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2007 -- S 0935 | |
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LC02849 | |
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND | |
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IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY | |
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JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2007 | |
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S E N A T E R E S O L U T I O N | |
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CONGRATULATING TONY PETRARCA ON TWENTY YEARS OF WEATHER | |
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FORECASTING AT WPRI-TV | |
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Introduced By: Senators McCaffrey, Sheehan, Bates, Ciccone, and Ruggerio | |
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Date Introduced: April 24, 2007 | |
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Referred To: Recommended for Immediate Consideration | |
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WHEREAS, As Mark Twain once said, “If you don't like the weather in New England, |
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just wait a few minutes.” Rhode Island’s changing weather offers a wonderful selection for those |
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of us who are casual observers, but our irrepressible climate is often nightmarish for local weather |
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forecasters. One has to wonder what type of man chooses to take the risk; and |
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WHEREAS, Tony Petrarca was born at Kent County Hospital in 1964 to Catherine and |
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the late Ralph Petrarca. He attended Warwick’s public schools, graduating from Toll Gate High |
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School; and |
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WHEREAS, As a Rhode Islander, Tony grew up watching local news and weathermen |
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on Channel 12, probably hoping for the ever popular “no school” announcement, but along the |
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way, he also discovered a penchant for the intricacies of weather forecasting; and |
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WHEREAS, The Blizzard of ‘78 clinched Tony’s plans for his future. He chose to enroll |
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at Lyndon State College in Vermont, one of the finest weather schools in the nation, and received |
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his Bachelor of Science Degree in Meteorology; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1985, while still in college, Tony interned at Channel 12 during the |
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summer months with John Flanders and Harvey Leonard. Upon graduation in 1987, he joined the |
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weekend team, seasoning his skills over the next couple of years; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1989, Tony launched the morning news with Pat Mastors. He has been |
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with the station ever since, but Tony doesn’t spend all his time in front of the cameras. He is a |
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Eucharistic minister at Sacred Heart Church and a youth soccer coach; and |
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WHEREAS, Over the past twenty years, Tony has also visited more than 500 elementary |
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schools, sharing his love and enthusiasm for meteorology. His motto is “Giving back to the |
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community I grew up in”, and he has more than accomplished that dictum. Tony has worked and |
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walked on numerous altruistic endeavors including the “Tomorrow Fund”, “Rhode Island |
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Association for Cardiac Kids”, the “East Bay Coalition for the Homeless”, the M.S. Walk-a- |
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thons, “Light the Night Walk”, and “Santa’s Workshop”; and |
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WHEREAS, Tony’s approach to life and his career have been intelligent, |
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comprehensive, and compassionate. He is truly a “man for all seasons” and we are happy to |
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acknowledge and honor his accomplishments; now, therefore be it |
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RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations |
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hereby honors Tony Petrarca for providing twenty years of conscientious and skilled weather |
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forecasting to Rhode Island’s citizens. We wish Tony and his lovely wife Sandy, and his children |
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Olivia and Antonio, continued health and much future happiness; and be it further |
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RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and he hereby is authorized and directed to |
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transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to Tony Petrarca. |
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LC02849 | |
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