In Labor Day weekends past, scores of Rhode Islanders would flock to the Rocky Point Amusement Park.

It was one-stop shopping, with the beach, rides, a fun atmosphere, and, of course, clam cakes and chowder. Sadly, small-scale and uncorporate amusement parks have all but gone the way of the Dodo, doing away with what was once a shared Rhode Island experience.

The office of Providence Mayor David N. Cicilline has just released a statement indicating that Christopher Bizzacco, his wunderkind chief of staff, is being replaced by Operations chief Deb Brayton. Bizzaco, who is preparing to pursue an advanced degree, takes on a new title as senior adviser.

The Mayor praised Bizzacco as an “extremely bright and talented individual with a strong work ethic and fierce dedication to public service.

Hurley of America, tabbed this week for a job by the Carcieri administration, is being accused by Service Employees International Union, Local 615, of taking part in unfair labor practices. The union, which represents 12,000 janitors across New England, says it is poised to strike as the janitors' contract expires today.

It's episodes like the Joba-Youk incident that make me wish the American League didn't have the DH.

Meanwhile, the New York Times' Murray Chass -- often a tendentious Yankee homer, IMHO -- today insists he wasn't trying to bait Tito yesterday, and he weighs in with a pretty good column about the pros and cons of the wild card format.

DC Democrats, of course, have had their own share of sex scandals over the years. But in terms of the recent record, Phillpe + Jorge raise this question:

One of the great mysteries for P+J is why, whenever there is a Washington controversy in which a major male political figure is discovered to be engaging in superior behavior in a most un-superior way (for example, in a public men’s room), it’s 90 percent likely that the figure is not just a Republican, but a “family values” kind of Republican.

Departing Representative Peter Ginaitt of Warwick, who has attracted bipartisan plaudits, leads the cast of guests on Newsmakers this week. (The show is broadcast Sunday, at 5:30 am on Channel 12, and at 10 am on Fox 64.)

Ginaitt shared an interesting anecdote off-camera. After being elected during a special election in 1992, he put the usual legislative license plate on a family car.

The Yankees' new relief stud says the ball "slipped" when he threw two consecutive 90 mph-plus heaters over the head of Kevin Youkilis yesterday.

From Nick Cafardo in the Globe:

The rookie phenom said there was no way he was throwing at Youkilis because "I have too much respect for the game and too much respect for Youkilis.

Regardless of what happens today, I stick to my view that the Sox will win the AL East, for the first time since 1995.

During my weekly bit with Dan Yorke on Wednesday, he asked if there would be "a situation" if the Yankees swept the Sox. I rejected that possibility, while acknowledging it would be a source of concern. Dan and I have a little bet going (made when the New Yorkers, I believe, were four or five games back), and I give him props for having the courage of his convictions.

URI's Maureen Moakley and I discuss "casino creep" in Rhode Island, the gov's privatization push, the Burrillville teachers' strike, a drop in childhood poverty, Peter Ginaitt's departure, and the imminent release of Steve Laffey's book. The segment will be broadcast tomorrow morning, at 5:35 and 7:35, on WRNI (1290 AM).

Back in May, I wrote:

In contrast to the simplistic rhetoric of tough-on-crime politics, Providence is demonstrating how complex solutions can help to ameliorate complex problems.

Now, the big question is whether the city can sustain its success in having reduced violence — and for how long.

We know now the answer.

UPDATE: Mike Lowell broke up the no-no with a single in the top of the 7th, but J.D. Drew killed a potential rally -- quelle surprise -- by grounding into a double play. Tito has been ejected.

Chien-Ming Wang has a no-hitter going through five innings, and Robinson Cano has two one-run homers.

Did I tell you that Wang is pitching a no-hitter?

After getting manhandled on the privatization issue by the General Assembly during the end of the last legislative session, Governor Carcieri appears to be playing hardball. As the ProJo reported yesterday, his administration has hired Hurley of America to replace scores of housekeeping employees at Eleanor Slater Hospital.

The Globe's Nick Cafardo has the details of how a representative of Major League Baseball questioned Terry Francona during last Wednesday night's game about whether he was wearing a jersey. Francona wears his familiar fleece pullovers because of circulation issues, and MLB has been on his case about this.

Let's get this straight: