COVID-19 CRISIS

THE LATEST: Distance learning to continue for rest of school year

Traditional proms, graduations 'aren't going to be possible,' governor says

Posted

For full audio of the governor's follow-up conference call with reporters, click here.

Distance learning will remain in place for Rhode Island’s K-12 schools for the remainder of the academic year, Gov. Gina Raimondo announced Thursday, while traditional proms and graduation ceremonies “aren’t going to be possible this spring.”

“To be very honest, I had hoped to wind up in a different place … I wanted to give these kids a chance to end their school year in a traditional setting. The reality is, I can’t,” the governor said during her daily COVID-19 briefing.

Specifically addressing members of the graduating class of 2020, she added: “This is a bummer. There’s no other way for me to say it. And I’m sorry.”

School buildings across the Ocean State have been closed since mid-March, when Raimondo moved up the scheduled April vacation week to buy time for planning as the current public health crisis began to escalate locally.

The governor subsequently announced that school buildings would stay shut – first through March, then through April – while students and educators transitioned to remote instruction. Before Thursday’s announcement, however, she had kept the door open to a return to physical classrooms before the year’s end, saying she was not yet ready to “throw in the towel.”

During Thursday’s briefing, Raimondo said recent data surrounding the COVID-19 crisis – including the identification of 412 cases statewide, the highest-single day increase yet – indicates conditions do not yet exist to allow for school buildings to reopen. Additionally on Thursday, officials announced eight new deaths related to the novel coronavirus, while 267 people were hospitalized due to the disease.

“This is stable. It’s in the range of what we’ve been seeing. But still haven’t turned the corner,” the governor said, adding: “The truth of the matter is, we’re not out of the woods … we’ve worked too hard for too long to throw away that great work.”

She also said officials “explored every possible option” to reopen schools, but determined the level of risk would be “irresponsible” – especially given that only a few weeks of physical classrooms, at most, would be possible. She added that 39 other states have also decided to keep schools closed for the rest of the year.

Aside from the data, Raimondo said the positive returns seen to date with distance learning played a role in the decision. She acknowledged the strain the new approach has placed on many families, educators and students, but touted high participation rates and success in expanding access to digital tools and resources.

“No one’s ever done this before. We’re doing things together … that have never been done before,” she said, adding: “Turns out you’re among the best in America at it … by every measure, you’re doing an amazing job.”

She later said: “Let’s hit the cover off the ball and not loose steam, because frankly, it’s too important.”

The governor said a distance learning hotline previously open to teachers will now be available to parents through a partnership with the Highlander Institute. That hotline can be reached at 904-414-4927 or by visiting thehighlanderinstitute.org.

Rhode Island Education Commission Angélica Infante-Green also addressed the announcement during the briefing, calling the distance learning experience “one of my proudest moments” since arriving in the Ocean State less than a year ago.

“Rhode Island is a model for the nation on many fronts now,” she said, adding:  “I’m grateful for the opportunity for my kids to continue to learn, as I know you are as well … We need your voice as we continue.”

At two points, Infante-Green spoke Spanish while addressing members of the state’s Latino community, which has comprised a disproportionate share of COVID-19 cases thus far.

Raimondo said with the decision now made on the school year, she and members of her administration will turn their focus to planning for summer programming and finding solutions in terms of child care. Summer camps, she said, will be available but will “look different than last year.”

“I’m not saying to parents, ‘Good luck, see you in September’ … I hope to have something more to say next week about child care, and then summer camps in the coming weeks,” she said, adding: “The next big focus is child care and day care, and that, too, will reopen in stages.”

The governor acknowledged that the decision will mean the cancellation of the spring sports season, noting that the Rhode Island Interscholastic League has previously indicated it would make that move were school buildings not to reopen.

In terms of proms and graduations, Raimondo said plans for alternative means of having group celebrations and recognizing graduating students are in the works. Rhode Island PBS will host a statewide graduation special in June featuring guest speakers, musical performances and contributions from the state’s high schools, she said, while the Rhode Island Department of Education is set to provide districts with additional recommendations and guidance.

“We’re going to do lots of other stuff … We’re going to get creative and we’re going to recognize you and your accomplishments and your talent in new and different ways,” the governor said, adding: “Trust me, we’re going to do our best, and it’s going to be better than you might think.”

Elsewhere on the educational front, the governor urged students who have not yet done so to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA. She also said she and her husband, Andy Moffit, will host another special press conference for the state’s children on Thursday, April 30, at 1 p.m.

Comments

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  • Justanidiot

    because the buses, buildings, other facilities, are not being used and parents are picking up the tab for wifi, we better give the school district tons more money to do less and less

    Thursday, April 23, 2020 Report this

  • ThatGuyInRI

    As usual, justanidiot continues to prove how amazingly accurate his name is.

    Friday, April 24, 2020 Report this

  • Straightnnarrow

    It so happens that Justanidiot is right again. How dare anyone question the dedication and altruism of our beautiful City government workers? Tell that to Granny who had to sell her house because the taxes made it impossible to live there. In the meantime, City Hall closed, libraries closed, schools closed. Here is a list of City offices & depts closed or partially closed: Tax Collector, Tax Assessor, Animal Shelter, Board of Canvassers, Building Dept, City Council Liaison, Libraries, Parks & Rec Dept, Planning Dept, Pilgrim Senior Center, Sewer Authority, City Clerk. Municipal Court, School Dept.- bus drivers, custodians, teachers working their heads off. Yes, it is idiotic to think that they have been laid off with full pay as it would not have happened in the private sector, but when the taxpayer is on the hook, it's no problem. So of the 180,000 RI workers who have applied for unemployment compensation in 2020, how many of them are City or State workers?

    Most of the 18% of RI population were furloughed because of the Wuhan virus which has caused the death of less than 200 or .0002% of RI population. To paraphrase Winston Churchill: "never have SO MANY given SO MUCH for SO FEW and received SO LITTLE!"

    Friday, April 24, 2020 Report this

  • Straightnnarrow

    It so happens that Justanidiot is right again. How dare anyone question the dedication and altruism of our beautiful City government workers? Tell that to Granny who had to sell her house because the taxes made it impossible to live there. In the meantime, City Hall closed, libraries closed, schools closed. Here is a list of City offices & depts closed or partially closed: Tax Collector, Tax Assessor, Animal Shelter, Board of Canvassers, Building Dept, City Council Liaison, Libraries, Parks & Rec Dept, Planning Dept, Pilgrim Senior Center, Sewer Authority, City Clerk. Municipal Court, School Dept.- bus drivers, custodians, teachers working their heads off. Yes, it is idiotic to think that they have been laid off with full pay as it would not have happened in the private sector, but when the taxpayer is on the hook, it's no problem. So of the 180,000 RI workers who have applied for unemployment compensation in 2020, how many of them are City or State workers?

    Most of the 18% of RI population were furloughed because of the Wuhan virus which has caused the death of less than 200 or .0002% of RI population. To paraphrase Winston Churchill: "never have SO MANY given SO MUCH for SO FEW and received SO LITTLE!"

    Friday, April 24, 2020 Report this

  • Thecaptain

    Igor,

    You are correct with one exception. Although all of the aforementioned city offices (and others) are closed, all employees continued to get paid with no layoffs. Now that's really smart on behalf of the fake used car salesman liar lawyer and accountant, isn't it?

    Friday, April 24, 2020 Report this

  • JohnStark

    Note the date and time, but I'm siding with the idiot on this one. The Warwick Public Schools are asking for an additional $11.9 million dollars for next year in order to educate fewer kids. This would put Warwick in the neighborhood of $21,000 per student, or about 40% more than an academic year at URI! Complete and utter madness, and total disregard for Warwick taxpayers.

    Friday, April 24, 2020 Report this

  • Warwickbeautiful

    Sorry "igor1113" (Stacia) and captain criminal, but you two clowns are no longer relevant n this city (not that you two ever were). And now that the pandemic has garnered all the headlines, the last thing on anyone's mind is listening to you two fools bellyache. Instead of wasting space on this website, you two losers might want consider taking a ride down to Oakland Beach and hold the hand of the disgraced ex-cop collecting the bogus disability pension. Word on the street is that he's in a severe state of depression ever since he was banned from this website.

    And captain criminal, please be sure to visit the Salvation Army thrift store as soon as the governor begins to reopen the economy and purchase something decent to replace that soiled cowl neck sweater from the 1970's-at least when you go and crash the next funeral to harass the family of the deceased, you'll look somewhat presentable.

    Friday, April 24, 2020 Report this

  • thepilgrim

    Put the school system out of business and allow the kids to be homeschooled from now on. What’s better? To learn from your parents or to learn from the Marxists in the public school system?

    Friday, April 24, 2020 Report this

  • insider

    Igor,

    Most of the Depts. you have stated are back to work full time or working full time via remotely. You're a week behind the city. The majority was called back to work last week. Tell granny all of the city services she pays for via taxes is a fraction of the cost when compared to what other communities provide (see the town of Richmond for reference). No trash pick up (self drop off @ transfer station or hire a private Co. @ $32 a month) no yard waste pick up, no free landscaping materials, no sewers, no water dept, no fire dept. other than volunteer, ALL for a cool tax rate of 21.88. Compared to the City of Warwick's tax rate of 18.73. Be grateful for what your city and its employees provide

    Friday, April 24, 2020 Report this

  • Straightnnarrow

    Robert writes: "To learn from your parents or to learn from the Marxists in the public school system" Thank you, we can already hear the union teachers squeal like stuck pigs.

    Saturday, April 25, 2020 Report this

  • Thecaptain

    Educated Voter

    AKA Unionthug, AKA StevieD, AKA Jimmy, AKA story teller and liar Brandon Ingegneri. You are nothing more than a coward bully with an extremely limited mentality. You do however have a wild imagination an a knack for telling stories that have not an once of reality to them. I often wonder if you actually hire writers to come up with you BS stories. We busted you Jimmy Brandon the Coward and called you out. When will you call the state police again and make up another story that completely humiliated you and your fellow thieves of the WFD.

    You make up ridiculous stories and then don't even have the guts to go on the air after you beg the local newspapers for a chance to spew your lies. Guess you never had a father figure in your life you moron. So just to remind you AKA Unionthug, AKA StevieD, AKA Jimmy, AKA story teller and liar Brandon Ingegneri WFD badge # 165, here is your feeble coward request to the Warwick Beacon.

    -----Original Message-----

    From: Brandon Ingegneri [mailto:brandon.igg85@gmail.com]

    Sent: Sat 12/21/2019 12:38 PM

    To: John Howell

    Subject: Fire Contract - Threats

    https://www.facebook.com/robert.cushman1/videos/10215985589773155/

    Good Morning Mr. Howell,

    Embedded into this email is a link to a video that Robert Cushman and

    Robert Cote posted of last night's City Council Meeting. If you listen to

    the time frame in the area of 32:25 in the video you can clearly hear Mr.

    Cushman and Mr. Cote threaten to "Kill" me as I was addressing the council.

    I have since filed a report with the RISP, but thought it prudent to

    forward this information to you as a credible threat to murder a public

    employee and elected officer of a labor union at a public venue is most

    certainly a serious event. Additionally, I have received a number of

    harassing telephone calls from Mr. Cote and Mr. Cushman following this

    threat.

    I am available for public comment at your convenience.

    Very Truly Yours,

    Brandon Ingegneri

    Treasurer

    Warwick Firefighters, Local 2748

    WHAT A FRIGGEN SISSY YOU ARE !!!

    Saturday, April 25, 2020 Report this

  • Warwickbeautiful

    Looks like the cookout at Stacia's Charlestown shack ended early and captain criminal had to get back to Warwick earlier than he expected. With the warmer weather here there must have been some innocent animals he had to trap, torture, and gas, or maybe another city worker passed away and he had to make plans to get over to the funeral home to harass and scream at the grieving family, and then have his girlfriend Stacia post it on the internet for him, as he's too much of a coward to post it himself.

    And by the way captain criminal, all of the city budget hearings are going to be held virtually next month, so how are you going to take part? Are you going to set up a podium in your fleabag house and yell into a camera?

    Saturday, April 25, 2020 Report this

  • wwkvoter

    This bickering and name calling (from both "sides") is, and always was, just ridiculous. The city does have good services, performed by city employees 24/7, and for a reasonable tax rate. That being said, are we making BEST fiscal policy? The revenue losses to this pandemic will bring that to the surface. Anyone taking their time to question city finances should also be commended as much as our city employee workforce. That's how democracy works.

    Saturday, April 25, 2020 Report this

  • Warwickbeautiful

    The remarks of one resident in particular, Rob Cote, a frequent critic of city government, have drawn much attention since Cote spoke at a Feb. 25 meeting.

    WARWICK — Two residents recently told City Council members that their neighbors’ illegal feeding of wildlife have drawn so many nuisance animals that killing them was necessary.

    The remarks of one resident in particular, Rob Cote, a frequent critic of city government, have drawn much attention since Cote spoke at a Feb. 25 meeting.

    “So you probably wouldn’t believe me if I told you how many animals I’ve had to trap,” Cote told the City Council’s ordinance committee. “Just this summer alone, 32 skunks, 60 possums, 8 groundhogs, um what else, 4 raccoons and 200 squirrels.”

    Cote talked about “euthanization” in detail. On Monday, weeks later, following circulation of his comments, and some sharp criticism from officials at the R.I. Department of Environmental Management, Cote asserted that he “never” euthanized any of the animals he had trapped.

    Another Warwick resident at the same subcommittee meeting, Justin Paplauskas, of Montana Avenue, talked about killing rats drawn to his property by a neighbor’s sprinkling of birdseed.

    “I’ve gassed them,” Paplauskas said. “I’ve trapped them. ... I’ve done a lot of things that you’re probably not supposed to do to try to get rid of them near housing.“On Tuesday, Paplauskas said he had attempted to gas rats on one occasion by putting a smoke bomb, the same type as sold in stores, into a rathole. The strategy didn’t work. He said he has killed rats with classic “snap traps” and the city has placed two poison traps in his yard. He said the DEM has not contacted him.

    At the February meeting, Cote said he “was told” he could use exhaust from his car to euthanize a trapped skunk, but “I don’t think it’s my job to do that.”

    When nuisance animals are destroying properties, he told the council, “somebody needs to do something about it.”

    “So I love animals, but I’m put in a position where I have to euthanize these,” he said. “I don’t like doing it. But it has to be done. I just don’t have the amount of time to be transporting skunks to Exeter, which is in violation of the law.”

    In a text Monday night, Cote told The Providence Journal that DEM investigators had visited his home earlier and that they understood his remarks. “They were clear by my statements that reported the problem and what I was told to do...which was NEVER done,” Cote said.

    In the same text, Cote also identified Warwick Animal Control as the entity that had told him he could euthanize animals with exhaust from a vehicle.

    Warwick’s police chief, Col. Rick J. Rathbun, said he’s aware of Cote’s various comments on the subject, which he finds inconsistent.

    Rathbun said he is also comfortable with how the city’s animal control officers operate and he sees no reason “to question the integrity of personnel based on inconsistent statements.”

    Both the DEM’s state veterinarian, Scott Marshall, and a DEM spokesman, Mike Healey, say that the guidance on the use of car exhaust, which Cote said was presented to him, is not acceptable.

    “That’s inhumane killing,” Healey said.

    Sunday, April 26, 2020 Report this

  • Warwickbeautiful

    Cote charged with harassing phone callsclaims he’s the victim

    Posted Thursday, July 5, 2012 1:00 pm

    Jessica Botelho

    Warwick Police have charged Rob Cote, leader of last summer’s Car Tax Revolt, for making harassing phone calls on the basis of a complaint by Terry DiPetrillo, an employee of the Department of Public Works.

    But Cote, who was notified Tuesday morning by police of the complaint and appeared at the station later in the day, says he’s the one being harassed.

    Sunday, April 26, 2020 Report this

  • Warwickbeautiful

    With a criminal record that encompasses numerous arrests for everything from assault, crank phone calls, dumping gasoline into a sewer, and killing and torturing animals, it would surely be safe to say that captain criminal has ZERO credibility.

    Sunday, April 26, 2020 Report this

  • bill123

    In case anyone forgot, here’s a recap of some stuff happening over just the last couple months, subsequently drowned out by the “pandemic”. It all shows no one in our government is held accountable for much of anything:

    School department goes public on mysterious attitude problem (school committee: “There’s just been some attitude problems”)

    http://www.warwickonline.com/stories/all-but-one-school-administrator-given-two-year-contracts,151827

    Requested and approved $56 million bond for school department backed only by a sham estimating procedure

    http://www.warwickonline.com/stories/stakeholders-favor-revised-high-schools,151291

    Serious pipe leak damages high school, but no rational explanation provided by school department (looks like an intentional, criminal act of sabotage to me)

    http://www.warwickonline.com/stories/toll-gate-set-to-reopen-ride-grants-2-day-waiver,151454

    http://www.warwickonline.com/stories/toll-gate-on-track-to-reopen-thursday,151388

    http://www.warwickonline.com/stories/water-break-at-toll-gate-high,151196

    (this goes back further than a couple months, but worth special mention)

    The warwick school dept has long-reaching claws: State senator James Sheehan, a teacher at Toll Gate, writes only feel-good propaganda, not truth, about something he apparently knows little about (the sad fact is, you won't find much more on this very serious issue anywhere else . . these technical issues should be treated as a "pandemic" or other major disaster, not get cover-up treatment)

    www.providencejournal.com/opinion/20170524/james-c-sheehan-ri-must-analyze-its-voting-accuracy

    Sunday, April 26, 2020 Report this

  • Daydreambeliever

    Let's not forget the non essential Captain was terminated from the Civil Air Patrol for using company planes to fly off course and fly over a city employees home and property to take pictures because he KNEW ( in his brain) this employee was stealing city property. Another false accusation by the non essential Captain.

    Employee still works for the city as the non essential Captain's claim was unfounded. (Shocking i know !!!) and I do recall this making the paper back when it happened.

    Sunday, April 26, 2020 Report this

  • wwkvoter

    let's say that you guys' attacks on Cote are all true (they are not ALL true), how does that disprove the city finances issues he alleges? You'll talk about anything BUT the numbers... which, in my mind as a "neutral", just simply proves to many readers that Cote at least very probably right on whats important here, the contracts, numbers, and their effect on all of our city taxes.

    You all really should have kept to the high road and presented your own numbers that we can afford the obligations and taxes wont be unfairly raised, or worse. Can you stop name calling do that?

    And trying to get a decent, honest citizen to lose his job simply because he questioned the affordability to the taxpayers of city contracts paints all city workers in a bad light. And thats not fair to the majority who are hard working and would never attack democracy in such a way.

    As to Cote's past actions, how many of you have things in your past (that have nothing to do with the numbers and city finance issues)?

    Lets all keep to the issue. (But, you wont)

    Sunday, April 26, 2020 Report this

  • Daydreambeliever

    If only non essential Captains numbers weren’t flawed or miscalculated then I agree.

    Anyone including myself can spin a number.

    He’s been trying to screw city workers for years trying to get many fired over allegations and accusations.

    He can’t and won’t ever just stick to facts he always has to antagonize and call people names.

    So myself and others lower ours standards and morals to attack him. You don’t like it don’t sign on and read comments ! Problem solved !

    Sunday, April 26, 2020 Report this

  • JamesBruder

    If Captain Cote could stick to the facts, we would never be on here. We ALL agree there are fiscal concerns. When you follow a fire truck around harassing them for shopping you look like a douche. Different approach, common approach, nice approach, if you didn’t shit on everyone more people (other than his three friends) might listen. He doesn’t realize the city council (Merolla and Ladoucher) use him to spread their info but crap on him in public. STICK TO THE FACTS. First step would be admitting the FBI hoax.

    Sunday, April 26, 2020 Report this

  • Warwickbeautiful

    News Release

    RI Department of Environmental Management

    235 Promenade St., Providence, RI 02908

    (401) 222-2771 TDD/(401) 222-4462

    For Release: June 5, 1998

    Contact: Bob Ballou 222-4700 ext. 4420

    Martin Cappelli 222-6768

    DEM ARRESTS WARWICK MAN FOR ILLEGAL DISPOSAL OF GASOLINE IN SEPTIC SYSTEM

    PROVIDENCE: A Warwick man was arrested today for allegedly disposing of gasoline by pouring it down the drain at his business. Robert Cote, 39, of 12 Social Drive in Warwick, was arrested by DEM Officers at his place of business and arraigned before Judge Walter Gorman in 6th Division District Court in Warwick. He was charged with a single count of unlawfully disposing of hazardous waste. Cote entered no plea, as typically occurs in felony cases. He was released on $5,000 personal recognizance and faces an arraignment in Superior Court on August 14. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in jail and/or a $5,000 fine. The RI Attorney General's Office will be prosecuting the case.

    According to Sr. Agent Giusto Iannelli, of DEM's Office of Criminal Investigation, the Warwick Fire Department was called to Cote's business, the Pro Divers Shop at 2442 West Shore Road, on April 30 after a neighbor in an adjacent strip mall heard an explosion and observed smoke coming from the dive shop. The fire department responded and extinguished the fire, but an officer at the scene noticed a heavy smell of gasoline coming from the facility. Cote admitted to placing a container with less than a gallon of gasoline in a sink to see if the gasoline was contaminated. Cote claimed that the fumes from the gasoline were ignited by a spark from a hot water heater.

    The fire officer at the scene called DEM to determine if there was a remaining hazard. John Leo, a Sanitary Engineer with DEM's Emergency Response Unit, responded and found that a considerable amount of gasoline was present in the septic system. Leo determined that the situation constituted a threat to public safety and the environment, and he immediately called CYN Environmental to come to pump out the septic system.

    Subsequent lab tests indicated that there was at least 20 and perhaps as much as 30 gallons of gasoline in the septic system, enough to pose a significant danger of a major explosion. Leo noted that if the fumes had backed up overnight in the pipes and vents associated with the septic system, the result could have been disastrous.

    In addition to today's arrest, DEM officers, assisted by officers from the Warwick Police Department, executed a search warrant and removed evidence from the scene.

    Monday, April 27, 2020 Report this

  • bendover

    For the dazed, confused, uninitiated or obtuse, "distant learning" has been going on in this city for decades. After all, where else can you pay more and get less other than buying a bag of potato chips?

    Tuesday, April 28, 2020 Report this

  • Thecaptain

    Once again, Un Educated Voter aka Liar and false police report filer Brandon Ingegneri continues to post non fact on all counts. He is also the individual that edited a city council video and sent it to channel 12 and to DEM on the rodents (also debunked and ended with animal control office Eric Brewster being reprimanded).

    WARWICK BEACON, Thursday, December 17, 1998 Pg. 13

    Cote cleared in gas-dumping charge

    Robert Cote, the owner of Pro-divers, Inc. on 2442 West Shore Rd., has been cleared of charges that he dumped 30 gallons of gasoline into his septic tank.

    A statewide grand jury ruled that there wasn’t enough evidence to charge Cote for the alleged crime. On April 30 this year, a fire started in a sink at the shop. Cote said he was outside tying to get a small boat to start and he suspected that there was water in the gasoline. Cote said he took a small container of the fuel into his shop to investigate, and upon walking in saw that he had a customer. He placed the container in a sink near a hot water tank.

    Cote said the tank has a pilot light, and that must have been what ignited the fuel in the sink. Cote said he and two customers were able to put the fire out.

    “We put the fire out. It took about 30 seconds”, Cote stated.

    Then the fire department arrived. An inspector said he smelled gasoline, and the Department of Environmental Management was called in.

    “The only damage that occurred was when the DEM came in with a Sawzall,” Cote said. The DEM ripped out the pipes that they thought could be used as evidence against Cote to prove he had dumped up to 30 gallons of gasoline down his drain.

    Cote noted that the boat he was working on could not carry 30 gallons of gasoline, and also that 30 gallons of gasoline would weigh about 260 pounds – more weight than he could easily carry back to his shop.

    Tuesday, April 28, 2020 Report this

  • Thecaptain

    Not that I need to, but once again the lies from certain city employees are completely dis-proven, but feel free to keep trying.

    Major Michael Gilbert

    Operations Bureau Commander

    Warwick Police Department

    401-468-4228

    Michael.gilbert@warwickri.com

    From: Rob Cote

    Sent: Thursday, March 14, 2019 1:32 PM

    To: Police - Major Gilbert Michael

    Cc: Ward 2 Outside

    Subject: from rob cote

    Mike,

    Per our conversation today I am submitting this narrative to you.

    On December 17, 2018 my nephew contacted the Warwick Police and requested that animal control respond to our home located at 74 Janet Ct. due to a large skunk that was captured in a Havaheart trap. This animal had been on the property causing damage for a couple of weeks before being captured.

    When animal control arrived (Eric Brewster) he told me that the city could not remove the animal. We had a conversation pertaining to the fact that I had contacted DEM on several occasions because of the rodent problem and that on one occasion a representative from DEM arrived to review my property and to speak to the neighbor that was spreading seed attracting the rodents. The conversation continued and the animal control officer brought up the subject of euthanization of pests. He explained to me that an individual in the Lakewood or Norwood area had devised a method that utilized exhaust from a car to put the animal to sleep humanely. He then asked me if I had a garbage bag, which I brought to him from my garage.

    He then took the garbage bag and placed the trap into the bag and placed the bag next to the exhaust of my truck. After approximately 10 minutes had past, my nephew came out of the house and saw the activity and began screaming and was visibly upset. At this point the animal control officer told me that he would take the skunk and release it back into the wild. I was thankful that he had resolved the situation in a manner that was acceptable to me. During this interaction the animal control officer was gentleman and was professional. He returned my Havaheart trap about an hour later and informed me that he released the animal in the woods near Industrial Drive. I thanked him and we both went our separate ways.

    Subsequent to this interaction I was asked to speak at a council meeting due to the existing rodent issues in and around my property. I spoke to the issues at hand for the purpose of questioning the disparity of regulations between DEM and Warwick Animal Control and how this disparity has impacted my property.

    Unfortunately, my words were misinterpreted and wrongfully represented to be something other than the point that I was making on behalf of the city council resolution. The result was an incorrect news article which portrayed something other that the facts, and comments made by several individuals that were less than accurate. In particular, I take exception to the remarks made by Col. Rathbun in the Providence Journal on 3/14/19 stating that my comments were inconsistent. My comments have been completely consistent with each person that I have spoken to.

    In particular, the video that has been presented by WPRI Ch12 was cut and edited to misdirect my actual words. Also in that “news article” were statements made that I lacked the proper license to trap animals on my property. This is incorrect as no license is needed to trap rodents. The words used in the headline of “trapping and gassing” were also never used by me and in fact used by another resident who testified. The information that was used for this news article was not vetted properly and was cause for multiple means of harassment that I have suffered.

    Mr. Brandon Ingegneri of the Warwick Fire Dept. publicly stated on the WPRI web site that I have multiple drug charges that have been expunged. I want this department and others to know that not only did I ever have any drug charges leveled against me, that I also have never been convicted of any crime. However, I have been the subject of harassment by Warwick City workers including the Warwick Fire Dept. for an extensive period of time which continues to go unresolved. Recently, Warwick DPW worker Cameron Whittaker released my address and private phone number on social media. I immediately began getting harassing phone calls. Unfortunately, I have been told by the city that his activities are free speech.

    I have spoken to DEM officers about this issue and as of this date there is not a criminal investigation into this matter. I did interact with officers Bergemann and Ethier pertaining to regulations on relocating animals. The matter is over.

    Please submit these comments for the record.

    Rob Cote

    3/14/19

    Tuesday, April 28, 2020 Report this

  • Warwickbeautiful

    As usual, captain "weasel" criminal tries to dance around and make excuses for his extensive criminal record-typical behavior by dregs of society such as himself.

    Maybe in his next tirade, he'll try to come up with excuses for his arrest for threatening,, assaulting, and making obscene and crank calls to a city worker. And when he's done with that lie, he can fabricate some other fairy tale about why he crashed the funeral of a city worker and screamed at and harassed the family of the deceased as they were at the funeral home attempting to give their loved one a respectable funeral.

    Just more disgusting behavior by captain criminal, the scourge of Warwick.

    Wednesday, April 29, 2020 Report this