In Depth: City Government
BUDGET
Shocking sewer and water bills on tap for New Bedford
New Bedford has lost an $11 million state Revolving Fund grant for this year’s work, and it could incur fines of up to $56,000 a day, plus legal costs, according to a letter from city infrastructure chief Jamie Ponte.
The $64.7 million question
Possible uses for the city’s pandemic relief aid include Zeiterion fix-up, water and sewer upgrades, Capitol Theatre restoration.
New Bedford Light readers answer the $64.7 million question
If you had $64.7 million to spend for the City of New Bedford, what would you do? Readers share their ideas.
SCHOOLS
Lawmakers look to crack down on failure to report school arrests
Since 2009, New Bedford schools have reported “zero” as the number of school-based arrests, according to The New Bedford Light’s investigation.
Schools across Massachusetts failed to report arrest data
“There is widespread non-compliance in districts all across Massachusetts,” said Leon Smith, executive director of Citizens for Juvenile Justice.
Feds to review New Bedford schools’ reporting of arrest data
The federal review comes more than a year after community groups urged reforms to the city’s School Resource Officer program, which places armed police officers inside schools.
Police and schools still withholding info on student arrests
State and federal education officials require the reporting of this data to monitor potential discrimination against students of color and students with disabilities.
Community leaders decry lack of transparency from schools
After repeated public information requests, the School Department this week acknowledged that it had recorded 76 arrests of students and parents between 2017 and 2020.
New Bedford schools failed to report arrest data
In an email to The New Bedford Light, a spokesman acknowledged the schools have recorded a total of 76 arrests of students and parents between 2017 and 2020.
Time for truth about New Bedford, vaccines and COVID-19
The sad and bitter truth is that because we have failed to get vaccinated in great enough numbers in the city, our school kids will probably spend at least part of another year with their faces covered while they learn.
New Bedford students will head back to school with masks
The School Committee’s decision was made amid a spike in COVID-19 cases across New Bedford and Bristol County during the last two weeks.
Josh Amaral bows out of School Committee race
Amaral, who will not seek a third term, has been on the School Committee since he was little over a year out of UMass Dartmouth, where he was a political science major.
Lawmakers look to crack down on failure to report school arrests
Since 2009, New Bedford schools have reported “zero” as the number of school-based arrests, according to The New Bedford Light’s investigation.
Schools across Massachusetts failed to report arrest data
“There is widespread non-compliance in districts all across Massachusetts,” said Leon Smith, executive director of Citizens for Juvenile Justice.
Feds to review New Bedford schools’ reporting of arrest data
The federal review comes more than a year after community groups urged reforms to the city’s School Resource Officer program, which places armed police officers inside schools.
Police and schools still withholding info on student arrests
State and federal education officials require the reporting of this data to monitor potential discrimination against students of color and students with disabilities.
Community leaders decry lack of transparency from schools
After repeated public information requests, the School Department this week acknowledged that it had recorded 76 arrests of students and parents between 2017 and 2020.
New Bedford schools failed to report arrest data
In an email to The New Bedford Light, a spokesman acknowledged the schools have recorded a total of 76 arrests of students and parents between 2017 and 2020.
Time for truth about New Bedford, vaccines and COVID-19
The sad and bitter truth is that because we have failed to get vaccinated in great enough numbers in the city, our school kids will probably spend at least part of another year with their faces covered while they learn.
New Bedford students will head back to school with masks
The School Committee’s decision was made amid a spike in COVID-19 cases across New Bedford and Bristol County during the last two weeks.
Josh Amaral bows out of School Committee race
Amaral, who will not seek a third term, has been on the School Committee since he was little over a year out of UMass Dartmouth, where he was a political science major.
Critics assail return of police to New Bedford schools
A report commissioned by Superintendent Thomas Anderson recommended substantial reforms to the SRO program, but all that might change is the program’s name.
$73,000,000
New Bedford schools will receive upwards of $73 million in one-time federal relief funds aimed at safely reopening schools and addressing the needs of students affected by the pandemic.
CITY HALL
Lima to face Boyer for Ward 5 City Council in New Bedford
Lima, chairman of the council’s Environmental Affairs and Audit committees, garnered more than twice the vote of his two opponents combined, with 69.03%.
Candidate profile: Raena Camacho, Ward 5 City Council
On public safety: Uprooting public safety in communities where it is most needed leaves our elderly, youth and families vulnerable.
Candidate profile: Zach Boyer, Ward 5 City Council
“We must adopt inclusionary zoning policies which will incentivize developers to set aside a portion of units for low or moderate rents, in addition to working with local developers to create more units of housing throughout the city.”
Difficult questions persist in City Councilor Dunn’s OUI case
The three New Bedford patrolmen had no good answers for why they did not ask Dunn where he was coming from that rainy Friday night; if he had been drinking; and how he crashed his Hyundai Genesis into both a Chevy truck and a Toyota SUV.
Running for office in New Bedford? No thanks
There are so few candidates running for office in New Bedford this year that there will be no preliminary election in five of the city’s six wards.
3 New Bedford officers suspended in city councilor’s OUI case
Investigators concluded the officers did not ask Councilor Dunn if he had consumed alcohol and they did not go to the hospital, where Dunn was transported after the accident.
City councilor on OUI rap: ‘They have nothing on me’
Councilor Dunn was mostly dismissive of the charges filed against him. He cited it as “all politics,” and a “hit job.” He said the DA was “coming after me” and “trying to prove something.”
New Bedford’s panhandler remedy is on the rocks
The goal is to make it difficult for panhandlers to walk on the traffic island where they hold signs saying they are homeless.
Jo-Jo doesn’t live here
Fortes deceived the city for the last seven elections, voting from a residence where he did not live. He also ran for Ward 4 City Council two times from the same bogus address, city election officials say.
Getting neighborly with New Bedford’s at-large challengers
Taking a look at where a candidate lives in the city can provide a glimpse into who they are and what their personal interests are.
DA seeks justice in case of Councilor Hugh Dunn
State police say an EMT and paramedic on the scene the night of the accidents described it as “obvious” that he had been drinking and that they smelled alcohol on his breath.
City councilors look for free lunch in budget cuts
Councilors tend to avoid making any cuts to the salaries, health care and pension benefits of city employees, lest they incur the wrath of municipal unions.
Lima to face Boyer for Ward 5 City Council in New Bedford
Lima, chairman of the council’s Environmental Affairs and Audit committees, garnered more than twice the vote of his two opponents combined, with 69.03%.
Candidate profile: Raena Camacho, Ward 5 City Council
On public safety: Uprooting public safety in communities where it is most needed leaves our elderly, youth and families vulnerable.
Candidate profile: Zach Boyer, Ward 5 City Council
“We must adopt inclusionary zoning policies which will incentivize developers to set aside a portion of units for low or moderate rents, in addition to working with local developers to create more units of housing throughout the city.”
Difficult questions persist in City Councilor Dunn’s OUI case
The three New Bedford patrolmen had no good answers for why they did not ask Dunn where he was coming from that rainy Friday night; if he had been drinking; and how he crashed his Hyundai Genesis into both a Chevy truck and a Toyota SUV.
Running for office in New Bedford? No thanks
There are so few candidates running for office in New Bedford this year that there will be no preliminary election in five of the city’s six wards.
3 New Bedford officers suspended in city councilor’s OUI case
Investigators concluded the officers did not ask Councilor Dunn if he had consumed alcohol and they did not go to the hospital, where Dunn was transported after the accident.
City councilor on OUI rap: ‘They have nothing on me’
Councilor Dunn was mostly dismissive of the charges filed against him. He cited it as “all politics,” and a “hit job.” He said the DA was “coming after me” and “trying to prove something.”
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