Anonymous letters accused a Bristol County prosecutor of having a romantic relationship with a judge who ruled on her cases. The judge resigned shortly after.
Ben Berke
Based in New Bedford, Ben staffs our South Coast Bureau desk. He covers anything that happens in Fall River, New Bedford, and the surrounding towns, as long as it's a good story. His assignments have taken him to jails, factories, city halls, fishing vessels, bakeries, environmental cleanup sites and the homes of hundreds of interview subjects. Ben joined the bureau in February 2021 after three years in Brockton reporting for The Enterprise. His freelance work has appeared in The New York Times, The Boston Globe and The Providence Journal. When he's not working, Ben can often be found near the beach hiking, surfing and collecting the strange things that wash ashore.
Posted inCriminal Justice, South Coast Bureau
Fall River cop heads to trial on charges of covering up excessive force
Nicholas Hoar, a fifth-generation Fall River policeman with a lengthy internal affairs file, is accused of injuring a man’s head with a baton in 2020 and filing a false report to cover up the incident.
Posted inCriminal Justice, South Coast Bureau
Appeal alleging misconduct by New Bedford judge can move forward
The case centers on unproven rumors that a judge had an undisclosed romantic relationship with a prosecutor. It cleared a key hurdle on Wednesday as a specially appointed judge granted one of the parties the power to subpoena new evidence.
Posted inCriminal Justice, South Coast Bureau, Stories
Anonymous letters shake up old cases in a New Bedford courthouse
An attorney has filed motions for a new trial in two cases on behalf of the state’s public defender agency, which he said is conducting a larger review of hundreds of cases overseen by a judge accused in anonymous letters of having an inappropriate relationship with a criminal prosecutor.
Posted inBusiness, Environment, South Coast Bureau
How many jobs does an offshore wind farm create?
A new report from Vineyard Wind, the developer building America’s first utility-scale offshore wind farm, offers some of the clearest answers yet to a surprisingly complex question.
Posted inLocal, Politics, South Coast Bureau, Stories
Fairhaven’s first Black selectman will not seek re-election, citing racial discrimination
“The time has come for me to stop taking time away from my family to serve people who either don’t want me here or aren’t willing to stand up to their friends and call out the racist acts that are happening in front of their face,” Correy said.
Posted inArts And Culture, Artscape, Education, Episode, Local, South Coast Bureau
Interview: UMass Dartmouth chancellor sees slim chance of returning to Star Store
In his first interview since the Star Store closed abruptly in August, Chancellor Mark Fuller told our reporter Ben Berke that he does not see a pathway for moving the university’s art school back into downtown New Bedford.
Posted inArticle, Local, Politics, South Coast Bureau
Mayor Coogan wins re-election in Fall River, while New Bedford city council sees little change
Coogan, who beat out former mayor Sam Sutter, said he remains focused on a back-to-basics approach to governance in Fall River.
Posted inArticle, Local, Politics
Live elections coverage in R.I. and South Coast: Amo wins CD1 race
The Associated Press reports that Democrat Gabe Amo has won special election to U.S. House in Rhode Island’s 1st Congressional District, becoming the first person of color elected to Rhode Island’s Congressional delegation. Follow for more live reporting of the Nov. 7, 2023 elections.
Posted inArticle, Environment, Local, South Coast Bureau
Somerset approves tax cut to secure new offshore wind cable factory
At a traditional New England town meeting, Somerset voters weighed whether the Prysmian Group would still build the factory if residents rejected a $20.4 million tax break the company requested.
