1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:03,040 Speaker 1: Mayor Britt Smiley of Providence is on the SEACONK supply hotline. 2 00:00:03,040 --> 00:00:04,080 Speaker 1: Good Morning mayor. 3 00:00:05,000 --> 00:00:05,760 Speaker 2: Good morning Para. 4 00:00:06,519 --> 00:00:08,879 Speaker 1: It was a doozy of a storm, for sure. It 5 00:00:09,080 --> 00:00:11,960 Speaker 1: really seems like people participated though in the right way, 6 00:00:12,280 --> 00:00:15,800 Speaker 1: and they complied with what you were asking for them 7 00:00:15,800 --> 00:00:16,800 Speaker 1: in the City of Providence. 8 00:00:18,120 --> 00:00:20,520 Speaker 2: They really did. They were really helpful with keeping most 9 00:00:20,560 --> 00:00:24,119 Speaker 2: of the cars off the street and that allowed us 10 00:00:24,200 --> 00:00:28,160 Speaker 2: to work through the night without accident, but also to 11 00:00:28,640 --> 00:00:31,560 Speaker 2: do a better job of on the main roads and 12 00:00:31,600 --> 00:00:34,320 Speaker 2: the hills and the hospital routes, which were our priority. 13 00:00:35,159 --> 00:00:38,120 Speaker 2: The thing we're asking the communities help for now is 14 00:00:38,200 --> 00:00:41,440 Speaker 2: just a little patience. As you point out, this was 15 00:00:41,479 --> 00:00:43,839 Speaker 2: a doozy of a storm, probably the most snow in 16 00:00:43,880 --> 00:00:46,440 Speaker 2: four or five years, and so it is going to 17 00:00:46,479 --> 00:00:48,760 Speaker 2: take all of today, and all of today means all 18 00:00:48,800 --> 00:00:53,840 Speaker 2: of tonight too. We've got another long day ahead, probably 19 00:00:53,840 --> 00:00:56,200 Speaker 2: another twenty hours to go with the goal of being 20 00:00:56,240 --> 00:00:59,840 Speaker 2: ready for Tuesday morning. So we're asking people's patients as 21 00:00:59,840 --> 00:01:01,680 Speaker 2: we get through the day. We know there's a lot 22 00:01:01,720 --> 00:01:05,720 Speaker 2: of side streets that still need to be plowed, and 23 00:01:05,760 --> 00:01:08,120 Speaker 2: so we're working as hard as we can. We have 24 00:01:08,240 --> 00:01:09,960 Speaker 2: not let up but we've got a lot of work 25 00:01:09,959 --> 00:01:11,520 Speaker 2: to do. We know that, and. 26 00:01:11,480 --> 00:01:14,080 Speaker 1: Providence is tricky because people, you know, the houses are 27 00:01:14,080 --> 00:01:16,120 Speaker 1: pretty close together, and then there's a lot of parking 28 00:01:16,160 --> 00:01:19,560 Speaker 1: on the street. Normally, where does everybody put their cars? 29 00:01:19,840 --> 00:01:22,280 Speaker 1: Did you? I think I read over the weekend that 30 00:01:22,360 --> 00:01:25,800 Speaker 1: maybe the Convention Center was open for a small charge. 31 00:01:26,080 --> 00:01:29,040 Speaker 2: Yeah. So this has been a persistent problem in Providence 32 00:01:29,080 --> 00:01:30,959 Speaker 2: because there are you know, so many triple deckers. Not 33 00:01:31,000 --> 00:01:33,160 Speaker 2: a lot of people don't have lots or off street parking. 34 00:01:33,200 --> 00:01:36,520 Speaker 2: And so this storm for the first time because we 35 00:01:36,560 --> 00:01:39,080 Speaker 2: had heard loud and clear from our neighbors what a 36 00:01:39,120 --> 00:01:43,680 Speaker 2: dilemma this was. We have a off street parking program 37 00:01:43,800 --> 00:01:47,080 Speaker 2: for parking bands, and so in every neighborhood there's a 38 00:01:47,200 --> 00:01:50,480 Speaker 2: designated spot where you can go park. It's either a 39 00:01:50,520 --> 00:01:53,840 Speaker 2: parking lot for a park or a rec center, or 40 00:01:53,880 --> 00:01:57,840 Speaker 2: in some cases there's some wide streets in some neighborhoods 41 00:01:57,840 --> 00:02:01,680 Speaker 2: where we allow for parking and designated That full list 42 00:02:01,760 --> 00:02:04,560 Speaker 2: was available online and people used it. You know, we've 43 00:02:04,600 --> 00:02:07,520 Speaker 2: been checking those lots for capacity throughout the night and 44 00:02:07,600 --> 00:02:09,360 Speaker 2: there's a plenty of cars in there. So the neighbors 45 00:02:09,360 --> 00:02:13,919 Speaker 2: took advantage of this option. Additionally, as you point out, 46 00:02:13,960 --> 00:02:17,200 Speaker 2: our friends over the Convention Center Authority opened up their 47 00:02:17,240 --> 00:02:19,959 Speaker 2: garages for ten dollars for the duration of the storm, 48 00:02:19,960 --> 00:02:22,960 Speaker 2: which is a pretty good deal, and that's been very helpful. 49 00:02:22,960 --> 00:02:24,320 Speaker 2: Also grateful to those guys. 50 00:02:24,960 --> 00:02:26,440 Speaker 1: All right, I have to say, could they not have 51 00:02:26,480 --> 00:02:28,520 Speaker 1: given the ten dollars fee? Could they have just let 52 00:02:28,600 --> 00:02:29,960 Speaker 1: people go in there for free overnight. 53 00:02:31,880 --> 00:02:34,480 Speaker 2: That's a decision that they make, and that's a state 54 00:02:34,520 --> 00:02:39,639 Speaker 2: property that the daxpayers of Rhode Island to have to 55 00:02:39,680 --> 00:02:42,880 Speaker 2: accommodate the debt on those garages, so I understand why 56 00:02:42,880 --> 00:02:46,280 Speaker 2: they had to do it. But nevertheless, it was another option. 57 00:02:46,560 --> 00:02:49,799 Speaker 2: Our off street parking lots that I mentioned for parking bands, 58 00:02:49,800 --> 00:02:52,639 Speaker 2: those are of course all free. 59 00:02:52,120 --> 00:02:56,280 Speaker 1: All right, Mayor, while I have you, obviously, the storm 60 00:02:56,320 --> 00:02:58,880 Speaker 1: is the storm, and everyone's going to get through it. 61 00:02:59,400 --> 00:03:01,400 Speaker 1: There is that story though that I don't think anyone 62 00:03:02,080 --> 00:03:04,440 Speaker 1: I don't recall over the weekend if I heard anybody 63 00:03:04,480 --> 00:03:07,920 Speaker 1: comment on this horrible story out of Providence where the 64 00:03:07,960 --> 00:03:11,280 Speaker 1: four kids are accused of killing the fifty one year 65 00:03:11,320 --> 00:03:15,560 Speaker 1: old man Rony Alonso. Have you made any comments on this? 66 00:03:15,600 --> 00:03:18,000 Speaker 1: Are you still waiting for investigative pieces to be put together. 67 00:03:18,040 --> 00:03:20,640 Speaker 1: But these kids were eleven and thirty twelve years old. 68 00:03:21,000 --> 00:03:21,880 Speaker 1: Eleven and twelve. 69 00:03:21,919 --> 00:03:24,760 Speaker 2: Yeah, I've made a few comments, and I don't believe 70 00:03:24,800 --> 00:03:27,880 Speaker 2: I think because of the storm and the court closure, 71 00:03:28,520 --> 00:03:31,440 Speaker 2: I'm not sure that the youth have actually been charged 72 00:03:31,760 --> 00:03:34,920 Speaker 2: with anything other than assault at this point, although I 73 00:03:34,920 --> 00:03:37,760 Speaker 2: think that's largely a timing issue. They are being held 74 00:03:37,760 --> 00:03:40,600 Speaker 2: at the training's school, and we of course know that 75 00:03:40,640 --> 00:03:44,840 Speaker 2: they were involved, and so it's really sad. It's obviously 76 00:03:46,920 --> 00:03:50,120 Speaker 2: most sad for the family of the deceased, and we 77 00:03:50,200 --> 00:03:54,480 Speaker 2: offer them our support. But to be in a society, 78 00:03:54,960 --> 00:03:59,560 Speaker 2: in a culture where very young kids would assault an 79 00:03:59,600 --> 00:04:04,080 Speaker 2: individual along the street and then yeah, that individual end 80 00:04:04,160 --> 00:04:07,880 Speaker 2: up well, again, they haven't actually been charged with that yet, 81 00:04:07,920 --> 00:04:11,440 Speaker 2: So I'm choosing my words carefully because people need to 82 00:04:12,040 --> 00:04:14,760 Speaker 2: need to go through that process in the judiciary once 83 00:04:14,800 --> 00:04:17,400 Speaker 2: they open up and have a chance to update the 84 00:04:17,480 --> 00:04:21,039 Speaker 2: charges and arraign them. But I'm not making light of it. 85 00:04:21,080 --> 00:04:23,400 Speaker 2: I'm just trying to be sensitive to the process and 86 00:04:23,440 --> 00:04:26,760 Speaker 2: where we are right now. But it is, it's terrible 87 00:04:26,880 --> 00:04:31,919 Speaker 2: and and it speaks to I think a larger illness 88 00:04:31,920 --> 00:04:36,160 Speaker 2: in our society that violence is so pervasive and and 89 00:04:36,240 --> 00:04:39,680 Speaker 2: for kids to think that that is either appropriate behavior 90 00:04:39,760 --> 00:04:44,800 Speaker 2: or have such troubled paths such that that that that 91 00:04:44,839 --> 00:04:48,800 Speaker 2: would be sort of how they behave there. As I mentioned, 92 00:04:48,839 --> 00:04:51,320 Speaker 2: they're at the training school. They will be held fully 93 00:04:51,320 --> 00:04:55,440 Speaker 2: accountable and and we do have the individuals who were 94 00:04:55,720 --> 00:05:01,120 Speaker 2: involved identified and held and so hopefully the justice will 95 00:05:01,160 --> 00:05:03,400 Speaker 2: be served and that will provide least some comfort to 96 00:05:03,440 --> 00:05:04,960 Speaker 2: both the family and the community. 97 00:05:06,760 --> 00:05:09,200 Speaker 1: Well, speaking with may Or Brett Smiley of Providence, it's 98 00:05:09,400 --> 00:05:11,120 Speaker 1: it's just hard to wrap your head around that. I 99 00:05:11,200 --> 00:05:13,280 Speaker 1: look at a real family that are eleven years old 100 00:05:13,320 --> 00:05:16,520 Speaker 1: and I think, oh my god, how is this happening? 101 00:05:16,520 --> 00:05:19,039 Speaker 1: But is it up to the Attorney General's Office in 102 00:05:19,080 --> 00:05:22,320 Speaker 1: conjunction with your police department to possibly charge those kids 103 00:05:22,320 --> 00:05:25,120 Speaker 1: with murder? Because a lot of people are saying, you 104 00:05:25,160 --> 00:05:30,440 Speaker 1: know that technically you're kicking and stomping on someone in 105 00:05:30,480 --> 00:05:35,480 Speaker 1: a coma and eventually you know cause of death. I 106 00:05:35,520 --> 00:05:37,760 Speaker 1: talked to a veteran police officer and he said, I've 107 00:05:37,760 --> 00:05:39,839 Speaker 1: never seen I haven't seen this. I don't think in forever. 108 00:05:39,920 --> 00:05:41,520 Speaker 1: Maybe we have to go back to Craig Price. 109 00:05:43,040 --> 00:05:46,120 Speaker 2: Yeah, the AG's Office will prosecute, They'll obviously take the 110 00:05:46,160 --> 00:05:51,520 Speaker 2: investigative materials from Province Police. We have provided all of that, 111 00:05:52,320 --> 00:05:56,000 Speaker 2: and as I've sort of alluded to without being too explicit, 112 00:05:56,040 --> 00:05:59,279 Speaker 2: we do expect new charges to be brought or charges 113 00:05:59,320 --> 00:06:03,080 Speaker 2: to be updated it whenever the judiciary is able to 114 00:06:03,080 --> 00:06:07,920 Speaker 2: schedule hearing, and for the sake of sort of community safety, 115 00:06:08,480 --> 00:06:11,520 Speaker 2: just want to reiterate that the individuals involved are at 116 00:06:11,520 --> 00:06:13,800 Speaker 2: the training school being held. They're not out on the street, 117 00:06:14,360 --> 00:06:18,960 Speaker 2: and so I fully expect those charges will be brought 118 00:06:19,040 --> 00:06:21,120 Speaker 2: or updated by the ag and may or. 119 00:06:21,120 --> 00:06:22,560 Speaker 1: I don't want to get into what schools the kids 120 00:06:22,560 --> 00:06:24,520 Speaker 1: went to. What I'm assuming at eleven and twelve years 121 00:06:24,520 --> 00:06:27,240 Speaker 1: old they were in school. Is there any kind of 122 00:06:27,760 --> 00:06:32,320 Speaker 1: coordination of efforts to you know, you'd hate to think 123 00:06:32,360 --> 00:06:35,200 Speaker 1: that kids would be like, wow, did you hear what happened? 124 00:06:35,200 --> 00:06:38,200 Speaker 1: Because they're little, they're young, they're little minds. In a 125 00:06:38,200 --> 00:06:40,040 Speaker 1: way to teach them that this is you know, I 126 00:06:40,080 --> 00:06:41,920 Speaker 1: don't know, go back to the nuns, get the nuns 127 00:06:41,960 --> 00:06:43,880 Speaker 1: in there and say it's a sin, you know, just 128 00:06:44,600 --> 00:06:46,800 Speaker 1: to not make light of it, you know, Oh yeah, 129 00:06:46,800 --> 00:06:48,680 Speaker 1: they're being held at the training school. You wouldn't want 130 00:06:48,680 --> 00:06:51,159 Speaker 1: them to think it was something interesting or cool. 131 00:06:51,360 --> 00:06:54,359 Speaker 2: Do you know what I'm saying, I know what you're saying. 132 00:06:54,440 --> 00:06:57,359 Speaker 2: I'm not I'm not too worried about that sort of 133 00:06:59,360 --> 00:07:02,400 Speaker 2: a grandie is meant or glorification of this sort of 134 00:07:02,440 --> 00:07:07,760 Speaker 2: activity for privacy's sake, because they're miners until such time 135 00:07:07,800 --> 00:07:11,040 Speaker 2: as they get tried as adults, would not disclose which 136 00:07:11,120 --> 00:07:14,240 Speaker 2: school they go to, but rest assured in a circumstance 137 00:07:14,360 --> 00:07:17,160 Speaker 2: like this, we would be in close contact with a 138 00:07:17,200 --> 00:07:21,640 Speaker 2: principle and a school district to ensure that that school 139 00:07:21,680 --> 00:07:27,040 Speaker 2: community is receiving the appropriate information. Both on both sides. 140 00:07:27,080 --> 00:07:29,520 Speaker 2: One is probably pretty scary and upsetting some of these 141 00:07:29,520 --> 00:07:33,040 Speaker 2: students and sort of make sure that there's counselors and 142 00:07:33,080 --> 00:07:36,960 Speaker 2: such available. But also to your point around reiterating the 143 00:07:37,000 --> 00:07:40,280 Speaker 2: message about this type of violence, this sort of behavior 144 00:07:41,360 --> 00:07:46,160 Speaker 2: not being appropriate and understanding what the possibilities for very 145 00:07:46,240 --> 00:07:48,840 Speaker 2: real lifelong consequences might be. 146 00:07:49,960 --> 00:07:52,400 Speaker 1: And this might be out of your wheelhouse, but are 147 00:07:52,400 --> 00:07:55,640 Speaker 1: the parents held culpable or responsible for anything? That that's 148 00:07:55,640 --> 00:07:57,760 Speaker 1: what most people say. Where what do you do with 149 00:07:57,840 --> 00:07:59,200 Speaker 1: the situation they're so young? 150 00:08:00,440 --> 00:08:04,000 Speaker 2: Yeah, in terms of any sort of criminal charges that 151 00:08:04,000 --> 00:08:06,040 Speaker 2: that would be a decision for the Attorney General or 152 00:08:06,200 --> 00:08:11,880 Speaker 2: conversation for the attorney general. But whether it's something more 153 00:08:11,880 --> 00:08:17,160 Speaker 2: minor or more major. Uh, parental responsibility has a big 154 00:08:17,200 --> 00:08:20,000 Speaker 2: part to do with all of this. You know, at 155 00:08:20,120 --> 00:08:23,240 Speaker 2: an age like this, young people's brains are still very 156 00:08:23,320 --> 00:08:26,760 Speaker 2: much developing and uh, and they are not fully formed 157 00:08:26,840 --> 00:08:30,360 Speaker 2: humans yet and so the the there is responsibility on 158 00:08:30,920 --> 00:08:35,200 Speaker 2: parents and caregivers, depending on what the family situation is, 159 00:08:36,240 --> 00:08:42,400 Speaker 2: to provide the appropriate household support. It's so hard. You know, 160 00:08:42,440 --> 00:08:44,480 Speaker 2: this did not happen in Schirls school, but we talk 161 00:08:44,520 --> 00:08:47,439 Speaker 2: about it a lot where we we ask our teachers 162 00:08:47,520 --> 00:08:51,560 Speaker 2: and other folks often to do so so much. And 163 00:08:51,640 --> 00:08:55,960 Speaker 2: yet if what's happening in the home is unhealthy, it 164 00:08:56,000 --> 00:08:59,360 Speaker 2: can be insurmountable for the other adults in their lives 165 00:08:59,360 --> 00:09:02,000 Speaker 2: that we that we keep putting all this responsibility on. 166 00:09:02,840 --> 00:09:04,720 Speaker 1: Understood, it's not easy to be a teacher these days. 167 00:09:04,960 --> 00:09:08,240 Speaker 1: So speaking of that, obviously, no school today, you're probably 168 00:09:08,360 --> 00:09:10,520 Speaker 1: planning to have school tomorrow. I know you said you're 169 00:09:10,520 --> 00:09:13,080 Speaker 1: gonna work around the clock with the snow with the removal, 170 00:09:14,080 --> 00:09:16,080 Speaker 1: but your city workers do they take the day off 171 00:09:16,160 --> 00:09:18,800 Speaker 1: or what happens there? Because I'm getting conflicting reports about 172 00:09:18,840 --> 00:09:20,880 Speaker 1: state workers I'm looking at, but I'm thinking about the 173 00:09:20,920 --> 00:09:21,440 Speaker 1: city for you. 174 00:09:22,480 --> 00:09:25,720 Speaker 2: Yeah, So first, just on schools, we will make an 175 00:09:25,720 --> 00:09:32,400 Speaker 2: announcement later today about tomorrow for school. The school lots 176 00:09:32,440 --> 00:09:34,679 Speaker 2: all need to be clear, the school sidewalks all need 177 00:09:34,720 --> 00:09:37,480 Speaker 2: to be cleared, and we need to ensure that the buses, 178 00:09:37,640 --> 00:09:40,000 Speaker 2: the Yello school buses can get around safely. They don't 179 00:09:40,040 --> 00:09:41,800 Speaker 2: do great in the snow, so it really needs to 180 00:09:41,840 --> 00:09:44,880 Speaker 2: be sure that the bus routes are clear. But we're 181 00:09:44,880 --> 00:09:46,920 Speaker 2: going to be working tirelessly so we can get kids 182 00:09:46,920 --> 00:09:50,200 Speaker 2: back in school. As far as city Hall, City of 183 00:09:50,280 --> 00:09:54,560 Speaker 2: Providence is closed today, so we've got emergency or what 184 00:09:54,600 --> 00:09:58,679 Speaker 2: we call a central personnel only are working. I'm sitting 185 00:09:58,640 --> 00:10:00,240 Speaker 2: in my office in City Hall right now. I see 186 00:10:00,240 --> 00:10:02,520 Speaker 2: a lot of city employees outside doing snow and morvals. 187 00:10:02,520 --> 00:10:05,040 Speaker 2: So there's certainly plenty of them working. But you can't 188 00:10:05,040 --> 00:10:08,320 Speaker 2: come into city Hall today to pay a bill or 189 00:10:08,440 --> 00:10:10,839 Speaker 2: to get a document. That will wait till tomorrow. We 190 00:10:10,960 --> 00:10:14,120 Speaker 2: will be open tomorrow, Okay. 191 00:10:13,960 --> 00:10:15,719 Speaker 1: May Or Smiley, I appreciate it. I know you guys 192 00:10:15,760 --> 00:10:18,880 Speaker 1: have had a long day yesterday and probably today as well, 193 00:10:18,920 --> 00:10:20,800 Speaker 1: so talk again soon. Thank you for your time. 194 00:10:21,720 --> 00:10:22,520 Speaker 2: Thanks so much, Sair