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  31. <title>Register now for The Chat: Immigration arrests in New Bedford, Part 1</title>
  32. <link>https://newbedfordlight.org/register-now-for-the-chat-immigration-arrests-in-new-bedford-part-1/</link>
  34. <dc:creator><![CDATA[The New Bedford Light]]></dc:creator>
  35. <pubDate>Wed, 04 Jun 2025 19:41:41 +0000</pubDate>
  36. <category><![CDATA[Immigration]]></category>
  37. <category><![CDATA[The Chat with Jack Spillane]]></category>
  38. <category><![CDATA[immigration]]></category>
  39. <category><![CDATA[immigration abductions]]></category>
  40. <category><![CDATA[Jack Spillane]]></category>
  41. <category><![CDATA[New Bedford]]></category>
  42. <category><![CDATA[no promo]]></category>
  43. <category><![CDATA[The Chat]]></category>
  44. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://newbedfordlight.org/?p=164372</guid>
  45.  
  46. <description><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="576" src="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/chat-immigration-b.jpg?fit=1024%2C576&amp;ssl=1" class="attachment-rss-image-size size-rss-image-size wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" fetchpriority="high" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/chat-immigration-b.jpg?w=1920&amp;ssl=1 1920w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/chat-immigration-b.jpg?resize=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/chat-immigration-b.jpg?resize=1024%2C576&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/chat-immigration-b.jpg?resize=768%2C432&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/chat-immigration-b.jpg?resize=1536%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/chat-immigration-b.jpg?resize=1200%2C675&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/chat-immigration-b.jpg?resize=780%2C439&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/chat-immigration-b.jpg?resize=800%2C450&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/chat-immigration-b.jpg?resize=400%2C225&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/chat-immigration-b.jpg?resize=706%2C397&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/chat-immigration-b.jpg?fit=1024%2C576&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w" sizes="(max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw / 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw / 12)), 100vw" data-attachment-id="164443" data-permalink="https://newbedfordlight.org/register-now-for-the-chat-immigration-arrests-in-new-bedford-part-1/chat-immigration-b/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/chat-immigration-b.jpg?fit=1920%2C1080&amp;ssl=1" data-orig-size="1920,1080" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="chat immigration b" data-image-description="&lt;p&gt;Promo image for The Chat on immigration arrests&lt;/p&gt;
  47. " data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/chat-immigration-b.jpg?fit=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/chat-immigration-b.jpg?fit=780%2C439&amp;ssl=1" /></figure>
  48. <p>Local  leaders in the immigration community will discuss recent immigration abductions in New Bedford  with  Light columnist Jack Spillane in a special, two-part series of  The Chat, on June 10 and June 18. Register now!</p>
  49. <p>The post <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/register-now-for-the-chat-immigration-arrests-in-new-bedford-part-1/">Register now for The Chat: Immigration arrests in New Bedford, Part 1</a> appeared first on <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org">The New Bedford Light</a>.</p>
  50. ]]></description>
  51. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="576" src="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/chat-immigration-b.jpg?fit=1024%2C576&amp;ssl=1" class="attachment-rss-image-size size-rss-image-size wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/chat-immigration-b.jpg?w=1920&amp;ssl=1 1920w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/chat-immigration-b.jpg?resize=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/chat-immigration-b.jpg?resize=1024%2C576&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/chat-immigration-b.jpg?resize=768%2C432&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/chat-immigration-b.jpg?resize=1536%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/chat-immigration-b.jpg?resize=1200%2C675&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/chat-immigration-b.jpg?resize=780%2C439&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/chat-immigration-b.jpg?resize=800%2C450&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/chat-immigration-b.jpg?resize=400%2C225&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/chat-immigration-b.jpg?resize=706%2C397&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/chat-immigration-b.jpg?fit=1024%2C576&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w" sizes="(max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw / 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw / 12)), 100vw" data-attachment-id="164443" data-permalink="https://newbedfordlight.org/register-now-for-the-chat-immigration-arrests-in-new-bedford-part-1/chat-immigration-b/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/chat-immigration-b.jpg?fit=1920%2C1080&amp;ssl=1" data-orig-size="1920,1080" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="chat immigration b" data-image-description="&lt;p&gt;Promo image for The Chat on immigration arrests&lt;/p&gt;
  52. " data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/chat-immigration-b.jpg?fit=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/chat-immigration-b.jpg?fit=780%2C439&amp;ssl=1" /></figure><p>It&#8217;s become dangerous for New Bedford immigrants, documented or undocumented, with criminal records or without, to be on the streets of New Bedford. Since Jan. 20, at least 27 immigrants have been detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. <br><br>The New Bedford Light&#8217;s <strong>The Chat will devote two separate hours to special in-depth interviews </strong>with leaders in the immigrant community about the ICE arrests. <br><br><strong>Part 1:</strong> <strong>On Tuesday, June 10, at 6 p.m.</strong>, Light columnist Jack Spillane will host immigration attorney Ondine Galvez Sniffin; Corinn Williams, director of the Community Economic Development Center; and Alicia Cortez of Mujeres Victoriosas. <br><strong><br>Part 2: On Wednesday, June 18, at noon</strong>, Adrian Ventura, executive director of Centro Comunitario de Trabajadores, and UMass Dartmouth anthropologist Lisa Maya Knauer will join Jack.<br><br>Light reporter Kevin Andrade will serve as translator. <br><br>Join us for these important programs to <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/immigration/">learn what is happening to city immigrants</a> in these unprecedented actions. <strong>Register now for Part 1 of our special series!</strong><br><br><a href="https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_qeN1l_QGSo-WY9gbIuwBVg#/registration" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_qeN1l_QGSo-WY9gbIuwBVg</a><br><br></p><p>The post <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/register-now-for-the-chat-immigration-arrests-in-new-bedford-part-1/">Register now for The Chat: Immigration arrests in New Bedford, Part 1</a> appeared first on <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org">The New Bedford Light</a>.</p>
  53. ]]></content:encoded>
  57. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">164372</post-id> </item>
  58. <item>
  59. <title>New Bedford ICE raids target every immigrant</title>
  60. <link>https://newbedfordlight.org/new-bedford-ice-raids-target-every-immigrant/</link>
  61. <comments>https://newbedfordlight.org/new-bedford-ice-raids-target-every-immigrant/#comments</comments>
  63. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Jack Spillane]]></dc:creator>
  64. <pubDate>Wed, 04 Jun 2025 19:27:54 +0000</pubDate>
  65. <category><![CDATA[linkinbio]]></category>
  66. <category><![CDATA[Opinion]]></category>
  67. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://newbedfordlight.org/?p=164410</guid>
  68.  
  69. <description><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="640" src="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Immigrants-travel-2-IMG_2652-edited-scaled-1.jpg?fit=1024%2C640&amp;ssl=1" class="attachment-rss-image-size size-rss-image-size wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Immigrants-travel-2-IMG_2652-edited-scaled-1.jpg?w=2560&amp;ssl=1 2560w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Immigrants-travel-2-IMG_2652-edited-scaled-1.jpg?resize=300%2C188&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Immigrants-travel-2-IMG_2652-edited-scaled-1.jpg?resize=1024%2C640&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Immigrants-travel-2-IMG_2652-edited-scaled-1.jpg?resize=768%2C480&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Immigrants-travel-2-IMG_2652-edited-scaled-1.jpg?resize=1536%2C960&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Immigrants-travel-2-IMG_2652-edited-scaled-1.jpg?resize=2048%2C1280&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Immigrants-travel-2-IMG_2652-edited-scaled-1.jpg?resize=1200%2C750&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Immigrants-travel-2-IMG_2652-edited-scaled-1.jpg?resize=2000%2C1250&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Immigrants-travel-2-IMG_2652-edited-scaled-1.jpg?resize=780%2C488&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Immigrants-travel-2-IMG_2652-edited-scaled-1.jpg?resize=800%2C500&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Immigrants-travel-2-IMG_2652-edited-scaled-1.jpg?resize=400%2C250&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Immigrants-travel-2-IMG_2652-edited-scaled-1.jpg?resize=706%2C441&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Immigrants-travel-2-IMG_2652-edited-scaled-1.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Immigrants-travel-2-IMG_2652-edited-scaled-1.jpg?fit=1024%2C640&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w" sizes="(max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw / 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw / 12)), 100vw" data-attachment-id="164411" data-permalink="https://newbedfordlight.org/new-bedford-ice-raids-target-every-immigrant/immigrants-travel-2-img_2652-edited-scaled/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Immigrants-travel-2-IMG_2652-edited-scaled-1.jpg?fit=2560%2C1600&amp;ssl=1" data-orig-size="2560,1600" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="Immigrants-travel-2-IMG_2652-edited-scaled" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;Leaving one of the seafood houses, two workers walk along the railroad tracks under the Route 6 overpass in 2022. Credit: Jack Spillane / The New Bedford Light&lt;/p&gt;
  70. " data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Immigrants-travel-2-IMG_2652-edited-scaled-1.jpg?fit=300%2C188&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Immigrants-travel-2-IMG_2652-edited-scaled-1.jpg?fit=780%2C488&amp;ssl=1" /></figure>
  71. <p>The raids are meant to terrify people into self-deporting, going back to where they came from, which in the case of most brown-skinned immigrants means Central America.</p>
  72. <p>The post <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/new-bedford-ice-raids-target-every-immigrant/">New Bedford ICE raids target every immigrant</a> appeared first on <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org">The New Bedford Light</a>.</p>
  73. ]]></description>
  74. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="640" src="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Immigrants-travel-2-IMG_2652-edited-scaled-1.jpg?fit=1024%2C640&amp;ssl=1" class="attachment-rss-image-size size-rss-image-size wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Immigrants-travel-2-IMG_2652-edited-scaled-1.jpg?w=2560&amp;ssl=1 2560w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Immigrants-travel-2-IMG_2652-edited-scaled-1.jpg?resize=300%2C188&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Immigrants-travel-2-IMG_2652-edited-scaled-1.jpg?resize=1024%2C640&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Immigrants-travel-2-IMG_2652-edited-scaled-1.jpg?resize=768%2C480&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Immigrants-travel-2-IMG_2652-edited-scaled-1.jpg?resize=1536%2C960&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Immigrants-travel-2-IMG_2652-edited-scaled-1.jpg?resize=2048%2C1280&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Immigrants-travel-2-IMG_2652-edited-scaled-1.jpg?resize=1200%2C750&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Immigrants-travel-2-IMG_2652-edited-scaled-1.jpg?resize=2000%2C1250&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Immigrants-travel-2-IMG_2652-edited-scaled-1.jpg?resize=780%2C488&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Immigrants-travel-2-IMG_2652-edited-scaled-1.jpg?resize=800%2C500&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Immigrants-travel-2-IMG_2652-edited-scaled-1.jpg?resize=400%2C250&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Immigrants-travel-2-IMG_2652-edited-scaled-1.jpg?resize=706%2C441&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Immigrants-travel-2-IMG_2652-edited-scaled-1.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Immigrants-travel-2-IMG_2652-edited-scaled-1.jpg?fit=1024%2C640&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w" sizes="(max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw / 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw / 12)), 100vw" data-attachment-id="164411" data-permalink="https://newbedfordlight.org/new-bedford-ice-raids-target-every-immigrant/immigrants-travel-2-img_2652-edited-scaled/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Immigrants-travel-2-IMG_2652-edited-scaled-1.jpg?fit=2560%2C1600&amp;ssl=1" data-orig-size="2560,1600" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="Immigrants-travel-2-IMG_2652-edited-scaled" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;Leaving one of the seafood houses, two workers walk along the railroad tracks under the Route 6 overpass in 2022. Credit: Jack Spillane / The New Bedford Light&lt;/p&gt;
  75. " data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Immigrants-travel-2-IMG_2652-edited-scaled-1.jpg?fit=300%2C188&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Immigrants-travel-2-IMG_2652-edited-scaled-1.jpg?fit=780%2C488&amp;ssl=1" /></figure><p class="has-drop-cap">Late in the afternoon is a good time to take in the section of the near North End that is the heart of New Bedford’s Central American community.</p><p>On the Avenue, folks are doing errands at the many shops and eateries that advertise themselves as catering to Guatemalan tastes.</p><p>A block away, at Riverside Park, every evening the soccer field is home to four or five groups of young Latinos playing half-field around the nets. Meanwhile young families, their Indigenous features like a map of their ancient civilizations, gather around the tots’ playgrounds, just mom, or mom and dad watching together, while their pre-schoolers release their energy.</p><figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="780" height="585" data-attachment-id="163906" data-permalink="https://newbedfordlight.org/img_8449/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/IMG_8449-scaled.jpeg?fit=2560%2C1920&amp;ssl=1" data-orig-size="2560,1920" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;2.8&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;iPhone 14 Pro&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1748368912&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;9&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;32&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.0019417475728155&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}" data-image-title="IMG_8449" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;Youngsters play on the tot&#8217;s playground at Riverside Park, a popular spot for the immigrant community in the Near North End. Credit: Jack Spillane / The New Bedford Light&lt;/p&gt;
  76. " data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/IMG_8449-scaled.jpeg?fit=300%2C225&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/IMG_8449-scaled.jpeg?fit=780%2C585&amp;ssl=1" src="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/IMG_8449.jpeg?resize=780%2C585&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-163906" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/IMG_8449-scaled.jpeg?resize=1024%2C768&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/IMG_8449-scaled.jpeg?resize=300%2C225&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/IMG_8449-scaled.jpeg?resize=768%2C576&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/IMG_8449-scaled.jpeg?resize=1536%2C1152&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/IMG_8449-scaled.jpeg?resize=2048%2C1536&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/IMG_8449-scaled.jpeg?resize=1200%2C900&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/IMG_8449-scaled.jpeg?resize=800%2C600&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/IMG_8449-scaled.jpeg?resize=600%2C450&amp;ssl=1 600w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/IMG_8449-scaled.jpeg?resize=400%2C300&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/IMG_8449-scaled.jpeg?resize=200%2C150&amp;ssl=1 200w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/IMG_8449-scaled.jpeg?resize=2000%2C1500&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/IMG_8449-scaled.jpeg?resize=780%2C585&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/IMG_8449-scaled.jpeg?resize=706%2C530&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/IMG_8449-scaled.jpeg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/IMG_8449-1024x768.jpeg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Youngsters play on the tot&#8217;s playground at Riverside Park, a popular spot for the immigrant community in the Near North End. Credit: Jack Spillane / The New Bedford Light</figcaption></figure><p>It’s not like the North End Mayans and Hondurans, Salvadorans and Dominicans are new to New Bedford. They have been here, documented and undocumented, for decades now.&nbsp; About 10,000 undocumented people reside in New Bedford, according to the most recent estimate <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/new-bedford-immigrants-trump-deportation-promise/#:~:text=About%2010%2C000%20undocumented%20people%20reside%20in%20New%20Bedford%2C">provided by the Immigrants’ Assistance Center</a>.</p><p>Some of them lived through the big raid at the Michael Bianco factory in the South End 18 years ago. Others watched as some of their compatriots got in trouble with the law and ended up getting deported.</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="780" height="585" data-attachment-id="163904" data-permalink="https://newbedfordlight.org/img_8453/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/IMG_8453-scaled.jpeg?fit=2560%2C1920&amp;ssl=1" data-orig-size="2560,1920" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;2.8&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;iPhone 14 Pro&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1748369081&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;9&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;32&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.0067567567567568&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}" data-image-title="IMG_8453" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;Latino soccer players at Riverside Park in the North End on a weekday night. Credit: Jack Spillane / The New Bedford Light&lt;/p&gt;
  77. " data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/IMG_8453-scaled.jpeg?fit=300%2C225&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/IMG_8453-scaled.jpeg?fit=780%2C585&amp;ssl=1" src="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/IMG_8453.jpeg?resize=780%2C585&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-163904" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/IMG_8453-scaled.jpeg?resize=1024%2C768&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/IMG_8453-scaled.jpeg?resize=300%2C225&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/IMG_8453-scaled.jpeg?resize=768%2C576&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/IMG_8453-scaled.jpeg?resize=1536%2C1152&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/IMG_8453-scaled.jpeg?resize=2048%2C1536&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/IMG_8453-scaled.jpeg?resize=1200%2C900&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/IMG_8453-scaled.jpeg?resize=800%2C600&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/IMG_8453-scaled.jpeg?resize=600%2C450&amp;ssl=1 600w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/IMG_8453-scaled.jpeg?resize=400%2C300&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/IMG_8453-scaled.jpeg?resize=200%2C150&amp;ssl=1 200w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/IMG_8453-scaled.jpeg?resize=2000%2C1500&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/IMG_8453-scaled.jpeg?resize=780%2C585&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/IMG_8453-scaled.jpeg?resize=706%2C530&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/IMG_8453-scaled.jpeg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/IMG_8453-1024x768.jpeg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Latino soccer players at Riverside Park in the North End on a weekday night. Credit: Jack Spillane / The New Bedford Light</figcaption></figure></div><p>But never ever, never ever in New Bedford has there been a time like the past five months, when Central American men, and they were all men, have been, out-of-the-blue, literally scooped up off the street by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.</p><p>Well, it’s not just the streets. In at least one home where there were minors present, ICE officers literally rammed through an inside door to get at those they suspected of being in the country without papers. And then pointed a gun at the head of an innocent teenager.</p><p>The arrests started almost immediately after Donald Trump’s second inauguration.</p><p>One of the earliest New Bedford abductions — and that’s what they feel like, abductions — took place on Feb. 10 at Guatemala Music and Fashion on the Avenue, a storefront whose former owner had been convicted about a year ago of selling fake IDs.</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright size-large is-resized"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="768" height="1024" data-attachment-id="163903" data-permalink="https://newbedfordlight.org/img_8423/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/IMG_8423-scaled.jpeg?fit=1920%2C2560&amp;ssl=1" data-orig-size="1920,2560" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;2.8&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;iPhone 14 Pro&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1748367642&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;9&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;32&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.0042194092827004&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}" data-image-title="IMG_8423" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;Pedestrians walk up Acushnet Avenue in the North End commercial district. Credit: Jack Spillane / The New Bedford Light&lt;/p&gt;
  78. " data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/IMG_8423-scaled.jpeg?fit=225%2C300&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/IMG_8423-scaled.jpeg?fit=768%2C1024&amp;ssl=1" src="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/IMG_8423.jpeg?resize=768%2C1024&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-163903" style="width:400px;height:auto" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/IMG_8423-scaled.jpeg?resize=768%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/IMG_8423-scaled.jpeg?resize=225%2C300&amp;ssl=1 225w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/IMG_8423-scaled.jpeg?resize=1152%2C1536&amp;ssl=1 1152w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/IMG_8423-scaled.jpeg?resize=1536%2C2048&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/IMG_8423-scaled.jpeg?resize=900%2C1200&amp;ssl=1 900w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/IMG_8423-scaled.jpeg?resize=600%2C800&amp;ssl=1 600w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/IMG_8423-scaled.jpeg?resize=450%2C600&amp;ssl=1 450w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/IMG_8423-scaled.jpeg?resize=300%2C400&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/IMG_8423-scaled.jpeg?resize=150%2C200&amp;ssl=1 150w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/IMG_8423-scaled.jpeg?resize=1200%2C1600&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/IMG_8423-scaled.jpeg?resize=2000%2C2667&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/IMG_8423-scaled.jpeg?resize=780%2C1040&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/IMG_8423-scaled.jpeg?resize=800%2C1067&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/IMG_8423-scaled.jpeg?resize=400%2C533&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/IMG_8423-scaled.jpeg?resize=706%2C941&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/IMG_8423-scaled.jpeg?w=1920&amp;ssl=1 1920w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/IMG_8423-768x1024.jpeg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Pedestrians walk up Acushnet Avenue in the North End commercial district. Credit: Jack Spillane / The New Bedford Light</figcaption></figure></div><p>Yes, fake IDs are what undocumented immigrants use to get jobs after they’ve fled lives of grinding poverty and violence in their home countries. With those fake IDs, many of them pay into federal benefits like Social Security and Medicare that they will mostly never be able to collect.</p><p>So some 10 ununiformed ICE agents descended on this store, asked everybody for papers and then detained the one person who did not have them. So much for the administration’s claim that this is all about going after hardened criminal immigrants.</p><p><a href="https://leitf.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Enforcement-Priorities-Memo.pdf">This is not the way deportation actions have been conducted in the past. </a>Former President Barack Obama, who actually presided over more deportations than President Trump, followed regulations targeting the perpetrators of serious crimes. The second Trump administration, however, has loosened those practices to allow for detaining people for minor crimes, including a simple misdemeanor of a first-time crossing of the border without permission.</p><p>The unannounced visits by ICE agents have only gotten more disheartening as weeks turned into months.&nbsp;</p><p>Three of the workers who wipe down cars at Minit Man Car Wash (the highest-quality service in the city) <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/3-immigrants-detained-in-raid-at-new-bedford-car-wash/">were taken away as three other workers ran from the scene.</a> Two seafood house workers were arrested in the early morning as they sat in their car with coffee and pastries before heading to their plant. Two of three painters waiting in front of the Market Basket plaza to be taken to a job were abducted when they could not show papers.</p><p>Two of those abducted have serious medical problems: one has diabetes and another is waiting for a kidney transplant. It doesn’t matter. The point of what’s going on is to pick people up, serious criminals or not.</p><p>Yes, some of those who have been arrested have had dismissed charges for operating under the influence or domestic abuse or assault. A couple have been convicted of such charges. These are certainly serious matters, but they are not the sort of things that Americans, and even immigrants, are normally hauled off the street over, especially since they have been dismissed by a court.&nbsp;</p><p>What’s going on with ICE in New Bedford is mainly about power — aggressively checking to see who has papers and who doesn’t. It’s certainly not just looking for someone who had done a serious crime like murder, rape, drug dealing. So far crimes of that sort do not seem to have been perpetrated by most of those who have been picked up in New Bedford. No, ICE seems to be using searches for lower-level crimes as an excuse to pick up anyone who originally came to the country illegally.&nbsp;</p><p>And why do they come illegally? Because there are not nearly enough visa slots for low-skilled workers from Latin American countries who want to come legally.</p><p>We learned how far ICE would go the weekend of March 21 after a big roundup across the state in which 370 people were detained. In New Bedford, where at least eight were detained that weekend, that’s when the agents rammed open the door at the Sawyer Street apartment.</p><p>Showing leadership, Superintendent Andrew O’Leary, at a City Hall rally protesting the violent action, lamented the high school students who had to witness the raid. “On March 21, my sons woke up safe and warm and went to school,” O’Leary told the rally. “Later that day, I learned that some of our students woke up to terror.”</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="768" height="1024" data-attachment-id="163905" data-permalink="https://newbedfordlight.org/img_8447/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/IMG_8447-scaled.jpeg?fit=1920%2C2560&amp;ssl=1" data-orig-size="1920,2560" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;2.8&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;iPhone 14 Pro&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1748368800&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;9&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;32&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.0014306151645207&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}" data-image-title="IMG_8447" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;The American and POW flags in Riverside Park, the heart of the Central American community  in New Bedford. Credit: Jack Spillane / The New Bedford Light&lt;/p&gt;
  79. " data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/IMG_8447-scaled.jpeg?fit=225%2C300&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/IMG_8447-scaled.jpeg?fit=768%2C1024&amp;ssl=1" src="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/IMG_8447.jpeg?resize=768%2C1024&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-163905" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/IMG_8447-scaled.jpeg?resize=768%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/IMG_8447-scaled.jpeg?resize=225%2C300&amp;ssl=1 225w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/IMG_8447-scaled.jpeg?resize=1152%2C1536&amp;ssl=1 1152w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/IMG_8447-scaled.jpeg?resize=1536%2C2048&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/IMG_8447-scaled.jpeg?resize=900%2C1200&amp;ssl=1 900w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/IMG_8447-scaled.jpeg?resize=600%2C800&amp;ssl=1 600w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/IMG_8447-scaled.jpeg?resize=450%2C600&amp;ssl=1 450w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/IMG_8447-scaled.jpeg?resize=300%2C400&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/IMG_8447-scaled.jpeg?resize=150%2C200&amp;ssl=1 150w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/IMG_8447-scaled.jpeg?resize=1200%2C1600&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/IMG_8447-scaled.jpeg?resize=2000%2C2667&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/IMG_8447-scaled.jpeg?resize=780%2C1040&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/IMG_8447-scaled.jpeg?resize=800%2C1067&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/IMG_8447-scaled.jpeg?resize=400%2C533&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/IMG_8447-scaled.jpeg?resize=706%2C941&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/IMG_8447-scaled.jpeg?w=1920&amp;ssl=1 1920w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/IMG_8447-768x1024.jpeg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The American and POW flags in Riverside Park, the heart of the Central American community  in New Bedford. Credit: Jack Spillane / The New Bedford Light</figcaption></figure></div><p>Perhaps the most unnerving stop of all the New Bedford arrests so far was <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/lawyer-federal-agents-detain-guatemalan-man-29-with-no-criminal-record/">the one that occurred April 14 on Tallman Street.</a></p><p>An ICE agent violently shattered the window of a car in which Juan Francisco Mendez and his wife, Marilu Domingo Ortiz, were sitting.&nbsp;</p><p>The Guatemalan couple had told the agents — who had suddenly blocked their egress as they tried to drive from their home — that they would get out of the car as soon as their lawyer arrived.</p><p>Mendez, who has no criminal record in Massachusetts, is awaiting a hearing on whether he can obtain legal status on his wife’s asylum residence. After the agent broke the window with an axe, Mendez was dragged out of his vehicle and sent to a New Hampshire county jail. It was a month before his lawyers could obtain his release even though he had been charged with nothing more than illegal entry in the U.S. on a first offense.</p><p>Some said the agents were actually looking for a different man, someone named Antonio. The ICE agents didn’t care; they found Mendez and just apprehended the man in front of them. <a href="https://www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/research/immigration-prosecutions">A first offense of illegal entry into the U.S., by the way, is considered a criminal misdemeanor and subsequent entry a criminal felony.</a> When did we start dragging people out of their cars in this country for this kind of first offense?</p><p>O’Leary is one of the singular public officials in New Bedford who has stepped forward during this season of disappearances. Congressman Bill Keating, who demanded federal officials explain the violent arrest, is another.&nbsp;</p><p>Mayor Mitchell has decried the lack of information from federal officials to this kind of violence, but a peaceful couple subjected to this kind of arrest on a public street calls out for a stronger statement from the mayor. One would have expected some sort of statement from the city councilors and state legislators, but with the exception of Rep. Chris Hendricks, whose minority-majority district includes the Central American enclave and who attended the City Hall rally, the local lawmakers have largely sat silent.</p><p>On ICE’s website, you will find a list of head shots of immigrants from around the country, many of them charged with sexual assaults of minors and others with fraud or drug dealing. But what you won’t find is ICE drawing attention to all the innocent people detained, which in New Bedford has been nearly all cases.</p><figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="780" height="585" data-attachment-id="164412" data-permalink="https://newbedfordlight.org/new-bedford-ice-raids-target-every-immigrant/immigrants-travel-4-img_2654-scaled/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Immigrants-travel-4-IMG_2654-scaled-1.jpg?fit=2560%2C1920&amp;ssl=1" data-orig-size="2560,1920" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="Immigrants-travel-4-IMG_2654-scaled" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;Two men, their work knapsacks on their backs, ride along the seafood processing plants on Herman Melville Boulevard. Credit: Jack Spillane / The New Bedford Light&lt;/p&gt;
  80. " data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Immigrants-travel-4-IMG_2654-scaled-1.jpg?fit=300%2C225&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Immigrants-travel-4-IMG_2654-scaled-1.jpg?fit=780%2C585&amp;ssl=1" src="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Immigrants-travel-4-IMG_2654-scaled-1.jpg?resize=780%2C585&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-164412" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Immigrants-travel-4-IMG_2654-scaled-1.jpg?resize=1024%2C768&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Immigrants-travel-4-IMG_2654-scaled-1.jpg?resize=300%2C225&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Immigrants-travel-4-IMG_2654-scaled-1.jpg?resize=768%2C576&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Immigrants-travel-4-IMG_2654-scaled-1.jpg?resize=1536%2C1152&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Immigrants-travel-4-IMG_2654-scaled-1.jpg?resize=2048%2C1536&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Immigrants-travel-4-IMG_2654-scaled-1.jpg?resize=1200%2C900&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Immigrants-travel-4-IMG_2654-scaled-1.jpg?resize=800%2C600&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Immigrants-travel-4-IMG_2654-scaled-1.jpg?resize=600%2C450&amp;ssl=1 600w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Immigrants-travel-4-IMG_2654-scaled-1.jpg?resize=400%2C300&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Immigrants-travel-4-IMG_2654-scaled-1.jpg?resize=200%2C150&amp;ssl=1 200w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Immigrants-travel-4-IMG_2654-scaled-1.jpg?resize=2000%2C1500&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Immigrants-travel-4-IMG_2654-scaled-1.jpg?resize=780%2C585&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Immigrants-travel-4-IMG_2654-scaled-1.jpg?resize=706%2C530&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Immigrants-travel-4-IMG_2654-scaled-1.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Immigrants-travel-4-IMG_2654-scaled-1-1024x768.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Two men, their work knapsacks on their backs, ride along the seafood processing plants on Herman Melville Boulevard. Credit: Jack Spillane / The New Bedford Light</figcaption></figure><p>You also won’t find the Central American men apprehended in New Bedford who have committed no crime beyond their original entry into the country. You won’t find the names Juan Francisco Mendez or Marvin Yobani Chitic Us there. They — as with many others detained in New Bedford — had no serious criminal record. However, you will find information about several who have pleaded guilty to illegal entry and have now been deported.</p><p>Here’s the truth: These abductions in New Bedford and elsewhere are performative. They are meant to get the attention of both the immigrant community and the media.&nbsp;</p><p>The purpose is not to try to round up serious criminal migrants, or to address the country’s broken immigration system. No, they are meant to terrify good, generally law-abiding people into self-deporting, going back to where they came from, which in the case of most brown-skinned immigrants who have come to New Bedford means Central America.</p><p>Every indication is that the Trump administration intends to keep on this path. We are in for a long hot summer of chaos in New Bedford’s immigrant neighborhoods.</p><p><em>Email Jack Spillane at jspillane@newbedfordlight.org.</em></p><hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide"/><div class="wp-block-group"><div class="wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow"><div class="wp-block-group"><div class="wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow"><h3 class="wp-block-heading section-header" id="related-stories" style="font-style:normal;font-weight:400"><a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/jack-spillane"><mark style="background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)" class="has-inline-color has-primary-color">More stories by Jack Spillane</mark></a></h3>
  81.  
  82. </div></div></div></div><hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide"/><p>The post <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/new-bedford-ice-raids-target-every-immigrant/">New Bedford ICE raids target every immigrant</a> appeared first on <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org">The New Bedford Light</a>.</p>
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  85. <wfw:commentRss>https://newbedfordlight.org/new-bedford-ice-raids-target-every-immigrant/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  86. <slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
  89. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">164410</post-id> </item>
  90. <item>
  91. <title>Vineyard Wind leases construction terminal into 2026</title>
  92. <link>https://newbedfordlight.org/vineyard-wind-leases-construction-terminal-into-2026/</link>
  93. <comments>https://newbedfordlight.org/vineyard-wind-leases-construction-terminal-into-2026/#respond</comments>
  95. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Anastasia E. Lennon]]></dc:creator>
  96. <pubDate>Wed, 04 Jun 2025 17:59:36 +0000</pubDate>
  97. <category><![CDATA[linkinbio]]></category>
  98. <category><![CDATA[Offshore Wind]]></category>
  99. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://newbedfordlight.org/?p=164399</guid>
  100.  
  101. <description><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="682" src="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2086.jpg?fit=1024%2C682&amp;ssl=1" class="attachment-rss-image-size size-rss-image-size wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2086.jpg?w=2000&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2086.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2086.jpg?resize=1024%2C682&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2086.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2086.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2086.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2086.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2086.jpg?resize=800%2C533&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2086.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2086.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2086.jpg?fit=1024%2C682&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w" sizes="(max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw / 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw / 12)), 100vw" data-attachment-id="164397" data-permalink="https://newbedfordlight.org/2086/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2086.jpg?fit=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1" data-orig-size="2000,1333" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;4.5&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;ILCE-7M3&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1749051298&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;41&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;100&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.00125&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="&#8211;2086" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;Turbine components at the Marine Terminal in New Bedford in June 2025. Credit: Eleonora Bianchi / The New Bedford Light&lt;/p&gt;
  102. " data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2086.jpg?fit=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2086.jpg?fit=780%2C519&amp;ssl=1" /></figure>
  103. <p>The developer extends its New Bedford lease to next June, with dozens of barge trips to the unfinished offshore wind farm still ahead.</p>
  104. <p>The post <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/vineyard-wind-leases-construction-terminal-into-2026/">Vineyard Wind leases construction terminal into 2026</a> appeared first on <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org">The New Bedford Light</a>.</p>
  105. ]]></description>
  106. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="682" src="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2086.jpg?fit=1024%2C682&amp;ssl=1" class="attachment-rss-image-size size-rss-image-size wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2086.jpg?w=2000&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2086.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2086.jpg?resize=1024%2C682&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2086.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2086.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2086.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2086.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2086.jpg?resize=800%2C533&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2086.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2086.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2086.jpg?fit=1024%2C682&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w" sizes="(max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw / 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw / 12)), 100vw" data-attachment-id="164397" data-permalink="https://newbedfordlight.org/2086/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2086.jpg?fit=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1" data-orig-size="2000,1333" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;4.5&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;ILCE-7M3&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1749051298&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;41&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;100&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.00125&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="&#8211;2086" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;Turbine components at the Marine Terminal in New Bedford in June 2025. Credit: Eleonora Bianchi / The New Bedford Light&lt;/p&gt;
  107. " data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2086.jpg?fit=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2086.jpg?fit=780%2C519&amp;ssl=1" /></figure><p class="has-drop-cap">NEW BEDFORD — More than two dozen wind turbine blades sit in stacks at the Marine Commerce Terminal, awaiting their turn to enter the slow-moving assembly line that starts with a barge and ends with a crane-equipped ship installing them 15 miles offshore.</p><p>Vineyard Wind was supposed to be completed in <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/when-will-vineyard-wind-be-finished/">2024</a>. But according to a recently renewed lease with a state agency, Vineyard Wind has secured use of the staging terminal in New Bedford through mid-2026, suggesting construction may continue past this year.&nbsp;</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="780" height="519" data-attachment-id="164396" data-permalink="https://newbedfordlight.org/2087/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2087.jpg?fit=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1" data-orig-size="2000,1333" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;3.5&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;ILCE-7M3&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1749051392&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;28&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;100&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.001&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="&#8211;2087" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;Turbine components at the Marine Terminal in New Bedford in June 2025. Credit: Eleonora Bianchi / The New Bedford Light&lt;/p&gt;
  108. " data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2087.jpg?fit=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2087.jpg?fit=780%2C519&amp;ssl=1" src="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2087.jpg?resize=780%2C519&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-164396" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2087.jpg?resize=1024%2C682&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2087.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2087.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2087.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2087.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2087.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2087.jpg?resize=800%2C533&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2087.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2087.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2087.jpg?w=2000&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2087-1024x682.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Turbine components at the Marine Terminal in New Bedford in June 2025. Credit: Eleonora Bianchi / The New Bedford Light</figcaption></figure></div><p>Vineyard Wind’s parent company, Iberdrola, however, said earlier this year that the developer expects to <a href="https://www.eenews.net/articles/vineyard-wind-expected-to-open-this-year-against-ominous-backdrop/">finish construction</a> by the end of 2025. Last month, four turbines — out of a planned 62 — were sending power to the Massachusetts grid.</p><p>As of this month, the barges that carry turbine parts from New Bedford to the wind farm — three blades, two tower pieces and one house-sized generator at a time — will need to complete at least 25 more trips to complete construction. And that’s not counting possible additional vessel trips to remove potentially faulty blades.</p><p>Work at the terminal has continued, as it should: the Trump administration’s order targeting and freezing offshore wind projects, generally, doesn’t stop projects already under construction.&nbsp;</p><p>But Vineyard Wind’s installation has continued slowly, with an additional required step of replacing already installed blades from the same factory as the blade that broke last July. It has also continued quietly, since the offshore wind industry has become a key target of the administration. Vineyard Wind declined to comment for this story. Late last month, the project’s map for mariners, once updated quite regularly, was re-issued in redacted form. Icons of towers and blades have been replaced with uniform black dots, making tracking project progress even more difficult.&nbsp;</p><figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="780" height="566" data-attachment-id="164391" data-permalink="https://newbedfordlight.org/screenshot-2025-06-04-at-12-30-09-vw-progress-google-docs/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Screenshot-2025-06-04-at-12-30-09-vw-progress-Google-Docs.png?fit=1034%2C750&amp;ssl=1" data-orig-size="1034,750" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="Screenshot 2025-06-04 at 12-30-09 vw progress &#8211; Google Docs" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;On the left is an April 14 map provided by Vineyard Wind showing construction progress. The next update, issued about a month later, is stripped of details previously provided. Vineyard Wind declined to comment as to why. &lt;/p&gt;
  109. " data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Screenshot-2025-06-04-at-12-30-09-vw-progress-Google-Docs.png?fit=300%2C218&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Screenshot-2025-06-04-at-12-30-09-vw-progress-Google-Docs.png?fit=780%2C566&amp;ssl=1" src="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Screenshot-2025-06-04-at-12-30-09-vw-progress-Google-Docs.png?resize=780%2C566&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-164391" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Screenshot-2025-06-04-at-12-30-09-vw-progress-Google-Docs.png?resize=1024%2C743&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Screenshot-2025-06-04-at-12-30-09-vw-progress-Google-Docs.png?resize=300%2C218&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Screenshot-2025-06-04-at-12-30-09-vw-progress-Google-Docs.png?resize=768%2C557&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Screenshot-2025-06-04-at-12-30-09-vw-progress-Google-Docs.png?resize=780%2C566&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Screenshot-2025-06-04-at-12-30-09-vw-progress-Google-Docs.png?resize=800%2C580&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Screenshot-2025-06-04-at-12-30-09-vw-progress-Google-Docs.png?resize=400%2C290&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Screenshot-2025-06-04-at-12-30-09-vw-progress-Google-Docs.png?resize=706%2C512&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Screenshot-2025-06-04-at-12-30-09-vw-progress-Google-Docs.png?w=1034&amp;ssl=1 1034w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Screenshot-2025-06-04-at-12-30-09-vw-progress-Google-Docs-1024x743.png?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">On the left is an April 14 map provided by Vineyard Wind showing construction progress. The next update, issued about a month later, is stripped of details previously provided. Vineyard Wind declined to comment as to why. </figcaption></figure><p>So where does Vineyard Wind stand?</p><p>As of April 14, before its <a href="https://www.vineyardwind.com/offshore-wind-mariner-updates">map went dark</a>, Vineyard Wind had installed more than half of its 62 turbine towers. Of those, 23 had blades on them. However, it’s not clear how many blades are from France, which means that the turbine is completed, and how many are from the <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/troubles-at-factory-making-vineyard-wind-blades/">troubled Canadian blade factory</a> (which means they must be <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/vineyard-wind-suspension-order-lifted-ahead-of-trump-term/">removed and replaced</a>, under a federal order issued Jan. 17).&nbsp;</p><p>Vineyard Wind’s maps also suggest the developer in April removed the remaining nub left over after a blade snapped last July. (One version of its map showed a full turbine at the broken turbine, AW38, and the subsequent version showed the icon with only a tower and generator.)&nbsp;</p><div class="wp-block-group alignright has-light-gray-background-color has-background" style="padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px"><div class="wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-ef38739e wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained"><figure class="wp-block-image size-large no-vertical-margin"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="780" height="590" data-attachment-id="159600" data-permalink="https://newbedfordlight.org/offshore-wind-tracker-whats-happening-to-massachusetts-projects/turbine-lease-areas-darker-blue/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/turbine-lease-areas-darker-blue.png?fit=1750%2C1322&amp;ssl=1" data-orig-size="1750,1322" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="turbine lease areas darker blue" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/turbine-lease-areas-darker-blue.png?fit=300%2C227&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/turbine-lease-areas-darker-blue.png?fit=780%2C590&amp;ssl=1" src="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/turbine-lease-areas-darker-blue.png?resize=780%2C590&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-159600" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/turbine-lease-areas-darker-blue.png?resize=1024%2C774&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/turbine-lease-areas-darker-blue.png?resize=300%2C227&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/turbine-lease-areas-darker-blue.png?resize=768%2C580&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/turbine-lease-areas-darker-blue.png?resize=1536%2C1160&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/turbine-lease-areas-darker-blue.png?resize=200%2C150&amp;ssl=1 200w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/turbine-lease-areas-darker-blue.png?resize=1200%2C907&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/turbine-lease-areas-darker-blue.png?resize=780%2C589&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/turbine-lease-areas-darker-blue.png?resize=800%2C604&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/turbine-lease-areas-darker-blue.png?resize=400%2C302&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/turbine-lease-areas-darker-blue.png?resize=706%2C533&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/turbine-lease-areas-darker-blue.png?w=1750&amp;ssl=1 1750w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/turbine-lease-areas-darker-blue-1024x774.png?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /></figure>
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  117. </div></div></div></div><p>This week, the Sea Installer, a specialized, few-of-its-kind, jack-up installation vessel, was back at turbine AW38, suggesting it could be installing replacement blades. Vineyard Wind didn’t answer questions about it.&nbsp;</p><p>In September 2023 — 21 months ago —&nbsp; Vineyard Wind shipped out and installed the <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/first-assembled-turbine-parts-leave-new-bedford-for-vineyard-wind-site/">first of its 62 planned turbines</a>.</p><p>The Massachusetts Clean Energy Center, which owns and operates the staging terminal in New Bedford, said Vineyard Wind on April 29 extended its lease through June 2026. (Vineyard Wind’s initial lease expired at the end of 2024, and a recent extension expired on March 31, 2025.)&nbsp;</p><p>The Light asked Vineyard Wind why it had extended its lease well into 2026, when an Iberdrola official previously said construction would be finished this year. Spokespersons did not respond to questions and declined comment.&nbsp;</p><p>Previous extensions were three-month increments. A MassCEC spokesperson said by email that this lease extension is longer because the agreement allows early termination if sought, but declined to provide further details.</p><p>From January to April, the terminal was not very active, with only a handful of barge shipments to the site, according to alerts from the Port Authority and harbor cam photos posted by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/westislandweather/">West Island Weather Station</a>. Barge transits picked back up in May, with six trips out to the site through this week with either a full turbine set (blades, tower and generator) or blades only.&nbsp;</p><p>The Sea Installer has been active throughout the lease since mid-May after spending time sitting off Salem. This week, vessel trackers showed it spending time near at least two turbines marked as <a href="https://www.vineyardwind.com/offshore-wind-mariner-updates">active work zones</a>, suggesting turbine installation or blade removal is happening at those sites.&nbsp;</p><p>Joel Stocker, a retired teacher and GIS-enthusiast based in Connecticut, has been building his own progress map of the site with the help of satellite tracking.</p><p>Based on Stocker’s map, about 34 turbines are at various stages of installation — some need the blades replaced, while some don’t have blades yet. Conversely, 28 circles on his map mark areas that have transition pieces only — meaning no turbine towers have been installed there. He marked eight of those 34 turbines as fully installed.</p><p>He told The Light he infers offshore installation activities by following vessel tracking data (he has memorized the functions of project vessels) and confirms those inferences every few days — as long as the skies are clear — with satellite imagery.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>He’s also been tracking other projects, including Orsted’s, and says Revolution Wind, a project south of Rhode Island, seems to be progressing a bit more quickly and consistently.&nbsp;</p><p>According to Orsted’s most recent quarterly earnings update, released in April, approximately half of Revolution Wind’s 65 turbines had been installed, and the project is on track to be completed in 2026. The project’s first turbine was <a href="https://us.orsted.com/news-archive/2024/09/revolution-wind-completes-installation-of-projects-first-offshore-wind-turbine">installed in September.&nbsp;</a></p><p>As of Iberdrola’s April 30 <a href="https://www.iberdrola.com/documents/20125/5119580/report-25Q1.pdf">report to investors</a>, four of Vineyard Wind’s turbines were sending power to the Massachusetts grid. The four turbines amount to 52 megawatts, or about enough energy to power 26,000 Massachusetts homes.</p><p>ISO New England, which operates the region’s transmission grid, <a href="https://www.iso-ne.com/isoexpress/">lists renewables</a> as providing 17% of the grid’s electricity supply. Of that, wind power (which includes onshore sources), accounts for 57%.</p><h3 class="wp-block-heading">Vineyard Wind pushes on</h3><p>Vineyard Wind has created about 2,000 jobs and more than 200 contracts with suppliers and businesses across 29 states, and yielded about $2 billion in investment in the country, according to a court filing in a <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/mass-ag-campbell-sues-trump-to-defend-offshore-wind/">lawsuit against the Trump administration</a> and its freezing of offshore wind permitting and leasing.&nbsp;</p><p>Attorneys general from 18 blue states are arguing in their lawsuit that offshore wind promotes economic activity and significant investment across the country.</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="780" height="519" data-attachment-id="164398" data-permalink="https://newbedfordlight.org/2085/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2085.jpg?fit=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1" data-orig-size="2000,1333" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;4&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;ILCE-7M3&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1749051224&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;38&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;100&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.00125&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="&#8211;2085" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;Turbine components at the Marine Terminal in New Bedford in June 2025. Credit: Eleonora Bianchi / The New Bedford Light&lt;/p&gt;
  118. " data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2085.jpg?fit=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2085.jpg?fit=780%2C519&amp;ssl=1" src="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2085.jpg?resize=780%2C519&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-164398" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2085.jpg?resize=1024%2C682&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2085.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2085.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2085.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2085.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2085.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2085.jpg?resize=800%2C533&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2085.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2085.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2085.jpg?w=2000&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2085-1024x682.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Turbine components at the Marine Terminal in New Bedford in June 2025. Credit: Eleonora Bianchi / The New Bedford Light</figcaption></figure></div><p>To date, Vineyard Wind has survived several legal challenges coming from the fishing industry and groups opposing offshore wind development. The groups lost their court cases challenging the federal government&#8217;s approval of the project, and last month, the U.S. Supreme Court <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/supreme-court-rejects-2-challenges-to-vineyard-wind/">rejected their petitions</a>.</p><p>But Vineyard Wind, like many other offshore wind projects, still faces challenges, with opposition groups emboldened and increasingly active during the second Trump administration. Nantucket-based activist group ACK for Whales filed petitions with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and BOEM, requesting the agencies<a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/nantucket-officials-group-challenge-3-offshore-wind-projects/"> </a>rescind approvals and permits for Vineyard Wind.</p><div class="wp-block-group alignright"><div class="wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained"><div class="wp-block-group"><div class="wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained"></div></div></div></div><p>Another group, Green Oceans, last month commissioned a report that lays out an action plan for Interior Secretary Doug Burgum to cancel projects in New England, including Vineyard Wind.&nbsp;</p><p>Still, experts believe Vineyard Wind is largely safe, despite what happened with <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/massachusetts-unions-companies-hail-trump-go-ahead-for-n-y-wind-farm/">Empire Wind</a>: the federal government took the unprecedented step in April of halting a fully permitted, under construction project, only to reverse course a month later and allow construction to continue.&nbsp;</p><p>Timothy Fox, an analyst at ClearView Energy Partners, said last month that the firm believes Burgum could take a “bifurcated approach.” Fox thinks the projects in advanced stages of development will move forward (meaning Vineyard Wind will complete construction), while those in earlier stages will remain stagnant under the Jan. 20 presidential memorandum — which state attorneys general on Thursday will argue must be immediately lifted.&nbsp;</p><p>Massachusetts is counting on offshore wind to meet projected grid demand and its climate goals of achieving<a href="https://www.mass.gov/info-details/massachusetts-clean-energy-and-climate-plan-for-2050"> net-zero</a> emissions (meaning the state offsets or removes as much carbon as it emits) by 2050. The state has three offshore wind projects in various stages of development: Vineyard Wind 1, SouthCoast Wind and New England Wind. Together, they would produce 3.1 gigawatts of energy, or enough to power up to 1.4 million homes.&nbsp;</p><p><em>Email Anastasia E. Lennon at </em><a href="mailto:alennon@newbedfordlight.org"><em>alennon@newbedfordlight.org</em></a><em>.&nbsp;</em></p><div class="wp-block-group"><div class="wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow"><hr class="wp-block-separator has-css-opacity is-style-wide"/>
  119.  
  120. <div class="wp-block-group"><div class="wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow"><div class="wp-block-group"><div class="wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow"><h4 class="wp-block-heading section-header" id="related-stories" style="font-style:normal;font-weight:400"><a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/anastasia-e-lennon/"><mark style="background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)" class="has-inline-color has-primary-color">More stories by Anastasia E. Lennon</mark></a></h4>
  121.  
  122. </div></div></div></div></div></div><hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide"/><p>The post <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/vineyard-wind-leases-construction-terminal-into-2026/">Vineyard Wind leases construction terminal into 2026</a> appeared first on <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org">The New Bedford Light</a>.</p>
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  129. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">164399</post-id> </item>
  130. <item>
  131. <title>City withholds records on $2 million grant</title>
  132. <link>https://newbedfordlight.org/city-withholds-records-on-2-million-grant/</link>
  133. <comments>https://newbedfordlight.org/city-withholds-records-on-2-million-grant/#comments</comments>
  135. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Grace Ferguson]]></dc:creator>
  136. <pubDate>Tue, 03 Jun 2025 21:39:47 +0000</pubDate>
  137. <category><![CDATA[City Hall]]></category>
  138. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://newbedfordlight.org/?p=164284</guid>
  139.  
  140. <description><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="682" src="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2083.jpg?fit=1024%2C682&amp;ssl=1" class="attachment-rss-image-size size-rss-image-size wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2083.jpg?w=2000&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2083.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2083.jpg?resize=1024%2C682&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2083.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2083.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2083.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2083.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2083.jpg?resize=800%2C533&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2083.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2083.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2083.jpg?fit=1024%2C682&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w" sizes="(max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw / 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw / 12)), 100vw" data-attachment-id="164238" data-permalink="https://newbedfordlight.org/2083/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2083.jpg?fit=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1" data-orig-size="2000,1333" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;22&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;ILCE-7M3&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1748960976&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;30&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;100&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.025&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="&#8211;2083" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;Exterior of the New Bedford Research and Robotics building on Purchase Street on June 3. Credit: Eleonora Bianchi / The New Bedford Light&lt;/p&gt;
  141. " data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2083.jpg?fit=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2083.jpg?fit=780%2C519&amp;ssl=1" /></figure>
  142. <p>The New Bedford Research &#038; Robotics renovation project had a high risk of failure, an internal city report shows. But the city awarded it $2 million — and, in response to a public records request, it has declined to release memos detailing the high-risk grant. </p>
  143. <p>The post <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/city-withholds-records-on-2-million-grant/">City withholds records on $2 million grant</a> appeared first on <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org">The New Bedford Light</a>.</p>
  144. ]]></description>
  145. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="682" src="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2083.jpg?fit=1024%2C682&amp;ssl=1" class="attachment-rss-image-size size-rss-image-size wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2083.jpg?w=2000&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2083.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2083.jpg?resize=1024%2C682&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2083.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2083.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2083.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2083.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2083.jpg?resize=800%2C533&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2083.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2083.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2083.jpg?fit=1024%2C682&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w" sizes="(max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw / 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw / 12)), 100vw" data-attachment-id="164238" data-permalink="https://newbedfordlight.org/2083/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2083.jpg?fit=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1" data-orig-size="2000,1333" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;22&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;ILCE-7M3&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1748960976&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;30&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;100&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.025&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="&#8211;2083" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;Exterior of the New Bedford Research and Robotics building on Purchase Street on June 3. Credit: Eleonora Bianchi / The New Bedford Light&lt;/p&gt;
  146. " data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2083.jpg?fit=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2083.jpg?fit=780%2C519&amp;ssl=1" /></figure><p class="has-drop-cap">Local leaders surrounded a mechanical arm as it cut the ribbon on New Bedford Research &amp; Robotics’ new building last July.</p><p>The ceremony kicked off the renovation of a vacant property on Purchase Street, using $2.25 million in federal pandemic relief funds granted by the city. The grant took months to finalize — it needed “all manner of legal opinions” to fit into the complicated funding requirements, Mayor Jon Mitchell <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4QA7XAymuew">said</a> at the ribbon-cutting.&nbsp;</p><p>“This represents a big bet of public funds,” Mitchell said. “I am fully confident that that is a really good bet that will pay off handsomely for the city in the long run.”</p><p>This “bet” was risky, according to an internal city report obtained by The Light. A six-page assessment completed in early 2023 said the New Bedford Research &amp; Robotics renovation project had a “high risk” of failing to meet its goals or compliance requirements.&nbsp;</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="780" height="438" data-attachment-id="163518" data-permalink="https://newbedfordlight.org/screen-shot-2025-05-27-at-11-11-27-am/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Screen-Shot-2025-05-27-at-11.11.27-AM-scaled.png?fit=2560%2C1436&amp;ssl=1" data-orig-size="2560,1436" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="NBRR ribbon cutting cable access" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;Mayor Jon Mitchell and NBRR founder Mark Parsons smile as a robot arm cuts the ribbon on the NBRR&#8217;s Purchase Street facility in July 2024. Credit: New Bedford Cable Access&lt;/p&gt;
  147. " data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Screen-Shot-2025-05-27-at-11.11.27-AM-scaled.png?fit=300%2C168&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Screen-Shot-2025-05-27-at-11.11.27-AM-scaled.png?fit=780%2C438&amp;ssl=1" src="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Screen-Shot-2025-05-27-at-11.11.27-AM.png?resize=780%2C438&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-163518" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Screen-Shot-2025-05-27-at-11.11.27-AM-scaled.png?resize=1024%2C575&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Screen-Shot-2025-05-27-at-11.11.27-AM-scaled.png?resize=300%2C168&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Screen-Shot-2025-05-27-at-11.11.27-AM-scaled.png?resize=768%2C431&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Screen-Shot-2025-05-27-at-11.11.27-AM-scaled.png?resize=1536%2C862&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Screen-Shot-2025-05-27-at-11.11.27-AM-scaled.png?resize=2048%2C1149&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Screen-Shot-2025-05-27-at-11.11.27-AM-scaled.png?resize=1200%2C673&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Screen-Shot-2025-05-27-at-11.11.27-AM-scaled.png?resize=2000%2C1122&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Screen-Shot-2025-05-27-at-11.11.27-AM-scaled.png?resize=780%2C438&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Screen-Shot-2025-05-27-at-11.11.27-AM-scaled.png?resize=800%2C449&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Screen-Shot-2025-05-27-at-11.11.27-AM-scaled.png?resize=400%2C224&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Screen-Shot-2025-05-27-at-11.11.27-AM-scaled.png?resize=706%2C396&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Screen-Shot-2025-05-27-at-11.11.27-AM-scaled.png?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Screen-Shot-2025-05-27-at-11.11.27-AM-1024x575.png?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Mayor Jon Mitchell and NBRR founder Mark Parsons smile as a robot arm cuts the ribbon on the NBRR&#8217;s Purchase Street facility in July 2024. Credit: New Bedford Cable Access</figcaption></figure></div><p>But so far, the city has kept other reports evaluating the grant’s risks a secret.</p><p>City staff, lawyers, and a consultant exchanged six memos about the project’s risk over the next year and a half, but the city has refused to release them to The Light. It claims all six documents can be kept secret under exemptions in the state public records law for attorney-client privilege and attorney work product.&nbsp;</p><p>The Light has been seeking public records about the $2.25 million grant since November, and it has been asking the city to release the memos since February.</p><p>The city has claimed that some of the memos, written by a city consultant and staffer, sought legal advice from the city’s lawyers on the grant, and that the other memos included the lawyers’ legal opinions on the grant.</p><p>“Government entities may assert the attorney-client privilege, despite the tension with the principle of government transparency embodied by the Massachusetts Public Records Law,” Associate City Solicitor Katherine Schuko wrote in a response to The Light in May.</p><p>Public Information Officer Jonathan Darling declined to explain why the Mitchell administration chose to invoke this privilege. He provided a written statement in response to The Light’s questions about the grant last week. (<a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Screenshot-2025-06-03-at-4.42.37-PM.png">You can read the statement in full here.</a>)</p><p>Darling’s statement said the city took steps to “minimize any risk” associated with the grant, “guided by legal counsel.” It said the city is monitoring the work and paying contractors directly rather than having the money pass through the nonprofit’s accounts. “The applicant also has deep local roots, and has successfully built a robotics program affiliated with the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, which he wants to replicate here,” Darling wrote.</p><p>The applicant is the nonprofit New Bedford Research &amp; Robotics. Mark Parsons, its founder and executive director, said he didn’t know that the city had determined that the grant was risky.</p><p>“I haven’t been privy to any of this,” he said in an April interview with The Light. “Nobody sent me a risk assessment or a memo or anything.”</p><p>But Parsons said the content of the memos was “irrelevant&#8221; to him.</p><p>“I’m not going to get sidetracked by, ‘So-and-so said such-and-such,” he said. Instead, he said he’s focused on the renovation project — which is still in its early stages — and his nonprofit’s work.</p><p>This is one of three pandemic relief grants that the city awarded despite assessments by the city’s grant auditors that the projects were high-risk.</p><p>The city also awarded $500,000 in pandemic funds to the renovation of Holy Family High School into apartments, then later determined that the Holy Family grant was high-risk.&nbsp;</p><p>And the city gave $110,000 in pandemic-relief funds to the William H. Carney Lodge renovation in December after a reviewer’s warning that the lodge “cannot be entrusted to manage federal funds,” <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/new-bedford-awards-110000-grant-despite-high-risk-warning/">The Light reported</a> in April. The city said it mitigated risks on the lodge renovation by paying vendors directly and inspecting the work. The Carney Lodge grant was one of six pandemic-relief grants the city awarded outside of a competitive application process, The Light has learned.</p><h3 class="wp-block-heading">Robotics nonprofit leader reacts to city’s findings</h3><p>A six-page risk assessment of the New Bedford Research &amp; Robotics project is the only document The Light has obtained from the city that explains why auditors found that the grant to New Bedford Research &amp; Robotics, or NBRR, was high-risk.&nbsp;</p><p><a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/mark-parsons-world-of-innovation-technology-and-creativity/">Parsons</a> founded NBRR as a nonprofit in 2021. He had just returned to the South Coast, where he grew up, after leading a <a href="https://consortiumrr.com/">similar program</a> at the Pratt Institute in New York City. NBRR runs robotics education programs for local students, conducts research for universities and private companies, and provides “incubation” space for small businesses.</p><p>Philanthropic grants fund some of NBRR’s programs. The nonprofit charges for some of its services, Parsons said: small businesses pay to be members of its incubation program, and companies pay the nonprofit for research and development contracts.</p><p>The nonprofit is using this pandemic relief grant to renovate the former Glaser Glass building at 1265 Purchase St., while working in the currently usable parts of the property. MassDevelopment, the state’s economic development authority, pitched in another $900,000 toward the project.</p><p>Plans submitted with NBRR’s grant application show the grubby industrial garage space transformed into a bright, futuristic innovation hub, complete with robot arms.</p><figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="780" height="341" data-attachment-id="161593" data-permalink="https://newbedfordlight.org/nbrr-rendering-1/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/NBRR-rendering-1.png?fit=2182%2C954&amp;ssl=1" data-orig-size="2182,954" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="NBRR rendering 1" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/NBRR-rendering-1.png?fit=300%2C131&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/NBRR-rendering-1.png?fit=780%2C341&amp;ssl=1" src="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/NBRR-rendering-1.png?resize=780%2C341&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-161593" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/NBRR-rendering-1.png?resize=1024%2C448&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/NBRR-rendering-1.png?resize=300%2C131&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/NBRR-rendering-1.png?resize=768%2C336&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/NBRR-rendering-1.png?resize=1536%2C672&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/NBRR-rendering-1.png?resize=2048%2C895&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/NBRR-rendering-1.png?resize=1200%2C525&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/NBRR-rendering-1.png?resize=2000%2C874&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/NBRR-rendering-1.png?resize=780%2C341&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/NBRR-rendering-1.png?resize=800%2C350&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/NBRR-rendering-1.png?resize=400%2C175&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/NBRR-rendering-1.png?resize=706%2C309&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/NBRR-rendering-1-1024x448.png?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /></figure><figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="780" height="341" data-attachment-id="161594" data-permalink="https://newbedfordlight.org/nbrr-rendering-2/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/NBRR-rendering-2.png?fit=2182%2C954&amp;ssl=1" data-orig-size="2182,954" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="NBRR rendering 2" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/NBRR-rendering-2.png?fit=300%2C131&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/NBRR-rendering-2.png?fit=780%2C341&amp;ssl=1" src="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/NBRR-rendering-2.png?resize=780%2C341&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-161594" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/NBRR-rendering-2.png?resize=1024%2C448&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/NBRR-rendering-2.png?resize=300%2C131&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/NBRR-rendering-2.png?resize=768%2C336&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/NBRR-rendering-2.png?resize=1536%2C672&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/NBRR-rendering-2.png?resize=2048%2C895&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/NBRR-rendering-2.png?resize=1200%2C525&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/NBRR-rendering-2.png?resize=2000%2C874&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/NBRR-rendering-2.png?resize=780%2C341&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/NBRR-rendering-2.png?resize=800%2C350&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/NBRR-rendering-2.png?resize=400%2C175&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/NBRR-rendering-2.png?resize=706%2C309&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/NBRR-rendering-2-1024x448.png?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Renderings depict the proposed renovation of the former Glaser Glass building. Credit: NBRR and Union Studio</figcaption></figure><p>Most of NBRR’s pandemic grant is still unspent because the renovation is far from finished. The project team is currently working to stabilize the building, which deteriorated while it was vacant. Rising construction costs and unexpected problems with the building have drastically increased the project budget, Parsons said.</p><p>Parsons works in a small, dated office on the north side of the property. His head nearly touches the ceiling tiles when he stands. All the robots are out of sight in an unglamorous warehouse building toward the back of the lot.</p><p>The main building that’s visible from Purchase Street looks clean, bright, and buzzy in architectural renderings. Parsons said he wants to have big windows in front so the work being done there “spills out” into the neighborhood.</p><p>When he took a Light reporter and photographer on a tour of the space in April, it felt chilly and a little damp. Leaks in the ceiling had stained the walls. A couple of construction workers were boarding up the garage doors.&nbsp;</p><figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="780" height="519" data-attachment-id="158923" data-permalink="https://newbedfordlight.org/1973/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1973.jpg?fit=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1" data-orig-size="2000,1333" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;3.5&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;ILCE-7M3&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1744735568&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;28&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;800&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.005&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="&#8211;1973" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;NBRR Executive Director Mark Parsons stands inside the vacant former Glaser Glass building. Delays in approvals and rising costs have slowed renovations, and little of the $2.25 million city grant has been spent, Parsons said. Credit: Eleonora Bianchi / The New Bedford Light&lt;/p&gt;
  148. " data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1973.jpg?fit=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1973.jpg?fit=780%2C519&amp;ssl=1" src="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1973.jpg?resize=780%2C519&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-158923" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1973.jpg?resize=1024%2C682&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1973.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1973.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1973.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1973.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1973.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1973.jpg?resize=800%2C533&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1973.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1973.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1973.jpg?w=2000&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1973-1024x682.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">NBRR Executive Director Mark Parsons stands inside the vacant former Glaser Glass building on April 15. Delays in approvals and rising costs have slowed renovations, and little of the $2.25 million city grant has been spent, Parsons said. Below, more scenes from the Light&#8217;s April 15 tour of<strong> </strong>the former Glaser Glass building. Credit: Eleonora Bianchi / The New Bedford Light</figcaption></figure><div data-carousel-extra='{"blog_id":1,"permalink":"https:\/\/newbedfordlight.org\/city-withholds-records-on-2-million-grant\/"}'  class="wp-block-jetpack-tiled-gallery aligncenter is-style-rectangular"><div class=""><div class="tiled-gallery__gallery"><div class="tiled-gallery__row"><div class="tiled-gallery__col" style="flex-basis:66.79201%"><figure class="tiled-gallery__item"><img decoding="async" data-attachment-id="158931" data-permalink="https://newbedfordlight.org/1983/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1983.jpg?fit=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1" data-orig-size="2000,1333" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;3.5&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;ILCE-7M3&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1744736172&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;28&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;800&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.008&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="&#8211;1983" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;Signs of water infiltration on the walls of the former Glaser Glass building, now under renovation by New Bedford Research and Robotics. Credit: Eleonora Bianchi / The New Bedford Light&lt;/p&gt;
  149. " data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1983.jpg?fit=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1983.jpg?fit=780%2C519&amp;ssl=1" data-attachment-id="158931" data-permalink="https://newbedfordlight.org/1983/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1983.jpg?fit=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1" data-orig-size="2000,1333" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;3.5&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;ILCE-7M3&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1744736172&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;28&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;800&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.008&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="&#8211;1983" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;Signs of water infiltration on the walls of the former Glaser Glass building, now under renovation by New Bedford Research and Robotics. Credit: Eleonora Bianchi / The New Bedford Light&lt;/p&gt;
  150. " data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1983.jpg?fit=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1983.jpg?fit=780%2C519&amp;ssl=1" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1983-1024x682.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=600&#038;ssl=1 600w,https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1983-1024x682.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=900&#038;ssl=1 900w,https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1983-1024x682.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=1200&#038;ssl=1 1200w,https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1983-1024x682.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=1500&#038;ssl=1 1500w,https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1983-1024x682.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=1800&#038;ssl=1 1800w,https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1983-1024x682.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=2000&#038;ssl=1 2000w" alt="" data-height="1333" data-id="158931" data-link="https://newbedfordlight.org/1983/" data-url="https://newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1983-1024x682.jpg" data-width="2000" src="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1983-1024x682.jpg?ssl=1" data-amp-layout="responsive" tabindex="0" role="button" aria-label="Open image 1 of 6 in full-screen"/></figure></div><div class="tiled-gallery__col" style="flex-basis:33.20799%"><figure class="tiled-gallery__item"><img decoding="async" data-attachment-id="158930" data-permalink="https://newbedfordlight.org/1982/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1982.jpg?fit=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1" data-orig-size="2000,1333" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;4.5&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;ILCE-7M3&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1744735942&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;41&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;800&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.005&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="&#8211;1982" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;The inside of the former Glaser Glass building, under renovation by New Bedford Research and Robotics, a young nonprofit that received one of the city&#8217;s largest ARPA grants. Credit: Eleonora Bianchi / The New Bedford Light &lt;/p&gt;
  151. " data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1982.jpg?fit=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1982.jpg?fit=780%2C519&amp;ssl=1" data-attachment-id="158930" data-permalink="https://newbedfordlight.org/1982/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1982.jpg?fit=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1" data-orig-size="2000,1333" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;4.5&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;ILCE-7M3&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1744735942&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;41&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;800&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.005&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="&#8211;1982" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;The inside of the former Glaser Glass building, under renovation by New Bedford Research and Robotics, a young nonprofit that received one of the city&#8217;s largest ARPA grants. Credit: Eleonora Bianchi / The New Bedford Light &lt;/p&gt;
  152. " data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1982.jpg?fit=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1982.jpg?fit=780%2C519&amp;ssl=1" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1982-1024x682.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=600&#038;ssl=1 600w,https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1982-1024x682.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=900&#038;ssl=1 900w,https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1982-1024x682.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=1200&#038;ssl=1 1200w,https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1982-1024x682.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=1500&#038;ssl=1 1500w,https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1982-1024x682.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=1800&#038;ssl=1 1800w,https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1982-1024x682.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=2000&#038;ssl=1 2000w" alt="" data-height="1333" data-id="158930" data-link="https://newbedfordlight.org/1982/" data-url="https://newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1982-1024x682.jpg" data-width="2000" src="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1982-1024x682.jpg?ssl=1" data-amp-layout="responsive" tabindex="0" role="button" aria-label="Open image 2 of 6 in full-screen"/></figure><figure class="tiled-gallery__item"><img decoding="async" data-attachment-id="158927" data-permalink="https://newbedfordlight.org/1981/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1981.jpg?fit=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1" data-orig-size="2000,1333" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;3.5&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;ILCE-7M3&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1744735867&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;28&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;800&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.005&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="&#8211;1981" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;Removed panels at the former Glaser Glass building, now under renovation by New Bedford Research and Robotics. Credit: Eleonora Bianchi / The New Bedford Light&lt;/p&gt;
  153. " data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1981.jpg?fit=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1981.jpg?fit=780%2C519&amp;ssl=1" data-attachment-id="158927" data-permalink="https://newbedfordlight.org/1981/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1981.jpg?fit=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1" data-orig-size="2000,1333" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;3.5&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;ILCE-7M3&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1744735867&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;28&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;800&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.005&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="&#8211;1981" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;Removed panels at the former Glaser Glass building, now under renovation by New Bedford Research and Robotics. Credit: Eleonora Bianchi / The New Bedford Light&lt;/p&gt;
  154. " data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1981.jpg?fit=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1981.jpg?fit=780%2C519&amp;ssl=1" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1981-1024x682.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=600&#038;ssl=1 600w,https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1981-1024x682.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=900&#038;ssl=1 900w,https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1981-1024x682.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=1200&#038;ssl=1 1200w,https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1981-1024x682.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=1500&#038;ssl=1 1500w,https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1981-1024x682.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=1800&#038;ssl=1 1800w,https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1981-1024x682.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=2000&#038;ssl=1 2000w" alt="" data-height="1333" data-id="158927" data-link="https://newbedfordlight.org/1981/" data-url="https://newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1981-1024x682.jpg" data-width="2000" src="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1981-1024x682.jpg?ssl=1" data-amp-layout="responsive" tabindex="0" role="button" aria-label="Open image 3 of 6 in full-screen"/></figure></div></div><div class="tiled-gallery__row"><div class="tiled-gallery__col" style="flex-basis:33.33333%"><figure class="tiled-gallery__item"><img decoding="async" data-attachment-id="158926" data-permalink="https://newbedfordlight.org/1980/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1980.jpg?fit=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1" data-orig-size="2000,1333" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;7.1&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;ILCE-7M3&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1744735761&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;28&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;800&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.005&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="&#8211;1980" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;The inside of the former Glaser Glass building, under renovation by New Bedford Research and Robotics, a young nonprofit that received one of the city&#8217;s largest ARPA grants. Credit: Eleonora Bianchi / The New Bedford Light &lt;/p&gt;
  155. " data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1980.jpg?fit=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1980.jpg?fit=780%2C519&amp;ssl=1" data-attachment-id="158926" data-permalink="https://newbedfordlight.org/1980/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1980.jpg?fit=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1" data-orig-size="2000,1333" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;7.1&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;ILCE-7M3&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1744735761&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;28&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;800&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.005&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="&#8211;1980" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;The inside of the former Glaser Glass building, under renovation by New Bedford Research and Robotics, a young nonprofit that received one of the city&#8217;s largest ARPA grants. Credit: Eleonora Bianchi / The New Bedford Light &lt;/p&gt;
  156. " data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1980.jpg?fit=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1980.jpg?fit=780%2C519&amp;ssl=1" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1980-1024x682.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=600&#038;ssl=1 600w,https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1980-1024x682.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=900&#038;ssl=1 900w,https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1980-1024x682.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=1200&#038;ssl=1 1200w,https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1980-1024x682.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=1500&#038;ssl=1 1500w,https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1980-1024x682.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=1800&#038;ssl=1 1800w,https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1980-1024x682.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=2000&#038;ssl=1 2000w" alt="" data-height="1333" data-id="158926" data-link="https://newbedfordlight.org/1980/" data-url="https://newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1980-1024x682.jpg" data-width="2000" src="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1980-1024x682.jpg?ssl=1" data-amp-layout="responsive" tabindex="0" role="button" aria-label="Open image 4 of 6 in full-screen"/></figure></div><div class="tiled-gallery__col" style="flex-basis:33.33333%"><figure class="tiled-gallery__item"><img decoding="async" data-attachment-id="158924" data-permalink="https://newbedfordlight.org/1974/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1974.jpg?fit=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1" data-orig-size="2000,1333" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;3.5&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;ILCE-7M3&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1744735627&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;28&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;800&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.005&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="&#8211;1974" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;Inside the former Glaser Glass building, now a work in progress for New Bedford Research and Robotics, a young nonprofit that received one of the city&#8217;s largest ARPA grants. Credit: Eleonora Bianchi / The New Bedford Light&lt;/p&gt;
  157. " data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1974.jpg?fit=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1974.jpg?fit=780%2C519&amp;ssl=1" data-attachment-id="158924" data-permalink="https://newbedfordlight.org/1974/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1974.jpg?fit=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1" data-orig-size="2000,1333" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;3.5&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;ILCE-7M3&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1744735627&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;28&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;800&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.005&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="&#8211;1974" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;Inside the former Glaser Glass building, now a work in progress for New Bedford Research and Robotics, a young nonprofit that received one of the city&#8217;s largest ARPA grants. Credit: Eleonora Bianchi / The New Bedford Light&lt;/p&gt;
  158. " data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1974.jpg?fit=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1974.jpg?fit=780%2C519&amp;ssl=1" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1974-1024x682.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=600&#038;ssl=1 600w,https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1974-1024x682.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=900&#038;ssl=1 900w,https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1974-1024x682.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=1200&#038;ssl=1 1200w,https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1974-1024x682.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=1500&#038;ssl=1 1500w,https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1974-1024x682.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=1800&#038;ssl=1 1800w,https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1974-1024x682.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=2000&#038;ssl=1 2000w" alt="" data-height="1333" data-id="158924" data-link="https://newbedfordlight.org/1974/" data-url="https://newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1974-1024x682.jpg" data-width="2000" src="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1974-1024x682.jpg?ssl=1" data-amp-layout="responsive" tabindex="0" role="button" aria-label="Open image 5 of 6 in full-screen"/></figure></div><div class="tiled-gallery__col" style="flex-basis:33.33333%"><figure class="tiled-gallery__item"><img decoding="async" data-attachment-id="158922" data-permalink="https://newbedfordlight.org/1970/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1970.jpg?fit=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1" data-orig-size="2000,1333" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;4&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;ILCE-7M3&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1744730106&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;32&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;1000&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.00625&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="&#8211;1970" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;An orange robotic arm, the symbol of New Bedford Research and Robotics, stands in the office of Executive Director Mark Parsons. Credit: Eleonora Bianchi / The New Bedford Light&lt;/p&gt;
  159. " data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1970.jpg?fit=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1970.jpg?fit=780%2C519&amp;ssl=1" data-attachment-id="158922" data-permalink="https://newbedfordlight.org/1970/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1970.jpg?fit=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1" data-orig-size="2000,1333" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;4&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;ILCE-7M3&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1744730106&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;32&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;1000&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.00625&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="&#8211;1970" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;An orange robotic arm, the symbol of New Bedford Research and Robotics, stands in the office of Executive Director Mark Parsons. Credit: Eleonora Bianchi / The New Bedford Light&lt;/p&gt;
  160. " data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1970.jpg?fit=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1970.jpg?fit=780%2C519&amp;ssl=1" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1970-1024x682.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=600&#038;ssl=1 600w,https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1970-1024x682.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=900&#038;ssl=1 900w,https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1970-1024x682.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=1200&#038;ssl=1 1200w,https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1970-1024x682.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=1500&#038;ssl=1 1500w,https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1970-1024x682.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=1800&#038;ssl=1 1800w,https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1970-1024x682.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=2000&#038;ssl=1 2000w" alt="" data-height="1333" data-id="158922" data-link="https://newbedfordlight.org/1970/" data-url="https://newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1970-1024x682.jpg" data-width="2000" src="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1970-1024x682.jpg?ssl=1" data-amp-layout="responsive" tabindex="0" role="button" aria-label="Open image 6 of 6 in full-screen"/></figure></div></div></div></div></div><p>The project is far behind its original schedule — in its grant application, NBRR aimed to finish the work by summer 2023. Another project schedule that was included in risk assessment documents targeted June 2024.</p><p>The risk assessment and pre-grant process dragged on so long that the grant wasn’t even officially awarded until late April 2024, more than a year after the risk score was filed. Unanticipated work, like a stormwater runoff study required to replace the building’s roof, has also slowed the renovation.</p><p>The 2023 risk assessment came up with a score based mainly on the organization’s history, financial picture, and management structure. The higher the score, the higher the risk. NBRR’s grant received 39 out of a possible 48 points.&nbsp;</p><p>Any score of 33 or above, the assessment says, means “there is high risk that the subrecipient will fail to meet project or programmatic objectives or incur significant deficiencies in financial, regulatory, reporting, or other compliance requirements.”</p><p>This project scored so high because the young nonprofit lacked experience in managing grants, according to the assessment. The reviewer also found that NBRR didn’t have detailed financial plans in place that would enable it to meet the grant requirements.</p><p>NBRR’s accounting system didn’t identify program funding “separately and accurately” for each of its grants, the assessment said. It also found that NBRR had no internal control plan and no lead fiscal staff with experience in grant management. And it said the city grant made up a “large” percentage of NBRR’s overall funding.</p><p>“They were new,” said Molly Kivi, the former city grant auditor who prepared the assessment. “It is the best indicator of whether something is going to be high-risk or low-risk.”</p><p>NBRR’s age set it apart from other recipients of large pandemic grants around the city. Other, more established organizations that received grants of over $1 million, such as the <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/city-faces-dec-31-deadline-for-final-arpa-spending/#:~:text=The%20city%20allocated%20%241.5%20million%20to%20help%20renovate%20the%20YMCA.">YMCA</a>, the <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/new-bedford-locks-in-final-arpa-spending-plans/#:~:text=the%20city%20increased%20its%20commitment%20to%20the%20Zeiterion%20from%20%245%2C750%2C000%20to%20%246%2C855%2C000">Zeiterion</a>, and the <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/new-bedford-whaling-museum-on-course-for-major-expansion/">Whaling Museum</a>, received low risk scores.</p><h4 class="wp-block-heading" style="font-style:normal;font-weight:400"><a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/NBRR_Risk-Assessment-Score_2.3.23.pdf">Read the risk scorecard</a> <mark style="background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)" class="has-inline-color has-primary-color">⇢</mark></h4><p>In a lengthy interview with The Light, Parsons said that he didn’t think the grant was high-risk, but said he wasn’t offended by the city’s findings.</p><p>“I think it’s reasonable for anybody two, three years ago [to] have said, ‘You’re gonna do what?’” he said. “I totally respect that.”</p><p>Parsons said the organization has done good work over the past few years, citing numerous examples. Academics from Brown University and Carnegie Mellon University have done research on AI and sound-absorbing materials. NBRR has researched better ways to stitch together carbon fiber nanotubes for an undisclosed aerospace company. And the nonprofit has provided advice and working space for a startup generating hydrogen for clean energy, he said.&nbsp;</p><p>The risk assessment process was “brutal,” Parsons said. It frustrated him because the city would ask him for information, then “go dark” for months. He said it contributed to escalating costs on the project.</p><p>But after seeing a copy of the risk scorecard, Parsons wrote in an email: “I was never really asked these questions, the scores don’t seem objective, nor do they accurately reflect the extensive experience and skills of our team.”</p><p>When The Light provided Parsons with city documents that show NBRR was asked nearly every question in the scorecard, he said that he thought the risk assessment was complete by February 2023, when the scorecard was written, and that NBRR was only providing answers to secure the grant.</p><p>“If someone hands you a form and says, ‘Fill this out for the grant,’ it comes across as a dry conveyance of information,” he wrote in an email. “If someone hands you the same form and says, ‘This is part of a risk assessment package, please fill it out,’ you attend to those responses quite differently.”</p><p>In a follow-up interview, Parsons said that if he had known the answers were for the risk assessment, he would have provided better documentation showing his organization had more experience and better internal processes.</p><p>Still, Parsons reiterated that he’s “not interested in pointing fingers at the city.”</p><h3 class="wp-block-heading">What we know about the risk the city took, and what the city won’t tell us </h3><p>Federal regulations required the city to complete risk assessments for all “subrecipients” of pandemic relief money — meaning organizations that carried out federally funded projects but weren’t the end users of the funding. NBRR’s renovation relies on design and construction work from outside firms.</p><p>“The risk assessment is not a thumbs-up or thumbs-down determination,” said Darling, the city’s public information officer, in his written statement.</p><p>Kivi, the former city grant auditor, agreed. She said a high-risk determination isn’t necessarily a reason not to give a grant.</p><p>Instead, the federal government requires a risk assessment to help the city determine what supports and guardrails it should set up to comply with federal rules on how the money can be spent.</p><p>NBRR’s high-risk assessment meant the nonprofit would need extra guidance and monitoring from the city. The city is paying contractors directly, instead of through NBRR, and monitoring the work.</p><p>“It also required NBRR to file a notice of federal interest with the Registry of Deeds so that the federal government’s investment is properly addressed in the unlikely event that the project does not come to fruition,” Darling’s statement continued.</p><p>The notice says the Purchase Street property must be used for its “originally authorized purpose” as a robotics center for the next six years, unless it gets approval from the city to do otherwise.&nbsp;</p><p>NBRR filed the notice this May, a year after the grant was finalized — and just a few weeks after The Light contacted Parsons about the risk assessment.&nbsp;</p><p>Kivi completed her scorecard in February 2023 and resigned three months later. The risk assessment process stretched on for the next year. Darling’s statement didn’t address The Light’s question about why the assessment process took so long.</p><p>The memos that the city is keeping secret could show what happened during that yearlong assessment, but the city has repeatedly refused to provide them to The Light.</p><p>That means the public can’t access information about how the city managed the potential risks for one of the largest pandemic grants it awarded.&nbsp;</p><p>To keep the memos out of the public eye, the city has claimed exemptions from the state public records law that protect attorney-client confidentiality and legal opinions written by lawyers. Darling declined to explain why the city is choosing to invoke those exemptions.</p><p>The six memos were filed between May 2023 and October 2024. Three of them were written by a city consultant on pandemic funding, including two that were co-authored by a city auditor. The city claims that those memos don’t have to be released because the consultant was “seeking legal advice” from city lawyers. The other three memos, the city says, include legal opinions on the grant from city lawyers.</p><p>The consultant, Richard Taylor, and the city auditor, Jennifer Maxwell, declined to comment for this story. Maxwell no longer works for the city.</p><h3 class="wp-block-heading">City doesn’t address questions about nonprofit’s lease</h3><p>The city awarded the renovation grant to the nonprofit New Bedford Research &amp; Robotics — but a for-profit business also controlled by Parsons actually owns the building the nonprofit is renovating.&nbsp;</p><p>The nonprofit pays rent to Parsons’ business, an LLC called Southcoast Research &amp; Robotics. The lease also makes the nonprofit responsible for utilities, maintenance, insurance, and taxes.</p><p>Darling did not answer The Light’s question about why the city awarded the grant to the nonprofit instead of the business.&nbsp;<br></p><p>The Light also asked Darling what would happen with the federal grant money if the business were to sell the building. Darling didn’t directly address the question, but his statement refers to the <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/NBRR-notice-of-federal-interest.pdf">notice of federal interest</a> filed with the registry of deeds in May, which he said was filed “so that the federal government’s investment is properly addressed in the unlikely event that the project does not come to fruition.”</p><p>That notice, and the grant agreement, place restrictions on what the nonprofit can do with property that’s “acquired or improved” with federal funding. The <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ARPA-NBRR-VACANT-BUILDING-SUBRECIPIENT-AGREEMENT-5-6-2024_REDACTED.pdf">grant agreement</a> says the grantee has to get instructions from the city if it “seeks to encumber or dispose of the property,” and the city can choose from a range of options that all involve compensating or transferring property to the U.S. Treasury. </p><p>But it’s not clear how either agreement would restrict what the business can do with its building. The grantee is the nonprofit, not the business.</p><p>Parsons said that his original plan was for the nonprofit to buy the property, but he wouldn’t have been able to get the financing that way.</p><p>“No bank was going to give a mortgage to a nonprofit that wasn’t a juggernaut nonprofit — just wasn’t gonna happen,” he said. “So, there had to be a for-profit entity that made more sense to the bank.”</p><p>Parsons added that he intends to eventually transfer ownership of the property to the nonprofit, though he didn’t have a specific timeline.</p><p>The LLC bought the property for $1,200,000 in December 2022, with a $840,000 mortgage from BayCoast Bank.</p><p>Parsons said he negotiated the lease with the nonprofit’s board of directors so that rent payments would cover the mortgage “plus a small, very small increment on top.”</p><p>NBRR owed monthly rent payments of $7,250 to the LLC in 2023, the first year of the lease. Bank records submitted as part of the risk assessment process show that the LLC’s monthly mortgage payments in the first eight months of that year ranged from $4,410 to $4,883.</p><p>The lease set annual rent increases over its 10-year term. This year, the nonprofit’s monthly rent increased to $14,602. By 2032, the monthly rent will be $19,215.</p><p>During lease negotiations, it wasn’t clear how much the final monthly mortgage payments would be, Parsons said. They will increase in the future: The initial two-year mortgage agreement only required the LLC to pay the interest, but not any of the principal. The loan still hasn’t transitioned out of the interest-only phase because the renovation isn’t done, he said.</p><p>Parsons declined to answer follow-up questions about how much the current mortgage payment is.</p><h3 class="wp-block-heading">Holy Family apartment conversion also called high-risk</h3><p>NBRR’s grant is one of the three high-risk pandemic grants the city gave out.</p><p>The renovation of Holy Family High School into <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/why-its-hard-to-build-in-new-bedford/#:~:text=The%20new%20apartments%20at%20121%20North%20Street">15 mixed-income apartments</a> was also high-risk, city documents show. The city provided $500,000 in pandemic funds for the project, on top of $875,000 from a separate federal housing program.</p><p>CMK Development Partners <a href="https://www.newbedford-ma.gov/blog/news/holy-family-revitalized-into-new-housing-development/">finished</a> the project at the beginning of last year — on-time and on-budget, according to the developer. The building quickly filled with tenants, and there were more than 100 people on the building’s waitlist by November.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Colleen Kavanaugh, chief operating officer of CMK, said she knew the city had assessed the project for risk. But she said the city never told her the project was deemed high-risk.</p><p>“I have no idea why someone would have come to that conclusion,” she said.</p><p>The Holy Family risk assessment, also completed by Kivi, outlined similar problems to the NBRR grant — the company behind the project was new to federal grants and didn’t have robust financial systems, her report said.</p><p>Kavanaugh disputed nearly every score in the risk assessment. She said the project team did have staff familiar with federal grants and other compliance requirements, and it did have detailed accounting procedures.&nbsp;</p><p>The issues raised in the report are moot, she said, because CMK successfully completed the project and met all compliance requirements.</p><p>Kavanaugh also said CMK was never asked the questions listed in the risk assessment.</p><p>Kivi said the risk assessment was based on either grant documents or an interview with the grantee, though she couldn’t remember which. She said that the risk assessment was about the specific organization that received the grant. The Holy Family grant went to a separate LLC that the leaders of CMK established in 2021, rather than CMK itself.&nbsp;</p><p>Kivi noted in the risk assessment that “a founder of Holy Family failed to disclose a conflict of interest to an employer in 2016.” In an interview, Kivi said she was referring to a <a href="https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2018/09/23/top-umass-dartmouth-official-moonlighted-for-company-with-plan-compete-for-students/p8B5BA8zIKDSB4aUVdU8tJ/story.html">2018 Boston Globe story</a> about Gerry Kavanaugh, the CEO of the development firm and Colleen Kavanaugh’s husband.&nbsp;</p><p>While Kavanaugh was interim chancellor of UMass Dartmouth, he did not disclose that he had been hired as a consultant for a company working on a plan to attract students to another college campus, the Globe reported.</p><p>Colleen Kavanaugh declined to comment on that line in the risk assessment. Gerry Kavanaugh did not respond to a request for comment.</p><p>The risk assessment was completed in January 2023, months after the city awarded the grant to Holy Family in September 2022. By the time the report was filed, most of the pandemic grant money had already been spent, Colleen Kavanaugh said.&nbsp;</p><p>Risk assessments were required for all pandemic relief grants to ensure proper oversight of the funding.</p><p>Darling, the city’s public information officer, did not directly address The Light’s question about why the Holy Family risk assessment was completed after the grant was awarded. He also did not answer questions about what action, if any, the city took to mitigate the risks of this grant.</p><p>“CMK Development Partners is headed up by an experienced real estate developer with deep roots in the City,” Darling said in his written statement. “CMK used its ARPA [pandemic relief] funds to turn a school building that had been vacant for 40 years into an attractive, fully-occupied apartment building that now houses 15 families who were seeking housing in a tight market.”</p><h3 class="wp-block-heading">Some projects bypass competitive process</h3><p>In another case, the city awarded <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/new-bedford-awards-110000-grant-despite-high-risk-warning/">$110,000 in pandemic funds</a> to the Carney Lodge renovation, dismissing a city auditor’s finding that the grant was high-risk, The Light reported in April. The lodge’s risk assessment included stark warnings that a lodge representative had provided “repeated and blatant misrepresentation of facts” and “adamantly refuses to follow federal procurement law.” The city has said it paid the lodge renovation vendors directly to mitigate risk.</p><p>The City Council awarded an additional $215,000 in Community Preservation Act funds for the lodge after The Light’s report in April.</p><p>The Carney Lodge project received funding outside the competitive application process that other vacant building projects went through.</p><p>City officials <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/new-bedford-awards-110000-grant-despite-high-risk-warning/#:~:text=the%20mayor%20has%20the%20authority%20to%20decide">previously said</a> that the mayor has the authority to decide which organizations receive pandemic relief funding, and federal law doesn’t require the city to award the money through a competitive process. The city followed all federal requirements in awarding the Carney Lodge grant, they said.</p><p>Six pandemic relief projects, including the Carney Lodge, were selected outside of a competitive application process, city records show.</p><p>Two grants went to public entities: a $3 million vacant property initiative managed by the New Bedford Redevelopment Authority, and a $1.5 million reconstruction of Leonard’s Wharf by the New Bedford Port Authority.&nbsp;</p><p>The other non-competitive grants that went to private entities totaled about $1.8 million. They included $1.5 million for a YMCA renovation and expansion, $250,000 for an offshore wind workforce development center at Bristol Community College, and $40,000 for an indoor farmer’s market run by Coastal Foodshed.</p><p>The grants came out of an <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/city-faces-dec-31-deadline-for-final-arpa-spending/">$82 million funding package</a> the city received from the 2021 American Rescue Plan Act. New Bedford set itself apart from other cities by focusing on big construction projects, rather than short-term programs. The money helped build new housing, renovate local nonprofit spaces, and improve city infrastructure.</p><p>The city <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/new-bedford-locks-in-final-arpa-spending-plans/">met a deadline</a> on Dec. 31 last year to finalize its spending plans. Any money not spent by the end of 2026 must be returned to the federal government.</p><p><em>Editor’s note: Mark Parsons is a member of The New Bedford Light’s Advisory Council. The New Bedford Light’s newsroom is scrupulously independent. Only the editors decide what to cover and what to publish. Founders, funders and board members have no influence over editorial content.</em></p><p><em>Email Grace Ferguson at </em><a href="mailto:gferguson@newbedfordlight.org"><em>gferguson@newbedfordlight.org</em></a></p><hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide"/><h4 class="wp-block-heading section-header" id="related-stories" style="font-style:normal;font-weight:400"><a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/grace-ferguson/"><mark style="background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)" class="has-inline-color has-primary-color">More stories by Grace Ferguson</mark></a></h4><hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide"/><p>The post <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/city-withholds-records-on-2-million-grant/">City withholds records on $2 million grant</a> appeared first on <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org">The New Bedford Light</a>.</p>
  161. ]]></content:encoded>
  163. <wfw:commentRss>https://newbedfordlight.org/city-withholds-records-on-2-million-grant/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  164. <slash:comments>7</slash:comments>
  167. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">164284</post-id> </item>
  168. <item>
  169. <title>Opinion: Mattapoisett Select Board needs to expand</title>
  170. <link>https://newbedfordlight.org/opinion-mattapoisett-select-board-needs-to-expand/</link>
  171. <comments>https://newbedfordlight.org/opinion-mattapoisett-select-board-needs-to-expand/#respond</comments>
  173. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Jeanne Hopkins]]></dc:creator>
  174. <pubDate>Tue, 03 Jun 2025 19:36:51 +0000</pubDate>
  175. <category><![CDATA[Community Voices]]></category>
  176. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://newbedfordlight.org/?p=164276</guid>
  177.  
  178. <description><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="538" src="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/your-voice-bendy2.png?fit=1024%2C538&amp;ssl=1" class="attachment-rss-image-size size-rss-image-size wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/your-voice-bendy2.png?w=1500&amp;ssl=1 1500w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/your-voice-bendy2.png?resize=300%2C158&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/your-voice-bendy2.png?resize=1024%2C538&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/your-voice-bendy2.png?resize=768%2C403&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/your-voice-bendy2.png?resize=1200%2C630&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/your-voice-bendy2.png?resize=400%2C210&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/your-voice-bendy2.png?resize=706%2C371&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/your-voice-bendy2.png?fit=1024%2C538&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w" sizes="(max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw / 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw / 12)), 100vw" data-attachment-id="93729" data-permalink="https://newbedfordlight.org/make-your-voice-heard/your-voice-bendy2/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/your-voice-bendy2.png?fit=1500%2C788&amp;ssl=1" data-orig-size="1500,788" data-comments-opened="0" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="your voice bendy2" data-image-description="&lt;p&gt;your voice&lt;/p&gt;
  179. " data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/your-voice-bendy2.png?fit=300%2C158&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/your-voice-bendy2.png?fit=780%2C410&amp;ssl=1" /></figure>
  180. <p>“The Select Board should honor the Town Meeting’s majority vote. More importantly, this situation perfectly illustrates why we need five members making these decisions, rather than just three.” — Mattapoisett resident Jeanne Hopkins</p>
  181. <p>The post <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/opinion-mattapoisett-select-board-needs-to-expand/">Opinion: Mattapoisett Select Board needs to expand</a> appeared first on <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org">The New Bedford Light</a>.</p>
  182. ]]></description>
  183. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="538" src="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/your-voice-bendy2.png?fit=1024%2C538&amp;ssl=1" class="attachment-rss-image-size size-rss-image-size wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/your-voice-bendy2.png?w=1500&amp;ssl=1 1500w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/your-voice-bendy2.png?resize=300%2C158&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/your-voice-bendy2.png?resize=1024%2C538&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/your-voice-bendy2.png?resize=768%2C403&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/your-voice-bendy2.png?resize=1200%2C630&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/your-voice-bendy2.png?resize=400%2C210&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/your-voice-bendy2.png?resize=706%2C371&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/your-voice-bendy2.png?fit=1024%2C538&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w" sizes="(max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw / 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw / 12)), 100vw" data-attachment-id="93729" data-permalink="https://newbedfordlight.org/make-your-voice-heard/your-voice-bendy2/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/your-voice-bendy2.png?fit=1500%2C788&amp;ssl=1" data-orig-size="1500,788" data-comments-opened="0" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="your voice bendy2" data-image-description="&lt;p&gt;your voice&lt;/p&gt;
  184. " data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/your-voice-bendy2.png?fit=300%2C158&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/your-voice-bendy2.png?fit=780%2C410&amp;ssl=1" /></figure><p class="has-drop-cap">The <a href="https://sippican.theweektoday.com/article/mattapoisett-select-board-tables-member-expansion-vote/75893">May 27 Select Board meeting</a> perfectly illustrated why Mattapoisett needs to expand from three to five Select Board members — exactly what <a href="https://sippican.theweektoday.com/article/petition-moves-forward-increase-mattapoisett-select-board-size/75656">Town Meeting voted to support on May 12</a>.</p><p>Our current three-member structure now presents critical problems in full display. With only three members, just two individuals can make significant decisions. This concentration of power becomes problematic when those same individuals question a democratic vote simply because some residents left afterward, a phenomenon that has occurred at previous controversial votes without anyone questioning those results.</p><p>Our Select Board members maintain full-time jobs while serving, which limits their capacity to grow the town’s priorities. A five-member board would distribute responsibilities more effectively, preventing the delays we’re witnessing with <a href="https://sippican.theweektoday.com/article/petition-moves-forward-increase-mattapoisett-select-board-size/75656">this home rule petition</a>.</p><p>Massachusetts Open Meeting Law prohibits a quorum from discussing business outside meetings. With three members, no two can collaborate between meetings. Five members would allow two to work together on solutions, clearly needed given the current board’s handling of Town Meeting directives.</p><p>When conflicts necessitate recusals, our three-member board becomes a two-member voting body, potentially creating deadlocks. We’re seeing similar dysfunction as the board questions whether to follow Town Meeting’s clear directive, despite one member previously stating he would “support the will of the citizens at town meeting.”</p><p>At least 36 Massachusetts towns have successfully expanded their Select Boards. This isn’t experimental — it’s proven governance improvement.</p><p>The current Select Board’s reluctance to move forward with the legislative petition suggests a troubling disconnect from democratic principles. Our community deserves governance that reflects our diversity and addresses our needs efficiently.</p><p>The Select Board should honor the Town Meeting’s majority vote. More importantly, this situation perfectly illustrates why we need five members making these decisions, rather than just three.</p><p><em>Jeanne Hopkins is a Mattapoisett resident.</em></p><div class="wp-block-group"><div class="wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow"><hr class="wp-block-separator has-css-opacity is-style-wide"/>
  185.  
  186. <h4 class="wp-block-heading section-header" style="font-style:normal;font-weight:400"><a href="http://www.newbedfordlight.org/community-voices"><mark style="background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)" class="has-inline-color has-primary-color">More Community Voices</mark></a></h4>
  187.  
  188. </div></div><hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide"/><p>The post <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/opinion-mattapoisett-select-board-needs-to-expand/">Opinion: Mattapoisett Select Board needs to expand</a> appeared first on <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org">The New Bedford Light</a>.</p>
  189. ]]></content:encoded>
  191. <wfw:commentRss>https://newbedfordlight.org/opinion-mattapoisett-select-board-needs-to-expand/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  192. <slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
  195. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">164276</post-id> </item>
  196. <item>
  197. <title>Our offshore wind tracker: What’s new with wind projects off Massachusetts and beyond?</title>
  198. <link>https://newbedfordlight.org/offshore-wind-tracker-whats-happening-to-massachusetts-projects/</link>
  199. <comments>https://newbedfordlight.org/offshore-wind-tracker-whats-happening-to-massachusetts-projects/#comments</comments>
  201. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Anastasia E. Lennon]]></dc:creator>
  202. <pubDate>Tue, 03 Jun 2025 09:06:00 +0000</pubDate>
  203. <category><![CDATA[Offshore Wind]]></category>
  204. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://newbedfordlight.org/?p=154354</guid>
  205.  
  206. <description><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="774" src="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/turbine-lease-areas-darker-blue.png?fit=1024%2C774&amp;ssl=1" class="attachment-rss-image-size size-rss-image-size wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/turbine-lease-areas-darker-blue.png?w=1750&amp;ssl=1 1750w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/turbine-lease-areas-darker-blue.png?resize=300%2C227&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/turbine-lease-areas-darker-blue.png?resize=1024%2C774&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/turbine-lease-areas-darker-blue.png?resize=768%2C580&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/turbine-lease-areas-darker-blue.png?resize=1536%2C1160&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/turbine-lease-areas-darker-blue.png?resize=200%2C150&amp;ssl=1 200w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/turbine-lease-areas-darker-blue.png?resize=1200%2C907&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/turbine-lease-areas-darker-blue.png?resize=780%2C589&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/turbine-lease-areas-darker-blue.png?resize=800%2C604&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/turbine-lease-areas-darker-blue.png?resize=400%2C302&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/turbine-lease-areas-darker-blue.png?resize=706%2C533&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/turbine-lease-areas-darker-blue.png?fit=1024%2C774&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w" sizes="(max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw / 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw / 12)), 100vw" data-attachment-id="159600" data-permalink="https://newbedfordlight.org/offshore-wind-tracker-whats-happening-to-massachusetts-projects/turbine-lease-areas-darker-blue/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/turbine-lease-areas-darker-blue.png?fit=1750%2C1322&amp;ssl=1" data-orig-size="1750,1322" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="turbine lease areas darker blue" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/turbine-lease-areas-darker-blue.png?fit=300%2C227&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/turbine-lease-areas-darker-blue.png?fit=780%2C590&amp;ssl=1" /></figure>
  207. <p>At The Light, we’re closely tracking these large-scale energy projects that stand to impact New Bedford, its workforce, its economy, and its storied fishing industry.</p>
  208. <p>The post <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/offshore-wind-tracker-whats-happening-to-massachusetts-projects/">Our offshore wind tracker: What’s new with wind projects off Massachusetts and beyond?</a> appeared first on <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org">The New Bedford Light</a>.</p>
  209. ]]></description>
  210. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="774" src="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/turbine-lease-areas-darker-blue.png?fit=1024%2C774&amp;ssl=1" class="attachment-rss-image-size size-rss-image-size wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/turbine-lease-areas-darker-blue.png?w=1750&amp;ssl=1 1750w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/turbine-lease-areas-darker-blue.png?resize=300%2C227&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/turbine-lease-areas-darker-blue.png?resize=1024%2C774&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/turbine-lease-areas-darker-blue.png?resize=768%2C580&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/turbine-lease-areas-darker-blue.png?resize=1536%2C1160&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/turbine-lease-areas-darker-blue.png?resize=200%2C150&amp;ssl=1 200w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/turbine-lease-areas-darker-blue.png?resize=1200%2C907&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/turbine-lease-areas-darker-blue.png?resize=780%2C589&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/turbine-lease-areas-darker-blue.png?resize=800%2C604&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/turbine-lease-areas-darker-blue.png?resize=400%2C302&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/turbine-lease-areas-darker-blue.png?resize=706%2C533&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/turbine-lease-areas-darker-blue.png?fit=1024%2C774&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w" sizes="(max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw / 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw / 12)), 100vw" data-attachment-id="159600" data-permalink="https://newbedfordlight.org/offshore-wind-tracker-whats-happening-to-massachusetts-projects/turbine-lease-areas-darker-blue/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/turbine-lease-areas-darker-blue.png?fit=1750%2C1322&amp;ssl=1" data-orig-size="1750,1322" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="turbine lease areas darker blue" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/turbine-lease-areas-darker-blue.png?fit=300%2C227&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/turbine-lease-areas-darker-blue.png?fit=780%2C590&amp;ssl=1" /></figure><h4 class="wp-block-heading" style="font-style:normal;font-weight:400"><em><mark style="background-color:#aadbf0" class="has-inline-color"><a href="#underconstruction"><strong>Latest update on June 3:</strong> New lawsuit against Empire Wind <em>⇢</em></a></mark></em></h4><div class="wp-block-group"><div class="wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained"><h2 class="wp-block-heading section-header reduce-bottom-margin"><mark style="background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)" class="has-inline-color has-medium-gray-color">Offshore wind lease status</mark></h2>
  211.  
  212. <p class="neue-haas-grotesk-roman has-small-font-size">Interactive map — click on the dots for more information. </p>
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  214. <h4 class="wp-block-heading section-header reduce-bottom-margin" style="font-style:normal;font-weight:400"><mark style="background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)" class="has-inline-color has-dark-gray-color">South of Martha&#8217;s Vineyard</mark></h4>
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  216. <iframe title="Offshore wind lease areas (copy)" aria-label="Locator map" id="datawrapper-chart-ixRP2" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/ixRP2/2/" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" height="1024" data-external="1"></iframe><script type="text/javascript">!function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var t in a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r=0;r<e.length;r++)if(e[r].contentWindow===a.source){var i=a.data["datawrapper-height"][t]+"px";e[r].style.height=i}}}))}();
  217. </script>
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  219. <div class="wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex"><div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow"><div class="wp-block-group"><div class="wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained"><h4 class="wp-block-heading section-header reduce-bottom-margin" style="font-style:normal;font-weight:400"><mark style="background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)" class="has-inline-color has-dark-gray-color">South of Long Island</mark></h4>
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  221. <iframe title="Offshore wind lease areas (Copy 2)" aria-label="Locator map" id="datawrapper-chart-woU7h" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/woU7h/1/" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" height="836" data-external="1"></iframe><script type="text/javascript">!function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var t in a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r=0;r<e.length;r++)if(e[r].contentWindow===a.source){var i=a.data["datawrapper-height"][t]+"px";e[r].style.height=i}}}))}();
  222. </script></div></div></div>
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  224. <div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow"><div class="wp-block-group"><div class="wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained"><h4 class="wp-block-heading section-header reduce-bottom-margin" style="font-style:normal;font-weight:400"><mark style="background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)" class="has-inline-color has-dark-gray-color">Gulf of Maine</mark></h4>
  225.  
  226. <iframe title=" (Copy)" aria-label="Locator map" id="datawrapper-chart-PmkCj" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/PmkCj/1/" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" height="836" data-external="1"></iframe><script type="text/javascript">!function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var t in a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r=0;r<e.length;r++)if(e[r].contentWindow===a.source){var i=a.data["datawrapper-height"][t]+"px";e[r].style.height=i}}}))}();
  227. </script></div></div></div></div>
  228.  
  229. <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide"/></div></div><p class="has-drop-cap">By sight, the offshore wind industry seems to be moving forward on the East Coast. Gargantuan, bright white turbine towers stand tall against New Bedford’s busy waterfront, and poke above I-95 as cars whiz by over the Thames River in New London. But the future of the industry beyond these active projects is uncertain at best under a hostile Trump administration.&nbsp;</p><p>In late March, Massachusetts announced another delay of contracts between state utilities and two projects that together promise to power more than 1.5 million homes in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. The state said uncertainty about federal policy was a factor.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><div class="wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex"><div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow"><p>The Trump administration, through executive order, effectively froze new permits for offshore wind in January. That has empowered opponents to mount even more legal challenges to projects — including some in March from <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/nantucket-officials-group-challenge-3-offshore-wind-projects/">Nantucket town officials and activists</a>.&nbsp;</p></div>
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  231. <div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow"><div class="wp-block-group"><div class="wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained"><div class="wp-block-group"><div class="wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained"><hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide"/>
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  233. <h4 class="wp-block-heading section-header reduce-bottom-margin">Jump to ↓</h4>
  234.  
  235. <h5 class="wp-block-heading" style="font-size:21px;font-style:normal;font-weight:300"><mark style="background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)" class="has-inline-color has-primary-color">▸</mark> <a href="#finished">Finished</a><br><mark style="background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)" class="has-inline-color has-primary-color">▸</mark> <a href="#underconstruction">Under construction</a><br><mark style="background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)" class="has-inline-color has-primary-color">▸</mark> <a href="#mostlypermittedpending">Mostly or fully permitted or pending</a><br><mark style="background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)" class="has-inline-color has-primary-color">▸</mark> <a href="#notpermitted">Not permitted</a></h5>
  236.  
  237. <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide"/></div></div></div></div></div></div><p>The federal government could pause still-pending projects for at least the next four years, eventually leaving New Bedford and New London’s purpose-built marine terminals empty once again. And in an extreme scenario, the administration could even try to stop the projects that are already under construction.&nbsp;</p><p>Yet Massachusetts is counting on offshore wind to meet its climate goals of halving greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, and achieving <a href="https://www.mass.gov/info-details/massachusetts-clean-energy-and-climate-plan-for-2050">net-zero</a> emissions (meaning the state offsets or removes as much carbon as it emits) by 2050.&nbsp;</p><p>At The Light, we’re closely tracking these large-scale energy projects that stand to impact New Bedford, its workforce, its economy, and its storied fishing industry. Here’s a rundown of New England projects (plus two south of New York) and where they all stand. Many face legal challenges — and are being scrutinized by Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, who has been tasked with reviewing whether to amend or even terminate approvals to build these projects.&nbsp;</p><h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="finished"><strong>Finished</strong></h3><p class="has-text-align-left reduce-bottom-margin neue-haas-grotesk-light" style="font-size:29px"><strong>South Fork Wind</strong></p><p><strong>Size: </strong>12 turbines, 130 megawatts, power for up to 70,000 homes in New York</p><p><strong>Owner: </strong>Orsted</p><p><strong>Status</strong>: Completed. The project started sending power to New York in December 2023 and achieved full power by March 2024.&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Litigation</strong>: A Rhode Island group opposed to offshore wind, Green Oceans, <a href="https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/68164402/green-oceans-v-united-states-department-of-the-interior/">sued the federal government in 2024</a> over its approval of South Fork Wind and another Orsted project, Revolution Wind.</p><p><strong>Lease </strong><strong>OCS-A 0517</strong><strong>: </strong>$3,838,288 (that figure also accounts for Revolution Wind)&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Cable landing</strong>: East Hampton, New York</p><hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide"/><h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="underconstruction"><strong>Under construction&nbsp;</strong></h3><p class="has-text-align-left reduce-bottom-margin neue-haas-grotesk-light" id="empirewind1" style="font-size:29px"><strong>Empire Wind 1</strong></p><p><strong>Size: </strong>54 turbines, 810 megawatts, power for 500,000 homes in New York&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Owner: </strong>Equinor</p><p><strong>Status</strong>: Under construction. The project resumed construction in late May after the Trump administration <a href="https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/climate-energy/equinor-says-us-lifts-stop-work-order-new-york-offshore-wind-farm-2025-05-19/">lifted its stop work order</a>. In April, the developer was moving rocks on the seafloor to create stable bases for the turbine foundations when the Interior Department ordered a pause to construction, vaguely citing a <a href="https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/offshore-wind/empire-equinor-interior-review-halt">NOAA report that it refused to release</a> to the public or the developer. Pile driving of turbine foundations was scheduled to begin in May, before the construction ban was issued. Equinor still expects the project to be operational by 2027; construction at the staging terminal in Brooklyn continues. The second phase, Empire Wind 2, has <a href="https://www.empirewind.com/2024/01/03/empire-wind-2-offshore-wind-project-announces-reset-seeks-new-offtake-opportunities/">been in limbo</a> since early 2024 after developers scrapped the plan.</p><p><strong>Challenges:</strong> Opponents based on Long Island have <a href="https://save-the-east-coast.org/petition-to-reopen-empire-wind-clean-air-permit/">petitioned the U.S. EPA</a> to rescind the project’s Clean Air Permit, as the agency did recently for a New Jersey project. In June, opposition groups <a href="https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/70447072/protect-our-coast-nj-v-united-states-of-america/">sued the federal government</a> over the project; they are asking the Interior Department to reinstate its stop-work order.</p><p><strong>Impacts under Trump: </strong>Citing Trump’s memorandum freezing offshore wind permitting and ordering a project-wide review, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum on April 16 directed BOEM to order that Empire Wind 1 cease all construction activity “until further review of information that suggests the Biden administration rushed through its approval without sufficient analysis.” The move was celebrated by offshore wind opponents and the <a href="https://rodafisheries.org/statement-on-empire-wind/">fishing industry</a>. But on May 19, the administration lifted the ban. Equinor executives said the company was losing about <a href="https://www.eenews.net/articles/how-trump-pushed-empire-wind-to-the-brink-of-collapse/">$50 million per week</a> under the freeze, and threatened project cancellation if the ban continued much longer.</p><p><strong>Lease </strong><strong>OCS-A 0512</strong><strong>: </strong>$42,500,000 (also covered Empire Wind 2, a project developers <a href="https://www.workboat.com/wind/first-power-from-vineyard-wind-as-empire-wind-2-agreement-is-cancelled">canceled</a> in 2024)&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Cable landing</strong>: Brooklyn, New York</p><hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/><p class="has-text-align-left reduce-bottom-margin neue-haas-grotesk-light" style="font-size:29px"><strong>Vineyard Wind 1</strong></p><p><strong>Size: </strong>62 turbines, 800 megawatts, power for up to 400,000 homes in Massachusetts</p><p><strong>Owner: </strong>Avangrid and Vineyard Offshore</p><p><strong>Status</strong>: Under construction. As of late March, 23 towers were installed, some without blades. Because of the <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/vineyard-wind-turbine-blade-sustains-damage-offshore/">blade failure</a> in summer 2024, the developer is <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/vineyard-wind-suspension-order-lifted-ahead-of-trump-term/">required to remove blades</a> from 22 turbines. The project briefly delivered power for a few months in 2024, and resumed sending power in January 2025 with only one turbine.&nbsp;</p><p><strong>New Bedford’s involvement:</strong> The project has <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/mixed-jobs-report-from-vineyard-wind-in-year-3/">employed nearly 2,900 people</a> at various lengths of time as of last fall, including union workers operating out of New Bedford, who offload and stage the major turbine components in the port. Vineyard Wind has also paid the state <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/masscec-pays-10m-for-new-bedford-parcels-signs-southcoast-wind-as-tenant/">tens of millions</a> in rent to lease the MassCEC terminal.&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Litigation and other challenges: </strong>The fishing industry and a conservative think tank lost their court cases challenging the federal government's approval of Vineyard Wind. In March, they<a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/fishing-industry-asks-supreme-court-to-hear-case-against-vineyard-wind/"> petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court</a> to take their case and overturn the lower court’s rulings, but the Supreme Court in May rejected their <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/fishing-industry-asks-supreme-court-to-hear-case-against-vineyard-wind/">petitions</a>. Nantucket-based activist group ACK for Whales filed a petition with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in March, requesting the agency <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/nantucket-officials-group-challenge-3-offshore-wind-projects/">rescind the Clean Air Act permit</a> it granted to Vineyard Wind to construct and operate its wind farm. In April, the same group filed a petition with the Interior Department and BOEM, asking the agencies to revoke the revised construction and operations permit they <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/vineyard-wind-suspension-order-lifted-ahead-of-trump-term/">issued in January</a> to allow the project to resume installation after the blade failure. The permit is required for Vineyard Wind to install and operate its project.&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Lease </strong><strong>OCS-A 0501</strong><strong>: </strong>$135,100,000 (includes Vineyard Wind 2 lease)</p><p><strong>Cable landing</strong>: Barnstable, Massachusetts</p><hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/><p class="has-text-align-left reduce-bottom-margin neue-haas-grotesk-light" style="font-size:29px"><strong>Revolution Wind</strong></p><p><strong>Size</strong>: 65 turbines, 704 megawatts, power up to 350,000 homes in Connecticut and Rhode Island&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Owner: </strong>Orsted</p><p><strong>Status</strong>: Under construction. As of late February, 18 turbines had been installed.</p><p><strong>Litigation: </strong>A Rhode Island group opposed to offshore wind, Green Oceans, <a href="https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/68164402/parties/green-oceans-v-united-states-department-of-the-interior/">sued the federal government in 2024</a> over its approval of Revolution Wind and South Fork Wind. The Preservation Society of Newport County, which owns many mansions and properties along Newport’s waterfront, is also <a href="https://www.culturalheritagepartners.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Revolution-Newport-FILED.pdf">suing the federal government</a> over Revolution Wind.&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Lease </strong><strong>OCS-A 0486</strong><strong>: </strong>$3,838,288 (that figure also accounts for South Fork Wind)&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Cable landing</strong>: North Kingstown, Rhode Island</p><hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/><p class="has-text-align-left reduce-bottom-margin neue-haas-grotesk-light" style="font-size:29px"><strong>Sunrise Wind</strong></p><p><strong>Size: </strong>84 turbines, 924 megawatts, power for 600,000 homes in New York.&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Owner: </strong>Orsted</p><p><strong>Status</strong>: Under construction. The project is fully permitted and is in the early stages of offshore construction after completing much of the onshore infrastructure. In March, Orsted completed subsea “horizontal” drilling in order to lay cable. At this time, there are no turbine components installed.</p><p><strong>Challenges:</strong> Orsted took more than a half-billion dollar impairment on the project due to supply chain issues and delays. The company expects Sunrise Wind to be operational in 2027.</p><p><strong>Lease OCS-A</strong><strong> 0487</strong><strong>: </strong>$3.8 million (that figure also accounts for Revolution Wind)</p><p><strong>Cable landing</strong>: Long Island, New York</p><hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide"/><h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="mostlypermittedpending"><strong>Mostly or fully permitted and pending</strong></h3><p class="has-text-align-left reduce-bottom-margin neue-haas-grotesk-light" style="font-size:29px"><strong>New England Wind 1 and 2</strong></p><p><strong>Size: </strong>Up to 2,600 megawatts, power for 900,000 homes in Massachusetts&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Owner: </strong>Avangrid</p><p><strong>Status</strong>: The project is fully permitted at the federal level. It requires a finalized power purchase agreement with Massachusetts utilities, which was in part delayed due to uncertainty created by federal policy. The state’s deadline was pushed again, this time to June 30.</p><p><strong>New Bedford’s involvement:</strong> The project plans to house its long-term operations and maintenance hub in New Bedford. Contingent on the project moving forward, the Danish company, Liftra, also plans to establish a crane manufacturing facility in the city.&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Challenges:</strong> ACK for Whales filed a petition with the U.S. EPA in March, requesting the agency <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/nantucket-officials-group-challenge-3-offshore-wind-projects/">rescind the Clean Air Act permit</a> it granted to New England Wind to construct and operate its offshore wind farm. In April, Barnstable-based group Save Greater Dowses Beach petitioned the EPA to conduct an additional review for the already approved project, citing concerns an expanded substation on land could <a href="https://www.capecodtimes.com/story/news/environment/2024/10/27/barnstable-town-council-save-greater-dowses-beach-avangrid-new-england-wind-2-commonwealth-wind/75844469007/">harm the aquifer</a> – the community’s source of drinking water. In May, ACK for Whales, Green Oceans, charter fishing groups and the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) <a href="https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/70378632/ack-for-whales-inc-v-united-states-department-of-commerce/">sued the federal government; they are</a> asking the court to vacate agency approvals for the project.</p><p><strong>Lease OCS-A </strong><strong>0534</strong><strong>, 0561: </strong>$135,100,000 (part of the Vineyard Wind 1 lease purchase)</p><p><strong>Cable landing</strong>: Barnstable, Massachusetts</p><hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/><p class="has-text-align-left reduce-bottom-margin neue-haas-grotesk-light" style="font-size:29px"><strong>SouthCoast Wind</strong></p><p><strong>Size: </strong>Up to 141 turbines, up to 2,400 megawatts, power 840,000 homes in Massachusetts and Rhode Island.</p><p><strong>Owner: </strong>Ocean Winds</p><p><strong>Status:</strong> The 2029 start date gives the project a few years to obtain requisite approvals. The project received all of its major <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/biden-team-oks-another-wind-project-off-marthas-vineyard/">federal permits on Jan. 17</a>, just before Trump took office. However, it still requires a key permit from NOAA Fisheries to incidentally harm marine mammals, as well as a finalized power purchase agreement with Massachusetts utilities, which was in part delayed due to uncertainty created by federal policy.&nbsp;</p><p><strong>New Bedford’s involvement:</strong> In 2029, the project plans to begin staging its turbine components for offshore installation out of New Bedford. It also intends to use the city, particularly the Foss terminal, for its operations and maintenance hub.&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Impacts under Trump: </strong>The project’s parent company wrote down the value of its U.S. offshore wind projects by almost $300 million in February, acknowledging SouthCoast Wind could be <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/southcoast-winds-value-declines-due-to-trumps-opposition/">delayed by four years</a> under the Trump administration. The federal government’s project tracker lists June 2025 as an estimated completion date for permitting. However, as long as the memorandum freezing all offshore wind activity continues, the project will be unable to obtain needed approvals, including that NOAA Fisheries permit.</p><p><strong>Litigation:</strong> The <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/nantucket-officials-group-challenge-3-offshore-wind-projects/">Town of Nantucket sued</a> the Department of the Interior and BOEM in late March, requesting that the government “set aside” its record of decision approving SouthCoast Wind. Nantucket officials want the government to restart its environmental review — a process that took more than three years to complete.</p><p><strong>Lease OCS-A 0521: </strong>$135,000,000</p><p><strong>Cable landing</strong>: Somerset and possibly Falmouth, Massachusetts, for the second stage of project construction.&nbsp;</p><hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide"/><h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="notpermitted"><strong></strong><strong>Not permitted</strong></h3><p class="has-text-align-left reduce-bottom-margin neue-haas-grotesk-light" style="font-size:29px"><strong>Beacon Wind</strong></p><p><strong>Size: </strong>Up to 155 turbines, 2,400 megawatts, power for 850,000 homes in New York</p><p><strong>Owner: </strong>BP</p><p><strong>Status</strong>: Aside from requiring major federal permits, the project also needs a contract with New York to purchase its power.&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Impacts under Trump: </strong>BP withdrew applications for state permits, <a href="https://heatmap.news/energy/trump-offshore-wind">Heatmap News reported</a> in February. The project has zero out of 11 requisite federal permits, per the government’s permit tracker. Permitting has been paused as the company requested more time to submit plans for review.&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Lease</strong><strong> OCS-A 0520</strong><strong>: </strong>$135,000,000&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Cable landing</strong>: Queens, New York</p><hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/><p class="has-text-align-left reduce-bottom-margin neue-haas-grotesk-light" style="font-size:29px"><strong>Vineyard Wind 2</strong></p><p><strong>Size</strong>: Up to 1,200 megawatts, power for 650,000 homes&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Owner: </strong>Vineyard Offshore</p><p><strong>Status</strong>: The project requires several federal approvals, as well as agreements with state(s) to purchase the project’s power. The project is in limbo after Connecticut declined to join Massachusetts in purchasing 400 megawatts of power.</p><p><strong>New Bedford’s involvement:</strong> The project plans to house its long-term operations and maintenance hub in New Bedford.&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Impacts under Trump:</strong> Vineyard Offshore, the project’s parent company, cut 50 positions across three projects in February, citing “recent market uncertainties.”</p><p><strong>Lease OCS-A 0522: </strong>$135,100,000 (part of Vineyard Wind 1 purchase)</p><p><strong>Cable landing</strong>: Most likely New London, Connecticut. Alternative landing sites include Westport, Massachusetts, but company officials said at a February public meeting in the town that they do not intend to land the cables in Westport.</p><hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/><p class="has-text-align-left reduce-bottom-margin neue-haas-grotesk-light" style="font-size:29px"><strong>Vineyard Mid-Atlantic aka Excelsior Wind</strong></p><p><strong>Size: </strong>undetermined</p><p><strong>Owner: </strong>Vineyard Offshore</p><p><strong>Status</strong>: Aside from requiring major federal permits, the project also needs a contract with New York to purchase its power.&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Impacts under Trump: </strong>BOEM canceled a series of public meetings to discuss environmental impact studies for the project. Vineyard Offshore cut 50 positions across three projects in February, citing “recent market uncertainties.”</p><p><strong>Lease OCS-A 0544: </strong>$<a href="https://www.doi.gov/pressreleases/biden-harris-administration-sets-offshore-energy-records-437-billion-winning-bids-wind">285,000, 000</a></p><p><strong>Cable landing</strong>: Long Island, New York (Jones Beach)</p><hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/><p class="has-text-align-left reduce-bottom-margin neue-haas-grotesk-light" style="font-size:29px"><strong>Starboard Wind</strong></p><p><strong>Size: </strong>About 1,200 megawatts, power for up to 600,000 homes</p><p><strong>Owner: </strong>Orsted</p><p><strong>Status</strong>: Aside from requiring major federal permits, the project also needs a contract with New York to purchase its power. It was formerly called Bay State Wind.&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Challenges: </strong>New England states <a href="https://ctmirror.org/2024/09/15/connecticut-misses-offshore-wind-solicitation/">did not bid on the project</a> during the last solicitation round in 2024. An Orsted spokesperson in April said the company will continue to evaluate future opportunities for the project.</p><p><strong>Lease OCS-A 0500</strong>: $281,000</p><p><strong>Cable landing</strong>: unknown</p><hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/><p class="has-text-align-left reduce-bottom-margin neue-haas-grotesk-light" style="font-size:29px"><strong>Gulf of Maine leases</strong></p><p>Beyond these projects, two developers bid on four lease areas in the Gulf of Maine, east and northeast of Cape Cod, in October 2024. These projects are far off, in large part because they require floating wind turbines, a technology that needs more time to develop.&nbsp;</p><div class="wp-block-group"><div class="wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow"><hr class="wp-block-separator has-css-opacity is-style-wide"/>
  238.  
  239. <div class="wp-block-group"><div class="wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow"><div class="wp-block-group"><div class="wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow"><h4 class="wp-block-heading section-header" id="related-stories" style="font-style:normal;font-weight:400"><a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/anastasia-e-lennon/"><mark style="background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)" class="has-inline-color has-primary-color">More stories by Anastasia E. Lennon</mark></a></h4>
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  241. </div></div></div></div></div></div><hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide"/><p>The post <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/offshore-wind-tracker-whats-happening-to-massachusetts-projects/">Our offshore wind tracker: What’s new with wind projects off Massachusetts and beyond?</a> appeared first on <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org">The New Bedford Light</a>.</p>
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  244. <wfw:commentRss>https://newbedfordlight.org/offshore-wind-tracker-whats-happening-to-massachusetts-projects/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  245. <slash:comments>11</slash:comments>
  248. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">154354</post-id> </item>
  249. <item>
  250. <title>Star Store will become a downtown arts hub once again</title>
  251. <link>https://newbedfordlight.org/star-store-will-become-a-downtown-arts-hub-once-again/</link>
  252. <comments>https://newbedfordlight.org/star-store-will-become-a-downtown-arts-hub-once-again/#comments</comments>
  254. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Colin Hogan]]></dc:creator>
  255. <pubDate>Mon, 02 Jun 2025 22:27:26 +0000</pubDate>
  256. <category><![CDATA[Arts and Culture]]></category>
  257. <category><![CDATA[linkinbio]]></category>
  258. <category><![CDATA[Star Store]]></category>
  259. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://newbedfordlight.org/?p=164191</guid>
  260.  
  261. <description><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="768" src="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/IMG_8470-scaled.jpg?fit=1024%2C768&amp;ssl=1" class="attachment-rss-image-size size-rss-image-size wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/IMG_8470-scaled.jpg?w=2560&amp;ssl=1 2560w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/IMG_8470-scaled.jpg?resize=300%2C225&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/IMG_8470-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C768&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/IMG_8470-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C576&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/IMG_8470-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1152&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/IMG_8470-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1536&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/IMG_8470-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C900&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/IMG_8470-scaled.jpg?resize=800%2C600&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/IMG_8470-scaled.jpg?resize=600%2C450&amp;ssl=1 600w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/IMG_8470-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C300&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/IMG_8470-scaled.jpg?resize=200%2C150&amp;ssl=1 200w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/IMG_8470-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1500&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/IMG_8470-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C585&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/IMG_8470-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C530&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/IMG_8470-scaled.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/IMG_8470-scaled.jpg?fit=1024%2C768&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w" sizes="(max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw / 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw / 12)), 100vw" data-attachment-id="164164" data-permalink="https://newbedfordlight.org/img_8470/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/IMG_8470-scaled.jpg?fit=2560%2C1920&amp;ssl=1" data-orig-size="2560,1920" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;1.6&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;iPhone 15&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1748863620&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;5.96&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;32&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.0061728395061728&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}" data-image-title="IMG_8470" data-image-description="&lt;p&gt;Mayor Jon Mitchell and Jim Grace, Executive Director of the Arts and Business Council of Greater Boston, take a photo with a &#8216;Remember the Star Store&#8217; T-Shirt. Credit: Colin Hogan / The New Bedford Light&lt;/p&gt;
  262. " data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;Mayor Jon Mitchell and Jim Grace, Executive Director of the Arts and Business Council of Greater Boston, take a photo with a &#8216;Remember the Star Store&#8217; T-Shirt. Credit: Colin Hogan / The New Bedford Light&lt;/p&gt;
  263. " data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/IMG_8470-scaled.jpg?fit=300%2C225&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/IMG_8470-scaled.jpg?fit=780%2C585&amp;ssl=1" /></figure>
  264. <p>A Boston nonprofit has purchased the former university arts center for $1, ending a long dispute over the building.</p>
  265. <p>The post <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/star-store-will-become-a-downtown-arts-hub-once-again/">Star Store will become a downtown arts hub once again</a> appeared first on <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org">The New Bedford Light</a>.</p>
  266. ]]></description>
  267. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="768" src="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/IMG_8470-scaled.jpg?fit=1024%2C768&amp;ssl=1" class="attachment-rss-image-size size-rss-image-size wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/IMG_8470-scaled.jpg?w=2560&amp;ssl=1 2560w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/IMG_8470-scaled.jpg?resize=300%2C225&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/IMG_8470-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C768&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/IMG_8470-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C576&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/IMG_8470-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1152&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/IMG_8470-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1536&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/IMG_8470-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C900&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/IMG_8470-scaled.jpg?resize=800%2C600&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/IMG_8470-scaled.jpg?resize=600%2C450&amp;ssl=1 600w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/IMG_8470-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C300&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/IMG_8470-scaled.jpg?resize=200%2C150&amp;ssl=1 200w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/IMG_8470-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1500&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/IMG_8470-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C585&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/IMG_8470-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C530&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/IMG_8470-scaled.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/IMG_8470-scaled.jpg?fit=1024%2C768&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w" sizes="(max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw / 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw / 12)), 100vw" data-attachment-id="164164" data-permalink="https://newbedfordlight.org/img_8470/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/IMG_8470-scaled.jpg?fit=2560%2C1920&amp;ssl=1" data-orig-size="2560,1920" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;1.6&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;iPhone 15&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1748863620&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;5.96&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;32&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.0061728395061728&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}" data-image-title="IMG_8470" data-image-description="&lt;p&gt;Mayor Jon Mitchell and Jim Grace, Executive Director of the Arts and Business Council of Greater Boston, take a photo with a &#8216;Remember the Star Store&#8217; T-Shirt. Credit: Colin Hogan / The New Bedford Light&lt;/p&gt;
  268. " data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;Mayor Jon Mitchell and Jim Grace, Executive Director of the Arts and Business Council of Greater Boston, take a photo with a &#8216;Remember the Star Store&#8217; T-Shirt. Credit: Colin Hogan / The New Bedford Light&lt;/p&gt;
  269. " data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/IMG_8470-scaled.jpg?fit=300%2C225&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/IMG_8470-scaled.jpg?fit=780%2C585&amp;ssl=1" /></figure><p class="has-drop-cap">The once-shuttered doors of the Star Store opened to the public on Monday morning for the first time since the College of Visual and Performing Arts abandoned the building in August 2023. The nonprofit Arts &amp; Business Council of Greater Boston has purchased the former UMass Dartmouth arts center and one-time department store and announced plans to redevelop the building into a downtown arts hub.</p><p>Walking into the building for the first time in almost two years, the student-turned-advocate Fallon Navarro said she was overcome with both painful memories and hopeful excitement. “The last time we were here, we were kicked out,” Navarro said.</p><p>Another former Star Store student, Anis Beigzadeh, said, “We’re getting back our home.” Her hands were shaking from emotion, Beigzadeh said, and she raised them up to show the tremors.</p><figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="780" height="585" data-attachment-id="164166" data-permalink="https://newbedfordlight.org/img_8475/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/IMG_8475-scaled.jpg?fit=2560%2C1920&amp;ssl=1" data-orig-size="2560,1920" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;1.6&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;iPhone 15&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1748865614&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;5.96&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;125&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.0082644628099174&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}" data-image-title="IMG_8475" data-image-description="&lt;p&gt;Fallon Navarro and Anis Beigzadeh, former arts students in the Star Store, on hand for the announcement of the building&#8217;s purchase and redevelopment by the Arts and Business Council of Greater Boston. Credit: Colin Hogan / The New Bedford Light&lt;/p&gt;
  270. " data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;Fallon Navarro and Anis Beigzadeh, former arts students in the Star Store, on hand for the announcement of the building&#8217;s purchase and redevelopment by the Arts and Business Council of Greater Boston. Credit: Colin Hogan / The New Bedford Light&lt;/p&gt;
  271. " data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/IMG_8475-scaled.jpg?fit=300%2C225&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/IMG_8475-scaled.jpg?fit=780%2C585&amp;ssl=1" src="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/IMG_8475.jpg?resize=780%2C585&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-164166" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/IMG_8475-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C768&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/IMG_8475-scaled.jpg?resize=300%2C225&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/IMG_8475-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C576&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/IMG_8475-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1152&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/IMG_8475-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1536&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/IMG_8475-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C900&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/IMG_8475-scaled.jpg?resize=800%2C600&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/IMG_8475-scaled.jpg?resize=600%2C450&amp;ssl=1 600w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/IMG_8475-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C300&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/IMG_8475-scaled.jpg?resize=200%2C150&amp;ssl=1 200w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/IMG_8475-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1500&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/IMG_8475-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C585&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/IMG_8475-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C530&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/IMG_8475-scaled.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/IMG_8475-1024x768.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Fallon Navarro and Anis Beigzadeh, former arts students in the Star Store, on hand for the announcement of the building&#8217;s purchase and redevelopment by the Arts and Business Council of Greater Boston. Credit: Colin Hogan / The New Bedford Light</figcaption></figure><p>The 50 people who gathered to hear the announcement included artists, politicians, small business owners, and other community members. Matt McArthur, a consultant with the Arts &amp; Business Council of Greater Boston, told attendees that “world-class talent deserves world-class resources.”</p><p>“We are going to turn this building into a nationally recognized example” of artistic development and community collaboration, McArthur said. The Arts &amp; Business Council of Greater Boston (A&amp;BC, as it was referred to during the announcement) has a track record of investing into artistic and cultural hubs, including the <a href="https://westernavenuestudios.com/">Western Avenue Studios</a> in Lowell, a former mill building that became a home for more than 250 studios, 50 live-and-work lofts, a theater, and a brewery, according to <a href="https://artsandbusinesscouncil.org/creative-space/western-avenue/">A&amp;BC’s website</a>.</p><p>McArthur estimated that renovations (including to the roof, facade, mechanical systems, and elevator) could take around 18 months. But the full scope of the renovations will depend on community feedback. A&amp;BC plans to gather community input on what new spaces and services the building should contain. (The announced website, <a href="http://starstorenb.org">starstorenb.org</a>, was active as of this article’s publication.)</p><div class="wp-block-group alignright"><div class="wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained"><hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide reduce-bottom-margin"/>
  272.  
  273. <h3 class="wp-block-heading section-header"><mark style="background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);color:#29abe2" class="has-inline-color">Related</mark></h3>
  274.  
  275.  
  276.  
  277. <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide reduce-bottom-margin"/></div></div><p>A&amp;BC, which bought the building for $1, will take full responsibility for fundraising for the Star Store’s rebirth, McArthur said: “Our creativity is stacking various sources of capital.” For the Lowell project, that included <a href="https://bluehubcapital.org/impact/impact-stories/western-avenue-studios-lofts">private investors</a> and <a href="https://investor.easternbank.com/news/news-details/2022/Eastern-Bank-Provides-14-Million-Loan-To-The-Arts--Business-Council-Of-Greater-Boston-For-Its-Landmark-Purchase-Of-The-Western-Avenue-Studios--Lofts-In-Lowell-MA/default.aspx">loans</a>.&nbsp;</p><p>“They are a perfect fit for this project,” said Mayor Jon Mitchell. He anticipated that first-floor retail, performance spaces, and specialized studios would all be part of the new Star Store — enhancing “the arts corridor here on Purchase Street” in proximity to the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VomUSUBcSuk">new Zeiterion</a> and downtown.</p><p>The drawn-out political fallout of the Star Store’s closure also reared its head. Mitchell said the city tried for a while to get the state to reverse the university’s decision to leave the Star Store campus. He also said the city also looked into what it would take to develop the building into housing or offices, but that the infrastructure didn’t accommodate those solutions.</p><p>“I know it’s still painful for a lot of people here,” Mitchell said. He added, “It doesn’t matter if it was someone else’s fault; it is our responsibility to fix it.”&nbsp;</p><figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
  278. <iframe title="Star Store will become a downtown arts hub once again" width="780" height="439" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ObWfJ27HREs?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
  279. </div></figure><h3 class="wp-block-heading">The deal that made the new Star Store possible</h3><p>The building’s previous owner, the real estate developer Paul Downey, was not present at Monday morning’s announcement. It was only last Thursday that the complex deal to sell the building was finalized among Downey, the city, and new owners A&amp;BC.&nbsp;</p><p>Tony Sapienza, board chair for the New Bedford Economic Development Council, said it took a year for everything to come together —&nbsp;and several agreements needed to be reached among multiple parties.</p><p>Years ago, Downey had originally agreed to sell the Star Store building for $1 to UMass Dartmouth at the conclusion of the university’s lease. That, of course, <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/unraveling-how-the-star-store-died/">never happened</a>.&nbsp;</p><p>In October, the city filed to foreclose on the Star Store in state Land Court, pursuing Downey for hundreds of thousands of dollars in back tax payments that it claimed he owed, <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/city-moves-to-foreclose-on-star-store-for-unpaid-taxes/">The Light reported</a>. Last week, a municipal lien certificate filed with the registry of deeds stated that Downey&#8217;s company had been billed $806,768 in taxes for 2023 to 2025, received $396,617 in &#8220;abatements/exemptions,&#8221; and resolved the debt with &#8220;payments/credits&#8221; of $406,702. The city moved to withdraw the Land Court case last week.</p><p>Mitchell said that Downey delivered a check to the assessors office to pay “approximately $500,000.” This amount represents a settlement agreement between the city and Downey that will avoid a lengthy adjudication process in court, Mitchell said. In return for this settlement, Downey agreed to sell the building to A&amp;BC for $1 — which Sapienza said was “keeping his pledge” to donate the building to the city.&nbsp;</p><p>As of Thursday, the city’s agreement with Downey, Downey’s sale to A&amp;BC, and a partnership agreement between A&amp;BC and the Economic Development Council were all finalized.&nbsp;</p><h3 class="wp-block-heading">Reaction to Boston investment in New Bedford</h3><p>“For a lot of investors from Boston, [New Bedford] is seen as a place far afield,” said Mitchell during his remarks. But he told A&amp;BC representatives, “This is going to be the best investment your nonprofit has ever made.”</p><p>The prevailing attitude among those in attendance on Monday morning was excitement for the Star Store’s return. Bubbling underneath that, however, were the strains of skepticism and regional pride <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/an-arts-college-is-not-a-pit-stop/">that have marked</a> the Star Store saga.&nbsp;</p><figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="780" height="585" data-attachment-id="164165" data-permalink="https://newbedfordlight.org/img_8465/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/IMG_8465-scaled.jpg?fit=2560%2C1920&amp;ssl=1" data-orig-size="2560,1920" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;1.6&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;iPhone 15&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1748862494&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;5.96&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;32&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.0043859649122807&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}" data-image-title="IMG_8465" data-image-description="&lt;p&gt;Mayor Jon Mitchell proclaimed the Star Store would be “the best investment [A&#038;BC] has ever made.” Credit: Colin Hogan / The New Bedford Light&lt;/p&gt;
  280. " data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;Mayor Jon Mitchell proclaimed the Star Store would be “the best investment [A&#038;BC] has ever made.” Credit: Colin Hogan / The New Bedford Light&lt;/p&gt;
  281. " data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/IMG_8465-scaled.jpg?fit=300%2C225&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/IMG_8465-scaled.jpg?fit=780%2C585&amp;ssl=1" src="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/IMG_8465.jpg?resize=780%2C585&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-164165" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/IMG_8465-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C768&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/IMG_8465-scaled.jpg?resize=300%2C225&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/IMG_8465-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C576&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/IMG_8465-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1152&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/IMG_8465-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1536&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/IMG_8465-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C900&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/IMG_8465-scaled.jpg?resize=800%2C600&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/IMG_8465-scaled.jpg?resize=600%2C450&amp;ssl=1 600w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/IMG_8465-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C300&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/IMG_8465-scaled.jpg?resize=200%2C150&amp;ssl=1 200w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/IMG_8465-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1500&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/IMG_8465-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C585&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/IMG_8465-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C530&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/IMG_8465-scaled.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/IMG_8465-1024x768.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Mayor Jon Mitchell proclaimed the Star Store would be “the best investment [A&amp;BC] has ever made.” Credit: Colin Hogan / The New Bedford Light
  282. </figcaption></figure><p>“I’m fascinated by this because a Boston group is interested in New Bedford,” said Kat Knutsen, a local artist and <a href="https://thesirennb.com/">art commentator</a>. “What’s that relationship going to look like?”</p><p>Ethan de Aguiar, a founder of the New Bedford Film Festival, said he hopes the new Star Store is “for artists and by artists,” rather than run by “an organization that doesn’t care as much.”</p><p>He said he’s approaching the partnership with A&amp;BC with “cautious optimism,” but he said that faith in large institutions is what led to the Star Store’s demise. “We shouldn’t repeat the mistakes of the past.”&nbsp;</p><p>State Sen. Mark Montigny expressed his hesitations with the deal, though he had no hand in making it. “While this transfer is an encouraging step forward, I am writing to you as the original legislative sponsor of this arts campus to express caution,” Montigny wrote in a letter to the Massachusetts Department of Revenue, which needed to formally approve the tax deal that precipitated the Star Store’s sale.&nbsp;</p><p>“I urge your department to carefully scrutinize the current arrangement to ensure taxpayers and the Commonwealth are protected,” Montigny wrote.&nbsp;</p><p>While the artists and politicians alike noted their hesitations, the overall mood could not be dampened.&nbsp;</p><p>Navarro, the former Star Store student who orchestrated much of the activism around the Star Store, said that she had been in touch with A&amp;BC when the campus first closed. She said she was excited that it was willing to take on the project.&nbsp;</p><p>And, for the first time in years, Navarro was back in the building she had so long worked to restore to the artists of New Bedford.</p><p>For those efforts, Navarro received an unexpected shoutout from the mayor during his remarks: “What you did was fantastic for a lot of the students who were effectively kicked out of here,” Mitchell said. “I want to thank you for your advocacy — it really did make a difference.”</p><p><em>Email Colin Hogan at </em><a href="mailto:chogan@newbedfordlight.org"><em>chogan@newbedfordlight.org</em></a></p><div class="wp-block-group"><div class="wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow"><hr class="wp-block-separator has-css-opacity is-style-wide"/>
  283.  
  284. <div class="wp-block-group"><div class="wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow"><h3 class="wp-block-heading section-header" id="related-stories" style="font-style:normal;font-weight:400"><a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/colinhogan/"><mark style="background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)" class="has-inline-color has-primary-color">More stories by Colin Hogan</mark></a></h3>
  285.  
  286. </div></div></div></div><hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide"/><p>The post <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/star-store-will-become-a-downtown-arts-hub-once-again/">Star Store will become a downtown arts hub once again</a> appeared first on <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org">The New Bedford Light</a>.</p>
  287. ]]></content:encoded>
  289. <wfw:commentRss>https://newbedfordlight.org/star-store-will-become-a-downtown-arts-hub-once-again/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  290. <slash:comments>7</slash:comments>
  293. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">164191</post-id> </item>
  294. <item>
  295. <title>ICE defends May arrests of nearly 1,500 immigrants statewide</title>
  296. <link>https://newbedfordlight.org/ice-defends-may-arrests-of-nearly-1500-immigrants-statewide/</link>
  297. <comments>https://newbedfordlight.org/ice-defends-may-arrests-of-nearly-1500-immigrants-statewide/#respond</comments>
  299. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Kevin G. Andrade]]></dc:creator>
  300. <pubDate>Mon, 02 Jun 2025 22:14:53 +0000</pubDate>
  301. <category><![CDATA[Immigration]]></category>
  302. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://newbedfordlight.org/?p=164196</guid>
  303.  
  304. <description><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="576" src="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/C0006.00_01_04_13.Immagine001-scaled.jpg?fit=1024%2C576&amp;ssl=1" class="attachment-rss-image-size size-rss-image-size wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/C0006.00_01_04_13.Immagine001-scaled.jpg?w=2560&amp;ssl=1 2560w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/C0006.00_01_04_13.Immagine001-scaled.jpg?resize=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/C0006.00_01_04_13.Immagine001-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C576&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/C0006.00_01_04_13.Immagine001-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C432&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/C0006.00_01_04_13.Immagine001-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/C0006.00_01_04_13.Immagine001-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1152&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/C0006.00_01_04_13.Immagine001-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C675&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/C0006.00_01_04_13.Immagine001-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1125&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/C0006.00_01_04_13.Immagine001-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C439&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/C0006.00_01_04_13.Immagine001-scaled.jpg?resize=800%2C450&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/C0006.00_01_04_13.Immagine001-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C225&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/C0006.00_01_04_13.Immagine001-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C397&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/C0006.00_01_04_13.Immagine001-scaled.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/C0006.00_01_04_13.Immagine001-scaled.jpg?fit=1024%2C576&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w" sizes="(max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw / 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw / 12)), 100vw" data-attachment-id="164171" data-permalink="https://newbedfordlight.org/c0006-00_01_04_13-immagine001/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/C0006.00_01_04_13.Immagine001-scaled.jpg?fit=2560%2C1440&amp;ssl=1" data-orig-size="2560,1440" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="C0006.00_01_04_13.Immagine001" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;Todd Lyons, Acting Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, speaks at the press conference. Credit: Eleonora Bianchi / The New Bedford Light&lt;/p&gt;
  305. " data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/C0006.00_01_04_13.Immagine001-scaled.jpg?fit=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/C0006.00_01_04_13.Immagine001-scaled.jpg?fit=780%2C439&amp;ssl=1" /></figure>
  306. <p>ICE’s acting director defends arrests and masked agents. Critics question his assertion that detainees are getting due process.</p>
  307. <p>The post <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/ice-defends-may-arrests-of-nearly-1500-immigrants-statewide/">ICE defends May arrests of nearly 1,500 immigrants statewide</a> appeared first on <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org">The New Bedford Light</a>.</p>
  308. ]]></description>
  309. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="576" src="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/C0006.00_01_04_13.Immagine001-scaled.jpg?fit=1024%2C576&amp;ssl=1" class="attachment-rss-image-size size-rss-image-size wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/C0006.00_01_04_13.Immagine001-scaled.jpg?w=2560&amp;ssl=1 2560w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/C0006.00_01_04_13.Immagine001-scaled.jpg?resize=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/C0006.00_01_04_13.Immagine001-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C576&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/C0006.00_01_04_13.Immagine001-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C432&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/C0006.00_01_04_13.Immagine001-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/C0006.00_01_04_13.Immagine001-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1152&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/C0006.00_01_04_13.Immagine001-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C675&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/C0006.00_01_04_13.Immagine001-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1125&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/C0006.00_01_04_13.Immagine001-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C439&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/C0006.00_01_04_13.Immagine001-scaled.jpg?resize=800%2C450&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/C0006.00_01_04_13.Immagine001-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C225&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/C0006.00_01_04_13.Immagine001-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C397&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/C0006.00_01_04_13.Immagine001-scaled.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/C0006.00_01_04_13.Immagine001-scaled.jpg?fit=1024%2C576&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w" sizes="(max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw / 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw / 12)), 100vw" data-attachment-id="164171" data-permalink="https://newbedfordlight.org/c0006-00_01_04_13-immagine001/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/C0006.00_01_04_13.Immagine001-scaled.jpg?fit=2560%2C1440&amp;ssl=1" data-orig-size="2560,1440" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="C0006.00_01_04_13.Immagine001" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;Todd Lyons, Acting Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, speaks at the press conference. Credit: Eleonora Bianchi / The New Bedford Light&lt;/p&gt;
  310. " data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/C0006.00_01_04_13.Immagine001-scaled.jpg?fit=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/C0006.00_01_04_13.Immagine001-scaled.jpg?fit=780%2C439&amp;ssl=1" /></figure><div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="780" height="519" data-attachment-id="164172" data-permalink="https://newbedfordlight.org/2070/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2070.jpg?fit=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1" data-orig-size="2000,1333" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;3.5&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;ILCE-7M3&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1748874049&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;28&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;100&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.0015625&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="&#8211;2070" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;Exterior of the Moakley Federal Courthouse in Boston. Credit: Eleonora Bianchi / The New Bedford Light&lt;/p&gt;
  311. " data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2070.jpg?fit=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2070.jpg?fit=780%2C519&amp;ssl=1" src="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2070.jpg?resize=780%2C519&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-164172" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2070.jpg?resize=1024%2C682&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2070.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2070.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2070.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2070.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2070.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2070.jpg?resize=800%2C533&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2070.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2070.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2070.jpg?w=2000&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2070-1024x682.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Exterior of the Moakley Federal Courthouse in Boston. Credit: Eleonora Bianchi / The New Bedford Light</figcaption></figure></div><p class="has-drop-cap">BOSTON — The acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Todd Lyons, touted the success of a month-long immigration enforcement operation during a press conference Monday morning that resulted in the detention of nearly 1,500 immigrants across Massachusetts.</p><p>Also present at the John Joseph Moakley Federal Courthouse Monday morning were U.S. Attorney for Massachusetts Leah Foley and Patricia Hyde, the acting field office director in Boston for ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations.</p><p>“Make no mistake: Every person that we arrested was breaking our immigration laws, but most of these individuals had significant criminality,” said Hyde. “They are criminal offenders who victimized innocent people and traumatized entire communities — murderers, rapists, drug traffickers, child sex predators and members of violent transnational criminal gangs.”</p><p>Hyde went on to say the operation, dubbed “Operation Patriot,” has protected residents of Massachusetts.&nbsp;</p><figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
  312. <iframe title="ICE defends May arrests of nearly 1,500 immigrants in Massachusetts" width="780" height="439" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/PTolPge0BFI?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
  313. </div></figure><p>“The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a safer place today,” said Hyde, who added that 1,461 people were detained over the course of the month, including 790 with “significant criminality” — meaning they faced criminal charges, notwithstanding the outcomes of cases. That leaves 691 with no significant criminal records.&nbsp;</p><p>“ICE is not going away,” she added. “We are coming for you.”</p><p>Officials said many faced criminal charges related to drugs, domestic violence, impaired driving, child sex abuse, sex trafficking, and more.&nbsp;</p><p>“It’s long past time for ICE to remove these dangerous criminals from our communities,” Lyons, ICE’s acting director, said during the conference. “While these operations were going on, more criminal aliens were being released into the community.”</p><div class="wp-block-group alignright"><div class="wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained"><hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide reduce-bottom-margin"/>
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  315. <h3 class="wp-block-heading section-header"><mark style="background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);color:#29abe2" class="has-inline-color">Related</mark></h3>
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  319. <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide reduce-bottom-margin"/></div></div><p>He added that federal officials were outraged at the hostility ICE agents have faced and that threats to their lives and their families’ lives is why they are often masked during operations.</p><p>“People are out there taking photos of the names and faces and posting them online with death threats,” Lyons said, before switching to a sarcastic tone. “I’m sorry if people are offended that they’re wearing masks.”</p><p>Lyons also insisted that agents had respected the civil and due process rights of all those detained.</p><p>“The whole due process thing,” a frustrated Lyons said in response to a question from the gathered press. “ICE doesn’t just scoop people up off the street and remove them.”</p><h3 class="wp-block-heading">New Bedford reacts to Operation Patriot</h3><p>Local advocates said the detentions they have seen over the past few months contradict such statements.</p><p>“That is contrary to what the community in New Bedford has experienced,” said Corinn Williams, director of the Community Economic Development Corporation of Southeastern Massachusetts, in a text message.</p><p>“They haven’t been respecting civil rights,” Adrian Ventura, executive director of the Centro Comunitario de Trabajadores, told The Light in Spanish. “The most egregious example of that is [the case of] Juan Francisco Méndez.”</p><p>Méndez was detained in a viral arrest in April when federal agents were filmed using<a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/lawyer-federal-agents-detain-guatemalan-man-29-with-no-criminal-record/"> an axe to break his car window</a> despite his invocation of his right to remain silent and calling his lawyer, Ondine Gálvez Sniffen, to come to the scene.</p><p>Authorities held Méndez in custody for over a month under multiple alien registration numbers and faced no charges until after an immigration judge in Chelmsford Immigration Court declared <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/judge-orders-release-of-immigrant-who-was-arrested-after-agents-smashed-his-window/">a failure to prosecute on May 8</a>. After Méndez was issued charging documents for illegal entry, another immigration judge <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/update-immigrant-freed-on-1500-bond-heading-home-to-new-bedford/">ordered his release on bail</a> on May 15.</p><p>Jonathan Darling, public information officer for the city of New Bedford, said in a Monday email that the city’s position about ICE operations has not changed.</p><p>“Our Police Department focuses on its core mission of ensuring public safety in New Bedford,” Darling wrote. “The NBPD does not withhold information from other law enforcement agencies.&nbsp;</p><p>“With respect to the federal government’s approach to the enforcement of immigration law,” he continued, “the Mayor has made clear that the focus should be on known criminals or others who pose public safety risks.”</p><p>The Light’s records show that 10 of the 28 confirmed New Bedford immigrants detained since President Trump’s inauguration were arrested in May. Based on reviews of Massachusetts court records, only one of the identified May detainees, <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/guatemalan-immigrant-in-u-s-for-30-years-arrested-by-federal-agents/">Juan Ramón Alegría Rodas</a>, had any criminal charges in the Commonwealth. Those stemmed from a criminal complaint filed in Framingham District Court by his wife, Patricia, in 2007. That charge was dismissed after both parties failed to appear for a court date.</p><h3 class="wp-block-heading">Sanctuary and detainees without criminal histories debated</h3><p>“It is a stretch to conjure up the image of a hardened criminal from the ordinary immigrant workers who are working at a car wash or painting houses,” said Williams of the CEDC. “We would really have to do an analysis on this and how ‘significant criminality’ is defined: Driving without a license? A second entry at the border of an individual without any criminal record?”</p><p>Hyde acknowledged that many of the detained faced no criminal charges, but she said that state and local “sanctuary” jurisdiction policies mean that ICE officers need to go into communities and detain people with criminal charges — and that others are taken in the process. She argued that the <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/boston/news/massachusetts-maura-healey-demands-answers-milford-student-arrested-by-ice/">detention Saturday of Marcelo Gomes</a>, an 18-year-old undocumented Brazilian immigrant and senior at Milford High School, was an example of the negative impacts of sanctuary policies.&nbsp;</p><p>“He was not the target of the investigation,” Hyde said of Gomes, adding that agents were after his father. “But he’s 18 and in the country illegally.”</p><p>“Sanctuary policies put us in a position where we have to go out into communities and conduct these arrests,” she said. “We’ve been completely transparent” that those found to be in the U.S. without proper documentation beyond the targets would also be swept up.</p><p>Governor Maura Healey called Gomes’ arrest outrageous in a press release Sunday.</p><p>“I’m disturbed and outraged by reports that a Milford High School student was arrested by ICE on his way to volleyball practice yesterday,” she said. “Yet again, local officials and law enforcement have been left in the dark with no heads up and no answers to their questions.”</p><p>“I’m demanding that ICE provide immediate information about why he was arrested, where he is and how his due process is being protected,” she continued. “The Trump Administration continues to create fear in our communities, and it’s making us all less safe.”&nbsp;</p><p>Neither New Bedford nor Massachusetts has a “sanctuary law” in place barring local and state officials from cooperating with federal immigration enforcement. However, the <a href="https://www.mass.gov/decision/lunn-v-commonwealth">2017 Lunn decision</a> by Massachusetts’ Supreme Judicial Court prohibits state and local law enforcement from cooperating with federal immigration enforcement. Many advocates and law enforcement officials have argued such policies improve public safety by encouraging immigrant communities to interact with police and local officials.&nbsp;</p><p>Nonetheless, the Trump administration recently <a href="https://www.nbcboston.com/news/politics/leaders-fire-back-after-dhs-releases-list-of-sanctuary-cities-counties-and-states/3728301/">included Massachusetts as a sanctuary jurisdiction</a> in a list published on the Department of Homeland Security website.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>“It’s a matter of semantics,” said Hyde. “But what do you call it when state and local operations don’t cooperate?”</p><p>By June 1, the list was removed from the site due to widespread criticism, according to an <a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-sanctuary-jurisdictions-list-a372c7501746e4f2b7e117ba22ebccac">Associated Press report.</a></p><h3 class="wp-block-heading">Aftermath of operation</h3><p>U.S. Attorney Leah Foley said 50 of those detained over the course of the May operation were charged in U.S. District Court of Massachusetts with illegal re-entry. At least two of those men, Guatemalans <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/ice-impact-still-felt-in-new-bedford/">Mário López Sajvin</a> and <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/new-bedford-immigrant-pleads-guilty-to-illegally-reentering-the-u-s/">José DeLeón Ventura</a>, were New Bedford residents. Both pleaded guilty to the charge.</p><p>“My office will continue to prosecute those who are in the country unlawfully,” she said. “This is the land of opportunity, not the land for opportunists.”</p><figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="780" height="439" data-attachment-id="164168" data-permalink="https://newbedfordlight.org/c0006-00_02_03_08-immagine004/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/C0006.00_02_03_08.Immagine004-scaled.jpg?fit=2560%2C1440&amp;ssl=1" data-orig-size="2560,1440" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="C0006.00_02_03_08.Immagine004" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;Leah B. Foley, U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts, speaks at the press conference. Credit: Eleonora Bianchi / The New Bedford Light&lt;/p&gt;
  320. " data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/C0006.00_02_03_08.Immagine004-scaled.jpg?fit=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/C0006.00_02_03_08.Immagine004-scaled.jpg?fit=780%2C439&amp;ssl=1" src="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/C0006.00_02_03_08.Immagine004.jpg?resize=780%2C439&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-164168" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/C0006.00_02_03_08.Immagine004-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C576&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/C0006.00_02_03_08.Immagine004-scaled.jpg?resize=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/C0006.00_02_03_08.Immagine004-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C432&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/C0006.00_02_03_08.Immagine004-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/C0006.00_02_03_08.Immagine004-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1152&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/C0006.00_02_03_08.Immagine004-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C675&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/C0006.00_02_03_08.Immagine004-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1125&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/C0006.00_02_03_08.Immagine004-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C439&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/C0006.00_02_03_08.Immagine004-scaled.jpg?resize=800%2C450&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/C0006.00_02_03_08.Immagine004-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C225&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/C0006.00_02_03_08.Immagine004-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C397&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/C0006.00_02_03_08.Immagine004-scaled.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/C0006.00_02_03_08.Immagine004-1024x576.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Leah B. Foley, U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts, speaks at the press conference. Credit: Eleonora Bianchi / The New Bedford Light</figcaption></figure><p>The operation included agents from all over the country and several different federal agencies, including: The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms; Customs and Border Protection; Diplomatic Security Service; Drug Enforcement Agency; U.S. Coast Guard; Homeland Security Investigations; ICE; Internal Revenue Service the FBI; Federal Prison Service, and U.S. Marshals.&nbsp;</p><p>Though Operation Patriot may be over, local activists say the effects of the operation remain, with broken families and people trying to fix finances and move forward with their lives.</p><p>“This was a disaster for our community,” Ventura said. “Most of the community has been traumatized by the violence inflicted upon us.”</p><p>Ventura said that for those who have already been deported —&nbsp;such as Rodas, <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/two-guatemalans-detained-in-early-morning-ice-raid-in-new-bedford/">Miguel Ordoñez Socop and José Antonio Garcia Garcia</a> — what awaits them in their homeland is greater danger.</p><p>“They came here to escape violence in Central America,” he said. “All that awaits them there is death.”</p><p><em>Kevin G. Andrade can be reached at </em><a href="mailto:kandrade@newbedfordlight.org"><em>kandrade@newbedfordlight.org</em></a><em>.&nbsp;</em></p><div class="wp-block-group"><div class="wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow"><hr class="wp-block-separator has-css-opacity is-style-wide"/>
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  322. <div class="wp-block-group"><div class="wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow"><h3 class="wp-block-heading section-header" id="related-stories" style="font-style:normal;font-weight:400"><mark style="background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)" class="has-inline-color has-primary-color">More stories by Kevin G. Andrade</mark></h3>
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  324. </div></div></div></div><hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide"/><p>The post <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/ice-defends-may-arrests-of-nearly-1500-immigrants-statewide/">ICE defends May arrests of nearly 1,500 immigrants statewide</a> appeared first on <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org">The New Bedford Light</a>.</p>
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  331. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">164196</post-id> </item>
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  333. <title>Cape Air plans daily New Bedford-to-Boston flights</title>
  334. <link>https://newbedfordlight.org/cape-air-plans-daily-new-bedford-to-boston-flights/</link>
  335. <comments>https://newbedfordlight.org/cape-air-plans-daily-new-bedford-to-boston-flights/#comments</comments>
  337. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Michael P. Norton / State House News Service]]></dc:creator>
  338. <pubDate>Mon, 02 Jun 2025 20:29:20 +0000</pubDate>
  339. <category><![CDATA[Transportation]]></category>
  340. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://newbedfordlight.org/?p=164158</guid>
  341.  
  342. <description><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="682" src="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1922.jpg?fit=1024%2C682&amp;ssl=1" class="attachment-rss-image-size size-rss-image-size wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1922.jpg?w=2000&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1922.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1922.jpg?resize=1024%2C682&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1922.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1922.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1922.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1922.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1922.jpg?resize=800%2C533&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1922.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1922.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1922.jpg?fit=1024%2C682&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w" sizes="(max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw / 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw / 12)), 100vw" data-attachment-id="157291" data-permalink="https://newbedfordlight.org/1922/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1922.jpg?fit=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1" data-orig-size="2000,1333" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;3.5&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;ILCE-7M3&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1743504952&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;28&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;800&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.002&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="&#8211;1922" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;A Cape Air plane prepares for takeoff at New Bedford Regional Airport. Credit: Eleonora Bianchi / The New Bedford Light&lt;/p&gt;
  343. " data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1922.jpg?fit=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1922.jpg?fit=780%2C519&amp;ssl=1" /></figure>
  344. <p>Two flights a day, each way, will launch Sept. 29. TSA checkpoints in New Bedford will make connections at Logan easier, the mayor says.</p>
  345. <p>The post <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/cape-air-plans-daily-new-bedford-to-boston-flights/">Cape Air plans daily New Bedford-to-Boston flights</a> appeared first on <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org">The New Bedford Light</a>.</p>
  346. ]]></description>
  347. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="682" src="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1922.jpg?fit=1024%2C682&amp;ssl=1" class="attachment-rss-image-size size-rss-image-size wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1922.jpg?w=2000&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1922.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1922.jpg?resize=1024%2C682&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1922.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1922.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1922.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1922.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1922.jpg?resize=800%2C533&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1922.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1922.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1922.jpg?fit=1024%2C682&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w" sizes="(max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw / 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw / 12)), 100vw" data-attachment-id="157291" data-permalink="https://newbedfordlight.org/1922/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1922.jpg?fit=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1" data-orig-size="2000,1333" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;3.5&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;ILCE-7M3&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1743504952&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;28&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;800&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.002&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="&#8211;1922" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;A Cape Air plane prepares for takeoff at New Bedford Regional Airport. Credit: Eleonora Bianchi / The New Bedford Light&lt;/p&gt;
  348. " data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1922.jpg?fit=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1922.jpg?fit=780%2C519&amp;ssl=1" /></figure><p class="has-drop-cap">The MBTA recently launched train service that can get people from New Bedford to Boston in 98 minutes. Cape Air says it can do it in 35.</p><p>New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell trumpeted plans for the new direct daily flight travel option from his city to Logan Airport, with his office calling it “a new way to beat Boston traffic” and “high parking rates.”</p><p>The year-round flights are expected to begin Sept. 29, departing daily at 8:15 a.m. and 2 p.m. and returning from Boston at 1 p.m. and 6:40 p.m. The flights are on sale at <a href="https://www.capeair.com">Cape Air’s website</a>, with one-way tickets to Boston priced at $99.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>According to Mitchell’s office, passengers heading to Boston to start a longer journey will be able to pass through a U.S. Transportation Security Administration checkpoint in New Bedford, making it easier for them to connect to domestic and international flights when they get to Logan. Parking near the airport’s main entrance costs $10 per day.&nbsp;</p><p>“New Bedford Regional Airport’s best days are ahead,” New Bedford Regional Airport Manager Scot Servis said. “We’re expecting more passengers this year with the new flights to Boston, and the increased interest will surely drive more carriers to explore opportunities in New Bedford.”</p><p>New Bedford Regional Airport, one of nine commercial service airports in Massachusetts, supports 300 direct and indirect jobs, according to Mitchell’s office.&nbsp;</p><div class="wp-block-group alignright"><div class="wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained"><hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide reduce-bottom-margin"/>
  349.  
  350. <h3 class="wp-block-heading section-header"><mark style="background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);color:#29abe2" class="has-inline-color">Related</mark></h3>
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  354. <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide reduce-bottom-margin"/></div></div><p>At the airport, early work has begun on a new control tower and terminal, a project estimated at up to $76 million, which city officials hope will draw new tenants. The state would pay for nearly all of the project, if the city contributes $3 million.</p><p>Cape Air, the lone passenger carrier at the airport, has lost about three-quarters of its outbound New Bedford passengers in 10 years,​​ <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/could-change-be-in-the-air-for-new-bedfords-airport/">The Light reported last month</a>.&nbsp;</p><p>The airline currently operates flights from New Bedford to Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard.&nbsp;</p><p>It plans to offer more flights to the islands this summer than last summer. The new mid-June to mid-October schedule, shared with The Light, shows four flights to Nantucket four days a week, and two trips three days a week. The Martha’s Vineyard schedule shows two flights a day two days a week, one trip on five days.</p><p><em>The Light contributed reporting to this story.</em></p><p>The post <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/cape-air-plans-daily-new-bedford-to-boston-flights/">Cape Air plans daily New Bedford-to-Boston flights</a> appeared first on <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org">The New Bedford Light</a>.</p>
  355. ]]></content:encoded>
  357. <wfw:commentRss>https://newbedfordlight.org/cape-air-plans-daily-new-bedford-to-boston-flights/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  358. <slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
  361. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">164158</post-id> </item>
  362. <item>
  363. <title>Pam Kuechler keeping PACE in a difficult time</title>
  364. <link>https://newbedfordlight.org/pam-kuechler-keeping-pace-in-new-bedford-during-a-difficult-time/</link>
  365. <comments>https://newbedfordlight.org/pam-kuechler-keeping-pace-in-new-bedford-during-a-difficult-time/#comments</comments>
  367. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Sean McCarthy]]></dc:creator>
  368. <pubDate>Sun, 01 Jun 2025 18:33:18 +0000</pubDate>
  369. <category><![CDATA[InPerson]]></category>
  370. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://newbedfordlight.org/?p=163897</guid>
  371.  
  372. <description><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="576" src="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Kuechler-for-homepage.jpg?fit=1024%2C576&amp;ssl=1" class="attachment-rss-image-size size-rss-image-size wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Kuechler-for-homepage.jpg?w=1920&amp;ssl=1 1920w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Kuechler-for-homepage.jpg?resize=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Kuechler-for-homepage.jpg?resize=1024%2C576&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Kuechler-for-homepage.jpg?resize=768%2C432&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Kuechler-for-homepage.jpg?resize=1536%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Kuechler-for-homepage.jpg?resize=1200%2C675&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Kuechler-for-homepage.jpg?resize=780%2C439&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Kuechler-for-homepage.jpg?resize=800%2C450&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Kuechler-for-homepage.jpg?resize=400%2C225&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Kuechler-for-homepage.jpg?resize=706%2C397&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Kuechler-for-homepage.jpg?fit=1024%2C576&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w" sizes="(max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw / 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw / 12)), 100vw" data-attachment-id="163884" data-permalink="https://newbedfordlight.org/kuechler-for-homepage/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Kuechler-for-homepage.jpg?fit=1920%2C1080&amp;ssl=1" data-orig-size="1920,1080" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}" data-image-title="Kuechler for homepage" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;PACE Executive Director Pam Kuechler: &#8220;We provide a space for people to receive help in a dignified way.&#8221; Credit: Sean McCarthy / The New Bedford Light&lt;/p&gt;
  373. " data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Kuechler-for-homepage.jpg?fit=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Kuechler-for-homepage.jpg?fit=780%2C439&amp;ssl=1" /></figure>
  374. <p>“My ambitions for the organization are to see us come out the other side of these funding struggles and the challenges that we’re faced with right now to be as strong as possible.” — PACE executive director</p>
  375. <p>The post <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/pam-kuechler-keeping-pace-in-new-bedford-during-a-difficult-time/">Pam Kuechler keeping PACE in a difficult time</a> appeared first on <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org">The New Bedford Light</a>.</p>
  376. ]]></description>
  377. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="576" src="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Kuechler-for-homepage.jpg?fit=1024%2C576&amp;ssl=1" class="attachment-rss-image-size size-rss-image-size wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Kuechler-for-homepage.jpg?w=1920&amp;ssl=1 1920w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Kuechler-for-homepage.jpg?resize=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Kuechler-for-homepage.jpg?resize=1024%2C576&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Kuechler-for-homepage.jpg?resize=768%2C432&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Kuechler-for-homepage.jpg?resize=1536%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Kuechler-for-homepage.jpg?resize=1200%2C675&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Kuechler-for-homepage.jpg?resize=780%2C439&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Kuechler-for-homepage.jpg?resize=800%2C450&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Kuechler-for-homepage.jpg?resize=400%2C225&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Kuechler-for-homepage.jpg?resize=706%2C397&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Kuechler-for-homepage.jpg?fit=1024%2C576&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w" sizes="(max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw / 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw / 12)), 100vw" data-attachment-id="163884" data-permalink="https://newbedfordlight.org/kuechler-for-homepage/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Kuechler-for-homepage.jpg?fit=1920%2C1080&amp;ssl=1" data-orig-size="1920,1080" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}" data-image-title="Kuechler for homepage" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;PACE Executive Director Pam Kuechler: &#8220;We provide a space for people to receive help in a dignified way.&#8221; Credit: Sean McCarthy / The New Bedford Light&lt;/p&gt;
  378. " data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Kuechler-for-homepage.jpg?fit=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Kuechler-for-homepage.jpg?fit=780%2C439&amp;ssl=1" /></figure><p class="has-drop-cap">There are a number of reasons why an individual or a family finds themselves struggling with poverty. And with the poverty rate in New Bedford higher than the national average, organizations such as People Acting in Community Endeavors (PACE) are crucial to supporting those who are the least fortunate among us. And according to PACE Executive Director Pam Kuechler, when people facing economic challenges receive the necessary support, the results benefit all of us.</p><p>Formed in 1982, PACE has grown to meet the expanding needs of the region and today has 11 different programs, including Fuel Assistance, housing, job training, Head Start, and childcare subsidies to assist working parents. Located at 166 William St. in downtown New Bedford, the organization is federally funded, much of which is funneled through the state. PACE serves more than 30,000 people each year.</p><p>But all of this could change dramatically. The most recent federal budget proposed by President Donald Trump aims to cut approximately half of the funding for PACE’s programs, threatening its very existence.</p><p>Despite its dynamic outreach, these are tenuous times for PACE and the other regional organizations they partner with. Additional PACE programs include a community food center, the Health Access program that helps people get health insurance, a tax preparation program that served 350 people this year, and the Department of Public Health’s lead prevention program which provides support and services to families with children who have been diagnosed with high lead levels.</p><p>Today PACE has a staff of 178 and 50 volunteers. It describes its mission as “delivering innovative and effective services and programs to members of the Greater New Bedford Community in their pursuit of brighter futures.”</p><p>Kuechler (pronounced “keech-ler”) has devoted her entire professional career to helping others, and has been the executive director at PACE since 2018. Her previous work includes a stint with the Key Program, where she helped at-risk youth in Fall River. That was followed by more work with at-risk youth in the Newport school system with the Stopover Services organization. In 1995, she joined PACE to run the Family Center at the Hayden-McFadden School in New Bedford. Five years later she became the program director at PACE’s Childcare Works program, which provides family support programs and subsidies for families in the area. In 2012, she became the executive director of the Massachusetts Head Start Association, an organization that supports the Head Start programs throughout the state. Head Start provides early education, health, and social services to low-income children and families, with the aim of creating school-ready children.</p><p>Born and raised in Fairhaven, Kuechler graduated from Fairhaven High School before earning a bachelor’s degree in psychology, with minors in sociology and justice studies, from the University of New Hampshire. Today she lives in Fairhaven with her husband Doug, her mother Peggy, her son Alex and her dogs Sam and Jasmine. Her daughter Alison lives in Norwood. A lover of the outdoors and open-air recreation, Kuechler is also an avid reader and spends&nbsp; as much time in New Hampshire as she can.</p><p>In an interview with The Light, Kuechler talked about the contributions of PACE and its effects on the community, partnering with other local organizations, what success looks like for the organization, how programs such as PACE are effective, the potential effects of President Trump’s budget proposal, and the future of PACE.</p><figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
  379. <iframe title="Pam Kuechler keeping PACE in New Bedford during a difficult time" width="780" height="439" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bl4y3fis4i4?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
  380. </div></figure><p><strong>New Bedford Light: </strong><em>Why is there a need for PACE?</em></p><p><strong>Pam Kuechler: </strong>Sixty years ago, Community Action agencies were created as a program of President Johnson’s “War On Poverty.” As one of the 1,000 Community Action agencies across the country, PACE, and its predecessor ONBOARD, was created to provide support for folks living in poverty in ways that would empower them to be able to move towards sustainable self-sufficiency goals within their own families and their own individual situations.</p><p>The conditions of poverty haven’t changed, but the amount of poverty over time has changed. New Bedford has a higher poverty rate, at 20%, than our national average of 12.4%, so the challenges still exist in our community. Even while we are seeing economic changes locally, there are still a number of people in our community that have not been able to avail themselves of the opportunities available. We have found over time there’s always folks who run up against something that could change their situations quickly, and that was never more obvious than when we went through COVID and the number of people that were served through our Food Center and through Fuel Assistance, as well as the many other programs we offer. So the need for the agency is comprehensive because we provide comprehensive opportunities to help.</p><p><strong>NBL: </strong><em>What is the overall effect that PACE has on the community?</em></p><p><strong>PK: </strong>We provide a space for people to receive help in a dignified way. And really to try to provide that space so folks can feel that they can receive assistance if they need it. We try to approach every aspect of our work in that manner where we believe that every person deserves an opportunity. We believe that every person deserves to be treated with respect. And we believe that every person deserves to have the tools to help them move beyond any challenges that they’re facing.</p><p>Our community becomes stronger if the people who live in it become stronger, and we’re really here to try to provide opportunities for folks to strengthen themselves, their situations, their families, their living situations, all of the above.</p><p><strong>NBL: </strong><em>Does helping the less fortunate help all of us? And if so how?</em></p><p><strong>PK: </strong>I do feel that helping the less fortunate benefits all of us because when folks who are struggling receive assistance that helps to lessen their struggle, our community is stronger for that. It’s multi-faceted. Many of the people who came through our programs who are now volunteers often will say to us, “We received help at one point and we want to give back.”&nbsp;</p><p>And because of the nature of our work, we provide opportunities for people to do that. So there’s a multi-pronged impact. If children receive opportunities early on that really support their development then their chances for long-term success improve exponentially. And that’s what things like our Head Start program provides. We also provide the early childhood subsidies to all of the other high-quality childhood programming that we have in this community. The vouchers that families receive so their children can go to high-quality settings to set them up to be really successful once they hit public school.</p><p>The long-term impact of helping people move out of situations where they’re struggling is not something that has been able to be quantified well. I really think that when members of our community are succeeding, then our communities are stronger for that.</p><p><strong>NBL: </strong><em>Why has PACE expanded its programming and its reach?</em></p><p><strong>PK: </strong>Our expansion of the work that we do hasn’t really happened by mistake. Every three years we are required to do a community needs assessment that’s really, really comprehensive. We ask folks who are receiving our services, we talk to key stakeholders across the community, we hold public forums, we have a needs assessment that we put out there. We ask folks to provide their feedback, and we try to engage the community as much as possible to really try to identify the top needs in our community.</p><p>Once that data is compiled, we’ll take a look at the things we’re offering already, where we maybe need to make adjustments and how we can do that. And in the areas where we don’t actually fit right in the box or provide those services we look at where we have partnerships with agencies and other people within the community that offer certain things that we can help to strengthen their work so that they can meet additional needs identified.</p><p>So much of our work has been born of those identified areas. As you might imagine, the top needs that we are seeing over the last few years from the needs assessments have been housing, food insecurity, childcare and mental health issues. We try to take a look at what particular programmatic opportunities, or even partnerships with other agencies, to see if it’s a fit for us, and can we maybe be a value add to the work being done in that area. We also consider if we could help to pull the community together to maybe meet that need.</p><p>As a result, you see our expansion in our food programming, there’s been an expansion in our Housing Opportunity Center, and our housing services to provide people with support to try to find housing or to stay in their housing to prevent homelessness. You see expansion in our Head Start programming in that we shifted and increased the number of infants to toddlers that are served because we see that demand in our community. Our childcare voucher program has expanded in part because of the way it’s being done across the state. But also, because the state has increased the number of vouchers that are available to us down here from past years. We have even expanded our Workforce Development options based on the needs of the wind industry and demand for workers.</p><p>We try to take a look at opportunities that come up and see how it matches with what our mission is and what our strategic plan is, and if it fits into what we’re doing then we take a look at who we partner with to do some of these things with. Which things should we be doing on our own? Or how do we support our partners that are doing this work to boost the work that they are doing?</p><p><strong>NBL: </strong><em>How long, on average, does a person receive assistance from PACE?</em></p><p><strong>PK: </strong>We don’t typically track that because the majority of our services are based on income, so it varies from person to person. People could be participating in multiple services for a variety of amounts of time. We have people who come to our Food Center once and we have children in Head Start which is a time-limited program, so children are eligible to be in it from birth up until going into kindergarten. Same thing with our childcare subsidies for the length of time children are eligible to be in childcare for as long as the family’s income allows them to be eligible for the subsidies. It really, really varies. It’s hard to pinpoint a time frame.</p><p>We will have folks that use our services for a period of time we don’t see for several years and they may come back. A perfect example is folks who retire and go on a fixed income and then run into a situation where their house is sold that they’re renting from and a new owner makes it impossible for them to stay. They hike the rent up so high. So they may come back to our Housing Opportunity Center. They may not have received any support from PACE for many, many years but they need help finding a new place to live. So the amount of time people participate really varies.</p><p><strong>NBL: </strong><em>You’ve devoted your entire professional career to helping the less fortunate. Can you say that these programs have an impact? Are they benefitting the people who need them?</em></p><p><strong>PK: </strong>Without a doubt. Really it runs the gamut — everything from children who have gone through Head Start or have gone through some of our family support programs who have gone on to do incredible things in their own lifespan of school, careers and going on to college and doing some really remarkable things; to folks getting assistance with fuel and making a huge difference in their ability to be able to remain housed, which keeps them from becoming homeless. There are so many reasons why programs like this are important to help give people the opportunity to make their resources stretch as far as they can so that they can successfully meet their basic needs and continue on a path whereby they are meeting their goals.</p><p>Giving people workplace development opportunities to be able to go into new employment opportunities or advance to careers. Our Clemente Course, three or four years ago, a person who went through that free college program was the valedictorian of Bristol Community College.</p><p>There are numerous things to point to that have really made a difference. We’ve had people come back as volunteers who give back to our community. When they come in to apply they say, “Many years ago my family got help through PACE and I just want to give back.”</p><p><strong>NBL: </strong><em>How might PACE be affected by the president’s proposed budget cuts?</em></p><p><strong>PK: </strong>So short-term, we run a Head Start program which, if anyone’s seen the news lately, was at risk of not making it into the president’s budget. Since then that has changed a little bit. We also run the Community Services Block Grant, which is our base funding, and the Fuel Assistance program, both of which in the president’s skinny budget that just came out were zeroed out, eliminated. So we are concerned about the impact of cuts like that, of programs like those being gone, the impact both on the people that we serve as well as economically. A program like Fuel Assistance benefits the clients that we’re serving and vendors that receive the funds to help pay for fuel. Many of our clients heat with oil and those oil vendors benefit from the fact that their clients are being assisted to pay their bills.</p><p>That’s just one example. Our food bank is supported by the CSBG funds that are right now proposed to be zeroed out. And again, it’s the president’s budget. Congress still has to put its budget together and move it through the system. The concern is that, because of the way that Congress is made up right now, they will follow in line with the president’s proposals. It’s really our job to make people understand the impact could really be vast if things move forward and CSBG and Fuel Assistance are not funded.</p><p><strong>NBL: </strong><em>What would the real-life consequences be if this budget is passed?</em></p><p><strong>PK: </strong>If the president’s budget cuts take place and all things remain as proposed, we would lose all the funding for our Fuel Assistance program. We have 17,800 utility payments that would not be made. We’re talking about slightly over 10,000 households – not people, just households that would not be able to heat their homes throughout the entire course of the winter. You could extrapolate that. Say each house has more than one person in it. Of these households, over 50 percent of these folks are elderly. So folks living on a fixed income who have worked their whole lives, they receive this benefit, it helps them get through the difficult winter, and that opportunity would be gone.</p><p>If our Community Services Block Grant were not funded it would very much impact our Food Center, which currently serves over 10,000 people in a year. Food insecurity is a real problem in our area and it would vastly reduce our capacity to be able to have access to food, to be able to address food insecurity as well as reduce our ability to remain open on any kind of regular basis to give people access.</p><p>… In theory, if the Head Start program were not to be funded, it would mean that about 204 children would not get the high quality services and their families would not get the wrap-around services and support they receive as part of the Head Start program.</p><figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="780" height="587" data-attachment-id="163885" data-permalink="https://newbedfordlight.org/pam2/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Pam2-scaled.jpg?fit=2560%2C1928&amp;ssl=1" data-orig-size="2560,1928" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;1.8&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;Celero5G SC&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1746115463&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;3.9&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;389&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.033334&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}" data-image-title="Pam2" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;PACE Executive Director Pam Kuechler: &#8220;Our community becomes stronger if the people who live in it become stronger, and we’re really here to try to provide opportunities for folks to strengthen themselves, their situations, their families, their living situations, all of the above.&#8221; Credit: Sean McCarthy / The New Bedford Light&lt;/p&gt;
  381. " data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Pam2-scaled.jpg?fit=300%2C226&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Pam2-scaled.jpg?fit=780%2C587&amp;ssl=1" src="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Pam2.jpg?resize=780%2C587&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-163885" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Pam2-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C771&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Pam2-scaled.jpg?resize=300%2C226&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Pam2-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C578&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Pam2-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1157&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Pam2-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1542&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Pam2-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C301&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Pam2-scaled.jpg?resize=200%2C150&amp;ssl=1 200w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Pam2-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C904&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Pam2-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1506&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Pam2-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C587&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Pam2-scaled.jpg?resize=800%2C602&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Pam2-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C532&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Pam2-scaled.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Pam2-1024x771.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">PACE Executive Director Pam Kuechler: &#8220;Our community becomes stronger if the people who live in it become stronger, and we’re really here to try to provide opportunities for folks to strengthen themselves, their situations, their families, their living situations, all of the above.&#8221; Credit: Sean McCarthy / The New Bedford Light</figcaption></figure><p><strong>NBL: </strong><em>Could you talk more about how you complement or work with other organizations in the area?</em></p><p><strong>PK: </strong>We don’t operate in a vacuum. Every single aspect of the work we do is done in partnership with other folks who do the work. So while you might think that Head Start is just Head Start, but Head Start works collaboratively with Early Intervention and other early childhood programs, with the public schools to make sure that the complement of work they’re doing is seamless and that all children are being served the way they need to be served based on their needs and where they’re at. We work collaboratively with other folks who do the same kind of work among all of our programs. We all work together. We do joint trainings and things of that nature for our staff and we work really closely with other nonprofits and community programs that have similar missions to help the community.</p><p>We participate in the Bristol County Continuum of Care, working to address homelessness and housing access, working collaboratively with all the folks who are either working with people who are homeless or people who are running housing programs to try to get people re-homed in a secure way.</p><p>In the food ecosystem, we run a large grocery-style food pantry. But we don’t do that in a vacuum. We work collaboratively with some of the smaller pantries to try to help them because we have a truck to give them access to additional food by helping to distribute food to them. And working with them to complement what they’re doing so that we’re all trying to meet that demand for additional food security support.</p><p>We work in collaboration just talking about trying to address problems in the community. We have partnerships with Southcoast Health, with the Community Health Center. We work closely with the United Way, Child &amp; Family Services, Meeting Street School. Our partnership list is long and it’s dependent on the work that we’re doing. Our whole Workforce Development work that we’re doing includes working closely with Mass Hire and Bristol Community College. We really try to work collaboratively so that we can support the efforts of our partners and vice versa. They do the same for us.</p><p><strong>NBL: </strong><em>How do you determine the success of a program?</em></p><p><strong>PK: </strong>Well it varies. We have 10 different programs so it looks different in each program. We are successful if we serve all of the folks who apply for fuel assistance in the course of a fuel assistance year. If everybody who’s qualified who comes through our door and we’re able to get them the assistance, then we’ve done our job for that year. Same thing with our childcare subsidies — that’s based on what the state has available and how many we’re able to put forth. If we’re able to get families connected to early childhood providers, if we’re able to give them subsidies to help them pay for care so they can go to work, that’s success. If we are able to maintain our numbers and respond to the demands and the ability of the state to support these efforts.</p><p>In our Food Center we see success as providing everybody that walks through the door with some sort of relief in the food space, so they have the ability to spread their resources more widely and be able to meet all of their basic needs.</p><p>It’s interesting with food insecurity. You take a look at the numbers that you serve and you say, “Oh my gosh, we’re serving even more people.” That is not necessarily success. It’s success if we’re serving them, absolutely. We’re providing them with relief. It might be a situation that allows them to do more with their resources and ultimately being successful in doing more going forward in their situations, but it’s telling that many of the people in our community are dealing with food insecurity.</p><p>So there’s a lot of different ways to measure success. Success is, on the one hand, that we do a really good job with everybody who walks in the door and provide them with something that they need, a tool in their toolbox to help them do what they need for their families. I think the ultimate success would be that there isn’t any poverty.</p><p>The reality is that poverty happens for a variety of reasons. There’s not one story that belongs to everybody that is living in poverty. That’s the real truth of it.</p><p><strong>NBL: </strong><em>Why is it important to help children?</em></p><p><strong>PK: </strong>Research tells everybody that children do best when they have a solid foundation — educationally, basic needs being met, the whole nine yards. It’s critical to try to help families with small children as soon as they’re born, to try to help create a situation, an environment, where they’re supported from birth and it sets them up for success as they move forward. It’s just critical for Head Start kids to have a positive start, so that’s why it’s important.</p><p>There are long-term benefits as well. If you give children that solid foundation initially, they’re set up to be ready to go to school, they’re ready to manage the more difficult things they may encounter. The long-term benefits from investments in children are exponential and probably have never been fully researched because it’s so hard to know what the alternative might be. Given the right foundation of the things that they need that helps their development occur in the way that it should, it sets them on a path.&nbsp;</p><p>It’s incredibly important for children to have that opportunity to head down that path, and give them the tools that they need to be successful in life.</p><p><strong>NBL: </strong><em>How do you determine a person’s qualifications for assistance?</em><em><br></em><em><br></em><strong>PK: </strong>Each program has varying requirements based around the poverty level — 200% of the poverty level and beyond, depending on the program. The benefit amounts for fuel assistance could be higher than, for example, where you might qualify for childcare. In some programs, you may qualify based on the census tract you live in. So it varies by program. We encourage people to reach out and apply if they have a particular need. If we can’t assist, we can get people connected to someone who can.</p><p><strong>NBL: </strong><em>What is in the near future for PACE? What are your ambitions for the organization?</em></p><p><strong>PK: </strong>I’d like to remain open. I chuckle but it’s not really funny. We would like to be able to come out of this challenging funding time as strong an organization as possible, continuing to support the needs in our community.</p><p>Our future really is uncertain at this moment, and it’s uncertain as to how many of our programs will be impacted by some of the actions that are moving forward. The next five months are going to be critical to determining how that plays out.</p><p>My ambitions for the organization are to see us come out the other side of these funding struggles and the challenges that we’re faced with right now to be as strong as possible. To meet the demands of the community and to look at other opportunities as needed to keep the work we’re doing up and running and making sure that we are continuing to support the community in every way possible. So that’s my ambition for the next couple of years — to just really keep staff intact, continuing to provide the support to the community, continuing to be what the community needs us to be, and to do a good job at it.</p><p><strong>NBL: </strong><em>What do you wish more people knew about PACE?</em><em><br></em><strong><br></strong><strong>PK: </strong>One of the things we don’t talk about a lot is the fact that we have the ability — our staff really reflect our community. We have the ability to work with folks in their native languages in just about every single one of our programs. People should not be shy if they feel that that might be a barrier. That’s a fun fact about our agency.</p><p>I wish that people realized that we do such a wide variety of work. Don’t be afraid to come through the door because we might be able to help you. Maybe we can’t do it directly with one of our programs, but we have such a talented staff, they’re unbelievably compassionate people who just care so much about this community. Anybody who walks through the door, if we don’t find a way to provide them with assistance internally, we have relationships across the community with our partners that they’ll do their best to make sure that people get connected. Nobody walks away without some kind of direction to go in that may be helpful to them.</p><p>The agency is really defined by the people that work for it, and they’re really the bread and butter, the heart and soul of what we do. Everybody is such a believer in our mission. We couldn’t do what we do without such a widely talented group of people that work for us. That would be something that I would want more people to know about PACE. We’re in it for the long haul. We’re still open for business, we’re still working until there’s no ability for us to work. Don’t hesitate to reach out.</p><p><em>If you need assistance, visit </em><a href="https://paceinfo.org/contact-us/"><em>PACE’s Contact Us page</em></a><em>.</em></p><p><em>Sean McCarthy is a freelance writer and frequent contributor to The New Bedford Light.</em></p><p><em>This interview has been edited for length and clarity.</em></p><div class="wp-block-group"><div class="wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained"><hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide"/>
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  387. <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide"/></div></div><p>The post <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/pam-kuechler-keeping-pace-in-new-bedford-during-a-difficult-time/">Pam Kuechler keeping PACE in a difficult time</a> appeared first on <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org">The New Bedford Light</a>.</p>
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