At approximately 7:20 AM an MSP cruiser was struck by a tractor-trailer on the Massachusetts Turnpike westbound in Framingham. The crash occurred at the Edgell Road snow gate.

The impact of the crash pushed the cruiser, a fully marked sport utility vehicle, over the guardrail and into the woods.

The Trooper was transported by EMS to UMass Medical Center in Worcester. He was conscious and alert. The truck driver was not injured. The truck is registered out of Indiana.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation by State Police Troop E and the State Police Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Section.

Meet Scott Botelho, 50-year-old Real Estate Broker Associate and Realtor.

After growing up in the area, Scott began working at Massachusetts Department of Correction in Bridgewater. Knowing that he didn’t want to spend the rest of his life as a corrections officer, he started researching the real estate market. His father-in-law Jesse Amorin took him under his wing and taught him the business.

As with any major life decision, Scott carefully mapped out his course as a real estate agent and once his business was established, he left corrections in 2007. He owes all of his success in the industry to his ability to foster and maintain relationships, treating his clients as if they were his family, not letting them sell a house for less than what it’s worth or buy a house he didn’t feel would put them in a good position.

His passion for the city has driven almost 80 percent of all of his business here, where he is able to help the people of our city attain the dream of owning their own house. In 2016 he became the #1 RE/MAX agent in Massachusetts and as a result he recently added 2 full time agents to better serve the community.

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Faces of New Bedford is a project by Colton Simmons. If you are interested in booking a shoot or getting prints from the series email all inquiries to colton@coltonsimmons.com.

Read more of the Faces of New Bedford series here.

I hope you’re sitting down: after our weather bomb of a weekend and some serious snow and ice, we’re having a weekend that will start out in the 50s. You know how the saying goes: “Only in New England.” The good news means that the precipitation this weekend will be in the form of rain. Rejoice those of you with backs still sore from shoveling! The bad news is that on Saturday night, temperatures will plummet to 17 degrees and only rise to 27 degrees on Sunday.

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, January 12th

Winter Warmer “Wine & Dine” (10:00am-9:00pm)
Warm up your winter with wine + dine specials at Brix Restaurant. Enjoy HALF PRICE bottles of Newport Vineyard wine with the purchase of an entrée Tuesday – Friday, excludes Brut Sparkling, dessert wines and guest wines, limit two bottles per table. Newport Vineyards was originally planted in 1977 on a hill overlooking Rhode Island Sound with the goal of producing fine wines and as a way of preserving beautiful agricultural land from rapid development. Aquidneck Island is blessed with one of the most desirable farming areas in the country, if not the world. Newport Vineyards, 909 East Main Rd. (Route 138), Middletown, RI.

Grace Morrison – Pub Side Acoustic (6:00pm-9:00pm)
Grace Morrison turns deeply personal and historical stories into song for listeners from all walks of life. Grace is a regular on national festival circuit and has won a number of prestigious awards including the Eventide Arts Songwriting Competition and the Big Break contest where her music video was played on the season finale of American Idol. Greasy Luck Brewpub, 791 Purchase St., New Bedford.

The Freeze Pops – Live in the Vault (9:30pm)
Established in 1998, The Freeze Pops have always entertained with one goal in mind, and that is when its time to party its time to forget about the hardships in life for a little while. Cheers to celebrating lif ! Greasy Luck Brewpub, 791 Purchase St., New Bedford.

Saturday, January 13th

Mattapoisett Library Friends’ Book Sale (10:00am-4:00pm)
Second Saturday Book Sale is the Friends’ gently used Book Sale in the downstairs meeting room at the library. Many new donations of hardcover and paperback novels and non-fiction have been added to the selection. Stock up on your winter reading. All proceeds benefit this non profit group who support programs and services at the library. 7 Barstow Street, Mattapoisett, MA.

Make Your Own Bird Feeder and Bird Walk (11:00am-12:00pm)
Come learn all about local birds during Saturday at The Sawmill. You’ll get the chance to create your own bird feeder to bring home! Then we will go on a bird walk and try to identify the different birds we see. During Saturdays at The Sawmill, the Hawes Family Learning Center will be open to the public from 10am-1pm, with the Make Your Own Bird Feeder and Bird Walk family program starting at 11am. Acushnet Sawmill, 54 Mill Rd., Acushnet, MA.

Action Packed Saturday Teen Movie (12:00pm-2:00pm)
Free movie and popcorn for teens at the library. Pack a lunch and join us in the teen room once a month! January’s movie selection will be Jurassic Park (the original). Tiverton Library, 34 Roosevelt Ave., Tiverton, RI.

Off the Grid – Pub Side Acoustic (5:30pm-8:00pm)
Come get your pre-Patriots game warmups in with Tommy Booth & Chris Emond of Off the Grid – performing pub side acoustic. It’s the perfect pre-Pats primer! Greasy Luck Brewpub, 791 Purchase St., New Bedford, MA.

Forever Paws Fundraiser w/ The Portuguese Kids (6:30pm-9:30pm)
Come out for a night of comedy to support a great cause! Forever Paws Animal Shelter is holding a fundraiser at the Liberal Club in Fall River with The Portuguese Kids as entertainment! Doors open at 6:30pm, show starts around 7:30pm. Tickets are only $20 and can be purchased online below or by calling Gail at 508-678-0804 or Jenny at 508-951-0637. The Liberal Club, 20 Star Street , Fall River, MA.

Sunday, January 14th

FREE Guided Bird Walk (8:00am-10:00pm)
Grab your binoculars and join our birding experts out on the trails. In the serene natural landscape at NBS, you will count up as many bird species as you can while also keeping an eye out for non-flying wildlife. All birding levels welcome. No registration required, meet in the parking lot at 8 a.m. Norman Bird Sanctuary, 583 3rd Beach Rd., Middletown, RI.

Free NB Boys and Girls Club Adult Programming (9:00am-1:30pm)
Offering Free Wellness Programming to the community all are welcome! Today: aromatherapy, Pilates, mindfulness, Yoga, Qi Gong, nutrition. The New Bedford Wellness Initiative’s mission is to raise health awareness, prevent disease and recover from illness through healthy living and not just medications and procedures. There are many wonderful resources already present in our community which can be connected. The power to change is within each of us. Get moving, get healthy and be well together. Boys & Girls Club of Greater New Bedford, 166 Jenney St., New Bedford.

SouthCoast Flea Market (9:00am-4:00pm)
Bring yourself, bring a friend; come on down Sundays 9AM – 4PM. Fill your stomach at the snack bar and leave with a bag filled with antiques to nick-knacks. Indoor flea market for just $.50 per person and children under 12 are free. Street and parking lot parking. SouthCoast Flea Market, 251 Brook Street, New Bedford.

Snowshoeing the Shoreline (10:00am-12:00pm)
Join us for a morning trek along the beach loop trail – all the way to the channel that feeds Allens Pond – in snowshoes! Plan on enjoying a coastal trek of approximately 2 miles and winter wildlife viewing while remaining high and dry on top of the snowpack. We’ll look for signs of animal activity through tracks, scat and other tell-tale signs, then will scan the skies for migrant snowy owls and winter waterfowl. $10/person Mass Audubon members and $12/person non-members. Adults 18+. Mass Audubon Allens Pond, 1280 Horseneck Rd, Westport, MA.

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

The National Weather Service in Taunton has issued a Flood Watch for all of Southern New England from Friday morning through Saturday afternoon.

* The combination of moderate to heavy rain forecast on top of snow melt and the possibility of isolated ice jams along area rivers and streams presents the threat of flooding.

* Storm total rainfall amounts 2 to 3 inches upwards of 4 inches are forecast over the entire region.

* Flooding not only will be exacerbated along area rivers and streams by potential isolated ice jams which could lead to locally fast, significantly high river rises, but also within urban centers given the likelihood of snow clogged drains that will lead to poor drainage.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS.

A Flood Watch means there is a potential for flooding based on current forecasts.

You should monitor later forecasts and be alert for possible Flood Warnings. Those living in areas prone to flooding should be prepared to take action should flooding develop.

Classes are cancelled at 181 Hillman Street on Thursday, January 11 due to needed boiler repairs. City crews have scheduled a shutdown on Thurs., Jan 11th during a forecast period of above-freezing temperatures. Work is expected to be completed Thursday, with an outside chance of completion on Friday, pending any unforeseen difficulties in repairs.

CLOSED: Parenting Teens Program
CLOSED: Adult/Continuing Education Classes
OPEN: Trinity Day Academy (it has a separate heating plant)

Updates as needed to follow.

The following communication is being submitted by New Bedford mayor Jon Mitchell to the New Bedford City Council for consideration on January 11th:

M3. COMMUNICATION, Mayor Mitchell, to City Council, submitting AN ORDINANCE, amending Chapter 12, Section 12-41, that property owners have only five (5) days as opposed to fourteen (14) to dispose of litter that is a source of filth or that is dangerous to the public health, safety or welfare.

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The following communication is being submitted by New Bedford mayor Jon Mitchell to the New Bedford City Council for consideration on January 11th:

M1. COMMUNICATION, Mayor Mitchell, to City Council, submitting AN ORDINANCE, amending Chapter 6, Buildings and Other Structures, which lowers the number of valid police complaints necessary for a property to be designated a problem property from eight to four.

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Mayor Jon Mitchell is pleased to join with the Greater New Bedford Area Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Committee in welcoming the public to attend the “Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Remembrance Celebration.” The celebration will be held on Sunday, January 14, from 4:00-5:30 p.m. at the First Unitarian Church at 71 Eighth Street in New Bedford.

“This is an important annual event in New Bedford for our community to come together to celebrate Dr. King’s legacy, and his message of peace, unity, and understanding,” said Mayor Jon Mitchell. “It is a time for us to reflect on his message and further our endeavor to find common ground as Americans.”

Dr. King was an integral part of the Civil Rights Movement which laid the foundation for the theory and practice of inclusion and diversity in American society and around the world. Though he was assassinated fifty years ago, in 1968, Dr. King’s dream lives on, touching the hearts and minds of people throughout the world.

The theme for New Bedford’s 2018 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Remembrance Celebration is “Let Our Voice Lead the Change,” and was selected by the committee as a tribute to the power of people to impact change and speak up against injustice through their respective voices – be it as artists, community leaders, activists, or other roles.

The 2018 keynote speaker will be Rev. Cordell Polk, Pastor of the United House of Prayer for All People in New Bedford. Pastor Polk was raised in Atlanta, Georgia and his life experiences at a young age were greatly influenced by the life and work of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Other program highlights include musical selections by the Deliverance Gospel Choir, along with Zan Morrisey performing vocals and acoustic guitar, Candida Rose, and the chorus from James B. Congdon School in New Bedford. The program will also include the announcement of the 2018 Annual Essay Contest winners—a special feature of the annual event for the last 11 years.

All are encouraged to attend the program. For more information contact Marci Pina-Christian or the Department of Community Services at (508) 979-1464.

Nine men – eight of whom are alleged gang members and associates – have been charged in connection with committing drug and firearms violations around the Mildred C. Hailey Apartments in Jamaica Plain. Seven were arrested this morning and will appear in federal court in Boston this afternoon.

“Gangs are an organized, long-term threat to our neighborhoods,” said United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling. “All of us have the right to live in safe communities – without fear of getting hurt, being subjected to drug dealing on our street corners, or our children being recruited into a life of crime. I will use the considerable resources of the Justice Department to afford every resident the right to live, work and play in a safe environment. I applaud the police officers and federal agents who spend their days identifying and building cases against the gangs in Boston’s neighborhoods.”

“ATF’s priority is keeping communities and its citizens safe by detecting and stopping the trafficking of firearms and narcotics. Today is another example of how ATF accomplishes that goal,” said Mickey Leadingham, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF Boston Field Division. “Firearms and narcotics trafficking continue to be a priority for ATF and our law enforcement partners. We are committed to identifying and disrupting the sources of trafficking illegal firearms and narcotics which endanger our communities.”

“These arrests come as a result of a two-year investigation working closely with our federal law enforcement partners,” said Boston Police Commission William Evans. “Public safety in Boston is my number one priority and I will continue to use all the resources available to target individuals driving violence in our city. I commend the work of my officers and all those involved in taking these dangerous individuals off the streets and the work they do every day to keep Boston safe.”

Following a two-year investigation, federal and local law enforcement arrested seven individuals this morning in connection with illegal drug distribution and firearm possession within and near the Mildred C. Hailey Apartments in Jamaica Plain, formerly known as the Bromley Heath Housing Development. The development, one of the largest owned by the Boston Housing Authority, has been severely impacted by the prevalence of drug trafficking, shootings and other crimes, much of which is instigated by gangs. According to the Boston Regional Intelligence Center, over a 10-month period in 2017, there were 36 incidents of shots fired, eight non-fatal shootings, one homicide, 20 drug-related arrests and 25 robberies in and around the development. According to court documents, the investigation and arrests aim to reduce violence and improve the quality of life for residents by removing individuals who traffic drugs and who are actively involved in violence and gang disputes.

The following individuals are alleged members of the Heath Street Gang and are charged with distribution of controlled substances within 1,000 feet of a public housing facility:

Cerone Davis, a/k/a “Jp,” 25, of Boston;
Joe Simmons, a/k/a “Profit,” 30, of Boston; and
Jarrod Simmons, a/k/a “Rizz,” 21, of Boston.

The following individuals are alleged members of the Heath Street Gang and are charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine base and distribution of cocaine base within 1000 feet of a public housing facility:

Dominique Finch, a/k/a “Heff,” 27, of Boston;
James Finch, 32, of Boston, remains a fugitive;
Javonte Robinson, a/k/a “Biggie,” “Big Dog,” 21; and
Kevin Smith, a/k/a “Works,” 27, of Boston.

Franklin Safo-Agyare, a/k/a “Frankie So So Smooth,” 25, of Worcester, is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.

Kendrick Tate, a/k/a “K-Roc,” 25, of Chelsea, is an alleged member of the Health Street Gang and is charged with distribution of cocaine base and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Tate is currently serving a three-and-a-half-to-four-year sentence for unrelated state drug and firearm convictions.

The charge of distribution of controlled substances within 1,000 feet of a public housing development provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of one year and no greater than 40 years in prison, a minimum of six years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a fine of $2 million. The charge of distribution of cocaine base provides for a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, at least three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a fine of up to $1 million. The charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm provides for a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.