Good morning New Bedford! Your connection to what's happening around town is here. Take a sip of coffee and read on. ☀️
In today's newsletter:
Also on today's calendar: Cape Cod Pottery Trail and 9 more events.
Today's riddle: What did one wall say to the other? 🤔 (Answer below!)
1. Photos of the Week by Peter Pereira - September 20, 2026 (southcoasttoday.com) — This week's photo gallery drops you right into New Bedford's streets, parks, and waterfront, from EMS crews helping a fallen worker downtown to quiet moments in Buttonwood Park and along Route 18. You'll also see nearby Dartmouth, Fairhaven, Westport, and Marion, capturing students, workers, and families in mid-September scenes that feel very familiar around the SouthCoast.
2. New Bedford mayor, city council still at odds over Station 9 (wpri.com) — New Bedford leaders are clashing over whether to close Fire Station 9 on Ashley Boulevard as the city wrestles with a $32 million budget deficit. The mayor argues closure and staffing cuts are needed to control long-term costs, while councilors and firefighters warn losing the station that covers six schools, the airport, and thousands of homes could slow emergency response times. A key council meeting is set for Sept. 24.
3. Great New England Hurricane of 1938 and the New Bedford Barrier (wbsm.com) — New Bedford's modern storm planning, including its hurricane barrier, grew directly out of the devastation the 1938 Great New England Hurricane caused along the SouthCoast. This look back explains the storm's impact, the lives lost, and why city and state leaders ultimately built the barrier that still protects New Bedford's inner harbor today.
4. How to Prepare Your Household for Atlantic Hurricane Season (wbsm.com) — With Atlantic hurricane season still underway, this guide walks SouthCoast families through building emergency kits, planning evacuations, and protecting coastal homes, with a nod to how New Bedford prepares for major storms. It also reminds residents to plan for pets, keep devices charged, and take weather alerts seriously so they can act quickly when winds and flooding threaten.
5. New England regulators won't make scallop 'permit-stacking' a priority in 2027 (newbedfordlight.org) — New Bedford scallop boat owners are watching closely as federal regulators decline to prioritize a controversial permit-stacking change for 2027, potentially shifting the decision to NOAA instead. Local captains describe big financial pressures and worry the change could consolidate the fleet and cut shoreside jobs, while others argue stacking would help modernize aging boats and keep businesses afloat.
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Ok New Bedford! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!
-- The Patch AM Team
P.S. The answer to today's riddle: I'll meet you at the corner! (Thank you Gary M. for sending it in!)
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