The Daily Press http://www.pawtuckettimes.com http://www.pawtuckettimes.com/apfeed.xml--1 Copyright The Daily Press 2010-10-24T22:59:07-04:00 urn:publicid:dailypress.com:7372010-10-18T17:38:06-04:002010-10-18T17:38:06-04:00Copyright 2010 Pawtucket TimesWitnesses told officers the man demanded money from a female teller. She immediately gave the suspect cash before he left the bank, located at 1021 Fall River Ave., and entered a green minivan, which had been parked near a planter abutting a nearby McDonald's restaurant.The van reportedly traveled onto Highland Avenue and moved westbound toward East Providence. Mace indicated the van's rear plate may have been obscured for the purpose of concealing it from potential witnesses, and suspect vehicle information was immediately broadcast to Seekonk and East Providence Police officers. They searched the area for the van, but were unable to locate it. Seekonk detectives had begun working with Bank of America officials to investigate the heist.Anyone with any knowledge or pertinent information about the crime is asked to contact Det. Thomas Hedrick at the Seekonk Police Department at (508) 336-8123.Pawtucket, RIJon BakerMasked bandit robs Seekonk bankPawtucket Timesurn:publicid:dailypress.com:737Change0Usable2010-10-18T17:38:06-04:00 urn:publicid:dailypress.com:8382010-10-24T22:59:07-04:002010-10-24T22:59:07-04:00Copyright 2010 Pawtucket TimesNever was that more evident than Thursday evening, when Frost — as President/Chief Executive Officer of ATW Companies Inc. of Warwick — hosted a Grand Opening celebration of a new manufacturing business named Parmatech-Proform Corp., located at 825 Waterman Ave.There was no hiding Frost's elation as he introduced the new 25,000 square-foot site to Gov. Donald Carcieri, General Treasurer/gubernatorial candidate Frank Caprio, Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, Mayor Joseph Larisa and other honored guests.“I feel incredibly proud of this place,” said Frost, a down-home, amiable sort who admitted before the ribbon-cutting with the governor to being nervous about delivering his speech. “A.T. Wall, the founding father of this company, has been in Warwick (previously Providence) since 1886. I'm a native Rhode Islander and I live in Narragansett, and anything we can do as a corporation with the legacy we have to help the state's economy, I feel, is a social obligation.“I feel married to Rhode Island, and it's of paramount importance to our companies to do what we can to contribute to the state,” he added. “We want to be part of bringing Rhode Island back to where it was, where it needs to be.”ATW Companies is the parent to four businesses, including A.T. Wall Co. of Warwick; Judson A. Smith Co. of Boyertown, Pa.; Parmatech Corp. of Petaluma, Calif.; and now Parmatech-Proform in East Providence.As a wholly-owned subsidiary of ATW, Proform focuses on metal injection molding (MIM) and secondary MIM operations for the medical, telecommunications, firearms, hand tools, semiconductor and electronic packaging markets. It's main purpose is to augment and complement Parmatech's Claifornia-based MIM operation.Proform had been located in New Bedford, but Frost decided to move it to East Providence for several reasons, the most significant being he wanted it in Rhode Island.“We needed to expand our facilities (at Parmatech) in California; pure and simple, we ran out of room,” said Proform General Manager Brian McBride. “That meant getting out of our building in Petaluma or move it out of state, and that's what we decided to do.“Two years ago, we had a choice of green fielding — starting from scratch — or finding a small MIM company we could buy,” he continued. “We found Proform, a small division of Morgan Alberox in New Bedford. Once we made the purchase (in Sept. 2009), Morgan Alberox officials wanted us to pull out of the building, so we chose this site. We did that so our 12 employees could work here without a lengthy commute.”Stated Frost: “ATW Companies is very excited about expanding within Rhode Island, our long-established headquarters and base of operations. In addition to increasing our capacities on the East Coast, we expect the new facility will generate over 100 jobs to the area over the next three years.”Those jobs would include manufacturing technicians, manufacturing line employees, mechanical quality technicians, product and processing engineers and business support personnel (such as secretaries, public relations people, etc.).Proform is located at the old EFD Co. building, and Ron Mitchell Construction Co. of Ashaway began demolition/reconstruction/renovation work this past January. Mitchell, the owner, indicated he worked closely with his construction manager, Paul Yoe, in developing such plans.The move became official Sept. 3; that's when the 15 employees (three new ones have been hired since) went to work.When asked what Proform does exactly, McBride indicated workers take a metal powder with a bonding agent, then shoot it into a mold to create what he calls a “green part.” It then is sent through a sintering process, which shrinks the part by about 20 percent and turns it into a solid state.McBride also mentioned they use a furnace to “sinter,” one that reaches heat of over 2,300 degrees Fahrenheit.“We have a lot of parts that go into firearms, medical instruments/devices, orthodontic/dental brackets, cellphones and the like, so we're producing custom metal components,” he noted. “We then sell these parts to OEMs (original equipment manufacturers). Any company who needs a small complex metal part, we make it for them.”D.J. Lauck, a sales manager out of the Petaluma plant, explained companies go to them and ask if they can fabricate a metal part through the MIM process – at competitive prices. If the answer is yes, they begin work.Frost estimated the cost of the building and its new equipment at between $7.5-10 million. One piece, in fact, he bought from Tiyoda-Serec Inc. of Quonset.“I did that because it was another Rhode Island company,” Frost offered. “Anything I can do to buy not only American products but those made in Rhode Island or New England, I'll do. Right now, it's all about re-qualifying our projects with our customers, making sure they're satisfied. They need to know we have control over our quality processes and products.“We're also looking right now for engineering staff to step in and help us,” he added. “This process is 90-percent thinking and 10-percent doing. We need talented engineers to lay out the process. That will ensure we're making those quality parts.”Sen. Whitehouse, for one, admitted being impressed with the facility.“It's incredibly exciting; Proform is a manufacturing company that has chosen to relocate to Rhode Island, and has great high-technology knowhow,” he said. “It's also driven by Peter's enthusiasm. He understands Rhode Island is a great place for this kind of work. It's exciting when you see business leaders who believe this is a great place to grow a company.”Caryn Mitchell, ATW Companies' Chief Financial Officer, agreed.“It feels great to bring manufacturing jobs to Rhode Island,” she said. “The fact that so many manufacturing jobs have moved offshore is a tragedy. We want to make it known it's happening with us in Rhode Island.”Before the ribbon-cutting, Carcieri revealed he loves attending manufacturing business openings “because it gets the juices flowing. You people are doing real things. I've known the Frosts for a number of years, and they have such a great history. It's a great company.“I'm really excited about talking to Peter about what he wants to do for East Providence and the state,” he continued. “People are focused on manufacturing and how we compete. I still say the United States is the best place to do business, though there is tough competition from Asia, the Pacific.“I'm thrilled you're relocating in Rhode Island, Peter ... We need to grow the economy of this state. It's all with an eye toward making our state competitive.”Carcieri then gave Frost a citation from the Governor's Office, wishing the Frosts and Proform great success in future years.Mayor Larisa also proclaimed Oct. 21, 2010 ATW Companies Day in the city, and the audience – which previously had been served hors d'oeuvres and cocktails – applauded loudly inside Proform's cafeteria.“Our goals? A year from now, we hope to be at $3.5 million in revenue, and – within five years – up to approximately $20 million,” Frost explained. “We're hoping to expand as quickly as possible. We may not reach those numbers right away, but that's where we want to be.”Pawtucket, RIJon BakerManufacturer opens shop in East ProvidencePawtucket Timesurn:publicid:dailypress.com:838Change0Usable2010-10-24T22:59:07-04:00 urn:publicid:dailypress.com:7312010-10-18T15:01:09-04:002010-10-18T15:01:09-04:00Copyright 2010 Pawtucket TimesThose answers were trotted out once again Thursday at Brown University in response to questions posed by political science Professor Marion Orr before a mostly student audience that filled one of the school’s lecture halls.Democrat Frank Caprio talked about getting each of the state’s small businesses to hire one person, and told the tale of the family sitting around their kitchen table deciding which bills to pay and which to put off for another month.Independent Lincoln Chafee once again boasted about his “vision” in planning to locate a train station next to Green Airport – the closest Amtrak station to a major airport in the country and his work in the Senate to get the funding to make it a reality.Republican John Robitaille reminded everyone once again that Rhode Island doesn’t have a revenue problem, it has a spending problem and needs to cut spending and lower taxes,Moderate Ken Block told of the billion dollars his computer software firm saved the state of Texas and how that success could be repeated here and how the Economic Development Corporation’s loan guarantee deal with Curt Schilling’s 38 Studios “is not economic development, it’s economic desperation.”But all that familiarity of appearing together behind lecterns several times a week may now be breeding contempt.Block, who perhaps has the least to lose because he is still mired in the single digits in the polls, but who needs to get at least 5 percent of the vote on November 2 to keep his fledgling party alive, is the one of the Fab Four – Independent candidates Joseph Lusi, Todd Giroux and Ronald Algieri, while they will appear on the ballot, seldom get invited to these events -- who most freely throws elbows at his opponents.At the Brown forum, Block derided Caprio’s line that he would “put wind at the back of small businesses as “meaningless drivel,” saying that as a small businessman it does not give him the incentive to hire one employee.He ridiculed Chafee for proposing a 1 percent increase in the sales tax that would raise almost $100 million, then saying he would use it to cover several hundred million dollars worth of various programs. He questioned whether Chafee would use it to send illegal aliens to college when a question came up about allowing undocumented students who graduate from Rhode Island high schools top pay lower in-state tuition at state colleges.Block said, “John Robitaille says he is going to slash and burn the budget, but he won’t tell us exactly what he is going to do.”Chafee blew an opportunity for an easy applause line during opening statements when, after Block appealed to the student audience not to hate him because he graduate from Ivy League rival Dartmouth College and Caprio made reference to attending Harvard, Chafee failed to appeal to the hometown crowd by saying he graduated from Brown. Robitaille attended Providence College.All four candidates agreed that they do not favor the proposed constitutional amendment to change the official state name, dropping the “and Providence Plantations” and just keeping State of Rhode Island. While some minority groups say the word plantations is offensive because of its associations with antebellum slavery in the Old Confederacy, Robitaille said, “prejudice is in the heart, not on a piece of paper. Chafee noted that “the very important word Providence is in there as well.” Chafee also contends that because the U.S. Constitution makes reference to Rhode Island and Providence Plantations as one of the original 13 states, that document would have to be amended as well.The candidates for the most part said they favor all three of the bond issues that will be on the November ballot as well, one for transportation funding, one to construct and refurbish buildings at the University of Rhode Island and Rode Island College, and a third to purchase open space at the former Rocky Point and on the Providence waterfront as well as to make improvements to Fort Adams in Newport.Chafee, Caprio and Block all reaffirmed their support for same-sex marriage, but Robitaille, while he favors civil unions, says he would stop at extending the term marriage beyond the relationship between one man and one woman.On immigration, Chafee and Caprio clashed, with Chafee saying one of his first acts as governor would be to repeal Gov. Donald Carcieri’s executive order requiring state vendors to use the federal E-Verify system to ensure that all their employees are eligible to work in this country and having State Police and corrections officers work with federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to identify and deport illegal aliens who are arrested in Rhode Island. Caprio said he would continue the order.Robitaille said he would continue the executive order but modify it to make it similar to a Florida law that “contains significant deterrents to profiling.”Block says he supports E-Verify, but is “against any policy that would encourage ethnic or racial profiling.”Chafee would grant in-state tuition to undocumented students who graduate high school here. Caprio said he would prefer to see the same goal accomplished through federal legislation called “the DREAM Act.”Robitaille and Block both opposed the notion.Robitaille said “While we have veterans living under bridges and children still going to bed hungry and people living in substandard housing, I don’t think directing resources to people who should not be here makes sense.” He called it a case of “screwed-up priorities.”Pawtucket, RIJim BaronDebates starting to breed contempPawtucket Timesurn:publicid:dailypress.com:731Change0Usable2010-10-18T15:01:09-04:00 urn:publicid:dailypress.com:7322010-10-18T15:15:19-04:002010-10-18T15:15:19-04:00Copyright 2010 Pawtucket TimesThe company has recently purchased a 24,000-square foot building to house its retail and wholesale operations at 50 Division St., relocating from its former leased space at 225 Conant St. in Pawtucket. Providence Yarn is expected to occupy and operate out of its new location in early November, and will also be holding a grand opening of its retail store, The Yarn Outlet (date to be announced).Providence Yarn President Terry Schuster noted that the new headquarters, formerly known as the Toole Building, will be renamed the Charles Samdperil Building, in memory of her father, Charles Samdperil. He served as president of Providence Yarn from 1986 to 2005.“Our eighty-year-old company was founded by my grandfather, Isadore Samdperil, and has been in three locations throughout its history,” she said.According to Schuster, Providence Yarn continues today under third-genera¬tion family ownership when she succeed¬ed her late father, Charles, in 2006.“This move will allow our company to expand both its retail knitting yarn store as well as its wholesale distribution and supply-chain partnership operations of industrial yarns, allowing us to better meet the needs of our customers,” saidSchuster. Currently, the company employs 10 people and plans to increase its workforce as its operations grow, she added.Andrew Schuster, Terry Schuster's step-son, is employed as director of new business development, where he will be involved with the industrial yarn whole¬sale operations. This part of the business will be expanding its offerings of indus¬trial yarns and fibers for a variety of applications, including industrial, medical, geo-textile, and water filtration, as well as its traditional applications including rope, narrow fabrics, and wire and cable. Schuster noted that Providence Yarn is a supply chain partner, assisting customers with inventory management and technical solutions.The retail store known as the Yarn Outlet will be in a bigger and brighter new space, with easy access from Division Street and ample parking. Schuster said that the store will expand the number, styles, fibers and colors of knitting yarns it provides as well as a selection of patterns and books.“Yarn Outlet staff will be offering additional knitting classes for all knitters from beginners to experts,” Schuster said.Schuster added that the popular “Sit n' Knit” sessions will be held in an expanded area of the retail store where there is room for participants to relax, work together, share their stories and receive help on knitting projects.In addition, a new program, “Knit for the Needy,” will provide special discounts to customers who create knit gloves, scarves, sweaters and quilts for those in need. The collected items will be distributed through local religious groups and other organizations.Schuster said that the com¬pany had been looking for a new location for awhile and just happened to learn that the Toole building was available. “When we saw it, we knew it was right,” she stated.” We are excited to keep our company in Pawtucket, especially with its long historical ties to the city.”Providence Yarn does no manufacturing, so the use fit in well with the city's zoning in the riverfront district, Schuster said. The new space also offers better room and configuration for its warehousing operations, and convenient parking and truck access.Schuster noted that former Pawtucket Planning Director Michael Cassidy, interim Planning Director Barney Heath, and Herb Weiss, the city's Economic and Cultural Affairs Officer, were very helpful to her company during the acquisition and regulatory approval process.“On a personal level, we feel fortunate to keep the family tradition here in the city. We've always been in Pawtucket and Pawtucket has been good to us,” Schuster said.Pawtucket, RIDonna Kenny KirwanProvidence Yarn RelocatesPawtucket Timesurn:publicid:dailypress.com:732Change0Usable2010-10-18T15:15:19-04:00 urn:publicid:dailypress.com:7332010-10-18T15:50:48-04:002010-10-16T15:20:15-04:00Copyright 2010 Pawtucket Timesflare up in the rubble of the Union Wadding Mill complex as late asFriday afternoon, keeping city firefighters busy. According to RobertHowe, the city's Emergency Management Director, two enginecompanies and a ladder truck remained on the scene, trying to dousesmoldering areas of the sprawling, circa 1847 brick building.Howe said that fire officials were concerned about the stability of the remaining exterior brick walls of the mill building along Goff Street and Pine Street, so detours would remain in place until further notice along Goff Avenue and from Pine Street to BayleyStreet. Another matter of concern, Howe said, was the forecast of an impending nighttime storm that could bring rain and high winds, further weakening the remaining walls. He said fire crewswould be on hand throughout the night to keep a close eye on the burntout structure. Fire Capt. Steven Parent, the city's fire marshal, said that a crew of fire investigators from the city, the State Fire Marshal's Office and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms would be entering the site on Saturday morning to begin sifting through the rubble as part of the investigationinto the cause of Wednesday night's seven-alarm blaze. Parent said the electricity had been turned on by mid-day Friday and thetenants of The Lofts apartments, located in two smaller buildings nextto the Union Wadding mill, had been allowed back into their homes.City Building Official John Hanley said that the apartment buildings are basically unconnected to the main mill complex except for a couple of small fire wall separators. He said theelectricity had been restored and by Friday afternoon, the gas companyhad given clearance for the gas to be turned back on. He said that once the main fire in the mill complex had been brought under control, it was more of a matter of inconvenience for the tenantsto return than a safety issue.Pawtucket, RIDonna Kenny KirwanHot spots at Union Wadding Mill keeping firefighters busyPawtucket Timesurn:publicid:dailypress.com:733Change0Usable2010-10-16T15:20:15-04:00 urn:publicid:dailypress.com:8032010-10-19T21:51:51-04:002010-10-19T21:51:51-04:00Copyright 2010 Pawtucket TimesIn a ceremony at the Hope Artiste Village, city resident Richard Kazarian, a noted historian, antiques dealer and civic leader, was the recipient of the 2010 Tom Roberts Prize for Creative Achievement in the Humanities. In addition, nationally recognized, award-winning singer, songwriter and storyteller Bill Harley, of Seekonk, Mass., was given the 2010 Honorary Chairs’ Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Humanities.Billed “A Night of Curiosity,” the event, which featured a live auction as well as a performance by Harley, drew an eclectic and artsy crowd to the renovated mill complex on Main Street. Patrons of the arts and a smattering of politicians mingled with artists from around the state in what was RICH’s 8th Annual Celebration of the Humanities.Mary-Kim Arnold, RICH’s executive director, noted that the focus this year was on civic education. Through its efforts, RICH has awarded more than $245,000 in grants to support independent scholars and organizations in their humanities projects. She noted that “curious, creative and expansive thinkers make for a better community” and said that both Kazarian and Harley were chosen because they embody this description as well as care deeply about their community.Lt. Governor Elizabeth Roberts, whose husband, Tom Roberts, was RICH’s founding director, presented Kazarian with this year’s prize. The prize is awarded annually to an individual or group whose work is distinguished by “inventive, imaginative and original inquiry in the humanities.”Citing Kazarian’s far-reaching work with everything from chairing the Pawtucket River Bridge task force to moderating the city’s recent mayoral debates, Roberts said the term “civic provocateur” was an apt description for him. “And I can’t think of a better thing to be,” she added.Kazarian spoke of growing up in the city during hardscrabble times when immigrant parents toiled in the local mills to provide a better life for their children. He noted the irony of honoring the humanities in mill buildings such as Hope Artiste, where the poor working conditions of yesteryear would appear to run contrary to the values RICH holds dear. Yet, he noted how in its broadest sense, “the humanities is about elevating the spirit,” and said the mill setting served to provoke thought and to highlight the importance of “lifting the city” so it can begin to “right historic wrongs.”U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, an honorary board co-chair, presented Harley with his award for Lifetime Achievement in the Humanities. The award is presented annually to an individual or group “whose career achievements demonstrate humanities excellence, reflect RICH’s mission and core values, and enrich public life in Rhode Island.”Whitehouse noted that among Harley's many accomplishments, which includes releasing 29 albums, authoring 10 children's books and winning two Grammy awards, Entertainment Weekly labeled him “the Mark Twain of contemporary children’s music. He also noted that the prolific writer and recording artist is a long-time commentator on National Public Radio’s “All Things Considered,” has worked on numerous theatrical productions, and is currently promoting a new spoken-word CD, The Best Candy in the Whole World, and conducting research for a new book on the culture of schools.Harley, a native of Ohio, noted that while he makes his home “across the border” in Seekonk, he has always maintained a strong connection to Rhode Island and said the reason he loves the smallest state is “here in this room, in this moment. Despite all we’ve faced, you make it still a hopeful place.”Harley said the award made him think about “boundaries and borders,” and how “it’s at the edges where the most interesting things occur.” He said the RICH has “reached beyond the borders of the state” in its mission and efforts to promote the humanities. Secondly, he noted that borders are constantly being crossed between the arts and humanities, and said, “my job is to make my audience look at the world in a different way. Between arts and humanities, I have no borders.”The third border that Harley thinks it is important to cross is the one that reaches “from the adult world to the world of childhood.” “I want to give my voice to the voiceless,” he stated. He pointed out the importance of not de-valuing daycare providers, teachers, and others who work with children because “what happens to a child determines what happens to the world.”Pawtucket, RIDonna Kenny KirwanKazarian, Harley win awards in humanitiesPawtucket Timesurn:publicid:dailypress.com:803Change0Usable2010-10-19T21:51:51-04:00 urn:publicid:dailypress.com:8042010-10-19T22:03:39-04:002010-10-19T22:03:39-04:00Copyright 2010 Pawtucket Times“I was doing hazard waste operations for Clean Harbors Inc. of Rhode Island, and working with Groundwork Providence, an environmental company that trains everyday people to be able to do jobs such as farming,” said Hoffa, a 26-year-old city resident. “I first came out to network with people and help the New Urban Farmers (NUF) build the greenhouse, but I kept coming back as a volunteer because I loved the work.“I'm doing this to help the kids; I mean, I have a little one of my own, and I want him to know how to grow his own food and keep the environment clean when he gets older,” he added. “This is something that works for everyone, and I feel I'm gaining experience by helping Galego Court children now. I've made friends with so many people, and it's been a wonderful experience.“The best reactions of growing their own foods have come from the children themselves. They see their own work. They see the vegetables they planted come up, and they're so excited. They jump up and down, or they run home to tell their families. It's like watching a little kid open up his first gift on Christmas morning.”Hoffa wasn't the only one impressed by the one-acre community garden located behind Galego Court. Attendees of the mammoth “Harvest Celebration” all gushed at the 80 garden beds — some four feet-by-four feet, others four-by-eight. They included Richard Godfrey, Executive Director of Rhode Island Housing and KeepSpace Advisory Committee member; U.S. Sens. Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse; Curt Spaulding, New England Environmental Protection Agency Regional Administrator; and Richard Walega, who holds the same position at the New England Regional Office (Boston) of the U.S. Department of Housing Among the others” Steve Vadnais, Pawtucket Housing Authority's Executive Director; Thomas Mann, Pawtucket Foundation's Executive Director; and Mayor James E. Doyle.All were there to recognize and thank Bleu Grijalva, NUF's Founder and Director; his Assistant Director Emily Jodka; and dozens of volunteers and Galego Court gardeners.Grijalva and Jodka received Congressional citations from Reed and Whitehouse, as well as a city citation from Doyle. Additionally, Godfrey accepted a “Smart Growth Award” for KeepSpace – a widely-inclusive partnership initiative launched in 2007 to change the way Rhode Island thinks about, builds and approaches “community” – from EPA and HUD officials.In fact, Walega announced KeepSpace as one of only eight recipients nationwide to receive targeted technical assistance – $65,000 – for growth and development issues.“This celebration blows my mind,” Grijalva grinned in front of the 120 folks who took in the event on this golden autumn day. “I never expected this kind of turnout, but the enthusiasm confirms we're moving in the right direction. Not once but twice this year, we've had this many people.”**Grijalva referred to “Pawtucket Proud Day,” hosted by the Pawtucket Foundation, held on June 8. That's when over 100 volunteers – most of them businesspeople whose employers allowed them to take part – on company time – in cleaning and bettering the city and its folks – arrived at the previously rundown playground and turned it into a community farm of sorts.“I had been involved for over 25 years in the food industry, and – eventually – that led to me doing organic farming in Little Compton,” he said. “It was then I noticed the food we grow was catering only to one demographic, the upper echelon of those on the pay scale. I was thinking we needed to make it more cost-effective for those less fortunate, so we decided to hit the cities. We went to some of the most challenged areas statewide, Pawtucket and Central Falls, and build a garden for their use.“Right now, we have over 80 garden beds here,” he continued. “We loaded them with soil and compost, planted the seeds and landscaped the area. We taught these people how to grow pumpkins, tomatoes, butter nut and summer squash, peppers, watermelons, flowers and herbs. The NUF members cared for the gardens with the residents, and now over 65 households here have gardens.”NUF is a non-profit organization that set out to preserve and restore the environment by creating sustainable agriculture systems in the city. At Galego Court, they helped individuals empower their lives.Grijalva and Doyle – among others – called it a unique partnership between the PHA, KeepSpace and the Pawtucket Foundation, providing a natural place where children and families may learn and grow.“We're working to remove the barriers to fresh food access in Pawtucket and Central Falls and positively impact the health of our community,” noted Grijalva, who explained the residents collected – throughout the summer and early fall – over 2,000 pounds in produce.“I'm here to salute you, for what you all have done to make this place a real community,” Reed stated. “This garden, and environment, adds to the feeling of 'home,' not just a bunch of city streets. This is recognizing we need to pull together different organizations if we're going to meet the challenges of this country, this state and this city.”Walega congratulated KeepSpace for making sustainability a real concept for urban areas.“This teaches kids to be aware of good, healthy eating habits,” he offered. “I know these kinds of programs KeepSpace will continue to have.”Doyle claimed such a program is critical for two reasons.“They're getting a chance to plant vegetables and fruits that they can consume; and, second, it gives them an opportunity to work together,” he said. “You know, five years ago, the PHA didn't know it owned this property, and that's a true story. When people in public housing have something like this, and they all work together, the city itself becomes a better place.”Mann called the garden an impressive site.“It's important for our future sustainability,” he mentioned, “and embracing a project like this only helps the urban cause.”**After the speeches, attendees enjoyed food samplings of borscht – a beet, potato and cabbage soup; honey tasting; cider; and others. Children ages 14 and under received a free pumpkin, and kids also partook in face painting and other games. Some bobbed and weaved to the music of the Hot Tamales, a local brass marching band.“This is incredibly impressive, in that it's all about community,” Godfrey said while sipping on some borscht. “It's not just about four walls and a roof, but the residents who live inside them. We need to focus more on communities and helping them, not just here at Galego Court but the 100s of communities and neighborhoods statewide.“Look at the work (First Lady) Michelle Obama has done with gardens and addressing childhood obesity, nutrition,” he added. “It all has filtered down to what we see here at Galego Court. This is a celebration of our KeepSpace initiative, and it really has brought everyone here to work together on these community projects.”Stated NUF's Emily Jodka: “This is so great! It's exactly what I had hoped for. I guess I didn't think we were going to have an end-of-the-year event like this. It's nice to know all these dignitaries came here to support us. At first, I thought people didn't really understand how big this was going to be or what we had planned.“But when the residents saw the amount of volunteers we brought in, and that they were all here to help them, it just snowballed. We've heard a lot of great things from the residents, such as how good the tomatoes tasted as opposed to store-bought, and how sweet they were. That was music to our ears. I know this program will continue here.”Darlington resident Geoff Grinsell is currently unemployed, so he chose to volunteer his time to Pawtucket Proud Day and the project back on June 8.“I remember this area when I was younger, and I think it was called Crook Manor,” he said. “The idea of helping to create a garden here and putting in a positive thing, I thought it was cool. That's why I volunteered, and I had a great day.“This is such a positive thing for this area. I think it gives these people a source of community pride. You know, the basic concept of gardening is you prepare the ground, plant a seed and – with a little tender loving care, sun and water – you then see the results of your labor. These people know all they have to do is walk several yards, pick your vegetables and then head back home to cook them and eat them.“It's so great for kids in this setting; they understand food doesn't come from the market, but from in the ground. It shows them the true source of foods they need to eat to remain healthy.”Pawtucket, RIJon BakerGarden of Life brings farming to PawtucketPawtucket Timesurn:publicid:dailypress.com:804Change0Usable2010-10-19T22:03:39-04:00 urn:publicid:dailypress.com:8052010-10-19T22:34:59-04:002010-10-19T22:34:22-04:00Copyright 2010 Pawtucket TimesThe two main candidates vying to succeed Democrat Patrick Kennedy as the congressman in the 1st District argued almost every issue vehemently, frequently trying to talk over each other and occasionally they had to be reined in by moderator Tim White of WPRI. Cicilline once again accused Loughlin of advocating that Social Security be privatized by “taking younger workers out of the Social Security System and putting them in the private stock market,” and of referring to Social Security as a “Ponzi scheme,” which Cicilline defined as a “fraudulent, deceitful, criminal act.”Loughlin retorted that he is “100 percent committed to making sure Social Security remains in effect for our seniors who depend on Social Security.” He allowed that he thinks younger workers should have “the option to divert a portion of their payroll taxes into private accounts,” but contents it is “unfair” to characterize that as privatizing Social Security.The Republican noted that Social Security “provides a 0.65 rate of return” while the average return on the stock market over the last 25 years is 11.98.” He said it is congressional overspending that puts Social Security at risk because the Social Security trust fund was abandoned by Democrats in the 1960s and the program was made part of the budget. “It seems to me almost criminal to condemn younger workers to have their life’s work be only valued at 0.65, why not let them have a little bit of a return so they can live a better life as seniors.”“If you think about what happened in the stock market over the last several years,” the Providence mayor argued, “if we put the security of our seniors or people who are relying on Social Security at risk because it has to rely on the fluctuations of the market, that’s dangerous.” Cicilline pointed out that Social Security relies on current workers to pay into the system to provide the funds that people collect. He said Loughlin’s plan would destabilize the system and “put the program at risk.”In one of their few areas of agreement during the entire 90-minute event, both Loughlin and Cicilline said Congress should make an allowance to give Social Security beneficiaries a cost of living increase for next year, or, as proposed, a one-time, $250 increase to offset rising costs. Social Security recipients are not scheduled to get a cost of living increase next year because the cost of living, as measured, did not increase enough to warrant one.Loughlin suggested that Social Security use a different index of inflation that better reflects the costs faced by older Americans. When the two started to delve deeply into the details of Social Security, White cut them off, saying, “we have now entered the land of the wonky.”Loughlin used a question about Cicilline’s record as mayor of Providence to blast what he called his opponent’s “breaches of integrity,” including using his city car and driver to travel to and from campaign appearances earlier in the year, improperly taking more than $20,000 in salary increases over five years above what city ordinances allowed, awarding “excessive” vacation time to department heads and other top officials, and raising taxes in the city after promising not to.The mayor responded he is “proud of the integrity that I have brought to city government.” He boasted that he “completely restored public confidence in city government” after the Plunder Dome scandals of the Cianci administration. Each candidate was asked to name an issue on which he differed with the leadership of his party. Republican Loughlin said his party is “far too weak in protecting the environment.”Democrat Cicilline first noted his opposition to the war in Afghanistan and when pressed further said the bank bailouts that benefitted large financial institutions but did not require them to loan out capital to small businesses.Cicilline said he would support making the Bush-era tax cuts for middle class taxpayers permanent but said also extending them for “millionaires and billionaires” is not necessary and would increase the budget deficit by $750 billion over 10 years But Loughln said, “It is absolutely the wrong thing to do to raise anybody’s taxes in the middle of a recession. When you are able to provide tax relief for businesses to grow, you actually end up with more revenue into the general treasury.”Ending the tax cuts for those with incomes over $250,000, Loughlin said, “would raise taxes on 900,000 small businesses.“It’s all about a sense of entitlement to other people’s money,” Loughlin asserted. “Why shouldn’t people be allowed to be successful in the United States of America.”The pair also diverged on the issue of climate change.“I believe global climate change is real,” Cicilline said, adding that “there is broad scientific consensus on that point. But he said his opponent “mocks it” during campaign appearances.“It’s not something you believe in,” Loughlin taunted, “it’s not like the Easter Bunny. It’s science and the scientific consensus is not there. Loughlin acknowledges the planet is warming, but he says scientists don’t agree about whether it is caused by human activity.In a series of yes or no questions, both Loughlin and Cicilline said they would not support raising the Social Security retirement age to 70.Cicilline would favor removing the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy on homosexuals serving in the armed forces while Loughlin would not.Loughlin answered he would “absolutely” support term limits for members of Congress, Ciciline said he would not.Pawtucket, RIJim BaronCicilline, Loughlin slug it out over issuesPawtucket Timesurn:publicid:dailypress.com:805Change0Usable2010-10-19T22:34:22-04:00 urn:publicid:dailypress.com:8132010-10-20T21:32:21-04:002010-10-20T21:32:21-04:00Copyright 2010 Pawtucket TimesAbout five hours later, Taylor admitted she had texted her mom several times, promising she was sorry for her behavior and understood Tammy's stance on the matter.Jutras explained her 180-degree spin in attitude came about after she and approximately 1,000 other LHS students had spent an hour listening to Craig Scott's emotional, tear-evoking soliloquy/video presentation entitled “Rachel's Challenge” at the Community College of Rhode Island/Flanagan campus' fieldhouse.During the assembly, Scott spoke about his sister, Rachel Joy Scott, who was the first student killed in the tragic Columbine High School massacre in Littleton, Colo. on April 20, 1999. Craig himself had been in the library that fateful day, when two students consumed by hatred gunned down 12 schoolmates and a teacher before committing suicide.Immediately after the tragedy, Darrell Scott — the teens' dad — began speaking around the country, using Rachel's diaries and drawings to illustrate not only his daughter's love but also the need for everyone to create a kinder, gentler, more compassionate nation.Pure and simple, Craig stated, the Rachel's Challenge mission is “to inspire, equip and empower every person to create a permanent positive culture change in their school, business and community by starting a chain reaction of kindness and compassion.”“I cried this morning, and what Craig said hit me so hard, I wanted to come back (Tuesday night),” said Taylor Jutras, who joined her parents, John and Tammy, at the third and final session – for community members and parents – inside the packed high school auditorium. “I cried again here.“It was so powerful, so moving, so uplifting. You notice a lot about yourself, and see how everything you say and do can impact someone, whether it's negative or positive … The fact Craig was there at Columbine that day, and now wants to carry Rachel's message, it's so real. I mean, anyone can come to a school and talk about things they know about but didn't experience, but he was there. I mean, his emotion gets into your head. You can't help but think about how to be a better person.“I think if people (enact) what Craig said about being compassionate, I believe there's going to be a much better vibe within this school. I think people will be happier, and get along better … Honestly, when we took the bus back to (LHS) at noon, everyone was so cool! The kids were like a great big family. We all connected.“People I didn't even know came up to me and said, 'Hi!' and people were hugging others. And you know what? I didn't see anyone sitting alone at lunch.”Offered seventh-grader Taylor Meyerjack, who took in with her middle schoolmates Craig's second session Tuesday afternoon: “When we left (CCRI), everyone was going up to each other, crying and hugging. They were saying, 'I'm really sorry if I was ever mean to you. I won't do it anymore.' It was so nice. That's the way everyone should be – all the time.”**Last year, a friend of Superintendent of School Georgia Fortunato told her about Rachel's Challenge appearing at his school, Shepard Hill Regional High in Dudley, Mass. – so she researched the subject.She became so enthralled with the message, she contacted Rachel's Challenge officials and asked if someone would deliver it in Lincoln. On Aug. 25, Craig Scott traveled to LHS to speak to teachers and support staff, and “there wasn't a dry eye in the house,” she said.“We started the chain reaction here on Aug. 25, and now everyone from sixth grade and up have experienced this beautiful message,” Fortunato noted Tuesday night. “I attended all three today. In fact, I've had my calendar cleared for two months. As soon as I found out Craig had an opening on Oct. 19, we booked it.“We're the first school system in Rhode Island to have Rachel's Challenge, and I think it's terrific. We need to be a kinder and gentler people, so I'm thrilled. It was so heart-warming to see this audience (of about 700) so enraptured by it. This is the best gift the parents and community could have given me, their support. Our chain reaction has begun.”Since the program's inception, approximately 30 of Rachel's family and friends have visited approximately 3,300 schools, excluding events at large venues/stadiums in all 50 states and six countries. Over 11 million people worldwide have heard their message, and – because of it – seven documented school shootings or violence averted, not to mention hundreds of suicides. **Craig opened with his remembrances of Rachel, who lived with the notion she wouldn't live to be very old, but did believe she would have an impact on millions.He also revealed, two weeks before her murder, she had written a two-page school paper she called “My Ethics, My Code of Life.” While the two killers had stated in a video they wanted to start a chain reaction of terror and violence, she wrote, “If one person will show kindness and compassion, it will start a chain reaction” and “People will never know how far a little kindness can go.”“Those two young people used exactly the same phrase, but they were full of anger and hatred,” Craig said. “Why did they do what they did? In their video, they didn't want to get close to anyone, and chose to follow negative influences in their lives, through the media, movies and music. It was all the negatives that they dwelled upon.“Rachel paid attention to positive things,” he continued. “I don't know who I'd be today without all of the positive influences in my life … She even wrote, 'I will have an impact on the world,' and – you know – she has.”Craig, now 27 and living in Los Angeles to chase his dream of producing and directing motion pictures that inspire anything positive, then asked the audience to embrace five challenges dear to Rachel's heart.At the top of the list, he exhibited via slide the phrase “Choose positive influences; input equals output.” He then caused thunderous laughter when he revealed a video depicting an unexpecting toddler being hugged by a monkey.“I ask you to take off any negative labels you may have for others, and look for the positive,” he stated.Second, he asked all to “Dare to dream – Set goals and keep a journal.” Craig noted his sister wanted someday to bungee-jump, and did for her 16th birthday. She wanted to sky dive at 18, “but she was killed at 17,” he said sadly.Among the other challenges: “Use kind words; small acts of kindness equal huge impact;” “Eliminate prejudice;” and “Start a chain reaction – Tell people how much you love and appreciate them.”**Craig talked of his father meeting a man at her gravesite one day. Austin explained to Darrell Scott how Rachel approached him during one of the worst days of his life, but she listened to him, and asked him to ponder the amazing things in his life.“Austin went home that night, took his wife out to dinner and they had a great time,” Craig said. “Two weeks later, he opened up the Denver Post and saw Rachel's name (as one of the victims).”In short, Austin decided at her funeral he would make changes in his life, stop dwelling on the negatives.“He now shovels out elderly people's driveways, and stops on the highway to help those with flat tires,” Craig offered. “Later, he and his wife had a baby, and they named her Rachel Joy … That little girl can grow up and have kids of her own, and she can tell them she was named after a girl who helped her father.”Craig mentioned how Rachel impacted the life of a boy whose books had been knocked from his arms by some rather large individuals, but she stood up to them with both fists cocked, saying if they didn't stop, “You'll have to deal with me!”“Those guys were huge, so I'm sure they were really scared of my tiny sister,” he grinned, evoking laughter. “The boy told her he didn't feel like he was a part of anything, and he thought about taking his own life. Rachel prevented him from doing that because she showed him kindness, gave him hope.”He read a portion of an undated letter she had composed to her cousin. It stated, “Don't let your character change color with your environment. Find out who you are and let it stay its true color.”That's when he exhibited a TV commercial created by The Foundation For a Better Life, and one fashioned after Rachel's beliefs. In it, a high school boy sees another one being bullied in a hallway, but helps them as his abusers laugh in the background.The advertisement had been set to Bill Withers' 1970s' hit, “Lean On Me.”Craig asked the LHS audience to stand, place their arms around their neighbors' shoulders and sway to the song. When it ended, he mentioned he heard some singing the lyrics, but not all, so “Let's try it again! And I want to hear you this time!”The audience obliged, then applauded and cheered so loudly, it may have been heard by patrons of the nearby public library.**Craig informed the crowd of what April 20, 1999 was like for him.“I haven't been the same since that day,” he said solemnly. “It changed my life. I was 16, and went to the school library. I was on the wrestling team, and I was one who would at times put people down. I heard some popping noises outside, but I thought it was a senior prank. A teacher frantically came in … screaming to kids outside the school. She was in such terror, but I couldn't understand what she was saying.”He jumped under a desk with his buddy Matt, and – seconds later – a bullet-riddled student fell through the door. Another friend, an African-American boy named Isaiah, had crawled under the desk with them.“A few minutes later, the gunshots got closer to the library, and (the gunmen) started firing,” he continued. “I heard them yelling to each other, and that's when we knew it was very serious. They walked up to Isaiah and began making fun of him for being black. The last thing Isaiah said was 'I want to see my mother.' They blew off Isaiah's face, then shot Matt.“Because of Isaiah, I ask you to eliminate prejudice. I've never been racially prejudiced, but I have been prejudiced. If we knew each person's story, we'd have compassion for that person. We'd understand. Rachel said you can eliminate prejudice by looking for the best in people.“I literally felt my heart stop beating under that table, and I thought all I could do was pray. I heard God tell me to get out of there. I was the first student to stand up, and I saw one girl had her shoulder blown off, and kids crying. I just said, 'Let's get outta here!'”He picked up the injured girl and escaped with others. Soon after, someone pointed to a girl laying on the grass. It was Rachel.**Craig admitted he had fought with his sister over songs on the radio en route to school that morning, and had slammed the car door upon arrival.“I had no idea that would be the last time I'd see her,” he stated. “The next time I did, it was in a casket. I was really angry with myself; sometimes I hated myself, but forgiving yourself is so important to pick up the pieces and move on. I was angry at the two boys, who had no right to kill my sister.“I started taking the anger out on those closest to me, but I finally was able to forgive myself, and now I feel free.”Doug Dame, a parent of two high schoolers, claimed afterward he understood Craig's feelings.“I had a sister who passed away because of suicide, and I still hold anger toward her, which I shouldn't,” he said. “It still eats away at my insides. I consider what she did as selfish, but I'm not looking at it from her point of view. She needed to rid herself of that pain.“I believe this Rachel's Challenge has helped me,” he added. “I'll look at things a little differently now.”LHS senior Cody Phillips witnessed the event at CCRI that morning, but just had to see it again. Before it started, he asked his father, Scott, if he would go with him, and he happily obliged.“It was so inspiring, so touching, I had to come back; I normally never cry, but did today, and did again tonight.”Offered Scott: “It was awesome! The big thing I got out of it: When Craig mentioned building a person's character from the inside out. I agree with him 100 percent. Character comes from within, and everything else is secondary. What he was saying was Biblical in that there's a moral compass that people seem to have gotten away from.“I call it original intent, which is getting back to morality and Biblical principles. The way I look at it, love and compassion trumps all.”Afterward, Craig spent at least 45 minutes speaking with audience members who wanted to convey to him their thoughts. He even posed for pictures with students and parents. Taylor Jutras and Nicole Meyerjack promised they would become members of the new LHS' Friends of Rachel Club by signing the Rachel's Challenge banner hanging just outside the auditorium.“As an adult, this makes you think of when you were that age, and if you teased people, or if you were teased and how you felt,” noted Tammy Jutras. “You also think about if you've reached that point where you've forgiven yourself, or others, for you or they did. As an adult, I'm now thinking, 'Am I the best person I can be?'“When I spoke with Craig, I just told him, 'Thank you so much! I'm 48, but you've taught a semi-old lady a few things about myself, things I need to work on.'”With that, Taylor and Tammy Jutras walked up the ramp toward the exit, both smiling.Pawtucket, RIJon BakerRachel's message comes to Lincoln High SchoolPawtucket Timesurn:publicid:dailypress.com:813Change0Usable2010-10-20T21:32:21-04:00 urn:publicid:dailypress.com:8142010-10-20T21:34:19-04:002010-10-20T21:34:19-04:00Copyright 2010 Pawtucket TimesFollowing last Wednesday night's massive fire that destroyed a large portion of the vacant Union Wadding Company mill on Goff Avenue, about two dozen special agents from the ATF have arrived in Pawtucket to join state and local officials in the investigation into the cause. Howe invited the ATF to utilize the Emergency Operations Center as its temporary headquarters, allowing the agents to easily communicate and interface with other city personnel and departments.Since Saturday, ATF agents have been working with members of the Pawtucket Fire Department and state Fire Marshal's Office to comb through charred debris at the scene. Stubborn hot spots that continued into Friday had prevented investigators from entering the site until that point.Howe and other fire officials have pointed out that it is no easy task, as the blaze was estimated to have damaged more than half of the 450,000-square-foot factory building that once produced Christmas decorations and other items. Built of brick, the three-story building, dating back to the mid-to late 1800s, had thick wood floors. The roof and several ceilings and walls had collapsed, creating layers of material that have to be sifted through one section at a time.The two-story building located next to the public works garage on Armistice Boulevard, was built with federal money. A roomy conference center contains state-of-the-art video screens, computers and “white boards” that have been helpful to the ATF agents in their operations and daily briefings.“This was the perfect place for the agents to conduct briefings and interviews because it allowed privacy as they carried on their operations,” noted Howe. He added that there are also computers dedicated specifically to the Police Department, Fire Department, City Hall and the Department of Public Works to allow for quick access to city officials.“It has been a pleasure having the agents in the building, and something like this solidifies the need for a building of this magnitude, which was paid for through a federal grant,” noted Howe.The federal ATF agents, part of a National Response Team, have come from all over the U.S. to help with the fire investigation, Howe said. Some agents are with the Providence office, but there are agents from Chicago, Florida, New York, New Mexico, Texas and Wyoming.One agent from Chicago, who was not allowed to give his name, said that most of the agents work in their own states, but then volunteer to travel to other places when there is a call for help, such as with the Union Wadding case. Pawtucket Fire Chief William Sisson had asked for assistance from the ATF because the size and scope of the fire investigation process was beyond what local authorities could handle.So far, there has been no announcement made as to the cause of the fire, which many have called “suspicious.” City Fire Marshal Steven Parent said on Tuesday that some material had been sent out to a Maryland laboratory for testing, but that no further information was being released. According to several ATF agents on Wednesday, the investigation was wrapping up and a final briefing was scheduled for Wednesday evening.Pawtucket, RIDonna Kenny KirwanPawtucket center serves as base for fedsPawtucket Timesurn:publicid:dailypress.com:814Change0Usable2010-10-20T21:34:19-04:00