September 28 through October 1, 2023 at the Westport Fairgrounds

The South Coast Harvest Festival announces the dates for their new premier fall flower and garden show at the Westport Fairgrounds. “The event promises to celebrate the harvest season, as only the diverse landscape of the South Coast can” says Michelle Sousa Peay, event co-creator and co-owner of Metamorphosis Design with her talented husband Brian Peay. With over 25 years of experience creating award winning garden designs for the Boston & Rhode Island Spring Flower and Garden Show, the duo know how to put on a show that will be Inspirational, Educational and Fun!

The event will feature garden displays to inspire, along with garden talks and demos from the regions top gardening and landscape professionals. There will be creative scarecrow displays created by local artists and organizations to represent their interests and organizations. Bountiful fall floral and harvest baskets will be on display.

The event is family focused and will feature two live Owl programs by Eyes on Owls and interactive areas with activities to educate kids on our local agriculture. Chrissy Joy, nationally known dog trainer and her Joy Crew Dog Stunt Team, will be performing and providing motivational speaking on connecting with the four-legged members of the family better.

Professional pumpkin carver, Richard Kaiser, one of the original carvers from RWP jack-lantern spectacular will be carving a giant pumpkin and providing his best tips and tricks for making your pumpkin the envy of the neighborhood. Antique tractors and vintage boats will be on display. Guests can shop the local artisan and farmers market place featuring live music and favorite fall foods throughout.

Artist Betsey Macdonald has created a watercolor show poster continuing the well loved tradition of the Westport Harvest Festival that took place 20 years ago. The show posters will be available for purchase at the festival and will be signed and numbered. Betsy will be unveiling and signing posters at the Garden Illumination preview party to help raise funds to support this new amazing show.

The event will kick off with an exclusive Garden Illumination Party on September 28th from 6PM to 9PM. The main event will be Friday and Saturday September 29th and 30th 10AM to 8PM and Sunday October 1st 10AM to 6PM at the Westport Fairground 200 Pine Hill Rd Westport, MA 02790. Discounted Advance tickets are available Eventbrite.

Groups interested in partnering or being part of the event should contact the festival at https://southcoastharvestfestival.com/harvest-festival
The South Coast Harvest Festival is a dedicated group of local agricultural professionals dedicated to celebrating, fostering education and supporting our local farms and farmers.

For more information on the event:
https://southcoastharvestfestival.com/harvest-festival.

UPDATED ON THURSDAY AT 9:25am:

IMPORTANT ALERT!

We want to thank all our hard working volunteers that have offered to do a cleanup at Palmer Island.

However, with Hurricane Lee skirting the coast, with a Tropical Storm Watch, we must put safety first and cancel this Saturdays cleanup of Palmer Island.

Sadly, With a high chance of rain and very high winds we have no choice.

Hurricane Lee is expected to veer slightly west, which means Cape Cod and the South Coast could be in store for wind, rain, heavy surf and a storm surge.” Russ Wotton.

This cleanup has been months in the planning and is painful to cancel.

But better days are ahead and we will reschedule the Palmer Island cleanup.

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In the last 16 years, over 7800 volunteers from all segments of the community have participated in neighborhood cleanups. These dedicated volunteers performed close to 26,000 hours of community service and cleaned over 87 tons of trash from many miles of New Bedford neighborhood streets.

Based on information provided by Independent Sector, we estimate the value of volunteer service that Operation Clean Sweep has provided to New Bedford is over $985,000. Generous donors of In-Kind goods and services total many thousands of dollars as well. The United Way’s Community Building Mini-Grant Program and monetary contributions have helped us to purchase the tools and supplies necessary for education, advocacy and organized cleanups.

Operation Clean Sweep, an all volunteer, anti-litter campaign was founded in early 2006 by Lynn Coish and former New Bedford native Jerry Pinto, as a result of citizen concern for the amount of trash and litter throughout New Bedford. Rather than ask the Mayor to solve the problem, concerned citizens offered solutions. Realizing the value of citizen participation, Lynn and Jerry swiftly introduced the people who now, in part, form the committee of Operation Clean Sweep.

Our vision is for a clean and healthy environment for the community, now and for generations to come.

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Where and when: HQ located at the bottom of Gifford St. Saturday, September 16th, 1pm-4pm.
How to Volunteer: Pre-registering helps us to plan for important volunteer services. Click here to register or call 508-989-9049.
Day of Cleanup: Sign up/check in at our Operation Clean Sweep headquarters table. Remember to bring your reusable water bottle if you got one last year! Tools and bags will be provided.

“Household Hazardous Waste Drop-off Day is on Saturday, September 23, 2023, from 8:30 a.m. to noon at the Crapo Hill Landfill, 300 Samuel Barnet Boulevard, New Bedford. Proof of residency in New Bedford, Dartmouth, or Freetown is required.

Sign up to participate. Visit gnbrrmdistrict.org to select a time slot. Please arrive as close to your selected time slot as possible. If you do not have internet access, call (508) 979-1493 to sign up.

Participants must follow the requirements below.

• Place household hazardous waste in the trunk, pickup truck bed, or back of SUV.
• Stay in vehicle.

Examples of accepted waste include oil-based paints, paint thinner, pesticides, and old gasoline.

Do not bring latex paint (if you cannot give it away, dry it out and throw it away in the regular trash).

Do not bring anything that is accepted at your transfer station including: antifreeze, fluorescent light bulbs, mercury containing devices, motor oil, propane (or other) tanks or cylinders, TVs, or computer monitors.

The maximum amount of household hazardous waste you can bring is 25 gallons or 25 pounds. Collection is for households only. No businesses, schools, or contractors.

This event takes place at the Crapo Hill Landfill, 300 Samuel Barnet Boulevard, New Bedford. Please note, traffic flows in one direction at this event. The only way to enter is through the New Bedford Business Park. GPS may suggest a different route, but if you try that, you will have to turn around and enter through the New Bedford Business Park.

For more information, contact the Greater New Bedford Regional Refuse Management District by email at Marissa@gnbrrmdistrict.org or by phone at (508) 979-1493.”

New Bedford Recycling photo.

Print out your resume and dress for success, the 2023 South Coast Job Fair is ready to kick off! The event will take place on Thursday, September 14, 2023 from 9:00AM – 2:00PM at “Rachel’s Lakeside” located at 950 State Road in Dartmouth.

The South Coast Job Fair will showcase the area’s most dynamic firms and businesses, looking to hire you. Admission to the event as well as professional head-shot photos are free!

Job seekers do not have to pre register to attend, just show up between 9am -2pm, the earlier the better!

Are you a business looking for new employees? You can rent out a 6 foot table for $375. If renting more than one table, you will receive $50 off each additional table. Each employer will receive: A 6 foot table, 2 chairs, complimentary breakfast & lunch, and access to hundreds of job seekers!

Businesses can contact Katie Greene, Vice President of Marketing and Events via email at kgreene@onesouthcoast.com.

“The Board of Election Commissioners advises the public that absentee/mail-in ballots for the Preliminary Municipal Election are now available.

Any voter can request to receive a ballot by mail, can vote absentee in the Election Office during regular business hours, or can Vote Early in person. The Election Office is located in City Hall, 133 William Street Room 114. Office hours are from 8:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. The last day to register to vote is Friday, September 22nd by 5:00 p.m.

Voters can Vote Early at the following locations prior to the Election:

Saturday, September 23rd – 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. at the Main Public Library, 613 Pleasant Street
Wednesday, September 27th – 11:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. at Taber Mill, 217 Deane Street (Coffin Ave. entrance)
Thursday, September 28th – 11:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. at Hazelwood Senior Center, 553 Brock Avenue

Parents or family members can apply for an absentee ballot on behalf of their children attending out-of-city or State Colleges and Universities. The deadline to apply for an Absentee/Mail-in ballot by mail is Tuesday, September 26th by 5:00 p.m. or in person in the Election office the day before the Election on Monday, October 2nd by 12:00 p.m. All Absentee/Mail-in ballots must be mailed out but can be mailed back, hand-delivered to the Election Office, or returned through the drop-off boxes outside of City Hall or on Elm Street outside of the bus terminal by 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, October 3rd to be accepted. On Election Day, polls will be open from 7:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m.

In the Preliminary Municipal Election, New Bedford voters will be casting their votes for Mayor, Councilor-at-Large, and Ward 5 Councillor (Ward 5 only).

Any New Bedford resident who is uncertain about their voting status, designated polling location, has changed their address since the last election, or would like to request an absentee ballot should contact the Board of Election Commissioners at (508) 979-1420.”

“Destination New Bedford and Pope’s Island Marina welcome Nao Trinidad, a replica of the 16th-century tall ship that sailed with Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan’s fleet that circumnavigated the world. This year marks the 500th anniversary of Magellan’s historic trip.

“While at port, the ship is a floating museum and people are welcome to tour the ship, interact with the crew, and visit the exhibition on board,” said Ulises Custodio of the Spanish-based nonprofit, Nao Victoria Foundation. The ship will arrive in New Bedford on September 4th and will be open for tours at the marina from September 5th through September 10th from 10 a.m. until 8 p.m. Tickets may be purchased in person at Pope’s Island Marina or online in advance. Purchasing in advance is strongly recommended.

Parking at Pope’s Island Marina is limited, especially on weekends. Visitors are advised to park in New Bedford’s historic downtown at the Elm Street Parking Garage. A short walk to New Bedford’s waterfront Pier 3 will take you to the New Bedford Launch, an affordable boat ride for the whole family that connects you with attractions, restaurants, and more for only $4.00 per person. Be sure to bring a camera — the launch will provide stunning views of the ship and New Bedford’s waterfront from the harbor, allowing passengers the chance to capture photographs before arriving at Pope’s Island Marina where the ship will be docked.

New Bedford is home to many restaurants offering fresh seafood, cultural cuisine, and waterfront dining. Restaurants accessible from the launch include The Whale’s Tail Clam Shack, The Black Whale, Mirasol’s Café, Merrill’s on the Waterfront, Fathom’s Waterfront Bar & Grill, and Acushnet Creamery. The launch also offers pick-ups and drop-offs in Fairhaven.

“The arrival of the Nao Trinidad is a great opportunity to educate visitors and residents about Magellan’s circumnavigation of the globe. The explorer’s Portuguese heritage resonates with the City of New Bedford’s Portuguese and maritime history,” said Ashley Payne, Director of Destination New Bedford.

“What better way to experience New Bedford than by enjoying any of our authentic Portuguese or seafood restaurants, learning about the City’s whaling, fishing, and Portuguese history at the New Bedford Whaling Museum and the New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center, taking a stroll through the New Bedford Whaling Historical National Park, and finally, enjoying a scenic ride on The Launch to tour the tall ship at Pope’s Island Marina. When you come to New Bedford, you’ll realize you need more than one day to experience the City’s history, art, and burgeoning food scene.”

Those looking to extend their visit to New Bedford can make accommodations at the Fairfield Inn by Marriott or the New Bedford Harbor Hotel located just minutes away from New Bedford’s Pier 3.

Tickets for the tour are $15 for adults and $5 for children ages five to 12. Children under five are free. Family passes are available for $35 and include admission for two adults and three children.

For more information, contact Destination New Bedford at tourism@newbedford-ma.gov.”

You will quite literally only get to see this “once in a blue moon” so make sure you keep an eye out Wednesday night for a rare “Blue Supermoon” hovering over the south coast. This will be the biggest and brightest of 2023 because the moon will be “exceptionally close” to Earth, nearly 17,000 miles closer than average!

According to NASA, a blue moon only occurs once every two or three years on average, and a blue moon that is also a supermoon is even rarer. On average it happens once a decade, but it could be 20 years before the phenomenon repeats.

The moon-rise will start at 7:33pm and hopefully the clouds will break up in the evening to give us a view! Are you a photographer? We would love to see your photos of the moon! Send us your best shot of the blue supermoon on Facebook!

Whale City Comedy Festival is bringing the countries’ funniest stand-up comedians to South Coast, MA this Labor Day Weekend, Thurs Aug 31 – Sun Sept 3. The festival features seven killer shows over four nights with over 25 hilarious comedians. Each show has a fresh unique lineup with comedians from Netflix, Comedy Central, The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, and more! We are kicking off the festival at Buzzards Bay Brewing in Westport, MA and moving to Downtown New Bedford for BYOB shows at Gallery X Inc. Ticket Link: www.whalecitycomedy.com/tickets

Meet our Headliners…
RAY HARRINGTON: 7PM THURSDAY 8/31 IN WESTPORT, MA **SOLD OUT**
Ray Harrington is an infectiously charming comedian who performs across the globe with hilariously irreverent material and marvelous improvisational riffing. He’s been seen on Conan, Hulu, ABC, FOX, TBS, SBS Australia, and his documentary BE A MAN won the LA Comedy Festival before premiering exclusively on Hulu. His latest album, Overwhelmed, debuted at Number 1 on Amazon and at the top of the Billboard Comedy Charts.

ANTHONY DEVITO: 7PM or 9PM FRI 9/1 IN NEW BEDFORD, MA
Anthony DeVito is a NYC based comedian. He’s appeared on CBS The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Comedy Central Stand Up Presents: Anthony DeVito, Comedy Central’s Adam Devine’s House Party, has been on “This American Life,” AXS TV’s Gotham Comedy Live, and was the 2015 winner of Caroline’s March Madness. In addition to stand-up, he was a writer on Netflix’s The Break with Michelle Wolf, wrote for the 2018 White House Correspondents Dinner, and was a writer/regular panelist on MSG. He also has appeared on TV Land’s The Jim Gaffigan Show, HBO’s Pause with Sam Jay and is a favorite on Sirius XM’s Bennington.

NEKO WHITE: 7PM or 9PM SAT 9/2 IN NEW BEDFORD, MA
Neko has been a professional stand-up comedian since the age of 14. He has stolen the show on MTV 2’s Hip Hop Hollywood Squares, and Elite Daily’s wildly popular Gen Why show, and been featured on Netflix’s Pete Davidson Presents, TruTV’s Laff Tracks, AXS TV’s Gotham Comedy Live, and Kevin Hart’s LOL Network. Neko was named one of the New Faces in the Just For Laughs Festival and won Caroline’s prestigious March Madness competition. Ticket Link: www.whalecitycomedy.com/tickets

SEAN DONNELLY: 7PM or 9PM SUNDAY 9/3 IN NEW BEDFORD, MA
When he’s not catching a nap with his bulldog, Rickles, Sean can be found headlining clubs and festivals all over the country. He has appeared on The Late Show with David Letterman, Conan and NBC’s Last Comic Standing. Sean co-hosts the podcast My Dumb Friends with fellow comedian Dan St. Germain on the All Things Comedy network. He released his debut comedy album “Manual Labor Face” in 2015 on Comedy Central Records. Sean has been featured on the truTV series World’s Dumbest and Almost Genius as well as Adam Devine’s House Party, The Half Hour, Broad City, and Inside Amy Schumer on Comedy Central, Amazon’s Alpha House, GSN’s Lie Detectors, Limitless on CBS, and Billions on Showtime. Ticket Link: www.whalecitycomedy.com/tickets

Whale City Comedy started as a monthly BYOB show based out of The Whaling City, NBMA. The shows quickly became a sold out hit leading to the birth of the weekend comedy extravaganza AKA The Whale City Comedy Festival! Whale City Comedy is dedicated to delivering the best of big city comedy scenes to our beloved Whaling City and beyond. Beyond the stage, we want to create an opportunity for the community to come together and laugh together. Our festival aims to foster a sense of joy, camaraderie, and shared love for the art of comedy among both attendees and comedians. Ticket Link: www.whalecitycomedy.com/tickets

Venue seating is limited. Tickets on sale now, sold online only. *Lineups subject to change

Questions and comments can be directed to: whalecitycomedy@gmail.com
www.whalecitycomedy.com

SRTA is seeking comments for several service changes proposed for New Bedford.

A Public Hearing is scheduled for Thursday, September 14, 2023 at 12:30 PM at the New Bedford Public Library – Main Branch at 613 Pleasant St., Third Floor Meeting Room.

SRTA is seeking public comment on proposed changes to New Bedford routes. You can see the details and map changes here. We encourage you to provide comments in-person at the hearing, however if you are unable to attend we will accept comments in a variety of formats.

All comments received before the hearing date will be included in the public record for the service change and will be considered with the same weight as in-person comments. When submitting a comment, please include your full name, city/town of residence, and specify which proposal or proposals you are commenting on.

Comments will be accepted through September 14, 2023 in the following formats:

We have several ways the public can provide comment and all comments received before or during the hearing will be included in the public record and considered with equal value. Comments will be accepted through September 14 in the following formats:

§ Email: info@srtabus.com

§ Postal Mail:
SRTA – Fall River Service Changes
700 Pleasant St
Suite 530
New Bedford, MA 02740

§ Voicemail: 508-296-4583

§ Text: 508-296-4583

This is the Facebook post for the hearing and it is shareable: https://www.facebook.com/SRTAbus/posts/pfbid02GS5JFF9ZsGgLVuPhnEyUXzgwx5SYof6iAvcJKRVrsTsRJC5irnYZubtmvBxKAaGHl

This link will direct you to our website which has all the details of the service changes being proposed. SRTA website: https://www.srtabus.com/publichearings/

If you have any concerns or would like to discuss the proposals, how we developed these proposals, or the anticipated timeline for approval and implementation, please feel free to email or call me. Your assistance is greatly appreciated. We strive to provide reliable public transit that meets the needs of our customers and community members.”

SRTA photo.

“Please join us for a fun night of great food, music by Big Lux, cash bar and of course our Silent Auction.

You can RSVP, purchase tickets, stay abreast of changes, and more on the “Celebration Of Life” event page.

“Celebration of Giving” takes place on Saturday, September 30 from 6:00pm-9:00pm. Tickets are $55 each and can be purchased on Eventbrite or by calling 508-678-0804. You can also scan the QR code in the photo below.

Forever Paws photo.