Congratulations!

[Valid RSS] This is a valid RSS feed.

Recommendations

This feed is valid, but interoperability with the widest range of feed readers could be improved by implementing the following recommendations.

Source: https://newbedfordlight.org/feed/

  1. <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss version="2.0"
  2. xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/"
  3. xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/"
  4. xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"
  5. xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom"
  6. xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/"
  7. xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/"
  8. >
  9.  
  10. <channel>
  11. <title>The New Bedford Light</title>
  12. <atom:link href="https://newbedfordlight.org/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
  13. <link>https://newbedfordlight.org/</link>
  14. <description></description>
  15. <lastBuildDate>Tue, 15 Apr 2025 19:36:48 +0000</lastBuildDate>
  16. <language>en-US</language>
  17. <sy:updatePeriod>
  18. hourly </sy:updatePeriod>
  19. <sy:updateFrequency>
  20. 1 </sy:updateFrequency>
  22.  
  23. <image>
  24. <url>https://newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/cropped-cropped-cropped-new-elliptical-logo-32x32.png</url>
  25. <title>The New Bedford Light</title>
  26. <link>https://newbedfordlight.org/</link>
  27. <width>32</width>
  28. <height>32</height>
  29. </image>
  30. <site xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">190532686</site> <item>
  31. <title>New Bedford schools staging a comeback in theater, dance, music</title>
  32. <link>https://newbedfordlight.org/new-bedford-schools-staging-a-comeback-in-theater-dance-music/</link>
  33. <comments>https://newbedfordlight.org/new-bedford-schools-staging-a-comeback-in-theater-dance-music/#comments</comments>
  35. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Colin Hogan]]></dc:creator>
  36. <pubDate>Tue, 15 Apr 2025 19:01:45 +0000</pubDate>
  37. <category><![CDATA[Education]]></category>
  38. <category><![CDATA[linkinbio]]></category>
  39. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://newbedfordlight.org/?p=157840</guid>
  40.  
  41. <description><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="682" src="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1812.jpg?fit=1024%2C682&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/2025/03/1812.jpg?w=2000&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1812.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1812.jpg?resize=1024%2C682&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1812.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1812.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1812.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1812.jpg?resize=1568%2C1045&amp;ssl=1 1568w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1812.jpg?resize=800%2C533&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1812.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1812.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1812.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="156308" data-permalink="https://newbedfordlight.org/1812/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1812.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;1742395661&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;29&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;1250&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.005&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="&#8211;1812" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;Two students at Casimir Pulaski Elementary School practice using a followspot light during their theater class. Credit: Eleonora Bianchi / The New Bedford Light &lt;/p&gt;
  42. " data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1812.jpg?fit=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1812.jpg?fit=780%2C519&amp;ssl=1" /></figure>
  43. <p>New Bedford plans to reintroduce performing arts programs in several schools by aligning resources and sharing teachers.</p>
  44. <p>The post <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/new-bedford-schools-staging-a-comeback-in-theater-dance-music/">New Bedford schools staging a comeback in theater, dance, music</a> appeared first on <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org">The New Bedford Light</a>.</p>
  45. ]]></description>
  46. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="682" src="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1812.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/2025/03/1812.jpg?w=2000&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1812.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1812.jpg?resize=1024%2C682&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1812.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1812.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1812.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1812.jpg?resize=1568%2C1045&amp;ssl=1 1568w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1812.jpg?resize=800%2C533&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1812.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1812.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1812.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="156308" data-permalink="https://newbedfordlight.org/1812/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1812.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;1742395661&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;29&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;1250&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.005&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="&#8211;1812" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;Two students at Casimir Pulaski Elementary School practice using a followspot light during their theater class. Credit: Eleonora Bianchi / The New Bedford Light &lt;/p&gt;
  47. " data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1812.jpg?fit=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1812.jpg?fit=780%2C519&amp;ssl=1" /></figure><p class="has-drop-cap">The fifth graders at Pulaski Elementary School had a lot to say about their dance class even as they were completing their warm-up — leg kicks and stretches and skipping across the room.</p><p>“You get to be active,” said Emma. “As kids, we can’t sit for that long, so this is more funner.”</p><p>“It gets the energy out,” Jyell said. And Kyana added, “You get to do performances and stretches.”&nbsp;</p><p>Next door, another class was designing sets and costumes for short plays they were writing. Upstairs, a young teacher said students “begged” to join her brand-new orchestra class.</p><p>The performing arts — theater, dance, and music — are thriving at Pulaski, the school that serves the suburban northern tip of New Bedford. But until this year, Pulaski was the lone elementary school to offer all these programs. In 17 other elementary schools — or for about 5,500 students — there have been no theater or dance classes and fewer orchestra and band opportunities.</p><p>Michael Rayner, the district’s new fine arts curriculum manager, has a plan to change all that — a plan to bring the music back to New Bedford schools.</p><figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="780" height="519" data-attachment-id="156301" data-permalink="https://newbedfordlight.org/1801/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1801.jpg?fit=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1" data-orig-size="2000,1333" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;5.6&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;ILCE-7M3&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1742393157&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;62&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;2500&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.008&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="&#8211;1801" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;Michael Rayner, an elementary band teacher in New Bedford, stands in the hallway of Casimir Pulaski Elementary School. Credit: Eleonora Bianchi / The New Bedford Light &lt;/p&gt;
  48. " data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1801.jpg?fit=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1801.jpg?fit=780%2C519&amp;ssl=1" onerror="if (typeof newspackHandleImageError === 'function') newspackHandleImageError(this);" src="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1801.jpg?resize=780%2C519&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-156301" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1801.jpg?resize=1024%2C682&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1801.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1801.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1801.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1801.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1801.jpg?resize=1568%2C1045&amp;ssl=1 1568w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1801.jpg?resize=800%2C533&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1801.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1801.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1801.jpg?w=2000&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1801-1024x682.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Michael Rayner, curriculum manager in New Bedford, stands in the hallway of Casimir Pulaski Elementary School. Credit: Eleonora Bianchi / The New Bedford Light </figcaption></figure><p>Starting next year, Rayner’s plan would align the schedules of all three middle schools in New Bedford and clusters of three or four elementary schools so that teachers and resources can rotate among them. The result of this “smart scheduling” is that thousands more students at every school in the city will have theater and dance classes, more orchestra and band opportunities, and more arts overall.</p><p>Once implemented, Rayner said that all New Bedford Public Schools will have an arts and music pipeline available for students from grade 6 through graduation, and all elementary schools will have expanded arts programs.</p><p>“It really opens your eyes to see all the opportunities” at Pulaski, Rayner said. “The arts are why kids come to school. It builds how students see themselves.”</p><p>The district doesn’t have to hire dozens of new employees, Rayner said. Some targeted hiring and better scheduling is all that’s required to bring arts to thousands more kids.&nbsp;</p><p>For example, a middle-school band teacher today is responsible for teaching every instrument, from percussion to woodwinds to brass. But if all the band teachers work together at Keith one day, then rotate to Normandin and Roosevelt the next days, each teacher could narrow their focus on a smaller group of students.</p><p>Bill Conard, the new principal at Roosevelt Middle School, said that he’s still working out all the scheduling logistics, but that the change “makes sense from a musical standpoint.” He added, “Teachers have their strengths. They have their passions.”</p><p>Conard’s only concern, he said, is ensuring that teachers are “just as strong a part of our local community” as they rotate between schools.</p><p>At Monday’s school committee meeting, Mahria Trepes, a music teacher in New Bedford, said she was concerned that some teachers who have spent years “building relationships in their classrooms” could be moved to different schools. Trepes said schools that already have music programs could see a reduction in the total hours of instruction.</p><p>Committee member Christopher Cotter said he had heard from teachers around the district voicing similar concerns. He said that “teachers are not against these changes, but it’s their lack of input that’s concerning.”&nbsp;</p><p>In response, Superintendent O’Leary said that the district will plan to organize sessions for teachers to offer input on Rayner’s proposed changes.&nbsp;</p><p>To see what changes could be in store, The Light visited the classroom of Marissa Stanley, Pulaski’s theater teacher, on a recent day as her students rotated to stations around the room to make costumes, design lighting, and experiment with props.&nbsp;</p><p>“I’d definitely be willing to help out other elementary schools,” she said.&nbsp;</p><figure data-carousel-extra='{"blog_id":1,"permalink":"https:\/\/newbedfordlight.org\/new-bedford-schools-staging-a-comeback-in-theater-dance-music\/"}'  class="wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-2 is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex"><figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="780" height="519" data-attachment-id="156302" data-permalink="https://newbedfordlight.org/1805/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1805.jpg?fit=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1" data-orig-size="2000,1333" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;5.6&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;ILCE-7M3&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1742394528&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;70&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;1250&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.003125&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="&#8211;1805" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;Kids at Casimir Pulaski Elementary School exercise during their dance class. Credit: Eleonora Bianchi / The New Bedford Light &lt;/p&gt;
  49. " data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1805.jpg?fit=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1805.jpg?fit=780%2C519&amp;ssl=1" onerror="if (typeof newspackHandleImageError === 'function') newspackHandleImageError(this);" data-id="156302" src="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1805.jpg?resize=780%2C519&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-156302" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1805.jpg?resize=1024%2C682&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1805.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1805.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1805.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1805.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1805.jpg?resize=1568%2C1045&amp;ssl=1 1568w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1805.jpg?resize=800%2C533&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1805.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1805.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1805.jpg?w=2000&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1805-1024x682.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /></figure>
  50.  
  51. <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="780" height="519" data-attachment-id="156303" data-permalink="https://newbedfordlight.org/1808/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1808.jpg?fit=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1" data-orig-size="2000,1333" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;5.6&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;ILCE-7M3&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1742394860&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;70&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;1600&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.005&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="&#8211;1808" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;Kids at Casimir Pulaski Elementary School exercise during their dance class. Credit: Eleonora Bianchi / The New Bedford Light &lt;/p&gt;
  52. " data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1808.jpg?fit=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1808.jpg?fit=780%2C519&amp;ssl=1" onerror="if (typeof newspackHandleImageError === 'function') newspackHandleImageError(this);" data-id="156303" src="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1808.jpg?resize=780%2C519&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-156303" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1808.jpg?resize=1024%2C682&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1808.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1808.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1808.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1808.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1808.jpg?resize=1568%2C1045&amp;ssl=1 1568w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1808.jpg?resize=800%2C533&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1808.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1808.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1808.jpg?w=2000&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1808-1024x682.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /></figure>
  53.  
  54. <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="780" height="519" data-attachment-id="156306" data-permalink="https://newbedfordlight.org/1811/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1811.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;1742395478&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;29&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;1250&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.005&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="&#8211;1811" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;Kids at Casimir Pulaski Elementary School explore costumes and fabrics, while others learn how to use a followspot light during their theater class. Credit: Eleonora Bianchi / The New Bedford Light &lt;/p&gt;
  55. " data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1811.jpg?fit=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1811.jpg?fit=780%2C519&amp;ssl=1" onerror="if (typeof newspackHandleImageError === 'function') newspackHandleImageError(this);" data-id="156306" src="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1811.jpg?resize=780%2C519&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-156306" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1811.jpg?resize=1024%2C682&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1811.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1811.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1811.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1811.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1811.jpg?resize=1568%2C1045&amp;ssl=1 1568w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1811.jpg?resize=800%2C533&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1811.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1811.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1811.jpg?w=2000&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1811-1024x682.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /></figure><figcaption class="blocks-gallery-caption wp-element-caption">Kids at Casimir Pulaski Elementary School exercise during dance class and explore costumes and fabrics, while others learn how to use a &#8220;followspot&#8221; light during their theater class. Credit: Eleonora Bianchi / The New Bedford Light </figcaption></figure><p>Stanley didn’t know yet whether she’ll have to rotate among different schools next year — she didn’t think so — but she said such collaboration was a positive.</p><p>Nearby, two youngsters, Katrina and Kyle, were thinking about the costumes for their play, in which “a chicken turns into a dragon” then “steals someone from a castle,” they said.</p><h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Where the idea came from</strong></h3><p>Rayner was a teacher at Pulaski for eight years, and also taught marching band in Dartmouth for 12 years. At national conferences on music instruction, he got to peek into some of the most successful music programs in the country.</p><p>With the “smart scheduling” plan, Rayner said, “It was one of those things that, once we talked about it, it was obvious.”&nbsp;</p><p>It wasn’t hard to sell to principals, Rayner said: “With the benefits to students, it makes total sense.” All the challenges were logistical, he said — like making sure there’s enough space in the building and enough teachers to cover lunch duty.&nbsp;</p><p>For instruments, some new purchases will be required, but many schools need only use the resources they already have.</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"><figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="780" height="519" data-attachment-id="156314" data-permalink="https://newbedfordlight.org/1818/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1818.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;1742396344&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;28&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;1250&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.005&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="&#8211;1818" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;A wall of metal cages holds musical instruments at Casimir Pulaski Elementary School. Credit: Eleonora Bianchi / The New Bedford Light&lt;/p&gt;
  56. " data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1818.jpg?fit=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1818.jpg?fit=780%2C519&amp;ssl=1" onerror="if (typeof newspackHandleImageError === 'function') newspackHandleImageError(this);" src="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1818.jpg?resize=780%2C519&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-156314" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1818.jpg?resize=1024%2C682&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1818.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1818.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1818.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1818.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1818.jpg?resize=1568%2C1045&amp;ssl=1 1568w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1818.jpg?resize=800%2C533&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1818.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1818.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1818.jpg?w=2000&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1818-1024x682.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">A wall of metal cages holds musical instruments at Casimir Pulaski Elementary School. Credit: Eleonora Bianchi / The New Bedford Light</figcaption></figure></div>
  57.  
  58. <div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow"><figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="780" height="519" data-attachment-id="156312" data-permalink="https://newbedfordlight.org/1816/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1816.jpg?fit=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1" data-orig-size="2000,1333" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;5&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;ILCE-7M3&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1742396183&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;59&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;1250&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.005&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="&#8211;1816" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;Michael Rayner, an elementary band teacher at Casimir Pulaski Elementary School in New Bedford, holds a violin case. Credit: Eleonora Bianchi / The New Bedford Light&lt;/p&gt;
  59. " data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1816.jpg?fit=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1816.jpg?fit=780%2C519&amp;ssl=1" onerror="if (typeof newspackHandleImageError === 'function') newspackHandleImageError(this);" src="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1816.jpg?resize=780%2C519&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-156312" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1816.jpg?resize=1024%2C682&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1816.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1816.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1816.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1816.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1816.jpg?resize=1568%2C1045&amp;ssl=1 1568w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1816.jpg?resize=800%2C533&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1816.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1816.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1816.jpg?w=2000&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1816-1024x682.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Michael Rayner, an elementary band teacher at Casimir Pulaski Elementary School in New Bedford, holds a violin case. Credit: Eleonora Bianchi / The New Bedford Light</figcaption></figure></div></div><p>Pulaski is a good example. A room on the first floor is stacked high with instruments, including trumpets and drums. Behind that room is a closet full of three-quarter-sized violins and violas. Instruments, Rayner said, have an incredible shelf life when treated well. The old violins at Pulaski were going unused for years, but with smart scheduling, they will become the foundation for orchestras at several elementary schools.</p><p>For purchases that do need to be made, the School Committee is on board. Monday night, it approved $1.2 million worth of transfers to purchase new music equipment and instruments.&nbsp;</p><p>Rayner hopes renewed attention to the arts can bring about a renaissance. This year, New Bedford hosted a successful regional high school music competition, and Rayner saw that the district already has important facilities to accommodate the arts — like the high school theater that has been the temporary home for the New Bedford Symphony during the Zeiterion’s renovation.&nbsp;</p><p>For the long term, he hopes that the high school and other district schools might someday have expanded, purpose-specific practice rooms — just as sports have fields designed just for them.</p><p>Until then, Rayner says the short-term benefits will return to New Bedford with the arts, like <a href="https://commonwealthbeacon.org/arts-and-culture/arts-programming-in-boston-schools-linked-to-attendance-engagement-gains/">increased attendance</a> and school pride.</p><p>“It’s great to see when kids get hands-on experiences,” Rayner said, “and when they become active in their own learning.”</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"/>
  60.  
  61. <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>
  62.  
  63. <div
  64. class="wp-block-newspack-blocks-homepage-articles is-style-borders wpnbha is-grid columns-3 colgap-2 show-image image-aligntop ts-2 is-2 is-landscape is-style-borders has-text-align-left"
  65. style=""
  66. >
  67. <style id="newspack-blocks-inline-css" type="text/css"> .wp-block-newspack-blocks-homepage-articles article .entry-title {
  68. font-size: 1.2em;
  69. }
  70. .wp-block-newspack-blocks-homepage-articles .entry-meta {
  71. display: flex;
  72. flex-wrap: wrap;
  73. align-items: center;
  74. margin-top: 0.5em;
  75. }
  76. .wp-block-newspack-blocks-homepage-articles article .entry-meta {
  77. font-size: 0.8em;
  78. }
  79. .wp-block-newspack-blocks-homepage-articles article .avatar {
  80. height: 25px;
  81. width: 25px;
  82. }
  83. .wp-block-newspack-blocks-homepage-articles .post-thumbnail{
  84. margin: 0;
  85. margin-bottom: 0.25em;
  86. }
  87. .wp-block-newspack-blocks-homepage-articles .post-thumbnail img {
  88. height: auto;
  89. width: 100%;
  90. }
  91. .wp-block-newspack-blocks-homepage-articles .post-thumbnail figcaption {
  92. margin-bottom: 0.5em;
  93. }
  94. .wp-block-newspack-blocks-homepage-articles p {
  95. margin: 0.5em 0;
  96. }
  97.  
  98. </style>
  99. <div data-posts data-current-post-id="157840">
  101. <article data-post-id="157187"
  102. class="category-education type-post post-has-image"
  103. >
  104. <figure class="post-thumbnail">
  105. <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/mass-legislators-urge-dept-of-education-to-reverse-course/" rel="bookmark" tabindex="-1" aria-hidden="true">
  106. <img decoding="async" onerror="if (typeof newspackHandleImageError === 'function') newspackHandleImageError(this);" width="1200" height="900" src="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Steward.jpg?resize=1200%2C900&amp;ssl=1" class="attachment-newspack-article-block-landscape-large size-newspack-article-block-landscape-large wp-post-image" alt="Mass. legislators urge Dept. of Education to reverse course" data-hero-candidate="1" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Steward.jpg?resize=1200%2C900&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Steward.jpg?resize=800%2C600&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Steward.jpg?resize=600%2C450&amp;ssl=1 600w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Steward.jpg?resize=400%2C300&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Steward.jpg?resize=200%2C150&amp;ssl=1 200w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Steward.jpg?resize=1200%2C900&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w" sizes="(min-width: 782px) 400px, (min-width: 600px) 42.5vw, 90vw" data-attachment-id="157176" data-permalink="https://newbedfordlight.org/steward-2/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Steward.jpg?fit=1845%2C1143&amp;ssl=1" data-orig-size="1845,1143" 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="Steward" data-image-description="&lt;p&gt;U.S. Sen. Edward Markey chairs a subcommittee hearing on private equity in health care held in the State House&#8217;s Gardner Auditorium, accompanied by U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren on Wednesday. Credit: Sam Doran / State House News Service&lt;/p&gt;
  107. " data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;U.S. Senators Ed Markey and Elizabeth Warren, here at a hearing at the Statehouse, join the Massachusetts congressional delegation to ask Education Secretary Linda McMahon to preserve $106 million in cancelled education grants — including $15 million earmarked for New Bedford. Credit: Sam Doran / State House News Service&lt;/p&gt;
  108. " data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Steward.jpg?fit=300%2C186&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Steward.jpg?fit=780%2C483&amp;ssl=1" /> </a>
  110. </figure><!-- .featured-image -->
  112. <div class="entry-wrapper">
  113. <h2 class="entry-title"><a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/mass-legislators-urge-dept-of-education-to-reverse-course/" rel="bookmark">Mass. legislators urge Dept. of Education to reverse course</a></h2> <div class="entry-meta">
  114. <time class="entry-date published" datetime="2025-04-07T16:33:47">April 7, 2025</time><time class="updated" datetime="2025-04-07T16:33:51-04:00">April 7, 2025</time> </div><!-- .entry-meta -->
  115. </div><!-- .entry-wrapper -->
  116. </article>
  117.  
  119. <article data-post-id="157004"
  120. class="category-education type-post post-has-image"
  121. >
  122. <figure class="post-thumbnail">
  123. <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/new-bedford-teacher-charged-with-assault-and-battery-on-intellectually-disabled-student/" rel="bookmark" tabindex="-1" aria-hidden="true">
  124. <img decoding="async" onerror="if (typeof newspackHandleImageError === 'function') newspackHandleImageError(this);" width="800" height="600" src="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/IMG_1964-edited.jpg?resize=800%2C600&amp;ssl=1" class="attachment-newspack-article-block-landscape-medium size-newspack-article-block-landscape-medium wp-post-image" alt="Hay-Mac teacher charged with assault and battery on intellectually disabled student" data-hero-candidate="1" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/IMG_1964-edited.jpg?resize=800%2C600&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/IMG_1964-edited.jpg?resize=600%2C450&amp;ssl=1 600w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/IMG_1964-edited.jpg?resize=400%2C300&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/IMG_1964-edited.jpg?resize=200%2C150&amp;ssl=1 200w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/IMG_1964-edited.jpg?resize=800%2C600&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w" sizes="(min-width: 782px) 400px, (min-width: 600px) 42.5vw, 90vw" data-attachment-id="156972" data-permalink="https://newbedfordlight.org/img_1964-edited/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/IMG_1964-edited.jpg?fit=1500%2C844&amp;ssl=1" data-orig-size="1500,844" 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="IMG_1964-edited" data-image-description="&lt;p&gt;hayden-mcfadden elementary school new bedford&lt;/p&gt;
  125. " data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;A Hayden-McFadden Elementary School teacher is charged with assault and battery on an 11-year-old intellectually disabled student. Credit: Jack Spillane / The New Bedford Light&lt;/p&gt;
  126. " data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/IMG_1964-edited.jpg?fit=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/IMG_1964-edited.jpg?fit=780%2C439&amp;ssl=1" /> </a>
  128. </figure><!-- .featured-image -->
  130. <div class="entry-wrapper">
  131. <h2 class="entry-title"><a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/new-bedford-teacher-charged-with-assault-and-battery-on-intellectually-disabled-student/" rel="bookmark">Hay-Mac teacher charged with assault and battery on intellectually disabled student</a></h2> <div class="entry-meta">
  132. <time class="entry-date published" datetime="2025-04-04T16:17:06">April 4, 2025</time><time class="updated" datetime="2025-04-04T20:08:30-04:00">April 4, 2025</time> </div><!-- .entry-meta -->
  133. </div><!-- .entry-wrapper -->
  134. </article>
  135.  
  137. <article data-post-id="156782"
  138. class="category-education category-linkinbio type-post post-has-image"
  139. >
  140. <figure class="post-thumbnail">
  141. <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/trump-dept-of-ed-takes-back-millions-from-new-bedford-and-schools-nationwide/" rel="bookmark" tabindex="-1" aria-hidden="true">
  142. <img decoding="async" onerror="if (typeof newspackHandleImageError === 'function') newspackHandleImageError(this);" width="1200" height="900" src="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Linda_McMahon_39818197574-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C900&amp;ssl=1" class="attachment-newspack-article-block-landscape-large size-newspack-article-block-landscape-large wp-post-image" alt="Trump Dept. of Ed takes back millions from New Bedford — and schools nationwide" data-hero-candidate="1" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Linda_McMahon_39818197574-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C900&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Linda_McMahon_39818197574-scaled.jpg?resize=800%2C600&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Linda_McMahon_39818197574-scaled.jpg?resize=600%2C450&amp;ssl=1 600w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Linda_McMahon_39818197574-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C300&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Linda_McMahon_39818197574-scaled.jpg?resize=200%2C150&amp;ssl=1 200w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Linda_McMahon_39818197574-scaled.jpg?zoom=2&amp;resize=1200%2C900&amp;ssl=1 2400w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Linda_McMahon_39818197574-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C900&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w" sizes="(min-width: 782px) 400px, (min-width: 600px) 42.5vw, 90vw" data-attachment-id="156777" data-permalink="https://newbedfordlight.org/linda_mcmahon_39818197574/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Linda_McMahon_39818197574-scaled.jpg?fit=2560%2C1707&amp;ssl=1" data-orig-size="2560,1707" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;5.6&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;Canon EOS 5D Mark III&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1519382970&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;400&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;1250&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.005&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}" data-image-title="Linda_McMahon_(39818197574)" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;Secretary of Education Linda McMahon. Credit: Wikimedia Commons&lt;/p&gt;
  143. " data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Linda_McMahon_39818197574-scaled.jpg?fit=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Linda_McMahon_39818197574-scaled.jpg?fit=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1" /> </a>
  145. </figure><!-- .featured-image -->
  147. <div class="entry-wrapper">
  148. <h2 class="entry-title"><a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/trump-dept-of-ed-takes-back-millions-from-new-bedford-and-schools-nationwide/" rel="bookmark">Trump Dept. of Ed takes back millions from New Bedford — and schools nationwide</a></h2> <div class="entry-meta">
  149. <time class="entry-date published" datetime="2025-04-01T10:59:40">April 1, 2025</time><time class="updated" datetime="2025-04-01T14:52:40-04:00">April 1, 2025</time> </div><!-- .entry-meta -->
  150. </div><!-- .entry-wrapper -->
  151. </article>
  152.  
  153. </div>
  155. </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/new-bedford-schools-staging-a-comeback-in-theater-dance-music/">New Bedford schools staging a comeback in theater, dance, music</a> appeared first on <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org">The New Bedford Light</a>.</p>
  156. ]]></content:encoded>
  158. <wfw:commentRss>https://newbedfordlight.org/new-bedford-schools-staging-a-comeback-in-theater-dance-music/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  159. <slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
  162. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">157840</post-id> </item>
  163. <item>
  164. <title>Lawyer: Federal agents detain Guatemalan man, 29, with no criminal record</title>
  165. <link>https://newbedfordlight.org/lawyer-federal-agents-detain-guatemalan-man-29-with-no-criminal-record/</link>
  166. <comments>https://newbedfordlight.org/lawyer-federal-agents-detain-guatemalan-man-29-with-no-criminal-record/#comments</comments>
  168. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Gerardo Beltran Salinas]]></dc:creator>
  169. <pubDate>Mon, 14 Apr 2025 23:32:14 +0000</pubDate>
  170. <category><![CDATA[Immigration]]></category>
  171. <category><![CDATA[linkinbio]]></category>
  172. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://newbedfordlight.org/?p=157790</guid>
  173.  
  174. <description><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="775" src="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Screenshot-2025-04-14-at-7.20.05-PM.png?fit=1024%2C775&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/Screenshot-2025-04-14-at-7.20.05-PM.png?w=1208&amp;ssl=1 1208w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Screenshot-2025-04-14-at-7.20.05-PM.png?resize=300%2C227&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Screenshot-2025-04-14-at-7.20.05-PM.png?resize=1024%2C775&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Screenshot-2025-04-14-at-7.20.05-PM.png?resize=768%2C581&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Screenshot-2025-04-14-at-7.20.05-PM.png?resize=200%2C150&amp;ssl=1 200w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Screenshot-2025-04-14-at-7.20.05-PM.png?resize=1200%2C908&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Screenshot-2025-04-14-at-7.20.05-PM.png?resize=780%2C590&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Screenshot-2025-04-14-at-7.20.05-PM.png?resize=800%2C605&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Screenshot-2025-04-14-at-7.20.05-PM.png?resize=400%2C303&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Screenshot-2025-04-14-at-7.20.05-PM.png?resize=706%2C534&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Screenshot-2025-04-14-at-7.20.05-PM.png?fit=1024%2C775&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="157791" data-permalink="https://newbedfordlight.org/lawyer-federal-agents-detain-guatemalan-man-29-with-no-criminal-record/screenshot-2025-04-14-at-7-20-05-pm/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Screenshot-2025-04-14-at-7.20.05-PM.png?fit=1208%2C914&amp;ssl=1" data-orig-size="1208,914" 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 2025-04-14 at 7.20.05 PM" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;A federal agent smashes a car window during the arrest of a Guatemalan man on Monday in New Bedford. Credit: Image provided&lt;/p&gt;
  175. " data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Screenshot-2025-04-14-at-7.20.05-PM.png?fit=300%2C227&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Screenshot-2025-04-14-at-7.20.05-PM.png?fit=780%2C590&amp;ssl=1" /></figure>
  176. <p>Immigration agents blocked the car that he and his wife were driving in and smashed a window to detain him without presenting a warrant.</p>
  177. <p>The post <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/lawyer-federal-agents-detain-guatemalan-man-29-with-no-criminal-record/">Lawyer: Federal agents detain Guatemalan man, 29, with no criminal record</a> appeared first on <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org">The New Bedford Light</a>.</p>
  178. ]]></description>
  179. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="775" src="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Screenshot-2025-04-14-at-7.20.05-PM.png?fit=1024%2C775&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/Screenshot-2025-04-14-at-7.20.05-PM.png?w=1208&amp;ssl=1 1208w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Screenshot-2025-04-14-at-7.20.05-PM.png?resize=300%2C227&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Screenshot-2025-04-14-at-7.20.05-PM.png?resize=1024%2C775&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Screenshot-2025-04-14-at-7.20.05-PM.png?resize=768%2C581&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Screenshot-2025-04-14-at-7.20.05-PM.png?resize=200%2C150&amp;ssl=1 200w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Screenshot-2025-04-14-at-7.20.05-PM.png?resize=1200%2C908&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Screenshot-2025-04-14-at-7.20.05-PM.png?resize=780%2C590&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Screenshot-2025-04-14-at-7.20.05-PM.png?resize=800%2C605&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Screenshot-2025-04-14-at-7.20.05-PM.png?resize=400%2C303&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Screenshot-2025-04-14-at-7.20.05-PM.png?resize=706%2C534&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Screenshot-2025-04-14-at-7.20.05-PM.png?fit=1024%2C775&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="157791" data-permalink="https://newbedfordlight.org/lawyer-federal-agents-detain-guatemalan-man-29-with-no-criminal-record/screenshot-2025-04-14-at-7-20-05-pm/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Screenshot-2025-04-14-at-7.20.05-PM.png?fit=1208%2C914&amp;ssl=1" data-orig-size="1208,914" 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 2025-04-14 at 7.20.05 PM" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;A federal agent smashes a car window during the arrest of a Guatemalan man on Monday in New Bedford. Credit: Image provided&lt;/p&gt;
  180. " data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Screenshot-2025-04-14-at-7.20.05-PM.png?fit=300%2C227&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Screenshot-2025-04-14-at-7.20.05-PM.png?fit=780%2C590&amp;ssl=1" /></figure><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">
  181. <iframe title="Lawyer: Federal agents detain Guatemalan man, 29, with no criminal record" width="780" height="439" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Bnlj-wSI4Bg?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>
  182. </div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Immigration agents blocked the car that a Guatemalan man and his wife were driving in and smashed a window to detain him without presenting a warrant on Monday. Credit: Gerardo Beltran Salinas with provided video</figcaption></figure><p class="has-drop-cap">A Guatemalan immigrant with no Massachusetts criminal record was arrested Monday on Tallman Street after federal agents shattered the glass on his vehicle as he and his wife waited inside the car for their lawyer to arrive.</p><p>Juan Francisco Méndez, 29, who was taken to an undisclosed location, has been in the United States for two years and was undocumented, but pursuing an adjustment of his immigration status, according to his attorney, Ondine Gálvez. Méndez’s wife, Marilú, a beneficiary of an asylum program, had petitioned for him so he could regularize his status. They are the parents of one child.</p><p>Gálvez said Méndez has no criminal record. A name and date of birth search in the Massachusetts judicial system showed that Méndez has no criminal record in the state, according to a clerk at the New Bedford District Court.</p><p>According to Marilú, the couple had just left their home when they noticed unfamiliar vehicles parked along their street. Despite this, they continued on their way until three cars blocked them in. Armed men wearing green bulletproof vests ordered them to get out of the vehicle, she said.</p><p>In video shot by Marilú and shared with The Light, one of the agents demanded that they open the door. Méndez replied that he would comply once his lawyer arrived, who was already on her way to assist him.</p><p>“Roll down the window so we can talk,” another agent insisted, while Méndez’s wife asked if they had an arrest warrant for her or her husband.</p><p>The tense standoff took about 30 minutes. The couple were taken from their car after an agent smashed in the rear right window.</p><p>“They pulled us out violently. They treated us very harshly,” Méndez’s wife recalled through tears.</p><p>“They are acting with total impunity,” said Gálvez, referring to the federal agents — one of whom was wearing a vest labeled “FBI.”</p><p>“Imagine if a child had been in that car. I’m ashamed of what this country is becoming,” she added.</p><p>Representatives from several local organizations, including the Centro Comunitario de Trabajadores, Community Economic Development Center, and Mujeres Victoriosa, arrived on the scene to support Méndez and his wife.&nbsp;</p><p>The representatives tried to file a report with the local police. However, an officer from the New Bedford Police Department at first refused to take the complaint, stating that the federal agents were not accountable to municipal law enforcement, a Light reporter on the scene observed. However, a police officer later took the complaint and gave Méndez’s wife a piece of paper with an address and a serial number.</p><p>On Monday afternoon, Méndez contacted his wife from custody. “He called me to ask for the lawyer’s phone number. He didn’t tell me where he is,” said Méndez’s wife.</p><p>At least 15 people have been detained by federal agents in New Bedford since Jan. 20, the date the new administration took office.</p><p>Between March 18 and 23, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement conducted what it called an “enhanced enforcement operation” across Massachusetts, resulting in the detention of 370 individuals the agency described as “criminal aliens.” The Light has confirmed that at least eight of those arrests took place in New Bedford, bringing the city’s total to 15 ICE-related detentions since the inauguration of President Donald Trump.</p><p>Among those detained were José Antonio Garcia Garcia, 39, and Miguel Ordoñez Sorocop, 35. According to several teenagers who were in the home at the time, ICE agents entered the house without a warrant on March 21, using a battering ram and wearing military-style fatigues. The agents pointed their weapons at the children’s faces as they were eating breakfast before school.</p><p>Others detained in New Bedford include three Guatemalan workers from the Minit Man Car Wash on Purchase Street and one worker from Bob’s Tire on Brook Street. These arrests are part of a broader enforcement trend in the city that has raised concerns among local residents and community leaders.</p><p><em>Email Gerardo Beltrán Salinas at </em><a href="mailto:gerardo@newbedfordlight.org"><em>gerardo@newbedfordlight.org</em></a></p><p><em>Anastasia Lennon contributed reporting.</em></p><p>The post <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/lawyer-federal-agents-detain-guatemalan-man-29-with-no-criminal-record/">Lawyer: Federal agents detain Guatemalan man, 29, with no criminal record</a> appeared first on <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org">The New Bedford Light</a>.</p>
  183. ]]></content:encoded>
  185. <wfw:commentRss>https://newbedfordlight.org/lawyer-federal-agents-detain-guatemalan-man-29-with-no-criminal-record/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  186. <slash:comments>122</slash:comments>
  189. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">157790</post-id> </item>
  190. <item>
  191. <title>Massachusetts offers free college education for students who qualify</title>
  192. <link>https://newbedfordlight.org/massachusetts-offers-free-college-education-for-students-who-qualify/</link>
  193. <comments>https://newbedfordlight.org/massachusetts-offers-free-college-education-for-students-who-qualify/#comments</comments>
  195. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Gerardo Beltran Salinas]]></dc:creator>
  196. <pubDate>Mon, 14 Apr 2025 12:53:04 +0000</pubDate>
  197. <category><![CDATA[NoticiasNB]]></category>
  198. <category><![CDATA[NoticiasNB English]]></category>
  199. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://newbedfordlight.org/?p=157674</guid>
  200.  
  201. <description><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="576" src="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/noticias-college-costs.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/2025/04/noticias-college-costs.jpg?w=1920&amp;ssl=1 1920w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/noticias-college-costs.jpg?resize=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/noticias-college-costs.jpg?resize=1024%2C576&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/noticias-college-costs.jpg?resize=768%2C432&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/noticias-college-costs.jpg?resize=1536%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/noticias-college-costs.jpg?resize=1200%2C675&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/noticias-college-costs.jpg?resize=780%2C439&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/noticias-college-costs.jpg?resize=800%2C450&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/noticias-college-costs.jpg?resize=400%2C225&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/noticias-college-costs.jpg?resize=706%2C397&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/noticias-college-costs.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="157683" data-permalink="https://newbedfordlight.org/massachusetts-offers-free-college-education-for-students-who-qualify/noticias-college-costs/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/noticias-college-costs.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="noticias college costs" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/noticias-college-costs.jpg?fit=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/noticias-college-costs.jpg?fit=780%2C439&amp;ssl=1" /></figure>
  202. <p>The state "needs more professionals" in health care and education, according to the commissioner of higher education.</p>
  203. <p>The post <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/massachusetts-offers-free-college-education-for-students-who-qualify/">Massachusetts offers free college education for students who qualify</a> appeared first on <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org">The New Bedford Light</a>.</p>
  204. ]]></description>
  205. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="576" src="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/noticias-college-costs.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/2025/04/noticias-college-costs.jpg?w=1920&amp;ssl=1 1920w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/noticias-college-costs.jpg?resize=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/noticias-college-costs.jpg?resize=1024%2C576&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/noticias-college-costs.jpg?resize=768%2C432&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/noticias-college-costs.jpg?resize=1536%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/noticias-college-costs.jpg?resize=1200%2C675&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/noticias-college-costs.jpg?resize=780%2C439&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/noticias-college-costs.jpg?resize=800%2C450&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/noticias-college-costs.jpg?resize=400%2C225&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/noticias-college-costs.jpg?resize=706%2C397&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/noticias-college-costs.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="157683" data-permalink="https://newbedfordlight.org/massachusetts-offers-free-college-education-for-students-who-qualify/noticias-college-costs/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/noticias-college-costs.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="noticias college costs" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/noticias-college-costs.jpg?fit=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/noticias-college-costs.jpg?fit=780%2C439&amp;ssl=1" /></figure><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">
  206. <iframe title="NoticiasNB: Massachusetts offers free college education for undocumented students" width="780" height="439" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6L_DlgPsKBk?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>
  207. </div></figure><p><em><a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/massachusetts-ofrece-educacion-universitaria-gratuita-para-estudiantes-indocumentados/">Lee en español</a></em></p><p class="has-drop-cap">Attending college can be a financial challenge for families, leading many young people to either not go or drop out due to lack of resources. In Massachusetts, however, state scholarships can cover as much as the full cost of college tuition, allowing students to study free of charge at state universities and community colleges.</p><p>State Commissioner of Higher Education Noe Ortega emphasized that Massachusetts needs more professionals, especially in fields such as nursing, medicine, education, and counseling. For this reason, the state has launched this initiative. During a talk at New Bedford High School, he explained that this financial aid is available to many students, including undocumented immigrants.</p><p>One of the most frequently asked questions during the talk was whether undocumented immigrants can apply for Massachusetts Application for State Financial Aid&nbsp; (MASFA).&nbsp;</p><p>&#8220;Since last year, all undocumented students can apply for MASFA, and those without a Social Security number receive guidance on how to identify themselves in the system,&#8221; Ortega said.</p><p>For many students and their families, this opportunity represents a significant change. One student, of Guatemalan origin, expressed relief knowing she could attend college without worrying about expenses.&nbsp;</p><p>&#8220;My mom works and doesn&#8217;t earn much, and this program would help me go to college without having to worry about expenses,&#8221; she said.</p><p>The application process for these scholarships is available through the <a href="https://www.mass.edu/forstufam/instatetuition/">Department of Higher Education website</a>, where applicants must provide information about their family income. This will determine whether they qualify for full tuition waivers at community colleges and state universities.</p><p><em>Email Gerardo Beltrán Salinas at </em><a href="mailto:gerardo@newbedfordlight.org"><em>gerardo@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/noticiasnb"><mark style="background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)" class="has-inline-color has-primary-color">More NoticiasNB</mark></a></h4><hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide"/><p>The post <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/massachusetts-offers-free-college-education-for-students-who-qualify/">Massachusetts offers free college education for students who qualify</a> appeared first on <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org">The New Bedford Light</a>.</p>
  208. ]]></content:encoded>
  210. <wfw:commentRss>https://newbedfordlight.org/massachusetts-offers-free-college-education-for-students-who-qualify/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  211. <slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
  214. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">157674</post-id> </item>
  215. <item>
  216. <title>Massachusetts ofrece educación universitaria gratuita para estudiantes que califican</title>
  217. <link>https://newbedfordlight.org/massachusetts-ofrece-educacion-universitaria-gratuita-para-estudiantes-que-califican/</link>
  218. <comments>https://newbedfordlight.org/massachusetts-ofrece-educacion-universitaria-gratuita-para-estudiantes-que-califican/#respond</comments>
  220. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Gerardo Beltran Salinas]]></dc:creator>
  221. <pubDate>Mon, 14 Apr 2025 12:52:59 +0000</pubDate>
  222. <category><![CDATA[NoticiasNB]]></category>
  223. <category><![CDATA[NoticiasNB Spanish]]></category>
  224. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://newbedfordlight.org/?p=157686</guid>
  225.  
  226. <description><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="576" src="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/noticias-college-costs.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/2025/04/noticias-college-costs.jpg?w=1920&amp;ssl=1 1920w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/noticias-college-costs.jpg?resize=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/noticias-college-costs.jpg?resize=1024%2C576&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/noticias-college-costs.jpg?resize=768%2C432&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/noticias-college-costs.jpg?resize=1536%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/noticias-college-costs.jpg?resize=1200%2C675&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/noticias-college-costs.jpg?resize=780%2C439&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/noticias-college-costs.jpg?resize=800%2C450&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/noticias-college-costs.jpg?resize=400%2C225&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/noticias-college-costs.jpg?resize=706%2C397&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/noticias-college-costs.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="157683" data-permalink="https://newbedfordlight.org/massachusetts-offers-free-college-education-for-students-who-qualify/noticias-college-costs/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/noticias-college-costs.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="noticias college costs" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/noticias-college-costs.jpg?fit=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/noticias-college-costs.jpg?fit=780%2C439&amp;ssl=1" /></figure>
  227. <p>"El Estado necesita más profesionales", afirmó el comisario de Educación Superior.</p>
  228. <p>The post <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/massachusetts-ofrece-educacion-universitaria-gratuita-para-estudiantes-que-califican/">Massachusetts ofrece educación universitaria gratuita para estudiantes que califican</a> appeared first on <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org">The New Bedford Light</a>.</p>
  229. ]]></description>
  230. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="576" src="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/noticias-college-costs.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/2025/04/noticias-college-costs.jpg?w=1920&amp;ssl=1 1920w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/noticias-college-costs.jpg?resize=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/noticias-college-costs.jpg?resize=1024%2C576&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/noticias-college-costs.jpg?resize=768%2C432&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/noticias-college-costs.jpg?resize=1536%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/noticias-college-costs.jpg?resize=1200%2C675&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/noticias-college-costs.jpg?resize=780%2C439&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/noticias-college-costs.jpg?resize=800%2C450&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/noticias-college-costs.jpg?resize=400%2C225&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/noticias-college-costs.jpg?resize=706%2C397&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/noticias-college-costs.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="157683" data-permalink="https://newbedfordlight.org/massachusetts-offers-free-college-education-for-students-who-qualify/noticias-college-costs/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/noticias-college-costs.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="noticias college costs" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/noticias-college-costs.jpg?fit=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/noticias-college-costs.jpg?fit=780%2C439&amp;ssl=1" /></figure><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">
  231. <iframe title="NoticiasNB: Massachusetts offers free college education for undocumented students" width="780" height="439" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6L_DlgPsKBk?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>
  232. </div></figure><p><em><a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/massachusetts-offers-free-college-education-for-undocumented-students/">Read in English</a></em></p><p class="has-drop-cap">Asistir a la universidad puede ser un reto financiero para muchas familias, lo que lleva a que muchos jóvenes no puedan inscribirse o abandonen sus estudios por falta de recursos. Sin embargo, en Massachusetts, las becas estatales pueden cubrir hasta el costo total de una carrera universitaria, permitiendo que los estudiantes accedan gratuitamente a universidades estatales y colegios comunitarios.</p><p>El Comisionado Estatal de Educación Superior, Noe Ortega, destacó que Massachusetts necesita más profesionales, especialmente en áreas como enfermería, medicina, educación y consejería. Por esta razón, el estado ha lanzado esta iniciativa. Durante una charla en la escuela secundaria de New Bedford, explicó que esta ayuda financiera está disponible para muchos estudiantes, incluidos aquellos que son inmigrantes indocumentados.</p><p>Una de las preguntas más comunes durante la charla fue si los inmigrantes indocumentados pueden solicitar la Solicitud de Ayuda Financiera Estatal de Massachusetts (MASFA).</p><p>“Desde el año pasado, todos los estudiantes indocumentados pueden solicitar MASFA, y quienes no tienen un número de Seguro Social reciben orientación sobre cómo identificarse en el sistema”, explicó Ortega.</p><p>Para muchos estudiantes y sus familias, esta oportunidad representa un cambio significativo. Una estudiante de origen guatemalteco expresó su alivio al saber que podría asistir a la universidad sin preocuparse por los gastos.</p><p>“Mi mamá trabaja y no gana mucho, y este programa me ayudaría a ir a la universidad sin tener que preocuparme por los gastos”, ella dijo.</p><p>El proceso de solicitud para estas becas está disponible a través del sitio web del Departamento de Educación Superior, donde los solicitantes deben proporcionar información sobre los ingresos familiares. Esto determinará si califican para la exención total de la matrícula en colegios comunitarios y universidades estatales.</p><p><em>Para contactar a Gerardo Beltrán Salinas, escriba a gerardo@newbedfordlight.org.</em></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/noticiasnb"><mark style="background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)" class="has-inline-color has-primary-color">Mas NoticiasNB</mark></a></h4><hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide"/><p>The post <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/massachusetts-ofrece-educacion-universitaria-gratuita-para-estudiantes-que-califican/">Massachusetts ofrece educación universitaria gratuita para estudiantes que califican</a> appeared first on <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org">The New Bedford Light</a>.</p>
  233. ]]></content:encoded>
  235. <wfw:commentRss>https://newbedfordlight.org/massachusetts-ofrece-educacion-universitaria-gratuita-para-estudiantes-que-califican/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  236. <slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
  239. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">157686</post-id> </item>
  240. <item>
  241. <title>What’s next for Old Bedford Village’s Morse Cutting Tools site?</title>
  242. <link>https://newbedfordlight.org/whats-next-for-old-bedford-villages-morse-cutting-tools-site/</link>
  243. <comments>https://newbedfordlight.org/whats-next-for-old-bedford-villages-morse-cutting-tools-site/#comments</comments>
  245. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Adam Goldstein]]></dc:creator>
  246. <pubDate>Mon, 14 Apr 2025 12:51:52 +0000</pubDate>
  247. <category><![CDATA[Environment]]></category>
  248. <category><![CDATA[linkinbio]]></category>
  249. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://newbedfordlight.org/?p=157670</guid>
  250.  
  251. <description><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="682" src="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1942.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/2025/04/1942.jpg?w=2000&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1942.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1942.jpg?resize=1024%2C682&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1942.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1942.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1942.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1942.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1942.jpg?resize=800%2C533&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1942.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1942.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1942.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="157608" data-permalink="https://newbedfordlight.org/1942/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1942.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;1744302949&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;47&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;1942" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;John “Buddy” Andrade, executive director of the Old Bedford Village Development Corporation, walks through the Old Bedford Village neighborhood. Credit: Eleonora Bianchi / The New Bedford Light&lt;/p&gt;
  252. " data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1942.jpg?fit=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1942.jpg?fit=780%2C519&amp;ssl=1" /></figure>
  253. <p>A brownfield in the historic neighborhood could become a community center, housing, or both — once tests confirm it’s cleaned up.</p>
  254. <p>The post <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/whats-next-for-old-bedford-villages-morse-cutting-tools-site/">What’s next for Old Bedford Village’s Morse Cutting Tools site?</a> appeared first on <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org">The New Bedford Light</a>.</p>
  255. ]]></description>
  256. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="682" src="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1942.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/2025/04/1942.jpg?w=2000&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1942.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1942.jpg?resize=1024%2C682&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1942.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1942.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1942.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1942.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1942.jpg?resize=800%2C533&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1942.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1942.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1942.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="157608" data-permalink="https://newbedfordlight.org/1942/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1942.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;1744302949&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;47&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;1942" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;John “Buddy” Andrade, executive director of the Old Bedford Village Development Corporation, walks through the Old Bedford Village neighborhood. Credit: Eleonora Bianchi / The New Bedford Light&lt;/p&gt;
  257. " data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1942.jpg?fit=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1942.jpg?fit=780%2C519&amp;ssl=1" /></figure><p class="has-drop-cap">NEW BEDFORD — In the center of Old Bedford Village, amid triple-deckers, broken streets, and Cape Verdean flags, sits the former Morse Cutting Tools site. A white shed stands on the southeast corner, surrounded by a chain-link fence. There is a small community garden on the northwest corner.&nbsp;</p><p>That is everything that’s popped up on the two blocks between Wing, Bedford, South 6th, and Purchase streets in the 25-plus years since the abandoned cutting-tool factory was demolished. It’s been roughly a decade since state environmental regulators determined the cleanup of toxic chemicals in groundwater and soils at the site was completed to state standards.&nbsp;</p><p>Still, Old Bedford Village Development Corporation’s executive director John “Buddy” Andrade sees a space in transition.&nbsp;</p><p>Walking the site with a reporter from The Light earlier this year, Andrade pointed out a plot of land for a senior center, which would go next to a community health center, which would go next to a recreation center with basketball courts encased in glass. Andrade sees theaters and businesses and a shared-use kitchen space.</p><p>“I’m trying to make it so this is a destination place,” he said.&nbsp;</p><p>Andrade and Old Bedford Village Development Corporation are working with the City of New Bedford and the environmental services company EnSafe to assess and prepare the Morse Cutting Tools brownfield site for reuse in the historically-underserved Old Bedford Village neighborhood south of downtown.</p><p>The project is being funded by an $800,000 Environmental Protection Agency grant awarded to the city. Work started in 2023, and has not been affected by recent federal spending cuts.&nbsp;</p><p>The team is reassessing the contamination at the Morse Cutting Tools site, and working to confirm that the responsible polluters cleaned up contaminants from the groundwater and soil as described in government records. If the data shows that there is still contamination above state action levels, the project team will look into cleanup options.&nbsp;</p><p>The team may reach out to homeowners in Old Bedford Village, to see if contamination from the site has spread underneath their homes and vaporized inside, depending on the results of soil vapor monitoring.&nbsp;</p><p>The project team is also working with neighborhood residents and the Cape Verdean community to develop a reuse plan for the site.</p><p>The partners will host a meeting on May 13 to discuss the results of the soil vapor monitoring, what work must be done before redevelopment, and what should be done with the property. A tentative plan calls for a mixed-use space that could include housing, businesses, and a community center.&nbsp;</p><p>Old Bedford Village is a census-designated opportunity zone, and is made up largely of Cape Verdeans and African-Americans.&nbsp;</p><p>Jacqueline Pina, a community liaison for the Morse project, said the team wants development at the site that inspires Old Bedford Village to grow and thrive, after generations of its residents suffered health and economic harms related to Morse Cutting Tools.&nbsp;</p><p>“To have this would be very important,” she said. “It would lift people&#8217;s spirits, and they would be inspired to do more.”&nbsp;</p><h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Old Bedford Village’s history&nbsp;</strong></h3><p>When Pina was growing up in Old Bedford Village, Cape Verdean-owned and Black-owned businesses lined the blocks east of County Street to Acushnet Avenue, and from Walnut Street to Grinnell Street.&nbsp;</p><p>“I felt enriched,” she said. “We had barbers, we had grocery stores, we had cleaners, we had our own. Before it was taken from us.”&nbsp;</p><p>Old Bedford Village has long been a cultural and historic hub in New Bedford. The neighborhood forms part of the original tract of land incorporated as the town of New Bedford in 1787.</p><p>When commercial whaling took hold in the late 18th century, many people from the Caribbean, Cape Verde, and the Azores immigrated to New Bedford, settling in Old Bedford Village. The city was also a stop on the Underground Railroad, and the neighborhood attracted formerly enslaved Black people seeking freedom and work (including Frederick Douglass). After the whaling industry collapsed, these migrants were the predominant workforce in the fishing, textile, and cranberry industries, and opened small businesses in the neighborhood.</p><p>Things started to change when inventor Stephen A. Morse developed the twist drill, a revolutionary cutting tool for the manufacturing industry.&nbsp;</p><figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="780" height="553" data-attachment-id="157384" data-permalink="https://newbedfordlight.org/3877883277_a4958281d5_o/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/3877883277_a4958281d5_o.jpg?fit=959%2C680&amp;ssl=1" data-orig-size="959,680" 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="morse3" data-image-description="&lt;p&gt;Factory workers manufacture cutting tools and drill bits inside the Morse Twist Drill and Machine Company in New Bedford. Credit: New Bedford Whaling Museum&lt;/p&gt;
  258. " data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;Factory workers manufacture cutting tools and drill bits inside the Morse Twist Drill and Machine Company in New Bedford. Credit: New Bedford Whaling Museum&lt;/p&gt;
  259. " data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/3877883277_a4958281d5_o.jpg?fit=300%2C213&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/3877883277_a4958281d5_o.jpg?fit=780%2C553&amp;ssl=1" onerror="if (typeof newspackHandleImageError === 'function') newspackHandleImageError(this);" src="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/3877883277_a4958281d5_o.jpg?resize=780%2C553&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-157384" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/3877883277_a4958281d5_o.jpg?w=959&amp;ssl=1 959w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/3877883277_a4958281d5_o.jpg?resize=300%2C213&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/3877883277_a4958281d5_o.jpg?resize=768%2C545&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/3877883277_a4958281d5_o.jpg?resize=780%2C553&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/3877883277_a4958281d5_o.jpg?resize=800%2C567&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/3877883277_a4958281d5_o.jpg?resize=400%2C284&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/3877883277_a4958281d5_o.jpg?resize=706%2C501&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/3877883277_a4958281d5_o.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Factory workers manufacture cutting tools and drill bits inside the Morse Twist Drill and Machine Company in New Bedford. Credit: New Bedford Whaling Museum</figcaption></figure><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"><figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="504" height="390" data-attachment-id="157386" data-permalink="https://newbedfordlight.org/3194519156_c21a179b2c_o-1/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/3194519156_c21a179b2c_o-1.jpg?fit=504%2C390&amp;ssl=1" data-orig-size="504,390" 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="morse1" data-image-description="&lt;p&gt;The front door of the Morse Twist Drill &amp;amp; Machine Company factory in Old Bedford Village in New Bedford. Credit: New Bedford Whaling Museum &lt;/p&gt;
  260. " data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;The front door of the Morse Twist Drill &amp;amp; Machine Company factory in Old Bedford Village in New Bedford. Credit: New Bedford Whaling Museum &lt;/p&gt;
  261. " data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/3194519156_c21a179b2c_o-1.jpg?fit=300%2C232&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/3194519156_c21a179b2c_o-1.jpg?fit=504%2C390&amp;ssl=1" onerror="if (typeof newspackHandleImageError === 'function') newspackHandleImageError(this);" src="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/3194519156_c21a179b2c_o-1.jpg?resize=504%2C390&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-157386" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/3194519156_c21a179b2c_o-1.jpg?w=504&amp;ssl=1 504w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/3194519156_c21a179b2c_o-1.jpg?resize=300%2C232&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/3194519156_c21a179b2c_o-1.jpg?resize=400%2C310&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/3194519156_c21a179b2c_o-1.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="(max-width: 504px) 100vw, 504px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The front door of the Morse Twist Drill &amp; Machine Company factory in Old Bedford Village in New Bedford. Credit: New Bedford Whaling Museum </figcaption></figure></div>
  262.  
  263. <div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow"><figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="504" height="359" data-attachment-id="157385" data-permalink="https://newbedfordlight.org/3193674511_6849c9cc05_o-1/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/3193674511_6849c9cc05_o-1.jpg?fit=504%2C359&amp;ssl=1" data-orig-size="504,359" 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="morse2" data-image-description="&lt;p&gt;Factory workers manufacture cutting tools and drill bits inside the Morse Twist Drill and Machine Company in New Bedford. Credit: New Bedford Whaling Museum&lt;/p&gt;
  264. " data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;Factory workers manufacture cutting tools and drill bits inside the Morse Twist Drill and Machine Company in New Bedford. Credit: New Bedford Whaling Museum&lt;/p&gt;
  265. " data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/3193674511_6849c9cc05_o-1.jpg?fit=300%2C214&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/3193674511_6849c9cc05_o-1.jpg?fit=504%2C359&amp;ssl=1" onerror="if (typeof newspackHandleImageError === 'function') newspackHandleImageError(this);" src="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/3193674511_6849c9cc05_o-1.jpg?resize=504%2C359&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-157385" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/3193674511_6849c9cc05_o-1.jpg?w=504&amp;ssl=1 504w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/3193674511_6849c9cc05_o-1.jpg?resize=300%2C214&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/3193674511_6849c9cc05_o-1.jpg?resize=400%2C285&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/3193674511_6849c9cc05_o-1.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="(max-width: 504px) 100vw, 504px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Factory workers manufacture cutting tools and drill bits inside the Morse Twist Drill and Machine Company in New Bedford. Credit: New Bedford Whaling Museum</figcaption></figure></div></div><p>Morse patented his invention in 1863, and built a cutting tool factory, the Morse Twist Drill and Machine Company, in the residential Old Bedford Village community in 1864.&nbsp;</p><p>Over the next 50 or so years, Morse expanded its holdings to the full two blocks of the former site. At its peak, it employed over 1,700 workers and operated on three daily shifts.</p><p>Old Bedford Village residents felt the negative impacts of living next to the Morse factory.&nbsp;</p><p>The sickly-sweet smell of burning solvents blew out of the factory buildings and into the neighborhood. At the “weeping wall” on Purchase Street, cutting oil seeped through masonry into the soil.&nbsp;</p><p>Many Old Bedford Village residents claim a cancer cluster developed around the Morse site, but a 2000 assessment by a federal agency <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20040224095513/http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/HAC/PHA/morsecutting/mct_p1.html">found no evidence</a> of one.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>During <a href="https://www.southcoasttoday.com/story/news/2009/10/11/jack-spillane-new-bedford-history/51837351007/?fbclid=IwAR1P1kWnmn88QmQAhZknWW0oGvhnzORUiI3KrpzRTcsCzYbioLGWp-_uP4A">urban renewal in the 1950s and 1960s</a>, Andrade said, the city demolished businesses and parts of the neighborhood to make room for a waterfront industrial area and Route 18. Andrade and others say the city did not invest enough in Old Bedford Village during that era.</p><p>That all contributed to the collapse of businesses and social institutions in Old Bedford Village, he said. That then fueled <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/1970/07/13/archives/new-bedford-gets-curfew-to-ease-racial-tensions-new-bedford-imposes.html">riots in 1970</a>, as urban renewal continued.</p><figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="780" height="519" data-attachment-id="157612" data-permalink="https://newbedfordlight.org/1938/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1938.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;1744300848&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;28&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;100&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.01&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="&#8211;1938" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;John “Buddy” Andrade holds an old photograph found inside the Minority Action Committee building on Bedford Street. Credit: Eleonora Bianchi / The New Bedford Light&lt;/p&gt;
  266. " data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1938.jpg?fit=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1938.jpg?fit=780%2C519&amp;ssl=1" onerror="if (typeof newspackHandleImageError === 'function') newspackHandleImageError(this);" src="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1938.jpg?resize=780%2C519&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-157612" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1938.jpg?resize=1024%2C682&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1938.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1938.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1938.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1938.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1938.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1938.jpg?resize=800%2C533&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1938.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1938.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1938.jpg?w=2000&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1938-1024x682.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">John “Buddy” Andrade holds an old photograph found inside the Minority Action Committee building on Bedford Street. Credit: Eleonora Bianchi / The New Bedford Light</figcaption></figure><h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Decades of cleanup at Morse site&nbsp;&nbsp;</strong></h3><p>In the 1980s, Morse Twist Drill and Machine Company, rebranded as Morse Cutting Tools, began experiencing financial challenges. It was bought and sold several times. In 1990, the company was sold and ceased all operations in New Bedford, leaving the abandoned factory buildings behind.&nbsp;</p><p>Morse then brought on a contractor, Harborline, to investigate the property and ensure it complied with state environmental regulations. The contractor found that the factory building had been heavily contaminated with toxic chemicals like toluene, vinyl chloride, benzopyrene, and petroleum. There was evidence that large spills of those industrial chemicals got in the soil and bedrock groundwater beneath the eastern part of the property, at levels exceeding state regulations.</p><p>Morse then contacted the EPA and the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection and brought in contractors that confirmed severe contamination at the site, and removed contaminated infrastructure from the factory buildings in 1992.&nbsp;</p><p>In the mid-1990s, New Bedford took the site from Morse over non-payment of taxes. The state designated it as one of the first brownfields in its brownfield remediation program. The city got a grant to demolish the former factory buildings in 1997.&nbsp;</p><p>In 1998, New Bedford worked with MassDEP and the EPA to identify the party now responsible for cleaning up the remaining groundwater and soil contamination at the Morse site — CBS-Viacom. The company assumed liability for the site when it acquired Gulf and Western Industries, a former parent company of Morse Cutting Tools.</p><div class="wp-block-columns is-not-stacked-on-mobile 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"><figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="780" height="519" data-attachment-id="157610" data-permalink="https://newbedfordlight.org/1940/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1940.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;1744301825&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;1940" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;Bricks from the former Morse Cutting Tools building still stand near the Serenity Garden. Credit: Eleonora Bianchi / The New Bedford Light&lt;/p&gt;
  267. " data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1940.jpg?fit=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1940.jpg?fit=780%2C519&amp;ssl=1" onerror="if (typeof newspackHandleImageError === 'function') newspackHandleImageError(this);" src="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1940.jpg?resize=780%2C519&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-157610" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1940.jpg?resize=1024%2C682&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1940.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1940.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1940.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1940.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1940.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1940.jpg?resize=800%2C533&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1940.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1940.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1940.jpg?w=2000&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1940-1024x682.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Bricks from the former Morse Cutting Tools building still stand near the Serenity Garden. Credit: Eleonora Bianchi / The New Bedford Light</figcaption></figure></div>
  268.  
  269. <div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow"><figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="780" height="519" data-attachment-id="157609" data-permalink="https://newbedfordlight.org/1941/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1941.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;1744302568&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;1941" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;Houses at the corner of Wing Street and Pleasant Street in New Bedford. Credit: Eleonora Bianchi / The New Bedford Light&lt;/p&gt;
  270. " data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1941.jpg?fit=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1941.jpg?fit=780%2C519&amp;ssl=1" onerror="if (typeof newspackHandleImageError === 'function') newspackHandleImageError(this);" src="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1941.jpg?resize=780%2C519&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-157609" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1941.jpg?resize=1024%2C682&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1941.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1941.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1941.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1941.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1941.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1941.jpg?resize=800%2C533&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1941.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1941.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1941.jpg?w=2000&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1941-1024x682.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Houses at the corner of Wing Street and Pleasant Street in New Bedford. Credit: Eleonora Bianchi / The New Bedford Light</figcaption></figure></div></div><p>CBS-Viacom decided to clean up the site to the minimum state standards required for site closure.&nbsp;</p><p>The company’s contractors built a network of wells and a vacuum extraction system to remove the contaminants in the soil and groundwater at the site. They excavated chemical storage tanks and catch basins. They installed ventilation systems in some local homes to mitigate the risk of exposure to chemicals. They regularly monitored hazardous chemical levels in the soil, bedrock, and groundwater.&nbsp;</p><p>In 2017, data collected by CBS-Viacom’s contractors showed levels of hazardous chemicals at the site met the minimum state standards, and they submitted the mandatory site closeout documentation to the state. Yet they did not report all of the cleanup work they did in these closeout documents.</p><p>The state audited the Morse site cleanup, and approved the response actions in 2018. The City of New Bedford then asked CBS-Viacom’s contractors to decommission and remove their wells on the site, which they did in 2018 and 2019.&nbsp;</p><h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Grants for redevelopment</strong></h3><p>After 2018, progress stalled on the Morse Cutting Tools site.&nbsp;</p><p>New Bedford Director of Environmental Stewardship Michele Paul said she trusts the CBS-Viacom contractors that produced the numbers in the audited report. Yet she would have liked to have seen them clean up the Morse Cutting Tools property more thoroughly, and with greater transparency.&nbsp;</p><p>Residual contamination is also still present in the soils and groundwater, according to site closure documents.</p><p>Paul added that while the city committed to reusing the site, it wants to verify the results of the cleanup, and conduct any additional remediation necessary to prepare it for future use.&nbsp;</p><p>In 2020, with the help of Andrade, <a href="https://newbedford-ma.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/39/20230414141419/2021-multipurpose-grant-workplan-New-Bedford-R-12-20-22.pdf">the city got an EPA grant to do this work</a>. New Bedford then hired EnSafe to do it in 2023.&nbsp;</p><p>The project team has since been conducting community outreach to talk about what they are doing at the site, hosting community walks and meetings.&nbsp;</p><p>They conducted soil vapor sampling in March, with the help of interns from the Old Bedford Village community. The project team may work to get residents to allow them to conduct air sampling for contaminants in their homes, if the soil vapor data shows it is necessary.</p><p>Most contaminants at the Morse site are organic hydrocarbons, which degrade over time, Paul said. So Ensafe should find there is less contamination at the site now than there was after CBS-Viacom’s contractors submitted their 2017 final solution statement.&nbsp;</p><p>If additional cleanup is not necessary, the team can start planning the next use for it, Paul said. If there are still dangerous levels of soil contamination, there is grant money for limited remediation. If significant contamination remains, the city will work with the community and MassDEP to bring the responsible party back into the remediation process.&nbsp;</p><h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>What comes next</strong></h3><p>What comes next for the Morse site remains unclear.&nbsp;</p><p>City officials have been looking to develop more housing and space for small businesses at the Morse site. Yet local community leaders like Andrade say the neighborhood would be better served by a community center with programming and businesses, and no housing. They have compromised on a tentative plan for a mixed-use space.&nbsp;</p><figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="780" height="519" data-attachment-id="157611" data-permalink="https://newbedfordlight.org/1939/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1939.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;1744301570&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;1939" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;John “Buddy” Andrade looks out over the Serenity Garden in the Old Bedford Village neighborhood. Credit: Eleonora Bianchi / The New Bedford Light&lt;/p&gt;
  271. " data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1939.jpg?fit=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1939.jpg?fit=780%2C519&amp;ssl=1" onerror="if (typeof newspackHandleImageError === 'function') newspackHandleImageError(this);" src="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1939.jpg?resize=780%2C519&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-157611" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1939.jpg?resize=1024%2C682&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1939.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1939.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1939.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1939.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1939.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1939.jpg?resize=800%2C533&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1939.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1939.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1939.jpg?w=2000&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1939-1024x682.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">John “Buddy” Andrade looks out over the Serenity Garden in the Old Bedford Village neighborhood. Credit: Eleonora Bianchi / The New Bedford Light</figcaption></figure><p>In 2022, Underground Railroad Cafe and Gallery owner Carleen Cordwell worked with Andrade, city officials, the EPA and the Marion Institute on a U.S. Department of Agriculture grant to plan future uses for the Morse property. She said the team identified a community commercial kitchen space as a priority project, which residents could book times to use. She said the Underground Railroad Cafe has been working to set this up.&nbsp;</p><p>Old Bedford Village is a food desert, and home to numerous food-insecure households. A shared commercial kitchen will provide opportunity for neighborhood culinary entrepreneurs to make and market their products and services, and help alleviate food insecurity, Cordwell said. The project team also wants a teaching kitchen, to show residents how to cook with healthy food they get from pantries and community partners.&nbsp;</p><p>Cordwell personally hopes to see a community recreation center, to give young people a place to be and to grow their talents and skills.&nbsp;</p><p>Andrade said building a senior center, which residents have wanted for decades, is another priority. He hopes to see a community health center, so people won’t have to go downtown for prescriptions or basic treatment.&nbsp;</p><p>Many people in the Old Bedford Village community are skeptical of the Morse project, Pina said. They have seen city officials bring in funding for projects that don&#8217;t end up benefitting the community, she said. Yet Old Bedford Village leaders are actively involved in this one.&nbsp;</p><p>Making their voices heard about the Morse site now gives residents a chance to benefit from New Bedford’s growth, she said — growth that they say they have been excluded from for decades.&nbsp;</p><p>Cordwell said she will ensure “whatever goes there will… provide services and space that this community needs to create its sustainable development.”</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"/>
  272.  
  273. <h4 class="wp-block-heading section-header" id="related-stories" style="font-style:normal;font-weight:400"><a href="https://www.newbedfordlight.org/adam-goldstein"><mark style="background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)" class="has-inline-color has-primary-color">More stories by Adam Goldstein</mark></a></h4>
  274.  
  275.  
  276.  
  277. <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide"/></div></div><p>The post <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/whats-next-for-old-bedford-villages-morse-cutting-tools-site/">What’s next for Old Bedford Village’s Morse Cutting Tools site?</a> appeared first on <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org">The New Bedford Light</a>.</p>
  278. ]]></content:encoded>
  280. <wfw:commentRss>https://newbedfordlight.org/whats-next-for-old-bedford-villages-morse-cutting-tools-site/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  281. <slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
  284. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">157670</post-id> </item>
  285. <item>
  286. <title>Mark Phelan, a painter with the soul of a poet</title>
  287. <link>https://newbedfordlight.org/artist-mark-phelan-looks-beyond-the-literal-in-latest-exhibition-at-co-creative/</link>
  288. <comments>https://newbedfordlight.org/artist-mark-phelan-looks-beyond-the-literal-in-latest-exhibition-at-co-creative/#respond</comments>
  290. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Don Wilkinson]]></dc:creator>
  291. <pubDate>Sun, 13 Apr 2025 21:30:47 +0000</pubDate>
  292. <category><![CDATA[Chasing the Muse]]></category>
  293. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://newbedfordlight.org/?p=157578</guid>
  294.  
  295. <description><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="768" src="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Goodnightiloveyouillseeyouinthemorning_-by-Mark-Phelan-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/2025/04/Goodnightiloveyouillseeyouinthemorning_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?w=2560&amp;ssl=1 2560w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Goodnightiloveyouillseeyouinthemorning_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=300%2C225&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Goodnightiloveyouillseeyouinthemorning_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C768&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Goodnightiloveyouillseeyouinthemorning_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C576&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Goodnightiloveyouillseeyouinthemorning_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1152&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Goodnightiloveyouillseeyouinthemorning_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1536&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Goodnightiloveyouillseeyouinthemorning_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C900&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Goodnightiloveyouillseeyouinthemorning_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=800%2C600&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Goodnightiloveyouillseeyouinthemorning_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=600%2C450&amp;ssl=1 600w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Goodnightiloveyouillseeyouinthemorning_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C300&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Goodnightiloveyouillseeyouinthemorning_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=200%2C150&amp;ssl=1 200w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Goodnightiloveyouillseeyouinthemorning_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1500&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Goodnightiloveyouillseeyouinthemorning_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C585&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Goodnightiloveyouillseeyouinthemorning_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C530&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Goodnightiloveyouillseeyouinthemorning_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Goodnightiloveyouillseeyouinthemorning_-by-Mark-Phelan-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="157466" data-permalink="https://newbedfordlight.org/_goodnightiloveyouillseeyouinthemorning_-by-mark-phelan/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Goodnightiloveyouillseeyouinthemorning_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.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="_Goodnightiloveyouillseeyouinthemorning_ by Mark Phelan" data-image-description="&lt;p&gt;With Chasing the Muse Phelen&lt;/p&gt;
  296. " data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;&#8220;Goodnightiloveyouillseeyouinthemorning&#8221; by Mark Phelan. Credit: Don Wilkinson / The New Bedford Light&lt;/p&gt;
  297. " data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Goodnightiloveyouillseeyouinthemorning_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?fit=300%2C225&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Goodnightiloveyouillseeyouinthemorning_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?fit=780%2C585&amp;ssl=1" /></figure>
  298. <p>His show at Co-Creative, “goodnightiloveyouillseeyouinthemorning,” with no spaces, no punctuation, is imaginative and rather beautiful.</p>
  299. <p>The post <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/artist-mark-phelan-looks-beyond-the-literal-in-latest-exhibition-at-co-creative/">Mark Phelan, a painter with the soul of a poet</a> appeared first on <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org">The New Bedford Light</a>.</p>
  300. ]]></description>
  301. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="768" src="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Goodnightiloveyouillseeyouinthemorning_-by-Mark-Phelan-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/2025/04/Goodnightiloveyouillseeyouinthemorning_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?w=2560&amp;ssl=1 2560w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Goodnightiloveyouillseeyouinthemorning_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=300%2C225&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Goodnightiloveyouillseeyouinthemorning_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C768&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Goodnightiloveyouillseeyouinthemorning_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C576&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Goodnightiloveyouillseeyouinthemorning_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1152&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Goodnightiloveyouillseeyouinthemorning_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1536&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Goodnightiloveyouillseeyouinthemorning_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C900&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Goodnightiloveyouillseeyouinthemorning_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=800%2C600&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Goodnightiloveyouillseeyouinthemorning_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=600%2C450&amp;ssl=1 600w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Goodnightiloveyouillseeyouinthemorning_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C300&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Goodnightiloveyouillseeyouinthemorning_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=200%2C150&amp;ssl=1 200w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Goodnightiloveyouillseeyouinthemorning_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1500&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Goodnightiloveyouillseeyouinthemorning_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C585&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Goodnightiloveyouillseeyouinthemorning_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C530&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Goodnightiloveyouillseeyouinthemorning_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Goodnightiloveyouillseeyouinthemorning_-by-Mark-Phelan-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="157466" data-permalink="https://newbedfordlight.org/_goodnightiloveyouillseeyouinthemorning_-by-mark-phelan/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Goodnightiloveyouillseeyouinthemorning_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.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="_Goodnightiloveyouillseeyouinthemorning_ by Mark Phelan" data-image-description="&lt;p&gt;With Chasing the Muse Phelen&lt;/p&gt;
  302. " data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;&#8220;Goodnightiloveyouillseeyouinthemorning&#8221; by Mark Phelan. Credit: Don Wilkinson / The New Bedford Light&lt;/p&gt;
  303. " data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Goodnightiloveyouillseeyouinthemorning_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?fit=300%2C225&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Goodnightiloveyouillseeyouinthemorning_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?fit=780%2C585&amp;ssl=1" /></figure><p class="has-drop-cap">“Goodnightiloveyouillseeyouinthemorning” — quite purposely without capitalization, punctuation or traditional letter spacing — is the name of Mark Phelan’s latest exhibition at the Co-Creative Center.</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="780" height="763" data-attachment-id="157471" data-permalink="https://newbedfordlight.org/artist-mark-phelan-courtesy-of-aaron-bourque/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Artist-Mark-Phelan-courtesy-of-Aaron-Bourque.png?fit=1414%2C1384&amp;ssl=1" data-orig-size="1414,1384" 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="Artist Mark Phelan (courtesy of Aaron Bourque)" data-image-description="&lt;p&gt;With Chasing the Muse Phelen&lt;/p&gt;
  304. " data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;Artist Mark Phelan. Credit: Courtesy of Aaron Bourque&lt;/p&gt;
  305. " data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Artist-Mark-Phelan-courtesy-of-Aaron-Bourque.png?fit=300%2C294&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Artist-Mark-Phelan-courtesy-of-Aaron-Bourque.png?fit=780%2C763&amp;ssl=1" onerror="if (typeof newspackHandleImageError === 'function') newspackHandleImageError(this);" src="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Artist-Mark-Phelan-courtesy-of-Aaron-Bourque.png?resize=780%2C763&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-157471" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Artist-Mark-Phelan-courtesy-of-Aaron-Bourque.png?resize=1024%2C1002&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Artist-Mark-Phelan-courtesy-of-Aaron-Bourque.png?resize=300%2C294&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Artist-Mark-Phelan-courtesy-of-Aaron-Bourque.png?resize=768%2C752&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Artist-Mark-Phelan-courtesy-of-Aaron-Bourque.png?resize=1200%2C1175&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Artist-Mark-Phelan-courtesy-of-Aaron-Bourque.png?resize=780%2C763&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Artist-Mark-Phelan-courtesy-of-Aaron-Bourque.png?resize=800%2C783&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Artist-Mark-Phelan-courtesy-of-Aaron-Bourque.png?resize=400%2C392&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Artist-Mark-Phelan-courtesy-of-Aaron-Bourque.png?resize=706%2C691&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Artist-Mark-Phelan-courtesy-of-Aaron-Bourque.png?w=1414&amp;ssl=1 1414w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Artist-Mark-Phelan-courtesy-of-Aaron-Bourque-1024x1002.png?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Artist Mark Phelan. Credit: Courtesy of Aaron Bourque</figcaption></figure></div><p>It’s also the title of one of several large scale works and perhaps the best in the show, but more on that in a bit.&nbsp;</p><p>Thirdly, it’s also what he has titled a poem, left on a table in the gallery and that is the place to begin. I offer up the first few lines as it can be thought of as an introduction to Phelan’s imaginative thought process, with myriad twists and turns that may not seem uncommon to those ready to look beyond the literal and dig a bit deeper, to feel a bit deeper.</p><p>“They are crystals on a string hanging from a dimly lit chandelier,</p><p>&nbsp;casting broken light on the dining room walls.</p><p>&nbsp;Or they’re steppingstones across a river guiding your path to warm, dry shelter.</p><p>&nbsp;They are cave paintings of the origins of the earth,</p><p>&nbsp;Or they’re rosaries counting millennia.</p><p>&nbsp;They’re breathless utterances,&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;Or primal screams reaching far back and further forward…”</p><p>Phelan had previously displayed “The Cartography of Impossible Spaces” in 2018 at the Co-Creative. That powerful show was certainly a cathartic release of sorts, as he attempted to resolve the unresolvable: the long mourning of his beloved father a decade earlier.</p><p>Again in the same space, in 2022, he put up “Thresholding.” Much of it was a homage to his maternal grandfather, who had passed away in 1997. Beyond his prints and paintings, he put the actual threshold — the door and frame from his grandfather’s workshop — in the gallery, along with his tools, toy cars, coffee mugs and oil cans. It was a nostalgic exercise free of treacle, a heartening journey back to boyhood, before one’s innocence fades.</p><figure data-carousel-extra='{"blog_id":1,"permalink":"https:\/\/newbedfordlight.org\/artist-mark-phelan-looks-beyond-the-literal-in-latest-exhibition-at-co-creative\/"}'  class="wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-2 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex"><figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="768" height="1024" data-attachment-id="157467" data-permalink="https://newbedfordlight.org/_jacobs-ladder_-by-mark-phelan/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Jacobs-Ladder_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?fit=1920%2C2560&amp;ssl=1" data-orig-size="1920,2560" 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="_Jacob&#8217;s Ladder_ by Mark Phelan" data-image-description="&lt;p&gt;With Chasing the Muse Phelen&lt;/p&gt;
  306. " data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;&#8220;Jacob&#8217;s Ladder&#8221; by Mark Phelan. Credit: Don Wilkinson / The New Bedford Light&lt;/p&gt;
  307. " data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Jacobs-Ladder_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?fit=225%2C300&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Jacobs-Ladder_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?fit=768%2C1024&amp;ssl=1" onerror="if (typeof newspackHandleImageError === 'function') newspackHandleImageError(this);" data-id="157467" src="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Jacobs-Ladder_-by-Mark-Phelan.jpg?resize=768%2C1024&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-157467" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Jacobs-Ladder_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Jacobs-Ladder_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=225%2C300&amp;ssl=1 225w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Jacobs-Ladder_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=1152%2C1536&amp;ssl=1 1152w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Jacobs-Ladder_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C2048&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Jacobs-Ladder_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=900%2C1200&amp;ssl=1 900w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Jacobs-Ladder_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=600%2C800&amp;ssl=1 600w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Jacobs-Ladder_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=450%2C600&amp;ssl=1 450w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Jacobs-Ladder_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=300%2C400&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Jacobs-Ladder_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=150%2C200&amp;ssl=1 150w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Jacobs-Ladder_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C1600&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Jacobs-Ladder_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C2667&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Jacobs-Ladder_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C1040&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Jacobs-Ladder_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=800%2C1067&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Jacobs-Ladder_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C533&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Jacobs-Ladder_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C941&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Jacobs-Ladder_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?w=1920&amp;ssl=1 1920w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Jacobs-Ladder_-by-Mark-Phelan-768x1024.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">&#8220;Jacob&#8217;s Ladder&#8221; by Mark Phelan. Credit: Don Wilkinson / The New Bedford Light</figcaption></figure>
  308.  
  309. <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="780" height="585" data-attachment-id="157470" data-permalink="https://newbedfordlight.org/_thin-place_-by-mark-phelan/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Thin-Place_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.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="_Thin Place_ by Mark Phelan" data-image-description="&lt;p&gt;With Chasing the Muse Phelen&lt;/p&gt;
  310. " data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;&#8220;Thin Place&#8221; by Mark Phelan. Credit: Don Wilkinson / The New Bedford Light&lt;/p&gt;
  311. " data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Thin-Place_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?fit=300%2C225&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Thin-Place_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?fit=780%2C585&amp;ssl=1" onerror="if (typeof newspackHandleImageError === 'function') newspackHandleImageError(this);" data-id="157470" src="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Thin-Place_-by-Mark-Phelan.jpg?resize=780%2C585&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-157470" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Thin-Place_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C768&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Thin-Place_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=300%2C225&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Thin-Place_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C576&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Thin-Place_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1152&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Thin-Place_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1536&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Thin-Place_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C900&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Thin-Place_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=800%2C600&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Thin-Place_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=600%2C450&amp;ssl=1 600w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Thin-Place_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C300&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Thin-Place_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=200%2C150&amp;ssl=1 200w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Thin-Place_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1500&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Thin-Place_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C585&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Thin-Place_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C530&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Thin-Place_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Thin-Place_-by-Mark-Phelan-1024x768.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">&#8220;Thin Place&#8221; by Mark Phelan. Credit: Don Wilkinson / The New Bedford Light</figcaption></figure></figure><p>There are 17 paintings in the current exhibition. Some, at first glance or upon reading the title, suggest religious themes. “Jacob’s Ladder” clearly references the Genesis story of the promise of Heaven, but Phelan’s version is quite different.</p><p>There is a chartreuse tree before a fiery sky of red and orange. Two-by-four rungs have been nailed to the trunk. After all, without tagalong little brothers and nosy girls, and a stockpile of Coke, Twinkies and comic books, what could be more heavenly than a treehouse fort to a couple of 11-year old boys?</p><p>“Thin Place” and “Liquid Sunshine,” both painted in a primarily Day-Glo palette, feature figures out in nature, in either a canoe or on foot. In both, something appears to hover in the sky a short distance away. A funnel-like shape opens below. Is it the Rapture? An alien abduction? When I questioned Phelan, he assured me it was neither but rather a sudden and isolated downpour in the distance, witnessed by him and his friends when they were boys.</p><figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="780" height="585" data-attachment-id="157469" data-permalink="https://newbedfordlight.org/_the-struggle_-by-mark-phelan/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/The-Struggle_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.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="_The Struggle_ by Mark Phelan" data-image-description="&lt;p&gt;With Chasing the Muse Phelen&lt;/p&gt;
  312. " data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;&#8220;The Struggle&#8221; by Mark Phelan. Credit: Don Wilkinson / The New Bedford Light&lt;/p&gt;
  313. " data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/The-Struggle_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?fit=300%2C225&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/The-Struggle_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?fit=780%2C585&amp;ssl=1" onerror="if (typeof newspackHandleImageError === 'function') newspackHandleImageError(this);" src="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/The-Struggle_-by-Mark-Phelan.jpg?resize=780%2C585&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-157469" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/The-Struggle_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C768&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/The-Struggle_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=300%2C225&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/The-Struggle_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C576&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/The-Struggle_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1152&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/The-Struggle_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1536&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/The-Struggle_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C900&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/The-Struggle_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=800%2C600&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/The-Struggle_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=600%2C450&amp;ssl=1 600w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/The-Struggle_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C300&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/The-Struggle_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=200%2C150&amp;ssl=1 200w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/The-Struggle_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1500&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/The-Struggle_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C585&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/The-Struggle_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C530&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/The-Struggle_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/The-Struggle_-by-Mark-Phelan-1024x768.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">&#8220;The Struggle&#8221; by Mark Phelan. Credit: Don Wilkinson / The New Bedford Light</figcaption></figure><p>“The Struggle” features a tug of war between two men. The rope does not align properly at all. And both of the men are surely Phelan, down to the brown jacket and bright red sneakers. The philosopher king must continually challenge himself. Or perhaps the struggle is between his past and his present, with future-self in hiding and waiting to prove them both the weaker when the time is right? </p><p>In “Come Hither,” there is the merest suggestion of a phallus, the thought magnified by the title. Below there is an abstracted form which may or may not be a female figure in recline. Once again, the poet within the painter is revealed with the the delicate application of these painted words: “remember the weight of the world / it’s the sound we used to buy on cassette and 45”</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="157464" data-permalink="https://newbedfordlight.org/_come-hither_-by-mark-phelan/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Come-Hither_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.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="_Come Hither_ by Mark Phelan" data-image-description="&lt;p&gt;With Chasing the Muse Phelen&lt;/p&gt;
  314. " data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;&#8220;Come Hither&#8221; by Mark Phelan. Credit: Don Wilkinson / The New Bedford Light&lt;/p&gt;
  315. " data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Come-Hither_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?fit=300%2C225&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Come-Hither_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?fit=780%2C585&amp;ssl=1" onerror="if (typeof newspackHandleImageError === 'function') newspackHandleImageError(this);" src="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Come-Hither_-by-Mark-Phelan.jpg?resize=780%2C585&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-157464" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Come-Hither_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C768&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Come-Hither_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=300%2C225&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Come-Hither_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C576&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Come-Hither_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1152&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Come-Hither_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1536&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Come-Hither_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C900&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Come-Hither_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=800%2C600&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Come-Hither_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=600%2C450&amp;ssl=1 600w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Come-Hither_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C300&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Come-Hither_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=200%2C150&amp;ssl=1 200w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Come-Hither_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1500&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Come-Hither_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C585&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Come-Hither_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C530&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Come-Hither_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Come-Hither_-by-Mark-Phelan-1024x768.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">&#8220;Come Hither&#8221; by Mark Phelan. Credit: Don Wilkinson / The New Bedford Light</figcaption></figure></div><p>It continues “i summon you to appear, my love.”&nbsp;</p><p>“goodnightiloveyouillseeyouinthemorning” is an astonishing painting that initially troubled me.&nbsp;</p><p>Phelan’s wife Becky appears multiple times on the expansive canvas. She is coming down a flight of mobile stairs, her brilliant magenta ponytail tied up. And over there she is ghostly, translucent. Or here she is reduced to a line drawing. There is a house too far in the distance. There is an empty white chair, maybe where she used to sit. There are vases and glass jars that have become mystical vessels.</p><p>And there is text: “when you say it’s gonna happen now what exactly do you mean? when? what does now mean?” And “thoughts not intact.”</p><figure data-carousel-extra='{"blog_id":1,"permalink":"https:\/\/newbedfordlight.org\/artist-mark-phelan-looks-beyond-the-literal-in-latest-exhibition-at-co-creative\/"}'  class="wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-3 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex"><figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="768" height="1024" data-attachment-id="157468" data-permalink="https://newbedfordlight.org/_the-hermeneutics-of-personal-mythology_-by-mark-phelan/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/The-Hermeneutics-of-Personal-Mythology_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?fit=1920%2C2560&amp;ssl=1" data-orig-size="1920,2560" 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="_The Hermeneutics of Personal Mythology_ by Mark Phelan" data-image-description="&lt;p&gt;With Chasing the Muse Phelen&lt;/p&gt;
  316. " data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;&#8220;The Hermeneutics of Personal Mythology&#8221; by Mark Phelan. Credit: Don Wilkinson / The New Bedford Light&lt;/p&gt;
  317. " data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/The-Hermeneutics-of-Personal-Mythology_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?fit=225%2C300&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/The-Hermeneutics-of-Personal-Mythology_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?fit=768%2C1024&amp;ssl=1" onerror="if (typeof newspackHandleImageError === 'function') newspackHandleImageError(this);" data-id="157468" src="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/The-Hermeneutics-of-Personal-Mythology_-by-Mark-Phelan.jpg?resize=768%2C1024&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-157468" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/The-Hermeneutics-of-Personal-Mythology_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/The-Hermeneutics-of-Personal-Mythology_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=225%2C300&amp;ssl=1 225w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/The-Hermeneutics-of-Personal-Mythology_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=1152%2C1536&amp;ssl=1 1152w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/The-Hermeneutics-of-Personal-Mythology_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C2048&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/The-Hermeneutics-of-Personal-Mythology_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=900%2C1200&amp;ssl=1 900w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/The-Hermeneutics-of-Personal-Mythology_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=600%2C800&amp;ssl=1 600w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/The-Hermeneutics-of-Personal-Mythology_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=450%2C600&amp;ssl=1 450w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/The-Hermeneutics-of-Personal-Mythology_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=300%2C400&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/The-Hermeneutics-of-Personal-Mythology_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=150%2C200&amp;ssl=1 150w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/The-Hermeneutics-of-Personal-Mythology_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C1600&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/The-Hermeneutics-of-Personal-Mythology_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C2667&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/The-Hermeneutics-of-Personal-Mythology_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C1040&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/The-Hermeneutics-of-Personal-Mythology_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=800%2C1067&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/The-Hermeneutics-of-Personal-Mythology_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C533&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/The-Hermeneutics-of-Personal-Mythology_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C941&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/The-Hermeneutics-of-Personal-Mythology_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?w=1920&amp;ssl=1 1920w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/The-Hermeneutics-of-Personal-Mythology_-by-Mark-Phelan-768x1024.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">&#8220;The Hermeneutics of Personal Mythology&#8221; by Mark Phelan. Credit: Don Wilkinson / The New Bedford Light</figcaption></figure>
  318.  
  319. <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="768" height="1024" data-attachment-id="157465" data-permalink="https://newbedfordlight.org/_fever-dream_-by-mark-phelan/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Fever-Dream_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?fit=1920%2C2560&amp;ssl=1" data-orig-size="1920,2560" 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="_Fever Dream_ by Mark Phelan" data-image-description="&lt;p&gt;With Chasing the Muse Phelen&lt;/p&gt;
  320. " data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;&#8220;Fever Dream&#8221; by Mark Phelan. Credit: Don Wilkinson / The New Bedford Light&lt;/p&gt;
  321. " data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Fever-Dream_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?fit=225%2C300&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Fever-Dream_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?fit=768%2C1024&amp;ssl=1" onerror="if (typeof newspackHandleImageError === 'function') newspackHandleImageError(this);" data-id="157465" src="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Fever-Dream_-by-Mark-Phelan.jpg?resize=768%2C1024&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-157465" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Fever-Dream_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Fever-Dream_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=225%2C300&amp;ssl=1 225w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Fever-Dream_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=1152%2C1536&amp;ssl=1 1152w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Fever-Dream_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C2048&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Fever-Dream_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=900%2C1200&amp;ssl=1 900w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Fever-Dream_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=600%2C800&amp;ssl=1 600w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Fever-Dream_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=450%2C600&amp;ssl=1 450w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Fever-Dream_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=300%2C400&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Fever-Dream_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=150%2C200&amp;ssl=1 150w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Fever-Dream_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C1600&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Fever-Dream_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C2667&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Fever-Dream_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C1040&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Fever-Dream_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=800%2C1067&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Fever-Dream_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C533&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Fever-Dream_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C941&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Fever-Dream_-by-Mark-Phelan-scaled.jpg?w=1920&amp;ssl=1 1920w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Fever-Dream_-by-Mark-Phelan-768x1024.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">&#8220;Fever Dream&#8221; by Mark Phelan. Credit: Don Wilkinson / The New Bedford Light</figcaption></figure></figure><p>For a moment, I feared it was a painting of a marriage that had unraveled. A marriage of two people I quite like. Phelan set me straight. The title of the painting referred to a time when his wife had to leave each night to tend an ailing relative and would come back every morning.&nbsp;</p><p>And Becky would say “goodnightiloveyouillseeyouinthemorning” No spaces, no punctuation, no worries. It’s rather beautiful.&nbsp;</p><p>The show will be up at the Co-Creative Center, 137 Union St. until May 31.</p><h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>New Bedford Creative awards 31 grants</strong></h3><figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="780" height="517" data-attachment-id="157472" data-permalink="https://newbedfordlight.org/presenters-and-recipients-of-the-2025vnew-bedford-creative-grants-photo-by-josh-souza-for-new-bedford-creative/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Presenters-and-recipients-of-the-2025vNew-Bedford-Creative-Grants-photo-by-Josh-Souza-for-New-Bedford-Creative.png?fit=2072%2C1374&amp;ssl=1" data-orig-size="2072,1374" 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="Presenters and recipients of the 2025vNew Bedford Creative Grants (photo by Josh Souza for New Bedford Creative)" data-image-description="&lt;p&gt;With Chasing the Muse Phelen&lt;/p&gt;
  322. " data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;Presenters and recipients of the 2025 New Bedford Creative Grants. Credit: Courtesy of Josh Souza for New Bedford Creative&lt;/p&gt;
  323. " data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Presenters-and-recipients-of-the-2025vNew-Bedford-Creative-Grants-photo-by-Josh-Souza-for-New-Bedford-Creative.png?fit=300%2C199&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Presenters-and-recipients-of-the-2025vNew-Bedford-Creative-Grants-photo-by-Josh-Souza-for-New-Bedford-Creative.png?fit=780%2C517&amp;ssl=1" onerror="if (typeof newspackHandleImageError === 'function') newspackHandleImageError(this);" src="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Presenters-and-recipients-of-the-2025vNew-Bedford-Creative-Grants-photo-by-Josh-Souza-for-New-Bedford-Creative.png?resize=780%2C517&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-157472" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Presenters-and-recipients-of-the-2025vNew-Bedford-Creative-Grants-photo-by-Josh-Souza-for-New-Bedford-Creative.png?resize=1024%2C679&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Presenters-and-recipients-of-the-2025vNew-Bedford-Creative-Grants-photo-by-Josh-Souza-for-New-Bedford-Creative.png?resize=300%2C199&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Presenters-and-recipients-of-the-2025vNew-Bedford-Creative-Grants-photo-by-Josh-Souza-for-New-Bedford-Creative.png?resize=768%2C509&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Presenters-and-recipients-of-the-2025vNew-Bedford-Creative-Grants-photo-by-Josh-Souza-for-New-Bedford-Creative.png?resize=1536%2C1019&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Presenters-and-recipients-of-the-2025vNew-Bedford-Creative-Grants-photo-by-Josh-Souza-for-New-Bedford-Creative.png?resize=2048%2C1358&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Presenters-and-recipients-of-the-2025vNew-Bedford-Creative-Grants-photo-by-Josh-Souza-for-New-Bedford-Creative.png?resize=1200%2C796&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Presenters-and-recipients-of-the-2025vNew-Bedford-Creative-Grants-photo-by-Josh-Souza-for-New-Bedford-Creative.png?resize=2000%2C1326&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Presenters-and-recipients-of-the-2025vNew-Bedford-Creative-Grants-photo-by-Josh-Souza-for-New-Bedford-Creative.png?resize=780%2C517&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Presenters-and-recipients-of-the-2025vNew-Bedford-Creative-Grants-photo-by-Josh-Souza-for-New-Bedford-Creative.png?resize=800%2C531&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Presenters-and-recipients-of-the-2025vNew-Bedford-Creative-Grants-photo-by-Josh-Souza-for-New-Bedford-Creative.png?resize=400%2C265&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Presenters-and-recipients-of-the-2025vNew-Bedford-Creative-Grants-photo-by-Josh-Souza-for-New-Bedford-Creative.png?resize=706%2C468&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Presenters-and-recipients-of-the-2025vNew-Bedford-Creative-Grants-photo-by-Josh-Souza-for-New-Bedford-Creative-1024x679.png?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Presenters and recipients of the 2025 New Bedford Creative Grants. Credit: Courtesy of Josh Souza for New Bedford Creative</figcaption></figure><p>On the morning of Thursday, April 3, there was a tremendous downpour just as a press conference was about to be given in the downtown New Bedford Free Public Library. Needless to say, the rain shied no one away and the Event Room was packed in anticipation of New Bedford Creative’s public announcement of which projects would be receiving grants.</p><p>A total of 31 grants (including nine for individual artists) were awarded funding through the Art is Everywhere! and Wicked Cool Places programs. After an introduction by Tony Sapienza, president of the New Bedford Economic Development Council, and brief and supportive remarks by Mayor Jon Mitchell and City Council President Shane Burgo, the recipients were enthusiastically and proudly announced.</p><p>Wicked Cool Places grants, which support projects that enliven public spaces, celebrate cultural diversity and strengthen neighborhood connections were awarded to 22 applicants.</p><p>Nine of the 31 grants were administered through Art is Everywhere!, which works to integrate the arts in “everyday spaces” to foster neighborhood vitality and enhance equity, celebrate diversity and promote open access to the arts</p><p>You’ll find the <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/new-bedford-creative-awards-31-grants/">projects listed here</a>.</p><p><em>Don Wilkinson has been writing art reviews, artist profiles and cultural commentary on the South Coast for over a decade. He has been published in local newspapers and regional art magazines. He is a graduate of the Swain School of Design and the CVPA at UMass Dartmouth. Email him at dwilkinson@newbedfordlight.org</em></p><hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide"/><h4 class="wp-block-heading section-header" style="font-style:normal;font-weight:400"><a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/chasing-the-muse/"><mark style="background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)" class="has-inline-color has-primary-color">More Chasing the Muse</mark></a></h4><hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide"/><p>The post <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/artist-mark-phelan-looks-beyond-the-literal-in-latest-exhibition-at-co-creative/">Mark Phelan, a painter with the soul of a poet</a> appeared first on <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org">The New Bedford Light</a>.</p>
  324. ]]></content:encoded>
  326. <wfw:commentRss>https://newbedfordlight.org/artist-mark-phelan-looks-beyond-the-literal-in-latest-exhibition-at-co-creative/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  327. <slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
  330. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">157578</post-id> </item>
  331. <item>
  332. <title>New Bedford man detained by ICE despite longtime legal residency in U.S.</title>
  333. <link>https://newbedfordlight.org/new-bedford-man-detained-by-ice-despite-longtime-legal-residency-in-u-s/</link>
  334. <comments>https://newbedfordlight.org/new-bedford-man-detained-by-ice-despite-longtime-legal-residency-in-u-s/#comments</comments>
  336. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Eleonora Bianchi and Kevin G. Andrade]]></dc:creator>
  337. <pubDate>Sun, 13 Apr 2025 21:18:20 +0000</pubDate>
  338. <category><![CDATA[Immigration]]></category>
  339. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://newbedfordlight.org/?p=157601</guid>
  340.  
  341. <description><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1017" height="594" src="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Screenshot-2025-04-11-150323.jpg?fit=1017%2C594&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/Screenshot-2025-04-11-150323.jpg?w=1017&amp;ssl=1 1017w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Screenshot-2025-04-11-150323.jpg?resize=300%2C175&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Screenshot-2025-04-11-150323.jpg?resize=768%2C449&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Screenshot-2025-04-11-150323.jpg?resize=780%2C456&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Screenshot-2025-04-11-150323.jpg?resize=800%2C467&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Screenshot-2025-04-11-150323.jpg?resize=400%2C234&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Screenshot-2025-04-11-150323.jpg?resize=706%2C412&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Screenshot-2025-04-11-150323.jpg?fit=1017%2C594&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="157595" data-permalink="https://newbedfordlight.org/screenshot-2025-04-11-150323/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Screenshot-2025-04-11-150323.jpg?fit=1017%2C594&amp;ssl=1" data-orig-size="1017,594" 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 2025-04-11 150323" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;Rui Murras, a New Bedford resident in immigration detention in Maine, from a GoFundMe page set up by his sister-in-law.&lt;/p&gt;
  342. " data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Screenshot-2025-04-11-150323.jpg?fit=300%2C175&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Screenshot-2025-04-11-150323.jpg?fit=780%2C456&amp;ssl=1" /></figure>
  343. <p>The case rests on a 2012 drug charge that had been resolved, but for legal permanent residents, even dismissed charges can carry significant consequences. </p>
  344. <p>The post <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/new-bedford-man-detained-by-ice-despite-longtime-legal-residency-in-u-s/">New Bedford man detained by ICE despite longtime legal residency in U.S.</a> appeared first on <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org">The New Bedford Light</a>.</p>
  345. ]]></description>
  346. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1017" height="594" src="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Screenshot-2025-04-11-150323.jpg?fit=1017%2C594&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/Screenshot-2025-04-11-150323.jpg?w=1017&amp;ssl=1 1017w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Screenshot-2025-04-11-150323.jpg?resize=300%2C175&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Screenshot-2025-04-11-150323.jpg?resize=768%2C449&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Screenshot-2025-04-11-150323.jpg?resize=780%2C456&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Screenshot-2025-04-11-150323.jpg?resize=800%2C467&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Screenshot-2025-04-11-150323.jpg?resize=400%2C234&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Screenshot-2025-04-11-150323.jpg?resize=706%2C412&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Screenshot-2025-04-11-150323.jpg?fit=1017%2C594&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="157595" data-permalink="https://newbedfordlight.org/screenshot-2025-04-11-150323/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Screenshot-2025-04-11-150323.jpg?fit=1017%2C594&amp;ssl=1" data-orig-size="1017,594" 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 2025-04-11 150323" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;Rui Murras, a New Bedford resident in immigration detention in Maine, from a GoFundMe page set up by his sister-in-law.&lt;/p&gt;
  347. " data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Screenshot-2025-04-11-150323.jpg?fit=300%2C175&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Screenshot-2025-04-11-150323.jpg?fit=780%2C456&amp;ssl=1" /></figure><p class="has-drop-cap">A 32-year-old New Bedford resident who has lived in the United States since he was 2 years old is in immigration detention in Maine due to a drug charge resolved a decade ago, according to his attorney.</p><p>At the end of March, after returning from a vacation abroad, Rui Murras was detained by U.S. immigration officers at the airport. He is currently being held at the Cumberland County Jail in Portland, Maine, while his family fights to bring him home.</p><p>“He is a legal resident with a valid green card,” Sofia Cabral-Murras, his sister-in-law wrote on a fundraising page created to raise money for legal expenses following his detention. “He traveled out of the country on vacation and was detained by Border Patrol on his return over an old record.”</p><p>Born in Portugal, Murras has lived nearly his entire life in New Bedford. Supporters say he has been working full-time and sharing a home with his longtime partner.</p><p>The record stems from a 2012 case in which Murras was charged with distributing a Class D controlled substance — typically marijuana — and conspiracy to violate drug laws. Authorities dismissed the distribution charge but Murras admitted to sufficient facts on the conspiracy charge. According to court records, Murras received a verbal warning at the time about the possible impacts on his residency status.&nbsp;</p><p>The conspiracy charge was dismissed on recommendation of the probation department nearly 8 months later on July 30, 2013.</p><p>In 2017, Murras was charged with operating under the influence. According to court records the case was dismissed the following year, after Murras completed an alcohol education program—standard procedure for a first-time offense under Section 24D of Chapter 90 of the Massachusetts Code.&nbsp;</p><p>The court imposed no jail time on Murras for the OUI. Roth said his client’s drug charge from over a decade ago is the main issue in his immigration case.</p><p><strong>Green cards don’t guarantee protection</strong></p><p>For legal permanent residents, even dismissed charges can carry significant consequences. Legal permanent residency —&nbsp;often referred to as a green card — grants the right to live and work in the United States indefinitely, but it does not shield individuals from deportation. They can still face removal, particularly in cases involving criminal charges.</p><p>“This case, in particular, isn’t a matter of civil rights violations,” said Stephen Roth, Murras’s attorney. “It is within the bounds of the law.”</p><p>Roth said his client’s situation is not unique. Under current federal enforcement priorities, permanent residents with past criminal records may be detained when returning from travel abroad — even for offenses long considered resolved.</p><p>Murras would not be the first deported under such circumstances in the community. Between the 1980s and the 2010s, thousands of Portuguese in Bristol County were deported after drug-related charges. A delegation of the Azorean Regional Government <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/azorean-officials-prepare-for-wave-of-u-s-deportees/">recently visited New Bedford</a> to speak with local activists about mass deportation scenarios.</p><p>Under President Donald Trump’s second administration, federal authorities have adopted an even more aggressive posture toward permanent residents with any criminal history, regardless of how minor or how long ago the offense occurred.</p><p>“As an immigration attorney, I’ve been advising clients against international travel,” Roth said. “If you’re a permanent resident with no criminal record, it’s usually safe. But lately, even people without convictions are being flagged, sometimes under national security provisions that are rarely used.”</p><p>Recent deportation cases have included two campus activists in New York who participated in pro-Palestinian protests last year.</p><p>The only true safeguard against deportation, immigration experts say, is U.S. citizenship. But that path can be jeopardized — even for longtime residents — when criminal charges enter the picture.</p><p>“Part of the naturalization application requirements is showing that you’ve been a person of good moral character for the five years prior to applying,” said Roth.</p><p>The family has raised over $18,000 so far to assist with legal expenses.</p><p>Murras’s family has declined to speak to reporters. In a statement posted to the GoFundMe page, his sister-in-law reiterated their message: “Rui is not a criminal. He is a good person who does not deserve to be in jail while this gets cleared up.”</p><p><em>Email Eleonora Bianchi at </em><a href="mailto:ebianchi@ewbedfordlight.org"><em>ebianchi@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"><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-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained"><hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide"/>
  348.  
  349. <h3 class="wp-block-heading section-header" id="related-stories" style="font-style:normal;font-weight:400"><a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/eleonorabianchi/"><mark style="background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)" class="has-inline-color has-primary-color">More stories by Eleonora Bianchi</mark></a></h3>
  350.  
  351.  
  352.  
  353. <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide"/></div></div></div></div></div></div><p>The post <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/new-bedford-man-detained-by-ice-despite-longtime-legal-residency-in-u-s/">New Bedford man detained by ICE despite longtime legal residency in U.S.</a> appeared first on <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org">The New Bedford Light</a>.</p>
  354. ]]></content:encoded>
  356. <wfw:commentRss>https://newbedfordlight.org/new-bedford-man-detained-by-ice-despite-longtime-legal-residency-in-u-s/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  357. <slash:comments>11</slash:comments>
  360. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">157601</post-id> </item>
  361. <item>
  362. <title>Major drug trafficking case tossed due to New Bedford police detective’s misconduct with informant</title>
  363. <link>https://newbedfordlight.org/drug-trafficking-case-tossed-due-to-new-bedford-detectives-misconduct-with-informant/</link>
  364. <comments>https://newbedfordlight.org/drug-trafficking-case-tossed-due-to-new-bedford-detectives-misconduct-with-informant/#comments</comments>
  366. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Anastasia E. Lennon]]></dc:creator>
  367. <pubDate>Fri, 11 Apr 2025 17:46:47 +0000</pubDate>
  368. <category><![CDATA[Police and Courts]]></category>
  369. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://newbedfordlight.org/?p=157575</guid>
  370.  
  371. <description><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="576" src="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Bristol-County-Superior-Court-edited.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/2024/08/Bristol-County-Superior-Court-edited.jpg?w=1056&amp;ssl=1 1056w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Bristol-County-Superior-Court-edited.jpg?resize=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Bristol-County-Superior-Court-edited.jpg?resize=1024%2C576&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Bristol-County-Superior-Court-edited.jpg?resize=768%2C432&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Bristol-County-Superior-Court-edited.jpg?resize=400%2C225&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Bristol-County-Superior-Court-edited.jpg?resize=706%2C397&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Bristol-County-Superior-Court-edited.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="135624" data-permalink="https://newbedfordlight.org/bristol-county-superior-court-2/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Bristol-County-Superior-Court-edited.jpg?fit=1056%2C594&amp;ssl=1" data-orig-size="1056,594" 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="Bristol County Superior Court" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;Bristol County Superior Court. Credit: Mass.gov&lt;/p&gt;
  372. " data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Bristol-County-Superior-Court-edited.jpg?fit=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Bristol-County-Superior-Court-edited.jpg?fit=780%2C439&amp;ssl=1" /></figure>
  373. <p>The prosecutor tells the court that the sexual relationship between New Bedford detective Jared Lucas and his confidential informant “taints the entire investigation."</p>
  374. <p>The post <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/drug-trafficking-case-tossed-due-to-new-bedford-detectives-misconduct-with-informant/">Major drug trafficking case tossed due to New Bedford police detective’s misconduct with informant</a> appeared first on <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org">The New Bedford Light</a>.</p>
  375. ]]></description>
  376. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="576" src="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Bristol-County-Superior-Court-edited.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/2024/08/Bristol-County-Superior-Court-edited.jpg?w=1056&amp;ssl=1 1056w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Bristol-County-Superior-Court-edited.jpg?resize=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Bristol-County-Superior-Court-edited.jpg?resize=1024%2C576&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Bristol-County-Superior-Court-edited.jpg?resize=768%2C432&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Bristol-County-Superior-Court-edited.jpg?resize=400%2C225&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Bristol-County-Superior-Court-edited.jpg?resize=706%2C397&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Bristol-County-Superior-Court-edited.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="135624" data-permalink="https://newbedfordlight.org/bristol-county-superior-court-2/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Bristol-County-Superior-Court-edited.jpg?fit=1056%2C594&amp;ssl=1" data-orig-size="1056,594" 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="Bristol County Superior Court" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;Bristol County Superior Court. Credit: Mass.gov&lt;/p&gt;
  377. " data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Bristol-County-Superior-Court-edited.jpg?fit=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Bristol-County-Superior-Court-edited.jpg?fit=780%2C439&amp;ssl=1" /></figure><p class="has-drop-cap">FALL RIVER — A major New Bedford drug trafficking case has been dismissed after state prosecutors determined the investigation was tainted by a sexual relationship between a now-retired city police officer and a woman he used as an informant.</p><p>The defense had presented evidence of misconduct by New Bedford detective Jared Lucas with Carly Medeiros, who was also in a relationship with the defendant, Steven Ortiz, court records state.</p><p>Ortiz was <a href="https://www.southcoasttoday.com/story/news/crime/2017/06/28/21-arrested-in-long-term/20412790007/">charged with trafficking heroin</a> and conspiracy to violate drug laws in 2017. His attorney, Rosemary Scapicchio, filed a motion to dismiss his charges last year due to “egregious misconduct,” citing Medeiros’ role in the police investigation and her relationship with Lucas.</p><p>The Bristol County District Attorney’s office on Friday agreed to dismiss the case with prejudice, meaning the case is permanently closed and the commonwealth cannot retry it.&nbsp;</p><p>“It is my determination that I cannot in good faith go forward and suggest the government could cut out Carly Medeiros’ involvement and Jared Lucas’ involvement, and that the case would stand on its own merits,” said Assistant District Attorney Patrick Driscoll in Superior Court Friday morning. “It taints the entire investigation.”</p><p>The case involved charges against three other co-defendants, which are now all dismissed.&nbsp;</p><p>The Boston Globe first <a href="https://www.bostonglobe.com/2024/07/05/metro/new-bedford-police-misconduct-in-drug-case/">reported</a> on<a href="https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/06/23/metro/new-bedford-detective-love-triangle/"> Lucas’</a> misconduct, and described a “tawdry love triangle” between Lucas as detective, Medeiros as informant, and Ortiz as alleged drug dealer.</p><p>Last August, the first witness, <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/first-witness-testifies-in-hearing-involving-new-bedford-cops-misconduct-with-informant/">a state police sergeant, testified</a>. Driscoll said he reviewed this testimony, and that it informed his decision that the case cannot move forward.&nbsp;</p><p>“I don’t know what took them eight months to see it,” Scapicchio told The Light. “At a minimum, the DA should be pulling every single case that Jared Lucas was involved in and looking at it to make sure the defendant hasn’t been charged or convicted.”</p><p>Last June, Superior Court Judge Renee Dupuis<a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/judge-orders-bristol-da-to-reveal-all-new-bedford-cases-involving-confidential-informant/"> dismissed the 2019 drug case</a> of Miguel Martinez after allowing a motion to suppress the evidence obtained by New Bedford police through a search warrant, in which Lucas and Medeiros were also involved. She ruled that Lucas’ “gross misconduct” with his informant had tainted the search warrant.&nbsp;</p><p>She ordered the Bristol County DA’s office to hand over all criminal cases it prosecuted that relied on information provided by Medeiros. Then, the DA’s office told The Light that a “very short list was filed with the court, but the judge sealed it.”</p><p>Other witnesses, including several active New Bedford police officers, were called to testify during hearings for the Ortiz case, but the proceedings were repeatedly rescheduled. Now, they will not be called as the case has been dismissed.&nbsp;</p><p>“I subpoenaed eight officers to prove a pattern of misconduct by the police department using a drug-addicted woman for their disposal,” Scapicchio said in court. She told the judge a current New Bedford narcotics detective perjured himself regarding Medeiros, and that she was prepared to prove it had the case not been dismissed.&nbsp;</p><p>Scapicchio also said she identified two other women that New Bedford police officers had sex with in exchange for avoiding criminal charges, she told The Light.</p><p>“What I think is the problem in this police department is that they’re engaging in sexual contact with drug-addicted women and using whatever these women tell them as some evidence to further their investigations,” she said, adding that it’s a problematic pattern that the state should be looking into.&nbsp;</p><p>Dupuis allowed the motion to dismiss, and agreed it was the appropriate decision.&nbsp;</p><p>The Ortiz dismissal comes on the heels of a <a href="https://apps.bostonglobe.com/metro/investigations/spotlight/2025/03/snitch-city/?p1=Article_Inline_Related_Link">multi-part series</a> by the Globe, “Snitch City,” which investigated the way New Bedford detectives — both former and current — abused the confidential informant system. The series traced this to when Chief Paul Oliveira worked as a detective in narcotics decades ago.</p><p>The department’s narcotics and internal affairs unit (which investigates police misconduct) is <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/city-names-experts-to-investigate-police-narcotics-and-internal-affairs-units/">currently being reviewed</a> by 21CP, a consulting firm.</p><p>Oliveira in an email statement said “it’s unfortunate” that Lucas&#8217; “gross misconduct compromised this case.”&nbsp;</p><p>“I am incredibly disappointed in Lucas’s behavior, and I sympathize with all of the other law enforcement officers involved with this investigation whose hard work was negatively impacted by it,” he said.&nbsp;</p><p>In response to a question about the allegation that an active detective perjured himself as it relates to the informant misconduct, and whether it is a terminable offense, Oliveira said the evidence should be provided to the department’s internal affairs unit or brought to the attention of the district attorney. (Scapicchio made the DA’s office aware of it through her remarks in court on Friday.)</p><p>“The District Attorney’s decision to dismiss the case was appropriate,” said Mayor Jon Mitchell in an email. “The conduct of the former officer in question was outrageous, and it tainted the case beyond redemption.”</p><p>The Bristol County District Attorney’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment or questions, including whether the office is looking into Scapicchio’s claim that a New Bedford narcotics detective perjured himself.&nbsp;</p><p>Under law, prosecutors are required to disclose documented problems with officer credibility to defendants (commonly known as a Brady disclosure).&nbsp;</p><p>Ortiz declined comment, but he and his co-defendants were smiling as they boarded the elevator to leave the courthouse.&nbsp;</p><p><em>Email Anastasia E. Lennon at </em><a href="mailto:alennon@newbedfordlight.org"><em>alennon@newbedfordlight.org</em></a><em>.</em></p><p><em>Editor&#8217;s note: This story was modified on April 11, 2025, to add comment from Police Chief Paul Oliveira and Mayor Jon Mitchell.</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"/>
  378.  
  379. <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>
  380.  
  381. </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/drug-trafficking-case-tossed-due-to-new-bedford-detectives-misconduct-with-informant/">Major drug trafficking case tossed due to New Bedford police detective’s misconduct with informant</a> appeared first on <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org">The New Bedford Light</a>.</p>
  382. ]]></content:encoded>
  384. <wfw:commentRss>https://newbedfordlight.org/drug-trafficking-case-tossed-due-to-new-bedford-detectives-misconduct-with-informant/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  385. <slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
  388. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">157575</post-id> </item>
  389. <item>
  390. <title>New Bedford Creative awards 31 grants</title>
  391. <link>https://newbedfordlight.org/new-bedford-creative-awards-31-grants/</link>
  392. <comments>https://newbedfordlight.org/new-bedford-creative-awards-31-grants/#comments</comments>
  394. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Don Wilkinson]]></dc:creator>
  395. <pubDate>Fri, 11 Apr 2025 17:31:24 +0000</pubDate>
  396. <category><![CDATA[Chasing the Muse]]></category>
  397. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://newbedfordlight.org/?p=157570</guid>
  398.  
  399. <description><![CDATA[<p>A total of 31 grants (including nine for individual artists) were awarded funding through the Art is Everywhere! and Wicked Cool Places programs. After an introduction by Tony Sapienza, president [&#8230;]</p>
  400. <p>The post <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/new-bedford-creative-awards-31-grants/">New Bedford Creative awards 31 grants</a> appeared first on <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org">The New Bedford Light</a>.</p>
  401. ]]></description>
  402. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>A total of 31 grants (including nine for individual artists) were awarded funding through the Art is Everywhere! and Wicked Cool Places programs. After an introduction by Tony Sapienza, president of the New Bedford Economic Development Council, and brief and supportive remarks by Mayor Jon Mitchell and City Council President Shane Burgo, the recipients were enthusiastically and proudly announced.</p><h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Wicked Cool Places grants</strong></h3><p>Good Company New Bedford, for “R.E.S.T. / art edition,” to help youth develop restorative yoga practices while improving communication skills, at the School of Yoga, New Bedford. ($2,000)</p><p>Michael McLean,<strong> </strong>for “Stovebolt Concert Series,” free musical performance by local and touring musicians, to create a safe space for LGBTQ+ community, at Interwoven Art Studio. ($2,000)</p><p>Brooke Mullins Doherty,<strong> </strong>for “Violet Billows”, a wire and fabric art installation, at the Lawler Branch Library. ($3,000)</p><p>Dream Out Loud Center, for “New Bedford YOUth Live 3.0,” a video cast program that will engage 12 culturally diverse youth (ages 12 -18) in an 8-week program, focused on storytelling and creative expression, at the Dream Out Loud Center. ($3,000)</p><p>New Bedford Film Festival, for “New Bedford Film Festival,” for a series of films, documentaries, music videos and more on April 11, 12 and 13, at Gallery X, Steeple Playhouse, New Bedford Art Museum and the New Bedford Harbor Hotel. ($3,000)</p><p>New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center, for “Casting a Wider Net Part 2,” to engage approximately 250 local students through field trips and by hosting documentary films, cooking classes and performances, built upon a year-long effort documenting the stories of Cape Verdean, Vietnamese, Cuban, Puerto Rican and Central American fishermen, at New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center, New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park, and New Bedford Voc-Tech High School. ($3,000)</p><p>Andy Anello, for “New Moon Projects: BodyBodyBody and New Moon Roller Disco,” for a series of dance events and roller disco, at the Co-Creative Center and at Buttonwood Park, respectively. ($5,000)</p><p>Candida Rose Baptista, for “Exploring New Bedford’s Cabo Verdean-American Musical Legacy: A KabuMerikanus Sonic Book Presentation &amp; Concert,” for a project aimed at preserving the Cape Verdean community by honoring Cape Verdean social clubs and cultural spaces, at the Underground Railroad Cafe and other locations. ($5,000)</p><p>Jessica Bregoli-Sparling, for the “Flora B. Pierce Nature Trail,” to create five wayfinding sculptures, to construct a new trail marker, and clear the trails, between the New Bedford Regional Airport and the Acushnet Cedar Swamp. ($5,000)</p><p>Downtown New Bedford Inc., for the “dNB Fall Fest &amp; dNB Holiday Stroll 2025,” to enhance its signature events, celebrate the city’s arts and culture, promote small businesses and foster community engagement, in Downtown New Bedford. ($5,000)</p><p>New Bedford Art Museum, for “artMobile in Your Neighborhood,” to bring art supplies and art educators directly to underserved communities using two mobile vans, at parks throughout the city. ($5,000)</p><p>Rotch-Jones Duff House &amp; Garden Museum, for “Shakespeare in New Bedford 2025 — Romeo and Juliet,” for a production of the Bard’s most famous play set in Gilded Age New Bedford, at the Rotch-Jones Duff House &amp; Garden. ($5,000)</p><p>Song Keeper Ltd, for “Oversoul Theatre Collective at the Underground Railroad,” to honor the musical and cultural contributions of Wampanoag, Cape Verdean and Latino artists with a series of monthly programs, at the Underground Railroad Cafe &amp; Gallery. ($5,000)</p><p>Spinner Publications, Inc., for “The New Bedford Blubber Writer’s Workshop,” to support local writers with workshops focused on prose, poetry, memoirs and more, at the Co-Creative Center. ($5,000)</p><p>Gallery X, for “Ship Shape ll,” an exhibition showcasing artwork created from materials salvaged from the Schooner Ernestina-Morrisey, at Gallery X. ($6,000)</p><p>DATMA, for “Being Seen: Celebrating SouthCoast Pride,” for a collaborative public art project creating a monumental three-story textile installation in front of New Bedford City Hall led by by New York-based textile artist Liz Collins, in conjunction with the SouthCoast LBGTQ+ Network, local artists and students, on the William Street side of New Bedford City Hall. ($6,000)</p><p>New Bedford Historical Society, for “Juneteenth: Celebrating Our Cultures and Our Stories,” to continue the enhancement of Abolition Row Park as a community hub by honoring Black American, Cape Verdean, West Indian and Native American histories, at Abolition Row Park. ($6,000)</p><p>AHA! New Bedford, for “AHA! New Bedford — Seaport Sessions,” for a series of live musical events, including jazz, folk, blues and classical performances on AHA! Nights, in downtown New Bedford. ($8,000)</p><p>Chakira Gonsalves, for “Reggae on West Beach,” for the summer monthly weekend series of reggae performances and deejaying, at West Beach Pavillion and Hazelwood Park. ($8,000)</p><p>Queer Arts Council of New Bedford, for “AHA! PRIDE Block Party 2025,” for performances, community dances, drag shows and more, at the Steeple Playhouse and on William Street, between Sixth and Eighth Streets. ($8,000)</p><p>Every Place is a Concept (EPIC) SouthCoast, for “NB Roots &amp; Branches Festival”, for a free two-day summer festival of acoustic music, dance, performance art and more, at multiple locations throughout downtown New Bedford. ($10,000)</p><p>Community Economic Development Center (CEDC), for “Patio de Comida,” for a weekly celebration of immigrant entrepreneurship and community with food, music and family-friendly activities, at Our Lady of Perpetual Health ($10,000)</p><h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Art is Everywhere grantees</strong></h3><p>Coastal Foodshed, for “Learn to Love Local,” a showcase for musicians, artists and chefs at the New Bedford Farmers Market at Buttonwood Park. ($3,000)</p><p>Paula Robinson Deare,<strong> </strong>for “Manifest Voice Intercultural Writing Club,” a 10-week program to foster cultural storytelling and to publish an anthology, at the Low Tide Yacht Club. ($3,000)</p><p>Mary Montiero, for “The Resilience Project,” which addresses societal changes by fostering creative activities and mindfulness, at Gallery X and area community centers. ($3,000)</p><p>Song Keepers Ltd, for “Soul on the Move: Pop-Up Concerts &amp; Dance Parties by Oversoul Theatre Collective”, to host a series of live music events, spoken word performances, dance parties and the like, from a First Nations perspective, at Old Bedford Village, the West End, Buttonwood Park, Downtown New Bedford, Fort Rodman and other locations. ($3,000)</p><p>AHA! New Bedford, for “AHA! Moments,” a series of performances and pop-up events at locations in Downtown New Bedford. ($5,000)</p><p>City of New Bedford Department of Parks, Recreation, &amp; Beaches, for “Arts in the Parks,” for arts and nature-based programming for New Bedford youth, at various parks and community centers throughout the city. ($5,000)</p><p>Our Sisters’ School, for “Art as a Tool for Radical Imagining and Social Change,” to build community and tackle critical social issues utilizing arts such as virtual reality, mixed media and videography to address themes such as body positivity, mental health, bullying, and Puerto Rican pride, at the Our Sisters’ School campus and other locations. ($5,000)</p><p>Zeiterion Performing Arts Center, for “SuperART (Achieving Real Transformation),” to provide a creative, trauma-based program to help New Bedford youth that face significant challenges, including trauma, poverty and social inequities, at the NorthStar Learning Center. ($5,000)</p><p>DATMA, for “Mood-Vironment,” an interactive public art light sculpture, designed by Iranian-born artist and architect Mona Ghandi to merge the visual arts with social engagement and reflection, at the corner of Union Street and Route 18. ($6,000)</p><p>The post <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/new-bedford-creative-awards-31-grants/">New Bedford Creative awards 31 grants</a> appeared first on <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org">The New Bedford Light</a>.</p>
  403. ]]></content:encoded>
  405. <wfw:commentRss>https://newbedfordlight.org/new-bedford-creative-awards-31-grants/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  406. <slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
  409. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">157570</post-id> </item>
  410. <item>
  411. <title>Why are electric and gas bills so high?</title>
  412. <link>https://newbedfordlight.org/why-are-electric-and-gas-bills-so-high/</link>
  413. <comments>https://newbedfordlight.org/why-are-electric-and-gas-bills-so-high/#comments</comments>
  415. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Abigail Pritchard]]></dc:creator>
  416. <pubDate>Thu, 10 Apr 2025 20:34:06 +0000</pubDate>
  417. <category><![CDATA[Statehouse]]></category>
  418. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://newbedfordlight.org/?p=157447</guid>
  419.  
  420. <description><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="496" src="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/utility-bills3.jpg?fit=1024%2C496&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/utility-bills3.jpg?w=2000&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/utility-bills3.jpg?resize=300%2C145&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/utility-bills3.jpg?resize=1024%2C496&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/utility-bills3.jpg?resize=768%2C372&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/utility-bills3.jpg?resize=1536%2C744&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/utility-bills3.jpg?resize=1200%2C581&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/utility-bills3.jpg?resize=780%2C378&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/utility-bills3.jpg?resize=800%2C388&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/utility-bills3.jpg?resize=400%2C194&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/utility-bills3.jpg?resize=706%2C342&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/utility-bills3.jpg?fit=1024%2C496&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="157460" data-permalink="https://newbedfordlight.org/utility-bills3/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/utility-bills3.jpg?fit=2000%2C969&amp;ssl=1" data-orig-size="2000,969" 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;1744292568&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="utility bills3" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;Actual gas bills from Eversource, with customer name and account number blurred for privacy. Credit: Photo illustration / The New Bedford Light&lt;/p&gt;
  421. " data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/utility-bills3.jpg?fit=300%2C145&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/utility-bills3.jpg?fit=780%2C378&amp;ssl=1" /></figure>
  422. <p>Heating bills are soaring: Our legislators are working on it, but there’s no quick fix for years of rate increases.</p>
  423. <p>The post <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/why-are-electric-and-gas-bills-so-high/">Why are electric and gas bills so high?</a> appeared first on <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org">The New Bedford Light</a>.</p>
  424. ]]></description>
  425. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="496" src="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/utility-bills3.jpg?fit=1024%2C496&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/utility-bills3.jpg?w=2000&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/utility-bills3.jpg?resize=300%2C145&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/utility-bills3.jpg?resize=1024%2C496&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/utility-bills3.jpg?resize=768%2C372&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/utility-bills3.jpg?resize=1536%2C744&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/utility-bills3.jpg?resize=1200%2C581&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/utility-bills3.jpg?resize=780%2C378&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/utility-bills3.jpg?resize=800%2C388&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/utility-bills3.jpg?resize=400%2C194&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/utility-bills3.jpg?resize=706%2C342&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/utility-bills3.jpg?fit=1024%2C496&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="157460" data-permalink="https://newbedfordlight.org/utility-bills3/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/utility-bills3.jpg?fit=2000%2C969&amp;ssl=1" data-orig-size="2000,969" 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;1744292568&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="utility bills3" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;Actual gas bills from Eversource, with customer name and account number blurred for privacy. Credit: Photo illustration / The New Bedford Light&lt;/p&gt;
  426. " data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/utility-bills3.jpg?fit=300%2C145&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/utility-bills3.jpg?fit=780%2C378&amp;ssl=1" /></figure><p class="has-drop-cap">Shock and anger have spread across Massachusetts as electric and gas bills have soared. The high cost of infrastructure, rising energy prices, and the coldest winter in several years have all led to higher bills for ratepayers. South Coast residents and beyond want to know: what are legislators doing about it?</p><p>Freetown’s Russell Warwick said that since building his home in 2003, his monthly geothermal electric heating bills have never exceeded $600. In January, Warwick&#8217;s bill was over $1,000, and families across the state saw similar increases.&nbsp;</p><p>Late last month, anger boiled over for dozens more New Bedford residents and their local and state representatives. An information session at Pulaski Elementary School was supposed to be an opportunity for Eversource employees to help residents understand the increases on their bills — but after the Eversource representatives said they wouldn’t hold a question-and-answer session after their presentation, residents were left more riled up than before the meeting.</p><p>“I would&#8217;ve cancelled the meeting,” said Ward 1 City Councilor Leo Choquette, the meeting’s host. Eversource didn’t tell Choquette it had cancelled the group Q&amp;A until 25 minutes before the meeting, he said afterward. “Some people here are very upset.”</p><p>New Bedford’s Elijah DeSousa, who started a 30,000-member Facebook group called “Citizens Against Eversource,” gave an impassioned speech to those gathered at Pulaski. He said his group will organize a statewide ballot initiative that could cap ratepayer increases. DeSousa and many others in the audience blamed the green energy incentives in Massachusetts as a major cost-driver.</p><p>Mayor Jon Mitchell and state Representatives Steven Ouellette, Mark Sylvia, and Chris Hendricks said at the meeting that they’ve been suffering from very high energy bills, too. Mitchell, who spoke before the Pulaski meeting, said he asked his wife how many months were reflected in their most recent bill —&nbsp;and was surprised to find that it was just one.&nbsp;</p><p>The state representatives ended up fielding questions from the Pulaski audience. They have since told The Light that their offices have been inundated with phone calls and emails. So why are bills so high?&nbsp;</p><h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Breaking down your energy bill — and which costs are rising</strong></h3><p>A large portion of the price of energy, be it gas or electric, comes from delivery charges — the price of bringing the energy to your home. In New Bedford, it&#8217;s about 65% of your bill. Investor-owned utilities companies have been raising rates over time, with the state Department of Public Utilities approving an annual winter increase going into effect Nov. 1, 2024.</p><figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" onerror="if (typeof newspackHandleImageError === 'function') newspackHandleImageError(this);" src="https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXccmzliJcxmqiY2b9LqtQ4tHAtodM4dQJuO_qqtZxYMczwC4vAnuTn9Fekm6GYvBpK2CsnNSS_wyAVsQT2-8234ZDAIxlyfkh9xy7B5OeLCqk8ioY04pHSc8TUSmbukhB9pCAjJ?key=xsvq4HHjORbHiUkCeeWVHmbC" alt=""/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Credit: Eversource</figcaption></figure><p>Eversource provides natural gas and electricity to customers in New Bedford. Eversource’s customer bills increased up to 30% for natural gas customers. New Bedford is one of Eversource’s NSTAR territories, where delivery rates increased 24%.</p><p>The DPU has more significant oversight on distribution charges than any other line on customers’ gas and electric bills, according to documents from a recent briefing that state energy officials recently gave for state House members and staff.&nbsp; The briefing outlined the DPU’s extensive review process for rate increases. (The DPU declined to comment after repeated requests from The Light.)&nbsp;</p><p>Distribution charges increase based on supply and demand. They’re how Massachusetts residents pay for delivery services, badly needed infrastructure upgrades, green energy incentives, and cost-assistance programs,&nbsp;according to Eversource, which supplies energy for gas and electric heating to residential properties.</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="592" height="838" data-attachment-id="157448" data-permalink="https://newbedfordlight.org/2-6/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/2.jpg?fit=592%2C838&amp;ssl=1" data-orig-size="592,838" 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="2" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;Credit: Eversource&lt;/p&gt;
  427. " data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/2.jpg?fit=212%2C300&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/2.jpg?fit=592%2C838&amp;ssl=1" onerror="if (typeof newspackHandleImageError === 'function') newspackHandleImageError(this);" src="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/2.jpg?resize=592%2C838&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-157448" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/2.jpg?w=592&amp;ssl=1 592w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/2.jpg?resize=212%2C300&amp;ssl=1 212w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/2.jpg?resize=400%2C566&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/newbedfordlight.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/2.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="(max-width: 592px) 100vw, 592px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Credit: Eversource</figcaption></figure></div><p>Still, says William Hinkle, a spokesperson for Eversource, higher usage this winter mostly drove high bills. The delivery charge can vary based on whether the energy is gas or electric, he said, but that rate gets multiplied by the amount of energy you use.</p><p>In January, Hinkle said, electric usage was 19% higher than it was in December, and 39% higher than it was in November. So, in January, when it was colder than it had been in years, the November changes became noticeable.</p><p>Hinkle didn’t say whether Eversource’s profits increased this year, but the utility <a href="https://www.eversource.com/content/residential/about/investors/financial-press-releases">reported</a> that its 2024 earnings increased 29% on gas distribution. Hinkle said that after $442 million in full-year losses in 2023, when Eversource exited the offshore wind industry, it made sense that earnings increased in 2024.&nbsp;</p><p>Eversource said it plans to invest $24.2 billion in gas distribution networks and electric transmission from 2025 to 2029, — an increase of nearly 10% on its previous plan for 2024 to 2028.</p><p>It is also subject to the state’s <a href="https://malegislature.gov/Laws/SessionLaws/Acts/2014/Chapter149">2014 Gas Leaks Act</a>, which requires utility companies to submit plans to the DPU to replace old natural gas infrastructure. A <a href="https://malegislature.gov/Laws/SessionLaws/Acts/2022/Chapter179">2022 act</a> requires gas distribution companies to consider using advanced leak repair technology and renewable thermal energy infrastructure.</p><h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Eversource’s critics</strong></h3><p>New Bedford’s Democratic Rep. Christopher Hendricks called pipeline replacements essential, but lamented that the cost allows utility companies to raise their rates so much. He said there needs to be a long-term solution to take the burden off customers.</p><p>Jess Nahigian, deputy director of Sierra Club Massachusetts, said that the delivery charge has a much bigger impact on your bill than the rising cost of energy. She blamed rate increases on “unnecessary spending” on new gas pipelines and unwarranted high profit margins. She pointed out that Eversource CEO Joe Nolan’s overall compensation is <a href="https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/72741/000110465924037863/tm242691-d2_def14a.htm">almost $19 million</a>.</p><p>“[In 2024] they spent over a billion dollars investing in new pipelines,” said Nahigian. “They&#8217;re making that profit off of building those new pipelines. And the way they&#8217;re making that profit is they&#8217;re passing the cost onto us, the customers.”</p><p>A portion of delivery costs — about 15% in the New Bedford area, according to Nahigian — goes towards the MassSave program. That’s an energy efficiency initiative that offers no-cost services to improve a home’s energy efficiency, such as <a href="https://www.masssave.com/en/residential/programs-and-services/home-energy-assessments">home energy assessments</a>.&nbsp;</p><p>Hinkle said that a $5 billion MassSave budget, approved in November, represented about 60% of the increase that people in New Bedford, an NStar Gas Service area, saw on their bills.</p><p>In response to complaints about high bills, the DPU approved a $500 million cut to the MassSave budget. Some say this is not enough, while others say it is just a short-term solution, which will have a negative impact in the future.&nbsp;</p><h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>So what now? Legislators respond</strong></h3><p>In addition to cutting $500 million from MassSave, DPU released an Energy Affordability Agenda, designed to give $220 million in immediate relief, and save $5.8 billion over five years.&nbsp;</p><p>This includes a <a href="https://www.mass.gov/news/healey-driscoll-administration-announces-energy-affordability-agenda-to-deliver-220-million-in-immediate-relief-save-58-billion-over-5-years#:~:text=Electricity%20Bill%20Credit,collected%20to%20support%20clean%20energy.">$50 credit on electricity bills</a> for the month of April for Eversource, National Grid, and Unitil customers — and more savings for people who use heat pumps. The DPU also approved a temporary reduction in gas bills.&nbsp;</p><p>New Bedford’s Rep. Antonio Cabral sent a letter to Attorney General Andrea Campbell in February requesting that she reevaluate whether rate increases have been “appropriate and realistic.”&nbsp;</p><p>All five of New Bedford’s state representatives asked to sign on to the letter — although Westport&#8217;s Rep. Steven Ouellette’s name was inadvertently left off — and Sen. Mark Montigny sent his own letters to Campbell, the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, and the chair of the DPU.</p><p>“There is simply no excuse why a 30% increase was rubber stamped by the DPU, and it must never be allowed,” Montigny wrote in a statement to The New Bedford Light. “The DPU, Attorney General, and administration officials must pursue far more aggressive measures to help ratepayers, many of whom are on fixed-incomes and simply cannot afford the escalating rates. We cannot afford to pay some of the highest energy rates in the nation and therefore must examine all cost drivers, including MassSave, through intensive auditing and cost controls.”&nbsp;</p><p>Cabral expressed a similar concern with transparency, questioning the process for rate increase approval.&nbsp;</p><p>But Rep. Christopher Markey is hopeful for the future of energy in the commonwealth. He just said it might take a while.&nbsp;</p><p>Markey said the end goal is having a new economy in New England, based on generating electricity through offshore wind, coupled with hydro power, a gas pipeline and nuclear energy. But, he said, creating new infrastructure is expensive, so it can’t happen all at once.</p><p>“Having a well balanced portfolio of energy is really important,” Markey said. “Having an economy like offshore wind is something that is going to be much different than we&#8217;ve ever experienced … There&#8217;s going to be reliable renewable energy off the shore of New England, and we don&#8217;t have to get our energy and transport it all the way from Louisiana or Texas, or Mississippi or Alabama. So it&#8217;s a big difference in what we see as an infrastructure improvement for our economy.”</p><p>Gov. Maura Healey has plans to file an energy affordability and independence bill in the coming weeks, but heading into warmer months, electric bills are still a concern. The <a href="https://www.almanac.com/weather/longrange/ma/boston#:~:text=Summer%20will%20be%20warmer%20and,far%20south%20in%20mid%2DJuly.">extended weather forecast</a> for Massachusetts predicts a hotter, drier summer than we’re used to, and electric bills apply to air conditioning as well as heating.&nbsp;</p><h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>MassSave cuts — not the root of the problem</strong></h3><p>Mark Dyen, who used to administer MassSave, is now a volunteer working with Gas Transition Allies and 350 Massachusetts, a climate justice advocacy organization. He said the state program is crucial because it&#8217;s publicly funded and free to users.&nbsp;</p><p>That means the advice customers get on how to make their homes more energy efficient is more objective than if it came from a private company, Dyen said. And it&#8217;s set up to be cost-effective.&nbsp;</p><p>Dyen said cutting MassSave was the easiest thing for the DPU to do because it doesn’t hurt the gas and electric companies. But it&#8217;s not the root of the problem.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>“The governor wanted to show that she was concerned with the high bills. And I think everybody in the government, everybody in the state government who deals with this, was shocked by how much the bills went up,” Dyen said.&nbsp;</p><p>“When the gas company officials were challenged, ‘why are the bills so high?’ They did not say, ‘oh, it&#8217;s because we&#8217;ve been raising the cost of the distribution system … for the past seven years, but nobody noticed because it was pretty warm.’ They said, ‘oh, the MassSave rate increase just went into effect.’”</p><p>Rather than cuts to the MassSave budget, Dyen would like to see more regulatory oversight to control gas company spending on pipeline replacements.</p><p>But Markey of New Bedford said he is concerned about the way MassSave is budgeted. Because the program has a pot of money available for a certain period — the now $4.5 billion covers three years — Markey worries that it encourages spending and unnecessary hiring.&nbsp;</p><p>“I think just a big pile of money going at a quick rate is never really healthy to one, accomplish the goal, and, two, to do it in an efficient way.”</p><p>Dyen said that part of MassSave’s mission is to encourage people to install heat pumps, which run on electricity and energy-efficiently transfer heat cheaply, lessening the need for gas and lowering electric bills in energy-inefficient homes. Hinkle said that as more gas customers take advantage of heat pump incentives, that funding comes from the energy efficiency surcharge in a natural gas bill.&nbsp;</p><p>Hendricks saw it differently.&nbsp;</p><p>“When someone utilizes MassSave, they’re losing customers. That’s their whole business,” he said. So, by replacing pipeline — which Hendricks said is necessary — Eversource can recoup costs in delivery charges.&nbsp;</p><p>Hinkle said he thinks the cuts to MassSave will have a positive impact, but said Eversource is still working closely with administration and elected officials to keep energy affordable as Massachusetts makes an energy transition.</p><p><em>Colin Hogan contributed to this report.&nbsp;</em></p><p>The post <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org/why-are-electric-and-gas-bills-so-high/">Why are electric and gas bills so high?</a> appeared first on <a href="https://newbedfordlight.org">The New Bedford Light</a>.</p>
  428. ]]></content:encoded>
  430. <wfw:commentRss>https://newbedfordlight.org/why-are-electric-and-gas-bills-so-high/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  431. <slash:comments>12</slash:comments>
  434. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">157447</post-id> </item>
  435. </channel>
  436. </rss>

If you would like to create a banner that links to this page (i.e. this validation result), do the following:

  1. Download the "valid RSS" banner.

  2. Upload the image to your own server. (This step is important. Please do not link directly to the image on this server.)

  3. Add this HTML to your page (change the image src attribute if necessary):

If you would like to create a text link instead, here is the URL you can use:

http://www.feedvalidator.org/check.cgi?url=https%3A//newbedfordlight.org/feed/

Home · About · News · Docs · Terms

 
Copyright © 2002-9 Sam Ruby, Mark Pilgrim, Joseph Walton, and Phil Ringnalda