Announcements & Press Releases

Students from Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School earned 61 awards – including first-place finishes in ten categories and a sweep in the Video Production competition – at a Business Professionals of America (BPA) competition held in Framingham this month. The students from GNB Voc-Tech took part in the BPA State Leadership Conference on March 6-8.

New Bedford, Massachusetts- The City of New Bedford Office of Environmental Stewardship and the New Bedford Economic Development Council have formed a Brownfields Task Force of partners and stakeholders with the goal to identify Brownfield sites in the city that have the highest economic development and job creation potential for targeted EPA assessment funding.

Southcoast Centers for Cancer Care announces six cancer support groups beginning in March 2010.

New Bedford, MA - There is no trend hotter than sustainability when it comes to today’s homes. More and more people want healthier, safer and more environmentally friendly homes and lifestyles. If you are interested in “greening” your residence or have questions on current topics such as energy efficiency and sustainability, then you don’t want to miss the Greater New Bedford Home and Garden Show. The 2010 Greater New Bedford Home and Garden Show, scheduled for Saturday, March 6 and Sunday, March 7, 2010 at Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School in New Bedford, will feature three new “green” seminars.

A message from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health - Toxoplasmosis - Pregnant women should be aware of a disease called toxoplasmosis. When acquired during pregnancy, it can cause birth defects, spontaneous abortion, or stillbirth.

Our pets can at times have parasites which may infect humans. Human exposure occurs when children eat soil or put contaminated hands in their mouths. Likewise adults may be infected if they eat using unwashed hands which have been exposed to parasites.

Here are some tips to help prevent infection of you and your family.

Keeping your pet's teeth healthy is important as they use their mouths for many things: eating, playing, fetching, grooming! Nobody likes the smell of “dog breath” which is caused by the accumulation of bacteria in the mouth in the form of tartar. Establishing a dental plan for your pet is best started when they are a puppy or kitten but even older dogs and cats can be taught these “new tricks.”

NEW BEDFORD, Mass. — Southcoast Hospitals Group and Northeast Ear Nose & Throat Surgeons will be offering free head and neck cancer screenings on the Southcoast Health Van on Wednesday, April 14, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at CVS/Pharmacy, 1145 Kempton St. in New Bedford.

Reservations are required for the screening. To register, call the Southcoast Wellness Line at 1-800-497-1727.

Southcoast Hospitals Group has named Patricia A. Nelson as Director of Oncology Operations for the Southcoast Centers for Cancer Care.

In her new role at Southcoast, Nelson will oversee the administrative staff and function in both medical and radiation oncology for Southcoast’s cancer centers in Fall River and North Dartmouth as well as the new flagship center being built in Fairhaven.

NEW BEDFORD – About 200 eighth-grade students from Dartmouth, Fairhaven and New Bedford will be getting some good news in their mailboxes soon. They will be receiving a letter of acceptance from Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School.

NEW BEDFORD – Students from Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School earned 70 honors, including 67 medals, at a SkillsUSA competition involving students from six high schools in the region. They won 26 gold medals, 21 silver medals, and 20 bronze medals in the competition held at GNB Voc-Tech on February 24.

Police are investigating an apparent murder-suicide, which occurred early this afternoon in Fall River and Westport.

Preliminary investigation has revealed that at around 12:30 p.m. today, Alfred Arruda Jr., 43, of 80 Edmund St., Fall River, shot his brother, David Arruda, and his aunt, Barbara Platt, outside of the home they all shared with the Arruda’s parents at 80 Edmund St. Specific ages for both victims are unavailable at this time.

New Bedford, Massachusetts- Mayor Scott W. Lang announced today the Northeast Fisheries Summit, a day-long discussion that will focus on the future and sustainability of the fishing industry in New England and near- and mid-Atlantic ports. The Summit is co-hosted by the Mayor’s Ocean and Fisheries Council, the School for Marine Science and Technology (SMAST) at the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth, and the Massachusetts Marine Fisheries Institute. Expected to attend is Eric Scwhaab, the newly appointed Assistant Administrator for Fisheries with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; Congressman Barney Frank; and industry leaders, scientists, elected officials, environmentalists, and government officials from across the Northeastern region.

“We all recognize the importance of achieving a sustainable fisheries management plan,” said Mayor Lang. “I look forward to an open discussion about how we can ensure a balance of sensible conservation practices with the economic vitality of the fishing industry. It is appropriate that this discussion take place in New Bedford, the nation’s top-ranked value port.”

The Summit will include panel discussions on catch shares and sectors, scallops and scallop by-catch, and amending the Magnuson-Stevens Act.

The Summit will begin at 9:00am on March 8th at the Whaling Museum, located at 18 Johnny Cake Hill in New Bedford. The public is welcome to attend.

FAIRHAVEN, Mass. — FUN 107 and the Fogaren family today announced plans to hold a memorial walk and family-friendly event to honor Sharon Fogaren, the co-host of the “J.R. & Sharon” morning radio show on FUN 107, who passed away after a brief illness this past September.

The Disability Law Center is sponsoring a free training and clinic for parents on special education transition services for children with disabilities, ages 14-22 on March 27, 2010 at the New Bedford Public Library. The training will be conducted in Portuguese and English. Language interpretation will be provided. People can register on line at www.dlc-ma.org or 800-872-9992. Spaces are still available.

The Sharing the Harvest Community Farm at the Dartmouth YMCA is a contestant in Pepsi’s Refresh Project and could win $50,000… they just need your vote! Vote once a day, every day, during the month of March and help your local community farm win $50,000.

The Bay Sox will be returning to New Bedford this summer, and are in need of host families to house players who have come from all over the country to chase their dreams of becoming major leaguers.

The New Bedford Bay Sox played their first season of baseball at Paul Walsh Field last summer. The team is a part of the New England Collegiate Baseball League and will be playing all of their homes game there again this year beginning on June 6 as they take on the Newport Gulls.

New Bedford, Massachusetts- The City of New Bedford 2010 Summer Job Applications will be available as of March 1st for the Summer Jobs Random Lottery. Applications and Income Guidelines will be available at City Hall, 133 William Street in the Personnel Department, Room 212 or at www.newbedford-ma.gov. Interested applicants are asked to submit their applications to the Personnel Department to be considered for the Summer Program random lottery. All applicants are required to be New Bedford residents and must be at least 16 years of age by July 1, 2010. The deadline for applications is May 6, 2010.

Beginning March 1st the City will accept applications for the following programs:

* Kennedy Summer Day Program
* Summer Food Service/ Parks Playground Program
* Lifeguards

For more information please visit www.newbedford-ma.gov and click Jobs Available and then Summer Employment Application or call 508-979-1444.

Join Lloyd Center Research Associate, Jamie Bogart, on Monday, March 22 on a “spring woodcock walk”. Experience a true spectacle in early spring as you observe the American Woodcock (Scolopax minor) courtship flight in Dartmouth where many fields that serve as staging areas exist. These early migrants are often visible before snow melt, and are a true sign of spring.

South Coast Artists, a non-profit organization serving the coastal communities of Dartmouth and Westport, MA and Little Compton and Tiverton, RI, is offering two Spring Workshops to educate local artists about good, solid business practices.

New Bedford, MA - The New Bedford Area Chamber of Commerce welcomes back The Old Farmer’s Almanac for their highly anticipated gardening seminar at the Greater New Bedford Home and Garden Show taking place at Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School on March 6th and 7th. Last year, the gardening seminar was a highlight of the show for attendees, and this year is sure to be even better.

New Bedford, Massachusetts - The Massachusetts Department of Transportation Highway Division will be performing repairs on the New Bedford/Fairhaven drawbridge beginning at 6:00am on Saturday, March 6, 2010 until 6:00pm on March 7, 2010. During this time bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic. A detour will be in place and there will be message boards a week in advance and during the closure to notify motorists of the bridge closure.

What better way to celebrate your day, than to treat yourself to a day of pampering? It’s International Women’s Day, so enjoy it!

Take the time to treat yourself to a relaxing massage. Restore balance to your life through the spiritual healing of Reiki or yoga. Get a psychic reading, talk to skin care professionals, get a manicure, shop and much more. Pampering services and sweet indulgences are all compliments of the YWCA and the professionals who have generously volunteered. Take advantage of this wonderful opportunity to relax and socialize with other women.

District Attorney Sam Sutter announced today that Robert Roy, 46, was convicted by a jury of his peers this afternoon of first degree murder. Mr. Roy was sentenced by Superior Court Judge Robert T. Kane to serve life in prison, with no possibility of parole.

New Bedford, MA, February 24, 2010—Baker Books, an independent bookstore, will host an illustrated talk and book signing with the authors of Voices from the Waterfront: Portrait of the New Bedford Fishing Industry on Thursday, March 4th at 7:00 PM. Photographer Mark Starr and Co-editors Kirsten Bendiksen and Laura Orleans will talk about the process of creating the book. In addition, some of the individuals profiled in the book will be on hand to answer questions about New Bedford’s fishing industry.

Join us on the March 11 All Sewn Up AHA! Night as we celebrate New Bedford's rich textile history. Downtown New Bedford will come alive in celebration of our textile artists, both past and present. We will also salute St. Patrick’s Day, and the fact that March is Women's History Month.

April 24 and April 25, 2010, 10am–5pm - Paintings or drawings of anything with fur or feathers is eligible. Please join us for the reception and awards ceremony on Sunday, April 25, 3–5pm.

Taught by Meredith Wildes Cornell - Join Meredith Cornell for three Tusedays in April to study the figure through gesture drawing and more developed painting, working from a live model. Some emphasis on the portrait will be included.

Classes will be held on Tuesday mornings April 13, 20, & 27 from 9:30 am–12:30 pm at the WAG building, 1740 Main Road in Westport. Gesture materials will be provided. Bring your own painting materials.

The fee is $75.00 for members of WAG and SAN, and $90 for non-members. It includes the model fee. Please register by April 2 to ensure a space.

Local artist and beloved teacher, Meredith Cornell, will provide instruction in working from the figure. She still lives in Little Compton RI, and is a graduate of the Swain School of Design in New Bedford, MA, and a student then and since of several masters from Sigmund Abeles and Reopel and later to Norma Anderson and Thomas Sgouros. Ms. Cornell taught for many years at the Westport Art Group in Westport MA.

To register, visit www.westportartgroup.com/classes.html , download the pdf of the registration form and mail it to WAG, PO Box 157, Westport Point, MA 02791 with a check. You can also email info@westportartgroup.com for more information.

New Bedford, Massachusetts- At a press conference this morning, Mayor Scott W. Lang announced that New Bedford will host a major commercial marine industry trade event this June. Commercial Marine Expo (CME), a 42-year-old biennial event, is relocating from Providence to the State Pier in New Bedford. The two-day event will be held June 9-10. City officials began negotiating with the show organizer in 2007, led by New Bedford Harbor Commission Executive Director Kristin Decas and New Bedford Economic Development Commission’s Matthew Morrissey.

Norfolk, MA, February 19, 2010 - Earl Sholley, 4th District United
States Republican Congressional Candidate praised the Amber Alert
System that is currently in place. The system, Sholley stated "is
responsible for the safe return of that 13-month-old child, who was
abducted in Swansea on Thursday. Our children are our future, and our
duty, as citizens and elected representatives is to put into place
legislation that aids in keeping them safe. Keeping its citizens safe
is one of the legitimate roles of government."

Sholley is opposing 15-term incumbent Barney Frank in the 2010 4th
District Congressional Race. Sholley noted the sharp contrast between
himself and Representative Frank. "Frank voted against the enhanced
nationwide Amber Alert legislation in 2003. The vote in the US Senate
was 98-0, and the vote in the US House was 400-25. Frank said at the
time he opposed the legislation because of Republican amendments
added to the bill. What were those amendments? They were more
stringent measures to punish pedophiles and child pornographers. It
shows, once again, how out of touch the incumbent is with his constituents.
I can promise the citizens of the 4th district, that, if elected, I will work
toward protecting the most vulnerable citizens of the Commonwealth,
our children. "