Archive - Feb 2013 - News Article
February 24th
Kyle Bresnahan, left, and Bountheng (B.T.) Tanakhone, both of Woonsocket, practice kickflips on their skateboards on Main Street in the city Friday. Milder temperatures and less wind served up a perfect day for late winter outdoor activities in the Valley.
WOONSOCKET – A proposed updating of the existing senior citizen property tax exemption aimed at lessening the burden of expected tax increases on the city’s older property owners will get further review by the City Council at its upcoming work session on Monday.
City Council President John F. Ward, who proposed an improvement of the current little-used exemption, said he is open to suggestions from his peers on exactly what changes could be made to make the exemption available to a greater number of elderly residents.
BLACKSTONE – In the aftermath of the Great New England Hurricane of 1938, a group of 10 French Canadian residents from the Millerville section of Blackstone looked around at the devastation, rolled up their sleeves and went to work cleaning up the neighborhood.
February 22nd
WOONSOCKET – Acting on a tip, police arrested two city men Thursday in connection with the theft of brass hand rails from the steps of the landmark St. Charles Barromeo Church.
Robert C. Ceraolo, 55, of 340 Robinson St., and Timothy Ring, 36, of 157 Fairfield Ave., are charged with one count each of felony larceny and conspiracy.
CUMBERLAND — The Town Council has given the Water Department the green light to move forward with a plan to drill test wells at five sites where town water officials hope to find new municipal sources of water.
WOONSOCKET – Local school officials could soon be considering plans to help students achieve new state graduation requirements that are threatening to keep some members of the Class of 2014 from earning a high school diploma when next year’s graduation season rolls around.
School Committee Chairwoman Vimala Phongsavanh said Tuesday she is aware of the changes in graduation requirements affecting next year’s seniors and wants to hear more about the district’s plans to assist students who have yet to achieve proficiency in state academic standards.
February 21st
WOONSOCKET — Fire officials have identified a woodstove in use for heating as the probable cause of a fire that gutted a single-family home at 195 Norman St. Tuesday night.
Capt. Michael A. Morin, city fire marshal, said the department’s investigation into the fire discovered at about 7:40 p.m. Tuesday pointed to the woodstove as the likely cause even though the heavy damage to the wood-frame structure would likely prevent a final determination from being made.
February 20th
BLACKSTONE — Special Town Meeting voters will get down to business March 11 when they consider a combined $8,263,612 in proposals to replace the roofs of the Blackstone-Millville Regional High School, the John F. Kennedy Elementary School and the Augustine F. Maloney Elementary School.
The meeting will be held at 7 p.m. in the Blackstone-Millville Regional High auditorium, 175 Lincoln St.
GLOCESTER — It's been an exciting past few years for science teacher Ross “Mad Dog” McCurdy and his whiz kids at Ponaganset High School.
In 2008, McCurdy and his students were recognized nationally for their Fuel Cell Model T, a hydrogen-powered car built by the students under McCurdy's guidance. McCurdy has taught a class about fuel cells and other renewable energy technologies for several years and the transformed Model T replica is still being used to teach new students about the potential uses of fuel cells.
WOONSOCKET – Some two dozen non-profit charitable, cultural and civic organizations in the city can rest easy for a while – the Budget Commission has pushed back the timetable for stripping them of tax-exempt status until July 2014.
As commissioners voted 4-0 to spare the tax-exempts until then, they said that in the meantime, the city must do more to make sure the process is legally defensible.
