18-05-2025
Top stories: Fall River appoints Kelly Furtado as city's first female police chief
As we kick off a new week, let's take a look back at the week that was.
Top stories this past week included:
School Committee member Kevin Aguiar submitted a letter to the school board at its May 12 meeting, alleging that new Police Chief Kelly Furtado had made comments several years ago, when she was a school resource officer, that Mayor Paul Coogan and former B.M.C. Durfee High School administrators covered up 'sexually inappropriate situations with students.' An investigation conducted by the Fall River Police Department will occur, Coogan said. What we know, as of this writing.
Residents who have been unsatisfied with the MBTA's South Coast Rail service can take their complaints right to the top when MBTA General Manager Phil Eng hosts a meeting in Fall River on May 22.
A Fall River man has been convicted of murder, assault and battery with a firearm and other firearms offenses for the October 2019 homicide of 17-year-old Paul Collazo-Ruiz in New Bedford, which also paralyzed a second victim. What we know, as of this writing.
Hannah Santos, a former Joseph Case High School track star, excelled in her freshman year at Stonehill College, breaking the school high jump record.
The much-anticipated transformation of Fall River's historic carousel and pavilion is almost complete, and it won't be long before the unveiling. Here's when you can take a spin.
Looking for some things to do this weekend? Here are some events happening around the SouthCoast.
The Durfee High School Alumni Association will host its annual meeting and awards program on May 22.
The Fall River Arts and Culture Coalition, in partnership with the Pocasset Tribe of the Wampanoag Nation, presents "Echoes of the Pocasset & the Falling River," a multi-location cultural and recreational project that follows the forgotten route of the Quequechan River. The public unveiling was this weekend. Learn more about the project, here.
Art, music, and more: What to see at the Narrows Center this June.
Greater Fall River Re-Creation's fourth annual Community Block Party has been postponed. Here's when it will be.
Take a wine tour this summer: Top SouthCoast spots to visit.
Pier 52 in Fall River will soon be opening for the 2025 season.
A Swansea store sold a winning $1M Powerball ticket. These were the winning numbers.
Empire Ford will host its seventh annual Mustangs & More Car Show on June 21 at Bristol Community College.
Swansea resident Karen Koutsogiannis's first wedding anniversary after the death of her husband brought her a touching surprise.
Walgreens is closing two stores in Greater Fall River. How to transfer your prescriptions.
The Children's Museum of Greater Fall River, which has operated since 1999, has a new executive director in Ellen Lough, and she's working to make the museum more accessible to every member of the community.
The latest Greater Fall River real estate report, featuring a custom Cape Cod-style home in Freetown that sold for $815,000. The home on County Road was built in 1930, and it boasts a gourmet chef's kitchen with a walk-in pantry, a spacious living room with a stone fireplace, a handsome library, and a luxurious primary suite. Check out this property, as well as other recent top-sellers.
These were the most read stories of the week on
The city's interim Police Chief Kelly Furtado has been appointed as permanent chief with a one-year contract, following a 5-4 vote from city councilors taken at the May 13 City Council meeting.
She is Fall River's first female police chief.
Herald News Reporter Emily Scherny has the story.
First female police chief: Fall River appoints Kelly Furtado, first female police chief in history. What to know.
MBTA commuter rail trains are parked at the Weaver's Cove Layover station in Fall River overnight.
Neighbors of the station say vibrations and noise from the trains happens at night and early morning, disrupting sleep.
The MBTA and Keolis, the private company contracted to run the commuter rail system, have been made aware of the complaints and are scheduling a public meeting May 22 to address them.
Here's what the station's neighbors are saying.
Seeking resolution: Rumbling train noise at Fall River MBTA station is keeping neighbors awake all night
Undocumented Azoreans living in Greater Fall River who overstayed on their tourist visas are now planning to return to the Azores.
Anywhere between 15 and 20 families have already "self-deported."
Helena DaSilva Hughes, president of the nonprofit Immigrants' Assistance Center at 58 Crapo St. in New Bedford, said about 1,000 undocumented families living in Greater Fall River who visited the United States and overstayed their tourist visas — while putting down roots deep enough to run businesses, purchase homes and start families — are now planning to return to Western Portugal and the Azores Islands, where they still have family and community connections.
What we know, as of this writing.
'No way to live': Portuguese families 'living under fear' are leaving US, returning to Azores. Here's why.
A 45-year-old Fall River woman was sentenced May 12 in federal court in Boston for stealing nearly $90,000 of her child's Social Security benefits over the course of six years.
Nancy Taylor was sentenced Monday to 10 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay $86,994 in restitution, according to a release from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Massachusetts.
This is what we know, as of this writing.
Sentencing: Fall River woman sentenced for stealing $87K of her child's Social Security benefits
Ice 'N' Roll, 4263 N. Main St., Fall River, will be taking its photo-worthy ice cream creations to a new location.
The popular Fall River stop will be moving to the Dartmouth Towne Center on State Road, with a projected opening date sometime in mid-summer.
This is what's planned for their next chapter.
Ice cream shop moving: Popular ice cream shop rolling out of Fall River. See what's next for Ice 'N' Roll.
This article originally appeared on The Herald News: Top stories: Fall River appoints Furtado as first female police chief
