Cheesecake for dinner—A dream that Sean and Katie McKenna not only make a reality, they’ve made it a business. And like their products, this entrepreneurial husband and wife team started Wicked Kickin’ Savory Cheesecakes from scratch.

The concept is easily explained. Imagine elements from some of your favorite dishes put together in an array of delicious combinations and arranged within a cheesecake. Though Sean and Katie are not the first to make cheesecake-ified entrees, they have certainly made the idea their own. “We loved the concept and did some research, finding out that most are herb and cheese recipes. We then started to experiment and play with different ingredient combinations,” Sean says of his and his wife’s entrepreneurial beginnings. “It was fun, often saying, ‘You know what would be great in a cheesecake…’. Most of our cheesecakes are based on dishes we like to eat.”

Another way Sean and Katie have made Wicked Kickin’ Savory Cheesecakes an original is by injecting some local character into their product line. “All of our cheesecakes are named after either someone or something in MA or RI. We really love living in this area and wanted it to show in our recipes and names. Most of the names are also tied directly in some way to their ingredients. The Whitey Bulger is based on a white pizza, The Lansdowne is based on the sausage sandwiches sold outside Fenway Park, The North End is based on a local favorite antipasto.”

On that note, a quick rundown of the Wicked Kickin’ menu:

• “The Neu Biege” – Linguica, crushed red pepper, onions, peppers, and a touch of cheddar.
• “The Cape Codder”- Chicken, craisins, spinach, red onions, walnuts, and goat cheese.
• “The Wicked Kickin’ Chicken”- Spicy chicken, red onion, blue cheese, and buffalo sauce.
• “The Whitey Bulger”- Tomato, fresh basil, garlic, mozzarella, and parmesan.
• “The Hub”- Pepperoni, mozzarella, ricotta cheese, marinara, fresh basil, and parmesan.
• “The Lansdowne”- Sausage, peppers, onions, and provolone cheese.
• “The Green Monstah”- Broccoli, spinach, garlic, red and green pepper, green inions, mozzarella, feta, mushrooms, and parmesan.
• “The Chatham”- Lobster, shallots, cayenne pepper, parsley, muenster and parmesan cheese.

Though Sean and Katie have had their fun creating personalities for their cheesecakes, they’ve also had their share of hard work making their venture a success. “The most difficult part is that Katie and I are responsible for every aspect of running the business… marketing, purchasing, baking, cleaning, delivery, packaging, shipping, and on and on. But my wife and I work very well together. We each have our own strengths and weaknesses and each of our own set of skills compliments the other’s well.”

And it shows—In less than three years Wicked Kickin’s popularity has spread from the local Dartmouth community throughout the Southcoast and beyond to the brink of national success. “The business has given us some amazing opportunities. We have been on The Phantom Gourmet and served our cheesecakes to 10,000 people on Lansdowne St. behind the Green Monster. We have participated in fundraisers run by both Matt Light and Vince Wilfork of the New England Patriots. We’ve been called by someone from The Rachael Ray Show, Food Network Magazine and the television show SharkTank, all because of our savory cheesecakes! We recently participated in a couple of great events like the Taste of Southcoast in New Bedford and The Lloyd Center Clambake at Demarest Lloyd State Beach.”

In the beginning of December 2011, they opened the doors to the first Wicked Kickin’ storefront on 319 Dartmouth Street, a location that had been previously used by Homelyke Bakery.  The calculated leap into retail, part of a well-thought out business plan, has proven to be a highly beneficial move for the growing business. “We’ve been doing a lot of walk in business at the location” says Sean. “We’re not limited to just filling orders anymore”. Here, customers can find a ready-to-buy selection of Wicked Kickin’s best-sellers such as the “Wicked Kickin’ Buffalo” cheesecake and “The Nue Biege” as well as the themed “cheesecake of the month” such as March’s St. Patrick’s Day “Corned beef Cheesecake”.

As for the near future, this increasingly business savvy couple has no plans of halting the momentum they have built thus far. Wicked Kickin’ is due to make its appearance at the upcoming Phantom Gourmet’s Wine & Food Phest in Boston, which has become an annual event for the couple. They have also been invited to provide their savory cheesecakes for Matt Light’s Celebrity Shootout charity event for the second year in a row, which is a first time a company has been asked to do food for the event twice.

With an impressive list of achievements under their belt and the drive to keep taking things to the next level, the future of Sean and Katie’s Wicked Kickin’ Savory Cheesecakes is considerably optimistic in the face of today’s small business-swallowing economy. “We are always trying to grow and improve. As a small business it is important to have a vision of what you want to become and try to operate every day in a manner which will close the gap between where you are and where you want to be.”

The Phantom Gourmet Wine and Food Phest is going to be held at the Boston Center for the Arts (Cyclorama) on Tremont Street in the South End on Saturday, March 31^st from 1-4 pm and again from 5-8 pm. Tickets cost $40 in advance, $50 at the door.

The next Celebrity Shootout will be held in October.

You can check out Wicked Kickin’ Savory Cheesecakes for yourself at www.wickedkickin.com.

The Alex Sullivan Scholarship Trust is holding its fifth annual fundraiser on Saturday, April 28th, 2012 at Dublin’s Sports Bar N Grille located at 1686 Acushnet Ave, New Bedford from 7:00 PM to 12:00 AM.

Alex Sullivan was a student athlete at New Bedford High School. He was one of the original members of the NBHS Wrestling Team that excelled on the wrestling mat. He graduated from New Bedford High School in 1999 and went on to graduate college at UMass Dartmouth.

Alex passed away on June 6, 2007 in a work-related trucking accident. This event is held annually to honor Alex and memorialize the man in the sport and school which he loved.

Each year, The Alex Sullivan Scholarship Trust provides scholarships for selected members of the New Bedford High School Wrestling Team who are pursuing higher education. Your support will help us accomplish this goal.

The event will feature a buffet style dinner prepared by Dublin’s. There will be numerous raffle prizes including two sets of Red Sox Tickets, a pair of Custom Designed Reebok Sneakers, as well as gift certificates to local restaurants and shops. The entertainment is to be provided by DJ Garret Gomes. This is a cash bar event.

The Alex Sullivan Scholarship Trust is an independent organization that is committed to supporting our young adults in their journey of seeking higher education.

In order to give The Alex Sullivan Scholarship the full benefit of this event, your generosity is essential. Please join us for this great night.

We are still looking for raffle items. If you would like to make a donation or get tickets for this event, email alexsullivanscholarship@yahoo.com or call Brian @ (774) 644-0821.

Crews from the New Bedford Public Facilities Department have put the finishing touches on a newly renovated New Bedford Art Museum, a regional hub for arts and culture located in the heart of Downtown New Bedford.  Located at 608 Pleasant Street, the museum exhibits art and objects from a variety of sources, including artist’s collections, private collectors and cultural institutions.  The renovations included replacing the museum’s worn-out carpeting with new vinyl inlaid flooring—a more durable, easier to care for material that enhances the museum space.  In addition, Art Museum employees and community volunteers helped repaint the entire interior of the Museum’s ground-level display space. New Bedford Floor Covering installed the flooring and donated the new carpeting at the Museum’s entryway.

Among other new features, the newly renovated Museum includes “The City Gallery,” a permanent display space for the New Bedford Free Public Library’s art collection.   This dedicated exhibit space will enable more of the Library’s unique collection to be shared on a rotating basis with different audiences.

The first installation at the City Gallery is a sampler show.  It contains highlights from the library collection, including oil paintings, watercolors and prints by artists like William Bradford, John James Audubon, Robert Swain Gifford, Charles Henry Gifford, Dodge Macknight and Dwight Tryon.  Future exhibits will have specific focuses.  For example, the next two shows will be dedicated to “preservation challenges” and women artists.

Much of the New Bedford Free Public Library collection is on exhibit at the Main Library and the current exhibit is entitled; “Liberty or Anarchy: New Bedford and the Civil War.”

When a movie takes in $155 million dollars in its opening weekend, it’s hard not to wonder what all the hype is about.  “The Hunger Games” has set a record for most revenue for a non-franchise movie in an opening weekend, and third best debut of all times, only falling behind the “Harry Potter” finale and “The Dark Knight.”  If you weren’t amongst the masses piling into the theatres this weekend, there’s a good chance you’re considering checking it out.  Before you go, here is some food for thought.

It’s hard to believe that you haven’t seen the trailers at this point, but here’s a little background on the film.  The movie portrays a 16-year old girl named Katniss Everdeen who lives in a post-apocalyptic world where money and power are controlled by the Capitol.  As a reminder to the rest of the districts of the Capitol’s absolute power, they select a boy and a girl between the ages of 12 and 18 from each district and force them to compete in the Hunger Games; a fight to the death which is televised for all to watch.  When Katniss’ 12-year old sister’s name is drawn, Katniss takes her position and thus must face the brutal challenge of staying alive.

I should start by saying that I recently became an avid fan of the book series.  As someone who loves the science fiction genre, a friend suggested I check out the novels.  After buying the first one on my Nook, I rapidly bought the second and third, sacrificing sleeping and eating in a compulsive race to reach the end.  To say the books are a page turner is a great understatement.  That being said, the books were still very fresh in my mind for the premiere of the film.  If you are a fan of the book, you will see that many changes were made, some for the better, some for the worse (in my opinion).  One thing to attempt to keep in mind though, is that the book was written in first person.  Trying to transfer such personal thoughts and emotions to the audience is a daunting task when you really consider it.

I did find myself a bit put off by the way the producers clearly tried to play up the love triangle aspect of the story.  While there is a love triangle of sorts in the books, romance is not a prominent aspect of “The Hunger Games” the way it is in say… “Twilight.”   In the novels, it’s clear that the strong willed and fiercely independent Katniss Everdeen does her best to avoid the trap of love, and romance is almost warped into a part of the power struggle. Nevertheless, can one expect anything less from Hollywood?

Moving on from this gripe, I should mention that this movie is not a chick flick.  Despite having a strong female role, the themes of power and survival have been found as appealing to many generations and genders.  Sources are reporting that only 61 percent of moviegoers were female this weekend.  So if you’re a guy worried that you’ll be stuck for 2 hours and 22 minutes in a Twilight-esque gushing teen romance, fear not.  There is plenty of action and adventure for all.  Furthermore, the themes of “The Hunger Games” can really leave you thinking after you exit the theatre (if you predisposed to ponder such things).

The special effects in the movie were pretty cool, and while they toned down the gore factor a bit there is no escaping the essentially violent and harsh nature of the movie.  This is one thing about a book being adapted into a movie that always excites me; while you know the movie will stray from the version you created in your own mind, it also allows you a chance to see it all come to life.  The visual aspect of the film really kept me on the edge of my seat, and despite knowing the outcome, I felt myself experiencing quite an adrenaline rush throughout much of the movie.  One complaint to the filmmakers though; would a few more steady shots kill you?  The camera is shaky throughout the film, perhaps to recreate that “realistic” feel when you read the book through Katniss’ eyes, but it took me 10 nauseous minutes to really adjust to it.

Despite a few complaints I have about the reinterpretation of the plot and of the seasick filming technique, I have to admit I will probably try to see this movie again while it’s in theatres.  Partly it’s because it was a great big screen experience, but partly because I really enjoyed the casting job.  I found Jennifer Lawrence to be a great Katniss Everdeen.  She maintained the persona of strong and quiet, but with an uncontrollable streak of rebellion.  She got this down without overacting it, and the few moments of emotion she had felt raw and believable.  In my opinion, Josh Hutcherson plays Peeta Mellark well.  Peeta was never written to be a casanova, but rather more of a philosopher with careful logic and a calm demeanor, and that is how Hutcherson portrayed him.  Liam Hemsworth is also cast in the movie as Gale Hawthorne, Katniss’ opinionated best friend with his own fierce survival instinct.  A solid support cast includes Woody Harrelson as her drunken mentor, Elizabeth Banks with some brief comic, and Donald Sutherland makes a rather chilling President Snow.

Reading the book is by no means needed to follow the movie plot, but it definitely gives you some critical insights that the movie didn’t quite manage.  Thus, I would suggest reading the book first if you have the time and interest because it is a great read.  While I’m not going to go as far as to say the movie lives up to the outrageous hype, it is certainly entertaining.  It’s already got me hooked into seeing it again, something I rarely to never do.  Need I say more?

UFC 145 MAIN CARD
205#: Jon Jones (15-1) vs. Rashad Evans (22-1) wins by Unanimous Decision!
170#: Rory MacDonald (12-1) vs. Che Mills (14-4 1NC) wins by TKO in RD2!
265#: Brendan Schaub (9-2) vs. Ben Rothwell (31-8) wins by KO in RD1!
145#: Mark Hominick (20-1) vs. Eddie Yagin (15-5-1) wins by Split Decision!
155#: John Alessio (34-15) vs. Mark Bocek (10-4) wins by Unanimous Decision!

PRELIMINARY BOUTS
135#: Miguel Torres (39-4) vs. Michael McDonald (14-1) wins by TKO in RD1!
265#: Travis Browne (12-0-1) vs. Chad Griggs (11-1) wins by Arm Triangle Choke in RD1!
170#: Stephen Thompson (6-0) vs. Matt Brown (15-11) wins by Unanimous Decision!
155#: Anthony Njokuani (15-6) vs. John Makdessi (9-1) wins by Unanimous Decision!
155#: Mac Danzig (21-9-1) vs. Efrain Escudero (19-4) wins by Unanimous Decision!
170#: Keith Wisniewski (28-12-1) vs. Chris Clements (10-4) wins by Split Decision!
145#: Maximo Blanco (8-4) vs. Marcus Brimage (5-1) wins by Split Decision!

Ultimate Fighting Championship 145 takes place Saturday April 21st, at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. The first three preliminary bouts will be broadcast free on the UFC Facebook page. The remainder of the preliminary bouts will then be broadcast on FX at 8 PM EST, before going live to Pay-Per-View starting at 10 PM EST. In addition, the weigh-ins will take place on Friday, April 20th, and broadcast live on FUEL TV at 7 PM EST.

Jon Jones vs Rashad Evans: UFC LHW Championship Bout
Jon Jones who opened up as a betting favorite (-475/+375) over Rashad Evans is looking to continue is Light Heavyweight reign and do so in spectacular fashion over his old training partner and friend. Some bad blood has boiled up between the two and things are already heated a month out from the event. Greg Jackson who has coached both fighters has stated he will corner Jones in this fight, further fueling the fire between the two.

Jones became the youngest UFC champion in the event’s history with a win over Mauricio Rua at UFC 128 at 23-years old. He has a staggering 87% finish rate, and has finished his last 7 fights. His physical frame (6’4″ 205lbs) combined with his athleticism, natural talent, and wrestling background have turned him into one of the best fighters the sport has ever seen. So far he has proven to be  a special fighter that is so much better than anyone he has competed against thus far. He has yet to be threatened (or be in any sort of danger) and no one has been able to give him a competitive round. Last year alone he finished top fighters Ryan Bader, Mauricio Rua, Quinton Jackson, and Lyoto Machida. Will the bad blood with Rashad cause him to lose composure, get emotionally involved and make a mistake or further motivate him to do what he does best: finish people?

Former UFC Light Heavyweight champion and #2 ranked Rashad Evans has the experience, confidence, and ability to turn this fight into an upset. Having been a former training partner he has experience and insight into Jones that none of his previous opponents have had. Rashad has proven his wrestling prowess and KO power throughout his UFC career with impressive wins over Chuck Liddell, Forrest Griffin, Rampage Jackson and Tito Ortiz. His critics point to his KO loss to Lyoto Machida back in 2009 at UFC 98 and the final round in his bout with Rampage Jackson at UFC 114 where he was hurt by a punch as the biggest kink in his armor: the ability to take a punch. Whether true or not, being the finisher that he is, Jones will surely try to make every attempt to hit Evans on the chin.

For Jones to win the fight he needs to simply maintain his composure and do what he does normally. For Evans to win, he needs to outwork Jones, take him down and grind out a decision. I think the most important deciding factors in this fight will come down to Jones ability to not be ruffled by Evans before and during the fight and whether Evans can or can not take Jones down.

Rory MacDonald vs Che Mills
Canadian and former King Of The Cage champion, Rory MacDonald is considered by many to be the heir to Georges St. Pierre. Though only 23-years old he has demonstrated an ability beyond his relative inexperience with the sport. A high level of athleticism combined with natural innate ability, he has become a fan favorite by only having one of his 13 fights go to a decision. A 92% finish rate is spread out between 5 KO/TKOs and 6 submission wins. After losing by TKO in an exciting back and forth battle with current interim Welterweight champ Carlos Condit, he got back to is winning ways by winning a decision over Nate Diaz and TKOing veteran Mike Pyle. His lack of fear, aggression, fast pace and well-roundedness make him a serious threat to any welterweight.

Standing in his way and looking to form a similar reputation is Englishman Che Mills. With 7 KO/TKOs and 4 submissions he have the same well-roundedness and threat that MacDonald has. Mills has punctuated a 5 fight win streak with a 40 second destruction of Chris Cope in his UFC debut at UFC 138 in November. Mills seems to excel at striking which is what the UK’s MMA fighters are known most for. Having lost 3 bouts by submission, he will want to avoid the ground and keep the fight standing to maximize his chances to win.

Brendan Schaub vs Ben Rothwell
Brendan Schaub is 4-2 in the UFC. After getting KOed by Roy Nelson in his debut he put together four solid wins in a row, including wins over Gabriel Gonzaga and MMA legend Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic. In his last fight at UFC 134 in August, he faced Antonio Noguiera and was KOed. In a cut happy era he’ll want to show that his chin is not suspect and that he can face and beat top opponents. The pressure will be on for him to perform and perform well. He has heavy power in his hands and is athletic. He will need to really tap into these to beat “Big” Ben Rothwell.

Rothwell, the former IFL Heavyweight champion at one point built a 13 fight win streak and was undefeated in the IFL. Since coming to the UFC he has gone 1-2, being TKOed by former champion Cain Velasquez and losing a decision to the revitalized Mark Hunt. Rothwell is a salty veteran, with a ton of grit, a huge heart, and a workhorse ethic. This fight is an intriguing match-up style-wise and has the potential to be the sleeper of the night. Schaub needs to connect with his big power often and put together power combinations to win and Rothwell, needs to grind Schaub against the cage or get top position on the ground.

Mark Hominick vs Eddie Yagin
Canadian Mark Hominick is never in a boring fight. The world class striker has a slew of wins over some excellent fighters including Yves Edwards, Jorge Gurgel, George Roop and Leonard Garcia, but seems to suffer from the curse of winning the big fights that matter. He has lost steps up in competition to Hatsu Hioki, Josh Grispi, Jose Aldo, and the Korean Zombie Chan Sung Jung. In his fight against current champion Jose Aldo, he showed why he is one of the top guys in the weight class by being highly competitive, winning Fight of the Night honors and in some people’s minds even winning. Against the Korean Zombie he got caught cold and was KOed in 7 seconds. I expect him to be highly motivated and he will have every plan to make a huge statement against Yagin.

The well rounded Eddie Yagin lost a decision to Junior Assuncao in his debut at UFC 135. What will make this fight so interesting is that both fighters are coming off of losses and will come out blazing. The relative unknown Yagin knows that his name is not big enough to withstand 2 losses in a row in the UFC. Knowing his career is on the line he will fight appropriately. Look for this fight to be a candidate for Fight of the Night honors.

Matt Wiman vs Mark Bocek
My pick for winner of Fight of the Night goes to Matt Wiman and Mark Bocek. Stylistically this fight has fun, busy, and exciting written all over it. There is a reason “Handsome” Matt Wiman has 12 fights (8-4) in the UFC: he’s just fun to watch. Never a dull moment, Wiman is like a buzzsaw on jet fuel. He just fights every second of every round at 100%. Trying to KO you, take you down, or submit you. His relentless style always translates into an exciting fight and it’s garnered him 4 Fight of the Night honors.

Yet another Canadian on the card, Mark Bocek has 10 fights in the UFC (6-4) and has displayed some frighteningly high level submission skills. Mark does have a habit of allowing his ego to get the best of him and will stand up and box even if he takes a lot of damage. The best thing that can happen in this fight is that after some exchanges on the feet the two begin to put on a grappling clinic that turns into a war. With two of the best grapplers in the division, it would be a real trophy for either one to submit the other.

Come back for the results, updates and animated gifs. What are your picks for Jones vs Evans? The main card bouts? Who wins the bonuses?

Mayor Jon Mitchell and the Community Economic Development Center of Southeastern Massachusetts (CEDC) are encouraging residents of New Bedford to learn whether they qualify for valuable tax credits such as the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and the MA Senior Circuit Breaker.

Interested residents must contact the CEDC to make an appointment to learn whether they qualify to claim these benefits on their tax returns.   The CEDC will provide assistance to qualifying individuals at New Bedford City Hall on Thursday, April 5^th from 11:00 a.m.—4:00p.m., residents interested in making an appointment to meet CEDC at City Hall should contact the organization at (508) 979-4684.

The Internal Revenue Service defines the Earned Income Tax Credit as, “a refundable federal income tax credit available to eligible families low-income working individuals and families.” And, while the EITC is the federal government’s largest program benefiting working families, it is largely underutilized.

“The ETIC is a proven means of providing tax relief that spurs economic activity and labor force participation while targeting those most in need.  I encourage the people of New Bedford to learn whether they qualify for this benefit, and to use the tax preparation services offered by the Community Economic Development Center,” said Mayor Mitchell.

Community Economic Development Center Director, Corinn Williams said each year, her organization staffs a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program site where residents who are unable to prepare their own taxes and cannot afford professional help are assisted.  “There are still many working families and seniors in our community who may qualify to get money back, but are not aware they need to file to receive their refund. In addition, the recent announcement regarding the economic stimulus bill also requires that individuals to file their taxes to collect the rebate.  Dollars reclaimed through the Earned Income Tax Credit and the Senior Circuit Breaker give a boost not only to these families but it helps our local economy as well,” said Ms. Williams.

The federal government states that the new maximum credit is $5,751 for a family with two or more children; $3,094 for a family with one child and $464 if there are no children. The government also states that the new income limits are:

• $40,964 ($40,044 if married filing jointly) for families with two or more children
• $36,052 ($41,132 if married filing jointly) for families with one child
• $13,660 ($18,740 if married filing jointly) if there are no children

Investment income must be $3,150 or less and children must meet certain age, relationship and residency requirements.

The 6th Annual General Aviation Fun Day at the New Bedford Regional Airport is scheduled for May 19th, 2012 from 10 am to 4 pm.

There will be performances by local dance studios, karate demonstrations, Mad Science of Southeastern Mass, formation flying, aircraft displays, skydivers, airplane rides, Buttonwood Park Zoo’s Zoo Choo, and so much more!

Confirmed Participants for this year’s event include:

• New Bedford Police Department K9 & Dive Team
• New Bedford Fire Department & Crash Truck
• Sherrif’s Department Mobile Command Center
• Gonsalves Tae Kwon Do
• Dan D’Onfro World Class Kempo
• Buttonwood Park Zoo Choo Rides
• US Coast Guard Reserve and Coastie
• Antique Fire Truck Rides
• Community Nurse
• Chiropractic USA
• Away Cafe
• Ben & Jerry’s
• Center Stage Dance Studio

Confirmed aircraft on display:

• Avenger
• Waco UPF 7
• T-6
• Stearman
• Citabria Explorer
• Russian Sukhoi
• RV-8
• SN-J
• Phenom Jet

For more information and up-to-date details check out the Fun Day website.

The City of New Bedford Office of Housing and Community Development and the Fall River and New Bedford Housing Partnership, launched a new website designed to provide both prospective homebuyers and homeowners with a full range of information.

At www.frnbhp.com, homebuyers can access information including upcoming homebuyer education classes, down payment assistance programs and mortgage programs.  The information is provided to empower homebuyers to make the best decisions regarding purchasing a new home and to share tools that can help them to save money.  Existing homeowners can find out information on low interest loans and grants to help make needed repairs to their homes.  Visitors to the website may also access information about affordable properties for sale in New Bedford and Fall River through a lottery program.

The “News & Events” section of the site will be updated regularly with housing related events and classes in the New Bedford and Fall River area. The website contains links to all of the participating agencies including local lenders and social service agencies that can assist with credit counseling, tenant counseling, legal assistance and foreclosure prevention counseling.

The Fall River and New Bedford Housing Partnership participating agencies include: BankFive; BayCoast Bank, Bristol County Savings Bank; Bristol Elder Services; Catholic Social Services; Fall River Community Development Agency; Fall River Municipal Credit Union; Fannie Mae; First Citizens’ Federal Credit Union; MassHousing; Mechanics Cooperative Bank; Money Management International; Neighborhood Housing Services of the South Shore; City of New Bedford Office of Housing & Community Development; South Coastal Counties Legal Services; South Shore Housing; and St. Anne’s Credit Union.

The Fall River and New Bedford Housing Partnership, founded in 2007, was formed to address the housing and foreclosure crisis.  The Partnership provides assistance to individuals and families facing a risk of foreclosure by providing foreclosure prevention counseling, as well as educating consumers about financial literacy, credit worthiness and innovative loan products, including purchase and rehabilitation programs.

For additional information, please visit the new website at www.frnbhp.com or contact the City of New Bedford Office of Housing and Community Development at 508-979-1500.

The Whaling City Clippers today announced that the team will be holding its first team meeting of the 2012 season. Any and all current or prospective players are invited to attend. This will be the first meeting to prepare for the 2012 Whaling City Clippers as they enter their second-consecutive year in the highly-competitive New England Football League’s AAA Conference.

“We finished the 2011 season with our first playoff win in AAA and have added to a strong core of returning players who have dedicated themselves to improving upon last year’s performance,” said Mike Arguin, General Manager. “Interest in the team has never been higher. Last year we had nearly 100 players express an interest in playing for us and we expect to surpass that number this year. Only 50-60 players will have what it takes to make the final cut,” continued Arguin. A number of players have already signed up through the team’s website.

The meeting will be held on Wednesday, April 5th at 7:30PM in the auditorium at Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School, 1121 Ashley Boulevard in New Bedford, MA.

The goals of this first team meeting will be to begin the sign-up process and to communicate the goals of the team both on and off the field. Topics will include an introduction to the 2012 coaching staff, the outlook for the NEFL’s AAA Conference, the team’s player requirements and expectations, conditioning camp and practice schedule for 2012.

There is a non-refundable $25 sign-up fee for players interested in signing-up with the team. Players may pre-register on the team website at: http://whalingcityclippers.com/contact-us/player-inquiry/.

The City of New Bedford has announced that the Annual Easter Egg Hunt will be held at Brooklawn Park at 2 pm, on Saturday, March 31^st.  The event is open to children ages 1-12 years and will include a variety of eggs filled with goodies for all participants.

The day will be comprised of an egg hunt, plenty of games including an egg toss, egg rolling competition, an egg relay, and more.  Children are invited to take a picture with the Easter Bunny as well.  The Annual Easter Egg Hunt is sponsored by the City of New Bedford Mayor’s Office, Parks, Recreation & Beaches, Community Development Block Grant Program, Child Development and Education Inc., and St. Joseph’s Early Childhood Academy Inc.

For more information and to register your child as a participant please call the Administrative Offices of Parks, Recreation and Beaches prior to the event at (508) 961-3015.