The City of New Bedford has roadwork sites for the upcoming week of June 28, 2022 – July 1, 2022, and they are as follows

Eversource will be working on the gas main relays on:

• Phillips Rd. from Holly Tree Lane to Route 140
• Nauset St. from Mt. Pleasant to Hathaway Rd.
• Wood St. & Belleville Ave.

Other:

• City (DPI) will be performing work at the intersection of Rockdale Ave and Allen Street for water main assembly. Detours will be in place during working hours.
• Contractor (PA Landers) will be working on the Union Street-Phase II road reconstruction project (Sixth Street to County Street).
• Contractor (PA Landers) will be working at the MassDOT project, Kings Highway, new traffic signal operations and sign installations.
• Contractor (JH Lynch) will continue street light work at MassDOT project, intersection improvements at Rockdale Ave and Allen Street.
• Contractor (PA Landers) will be working on sidewalk reconstruction along a portion of Cove Road from Padanaram Avenue to Orchard Street.
• Contractor (PA Landers) will be working on various streets, citywide, completing minor repairs and installations.
• Contractor (PA Landers) will be working on sewer main installation on Cedar Street from Hillman Street to North Street.
• Contractor (SCR Constructors) will continue site work at the future South Coast Rail station platform locations in the city. (Church St at Carlisle St and Wamsutta St at Acushnet Ave.) If you have questions, please email the project team at SouthCoastRail@dot.state.ma.us.

“On Sunday, June 19, 2022 at approximately 11:10 a.m., members of the Dartmouth Police Department were dispatched to a disturbance at the Dunkin’ located on Dartmouth Street.

Upon arrival, officers learned that before fleeing the area in a gray Honda Accord, an unidentified male had thrown drinks at store employees, and then displayed a firearm in a threatening manner towards them.

As the investigation continued, Dartmouth Police were contacted by the New Bedford Police Department, advising them that the unidentified male had turned himself in at their Brock Avenue station.

Upon responding to the Brock Avenue police station, officers identified the male as Zachary NORDSTROM, 19, of Dayville, Connecticut.

While speaking with NORDSTROM, he advised officers that after fleeing Dunkin’, he had thrown the gun out of his vehicle somewhere in Dartmouth.

As a result of the incident, NORDSTROM was placed under arrest.

During a subsequent search of the area described by NORDSTROM, officers located a 9 mm handgun and ammunition.

NORDSTROM was charged with two (2) counts of assault and battery, possession of ammunition without a firearms identification card, carrying a loaded firearm without a license, carrying a firearm without a license and two (2) counts of assault with a dangerous weapon.

The arresting officer was Jason ARRUDA.”-Dartmouth Police Department.
“

“This morning at 0509 hrs, 911 calls were received reporting flames extending from the second floor rear of 60 State Street.

Command Unit 2 arrived on scene and reported a large volume of fire extending from Side C of this wood frame, four-family dwelling. The residents had evacuated prior to our arrival. Crews were able to extinguish the fire with an interior attack with multiple hoselines. The fire had already extended into the attic space but was quickly extinguished.

No residents or firefighters were injured. The American Red Cross provided assistance to the two displaced residents. Several of the apartments were vacant at the time of the fire. The fire is under investigation by the NBFD Fire Investigation Unit. NBPD, NBEMS, and the Providence Canteen provided assistance at the scene.”-New Bedford Fire Department.

New Bedford Fire Department photo.

“The search for a violent male suspect wanted for domestic assault began on June 21st.

Starting in Billerica, the suspect allegedly assaulted and abducted a woman. The Massachusetts State Police were able to respond to the incident and assist local police. Our members were able to follow the suspect’s vehicle which stopped at Alewife Parkway in Arlington. There, Troopers secured the abducted woman, who remained unharmed.

The suspect set off on foot, heading towards Route 2. Our members, many of whom are K-9 units, began canvassing the area for the suspect. K-9 units, which deploy on hundreds of missions a month and are a vital asset to the team, were used to maximize the efforts to find the suspect.

At this time, our members remain diligently involved in the ongoing investigation.” -State Police Association of Massachusetts.

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State Police Association of Massachusetts photo.

State Police Association of Massachusetts photo.

State Police Association of Massachusetts photo.

State Police Association of Massachusetts photo.

A federal jury in the District of Massachusetts has found that a Massachusetts employer and his company retaliated against an employee who reported an on-the-job injury. The jury awarded $650,000 in damages – $600,000 in punitive damages and $50,000 in compensatory damages – as a result.

The verdict stems from the U.S. Department of Labor lawsuit filed against Tara Construction Inc. and its chief executive officer, Pedro Pirez, in February 2019 following a whistleblower investigation by the department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration. The lawsuit alleged that defendants initiated a law enforcement investigation and facilitated the employee’s detention by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement after the employee reported a serious injury and caused OSHA to open a rapid response investigation.

“The Department of Labor will not tolerate retaliation against employees who complain of workplace abuses, including when an employer seeks to use an employee’s perceived immigration status as a way to intimidate workers. Successful enforcement of worker protection laws depends on workers being empowered and feeling safe enough to speak out for themselves and their fellow workers. If workers are brave enough to come forward, we will use all legal tools we have to protect them,” said Solicitor of Labor Seema Nanda.

“The Occupational Safety and Health Act protects the rights of all workers, and – as we did here – we will pursue significant punitive damages when necessary to punish and deter those who violate workers’ rights,” said Regional Solicitor of Labor Maia Fisher in Boston. “In this case, the jury assessed $200,000 in punitive damages against defendant Tara Construction and $400,000 in punitive damages against defendant Pedro Pirez. We seek and obtain punitive damages under the laws we enforce to ensure employers understand that it is not only unlawful, but also costly, to retaliate.”

“The Occupational Safety and Health Act prohibits employers from retaliating against employees who exercise their rights under the Act, regardless of the employees’ immigration status. This includes reporting injuries and causing an investigation or any proceeding under or related to the Act. This verdict sends a strong message to employers that there will be severe consequences when they violate the law and employee rights,” said OSHA Regional Administrator Galen Blanton in Boston.

OSHA enforces the whistleblower provisions of 25 statutes protecting employees who report violations of various airline, commercial motor carrier, consumer product, environmental, financial reform, food safety, motor vehicle safety, healthcare reform, nuclear, pipeline, public transportation agency, railroad, maritime, and securities laws. For more information on whistleblower protections, visit OSHA’s Whistleblower Protection Programs webpage.

Under the OSH Act, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA’s role is to help ensure these conditions for America’s working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov.

“A Lowell man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to receiving child pornography he extorted from a minor over Snapchat.

Chayanne Nieves, 24, pleaded guilty to one count of receipt of child pornography. U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani scheduled sentencing for Sept. 21, 2022. Nieves was arrested and charged in August 2021, and has remained in custody since.

“Mr. Nieves committed a heinous crime that victimized a young, innocent child. For that, he now faces federal prison,” said United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins. “The dangers of internet and social media anonymity remain prevalent, but my office is determination to protect the safety, innocence and wellbeing of our children. In collaboration with our law enforcement partners, my office will stop at nothing to identify and hold predators like this defendant accountable – regardless of where they try to hide. That is a promise.”

“Nieves, already a registered sex offender, harassed and threatened a child online, using fear to extort her—a scenario becoming all too common,” said Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston. “Cases like this are every parent’s nightmare, but with this plea, Nieves is off the streets. HSI continues to work tirelessly to uncover internet predators like Nieves and, with the help of our partners, keep our kids safe online.”

“This case serves as a reminder that predators continue to target and exploit our children online. It’s important for patents to be active participants in their young children’s online lives, to speak with children about the potential dangers present on the internet, and to alert the authorities to any potential suspicious or criminal conduct. The Vermont State Police commends the members of law enforcement who investigated and prosecuted this case. We are grateful for these partnerships across state lines and among local, state and federal agencies that help keep our communities and our corners of cyberspace that much safer for everyone, especially our children,” said Major Dan Trudeau, Commander of the Vermont State Police’s Criminal Division.

From around Nov. 30, 2020 until Dec. 3, 2020, Nieves communicated on Snapchat with an 11-year-old child in Vermont. During those communications, Nieves threatened and extorted the victim to send him nude photographs of themself. During a search of Nieves’s residence in Lowell, Nieves confirmed that the Snapchat account used to communicate with the child was his. Nieves is a Level 3 registered sex offender.

Members of the public who have questions, concerns or information regarding this case should call 617-748-3274.

Based on Nieves’s criminal history, the charge of receipt of child pornography provides for a sentence of at least 15 years and up to 40 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime 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.

U.S. Attorney Rollins, HSI SAC Millhollin and Major Trudeau made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Lowell Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Dell’Anno of Rollins’ Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.

The case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.” -Massachusetts Department of Justice.

Do you know someone that moved away? Do you have plans to move and if so, what are your reasons?

In 2020, Massachusetts suffered not only one of the highest rates of outmigration in the U.S. but also had one of the biggest drops in gross income. Massachusetts’ total population loss resulted in a 0.5% decline in year-over-year comparisons. Adjusted gross income was $6.94 billion but the loss was to the tune of $9.49 billion, which resulted in a net deficit of $2.55 billion for the year.

Further, in spite of gaining 112,140 new IRS filers, the Commonwealth lost 149,122 resulting in a net decrease of 36,982 people.

The report released by Wirepoints, an Illinois-based research and commentary organization, used Internal Revenue Service data as a basis for its findings.

Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker spent the past year warning both chambers of the General Assembly against wealth tax measures and other actions that he felt would create these losses, arguing that the measures could impact the state’s long-term fiscal state.“I worried about that less before the pandemic. I worry about it more now. I think we stand out in what I would consider a very negative way.”

The state with the highest rate of outmigration and adjusted gross income was New York with a 2.5% loss, followed by Illinois, Alaska, California, then North Dakota. New England’s other states all had increases in population except Connecticut.

Where are people moving to? For the rest of the nation, the states with the biggest increases in population were Idaho with a 2% increase, followed by Arizona, Montana and South Carolina at 1.1%, Delaware at 1%, Nevada at 0.9%, and Maine and Florida at 0.8%.

At 3:15pm, on Monday afternoon, Newton Police and Fire Departments responded to reports of an SUV slamming into the popular ‘Pressed Cafe” on Needham Street, in Newton.

Upon arrival, responders found a black BMW SUV embedded halfway into the building stopping right in front of the area where the cashiers work, and people pick up their orders.

A woman in her 50s was the driver of the vehicle and had her teenage daughter in the front passenger seat, and two of her daughter’s friends in the back seats. Newton Police Lt. Bruce Apotheker said that both suffered non-life threatening injuries and were taking to a local hospital while the two teenagers in the back left with family members.

During the incident, a Pressed Cafe manager estimated that there were approximately 50 people inside. “There’s a person that we’ve seen in a video from inside that just missed getting struck. That’s usually a very busy area.” said Lt. Apotheker. ”
“God was watching over a lot of people today.”

Eyewitnesses on scene stated that it appeared that as the driver was pulling into the parking spot, she stepped on the gas instead of the brakes.

The crash is currently under investigation.

All photos by Drew Karedes Boston 25 Facebook:

Breaking: SUV slams into Pressed Cafe in Newton. @NBC10Boston pic.twitter.com/dxPLjpYJiA

— Michael Rosenfield NBC10 Boston (@MikeRNBCBoston) June 20, 2022

“Yesterday we cut the ribbon on the new Tonix Pharmaceuticals facility in the New Bedford Business Park, bringing cutting-edge vaccine development jobs and a growing biotech industry to New Bedford and southeastern Massachusetts. Tonix Pharmaceuticals is where vaccines for COVID, smallpox and other diseases will be developed.

The project will create well-paying jobs for the residents of Greater New Bedford, and validates that our region has the workforce to compete in adavnced industries.” -Jon Mitchell.

During the ceremony, Tonix CEO Seth Lederman presented a donation of $50,000 to the Zeiterion Performing Arts Center.

The 45,000 square-foot facility is located in the New Bedford Business District which stretches into North Dartmouth and when fully operational will employ up to 70 researchers, scientists, and technical support staff.

Jon Mitchell Facebook photo.

“New Bedford police detectives have arrested a man who was trafficking over 100 grams of methamphetamine.

On Thursday, June 16, detectives executed a search warrant for 52 Court Street #2RR with the target being Jared Debarros, 29. While searching the apartment, detectives seized three plastic bags of methamphetamine tablets weighing 114.3 grams, eight additional tablets of methamphetamine, 10 suboxone strips, packaging materials, digital scales, and $12,826.

While searching Debarros’s vehicle, $11,900 was found in the middle console, and an Adderall pill was found on him which he did not have a prescription for.

His brother, Joshua Debarros, 27, of 358 Smith Street #A, was with him at the time of the raid and was found with two active warrants and was arrested.

Jared was arrested and charged with possession to distribute a class B drug and trafficking 100 grams or more of methamphetamine.

He was previously convicted of an assault with intent to murder for a shooting incident in 2010 and was sentenced to eight to 10 years, and was released in 2018.” -New Bedford Police Department.