Archive - News Article
May 22nd, 2011
Family and friends gathered outside the former Bellingham Public Library Sunday for the dedication of the Ernest A. Taft Jr. Historical Museum. Taft passed away in 2010. Pictured, from left, are Taftâs mother, Josephine âJosieâ Taft; his brother-in-law, Roland Arcand; former Bellingham selectwoman and friend Mary Chaves; and Taftâs sister, Joanna Arcand. In back is mistress of ceremonies Marcia Crooks of the Bellingham Historical Commission.
May 20th
WOONSOCKET â A non-profit developer from Providence wants to build a 42-unit apartment complex for low-income senior citizens off Privilege Street.
Omni Privilege Limited Partnership's proposal for Waterview South Elderly Apartments would represent not just the biggest addition to the city's stock of affordable housing for the elderly in years, but the biggest housing development of any kind since well before the recession began in 2008.
BURRILLVILLE â A 23-year-old teacher and town resident was arrested early yesterday morning and charged with one count each of Enticement of Children, Child Pornography Prohibited and Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor.
At 5:40 a.m., detectives and officers from the Burrillville Police Department, the R.I. State Police ICAC Team (Internet Crimes Against Children) and a deputy from the U.S. Marshalâs Office served a search warrant at the home of Justin W. Menoche, at 1871 Victory Highway.
Seized in the raid were a laptop computer, cell phone and an external hard drive, police said.
May 19th
PAWTUCKET â There's strength in numbers. That's why the merger of two longstanding and successful credit unions is good news for local residents in this challenging economy.
Alliance Blackstone Valley Federal Credit Union, of Pawtucket, and Blackstone River Federal Credit Union, headquartered in Woonsocket, are merging.
The announcement by credit union officials was made this week, with the legal merger set to take place on Sept. 30.
WOONSOCKET â James DeForest doesn't have to wonder how much cigarette business he's losing to neighboring Massachusetts. His customers tell him right to his face.
âAs it stands now customers verbally discuss how much cheaper tobacco is in Massachusetts,â said the manager of JB Liquors on Social Street.
âThey will actually make another stop to avoid purchasing cigarettes in our store.â
May 18th
WOONSOCKET â Prime Healthcare has now withdrawn its offer for Landmark Medical Center, making it the second bidder to walk away from the court-supervised sale of the troubled hospital in four days.
But this time there was a familiar ring to the Ontario, Calif., company's justification for pulling out â problems with Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Rhode Island.
LINCOLN â Despite giving a dire assessment of the current condition of the state pension fund, General Treasurer Gina Raimondo told the Northern Rhode Island Chamber of Commerce Wednesday that there is reason for optimism that the state will bring the $9 billion problem under control.
Raimondo said that Gov. Lincoln Chafee, House Speaker Gordon Fox and Senate President Teresa Paiva Weed âare ready to line up and take on pension reform. They are talking about acting quickly, they are talking about a special session, they are talking about working with me to come out with concrete solutions.
May 17th
WOONSOCKET â Mayor Leo T. Fontaine yesterday proposed a $120.5 million budget for next fiscal year that calls for a 4.5 increase in the tax levy, the maximum allowed by law without a waiver from the state.
Despite the increase, Fontaine said the budget calls for the elimination of two positions in the highway division, unpaid furlough days for employees and spending rollbacks for most city departments.
PROVIDENCE â Tolman High senior Alyssa Browning didn't know what shocked her more â the fact she had been selected as one of 68 recipients of the 2011 Lt. Governor's Leadership Awards, or that her mom Cindy didn't peruse the letter informing her.
âShe has a tough time keeping her hands off my mail, so it took everything she had not to open it,â Browning giggled before the ceremony, held at the Rhode Island Department of Administration's atrium on Capitol Hill Monday afternoon.
May 16th
LINCOLN â In an attempt to escape from a burning three-story tenement house early Monday morning, a man leaped from a third-floor window and suffered serious injuries, Manville Fire Chief Pete Adam stated.
âHe didn't suffer any burns, but I believe he broke both his legs,â Adam said later Monday. âLincoln Rescue (personnel) transported him to Rhode Island Hospital ⊠This was one of the worst fires I've seen (in this village) in quite a while.â
