The city’s high school disciplined more students for fighting than any other school in Massachusetts during the 2021-2022 academic year; experts voice concerns about emotional trauma.
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Posted inEnvironment
New septic regs could cost towns, taxpayers and homeowners a bundle
“No one has said we want a dirtier environment … Where the disagreement is is how we get there, and we were left out — municipalities were left out of the discussion.” — Dartmouth Board of Health Director Chris Michaud
Posted inJack Spillane column
New Bedford surrenders to army of chewing squirrels
This year, for the first time in a decade or so, there are no Christmas lights at Custom House Park. The downtown squirrels evidently ate through the wires for so many years that the DPI has given up, declining to spend “thousands and thousands” of dollars on replacements.
Posted inCommunity Voices
New Bedford fisherman’s essay unleashes flood of comments
“My skipper friend whose family had fished for generations said, simply, that oversight is necessary because the fishermen wouldn’t self-limit their take and were taking everything that they hauled.” — Reader Stephen Mello
Posted inSouth Coast Rail
New Freetown rail station keeps South Coast Rail project on track
The MBTA also has a $403.5 million contract ongoing to extend the Middleborough secondary line through Taunton and into New Bedford. Once completed, that line will feature four new stations.
Posted inJack Spillane column
Ventura offers ‘proof’ of what he calls residency
Ward 3 candidate is now saying the document is “proof” that he lives in New Bedford. That’s fair enough, I guess, as legal proof of his residency. But I don’t think it says anything about whether he lives there on a day-to-day basis.
Posted inInPerson
Rev. Donnie Anderson sees Pilgrim UCC, and New Bedford, as ‘special place’
What I’m emphasizing here … is the fact that they have called a transgender pastor. And part of that is to say: ‘Hey, this is a safe place for folks in the LGBTQ+ community, so safe that this congregation not only says you can come and sit in the pews, but we’ll even call you as pastor.’
Posted inThe Chat with Jack Spillane
Watch: New Bedford’s under-appreciated role in the Underground Railroad
Lee Blake and Timothy Dale Walker will join New Bedford Light columnist Jack Spillane for the latest episode of The Chat on Wednesday, Dec. 7 at 1 p.m. for a free hour-long discussion via Zoom about New Bedford’s place in the Underground Railroad.
Posted inEnvironment
Report for America chooses The Light for environmental reporting post
Report for America is a national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues and communities. It is structured to harness the skills and idealism of an emerging group of journalists plus the creative spirit of local news organizations — like ours.
Posted inCrime
Suspect in assault on New Bedford elections official to be charged with hate crime
NBPD Lt. Scott Carola said police, in conjunction with the Bristol County DA’s office, decided that the additional charge was warranted and sent the charges to the District Court on Monday.