PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) - The year 2010 will be remembered for the record-breaking havoc Mother Nature wreaked on Rhode Island and for seismic change in politics, as Patrick Kennedy left Capitol Hill and voters picked a trio of firsts — their first independent governor, their first openly gay member of Congress and the first Hispanic mayor of Providence.
Rhode Islanders endured historic flooding in March, deemed the worst in at least 200 years, that devastated large portions of the state following days of heavy downpour. Thousands of people were temporarily forced from their homes, roads and bridges were washed out and businesses — including the Warwick Mall — were submerged in floodwaters.
Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano took a helicopter tour over the state and President Barack Obama declared it a disaster area, as damage totaled many millions of dollars.
"None of us alive have seen the flooding that we are experiencing now or going to experience," Gov. Don Carcieri said at the time. "This is unprecedented in our state's history."
Otherwise, political news dominated the headlines.
In February, Rep. Patrick Kennedy, the last Kennedy family member holding federal office, stunned the political world by revealing that he would not seek a ninth term in Congress. He announced his decision in a television message, saying his life was "taking a new direction." He has a memoir coming out and says he plans to actively support brain research.
Kennedy's decision set off a four-way Democratic primary for the seat. Providence Mayor David Cicilline won the September race, then defeated Republican state Rep. John Loughlin to claim the seat.
The other critical election was the governor's race, as Lincoln Chafee, a former Republican senator who became an independent in 2007, completed a political comeback by winning his four-way race. Chafee painted himself as an independent thinker and honest broker — his campaign slogan was "Trust Chafee" — as he pledged to institute a 1 percent sales tax on clothing, groceries and other items exempt from the state's 7 percent sales tax.
The race took a startling turn just one week before the election, when Democrat Frank Caprio — who far outpaced his challengers in fundraising — responded to news that Obama would not endorse him by saying the president could take his endorsement and "really shove it." The remark on WPRO-AM followed Obama's decision to stay neutral in the race out of respect for Chafee's support in the 2008 presidential election. He made the comment on the morning that Obama visited a Woonsocket factory and received largely negative public reaction, including from fellow Democrats, for the remark.
In Providence, Angel Taveras became the city's first Hispanic mayor after beating two well-known challengers in September and facing only token opposition in the general election.
The state's smallest city, Central Falls, made national headlines in February when the entire high school teaching staff was fired under a drastic federal model for turning around troubled schools. The firings became a flashpoint in a national debate over education reform, but the teachers were hired after months of union negotiations. Still, the new school year opened with problems, including a high absenteeism rate among teachers.
The financially troubled city also came under the control of a state-appointed receiver, who has suggested that the 1.3-square-mile community merge with neighboring Pawtucket.
The year ended with Newport angling to host the America's Cup sailing competition in 2013 after a bid by San Francisco, which was selected in July as the winning city, appeared to falter because of costs. Newport hosted the world's most prestigious sailing competition from 1930 to 1983, and a venue selection was expected by the end of the year.
The state's biggest economic development news was a $75 million loan guarantee authorized by the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation to a video game company founded by Curt Schilling, the former major league baseball pitcher. The company, 38 Studios, promises to bring 450 high-paying jobs to the state by the end of 2012. But the agreement became a contentious issue in the governor's race and was blasted by critics, including Chafee, as overly risky.
Corruption cases popped up in federal and state court. In May, three North Providence town council members — John Zambarano, Raymond Douglas and Joseph Burchfield — were arrested on charges that they shared a $25,000 bribe from a developer who sought a zoning change to build a supermarket. They have pleaded not guilty; Douglas has since been charged in a separate extortion plot, while Zambarano also faces charges of trying to scheme an insurance company.
In addition, four Providence police officers were charged in a State Police drug probe called Operation Deception. One officer, narcotics detective Joseph Colanduono, pleaded guilty this month and could serve up to 10 years in prison when he is
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