www.woonsocketcall.com The Valley’s Daily Newspaper Since 1892 Newsstand: $2.50 A “smash- Buying or and-grab” Selling a robbery Home? Call Pat First! Thieves break into Gucci store at HE ALL Pat Elston, REALTOR, SRES “Patricia Elston guided us Wrentham Village T C 401-474-5253 through the purchase from Sunday, April 25, 2021 [email protected] beginning to end. She was REGION, A5 always accessible & responded | REALTY to questions promptly.” Council approves River Street Bridge repair on split vote Citing budgetary concerns, Jalette opposes fronting over $133K BY RUSS OLIVO “Could somebody tell me critical, “It doesn’t really demand. [email protected] where the money is coming matter where it comes from, “My concern is that con- from to pay for this?” Jalette it needs to be fixed.” tractors are becoming, if not www.woonsocketcall.com WOONSOCKETThe Valley’s — DailyAct- Newspapersaid during a Sincemeeting 1892 earlier Moreover, D’Agostino already, soNewsstand: busy, we’ll $2.50 push ing on the recommendation this week. said the longer the city waits this back,” said the public of the state transportation “That’s a good question,” to get contractors on the site, works director. “A repair on A “smash- agency, the City Council has said Public Works Director the more difficult it Buyingwill be- bridges or is pretty critical. To awarded a $133,500 contract Steven D’Agostino. come in the prevailingSelling cli- me thata takes precedence over and-grab” to repair the River Street Originally, D’Agostino mate of heightened demand where the money is coming robbery Bridge – but not everyone said, the city had planned to for skilled labor and equipHome?- from.” thinks it’s a good idea. tap the Community Develop- ment. Call Pat First!Jalette made a motion to Thieves break into Councilman Roger J. Ja- ment Block Grant program Biden’s infrastructure bill table the bridge contract, but Gucci store at HE ALL Pat Elston, REALTOR, SRES lette Sr. tried to put the brakes to pay for the project. But it isn’t even law yet, but the it failed for lack“Patricia ofElston a guided second us Wrentham Village T C on the project on hopes that recently came to the attention president’s $2 trillion401-474-5253 Ameri- as a majoritythrough of thethe purchase council from Sunday, April 25, 2021 [email protected] beginning to end. She was President Joseph Biden’s pro- of city officials that the bridge can Rescue Plan relief pack- sided with alwaysthe accessiblepublic & responded works REGION, A5 | REALTY posed $2 trillion infrastruc- may not be eligible, because age is, and it already allows director. to questions promptly.” ture bill eventually becomes it is located in a floodplain. the proceeds to be spent for Councilman James Photo by Ernest A. Brown law, providing a source of However, D’Agostino ar- water, sewer and broadband The River Street Bridge in Woonsocket is slated to undergo CouncilChan’s approves ownerrevenue to payRiverwill for repairs. Street receivegued that the repairsBridge are honoraryso infrastructure, repair ratcheting on up splitdoctorSee BRIDGE vote, page A2 maintenance to its structure this year. Citingof budgetary fine concerns,arts from Jalette Providence opposes fronting College over $133K BY RUSS OLIVO “Could somebodyThe tell me doctor critical, “It doesn’t is inreally demand. City begins annual road [email protected] where the money is coming matter where it comes from, “My concern is that con- THE DOCTORfrom IS to INpay for this?” Jalette it needs to be fixed.” tractors are becoming, if not WOONSOCKETBy RUSS — OLIVOAct- said during a meeting earlier Moreover, D’Agostino already, so busy, we’ll push ing on the recommendation this week. said the longer the city waits this back,” said the public reconstruction project [email protected] of the state transportation “That’s a good question,” to get contractors on the site, works director. “A repair on agency,WOONSOCKET the City Council — He’s has a saidrestaurateur, Public Works Director the more difficult it will be- bridges is pretty critical. To awardeda photographer, a $133,500 a contractpainter andSteven a musicD’Agostino. come in the prevailing cli- me that takes precedence over promoter,to repair thebut Riversoon thereStreet will beOriginally, anoth- D’Agostino mate of heightened demand where the money is coming with Rodman Street erBridge word – peoplebut not can everyone use to describesaid, the John city had planned to for skilled labor and equip- from.” thinks it’s a good idea. tap the Community Develop- Chan: “Doctor.” ment. Jalette made a motion to Councilman Roger J. Ja- ment Block Grant program Biden’s infrastructure bill table the bridge contract, but DPW aims to repave at least letteThe Sr. triedproprietor to put the of brakesChan’s toFine pay Orientalfor the project. But it isn’t even law yet, but the it failed for lack of a second Dining,on the project an internationally-known on hopes that recently show came- to the attention president’s $2 trillion Ameri- as a majority of the council 10 roads before next winter casePresident for jazzJoseph and Biden’s blues, pro Chan- of will city receive officials that the bridge can Rescue Plan relief pack- sided with the public works anposed honorary $2 trillion doctor infrastruc of fine- may arts not degree be eligible, because age is, and it already allows director. ture bill eventually becomes it is located in a floodplain. the proceeds to be spent for Councilman James Photo by Ernest A. Brown BY RUSS OLIVO which point the program will law,from providingProvidence a Collegesource ofduring However, his alma D’Agostino ar- water, sewer and broadband The River Street Bridge in Woonsocket is slated to undergo [email protected] go into seasonal hibernation. revenuemater’s to103rd pay for commencement repairs. gued exercises that the repairs are so infrastructure, ratcheting up See BRIDGE, page A2 maintenance to its structure this year. Crews can lay asphalt in cold- next month, PC announced. WOONSOCKET — It er weather, but it’s much more “Totally unexpected,” Chan told The may have felt like winter, but labor-intensive work, because Call. “I didn’t know what to say. It’s quite it looked like spring as a giant asphalt solidifies faster and an honor and really humbling.” yellow excavator lifted thick becomes less manageable as slabs of asphalt from the bed the temperature falls. TheChan saiddoctor he received ais call in giving him City begins annual road of Rodman Street, marking On Wednesday – when a advance warning of the tribute, which PC the beginning of the in-house few stray flurries were ob- made public a few days ago. reconstruction project road reconstruction season served flitting through the air “John Chan is known in Rhode Island, for the department of public above Rodman Street – the throughout New England and beyond works. surprisingly brisk tempera- for two reasons,” PC said on its website. with Rodman Street “This is where it all be- tures for a late April day “One is the fine food served at his Woon- gins,” said Department of weren’t an issue, because socket restaurant, Chan’s Fine Oriental Public Works Director Steven crews are still busy ripping up Dining. The other is for his tireless and DPW aims to repave at least D’Agostino. “We’re kicking it the existing roadbed in prepa- decades-long promotion of both famous 10 roads before next winter off right here and we won’t let ration for a fresh layer of as- up.” phalt patch early next week. and upcoming jazz, blues, folk and caba- If all goes according to After several days of work, ret artists and comedians who he has in- BY RUSS OLIVO which point the program will plan, Rodman Street – a the length of Rodman Street vited to perform at the restaurant.” [email protected] go into seasonal hibernation. Crews can lay asphalt in cold- roughly quarter-mile dead- was little more than a ribbon The list is “long and legendary,” PC said, WOONSOCKET — It er weather,Photo but by it’s Ernest much A. Brownmore end off Cass Avenue that of brown earth, studded by or- from giants like Dizzy Gillespie and Leon John Chan, longtime owner of Chan’s Fine Oriental Dining in Woonsocket,may will have be feltpresented like winter, an honorarybut labor-intensive doctorate work, degree because hasn’t been rebuilt in 50 ange traffic cones. Redbone to Livingston Taylor and blues from Providence College during the school’s commencement ceremoniesit lookedin May. like spring as a giant asphalt solidifies faster and years – will be the first of at “We’re in the excavation rocker James Montgomery. Additionally, yellow excavator lifted thick becomes less manageable as least 10 roads the DPW will slabs of asphalt from the bed the temperature falls. the college said Chan has been instru- idea initiated in my head that maybe it it at all. For much of the lastof year Rodman or so, Street,He’ll marking be in goodOn Wednesdaycompany –when when he a repave before next winter, at See PAVING, page A3 mental in launching the careers of bud- can work.” restaurants have been operatingthe atbeginning partial of picksthe in-house up his fewhonorary stray flurries degree wereduring ob- ding homegrown talents, including guitar One of the first jazz ensembles to per- seating capacity due to COVID-19,road reconstruction mak- PC’s commencementseason served flitting exercises through on theMay air for the department of public above Rodman Street – the whiz Duke Robillard, the brassy blues Chan’sform at Chan’s in 1977 featured membersowner ing it next to impossible will to sufficientlyworks.