Twenty-five years after the attacks that changed the country forever, Massachusetts’ official 9/11 memorial in Fall River will once again become a place of remembrance.

Battleship Cove will mark the 25th anniversary with its annual Rite of Reflection from 8:30 to 10 a.m. Friday, Sept. 11, bringing together local public safety officials, families, and community members to remember those who were lost.

This year’s ceremony will include honor guards, local public safety officials, live music, a wreath-laying, and a 21-gun salute from the USS Massachusetts. Doves will also be released as a symbol of peace.

Darlene Tetreault, president and founder of the South Coast Nurse Honor Guard, will serve as this year’s guest speaker.

For Battleship Cove’s Chief Operating Officer Christopher Nardi, who has been with the organization for more than 30 years, the ceremony is one a commitment he takes seriously.

“It’s a very solemn responsibility. People have expectations. We feel very honored to be the site for that memorial,” he said.

A 36-year-old man is facing charges in Fall River. 

It's alleged Ryan Pavao assaulted two convenience store clerks, threatened them with a knife, and stole 285-dollars. 

Police said it happened around 10:20 Monday night at Mama G's on Rodman Street. 

Pavao is charged with armed robbery, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and intimidation.  

It’s been 25 years since the U.S. was the target of a coordinated terrorist attack that killed thousands.

The September 11, 2001, tragedy marks one of the darkest days in the country’s history.

Local victims who were lost that day include:

• David Lawrence Angell, a Barrington native, and his wife Lynn were passengers on American Airlines Flight 11 en route to California.
• Carol Marie Bouchard, of Warwick, was an emergency room secretary at Kent Hospital. She was traveling on Flight 11 to Las Vegas with her friend, Renee Newell.
• Mark Lawrence Charette was born and raised in Warwick. He worked as an insurance broker at Marsh & McLennan in New Jersey. He was at a meeting at Marsh’s offices in the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001.
• James Edward Hayden, 47, native of Pawtucket, was on United Flight 175.
• Amy Nicole Jarret, 28, of North Smithfield, was a flight attendant on United Airlines Flight 175.
• Kathryn L. LaBorie, 44, of Providence, was a flight attendant on United Airlines Flight 175.
• Renee Tetreault Newell was traveling to Las Vegas with Carol Bouchard on Flight 11.
• Jessica Leigh Sachs, 23, a native of Rhode Island, was on Flight 11.
• Shawn M. Nassaney, of Pawtucket, was aboard Flight 175 with Lynn Goodchild for a getaway trip to Hawaii.
• Peter Gay, 54, a native of Taunton, was on one of his weekly commutes to California as the vice president of Raytheon.
• Lynn Goodchild, of Attleboro, was aboard Flight 175 with Shawn Nassaney for a getaway trip to Hawaii.
• Rev. Francis E Grogan, 76, was the superior of the Holy Cross residence in North Dartmouth when he was killed in the crash of United Flight 175.
• Dianne Snyder of Westport, Mass., was a flight attendant on American Airlines Flight 11.

See more at wpri.com.

Police have arrested a New Bedford woman accused of shooting and killing another man at a Taunton house party last weekend.

Sienna Barboza, 25, was taken into custody Wednesday in connection with the shooting that happened early Sunday morning, according to Bristol County District Attorney Thomas Quinn III.

Officers rushed to a Weir Street home around 12:30 a.m. after receiving reports of a shooting with several victims.

In total, eight victims were rushed to nearby hospitals for treatment. Quinn said that one of those victims, identified as 22-year-old Zirovick Depina, died from his injuries several hours later at the hospital.

Quinn said the remaining victims, who are all in their 20s, are expected to survive. Investigators believe the shooting happened during a gathering in the yard outside of the residence.

Barboza has been charged with murder and seven counts of assault with intent to murder. She is expected to face a judge Thursday morning.

See more at wpri.com.

Swansea remains committed to supporting the annual Toys for Tots campaign, despite concerns surrounding the nonprofit’s use of the Nike Site Road facility.

Swansea Town Administrator Mitchell Ruscitti confirmed that Toys for Tots has not been canceled this year. He also emphasized that the town has repeatedly worked to ensure Toys for Tots can continue operating safely and successfully.

Ruscitti explained that the town has allowed Toys for Tots to use the facility at no cost to organize its holiday drive each year.

However, he said the town has faced “repeated issues with the Swansea Independent Baseball League’s use of the property.”

“These issues have included vandalism, unauthorized access and use of the property, locks being cut or replaced, and town employees being prevented from entering facilities,” Ruscitti said.

In response to these issues, Ruscitti said the town has asked Toys for Tots to sign a facility-use agreement that’s consistent with other nonprofits.

“This administrative requirement allows the town to schedule use of the property, control access, and ensure activities are conducted safely,” he continued. “The town remains ready to provide access to the Nike Site once Toys for Tots completes the facility-use agreement.”

The town has also offered the Council on Aging building on Ocean Grove Avenue as an alternative location for the holiday drive, according to Ruscitti.

“The town supports the incredible work done by Toys for Tots and wants its campaign to succeed,” Ruscitti said. “We are ready to move forward. The suggestion that the town is placing this toy drive in jeopardy is simply not accurate.”

The clarification comes after Toys for Tots made a post about the dispute on social media late last month.

See more at wpri.com.

The defense attorney for Lindsay Clancy said in an interview Wednesday he will ask for the case to be thrown out after hearing from some of the jurors.

Kevin Reddington, during an appearance on “CBS Mornings,” said he will file a motion to dismiss on “double jeopardy grounds.”

“It will be a motion to dismiss based on what’s called double jeopardy grounds, because there’s no … manifest necessity,” he claimed during the interview.

Clancy is facing murder charges in the deaths of her three young children, Cora, Dawson and Callan. A five-week trial ended in a mistrial after the jury failed to come to a unanimous verdict after seven days of deliberation.

Prosecutors argued Clancy planned to kill her children and knew what she was doing, while Reddington argued Clancy was suffering from postpartum psychosis and not criminally responsible for her actions.

The jury, made up of nine women and three men, was split 11 to 1 in favor of finding Clancy not guilty by reason of insanity, according to the jury foreperson Roni Carlson.

In an interview, Carlson reiterated a note sent to the judge saying a juror was not following the rules on reasonable doubt. She stated the juror had expressed he had doubts about the case, but still would not find her not guilty by reason of insanity.

Reddington asked the judge to dismiss the juror on the grounds he made statements acknowledging doubt but would not apply it to the verdict as the law says must be done.

Judge William Sullivan denied the motion, as well as a request to question jurors further on the matter.

Reddington is arguing the mistrial was not necessary

because Sullivan could have questioned the juror further, and that is why the case should be dismissed.

It is not clear how likely Reddington is to succeed in getting the case dismissed, as double jeopardy does not typically apply in a mistrial. On Tuesday, Reddington also publicly asked President Trump to consider pardoning Clancy.

See more at wpri.com.

A 21-year-old man has died after a crash in New Bedford Friday night.

Crews responded to the intersection of Walnut and S. Sixth streets just before 10 p.m. for a report of a crash involving a Saturn Sedan and a motorcycle.

The motorcyclist, identified as Anthony Navarro Rodriguez, was found on the ground with significant injuries.

He was transported to St. Luke’s Hospital and then airlifted to Rhode Island Hospital in critical condition, according to police. He was pronounced dead on Saturday.

The driver of the Sedan remained on scene and was not injured.

See more at wpri.com.

Police are investigating after a man was shot and killed at a house party in Taunton early Sunday morning, according to Bristol County District Attorney Thomas Quinn III.

Officers rushed to a Weir Street home around 12:30 a.m. after receiving reports of a shooting with several victims.

Quinn said eight victims were rushed to nearby hospitals for treatment. He added that one of those victims, identified as 22-year-old Zirovick Depina, died from his injuries several hours later at the hospital.

The remaining victims, who Quinn said are all in their 20s, are expected to survive. Quinn said one of the victims remains in serious condition and the rest are being treated for injuries that do not appear to be life-threatening.

Investigators believe the shooting happened during a gathering in the yard outside of the residence.

It’s unclear if anyone is in custody at this time.

See more at wpri.com.

A painter suffered a serious injury while working at a supermarket in Fall River early Friday morning, according to police.

Officers were called to the Stop & Shop off Mariano Bishop Boulevard just before 4:30 a.m. to help first responders with a medical emergency.

Police said a 58-year-old man was painting inside the grocery store when he fell and hit his head.

He reportedly was taken to Rhode Island Hospital for treatment of injuries described as “serious in nature.”

See more at wpri.com.

A judge in the Lindsay Clancy murder trial declared a mistrial Friday after jurors failed to reach a verdict in a case that sharply divided many Americans over whether the Massachusetts woman should be criminally responsible for killing her three young children.

The trial generated intense interest for weeks, drawing attention to maternal mental health after childbirth.

Clancy, a 36-year-old former labor and delivery nurse, never disputed that she killed the children. But her attorney said she had a rare condition called postpartum psychosis when she strangled her kids — the youngest just 8 months old — then tried to take her own life in 2023.

Prosecutors said Clancy knew what she was doing.

Friday’s mistrial, on the seventh day of deliberations, leaves the case unresolved. In the end, the decision seemed to surprise no one in the courtroom. Neither Clancy nor her family showed emotion as the judge announced the trial was ending without a resolution.

Clancy remains charged with murder and is expected to stay at a psychiatric hospital until her case is resolved.

See more at wpri.com.

Police are investigating a head-on crash involving a school bus that happened in Somerset Thursday afternoon.

Officers rushed to Brayton Point Road just before 3 p.m. after receiving several 911 calls regarding a crash involving a car and school bus.

No students on the bus were injured, according to police.

Investigators believe the driver fell asleep at the wheel and crashed into the school bus. The driver was brought to a nearby hospital to be treated for minor injuries.

Somerset Superintendent Jeffrey Schoonover told 12 News 11 middle school students were on the bus at the time. He also confirmed the bus driver was not injured.

Schoonover said the students were brought to Somerset Middle School by a different bus and reunited with their families.

See more at wpri.com.

New Bedford Police Chief Jason Thody has recommended firing two officers following the completion of internal affairs investigations stemming from an extensive audit of the department’s automated license plate reader use.

During a press conference Thursday morning, city officials unveiled the outcomes of those investigations, which concluded that Officer Emily Pacheco and Sgt. James Marinelli violated multiple policies by misusing ALPR technology.

Thody ordered a comprehensive audit and procedural review of the department’s Flock Safety system on July 31. That same day, investigators identified activity by Pacheco that indicated possible unauthorized access, and she was immediately suspended, according to Thody.

Last month, New Bedford paused the use of its Flock cameras after a woman accused her ex-girlfriend, Pacheco, of using the system to follow her. Pacheco was subsequently put on paid administrative leave and a civil restraining order will remain in place until February 2027.

The investigation into Pacheco reportedly revealed a vast pattern of misconduct. Thody said she repeatedly used department resources to obtain information about a former romantic partner and that person’s new partner.

See more at wpri.com.

A woman is being charged with aggravated intimidation of a witness in the Lindsay Clancy trial. 

Dawn Light was arrested on Tuesday while sitting in her car and allegedly recording jurors.  Her parking spot provided a view of the door being used by jurors, whose identities are being kept secret under court order. 

Light allegedly told State Police she only wanted to see Clancy, but when officers checked her phone, they discovered video of jurors. 

She pleaded not guilty Wednesday and her attorney calls the incident a misunderstanding.

The Lindsay Clancy murder trial ended its fifth day without a verdict. 

The panel again told Judge William Sullivan it couldn't reach a unanimous decision.  Sullivan issued a special instruction urging jurors to reconsider their positions. 

Jurors have deliberated for nearly 30 hours and will return Thursday morning. 

Clancy has admitted to killing her three children, but argues she is not criminally responsible due to her postpartum psychosis.

A man charged in connection with a New Bedford church assault has been ordered to undergo mental health evaluations following a courtroom outburst.

Jose Nascimento, 59, is accused of punching and striking a priest with a beer can at Mount Carmel Church earlier this week. His initial arraignment was postponed after he began shouting profanities and had to be escorted out of court Tuesday.

On Wednesday, a judge ordered Nascimento to be further examined at Bridgewater State Hospital for a 20-day period. According to an expert opinion, he lacked behavioral control and an understanding of the events that were happening at the time.

Nascimento is expected back to appear in court again later this month.

See more at wpri.com.

Under blue skies and framed by one of Fall River’s most recognizable landmarks, dignitaries from both sides of the Atlantic joined local leaders and community members Aug. 31 to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Portas da Cidade, also known as Gates of the City, honoring a monument that has become a lasting symbol of immigration, cultural pride and the enduring relationship between Fall River and the Azores.

The ceremony brought together former Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, Azores Regional Government President Jose? Manuel Bolieiro, Ponta Delgada Vice-Mayor Pedro Furtado, state and local officials, community leaders and members of the Portuguese-American community to reflect on two decades since the replica of Ponta Delgada’s iconic Portas da Cidade was dedicated on Fall River’s waterfront.

Throughout the event, speakers returned to a common theme: the monument represents far more than stone and architecture. Instead, they said, it stands as a powerful reminder of generations of immigrants who crossed the Atlantic, established families and businesses, and helped shape both Fall River and southeastern New England while preserving their connection to the Azores.

See more at heraldnews.com.

Voting on Election Day will take place from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 1, at polling locations across Greater Fall River.

Voters will choose candidates for U.S. Senate, U.S. House, governor, lieutenant governor, and several other state and local offices. Because this is a primary, voters will be choosing which candidates they want to see move on to the November general election.

The primary is a little different from the November election. In September, voters are choosing which candidates they want to see move on to the general election.

Registered Democrats and Republicans will vote in their respective party’s primary, while unenrolled voters can choose either a Democratic or Republican ballot without changing their party registration.

If you are unsure of your ward or precinct, you can visit https://www.sec.state.ma.us/WhereDoIVoteMA/WhereDoIVote to find out where to vote.

See more at heraldnews.com.

Jurors in the Lindsay Clancy murder trial enter their fourth day of deliberations today over whether to hold her criminally responsible for killing her three young children at her Massachusetts home in 2023.

The jury began deliberating in secret last Thursday. It has been quiet since then, with no communications to the judge suggesting how things might be going.

Clancy, a former labor and delivery nurse, doesn’t deny strangling her children but says postpartum psychosis led to her actions. Prosecutors argue she knew what she was doing. Clancy, 36, has pleaded not guilty by reason of lack of criminal responsibility.

The jury could convict her of murder or manslaughter, or acquit her if they believe her deteriorating mental health was to blame. A conviction could lead to a life prison sentence. If she is acquitted, a judge could still order her confined to a mental health facility if an evaluation determines she is a danger to the public.

Clancy’s lawyer argued at the trial that she loved her children, but killed them because she lost her grip on reality — and on herself — due to postpartum psychosis, a rare mental illness that can follow childbirth. In the months before the killings, Clancy sought treatment for her worsening mental health, including a stay in a psychiatric hospital.

Prosecutors said Clancy strangled the children because she was depressed and tired of living, and made a conscious choice to kill them before attempting suicide.

See more at wpri.com.

The 2026 Massachusetts state primary falls on Tuesday, Sept. 1, ahead of midterm elections this November.

Registered voters in Massachusetts will cast ballots for U.S. senator, governor, and attorney general, among several other offices. The primary election determines which candidates will represent their respective parties in November's general election.

While incumbent Gov. Maura Healey is the only gubernatorial candidate on the Democrats' ballot, two candidates – Mike Minogue and Brian Shortsleeve – are on the Republicans' ballot. Incumbent Sen. Ed Markey and Rep. Seth Moulton are competing for the 2026 U.S. Senate Democratic nomination, while John Deaton is the only Republican running for senator.

If you're registered as a Democrat or Republican, you can vote only in your respective party's primary, according to the Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth's office. If you're registered as Unenrolled ("Independent") or in a political designation, you can vote in the primary of your choice.

You can find your Massachusetts polling location here to vote in person on Tuesday, Sept. 1.

For the first time since his election to the U.S. House of Representatives six years ago, Rep. Jake Auchincloss faces a Democratic Party primary challenger.

Auchincloss will face off against Jason Poulos, an artificial intelligence policy expert from Sherborn. The winner is expected to face Thomas Stalcup of Brookline - the sole Republican running for the seat on that party's primary ballot - in November's general election.

Auchincloss has represented Massachusetts’ 4th Congressional District since his 2021 swearing-in. He won the Democratic Party’s nomination in the 2020 House elections with 22.4% of the vote; eight other candidates split the remaining ballots in a tight race.

Massachusetts’ 2026 primary election is set for Sept. 1. Fall River is at the southern end of the 4th Congressional District, which stretches north through Taunton, Attleboro and Milford to Boston’s south suburbs, all the way past Route 128 into Newton and Brookline.

See more at heraldnews.com.

Four new Flock cameras aren’t hitting the streets of Tiverton quite yet.

On Aug. 18, Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee called for a statewide pause on new automated license plate reader cameras and ordered a 60-day review to create new statewide standards on the technology.

“Public safety and personal privacy are not mutually exclusive. Rhode Island needs clear and consistent rules of the road for this technology,” he wrote in a press release.

The governor can’t force cities and towns to stop installing the cameras. But at an Aug. 24 meeting of the Tiverton Town Council, local officials followed McKee’s lead.

“I think it would be wise just to follow what the state has asked us to do,” said Council President John G. Edwards.

As of Aug. 28, the contract for four new cameras approved by councilors on July 27 has not been signed. The two cameras already operated by Tiverton police are still up and running, Deputy Chief Michael Miguel confirmed to The Herald News.

The Rhode Island State Police also has two Flock cameras in Tiverton. State police cameras “may continue to operate,” according to McKee’s proclamation.

Automated license plate reader cameras have recently come under intense public scrutiny, with local governments across Massachusetts and Rhode Island canceling contracts with their providers. Though courts have found them to be legal, the cameras that automatically log passing license plates have raised privacy and surveillance concerns; in New Bedford, an officer is accused of misusing the camera system to stalk an ex-girlfriend. Police — including in Fall River, home to over 40 cameras made by Flock Safety — say they make investigations more efficient.

See more at heraldnews.com.

The Great Feast of the Holy Ghost of New England will reach its peak during the weekend of its 40th anniversary celebration, when thousands of visitors are expected to gather in Fall River for two days of Azorean traditions, religious ceremonies, music and community fellowship.

Running Aug. 26 to 30 at Kennedy Park, the feast is marking four decades as one of the largest celebrations dedicated to the Divine Holy Spirit outside Portugal. While activities take place throughout the week, organizers say Saturday, Aug. 29, and Sunday, Aug. 30, will showcase many of the festival's most iconic traditions.

Founded in 1986 by the late Heitor de Sousa, the feast has grown into a major expression of Azorean faith and culture in North America, drawing Holy Ghost brotherhoods from across New England and beyond.

For Ma?rcia Sousa Da Ponte, president of the organizing committee, the anniversary serves as both a tribute to the volunteers who built the event and a reminder of its enduring mission.

“The 40th anniversary is a way of honoring everyone who worked to keep this tradition alive,” Da Ponte said. “It's also a moment to think about what we want these festivities to be in the years ahead.”

See more at heraldnews.com.

Jurors were excused Friday afternoon after not yet reaching a verdict in the Lindsay Clancy murder trial. The jury in Plymouth, Massachusetts, must decide whether to hold the former labor and delivery nurse criminally responsible for killing her three children in 2023. They are expected to resume deliberations Monday.

While both sides agree she killed her children, Clancy’s attorneys argued she suffered from postpartum psychosis, with Kevin Reddington saying “lousy medical care ” exacerbated her condition. Plymouth County prosecutors argued she intentionally planned the killings and that the nation’s healthcare system is “not on trial here.”

Postpartum psychosis is estimated to afflict 1 to 2 per 1,000 women after delivery. Experts at the Cleveland Clinic describe it as a mental health emergency affecting someone’s sense of reality. It can happen to anyone after giving birth, but the chances are higher for people with certain mental health conditions.

See more at wpri.com.

City building inspectors are facing a flood of citizen complaints about asbestos risks stemming from the demolition of the old police station at 158 Bedford St.

Those concerns are unfounded, building commissioner Glenn Hathaway said, thanks to mitigation measures taken by the demo crew.

“I’m not polluting the city,” Hathaway told The Herald News.

Demolition of the old police station began on Aug. 18 after Hathaway deemed the dilapidated building a health hazard in June 2026, allowing him to bypass a typical 12-month demolition delay for historic structures.

Typically, asbestos is removed from inside a building before it’s demolished. That wasn’t possible with the old police station, said Daniel McGrath with ARAM Environmental Testing, who was hired by Hathaway to survey the building for asbestos and to monitor air quality during demolition.

“It was just too unsafe in there, you know, floors falling through,” McGrath said.

So contractors from Bestech, Inc. demolished the building as is under a $1.4 million contract. That comes with risks. Signs around the demolition site warn passersby of possible asbestos exposure. Workers must continuously spray rubble with water to prevent dust from flying. McGrath monitors four air quality sensors around the site to ensure mitigation measures are working.

Lindsay Clancy's lawyer says there is no way of knowing how long the jury will take to decide on a verdict.  Jurors began deliberating yesterday after hearing closing arguments. 

Defense attorney Kevin Reddington says the case involved extensive evidence, testimony and exhibits.  The defense argues Clancy suffered postpartum psychosis, while prosecutors say she remained criminally responsible. 

Jurors may consider murder, manslaughter or not guilty verdicts based on a lack of criminal responsibility.