On Tuesday evening, June 16, Wareham Police received information that there had been an altercation between two groups of males on Station Street near the conservation area. During the incident a vehicle was struck and damaged with a baseball bat, as well as a male being pepper sprayed. All parties had already fled the area prior to police arrival; however two suspects were identified after a brief investigation.

At about 8:45 p.m. Officer James White observed the suspects in a vehicle on Cranberry Highway near Main Avenue. With the assistance of Officer Charles Pillsbury the car was pulled over and both subjects were placed under arrest. In addition the officers located and confiscated a digital scale, over $3,000 in cash, and a baseball bat in the vehicle.

Hector Flores (19), of 115 High Street, Wareham, is charged with vandalizing property and violation of a harassment prevention order.

Tyler Noe (19), of 528 Gatehouse Drive, East Wareham, is charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon.

Later at about 10:00 p.m. Lt. John Gerard was traveling on Cranberry Highway near Route 195 when he observed a vehicle fail to stop at a red light. The lieutenant attempted to stop the vehicle; however the vehicle did not pull over, forcing Wareham officers to initiate a pursuit. After a few minutes Lt. Gerard ordered all units to stop pursuing the vehicle. About 15 minutes later Marion Police Sgt. Jeff Habitch located the vehicle off of Point Road in Marion. Wareham officers responded to assist and the vehicle sped off again, however Wareham Police Sergeant Kevin Reilly was able to deploy “stop-sticks” disabling a tire on the suspect vehicle. For several more minutes officers followed the vehicle and aided by the “stop-sticks” were able to deflate all of the tires. The vehicle was successfully stopped on County Road near White Pine Avenue; however the operator of the car refused to exit the vehicle.

Wareham officers were forced to smash a window on the car, and the suspect was placed under arrest after being guided from the car by Juvenile Detective Karl Baptiste and Officer Eric Machado. Assisting in the arrest and pursuit were Officers Charles Pillsbury, Blaise Lalli, and Michael Phinney.

Danye Thomas (49), of Wareham, was arrested and charged with, reckless operation of a motor vehicle, failure to stop for police, speeding, fail to stop at a stop sign, and operation of a motor vehicle after suspension of his license.

Governor Charlie Baker today issued a proclamation declaring June 19, 2020 as “Juneteenth Independence Day” in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Celebrated each year on June 19th, Juneteenth commemorates the end of slavery in the United States, and is an opportunity to reflect on the need to continue working toward racial justice.

“Juneteenth is a chance for us all to reflect on this country’s painful history of slavery and the systemic impact that racial injustice continues to have today,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “It is also an opportunity to recommit ourselves to the goal of creating a more equal and just society. As our country continues the national conversation around racial injustice, it is especially important that we recognize Juneteenth. I look forward to working with our legislative colleagues to recognize this important day more widely going forward.”

“Juneteenth celebrations in Massachusetts and across the country mark an important moment in our country’s history and afford us a chance to reflect on the need to make progress toward racial equality,” said Lt. Governor Karyn Polito. “That reflection is more important now than ever, and we are glad to mark Juneteenth with today’s proclamation.”

Juneteenth is recognized each year on June 19. On that day in 1865, Major General Gordon Granger and his Union troops landed in Galveston, TX and announced that the Civil War had ended. Major General Gordon read a proclamation declaring that all enslaved people were free. The first Juneteenth was celebrated a year later in Texas and today is recognized across the country to mark this important milestone.

M.G.L. Chapter 6, Section 15BBBBB states, “The governor shall annually issue a proclamation setting apart the nineteenth of June as Juneteenth Independence Day, to be observed on the Sunday that is closest to June 19th of each year, in recognition of June 19, 1865 when Union General Gordon Granger announced freedom for all slaves in the Southwestern United States and in recognition of the end of slavery in the United States as well as the significant contributions individuals of African descent have made to the Commonwealth and to the United States and recommending that said day be observed in an appropriate manner by the people.”

Proclamation-Juneteenth2020

“These four explosive detection canines successfully passed the certification exam with their handlers today.

Three will work for the Massachusetts State Police Bomb Squad assigned to DFS and one for another agency. In addition, 13 others were recertified today.

These dogs are posed before the Accelerant and Explosive K9 Memorial at the DFS Stow Campus.”-Massachusetts State Police.

Submitted by: BREATHE! A New Bedford based grassroots movement that seeks to strategically create change in the policies and practices that have upheld institutional racism, state violence, and injustice.

Mayor Mitchell’s Commission on police force is window dressing that is meant to pacify the good people of New Bedford. Do not be fooled; this is not the Mayor responding to Black Lives Matter calls for justice. This commission will not result in any sustainable change but instead maintain the status quo.

The new commission is limited to reviewing three policies that already exist: police use of deadly force, use of less-lethal force, and the use of electronic control weapons. Chaired by Councilman Brian Gomes, a strong supporter of illegal “Stop and Frisk” policing, the commission can only comment on these three policies. This commission has no power over disciplinary action of the New Bedford Police Department (NBPD), it has no control over the hiring and firing of officers, and it cannot comment on any problematic policies outside the limited scope of three documents. Mitchell’s commission will not end NBPD’s history of racial profiling and police violence.

In May 2012, five months into Mayor Mitchell’s inaugural term, Malcom Gracia was murdered at the hands of New Bedford Police because of what was deemed an illegal stop by the Superior Court. This tragic loss of life was the outcome of Mayor Mitchell’s continued endorsement of a High Energy Patrol Initiative that disproportionately targets Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) in our community. In the eight years that have passed, we have heard the Mayor’s claims that community/police relations have improved, but by what measure?

Citizens of New Bedford should have the power to investigate and discipline police misconduct. If Mayor Mitchell is committed to stopping police from targeting BIPOC communities, he will support the community’s demand for an Independent Oversight Board with subpoena power and disciplinary authority. This oversight board would hold police officers accountable for wrongdoing. New Bedford needs an oversight board to ensure police stop their policies and practices of targeting BIPOC communities, low-income people, and other marginalized groups.

The oversight board must be independent, not only from the police department, but also from elected politics, and have a fixed budget, so it is able to independently investigate complaints. The board’s structure needs to be designed by the community, not the Mayor. This ensures true community voice and perspective centered around the needs of those most impacted by police violence, abuse, and misconduct. The leadership and majority of the board membership must be victims of police misconduct and/or their family members, with other local citizens nominated by grassroots civic and community organizations trusted by the communities most impacted by the criminal justice system.

Instead, the current Mayor’s Commission, which has no legal authority, is heavily represented by the police and District Attorney’s Office and lacks representation from victims of police violence or their families. The current commission has no ability to open an independent investigation of the murder of Malcolm Gracia or any other trauma and violence the police have inflicted on our community.

Mayor Mitchell, your community does not want to be appeased with symbolism attached to President Obama’s legacy. We want change. We want to trust that our elected officials and police will carry out written policies with integrity. If the City of New Bedford had an independent review board, perhaps Malcolm Gracia would not have been racially profiled, illegally stopped, and murdered. If there had been an independent review board, perhaps our city would have been spared from this grief. Moreover, all the officers involved in the murder of Malcolm and those involved in the cover-up would have been held accountable.

The City of New Bedford has roadwork sites for the upcoming week of June 22, 2020 –June 26, 2020 and they are as follows:

Eversource:

Eversource will replace the gas mains at the following locations:

• Kings Hwy – Tarkiln Hill Rd. to Mt Pleasant St.
• Hill St. from Hillman St. – Mill St.
• Hillman St. from County St. – Pleasant St.
• Cottage St from Parker St – Campbell St

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

Other:

• Contractor (PA Landers) to continue drainage work at MassDOT 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.
• Contractor (PA Landers) will be working on Route 18 between Cove St. and Potomska St. to repair crosswalks on the east side of the roadway.
• Department of Public Infrastructure conducting its annual street sweeping program city-wide.
• 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.

The following was submitted by Bristol County for Correctional Justice:

Over 100 people demonstrated in New Bedford this afternoon, demanding the Bristol County sheriff’s resignation. Approximately 65 protesters held signs at the Federal building in downtown New Bedford chanting, “No white supremacy in Bristol County,” and “Sheriff Hodgson’s got to go.” A group of another 50 joined them in a car caravan. The rally was called by Bristol County for Correctional Justice to protest the sheriff’s white supremacist associations, including a photograph where he’s pictured wearing a Confederate-themed tie.

“The issue isn’t just the tie,” said Linsday Aldworth of BCCJ. “Hodgson is a board member of the Federation of Americans for Immigration Reform, which the Southern Poverty Law Center has designated a white supremacist group. He’s a close associate of Stephen Miller, a White House major policy maker, with well-known white supremacist views and connections. The tie is merely a symbol of that allegiance.”

As to Hodgson’s denial that he saw no connection with the stars and bars on his tie and the Confederate colors, Marlene Pollock, also of BCCJ added, “The idea that Sheriff Hodgson, with these public white supremacist connections, chose to wear this tie without making that connection is laughable.” She continued, “When faced with multiple organizations affirming that it was indeed a Confederate-themed tie, he had two choices. To renounce and regret it or to defiantly flaunt it, insisting that he’d continue to wear it. The fact that he chose the latter course is very telling.”

The car caravan of protesters toured the city, passing the Dartmouth jails, the Ash Street jail and also historical sites connected with the area’s Abolitionist history. The caravan ended at Union and County Streets, joining the protesters who marched there on foot, where Black Lives Matter supporters have been gathering for three weeks. Organizers said they wanted to show their “solidarity and support.”

New Bedford health officials reported three more COVID-19 related deaths bringing the total to 102 in the city. New Bedford has seen 17 COVID-19 related deaths since last Thursday.

Mayor Jon Mitchell’s office reported nine additional confirmed COVID-19 cases in New Bedford on Thursday, bringing the total positive cases in the city to 2,086, up from 2,077 on Wednesday.

According to New Bedford health officials, Hispanics/Latinos are 20% of New Bedford’s population but account for 45.5% of the COVID-19 cases in the city. New Bedford’s white population was 67.2% of the city and accounted for 28.1% of the COVID-19 cases. Full details here.

6 additional cases of COVID-19 have been identified in Fall River, according to the Mayor’s Office. This makes the total in Fall River at 1,549. Full details here.

The Paper Shredding Day that was scheduled to take place in Dartmouth on June 27, 2020 is canceled. It is very difficult to keep all of those involved in running a paper shred day at least six feet apart, so for safety reasons the event will not take place.

Several companies offer paper shredding services if you need to shred papers promptly.

Proactively reduce the paper that you must deal with by reducing the paper coming into your home.

Go paperless for as many bills, financial statements, and magazines as possible. Choosing electronic statements saves trees, reduces pollution, reduces clutter, and reduces the number of physical documents that contain your personal information.

Directly contact companies to unsubscribe from unwanted mail. Also, catalogchoice.org allows you to unsubscribe from catalogs. To opt out of credit card or insurance offers, call toll-free 1-888-5-OPT-OUT (1-888-567-8688) or visit optoutprescreen.com. The phone number and website are operated by the major consumer reporting companies.

If you shred your own paper, you can compost it, use it as packing material, or use it to dry out old latex paint. Shredded paper does not belong in the recycling cart. It becomes a contaminant (and then trash) at the sorting facilities.

For more information, please call the Department of Community Services at (508) 979-1692 or the Greater New Bedford Regional Refuse Management District Recycling Office at (508) 979-1493 or email Marissa@gnbrrmdistrict.org.

A Dominican national who previously resided illegally in Methuen was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for trafficking cocaine.

Cesar Rodriguez-Sanquentin, 27, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to 37 months in prison and four years of supervised release. On Feb. 12, 2020, Rodriguez-Sanquentin pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine.

In 2018, federal and state law enforcement began investigating a Brockton drug crew allegedly headed by Djuna Goncalves, a violent Brockton-area drug dealer. During the investigation, agents identified different Boston-based drug trafficking organizations that allegedly supplied Goncalves and others with heroin, fentanyl, cocaine, crack cocaine, and marijuana.

On Dec. 17, 2018, federal agents intercepted calls in which Rodriguez-Sanquentin promised to deliver a kilogram of cocaine to a customer. After Rodriguez-Sanquentin met with the customer, federal agents stopped and searched Rodriguez-Sanquentin’s car. Agents recovered a Kellogg’s Corn Flakes box that contained $33,611 in cash. On May 13, 2019, agents intercepted calls in which Rodriguez-Sanquentin agreed to supply cocaine to a Boston drug crew that had supplied Djuna Goncalves. Agents stopped Rodriguez-Sanquentin on the way to meet with the customer and recovered one kilogram of cocaine wrapped in a Christmas-themed gift bag from the engine compartment of Rodriguez-Sanquentin’s car.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Michael Shea, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Boston Field Division; Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Brockton Police Chief Emanuel Gomes; John Gibbons, United States Marshal for the District of Massachusetts; and Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy Cruz made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Pohl and Alathea Porter of Lelling’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.

The details contained in the criminal complaint are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

On Friday, June 19th — “Juneteenth” – the youth empowerment organization 3rd EyE Unlimited launches “Your New Bedford”, a monthly pop-up event featuring music, dance, visual arts, education and a community corner for dialogue about local needs and challenges.

The event runs from 6 to 9 p.m. and will be live-streamed on 3rd EyE’s Facebook page and YouTube Channel. “Your New Bedford” is a collaboration between 3rd EyE, which uses the five pillars of hip hop to foster young people’s creative capacities, and community partners attuned to the needs and resources of specific neighborhoods or populations.

Our partner for the first event is Hatch Street Studios, New Bedford’s largest community of visual and performing artists housed in two adjoining historic mill buildings in the city’s North End. The project is designed to deepen connections between neighborhoods and downtown, build partnerships between cultural organizations and community groups, and strengthen the creative economy and arts ecosystem.

“It is both coincidental and highly appropriate that our first ‘Your New Bedford’ event falls on Juneteenth – the day in 1865 that enslaved people in Texas learned about the Emancipation Proclamation”, noted project manager Peter Lonelle Walker, a local businessperson and community activist. “This gives us a rich opportunity to connect the history of racial injustice with the youth-led social protest movement unfolding around us.”

This Friday’s event will intersperse performances by young artists active in local Black Lives Matter initiatives, with live painting, a studio tour and live music by Hatch Street artists, and a special guest appearance by New Bedford’s Poet Laureate Patricia Gomes. Other featured artists include Lynea Gilreath, a spoken word artist and leader of local youth protests, dancer Momo (Monique) Hobson, painter Devin McLaughlin and glass mural designer Tracy Silva Barbosa.

The event’s educational component will be rounded out by the New Bedford Historical Society and Groundworks South Coast. The event will be co-hosted by local break dancing legend C.J. “JunnYahh” Burnett and health and wellness promoter Shianne Costa.

“Your New Bedford” demonstrates that New Bedford’s arts scene is more than its rich whaling and abolitionist histories — it is also a hothouse for inclusive and cutting-edge youth-oriented culture. “A thriving community is more than just what’s seen on the surface, it’s also what is not immediately visible,” said Walker.

“The New Bedford that visitors see, particularly in our revitalized historic downtown, is fueled by the influence, expression and culture of the communities and neighborhoods that lie outside the tourist map.” Shianne Costa, the evening’s co-host, adds, “It’s harder to connect right now, and our goal is to use the virtual space to create a platform that empowers and showcases our communities and neighborhoods, celebrating the contributions we and our neighbors have made and will continue to make.”

Your New Bedford is the pilot project of the Art is Everywhere initiative, established by the Barr Foundation and Mass Development to accelerate arts-based development.