PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release

July 22, 2008

Contact: Bob Cooper - prguynow@yahoo.com, (401) 447-6474 Days/Eves

Neighbor says Puerto Rican Festival Should Go On !
"My intentions were misunderstood" says Charles Tapalian

(Providence, Rhode Island, USA) Concerned that his actions as a citizen and good neighbor were misinterpreted, Charles Tapalian went on record today saying that the Puerto Rican Cultural Festival should go on after the "time and investment these people have put in." Tapalian plans on attending the hearing at 7pm this evening regarding Providence Piers to "put that on the public record a second time."

Tapalian who controls the adult oriented business neighboring the site of the upcoming Festival said in an interview that as a responsible citizen his real concern was the presence of Cyanide on the festival grounds from a former 'coal to gas' plant located there nearly a century ago. His concern for parking, while valid is secondary, and he cited a problem with a previous event at Providence Piers where he had to put on extra security to keep people from parking in his lot or wandering through and damaging cars.

"The only reason festival organizers knew who I was," Tapalian asserted, "was that when I realized that this was a family event with young children I identified myself to try and express my concerns. I was not trying to stop the festival." "My feeling is that the Puerto Rican community has worked too hard to get this event together for the city to just pull the plug on them," Tapalian went on. "I am on record at the previous hearing and have said that they SHOULD have the festival, particularly due to this late date. What I don't want to see is anyone believing that we should allow a 'carte blanche' license for events at Providence Piers in the future without proper zoning and due to the potentially dangerous cyanide contamination."

"I can understand that in the sudden shock of the city taking this to a hearing that they misunderstood my intentions, but honestly I think the festival should go forward. I'll be there tonight and I will make it known again that I believe the festival should go on," he said.

"That's great news," responded Vivian Moreno, executive secretary of the organization when told of the interview. "If other neighboring businesses can see things this way and actually come to the festival and meet the many different kinds of people who live here in the city it might create an understanding for all."

The hearing is this evening at City Hall at 7pm, and the festival is scheduled to begin Friday at Providence Piers on Allens Avenue.

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News Reporter addt'l info page is here: www.pressdeptnews.com/blockfest