Free Republic

A father still enraged over his young son’s death more than 35 years ago has vowed to kill the boy’s murderer if he is released several years early from his 40-year sentence, as now scheduled. Michael Woodmansee, who was a neighbor of the Foreman family, killed Jason Foreman in South Kingstown in 1975 and hid the boy’s shellacked bones in his house for years. A Department of Correction lawyer said Woodmansee earned time off for good behavior and it can be revoked only if he misbehaves.

The father of a 5-year-old boy killed in 1975 is vowing to murder his son's killer if the man is released, as scheduled, several years early from a 40-year sentence. John Foreman said in an interview Monday with WPRO-AM radio that he will kill convicted murderer Michael Woodmansee "as aggressively and as painfully" as he killed his son if Woodmansee is released from prison early. Woodmansee, who was 16 years old at the time, kidnapped and killed Jason Foreman in 1975 in South Kingstown, R.I. He confessed and was convicted of second-degree murder eight years later. Jason Foreman was presumed...

Mississippi is the first state to exceed 50% conservative identifiers in the three years Gallup has compiled ideological identification at the state level. Explore complete state data > The top 10 rankings make clear that conservative identification is much more common than liberal identification, with each of the top 10 conservative states at or above 45% identification and only the District of Columbia exceeding 31% liberal identification. In the nation as a whole, Americans are about twice as likely to identify as conservative as they are to identify as liberal, a pattern that has persisted for many years. Americans are...

CNN) -- The firing of every teacher in the Providence public school system has set off a wave of anxiety, anger and uncertainty in the Rhode Island city, with a union leader blasting the mayor's decision as anti-union maneuvering along the lines of what's happening in the Midwest. Mayor Angel Tavares said in a online message Wednesday that he authorized the previous day's move to dismiss almost 2,000 teachers and staff to allow for greater flexibility once the budget process is complete. Tavares also said the final number of layoffs needed to balance a multimillion budget deficit will be determined...

The Providence Journal of Rhode Island reports that the Providence school district "plans to send out dismissal notices to every one of its 1,926 teachers, an unprecedented move that has union leaders up in arms." The paper continues: In a letter sent to all teachers Tuesday, Supt. Tom Brady wrote that the Providence School Board on Thursday will vote on a resolution to dismiss every teacher, effective the last day of school. In an e-mail sent to all teachers and School Department staff, Brady said, “We are forced to take this precautionary action by the March 1 deadline given the...

PROVIDENCE — The school district plans to send out dismissal notices to every one of its 1,926 teachers, an unprecedented move that has union leaders up in arms. In a letter sent to all teachers Tuesday, Supt. Tom Brady wrote that the Providence School Board on Thursday will vote on a resolution to dismiss every teacher, effective the last day of school. In an e-mail sent to all teachers and School Department staff, Brady said, “We are forced to take this precautionary action by the March 1 deadline given the dire budget outline for the 2011-2012 school year in which...

With 2012 Senate recruiting efforts now in full swing, Rhode Island Republicans continue to struggle to find a viable challenger to Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D). Two potential GOP challengers spoke to Roll Call on Tuesday and sounded anything but confident as they consider trying to knock off the Ocean State’s junior Senator in 2012. “I am giving it a thought,” Warwick Mayor Scott Avedisian said Tuesday afternoon, while acknowledging he has put very little effort into his consideration. “Obviously it’s very early in the process. It’s something that I at least want to give some thought to.”

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) - Deepwater Wind's initial project will raise state and local governments' electric bills by a combined $1.5 million in its first year, according to documents reviewed by the Target 12 Investigators. Municipal electric bills will increase by a total of $1 million while state government's bill will rise by $476,630, according to an estimate commissioned by National Grid from Energy Security Analysis Inc. The cost would rise by 3.5 percent every year for the next two decades. The estimate was included in a document National Grid asked the R.I. Public Utilities Commission to seal from the public...

Target 12 finds figures Nat. Grid tried to hide PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) - Deepwater Wind's initial project will raise state and local governments' electric bills by a combined $1.5 million in its first year, according to documents reviewed by the Target 12 Investigators. Municipal electric bills will increase by a total of $1 million while state government's bill will rise by $476,630, according to an estimate commissioned by National Grid from Energy Security Analysis Inc. The cost would rise by 3.5 percent every year for the next two decades. The estimate was included in a document National Grid asked the...

PROVIDENCE, RI—A Warwick, Rhode Island man pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Providence Friday to a federal charge of willfully interfering with the safe operation of an airborne commercial aircraft and endangering the safety of the 23 passengers and three crew members onboard by illuminating the cockpit of an incoming flight on final approach to T.F. Green Airport in Warwick with a laser light, momentarily blinding the pilot. Joseph Aquino, 31, entered his guilty plea before U.S. District Court Chief Judge Mary M. Lisi. Aquino's guilty plea was announced by U.S. Attorney Peter F. Neronha; Richard DesLauriers, Special Agent...

Maryland lawmakers reintroduced a gay-marriage bill on Thursday, making it the second state after Rhode Island to start the process this year of changing its marriage laws.But while Rhode Island Gov. Lincoln Chafee boldly supported gay marriage in his inauguration speech, Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley steered clear of the subject in his speech this week, choosing to focus on promises of a brighter future with more jobs, economic reform, better education and "unity."Still, Mr. O'Malley, a Democrat, is on record saying he would sign a gay-marriage bill."I have long believed the way to craft a compromise is civil unions," he...

Abuse Of Power: Rhode Island Gov. Lincoln Chafee is trampling the First Amendment by banning state employee appearances on talk radio. Equally condemnable is his complaint that talk radio is "for profit." It's no mystery why "Taxalot Linc" doesn't want state employees appearing on talk radio. The new "independent" governor intends to tax everything that moves — plus a lot that doesn't. "Textbooks, school meals and heating fuel are all there," the Providence Journal has reported. "And yes, so is the driving equipment for amputees." It's still all there on the Democratic Governors Association's campaign website, Chafeestaxplan.com — groceries, clothes,...

Add to Paul Krugman, Clarence Dupnak, Chris Matthews and Sherrod Brown the name, Lincoln Chafee, who joins a growing chorus of stooges building a narrative around the straw-man, talk radio.  The governor of Rhode Island, Mr. Chafee will institute a "no talk policy" for state officials, banning them from speaking to radio hosts.  A spokesman tells the Providence Journal:  "Talk radio is essentially ratings-driven, for-profit programming and we don't think it appropriate to use taxpayer resources to have state employees use work time to support for-profit, ratings-driven programming."  Get that?  It isn't the state's business to aid the private sector...

Rhode Island Gov. Lincoln Chafee (I.) will soon send out a directive that state employees may not call into or spend any time on talk radio during state time. Chafee doesn’t think state resources should be used for “ratings driven, for-profit programming.” NPR of course, will be exempt. But is this really a problem in Rhode Island? Has there been some sort of epidemic of state workers ignoring their responsibilities and showing up on talk radio? A very small percentage of listeners actually call into talk shows, and of those callers a minuscule number of them are state workers on...

New RHODE ISLAND Governor LINCOLN CHAFEE intends to issue a ban on state employees appearing on talk radio, reports the PROVIDENCE JOURNAL. CHAFEE spokesman MICHAEL TRAINOR told the JOURNAL that the directive comes from CHAFEE's opinion that talk radio is "ratings-driven, for-profit programming" and that it is not "appropriate to use taxpayer resources" to support it. He said CHAFEE will talk to news reporters and to public radio.

Central Falls is the one people know about. The city tried to declare bankruptcy last year, only to see the state go to court, pass a new law and appoint a receiver to oversee the city’s finances. But while the state has been trying to work through the desperate finances of its smallest city, it has also been working with three other economically distressed communities — North Providence, Pawtucket and Woonsocket. And there is growing concern that other communities, also trying to cope with cuts in state aid and rising costs for salaries, benefits and pensions, may also be on...

Quick thinking saves girl from Warwick pool A local teenager has been hailed a hero after saving a little girl from a swimming pool. Warwick Eagle Scout Austin Irons saved a little girl from drowning after a group of cub scouts and boy scouts finished swimming at McDermott Pool in Warwick. Austin jumped in the water to save the girl who was lying face down and helped lifeguards resuscitate the girl. "We heard shouting for lifeguards...I didn't even think. It was like, just do it," Austin recalled on the experience. He was able to get the girl out of the...

The departure of Patrick Kennedy, Congressman for Rhode Island, will leave the capital without a Kennedy for the first time in 64 years. The dynasty's sole remaining political office is held by Bobby Shriver, John F. Kennedy's nephew, who has a part-time city council seat in the Los Angeles suburb of Santa Monica.

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Kennedys have held congressional seats, the presidency and the public's imagination for more than 60 years. That era ends when Patrick Kennedy of Rhode Island vacates his U.S. House seat next month, leaving a City Council post in California as Camelot's sole remaining political holding.