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January 2010 Archives
12:42 PM Fri, Jan 29, 2010 | Permalink |
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By Katherine Gregg  Email
By Steve Peoples Journal Staff Writer PROVIDENCE, R.I. --Steven M. Costantino says he hasn't decided whether to run for higher office, but it sure appears he's gearing up for something. The House Finance Committee chairman loaned his campaign $150,000 on......
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8:44 AM Fri, Jan 29, 2010 | Permalink |
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By Jack Perry Email
By John Mulligan Journal Washington Bureau WASHINGTON -- Rep. Patrick J. Kennedy raised almost $756,000 last year to campaign for a ninth term in Congress - roughly triple the contributions to his Republican opponent. Rhode Island Democrat Kennedy has more......
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9:57 AM Thu, Jan 28, 2010 | Permalink |
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By John E. Mulligan, Washington bureau Email
WASHINGTON -- Republican state Rep. John Loughlin has reported raising more than $246,000 last year for his campaign to unseat Congressman Patrick J. Kennedy, the veteran Democrat who represents Rhode Island's First Congressional District. In his year-end report to the......
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7:38 AM Thu, Jan 28, 2010 | Permalink |
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By Jack Perry Email
By John Mulligan Journal Washington Bureau WASHINGTON -- Rhode Island's all-Democratic congressional delegation warmly praised the general shape of the economic plans in Wednesday's State of the Union speech but expressed enough specific reservations to suggest how tough a sales......
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6:15 PM Wed, Jan 27, 2010 | Permalink |
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By Philip Marcelo Email
PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Former Mayor Joseph R. Paolino, Jr. says he won't run for mayor this year, ending months of speculation that the prominent developer was preparing a challenge to incumbent Democrat Mayor David N. Cicilline, who is seeking a......
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3:05 PM Wed, Jan 27, 2010 | Permalink |
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By News staff Email
By Tim Barmann projo.com staff Projo.com has added two new features Wednesday to its"word cloud" illustrating words that Governor Carcieri used most often in his eight State of the State addresses from 2003 to 2010. (A word cloud displays a......
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2:31 PM Wed, Jan 27, 2010 | Permalink |
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By Katherine Gregg Email
PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Governor Carcieri is banking on federal stimulus money to finance the loosely-sketched "small business package'' he talked about in his eighth and final state of the state address on Tuesday night. He is also banking on the......
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10:02 AM Mon, Jan 25, 2010 | Permalink |
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By Steve Peoples Email
Governor Carcieri's communications director has a time conflict this week during what may be the governor's most significant communication with the people of Rhode Island this year. On Tuesday night at 7 p.m., the term-limited Carcieri will deliver his final......
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7:35 AM Mon, Jan 25, 2010 | Permalink |
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By News staff Email
Former state Sen. Edward P. Morrone, D-Westerly, is poised to make a leap from the State House payroll to the judiciary payroll. A one-time chief of staff to former Senate President Joseph A. Montalbano, Morrone has spent the last year......
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7:30 AM Mon, Jan 25, 2010 | Permalink |
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By News staff Email
The kickoff for the legislative fundraising season traditionally begins with a gala event in January to raise money for the House Speaker. But not this year. Having already served notice that he is not running for reelection, and hinted that......
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7:05 AM Mon, Jan 25, 2010 | Permalink |
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By News staff Email
He hasn't yet warmed up to Facebook, but Governor Carcieri is now tweeting. Yes, as of late last week, the governor's communications office established an "RIGovernor" Twitter account. What was 14 followers early Friday became 86 by the evening. By......
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7:00 AM Mon, Jan 25, 2010 | Permalink |
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By News staff Email
Najarian says it's time to get off the ride One of Governor Carcieri's most loyal lieutenants is leaving state government. Beverly Najarian first came to Smith Hill as part of the governor's transition office in 2002. She will retire at......
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7:00 AM Mon, Jan 25, 2010 | Permalink |
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By News staff Email
With roughly $230,000 in a growing campaign account, John Loughlin may be the state Republican Party's best hope for a major upset in November. Loughlin doesn't appear to have much faith in the state Republican Party, however. "I've always believed......
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7:00 AM Mon, Jan 25, 2010 | Permalink |
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By News staff Email
There may have been more working against Martha Coakley last week than populist anger, according to Brown University political science Prof. Wendy Schiller. "Even though Massachusetts is a liberal state, it's conservative in a way that Rhode Island is in......
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7:00 AM Mon, Jan 25, 2010 | Permalink |
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By News staff Email
With all but six seats in the Rhode Island House of Representatives held by Democrats, the gold-hued chamber at the State House is often a place of lopsided votes. But one vote last week was surprisingly close. With members about......
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4:31 PM Fri, Jan 22, 2010 | Permalink |
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By Katherine Gregg Email
PROVIDENCE, R.I.-- Republican gubernatorial candidate John Robitaille plans on leaving his job as Governor Carcieri's $129,705 communications director at the end of next week. When he announced on January 12 his candidacy to replace his term-limited boss, Robitaille said......
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5:36 PM Wed, Jan 20, 2010 | Permalink |
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By News staff Email
By John E. Mulligan Rhode Island state Rep. Jon Brien of Woonsocket said Wednesday that he is ``seriously considering'' a Democratic primary election challenge against Rep. Patrick J. Kennedy, who represents the city in Congress. Such a campaign, Brien said,......
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2:25 PM Wed, Jan 20, 2010 | Permalink |
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By Katherine Gregg Email
PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- While his potential opponents in the race for governor talk about freezing or repealing a controversial tax-break for the state's wealthiest taxpayers known as the flat-tax, Republican gubernatorial candidate John Robitaille is saying: Not so fast. In......
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12:31 PM Wed, Jan 20, 2010 | Permalink |
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By Katherine Gregg Email
PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- House Majority Whip Peter Kilmartin, D-Pawtucket, has hired two staffers for his potential run for attorney general to replace term-limited incumbent Patrick C. Lynch. Through one of his new staffers, he announced the hiring of Brett......
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5:44 PM Tue, Jan 19, 2010 | Permalink |
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By News staff Email
By Randal Edgar PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- The Rhode Island Board of Elections is scheduled to vote Wednesday on new limits for the state's matching funds program, a publicly financed election tool that attempts to level the playing field between candidates......
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7:00 AM Mon, Jan 18, 2010 | Permalink |
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By News staff Email
By Randal Edgar Journal State House Bureau PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- While several speakers were telling the House Finance Committee last week that cities and towns are spending too much on employee pensions, another, representing public school teachers, argued that the......
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7:00 AM Mon, Jan 18, 2010 | Permalink |
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By News staff Email
By Steve Peoples Journal State House Bureau PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Lacking a formal party structure of their own, Tea Party activists in Rhode Island and elsewhere -- despite consistent pledges of non-partisan status -- have set their sights on the......
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7:00 AM Mon, Jan 18, 2010 | Permalink |
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By News staff Email
By Steve Peoples Journal State House Bureau PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- After recently posting the child advocate's job, the Carcieri administration confirmed last week that it is creating a search committee to replace longtime Mental Health Advocate H. Reed Cosper. "The......
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6:00 PM Fri, Jan 15, 2010 | Permalink |
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By Philip Marcelo Email
PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- This will be Mayor David N. Cicilline's last run for mayor, Karen Watts, his communications director, said on Friday. Cicilline, who had been a gubernatorial hopeful, is seeking a third term. Watts said the mayor, who served......
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1:30 PM Fri, Jan 15, 2010 | Permalink |
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By Katherine Gregg Email
PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Forget the Ethics Commission. The Senate Rules Committee is considering a proposal to let the state Senate adopt its own conflict-of-interest rules, and police the behavior of its own members. "If that is what the U.S. Senate......
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6:39 PM Wed, Jan 13, 2010 | Permalink |
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By Katherine Gregg Email
PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- State Democratic Party Chairman William Lynch wants to know when John Robitaille, the newly announced Republican candidate for governor, is going to "make good on his promise to resign his high-priced, taxpayer-funded position in the governor's......
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6:24 PM Wed, Jan 13, 2010 | Permalink |
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By Katherine Gregg Email
PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Frustrated that state GOP chairman Giovanni Cicione won't call a state central committee meeting to discuss closing the state's Republican primary, the faction promoting the idea has called its own "informal meeting'' next week. It remains......
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1:52 PM Wed, Jan 13, 2010 | Permalink |
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By News staff Email
By Philip Marcelo PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- The chairmen of the state's local Republican city and town committees and other prominent Republicans on Tuesday called on GOP Party Chairman Giovanni Cicione to resign immediately. Cicione, who has been the party leader......
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1:32 PM Wed, Jan 13, 2010 | Permalink |
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By News staff Email
By Katherine Gregg WARWICK, R.I. -- The governor's $129,705-a-year director of communications, John Robitaille, made it official on Tuesday: he is running for governor on the Republican ticket. While he drew a line at what he would and would not......
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5:42 PM Tue, Jan 12, 2010 | Permalink |
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By News staff Email
By John E. Mulligan Journal Washington Bureau WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The campaign arm of House Republicans says state Rep. John Loughlin of Tiverton -- a challenger to veteran Democratic Rep. Patrick J. Kennedy -- is officially "on the radar.'' That......
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12:56 PM Tue, Jan 12, 2010 | Permalink |
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By News staff Email
PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- The governor's $129,705-a-year director of communications, John Robitaille, has made it official: he is running for governor on the Republican ticket. In a statement released at noon on Tuesday, he said: "I will roll out my platform......
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6:20 PM Mon, Jan 11, 2010 | Permalink |
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By Steve Peoples Email
PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- The Rhode Island Young Democrats are excited to meet with U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse Wednesday night. So is the Rhode Island Tea Party. The Young Dems issued a news release Monday afternoon announcing the 6 p.m. meet......
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5:37 PM Mon, Jan 11, 2010 | Permalink |
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By Katherine Gregg Email
PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Governor Carcieri is seeking to deliver his final "state the state'' address to lawmakers on Jan. 27. In a letter delivered to House Speaker William J. Murphy's office on Monday, Carcieri's chief of staff, Andrew M. Hodgkin,......
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12:10 PM Mon, Jan 11, 2010 | Permalink |
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By Pamela Reinsel Cotter Email
By Randal Edgar Journal staff writer A Democrat who hopes to be the state's next attorney general is calling for tougher penalties for drunk drivers. Stephen R. Archambault, a Smithfield Town Council member, unveiled a "four-point plan" Monday that he......
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10:35 AM Mon, Jan 11, 2010 | Permalink |
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By News staff Email
By John Mulligan Journal Washington Bureau WASHINGTON, D.C. -- If you think that money talks, then you have to figure that the Democratic alarms about Ted Kennedy's old Senate seat are getting loud. The chief of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign......
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9:57 AM Mon, Jan 11, 2010 | Permalink |
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By Katherine Gregg Email
padding: 15px;"> Stephen Laffey By Katherine Gregg Journal Staff House Bureau PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Former Republican Cranston Mayor Stephen P. Laffey has opted against running for governor this year, despite a "Draft Laffey'' campaign by a conservative bloc within......
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9:37 AM Mon, Jan 11, 2010 | Permalink |
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By News staff Email
By Philip Marcelo PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Providence Mayor David N. Cicilline has formed a new Communications Cabinet charged with providing "consistent, effective and integrated messaging to the public in a strategic and comprehensive manner," according to an executive order presented......
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9:32 AM Mon, Jan 11, 2010 | Permalink |
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By News staff Email
By Randal Edgar PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Recognizing birthdays is a common practice at the House of Representatives, but one birthday that House members recognized last week as they opened their 2010 session deserves special note. The salute went to Frank......
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9:30 AM Mon, Jan 11, 2010 | Permalink |
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By News staff Email
By Steve People At the request of a Carcieri Cabinet member, Department of Administration Director Gary Sasse, the state held a public hearing last week on plans to hire 28 contract employees. The positions -- to be filled primarily......
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9:27 AM Mon, Jan 11, 2010 | Permalink |
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By News staff Email
By Steve Peoples PROVIDENCE, R.I. He may be gone, but state legislators have ensured that Thomas C. Slater won't be forgotten for a long time. The House and Senate voted unanimously last week to name Rhode Island's new juvenile detention......
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9:23 AM Mon, Jan 11, 2010 | Permalink |
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By News staff Email
By Randal Edgar PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- His sister is the newest member of the General Assembly. But Tim Duffy, executive director of the Rhode Island Association of School Committees, says he's no better connected with state lawmakers than he was......
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9:20 AM Mon, Jan 11, 2010 | Permalink |
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By News staff Email
By Katherine Gregg PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Sen. John J. Tassoni has worn many hats, including pressman and business agent for the largest state employees union. And when last heard from, he was seeking state and municipal work as a mediator.......
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9:09 AM Mon, Jan 11, 2010 | Permalink |
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By News staff Email
By Steve Peoples PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Political Scene was a bit surprised at the sharp language Democratic Party Chairman William Lynch used to criticize secretary of state hopeful Leonidas "Lou" Raptakis last week. Turns out, so was Lynch. Friday at......
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4:21 PM Sat, Jan 09, 2010 | Permalink |
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By News staff Email
By Katherine Gregg Journal State House Bureau PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Scott Avedisian is at ground zero in a battle for "the heart and soul" of the Rhode Island Republican Party. As mayor of Warwick, Rhode Island's second largest city, Avedisian,......
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11:10 AM Fri, Jan 08, 2010 | Permalink |
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By Jack Perry Email
Pledging to act as "a watchdog for our citizens" and take on the General Assembly, state Sen. Leonidas P. Raptakis has announced his plan to run for secretary of state. Raptakis, a Coventry Democrat, will leave the General Assembly after......
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1:26 PM Thu, Jan 07, 2010 | Permalink |
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By News staff Email
AP Photo/ Elise Amendola Vicki Kennedy, left, applauds with Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley, right, as she endorses Coakley in Medford, Mass. Thursday. By GLEN JOHNSON AP Political Writer MEDFORD, Mass. (AP) -- Edward Kennedy's widow has formally endorsed......
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3:58 PM Wed, Jan 06, 2010 | Permalink |
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By Katherine Gregg Email
PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Raymond T. "Chip'' Hoyas Jr., the former top Senate aide who has been accused in a $70,000 check-cashing scheme at the State House, is seeking a $49,000 a year disability pension from the state. State Retirement......
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4:10 PM Tue, Jan 05, 2010 | Permalink |
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By News staff Email
PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- The General Assembly is returning to business Tuesday for its 2010 session. And the House has already begun by overriding several of Governor Carcieri's vetoes of its bills, such as burial rights for domestic partners. Providence Journal......
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