John H. Ruginski |
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News for Reporters to use |
Posted Sunday, January 3rd, 2010
Cianci Rumor: Congressman Kennedy's Seat
(Providence, RI) Twice Former Mayor, Convicted Felon and celebrity talk show host Vincent "Buddy" Cianci has been making calls for support in a bid for US Congressman Patrick Kennedy according to sources. The calls began shortly after Cianci hosted Rhode Island's Catholic bishop the Most Rev. Thomas J. Tobin on his radio show.
Citadel Broadcasting, the parent company for WPRO-AM where Cianci's show originates filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in mid-December, freeing it to renegotiate existing contracts like Cianci's. WLNE aka ABC6 (where Buddy is their Chief Political Analyst) like many media in Rhode Island is also perceived to have financial woes.
Congressman Kennedy's First Congressional District includes Providence where "Buddy" still enjoys support, and the Federal Office does not come under the RI Constitutional Amendment of 1986 which states a convicted felon cannot run until three years after his probation ends (2012).
Kennedy's public conflict with Bishop Tobin is well known, and Kennedy is
up for relection in 2010.
Cianci photo courtesy of WLNE Kennedy photo from Official Site
Posted Sunday, January 3rd, 2010
United Kingdom National Security Services:
MI5 Knew Jet Bomber's UK Extremist Links for 3 Years
(London, UK) British Security Services knew three years ago that the Detroit
bomber had "multiple communications" with Islamic extremists in Britain.
Counterterrorism officials said Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab was "reaching out"
to extremists whom MI5 had under surveillance while he was studying at
University College London. None of this information was passed to
American officials, which will prompt questions about intelligence failures
prior to the attack. British officials have now passed a file to their US
counterparts on Abdulmutallab’s activities in Britain while he was a student
from 2005 to 2008. It shows his repeated contacts with MI5 targets who were
subject to phone taps, email intercepts and other forms of surveillance.
More at:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article6973954.ece
Posted Saturday, January 2nd, 2010
Lombardi to decide on Mayoral Race by February 17th
(Providence, Rhode Island) John J. Lombardi, Providence Ward 13
Councilman has announced he will make a formal announcement regarding his
personal political future by February 17th stating that "The long,
dark night of Providence without leadership soon will be over."
More at:
http://lombardiforprovidence.com
Related PROJO STORY:
Lombardi likes poll numbers for run against Cicilline
Related Blog on RI FUTURE:
http://rifuture.org/myblog/john-lombardi-one-step-closer-to-a-mayoral-run.html
Posted Friday, December 25th, 2009
More on the
OBAMA Health Care Bill
-
Medicare Advantage, an important program for 10 million elderly, will be
gutted and replaced
by Medigap insurance, which is more limited in coverage, higher in
cost and more profitable
to the AARP.
- Medical devices
-- from pacemakers to automated wheelchairs -- will still be taxed, and
sick
people will be forced to pay higher taxes and deduct fewer of
their medical costs.
-
Reimbursements under Medicare are likely to continue to drop,
forcing more and more
providers to refuse to treat patients under the program.
- An individual mandate penalty that could go as high as $1,900.
- The IRS can take legal action against those who fail to pay the mandate
penalty.
- In the House version(HR 3962),
penalites imposed would range from a year in jail or a $25,000 penalty.
(Sourced from Thomas Barthold, chief of staff of the Joint Committee on
Taxation handwritten note
to Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev.)
Posted Thursday, December 24th, 2009
Carcieri Letters to Whitehouse
and Reid:
OBAMA Health Care Bill not good for Rhode Island
Governor Donald L. Carcieri has written letters to U.S. Senators Jack
Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse
urging them to oppose the most current version of national health care
reform legislation. The Governor
warns that the bill is too costly, and will have an immediate and adverse
impact on our already
struggling state economy.
Click letter pictures to read each letter
Posted Wednesday, December 23th, 2009
Basciano Tradition Continues . . .
Times Square Christmas Eve Dinner Event Slated
Since 2006, Richard Basciano, found of Times Square Arts Center has
again continued the tradition
started with Richard and Jamie Masada of Laugh Factory fame to hold a
Christmas Dinner Event with all the trimmings on Christmas Eve from 1 pm to
6 pm for needy families, veterans, servicemen and anyone alone this holiday
season. As always, Santa and his elves will be on hand and each child
accompanied by their parent will receive a Christmas Toy. Joe Franklin
and the USO are also part of this event.
All are invited for this festive celebration of food and fun for this fourth
annual event. Dinner will be provided from 1pm to 5:30 pm
on Christmas Eve. The Times Square Arts Center is at 669 8th Ave. between
42nd & 43rd St. Times Square.
Posted Wednesday, December 23th, 2009
CARCIERI:
What did RI Congressman Patrick Kennedy & Jim Langevin or
Senators Jack Reid & Sheldon Whitehouse bring back to Rhode Island?
Health Bill Concessions granted by
Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid to Senator Ben Nelson(D-NE)
to remove antitrust regulations for Blue Cross and others, Senator
Blanche Lincoln(D-AR) for more time to review and ask for favors later,
and Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA) got $300 million for Louisiana - more
than 20 times what was paid for that state. RI Governor Carcieri asked
rhetorically, "What did Rhode Island get? Where was OUR representation
with 73,000 Rhode Islanders out of work and a project Rhode Island Deficit
of over $415 million in 2011?" Others echoed, "What is Jack Reed and
Sheldon Whitehouse doing for Rhode Islanders? Where was Patrick
Kennedy and Jim Langevin? Who is looking out for Rhode Island?"
Posted Wednesday, December 19th, 2009
United States Congress - Health Care Bill:
- $1000 fine if you don't buy Health Insurance
- Insurance is anticipated to cost up to $1,500 per year
- Federal Subsidies can be requested after you first spend 15% of your
paycheck
- Congress taxes pacemakers and wheelchairs
- Jail or a $25,000 fine can be assessed against those who do not pay the
mandate penalty
for not getting insurance.
Click picture to see video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCG08EoNvoA&feature=player_embedded#
Posted Thursday, December 8, 2009
ABC Networks blocks League of American Voters ad
In a quiet fight over airtime, the League of American Voters claims ABC
has refused to air
it’s “anti-Obamacare” ad, but most media outlets haven’t taken notice. The
ad exemplifies
how the war of words over health care reform has made the senior vote the
major
battleground with ads like this one by The League of American Voters.
This one focused on seniors.
Click picture to see video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdgeSw3QqYk&feature=player_embedded
Posted Wednesday, December 6th, 2009
Parrandón Navideño Christmas Success
Heritage Committee event attracts many
(Providence, Rhode Island) Rhode Island's first "Parrandón Navideño"
put on by The Puerto Rican Heritage Committee & Parade of Rhode Island
featured Christmas Festivities of traditional music, food, folklore,
rhythms, dance and fun at the Cranston Portuguese Club last Saturday
night. Despite the cold snap with snow and icy driving conditions,
the event was packed . Photos at
www.prhcpri.com
Posted Wednesday, December 2nd, 2009
Puerto Rican "Parrandón Navideño"
Christmas Festival Slated
Heritage Committee makes all RI Youth a priority
(Providence, Rhode Island) The Puerto Rican Heritage Committee & Parade of
Rhode Island will host their first cultural "Parrandón Navideño" with
Christmas Festivities of traditional music, food, folklore, rhythms, dance
and fun on Saturday, December 5th at the Cranston Portuguese Club. The
event will feature Latino Caribbean traditions that commemorate the birth of
Jesus and an opportunity for all Rhode Islanders to fellowship and develop
an awareness, understanding, and appreciation for our Latin cultures during
this Christmas holiday celebration. The newly formed Puerto Rican Heritage
Committee will also formally announce its dedication to family and social
issues with goals of helping and challenging all Rhode Islanders to work
together and achieve a real future by staying in school, out of the streets
and away from the gangs.
More at
www.prhcpri.com
Posted Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Existing ACORN Contracts still being honored
The Justice Department has instructed federal agencies to honor
contracts with ACORN that
were signed
before Congress banned the community advocacy organization from receiving
any further government funding
earlier this year. In an opinion issued in late October and released
on
Friday, the Justice Department's Office
of Legal Counsel determined that lawmakers were
unclear on whether
agencies should terminate pre-existing
contracts with ACORN, which stands
for Association of Community
Organizations for Reform Now.
More on ACORN
Contracts which Congress suspended here:
Posted Monday, November 9, 2009
OBAMA / Pelosi House Bill:
No Insurance? Go to JAIL !
Dave Camp (R-MI), Ranking Member of the House Ways and Means Committee
released a letter
from the non-partisan Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT) confirming that
noncompliance with the
individual mandate to buy health insurance (contained in the Pelosi health
care bill (H.R. 3962, as amended))
could land people in jail. The JCT letter states clearly that
Americans who do not maintain “acceptable
health insurance coverage” and who choose not to pay the bill’s new
individual mandate tax (generally 2.5% of income), are subject to numerous
civil and criminal penalties, including criminal fines of up to $250,000
and imprisonment of up to five years.
Posted Saturday, October 31, 2009
Sen. Harry Reid wishes ill for Nevada's largest Newspaper
Senator Harry Reid, at a Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce
Luncheon, advised Bob Brown, the Las Vegas Review-Journal's Director of
Advertising, during the simple process of handshaking that "I hope you go
out of business." Later, in his public speech, Senator Reid said he
wanted to let everyone know that he wants the Review-Journal to continue
selling advertising because the Las Vegas Sun is delivered inside the
Review-Journal. In response, Publisher Sherman Frederick posted an
Op-Ed column in which he called Reid's tactics childish, ugly, boorish,
creepy, and asinine and ends with "...we serve notice on Sen. Reid that
this creepy tactic will not be tolerated." Reid is up for election
in 2010. More on this story here:
http://www.lvrj.com/opinion/56171937.html
Posted Thursday, October 29, 2009
National Health Care
"OPT OUT" rather than "OPT IN" designed to FAVOR FED PUBLIC OPTION
Senator Harry Reid has announced that the current health care
bill version will include an "opt-out public option" so while the
government-run plan for every citizen will be available, their state
government can choose to opt out of the program by 2014 or they become
part of the national health program.
By creating an "opt-out" rather than an "opt-in" provision, it allows one
part of each of the 24 "mixed government" states to hold out through
filibuster or delay until the 2014 deadline when the plan goes into effect
forcing that state into the public plan option. The Health Plan
votes seem to run along party lines with Democrats for and Republicans
against.
There are 24 states where Democrats and Republicans share control of
government among the legislative and executive branches which mean likely
disputes forcing them into the plan, and 17 states where the governor is a
Democrat and both houses of the legislature are controlled by Democrats
totalling 41 states.
Republicans control 9 states including Texas, Utah, South Carolina, South
Dakota, North Dakota, Missouri, Idaho, Florida, and Georgia which
represent about 25 percent of the U.S. population. (Nearly all of that is
from Texas and Florida).
Posted Thursday, August 13, 2009
Christina Bolinger Works to Exhibit in NYC
(Moosup, CT & New York, NY) Abstract artist, painter and
Connecticut native Christina Bolinger has been selected to appear with
some of her works at an art and fashion event hosted by Eccoci in New York
City. Other artists appearing with Christina during the three hour event
will be noted landscape photographer Mario Newball, custom handbag
designer Jeff Poulin, fashion sketch artist and painter Maria Delpointe
and Couture Jewelry Designer Alicia Piller.
News Reporter info page here
Posted Thursday, August 13, 2009
Hope City Homeless to get Jobs, a Place to Stay & Movie
Documentary
(Providence, Rhode Island) Local
contractor Jim Rienke, Chief Wilfred Greene with Germaine Greene of the
Seaconke Wampanoag Tribe, Reverend Mary Margaret Earle of McAuley House,
David Angell of LexFilm Productions, Bill Scott & Cendy Gonzalez of Amos
House and Jo Jo Gator of the WALE990am Mid Day Madness show announced
their plans to help the Hope City Tent City Homeless today with jobs, a
place to stay and a documentary movie.
News Reporter info page here
Posted Thursday, July 11, 2009
(New York, NY) Laugh Factory, Inc., Jamie Masada, Times Square Arts
Center
and Richard Basciano recently announced that they have reached an
agreement,
resolving a lawsuit that claimed Times Square Arts Center and Richard
Basciano
infringed the Laugh Factory trademark and logo.
Jamie Masada, who initiated
the action has withdrawn the allegations made in the lawsuit and
apologized
for the misunderstandings that led to the complaint. News
Reporter info page here
Posted Thursday, June 11, 2009
Providence Native Vivian Moreno featured in United Way
of America Video
Providence, RI VIVIAN MORENO of Providence has been chosen by the UNITED
WAY OF AMERICA to be featured in a 30 promotional video. MORENO, who runs
a volunteer tax-preparation site for the Internal Revenue Service is known
locally for expertise in helping poor people qualify for the earned-income
credit, an income tax break intended for the working poor.
Moreno is CEO of THE INTERPRETERS NETWORK INC, a firm that provides
interpreting and translation services. The video is now available at
WWW.WALE990.com.
Posted Friday, March 13, 2009
Artist Christina Bolinger works to Encore at NYC
Exhibit
Moosup, CT, & New York, NY) The works of Connecticut Artist and Moosup
native
Christina Bollinger will encore at the National Art Club in New York City.
The exhibit
will open with an open reception on April 6th from 6-8pm. News
Reporter info page here. Eng
