Due to the expected frigid temps, coupled with high winds and precipitation the overflow will be opened tonight. All inquiries can be forwarded to Sister Rose House and 1-800-homeless.

All guests should plan to arrive for 6:00pm and the cutoff time will be 8:30pm. Dinner will be served between 6:00pm and 7:30pm and we wrap up between 9:45pm and 10pm.

As a reminder, the overflow will be activated on nights that the temperature is expected to be at 28 degrees or less. If the temperature were to drop below 28 at 4 or 5:00am rather than 7 or 8:00pm as an example, it doesn’t ensure that the overflow would open. All guests are expected to get up at 5:00 am and exit the premises by 6 or 7:00am.

Also, precipitation or snow alone doesn’t ensure that the overflow will open but are taken into consideration coupled with the temperatures. We also view the feel like temps, so as an example if the temperature was expected to be at 30 degrees but the wind-chill coupled with rain or snow presents or “feels like” 25 degrees then the overflow would be activated.

Every year we always have grey area days but we do the best in our judgment to make the right call. On days that we are expected to open an email blast will be sent by 12pm.

Also, 1-800-homeless will notify any callers if the overflow will be open on expected days. This will be our 4th season and with all the challenges at any given time, we are hopeful to continue safe operations and save lives, especially on the coldest nights. We also are looking for extra help, especially if the number of guests expected on any given night reaches 30. We also have 25 guests on the main floor so manpower is very important.

New Bedford Fire Chief Paul Coderre, Jr. issued the following statement today regarding the Fire Department’s so-called ‘rolling blackout’ policy:

“Beginning in March 2020, the New Bedford Fire Department (NBFD) will end so-called fire company ‘rolling blackouts,’ the practice of taking one of the City’s ten fire companies out of service on a rotating daily basis.

The City’s ongoing financial pressures have required the NBFD to adopt variations of a blackout policy on a regular basis since 2009, including the expansion of the policy in January 2016 as federal SAFER grant funding ended. At its peak the SAFER grant funded 70 positions, or about one-third of the entire Fire Department. Like New Bedford, blackouts have been employed by other municipalities as a way of recalibrating spending in the wake of the last recession.

In light of fiscal pressures on the City and concerns expressed by the New Bedford Fire Fighters Association, Mayor Jon Mitchell tasked the current NBFD leadership last year with evaluating the current blackout policy and exploring alternatives that would allow the NBFD to maintain necessary response levels with existing financial resources. After careful evaluation, the NBFD leadership has determined that although the use of blackouts has not compromised the department’s responsiveness, the practice has resulted in certain negative consequences.

First, the use of blackouts has proven to be administratively cumbersome. The blackout policy requires time and resources to administer. The deactivation of fire companies on a rotating basis requires staff to devote significant time and attention to managing the daily re-assignment of personnel. The time consumed by staff administering the blackout policy could be much better spent focusing on training, fire prevention, and other important functions.

Second, the practice generates Fire Department overtime costs to the City. The projected NBFD overtime deficit for the current fiscal year is approximately $800,000.

Third, the blackouts have undermined firefighter morale. Under the blackout policy, firefighters and officers are regularly re-assigned to other companies based in other stations. This creates a hassle for firefighters, as they may be required from time to time to transport personal gear from their assigned station.

Ending the blackouts by fulling funding ten fire companies was considered, but was determined to be financially unrealistic. The City’s Office of the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) has estimated that funding an additional company would cost the city $2.7 million annually. Appropriating an additional $2.7 million from the City’s General Fund every year is well beyond the City’s financial means.

Therefore, NBFD leadership has recommended that in order to maintain adequate fire coverage, and end the practice of blackouts, the NBFD will decommission Engine #11, which is housed at 754 Brock Avenue in the City’s South End. Engine #11 will be placed in reserve status. No layoffs will result from this change; firefighters and officers currently assigned to Engine #11 will be redeployed to other fire companies based on existing personnel protocols.

The NBFD has determined that the response level along the Brock Avenue corridor area will not vary materially from the current level because the response area of Engine #6 (based at 151 Purchase Street) significantly overlaps the response area of Engine #11. Moreover, the scheduled opening of the South End Public Safety Center on Brock Avenue in the Spring of 2021 will shift further south the location of both Engine #6 and Ladder #3.

With the discontinuance of blackouts, the Department has estimated a reduction in OT spending next fiscal year (FY2021) of as much as $400,000-500,000.

In addition, the reassignment process will allow the NBFD Fire Prevention Unit to expand by two positions. The strengthening of Fire Prevention reflects the Department’s renewed emphasis on using preventative measures to proactively reduce fire risk and improve public safety.”

–New Bedford Fire Chief Paul Coderre, Jr.

Stargazers and skywatchers will be treated to three supermoons this year, with the first one appearing this weekend, February 7-9th.

A full moon is one that is at its closest point to earth and a supermoon is one that appears a little larger than a regular full moon. What makes this one particularly special is that the moon will begin to wax Friday night and eventually reach its highest point in the sky at 2:33 a.m. ET early Sunday morning which means we’ll enjoy a full weekend of skywatching.

This specific “snow moon” has been important to a variety of cultures for thousands of years and has many monikers including Hunger Moon, Storm Moon, the Full Moon of Tu B’Shevat and the Chinese Lantern Festival Moon. It is the first full moon of the new Chinese New Year, which signifies the end of Chinese New Year celebrations and the day of the Chinese Lantern Festival.

In addition, it signals the start of Jewish celebrations of Tu BiShvat, known as “New Year of the Trees,” and coincides with Magha Puja, the Buddhist festival that commemorates the gathering of 1,250 of the Buddhists to hear a famous sermon by the Buddha more than 2,500 years ago.

A special event indeed!

A Quincy man has been sentenced to Life in Prison after a jury convicted him of brutally murdering a Marshfield man in his own home, Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy J. Cruz and Marshfield Police Chief Phil Tavares announced today.

Jurors began hearing trial testimony on January 7 and deliberated four hours before finding Michael Moscaritolo, 37, of Quincy, guilty today of First Degree Murder in the death of 45 year-old Robert McKenna. Plymouth Superior Court Judge C.J. Moriarty sentenced Moscaritolo to serve Life in Prison without the possibility of Parole.

“Rob McKenna was terrorized and left to die that day in 2015 and Michael Moscaritolo was the ringleader who orchestrated his massacre,” DA Cruz said. “This has always been about getting justice for Rob. Through three trials and this re-trial, Rob’s family spent day after day in the courtroom listening to excruciatingly painful details of their loved one’s murder. I hope that with this verdict they finally find some peace and are comforted by their memories of Rob’s positive attitude, adventurous spirit, and the joy that he brought to their family.”

Marshfield Police Chief Phil Tavares said, “This is the fourth time the McKenna family has had to endure the details of the brutal, senseless murder of their loved one. Now, finally, some sense of justice is served on all three individuals responsible for his death.”

On September 16, 2015, Marshfield Police received a 911 call reporting the death of McKenna, who was discovered in his home at 190 Damon’s Point Road by a friend. McKenna was pronounced dead at the scene and his body was taken to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for autopsy, where the Medical Examiner ruled the death a homicide and identified the cause of death to be exsanguination due to injuries to McKenna’s right arm that severed large blood vessels and lacerations of the head.

An investigation by detectives assigned to the Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office and Marshfield Police yielded several leads in the case, including the discovery of items of clothing, footwear and gloves at the scene and along the suspected route that the perpetrators took to leave the scene. State Police Crime Lab testing confirmed the presence of the victim’s blood and DNA on an item found by investigators.

Investigators identified Moscaritolo, Mark C. O’Brien and James W. Ferguson, both now 44 years old, as the three men who broke into McKenna’s house in the early morning hours of September 16th and robbed and murdered him. O’Brien is believed to have been the driver of the car used in this incident.

On May 2, 2019, after a several week trial, a jury found Moscaritolo guilty on one count each of Aggravated Burglary and Unarmed Robbery, and five counts of Larceny of a Firearm, but failed to reach a verdict on the homicide charge and a mistrial was declared. The Commonwealth vowed to retry the case.

“Massachusetts State Police Detectives together with Marshfield Police worked tirelessly to solve this murder,” DA Cruz said. “This crime was complex with several defendants and I commend the excellent police work of investigators to close out this case and bring all of those involved with committing this horrific murder to justice.”

In addition to the Murder charge, today Moscaritolo was sentenced to serve 30-40 years in State Prison to run concurrent with the State Prison sentence on the Aggravated Burglary and Unarmed Robbery charges. He was also sentenced to serve 4-5 years in State Prison on five counts of Larceny of a Firearm to run concurrent.

O’Brien and Ferguson were each convicted on one count each of Murder, Larceny and gun charges. They were both sentenced to serve Life without the Possibility of Parole.

Thirty-five year old Lauren Kalil of Quincy pleaded guilty previously to one count each of Accessory after the Fact to Murder and Misleading a Police Officer. Her sentencing has not been scheduled.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Christine Kiggen, Jessica Elumba and Kathleen Kramer, and was investigated by State Police Detectives assigned to the Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office, Marshfield Police, State Police Crime Scene Services, the State Police Crime Lab, State Police Search and Rescue Team, State Police K-9 Officers and the State Police Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Team.

The following is from the Fairhaven Police Department Facebook page:

“Can anyone identify this character? He’s running a scam throughout the local area. We’d love to think he’s only trying to replace his slides with a pair of dress shoes for this suit but it goes beyond that. Any help from all of you is appreciated! Call (508) 997-7421.”

Meet Jonathan Carvalho, 28-year-old Public Information Officer & Education Policy Advisor for the City of New Bedford.

Jonathan’s family, like many others, arrived in the New Bedford area from Portugal, his family making their way here 100 years ago. He was born and raised in New Bedford and grew up with a passion for history, reading, and writing. He wanted to use that passion in a career but had no interest in becoming an English major so he decided to study Journalism, where he went on to get a bachelor’s degree from Umass.

He took many opportunities that helped him build his career, taking an internship in marketing with KVH Industries, a Development internship with the New Bedford Whaling Museum, Community Development Intern with the City of Holyoke before briefly becoming a Development Coordinator at the Boys & Girls Club of Taunton. While taking every internship opportunity that he could, he was also working as a freelance writer for the Standard-Times before being hired for a staff position.

While working for the Standard-Times his focus was on covering New Bedford City Hall to inform the residents of the city about what was happening with the local government. A new position opened up with the New Bedford Public School system that he took to become the Community & Public Affairs Manager. He was enthusiastic to be apart of the new efforts that were being made to reform and improve the schools, he saw it as an opportunity to be able to tell the stories of the thousands of kids and the hundreds of teachers and staff that work hard every day to provide a great education. After a few years of working with the New Bedford Public School system, he took a new position with the city as the Public Information Officer.

“I’m really happy about how the way things are going in New Bedford and I’m excited to see them continue. I want to stay in New Bedford, it’s home and I think it’s under-appreciated but I really love it here. There’s no place I’d rather be.”

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Faces of New Bedford is a New Bedford Guide project being undertaken by Josh Souza. If you’d like to nominate someone or ask a question you can inquire with him through email at josh@newbedfordguide.com.

Faces of New Bedford began as a project by Colton Simmons. You can find Colton on Instagram: https://instagram.com/simmonscolton.

Seth M. Bourget, 39, of Woodstock, Conn., a Senior Correctional Officer at U.S. Bureau Prisons Federal Medical Center in Devens (FMC Devens), was indicted on two counts of deprivation of civil rights under color of law. Joseph M. Lavorato, 51, of Wilmington, Mass., a Lieutenant at FMC Devens was indicted on obstruction of an official proceeding and destruction and falsification of records in a federal investigation. Bourget and Lavorato were arrested this morning.

“These corrections officers abused their authority and the public’s trust by allegedly injuring a vulnerable inmate and then attempting to cover it up,” said United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling. “This conduct is an affront to the law enforcement officers who serve honorably every day and fulfill their duties with fairness and integrity. Today’s charges reflect the Justice Department’s commitment to prosecuting official misconduct.”

“The alleged use of excessive force by Correctional Officer Bourget toward an inmate and the alleged follow-up actions and poor judgment of Lieutenant Lavorato in attempting to cover up the incident are extremely troubling. This kind of conduct directly contradicts the oath that federal Correctional Officers take – to serve and protect, and to uphold the law,” said Guido Modano, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General New York Field Office.

“Great power and responsibility are sewn into a Bureau of Prisons uniform. But that uniform and the oath taken by those who wear it is not a license to use excessive force on a vulnerable prisoner, or to allegedly cover up a subordinate’s reprehensible behavior by attempting to destroy evidence of that abuse,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “Civil rights are everyone’s rights, and we will continue to investigate anyone who violates their professional responsibility to keep others safe and secure.”

According to the indictment, on or about June 18, 2019, Bourget, dropped his knee on an inmate’s head while the inmate was handcuffed and restrained on the floor in the mental health housing unit, resulting in bodily injury to the inmate. It is further alleged that Bourget struck the handcuffed inmate with a protective shield with excessive force, in a locked cell, injuring the inmate.

Lieutenant Lavorato allegedly obstructed the investigation into U.S. Bureau of Prison’s review of the use of the force by purposely failing to timely and accurately report the nature and extent of inmate’s injuries and intentionally concealing the existence a video recording of the incident in an official report. It is alleged that Lavorato destroyed a video recording of the incident, and then falsely stated in a report that the security camera was not operational at the time due to a dead battery.

The charge of willful deprivation of civil rights under color of law provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, two years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of obstruction of an official proceeding and the destruction and falsification of a record in a federal investigation provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney Lelling, DOJ-OIG SAC Modano, and FBI Boston SAC Bonavolonta made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Neil J. Gallagher, Jr. of Lelling’s Public Corruption Unit is prosecuting the case.

Last night at about 8:35 p.m., Trooper Michael Barrera assigned to State Police- Sturbridge was on patrol in the area of Exit 3A on Route 84 in Sturbridge when he observed a 2017 Toyota Sienna minivan merge onto the off-ramp at a clocked speed of 50 miles per hour. The speed limit on the ramp is 30 miles per hour. Trooper Berrera activated the cruiser’s lights and stopped the minivan on Route 20 eastbound prior to the Shell Gas Station.

As Trooper Berrera conversed with the operator, ALEXANDER KONG, 40 of Bayside, N.Y., and informed him of the reason for the stop, Troopers Joel Daoust, James Melberg, and Matthew Gray arrived on scene to assist.

Troopers received consent to search the vehicle. The results of the search revealed KONG was concealing more than 362 pounds of a substance believed to be marijuana inside three cardboard boxes, seven duffel bags and seven trash bags. Each one-pound marijuana package was heat-sealed. Troopers immediately placed KONG under arrest for trafficking marijuana and his vehicle was towed from the scene after a thorough search. KONG was also cited for speeding.

KONG was transported to State Police-Sturbridge for booking where bail was set at $15,040, which he was unable to post. KONG was transferred to State Police-Charlton, where he was held until his arraignment today in Dudley District Court.

Two New Bedford men who brought a loaded firearm to the New Bedford District Court this past June were both convicted of illegal firearm offenses last week and sentenced to serve two-and-a-half years in jail, Bristol County District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn III announced.

Alante Brown, 19, and Manny Andrews, 26, both pleaded guilty in Fall River Superior Court to indictments charging them with carrying an illegal firearm and unlawful possession of ammunition. In addition to the jail sentence, Judge Renee Dupuis also sentenced both men to two years of supervised probation, which will commence upon their release from jail. The cases were prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Patrick Driscoll.

On Tuesday, June 19, 2019, New Bedford District Court was open for business during regular work hours. Massachusetts State Trooper Keith Ledin was due to testify in a trial at the court. At approximately 10:15 a.m., Trooper Ledin was parked on the south side of Kempton Street in a black, unmarked State Police Ford sedan-style cruiser. During this time, Trooper Ledin observed a male, later determined to be Manny Andrews. Trooper Ledin observed Andrews walking with three additional males from the steps of the New Bedford District towards Trooper Ledin’s cruiser.

Trooper Ledin observed Andrews and the three other males walking in a tight group with serious looks on their faces and minimal conversation between the group members. Trooper Ledin further observed the group to be looking around as if they were looking for someone or something. Based on his training and experience, Trooper Ledin believed the group appeared to be on alert and constantly aware of their surroundings. Trooper Ledin observed the group of males walk past his cruiser and walk up to a white Honda vehicle.

For approximately 20 minutes, Trooper Ledin observed the four males continue to display the same serious and alert behavior as they walked back and forth from the Courthouse to the Honda and a gray Nissan Altima parked two car lengths behind the Honda. Trooper Ledin then observed Mr. Andrews separate from the group while on the courthouse steps and walk towards the intersection of Hill and Kempton Streets. Trooper Ledin also observed another male, who was later determined to be Alante’ Brown, wearing black pants and a hooded sweatshirt walking south on Hill Street to the corner of Hill and Kempton Streets.

Trooper Ledin witnessed Brown and Andrews meet on the corner of Hill and Kempton Streets, engage in a short conversation, and then walk in a westerly direction on Kempton Street toward the gray Nissan Altima at the driver’s side door. Looking through his driver’s side mirror, Trooper Ledin observed Andrews open the rear driver’s side door of the Altima, reach into the back seat, and appear to retrieve an item from the back seat. Trooper Ledin then witnessed Andrews hand an item to Brown that appeared to be a fanny pack with a belt. Trooper Ledin then watched as Brown stepped back from the Altima with the fanny pack and back into a grassy area between two buildings. Trooper Ledin observed Brown look around, pull up his sweatshirt, click the belt in his front with the fanny pack in the rear and cover the fanny pack with his sweatshirt.

Trooper Ledin observed Brown and Andrews continue to walk to the steps in front of courthouse and appear to talk to a group of other individuals. Trooper Ledin then observed Brown “post up” against the wall to the side of entrance to the courthouse. Brown’s back was flat against the wall, feet away from the door to the courthouse. None of the other individuals that Brown had previously spoken with were similarly situated. This observation was significant to Trooper Ledin as he believed Brown was waiting for someone that was inside the courthouse.

At this point, Trooper Ledin made a phone call to New Bedford Police Sergeant Shane Ramos, who was located inside of the courthouse, to inform the sergeant of his observations. After learning that New Bedford Gang Unit Detectives Lorenzo Gonzalez and Robert Decunha were working, Trooper Ledin called them and explained his observations.

Detective Gonzalez was aware that weeks prior to June 18, 2019, two shooting occurred in the city involving west end and south end gang members. In one of the shootings, a United Front Gang member was identified as a suspect. In Detective Gonzalez’s experience, inter-gang violence often times results in retaliatory violence.

Shortly after Trooper Ledin spoke with the Gang Unit detectives, Detectives Gonzalez and Decunha arrived in an unmarked cruiser and parked near the entrance to the courthouse. A group of males were standing between Brown and the detectives as they exited their cruiser. Detective Gonzalez saw the person described by Trooper Ledin and recognized him as Alante Brown, known to be a United Front Gang member that does not possess a license to carry firearms.

Detectives Decunha and Gonzalez walked around the group in opposite directions. As they approached Brown, Detective Decunha said, “Hey Alante.” At this point, Brown took two steps in an attempt to flee but ran into Det. Gonzalez. Brown and Det. Gonzalez fell to the ground as other law enforcement quickly arrived.

Officer Nelson Goncalves felt the fanny pack and informed Det. Gonzalez that it contained a gun. The fanny pack was removed, opened, and officers found a black Smith & Wesson Bodyguard .380 caliber firearm. Brown was put in hand cuffs and arrested. Andrews was arrested trying to leave the scene.

“I commend the actions of Trooper Keith Ledine for preventing what could have been a very violent and dangerous situation at the New Bedford District Court. Two men affiliated with a local gang bringing a loaded gun to court is an example of extreme lawlessness that could have resulted in serious injury or death to anyone at the courthouse. Trooper Ledine fortunately took note of very suspicious activity by the two defendants. He acted in a very professional manner to diffuse a very dangerous situation. We owe him, and his colleagues with the New Bedford Police Department, a debt of gratitude,” District Attorney Quinn said.

Just before midnight yesterday Trooper Patrick Dolan, assigned to the State Police Barracks in Springfield, was patrolling Route 91 Southbound in Longmeadow when he observed a black Acura sedan traveling at approximately 90 miles per hour. The posted speed limit at this location is 65 mph. Trooper Dolan caught up to the vehicle and also noticed the registration was revoked. He activated his emergency lights and stopped the vehicle at the 0.8 mile marker.

Upon stopping the vehicle Trooper Dolan approached it and identified the operator as HANER NUNEZ, 21 of Springfield. After informing NUNEZ why he was stopped Trooper Dolan asked him and a passenger to exit the vehicle as it was going to be towed due to the revoked registration.

During the tow inventory, Trooper Dolan located a Bersa Thunder .380 pistol fully loaded with a round in the chamber. NUNEZ does not possess a license to carry firearms and an electronic inquiry revealed the firearm was stolen. Trooper Dolan also located a large plastic containing individual wrapped baggies of a substance believed to be Crack Cocaine and multiple wax packets of a substance believed to be Heroin. Trooper Dane Jobst then arrived on scene to assist Trooper Dolan in placing NUNEZ under arrest.

A search of NUNEZ’s person revealed he was carrying over $1,900 in cash along with two cell phones. It was determined on scene the passenger was unaware of the illegal items and was released from the scene.

NUNEZ was transported to SP-Springfield where he was booked. A bail clerk was contacted and placed a bail amount of $50,000 on NUNEZ. The total amount of narcotics seized was 23 grams of Crack Cocaine and 40 small packets of Heroin. NUNEZ was later transported to the Hampden County House of Correction pending his arraignment at Springfield District Court this morning on the following charges:

1. Possession of a Firearm;
2. Carrying a Loaded Firearm;
3. Possession of a Firearm while in Commission of a Felony;
4. Trafficking in Cocaine;
5. Possession of a Class A Drug with Intent to Distribute;
6. Possession of Ammunition without an FID Card;
7. Operating a Motor Vehicle with a Revoked Registration;
8. Receiving Stolen Property; and
9. Speeding.