“Never get Freudian with a man holding a pickle.”
It’s been a busy and surprising, crime-filled spring season here in the great northwestern outback of the state. And with all the rain, opportunities for serious gossip at Little League games has been severely limited. So for those of you out of the loop and still crouching in your dark closets hiding from the Rapture (and/or tornadoes), here is an update on all the fun you may have missed. You might want to stay in there a bit longer.
Registered Sex Offender Had Child Porn — Channel 12 News — Michael Aballo of Putnam Pike, a registered sex offender convicted of child molestation in ’93, was discovered to be in possession of child porn during a routine probation visit. — 5/4/11
RI Substitute Teacher Facing Child Porn Charge — http://www.Boston.com — Justin Menoche, a substitute teacher for the Coventry and Burrillville schools who lives with his parents in Pascoag, was arrested after posing as a sixteen year-old on Facebook. A subsequent search of his home found child porn on his PC. — 5/21/11
Glocester Police Arrest Burglary Suspect — The Valley Breeze — Residents thought it odd a man would be riding a girl’s bike up Route 102 at 4 a.m. Rest in peace, Benny Hill, rest in peace. It’s a shame no one thought to record the ensuing foot chase for YouTube. — 5/11/11
Foster Police: Driver in Crash 13 — The Providence Journal — A thirteen year-old girl and her two friends, ages twelve and thirteen, went joy riding, wrecked the family car and downed a utility pole on Plainwoods Road. Thankfully, no one was hurt. The underage girl’s identity would have remained secret, of course, had it not been for the Facebook pictures and updates she posted right after the crash. She asked her several hundred Facebook followers not to tell her mom… “she would get mad.” OK…Shhhhh. We won’t tell a soul. BFF. — 4/15/11
Underage Drinking Pinches Political Family — ABC 6 News — Over 25 people were arrested (many underage and mostly from Connecticut) at a wild drinking party at a Foster motel owned by Gordon and Heidi Rogers — both well-known in state and local political circles. Who says Foster has no industry! And I guess that proves Foster really is Australian for Beer. — 4/28/11
RI Authorities Arrest 24 in Mob Crackdown — The Providence Journal — In one of the state police’s semi-annual organized crime sweeps, which have become almost routine in recent years, it was shocking to learn that one of those discovered floundering in the well-worn butterfly net was none other than local businessman, former Town Sergeant, and Juvenile Hearing Board Chair Kevin Kitson who was collared for bookmaking. Kevin has been a generous and devoted volunteer to not just one, but to nearly all town charities and organizations for years, so the news hit bemused locals rather hard. Personally, I like to think there was some terrible mistake made. So until the final plea and outcome is adjudicated, and Kevin is given his day in court, I will withhold my own opinion. But withhold the sarcasm? Don’t bet on it. — 5/9/11
Police: RI Firefighter Arrested at Party — Boston Herald — A Providence firefighter (who is also a Glocester resident) went to a party on Snake Hill Road, yelled obscenities, and refused to leave. Police later discovered drugs in her possession. The question here is why was this news? I’m sure there aren’t any political motives for the ProJo to report and send it out on the wire to news organizations all over New England, are there? If getting thrown out of party in Glocester is suddenly important news, well then, we can all look forward to plenty of excitement all summer long. — 5/30/11
Along the Village Green 