WSAR NEWS Archives for 2022-11

Second Arrest Made in 11-3-22 Shooting in Fall River

On November 3, 2022, at approximately 2:40pm, officers responded to the 300 block of America St. after receiving reports of shots fired in the area. Responding units were advised that there was a male on the ground, bleeding from the stomach.


Upon arrival, officers located the victim, who sustained two (2) gunshot wounds, one to his abdomen and the other to his left arm. He would later be transported to Rhode Island Hospital for medical care. He has since been released and is recovering from his injuries.


Investigators on scene were able to locate evidence of the shooting incident in the form of spent shell casings and blood. During his investigation, Detective Adam Talbot learned that moments before the shooting, the victim had engaged in an argument with two males on America St. After a physical altercation occurred with one male, the other male responded by firing several rounds in the direction of the victim.


Det. Talbot was able to identify the two males as, 24-year-old Gilberto Velazquez-Arce, and 27-year-old Nestly Lewis.


Update:


As previously communicated, Arce was arrested and charged in connection with the incident on November 30, 2022.


With the assistance of the Massachusetts State Police Violent Fugitive Apprehension Section, Nestly Lewis was apprehended on November 29, 2022 in Randolph, MA.


Lewis is charged with assault and battery by discharging a firearm, carrying a firearm without a license, carry loaded firearm in public without a license to carry, and discharging a firearm within 500 ft. of a dwelling.
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The FRPD Response to Hoar Arrest

The Fall River Police Department has been officially notified that Officer Nicholas M. Hoar was arrested today and charged with deprivation of rights under color of law and two counts of false reports.

 

When the department was notified of the complaint against Officer Hoar, he was immediately placed on paid administrative leave. 

 

After consultation with the Bristol County District Attorney’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), it was determined that the best course of action was to have the FBI conduct the investigation. Effective immediately, Officer Hoar has been placed on unpaid administrative leave.

 

An internal investigation is currently underway. We will work with our law enforcement partners to gather as much information as possible to further our investigation. All information regarding our investigation will be forwarded to the Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Commission.

 

No further comment at this time.

Fall River Police Officer Indicted for Civil Rights Violations and False Reports

U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Massachusetts

BOSTON – A Fall River Police Officer was arrested today in connection with an alleged assault with a baton on a man in Fall River Police custody.

 

Nicholas M. Hoar, 35, was indicted on one count of deprivation of rights under color of law and two counts of false reports. Hoar was arrested this morning and will appear in federal court in Boston today at 1:45pm before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Donald L. Cabell.

 

According to the indictment, on Dec. 21, 2020, while on duty as an officer with the Fall River Police Department, Hoar struck an individual who had been arrested in the forehead with a baton, resulting in bodily injury to the arrestee. The indictment further alleges that, on Dec. 21 and Dec. 22, 2020, Hoar submitted two reports which omitted any mention of the fact that he had struck the arrestee in the forehead with a baton. 

 

The charge of deprivation of rights under color of law resulting in bodily injury provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of false reports provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

 

United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristina E. Barclay of Rollins’ Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit is prosecuting the case.

 

The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Updated November 30, 2022

Dartmouth Septic Concerns Homeowners

Dartmouth residents attended a meeting last night to learn more about a proposal that would require them to upgrade their septic systems. According to CBS 12 in Providence, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Management is proposing the changes in an effort to control the amount of nitrogen pollution entering waterways. Dartmouth Board of Health Director Christopher Michaud said the proposal could financially impact around 2 thousand residents living in what are described as nitrogen sensitive areas. This could cost homeowners upwards of $50,000 to upgrade their septic systems, not including the cost of maintaining it.

United States in Round of 16 at FIFA World Cup

The United States has knocked off Iran by a final of 1-0 to advance to the Round of 16 in FIFAs World Cup.

 The United States had draws with England and Wales and beat Iran to advance from Group H. 

 

The United States will deal with the Netherlands in the Knock Out Round Saturday Morning at 9am EST. 

Martha's Vineyard Immigrants Add Plane Company, Its CEO, and High-Level Florida Officials As Defendants In Federal Class Action Lawsuit

Amended Complaint Details Orchestrated Plan To Deceive Immigrants 
 
November 29, 2022
 
Boston – Today, attorneys from Lawyers for Civil Rights (LCR) filed an amended complaint in the federal class action challenging the scheme perpetrated by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and others to fly immigrants to Martha’s Vineyard under false pretenses.  Since the filing of the original complaint, LCR has been joined by the Boston-based firm Foley Hoag LLP, which is providing representation pro bono in this litigation.
 
In addition to adding new factual allegations and claims under federal and state law, the amended complaint adds as Defendants the plane company that flew the migrants (Vertol Systems Company, Inc.) its CEO, Florida’s “Public Safety Czar,” Governor DeSantis’s Chief of Staff, and Perla Huerta, the former spy who spearheaded the deceptive recruitment of immigrants.
 
Drawing on a trove of public records released since LCR brought the case in September, the filing paints a detailed picture of a coordinated scheme at the highest levels of the Florida government. The 86-page amended complaint outlines how DeSantis and his co-conspirators hatched and executed a plan to induce vulnerable Latinx immigrants in Texas to board privately chartered flights through false promises of jobs, shelter, and immigration assistance. 
 
Text messages and other documents show, for example, that Lawrence Keefe, Florida’s “Public Safety Czar,” and James Uthmeier, Governor DeSantis’s Chief of Staff, were intimately involved in the plot from inception through to execution. 
 
The amended complaint also outlines a web of involvement from Vertol Systems Company, Inc., the politically-connected plane company that chartered the Martha’s Vineyard flights, and the infamous “Perla,” now identified as Perla Huerta. To date, Vertol has received over $1.5 million from the State of Florida for the scheme.
 
“All actors – public or private – involved in this effort to exploit our clients for political or monetary gain will be held accountable,” said Iván Espinoza-Madrigal, LCR’s Executive Director.  “Let this be a warning to anyone thinking about becoming involved in a deceptive scheme like this in the future: do so at your peril.”  
 
“This was an abhorrent abuse of power, and we will work to ensure that nothing like it happens again,” said Oscar Chacon, Executive Director of Alianza Americas. “Using human beings as political props is both morally repugnant and illegal.”
 
The case is Alianza Americas et al. v. DeSantis et al., Case No. 22-CV-11550 (D. Mass.). It is pending before U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs in Boston, MA. 

The amended complaint is attached and available here: http://lawyersforcivilrights.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Marthas-Vineyard-Amended-Class-Action-Complaint.pdf

Nomination Papers Now Available for Ward 3 Preliminary Special Election in New Bedford

Schedule announced for Ward 3 Preliminary and Special Election

New Bedford, Massachusetts – The Board of Election Commissioners is advising the public that nomination papers are now available for the Ward 3 Preliminary Special Election.

Candidates can pick up their nomination papers, election calendar, and information packet at City Hall located at 133 William Street Room 114 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Before issuance of nomination papers, candidates must sign a statement containing the person’s name, address, and the office the person intends to seek. Anyone other than the candidate must present a signed authorization to secure papers on their behalf. 

Candidates must obtain at least 50 certified signatures to be eligible to appear on the preliminary ballot scheduled for Tuesday, January 24, 2023. In the Preliminary Special Election, New Bedford Ward 3 voters will be casting their votes for Councilor for the remainder of Councilor Hugh Dunn’s term.

The last day to submit nomination papers to the Board of Election Commissioners is December 6, 2022, at 5 p.m. 

The Board of Election Commissioners has released the schedule lining up for the Ward 3 Special Election that will be held on Tuesday, February 28, 2023.

Schedule:

DECEMBER 6            Last day and hour to submit nomination papers to the Board of Election 
 5:00 P.M.                    Commissioners for the certification of signatures.

DECEMBER 20          Last day and hour to officially accept nominations once signatures are 
5:00 P.M.                     certified with the Board of Election Commissioners.

DECEMBER 22          Last day and hour for filing withdrawals or objections to nomination
5:00 P.M.                      papers with the Board of Election Commissioners.      
                                     

JANUARY 13              5:00 P.M.  Last day to register to vote for the Preliminary Election.
                                   
JANUARY 17             5:00 PM Last day and hour to apply for a mail-in or absentee preliminary ballot.

JANUARY 21             9:00 A.M TO 12 Noon Saturday Absentee Voting, City Hall, Room 114

JANUARY 23              Last day and hour to apply for an in-person absentee preliminary ballot.
12:00 P.M. 

JANUARY 24             PRELIMINARY ELECTION - POLLS OPEN 7:00 A.M. - 8:00 P.M.

JANUARY 31             Last day and hour to file recount petition with Board of Election 
5:00 P.M.                     Commissioners.


FEBRUARY 17             Last day to register to vote for the Ward 3 Special Election.
5:00 P.M.

FEBRUARY 21           5:00 PM Last day and hour to apply for a mail-in or absentee election ballot.

FEBRUARY 25           Absentee Voting, City Hall, Room 114
9:00 A.M - 12 P.M. (NOON)

FEBRUARY 27           Last day and hour to apply for the in-person absentee election ballot.

FEBRUARY 28           Ward 3 Special Election - Polls open 7:00 A.M. to 8:00 P.M.

MARCH 10                   Last day and hour to file for a recount for the Election 5:00 P.M.
 

Coalition formed to improve access to public higher ed Higher Ed For All releasing campaign platform Dec. 1 at State House

Citing costs and a lack of support at public colleges and universities that are creating barriers to student success, a labor and education coalition will present its priorities for actions and funding at a State House event beginning at 11 a.m. in Room 428, on Thursday, Dec. 1.

 

Union educators formed the Higher Ed For All coalition to improve access to public colleges and universities in Massachusetts and to ensure that students are properly supported for success once they enter the public higher education system.

 

According to the Higher Ed For All coalition, approximately 700,000 adults in Massachusetts have attended college but never graduated. Tens of thousands of Massachusetts high school graduates will not enroll in college. The high cost of higher education — even when pursued at a public college or university — is a significant barrier for many potential students. Other reasons that contribute to potential students either not enrolling or ultimately dropping out relate to the lack of programs that support nontraditional and first-generation college students.

 

Speakers at the event will include:
•    Max Page, president of the Massachusetts Teachers Association. 
•    Beth Kontos, president of the American Federation of Teachers – Massachusetts.
•    Anneta Argyres, president of the Professional Staff Union at UMass Boston.  
•    Clare Sheedy, UMass Amherst student who has a double major and is a Master of Public Health candidate.
•    Claudine Barnes, president of the Massachusetts Community College Council.
•    Phyllis Keenan, adjunct faculty at Greenfield Community College.
•    Colin Jones, senior policy analyst at Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center.   
•    Joanna Gonsalves, faculty at Salem State University.

 

State Senator Jo Comerford, D-Northampton, and state Representative Natalie Higgins, D-Leominster, will also attend the event.

 

In a statement, the coalition said: “Improving access to higher education and the chances for students to be successful in college will enhance communities and the economy across the Commonwealth. It is time to treat access to higher education as a public good — a public necessity, really — just as we treat access to K-to-12 education.”
 

MassDOT Announces New "Name A Snowplow" Contest for Massachusetts Elementary Schools

Students statewide are encouraged to submit contest applications to help name 12 state-owned snowplows

Application deadline is 5 p.m. on Friday, December 23


BOSTON – Today, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) announced the launch of a new “Name A Snowplow” contest for statewide elementary school students in Massachusetts.  The contest seeks to solicit names for 12 MassDOT snowplows that will be in service for the upcoming 2022/2023 winter season.

 

The purpose of the contest is to celebrate the snow and ice season and to help recognize all of the hard work and dedication shown by public works employees and contractors during the winter season.  

 

“We are excited to provide elementary school students with an opportunity to have some fun this winter season by helping to name a snowplow,” said MassDOT Secretary & CEO Jamey Tesler. “The contest is a great way for younger students to take some time to have fun, be creative, work together to identify proposed names and be part of a new state government initiative, and we encourage all statewide schools to participate.”

 

“This contest is a fun way to celebrate winter and recognize the hard work that is performed by hundreds of employees and vendors statewide who work around the clock during major weather events,” said Highway Administrator Jonathan Gulliver, “We want to raise awareness of this work and to give kids and residents a sense of connection to the Highway Division and the public servants working to keep residents safe and the economy moving during snowstorms.”

 

Applications for the Snowplow Naming Contest are due by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, December 23, 2022, and can be submitted by using an online portal at this link.  There is no limit to the number of applications that can be submitted per school. The contest winners are anticipated to be announced on Friday, January 6, 2023, and will be invited to participate in a scheduled snowplow unveiling event.
  
A selection panel composed of MassDOT employees will choose two elementary school classroom winners that are located within each of the six Highway Division districts.  The winning submissions will be evaluated based on two grade-level categories: 1) kindergarten through fourth grade; and 2) fifth grade through eighth grade.  

 

For more information on the contest, please visit: https://www.mass.gov/name-a-snowplow-contest-2022-23.

Questions regarding the contest can be emailed to MassDOTSnowplowContest@dot.state.ma.us.
 

Patriots Bills Opening Line

The Buffalo Bills and New England Patriots have drawn the NFL assignment of back-to-back Thursday Night Games, as each team was part of the trio of Thanksgiving Day Games, and now will meet this coming Thursday on WSAR, with a coverage start time of 5:30 and the kick off at 8:20. 

 

The Patriots are five point home underdogs with the over/under at 43.5

Overnight Closure of Ramp from I-195 Westbound to Route 79/138 Northbound

Closure will be in place from 9 p.m. on Tuesday, November 29, to 5 a.m. on Wednesday, November 30

Detour will be in place

 
FALL RIVER - The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) is announcing it will be temporarily closing the ramp from I-195 westbound to Route 79/138 northbound in Fall River.  The ramp closure will take place from 9:00 p.m. on Tuesday, November 29, to 5:00 a.m. on Wednesday, November 30, and is needed to allow crews to safely and efficiently conduct routine bridge inspections.

The following detour will be in place during the closure:
•    Vehicles traveling on I-195 westbound will be directed to exit onto Central Street (exit 5).
•    Follow to traffic signal and take a right onto Route 79/138 northbound.

Drivers who are traveling through the affected areas should expect delays, reduce speed, and use caution. 
 
All scheduled work is weather dependent and/or may be impacted due to an emergency situation. 
 
For information on traffic conditions travelers are encouraged to:  
•    Dial 511 before heading out onto the roadways and select a route to hear real-time conditions.  
•    Visit www.mass511.com, a website which provides real-time traffic and incident advisory information, access to traffic cameras, and allows users to subscribe to text and email alerts for traffic conditions.  
•    Follow MassDOT on Twitter @MassDOT to receive regular updates on road and traffic conditions. 
•    Download MassDOT’s GoTime mobile app and view real-time traffic conditions before setting out on the road. 
 

Fall River Traffic Fatal

A 22-year-old Fall River man died as a result of a single-vehicle crash on Route 195 in Westport on Thanksgiving morning.

At 2:07 am on November 24th, a motorist contacted emergency services to report a single motor vehicle crash on Interstate 195 West just prior to Exit 16 in Westport.  The caller advised that the vehicle was engulfed in flames.

Massachusetts State Police and Westport Fire officials were dispatched to the scene.  After the fire was extinguished, emergency personnel determined the sole occupant of the vehicle, Holdjer Decarvalho, was deceased.  No other vehicles appear to have been involved in the crash.

The investigation is ongoing
 

City of New Bedford Kicks off the Holiday Season

New Bedford, Massachusetts – The city’s holiday season kicks off this weekend, with the Downtown Holiday Stroll and Tree Lighting on Saturday followed by the Clasky Common Tree Lighting on Sunday. Here are the details:

Downtown Holiday Stroll
Date and time: 12 – 5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3
(Rain date: 12 – 5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 10)
Location: Downtown New Bedford
Activities: (updates at the “dNB’s Holiday Stroll” event page on Facebook)
•    Santa, New Bedford Fire Museum Antique Fire Truck Rides, Southcoast Brass Band (Barkers Lane) 12 – 5 p.m.
•    Seaglass Theater Company Carolers, the Starchasers Fleet, the Winter Fairy (various locations) 12 – 5 p.m.
•    Story Time with Salty Santa and Ornament Craft Projects (Fishing Heritage Center) 12 – 5 p.m.
•    Kids’ Crafts and Hot Chocolate (various locations) 12 – 5 p.m.
•    Vendor Market (YWCA Southeastern MA) 1 – 5 p.m.
•    Meet & greet with Celebrity Puppeteer Bill Diamond (PLAY Arcade) 12 – 5 p.m.
•    Holiday Open House at the Nathan and Mary Johnson House (NB Historical Society) 12 – 5 p.m.
•    BuyBlackNB Holiday Market (New Bedford Whaling Museum) 12 – 5 p.m. plus entertainment (Alma Stomp Crew, Our Sisters’ School Soul Sisters, UMASS Dartmouth Gospel Choir, Pan African Dance Group, New Bedford Performing Arts Center Dancers 12:30 – 3 p.m.
•    Calico Makers’ Mini Market with DJ Anj Kepinski (Bristol Hall) 12 – 5 p.m.
•    Santa spotting throughout downtown
 
City of New Bedford Downtown Christmas Tree Lighting
Date and time: 5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3
Location: Pleasant Street in front of Main Library downtown
Program:
•    Join Mayor Jon Mitchell, New Bedford City Council President Ian Abreu, and the New Bedford community for the annual tree-lighting celebration. This year’s emcee will be Armand Marchand, executive producer for New Bedford Festival Theater.
 
•    At 4:30 p.m., a parade will march from the bottom of William Street, near the Whaling Museum, to the library steps for the tree-lighting. The parade will feature the New Bedford High School marching band and color guard, Santa and Mrs. Claus, and surprise guests
 
•    Remarks at the library by Mayor Mitchell and Councilor Abreau will be followed by holiday songs by Miss New Bedford Tori Kalisz and Miss New Bedford Outstanding Teen Jaime St. Onge

•    Free hot chocolate will be offered courtesy of Community Services, Veterans Transition House, and New Life Church

•    United Way will have a toy drive box for children from infants to teenagers. All gifts must be unwrapped

Clasky Common Park Christmas Tree Lighting 
Date and time: 5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 4
Location: Clasky Common Park at County Street and Pope Street
Program:
•    Remarks by Mayor Mitchell and Councilor Abreau, followed by holiday songs by Miss New Bedford Tori Kalisz, Miss New Bedford Outstanding Teen Jaime St. Onge, and the Parker School Chorus

•    Guest appearances by Santa and Mrs. Claus

•    United Way will have a toy drive box for children from infants to teenagers. All gifts must be unwrapped
 

Major Crash on I-195

According to CBS 12 in Providence, traffic was backed up for miles after a multi-car crash shut down I-195 on Friday. The crash that involved four vehicles happened on I-195 West near Exit 26 causing the westbound side of the highway to be shut down for nearly an hour due to low light conditions. Police said a 37-year-old New Bedford man was thrown from his car and suffered serious injuries as he was helped by a good Samaritan before being transported to the hospital.

 

Seven other people were also injured in the crash with the extent of their injuries is unknown at this time and remains under investigation.

New Bedford Fire Displaces 9 People; 3 Cats

According to CBS 12 in Providence, 9 people including 3 cats escaped a fire on Sidney Street in New Bedford early Saturday morning. The New Bedford Fire Department stated the tenants were woken up by the sound of smoke alarms, as the individuals on the first floor say they were able to see flames coming from the third floor of the apartment. The fire was caused by an accidental electrical event in the third-floor dining area as no firefighters or tenants were hurt. 

 

The tenants are now being assisted by the Red Cross and family members. 

Gas Buddy on Gasoline in New England This Week

Average gasoline prices in Massachusetts have fallen 6.1 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.72/g today, according to GasBuddy's survey of 2,830 stations in Massachusetts.

 

Prices in Massachusetts are 2.5 cents per gallon higher than a month ago and stand 32.0 cents per gallon higher than a year ago. The national average price of diesel has fallen 7.9 cents in the last week and stands at $5.20 per gallon.

 

According to GasBuddy price reports, the cheapest station in Massachusetts was priced at $3.09/g yesterday while the most expensive was $5.19/g, a difference of $2.10/g. The lowest price in the state yesterday was $3.09/g while the highest was $5.19/g, a difference of $2.10/g.

 

The national average price of gasoline has fallen 12.4 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.52/g today. The national average is down 22.7 cents per gallon from a month ago and stands 14.1 cents per gallon higher than a year ago, according to GasBuddy data compiled from more than 11 million weekly price reports covering over 150,000 gas stations across the country.

 

Historical gasoline prices in Massachusetts and the national average going back ten years:
November 28, 2021: $3.40/g (U.S. Average: $3.37/g) November 28, 2020: $2.06/g (U.S. Average: $2.11/g) November 28, 2019: $2.51/g (U.S. Average: $2.60/g) November 28, 2018: $2.67/g (U.S. Average: $2.50/g) November 28, 2017: $2.54/g (U.S. Average: $2.49/g) November 28, 2016: $2.16/g (U.S. Average: $2.13/g) November 28, 2015: $2.11/g (U.S. Average: $2.04/g) November 28, 2014: $2.89/g (U.S. Average: $2.78/g) November 28, 2013: $3.42/g (U.S. Average: $3.27/g) November 28, 2012: $3.59/g (U.S. Average: $3.41/g)

 

Neighboring areas and their current gas prices:
Rhode Island- $3.68/g, down 7.2 cents per gallon from last week's $3.75/g.
Worcester- $3.73/g, down 6.6 cents per gallon from last week's $3.79/g.
Providence- $3.67/g, down 8.5 cents per gallon from last week's $3.75/g. 

 

"As millions of Americans hit the road for Thanksgiving, we saw gasoline prices continue dropping coast to coast last week, and a new record was set for the largest single day decline in the national average. In addition, 47 of the nation's 50 states have seen diesel prices falling as well, providing well-needed relief ahead of the holidays and helping to stem the rise in inflation," said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy. "All the metrics look very positive for motorists as this week is likely to continue seeing falling gasoline prices, with many areas falling to the lowest level since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February. It's entirely possible the national average price of gasoline could fall under $3 per gallon by Christmas, which would be a huge gift to unwrap for motorists after a dizzying year at the pump
 

Durfee v New Bedford H-S Football

New Bedford knocked off Durfee by a 16-13 margin in Thanksgiving Day High School Football in a game that ended with a benches-clearing brawl at mid field  between players and coaches from both squads. 

 

New Bedford police indicated to WSAR News that there were no arrests; Streaming video broadcasts of the game showed NBPD Officers helping to clear the field as the fracas wound down. 

 

 

 

 

Fall River Shooting Arrest

On November 3, 2022, at approximately 2:40pm, officers responded to the 300 block of America St. after receiving reports of shots fired in the area. Responding units were advised that there was a male on the ground, bleeding from the stomach.


Upon arrival, officers located the victim. The victim sustained two (2) gunshot wounds, one to his abdomen and the other to his left arm. He would later be transported to Rhode Island Hospital for medical care.


Investigators on scene were able to locate evidence of the shooting incident in the form of spent shell casings and blood. During his investigation, Detective Adam Talbot learned that moments before the shooting, the victim had engaged in an argument with two males on America St.

 

After a physical altercation occurred with one male, the other male responded by firing several rounds in the direction of the victim.


Det. Talbot was able to identify the two males as, 24-year-old Gilberto Velazquez-Arce, and 27-year-old Nestly Lewis.


Velazquez-Arce was taken into custody by police on November 21, 2022 and charged with carrying a firearm without a license, accessory after the fact (assault and battery with a firearm), carry loaded firearm in public without license to carry, and discharging a firearm within 500 ft. of a dwelling.


Nestly Lewis is charged with assault and battery by discharging a firearm, carrying a firearm without a license, carry loaded firearm in public without a license to carry, and discharging a firearm within 500 ft. of a dwelling.


Lewis has yet to be taken into police custody. Anyone with information as to his whereabouts is asked not to intervene, but to contact the Fall River Police Department at 508-676-8511. Anonymous tips can be provided by dialing 508-672-TIPS (8477).

Portugal Moves On

The Portugese National Football Team moved on in Group H in The World Cup by a 3-2 final on Thursday. 

 

Portugal will meet Uruguay on Monday Afternoon, and South Korea on Friday Morning in Group H. 

 

 

 

 

Durfee v New Bedford at Fenway in 2023

Prior to the kickoff of Thursday's Durfee v New Bedford High School Football Game, it was confirmed that the 2023 version will happen the night of Wednesday, November 22, 2023, in Boston's Fenway Park. 

 

The Fenway Sports Group has expanded the various events at Fenway, including High School and College Hockey and other winter events prior to the baseball season. 

TROOPERS ARREST MAN AFTER FIRING GUN AT VEHICLE

November 23, 2022


Shortly after 10:15 p.m. on Friday November 18, Trooper Jacob Hass, assigned to the Massachusetts State Police K-9 East Team, responded to reports of a man that brandished a firearm from his vehicle and shot at another vehicle on Route 24 northbound in Fall River.

 

Trooper Hass positioned his cruiser several miles ahead of this location and monitored traffic for the vehicle to pass his location. At 10:22 Trooper Hass observed the Nissan Altima pass him. He then entered traffic and attempted to catch up to the vehicle, providing his location with continuous updates, and awaited additional cruisers.

 

The Nissan exited Route 24 onto Route 44 and pulled into the parking lot of a gas station. At this point Trooper Hass immediately exited his cruiser and ordered the man out of his vehicle and onto the ground. Trooper Culver then arrived on scene to assist.

 

The operator, identified as RICKY LORENZI, 26, of Fall River, was taken into custody without incident while Troopers investigated the scene. After conducting a pat-frisk of the immediate area where LORENZI was seated in the vehicle, Troopers located a loaded .25 ACP pistol.

 

While Troopers Hass and Culver were investigating this scene, Troopers Zachary Thomas and Grant Gadbois were interviewing the victim. During the course of their investigation, they observed damage on the victim’s vehicle consistent with that of the strike of a .25 caliber bullet.

 

LORENZI was placed under arrest and transported to the Dartmouth Barracks for booking and continued investigation, including investigation conducted by members of the State Police Crime Scene Services Section. LORENZI was transported to the Ash Street Jail pending his arraignment at Fall River District Court on the following charges:

1. Illegal Possession of a Firearm;

2. Possession of Ammunition without FID Card;

3. Armed Assault with a Dangerous Weapon;

4. Improper Storage of a Firearm; and

5. Carrying a Loaded Firearm.

Senator Markey Tweets Elon Musk Again

This is a pre-Thanksgiving Tweet sent by Senator Ed Markey to Elon Musk:

 

 

 

I’m glad Musk got my message and is delaying the relaunch of Twitter Blue until safeguards against impersonation are in place.

 

But users need to know what went wrong and how they’ll fix it. ??@elonmusk??, we’ve seen your tweets—I’ll be waiting for your response to my letter Friday.

 

In the tweet, Senator Markey is refering to a story in ''The Washington Post'' in which a  reporter was able to impersonate the Senator via an account on Twitter...

Fall River Suspect Caught Following Another Robbery

According to CBS 12 in Providence, a Boston bank robbery suspect was arrested after being caught trying to rob another bank. The 59 year old William Sequeira, of Fall River, was taken into custody earlier this month and charged with one count of bank robbery when he walked inside the TD Bank on Union Street in late September and threatened one of the tellers. Sequeira was arrested nearly one week later as he attempted to rob the Citizens Bank on Boylston Street.

 

It’s unclear whether Sequeira was actually armed during either robbery and if convicted, Sequeira could face up to 20 years in prison with three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.

A Parent Trespasses a Local School

According to NBC 10 in Providence, a parent of a Freetown-Lakeville student is facing charges after she allegedly entered multiple schools in the district without authorization last Thursday. The 28-year-old Kayla Farris Churchill apparently entered two elementary schools, a middle school, and the high school. She entered through a door at the high school that was propped open and once inside, she was able to wander around the high school for more than 30 minutes, taking videos of her experience. Freetown police said when the woman began approaching students and staff, she was reported to building leadership, who immediately notified the School Resource Officer. Churchill reportedly said she was concerned about the safety of her children, especially after the mass school shooting in Uvalde, Texas.

 

She was charged with disturbing a school assembly and trespassing and is set to face a judge in Wareham District Court at a later date.

Gas Buddy.com on MA Gasoline Prices This Week

Average gasoline prices in Massachusetts have fallen 5.0 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.78/g today, according to GasBuddy's survey of 2,830 stations in Massachusetts.

 

Prices in Massachusetts are 24.1 cents per gallon higher than a month ago and stand 38.3 cents per gallon higher than a year ago.

 

The national average price of diesel has declined 6.7 cents in the last week and stands at $5.28 per gallon.

According to GasBuddy price reports, the cheapest station in Massachusetts was priced at $3.09/g yesterday while the most expensive was $5.19/g, a difference of $2.10/g. The lowest price in the state yesterday was $3.09/g while the highest was $5.19/g, a difference of $2.10/g.

The national average price of gasoline has fallen 11.9 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.64/g today.

 

The national average is down 16.4 cents per gallon from a month ago and stands 24.5 cents per gallon higher than a year ago, according to GasBuddy data compiled from more than 11 million weekly price reports covering over 150,000 gas stations across the country.

 

Historical gasoline prices in Massachusetts and the national average going back ten years:
November 21, 2021: $3.40/g (U.S. Average: $3.39/g) November 21, 2020: $2.05/g (U.S. Average: $2.11/g) November 21, 2019: $2.53/g (U.S. Average: $2.60/g) November 21, 2018: $2.71/g (U.S. Average: $2.58/g) November 21, 2017: $2.55/g (U.S. Average: $2.52/g) November 21, 2016: $2.16/g (U.S. Average: $2.13/g) November 21, 2015: $2.11/g (U.S. Average: $2.08/g) November 21, 2014: $2.93/g (U.S. Average: $2.83/g) November 21, 2013: $3.34/g (U.S. Average: $3.21/g) November 21, 2012: $3.62/g (U.S. Average: $3.42/g)

Neighboring areas and their current gas prices:
Rhode Island- $3.75/g, down 7.7 cents per gallon from last week's $3.82/g.
Worcester- $3.79/g, down 3.4 cents per gallon from last week's $3.83/g.
Providence- $3.75/g, down 7.1 cents per gallon from last week's $3.82/g. 

 

"What an incredible turnaround in the last week. While a decline was expected in more states than last week, I didn't expect every single state to hop on the bandwagon so quickly. But, it's terrific news as motorists prepare for Thanksgiving travel, with tens of thousands of stations under $3 per gallon, and thousands more to join in the next few weeks, barring a dramatic turnaround," said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy.

 

"Everyone will be seeing relief at the pump this week, with even more substantial declines on the way as oil prices plummeted last week to briefly trade under $80 per barrel. It's not impossible that if oil markets hold here, we could see a national average of $2.99 around Christmas, certainly the gift that every motorist is hoping for. Drivers shouldn't be in a rush to fill up as prices will come down nearly coast-to-coast into the heavily traveled Thanksgiving holiday."

 

GasBuddy is the authoritative voice for gas prices and the only source for station-level data. GasBuddy's survey updates 288 times every day from the most diverse list of sources covering nearly 150,000 stations nationwide, the most comprehensive and up-to-date in the country. GasBuddy data is accessible at http://prices.GasBuddy.com.
 

Red Sox announce roster moves

BOSTON, MA—The Boston Red Sox today announced that the club will not tender 2023 contracts to infielder Yu Chang or first baseman/outfielder Franchy Cordero. As a result, both players will become free agents.

The Red Sox will tender 2023 contracts to all 30 remaining unsigned players on their Major League roster.

Red Sox Chief Baseball Officer Chaim Bloom made the announcement.

Eight players are already under contract for 2023: Matt Barnes, Kiké Hernández, Eric Hosmer, James Paxton, Rob Refsnyder, Chris Sale, Trevor Story, and Garrett Whitlock.

BOSTON RED SOX 40-MAN ROSTER (38)

Pitchers (20): Matt Barnes, Brayan Bello, Ryan Brasier, Kutter Crawford, Franklin German, Darwinzon Hernandez, Tanner Houck, Zack Kelly, Bryan Mata, Chris Murphy, Kaleb Ort, James Paxton, Nick Pivetta, Chris Sale, John Schreiber, Connor Seabold, Josh Taylor, Brandon Walter, Garrett Whitlock, Josh Winckowski

Catchers (3): Ronaldo Hernández, Reese McGuire, Connor Wong

Infielders (7): Triston Casas, Bobby Dalbec, Rafael Devers, Jeter Downs, David Hamilton, Eric Hosmer, Trevor Story

Outfielders (4): Wilyer Abreu, Jarren Duran, Rob Refsnyder, Alex Verdugo

Infielder/Outfielders (4): Christian Arroyo, Kiké Hernández, Ceddanne Rafaela, Enmanuel Valdez

Patriots Vikings Info

The New England Patriots are three point road underdogs Thanksgiving Night at U-S Bank Stadium versus the Minnesota Vikings.

The Over/Under is 43. 

 

Coverage on 95.9 and 1480 WSAR happens at 5:30 with a kickoff at 8:20 

 

The Patriots have back to back Thursday Night games as the Buffalo Bills will be in Gillette Stadium on Thursday Night, December 1.

 

The Patriots then will wait 11 days to play the Cardinals in Arizona in prime time on Monday NIght Football, then will be in Las Vegas to play the Raiders on Sunday Night Football. 

Residents Encouraged to Stock up on Free COVID-19 Test Kits as Holiday Season Begins

New Bedford, Massachusetts – Building on the successful prior rounds of test kit distribution, the City of New Bedford is continuing to make available free, at-home COVID-19 test kits at public libraries across the city.


The free distribution coincides with the start of the holiday season and the approach of potential increases in COVID-19 cases. Test kits are available at New Bedford public libraries as part of the current (fourth) round of free test distribution over the past year.


Beginning in December 2021, the City has distributed nearly 72,000 kits (each containing two tests) through community partners, including 12,100 testing kits from the city’s public libraries. 


Parents with vulnerable children are encouraged to obtain kits even if there is no immediate exposure risk or active case in their household.  Likewise, even as overall COVID-19 transmission levels remain modest, small business owners (provided they are residents) may wish to consider obtaining kits to help protect vulnerable employees in the event of a future workplace exposure.

 

LIBRARY HOURS:
Free COVID-19 at-home test kits are available at all public library branches. Locations and hours are as follows:

Main Library, 613 Pleasant St.
(508) 991-6275
Monday – Thursday: 9 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Friday & Saturday: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Casa Da Saudade Branch, 58 Crapo St.
(508) 991-6218
Tuesday – Thursday: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Wilks Branch, 1911 Acushnet Ave.
(508) 991-6214
Monday, Wednesday, Friday, & Saturday: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Tuesday & Thursday: 12 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Lawler Branch, 745 Rockdale Ave.
(508) 991-6216
Monday, Wednesday, Friday, & Saturday: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Tuesday & Thursday: 12 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Howland-Green Branch, 3 Rodney French Blvd.
(508) 991-6212
Monday, Wednesday, Friday, & Saturday: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Tuesday & Thursday: 12 p.m. – 8 p.m.

BACKGROUND ON TEST KITS:
Residents use the tests at home. Test results are available in minutes and samples do not need to go to a laboratory. People do not need a cell phone or computer for any part of the test. The tests are effective for all individuals 2 years of age and up, regardless of vaccination status or whether they have symptoms.

Residents are advised to take note of expiration date information on test kit boxes. Each test kit box has a sticker on the front with a Quick Response (QR) Code that can be scanned to view the tests’ expiration date online. Earlier this summer, the FDA extended the shelf life of all iHealth tests by 3 months. Learn more: https://ihealthlabs.com/pages/news

If you test negative, continue to monitor yourself for indications of infection.  If you develop symptoms or existing symptoms worsen, take another home test or seek a PCR test at a testing location: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/find-a-covid-19-test

If you test positive, consider confirming your result with a PCR test at a testing location (see link above), isolate consistent with CDC guidelines, and notify any close contacts who may have been exposed to COVID-19. Learn more: mass.gov/COVIDtreatment

For more information on at-home tests, visit: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/testing/self-testing.html/
View COVID-19 information and indicators on the City’s website:
www.newbedford-ma.gov/health-department/coronavirus/
 

Massachusetts Unemployment & Job Estimates for October

BOSTON, MA – November 18, 2022 – The state’s October total unemployment rate was 3.5 percent, up one-tenth of a percentage point over-the-month, the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development announced Friday. 
 
The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ preliminary job estimates indicate Massachusetts gained 9,800 jobs in October. This follows last month’s revised gain of 22,900 jobs. The largest over the month private sector job gains were in Financial Activities, Professional and Business Services, and Government. Employment now stands at 3,710,600.  Since the employment trough in April 2020, Massachusetts gained 659,600 jobs. 
 
From October 2021 to October 2022, BLS estimates Massachusetts gained 141,300 jobs. The largest over the year gains occurred in Professional and Business Services, Leisure and Hospitality, and Education and Health Services.  
 
The October unemployment rate of 3.5 percent was two-tenths of a percentage point below the national rate of 3.7 percent reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.  
 
The labor force decreased by an estimated 3,800 from 3,749,600 in September, as 6,200 fewer residents were employed, and 2,300 more residents were unemployed over-the-month. 
 
Over-the-year, the state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was down by 1.5 percentage points.  
 
 

Hathaway Elementary School to see Window and Door Upgrades Under Mayor Mitchell's Funding Proposal

New Bedford, Massachusetts – Mayor Jon Mitchell has submitted a proposal to the City Council for a loan order of $150,000 to pay for the costs of a schematic design/feasibility study for an accelerated repair project at the Ellen R. Hathaway Elementary School on Court Street.

 

On October 26, 2022, the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) voted to invite the City of New Bedford into the Accelerated Repair Program to conduct a Schematic Design Study at the Ellen Hathaway Elementary School for a potential windows and doors replacement project. The reimbursement rate from the MSBA on the project would be 80%, therefore the City’s financial obligation for the Schematic design would be $30,000.

The City Council Finance Committee will be considering the proposal at an upcoming meeting, to be scheduled. (CORRECTION: THE CITY COUNCIL FINANCE COMMITTEE APPROVED THE PROPOSAL AT ITS MEETING YESTERDAY, NOV. 17; THE PROPOSAL NOW AWAITS FINAL APPROVAL FROM THE FULL COUNCIL).

Baker-Polito Administration Files $139 Million Supplemental Budget to Address Emergency Temporary Shelter Needs

BOSTON – Governor Charlie Baker today filed a $139 million Fiscal Year 2023 (FY23) supplemental budget to support the Commonwealth’s response to substantially increased demand on the emergency assistance shelter system.

 

The targeted funding and policy changes in this bill will provide resources to expand emergency shelter capacity to address an uptick in need for these services, which is driven in part by a recent increase in migrant entries to Massachusetts, due to federal immigration policy. 
 

Drug Bust in New Bedford Leads to Two Arrest

According to NBC 10 in Providence, two people wanted for drug trafficking charges in New Bedford were arrested Tuesday. The search happened just after 3 p.m. on Sawyer Street where nearly 60 grams of suspected fentanyl, almost 40 grams of suspected crack cocaine, and 13 grams of powder cocaine were found during the search alongside over $2,500.

 

The 33 year old Roberto Encarnacion, and 36 year old Heather Cruz, were arrested and charged with trafficking fentanyl, cocaine, and possession with intent to distribute.

Bristol County Rape Kit Arrest

Bristol County District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn’s Untested Rape Kit Initiative has resulted in another arrest connected to a decades old case involving a  previously untested rape kit.  
 
Eduardo Mendez, 48, was apprehended Tuesday night in New York City on an arrest warrant issued by our office for the 1994 violent rape of a woman in Attleboro.
 
The arrest warrant charges Mendez, who had been living in Attleboro in 1994, with aggravated rape.  He is being charged in New York City as being a fugitive from justice and it is unclear at this time whether he will fight rendition back to Massachusetts. 

The crime occurred on June 9, 1994 when the victim was accosted by three men in Attleboro as she walked near the Pleasant Street Bridge in Attleboro.  The three men forced her into the stairwell of a nearby building, covering her mouth as she attempted to scream.  In the stairwell, two of the men held her down while the third violently raped her before fleeing the scene.  The victim immediately reported the case to the police, who responded to the area but were unable to identify any of the suspects.  At that location, however, they found the victim’s purse.  The victim provided a description of her assailants, noting that the man who had raped her had gold on his teeth.  Despite her descriptions of the individuals who had assaulted her, no suspect was identified at that time.  The victim was transported to Sturdy Hospital where she was treated and a sexual assault evidence collection kit (rape kit) was recovered.  

That kit was one of more than at least 7,000 kits from throughout the state that was never fully tested by the state lab. However, after our office became aware of the scope and breadth of the problem with untested rape kits, we took action to obtain a federal grant. We then began the painstaking process of inventorying and prioritizing all untested rape kits in our county, and are now in the final stages of the process of getting all 1,148 previously untested Bristol County rape kits fully tested by a private lab under the Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI) grant obtained by District Attorney Quinn in 2019.

The renewed testing related to this case revealed a DNA profile that was then uploaded to the national CODIS system.  That upload revealed a match to Eduardo Mendez, who was in the national system as a result of a conviction for a stabbing in New York later in the 1990s.  In addition to the DNA match, the investigation has revealed that Mendez’s physical description matches the one given by the victim and that he had lived just a few houses away from where the crime was committed.  Investigators also learned that he has gold in his teeth. 

In September of 2020, our office announced that an arrest warrant had been issued in this case, thanks to DA Quinn’s Untested Rape Kit Initiative.  For the past two years, state police detectives assigned to the district attorney’s office, the Massachusetts State Police Violent Fugitive Apprehension Section, the state police’s Unresolved Unit, Attleboro Police and the US Marshals have been actively searching for this defendant.  On Tuesday, the defendant was apprehended in Brooklyn, NY by US Marshls, the New York City Sheriff's Office and New York City Police.

When notified of yesterday’s arrest, the victim in the case was ecstatic and is fully on board with the prosecution of this case. She further indicated she was very relieved to hear the news, stating that even after more than 25 years, she is “still living with it.”  She also reported that she now feels a sense of relief because after so many years had passed, she had lost hope that the case would ever be solved. 

If the rape kit had been fully tested by the state lab, it would have matched to this defendant decades ago. Without the institution of DA Quinn's Untested Rape Kit Initiative, this case may never would have been solved.

“I am extremely pleased that our rape kit testing initiative has already resulted in four separate cold case rapes being solved from more than a decade ago.  All of these cases demonstrate the importance of fully testing all sexual assault kits. If we did not obtain the grant to have all these kits fully tested, this case may  never have been solved,” District Attorney Quinn said. “Victims, like the one in this case, who have been sexually assaulted have gone through a very traumatic experience and have a right to have these kits fully tested, especially when an assailant cannot be identified.”

This case is one of four cold case rapes already solved as a result of DA Quinn’s Untested Rape Kit Initiative and the office is optimistic more charges will be filed in other cases as the private lab testing continues. Three of those the cases have been publicly announced, while the fourth still remains a sealed matter at this time. 
 
The revelation that so many rape kits throughout the state were not being fully tested began shortly after a defendant by the name of John Loflin was convicted in late 2013 for the cold case 2002 murder of Marlene Rose in New Bedford. Loflin had previously been charged with a 1997 New Bedford rape, but the case was eventually dismissed after the alleged victim left the country. The alleged victim in that case submitted to a rape kit. That rape kit was sent up to the state lab three weeks after the rape, but unbeknownst to law enforcement, it had never been fully tested. After Marlene Rose was murdered in 2002, DNA evidence was collected and sent to the state lab for testing. If the 1997 rape kit had been fully tested at the time, the Marlene Rose DNA evidence would have matched to that 1997 case and Loflin would have been arrested in connection to the Marlene Rose homicide. Instead, Loflin was not identified as the murderer of Rose until 2011 when he was arrested in Tennessee on unrelated charges. Loflin was compelled by Tennessee law to provide a DNA sample as a result of his criminal charges in that state. Once that DNA sample was uploaded to CODIS, it immediately matched with the 2002 DNA evidence connected to the murder of Marlene Rose. Loflin was then charged here in Bristol County with Marlene Rose’s murder and was eventually convicted and sentenced to life in prison in November of 2013.
 
After learning about the 1997 rape case and discovering that the rape kit in that case had never been tested, our office began looking into other cold case rapes and attempted to determine whether there were other rape kits that were also not fully tested by the state lab. District Attorney Quinn poured a number of resources and man hours into this review. After inventorying many rape kits from all 20 of Bristol County’s cities and towns, it began to become clear that there were a great deal of rape kits that were not being fully tested. Our office then researched and applied for the federal SAKI grant. In October of 2018, our office was notified that our grant application was approved and that federal grant money would be awarded. In June of 2019, the federal grant money was deposited into the Bristol County District Attorney’s Office account. We immediately used that grant money to hire a retired Massachusetts State Police detective to assist staff members in our office with training, inventorying and prioritizing the untested rape kits. Our office is the first District Attorney’s office in the state to undertake this large-scale initiative and obtain the federal grant program.
 
After numerous delays due to Covid-19 and other issues with the state lab, the first batches of prioritized untested rape kits were sent to a private lab (Bode Laboratories) for testing in April of 2021. Although the testing got off to a slow start, we have been informed that all 1,148 previously untested rape kits will likely be fully tested by the private lab by the end of this year. Our office is optimistic that other cold case sexual assaults and other crimes will be solved as a result of this initiative.
 
The Bristol County District Attorney’s office is the only office in the state to have undertaken this effort and will be the only county in the state to have all its untested rape kits fully tested by the end of this year. 

“During the investigation of a cold case homicide we discovered that more than 1,100 rape kits in our county had not been fully tested. This was totally unacceptable, especially for victims, the public and law enforcement who believed these kits were being fully tested. I immediately dedicated office resources so that every rape kit would now be fully tested to help identify perpetrators who had remained uncharged,” District Attorney Quinn said. “I am optimistic there are other cases that will be solved as a result of our rape kit initiative. Our office discovered a major problem, took action and devoted an immense amount of resources to it, and is now in the process of solving it.”

Civil Rights Advocates Demand Federal Investigation Into Discriminatory Business Practices At Boston's Logan Airport

Massport and JCDecaux Depriving Minority-Owned Businesses of Equal Contracting Opportunity
 

November 17, 2022

BOSTON --  Today, Lawyers for Civil Rights (LCR) asked the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to launch an investigation into discriminatory business practices at Logan Airport.  The federal complaint outlines Massachusetts Port Authority’s (Massport) pattern of allowing the exclusion of minority-owned businesses from equal contracting opportunities at Logan, highlighted by the mistreatment of prominent Black woman-owned public relations firm Colette Phillips Communications (CPC) by JCDecaux, a multinational advertising company.
 
As a recipient of federal funds, Massport must adhere to strict nondiscrimination policies aimed at creating a level playing field on which disadvantaged business entities can compete fairly for opportunities for concessions, through the Federal Airport Concessions Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (ACDBE) program. Unfortunately, Massport is failing minority business owners. 
 
In 2013, Massport awarded JCDecaux a 9-year concession contract to provide advertising and sponsorship services at Logan Airport. To win the contract, JCDecaux subcontracted with CPC, promising a genuine and meaningful partnership.
 
Once the contract was awarded, however, JCDecaux treated CPC as an obstacle.  JCDecaux also refused to provide CPC with access to the records and books of their joint venture, leaving CPC in the dark on crucial business decisions, including compliance with federal ACDBE obligations.  
 
Meanwhile, Massport consistently:
•    rubber-stamped reports showing that JCDecaux failed to meet their contractual goals; 
•    took no meaningful action to stop JCDecaux’s discriminatory actions; and 
•    silently stood by observing JCDecaux’s bad faith practices utterly failing to carry out their legal obligations. 
“For over 35 years, I have built my business into one of Boston’s premier public relations firms, but JCDecaux never took me seriously or treated me fairly,” said Colette Phillips, CEO of CPC, which has been named one of the top PR firms in Boston by the Boston Business Journal.  “When I went to Massport, they essentially looked the other way.”  
 
In light of these failures by Massport and JCDecaux, LCR’s letter today calls upon the FAA to: 
•    Require Massport to conduct an audit of JCDecaux’s ACDBE participation and engage a third party to investigate JCDecaux’s discriminatory practices.
•    Investigate JCDecaux’s participation in the ACDBE program in the nine major airports across the country that contract with JCDecaux. 
•    Investigate Massport’s compliance with the ACDBE program. 


“LCR stands ready to hold JCDecaux and Massport accountable on behalf of Colette Phillips Communication and all the businesses owned by people of color, immigrants, and women that we serve through our small business project, BizGrow,” said Russell Paul, Senior BizGrow Attorney at LCR.
 

New Bedford Suspect Found Not Competent to Stand Trial in March 2022 Homicide

A 34-year-old New Bedford woman, charged with murder in the March 2022 New Bedford homicide of 62-year-old Kevin Stoughton, has been deemed incompetent to stand trial at this time and has been civilly committed.


Chelsea Pimentel was arrested in late March by Massachusetts State Police detectives assigned to this office and New Bedford Police.  She was charged with Murder, Assault & Battery Household Member, and Assault & Battery.  

 

On March 28 at around 1 pm, the Fairhaven Police Department contacted New Bedford Police requesting a wellness check at 39 North Sixth Street following a report the parents of the defendant made to Fairhaven Police. The defendant had apparently contacted her mother that  morning to say a man had died in her presence at that address.

 

When police arrived on scene, they located the deceased male victim, identified as Kevin Stoughton.  The victim resided at the apartment and the defendant had apparently been staying there with him for a time. 

 

After further investigation by state police detectives assigned to this office, New Bedford Police and officials from the state medical examiner's office, it was determined on March 29th that the victim had died as a result of homicide. At that point, the defendant was formally arrested and charged.

 

A competency hearing was held in Fall River Superior Court on November 4th.  Yesterday, Judge Raffi Yessayan found the defendant not competent to stand trial at this time, and ordered her civilly committed to the Worcester State Hospital for a period of six months.  

 

After the six months, the defendant will be reevaluated, at which time she will either be determined to be competent to stand trial or be civilly committed for a full year.  If the latter occurs, her case will be called back into court yearly to determine if there has been any change in her competency status.
 

City of New Bedford Yard Waste Pick-Up

Friday, December 16th, 2022


Is the last collection day for yard waste.

 

If your trash day is Friday the 16th your last pick-up will be Monday the 12th.

 

Yard waste, brush & branches can also be brought to the Recycling Center at 1103 Shawmut Ave anytime during normal business hours:

 

Monday                noon to 5:00 PM
Wednesday          noon to 5:00 PM
Friday                  noon to 5:00 PM
Saturday             7:30 AM to 3:00 PM
 

Breeze Airways Adding New Destination

Breeze Airways announced yesterday two new destinations from Rhode Island T.F. Green International Airport. According to NBC 10 in Providence, nonstop flights to Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina are set to start on February 17 and services to New Orleans as well. Breeze previously announced it will begin nonstop flights to Los Angeles in 2023 and began operations back in May of 2021.

 

The airline announced that it would open a base of operations in Rhode Island next year.

For 11th year in a row, UMass Dartmouth named one of the nation's most environmentally responsible colleges

University celebrated in the Princeton Review Guide to Green Colleges: 2023 Edition

Dartmouth, MA – November 15, 2022 – Once again, UMass Dartmouth has been named one of the nation's most environmentally responsible colleges, according to The Princeton Review Guide to Green Colleges: 2023 Edition. The University has been named to the prestigious list for 11 straight years.

 

The Princeton Review chose the schools in the guide based on its survey of administrators at 713 colleges during the 2021-22 academic year and surveys of students attending the colleges. The company editors analyzed more than 25 survey data points to select the 455 schools chosen for the guide.

 

"UMass Dartmouth is honored to receive this important distinction from The Princeton Review that acknowledges our efforts to create a more sustainable campus," said Chancellor Mark A. Fuller. "I am proud of our faculty that research solutions to ocean pollution in our plastics biodegradability lab, our staff who upgrade our campus infrastructure to incorporate best practices, and most importantly, our students that push for a more sustainable future."

 

Over the past few years, UMass Dartmouth has upgraded 22,000 outdated light bulbs to high-efficiency LED bulbs, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 3%. The University was recently recognized by the Baker/Polito Administration's "Leading by Example" program for developing one of the first Carbon Reduction Plans in the Commonwealth. This was the third time Massachusetts has recognized the campus for excellence in clean energy environmental efforts.

 

"We strongly recommend UMass Dartmouth to the increasing number of students who care about the environment and want their 'best-fit' college to also ideally be a green one," said Rob Franek, The Princeton Review's Editor-in-Chief.

 

Franek noted that The Princeton Review has seen an increasing level of interest among students in attending green colleges. Of the more than 10,000 college applicants the company polled for its 2022 College Hopes & Worries Survey, 77% said having information about a college's commitment to the environment would affect their decision to apply to or attend a school.

 

The school profiles in The Princeton Review Guide to Green Colleges report on the colleges' uses of renewable energy, their recycling and conservation programs, the availability of environmental studies in their academic offerings, and their career guidance for green jobs. The profiles also include information on the schools' admission requirements, cost, and financial aid.

Red Sox announce roster moves

BOSTON, MA—The Boston Red Sox today made the following roster moves:

Left-handed pitchers Chris Murphy and Brandon Walter were selected to the Major League roster from Triple-A Worcester.
Infielder/outfielder Ceddanne Rafaela, outfielder Wilyer Abreu, and infielder David Hamilton were selected to the Major League roster from Double-A Portland.
Right-handed pitcher Jake Reed and catcher Caleb Hamilton were designated for assignment.
Chief Baseball Officer Chaim Bloom made the announcement.

Boston’s 40-man roster is now at 40.

Murphy, 24, is ranked by Baseball America as the Red Sox’ No. 8 prospect and No. 3 pitching prospect. The left-hander was named Portland’s Pitcher of the Year for 2022, posting a 2.58 ERA (22 ER/76.2 IP) in 15 outings (13 starts) for the Sea Dogs before he was promoted to Worcester on June 28. He also made 15 starts for the WooSox, going 3-6 with a 5.50 ERA (46 ER/75.1 IP). The California native was selected by the Red Sox in the sixth round of the 2019 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of San Diego.

Walter, 26, is ranked among the Red Sox’ top 10 prospects by both Baseball America (No. 9) and MLB.com (No. 7). The left-hander made 11 starts between Portland (9) and Worcester (2) in 2022, posting a 3.59 ERA (23 ER/57.2 IP), 0.90 WHIP, and 11.71 strikeouts per 9.0 innings, as he struck out 75 batters and walked only seven. A Delaware native, Walter was selected by Boston in the 26th round of the 2019 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of Delaware.

Rafaela, 22, is ranked among the Red Sox’ top five prospects by both Baseball America (No. 4) and MLB.com (No. 3). Named 2022 Red Sox Minor League Player of the Year by _Baseball America_, the right-handed hitter batted .299 with an .880 OPS, 32 doubles, 10 triples, 21 home runs, and 28 stolen bases in 116 games between High-A Greenville (45 games) and Portland (71). Rafaela started 91 games in center field, 20 at shortstop, three at designated hitter, and one at second base, earning his second consecutive Red Sox Minor League Defensive Player of the Year award from the organization. The Curacao native was signed by Boston as an international free agent on July 2, 2017.

Abreu, 23, is ranked by Baseball America as the Red Sox’ No. 22 prospect. The left-handed hitter batted .247 (113-for-457) with 106 runs scored, 29 doubles, 19 home runs, and 31 stolen bases in 129 Double-A games between Corpus Christi (89 games) and Portland (40) in 2022, starting 56 games in center field, 38 in left field, and 26 in right field. A native of Maracaibo, Venezuela, he was acquired from the Houston Astros on August 1 along with Enmanuel Valdez in exchange for catcher Christian Vázquez.

David Hamilton, 25, was named the 2022 Red Sox Minor League Baserunner of the Year after leading Double-A and setting a new franchise record for Portland with 70 stolen bases in 78 attempts. The left-handed hitter batted .251 (116-for-463) with 16 doubles, nine triples, and 12 home runs in 119 games with the Sea Dogs. A native of San Marcos, Texas, Hamilton was acquired from the Milwaukee Brewers along with outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr. and minor league infielder Alex Binelas in exchange for outfielder Hunter Renfroe in December 2021.

Reed, 30, was claimed off waivers by Boston from the Baltimore Orioles on October 13. The right-hander made 18 relief appearances for the New York Mets, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Baltimore during 2022, posting a 7.02 ERA (13 ER/16.2 IP). He also recorded a 3.09 ERA (8 ER/23.1 IP) in 20 minor league outings (one start) with 26 strikeouts, eight walks, and only one home run allowed.

Caleb Hamilton, 27, was claimed off waivers by Boston from the Minnesota Twins on October 11. He made his Major League debut with Minnesota in 2022, playing in 22 games while making three starts at catcher and one at first base. The right-handed hitter spent the majority of this season with Triple-A St. Paul, batting .233 (48-for-206) with 10 doubles, 11 home runs, and 43 RBI in 62 games.

BOSTON RED SOX 40-MAN ROSTER (40)

Pitchers (20): Matt Barnes, Brayan Bello, Ryan Brasier, Kutter Crawford, Franklin German, Darwinzon Hernandez, Tanner Houck, Zack Kelly, Bryan Mata, Chris Murphy, Kaleb Ort, James Paxton, Nick Pivetta, Chris Sale, John Schreiber, Connor Seabold, Josh Taylor, Brandon Walter, Garrett Whitlock, Josh Winckowski

Catchers (3): Ronaldo Hernández, Reese McGuire, Connor Wong

Infielders (8): Triston Casas, Yu Chang, Bobby Dalbec, Rafael Devers, Jeter Downs, David Hamilton, Eric Hosmer, Trevor Story

Outfielders (5): Wilyer Abreu, Franchy Cordero, Jarren Duran, Rob Refsnyder, Alex Verdugo

Infielder/Outfielders (4): Christian Arroyo, Kiké Hernández, Ceddanne Rafaela, Enmanuel Valdez

Baker-Polito Administration Awards $485K to Combat Human Trafficking Five District Attorney's Offices will use Funds for Training, Investigations and Victim Services

The Baker-Polito Administration today awarded grant funding to five Massachusetts prosecutor’s offices to increase their capacity to investigate and prosecute human trafficking while improving services for victims of exploitation. 
 
The 2023 Human Trafficking Enforcement and Training Grant Program was announced in September of this year.  The program supports efforts by district attorneys and their law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute human trafficking, strengthen community relationships and expand the use of victim-centered and multi-disciplinary approaches to serving trafficking victims.   
 
“For the past eight years, our administration has focused on supporting a comprehensive approach to combatting human trafficking, and we are proud to sustain that effort with these latest grants. This grant funding aims to further ensure that law enforcement and service providers are equipped to provide victims with the help they need while holding accountable those who would commit these traumatic crimes,” said Governor Charlie Baker. 
 
“Providing trauma-informed, victim-centered services to survivors of exploitation is vital not only to rebuilding lives, but to building the relationships necessary to hold accountable those who commit these crimes.  These funds help ensure that prosecutors have the resources necessary to combat human trafficking in our communities,” said Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito. 
 
Funding is being awarded to the Berkshire County District Attorney, Hampden County District Attorney, Middlesex County District Attorney, Plymouth County District Attorney and Suffolk County District Attorney.  The funded programs will build upon the success of pilot programs launched in the Hampden County District Attorney and Worcester County District Attorney offices through the FFY 2019 Improving Outcomes for Child and Youth Victims of Human Trafficking Grant.  These federal funds were awarded by the Office of Victims of Crime (OVC), which is part of the Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs.  
 
The Human Trafficking Enforcement and Training Grant Program is administered by the Office of Grants and Research (OGR), a state agency that is a part of the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security.   
 
“These funds will ensure that prosecutors and their law enforcement partners have the capacity to protect the most vulnerable members of our community from exploitation. They also allow law enforcement to expand services and strengthen relationships with the communities they serve,” said Public Safety and Security Secretary Terrence Reidy. 
 
“I commend each of the district attorney’s offices receiving these grants for the excellent work they are doing to combat human trafficking and serve victims of these terrible offenses. My office is committed to helping build on the success of these efforts and expand services to survivors,” said OGR Executive Director Kevin Stanton. 
 
The award recipients are: 
 
Recipient     Award Amount 
Berkshire County District Attorney’s Office    $97,000.00 
Hampden County District Attorney’s Office     $97,000.00 
Middlesex County District Attorney’s Office     $97,000.00 
Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office     $97,000.00 
Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office     $97,000.00 
Total     $485,000.00 
 
 

A Pair of Fall River Shootings Under Investigation

At approximately 2:45 p.m. on Friday, November 11, 2022, Officers responded to the area of Locust and Linden St. after receiving reports of shots fired.

Once on scene, investigators located several spent shell casing in the immediate area. No injuries were reported as a result of the incident. It was reported that several males had engaged in a verbal altercation moments before the shots were fired.

At approximately 10:20p.m. on Sunday November 13, 2022, officers were dispatched to Chaves Market, regarding reports of shots fired in the area. While in-route, responding units were advised that a vehicle had crashed into the business, and its occupants had fled the area.

Upon arrival, officers located the unoccupied vehicle and were unable to locate any of its occupants. It was later confirmed by investigators that a shooting occurred in this area as well.

It would later be determined by investigators that the two shooting incidents were connected. Officer Mitchell Walsh, the lead investigator, was able identify 20-year-old Steven Redondo-Morales, of Fall River as the individual responsible for the shooting on Locust St. 

Detective Adam Talbot was able to identify 18-year-old Erick Cora-Acosta as the individual responsible for the shooting incident in the area of Chaves Market.

Cora-Acosta was taken into police custody on Monday, November 14, 2022 without incident. He is charged with carrying a firearm without a license to carry, carrying a loaded firearm in public without a license, discharging a firearm within 500 ft. of a dwelling, attempt to commit assault and battery by discharging a firearm, and vandalism.

Also arrested in connection with the Chaves Market incident were 25-year-old Brendon Bindig, and 26-year-old Savannah Soares both of Fall River. Both were charged with witness intimidation. It should also be noted that Ms. Soares was one of seventeen individuals arrested in a joint narcotics operation, conducted with the Massachusetts State Police on November 2, 2022.

At this time, Redondo-Morales has not been taken into police custody. He is charged with attempt to commit assault and battery by discharging a firearm, carrying a loaded firearm in public without a license, carry a firearm without a license, and discharging a firearm within 500 ft. of a dwelling. Anyone with information regarding his whereabouts is asked to contact the Fall River Police Department at 508-676-8511. Anonymous tips can be provided by dialing 508-672-TIPS (8477).
Paul F. Gauvin
Chief of Police

Five Alarm Fire at a Fall River Shopping Plaza

According to CBS 12 in Providence, Fall River Fire crews are working to determine what caused the five-alarm fire that broke out inside a local shopping plaza late last night. Reports stated that every firefighter available in the city was called to Mariano Bishop Boulevard around 9 p.m. where they found heavy flames and smoke billowing from the roof of Burns Power Tools. Fall River Fire Chief Roger St. Martin said crews noticed the roof was caving in so they attacked the flames from above which also damaged a Subway that shares a building with the shop. Crews were able to prevent the flames from spreading to a medical building just yards away. Fall River Mayor Paul Coogan told CBS 12 News Burns Power Tools is “an institution in the city and they will do what they can to help the business rebuild.”

 

No injuries were reported and the cause remains unknown as investigations continue.

Local Football This Week

In Division One College Football, Boston College is a 21 point underdog versus Norte Dame, while UMass is a 33.5 underdog versus Texas A&M this Saturday, according to the Draft Kings Sportsbook. 

 

In the NFL, the Patriots are 3 point home favorites in Gillette versus the Jets; the Patriots are coming off their Week Nine Bye Week. 

 

The O/U for Patriots Jets is 38.5

 

 

 

 

 

Highest Thanksgiving Gas Prices Ever, Yet 20% More Americans Plan to Hit the Road Projected average price of $3.68 on Thanksgiving Day will break record set 10 years ago

BOSTON (November 15, 2022) -- As Americans prepare to hit the road for Thanksgiving, average gasoline prices will be at their highest seasonal level ever for the weekend according to GasBuddy, the leading fuel savings platform saving North American drivers the most money on gas.

 

The national average is projected to stand at $3.68 on Thanksgiving Day – nearly 30¢ higher than last year, and over 20¢ higher than the previous record of $3.44 set in 2012. But that won’t slow many down, with 20% more Americans planning to hit the road this year.

 

2022 has been a challenging year for drivers, breaking several records thanks to less global refining capacity and sanctions brought on by Russia’s war on Ukraine.The number of Americans traveling over the weekend this year is up from 32% last year to 38%, a nearly 20% rise, with 62% of Americans not planning on road tripping forThanksgiving. Twenty-one percent say they are choosing not to drive due to high fuel prices.

 

“It has been a dizzying year at the pump, with motorists likely feeling nauseous not from the eggnog, but from the roller coaster ride at the pump with record gasoline prices earlier this year, which have fallen significantly since mid-summer,”said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy. “Americans, however, are proving that while we’ll openly complain about high gas prices, most of us aren’t deterred from taking to the highways to observe Thanksgiving with those that matter most to us, especially as precautions from the pandemic have eased.”

UMass Dartmouth Football team wins MASCAC Championship and earns NCAA Tournament appearance

Corsairs will play Ithaca College in a November 19 first-round matchup

Dartmouth, MA – November 14, 2022 – The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth football team are the 2022 Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) Champions for the first time in program history and have earned an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament that begins on Saturday, November 19. The Corsairs will take on Ithaca College at 12 p.m. in their second-ever appearance in NCAA Tourney and first since 2002. The matchup's winner will move on to the second round to play the winner of Endicott and Springfield. 

This was the first conference championship since 2002, when the team was in the New England Football Conference (NEFC).

The Corsairs possess the 15th highest-powered offenses in the nation, averaging 42.1 points per game. Junior QB Dante Aviles-Santos is fifth in the country in passing yards (2,940), eighth in passing yards per game (294.0), eighth in total offense (312.4), and 16th in passing TDs (26). Sophomore WR Angel Sanchez leads the nation in receiving yards per game (138.0) and is ninth in receiving yards (1,104) despite only playing eight games. Senior RB Luis Gonzalez is 18th in the country with 14 rushing touchdowns.

UMass Dartmouth has the best defense in the MASCAC, allowing only 18.8 points per game, 246.7 yards per game, and 11 team interceptions. Senior Josh Lacerte and sophomore Sam Alicea lead the team with seven sacks each, while 5th-year senior Javien Delgado leads the way with 52 tackles on the year.

The Corsairs, who finished the regular season 9-1 and a perfect 8-0 in the MASCAC, defeated Plymouth State 46-21 on the road.
 

Former Taunton Man Convicted after December 2018 Incident

Serge Andre was convicted by a jury of his peers in Fall River Superior Court to indictments charging him with Assault and Battery on a Police Officer with Attempt to Disarm, Assault with a Dangerous Weapon,  Leaving the Scene of an Accident, Negligent Operation of a Motor Vehicle and two counts of Attempted Breaking and Entering.

 

On December 16, 2018, the defendant approached a home in Mansfield.  He was carrying a newspaper in a plastic bag.  When the homeowner and her two children answered the door the defendant asked if she got the Herald and when he said no, he left.  The homeowner called the police non-emergency number and reported the strange encounter.  

 

As a Mansfield Police officer approached the area, he was looking for the person matching the homeowner’s description.  As he approached the street from the opposite end, he saw the defendant (matching the description) in a small Honda SUV.  The officer got the license plate, but as he was turning around, the defendant turned in the direction opposite of which he was signaling and fled, almost causing a collision.
          
The defendant then drove to a secluded house in Easton.  The house and it’s driveway could not be seen from the street.  Again, using the thin disguise of holding a paper, the defendant attempted to gain entry.  When the homeowner did not respond, the defendant repeatedly tried every entrance and tried to kick in a sliding glass door.  As the police arrived in response to that homeowner’s 911 call, the defendant left, and upon seeing the police again, fled at a high rate of speed.  This time miles up the road, the defendant caused a collision.
          
The collision caused the defendant’s vehicle to come to a rest in the parking lot of the state forest.  The person whose car he hit got out of his car and approached the defendant to try to help him.  As he did this, he saw the defendant reach for his waistband, and knowing that likely meant the defendant had a gun, that driver hid behind his car.  Other civilians in the area saw the defendant pull out a gun and they too hid from the defendant.

The two police officers responding to the homeowner’s 911 call arrived on scene.  They saw the defendant go to the corner of a house and encountered him there.  The defendant pulled what appeared to be a Glock from his waistband (it was later determined to be a pellet gun) and pointed it at the officers.  The officers engaged with their department issued firearms.  The defendant repeatedly made statements that he wanted the officers to kill him and charged towards them.  As one of the officers was attempting to put distance between himself and the oncoming defendant by backing up, he tripped.  The defendant then tried to get the officer’s firearm, causing a physical struggle between him and the defendant.  That struggle was only brought to an end when the other officer shot the defendant in the buttocks area. The officers immediately rendered first aid to the defendant and his life was saved.

After accepting the defendant’s guilty pleas, Judge Renee Dupuis sentenced the defendant to serve eight-and-a-half to 10 years in state prison, followed by three years of supervised probation.  The case was prosecuted by Co-First Assistant District Attorney Patrick Bomberg and Co-Second Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Sowa. 

The defendant had been released from prion just four months prior to this incident. He had previously served a prison sentence related to a 2014 conviction for two separate armed, masked robberies committed with a lookalike gun.
 

_Massachusetts Gas Prices Up 1 Cent

Westwood, MA, November 14, 2022 — The average gas price in Massachusetts is up 1 cent from last week ($3.84), averaging $3.85 per gallon.

 

Today’s price is 26 cents higher than a month ago ($3.59), and 44 cents higher than November 14, 2021 ($3.41). Massachusetts’ average gas price is 8 cents higher than the national average.

 

“The national average for a gallon of gasoline slid three cents in the past week to $3.77, and prices locally have been stable recently,” said Mary Maguire, AAA Northeast Vice President of Public and Government Affairs. “The main reason is the global cost for oil, gasoline’s main ingredient, has been stuck in a narrow price range of $85 to $92 a barrel for several weeks.”

 

AAA Northeast’s November 14 survey of fuel prices found the current national average to be 3 cents lower than last week ($3.80), averaging $3.77 a gallon. Today’s national average price is 13 cents lower than a month ago ($3.90), and 36 cents higher than this day last year ($3.41).
 

MassDOT Advisory: Attleboro Overnight Closure of the Ramp from I-295 Northbound to I-95 Southbound Ramp to be closed from 9:30 p.m. tonight, Monday, November 14, through 3 a.m. on Tuesday, November 15

ATTLEBORO - The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) is announcing it will be temporarily closing the ramp from I-295 northbound to I-95 southbound in Attleboro.

 

 The ramp closure will be in place from 9:30 p.m. tonight, Monday, November 14, through 3:00 a.m. on Tuesday, November 15.  The closure is necessary to allow crews to safely and efficiently install barrier along the ramp in preparation for bridge repair work.  

 

The barrier will remain on the bridge until further notice while repair work is being done.  

 

The I-295 northbound to I-95 southbound ramp detour will be as follows:

•    Continue on I-295 northbound to the ramp to I-95 northbound.
•    Continue on I-95 northbound to the interchange with Toner Boulevard.
•    Take ramp to Toner Boulevard.
•    Take right onto Toner Boulevard to the ramp to I-95 southbound.
•    Continue on I-95 southbound.

Upon completion of the installation of the barrier, the above-referenced detour will remain in place for oversize vehicles only.
 

SENATOR MARKEY DEMANDS ANSWERS FROM TWITTER ON DISINFORMATION AND FAKE ACCOUNTS

Washington (November 11, 2022) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), a member of the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, today sent a letter to Twitter Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk demanding the company explain the procedures in place for its “blue checkmark” verification process.

 

The query comes after a Washington Post reporter successfully obtained the Twitter handle “@realedmarkey,” and purchased the account a “blue check” verification that noted the account was verified because it belonged to a “notable person in government.” In his letter to the company, Senator Markey urged accountability and highlighted that the company’s lax verification practices undermine the ability for users to be critical consumers of news and information on the platform, including from public officials, and risk the spread of disinformation.  

 

“Apparently, due to Twitter’s lax verification practices and apparent need for cash, anyone could pay $8.00 and impersonate someone on your platform. Selling the truth is dangerous and unacceptable. Twitter must explain how this happened and how it will prevent it from happening again,” wrote Senator Markey in his letter to Musk.

“Safeguards such as Twitter’s blue checkmark once allowed users to be smart, critical consumers of news and information in Twitter’s global town square,” the Senator continued. “But your Twitter takeover, rapid and haphazard imposition of platform changes, removal of safeguards against disinformation, and firing of large numbers of Twitter employees have accelerated Twitter’s descent into the Wild West of social media. That is unacceptable. Twitter and its leadership have a responsibility to the public to ensure the platform doesn’t become a breeding ground for manipulation and deceit.

 

Notwithstanding Twitter’s termination of Twitter Blue and paid-for blue checkmark verification shortly following the publication of the Washington Post article and the proliferation of imposter accounts, Senator Markey requested Twitter leadership provide answers to the following questions:

 

What was Twitter’s process for issuing paid-for blue checkmark verification of a Twitter account?
What was Twitter’s process for issuing verification of an account that is “notable in government, news, entertainment, or another designated category” on your platform? Please describe the internal steps at Twitter that were supposed to be followed for these processes.

 

How did the paid-for blue check verification process differ from the free verification process that preceded it?


How dis Twitter’s system allow a Washington Post reporter to obtain verification of a fake account?
Is Twitter planning to reintroduce a verification system?
###

GasBuddy on Gasoline Prices This Week

Average gasoline prices in Massachusetts have risen 2.9 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.83/g today, according to GasBuddy's survey of 2,830 stations in Massachusetts.

 

Prices in Massachusetts are 27.0 cents per gallon higher than a month ago and stand 43.0 cents per gallon higher than a year ago. The national average price of diesel has risen 2.3 cents in the last week and stands at $5.34 per gallon.

 

According to GasBuddy price reports, the cheapest station in Massachusetts was priced at $3.29/g yesterday while the most expensive was $4.69/g, a difference of $1.40/g. The lowest price in the state yesterday was $3.29/g while the highest was $4.69/g, a difference of $1.40/g.

 

The national average price of gasoline has fallen 2.6 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.76/g today. The national average is down 14.3 cents per gallon from a month ago and stands 36.3 cents per gallon higher than a year ago, according to GasBuddy data compiled from more than 11 million weekly price reports covering over 150,000 gas stations across the country.

 

Historical gasoline prices in Massachusetts and the national average going back ten years:
November 14, 2021: $3.40/g (U.S. Average: $3.40/g) November 14, 2020: $2.05/g (U.S. Average: $2.13/g) November 14, 2019: $2.53/g (U.S. Average: $2.62/g) November 14, 2018: $2.75/g (U.S. Average: $2.67/g) November 14, 2017: $2.56/g (U.S. Average: $2.57/g) November 14, 2016: $2.18/g (U.S. Average: $2.15/g) November 14, 2015: $2.14/g (U.S. Average: $2.17/g) November 14, 2014: $2.98/g (U.S. Average: $2.90/g) November 14, 2013: $3.31/g (U.S. Average: $3.18/g) November 14, 2012: $3.64/g (U.S. Average: $3.44/g)

 

Neighboring areas and their current gas prices:
Rhode Island- $3.82/g, down 2.0 cents per gallon from last week's $3.84/g.
Worcester- $3.83/g, up 4.1 cents per gallon from last week's $3.79/g.
Providence- $3.82/g, down 0.9 cents per gallon from last week's $3.83/g. 

 

"After rising the week prior, the national average has changed directions again, posting a modest weekly decline with prices dropping in a majority of states. The decline has been partly driven by Great Lakes states, where prices fell by 15-25 cents per gallon due to an improvement in the refining situation, and also oil prices, which fell back under $90 per barrel last week," said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy. "With oil prices remaining volatile, the outlook is murky, but I'm hopeful in the lead up to Thanksgiving we'll see prices declining in more states, while others may not be quite as lucky. Regardless, we'll still be seeing the most expensive Thanksgiving Day prices on record."

 

GasBuddy is the authoritative voice for gas prices and the only source for station-level data. GasBuddy's survey updates 288 times every day from the most diverse list of sources covering nearly 150,000 stations nationwide, the most comprehensive and up-to-date in the country. GasBuddy data is accessible at http://prices.GasBuddy.com.

SOURCE GasBuddy
 

MassDOT Advisory: New Bedford Temporary Weight and Lane Restrictions on I-195 Bridge Restrictions begin today, Sunday, November 13, and support ongoing substructure bridge repair operations

he Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) is announcing it will be implementing temporary weight and lane restrictions on the I-195 Bridge located over Route 18 in New Bedford for vehicles over 23 tons, effective today Sunday, November 13.  

 

These restrictions are being put in place as a precautionary measure while substructure bridge repair work is ongoing.  

The weight restriction for vehicles over 23 tons in weight is expected to remain in place for several weeks until repairs are completed. 

Vehicles over 23 tons in weight will be restricted as follows:

 

I-195 eastbound truck detour
•    Take exit 26 to Route 18 southbound.
•    Follow Route 18 southbound to the ramp to Route 6 eastbound.
•    Follow Route 6 eastbound to Route 240 northbound.
•    Turn left onto Route 240 northbound to the ramp to I-195 eastbound.

 

I-195 westbound truck lane restriction 
•    Observe signage and restrict travel to the right travel lane.

Passenger vehicles, light trucks, and trucks 23 tons or less are not restricted.

Drivers who are traveling through the affected areas should expect delays, reduce speed, and use caution.

All scheduled work is weather dependent and/or may be impacted due to an emergency situation.

For information on traffic conditions travelers are encouraged to:
•    Dial 511 before heading out onto the roadways and select a route to hear real-time conditions.
•    Visit www.mass511.com, a website which provides real-time traffic and incident advisory information, access to traffic cameras, and allows users to subscribe to text and email alerts for traffic conditions.
•    Follow MassDOT on Twitter @MassDOT to receive regular updates on road and traffic conditions. 
•    Download MassDOT’s GoTime mobile app and view real-time traffic conditions before setting out on the road
 

Data Breach Investigation in Rhode Island

The U.S. Office for Civil Rights is investigating four recent data breaches in Rhode Island that affected more than 36,000 people. According to CBS 12 in Providence, the OCR, a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, opens investigations into breaches that sought out to affect unsecured protected health information of 500 and or more individuals. One of the breaches occurred at the state’s marquee company, CVS after the company experienced a cyber attack in February impacting over 6,200 people.

Deer Crashes Leaping to New Highs in Massachusetts

Deer crashes are increasing by leaps and bounds in Massachusetts, and AAA is reminding drivers that it’s peak season for deer collisions. 

 

Last year, deer crashes between the months of October and December jumped to 1,656 – the highest number on record since 2002, according to a AAA Northeast analysis of crash data available from the state’s IMPACT crash portal. 

 

That’s equivalent to one deer crash every 80 minutes with most of the crashes occurring near sunset, which aligns with the afternoon commute and is heightened by the end of daylight saving time. Crashes are most common between 6 and 8 p.m. before the clock change, and 5 and 7 p.m. after the time change.

 

“Hitting a deer can have traumatic and devastating consequences and drivers need to be especially vigilant at this time of year,” said Mary Maguire, AAA Northeast Vice President of Public and Government Affairs. “The best defense against deer crashes is to be prepared and alert. Last year, I struck a deer on a curvy road on a dark night close to my home. Fortunately, I was driving fairly slowly, but I still managed to cause $6,000 in damage to my car. If it can happen to me, it can happen to you—when you least expect it.”

The top Massachusetts towns for deer crashes from October through December in 2021:

1.    Middleborough: 33
2.    Westport: 32
3.    Taunton: 31
4.    Swansea: 22
5.    Bolton/Freetown/Plymouth (tie): 19
6.    Westford: 17
7.    Rehoboth: 16
8.    Easton/Norton/Weston (tie): 15

The top Massachusetts counties for deer crashes from October through December in 2021:

1.    Bristol: 282
2.    Middlesex: 277
3.    Worcester: 261
4.    Plymouth: 230
5.    Essex: 139

AAA offers these tips for avoiding or mitigating deer crashes:

•    Scan the shoulders of the road in front of you; deer may dash out from the shoulder or wooded areas adjacent to the road.


•    Follow the speed limit; keeping your speed down will give you more time to respond to unexpected wildlife movements.


•    Be careful rounding curves and climbing hills where visibility is limited.


•    One long blast on your horn may frighten animals away from your car if you spy them early enough.


•    If you spy one deer, look out for others. Deer rarely travel alone.


•    Use your high beams along dark roadways if there is no oncoming traffic.


•    If a collision is unavoidable, apply the brakes firmly and try to remain in your lane and avoid other vehicles; swerving sharply can cause an even more serious crash. 

 

Drivers are especially vulnerable to collisions with deer after the end of daylight saving time as they adjust to the darker commute home. Changing sleep cycles after the time change can also lead to drowsy driving. According to AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety research, losing one to two hours of sleep doubles your crash risk, and an individual operating a vehicle with five hours of sleep or less in a 24-hour period faces crash risk as someone driving drunk.  

Governor Baker Signs $3.76 Billion Economic Development Bill

BOSTON – Governor Charlie Baker today signed a $3.76 billion spending plan that promotes economic development, strengthens health and human services, advances clean energy and resiliency, expands affordable housing production and invests in Massachusetts communities, businesses and workers.

 

The legislation signed today includes funding for several proposals introduced by the Baker-Polito Administration in the FORWARD economic development bill filed in April and in multiple supplemental budget proposals, including the most recent proposal from August to close out Fiscal Year 2022 (FY22). 
 
“This legislation will make strategic investments in economic development, increase affordable housing production and support our health care system,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “We appreciate the Legislature’s efforts to pass this bill which is necessary to invest the Commonwealth’s significant state surplus and time-sensitive federal relief dollars. While I am disappointed that the bill does not include permanent tax relief that is affordable and was supported by our administration and the Legislature, I am pleased that the Commonwealth’s strong financial position allows us to make these critical investments on behalf of our communities.”
 
“This bill addresses a wide range of needs across Massachusetts, from investing in long-term housing affordability to enabling transformational projects in hundreds of cities and towns,” said Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito. "This funding will play a crucial role in the continued growth of local economies, businesses and families and we look forward to seeing it put to work."
 
The bill is funded by a combination of state resources, including FY22 surplus revenue, and federal funds from the American Rescue Plan Act Fiscal Recovery Fund (ARPA-FRF). Notably, the Governor vetoed an outside section that would cap the use of ARPA-FRF funding to $510 million (of the $2.3 billion that remains available in ARPA-FRF funds). Federal law requires that the entirety of these federal funds be committed by the end of 2024 and spent by the end of 2026. Vetoing this section will allow the Commonwealth to prioritize the use of the time-limited federal dollars. 
 
“This legislation will build upon our efforts over the last several years to strategically deploy billions in federal and state funding to bolster the Commonwealth's economy through the pandemic and accelerate recovery,” said Administration and Finance Secretary Michael J. Heffernan. “We appreciate the collaboration of our colleagues in the Legislature on this important bill, which will further support key areas of need, make long-lasting improvements to Massachusetts infrastructure, and invest in local communities across the state.”    
 
Highlights of the bill include: 
 
Health and human services
•    $850 million in near-term relief for fiscally strained hospitals, human service providers, nursing facilities, rest homes and community health centers
•    $200 million to support the Commonwealth’s continued response to and management of COVID-19
•    $25 million for low-threshold housing for individuals experiencing homelessness
•    $20 million to address the varied needs of immigrants and refugees
•    $20 million to combat gun violence
•    $20 million for the Victim and Witness Assistance Board
•    $17.5 million to support access to reproductive care and family planning services 

Education 
•    $150 million to stabilize early education and care providers
•    An additional $315 million transfer to the High-Quality Early Education & Care Affordability Fund via an outside section amending the FY23 budget 
•    $50 million to support scholarships for Massachusetts students enrolled in higher education nursing programs
Housing production and affordability
•    $100 million for workforce housing production
•    $100 million for homeownership expansion through the Commonwealth Builder program
•    $100 million to support the creation of affordable housing through the Affordable Housing Trust 
•    $57 million for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program
•    $50 million for the Equitable Developers’ financing program
Economic development
•    $153 million to support a variety of businesses in need across the state, including $75 million for hotels, $45 million for businesses reaching underserved markets, and $40 million for small businesses
•    $75 million to support broadband infrastructure and internet access
•    Hundreds of local community and economic development projects

Clean energy and environmental infrastructure
•    $175 million for investments in publicly-owned green space and environmental infrastructure, including $75 million in environmental justice communities
•    $150 million for clean energy initiatives, including transfers to the Clean Energy Investment Fund, Electric Vehicle Adoption Incentive Trust, and Charging Infrastructure Deployment Fund
•    $115 million for water quality improvement projects through the Massachusetts Clean Water Trust
•    $100 million for improvements to port infrastructure
•    $25 million to support food security infrastructure
 
Transportation
•    $112 million to support key needs at the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), including for implementation of Federal Transit Authority (FTA) directives
 
The Governor signed the large majority of the 271 outside sections included in the bill, including sections that make corrections that will allow for the successful implementation of new tax credits related to offshore wind and the hiring of National Guard members. The Governor also approved policy sections that will improve the operation and effectiveness of the Brownfields Redevelopment Fund and smart growth zoning through an improved Starter Home Zoning chapter of the General Laws. Additional sections will change the Department of Public Health’s (DPH) standing order authority related to COVID-19 testing and treatment and will establish effective and efficient administrative processes through which DPH will manage the licensure and oversight of Registered Sanitarians and Certified Health Officers.
 
Governor Baker returned two outside sections to the Legislature with proposed amendments and vetoed a total of 24 sections. 
 

New Bedford Homicide

A 16-year-old New Bedford girl who was shot during an incident in the area of Bullard and North Front streets in New Bedford on Saturday night died this afternoon at an area hospital.   

The case is now being investigated by our office, State Police detectives assigned to our office and New Bedford Police as a homicide.

New Bedford Police received multiple 911 calls for shots fired in the area of 17 Bullard Street around 11:30  Saturday night.  Shortly thereafter, a bullet-riddled vehicle arrived at Saint Luke's Hospital with the victim, Anali Farias, in the back seat.

Ballot Question #5 Diman Debt Exclusion

These were the instructions given to Westport Voters prior to the vote Tuesday regarding the funding of the Westport share for a proposed new Diman Regional High School


POSTED ON: OCTOBER 25, 2022 - 1:22PM
Sample Ballot
A YES VOTE would allow the Town to use excluded debt to fund Westport’s portion of the new Diman School Project.

 

A NO VOTE means the Town cannot exclude or exempt the debt from the Tax Levy.

 

Shall the Town of Westport be allowed to exempt from the provisions of proposition two and one-half; so called, the amounts required to pay the Town’s allocable share of the bonds issued by the Greater Fall River Vocational School District School Committee for the purpose of paying costs of designing, engineering, constructing and equipping the new District high school and related athletic facilities located at 251 Stonehaven Road, in Fall River, Massachusetts including the payment of all costs incidental or related thereto?

 

Summary: At the Annual Town Meeting held on May 3, 2022, Westport voters approved borrowing for the town’s share of building a new $293,479,760 Diman Regional Vocational Technical High School building. The Massachusetts School Building Authority will reimburse the 79.77% of eligible, approved project costs and the balance will be paid by participating communities, including Westport. Between 80 and 110 Westport students attend Diman yearly.

 

Pursuant to the 1962 Regional School Agreement, Westport would be responsible for 5.3% of the non-reimbursable costs, estimated to be approximately 7.5 million dollars. A debt exclusion would allow the Town to use exempt of excluded debt to pay the Town’s share. It is estimated that the borrowing would increase yearly taxes by approximately $11.04 for every $100,000 of property value until the debt is paid.

Property Value                      Approximate Yearly Tax Increase

$100,000                                 $  11.04

$200,000                                 $  22.08

$300,000                                 $  33.12

$400,000                                 $  44.16

$500,000                                 $  55.20

$1,000,000                              $110.40

 

Voters approved the project and borrowing at the Annual Town Meeting held on May 3, 2022. Question 5 allows the Town to exempt or exclude the debt from the Tax Levy. If Question 5 is not approved by the voters, the debt would have to be funded from the Town’s operating budget or the question could be presented again at a future election.

 

What is a debt exclusion? A debt exclusion vote allows a town to raise tax revenue in addition to that generated under the Proposition 2½ levy. (The levy limit is the total overall amount any community is allowed to raise through taxation. Proposition 2½ limits the annual increase to 2.5% plus new growth plus increases in assessed value of property.)

 

These additional tax revenues pay for debt (principal and interest) borrowed for a specific purpose. In this way, a town can build a school or other building and not fund it from its existing revenues. In other words, a debt exclusion is a means of funding a particular project(s) with a temporary increase in the levy limit. The debt is excluded from (that is, exempt from) the levy limitations of Proposition 2½. Debt exclusion is a tool that towns use to show commitment for projects and willingness to support them financially.

 

How does a debt exclusion differ from an override? Both are Proposition 2½ questions and, in municipal finance language, both are technically overrides. However, there are some basic differences. While both will increase your property taxes, a debt exclusion is a temporary increase while an operating override is a permanent increase in the town’s tax levy limit. A debt exclusion finances a particular project(s) and your taxes increase for a period of time, to cover the cost of the project. When the financing bond is paid off, your tax increase for that project goes away.

A Late Fall River Ballot Count

Reporters in Fall RIver's Government Center were given the final unofficial ballot count around 12:45 Wednesday morning after a long night of digital counting issues in some of Fall RIver's largest voting precients, including Tansey.

 

The chair of the Fall RIver Elections Commission, Ryan Lyons, says the system was overloaded by the two ballot configuration of election day, with a regular General Election Ballot, and the MBTA ballot question  requriing two seperate ballots. 

 

There are ballots remaining that will likely be hand counted at some point today. 


###

The Train Gets Okayed in Fall River

The question of Fall RIver's membership in to the MBTA as deemed necessary by Mass General Law was settled by voters on Tuesday by a margin of 12,841 yes to 3,689 no. 

 

It clears the way for Commuter Rail Service to begin in 2023, and gives Fall River a seat on the MBTA board. 

Bristol County Homicide Arraignment

Hector Fernando Bannister-Sanchez, 34, of Norton and Medford, was arraigned this morning in Taunton District Court on charges of Manslaughter, Reckless Motor Vehicle Homicide and Negligent Motor Vehicle Homicide connected to a motor vehicle fatality which occurred Monday afternoon in Taunton.

 

A district court judge ordered the defendant’s bail on a pending drug trafficking case be revoked, meaning he will be held without bail for 90 days.

 

At the time of yesterday’s incident, the defendant was out on bail for a Bristol County Superior Court Case emanating from Raynham where the defendant is charged with Trafficking a Class a Drug, Possession with Intent to District Cocaine and Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine. 

 

The judge also temporarily held the defendant without bail on the new case until the defendant hires his own defense attorney, at which point further bail arguments can be made by the defendant.  The matter was continued to December 8th.

 

Shortly after 2 pm Monday, members of a Massachusetts State Police narcotics task force attempted to stop a motor vehicle in Middleboro being operated by the defendant, who was the target of an ongoing investigation. The defendant, who was driving a 2017 Toyota Highlander sport utility vehicle, fled the attempted stop and drove away at a high rate of speed. 

 

The task force members did not pursue the defendant. 

 

Several minutes later, the defendant’s vehicle crashed into a Ford Fusion being operated by Lori Ann Medeiros, 54, of Middleboro, on Kingman Road in Taunton. Mrs. Medeiros died as a result of the crash.

 

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Kaitlyn O’Leary.

 

Bristol County District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn III said this case is yet another example of why the Legislature must act to amend the dangerousness statute.  Due to a recent SJC ruling and the Legislature’s decision not to pass reforms to the state’s dangerousness statute this past summer, prosecutors could not even request a dangerousness hearing for this defendant.

 

“This case highlights the urgent need to amend the dangerousness statute, which I’ve advocated for years. The facts and circumstances of this case are egregious.  On top of it, the defendant is out on bail for a superior court drug trafficking case and is out on probation for other drug offenses,” District Attorney Quinn said.  “Although charged with manslaughter, the Supreme Judicial Court has recently ruled that Manslaughter is not a crime for which we can request a dangerousness hearing. The crime of Manslaughter must be added to the dangerousness statute, along with other crimes like Rape of a Child. This is unacceptable and needs to be changed by the Legislature.  This defendant is clearly dangerous and should be held without bail until his cases are resolved.”

 

The incident remains under investigation by the State Police Detective Unit assigned to Bristol County District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn's office, prosecutors, the State Police Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Section, State Police Crime Scene Services Section, and Taunton Police. 
 

ELECTION PROTECTION UPDATE Recent Trends Across New England

November 8, 2022

With our community partners, Lawyers for Civil Rights (LCR) is spearheading non-partisan Election Protection efforts in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine. We are ensuring that all eligible voters have the information and resources necessary to cast their ballot.

 

As the day progresses, we are seeing a relatively smooth Election Day. Nationally, the Election Protection Hotline (866-OUR-VOTE) has received approximately 1000 inquiries. 

 

In New England, we have received approximately 75 inquiries since polling sites opened. The majority of the inquiries are coming from Massachusetts. All inquiries are being addressed in real-time by pro bono attorneys and volunteers. 

 

In Massachusetts, the following issues have emerged, which we are addressing in real-time with State officials:

Voter ID
We are receiving reports of city clerks posting signs requiring an ID to vote. In these jurisdictions, including New Braintree, poll workers are asking for IDs. A similar concern was raised at a polling site at 105 Jersey Street in Boston, where at least one law enforcement is asking for IDs. 

 

Broken Machines 
We are receiving reports of broken machines and related equipment across multiple polling sites. For example, a broken machine was reported in Florian Hall in Boston. We have also received similar reports from New Bedford. Voters have expressed concern about how ballots are being handled with broken machines and/or equipment.

 

Volunteers Being Harassed: Election Protection Interference 
Some of our non-partisan Election Protection volunteers have been improperly escorted away from polling locations, often by law enforcement officials. For example, in New Bedford, police asked at least one Election Protection volunteer to leave a polling site. 

 

Confusion Surrounding Mail-In Ballots
Across multiple jurisdictions, including Norfolk County, handling of vote-by-mail ballots continues to create significant confusion on the ground. People who requested but did not vote by mail-in ballots are improperly being blocked from voting in person in certain polling sites. We are working closely with State officials to ensure that all of these individuals -- who are entitled to vote in person using a regular ballot -- can exercise their right to vote today. 

 

Turning to New Hampshire, we are receiving enthusiastic reports from residents who are overjoyed that they can register to vote and cast their ballot on Election Day. This demonstrates the effectiveness of same-day voter registration. Meanwhile, in Massachusetts we are receiving calls from residents who are deeply frustrated and confused about the lack of same-day voter registration. 
 

City of New Bedford Solid Waste/Recycling Collection

Veteran’s Day
Friday, November 11, 2022

 

Residential Collection
Friday Holiday-No Collection
All Trash, Recycling, Yard Waste & Bulky Pickup Routes. 

 

Friday’s route will be collected on Saturday.

 

Commercial Collection & Downtown Collection
Trash & Cardboard Routes will be running on schedule.

Recycling Center
1103 Shawmut Ave.
Will be Closed on Friday, November 11, 2022
 

MassDOT to Host Two Virtual Public Meetings for the Cape Cod Bridges Program

Meetings will be held on Tuesday, November 15, and on Thursday, November 17, at 6:00 p.m.

 

BOSTON: The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) is announcing it will be hosting two virtual public information meetings for the Cape Cod Bridges Program at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, November 15, and on Thursday, November 17. The purpose of these virtual public meetings is to provide the public with updates on the proposed program.

 

At the public meetings, the program team will present updates on the status of the program, bridge types under consideration and next steps. There will be an opportunity for public comments and questions following the formal presentation. All views and comments submitted in response to the meeting will be reviewed and considered to the maximum extent possible. Meeting materials will also be available on the program website following the meetings.

 

Information regarding the meeting, including the registration link, is available online at: https://www.mass.gov/massdot-highway-design-public-hearings. Once registered, individuals will receive a confirmation email from Zoom with information about joining the webinar.

 

The proposed program consists of replacement of the Bourne and Sagamore Bridges, as well as improvements to the approach roadway networks to address the multimodal deficiencies within the Cape Cod Canal area. 

 

For more information on the Cape Cod Bridges Program, please visit the website: https://www.mass.gov/cape-bridges.

New Bedford Crash Leaves Two Women Injured

Police arrested a New Bedford man Monday afternoon following a crash that left two women injured. According to CBS 12 in Providence, 32 year old Tiago Melo was taken into custody after the bucket truck he was driving collided with a minivan on a ramp from Interstate 195 East to Route 140. The driver of the minivan, a 33-year-old Mattapoisett woman, and her 82-year-old passenger were both transported to the hospital. Police said Melo, who was charged with operating a vehicle with a revoked license and had three warrants out for his arrest.

 

The cause of the crash remains under investigation at this time.

Shooting in New Bedford Remains Under Investigation

New Bedford police are investigating a shooting that happened late Saturday night. According to CBS 12 in Providence, Lt. Scott Carola stated around 11:30 p.m., when police were called to the area of Bullard and N. Front Streets for a report of shots fired. Police were able to confirm that shots were fired at that area and that a woman who is not being identified yet was struck and taken to the hospital privately.

 

The incident still remains under investigation.

Taylor Adds a Third Gillette Stadium Date

As part of a tour of 20 NFL Venues, Taylor Swift has a added a third date for Gillette Stadium on Sunday, May 21, 2023. 

 

Ticket sales and other information are avaliable on Swift's Official Website 

FRPD Arrest

In the early morning hours on Saturday November 5, 2022, The Fall River Police Department arrested a 17-year-old Fall River resident in connection with an incident that occurred on November 4, 2022 in the area of Robeson St. and Delcar St.


While illegally operating an ATV on a public street, the juvenile failed to comply with police, during a traffic encounter. He attempted to flee from the officer, striking a 17-year veteran of the Fall River Police Department, carrying the officer an unspecified distance before ultimately knocking him to the ground and running him over. The juvenile then fled the scene on the ATV.


The officer was transported to Rhode Island Hospital with serious injuries. He was treated and later released.


The juvenile is facing several charges stemming from the incident, to include;


? Operating a recreational vehicle on a public way,


? Negligent operation of a recreational vehicle, causing serious bodily injury,


? Assault and Battery with a dangerous weapon, causing serious bodily injury,


? Assault and Battery on a Police Officer, causing serious bodily injury,


? Unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle.
 

A Homicide in Taunton

Massachusetts State Police detectives assigned to the district attorney's office, Taunton Police and Homicide Unit prosecutors are actively investigating a homicide, which occurred early Sunday morning in Taunton.

 

On Sunday at approximately 1:38 am. Taunton Police received a 911 call reporting that a male, later identified as Ross Copeland, 38, of Raynham, was bleeding and needed an ambulance at the corner of Mason and Myrtle streets.  First responders located Copeland, who was suffering from an apparent gunshot wound, and rushed him to Morton Hospital, where has later pronounced deceased. 

 

The investigation into the homicide remains active and ongoing at this time. No further details about the facts of the case can be disseminated. 

Red Sox Off Season Starts Now

With the end of the 2022 World Series, the Boston Red Sox must now deal with an uncertain off season that could see Xander Bogarts and Nathan Eviladi leave as free agents, while the digital edition of the Boston Globe reports that the Sox have $120 million coming off the books, as it looks to remake a roster that finished in last place in 2022 in an increasingly competive A-L East. 

 

Patriots into the bye at 4-4

The New England Patriots sacked the Indianapolis Quarterback 9 times on Sunday, entering their bye week on the NFL Schedule after a 26-3 win in Gillette Stadium. 

 

The Patriots will return in week 11, Sunday November 20, hosting the New York Jets.

 

The Patriots will also face the Buffalo Bills twice, and the Miami Dolphins once, in their final eight games. 

Somerset Issued Cease And Desist Order On Ice Skating Plans

Recently, social media posts by two Somerset Selectmen boasted the clearing of a large portion of the Somerset marsh known as the Dublin Street Marsh to bring back ice skating there as it once was. Town residents commented joyfully about the happy memories of skating there in their youth, and the general consensus was one of happy nostalgia.

 

The former President of Somerset's environmental group Save Our Bay Brayton Point, Allen Smith, (who is now Chairman of the Somerset Selectboard) in his capacity as Selectman, apparently directed his town's Highway Department Director to go ahead and clear the marsh, enabling it to be flooded once again for ice skating this winter.

However, not everyone in town (and beyond) was happy to see the cleared marsh. Almost immediately after the photos were posted to Smith's social media, complaints began arriving on the desks of MA DEP agents, and other state environmental agencies, triggering a visit by state environmental personnel to the marsh. The visit resulted in a formal written notification from MA DEP.

 

WSAR has received a copy of the letter from MA DEP, dated November 1, 2022 and addressed to Town of Somerset Select Board, as well as Town Administrator Mark Ullucci, which states in part; "The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection has conducted an on-site inspection of the above referenced property in response to a complaint of alleged violations of the Wetlands Protection Act." The letter goes on to cite the law chapter and verse, and then states; "This activity was conducted without a valid Order of Conditions. Therefore, in accordance with the Act, MA DEP has issued the enclosed Enforcement Order. The Order requires that you cease and desist from any unauthorized activities within the boundaries of any wetland resource area and / or its associated 100-foot buffer zone." The letter closes with a list of potential punitive actions which may be taken, should the cease and desist order not be adhered to.

 

The cease and desist order was Cc'd to the Somerset Conservation Commission, attention Robert Camara, Chair, and Health Agent Timothy Turner.

 

The background on ice skating on the Marsh goes all the way back to 2007 when the state agreed to expend approximately $300,000.00 to install a new box culvert designed to better enhance tidal flushing along the Taunton River and Labor In Vain Brook, (which is downstream of the project) and the town agreed to phase out public skating on the marsh over the following two years. Skating has been defunct at the Marsh since 2010.

 

WSAR reached out to all three Somerset Selectmen for comment. Select Board Chairman Allen Smith did not return our call. Selectman Lorne Smith did take our call but refused to comment on the situation, only stating, "We are working on something and we'll get back to you on it." Selectman Jacob Vaught had this to say, "Although I did not have the pleasure of enjoying skating on the Marsh, I agree with the idea that it would be wonderful to have outdoor ice skating for the children and families in Somerset. My only concern is that actions were taken in this matter without following the proper town government procedures. I feel had the proper procedures been followed to re-open the Marsh to ice skating, we could have all achieved our common goal much sooner, and much easier. As it stands now, we are probably looking at a minimum 18 month delay, and that's IF the state approves the town's Notice of Intent."

School Bus Hit in New Bedford; 6 Students and Driver Injured

According to CBS 12 in Providence, police are investigating after a school bus was hit and T-Boned in New Bedford yesterday evening. The school bus was carrying Global Learning Charter School students, driving down Ashley Boulevard when police said an oncoming car crashed into it near Chafee Street. Police stated six of the students as well as the bus driver were transported to the hospital with minor injuries.

 

The driver of the car that hit the school bus was cited for failing to stop for a stop sign.

Voting for New Logo in Fall River

According to CBS 12 in Providence, Fall River officials have narrowed down the submissions for the city’s new logo to six finalists. Mayor Paul Coogan said they received more than 200 submissions from residents over the past few weeks, and that The finalists were decided by the Website Redesign and Rebranding Advisory Committee assembled by the mayor. The finalists were then invited to meet with a graphic designer to finalize their logo. The winner of the contest will receive a $500 prize and be invited to the unveiling ceremony for the city’s new website, where the logo will be featured. 

 

To vote, visit the city of fall rivers website at FallRiverMA.org

NPD Searching for Person of Interest in Ace Hardware Robbery

Norton police are hoping the public can help them identify a person of interest in connection with a reported theft. According to CBS 12 in providence, More than $2,000 worth of 18-volt batteries were stolen from Ace Hardware on Oct. 22, according to police. Yesterday, police released a surveillance image of a woman who they want to question regarding the crime. 

 

Anyone with information is asked to call (508) 285-3300.

Patriots Colts Sunday

The final game before the bye week awaits the New England Patriots this Sunday, as the Patriots are 5.5 home favorites versus Indianapolis, with an over/under of 39.5 

Week 10 of the NFL Schedule will be the Patriots offical bye week. 

The Patriots will return on Sunday November 20 hosting the Jets at Gillette;  the Patriots also have a pair of games with Buffalo, and one with Miami, while also having to deal with Arizona, Minnesota and Las Vegas, along with Cinncinnati in the second half of the 17 week season. 

Sale Stays in Boston

With two years left on a contract that will pay him $55 million, Chris Sale has told the Boston Red Sox that he will not opt out of his current deal, but will instead opt in and will likely be part of the starting rotation, after pitching less than 10 innings during a frustrating 2022 campaign, according to the Digital Edition of the Boston Globe. 

 

Sale suffered a broken finger when he was hit by a batted ball in July during a game in Yankee Stadium, then broke a wrist after falling off a bike, effectively ending his season. 

Ime Back in Brooklyn?

With Steve Nash no longer the head coach for the NBAs Brooklyn Nets, ESPN, The Athletic and the digital edition of the Boston Globe are reporting that Ime Udoka could be the next head coach, after being suspended by the Boston Celtics prior to the start of training camp after allegedly engaging in what was termed improper conduct by the Celtics, who suspended him for one year. 

 

Since the suspension was not handed down by the NBA, the Celtics can allow Udoka to pursue opportunties if they become avaliable. 

 

Udoka was a former Nets Assistant. 

Easton Shooting

Massachusetts State Police detectives assigned to the district attorney’s office are actively investigating a non-fatal police-involved shooting which occurred late Friday night in the town of Easton. 

 

At about 11:41 p.m., on Friday, Oct. 28, dispatchers received a 911 call from a female victim reporting a domestic disturbance at a home on Central Street.

 

Upon arrival, Easton officers encountered a potentially lethal situation involving a man allegedly holding a knife and drew their service weapons. An Easton officer intervened and fired his weapon, striking the defendant. The victim was also slightly injured.  


Officers immediately rendered aid. Easton Fire Department paramedics responded to the scene, and transported those injured to area hospitals for treatment.


The victim told police she called 911 due to an argument she was having with her live-in boyfriend, 34-year-old Dwayne Gervais.  The victim told police she locked herself in her bedroom to get away from the defendant, at which point the defendant broke down the door.  The defendant is then alleged to have gone downstairs to arm himself with a knife.


The defendant, Dwayne Gervais, 34, of Easton, is being charged at this time with assault with a dangerous weapon and assault on a family or household member. 


The defendant remains in an area hospital, and is being held in custody pending arraignment, which may occur this afternoon via Zoom from the hospital through the Taunton District Court. 
The female victim was treated for her injury and released shortly thereafter. 
 

Halloween Havoc: Gas Prices are No Treat!

Westwood, MA, October 31, 2022 — The average gas price in Massachusetts is up 19 cents from last week ($3.58), averaging $3.77 per gallon. The combination of tight supplies and strong demand have driven prices locally to the highest point in eight weeks, according to AAA Northeast.

 

Today’s price is 26 cents higher than a month ago ($3.51), and 39 cents higher than October 31, 2021 ($3.38). Massachusetts’ average gas price is 1 cent higher than the national average. 

 

“While prices continue to decrease in many regions of the country, lack of inventory and sustained demand here in the northeast are driving up our prices at the pump,” said Mary Maguire, AAA Northeast Vice President of Public and Government Affairs. 

 

AAA Northeast’s October 31 survey of fuel prices found the current national average to be 3 cents lower than last week ($3.79), averaging $3.76 a gallon. Today’s national average price is 3 cents lower than a month ago ($3.79), and 36 cents higher than this day last year ($3.40).
 

Bristol Community College initiative provides college access for students with intellectual disabilities/autism

The Massachusetts Inclusive Concurrent Enrollment Initiative, (MAICEI) at Bristol Community College, is opening new doors for public high school students with intellectual disabilities and/or autism, encouraging these students to attend classes and be fully included in all aspects of college life. 
  

With support, students from partnering school districts, ages 18 to 21, are included in Bristol’s college-level courses, clubs and campus opportunities. Students gain a better understanding of their career goals and learn the skills they will need to help find paid employment.

 
Students who meet the eligibility criteria are enrolled at Bristol by a college advisor, who also assists the student with selecting courses that match their career goals and interests. To ensure students receive the support they need to meet their goals, an education coach is assigned by the school district to provide individualized support, on campus and in online classes. 


Anthony Adorno, of Somerset, started attending Bristol Community College in 2020 through the MAICEI program. Initially he took animal care classes, but after one semester, he changed career course and enrolled in a variety of classes in the culinary department. He did exceptionally well and as a result was offered a paying part-time job in his school’s kitchen, using the skills he learned at college. This is the job he still holds today. 

“This is such an important initiative that allows students, who otherwise would not be able to go to college, to take classes and be fully included in campus life” said MAICEI Director, Paul Correia. “Our goal has never been to create a disability program, but rather to allow students to be fully included and to continue their learning alongside their peers”. 

Recent legislation, included in the state's Fiscal Year 2023 (FY23) budget, requires the state’s institutions of public higher education to expand access to higher education for individuals with Down syndrome, autism and other intellectual disabilities. This new law enables such individuals to participate in classes and college activities as nondegree-seeking students, without completing a college entrance exam, meeting GPA requirements and passing other components of enrollment. 

In addition, the FY23 budget codified the existing MAICEI grant program, which supports school districts and public institutions of higher education partnering together, offering inclusive educational options for students with disabilities. The program includes $4 million in funding, to maintain expanded learning options for this diverse student population, across the entire public higher education system. 

"Thanks to the leadership and support of our partners in public higher education, like Bristol Community College, we were incredibly successful this year in passing a landmark law to expand access to higher education opportunities for individuals with Down syndrome, autism and other intellectual disabilities and provide additional state funds to support our public colleges in educating this diverse student body population." said State Senator, Michael J. Rodrigues, Chair of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means (D-Westport). "Because of the guiding example and success of the MAICEI program at Bristol, students with disabilities, across the Southcoast, are able to fully access inclusive educational options and learn side by side with their peers. Without our partners like Bristol or the MAICEI program, none of our collective success to open doors of opportunity and expand access to public higher education for these students would have ever been possible.“ 

 

Since the initiative began in 2019, Bristol’s MAICEI has supported 19 students who otherwise would not have had the opportunity to attend college. Students have taken a variety of classes including 3-dimensional design, introduction to animal care, basic computing skills, baking skills for cooks, career and exploration seminar, digital photography, sustainable agriculture and elementary American sign language. In the past, Bristol’s MAICEI has partnered with Dighton-Rehoboth, Fall River, North Attleboro, Old Rochester, Somerset-Berkley, Swansea and Westport school districts. 


To learn more about The Massachusetts Inclusive Concurrent Enrollment Initiative (MAICEI) at Bristol Community College, or to complete an application, please visit www.bristolcc.edu/maicei  or email maicei@bristolcc.edu.

City of New Bedford Upgrades Ambulance Fleet

New Bedford, Massachusetts – The City of New Bedford’s Department of Emergency Medical Services (EMS)has upgraded its ambulance fleet with the addition of four new, state-of-the-art ambulances. The new trucks will greatly enhance EMS’s ability to respond to the public’s emergency needs. 

The first ambulance, a 2021 Ford Osage, will operate out of the south-end public safety building on Brock Avenue. The second ambulance, a 2021 Cord Braun, will operate out of EMS headquarters on Hillman Street. 

The third and fourth ambulances, both 2021 Ford 550s, will operate out of Fire Station 9 on Ashley Boulevard and out of Fire Station 5 on Acushnet Avenue. Each ambulance includes a Power-Load Stryker, which is an automatic stretcher that will take away the manual labor of lifting the stretcher and will help to reduce back injuries.

“These new ambulances and automatic stretchers will greatly enhance EMS’s ability to respond to residents in need as well as help to reduce work-related injuries among our first responders,” said Mayor Jon Mitchell.
“These new ambulances have allowed us to replace four older front-line trucks and put us in a great position for the future when responding to emergency calls,” said EMS Director Michael Thomas.

The combined cost for all four vehicles is $1,180,000, The EMS Department has a total of 9 ambulances in its fleet. Police, Fire, Emergency Medical Services equipment, and vehicles have been identified as top funding priorities for the City of New Bedford in the biennial Capital Needs Assessment in the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP). The CIP is the City’s first long-term plan developed to address the facilities and equipment needs of city government.

Coast Guard Rescue; Help from Falmouth

The U.S. Coast Guard, a crew of scientists and others launched an air and sea mission to rescue 13 people, including a child, from a fishing vessel just moments before it sank in darkness early Friday in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Virginia, authorities said. According to ABC 6 in Providence, the 115-foot tremont fishing vessel collided with the 1000-foot Panamanian-flagged container vessel MSC Rita. The tremont sent out a mayday call that it was taking on water and sinking with 13 people aboard that was received by watchstanders with Coast Guard Sector Virginia, officials said. That call was also heard by Atlantis, a 274-foot ship operated by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Falmouth, Massachusetts.

 

The tremont’s 12 passengers boarded a life raft, while the captain stayed on his ship.

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