By The Associated Press and Sun Staff

PROVIDENCE — Long before the United States had sunk into an economic slump, its smallest state was already there.

More than a year ago, Rhode Island was on the skids: its housing bubble popped early and hard, its manufacturing sector was losing jobs, its second-largest employer — the state government — had a $420 million budget deficit and the small businesses that make up so much of the state’s economy were feeling the squeeze.

On Tuesday, Rhode Island got proof of how deep its economic woes have cut: its 8.8 percent unemployment rate during September led the nation. And as is evident, the local area is suffering from the losses as well.

“It’s a pretty bleak picture,” said Andres Carbacho-Burgos, an economist who monitors Rhode Island for Moody’s Economy.com.

A combination of factors started snowballing two years ago. Already losing manufacturing jobs, home prices began falling in 2006, a trend that accelerated the following year. Then sub-prime homeowners defaulted on their mortgages in alarming numbers. More than a quarter of all single-family home sales in August were foreclosures or short sales, according to a survey by the Rhode Island Association of Realtors.

“It’s one of the ground zero areas for the subprime mortgage economic crisis, and that’s why the economic downturn started in Rhode Island before most other places in the United States,” Carbacho-Burgos said.

Making a bad situation worse, the state government faced massive budget deficits and began cutting spending and jobs at what

See Losses, Page 6

By Liz Abbott

The Sun Staff

CHARLESTOWN — There’s big sky out at Riverside Tree Farm.

There’s also blood and guts this time of year, when the eco-friendly Christmas tree farm owned by Jane and Kevin Durning is transformed into Asylum Acres, a spooky habitat of corn mazes and bogeymen.

“Come visit us, if you dare,’’ taunts the flier for Asylum Acres. It shows a ghastly farmer, pitchfork in hand, standing next to his ghastly wife.

Among the Asylum’s features: A 14-acre corn maze with three different trails, a “trivia trail” for children, a “mystery maze” for young adults and, finally, a “haunted maze” leading to the “wicked woods,’’ where truly awful things happen to people.

Too awful to print in the newspaper.

“There’s a chicken’s way out for those who don’t want to do the blood, guts and gore,’’ said Jane Durning, whose family has owned the farm for more than 100 years.

The Durnings oversee 65 acres, which roll down to the Pawcatuck River on Burdickville Road. About 20 years ago,

See Crazy, Page 5

By Emily Dupuis

The Sun Staff

WESTERLY — While no decision has been made, two School Committee members indicated Tuesday they are leaning toward closing either State Street or Tower Street School.

Schools Superintendent Thomas DiPaola said he has provided the board with needed information and a consultant’s recommendation to aid its decision to shut down one of the district’s five elementary schools next year.

Board member David Patten said he sees three schools on the table: State Street, Tower Street and Bradford schools. But, he added, if closing the smaller Bradford school would not create enough savings, he would be down to two options.

Board member James Murano Jr. said, “I have no interest at this time in closing Bradford. I, for one, feel that decision will be based on either closing State Street or Tower Street.”

He added he would not preclude another board member from bringing a different school to a vote.

Board members Louis Sposato and Mary Raftery did not attend the meeting, and the remaining board members gave no indication of what their decision could be. The board plans to vote on that decision at a special meeting next Tuesday.

This Tuesday was the first of two public forums held by the school board on the expected school closure. Fewer than 25 members of the public attended the hour and a half meeting.

A second forum has been scheduled for 9 a.m. on Saturday in the Westerly Middle School auditorium.

Some attendees, like Leslie Galbraith, of No Bottom Ridge, said closing a school and moving the fifth grade to the middle school is the right decision.

“I think we’re actually really lucky to have these options,” she said, adding they provide an alternative to cutting staff and programs.

In contrast, Laura Flores, of Happy Valley Road, said she does not favor closing a school, which she said would create “oversized” classrooms.

Attendees also made cases for both Tower

See Parents, Page 5

Council candidates address infrastructure, development

By Victoria Goff

The Sun Staff

HOPKINTON — Three residents are challenging four incumbents to serve on the Town Council.

Two of the challengers are current Chariho Regional School Committee members

— Independent William J. Felkner since 2006, and Republican George M. Abbott since 2002 — and the other is Scott Bill Hirst, a Republican who served on the council from 1996 to 2004.

Democrats Thomas E. Buck, Beverly P. Kenney, and Sylvia K. Thompson, along with Independent Barbara A. Capalbo, are seeking re-election to the five-person council. Thompson has the most experience, as she served from 1990 to 1996 in addition to her current term. She is followed by Kenney, who has been a councilor since 2002, and then Buck and Capalbo, who are both completing their first term.

Most of the candidates

See Council, Page 6

WESTERLY — Skye Blue Chan is not your typical high school senior. Although the 17-year-old resident has quite a bit in common with her peers — studies, social life and making plans for post-graduation — she has had an experience that sets her apart from most young people.

Her mother was brutally murdered.

It was 2002 and Skye was just 12 years old when her mom, Tammy, was shot to death by her boyfriend. Tammy became a statistic — a victim of domestic violence.

Rather than letting the experience destroy her, however, Skye has turned her painful past into something rather extraordinary. Not only has the teenager been an outspoken advocate for domestic violence awareness since the tragedy, but this year, she plans to go a step further.

With the help of her mentor, Linda Sposato, and one of her teachers, Dawn Smith, Chan has decided to honor her mom by devoting her high school senior project to her mom’s memory and to letting the world know about domestic violence issues.

As she prepares for this year’s annual “silent witness” vigil in recognition of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, scheduled for Thursday evening at 6 p.m. in Wilcox Park, an event she has attended every year since her mother’s death, Chan explained her senior project plans.

She wants to help raise awareness about domestic violence issues, she said, and to help victims discover the many resources available to help them.

Chan is holding a series of bake sales

— two have already been held and another is planned for Oct. 26 at Wal-

See Witness, Page 5

Skye Blue Chan

VOLUME 116, Calendar 14 Great Taste 13