From the Dartmouth Police Department:

“Dispatch just notified me that they have fielded numerous calls this evening from citizens reporting that they received a call from the “Dartmouth Police Department.” According to the information gathered by our dispatchers, though the reporting parties caller ID’s displayed “Dartmouth Police Department,” the corresponding telephone number(s) DID NOT match any numbers associated with our department.

If you receive one of these calls, you SHOULD treat it like any other scam, and we recommend that you do the following:

Report the calls to your local police department

Do not call the number back

Don’t answer calls from unknown numbers. If you answer such a call, hang up immediately.
If you answer the phone and the caller – or a recording – asks you to hit a button to stop getting the calls, you should just hang up. Scammers often use this trick to identify potential targets.

Do not respond to any questions, especially those that can be answered with “Yes” or “No.”

Never give out personal information such as account numbers, Social Security numbers, mother’s maiden names, passwords or other identifying information in response to unexpected calls or if you are at all suspicious.

If you get an inquiry from someone who says they represent a company or a government agency, hang up and call the phone number on your account statement, in the phone book, or on the company’s or government agency’s website to verify the authenticity of the request. You will usually get a written statement in the mail before you get a phone call from a legitimate source, particularly if the caller is asking for a payment.

Use caution if you are being pressured for information immediately.

If you have a voice mail account with your phone service, be sure to set a password for it. Some voicemail services are preset to allow access if you call in from your own phone number. A hacker could spoof your home phone number and gain access to your voice mail if you do not set a password.

Talk to your phone company about call blocking tools they may have and check into apps that you can download to your mobile device to block unwanted calls.

Information on available robocall blocking tools is available at fcc.gov/robocalls.”

Zeiterion Performing Arts Center has revealed 10 performances of the 2019/2020 Season before its traditional full season announcement in August. Tickets will go on sale to the public on Monday, June 17, at 10 a.m. Tickets can be purchased by calling 508-994-2900, online at https://zeiterion.org/, or at the Zeiterion Box Office at 684 Purchase Street in New Bedford. Group sales of 10 tickets or more are available to select shows by calling 508-997-5664 x123.

The sneak peek of the 2019/2020 season includes the return of fan favorites A Christmas Carol from Nebraska Theatre Caravan and RAIN: A Tribute to the Beatles, as well as a variety of musical, comedic, and theatrical performances. These 10 shows precede the announcement of the complete 2019/2020 Season, which will occur this August. Additionally, the Zeiterion will offer a new option to build-your-own series to save 10% with the purchase of three or more of these select shows with code 3FLEX at check-out.

The 10 shows revealed as part of the Zeiterion’s 2019/2020 Sneak Peek are:

Paris! The Show
Friday, October 18, 8:00 p.m.
Tickets: $29, $37, $47

A spectacular tribute to the greatest French songs of the post-war era, capturing the charm and essence of Paris for the whole world to enjoy.

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Taj Express: The Bollywood Musical Revue
Sunday, November 17, 7:00 p.m.
Tickets: $35, $45, $49

Exploding with the sounds of India, this musical theater extravaganza is a high-energy celebration of Bollywood culture, featuring colorful costumes, joyful dance, and thrilling live music.

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The TEN Tenors: Home for the Holidays
Thursday, December 5, 7:30 p.m.
Tickets: $36, $46, $56

With a generous mix of festive favorites, The TEN Tenors create a musical winter wonderland that truly captures the essence of the holidays.

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A Christmas Carol
Saturday, December 7, 2:00 p.m. & 7:00 p.m.
Tickets: $19, $29, $39

The beloved holiday classic returns! Audiences cherish this sumptuous holiday classic, featuring a cast of 23 performers, live musicians, and Broadway-style scenery and costumes.

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The Chipper Experience
Sunday, December 8, 2:00 p.m.
Tickets: $19, $25, $35

Chipper Lowell’s unusual blend of stand-up comedy, improvisation, and twisted visual magic will have you roaring with laughter.

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We Shall Overcome: A Celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., featuring Damien Sneed
Monday, January 20, 7:30 p.m.
Tickets: $25, $35, $45

Multi-genre artist, producer, and music director Damien Sneed brings a soul-stirring tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy through classical, gospel, and jazz!

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Philadanco
Friday, February 7, 8:00 p.m.
Tickets: $27, $37, $47

Known for its artistic integrity, superb dancers, and electrifying performances, The Philadelphia Dance Company is celebrated worldwide for its innovation, creativity, and preservation of African American traditions in dance!

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County of Kings
Thursday, March 5, 7:30 p.m.
Tickets: $29, $39

This riveting on-stage memoir will resonate with young audiences – touching on young love, the birth of hip hop, slinging crack, ballet, stealing car parts, prison, and poetry – for an astonishing journey of self-discovery.

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RAIN: A Tribute to the Beatles
Sunday, March 22, 8:00 p.m.
Tickets: $45, $55, $65

RAIN returns in celebration of the anniversary of Abbey Road! Go back in time with the legendary foursome for a note-for-note theatrical event that is “the next best thing to seeing the Beatles.”

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Seven
Thursday, April 2, 7:30 p.m.
Tickets: $19, $29, $39

Seven noted playwrights, including Anna Deavere Smith, create a tapestry of stories that weave together the words of seven remarkable women who faced life-threatening obstacles to bring heroic changes to their home countries.

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The Zeiterion Performing Arts Center is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with a mission to provide New Bedford and the region with performing arts programming of excellence that inspires, educates, engages and entertains. Tickets 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, Mass. Zeiterion Box Office regular hours are Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Thursday 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., and two hours before each performance.

The New Bedford Health Department, working closely with the Bristol County Mosquito Control Project and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, is again this year conducting an annual monitoring program to track the potential threat from EEE and WNV carrying mosquitoes. Under the program, mosquito traps are put in place to collect pools of mosquitoes and mosquito populations are monitored throughout the summer months.

As part of the mosquito tracking program, the New Bedford Health Department will request that the BCMCP target key areas of the New Bedford for spraying, including public parks and locations that host large public events.

As such, the Bristol County Mosquito Control Project will conduct targeted ground spraying for mosquitoes early on the morning of Thursday, June 13, 2019. This round of spraying will target areas including Buttonwood Park, Brooklawn Park, Fort Taber, Hazelwood Park, Riverside Park, Clasky Common Park, Ashley Park, the Poor Farm area, Custom House Square and the downtown area. Spraying will take place between 2:00 am and sunrise on Thursday morning, weather permitting. Residents in the vicinity of the targeted areas may wish to close their windows this evening prior to the spraying.

The precautionary measures that are advised for EEE and WNV include the following:

Avoid Mosquito Bites

• Be Aware of Peak Mosquito Hours – While mosquitoes are out at all hours of the day, their peak biting times are from dusk to dawn. Consider rescheduling outdoor activities that occur during evening or early morning. Otherwise, take extra care to use repellent and protective clothing, especially if you work or spend a lot of time outdoors.

• Clothing Can Help Reduce Mosquito Bites. Although it may be difficult to do when it’s hot, wearing long-sleeves, long pants and socks when outdoors will help keep mosquitoes away from your skin.

• Apply Insect Repellent when you go outdoors. Use a repellent with DEET (N, N-diethyl-m-toluamide), permethrin, picaridin (KBR 3023), IR3535 or oil of lemon eucalyptus [p-methane 3, 8-diol (PMD)] according to the instructions on the product label. DEET products should not be used on infants under two months of age and should be used in concentrations of 30% or less on older children. Oil of lemon eucalyptus should not be used on children under three years of age. Permethrin products are intended for use on items such as clothing, shoes, bed nets and camping gear and should not be applied to skin.

Mosquito-Proof Your Home

• Drain Standing Water – Mosquitoes lay their eggs in standing water. Limit the number of places around your home for mosquitoes to breed by either draining or getting rid of items that hold water. Check rain gutters and drains. Empty any unused flowerpots and wading pools, and change water in birdbaths frequently.

• Install or Repair Screens – Some mosquitoes like to come indoors. Keep them outside by having tightly-fitting screens on all windows and doors.

The City of New Bedford announced that it has filed suit against the nation’s largest pharmaceutical manufacturers and distributors for their role in creating a widespread diversion of prescription opiates for nonmedical purposes. The case was filed on June 6, 2019 in federal district court in the District of Massachusetts Eastern Division (City of New Bedford v. AmerisourceBergen Drug Corp. et al., Civil Action No: 1:19-cv-11266).

Along with other municipalities across the country, the City of New Bedford has struggled to manage drug overdose cases, whose volume has increased significantly since 2000. The suit alleges that an excessive number of opioid prescriptions have been dispensed and that a significant number of residents have reported drug dependence and non-medical use of pain relievers.

According to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, the number of opioid-related deaths throughout the state has risen dramatically in recent years. From 2000 to 2015 alone, Massachusetts saw a 372 percent increase in overdose fatalities. In 2015, there were 1,724 Massachusetts overdose deaths, up from 463 Massachusetts overdose deaths in 2000. In 2012, the state logged 742 opioid related deaths and by 2016, the number of deaths caused by opioids rose to 1,933.

“The opioid epidemic affects everyone, whether directly or through friends and loved ones battling addiction that has cost lives and deeply affected families. Like other cities across the country, New Bedford has felt the crisis acutely, and taxpayers have had to shoulder the enormous cost of trying to manage this public health crisis. It is not right to expect our city’s residents to bear the financial burden of this crisis alone,” said Mayor Jon Mitchell.

In the suit, the City of New Bedford alleges that pharmaceutical manufacturing companies promoted highly addictive, dangerous opioids, falsely representing to doctors that patients would only rarely succumb to drug addiction. The suit also alleges that pharmaceutical distributors breached their legal duties to monitor, detect, investigate, refuse and report suspicious orders of prescription opioids. Additionally, the suit alleges that several the national retail pharmacies were or should have been aware of numerous red flags of potential suspicious activity and diversion related to opioid prescriptions.

The companies named in the suit include Purdue Pharma; Endo Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; Par Pharmaceutical, Inc.; Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; Johnson & Johnson; Noramco, Inc.; Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, Ltd.; Cephalon, Inc.; Allergan PLC; Watson Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; Actavis Pharma, Inc.; Insys Therapeutics, Inc.; Mallinckrodt, PLC; SpecGX, LLC; Cardinal Health, Inc.; McKesson Corporation; AmerisourceBergen Drug Corporation; CVS Health Corporation; RiteAid Corporation; Walgreen Co.; Walmart Inc., and H.D. Smith Wholesale Drug Co.

The City of New Bedford is working with a consortium of national law firms and local law firms known as the Massachusetts Opioid Litigation Attorneys (MOLA), which includes the Massachusetts law firms of Sweeney Merrigan Law, LLP, Rodman, Rodman & Sandman and KP Law. In addition to MOLA, the legal consortium hired to represent the City of New Bedford includes several national law firms, which bring experience in holding the powerful pharmaceutical industry accountable. Those firms include: Baron & Budd; Levin, Papantonio, Thomas, Mitchell, Rafferty & Proctor; Greene Ketchum Bailey Farrell & Tweel; Hill, Peterson, Carper, Bee & Deitzler; McHugh Fuller Law Group; and Powell & Mejestro. The consortium is being paid on a contingent fee basis for its work on the lawsuit.

“Like many other cities and towns across the state, the City of New Bedford has been hurt by giant drug companies that acted with disregard for the consequences of dispensing opioids throughout the United States. What is truly tragic is that the opioid epidemic these companies created was completely preventable,” said Peter Merrigan of Sweeney Merrigan Law. “Our team intends to hold these drug companies responsible so that communities can get the help and resources it desperately needs to combat this crisis.”

A career criminal with a 17-page record who broke into numerous buildings in New Bedford last August was sentenced to serve four to seven-and-a-half years in state prison, Bristol County District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn III announced.

Jason Fleck, 43, of New Bedford pleaded guilty last week in Fall River Superior Court to indictments charging him with breaking and entering, malicious destruction of property, breaking into a depository, assault and battery of a police officer, possession of burglarious tools, and two counts of larceny from a building.

The defendant stood accused of breaking into five building during a two-week time span last August at the Hillside Court housing complex, the County Launderette and the Northstar Learning Center.

During the last break-in on August 27 at just before 11 p.m., New Bedford Police received multiple alarms for the lower floor of 53 Linden St, which is the NorthStar Learning Center. When police arrived, a resident told them that residents were chasing a strange male into the basement.

Police found the inner door broken into, a safe deposit box broken open and checks and money orders strewn about. When police entered the basement area they spotted the suspect and yelled for him to surrender. The defendant, however, immediately fled into another room and locked the door behind him. A lone New Bedford Police officer was able to gain entry into the room and found the defendant struggling to escape through a now broken window. The defendant ran at the officer and a struggle ensued. After several failed attempts to subdue the defendant, a second officer was forced to tase the defendant. However, despite being tased, the defendant continued to struggle with the officers and attempted to take the taser before finally relenting.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Jeanne Veenstra and the state prison sentence was imposed by Judge William Sullivan. The defendant has previously served committed jail and/or prison time for at least five other breaking and entering convictions dating back to 1997.

“This is a career criminal who continues to break into and enter people’s property with impunity. When arrested, he was so out of control, he had to be tased and subdued before being taken into custody,” District Attorney Quinn said. “At the age of 43, he simply has to be kept off the streets.”

On Monday, June 10, at approximately 8:20 AM Carver Police, Carver Fire Department and Carver EMS personnel responded to a report of an industrial accident at the Acme Shorey Precast Company on Tremont St in Carver.

As a result, a 41-year-old New Bedford man was transported by Carver EMS to Toby Hospital with very serious injuries where he passed away. The male’s name is not being released at this time.

The incident remains under investigation by members of the Carver Police Department, Massachusetts State Police CPAC unit and OSHA.

South Coast’s hot new comedy club, KILBURN COMEDY COVE returns with another side-splitting night of laughs on Saturday, June 15 from 8:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. at 127 W. Rodney French Blvd., New Bedford, MA.

Weather permitting, the June edition of KILBURN COMEDY COVE will take place in the building’s newly refurbished courtyard. Should Mother Nature not cooperate, comedy night will happen in its usual venue, the stunning KILBURN EVENT CENTER.

Tickets for the evening are only $20 and can be purchased online here. Parking is free, and adult drinks and snacks will be available for sale. Seating is general admission.

Headlining the evening is Ray Harrington – an infectiously charming comedian who performs across the globe with hilariously irreverent material and marvelous improvisational riffing that embraces the uncomfortable and the absurd with a smile.

His documentary BE A MAN won the LA Comedy Festival and was featured as ‘New and Noteworthy’ Internationally on iTunes before premiering exclusively on Hulu. His first album from Stand Up! Records, The Worst Is Over, debuted at the top of the comedy charts on Amazon and iTunes. His latest album, Overwhelmed, debuted at Number 1 on Amazon and at the top of the Billboard Comedy Charts.

Ray was also named Best Comedian by the Providence Phoenix, was selected for Comedy Central’s ‘Up Next’ Showcase, was a finalist in the Boston Comedy Festival, and was invited to host the International Filmapalooza Awards in Hollywood.

He was awarded Best Documentary at the LA Comedy Festival as well as the SNOB Film Festival, and premiered his film BE A MAN at the New York Comedy Festival. Ray has been heard on nationally syndicated radio along with Sirius/XM and he’s been seen on Hulu, ABC, FOX, and SBS Australia.

Featured comedian is E.J. Edmonds. In June 2006 in Fredericksburg, Virginia, E.J. Edmonds took to the stage for the first time to share his ‘views’ with the public. His confident demeanor, blunt sarcasm, and the ability to make fun of himself and his life quickly made him a favorite among comedy-lovers in the Northern Virginia area.

E.J. has taken his uncanny ability of seeing the humor in real-life stories and turned his stories into real-life comedy. This talent, coupled with his abstract views of the world, make E.J. Edmonds an act you won’t want to miss.

Your host for the evening will be J.J. Jones.

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ABOUT KILBURN MILL AT CLARKS COVE
Built just after the turn of the 19th century for textile manufacturing, Kilburn Mill today is home to special events, small businesses, artists studios and its famous antique center. It’s located at 127 W. Rodney French Blvd, blocks from Rte. 18 with easy access from I-195. Learn more at kilburnmill.com.

On Saturday, June 8th, at approximately 5:00 pm, New Bedford Police responded to Hazelwood Park, in the South End of the city on a complaint of a male who attempted to lure a 5-year-old child away from the area.

Police met with the child’s mother, who stated her child was in the playground area, when a male confronted the 5-year-old and asked the child to accompany him to another location. The child ran away from the male and informed the mother.

The male immediately left the area and was not located. The description provided at this time was a light-skinned male, possibly in his mid-twenties, wearing light brown pants, a ball cap, and sunglasses, and pulling some sort of cooler.

The New Bedford Police Department is actively investigating this incident and are prioritizing this reported incident. Anyone with any information regarding this male and the incident, please contact the Juvenile Detective Division at (508) 991-6300, ext. 79540.

Five individuals targeted during a joint child pornography investigation involving numerous law enforcement agencies have been arrested during the past two months, Bristol County District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn III announced.

The joint investigation was spearheaded by Taunton Police Officer Randy DeMello, who is a Homeland Security Investigations task force officer. The Boston Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations Cyber Crime Unit was our partner, assisting in the pre-warrant investigation, administrative subpoenas, warrant execution, and device examination. Local police departments from Bristol County and the Massachusetts State Police’s Computer Crimes Unit also participated in this extensive investigation.

These law enforcement agencies conducted an investigation into those who possessed and/or shared child pornography over the Internet. Our office, through the work of Assistant District Attorney Casey Smith, oversaw the investigation, brought various law enforcement agencies together and assisted local agencies in their warrant applications.

“This is an example of bringing various law enforcement agencies together to target and combat a very serious issue in our country,” District Attorney Quinn said. “We will continue to work together to apprehend individuals who possess and disseminate child pornography for their own personal gratification.”

As a result of the investigation, five defendant have been placed under arrest:

1. Christopher Dahlbeck, 31, of Attleboro, was arrested on April 10 after a search warrant was executed at his home. Multiple videos involving child pornography were found on his computer. He was arraigned in Attleboro District Court on charges of possession of child pornography and dissemination of child pornography. His bail was set at $1,000 and he was ordered to be fitted for a GPS monitoring device if he posts bail. He is prohibited from being near any schools or playgrounds, must have no contact with any children and must not use the Internet.

2. Bernard Croteau, 64, of Fairhaven, was arrested on April 11 after a search warrant was executed at his home. He was arraigned in New Bedford District Court on charges of possessing child pornography and disseminating child pornography. This defendant is alleged to have shared numerous files of child pornography, some involving child rape scenes. An SD card found in his home also contained videos of young female children being sexually assaulted. His bail was set at $10,000 and he was further ordered to have contact with children and is prohibited from using the Internet.

3. Brent Rainey, 49, of Fall River was arrested April 18 after a search warrant was executed at his home. He was arraigned in Fall River District Court on charges of possessing child pornography and disseminating child pornography. His bail was set at $1,000. He was ordered to be fitted with a GPS monitoring device if he posted bail, was ordered to not use the Internet and have no contact with children. Police found sozens of filed depicting child pornography on his laptop. That computer and several other digital devices were seized and are still being analyzed at this time.

4. Stephen Nazario, 50, of Fall River, was arrested April 25 after a search warrant was executed at his home. The defendant was arraigned in Fall River District Court on two counts of possessing child pornography. His bail was set at $5,000 and he was also ordered to be fitted with a GPS monitoring device if he posted bail. If freed on bail, he is also ordered to abide by a 6 pm to 5 am curfew, have no contact with children and not use the Internet. The defendant’s cell phone housed numerous images of a children engaged in sex acts and posing in the nude. A preview of his laptop also revealed in excess of 1,000 images and videos of children engaging in sex with adults. All devices were seized for further analysis.

5. Allen Fumo, 44, of New Bedford, was arrested June 4 after a search warrant was executed at his home. The defendant was arraigned in New Bedford District Court on two counts of possessing child pornography and one count of disseminating child pornography. More than 1,000 images of child pornography were found during the execution of the warrant. Bail was set at $10,000. The defendant was ordered to wear a GPS monitoring device and remain in home confinement if he posts the bail.

Recently members of the Wareham Police Association gathered at the station to pack “Bags of Hope” for the Happy Hope Foundation.

The bags are given to children who are hospitalized and consist of crayons, cards, bubbles, masks, and toys, in an effort to make the child’s stay more pleasant during a difficult time. Scotlyn Larue, a nurse at Wareham Pediatrics, along with Deb Gonsalves, nursing manager at Tobey Hospital, are coordinating the delivery of the bags to children in need.

Juvenile Detective Karl Baptiste, along with Scotlyn’s husband Officer Calib Larue spearheaded the project for the Police Association.