Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Rep. Spencer Dickinson says law will make city's fight a state matter.
Gov. Lincoln Chafee says a law aimed at shielding monuments from establishment clause challenges won't do that, but one of its authors says it will make Woonsocket's fight against the Freedom From Religion Foundation Rhode Island's fight, too. Now, "They've got to go after the state. They can't pick on Woonsocket," said Rep. Spencer Dickinson (District 35, South Kingstown), who helped write the law, mirrored in House and Senate bills (2012-H 8143A, 2012-S 3035aa). The legislation, which creates a "Category One Memorial Designation Commission" to label monuments for historical significance, became law yesterday without Gov. Lincoln Chafee's signature. The law's sponsors, Rep. James N. McLaughlin (D-Dist. 57, Cumberland, Central Falls) and…
42.002704
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5 Cumberland Hill Rd, Woonsocket, RI
Place Jolicoeur Memorial
/articles/chafee-board-inspired-by-woonsocket-memorial-won-t-dispel-legal-challenge
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Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Group will work on upkeep, preservation of city's monuments.
Five local residents met May 24 for the first organzational meeting of the Woonsocket War Memorial Committee at Harris Public Library, and members say good things are in store for the Place Jolicoeur Momument. Lorraine Corey, publisher of MyWoonsocket.com, said she first heard about the idea to form a committee to see to the care of Place Jolicoeur and the city's other monuments from Jeanne Pepin-Budnick, chairperson of the Blackstone Valley Independent Business Alliance and an owner of Pepin Lumber. Jeanne asked her what she thought of the idea. "I said, 'Yes, it's a great idea,' " Corey said. Place Jolicoeur is in disrepair, Corey said. She said she first learned of the deterioration of the monument while taking photographs of local …
42.002704
-71.496895
5 Cumberland Hill Rd, Woonsocket, RI
Place Jolicoeur Memorial
/articles/woonsocket-war-memorial-committee-holds-first-meeting
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Friday, May 25, 2012
Mayor, United Veterans Council announce noon stop at monument.
Place Jolicoeur, the focus of an ideological but not yet legal battle between the city and the Freedom From Religion Foundation, will be the last stop on Woonsocket's annual Memorial Day Parade. This morning, Mayor Leo Fontaine's office and the United Veterans Council announced a final wreath laying ceremony at the memorial at 5 Cumberland Hill Road at noon Monday. The site, which sits in front of Woonsocket Fire Department Headquarters, was the subject of a challenge from the FFRF demanding removal of religious symbols from the Place Jolicoeur memorial and Fire Department website earlier this month. The parade begins at 10 a.m. at the corner of Clinton and Cumberland Streets. Participants marching in the parade will gather behind the …
42.002704
-71.496895
5 Cumberland Hill Rd, Woonsocket, RI
Place Jolicoeur Memorial
/articles/place-jolicoeur-memorial-added-to-monday-parade-route
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Thursday, May 3, 2012
Mayor Fontaine speaks about history of Place Jolicoeur Monument.
Woonsocket Mayor Leo Fontaine told a crowd of more than a thousand people about the history of the Place Jolicoeur Memorial Wednesday afternoon. The crowd gathered at Woonsocket Fire Department Headquarters for a rally organized to answer a challenge demanding removal of religious symbols from the Place Jolicoeur memorial and Fire Department website. WPRO's John DePetro was the master of ceremonies for a long list of dignataries, including Mayor Leo Fontaine and Retired RI Adjutant General Reginald Centracchio. Fontaine spoke about the sacrifice and loss of the Jolicoeur and Gagne families, and the perseverance of Mrs. Gagne, who, after losing three sons, dedicated herself to veterans groups and the community. Fontaine said the stories …
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Throngs crowd Place Jolicoeur to oppose demand to remove cross from monument.
Thousands gathered outside Woonsocket Fire Department Headquarters to show support for keeping the Place Jolicoeur Memorial in place and intact. The rally was organized by Retired RI Adjutant General Reginald Centracchio after a challenge demanding removal of religious symbols from the Place Jolicoeur memorial and Fire Department website. People stood around the memorial itself, filling the parking lot of the fire station. Some even took a birds-eye seat across the street on a high berm running parallel to Cumberland Hill Road. WPRO's John DePetro was the master of ceremonies for the event that showcased speeches from several dignataries, including Mayor Leo Fontaine, Centracchio and Sami Wellington, 13, of Cumberland, a seventh-grader at …
42.002704
-71.496895
5 Cumberland Hill Rd, Woonsocket, RI
/articles/more-than-15-000-rally-to-support-war-memorial
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Mark Ahlquist, father of Jessica Ahlquist, said his family has nothing to do with complaints over a cross at a Woonsocket war memorial.
It's easy to make a connection between the Cranston prayer banner case and the most recent controversy in Woonsocket over a cross at a war memorial at a fire station. Mark Ahlquist, father of Jessica Ahlquist — the Cranston West student and plaintiff at the center of the prayer banner case — said that his family "once again. . .is being targeted with hate" and people are assuming that they're connected to the Woonsocket situation. "We have absolutely nothing to do with that situation," Ahlquist said in an e-mail message. "For several reasons, I consider it to be a very different case than the prayer banner," Ahlquist said. In fact, Ahlquist agrees with some of the supporters who came out to defend his daughter in her legal case against …
42.002704
-71.496895
City of Woonsocket Fire Department Headquarters
5 Cumberland Hill Rd, Woonsocket, RI
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505158
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Statement comes hours before rally to preserve memorial, web site in face of demands of Freedom From Religion Foundation.
In a release distributed today, Attorney General Peter F. Kilmartin applauded Mayor Leo Fontaine, the Woonsocket City Council and the City of Woonsocket for gearing to fight a challenge demanding removal of religious symbols from the Place Jolicoeur memorial and Fire Department website. The Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) wants a cross removed from the monument and the Firefighter's Prayer and image of an angel removed from the website. Kilmartin's support is added to that of Retired RI Adjutant General Reginald Centracchio, who has organized a rally to support keeping the monument at Fire Department Headquarters as-is, to be held at the site today, 4:30 p.m. Last night, the City Council considered a resolution to set up an …
42.002704
-71.496895
5 Cumberland Hill Rd, Woonsocket, RI
/articles/ri-attorney-general-adds-his-support-to-keep-memorial-intact
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Welcome to Wednesday, Woonsocket - Here are some things to know:
Rally - Retired RI Adjutant General Reginald Centracchio has organized a rally to support keeping the monument at Fire Department Headquarters as-is, to be held at the site Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. The Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) has sent a letter to Woonsocket Mayor Leo Fontaine demanding removal of religious symbols from a monument and city website. Mayor Leo Fontaine says the city's been getting thousands of e-mails in support and many calls asking for the address to the 5 Cumberland Hill Road site, so be prepared for a big crowd, just in case. Baseball action - Come out and cheer on the Woonsocket High School Boys' Varsity Baseball team at this morning's home game against North Smithfield High School, 3:45 p.m. at Barry …
42.002704
-71.496895
5 Cumberland Hill Rd, Woonsocket, RI
/articles/wednesday-memorial-rally
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Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Special meeting tonight at 7:30 p.m.
Woonsocket's City Council will hold a special meeting tonight to consider creating an account for funds to defend against the Freedom From Religion Foundation's demands to remove a cross and relgious symbols from city property. The fund, named "The City of Woonsocket War Memorial Defense and Preservation Fund," will be used for any legal and related costs generated in the defense of the war memorial at Woonsocket Fire Department Headquarters on a small plot of land, "Place Jolicoeur" and the Fireman's Prayer and image of an angel on the Fire Department website. The account will be used to secure any donations for the defense of the memorial, image and prayer, said Council President John Ward. On Monday night, Mayor Leo Fontaine said the …
42.002704
-71.496895
City of Woonsocket Fire Department Headquarters
5 Cumberland Hill Rd, Woonsocket, RI
/articles/city-council-to-consider-account-for-memorial-defense
505158
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42.00287
-71.51371
Woonsocket City Hall
169 Main St, Woonsocket, RI
/articles/city-council-to-consider-account-for-memorial-defense
505492
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Monday, April 30, 2012
Is a victory on principle really a victory if your opponent can't fight back?
The Freedom From Religion Foundation's (FFRF) letter to Woonsocket Mayor Leo Fontaine demanding removal of religious symbols from a monument and city website has outraged citizens and veterans, but officials say they're not bending. On Thursday, City Council President John Ward said the mayor's office has heard from hundreds of lawyers offering the city pro-bono legal support should the FFRF decide to take the issue to court. He said the city will do nothing unless the organization takes legal action to force the matter. The spectre of a legal fight over the issue comes as Woonsocket citizens and offiicials are struggling to keep the city operating in the face of insolvency. Even with free legal counsel, the city still risks losing and …
42.002704
-71.496895
City of Woonsocket Fire Department Headquarters
5 Cumberland Hill Rd, Woonsocket, RI
/articles/poll-is-memorial-letter-about-separation-or-strong-arming
505158
/locations/6901463
la_mouffette
12:11 pm on Thursday, June 28, 2012
By "work" I mean, continue standing if challenged in the gamut of courts. Just "will work" was too vague, but I hit "submit" just as I realized my goof =) more ›