The New Bedford City Council filed a lawsuit against Mayor John Mitchell last week, asking a Bristol County Superior Court judge to clarify that the mayor must seek council approval to appoint a new police chief. Mitchell appointed John Thody as the city’s new police chief on June 24. Council president Shane Burgo said that […]
Paul C. Kelly Campos
Paul C. Kelly Campos is a Report for America Corps member who covers democracy and community engagement for The Public’s Radio. Born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, Kelly is a writer, poet and translator of Irish and Nicaraguan descent. His bilingual work has appeared in NPR’s Next Generation Radio, The Washington Post, KQED Forum, KALW, Prism, The Golden Gate Xpress, Seen and Heard, The San Franciscan, and Borderless magazine. He graduated from SF State with a B.A. in journalism and a minor in English literature in 2021. In his spare time he can be found consuming pupusas, reading poetry, or playing with his cat ‘Dr. Otto Octavious Phd.’ all while “The Damned” plays loudly in the background.
Posted inHealth, Local, South Coast Bureau
The Trump Administration ended the LGBTQ+ crisis lifeline. How a Massachusetts suicide-prevention organization is stepping into the gap
When the nationwide Suicide and Crisis Lifeline closed its specialized service for LGBTQ+ youth in July after the Trump Administration decided not to continue funding the program, local suicide-prevention organizations all over the country had to scramble to stand in the gap. Samaritans South Coast, whose operators answer the Lifeline whenever a local caller dials […]
Posted inEnvironment, Local, South Coast Bureau
New Bedford Board of Health votes to deny approval of controversial trash transfer facility
The New Bedford Board of Health voted 2-to-1 Tuesday night to deny approval for a controversial trash transfer facility in the city’s North End, effectively killing the project as proposed. The board cited multiple environmental and health issues brought up during recent community hearings as reasons for denying the project approval. The decision comes nearly […]
Posted inImmigration, Local, Politics
Rhode Island League of Women Voters barred from registering new citizens at naturalization events
The Rhode Island League of Women Voters is now barred from helping new citizens register to vote immediately after they become U.S. citizens. For almost two years, the League has been registering new citizens to vote in the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services building in Johnston. Last week, however, they were informed that they would […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Local, South Coast Bureau
New Bedford Police Department needs to increase the enforcement of transparency and disciplinary policies, according to recent report
The New Bedford Police Department still needs to do more to increase accountability and transparency, according to a consultant’s report released by the city on Wednesday. The 71-page report by 21st Century Policing Solutions found that the NBPD has failed to increase the enforcement of transparency and disciplinary policies related to the narcotics and internal […]
Posted inEnvironment, Local, South Coast Bureau
Tensions flare at New Bedford Board of Health meeting on trash transfer site
Throughout the hearing some in the auditorium shouted, “Just say no,” prompting the hearing official in charge of the New Bedford Board of Health meeting, Art Krieger, to warn the crowd to quiet down several times. The crowd was there to hear discussion on a proposal by South Coast Renewables to build a new facility […]
Posted inEducation, En Español, Immigration, Local, South Coast Bureau
Defensores de los inmigrantes celebran la “zona segura” del comité escolar de New Bedford
Click here to read in English. Los defensores de los inmigrantes en New Bedford aplaudieron una votación reciente del comité escolar de la ciudad para establecer una “Zona Segura” para estudiantes inmigrantes. El lunes pasado, el comité aprobó la resolución, presentada inicialmente en febrero. Esta resolución no modifica la política del distrito escolar técnicamente. En […]
Posted inEducation, Immigration, Local, South Coast Bureau
Immigrant advocates cheer New Bedford school committee’s ‘safe zone’
Haga clic aquí para leer en español. Immigrant advocates in New Bedford cheered a recent vote by the city’s school committee to establish a “Safe Zone” for immigrant students. On Monday, the school committee passed the resolution, which was first introduced in February. It doesn’t change district policy per se. Rather, it affirms that New […]
Posted inLocal, Politics, South Coast Bureau
Fall River business owner kicks off mayoral campaign
Christopher Silvia, the owner of a restaurant on South Main Street known as “Christopher’s”, is challenging Democratic incumbent Mayor Paul Coogan. Silvia had originally announced his intentions to run for office via a Facebook post on July 10. Coogan is vying for his fourth term, while this is Silvia’s first run for public office — […]
Posted inImmigration, Local, Metro Desk
Their husbands were deported to Laos. Now they’re picking up the pieces together
When two Providence men were detained and deported to Laos in May, their wives were left feeling helpless and without a path forward. The two women – Cassie Souvannaxa and Tina Phommachan – didn’t know each other well until this year. That changed when they started visiting their husbands at the Wyatt Detention Center in […]
