Above: Grace Medeiros (right) hugs her niece, Denise Jacques, at her surprise birthday party Tuesday at Anthony House. Looking on are Lt. Tom Fagan of the Fire Department (left) and Police Patrolman Patrick O’Neil, who came out to congratulate Mrs. Medeiros on behalf of the town. Photo by Richard W. Dionne Jr.

PORTSMOUTH — For once, Grace Medeiros was speechless.

When she opened the door to the community room at Anthony House Tuesday evening, a huge hail of “Surprise!” erupted from the 40-plus guests.

Mrs. Medeiros just stood there as Anthony House property manager Allison Serina handed her a bouquet of flowers. It was a good two minutes before she started making her way around the room to greet everyone who had turned out for her 100th birthday party.

“I can’t get over it,” said Mrs. Medeiros, obviously touched by the gesture. “This is a real shock.”

Friends and family members greet Mrs. Medeiros as she enters the room for her surprise party. Photo by Richard W. Dionne Jr.

The Portsmouth police and fire departments also sent representatives to wish Mrs. Medeiros well. Police Patrolman Patrick O’Neil gave Mrs. Medeiros — whose actual birthday is this Saturday, May 9 — a town patch and congratulated her on her longevity.

“One hundred years — and as far as we know, no arrests!” he joked. “Let’s keep it that way.”

Lt. Tom Fagan of the Fire Department presented Grace with a town tile.

“Welcome to the Century Club in the Town of Portsmouth,” he told her.

Denise Jacques, Mrs. Medeiros’ niece, said her aunt never ceases to amaze her.

“You’d never think she was 100 years old. She’s as sharp as a tack,” said Mrs. Jacques. “She’s generous, she’s kind, she’s alive, she gives me good advice. She always steers us in the right direction and keeps us on track.

“She always tells me, ‘I’m ready to go,’ but I tell her, ‘Your work is not done yet; you need to stay with us.’”

Longest-serving resident

Michael Salpietro (left) and Roger Salpietro share a laugh with Mrs. Medeiros. Michael is her great-nephew, and Roger is her nephew. Photo by Richard W. Dionne Jr.

“She came here with my uncle, and he passed away in 2001. She’s been living here alone since then,” said Mrs. Jacques.

Exactly how long Mrs. Medeiros has been at Anthony House is up for debate. She said 27 years, Mrs. Serina said 28 and Mrs. Jacques thought it was 32.

Whatever — she’s been here longer than anyone, said Mrs. Serina, who praised Mrs. Medeiros for her kindness, sense of humor and even-temperedness. “She’s always smiling, she’s very positive and she’s still here. She’s inspirational,” said Mrs. Serina.

And she still pulls her own weight, apparently.

“She actually signed up to bring something to her own party without knowing,” said Mrs. Serina. “She thought it was just a potluck. She came in here wheeling four liters of soda — that’s what great shape she’s in.”

Friends and family members rattled off some of Mrs. Medeiros’ favorite passions: NASCAR racing, Rhode Island politics, beer and jigsaw puzzles.

“She’s doing one now. It’s 1,500 pieces and it’s the Leaning Tower of Pisa,” said Mrs. Jacques.

When asked her own secret to longevity, a friend suggested to Mrs. Medeiros that she “take the fifth.”

“That’s right,” said Mrs. Medeiros with a laugh. “I’m not gonna say nothing.”

Ms. Jacques said her aunt is usually not one to be quiet for long.

“She says her peace, let me tell ya,” she said.

Mrs. Medeiros did say, however, that she loves her home at Anthony House.

“I’ve been here 27 years. I think that speaks for itself,” she said.

“I’ve seen some good friends come, and go.”

PORTSMOUTH — Here are some highlights from the Portsmouth police report from over the past week.

Friday, May 8

Allison F. Lalli, 24, of 56 Lowell Drive, was charged with domestic failure to relinquish a telephone after police responded to her home at 3:37 p.m. for a report of a domestic incident the previous day. Police said an adult male reported that Ms. Lalli had taken his telephone following an argument and then left for Pawtucket in his car. Police arrested Ms. Lalli after she returned to the home early that evening.

Leslie A. Gomes, 60 South Second St., Apt. 6L, New Bedford, Mass., was charged with possession of a controlled substance at 8:16 p.m. Ms. Gomes was a passenger in a car stopped for speeding on West Main Road. During a search of the car, police found several pills that were later identified as acetaminophen and oxycodone 325mg. Police said they also found marijuana in the vehicle.

Saturday, May 9

Gilbert J. Allen, 51, of 56 Prospect St., Somerset, was charged with driving while intoxicated and refusal to submit to a chemical test at 1:18 a.m. Police said they found a 2010 Nissan SUV stopped near the soft shoulder of the eastbound lane of Hedly Street, facing west and creating a hazard for vehicles turning onto Hedly from West Main Road. Mr. Allen said he stopped because of a flat tire. The car was warm and the keys were inside the vehicle, police said.

Jason T. Rutter, 34, of 7 Sagamore St., was charged with assault, disorderly conduct (fighting/tumultuous behavior) and vandalism with malicious injury to property following a report of a road rage incident on East Main Road shortly before 7 p.m. A witness told police she saw a man get out of his vehicle near Village Way, punch another motorist and then get back into his vehicle before continuing south. Police later stopped Mr. Rutter’s car and questioned him. He told police he had been stopped at the traffic light near Dunkin’ Donuts on East Main Road when a driver in a Jeep behind him started honking his horn. He denied striking the other driver. The driver of the Jeep, however, said Mr. Ruter got out of his vehicle and began punching him through the half-opened window. After momentarily getting out of his Jeep, the driver said he shoved Mr. Rutter and got back into his vehicle to call police. Mr. Rutter began to pull on the driver’s side door handle of the Jeep, causing it to break off, he told police.

Lorraine N. Tashjian, 24, of 24 Hargraves Drive, was charged with domestic assault after police responded to a 911 call at her home shortly after 9 p.m. Police said she had struck an adult male in the face.

Sunday, May 10

Matthew P. Bessette, 31, of 277 Metacom Ave., Apt. 2R, Warren, was charged with driving while intoxicated (first offense) and refusal to submit to a chemical test. Police stopped his car for speeding on West Main Road near West Passage Drive around 2 a.m.

Dion M. Bailey, 21, of 675 Windward Drive, Tiverton, was arrested at 5:35 p.m. on a bench warrant that had been issued by Second District Court. Mr. Bailey was a passenger in a vehicle that was stopped on West Main Road for having a loud exhaust system. A records check revealed the warrant, which police said was for a probation violation stemming from a charge brought by Newport police.

David R. Schuyler, 35, of 103 Flanagan Road, was charged at 7:50 p.m. with domestic assault following an incident at his home.

PORTSMOUTH — Creating what the police chief and school superintendent say is a much-needed position, the Town Council Monday night voted unanimously to contribute $35,000 toward the hiring of a school resource officer (SRO) at Portsmouth High School.

The School Department has agreed to kick in another $35,000 and local community organizations have pledged an additional $10,000 to hire the officer, who is expected to earn a salary of about $80,000. Superintendent of Schools Ana Riley and Interim Town Administrator James Lathrop both said they can work together to find the necessary funding in the current budget.

Ms. Riley said the school district where she lives, Fall River, has a school resource officer in every school, although she wasn’t suggesting that was necessary in Portsmouth.

“It’s more than just having an officer on site,” Ms. Riley told the council. She said a resource officer builds relationships with students, which can help to head off problems before they start.

Police Chief Thomas Lee agreed.

“Those relationships are the key to prevention, whether in terms of violence or drug use,” he said. “I think it’s a needed position.”

Chief Lee said the job would be filled from within the Police Department, then the town would hire someone to fill the vacancy. If the SRO’s job was later eliminated, that officer would return to his or her former job. Chief Lee said he didn’t foresee any complications with staff positions due to attrition within the police force.

IT, snow plowing

In a 5-2 vote, the council also agreed to work with the school district on resolving the town’s information technology (IT) issues.

Under the agreement, the schools will be responsible for the town’s day-to-day IT issues and the town’s Department of Public Works will assume responsibility for plowing the schools’ parking lots. The school district currently hires outside contractors for snow removal.

Mr. Lathrop, noting he hopes the town doesn’t have another winter like it just went through, said the agreement would most likely mean “a substantial amount of overtime on the town’s end.”

Still, he said, there’s little risk to the “one-year experiment” because the town can revisit the matter against next year if it doesn’t work out.

Council members Joseph Robicheau and Elizabeth Pedro voted against the agreement. They said they needed assurances that the town wouldn’t still be required to spend money to resolve a major IT problem down the road.

Other council members, however, said they wanted to move forward with a concrete plan for the town and schools to share services.

“This is what we’ve been asking for. This is a great start,” said Council Vice President James Seveney. “I’ll always put my money on a good-faith effort.”

Council President Keith Hamilton agreed. “I see this deal as a great starting-off point,” he said. “If we come back here next year and it hasn’t worked, we can revisit it in the budget.”

PORTSMOUTH — Here are some highlights from the police report from over the past week.

Tuesday, May 12

A Park Avenue couple told police they were the victims of identity fraud. The husband and wife said they had filed a joint tax return and was told by the Internal Revenue Service that one had already been filed using their names and Social Security numbers.

A Lafayette Street woman also reported that her identity had been stolen. The woman said in April, she was contacted by PNC Bank regarding a March bank statement in the amount of $6,000. After telling the bank she had never opened an account there, the woman was informed the account would be closed and that she should file a police report. The woman also told police that she learned in July 2014 that her Social Security number had been fraudulently used.

Wednesday, May 13

Several people were treated for injuries following a three-vehicle accident at the corner of East Main Road and Crossings Court shortly before 5:30 p.m. The drivers were Maryanna E. Smith of Portsmouth, Kaitlin L. Brughelli of Middletown and Leanne C. West of Portsmouth. According to police, the Smith car was attempting to enter East Main Road from Lepes Road when it was struck by the Brughelli vehicle, which was traveling north on East Main Road. The Brughelli car then hit the West vehicle, which was traveling south on East Main Road in the left travel lane. Smith and Brughelli were taken to Newport Hospital by firefighters. A passenger in the Smith vehicle was treated for injuries on the scene.

Saturday, May 16

Gary E. Sargent, 69, of 15 Church Lane, Apt. 2, was charged with driving while intoxicated (first offense) and refusal to submit to a chemical test shortly before noon. Police made the arrest after Mr. Sargent drove off the roadway at 380 Wapping Road and his car got stuck in a ditch.

Sunday, May 17

Police responded just before 10 a.m. of a report that a Runabout powerboat had fallen off a trailer on West Main Road. The owner’s son was driving the truck with the trailer and trying to negotiate the turn from Hedly Street onto West Main Road when trailer struck the curbing, dislodging the boat and sending it onto the roadway. A tow service was contacted and workers placed the boat back onto the trailer.

Theodore B. Amado, 49, of 28250 Pine Haven Way, Apt. 75, Bonita Springs, Fla., was charged with violating a protective order at about 9 p.m. Mr. Amado was a passenger in a car pulled over on West Main Road near Raytheon for speeding and changing lanes without using a signal. A records check revealed there was an active no-contact order between Mr. Amado and the driver. There were also two bench warrants for his arrest, one from Superior Court and the other from Second District Court, police said.

Monday, May 18

Emmanuel G. Barada, 33, of 465 Elmwood Ave., Providence, was charged at 8 a.m. with disorderly conduct (fighting/tumultuous behavior) in connection with an incident first reported May 15. His employer at New England Boatworks said he was concerned after hearing Mr. Barada, who appeared intoxicated, make random comments about fearing a work injury, police said. Another employee said Mr. Barads had made a “random odd statement of violence” a week earlier, according to police. The employer said he was concerned about the safety of people working in the boatyard and that Mr. Barada was a danger to the staff. Mr. Barada was arrested when he reported to work on Monday.

Above: File photo of “Jepsy,” a large member of the south Portsmouth coyote pack.

PORTSMOUTH — Despite approving a no-feed ordinance more than two years ago, Portsmouth apparently still has a coyote problem.

On the night of May 13, a large coyote went after a small dog being walked by its owner, Lisa Pastore, in the Sandy Point Avenue area.

“It went to jump on my dog, which was on a harness. It jumped and I kicked and I threw my flashlight on it,” said Ms. Pastore, who screamed at the animal as her neighbors came out to help. “It took four houses’ worth of people to scare that thing away.”

On Tuesday at the police station, Ms. Pastore met with Deputy Police Chief Brian Peters, Animal Control Officer Ariel Fisher, Interim Town Administrator James Lathrop and coyote researcher Numi Mitchell to discuss strategies to deal with the issue.

The biggest problem, said Ms. Mitchell, lead scientist and project director of the Narragansett Bay Coyote Study, remains the same: Some residents are still feeding coyotes, which not only makes the wild animals more comfortable around humans, but keeps them coming back to residential neighborhoods searching for more food.

“If it jumped up on you, it probably is an animal who’s been habituated by a hand-feeder,” Ms. Mitchell told Ms. Pastore, adding that while “99.99 percent of coyotes are afraid of people,” the ones who have been “trained” not to be skittish are the problem animals.

Both Ms. Mitchell and police have been frustrated by one particular resident of Jepson Lane — a woman who insists on hand-feeding one or more coyotes despite warnings to stop.

“They’re very hard to stop,” Ms. Mitchell said of hand-feeders. “We’ve known about this person for years. This is only a mile or less from Sandy Point.”

Officer Fisher said she’s spoken to the woman herself.

“She was not very cooperative,” she said, noting that the fine for hand-feeding is $50. “It should be a higher fine.”

Mr. Lathrop said the town can address the amount of the fine. The town’s new municipal court should also make it easier to drag offenders in front of a judge, he added.

Ms. Mitchell said Middletown — which has an escalating fine for repeat offenders — has actually staked a detective on a cat-feeding site that has caused a “traffic station” with coyotes in that town.

Hunting not an option

Ms. Pastore suggested that if coyotes are overpopulating the area, they should be hunted more.

Ms. Mitchell said that would be a futile response, however, as shooting coyotes is not only difficult but does little to decrease their visibility in residential areas; coyotes removed from one area will be quickly replaced by others. Coyotes also breed more when they’re being aggressively controlled, she said.

“You can’t eradicate coyotes,” said Ms. Mitchell. “There will always be more coming here. But we want to get back to the situation where coyotes are scared of people and they’re not looking to humans for food in any sense.”

Mr. Lathrop said the town doesn’t want to be in the business of hunting coyotes en masse anyway. He suggested following Ms. Mitchell’s suggestion of prevention through public education, beefed-up enforcement of the existing no-feed ordinance and tracking where the problem coyotes are going.

That last bit can be accomplished by a special collar Ms. Mitchell showed the group. If a coyote is successfully trapped and collared, her group can find out where the coyote is getting food from humans, which can be used as hard evidence for police to go after an offender. She said she needs to get permission from her board before the collar can be used in Portsmouth.

Carcass recycling

Also subsidizing local coyotes’ food source are dead farm animals, which Ms, Mitchell said is particularly a problem in Portsmouth. Farmers can’t get rid of a dead cow, so they end up putting it in a compost pile.

She suggested the town pursue the purchase of a bioliquidator alkaline hydrolysis system — Ms. Mitchell preferred to call it a “safe cycle unit” — that would not only keep dead animal carcasses away from coyotes but produce nutrient-rich fertilizer for farmland. “It’s got a smell to it,” she acknowledged.

The machine, which costs about $100,000, is a mobile unit that can be trucked to other towns that may be interested in sharing the costs, said Ms. Mitchell, who urged the town to apply for a grant through the Natural Resources Conservation Service, which would pay for 75 percent of the costs. Mr. Lathrop agreed to look into the matter.

Problem? Call police

Deputy Chief Peters said police haven’t heard many complaints over coyotes since the no-feed ordinance went into effect.

“This is our first reported issue in ages,” he said, referring to the attack on Ms. Pastore’s dog.

He said if people do see a problem coyote, they should contact police at 683-0300. He stressed, however, that residents shouldn’t call if they have merely spotted a coyote or have heard them howling. Police should be notified when coyotes get too close to humans or domestic pets, he said.

Ms. Pastore, meanwhile, says she’s been afraid to walk her dog ever since the attack last week. Ms. Mitchell suggested that until the problem is eradicated, she should carry a boat horn when she’s with her dog outside. One blast will send any coyote running, she said.

“I really appreciate that Portsmouth is on the ball,” said Ms. Pastore. “My hope for this meeting is to connect with Middletown and Newport on this issue. The three towns should be working together on this.”

Ms. Mitchell agreed. “They’re everybody’s problem.”

PORTSMOUTH — Here are some highlights from the Portsmouth police log from over the past week.

Tuesday, May 19

Audrey Barker, 44, of 30C Cassey St., Putnam, Conn., was charged with domestic willful trespassing and violating a no-contact order. Police made the arrest at 11:50 a.m., after a local homeowner who had sought the order reported that Ms. Barker had come to his house.

Christopher R. Dashnaw, 27, of 195 Admiral Kalbfus Road, Apt. 7H, Newport, was arrested at 4:10 p.m. on a bench warrant issued by Second District Court. His car was pulled over on Route 24 near Freeborn Street because it had a loud muffler.

Edward F. McManus, 49, of 115 Col. Christopher Greene Road, was charged at 7:32 p.m. with disorderly conduct (fighting/tumultuous behavior) following an alleged road rage incident with another motorist. A second motorist told police he was driving north on Bristol Ferry Road when Mr. McManus used the center median to pass him at a high rate of speed. The driver told police he beeped his horn and Mr. McManus stopped his vehicle in the middle of the northbound lane and exited it. He then approached the other driver and yelled at him, “I will find out who you are and kill you,” according to police. Police were given a description of the McManus vehicle and it was pulled over by Bristol police on Metacom Avenue.

Friday, May 22

Kevin L. Matteson Jr., 33, of 131 Columbia St., South Kingstown, was charged with driving after his license had been denied, suspended or revoked. Police stopped his car in the parking lot of Tom’s Lawn and Garden on East Main Road after observing it drift out of the lane of travel.

Laura E. Johnston, of 38 Broadway, Prudence Island, was issued a summons to appear in the town’s Municipal Court for allegedly letting her dog run loose in violation of a town ordinance. According to police, Ms. Johnston has allowed her dog to run at large for years, despite repeated warnings.

Saturday, May 23

Jason R. Waite, 41, of 50 Depot Ave., Portsmouth, was charged with driving while intoxicated (first offense) and refusal to submit to a chemical test at 12:49 a.m. Police said they stopped Mr. Waite’s vehicle for speeding on East Main Road at the fire station.

Sunday, May 24

Andrew J. Branco, 27, of 3595 Post Road, Apt. 1710, Warwick, was charged with driving while intoxicated (first offense) at 1:22 a.m. Police pulled his car over at the Melville School parking lot because it was observed drifting out of the lane of travel.

William D. Bower, 34, of 2225 Bigelow Common, Apt. 6, Enfield, Conn., was charged with driving while intoxicated after he was pulled over for speeding on West Main Road shortly after 2 a.m.

Monday, May 25

Andrea R. Cote, 44, of 32 Fairview St., Apt. 3, Dedham, Mass., was charged with driving while intoxicated (first offense) and refusal to submit to a chemical just before 1 a.m. Police made the arrest after stopping Ms. Cote’s car on Route 24 northbound because it was driving in and out of the lane of travel. During a search of the vehicle, police said they found a marijuana cigarette.

Above: Preliminary rendering of what the proposed new Portsmouth police station could look like.

PORTSMOUTH — The public got its first glance Tuesday night at plans for a new two-level police station that would be nearly four times the size of the current building and cost $10 million.

“We need a new facility,” said Police Chief Thomas Lee, adding that the current building — which is only 5,772 square feet in size — is cramped and woefully inadequate for a modern-day police department.

The architectural firm Drummey Rosane Anderson, Inc. (DRA), which was charged with studying future infrastructure needs for the police and fire departments, recommended building a new 22,0000-square-foot, two-story police station on land behind the current building on East Main Road. (The full report can be viewed here.)

The council took no action on the plan Tuesday. The next step is to seek design and engineering plans for the project and then put the matter on a voter referendum in November 2016. The project could be complete by 2018, according to DRA’s report.

Site plan shows location of proposed new police station and parking areas during and after construction.

DRA also ruled out building an addition and renovating the current police station, saying that would be disruptive to staff and would increase costs by lengthening the time of construction.

Under the recommended plan, the new police station would be built behind the current one. Once construction is complete, the current station would be torn down and that area used as a parking lot.

The new building would not only give employees more breathing room and provide adequate space for storage, evidence and equipment, it would also feature community rooms available to the public.

The bad news, said Mr. Lawrence, is the cost: an estimated $9,975,000. “They’re very expensive to build, no question about it,” he said of police stations. “These are not office buildings.”

After a resident asked how the town could afford such a project, Interim Town Administrator James Lathrop said the town will be relieved of a significant amount of debt service by 2016, so he doesn’t anticipate a big impact on the tax rate.

Fire station improvements

Although DRA decided the Police Department’s needs were more pressing than that of the Fire Department, it did recommend $968,000 in improvements to the fire station.

These include readjusting the roof so ladder trucks could easily enter the bay to the garage; extending the south side of the building to add a dayroom, kitchen and office space on the first floor and more dorm space and a separate women’s room on the second floor; and making a bathroom handicap accessible.

Mr. Lawrence said the plans for the police station also make it possible to consolidate dispatch services for both departments. In addition, a vehicle maintenance area in the proposed police station would free up space at the DPW garage, he said.

PORTSMOUTH — Here are some highlights from the Portsmouth police log from over the past week.

Monday, May 25

Lucas M. Mahoney, 28, of 26 Barkers Lane, was charged with domestic assault in connection with an incident that had taken place earlier at his apartment. According to police, Mr. Mahoney lunged at the victim and placed his hands around her neck in a choking manner.

Tuesday, May 26

Gary E. Sargent, 69, of 15 Church Lane, Apt. 2, was arrested on a bench warrant issued by Second District Court. An officer with knowledge of the warrant made the arrest at Mr. Sargent’s home shortly after 8 a.m.

Ryan D. Farias, 29, of 969 West Main Road, Apt. 1013, Middletown, was arrested at 11:21 a.m. on a bench warrant issued by Second District Court. An officer with knowledge of the warrant spotted Mr. Farias at a RIPTA bus stop near Patriot Petroleum on East Main Road.

Thursday, May 28

Salvador C. Pereira Jr., 26, of 173 Locust Ave., was charged with domestic assault and domestic disorderly conduct at 5:30 p.m. Police responded to the Riverwood Group Home, of the same address, after receiving a report that Mr. Pereira had struck another resident.

Friday, May 29

Melissa K. Neider, 26, of 124 Sherman St., Dartmouth, was charged with driving while intoxicated (first offense) and refusal to submit to a chemical test shortly before 1 a.m. Her car was pulled over for speeding on West Main Road at the on-ramp to Route 24 northbound.

Saturday, May 30

Donnell A. Kilgore, 21, of 128 Warrington St., Providence, was arrested at 12:43 a.m. on a bench warrant issued by Sixth District Court. Mr. Kilgore was a passenger in a car pulled over on West Main Road because it had a broken taillamp.

Marina L. Pereira, 22, of 67 Norseman Drive, was charged with violating a restraining order after police responded to the area of the Elmhurst School playground shortly after 5 p.m. for a report of an assault that had just occurred. Police later found Ms. Pereira and a 49-year-old Tiverton man behind the Glen Manor House, but could find no evidence that an assault had taken place. However, a records check revealed that the man had an active restraining order against Ms. Pereira, police said.

Sunday, May 31

Stephen J. Sullivan, 24, of 726 Park Ave., Apt. 8, was charged with domestic disorderly conduct after police responded to that address around 3:30 a.m. for a report of people fighting outside the residence.

Melissa M. Kaan, 37, of 85 Linda Terrace, was charged with domestic assault and domestic vandalism with malicious injury to property shortly before 4 a.m. Police responded to Mobil Mart at 3:35 a.m. for a report of a domestic assault that had just taken place. Police said a Newport man was giving Ms. Kaan, his ex-girlfriend, a ride home from a party because she was intoxicated. While arguing about their past relationship, Ms. Kaan became upset and grabbed the victim by his lips, causing a small cut, according to police. The driver pulled onto Russo Road and told Ms. Kaan to get out of his vehicle but she refused, police said. When he opened the passenger side door, she grabbed his iPhone and threw it to the ground and kicked the windshield, causing a large spiderweb-type crack, police said.

Monday, June 1

Charles W. Kiser, 53, of 15 Meeting St., Newport, was arrested at 10:07 p.m. on a bench warrant issued by Second District Court. Mr. Kiser was a passenger in a vehicle stopped for speeding on Highpoint Street near Hedly Street.

PORTSMOUTH — A 59-year-old Portsmouth was arrested today and charged with possession of child pornography.

James Murray, of 3382 East Main Road, Apartment 1L, was arrested by members of the Rhode Island Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, police said.

During its investigation, the task force identified the internet connection at Mr. Murray’s apartment as allegedly connected to the possession of the images of child pornography, according to police.

Earlier today, task force members executed a court-authorized search warrant at the residence, and arrested Mr. Murray.

He was arraigned at Second Division District Court in Newport before Judge Colleen Hastings and held on $5,000 surety bail with special conditions that include no contact with children and no internet use.

His next scheduled court date is his pre-arraignment conference on July 23.

At this time, there are no indications of inappropriate conduct between Mr. Murray and minor children, police said.

A person found guilty of possession of child pornography may be subject to a fine of not more than $5,000 or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.

The ICAC Task Force is administered by the R.I. State Police and supports a national network of multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task forces engaged in investigations, forensic examinations and prosecutions related to Internet crimes against children and technology-facilitated child sexual exploitation.

The ICAC Task Force is comprised of members of the R.I. State Police Computer Crimes Unit along with detectives from several police departments, including Portsmouth’s.

PORTSMOUTH — Here are some highlights from the Portsmouth police reports from over the past week.

Wednesday, June 3

Gary N. Harding, 67, of 652 Cottage St., Apt. 2, New Bedford, was arrested shortly after midnight on a full Superior Court bench warrant. Police stopped the vehicle Mr. Harding was driving on West Main Road near Prescott Point because it was drifting out of the lane.

Saturday, June 6

Robert Correllas, 56, of 154 Smithies St., Fall River, was charged with driving while intoxicated (second offense) shortly after 2 a.m. Police stopped his car on Hedly Street near Highpoint Avenue because it was seen drifting into the breakdown lane, police said.

Sunday, June 7

Charles A. Shaw, 46, of 30 Friendship St., Newport, was arrested at 12:42 a.m. on a bench warrant issued by Second District Court. An officer with knowledge of the arrest spotted Mr. Shaw entering the Mobil Mart on West Main Road. A small amount of marijuana was found in his front pocket and a pipe with marijuana residue in his back pocket, police said.

James E. Holiday III, 59, of 17 Luther Lane, was charged with domestic assault in connection with an earlier incident. The victim came to the police station around 8:30 p.m. to report the matter, according to police.

Rhonda L. Costa, 51, of 96 Sherwood Terrace, was charged with domestic assault following a report just before 8 p.m. of an assault at R&S Speed Shop, 3123 East Main Road. Police said a male victim sustained bruising under his right eye as a result of the confrontation, according to police.

Above: Portsmouth Police Lt. Steven Hoetzel (middle) and Sgt. Stephen Burns (right) are congratulated by Deputy Fire Chief Michael O’Brien at Monday’s Town Council meeting.

PORTSMOUTH — Two Portsmouth police officers were commended by the Town Council Monday night for saving the life of a man who collapsed in a field at the Glen two months ago.

On April 19, Lt. Steven Hoetzel and Sgt. Stephen Burns responded to an area of Glen Road, where they spoke to a 63-year-old Newport man who then collapsed to the ground. The man’s breathing became labored and loud and the officers requested the assistance of the Portsmouth Fire Department.

But before firefighters could arrive, the man stopped breathing and the officers sprang into action.

“Lt. Hoetzel retrieved the automated external defibrillator (AED) from the police vehicle while Sgt. Burns began CPR,” stated the council’s letters of commendation to the two officers. “The AED was administered and the gentleman started breathing on his own.”

Firefighters arrived soon afterwards and transported the man to the hospital.

The American Heart Association also recognized the two officers for their efforts in saving the man’s life in conjunction with the town being designated as a “heart safe community.”

Deputy Fire Chief Michael O’Brien congratulated the officers, whom he said were both certified in CPR as part of the heart safe community program.

“Because of their actions, that gentleman survived a heart attack. They resuscitated him,” Deputy O’Brien told the council. He added that the fire department “can’t be everywhere all of the time,” so it’s beneficial for police to be trained in basic CPR skills.

Lt. Hoetzel and Sgt. Burns both received standing ovations during the brief ceremony.

PORTSMOUTH — In a 5-1 vote, the Town Council Monday night approved a $58.2 million budget for fiscal year 2016 that calls for no tax increase.

While the budget accounts for a hike in the tax levy of about 1 percent, Council President Keith Hamilton said the current tax rate of $15.80 per $1,000 of assessed valuation will remain the same.

The spending plan includes $30.85 million for the school district, the same amount as in the current budget.

Council member Elizabeth Pedro cast the sole vote against the budget, citing philosophical differences with the School Department’s budget. (Council member Michael Buddemeyer was absent from Monday’s meeting.)

“I think it’s a good budget, but I just can’t bring myself to borrow for the School Department when they have millions of dollars in surplus,” said Ms. Pedro.

The council breezed through the budget, with little public comment, at a sparsely attended public meeting on June 10. The only extended remarks about the budget that night came from Alan Corcoran, chairman of the town’s Solid Waste/Recycling Committee, regarding that transfer station enterprise fund.

Among Mr. Corcoran’s concerns was the fact that residents who pay to use the transfer station are subsidizing Hog Island residents who use a private company to haul their garbage off the island. He suggested the town give a credit to Hog Island residents for removing trash, but that it should not come from the enterprise fund.

Before the budget was adopted Monday night, council member David Gleason suggested a solution: that $5,500 be shifted from the over-budgeted finance department insurance fund to the transfer station enterprise fund to cover trash removal on Hog Island. That move was approved in a 6-0 vote.

Fee hikes proposed

In other business, Acting Town Administrator James Lathrop, who’s also the town’s director of finance and personnel, recommended several fee increases based on proposals from the town’s New Revenue Group and input from town departments.

The proposals involve a change to the town ordinance, so the council voted 6-0 to consider the recommendations at a later meeting.

Mr. Lathrop said the first group of fees — for repeat violations of rules involving animal control — “aren’t so much about the revenue but the enforcement.” He said the town needs more teeth in its ordinance that prevents people from feeding non-domestic animals in order to cut down on Portsmouth’s coyote problem.

Currently, the fine is $50, but Mr. Lathrop proposed an escalating fee — $100 for the second offense and $150 for a third offense. A fourth offense will earn a resident a summons to the town’s Municipal Court.

People charged with allowing their dog to run at large would face an identical escalating fine — starting at $50 — under Mr. Lathrop’s recommendation. For those with a barking dog or one that’s causing a nuisance, the fine would be $25 for a first offense, $50 for the second.

Mr. Lathrop is also recommending a $10 fee for residents to secure a seven-day burn permit. (There’s no charge currently for the permit.)

He also proposed an increase in the fire alarm radio fee from $100 to $200 annually. The last increase was in 1999, he said.

“This will generate $14,000 a year in extra revenue which will help support the fire marshal position. It’s still equal to or lower to other communities,” said Mr. Lathrop.

PORTSMOUTH — Here are some highlights from the Portsmouth police report from over the past week.

Thursday, June 18

Matthew J. Machado, 30, of 76 Cottage St., Fall River, was arrested on a bench warrant issued from Second District Court. Police made the arrest at about 4:30 p.m. at A1 Paving on Schoolhouse Lane, where Mr. Machado works.

Friday, June 19

Francis J.D. Durbin, 55, of 6140 Pebbleshire Circle, Grand Blanc, Mich., was charged with driving while intoxicated and driving after his license had been denied, suspended or revoked. Police stopped Mr. Durbin’s vehicle on Hedly Street around 1 p.m. because it was being operated erratically, police said.

Saturday, June 20

Robert J. Muggle, 33, of 25 Robin Drive, Bristol, was arrested at 4:48 p.m. on a bench warrant issued from Sixth District Court. Mr. Muggle was a passenger in a car pulled over on East Main Road because there were multiple items hanging from the windshield.

Sunday, June 21

Michael T. Bowden, 23, of 119 White Oak Run, Dartmouth, was charged with failing to stop following an accident that caused damage to the other vehicle, and reckless driving/drag racing/eluding police. Police responded at 2:41 a.m. to a report of a hit-and-run motor vehicle accident on Turnpike Avenue at Bristol Ferry Road. About 20 minutes later, an officer found a damaged BMW that matched the description of the fleeing vehicle parked behind the senior center on Bristol Ferry Road and unattended. “The vehicle was inoperable, was locked, and warm to the touch,” the police report stated. Shortly before 4 p.m., police received a call from Mr. Bowden’s father, who reported the accident. He brought his son to the police station at 4:52 p.m., according to police. Mr. Bowden told police he had missed the on-ramp to Route 24 and hit the other car from behind. He then panicked, parked the car and hid until a friend picked him up, according to police.

Monday, June 22

Jeffrey Medeiros, 25, of 121 Bay View Ave., Bristol, was charged with driving while intoxicated and refusal to submit to a chemical test. His car was pulled over on West Main Road near King Charles Drive shortly before 2 a.m. for speeding and weaving over the solid double yellow lines, police said.

Police congregate Monday afternoon on the southbound lanes of the Sakonnet River Bridge, shortly after a man there placed a noose around his neck. Photo by Jim McGaw.

PORTSMOUTH/TIVERTON — A 57-year-old Tiverton man who apparently threatened suicide on the Sakonnet River Bridge was safely subdued Monday afternoon and transported to a hospital for evaluation.

According to Portsmouth Police Detective Lt. Alberto Bucci, police responded to the bridge’s bike path at 1:26 p.m. after receiving multiple calls of a man with a noose around his neck. The man was on the bike path, closer to the Tiverton side of the span.

Patrol Officer Patrick O’Neill

“As I got closer to him I could see he had a noose around his neck,” Officer O’Neill said. “I said, ‘Are you OK?’ And he said he was not OK.”

Officer O’Neill didn’t waste any time.

“It happened very quick,” he said. “I went over and was able to put my arms around him and pull him back. He didn’t struggle.”

A worker from the Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority cut the noose from the man’s neck and the Portsmouth Fire Department brought the man to Newport Hospital for evaluation, he said.

“He went willingly,” said Officer O’Neill. “He acknowledged he needed to talk to somebody about what was going on in his life.”

PORTSMOUTH — Here are some highlights from the Portsmouth police report from over the past week.

Tuesday, June 23

Police responded to Sandy Point Beach at 8:40 a.m. for a report of a vehicle that had gotten stuck in the sand. When Patrol Officer Patrick J. O’Neill arrived on the scene, he observed Ray’s Towing leaving the area; the operator said he was unable to free the vehicle but that another tow truck was coming to help. Officer O’Neill found a Ford Taurus stuck deep in the sand at the far north side of the beach. He was approached by the owner, Amos Haas, who said his younger brother Ethan had borrowed the vehicle the night before and brought a female to the beach to hang out with him. The younger Haas then apparently got the car stuck in the sand and called his brother at 3 a.m. The car was gone from the beach by 3 p.m. The brothers were in town visiting relatives, police said.

Two local drivers were stopped by police for failure to turn on their headlamps during a heavy rainstorm, and were each charged with driving after their licenses had been denied, suspended or revoked. The drivers were Samantha M. Augustine, 22, of 534 Park Ave.; and Jacob M. Hatcher, 20, of 25 Donna Drive.

Wednesday, June 24

Romy A. Hernandez, 28, of 8 Clinton Ave., Newport, was charged with driving while intoxicated (second offense) and driving with an expired license at about 2:30 a.m. His car was stopped on East Main Road near Immokolee Drive.

Cause J. Creighton, 23, of 237 Tuttle St., Apt. 1, Fall River, was charged at 7:53 a.m. with driving after her license had been suspended or revoked. Her car was stopped for speeding on West Main Road near Melville School, police said.

Angel Merced, 39, of 34 Bramans Lane, was arrested at 9:18 p.m. on a bench warrant issued by Second District Court. An officer with knowledge of the warrant arrested Mr. Merced at his home.

David J. Chubet, 53, of 38 Shoreline Drive, Foxborough, Mass., was charged with driving while intoxicated (first offense) and refusal to submit to a chemical test at about 10:45 p.m. Police stopped his car for speeding on East Main Road near Church Lane.

Elizabeth M. Meeks, 18, of 24 Jesse Drive, was charged with driving on an expired license at about 11:30 p.m. Police stopped her car for speeding on East Main Road near Bradley Terrace.

Thursday, June 25

Michael J. Ford, 55, of 97 Massasoit Ave., was charged at 12:51 a.m. with driving while intoxicated (first offense) and refusal to submit to a chemical test. Police stopped his car for speeding in the area of Point and Hummocks roads. During a search, police said they found a small bag of marijuana in one of Mr. Ford’s pockets.

Timothy M. Alves, 27, of 85 California St., Apt. 3, Fall River, was charged with driving after his license had been denied, suspended or revoked. His car was pulled over on Route 24 northbound near Boyd’s Lane around 2:15 a.m.

Friday, June 26

David A. Barboza, 57, of 29 Decosta Drive, Tiverton, was charged with driving while intoxicated (first offense) and refusal to submit to a chemical test at 7:41 p.m. Mr. Barboza’s vehicle was stopped on East Main Road just south of Pine Tree Road because it was being operated erratically, police said.

Saturday, June 27

Raymond E. Ramsey, 49, of 100 Almeida Terrace, Apt. 311, was arrested on a charge of domestic assault, his third offense, at 2:41 a.m. Police responded to his apartment at Bayview Garden Apartments shortly after 2 a.m. for a report of loud noises.

Mark J. Cassidy, 45, of 58 Palmetto Drive, Ormond Beach, Fla., was charged at 11 a.m. with domestic disorderly conduct and domestic assault in connection with an incident on his rental property on Prudence Island the night before.

Casey A. Perry, 54, of 458 Park Ave., was charged with assault and domestic disorderly conduct at 10:15 p.m. Police said Ms. Perry struck another woman she suspected was having an affair with her ex-boyfriend.

PORTSMOUTH — Most people wait until the holidays before thinking of donating to needy families, but local police are trying to change that way of thinking.

Officer Scott Sullivan, who spearheads the Police Department’s annual Holiday Drive, has opened the door to donations of toys, cash and other gifts a little earlier so things don’t get so hectic come Christmastime.

He’s calling it “Christmas in July” and says people have already been dropping off gifts.

“We’d like to spread it over six months instead of six weeks,” he said Tuesday. “I thought, let’s crush it in July when people aren’t really thinking about it, and then they don’t have to come up with an extra 15 or 20 dollars during the holidays. It’s just a way to lessen the blow for everyone.”

Better yet, the new program already has a strong local ally: Highland Farm on Middle Road, which agreed to serve as a drop-off point for donations. The farm’s Heidi Small reached out to “Officer Sully” after reading about “Christmas in July” on his Facebook page.

“When I put that out there, Heidi said, ‘We’d like to try to do something on the farm.’ It was great that they approached us,” he said.

Highland Farm is a fitting spot, he said, because it’s home to Louis Escobar, who does so much for the community.

“He’s one of Santa’s helpers,” said Office Sullivan of the dairy farmer, who’s still recuperating in a hospital following a fall from his tractor last month.

The early start is designed to make things less stressful during the holidays for not only the department but school social worker Nicole Pascoe — she identifies local families that need help and provides the police with a gift wish list — as well as donors themselves.

At the same time, “Christmas in July” will also allow police to make the giving program even bigger, according to Officer Sulllivan, who said police collected “well over 1,000 gifts” for about 150 families last year. (He also estimates he already has more than 100 gifts for Christmas next year.)

One thing police want to see, for example, are backpacks in all cruisers so when there’s a call for a domestic situation, officers will have a gift for the children who live in the homes. Another idea is to host an “Ugly Sweater” Christmas party to raise donations.

“We did the holiday drive last year and we’re trying to do some things to expand it this year,” he said. “We want to make more awareness and expand the reach. Before we were just helping kids, then it became kids and their families, then anybody. We don’t like saying no and we know there are some more people that are worth reaching.”

How to donate

Anyone who wants to donate a gift or cash toward the program can do so at Highland Farm, or they can write out a check to the IBPO 302 Holiday Drive and get it to the police station. “Not one penny goes for anything other than the people who need help,” said Officer Sullivan.

Donors can also bring gifts to the police station; if you can’t get out, police will arrange for someone to pick up gifts (call 683-0300).

Officer Sullivan said he and other members of the department are grateful for all the support the gift drive has received from the community.

“I begrudgingly get a lot of credit for it, and I hate that. It’s not a me thing, it’s a we thing — it’s the rest of the department, the community, the businesses and other organizations. Without everyone helping out, we wouldn’t be where we’re at.”

PORTSMOUTH — Here are some highlights from the Portsmouth police report from over the past week.

Tuesday, July 7

Kyle D. Beauchamp, 25, of 105 Town Farm Road, Coventry, was charged at 12:46 a.m. with driving while intoxicated (first offense) and refusal to submit to a chemical test. Police stopped the car he was driving on West Main Road because it had a broken rear registration plate light and was observed drifting over into the opposite lane of travel. During a search of the vehicle, police said they found a small amount of marijuana under the driver’s seat.

Thursday, July 9

Roland A. Banville Jr., 31, of 105 Walnut St., was charged at 6:21 p.m. with disorderly conduct by using offensive words at another person. Police said Mr. Banville stopped his car in front of a Portsmouth residence and yelled obscenities at a group of people outside.

Friday, July 10 

A four-vehicle, chain-reaction collision took place around noon in the northbound lanes of the Mt. Hope Bridge. Police said the driver of a 2013 Toyota Prius, Patricia A. Grealish-Rust of Dighton, Mass., was attempting to use a navigation system on her cell phone when her car struck the rear of the vehicle in front of her. Ms. Grealish-Rust was transported to Newport Hospital by Portsmouth firefighters.

Saturday, July 11

A long-simmering neighborhood dispute ended with one man arrested for assault, police said. James R. Pierce, 48, of 33 Crossings Court, was arrested shortly before 1 a.m. and charged with felony assault (using a dangerous weapon or substance) after he allegedly hit a 44-year-old male on the head with a flashlight. The victim told police that his daughter awoke him, saying someone was shining a flashlight into her window. The victim began calling 911 on his cellphone as he walked outside to investigate, police said. He then saw his neighbor standing at the edge of his lawn with a flashlight in his hand, he told police. A heated argument about the victim’s floodlights started and shortly afterwards Mr. Pierce hit the man four to five times on the head and back with his flashlight as the victim retreated back to his home, according to police. Mr. Pierce told police he acted in self defense because his neighbor had first hit him in the face with his hand.

Steven J. Shaw, 31, of 50 Arnold St. Wrentham, Mass., was charged with domestic assault at noon in connection with an incident at the Prudence Island Ferry dock at Homestead that was first reported at 9 a.m. A ferry employee said that at that time, a Ford Mustang pulled into the parking lot, came to a stop, and Mr. Began to argue with a female in the car, police said. He reportedly stepped out of the car, opened the passenger door and attempted to pull the female out by her hair, according to police. Police later reported to the island and found the car at a Broadway address, where they arrested Mr. Shaw. The female victim was also in the home, police said, and had red marks on her neck.

Sunday, July 12

At 10 a.m., police investigated a report of a deer that had been attacked by a coyote across from 38 Hall Ave. The small deer was severely injured and an officer euthanized the animal using his department-issued shotgun. The dead deer was brought to the police station, when a representative from the R.I. Department of Environmental Management later took possession of it.

Monday, July 13

Charlene D. Ralbovsky, 53, of 206 Rogers Lane, Middletown, was charged with vandalism with malicious injury to property at 12:11 p.m. Police said Ms. Ralbovsky had broken two windows and a sideview mirror of a camper owned by a local man.

Shane D. Hytine, 29, of Tucson, Ariz., was arrested at 6:40 p.m. on a bench warrant issued by Sixth District Court. Mr. Hytine was a passenger in a car pulled over for speeding on East Main Road near Hargraves Drive.

PORTSMOUTH — Here are some highlights from the Portsmouth police log from over the past week.

Tuesday, July 14

Kristin L. Walker, 33, of 129 Pontiac Ave, Cranston, was charged at 10:11 a.m. with larceny (under $1,500). The charge stems from an April 24 report of a 1995 Jeep Cherokee that had been stolen from a Portsmouth residence. A warrant was issued for Ms. Walker’s arrest and she turned herself in at the police station.

Wednesday, July 15

Louis R. Bartek, 55, of 14 Valhalla Drive, was arrested at 8:40 a.m. on a charge of exploitation of an elder. The charge stems from a complaint first filed on May 28. Police said Mr. Bartek was entrusted with paying the victim’s bills from the credit card’s checking account, but that he wrote checks out to himself without paying the debt. Police said the unauthorized charges totaled more than $22,000. A warrant for Mr. Bartek’s arrest was issued June 30.

Robert G. Abenante, 53, of 195 Moitoza Lane, was charged with possession of a controlled substance at 1:50 p.m. Police said they stopped Mr. Abenante’s vehicle on East Main Road near Sandy Point Avenue because it crossed over the center dividing line. During a search of the vehicle, a crack cocaine pipe with remnants of the drug was found, police said.

Angela C. Pratt, 35, of 30 Sandy Point Farm, Apt. 1, was arrested at 10:41 p.m. on a charge of making crank or obscene phone calls. Police said that Ms. Pratt kept calling and texting a family repeatedly after learning they planned on moving in the near future. According to police, Ms. Pratt was interested in moving into the house, which she would also enter uninvited on occasion. Police served Ms Pratt with a no-trespass order.

Thursday, July 16

Nicholas D. Rothwell, 27, of 165 Grandview Ave., Somerset, was charged with driving while intoxicated (first offense) and refusal to submit to a chemical test at 2:36 a.m. His car was stopped on Turnpike Avenue because it was observed drifting over the white fog line and into the breakdown lane.

Rachel L. Gomes, 46, of 27 Corys Court, was arrested on a charge of domestic disorderly conduct following an incident at her home that was first reported at 10:45 a.m.

Friday, July 17

Quinn M. Garvey, 19, of 546 Wyatt Road, Middletown, was arrested at 7:25 a.m. on charges of driving while intoxicated (first offense), underage possession of alcohol and refusal to submit to a chemical test. Police responded at 6:44 a.m. to a report of a motor vehicle accident in the area of Blackpoint Lane off Wapping Road. They found Mr. Garvey asleep behind the wheel of his car parked on a grassy area. An officer shook him and Mr. Garvey looked at him and fell back asleep, police said. After firefighters arrived and woke Mr. Garvey up, he said he thought he was in Charlestown, Mass. and appeared confused and disoriented, police said. As police spoke to a witness, Mr. Garvey got back into his vehicle, turned it on and began traveling east on Blackpoint Lane, but his path was blocked by emergency vehicles. He failed a field sobriety test at the scene. During a search of his vehicle, police found a pipe with burnt residue believed to be marijuana, as well as a small digital scale with a green leafy powder that appeared to be another marijuana product, police said.

Two people were arrested following an argument outside a Dighton Avenue home that was reported at about 9:30 a.m. Justin P. Vars, 28, of 196 Riverside St., and Skylynn J. Paiva, 21, of 196 Riverside St., were both charged with domestic disorderly conduct and obstructing a police officer in the execution of his duties. Mr. Vars was also charged with assault, police said. Police said the incident started when Mr. Vars arrived to drop off his daughter to Ms. Paiva, her mother. Shortly afterward, police said, Ms. Paiva was dropped off by a male friend, who said Mr. Vars came out of his car with a baseball bat and started chasing him. Police said they determined that Mr. Vars and Ms. Paiva provided false information regarding the incident.

Saturday, July 18

Monzell C. Coley, 22, of 61 Candace St., Providence, was charged with felony possession of a controlled substance (cocaine) shortly after midnight. The car he was driving was pulled over on Route 24 northbound near Freeborn Street because it crossed over the center divider line and was following a vehicle too closely, police said. During a search of the car, police found a small plastic bag containing what was suspected to be cocaine.

Sunday, July 19

Laudalino C. Silva, 52, of 42 Turner Ave., Riverside, was charged at 1:17 p.m. with operating a watercraft while intoxicated off Prudence Island. Police received several 911 calls about the the operator of the 19-foot Dynasty powerboat, which several witnesses were holding onto in shallow water off Beach Road. Witnesses told police that a juvenile on an inflatable raft had screamed for help when the powerboat operated by Mr. Silva came toward her. The boat did not change course, however, and the girl jumped off the raft and began swimming for shore, police said. Police put Mr. Silva on their boat and towed his craft to Carnegie Abbey Marina. Besides the DWI charge, Mr. Silva was issued a citation for operating within 200 feet of a swimmer, causing a wake, and failure to have flares on board. He was also found to be in possession of a small amount of marijuana, which he threw into the toilet after being placed in a police station cell, according to police.

PORTSMOUTH — Here are some highlights from the Portsmouth police report from over the past week:

Saturday, July 25

Katherine L. Benevides, 20, of 40 Coggeshall Ave., Bristol, was charged at 1:07 a.m. on a bench warrant issued by Second District Court. Police made the arrest after stopping Ms. Benavides’ car on Turnpike Avenue because she was speeding and ran a stop sign, police said. The warrant had been issued because Ms. Benevides had failed to appear for a court arraignment, police said.

Luis H. Carmona, 57, of 101 Borden Ave., Johnston, was arrested at 6:33 p.m. on a charge of with disorderly conduct (exposing his genitals). Police responded to the waterfront area of 161 Carnegie Heights Drive for a report of multiple males disturbing the peace on the beach. A man who lives in the area told police that several fishermen in front of his property were being loud and unruly and using profane language. The complainant said he spoke to the fishermen in an attempt to quiet them down when one of them started urinating in a bush on his property. The men told him to “get lost” and said they would not leave, the man told police. Mr. Carmona admitted to police that he had urinated in front of the complainant, police said.

Michael F. McLaughlin, 22, of 1970 Commonwealth Ave., Apt. 47, Boston, was charged at 10 p.m. with driving while intoxicated and refusal to submit to a chemical test. His car was stopped on Turnpike Avenue because it was being driven erratically and had struck some curbing, police said.

Monday, July 27

A Daisy Red Ryder BB gun — similar to the one that Ralphie Parker salivated over in the 1983 movie “A Christmas Story” — was found in the roadway on Route 24 northbound near the Sakonnet River Bridge shortly after 2 p.m. Police had originally reported to the area after receiving a report of a possible firearm in the road. It appeared the damaged BB gun had fallen onto the road along with some other debris, police said. The gun was brought back to headquarters, where it was tagged and placed in the armory.

Above: Firefighter Andrew Jones dishes some greens as Gordon Silva, director of culinary services at Atria Aquidneck Place, looks on. Photo by Richard W. Dionne Jr.

PORTSMOUTH — It was a culinary challenge at Atria Aquidneck Place last week.

In this corner we have Gordon Silvia, director of culinary services at Atria.

In the other corner is Andrew Jones, Portsmouth firefighter and amateur beekeeper.

The dish? Andrew’s recipe for East-West Chicken.

“It’s my homemade barbecue sauce mixed with teriyaki sauce,” said Andrew, whose sauce also uses fresh honey from the four beehives he maintains. “I pulled about 10 gallons’ worth on Saturday.”

For the side dish, he roasted sweet potatoes with apples and onions and served them up with radish greens from his garden.

Mr. Silva adds some honey to the top of his dish. The honey came from the hives of his cook-off opponent, Firefighter Andrew Jones. Photo by Richard W. Dionne Jr.

Being the head chef at an assisted living facility, Mr. Gordon also prepared his dish more with residents in mind — taking the skin off the potatoes and cutting everything up into smaller pieces.

The event celebrated National Culinary Arts Month, in which Atria senior living communities across the country challenged firefighters and police officers to cook-offs.

“It’s just a way to connect with the community, invite them down here and have a little cook-off,” said Gordon, adding that he often gets the residents involved by trying out their own recipes.

“We really like to do a lot of stuff with the community,” added  Jacqui Emrich, engaged life director at Atria, who said an earlier event — a pie bake-off — was a big hit. “The residents just loved it because they’d come down to five different pies.”

Andrew’s been cooking seriously for about four or five years and regularly prepares meals at the fire station. “When we had storms we cooked for the cops — probably about 25 people,” he said.

But last week he had to navigate around an unfamiliar kitchen and scrambled to get his dish done in time for the 2:30 p.m. deadline.

“I’m a little more behind than I wanted to be. But that happens,” he said.

When they were done, the food was brought to a dining area for a blind taste test by three judges: Police Chief Thomas Lee; John Vitkevich of the Portsmouth Business Association, which hosts breakfasts at Atria once a month; and Cindy Morse, chef and owner of Cindy’s Country Cafe on West Main Road. Several residents of Atria were also treated to the dishes.

After it was pointed out that Gordon’s brother, Gary, is the police chief in Newport, Andrew joked, “I’m feeling outnumbered with this cop thing.”

Judges weigh in

So whose dish was tops? The judges called it a draw.

Police Chief Thomas Lee jokes with Cindy Morse, owner of Cindy’s Country Cafe, as they sample the two dishes. They and John Vitkevich (right) served as judges for the cook-off. Photo by Richard W. Dionne Jr.

“My compliments to both chefs,” said Mr. Vitkevich, before asking, “Is there any more?”

He also asked Andrew what he put in his sauce — which he immediately recognized as being homemade — to give it “that bite.”

“I make it with a little bit of chili powder, Worcestershire sauce. There’s a little bit of teriyaki sauce in there, then I add some mustard, ketchup as the base, and it gets some of my honey in there with black pepper and oregano,” said Andrew, who promised to share the recipe with Atria.

“My mother always told me to become a fireman,” said Chief Lee. “Now I know why.”

Scroll through more photos from the cook-off below.