Wednesday, May 8, 2013
The former Riverside landfill is being turned into RI's first solar-energy field; after some delays, capping and grading is being done by East Providence's public works department.
Capping and grading the former Forbes Street landfill in Riverside so it can be turned into a 3.7 megawatt solar-energy field is well underway now after some "challenges." "It took the contractor longer than expected to remove 15 acres of trees that grew up through the landfill," said Jeanne Boyle, East Providence planning director. "We're up against it." Boyle was referring to the November deadline for selling power to National Grid. "It's a competitive contract with National Grid," she said. "The solar field has to be ready or we'll lose the contract." East Providence's public works department is doing the capping, using guidelines from the RI Department of Environmental Management.The clean soil underneath the former Route 195 in …
House Bill 5969 would add relocation expenses to the list of compensation as part of an effort to keep families safe.
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Wednesday, May 8
A legislative proposal co-sponsored by Riverside Rep. Joy Hearn (D-63) will strengthen Rhode Island's Crime Victims Compensation Program. House Bill 5969 amends the emergency fund for victims section in the criminal injuries compensation statute to add relocation expenses. The proposal calls for emergency compensation for relocation costs not to exceed $2,500. The section already allows for emergency compensation for burial and crime scene clean-up expenses. Often for victims of violent crime, rebuilding their lives means finding a new place to live. This amendment will help families afford safe shelter. “This legislative proposal will change lives, and could quite possibly save them,” said RI Treasurer Gina Raimondo who announced the…
The 2013-2014 list of applicants and their requests for Community Development Block Grants was presented to the East Providence City Council Tuesday night.
Applicants for federal community development funds stated their cases for the cash before the East Providence City Council Tuesday night in City Hall. Now you have a chance to comment on the requests and the recommendations for the Community Development Block Grants by the city’s community development director. David Bachrach, the community development chief in the planning department, presented to the City Council the list of applicants and his recommendations for more than $620,000 in funds – or about 30 percent less than three years ago. “The budget is shrinking,” he said, which makes the competition for the funds more difficult. The list of projects was built from significant public input already, Bachrach said. So, if there are …
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
The East Providence City Council meets tonight in City Hall; the annual public hearing for the HUD cash is on the agenda.
Proposed appropriations for Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) go before a public hearing at the East Providence City Council meeting tonight. The meeting starts at 7:30 pm in the Council Chamber in City Hall. East Providence has a bit more than $620,000 in the Housing and Urban Development (HUD) funds to spend between July 1 of this year and June 30 of next year, said David Bachrach, community development coordinator for the planning department. That amount is significantly less than last year when the city had almost $893,000 in CDBG cash. The federal grants will be spent in four areas: economic development, public facilities, public services and affordable housing, Bachrach said. Among the applicants for the funds are a bevy of …
Monday, May 6, 2013
Same sex marriage was approved by the House and signed into law by Gov. Lincoln Chafee, East Providence legislator led the commemoration of the Armenian genocide.
Same-sex marriage legislation becomes law On a final House vote of 56 to 15, the General Assembly enacted legislation making Rhode Island the 10th state in the nation to allow same-sex marriage, to cheers of advocates and citizens who have pursued passage of the legislation since it was first introduced in 1997. Gov. Lincoln Chafee signed the bill into law about an hour later before hundreds gathered to watch the ceremony on the steps of the State House. The legislation (2013-H 5015B, 2013-S 38 A) was sponsored by Rep. Arthur Handy (D-Dist. 18, Cranston) and Sen. Donna M. Nesselbush (D-Dist. 15, Pawtucket, North Providence). Click here to see news release. Kazarian speaks up in commemoration of the Armenian genocide Rep. Katherine S. …
Friday, May 3, 2013
There is no indication, however, when a decision on Police Chief Joseph Tavares will be made by the East Providence Budget Commission.
The results of the investigation into East Providence’s police chief, who was put on administrative leave several weeks ago, is in the hands of the Budget Commission. But there is no indication when the budget board will take any action on that investigation. City Manager Peter Graczykowski provided that update after the Budget Commission met Thursday afternoon to deal with several personnel items – none of which involved Police Chief Joseph Tavares. The situation with the police chief came up when police union president Kevin Feeney asked for information from the budget board after it ran through its posted agenda. “What’s going on? Who’s making the decisions?” Feeney said, recognizing that this personnel matter was not on the agenda …
Robert Walker, a former acting building official, is approved for the position by the East Providence Budget Commission.
East Providence has a new highway superintendent. But a search for a new pupil personnel director for the schools will have to wait. Robert M. Walker, of Lincoln, a former acting building official in East Providence, was approved for the highway superintendent post by the East Providence Budget Commission Thursday afternoon. City Manager Peter Graczykowski recommended his hiring over two East Providence applicants: William Abbood and Christopher DiCecco. Walker received the highest score, 93, in an oral examination handled by the human resources department. He will be paid a base salary of approximately $71,000 with a total impact on the budget of around $115,000 after benefits. Abbood had a score of 86 and DiCecco had a score of 85. The …
Thursday, May 2, 2013
A bill legalizing same-sex marriage passed 56-15 in the RI State House today.
Sixteen years after legislation was initially introduced in Rhode Island, same-sex marriage is now legal in the Ocean State. On Thursday afternoon, the Rhode Island House of Representatives passed the legislation with a vote of 56-15. East Providence Reps. Helio Melo, Katherine Kazarian and Joy Hearn all supported the bill; Rep. Gregg Amore did not vote because he is out of town at a conference. "This is a great day in Rhode Island, not just for the many Rhode Island families who will now get the recognition and equality that they so richly deserve, and not only for the thousands who have been fighting for decades for the dignity and rights of all citizens," said House Speaker Gordon Fox, the first openly gay House Speaker in the nation…
Roger Williams University hosted U.S. Sen. Jack Reed on May 1 to speak about the expected doubling of student loan interest rates.
Noting that more than 45,000 Rhode Island college graduates would face higher costs because of a scheduled doubling of the interest rate on student loans, U.S. Sen. Jack Reed told current students at Roger Williams University on Wednesday, May 1, that he is working to avoid the hike. "They rely upon this need-based financial aid in order to make it through school, and we are at a moment in history where we need all the talent and all the educated men and women that we can muster," Reed said in a speech at the Global Heritage Hall Atrium just before noon. "The reality is that, students today are graduating with tremendous debt. It's not only affecting us from an educational standpoint, but from a macroeconomic standpoint." Reed explained …
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
The board will meet Thursday, May 2, to handle personnel issues -- a request made by Mayor James Briden soon after the police chief was put on administrative leave by the city manager.
The East Providence Budget Commission will reconvene Thursday to weigh in on five personnel matters – none of which involves the police chief, who has been placed on administrative leave. The meeting starts at 3 pm in Room 306 in City Hall. It was the removal of Police Chief Joseph Tavares from his position by City Manager Peter Graczykowski that sparked a decision by Mayor James Briden to ask that the budget board resume its authority over personnel matters. He has said only that he asked for this step "in the best interests of the city." Briden said that this request has been his only connection to the investigation of Tavares. "I have stayed out of this," said Briden. RI Revenue Director Rosemary Booth Gallogly, who controls the …
bad dog
1:17 pm on Thursday, May 9, 2013
this is my point we have good things and good folks working hard for ep . now if we can clean up a landfill we must clean up city hall. WE MUST WE CAN WE WILL TAKE BACK ARE CITY! more ›