Rhode Island

‘Never looked better’: 2018 Alviti tribute praised his work to improve RI’s roads and bridges

Published

11 months ago

February 7, 2024

‘Never looked better’: 2018 Alviti tribute praised his work to improve RI’s roads and bridges

PROVIDENCE – Few Washington Bridge commuters are likely to hail the state’s transportation director, Peter Alviti, as Rhode Island’s man-of-the-year. The frustrations since the Dec. 11 bridge shutdown run too deep.

But that was, in essence, what the DaVinci Center for Community Progress did in 2018 in a nine-minute video hailing Alviti as its “Community Humanitarian of the Year.”

“In case you haven’t noticed, while there is still much work to be done, Rhode Island’s roads and bridges have never looked better,” says the unseen narrator, former NBC10-sportscaster Joe Rocco.

“It’s no coincidence,” finishes Rocco, whose voice segues into an on-camera cameo by Armand Sabitoni, then General Secretary-Treasurer & New England Regional Manager for the Laborers International Union.

“He gets an A plus,” says Sabitoni.

“Before Peter got there, there was a different culture in the Department of Transportation. Things just weren’t getting done. It was his idea for RhodeWorks ,and then obviously the governor embraced it and they both ran with it,” says Sabitoni of the 10 year, $5.7 billion transportation improvement plan adopted in 2016 that relied in part on the truck tolls.

The truck tolls have since been ruled unconstitutional. And Rhode Island clearly still has work to do, aside from the undetermined next steps in addressing the Washington Bridge emergency.

Of the 782 bridges in the state, 120, or 15.3%, are classified as structurally deficient, according to the latest state-by-state rundown by the Federal Highway Administration. A recent analysis of that database by the American Road and Transportation Builders Association found Rhode Island had the fourth-highest percentage of structurally deficient bridges in the nation.

Video traces Alviti’s rise to head of RIDOT

Filmed in what now feels like another era, when Gina Raimondo was still governor, the video was produced by One Cut Productions, in collaboration with Rocco’s own RocJo Productions and is packed with tributes to Alviti – a son of Silver Lake and an “engineer in public service.”

It traces Alviti’s beginnings, from “the rich culture of Italian immigrant families in Silver Lake” – where being an Eagle Scout “created in Peter a deep sense of civic duty, morality, leadership, charity, and religious values.”

Then there’s his career milestones: Cranston Public Works Director; Program director for an arm of the Laborers Union; the $182,664-a-year director of RIDOT, the agency at the center of the current firestorm of unanswered questions about the state of the Washington Bridge, including how long potentially “catastrophic” failings went undetected.

In the video, Alviti’s wife, Kathy Lanni, says she initially opposed his move to RIDOT. But, she explained, he “kind of sat me down and said, ‘I want this to be the capstone of my career. I want to end my career in public service, which meant giving up a lot’.” (Cue: Images of Alviti boating. )

As the unseen Rocco explains: “Peter Alviti wanted to end his long and impressive career as an engineer in public service. It was 2015, and despite some pushback at home, sacrifice of free time and a lower salary, he took the governor’s offer to be the Rhode Island Director of Transportation.”

“Typical Peter, thinking less about himself than the impact he could make for the greater good,” Rocco told The Journal on Wednesday.

More: Peter Alviti: RIDOT director faces bridge repairs, possible RIPTA showdown

Who paid for the video?

A question posed by The Journal: Who paid for the video produced for the DaVinci Center, which last year alone got $67,085 from the elderly-affairs division of the state’s Department of Human Services and a $10,000 legislative grant?

Rocco said his company filmed and edited the video, and Kurt Bertozzi’s company, One Cut Productions scripted it at the reduced price they charge non-profits, which he did not recall exactly but said was probably under $5,000. He said the DaVinci Center paid.

Rocco said the bridge closure has probably added about 15 minutes to his and his wife’s own trips from Rehoboth to Cranston and Providence.

“It’s too bad it happened,” but “it could be worse,” he said.

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Rhode Island

Fall River, Rhode Island and Ethan Allen: Three Local Clues in One 'Jeopardy!' Episode

Published

8 hours ago

December 19, 2024

Press Room

Fall River, Rhode Island and Ethan Allen: Three Local Clues in One 'Jeopardy!' Episode

Our corner of New England was well-represented on Jeopardy! Wednesday night, as three different clues pertained to Massachusetts and Rhode Island – including one about Fall River’s most infamous resident.

It’s not uncommon for either the Bay State or the Ocean State to be part of a Jeopardy! clue, but it’s hard to remember an episode in which both were featured so prominently as they were on December 18.

In the first round, the category “That’s Weird” had a clue that was definitely an easy one for any person on the SouthCoast.

Host Ken Jennings read, “The Weird U.S. Travel Guide includes such sights as the Fall River, Massachusetts house of this accused murderess,” and an image very similar to this one appeared on the board:

Contestant Ashley had the correct answer: Lizzie Borden.

The Double Jeopardy round had the category “D.C.’s Statuary Hall” with two locally-themed clues.

The $1200 clue was: “Vermont has a statue of him, despite or maybe in part because of the fact he was run out of towns in Massachusetts and Connecticut.”

Ashley guessed wrong on that one, answering “Who is Benedict Arnold?” The correct answer was Ethan Allen. Obviously, Ashley never bought furniture in New England, at least not from an Ethan Allen store. Maybe from an Ashley Furniture store, though.

Rhode Island got in on the fun with the $1600 clue from the same category.

The clue was, “Rhode Island honors Nathanael Greene and this man, which seems the least the state could do, as he founded the original colony.”

Do you know it? Here’s a hint: there is both a zoo and a university named after him.

“Who is Roger Williams?”

A Real SouthCoast Native Would Know the Answers to These Jeopardy Questions

It was always so interesting to hear about episodes where the gameshow participants on Jeopardy answered questions about our little corner of the world. The fact that New Bedford and Fall River have been collectively mentioned approximately 30 times since 1988 is astounding.

We chose a few of our favorite questions and listed them below for our audience to work through. Let’s see how many of these questions you can answer correctly. Tell us how many you got without looking at the answer.

Gallery Credit: Kasey Silvia

Answer These Lobster-Based ‘Jeopardy!’ Questions

Test your ‘Jeopardy’ skills by trying to answer over 20+ questions based on lobsters. Can you get all of them?

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Rhode Island

RI advocacy group files complaint over McKee’s ILO controversy. What to know.

Published

16 hours ago

December 19, 2024

Press Room

RI advocacy group files complaint over McKee’s ILO controversy. What to know.

PROVIDENCE –The citizens-advocacy group Common Cause has filed a complaint against the political ally at the center of the “ILO” contract controversy that has dogged Gov. Dan McKee since he ascended to the state’s top office in March 2021.

Though Attorney General Peter Neronha found insufficient evidence to file a criminal charge against anyone connected to the “ham-handed” award of a $5.2 million education consulting contract to ILO, Common Cause Rhode Island on Thursday filed a complaint with the secretary of state against McKee ally Michael Magee.

What is Common Cause alleging?

The allegation: That Magee aggressively lobbied the executive branch to award a contract to the newly created ILO Group headed by Julia Rafal-Baer – who had been an associate at his nonprofit “Chiefs for Change” – without officially registering as a lobbyist.

In a letter to the lobbying arm of Secretary of State Gregg Amore’s office, Common Cause Rhode Islandrequested an investigation of Magee’s alleged failure to register as a lobbyist, as well as sanctions for his alleged violation of the state’s lobbying law.

Filed by Common Cause Executive Director John Marion, the letter references documents released by Neronha and the Rhode Island State Police in late October, at the conclusion of their investigation into the awarding of a state contract to the ILO Group, LLC.

“The investigation into how the ILO Group was awarded a state contract exposed politics at its worst, including a procurement process full of back-scratching,” Marion said Thursday.

“We are disappointed that the state’s public integrity laws did not protect against the unethical behavior revealed in the ILO Group investigations,” Marion continued. “While ultimately few may be held accountable, Rhode Islanders deserve to know this behavior won’t be repeated.”

Among the findings Common Cause cited as evidence of unregistered lobbying:

A Zoom call on March 5, 2021 with McKee, the governor’s then-Chief of Staff Anthony Silva, then-Director of Administration James Thorsen and state Purchasing Agent Nancy McIntyre during which “Magee introduced the idea of hiring ILO as a consulting firm.”
“Following that meeting, Magee sent an email to Thorsen and McIntyre in which he attempted to narrow the field of those firms able to bid on the contract by including terms favorable to ILO.”
“The state police [concluded] that, ‘When read in the context of Magee’s prior communications tothe governor’s office, his advocating for one vendor to DOA officials suggests Magee’s continued intent to have [ILO Group CEO, Julia] Rafal-Baer receive the contract.’”

Common Cause also requests an Ethics Commission investigation

Based on Neronha’s publicly reported findings, Common Cause also petitioned the state’s Ethics Commission to amend its gift rules to encompass the unusual situation that came to light during the attorney general’s ILO probe.

The investigators uncovered a previously undisclosed contract in which Chiefs for Change engaged another company, SKDK, at $15,000-a-month, to provide then-Lt. Gov. McKee and his staff with advise in the lead up to his ascent to governor.

In the petition to the Ethics Commission, Marion noted the narrow wording of the current $25 limit on gifts from those who have a “direct financial interest in a decision that the person subject to the Code of Ethics is authorized to make or participate in [making] as part of his or her official duties.”

“Common Cause Rhode Island believes that the current requirement that there be a financial nexus for the ‘gift rule’ to apply is insufficiently protective of the public interest,” he wrote.

He asked the Commission to amend the gift rule to include “lobbyists as a class.”

His argument: “When registered lobbyists, who by definition are paid to influence public officials, are giving gifts to those same public officials, it undermines ‘the public trust,’ gives the ‘appearance of impropriety,’ and suggeststhat public officials are using their official positions for ‘private gain.’”

He also asked:

That the Commission require public officials and employees to disclose any gift received if, “under the totality of the circumstances, it is more likely than not” they would not have received the gift were it not for their public office or position.
That the Commission to consider a policy to “better protect the procurement process from political interference.”

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Rhode Island

High School Roundup: Scores and recaps from Wednesday’s games across RI

Published

24 hours ago

December 19, 2024

Press Room

High School Roundup: Scores and recaps from Wednesday’s games across RI

Coaches are asked to send in game results by email – pjsports@providencejournal.com – or by calling the Sports desk between 6 and 10 p.m. on weeknights, at (401) 277-7340.

▶GIRLS BASKETBALL

Division I

Bay View 61, Shea/Tolman 44

Strong outings by Qiana Sumner (18 points, 20 rebounds), Mia Forbes (22 points) and Sinai Robinson (15 points) paved the way for the Bengals victory. Leading the way for Pawtucket co-op in the loss were Tiyara Gonzalez, who scored 19 points, and Zareia Colome who was good for 9 points.

Moses Brown 71, Ponaganset 51

Lauren Bousquet poured in 27 points, all from 2-point range, Marielle Nassiff nearly matched her with 26 points — five from outside the arc — and Jaelynn Perez chipped in with 12 points as the Quakers won their second game in three decisions. Marron Nerney led the Chieftain, now 1-1, with 16 points.

Portsmouth 60, Chariho 36

Gyselle Mairs scored a game-high 21 points, and she also did it defensively, making 5 steals, pacing the Patriots to the victory. Annie Hurd also had a strong game, scoring 8 points and making 7 steals for Portsmouth, which improves to 2-1. Kylie Delemos and Stella Orr chipped in with 8 points apiece. Maddie Fizzanohad 11 points for the Chargers, who fall to -4.

North Kingstown 41, Barrington 37

Division II

Lincoln 41, Cumberland 37, OT

Brielle Lambert had a team-high 13 points and teammate Charlotte Labossierre added 10 more points to help Lincoln escape with a win over Cumberland in overtime. Alexis Parenteau had a game-high 16 points for the Clippers in the loss.

Rogers 45, East Greenwich 38

The visiting Vikings prevailed in this clash. They were led by Tameka Robertson with 14 points. She was supported by 11 points each from Telayiah Aponte and Anyha Walaski as Rogers maintained it lead after halftime. Chloe Hartman led the Avengers in scoring with 9 points. Maeve Kiernan had 8 points and Rowan Carney scored 7. Rogers gets its first victory of the season and is 1-2, while East Greenwich suffers its first loss and is 1-1.

Division II/III

Central 19, Middletown 17

Division III

Pilgrim 44, EWG 32

Lily Hall scored 11 points, including a 5-for-5 performance at the free-throw line, as she led the Patriots to their second win in three games. Avery Marques helped by scoring 8 points and Skylar Hawes and Lia Wasilewski each added 7 for the victors. Niniola Olawuyi led all scorers with 15 points and Isabella Tramonti chipped in with 10 for the Scarlet Knights, now 1-2.

▶BOYS BASKETBALL

Division I/II

Coventry 77, Johnston 40

Riley Finegan paced the Div. II Oakers with 20 points, Brayden Martin recorded 15 points and 9 assists, and Tyler Broady added 12 points and 10 rebounds as Coventry improved to 2-1. For the Div. I Panthers (0-3), Anderson Villa scored a team-high 9 points and Aiden Niel had 8 in the loss.

Division II

Burrillville 73, Woonsocket 62

Logan Gelinas led the Broncos with 26 points en route to the team’s first league win of the season (1-0). Sean Zanella buried all three of his 3-point shots for 15 points and Alton Kelley added 8 points. For the Novans (0-3), Angel Hernandez led a balanced attack, scoring 16 points, with Andrew Bissonnette adding 15 and Demetri Brin recording 12 in the loss.

▶GIRLS SWIMMING

Barrington 65, Narragansett/South Kingstown 27

Medley Relay ― B, 2:02 2; 200 free ― Ava Webster, B, (No time); 200 IM ― Sadie Brown, B, 2:30.11; 50 free ― Molly Digiacomo, B, 25.29; 100 fly ― Colleen O’Brian, N/SK, 1:05.50; 100 free ― Grace Fontaine, B, 58.58; 500 free ― Addison Bonner, N/SK, 6:02.56; 200 fr ee relay ― B, 1:48.20; 100 back ― Ava Yui, B, 1:08.87; 100 breaststroke ― Webster, B, 1:14.45; 400 free relay ― N/SK, 4:17.40.