The impact of coastal development and other challenges facing fishing communities will be explored when the Dock-U-Mentaries Film Series continues Friday, May 18th at 7 PM with two films. Dock-U-Mentaries is a co-production of New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park and the Working Waterfront Festival. Films about the working waterfront are screened on the third Friday of each month beginning at 7:00 PM in the theater of the Corson Maritime Learning Center, located at 33 William Street in downtown New Bedford. All programs are open to the public and presented free of charge.

This month’s program features two films:

Maine’s Disappearing Working Waterfront is a short film which touches on issues surrounding the loss of the working waterfront on the Maine Coast. Of five thousand miles of coastline, only 25 miles remain as working waterfront.

In Their Own Words: Perseverance and Resilience in Two Florida Fishing Communities examines the changes endured by two Florida coastal communities as they struggle with issues of natural resource dependence and coastal development.

Welcome to the second installment of New Bedford Streets: A Piece of Americana. If you missed the inaugural article, please read, as that article sets up the entire series and covers William Street. I’d like to reiterate the importance of reader feedback, correction, and contributions. By all means, let us make this an open discussion.

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In this installment, we will swing 180 degrees and go from being unsure why the street was named, to being positive of its origin. Kempton Street is one of the most trafficked streets in the city, and the Kempton family name is one of that goes back to the very origins of New Bedford and the arrival of the first Europeans in the New World.

The first mention of a Kempton in the historical record is from 1623. The names Manasses/Mannasseh and Ephraim Kempton (though other documents suggest he came later) are mentioned as arriving on the ship Anne, or possibly on the Little James, vessels that were contemporaneous with the Mayflower. Both were born in Berwick-Upon-Tweed, Northumberland, England of parents George Kempton and Mary Jersey.

Mannasses’ soon-to-be wife Juliana (nee Carpenter) Morton, recently widowed, was also aboard the vessel, as was Ephraim’s two-year-old son Ephraim. Ephraim Sr.’s wife Elizabeth nee Wilson had already passed away so father and son made the journey without. A two-year-old surviving the journey across the Atlantic is a minor miracle unto itself, perhaps one could say he was destined to a future in the New World. They were some of the very first inhabitants of Plymouth Bay Colony or New Plymouth.

Mannasses Kempton (1589-1663)
By 1627 Mannasses married Juliana, and while they had no children of their own, Mannasses had five stepchildren to rear. Mannasses shared in the division of cattle, and by 1633 became a Freeman, eventually serving as deputy to the Plymouth General Court.

He was also one of the original proprietors of Old Dartmouth spearheaded by William Bradford. The land purchased in 1652 was from “the west side of Acoughcusse to a river called Accusshaneck and three miles to the eastward of the same, with all islands, meadows, woods, waters, rivers, creeks, and all appurtenances, thereunto belonging…” or in today’s parlance the land on the west side of the Acushnet River, beginning at Clark’s Point and following the County Road to the head of the River. The original group broke up the territories purchased from Wamsutta and Massasoit into 34 shares, and Mannasses Kempton owned one full share.

Ephraim Kempton Sr. & Jr. (1591-1645)
Ephraim Kempton, Sr. a tailor, and his son Ephraim Jr., eventually moved onto land owned by Mannasses in Scituate by 1640. Ephraim Sr. had other children, John who stayed behind in England, Mannaseh and Lettice who did emigrate, and Annis of whom very little is known. There were rumors of other children, most likely daughters, however. there are scant records to confirm this.

Ephraim Jr. married Joanna Rowlins in 1646, and they had six children, two Joannas (one had passed away within a year), Patience, Ephraim III, Mannasseh, and Ruth. After wife Joanna died, Ephraim re-married Sarah Maddox in 1656, and they had two sons Nathaniel and Thomas. Ephraim was a prominent figure in the region and held many positions. He served on the grand jury, was a surveyor, town committee official, constable, and deputy to the general court, before becoming a freeman himself in 1631.

These Kemptons were the very first Kemptons in the New World that our Kempton Street was named after. By the time of the first U.S. Census in 1790 , thirteen Kemptons are named as residents in New Bedford. The census also lists the number of children of these thirteen residents, effectively raising the number to over a hundred. Thus are the humble beginnings of the Kempton Family, that would leave an indelible mark on New Bedford’s history.

Street Name Origins
Kempton Street was originally called Smith Mills Road, a road that led from Westport to New Bedford and passed through a village of the same name, that is now North Dartmouth. It included Rockdale Avenue and Hathaway Road. One of the region’s earliest settlements, the village was the home of many shipowners, had a large general store, two blacksmiths, and stone-grist and sawmills. This is a road that most people in the region travel often, as it is now called the Grand Army Highway or State Road (Route 6).

The mills were powered by the Paskamansett River, which can be seen off of State Road between Rose & Vicki’s and Midas Brake and Muffler. On the site now sits Paskamansett Landing, a small historic park, picnic area, and canoe launch. There are anecdotes that the village was dubbed Smith Mills Village when Elisha Smith (1680 -1766) purchased the property, mill and water rights in 1706. However, I have been unable to corroborate this. I have come across mention that it was named because of the two Blacksmiths that utilized the mill and river to work, or that it was named after any other number of important “Smiths” that lived in the region. The latter is true.

John Smith (1618-1691) was born in England and was apprenticed to an Edward Doty. He attained Freeman status in 1633, built a home and began to acquire land in the area. A tract of land that he purchased from Edward Doty Jr. came to be called Smith’s Neck. His son, Eliashub Smith bought land and “all mill interests” from Abraham Tucker on May 4th, 1707 and from this Smith, was the name Smith Mills adopted.

As the Kempton family grew in prominence and significance, and the villages grew into towns and cities Smith Mills Road became Kempton Street as it crossed into New Bedford and became what it is today.

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Kempton Street Timeline
1769: Thomas Kempton leaves his homestead between what would be Kempton and Hillman Streets to his son Ephraim.
c1775: Ephraim Kempton house is built on the northwest corner of County and Kempton streets, where the Haven Baptist Church is today.
1778: Smith Mills Road officially becomes Kempton Street as it cross the New Bedford and Dartmouth town lines. It is opened for the first time as a “traveled lane” and served and as a division property line for brothers William and Thomas Kempton. William Kempton wills the section between Elm and Kempton streets to three other sons, Benjamin, Manasseh and Ephraim.
1826: In the “Hard Dig” neighborhood a body is discovered by some boys picking huckleberries just west of what was to later become a baseball park. Sgt Wm H Carney Academy‎? When they alerted adults and returned, the body was gone and a mob was formed and began to burn down houses.
1842: Historic Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church is built.
1845: First documented mention of Cannonville Village which is located at the intersection of Kempton Street and Rockdale Avenue, to the east on Kempton St.
1855: Historic Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church is destroyed by fire.
1868: Benjamin Butler is born at the old Ephraim Kempton house.
1898: West End Police Station is erected on the corner of Kempton Street and Cedar Street.
1904: Station 3 is located at the corner of Kempton and Reed Streets.
1907: West End Library opens above the West End Police Station.
1923: St Mary’s Church is founded.
c1925: A building modeled after the Butler Flats Lighthouse is built on the corner of Mill and Kempton and used as a headquarters for Pacific Oil Company for a gas station.
c1928: Table Talk Bakery, based in Worcester opens a facility.
1929: Battery Park, a minor league baseball park is built where Kempton Street runs into Route 6 in front of the old Silverstein’s.
1950: West End Library moves to a building on the southeast corner of Kempton Street and Rockdale Avenue, and later becomes a pharmacy and T-Mobile Store.
1951: United House of Prayer For All People is built and the church organized by Bishop Charles M. Grace.
1953: Angelo’s Orchard Diner opens up on the corner of Kempton Street and Rockdale Avenue.
1960: The St. Ambrose African Orthodox Church on 416 Kempton Street has a wall completely destroyed after a condemned 4 story building that is being torn down by the J.J. England Construction Company accidentally strikes the church. No one is injured.
c1961 Coca-Cola opens a bottling and canning plant and operates it through the 60s.
1970: Race Riots broke out here and over much of the West End. Details go beyond the scope of this article. National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) building is erected.
1973: Historic Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church is purchased and demolished by the Redevelopment Authority.
1979: North Bedford Historic District which is roughly bounded by Summer, Park, Pleasant and Kempton Streets is placed on the National Historic Register.
1980: Construction of Routes 195 & Route 18 cause the loss of 122 blocks of houses and businesses. Memorial Square Plaque is erected by the 20th Century Club in memory of African-American men and women who contributed to the civic, cultural, and social life of the community. Corner of Cedar and Kempton.
1985: The St. Mary’s building is transformed into the Eastern Massachusetts Correctional Addiction Center.
1991: Fire Station 3 is disbanded and the building temporarily houses the Bureau of Fire Prevention.
1995: Rescue Company No. 1 is organized as a specialized “Special Hazards” unit and was stationed in Engine 3’s former quarters at the corner of Reed and Kempton Streets.
2000: Buttonwood Park is added to the National Historic Register
2002: Rescue Company No. 1 is disbanded. Today the New Bedford Emergency Management Agency and New Bedford Animal Control use the building.

If you have any corrections, additions, advice or anecdotes to share please comment below or e-mail us at ngbarts@gmail.com.

767 Exchange is a brand new store in downtown New Bedford, located on 767 Purchase Street at the former Elaine’s retail store. I spoke to Andy Perrone about what to expect there.

Can you tell me about the store? How does this compare to Savers, Artificial Marketplace,or circa etc? Why a clothing store,do you have any experience in retail or fashion?

Andy: 767 Exchange is a clothing and accessory store. We have both new and used items along with some vintage. Instead of consignment we are doing something a little different, especially for the area. By exchange we mean customers may bring in their gently worn items in exchange for cash on the spot or store credit. We are always on the hunt for great pieces from estate sales and we also carry new merchandise.

We want to be more than a clothing store. Our mission is to also promote local art and music. We have contacted local artists and will be displaying their work throughout the store, as well as promoting local shows and music for area bands. We also invite musicians to perform right in the shop. It’s all about supporting the arts and local businesses in our community. We are quite different and more fashion savvy than your average thrift store. There is no scouring through thousands of racks to get that perfect “find.” Thats what we do. If your looking for something specific we are more than happy to find it for you. Just let us know. Its what we love to do.

One of our favorite local shops is Circa. We’ve been shopping there for 20 years. They have amazing merchandise. We on the other hand have some vintage, but we are not exclusively a vintage shop. This is our first venture into retail, but we think because of our experience, we will bring a whole new perspective to the industry.

Will you only have clothes or will you have instruments, CD’s, and records?

Andy: Mainly clothing, but probably some PA equiptment and instruments. We are not going to limit ourselves. If it’s cool and interesting it’ll be on the rack or shelves.

Who runs it? Will you keep day jobs for a bit until you get solvent or are you diving right in?

Andy: Charli Aubin and myself run the store. This has been a dream of hers since she was a little girl and I’ve wanted to open a business downtown for years, so I guess you could say its a labor of love. We will have to see how the store goes before making any decisions concerning our current jobs.

The facebook page says you will present events. Will you sponsor events at a bar or in the store? Is the store big enough to do a show?

Andy: We are planning on promoting events at local bars and venues, and have also set aside a corner of the shop complete with a full PA for live music from time to time. Space is going to be tight but that’s rock and roll.

Thanks Andy, and good luck with the store! Keep up with 767 Exchange news and information their Facebook Page. Hours will be Monday through Thursday from 11am-6pm; Friday and Saturday from 11am – 10pm.

Sample of items found in the 767 Exchange

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Bagpipes

Gas mask and dress.

Microphone.

Sex Pistols Table

767 Exchange logo.

The 109th Annual Meeting of the Old Dartmouth Historical Society – New Bedford Whaling Museum will take place Friday, May 18 at 4:00 pm in the Cook Memorial Theater. Annual Meeting Day events include a memorial service for museum volunteers, a graduation ceremony for museum apprentices, and an exhibit opening and reception. The public is cordially invited to attend all events.

At 3:00 p.m., the museum’s Volunteer Council will host a “Volunteer and Trustee Remembrance” in the Seamen’s Bethel, located adjacent to the museum on Johnny Cake Hill. Family, friends and associates are invited to join volunteers and the board of trustees as they gather in fond remembrance of departed members.

At 4:00 p.m. the 109th Annual Meeting of the Old Dartmouth Historical Society – New Bedford Whaling Museum takes place in the Cook Memorial Theater and includes a review of the past year’s activities, election of officers, and incoming members of the Board of Trustees, Class of 2015.

Immediately following the Annual Meeting, the 3rd annual graduation ceremony for the graduating apprentices of the New Bedford Whaling Museum Apprentice Program, Class of 2012 will commence in the Cook Memorial Theater.

At 5:30 p.m. by an exhibition of new paintings titled Dora Atwater Millikin: New Bedford Harbor Today, opens in the Centre Street Gallery – Level II. A reception in the Jacobs Family Gallery follows the opening.

The New Bedford Whaling Museum is the world’s most comprehensive museum devoted to the global story of whales, whaling and the cultural history of the region. The cornerstone of New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park, the Museum is located at 18 Johnny Cake Hill in the heart of the city’s historic downtown and is open daily. Wheelchair accessible. For a complete calendar of events: www.whalingmuseum.org.

Last month NewBedfordGuide.com hosted its first-ever photo contest. It went very well as dozens of southcoast, Massachusetts photographers submitted 157 photos. Based on Facebook likes, I narrowed it down to the top five photographs overall, and the top five photographs for Dartmouth and Fairhaven as sub-categories. The final results can be seen here.

The overall winning photograph was of the Palmer’s Island Light in New Bedford Harbor provided by Catherine Reusch Daley of Drawing with Light Photography and can be seen as out Facebook cover photo. The sub-winners were Jacob Hoss for his Fairhaven photo and Brian Rapoza for his Dartmouth photo.

Once again, NewBedfordGuide.com is offering our Facebook cover photo and $200 cash (sponsored by South Coast Architecture) to one photographer this month through a free contest. Our cover photo is valuable real estate for any photographer, because the New Bedford Guide facebook page reaches over 20,000 people in New Bedford, or over 77,000 people in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. All photographers will get to promote their work to the masses with one photographer gaining additional exposure by being awarded our Facebook cover for a full month. The winning photo will have the photographers name and optional contact information watermarked on it. The photo will also be featured on South Coast Architecture’s home page and as their facebook cover phot0. We will continue to have sub-winners for our Fairhaven Guide and Dartmouth Guide Cover photos.

The theme this month is “Old Dartmouth Architecture.”

Contest Details

• Join our Facebook Page and the Southcoast, MA Photographers Facebook group for updates.
• All photos will get uploaded into this facebook album. The photos with the top 20 likes will be used to pull the final winner from. You can can vote/like one, some or all of the photos.
• This contest will run from May 11th through May 31st, 2012. Submit them early to get more exposure and share them with friends and family to get more likes!
• For this contest, we are looking for architecture photos of the “Old Dartmouth” region:  New Bedford, Dartmouth, Acushnet, Fairhaven, and Westport.
• Photos must be submitted to info@newbedfordguide.com. Photos should be a maximum size of 1500 x 1500 pixels and under 1 MB. Please include a description of the photo with at least a location.
• Photos should have a small watermark of “newbedfordguide.com” and the photographers name at the bottom of the photo. This helps protect your work. There is a good FREE online watermark tool here.
• Photographers can submit up to 6 photos.
• Photos must be yours, original and unpublished. We should not see these photos in magazines or websites other than your own personal website, stores, etc.
• Photographers provide full display rights of the photo to NewBedfordGuide.com. Basically, this is your “payment” for getting into the contest. We get the photo to be used on newbedfordguide.com and you get exposure. You can use any of your photos on your own website, Facebook, etc. We do NOT have the right to resell your photos, but get to use them without restrictions on our website and Facebook page.
• We will narrow down the best 20 photos based on Facebook likes. We will select a winner from the top 20 photos. The winner and new contest will be announced on 1 June, 2012. The winning photo will remain as the New Bedford Guide Facebook page cover photo from 1-30 June.
• We will also choose winner for our Fairhaven Guide and Dartmouth Guide Facebook Pages.

Follow this article as we reserve the right to add, remove or modify these rules at any time!

AHA! is always a good time, and this Thursday evening in Downtown New Bedford should be no different. There’s always a lot going on, so I’ve tried to condense that list into the top five things to do to celebrate “art, history and architecture” in our fine city. A full schedule of events for this evening can be found here.

5) Artists come in all shapes, sizes and ages, and there are two very different art exhibitions that help prove this statement. Check out the artwork of various members of the New Bedford Police Department (572 Pleasant St.) at their open house from 5-8pm. The work of Lt. Scott Corola, Officer Elvin Ramos, and Officer Luis Sud-Martinez, as well as the poetry of Officer Charles Perry Jr. will be showcased.

4) Right up the street from the Police Station, you’ll find artwork from a more youthful generation, as the New Bedford Public Schools introduces the District Wide Art Show at the Paul Roderigues Administration Building (455 County Street). It’s a collection of artwork from students around the city. Over 3,000 pieces will be shown, and an awards ceremony begins at 6pm. The event goes from 4:30 to 7:30pm.

3) Percussionist royal hartigan will lead the Kekeli African Music and Dance Ensemble in live performance on Purchase St. from 5:30 to 7pm. Over 80 members of the ensemble that “draws from African American/jazz musical traditions, integrating rhythms, songs, and approaches from West Africa, Asia, Native America, West Asia, and Europe,” according to hartigan’s website.

2) Cork (90 Front St.) will feature “Soapbox Social: The Uncorked Edition,” which is an opportunity for local storytellers to get up and talk about their own personal experiences. The theme they’ll be waxing on is “May Day.” I’ve heard plenty of storytellers in my time spent around Downtown, so I’d imagine that there should be some interesting stories spun this Thursday evening.

1) UGLYgallery presents an exhibit called “Stuck-Up,” which is a traveling show featuring the sticker collection of DB Burkeman. He has been collecting these stickers for over 40 years, and it shows. UGLY will attempt to squeeze in nineteen other panels of stickers that were formerly at the New Bedford Art Museum over the past two weeks or so, so it’s your last and only chance to see the exhibit locally and all within one building.

There may be a number of reasons why you haven’t gotten to experience AHA! New Bedford yet.  Your excuses may vary from very practical (such as,  I work Thursday nights) to very lame (such as, it’s not my scene).  If you’re worried about not enjoying AHA!, I can assure you that it has something for people of all ages, dispositions, and budgets.

For those of you who don’t already know, here’s a little background on AHA!, which stands for Arts, History and Architecture.  AHA! was started in July of 1999, and has taken place on every second Thursday of the month since.  AHA! is dedicated to creating free cultural events for locals to join in, and it pulls in local restaurants and businesses in the effort to offer exciting opportunities each month.  AHA! not only highlights the unique culture of New Bedford and its rich history, it also contributes to stimulating the City’s Creative Economy initiatives.

Each month, AHA! focuses on a different theme.  For example, April’s focus was on Sustainability and included an Earth Day celebration parade at Custom Square.  For more details on the sort of events that AHA! features, or to see their schedule for next month, go to www.ahanewbedford.org.  You will also find that the New Bedford Guide regularly reports on some of the highlights you can hope to see at the upcoming AHA! night.  For this article however, I am going to give you 5 general reasons that make AHA! great, and why you should visit AHA! this evening.

1. Music

Music is a central aspect of AHA! and can be found just about anywhere you go.  For those who are into the bar scene, you are sure to find some great bands at Pour Farm Tavern, Rose Alley Ale House, Cork or No Problemos most weeks.  If you aren’t a big fan of bars, or if you’re too young, no worries!  There are often featured performers and an open mic at Cafe Arpeggio, and the First Unitarian Church was featuring organ music.  The J. Kelley Band acoustic show was at Celtic Coffee House from 6-7:30pm.

The music styles vary; I have had the pleasure of hearing some great jazz music at AHA! as well as some very talented rock and blues bands, and even local choruses.  If you’re planning out your AHA! night and hope to take in some music, go check out the site and see who is playing where.

2. Food

It almost goes without saying, but Downtown New Bedford has some great restaurants.  If you’re going to be out for AHA!, you might as well plan to grab dinner.  No matter what budget you are on, you are likely to find something to suit your taste.  No Problemo’s has great Mexican food at an affordable cost, and Rose Alley Ale House is one of the best places around for wings.  Pour Farm Tavern also has quite a tasty menu out now.  However, if you’re looking for something unique and have a bit more money to spend, try out Cork, which is a tapas bar, or Pier 37 which has a one-of-a-kind menu that blends southern cuisine with south coast.

3. Unique Events

If you’re tired of doing the same old thing, AHA! offers some one-of-a-kind experiences that you aren’t likely to soon forget.  For kids there is always some sort of art or craft project to engage in, or even a science events.  For example, this past AHA! featured SEEAL’s 5th Annual Shrink Your Footprint Fair, which was held at the Ocean Explorium and brought together vendors, non-profits, and others to host demonstrations on sustainability.

Of course, I would be remiss not to mention the prevalence of visual art throughout every AHA! night.  There are numerous galleries downtown that open their doors to AHA! and often host special events.  On an evening when there is good weather, New Bedford is art lovers dream as you can follow the walking map from gallery to gallery.

If you are like me and have a group of friends who are always looking for something new to do, AHA! offers a lot of other very unique (and very free) events to consider.  In March the theme was “Hear Me Roar” and focused on women’s history and empowering women.  I got to watch roller derby girls demonstrate in the middle of the street, and I ended up participating in an all-girl arm wrestling competition at Rose Alley Ale House (which I did not win).  Needless to say my friends and I were talking about what a great time we had for quite a while!

4. AHA! After Hours

AHA! After Hours starts at 9pm, when the other AHA! events come to an end.  AHA! After Hours is usually the best time to catch bands playing at the various bars.  This past AHA! I went to Pour Farm Tavern for After Hours and heard the Neil McCarthy Problem jam out, and I also got to sample some delicious microbrews.  In my opinion, AHA! After Hours is mainly a perfect opportunity to bar hop with friends since there are always a lot of people out enjoying themselves.

5. Community

The community aspect of AHA! is my favorite part.  I feel like these days it’s hard to connect with the community because there are so few events that bring people together (besides shopping at Market Basket of course).  But AHA! brings a diverse crowd together to engage in fun and informative activities.  Every time I go to AHA! I run into someone I know, but even more importantly, I meet new people as well.

This past AHA! was called “Sustainable SouthCoast” and as previously mentioned, it kicked off with really cool “people powered” parade.  The parade featured floats that were carried or pulled by UMass students, and students from New Bedford schools who had partnered together.  There were many unique costumes and memorable creations, all of which promoted sustainability and keeping the Earth clean.  There were many organizations that also walked in the parade to show their unity with the cause, and there was even two marching bands.  Additionally, the parade was kicked off by awarding “Mother Earth” and “Father Sea” to two members of the community who have taken great efforts in fighting for environmental causes in the area.  This year’s “Father Sea” was none other than former Mayor Scott Lang, and the parade start was announced by current Mayor Jon Mitchell.  Seeing residents from all over the SouthCoast pull together for such a fun and important purpose was great, and members of the community had lined the streets.  This sort of quality community building is what truly makes AHA! great.

Photos from April’s AHA!

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Applications are now available for parents to register their children to participate in the New Bedford Parks, Recreation & Beaches Kennedy Summer Day Program.  This summer program is an opportunity for children to engage in a variety of sports, games, crafts, and outdoor fun while making new friends.  Activities include beach and swim time, special visitor programs from the National Park Service, bike safety instruction, and presentations by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation.

The Kennedy Summer Day Program operates out of Fort Taber Park and includes breakfast, lunch and transportation.  The program is open to children who are eligible for kindergarten in September of 2012 through the age of fourteen.   For New Bedford residents, each session is $135 and financial aid is available for those who qualify.  If space allows, non-residents may register for $155 per session.

Available Sessions:

• Session 1   July 2^nd —July 13^th
• Session 2   July 16^th—July 27^th
• Session 3   July 30^th—August 10^th
• Session 4   August 13^th—August 24^th

The registration deadline for all sessions is June 20^th, 2012.  Space is limited, so parents are encouraged to complete and submit an application as soon as possible.  Registration packets are available at the Administrative Offices of Parks, Recreation, and Beaches located at 181 Hillman St. in Building 3 or at the Andrea McCoy Recreation Center located at 181 Hillman Street.  Please contact New Bedford Parks, Recreation and Beaches for more information at (508) 961-3015.

The City of New Bedford, The Greater New Bedford Regional Refuse Management District, and Downtown New Bedford, Inc., will co-sponsor a paper shredding event on Saturday, May 12, 2012 from 9:00am through 12:00 noon.  The event will take place in the parking lot located across from New Bedford City Hall (at the corner of William and N. Sixth Streets).  Residents and New Bedford area businesses are encouraged to bring their outdated paper items including (bank statements, insurance forms, medical forms, retired tax forms, personal files, receipts, etc.) to be shredded on site by Doc Shredding Corp.

Paper clips and staples do not need to be removed, but the paper items must not be in binders or folders.  A fee of $5 per box will be charged to help cover the cost of the operation and each box should not be more than 40 lbs. Participants are welcome to watch the destruction of up to five of their boxes of paper.  For more than 5 boxes, shredding may be done offsite.

Please contact District Recycling Coordinator, Marissa Perez-Dormitzer at (508) 979-1493 or John Lobo in the City’s Office of Community Services at (508) 979-1692 with any questions.

It’s no secret that businesses have a limited budget when it comes to marketing. It’s also no secret that marketing is critical to any business’s success. Failing to market, or to market efficiently can hurt your business significantly.

To have a successful marketing campaign, businesses need to get the most bang for their buck by targeting relevant potential customers. It wouldn’t make sense for a fitness studio for women only, to target the entire population of men and women of all ages in all locations. It makes sense to specifically target women that are likely to use your service within a short distance of your location. You’ll save money, maximize your marketing dollars, and get your service to the audience likely to use it.

New Bedford Guide is now offering businesses the opportunity to target relevant customers by sponsoring NewBedfordGuide.com articles. NewBedfordGuide.com and our Facebook page reach over 90,000 southcoast, Massachusetts residents so this is a great way to promote your business. The program matches up businesses with articles that are relevant to their business. For example, a nature food store would want to target articles about health, fitness and diet. A hotel may want to sponsor articles about major events in the local area that bring in crowds from a distance. People who are reading the articles have already expressed an interest in the topic and will be likely to check out the relevant product or service.

What do Sponsors Get?

Sponsors get a large leader board-style banner at the end of the article they sponsor. An example can be seen here. The article is titled, “Eight Date Ideas in New Bedford for Valentine’s Day.” The sponsor is The Hampton Inn with their Valentine’s Day specials. When clicked, the banner leads to Hampton Inn’s website specials where customers can get more information and order the service.

There are two ways for businesses to sponsor NewBedfordGuide.com articles. First, a business can sponsor existing articles on our website, which still generate traffic. Second, business can work with us on current article ideas and sponsor upcoming articles that are relevant to them. For example, we do weekly and monthly series that businesses could sponsor, or we could come up with a relevant article.

Benefits

• You will be inexpensively targeting relevant customers.
• All articles show up well in Google and other search engines.
• All articles are promoted on our Facebook website (reaches 90k people) and other social media/bookmark sites.
• You will be sponsoring a small local business and local writers, promoting and furthering your brand.