Belo blues

As contract negotiations between the Providence Newspaper Guild and the Belo Corporation of Dallas, owners of the Urinal, continue to drag on, it seems that a number of Guild hard-liners are clamoring for a real strike. Talking to a few of them last week, P&J were struck by how strongly they believe that management is intent on breaking the union. This sentiment seems to run strongest among those in the newsroom who were there during the bitter 1973 work stoppage. A number of these veterans feel that the most recent byline strike was a gesture of little value, and that the longer the company drags its feet, the greater the chance that they can create fissures among Guild members.

In related news that you also won't find in the Urinal, US Representative Patrick Kennedy sent a June 16 letter to Guild President Bob Jagolinzer, offering his support and willingness to meet with both the Guild leadership and/or Belo Chairman Robert Decherd to plead the Guild's case. Kennedy notes, "The financial success that the Providence Journal Company has reaped over the years is due in large part to the hard work, dedication and excellence of the Guild Members. That is why I believe so strongly that the A.H. Belo Corporation of Dallas, Texas, must treat you with the respect that you so richly deserve."

No word on whether the Guild will take up Patrick on his offer.

More baloney

Phillipe and Jorge are delighted to learn that Common Cause is not going gently into that good night. We refer to the state Ethics Commission's recent passage of the disgusting legalized bribery "Baloney Bill," which enables lobbyists to buy off legislators to the tune of $450-per-lobbyist, per year, in gifts and other considerations designed to influence votes at Halitosis Hall.

Phil West, head ramrod of Common Cause, will rage, rage at the dying of the light, joined by the independent public interest lawyer who will look into CC's charge that Ethics Commission member Thomas Goldberg had an obvious conflict of interest in voting on the Baloney Bill, since his brother, Big Bob, is a State House lobbyist.

Abetted by fellow trough-feeders Richard Kirby, Frank Flanagan, and the equally compromised lawyer Robin Main of McGovern, Noel & Benik, and Jim Murray of Amica -- whose company colleagues are registered lobbyists -- the Baloney Bill passed 5-4, in one of the more disgraceful and retrogressive actions seen since Matty Smith and Tom Fay were slithering around Smith Hill. Without Goldberg's obviously tainted participation, the Baloney Bill would now be in the dumper.

Big Bob and Tainted Tommy's arguments are that, under the relevant RI General Law, Big Bob gains no more advantage than any other lobbyist by being able to buy off a politico. But as Common Cause points out, there are a great variety of lobbyists among the 500 or so in Vo Dilun, many of whom are affiliated with non-profits that lack the resources to lavish gifts upon legislators. Big Bob, however, is one of only a few dozen among the corporate lobbyist community with more than three-to-four clients (Goldberg has eight), and financial rewards increase exponentially at that level -- both for Big Bob and his clients. Much to your credit, Bobby, you have created quite a special niche for yourself. P&J hope it becomes your downfall.

In the mind of West and Common Causers, hindleggers Kirby and Flanagan prejudiced themselves months prior to the notorious vote, when they supported Goldberg's preposterous claim that he had no conflict and therefore need not recuse himself. Put succinctly, bullshit.

While these Ethics Commission clowns will now have to start facing the music for their backroom tactics, let us not forget they were appointed by House and Senate leaders and Governor Bigfoot, who bear the true blame in the long run. Birds of a feather, as the saying goes. Go get 'em, Phil and Marty.

Winston Baccari

Your superior correspondents got a kick out of a June 13 front-page story in the Urinal, about the highly-desirable Capital Center site where former Providence Mayor Boy Joe Paolino is itching to put up a high-rise luxury Hyatt Hotel.

Boy Joe looking for a sweet property deal is hardly novel or wildly amusing. But the same article noted that that infamous local developer/world-class spaccone, Richard Baccari -- he of the unpaid Providence city taxes and strong-arm attempts to build condos at one of the state's most aesthetically pleasing natural sites, Black Point in Narragansett -- also has his eye on the Capital Center property for a new set of condos. (Because Richie is real condo kinda guy, a man who thinks gold chains are the height of good taste and high fashion.)

However, it appears that Baccari has yet to conquer his acute embarrassment over his Italian heritage. That obvious feeling led him to name his former development company -- now defunct -- the Downing Corporation, and to tag his developments with names that rang of posh English country locales.

So guess what his new firm is called? If you said Churchill & Banks, you could be a millionaire! Yes, our former auto body repair shop owner figures that all you have to do is slap a famed English name -- and an allusion to money -- on to your company and the next thing you know you are squiring the Queen Mum to dinner at Buckingham Palace and exchanging chit-chat about polo with Prince Chuck and Camilla Parker-Bowles. And we betcha youse could nevuh tell Richard Baccari wasn't no royalty! (From The House of Pizza?)

Thanks for everything

The flags at Casa Diablo went to half-mast last week upon the death of Peter Merritt of Portsmouth, a friend and admired colleague. Peter was a native of England and first came to the US as a Royal Navy exchange officer at Naval Station Newport. Completing his military service, he came to the United States in 1982 and began his second career as a real estate appraiser. In that conjunction with that, he served as head of the Aquidneck Island Land Trust, and was responsible for helping to preserve hundreds of acres of open space and farm land on Aquidneck. He also donated much of his time and energy to Child & Family Services, where he worked as everything from a volunteer to valued board member. He was an eloquent spokesman for both causes, and his class, compassion and contributions will be sorely missed.

Local color

P&J had the opportunity to delve into former NewPaper (precursor of the Phoenix) scribe Bill Flanagan's first novel, A&R, published by Random House, over the weekend and it's a fine read. While funny and touching, this tale of hypocrisy, delusion and mortgaged values in the recording industry serves as an indictment of our twisted values in this era of late capitalism.

Like Ridley Pearson, the one-time Rhody-based musician who's been churning out police procedural books for the past decade, who has a character named for John LaMoia, the veteran Biggest Little percussionist and recording engineer, Bill has peppered the book with characters who sound suspiciously like folks we know. For instance, a musician named "Emerson Tory" appears in the text. Gee, sounds a lot like Emerson Torrey, the former Schemers guitarist.

Likewise, there's a record producer named "Macnie," and a Nashville record company executive named "Cronin." There couldn't possibly be any connection between these two characters and real-life Flanagan pals Jim (of 8 Days a Week fame in the Phoenix) Macnie, and Peter (just happened to work for a record company in Nashville) Cronin, could there? Then there's a divorce lawyer named "Kelleher," who sounds a lot like a Vo Dilun attorney and boyhood Flanagan chum, Jim Kelleher.

Anyway, it's a swell book with a little extra added for Providence scenemakers of a certain age. Your superior correspondents give it our highest recommendation for summer beach reading.

More local color

In this case, Green, to be exact. Local Green Party ramrod Greg Gerritt writes that the Vo Dilun Greens are gearing up for a big petition drive, starting July 5, to place the party's presidential candidate, Ralph Nader, on the local ballot. "We have signed up many new and enthusiastic volunteers and will be getting them out on the streets very soon," Greg tells us. "We also just got back from the printer the first run of the brochure we have produced for petitioning. We expect to produce another brochure for the fall campaign, [we] have a committee designing lawn signs, and would like to open an office for the fall as well as canvass the entire state." If you're interested in helping out, you can call Greg at 331-0529.

Smokey, the ex-Vo Dilundah

Joe Vileno, that community activist, Phoenix contributor, and well-known man-about-town, tells us that Roy Weaver, the US Parks official who approved the planned burn last month that went out of control in Los Alamos, New Mexico, causing the largest wildfire in that state's history, once served right here in La Prov. From 1978-80, Parks officials confirm it was the same Roy Weaver who was the forest ranger at Roger Williams Memorial Spring Park, that little green strip of land between North Main and Canal Streets heading into downtown. Hizzoner, the Bud-I, used to say that Providence was the only city with a Smokey the Bear Forest Ranger. Looks like Roy should have stuck with the smaller urban turf.

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