is my unfortunate duty to report the death of one of our employees,” MBTA General Manager Daniel Grabauskas said. He said it was a “miracle” that there weren’t more deaths. One passenger was flown to a Boston hospital, and the other injured commuters were taken to nearby Newton-Wellesley Hospital. The hospital had eight train-wreck patients, including two who walked in, none with serious injuries, said spokesman Brian O’Dea. Both trains remained at the crash site this morning, covered in tarpaulins. The MBTA was busing passengers around the crash site. -- The Associated Press Federal investigators were scheduled to arrive at the scene on this morning to study the scene and interview witnesses, said Peter Knudson, a spokesman for the National Transportation Safety Board. A full report is not expected for up to 18 months, he said. Passenger Barry Gallup, standing aboard the train that was hit, told WCVB-TV that the impact threw him to the floor. “I may have been knocked out for a few seconds. ... The next thing I knew I was lying on the ground,” Gallup told WCVB. He described a confused scene immediately after the crash, with some passengers screaming and small fires breaking out on the side of the train. Other passengers concurred about the chaos. “There was a 70-year-old old guy who went ballistic, screaming at the conductor, ’You killed my wife! You killed my wife!’ And the wife is going, ’I’m OK! I’m OK,’” passenger Matt Stone, 46, told The Boston Globe. Massachusetts transit officials interviewed the surviving three operators Wednesday, Pesaturo said. Gov. Deval Patrick telephoned Grabauskas at the scene of the accident to offer any necessary assistance, Pesaturo said. “The governor also expressed that his thoughts are with the passengers, the train crew and the emergency responders who are working to extricate this female operator from the train,” he said. Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 10:00 AM | Comment Gay rights advocates score wins in N.Y., Calif.ALBANY, N.Y. — Gay rights advocates had reason to celebrate on both coasts today, with New York set to recognize same-sex marriages performed elsewhere and California preparing to begin issuing marriage licenses to gay couples on June 17. Rhode Island does not issue same-sex marriage licenses, but the issue has recently been in spotlight after two women who were married in Massachusetts unsuccessfully tried to get divorced in Family Court. A judge is considering whether to ask the state's Supreme Court if the Superior Court has the authority to grant the couple a divorce. Hours after California issued a directive yesterday authorizing that date, word came that New York Gov. David Paterson instructed state agencies — including those governing insurance and health care — to immediately change policies and regulations to recognize gay marriages. For years, gay rights advocates have sought recognition for same-sex marriages so couples could share family health care plans, receive tax breaks by filing jointly, enjoy stronger adoption rights and inherit property. Many or all of those rights would now appear to be available to New Yorkers who legally wed same-sex partners in other states and countries, according to the memo sent earlier this month from the governor’s counsel. Agencies have until June 30 to report back to the counsel on how, specifically, the directive will change existing state benefits and services for gay couples. “This is a milestone in the fight for fairness in New York,” Donna Lieberman, executive director of the New York Civil Liberties Union, said in a statement. “Couples in New York who have never known true security for their families will be officially entitled to treatment by our state government that respects their rights.” -- The Associated Press The Rev. Duane Motley, director of New Yorkers for Constitutional Freedoms, which has lobbied against the legalization of gay marriage, declined to comment on Paterson’s directive. State Conservative Party Chairman Michael Long didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. Massachusetts is currently the only U.S. state that recognizes same-sex marriage, but its residency requirements would bar New Yorkers from marrying there. New York residents could instead flock to California, where gay couples will be able to wed beginning June 17 — unless that state’s Supreme Court decides to stay its own ruling same-sex gay marriage. Upon their return home, in the eyes of the state, their unions would be no different from those of their heterosexual neighbors. Gay couples could also travel outside the country to marry in Canada or one of the other nations where same-sex marriage is legal. The move by Paterson’s administration does not legalize same-sex marriage in New York. The state’s highest court, the Court of Appeals, has said it can only be legalized by the Legislature, which failed to pass a proposed measure last year. The memo, one of the strongest steps the state can take short of action by the Legislature, cited a Feb. 1 ruling by a New York Appellate Division court in a case involving a woman wed in Canada who was denied benefits by her partner’s employer. The appellate judges determined that there is no legal impediment in New York to the recognition of a same-sex marriage. The state Legislature “may decide to prohibit the recognition of same-sex marriages solemnized abroad,” the ruling said. “Until it does so, however, such marriages are entitled to recognition in New York.” In a video shown Saturday at the Empire State Pride Agenda’s spring dinner, the governor said he directed the move as “a strong step toward marriage equality right here in our state.” “We’re aware that our advocacy is incomplete and we will keep trying until people who love each other and want to get married, regardless of who they are, have that opportunity,” Paterson said in the video, which was posted on the gay rights organization’s Web site. Paterson spokeswoman Erin Duggan said the May 14 memo is intended to guide the actions of state agencies. It states that agencies must change policies and regulations to make sure “spouse,” “husband” and “wife” are clearly understood to include gay couples. The memo says failure to include gay marriages in the dispensing of state services such as health care benefits could violate state human rights law. The agencies could face sanctions for any violations, it warns. The agency changes can be instituted through internal memos or changes in regulations and would not require legislative action, Paterson counsel David Nocenti said in the memo, first reported by The New York Times. Former Gov. Eliot Spitzer and Paterson, his running mate for lieutenant governor, campaigned in 2006 on a platform that included bringing equal rights to gays. Spitzer, however, said the state constitution didn’t sanction gay marriage. Last year, a bill to legalize same-sex marriage in New York was approved by the Democrat-led Assembly, but the Republican-led Senate hasn’t taken it up. In California, a group opposed to gay marriage has asked the state Supreme Court to grant a stay of its May 15 ruling until after the November election, when voters are likely to face a ballot initiative that would define marriage as a union between a man and a woman. Passage of the initiative would overrule the Supreme Court. Justices have until June 16 to rule on the stay request, according to the memo sent yesterday by e-mail to the state’s 58 county clerks. The guidelines from Janet McKee, chief of California’s office of vital records, contained copies of new marriage forms that include lines for “Party A” and “Party B” instead of bride and groom. The gender-neutral nomenclature was developed in consultation with county clerks, according to the letter. “Effective June 17, 2008, only the enclosed new forms may be issued for the issuance of marriage licenses in California,” the directive reads. Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 8:15 AM | Comment Police on the lookout after bear spotted in N. KingstownMaybe he just wants to settle down. A black bear -- apparently the same one that's been seen in Glocester, Scituate, Coventry, West Greenwich, and around South County -- was spotted again this morning in North Kingstown, according to the Department of Environmental Management's Environmental Police. Authorities are on the scene, tracking the bear that is likely responsible for rummaging through trash cans and bird feeders in a search for food. Trackers set up a bear trap yesterday in the Mettatuxet neighborhood of Narragansett after a sighting off Boston Neck Road. They waited. Nothing. This morning, just after 6:00, there was another spotting in a backyard on Pride's Crossing Lane, according to environmental police officer Mike Mahoney. Then reports came in that the bear had crossed Shermantown Road and gone into the woods. That was the last sighting as far as Mahoney has heard. So environmental police officers are on the scene, relying on citizens calling in sightings and pounding the pavement. They're armed with tranquilizers, a bear trap, and hopefully, a good supply of patience. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 7:50 AM | Comment Closing arguments today in the CVS trialPROVIDENCE -- Closing arguments are scheduled for today in the trial of two former CVS executives accused of bribing former state Sen. John Celona with a $1,000-a-month job to gain favor at the State House. After the defense rested without calling any witnesses Tuesday, Chief U.S. District Judge Mary M. Lisi gave the jurors the day off yesterday and scheduled a private chamber conference with lawyers for both sides to discuss her charge to the jury. Defense attorneys for former executives John R. "Jack" Kramer and Carlos Ortiz argue that Celona was hired to do legitimate work, promoting CVS and its charitable endeavors through his television show and his network of senior citizens in his North Providence Senate district. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:16 AM | Comment Today in historyOn this day in 1790, Rhode Island became the last of the original 13 colonies to ratify the United States Constitution. Read more about Today in History. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:02 AM | Comment A summery kind of springWe'll see the warmer side of spring today, and it doesn't look too bad. The Ocean State is in for sunny, clear skies and a high temperature near 76 degrees. It will get pretty windy, though, with a mild west wind early, but increasing to between 18 and 21 mph. as the day goes on. Low humidity makes it a good day to take a long walk, but a bad day for fires. The National Weather Service has issued a red flag warning -- the combination of dry air and wind are good conditions for fast-moving fires. So be careful with the cigarettes and barbecues. Skies should stay clear and temperatures mild tonight, dipping to a comfortable 51 degrees. West winds should die down later in the evening. Tomorrow looks like today but without the high winds; temperatures should reach about 75 degrees, skies should stay clear -- at least through most of the day -- and we'll have calm, west winds. There are more spring surprises ahead in the forecast; see projo.com's weather page to see what the weekend may hold. Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 7:01 AM | Comment Today's front pageToday's front page features a story about La Salle freshman Juliet Vongphoumy, who became the first female to win the Rhode Island Interscholastic League individual golf title. Download a copy of today's front page in .pdf format.
Posted by Jack Perry at 7:00 AM | Comment May 28, 2008Dunkin' Donuts pulls Rachael Ray scarf ad
AP photo / Dunkin' DonutsRachael Ray and scarf in ad. CANTON, Mass. -- Dunkin' Donuts has canceled an online advertisement featuring celebrity chef Rachael Ray after complaints that a scarf she wore in the ad offers symbolic support for terrorism. Dunkin' Donuts said today it pulled the ad over the weekend because of what it calls a "misperception" about the scarf that detracted from its original intent to promote its iced coffee. Critics, including conservative commentator Michelle Malkin, complained that the scarf appeared to be traditional garb worn by Arab men. The ad's critics say such scarves have come to symbolize Muslim extremism and terrorism. Canton, Mass.-based Dunkin' Donuts says the black-and-white scarf that Ray wore had a paisley design, and was selected by a stylist for the advertising shoot. The chain says no symbolism was intended. -- The Associated Press Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:55 PM | Comment Tonight: Theatre by the Sea opens for the seasonFor the first year since it closed in 2003, Theatre by the Sea in Wakefield is set to open its first full season. Ain’t Misbehavin’ opens tonight at 8 in previews. Last year, the only production -- A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum -- was so popular, it was extended for a week. The 75-year-old theater closed five years ago when, after 15 years, former owners Laura Harris and Renny Serre lost interest in producing shows. Four years later, the 500-seat theater found a new owner in Bill Hanney, who offered just that one show last year. This year’s opener, Ain’t Misbehavin’, opened on Broadway in 1978. It was a tribute to the black musicians of the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s and 1930s. It was done at Trinity Rep four years ago, and features five singers who perform rowdy, funny songs. The show opens today in previews and runs through June 15th at the Theater by the Sea at 364 Cards Pond Road in Wakefield. Tickets are $35 for previews today and tomorrow and $39 to $49 for the later performances. For information, call 782-8587. Online ticket sales for tonight's show, according to the theater's Web site, end at 7 p.m. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson, with reports from projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney and Journal archival reports Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 6:43 PM | Comment Senate sends driver's license renewal change to HousePROVIDENCE -- Legislation raising to 75 the age when Rhode Islanders must renew a driver's license every two years motored to the House after being passed unanimously today by the Senate. Currently, that two-year renewal period applies to people beginning at age 70, with an $8 fee for renewal. People under that age renew licenses in Rhode Island every five years for a $30 fee. According to a news release, the bill does not change current law that lets the motor vehicles division administrator require an examination of any person applying to renew a license "who might be considered incompetent or otherwise unqualified to continue driving." Bill sponsor Sen. James E. Doyle II, D-Pawtucket, stated that raising to 75 the age for a two-year license acknowledges Rhode Islanders are "living and staying healthy and active longer." Doyle asserts that federal statistics show little difference between the 65 to 69 age group and the 70 to 74 age group in accidents and highway deaths. Rather, the arguments goes, it's at age 75 that the number begins to grow significantly, "with a real leap over age 80." The bill now goes to the House of Representatives. A matching House bill, sponsored by Rep. Peter L. Lewiss, D-Westerly, is before the House Constituent Services Committee, according to the news release. Read more about why the bill was proposed and reaction to it. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:04 PM | Comment Elections board allows 2 convicted of insanity to votePROVIDENCE -- The state Board of Elections voted unanimously this afternoon to preserve the voting rights of two men found not guilty by reason of insanity some 20 years ago. The vote reversed a nine-month-old decision by the Cranston Board of Canvassers, which found that John A. Sarro and William Sarmento were too mentally ill to cast a ballot. Lawyers for the two men said they were pleased with the vote. “It’s a relief,” said Kate Bowden, a lawyer with the Rhode Island Disability Law Center. But Joseph A. DeLorenzo, Jr., chairman of the Cranston board, decried the decision. “I hope they can sleep at night knowing they’ve allowed vicious murderers to vote,” he said. DeLorenzo said the board may appeal the decision to the state Supreme Court. Lawyers for Sarro and Sarmento argued, during the hearing, that a single moment of insanity decades ago has little to do with their clients’ competence to vote. -- Journal staff writer David Scharfenberg Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:37 PM | Comment New trial ordered for state trooper in smoke-shop raidA federal judge has ordered a new trial for a state trooper, erasing a jury’s verdict that the officer used excessive force when he twisted a Narragansett Indian’s ankle until it broke during the 2003 state police raid on a tribal smoke shop. In granting the state’s motion for a new trial, U.S. District Senior Judge Ernest C. Torres wrote Tuesday that the state police testimony proved more credible than that of defense witnesses and Adam Jennings, whose ankle was broken during the raid. Torres cast doubt on whether a shop worker and a customer who testified during a five-day trial in U.S. District Court could have seen Jennings’ struggle with state troopers inside the roadside smoke shop. He questioned Jennings’ recollections, arguing they were contradicted by state police. Attorney General Patrick C. Lynch’s office welcomed the decision today. “We’re very happy with the fact we got a new trial,” said Jim Lee, chief of the attorney general’s civil division. If you read the decision, Lee said, “he found the state police as credible witnesses” and that Kenneth Jones, the trooper involved, used an approved control technique. Jennings’ family was deeply dismayed by Torres’ ruling. “We know what happened,” said his mother Paulla Dove Jennings, of Richmond. “The judge obviously doesn’t care. He only cares about police officers looking good.” The decision rearranges a verdict reached by a jury, she said, that was not even of her son’s peers. “There is no justice for any Narragansett in the state,” she said, breaking into tears. Her son, she said, was emotionally and physically damaged by the raid and the continuous legal battles. The Jones case was reassigned to U.S. District Judge Mary M. Lisi today. -- Journal staff writer Kathleen Mulvaney Michael Bradley, who represented Jennings in the 2005 trial, also found the decision troubling. New trial can be granted under narrow circumstances, he said, but “when a judge takes away a jury’s verdict based on an assessment of credibility then he is in danger of substituting his opinion for that of a jury.” “The case law is pretty dead set against judges doing that,” Bradley said. State police executed a search warrant on the shop on tribal land in Charlestown on July 14, 2003, to stop the Narragansetts from selling cigarettes without charging Rhode Island taxes. The raid erupted into a violent confrontation in which eight tribal members, including Jennings, were arrested. Jennings, his mother and another shop worker sued former state police Col. Stephen M. Pare and seven other state troopers, accusing them of violating their civil rights and using excessive force during the raid. Most of the claims were dismissed during the trial before Torres in U.S. District Court, but the 10-member jury concluded after deliberating five hours that Trooper Jones used excessive force and battery when he twisted Jennings’ ankle until it broke while placing him under arrest. At the trial Jennings testified that Jones continued to twist his ankle, and even increased his force, after Jennings stopped struggling. Jones, an 11-year veteran of the force, said he maintained his grip because Jennings continued to resist, but did not elevate his force. The jury awarded Jennings $301,000. Torres overturned that verdict, finding that Jones was protected by qualified immunity that shields officers from liability when they act reasonably or believe they are doing so while doing their jobs. Jennings appealed to the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. A three-judge appeals panel reinstated the jury’s verdict in March 2007. That decision was affirmed by the full court in August, when it declined to review the case but sent it back to Torres to consider motions for a new trial that he did not rule on after the 2005 trial. The state sought U.S. Supreme Court’s review. The high court declined to take the case in February, sending it back to Torres for a ruling on motions for a new trial and a reduction in the jury award that were argued soon after the trial, said Michael J. Healey, spokesman for the attorney general. In Tuesday’s decision, Torres said it was not clear if the jury based its verdict on the belief that Jones increased his force after Jennings was stopped struggling. “Even if it were possible to say that the jury’s verdict was based on a finding that Jones increased the force applied in utilizing the `ankle turn control technique’ after Jennings had been subdued, Jones’ motion for a new trial should be granted because, in this Court’s opinion, such a finding would have been contrary to the clear weight of credible evidence,” Torres wrote. “In short, the weight of credible evidence supports Jones’ testimony that he maintained his hold on Jennings’ ankle because Jennings continued to resist but that he did not increase the force being exerted,” Torres said. Jennings was among seven Narragansetts tried over six weeks this winter in Providence County Superior Court for misdemeanor charges related to the raid. A jury found him not guilty of disorderly conduct and resisting arrest following the six-week trial. Three others were also exonerated. The jury found Chief Sachem Matthew Thomas guilty of assaulting a trooper. Two others were convicted of crimes. Posted by Andrea Panciera at 5:33 PM | Comment State Senate backs bill targeting cyber-bullyingPROVIDENCE -- The state Senate today approved a bill targeting cyber-bullying -- legislation expanding student discipline codes to cover electronic communications. Such communications would include any verbal, textual or graphic communication by using any electronic device, such as a computer, telephone, cell phone, text-messaging device and/or personal data assistance device. Under the bill sponsored by Sen. John J. Tassoni Jr., D-Smithfield, repeated violations threatening "physical or emotional well-being of any student" would be grounds for filing a petition for a Family Court determination that the offending student is wayward and/or delinquent, according to a news release. The bill goes next to the House of Representatives for consideration. Similar legislation, sponsored by Rep. Joseph M. McNamara, D-Warwick, has already cleared the House. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:01 PM | Comment Mass. governor signs landmark ocean resources billBOSTON -- Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick has signed a landmark bill that aims to better protect and manage the state's ocean resources. The Oceans Act of 2008 is the first legislation of its kind in the nation. Patrick signed the bill today at the New England Aquarium. The legislation comes as the state deals with numerous offshore projects, such as proposed liquified natural gas facilities. The bill aims to ensure that decisions and permits about development in state-controlled waters -- which extend up to 3 miles from the coast -- conform to a single, science-based plan. Patrick says the law will help balance the protection of traditional natural resources with new ones, such as renewable energy sources. A 17-member Ocean Advisory Commission will draw up the plan, which must be in place by December 2009. -- The Associated Press Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:52 PM | Comment Senate panel OKs R.I. minimum wage increasesPROVIDENCE -- A bill aimed at raising the minimum wage paid thousands of Rhode Island workers won the overwhelming support of the Senate Labor Committee this afternoon, and is now headed to the full Senate for a vote. The bill sponsored by Sen. Leonidas Raptakis, D-Coventry, calls for automatic annual increases of up to 3 percent, in keeping with inflation as measured by the consumer price index for the Northeast. Rhode Island pays among the highest minimum wages in the nation, at $7.40 an hour. While the bill does not specify a wage hike, Robert Langlais, the state’s assistant director for labor market information, has estimated the bill would raise the minimum wage to $7.53 an hour on Jan. 1, 2009. While there is no direct count of minimum wage workers in Rhode island, Langlais said federal Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates indicate there were 27,000 workers here making between $7 and $7.99 an hour in 2006, out of 321,000 workers statewide. While there was no debate today, and only one nay vote from Sen. David Bates, R-Barrington, the debate between organized labor and lobbyists for the small business industry played out at a hearing in early April. The Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce is not opposing the bill this time around, but sent word that it “does not support automatic COLAs and believes the issue should be debated on its merits on annual basis.’’ A spokesman for Governor Carcieri issued this statement: “Generally speaking, Governor Carcieri is concerned about any bill that will add to the cost of doing business in Rhode Island. As the state and the nation grapple with an economic slowdown combined with skyrocketing energy prices, the governor believes we should be making Rhode Island more, not less, business-friendly. “However, the governor believes that Rhode Island’s business community needs to weigh in with their support or opposition to this legislation. If Rhode Island businesses oppose this bill, they need to make their voices heard at the State House,’’ spokesman Jeff Neal said. -- Katherine Gregg of the Journal State House Bureau, with projo.com reports In Connecticut, Gov. M. Jodi Rell, a Republican, yesterday vetoed legislation that would have raised that state’s minimum wage from $7.65 to $8 beginning Jan. 1, 2009, and to $8.25 starting Jan. 1, 2010, according to a news release. Carcieri let one minimum wage hike take effect without his signature early in his tenure as governor, and vetoed another. In his 2005 veto message, he said: “This will do nothing but exact another cost on Rhode Island businesses, especially small businesses, making our state even less competitive with our regional neighbors.’’ Lawmakers did not try to override his veto that year, which would have required bringing the General Assembly back into special session to face other thornier issues for them including a drive to unionize home-based child care workers. In 2006, Carcieri warned of another likely veto as a two-step increase in the minimum hike moved through the General Assembly, but then backed off acknowledging the Democrats likely had the election-year votes to pass it. That bill raised the state’s minimum wage from $6.75 to $7.10 an hour on March 1, 2006, and to $7.40 on Jan. 1, 2007. Carcieri’s turnaround had nothing to do with policy. He knew there were not enough votes in the Democrat-controlled General Assembly to sustain his veto. "The governor continues to believe that this legislation will undermine his efforts to grow Rhode Island jobs," Carcieri spokesman Neal said at the time. "But after a year of debate, passage of this legislation is now inevitable and the governor believes it is time to move on to other important business." Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:34 PM | Comment La Salle freshman becomes first girl to win state golf title
By JOHN GILLOOLY CRANSTON - Juliet Vongphoumy became the first girl to win the Rhode Island Interscholastic League co-ed individual golf title as the La Salle freshman, playing from the women's tees, posted a final-round 77 today at the Cranston Country Club and captured the title in the 36-hole state tournament. Vongphoumy's six-over performance, combined with an even-par 71 yesterday, gave her a 36-hole total of 148 and a two-stroke margin of victory over runner-up Justin Misiaszek of Burrillville. In tomorrow's Journal and online at HSGameTime.com, Jim Donaldson will have a profile of Vongphoumy and her unusual road to the top of the state high school golf scene. Posted by Mike McDermott at 2:16 PM | Comment Update: Bear reports, bear trap but no bear / Photo
Steven H. Hall, chief of the DEM's law enforcement division, said he is not sure of the accuracy of all the sitings and whether it is the same bear. Hall said none of his environmental police officers has seen the bear this morning, but DEM officers and residents did see a bear in Narragansett last night. In one instance, a bear crossed Route 1A from west to east and, in another, a bear was seen in the parking lot of an apartment building. This morning, Narragansett police and DEM officials were in the parking area of Twin Willows, off Boston Neck Road, with a bear trap on hand, in case the bear was spotted. Read more about the sitings of the black bear earlier this week. -- With reports from Journal staff writer Arline A. Fleming Posted by Mike McKinney at 1:53 PM | Comment Cheetah's long life in Providence comes to end
PROVIDENCE -- One of Roger Williams Park Zoo’s most popular residents was euthanized earlier this week after a long bout with arthritis, according to spokeswoman Laura Dunn. Togo the cheetah, who was just three weeks shy of his 16th birthday, had lived a long life –– longer than most cheetahs, who live an average of 8 to 12 years in the wild, and a few years longer in captivity. He was, Dunn said, one of the oldest surviving of his kind in North America. Togo, who came to the zoo as a yearling in 1993, was one of visitors’ favorite attractions, the zoo said. Last June, he had a two-hour operation for arthritis on his right front leg after showing discomfort for two years. Veterinarians fused what is the cheetah equivalent of the animal’s wrist joint in an attempt to alleviate pain. “The surgery worked,” Dunn said. And Togo, the zoo’s only cheetah, had another good year. But last week, she said, Togo’s caretakers noticed his limp had become more pronounced. By Sunday he wasn’t even using the leg and on Monday, veterinarians found another fracture. Caretakers and doctors had to make a decision, Dunn said. “’Do we put this animal through another surgery? And the rehab that’s involved after that?’” “And what’s his quality of life going to be after that?” she asked rhetorically. “It was a hard decision to make.” -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 1:16 PM | Comment Providence Water gets AA bond ratingPROVIDENCE -- Providence Water, the state's biggest water supplier, has gotten a AA bond rating from Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services, Mayor David N. Cicilline's office announced today. It is the utility's first time receiving a bond rating and, Cicilline said in a news release, it means Providence Water will save about $3.5 million, or $168,000 annually, in interest costs savings for loans used to pay for present and future major replacement projects. Cicilline touted the bond rating as “the direct result of smart management and responsible fiscal practices." -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 11:59 AM | Comment Everybody, Provi-dance!Downtown Providence is hosting a preview of what’s to come this year at one of the biggest music festivals in the state. Sure, you can get a sneak peek at scheduled artists on the Sound Sessions Web site, but then you'd miss the carnivalesque dancers, saxophone players and drummers set to perform this afternoon. The artists will join the Black Rep’s Executive Artistic Director Donald W. King and Providence Mayor David Cicilline to announce this year's lineup. The week-long Sound Session festival brings artists and performers from around the world to downtown Providence for what’s billed as a “genre-defying” music festival, featuring performers from West Africa to the Caribbean to American Jazz and Funk. This year’s festival is set to run from July 6 to July 12. The line-up announcement is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. today at 276 Westminster Street. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 10:52 AM | Comment Injured protester due in court todayThe 23-year old protester whose leg was broken as she was being arrested by the North Providence police is scheduled for a hearing in District Court, Providence, today. Alexandra Svoboda was arrested on August 26 during an Industrial Workers of the World protest of a local restaurant. She faces two charges of simple assault, one each of resisting arrest and disorderly conduct. Svoboda was released on personal recognizance after entering a not-guilty plea during her September arraignment. She is scheduled for a pre-trial hearing today. Her injury required several surgeries to repair vascular damage and a detached calf bone. Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 10:48 AM | Comment Update: Bear trap set, just waiting for a bear
A young black bear that has apparently crossed a large portion of the Ocean State in recent days. The photo, taken yesterday, shows the approximately 130-pound, two-year-old bear. NARRAGANSETT -- Local and state officials are still on the look-out for an unwelcome visitor in Narragansett. Narragansett police and officials from the state Department of Environmental Management are in the parking lot of Twin Willows, off Boston Neck Road, waiting for an encounter with a black bear that was spotted yesterday in the Mettatuxet neighborhood.. On hand is a bear trap -- which looks like a giant drum on its side. Authorities are just waiting for the word that the bear has been spotted Officials are hoping that the bear, which was able to elude officials last night while tearing through backyard bird feeders and trash, can be subdued with a tranquilizer gun and captured today. John R. Gingerella, of the state's Environmental Police, said authorities had hoped to catch the bear yesterday, but "it wasn't cooperative. There were so many people around," he said, "it was kind of like a parade setting." But the bear wasn't putting on a show; he was, and is, lost. "He's a teenage boy," Gingerella said, "looking for his own place." Your Turn: Have you ever spotted a bear in your neighborhood?
Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 9:45 AM | Comment Judge: Duke lacrosse players can pursue lawsuitRALEIGH, N.C. — Three former Duke lacrosse players falsely accused of rape -- including Reade Seligmann, who now attends Brown University -- can pursue a civil lawsuit against the disgraced Durham County prosecutor who led the case against them, a judge ruled yesterday. And former Duke Lacrosse coach Mike Pressler is now coaching at Bryant University in Smithfield. Federal bankruptcy Judge William L. Stocks lifted a stay that had protected former District Attorney Mike Nifong as he moved through bankruptcy proceedings. Stocks, a month after hearing arguments about whether the bankruptcy case should delay the civil lawsuit, said in a ruling that his court didn’t have jurisdiction to hear many of the claims involved in the civil case. Nifong, citing a woman’s story that she was raped at a lacrosse team party in March 2006, pursued rape charges against Seligmann, Dave Evans, and Collin Finnerty. State prosecutors declared the players innocent last year, and Nifong was disbarred and spent a night in jail in the fallout from the case. No DNA from any Duke lacrosse player was found on the accuser, and exculpatory evidence that genetic material from other unidentified males was found on the woman was withheld from the defense for several months. An attorney for Nifong did not return a call seeking comment yesterday. -- The Associated Press Nifong filed for bankruptcy in January, claiming more than $180 million in liabilities, mostly from the threat of pending lawsuits. The players also included the city of Durham, police investigators and others in their lawsuit filed in October. They accuse the defendants of conducting “one of the most chilling episodes of premeditated police, prosecutorial and scientific misconduct in modern American history.” Three other players also joined together in a lawsuit, and more than three dozen current and former Duke lacrosse players have also filed a third lawsuit, claiming they suffered emotional distress during the prosecution. That third suit does not name Nifong as a defendant. Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 8:41 AM | Comment Traffic Alert: Route 95 northbound, WarwickA accident in Warwick has affected highway traffic this morning. The two-car accident is on the northbound side of Route 95 near Exit 10/Route 117/ Warwick/West Warwick. The left shoulder is closed. See how it's affecting traffic on the Transportation Management Center's Web cameras. Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 8:06 AM | Comment Traffic Alert: Pawtucket at Broadway and SchoolRescue crews are on the scene of an accident in Pawtucket this morning. Pawtucket Fire and EMS teams are at the site near Broadway and School Streets. Traffic on Route 95 in that area does not look like it's been affected, but check online first, if you're headed that way. See traffic conditions on the Transportation Management Center's Web cameras. Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 8:00 AM | Comment Today in historyOn this day in 1977, fire raced through the Beverly Hills Supper Club in Southgate, Ky., killing 165 people. Read more from Today in History. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:05 AM | Comment CVS trial: Closing arguments tomorrowPROVIDENCE -- Jurors hearing the bribery trial of two former CVS executives have today off. Chief U.S. District Judge Mary M. Lisi gave the jurors the day off today and scheduled a private chamber conference with lawyers for both sides this afternoon to discuss her charge to the jury. Closing arguments are set for tomorrow. The credibility of John Celona, the state’s star witness, came under sharp attack from the defense yesterday, but their lawyers declined to take up the judge’s offer to let them recall the corrupt former state senator to the witness stand. Instead, the defense in the trial of John R. “Jack” Kramer and Carlos Ortiz rested its case without calling any witnesses. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:02 AM | Comment Some like it cool, some like it hot. We've got it allFor this blogger, today will be near perfect. The National Weather Service is forecasting a sunny, clear, dry day with temperatures reaching 68 degrees. It may also be a little breezy at times, with a north wind between 13 and 16 mph. Tonight will get chilly, with a low around 43 degrees and mild west winds. But if you like warmer weather, don't worry, it's coming. Tomorrow will also boast clear, sunny skies, no rain, and a high temperature just shy of 78 degrees with mild west winds picking up to between 17 and 20 mph. as the day goes on. Keep an eye on the spectrum of spring weather ahead at projo.com's weather page. Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 7:01 AM | Comment Today's front pageToday's front page features a story about a bear spotted wandering through Rhode Island and continuing coverage of the bribery trial of two former CVS executives. Download a copy of today's front page in .pdf format. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:00 AM | Comment May 27, 2008Tonight: Cavalcade of Bands at Rhodes, blues at Chan'sHead to Cranston to catch the Cavalcade of Bands, playing jazz and swing, at Rhodes-on-the-Pawtuxet, 60 Rhodes Place (off Broad Street), Cranston. Call 785-4333, 941-2717. In the ballroom: MC Rick "Swing Daddy" Orcutt, The Ed Drew Strollers, The Arthur Medeiros 16-Piece Dance Orchestra with Terri Giviens & Hank Doiron, The Duke Belaire 16-Piece Swing Orchestra with Bob Mainelli, The Tommy Rotondo Group and a ballroom dance presentation by Nelia Lawton with Providence Ballroom & Jazz Project. In the foyer: MC Bill Pandozzi, The Terri Giviens Group, The Mary Andrews Group, The Pat Mitchell Group with George Masso & Dick Johnson, The Daryll Sherman Group with Mike Renzi & Artie Cabral, The Amanda Carr Group with Arnie Krakowsky & Gary Johnson and The Jan Marquez Group with Al DeAndrade. 6-11:30 pm. $10 advance; $15 at the door. In Woonsocket, Tab Benoit plays the blues at Chan's Restaurant, 267 Main St. Call 765-1900. 8, 10 pm. $20 early show; $15 late show; $25 both shows. More events, see projo.com's calendar. Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:58 PM | Comment Facebook photo plays role in DUI accident sentencing
Now he won’t have to pretend. Lipton, 21, of Fairfield, Conn., today was sentenced to serve two years in state prison after pleading no contest to felony charges of driving under the influence resulting in serious bodily injury and driving to endanger resulting in serious bodily injury. The sentencing focused in part on a photo of Lipton that was posted on the Facebook social networking Web site. The photo shows Lipton with his arm around a young woman. He is smiling, with his tongue out, wearing an orange prison jumpsuit that bears the words “Jail Bird.” At the moment that photo was taken, Jade Combies, 21, of Lincoln, was in Rhode Island Hospital, trying to recover from fractures to her femur, hip and collarbone and the lacerated liver and spleen she had suffered in the Oct. 11, 2006, crash on Route 7 in Smithfield. Assistant Attorney General Jay Sullivan displayed the photo in court this afternoon as part of a Power Point demonstration. Above the photo was a one-word question: “Remorseful?” Superior Court Judge Daniel A. Procaccini said he could not ignore the photo in deciding how to sentence Lipton. “The court has certain aspects of the last two or three years of defendant’s life chronicled in living color — photographs and captions — compliments of Facebook via the Internet,” Procaccini said. The photos, which show Lipton and his friends drinking alcohol or smoking marijuana, “give new meaning to the phrase ‘one picture is worth a thousand words,’ ” he said. “Without question, the most disturbing and troubling photo is the one where the defendant is dressed up in a prison inmate costume for a Halloween party shortly after this horrific incident,” Procaccini said. “For this defendant to think of mocking and joking about his irresponsible, reckless and life-altering dangerous behavior — on Facebook, for others to see, dressed in a ‘Jail Bird’ prison costume for a Halloween party a mere two weeks after this incident — is sick, depraved and disgusting.” -- Journal staff writer Edward Fitzpatrick Posted by Andrea Panciera at 6:55 PM | Comment Deportation next stop for driver who passed police cruiserA driver the state police say was in the country illegally passed a state police cruiser on Route 95 in Pawtucket early yesterday, refusing to stop, while his passenger tossed beer bottles out a window and "continuously waved" at troopers in the cruiser. Both men are now facing deportation proceedings along with charges. At 2:05 a.m. Monday, Pascual Cipriano-Tzoc, 27, of 20 Kinfield St., 1st floor, Providence, was driving erratically behind the state police cruiser, the police said. The troopers pulled over to the right, letting the car pass. The car continued on, swerving from lane to lane. As troopers tried to stop the car, it sped up while passenger Regino Dominguez, 32, of 2022 Hartford Ave., Apt. 1, Providence, began throwing bottles out the window, the police said. The vehicle drove onto a dead-end street near the Massachusetts-Rhode Island border and stopped. The driver got out and fled while the passenger stayed in the vehicle. Dominguez was arrested and, after a short foot pursuit, so was Cipriano-Tzoc. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Cipriano-Tzoc, who the police said had a fake international driver's license, was charged with driving under the influence, eluding a police officer, driving without a license, obstruction of justice, identity fraud, resisting arrest, refusal to submit to a chemical test, and motor vehicle violations. The police said a check with federal Immigrations and Custom Enforcement found a pending deportation order for Cipriano-Tzoc. Following District Court arraignment, he was to be turned over to Immigrations and Customs Enforcement for deportation to his native Guatemala. Dominguez, who the police said was also in the country illegally, was taken into Immigration and Customs Enforcement Custody to the federal Wyatt Detention Center in Central Falls, pending deportation proceedings to his native Guatemala. Dominguez was charged with resisting arrest by state police. Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:54 PM | Comment Johnston man nabbed in car accident that struck boy, 9JOHNSTON -- A 31-year-old man has been charged with leaving the scene of an accident and other violations after police said his pickup truck struck a 9-year-old boy on Hartford Avenue on Friday. The boy’s ankle was broken as he left the scene of a seasonal carnival in the area of 1450 Hartford Ave. around 10 p.m. Friday night, according to Johnston Deputy Police Chief Gary Maddocks. Robert J. Gaunt, of 4 Doyle Ave., was arrested after police spotted his Dodge pickup parked at BJ’s Wholesale Warehouse on Sunday morning, Maddocks said. One of the vehicle’s rearview mirrors was missing. Gaunt, a store employee, told police that he thought he fell asleep, Maddocks said. Maddocks said Gaunt told the officer: “I got scared so I left, but I might have hit a pole.” Investigators found that the boy was hit in the shoulder area by a mirror on Gaunt’s truck and they believe the driver ran over the child’s foot, Maddocks said. He was treated and released from Rhode Island Hospital. -- Journal staff writer Mark Reynolds Gaunt was charged with leaving the scene of an accident, resulting in personal injury; failing to adhere to reasonable and prudent speeds, and failing to exercise due care. Gaunt was arraigned before Justice of the Peace Steven Catalano and released on $200 bail. He is scheduled to appear in District Court, Providence, on June 9, Maddocks said. Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:26 PM | Comment 3 rescued from Point Judith fishing boat ID'dA Coast Guard spokeswoman today identified the three Rhode Islanders rescued last night from a Point Judith-based fishing boat that took on water some 180 miles southeast of Cape Cod. Carl Seppanen of Exeter, Steve Zarbo of Narragansett and Leo Croteau, 57, of Wakefield were on board the Dona Maria, according to Coast Guard spokeswoman Connie Terrell. The vessel is owned by Clarke A. Reposa Sr. of Wakefield. About 8:30 p.m., the fishing vessel Ing Toffer overheard distress calls from the 82-foot Dona Maria and radioed the information to the Coast Guard station in Portland, Maine, and the Canadian Coast Guard station in Halifax, Nova Scotia, a Coast Guard spokeswoman for the Coast Guard’s First District headquarters in Boston said yesterday. The Coast Guard told the Dona Maria’s crew to activate their emergency radio beacon so the boat’s location could be tracked. A Coast Guard Falcon jet and a Jayhawk rescue helicopter arrived on scene from Boston. The fishing vessel was floating and upright, but had taken on water. The crew had abandoned ship and was hoisted from their life raft into the helicopter, the Coast Guard said yesterday. The crewmembers taken to the Coast Guard’s Cape Cod station and were reported in good condition yesterday. CORRECTION: An earlier version of this report incorrectly gave the name of the Ing Toffer. -- With reports from Journal staff writer Donita Naylor Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:21 PM | Comment CVS trial: Celona won't return; jurors to get day offPROVIDENCE -- John A. Celona, the star witness in the trial of two former CVS executives, will not return to the stand after all. This afternoon, defense lawyers informed the court that they would not summon Celona, the ex-senator from North Providence, to clarify an alleged phone call he made to the state Ethics Commission a few weeks before CVS hired him as consultant in 2000. Celona spent four days last week testifying in the trial of John Kramer, 75, and Carlos Ortiz, 64, who are accused of hiring the corrupt legislator to help advance the Woonsocket-based drugstore chain’s legislative agenda at the State House. Today, Chief Judge Mary M. Lisi announced from the bench that the defense team had a right to call him back to court. She gave them the option after they filed a motion alleging that prosecutors withheld evidence from them. The defense team argued that the prosecution knowingly failed to inform them that Celona had changed his story about contacting the Ethics Commission for an advisory opinion on the CVS consulting agreement. In past grand jury and court testimony, Celona had claimed that he spoke to an unidentified person at the Ethics Commission who said that there would be no conflict for an elected official to work for CVS. Last week, Celona testified that the conversation was more "abstract,’’ and that he did not specifically mention CVS. Lisi said the prosecution had an obligation to inform the defense lawyers about Celona’s latest version of the phone conversation. With the decision not to recall Celona, jurors will get the day off tomorrow. They will return to court on Thursday for closing arguments and, no later than Friday, they will begin deliberating the fates of Kramer and Ortiz. -- Journal staff writer W. Zachary Malinowski Posted by Andrea Panciera at 4:04 PM | Comment Cranston mayor will not seek re-election in the fallCranston Mayor Michael T. Napolitano told The Providence Journal today that he will not be running for re-election in the fall.  Journal file photo / Connie Grosch Cranston Mayor Michael Napolitano. The mayor, in the middle of his first term, cited family obligations. “My wife is getting her husband back,” he said. “My children are getting their father back.” The decision throws a nascent mayoral race into disarray. The city was gearing up for a rematch between Napolitano, a Democrat, and Republican Allan W. Fung, a former City Council member who narrowly lost to Napolitano two years ago. Now, the focus is on who will replace Napolitano at the top of the city’s Democratic ticket. City Council Vice President Paula B. McFarland and state Reps. Peter G. Palumbo and Charlene Lima voiced interest in interviews this afternoon. Council President Aram G. Garabedian has ruled out a run for mayor. -- Journal staff writer David Scharfenberg Posted by Mike McKinney at 3:34 PM | Comment Weather service issues severe thunderstorm watch
Live radar
Click to see a full-size map.A severe thunderstorm watch is in effect for Providence and Kent counties in Rhode Island and eastern Massachusetts. The watch remains valid until 8 p.m., according to the National Weather Service. The short-term forecast for an area including Providence, Cranston, Johnston, and Pawtucket says "widespread showers" as of 6 p.m., with some storms severe enough that there could be small hail and damaging winds. Posted by Mike McKinney at 3:31 PM | Comment Cranston man accused of stealing church offeringsA Cranston man who counted church offerings has been charged with embezzling cash collected from parishioners during the weekly offerings at the Immaculate Conception Church in Cranston. State police detectives on Sunday arrested Vittorio "Victor" Castriotta, 48, of 66 Woodmont Drive, charging him with felony embezzlement and larceny over $500, according to a police news release today. Castriotta has been for the last five years a volunteer counter at the church at 237 Garden Hills Drive, and the police said they believe money was taken during at least the last five months. The state police allege their investigation found Castriotta, who was a member of a volunteer counting team that counted funds every four weeks, stole cash collected as part of the regular parishioner offerings. Church officials found that collections dropped when Castriotta was involved in counting offerings, police said, and the officials decided to review their video system. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney The amount of money the police say was stolen has not been figured, "however, it is believed to be in an amount warranting a felony charge." The police probe will continue to figure out the amount they say was taken. The police said there is no evidence suggesting Castriotta worked with any other volunteer or church employee in allegedly taking money. Castriotta was released on $10,000 personal recognizance. A July 29 pre-arraignment conference is slated in Providence County Superior Court. Posted by Mike McKinney at 3:00 PM | Comment Web site set up to help business owners recycleRecently, state legislators and environmental managers have recognized business recycling as an area that could use improvement to extend the life of the Central Landfill in Johnston, the destination of about 660,000 tons of business waste a year. To help guide the commercial sector, the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management and Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation have created a Web site to help business owners. The site, greenzoneri.org, has information -- including a waste stream checklist -- to help businesses identify what they regularly toss in the trash and how finding the right recycling program and service can also save money. -- Journal environment writer Natalie Garcia Posted by Mike McKinney at 2:57 PM | Comment R.I. company cited for violations in building collapseTAUNTON, MASS. -- Federal regulators have cited a Rhode Island construction company for 15 alleged safety violations and proposed nearly $240,000 in fines for a building collapse in Taunton that injured eight employees. The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited Ajax Construction, of the Harrisville section of Burrillville, for alleged violations of steel erection safety standards in the Dec. 4 collapse of an industrial warehouse that was under construction. OSHA investigators said a truck was improperly used to straighten a steel column that was disconnected from an overhead girder. The girder and overhead decking where employees were working collapsed. Ajax Construction has 15 days to contest the citations before an independent review commission. The company had no immediate comment Tuesday. -- The Associated Press Posted by Mike McKinney at 2:34 PM | Comment Bear wanders through R.I. possibly looking for loveA young black bear that has apparently crossed a large portion of the Ocean State in recent days may be searching for a partner. The bear, which weighs an estimated 130 pounds and is about two years old, was seen this morning in South Kingstown and Narragansett, where it eluded capture by the DEM, according to John Gingerella, a DEM environmental police officer. DEM officials believe it's the same bear spotted in the Foster-Glocester-Scituate area last week, then in Coventry and, over the weekend, on Liberty Lane in South Kingstown's West Kingston section. This bear may have come out of hibernation looking to set up his territory, according to Gingerella. Mating time is typically in June and July, he said. Bears aren't a common sight in Rhode Island, but others have been spotted here in the last eight to 10 years, according to Gingerella. Some of them have weighed more than 200 pounds. "We've had quite a few bears coming through, but they don't tend to stay here," Gingerella said. "They tend to move on; they tend to be young bears." Apparently this bear won't let the miles or cold water slow his mission. Gingerella said the bear was spotted this morning on the South Kingstown side of the Narrow River and "ended up swimming over to the Narragansett side of the Narrow River." In Narragansett, Gingerella said he saw the bear standing in the middle of Emory Street, off Route 1A -- Boston Neck Road. The bear went into the woods, and the DEM responders thought they had the bear surrounded and were going to try to tranquilize it, but the bear eluded them, Gingerella said. Gingerella said people should not approach bears and never feed them. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney To keep bears away from their yards, people should make sure grills are cleaned, remove bird feeders, don't leave dog food, cat food or other food outside, Gingerella said. The DEM, in a fact sheet, says bird seed has high fat content and is attractive to bears. People should therefore remove bird feeders from the yard by mid-April and wait until Otober to November to put feeders back out. The DEM also advises that people keep garbage "secured or stored inside shed/garage" until trash-pickup morning. Keep meat/fruit out of compost piles. In Maine and other parts of northern New England, black bears can weigh 300 to 400 pounds. In the southern United States, the bears reach 600 or 700 pounds with frequency -- such bears are possible in northern New England, Gingerella said, but not typical. Posted by Mike McKinney at 2:24 PM | Comment Foundation set up to honor Peter T. Pastore Jr.The establishment of the Randolph Savings Peter T. Pastore Jr. Charitable Foundation was announced this morning in honor of Peter T. Pastore Jr., former executive vice president of the bank, who passed away in 2006. The foundation will provide financial support to deserving charitable and nonprofit organizations in communities served by Randolph Savings Bank. “We believe this is a fitting way to honor the memory of Peter Pastore, who truly personified the ideal of giving back to the community,” said Thomas H. Drummey, executive vice president and chief operating officer. Any not-for-profit charitable organization or municipal entity in the Randolph Savings Bank communities in Massachusetts and Rhode Island is eligible to apply for funding. In Rhode Island, that includes Coventry, Cranston, East Greenwich, Warwick and West Greenwich. Organizations interested in applying for foundation support can find guidelines and an application online. -- Journal business editor John Kostrzewa In Massachusetts, eligible communities include the towns of Avon, Braintree, Canton, Holbrook, Sharon, Stoughton and Randolph. Drummey, who will serve as president of the foundation, also announced that Louise DiChiara Pastore,would serve as chairman of the foundation’s board of directors. Peter Pastore served on the Cranston City Council for 16 years, including four years as president. He was a founder of the Cranston Teen Center and helped to create legislation to help small businesses. Founded in 1851, Randolph Savings Bank is a $365 million mutual savings bank with offices in Coventry and in Holbrook, Stoughton and Randolph, in Massachusetts. Plans to open a new Cranston branch are now in the regulatory and local approval stage. Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 1:04 PM | Comment Johnston police: Man held girlfriend captive for 6 hoursJOHNSTON — A 32-year-old Plainfield Street man bound his girlfriend with rope and held her captive for about six hours early Monday morning, the police said today. The woman went to the first floor apartment home of Eric J. Quinn around 12:30 a.m. Sunday after he asked her to make the trip following an argumentative telephone consersation, Johnston police Maj. Ralph Bubar III said. After she arrived, the police say, he slapped her in the face, took her cell phone and later tied her wrists with rope and bound her to the mattress in his bedroom, Bubar said. He also bound her feet, he said. Quinn untied the woman when his live-in roommate arrived around 6:30 a.m., Bubar said. As he talked to the roommate, she sneaked out of the bedroom and escaped the apartment house, he said. Quinn chased her down and snatched her keys, but he gave them back after the woman threatened to lean on her car’s horn, Bubar said. The woman reported the incident and Quinn was arrested around 2 p.m. yesterday afternoon after a Johnston patrolman spotted him driving in the area near his home. He was charged with domestic kidnapping, a felony, and felony counts of domestic assault and marijuana possession. Quinn, of 1415 Plainfield St., also was charged with refusal to relinquish a telephone, he said. At the time of his arrest, he was wanted on an East Providence police warrant for fifth-degree arson, Bubar said. Quinn was held without bail and his arraignment was scheduled for this morning in District Court, Warwick. -- Journal staff writer Mark Reynolds Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 12:48 PM | Comment Sound Sessions lineup will be announced tomorrowDowntown Providence is hosting a preview of what’s to come this year at one of the biggest music festivals in the state. Sure, you can get a sneak peek at scheduled artists on the Sound Sessions Web site, but then you'd miss the Carnivalesque dancers, saxophone players and drummers set to perform tomorrow. The artists will join the Black Rep’s Executive Artistic Director Donald W. King and Providence Mayor David Cicilline to officially announce this year's lineup. The weeklong Sound Session festival brings artists and performers from around the world to downtown Providence for what’s billed as a “genre-defying” music festival, featuring performers from West Africa to the Caribbean to American Jazz and Funk. This year’s festival is set to run from July 6 – July 12. The line-up announcement is scheduled for tomorrow at 1:30 p.m. at 276 Westminster Street. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 12:38 PM | Comment Security of smaller vessels is focus of summitAnyone interested in attending next month’s Coast Guard’s Northeastern Small Vessel Security Summit has until Thursday to register. The summit is a chance for vessel pilots of all sizes, as well as other interested stakeholders to get together and discuss ways to reduce risks and threats to smaller vessels on the water. Groups will also have a chance to voice any security concerns about ports and along the waterways of the Northeast. Representatives from the Coast Guard and from the Homeland Security Institute also will be giving presentations. "This forum is a great opportunity for mariners to speak directly with the Coast Guard and Homeland Security to share ideas and concerns," Lt. Trevor Cowan with waterways management at Boston’s First Coast Guard District said in a statement. The Conference, scheduled for June 7 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. will be at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy in Buzzard’s Bay, Mass. For registration information, email Lt. Trevor Cowan or call at (617)223-8385. Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 12:34 PM | Comment CVS trial: Defense rests, Celona may return tomorrowPROVIDENCE -- The defense has rested in the trial of two former CVS executives accused of bribery, fraud and conspiracy, and the case could go to the jury this Thursday or Friday. David B. Fein, one of defendant John R. Kramer’s lawyers, today played multiple clips for the jury of Kramer promoting the CVS Charity Golf Classic and the CVS Downtown 5K Road Race. The former CVS senior vice president also made many appearances on WJAR-Channel 10 touting both events. In one clip, he told viewers that they could head to their nearest CVS store for tickets to the golf tickets and to make sure they pick up some "sunscreen,’’ to protect them from the day’s heat. No witnesses were called for Kramer or his co-defendant, Carlos R. Ortiz. The jurors were sent home about 11:45 a.m. and told the standby for an order telling them to return to court. This morning, after a tense session, it was decided that the government’s star witness, John A. Celona, the imprisoned former legislator from North Providence, will return to federal court to testify. It appears that Celona may return tomorrow, to briefly testify about a conversation with a person at the Ethics Commission. After that, the defense and prosecution will ready for making closing arguments. -- Journal staff writer W. Zachary Malinowski Posted by Andrea Panciera at 12:22 PM | Comment On second try, Warwick chiropractor summits EverestIn his second try in two years, Warwick chiropractor Timothy Warren made it to the top of Mount Everest on Friday. He is believed to be the first Rhode Islander to climb the world's tallest peak, according to a children's organization.  Journal photo / Bill Murphy Warwick chiropractor Tim Warren grimaces while working out at Northeast Sports Training in Warwick last August. Warren made it to the summit at 11:15 p.m. eastern time, had a short stay and began his descent, says a news release from A Wish Come True. Mount Everest is 29,035 feet above sea level. Warren has chronicled his efforts at his web site, drtimwarren.com The Journal reported in late 2006 and last year on Warren's preparation to attempt the climb for the first time. Warren wrote by e-mail, in an article published last May, that he was not able to make the climb at that time. Everest is in the Himalayan ranges of Nepal, on the borders of Tibet and China. Last year, Warren spent about a month and a half taking day hikes higher up the mountain, then returning to base camp to allow his body to acclimate to climbing at high altitudes. Warren picked up a cough that would lead to his not being able to make the 2007 climb. He descended to lower altitudes with higher oxygen levels to try to let his body heal, but the cough persisted, the Journal reported. Warren's effort, a “Klimb for Kids” raises money for children whose wishes are granted by A Wish Come True, an organization that aims to make true a wish for people ages 3 to 18 who have life-threatening illnesses in Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts. A Wish Come True said last year's “Klimb for Kids” effort -- though Warren did not reach the summit -- raised $15,000 for children assisted by A Wish Come True. Warren's journey last year, which included corporate partnerships with Verizon and the Telecom Pioneers, "also enabled school children in several states (including Rhode Island) to increase their knowledge of Everest, Nepal and what it’s like to undertake such a challenge," the news release said. While Warren is believed to be the first Rhode Islander to summit Everest, in 1996, then 16-year-old Mark Pfetzer reached the final base camp, but was forced to descend because of a vicious storm. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with Journal archival reports Posted by Mike McKinney at 12:01 PM | Comment Pickup crashes into Tiverton home; 2 youths hurt / Photo
TIVERTON — Police are investigating a high-speed crash of a pickup truck into a house last night that sent two youths to the hospital. Four Providence boys, whom the police are not identifying because they are juveniles, were spotted in a Toyota truck speeding north on Main Road at about 9:45 p.m. by a marked police cruiser, which was driving with its lights flashing and siren sounding to a separate incident, Chief Thomas Blakey said this morning. The police believe the juveniles may have assumed the cruiser was after them, Blakey said. The pickup “catapulted” into 2537 Main Road, striking the house near the roof. A woman was home at the time but was uninjured, Blakey said. The house was substantially damaged and deemed uninhabitable today by the town’s building inspector, Blakey said. A 17-year-old boy was taken to Rhode Island Hospital, where he was listed in serious condition. A 15-year old boy was taken to Hasbro Children’s Hospital, where he is also listed in serious condition, according to police. The truck’s other two occupants fled the scene of the crash, Blakey said, and allegedly stole a car about a half-mile away. The two were stopped and arrested on Route 195 in Swansea by Massachusetts State Police. Tiverton police are investigating the crash and determining whether to bring charges against the boys, Blakey said. — Journal staff writer Meaghan Wims Posted by Andrea Panciera at 11:57 AM | Comment Rep. Kennedy glad father hears stories of thanks / Photo
CENTRAL FALLS –– In presenting a grant to the social advocacy organization Progreso Latino today, U.S. Rep. Patrick Kennedy briefly commented on his father’s illness. “His only disappointment,” Kennedy said of his father, Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, who was diagnosed last week with a malignant brain tumor, “is he came in second in a sailing race.” The senior senator from Massachusetts sailed his schooner, "Mya," on the return leg of the Figawi sailboat race from Nantucket to Hyannis, finishing second in his five-boat division. Sons Patrick and Edward Jr. served as crew members. Also aboard for the more than two-hour journey were his wife, Vicki, Sen. Christopher Dodd, D-Conn., and stepdaughter Caroline Raclin. Rep. Kennedy went on to say that he appreciated the fact that his father’s illness has enabled the long-serving Democratic senator to hear countless stories of appreciation from people that he’s helped during his 45 years in Washington. Patrick Kennedy took three or four questions today before being ushered out by his aides. His appearance in Central Falls today was to announce more than $180,000 in appropriations secured for a joint program with Progreso Latino -- which helps immigrant Rhode Islanders with job-growth skills -- and Johnson and Wales University. The program will provide job training for students. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson, with reports from Journal staff writer Mark Arsenault and the Associated Press. Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 11:53 AM | Comment R.I. gas prices soar to just under $4 per gallonGasoline prices increased another 16 cents in Rhode Island last week, leaving the average price for self-serve regular just a few cents under the $4 mark, according to AAA Southern New England. The average price for a gallon of regular, unleaded gasoline is $3.969 at the self-service pump, according to AAA's weekly survey. The price has climbed 38 cents over the past four weeks. A year ago at this time Rhode Islanders were paying $3.089. Rhode Island drivers are paying 3 cents more per gallon than the national average. Drivers of cars and trucks that use diesel fuel are feeling even more pain. Diesel has jumped another 22 cents to $4.89 per gallon. Posted by Jack Perry at 11:30 AM | Comment N. Kingstown couple dies in Conn. motorcyle-car crashConnecticut State Police are investigating a collision between a motorcycle and car yesterday that left a Rhode Island couple dead. Brad S. Randall, 52, and Rosemarie Randall, 45, of Clearview Drive in North Kingstown, were killed after an accident last yesterday at 11:30 a.m. while riding together on a motorcycle. According to the police report, Brad Randall was driving north on South Canterbury road just north of Depot Road in Canterbury, Conn. with Rosemarie as his passenger. Lisa Ramos, of Connecticut, was driving a Subaru Legacy southbound, according to the report, when she crossed the double yellow line into the northbound lane, hitting the Randalls. She then veered to the right, stopping against the southbound guardrail. Both Randalls were thrown off the motorcycle, a 2005 Honda, at impact, according to police. Rescue crews pronounced Brad Randall dead at the scene. Rosemarie Randall was transported to Backus Hospital for severe trauma and later pronounced dead. Ramos was taken to Backus Hospital for observation. The accident is under investigation. Correction: An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated that the accident occurred at 11:30 p.m. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 10:58 AM | Comment CVS trial: Celona to return to the stand
During a tense 40-minute hearing this morning, Chief U.S. District Court Judge Mary M. Lisi weighed a defense motion on whether the bribery, fraud and conspiracy charges should be dropped against John R. ``Jack’’ Kramer, 75, and Carlos R. Ortiz, 64, two former CVS executives. And, in a highly unusual move, Robert Clark Corrente, the U.S. Attorney for Rhode Island, argued that the motion for dismissal of the charges was ``outrageous.’’ Scott Corrigan, one of Kramer’s lawyers, based his argument primarily on Celona’s varying versions of testimony of a call he made to the Ethics Commission in the weeks before the drugstore giant hired him as a $1,000-a-month consultant in 2000. At the time, Celona was a state senator who would later rise to the influential post of chairman of the senate corporations committee. In previous grand jury and trial testimony, Celona had testified that the called the Ethics Commission and talked to someone who has never been identified. In the conversation, Celona claims that the person told him that it was okay for him to serve as a legislator and work for CVS. A few weeks ago, in preparation for trial, Celona told investigators that it was a more ``abstract’’ conversation he never mentioned CVS to the person at the Ethics Commission. Corrigan repeatedly referred to Celona’s ``new memories,’’ and said that prosecutors knew about it, but chose to withhold it from the defense team. ``The prosecution readily accepted a gift that was too good to be true,’’ said Corrigan said, adding that the prosecutors should have questioned the new version of events. Corrente took umbrage with the defense team’s characterization that the prosecution acted in ``bad faith.’’ He said that the government didn’t know exactly what Celona was going to say in the witness box ``because he had changed his testimony so many times before. It was impossible to know exactly what he was going to say.’’ Lisi, the judge, was critical of the prosecution team for failing to inform the defense about Celona’s latest version of the call to the Ethics Commission. She said that the government was required ``to make that disclosure in a timely manner.’’ Nonetheless, she said that dismissing the 23 felony charges against Kramer and Ortiz would be a ``rather extreme remedy.’’ She decided to have Celona return to court to testify. No day or time was set for the former legislator, who is serving a 2 ½ -year prison term in federal prison. He has been at the Donald W. Wyatt Federal Detention Center fin Central Falls or the past three weeks. The defense and prosecution made their arguments outside the presence of the jury. The government rested this morning; and, at 10 a.m., the defense began presenting its case. Read more on the the trial and the government's Operation Dollar Bill investigation. -- Journal staff writer W. Zachary Malinowski Posted by Jack Perry at 10:55 AM | Comment Library dedicated to dedicated educatorNo doubt Mary C. Brennan has made a mark on Vartan Gregorian Elementary School over the past 26 years. In 1977 she started at the school as a bilingual/ESL teacher. Since then she’s been an elementary teacher, worked as a curriculum coordinator and, in 1995, was named principal; a position she held until December 2003. Today her mark on the school will be officially recognized at the dedication of the new Mary C. Brennan Library -- an addition to the school, formerly the Wickenden Street Bath House. A ceremony is scheduled for this morning at the school, at 455 Wickenden St., in the auditorium. --projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 10:45 AM | Comment Changes on the road in ProvidenceThe Friendship Street on-ramp to Route195 East is closed for good today. Drivers trying to get onto the highway from the area of the Rhode Island Hospital area can use the temporary ramp off Hoppin Street while the Rhode Island Department of Transportation works on building a new, permanent ramp off Plain Street. Early next month, RIDOT plans to close Exit 20 off Route 95 north so that demolition can begin on the old portions of Route 195. When Exit 20 (the old exit to Route 195 East) closes, drivers won't be able to access Exit 1/Downtown or Exit 2/Wickenden Street. Instead, to reach Fox Point, drivers will have to take the Exit 19/Iway, and use the new Exit 2/Gano Street. To reach the Jewelry District, drivers can take Exit 18 from 95 north, and follow Allens Avenue north. To reach downtown, drivers can take Exit 22A/Downtown/Memorial Boulevard from 95 north.
Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 8:28 AM | Comment Providence council to receive report on December stormPROVIDENCE -- Providence's city council is about to get an independent report on why a December snowstorm stranded dozens of school buses for hours on city streets. Council President Peter Mancini says the council will receive the 33-page report today from an independent board charged with examining what went wrong during the Dec. 13 snowstorm. The fast-moving storm dumped about a foot of snow across the state and brought traffic to a standstill. Some school buses were stranded for up to six hours. Motorists abandoned their cars along the sides of highways. Shortly after the storm, Gov. Carcieri fired the executive director of the state Emergency Management Agency, Robert Warren. Providence Mayor David Cicilline also fired his city's director of emergency management, Leo Messier. See a time line of the storm and its aftermath on projo.com. -- The Associated Press Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 7:59 AM | Comment Today in historyOn May 27, 1941, the British navy sank the German battleship Bismarck off France with a loss of more than 2,100 lives. Read more about today in history Posted by Jack Perry at 7:03 AM | Comment Trial of former CVS executives resumesPROVIDENCE — The corruption trial of former CVS executives John R. “Jack” Kramer and Carlos R. Ortiz resumes this morning in federal court with the government expected to rest after two weeks of testimony. Chief U.S. District Judge Mary M. Lisi released the jurors early for the long holiday weekend on Friday and told them to return to court today at 9 a.m. The defense teams for Kramer and Ortiz will have the opportunity to have their own witnesses take the stand. It’s not known who, if anyone, will testify for the defense. Today begins the third week of testimony in the bribery, fraud and conspiracy trial of Kramer, 75, and Ortiz, 64. They are accused of hiring ex-Sen. John A. Celona, of North Providence, as a CVS consultant to help promote CVS’ legislative agenda at the State House. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:02 AM | Comment From sunshine to hailThe sunshine won't lure you outside today. In fact, between the great outdoors and the office, the office may be the better choice. The National Weather Service is forecasting different variations of rain today -- showers, downpours, and thunderstorms -- high-speed winds from the west and even hail. Temperatures, though, will be very mild, even warm, reaching 78 degrees. Expect upwards of an inch of rain. More showers forecast for tonight with gusty winds from the north and cloudy skies until about 11. Then clouds should clear and the temperature will drop pretty low to about 47 degrees. Tomorrow looks good -- clear, sunny skies -- but not perfect, with a high temperature of just 67 degrees and north winds gusting as high as 24 mph. And in case you missed it, success! The Mars Phoenix Lander touched down on Mars Sunday. Check out photographs and more information on the mission. Keep an eye on the showers, downpours, thunderstorms and hail on projo.com's weather page. Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 7:01 AM | Comment Today's front pageToday's front page features a story about a Seekonk man's death in a rafting accident in Maine and coverage of a school progam that tries to discourage sixth graders from becoming drinkers or smokers. Download a copy of today's front page in .pdf format. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:00 AM | Comment May 23, 2008Weekend: Memorial Day events and first WaterFireThere's plenty happening around Rhode Island this Memorial Day weekend -- whether it be a solemn ceremony, a weekend escape or a mix of both. In historic Bristol, a wreath-laying ceremony is scheduled for tomorrow at the Veterans Home, 9 Court St., at noon. On Monday, Bristol's formal Memorial Day ceremony will include a parade on Hope Street. There will be a plaque and wreath-laying for Bernard "Butch" Almeida, whose status was recently changed from Missing in Action to Killed in Action. In Cranston tomorrow, a ceremony will be at Pocasset Cemetery, Dyer Avenue, Cranston, at 10 am. Coffee will be served after the ceremony at Sprague Mansion, Cranston Street. On Sunday in Charlestown, the parade forms at noon and steps off at 1 p.m. from the intersection of Route 1A and Ridgewood Road, traveling down Old Post Road to Fort Neck Road, where participants board buses to Ninigret Park for a ceremony there. See projo.com's full listing of Memorial Day ceremonies. It's also the weekend that begins beach season. Check out projo.com's guide and map for that. In Providence, meanwhile, the season's first WaterFire is slated for tomorrow night. Can't witness WaterFire tomorrow night? Ten more lightings are scheduled over the summer. Posted by Mike McKinney at 7:00 PM | Comment Carcieri vows to seek ethics opinion on hiring of niecePROVIDENCE -- With a television news report resurrecting controversy around Governor Carcieri’s hiring of a niece five years ago -- and state Democratic chairman William Lynch alleging an ethics violation -- Carcieri today promised to seek an advisory opinion from the state Ethics Commission. As first reported in The Providence Journal in January 2003, one of Governor-elect Carcieri’s first hires was Stephanie Accaputo of Kingston, the daughter of his wife’s brother. Initially hired in late 2002 as a $37,781-a-year staffer in the governor’s "constituent-affairs office,’’ the 40-year-old Accaputo currently makes $52,119.90 as an “administrative support specialist’’ in the executive department. When first asked about her hiring in 2003, Carcieri spokesman Jeff Neal said Accaputo "very clearly earned" the position, by doing "glowing service" during the 14 months she worked on the Carcieri-for-governor campaign. "The governor was familiar [with] and confident in her ability and therefore was happy to hire her on," Neal said. Amid budget cuts and threats of further state employee layoffs, Accaputo’s job has drawn renewed attention. -- Katherine Gregg of the Journal State House Bureau In the wake of a Channel 10 report Thursday night about her position, state Democratic Party chairman William Lynch accused Republican Carcieri of violating the state’s anti-nepotism law. The Democratic party issued a press release headlined: “Don’t you wish you had an Uncle Don too? ‘’ State Republican Party Chairman Giovanni Cicione called it “laughable for Chairman Bill Lynch, whose politically connected family has a long history of employment in government posts, to try to press a nepotism charge against the Governor...when no violation exists.’’ (Lynch’s family includes his brother, Atty. Gen. Patrick C. Lynch.) And what does the law say? The state’s ethic law has for decades banned public officials from using their public offices to benefit themselves or members of their families. In 1991, the first in a series of regulations was adopted that defined family as a spouse, dependent child and a select group of relatives “by blood, marriage or adoption,’’ including “parents, grandparents, adult children, siblings, grandchildren, uncles, aunts, nieces, nephews and first cousins.’’ In February 2007, the Ethics Commission adopted a new nepotism regulation aimed at clarifying any possible confusion around the disparate pieces of the earlier law and regulations. It says, in part: “No person subject to the Code of Ethics shall participate in any matter as part of his or her public duties if he or she has reason to believe or expect that any person within his or her family, or any household member…will derive a direct monetary gain or suffer a direct monetary loss, or obtain an employment advantage.’’ The definition of family was extended to include: step-niece and niece-in-law. Carcieri would not respond to Journal inquiries today, but went on Dan Yorke’s WPRO radio talk show to announce his intention to seek an ethics opinion. While spokesman Jeff Neal would not say if Carcieri asked for the air time or made the time in response to a request for an on-air interview, he said: “I do not expect the Governor to grant any additional interviews today.’’ In the meantime, the governor’s office issued a statement in which Carcieri “disputed a suggestion by WJAR Channel 10 that he violated the state Ethics Code,’’ but said he would seek an advisory opinion on Accaputo’s “continued employment in state government.’’ Based on his reading of the law, “neither the statute nor the regulation in place at the time (of her hiring) clearly barred the employment of a public official’s niece-in-law. No such provision was enacted until 2007.’’ In a brief interview today, Lynch said he had not decided whether to file a formal ethics complaint against Carcieri, but the governor’s pledge to go to the Ethics Commission on his own for an opinion might mitigate the need. Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:48 PM | Comment Fire crews respond to incident in ExeterEXETER -- Fire crews are on scene at an "incident" in the Horsemen's campground area, fire dispatch said. Further details are not yet available. Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:11 PM | Comment Electricity and natural gas rate hikes proposed for R.I.Just as consumers are facing higher food and gasoline costs, it appears that Rhode Islanders are about to get hit with significant increases in their electricity and natural gas bills. National Grid this afternoon has proposed raising electricity rates by 15.6 percent and natural gas rates by 10 percent, both as of July 1. Both increases would be the largest since the huge jumps in 2006 when rates were pushed higher as a result of the effects of Hurricanes Rita and Katrina. A typical customer that has both gas and electricity would pay an extra $22 a month if both increases are approved by the Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission, according to National Grid. “In both cases … it’s a direct result of increases in the costs of natural gas and oil,” said David Graves, a spokesman for National Grid. “That’s what’s driving it.” National Grid is Rhode Island’s dominant utility company, providing electricity service to 477,000 customers in 38 communities, and natural gas to about 245,000 customers in 33 communities. The company filed its rate increase proposals with the Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission earlier today. -- Journal staff writer Timothy C. Barmann Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:58 PM | Comment Former Johnston police officer sentenced to 60 daysJOHNSTON -- A former Johnston police officer was sentenced to 60 days in prison earlier today by a Superior Court judge. Marc Zaccagnini was found in violation of his five-year deferred sentence for vandalism and trespassing after he was convicted of committing simple assault in a separate case. That conviction last month led Judge Gilbert Indeglia to impose prison time, emphasizing that Providence police arrested Zaccagnini only a short time after he had worked out his deferred sentence with the court last October. Indeglia also said that Zaccagnini is “not the man on the street.” “He’s a law enforcement officer who’s taken an oath to enforce the law and abide by the law,” Indeglia said. Zaccagnini was not led away in handcuffs because Indeglia opted to let him wait for the state’s Supreme Court to rule on an appeal in the case. In April, Zaccagnini’s lawyer, Gary G. Pelletier, asked Indeglia to vacate Zaccagnini’s original plea on the trespassing and vandalism charges. The plea dates back to last fall. Pelletier’s argument was that a Supreme Court ruling had later clarified the understanding of a deferred sentence and eliminated Zaccagnini’s chances for expunging his record. Indeglia denied the request at the time. Today, he said Zaccagnini’s sentence would be imposed after the higher court decides the appellate matter. Indeglia also sentenced Zaccagnini to an additional 10-month suspended sentence on the trespassing charge. After serving that sentence, he must serve another one-year suspended sentence on the vandalism charge. Prosecutor Maureen Keough had asked Indeglia to send Zaccagnini to prison for six months, but he found 60 days to be “more appropriate.” “He’s going to learn from that or he’s not going to learn at all,” Indeglia said. “It will give him a taste of incarceration,” the judge said. -- Journal staff writer Mark Reynolds Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:35 PM | Comment FAA sets flight restrictions over Kennedy compoundBOSTON -- Federal aviation officials have imposed a restricted flight zone over parts of Hyannis after intense media coverage of Sen. Edward Kennedy's diagnosis of brain cancer. Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Jim Peters said the FAA began restricting air traffic on Wednesday. That was the day Kennedy returned to the compound in Hyannis Port after being released from Massachusetts General Hospital. Peters said the restriction was put in place for safety reasons. "We are aware that there might have been news organizations who wanted to operate in that space continuously," Peters said today. "It's a very small airspace." Only unauthorized aircraft are being kept away, he said. Any aircraft landing or taking off from the Barnstable airport can go through the air space. Federal, state and local medical helicopters are also allowed, as are military aircraft. The restrictions will remain in place until Tuesday. -- The Associated Press Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:28 PM | Comment CVS trial: Ortiz told grand jury he 'had a bad feeling'PROVIDENCE -- When John Celona asked CVS to hire him as a consultant, one of the defendants in the CVS corruption trial says that he had ``a bad feeling’’ because ``it didn’t smell right’’ and ``I didn’t think it was right.’’ Those are the words of Carlos Ortiz, who is on trial in federal court with another former CVS executive, John R. ``Jack’’ Kramer, for bribery, conspiracy and mail fraud for hiring Celona. Meanwhile, with the prosecution set to rest on Tuesday, the defense has called for a mistrial or, barring that, asked Chief U.S. District Judge Mary M. Lisi to disallow ``false and misleading’’ testimony by Celona. Ortiz didn’t take the stand in his defense today, and he may not next week. Still, the jury will consider his words in the form of sworn testimony that Ortiz gave in 2004 to a Rhode Island state grand jury that investigated Celona’s consulting agreement. Ortiz gave the grand jury his recollection of a conversation he had regarding Celona with former CVS corporate communications director Todd Andrews, who testified this morning. ``Both he and I had some concerns about the, what the perception would be if it ever became public, that . . . it was going to smell the way it smelled,’’ Ortiz testified. The transcript was introduced by the prosecution, over the pre-trial objections of defense lawyers for Kramer. Judge Lisi instructed the jurors that they could only consider it as evidence regarding Ortiz, not Kramer. Read more on the trial and the Operation Dollar Bill corruption probe. -- Journal staff writer Mike Stanton Ortiz described for the grand jury a meeting he had with Kramer and Celona at CVS headquarters before Celona was hired. Ortiz said that he asked Celona if his working for CVS would be okay with the Rhode Island Ethics Commission. ``I had a bad feeling about what he was proposing,’’ Ortiz testified. ``It just didn’t, it didn’t smell right.’’ Mirroring prior testimony in this trial, Ortiz told the grand jury that Celona responded that he had spoken to the Ethics Commission, and it would be ``no problem.’’ Ortiz said that he never pursued the matter further, and went ahead and drafted and signed a consulting agreement with Celona. Ortiz said that Celona never gave him any formal reports on what he was doing for CVS, other than occasional e-mails mentioning a particular newspaper article or asking if Ortiz had seen Celona’s cable-access television show. Celona never mentioned any visits to talk to senior citizens about CVS services, Ortiz testified. Ortiz also testified that he was concerned about Celona’s hiring because the senator served on an important committee that heard pharmacy-related legislation affecting a large part of CVS’s business. The state prosecutor asked whether Ortiz was troubled just by ``the fear of bad publicity’’ or also ``that this might just be wrong?’’ Ortiz responded that ``everything about it, it was, you know, the bad publicity, but, you know, I didn’t think it was right.’’ Ortiz also testified that he never asked Celona to sponsor legislation benefiting CVS, although he didn’t know whether CVS’s lobbyists ever had. That testimony has been contradicted by evidence in this trial, including e-mails between Celona and Ortiz regarding legislation. When court resumes next week, Chief U.S. District Judge Mary M. Lisi will also have before her a defense motion, filed Wednesday, seeking a mistrial based on assertions that prosecutors knowingly solicited false testimony from Celona this week. Barring that, the defense asks that the judge disallow Celona’s testimony on a crucial point: his purported conversation with the Rhode Island Ethics Commission. Celona testified this week that he didn’t identify CVS as his prospective employer when he spoke to someone at the Ethics Commission prior to his hiring, and that he didn’t subsequently discuss that conversation with Kramer, but just Ortiz. The defense motion cites Celona’s prior testimony in the Roger Williams Medical Center corruption trial that he did identify CVS to the Ethics Commission and that he told Kramer as well as Ortiz. Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:15 PM | Comment Grand jury indicts Bristol men on molestation chargesPROVIDENCE -- The Providence County Grand Jury has indicted two Bristol men on multiple child molestation charges in connection with incidents involving a 14-year-old boy. Raymond Grenier, 53, and Sedonio Rodriques, 57, a gay couple who have served as foster parents, were arrested by the Bristol police in February after the state Department of Children, Youth and Families received an anonymous tip. Grenier was indicted on three counts of first-degree child molestation, two counts of first-degree child molestation, and one count of indecent solicitation of a child. Rodriques was indicted on two counts of first-degree child molestation, one count of second-degree child molestation and one count of indecent solicitation of a child. The incidents are alleged to have occurred in Bristol between Sept. 1, 2005, and Dec. 31, 2006. DCYF began its investigation after receiving the tip in late November. The tip concerned the licensed foster home of Rodriques and Grenier, who had two adopted children and two foster children. A preliminary investigation concluded that the children were in "immediate peril," according to a DCYF spokesman. On Nov. 30, DCYF workers, escorted by Bristol police, removed the four children from the home at 26 Sampson St., Bristol. The men were taken into custody Feb. 22. Rodriques and Grenier will be arraigned in Providence County Superior Court on June 18. -- Journal staff writer Alex Kuffner Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:02 PM | Comment Update: Toddler taken to hospital after car accidentPROVIDENCE -- A toddler was taken to Hasbro Children's Hospital today after her brother lost control of the vehicle in which she was a passenger on Route 95, just north of the Exit 19/Eddy Street ramp, the state police said. Daryn Jones, 18, of Providence was driving south on the highway, according to the police. The car swerved left and overturned, according to Lt. Steven Lefebvre of the State Police Lincoln barracks. It was not clear how Jones lost control of the vehicle. The vehicle driven by Jones made contact with another vehicle, with minor damage resulting. The driver of the second vehicle was not injured, according to the police. The child sustained some facial lacerations and was in stable condition, Lefebvre said. The child was in a car seat, he said. The police are looking into whether speed played a role in the crash. Authorities closed two lanes for a time, while other lanes remained open. Traffic was backed up to Branch Avenue, and commuters on Route 195 were also affected. The accident happened shortly after 8 a.m. -- projo.com staff writers Michael P. McKinney and Brandie M. Jefferson Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:55 PM | Comment Providence/Newport ferry slated to resume tomorrowIn time for Memorial Day weekend, the ferry running between Providence and Newport is scheduled to resume trips tomorrow after being out of action for two days, according to the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority. The scheduled that resumes tomorrow will be in place until Oct. 16. The ferry is set to run a regular weekday schedule on Monday, Memorial Day. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:04 PM | Comment Blithewold offers $500 reward in theft of fountain / PhotoBRISTOL -- Blithewold Mansion, Gardens and Arboretum is offering a $500 reward to anyone who can help in the recovery of an antique copper fountain that was stolen from the nonprofit organization’s property earlier this week.  The Art Nouveau copper fountain has a fluted edge and four stylized lotus leaves around its base. It is approximately 15 inches tall and 10 inches across. The handcrafted piece is original to the design of Blithewold’s North Garden, circa 1910. The 1908 Art Nouveau fountain is original to Blithewold’s North Garden, part of the mansion’s picturesque grounds that are open to the public. It was stolen Wednesday night or early Thursday morning, the same time someone smashed an honor box on the property and stole an undetermined amount of cash from inside. The organization reported the thefts to the police. Karen Binder, executive director of Blithewold, said the handcrafted fountain will be impossible to replace. “It is really a shame as we had just spent tens of thousands of dollars restoring and refitting our three historic fountains in the last year,” she said. “We’re celebrating our centennial year, so it’s especially unfortunate.” At a minimum, she said, the fountain is valued at $3,000-$5,000. Anyone with information about the fountain’s whereabouts can call Binder at 253-2707, ext. 12, or contact her by email at kbinder@blithewold.org. -- Journal staff writer Alex Kuffner Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:00 PM | Comment Bryant's U.S.-China Institute launches quake relief fundThe U.S.-China Institute at Bryant University has launched a China Earthquake Relief Fund aimed at helping schools and students recover from the May 12 earthquake. All of the money raised will be used for educational purposes in the Sichuan province via the province’s education department. The institute will also work directly with the Sichuan government to monitor how the money is used. “China’s media have reported that more than 7,000 schools in the province were damaged or destroyed by the earthquake,” Hong Yang, associate professor of science and technology and director of the U.S.-China Institute said in a statement. “As an educational institution with academic and cultural ties to several Chinese universities and organizations, we feel a special calling to assist in this way.” Contributions –– which are tax deductible –– can be made out to Bryant University and sent to the school at 1150 Douglas Pike, Box 40, Smithfield, RI 02917. Donations are also being accepted online. Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 2:09 PM | Comment CVS Trial: Prosecution may have wrapped upThe prosecution appears to have finished presenting its case against former CVS executives John R. "Jack" Kramer and Carlos Ortiz. After hearing today from two former CVS employees and a current employee, Chief U.S. District Judge Mary M. Lisi turned to prosecutors at 11:30 this morning and said that it appeared the government had no more witnesses for the day. She then sent the jury home about 90 minutes early for the long holiday weekend. The early ending came after jurors heard brief testimony from Susan DelMonico, a lawyer who works in the Woonsocket-based CVS’s regulatory compliance division. DelMonico testified that starting in the late 1990s, she spent a lot of time touting CVS in visits to senior citizens centers around Rhode Island as the company’s manager of community relations. She also said that she met former state Sen. John Celona at political fundraisers she attended with co-defendants Kramer and Ortiz, who are both facing charges of bribing Celona for favors at the State House. But the prosecution didn’t get to another point it apparently wanted to highlight –– a conversation that DelMonico said she had with Kramer about Celona. A defense lawyer for Ortiz objected to the prosecution’s question. That led to a sidebar conference between the lawyers and the judge, and after that, there were no further questions from the government and none from the defense. Judge Lisi told the jurors to return to court next Tuesday at 9 a.m., at which point the government is expected to rest and the defense will have its turn to argue motions seeking dismissal of the charges and, barring that, to present its case. -- Journal staff writer Mike Stanton Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 1:37 PM | Comment Beer companies offer to settle Station suits for $21MAnheuser-Busch Inc. and McLaughlin & Moran Inc. have agreed “in principle” to pay a total of $21 million to settle civil suits stemming from The Station nightclub fire, which killed 100 people, according to federal court documents filed today. Anheuser-Busch, the world’s second-largest brewer, has reached a $5 million settlement, and beer distributor McLaughlin & Moran Inc. has reached a $16 million settlement, according to notices of settlement filed in U.S. District Court in Providence. Anheuser-Busch, based in St. Louis, issued a statement from its vice president of legal and government affairs, Gary L. Rutledge. “Our sympathies are with those impacted by the events at The Station nightclub. Anheuser-Busch had no responsibility for this tragedy, but is sensitive to the needs of the families. As a result, we wanted to direct the resources we would have committed to defending these lawsuits to the families.” McLaughlin & Moran, based in Cranston, issued a statement saying its insurance carriers have tentatively accepted an offer from victims’ lawyers that calls for the insurance companies to pay $16 million. “There has been no suggestion in the case that McLaughlin & Moran caused the fire,” the statement said. “Claims have been made that the company was liable in part for ‘sponsoring’ the event. The company has vigorously defended those claims, but we are pleased that a conditional settlement has been reached, and we hope that the case can be concluded quickly so that the funds can be distributed.” John P. Barylick, a lawyer representing many of the victims, said plaintiffs lawyers “will only comment in court and will rely on our pleadings.” Lawyers representing plaintiffs in all pending Station fire cases have agreed to the settlements, but the settlements hinge on the approval of all plaintiffs, the approval of the court, the filing of documents that would preserve claims against other defendants, and court approval of the plan for divvying up the money, according to the notices of settlement. The new settlement offers bring the pool of money offered to victims to nearly $122.8 million, including the $30 million that several polyurethane foam manufacturers tentatively agreed to pay earlier this month. The fire was sparked by pyrotechnics that the manager of the Great White rock band set off at the outset of a Feb. 20, 2003, show at the West Warwick nightclub. Sparks from the fireworks ignited highly flammable foam that was used as soundproofing, and the flames spread so quickly that many patrons could not escape. -- Journal staff writer Edward Fitzpatrick Read the Journal's continuing coverage of the Station nightclub fire and its aftermarth. Posted by Mike McKinney at 1:16 PM | Comment Reporter's query: Planning a Sex and the City party?Any Sex and the City fan worth her Manolos knows that the long-awaited movie version of our favorite HBO series opens on Friday. What are you doing to mark the occasion? Gathering your girlfriends for pre-screening Cosmopolitans? Buying a(nother) pair of impossibly high heels? Hiring a limo with your plus-ones and walking down your own pink carpet? E-mail your fabulous plans to sendus@projo.com. We’ll include the best in our Sex and the City package, coming Thursday. Posted by maria caporizzo at 1:11 PM | Comment ACLU challenges Narragansett party penaltiesThe ACLU's Rhode Island chapter today filed a lawsuit calling unconstitutional Narragansett's regulation that lets police charge renters/tenants and landlords for "unruly gatherings" in residences and put orange stickers on the homes. An ACLU suit in Superior Court against the South County coastal town is on behalf of the University of Rhode Island's Student Senate and four students and three landlords who, according an ACLU news release, have been affected by the ordinance enforcement. The ordinance violates the plaintiffs’ rights to "procedural and substantive due process, privacy and freedom of association," the ACLU asserts. The ordinance “gives sole discretion to the police department” to put stickers on houses where alleged unruly gatherings happened, “without any opportunity for a hearing or appeal by owner or renter.” -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with Journal archival reports Plaintiffs David Keach, Timothy DeMerchant and Michael Spatcher face pending charges in district court of violating the ordinance, the ACLU says. Two other plaintiff URI students, Warren Byrne and Ben Cuddy, were evicted after the police put an orange sticker on the house they were renting and, the ACLU says, had to pay rent for the rest of the school year for both that residence and their new one. Landlord plaintiffs Walter Manning and Steven and Karen Jedson own houses that received an orange sticker. They assert it adversely affected their ability to rent the houses, the ACLU says. Posted by Mike McKinney at 1:00 PM | Comment Priest, family friend, remembers Pagano 'cherished life'CRANSTON -- The Rev. Thomas McGonigle told hundreds today at the funeral Mass for slain firefighter Lt. James A. Pagano that Pagano lived on, and in mysterious ways, would continue as a source of love and support for all who knew him for the rest of their lives. People filled the pews. Firefighters lined the walls. And McGonigle, a Pagano family friend, gave the homily at the Church of St. Mark for Pagano, who the police say was shot and killed by a next-door neighbor in Cranston Sunday. "In the mystery of our journey as human beings, both life and death are with us," McGonigle said. He continued: "We did not choose the time and place when we came into this world and, in most cases, we do not choose the time and place in which we leave this world." McGonigle said that "God knows how to bring good, even out of tragedy itself." He added that Pagano was "a source of love, life and support for his family, his friend, his neighbors and the firefighters" with which he served. Pagano "would have laid down his life for another," McGonigle said, "because he cherished life." -- With reports from Journal staff writer Tom Mooney Pagano funeral: One last trip through the neighborhood Posted by Mike McKinney at 12:12 PM | Comment Update: Medicaid cap plan could affect 186,000+ RIersPROVIDENCE -- More than 186,000 Rhode Islanders may be affected by a Carcieri administration plan to overhaul the state’s Medicaid system, which includes programs for tens of thousands of elderly, disabled and low-income Rhode Islanders. But the proposal, which is already being negotiated with federal officials, must survive the General Assembly, which has expressed concern that the ambitious plan may cause a “catastrophe” for the state’s most vulnerable citizens down the road. A spokesman for the House of Representatives, Larry Berman, said this morning that lawmakers will spend the coming weeks deciding whether to endorse the plan as they craft a state budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1. “Now it’s just a question of what they’re going to do when the budget is put together,” Berman said this morning. “The budget will probably be released in the next two or three weeks.” In a series of recent public hearings devoted to the issue, advocates for seniors have warned of waiting lists for the elderly, reduced access to in-home care, and cuts to transportation programs for medical appointments. Parents of disabled children made emotional pleas to lawmakers to block the cap, fearing they’d lose funding for part-time in-home aides. And others fear the move would force lawmakers to cut thousands more off the state’s health-care program for the poor, RIte Care. “It alarms us to think of frail 80- and 90-year-olds in need of assistance with activities of daily living on waiting lists for care,” said Maureen Maigret, former Department of Elderly Affairs director, and current policy director for the Senior Agenda Coalition. Administration officials, meanwhile, argue the current system is already facing substantial risk as costs continue to climb and the state’s financial health worsens. “I understand the risk involved and I understand the concerns of the community, but right now we are past the risk point,” said Gary Alexander, director of the state Department of Human Services. “We may be at a point where, just to balance the budget, we’ll be taking 30,000 to 40,000 people off our current programs for [fiscal year] 2010 because we don’t have any more money.” -- Steve Peoples of the Journal State House Bureau There are still many questions as to how the Carcieri administration would execute the plan. Details are being ironed out behind closed doors between the state Department of Human Services and the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. But what is clear is that Rhode Island is negotiating something that has never been done in the United States. The plan calls for Rhode Island to agree to limit spending on all its Medicaid programs -- at a rate yet to be determined for the next five years. In exchange, the Carcieri administration would have greater flexibility to change the programs -- in ways that have yet to be determined, in many cases. The stakes are high, not only in terms of the people affected, but in the potential impact on the state’s financial health. Rhode Island’s Medicaid spending totaled more than $1.8 billion, one quarter of the total state budget, in fiscal year 2006, the most recent annual data available. (The federal government currently pays 52 cents out of every dollar spent on Rhode Island’s Medicaid program.) There is concern that the agreement being negotiated, known as a “global waiver,” would lock Rhode Island into spending levels that are based on unrealistic assumptions. If actual costs exceeded the negotiated cap, the state would have no option but to cut people off services or pay for the additional programs on its own without a federal match. Among the likely changes, the state would set strict new criteria for elderly residents wishing to enter nursing homes (the department has yet to finalize the specific criteria). But, “a second new group of persons with lower care needs, who under today’s standards would be eligible for nursing home care, would now be limited to home and community care services, but they would only get services if funding is available,” Maigret said. The General Assembly, which largely controls the state budget, has the power to block the plan. House Finance Committee chairman Steven M. Costantino this week expressed serious concern over the global waiver. “There’s a lot of uncertainty about this. Maybe we need a year. Maybe we need a year to do this global waiver and start working on it where it’s fully flushed out,” he said. “I don’t want to put the state at so much risk that in the third year, we’ve got a major catastrophe for the state of Rhode Island.” Vermont is the only state to have arranged something close to what the Carcieri administration is seeking. In 2005, Vermont secured two broad federal Medicaid waivers to restructure its Medicaid program, becoming the first state in the nation to agree to cap its Medicaid spending. In exchange, the state received greater flexibility to use the federal dollars on non-Medicaid health programs and to reduce benefits, increase co-pays and cap enrollment for some programs. The agreement has worked out well for Vermont so far. But a report issued by the Kaiser Family Foundation in 2006 warns other states of potential risks. “As a small state that was willing to set the precedent of accepting an aggregate cap on federal Medicaid funds, Vermont secured a relatively generous financing arrangement and significant fiscal relief,” reads the report. “If other states were to seek similar waivers, they would likely receive more limited financing, making it more likely that they would fall short of federal funding and face pressure to reduce coverage.” Senior advocates such as Maigret generally support the administration’s plans to reduce the dependence of nursing homes in Rhode Island. The global waiver simply isn’t the best way to get there, she said. “There’s enough uncertainty on this proposal that we can’t tell seniors that they will have access to services they currently have access to,” Maigret said. “A global cap presents risks to the state. It also puts elders at risk for service denials. This is a risk we do not support.” -- Steve Peoples of the Journal State House Bureau Posted by Mike McKinney at 11:59 AM | Comment Pagano funeral: One last trip through the neighborhoodCRANSTON -- The funeral procession came through Jimmy Pagano's old neighborhood in Garden City and it brought the neighborhood to a standstill as his casket was led and surrounded by Cranston firefighters and the Rhode Island Professional Firefighters Pipes and Drums Corps. As the procession came to the church it passed by the Garden City Barbershop, where people stood quietly and watched them pass. Outside the Canston-Johnston Catholic Regional School, students and teachers stood in silence, some of the children had their hands over their hearts. The police have charged Nicholas Gianquitti, 40, with murdering Pagano after the neighbors allegedly had a dispute. A District Court judge Wednesday ordered Gianquitti held without bail. As the procession neared the Church of St. Mark, firefighters from all over the state stood at attention. Cranston firefighters lined either side of the walkway into the church. As the casket was brought in by six Cranston firefighters who'd been closest to Pagano, the Cranston firefighters on either side of the aisle raised their white gloves in a salute. Pagano's family walked behind the mahogany casket, some of them bursting into tears. Pagano was a married father of two. "What's the worst is seeing the family," said retired Providence fire investigator Bob Jarvis, a drummer in the pipes and drums corps. "The whole thing is just tragic. It was senseless." Outside an old friend watched in awe. Greg Mancini, of North Kingstown, had grown up with Pagano as one of the "Garden City boys," their homes only a few streets away. Mancini said he had stood in line at the wake last night for his old friend for two hours. Pagano's death has brought together many people. Some of his old friends had flown in from all across the country to be here. "The whole thing is unfortunate and unecessary," Mancini said. From The Journal: More about Pagano and the shooting. -- Journal staff writers Amanda Milkovits and Tom Mooney Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 11:53 AM | Comment CVS trial: Ex-PR chief recalls preparing 'talking points'PROVIDENCE -- CVS's former communications director testified today that when he learned John A. Celona was a paid consultant of the giant Woonsocket-based drugstore chain, he devised a title and prepared "talking points" to explain Celona's duties in case a reporter ever called to ask about it. Todd Andrews, now vice president of alumni relations at Brown University, testified in federal court that defendant Carlos Ortiz told him about Celona early in 2001, about one year after the then-North Providence senator went on the CVS payroll as a $1,000-a-month consultant. Andrews said that Ortiz raised the issue during a "gripe session" about his boss, John R. "Jack" Kramer. Ortiz and Kramer are on trial on charges of bribing Celona -- who is now serving a 2½-year prison sentence in Pennsylvania and is the government's star witness -- to push the drugstore chain's legislative agenda at the State House. "He told me that Mr. Celona was acting as a P.R. consultant for CVS, that he was going to senior centers and talking to seniors about services they were getting from CVS," Andrews said of Ortiz. Ortiz also told Andrews that Celona helped prepare Kramer for appearances on Celona's cable access television show. "He told me that Celona had an Ethics Commission ruling that made that work permissable," Andrews said. -- Journal staff writer Mike Stanton Extra: Our continuing report on this trial and on the Operation Dollar Bill corruption probe Ortiz also said, according to Andrews, that Celona was providing reports "accounting for what he was doing for the company." At the end of the conversation, Andrews said, Ortiz asked him: "please don't tell anyone." Andrews testified that he went back to his office and developed written talking points, later approved by Ortiz, that described Celona's duties. Andrews said that he also gave Celona a title -- community outreach specialist. Earlier today, a former CVS vice president, Jim Smith, testified that when he took over the CVS government affairs department in spring 2003, he conducted a budget review and asked Ortiz about Celona's consulting agreement. "I asked Carlos, 'Are we getting any value for that?' and he said no. So I recommended that we terminate him," Smith said. Celona was terminated later that summer. Ortiz and Kramer are accused of 23 counts of bribery, conspiracy and mail fraud for allegedly hiring Celona as a consultant from 2000 to 2003 to do the company's bidding. The defense, however, says Celona did legitimate community outreach, promoting CVS and its charitable endeavors to senior citizens. Posted by Mike McKinney at 11:39 AM | Comment Gas goes up a lot, travel declines a littleHigh gasoline prices are convincing some people that closer is better when it comes to Memorial Day plans. For the first time since 2002, AAA is forecasting a drop in the number of Memorial Day travelers that drive 50 miles or farther from home during this long weekend. AAA attributed the 2002 decline to anxiousness from the terrorist attacks of the previous year. This year, the organization blames close-to-$4-a-gallon prices for a a 0.9 percent decrease in people traveling 50 miles or farther from home. Of those 37.8 million, 31.7 million are expected to drive –– a one percent decrease from last year. Are gas prices affecting your Memorial Day weekend plans? “Many Americans are feeling a financial pinch this holiday weekend from record high gasoline prices and other factors in the economy,” Lloyd P. Albert, of AAA Southern New England said in a statement. “Despite the small national decrease, we will still see a significant number of people traveling over Memorial Day. More than 12 percent of the U.S. population will be celebrating the holiday weekend away from home.” Air travel is also is also expected to be down from last year –– about 0.5 percent to 4.3 million travelers. About 1.8 million are expected to travel this Memorial Day by train, bus or other mode of transportation according to a survey done by the Travel Industry Association. The Internet abounds with tools to help drivers navigate the costs of driving. AAA has a daily fuel cost calculator and fuel gauge report online. And gasbuddy.com also lists costs at different stations. For more general information on retail gas prices across the country, the Department of Energy keeps tabs. The DOE also has a brief primer on oil and gas prices, to help consumers figure out just why the soupy remains of plants and animals from millions of years ago cost so much money. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 9:36 AM | Comment Update: Two transported, overturned car clearedTwo people were taken to nearby hospitals after an accident on Route 95 this morning. A car overturned in the high-speed lane of the southbound side of the roadway. Debris led authorities to close two lanes on the highway, near the Exit 19/Eddy Street exit ramp. Rescue officials say one person was taken to Hasbro Children's Hospital, another to Rhode Island Hospital. Traffic was backed up to Branch Avenue, and commuters on Route 195 were also affected. See how traffic clears upTransportation Management Center's Web cameras. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 8:50 AM | Comment Memorial Day commemorationsA wreath laying is scheduled for this morning in advance of Memorial Day. The event, at the Garden of Heroes at the southwest lawn of State House, will honor Rhode Island servicemen and women. Lt. Gov. Elizabeth Roberts, Maj. Gen. Robert T. Bray of the Rhode Island National Guard will lay the wreath at 10 a.m. today at the park, which was officially dedicated in 2005. See a list of scheduled Memorial Day events across the state. Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 8:02 AM | Comment CVS trial: Former company spokesman to testifyTodd Andrews, a former spokesman for CVS, is expected to take the witness stand today and offer testimony about a January 2001 meeting in his office with Carlos R. Ortiz, a former CVS executive, and John A. Celona, the ex-senator from North Providence, who the drugstore giant hired as a paid consultant. Testimony has surfaced that Ortiz called the meeting to draw up a job description and duties for Celona, 11 months after he began consulting for the drugstore giant. Ortiz, 64, and John R. ``Jack’’ Kramer, 75, another former CVS executive, are charged with multiple counts of bribery, fraud and conspiracy. They are accused of hiring Celona to help promote CVS’ legislative agenda at the Rhode Island State House. The trial resumes at 9 a.m. in U.S. District Court. Read about yesterday's trial testimony. -- Journal staff writer W. Zachary Malinowski Posted by Jack Perry at 7:02 AM | Comment Weather this weekend, at home and far from homeHow's this for a change? Crummy weather during the week, and a sunny, mild weekend. I think we've earned it. Today there is a low chance of rain late this afternoon, and we'll see some clouds, but the temperature is set to reach 72 degrees with breezy northwest winds. Tonight should stay partly cloudy, with a low temperature near 49 degrees. Tomorrow is looking good, with clear sunny skies, northwest winds gusting up to 23 mph. and temperatures reaching 68 degrees. Saturday night will remain clear, with temperatures dropping to about 48 degrees and mild, west winds. As the weekend goes on, the weather just gets better. Sunday will bring blue skies, sunshine and a high temperature near 74 degrees with mild northwest winds. And even though Monday is Memorial Day, a group in Arizona will hopefully begin their celebrations early when the Mars Phoenix Lander touches down on the Red Planet in search of organic materials. Just for reference, the average temperature on Mars is -81 degrees. See where the lander is right now. Skies should remain clear Sunday night, with a low temperature near 50. And Memorial Day may actually feel like summer, with a high temperature approaching 80 degrees and clear, sunny skies. Make sure the forecast is as good as it sounds on projo.com's weather page.
Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 7:01 AM | Comment Today's front pageToday's front page features continued coverage of the bribery trial of two former CVS executives and, with the Memorial Day weekend upon us, a look at the increasing costs for a summer barbecue. Download a copy of today's front page in .pdf format. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:00 AM | Comment May 22, 2008Tonight: How about taking on 'Taming of the Shrew'?Head over to the Sandra Feinstein-Gamm Theatre in Pawtucket for a performance of Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew at 8 tonight. The theater is at 172 Exchange St. Tickets are $20-$34. Call (401) 723-4266 or go to www.arttixri.com. Read a preview of the performance by The Journal's Channing Gray. Lil Ed and the Blues Imperials play blues at the Narrows Center for the Arts, 16 Anawan St., Fall River, Mass. (508) 324-1926, www.ncfta.org. 8 pm. $18 advance; $20 day of show. For those who want to remember, well, Abba, catch a tribute to the late-70s soft rockers. Arrival, tribute to ABBA, is at Twin River, Event Center, 100 Twin River Rd., Lincoln. 331-2211, www.ticketmaster.com. 8 pm. $15.50-$25.50. Update for sports fans: The Red Sox have already played their game today, beating Kansas City, 11-8. But the Celtics are up tonight against Detroit, at 8:30 p.m. Posted by Mike McKinney at 7:01 PM | Comment Update: Contractor accused of hacking DOT computersPROVIDENCE -- The State Police today accused Shire Corp., a major contractor for the state Department of Transportation, of illegally rifling through the DOT's computer system to get confidential information about other contractors' projects. The police said in court filings that the information gave Shire a major advantage in dealing with the DOT, particularly in delaying projects to Shire's advantage. The state police searched the company's Cranston headquarters today. They said in court documents that Shire apparently gained accesss to sections of the computer system that were supposed to be accessible only to DOT employees by guessing DOT staff members "very simple" user names and passwords. The DOT uses the computer system to track all of its construction projects, but also lets contractors use it to monitor their own projects' change orders and payments, and to request information from DOT engineers about contract terms. The state police said DOT officials became suspicious when a Shire employee began making information requests that could only have been based on information that supposed to be inaccessible to Shire. The state police that the DOT computer system was "accessed unlawfully" as recently as May 9. Shire Corp., a construction company specializing in bridge work, has received tens of millions of dollars in contracts during the past several years. Those have included many of the DOT’s most troubled projects, suffering long delays and expensive disputes with the DOT that have been often settled in Shire’s favor. One of its current projects is the Barrington Bridge, which has taken so long to build that the DOT has had to repave the temporary bridge next to it twice. The bridge carries traffic on Route 114, a heavily traveled secondary road running up the east side of Narragansett Bay, across the Barrington River. That project is taking twice as long to build as it was supposed to, and it could cost more than twice as much as its $10.4 million bid price. With the project far behind schedule, the state paid Shire $5.3 million in September 2006 to settle the company’s claim that the DOT caused the delays. Extra: Find more details in the State Police request for a search warrant and accompanying affidavit. Read more about the State Police search of the contractor's offices this morning. -- Journal staff writer Bruce Landis Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:56 PM | Comment Convicted child murderer Bunnell denied new trialPROVIDENCE -- Convicted child murderer Katherine Bunnell was denied a new trial today by a judge who said it was Bunnell, not her co-defendant, Gilbert Delestre, who set off the spiral of violence that killed 3-year-old Thomas “T.J.” Wright. “She went ballistic. She started the whole engine rolling that night,” Judge Gilbert V. Indeglia said, referring to the night 3 1/2 years ago that T.J. was beaten to death. “Delestre didn’t need much encouragement. And he followed along,” acting in concert with Bunnell to kill the toddler, Indeglia said. Bunnell and Delestre, who is to be tried separately, now blame each other for the murder. Witness said Bunnell flew into a rage and she and Delestre took turns beating T.J. when they returned to their Woonsocket apartment from a night out on Oct. 30, 2004 and found a mess --some spilled milk and yogurt -- that the toddler had made on their living-room floor. Bunnell, 24, was found guilty of second-degree murder and murder conspiracy Friday following a two-week trial before Indeglia in Superior Court. T.J., described as an energetic little boy with a sweet disposition, was one of three young nephews that Bunnell took in when her sister, Karen Wright, went to prison in 2004 in Illinois. Ruling on a defense motion for a new trial, Indeglia said he agreed with the jury’s verdict, which put credence in the testimony of Bunnell’s babysitter, Kayla Roderick, who said she saw Bunnell drop T.J., knock him down repeatedly, punch him on the back and chest, and slap him hard across the face. Indeglia dismissed Bunnell’s claim that she only slapped T.J. lightly and never saw Delestre hurl the 32-pound toddler across the room. -- Journal staff writer John Castellucci Bunnell was stopped twice for speeding the night of the murder –– the first time when she drove the babysitter home, the second time on her way back to the apartment. Both times, Bunnell “batted her eyelashes” and talked the police officers who stopped her out of giving her speeding tickets, Indeglia said. “She has the ability to charm,” the judge said, and has probably charmed herself into believing that she wasn’t responsible for the multiple blunt force trauma injuries that medical witnesses said caused T.J.’s death. Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:47 PM | Comment R.I. Philharmonic names new executive directorDavid Beauchesne, director of education and community partnerships for the Rhode Island Philharmonic, has been named the orchestra’s executive director. He takes over for David Wax, who was let go last fall for reasons that were not made public clear at the time. Beauchesne, who joined the orchestra two years ago, has had been in charge of the Philharmonic’s music school, which is slated to open a new multimillion-dollar facility in East Providence this fall. While the board said he was the obvious choice, trumpeter Joseph Foley, an ex-officio member of the orchestra’s board, expressed concerns to board members earlier this week, saying the search for a new director was not properly advertised and that Beauchesne lacks experience for the post. A survey of orchestra members also found reservations about Beauchesne’s appointment. -- Journal arts writer Channing Gray Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:45 PM | Comment Carcieri's 3 judge nominees win Senate confirmationPROVIDENCE -- The state Senate today confirmed Governor Carcieri's three nominees to the Superior, District and Family Courts. Carcieri nominated the judges on March 26, moving to fill a Superior Court seat left open more than a year ago and District and Family Court vacancies. Bennet R. Gallo, 63, of West Greenwich was confirmed as a Superior Court associate justice. Gallo is a lawyer practicing out of a Coventry office and a state Parole Board member who served as an assistant attorney general from 1973 to 1975. He will replace Judge Stephen J. Fortunato Jr., who retired in February 2007. Pamela Woodcock Pfeiffer, 46, of Bristol was confirmed as a District Court associate justice. She has been state Supreme Court Clerk since 2003 and was a special attorney general from 1997 to 2003. She is married to Superior Court Judge Mark A. Pfeiffer. She will replace Judge John McLoughlin, who retired in November. Debra E. DiSegna, 52, of Narragansett was confirmed as a Family Court associate justice. She has served as a Family Court magistrate since 1989 and was a special assistant attorney general from 1983 to 1987. She will replace Judge Pamela M. Mactaz, who retired in August. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:26 PM | Comment For slain firefighter, a line out the door at wake / Photo
Firefighters from Cranston, Providence, Bristol, Coventry and elsewhere have come to pay respects at the wake for Pagano, who the police allege was shot and killed Sunday by next-door neighbor Nicholas Gianquitti, 40. Gianquitti, a former Providence police officer, is now charged with murder. Pagano "was a great guy, the ultimate family guy," said James Moore, who retired as a Cranston deputy fire chief in 2002 and worked with Pagano at Station 3 for several years. At first there were two lines to get into Nardolillo Funeral Home, with firefighters in one and friends and family in another. Shortly before 5 p.m., about 100 people were waiting to go inside. The full Cranston command staff and the chief are inside with Pagano's family. An American flag flew at half-staff. His funeral will be held tomorrow, starting from the funeral home at 8:45 a.m. More about the services and an online guestbook. From The Journal: More about Pagano and the shooting. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Journal staff writer Amanda Milkovits Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:10 PM | Comment Update: Obama to fill in for Sen. Kennedy at graduationBOSTON -- U.S. Sen. Edward Kennedy won't be able to deliver a commencement address to Wesleyan University graduates after being diagnosed with brain cancer, so Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama will do so for him. Obama offered to stand in for him, and Kennedy had accepted. Late this afternoon, the university's Office of Public Affairs confirmed that Obama is scheduled to give the address Sunday. Kennedy, 76, had hoped to speak at the ceremony in Middletown, Conn., where his stepdaughter will be among the graduates. The commencement exercises also coincide with 25th reunion festivities for one of his sons, Edward Kennedy Jr. Obama said he and Kennedy had talked earlier in the week about Obama doing the speech. "Considering what he's done for me and for our country, there's nothing I wouldn't do for him," Obama said in a statement. "So I'm looking forward to standing in his place on Sunday even though I know I won't be able to fill his shoes." The scion of the Kennedy political clan, his son, Rep. Patrick Kennedy, D-R.I., and niece Caroline Kennedy, daughter of the late President John F. Kennedy, have endorsed Obama for president. Kennedy was diagnosed this week with a malignant brain tumor, which was discovered after he had a seizure at his home last Saturday. He was released Wednesday from Massachusetts General Hospital and has been recovering from his biopsy at the Kennedy family compound on Cape Cod. Kennedy's spokeswoman, Stephanie Cutter, said Kennedy accepted Obama's offer to help "knowing it would be an historic opportunity for the school and all those attending," including his stepdaughter, Caroline Raclin, and his son. "He's enormously grateful to Senator Obama and the support he's received from all of his colleagues this last week," Cutter said. -- The Associated Press and projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:20 PM | Comment Update: State vendor info site taken offlinePROVIDENCE – All public bidding on state contracts has been postponed, and the state’s vendor-information Web page is “unavailable until further notice,’’ according to a posting on the state Division of Purchasing site. According to John Landers, the head of the state’s information technology division, “the vendor Web site was affected [Wednesday] yesterday by an unauthorized attempt to enter a state Web site from the Internet. In this particular type of attempt, an outside computer that has previously been compromised is used to attack other computers on the Internet. Thousands of such attacks have been occurring across the world in recent days.’’ In this particular instance, Landers said, “there is no indication that anyone using our Web site was redirected to another Web site. The user simply received a ‘page not found’ error. There is also no indication that any information was obtained.’’ But Landers said, the Web site was taken offline until it could be “hardened to assist further in protecting against this type of attack.’’ The notice on the state purchasing Web page currently reads: RHODE ISLAND VENDOR INFORMATION PROGRAM. PLEASE NOTE:THIS WEBSITE WILL BE UNAVAILABLE UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. ALL PUBLIC BIDS ARE POSTPONED AND WILL BE RESCHEDULED AT A LATER DATE. PLEASE PLAN ACCORDINGLY. While Landers said the Web page would likely go back up tomorrow, neither he nor Lorraine Hynes, the acting director of state purchasing, responded to inquiries about how many public bids were cancelled or the nature of those delayed bids. Earlier today, they also would not answer questions about when the bidding had been suspended, and any possible connection between the cancellation and a May 13 memo that went out from Department of Administration Director Jerome Williams ordering state agencies to freeze non-essential spending. In a e-mail reply this afternoon to the question of whether the bidding had been suspended because of Williams' memo or whether there was any connection to it, Landers replied, "Absolutely not." -- Katherine Gregg and Steve Peoples, Journal State House Bureau The memo orders department directors to follow strict new guidelines for all spending – including new bids and requisitions - through the end of the fiscal year, which ends on June 30. Despite the passage of a budget-repair bill earlier this month, Williams wrote: “As you know the state is experiencing significant fiscal issues. Although the legislature has passed a 2008 supplemental budget, all agencies need to do everything possible to reduce expenditures.’’ Among the issues are $15 million in personnel savings the General Assembly booked based on the governor’s proposal to have all state employees take six unpaid days off before July 1 to save money. With the clock ticking, none of these so-called “furlough days’’ have happened. Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 3:39 PM | Comment Patrick Kennedy issues statement about his fatherU.S. Rep. Patrick J. Kennedy, the Rhode Island Democrat whose father, Massachusetts Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, has been diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumor, has released a statement today: “I have been overwhelmed by all the support and encouragement from people here at home and all around the country. It has helped lift my spirits to know you are rallying around my father as he gets ready to undertake this challenge. "Despite the current circumstances, my father’s spirits remain high, his laugh loud and his words comforting. Once again, he sets the tone for the fight ahead. I will support him in every possible way. "My father has always been a fighter and I know he will approach this challenge with the same tenacity and determination that defines his character. "I recognize that for right now the best thing for him is some rest and relaxation, in the place he loves, with Vicki by his side. When the time is right, I will rejoin them in Hyannis and offer him the love and support he needs to confront this latest challenge. Posted by Mike McKinney at 3:11 PM | Comment Helping to get around Downtown
-- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 2:54 PM | Comment Photo: A close eye on a buckeye butterfly
Posted by Jack Perry at 2:30 PM | Comment DOT's Leonetti to replace Franklin as R.I. controllerPROVIDENCE -- The current controller for the state Department of Transporation will become the new controller for the state, a spokeswoman for the governor's office confirmed this afternoon. Marc A. Leonetti will replace Lawrence C. Franklin Jr., according to spokeswoman Barbara Trainor. Franklin, 57, is leaving his post at the end of June after 34 years of state service. While several issues contributed to his decision, Franklin acknowledged last month that the looming threat of benefit cuts for state retirees “weighed heavily on my decision.”
Posted by Andrea Panciera at 2:22 PM | Comment Update: Two shot on Chalkstone Ave.PROVIDENCE -- Police are investigating the shooting of two young males on Chalkstone Avenue early this afternoon. The victims were taken by a private car to Rhode Island Hospital, police said. Traffic on Chalkstone Avenue between Parkway and River Avenues is being blocked off and being detoured. Seven evidence markers have been put down to show the position of shell casings and other bits of evidence. Police were examining a parked car in parking lot between Harmony's Family Restaurant at- 907 Chalkstone and Nino's Barbershop. -- Journal staff writer Greg Smith Posted by Andrea Panciera at 2:20 PM | Comment Burrillville declares 'rabies watch'BURRILLVILLE -- After learning that a local horse had rabies, Burrillville authorities declared a “rabies watch” earlier today and strongly urged pet owners to vaccinate their dogs, cats, livestock and other animals. The announcement follows the Rhode Island Department of Health’s determination that a horse had rabies when it was euthanized last week, according to a news release from a Burrillville animal control officer, Ronald Woods. Under state law, all dogs, cats and ferrets must be vaccinated against rabies and Woods recommends that pet owners ask for special booster vaccines to counter rabies. The state has recommended vaccinations for livestock as well. The rabies watch will be in place for six months, the news release says. “There will be no leniency offered to anyone in this area in violation of the leash law or harboring unvaccinated pets,” the release says. “Residents should keep all pets (including cats) inside or on a leash while outside.” -- Journal staff writer Mark Reynolds The infected horse was euthanized last week, the release says. After testing the animal, the state health department notified the town of the rabies case on Friday, according to Woods. Now authorities are asking the public to avoid all contact with wildlife and stray animals, and to report any incident of potential rabies exposure, through Nov. 16. Reports of sick wildlife or stray animals should be made to the town’s animal control department at 568-9480, the release says. Any case involving a person being bitten or scratched by an animal should be reported to animal control and also to the state health department at 222-2577, the release says. Pets and other animals should not be left outside unattended. Pets should be fed indoors and garbage containers should be covered, according to Woods. “Any persons feeding stray and/or feral cats are legally responsible for ensuring these cats are vaccinated against rabies,” the release says. The town and Salmon River Veterinary Service have scheduled a rabies vaccination clinic for next Thursday. It will run from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30. at the Burrillville Animal Shelter, 131 Clear River Drive in Oakland. The cost will be $10 per vaccination. All dogs must be leashed and under the control of a responsible individual, the release says. Also, cats and ferrets must be in carriers. Pet owners are asked to bring any records of prior rabies vaccination. Posted by Jack Perry at 2:16 PM | Comment E. Providence man struck and killed crossing Route 95The state police are trying to determine what a man was doing last night before he was struck and killed by a car while crossing Route 95 in Providence. Police Lt. Steven Lefebvre said 36-year-old Peter Silva, of East Providence, did not come from a car that had, for example, broken down on the side of the highway. “He was a pedestrian,” Lefebvre said. Silva was pronounced dead on the scene –– Route 95 northbound near the Orms Street overpass –– when state and city police and city fire crews arrived, at about 9:40 p.m. last night. The driver, Daniel Brisson, 52 of Central Falls, told troopers that he was driving in the high-speed lane when he saw Silva approaching on foot from the middle lane. Brisson told police that he did not have time to brake and he tried to swerve left; he hit Silva with the front of his car. Silva went onto the hood of Brisson’s 1994 Oldsmobile Cutlass and into the driver’s side of the windshield, Lefebvre said, ending up back on the road. Brisson stopped immediately, Lefebvre said, and was helped by a witness. Brisson called authorities, who pronounced Silva dead at the scene. Lefebvre said there is no indication that drugs or alcohol were involved in this death; Brisson is not facing any charges. Police are still investigating, trying to determine where Silva was before he walked onto the highway, and where he was going. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 2:00 PM | Comment CVS Trial: Celona testimony concludes
Scott Corrigan, a lawyer for the defense, wrapped up his questioning at 11:30 a.m. with several questions about false statements that Celona provided to a federal prosecutor and FBI agent earlier this year. It was clear that Celona was uncomfortable with the line of questioning. "You told them that you couldn’t remember all the lies you told them, correct?" Corrigan said. "I don’t know if that was the terminology," Celona said. "Did you tell them that you didn’t want to lie to them about lying?" Corrigan asked. Mark Smith, a lawyer for Carlos R. Ortiz, was next. He spent an hour and 15 minutes cross-examining Celona about his cable television show and a meeting in the office of former CVS spokesman Todd Andrews in January 2001. Celona said that Ortiz called the meeting in Andrews’ office to discuss his $1,000-a-month consulting contract. Ortiz talked about coming up with an official title and duties for the former legislator, 11 months after he began his consulting job for CVS. Andrews is expected to be the government’s next witness when the trial resumes at 9 a.m. tomorrow. Extra: Our continuing report on this trial and Operation Dollar Bill Posted by maria caporizzo at 1:25 PM | Comment Roof fire at linen supply building in PawtucketPAWTUCKET -- Firefighters are working to put out a fire on the roof of the New England Linen Supply building at 20 Rhode Island Ave., according to fire dispatch. The building is just west of McCoy Stadium. More details were not available. Posted by Mike McKinney at 1:23 PM | Comment State police search contractor's Cranston headquarters
CRANSTON -- State police and federal highway authorities this morning executed a search warrant at the headquarters of Shire Corp., a major state contractor involved in the long-delayed Barrington Bridge and Point Street overpass projects. “We have a court-authorized search warrant for an ongoing investigation being conducted by the State Police Financial Crimes Unit in conjunction with the Rhode Island Department of Transportation and the federal highway Office of Inspector General,” state police Detective Lt. Brian K. Casilli said shortly before noon, standing outside the company’s headquarters at 7 Starline Way. When asked if the search had to do with the Barrington Bridge or Point Street overpass projects, Casilli said, “I can’t comment further at this time.” When asked if anything had been seized from the company, he said, “If we discover any evidence, we will seize what’s relevant.” Casilli said state police and federal highway authorities arrived at Shire Corp. at 9:30 this morning and planned to be at the building most of the day. When the Journal inquired about whether Shire Corp. had any comment, Providence lawyer Artin H. Coloian emerged from the building. “It’s too early to comment,” said Coloian. “From what I’ve seen preliminarily, it seems to be isolated and doesn’t affect the operation of the company.” Regarding the state police, Coloian said, “They have been afforded every courtesy.” -- Journal staff writers Edward Fitzpatrick and Bruce Landis The Shire Corp. headquarters are in a one-story building on a dead-end street off Plainfield Pike in Cranston, near the Johnston border. A storage facility is across the street, and a plaza is next door. Shire Corp., a construction company specializing in bridge work, is a major contractor for the state Department of Transportation that has received tens of millions of dollars in contracts during the past several years. Those have included many of the DOT’s most troubled projects, suffering long delays and expensive disputes with the DOT that have been often settled in Shire’s favor. That project is taking twice as long to build as it was supposed to, and it could cost more than twice as much as its $10.4 million bid price. With the project far behind schedule, the state paid Shire $5.3 million in September 2006 to settle the company’s claim that the DOT caused the delays. Posted by Mike McKinney at 12:40 PM | Comment CVS Trial: Celona consulted for many, filed few taxesThe government’s star witness in the CVS corruption trial admitted this morning that he lied to federal investigators and cheated on his taxes during the years he worked as a paid consultant for the Woonsocket-based drug-store giant.  Celona In two hours of cross examination, Scott Corrigan, a defense lawyer, introduced evidence that former state Sen. John H. Celona was paid $12,000 or more annually from several businesses. Celona consulted for New England Ambulance Service Inc.; Certified cleaning and Restoration; Intercity Maintenance; and Healthlink. The consulting agreements called for representatives from the four businesses to appear on Celona’s cable television program at least once a year. Corrigan produced documents that showed Healthlink paid Celona $17,000 in 2001 that he did not declare on his income taxes. Celona also admitted that he used money from his campaign fund for personal use and failed to disclose it on his tax returns. At one point during cross examination, Corrigan showed a copy of a letter from Celona to his accountant on a video screen. “May I ask how you got those?” Celona asked. Judge Mary M. Lisi snapped back –– “No, you may not.” -- Journal staff writer W. Zachary Malinowski Extra: More on this trial and Operation Dollar Bill In 2005 Celona pleaded guilty to charges that he sold his public office to CVS, Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island, and Roger Williams Medical Center. As part of the agreement in which Celona agreet to cooperate with the authorities, he was promised that he would not be prosecuted for tax evasion. Celona’s cooperation resulted in a 12-month reduction in his prison sentence. He is serving a 2½ year term in a federal prison in Pennsylvania. Today is his fourth day of testimony in the trial of two CVS executives -- Carlos Ortiz and John R. "Jack" Kramer -- accused of bribing Celona and buying influence in the State House. Celona is expected to return to the witness stand after a short break. Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 11:53 AM | Comment A $200,000-winning PowerBall ticket sold in TivertonA $200,000-winning PowerBall ticket was sold in Rhode Island for last night's drawing. The prize has not been claimed. The ticket was bought at Stateline Tobacco, 29 Stafford Road, Tiverton, and it matched the first five numbers but not the PowerBall number, a Rhode Island Lottery news release said. Last night's drawing was for $15 million. Posted by Mike McKinney at 11:46 AM | Comment R.I. Radio Hall of Fame inducts its first classNo school, Foster Glocester! Just kidding –– get to class! Thousands of former students spent winter mornings waiting to hear Walter “Salty” Brine utter those words. And the phrase is one of the reasons Brine has earned a spot in the newly created Rhode Island Radio Hall of Fame. The inaugural class of 2008 will also include Sherm Strickhauser; Charlie Jefferds; Paul Fuller and Al Matthews; Chris Clark; Arlene Violet, Gene DeGraide and Chuck Stevens. Read about them on the Rhode Island Radio Hall of Fame Web site. The induction ceremony is at 7 p.m. today at Rhodes-on-the-Pawtuxet. Tickets can be purchased by calling (401) 781-9199. They’re $50 and benefit A Wish Come True. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 11:42 AM | Comment Coast Guard: Second LNG appeal deniedThe Coast Guard yesterday denied an appeal filed by an energy company to its decision that a proposed liquefied natural gas facility in Fall River was unsuitable for tankers. Weaver’s Cove Energy filed the appeal request with the First Coast Guard District in Boston after an unsuccessful appeal to the Coast Guard’s captain of the Port for Southeastern New England. In December, Capt. Roy Nash, captain of the port at the time, agreed with the initial October decision, that the necessary channel from Prudence Island, R.I., to the Fall River site was unsafe and had an “unacceptably high” risk of casualty. He upheld the initial decision. Rear Adm. Timothy Sullivan of Boston’s First Coast Guard District said he reached the same conclusions in a statement released yesterday: “After a thorough review of the detailed appeal by Weaver’s Cove Energy, I support Captain Nash’s decision that the waterway is unsafe in the vicinity of the Brightman Street Bridges for the transit of LNG tankers because of the same navigational hazards previously addressed.” Weaver’s Cove can appeal, finally, to the Coast Guard headquarters in Washington, D.C. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 10:14 AM | Comment No Providence/Newport Ferry service todayThe Providence/Newport Ferry is not making any trips today, according to the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority. The ferry will be undergoing mechanical work, and will return to its regular schedule tomorrow, which will be in place until Oct. 16. Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 9:28 AM | Comment Bail revoked for man accused of rape, stalkingNEW BEDFORD, Mass. -- A man accused of raping and stalking a mentally disabled Rhode Island man has had his bail revoked. Buddy Smith is charged with rape, indecent assault and battery on a retarded person for allegedly assaulting the 25-year-old man multiple times between 2004 and 2006. Smith had been free on $1,000 bail. Yesterday, a judge revoked his bail and ordered him held until his July 21 trial. The ruling came after a witness testified about seeing Smith peeping in the window of the alleged victim's group home in Foster, R.I. -- The Associated Press Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 7:59 AM | Comment New traffic pattern in Providence todayThe next phase of Iway construction begins today with one ramp opening and another closing. The new ramp is only accessible to drivers who are driving north on Route 95 and take Exit 19 to the Iway bridge. They can access the new ramp onto Gano Street. RIDOT plans to close the old ramp from Route 95 North to Route 195. Until then, there will be two Exit 2 off ramps –– the one opening today and Exit 2 off the old I-195 which leads to Wickenden Street. RIDOT will have more information at a press conference at 10 a.m. today, when officials release more details about the Iway schedule for the rest of the month. For more information, visit the Department’s Web site, call in for updates at 5-1-1, listen to the Highway Advisory Radio System 1630 AM or call Customer Service at 401-222-2450. Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 7:44 AM | Comment CVS trial: Star witness Celona to go back on standThe CVS corruption trial continues in federal court today with the ninth day of testimony. The government’s star witness, corrupt ex-senator John Celona, will be on the stand for the fourth day –– and the third day of cross-examination by the defense. Former CVS executives John R. ``Jack’’ Kramer and Carlos Ortiz are on trial for bribery, conspiracy and mail fraud for allegedly hiring Celona to do CVS’s legislative bidding at the Rhode Island State House. Over the past few days, Kramer’s lawyer, Scott Corrigan, has tried to show that Celona earned his $1,000-a-month consulting fee by promoting CVS at senior centers and housing complexes, and on his cable-access television show. Celona has testified that whatever he did in that regard was by his own initiative, to justify the money from CVS, and not at the direction of Kramer or Ortiz. Corrigan was scheduled to continue questioning Celona today in the federal courtroom of Chief U.S. District Judge Mary M. Lisi. When Corrigan finishes, Ortiz’s lawyer, Mark L. Smith, will have his turn. -- Journal staff writer Mike Stanton Posted by Jack Perry at 7:09 AM | Comment Wake scheduled for slain firefighterA wake is scheduled today for a Cranston firefighter who was shot and killed Sunday in a neighborhood dispute. James A. Pagano died from a single gunshot wound to the torso, according to the state Medical Examiner’s Office. Nicholas Gianquitti, a former Providence police officer, was arrested and faces murder charges. The Paganos will hold a wake today from 4 to 8 p.m. at the Nardolillo Funeral Home in Cranston. A funeral Mass is scheduled for tomorrow at St. Mark Catholic Church, where Pagano went as a boy. He will be buried at St. Ann’s Cemetery, following Friday’s Mass. Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 7:02 AM | Comment Rainy and coolWe're in for more rain later this morning. The clouds are already here. It will be cooler today than yesterday with a high temperature reaching just 64 degrees and mild west winds. Rain will continue into the night, but should clear up after midnight with a low temperature near 47 degrees and mild west winds. And tomorrow - surprise! - rain in the afternoon with partly cloudy skies and breezy northwest winds. There's good news, though: The temperature should shoot past 70 where it will hopefully stay through the weekend. Keep an eye on the weather at projo.com's weather page. Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 7:02 AM | Comment Today's front pageToday's front page features coverage of Sen. Edward M. Kennedy's release from Massachusetts General Hospital and his return to Cape Cod after his cancer diagnosis, more coverage of the trial of two former CVS executives in federal court and reports on gasoline prices reaching $4 per gallon. Download a copy of today's front page in .pdf format.
Posted by Jack Perry at 7:00 AM | Comment May 21, 2008Tonight: Civil War re-enactors discuss R.I. regiment's roleCatch a little history tonight. There's a roundtable discussion going on: The 14th R.I. Heavy Artillery -- a group reenactment of the state’s black Civil War regiment -- is holding a talk about the war and the regiment’s role in it. The free event, open to the public, is running from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at Cranston’s William Hall Library, 1825 Broad St. For information, call (401) 781-2450 or go to www.cranstonlibrary.org or www.14thri.org. Posted by Mike McKinney at 7:00 PM | Comment Bail revoked for man accused in rape of disabled manNEW BEDFORD, Mass. -- A man accused of raping and stalking a mentally disabled man has had his bail revoked. Buddy Smith is charged with rape, indecent assault and battery on a retarded person for allegedly assaulting the 25-year-old man multiple times between 2004 and 2006. Smith had been free on $1,000 bail. Today, a judge revoked his bail and ordered him held until his July 21 trial. The ruling came after a witness testified about seeing Smith peeping in the window of the alleged victim's group home in Foster. -- The Associated Press Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:54 PM | Comment Summit seeks ways to fix R.I.'s dismal math scoresPROVIDENCE -- About 250 educators attended a day-long Mathematics Summit today, kicking off a statewide conversation about how to improve math education in elementary, middle and high schools. Governor Carcieri and education officials convened the event at Rhode Island College in response to dismal math scores on the latest state testing, when just 22 percent of high school juniors scored proficient on a new, tougher test. “It was a wake-up call to a lot of us,” Carcieri said. But the problem has existed for a long time, and has only come to light as the state struggles to align what is taught in the classroom with what is tested each year, said Education Commissioner Peter McWalters. For the first time, officials, schools and parents have a clear picture not only of how individual students perform on the tests, but also of how well districts and schools have adapted to a more demanding set of grade level expectations that outline what students are supposed to be learning each year. The disappointing test scores show that school systems have a lot of work ahead of them, officials said. “What we’ve found out, from many teachers, is that many schools have not aligned (classroom instruction) to the state standards,” McWalters said, calling the discovery “a slap in the face.” Just half of the state’s high schools said they were far along in this effort. “Why would we expect any other result, then?” Elementary and middle school math scores were better, with 54 percent of third through eighth graders scoring proficient. But students who struggle with math find their problems compound over time and often leave them ill-prepared for the rigors of algebra and geometry by the time they start high school, officials say. The state Department of Education will work with schools and districts this summer and in the coming year, offering them support and helping them to identify their weaknesses and cooperate with other districts, local colleges and educational collaboratives, McWalters said. -- Journal staff writer Jennifer D. Jordan Other problems identified at the summit are: * Some classroom teachers lack of deep content knowledge in math, which makes it impossible for them to help their students reach the higher standards now required. * Many schools continue to “track” students, preventing many from taking the higher level algebra, geometry and calculus courses demanded by colleges and the work force. * Students are too dependent on calculators and lack the ability to perform high level work on their own. * Teachers are struggling to “differentiate instruction” so they can reach non-traditional learners, special education students and others who find math challenging. “The two most important areas are teachers figuring out what is happening with their students during instruction, and the depth of their own content knowledge,” said Diane Schaefer, director of instruction at the Rhode Island Department of Education. Carcieri and McWalters emphasized that many states face a similar challenge. Rhode Island developed the new test, called the New England Common Assessment Program, with New Hampshire and Vermont, states that generally score higher than Rhode Island and have fewer diverse students living in poverty. Yet their scores were also low: 27 percent of juniors scored proficient in New Hampshire and 30 percent in Vermont. “You were not brought here to be reprimanded,” McWalters told the teachers and administrators who came from 31 of the state’s 36 districts and some charter and state run schools, as well as representatives from all the state’s public and private colleges. Representatives from Burrillville, Foster-Glocester, Glocester, North Smithfield and Westerly did not attend, in some cases due to scheduling conflicts. “This is a national problem,” McWalters said. The United States does not score among the top nations by international math measures, either. Instead, U.S. students lag behind students in Asia and Europe, including countries such as Latvia, Russia and Hungary. Educators who attended the summit said building relationships across districts and education levels -- elementary, middle and high school and at the college level -- will help them figure out how to solve the problems in math education. “I’ve found that there has been an increase in deficits in students’ ability to think mathematically,” said Anne Veeger, chair of the geosciences department at the University of Rhode Island. “If you take the calculators away, the mental strategies at their disposal don’t seem as strong. They also want the answers to come to them easily and quickly and they get frustrated if they have to work through multiple strategies to get the answers.” Stacy Simmons, math coordinator for Riverside Middle School in East Providence, said the summit has given her ideas about how to improve her own math instruction. “I’m thinking about myself, as a teacher, how I know what the students know and when to move on and when to slow down,” Simmons said. Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:52 PM | Comment Two taken into custody after dispute over car-repair billJOHNSTON -- The police took two men into custody and confiscated a handgun earlier this afternoon when they went to a local service station to investigate a heated dispute over a repair bill. During the argument at Hawk’s Mobil, 119 Greenville Ave., a customer pulled out a handgun, according to Johnston police Maj. Ralph Bubar III. Detectives are waiting to review a surveillance tape and determine the precise circumstances that led the customer to display the gun, said Bubar, who declined to name the two men until authorities have decided if they will be charged. The man who drew the gun does have a permit to carry the weapon, Bubar said. The other man, an employee, allegedly wielded a bat during the argument, which was over a $2,500 car repair bill, according to the police. -- Journal staff writer Mark Reynolds Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:40 PM | Comment Bush pays tribute to Sen. Kennedy with bill signingWASHINGTON -- As Sen. Edward M. Kennedy settled in at home in Hyannisport today to ready for his battle against brain cancer, President Bush paid tribute to the Massachusetts Democrat’s long fight for a new anti-discrimination bill that he signed into law at an Oval Office ceremony. Bush said, "All of us are so pleased that Senator Kennedy has gone home, and our thoughts and prayers are with him and his family.’’ The gathering was typical of the sort of ideological cross-section that the Massachusetts Democrat – very liberal but very practical-minded – has long specialized in lashing together to pass laws. Bush’s description of the bill at hand was likewise a good fit for the type of compromise between public welfare and business needs that is Kennedy’s stock in trade. The bill "protects our citizens from having their genetic information misused,’’ Bush explained, "without undermining the basic tenets of the insurance industry." The White House ceremony for the signing of the health-related legislation came hours after Kennedy, the longest-surviving brother in the nation’s most celebrated political family, was discharged from Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, where doctors diagnosed his malignant brain tumor on Tuesday. Kennedy, who traveled home by car with his wife, Victoria, was to remain there as he and his doctors chart a course of treatment over the coming days. Rhode Island Rep. Patrick J. Kennedy planned, meanwhile, to spend as much time as possible at his father’s side. He returned to his home in Portsmouth after seeing the senator off at Mass General. Family members have spent much of the time there since last Saturday, when the elder Kennedy was stricken by a seizure later determined to have been caused by the tumor. -- John E. Mulligan, Journal Washington bureau Posted by Andrea Panciera at 5:17 PM | Comment Power failures hit Warwick Mall, 2 S. County sitesPower failures this afternoon are affecting Warwick Mall and some streets in the Ashaway section of Hopkinton. National Grid crews are on scene, said company spokesman David Graves. In Ashaway, at about 2:55 p.m., some 543 customers were without power because of a falling tree limb. Shortly before 5 p.m.,service is still out for customers on Potter Hill, Laurel Street and Maxson Street. Earlier today, there were scattered power failures in Richmond and South Kingstown this morning, but Graves said power has since been restored. That had been attributed to a blown fuse on a power line. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:03 PM | Comment Prov. schools chief vying for Cincinnati, Newark postsPROVIDENCE -- Supt. Donnie Evans is one of at least 17 candidates who have applied to be superintendent of the Cincinnati public schools, according to Cincinnati School Board President Eve Bolton. The current superintendent, Rosa Blackwell, is retiring after more than three decades as the leader of the 35,000-student district. She is paid $202,820 annually and the Cincinnati School Board said it would go higher if necessary. Blackwell will retire in July. The Cincinnati School Board has hired Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates of Chicago to conduct the search and the firm will accept applications until early June, according to a secretary for the school board. Several school board members told the Cincinnati Enquirer that experience in a large, urban setting is a top consideration for the job. The candidate pool includes superintendents from 11 school districts, including St. Louis, Beloit, Wis., and Sarasota County, Fla. A community advisory panel will select the semifinalists, whose names will be referred to the school board for review. Evans is also one of three finalists for the Newark, N.J., superintendent’s position. He is joined by former Washington, D.C., Supt. Clifford Janey, and former Randolph, N.J., Assistant Supt. Ross Danis. New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine will review the finalists and appoint a replacement for outgoing Supt. Marion Bolden, who is retiring June 30. Evans announced in late March that he would not seek another term when his contract expires in September. He withdrew his candidacy hours before the school board was prepared to vote on whether to renew his contract for another three years. A week later, Mayor David N. Cicilline announced that a new superintendent had been chosen: Thomas M. Brady, a retired Army colonel who is interim superintendent of the Philadelphia school district. The mayor did not conduct a national search as he did with Evans. Instead, he asked the Broad Center, a national education leadership program, to recommend a list of candidates. Brady emerged as the group’s first choice. -- Journal staff writer Linda Borg Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:53 PM | Comment House scuttles vote on political pamphlet anonymityPROVIDENCE -- House leaders have scuttled a planned vote today on a bill to provide anonymity to political pamphleteers and those placing political-attack ads in newspapers. House spokesman Larry Berman said he was advised by House Majority Leader Gordon Fox, D-Providence, that the bill is being sent back to a House Judiciary Committee instead for a second look. Whether it will ever re-emerge is unclear. Action on the bill was postponed for the first time last week after it created a ruckus on the House floor. House Minority Leader Robert Watson, R-East Greenwich, led the charge. Reminding a Democratic colleague across the room of the bare-knuckled reelection campaign he endured a few years ago, Watson said: “At least you knew who was firing those missiles. At least you knew who was building those bombs and lobbing them into your lap. “Mr. Speaker, we’re going to have a bunch of anonymous terrorists playing in our political sandbox and I’m not sure I agree with that.” Current law bans the airing or distribution of any campaign flier, poster or newspaper advertisement that is designed to “injure or defeat” a candidate for public office, criticize “the candidate’s personal character or political action” or defeat a ballot question unless it contains the name and address of the person responsible for it and, with respect to print ads, the word “advertisement” is displayed on a separate line in the same typeface. The bill sponsored by Representatives Nicholas Mattiello, D-Cranston, and Patricia Serpa, D-West Warwick, to repeal these requirements was recommended by the state Board of Elections, at the urging of the Rhode Island Affiliate of the American Civil Liberties Union. -- Katherine Gregg of the Journal State House Bureau In an interview late last week, ACLU Director Steven Brown said “people may have legitimate reasons for distributing a pamphlet or putting up a poster anonymously,” including fear of retaliation. He said members of the voting public have to decide for themselves how much they are willing to rely on anonymously provided information, but “to demand disclosure is to chill speech on important public issues.” In his arguments to the Board of Elections and lawmakers, Brown also cited an April 1995 U.S. Supreme Court decision -- McIntyre v. Ohio Elections Commission -- that struck down that state’s law requiring the disclosure of personal identity on political literature. Hailed by some over the years as “an important case for privacy and free-speech advocates,” the case centered on these facts: In 1988, Margaret McIntyre was fined after distributing pamphlets opposing a proposed school tax levy that were signed by “Concerned Parents and Taxpayers.” She was fined $100 under a provision of the Ohio code that prohibited the distribution of campaign literature that does not contain the name and address of the person who issued the literature. Briefly stated: The Supreme Court ruled that the law violated the First Amendment by inhibiting core political speech. The Supreme Court also said that the ban on anonymous speech is not justified by the state’s asserted interest in preventing the distribution of fraudulent and libelous information. The court wrote: “Under our Constitution, anonymous pamphleteering is not a pernicious, fraudulent practice, but an honorable tradition of advocacy and dissent. Anonymity is a shield from the tyranny of the majority.” In a letter to House Judiciary Committee Chairman Donald Lally, Brown said repeal of Rhode Island’s law “should thus be seen as merely a housekeeping measure designed to avoid the enforcement of clearly unconstitutional laws.” But the dustup last week over the proposed repeal of Rhode Island’s political disclosure law sparked a flurry of behind-the-scenes legal activity at the State House. Robert Kando, executive director of the state elections board, said he was informed the Ohio decision was specific to the very specific fact pattern in that case, and a decade later the Federal Elections Commission still has a clear disclaimer requirement for political communications and advertising. At this point, Kando said, “there is some question in my mind if the statute is unconstitutional or not.” Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:00 PM | Comment Mobster Marrapese takes first steps out of ACI / Photo
Marrapese was fitted with an electronic monitoring bracelet before being released from the Adult Correctional Institutions this afternoon. The terms of Marrapese’s parole prohibit him from associating with known felons without the consent of his parole officer. He also will be required to wear the electronic bracelet for at least a year, and he will remain on parole for the rest of his life. He will move back to his home at 104 Elwyn St., in Cranston, not far from the Silver Lake neighborhood in Providence. Last month, The Providence Journal reported that he had landed a job at a Anthony’s Restaurant in Johnston. The consequential news coverage resulted in the restaurant withdrawing its offer, and Marrapese’s release was postponed until he could find another job. In the ’60s and ’70s, Marrapese was a feared enforcer and capo regime in the Patriarca crime family. He operated from the Acorn Social Club midway up Atwells Avenue in the heart of Federal Hill. The club was recently razed and a restaurant is being built in its place. In September 1987, Marrapese was convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison for killing mob associate Richard "Dickie" Callei on March 15, 1975, in the Acorn Social Club. His bullet-ridden body was discovered later that day near a golf course in Rehoboth. The murder remained unsolved for nearly a decade. Meanwhile, in the 1980s, Marrapese was charged in two other murders: the 1982 gangland slaying of Anthony "The Moron" Mirabella at Fidas Restaurant on Valley Street and the baseball-bat beating of Ronald McElroy, of East Providence. Separate juries found Marrapese not guilty in the Mirabella and McElroy killings. -- With archival reports from Journal staff writer W. Zachary Malinowski Posted by Andrea Panciera at 3:18 PM | Comment CVS trial: Sports fan Celona pitched himself to JetsPROVIDENCE -- Former Rhode Island senator John Celona not only sold out his public office –– he tried to sell out his New England sports allegiance, too. According to evidence introduced today in the federal trial of two ex-CVS executives accused of bribing Celona, the fan who proudly flew a New England Patriots flag outside his North Providence house and once tried, as a senator, to get the Patriots to build a football stadium in Providence, sought work from the New York Jets. Sports is a major interest of Celona’s, as evidenced by his testimony today about his efforts to promote the CVS Charity Golf Classic and Downtown 5K road race in Providence on his cable-access television show. Then, toward the end of today’s testimony, defense lawyer Scott Corrigan showed jurors a letter that Celona wrote in 1997, when he was seeking work following the failure of his family’s lawnmower store. The letter was to Bill Parcells, who had just bolted as coach of the Patriots following a Super Bowl loss to the Green Bay Packers, to take charge of the team’s arch-rival, the Jets. In his quest for work to support his family, Celona acknowledged sending out hundreds of resumes. On March 10, 1997, he wrote to Parcells pitching a new consulting group he had formed, The Image Group. "With perception so important," Celona wrote, "we at The Image Group can train you and your team to manage the news and the media in a way that is positive and beneficial to the Jets." A few minutes later, sparring with a defense lawyer over how many times he had met with FBI agents, Celona paraphrased the words of another Pats football coach and one-time Parcell's disciple, Bill Belichick: "If that’s what it is, that’s what it is, then that’s what it is." -- Journal staff writer Mike Stanton Celona testified that The Image Group was something that "never got off the ground." Nor, he said, did he use that corporate name when he discussed consulting work with Woonsocket-based drugstore giant CVS a few years later. Corrigan was apparently driving at the fact that Celona was trying to hustle consulting clients to fill out his income after the failure of the family business. Earlier today, Corrigan introduced a letter that Celona wrote in 2003 to the head of the Ocean State Hearing Aid Center, discussing a prospective consulting agreement. There was no evidence, however, that any agreement was ever signed, and Celona’s tenure in the Senate came to an end months later after publicity regarding some of his financial dealings with companies that he later pleaded guilty to selling his office to CVS, Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island, and Roger Williams Medical Center. The Parcells revelation came toward the end of Celona’s third day on the stand, and his second day of cross-examination by Corrigan, a lawyer for defendant John Kramer. Prior to that, Corrigan walked Celona through a series of transcripts of his TV show, The Celona State House Report, on which Kramer appeared eight times from 2000 to 2003 to promote CVS’s charitable endeavors. Celona, often reluctant to concede making remarks attributed to him in the transcripts, conceded that he had promoted CVS’s golf tournament and road race and the company in general. His love of sports came through in the transcript of one show, in which he described CVS’s chief executive, Tom Ryan, as a nearly "perfect individual" –– Ryan’s only fault, Celona added, was that "he’s a Yankees fan." It’s unclear how much longer Celona will be on the stand. When Corrigan finishes, a lawyer for his co-defendant, Carlos Ortiz, will take his turn questioning the government’s star witness. Read Journal staff writer Mike Stanton's earlier report on this morning's testimony. Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 1:56 PM | Comment Patrick Kennedy to join his father on the CapeAfter spending much of the past four days at his father's Massachusetts General Hospital bedside, U.S. Rep. Patrick Kennedy planned to follow him to the family's Hyannisport compound, where Sen. Edward M. Kennedy has gone after his hospital discharge this morning. "The congressman is very focused on being with his father and spending time with his father and doing everything he can to support his father," said Patrick Kennedy's spokeswoman, Robin Costello. For the time being, that meant the younger Kennedy, a Rhode Island Democrat, has returned to his Portsmouth home only long enough to pack for the trek to the Cape, Costello said. The family was to confer with the senator's doctors in the coming days to chart his course of treatment for the malignant brain tumor with which he was diagnosed yesterday. Costello said that congressman Kennedy does not yet know exactly how his father will proceed but plans to stay by his side during the coming days. For now, congressman Kennedy has cancelled the dates on his public schedule. -- John Mulligan of the Journal's Washington Bureau Posted by Mike McKinney at 1:39 PM | Comment Rescued seal to be released tomorrow off CharlestownA yearling female harp seal is slated for release tomorrow at Blue Shutter's Beach in Charlestown. New England Aquarium in Boston rescued the seal April 10, and it was moved to Mystic Aquarium that day. She had several wounds on her back, neck and right rear flipper. The sea received antibiotics, "has recovered well, gained weight and is ready to go home," Mystic Aquarium and Institute for Exporation said in a news release today. Posted by Mike McKinney at 1:08 PM | Comment Providence area YMCA appoints new leaderThe YMCA of Greater Providence has announced a new head of its board of directors. Amy Page Oberg was appointed to head the nonprofit organization’s board at its annual meeting yesterday. She takes the place of James Purcell, president and CEO of Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island since 2004. “I am so pleased that Amy has agreed to step up to this leadership role on our board,” YMCA CEO and President Karen Leslie said in a statement. “She has served us so well as the chair of our Bayside Branch Board and now she will have the chance to do the same for the entire association. I welcome the chance to work more closely with her.” Oberg has chaired the Bayside Family YMCA since 2006. A lawyer, she works with DarrowEverett LLP which has offices in Providence and Boston, and has also served on the Barrington School Committee. Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 12:55 PM | Comment Photo: Seeing red at the zoo
Posted by Andrea Panciera at 12:50 PM | Comment Update: Sen. Kennedy home from hospital / Photo, video
BOSTON --U.S. Sen. Edward M. Kennedy gave a thumbs up to well-wishers and kisses to relatives as he walked out of the hospital this morning, a day after learning he has a cancerous brain tumor. A square bandage at the back of his head marked the spot where doctors performed a biopsy Monday that led them to diagnose the Massachusetts Democrat with malignant glioma. Experts say such tumors are almost always fatal. Kennedy's dogs, Sunny and Splash, met him at the hospital door. Hospital workers and well-wishers greeted Kennedy with applause. Before he and his wife, Vicki, got into a dark Chevrolet Suburban, he kissed his daughter, Kara, and his niece Caroline Kennedy, embraced his son, Rep. Patrick Kennedy, D-R.I, and waved to onlookers. Television news helicopters followed his 75-mile trip south to his Cape Cod home. Along the way, he could be seen waving to nearby motorists from the front passenger seat of his SUV. He took a walk on the beach with his two Portuguese Water Dogs as soon as he arrived.
“Senator Kennedy has recovered remarkably quickly from his Monday procedure and therefore will be released from the hospital today ahead of schedule,” said a joint statement from his doctors earlier this morning. “He will return to his home on Cape Cod while we await further test results and determine treatment plans. He’s feeling well and eager to get started.” The 76-year-old senator, the last son in a famed political family, was airlifted to Boston on Saturday. He underwent the biopsy on Monday and the results were released yesterday. He was diagnosed with a malignant glioma in his left parietal lobe this week after suffering a seizure in his home Saturday morning. Malignant gliomas are diagnosed in about 9,000 Americans a year; in general, half of all patients die within a year. -- The Associated Press His wife, Vicki Kennedy, told friends the grim diagnosis was “a real curveball” that left his family stunned even as he joked and laughed with them, but expressed pride in how her husband was handling the news. “Teddy is leading us all, as usual, with his calm approach to getting the best information possible,” she wrote in an e-mail Tuesday to friends. “He’s also making me crazy (and making me laugh) by pushing to race in the Figawi this weekend,” she wrote, referring to the annual sailing race from Cape Cod to Nantucket. The diagnosis cast a pall over Capitol Hill, where the Massachusetts Democrat has served since 1962. Sen. Robert Byrd, D-W.Va., the longest-serving member of the Senate, wept as he prayed for “my dear, dear friend, dear friend, Ted Kennedy” during a speech on the Senate floor. “Keep Ted here for us and for America,” said the 90-year-old Byrd, who is in a wheelchair. He added: “Ted, Ted, my dear friend, I love you and I miss you.” In a statement, President Bush saluted Kennedy as “a man of tremendous courage, remarkable strength and powerful spirit.” He added: “We join our fellow Americans in praying for his full recovery.” Kennedy has been active for his age, maintaining an aggressive schedule on Capitol Hill and across Massachusetts. He has made several campaign appearances for Sen. Barack Obama. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton said: “Ted Kennedy’s courage and resolve are unmatched, and they have made him one of the greatest legislators in Senate history. Our thoughts are with him and Vicki and we are praying for a quick and full recovery.” Kennedy has left his stamp on a raft of health care, pension and immigration legislation during four decades in the Senate. In 1980, Kennedy unsuccessfully challenged Jimmy Carter for the Democratic presidential nomination. The Kennedy family has been struck by tragedy over and over. Kennedy’s eldest brother, Joseph, died in a World War II plane crash; President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in 1963; and Sen. Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated in 1968. Ted Kennedy shocked the nation in 1969 when he drove his car off a bridge to Massachusetts’ Chappaquiddick Island and a young female campaign worker drowned. Kennedy, who did not call authorities until the next day, pleaded guilty to leaving the scene of an accident and received a suspended two-month jail sentence. Kennedy, the Senate’s second-longest serving member, was re-elected in 2006 and is not up for election again until 2012. Were he to resign or die in office, state law requires a special election for the seat 145 to 160 days afterward. Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 12:26 PM | Comment Toy car carrying real cocaine convicts Providence man / PhotoPROVIDENCE -- A Providence man has been convicted after prosecutors say he was caught trying to traffick in cocaine concealed inside a car too small to ever get caught in traffic.  This photo was taken by CBP agents in Memphis and was introduced in evidence at trial. The car, with standard-sized file cabinets in the background. Prosecutors said a kilogram of cocaine was packed inside a toy car shipped from Venezuela to Rhode Island, and a federal jury yesterday found Edward Perez, 24, of Arch Street guilty of conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. He faces five to 40 years imprisonment and up to a $2 million fine. Perez, who is in federal custody, is slated for Oct. 17 sentencing, U.S. Attorney Robert Clark Corrente's office said in a news release today. A federal customs agent intercepted the shipment in December at a Federal Express location in Tennessee, and agents arrested Perez after he took possession of the package at a Johnston address, the U.S. Attorney's office said. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Prosecutor Gerard B. Sullivan presented at trial evidence gathered by federal immigration and customs agents. In December, a Customs and Border Patrol agent at the FedEx Consignment Hub in Memphis found a kilogram of cocaine concealed in the bottom of a radio-controlled car inside a package from Caracas headed for a Johnston address The agents in Memphis got the package to Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in Providence. On Dec. 31, an agent wearing a FedEx uniform, as part of a “controlled delivery” to the intended Plainfield Pike address, delivered the parcel, which now bore a package of sham cocaine hidden in the car. A woman who accepted the package said it was for her friend “Edwin.” Immigration and Customs Enfrocement and Drug Enforcement Administration agents, state and Jonston police watched as Perez came to the Plainfield Pike address shortly after. After a few minutes inside, he came out with the package and agents arrested him. While Perez was handcuffed, agents heard him trying to make a cell phone call, muttering into the phone, “The cops are here.” But cell phone records did not show a call being completed at that time. Posted by Mike McKinney at 12:16 PM | Comment Update: Mobster Marrapese due to leave ACI after 1
Marrapese
Mobster and soon-to-be ex-convict Frank L. “Bobo” Marrapese Jr. won’t leave jail before 1 p.m. today, according to Tracey Z. Poole, spokeswoman for the state Department of Corrections. The 67-year-old will be leaving from the Adult Correctional Institutions in Cranston after being fitted with an electronic monitoring bracelet. Last month, The Providence Journal reported that the 65-year-old had landed a job at a Anthony’s Restaurant in Johnston. The consequential news coverage resulted in the restaurant withdrawing its offer, and Marrapese’s release was postponed until he could find another job. Marrapese, who was convicted in one gangland slaying and implicated in two other murders, will move back into his home at 104 Elwyn St. in Cranston. Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 12:02 PM | Comment Blackstone to host primer on sustainable tourismWe’ve heard about sustainable farming and sustainable building; ways to use resources efficiently without depleting them. There’s another sustainable market waiting to be tapped: sustainable tourism. The Blackstone Valley Tourism Council’s Sustainable Tourism Planning and Development Laboratory is hosting a primer on the concept tomorrow morning. Tourism agencies, local policy makers, educators and students and anyone else interested in the practices of sustainable tourism are invited to “An Introduction to Resilient Tourism,” tomorrow beginning at 8 a.m. For $35, participants will hear from a number of speakers on topics such as “experimental tourism,” to satellite accounting. The event is set to take place at the Blackstone Valley Visitors Center in Pawtucket. Although the Tourism Lab is based in the Blackstone River Valley section of the state, it consists of members from around the world. Registration is required, find a schedule of events and other information on the Sustainable Tourism Lab's Web site or call the Lab at 401-724-2200. Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 11:47 AM | Comment CVS trial: Celona says he doesn't recall some evidencePROVIDENCE -- What did John Celona do for CVS? The corrupt ex-North Providence senator has testified that he did CVS’s legislative bidding at the state house for his $1,000-a-month consulting fee, and that he never performed the community outreaches spelled out in his consulting agreement. When under cross examination for the second day today in the federal trial against two former CVS executives accused of bribing him, Celona was confronted with his own words –– from e-mail correspondence, grand jury testimony and statements of FBI agents –– that he had done some community outreach for CVS, the Woonsocket-based drugstore giant. Scott Corrigan, a lawyer for defendant John Kramer, showed Celona an e-mail he wrote to defendant Carlos Ortiz in early 2001, after his first year as a consultant, stating that he had visited senior centers and housing complexes to explain CVS services and to tout CVS as “today’s neighborhood drug store.” This was after Celona had told Corrigan that he could not recall doing so. Corrigan also produced a 2001 letter from Ortiz to Celona enclosing 5 $20 CVS gift cards for Celona to use as door prizes at a senior health fair. He also showed Celona a 2002 Kramer expense report indicating Kramer had attended a CVS-sponsored event hosted by Celona at Amos House, and an e-mail from Kramer’s assistant requesting Celona’s presence at a CVS State House press event. Celona replied that he didn’t recall either occasion. Chief U.S. District Court Judge Mary M. Lisi has scolded Celona a few times, telling him to stay on track. “Mr. Celona, listen to the question,” said Lisi. “Answer the question.” -- Journal staff writer Mike Stanton Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 11:25 AM | Comment Kennedy doesn't want to forget about racing in Figawi
The 37th annual Figawi race starts Saturday, and Kennedy's 50-foot sailboat, Mya, is among the 205 sailboats registered to race between Hyannis and Nantucket. Kennedy regularly takes part in the race, which starts a short sail from the Kennedy Compound in Hyannisport. Last year, the Concordia yawl won its division on the return leg. Kennedy's wife, Vicki Kennedy, has suggested to friends that her husband wants to race this weekend despite his being diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor. “Teddy is leading us all, as usual, with his calm approach to getting the best information possible,” she wrote in an e-mail yesterday to friends. “He’s also making me crazy (and making me laugh) by pushing to race in the Figawi this weekend,” she wrote. The Figawi "is recognized as a top sailing event not only on the east coast but is known nationally as well as internationally," according to the race's Web site. The early-season race across Nantucket Sound is often marked by foggy conditions -- contributing to its name -- and has a reputation for a party atmosphere. After racing from Hyannis to Nantucket, the sailors spend Sunday on Nantucket before racing back to the Cape on Monday. Kennedy won Division C on the race back from Nantucket last year, according to race results on the Web site. Kennedy's boat had finished 10th out of 16 in its division on the race to Nantucket, according to race results on the Web site. The race also hosts a ball, held last Saturday, that benefits more than 25 charities. -- projo.coms staff writer Jack Perry, with reports from the Associated Press Posted by Jack Perry at 11:02 AM | Comment Iway exit changes will affect traffic flowThe next phase of Iway construction is set to begin tomorrow with one ramp opening and another closing. The new ramp is only accessible to drivers who are driving north on Route 95 and take Exit 19 to the Iway bridge. They can access the new ramp onto Gano Street. RIDOT plans to close the old ramp from Route 95 North to Route 195. Until then, there will be two Exit 2 off ramps –– the one opening tomorrow and Exit 2 off the old I-195 which leads to Wickenden Street. RIDOT will have more information at a press conference tomorrow, when officials release more information about the Iway schedule for the rest of the month. For more information, visit the Department’s Web site, call in for updates at 5-1-1, listen to the Highway Advisory Radio System 1630 AM or call Customer Service at 401-222-2450. Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 10:10 AM | Comment Green traffic down for April and 2008Passenger traffic at T.F. Green Airport declined in April and during the first four months of 2008, compared to similar periods last year, according to statistics released today by the Rhode Island Airport Corporation. There were 412,471 passengers at Green in April, off .4 percent from April 2007. For January, February, March and April, 1.50 million passengers used Green. That’s down 1.1 percent from the 1.52 million passengers in the first four months last year. Southwest Airlines remained the biggest carrier at Green, with 52.4 percent of all passengers at the airport in April. U.S. Airways was the second biggest carrier with 21 percent of all passengers. No other carrier has more than 7 percent. Posted by Peter Phipps at 9:30 AM | Comment Mobster Marrapese set to be released after 1 p.m.
Marrapese
Imprisoned mobster Frank L. “Bobo” Marrapese Jr. is set to be released from prison today, one month after his last scheduled release was postponed because of an abundance of publicity. Tracey Z. Poole, spokeswoman for the Adult Correctional Institutions, said yesterday that Marrapese has a job and will be released sometime after 1:00 p.m. today. Last month, the Journal reported that the 65-year-old had landed a job at a Anthony’s Restaurant in Johnston. The consequential news coverage resulted in the restaurant withdrawing its offer and Marrapese’s release was postponed until he could find another job. Marrapese, who was convicted in one gangland slaying and implicated in two other murders, will move back into his home at 104 Elwyn St. in Cranston. Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 9:00 AM | Comment This bus stop's goal: Making cancer an election priorityHave you ever signed your name on a bus? Gov. John Lynch of New Hampshire hadn't, but on Monday he penned his name to the American Cancer Society CAN Bus. The bus, which is traveling across the country to share stories of cancer patients and survivors, is working to make cancer a priority issue during this year’s presidential election. Today, the bus is stopping in Providence and Pawtucket where people are asked to sign their names to the bus, and sign a petition urging presidential candidates to promise a health plan that gives all Americans “access to affordable, available, and adequate health care that eliminates red tape.” Visit the bus today in front of the State House, at 2:45 p.m. or at McCoy Stadium in Pawtucket at 6 p.m. Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 8:53 AM | Comment CVS trial: Celona set to testify againJohn A. Celona, the corrupt former state senator from North Providence, will return to the witness stand at 9 a.m. this morning in the corruption trial of former CVS executives John R. "Jack" Kramer and Carlos Ortiz. One of Kramer’s lawyers, Scott Corrigan, of New York City, will continue his cross examination of the government’s star witness. Celona, a former paid consultant for CVS, is serving a 2 ½-year federal prison sentence for his corrupt dealings with CVS, Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island and Roger Williams Medical Center in Providence. Read coverage of yesterday's testimony. -- Journal staff writer W. Zachary Malinowski Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 7:02 AM | Comment More clouds and more rain (maybe)Today looks like yesterday, but a little warmer. We may get some rain again in the late afternoon, with breezy southwest winds between 13 and 16 mph. Expect clouds and a high temperature of about 71 degrees. Rain may continue into the evening, when the temperature drops to about 47 degrees. We'll have cloudy skies and mild west winds. Another chance of showers tomorrow afternoon with more cloudy skies and temperatures in the mid 60s. To keep an eye on the weather, visit projo.com's weather page. Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 7:01 AM | Comment Today's front pageToday's front page features coverage of Sen. Edward M. Kennedy's cancer diagnosis and the trial of two former CVS executives accused of bribing former state Sen. John Celona. Download a copy of today's front page in .pdf format. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:00 AM | Comment May 20, 2008Tonight: Celtics open NBA Eastern Conference finalsAll eyes were on Boston last night -- for the Sox's victory on the shoulders of a no-hitter pitching performance -- and all eyes will be again tonight when the Celtics open their NBA Eastern Conference Finals series against the Detroit Pistons. The game starts at 8:30 p.m. Read more about it tonight at projo.com's sports blog and keep up with the score and post-game stories on our Celtics page. For those who want to get out and hear bands, in Providence the Zuma Band, Ductape and Burning the Canvas play rock at AS220, 115 Empire St. Call 831-9327. 10 p.m. $6. All ages. Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:55 PM | Comment Wake, funeral set for slain Cranston manThe family of James A. Pagano, the Cranston firefighter who police say was killed Sunday by a neighbor, will hold a wake Thursday from 4 to 8 p.m. at Nardolillo Funeral Home in Cranston, with a funeral service to follow Friday at 10 a.m. at St. Mark’s Catholic Church, which Pagano attended as a boy. A burial will follow the service at St. Ann’s Cemetery. “We’ll have our firefighters in dress uniform,” said Cranston Fire Chief James B. Gumbley. “We want to have a solemn and dignified remembrance.” Earlier today, the state medical examiners office ruled that Pagano died from a single gunshot wound to the torso with injury to the aorta, pancreas and liver. The police have charged Nicholas Gianquitti, 40, with murder. A District Court judge yesterday ordered him held without bail. -- With reports from Journal staff writer David Scharfenberg Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:51 PM | Comment Plea deal ends possible test case on medical marijuanaSOUTH KINGSTOWN -- An Exeter man who was allowed to possess marijuana under the state’s medical marijuana law has admitted to drug possession in the first criminal case that would have tested the law had it gone to trial. Steve Trimarco pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor counts of possessing marijuana with intent to deliver in a plea agreement reached Friday in Washington County Superior Court. Trimarco, 50, refused to surrender when the police arrived at his trailer at 480 South County Trail in 2006, but was taken into custody after three hours of negotiations, the police said. The next day, the police entered the trailer with a search warrant, seizing 71 marijuana plants, a homemade silencer and four guns, including a Chinese assault rifle. Trimarco at the time held a registration card from the state authorizing him to grow 12 marijuana plants and possess 2 ½ ounces of the drug under the law enacted in January 2006 over Governor Carcieri’s objections. Nineteen other charges, including contributing to the delinquency of a minor and possessing a silencer, were dismissed under the deal. The Senate approved legislation Friday that would create "compassion centers" where chronically ill patients enrolled in the state’s medical marijuana program could openly purchase the drug. That bill has been referred to the House Health, Education and Welfare Committee, but an identical House-generated bill has been stalled in committee, said House spokesman Larry Berman. -- Journal staff writer Katie Mulvaney Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:37 PM | Comment Update: Family, friends rally around Kennedy / Photo
By mid-afternoon, California Democrat Pelosi was among the congressional leaders rushing to express their affection and support for the longtime liberal stalwart. Kennedy’s closest friend in the Congress Sen. Christopher J. Dodd said Kennedy ``is a strong guy and he has great heart and we’re confident in getting him back.’’ Patrick Kennedy was at Massachusetts General Hospital this afternoon as the news broke of his father’s cancer diagnosis. He plans to remain with his father as family members deliberate with physicians over his treatment. ``He’s going to take it one day at a time,’’ said the Rhode Island congressman’s spokeswoman, Robin Costello. ``Obviously, he’s concerned. This is difficult news for any son to hear." But Patrick Kennedy remains hopeful, she said. ``His father has always been a fighter and the congressman knows that if anybody can beat this he can,’’ Costello said. Costello said the younger Kennedy has been commuting between Mass General and his home in Portsmouth since his father was stricken by a seizure Saturday morning at his home in Hyannisport. The congressman does not yet know exactly what course of treatment the senator will opt to undergo or what the timing will be, according to Costello. -- BY JOHN E. MULLIGAN 
Journal file photoFather and son greet each other in January 2002 at the Pawtucket Day Nursery in Pawtucket, where they were talking about their efforts to get money for daycare. Speaking of the Senate as a family, the majority leader, Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., told reporters shortly after 2 p.m., ``We as a family are tremendously concerned about Senator Kennedy. But Reid repeated the general view: ``Anyone who knows Ted Kennedy knows he’s a fighter’’ and expressed confidence that he would rise to the fight against his illness. Sen. John F. Kerry, D-Mass., said, ``Ted Kennedy and the Kennedy family have faced more adversity more times and in more instances with more courage and more grace than most families ever have to face.’’ Noting that Kennedy is famous for rushing to the side of friends and colleagues in need, Kerry said that it is now time for others to rally behind him. The diagnosis appeared to come as a surprise to many colleagues. After a Senate Banking Committee hearing this morning, Connecticut Democrat Dodd told reporters about what great spirits Kennedy seemed to be in during their conversations over the weekend. Dodd humorously recounted a phone call from Kennedy, mimicking his friends voice as he groused good-naturedly about the tests he was undergoing at Mass General. Dodd and Sen. Jack Reed, who has been in close touch with Patrick Kennedy, both spoke light heartedly – before the bad news broke – about how pleased the elder Kennedy had been about the Boston Celtics weekend victory in a key pro-basketball championship series, and about the no-hitter that Boston Red Sox pitcher Jon Lester threw last night. Read the latest from the Associated Press Doctor's statement on Kennedy's tumor Members of Rhode Island, Mass. delegation react Posted by Jack Perry at 5:43 PM | Comment Update: House approves paying toward health insurancePROVIDENCE -- The House today approved a bill requiring the part-time members of Rhode Island’s General Assembly to pay 10 percent of the cost of their state-provided health, dental and eye-care insurance. The vote was 66-2, with six not voting, this afternoon. The measure next goes to the Senate. Without the Senate’s consent, the proposal will not become law. But House Republicans, who are the minority in the Democrat-dominated House, were saying they thought the proposal will not go anywhere in the Democrat-dominated Senate. House Minority Whip Nicholas Gorham, R-Coventry, challenged colleagues to sign a form today to voluntarily pay the 10 percent regardless of what happens to the legislation. "You can vote green [yes] but you know as well as the rest of us that this is N.G.N. in the Senate. It's dead," said Gorham, who defined N.G.N. as "not going nowhere." Gorham added: "So it's either going to be a publicity stunt today or it's going to be the real thing." Voting no in the House were Rep. William San Bento, D-Pawtucket, and Rep. Timothy Williamson, D-West Warwick. Rhode Island lawmakers meet three days a week, six months a year. They get paid $13,508 a year. And right now, they are eligible to get all of these benefits for free at a cost to taxpayers of $5,831 a year for single coverage, $16,293 for a family, according to newly revised cost figures from the General Assembly. The proposal by Rep. Amy Rice, D-Portsmouth, would not only require they pay 10 percent of their premiums, it would also eliminate the $2,002 waiver payment currently given to lawmakers who forgo the free health-care even though they all still get free Delta Dental and eye-care insurance. Being required to pay 10 percent for the full package would cost each lawmaker $48.59 monthly for an individual plan, $135 monthly for the lawmaker and his or her family. The co-pays will not make a big dent in the $434 million potential deficit the state is facing in the year that begins July 1, and recent statements by Senate Majority Leader M. Teresa Paiva Weed, D-Newport, raised serious doubt the Senate will agree to go along. In a recent interview, she said, she believes “that it should be a voluntary decision. It certainly defeats whatever power of example that they are attempting to demonstrate by mandating it, rather than having it be voluntary.’’ -- Katherine Gregg of the Journal State House Bureau A 2007 nation survey by the United Benefit Advisors -- an alliance of 142 employee-benefit companies across the country -- indicates the 10 percent is well below-average, even by Rhode Island standards. While the full survey encompassed 16,485 health plans sponsored by 11,723 employers with 1.9 million employees between them, it included 170 Rhode Island companies with between 10 and 250 employees. Among the key findings: the average Rhode Island employee contributes 28.8 percent of the premium cost for individual coverage, which equates to $118 monthly, and 40.4 percent -- $397 monthly -- for a family plan. Looked at from that perspective, Joseph E. Cardello, one of the principals in the UBA affiliate in Rhode Island -- the Cornerstone Group in West Warwick -- said the lawmakers’ gesture is modest. “Believe me, they work very hard and hopefully, honorably at the State House,’’ he said. But, “to be honest with you, there not a lot of love for those elected officials,’’ he said, when their benefit costs are compared to “somebody who’s working 50 hours a week at a jewelry manufacturing facility …paying 30 percent of their health insurance, making $10 an hour…That’s a harsh reality. ‘’ As the vote neared, more and more legislators volunteered to pay 10 percent of the cost of their coverage. In the House, 26 of the 57 lawmakers receiving health insurance are already paying 10 percent of the cost voluntarily, 15 are slated to receive waiver payments in December, though four have pledged to return 10 percent of the payments and two announced they would forgo the waiver payments. (The 75-member House has been one short since former Rep. Roger Picard, D-Woonsocket ran for an open Senate seat and won.) In the Senate, 9 of the 32 senators with health coverage are paying 10 percent of the premiums, three are positioned to receive the waiver payments and three have announced they will forgo them. Posted by Andrea Panciera at 5:10 PM | Comment Reed plays key role in foreclosure relief compromise
U.S. Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I.
WASHINGTON -- With Rhode Island's Sen. Jack Reed providing a crucial piece of the compromise, a key Senate committee overwhelmingly sealed a deal today that could help hundreds of thousands of homeowners refinance their troubled mortgages. Unlike a House measure passed last week, the Senate plan is said to have the president's blessing. The Senate Banking Committee cleared the foreclosure prevention package on a vote of 19 to 2, sending the full Senate a loud bipartisan signal that, according to Connecticut Sen. Christopher J. Dodd, the committee's chairman, could spell enactment of broad mortgage relief -- along with a strong dose of banking reform and low-income rental housing aid -- by July 4. "Now we can respond to three pressing concerns: keeping people in their homes by preventing foreclosure, creating the housing program for the poor, and paying for both with a special new surcharge on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac," Reed said. Rhode Island's senior senator, a Democrat, is a committee member in the bipartisan talks that forged the compromise. Dodd, and Alabama Sen. Richard Shelby, the ranking Republican on the panel, credit Reed with a key role in fashioning the so-called "pay-for," a levy on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac that allays Republican concerns about what some have portrayed as a taxpayer bailout of ill-advised mortgages. Shelby said President Bush -- who has threatened to veto the mortgage relief package that passed the House last week -- will not veto an anti-foreclosure bill akin to what the Senate panel produced today. Bush said last week that the House bill would help "speculators and lenders," while risking taxpayer money. The Senate bill would raise an estimated $500 million -- less than one-fifth the projected cost of the House version of the bill -- by collecting just over half a penny on each dollar’s worth of mortgages issued through Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae. The Senate version of the foreclosure remedy would assist an estimated 500,000 families, according to Dodd. -- John Mulligan of the Journal Washington Bureau Your turn: Are there foreclosed homes on your street? How are they affecting you?
In the first year of its existence, 65 percent of the new fund would go to finance federally backed mortgage insurance that would rescue homeowners from foreclosure by allowing lenders to reduce the outstanding principal owed on troubled mortgages. The loans could then be rewritten as long-term, fixed-rate mortgages. Much of the foreclosure crisis is attributable to adjustable-rate mortgages that proved too expensive for homeowners when they were adjusted upward. The remainder of the fund, 35 percent, would be used to help expand the pool of housing that poor people can afford. The Department of Housing and Urban Development would administer the new program through state agencies such as Rhode Island Housing. In the second and third years of the program, the fraction of the fund devoted to the low-income housing aid would expand, while the fraction devoted to troubled mortgage relief would shrink. Congressional liberals, including Reed and the House Banking Committee Chairman Barney Frank, D-Mass., have long viewed fees on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac -- the huge, government-backed companies that largely finance the U.S. mortgage market -- as a potential source of revenue for expanding low-income housing assistance. Rhode Island’s foreclosure rates on sub-prime mortgages are among the highest in the nation. Foreclosure initiations almost tripled to more than 1,000 during the first quarter of the year, according to calculations by Rhode Island Housing. The state also faces an acute shortage of affordable housing for poor citizens. Reed, Dodd and Shelby all pointed to their compromise bill as a potential source of stability -- not only for the troubled housing market but for the economy at large. The purpose of the bill, according to Dodd, is to ``put a floor’’ beneath a market that has plummeted in recent months, with serious consequences for the nation’s growth as well as for hundreds of thousands of individual homeowners. Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:02 PM | Comment RIH doctor: Prognosis for Kennedy's type of tumor poorPROVIDENCE -- The prognosis is not good for patients with the type of malignant brain tumor diagnosed in U.S. Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, a Rhode Island Hospital neurosurgeon said today. “The prognosis is usually poor, with a life expectancy of one year or less,” said Dr. Curtis E. Doberstein, interim chief of neurosurgery at the hospital. Doberstein said he knows of cases with younger patients who have survived several years with similar brain tumors. Kennedy is 76. Doberstein said the hospital sees about 50 to 70 such tumors a year in Rhode Island, statistically more than one would suspect. He said Kennedy could be expected to leave the hospital soon and go home, if his treatment is confined to radiation and chemotherapy. The senator has been hospitalized in Boston since Saturday after suffering a seizure at his Cape Cod home. -- Journal staff writer Peter Lord Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:35 PM | Comment After long wait, governor nominates 3 to Elections BoardPROVIDENCE -- Following months -- if not years -- of delays, the governor today announced three new nominees to the state’s Board of Elections, filling vacancies that some had said could lead to a “political crisis” in this state if not addressed. The nominations are John Clarke of West Warwick, Martin E. Joyce, Jr., of Cumberland and Richard H. Pierce of Cranston. Their appointments are subject to Senate confirmation. Clarke is the owner and president of “The Insurance Store, Inc.,” according to his resume. He also serves as the parliamentarian for the Rhode Island Republican Party and is a former member of the West Warwick Canvassing Board. In 2006, Clarke ran unsuccessfully against Senate Finance Chairman Stephen D. Alves for his District 9 seat in West Warwick. His Board of Elections term would expire in 2013. Joyce is a former director of personnel for the city of Pawtucket and before that, personnel director in Central Falls. In recent years, he has served as an investigator on the state Labor Relations Board and as a consumer protection investigator with the Attorney General’s office, according to the governor’s spokesman. Joyce’s term would expire in 2017. Pierce, a lawyer with the Providence firm Hinckley, Allen & Snyder, is a former Cranston City Council member and a past Cranston School Committee member, governor's spokesman Jeff Neal said. Pierce has twice previously been nominated to the Board of Elections, but was never confirmed by the Senate, prompting the governor to withdraw his name on both occasions. Pierce’s term would expire in 2021. In a letter to Governor Carcieri last month, Common Cause Executive Director Christine Lopes said the organization was “gravely concerned that if appointments to fill three vacancies are not submitted immediately for Senate confirmation, a major political crisis faces Rhode Island." -- Cynthia Needham of the Journal State House Bureau Member Judith Bailey resigned in 2005; Roger Begin departed in 2006; and, Thomas V. Iannitti turned in his resignation in March, according to Executive Director Robert Kando. Until today, Governor Carcieri had not filled any of the three seats, despite a law that dictates that he must appoint replacements within 30 days. Last month, Kando said if a fourth member, Florence Gormley, resigns as expected this summer, the board would be unable to convene a four-member quorum that is necessary to oversee and administer elections and certify the results of primary and general elections. Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:24 PM | Comment Langevin, Whitehouse offer thoughts, prayers for KennedyU.S. Rep. James Langevin, a Rhode Island Democrat who serves in the House of Representatives with U.S. Rep. Patrick Kennedy, had this to say on the news that Kennedy's father, Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, of Massachusetts, has been diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor: “My thoughts and prayers are with Senator Edward Kennedy and his family, especially my friend and colleague, Congressman Patrick Kennedy. I know from personal experience that it is never easy to have a parent facing such a serious illness. I wish the Senator a speedy recovery.” U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, a Rhode Island Democrat, said "this is difficult and saddening news, but Senator Kennedy’s energy, strength, and force of will are legendary, and we are hopeful. "Sandra’s and my thoughts and prayers remain with Senator Kennedy, Congressman Kennedy, and their family as they face this new challenge.” U.S. Rep. Barney Frank, another longtime Democrat in the Massachusetts delegation, said news of Kennedy's health "is disappointing to most Americans, and it is particularly sad news for those of us who've had the privelege of working under his leadership for Massachusetts, and for the goals he has championed." Frank added he hopes the "great fighting spirit" that has helped Kennedy "win so many tough battles will continue to serve him well." Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 3:40 PM | Comment Carcieri taps Kempe to replace Neal as press secretaryPROVIDENCE -- Amy Kempe, who has recently served as a spokeswoman for Newport Grand, will replace the governor's press secretary, Jeff Neal, the governor's office announced today. Kempe, 36, is a vice president/team leader at public relations firm Regan Communications Group with clients such as Newport Grand, Dunkin’ Donuts and the Rhode Island Hospitality and Tourism Association. From 1997 to 2000, Kempe, of Newport, was public relations supervisor for lottery giant GTECH. She is due to start her new job July 1. Neal announced in March that he would be leaving his post after more than five years on the job. He was one of the only members left of Governor Carcieri's inner circle. Kempe also has a role in organizing and publicizing today's rally at the State House by the organization the Rhode Island Disability Vote Project aimed, in part, at drawing attention to a bill up for a hearing today that would require ramps and other accomodations to ensure polling stations are accessible to disabled people. "Amy boasts over ten years of public relations experience in Rhode Island and already has strong connections with a number of reporters in the state and region," Carcieri said in the statement. "With that experience in mind, I believe Amy will do a terrific job of working with the local media to convey my views and public policy positions to the people of Rhode Island.” The governor's office said Kempe has a master of arts in modern European history from the University of Rhode Island and a bachelor's in political science from the University at Albany – State University of New York. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Katherine Gregg, Journal State House Bureau Posted by Mike McKinney at 3:37 PM | Comment CVS trial: Celona tells of becoming point man for CVS
Celona, a corrupt ex-senator from North Providence serving a federal prison sentence, said he followed directions from CVS executives to submit or kill bills at the State House. At the time, Celona was earning $1,000 a month as a paid consultant for CVS. Celona had also been appointed to the Rhode Island Student Loan Authority and he promoted an effort to allow University of Rhode Island pharmacy students to get a break on their student loans. The proposal would address a shortage of pharmacists in the state, New England and nationwide, and would also be beneficial to CVS. Celona also testified that he attended an event at the Narragansett home of Tom Ryan, who is CVS's chief executive officer and a URI pharmacy graduate. At the event, Celona said that Ryan spoke to his guests and thanked him for pushing the loan reduction plan for pharmacy students. Celona's consulting arrangement with CVS came to an end in August 2003 on a golf course in Norton, Mass. He was sharing a golf cart with John R. "Jack" Kramer, a then-CVS executive who is the other defendant on trial, and, Celona said, Kramer told him a flap at the time involving House Majority Leader Gordon Fox and his legal work for GTECH had caused CVS great concerns. Still, Celona said, Kramer arranged and paid for him to attend a lavish American Airlines golf tournament in Newport Beach, Calif., the following month. Celona admitted today -- after this all became public and he resigned from the Senate in March 2004 -- that he had lied to the news media and to federal investigators. At 10:30 a.m. today, prosecutor Stephen G. Dambruch finished his questioning of Celona. He was followed by Scott Corrigan, one of Kramer's lawyers, who began questioning Celona about his grand jury testimony involving his consulting agreement with CVS. Corrigan spent the final two hours of the day trying to trip up Celona on discrepancies he had from yesterday’s testimony and past grand jury testimony. He also spent more than an hour reviewing Senate Corporations Committee votes on pharmacy choice legislation. In 1998 and 1999, Celona was a leading proponent of the legislation that CVS opposed. After Celona became a company consultant, he was absent on days that the committee voted on the legislation. Corrigan continues his cross examination of Celona at 9 a.m. tomorrow. Read Journal coverage of yesterday's testimony. Click below for a look at exhibits submitted in court today: -- Journal staff writer W. Zachary Malinowski Exhibit F19: Read John Celona’s memo swearing loyalty to new Senate leader Bill Irons and taking credit for helping Irons oust Paul Kelly. Exhibits 16, 352, 17, 353 and 328: Read e-mails and meeting minutes documenting Celona’s efforts to promote a loan forgiveness program for pharmacy students on CVS’s behalf. Exhibit 358: Read a fax from Jack Kramer to John Celona with "talking points" for opposing a Canadian drug-imports bill. Exhibit 109: Read a job description that Celona testified was drafted by Carlos Ortiz and Todd Andrews at CVS a year after his consulting job began. Posted by Mike McKinney at 2:50 PM | Comment Update: Doctor's statement on Sen. Kennedy's tumorBOSTON -- U.S. Sen. Edward Kennedy has a brain tumor. Doctors for the Massachusetts Democrat said tests conducted after Kennedy suffered a seizure this weekend show a tumor in his left parietal-lobe. The usual course of treatment includes combinations of radiation and chemotherapy, but Kennedy’s treatment will be decided after more tests. The 76-year-old senator, who is the father of U.S. Rep. Patrick Kennedy, D-R.I., has been hospitalized in Boston since Saturday, when he was airlifted from Cape Cod after a seizure at his home. His wife and children have been with him each day but have made no public statements. His doctors said in a statement released to The Associated Press that he has had no further seizures, is in good spirits and resting comfortably. Here's a statement released by Dr. Lee Schwamm, Vice Chairman, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Dr. Larry Ronan, Primary Care Physician, Massachusetts General Hospital: "Over the course of the last several days, we've done a series of tests on Senator Kennedy to determine the cause of his seizure. He has had no further seizures, remains in good overall condition, and is up and walking around the hospital. Some of the tests we had performed were inconclusive, particularly in light of the fact that the Senator had severe narrowing of the left carotid artery and underwent surgery just 6 months ago. "However, preliminary results from a biopsy of the brain identified the cause of the seizure as a malignant glioma in the left parietal lobe. The usual course of treatment includes combinations of various forms of radiation and chemotherapy. Decisions regarding the best course of treatment for Senator Kennedy will be determined after further testing and analysis. Senator Kennedy will remain at Massachusetts General Hospital for the next couple of days according to routine protocol. He remains in good spirits and full of energy." Last October, the senator, who has served since 1962 and has never lost an election in his home state, had surgery to clear a blockage in a neck artery that is a major supplier of blood to the brain. The procedure was intended to prevent a stroke. At the time, doctors said Kennedy had a major blockage in his carotid artery. -- With reports from the Associated Press, Journal archives and projo.com Posted by Mike McKinney at 2:19 PM | Comment Alert: ME says gunshot wound killed Cranston firefighterJames Pagano, the 44-year-old Cranston firefighter who police say was killed by a neighbor Sunday, died from one gunshot wound to the torso with injury to the aorta, pancreas and liver, the Office of Medical Examiners said today. Pagano and his wife hosted a birthday party Sunday for their young son. Children were playing in the street and, neighbors said, Nicholas Gianquitti, 40, came out yelling and swearing at them when a ball struck his car, the Journal reported. Pagano, 44, a Cranston firefighter for 15 years who had been officially promoted to lieutenant just last week, rushed over to confront Gianquitti. Punches ensued. Witnesses reported hearing several shots and seeing Pagano, lying in the street, mortally wounded. Many neighbors and relatives began calling 911 that afternoon. Pagano died at Rhode Island Hospital Sunday. Read the Journal's full coverage of what happened Sunday. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with Journal reports Posted by Mike McKinney at 1:35 PM | Comment Local fund set up for Chinese earthquake reliefA relief fund has been set up in Rhode Island to help victims of the earthquake in China that has left at least 40,000 people dead and 5 million people homeless. A group of various Chinese and Chinese-American organizations has started the China Earthquake Relief Committee of Rhode Island. So far, the group has raised nearly $20,000. Participants include The New England Chinese Nurses Association, the Confucius Institute at the University of Rhode Island, the R.I. Association of Chinese Americans and various Chinese student associations at colleges and universities around the state. In addition, the group has begun putting collection boxes in restaurants around the state and holding cooking classes and dinner events, according to Sunny Ng, one of the committee's organizers. Tor more information on the committee, visit the China Earthquake Relief Committee of Rhode Island Web site. Donations can be mailed to China Earthquake Relief Committee of Rhode Island, 48 Blackstone Ave., Pawtucket, R.I. 02860. Checks can be dropped off at any Rhode Island branch of Sovereign Bank or at the Blackstone Valley Visitor Center, 175 Main St., Pawtucket, R.I. 02860. Make checks payable to China Earthquake Relief Fund. Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 12:38 PM | Comment Mobster Marrapese gets out of prison tomorrowJailed mobster Frank L. "Bobo" Marrapese Jr., imprisoned more than two decades for murder, will be released from the Adult Correctional Institutions in Cranston to a home confinement program with an electronic bracelet after 1 p.m. tomorrow, according to Tracey Poole, Department of Corrections spokeswoman. He has employment, a requirement of the program, but corrections would not disclose what or where. Marrapese, 65, had been scheduled for release last month but because of media attention, his then-expected place of work had second thoughts about employing him, Poole said previously. Marrapese will leave the Pinel Building at the ACI. Read a special report on the state of the Rhode Island mob. -- With reports from Journal staff writer W. Zachary Malinowski Posted by Mike McKinney at 11:58 AM | Comment CVS trial: CVS defendants arrive for another day / Photos
PROVIDENCE -- Former CVS executives John Kramer, above, and Carlos Ortiz, below, arrive with their wives today as their trial continues in U.S. District Court on corruption charges as part of the government's Operation Dollar Bill investigation.
Posted by Andrea Panciera at 11:20 AM | Comment Cleanup to begin this afternoon on boat that ran agroundA Coast Guard cutter is en route to Point Judith where a 63-foot fishing boat ran aground yesterday. Willow, the Coast Guard boat, will join crews that are already at the scene this morning to oversee the cleanup of some 3,000 gallons of diesel fuel that is believed to be on board the fishing boat Blue Sea. The fuel will be removed by Clean Harbors Environmental Service, according to Petty Officer Lauren Jorgensen at the Coast Guard. The private company is waiting for low tide –– about 2:15 this afternoon –– before it gets to work, stretching a hose 300 feet from a vacuum tanker truck to the boat. The Blue Sea’s fuel tanks are made of steel and have separated from the hull. Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 10:52 AM | Comment Lawmakers to vote on paying toward health insurancePROVIDENCE -- Rhode Island lawmakers making deep budget cuts that affect other people will soon consider one that hits their own wallets. House lawmakers are scheduled to vote today on a bill that would require members of the General Assembly to pay 10 percent of the cost of their state-funded health insurance. Right now, they get it for free. Those health care plans cost the state $5,810 for an individual lawmaker and $16,233 for a family. The proposal would also eliminate a $2,000 payment given to lawmakers who forgo the free health care. The bill is mostly a symbolic step, considering the state faces a $434 million shortfall for the fiscal year starting in July. -- The Associated Press Your turn: Should state legislators pay part of their health care costs? H8262a: Read the full text of the bill Posted by Jack Perry at 10:00 AM | Comment Public records bill headed for vote todayPROVIDENCE — A plan to strengthen the state’s Open Records Law by allowing slightly faster access to police reports and public records is headed for a key vote in a Senate committee this afternoon. Amended several times in recent weeks and finalized late yesterday, the proposed law would require state agencies to answer records requests from the public and the media within 7 business days as opposed to the current 10 days. Police departments would be obligated to turn over the accused’s name and arrest charge within 24 hours, though they would have seven days to release the details of the alleged crime as provided in the narrative sections of the arrest report. -- Journal staff writer Cynthia Needham “Right now it’s [up to] 10 days for compliance with requests, so any reduction in time is an important step forward,” said Steven Brown, executive director of the Rhode Island Affiliate of the American Civil Liberties Union. While pushing for expeditious release of all public records, the ACLU and the freedom of information group Access/RI say it’s the arrest records that have caused the greatest friction between open records advocates and state and local government. “Access to police reports has been the single most consistent problem throughout the years with Open Records Law compliance,” Brown said. When a serious crime or police event occurs, journalists and public watchdogs tend to push for official information, while police departments and the state’s attorney general often argue that releasing details could hurt the investigation. Scott Pickering, managing editor of East Bay Newspapers and president of the Rhode Island Press Association, agrees that while the bill may not offer a perfect solution, it creates a much-needed sense of uniformity and consistency in how records are released. The problem now, Pickering says, is that each police department has a different policy for doling out arrest records and what constitutes a complete report. “In an electronic age when so many records [are] available with a few clicks on a computer, to have to wait 10 days” for basic records from one’s community government or police department doesn’t make sense, he said. The bill also calls for state agencies to train employees who would be authorized to grant or deny open records requests so as to avoid time-consuming confusion about what is public and what is not. And it would increase fines for those who knowingly ignore the law. A spokesman for the attorney general’s office said last night that he was surprised to learn the amendment had been finalized –– that office believed the particulars of the language were still being hammered out. The Department of Administration, meanwhile, has sent a letter to the legislature saying it will undoubtedly be difficult for state agencies to comply with large records requests in a week’s time (the bill allows an extension to 20 days for complicated requests). The Senate Judiciary Committee is expected to vote on the amended bill late this afternoon. A similar bill in the House has been postponed while Senate sponsor J. Michael Lenihan, D-East Greenwich, and the stakeholders worked out the amendment on the Senate side. Posted by Jack Perry at 9:53 AM | Comment Providence contest honors sustainable building designThe winners of Providence's first Sustainable Housing Design Competition proposed housing projects that were not only sustainable and efficient, but affordable as well. Christine West of Providence-based Kite Architects and Robert Swinburne, from Brattleboro, Vt., were the winners of the contest which challenged participants to be efficient, to conserve and to use renewable energy in their designs. "These winning designs are an excellent example of 21st century housing that is energy efficient, affordable and good for our environment," Mayor David Cicilline said in a statement this morning. The awards were presented at the city's Celebration of Housing breakfast. More than a dozen designs were submitted to blind judging, according to the statement. Judges focused on design and community context, LEED certification and technology standards, replicable design and realistic budget and materials.
Cicilline also awarded the executive director of the West Elmwood Housing Development Corporation, Sharon Conard Wells, with the Top Producer Housing Award. Cynthia Langlykke, executive director of the Greater Elmwood Neighborhood Services, was given the Mayor's Partnership Award for the group's merger with the Elmwood Foundation. Cicilline also went over some of the programs that the city was initiating as a response to the growing number of houses going into foreclosure, such as penalties for abandoning properties and $1 million from the Housing Trust Funds to be made available for repairing foreclosed homes. Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 9:51 AM | Comment CVS trial: Celona to return to standPROVIDENCE -- The CVS corruption trial resumes today for a seventh day of testimony. The lone witness is expected to be former state Sen. John Celona of North Providence. Celona, who is serving 2-1/2 years in federal prison for selling his office to CVS as well as Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island and Roger Williams Medical Center, is cooperating with the government and is the prosecution’s star witness at this trial. He will likely be on the stand for several days, depending on how long lawyers for the two defendants, former CVS executive John Kramer and Carlos Ortiz, take to cross-examine him. Read about yesterday's testimony. Posted by Andrea Panciera at 7:02 AM | Comment Rain may be coming, but not for a whileDon't be fooled, there is a chance of rain today, but the first drops probably won't fall until early this evening. We're starting out partly sunny, but the National Weather Service is forecasting increasing clouds and south winds between 8 and 13 mph. The temperature should reach about 61 degrees. The rain should fall until about 9 tonight, with clouds, a mild north wind and a low temperature near 44 degrees. Tomorrow evening may bring more showers. Until then, expect cloudy skies with a high temperature near 64 degrees and west winds between 7 and 14 mph. To keep an eye on the rain, see projo.com's weather page. Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 7:01 AM | Comment Today's front pageToday's front page features stories and photographs of the fatal shooting in a Cranston neighborhood that left a Cranston firefighter dead and his next-door neighbor, a former police officer, under arrest. There's also coverage of former state Sen. John Celona's testimony during the trial of two former CVS executives in U.S. District Court, Providence. Download a copy of today's front page in .pdf format. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:00 AM | Comment May 19, 2008Tonight: Red Sox in Boston, bands in ProvidenceThe Boston Celtics are taking a break, after winning the Eastern Conference semi-finals last night in seven games against the Cavaliers. But there's another Boston team on deck tonight. The Red Sox, leading the American League East by one game over Tampa Bay, take on Kansas City at 7:05. Jon Lester pitches for Boston. Check out projo.com's Sox Blog for the latest by Journal sportswriters on the game. For those whose plans don't include baseball fandom, there are live tunes in Providence. At AS220 in Providence, Cowgirl, Sleep Bellum Sonno, Stay in the States, and Chinabadge play rock, blues and country. Head over to 115 Empire St. Call 831-9327. 9 p.m. $6. All ages. Posted by Mike McKinney at 7:05 PM | Comment Photo: How much they'll cut for Locks of Love
Posted by Andrea Panciera at 6:56 PM | Comment RIPTA raises its fares as it faces sea of red inkPROVIDENCE -- The Rhode Island Public Transit Authority board raised its fares today, but before the decision was made, the agency had already suffered financial setbacks that far exceed the added revenue the fare hike will produce. The increases, effective July 1, will raise the fare for a single ride 16 percent, from $1.50 to $1.75, and the price of a monthly pass 22 percent, from $45 to $55. RIPTA officials need to generate $662,000 in extra revenue, but say the increases will probably drive away 5 percent of its riders who can’t afford to pay. The fare increase generated no outcry from riders, but it has been sharply criticized by transit advocates as exactly the wrong move when fuel costs are rising and riders are flocking to the bus system. "We can’t grow the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority with fare increases," Chris Wilhite of the Rhode Island chapter of the Sierra Club told the board today. Meanwhile, the financial significance of the fare hike seemed to wash away in a tide of red ink. What RIPTA officials had said looked like a balanced, $89.5 million budget in March has since turned into $5.3 million in budget deficits projected for this fiscal year and next, they said today. After the meeting, Chairman Robert Batting said he has no immediate idea how the agency will close that huge gap. -- Journal staff writer Bruce Landis Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:51 PM | Comment Curbs on sex offenders before Somerset voters tonightSOMERSET, Mass. -- Level 2 and 3 sex offenders will be prohibited from doing everything from sunning on the town beach to voting at a future town meeting if a controversial proposal is approved at tonight's Annual Town Meeting at the high school. The proposal bans offenders, who already have to be registered with police, from setting foot on any public park, school, playground or library. It would also restrict the time they could spend in other town offices to 15 minutes, which would affect their ability to attend meetings of the Board of Selectmen and other bodies. Selectman Lorne Lawless is pushing the proposal, saying it is needed to protect children and has passed constitutional muster in other cities and towns. But the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts says it opposes such laws because they impose additional punishment after someone has complete their sentence and such measure "may actually increase the likelihood of sex offenses." Voters will also decide whether to buy Taser guns for all police officers. -- Journal staff writer C. Eugene Emery Jr. Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:06 PM | Comment A conversation with actor Robert Redford at BrownPROVIDENCE -- Sure, actor, director and conservationist Robert Redford will be in town to pick up an honorary Brown University degree this weekend. But he'll also hold a conversation that's open to the public on the university's Lincoln Field. A 30-minute conversation with Redford, who starred in such films as All The President's Men , is slated for 12:30 p.m. Saturday at the Lincoln field tent. The conversation is scheduled on a day of forums -- free and open to the public on a space-available basis -- given by various people on topics. "Every great actor is called upon to play many parts, to reimagine himself again and again, and to communicate in every role new possibilities and an openness to the unknown," says a university description of the talk titled "A Tempered Radical: A Conversation with Robert Redford." "Robert Redford has applied this principle of reinvention and creative dialogue across political divides and artistic disciplines. Actor, director, producer, and environmental activist, Redford will talk about his recent projects and plans for the future, the art of politics, and the politics of art." -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Ellen Rooney, a Brown professor of modern culture and media, will moderate the discussion. Redford is one of seven people getting honorary degrees at the university’s 240th commencement on Sunday. Redford previously received another Rhode Island-based honor -- a 2002 Pell Award for excellence in the arts. Award-winning author Dave Eggers will deliver Saturday's baccalaureate address to graduating seniors, speaking at 3 p.m. in the First Baptist Church in America. Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:44 PM | Comment Grass-cutting robot gone AWOL in Barrington?BARRINGTON -- Jason Partridge’s grass-cutting robot is no mower. Partridge, of Columbus Avenue, reported to police Friday that he returned home from work to find that his $2,500 robotic lawn mower was gone, missing from its recharging station, where it rests between cuttings. It is not known whether the robot wandered off or was clipped. Partridge told officers that the device is designed to sense when the grass is long, turn itself on and start mulching. It is constrained by a wire along the perimeter of his yard that tells the robot when it’s at the property line. When the cutting is done, it returns itself to the charging station. Police checked neighboring lawns in search of a rambling robot, but turned up nothing. -- Journal staff writer C. Eugene Emery Jr. Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:44 PM | Comment New N. Kingstown 'party patrol' uncovers 2 gatheringsNORTH KINGSTOWN -- A new police "party patrol" uncovered two drinking parties attended by dozens of under-age teens this past weekend, police said today. One of the gatherings led to the arrest of a 26-year-old North Kingstown woman under the state's "social host" law in connection with drinking they say happened at her Chaucer Drive residence on Saturday. Christine Whiteley of 182 Chaucer Drive is the only one charged, according to police. Whitely was issued a District Court summons. Some 30 young people, mostly 17 and 18 and primarily from North Kingstown, with some from Jamestown, were at Chaucer Drive where a beer keg, a tap and numerous cans full of beer were seized, the police said. Adults were also there, and "some of the juveniles and adults were intoxicated," a police news release said. There were "indications that some present were smoking marijuana," the police added, although none was seized. The police broke up the gathering about 11:30 p.m. Also Saturday night, the police said another drinking party -- at which about 30 juveniles were present -- happened at 730 North Quidnessett Road. The party patrol discovered it about 9:30 p.m., police said. No adults were present. Beer was seized, and "it was evident that drinking games had been played with numerous empty cups, beer cans and ping pong balls present." The police set up the party patrol about two weeks ago using a $15,000 grant from the Working Together for Wellness Task Force. Two officers in a car carry out 8 p.m. to midnight patrols. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Journal staff writer Maria Armental Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:36 PM | Comment CVS trial: Celona: I 'took a walk' on pharmacy choice
PROVIDENCE -- John Celona testified today that he "took a walk’’ on pharmacy choice legislation within weeks of becoming a CVS consultant, and that he concealed his financial ties to the drugstore chain "because I wanted to give myself some cover.’’ The former North Providence senator was explaining why he skipped a committee vote on pharmacy choice legislation in 2000 after actively supporting it the previous two years. CVS opposed the legislation. And once Celona became a $1,000-a-month consultant in February 2000, he stopped supporting it. "I didn’t want to publicly change my position because I had been so adamant against it,’’ Celona told jurors as he continued his testimony today in the federal corruption trial of two former CVS executives. This morning, Celona began by testifying about his plea agreement with prosecutors in 2005 to admit to corruption charges and cooperate with the investigation. In return, he received a 12-month sentence reduction. Contrary to expectations that he would appear in his prison garb, Celona strode into the courtroom in a black suit and red pattern tie. His head was shaved, his trademark dark toupee absent. He looked about 30 pounds lighter than at his last public appreance, when he was sentenced Jan. 31, 2007, to 2 1/2 years in federal prison for selling his office to CVS, Blue Cross and Roger Williams Medical Center. In his words, Celona said this morning, his crime was "getting paid in exchange for votes." His obligation to the government now, he testified, is to provide "total cooperation and truthfulness." Later today, Celona testified that he was asked to "take a walk’’ by then-Sen. William V. Irons, the chairman of the committee. Irons, an insurance broker, had his own financial ties to Woonsocket-based CVS, collecting commissions on health insurance for CVS employees in Rhode Island. Irons is also good friends with CVS CEO Tom Ryan. Those matters remain under investigation by federal authorities as part of Operation Dollar Bill, the wide-ranging State House corruption probe. The prosecution did not follow up on Celona’s recollection of his conversation with Irons. Celona also testified that he never did anything he was supposed to do under his consulting agreement with CVS, such as educating senior citizens about health care issues. And after his first year, he testified, co-defendants John Kramer and Carlos Ortiz agreed to extend his consulting job, which was initially for one year –– at the same time that Celona became chairman of the powerful Senate Corporations Committee, which oversaw legislation of interest to CVS. -- Journal staff writer Mike Stanton Around the same time that CVS extended his consulting agreement, Celona testified, he also had discussions with Ortiz and CVS’s then-public relations person, Todd Andrews, about his job description. "Now that I was chairman of the committee, I needed to have a title in case anything came up,’’ said Celona. Asst. U.S. Atty. Stephen G. Dambruch produced an e-mail exchange between Ortiz and Celona in January 2001. "If anyone asks what you do for CVS,’’ wrote Ortiz, "you should identify yourself as a Community Service Consultant. How does that sound to you?’’ The defense argues that CVS hired Celona not for any political favors but for help promoting the drugstore chain’s charitable endeavors, including the CVS Charity Golf Classic, on his cable-access television show. But Celona testified that that was never discussed when he was hired, and Dambruch pointed to his consulting agreement, which made no mention of that. Instead, Celona testified, he took the initiative to have Kramer on his show twice in 2000 to talk about the CVS golf tournament and also its Downtown 5K road race in Providence. Celona said that he did so to justify the $1,000 a month he was being paid –– "because I wasn’t doing anything else.’’ Celona testified that Kramer first broached the possibility of the senator working for CVS at a political fundraiser for Sen. Michael McCaffrey, D-Warwick, at a Knights of Columbus in Warwick, in the spring of 2000. "`We sat down and started talking,’’ said Celona. "We discussed CVS and how I was active in the community with seniors and that CVS could use another consultant,’’ testified Celona. That led to a meeting at CVS headquarters on July 8, 2000, with Kramer and Ortiz, during which the two CVS executives talked about him becoming a consultant. Ortiz mentioned Celona’s work among senior citizens and said "that I could be an asset to CVS,’’ testified Celona. Celona followed up with a written proposal, which he said Kramer requested, and that led to another meeting at CVS headquarters on Jan. 7, 2001, at which Kramer said, "We’d like to have you on board,’’ according to Celona’s testimony. Celona said that Ortiz asked him whether he had received an opinion from the Rhode Island Ethics Commission regarding the propriety of the senator working for CVS. As a result, Celona said that he contacted someone at the commission –– he didn’t remember who –– and received a verbal okay. But he added that he didn’t identify CVS as his prospective employer. "I didn’t want to publicize my change in position (on pharmacy choice) so quickly from being an adamant opponent to supporting it overnight,’’ said Celona. ``I thought it would hurt my credibility. The public might feel that it was because I was being paid.’’ Celona also testified about a luncheon he attended at CVS with about eight other senators in March 2000, shortly after becoming a CVS consultant. The government introduced the senator’s calendar to show the noontime meeting. The Senate normally meets later in the afternoon, but not on Mondays. Instead, Celona had another appointment written in after the CVS lunch –– a stress test. The trial has wrapped up for the day. Celona, considered the prosecution's star witness, will return to the stand tomorrow and is likely to continuing testifying for several days. -- Journal staff writer Mike Stanton Posted by Andrea Panciera at 2:31 PM | Comment Shooting victim: Firefighter, mayoral aide, Sox fanCRANSTON -- Former mayor Michael A. Traficante said he couldn't believe it when he heard it. James A. Pagano -- a man who had been an aide to Traficante for a few years, who came from a large Cranston family and left a wife and two children -- was shot dead yesterday, according to police, in a neighborhood where roads bear names like Daisy Court and Lily Court. "This hits hard," Traficante said today. Traficante, now the Cranston School Committee chairman, said Pagano was "a very bright young man, a guy who was very enthusiastic about getting the job done, very dependable." Paul Valletta Jr., the local firefighters union president, said of Pagano: "We're a family here, and all families have their spats sometimes. But he never got in a spat with anyone." Firefighters with whom Pagano worked at Station 3 on Cranston Street said he was a well-liked, happy-go-lucky guy, a big Red Sox fan who would watch games at the fire house. And Pagano made his opinions known during games when something happened on the field -- Valletta recalled humorously that sometimes he thought the Sox could hear Pagano through the television set. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Journal staff writer David Scharfenberg Posted by Mike McKinney at 1:14 PM | Comment In Cranston, on Daisy Court, yellow crime scene tape
A police officer walked slowly, pointing a camera along the curb's edge this morning. Another raked debris away from the curb. And dirt appeared to have been overturned in the yard. On this short cul de sac with the tranquil name Daisy Lane, a ribbon of yellow tape today cordoned off a neighborhood. Yesterday, the police arrested former Providence police officer Nicholas Gianquitti, 40, of 16 Daisy Court in the shooting death of his neighbor, James A. Pagano, a Cranston firefighter who resided at 10 Daisy Court. Earlier today, Gianquitti, a graduate of Cranston High School West, was ordered held without bail following his arraignment on a murder charge. He was arraigned this morning in Kent County District Court, Warwick. Cranston Fire Chief James Gumbley said Lt. Pagano, a city firefighter since 1991, was a well-liked and well-respected member of the department, according to the Associated Press. An autopsy on Pagano is scheduled for 2 p.m. The police say the shooting took place at Gianquitti's house. They would not discuss the shooting's circumstances, but neighbors said Pagano had been hosting a party at his own 10 Daisy Court house. Neighbors said it was a birthday party for one of his own children, according to the Associated Press. Paul Gebhart, a neighbor, yesterday said he was stunned by the shooting. “Quiet little neighborhood,” he said. “Not so quiet anymore.” -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Journal staff writer Tom Mooney and David Scharfenberg. Posted by Mike McKinney at 11:59 AM | Comment Update: 3 pulled from fishing boat off Pt. Judith / Photo
“I was coming back from a security round of the station when I just happened to see the Blue Sea really close to the station,” said Petty Officer 3rd Class Travis Gagnon, a watch stander at Station Point Judith. “I walked over to the waterline, and I could hear the boat hitting the rocks, so I went inside and hailed the vessel on the radio. They came back and said they were aground and taking on water.” Shallow water prevented the 27-foot Coast Guard boat from coming alongside. The Blue Sea’s crew, Michael Fallon, 47, Trevor Knight, 26, and a 17-year-old boy, were instructed to board their lifeboat, which was pulled to the Coast Guard boat. They were taken to Station Point Judith. No injuries were reported. -- Journal staff writer Donita Naylor, with Associated Press reports A slight sheen was seen around the boat by a Coast Guard Falcon jet that flew out of Cape Cod. A petty officer on scene reported the pollution was a small amount and non-recoverable. Coast Guard officials say the owner of the Blue Sea is working with authorities to salvage the vessel. The Blue Sea is registered to Barbara Joan Fisheries Inc. The Blue Sea is the second boat to hit the rocks off Narragansett within a week. On Friday, a 48-foot Newfoundland schooner sailing out of Wickford lost its rudder just after 11 a.m. and broke up on the rocks behind 290 Ocean Road, north of Black Point. Salvage diver Bob Cherenzia, 51, reported that by 7:45 p.m. Friday, the Truant was unrecognizable as a boat and by 9 p.m. it was gone. The Truant, a 1940s-era wooden schooner that languished unsold in Wickford for months, was being moved by its new owner, Peter Maack, 54, who wanted to restore it. When the rudder broke, the waves pushed the vessel up against the rocks. A rising tide and storm kept away boats that could have, in calmer waters, towed it off the rocks. Posted by Mike McKinney at 11:57 AM | Comment Update: Coventry man, killed in car crash, ID'dA Coventry man driving to work was killed yesterday morning when his car crashed off Route 95 in East Greenwich, the state police said today. James Madigan, 22, was on his way to his job at a fast-food restaurant in North Kingstown when his Hyundai drove off the highway just north of Exit 7 in East Greenwich, said state police Capt. James Swanberg. The car drove down the embankment and into some trees, where it rolled over, Swanberg said. Madigan was not wearing a seat belt, and he was partially thrown from the car, Swanberg said. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Accident reconstruction investigators from the state police are still determining the cause of the crash. -- Journal staff writer Amanda Milkovits Posted by Mike McKinney at 11:53 AM | Comment Sen. Kennedy undergoing more evaluation at hospitalBOSTON -- U.S. Sen. Edward Kennedy is undergoing further evaluation at a Boston hospital, two days after the 76-year-old Democrat suffered a seizure. Kennedy's spokeswoman Stephanie Cutter says it is unclear when doctors will release information on Kennedy's condition or on the cause of his seizure Saturday. Cutter said today the senator had a restful night at Massachusetts General Hospital. He spent Sunday watching sports and movies and visiting with family. One of his sons is U.S. Rep. Patrick Kennedy, a Rhode Island Democrat. President Bush had been notified of Kennedy's health just before he went to a Saturday night dinner meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Cutter says Bush called Kennedy's wife, Vicki, today to check on the senator's progress and asked her to take care of his friend. -- Associated Press Posted by Andrea Panciera at 11:51 AM | Comment Simulator drives home importance of seat beltsDrivers who have never seen the aftermath of a rollover crash may not understand the difference a seat belt can make. This morning, students at Hope High School in Providence saw, first-hand the value of a seat belt, courtesy of a demonstration of the state’s new rollover simulator. Today’s event kicked off the two-week “Click it or Ticket” campaign, sponsored by law enforcement to encourage the use of seat belts to prevent injury and death on the roads. As part of the demonstration, about 40 students watched what happened to four crash-test dummies, representing a family, in a rollover crash. None were belted into the vehicle. The two children in the back seat were ejected. -- With reports from Journal staff writer Gregory Smith The rollover simulator, purchased with $25,000 from the federal government, will be used in schools and brought to public gatherings to help the police drive home the point of the importance of seat belts. Col. Brendan Doherty, superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police, said in the "Click it or Ticket" campaign, there will be 'zero tolerance' for mototrists who do not buckle up." In Rhode Island, failure to wear a seat belt is a secondary offense for people over 18 years of age. That means a police officer cannot pull over an adult driver for not wearing a seat belt, but can cite an adult driver who's stopped for another offense such as speeding or running a stop sign. A police officer can pull over a car if the officer spots somebody under the age of 18 who isn't wearing a seatbelt. Today's demonstration was presented by the state Department of Transportation, the Rhode Island State Police and local law officials. Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 11:39 AM | Comment DMV clerk indicted on fraud, ID theft, conspiracy chargesA federal grand jury has indicted former registry clerk Dolores Rodriguez-LaFlamme on charges of conspiracy, fraudulently producing drivers' licenses and identity theft. The 12-count indictment, jointly announced in a news release today by U.S. Attorney Robert Clark Corrente and Rhode Island State Police Superintendent, Col. Brendan P. Doherty, was returned by the grand jury May 14 and charges LaFlamme with producing fraudulent licenses that were sold to individuals ineligible to legally obtain them. LaFlamme, 40, who worked in the Pawtucket office of the Rhode Island Division of Motor Vehicles, pleaded not guilty to the charges on May 15 before Magistrate Judge David L. Martin, who ordered her detained. According to the indictment, other participants in the conspiracy met with prospective license applicants, who paid them between $700 and $2,500 for Rhode Island drivers’ licenses. Also according to the indictment, LaFlamme was, in turn, paid, and then she and another unindicted coconspirator produced the fraudulent licenses, the news release states. The indictment charges one count of conspiracy, six counts of fraudulently producing identification documents affecting interstate commerce, and five counts of fraudulently using another person’s identity. The maximum penalites for these charges are: 15 years imprisionment and a $250,000 fine for conspiracy and fraudulently producing identity documents; and two years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine for fraudulent use of identity, according to the news release. LaFlamme, of Providence, who is well-known in the politically active Latino community in the city, was arrested Oct. 10, along with her friend and DMV coworker Soraya Santiago, 42, of Pawtucket. Posted by maria caporizzo at 11:39 AM | Comment CVS trial: Celona: My crime was getting paid for votesPROVIDENCE -- John Celona is on the stand. The long-awaited appearance of the corrupt ex-senator from North Providence -- and now the prosecution's star witness in the Operation Dollar Bill investigation -- came in federal court this morning at 10:20. 
Journal file photoFormer state Sen. John Celona, as he appeared Feb. 20, 2007, while leaving Superior Court in Providence, where he pleaded no contest to two state criminal charges. He had previously pleaded guilty to federal corruption charges of selling his office to Roger Williams Medical Center, the CVS drugstore chain and Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island. Contrary to expectations that he would appear in his prison garb, Celona strode into the courtroom in a black suit and red pattern tie. His head was shaved, his trademark dark toupee absent. He looks about 30 pounds lighter than at his last public appreance, when he was sentenced Jan. 31, 2007, to 2 1/2 years in federal prison for selling his office to CVS, Blue Cross and Roger Williams Medical Center. Celona is testifying in the government's case against former CVS executives John R. "Jack" Kramer and Carlos Ortiz, who face 23 counts of bribery, conspiracy and mail fraud. Prosecutor Stephen Dambruch began by walking Celona through his plea agreement with prosecutors in 2005 to admit to corruption charges and cooperate with the investigation. In return, he received a 12-month sentence reduction. In his words, Celona said, his crime was "getting paid in exchange for votes." His obligation to the government now, he testified, is to provide "total cooperation and truthfulness." Click below for more on Celona's testimony today ... -- Journal staff writer Mike Stanton Celona testified that in 1998 and 1999 he supported pharmacy choice legislation that was opposed by CVS, the giant drugstore chain based in Woonsocket. "I was very vocal in the community and around the state," testified Cleona. "I tried to garner supprt in the Senate and I talked to seniors and my constituents." Although defendant Ortiz and CVS lobbyist Joseph Walsh and Patrick C. Lynch -- now the Rhode Island attorney general -- lobbied Celona to oppose pharmacy choice, he voted for it. Then, in 1999, he not only supported pharmacy choice but cosponsored a bill to allow it. And he issued a news release in 1999, introduced in court today as an exhibit, in which he wrote, "It is simply unfair to the people who pay for their health care to have an HMO tell them who and where to go for their prescriptions." In 1999, Celona said, he was also lobbied by defendent Kramer, as well as Ortiz and Walsh and Lynch. Earlier today, a CVS employee who worked as Ortiz's assistant, tesified that her boss did not seem thrilled that Celona was on the payroll. The employee, Robin Seeley, testified that when she asked Ortiz what Celona did for CVS, he gestured with both hands, palms up. "Then he told me that John Celona went into the community, specifically North Providence, that he had a good rapport with seniors," testified Seeley. Prosecutor Daniel Petalas asked Seeley what Ortiz meant by his hand gesture. "I interpreted it to mean that what John Celona was doing didn’t have much ... sorry, I can’t find the word,” replied Seeley.
Posted by Mike McKinney at 11:18 AM | Comment Young male killed in rollover crash on Route 95A young male was killed yesterday in a single-car rollover on Route 95 north, just north of exit 7 in the Coventry-West Warwick area, according to state police today. The crash happened at about 8 a.m. -- With reports from Journal staff writer Gregory Smith Posted by Mike McKinney at 11:07 AM | Comment It's another record: Gas prices jump 10 cents -- againFor the second week in a row, gas prices in Rhode Island increased another 10 cents per gallon, according to AAA Southern New England. And it's yet another week of breaking the record for highest gas prices ever. This time, te average price for a gallon of regular, unleaded gasoline is $3.809 at the self-service pump, according to AAA’s weekly survey. The price has increased 67 cents since the start of the year. Rhode Island is one cent above the national average. Special report: How increasing fuel prices are affecting our daily lives. Posted by Jack Perry at 10:50 AM | Comment French Navy ship visits NewportA French Navy ship that assisted troops in Afghanistan has come to Newport. Le Cassard, a 5,000-ton, 456-foot ship, will be officially welcomed today by state and U.S. Navy officials at a lunch in Newport. While in Newport, students from the French-American School of Rhode Island will be able to take a tour, and the ship’s crew will face students at the Naval War College –– on the sports field. The ship, which was launched in 1985, has been working to support coalition ground troops in Afghanistan. Le Cassard monitored area waters to prevent suspected criminals –– such as Taliban or Al-Qaeda leaders –– from escaping by sea. Crewmen and women also worked with the navies of Saudi Arabia, India and the United Arab Emirates, taking part in training exercises. The ship is armed with torpedoes, anti-air missiles, EXOCET (anti-ship) missiles, and decoys. Its crew is 240 strong, with 20 officers. Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 10:34 AM | Comment Reporter's query: Seeking Classical teachers for reaxEmily Perry is a senior at Classical High School in Providence who gave a speech before alumni at an awards dinner on April 30. In her speech, Perry took aim at the quality of many teachers at the school, saying there were "far too many" teachers who "operate on cruise control," and saying that the administration needed to "demand more" from its teachers. Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 10:32 AM | Comment Ex-cop held without bail in neighbor's death / Photo
WARWICK -- A Cranston man, who served briefly as a Providence police officer, is being held without bail following his arraignment today on a murder charge in the shooting death of his next-door neighbor, a Cranston firefighter. Nicholas Gianquitti, 40, of 16 Daisy Court, was arraigned this morning in Kent County Courthouse, Warwick. The police say the shooting took place yesterday at Gianquitti's house. The police would not discuss the circumstances of the shooting, but neighbors say the man who was shot had been hosting a party at his own house at 10 Daisy Court. Neighbors said it was a birthday party for one of his own children, according to the Associated Press. Neighbors identified the deceased as James A. Pagano, of 10 Daisy Court, a Cranston firefighter with a wife and two children. An autopsy is scheduled for 2 p.m. today. Cranston Fire Chief James Gumbley said Lt. Pagano, a city firefighters since 1991, was a well-liked and well-respected member of the department, according to the Associated Press. Gianquitti joined the Providence police on July 9, 1991, and was injured six months later during a foot chase off North Main Street when he jumped off a wall and fractured a knee, according to Providence Deputy Police Chief Paul Kennedy. He was granted an accidental disability on Jan. 23, 1993, Kennedy said. Read today's Journal story for an early report on the shooting. -- With reports from Journal staff writers Tom Mooney, Gregory Smith and Amanda Milkovits. One day after a shooting shattered the peace in this "quiet little neighborhood," police investigators continued trying to figure out what went wrong. A police officer walked slowly, pointing a camera along the curb's edge this morning. Another raked debris away from the curb. And dirt appeared to have been overturned in the yard. On this short cul de sac with the tranquil name Daisy Lane, a ribbon of yellow tape today cordoned off a neighborhood. Paul Gebhart, a neighbor, yesterday said he was stunned by the shooting. “Quiet little neighborhood,” he said. “Not so quiet anymore.” Posted by Jack Perry at 10:17 AM | Comment Celona expected to testify at trial of former CVS execsThe government’s star witness, former Sen. John Celona, is expected to testify today in the trial of two former CVS executives accused of bribing Celona to gain favor at the Rhode Island State House. Former CVS executives Carlos Ortiz, 64, and John R. "Jack" Kramer, 75, are charged with 23 counts of bribery, fraud and conspiracy for hiring Celona to help promote the drugstore chain’s legislative agenda at the State House. Celona is expected to be escorted into court by federal marshals. He has been serving a 2½-year sentence in a federal prison in western Pennsylvania for selling his office to CVS and Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island. The trial began last week in U.S. District Court, Providence. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:02 AM | Comment Thunderstorms possible this afternoonThe National Weather is warning of possible thunderstorms with hail and high winds this afternoon. Otherwise, there's a slight chance of showers after 2 p.m. It should be partly with a high of 64 degrees, the weather service says. For more weather and regular updates, see projo.com/weather. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:01 AM | Comment Today's front pageToday's front page features a story on graduations at Providence College, Salve Regina and the University of Rhode Island. Download a copy of today's front page in .pdf format. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:00 AM | Comment May 16, 2008Projo.com will be off line early Saturday morningProjo.com will be down for maintenance early Saturday morning. It is expected that we'll be back up and running by 8 a.m., at the latest. We apologize for the inconvenience, and hope you'll come back later in the day. Posted by Peter Phipps at 6:59 PM | Comment Graduation saturation at R.I. colleges this weekend
On Friday, students at the Community College of Rhode Island and Roger Williams University School of Law were receiving their diplomas. Students from Johnson & Wales University, Roger Williams University, Bryant University and Rhode Island College graduate Saturday, as do graduate students from the University of Rhode Island. On Sunday, Providence College and Salve Regina University hold commencements, and URI awards diplomas to its undergraduates. Brown University graduates next weekend. The Rhode Island School of Design holds commencement on May 31. Restaurateurs are eager for the weekend to go well. They’re hoping the surge of thousands of visitors into Rhode Island for graduation exercises will provide a bump to what some say has been a soft business season so far. “Even though the economy is bad, this is such a special weekend that people don’t seem to be cutting back,” said Dale Venturini, president of the Rhode Island Hospitality and Tourism Association. More information about the graduations, and lists of graduates, are available on school Web sites. Journal coverage of the ceremonies can also be found on projo.com. Heading to Rhode Island for a graduation? Browse information about the state, activities, tourist hot spots and more, at the state's tourism site, visitrhodeisland.com. -- Journal staff writer Mark Arsenault Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 6:58 PM | Comment R.I. Guard unit to be honored for Iraq missionsA group of Rhode Island National Guardsmen and women who were deployed in Iraq for a year will be honored tomorrow for the nearly 2000 missions they performed overseas. The Rhode Island National Guard 861st Engineer Company will be awarded the Iraqi Freedom Battle Streamer during an 11 a.m. ceremony at the Sun Valley Armory at Camp Fogarty in East Greenwich. Between June 2005 and June 2006, the 861st did security and combat engineer support for a security mission in Ar Ramadi, about 70 miles west of Baghdad. During its year-long mission, the unit earned nearly 250 commendations, including 74 Combat Action Badges and eight Bronze Stars. “The presentation of yet another battle streamer to a Rhode Island unit only adds to the great legacy of the Rhode Island National Guard,” Major Gen. Robert T. Bray said in a statement. The 861st Engineer Company traces its lineage to 1865. In addition to the streamer presentation, the event will also feature retired soldier awards, unit soldier awards, and a change of command. Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 6:07 PM | Comment Update: Boat laid up Narragansett shore rocks / Photo
NARRAGANSETT –– A salvage crew is on site at the water’s edge off Hazard Avenue where a 48-foot wooden schooner smashed up against a wall of rocks this afternoon. But it doesn't look as if it will be able to save the Truant, which has been taking a series of beatings as the wind and waves pick up ahead of a forecast storm. While its owner, Peter Maack of Narragansett, was safely taken off the boat this afternoon by rescuers in inflatables, the salvagers say they can't do the same for the schooner itself. High tide is approaching at 6 p.m., making the situation worse. Rain is spitting, and lightning was spotted earlier. The boat itself is leaning into the rocks -- known for being dangerous -- with a Jolly Roger flag flying at half-mast. The boat’s owner, Maack, is on scene, along with members of the Department of Environmental Management’s Emergency Response Team, Coast Guard investigators, and Bob Cherenzia, from Shellfish Assassin Conglomerate Vessel Services, a Point Judith-based salvage company. Maack and Cherenzia were wearing wet suits as they worked to recover the Truant’s gas tank before high tide. They had managed to remove it by 5 p.m., as other items were being washed off the boat's deck. Although neighbors and city and state officials expressed concern about contamination, Maack said that there was only about 20 gallons of gasoline in the boat. Maack said he was under sail just before noon when a rudder broke on the boat, known as a Newfoundland schooner. He was taken off the schooner by rescue crews from the Coast Guard station in Point Judith and the Narragansett Fire Department. --- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson, with reports from Journal staff writer Donita Naylor CORRECTION: The name of boat owner Peter Maack was incorrect in earlier versions of this report. Posted by Andrea Panciera at 5:33 PM | Comment Traffic Alert: Route 95 South at 146An accident has a lane closed this evening on Route 95. The accident, on the southbound side of the roadway, is at Exit 23/Route 146 north/Charles Street. The right lane is closed. To check on the traffic along your commute, see the Transportation Management Center's Web cameras. Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 4:27 PM | Comment Brown student who threw pie at Friedman suspendedPROVIDENCE -- The Brown University student who threw a pie at New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman during his Earth Day speech at the campus was suspended for one semester by the university after an administrative hearing last Wednesday. The student, Margaree Little, 22, said she was notified of the suspension on Wednesday. She said the university considered her actions in violation of Brown’s protest policy by interrupting Friedman’s speech. Just as Friedman took his place behind the podium, Little and an unidentified male, ran onto the stage and threw two green Cool Whip pies at him and then fled the auditorium through a side door. A professor apprehended Little outside the building and turned her over to the campus police. The "Greenwash Guerillas," part of a grassroots network who confront causes of climate change, later claimed credit for the incident. The stunt involving the famous author and columnist garnered copious the media attention––a YouTube video of the incident has received more than 75,000 hits and several national newspapers and popular blogs ran the story––including vicious attacks against Little. Little, an English major, does not face any criminal charges, but her university suspension will delay her. After all the media attention, and her subsequent suspension, Little said she does nor regret what she did. “Fortunately, it did succeed in opening up a lot of debate,” Little said. “I don’t have any regrets.” Little said she has not decided exactly what she will do until she can return to Brown, but she wants to travel and continue to work on social justice issues. The university had no comment about the suspension, saying only that it does not comment on student disciplinary action. -- Journal environmental reporter Natalie Garcia Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 3:45 PM | Comment Pawtuxet Village, way back whenEver wonder what Pawtuxet Village was like during the American Revolution? A group of student from the area may be able to help. On Sunday, a group of 65 Wyman Elementary School students, with help from other local students, will be giving a walking tour of the area. But they’ll do more than tell participants what happened hundreds of years ago, they’ll show a slice of what life was like, too. Fifteen sites will be highlighted during the tour by actors –– students dressed in period clothes with assumed identities of long-gone Pawtuxet residents. The tours begin at 1 p.m. in Pawtuxet Park in Warwick and take off every 15 minutes until about 3:30 p.m. Take a tour for free if you’re 5 years old or younger. If you’re between the ages 6 and 12, the tour is $3 and its full price -- $5 -- for adults. If it rains, check back on June 1. Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 3:18 PM | Comment Feds award money to keep state preparedThe state’s Emergency Management Agency is getting more than $1 million to help secure public transportation and important buildings from potential disasters or attacks. The Transit Security Grant Program, administered by the Department of Homeland Security, is providing the state EMA about $830,000 for on protecting buses, trolleys and the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority against explosives and, what’s referred to in a statement as “non-conventional attacks.” An additional $200,000 was awarded to the state through the Buffer Zone Protection Program. This money will be put to use protecting sites such as chemical facilities and power plants. Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 3:03 PM | Comment Zombies attack, be there or be squareYou might think that a gathering of zombies isn’t the place to be on a Saturday night, but you’d be wrong. It’s actually a very selective event, with space for only 100 attendees. A get-together at the one-and-only Rhode Island screening of George A. Romero’s Diary of the Dead in Providence is set for midnight tomorrow at the Cable Car Cinema, which, come to think of it, seems to have an affinity for Zombies... The event is sponsored by Scars Magazine and Zombie Friends –– a social networking Web site for “Zombies, undead and Horror Freaks to hangout when not out shambling among the living.” -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 2:48 PM | Comment CVS trial: CFO says he was in the dark about Celona
She testified that no one at CVS ever asked her to "hide or destroy" any documents that detailed former state Sen. John Celona’s employment with the Woonsocket-based drugstore giant. But, during redirect questioning by prosecutor Daniel Petalas, of the Justice Department’s public integrity unit, Bibeault conceded that Ortiz was uncomfortable with the senator’s role as a CVS consultant. "He didn’t like the appearance of it," she said. During her testimony this morning, Bibeault questioned the first invoice submitted by Celona. She said she hadn't been expecting it, and she asked her boss if she should pay it. He told her he should, because Celona was going to be working for CVS as the "eyes and ears of CVS" among the senior population. Ortiz and Kramer are accused of bribing Celona for favorable treatment at the State House. Bibeault's testimony was followed by David Rickard, CVS’s executive vice president and chief financial officer. He spent an hour on the witness stand and answered questions about the company’s budgetary process and chain-of-command. In November 2001, Rickard said that he was charged with an additional responsibility: overseeing governmental relations, which included supervising Kramer and Ortiz. Under questioning by prosecutor Stephen G. Dambruch, Rickard said that neither Kramer nor Ortiz ever told him that Celona was working for CVS as a $1,000-a-month consultant. Scott Corrigan, one of Kramer’s lawyers, elicited testimony from Rickard that Kramer was free to hire paid consultants without his approval. Rickard concluded his testimony and the jurors were released for the weekend. The trial resumes on Monday at 9 a.m. Extra: Continuing coverage of this and other cases involved in Operation Dollar Bill -- Journal staff writer W. Zachary Malinowski Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 1:37 PM | Comment Bunnell trial: Aunt guilty of 2nd-degree murder / Photos
Katherine Bunnell was also convicted of murder conspiracy early this afternoon by a jury in Superior Court, Providence. The jury in the high-profile trial announced that it had reached a verdict at 12:15 p.m. this afternoon, after deliberating for about 12 hours over three days. Bunnell and her boyfriend, Gilbert Delestre, 27, were accused of fatally beating a foster child in their care, Thomas “T.J.” Wright, after they returned to their Woonsocket apartment on Oct. 30, 2004, and found a mess the toddler had made on the living room floor. The child had been left in Bunnell's care when his mother, Bunnell's sister, was sent to prison. Bunnell looked stricken as she was led out of the courtroom, but she maintained her composure. Bunnell's sister, Karen Wright, the mother of T.J., wept as the verdict was read. Bunnell had been charged with first-degree murder, but she was found guilty of the "lesser included" charge of second-degree murder. She faces a minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison on the second-degree murder conviction. Sentencing has been scheduled for July 16. Defense attorney Gerard H. Donley says he will appeal the verdict, claiming that jurors weren't allowed to see a portion of a videotaped interview with Delestre that would have helped clear his client. The judge will hear a motion for a new trial on May 22. From its beginning, the case raised questions about the state’s system of screening prospective foster parents, putting the Department of Children, Youth and Families in the spotlight. An independent investigation launched by the Office of the Child Advocate determined that DCYF missed as least five opportunities to rescue Thomas from the couple’s Woonsocket home.
-- Journal staff writer John Castellucci In instructing the jury before its deliberations, Judge Gilbert V. Indeglia told jurors that they could find Bunnell innocent or they could find her guilty of first-degree murder, second-degree murder or manslaughter. The judge told jurors they could find the defendant guilty of second-degree murder rather than first-degree murder if they found her intention to kill was only momentary, if it wasn't the result of prolonged meditation. If she had been convicted of first-degree murder, Bunnell could have been subject to a sentence of life in prison without eligibility for parole. A first-degree murder conviction carries a mandatory sentence of life in prison, and a defendant is subject to life in prison without parole if prosecutors can prove that the murder involved torture or aggravated battery. The attorney general's office said it would have sought life without parole if the jury returned a first-degree murder verdict. Bunnell's co-defendant, Delestre, is still awaiting trial. Because each accuses the other of inflicting the fatal injuries, Bunnell and Delestre are being tried separately. In 2006, the Office of the Child Advocate issued another report, saying the state had failed to make some of the most important changes that a review panel called for following T.J.’s death. Mostly notably, the state had not held caseloads to recommended levels. Then, last June, Child Advocate Jametta O. Alston filed for class-action status on behalf of the 3,000 children now in state custody, aiming for nothing less than an overhaul of Rhode Island’s child-welfare system, which the suit portrays as overburdened and mismanaged. That suit is still in U.S. District Court. Posted by Jack Perry at 12:35 PM | Comment Bunnell trial: Jury says it has a verdictPROVIDENCE -- The jury in the Katherine Bunnell child-murder case announced that it reached a verdict at 12:15 p.m. The jury had started its third day of deliberations this morning, filing into the courtroom at about 9:45 a.m. Bunnell, 24, is on trial for murder and murder conspiracy. She is accused with her boyfriend, Gilbert Delestre, of fatally beating 3-year old Thomas "T.J." Wright when they returned to their Woonsocket apartment from a night out 3 1/2 years ago and found a mess on the livingroom floor. "T.J." had been placed in their care when Bunnell's sister went to prison. Read a story on yesterday's deliberations. -- Journal staff writer John Castellucci Posted by Jack Perry at 12:21 PM | Comment Mayor takes the lead on Bike to Work Day / Photo
The mayor, a handful of state officials and bike advocates gathered at the City Center before 8 a.m. amid free coffee, bagels and cycling-related trinkets, and to show support for bike commuting, a choice which makes up only 0.2 percent of all trips to work in Rhode Island, according the Providence Bike Coalition, the event’s organizer. “Obviously, biking to work is a very simple way to decrease congestion, improve the quality of the air we breathe and [it is] a beautiful way to see the city,” Cicilline said to the helmeted and messenger bag-clad crowd. “The city is working hard to make biking a clear and easy option.” Cicilline said the city has completed plans to put up bicycle signs and add bike lane striping on five city streets: Elmwood Avenue, Broadway, Charles Street, Smith Street and Hope Street, which will be completed this fall. More Bike to Work Day activities will be held in the Kennedy Plaza ice rink from 3-6 p.m. today, including vendor booths, raffles, safety demonstrations, music and information of about upcoming bicycle signage and lane striping. -- Journal environmental reporter Natalie Garcia Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 12:01 PM | Comment Westerly officer OK after being struck by suspectA Westerly police officer was struck by a car allegedly driven by a suspect who was trying to escape the scene of a crime. A statement released by the Westerly Police Department said the police were called yesterday to the Backtrack Bar and Grille, on Industrial Drive, for an assault involving three males. When the police arrived, one of the three took off in a vehicle, hitting Cpl. Larry Silvestri, who fired one round at the suspect, according to the police statement. Silvestri was not able to stop the suspect, who drove off and was later spotted and stopped by police in Pawcatuck, Conn. The suspect was not injured by Silvestri’s shot, the Westerly police say, and he was taken to Stonington police headquarters, where he was charged with driving while intoxicated. The suspect also faces fugitive charges out of Rhode Island. Silvestri was treated for minor injuries at Westerly Hospital and released. The other two males involved in the assault at Backtrack Bar and Grille were treated for serious injuries, according to the police statement. The incident is still under investigation by the Westerly Police and the Rhode Island Attorney General. Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 11:59 AM | Comment Bunnell trial: Jury starts its third day of deliberationsProvidence -- The jury in the Katherine Bunnell child-murder case began its third day of deliberations with no sign of progress but also without reporting a deadlock. The jury of five men and seven women filed into the courtroom at 9:45 this morning, none of them giving the defendant, Katherine Bunnell, so much as a glance. The jurors faces looked somber as they took their seats in the jury box. Judge Gilbert V. Indeglia assurred the jurors that if they had questions, the questions would be answered. "With that we'll send you upstairs and wait for your progress," the judge said. Bunnell, 24, is on trial for murder and murder conspiracy. She is accused with her boyfriend, Gilbert Delestre, of fatally beating 3-year old Thomas "T.J." Wright when they returned to their Woonsocket apartment from a night out 3 1/2 years ago and found a mess on the livingroom floor. "T.J." had been placed in their care when Bunnell's sister went to prison. Read a story on yesterday's deliberations. -- Journal staff writer John Castellucci Posted by Jack Perry at 11:45 AM | Comment CVS trial: Employee questioned Celona invoice
“I asked if I should pay it, because I wasn’t expecting it and it wasn’t budgeted,” testified Betty Bibeault, who was Ortiz’s administrative assistant. Ortiz told her to pay it, she testified, explaining that Celona was going to be working as a consultant, serving as “the eyes and ears of CVS among the senior citizen population.” Ortiz also said that “this was something that Jack (Kramer) wanted to do,” according to Bibeault. Kramer and Ortiz are on trial in U.S. District Court, Providence, on charges of bribery, conspiracy and mail fraud, accused of hiring Celona to do their bidding at the Rhode Island State House. Celona is serving a 2 1/2-year prison term after pleading guilty to selling his office to CVS, Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island. The trial's key witness, he is now not expected to testify today. When he does, he is expected to spend several days on the stand. The defense maintains that Celona was hired to promote CVS through his network of seniors and his cable access television show. Read yesterday's trial coverage. -- Journal staff writer Mike Stanton Bibeault testified today that Ortiz never mentioned Celona’s television show when explaining Celona’s hiring as a consultant. Nor, she testified, did Ortiz mention that Celona would be acting on legislation. The prosecution also introduced a “Government Affairs” update that Ortiz wrote Kramer during the 2003 legislative session. Ortiz noted that two bills CVS opposed –– allowing pharmacy choice and Canadian drug imports – had passed the House. But “I feel fairly confident that we will be able to kill both pieces of legislation in the Senate.” Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 11:28 AM | Comment Photo: Serving up a lesson in career choices
Posted by Andrea Panciera at 11:26 AM | Comment Don't be alarmed, it's only a drillDon’t be startled if a group of emergency vehicles races by tomorrow on their way to Mount Pleasant High School. It’s only a drill. The Providence Emergency Management Agency and the state Department of Health are scheduled to conduct an emergency disaster exercise. More than 150 emergency response officials from the city and state will get the chance to practice for a real emergency. Funding for the exercise comes from the Department of Health via the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The drill is scheduled for tomorrow morning from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Mount Pleasant High School, 434 Mount Pleasant Ave. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 10:48 AM | Comment Red tide algae arrives in Mass.GLOUCESTER, Mass. -- The state has closed shellfish beds on the North Shore of Massachusetts following the expected arrival of red tide. The Division of Marine Fisheries ordered a halt to shellfish harvesting today after tests conducted from Newburyport to Gloucester revealed the presence of the toxin-producing algae in bivalves. The red tide does not affect lobsters, crabs and scallops. Officials had expected the arrival of the red tide, which had been spreading southward from the coast of Maine for the past three weeks. While red tide is an almost annual occurrence, biologists at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute are concerned this year's bloom could match the massive outbreak of 2005. The toxin can be potentially deadly to people who eat tainted shellfish. -- The Associated Press Posted by Jack Perry at 10:00 AM | Comment Trade in the car today for Bike to Work DayTwo wheels are better than four –– for your health, for traffic congestion and for air quality, not to mention it makes parking a lot easier. So if it’s within your range, consider taking to the road this morning on a bicycle and celebrate the 52nd annual National Bike to Work Day. Meet with other cyclists in downtown Providence at the Bank of America City Center at 7 a.m. for food, drinks and a host of bike-related activities, including safety tips, demonstrations and a bike raffle. And you'll be in prestigious company; for the sixth year in a row, Mayor David N. Cicilline and members of his staff are also planning on biking it tomorrow. They'll meet at the City Center for a press conference, joined by representatives from the Providence Bicycle Coalition, the Sierra Club and other groups to outline some of the bike-friendly initiatives taking shape, including striping and signage for bike lanes set to be finished by the fall. Bike to Work Day is funded by RIDOT, through a federal grant, with support from the Providence Foundation and the Providence Bicycle Coalition. If you’re not used to riding in the streets of Providence, the coalition has established bike trains with experienced riders to help lead the way. -- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson Posted by Brandie M. Jefferson at 7:34 AM | Comment Today's front pageToday's front page features a story on Sox' slugger Manny Ramirez's pursuit of the 500-home run milestone. There's also full coverage of the bribery trial of two former CVS executives. Download a copy of today's front page in .pdf format. Posted by Jack Perry at 7:00 AM | Comment It's going to be a wet oneThe word of the day and the weekend is "rain." And the National Weather Service in Taunton is pretty sure of itself, 100 percent sure. The service puts the chance of rain at 70 percent this afternoon, 100 percent tonight and 40 percent Saturday and Sunday. It looks like a washout. At least it won't be cold. Today's high is forecast to be 63. It could approach 70 tomorrow. Posted by Peter Phipps at 6:46 AM | Comment May 15, 2008Tonight: Bring your artwork to Cranston for adviceIn Cranston from 7 to 9 tonight, head to an ArtShare, at The Artists’ Exchange, 50 Rolfe St. Bring a finished piece or work in progress to share for inspiration and constructive advice. Call 490-9475. The event is free. Check out projo.com's list art listings. Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:56 PM | Comment Photo: Shades of gray at State Police memorial
Posted by Andrea Panciera at 6:36 PM | Comment Short-term relief fund for Station fire victims closingPROVIDENCE -- A state-managed fund that raised money to help victims of The Station nightclub fire is closing. The Rev. John Holt, chairman of The Station Nightclub Relief Fund, tells WRNI-AM that the charity's work is done. The fund was set up by Governor Carcieri days after the Feb. 20, 2003, fire in West Warwick, which killed 100 people and injured more than 200. The charity was started to help meet the short-term needs of the injured and the families of the victims. It helped pay for things like funeral and travel expenses, and has given out more than $3 million in the five years it's been in existence. Other charities still exist to help fire victims with their needs, including The Station Family Fund. -- The Associated Press Posted by Mike McKinney at 6:03 PM | Comment Mass. Senate backs landmark coastal-protection billBOSTON -- The Massachusetts Senate is unanimously supporting a final version of a landmark bill designed to protect the state's coastal waters. Environmentalists call the bill a first-in-the-nation attempt by a state to create a comprehensive ocean management plan. The bill approved today by the Senate is designed to make sure all decisions and permits about development in state-controlled waters up to three miles from the coast conform to a single plan. The plan would cover everything from whale watching tours to wind farms and liquefied natural gas terminals. Separate versions of the bill had been approved by the House and Senate. The final version now heads back to the House. Gov. Deval Patrick also supports the bill. -- The Associated Press Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:59 PM | Comment Senate backs medical marijuana 'compassion centers'PROVIDENCE -- The state Senate today approved a bill that essentially allows the creation of "compassion centers" that distribute marijuana to patients enrolled in Rhode Island's medical marijuana program However, it does not have broad support in the House and is expected to die there, acknowledged Sen. Rhode Perry, D-Providence, the bill's sponsor. -- With reports from Steve Peoples of the Journal State House Bureau Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:41 PM | Comment Update: House OKs criminal case expungement billPROVIDENCE -- The House late today approved a bill to "quash and destroy'' the records of criminal cases in which a criminal was given a "deferred sentence'' in exchange for sparing the state a trial by pleading no contest or guilty to a crime. Th House voted 46 to 17 to support the measure, with no debate. Click here for the roll call on the vote. The bill now goes to the Senate. Unlike the state's current expungement law, the bill the House took up today is not limited to non-violent offenses by first-time offenders. In fact, the Rhode Island Supreme Court decision last November that sparked this latest drive to erase criminal records concerned a man who had pleaded no contest to second-degree robbery and a woman who had pleaded no contest to a drug charge. Both were given deferred sentences. A Superior Court judge -- and then the Supreme Court -- concluded that neither was eligible under the current expungement law: The man because he had commited a violent crime, and the woman because she got into further trouble, which meant she was no longer a first-time offender. The bill would open the door for the immediate destruction of such records after the deferral period -- which usually runs five years -- has ended, regardless of the nature of the crime and the history of the offender. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Joseph Almeida, D-Providence, is the latest in a series promoted by prisoner-rights advocates, the criminal defense bar and the public defenders office this year to reach the House floor. More may be coming, including one giving judges the discretion to erase multiple misdemeanors from someone's record. In 2003, The Journal reported Almeida was found guilty of shoving a man who was trying to repossess his girlfriend's car from her driveway in Federal Hill. He was sentenced to one year of probation, 25 hours of community service and ordered to have no contact with the man or his brother. -- With reports from Katherine Gregg of the Journal State House Bureau Posted by Mike McKinney at 5:37 PM | Comment Bunnell trial: Jury goes home again without verdict
On the second day in which it deliberated -- and the first all-day session -- the jury asked at least two questions today, but lawyers would not disclose what they were. Copies of trial transcripts were taken into chambers for review by the prosecution and defense lawyers in order to answer the jury questions. Bunnell, 24, is charged with her boyfriend at the time, Gilbert Delestre, 27, with fatally beating “T.J.” Wright after the boy, one of five children in the home, made a mess in their living room. They arrived at the Woonsocket apartment around 2:30 a.m. on Oct. 30, 2004, to find some milk and yogurt that T.J. had spilled on the floor. Bunnell and Delestre are being tried separately on the same charges of murder and conspiracy to commit murder. When the jury returned to the courtroom late afternoon, Judge Gilbert V. Indeglia said he had sent a note asking if jurors wanted to continue deliberating today or come back tomorrow, and they indicated tomorrow morning. Read The Journal's coverage of the lawyers' closing arguments yesterday in the case. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Journal staff writer John Castellucci Posted by Mike McKinney at 4:24 PM | Comment House slated to vote on criminal case expungement billPROVIDENCE -- The House is scheduled to vote today on a bill to "quash and destroy'' the records of criminal cases in which an criminal was given a "deferred sentence'' in exchange for sparing the state a trial by pleading no contest or guilty to a crime. Unlike the state's current expungement law, the bill up for a vote today is not limited to non-violent offenses by first-time offenders. In fact, the Rhode Island Supreme Court decision last November that sparked this latest drive to erase criminal records concerned a man who had pleaded no contest to second-degree robbery and a woman who had pleaded no contest to a drug charge. Both were given deferred sentences. A Superior Court judge -- and then the Supreme Court -- concluded that neither was eligible under the current expungement law: The man because he had commited a violent crime, and the woman because she got into further trouble, which meant she was no longer a first-time offender. The bill up for a vote today would open the door for the immediate destruction of such records after the deferral period -- which usually runs five years -- has ended, regardless of the nature of the crime and the history of the offender. After a short-circuited debate earlier this week, lawyer and House Majority Leader Gordon Fox promised to draft an amendment addressing some of the concerns raised by House members. The amendment has not yet been made public. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Joseph Almeida, D-Providence, is the latest in a series promoted by prisoner-rights advocates, the criminal defense bar and the public defenders office this year to reach the House floor. More may be coming, including one giving judges the discretion to erase multiple misdemeanors from someone's record. In 2003, The Journal reported Almeida was found guilty of shoving a man who was trying to repossess his girlfriend's car from her driveway in Federal Hill. He was sentenced to one year of probation, 25 hours of community service and ordered to have no contact with the man or his brother. -- Katherine Gregg of the Journal State House Bureau Posted by Mike McKinney at 3:49 PM | Comment Update: Lawyers argue appeal in lead paint case / Photo
The stakes in a lawsuit probably never have been higher in Rhode Island. Unless the Supreme Court overrules a jury’s 2006 verdict, the defendant companies may have to spend up to $3 billion to clean up lead paint on some 240,000 houses in Rhode Island. A total of 13 lawyers argued a series of issues before four Supreme Court justices for almost four hours. The judges fired back a barrage of questions, and many suggested they had some doubts about the legal theories that supported the state’s public nuisance case against Sherwin Williams Co., Millennium Holdings and NL Industries. Paint company lawyers argued that the legal arguments used by the state charted new legal territory that is not supported by precedents anywhere. Lawyers for the state said the fact that lead paints have poisoned 36,000 children in Rhode Island and caused vast expenditures by local governments, schools, landlords and parents is common sense proof that the companies created a public nuisance. The arguments were not without some moments of humor. Chief Justice Frank J. Williams warned the lawyers to curb their arguments. “We feel like we’re on the receiving end of a fire hose here,” he said as the proceedings got under way. “Less is more. We know the issues.” The justices are expected to issue a written ruling this summer. The presentation before the state Supreme Court was recessed at 12:49 p.m., after Williams thanked all involved. "This is what the public should see," he said, about how the legal system works. -- Journal Environmental Writer Peter B. Lord, with projo.com reports Posted by Jack Perry at 3:22 PM | Comment Middletown man gets 18 years on child porn chargesPROVIDENCE -- A Middletown man was sentenced today to 18 years in federal prison for producing and possessing child pornography after the mother of the two victims told the judge before the sentence: "Their innocence is gone." Barry Zurybida, 51, received the 220-month sentence from U.S. District Judge Ernest C. Torres, according to a news release from U.S. Attorney Robert Clark Corrente. Prosecutor Terrence P. Donnelly said at the plea hearing the government could show that between September 2005 and early 2007 Zurybida occasionally took care of two girls between ages 4 and 7. In January 2007, the girls disclosed that Zurybida had taken photos of them "after directing them to expose their genitals," the U.S. Attorney's Office said. The victims’ mother told Judge Torres, according to the news release, that their innocence was gone, “never to come back, regardless of the amount of therapy sessions we go through. Innocence -- purity -- can never return. It’s gone.” In June, FBI agents and Middletown police said they used a search warrant at Zurybida’s house and seized a computer and a digital camera. Subsequently, a FBI Computer Analysis and Response Team investigation found that the computer’s hard drive contained sexually explicit images of the girls, and that data in the image files linked them to the camera seized in Zurybida’s house. The hard drive also contained child pornography not produced by Zurybida. FBI and police arrested Zurybida at his home in June, and he pleaded guilty in December to two counts of photographing minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, and one count of possessing child pornography, the U.S. Attorney's Office said. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney The 220-month sentence is about three years longer than the minimum required by federal law for Zurybida’s offenses. When he pleaded guilty in December, Zurybida admitted that he had also touched the girls sexually, a factor that enhanced his sentence under federal guidelines. Torres also imposed lifetime court supervision on Zurybida after his release from prison, and set conditions prohibiting his interaction with children and use of the Internet. State child molestation charges are also pending against Zurybida. Posted by Mike McKinney at 2:11 PM | Comment California Supreme Court overturns gay marriage banSAN FRANCISCO -- The California Supreme Court has overturned a voter-approved ban on gay marriage, paving the way for the state to become the second state in the United States where gay and lesbian residents can marry. Rhode Island does not issue same-sex marriage licenses, but the issue has recently been in spotlight after two women who were married in Massachusetts unsuccessfully tried to get divorced in Family Court. A judge is considering whether to ask the state's Supreme Court if the Superior Court has the authority to grant the couple a divorce. The California justices released their 4-3 decision today, saying that domestic partnerships are not a good enough substitute for marriage in an opinion written by Chief Justice Ron George. Massachusetts is the only state that allows same-sex marriages. In striking down the ban, the court said, "In contrast to earlier times, our state now recognizes that an individual's capacity to establish a loving and long-term committed relationship with another person and responsibly to care for and raise children does not depend upon the individual's sexual orientation, and, more generally, that an individual's sexual orientation - like a person's race or gender - does not constitute a legitimate basis upon which to deny or withhold legal rights." -- The Associated Press The cases were brought by the city of San Francisco, two dozen gay and lesbian couples, Equality California and another gay rights group in March 2004 after the court halted San Francisco's monthlong same-sex wedding march that took place at Mayor Gavin Newsom's direction. Outside the courthouse, gay marriage supporters cried and cheered as news spread of the decision. "Today the California Supreme Court took a giant leap to ensure that everybody - not just in the state of California, but throughout the country - will have equal treatment under the law," said City Attorney Dennis Herrera, who argued the case for San Francisco. Posted by Jack Perry at 1:51 PM | Comment CVS trial: Kramer's aide tells of meetings with Celona
Prosecutors are seeking to show that two former executives of the giant CVS drugstore chain, Kramer and co-defendant Carlos Ortiz, bribed influential former state Sen. John Celona when they hired hm as a $1,000-a-month consultant to wield his influence to push Woonsocket-based CVS’s State House legislative agenda. Mary Jane McCusker calmly answered questions from Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen G. Dambruch today about more than a dozen exhibits that noted Kramer’s meetings with Celona. McCusker told the court that Kramer enjoyed appearing on Celona’s cable television program. She said that he kept "a drawer-full’’ of videocassettes of himself making televised appearances. "Jack would have copies of the tapes and he would show them in his office,’’ she said, adding that he would invite CVS employees in to watch the tapes with him. Prosecutor Stephen G. Dambruch entered an exhibit showing that CVS had four choice tables for state dignitaries at the June 2002 gala at the Rhode Island Convention Center that preceded the CVS Charity Golf Classic. Celona and his wife, Karleen, were seated at a table with Kramer. At an adjacent table was Tom Ryan, the chief executive officer and the some of the state’s then-most powerful politicians: Senate Majority Leader William V. Irons, House Speaker John B. Harwood and Gerard M. Martineau, the House majority leader. At one point today, the government introduced as an exhibit a letter on CVS stationery that Kramer sent Celona. ``Thank you so much for sending me t |
