New Bedford Police narcotics and gang detectives made 13 arrests Thursday and took two guns, marijuana and crack cocaine off the street Thursday as part of a citywide sweep targeting narcotics use and other illegal activity.

As part of the sweep, police executed a search warrant at 15 Warren St. Apt. 3 as part of an investigation into a marijuana distribution service being operated out of that address.

During their search of the residence, police seized a .25 caliber handgun, 40 grams of marijuana, digital scales, packaging materials and $1,285 in cash.

Francisco Gonzalez, 54, of 15 Warren St. Apt. 3, New Bedford, was charged with possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, possession of a firearm without a license, improper storage of a firearm and possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, subsequent offense. He was convicted Dec. 21, 2007 for possession of class A substance with intent to distribute.

A motor vehicle stop in the area of Cottage and Union streets led to the arrest of Devin D. Nickerson, 21, of 59 Everett St., Middleboro, on charges of possession of crack cocaine with intent to distribute and operating a motor vehicle with a suspended license. Police found crack cocaine in the vehicle along with $690 in cash.

The arrest was made at 3:50 p.m.

Based on a tip, the narcotics unit also recovered a stolen .22 caliber rifle from the basement of 358 N. Front Street. The gun was recovered at 4:52 p.m.

Fidel Fuentes, 57, of New Bedford, was also arrested for operating a motor vehicle with a suspended license. He was stopped on Ashley Boulevard.

The following individuals were also arrested on outstanding warrants:

– Steven E. Pepin, 62, 500 Hathaway Rd. Apt. 209, New Bedford. He was located at Ashley Boulevard and Sawyer Street.
– Paula Little, 40, 22.5 Old Colony Ave., Taunton. She was located at Tallman Street and Acushnet Avenue.
– Jason FInnerty, 32, 219 Ashley Blvd. Apt. 2, New Bedford. He was located on Coffin Avenue.
– Brian Chandanais, 29, 7 Beetle St. Apt. 1, New Bedford. He was located on Acushnet Avenue.
– Tara L. Lucas, 31, of 109 Tallman St. Apt. 2, New Bedford. She was located on Acushnet Avenue and Nye Street.
– Victor M. Silva, 42, 25 McGurk St. Apt. 2W, New Bedford. He was located on Cove Street.
– Thomas John Branquinho, 48, 129 Division St., New Bedford. He was located on Winsor and County Street.
– Deborah J. Baliko, 51, 213 Rockland St. Apt. 3, New Bedford. She was located on Hemlock and Sidney Street.
– Guy L. Pettie, 54, 37 McGurk St. Apt. 2, New Bedford. He was located at Brock Avenue and George Street.
– Diego A. Perez-Martinez, 283 Sawyer St. Apt. 3rd, New Bedford. He was located on Sawyer Street.

Detectives continue to focus their efforts on fighting criminal activity in the areas of Roosevelt Street, County Street and North Front Street. The New Bedford Police Department thanks the public for information that has helped in this effort and encourages residents to contact police with information that can help in police investigations.

Anyone with information is asked to call the police department at 508-991-6350 or the anonymous tip line at 508-992-7463 or e-mail tip@newbedfordpd.com.

The Children’s Aquarium and Exploration Center of Greater Fall River announced on their Facebook page that their last day of operation will be Sunday, August 27th.

UPDATE: The 22-year-old deceased driver in today’s crash on Route 495 in Hopkinton has been identified as Danielle Richmond, from Millbury.

At approximately 5:40 a.m. today, State Police from the Millbury Barracks responded to reports of a wrong-way driver traveling south on the northbound side of Route 495 in Hopkinton, just south of Exit 22.

Upon arrival, troopers found that the wrong-way vehicle, a 2015 Nissan Altima, had crashed into a 2006 Honda pickup truck traveling northbound.

The wrong-way operator, an adult woman, was determined to be deceased at the scene. The adult male operator of the other vehicle has been transported to UMass Hospital in Worcester with serious injuries. No further information about the victims is being released at this time.

The facts and circumstances of the crash, including why the wrong-way operator was traveling south on the northbound side of the highway, is under investigation by Troop C of the Massachusetts State Police, the State Police Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Section, the State Police Crime Scene Services Section, and the Worcester County State Police Detective Unit. Also assisting at the scene were the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, MassDOT, and Hopkinton Fire.

All three lanes northbound were shut down as a result of the crash. They reopened around 8 am.

Meet Ian Yates, 35-year-old CDL driver and co-owner of Yell 4 Fun.

Ian grew up in the North end of the city his entire life and after graduating from high school, he decided to get his Commercial Driver’s License and began driving trucks for several local shipping and production companies.

After a conversation with two of his childhood friends, Nick and Barbara Yell, he was sold on a business venture. At a family cookout, the Yell’s had their own bouncy house set up that they had purchased and were renting to family and friends. They showed Ian the pamphlet for the company that they purchased it from and he immediately bought a pack of 5 inflatables and never looked back.

Today, the trio have acquired and rent out 28 different inflatables and business just keeps growing. Ian loves that he is able to provide a service that is able to impact the youth in a positive way. Yell 4 Fun works with the city school system to provide their equipment at affordable costs and also works with different organizations.

“Shop small, shop local.”

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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.

Follow Colton on Instagram: https://instagram.com/simmonscolton

Read more of the Faces of New Bedford series here.

The following was submitted to us from a fan:

“I drove up on a man trying to wrestle a small dog out of his pit bulls mouth. No one was helping him so I left my car in the middle of The Ave jumped out and helped.

We tried punching him, throwing water on him and his owner was begging him to let go. The pit bull was in between my legs & I pulled up on his collar until he released. I let him go and realized he was unconscious. In that moment I thought I killed him. As much as I didn’t want the little guy hurt I didn’t want to hurt this pit bull. He regained consciousness.

I didn’t think for a moment of that dog hurting me. Something inside of me said you can stop this. You need to stop this. It was God and he was right. I didn’t get hurt. Not a scratch.

The small dog had injuries to his ear but his crackhead owner was more interested in getting ice cream the taking up my offer to give her a ride to a vet.

I am not mentally okay right now. Ryjani is not mentally ok right now. But that little dog is alive.”

Have a story to share? E-mail mike@newbedfordguide.com.

Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker filed bill H.3871 to make Aug 19-20 a tax holiday:

SECTION 1. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, for the days of August 19 and August 20, 2017, an excise shall not be imposed upon nonbusiness sales at retail of tangible personal property, as defined in section 1 of chapter 64H of the General Laws. For the purposes of this act, tangible personal property shall not include telecommunications services, tobacco products subject to the excise imposed by chapter 64C of the General Laws, gas, steam, electricity, motor vehicles, motorboats, meals or a single item the price of which is in excess of $2,500.

SECTION 2. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, for the days of August 19, 2017 and August 20, 2017, a vendor shall not add to the sales price or collect from a nonbusiness purchaser an excise upon sales at retail of tangible personal property, as defined in section 1 of chapter 64H of the General Laws. The commissioner of revenue shall not require a vendor to collect and pay excise upon sales at retail of tangible personal property purchased on August 19, 2017 and August 20, 2017. An excise erroneously or improperly collected during the days of August 19, 2017 and August 20, 2017, shall be remitted to the department of revenue. This section shall not apply to the sale of telecommunications services, tobacco products subject to the excise imposed by chapter 64C of the General Laws, gas, steam, electricity, motor vehicles, motorboats, meals or a single item the price of which is in excess of $2,500.

SECTION 3. Reporting requirements imposed upon vendors of tangible personal property, by law or by regulation, including, but not limited to, the requirements for filing returns required by chapter 62C of the General Laws, shall remain in effect for sales for the days of August 19, 2017 and August 20, 2017.

SECTION 4. On or before December 31, 2017, the commissioner of revenue shall certify to the comptroller the amount of sales tax forgone, as well as new revenue raised from personal and corporate income taxes and other sources, pursuant to this act. The commissioner shall file a report with the joint committee on revenue and the house and senate committees on ways and means detailing by fund the amounts under general and special laws governing the distribution of revenues under chapter 64H of the General Laws which would have been deposited in each fund, without this act.

SECTION 5. The commissioner of revenue shall issue instructions or forms, or promulgate rules or regulations, necessary for the implementation of this act.

SECTION 6. Eligible sales at retail of tangible personal property under sections 1 and 2 are restricted to those transactions occurring on August 19, 2017 and August 20, 2017. Transfer of possession of or payment in full for the property shall occur on 1 of those days, and prior sales or layaway sales shall be ineligible.

PAY: $14.31-$17.88/hr

Enforces parking regulations and restrictions. Receives daily assignments, which determine assigned area of responsibilities. Obtains information from the supervisor, or designee, requiring special attention. Patrols particular assigned areas at the supervisor’s discretion. Check for any and all parking violations, including, but not limited to: expired meters, parking abusers, expired stickers/registration plates, “No Parking” areas, loading zones, time zones, fire hydrants, driveways, handicap parking and handicap ramps.

High school graduate or GED equivalent. Ability to read and write English. Ability to reference codes for specific violations. Possession of valid Massachusetts driver’s license with a good driving record. Operates a motor vehicle on a regular basis. Mandatory CORI (Criminal Offender Record Investigation) background check per City Council Ordinance effective May 14, 2013.

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

A 42-year-old New Bedford man was robbed of a small amount of cash after a sale made over the Internet went awry.

The man had made arrangements to buy a video game console through an online sales site. When he met the man who claimed to be selling the item, the suspect handed him the box which contained the item. The suspect then quickly grabbed the cash from the victim’s hand and fled. The box was filled with trash.

The incident was reported on Bullard Street Wednesday at about 5 p.m.

New Bedford Police remind the public that the parking lot at police headquarters, 871 Rockdale Ave., has been designated an Internet safe transaction zone where the public can make secure Internet transactions. The lot is constantly monitored with security cameras.

Do we have a serial arsonist in New Bedford?

The New Bedford police report that the last three structure fires in New Bedford are considered suspicious. New Bedford Fire Department Chief Gomes considers all three fires to be confined to small area in the north end of New Bedford.

The suspicious fires were on July 22 at 91 Adams Street, July 31 at 475 Coggeshall Street and Aug. 2 at 470 Sawyer Street. The fires are located within a few blocks of each other in the north end of New Bedford and within a 12 day period. They were also all set between 1:18am and 1:42am, less than a 30-minute window.

Let’s look at each fire in reverse chronological order.

First, here’s a look at the basement fire on 470 Sawyer Street around 1:30am on Wednesday, August 2nd. The fire has been deemed suspicious by the New Bedford Fire Department and logged as arson in police records. All occupants were removed with no injuries.

Second, New Bedford police officers responded to reports of a structure fire at 1:18 a.m Saturday at 91 Adams St., a two-story building. When police arrived on scene, the rear of the structure was in flames.

Police helped a 74-year-old man escape the building. He was treated at the scene by medics. The blaze took several hours for the New Bedford Fire Department to extinguish. The building was a total loss. The Red Cross responded to the scene.

A joint investigation by the police department, fire department and the State Police determined the fire to be suspicious.

Third, the fire at 475 Coggeshall Street occurred at 1:42 a.m. when a curtain was set on fire and put out by the residents before NBFD arrived. Police and fire also consider this fire to be suspicious.

All videos by Carlos Pimentel Felix.

Fall River police officers responded to the area of Fourth Street for multiple shots fired just before 5:30 p.m on Sunday. Officer Marc Correia after obtaining a description of the suspects and their vehicle was able to later locate a vehicle matching the description with occupants that matched the description of the suspects.

A subsequent stop of that vehicle resulted in the discovery of a Smith & Wesson Revolver and the arrest of 30-year old Eric Espinal of New Bedford and 25-year old Shavez Brandon of Fall River. Both individuals were charged with numerous firearm law violations.

Full details here.