Minibus” Includes All of Auchincloss’ Community Project Funding Requests and Other Crucial Funding for the Fourth District 
Washington, DC — This week, the House passed its annual appropriations package in a “minibus” that included key wins for the Fourth District. Included in passage was funding for all of Congressman Auchincloss’ Community Project Funding (CPF) requests. 

“The Massachusetts Fourth, from Fall River to Brookline, is a powerhouse of talent and work ethic,” said Auchincloss. “From the life sciences to education to clean energy, we are innovators and builders. But for too long we have lacked the infrastructure we need to fully thrive. The investments included in this package will make our towns stronger and will lower costs for working families. They will make our water cleaner, our future greener, and our children healthier.”

Auchincloss Projects Included in Passage: 

•    Labor-HHS-Ed Project: Manet Community Health Center Satellite Clinic in Attleboro 
Amount of Request: $500,385 Amount Received: $500,000 

•    Labor-HHS-Ed Project: Bristol Community College’s National Offshore Wind Institute 
Amount of Request: $2,000,000 Amount Received: $2,000,000 

•    Homeland Project: Somerset Emergency Dam Improvements 
Amount of Request: $1,130,000 Amount Received: $975,000 

•    Homeland Project: North Attleborough’s Ten-Mile River Dredging Project to Mitigate Flooding 
Amount of Request: $1,500,000 Amount Received: $1,500,000

•    THUD Project: New Hope New Domestic Violence Shelter 
Amount of Request: $2,000,000 Amount Received: $2,000,000 

•    THUD Project: City of Fall River Urban Renewal Plan Parking Lot and Facility Improvements
Amount of Request: $1,500,000 Amount Received: $1,500,000

•    Interior Project: Town of Medway for Central Water Treatment Facility Improvements 
Amount of Request: $2,750,000 Amount Received: $2,750,000 

•    Interior Project: Norton Water and Sewer Department for Source Water Well Replacement Project 
Amount of Request: $1,475,000 Amount Received: $1,475,000 

•    Interior Project: Town of Plainville for Water System Capacity Expansion 
Amount of Request: $1,500,000 Amount Received: $1,500,000 

•    Interior Project: Town of Hopedale for Water Supply and Storage Enhancement Project 
Amount of Request: $2,000,000 Amount Received: $2,000,000
  

Additional Fourth District Wins: 

Housing 
Rep. Auchincloss successfully advocated for an increase in funding to $100 million for the HUD Housing Counseling Assistance program. The Housing Counseling program provides assistance to first-time homebuyers before purchasing, homeless prevention counseling, and reverse mortgage counseling for seniors. Specifically, to help our aging population, Rep. Auchincloss secured $1.03 billion for the Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly program. 

Part of affordable housing is affordable home construction. Unfortunately, the cost to build homes has continued to increase. Factory-built housing can be built to the same high-quality standards as stick-built housing, but artificial barriers prevent widespread usage. The Democrats’ appropriations bill directs HUD to complete a study that measures the regulatory barriers to factory-built housing and the impacts they have on communities. This language was drafted by Rep. Auchincloss and he successfully advocated for its inclusion in the House bill.  

Safer Streets & Strong Towns
As a member of the Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, Rep. Auchincloss has been a champion of bikeable, walkable streets and additional investments in innovative public transportation options. The House Democrats’ spending bill incorporated Auchincloss’ language to encourage municipalities to design streets in a safer, multimodal way, and to incorporate Massachusetts’ “Complete Streets” model into design and retrofits.

Clean Energy & Environmental Protection
Rep. Auchincloss worked with his colleagues in the New England delegation to secure funding for renewable energy, clean water, and clean air. This included securing $7.5 million to support Southern New England Estuaries’ mission of preserving the ecological health of southeastern New England’s estuaries, watersheds, and coastal waters. Also, to address the threat of climate change, Rep. Auchincloss successfully advocated for a three-fold increase in EPA funding for Global Climate Change Research Programs. Finally, to develop new, renewable energy sources, Auchincloss secured nearly $700 million for Department of Energy research into fusion energy.

Job Training
In Massachusetts' 4th Congressional District, 13,000 youth and 78,000 adults are eligible to receive federally funded job training. In 2020, the district received $1.9 million in Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Adult and Youth State Grants.

House Democrats’ appropriations bill provides $3.1 billion in WIOA funds for job training for disadvantaged youth and adults, and for assistance to dislocated workers, an 8.8 percent increase over 2021.

This increase would provide $151,000 in additional WIOA funds for job training in the district. The additional funds support middle class and working families by helping youth and adults obtain good-paying jobs. 

Public Education
In Massachusetts' 4th Congressional District, an estimated 13,000 children benefited from federal Title I education funding in 2021, including 8,000 children living in poverty, receiving monthly Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), or in foster care. In 2021, the district received $13.5 million in Title I funds.

House Democrats’ appropriations bill provides $36 billion in Title I funds, a 118 percent increase over 2021.

This increase would provide $15.9 million in additional funding for schools in the district to support these children at risk of failing out of school. 

Rep. Auchincloss successfully advocated for an additional $3 billion to be invested in childcare, Head Start and Early Head Start programming nation-wide.

Veterans’ Health Care
In Massachusetts' 4th Congressional District, there were 10,000 veterans signed up to receive health care from the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) in 2020. The VHA spent $145 million in 2020 providing health care to 8,000 veterans in the district.

House Democrats’ appropriations bill provides $98.5 billion for veterans’ health care, an 8 percent increase over 2021.

This increase would provide an additional $32.0 million in funding for veterans’ health care in the district. These additional funds will enable the VHA to improve access to health care in key areas like women’s health, mental health, and opioid treatment; provide more veterans with home and community-based services; recruit and retain nurses and physicians; and support crucial medical research that improves veterans’ health and quality of life.

Rep. Auchincloss also successfully advocated for Veterans Suicide Prevention Outreach Programs to be nearly doubled in funding, securing a total of $600 million for the program nationwide.

Biomedical Research
Rep. Auchincloss successfully advocated for record-level funding for biomedical research in the House Democrats’ appropriations bill, which will strengthen Massachusetts’ 4th Congressional District as a life sciences hub. The bill includes $3.4 billion in NIH Alzheimer’s Disease research funding, $7 billion for the National Cancer Institute and $2.2 billion for Community Health Centers.

To learn more about Congressman Jake Auchincloss, visit https://auchincloss.house.gov or connect with him on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or YouTube.   
###
 

Washington Nationals outfielder Kyle Schwarber is headed to Boston, the Red Sox announced Thursday. Boston is sending minor league right-handed pitcher Aldo Ramirez to Washington in the deal.

Schwarber hasn't played since being placed on the 10-day injured list on July 3 with what manager Dave Martinez called a "significant" strain of his right hamstring. Martinez didn't want to give an exact time frame at the time but said the outfielder will be on the IL for more than 10 days.

Prior to his injury, Schwarber slashed .253/.340/.570 with 25 home runs and 53 RBIs over 72 games in his lone season in Washington. Prior to that, the All-Star spent the first six seasons of his career with the Cubs, helping Chicago to a World Series championship in 2016.

Ramirez is the No. 19 prospect in the Red Sox's system, per MLB Pipeline.

Earlier Thursday, sources told The Athletic that the Dodgers are working to get both Max Scherzer and Trea Turner from the Nationals. Hurdles still remain to get the deal done.

The Red Sox have designated right-hander Brandon Workman for assignment to make room for Schwarber on the 40-man roster.

According to CBS 12 in Providence, several members of the group arrested after an armed standoff along a Massachusetts highway earlier this month have filed a federal lawsuit alleging that state courts have no jurisdiction over the case.

The suit filed by the Rise of the Moors group in u-s district court in Rhode Island last week alleges “defamation, discrimination of national origin and deprivation of their rights under the color of law.”

They are seeking $70 million in damages from the July 3 incident.

The Massachusetts State Police and several individual troopers, the judge who handled their arraignments, the state as a whole and several media organizations are named as defendants.

According to CBS 12 in Providence, tensions between Governor Dan McKee and Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza reached a boiling point Wednesday ahead of what was supposed to be a celebratory event for the return of one of the capital city’s most popular events.

Elorza and McKee were both attending a ceremonial lighting of the Waterfire basins along the Providence river as the organization announced the downtown art installation’s return.

During the confrontation, Elorza can be seen pointing his finger at McKee and yelling “you’ve got to face the community on this.” Elorza confirmed he was trying to discuss the impending providence teachers contract with McKee. Mayor Elorza explained to CBS 12 that this needs to be discussed.

According to the digital edition of the Fall River Herald, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Tuesday updated its recommendations in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, urging everyone in high risk areas to wear masks in indoor public spaces to prevent transmission, even vaccinated people. 

CDC is asking people who have not yet been vaccinated against COVID-19 to “get vaccinated and mask until you do.” People who are vaccinated against COVID can be at risk of getting breakthrough infections of the delta variant of COVID-19 and transmitting it to others. 

Fall River, Taunton and New Bedford cases have begun to increase slightly for the past two weeks or longer.

According to CBS 12 in Providence, the Freetown Fire Chief had to extinguish a massive fire by himself this past weekend.

Fire chief Gary Silvia said the call came in Saturday afternoon, and after checking the department’s emergency response phone app, he learned he was the only one available. Silvia said he arrived at the North Street home to find flames and smoke pouring from a camper parked on the property as it was beginning to spread to the house.

Berkeley and Rochester Fire Departments eventually responded to the scene to help. There were no reported injuries as the cause of the fire remains under investigation at this time.

Vineyard Wind developers have signed a deal with unions to build a $2.8 billion energy project.

The project labor agreement between the Southeastern Massachusetts Building Trades Council and Vineyard Wind will begin work on the first utility-scale offshore wind project in the United States that will create 500 union jobs in construction, installation, and maintenance. 

This agreement will build a diverse new pool of workers for Vineyard Wind and beyond, who will usher in a new era for clean energy technologies. 

Vineyard Wind’s plan is to be the first of many offshore wind projects to come that plans to show the rest of the nation how to get steel in the water, clean energy on the grid, and union jobs to workers.

According to the Boston Globe, the wildfire smoke pouring into Massachusetts has caused the Department of Environmental Protection and state officials to send a warning as the blazes could render the air unhealthy for people with certain medical conditions throughout much of the Commonwealth.

CBS 12 in Providence is reporting that the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management has now issued an air quality alert for the entire state as the effects of the wildfires travel through the northern part of the ocean state.

The DEM expects the air quality will reach unhealthy levels during the overnight hours.

Massachusetts and Rhode Island state officials say those sensitive groups include people with heart or lung conditions such as asthma, older adults, children, teenagers, and those who are active outdoors.

According to CBS 12 in Providence, as a focus on increasing youth vaccinations before it’s time to head back to the classroom, state lawmakers in Massachusetts are also focused on the state’s youngest population.

The joint committee on public health and on COVID-19 and Emergency Preparedness and Management held a public oversight hearing to discuss COVID-19 vaccinations for children.

State health officials noted they were anticipating federal regulators to approve a COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use in children under 12 sometime this Fall.

Massachusetts Department of Health & Human Services Secretary Marylou Sudders says they are looking into ways to increase vaccines and tackle the school year with COVID-19.

According to CBS 12 in Providence, a Seekonk native and now Olympic swimmer is representing Cape Verde at the Olympic Games in Tokyo.

Jayla Pina,17, of Seekonk, took part in the Women's 100m  Breaststroke Saturday finishing 40th overall in the race.

Her brother, 22-year-old Troy Tina, is also representing Cape Verde in Tokyo. He will be taking part in the Men’s 50m Freestyle on Friday.

This is also the first-ever swimming team Cape Verde has ever had at the Olympics.

According to CBS 12 in Providence, Fall River police have stopped the illegal sale of a high-capacity rifle on the streets Thursday night.

Melanie Shackelford, 24, of Rhode Island, was arrested after police found a rifle, which they allege she was looking to sell, along with other firearms and ammunition inside her vehicle.

Detectives seized the rifle, a pistol and numerous rounds and magazines. Shackelford acquired seven charges including possession of a large-capacity firearm.

According to ABC News, there is a renewed push to get more Americans vaccinated against COVID-19 as soon as possible as the delta variant fuels an increase in cases across the country including the commonwealth’s Provincetown who are putting mask rules back in effect after a spike in cases.

ABC's Faith Abubey reported that Provincetown “approved an emergency indoor mask mandate after an outbreak of 551 cases there -- nearly 70 percent of them in fully-vaccinated people. even as "breakthrough" cases emerge - doctors are pleading with people to get the shot - saying nearly *every* new hospital patient is un-vaccinated”

       UMass Law partners with Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation to provide legal education                                                                             pathways

Truman Scholars attending UMass Law will receive tuition support in Foundation’s first dedicated law school partnership

The University of Massachusetts School of Law – Dartmouth is partnering with the Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation to create opportunities for Truman Scholars to earn their law degree. The UMass Law Truman Foundation Public Service Scholarship program will offer Truman Scholars admitted to UMass Law a full scholarship, including tuition and fees, for the duration of their enrollment.

This is the first dedicated scholarship partnership with a law school in the history of the Truman Foundation.

The Truman Foundation is the living memorial to America’s thirty-third President Harry S. Truman. Since its establishment by Congress in 1975, the Truman Foundation has awarded 3,384 merit-based scholarships to undergraduate students that are “future change agents” – students who demonstrate the passion, intellect and leadership potential to serve the public interest.

“For almost 45 years, the Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation has served as a beacon for public service, inspiring Americans from diverse backgrounds and from across the country,” said Dr. Terry Babcock-Lumish, Executive Secretary of the Truman Foundation. “Since 1977, we have selected 90 Scholars from Massachusetts and nine from the UMass system. Thank you to Dean Mitnick, our 2015 Massachusetts Scholar Jacob Miller, and the UMass Law community for championing public service at this historic time.”

“We are excited to partner with the Truman Foundation to increase opportunities for dedicated public servants to enter the legal profession,” said UMass Law Dean Eric Mitnick. “At UMass Law, our students and faculty work toward enhancing access to justice and contribute to the social development of our communities. The proven dedication and passion of Truman Scholars—paired with our institution’s mission—will truly impact public service.”

“UMass Law and the Truman Foundation create a powerful public service partnership that will shape the next generation of leaders. Both institutions have profoundly changed my life. After earning the Truman Scholarship and graduating from UMass Dartmouth as an undergraduate, I spent two years studying in the United Kingdom. When I arrived back home, UMass Law and its public service mission made it the best choice to pursue my legal education,” said Jacob Miller, a 2016 UMass Dartmouth graduate and current UMass law student, who won the Truman Scholarship in 2015.

Over the past six years, UMass Law ranked second among all law schools in New England for the percentage of graduates employed in public service and was ranked #1 in Massachusetts and New England, and #14 in the nation by National Jurist for preparing students for careers in government.
 

              City of New Bedford launches website, survey for public input on ARPA funding

New Bedford, Massachusetts– Mayor Jon Mitchell announced on Friday, July 23, 2021, that the City of New Bedford has launched a website, along with a public survey, to solicit input from city residents and organizations about the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) funds awarded to the City. 

On March 11, 2021, President Joe Biden signed into law the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. This law provides resources through the new Coronavirus Local Fiscal Recovery Fund to local governments to respond to the public health emergency caused by COVID-19.  

This fund is administered by the U.S. Department of the Treasury. The U.S. Treasury Department announced that New Bedford will receive $64,729,754 in federal funding as part of ARPA.  The U.S. Treasury released the Interim Final Rule (IFR) for the program that sets forth eligible uses for funding, which includes responding to acute pandemic-response needs, filling revenue shortfalls, and supporting the communities and populations hardest-hit by COVID-19. 

ARPA funding is intended to be used for four main purposes:

Address Negative Economic Impacts
Respond to economic harms to workers, families, small businesses, impacted industries, and the public sector.

Support Public Health Response
Fund COVID-19 mitigation efforts, medical expenses, behavioral healthcare, and certain public health and safety staff.

Replace Public Sector Revenue Loss
Use funds to provide government services to the extent of the reduction in revenue experienced during the pandemic.

Water, Sewer, and Broadband Infrastructure
Make necessary investments to improve access to clean drinking water, invest in wastewater and stormwater infrastructure, and expand broadband access.

Through a convenient survey on the City website, accessible at www.newbedford-ma.gov/arpa, residents, business owners and nonprofit organizations in the city can weigh in with their priorities on the best way ARPA funds can be used to benefit New Bedford.

The City will also announce various further options for public input to ensure all voices are heard. As additional opportunities are scheduled, they will be posted on the City’s ARPA website. 

“ARPA has created a unique, generational opportunity for New Bedford.  In the 1960s and 1970s direct federal investment through urban renewal programs transformed much of the downtown into a historic district that became the foundation for the tourism and cultural scene we enjoy today.

 Likewise, urban renewal reconstructed the waterfront and put our commercial fishing industry on the path to being the most profitable in the nation.   ARPA may differ from the federal programs that produced these successes, but the lesson is the same:  We need to ensure that this one-time infusion of funds has lasting impacts on the families and businesses of New Bedford,” said Mayor Jon Mitchell.

He added, “That is why it is so important that we hear from as many people as possible about new opportunities to invest in our city.  We need everyone’s help in making sure the sacrifices and difficulties of the pandemic are redeemed as positive initiatives that deliver long-term benefits for our residents.” 

###
 

US Department of Labor awards $800K grant to provide jobs, workforce training in Massachusetts                                        communities affected by opioid crisis

Funding to support training for eligible participants in Bristol, Plymouth counties 

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the award of $800,000 in incremental funding to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to support job creation and workforce training services for individuals significantly impacted by widespread opioid use, addiction and overdose in Bristol and Plymouth counties. 

Administered by the department’s Employment and Training Administration, National Health Emergency Dislocated Worker Grant funding of up to $2,368,337 will help create disaster-relief positions to address the impact of the opioid crisis on the local workforce. Funding will support training of eligible individuals with an emphasis on filling high-demand maritime trade professions in the greater New Bedford area. 

Supported by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014, Dislocated Worker Grants temporarily expand the service capacity of dislocated workers programs at the state and local levels by providing funding assistance in response to large, unexpected economic events that cause significant job losses. 
 

Since Monday the Fall River District Court has been scheduling a backlog of “jury trial-ready” cases that will be heard beginning in September.

According to the Fall River Herald, it's all part of an effort by the Massachusetts court system to reduce its backlog of jury trials, which have been badly stalled since the Coronavirus led to a prolonged state of emergency in March 2020.

A memo sent to lawyers and public defenders waiting to schedule jury trials in Fall River District Court explained that the inventory of trial-ready cases would be scheduled Monday through Thursday, based on the alphabetical order of each attorneys last name.

A search committee has named three finalists to succeed retiring Westport town administrator Timothy King.

According to the digital edition of the Fall River Herald, Daylor and Bernard Lynch, of the search firm Community Paradigm Associates, met with selectmen on Monday to make recommendations.

Daylor Lynch told selectmen that there were around 22 candidates that had strong qualifications but the final three candidates were the top for all search committee members

Selectmen have tentatively planned a meeting for next Monday July 26 at 5 PM to interview the candidates.

Englewood, New Jersey City Administrator Sonia Alves-Viveiros, Dartmouth Director of Budget & Finance Gregory Barnes and Westport Town Planner/Assistant Town Administrator James Hartnett were named the finalists, according to search committee chairman Robert Daylor.

According to CBS 12 in Providence, swimmers were pulled out of the water Thursday at Narragansett town beach after a shark sighting was reported.

The report came in around 11:45 AM, according to Narragansett police Lieutenant Kevin Bousquet, and the shark was still in the area as of 1 PM. A short time later swimmers were being allowed back in the water.

Late last month, lifeguards cleared the water at Salty Brine and Roger Wheeler State beaches in Narragansett due to a fin sighting.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency looks to ease the unexpected financial burden of COVID-19 deaths, which have reached more than 600,000 nationwide.

According to the Fall River Herald, more than $30 million has been distributed to New England states to assist with Coronavirus related funeral expenses with Massachusetts receiving $16.2 million.

People can apply for up to $9,000 to help pay funeral expenses but the process has been considered not too easy based on families emotions as well some inability to provide enough medical information that their death was of COVID-19.

According to the digital edition of the Fall River Herald, Solar Therapeutics and South Kingstown, Rhode Island based theFarmacist have partnered up to create the first-ever Massachusetts Cultivators Cup.

The event will feature a day of live music with hip-hop legends Cypress Hill, Method Man and Redman.

Founder of theFarmacist, Jordan Carlson said he want this to be a platform where people can gather to celebrate cannabis culture, products, licensed cultivators, as well as local makers and artists

The event was initially slated for last year, but like everything else, Covid forced them to postpone.

This upcoming cup will also be the first to feature recreational marijuana.

According to the digital edition of the Fall River Herald, New Bedford police officers have denied allegations made by a former female officer who filed a lawsuit last month for gender discrimination on July 16.

Former New Bedford police officer Macaila Saunders alleges three officers, including a former police chief, created a hostile workplace and engaged in gender discrimination and retaliation in 2018 and 2019.

Saunders alleges in her complaint that police Chief Cordeiro denied her transfer to another department as a form of retaliation.

Massachusetts’ Fishing Industry is being urged to apply for nearly $24 million in Federal Coronavirus Relief Funds.

According to CBS 12 in Providence, Governor Charlie Baker's administration said Tuesday that commercial fishermen, shellfish farmers and seafood processors, and for-hire recreational vessel owners are eligible for the assistance through a $2.2 trillion stimulus bill passed by congress last year meant to help eliminate the effects to seafood producers that occurred during the pandemic.

According to CBS 12 in Providence, an investigation is underway after a car crashed into a house in Attleboro early Thursday morning.

Crews responded to a car that ended up on its roof with damages both to the car and home near the intersection of West Street and Ashton Road.

Crews had to use the jaws of life to get a woman out of the car, but said she was conscious and alert before being taken to the hospital. The car was lifted over trees by a crane to be removed from the scene. No one inside the home was hurt.

No word yet as to what led to the crash.

According to CBS 12 in Providence, a man was seen on surveillance footage robbing a Dartmouth bank at knife point Monday morning.

Dartmouth police detective,Kyle Costa, said the man visited the Bristol County Savings Bank on State Road just before noon.

Costa said the man walked up to the teller threatening with a knife and demanding money. He then took off with the money on foot down the street towards a local Walmart.

No one was injured in the incident.

According to the digital edition of the Fall River Herald, Fall River is one of five gateway cities to be awarded state funding intended to jump start a revitalization initiative in the Flint neighborhood that will focus on vacant and affected properties, including empty storefronts.

In recent years, the Flint area has struggled to keep stores and apartments occupied.

The funding, called the Neighborhood Hub, comes from a multi-agency partnership including MassHousing and MassDevelopment with the goal is to help communities with high vacancy rates.

Fall River received $120,000, which will help fund the creation of an urban renewal plan as well as a neighborhood revitalization plan for the Pleasant Street area. Mayor Paul Coogan said the city will be going out to bid to hire a company to create the two plans.

 A southeastern New England hospital system recently announced it would be mandating COVID-19 vaccines for all staff, but only once at least one is fully approved by the FDA.

According to CBS 12 in Providence via an email, Southcoast Health spokesperson Shawn Badgley said the vaccine mandate would apply to all employees, which includes contract workers, volunteers, medical and other clinical staff with facility privileges unless granted an exception for medical and or religious reasons.

Badgley said there is a similar policy in place for the flu vaccine. Possible repercussions for not getting vaccinated have yet to be determined, and are part of an ongoing discussion.

According to the digital edition of the Fall River Herald, the administration stating the Fall River City Council's vote that rejected the routine end of year budget transfers last week has placed the end of fiscal year 2021 in a deficit that will impact this year's city finances.

Mayor Paul Coogan and finance services director Mary Sahady said they each spoke to representatives from the state department of revenue the day after the city council vote refused to approve the transfer of nearly $1.3 million in various line items that would have left the fiscal 2020 budget balanced.

That budget closed on June 30 and the city council under Massachusetts general law had until July 15 to approve the administration's transfer requests.

Board of Health Chair Tanja Ryden issued a public health advisory on Friday, July 16 for the South Watuppa Pond near the Tickle Road area in Westport. Reports and warnings of a blue-green algae bloom in the water which can cause the water to be unsafe for people and their pets.

According to the digital edition Fall River Herald, Ryden has advised the public not to swim there, not to swallow the water, to keep animals away, and rinse after any contact with the water.

Contact with the bloom, known as Cyanobacteria, can cause skin or eye irritation, and inhaling water spray containing the algae bloom can cause asthma-like symptoms.

According to the digital edition of the Fall River Herald, a local painting and renovation contractor is asking the community to vote for one of five Southcoast organizations to be rewarded a free refreshment to their building.

Referred to as the “Paint it Forward '' campaign, ProGroup is asking for community members to vote on who should receive a free facility refresh, new paint job or a power wash. ProGroup President Joann Ruff said this past year was a tough year for everybody and she says she wants to help the best she can to those non-profit organizations affected by the pandemic.

The nominated establishments are: the Schwartz School, The Animal Rescue League of Fall River, The P-A-A-C-A New Bedford, The Boys & Girls Club Taunton Clubhouse and The Zeiterion Performing Arts Center.

According to the Digital Edition of the Fall River Herald, the Fall River Boys & Girls Club will be closing its long running adult division.

The clubs director, Bill Kiley, stated that due to staffing restraints and a decline of adult memberships as well as the troubles the club faced financially following the pandemic caused the adult division to end.

Adult members have not had access to most of the facility since the COVID-19 pandemic started. The Fall River division of the Boys & Girls Club is recognized as one of the few locations in the country that offered adult programing at its facility.

According to the digital edition of the Taunton Daily Gazette, a Dighton-Rehoboth Regional School Committee member is facing backlash after relating vaccination cards to the Holocaust.

Katie Ferreira-Aubin made a partial apology but vowed not to resign as she connected vaccines to the systematic extermination of Jews and others in a since deleted TikTok video titled “Covid Certificate of Identification” with a photo of a Nazi death-camp survivors arm tattoo with a message appearing in red labeled: “same thing, different strategy!” 

The superintendent of the Dighton-Rehoboth Regional School District said the post and others by Ferreira-Aubin don’t reflect the district’s values.

This Entry contains information first reported on ESPN.com

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady played the entirety of last season with a torn medial collateral ligament in his left knee, according to a report in the Tampa Bay Times.

Brady suffered the injury in his final season with the New England Patriots and it gradually worsened during his first year in Tampa, according to the report.

Brady, who was not listed on the injury report all season, underwent surgery to repair the knee in late February after leading the Buccaneers to a Super Bowl victory at age 43.

Brady has not discussed specifics about the surgery, saying only it was "pretty serious."

Brady suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in the same knee during Week 1 of the 2008 season.

Buccaneers quarterbacks coach Clyde Christensen said in June he believed Brady's knee injury last season was a "nagging nuisance" that affected him all season.

"I don't think he was 100 percent last year," Christensen said, relaying a conversation he had with Brady the morning after the Bucs won Super Bowl LV. "His quote, or close to a quote was, 'Hey, I'm gonna get my knee fixed up and I'm gonna be better next year and you're gonna be excited about that.'"

Brady, who will turn 44 on Aug. 3, wore a brace on his left knee during the Buccaneers' Super Bowl boat parade. But wearing the brace is not uncommon for Brady, who also wears it when golfing and during other recreational activities.

The seven-time Super Bowl winner was named Super Bowl MVP for the fifth time in his career after passing for 201 yards and three touchdowns in Tampa Bay's 31-9 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs.

Brady passed for 4,633 yards and 40 touchdowns while leading the Bucs to an 11-5 record during the regular season.

 The state’s June total unemployment rate is down one-tenth of a percentage point at 4.9 percent following a revision to the May unemployment rate of 5.0 percent, the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development announced Friday. The Bureau of Labor Statistics has revised its model to better capture the effect of the pandemic resulting in revisions to additional earlier calculations. The full revised time series for the Massachusetts unemployment rate estimates can be found here. 

The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ preliminary job estimates indicate Massachusetts gained 9,400 jobs in June. This follows last month’s gain of 9,200 jobs. Over the month, the private sector added 5,400 jobs as gains occurred across six sectors, led by Leisure and Hospitality and Education and Health Services. Since December 2020, Massachusetts has gained 101,200 jobs.

From June 2020 to June 2021, BLS estimates Massachusetts gained 292,800 jobs.  Gains occurred in all sectors led by Leisure and Hospitality and Trade, Transportation and Utilities.

The June unemployment rate was 1.0 percentage point below the national rate of 5.9 percent reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. 

The labor force increased by 4,900 from 3,702,100 in May, as 8,000 more residents were employed and 3,000 fewer residents were unemployed over the month.

Over the year, the state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was down by 9.9 percentage points. 
 

             Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles Cautions Customers to be Aware of Text Phishing Scam

               RMV does not send text messages to customers to request personal information

BOSTON – The Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) is cautioning customers to be aware of a text phishing scam that has been reported here in the Commonwealth and in other states.

The scam reportedly involves customers receiving text messages, claiming to be from the “DMV,” that direct them to click on a provided link to update their personal identifying contact information.

 Customers can identify this type of text as a phishing scam because it includes “DMV” and in Massachusetts DMV is not the name of the Registry of Motor Vehicles; in Massachusetts, the name of the Registry is abbreviated as “RMV.” Any text using the phrase “Department of Motor Vehicles” or “DMV” should be deleted.

Please note that the RMV does not send unsolicited requests for personal and/or contact information to customers by text.  Any communication by text from the RMV would be as a result of a customer-initiated request or transaction.

For the latest Registry updates and information, please check Mass.gov/RMV or follow the RMV on Twitter @MassRMV.
 

The Red Sox wait for MLB and the Yankees as far as information on Thursday's postponement, which was due to an outbreak of COVID-19 in the Yankees organization. 

Thursday's contest was postponed when rapid testing indicated the new cases of the virus. 

The Yankees, Red Sox and MLB, could decide to make up the game this weekend, or wait until September when the Red Sox make their final trip to the Bronx.

Current Somerset Town Administrator Richard Brown informed the Board of Selectmen and other Somerset Administrators that he will retire on the day following Thanksgiving.

In a letter to Selectmen this week, Brown said it was time to call it a career. 

Brown began his career in City and Town Administration in 1975. 

Brown called it a privilege to serve the people of Somerset. 

Brown leaves with one year remaining on his current employment contract. 

                               New law protects hospital employees from violence, harassment on the job

STATE HOUSE – A new law passed the by General Assembly and sponsored by Senate President Dominick J. Ruggerio and House Majority Whip Katherine S. Kazarian will help protect hospital staff from violence and harassment at work.

The legislation (2021-S 0055A, 2021-H 6018A), which was passed by the Assembly July 1 and was recently signed into law by the governor, establishes procedures for hospital employees to file complaints with the hospital or the Department of Health for any assaultive behavior or other violation of law occurring on hospital grounds, and requires hospitals to develop plans to protect and respond to violence and employee safety issues and institute safety training for employees.

“The front-line workers at hospitals — particularly during the pandemic — put themselves at great risk every day at work for the sake of public health and safety. Unfortunately, violence and harassment can be among those dangers, particularly for those who work in psychiatric settings. Protecting hospital workers to the greatest possible extent,

and ensuring that all incidents of violence or harassment are properly reported and responded to, is critical. We must have systems in place so hospitals can prevent incidents, and learn from those that do happen so they can adapt their policies to guard against similar issues in the future,” said President Ruggerio (D-Dist. 4, North Providence, Providence). “Nurses and other front-line hospital staff deserve no less. They should not have to accept violence or harassment as a routine element of their job.”

Said House Majority Whip Katherine S. Kazarian (D-Dist. 63, East Providence), “Our brave and hardworking hospital employees deserve as much protection as we can provide. While they may selflessly accept that their jobs have inherent risks, there still needs to strong policies that minimize those risks, and structures in place to protect them and respond swiftly and fairly to situations where they have been hurt, threatened or put in danger. Every hospital employee has a human right to safety, security and protection at work.”

The new law, which takes effect Jan. 15, 2022, will require that every hospital in Rhode Island create a workplace safety committee that shall conduct periodic security and safety assessments to identify existing or potential hazards for assaults committed against employees. It directs hospitals to develop and implement an assault prevention and protection program for employees, and provide assault prevention and protection training on a regular basis for employees. 

It also ensures that any hospital employee may report any violation of law or safety or health violation to either their hospital or the Department of Health, may maintain anonymity if they want, and shall be protected from retaliation. The bill lays out the procedures for how such complaints should be investigated and addressed. 

During testimony for the bill the United Nurses and Allied Professionals (UNAP), which represents nurses, technologists, therapists, pharmacists, mental health workers and support staff, reported that there has been a dramatic increase of instances in which frontline health workers are on the receiving end of violent and often traumatic instances of physical and mental abuse from patients, their families and visitors, and that more often than not, it goes unreported and undocumented.

A UNAP survey of its members working in hospitals found that 42% said their unit had experienced a violent or near miss violent episode requiring intervention by the local police; 67.8% said they had personally experienced workplace violence on the job; and 63.7% said they have at times felt unsafe working in their unit.
 

Today, the Baker-Polito Administration and the Massachusetts State Lottery reminded residents of upcoming deadlines for the Massachusetts VaxMillions Giveaway, which opened for registration on July 1. 

VaxMillions Giveaway Drawings will be held once a week for five weeks beginning Monday, July 26 and continuing every Monday through August 23.

Registration for the first drawing closes on Thursday, July 22, one week from today, with the first drawing occurring on Monday, July 26. Winners will be announced later in the week following each drawing.

Massachusetts residents ages 12 and up and who are fully vaccinated prior to each drawing are eligible to enter the giveaway.  Residents ages 18 and older who are fully vaccinated prior to each drawing will have the opportunity to enter to win one of five, $1 million cash prizes. Residents between 12-17 years of age who are fully vaccinated prior to each drawing may enter for the chance to win one of five $300,000 scholarship grants.

Eligible residents are able to enter the giveaway at VaxMillionsGiveaway.com.  For residents who do not have access to the internet or require assistance, a call center can be reached by calling 2-1-1 during the below hours:

•    Monday-Thursday: 8:30 AM-6:00 PM 
•    Friday: 8:30 AM-5:00 PM 
•    Saturday-Sunday: 9:00 AM-2:00 PM

Live call center workers are available in English and Spanish, and 100 additional languages are available through translators.

Residents are reminded that they have time to get fully vaccinated in order to enter the drawings. An entry before one of the weekly entry deadlines makes you eligible for all of the weekly drawings that take place after you register.  

The full schedule of drawing and announcement dates is below. Residents are reminded that some COVID-19 vaccines require two doses, and they must receive all doses before entering the drawing. 
 
 

Residents must be fully vaccinated before registering, but if they are not vaccinated by the registration date for a certain drawing, they will still have the opportunity to complete vaccination and register for subsequent drawings. Residents will only have to enter once to qualify for all drawings occurring after the date of their registration.

Massachusetts residents 18 years of age and older who have received two doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, or one dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, will have a chance to win one of five, $1 million cash prizes.  

Massachusetts residents between 12 and 17 years of age who have received two doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine will have a chance to win one of five $300,000 scholarship grants via a 529 College Savings Plan managed by the Massachusetts Educational Financing Authority (MEFA). Funds in a 529 plan can be applied to cover tuition, room and board, and related expenses at any college, university, or technical or trade school or other post-secondary educational institution eligible to participate in a student aid program administered by the U.S. Department of Education. Winners with a qualifying disability may elect instead to receive an equivalent financial contribution to a special needs trust or federally qualified ABLE account to cover qualified expenses.

The Commonwealth launched the Massachusetts VaxMillions giveaway as one of many strategies to increase awareness of the availability and efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccines and encourage residents to get vaccinated to keep themselves, their families and their communities safe. 

Only legal, permanent residents of Massachusetts who are fully vaccinated can enter the drawings. Residents must have received their vaccine doses within Massachusetts. Residents must be fully vaccinated prior to submitting their entry.  

Residents can email support@vaxmillionsgiveaway.mass.gov or call 2-1-1 to report any instances of fraud or suspicious activity associated with the VaxMillions Giveaway Promotion. Residents are reminded that official prize notification emails related to the VaxMillions Giveaway will come from a Massachusetts Department of Public Health email address ending in “@mass.gov.” More information on tips for identifying suspected fraud can be found here.

There are over 900 vaccination locations across the Commonwealth, with appointments and walk-ins widely available. Residents seeking a vaccine can visit mass.gov/COVIDVaccine to find a vaccine location that is convenient for them. 

For more information on the Mass VaxMillions Giveaway, visit VaxMillionsGiveaway.com.

###
 

After the tropical storm Elsa came to an end in Fall River, the ongoing problem of flooding at Stafford Square continues.

The impacts of flooding in the area have been considered a constant hazard for decades and plans to improve the area are in the works but not at a forgiving price.

According to the digital edition of the Fall River Herald, Fall River’s Department of Community Utilities Administrator, Paul Ferland, stated that the plans to renovate the issues of drainage at Stafford Square could reach a price tag of up to $42 million according to Providence office of Maine-based engineering consulting firm Wright-Pierce who studied the area last February.

According to CBS 12 in Providence, Frontier Airlines has established new routes from Rhode Island to Atlanta and Philadelphia. The Rhode Island Airport Corporation says the flights from Rhode Island T.F. Green International Airport in Warwick to Atlanta started Monday and the flights to Philadelphia are starting Tuesday. 

The Atlanta flights will depart on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and the Philadelphia flights will depart on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Frontier also announced they will now offer six nonstop Providence routes.

The other destinations Frontier offers at the Rhode Island based airport are Orlando, Tampa, Miami as well as Myrtle Beach.

AAA: Massachusetts Gas Prices Up Two Cents

Westwood, MA, July 12, 2021 — Massachusetts’s average gas price is up 2 cents from last week ($3.00), averaging $3.02 per gallon. Today’s price is 8 cents higher than a month ago ($2.94), and 89 cents higher than July 12, 2020 ($2.13). Massachusetts’s average gas price is 12 cents lower than the national average.

“Peak summer driving season is in full-swing as Americans hit the road to explore, and gas prices are not backing down,” said Mary Maguire, AAA Northeast Director of Public and Government Affairs. “On average, motorists are paying almost a dollar more a gallon than last summer to fill up and close to 40 cents more than in 2019.”

AAA Northeast’s July 12 survey of fuel prices found the current national average to be 1 cent higher than last week ($3.13), averaging $3.14 a gallon. Today’s national average price is 7 cents higher than a month ago ($3.07), and 95 cents higher than this day last year ($2.19).
 

New law raises sales limits for breweries

STATE HOUSE – The General Assembly has approved and the governor has signed legislation sponsored by Rep. Justine A. Caldwell and Sen. Melissa A. Murray to double the limits on beer and spirits customers can purchase at one time from Rhode Island breweries and distilleries.

“The growing popularity of our local breweries and distilleries is an economic development opportunity for Rhode Island. These businesses draw visitors from all over New England and beyond, many of whom like to stock up on the product they love before they go home. We need to enable the small businesses that make up this industry to respond to the demand and so they can expand and thrive. They succeed, their customers bring home what they want and contribute to our economy, and the state reaps tax revenue,” said Senator Murray (D-Dist. 24, Woonsocket, North Smithfield).

The legislation (2021-H 5255A, 2021-S 0199A), which was passed by the Assembly July 1, was signed by the  governor yesterday and took effect immediately, allows breweries, brewpubs, distilleries and wineries to sell as much as two cases of beer — 48 12- or 16-ounce bottles or cans —  or 1500 ml of distilled spirits per visitor, per day, to be sold in containers that may hold no more than 72 ounces, for off-premises consumption. Previous law allowed half those amounts.

“Breweries are all small businesses, and it doesn’t make any sense for our state to stifle their potential and ability to succeed. They need higher limits to meet customers’ expectations and be competitive with similar businesses in the region. These are businesses that add character and charm to our communities while also contributing to our economy. Our laws should support and encourage their success,” said Representative Caldwell (D-Dist. 30, East Greenwich, West Greenwich).
 

Baker-Polito Administration Releases Future of Work Report; Outlines Ongoing Steps To Address Findings
Administration Taking Action on Housing, Workforce Development, Transportation, Child Care
 
BOSTON — The Baker-Polito Administration today released the Future of Work Report, commissioned by the Administration to evaluate the ways that the COVID-19 pandemic has changed work habits in Massachusetts as the Commonwealth emerges from the pandemic.

The Administration also outlined steps that it is taking to address the key findings of the report, with investments and other initiatives to boost housing production and downtown economies, connect workers with skills for high-demand fields, support changing transportation needs, promote flexibility in child care, and more.

Click here to read the report.

Governor Charlie Baker and Lt. Governor Karyn Polito announced the release of the report today at an event held at the Tufts Launchpad location for BioLabs, a biotech startup accelerator that is receiving $102,000 to train 27 workers and create 20 jobs as part of the latest round of awards from the Administration’s Workforce Training Fund Program (WTFP). In total, the WTFP program is awarding $8 million through this latest round to about 100 businesses

statewide to support the training of 4,300 workers with a range of skills like project management, advanced software training, and other technical skills. A key takeaway from the report is the need to re-credential hundreds of thousands of workers over the next decade, and the Administration is proposing to boost investments in programs like the WTFP through its $2.9 billion plan to spend part of the discretionary funds received by the Commonwealth from the federal American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA). The Administration’s plan includes $240 million for workforce development and job-training programs.

“Massachusetts is well-positioned as we emerge from the pandemic and look to promote economic growth, and the Future of Work Report provides us with a roadmap to build on our strengths and address areas that remain challenges,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “Our Administration is working to respond to this report’s findings by pursuing significant investments in housing, job-training and downtown development through our plan to invest $2.9 billion in federal funds from the American Rescue Plan Act. We are also making investments and using other tools to provide more flexibility for residents in child care and transportation, and we look forward to continuing to partner with workers, businesses and communities to respond to the needs raised in this report.”

“The Future of Work Report provides us with a blueprint for building up the Commonwealth’s housing stock, workforce, downtown economies, and infrastructure,” said Lt. Governor Karyn Polito. “The Report evaluated potential changes in the economic landscape for each region of Massachusetts, and underscores the importance of our proposals to invest in housing, job-training and communities.”

The Future of Work Report explores what the implications of COVID-19 might be for the Commonwealth across its regions, demographics, economic sectors, commercial centers, local downtowns, transportation, and public spaces. COVID-19 has shifted how Massachusetts residents work, which has accelerated many existing factors that impact the future of work (such as the use of e-commerce and the pace of adoption of automation).  In addition, new factors have emerged (such as the spread of remote and hybrid work and a reduction in business travel). These factors impact Massachusetts residents differently based on region, industry, occupation, gender, and race. Recognizing this, the report evaluated implications of these trends across different regions and analyzed their impact on the Commonwealth’s Gateway Cities.

Report Takeaways:
The report concludes that changing ways of working – such as hybrid and remote work – may shift the “center of gravity” away from the urban core.  At the same time, changes in the economic landscape will mean that expansive workforce training will be needed to connect workers with the skills they need for the future economy, with potentially 300,000-400,000 people needing to transition to different occupations or occupational categories over the next decade. 

Meanwhile, the report finds that the high cost of housing will remain a challenge – as will the need to ensure all communities can share equitably in the Commonwealth’s growth. The report estimates that the Commonwealth will need to produce 125,000-200,000 housing units by 2030.

The report provides eight core insights: 

1.    Demand for office real estate may fall as workers spend more time in residential areas due to hybrid work.
2.    Hybrid work will likely drive demand for flexible childcare options, requiring childcare business models to evolve.
3.    Public transit ridership is likely to fall, with the steepest decline likely in commuter rail.
4.    Business travel may be structurally reduced from pre-pandemic levels.
5.    Workforce training may be required at an unprecedented scale and pace.
6.    The Commonwealth population is likely to grow, albeit more slowly than pre-pandemic
7.    Existing equity challenges will intensify.
8.    Equitable housing opportunities will be key to retaining and attracting people.

Administration’s Plans to Address Report’s Findings:
The Baker-Polito Administration is using a variety of tools to address the key findings from this report:

$2.9 Billion Plan for ARPA Funds: The Administration’s proposal to spend $2.9 billion in federal funds from the American Rescue Plan addresses many of the key needs presented in the report. It focuses on building up the Commonwealth’s housing stock, workforce, downtown economies, and infrastructure. The Administration filed this plan in June and believes it is critical to act quickly to address these urgent priorities.  The Future of Work Study underscores the importance of these investments, which would immediately begin to address the key challenges presented in the report, including:

•    $1 billion for housing priorities, with a particular focus on creating homeownership opportunities in communities of color. This proposal would be a significant step toward addressing the concerns raised in the report around the cost of housing and continued challenges around equity in different communities.

•    $240 million for workforce training opportunities to help train workers to connect with high-demand industries, a key priority raised in the report. The report makes clear that these types of retraining efforts could especially benefit women and communities of color, addressing additional equity concerns raised by the report.

•    $350 million for downtown development and economic growth, to help communities re-imagine their downtowns and spur development as the center of gravity shifts away from the urban core. 

•    $175 million to boost substance use and behavioral health programming, a key area where communities of color have been most impacted throughout the pandemic.

Child Care Improvements: The Future of Work Report calls for innovation in child care to meet the changing needs of working families and employers. To address continued challenges in the early education space as the Commonwealth emerges from the pandemic, the Administration is taking a series of actions:

•    Investing over $640 million in federal funding for child care, focusing on building capacity at early education providers and targeting funds to the greatest areas of need according to the Social Vulnerability Index.
•    Sustaining increased child care subsidies for low-income families and other pandemic-era changes that expand access to care.
•    Leveraging the Commonwealth’s workforce development programs to develop a stable pipeline of early educators to expand access to affordable care.
•    Partnering with the business community to best understand specific needs for flexibility across specific industries and regions.

Transportation Flexibility and Improvements: To support shifting work habits and other trends identified in the report, the MBTA and MassDOT are modifying schedules and making other adjustments:

•    The Commuter Rail’s new Regional Rail Schedule represents a shift toward more consistent, regular service throughout the day, compared to pre-pandemic service that was heavily skewed toward AM and PM rushes. These adjustments reflect analysis of ridership trends throughout the pandemic and into the recovery. The new Regional Rail Schedule supports increasing travel habits like intra-line (non-Boston) trips and reverse commutes to Gateway Cities. It also supports teleworkers’ local trips and 3-day-per-week commuters.

•    Continued promotion of weekend service, such as $10 weekend passes will also promote travel to key recreational and tourist destinations outside of Boston. For example, thanks in part to this Commuter Rail promotion, Salem is seeing 110% of 2019 weekend ridership this year.

•    The Shared Streets and Spaces Grant Program has helped communities make streetscape changes to support outdoor dining and alternative transportation modes like cycling, walking and off-road trails. Since last year, the program has awarded $33 million to 183 communities, resulting in over 300 projects.

###
 

Kathleen Sousa captured third seat on the Somerset Board of Selectmen during a Monday Special Election that saw her win three of five precincts, capturing 1200 votes to Melissa Terra's 920. 

As has been the case in recent Somerset Elections, prescient 5 turned out in force to elect Sousa; Terra won precinct 2 by a narrow margin, with the two each garnering 204 votes in precinct 1. 

###

While the Boston Red Sox will send five players to the All Star Game Tuesday in Denver, MLB will have the Sox and Yankees open the second half of the season Thursday as the only game on the schedule.

The Red Sox  will play 18 straight games without a day off until August 2nd. 

The Sox will likely get Chris Sale back at some point in the second half to bolster their starting pitching ahead of the July 31 trade deadline.  

Police are asking for help locating a New Bedford man who has been missing since May.

According to CBS 12 in Providence, around 9 A.M. Wednesday, members of the Southeastern Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council Search and Rescue Unit conducted a search for 61-year-old Henry Fermino in the wooded area between Cross and Reed roads in Dartmouth.

The search began after Dartmouth detectives received information from New Bedford detectives that Fermino was likely in that area on May 11.

Fermino has not been located, but police urge anyone who explores the woods to keep an eye out if they see the 61-year-old man and to contact police.

National Grid is preparing for Tropical Storm Elsa to strike New England tomorrow morning and bring heavy rains and strong winds into the region for much of the day.

The primary concerns associated with this storm are gusting winds expected to impact the South Shore, Cape Cod and the Islands in Massachusetts and much of Rhode Island, which have the potential to damage trees and knock down power wires, causing power outages across the region.  The storm is expected to pass by the end of day Friday and calmer weather is expected by Saturday.

“As always, we’re monitoring the forecasts closely and we have more than 1,800 personnel in place across Rhode Island and Massachusetts to respond as quickly and safely as we can,” said Michael McCallan, Vice President of New England Electric Operations. 

National Grid is preparing for this storm by securing 1,820 field-based personnel as part of our emergency response operations. This?includes overhead line, forestry, contractors, underground, damage assessment, wires down, transmission, and substation workers.?

The company has been preparing for the storm for several days, and is continuing to monitor the weather, communicating with local officials, first responders, and life support customers. 

The Company offers the following tips and reminders:    

Customers Should Stay Connected:   
•    Report power outages at www.nationalgridus.com or call 1-800-465-1212.
•    Use your mobile device to track outage information and storm-related safety tips through National Grid’s mobile site accessible at www.ngrid.com/mobile.
•    Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter and Instagram; we post all the latest storm and restoration updates.
•    Track outages and estimated restoration times at www.nationalgridus.com/outage-central
•    To stay connected during storms and outages, text to 64743 using any of the below commands.
o    REG?to?sign up for text alerts 
o    OUT?to report an outage
o    SUM?followed by your town, county, or state to get a summary of outages in your area
o    HELP for the full list of commands  

Stay safe:  
•    Never touch downed power lines, and always assume that any fallen lines are live electric wires. If you see one, report it immediately to National Grid or your local emergency response organization.  
•    Power problems can sometimes interrupt public water supply systems or disable well pumps, so it’s an especially good idea to keep a supply of bottled drinking water handy, as well as some canned food.  
•    People who depend on electric-powered life support equipment, such as a respirator, should let National Grid know. To register as a life support customer, call the company’s Customer Service Center at 1-800-322-3223.  
•    Check on elderly family members, neighbors and others who may need assistance during an outage period.    
Electric safety:
•    If you use a generator to supply power during an outage, be sure to operate it outdoors. Before operating generators, disconnect from National Grid’s system by shutting off the main breaker located in the electric service panel. Failure to do this could jeopardize the safety of line crews and the public.  
•    If you lose power, turn off any appliances that were on when the power went off, but leave one light on so you will know when power is restored.  

•    Reminder: It’s not safe to work in an elevated bucket during periods of increased wind gusts. Our line workers begin restoration work only when conditions are deemed safe.  
About National Grid

National Grid (NYSE: NGG) is an electricity, natural gas, and clean energy delivery company serving more than 20 million people through our networks in New York, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island. National Grid is transforming our electricity and natural gas networks with smarter, cleaner, and more resilient energy solutions to meet the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. As part of our commitment to a clean energy future, National Grid is a Principal Partner for COP26, the UN global climate summit, which will be located in the UK in November 2021.

For more information, please visit our website, follow us on Twitter, watch us on YouTube, like us on Facebook, and find our photos on 
 

(FALL RIVER, MA- July 9th, 2021)- Mayor Paul Coogan and members of the City of Fall
River’s American Rescue Plan Advisory Panel will hold a public meeting on Monday, July 19,
2021 from 6:00pm thru 7:30pm at Our Lady of Lights Band Club, 644 Quarry Street, Fall River,

MA 02723.

. Members of the general public are invited to attend and offer their input regarding
the use of the ARPA funding received by the City of Fall River. 

Vaccine clinics are planned through the month of July in New Bedford, with no appointment needed, some of more than 40 clinics in the city this month.

No appointment is needed at the walk-up clinics. All New Bedford residents receiving their first dose will receive a $20 Dunkin’ gift card.

Vaccine clinics are scheduled for the following dates and locations:

Week of July 4:
-    Thursday, July 8: Market Basket, 122 Sawyer Street, 5:00 to 8:00 p.m.
-    Thursday, July 8: Whaling City Festival, Buttonwood Park, 4:00 to 8:00 p.m.
-    Saturday, July 10: Centro Comunitario de Trabajadores, 1532 Acushnet Avenue, 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
-    Saturday, July 10: NAACP of Greater New Bedford, 95 Cedar Street, 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
-    Saturday, July 10: Whaling City Festival, Buttonwood Park, 12:00 Noon to 4:00 p.m.

Week of July 11:
-    Sunday, July 11: Fort Taber Park, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
-    Sunday, July 11: Brooklawn Park, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
-    Sunday, July 11: Whaling City Festival, Buttonwood Park, 12 Noon to 4:00 p.m.
-    Monday, July 12: New Bedford Regional Airport, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
-    Monday, July 12: Andrea McCoy Recreation Center, 181 Hillman Street, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
-    Tuesday, July 13: New Bedford Regional Airport, 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
-    Wednesday, July 14: New Bedford Regional Airport, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
-    Thursday, July 15: Market Basket, 122 Sawyer Street, 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
-    Friday, July 16: Market Basket, 122 Sawyer Street, 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Week of July 18:
-    Monday, July 19: Andrea McCoy Recreation Center, 181 Hillman Street, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
-    Monday, July 19: New Bedford Regional Airport, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
-    Tuesday, July 20: New Bedford Regional Airport, 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
-    Wednesday, July 21: New Bedford Regional Airport, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
-    Thursday, July 22: Market Basket, 122 Sawyer Street, 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
-    Friday, July 23: Market Basket, 122 Sawyer Street, 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Week of July 25:
-    Monday, July 26: Andrea McCoy Recreation Center, 181 Hillman Street, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
-    Tuesday, July 27: New Bedford Regional Airport, 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
-    Wednesday, July 28: New Bedford Regional Airport, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
-    Thursday, July 29: Market Basket, 122 Sawyer Street, 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
-    Friday, July 30: Market Basket, 122 Sawyer Street, 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Other walk-up vaccine clinics, with no appointment needed, may be announced in the coming weeks for other dates in July in addition to these clinics. 

###

On July 6, 2021, detectives assigned to the Fall River Police Department Vice and Intelligence Unit -
Gang Section with the assistance of detectives from the Major Crimes Division were in the 200 block of
Rodman Street with a search warrant for the residence of Darius Hunt (19 years of age). Detectives were
able to detain Hunt and enter his apartment without incident.

A search was conducted in accordance with the search warrant with detectives finding illegal drugs,
ammunition, a high capacity firearm magazine, and a handgun. Suspected drugs seized as a result of this
incident are 59 gabapentin pills, 1.3 grams of fentanyl, .5 grams of crack cocaine, and suboxone. Also
found in the home was a drum magazine for a 9mm pistol which was loaded, a loaded Iver Johnson
revolver, as well as 9mm ammunition.

Darius Hunt was arrested and charged with the following offenses:

1. Possession with intent to distribute a class A drug
2. Unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle
3. Possession with intent to distribute a class B drug
4. Possession with intent to distribute a class B drug
5. Possession of a class E drug
6. Possession of a firearm without an FID card
7. Possession of a large capacity feeding device
8. Possession of ammunition without a FID card
9. Possession of a firearm while committing a felony
10. Firearm violation with 1 prior violent/drug crime 

he Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency (RIEMA) is closely monitoring the path of
Tropical Storm Elsa and its potential impact on the state.

RIEMA receives updates four times a day
from the National Weather Service (NWS) in Norton, MA. We then pass along the information to local
emergency managers, other state agencies and various emergency support organizations so that
they can identify any potential issues and hazards and prepare accordingly.

“If Elsa tracks our way, residents will need to prepare too,” says RIEMA Director Marc Pappas. “Make
sure your emergency kit is packed with enough supplies to last for three days. You should also
secure any lawn furniture, take your boat out of the water or secure it to a mooring, and clean out
your storm gutters to prevent flooding inside your house.”

Right now, the NWS says Elsa is expected to impact southeast New England around dawn Friday
morning as a weak tropical storm and continue through Saturday morning. There is the potential for
heavy rainfall with precipitation of 1-3”, wind gusts over 35mph, and dangerous marine conditions
along with rough surf and rip currents along the beaches.

There is much uncertainty to the exact track and intensity as Elsa makes its closest approach on
Friday. We are continuing to monitor the situation at the State Emergency Operations Center and will
do so throughout the storm. Stay informed of the latest weather forecast, follow RIEMA on social
media, and look for updates on our website at www.riema.ri.gov.

The City of Fall River and the Narrows Center for the Arts will be hosting “Summer Evenings in the Park.” The gathering is a free family-centric event that will feature live music, arts & crafts, food & fun. 

The community events will take place every Wednesday night in July and August from 5:30 - 8:00 pm. The event begins tonight at Griffin Park and will take place at three other parks including, Pulaski, Paul Poulos and Ruggles Park until August 25.

Summer Evenings in the Park Schedule:

July 7 & August 4 - Griffin Park

July 14 & August 18 - Pulaski Park

July 21 & August 11 - Paul Poulos Park 

July 28 & August 25 - Ruggles Park

Robert "Bob" Correia, 82, of Fall River, passed away unexpectedly on Friday, July 2, 2021 at St. Anne's Hospital.

He was the husband of Patricia (Fogarty) Correia, his high-school sweetheart to whom he was married for sixty years.

  Born in Fall River, Massachusetts, he was the son of the late Manuel Correia and the late Mary (Pereira Gomes) Correia. 

 Bob graduated from B.M.C. Durfee High School as well as the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth and Bridgewater State University, obtaining a Master's degree in Education from the latter. He served in the Marines with an honorable discharge in 1962. His career began working alongside his father at the family-owned  service  station, later as a math and science teacher at the former Henry Lord School as well as the founding charter member of our Lady of the Angels Credit Union.

He was a C.Y.O. advisor for the youth of Our Lady of the Angels parish from 1962 to 1975. In 1979 he was elected to the Massachusetts House of Representatives where he would serve in several positions, including Majority Whip. In 2008 he was elected Mayor of Fall River. Proud of his heritage, Bob founded Heritage Day of Portugal commemoration at the state house in Boston in 1985, an annual event that continues to this day.

Bob was the recipient of numerous local, national and international awards, including Knight Commander and Order of Prince Henry, Republic of Portugal in 1989. He also enjoyed his radio show on WSAR which ran for several years, his many cruises, and traveling with his wife to such places as Florida, Europe, Greece, London, and Mexico.

  In addition to his wife Patricia, Bob is survived by his three loving children, Robert Correia Jr.,  and his wife, Arlene, Susan A. Correia, both of Fall River and Mark R. Correia of Boston, as well as his grandchildren, Karla Neves (Kevin) and Kristyn Kelly(Eric) and great grandchildren, Ava Neves, Seamus Kelly, and Ella Kelly. Bob's nieces and nephews include, Michael Fogarty (Melissa), Kathy McLay (Paul), Elizabeth Albee (John), John Horrobin (Virginia), Cindy Horrobin Tengstedt, Thomas Horrobin, Patricia Wing, Michael Horrobin, and Ann Hudson (Nick). Other dear family members include the Moniz and Furtado families, the Gomes/Rapoza families, Pereira/Botelho families and many great nieces and nephews. 

  Family and friends are invited to attend his Funeral Mass on Thursday, July 8, 2021 to be celebrated in St. Joseph's Church, 1335 North Main St., Fall River, at 10:00AM with private cremation to follow. Robert's visitation will take place in the Silva-Faria Funeral Home, 730 Bedford St., Fall River, on Wednesday, July 7, 2021 from 5-8PM. THERE IS NO GATHERING AT THE FUNERAL HOME ON THURSDAY MORNING.

 Family members are always grateful for relatives and friends wishing to make in-person expressions of kindness and support. If you are unable to do so, because of this pandemic or any other reason, all are urged to express their sympathy online or by mail.

SERVICES
Visitation
Wednesday, July 07, 2021
5:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Fall River Chapel
730 Bedford St.
Fall River, Massachusetts 02720
Get Directions on Google Maps

Funeral Mass
Thursday, July 08, 2021
10:00 AM

St. Joseph Church
1335 North Main St.
Fall River, MA 02720
Get Directions on Google Maps

Westwood, MA, July 6, 2021 — Massachusetts’s average gas price is up 1 cent from last week ($2.99), averaging $3.00 per gallon.

Today’s price is 7 cents higher than a month ago ($2.93), and 90 cents higher than July 6, 2020 ($2.10). Massachusetts’s average gas price is 13 cents lower than the national average.

“Higher crude oil prices and robust demand for gasoline—reinforced by record road travel during the July Fourth weekend—are pushing pump prices higher,” said Mary Maguire, AAA Northeast Director of Public and Government Affairs. “We had hoped that global crude production increases would bring some relief at the pump this month, but weekend OPEC negotiations fell through with no agreement reached, and now crude prices are poised to surge to a seven-year high.”

AAA Northeast’s July 6 survey of fuel prices found the current national average to be 3 cents higher than last week ($3.10), averaging $3.13 a gallon. Today’s national average price is 8 cents higher than a month ago ($3.05), and 95 cents higher than this day last year ($2.18).

Massachusetts State Police detectives assigned to the district attorney's office, Homicide Unit prosecutors and Seekonk Police are actively investigating a homicide, which occurred in The Town of Seekonk.

At approximately 9:53 pm last evening, Seekonk Police responded to 911 calls regarding possible gun shots  in the area of 101 Forsyth Circle.  When first responders arrived on scene, they located a male victim suffering from an apparent gunshot wound in an apartment at 101 Forsyth Circle.

The victim, later identified as Joseph Housley, 66, of Seekonk, was pronounced deceased on scene.

The investigation is active and ongoing at this time, and no further information can be disseminated.
 

According to CBS 12 in Providence, Massachusetts State Police are investigating after a Fall River man was killed in a crash off Route 79 Wednesday night.

State Troopers responded to a call for a single-vehicle accident on the southbound lane of the highway near Route 24 around 7:45 P.M.. Early investigation has shown that the driver was a 45-year-old man who was traveling in the left lane and, for an unknown reason, his vehicle left the roadway and made contact with several trees in the median before rolling over. 

The man was pronounced dead at the scene as multiple lanes of Route 79 were closed for hours as crews were on scene.

No further information at this time from the Massachusetts State Police.