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March 2007 Archives
1:25 PM Thu, Mar 29, 2007 | Permalink |
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By Andrea Panciera  Email
Lombardi's 1025 Club in Johnston has a storied past as a community banquet hall and gathering place for Rhode Island politicos. A frequent attendee at those events is Journal political columnist M. Charles Bakst. Projo.com asked him today to write......
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7:02 PM Mon, Mar 26, 2007 | Permalink |
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By Steve Peoples Email
PROVIDENCE -- A proposed state law aims to fight the piles of junk mail that build up in people's mailboxes. Rep. David Segal has submitted a bill that would create an opt-out list for junk mail similar to the federal......
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11:22 AM Mon, Mar 26, 2007 | Permalink |
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By Pamela Reinsel Cotter Email
The perennial proposal to take Rhode Island’s legislature full time has resurfaced, and this year’s incarnation would pay each lawmaker $85,000 a year. Pay for the House speaker and the Senate president would be $145,000 a year. The pay rates......
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11:21 AM Mon, Mar 26, 2007 | Permalink |
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By Pamela Reinsel Cotter Email
Careful readers may be wondering whether a budget shortfall has forced the state treasurer’s office to skimp on its proofreading budget. On the cover of last week’s “notice of names appearing to be owners of unclaimed property,” the last name......
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11:17 AM Mon, Mar 26, 2007 | Permalink |
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By Pamela Reinsel Cotter Email
In his first shot across the bow as state Republican Party chairman, Giovanni Cicione slammed the State House “jobs program for North Providence politicians.” Cicione was responding to a report in last week’s Political Scene about the hiring by Senate......
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11:16 AM Mon, Mar 26, 2007 | Permalink |
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By Pamela Reinsel Cotter Email
Speaking of new jobs, Cicione has hired Donna (DePetro) Perry — sister of radio talk show personality John DePetro, and former communications aide to Carcieri, former U.S. Rep. Ronald Machtley and the Republican National Committee — as the state GOP’s......
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11:15 AM Mon, Mar 26, 2007 | Permalink |
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By Pamela Reinsel Cotter Email
Rumors of his departure are premature. Thus spake House Speaker Murphy late last week, as rumors once again began to circulate of his departure from both the speaker’s aerie — and the legislature itself — after his current term ends......
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11:14 AM Mon, Mar 26, 2007 | Permalink |
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By Pamela Reinsel Cotter Email
While their leaders have promised action on some very big issues this year, including a rewrite of the state’s prison sentencing laws, lawmakers’ attention so far has focused on many more parochial bills. Take H5538. The bill marks former Senate......
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11:12 AM Mon, Mar 26, 2007 | Permalink |
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By Pamela Reinsel Cotter Email
Doing a little spring cleaning? Bring your closet castoffs to the State House for a clothing drive organized by the Senate Women’s Caucus. The woman legislators are specifically seeking business attire items for women in job training programs at Dorcas......
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11:10 AM Mon, Mar 26, 2007 | Permalink |
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By Pamela Reinsel Cotter Email
The Senate recently honored Louis A. Bilotta, a longtime Senate doorkeeper who died Feb. 25. Bilotta retired several years ago, Senate staff said. Born in Providence, Bilotta was the husband of Celia (DiNofa) Bilotta and the father of Geraldine A.......
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8:45 AM Thu, Mar 22, 2007 | Permalink |
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By Steve Peoples Email
U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse said this morning that Congressional Democrats aren't simply flexing their newfound political muscles as they move to force Bush administration officials to testify under oath about the U.S. Attorney firing scandal. "I think this is deadly......
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1:48 PM Mon, Mar 19, 2007 | Permalink |
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By Steve Peoples Email
PROVIDENCE -- Failed U.S. Senate candidate Harold Ford is in Rhode Island today to discuss his views on national politics at Brown University. Ford narrowly lost to Republican challenger Bob Corker in the Tennessee election, but he became a national......
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1:47 PM Mon, Mar 19, 2007 | Permalink |
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By Steve Peoples Email
Rhode Island's freshman senator plans to return to the United States today after his first trip to Iraq this weekend. Democrat Sheldon Whitehouse and a small group of other U.S. senators met with soldiers, military leaders and Iraqi officials before......
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9:17 AM Mon, Mar 19, 2007 | Permalink |
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By Pamela Reinsel Cotter Email
A fourth member of the all-Democrat North Providence Town Council has landed a job on the state payroll, and the winner this time is the council president, Joseph S. Burchfield. With help from Senate President Joseph A. Montalbano, D-North Providence,......
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9:16 AM Mon, Mar 19, 2007 | Permalink |
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By Pamela Reinsel Cotter Email
Meanwhile on another job front, state Democratic Party Chairman William J. Lynch slammed the Carcieri administration’s attempts to fill two empty deputy director positions -- paying between $110,549 and $122,560 a year -- while seeking layoffs and pay cuts to......
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9:15 AM Mon, Mar 19, 2007 | Permalink |
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By Pamela Reinsel Cotter Email
Secretary of State Mollis has snared a seasoned hand in the spokesman business as his new press secretary: Chris Barnett. Barnett, who from 1991 until just recently was the voice of the Rhode Island Housing & Mortgage Finance Corporation, starts......
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9:13 AM Mon, Mar 19, 2007 | Permalink |
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By Pamela Reinsel Cotter Email
Jack Hogan, a veteran tobacco industry lobbyist at the Rhode Island State House, has been hired by Reynolds American, parent company of the second-largest tobacco company in the United States, R.J. Reynolds. R.J. Reynolds takes credit for “manufacturing about one......
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9:09 AM Mon, Mar 19, 2007 | Permalink |
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By Pamela Reinsel Cotter Email
The bumpy road to place voter initiative on the ballot is a familiar one -- going on more than 20 years -- but this time around, the journey took a side route to Vegas. At a hearing Wednesday, March 14,......
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1:35 PM Fri, Mar 16, 2007 | Permalink |
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By Steve Peoples Email
NEW YORK -- U.S. Rep. Patrick Kennedy, who entered rehab last year after an early morning car crash outside the U.S. Capitol, said today he had sought treatment months before the crash for an addiction to OxyContin, a prescription pain......
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6:28 PM Wed, Mar 14, 2007 | Permalink |
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By Steve Peoples Email
Lt. Gov. Elizabeth Roberts is in Washington, D.C. this week where the freshman lieutenant governor is participating in her first National Lieutenant Governor's Association winter meeting. The three-day conference features a host of events, such as a trip to the......
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6:44 PM Tue, Mar 13, 2007 | Permalink |
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By Andrea Panciera Email
PROVIDENCE — It’s not exactly a scarlet “A,” but political lobbyists walking the corridors of Providence City Hall might soon be branded with their own permanent label. A bill is being considered by the City Council that would require lobbyists......
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9:03 AM Mon, Mar 12, 2007 | Permalink |
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By Pamela Reinsel Cotter Email
With Governor Carcieri proposing layoffs and pay cuts for rank-and-file state employees, the posting last week of openings for two deputy directors in the Department of Administration -- at salaries ranging from $110,549 to $122,560 a year -- struck some......
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9:02 AM Mon, Mar 12, 2007 | Permalink |
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By Pamela Reinsel Cotter Email
Another member of the staff of former U.S. Sen. Lincoln D. Chafee has landed. Stephen R. Hourahan, Chafee’s campaign chairman for the 2006 election, started a week ago as director of public affairs for the Providence advertising and public affairs......
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9:00 AM Mon, Mar 12, 2007 | Permalink |
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By Pamela Reinsel Cotter Email
And now a status report on the 50-plus unions, corporations and other interest groups with lobbyists at the State House last year that failed to file the reports due Jan. 15 on “anything of value” they gave or paid a......
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8:59 AM Mon, Mar 12, 2007 | Permalink |
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By Pamela Reinsel Cotter Email
A group that represents people recovering from drug and alcohol addiction will host a documentary screening and discussion on Sunday. RI CARES (Rhode Island Communities for Addiction Recovery Efforts) will host a public screening of "Addiction," a new HBO documentary......
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8:57 AM Mon, Mar 12, 2007 | Permalink |
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By Pamela Reinsel Cotter Email
Two more state lawmakers have decided to voluntarily pay 10 percent of their health-care premiums. This time, the two come from the Democratic side of the aisle: Rep. Thomas Winfield, of Smithfield, and Sen. Marc A. Cote, of Woonsocket. That......
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12:46 PM Fri, Mar 09, 2007 | Permalink |
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By Steve Peoples Email
PROVIDENCE -- The Rhode Island Young Democrats plan to hold a fundraiser tonight to honor its most influential members over the past year. The recipients of the "Top 10 Young Democrats of 2006" awards include the campaign managers for various......
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6:56 PM Wed, Mar 07, 2007 | Permalink |
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By Steve Peoples Email
PROVIDENCE -- Several lawmakers are pushing their colleagues to advance resolutions criticizing President Bush's escalation of troops in Iraq. The proposed resolutions, introduced at a Smith Hill news conference Wednesday, urge the U.S. Congress to oppose sending more troops. Three......
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9:10 AM Mon, Mar 05, 2007 | Permalink |
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By Pamela Reinsel Cotter Email
First, there was a Senate bill to require that lawmakers and general officers chip in on the cost of their state-paid health insurance. Now, Rep. Amy G. Rice, D-Portsmouth, has sponsored a similar bill in the House. It would require......
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9:09 AM Mon, Mar 05, 2007 | Permalink |
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By Pamela Reinsel Cotter Email
State House committee hearing rooms are often overflowing when a controversial issue arises. So now, as part of a new plan to control the crowds and stay within fire-code capacity limits, the Capitol Police have started giving out badges at......
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9:08 AM Mon, Mar 05, 2007 | Permalink |
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By Pamela Reinsel Cotter Email
U.S. Sen. Christopher Dodd, D-Conn., will come to Rhode Island on Sunday for the second visit of his presidential campaign. Dodd’s sister, Martha Buonanno, and brother-in-law, Bernard V. Buonanno Jr., will host a fundraiser for Dodd at their home on......
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9:07 AM Mon, Mar 05, 2007 | Permalink |
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By Pamela Reinsel Cotter Email
If the price tag for the Chris Dodd fundraiser is too steep for you, consider this one instead. The Rhode Island Young Democrats will host a fundraiser Friday from 5 to 7 p.m. at Mediterraneo, 134 Atwells Ave., Providence. Admission......
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9:06 AM Mon, Mar 05, 2007 | Permalink |
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By Pamela Reinsel Cotter Email
The National Alliance on Mental Illness -- Rhode Island will hold an advocacy training on Thursday at 5:30 p.m. at the Cranston Public Library, 140 Sockanosset Cross Rd. Featured speaker will be Joe Brummer, of the Rhode Island Council of......
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9:03 AM Mon, Mar 05, 2007 | Permalink |
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By Pamela Reinsel Cotter Email
The newest addition to the staff of U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi comes from Rhode Island. Erica G. Sagrans, 24, joins Pelosi’s three-person online media team in Washington. She will write content for Pelosi’s Web site, www.speaker.gov, and for e-mails......
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9:02 AM Mon, Mar 05, 2007 | Permalink |
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By Pamela Reinsel Cotter Email
Even with no money on the line, Lady Luck doesn’t seem to be on the side of one state representative. Last week GTECH showed a group of lawmakers some new technology it plans to roll out in the coming months......
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9:00 AM Mon, Mar 05, 2007 | Permalink |
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By Pamela Reinsel Cotter Email
House Minority Whip Nicholas Gorham, R-Coventry, used the passage of the House rules last week as an opportunity to try to make a few points about transparency and open government in the General Assembly. While none of his proposed amendments......
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