WSAR NEWS

Police searching for driver in Fall River hit-and-run

FALL RIVER, Mass. (WPRI) — A 72-year-old woman is seriously injured after she was hit by a car in Fall River Sunday night.

 

Police say they responded to the area of 200 Broadway just before 9 p.m. and found the woman on the ground.

 

She was transported to the hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries.

 

More at wpri.com.

'Team of destiny': Westport boys soccer celebrates their Division 5 state championship

WESTPORT — It was a night of joy and happiness for the Westport boys soccer team.

 

The Wildcats celebrated their long awaited 2023 Division 5 state championship on Thursday in front of family, friends, alumni and school administrators before a packed banquet room at White's of Westport.

 

The Westport players received a bag of goodies which included a state champion jacket, a picture of their visit to the state house and a tiny replica of the state championship trophy with their names on it. The state championship rings are delayed but are on the way. The rings will be presented to the team in May.

 

"This means a lot [tonight]," Wildcats senior midfield captain Ben Novo said. "How much work everyone put in during the season."

 

Read more from Steven Sanchez at heraldnews.com.

New Bedford Half Marathon: Thousands of runners hit the streets. Here's who won

NEW BEDFORD — The luck of the Irish? Don't even go there.

 

What Grant O'Connor accomplished on Sunday, St. Patrick's Day, had nothing to do with luck and everything to do with talent, guts and preparation. Running the 13.1-mile race of his life, O'Connor handily won the 45th New Bedford Half-Marathon, in a time of 1:04:43.0, 61 seconds ahead of second place.

 

“I'm going to give today probably a 10 out of 10,” said the 26-year-old resident of West Hartford, Conn.

In the female competition, Anna Oeser, 24, of Brookline, also dominated. Her winning time of 1:13:40 gave her a 1:32 margin of victory. An assistant track and field coach at Boston College, she said and entered the New Bedford Half Marathon to go along with her Battle Road Track Club running team.

 

The race had almost 2,100 entrants and was part of this year's United States Track and Field Grand Prix.

 

Read more at heraldnews.com.

Fall River man charged with murder after fatal stabbing at rooming house: DA's office

FALL RIVER — A 44-year-old man has died after a stabbing at a Fall River rooming house Friday night, and the suspect is now charged with murder.

 

Fall River Police Department spokesperson Sgt. Moses Pereira and the Bristol County District Attorney's Office said in press releases that police and paramedics responded to 234 Tripp St. on Friday, March 15, at about 9:45 p.m., to reports that a man within the residence had been stabbed during an altercation with another resident.

 

Upon arrival, police officers located Joseph Bump, 44, who had suffered multiple stab wounds.

 

Bump was transported to Saint Anne's Hospital for medical attention, where police said he later succumbed to his injuries. The DA's office reported that Bump was pronounced dead prior to 10:30 p.m. on Friday.

 

The alleged suspect, Pedro Fernando Orellano Alvarado, 42, was taken into police custody at the scene.

 

Read more at heraldnews.com.

Swansea gets $1M to begin a long-planned Route 6 sewer project. The town has big plans.

Town officials say Swansea will be more attractive to businesses and housing developments along Route 6 with a sewer system now in the works, thanks to a nearly million-dollar grant from the federal government. 

 

The town has long been planning a $21 million project to bring public sewer service to the Route 6 corridor, with the goal of making the area ready for large-scale retail and housing projects. 

 

U.S. Rep Jake Auchincloss announced last week that he secured $959,752 through the federal Community Project Funding Program to help construct Phase 1 of the project.

 

“I’ve been championing this cause for a while and am excited we are at the point of funding, at least partially, for this critical infrastructure that is so important to our Town’s economic vitality,” said Board of Selectmen Chairman Chris Carreiro in a statement.

 

Read more from Dan Medeiros at heraldnews.com.

2 arrested in connection to shooting death of Fall River teen; arraignment set for today

FALL RIVER — Two Fall River men have been arrested in connection with the shooting death of an 18-year-old Resiliency Preparatory Academy student last Thursday in the city.

 

Xzavien Figueroa-Valcarel, 19, and Giovanni Nunes, 18, are both charged with accessory to murder-after the fact amid the ongoing investigation into the killing of Fall River teen Colus Jamal Mills-Good, according to a statement issued Sunday from the Bristol County District Attorney's office.

 

Both suspects are slated to be arraigned today, March 18, in Fall River District Court.

 

Mills-Good was gunned down in broad daylight Thursday, March 14, in front of the Abbey Grill, near the corner of Rock and Franklin streets. Fall River police responded to reports of shots fired in the area at around 11:41 a.m.

 

Mills-Good was reportedly walking in the direction of RPA when occupants of a vehicle opened fire on him. He was transported to St. Luke's Hospital in New Bedford, where he died of his injuries.

 

Read more at heraldnews.com.

'A big nuisance': Business owners, residents react to Washington Bridge news

EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — For more than three months, people who live and work near the Washington Bridge have been dealing with increased traffic caused by the closure of its westbound side.

 

It’s a reality they’ll have to live with for at least another two years, after Rhode Island officials announced Thursday that the structure must be torn down and replaced. Engineers inspected the bridge and determined that it can’t be saved, having found issues beyond those that prompted the closure in the first place.

 

Officials estimate that traffic won’t be flowing again on that side of the bridge until sometime in 2026.

 

Read more at wpri.com.

18-year-old killed in Fall River shooting identified

FALL RIVER, Mass. (WPRI) — Police are investigating a shooting that claimed the life of an 18-year-old man on Thursday in Fall River.

 

Bristol County District Attorney Thomas Quinn identified the victim as Colus Jamal Mills-Good, adding that the investigation remains “extremely active.”

 

Officers rushed to Rock Street just before noon following reports of gunshots in the neighborhood and found Mills-Good suffering from gunshot wounds.

 

Read more at wpri.com.

How is the new Diman building construction going? Watch this drone video shot by students

FALL RIVER — It may not look too pretty now, but big things are happening at the Diman Regional Vocational Technical High School building site.  

 

The school released a nearly three-minute drone video showcasing progress on the construction of its new building. The video was shot by student drone operators from the school’s Electronics Technology Program and was posted to the school’s Facebook page, facebook.com/dimanbengals. 

 

The footage shows a massive pit where construction vehicles have demolished the school’s track and football and baseball fields, between the existing building and Route 24. 

 

See the video at heraldnews.com.

After some ups and downs, this Case team rallied to defend its state title

SWANSEA — After a mediocre fall season, the Case cheerleaders were determined to get back on top.

 

Last season, the Cardinals captured the state title for the first time in school history. With a young team — consisting of three upperclassmen and 12 underclassmen — head coach Ashley Cabral and sister Lauren Mello decided to change things up for the winter.

 

That's when Case girls took their talents to another level.

 

The Cardinals captured their second consecutive Division 4 state title during a recent cheerleading competition at Worcester State University. The Case squad will return to Worcester to compete at the New England tournament where they will represent Massachusetts in Division 4 this Saturday.

 

Read more from Steven Sanchez at heraldnews.com.

New Bedford-Fairhaven Bridge to become a different type of bridge

NEW BEDFORD, Mass. (WPRI) — The New Bedford-Fairhaven Bridge will be getting a new look in the coming years.

 

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) says it will be turning the structure into a vertical lift span bridge. Once completed, the bridge will rise between two towers to let boats pass though, rather than swing to the side.

 

There will be four lanes of travel over the bridge, according to MassDOT, along with sidewalks and safety barriers to separate them.

 

MassDOT said it selected this type of bridge because the construction will cause minimal disruptions. With this style, the closure will last roughly one and a half years at most, the agency said, while others styles could keep it closed for as long as five years.

 

MassDOT is still in the design phase of the project. Construction is not scheduled to start until 2027.

 

See the full story at wpri.com.

 

 

 

 

Washington Bridge will need to be rebuilt

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — Rhode Island officials will announce Thursday that the westbound Washington Bridge needs to be rebuilt, confirming widespread fears that the structure will be out of service for an extended period of time.

 

Multiple people familiar with the decision told Target 12 on Thursday that they expect Gov. Dan McKee and R.I. Department of Transportation Director Peter Alviti to reveal the decision at a news conference scheduled for 3 p.m.

 

Construction of the new bridge structure could take approximately two years. Early cost estimates for the project are roughly $250 million to $300 million, with officials hoping the federal government will pick up a large share of the tab.

 

Learn more at wpri.com.

1 person shot in Fall River

FALL RIVER, Mass. (WPRI) — Police are investigating a shooting in Fall River.

 

Det. Sgt. Moses Pereira tells 12 News there was a report of gunshots around 11:40 a.m. Thursday in the 100 block of Rock Street.

 

Police arrived to find the victim, who was taken to the hospital for treatment. No word on that person’s condition at this time.

 

Read more at wpri.com.

Fall River Superintendent Maria Pontes retiring after almost four decades in city schools

FALL RIVER — After nearly four decades as an educator and administrator in Fall River Public Schools, Superintendent Maria Pontes is retiring. 

 

“It’s time,” Pontes said Monday evening. “Thirty-eight years — it's time.” 

 

Saying she's "still got a lot of work to do,” Pontes said her retirement will be effective June 30. 

On Monday night, Pontes issued a letter to parents in the FRPS community where she thanked her colleagues in all departments for their support.  

 

“From teachers to support staff, administrators to custodians and everyone in between, each member of our team plays a vital role in the education and development of our students. I am profoundly grateful for their unwavering commitment, resilience, and passion for the work of moving our district forward."

 

Read more from Dan Medeiros at heraldnews.com.

Feds infuse Fall River's effort to revitalize Pleasant Street with over $1.6 million

FALL RIVER — The administration’s initiative to revitalize Pleasant Street in the Flint just received a more than $1.66 million infusion of funding thanks to an appropriation by the Massachusetts federal delegation. 

 

The award that will fund streetscape projects on Pleasant Street, once known as the city’s second downtown back in the day, was announced Friday by the delegation as part of a $175 million in Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) in the first six Fiscal Year 2024 spending bills for projects across the state.

     

“That money is a tremendous opportunity for the city,” said Coogan. “We’ve got a lot of work to do on streetscapes on Pleasant Street and we may have to take some property down. Once we make it look better, we can get some more private investment down there.” 

 

Once the center of neighborhood and commercial activity, the Flint area has struggled in recent years to keep stores and apartments occupied to stem the tide of blight.  

 

Read more from Jo C. Goode at heraldnews.com.

Mayor Coogan says Fall River's recovery 'happening before our very eyes': 6 stats to know

FALL RIVER — Mayor Paul Coogan described a city growing rapidly during his State of the City address on Tuesday afternoon. 

 

“Our recovery from decades of economic trouble is happening before our very eyes,” Coogan told a joint meeting of the City Council and School Committee.

 

The City Council Chambers, filled with members of his administration, department heads and well-wishers, applauded several times during the mayor’s speech, which informally kicks off his third term in office. 

 

“As we go forward, I once again promise that I will continue to work hard, act out of my deep love for this city and commit my administration to integrity and transparency,” Coogan said. 

 

Read more from Dan Medeiros at heraldnews.com.

Power restored to hundreds in Fall River's South End after truck crashes into utility pole

FALL RIVER — A collision between a truck and a utility pole on William S. Canning Boulevard on Monday caused a power outage in the city’s South End that reached into Tiverton. 

 

Around 12:15 p.m., police received a report that a white Ford pickup truck crashed into a pole near the McDonald’s on William S. Canning Boulevard. The impact splintered a utility pole in two, with another pole at the neighboring Audi and Volkswagen dealership split near its peak. 

 

It is not yet clear how the incident occurred, or what the driver's condition is. Fall River Police Sgt. Moses Pereira of the Office of Professional Standards said shortly after 3 p.m. that officers were still clearing the scene and had no further information.

 

Read moe at heraldnews.com.

'Parent voices are important': Over 200 people fill school board meeting to support Tansey

FALL RIVER — The School Committee on Monday night made no decision on a proposal to turn Tansey Elementary School into a pre-kindergarten school — but first, they heard from a crowd of more than 200 angry parents, educators and former students disappointed at having no say in the proposal in the first place. 

 

“I would like to be consulted when you want to uproot my children,” said Tansey parent Matt Medeiros.  

 

“Our School Committee has become dysfunctional and non-responsive to our community’s input,” said Jennifer Santos, another Tansey parent. “School Committee officials appear to be emotionless and non-caring of our students, teachers and parents.” 

 

Read more from Dan Medeiros at heraldnews.com.

Somerset Berkley boys hoops nearly stuns the state, but falls in Final 4 to powerhouse

BOSTON — It was there for the taking.

 

The fourth-seeded Somerset Berkley boys basketball team had two-time defending state champion No. 1 seed Malden Catholic on the ropes twice with 2:34 remaining in Monday's Division 2 Final 4 game.

 

When Lancers forward Benjamin Howard IV missed a pair of free throws, the Raiders had one last opportunity to force overtime or win it with 10.9 second left. But as was the case for much of the evening, SBR did not get the lucky bounce.

 

"When it left my hand, I thought I put too much on it," Raiders senior captain Mason Medeiros said on the final shot as Malden Catholic hung on to beat SBR, 50-48, at UMass-Boston. "It looked like it might go off the glass but I did not put enough on it."

 

Read more from Steven Sanchez at heraldnews.com.

Man killed in New Bedford crash

NEW BEDFORD, Mass. (WPRI) — Massachusetts State Police are investigating after a man was killed in a New Bedford crash Sunday afternoon.

 

State police say a car crashed into a utility pole at the end of the ramp from I-195 East to Washburn Street around 3:30 p.m.

 

The driver was taken to the hospital but died from his injuries.

 

Read more at wpri.com.

Fall River may move elementary students out of Tansey. Here's the plan to shift schools.

 The days may be numbered for Tansey as an elementary school.  

 

A proposal before the School Committee this afternoon will recommend repurposing the school, at 711 Ray St., as a facility solely for children in pre-kindergarten starting in the fall. 

 

Elementary school-age children currently living in Tansey’s neighborhood would be shifted to nearby Spencer Borden Elementary School, one-third of a mile south at 1400 President Ave. It also would mean kids living in other neighborhoods who currently attend one of those schools would be moved elsewhere. 

 

The proposal has sparked outcry from families in Tansey’s neighborhood ahead of tonight's meeting. 

 

Read more at heraldnews.com.

Somerset Berkley goalie stops 50 shots against top seed Nauset in Division 3 Final 4

(Photo of #30 Brandon Silva courtesy of Abby Reiniche)

 

BUZZARD BAY — Brandon Silva said he wasn't suppose to play for the Somerset Berkley ice hockey team in 2023-24.

 

But a week before tryouts for juniors, the Raider netminder found out he was going to return to play out his final season at SBR.

 

Through the regular season and the postseason, Silva was lights out. He helped lead the Raiders to playoff wins over Nashoba, Essex North Shore, West Springfield and a trip to the Final 4 — first time in school history. On Sunday, Silva's dream season came to an abrupt halt.

 

"It was a helluva season," said Silva after No. 1 seed Nauset blanked 12th seed SBR, 6-0, at John Gallo Ice Arena to advance to TD Garden next Sunday.

 

Read more from Steven Sanchez at heraldnews.com.

Three men arrested after altercation at youth basketball game

NORTH PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — Three men are facing charges after a physical altercation occurred at a youth basketball game, according to North Providence Police Chief Alfredo Ruggiero. 

 

The incident occurred Saturday morning at Birchwood Middle School. The players were between the ages of five and seven years old. 

 

When police arrived to the school, they were able to find the three individuals involved in the altercation, Patrick Marchand, John Angell and Gregory Adams. Witnesses said the fight started over a call that was made during the game.

 

The police chief specified that punches were allegedly thrown throughout the altercation.

All three men were arrested but they did not press charges against each other. Police, however, charged them with disorderly conduct.

 

Read more at wpri.com.

Report: Patriots trading QB Mac Jones to Jaguars

A person familiar with negotiations says the Jacksonville Jaguars have agreed to acquire New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones for a sixth-round pick in next month’s NFL draft.

 

The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Sunday because the trade cannot become official until the new league year begins Wednesday and after Jones passes a physical.

 

The move brings Jones home — he was born and raised in Jacksonville — and provides competition behind starter Trevor Lawrence.

 

Read more at wpri.com.

Not to be denied: Next play mentality lifts Somerset Berkley boys basketball to Final 4

Photo courtesy of Abby Reiniche

 

SOMERSET — The stage was set for the Somerset Berkley boys basketball team.

 

A standing-room only crowd packed inside Veteran gymnasium was amped up to witness history against perennial Hockomock League power Mansfield. The Raiders was more than ready to deliver.

 

"A lot of people I heard from said that we were not going to win this game and we were not ready for this," said senior guard Mason Medeiros after the fourth-seeded SBR advanced to the Division 2 Final 4 with a 55-41 victory over the fifth-seeded Hornets. "We came through and made a statement. This feels great."

 

The Raiders (21-2) now have a date with No. 1 seed Malden Catholic next week Monday at 5 p.m. at UMass-Boston. The winner moves on to the state championship game.

 

Read more from Steven Sanchez at heraldnews.com.

 

More photos from Abby Reniche

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