“NEW BEDFORD – The City of New Bedford’s Community Preservation Committee has voted to recommend 21 projects to the New Bedford City Council for a total of $2.2 million in FY24 funding through the Community Preservation Act.

The recommended CPA funding supports projects in areas including community housing, recreation and open space, and historic resources.

The Committee received applications for 22 projects during the FY24 CPA application cycle, seeking almost $3 million. In deciding how to allocate the $2.2 million in available CPA funds, the Committee weighed priorities in the FY24 Community Preservation Plan, whether the proposals could achieve full or partial funding through CPA support, and which proposals best met CPA criteria.

The Committee recently submitted the FY24 CPA Funding Recommendations to the City Council, which has the final authority to award CPA funds and approve projects as recommended, approve projects at reduced funding levels, or reject projects. Should the City Council vote to reject or reduce funding for a recommended project, the Committee will have an opportunity to respond and/or adjust the project’s scope or terms prior to a final decision by the City Council.

Below are the projects recommended for FY24 CPA Funding:

Recreation/Open Space

• Boys & Girls Club Playground Expansion – $35,000
• City Wide Signage for Parks – $275,000
• Riverside Park Heat Island Relief Project – $50,800
• Roberto Clemente Park Improvements – $185,000
• YMCA Renovation – $40,000

Historic Resources

• Cape Verdean Ultramarine Band and Club – $25,000
• City Clerk Record Restoration Phase III – $50,000
• Digitization of Maritime Records Phase III – $13,200
• First Baptist/Steeple Playhouse Exterior – $60,000
• Howland Family Portrait Conservation – $65,000
• JAMI Mansard, Dormers, Cornice Restoration – $95,000
• Johnson House Electrical System – $85,000
• NB Fishing Heritage Center Archives Phase II – $30,000
• NB Superior Court Façade Restoration – $285,000
• Rotch-Jones-Duff House Securing History – $23,500
• Strand Theater Restoration – $225,000
• Underground Railroad Café and Gallery – $25,000
• William H. Carney Lodge #200 – $25,000

Community Housing

• Capitol Theater Interior Restoration – $250,000
• Talbot Apartments – $255,000
• YWCA Residential Services – $102,500

For more information on the CPA program and the FY24 projects, visit www.newbedford-ma.gov/planning/community-preservation.

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About the Community Preservation Act
New Bedford voters adopted the CPA through a ballot question in November 2014. The statewide enabling legislation allows communities to create dedicated funding for projects that support open space, outdoor recreational facilities, historic preservation, and affordable housing activities in the City.

Oversight of this process rests with the Community Preservation Committee, the body established by the City to oversee the CPA program in New Bedford.

Since FY18, the Committee has recommended, and the City Council has approved, 101 grants totaling more than $10.3 million in CPA funding for projects that have preserved historic resources and open space, created community housing opportunities, and improved and created recreational facilities throughout the City. In addition, these grants have enabled organizations to leverage an additional $12.4 million in funding from private foundations, state and federal governments, and other sources.” -City of New Bedford.

“We did it, New Bedford! Local 841 raised the most funds for MDA’s Fill the Boot in ALL of Massachusetts!

A huge thank you to our MDA fundraising committee members and Local 841 members for your tireless dedication to this past year’s Fill the Boot fundraiser! Together, we’ve made a significant impact on the lives of families affected by muscle dystrophy.

Also, we couldn’t have done it without the generosity of the amazing Greater New Bedford community. Together, with your support, we were able to raise an incredible $31,500.00.”-IAFF Local 841 New Bedford Firefighters.

IAFF Local 841 New Bedford Firefighters photo.

IAFF Local 841 New Bedford Firefighters photo.

IAFF Local 841 New Bedford Firefighters photo.

IAFF Local 841 New Bedford Firefighters photo.

“The Westborough Police Department in conjunction with the Massachusetts State Police Detective Unit for Worcester County are attempting to locate Olivia Colby, 27. Ms. Colby’s phone was last pinged March 14, 2024 within a 25 meter radius of her home in Westborough.

Ms. Colby is white, 5’07” tall and 140 pounds, with brown eyes, and long brown hair with red tint. She has an eyebrow piercing above her right eye and may be wearing a green Army jacket. There are no known vehicles associated with her. There are concerns involving her current well-being.

Anyone with information regarding Olivia Colby or her whereabouts, please contact Westborough Police at (508) 366-3060 or simply call 911.”-Massachusetts State Police.

Massachusetts State Police photo.

Massachusetts State Police photo.

Massachusetts State Police photo.

“NEW BEDFORD – Whether you’re a longtime resident or a tourist looking for history, culture, and adventure, New Bedford has unique experiences and hidden gems around every corner.

“Explore New Bedford” is the message the City’s Office of Tourism and Marketing is sharing with the world after Mayor Jon Mitchell unveiled the office’s rebranding effort Tuesday night at the New Bedford Harbor Hotel on Union Street.

The “Explore New Bedford” campaign includes the development of a new website, the design of a new logo, and a new marketing campaign focused on locals’ favorite gems in the City.

The centerpiece of the effort is the new “Explore New Bedford” logo. Designed by New Bedford-based Medium Studio, the bold and captivating logo reflects the energy and vitality of the City. Medium Studio thoughtfully crafted the logo to appeal to a diverse range of people to reflect the City’s inclusive nature and its ability to offer something for everyone.

Going live on Friday, March 22, the new tourism website, www.ExploreNewBedford.org, is a digital compass for people looking to explore New Bedford, providing easy navigation, detailed information, trip planners, and a visually appealing interface. It was designed by Patrick Gleavey of PSG Media with user experience as the No. 1 priority.

Lastly, the new marketing campaign features people from across Greater New Bedford showcasing their favorite local gems.

The rebranding effort featured input from internal and external stakeholders with Tourism and Marketing Director Asley Payne and Marketing Manager Amy DesRosiers holding meetings and focus groups with the arts and culture community. The valuable insights gathered from the sessions played a pivotal role in shaping the rebrand and making sure it authentically reflects the City and its stories.

“The City’s emergence from the pandemic was an occasion to reset the City’s tourism messaging,” Mayor Mitchell said. “This new campaign puts the City in a stronger position to capitalize on regional travel and show off the City’s progress in a more advantageous way.”

“This is a significant milestone. It reflects our commitment to showcasing the true spirit of New Bedford and inviting everyone, both visitors and residents, to explore the history, art and culture that make our City unique,” Payne said. “The goal of this project was to really capture the essence of the City’s unique identity. We want to provide a fresh, new experience that attracts visitors from near and far, while also encouraging residents to explore the gems they might not know are in their own backyard.”-City of New Bedford.

“New Bedford and Dartmouth – Two Compost Bin Days are coming up on Saturday, April 6, and June 15, 2024.

Compost Bin Days are open to New Bedford and Dartmouth residents and are organized by the Greater New Bedford Regional Refuse Management District.

The events are held from 8:00 to 10:45 a.m. at the Crapo Hill Landfill, 300 Samuel Barnet Blvd., New Bedford. Enter through the New Bedford Business Park.

New Bedford and Dartmouth residents who purchase, or previously purchased, a backyard compost bin can choose from two types of kitchen counter bins to help compost at home. Collect food waste such as banana peels and apple cores in your kitchen counter bin. When full, empty it into your backyard compost bin.

The two options are:

• 2-gallon plastic Sure-Close kitchen counter bin, FREE.
• 1-gallon stainless steel kitchen counter bin, available for purchase for $30.28 each (including tax). Cash, check, or money order only.

Kitchen counter bins are only available on special Compost Bin Days and while supplies last.

The Refuse District offers two types of backyard compost bins. The Earth Machine and the New Age Composter are available at the discounted rate of $25 each (including tax). Cash, check, or money order only. Proof of residency required. The cost of each backyard compost bin is being subsidized by the two communities to encourage backyard composting.

“Food waste makes up approximately 20% of the waste that residents generate in their homes. Composting fruit and vegetable scraps saves space in your trash bags and the landfill, while providing nutrient rich material for gardening,” notes Marissa Perez-Dormitzer, Waste Reduction Manager.

Benefits of composting include:

• materials such as fruit and vegetable scraps, coffee grounds, eggshells, leaves, grass, hay, and twigs placed in a compost bin turn into free compost (that you do not have to buy in a plastic bag).
• returns nutrients to the soil to grow nutritious food, and healthy plants, flowers, and shrubs.
• reduces greenhouse gases such as methane.
• reduces trash and reduces plastic bag use – material that was going in your trash now becomes nutrient-rich soil amendment.

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Which backyard compost bin is best for you?

The Earth Machine:

• 80-gallon capacity, great for smaller families, gardens, or yards.
• Made of rigid recycled plastic – twist lid to lock, unlock, and allow for ventilation.
• Comes with two halves for the body, a lid, and a perforated base plate. Easy to assemble in a few steps.
• The sliding door at the base allows for compost removal. Or the entire bin can be picked up to harvest the finished compost at the bottom.
• Rodent prevention: keep meat, bones, fats, oil & dairy out of the bin. Comes with a perforated base plate that helps keep rodents out.
• Add water to keep the contents as damp as a wrung-out sponge (leftover cooking water can be used). It is possible to drill holes in the lid and body to allow in rainwater.

The New Age Composter (made in New Bedford):

• Capacity up to 180-gallons, great for larger families, bigger gardens, yards with more leaves.
• Made of flexible recycled plastic so the diameter can be adjusted during setup.
• Cone-shaped base continually aerates contents from below, turning is not necessary.
• Comes with the body, a base, a lid, and clips to hold it together. Easy to assemble in a few steps. Video with instructions for assembly: https://youtu.be/08qDLLv1Hgc
• To access the finished compost, push aside fresh material on top and shovel out compost underneath. Or pick up the entire bin to access the finished compost. Using 2 or 3 bins in rotation makes harvesting compost easy from the oldest bin.
• Rodent prevention: keep meat, bones, fats, oil & dairy out of the bin. The sides and bottom cone may be secured to the ground with stakes to keep rodents out.
Holes in the lid allow rainwater in. During dry spells, add water to keep contents as damp as a wrung-out sponge.

If you have questions about how to compost, visit http://gnbrrmdistrict.org/about-us/ or contact the Greater New Bedford Regional Refuse Management District by phone at (508) 979-1493 or by email at Marissa@gnbrrmdistrict.org. For additional tips, visit the New Bedford Recycling or the Dartmouth Recycling Facebook page or follow New Bedford Recycling on Instagram and Nextdoor or @NBRecycling on Twitter/X.”

“Black bears are emerging from their dens and are looking for food. Bears will always go for an easy meal so follow these simple steps to make your yard less attractive to bears.

✔️ Take down your bird feeders. Birdfeeders are full of calorie-rich seeds that bears love to eat.

✔️ Secure your trash in closed containers in a garage or outbuilding. Don’t leave your trash out at the curb overnight where bears can find it.

✔️ Protect your pets. The presence of a dog could trigger a bear to be aggressive. Keep dogs leashed when they’re outdoors and never let dogs chase or interact with bears.

Share these tips with your neighbors! These efforts are even more powerful when neighbors work together.”-Massachusetts Division of Fisheries & Wildlife.

Massachusetts Division of Fisheries & Wildlife photo.

“The NBPD wants to urge those who are meeting individuals for transactions of items purchased or sold that were negotiated either through phone, text, email, or social media sites like Facebook or Craigslist to use extreme caution and care when doing so.

The New Bedford Police Department does have a “Safe Zone” at Police Headquarters (located at 871 Rockdale Avenue) where transactions by private parties can be made in a safe and secure environment. Those engaging in transactions can simply pull up to the entrance area of Headquarters and make the transactions.

If you choose not to make the transactions here, please consider using a public place where there are several people around to avoid dangerous encounters.”-City of New Bedford Police Department.

Melissa Lavinson appointed as Executive Director to execute community-by-community decarbonization strategy.

“BOSTON — The Healey-Driscoll Administration today announced the establishment of the Office of the Energy Transformation (OET) and the appointment of Melissa Lavinson as its Executive Director.

The Office will be housed within the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs and is charged with the hands-on execution of the clean energy transition, including ensuring the availability and readiness of electrical infrastructure, electric and gas transition coordination, and a just transition for impacted workers and businesses. Lavinson will also convene an Energy Transformation Task Force with industry, labor and supply chain representatives, among others, to accelerate cooperation and understanding of the current state of the energy transition in Massachusetts. This is the first position of its kind in the nation. 

“We are committed to equitably and fairly transitioning to clean energy. This means working closely with workers and businesses to set them up for success in an economy powered by clean energy,” said Governor Maura Healey. “Melissa Lavinson joins our team with close working relationships with the utilities and unions and will be able to build quick consensus as we make the transition away from fossil fuels. She’ll be able to translate our policy goals into real-world actions.” 

“We are at an inflection point where our policy vision needs to be translated into practical solutions,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “Our new Office of Energy Transformation and the Energy Transformation Task Force will be able to execute on the important granular work of readying our electrical grid and supporting our fossil fuel workers over the next few years.” 

“The DPU’s order on the Future of Gas gave us the regulatory framework to end Massachusetts’ reliance on natural gas, and now it’s time to act,” said Massachusetts Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs Rebecca Tepper. “This is a transition for the consumer switching to electric appliances, for the worker being trained in the latest decarbonization technologies, and for our utility companies, which will need to adopt a new business model. We are establishing the Office of Energy Transformation with a dedicated team focused on transitioning our utilities and their employees to our clean energy future. Melissa Lavinson shares our urgency and commitment to an equitable transition. I know she will be able to hit the ground running and lead this new office with enthusiasm.”  

“I’m thrilled to join the Healey-Driscoll Administration and get to work bringing the benefits of the clean energy transition to every community in Massachusetts,” said Melissa Lavinson. “I’m looking forward to bringing together energy workers, businesses, and other stakeholders to develop practical and immediate steps we can take to equitably, affordably, and responsibly shift to a cleaner, more electrified, and fossil fuel-free future. Our office will tackle some of the most complex and important barriers to this transition and build meaningful consensus to meet this moment. It will take all of us, working together, to make this vision a reality.” 

The Department of Public Utilities’ groundbreaking order in Docket 20-80 confirmed that Massachusetts will move away from fossil fuels and its supporting infrastructure as quickly as possible toward electrification, including advancing targeted electrification pilots and expanding geothermal. The electric network is projected to be the primary energy delivery mechanism for the entire state by 2050. To achieve this vision, the Healey-Driscoll Administration recognizes the need for a dedicated team to focus on to real-world, daily impacts of executing the energy transition. 

The Executive Director of the Massachusetts Office of Energy Transformation will provide leadership in strategic planning, roadmap development, and stakeholder engagement to advance the transformation of the state’s energy delivery ecosystem.

In this role, Lavinson will focus on three key areas:  

• Electric Infrastructure: As residents make the switch to electric heating and vehicles, the OET will work to ensure there is adequate infrastructure, regulations, and supply chain in place to accommodate increasing electric load on the timeline outlined in the state’s Clean Energy and Climate Plans. 

• Electric and Gas Coordination: The OET will work with the electric and gas utilities to ensure a coordinated approach to the energy transition that maintains reliability, safety, and affordability.

• Just Transition for Workers & Businesses: Many companies and thousands of workers are dependent on fossil fuels such as natural gas, oil, and propane for their livelihoods. The OET will work with stakeholders to develop a roadmap to empower and prepare workers and businesses for the future, while ensuring the safe and reliable operation of energy infrastructure during the transition. 

To address these issues, Lavinson will convene an Energy Transformation Task Force comprised of representatives from utilities, business, labor, supply chain industry, municipalities, and other implementation partners to accelerate cooperation and understanding of the current state of the energy transition in Massachusetts and areas in which immediate progress can and must be made. In collaboration with the Task Force, Lavinson will develop a slate of near-term priority actions to address current barriers to the transition and a longer-term execution roadmap to help companies and individuals implement the transition.

Such a roadmap would evaluate where and when new electric infrastructure is needed, gas infrastructure can be retired, and near-term transition projects, including geothermal and targeted electrification projects, can advance. Planning ahead and taking a coordinated approach will help contain costs and minimize impacts on ratepayers. Additionally, the OET and Task Force will develop and execute a transition plan for gas workers and gas-dependent businesses to set them up for future success and competitiveness. 

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About Melissa Lavinson 

Melissa Lavinson joins the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs from National Grid, New England, where she previously served as Head of Corporate Affairs, leading National Grid’s state and municipal government relations, community and stakeholder engagement, media relations, municipal customer management, strategic communications, and the company’s Equity in Energy initiative and Grid for Good philanthropic program in New England.

Previously, Lavinson was Senior Vice President of Federal Government and Regulatory Affairs and Public Policy at Exelon Corporation and Senior Vice President of Governmental and External Affairs for Pepco Holdings, Inc. (PHI), the parent company of Pepco, Delmarva Power, and Atlantic City Electric, which provide gas and electric service to Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey and the District of Columbia. Lavinson also spent more than 20 years at California-based PG&E Corporation, including as Vice President of Federal Affairs and Policy and Chief Sustainability Officer. Earlier in her career, she worked at MRW and Associates and in ICF Consulting’s Climate Change Practice. Melissa holds a bachelor’s degree in Economics from Hamilton College. She starts as Executive Director on May 1.”

“BPD Missing Person Alert: 33-Year-Old Ashley Drehle Of Dracut

BPD Missing Person Alert: The Boston Police Department is seeking the public’s assistance in efforts to locate 33-year-old Ashley Drehle of Dracut.

She was last seen at about 6:00 AM, on Friday, March 8, 2024, in the area of 725 Albany Street. She is described as a white female, about 5’05”, thin build, and brown hair. She suffers from mental health issues.

Anyone with information regarding her whereabouts is advised to contact 911 or District D-4 Detectives (617)-343-5619.

If you would prefer to share information anonymously you can do so by calling the CrimeStoppers Tip Line AT 1-800 (494) -TIPS or by texting the word ‘TIP’ to CRIME (27463).”-Boston Police Department.

Boston Police Department photo.

“Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy J. Cruz and Wareham Police Chief Walter Correia, Jr. are proud to introduce Lexi, a specially trained comfort dog to support students and residents.

Lexi is the most recent addition to the Plymouth County Comfort Dog Program. The Town of Wareham recently acquired Lexi, a Labrador Retriever, from Professional Canine Services in Middleboro, where she will also perform her comfort dog training. Lexi, 3-months old, was acquired by Wareham Police with assistance from a $5,000 grant from the Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office.

Wareham Police Department photo.

Lexi and her handler, Wareham Police Juvenile Detective Karl Baptiste, will be used to reduce stress and promote wellness for students in Wareham Public Schools, and residents at town events. Lexi will also be on hand to offer comfort to our police officers.

“The Plymouth County Comfort Dog program created a network of comfort dogs and handlers who assist the community through daily interactions with students and coordinated response to crisis situations,” DA Cruz said. “In ways big and small, the dogs are an important part of trauma-informed response within the county, helping create positive relationships between children and law enforcement, while spreading joy wherever they go.

Wareham Police Department photo.

Lexi is bound to be a great addition to the town of Wareham.

Wareham Police Chief Correia said, Lexi will play a pivotal role in creating a calming presence for students and staff. She will be a valuable resource in supporting the mental and emotional well-being of students, our officers and the Wareham Community.

The DA’s Office is partnered with Bridgewater State University to conduct an academic study of the Plymouth County Comfort Dog program, which has grown to include 15 dogs county-wide. The office applied for and received a modification to its COSSUP
federal grant for the Drug Endangered Children Initiative to fund a study of the comfort dog program’s effectiveness, determine best practices, and support care and training of the dogs.”-Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy J. Cruz’s Office.

Wareham Police Department photo.