Blizzard of ’78
It’s hard for your superior correspondents to believe that the biggest winter storm in memory took place 30 years ago. Kudos to Bob Rose, Susan Boyce, and the folks at WJAR-TV (Channel 10) for their fine documentary on one of the defining weather events of the past century.
On a related note, Ocean’s Light Productions, operated by Brian Winnicki, Justin White, and Laura Chauvin, is developing a similar documentary. They are conducting two casting calls: Saturday, February 9 from 9 am-2 pm at the South Attleboro Cardi’s Furniture Store, and the second on Sunday, February 10 from 11 am-3 pm at the West Warwick store. They seek anyone willing to share personal stories, memories, home movies, and still photos.
Here is Jorge’s remembrance:
The Monday that the storm started was the first of two nights when the Young Adults were scheduled to play in New York City. Half the band had gone earlier, but I was always one to leave at the last minute. The first set wasn’t slated to start until 11 pm. The guys in New York were on the phone saying, “When are you coming?” When the gig was called off around 6 pm, the New York contingent took the opportunity to get really drunk — like they needed an excuse.
Meanwhile, as the snow kept coming, and our missed gigs piled up. I felt it incumbent on me to make some money, to keep my ass alive, and stumbled on a poker game going on in the apartment above me. Brilliant! Somehow, I escaped without actually losing any money.
Downtown, the National Guard had airlifted food supplies to feed people who were stranded on Interstate 95. At 99 Chestnut Street, regulars and employees from Leo’s took up the cause, and we cooked up a bunch of meals and served them to a bunch of folks who were cold and hungry, but really happy to be in such a congenial atmosphere. Reports were that there were also groups of people stranded at Lupo’s and that they were drinking, perhaps heavily. Imagine that.
Send snowy thoughts and Pulitzer-grade tips to p&j@phx.com.
Related:
Sci-fi tries to make it in the real world, The devil and his demons, Mowed down, More 
- Sci-fi tries to make it in the real world
If a sci-fi specialty store can’t survive in Cambridge, where can it?
- The devil and his demons
Vinny Paz struts into the charity fundraiser for the special olympics at the Rhode Island Convention Center in a slick, gray pinstripe suit, with gold hoop earrings in his ears.
- Mowed down
Libby describes Leahy’s spot on the committee as “good for new England — because without that voice we’d be invisible.”
- Rematch
It’s deja-vu for 8th Senate District voters this year, where incumbent Democrat Ethan Strimling will take on Republican David Babin and a yet-to-be-named Green Independent challenger.
- Cooking the books
Tax season got you feeling screwed? How about a little schadenfreude: Chances are Jon (Christian F. Luening) has it a lot worse and more embarrassing than you in Love, Sex & the IRS , the 1979 comedy by William Van Zandt and Jane Milmore.
- Letters to the Portland editor: August 4, 2006
To quote Utah Phillips: "The earth is not dying. It is being killed, and the people killing it have names and addresses."
- AS220 targets further downtown expansion
On the heels of expansion in the Dreyfus Building, AS220 hopes to acquire another property on Washington Street in downtown Providence, expanding the nonprofit arts organi-zations programs and footprint.
- You Snus you lose
Unbowed by last month's $1 a pack increase in the cigarette tax, the tobacco industry is pushing new unhealthy products to gain more Rhode Island customers.
- A mighty wind
This past Earth Day, President Barack Obama, speaking at an Iowa wind-turbine factory, delivered a gusty peroration. "The nation that leads the world in creating new energy sources will be the nation that leads the 21st-century global economy," he said. "America can be that nation. America must be that nation."
- Free money
There is a program that might ease renter’s ache: Maine Residents Property Tax and Rent Refund Program.
- Hot property
One of the most visible anchors of the so-called "Arts District" in Portland might soon jump ship.
- Less
Topics:
Phillipe And Jorge
, Public Finance, Taxes, Gary Sasse, More
, Public Finance, Taxes, Gary Sasse, The Army National Guard, Less
