On April 5, at approximately 5:26 pm Barnstable Police were called to 77 Mitchell’s Way Hyannis after a contractor observed 6 individuals inside the abandoned home with what he believed to be two handguns and two rifles or shotguns.

Several patrol units responded to the address and ordered the occupants to exit. After several minutes and repeated commands, a male and female exited the dwelling and were detained. Over the course of several more minutes, three more individuals alighted from the home and were also detained.

A search of the premises revealed several containers, equipment, and ingredients typically used in making methamphetamine, and what appeared to be the precursor to a meth lab. One container had a powder-like substance which was later proven to be fentanyl. Officers also discovered an automobile in the garage, which had been reported stolen out of Florida, and an air-soft shotgun, which was found inside the house.

The occupants of the home were identified as 21-year-old Angelina Daniel of Belleview, FL, 31-year-old Thomas Windle formerly of Hyannis but currently residing in Ocala, FL, 46-year-old Brenda Nichols of Harwich, 31-year-old Michael Gregoire of Hyannis, and 35-year-old David Geoffrion of Brewster.

The investigation revealed Windle and Daniel traveled to Massachusetts in the stolen motor vehicle and broke into the abandoned home to set-up a methamphetamine operation. All five subjects were placed under arrest. Nichols was also found to be in possession of crack cocaine.

All subjects were charged as follows:

Angelina Daniel:
• Receiving Stolen Property
• Breaking and Entering in the Daytime
• Furnishing False Name to Police
• Trespassing

Thomas Windle:
• Receiving Stolen Property
• Breaking and Entering in the Daytime
• Possession Class B Fentanyl
• Furnishing False Name to Police
• Trespassing

Brenda Nichols:
• Breaking and Entering in the Daytime
• Possession Class B Crack Cocaine
• Trespassing

Michael Gregoire
• Breaking and Entering in the Daytime
• Trespassing

David Geoffrion
• Breaking and Entering in the Daytime
• Trespassing

At approximately 8:05 pm, Friday April 6, 2018, the Mattapoisett Police Department received a telephone call reporting a motor vehicle crash on Aucoot Road approximately a quarter mile prior to the entrance to Harbor Beach.

Officers who responded to the crash site found a vehicle that had traveled on Aucoot Road, a two-lane roadway and had crashed into a telephone pole. Police EMS personnel on scene determined that the operator, the only person in the vehicle was deceased.

The Massachusetts State Police Accident Reconstruction Team was notified, per protocol, of the fatal crash and responded to the crash site to assist the Mattapoisett Police Department in the accident investigation.

The Mattapoisett Fire Department also responded to assist with the crash.

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) will be closing the New Bedford-Fairhaven Route 6 Swing Bridge to vehicular traffic from Friday, April 20, at 8:00 p.m., until Monday, April 30, at 6:00 a.m. The bridge closure is necessary to perform maintenance, including structural, substructure and mechanical repairs to the bridge.

In order to gain access to the repair areas, the bridge is required to be in the fully open position, (open for marine traffic, closed for vehicles), due to the areas being worked on.

A traffic detour with signs and message boards has been installed to notify motorists about the bridge closure. Variable Message Boards advising the closure are in place. Police details are being scheduled to also provide assistance.

The Route 6 detours are as follows:

Traveling east on Route 6 toward Fairhaven:

• Follow Route 6 detour signage and take a left onto Pleasant Street
• Take a right onto Hillman Street
• Take a left onto the Route 18 north ramp
• Follow Route 18 north to I-195 eastbound
• Take Exit 18 – Route 240 south/Fairhaven
• Follow Route 240 south to Route 6

Traveling west on Route 6 toward New Bedford:

• Follow Route 6 detour signage and take a right onto Main Street
• Take a left onto Howland Road and continue onto Coggeshall Street in New Bedford
• Take a left onto Ashley Boulevard/Route 18 south
• Follow Route 18 south to Route 6

Access to local businesses will be maintained during all times of the bridge closure.

MassDOT advises motorists to expect delays and seek alternate routes during these times. Drivers who are traveling through the affected areas should expect delays, reduce speed, and use caution. All scheduled work is weather dependent and/or may be impacted due to an emergency situation.

ELWYN G. CAMPBELL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Parent Teacher Organization / PTO
145 Essex Street
New Bedford, MA 02745
Lisa Wheelden, Principal

Dear Business Owner/Friend:

Have you heard of “The Playground Project” at the Elwyn J. Campbell Elementary School? Our school is located in the far north end of New Bedford and many of our neighbors are part of this exciting new community project and now we’re here to ask for your support, too!

The Campbell School is home to approximately 300 young scholars providing a wholesome education to children in grades PreK-5 in the New Bedford Public Schools District. We know firsthand that this is an important transition time for all students as they move from children to young adults. These school years offer them their last opportunity to still be kids before moving on to the middle schools. However, recess on the playground at Campbell School is not what it used to be. The old playground that was there was damaged beyond repair and removed years ago. Unfortunately, due to lack of funding, the school was never able to replace it. Recess is not much fun for these students and, quite frankly, our grounds need a makeover.

With this in mind, a group of volunteers from the school’s PTO stepped up to the plate and took charge of the “The Playground Project”, with the intention of raising money in the community to purchase the new equipment and recruit the City’s help with surfacing the land. We are also looking to purchase additional pieces to assist our students with learning disabilities. We have had numerous fundraisers recently to raise money for a new playground but are still a few thousand short. (Who knew playgrounds were so expensive?) Although we’d all like to see the school district pay for new equipment, there simply isn’t any money in the budget for this project. The only way new equipment can be purchased (anytime soon) is through private donations.

In the past, our district’s PTO groups have been successful at raising money and receiving donations from business owners and friends for similar projects, including the playground equipment at the Pulaski and Gomes Schools, just to name a few. We’re hopeful our community will do the same for us and come together to support this much-needed and long-overdue project for the Campbell School families and visitors. As we know, it takes a village to successfully complete a project of this magnitude.

Can we count on your support? If so, please use the enclosed pledge form to make a tax deductible donation to this project and return it to us on or before Friday, June 1, 2018. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at cmourao1977@gmail.com. Thank you in advance for your generosity and support of our youngest citizens!

Sincerely,

Carla S. Mourao, Chairperson
“The Playground Project” Committee

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Are you a business, corporation or resident who wants to be a part of helping children have a playground? Here are the different levels of contribution and what you get in return as a way of saying “Thank you!”

• DIAMOND LEVEL – Your gift of $2,000 will be recognized on students’ “Fun Run” t-shirts this Fall, your logo imprinted on every PTO flyer and recognition on our social media pages for one full year. Your business mentioned during playground media coverage/interviews, private invitation to ribbon cutting ceremony and plaque recognition.

• GOLD LEVEL – Your gift of $1,000 will be recognized on students’ “Fun Run” t-shirts this Fall, your logo imprinted on every PTO flyer and recognition on our social media pages for one full year and plaque recognition.

• SILVER LEVEL – Your gift of $500 will be recognized on the students’ “Fun Run” t-shirts this Fall and your logo will be printed on every PTO flyer for one full year.

• BRONZE LEVEL – Your gift of $250 will be recognized on the students’ “Fun Run” t-shirts this Fall.

You can view and download the pledge here.

New Bedford Guide has officially started to Podcast! You can find us on iTunes and other popular Podcasting directors by searching ‘New Bedford Guide‘. Our Podcast homepage can be found at http://newbedfordguide.libsyn.com/ and out iTunes page here. Our RSS feed can be found here. Please take a moment to give us a review!

Our first podcast is with newly selected New Bedford Public Schools Superintendent Thomas Anderson. He discussed his vision and approach to leading the school department with Paul Santos just before the school committee selected him. You can listen to the episode directly on iTunes here or with the player below:

Superintendent Thomas Anderson’s Interview

http://traffic.libsyn.com/newbedfordguide/thomasanderson_interview.mp3

PAY: $11-$13/HR

Assists the Department of Parks, Recreation & Beaches in maintaining and supervising various programs for children. Serves as a mentor and academic support supervisor for a group of children. Provides daily academic support to group of children. Supervises daily activities such as physical fitness, arts and crafts, and more. Responsible for providing a safe place for kids to learn and have fun. Must have a Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) check, mandatory by MGL Chapter 6 Sec. 172C.

For application/complete job description, please visit www.newbedford-ma.gov or contact the Personnel Dept., 133 William St., Room 212, 508-979-1444. Applications will be accepted until a suitable candidate is found. New Bedford has a residency requirement. EEO

New Bedford Police arrested Elias Centeio, 37, of 293 Hillman St., New Bedford, Friday, April 6, for the stabbing of a 31-year-old New Bedford woman Monday, April 2 in the 100-block of Amanda Avenue.

Centeio was charged with assault with a dangerous weapon, assault to murder, mayhem and home invasion.

He turned himself in at Third District Court Friday, April 6. A warrant had been issued for his arrest.

Snow in April? Someone online mentioned that January was 4 months long this winter. Only in New England can we have 60 degree days in February and freezing temperatures and snowfall in April. We can’t even leave the house without looking at the weather report, because there’s nowhere to know what to wear! After Friday and Saturday’s snow we’ll finish out the weekend with partly sunny. Temperatures will be in the mid-40s after Friday’s chilly start. Regardless, there is absolutely nothing that could stop a New Englander from hitting the road and having fun!

As always, click on the title for more or detailed information on the event. Most of the events were pulled from our event calendar where you can find hundreds of local area events each month. The event calendar is FREE, so if you are a local business, and not taking advantage of FREE publicity, shame on you! Are you a local business and want to sponsor this high traffic, weekend guide? Contact info@newbedfordguide.com for more details. Have an event to add? Add it here. Know of another event this weekend? Post a reply!

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Friday, April 06th

Southeastern Massachusetts Real Estate Show – Episode 3 (4:00pm–5:00pm)
Join Paul Chasse, CEO of the REALTOR® Association of Southeastern Massachusetts, for the first edition of the Southeastern Massachusetts Real Estate Show. Paul will feature local market statistics for the cities/towns from Onset to New Bedford, along with information on other topics such as selling, buying, investing and financing. This Friday, tune in to watch Paul Chasse and his guest, Bob Lima, a Broker Associate with Berkshire Hathaway for a fast-paced, 1 hour show filled with real estate news and information!

NBHS Drama Club presents: Sweeney Todd (7:00pm-9:30pm)
Sondheim’s BLOODY MASTERPIECE! Join us for an evening of musical murder as we present Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. This performance features mature subject matter and is not suitable for children under the ages of 10. Families please be advised. Tickets $10 for students/seniors, $12 for adults. New Bedford High School, 230 Hathaway Blvd., New Bedford.

NBHS Drama Club presents: Sweeney Todd (7:00pm-9:30pm)
This event is a fundraiser for the sophomore class of 2020. This fundraising is for the Junior Banquet, Senior Prom, and the yearbooks. Students will be selling tickets at school between the times of 10:49 AM and about 12:23 PM for $5 or can be bought at the door for $7. Greater New Bedford Regional, Vocational Technical High School, 1121 Ashley Blvd., New Bedford. VIDEO: facebook.com/GNBVTHS/videos/

Black Violin at the Z (8:00pm)
Hip hop meets strings in a groundbreaking collaboration between Wil Baptiste and Kevin “Kev Marcus” Sylvester, known together as Black Violin. The classically-trained duo return to The Z with their incredible band as part of The Classical Boom Tour. Their signature blend of hip-hop, rock, R&B, classical, and bluegrass music has struck a chord with audiences around the world, astounding traditional and contemporary enthusiasts by the genre-bending music.

“ABSOLUTE” band” at PUB 6T5 (8:00pm-11:45am)
The Band ABSOLUTE is a 4 member band that does rock music from the 50’s-80’s. They have been together for well over a decade and have been doing local clubs in Massachusetts/Southcoast area. 736 Ashley Blvd, New Bedford, MA.

Karaoke w/ DJHankster at The Bar (10:00pm-1:00am)
See poster for full details. The Bar, 266 Dartmouth St, New Bedford.

Saturday, April 07th

Bishop Stang 7th Annual Book Sale for American Heart Association (8:30am-2:00pm)
Bishop Stang High School announces its 7th Annual Book Sale in the school’s cafeteria. All proceeds are given to the American Heart Association in memory of Richard Flynn and Joseph Silva. There are over 5000 books, movies and CDs available from $1-2. The public is welcome!

1st Buttonwood Wellness Walk 2018 (9:00am-12:00pm)
Hey, this Saturday marks 4 years of the Wellness Walk! We are now outside every Saturday for the season at Buttonwood Park starting at 9 am. We meet in front of the zoo entrance and the Southcoast Brass Band will kick us off this week. Dogs are welcome. #LoveYourHeartNB #WalkWithADoc #LiveWellNB

Vernal Pool Walk at the DNRT (10:00am-12:00pm)
Come join DNRT and the Buzzards Bay Coalition for a vernal pool exploration at Parsons Reserve. Staff from DNRT and the Buzzards Bay Coalition will lead you on a hike through the reserve to a large vernal pool, where you will get a chance to see some of its interesting inhabitants up close and personal. As a bonus, the hike will wind past the reserve’s popular daffodil field, where thousands of daffodils bloom each spring. Be prepared for moderate walking on uneven terrain, rain or shine. Register here: http://bit.ly/2GP5Cru

Main Library’s Children’s Room Family Story Time (11:00am-12:00pm)
Please join us at the Main Library’s Children’s Room every Saturday at 11am for story time and crafts! Hope to see you there! New Bedford Free Public Library, 613 Pleasant St., New Bedford.

Annual Old-Fashioned Penny Sale (5:00pm-9:00pm)
An evening of fun and prizes to benefit Holy Family Holy Name School! Continuous raffles throughout the event. Also includes…MEGA RAFFLE, Gift Baskets, Quality Prizes, Craft Table, Children’s Table, Kitchen (D&D Catering), Gift Certificates, Children’s Play Room. FUN FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY!

Ana Moura (Fado) at the Z (8:00pm)
Ana Moura possesses a sound unlike any other in fado, and we are thrilled to welcome her back to The Z! Her voice strolls freely through the Portuguese tradition, flirting elegantly with pop and broadening the soul-bearing genre to stunning results. Her stage presence captured the attention of Caetano Veloso, Mick Jagger, and Prince, which resulted in inspired crossover collaborations and performances with these musical giants in rock, pop, and jazz. Join us for a beautiful evening of fado, from an exquisite vocalist who embodies the spirit of the iconic fadista.

DJ Fahrenheit at PUB 6T5 (9:00pm-1:00am)
80’s, 90’s, Freestyle & Top 40 music. Disco, Funk and Freestyle music videos by Beatmedic’s own DJ Fahrenheit. 736 Ashley Blvd, New Bedford, MA.

Wild Nites at The Bar (10:00pm-1:00am)
From Oldie’s and swing to 70’s funk and disco, to 80’s metal and pop/rock, to 90’s alternative, ska, dance & hip hop, to 00’s & current radio tunes along with a bit o’ country. The Bar, 266 Dartmouth St, New Bedford.

Sunday, April 08th

Be The Solution to the Pollution’s “Earth Day Beach Cleanup” (9:00am-5:00pmpm)
Tools, bags, gloves and snacks provided. Please bring a reusable water bottle. Meet near the cannons at Fort Phoenix.

FREE Sunday Adult Wellness Programming (9:00am-1:30pm)
Free Adult Wellness Programming for All Levels of Fitness! Open to the Public! 9:00am: Zumba w/ Lynn Barbosa, 10:00am: Mindfulness with Julie, 10:30am: Yoga w/ Deb Fraine, 11:30am: Qigong: Meditation for Healthy Aging w/ Marcia & Steve, 12:30pm: Nutrition w/ Nicole Brown. Boys & Girls Club of Greater New Bedford, 166 Jenney St., New Bedford.

Gary Mullen & The Works perform “One Night Of Queen” at the Z (7:30pm)
One Night of Queen returns to rock The Z once more! The tribute to the legendary rock group is helmed by Gary Mullen, who exhibits the sound, look and showmanship of the beloved and talented Freddie Mercury. Experience Queen’s incredible sound, including all their classics, like “We Will Rock You,” “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “Somebody to Love,” and so many more. Don’t miss the homage that sells out time and time again!

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Want to sponsor this weekend guide? Contact info@newbedfordguide.com for more details.

A 55-year-old Raynham woman who stole more than $60,000 from a local public employees union was sentenced this week in Fall River Superior Court to three years of probation and was ordered to pay full restitution, Bristol County District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn III announced.

Pamela J. Almeida, who was a clerk for the Easton Planning Board and the Treasurer for the Southeastern Public Employees Association (SPEA), which is a union representing various public employees employed in the towns of Easton, Mansfield, West Bridgewater, and Milton, pleaded guilty Tuesday to a single indictment charging her with larceny over $250.

In October of 2016, union representatives became suspicious that Almeida was stealing funds from the union’s Easton bank account, and contacted police. A review of more than five years of bank records revealed that Almeida regularly drafted checks payable to herself from union funds for no legitimate reason. Almeida wrote 80 checks to herself for a total theft that exceeded $60,000.00.

The union dues from the account Almeida stole from were used to pay for labor counsel during contract negotiations and to fund higher education scholarships for deserving youth in the community. Members of her union first suspected Almeida of malfeasance when a student notified the union that they had not received their scholarship check when expected.

Union members immediately contacted Easton Police and an investigation began. The joint investigation by Easton Police Detective Darren Mangott and Massachusetts State Police Detective Melvin Rodriguez, who is assigned to the district attorney’s office, was led by Assistant District Attorney Michael Scott, who heads up DA Quinn’s Financial Crimes Unit.

During a plea hearing before Judge Raffi Yessayan on Tuesday, Assistant District Attorney Scott argued that some period of incarceration was warranted given the extreme breach of trust and the fact that Almeida stole from more than 200 union members. ADA Scott recommended a sentence of two years in the House of Corrections, with one year to serve, two years of probation and full restitution to the victims.

The defendant, however, requested a two-year probationary term and agreed to pay full restitution.

Judge Yessayan eventually sentenced the defendant to a three-year probationary term and ordered her to pay $63,729 in restitution to the union. $50,000 of the restitution is to be paid this week and the remaining $13,729 over the term of her probation.

“This was a significant breach of trust by the defendant who stole money that union members had set aside for a scholarship fund and to get legal representation during contract negotiations,” District Attorney Quinn said. “Based on this significant theft of funds, we felt that the defendant should have been sentenced to jail. I hope the defendant has the same enthusiasm for paying back the money that she did for stealing it.”

A Boston man was indicted this week in federal court in Boston for distributing crack cocaine.

Austin Wilkerson, 41, was indicted today on three counts of distributing cocaine base, also known as crack cocaine, on the Veterans Affairs Medical Center campus in Bedford.

According to court documents, in January 2017, a cooperating witness reported to law enforcement that Wilkerson was selling crack cocaine to Michael Sexton, a resident at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center. On July 27, Aug. 10, and Sept. 5, 2017, Wilkerson provided crack cocaine to Sexton, who then sold it to the cooperating witness at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Bedford.

Wilkerson faces a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. 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; Sean J. Smith, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Field Office; Michael Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division; and Shawn Kelly, Chief of Police of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Police Service, Bedford VA Medical Center, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Soivilien of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.

The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.