To increase public safety during storm events, as of January 2016, the areas designated for a double-sided parking ban have been expanded to include sections of five new streets (listed below), in addition to the Downtown and Acushnet Avenue Business Districts where a double-sided ban has been in place in years past.

The new street sections were selected because they are major routes for ambulances, school buses, and SRTA buses, and have a history of large vehicles being unable to successfully navigate due to the narrowness of the street.

During a snow emergency parking ban, no parking is therefore permitted on either side of the street in the following areas:

• Downtown Business District: Downtown New Bedford between Walnut Street northerly to the Octopus and County Street easterly to JFK Boulevard
• Acushnet Avenue Business District: Acushnet Avenue, Coggeshall Street to Tarkiln Hill Road
• Ashley Boulevard (from Nash Road to Coggeshall Street)
• County Street (from Union Street to Sawyer Street)
• Kempton Street (from Rockdale Avenue to Pleasant Street)
• Mill Street (from Rockdale Avenue to Pleasant Street)
• Cottage Street (Union Street to Durfee Street)

Map of Double Sided Parking Ban: http://www.newbedfordguide.com/new-bedford-parking-ban-streets-map

Violations of the snow emergency parking ban will be subject to ticketing at $50 per ticket and towing at full cost to the owner of the vehicle towed. The vehicle owner is also responsible for the full cost of storage for any towed vehicle.

The City of New Bedford has designated the following areas as preferred parking areas for those residents in need of off-street parking while the emergency snow parking ban is in effect:

* Victory Park – Brock Avenue
* Hazelwood Park – Brock Avenue
* Cove Street Parking Lot – Cove Street and Morton Court
* Orchard Street at Camara Soccer Field
* Buttonwood Park Parking Area – Hawthorn Street Side and Lake Street Side
* Former St. Mary’s Home – Entrance on Mill Street
* Coggeshall Street Parking Lot – Coggeshall Street and Acushnet Avenue
* Sawyer Street Parking Lot – Between Sawyer Street and Beetle Street
* Brooklawn Park Parking Area – Brooklawn Street (South Side)
* Riverside Park Lot – Coffin Avenue
* Coffin Avenue Lot- Across from Taber Mills Apartments
* Former AVX site on Belleville Avenue at Hadley Street
* Former Philips Avenue School – 249 Phillips Avenue
* Elm Street Garage
* Zeiterion Garage – 688 Purchase Street
* New Bedford High School – 230 Hathaway Boulevard
* Keith Middle School – 225 Hathaway Boulevard
* Normandin Middle School – 81 Felton Street
* Roosevelt Middle School – 119 Fredrick Street
* Charles S Ashley Elementary School – 122 Rochambeau Street
* Elizabeth Carter Brooks Elementary School – 212 Nemasket Street
* Elwyn G Campbell Elementary School – 145 Essex Street
* Sgt Wm H Carney Academy Elementary School – 247 Elm Street
* Lot at intersection of Elm and Cottage (Southeast Corner)
* James B Congdon Elementary School – 50 Hemlock Street
* John B DeValles Elementary School – 120 Katherine Street
* Alfred J Gomes Elementary School – 286 South Second Street
* Ellen R Hathaway Elementary School – 256 Court Street
* Hayden/McFadden Elementary School – 361 Cedar Grove Street
* Horatio A Kempton Elementary School – 135 Shawmut Avenue
* Abraham Lincoln Elementary School – 445 Ashley Boulevard
* Carlos Pacheco Elementary School – 261 Mt. Pleasant Street
* John Avery Parker Elementary School – 705 County Street
* Casmir Pulaski Elementary School – 1097 Braley Road
* Thomas R Rodman Elementary School – 497 Mill Street
* William H Taylor Elementary School – 620 Brock Avenue
* SEA LAB/John Hannigan Elementary School – 91 Portland Street
* Jireh Swift Elementary School – 2203 Acushnet Avenue
* Betsey B Winslow Elementary School – 561 Allen Street

In light of the approaching storm, the City of New Bedford Emergency Management Department has requested the opening of an emergency overflow shelter at Positive Action Against Chemical Addiction, Inc.(PAACA)’s 360 Coggeshall Street facility for Monday night. No specific time has been designated yet.

The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Watch for Southeastern Massachusetts including Bristol County and New Bedford, for Monday morning through Tuesday morning. According to the National Weather Service, snow is expected to spreads across the New Bedford area on Monday morning and continue into Monday night. At this time, the forecast calls for 6 to 8 inches of snow across the New Bedford area.

Citywide Snow Emergency Parking Ban Effective Midnight Tonight, Sunday, February 7, 2016

In preparation for the approaching snowstorm, the City of New Bedford has announced a citywide snow emergency parking ban to take effect at midnight tonight, Sunday, February 7, 2016. The parking ban will be strictly enforced and will remain in effect for 48-hours thereafter, unless lifted or further extended by City officials. The parking ban is designed to allow City workers to efficiently remove snow from New Bedford roadways to allow public safety vehicles and residents to travel safely.

While the snow emergency parking ban is in effect, parking is permitted on the north side of all streets going east and west, and is permitted on the east side of all streets going north and south. The permitted side of the street is typically the side opposite of the fire hydrants.

Please note that on streets which are normally posted for parking on one side of the street only, residents are to obey the signs as usual.

Vehicles should never be parked within ten (10) feet of a fire hydrant or twenty (20) feet from a corner as required by law, regardless of whether a snow ban is in effect, or not.

Double-sided Parking Ban Areas

To increase public safety during storm events, as of January 2016, the areas designated for a double-sided parking ban have been expanded to include sections of five new streets (listed below), in addition to the Downtown and Acushnet Avenue Business Districts where a double-sided ban has been in place in years past.

The new street sections were selected because they are major routes for ambulances, school buses, and SRTA buses, and have a history of large vehicles being unable to successfully navigate due to the narrowness of the street.

During a snow emergency parking ban, no parking is therefore permitted on either side of the street in the following areas:

• Downtown Business District: Downtown New Bedford between Walnut Street northerly to the Octopus and County Street easterly to JFK Boulevard
• Acushnet Avenue Business District: Acushnet Avenue, Coggeshall Street to Tarkiln Hill Road
• Ashley Boulevard (from Nash Road to Coggeshall Street)
• County Street (from Union Street to Sawyer Street)
• Kempton Street (from Rockdale Avenue to Pleasant Street)
• Mill Street (from Rockdale Avenue to Pleasant Street)
• Cottage Street (Union Street to Durfee Street)

Map of Double Sided Parking Ban

Map: http://www.newbedfordguide.com/new-bedford-parking-ban-streets-map

Violations of the snow emergency parking ban will be subject to ticketing at $50 per ticket and towing at full cost to the owner of the vehicle towed. The vehicle owner is also responsible for the full cost of storage for any towed vehicle.

The City of New Bedford has designated the following areas as preferred parking areas for those residents in need of off-street parking while the emergency snow parking ban is in effect:

* Victory Park – Brock Avenue
* Hazelwood Park – Brock Avenue
* Cove Street Parking Lot – Cove Street and Morton Court
* Orchard Street at Camara Soccer Field
* Buttonwood Park Parking Area – Hawthorn Street Side and Lake Street Side
* Former St. Mary’s Home – Entrance on Mill Street
* Coggeshall Street Parking Lot – Coggeshall Street and Acushnet Avenue
* Sawyer Street Parking Lot – Between Sawyer Street and Beetle Street
* Brooklawn Park Parking Area – Brooklawn Street (South Side)
* Riverside Park Lot – Coffin Avenue
* Coffin Avenue Lot- Across from Taber Mills Apartments
* Former AVX site on Belleville Avenue at Hadley Street
* Former Philips Avenue School – 249 Phillips Avenue
* Elm Street Garage
* Zeiterion Garage – 688 Purchase Street
* New Bedford High School – 230 Hathaway Boulevard
* Keith Middle School – 225 Hathaway Boulevard
* Normandin Middle School – 81 Felton Street
* Roosevelt Middle School – 119 Fredrick Street
* Charles S Ashley Elementary School – 122 Rochambeau Street
* Elizabeth Carter Brooks Elementary School – 212 Nemasket Street
* Elwyn G Campbell Elementary School – 145 Essex Street
* Sgt Wm H Carney Academy Elementary School – 247 Elm Street
* Lot at intersection of Elm and Cottage (Southeast Corner)
* James B Congdon Elementary School – 50 Hemlock Street
* John B DeValles Elementary School – 120 Katherine Street
* Alfred J Gomes Elementary School – 286 South Second Street
* Ellen R Hathaway Elementary School – 256 Court Street
* Hayden/McFadden Elementary School – 361 Cedar Grove Street
* Horatio A Kempton Elementary School – 135 Shawmut Avenue
* Abraham Lincoln Elementary School – 445 Ashley Boulevard
* Carlos Pacheco Elementary School – 261 Mt. Pleasant Street
* John Avery Parker Elementary School – 705 County Street
* Casmir Pulaski Elementary School – 1097 Braley Road
* Thomas R Rodman Elementary School – 497 Mill Street
* William H Taylor Elementary School – 620 Brock Avenue
* SEA LAB/John Hannigan Elementary School – 91 Portland Street
* Jireh Swift Elementary School – 2203 Acushnet Avenue
* Betsey B Winslow Elementary School – 561 Allen Street

Emergency Shelter to Open at PAACA on Monday Night for Residents in Need of Shelter

In light of the approaching storm, the City of New Bedford Emergency Management Department has requested the opening of an emergency overflow shelter at Positive Action Against Chemical Addiction, Inc.(PAACA)’s 360 Coggeshall Street facility for Monday night.

Sand Available to City Residents at Various Locations

The Department of Public Infrastructure has made sand available to city residents at many locations throughout the city. Residents are advised to bring their own small container to collect the sand at any of the following locations:

* Norfolk St & Acushnet Ave
* Toby St & Acushnet Ave
* Manila St & Acushnet Ave
* Fire Station #5 –Acushnet Ave
* Phillips Rd & Pine Hill Dr
* Welby Rd, North Side, Between Two Buildings
* Essex St & Phillips Rd, Campbell School
* Saint Theresa’s Church – Acushnet Ave
* Balls Corner, Mill Rd & Belleville Ave
* Saint Mary’s School/Church –Illinois St
* Tarkiln Hill Rd & Acushnet Ave
* Police Station #3 – Ashley Blvd
* Wilks Library –Acushnet Ave & Princeton St
* Ashley Blvd & Princeton St
* Belleville Rd & Hope St
* Mount Pleasant St on Nash Rd Side (in place)
* Fire Station –Davis St & Acushnet Ave
* Deane St & Ashley Blvd
* Bullard St & Acushnet Ave
* Shawmut Diner, Between the Driveways
* Acushnet Ave & Sawyer St
* Sawyer St & Mount Pleasant St
* Beetle St & North Front St
* Beetle St & N. Front St
* Coggeshall St & Ashley Blvd
* Coggeshall & Purchase St
* 10 Kilburn St
* Purchase St & Logan St
* Rockdale Ave & Granit St
* Linden St & County St, South Side of Linden St
* Fire Station #7 –Durfee St & Cottage St
* Durfee St & Shawmut Ave
* Red Cross, Rockdale Ave & Durfee St
* Purchase St & Wamsutta Ave
* Sacred Heart Nursing Home, Studley St & Summer St, On West Side
* Merrimac St & County St
* 1554 Purchase St, Fire Repair
* Pleasant St & Pope St
* Parker St & County St, East Side of County St
* Parker St & Rockdale Ave
* Pleasant St & Pearl St
* Purchase St & Campbell St
* Cottage St & Campbell St
* Sycamore St & State St
* County St & Sycamore St
* Pleasant St, Rear Lot of Fire Prevention
* Maxfield St & Pleasant St
* E.M.T.S. Chancery St, Inside Parking Area
* S.E.C. Summer St & Hillman St
* Ash St & Hillman St
* Fire Station #2 –Pleasant St
* County St & North St
* Pope’s Island Marina
* Third District Court, North Side of Kempton St
* Liberty St & Kempton St
* Pleasant St & Middle St
* South Sixth St & Middle St
* County St & Middle St
* Elm St Garage, On Acushnet Ave
* Buttonwood Library
* Pier 3 –Visitors Center
* South Water & Hamilton St
* William St & Acushnet Ave, Custom House Square
* City Hall, Pleasant St Side
* Centre St & Front St
* Market St & Sixth St
* Second St & Union St
* Union St & Acushnet Ave
* Purchase St & Union St
* Eighth St and Union St
* County St & Union St
* Spring St & Pleasant St
* Zeiterion Garage, Acushnet Ave Entrance
* School St & Purchase St
* School St & Sixth St
* School St & County St
* Walnut St & Acushnet Ave
* Maple St & Atlantic St
* Maple St & Reed St
* Madison St & County St
* Fire Museum, Bedford St & Sixth St
* Page St & Bedford St
* Wing St & Acushnet Ave
* Wing St & County St
* Fair St & County St
* Fire Station #6, Purchase St
* Thompson St & Crapo St
* County St & Rivet St
* Bonney St & Rivet St
* Bolton St & Rivet St
* Delano St & South First St
* Jouvette St & Bonney St
* Howland Green Library, Driveway, Rodney French Blvd
* Rockdale Ave & Dartmouth St
* Fire Station #11, Brock Ave & Mott St
* Willard St & West Rodney French Blvd
* Clegg Field, Brock Ave
* Brock Ave & Portland St
* Wastewater Treatment Plant, Community Center
* South Rodney French Blvd, Cable Access Building

Fairhaven Police responded to the area of 55 Sycamore Street just after 2am Saturday morning, after receiving a report of two people lying in the roadway. When police arrived they found an unconscious 40 year old female and a 50 year old male who was conscious and walking under his own power.

It appeared as though both parties were walking northbound on Sycamore Street in the roadway. They were apparently struck from behind by a vehicle near the intersection of Morton Street and launched approximately 25 feet north, landing in the area of 55 Sycamore Street near Winsor Street.

Both victims were transported to St. Luke’s Hospital with serious injuries by Fairhaven Fire Department Paramedics. The female party was later airlifted to Boston Medical Center by MedFlight.

Police were notified of the accident by a passing snowplow driver who found the victims, both of whom were unconscious when they were initially found. The male party eventually regained consciousness, but was unable to provide an account of events.

Fairhaven Officers canvassed the neighborhood and spoke with area residents to determine if anyone saw or heard the accident. Fairhaven Detectives are also investigating this case. Officer James Bettencourt and Massachusetts State Police Trooper Ed O’Hara are completing an accident reconstruction of the scene.

If anyone has any information about this case, please contact Fairhaven Police Detectives at 508-997-7421. Callers can remain anonymous.

We stopped by Keith Middle School this week to talk to some of the students in the robotics program. The kids are preparing for the Massachusetts FIRST Tech Challenge State Championship on 27 February at Natick High School. Keith Middle School is the only middle school in the district with a program like this. Here are the students showing us their newest robot and the software they are writing to control it.

Video by Josh Souza.

New Bedford Guide reaches between 500,000 to 1.5 million people every week through our website and social media accounts. We also have one of the most popular event calendars in eastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Our calendar can be viewed here: http://www.newbedfordguide.com/events

For $50 per month businesses can either add their events to the calendar or create their events in Facebook and automatically have the details added to New Bedford Guide’s event calendar. Individuals and charities can add their event at no cost here. Non-profits receive a 50% discount on the service.

$50/month event promotion service:

• Permitted to add your business events manually to the event calendar
• Can have all your Facebook events automatically pulled and added to the event calendar
• Your events take priority when publishing our weekly “Things to Do – Weekend Event Guide“

Want to get your events added? Want to market your event more fully? Contact info@newbedfordguide.com.

We caught up with actress Jasmine Guy (A Different World, Harlem Nights) as she offered a Master Class in Acting to New Bedford High School Students on February 4th, 2016. She stared in “Raisin’ Cane: A Harlem Renaissance Odyssey” at The Zeiterion Theatre on Friday, February 5th.

The citywide Snow Emergency Parking Ban, which was effective at midnight on Thursday, February 4, 2016, will be lifted tonight, Friday, February 5, 2016 as of 10 PM.

We caught up with actress Jasmine Guy (A Different World, Harlem Nights) as she offered a Master Class in Acting to New Bedford High School Students on February 4th, 2016. Video by Josh Souza / New Bedford Guide.

Here is a 360 video at Fort Phoenix (Fairhaven, MA). Fort phoenix is a revolutionary era fort that over looks the entrance to the hurricane barrier. This 360 view is from different locations around the fort.

Josh Souza / New Bedfrd Guide