A Rhode Island man at the center of a capital punishment battle between the state and federal governments has changed his plea to guilty to avoid the death penalty. …read more
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Tag Archives: RI
RI high court asked to overturn Legion will ruling
Lawyers contesting the will of a widow who gave some $60 million to a secretive and disgraced Roman Catholic religious order are trying again to have their case heard, filing court papers in an attempt allow the woman’s niece to sue.
The papers, filed Wednesday with the Rhode Island Supreme Court, argue that Mary Lou Dauray has the right to intervene in the estate of her late aunt, Gabrielle Mee, a devout Catholic who gave most of her money to the conservative religious order the Legion of Christ. Mee died in 2008.
The lawyers seek to overturn a ruling by Superior Court Judge Michael Silverstein, who threw out Dauray’s lawsuit last year, saying she had no standing to sue. But he said at the same time that evidence existed that Mee was unduly persuaded to give the Legion her money and detailed how the Legion slowly took control of her finances as she became more deeply involved in the movement.
A church investigation determined that the Legion’s founder, the late Rev. Marcial Maciel, sexually molested seminarians and fathered three children. The Vatican took over the order in 2010 and Pope Benedict XVI ordered a wholesale reform.
Dauray’s lawyers have said that Mee was defrauded by an order whose leaders orchestrated an effort to hide its founder’s misdeeds from her aunt. Silverstein said in throwing out the lawsuit that some of what was before the court raised a red flag because Mee transferred millions to “clandestinely dubious religious leaders.”
In Wednesday’s filings, Dauray’s lawyers argue that Dauray is legally interested in Mee’s estate and that Mee’s most recent will was obtained by fraud and undue influence by the Legion.
Silverstein said in his opinion in part that Dauray disavowed her interest when she said during a deposition that she didn’t want anything for herself from Mee’s estate, but instead wanted it to go to charity. Wednesday’s filing argues that comment should not have been taken as Mee disavowing her interest.
The Legion must file a response with the court by early August. The order has not studied the filing yet but expects to prevail, said spokesman Jim Fair.
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Fox US News
Taylor Swift Looks At Rhode Island Mansion, Has Us Wondering Who She’s Crushing On Now (PHOTOS)
By The Huffington Post News Editors
Taylor Swift is known for buying properties near her boyfriends’ homes. She even went so far as to tell Vanity Fair, “Every time the press thinks I like a guy they say I am buying a house next to them,” she said. Recently, Swift was snapped looking at a very fancy new place in Rhode Island which has us wondering who Taylor is eyeing these days.
All jokes aside, Taylor has great taste when it comes to her real estate investments. This home, located in Westerly, RI, is the stuff fantasies are made of. With five bedrooms, more than 11,000 square feet of living space and over 700 feet of waterfront (drool!), we can only imagine the kind of 4th of July party the pop star would host.
The home was last sold in May of 1996 for $3.5 million. Zillow reports that the home was last on the market in 2010 for $24 million — how’s that for appreciation? Currently, the house is not on the market, which apparently doesn’t matter when you’re a fancy-schmancy superstar. Take a look at the photos and tell us, do you think TayTay should buy it?
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More on Taylor Swift
From: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/19/taylor-swift-rhode-island-house-photos_n_3116654.html
State-appointed receiver leaving Central Falls, RI
The state-appointed receiver who has run the troubled Rhode Island city of Central Falls for years is set to depart and hand control to local officials.
A spokeswoman for Gov. Lincoln Chafee said the receivership is set to end Monday.
The receiver took over in 2010 to address Central Falls‘ shaky finances. Rhode Island‘s smallest city went through a bankruptcy that officially ended last fall when a federal judge signed off on the receiver’s five-year recovery plan.
A newly hired finance officer will oversee the city’s budget and make sure it sticks to the plan.
City Council President William Benson Jr. says he’s glad the receivership is ending but criticized its price tag of an estimated $4 million. The city will have to reimburse to the state for the cost.
From: http://feeds.foxnews.com/~r/foxnews/national/~3/3EWrPCAb-Gc/
Washington Trust Announces April "I Luv RI" Photo Contest Winner
By Business Wirevia The Motley Fool
Filed under: Investing
Washington Trust Announces April “I Luv RI” Photo Contest Winner
“Favorite Memories” Theme Attracts Hundreds of RI Photos
WESTERLY, R.I.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Washington Trust and Rhode Island Monthly have selected a photo by Mary Buetow of Woonsocket, RI as April’s I Luv Rhode Island photo contest winner. The photo, entitled “Father’s Day at Brenton Point,” was chosen from hundreds of entries in the “Favorite RI Memories” category. The photo, which appears in this month’s edition of Rhode Island Monthly Magazine, displays colorful kites being flown at Brenton Point State Park in Newport, Rhode Island.
April’s winning I Luv RI photo “Father’s Day at Brenton Point,” taken by Mary Buetow features an array of colorful kites. (Photo: Business Wire)
“Going to Brenton Point on Father’s Day has been a tradition in my family for about five years now,” said Buetow. Adding, “All of my children and grandchildren head to Brenton Point with our kites — there are about 15 of us —and we spend the day together.”
“Rhode Island has many beautiful places, like Brenton Point in Newport, for families to create life-long memories,” stated Joseph J. MarcAurele, Washington Trust Chairman, President and CEO. “This photo captures both the beauty of Rhode Island and the spirit of family fun.”
The “I Luv RI” photo contest is sponsored by Washington Trust in conjunction with Rhode Island Monthly. Photographers may enter by sending their favorite Rhode Island photo to: www.rimonthly.com/ILUVRI , or by visiting www.iluvri.com . Each month in 2013, a winning photo will be selected and published in Rhode Island Monthly magazine. Monthly photo winners also receive an “I Luv RI” gift basket full of Rhode Island items.
To enter a photo in the contest, visit the I Luv RI photo contest page . For more information about I Luv RI, visit www.iluvri.com .
CORRECTING and REPLACING FDA Approves GE Healthcare's AdreView™ (Iobenguane I 123 Injection) for Car
By Business Wirevia The Motley Fool
Filed under: Investing
CORRECTING and REPLACING FDA Approves GE Healthcare’s AdreView™ (Iobenguane I 123 Injection) for Cardiac Risk Evaluation in Heart Failure Patients
AdreView is the First and Only Imaging Agent Approved for Visualization of Myocardial Sympathetic Innervation in Certain Heart Failure Patients
PRINCETON, N.J.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– The first paragraph has been replaced.
The corrected release reads:
FDA Approves GE Healthcare’s AdreView™ (Iobenguane I 123 Injection) for Cardiac Risk Evaluation in Heart Failure Patients
AdreView is the First and Only Imaging Agent Approved for Visualization of Myocardial Sympathetic Innervation in Certain Heart Failure Patients
GE Healthcare today announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of a new indication for AdreView™ (Iobenguane I 123 Injection), the first and only FDA approved molecular imaging agent to link nerve function in the heart to a patient’s mortality risk.1 AdreView is approved for the scintigraphic assessment of myocardial sympathetic innervation (cardiac nerve activity) to assist in the evaluation of patients with New York Heart Association (NYHA) Class II or Class III heart failure and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≤ 35% to help identify patients with one and two-year mortality risks as indicated by an H/M ratio ≥1.6. In patients with congestive heart failure (CHF), utility has not been established for selecting therapy, monitoring response to therapy, or to identify a patient with high risk of death.2
“Predicting disease progression in heart failure patients can be difficult, and there are currently a limited number of prognostic tools available to help clinicians understand the likelihood for heart failure progression,” said James Arrighi, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine, Brown University, Providence, RI and current president of the American Society of Nuclear Cardiology. “Now, with AdreView, we have a tool that will provide clinicians with a numeric score to help stratify mortality risk, and may help to promote more informed clinical decision-making.”
Increased myocardial sympathetic activity is a prominent feature of heart failure3 and is often associated with decline in left ventricular function, worsening heart failure symptoms, and sudden cardiac death.1,4 This increase leads to a depletion of norepinephrine (NE) storage and uptake.5 AdreView …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance
FDA Approves GE Healthcare's AdreView™ (Iobenguane I 123 Injection) for Cardiac Risk Evaluation in H
By Business Wirevia The Motley Fool
Filed under: Investing
FDA Approves GE Healthcare’s AdreView™ (Iobenguane I 123 Injection) for Cardiac Risk Evaluation in Heart Failure Patients
AdreView is the First and Only Imaging Agent Approved for Visualization of Myocardial Sympathetic Innervation in Certain Heart Failure Patients
PRINCETON, N.J.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– GE Healthcare today announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of a new indication for AdreView™ (Iobenguane I 123 Injection), the first and only FDA approved molecular imaging agent to link nerve function in the heart to a patient’s mortality risk.1 AdreView is approved for the scintigraphic assessment of myocardial sympathetic innervation (cardiac nerve activity) to assist in the evaluation of patients with New York Heart Association (NYHA) Class II or Class III heart failure and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≤ 35%.2
“Predicting disease progression in heart failure patients can be difficult, and there are currently a limited number of prognostic tools available to help clinicians understand the likelihood for heart failure progression,” said James Arrighi, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine, Brown University, Providence, RI and current president of the American Society of Nuclear Cardiology. “Now, with AdreView, we have a tool that will provide clinicians with a numeric score to help stratify mortality risk, and may help to promote more informed clinical decision-making.”
Increased myocardial sympathetic activity is a prominent feature of heart failure3 and is often associated with decline in left ventricular function, worsening heart failure symptoms, and sudden cardiac death.1,4 This increase leads to a depletion of norepinephrine (NE) storage and uptake.5 AdreView provides a means for assessing the neuronal capacity for uptake and storage of NE.2 While current prognostic tests look at the effect of the disease on heart muscle and blood flow, imaging with AdreView uses the heart to mediastinum (H/M) ratio to assess the functionality of the sympathetic nerves.
With AdreView, the H/M ratio is a measure of radioactivity uptake in the heart compared to that of a reference region in the mediastinum (the mass of tissues and organs between the two pleural sacs that separate the heart from the lungs).2,6 This measurement has a typical range of 1-2.4 and can accurately identify patients with lower than average one- and two- year mortality risk. In clinical studies, an AdreView Score (H/M ratio) of ≥1.6 was associated with a 99% probability of survival at one year (negative predictive value, NPV).2 In patients with congestive heart failure, AdreView utility has not …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance
Washington Trust Provides $6.2 Million in Financing for Downtown Providence, RI
By Business Wirevia The Motley Fool
Filed under: Investing
Washington Trust Provides $6.2 Million in Financing for Downtown Providence, RI
Parking Lot Located in Busy Capital Center District
WESTERLY, R.I.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Washington Trust‘s Commercial Real Estate Group is pleased to announce it recently provided $6.2 million in financing to Union Station Parking LLC to assist the Marsella family in acquiring sole ownership of all parking operations at Union Station Plaza located within the Capital Center district of downtown Providence.The loan provided funds for the refinancing of a 160-space parking lot located at 150 Memorial Boulevard which is the major thoroughfare into downtown Providence. The 1.17 acre lot, adjacent to the Marsella family’s Union Station Garage, is nearby a number of restaurants in downtown Providence, including the Capital Grille, RiRa Irish Pub, Bar Louis, and Luxe Burger.
Union Station Parking, located in downtown Providence, was recently re-financed by Washington Trust. The property is close to a number of restaurants, including Bar Louis and Luxe Burger. (Photo: Business Wire)
“Union Station Parking is in a vibrant location in downtown Providence,” said Joseph J. MarcAurele, Washington Trust Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer. “It offers convenient parking for office workers and anyone coming into Providence to enjoy a night out.”
The property is owned by Ron Marsella, a Rhode Island based commercial real estate developer who has more than 30 years experience developing projects. In the 1970s and 1980s Marsella implemented several urban renewal projects in downtown Providence, most notably, Capital Center.
Washington Trust‘s Commercial Real Estate Group provides commercial real estate mortgages for the construction, refinancing, or purchasing of investment real estate projects. Financing ranges in size from several hundred thousand dollars up to multi-million dollar projects. For more information, contact Laurel Bowerman, Vice President, Commercial Real Estate Group, 401-654-4847 or 1-800-475-2265 ext. 8247.
Founded in 1800, Washington Trust is the largest independent bank headquartered in Rhode Island and …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance
Washington Trust Finances Historic Office Building and Nearby Parking Lots in Financial District of
By Business Wirevia The Motley Fool
Filed under: Investing
Washington Trust Finances Historic Office Building and Nearby Parking Lots in Financial District of Providence
WESTERLY, R.I.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Washington Trust‘sCommercial Real Estate Group recently provided commercial mortgage financing to One Financial Center Plaza, LLC, a 12 story office building which is located at 10 Weybosset Street in the center of Providence, RI‘s financial district. The property is comprised of a 128,000 square foot multi-tenanted office building and includes public lots with 170 parking spaces and an executive lot with 30 spaces. This distinctive and historic property is well located in downtown Providence along Memorial Boulevard and the Providence River situated at the mouth of Narragansett Bay.
One Financial Plaza (third from left, in back) has been a part of the Providence skyline since 1896. The building was recently financed by Washington Trust. (Photo: Business Wire)
Built in 1896, the building is the City of Providence’s first fireproof steel-framed “skyscraper”. The building was originally used as a multi-tenanted office and retail building until purchased by Amica Insurance Company in the 1950s. One Financial Center Plaza, LLC purchased the property from Amica in the 1990s and under the leadership of Aram G. Garabedian, President, reconverted the property to multi-tenant office use.
“This is an exceptional property— not only is it well positioned in Providence’s Financial District, but it is has good quality interior finishes and has the ability to offer parking onsite or in nearby owned lots,” said Joseph J. MarcAurele, Washington Trust Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer.
Washington Trust‘s
Commercial Real Estate Group provides commercial real estate mortgages for the construction, refinancing, or purchasing of investment real estate projects. Financing ranges in size from several hundred thousand dollars up to multi-million dollar projects. For more information, contact Laurel Bowerman , Vice President, Commercial Real Estate Group, 401-654-4847 or 1-800-475-2265 ext. 8247.
Founded in 1800, Washington Trust is the largest independent bank headquartered in Rhode Island and the oldest community Bank in the …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance
3 waive jury trial in RI in Navy kickbacks case
Three people accused in an alleged kickback scheme that prosecutors say cost the U.S. Navy $10 million have waived a jury trial, and a federal judge in Rhode Island will instead decide whether they are guilty in a bench trial scheduled to begin in June.
RI marks 10th anniversary of deadly nightclub fire
Relatives and friends of the 100 people killed in a nightclub fire in Rhode Island marked the 10th anniversary of the blaze Wednesday, gathering at the empty lot where their loved ones perished, now dotted by more than 100 handmade crosses.
The Feb. 20, 2003, fire at The Station in West Warwick broke out when pyrotechnics for the 1980s hard rock band Great White ignited flammable foam that had been installed as soundproofing. More than 200 people were injured.
“You cry, you smile, you cry some more,” said Maria Alves, whose 33-year-old son Louis died in the fire.
The Lincoln woman and her husband Luis came to the site Wednesday to mark the anniversary and tidy up the makeshift memorial they built to honor their son.
“Everybody loved my son. This is just another day. I miss him every day.”
“Every minute,” Luis added. “Every second.”
Jessica Garvey has spent every Feb. 20 since the fire at the site where her sister Dina DeMaio died. DeMaio was a waitress at the club and died while working on her 30th birthday.
“Sometimes it feels like it was just yesterday,” said Garvey, 32, of Woonsocket. “She’s forever 30. I wouldn’t be anywhere else today.”
Survivors and families who lost a loved one marked the anniversary in a variety of ways, with some gathering together at the site to share hugs and stories. Some planned to take the day off work to be with families. One family who lost a son in the fire planned a trip to New Hampshire, one of his favorite destinations.
Others with no immediate connection to the fire stopped by the site Wednesday to honor those lost. Travis Clark drove 45 minutes from his home in Uxbridge, Mass., to quietly walk around the site. The 26-year-old’s girlfriend lives in West Warwick and he said he often thinks about the fire when he drives by the site.
“It puts things in life in perspective,” he said. “Hopefully people will remember, and something can be learned from this.”
A foundation working to build a permanent memorial at the site held a ceremonial groundbreaking Sunday. Construction is expected …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Fox US News
RI records spotlight double life of Legion founder
Unsealed documents in a Rhode Island lawsuit brought against the Roman Catholic order Legion of Christ describe allowances made for the order’s founder, the late Rev. Marcial Maciel.
The Vatican took over the Legion in 2010 after determining that Maciel had sexually molested seminarians and fathered three children by two women.
The documents, unsealed Friday, include testimony from the Legion’s former second-in-command who said he discovered Maciel had fathered a daughter in 2006, but never confronted him about it and didn’t share the news with the broader membership.
The lawsuit was filed by a relative of a woman who gave $60 million to the Legion. A judge has said the relative didn’t have standing to sue.
The documents were unsealed at the request of The Associated Press and other media.
RI records show inner workings of Legion of Christ
Documents detailing the dubious fundraising practices of a disgraced Roman Catholic religious order called the Legion of Christ detail how the organization took control of a widow’s finances and persuaded her to bequeath it $60 million.
The records released Friday in Rhode Island includes the first-ever depositions of high-ranking Legion officials. They shed light on the inner workings of a secretive congregation placed under Vatican receivership after the Holy See determined that its founder was a spiritual fraud who sexually abused his seminarians and fathered three children with two women.
The documents had been kept under seal until The Associated Press, The New York Times, the National Catholic Reporter and The Providence Journal intervened, arguing that they were in the public interest.
___
Winfield reported from Rome.
RI ruling means release of Legion of Christ docs
Documents related to a disgraced Roman Catholic organization called the Legion of Christ could soon be unsealed and available to the public following a decision Thursday by the Rhode Island Supreme Court.
The state’s high court issued an order declining to delay the release of the sealed documents, which are related to a lawsuit contesting the will of a woman who left $60 million to the Legion. The Legion had argued that the records should remain under court seal because their contents could taint a future jury.
The documents could be available as early as Friday.
The Associated Press, The New York Times, The Providence Journal and the National Catholic Reporter had asked a Superior Court judge to unseal the documents, saying there was no justification to withhold documents that could shed light on the Legion’s operations. Last month, the judge ordered the documents to be unsealed, but he gave the Legion until Friday to ask the Supreme Court to intervene.
Depending on how the documents are stored, some could be available Friday, according to Joseph Cavanagh, the attorney for the media organizations.
“Our issue is to find out exactly what records are there and in what format,” he said.
In a statement, the Legion said it was “disappointed” that the documents are being unsealed. Legion spokesman Jim Fair said the Legion wouldn’t fight to keep them under seal any further.
“There are yards of documents,” Fair said. “It’s done. They’re public. This ends the debate.”
The Legion, founded in Mexico City in 1941, calls itself a religious congregation of pontifical right and says its mission involves “extending the Kingdom of Christ in society,” according to its website. The Vatican took over the Legion in 2010 after determining that its late founder, the Rev. Marcial Maciel, had sexually molested seminarians and fathered three children by two women.
The Legion, which has facilities in Rhode Island, has faced other complaints, including one from a Connecticut man who claims to be Maciel’s son. Another Connecticut man has alleged the Legion used predatory means to persuade his ailing father to hand over hundreds of thousands of dollars, but the Legion says it doesn’t pressure anyone to make a contribution.
The will of Gabrielle …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Fox US News
RI judge delays unsealing of Legion of Christ docs
A Rhode Island judge has agreed to delay the release of documents related to a disgraced Roman Catholic organization called the Legion of Christ.
The delay gives the Legion time to appeal the judge’s earlier ruling that unsealed the documents, which are from a lawsuit contesting the will of a woman who left the Legion $60 million.
Superior Court Judge Michael Silverstein on Friday agreed to give the Legion until Feb. 15 to ask the state Supreme Court to intervene.
The Associated Press, The New York Times and other media organizations had asked the judge to unseal the documents.
The judge agreed Wednesday, calling the public’s right to scrutinize them “paramount.”
The Legion says their release could taint a future jury.
The Vatican took over the Legion in 2010 after determining its late founder had molested seminarians.
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Fox US News
Gay Marriage in Works in RI
By Kevin Spak 
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Newser – Home
RI judge orders Legion of Christ papers unsealed
A Rhode Island judge has ordered the unsealing of documents related to a disgraced Roman Catholic organization called the Legion of Christ as it faces questions about its relationship to wealthy elderly patrons.
Superior Court Judge Michael Silverstein on Wednesday ruled the public should be allowed to scrutinize the documents.
The documents are from a lawsuit filed by a woman contesting the will of a wealthy aunt who left the Legion $60 million. The Legion argued the documents could taint prospective jurors.
The Associated Press and other media organizations sought to have the documents unsealed, arguing they could shed light on the Legion’s operations.
The Vatican took over the Legion in 2010 after determining its late founder had molested seminarians and fathered three children by two women.
An attorney for the Legion hasn’t returned a phone message seeking comment.
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Fox US News
