“It’s Not Illegal to Punch Your Sister in the Face, Is It?”

Michelle Lee Canfield, 41, of 6101 Post Rd., Unit 15 in North Kingstown was arrested Jan. 23 at 8:49 p.m. on charges of domestic assault and domestic disorderly conduct.

According to the victim (Canfield’s sister), Canfield arrived at her home uninvited and under the influence. When Canfield tried to see the woman’s infant grandchild (who was asleep at the time), the victim tried to block her, resulting in Canfield allegedly shoving her several times.

Canfield reportedly took her cell phone out and called 911, then put it in her pocket. When police responded, Canfield was standing outside and trying to get back into the house, ignoring officers entirely. According to police, she appeared to be “heavily intoxicated” and her speech was “slurred and laced with belligerence.” When officers asked her if there was any physical assault that evening, Canfield allegedly said, “Not yet. It’s not illegal to punch your sister in the face, is it?”

According to reports, Canfield owned the home but resides at 6101 Post Road.

Cranston Man Hit With Domestic Violence Charges 

John Patrick Pomeroy, 28, of 91 Oaklawn Ave., Apt. 97 in Cranston was arrested Jan. 23 at 11:30 p.m. on charges of domestic assault, domestic vandalism and domestic disorderly conduct.

According to reports, Pomeroy was under the influence and attempting to leave a family member’s home. He allegedly became angered when his car keys were taken away and threatened the family member. He reportedly began banging on the bedroom door where the victim, who had possession of his car keys, was located. Another family member arrived and was able to restrain him until police arrived. According to reports, Pomeroy attempted to attack the victim during the altercation. Officers noted that the bedroom door and a vase sustained damage from the incident.

Other Arrests... 

Jimmy Paul Lancerio, 25, of 28 Melissa St., Apt. 1 in Providence was arrested Jan. 23 at 4:30 a.m. on charges of driving without a license.

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After last month's contest to help North Kingstown Patch find a new cover photo for our Facebook page, and with the new month starting today and all, we've decided to unveil the winner.

We received many amazing submissions, many of which made us happy to call North Kingstown home. We received so many great photos that we asked our readers to help us pick a frontrunner.

After much debate, we've chosen our winner:

Congratulations to Ted Green for his wintry photo of Wickford Village!

We'll keep Ted's picture up on our Facebook page until the end of the month. 

Because we had so many great photos, many readers suggested we rotate. And we couldn't agree more! So, Ted's photo will hold court until the end of this month. Help us pick a photo for March by going back to our gallery and commenting on your favorite photo.

Oh, and if you haven't already, like our Facebook page here!

Itching to do some house hunting? Want to know what open houses are going on this weekend? Check North Kingstown Patch each week for our roundup of select open houses every weekend.

We've featured a handful of this weekend's houses here. Click here for the complete list of open houses and full look at properties for sale in North Kingstown.

If you're a local real estate agent and have open houses in North Kingstown, we'd love to feature your listings. Email Samantha Turner at Samantha.Turner@patch.com for more details.

Also, feel free to add your own listing by clicking the "upload" button!

1.  Still looking for Girl Scout cookies? Brownie Troop 965 will be selling Girl Scout cookies outside of Napa Auto Parts on Post Road this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.Troop 1280 will also be selling cookies at the Coastal Growers market tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., too!

2.  Pier Pizza is hosting a Valentine's basket raffle from Feb. 1 to 13, benefiting the North Kingstown Animal Shelter. Get the details here.

3.  Sunday Musicales 2013 opens with the Exult Choir performing excerpts from “Legends in the Mist.” Starts Sunday at 2 p.m. at the North Kingstown Free Library.

4.  Add your own events to our calendar. Get started by clicking here.

5.  Today: increasing clouds with highs near 33. Tonight: a slight chance of snow with lows around 22. Tomorrow: snow likely in the afternoon with highs near 31.

Sisterly Love

This week’s OMG PD submission from North Kingstown delves into the age-old question: is it illegal to punch your sister in the face?  One NK woman had some difficulty ascertaining the legality of assaulting her sister when she allegedly showed up to her sibling’s home uninvited and heavily intoxicated. The 41-year-old woman allegedly assaulted her sister while she was trying to get her to leave. When officers arrived, they noticed that the woman was intoxicated and her speech was “slurred and laced with belligerence.” When they asked her if a physical assault had occurred that night, she reportedly said, “Not yet. It’s not illegal to punch your sister in the face, is it?” Survey says: yeah, it’s illegal.

Plans Flushed Down the Toilet

It’s not a nickname anyone would want, but perhaps one Cranston man should’ve have chosen a different item to allegedly steal. Authorities captured the “Bathroom Bandit’  (hailing from Cranston) this week, who is suspected of stealing plumbing from several buildings and businesses in Warwick, and scrapping the metals and fixtures. In one crime alone, he allegedly made off with more than $1,500 in valves. His string of bathroom shenanigans ended when an employee at a Wendy’s noticed that the automatic flush valves were missing from the men’s bathroom. He was charged with two felony counts of larceny and seven counts of misdemeanor larceny.

Barrington Woman Arrested for Threatening to Shoot Up EP Schools

A local woman became so upset over a school rule banning cell phone use that she allegedly threatened to “shoot up” her child's school. According to reports, her son had called her using his cell phone, asking her to pick him up because he was sick. She reportedly stormed out of the East Providence school upon learning of the rules and threatened to “shoot” it up. She was arrested following a warrant over the incident. One thing police and school officials are trying to ascertain is why the woman’s son, who lives in Barrington, is attending school in East Providence.

Common Sense

When one does not have a valid license, one should only not be driving, but should also try to minimize the amount of illegal items they have on themselves. Apparently, one Woonsocket man didn’t get the memo this week when he was arrested after police discovered he was driving without a driver’s license. Making matters worse, police allegedly found not one but two illegal-sized knives in the man’s car. Oh, and they reported finding marijuana. Did we mention the cocaine? Yeah, there was allegedly cocaine in the car, too.

Two customers and three employees of Kingstown Bowl have been arrested following an investigation into a closing time fight in Jan. 6.

According to reports, three security staff employees at Kingstown Bowl were escorting out two patrons whom they feared would vandalize property as they left the establishment. Just outside the doors of KB, the five men got into an altercation.

Vincent E. Keeble, 45, of 3 Paradise Ln. in Johnston, one of the patrons, allegedly punched one of the staff members in the face. He also struck another staff member in the back of the head with a beer bottle that he retrieved from her car, reports indicate. Keeble’s friend (Mark Tuchon, 45, of 52 Pine Tree Ln. in West Greenwich) allegedly had a knife and threatened the men. One of the employees said that, as the two men fled the scene, an “unknown” man smashed out one of the car’s windows.

Due to the fact that Tuchon and Keeble went to the East Greenwich Police Department to report the incident and that the cause of the altercation could not be determined, police decided to investigate further and not arrest Tuchon and Holland. According to reports, Tuchon’s face was red and swelling from the incident. The two told East Greenwich police that they were in a verbal argument with the staff while leaving the bar around closing time and were assaulted by three members of its security staff as they attempted to leave. According to their accounts, one of the staff members hit Keeble’s car with a baseball bat and broke the window.

Tuchon also told police that  he was knocked to the ground by one of the men, but was not sure by whom as he had been under the influence that night.

After investigation, the North Kingstown Police Department charged both Tuchon and Keeble in the altercation, as well as the three security staff members. According to police, the three employees did not appear to be acting in self defense when they followed the two patrons out of the building.

• Ronald Holland, 48, of 26 Camp Ave. in North Kingstown (a Kingstown Bowl employee) was charged with two counts of assault and one count of disorderly conduct. He allegedly punched and kicked Tuchon outside the bar.
• Shedrick H. Waugh, 49, of 3900 Post Rd., Apt. 303 in Warwick (a Kingstown Bowl employee) was charged with two counts of assault and one count of disorderly conduct. Waugh allegedly admitted to slamming Tuchon into the ground and then striking him with his elbow.
• Loren P. Lundblad, 49, of 40 Bennett St. in Warwick (an employee at Kingstown Bowl) was charged with two counts of simple assault and one count of disorderly conduct. According to reports, Lunblad admitted to police that he restrained Tuchon while on a bench and he punched Keeble in the jaw before putting him into his car.
• Mark Tuchon, 45, of 52 Pine Tree Ln. in West Greenwich was charged with two counts of felony assault and one count of disorderly conduct. Tuchon allegedly brandished a knife in close proximity to two staffers and was reportedly intoxicated.
• Vincent E. Keeble, 45, of 3 Paradise Ln. in Johnston was charged with felony assault with a dangerous weapon and one count of disorderly conduct. Keeble allegedly hit an employee over the head with a beer bottle.

1.  The North Kingstown School Committee meets Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the high school. Superintendent Phil Auger will be presenting proposed budget cuts for the upcoming year. Check the full agenda here.

2.  According to Punxsutawney Phil, spring is on the way and with it spring soccer. The North Kingstown Soccer Association is starting its registration for its spring soccer program. Find out more here.

3.  Pier Pizza is hosting a Valentine's basket raffle from Feb. 1 to 13, benefiting the North Kingstown Animal Shelter. Get the details here.

4.  Add your own events to our calendar. Get started by clicking here.

5.  Today: mostly sunny with highs near 35. Tonight: a slight chance of snow showers with mostly cloudy skies and lows around 20. Tomorrow: a slight chance of snow showers before 8 a.m. then mostly sunny with highs near 32.

A contract that would have brought North Kingstown firefighters back to their original work schedules has been shot down unanimously by the North Kingstown Town Council. 

The council and Local 1651, the North Kingstown firefighters' union, returned to the bargaining table following the ruling of Superior Court Judge Brian Stern, who ordered the town to "unring the bell" and nix the 24-hour shift schedule for the firefighters, back in December.

In January 2011, the council approved a new ordinance that moved the fire department from 10- and 14-hour shifts to 24-hour shifts, reduced the number of platoons from four to three and increased the work week from 42 to 56 hours while reducing their hourly pay.  According to Stern, the town violated the town charter and state laws by making these unilateral changes without first negotiating or winning via arbitration. In fact, in 2011 the town's proposal for 24-hour shifts was shot down by an arbitration board that stated that North Kingstown financial situation "does not mandate such a drastic change."

For the past month, both sides have been working toward a tentative contract. Union officials and the fire department voted in favor of the agreement and sent it on to the council. At its meeting early Saturday morning, the council unanimously voted to veto the agreement after Councilor Kerry McKay made the motion to deny it.

The council unanimously instructed the negotiating team to return to the bargaining table with a counter offer to the fire union that is "fair to the firefighters and is in the best interest of the North Kingstown taxpayers."

In his ruling, Stern issued a stay of order, which is set to expire this week. The court-ordered return is scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 7.

Want to be emailed when we post an update to this story? Click the "Keep me Posted" button below.

To the editor,

What is going on between the Town of North Kingstown and the North Kingstown Fire Department? Relations have been bad for the last year when the Town Council forced the firefighters to work 24 hour shifts but things could have changed for the better this week. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen.

The first thing that happened was that the Town Council took up the issue of the new fireboat again. Last year the previous council, of which I was a member, took up the issue during several meetings. The fire department obtained a homeland security grant of $830,000 to purchase a new boat. Our council voted to approve the purchase after several meetings and discussion and the boat was ordered.

One person emailed the council after discussions and voting to question the need for the boat. The fire department has a multi-faceted job on the water when called to service. They can fight fires, conduct medical rescues and search and rescue to name a few. We want them to be prepared with the right equipment. Councilman Dick Welch is quoted in the Standard Times as saying “I am not trying to second guess what the council did before….”He is then quoted as saying “I don’t understand the need for it….” Councilman Welch, I would say that is questioning the last council. Fire Chief Fenwick Gardiner has given the council assurances as to maintenance and manning the vessel but they are still wavering. Assistant Town Solicitor Don Maroney has said that if this council reverses itself they could open the town to liability for work already done on the boat in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Last night I was reading online that the Town Council had again reversed itself in regards to the fire department in terms of a contract. I was glad to read that the town and the fire department were negotiating for a new contract. That was a positive move after all of the legal wrangling, lawyers' bills, arbitration and ill-advised and illegal ordinance changes designed to wreak havoc on the fire department.  This all came after Judge Brian Stern had ordered the Town to reinstate the firefighters to their original shift last month.

Both sides had apparently hammered out a contract and it was set for a vote within the fire union on Friday. The fire union voted to approve the pact on Friday and then in an unbelievable move Saturday, the council voted 5-0 to reject the contract. My understanding is that there were handshakes between both sides after negotiations ended and the town manager signed the agreement.

Back to my original question. What is going on between the Town of North Kingstown and the North Kingstown Fire Department? What should have happened is that the council moved on the other pressing business rather than revisit the boat issue. They could have just thanked the firefighters for their work in obtaining this grant as well as the many other grants they obtained in the last year to offset costs to the tax payers.

Going back to the end of 2011 when the town's labor lawyer, Dan Kinder, presented an idea to the council to force the firefighters to work a 24-hour shift I said it was wrong. I told the council it violated collective bargaining, it would be costly to the town in terms of litigation and cause long term hard feelings with the fire department. All of that has happened. After Judge Stern came out with his original decision I asked the council to reverse their decision in August 2012 because they were violating Judge Stern's order and I was again out voted. In December 2012 Judge Stern told them to “unring the bell” as to wages, hours or work and other conditions of employment. He also ordered the town to put the firefighters back on their original schedule.

This has gone far enough. This council had an agreement with the fire department that by my reading could have saved taxpayers $1 million dollars in terms of the liability Judge Stern said may exist. I think it is time for this council to start dealing fairly with the fire department. The move they made to force the 24-hour shift has been a complete disaster. It has not saved the town money as the Republicans said it would. It has cost us hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal expenses and yet here we are. If you think the council should do the right thing, please email them as towncouncil@northkingstown.org.

Chuck Brennan

North Kingstown resident

One month into the General Assembly's 2013 session, things haven't changed very much from this point two years ago, according to Sen. Dawson Hodgson (R-Dist. 35). 

"We’re about a month in, we’ve only had one or two calendars since inauguration day," Hodgson said, referring to days in which there's formal action on a bill. "This is the time of year when we show up and there’s no bill pending, there’s no votes ... on state business."

Hodgson said inaction on same-sex marriage is one reason for the Senate's seeming "lack of urgency."

"Whether you support same sex marriage or oppose it … these are deeply held motiviations and they are profound on both sides. For my colleagues who are deeply engaged on this issue on both sides, they deserve to see if it put to a vote," said Hodgson.

"If it passes, it passes. If it fails, it fails. And then we can truly address the economy," he said. "Right now everything seems like it’s in limbo."

Hodgson said he was confident about Senate bill S-154, which he filed last week. It calls for an audio or video recording of all committee hearings, debates and votes to be placed on the legislative website for three years.

"Citizens deserve to know how their laws are being made, and it is often difficult for them to accommodate their work schedules to the General Assembly's unique calendar patterns," he said in a press release. "Posting these deliberations online allows our constituents to see firsthand what forces are shaping legislation."

The bill has 21 co-sponsors, a majority of the Senate and has been referred to the Committee on Special Legislation.

Andrew Rios, 41, of California, was sentenced Friday in U.S. District Court to 15.5 years in federal prison on drug trafficking charges, in connection with the seizure of 65 kilos of cocaine and more than $1.2 million in cash in North Kingstown in 2011.

U.S District Court Judge William E. Smith also ordered Rios to serve 5 years of supervised release upon completion of his prison term. Rios pleaded guilty on Oct. 1, 2012, to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and one count of possessing with the intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine.

Two other defendants who were arrested with Rios previously pleaded guilty to trafficking charges and have been sentenced to lengthy federal prison sentences.  Armando Saucedo, 33, of California, was sentenced on Nov. 1, 2012, to 156 months in prison; Adilson A. Reyes, 31, of Utah, was sentenced Nov. 5, 2012, to 135 months in prison.

Beginning in September 2010, federal, state and local law enforcement agents, working in conjunction with the Rhode Island Attorney General’s office, developed information about the trafficking of cocaine from outside of Rhode Island into the state. As a result, law enforcement monitored activity at hotels in West Greenwich and Pawtucket, at a storage facility in North Kingstown, and several vehicles. In January 2011, law enforcement agents executed court authorized searches of the storage facility in North Kingstown and of two vehicles. 65 kilos of cocaine, $1.2 million in cash and a firearm were seized.

The cases were prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sandra R. Hebert and Paul F. Daly, Jr.

Narragansett Woman Charged With Shoplifting 

Tabatha Ghazal, 20, of 19 Redwood Drive in Narragansett was arrested Jan. 24 at 2:15 p.m. on charges of shoplifting from Kohl’s.

According to reports, Ghazal attempted to steal multiple bras and panties from the store. During processing at the North Kingstown Police Department, officers found a fake ID in Ghazal’s purse. 

NK Woman Charged With Domestic Assault

Kerry Lee Ohler, 42, of 395 Annaquatucket Rd. in North Kingstown was arrested Jan. 26 at 12:09 a.m. on charges of domestic assault, domestic disorderly conduct and domestic vandalism.

Ohler allegedly assaulted her boyfriend after the two got into an argument over their children. According to reports, Ohler told police that she instigated the fight by shoving the man first, prompting him to in turn shove her. During the altercation, a picture frame fell from the wall and broke. According to the victim, the argument began around 6 p.m. Ohler was arrested and released on $1,000 personal recognizance.

NK Man Charged With Felony Assault 

William P. Pardee, 25, of 36 Knollwood Cir. in North Kingstown was arrested Jan. 27 at 3:15 a.m. on charges of domestic disorderly conduct and a felony charge of domestic assault (his third offense).

According to reports, Pardee arrived home intoxicated with a few friends and woke up his father and other family members who were asleep at the time. When his father went to confront him, Pardee allegedly punched him in the head. The victim drove to the Shell Station down the road to call police and, when officers arrived, they noted that the area around his right ear was swelling and bruised.

At the police station, Pardee allegedly began punching the cell door. Pardee was arrested as a parole violator and remanded to the ACI.

Felony Pot Charges 

Matthew Young, 27, of 4 State Street, Apt. M in North Kingstown was arrested Jan. 27 at 10:15 p.m. on charges of driving in possession of a controlled substance and a felony charge of possession of marijuana.

Police pulled Young over for a broken tail light and allegedly smelled marijuana coming from inside the car. After searching the vehicle, an officer found a bag of marijuana in the car’s center console. Young is facing a felony charge for possession due to a prior possession charge back in 2010.

Other Arrests...

Jimmy Saul Lancerio, 25, of 28 Melissa St., Apt. 1 in Providence was arrested Jan. 23 at 4:30 a.m. on charges

David Eugene Robinson, 55, of 1105 Tower Hill Rd., Apt. 11 in North Kingstown was arrested Jan. 25 at 12:52 p.m. following a bench warrant for his arrest.

Lauren Ashley Stamant, 20, of 58  Hoyt Street in Warwick was arrested Jan. 24 at 10:30 p.m. on charges of driving with a suspended license.

1.  Today's Business Educating Business seminar series at the North Kingstown Chamber of Commerce has been postponed until March 5.

2.  The North Kingstown School Committee meets tonight at 7 p.m. at the high school. Superintendent Phil Auger will be presenting proposed budget cuts for the upcoming year. Check the full agenda here.

3.  Attention local businesses: do you have any Valentine's Day specials brewing? If you have special discounts, gifts, etc., we want to help you get the word out! Leave us a comment below (or shoot us an email at northkingstown@patch.com) with the details!

4.  Another great way to connect with us is through our Facebook. Get NK's news stories right on your newsfeed. Like us here!

5.  Today: a chance of snow showers with cloudy skies and highs near 31. Tonight: a chance of snow showers with lows around 24. Tomorrow: a chance of snow showers in the morning with otherwise partly sunny skies and highs near 39.

A Providence teacher caused a scene as officers attempted to remove her from Seven Moons restaurant in North Kingstown, racking up a bevy of charges.

Jane E. O'Connell, 49, of 203 Shirley Drive in Charlestown assaulted two officers during the incident that began at Seven Moons on Feb. 2 around 9 p.m. According to reports, police arrived at the restaurant after a patron called to report that an intoxicated woman had fallen off a stool at the bar and was incoherent and unable to speak. The concerned caller told police that restaurant staff refused to call for an ambulance, so she called 911 herself.

Officers entered the restaurant and were greeted by O'Connell who asked them what they wanted and began cursing at them. According to reports, she smelled of alcohol and had difficulty standing, holding on to bar stools to keep her balance.

While officers were trying to calm O'Connell down, another patron directed them to the woman who had fallen off the bar stool, who was O'Connell's friend. As officers tried to talk to the woman, O'Connell continued to yell and swear at officers.

Officers attempted to move her to another part of the bar, causing her to allegedly yell, "[Expletive] you, my brother's a cop." O'Connell continued to curse loudly throughout the restaurant, disturbing patrons (including children).

When officers tried to place her under arrest, she began to pull her arms away from them and spin her body and continued screaming. Outside, she continued to be "combative and cooperative," reports indicate, and refused to get into the police cruiser. Officers were finally able to get her into handcuffs after getting her on the ground. Police had to use two sets of handcuffs due to her size.

During the scuffle, she allegedly kicked an officer in the thigh. Once inside the cruiser, she began yelling, "I'm going to kill all you cops" while kicking the inside of the door.

O'Connell didn't settle down once she got to the police station. Officers had to pull her out of the cruiser after she refused to do so on her own. As they led her inside the building, O'Connell allegedly went limp and began to fall forward. One officer lunged forward to try to prevent her from striking the ground and ended up striking his head against a concrete wall. It was later determined that the officer sustained a concussion.

Police allegedly had to carry O'Connell into the building. She continued to be uncooperative during processing and during her arraignment. She was released on $5,000 personal recognizance.

O'Connell faces two counts of simple assault, one count of disorderly conduct, one count of resisting arrest and one count of obstructing an officer in execution of duty.

O'Connell's friend, along with the injured officer, were both brought to the hospital for treatment. 

NARRAGANSETT - About an hour after he received a standing ovation from residents, the Narragansett Town Council voted 3-2 to essentially remove interim town manager Dean Hoxsie from the position.

In his place, the council appointed Richard Kerbel as interim manager, which elicited a mixture of surprise and laments from the crowd of about 80 that stayed until the end of Monday night's meeting. Kerbel served as town manager in North Kingstown for 13 years.

As councilors hastily voted to adjourn the meeting moments after the vote, one person from the stunned crowd yelled, “You should be ashamed,” which was preceded and followed by murmuring and light booing.

The appointment is contingent on Kerbel reaching agreement on a contract with the town, but that appears to be a formality based on comments by the council and Kerbel's presence at Monday's meeting.

Kerbel did not speak at Monday’s meeting.

Councilors James Callaghan, Susan Cicilline-Buonanno and Douglas McLaughlin voted in favor of Kerbel, with Glenna Hagopian and Matthew Mannix voting against. McLaughlin was the only councilor to not speak about his or her vote.

At Monday’s meeting, residents questioned everything from Kerbel’s qualifications for the job and past work history, to the timing and manner in which Hoxsie was being replaced, to why the town was hiring another interim town manager instead of choosing one of four candidates suggested by a search committee.

Regarding a full-time and permanent manager hire, Callaghan said that the council could not unanimously agree on one candidate, which was a sticking point for at least one candidate for the job.

Mannix said he was frustrated with that hiring process, which was conducted in executive session. He shed some light on it, mentioning that he was holding back some details in an attempt to not violate the bylaws of executive sessions.

“Hoxsie was a finalist, along with three others,” he said, adding that Hoxsie initially didn’t qualify for the town manager job.

“The committee members clearly chose to override the qualifications [for the job],” he said. “I consistently told people that I was going to keep an open mind … As I evaluated candidates, it became clear that Chief Hoxsie was qualified for this opening.”

He added, “Sometimes in life and politics, the facts on the ground change, and we have to be nimble to adjust to those changes.”

In discussing Kerbel’s interest and qualifications for the job, both Callaghan and Mannix noted that he was not one of the four candidates for the full-time manager spot, nor was he in the batch of 100 candidates screened by a search committee.

“I had heard his name before, through my wife,” Callaghan said, mentioning that although she had worked with him in North Kingstown, he did not consider it a conflict. Callaghan added that he had reached out to two former North Kingstown councilors, and he was confident Kerbel would do a good job.

According to Kerbel’s resume, which was provided before Monday’s meeting on ClerkBase, he most recently served as the interim town manager of Bridgewater, MA from April 2012 to December 2012, and he is a lecturer at Brown. He is a resident of North Kingstown.

Prior to his job in Bridgewater, Kerbel was the interim finance director of Providence from January 2011 to September 2011, and the city’s director of administration from January 2008 to January 2011.

Before his positions in Providence, Kerbel was town manager of Coventry from August 2006 to August 2007, and of North Kingstown from July 1993 to July 2006.

However, Kerbel’s work in Providence drew the most criticism from members of the crowd, with several citing articles from The Providence Journal suggesting that Kerbel was part of the problem in underestimating a huge budget gap created by then-Mayor David Cicilline.

Several residents also questioned whether Callaghan and Cicilline-Buonanno could even vote on Monday’s motion to replace Hoxsie, claiming that both had conflicts of interest.

However, Cicilline-Buonanno said that even though Kerbel worked for several years for her brother, she had never met the man before Monday.

“I’m embarrassed, I feel a little accused of having met him,” she said. “I want to do the right thing for the town, and I think he’ll do a great job … I think we need to get on with the business of the town, and we need a manager to settle that.”

Meg Rogers, the head of the town’s Republican committee, chastised councilors for putting aside the work of its search committee for the town manager job.

“It defies credulity that in just a few weeks, you have done the work that took the selection committee months,” she said. “The process that brings this candidate here tonight doesn’t pass the smell test.”

The council did not advertise the interim town manager position, which most likely pays out at a similar rate to a full-time manager – about $150,000 per year, depending on the level of experience of the candidate and their workload for the town.

Since Hoxsie was also serving as police chief in addition to town manager, with additional pay for his new duties, presumably the hiring of Kerbel would lead to additional expenses for the town.

Mannix said that he didn’t understand the rush to replace Hoxsie.

“I’m not in favor of replacing one interim manager with another,” he said. “The process regarding this choice? Rushed … I think Chief Hoxsie can remain in his position and I see no rush to remove him.”

Hagopian spoke in support of Hoxsie, both for the full-time and interim job.

“I can’t remember another point in my tenure when I didn’t receive one complaint about something in town,” she said. “Unfortunately, this council appears to want to go in a different direction.”

She added, “I can’t support hiring a new interim town manager … I just think this is more dirty politics.”

In support of Kerbel, Callaghan mentioned that the search for a new manager had hit a “plateau,” and he felt that the town needed someone with more of a financial background than Hoxsie.

“He has crafted budgets and negotiated contracts for decades,” Callaghan said of Kerbel. “If appointed, I think he will do a fine job.”

Regarding the selection of Kerbel as a candidate, Callaghan said, “If it doesn’t work out, then there’s no one to blame but me. I alone contacted him … Obviously, this is a very hard choice, and it strikes a nerve in the town.”

Citing an unnamed source, Rogers claimed that the parents of Callaghan had put forward Kerbel as a candidate to replace Hoxsie. She said the actions Monday night were attempting to capitalize on the unpopular decision by Hagopian and the previous council to replace the previous town manager.

If the council is unable to reach a contract agreement with Kerbel, presumably, Hoxsie would be retained as the interim town manager. However, this and other contingencies were not discussed at Monday’s meeting.

In June 2012, the previous town council voted to accept a severance package agreed upon with Town Manager Grady Miller by a 4-1 margin, in effect firing him.

The September election saw McLaughlin, Callaghan and Mannix take the seats of two of the “yes” votes, David Crook and Alisa Trainor Fleet. Former councilor Christopher Wilkens, who voted for the package in order to avoid a court case as opposed to any dissatisfaction with Miller, ran unsuccessfully for a state office.

Miller, thanks to accrued vacation and sick time, and his severance agreement reached with the town, is being paid through April 2013.

After Kerbel was selected at Monday’s meeting, it was quickly adjourned. There was no talk amongst council members of what the next step will be in hiring a full-time manager.

Resident Carol Stuart said she wasn’t sure what the council’s plan was going forward.

“Where do you go from here? Is he going to be here for three months, six months, if he’s approved? What’s the future?”

She added, “I think you have a terrible dilemma on your hands. I just wish you well.”

The 24-hour shift for North Kingstown's firefighters may be no more by the end of the weekend. On Monday, Superior Court Judge Brian Stern has ordered town officials to return the North Kingstown Fire Department to its previous hours and salaries by Feb. 11.

In January 2012, the North Kingstown Town Council passed an ordinance mandating 24-hour shifts for the town's firefighters, increasing the work week from 42 to 56 hours, eliminating one platoon and decreasing firefighters' hourly wages. The new ordinance was implemented in March 2012 and, since then, the town and fire union (Local 1651) have been embroiled in a series of court battles.

Back in December 2012, Judge Stern ordered the town to "unring the bell," stating that the council did not have the right to make those unilateral changes to the fire department after losing the issue in arbitration a year before. 

According to Local 1651 Union President Ray Furtado, these changes have put a burden on the town's firefighters, forcing some to work double shifts due to understaffing. In statements to The Hummel Report, Furtado said that the down is liable for approximately $1.3 million in damages and backpay since the 24-hour shift went into effect in March.

Following Stern's order to "unring the bell," both sides returned to the bargaining table to renegotiate. A tentative agreement was ratified by the union, but was vetoed unanimously by the council over the weekend. 

Check back for updates on this story.

The following obituary was provided by Urquhart-Murphy Funeral Home.

John Ambrose of North Kingstown passed away Thurs., Jan 31, leaving behind his wife Constance E. (Fuller). He was 84 years old.

Born in Providence, the son of the late John and Celestia (Dresser) Ambrose, he resided in West Warwick prior to moving to North Kingstown. Ambrose was an electrical engineer until his retirement and during World War II served in the US Navy. He enjoyed his role as a squaredance caller.

Besides his wife, he leaves his loving daughters Cindy-Lee King of North Kingstown and Wendy A. Luongo of West Warwick, his eight grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren. He was the father of the late Leslie Gebhart and brother of the late Frances Gardiner and Thelma Stealman. His funeral will be private. 

This story was updated at 6:30 p.m.

The driver in the fatal Route 4 crash last September that killed Sullynette Sanchez, 23, will not face criminal charges, according to the lawyer for Sanchez's fiance. Sanchez was 8 months pregnant at the time of the accident; the baby was delivered by C-section, but died two weeks later.

"He’s been given traffic tickets, basically," said Joseph Ballirano, lawyer for Stephen Bustamante, Sanchez's fiance, and Sanchez's parents. Ballirano said the driver, Benjamin Servideo, 24, of Newport, was cited for conditions requiring reduced speed, failing to maintain control of his car, and not keeping the proper amount of space between vehicles.

"The police believe the motorist was going 58 [mph] at the time of the collision," Ballirano said. He confirmed that the police report said Servideo had been reaching for his wallet at the time of the crash. "The family was hoping that the police would consider that the actions of the driver were recklessly indifferent."

The Rhode Island State Police released a statement at 5 p.m. Tuesday, which included this exerpt:

"The State Police Accident Reconstruction Unit conducted an extensive and thorough investigation to determine the cause of the crash. Through numerous investigative techniques they found that narcotics and/or alcohol were not factors in the crash. With the assistance of the Rhode Island Attorney General’s Office, it was determined that the crash did not rise to the level of criminal recklessness, and therefore, no criminal charges will be brought against the operator at this time. 

“Colonel Steven G. O’Donnell stated, 'Our thoughts and prayers are with the victim’s family. We recognize that this is not the outcome they may have expected, but the evidence gathered through several investigative techniques did not rise to the level of probable cause to move forward with a prosecution.'”

"He took everything from me and he’ll just get a traffic ticket. He killed two people," said Bustamante, who said Servideo had not reached out to him or Sanchez's parents. "They say he was trying to get his wallet. Is a wallet that important?"

Here are earlier stories about the accident:

Pregnant Woman Killed In Route 4 Crash

Driver In Fatal Route 4 Accident May Have Been Distracted

Baby Delivered After Crash Survives

Fundraisers Spring Up For Baby Of Crash Victim Sully Sanchez

'Good Samaritans' In Route 4 Fatal Accident Surface

Obituary: Sullynette Sanchez, 23

1.  Getting cabin fever? Head down to Yawgoo Valley this Thursday for Friends of Homeless Animals' "Snow Tubing With Terriers." This family-friendly evening includes hot chocolate, raffle prizes and even adoptable dogs. Click here to learn more!

2.  Stop by the North Kingstown Free Library this Friday evening for the Mixed Magic Theatre's production "Fate Comes Knocking," an original play which views the life and times of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Starts at 7 p.m. Learn more and register by clicking here.

3. Attention local businesses: do you have any Valentine's Day specials brewing? If you have special discounts, gifts, etc., we want to help you get the word out! Leave us a comment below (or shoot us an email at northkingstown@patch.com) with the details!

4.  Another great way to connect with us is through our Facebook. Get NK's news stories right on your newsfeed. Like us here!

5.  Today: a chance of snow in the morning before becoming sunny with highs near 41. Tonight: clear with lows around 18. Tomorrow: increasing clouds with highs near 30.