“YARD WASTE NOTICE: Collection for yard waste will start on Monday, April 3 until Friday, December 15.”-City of New Bedford.

City of New Bedfordphoto.

“The City of New Bedford will be starting its annual street sweeping program on April 6, 2023. There will be no parking on both sides of the street, overnight from 11:50 p.m. Thursday night to 6:00 a.m. Friday morning. Failure to follow the posted street sweeping signs will result in your vehicle being towed. This program will run from April 1st to November 1st.

The first sweep of this spring season will be April 6th into April 7th on the streets labeled “First and third Thursday of the month”.

The following locations will operate on a bi-weekly schedule.

First and third Thursday of the month:

• Dartmouth St. from Matthew St to Allen St.
• Kempton St. from Rockdale Ave. to Sixth St.
• Mill St. from County St. to Rockdale Ave.
• North St. from County St. to Rockdale Ave.
• Rivet St. from Route 18 to Hemlock St.
• Cove Road – from Brock Ave to the town line
• Cove St. – from East Rodney French Blvd. to County St.
• Route 18 – from Cove Road to Cove St

Second and fourth Thursday of the month:

• County St. from Rivet St. to Cove St.
• Ashley Blvd. from Nash Rd. to Coggeshall St.
• Acushnet Ave. from Coggeshall St. to Brooklawn St.
• North Front St. from Coggeshall St. to Nash Rd.

Failure to follow the posted street sweeping signs will result in your vehicle being towed. During this time frame, parking will be prohibited within the posted areas to allow sweepers full access to the curb line. These focused areas of sweeping are in addition to the regular weekly schedule of street sweeping on the City’s main thoroughfares.

If you have any questions, please contact David Nieves of the Department of Public Infrastructure at (508) 979-1550 Ext 67332.”-City of New Bedford.

“The Rochester Fire Department and Rochester Fire Association held the second of two classes on Nero’s Law Police K-9 Training.

The class was well attended by members from the Rochester Fire Department, Rochester Police Department, MA, Mattapoisett Police Department, Fairhaven Fire-EMS, Acushnet Fire & EMS Department, New Bedford EMS, New Bedford Fire Department, and Raynham FD.

The class was instructed by Dr. Jason Lord from the New England Animal Hospital in Fairhaven. Fairhaven Police Officer Jillian Jodoin and K-9 Blue along with Raynham Officer Frank Pacheco and K-9 Bleky were on hand to allow the attendees a chance to conduct examinations and get a great understanding of how to operate around working K9s.”-Rochester Fire Department.

All photos by the Rochester Police Department:

On April 4, 2023, the Prince Henry Society of Massachusetts, Inc, will host its annual Portuguese-American of the Year Recognition Banquet which will serve to honor three individuals for their outstanding service to the Society and the Portuguese-American community. The event will take place at 6:00 pm at the Century House located at 107 S Main Street in Acushnet, MA.

The three honorees from each chapter are:

Prince Henry Society of Massachusetts photo.

Joseph M. Tavares – New Bedford Chapter
Joe has been a proud member of the New Bedford chapter since 2008, where he has been active in many committees. He is a Pilot Award recipient and was President of the Society from 2018-2019; under his leadership, the Society raised and awarded over $100,000 in scholarships to 100 local youth heading off to college. Along with delivering food baskets to hundreds of needy families for the holidays.

Joe is active throughout the New Bedford community, serving as a commissioner on the Port of New Bedford for several years, as well as a board member of Coastal Foodshed.

He is an award-winning banker, having worked in the industry for thirty years, with the last seventeen at Rockland Trust. Several times, he has been recognized as the business banker of the year for Rockland Trust and Rocklands volunteer of the year in 2010. In 2011 he was awarded as one of the top professionals under 40 by the New England Business Journal.

In his spare time, he loves to travel with his wife of 15 years, Lenore, and spend time with his family and close friends. He has lived on three continents but proudly calls New Bedford his home.

Prince Henry Society of Massachusetts photo.

Maria T. Mello – Taunton Chapter
Maria T. Mello was born in Agua de Alto, Sao Miguel in 1934, the 3rd of 4 children. Growing up she experienced many struggles and victories, and always had a strong faith in God and the need to help others.

At the age of 3 she was stricken with Polio, and didn’t think she would walk again. In her 60s, Maria developed Post-Polio Syndrome, and her symptoms developed further. She pushed through it all, determined to fulfill her calling by doing God’s work.

Maria’s father was a generous man, who owned a general store in Agua de Alto for decades. If people couldn’t pay for their goods, he let them pay at a later time. Early on she experienced compassion, and was exposed to the struggles of others less fortunate than herself.

In 1955, Maria came to the U.S. not speaking any English, and began working as a stitcher at the Taunton Dress Factory. She quickly learned to speak up in defense of others, and eventually became the union steward for the I.L.G.W.U., serving on the Executive Board from 1980 to 1984 before retiring in 1987 when the shop closed. In the mid 1990s, she was instrumental in fighting the development of a Coal Plant at the TMLP site on Rte. 138 in Taunton, taking legal action against heavy traffic to a residential area and most importantly air pollution.

She married her husband David in 1962. Soon after they welcomed 2 children, Teresa and Linda. Maria’s life always revolved around her family and her faith. Both worked factory jobs and separate shifts, so that their children would not be left with babysitters. They sacrificed to put 2 children through Catholic Schools. Moving to a farm in 1974, they still worked separate shifts. Regularly, they donated fresh food, homemade wine, and the occasional live calves for fundraising auctions.

Maria taught catechism for over 30 years at St. Anthony’s in Taunton, and has a great love for children. She became involved in counseling and assisting with family matters, including immigration issues. She has been a member of a number of committees and groups with the parish for decades. In 2008 she received the “Our Lady of Good Counsel” award, by the Fall River Diocesan Council of Catholic Women. Maria served for 7 terms as President then Treasurer of the St. Vincent de Paul Society of St. Anthony’s and in 2010, she received the Top Hat Certificate For Outstanding Vincentian Service. She brought back the Domingas, then processions, and resurrected the Irmandade de Espirito Santo at St. Anthony’s.

In 2011, Maria was nominated by Senator Marc Pacheco and humbly received the Portuguese Person of the Year Award. Shortly after that, she received a citation from then-State Representative Shaunna O’Connell. Maria Mello was married to her husband David for 57 years. Along with her two daughters, she is a loving grandmother to Christopher, Timothy, and Jonathan. Besides her family, she is proudest of her ministry to the sick and dying. Maria’s outlook is that “every day is a gift from God”.

Prince Henry Society of Massachusetts photo.

Robert C. Medeiros – Fall River Chapter
Bob Medeiros along with his family immigrated from Sao Miguel to the United States in 1970. Bob was born in a very humble home in the village of Sao Roque. At the age of 2, he and his family boarded a plane and made Somerville, Massachusetts their new home for a few years. Bob was 2, his sister Pilar was 9 months old, and his parents Jose and Cecilia were in their mid-twenties.

Upon arriving in the U.S., the family lived with family who were already in the U.S. before getting a small apartment and soon settling in Fall River. There Bob went through the fall river public school system graduating from BMC Durfee High School where he lettered in soccer. An accomplished musician, he received awards in violin and accordion, played tympani in the Durfee symphony, and played in marching bands.

While in high school, Bob was accepted into an accelerated Architectural design and Structural design program at Hall Institute in Rhode Island. Immediately after graduating from Hall Institute in 1988, Bob landed a job with a small design firm doing residential and light commercial projects. From there he held various positions in other architectural firms and landed at CVS corporation where he rose from drafter to construction project manager.

While at CVS, Bob contributed to the company transition from a privately held company into a publicly held corporation. Bob participated in the team that created the first freestanding prototype building with the very first one being constructed in New Bedford on the corner of Route 6 and Route 140 and overseeing projects throughout the United States.

Bob is a husband to his wife of 19 years Gina and father to his daughter Abigail who is a freshman at Case Senior High School. Professionally Bob is Vice President of a Norton, Massachusetts-based architectural firm with offices in Massachusetts and North Carolina, where he oversees a vast array of national and international clients and is strategizing an aggressive growth plan for betterment of all his employees and their families.

He served on the Swansea Planning Board for 11 years, the Board of Health for two years, and was recently elected as a Selectman. He is a proud member of the Fall River Chapter of the Prince Henry Society of Massachusetts where he just finished serving as its President for six years. He also serves as President of his parish council in Swansea and up until recently was an advisory member to the Diman Regional High School drafting program.

Bob attributes most of his accomplishments to his upbringing by his loving parents and family that taught him, love of family, hard work and to always leave things better than how you received them. He credits the entire immigrant Portuguese community where he grew up in that reinforced the lessons taught by his parents and family. Most importantly, he attributes his successes to his wife and daughter for their love and support.

“Summer in New Bedford has become synonymous with the sounds of acoustic music downtown and a brand new festival is expanding on that tradition. On Saturday July 22, the 1st annual NB Roots & Branches Fest will present a day of acoustic music by and for the people. Our 100% free public festival will include 6 performance areas that will host local and regional performers of true traditional music, indie folk, acoustic roots rock, contemporary singers, songwriters, and further flung compositional & exploratory acoustic music practitioners.

In our 4 indoor spaces, NB Roots & Branches has 24 performers lined up in unique concert settings that connect listeners with sounds they resonate with at local locations they’ll love. Our indoor stages are more than stages. Each “stage” will be a neighboring small business acting as a unique listening concert venue for the day. Within our 6 hours of music, you might catch rising songwriter Molly O’Leary in the comfort food go-to, Destination Soups, turned comfy house concert locale, Or you might choose to dance to local favorites The Jethros at the Pour Farm turned retro folk speakeasy, or take in chamber folk arrangements by Pebbles of Rain in the fashionably bohemian venue provided by the always chic Calico.

The festival’s outdoor traditional music performance areas will be hosted in downtown New Bedford’s Wing’s Court which directly abuts our concert venues. In those spaces, authentic experiences of 6 different traditional music cultures will include some scheduled events where festival goers can directly participate in the music making. Bring your fiddles and your voices, and you can be a part of a true living traditional music experience with Old Time Fiddle Session, an Irish Seisun, or one of a number of group singing sessions that include shape note, shanteys, and songs from the ancestral past. In addition to authenticity and connectedness through participation, our traditional music areas will have performances that represent the demographics of the city and the region as a whole with exciting opportunities to connect our shared present through our various rich and diverse pasts.

Wing’s Court is a large and beautiful multi-use space with room enough for the festival to provide a family activity area as well. Activities will be available in the central step down space between the 2 traditional music areas for families with kids and the young at heart.

Festival organizers are in direct contact working with New Bedford creative strategist, Margo Saulnier, the city’s tourism department, and dNB Inc to ensure a successful, professionally produced festival that has a direct positive effect on the community. In addition to making the festival free to all and ensuring the various diverse folk communities of the city are represented on the performance schedule, this festival aims to have a favorable impact on the downtown district we’re occupying. We’re designing a festival that not merely acknowledges, but rather aims to directly benefit and involve the small business in the neighborhood of our event.

In excess of 90% of performers have been booked already, but there is still some leg work to be done. A full schedule including performance times will be available to the public by mid-March. Check in at www.southcoastlessons.com/rootsandbranches for more information and schedule updates!”

New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park is proud to offer a month of activities in recognition of Women’s History Month. All of these events, starting Saturday March 11th and ending Saturday April 1st are free of charge.

Saturday, March 11, 2023, 2:00 – She Went a Whalin’
Corson Building Theater, 33 William St, New Bedford, MA 02740
Presented by National Park Service Volunteer, Sharon Chown

“Man may work from sun to sun, but woman’s work is never done”. Imagine yourself in the 1850s your husband has just been given command to a New Bedford whaleship and wants you to come along. Do you want to go? What does this life look and feel like for a woman on a trip around the globe in 1850? Join Sharon Chown and learn how captain wives prepare for whaling voyages and what to expect. Hear about the experiences of the pioneering women that chose this way of life.

Prior to retirement, Sharon Chown was partner and co-founder of Industrial Economics in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She has an undergraduate degree in mathematics from UC Davis, and an MBA from Carnegie-Mellon University. Chown fell in love with the South Coast on various sailing trips with her husband and began volunteering as an interpreter here at New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park in 2014. Lately, Chown has been researching the women who went whaling in the mid-1800s.

Saturday March 18, 2023, 2:00pm – Hetty Green Blazing Trails
Corson Building Theater, 33 William St, New Bedford, MA 02740
Presented by National Park Service Volunteer, Irene Duprey-Gutierrez

Hetty Green’s reputation precedes her. Known worldwide for her financial success, frugality, and yes, even a few idiosyncrasies, Hetty Green believed that everyone should use the talents they’ve been given. While she didn’t consider herself a woman of the movement, or a feminist, Hetty Green blazed trails that women today are still following. How might her life have been different had she been a man? Has history shaped or reshaped how Hetty will be remembered? Join us, with Irene Duprey-Gutierrez and she shares her research and understanding of this local financial giant.

Irene Duprey-Gutierrez, Ed.D., is an educator, writer, local historian, interpreter, and a long-time New Bedford resident. Duprey-Gutierrez’s life-long obsession with Hetty Green began as a very young child. Duprey-Gutierrez’s grandfather told stories of riding the trolly in New Bedford with Green, and her parents often attended the Green’s Round Hill mansion in Dartmouth on Saturday evenings when the grounds were open to the public for singing and dancing.

Saturday, April 1, 2023, 1:00pm – Harriet – 2019 Feature Film starring Cynthia Erivo

The incredible true story of one of America’s greatest heroes, Harriet Tubman. From her escape from slavery to the dangerous missions she led, setting free hundreds of enslaved through the Underground Railroad.

Join us FREE OF CHARGE as we view this film, and stay for a conversation, and Q & A with Rangers Denise DeLucia and Rufai Shardow about Harriet Tubman’s life as a spy, as a Women’s Rights Advocate, and her work with the aging in Auburn, NY.

“2023 at Stage Artistry Studios, 471 Union Street, New Bedford, MA. Doors open at 9:45 AM; Auditions will be held between 10 AM – 2 PM. One guardian must be present for each auditionee. Must be ages 8 – 13 yrs.

Please prepare 32 bars of a song in the style of the show, and something you love to sing!

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat – Rehearsals begin July 3, 2023. Performances July 21 – 30, 2023. The Children’s Chorus will be called throughout the rehearsal process, from July 3 – 20, 2023. Detailed schedule will be available in May.

New Bedford Festival Theatre encourages performers of all ethnicities, gender identities and abilities to attend. Must be fully vaccinated for COVID-19. Email casting@nbfestivaltheatre.com for more details.

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Director – Liz Bettencourt
Choreographer – Brooklyn Toli
Music Director – Steven Bergman
Children’s Chorus Director – Abby Casey
Executive Producer – Wendy Hall
Artistic Director – George Charbonneau
Associate Artistic Director – Elizabeth Bettencourt”-New Bedford Festival Theatre .

___________________________________________________________

New Bedford Festival Theatre

684 Purchase St,
New Bedford, MA.

Phone: (508) 991-5212
EMail: newbedfordft@aol.com
Website: nbfestivaltheatre.com
Facebook: facebook.com/NewBedfordFestivalTheatre

“The SouthCoast Afghan Welcome Network and the New Bedford Free Public Library is pleased to announce the opening of a unique exhibit, Dil ba Dil Rah Dhara (From One Heart to Another): The Afghan Women’s Art Project, on Thursday, February 9, 2023 as part of the City’s AHA! Night festivities.

The exhibit showcases a range of Afghan handicrafts, ranging from fiber arts, embroidery, jewelry, decorative painting, and traditional and modern garb, and is the culmination of several months of work by six local women who came to Massachusetts as refugees in late 2021. The exhibit’s title comes from a traditional Afghan proverb: Dil ba dil rah dhara, or “From one heart to another, there is a way”, and represents the women’s desire to share samples of their country’s rich history and vibrant culture and to express their thanks to the Southeastern MA community which welcomed them as they adjusted to their new homes away from home.

The exhibit is part of the Afghan Women’s Art Project, a collaborative effort to support newly arrived refugee women as they utilized the artistic and handcrafting talents they already possessed while gaining financial literacy skills to help them develop viable sources of income. This project was made possible thanks to the Community Economic Development Center, the New Bedford Economic Development Center, MassDevelopment/TDI, and the Barr Foundation – Art is Everywhere Grant facilitated by New Bedford Creative at the NBEDC.

The Afghan Women’s Art Project will be on display at the New Bedford Free Public Library, 613 Pleasant St., New Bedford, MA, from Feb. 9, 2023 through March 23, 2023.” -SouthCoast Afghan Welcome Network.

SouthCoast Afghan Welcome Network photo.

“The City of New Bedford will host a Public Engagement Open House at Gomes School (286 S 2nd St, New Bedford, MA 02740) on Saturday, February 11 from 11 AM to 1 PM. All community members are invited to learn about the Citywide Comprehensive Plan process and contribute by sharing their vision for the future of New Bedford.

The Comprehensive Plan is a long-term guidance document for policy and decision-making in a variety of areas, including Land Use, Housing, Economic Development, Transportation & Mobility, Natural and Cultural Resources, Open Space & Recreation, Public Services & Facilities.

Community participation is an integral part of the Comprehensive Plan process and input from city residents will directly inform the goals and strategies that guide the next decade of New Bedford’s development.

“As a regional center known for creative approaches to city building, New Bedford is uniquely positioned to take advantage of what the next decade has to offer,” said Mayor Jon Mitchell. “We are expanding our industrial port and diversifying our economic base. We continue to elevate our quality of life through public investments in our neighborhoods and city facilities. The most important resource we have for the future is our people — their energy, creativity, their leadership, and their ideas. For that reason, I encourage everyone to participate in this planning process.”

Residents can stop in to the open-house-style event any time from 11 AM to 1 PM to participate in Comprehensive Plan activities and speak with representatives from City departments. Mayor Mitchell will give welcome remarks at the event. Raffles, family activities, food, and drinks will also be provided at no cost. Translation services will be available.

The February 11 event is the first in a series of public workshops and listening sessions that will take place throughout 2023. Each event will provide residents with the opportunity to voice their visions and ideas for the future of our city.

Visit www.newbedfordplan.com to learn more about the Comprehensive Plan process, fill out a feedback form, sign up for updates, and see the event calendar.

Departments available include Parks Recreation & Beaches, Human Resources, Health, Environmental Stewardship, Housing & Community Development, Community Services, Fleet & Facilities Management, and City Planning.

Contact the Department of City Planning with any questions at (508) 979-1488 or Jennifer.Carloni@newbedford-ma.gov.” -City of New Bedford.

New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park is proud to offer a month of events in recognition of Black History Month beginning February 4th and continuing through the end of the month. All events are open to the public and free of charge. Although all the events will take place at the Visitor Center at 33 William St, New Bedford, MA 02740, two events will be hosted online and require pre-registration, and two will be hosted in the Corson Theater of the visitor center.

Saturday, February 4th at 1:00 PM, join us for a screening of the feature film Harriet: An American Legend. The film tells the extraordinary tale of Tubman’s escape from slavery and transformation into one of America’s greatest heroes. Her courage, ingenuity, and tenacity freed hundreds of slaves and changed the course of history. Following the screening we will host a discussion on the thrilling and inspirational life of this iconic American hero.

Thursday, February 9th at 6:00 PM, register for this online presentation and discussion on New Bedford’s Underground Railroad: New Bedford’s Most Powerful Protest. Ranger Rufai will share the stories of six of New Bedford’s agitators from our City’s Abolitionist and Anti-Slavery history. Local leaders include Nathan and Mary “Polly” Johnson, William and Lucinda Clark Bush, William Still, who is connected to New Bedford through his work in Philadelphia, Henry ‘Box’ Brown, Captain Daniel Drayton of the Schooner Pearl, and Andrew Robeson, Quaker Abolitionist.

Saturday, February 18th at 2:00 PM, register for this online presentation The Life and Times of Frederick Douglass in New Bedford: A conversation between Abby Almy, one of New Bedford’s 1850s Ladies and Frederick. Join with us as we view a prerecorded conversation between Frederick Douglass (Nathan Richardson) and his New Bedford neighbor Abby Almy (Judy Roderiques). Douglass and Almy talk about life in New Bedford, and the Anti-Slavery and Women’s Movements of the day. Following the pre-recorded presentation, Mr. Douglass and Mrs. Almy will be available for an online LIVE Q and A.

Saturday, February 25th at 2:00 PM, join us in the Corson Theater for Black Entrepreneurship Then and Now as we pay homage to three of New Bedford’s own 18th and 19th Century entrepreneurs: Paul Cuffe, Mary “Polly” Johnson, and Lewis Temple. From today, we will highlight Black Entrepreneurship in New Bedford with talks/presentations from Samia Walker, Executive Director, E For All SouthCoast; Lonelle Walker, Executive Director, Doers Lab NB; and Jaden Reyes, Brown Suga Stationery.

Established on November 12, 1996, New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park serves as a model for community partnerships in the National Park Service. Located in the urban setting of downtown New Bedford that spans over 13 city blocks, the park and its partners preserve, protect, and interpret the cultural resources associated with the history of the American whaling industry. The park is more than whaling as it includes stories of global immigration, Underground Railroad, women’s history, cultural diversity, architecture, art, and their relevance to current topics. The Visitor Center is located at 33 William Street in downtown New Bedford. Hours of operation are Thursday through Sunday, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM.The building is wheelchair-accessible and is fee-free. For more information, call 508-996-4095, visit nps.gov/NEBE or follow the park’s social media accounts on Facebook.com/NewBedfordNPS and Instagram.com/NewBedfordNPS.