Spring has sprung! It’s time for you to get your gardening tools ready! Spring is here and that means it’s time plant your flower garden.

Haskell Public Gardens is always ready to get their hands dirty, and what better way to start the season off is with some new plants?!

If you love a deal, you won’t want to miss Haskell Public Gardens 5th annual spring plant sale! The event is FREE and open to the public. This year’s selection will feature time-tested Haskell favorites, hot new cultivars, with a special focus on edibles, pollinator-friendly, and native plants! Trustees staff members and volunteers will be on hand to answer your questions.

If you are a Trustees member you automatically get 10% off. Not a member? You have more incentive than ever to sign up on May 11th because all new members will receive 20% off! And even further incentive is that members get a special preview an hour before the sale opens to the general public: for you doors open at 9:00am!

RSVP to the event on Facebook here.

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Haskell Public Gardens

787 Shawmut Ave.
New Bedford MA.
Phone: (508) 636-4693

5th Annual Haskell Spring Plant Sale Event Page: facebook.com/events/547183929103947/
Facebook: facebook.com/thetrusteessegardens/
Website: thetrustees.org/

Colonel Kerry A. Gilpin, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police, announced that a “Sobriety Checkpoint” will be implemented by the Massachusetts State Police on a Public Way in Bristol County from Saturday, May 4, 2019 into Sunday, May 5, 2019.

The purpose is to further educate the motoring public and strengthen the public’s awareness to the need of detecting and removing those motorists who operate under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs from our roadways. It will be operated during varied hours, the selection of vehicles will not be arbitrary, safety will be assured, and any inconveniences to motorists will be minimized with advance notice to reduce fear and anxiety.

Add spice to your work life! Join Blount Fine Foods for their on-site Job Fair on Wednesday May 15th from 3pm to 6pm. Come hear all about their superior benefits package, competitive wages and room for advancement. Multiple opportunities for machine operators, warehouse associates, food prep individuals, quality control, quality assurance and much more. See what Blount has to offer you. Bring a resume and a good attitude. Blount is located at 630 Currant Rd. in Fall River Massachusetts.

Check out the event on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/2048044615491058/

Blount Fine Foods offers competitive wages, medical, dental and vision benefits; 401k with Company match and Profit Sharing Plan; Paid time off including vacation, sick time and holidays; Education Assistance Program; Life Insurance and Short Term Disability; Discounts on Blount products at Company retail locations.

Blount Fine Foods is an equal opportunity employer & prohibits unlawful discrimination based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, national origin/ancestry, age, disability, marital, & veteran status

If you or someone you know might be looking for a new career, Blount is hiring. Click HERE to apply.

Are you looking for a new & reliable facility to store your belongings? Consider Tower Mill Self Storage which is opening in Fall River. Located at 657 Quarry Street, they provide affordable and secure options to fit any budget.

On May 11th they are having a grand opening event to help celebrate and the general public is invited. If you move in during the grand opening the first month is FREE and you receive a complimentary lock!

While your there you can check out the fun activities we have planned:
– A complementary cook out!
-Coffee and tea from Mission Cold Brew Co..
-Games, prizes and a live broadcast with Fun 107.
-Fall River Reporter will be streaming live.
Facebook Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/348530945779041/

Ready to make the switch now and book a unit? Click here to get started: https://www.sitelinkstore.com/Tower-Mill-Self-Storage

Zeiterion Performing Arts Center presents two shows this Mother’s Day weekend to delight moms!

It all starts with the Off-Broadway hit, One Funny Mother starring Dena Blizzard, known for her viral “Back to School” rant, on Thursday, May 9, and continues with the acclaimed David Dorfman Dance on Saturday, May 11. Whether given as a gift or enjoyed as a girls’ night out, both performances offer an escape from the daily grind. Tickets can be purchased by calling 508-994-2900, online at https://zeiterion.org/, or at the Zeiterion Box Office at 684 Purchase Street in New Bedford. Group sales of 10 tickets and more are available by calling 508-997-5664 x123.

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Performances during Mother’s Day weekend include:

One Funny Mother
Thursday, May 9, 7:30 p.m.
Tickets: $29 / $35

Dena Blizzard is One Funny Mother! You may know Blizzard from her viral videos, including her “Back to School Rant,” which racked up 96 million views, or as the LIVE with Kelly Top 5 Co-Host Winner. The comedian, former Miss New Jersey, and married mother of three offers hilarious solo comedy in the Off-Broadway hit currently touring the United States. An outrageous and side-splitting 80 minutes of sass, One Funny Mother follows Blizzard on a hilarious journey through her day as she prepares for her big “Girls Night Out.”

David Dorfman Dance: Aroundtown
Saturday, May 11, 8:00 p.m.
Tickets: $27 / $35 / $42 / $47

Aroundtown is a kinetic poem that examines the varied, unique and sometimes divided notions of love – its meaning, purpose, and platform. With original music, text, and visuals, the work explores commitment, community, and intimacy in times of violence and strife. David Dorfman Dance’s trademark empathy, sly humor, and bombastic physicality are harnessed in this look at love as both sociopolitical and intimate weather systems in a delightfully moving performance.

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The Zeiterion Performing Arts Center is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with a mission to provide New Bedford and the region with performing arts programming of excellence that inspires, educates, engages and entertains. Tickets are available for purchase at www.zeiterion.org, by calling 508-994-2900, or in person at the box office at 684 Purchase Street, New Bedford, Mass. Zeiterion Box Office regular hours are Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Thursday 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., and two hours before each performance.

Shakespeare in NB, the third installment of New Bedford’s Free Shakespeare program that is produced by The Glass Horse Project, is thrilled to announce auditions for its summer production, Much Ado About Nothing. Also, as a new and exciting development for this year, in an effort to expand the program and its outreach as a source of Shakespeare and summer theatre in the area, Shakespeare in NB is also unveiling a touring model for this production. The production will play multiple shows over two to three locations throughout MA, a large jump from their previous three-show weekend runs of the first two seasons.

One of the most beloved Shakespearean comedies, Much Ado tells the story of two contemporaries, Beatrice and Benedick, who are tricked into admitting their love for each other after the people around them see that their merry war of wits may be a guise for deeper romantic feelings. In true Shakespearean fashion, this light-hearted romp of a ploy comes to ahead after the unfortunate spurning of Hero, Beatrice’s cousin, after she has been falsely accused by her lover of impurity right as they are about to be wed. Hijinks ensue as the characters work toward a resolution.

For the third installment of the Free Shakespeare program, Glass Horse Artistic Director Korey Pimental says that they didn’t struggle to find a Shakespeare play that fit in with their season three thematic thread, focusing in on secrets, deception, and interpersonal relationships, subtitled “the secrets we keep.” He adds: “We chose Much Ado for a handful of reasons. Most notably, it felt like it was time to branch out into the comedies. Could we have done a third tragedy? Sure, we could have. But Much Ado was the first play that came to mind when I was programming the season, and I knew it was the best play fit to jump into the comedies with.”

Typical of Shakespeare in NB, audiences can expect a production that doesn’t rely on traditional doublets and ruffled collars. Like their past two incarnations of Shakespeare, including last season’s female-centered Macbeth and dystopian-set Romeo & Juliet, Much Ado About Nothing is set in 2019 and focuses on the ways communication and misinformation travels, not just by word of mouth, but by ways of modern technology like texting and email. Production Director Holly Cipriani adds: “Setting Much Ado in 2019 affords us the opportunity to explore the myriad of ways technology has changed the way we communicate and, more importantly, miscommunicate. We also have the chance to frame relationship dynamics in modern terms.”

Auditions for Much Ado are scheduled for Saturday, May 4 (10am to 2pm) and Tuesday, May 7 (7pm to 10pm) at Co-Creative Center, located at 137 Union St, New Bedford, MA 02740. Those interested in auditioning for this summer’s Much Ado About Nothing should visit The Glass Horse Project on Facebook or email theglasshorseproject@gmail.com to sign up for an audition slot to guarantee they’ll be seen, but walk-ins are welcomed. Auditioners should prepare a one to two minute Shakespearean verse monologue. While memorization is encouraged, it is not required. All roles, except Beatrice & Benedick, are available. Shakespeare in NB welcomes all experience levels and actors ages 15-150. Auditioners should have the last weekend of July through the second weekend of August available. Show dates and times will be announced as they are confirmed.

Between 9:00am and 4:00pm on Saturday, May 4th, the team at Empire Ford of New Bedford is proud to host the annual Drive4UrSchool Event, located in the back parking lot of Fairhaven High School on 12 Huttleson Ave in Fairhaven, MA. This is a rain-or-shine event, and we look forward to detailing this event and what the proceeds will go towards!

What is the Drive4UrSchool Event?
Empire Ford and Ford Motor Co. pledge to donate $20 towards the FHS junior and senior classes with every test drive of a new Ford model as part of this event. From the award-winning F-150 to best-selling SUVs in the Escape, Explorer and Expedition, you can preview vehicles that will make a difference for daily travel experiences, all while benefitting a good cause!

Who Does this Event Benefit?
With a goal to raise $6,000 for the junior and senior classes of Fairhaven High School, a scheduled test drive can go a long way towards supporting the future development and college aspirations of these students! From new Ford sedans, to trucks, a range of different body styles are readily available to review from behind the wheel during this test drive event. And knowing that the proceeds will go towards an education cause you care about provides extra incentive to join Empire Ford of New Bedford on Saturday, May 4th!

How Can I Learn More?
For more information on the upcoming Empire Ford Annual Drive4UrSchool Event, contact Linda Ferreira at 888-693-0925 extension 6118 or visit facebook.com/events/332917504000871/.

Prepare to party like it’s 1999 – The Coalition for Animals of Greater New Bedford is celebrating the 20th anniversary of our popular Pet Fest and Walk for Animals and everyone is invited!

This event has grown in popularity and celebrates its 20th anniversary this year of fundraising to help injured, sick, homeless, abandoned, and neglected animals in our community.

The 20th Annual Pet Fest and Walk for Animals will take place Sunday, May 5th, at Buttonwood Park (next to Lawler Library, 745 Rockdale Ave) in New Bedford from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., rain or shine. It’s a fun-filled day for people and their companion animals to come and join us for a 2-mile fundraising walk around beautiful Buttonwood Park, as well as see lots of entertainment! Animal lovers without dogs are also welcome to participate!

We need your help to raise funds to support the Coalition’s animal welfare and educational programs.
There is a $15 registration fee to participate in the walk, but please help us raise as much as you can by asking friends, family, coworkers and neighbors to sponsor you for the Walk for Animals. Check to see if your employer has a Gift Matching Program. We have great prizes for kids raising the most amount over $200 and adults raising the most amount over $500!

Last year, the event was attended by approximately 800 people and 300 dogs! This year we are expecting over 60 vendor and information booths, including rescue groups, shelters, face painting, raffle items, and other fun activities. Come to the Puppy Kissing Booth and get a smooch for $1! Get a pet ID tag at Mellisa’s Pet Depot booth. Check out the Raffle tables with all the awesome raffle baskets and items. Center ring demonstrations will be offered by Buttonwood Park Zoo, New England Reptile and Raptors, the New Bedford K-9 Police Unit and Harmonious Hounds dog trainers, which are just part of the day’s entertainment. There will also be awesome music, refreshment and food vendors!

The event will be hosted by WBSM legendary radio show celebrity Phil Paleologos, and music will be provided by the very talented Dave Antunes Sound Company. Registration will be between 11:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. and the Walk will begin at 12:00 pm with a Blessing of the Animals.

We are proud to announce our very generous Pet Fest sponsors this year: Anchor Animal Hospital, BayCoast Bank, Blue Buffalo, Capt. Jack Peterson Dog Park, Domino’s Pizza, Mellisa’s Pet Depot, Harmonious Hounds, Merrick, Midwestern Pet Foods, Mr. Cesspool Sanitation Service, Natural Balance Pet Foods, St. Anne’s Credit Union, Top Shelf Bar and Grill, Vaz Construction, and World’s Best Cat Litter.

100% of all the proceeds from the event will be used to support our many programs, including the purchase of oxygen masks to assist first responders in saving the lives of pets. Thanks to these masks, a dog that would have otherwise died was revived last year in a fire in New Bedford.

This year’s event will also feature a tribute to Yarmouth Police Sgt. Sean Gannon, a native of New Bedford, who was tragically killed April 12, 2018 in the line of duty. His canine partner, Nero, was also shot but survived.

The Coalition For Animals is an all-volunteer nonprofit charitable organization of individuals and local animal rescue groups dedicated to helping animals. Our mission is to create awareness in the community for the humane treatment of all animals, to help end the problems of companion animal overpopulation through spay/neuter programs, to promote the adoption of homeless companion animals, and to provide people with the educational information they need to help keep their animals safe and healthy. Visit our website at www.coalitonforanimals.com and ‘Like” us on Facebook!

The Pet Fest and Walk for Animals is a fun-filled ‘dog day’! It’s a great way to celebrate the animals in our lives and help local animals in need. Walk brochures and sponsor sign-up sheets are available at Mellisa’s Pet Depot in Dartmouth and Fairhaven, and at the larger parks throughout New Bedford, as well as online at www.coalitionforanimals.com. You can also register to walk and fundraise online at https://runsignup.com/petfest2019. The vendor booth and sponsorship applications are also available on our website. Check out our Facebook event page for more details www.facebook.com/events/377156409415257/

We can’t wait to see you there!

May brings a slate of exciting performance to Zeiterion Performing Arts Center, all month long. The line-up begins with Ward Hayden & The Outliers at Stage Door Live on Thursday, May 2, and wraps up with Arlo Guthrie and Alice’s Restaurant – Back By Popular Demand Tour on Friday, May 31. Tickets can be purchased by calling 508-994-2900, online at https://zeiterion.org/, or at the Zeiterion Box Office at 684 Purchase Street in New Bedford. Group sales of 10 tickets and more for select shows are available by calling 508-997-5664 x123.

Performances in May are:

Ward Hayden & The Outliers at Stage Door Live
Thursday, May 2, 7:30 p.m.
Tickets: $20 / $29

Previously known as Girls, Guns & Glory, Ward Hayden & The Outliers have barnstormed far beyond their Boston hometown, playing honky-tonks, beer joints and concert venues throughout the U.S., amassing a loyal legion of fans along the way. Their love for early rock ’n’ roll, true country, raw blues and pretty much any kind of authentic American music branded them quickly as anomalous — and electrifying! The media have noticed too, including Rolling Stone, which heralds them as a “modern-day Buddy Holly plus Dwight Yoakam divided by the Mavericks.” This performance is part of The Z’s Stage Door Live series where The Z stage is transformed into an intimate concert club.

Viva Portugal! Festa
Saturday, May 4, 1:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Tickets: Free!

The Z and local Portuguese-American organizations once again bring the tastes, sights and sounds of Portuguese culture and heritage to downtown New Bedford. You don’t have to be Portuguese to enjoy the family-friendly festa – all are welcome to this free event in front of the Zeiterion.

Camané with Ana Sofia Varela
Saturday, May 4, 8:00 p.m.
Tickets: $39 / $49 / $59

Camané is the leading male singer of the new generation of Portugal’s native urban song, fado, ever since his first album came out in 1995 – and one of the few men working within this most tricky field. He is also one of the most outstanding Portuguese singers to have come out of any generation; a voice so smooth and soulful, so passionate and yet controlled, that you wonder how such wise and weary vocal stylings could belong to someone so young. His performance at the Zeiterion will feature songs from the scope of Camané’s career, and he brings with him the sensational Ana Sofia Varela for a beautiful evening of fado!

One Funny Mother
Thursday, May 9, 7:30 p.m.
Tickets: $29 / $35

Dena Blizzard is One Funny Mother! You may know Blizzard from her viral videos, including her “Back to School Rant,” which racked up 96 million views, or as the LIVE with Kelly Top 5 Co-Host Winner. The comedian, former Miss New Jersey, and married mother of three offers hilarious solo comedy in the Off-Broadway hit currently touring the United States. An outrageous and side-splitting 80 minutes of sass, One Funny Mother follows Blizzard on a hilarious journey through her day as she prepares for her big “Girls Night Out.”

David Dorfman Dance: Aroundtown
Saturday, May 11, 8:00 p.m.
Tickets: $27 / $35 / $42 / $47

Aroundtown is a kinetic poem that examines the varied, unique and sometimes divided notions of love – its meaning, purpose, and platform. With original music, text, and visuals, the work explores commitment, community, and intimacy in times of violence and strife. David Dorfman Dance’s trademark empathy, sly humor, and bombastic physicality are harnessed in this look at love as both sociopolitical and intimate weather systems in a delightfully moving performance.

New Bedford Symphony Orchestra’s Epic Journeys
Saturday, May 25, 7:30 p.m.
Tickets $30 / $45 / $55 / $65

The New Bedford Symphony Orchestra closes the season in an epic as well as personal concert. Rachmaninoff’s Symphonic Dances is the composer’s last work and a summary of his life journey. Canadian composer Zosha Di Castri writes her own autobiographical piece about what it means to be Canadian. In between, brilliant pianist Joyce Yang performs Barber’s feverish Piano Concerto, a unique and extraordinary piece in the composer’s sound world. Attendees are invited to a pre-concert talk at 6:30 p.m. with conductor Yaniv Dinur.

Banda Magda at Stage Door Live
Thursday, May 30, 7:30 p.m.
Tickets: $25 / $34

Drawing on the band’s global background of Greece, Argentina, Japan, Colombia, and the U.S., this group of close musical friends is led by Greek-born composer, orchestrator, singer and accordionist Magda Giannikou. Banda Magda combines South American rhythms with jazz improvisation, cinematic arranging, sophisticated audience participation, mid-century classics and world “chansons,” turning songs into engaging romps! This performance is part of The Z’s Stage Door Live series where The Z stage is transformed into an intimate concert club.

Arlo Guthrie
Friday, May 31, 8:00 p.m.
Tickets: $35 / $45 / $55

Prolific songwriter, social commentator, master storyteller, actor, and activist Arlo Guthrie returns with Alice’s Restaurant – Back By Popular Demand Tour! This tour marks the 50th Anniversary of the feature film Alice’s Restaurant, which was inspired by Guthrie’s legendary album The Alice’s Restaurant Massacree recounting his arrest for littering. Originally released in 1969, the movie stars Guthrie as himself. Come celebrate the iconic figure with songs from his distinguished and varied career spanning nearly 60 years!

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The Zeiterion Performing Arts Center is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with a mission to provide New Bedford and the region with performing arts programming of excellence that inspires, educates, engages and entertains. Tickets are available for purchase at www.zeiterion.org, by calling 508-994-2900, or in person at the box office at 684 Purchase Street, New Bedford, Mass. Zeiterion Box Office regular hours are Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Thursday 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., and two hours before each performance.

The Department of Public Infrastructure is continuing ongoing construction at the High Hill Reservoir during the week of April 8.

Flushing the water piping network may cause temporarily discolored water for some residents. The water is safe, and the discoloration will be temporary.

If water is discolored, DPI recommends that residents allow the water to settle for a few hours, and then flush the service line. To flush the service line, let the bath or shower faucet run for several minutes until the water clears.

Water discoloration is caused by temporary disturbances of the normal water flow within the city’s piping network as the pipes are flushed. This can stir up naturally occurring minerals and sediment that have built up along water mains. The water remains safe and discoloration should only occur temporarily.

For more information, residents may contact the water division of DPI at 508.979.1550.