Projo 7 to 7 News Blog

Journal photo / Bob Thayer

Patrick Murphy of East Greenwich plays a game of tug-o-war with his 8-month-old Boxer, Hogan.

"He loves to chase, pull and chew on the leash," says Murphy of his canine. Dozens of people and their dogs from Warwick and surrounding areas enjoyed getting to know other dogs, and people, at the Warwick City Park Dog Park, where two large, fenced-in areas are reserved for the dogs.

While Rhode Island Department of Transportation continues to ask drivers to take it easy as snow continues to fall around the state, at 2 p.m., one South County driver saw flurries and wind, but a few peeks of sunlight through breaks in the clouds.

The height of the storm appears to have gone through Narragansett around 11 a.m.

Driving was slippery along Routes 1 and 4, where plowing was scarce, and along Route 95, tire tracks offered the only traction for those without four-wheel drive.

A jacknifed tractor trailer was seen at Exit 11 on 95 North, at the Route 295 split, and speeds along Route 95 were no higher than 45 mph. Route 10 north was clear, though, especially on the far left lane. The further north the driver went towards Providence, the heavier the snow.

The National Weather Service reports the storm should dissipate around 5 p.m. The snow has been falling since mid-morning with rates of over one-inch per hour. Totals have reached over seven inches in Northern Rhode Island, according to RIDOT.

"Our crews have been out in full force since this storm began earlier today, keeping the roadways safe for the motoring public," said RIDOT Director Michael P. Lewis. "Drivers who need to be out on the roads are asked to keep a generous distance behind sanders and snow plows, keep their speeds down, and buckle up."

Commuters and New Year's Eve revelers should allow themselves extra time to check on road and weather conditions and to allow for additional driving time to their destination as conditions may warrant reduced travel speeds.

Check RIDOT traffic cams here.

-- With reports from Rich Lee, projo.com

Throughout Rhode Island, as snow has been falling for about the past five hours, accumulations totals reported by spotters vary greatly.

Here's the latest snow totals observers in the area have reported to the National Weather Service:

... Kent County...
West Warwick 3.1 1215 PM 12/31 spotter

... Newport County...
Little Compton 2.5 100 PM 12/31 spotter

... Providence County...
Burrillville 4.0 1254 PM 12/31 spotter

... Washington County...
Charlestown 2.0 1055 am 12/31 ham radio

Your Turn: Share what you're seeing and experiencing as a snowstorm hits the area.

Journal photo / Kris Craig
Alina Garbuzov, of Providence, takes big steps in her snow shoes along Blackstone Blvd. during the Dec. 19 snow storm.

With tomorrow's forecasted snow, some folks may be unsure how to get the exercise in -- especially if they included better fitness as part of their New Year's resolution.

So here are some suggestions for wintertime activities, even if you don't have an at-home gym:

Ice Skating: The Bank of America Skating Center in downtown Providence and many other local rinks are open and ready for holiday skaters. Check out projothebeat.com for skating events near you.

Skiing or snowboarding: Whether it's cross-country skiing or downhill snowboarding, there are lots of places around the region to enjoy the snow. Take a look at this search of ski areas within 100 miles of Providence.

Winter walks: Why not take a walk on the winter beach, or check out the seals near Rome Point in North Kingstown? Here are more scheduled events that are walk-related.

Workouts at home: Some of you were lucky enough to get Wii Fit for holiday gifts. Go ahead and try the cardio, yoga, balance games and other activities. And if you don't own that particular game, keep moving indoors by trying Pilates, yoga or any other floor exercises.

If you're intrepid enough to go out in the snow, fitness classes offered around the region include Zumba, Yoga, and even belly dancing.

By Tom Mooney
Journal staff writer

PROVIDENCE -- Civil libertarians are opposing a state Supreme Court proposal that would allow litigants in civil cases to hire retired judges to hear cases in secret, charging the process would create a "two-tiered system of justice'' that `"allows for swift resolution of cases only for those wealthy enough to afford it.''

Steven Brown, executive director of the Rhode Island affiliate of the American Civil Liberties Union, said he stumbled upon a scheduled Jan. 15 public hearing on the proposal while viewing the Supreme Court's Web page. The Supreme Court is scheduled to hold the public hearing at 9 a.m. on Jan. 15.

The proposal refers to a state law, passed in 1984, but never before used that allows litigants to hire retired judges to hear publicly-filed court cases behind closed doors.

A court spokesman said the process would not be much different from current mediation and arbitration processes and that about 25 other states already employ systems where civil cases are "privately-judged.''

Under Rhode Island's so-called "Retired Justice Trial Act'' litigants decide where the case would be heard and pay for all costs -- including the fee for the retired judge whose decisions, the law states, would `"have the same force and effect as if it had been entered or made by an active judge of the court.''

"The notion of privatizing our judicial system is extremely disturbing on many levels,'' Brown said. `"Closed-door justice is, and should be, anathema to our judicial system, which has long been guided by fundamental principles of transparency.''

>> Continue reading: R.I. high court taking up private judging statute

By W. Zachary Malinowski
Journal Staff Writer

PROVIDENCE -- State and local police have broken up a mob-sanctioned gambling ring that handled more than $400,000 in illegal bets on college and professional football in the past two months.

Teams of police officers fanned out across Providence, Cranston, North Providence and Cumberland this morning to arrest 10 suspects on a variety of gambling, firearm and drug charges. One of the suspects tried to destroy gambling ledgers from Monday night's football game between the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers by tossing them into a roaring fire in his fireplace, the police said.

The charred edges of the notebook paper were on display at a news conference at state police headquarters.

The state police identified the two ring leaders of the operation as Jason McMahon, 31, of 1771 Atwood Ave., Johnston; and Michael Sepe, 30, of 1002 Pontiac Ave., Cranston. They were both charged with racketeering, organized criminal gambling, bookmaking and conspiracy.

McMahon also was charged with delivery of marijuana, conspiracy to possess marijuana with intent to distribute, (four counts); possession of marijuana with intent to distribute; possession of a narcotic, Adderall; and possession of a firearm while in possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver. Adderall is a stimulant that is used to treat attention deficit order.

State Police Lt. Col. Steven G. O'Donnell said the investigation was launched in October after state police detectives learned that McMahon was running a gambling operation out his home in Johnston. They quickly learned that he allegedly was dealing drugs, too.

O'Donnell said that "dozens'' of gamblers regularly placed wagers on games ranging from $20 to "thousands of dollars.''

"We believe it is sanctioned by La Cosa Nostra,'' O'Donnell said.

Detectives listened to hours of court-authorized wiretaps and O'Donnell said that the bookmakers switched phone numbers six times in two months. The police seized two shotguns, a 2004 Toyota pickup, more than $4,000 in cash, three laptop computers, marijuana, prescription drugs and betting ledgers.

Others arrested and charged are:
-- Robert Rossi, 62, of 70 Fiat Ave., Cranston, racketeering, organized criminal gambling, bookmaking and conspiracy.
-- Kyle Benchsky, 25, of 185 Budlong Rd., Cranston, racketeering, organized criminal gambling, bookmaking and conspiracy.
-- Stephen DeBankah, 27, of 21 Woodman St., Providence, racketeering, organized criminal gambling, bookmaking and conspiracy.
-- Antonio Porreca, 33, of 522 Fruit Hill Rd., North Providence, conspiracy to possess marijuana with intent to deliver.
-- Michael Pescatore, 28, of 7 Buratti Rd., Johnston, conspiracy to possess marijuana with intent to deliver.
-- Nelson Salgado, 25, of 233 George Waterman Rd., Johnston, conspiracy to possess marijuana with intent to deliver.
-- David Guccione, 54, of 15 Barry Ct., North Providence, possession of marijuana and soliciting another to commit a crime.
-- James Rekrut, 30, of 47 Rosemere Rd., Cumberland, soliciting another to commit a crime.

A state police van brought the 10 suspects to District Court in Providence yesterday afternoon for their arraignments. Several of them were expected to be ordered held at the Adult Correctional Institutions

Journal photo / Sandor Bodo
Bright Night performers march down the grand staircase in Providence City Hall today as they help festivities. Among them were members of Big Nazo, Snow Queen (Clare Vadeboncoeur) seen here, Mark Kohler, Marvelous Marvin Novogrodsky as well as Bright Night director Adam Gertsacov.

By Richard Salit
Journal staff writer

PROVIDENCE -- Since the city hadn't levied a new tax on costumes, there had to be another reason for the boisterous gathering at City Hall of the Snow Queen, Casey Jones and several Big Nazo characters

And indeed there was.

The group assembled inside on the grand staircase to publicize Bright Night Providence, the sixth annual New Year's Eve celebration put on in the Capitol City by a non-profit, artist-run organization. Still, it was hard to keep the rowdy characters focused on that.

"Many politicians have thrown themselves under my train," quipped the Casey Jones character getting caught up in the City Hall scene.

This year's event replaces fireworks with a midnight laser show, headlines an acrobatic act called the Nerveless Nocks and features 160 performers at 22 venues. It also incorporates a Providence Friars basketball game at the Dunkin' Donuts Center. The first 3,000 people with Bright Night wristbands may enter the game versus St. John's University for free.

Tickets to Bright Night are $10 in advance, $15 on the day of the event (when a family four-pack may be purchased for $50). Tickets are on sale online at www.brightnight.org, by calling (401) 621-6123 or by visiting ArtTixRI, on Westminster Street, any BankRI location, all OOP! locations and the East Side Marketplace.

For more information, including the schedule of Bright Night events, visit www.brightnight.org.

Federal regulators have approved a measure preventing credit-card companies from unfairly using deceptive "bait-and-switch lending practices," but Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI), says it needs to take effect before it's scheduled July 1, 2010 launch.

A senior member of the Banking Committee, Reed called on the Federal Reserve to monitor credit-card interest rates and consider accelerating the enforcement of this rule.

"I am pleased that the Federal Reserve is taking steps to end abusive lending practices by credit card companies," Reed said. These reforms will improve disclosure, rein in unfair interest increases, and help give more consumers time to pay their bills.

"However, we should make sure the credit-card companies do not take advantage of the lengthy implementation phase and increase interest rates on users at an accelerated pace prior to July 2010.."

In a letter to Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke, Reed wrote, "Faced with rising unemployment and limited access to lower-interest options such as home equity lines of credit, more individuals are turning to credit cards to support their small businesses and buy basic necessities. These consumers are particularly vulnerable to sudden interest rate increases. Indeed, a number of Rhode Islanders have contacted me in recent months about arbitrary increases in their credit-card rates.

"With all that is happening in the economy and the lengthy interval between the announcement and the implementation of the final rule, I would like to know what the Federal Reserve is doing to monitor this issue."

Reed asked several questions of Bernanke in the letter, including:

-- What systems have been put in place to rigorously track changes in credit-card interest rates?

-- Why subject credit-card account holders to them for more than 18 additional months?

Providence Journal photo / John Freidah

Charles Shaw Sr., with Rambone Brothers, mixes salt with sand at the Rhode Island Department of Transportation salt barn, off Route 37 in Warwick, where trucks load up before heading out to treat the roads during today's predicted storm.

The first few bands of snow have begun to arrive on local radar, and by the 2 o'clock hour the flakes could come, too. Temperatures are right around 31, with northeast winds around 10 mph with gusts up to 25 mph.

The storm is expected to dump about a foot of snow, with the heaviest coming around 6 p.m.

To get the full forecast, additional details, go to projo.com/weather

Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel, in Providence, has announced that the GWAR show scheduled for tonight has been postponed due to the impending snowstorm. A new date will be announced soon, and all tickets for tonight's show will be honored on the new date.

For more information, go to Rick Massimo's Projo Music Blog.

Meanwhile, Trinity Repertory Company has announced that it will cancel all evening performances today. This affects patrons who have purchased tickets to the 7 p.m. performance of "A Christmas Carol" and the 7:30 p.m. performance of "The Receptionist."

See more cancellation notices on projothebeat.com

Patrons may call the Trinity Rep Box office at (401) 351-4242 to make alternate arrangements. Representatives are available from 12 to 8 p.m. seven days a week; however, if representatives are not available tonight due to inclement weather, you may leave a message and it will be returned as soon as possible during normal business hours.

BOSTON -- One of Boston's most popular tourist destinations is on the block.

General Growth Properties Inc., the Chicago-based operator of Faneuil Hall Marketplace, has confirmed it is seeking a buyer for the downtown shopping area as part of a plan to pay off debt.

New York brokerage DTZ Rockwood LLC said it has been retained to market GGP's Festival Marketplace portfolio, which includes the Boston mall, Baltimore's Harborplace & The Gallery and New York's South Street Seaport.

Faneuil Hall Marketplace, which consists of three large buildings adjacent to historic Faneuil Hall, has been a gathering spot in Boston for more than 250 years and currently includes nearly 200,000 square feet of retail space.

General Growth leased the buildings from the city in 2004.

-- The Associated Press

In a memo to key Rhode Island officials, Jerome F. Williams, director of the state Department of Administration, details that today is a normal workday for state workers, and "no state of emergency."

"This communication is to emphasize that the State of Rhode Island intends to remain in full operation during the storm occurring on Friday, Dec. 19, 2008," the memo states, adding that the inclement weather/emergency clause in collective bargaining agreements with the state does not apply.

Read the full memo here.

By contrast, Massachusetts workers were told by their governor to stay home today because of the impending storm.

Today's front page looks at preparations in anticipation for today's big snow, and in other bad news, the darkened Rhode Island jobs picture.

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

By C. Eugene Emery Jr.
Journal staff writer

BARRINGTON - The four students who attended last Friday night's high school dance, but were so drunk they be came ill, were suspended for five days, Principal John Gray said today.

The disciplinary action marks the first real test of Barrington's new policy under which athletes found to be using drugs or alcohol automatically become ineligible for practice sessions for 10 days and all games for 15 days, a period that must include two interscholastic contests. For other extracurricular activities, the suspension period is 7 days.

Gray said "at least a couple" of the students were athletes.

For a second offense, Barrington high students are banished from extracurricular activities for a full year.

Two girls, both 16, were discovered vomiting in the bathroom during the dance. One told the police she had been drinking whiskey and gin, and couldn't remember where she was. Two other students, boys age 15 and 17, were later found to be sick and intoxicated.

"It's been a while since we've had to send a kid home [from a dance]," said Gray. "And when you have multiple kids like this, it was disappointing to say the least."

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence announced today it is adding an emergency-overflow homeless shelter at its St. Martin de Porres Multi-Cultural Center in Providence, and granting $75,000 in additional funds to agencies servicing the needy.

Bishop Thomas J. Tobin said the Diocesan Emergency Assistance Grants will go to 29 local not-for-profit agencies that provide direct assistance such as housing and food to those in need -- money that came from an anonymous donor. The grants were not derived from parish assessments, the Catholic Charity Fund or any other diocesan account, the diocese said.

"Rhode Island families struggling to find shelter and a basic meal are the real story behind the state's nation-leading unemployment figures," said Bishop Tobin. "The challenging economy has created significant hardships to those local organizations serving the homeless and hungry who struggle during the best of times. I know that these grants will not solve all the problems faced by these important organizations, however I hope the funds will provide some much needed short-term relief."

St. Martin de Porres Center in Providence was established by diocese in 1964 to meet the needs of minority elderly in the Providence area. The center is funded by grants from the diocesan Catholic Charity Fund and state Department of Elderly Affairs.

The Diocesan Emergency Assistance Program is designed to assist emergency shelters, meal sites and local food pantries to meet the increased needs of individuals and families impacted by the weakened economy. Grants range from $2,000 to $3,000. A $10,000 award was made available to St. Martin de Porres to cover costs associated with operating as an emergency-overflow shelter.

"The Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence is pleased to offer one of its facilities as an emergency-overflow shelter for those without a warm place to lay their heads at night," said Tobin. "Foreclosures and rising unemployment have forced too many Rhode Islanders from their homes. I am hopeful that this new overflow shelter will provide many with another temporary housing option."

>> Continue reading: Diocese of Providence adds shelter, aid to needy

By Tim Murphy
Journal City Editor

Here's what will appear in tomorrow's Providence Journal and online at projo.com

More candidates are emerging to replace Supreme Court Chief Justice Frank Williams, who is retiring at the end of the month.

Patrick Conley, a Providence lawyer, developer and historian says he's interested. Also interested: Robert Flanders, who had previously served as a Supreme Court justice.

Governor Carcieri officially started the application process today; it could take months to pick a replacement.

Tomorrow, we'll take a look at some of the contenders.

And in the food section, we'll share tips from local chefs on how to prepare a holiday feast.

Driving from South County to Providence during the morning rush, commuters were greeted with several forms of precipitation, but thankfully, no slippery roads.

In North Kingstown, sleet began to fall around 8:15 a.m., and followed this driver all the way up to Route 95, where in Warwick, it turned to wet flakes of snow.

The precipitation then turned back to a cold rain towards the city.

Checking local radar, it appears most of the bands of wet stuff are moving off the coast.

Check projo.com/weather for the region's forecast, which calls for snow later on tonight and into tomorrow, with a possible accumulation of about an inch.

Providence's Board of Licenses today issued two cease-and-desist orders against the nightclubs that were the locations of the city's 12th and 13th homicides of the year.

Club Passion at Portland and Hayward streets in South Providence, and Level II, on Richmond Street, are shut down pending emergency hearings regarding their operating licenses with the city.

Those hearings will determine the next steps to be taken involving the clubs.

Anthony Parrish, 24, of Dorchester, Mass., was pronounced dead at Rhode Island Hospital Sunday, shot as a crowd was leaving Club Passion, the police said. Also injured was London Hardy, 36, according to the police, in the incident that caused the city's 13th homicide of the year.

The 12th homicide victim, Jeremy M. Olearnick, 22, of Norwich, Conn, was stabbed outside of the Level II dance club on Dec. 6.

-- with reports by Philip Marcelo, Journal staff writer

Projo.com photo / Pamela Reinsel Cotter

A Santa display on Candlewood Drive in North Kingstown looks as though a Godzilla-like giant has kicked it around, due to high winds in the early morning hours.

Throughout Southy County the gusts spared no trees or holiday decorations.

A dispatcher in North Kingstown said that the weather created a few accidents, and that winds have knocked some trees down on roads throughout the town.

Middlebridge Road, the thoroughfare that links Narragansett to South Kingstown, was closed around 8 a.m., according to Dispatcher Jim McClarnon because the waters of the Pettaquamscut River had gotten too high. McClarnon said they expect the bridge to reopen in about a half hour.

-- with reports from Talia Buford

Providence Journal photo / Gretchen Ertl

Festival Ballet company dancer Lauren Menger, 25, of Providence, waits for her next stage appearance during a dress rehearsal of The Nutcracker at the Providence Performance Art Center.

The show is directed by Mihailo "Misha" Djuric.

Menger, who dances several roles including, the Dew Drop Fairy, Marzipan, and Clara's mother has been dancing for 20 years and says that she has probably performed The Nutcracker for each of those years.

Performances are tomorrow at 7:30 p.m., Saturday at 2 and 7 p.m., and Sunday at 1 and 6:30 p.m. Ticket prices from $18 to $83. Check performance information at projothebeat.com

Watch the projo.video.

The number of home foreclosures in Rhode Island has gotten so bad that several groups are calling for a complete moratorium on them.

Peter Asen, associate director of Ocean State Action, says more than two-thirds of the foreclosures going on right now in Rhode Island are on multi-family homes, often where the tenants have no control over whether mortgage payments are made by landlords, and therefore cannot stop their own evictions.

Ocean State Action, Jobs with Justice and several other groups are among housing advocates threatening to begin blockading foreclosed homes if banks try to evict rent-paying tenants who live there.

The advocates plan to convene outside of 804 Potters Ave., in Providence, at 5:15 this afternoon to issue a warning: try to evict renters at the three-family home in foreclosure there, and banks will face a blockade.

Asen said similar protests are taking place in cities around the country, because housing advocates are frustrated that unlike the banks, working people have received no financial bail-out assistance from the government.

"Even tenants who pay their rent are having the houses they live in being foreclosed on," Asen said, "this is a big problem that we need to raise awareness about."

"This broadly affects whole neighborhoods as well," Asen said. "These homes get vacated and people come in and steal the copper" and vandalize the homes, causing a general decline in city neighborhoods.

"We want to bring together both tenants and home owners to put a moratorium on foreclosures altogether."

Extra: Read Borrowing Trouble, our special report on the impact of foreclosure in Rhode Island, including Foreclosure Fallout, a story about how foreclosure affects renters.

Journal photo / Bob Thayer
Dean T. Holt, president and CEO of Domestic Bank, makes the announcement at a news conference today at Progresso Latino in Central Falls.

By Paul Parker
Journal staff writer

Domestic Bank, as part of a federal penalty for deceptive lending practices, is contributing $1 million to 12 agencies to boost financial-literacy programs.

One of those agencies, the United Way, will chip in $200,000 of its own and redistribute the money as grants to other organizations. The bank also agreed to pay an $850,000 fine to settle a complaint with the U.S. Treasury's Office of Thrift Supervision (OTS).

"It's more than just fulfilling an OTS obligation," said bank president and CEO Dean T. Holt. "I think it's a great opportunity for this bank to work with the community we bank."

Rhode Island's ornament on the official White House Christmas tree, designed by Barrington-based artist Mary Jane Begin, is now up for public view.

The ornament was among those unveiled in a special Christmas tree lighting ceremony held by First Lady Laura Bush at the White House last night. Sen. Jack Reed, Begin and her mother were among those in attendance.

"Rhode Island is known for its outstanding arts community and I am pleased that Mary Jane Begin contributed her time and considerable talents to creating this uniquely Rhode Island ornament," said Reed.

Begin's ornament features Rhode Island's state bird, the Rhode Island Red, ice skating against a night sky backdrop. The sky is the color blue found in the American Flag and is complemented by red and white strips at the top and bottom. The ornament has 50 stars with the largest star representing both Rhode Island and the Christmas holiday.

This year's theme is red, white and blue.

The official 20-foot White House Christmas tree, a North Carolina grown Fraser fir, is on display in the Blue Room of the White House. The tree will be displayed in the White House throughout the holiday season, after which, the ornament becomes part of the White House collection.

By Paul Davis
Journal staff writer

PROVIDENCE -- Robert B. Hackey, professor of health policy and management at Providence College, has been named Rhode Island Professor of the Year by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education.

The South Kingstown resident has taught at the college since 1999. He was chosen from a list of 300 professors from throughout the United States.

The college announced the award today.

"Coming here was like arriving in the land of milk and honey," Hackey said. "As a faculty member here, you can do things that many of my colleagues at other institutions can only dream about."

It's the second award this year for Hackey. In April, he was named the 2007-08 Joseph R. Accinno Faculty Teaching Award recipient at PC.

The U.S. Professors of the Year program salutes the most outstanding undergraduate instructors in the country. It is the only national program to recognize excellence in undergraduate teaching and mentoring.

"Every semester, I tell my classes that the college pays me to make their lives uncomfortable so that they might develop, or in some cases discover, talents and skills within themselves," Hackey said.