The City of New Bedford has roadwork sites for the upcoming week of July 20, 2020 –July 24, 2020 and they are as follows:

Eversource:

Eversource will replace the gas mains at the following locations:

• Kings Hwy – Tarklin Hill Rd. to Mt Pleasant St. (Main)
• Cottage St. From Parker St. – Campbell St. (Main)
• Bannister from Peckham St. to Coggeshall St. (Services)
• Peckham from Mt. Pleasant to County St. (Services)
• Myrtle St. from Cedar St. to Sawyer St. (Services)

Eversource will be doing final street and sidewalk restoration at various locations city-wide.

Other:

• Contractor (PA Landers) to continue drainage work at Mass DOT Project #606709, New Bedford – Roadway Reconstruction and Related Work (including signals) along a section of Kings Highway and Tarkiln Hill Road. Construction to take place during regular working hours (Monday – Friday), police details and traffic controls will be in place.
• Department of Public Infrastructure will be filling potholes on a continuous basis throughout the city.
• Department of Public Infrastructure conducting its annual street sweeping program city-wide.
• Contractor (PA Landers) will be working on road construction on Willow St. between Cedar St. and Richmond St. This road will be closed with police detail.
• Contractor (PA Landers) will be working on Westview St. between Nemasket St. and Giffords Ln. the road will be closed to thru traffic with a police detail.
• Contractor (PA Landers) will continue working on Shawmut Ave from the Pump Station to the railroad. Crews will be prepping and paving. Traffic will be dropped to one lane with police detail.
• Contractor (PA Landers) will be working on Mt. Vernon St. the road will be closed to thru traffic with police detail.
• Department of Public Infrastructure will soon start Sunday hydrant flushing. Flushing will be conducted on August 2nd, 9th and 16th at the following locations between 8 AM and 4 PM:
◦ Industrial Park along Braley Rd., Church St., Phillips Rd., Duchaine Blvd., Samuel Barnet Blvd. and John Vertente Blvd.
◦ The Fish Houses along Coggeshall St., North Front St., Herman Melville Blvd. and MacArthur Dr. from Front St. to Cove St.
◦ Pier 2, Pier 4 and the State Pier
◦ Downtown between Maxfield St. and Walnut St. and from County St. to the Waterfront.
• Contractor (P Gioioso and Son) is scheduled to continue with the replacement of the Nelson St. Water Main and service connections, between Crapo St. and County St. P Gioioso and Son will also be replacing piping and valves at the Nelson St / County St intersection on Monday. Traffic on County St may be reduced to one lane on Monday. During working hours, Nelson St. may be closed to thru traffic with access by local traffic only. Traffic will be directed to either Jouvette St. or Scott St. Detour signage, police details and traffic controls will be in place.
• The contractor (WES Construction) is scheduled to continue construction of the new pumping station and installation of the site utilities at the Front St./ Elm St. site. Elm St, between JFK Memorial Highway (RTE 18) and MacArthur Dr. will be closed to westbound traffic. Westbound traffic will be detoured via MacArthur Drive. There will be detour signage and traffic controls in place.
• Due to ongoing construction at the High Hill Reservoir residents may experience discolored water. The water is safe, and the discoloration will be temporary. We recommend allowing the water to settle for a few hours and then flushing your service line by letting the bathtub run for a few minutes until the water clears.

** Please note: Contractors will continue to follow guidelines and protocol regarding COVID-19 social distancing while conducting work in construction zone.

Due to the current COVID-19 situation the Department of Public Infrastructure will be closed to the public entry. Office staff is available to assist by email and telephone.

“Earlier today I went, without an appointment, to the taxpayer-funded Covid-19 testing van located for the day at Seven Hills in the South End of New Bedford. The staff was exceptionally pleasant, the process was easy and — as you can see — the test is self-administered. I was asked for my name, date of birth, address, email and telephone number. That was it! I was in and out in a little over 10 minutes. Didn’t even need to provide a reason for the test. The results will be emailed to me in 24-48 hours.

“The state is offering free Covid-19 testing in New Bedford and seven other cities as part of the Governor’s “Stop the Spread” campaign. The reason these communities were selected is that the percentage of positive Covid tests are higher than the state average and overall testing has slowed. Testing is so very important to stopping the spread which is so very important to getting schools safely opened which is so very important to the economy. Less infections also reduces the risk to health care providers and public safety folk.

“I did this to demonstrate how easy it is to do. If a Fairhaven resident who works in Acushnet can travel to New Bedford for a free test anyone can and everyone should (remember, New Bedford’s positive rate is higher then the state average and the city is the hub of our region).

“The ease of this testing could be made even easier if the (for some) traveling obstacle could be removed. So, would you be interested in this free Covid testing if the van came to Acushnet, Fairhaven or other south coast communities? So far it has been limited to the city. This state project will continue until early August.

“Let us know if you would get tested if the van came to town. We could always ask the state to expand the boundaries given the daily flow of residents from the suburbs to the city.

“I’ll let you know when my test results are received.”-Acushnet Fire Chief Kevin Gallagher.

Check future locations and schedule here.

Acushnet Fire & EMS photo.

“The Fairhaven Police would like to congratulate new Officers Ryan Benoit and Jillian Jodoin for their successful completion of the Cape Cod Municipal Police Academy on July 10.

The new officers have been sworn in by the Town Clerk and are going through a thorough on the job training with their Training Officers! Congratulations Ryan and Jillian!!” -Fairhaven Police Department.

It is with great regret the organizers of the William Street Festival announce the postponement of this year’s festival until 2021. This year, we would have celebrated the fifth annual event on September 26, 2020.

With the safety concerns brought on by the Coronavirus we felt we may not be able to protect everyone completely. Our commitment is to guarantee our guests’ well-being and safety, and with many more guidelines and details, we were afraid of not meeting this goal.

The members of the First Unitarian Church, The Steeple Playhouse, Gallery X, AHA! New Bedford, New Bedford Pottery Works, Your Theatre Inc., New Bedford Creative and many others all look forward to a bigger and better festival next year.

This link to some amazing photos of last year’s 2019 Festival by Josh Souza https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1-Ie7p5R2oxPNUSHj8Gs7QtYxei_UtA5F?usp=sharing

Stay Happy and Healthy , We will update future news as we proceed

An autopsy was conducted on 27-year-old Jose Cortez Cornejo of New Bedford, the deceased male who was located in the area of 180 Horseneck Road in the early morning hours of July 14th, by the Massachusetts Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.

The preliminary autopsy finding indicates that Cortez Cornejo died of apparent gunshot wounds. Dartmouth Police, Massachusetts State Police detectives assigned to the district attorney’s office and Homicide Unit prosecutors continue to actively investigate this homicide, no further information can be disseminated at this time.

Previous press release:

UPDATE: 5:30 PM-

The Bristol County District Attorney’s Office has identified the deceased male located in the area of 180 Horseneck Road earlier this morning as 27 year old Jose Cortez Cornejo of New Bedford. As the investigation remains active and ongoing, no further information can be disseminated at this time.

Dartmouth Police, Massachusetts State Police detectives assigned to the district attorney’s office and Homicide Unit prosecutors are actively investigating an apparent homicide which occurred in Dartmouth sometime late last night or early this morning.​

At 5:10 a.m. today, Dartmouth Police received a 911 call from a motorist, who reported seeing a male collapsed on the side of the road in the area of 180 Horseneck Road. When police and paramedics arrived on scene, they located the male and determined him to be deceased.

The victim is an unidentified male and based upon evidence gathered during the preliminary investigation, it is believed he is the victim of a homicide.

The state Medical Examiner’s Office will take custody of the body to perform an autopsy in the coming days.

As the investigation remains active and ongoing, no further information can be disseminated at this time. Once the victim’s next of kin is located and notified of his death, this office will be able to publicly identify him through a follow up media release.

If anyone has any information regarding this case or may have been in the area of 180 Horseneck Road between 11 pm and 5 am, they are urged to contact Dartmouth Police or take advantage of the district attorney’s anonymous text a tip program.

The first way to submit an anonymous tip is via our text-a-tip program. To anonymously text a tip to us, text the word “Bristol” to the phone number CRIMES (274637). Then just text us your tip. You can also submit a web-based anonymous tip by going to Submit a Web Tip. These tip programs are completely anonymous and your personal information will never be seen by our investigators or anyone else.

The Boston Police Department regrets to announce the passing of active duty K-9 Rocky following a brief illness.

Rocky was seven years old at the time of his passing and had served the City of Boston over his six-year career as a dual purpose Patrol and Explosive Detection K9. His handler and partner noted that Rocky was a great dog who enjoyed working and will be dearly missed. Our thoughts go out to this officer during this difficult time.

A 50-year-old New Bedford man with a lengthy criminal record who was arrested by New Bedford Police late last month on Fentanyl Trafficking charges was found dangerous by a district court judge last week, and ordered held without bail for up to 120 days, Bristol County District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn III announced.

Eddie Torres was the subject of a July 7th dangerousness hearing in New Bedford District Court after being arrested June 30th on charges of Trafficking Fentanyl, Distribution of a Class B Drug, Conspiracy to Violate the Drug Laws, Distribution of a Class B Drug–Subsequent Offense and Distribution of a Class A Drug–Subsequent Offense.

On June 30th at approximately 5:20 PM, undercover officers observed the defendant operating a gray Volkswagen in the parking lot of Burger King on Cove Road. Officers then observed the vehicle enter the Dunkin Donuts parking lot where it was met by another vehicle. A male from the other vehicle approached the window of the defendant’s vehicle and gave an item to the defendant. Officers subsequently stopped the defendant’s vehicle. As officers approached, the defendant shouted “f*ck this” and placed his vehicle in reverse, attempting to flee. Officers were able stop the vehicle by grabbing the gear shift and the defendant was taken into custody. Officers found a bag of fentanyl weighing 3.3 grams by the driver’s seat door and a digital scale on the driver’s seat. Officers then found a plastic bag of fentanyl by the driver’s side rear tire, weighing 13.1 grams, and a bag of cocaine weighing 14.3 grams under the vehicle. Officers also retrieved $1,880.00 cash from the defendant’s front right pocket.

The dangerousness hearing was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Robert Fread and the dangerousness finding was issued by Judge Joseph Harrington.

“I am very pleased the court held the defendant without bail as a danger to the community. The defendant has a history of violence and has served significant prison sentenc​es for manslaughter and attempted murder. At the age of 50, he continues to commit serious crimes. He just doesn’t get it, and belongs off the street to protect the public,” District Attorney Quinn said.

Mayor Jon Mitchell presented his Fiscal Year 2021 City Budget before the New Bedford City Council on Wednesday, July 15, 2020, via virtual meeting due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

In his accompanying letter to the Council presenting the $365 million general fund budget, Mayor Mitchell wrote:

“The situation facing New Bedford is unlike anything we have experienced before. Ordinarily, my proposed budget comes to you in May for the City Council’s consideration and adoption before the beginning of the new fiscal year on July 1. The arrival of a worldwide pandemic, however, has resulted in widespread illness and death, and has plunged the United States into a severe recession.

“New Bedford has responded skillfully to this crisis. Given our city’s older-than-average population, the pervasiveness of underlying health conditions, and our industrial workforce, we have managed to navigate the first wave of the pandemic better than anyone could have predicted. I am grateful for the City Council’s active support over the last several months and for standing behind the City’s residents, who have responsibly and admirably adjusted their daily lives.

“Nevertheless, the COVID-19 pandemic has inflicted tremendous loss and hardship here. Over one hundred New Bedford residents have died from the virus, more than 2,000 have tested positive, and hundreds of our residents have fallen ill. As of May 2020, the City’s unemployment rate stood at 23.9%, up from about 5% before the onset of the pandemic, the volume of home sales was down by 11.9% in comparison with 2019, and local revenue had declined substantially. Behind these numbers are our fellow residents who have suffered the loss of jobs or even family members. There is also considerable uncertainty about the future. While the city has begun cautious movement toward allowing businesses and other activities to reopen, the pandemic rages elsewhere and it will assuredly affect our daily lives in the years to come.”

Major Uncertainties in FY 2021 Demand a Conservative Approach and Proactive Steps

Mayor Mitchell noted that New Bedford weathered the last quarter of Fiscal Year 2020 despite the precipitous declines in revenue, helped in part by the City’s conservative approach to budgeting and proactive steps including the freeze on hiring and discretionary expenses imposed at the start of the pandemic. However, Mayor Mitchell noticed that there is considerable uncertainty that has made development of the proposed budget especially difficult, and that the budget could be adjusted if the updated state budget, when produced, differs substantially from the estimates in the proposed budget.
He outlined several major uncertainties.

State Aid: State aid constitutes more than 50% of general fund revenue, and the Commonwealth has not provided updated guidance regarding FY 2021’s outlook. Some outside groups, including the Massachusetts Taxpayers’ Foundation, are projecting shortfalls of as much as $6 billion, leading to significant uncertainty. The FY 2021 budget assumes education aid will not change from FY 2020, despite the passage of the Student Opportunity Act.

Local Revenue: Revenue collection is down across the board, and even with curtailed spending, the City anticipates net shortfalls in several major funds. As a result, significant realignment of the budget is necessary in FY 2021.

Mandated Costs: The City anticipates a significant increase in mandated costs for education, and that the potential funding established by the Student Opportunity Act is no longer likely. In addition, employee benefit costs, including pensions, will increase. Nearly $1.7 million will be added to the City’s pension assessment.

As in past years, Mayor Mitchell noted that there are very few places to cut or restructure the City’s budget, with approximately three quarters of the general fund budget predetermined by state mandates and regional agreements.

The FY 2021 budget proposes significant belt-tightening measures, designed to control spending without diminishing services in City government. Specifically, the budget seeks to avoid both layoffs of City employees as well as a change in the level of service provided to City residents. The budget utilizes a combination of the City’s certified Free Cash fund, as well as a $2 million transfer from the Stabilization Fund, to mitigate the impact of the current economic disruption at this challenging time.

New Efficiencies Coming to City Government to Avoid Layoffs and Maintain Effective Services

Several initiatives to streamline City government and create efficiencies without losing services are proposed in the FY 2021 budget:

– Desk officer positions will be eliminated in the Police Department. The staff will not be laid off but reassigned to the field to provide more effective public safety services to the City’s residents.

– The downtown police district station will be consolidated and relocated to police headquarters in the City’s West End and the savings will be invested in other important police department needs, as recommended by the strategic review recently completed for the police department. The use of police district stations is an outdated model, and among cities in Massachusetts surveyed by our police department, only cities operate more than one police district, or satellite, station around the clock – New Bedford and Boston. (Currently, the downtown district station serves the downtown and West End of the City, and headquarters is located nearby in the West End but does not serve as a local police station. The existence of both a local police district station and headquarters within that district station’s district is unnecessarily duplicative and inefficient. Under the budget proposal, the local district station will be co-located with the headquarters on Rockdale Avenue.) A portion of the savings from the police department’s efficiency and consolidation proposal will be used for important investments in the Police Department including the necessary replacement of aged police vehicles and enhanced staff training.

– Due to a recent streamlining of dispatch protocols that has reduced the Fire Department’s need to respond to medical calls rather than fire-related calls, Engine 8 will be decommissioned, and ten vacant firefighter positions eliminated. This will not result in the closure of a station. A portion of the savings will be used to assess the future configuration of fire stations in the North End of New Bedford, as was completed for the South End. There will also be added capacity in the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Department to effectively respond to medical calls through EMS.

– Three full-time and one part-time position in the City’s business offices will be reallocated to fund centralization of certain payroll and accounts payable functions, which will lead to further streamlining throughout city government by removing redundant activity from the 32 operating departments.

– The Ashley Park Senior Center will close to further efficiency to the Council on Aging, with consolidation of senior programs at the Buttonwood Senior Center and Rosemary S. Tierney Community Center at Hazelwood Park.

– The New Bedford Public Schools budget has been adjusted to reflect the impact of reduced state aid.

– The Buttonwood Park Zoo privatization initiative will be advanced to reduce the growth in long-term legacy costs, such as retirement and health insurance.

– The hiring freeze will continue as the City awaits further guidance from the state and responds to current conditions.

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) today announced that eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) virus has been detected in Plymouth County for the first time this year. The presence of EEE was confirmed today by the Massachusetts State Public Health Laboratory in mosquito samples collected on July 13 from a single location in Carver in Plymouth County. The mosquito samples collected July 13 are from the same trap collected on the same night. The findings are in a mammal-biting species of mosquito.

Data from the area will be reviewed and the risk levels in the area will be updated tomorrow as part of routine bi-weekly risk level changes by DPH. Information about current mosquito activity will continue to be updated regularly and can be found here.

The findings mark the third time EEE virus has been confirmed in tested mosquito samples in Massachusetts this year. The two earlier findings of the virus were detected in samples collected July 1 and July 5 in Franklin County, increasing the risk level of EEE to moderate in the communities of Orange, Athol, Wendell and New Salem. No human or animal case of EEE has been detected so far this year.

EEE is a rare but serious and potentially fatal disease that can affect people of all ages. EEE is generally spread to humans through the bite of an infected mosquito. There were 12 human cases of EEE in Massachusetts in 2019 with six deaths. There were also nine cases in domestic animals. Last year, public health officials raised the risk level for EEE to high in several communities in Bristol and Plymouth counties, both historic hotspots for EEE activity.

West Nile virus has also been detected this year in mosquitoes in Middlesex and Suffolk counties. There were 5 human cases of WNV in 2019. No human or animal cases of WNV have been detected so far this year.

Avoid Mosquito Bites
Apply Insect Repellent when Outdoors. Use a repellent with an EPA-registered ingredient (DEET (N, N-diethyl-m-toluamide), permethrin, picaridin (KBR 3023), oil of lemon eucalyptus [p-methane 3, 8-diol (PMD)] or IR3535) 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.

Be Aware of Peak Mosquito Hours. The hours from dusk to dawn are peak biting times for many mosquitoes. Consider rescheduling outdoor activities that occur during evening or early morning in areas of high risk.

Clothing Can Help Reduce Mosquito Bites. Wearing long-sleeves, long pants and socks when outdoors will help keep mosquitoes away from your 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 discarding items that hold water. Check rain gutters and drains. Empty any unused flowerpots and wading pools, and change the water in birdbaths frequently.

Install or Repair Screens. Keep mosquitoes outside by having tightly-fitting screens on all of your windows and doors.

Protect Your Animals
Animal owners should reduce potential mosquito breeding sites on their property by eliminating standing water from containers such as buckets, tires, and wading pools – especially after heavy rains. Water troughs provide excellent mosquito breeding habitats and should be flushed out at least once a week during the summer months to reduce mosquitoes near paddock areas. Horse owners should keep horses in indoor stalls at night to reduce their risk of exposure to mosquitoes. Owners should also speak with their veterinarian about mosquito repellents approved for use in animals and vaccinations to prevent WNV and EEE. If an animal is suspected of having WNV or EEE, owners are required to report to the Department of Agricultural Resources (DAR), Division of Animal Health by calling 617-626-1795 and to the Department of Public Health (DPH) by calling 617-983-6800.

More information, including all WNV and EEE positive results, can be found on the Arbovirus Surveillance Information webpage at www.mass.gov/mosquitoesandticks or by calling the DPH Division of Epidemiology at 617-983-6800. A short video with State Epidemiologist Dr. Catherine Brown about EEE and what residents can do to protect themselves can be found here.

RCA Electric & Generators is hiring. Come grow with their busy Electrical & Generator Dealership! They offer competitive salaries, excellent benefits and are hiring for the following positions:

Licensed Electrician
We are looking for a licensed electrician for generator installations and light electrical duties.
Essential Functions
• Strong electrical knowledge base
• Ability to communicate with customers and team about project timelines.
• Knowledge of home stand by generator installation is a PLUS.
• Problem solving skills to test for, locate and repair electrical malfunctions
• Other electrical work as needed
• Safe operation and proper care of company vehicle
Job Requirements
• Massachusetts Electrical License– required
• Valid driver’s license – required
Must maintain necessary licenses and certifications. Apply HERE
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Journeyman Gas Fitter
We need someone who can work independently and is comfortable talking with customers, co-workers and verifying work details.
Essential Functions
• Provide gas fitting and repair services for generator customers.
• Envision the best plan for completing a job once on-site.
• Ability to perform customized work with strong knowledge of code requirements.
• Ability to communicate with customers and team about project timelines.
• Ability to size gas piping accurately.
• Keep company truck stocked with necessary materials at all times.
• Cleanliness and organization of the project and company vehicle.
• Complete jobs on time.
• Ductless AC installation/repair knowledge (or willing to learn) a plus.
Job Requirements
• Massachusetts Gas Fitter License (Journeyman) – required
• Valid driver’s license – required
Must maintain necessary licenses and certifications. Apply HERE
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Generator Technician
Essential Functions
• Offsite engine repairs on industrial and residential power generation equipment
• Engine and electrical diagnostics and troubleshooting
• Generator start-ups
• Preventative maintenance of power generation equipment, including but not limited to oil and filter changes and part replacement
• Safe operation and proper care of company vehicle
• Respond to 24 hour emergency calls for repairs and service, when needed
• Ability to work in a productive manner in all types of weather and environments.
• Possess a strong customer services focus with good verbal communication skills.

Job Requirements
• Two or more years of previous hands-on service experience working on 8.5kW — 150kW generators; candidates with limited electrical experience, but with strong engine experience, will be considered.
• Valid driver’s license – required
Must maintain necessary licenses and certifications.
Do you have small engine experience? We will also train the right person! Apply HERE
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Generator Installer / Electrician’s Apprentice

Essential Functions
• Assist with generator installations.
• Must be willing to take direction from electricians.
• Possess a strong customer service focus with good communication skills.
• Have the physical ability to climb ladders, move heavy objects within OSHA regulations, bend, crawl, stoop, kneel, pull and dig.
• Work in various temperature extremes inside and outside in summer and winter.
• Attention to detail and a good team player.

Job Requirements:
• Minimum of 3 years of work experience.
• Must have a goal to obtain electrical license after required work and educational hours are complete.
• Valid driver’s license – required
Interested in this position? Apply HERE

Want to join the team?
People know RCA for their generators, but the real source of energy around here comes from their dedicated and experienced professionals. If you love a dynamic, challenging and rewarding work environment, this a great opportunity. Whether you’re a seasoned professional or just starting out, they would love to hear from you.

Benefits of a working at RCA:
• Established Electrical & Generator Company for over 30 years.
• GREAT team that has over 60 years of experience.
• Medical Insurance
• Retirement Plan
• Paid Holidays / Vacation
• Company Apparel
• Full time positions – Monday through Friday, 7:30 am – 4 pm.
• Saturday hours may occasionally be available.

Apply on our website:
https://rcaelectric.com/careers/
or email resume to:
info@rcaelectric.com