An arrest has been made in the shots fired call that took place this past Wednesday. New Bedford Police Detective William Westgate had obtained a warrant for the suspect.

On Friday night at approximately 10:30pm Officers Thomas Chevalier and Daniel Duclos were on routine patrol on Coggeshall St. when they spotted the suspect seated inside of a restaurant. He was taken into custody without incident and found in possession of a bag of crack cocaine.

Kevin Molina age 18 of New Bedford is facing charges of;

• Malicious destruction of property
• Threatening bodily harm
• Malicious destruction of a motor vehicle
• Discharging a firearm within 500ft. of a dwelling
• Possession of cocaine

On Wednesday afternoon (March 30th) at approximately 4pm south end units responded to the area of Roosevelt and Ruth Streets regarding shots being fired. Upon arrival it was learned that two males had been involved in an altercation in the street. As the suspect vehicle fled the scene, a black Honda civic, one of the occupants fired a handgun out the window. One round struck a parked vehicle belonging to one of the combatants and three rounds struck a home on the second floor level.

Video by Carlos Pimentel Felix

The American Heart Association’s 2016 Southern New England Heart Walk on May 21 at UMass Dartmouth will build healthier lives and prevent heart disease and stroke. Join the New Bedford Wellness Initiative team to raise funds for the American Heart Association.

Heart disease is our #1 killer and can significantly decrease a person’s quality of life. Much of this suffering could be prevented and we can help people get back in the game. Together we will take steps to save and improve lives.

Register online at: http://goo.gl/IlXB4E

Please share this with anyone else who may want to raise funds and make a difference in our community.

The SkillsUSA Community Service Project Team from GNB Voc-Tech helped change the lives of 125 children in the SouthCoast. This team has held numerous donation drives collecting new socks, underwear, toothbrushes, toiletries, and gently used clothing and toys for Gifts to Give since January 2016. The multiple donation drop-off locations were at GNB Voc-Tech High School, EJ’s Restaurant and Deli in Fairhaven, The New Bedford Main Public Library, and Mirasol’s Café in Dartmouth. On Saturday, April 2nd, team members Victoria Gregoire, Alexia Pacheco, and Kelvin San Miguel along with their advisors Henry Bousquet and Jenn Corey delivered their donation collection to Gifts to Give in Acushnet, MA. The final collection filled two cars along with a check for $200 to provide 8 children a care package of new toiletries valued at $25 each.

The SkillsUSA Community Service Project is a competition for SkillsUSA whose purpose is to evaluate local chapter activities that benefit the community and to recognize excellence and professionalism in the area of community service. The competition contains three portions with the donation drive being just one piece. The team must also create a detailed notebook outlining the project and then host a 7-minute presentation for the judges. The GNB Voc-Tech team will be competing at the SkillsUSA

Massachusetts State Leadership and Skills Conference from April 28 through April 30th in Marlborough, MA. The team hopes to qualify to compete at the 52nd Annual SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference in Louisville, Kentucky from June 20th through June 24th.

The GNB Voc-Tech students spent an hour and a half on this rainy Saturday at Gifts to Give touring the facility, unloading the donations, sorting the donations and speaking to the founder, Jim Stevens. When Jim asked why they chose Gifts to Give, Alexia stated “because it helps children locally.” This team raised awareness of Gifts to Give at school, inspiring the GNB Voc-Tech Law Society Club to also host two fundraisers for this cause. Volunteering at Gifts to Give is a great way to spend a couple of hours giving back to our community. We wish the SkillsUSA Community Service Project Team from GNB Voc-Tech best of luck on their competition, but regardless of winning they are already Champions at Work.

On March 20th during the evening hours a masked male walked into the Burger King on Cove Rd. and robbed the business at knifepoint of an undisclosed amount of money. There were no injuries.

Three nights later, on March 23rd, Zully’s Wine and Spirits located at 1240 Kempton St. was also robbed. A masked male, armed with a crowbar, entered the store and threatened the clerk before fleeing with an undisclosed amount of cash.

Detectives Michael Carrier and William Westgate have connected these robberies and currently have outstanding warrants for the suspect. He is facing two counts of Armed Robbery while masked.

Anyone with information on his whereabouts can leave an anonymous tip at 508-961-4584.

Pedro Miguel Alvarado age 41 with no known current address.

Fado, which means “fate” or “destiny,” is arguably the world’s oldest urban folk music, having emerged from the bustling cafes of Lisbon in the early nineteenth century. While fado music has endured since then, it has been reinvigorated by contemporary artists along the way. The Zeiterion Performing Arts Center, a leading presenter of world-renowned fado artists, is proud to bring forward two of these new voices when the “fresh faces of fado” Nathalie Pires and Marco Rodrigues, take the stage on Saturday, May 7, at 8:00p.m. They will perform both solo and together in their New Bedford debut! Tickets from $35 to $49 are available at www.zeiterion.org, 508-994-2900 or at the Zeiterion box office, 684 Purchase Street, New Bedford.

Nathalie Pires is one of today’s leading, young fado singers. Born and raised in the Portuguese American community in New Jersey, she is a stunning new talent who is praised for her intense, expressive voice. Fado singing is often described as the soul of the Portuguese people, which makes the rise of this American born singer to international prominence all the more impressive. She has even gained acceptance in Lisbon’s fado clubs and taverns – a rare feat for an American fadista!

In 2007, when she was 21, Nathalie recorded her first album, Corre-me O Fado Nas Veias (Fado Runs in My Veins). The album was awarded the United Artists of America’s “Prémio Lusíada” for “Best Fado Album of 2007.” In 2011 she received her most personally meaningful recognition to date, when she was given the “Amália Rodrigues Medal of Merit” in recognition of her status an “ambassador of fado” and her efforts representing Amália, her idol, with dignity outside Portugal. A performance from her second album, 2015’s Fado Alem, gained her recognition as “Fado Singer of the Year” by the International Portuguese Music Association.

Marco Rodrigues is from northern Portugal and as a teenager, placed second in the largest fado contest in Portugal the “Grande Noite do Fado.” That same year he was selected as Portugal’s representative at the International Music Festival in Italy. Later, after moving the fado capital of Lisbon, he again participated in the “Grande Noite do Fado” and won! His victory opened the opportunity to play some of Lisbon’s most important “Casas de Fado.” Marco’s success caught the attention Mariza, the world’s most famous fado singer, and she invited him to play with her in Lisbon’s Oporto Rivoli, as well at the Royal Festival Hall in London. He has since performed with other fado greats Ana Moura and Carlos do Carmo and received the 2007 Amália Rodrigues Foundation’s prize for the best “Newcomer Fado Singer.”

Tickets for “An Evening of Fado with Nathalie Pires and Marco Rodrigues” are available for purchase at www.zeiterion.org, by calling 508-994-2900, or in person at the box office at 684 Purchase Street, New Bedford, MA. Box Office Hours: Tuesday-Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and two hours before each performance.

The Massachusetts State Police have entered into a contract to purchase several hundred electronic control weapons from TASER. The weapons add another tool to the department’s less-lethal arsenal, providing troopers with another option for controlling a violent, non-compliant suspect and ending such confrontations before they reach a point where deadly force is required.

“The less-lethal option offered by ECWs increases not only officer safety but also safety of suspects,” said State Police Colonel Richard McKeon. “They are a tool that will help resolve hostile confrontations before they escalate into situations requiring lethal force.”

The State Police have issued a rigorous departmental policy governing when and how Electronic Control Weapons (ECWs) may be deployed against a suspect. The department has conducted extensive training in the use of ECWs for those department members to whom they will be assigned.

“With the distribution of electronic control weapons comes the great responsibility to train for their use properly and to deploy them in accordance with authorized use-of-force rules,” Colonel McKeon said. “We accept and have met that responsibility.”

Troopers are trained to deploy only the level of force required to end a threat to their own lives and safety or the life and safety of another person.

The ECWs deliver an electric charge to a violent suspect who is posing an immediate and serious threat of injury to the officer or another person. The delivery of the electric charge temporarily interferes with the suspect’s ability to move, allowing officers to gain control and custody.

ECW deployment by troopers is required to be reported per the department’s use of force policy.

The 895 ECW units have been assigned with members of the State Police Division of Field Services, who will being carrying them immediately. Among those to whom Tasers have been assigned are the 158 trainees who will graduate from the State Police Academy tomorrow and their field training officers.

The distribution is the first time that patrol troopers are being equipped with ECWs. Prior to this deployment, only members of the State Police Special Tactical Operations (STOP) Team were assigned ECWs.

Bristol County District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn III announced today that a 31-year-old New Bedford man who had previously had his first degree murder conviction overturned due in large part to the state’s outdated wiretap statute has pleaded guilty to second degree murder and was sentenced to serve 15 to 17 year in state prison.

John Burgos, 31, stood accused of the July 4, 2005 shooting death of 31-year-old Dana Haywood in New Bedford.

The murder of Mr. Haywood went unsolved for four years until 2009 when investigators developed enough evidence to charge him with the murder. The case went to trial the following year and a jury of his peers found the defendant guilty of first degree murder, which carried an automatic life prison term with no possibility of parole.

A key piece of evidence at trial was a recorded confession by Mr. Burgos. On March 2, 2009 the defendant, while incarcerated on unrelated gun and drug charges, engaged in conversation with a friend who was also detained. The conversation was recorded pursuant to a court order. During the approximately one hour conversation, the defendant admitted to killing Mr. Haywood with William Payne, who is now deceased. The defendant explained that he and Payne went to the Monte Park area to kill someone from the area, that Mr. Haywood was the first such person they saw and consequently it was his “judgment day.”

The defendant’s legal counsel attempted to have the confession suppressed prior to trial, but that motion was denied by the trial judge.

However, on November 21, 2014 the state’s Supreme Judicial Court ordered that the motion to suppress was erroneously denied by the trial judge. The SJC found that because the defendant was not engaged in a Mafia organization activity when he committed the murder, the court ordered warrant allowing the recording of the jailhouse confession was invalid.

The SJC ruling in this case illustrates the inherent weaknesses in the state’s current wire communications interception (wiretap) statute and the dire need to update it. Despite several attempts during the past decade to update the state’s wiretap statute, legislation continues to languish. The current wiretap statute in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts has not been modified to keep up with the changing times since its passage in 1968.

Senate Bill 941, An Act to Assist in the Investigation of Serious Crimes, co-sponsored by Sen. James Timilty and Rep. Tackey Chan, seeks to once again amend the state’s wiretap statute, and calls the current statute “grossly outdated.” The bill specifically calls to replace the definition of “wire communication” with “transmitted communication” in an effort to update the statute to include current technology like text messaging. The bill would also amend the definition of “designated offense” to include homicides, crimes involving the use of force, drug crimes, firearm crimes and being an accessory to these types of crimes. This limited expansion of the statute would give law enforcement the tools it needs to target violent street crimes, which have been shown to utilize organizational structures similar to that of the mafia from previous generations.

SJC Chief Justice Gants, in a similar case of Commonwealth vs. Tavares, cited the need for the legislature to act when he wrote, “In short, the legislative inclusion of five words, “in connection with organized crime,” means that electronic surveillance is unavailable to investigate and prosecute the hundreds of shootings and killings committed by street gangs in Massachusetts, which are among the most difficult crimes to solve and prosecute using more traditional means of investigation. If the Legislature wishes to avoid this result, it should amend § 99 to delete those words.

“This case is a clear example of why the statute needs to be updated. The statute needs to keep up with modern criminal enterprises, not just limited to the mafia. The defendant was convicted of first degree murder. As the chief justice said, the elimination of those five words would have upheld a conviction in this case and others like it,” said District Attorney Quinn. “The Massachusetts District Attorney’s Association has helped to file legislation to rectify the problem with the outdated nature of the language in the statute, and I will be meeting with our local legislative delegation to emphasize the need for the statute to be amended. We are not seeking to target low level offenders, but violent street gangs who sell narcotics and engage in organized criminal activity which often leads to serious violence.”

The New Bedford working waterfront will be transformed with original sculpture created by local artists. Ten to twenty sculptures will be temporarily installed along MacArthur Blvd, the City and State piers, in the city’s Seaport Cultural District during the summer of 2016. Artists are invited to submit their proposals reflecting this year’s theme – “Cultural Aspects.” Encouraging unique interpretation & connection with the diversity of New Bedford. Each artist should have a connection with New Bedford.

Artists may receive up to $2,000 in funding per sculpture. Insurance not provided.
For forms and more information please visit: http://www.destinationnewbedford.org/seaport-art-walk/

PROPOSALS MUST INCLUDE:
• Artist statement
• 3 images of past work
• Schematic design of the project
• A textual description of the project and title
• Schedule of maintenance if applicable
• A budget including estimated fabrication, construction and installation
• Total cost of value and sale price

DEADLINE: APRIL 22nd
Sculptures to be installed by June 5th
De-installation October 2016

This will be a Juried Show. Please email proposals to Jessica Bregoli, Seaport Art Walk Coordinator at JBregoli@gmail.com

This weekend will be a wet one – we’ll have plenty of rain and potentially snow. Oddly enough we will start the weekend out with nearly 60 degree temperatures, but by Sunday night drop to a frigid 21 degrees, very windy and possible snow. Grrrrr. No problem, it will take much more than that to stop those of us who are determined to enjoy all the goings-on across the South Coast and beyond.

As always, click on the title for more or detailed information on the event. Most of the events were pulled from our event calendar where you can find hundreds of local area events each month. The event calendar is FREE, so if you are a local business, and not taking advantage of FREE publicity, shame on you! Are you a local business and want to sponsor this high traffic, weekend guide? Contact info@newbedfordguide.com for more details. Have an event to add? Add it here. Know of another event this weekend? Post a reply!

Friday, April 1st

Stone Walls of New England with Robert Thorson (Marion) (7:00pm-8:00pm)
Author and geologist Professor Robert Thorson will present an overview of New England’s historic stone walls, explaining why they are the signature landforms of the region, and why they convey to us such a visceral sense of place. Professor Thorson is the author of Stone by Stone, the most well known and authoritative book on the stone walls of New England. Marion Natural History Museum, 8 Spring Street, Marion.

Newport Night Run 2016 (7:30pm)
Newport’s only nighttime race will be held on April 1 and will once again benefit the Newport Public Education Foundation. This year’s event will feature a brand new course and a lovely April 1st date. We hope you can join us for this rewarding event. Registration is now open. 304 Thames St., Newport, RI.

Crimes of the Heart by Beth Henley (Play) (7:30pm)
The scene is Hazlehurst, Mississippi, where the three Magrath sisters have gathered to await news of the family patriarch, their grandfather, who is living out his last hours in the local hospital. Lenny the oldest sister (played by Kim Teves) is unmarried and facing diminishing marital prospects; Meg, the middle sister (played by Susan Massey) who quickly outgrew Hazlehurst, is back after a failed singing career on the West Coast; while Babe, the youngest (played by Linda Landry), is out on bail after having shot her husband in the stomach. Read more by clicking on thread title.

Saturday, April 2nd

Outer Cape Birding and Whale Watching Hike (7:00am-5:00pm)
Venture by foot to the beaches of the outer Cape to observe whale behavior at close range. During spring, whales congregate close to shore to feed on the abundant zooplankton, with high numbers of whales sometimes present. Glimpses of the endangered right whales are possible. The walk will take you through Hatches Harbor to Race Point, passing through pitch pine forest, estuary, salt marsh, and dune habitats en route to the shore. In addition to the whales, spectacular vistas and a diversity of birdlife are features of the trip. Time permitting, we’ll stop at other nearby locations. Organized by the Lloyd Center for the Environment.

Book Sale for Charity (Bishop Stang) (8:30am-2:00pm)
All proceeds are for the American Heart Association. Bishop Stang High will be offering books, movies and CDs for $1-2. Located in the cafeteria.

Monthly Wellness Walk (10:00am)
Join everyone for the Monthly Wellness Walk around Buttonwood park. Get Moving, Get Healthy and Be Well! Part of the New Bedford Fitness Challenge. Pets welcome and walk at your own pace. Buttonwood Park, 1 Oneida St., New Bedford.

Fall River Library Chess Club (10:00am)
All ages and skill levels are welcome to join the library’s Chess Club. The club will meet weekly on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 12 noon in the Fell Reading Room at the Main Library. Teens and adult players are welcome to show up and join in the fun. Chess sets will be provided, thanks to a generous donation. Fall River Public Library, 104 N Main St. Fall River, MA.

Winter Clearance (10:00am-2:00pm)
The Next to New Thrift Shop will hold its winter clearance sale. Patrons can fill our 13 gallon plastic bags with clothing, shoes, etc. for $5.00 per bag. All proceeds from the Thrift Shop go to community services in the area. First Congregational Church, 11 Gibbs Avenue, Wareham.

DA Quinn’s FREE Youth Baseball Clinic (11:00am)
Join the FREE youth baseball clinic hosted by former Red Sox pitcher Brian Rose. Open to grades 2-8, boys and girls, all levels welcome. Reserve a space today using the link above or contact Brian Rose at 508-961-1972. Taunton High School, 50 Williams Street, Taunton.

Fall River Seal Tours (11:00am-1:30pm)
Enjoy a 75-minute scenic boat ride down the Taunton River into beautiful Mt. Hope Bay on the lookout for visiting winter harbor seals and early spring wildlife. Expert guides will help you spot our winter visitors and discuss the rich history and environmental issues of the region. Borden Light Marina, 1 Ferry Street, Fall River.

Book Signing at the Acushnet Library (12:00pm-2:30pm)
Acushnet author Jackie Leduc makes her first official appearance at the Acushnet Public Library with a reading and book signing. Jackie is the author of The Demonic Eyes and Bloody Nightmares. Acushnet Public Library, 232 Middle Road, Acushnet.

Free 8 Week Mindfulness Course (3:30pm-4:30pm)
This 8 week course on Saturdays is led by Jonathan Felix. You will learn specific techniques to train the mind. Enhanced cognitive functioning, reductions in stress and anxiety, and improved memory, attention, and mood are some of the benefits of regular practice. These techniques enhance our sense of well-being by promoting structural changes tot he brain. As the mind colors moods, marshals thoughts, directs attention, influences perceptions, directs behavior, and orchestrates our very lives, it is the one thing worth attending to. Grace Episcopal Church, 95 Fern St., New Bedford.

Havana Nights: 2016 Spring Gala at the Zeiterion (6:00pm-10:30pm)
Head to the “Z” for an exotic evening, as the stage is transformed into a Cuban Cabaret, harkening back to the 1950s Havana high-life. Together we’ll sip tropical cocktails, enjoy a decadent three-course meal, and dance the night away to the spicy sounds of Grupo Sazon.

HoB Pro Wrestling Event: Cruel Intentions (7:00pm)
Head to Dublin’s Sports Bar & Grill as House Of Bricks Pro Wrestling begins its 2016 season. Last time was for Flashback Friday Night in September of 2015 and that was one of the loudest and most talked about events of the 2015 calendar year! Both the HoB Heavyweight Championship, currently held by “The Brick” David Baker, and the HoB Southern New England Championship, held by The Goddess of Beauty” Ramona Romano will be defended. All tickets are just $10. Dublins Sports Bar N Grille, 1686 Acushnet Ave., New Bedford.

Crimes of the Heart by Beth Henley (Play) (7:30pm)
The scene is Hazlehurst, Mississippi, where the three Magrath sisters have gathered to await news of the family patriarch, their grandfather, who is living out his last hours in the local hospital. Lenny the oldest sister (played by Kim Teves) is unmarried and facing diminishing marital prospects; Meg, the middle sister (played by Susan Massey) who quickly outgrew Hazlehurst, is back after a failed singing career on the West Coast; while Babe, the youngest (played by Linda Landry), is out on bail after having shot her husband in the stomach. Read more by clicking on thread title.

UMass Dartmouth Observatory (8:00pm)
The UMass Dartmouth Observatory and the Astronomical Society of Southern New England (ASSNE) are pleased to invite the general public to our Spring semester night-sky viewing sessions at the campus Observatory. This event will take place only if the weather permits (clear skies). In the event of cancellation, an announcement will be available before each event around 5 PM at www.assne.org or by calling (508) 999-8715 for a recorded message. For more information about the Observatory, to make a donation to its operations, or to become an individual or corporate sponsor, please contact Prof. Alan Hirshfeld at ahirshfeld@umassd.edu or 508-999-8715.

Sunday, April 3rd

Easter Bunny at The Swansea Mall (12:00pm-6:00pm)
The Bunny will arrive at Swansea Mall on at 11 a.m. and will be in his springtime garden meeting with children. get your picture taken with the Easter Bunny! Every child visiting the Easter Bunny will receive a free gift.

5th Annual Eric Fernandes Memorial Scholarship Poker Tournament (12:00pm)
Help Support New Bedford Fire Fighters and have some fun. Eric Fernandes was a proud firefighter and he was also an avid poker player! Not only will you be supporting a great cause, you also have a chance of winning some $$ Cash $$! A portion of the proceeds will be awarded as a scholarship to the children of New Bedford Firefighters. Cost: $50 buy-ins. $25 re-buys will be available during the first hour. Cash prizes awarded to the top finishers. There will also be a 50/50 raffle. For more information contact Elton Cabral at 508-525-1442 or visit http://www.ericfernandesscholarship.org. Panthers Athletic & Social Club, 43 Madeira Ave., New Bedford.

Crimes of the Heart by Beth Henley (Play) (2:00pm)
The scene is Hazlehurst, Mississippi, where the three Magrath sisters have gathered to await news of the family patriarch, their grandfather, who is living out his last hours in the local hospital. Lenny the oldest sister (played by Kim Teves) is unmarried and facing diminishing marital prospects; Meg, the middle sister (played by Susan Massey) who quickly outgrew Hazlehurst, is back after a failed singing career on the West Coast; while Babe, the youngest (played by Linda Landry), is out on bail after having shot her husband in the stomach. Read more by clicking on thread title.

Want to sponsor this weekend guide? Contact info@newbedfordguide.com for more details.

Last night at approximately 10:30pm members of the Organized Crime and Intelligence Bureau executed a search warrant at an apartment at 42 Princeton Street in New Bedford. This was the result of an investigation by Det. Jarrod Gracia into a cocaine delivery service being operated out of the home.

As a result of the search, a .45 caliber Ruger semi-automatic handgun, loaded with 9 rounds of ammunition, was seized from the apartment. Also found was approximately 28 grams of cocaine and $440 in cash.

Scheduled to be arraigned this morning in New Bedford district court on drug trafficking and firearms charges is;

• Ady Barbosa Alves age 31 of New Bedford.