“On Friday, June 21, 2024, at approximately 10:02PM, Acushnet Police responded to New England Farms gas station/convenience store at 158 Main Street, Acushnet in response to a report of an armed robbery involving a firearm.

According to information gathered at the scene, the suspect dressed in all black with his sweatshirt hood up, a mask covering the lower portion of his face, and wearing gloves entered the store. He immediately brandished a firearm and demanded money from the clerk. After receiving the cash from the register, the suspected exited the store and was last seen heading toward Wing Road.

Information gathered at the scene led officers to identify a suspect associated with a nearby residence. Officers then went to 170 Main Street. After a brief conversation with the resident, he allowed officers to search the home. At 11:35PM, officers located the suspect hiding in a bedroom closet. He was taken into custody without incident. Among the items also recovered was the cash believed to be from the robbery as well as the clothing and the Glock replica BB pistol used in the robbery.

Arrested was 36-year-old James E. Stanzione with a last known address of 162 Brooklawn Court in New Bedford.

Stanzione is being charged with robbery while armed with a firearm & masked (MGL Chapter 265 section 17). He was also taken into custody on three unrelated outstanding arrest warrants. He was set to be arraigned in New Bedford District Court on Monday morning, June 24, 2024.

“This demonstrates the diligence and teamwork that exemplifies the Acushnet Police Department,” said Acushnet Police Chief Christopher Richmond. “All officers performed admirably in quickly apprehending an armed criminal.

I also want to thank the officers from the Fairhaven and Mattapoisett Police Departments that assisted at the scene. This is yet another example of the dangers the region’s police officers regularly face.”-Acushnet Police Department.

“Dream Out Loud is recruiting for our FREE Summer Nights Program for middle and high school youth who are interested in songwriting, digital music production, creative writing, digital art and graphic design.

Classes start on July 9, 2024 and will be held on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 6:00pm – 8:00pm through August 22nd.

Please email information@dreamoutloudnow.org to request an application.

We are also having an open house sign up session on Saturday, July 6th anytime from 12pm – 4pm at Dream Out Loud, located at the Kilburn Mill, 127 West Rodney French Blvd in New Bedford, Suite 2-64.

Please SHARE with any youth who may be interested!”

Dream Out Loud photo.

Dream Out Loud photo.

Dream Out Loud photo.

Dream Out Loud photo.

Dream Out Loud photo.

Dream Out Loud photo.

“DARTMOUTH, MA – On Sunday, June 23, 2024, at approximately 2:50 p.m., Dartmouth Police responded to a call at the Dartmouth Mall, located at 200 N Dartmouth Mall, regarding a stabbing in the parking lot outside of Five Below.

After investigating, Police believe the altercation was pre-arranged over social media. Upon arrival, officers located a 16-year-old juvenile male from New Bedford with what appeared to be non-life-threatening stab wounds.

Police located the other juvenile involved, a 16-year-old male from Fall River, at Lowes, 55 Faunce Corner Mall Road, after he fled the scene on a bicycle.

Both individuals involved in the stabbing were transported to a local hospital. They are both being arrested and charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. The incident is still under investigation, and additional charges may be forthcoming.”-Dartmouth Police Department

Eligible New Bedford Residents Seeking to Purchase First Home in City May Receive Up to $25,000 in Down Payment, Closing Cost Assistance.

“NEW BEDFORD – Mayor Jon Mitchell announced an enhancement of the City’s first-time homebuyer program Monday morning that will provide up to $25,000 in down payment and other assistance for eligible buyers.

Among other eligibility requirements, the property being purchased must be in New Bedford, and the buyers must be current New Bedford residents.

“Expanding the first-time homebuyer program will help New Bedford residents put down roots and grow wealth in our City,” Mayor Mitchell said. “I want to thank our federal delegation for supporting our efforts to make housing more attainable for our residents.”

City of New Bedford photo.

Eligible first-time homebuyers must have household income at or below 120% of the area median income, and must commit to living in the property as their primary residence for five years. All properties purchased through the program must pass a visual inspection to determine whether the property is lead safe and compliant with building and safety codes.

Buyers must also take a first-time homebuyer workshop approved by the Citizens’ Housing and Planning Association, and if purchasing a multifamily home, must additionally take a landlord education class.

City employees, including those at the Police, Fire and School departments, are eligible for an additional $10,000 for up to $35,000 in assistance.

This enhanced program may be combined with additional first-time homebuyer initiatives, such as the City’s existing Neighborhoods First program, which assists those with household incomes below 80% of area median income, as well as MassHousing’s homeownership programs.

In addition to the expanded first-time homebuyer program, the City is launching a new hybrid education series to inform first-time homebuyers of the process. The classes will be a mix of online and in-person sessions, and will be approved by the CHPA.

Promoting home ownership is one of the pillars of the City’s comprehensive housing plan Building New Bedford: Strategies to Promote Attainable Housing for All in a Thriving New Bedford. Following the plan, the City’s Office of Housing and Community Development continues to promote home ownership, facilitate new housing production across all income levels, update regulatory framework, and more. There are currently more than 700 new units of housing in development across New Bedford at all income levels.

“We are excited to launch this expansion of our programming for first-time homebuyers, a significant component of our Building New Bedford housing plan” said Joshua Amaral, Director of the City’s Office of Housing and Community Development. “Not only will this help make residents’ dreams of homeownership more attainable, but as they move into their new homes, their apartments will become available to future renters as well.”

The first-time homebuyer expansion is funded through the American Rescue Plan Act.

Additional ARPA funds are also being allocated to assist eligible homebuyers with repairs and to bolster existing home repair programs offered through the City OHCD.

Full information about the program and the upcoming first-time homebuyer education class is available on the Office of Housing and Community Development’s website, https://www.newbedford-ma.gov/community-development/, or by calling the office at 508-979-1500.”-City of New Bedford.

From the City of New Bedford Health Department: Update: Beaches are open Monday, June 24, as test results show safe water quality. City beaches are great places to cool down and enjoy summer, so head down and take a dip in the water.

Beaches were closed yesterday due to water quality issues related to excessive rainfall and overflow.

The Health Department tests the water quality of all public swimming beaches in New Bedford at least once a week, following standards set by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.

New Bedford’s water quality tests are conducted by the city’s Municipal Marine Laboratory and follow Massachusetts Department of Public Health standards. Learn more online at: www.newbedford-ma.gov/health-department/.

UPDATED at 8:30am Tuesday, June 25:

Massachusetts Environmental Police Col. Patrick Moran was patroling the New Bedford waterfront when he spotted what were clearly undersized fish about the be processed. He made the plant immediately cease operations so he could confirm that the fish were indeed under the legal limit of 16 inches.

3,000 out of the 11,000 total pounds were determined to in violation of state law.

The trawler responsible for the cartch was the F/V Fisherman owned by M & P Fishing Corp. The M & P refer to the owners Mario Ribeiro and Pedro Cura. They unloaded their catch at the BASE Seafood Auction on Wednesday night when it was then sold to a process plant. The captain’s name and the processing plant have not been made public.

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“Massachusetts Environmental Police officers measure Haddock that was offloaded by an offshore dragger to a processer in New Bedford.

Over 3000 pounds were found to be below the legal size limit of 16 inches.

The vessel Captain will have his day in court and the illegal fish was donated to various food pantries to help those in need.”-Massachusetts Environmental Police.

Massachusetts Environmental Police photo.

Buying a home can bring a sense of joy, satisfaction, and accomplishment. But with rising prices in the local housing market combined with today’s uncertain economy, not everyone will have the opportunity to experience the excitement that comes with homeownership. This can be especially true when considering wealth differences in our South Coast community.

That’s why BayCoast Mortgage www.baycoastmortgage.com), a leading lender in Southern New England, is proud to announce it is participating in an exciting new program that aims to increase homeownership opportunities throughout our community, with the goal of promoting a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive home-buying environment.

That new program is called Lift Up Homeownership.

Initiated by FHLBank Boston, the Lift Up program provides funding to member financial institutions, including BayCoast Mortgage, to award down payment and closing cost assistance grants of up to $50,000 to people of color including Black/African American, American Indian, Alaska Native, Asian (Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander), Hispanic, or Latino borrowers earning up to 120% of the area median income (AMI) and are first-time homebuyers.

Lift Up was put in place to address barriers that many people of color face when purchasing a home, including limited savings for a down payment and the racial financial gap that exists in many area cities and towns.

“As part of the BayCoast family, it is our mission to provide exceptional service and financial solutions for our community,” said Nicholas L. Christ, President and CEO of BayCoast Mortgage. “Our partnership with FHLBank Boston will help expand affordable housing opportunities in the South Coast communities we serve by offering critical down payment and closing cost assistance. We’re proud to assist our neighbors as they pursue homeownership and the American Dream.”

A total of $500,000 is available through Lift Up Homeownership, which is a purchase-only program for one-to-four unit properties located in New England. Grants will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.

For further details about the program and to learn if you may qualify, please call BayCoast Mortgage at 877-466-2678 or visit our website at baycoastmortgage.com.

About BayCoast Mortgage

BayCoast Mortgage Company, LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of BayCoast Bank, serving MA, RI, CT, NH, PA, NJ, MD, VA, SC, NC, and FL, offering a wide variety of home mortgage products, including FHA, VA, Land, Construction, Conforming and Jumbo Loans. Visit www.baycoastmortgage.com or call 877-466-2678.

DARTMOUTH, MA – On Sunday, June 23, 2024 at approximately 2:50 p.m., Dartmouth Police responded to the Dartmouth Mall located at 200 N Dartmouth Mall, regarding a possible stabbing in the parking lot outside of Five Below.

Upon arrival, officers located a victim with what appeared to be non-life-threatening stab wounds. The victim was transported to a local hospital and a suspect has been taken into custody. Both involved individuals are reported to be juveniles.

An eyewitness reported that several kids took a SRTA bus to the mall to fight. After they began fighting one allegedly pulled out a knife and stabbed the other in the head/ear area then fled fled on a bike with other kids, the the Best Buy plaza. The kid that was stabbed walked to the Five Below store trying to stem the blood from his wound.

Other witnesses stated that several kids could be seen recording the fight and one was already recording when he got off the bus.

The scene is currently active, and detectives are investigating the incident.”

The U.S. National weather Service in Boston issued a Tornado Watch for central, western and northeastern Massachusetts until 8 PM this evening. Any storms that develop this afternoon/evening will bring the risk of damaging winds, large hail and tornadoes. Make sure to have a way to receive warnings, especially if you’ve got any outdoor plans today.

All New Bedford recreational beach areas are closed to swimming today, Sunday, June 23, due to the heavy rainfall Sunday morning and possible CSO activity.

Residents can still enjoy the sand and other recreational opportunities at City beaches Sunday, but they are closed to swimming.

The beaches will reopen to swimming pending the results of water sampling at city beaches later Sunday. A notification will be issued when the beaches are reopened to swimming.

New Bedford’s water quality tests are conducted by the city’s Municipal Marine Laboratory and follow Massachusetts Department of Public Health standards. Learn more online at:
www.newbedford-ma.gov/health-department/.