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, July 5, 2018. This round of spraying will target areas including Buttonwood Park, Brooklawn Park, Fort Taber, Hazelwood Park, Riverside Park, Clasky Park, Ashley Park, the Poor Farm area, 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 the evening prior to the spraying.

As it does with EEE and West Nile Virus, the New Bedford Health Department works closely with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health to track other emerging mosquito-borne diseases such as the Zika virus. While Zika-carrying mosquitoes have not been identified the New Bedford area, and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health reports that the likelihood of becoming infected with Zika virus from a mosquito bite in Massachusetts is very low, residents are urged to take the general precautionary measures to prevent mosquito bites. In addition, travelers to areas where the Zika virus has been detected in mosquitoes or humans should take extra precaution to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes during their trip. This includes both females and males who travel to areas where the Zika virus is occurring. If you or your partner is planning on traveling, you should check the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website for information about where Zika virus is occurring: http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/page/zika-information.

The same precautionary measures are advised for EEE, WNV, and the Zika virus. These include the following:

Avoid Mosquito Bites

Ø 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.

Ø 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.

Ø 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

Ø 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 of your windows and doors.

Three members of the Massachusetts State Police (MSP) were arrested and charged today with theft from an agency receiving government funds, as part of an ongoing investigation. Two recently retired, one recently suspended.

Former Lieutenant David Wilson, 57, of Charlton; Trooper Gary Herman, 45, of Chester; and Former Trooper Paul Cesan, 50, of Southwick, were charged in three separate criminal complaints unsealed today. All three men were assigned to Troop E, which is responsible for enforcing criminal and traffic regulations along the Massachusetts Turnpike, Interstate I-90. They will appear in U.S. District Court in Boston later today.

Wilson, who served as the Officer-in-Charge of several overtime shifts, along with Troopers Herman and Cesan are alleged to have received overtime pay for hours they either did not actually work at all, or shifts in which they departed one to seven hours early.

The alleged conduct involves overtime pay for selective enforcement initiatives, including the Accident and Injury Reduction Effort program (AIRE) and the “X-Team” initiative. Both initiatives are intended to reduce accidents, crashes, and injuries on I-90 through an enhanced presence of MSP Troopers and targeting vehicles traveling at excessive speeds. Wilson, Herman and Cesan were required to work the entire duration of the shifts – either four or eight hours – and truthfully report the date, time and sector of deployment on the citations issued during the shift. As alleged, they concealed the fraud by submitting citations that were issued previously, altered to create the appearance that the citation was issued during the overtime shift, and/or submitted citations that were never issued and never took place.

According to court documents, investigators were able to corroborate the alleged conduct through spreadsheets compiled during MSP’s audit of Troop E’s overtime, along with data from MSP cruiser radios and other MSP records, to observe individual Trooper radio activity/inactivity patterns, as well as radio transmission location patterns.

In 2016, Lt. Wilson earned approximately $230,000, claiming to have worked approximately 170 AIRE overtime shifts – equating to about $68,000 in overtime pay. The investigation revealed that out of those overtime hours worked in 2016, Lt. Wilson earned approximately $12,450 in overtime pay that he in fact, did not work. Trooper Herman earned $227,826 in 2016, which included approximately $63,000 in overtime, of which $12,468 was attributable to AIRE and X-Team shifts for which Herman either left early or did not show up to work. Trooper Cesan earned approximately $163,500, which included approximately $50,866 in overtime pay, $29,000 of which included pay for AIRE and X-Team overtime shifts that Cesan did not work.

In 2015 and 2016, MSP received annual benefits from the U.S. Department of Transportation in excess of $10,000, which were funded pursuant to numerous federal grants.

The charge of theft of government funds provides for a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; and Douglas Shoemaker, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Office of Inspector General made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dustin Chao and Mark Grady of Lelling’s Public Corruption Unit and Neil Gallagher of Lelling’s Economic Crimes Unit are prosecuting the case.

Members of the New Bedford Police narcotics unit were doing undercover work when they observed a female enter a male’s vehicle in the area of Linden and Purchase Street and head to Sacred Heart Cemetery, 559 Mt. Pleasant Street.

When police approached the vehicle, the couple was engaged in sexual activity. Police arrested Joaquim Carvalho of New Bedford on charges of sexual conduct for a fee and Lynn Paull of New Bedford on charges of sexual conduct for a fee and on four warrants.

Paull has a lengthy criminal record. She has failed to show up to court 42 times, requiring 42 default warrants to be issued and using valuable police resources to continually arrest her on the same offenses. She has been arrested seven times on two of the most recent charges.

The district attorney’s office requested that her bail set at $5,000. Judge Robert Ovoian set her bail at $2,500 and it was not known if she was able to make that bail.

The arrests were made Monday, July 2 at 4:25 p.m.

The 46th Annual Cape Verdean Recognition Parade will be held on Saturday, July 7, 2017 at 11:00 a.m. The parade starting point will be Rockdale Avenue and Union Street at Buttonwood Park.

The parade will travel down School Street after reaching County Street, a change due to roadwork in the City.

The parade route is as follows:

East on Union Street, then south onto County Street, turning east onto School Street, turning south onto Acushnet Avenue, turn west onto Grinnell Street, then turning north onto Purchase Street.

The parade will end at the reviewing stand located at the Cape Verdean American Veteran’s Memorial Hall at 561 Purchase Street.

Mayor Jon Mitchell announced that the City will host the annual series of summer concerts on the New Bedford waterfront during July and August of this year. The Summer Sound Series will feature live musical entertainment on Pier 3 in Downtown New Bedford’s Seaport Cultural District. Residents and visitors will dance to live music, enjoy beverages available for purchase, and relax along New Bedford’s beautiful working waterfront.

Summer Sound Series will consist of seven waterfront concerts, weather permitting. The first concert of the series will be Friday, July 6 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Remaining concert dates, also Fridays from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., are: July 13, July 20, July 27, August 3, and August 10. A rain date of August 17 is scheduled tentatively, should a concert be canceled.

“Our summer concerts have grown increasingly popular since we first launched them in 2013, attracting hundreds of area residents to the water’s edge on Friday evenings,” said Mayor Jon Mitchell. “The concerts are a great way to spend time with friends and family in downtown New Bedford, enjoy the dining and culture of our city, and enjoy great music for free. We invite everyone to the New Bedford waterfront for this year’s concert series.”

Free parking and shuttle service to City Pier 3 is available at Whale’s Tooth Parking Lot. Additional parking is available at Elm Street Garage within walking distance of City Pier 3.

Supporting Sponsors include Freitas Package Store, Miller Lite, Colonial Wholesale Beverage, Cape Air, Manny and Diane Pina, and Empire Ford of New Bedford.

The public is invited to bring their chairs and enjoy front row seating to performances by the following bands:

– Friday, July 6 – Front and Center (Top 40, R&B, Pop)
– Friday, July 13 – Flight of Fire (Energetic Rock)
– Friday, July 20 – Phunky Autokratz (Top 40’s, Funk, Dance, R&B, Alternative)
– Friday, July 27 – Jah Spirit (African-Reggae, Calypso Jazz, Blues, Rock)
– Friday, August 3 – Funk Side Up (Pop, Funk, Rock)
– Friday, August 10 – Steppin Out featuring New Image (R&B, Soul, Funk, Dance)
– Friday, August 17- Rain Date

A 30-year-old New Bedford man who stabbed two separate victims during two different incidents last year was sentenced last week in Fall River Superior Court to serve five to seven years in state prison, Bristol County District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn III announced.

Isaiah Burnett pleaded guilty to a multi-count indictment, charging him with two counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and one count of witness intimidation.

On June 28, 2017 at around 3pm, a male stabbing victim entered the New Bedford Police Department and told police he was stabbed by a male known to him as Isaiah Burnett. The victim was driving his car and stopped in traffic when the defendant approached him, and stabbed him in the left shoulder. The defendant then followed the victim as he made his way to the police station before fleeing to Fairhaven, where the defendant was eventually arrested.

On September 28, 2017 at around 7:40pm, police received a 911 call from a Walgreens in New Bedford regarding a stabbing. The male stabbing victim had walked to Walgreens on Acushnet Avenue – suffering from serious stab wound to his stomach. He was taken to Rhode Island Hospital, where he was treated for a lacerated liver and pancreas. During the investigation, police learned the stabbing occurred the next street over, on Belleville Avenue, where the mother of both the defendant and the victim’s children resides.

In a subsequent recorded jail phone call on October 12, the defendant called a friend and told him to contact the woman and tell her “not show up in court and file no charges….and, I’ll leave her alone, I’ll put up no fight, I will not fight her for my son. I will let her keep my kid bro. Just tell her not to put me away for this.” This call resulted in the intimidation of a witness indictment.

During a sentencing hearing last Thursday before Judge Raffi Yessayan, Assistant District Attorney Jeanne Veenstra argued that based on the fact that the defendant committed a second stabbing while out on bail, in conjunction with the fact that he has previously served committed time for crimes of violence, the defendant should serve a six to nine year state prison term. The defendant, however, recommended a more lenient four year state prison sentence.

“This is avery violent defendant who clearly needs to be taken off of the streets. It is particularly disturbing that the second stabbing occurred after the defendant was out on bail on the first stabbing,” District Attorney Quinn said. “He then tried to intimidate a witness in the case. He clearly poses a danger to the community.”

On Sunday, July 1, 2018, it became legal to purchase recreational marijuana from licensed retailers in Massachusetts. Oddly enough, as of July 1, there were only medical marijuana facilities open in Massachusetts. It seems state legislators and officials aren’t in a rush to get the state license marijuana blunts rolling just yet.

For a good reference on legalized marijuana in Massachusetts, there is a 75-page law on Marijuana sales and consumption that can be read here. The State has also set up a page with useful information here.

Here are seven things to know about recreational marijuana use and sales in New Bedford:

1. Per state law, you must be 21 years old or older to purchase or consume marijuana.

While it is legal to smoke cigarettes at 18, it isn’t legal to consume or purchase marijuana unless you are at least 21. If you are 21 years old, you can gift up to 1 ounce of marijuana, but can’t sell it without a state license.

2. It is still illegal to consume marijuana in a public space.

Per state law, marijuana must be consumed on private property with the permission of the owner. Landlords can prohibit smoking or growing marijuana on their property. So before you light up in the park or other public spaces, know that you can be cited or arrested for doing so.

3. You can legally grow marijuana plants in your home.

Growing marijuana out of your home can be prohibited by your landlord and you should follow all applicable state laws. You can grow up to six marijuana plants per person or 12 plants per home.

4. Expect to pay a 20% tax on recreational sales of marijuana.

New Bedford will have a 3% excise tax on marijuana sales within the city.

Massachusetts legislators passed legislation that set the maximum tax on marijuana at 20% – even though Massachusetts residents approved a ballot measure in 2016 setting the maximum tax at 12%. Currently, the State has a sales tax of 6.25% tax and an excise tax rate to 10.75% bringing the total Massachusetts tax on marijuana to 17%. Add on the 3% City of New Bedford tax and 20% is the total tax New Bedford people can expect to pay when purchasing marijuana for recreational use in New Bedford.

5. There are no current recreational marijuana shops in New Bedford (or in Massachusetts).

Currently, there are no recreational marijuana shops in New Bedford as Mayor Jon Mitchell has a moratorium on recreational marijuana sales in New Bedford until 30 Sept or until zoning for recreational marijuana shops has been approved. Here is a look at the proposed zoning ordinance and map.

6. New Bedford will be a top producer of marijuana in Massachusetts and will make up to $300,000 a year from it.

New Bedford has a host city agreement with ARL healthcare that provides New Bedford with $25 per pound of marijuana produced. Full details here.

7. Per the mayor’s office, New Bedford will issue up to 8 retail marijuana licenses.

New Bedford will issue marijuana licenses at 20% of current retail liquor licenses. According to the mayor’s office, there are 40 retail liquor licenses. Beacon Compassion will likely be the first recreational marijuana retailer in New Bedford as they already have a license to sell medical marijuana in New Bedford and it’s the medical marijuana facilities that will get the first crack at retail sales.

Looking to cool off? Here’s a look at the wave pool at Water Wizz at 3031 Cranberry Highway in East Wareham.

Judy is a senior citizen that feels she is being bullied by her landlord. The following was sent to New Bedford Guide:

“I am a senior citizen who is frustrated and upset. The landlord is a friend of a friend so I trusted him. Since I moved in I’ve asked for a renter’s agreement multiple times and he won’t give me one.

He told me that the only thing that he does not do is snow removal. Now he says he weed whacks, doesn’t mow, but the neighbor will. Now, he keeps “forgetting” to weed whack. I messaged to remind him and he called back yelling at me and that it was not his job.

I have a mice infestation and he won’t take care of it. I had a broken screen door that wouldn’t close, and he said it wasn’t his responsibility, even though it was broken when I moved in, so I asked a neighbor to help.

I don’t want to move and can’t – I am a senior citizen that barely make ends meet. I just want him to stop yelling at me when I have to ask him to take care of things that I’ve been waiting for over a year for him to do. I get no rent receipts of the $1250.00 that I pay each month because he “…can’t find the receipt book.” Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you.”

Have a concern? Write to mike@newbedfordguide.com.

Chris sat down with Kevin Rosario from Gosnold on Cape Cod to discuss Kevin’s drug addiction and recovery, and services offered in our area for help.