Matt Camara
Officials: Mayan Community Standoffish Despite Outreach Efforts
Protecting Mayan workers from frequent night-time robberies and assaults is frustrating city officials, who aren't seeing as much engagement from people within that Central American community as they had hoped. Human Relations Commission Executive Director Marcelina Pina-Christian said the commission appointed Irma Perez, a Mayan, to the body in hopes of better connecting with that group, but ther
New Bedford Officially Welcomes Back the Charles W. Morgan
The 173-year-old whaleship Charles W. Morgan was officially welcomed home to New Bedford Saturday. Speakers including mayor Jon Mitchell, Sen. Elizabeth Warren and others hailed the occasion as a glorious day for the city. Mitchell said that was a unique industry, even in its heyday ...
Massachusetts SWAT Teams Tell ACLU They Are Private Corporations, Exempt From Public Records Law
The American Civil Liberties Union hit an interesting snag while trying to put together a nation-wide report on SWAT team usage. The Washington Post reports that the ACLU's Massachusetts chapter sent a number of public records requests to various SWAT teams across the state, many of which are run by regional law enforcement councils, and several of those councils responded that they are private co
Ocean Explorium, Zoological Society to Study Potential Merger
The Ocean Explorium and Buttonwood Park Zoological Society could eventually merge. The two organizations announced yesterday that they would launch a study into whether its feasible to bring the Explorium's programs into the zoo's operations...
Bay State Factories Can’t Find Enough Skilled Workers
Bay State manufacturers can't find enough skilled workers to man their factory floors. That's according to a new UMass Dartmouth survey which found one in three manufacturers reported having difficulty filling positions. Six out of 10 of those same employers also said they expect to need more production workers in two years than they do today...
State’s Highest Court Says Vote On Casinos Can Go Forward
Massachusetts' highest court says voters can decide the fate of the state's casino gambling law. The Supreme Judicial Court ruled Tuesday that a question calling for repeal of the 2011 law can be on the November ballot. The ruling overturns Attorney General Martha Coakley's finding that the proposed ballot question is unconstitutional because it would cause casino developers to lose property witho
Woman Banned From Memphis Zoo After Jumping Into Lion Pen
Memphis zoo officials have banned a woman after saying she climbed over a barrier to the enclosure where lions are kept and tried to feed them cookies. The unidentified woman's actions were reported by other zoo patrons, who saw her jump the barrier and heard her singing to the animals...
Dartmouth Taps Shea As Interim Superintendent
Michael Shea, the former Voc-Tech superintendent and interim New Bedford superintendent, has been asked to temporarily manage Dartmouth's school system. The Standard-Times reports that the Dartmouth School Committee voted 3-1 to ask Shea to manage the district after Superintendent Ana Riley leaves for a post in Portsmouth, Rhode Island...
Update: No Arrests Yet In Weekend Triple-Stabbing, But Weapon Found
Police have not yet made any arrests in Sunday's triple stabbing, but may be getting close. The stabbing left three men wounded, one seriously, after a brawl broke out on Acushnet Avenue near World Famous Pizza. Det. Capt. Steven Vicente tells WBSM News that police recovered in a nearby alley what they believe was the knife used...
Whaling City Festival Officially Cancelled
The Whaling City Festival's board of directors has officially cancelled the 2014 festival. In a letter sent out Tuesday night, the 45-year-old festival's directors said the budget simply could not support the event without taking on significant debt...