“For the 38th straight year, the Massachusetts State Police are proud to assist the United States Marine Corps Reserve with the annual Toys for Tots holiday drive.

Donors may drop off new, unwrapped, non-violent toys for boys or girls, ages infant to 14, at any State Police Barracks across Massachusetts or at State Police General Headquarters between now and Friday, December 14. Those in Western MA (Berkshire, Franklin, Hampshire, and Hampden Counties) may drop off until December 15 and those in Bristol County (Dartmouth and Middleborough Barracks) may drop off until December 21. As always, donors also have the option of making a monetary donation by credit card or through the mail directly to the Toys for Tots program.

New this year, donors also have the option through the Toys for Tots website of shopping for a toy online and donating it through the organizations new Virtual Toy Box.

For more information about making a monetary donation or donating a toy through the Virtual Toy Box, please visit the Toys for Tots site at https://www.toysfortots.org/donate/.

For those still wishing to donate locally, you can find locations of MSP Barracks here: https://www.mass.gov/orgs/massachusetts-state-police/locations

General Headquarters is located at 470 Worcester Rd. (Route 9 eastbound), Framingham. Those needing assistance requesting toys, and who are not currently working with a nonprofit agency/organization or church, are encouraged to check with their local Toys For Tots county campaign. Every Toys For Tots county handles individual family requests differently. For information about how to request toys, please visit https://toysfortots.org/donate/toys.aspx

We thank you in advance for your support of this wonderful program. For many families, economic realities make the holidays difficult. Families in need have all they can do to ensure their children have enough to eat, warm clothes to wear, and a roof overhead. Holiday gifts for young ones might not fit into the budget. That is why we are proud to support the USMC Reserves once again in the mission to ensure that all children, regardless of their family’s situation, have gifts this Christmas and holiday season.” -Massachusetts State Police.

“Schedule announced for Ward 3 Preliminary and Special Election.

The Board of Election Commissioners is advising the public that nomination papers are now available for the Ward 3 Preliminary Special Election.

Candidates can pick up their nomination papers, election calendar, and information packet at City Hall located at 133 William Street Room 114 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Before issuance of nomination papers, candidates must sign a statement containing the person’s name, address, and the office the person intends to seek. Anyone other than the candidate must present a signed authorization to secure papers on their behalf.

Candidates must obtain at least 50 certified signatures to be eligible to appear on the preliminary ballot scheduled for Tuesday, January 24, 2023. In the Preliminary Special Election, New Bedford Ward 3 voters will be casting their votes for Councilor for the remainder of Councilor Hugh Dunn’s term.

The last day to submit nomination papers to the Board of Election Commissioners is December 6, 2022, at 5 p.m.

The Board of Election Commissioners has released the schedule lining up for the Ward 3 Special Election that will be held on Tuesday, February 28, 2023.

Schedule:

DECEMBER 6, 5:00 PM: Last day and hour to submit nomination papers to the Board of Election Commissioners for the certification of signatures.

DECEMBER 20, 5:00 PM: Last day and hour to officially accept nominations once signatures are certified with the Board of Election Commissioners.

DECEMBER 22, 5:00 PM: Last day and hour for filing withdrawals or objections to nomination papers with the Board of Election Commissioners.

JANUARY 13,5:00 PM: Last day to register to vote for the Preliminary Election.

JANUARY 17, 5:00 PM: Last day and hour to apply for a mail-in or absentee preliminary ballot.

JANUARY 21, 9:00 AM TO 12 Noon Saturday Absentee Voting, City Hall, Room 114

JANUARY 23, 12:00 PM: Last day and hour to apply for an in-person absentee preliminary ballot.

JANUARY 24: PRELIMINARY ELECTION – POLLS OPEN 7:00 A.M. – 8:00 P.M.

JANUARY 31 at 5:00 PM: Last day and hour to file recount petition with Board of Election Commissioners.

FEBRUARY 17 at 5:00 PM: Last day to register to vote for the Ward 3 Special Election.

FEBRUARY 21 at 5:00 PM: Last day and hour to apply for a mail-in or absentee election ballot.

FEBRUARY 25, 9:00 AM-12 PM (NOON): Absentee Voting, City Hall, Room 114

FEBRUARY 27: Last day and hour to apply for the in-person absentee election ballot.

FEBRUARY 28: Ward 3 Special Election – Polls open 7:00 A.M. to 8:00 P.M.

MARCH 10: Last day and hour to file for a recount for the Election 5:00 P.M.” -City of New Bedford.

Longtime public servant, Veterans Advisory Board chairman and government fiscal analyst pledges a “Back to Basics” focus on constituent services.

“Lifelong city resident Bob Bromley is running for the Ward 3 City Council seat in the upcoming special election to focus on constituent services and the concerns of residents of the ward.

“I am honored and excited to announce my candidacy. I have lived in Ward 3 virtually my entire life and want residents to have a voice. I will be a strong advocate and voice for the residents of Ward 3,” said Bromley, a longtime public servant, chairman of the City’s Veterans Advisory Board, and fiscal analyst for the State of Rhode Island.

Bromley is running chiefly because of the need for improved constituent services, which he will deliver for the residents of Ward 3.

Robert Bromley photo.

“He decided to run because he saw a need for improved constituent services. “The primary job of a ward councilor is to serve the residents of the ward, and that focus is sometimes lost,’’ he said. “We need to get back to basics. Fixing street lights, filling in potholes, and responding to the needs of residents might not be glamorous, but they directly impact quality of life. If I am elected, residents can be assured their concerns will be heard and addressed by a responsive, action-oriented councillor.

Bromley has lived in New Bedford his entire life. He graduated from New Bedford High School and Roger Williams University.

Bromley has worked as a Senior Fiscal Analyst for the State of Rhode Island Senate for 30 years.

He previously served as the finance manager for the City of New Bedford Office of Housing and Neighborhood Development for six years. In that role, he oversaw programs that provided funding to renovate housing in the city through federal, state and local finance sources.

Before that, Bromley served for four years as administrative aide to former State Rep. Robert M. Koczera.

“My career has provided me with experience in government finance and community outreach,” he said. “These positions have taught me the importance of careful budgeting of City resources and the importance of listening and responding to constituents. I pledge to the taxpayers of Ward 3 that their best interests will guide my decision making, and that I will work to ensure efficient and effective budgeting by the City.”

Bromley, whose parents both served in the military, has been a lifelong supporter of veterans causes. He was a founder of the Fort Taber-Fort Rodman Military Museum, which highlights the experiences and achievements of area veterans. He also serves as the chair of the City of New Bedford Veterans’ Advisory Board. This board provides advice and guidance on City veterans’ issues and organizes the annual Memorial and Veterans Day parades. He also serves on the board of directors for the Friends of Buttonwood Park.

He is the widower of the late Karen McAfee-Bromley, lifelong city resident and the former head zookeeper at Buttonwood Park Zoo, and whose late father, William McAfee, was a long-time captain in the New Bedford Fire Department.

Bromley is the father of Hannah Bromley, 21, a graduate of New Bedford High School.

He said it would be a privilege to serve the city as ward councillor.

“I have always lived in New Bedford because I appreciate the city and its people,” he said. “Residents work hard and deserve a councillor who will work hard on their behalf and advocate for them at City Hall.”

“In total, 120 critically endangered Kemp’s ridley turtles and 33 green turtles have been admitted to our hospital. Many of these turtles suffer from dehydration and pneumonia — all symptoms of cold-stunning. The number of cold-stunned sea turtles has risen over the last 20 years from about 50 in the year 2000 to 700 in 2021.

Once the turtles arrive at our hospital, our staff physically evaluates the condition of each individual turtle (checks heart rate and respiratory rate) + conducts bloodwork and X-rays, and a specialized care plan is put in place.

As the turtles continue to come in, we are working closely with partner organizations to help transport stabilized animals to make room for new arrivals. Volunteer pilots with Turtles Fly Too began transport flights on Sunday, and took 40 turtles to secondary rehab facilities.

The more critical turtles will remain in our care, and we will continue to accept new patients. Stay tuned for more updates as the cold stun season progresses!”-New England Aquarium.

All photos by New England Aquarium:

As announced on its Facebook page earlier today from owner Cheri Lindsey:

“To My Amazing Customers,

It is with a very heavy heart that I write this announcement. Unfortunately, after 74 years of being in business, Lindsey’s Family Restaurant has closed its doors for good. This decision was not made lightly and has been extremely hard to come to terms with. I have dedicated 40 years of my life to providing our community with delicious, homemade food and excellent service and am so proud of all we have accomplished. Sadly, like so many other restaurants before us, we have finally succumbed to COVID.

Although government funding we received allowed us to operate for a couple years longer than some, ultimately having to shut down 2 days per week due to lack of staffing, increasing wages, increasing food cost and a decrease in consumer spending, I am left with this startling reality.

I want everyone to know that it has been an honor to serve you over the past four decades and I could not imagine dedicating my life to anything else. I have seen generations of families come through our doors. I have shared in the mourning of parents and spouses lost and rejoiced in the birth of children and grandchildren. I have been fortunate enough to employ some absolutely incredible people that have become more like family than employees and will forever be indebted to them for helping to make Lindsey’s such a special place. Lindsey’s has allowed me to show love and appreciation through our food to thank countless nurses, caregivers, first responders, veterans and local businesses throughout the years and for that I will be forever grateful.

Never in my life would I have thought this would be how things would end – so abruptly with no closure for myself, my family, my employees or my customers. At the end of the day, we are not shutting down because the quality of our food declined. We are not shutting down because people did not want to come to eat here anymore, as there were often lines out the door. We are shutting down because we could not physically staff our restaurant to be open 7 days a week. This fact has left me shocked, devastated and confused.

Please know that closing this way will never sit well with me and is something that I am going to have to work through in the months and years to come. My heart is broken. I cannot say thank you enough to everyone for your patronage and support over all these years. It has meant more than you could ever know.”

Sincerely,
Cheri Lindsey

As of Thursday, Dec. 1 the schedule has been CHANGED. You can read how it has changed here.

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“The city’s holiday season kicks off this weekend, with the Downtown Holiday Stroll and Tree Lighting on Saturday followed by the Clasky Common Tree Lighting on Sunday. Here are the details:

Downtown Holiday Stroll
Date and time: 12 – 5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3
(Rain date: 12 – 5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 10)
Location: Downtown New Bedford

Activities:

• Santa, New Bedford Fire Museum Antique Fire Truck Rides, Southcoast Brass Band (Barkers Lane) 12 – 5 p.m.
• Seaglass Theater Company Carolers, the Starchasers Fleet, the Winter Fairy (various locations) 12 – 5 p.m.
• Story Time with Salty Santa and Ornament Craft Projects (Fishing Heritage Center) 12 – 5 p.m.
• Kids’ Crafts and Hot Chocolate (various locations) 12 – 5 p.m.
• Vendor Market (YWCA Southeastern MA) 1 – 5 p.m.
• Meet & greet with Celebrity Puppeteer Bill Diamond (PLAY Arcade) 12 – 5 p.m.
• Holiday Open House at the Nathan and Mary Johnson House (NB Historical Society) 12 – 5 p.m.
• BuyBlackNB Holiday Market (New Bedford Whaling Museum) 12 – 5 p.m. plus entertainment (Alma Stomp Crew, Our Sisters’ School Soul Sisters, UMASS Dartmouth Gospel Choir, Pan African Dance Group, New Bedford Performing Arts Center Dancers 12:30 – 3 p.m.
• Calico Makers’ Mini Market with DJ Anj Kepinski (Bristol Hall) 12 – 5 p.m.
• Santa spotting throughout downtown

__________________________________________________________________

City of New Bedford Downtown Christmas Tree Lighting
Date and time: 5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3
Location: Pleasant Street in front of Main Library downtown

Program:

• Join Mayor Jon Mitchell, New Bedford City Council President Ian Abreu, and the New Bedford community for the annual tree-lighting celebration. This year’s emcee will be Armand Marchand, executive producer for New Bedford Festival Theater.

• At 4:30 p.m., a parade will march from the bottom of William Street, near the Whaling Museum, to the library steps for the tree-lighting. The parade will feature the New Bedford High School marching band and color guard, Santa and Mrs. Claus, and surprise guests

• Remarks at the library by Mayor Mitchell and Councilor Abreau will be followed by holiday songs by Miss New Bedford Tori Kalisz and Miss New Bedford Outstanding Teen Jaime St. Onge

• Free hot chocolate will be offered courtesy of Community Services, Veterans Transition House, and New Life Church

• United Way will have a toy drive box for children from infants to teenagers. All gifts must be unwrapped

__________________________________________________________________

Clasky Common Park Christmas Tree Lighting
Date and time: 5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 4
Location: Clasky Common Park at County Street and Pope Street

Program:

• Remarks by Mayor Mitchell and Councilor Abreau, followed by holiday songs by Miss New Bedford Tori Kalisz, Miss New Bedford Outstanding Teen Jaime St. Onge, and the Parker School Chorus

• Guest appearances by Santa and Mrs. Claus

• United Way will have a toy drive box for children from infants to teenagers. All gifts must be unwrapped.” -City of New Bedford.

The Lakeville Fire Department lost two former chiefs in one week. Just a few days ago former Chief Roger Hamilton passed away.

____________________________________

“For the second time in a week, the Lakeville Fire Department is saying goodbye to a former Chief.

It is with great sadness that we share the passing of Chief Douglas Mills. The Chief died peacefully overnight, surrounded by his family after a long battle with an illness.

Chief “Millsy” was a frequent visitor to the station and was popular among even the youngest of department members. To say he was a character was an understatement… The Chief spoke his mind in a colorful and unfiltered way.

Lakeville Fire Department photo.

The Chief was well-known among area fire departments and was respected for his aggressive style and his wildland firefighting knowledge.

Chief Mills joined the Lakeville Fire Department in 1954, retiring in 1996. He served as Deputy Chief and then Chief from 1979 through 1996.

Lakeville Fire Chief O’Brien shares that he was lucky to have Chief Mills around. “He shared everything he could about the Town and the people with me. He loved the department and wanted to make sure we succeeded”.

Chief Mills adored Deputy Chief Pam Garant; she was one of the few people in the world who could tell him what to do (and have him actually listen). The two shared a special bond during the last years of his life.

Again, we are reminded that a life lived in service to others is truly a life well lived.

Please join the Lakeville Fire Department in celebrating the life of a man who loved his community and spent his life serving Lakeville.” -Lakeville Fire Department.

Lakeville Fire Department photo.

Lakeville Fire Department photo.

Lakeville Fire Department photo.

Lakeville Fire Department photo.

Lakeville Fire Department photo.

“Record-high car prices have persisted for over a year, leaving many people unable to afford safe and reliable vehicles. Fortunately for a New Bedford woman, a donated car is bringing relief from her transportation struggles and enabling her to move forward in life.

Melissa Costa was awarded a 1997 Toyota Camry from the car-donation nonprofit Good News Garage. The organization was founded in Vermont in 1996 as one of the nation’s first charitable car donation programs. Over the last 25 years, it has helped car donors give over 5,500 vehicles to neighbors in need, putting them on the road to self-sufficiency.

Good News Garage says a national car shortage is driving up the prices for new and used cars to record highs. Many low-income individuals and families are unable to afford reliable vehicles, restricting their ability to obtain steady employment, bring their kids important places, and live self-sufficiently. The organization also says the need for donated vehicles is at a critical level. Donations are down and being far outpaced by the demand and need for reliable used cars.

“While we can’t solve the car shortage, we can certainly help some of those who are being hit the hardest,” said Cash Cranson, director of operations at Good News Garage. “However, our ability to help is limited by the number of car donations we receive. During this difficult time, choosing to donate your car is an act of kindness and compassion that makes a huge, immediate impact.”

Good News Garage awards cars to Massachusetts residents through a partnership with the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission (MRC). Car recipients must be employed or have a written plan for employment and meet other qualifying criteria. This program is administered out of Good News Garage’s Manchester, New Hampshire office.

For more information or to donate, visit www.GoodNewsGarage.org.

Good News Garage is a member of Ascentria Care Alliance, one of the largest human services organizations in New England. With locations throughout the region, Ascentria is creating measurable, positive impact in communities by empowering people to reach beyond life’s challenges and thrive. For more information, visit ascentria.org.”

“Please join the Lakeville Fire Department in celebrating the life of Roger Hamilton, past Chief Engineer of the Lakeville Fire Department.

Chief Engineer Hamilton was a member of the Lakeville Fire Department from 1961 through 1990, serving on the Board of Engineers from 1980 through 1988. He also served as the Highway Surveyor for Lakeville.

The members of the Lakeville Fire Department extend our respect, gratitude, and condolences to the Hamilton Family at this difficult time.

A life lived in service to others is truly a life well lived.” -Lakeville Fire Department.

Reporting on an earlier story we shared this week, a missing Massachusetts woman Emily Sotelo, 19, of Westford, Massachusetts,has now been reported deceased. The associated press has shared the following:

Captain Michael Eastman of New Hampshire Fish and Game’s Law Enforcement Division said Sotelo was found around 11 a.m. by Fish and Game conservation officers on Mount Lafayette and was taken off the mountain by the New Hampshire National Guard.

He said she was located between Lafayette Brook and the mountain’s summit. Search crews had found some indication Tuesday that she had gone into that area but ran out of daylight and resumed their search on Wednesday.

“It looks like she had been blown off the top of the mountain in the high winds and cold temperatures,” Eastman said.

She appears to have died of exposure to the elements. This is a developing story.