Director David Smith said Newport will likely suffer the worst of the storm, which is expected to begin around 6 or 7 a.m. and gradually grow in intensity, eventually ending sometime Thursday morning.

"Newport is the jackpot," he said.

Paul R. Annarummo of the Rhode Island Department of Transportation said that once the snowfall rate hits two inches per hour, it may be wise to shut down the highways, depending on other conditions such as wind.

The National Weather Service, in its morning advisory, said winds will be 20 to 40 miles per hour.

Meanwhile, 11 public schools systems have announced that they will be closed Wednesday: Burrillville, Central Falls, Jamestown, Johnston, Middletown, North Kingstown, North Providence, Providence, Smithfield, Tiverton and Woonsocket.

EMA officials scheduled a press conference for 4 p.m., following a 3 p.m. briefing from the National Weather Service, to announced what steps it plans to make to cope with the storm.

Check on the latest school closings, cancellations and parking bans, from the RI Broadcasters Association.

-- By Donita Naylor and C. Eugene Emery Jr.

The school called the fire and police departments and National Grid, and the building was tested for the presence of gas, according to Morrelle.

After testing and a check of the building, the odor was determined to come from a delay in the ignition of the heating/ventilation system on top of the school, according to Chief Kenneth Finlay of the Cumberland Hill Fire Dept. Finlay said that the flow of gas from the heating/ventilation unit was not immediately ignited as it normally is and hung in the air. The unit sits next to a vent that leads to school's kitchen and Finlay said it's likely that the odor of gas flowed through the vent into the school building where it was detected by a custodian.

Bus loads of students from the elementary school, which has about 400 pupils, were diverted to St. Joans parking lot off Mendon Road while officials checked the source of the odor, Morelle said.

Students were allowed into school at about 10 minutes after the 9 a.m. opening time Finlay said.

BOSTON (AP) -- The death of the father of Olympic skater Nancy Kerrigan was ruled a homicide Tuesday when an autopsy showed he died of a heart rhythm problem after a fight with his son in which he suffered a neck injury so severe it damaged his windpipe.

AP photo In this 1994 photo, Nancy Kerrigan, a silver medalist in figure skating at the 1994 Olympics, and her parents, Brenda, left, and Daniel, right, arrive at Logan Airport in Boston.

The findings could prompt new charges against Kerrigan's brother, Mark, who has pleaded not guilty to assault and battery on a person over 60 and is undergoing a psychiatric evaluation at Bridgewater State Hospital.

Daniel Kerrigan, 70, died Jan. 24 after what authorities said was a struggle with his 45-year-old son, Mark.

The police say Mark Kerrigan told them he put his hands around his father's neck and his father fell to the floor after the two argued at their Stoneham home.

Family members had initially said Daniel Kerrigan
had a heart attack and his death was unrelated to the argument.

The autopsy results released Tuesday by Middlesex District Attorney Gerry Leone said the elder Kerrigan also had underlying health conditions, including high blood pressure and clogged heart arteries.

"As a result of these conclusions of the medical examiner, the investigation into Daniel Kerrigan's death, and whether any charges in connection with his death are appropriate, remains ongoing," Leone said in a statement.

The findings imply a strangulation-type injury in a man already vulnerable to heart problems, said an expert not connected with the autopsy, Dr. Ian Paul, associate medical examiner for the state of New Mexico.

"The assault itself would have caused significant physiological stress," Paul said. "It would have put direct stress to the heart itself because the heart is working faster, and in somebody with underlying heart disease, they would be at a much greater risk of experiencing sudden cardiac death."

Leone said the medical examiner determined the cause of death was "cardiac dysrhythmia" after a physical altercation "with neck compression causing injury to the neck in the form of a cartilage fracture to the larynx area."

Cardiac dysrhythmia is loss or interruption of a normal heartbeat, which can lead to cardiac arrest and death.

Neither Nancy Kerrigan, nor her mother, Brenda Kerrigan, could immediately be reached for comment Tuesday. A spokeswoman said the family planned to issue a statement.

Daniel Kerrigan was found unconscious on the floor of his home by police responding to an emergency call at 1:30 a.m. He was taken to a hospital and pronounced dead.

The police said Mark Kerrigan appeared intoxicated when he was found on a couch in the basement of the home. He was "belligerent and combative" but coherent when questioned, police said.

"He stated that he wanted to use the phone and his father would not let him," the arresting officer wrote in a report. "He said he struggled with his father and put his hands around his father's neck and his father fell to the floor."

The officers said they saw blood near where Daniel Kerrigan had been treated by emergency workers and signs of a struggle, including three pictures that had apparently been knocked off a wall and a broken piece of the telephone.

Mark Kerrigan has a lengthy criminal record, with convictions dating to 1991, including drunken driving, assault and battery, domestic assaults, resisting arrest and violation of a restraining order.

In 2008, Kerrigan's parents sued him to recover $105,000 they had spent paying his mortgage at his Wilmington home, taking care of his dogs while he was in jail and paying for a lawyer who represented him on a 2006 assault conviction. A judge dismissed the lawsuit, saying there was no documentation of such an agreement.

He was released from county jail in November after serving time on an assault conviction.

CENTRAL FALLS, R.I. -- The spokesman for the troubled Donald W. Wyatt Detention Facility announced on Tuesday that his firm, True North Communications, will no longer provide public relations services for the prison.

Bill Fischer, the firm's president, said that the resignation is effective immediately.

``It has come to my attention that certain parties have attempted to influence the board on a number of occasions to terminate our contractual relationship -- the latest attempt being last week,'' Fischer wrote in a letter to the Central Falls Detention Facility Corp., the board that oversees the for-profit jail. ``This situation has certainly created an unhealthy work environment and I have decided to end it on my terms.''

Fischer sent his resignation letter to Bruce Corrigan, chairman of the governing board, on Tuesday afternoon. He declined to elaborate on what parties tried to end his contract.

Fischer, who was paid $3,500 a month, agreed to a one-year contract last April to serve as the jail's spokesman. He replaced the RDW Group a consulting and public relations firm that had worked for the prison for several years.

The newly constituted board fired the board's executive director, Anthony Ventetuolo, and terminated its relationship with the RDW Group and several other consultants. They also fired the jail's in-house legal counsel.

The actions were taken after Immigration and Customs Enforcement removed all of its immigrant detainees from the jail -- about 150 of them -- and announced that it would no longer send prisoners to the jail.

Since then, prison officials have been losing hundreds of thousands of dollars, and have scrambled to fill the beds with prisoners. The government reimburses the jail more than $101 a day for each prisoner housed there.

Fischer's resignation comes as the state police has stepped up its public corruption investigation into Central Falls Mayor Charles D. Moreau. Detectives in the department's financial crime units have launched a wide-ranging probe into several business dealings involving the mayor.

In a telephone interview, Fischer wanted to make clear that as Wyatt's spokesman he worked for the governing board -- not Moreau.

``I'm quite aware there is an investigation going on,'' Fischer said. ``I don't represent the mayor. I have never represented the mayor and I probably never would represent the mayor. The investigation is nothing that involves me or that I'm a party to.''

Just in time for Wednesday's predicted snowstorm, projo.com has added a new feature called Your Daily Commute, which lets you easily view about 100 different traffic cams operated by the R.I. Department of Transportation.

You can select the traffic views you'd like to see at morning, afternoon and evening, and save your choices so they come up automatically in the upper right-hand section of projo.com's home page. A sample of selections is at right.

To choose views, click on and select from a drop-down menu of all cameras. The picture automatically updates every 30 seconds.

Then, click "Save your traffic cam views" and your current settings will appear. Click the time of day you want this camera view to automatically be shown. Repeat the process for the other time periods.

The feature requires "cookies" to be enabled on your browser. You can learn more about how to enable cookies at this page.

Let us know what you think by leaving a comment. Do you find this feature useful? How can we make this better?

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- The state is moving forward with legal action to recover some $75 million that auditors say was squandered at Rhode Island's landfill.

Demand letters have gone out to at least 18 former officers, directors and employees of the Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation. The letters, signed by lawyers for Governor Carcieri, Atty. Gen. Patrick Lynch and Gen. Treasurer Frank Caprio, seek the recovery of money that auditors last year concluded was lost as a result of "apparent misfeasance, malfeasance and nonfeasance.''

The efforts stem from an audit last year commissioned by Carcieri, which found that Rhode Island's trash agency was plagued for years by waste and mismanagement, flawed multi-million-dollar construction projects, questionable land deals, cronyism, suspected fraud, apparent bid rigging, bogus workers' compensation claims and phony overtime scams.

In Avedisian's case, said Kempe, the bulk of the alleged misconduct uncovered by auditors occurred prior to his tenure on the landfill board.

Meanwhile, Kempe said, others have been added to the list.

Others who received letters include longtime Resource Recovery
Chairman A. Austin Ferland and former executive director Sherry G. Mulhearn.

The letters, noted Kempe, are a "legal formality'' -- the first step in a potentially lengthy legal process to sue under insurance policies for Resource Recovery officers, directors and employees. A Boston law firm has been hired to pursue claims.

The well-respected Gallogly will double as director of the state's Department of Revenue, as did her predecessor Gary Sasse before he served notice of his resignation from both positions, without official explanation, earlier this month.

Carcieri has also confirmed plans to elevate Gallogly's chief deputy, Thomas Mullaney, to state budget officer once all of the moves are official, which in Gallogly's case may require Senate confirmation.

Gallogly first went to work in the state budget office straight out of college in 1980 as an assistant budget analyst. In the years since, she has served under five governors, serving as president of the National Association of State Budget Officers (2004-05) along the way.

She graduated from Classical High School, the University of Rhode Island, and obtained a master's in business administration from the University of Rhode Island in 1985.

In his announcement of her promotion to the top ranks of the state department that oversees state hiring, spending, contract negotiations and contracting, Carcieri hailed Gallogly as someone who, "throughout her distinguished career ... has consistently brought common sense principles, predictability, and transparency to the state's budgeting process.

"Her efforts have resulted in a continued strong credit rating and positive cash flow management, despite challenging economic times. Rosemary is widely recognized by those in state government and the private sector as an authority on state finances, and is one of the most well respected budget officers in the nation. I am confident she will serve with great distinction and honor in her new role."

Gallogly and her husband, Bill, live in Wakefield, with their two children, Victoria, 16, and Katarina, 14.

"Tom brings a wealth of experience to the position of Budget Officer, and I am confident his professionalism, experience and familiarity with the budget process will serve him well in his new role."

Mullaney has worked for the budget office since 1996, and before that was chief of budget and finance for the state Department of Health and a Budget Analyst. He has a bachelor of science degree in finance (1983) and a master's of business administration (1986) from Providence College.

The National Weather Service Tuesday was promising treacherous driving during Wednesday's afternoon commute thanks to the storm, which is expected to dump six or more inches of snow on the region and bring wind gusts that could peak to 55 miles per hour.

On Monday, forecasters were predicting that the snow would start to fall in the early afternoon, requiring workers and school officials to make the call of whether to leave home early or dismiss students early.

But by Tuesday morning, the forecast had changed, calling for a morning start to the storm, which should make it easier to decide whether skip work or simply call a snow day.

The state's Emergency Management Agency was planning a 2 p.m. conference call with area superintendents to give them advice on whether to join Providence and call off school before the first flakes fall. Many are expected to do so.

EMA officials were scheduled to receive a briefing from the National Weather Service at 3 and hold a press conference at 4 p.m.

At 12:30, predicted daytime snowfalls for Wednesday were 4-to-6 inches in Woonsocket, 3-to-7 inches in Providence, Pawtucket and Burrillville, 4-to-8 inches in Cranston, 5-to-9 inches in Newport and Narragansett, and 6-to-10 inches in Westerly.

This will be the sixth storm to give us at least an inch of snow this season. The biggest dropped 16 inches on the weekend of Dec. 19 and 20. We collected another 6.1 inches in back-to-back storms that began New Year's Eve and ended on Sunday, Jan 3.

So far, people seem to be taking the looming storm in stride. There was no panic buying at the Super Stop & Shop on Atwood Avenue in Cranston Monday night, and Tuesday around noon there were few customers for all the shovels, sand and ice melt ready at the Benny's store on Branch Avenue in Providence.

Providence and its school department have been particularly sensitive to snow issues after the political fallout following the Dec. 13, 2007, winter storm, which left dozens of children stranded on snow-clogged roads for hours.

Director of school operations André Thibeault said he began tracking the latest snow storm on Friday.

"We get constant weather updates from Ocean State Weather Service," Thibeault said.

Thibeault said the school department decided to close all public schools for Wednesday after the weather service predicted that snow would begin around 7 a.m. and affect the morning commute.

"Generally, if four to six inches are expected, the recommendation is not to have school," Thibeault said. The buses have a hard time navigating more than four inches of snow.

Once the decision has been made, the school department notifies parents, faculty and students by e-mail and by an electronic phone message system called Connect-Ed.

The school system also notifies the Rhode Island Broadcasters Association, which contacts media outlets and posts the information on its website.

Thibeault confers with the city's police and the Department of Public Works. The school department also notifies RIPTA because so many high school students rely on the public bus system to get to school.

Supt. Tom Brady makes the final decision.

By C. Eugene Emery Jr. and Linda Borg, Journal staff writers, with reports from Kathy Borchers, Journal photographer

(This story was originally posted at 1:20 p.m.)

The following towns have imposed parking bans:

Smithfield -- A parking ban will be in effect beginning Tuesday at 9 p.m. and will last at least into Wednesday at 6 p.m., said Town Manager Dennis Finlay. The town will renew the ban as necessary.

Middletown -- A parking ban is in effect from Wednesday at 1 a.m. until Thursday at 1 a.m. Vehicles left on the road may be ticketed and towed to allow plows and emergency vehicles to pass. Residents are reminded not to deposit snow onto any state or town road because it contributes to hazardous driving conditions.

Woonsocket -- A ban will be in effect from Wednesday at 8 a.m. until Thursday at noon. Parking is prohibited on all streets. Cars left parked on the road will be towed and or ticketed.

The musical ambition auditions of two Rhode Islanders continue tonight at 8 as the ninth season of "American Idol" on Fox (Ch. 25 and 64) enters its so-called "Hollywood Round."

Ellery Bonham, 16, of East Greenwich, R.I., and Amadeo DiRocco, 28 of Johnston, R.I., the youngest and oldest contestants, respectively, are among roughly 200 contestants still remaining. Bonham is a junior at East Greenwich High School. DiRocco is a 1999 graduate of Cranston East High School, and a former bartender.

The national talent search show started with tens of thousands of contestants from seven audition sites, including Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Mass. Over the next four shows, Feb. 9-10 and 16-17, the "Hollywood Round" contestants will be reduced to a field of 24 semifinalists: 12 males and 12 females.

It is unclear which of the four "Hollywood Round" shows will feature the Rhode Islanders.

The judges, led by Simon Cowell, include Ellen Degeneres, Randy Jackson and Kara DioGuardi.

In a video posted on the show's Web site, DeGeneres says Cowell is "actually meaner than I thought. It's hard to listen to him tell people things and for me not to go, 'You poor thing!'"

Beginning Feb. 23, the judges will be the viewers.

Rhode Islanders might also take a rooting interest in two other New Englanders competing in the show: Ashley Makailah Rodriguez, who attended the Berkeley College of Music in Boston, and Katie Stevens, 16, of Middlebury, Conn., who told the judges that she wants to win for her Portuguese-speaking grandmother who has developed Alzheimer's -- "I want her to see me succeed in my dream before she forgets who I am."

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The Rhode Island State Medical Examiners Office has determined the cause of deaths, according to health department spokeswoman Annemarie Beardsworth.

Thomas Denton, 59, was listed on the Rhode Island Most Wanted Web site. A phone tip led the police to an address on East Greenwich Avenue, where they arrested Denton without incident, according to Sgt. Donald Archibald of the West Warwick police.

Denton was released Feb. 1 from the Adult Correctional Institutions, where he was serving a five-year sentence, with five years suspended, for larceny over $500, according to a spokeswoman from the ACI. He had previously served a 10-year sentence for 1st degree sexual assault.

When he left the ACI, Denton listed an address on Main St., but he failed to register the address with the police, Archibald said.

Denton was expected to be arraigned in District Court in Warwick Tuesday on a charge of failure to register a change of address with the police.

The church is located at 622 Putnam Pike. The vigil will begin at 6 p.m.

The announcement of the vigil, released by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence, also said a Mass of Christian Burial will be held Saturday at 9:30 a.m. at the church for three of the fire's victims: Amanda L. Villeneuve, 20; her fiancé, Daniel M. Janik; and their 7-month-old daughter, Anabelle.

They died Saturday in a smoky fire in a Buttonwoods Avenue house along with Nicholas M. Jillson, 24, of North Smithfield, and Tayla D. Lackey, 20, of Glocester.

All the young adults were recent graduates of Mount St. Charles Academy in Woonsocket.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Gallo would not go into detail but she did say that "We need to be able to move this school. We are persistently in the low-performing category and therefore we have options that we must look to."

Gallo said that teachers could re-apply for their jobs but said their job description would be different than it is now. She did not elaborate.

Union representative James Parisi said that Gallo had asked teachers to work a longer school day, attend after-school training sessions and spend two weeks of the summer in professional development. Parisi said the union balked because the district was not willing to pay teachers for the additional work.

"Union and management did not reach agreement on compensation for additonal time," he said.

School Superintendent Frances Gallo has told the teachers union that she and the Board of Trustees will terminate all 74 teachers at the high school, one of six chronically low performing schools that the state has singled out for substantial intervention.

According to Marcia Reback, president of the Rhode Island Federation of Teachers and Allied Health Professionals, Gallo told teachers about the impending termination late last week.

The teachers are holding a candlelight vigil Tuesday at 5:15 p.m. in front of the Calcutt Middle School, 112 Washington St., Central Falls. Attending the press conference and vigil will be Jane Sessums, the Central Falls Union president, Reback and Mark Bostic, northeast regional director of the AFT.

The high school is one of six struggling schools that state Education Commissioner Deborah A. Gist identified last month as needing a major overhaul. Gist said that the schools are among the bottom 5 percent of schools statewide.

Last month, Gallo said she had a plan for reforming the high school that included replacing the principal and offering more flexibility around the school schedule and the length of the school day.

A national association of state transportation departments highlights Rhode Island, Nevada, Michigan and Georgia for putting stimulus money to work quickly, creating or preserving jobs in the process.

"The reason why Rhode Island was spotlighted is because we were looking for exemplary states that can be held up as role models," said Tony Dorsey, spokesman for the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. "For a number of reasons, Rhode Island did stand out."

The association's report says that nationwide, more than 280,000 jobs on more than 12,250 projects have been paid for under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which became law a year ago this month. The association found that state transportation departments have put out to bid 77 percent of the $34.3 billion in stimulus money available.

In Rhode Island, the association found that, as of Dec. 31, the state had awarded contracts totaling $100 million dollars of the $175 million allocated under the stimulus act. Rhode Island also has received federal approval for projects totaling $149 million, including the $100 million under contract. That means 57 percent of the money has gone toward contracts that have been awarded and 85 percent toward projects that have been approved.

The association also found that, with bids running as low as 30 percent below estimates, states have been able to stretch their dollars further to fund more projects than originally anticipated.

In late January, Rhode Island's Department of Transportation announced it would add eight projects to 54 included under the stimulus program because bids here have been running 15 percent below estimates.