Shortly after 6:00 p.m. this evening, State Police responded to a single-vehicle crash on Route 140 northbound in Lakeville which resulted in the death of the operator.

Preliminary investigation by Trooper Brent Pereira indicates that a man was traveling on Route 140 northbound in a 2015 Ford Transit van when, for reasons still under investigation, he lost control of his vehicle, causing it to rollover and crash. Following the crash, the vehicle caught fire and the operator and sole occupant was entrapped. Several concerned motorists were able to free him and rendered emergency medical aid.

The operator was transported to Morton Hospital in Taunton where he was subsequently pronounced deceased. His identity is being withheld pending family notification.

This crash remains under investigation with assistance from the State Police Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Section and Crime Scene Services Section. State Police were assisted on scene by Lakeville Fire and EMS, Freetown Police, and MassDOT.

Driver in fatal Lakeville crash identified

Did you make it out to the International Portuguese Music Award show at the Zeiterion Theatre last weekend? Here’s a glimpse of what you may have missed …

At approximately 3:16 pm, the Freetown Police Department responded to Profile Rock for reports of two individuals spray painting Profile Rock. A hiker who was enjoying the state park witnessed the individuals spray painting graffiti markings with multiple colors of spray paint. The hiker immediately notified law enforcement officials.

Sergeant Elton Ashley III, Officer Patrick Lee, Officer Christopher Medeiros from the Freetown Police Department along with Environmental Police Officer Eamonn Mullaly responded to the area and caught the two individuals in the act.

Officers recovered multiple cans of colored spray paint at the scene which matched the paint on the rocks as well as on the two individuals.

Casey Ortiz, age 18, from Plymouth and Michael Paton, age 29, from Plymouth were arrested by the Environmental Police and transported to the Freetown Police Department for booking. Ortiz and Paton will be arraigned tomorrow at the Fall River Justice Center for Defacement of Property and Tagging.

Bristol County Sheriff’s Department who removed graffiti paint from the site on April 24th, 2017 will be contacted to remove the recent vandalism.

There is a popular saying, misery loves company. For that reason, people seem to ignore all the tools Facebook and other social media sites provides to live a happier social media life. Running a Facebook page with over 90,000 followers, I see people post some mean and angry comments.

Here are five ways to live a happier social media life: 

1. Unfollow pages or block people

100% of all arguments on social media could be avoided if people just unliked/unfollowed pages and people they tend to argue with. Besides the ads, users control exactly what goes into their news feed. Simpy unfriend or unlike those that drive you mad. Rather than arguing with trolls or unrelenting people, just block them so you’ll never see them again. 

2. Scroll past content your don’t like

I’m always amazed by people that complain about the content of a post. They have complete control what they see and what content they engage in. These are the people that will look into the sun for an hour and then blame the sun for their blindness. Don’t like something in your news feed? Scroll past it. 

3. Reduce your friends list to real friends and family

At one time I had over 4,100 Facebook “friends.” The vast majority of “friends” that you have on Facebook and other social media sites are not really friends. There was nothing I could post without someone being offended, wanting to argue or just being miserable toward everyone. Cut your friends list down to those that care about you, and you’ll have a much better experience. 

4. Don’t argue with political partisans

The Mark Twain quote says it all. You’ll rarely convert a partisan to your political party and most people on social media in political arguments are not there to learn – they are there to influence or let you know how smart they are. Avoid all political arguments unless you have a thick skin and enjoy it. 

5. Be open to learning

The internet, and even social media, can be a great place to learn. Avoid thinking you are the smartest person in every discussion and consider all posts a learning opportunity. Go into every conversation with your glass half full. Follow pages and people that have a history of presenting great information. Love science? Follow NASA and the Discovery Channel. 

What tips do you have to offer? Post a comment!

City officials and the developer of a much-anticipated downtown hotel project officially broke ground today at 218-226 Union Street.

The Boston-based Columbus Group is converting the 46,600-square-foot building into a boutique hotel with 68 hotel rooms, a 3,300-square-foot restaurant, and a 5,100-square-foot banquet space. The building was acquired in December 2015 by New Bedford Urban Renaissance II LLC, an arm of the Columbus Group. With substantial progress already made on financing and design, the project is fully permitted by the city and the demolition phase is underway.

“We would like to take this chance to thank Mayor Mitchell and the City, as well as the downtown community for their continued support,” said Shiawee Yang, Ph.D., President of Columbus Group, LLC. “So many folks already contributed to this project thus far. We hope to work with the business community and residents to make this hotel an integrated part of the downtown revitalization.”

“As the city and the downtown continue to gather economic momentum, investors are becoming more and more interested in developing in New Bedford,” said Mayor Jon Mitchell. “Investors such as the Columbus Group and Dr. Yang, who successfully developed the former Standard-Times building on Pleasant Street, know that the direction of the city continues to support development. New Bedford can support many more hotel rooms than are currently offered, and this project will meet the demand for more hotel space in the city.”

The project also means significant job-creation in both the construction and operation phases. For renovation and construction, local firm South Coast Improvement Company has been hired as the general contractor. The hotel and restaurant are together expected to employ more than fifty people when fully staffed.

Waterford Hotel Group will serve as the management company for the hotel operation. Waterford is one of the national top hotel and convention center management companies. Waterford manages a 3,834 hotel rooms at 29 properties across eight states.

The Columbus Group was responsible for the conversion the former Standard-Times Building at 555 Pleasant Street. The building now hosts a restaurant and various offices, including IoT Impact Labs, an internet connectivity company that works to connect major technology firms with marine and other local applications.

Conceptual rendering of 218-226 Union Street attached.

From the Massachusetts State Police:

Early this morning, just before 1:00 a.m., two troopers from the State Police Russell barracks responded to reports of a loose llama walking on Route 23 in Russell. Troopers Matthew Kane and Kyle Minnicucci responded and located a llama out on the lamb from its home.

The two troopers attempted to locate the llama’s home by knocking on several doors, to no avail. Trooper Kane then fearing for the llama’s safety from passing vehicles, grabbed a rope from his cruiser and worked on his cowboy skills, and lassoed the llama!

Trooper Minnicucci then walked with the llama into a nearby horse farm volunteered to take the animal in for the night until the owner could be located.

Special thanks to Carrie Cruse, the horse farm owner, who hooked up her horse trailer at 2:30 a.m., drove out to meet the troopers and their new four-legged pal, and loaded the llama into her trailer, as it had become too fatigued to walk any longer. Carrie was a instrumental part in rescuing the llama.

On Thursday at about 8:00 p.m., a Massachusetts State Police cruiser was struck on Route 495 southbound, prior to Exit 45 in Methuen which resulted in injuries to the trooper and the driver who struck him. That driver is now under arrest for Operating Under the Influence of Liquor – 4th Offense – among other charges.

Preliminary investigation indicates that a state trooper was working a road construction detail when his cruiser was struck by a 2005 Cadillac Escalade operated by JOSEPH DOIRON, 59, of North Andover.

The trooper who was operating the cruiser was transported to Holy Family Hospital in Methuen for treatment of minor injuries. DOIRON was transported to Lawrence General Hospital for treatment of minor injuries. He was subsequently placed under arrest on the following charges:

• Operating Under the Influence of Liquor (4th Offense)
• Operating to Endanger
• Failure to Stay within Marked Lanes
• Having an Open Container of Alcohol in Vehicle
• Speeding

DOIRON is currently at Lawrence General Hospital. He will be arraigned in Lawrence District Court at a later date. State Police were assisted on scene by Methuen Fire and EMS.

The Massachusetts State Police Violent Fugitive Apprehension Section is searching for MARTIN B. SANTIAGO, 49, who did not show up for his food stamp fraud and money laundering trial today in Essex Superior Court. Investigators have determined that SANTIAGO has forcibly removed his court-ordered monitoring device.

SANTIAGO was scheduled to begin trial today for his alleged involvement in a scheme to fraudulently sell food stamps and launder money. SANTIAGO is charged with trafficking $1.5 million in EBT benefits at his three stores in Lawrence. He was arrested for those offenses in June 2015 and has been awaiting trial since then.

The Essex County District Attorney’s Office sought a high cash bail at SANTIAGO’s arraignment in Superior Court. Bail was set, however, over the District Attorney’s objection, at $75,000 cash with GPS monitoring. SANTIAGO’s GPS ankle bracelet was cut off at approximately 6 a.m. today. A warrant for his arrest has issued following his default on the court appearance today.

SANTIAGO is from the Dominican Republic, is not a United States citizen, and is fluent in Spanish. He is Hispanic, has black hair and brown eyes, is 5’11” tall, and weighs approximately 190 lbs. (A 2012 photo of him is attached). He has ties to the Lawrence and Methuen areas. In the past, he has used the fraudulent identities Mark Santiago and Martin Billone Santiago.

Anyone with information on MARTIN B. SANTIAGO’s whereabouts, or who thinks they see him, is urged to call the Massachusetts State Police at 1-800-KAPTURE (1-800-527-8873).

Early this morning the Taunton Police Detective Division arrested two suspects in the shooting of a female clerk at Eagan’s Liquor store last night.

The shooter has been identified as a 17 year old juvenile from Taunton. He was arrested this morning. The second suspect has also been taken into custody and has been identified as Billy I. Morris, 18 years old of Taunton.

A search warrant was obtained by the Detective Division.

During the execution of the search warrant the gun was located by Detective Sergeant Santos at the juvenile’s residence.

The juvenile faces multiple charges. He is charged with:
1. Assault and Battery with a dangerous weapon
2. Assault to murder
3. Robbery, Armed and Masked
4. Possession of a loaded sawed off shotgun
5. Discharging a firearm within 500 feet of a dwelling
6. Conspiracy to Commit Armed Robbery
7. Four (4) counts of Assault and Battery on a Police Officer

Billy I Morris is charged with:
1. Assault and Battery by means of a Dangerous Weapon
2. Robbery, Armed and Masked
3. Conspiracy to Commit Robbery
Both suspects are being arraigned today.

Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School students shared their time and talents to create stuffed bears and books to distribute to the family services division of the New Bedford Police Department Wednesday, April 27, through the annual Books and Bears program.

Students in Media Technology, Fashion Design, and Early Childhood Education design and make stuffed bears and create books with related stories. These bears and books are distributed to children in crisis, to bring them comfort in a difficult time in their lives.

The books and bears were presented Wednesday to members of the New Bedford Police Department’s family services unit.

Books and Bears is a community service project with the New Bedford Police Department that began more than 15 years ago.

Instructor Deb Brightman told the group that gathered to present the bears that “this project has been such a rewarding project over the years and has allowed students and staff in various programs to work together for the good of kids in need.”

Sgt. Josh Fernandes presented certificates of appreciation for all participants. “All of you should be very proud of yourselves,” he said. “This is something the children will remember and treasure for years to come, and maybe pass on to their grandchildren. You’ve done something that matters.”

Sgt. Pamela Melo thanked the students for their efforts and told them that research has shown that hugging a bear elevates the mood and makes people feel better, which is especially important for children in crisis.

“These bears will bring comfort for children who need it,” she said.