A month after the Downtown scavenger hunt, the folks of LocalOracle.com and NewBedfordGuide.com are back at it again with the Downtown Discount Stroll. They have teamed up with Downtown retail stores and restaurants for exclusive discounts for December’s AHA! Starry Night. Pick up discount guides at the following locations: BeJeweled, Calico, Candleworks, Celtic Coffee House, Crystal Garden, Destination Soup, Elaine’s T-shirts, No Problemo, Pour Farm Tavern & TL6 the Gallery.

A list of all discounts will be available in the discount guide and all discounts are available for December’s AHA! Starry Night only. So come out enjoy great discounts, great times and another awesome Aha! Night.

Locations and Discounts

Destination Soup
141 Union St (508) 991-7687
20% off your order

Brick Pizzeria
163 Union Street (508) 999-4943
Free Soft Drink w/ purchase of any full size pizza

Calico
173 Union Street (508) 999-4147
10% off any purchase

Green Bean
40 Purchase Street (508) 984-3300
$1 off $10 Purchase

Judith Klein Art Gallery
752 A Purchase St. (508) 965-7396
10% off $100 or more purchase

Elaine’s Black Whale
767 Purchase Street (508) 999-2166
Buy 2 Children’s T’s Get 1 Free
10% off any purchase

TL6 Gallery
100 William Street (508) 992-8100
10% off any purchase

Navio Artisans Collective
65 William Street (508) 994-1595
10% off any purchase

Artworks!
384 Acushnet Avenue (508) 984-1588
Elves love art. So, if you spot them next AHA! Night December 9, 2010 at ArtWorks! You’ll receive a special gift of 10% off your next class or purchase.
(Not valid on the purchase of gift certificates).

Candleworks Restaurant
72 North Water Street (508) 997-1294
Complimentary Dessert with the purchase of an entrée (Not valid on petite entrée’s)

Bedford Merchant
28 William Street
(508) 997-9194
15% off any purchase

Vetu Gift & Fine Consignment
143 Union Street
(508) 990-8388
20% off any purchase

Moby Dick Retail
27 William Street
(508) 996-1114
15% off any purchase

“NEW BEDFORD – City offices will be closed to the public on Wednesday, June 19, as New Bedford observes the Juneteenth holiday. This includes public libraries. Buttonwood Park Zoo will remain open.

The City of New Bedford was gifted an Official Juneteenth Flag by Human Rights Commissioner Sidney A. Murray II. The flag will be hoisted Tuesday, June 18, as part of the City’s annual flag raising ceremony at 4 p.m. at City Hall.

Juneteenth commemorates the end of slavery in the United States, specifically the date that enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, were finally notified of their emancipation on June 19, 1865, more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation.

Juneteenth was first recognized in Massachusetts in 2007 and was formally designated a state holiday during the summer of 2020. Observance of the holiday began in 2021, and Mayor Jon Mitchell designated Juneteenth a City-observed holiday beginning that year.

Wednesday’s observance will delay residential trash, recycling, bulky pickup, and yard waste routes by one day for customers with normal pickup Wednesday-Friday as there will be no collection on Wednesday. Downtown and Commercial collection will not take place on Wednesday but will remain on schedule for Thursday and Friday. There is no delay in business cardboard pickup.”-City of New Bedford.

“New Bedford — On June 7, 2024, Jeffery E. Riley Stadium at Greater New Bedford Voc-Tech was filled with family, friends, and members of our school community as the Class of 2024 Artisans crossed the stage at our annual graduation ceremony.

The ceremony was opened with a beautiful rendition of the national anthem performed by Jasmyn Duarte, a member of the class of 2024.

The Mistress of Ceremonies was the valedictorian, Faiza Rahaman, and the salutatorian was Kylie Lourenco.

The keynote address was delivered by Mayor Jon Mitchell from the City of New Bedford. He began by acknowledging the efforts and achievements of the graduates, stating, “Your diploma represents a real accomplishment. You had to keep your grades up, you had to choose studying over going out with friends, you had to deal with peer pressure, and lest anyone forgets, having spent your freshman year enduring the disruption of the pandemic, you had to make certain individual and collective sacrifices.” He further encouraged the graduates to “choose not to be spectators in your world, but to be active participants in it,” and emphasized the importance of striving valiantly despite potential criticism, quoting Theodore Roosevelt: “The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood.”

Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School photo.

In his welcome remarks, Superintendent Watson applauded the class of 2024 for their resilience in the face of adversity. He stated, “The past few years have been a testament to your strength and adaptability. The pandemic challenged us all, altering the very fabric of our educational experience. Yet, amidst the uncertainty and change, you not only survived—you thrived. You embraced virtual classrooms, hybrid learning, and the ever-evolving demands of a world in flux. Through it all, you demonstrated that education is not confined to the walls of a classroom; it is a dynamic, ever-changing journey that prepares you for the unpredictable currents of life.”

The presentation of diplomas was conducted by District School Committee Chair, Wayne Oliveira, who congratulated each graduate as they crossed the stage.

Senior Class President Annalise Applebee, Vice President Nia Rodrigues, Secretary Ava Silva, and the other senior class officers played significant roles in organizing the event, ensuring a memorable evening for all.

The evening concluded on a high note, with the graduates and their families celebrating under clear skies. The Class of 2024 leaves Greater New Bedford Voc-Tech with the skills and knowledge to embark on their next journey, ready to make a positive impact on the world.

Congratulations to all our graduates!”-Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School.

Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School photo.

Places that Matter: New Bedford helps prioritize places for preservation, conservation, recreation and affordable housing.

“New Bedford, MA: The Waterfront Historic Area League, Inc. (WHALE) and Trust for Public Land (TPL) are excited to publicly debut a collaborative new project entitled Places that Matter: New Bedford. The project has two years in the making, when the 1772 Foundation and the Island Foundation chose New Bedford for the opportunity to partner with TPL on creating a “greenprint” for the city. A greenprint is a map of places that matter to a community. Creating one starts with community input and leads to state-of-the-art computer models and maps developed using Geographic Information System (GIS) software.

The map-based decision support tool and StoryMap can aid New Bedford community leaders, advocacy groups, and residents in making informed decisions about how to grow while preserving the character, environment, and quality of life in the city. WHALE and TPL surveyed New Bedford residents in English, Spanish, and Portuguese, hosting community outreach and conversations to identify the places that matter to the community. This effort yielded over 200 nominations to Places that Matter, and those sites are included in the final map.

Based on the observations, recollections and local knowledge of the city’s residents, the interactive map identifies:

• Historical and cultural assets
• Opportunities for expanded affordable housing
• Opportunities for open space, parks and public art
• Areas at risk from sea level rise and rising temperatures

The goal of Places That Matter: New Bedford is to better understand how the community values places in New Bedford, and ultimately to help WHALE and others identify sites for future historic preservation and affordable housing efforts. These tools will aid in strategic planning efforts when working to improve the community and meet residents’ needs.

Places that Matter: New Bedford publicly debuted on May 9 as part of the AHA! Night: Preservation Celebration. This tool is free and available for anyone to utilize for their own interest, education, or community advocacy efforts.

The online resources can be accessed through WHALE’s website or directly through TPL at the following links:

Places that Matter

‘Places that Matter’ New Bedford Cultural Conservation Landing Page

Virtual trainings will be held throughout the summer and WHALE will be leading efforts to present the project to interested community groups and organizations. The trainings are free to attend, and are scheduled for June 5 at 12PM and July 10th at 2PM. Please register to attend through WHALE’s website: https://waterfrontleague.org/events/

Places that Matter: New Bedford was funded by The 1772 Foundation, whose mission is to ensure the safe passage of our historic assets to future generations and The Island Foundation, who funds groups that have community-wide recognition and support and demonstrate a positive vision for the present and future of New Bedford.”

“After being deployed for 43 days, Marion Fire Lieutenant Ray Reimold traveled 5,200 miles back home from Maui, Hawaii, where he served as the Operations Section Chief for the Maui County Emergency Management Agency in the wake of one of the most deadliest wildfires in United States history.

In August of 2023, 101 people lost their lives when a wildfire swept through the town of Lahaina. Lieutenant Reimold was deployed under an Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC) which is a mutual aid agreement between all 50 states and US territories during times of disaster.

It is estimated this fire caused $5.5 billion of damage.

To learn more about this ongoing disaster recovery, please click on: https://www.mauirecovers.org/.”-Marion Fire/EMS.

“Southcoast Health is pleased to announce the not-for-profit community health system welcomed seven new providers this month. They will join various specialties across the system including the Breast Care Program, Cardiology, the Hospitalist Program, Oncology, Orthopedic Surgery, Pediatrics and our Visiting Nurse Association (VNA).

Sarah Desilet, NP | Visiting Nurse Association (VNA)

Sarah Desilet earned her Master of Science degree in Nursing as a Family Nurse Practitioner from Regis College in Weston, Massachusetts. She is now joining the Southcoast Health Visiting Nurse Association (VNA) in Palliative Consulting.

Julie Ditata, NP | Breast Care
235 Hanover Street, Fall River, MA

Julie Ditata earned her Master of Science degree in Nursing as an Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner from Maryville University in St. Louis, Missouri, and is certified by the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP). She previously worked at Southcoast Health in primary care and has now joined Southcoast Health’s Breast Center specializing in breast surgery.

Kristen Hall, PA-C | Hospitalist

Kristen Hall earned her Master of Science degree in Physician Assistant Studies from the University of New England, Westbrook College of Health Professions in Portland, Maine. She is NCCPA certified. Kristen is now starting a position as a Hospitalist caring for patients at all three Southcoast Health hospital locations.

Blair Mailloux, NP | Pediatrics
49 State Road, Dartmouth, MA

Blair Mailloux earned her Master of Science degree in Nursing as a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner from Regis College in Weston, Massachusetts. She began working for Southcoast Health in 2014 and more recently worked as a registered nurse at St. Luke’s Hospital on the pediatric and Level II Nursery units. She is now joining Southcoast Health Pediatrics as a Nurse Practitioner.

Catherine Rapp, MD | Orthopedic Surgery
1565 North Main Street, Fall River, MA

Dr. Catherine Rapp earned her Doctor of Medicine degree from the Southern Illinois University School of Medicine before completing her residency in orthopedic surgery at the Naval Medical Center in Portsmouth, Virginia. Dr. Rapp proudly served in the United States Navy where she performed her duties as an orthopedic surgeon at the U.S. Naval Hospital Sigonella in Sicily, Italy, the NATO Role 3 Multinational Medical Unit (MMU) in Kandahar, Afghanistan and at the Naval Hospital in Jacksonville, Florida.

She completed a fellowship in adult shoulder and elbow reconstruction at the Corewell Health William Beaumont University Hospital in Royal Oak, Michigan. Dr. Rapp is now joining Southcoast Health’s Orthopedic, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery practice in Fall River.

Kelsey Soares, NP | Oncology
506 Prospect Street, Fall River, MA
206 Mill Road, Fairhaven, MA

Kelsey Soares earned her Master of Science degree in Nursing from the University of Massachusetts Amherst in Amherst, Massachusetts. She later received her Nursing Post-Master’s Certificate to become a Family Nurse Practitioner from the University of Massachusetts Boston in Boston, Massachusetts. She is now joining Southcoast Health Oncology.

Natasha M. Teixeira, NP | Cardiology
300 Hanover Street, Fall River, MA

Natasha M. Teixeira earned her Master of Science degree in Nursing as an Acute Care Nurse Practitioner from Rhode Island College’s Zvart Onanian School of Nursing in Providence, Rhode Island. She previously worked as a travel critical care registered nurse at Charlton Memorial Hospital and throughout the United States. She now joins Southcoast Health Cardiology as part of the Cardiac Surgery Team.

We are delighted to welcome, Sarah Desilet, Julie Ditata, Kristen Hall, Blair Mailloux, Dr. Catherine Rapp, Kelsey Soares and Natasha M. Teixeira to Southcoast Health.

Their addition to our team is a testament to our commitment of providing exceptional care and service across the South Coast region.

To learn more about our Southcoast Health providers please visit www.southcoast.org/doctors/ or call 1-844-744-5544.

Southcoast Health photo.

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About Southcoast Health
Founded in 1996, Southcoast Health serves communities across southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island as the largest provider of primary and specialty care in the region. The not-for-profit, charitable system includes three acute care hospitals – Charlton Memorial in Fall River, St. Luke’s in New Bedford (a Level II Trauma Center), and Tobey in Wareham, Massachusetts with a physician network of more than 675 providers.

With upward of 7,500 employees, Southcoast Health is the largest employer in southeastern Massachusetts, and one of the largest employers in the Commonwealth, according to the Boston Business Journal. More information is available online at www.southcoast.org.“

“New Bedford Festival Theatre and Producing Artistic Director Dr. Elizabeth Bettencourt have announced the casting for their production of NUNSENSE which will be presented August 9-18, 2024 at the Steeple Playhouse at 159 William St, New Bedford.

“Nunsense is a musical comedy with a book, music, and lyrics by Dan Goggin. The original Off-Broadway production opened December 12, 1985, running for 3,672 performances and becoming the second-longest-running Off-Broadway show in history. The show has since been adapted for television, starring Rue McClanahan, and has spawned six sequels and three spin-offs.”-Wikipedia.

Leading the cast will be Abigail Casey (NBFT’s “Beauty and the Beast”) as the Reverend Mother.

Joining them will be Mackenzie Richard as Sister Robert Anne, Sophia Bonasso as Sister Mary Hubert, Tyler Decouto as Sister Mary Amnesia, and Sophia Ross Alvarez (NBFT’s “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat”) as Sister Mary Leo. Understudying Sister Mary Leo and Sister Mary Amnesia will be Molly Dupre.

The Production will be Directed by Elizabeth Bettencourt, Choreographed by Brooklyn Toli, Music Direction by Jameson Ward, Lighting Design by Timothy Helley.

New Bedford Festival Theatre’s production of NUNSENSE runs August 9-18, 2024 at the Steeple Playhouse.

Tickets are available for $45 and can be purchased online at https://newbedfordfestivaltheatre.ludus.com.”

New Bedford Festival Theatre photo.

“The crew of Engine Company 5 and New Bedford EMS Medic 4 had the opportunity to greet a few special guests this afternoon at Fire Station 5.

At 1:00am on Saturday April 6, Engine 5 and Medic 4 were dispatched to a residence in Sassaquin for a female in labor who was delivering her baby. Engine 5 arrived and assisted mom with the delivery and stimulating the baby. Medic 4, who was returning from St. Luke’s Emergency Department from a previous call arrived two minutes later and assumed care of mom and baby Laiana.

Paramedic Supervisor William Sullivan also responded with Medic 4. A firefighter operated the ambulance en route to St. Luke’s which allows both EMS providers to provide patient care during transport.

Mother Kelly, Laiana, her son Jayden, and aunt came in and visited with both crews. Jayden received a tour of Engine 5 & Medic 4. It was great to see they’re all doing well!

Great work E-5 Gr. D Lt. Eric Hartford, FF Anthony Szklany, FF Christopher Lynch, FF Andrew Bois, Medic 4 Paramedics Lucy Nolan & Aharon Bento, and Paramedic Supervisor William Sullivan.”-New Bedford Fire Department.

New Bedford Fire Department photo.

New Bedford Fire Department photo.

New Bedford Fire Department photo.

New Bedford Fire Department photo.

New Bedford Fire Department photo.

The following is an opinion sent to New Bedford Guide. It does not reflect the opinion of New Bedford Guide, nor is it an OP-ED. In fairness and objectivity, we share opinions from our readers whether we agree or disagree with their opinion.

Do you have a counter opinion to this opinion? Have an opinion about something else? Email us at info@newbedfordguide.com.

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The following is a response to Betty Ussach’s Opinion piece, entitles, “It’s distressing that people support Netanyahu, Trump’s narcissistic, destructive agendas”.

“The constant blaming of everything wrong is Trump’s fault, known as Trump Derangement Syndrome (TDS), is living in a certain author’s gray matter permanently now. Hamas attacking Israel and Israel’s response is somehow interconnected to Trump. Can’t make this up! Trump had every right to exercise all legal options to the bogus charges, many under novel legal theories. We still have due process!

Facebook photo.

But you wouldn’t know that if you only watch TDS news stations which most are. Bibi had every right to defend his country and ensure the enemy is completely defeated, never to be attacked again in an ambush of innocent civilians. Rapes, beheadings and torture are all acceptable to the author, just be compassionate in your response. Shameful! Hamas has taken billions of dollars and used it for war purposes, building tunnels under hospitals and buying weapons all with the intent on destroying Israel, with the support of the Palestinian people.

There isn’t much room for compassion when the enemy butchers your citizens in an unprovoked act of war. The founding principles of any nation are to ensure the safety and sovereignty of its citizens and country. Principles obviously devoid as expressed in the opinion piece. Again, somehow Trump is lumped in with the war as losing international respect for each nation.

What Trump supposedly has to do with the Israel/Hamas conflict is further proof of TDS. Conversely, while Trump was President, the world was at peace, initiated the Abraham Accords and brought great economic improvement to all economies and demographics. Facts not acknowledge by those suffering TDS.

Facebook photo.

The most delusional statement of all is believing the American new media is the most accurate! Now that’s one hallucination! It has been proven over and over that most “main stream” news media, that the author watches, has been proven to lie, misstate, take out of context and distort the truth to continue the hatred of DT.

Russia Gate-False, Laptop-Real, FISA Abuse-True, Hillary falsely started Russia to deflect from her email scandal-True, the list goes on and on, but you wouldn’t know it if you watched Fake News. Hence the continued TDS living in many people’s gray matter.

Lastly, when did it become a “destructive agenda” to put America and Americans first and bring back jobs moved overseas due to cheap labor and little or no environmental regulations to ensure the well being of our citizen’s first? Patriotism is not a destructive agenda! Unfortunately the hatred made people vote personality over policy.

The Fake News did their job, Orange Man Bad! Look what we have now; world wars, inflation, open borders with known terrorists already here, rampant gang crime and soaring energy costs that nobody can afford. The tide is turning and when DJ becomes 47 I hope those suffering from TDS, get help and be prepared for more world peace and God blessing America again.”-Nelson Strebor.

“Lieutenant Ray Reimold deployed to Hawaii!

April 8, 2024: Hawaii Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC) – Maui Hawaii Wildfires Deployment. In response to a State of Hawaii Emergency Mutual Aid Compact (EMAC) request for assistance, and in coordination with Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA), Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection Emergency Responder Staff and Marion Fire Lieutenant Ray Reimold was deployed to the Maui Emergency Operations Center (EOC) to assist the Maui Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) as an Operations Section Chief, to oversee and assist with coordination of Federal, State, and County resources to impacted communities as a result of the 2023 Wildfires in Lahaina.

Ray previously deployed in 2017 as a Critical Infrastructure Branch Director in Florida during the immediate response to Hurricane Irma, and deployed in 2018 as an Incident Safety Officer to Puna Hawaii after an eruption of the Kilauea volcano.”-Marion Fire / EMS.