Times-GazetteWarren eastbayri.com WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2014 VOL. 148, NO. 8 $1.00 State questions Icy ‘rescue’ on the Kicky town’s use of federal CDBG grant Questions arise over $75,000 spent on now- defunct Liberty Street School housing plan BY TED HAYES [email protected] The question of whether the Town of Warren misused feder- al funds intended for an afford- able/elderly housing develop- ment that was never built has thrown funding for several pop- ular programs here into limbo. At issue is the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program, a federal HUD program that distributes money to towns for community development projects. Those funds are administered by the Rhode Island Division of Plan- ning’s Office of Housing and Community Development, and Warren regularly applies for receives thousands of dollars MATT PRIMIANO worth of grants every year. But now, funding for pro- A ‘victim’ is hauled away after being rescued from the icy Kickemuit River during Sunday’s practice. grams that have already been approved, including Warren’s Warren Fire Department so cold of late that ice on the riv- the like. low interest home improve- takes advantage of frigid er was eight inches thick: The volunteers, especially the ment program, are facing addi- cold to practice ice “We had to use a chainsaw to younger ones, took to it imme- tional scrutiny from the state rescues on Kickemuit get through it,” Warren Fire diately. after the Town of Warren, state Chief Al Galinelli said. “They were all gung ho, good officials believe, misused funds Chief Galinelli had been kids,” the chief said. granted to it several years ago BY TED HAYES meaning to hold a drill for some Ice rescues are rare in Warren, for the development of afford- [email protected] time and Sunday was perfect, as but Chief Galinelli remembers able and elderly housing in the If this long, brutally cold win- the stretch of warm weather the most recent like it was yes- Liberty Street School. ter has been good for one thing, leading up to the weekend had- terday, though it happened a That project had been pro- Warren Fire Department volun- n’t done nearly enough to clear few years back: posed by the East Bay Commu- teers may have found it Sunday: the river of ice. Department vol- “We had a sheep out there Practicing ice rescues. unteers practiced navigating that had been attacked by coy- See CDBG Page 16 Nearly 50 volunteer firefight- out to victims stranded on the otes and chased out onto the ers and EMTs from Warren con- ice, and using ice sleds, ladders ice,” he said. “He didn’t fall in verged on the Kickemuit River, ropes and other equipment to the water but he fell on the ice. across from the old Lial farm on haul them safely to shore. Once The farmer scared the coyotes Obituaries/Pages 16, 20 Serpentine Road, to practice there, EMTs were instructed on away. We went out there with Carolyn Greene rescuing victims who had fallen techniques for warming victims the ice sled, towed it in and Ronald Jarvis through the ice. As it was, the suffering from hypothermia: brought it to Dr. Mello’s on A volunteer cuts a hole in the Joann Keyes upper Kickemuit as part of Sun- volunteers had to do a little bit remove waterlogged clothes, Metacom Avenue.” Emily A. Pelland of work: The weather has been covering them in blankets, and “That was something!” day’s training. David J. Tupaj Preserving a dying art Middle schoolers learn wooden boat-building skills in school program PAGE 3 Page 2 Warren Times-Gazette February 26, 2014 Town officials have ordered waterfront work behind John Quattrocchi’s property at 325 Water St. to stop, so the plan for the project can be reviewed by the Warren Planning Board. Mr. Quattrocchi said he is having his attorneys deal with the matter. See What You Town orders work stopped on Water Have Been Missing John Quattrocchi was south of the Warren Town Wharf. Board as was required,” Mr. Nash dredging with state OK, But last month, Warren Building noted. “It is my understanding Do you feel like you are always looking Inspector William Nash advised that he has an attorney and is in through a dirty windshield? building official halts him in a letter that because the contact with our Town Solicitor on Do you find that you stay home at night waterfront project property falls within Warren’s this matter.” because you have trouble seeing to drive? Waterfront Overlay District, the Reached last Friday at home, Do you notice that colors are not a vivid BY TED HAYES Warren Planning Board, sitting as Mr. Quattrocchi said he disagrees as they used to be? [email protected] the Waterfront Development with Mr. Nash’s interpretation of If you answered yes to any of these questions, you may Warren’s building inspector has Review Body, must be consulted the law, and said he has appealed have cataracts. Left untreated, cataracts can lead to ordered a Water Street property on the project. It had not been, he the cease and desist order. blindness. But cataracts can be treated. owner to cease and desist from a noted. “I think the building inspector To find out more, visit dredging and excavation project “Work on this project must was wrong,” he said. “I’ll leave it to www.center-for-sight.com along his waterfront property, immediately cease and desist and my attorneys.” Call to schedule an evalutation threatening fines of up to $500 per an application must be submitted day if he doesn’t comply. and heard by the Warren Planning Kevin D. O’Brien, MD Gregory T. Hofeldt, MD John Quattrocchi, who owns a Board,” he wrote. Robert M. Kelly, MD Keegan S. Johnson, MD commercial building and marina Mr. Nash gave Mr. Quattrocchi 1-508-730-2020 at 325 Water St., late last year was until Jan. 24 to stop work or file an granted an assent by the state application; late last week, Mr. Quahogger Located in the Narragansett Mill: www.center-for-sight.com 1565 N Main Street, Suite 406, Fall River, MA 02720 Coastal Resources Management Nash said he had not yet received Council (CRMC) to perform one. fined 45 clams maintenance dredging and some “Mr. Quattrocchi has not sub- excavation at his property just mitted anything to the Planning for trespassing A trespassing charge lodged WARREN TIVERTON against a Warren man who 137 Child Street, Warren, RI 492 Main Rd, Tiverton, RI allegedly cut across private TOM’S MARKET 401-289-2852 401-816-0862 Check out our ad on our website property in Barrington's www.tomsmarket.com Adams Point to dig clams was Fresh. Local. Exceptional. Open 8-8 Monday-Saturday; 8-7 Sunday dismissed in that town's municipal court last week. CUSTOM CUT FRESH MEATS DELI SEAFOOD Barrington police had Super Lean Kretschmar Colby Jack Lean & Boneless $ 99 $ 99 charged 59-year-old Mark Ground Round ..................3 lb. Smithfield Fresh Cheese ..........4 lb. Just Like Haddock Pork Sirloin USDA Grade A Trim Line Sliced or Scrod Fresh Konikowski after an Adams $ 99 Chops Chicken Cutlets ..................2 lb. Virginia Tom’s Own Rare & Juicy North Atlantic Point area resident spotted $ 99 $ 99 Hake lb. USDA Choice Ham Roast Beef .......7 lb. him digging clams along the 1 $ 59 $ 99 Top Round Roast ................4 lb. $ 99 lb. shoreline and reported him 2 lb. Kretschmar Low Sodium 6 Tom’s Famous Boneless $ 99 $ 99 trespassing. USDA Choice Stuffed Pork Chops ..............3 lb. Ham ............6 lb. Wild Caught Police investigated the Top Round USA $ 95 London $ 99 Red Snapper ........9 lb. Plumrose Bacon .............3 1lb. pkg. Tom’s Potato or Macaroni complaint and discovered Brroil Salad or Tom’s Own $ 99 Fresh From Maine that while Mr. Konikowski $ 99 $ 99 Cole Slaw .......1 lb. $ 99 4 lb. Chicken Sausage ..................3 lb. Steamers ...........3 lb. was free to dig clams any- where below the mean high TOM’S KITCHEN FRESH PRODUCE GROCERY tide mark, he had illegally 15-16.3oz. Chicken and Sausage Skippy Sweet $ 99 1lb. Container crossed private property in NEW! Jambalya ....... 6 lb. Tender & Thin Peanut Chili Glazed Sweet Driscol order to access the beach. Shurfine Butter Tofu Strawberries Asparagus Boom Boom Salmon with Police said property deeds Apple Juice Limit 4 $ 99 $ $ 69 6 Roasted Pepper 1 lb. 64oz. Limit 4 $ 68 $ 95 2/ 5 stated that a path to the water 1 Salad ........ 14 lb. WOW! $ 28 Penne with Robe was a private right of way and 1 Mott’s Apple Roasted Zucchini Sweet & Seedless Sausage and $ 99 not a public path. Sauce $ 99 lb. Provencal ...... 4 lb. Navel Cannalini ...... 5 $ 29 Judge Frank Connor report- 6pk Oranges .... 1 lb. 64oz. 12-16oz. Bird’s Eye $ All Varieties BAKERY Red or Green Leaf edly agreed to drop the Almond Frozen 2/ 4 $ 29 Cool & Crisp $ Lettuce .... hd. $ 99 Vegetables ...2/ 3 Grab n Go Chocolate 1 $ charge in exchange for Mr. Breeze Milk ... 2 Fresh Baked $ 99 Cucumbers. 3/ 2 Chobani Custard Macaroons ... 3 10.5oz. Extra Large Konikowski’s promise that he All Varieties Yogurt All Varieties Pie $ 6oz. Varieties Tom’s Own Market Made Red California would not trespass again. He Coke 12pk..3/ 12 $ 59 $ 99 $ 29 Stoufers Frozen $ $ 59 lb. Celery . bn. $ 59 4 ea. Peppers .... 1 1 also agreed to pay $45 in court Dinners .....2/ 5 OR $5 ea. 5/ 5 Croutons ...... 2 bag costs. Prices in effect Feb 26-March 4, 2014.