We cherish the traditions at The Z, from the annual The New Bedford Folk Festival to the summer Broadway musicals by New Bedford Festival Theatre. But unfortunately, the next several of months will mean a change in some long-held traditions. We are committed to keeping our city and each other safe, and have decided to cancel or reschedule all performances through August 2.

This is a time of immense shared loss, throughout our city and the world. The Zeiterion and its resident companies, The New Bedford Symphony Orchestra and New Bedford Festival Theatre, will bear financial losses, reductions in staffing, and most heartbreakingly, the loss of our ability to gather and share in the magic of live performances.

Though our stage will remain dark through early August, our commitment to our mission will burn brighter than ever. We will work tirelessly to bring you glorious work by incredible artists, and continue to find safe ways to connect until we can be together again. Thank you for all you do to keep the magic alive at The Z. Be safe. We’ll see you soon!

With this pause in revenue from performances and programming, your support plays an even bigger role. How can you help? You can become a member, buy a gift card or make a tax-deductible donation to support the non-profit Zeiterion Performing Arts Center during this time of uncertainty. Thank you!

Samantha Johnson’s performance will help raise money for Southcoast Health’s Covid relief efforts! Find out more about this special event here.

Performance Update
For the health and safety of our audiences, artists, volunteers, and staff, we have postponed or cancelled all performances through August 2. Stay tuned to The Z’s Facebook, Instagram and web site for the most current information. We know, like us, you believe the show will go on!

• A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN April 6 screening cancelled
• BOSTON COMEDY JAM rescheduled to August 20, 2020
• BUSTER KEATON DOUBLE FEATURE rescheduled to Sunday, August 30, 2020
• COLIN & BRAD: SCARED SCRIPTLESS rescheduled to Saturday, April 10, 2021
• DOO WOP XVIII: THE HITMAKERS rescheduled to Saturday, August 22, 2020
• EMISUNSHINE – Stage Door Live! reschedule pending
• FERRIS BUELLER’S DAY OFF June 1 screening cancelled
• GRACE MORRISON – Stage Door Live! rescheduled to September 17, 2020
• HE NAMED ME MALALA March 18 screening cancelled
• HOWIE MANDEL LIVE rescheduled to Tuesday, September 22, 2020 at 8PM
• INTERNATIONAL PORTUGUESE MUSIC AWARDS April 25 performance cancelled
• LLAMA LLAMA – LIVE! April 5 performance cancelled
• MARIZA reschedule pending
• MARK BITTMAN May 30 appearance cancelled
• MAX HATT AND EDDA GLASS – Stage Door Live! May 28 performance cancelled
• MONICA LEWINSKY presented by the NB LYCEUM May 15 appearance cancelled
• NATALIA ZUKERMAN – Stage Door Live! March 19 performance cancelled
• NB FESTIVAL THEATRE’S ANNIE reschedule pending to summer 2021
• NBSO: BREAKING BOUNDARIES March 14 performance cancelled
• NBSO: HAPPY BIRTHDAY LUDWIG! rescheduled to Friday, August 21
• NBSO: HAPPY BIRTHDAY LUDWIG! – matinee April 19 performance cancelled
• NBSO: THE FINNISH LINE May 23, 2020 performance cancelled
• NEW BEDFORD FOLK FESTIVAL July 11 & 12, 2020 rescheduled to July 10 & 11, 2021
• ON A WINTER’S NIGHT rescheduled to Friday, February 5, 2021
• ONE FUNNY MOTHER rescheduled to Friday, October 23, 2020
• RAIN: ABBEY ROAD rescheduled to Saturday, February 20, 2021 at 2PM and 7PM
• SCHOOLTIME performances through June are cancelled
• SELENA May 11 screening cancelled
• SEVEN April 2 performance cancelled
• STAR WARS MARATHON May 4 screening cancelled
• THE BEACH BOYS rescheduled to Tuesday, March 30, 2021
• THE COLOR PURPLE May 16 performance cancelled
• THE PEKING ACROBATS rescheduled to Friday, October 9, 2020
• ULTIMATE 70’S TOUR rescheduled to Thursday, October 2

Ticket Options
Do you have tickets for any of these recently rescheduled or cancelled performances? Let us know if you’d like to keep, exchange, donate, or refund your ticket here.

While New Bedford’s Cape Verdean Recognition Parade and Memorial Day parade have been canceled, and Fall River’s Day of Portugal has been postponed, the 2020 Feast of the Blessed Sacrament in New Bedford is still moving forward as planned. This year’s festival is scheduled for July 30-31 and August 1-2.

The following was sent out last week by Club Madeirense S. S. Sacramento Inc President Michael Canasta:

“Good afternoon Fellow members of Club Madeirense S. S. Sacramento Inc., family and friends, residents of our great City of New Bedford and Feast patrons from close and afar,
 
I hope that at the time this message gets out to you, that you and your families are all healthy and safe knowing what our city, state and country are going through dealing with this life threatening COVID-19 virus. At this point and time our Club and grounds have been temporarily closed, resulting

In the cancellation and postponement of all events scheduled at Madeira Field, presently up to the end of May. However, this was done for the safety of our members and their families, organizations renting our grounds and the public. Just a reminder that our organization has extended the deadline for applications to both the academic scholarships and the vocational awards to June 1st, 2020.
   
I hope I put you at ease knowing that I am in constant touch with our Club’s Executive Officers as well as our Club’s Board of Directors, meeting as often as needed each month, as we all strive to get through this period of time of home confinement to beat the COVID-19 virus.
    
In my opinion, our Club is the best at what we do, with each year learning and growing to give you all the best and safest Feast possible as we enter our 106th year. Feast President Richard Fernandes and the 2020 Feast Committee are presently moving forward with their plans for the 2020 Feast of the Blessed Sacrament. As always and even more so now with what our society is dealing with, the safety and well-being of everyone is our primary concern, not just for our members and their families, but for all our volunteers and all you people that support our organization and the Feast, year after year, during our pride filled celebration of the Feast of the Blessed Sacrament.
    
Now that we have recently opened the door to spring, I know that there are many of you that are getting fidgety with cabin fever, especially since we have been asked to implement home confinement and social distancing. As the President and leader of our amazing organization, I can only ask that we all remain positive and to please listen and adhere to what our government officials are asking of us. The goal of Club Madeirense S. S. Sacramento Inc. is to bring all our Feast families back to Madeira Field as soon as it is safe and as soon as we can. Remember, www.feastoftheblessedsacrament.com

We will get through this together.
Be safe and God’s Blessings to You All.”

Do meu coração para o teu,
Have a Blessed Easter!

Michael R. Canasta, President
Club Madeirense S. S. Sacramento Inc.

Massachusetts Coronavirus Update

On April 21, the Massachusetts Public Health Department reported that the state added 1,556 more positive cases of COVID-19 bringing to total to 41,199. This is a slight decrease from Monday’s 1,566 reported cases. 152 new COVID-19 related deaths were reported since yesterday, up from 103, bringing the total deaths in Massachusetts to 1,961. As of 4 pm today, 175,372 people in Massachusetts have been tested for COVID-19.

The Baker-Polito Administration today announced new actions to support the ongoing COVID-19 response, including extending the closure of all public and private schools through the end of the school year, and the closure of all non-emergency child care programs until June 29, 2020. The Administration also announced further support for students and families impacted by COVID-19. Full details here.

A fifth Bristol County staff member to test positive for COVID-19. Full details here.

Massachusetts workers would receive 80 extra hours, or 10 days, of job-protected paid sick time to use during the COVID-19 crisis, under a bill recently filed by Rep. Paul Donato and Sen. Jason Lewis. Full details here.

New Bedford Coronavirus Update

Mayor Jon Mitchell’s office reported 90 additional confirmed COVID-19 cases in New Bedford Tuesday morning, bringing the total positive cases in the city to 278, up from 188 on Monday. Yesterday, Mayor Mitchell reported that the City of New Bedford’s COVID-19 count was more than 33% higher than the Massachusetts Department of Health count for New Bedford. Full statement here.

New Bedford added one more COVID-19 related death since Monday bringing the total to 10. No specific details (age, sex of the patient, etc) is available.

New Bedford’s 2020 Memorial Day parade, scheduled for Monday, May 25, has been canceled due to social distancing measures in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Full details here.

New Bedford’s Annual Cape Verdean Recognition Parade has been canceled. This year’s parade would have been the 48th year. Full details here.

Fall River Coronavirus Update

Fall River today reported 5 more confirmed positive cases of COVID-19. According to Mayor Coogan, the Fall River has seen 189 total positive cases. Full details here.

“He’s feeling fine,” Bristol County Sheriff Thomas M. Hodgson said Tuesday. “It’s encouraging he’s feeling well and we hope he makes a full, quick recovery.”

The corrections officer works third shift at the House of Corrections on the Dartmouth complex. He was last at the facility on Monday night, April 13, when he worked alone in a control room. He was off Tuesday and Wednesday, April 14 and 15. He didn’t feel well on Wednesday, reported to a COVID-19 testing site on Thursday, April 16, and received a positive test result on Friday, April 17.

He is the fifth Bristol County staff member to test positive for COVID-19. A nurse who tested positive last month has recovered and returned to duty, as has a K9 Officer who tested positive a few weeks ago. A corrections officer who tested positive earlier this month is returning to duty today, and a mental health professional that also tested positive is feeling well and expected to return soon. No one incarcerated in a Bristol County corrections facility has tested positive for the virus as seven symptomatic individuals have all tested negative.

Over the past month, the Bristol County Sheriff’s Office has instituted many protocols to protect inmates, detainees and staff from the Coronavirus outbreak. Some of those measures include:

• All employees were given masks that must be worn inside the secure perimeter of our facilities. All inmates and detainees have also been given masks to wear for protection.
• All areas of the facility are being cleaned\disinfected every day on every shift.
• All staff members are being screened before entering the buildings; new arriving inmates are being screened before being accepted into custody.
• In-person visitation has been suspended to limit the number of people coming in and out.

“The precautions we’ve taken are working, and the staff has been amazing,” Sheriff Hodgson said. “Our essential workers leave their families every day and come to work. From the security staff to food services, health care, maintenance … everyone has been amazing during these extremely challenging times. Massachusetts has been hit very hard by the Coronavirus and the next few weeks are expected to be pretty rough, so I hope everyone stays safe, practices social distancing, and follows strict sanitation recommendations.”

The Baker-Polito Administration today announced new actions to support the ongoing COVID-19 response, including extending the closure of all public and private schools through the end of the school year, and the closure of all non-emergency child care programs until June 29, 2020. The Administration also announced further support for students and families impacted by COVID-19.

Schools and Non-Emergency Child Care Programs: Governor Charlie Baker issued an emergency order extending the closure of all public and private schools through the end of the school year, and the closure of all non-emergency child care programs until June 29, 2020 in an effort to prevent the further spread of COVID-19 in the Commonwealth.

· This order expands the March 25 order suspending normal educational operations at schools and non-emergency child care programs. The Department of Early Education and Care (EEC) established a process to approve Exempt Emergency Child Care Programs to serve families of first responders, medical personnel and essential workers.

· Emergency Child Care programs approved by EEC will continue operating. Currently there are 523 emergency child care programs statewide serving families of essential workers. Weekly attendance averages about 2,500 children in these programs across the Commonwealth.

· EEC will continue to pay subsidies to child care providers based on their pre-COVID-19 enrollment, in order to support the workforce.

· The order does not apply to residential special education schools.

Read the Orders here: K-12 School Order Link | Child Care Program Link

Child Care Program Resources: The Department of Early Education and Care is reviewing its regulations and funding programs to develop new approaches to incrementally restore child care capacity for family child care and center-based programs in the coming months.

To support families of essential workers and families with children who have special needs, EEC and Care.com have partnered to assist currently unemployed child care workers and provide skilled in-home care. Care.com is offering both eligible families and child care workers free 90-day premium memberships, accessible here.

Complementing the existing partnership between WGBH and DESE, EEC is launching further collaboration with WGBH to provide resources and activities for parents with young children.

Remote Learning Resources: The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) will issue updated guidelines for schools to support remote learning efforts through the duration of the school year, including expanded STEM learning, and will prepare recommendations to strengthen summer learning opportunities for students.

DESE has launched a Remote Learning Essentials initiative, focused on addressing access to tools, Internet connectivity, and educator training necessary to enhance remote learning during school closures.

The department is conducting a survey of school districts to identify barriers that inhibit effective remote learning, including challenges around inequitable access to technology.

An advisory group of administrators, educators, parents, students and business leaders will engage external partners to mobilize resources for schools, including philanthropic gifts and in-kind contributions.

DESE will also solicit input from national and local education vendors regarding the potential to create a statewide online education platform for districts to opt into and customize.

STEM Learning: In partnership with EEC, DHE, the STEM Advisory Council and Regional STEM Networks, DESE has established online STEM education resources to provide continued support for remote learning opportunities. This includes virtual STEM learning opportunities for both students and teachers, and is accessible here.

No-Interest Student Loan Program: The Massachusetts Department of Higher Education (DHE) is deferring scheduled repayments for its No-Interest Loan Program for a duration of four months to support relief efforts during the COVID-19 public health emergency. These deferments will help approximately 12,000 students that participate in the $5 million program annually funded through the repayment of loans.

All no-interest loan accounts currently in repayment will automatically be placed in a deferment from April 2020 through July 2020. This deferment will not count toward the program’s permissible 36 months of available deferment.

If a payment has already been made for April, that payment will be applied to the outstanding balance and not refunded. While accounts are in deferment, borrowers who wish to continue monthly payments may do so, without incurring late fees until July 31, 2020.

Accounts currently 120 days past due will not be placed into collections until August 2020, and regular credit bureau reporting will resume at the end of August.

Eviction and Foreclosure Protections: Yesterday, Governor Baker signed legislation into law to protect homeowners and tenants from eviction and foreclosure. An Act providing for a moratorium on evictions and foreclosures during the COVID-19 emergency ensures housing stability for residents and families, and can be read in its entirety here.

Chris Lisinski
State House News Service

Massachusetts school buildings will remain closed to students for the rest of this school year, Gov. Charlie Baker announced Tuesday, a dramatic step aimed at preventing a rebound in COVID-19 transmission once the state emerges from the worst of the outbreak.

Baker also ordered non-emergency child care programs to remain closed until June 29. K-12 schools had been closed until May 4 under Baker’s most recent executive order, and Tuesday’s announcement extends the physical shutdown through the end of the academic year. Remote learning will continue this spring, he said. During a Tuesday press conference, Baker warned that COVID-19 is “an insidious and at times invisible virus.”

“It’s the right thing to do considering the facts on the ground associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. At this point in time, there is no authoritative guidance or advisory with respect to how to operate schools safely and how to get students to and from schools safely,” he said. “We believe students therefore cannot safely return to school and avoid the risk of transmitting the virus to others.”

The state is in the midst of the coronavirus surge, with confirmed cases likely to surpass 40,000 in the administration’s Tuesday afternoon daily updated. More than 1,800 residents have already died as a result of the highly infectious virus, which public health experts warn can be spread even by those who are showing no symptoms. On April 10, Baker signed a law allowing Education Commissioner Jeff Riley to vacate MCAS testing for the year and instructing the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to modify or waive graduation requirements. Several other governors have shuttered schools in their states into the summer, including New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu.

Mayor Jon Mitchell’s office reported 90 additional confirmed COVID-19 cases in New Bedford Tuesday morning, bringing the total positive cases in the city to 278, up from 188 on Monday. Yesterday, Mayor Mitchell reported that the City of New Bedford’s COVID-19 count was more than 33% higher than the Massachusetts Department of Health count for New Bedford. Full statement here.

New Bedford added one more COVID-19 related death since Monday bringing the total to 10. No specific details (age, sex of the patient, etc) is available.

New Bedford’s 2020 Memorial Day parade, scheduled for Monday, May 25, has been canceled due to social distancing measures in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Full details here.

Fall River added 5 more confirmed positive cases of COVID-19 on Monday. According to Mayor Coogan, the City of Fall River has seen 184 total positive cases. Full details here.

On April 20, the Massachusetts Public Health Department reported that the state added 1,566 more positive cases of COVID-19 bringing to total to 39,643. This is a decrease from Sunday’s 1,705 reported cases. 103 new COVID-19 related deaths were reported since yesterday, down from 146, bringing the total deaths in Massachusetts to 1,809. As of 4 pm today, 169,398 people in Massachusetts have been tested for COVID-19. Full details here.

Governor Charlie Baker signed a housing security bill on Monday to put a pause on evictions and foreclosures until after the coronavirus pandemic abates, finalizing an effort that took weeks for the Legislature to negotiate. Full details here.

Yesterday, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health released its most detailed COVID-19 report yet. While it’s a lot of data to consume and analyze, it’s hard to argue that Massachusetts needs to continue to hibernate its population.

The first data that caught my attention is that the average age of confirmed COVID-19 deaths is 81 years old. Out of the 1,809 deaths attributed to COVID-19, 1,144 we people over 80 years old, or 63%. In fact, 95% of all deaths are people 60 and older. Only 21 people under the age of 50 have died, or 1.1% of the total deaths. This virus is killing the elderly and rarely people 50 and under.

Second, 97.5% of the people that died had underlying health issues.

This data reaffirms what I learned in March as Italy COVID-19 deaths were peaking and 99% of those dying had preexisting conditions and nearly 50% of those that died had three or more preexisting conditions. The average death was also in the 80s.

Finally, nearly a third of random participants in a Massachusetts study tested positive for antibodies linked with coronavirus, without even knowing they had COVID-19.

The Mass. General study took samples from 200 residents on the street in Chelsea, MA. Participants remained anonymous and provided a drop of blood to researchers, who were able to produce a result in ten minutes with a rapid test.

Sixty-four of the participants tested positive – a “sobering” result, according to Thomas Ambrosino, Chelsea’s city manager.

“We’ve long thought that the reported numbers are vastly under-counting what the actual infection is,” Ambrosino told the Boston Globe. “Those reported numbers are based on positive COVID-19 tests, and we’re all aware that a very, very small percentage of people in Chelsea and everywhere are getting COVID-19 tests.”

This means a very large percentage of the population has COVID-19 and doesn’t even know it because they don’t get sick or the symptoms are so mild they don’t notice it. Elderly are already dying in large numbers while we have our state locked down, suggesting that the problem is likely with the nursing homes and a lockdown isn’t going to

I’m not suggesting we open up Massachusetts like it was pre-coronavirus. What I’m saying is it’s time to let the least vulnerable population go back to work and perform everyday activities with new precautions in place (no concerts, major sports evets, etc.) while protecting the most vulnerable population. Continue to lock down the nursing homes, ramp up testing and of course the social distancing and washing hands that have been so impactful. The experts need to tell us the best way to open back up and I’m sure it will be a phased approach, but the conversation needs to start today and the actions need to come sooner than later or the economic damage could be devastating.

RI has a good plan to start reopening:

“VERY IMPORTANT UPDATE: Tuesday, April 21, 2020

I am very pleased to let Acushnet know that the resident we transported to the hospital last week for Covid-19 related medical issues has been released and is home resting comfortably!

“I visited with them today (from a distance) and expressed the happiness of the entire community. The resident was overwhelmed to learn of the support and concern expressed on their behalf. The fear seen last week in their eyes was replaced with joy.

“We are hopeful that this positive outcome will be repeated many, many more times.”

Acushnet Fire Chief Kevin A. Gallagher.”

New Bedford’s 2020 Memorial Day parade, scheduled for Monday, May 25, has been cancelled due to social distancing measures in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

The parade is New Bedford’s annual tribute to those lost in service to their country, and the City will hold virtual services to honor them this year.

Several events will be live-streamed on New Bedford Guide’s Facebook page.

• Monday, May 25 at 10:00 a.m. – Fishermen’s Memorial Service
• Monday, May 25 at 12 Noon – City Memorial Service & Wreath Laying Ceremony

Other events hosted by local veterans’ groups that are able to continue as planned, while no longer open to the general public.