A 44-year-old Somerset woman died last night as a result of a dog mauling.

At around 5:20 p.m. on Friday, Somerset Police received a 911 call from the victim’s daughter. The 911 caller advised that her mother, Melissa Astacio, was having a seizure inside their home at 229 Lees River Avenue when the family dog​ began to attack.

When police and paramedics arrived on scene, police were forced to deploy a Taser on the dog before being able to assist the victim, who was then rushed to Rhode Island Hospital. The victim, who was known by her family and friends to suffer from seizures, was pronounced deceased by doctors at Rhode Island Hospital at 6:20 pm.

The dog, who is believed to be an 8-year-old Pit Bull, was secured at the scene of the incident by Swansea Animal Rescue and has been placed in quarantine at their facility in Swansea.

No criminal conduct or foul play is suspected at this time. Any inquiries regarding the process by which the dog will now go through must be made through the Town of Somerset.

The investigation remains active and ongoing at this time.

Due to the continued weather conditions, the overflow will be opened again tonight. All inquiries can be forwarded to Sister Rose House and 1-800-homeless.

All guests should plan to arrive for 6:00pm and the cutoff time will be 8:30pm. Dinner will be served between 6:00pm and 7:30pm and we wrap up between 9:45pm and 10pm.

As a reminder, the overflow will be activated on nights that the temperature is expected to be at 28 degrees or less. If the temperature were to drop below 28 at 4 or 5:00am rather than 7 or 8:00pm as an example, it doesn’t ensure that the overflow would open. All guests are expected to get up at 5:00 am and exit the premises by 6 or 7:00am.

Also, precipitation or snow alone doesn’t ensure that the overflow will open but are taken into consideration coupled with the temperatures. We also view the feel like temps, so as an example if the temperature was expected to be at 30 degrees but the wind-chill coupled with rain or snow presents or “feels like” 25 degrees then the overflow would be activated.

Every year we always have grey area days but we do the best in our judgment to make the right call. On days that we are expected to open an email blast will be sent by 12pm.

Also, 1-800-homeless will notify any callers if the overflow will be open on expected days. This will be our 4th season and with all the challenges at any given time, we are hopeful to continue safe operations and save lives, especially on the coldest nights. We also are looking for extra help, especially if the number of guests expected on any given night reaches 30. We also have 25 guests on the main floor so manpower is very important.

Hingham, MA – A driver was arrested for repeat impaired driving after she drove into the rear parking lot of the police station. While attempting to park her vehicle it struck the building but did not cause damage. She then attempted to enter the police station through a locked employee entrance.

On Monday, December 16, 2019 at 2:40pm an Officer was walking to his cruiser in the rear parking lot of the police station when he saw a vehicle enter the police station driveway from Central Street. There are visible signs posted in the driveway indicating it is for authorized personnel only. This driveway leads only to a secure parking area and entrance for police staff. The vehicle pulled into a parking space next to unmarked and marked police vehicles. It continued forward until it made contact with the building. The driver walked to the staff only entrance and tried to open the locked door. The Officer asked if he could help her. She said words that were mumbled. She said the State Police sent her because her car broke down. She changed her answer and said she was visiting family at the hospital, then claimed to be visiting a friend in West Roxbury and finally seeking marriage papers. The Officer asked if she knew where she was. She said in West Roxbury.

Her speech was slow, slurred and difficult to understand. She was swaying, her pupils were constricted, her eyes were bloodshot and she smelled of alcohol. She was also losing her balance.

Inside her vehicle Officers could see an empty beer can and several prescription bottles. She admitted to taking Gabapentin, Clonazepam and several vodka “nips” before driving. She attempted a series of field sobriety tests but was unable to complete them. At one point the Officer reached out to hold her because he feared she would fall over.

She was placed under arrest. She allegedly resisted being handcuffed and reportedly became combative. Three Officers brought her into the booking area. The vehicle a 1998 Chevy Blazer was towed.

Arrested was Kimberly A. Bentley, age 47, 3 Central Avenue, Hull, MA. She was charged with: 1) Operating Under the Influence of Alcohol (2nd Offense) 2) Operating Under the Influence of Drugs (2nd Offense) 3) Resisting Arrest 4) Negligent Operation 5) Unlicensed Operation (expired license status). Her prior OUI was in 2016.

She was held overnight at the Hingham Police station. She was arraigned at Hingham District Court on December 17 and ordered held on $500.00 bail. She is due to return to court January 10, 2020. ###

Earlier this evening in one of our Facebook community groups “New Bedford” one of our members posted that “Walmart in Fairhaven has $5 Xmas Trees” So if you’re someone who likes a real tree, but doesn’t like spending $40 on one here is a great opportunity to get one before Christmas!

**Disclaimer** We DON’T KNOW how many trees they have left, or if they are getting any more, so it’s prudent to CALL THEM before you drive all the way there. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. If you’d like to join our community group on Facebook you can do it here:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/newbedfordma/ You’ll find all sorts of news, event and information going on in the Greater New Bedford area. Everyone is welcome! A special shout out to Crystal L. for sharing this tip!

Walmart in Fairhaven is located at:
42 Fairhaven Commons Way, Fairhaven, MA 02719

PAY: GRADE 12 $19.23hr – $27.18hr

Job Description:
• Provides general support to the Department of Public Infrastructure (spanning all divisions) and the City of New Bedford.
• Assists with financial and project reporting, project planning, administrative assistance and other duties as needed.
• Coordinates and assists in Chapter 90 State Aid Construction Projects and Federal Disaster Grants, as well as other special projects.
• Performs data processing; assists in troubleshooting computer systems; diagnoses and resolves minor computer hardware/software problems.
• Generates correspondence; prepares spreadsheets, sets up databases; coordinates meetings; and tracks progress of projects.
• Performs related work as required.

Requirements:
• High school diploma or GED equivalent. Degree in Civil Engineering preferred; experience with computer operations support in a network environment; or any equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Experience with GIS and computer operating systems, and various computer hardware and software, telephone, fax machine, scanners, etc.
• Knowledge of the City property plot plans, street layout plans, sewer and storm drain plans; and the ability to understand and draw deed descriptions.
• Ability to record neatly and accurately on real estate records and plot plans. Knowledge of drafting methods.

For more information, please visit:

Employment Opportunities

Applications will be accepted until a suitable candidate is found. EEO. New Bedford has a residency requirement.

Due to the continued weather conditions, the overflow will be opened again tonight. All inquiries can be forwarded to Sister Rose House and 1-800-homeless.

All guests should plan to arrive for 6:00pm and the cutoff time will be 8:30pm. Dinner will be served between 6:00pm and 7:30pm and we wrap up between 9:45pm and 10pm.

As a reminder, the overflow will be activated on nights that the temperature is expected to be at 28 degrees or less. If the temperature were to drop below 28 at 4 or 5:00am rather than 7 or 8:00pm as an example, it doesn’t ensure that the overflow would open. All guests are expected to get up at 5:00 am and exit the premises by 6 or 7:00am.

Also, precipitation or snow alone doesn’t ensure that the overflow will open but are taken into consideration coupled with the temperatures. We also view the feel like temps, so as an example if the temperature was expected to be at 30 degrees but the wind-chill coupled with rain or snow presents or “feels like” 25 degrees then the overflow would be activated.

Every year we always have grey area days but we do the best in our judgment to make the right call. On days that we are expected to open an email blast will be sent by 12pm.

Also, 1-800-homeless will notify any callers if the overflow will be open on expected days. This will be our 4th season and with all the challenges at any given time, we are hopeful to continue safe operations and save lives, especially on the coldest nights. We also are looking for extra help, especially if the number of guests expected on any given night reaches 30. We also have 25 guests on the main floor so manpower is very important.

On Thursday December 19, Wareham Police Sergeant Daniel Henderson and Officer Christopher Corner developed information that there were two wanted individuals staying at 227 Charge Pond Road.

At about 2:25 p.m. the two officers, along with Officer Stephen Harrison, Lieutenant Walter Correia and Acting Chief John Walcek responded to the home with the intent of arresting the two individuals.

After gaining access to the home, Officer Harrison located Xavier Hernandez (20), of no certain address, hiding inside of a clothes dryer. He was placed under arrest for two active warrants. The second wanted individual could not be located.

Wareham Police officers have arrested multiple people at that address in the last several months because of assorted warrants.

Alma del Mar has purchased four acres of land in the Far North End of New Bedford as part of its plan to serve more than 1,000 children within the next four years at two campuses in the city. Alma purchased the land for $680,000, all of which were charitable contributions. This deal involves the purchase, and eventual demolition, of a home at 739 Church Street in order to create the primary egress for the new school campus.

Alma was recently awarded an additional 594 seats for a second campus in New Bedford. This second campus opened in August 2019 to 200 children in K-2 and 6th grade at its temporary location, Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception’s former school building.

Alma is still in the pre-development phase for a new school building to be the future home of the Frederick Douglass Campus and its eventual 594 scholar enrollment. Compass Project Management, the firm that led on the school’s successful construction project in 2015-2016, will also lead on this project. Following an extensive process with the state’s Designer Selection Board, Arrowstreet has been selected to lead on the architectural design of Alma’s new campus.

In 2016, Alma successfully completed the construction of a similar project — a 43,000 square foot school building at 515 Belleville Avenue in the Near North End. That facility, now the Sarah D. Ottiwell Campus, allowed for Alma to grow out to its full gradespan of Kindergarten through 8th grade, with 450 scholars enrolled. That public construction project was completed on time, under budget, and brought $12 million in New Market Tax Credits to New Bedford.

About Alma del Mar Charter Schools:
Alma del Mar Charter Schools operates two charter public schools in New Bedford. The schools are tuition-free. Alma’s mission is to put every one of our scholars on the path to college and to challenge them to be service-minded leaders. We achieve this mission by providing a demanding and supportive education to every scholar who walks through our doors. Alma features a longer school day, a longer school year, high expectations for all scholars, and outstanding teachers from across the country. We currently serve 650 scholars across two campuses.

The meet and greet brought together Portuguese-American legislators and university officials.

The Ferreira-Mendes Portuguese-American Archives continued its 10th-anniversary celebrations with a legislative meet and greet reception on Monday, 16 December 2019. At the event, local Massachusetts legislators paid tribute to the former Faculty Director, Dr. Gloria de Sá, upon her retirement while also being introduced to the new Faculty Director, Dr. Paula Celeste Gomes.

At the reception, Chancellor Johnson thanked Dr. de Sá for her years of service to the University. He praised her leadership in the creation of the Ferreira-Mendes Portuguese-American Archives and went on to list her many accomplishments in the development of the Ferreira-Mendes Portuguese-American Archives collection.

Assistant Dean for Public Interest Law and External Relations John Quinn, Representative Paul Schmid, Chancellor Robert E. Johnson, Faculty Director of the Archives Dr. Paula Celeste Gomes Noversa, Dr. Gloria de Sá, Representative Tony Cabral, Representative David Vieira, Associate Librarian / Archivist Sonia Pacheco, Interim Dean of the Library Dawn Gross.

Representative Tony Cabral presented Dr. de Sá with two Citations of Recognition for her years of service, one from the House of Representatives and the other from the Senate. He commented on their years of friendship, her years of hard work, and her commitment to the community. Throughout the applause that followed, Dr. de Sá was visibly moved by the outpouring of respect and affection.

Representative Tony Cabral also presented Dr. Paula Celeste Gomes Noversa with a Citation of Recognition for the Ferreira-Mendes Portuguese-American Archives in honor of their 10th anniversary. While accepting the Citation, Dr. Noversa praised her predecessor and stated that she hoped to continue Dr. de Sá’s work on several long-term projects at the Archives, the most significant being the digitization of the Portuguese language newspapers from across the United States.

During her comments, Faculty Director Noversa noted that UMass Dartmouth resides in the most densely populated Portuguese-American region in the country. She went on to state, “We, the University and the Massachusetts legislature, serve the same community. When we are at odds with each other, we do them a disservice. We serve them better when we work together.”

She went on to say, “the Ferreira-Mendes Portuguese-American Archives has as its mission the preservation of the documents that bear witness to the history of the Portuguese-American community throughout the United States. I look forward to building upon the work of my predecessor and forging ahead with new and exciting projects.”

PAY: $24.37hr

• Examine, assess and stabilize patients at emergency scene, i.e., hemorrhage control, treatment for shock, immobilization of fractures, bandaging, proper treatment for burns, poisoning or drug overdose, deliver newborns, manage mentally disturbed patients, etc.
• Obtain medical history, check vital signs; advise/inform Medical Control at the hospital of diagnostic indications.
• Perform definitive life support; administer treatment and utilize advanced life support equipment and procedures as directed by authorized physician and State treatment protocols, i.e., endotracheal intubations, defibrillation, synchronized cardioversion, nasogastric intubations, closed chest decompression, intravenous administration of drugs and fluids, external
trans thoracic cardiac pacing, and interpret 12 lead EKG’s, etc.
• Respond to a wide range of emergency situations as required. Control scene of medical emergency; conduct triage, treatment and transportation at mass casualty incidents.
• Document pre-hospital care received by patients to facilitate admission to health care facility.
• Prepare patients for transport; monitor patients in ambulance to maintain patient stability, administer additional treatment when necessary.
• Operate ambulances and other emergency vehicles as needed to and from scene of emergency.

Current certification as an Emergency Medical Technician-Paramedic by the Mass. DPH, and current certification as a CPR healthcare provider by the American Heart Association (M.G.L.,Ch 111C, Section 3 and 6). Current certification in Advanced Cardiac Life Support by AHA.

• Subject to re-certification by the State Office of Emergency Medical Service.
• One year of Paramedic experience preferred but not required.
• Knowledge of pharmacology, and drugs used in advanced life support and possible reactions;
• Federal and State drug laws; pathophysiology; advanced human anatomy and physiology; medical telemetry; Advanced Life Support equipment; MGL, Ch 89, 90, and 111C; Mass. DPH re-certification requirements; regional communication protocols.
• Knowledge of major transportation routes in the locality, defensive and emergency driving procedures, emergency
medical service vehicle limitations, local emergency medical service Point-of-Entry procedures.
• Certain immunizations will be recommended and/or required prior to commencement of employment duties.

For more information, please visit: http://www.newbedford-ma.gov/personnel/employment/employment-opportunities/
Applications will be accepted until a suitable candidate is found. EEO. New Bedford has a residency requirement.