Massachusetts Rep. Colleen Garry (D) has sponsored a bill that would hit repeat jaywalking offenders with a hefty $200 fine.

Current law stipulates that jaywalkers in Massachusetts be fined $25. Rep. Garry’s bill would double that fine to $50 for second-time offenders and then double it again to $100 for the third offense and any after that.

Furthermore, you’re technically allowed to cross as long as you’re at least 300 feet from a crosswalk in the Commonwealth, but under this proposed bill, crossing anywhere outside a crosswalk would be subject to fines.

The onus on the bill seems to be directed at distracted pedestrians: if you are on your cell phone (or wearing headphones/earbuds) while jaywalking all those fines would double. It seems that we live in a society where people are so addicted to their phones that they can’t drive or cross the street without using them.

Politicians, of course, always think punishing residents financially is a way to resolve the issue. Funny how their solution directs monies into the state’s pocket.

Absentee ballots are now available for the Nov. 2 municipal election, the city’s Board of Election Commissioners announced.

It’s a busy week ahead of Election Day, as the last day to register to vote is Wednesday, Oct. 13, and confirmation of early voting dates is on the New Bedford City Council agenda for Thursday night.

Election Commissioner Manuel DeBrito Jr. said residents unable to go to the polls on Election Day now can vote by absentee ballot, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday – Friday in the Election Office in City Hall, at 133 William St. Parents or family members can apply for an absentee ballot on behalf of children attending college out of town. Those ballots must be returned to the Election Office by 7:30 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 2.

The front doors at City Hall will be open until 8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 13, ahead of the voter registration deadline, so people can enter the building and register with the Board of Elections in Room 114 on the first floor.

The deadline to apply for an absentee ballot in the Election Office is noon Nov. 1. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 2.

New Bedford voters are casting ballots in this year’s municipal election for the city’s Assessor-at-Large, three of the six elected School Committee members, all five Councilors-at-Large and all six Ward Councilors.

If you have any questions on your voting status or polling location, or would like to request an early or absentee ballot for yourself or a family member, please call the Board of Elections at (508) 979-1420.

There’s just one week left to register to vote in New Bedford’s municipal election on Nov. 2. The voter registration deadline is next Wednesday, Oct. 13. The front doors at City Hall will be open until 8 p.m. that day so people can enter the building, at 133 William St., and register with the Board of Elections in Room 114 on the first floor.

Oct. 13 also is the deadline for voters to make any address or name changes on their registration.

Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 2. Early and absentee voting will be offered, with dates to be released once finalized.

New Bedford voters will cast ballots Nov. 2 for the city’s Assessor-at-Large, three of the six elected School Committee members, all five Councilors-at-Large and all six Ward Councilors.

If you have any questions on your voting status or polling location, or would like to request an early or absentee ballot for yourself or a family member, please call the Board of Elections at (508) 979-1420.

Colin A. Young
State House News Service

Former President Donald Trump gave his “Complete and Total Endorsement” to Geoff Diehl on Tuesday evening, staking out the former state representative and U.S. Senate candidate’s turf as the Trump candidate in the 2022 contest for governor of Massachusetts.

“Geoff is strong on Crime, Election Integrity, our now under siege Southern Border, loves our Military, and has a big focus on taking care of our Vets. Geoff Diehl will be an outstanding Governor for the state of Massachusetts,” Trump wrote in a statement released by Diehl’s campaign.

The former president shared his support with Diehl, one of three Republicans to have filed papers to seek the party’s nomination for governor next year, in a phone call, Diehl’s camp said. Though the note was an endorsement of Diehl, the first 60 percent of it was an attack against Gov. Charlie Baker, a Trump opponent who has not said whether he will be a candidate in next year’s gubernatorial contest. The former president said Baker “is definitely not an American First or Make America Great Again kind of guy.”

Trump received 1,090,893 votes from Massachusetts (about 33 percent) in the 2016 general election and 1,167,202 votes in the 2020 general election (about 32 percent). He’s never been wildly popular with Bay State Republican pols and especially not with Baker, who voiced support for removing Trump from office in January. Baker said a month ago that he “would certainly hope” for the support of the Republican Governors Association if he opts to seek a third term next year, but brushed aside talk of Trump getting involved on Diehl’s behalf in a potential Republican primary.

“Look, that’s so far down the road it’s not even on my radar at this point in time,” he told WBZ’s Jon Keller. “When I think about 2022, at this point my primary thoughts are about some of the stuff you and I talked about — putting the federal money to work in a way that can do good things for the people of Massachusetts, and continuing to be a fiscally disciplined state that generates a surplus and doesn’t spend more than it brings in, which is what we’ve been doing, and getting as many of those people are still on the sidelines back to work.”

By Matt Murphy
State House News Service

With the Senate on the verge of voting to make balloting by mail permanent and same-day registration a part of the electoral process in Massachusetts, advocates and some lawmakers are fighting to make sure the expansion of access clearly extends to eligible voters behind bars.

Those serving sentences for felony convictions in Massachusetts are ineligible to vote while incarcerated, but every year thousands of residents are held on misdemeanor convictions or while awaiting trial and remain eligible to vote.

“We’re in a historic moment,” said Kristina Mensik, campaign director for the National Council for Incarcerated & Formerly Incarcerated Women & Girls. “The fact that we are already seeing legislation sent out of Ways and Means shows us that Senate leadership is paying attention to this issue and prioritizing equity in our elections.”

The voting rights bill that the Senate will consider on Wednesday includes some reforms that would direct sheriffs and other correction officials to help incarcerated and eligible voters learn their rights and apply for and cast ballots by mail.

The Democracy Behind Bars Coalition, however, is pushing for adoption of an amendment (1) filed by Sen. Adam Hinds that would more explicitly spell out the steps correction facilities must take to educate and facilitate voting among the eligible incarcerated population.

Advocates organized a conference call on Monday morning to make their case for why the participation of incarcerated citizens in the electoral process is important for democracy, particularly in Black and brown communities where high rates of incarceration have taken their toll.

Advocates were joined by all three Democratic candidates for governor – Ben Downing, Danielle Allen and Sen. Sonia Chang-Diaz – as well as Hinds, Rep. Lindsay Sabadosa, and Boston City Councilor Julia Mejia.

Chang-Diaz has also filed amendments that would facilitate the registration of incarcerated voters and those preparing to leave prison.

One amendment (8) filed by the Jamaica Plain Democrat would direct jails, prisons and facilities run by the Department of Youth Services to enter into memorandums of understanding with the state to become automatic voter registration sites. A second amendment (9) would make pre-registration to vote part of the reeentry process for anyone preparing to be released at the end of their sentence on a felony conviction.

Mensik said the next four weeks ahead of November municipal elections in Massachusetts marks an important time for advocacy for the Democracy Behind Bars coalition.

Hours ahead of the debate on the VOTES Act in the Senate on Wednesday, the Joint Committee on Election Laws will be holding a hearing on standalone legislation (S 474) filed by Hinds that is reflected in his amendment.

A constitutional amendment approved by voters in 2000 prohibited anyone incarcerated due a felony conviction from voting in elections for governor, lieutenant governor, state senator, state representative, governor’s council, secretary of state, treasurer, auditor, attorney general and all members of Congress.

That amendment passed with 64 percent of the statewide vote.

Andrea James, founder and executive director of the National Council for Incarcerated & Formerly Incarcerated Women & Girls, said that by advancing that amendment to the ballot the Legislature “robbed our people of the right to vote.”

“Constitutions are meant to give people access to freedom and liberty and the right to have their voices heard,” James said, describing jails and prisons as “places of pain, trauma and further disruption in our communities” that are used to avoid dealing with larger social problems.

“The only way were going to get some breakthrough is to allow every person to vote,” she said.

The bill (S 2545), as written, would ensure that incarcerated individuals who are eligible to vote are provided with the information and materials they need to cast a ballot.

Jails and prisons would be required to display and distribute information on voting rights and procedures, according to Senate leaders, and facilities would be required to assist anyone who is incarcerated and eligible in registering, applying for and returning mail ballots.

Mensik said the coalition is pushing for passage of Hinds’ amendment (1) to be as specific as possible on what is required of sheriffs and Department of Correction (DOC) supervisors.

“We cannot leave it up to (house of correction) and DOC officials to take the needed steps to make sure people can participate,” Mensik said.

The coalition wants to make sure sheriffs provide eligible voters access to ballots and information on the candidates so they can make informed decisions. Advocates also want to make sure ballot applications are returned on time and that “jail mail” delays do not inhibit someone’s ability to vote.

Mensik said the coalition is also pushing to make sure the guidance that Secretary of State William Galvin first sent out last year regarding eligibility and instructions for processing ballots from jails is reissued so that local officials are aware of the rules and don’t improperly discard valid votes.

“The reality is election officials reached out to me after that guidance came out and they thought the law had changed,” Mensik said.

Keeda Haynes, of The Sentencing Project, said 25 states since 1997 have taken steps to expand voting eligibility for incarcerated citizens

“Democracy doesn’t stop at the walls of jails,” Hinds said. “We continue to serve our constituents regardless of their carceral status and we must take the steps to ensure everyone eligible to vote in the Commonwealth has that right recognized and protected.”

By Katie Lannan
State House News Service

Indigenous people and other activists calling for the state to rename Columbus Day got support in their push Tuesday from some Italian-Americans who said they, too, think Massachusetts should make the change.

State law calls for the governor to annually proclaim the second Monday in October as Columbus Day, “to the end that the memory of the courage, perseverance and spiritual fervor of Christopher Columbus, discoverer of America, may be perpetuated.”

Less than two weeks before that holiday arrives, the Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight heard testimony on a pair of bills (H 3191, S 2027) that would instead have the governor proclaim that day Indigenous People’s Day “to acknowledge the history of genocide and discrimination against Indigenous peoples, and to recognize and celebrate the thriving cultures and continued resistance and resilience of Indigenous peoples and their tribal nations.”

Supporters of the bills pushed back against the notion that the Italian navigator Columbus truly discovered the Americas, lands that were already populated, and said the switch would recognize the resilience of Indigenous people who endured colonization.

Mahtowin Munro, who is Lakota and spoke on behalf of United American Indians of New England and the statewide Indigenous Peoples Day campaign, said Indigenous people have been asking for the replacement of Columbus Day since the 1970s.

“Nearly all of us were falsely taught as young children that Columbus discovered America,” she said. “Indigenous people were not discovered by anybody since we were already here and were certainly not lost. We did not need to have civilization or spirituality brought to us since we already had many civilizations and beliefs.”

Faries Gray, sagamore of the Massachusett Tribe of Ponkapoag, said Indigenous people throughout the Americas view Columbus as “a terrorist” and celebrating him with a holiday teaches children “that it’s acceptable to do this to Indigenous people.”

Alex DeFronzo, an Italian-American East Boston resident, said Columbus documented in his writings “his legacy of genocide against the Taino and Carib peoples, sex trafficking of Indigenous women and girls and enslavement of hundreds of Indigenous people.”

“The Massachusett and Wampanoag people for over 8,000 years before the arrival of European colonizers took care of this land in a sustainable way,” DeFronzo said. “I think if we’re going to honor and celebrate one or the other on the second Monday of October, it’s obvious which is worthy and which is not.”

The only person who testified against the bills during the hearing, Christopher Spagnuolo, described Columbus as a “complicated historical figure” and said there can be different interpretations of his diaries.

Spagnuolo said the first national observance of Columbus Day, in 1892, was “to atone for a racist crime” — the lynching of a group of Italian men in New Orleans, one of a series of acts of violence and discrimination in the country’s history against Italian immigrants and Italian-Americans.

“Removing Columbus Day sets a bad precedent,” he said. “It elevates one culture while marginalizing another. It is hurtful to all immigrants that view the day as a celebration of being accepted in America after decades of experiencing racism, prejudice and violence. Columbus Day symbolizes the immigrant experience in the U.S. and the struggle for acceptance, human rights and dignity.”

He suggested a compromise that honors Italian-Americans in October and Indigenous people in November, which is recognized as national Native American Heritage Month.

Heather Leavell, who co-founded Italian Americans for Indigenous People’s Day, said her group empathizes with the feelings of Italian-Americans who view the day as a symbol of their ancestors overcoming adversity.

“But things are much different for us today,” said Leavell, a Bedford resident. “Our culture is celebrated, especially throughout October, which is officially recognized as Italian-American Heritage Month in the commonwealth. We enjoy a level of status and recognition in society that native people do not, and we have a responsibility to use that platform we now have to ensure we are not repeating the same patterns of abuse that our ancestors endured.”

The timing of the hearing makes it unlikely that the bill — which would still need a committee vote, multiple votes in both branches of the Legislature and approval from Gov. Charlie Baker — could become law before this year’s holiday, on Oct.11.

Last session, the committee killed the bill by including it in an order for further study.

Several Massachusetts communities have already taken action to locally observe or declare an Indigenous Peoples Day. Sen. Jo Comerford, who filed the Senate version of the bill, said six cities and towns in her district have done so, and Somerville Rep. Christine Barber, a committee member who said she hopes the bill advances, said that the change to Indigenous Peoples Day in her city has been an “incredibly helpful way to educate people and to raise awareness about Indigenous people who continue to live in our community and whose land we’re on.”

Comerford, a Northampton Democrat, told her colleagues that they could “spend this hearing and dozens more” recounting the stories of other explorers and adventurers who, unlike Columbus, were not honored with a state holiday.

Having the ability to create holidays and to “elevate certain historic figures and groups” gives lawmakers “an awesome responsibility…to get it right, not to disseminate false information, not to engage in historical revisionism,” she said.

Rep. Brandy Fluker Oakley, a lead sponsor of the House bill with Rep. Jack Lewis, said Hawaii, South Dakota, Maine, New Mexico, Oregon and Vermont have all permanently replaced Columbus Day with holidays recognizing Indigenous people. The Boston Democrat said that since 2018, eight states and Washington, D.C. have issued proclamations recognizing Indigenous Peoples Day, while Alabama and Oklahoma celebrate both holidays.

“Who we choose to celebrate demonstrates whose contributions we value in Massachusetts,” she said. “As we rightly criticize states and localities that cling to racist monuments of the Confederacy, Massachusetts should lead by recognizing that Columbus Day promotes a troubling racial history and instead we should show our support for indigenous neighbors by declaring this holiday.”

Commission will advise on policies and strategies to reduce emissions from heating fuels.

Building on the Baker-Polito Administration’s national leadership on climate change and its commitment to achieving Net Zero Greenhouse Gas Emissions by 2050, Governor Charlie Baker today signed an Executive Order which establishes a Commission on Clean Heat to advise the Administration on strategies and policies to achieve deep emissions reductions from the use of heating fuels in the Commonwealth.

The Commission, the first-of-its-kind in the United States, will establish a framework for a long-term decline in emissions from heating fuels, consistent with the findings from the Administration’s 2050 Decarbonization Roadmap, and help the Commonwealth meet the ambitious emissions reduction targets signed into law by Governor Baker in March 2021. The Executive Order was signed as the Administration celebrates Climate Week in Massachusetts.

“Recognizing the urgent challenge presented by climate change and the need to reduce emissions, our Administration is convening this first-of-its-kind commission to help the Commonwealth meet our emissions reduction goals,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “By soliciting the expertise of leaders with a variety of perspectives, including the affordable housing community, we can ensure that the strategies and policies we pursue to reduce emissions from heating fuels will be innovative, affordable, and equitable.”

“Massachusetts has ambitious climate goals, and we will need to pursue innovative solutions to reduce emissions from our heating fuels, keep costs low, and deliver lasting benefits to our communities,” said Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito. “The Commission on Clean Heat will reflect a diversity of expertise that will be crucial in developing the forward-thinking policies we need to achieve our nation-leading emissions reduction targets.”

The Commission will be chaired by Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Kathleen Theoharides, or a designee appointed by the Secretary, and shall include up to 22 additional members recommended by the Secretary and appointed by the Governor. The Commission will reflect a diversity of perspectives and backgrounds from outside stakeholders, including representatives from the fields of affordable housing, energy efficient building design and construction, healthcare, heating system design and technology, real estate, and heating fuel distribution.

Once appointed, the Commission will meet regularly, advise the Governor on a framework for long-term greenhouse gas emission reductions from heating fuels, and provide policy recommendations to help the Commonwealth meet the requirements of the Global Warming Solutions Act. In March 2021, Governor Baker signed nation-leading climate legislation that commits the Commonwealth to reducing emissions below 1990 levels by 50% by 2030, 75% by 2040, and to achieve Net Zero emissions by 2050.

“By working directly with stakeholders and soliciting a variety of perspectives, Massachusetts will be in a stronger position to develop innovative policies and solutions to cost-effectively reduce emissions from heating homes and buildings,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Kathleen Theoharides. “The Executive Order signed by Governor Baker today once again puts Massachusetts on the leading edge of climate action in the U.S. by taking a deliberate, collaborative and thoughtful approach to decarbonizing our buildings sector.”

“Transitioning our buildings sector to a clean, resilient, and affordable future will require an unprecedented level of ambition, planning, and ultimately energy efficiency and clean energy deployment. Massachusetts has led the nation in bold and innovative energy policy and today’s Executive Order signed by Governor Baker embarks our state in another chapter of our climate leadership with a singular focus on clean building policies,” said Department of Energy Resources Commissioner Patrick Woodcock. “In order to achieve our long-term climate goals, we will need to make significant investments to lower emissions from our buildings sector through energy efficiency and clean energy and this new Commission starts the process with collaboration, deliberation, and analysis that will set that foundation.”

Aligned with the Administration’s 2050 Roadmap report, the Commission will develop policy recommendations to accelerate the deployment of energy efficiency programs and clean heating systems in new and existing buildings and transition existing distribution systems to clean energy. The Commission’s focus will include financing mechanisms, incentives, and other regulatory options including a framework for a cap on greenhouse gas emissions from heating fuels. As it develops its suite of recommendations, the Commission will also consider the various benefits of any policy proposal as well as affordability, equity, costs, and how it works within specific regional circumstances.

“As we continue to tackle the dual challenges of economic recovery and the housing crisis, I am pleased that we will have a Commission comprised of leaders with varied perspectives to deliberate on this important topic,” said Housing and Economic Development Secretary Mike Kennealy. “We look forward to the conversations and strategies that will come out of this collaborative effort.”

The Commission will provide Governor Baker with a set of policy recommendations by November 30, 2022 that will sustainably reduce the use of heating fuels and minimize emissions from the building sector while ensuring costs and opportunities arising from such reductions are distributed equitably.

The Executive Order also establishes an Interagency Building Decarbonization Task Force to support the work of the Commission. The Task Force will consist of subject-matter experts from across the Executive Branch, including the Department of Energy Resources and the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development.

The Executive Order advances the Baker-Polito Administration’s commitment to take aggressive action on climate change and achieve Net Zero emissions in 2050. On December 30, 2020, the Administration released two reports – the Massachusetts 2050 Decarbonization Roadmap Report and an interim 2030 Clean Energy and Climate Plan (CECP) – that detail policies and strategies to equitably and cost-effectively reduce emissions and combat climate change. The Commission on Clean Heat was identified by the Administration as a critical tool in the effort to reduce emissions from heating fuels. The heating of buildings currently accounts for nearly one third of statewide greenhouse gas emissions in Massachusetts.

During this year’s Climate Week in Massachusetts, the Baker-Polito Administration is highlighting its commitment to reducing emissions, mitigating the impacts of climate change, and building a more resilient Commonwealth. Throughout Climate Week, the Administration is holding events to spotlight important initiatives including offshore wind, land protection and conservation, the Greening the Gateway Cities program, and the expansion of clean energy in the Commonwealth.

The Administration is also highlighting the urgent demand for funding to support climate resiliency in Massachusetts, and Governor Baker’s plan to immediately put to use part of Commonwealth’s direct federal aid from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to support critical priorities in cities and towns. The Administration’s plan would commit $900 million to key energy and environmental initiatives, including $400 million to modernize critical water infrastructure and $300 million to support local climate resilience projects.

Absentee ballots are now available for the Sept. 28 preliminary election for New Bedford City Council in Ward 5, the city’s Board of Election Commissioners announced today.

Any resident of Ward 5, which covers much of the city’s West End, can vote by absentee ballot from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday – Friday in the Election Office in City Hall, at 133 William St.

The office also will be open from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Sept. 25, ahead of the Sept. 28 preliminary election day, which this year features only the Ward 5 Council race between incumbent Scott Lima and challengers Raena Camacho and Zachary Boyer.

Parents or family members can apply for an absentee ballot on behalf of children attending college out of town, Election Commissioner Manuel DeBrito Jr. said. Those ballots must be returned to the Election Office by 7:30 p.m. on Sept. 28.

Absentee ballots must be mailed to voters but can be hand-delivered to the office.

The deadline to apply for an absentee ballot is noon Sept. 27. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sept. 28, the day of the preliminary election. The city’s municipal election is Nov. 2, and the last day to register to vote in that election is Oct. 13.

Any New Bedford resident who is uncertain about their voting status or polling location, has changed their address since the last election, or would like to request an absentee ballot can call the office at 508-979-1420.

United States Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Steve Daines (R-Mont.) today introduced a bipartisan bill to award the 13 American servicemembers who lost their lives during the terrorist attacks in Kabul, Afghanistan on August 26th Congressional Gold Medals.

“We should honor these 13 servicemembers, including U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Johanny Rosario Pichardo of Lawrence, Massachusetts, who were killed last month in Afghanistan while serving our country and working to protect the lives of others. These individuals demonstrated incredible courage throughout their careers, and we owe it to them to pass legislation to recognize their heroic service with the Congressional Gold Medal,” Senator Warren said.

“Thirteen brave men and women gave the last full measure to protect Americans & our Afghan allies at a critical moment in our nation’s history—they are American heroes. As the U.S. concludes 20-years of combat in Afghanistan, I believe it’s fitting that Congress commemorates their sacrifice in this moment with the Congressional Gold Medal,” Senator Daines said. “On behalf of a grateful nation, thank you to these heroes and their families, and to all who wear the uniform and protect our freedom.”

Senators Warren and Daines are pushing for Sgt. Johanny Rosario Pichardo, Sgt. Nicole L. Gee, Staff Sgt. Darin T. Hoover, Cpl. Hunter Lopez, Cpl. Daegan W. Page, Cpl. Humberto A. Sanchez, Lance Cpl. David L. Espinoza, Lance Cpl. Jared M. Schmitz, Lance Cpl. Rylee J. McCollum, Lance Cpl. Dylan R. Merola, Lance Cpl. Kareem M. Nikoui, Navy Corpsman Maxton W. Soviak and Staff Sgt. Ryan C. Knauss to receive the Congressional Gold Medal.

Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Mitt Romney (R-Utah), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Michael Bennet (D-Color.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Todd Young (R-Ind.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), John Thune (R-S.D.), Bernard Sanders (I-Vt.) and John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.) have also cosponsored the bill.

Congresswoman Lisa McClain (R-Mich.) introduced a companion bill in the U.S. House of Representatives.

The City of New Bedford has added a state-of-the-art, $1.15 million ladder truck to the New Bedford Fire Department fleet, representing a significant upgrade to fire protection and emergency services in the North End.

The 100-foot Ladder 4 made its public debut at the City’s 9/11 remembrance Saturday, where it helped display the City’s 75-foot American flag, and will officially go into service Thursday, based in Station 8 at 1499 Acushnet Ave. in the North End.

“The acquisition of the new ladder is part of the City’s long-term Capital Improvement Plan, which enables us to modernize our equipment and facilities at a rapid pace and support our firefighters and first responders, while at the same time conserving taxpayer dollars,” Mayor Jon Mitchell said.

The city was able to acquire the truck at slightly below the originally budgeted cost estimate. NBFD Acting Chief Scott Kruger said the new Ladder 4 is able to pump 1,000 gallons of water a minute and is outfitted with world-class equipment including a new thermal imaging camera, high-intensity LED lighting, a powerful electric generator and a heavy-duty steel ladder.

“It’s an understatement to say that this truck is a huge upgrade in our fire protection capabilities not only in the North End, where it will primarily protect, but also the city as a whole,” Kruger said.

The new Ladder 4 is the “New England” edition of Pierce Manufacturing’s ladder truck, with outriggers that extend just 2 feet to each side, for easier deployment on narrow streets often found in older cities such as New Bedford.

Ladder 4 also is the first new ladder truck to run out of Station 8 since 1989.

The new truck is able to carry a variety of rescue equipment used by the department, including jaws of life. Firefighters respond not only to fires, but also to natural gas emergencies, hazardous materials incidents, severe car accidents, and other emergency situations.

“The men and women in this department do great work, and it’s great that the Mayor and City Council were able to allocate the funds necessary to supply us with a much-needed, state-of-the-art ladder truck,” Kruger said. “It’s going to serve the city well.”