LAKEVILLE — Sixth grade students at Freetown-Lakeville Middle School have completed a series of large-scale collages in honor of retiring librarian Pamela Dellarocco who will conclude her career at the end of this school year after more than 20 years With support from a grant awarded by the Freetown Cultural Council approximately 40 students worked in small groups to create nine original collages that will be displayed in the school library The project was organized and led by art teacher Christy DeWitt George Dellarocco has spent over two decades sharing her passion for reading and inspiring students to do the same,” said DeWitt George Knowing that the longtime librarian has a love for the outdoors insects and birds as the central themes for their artwork Each group of four to six students created “paintings with paper” by tearing upcycled magazines into tiny pieces and gluing them to form colorful The completed collages are now hanging in the school library as a lasting tribute to Dellarocco’s impact on generations of students “My students are very proud of their accomplishment “They worked hard and took the whole process very seriously.” ASSONET — Freetown Summer Sounds is set to return this summer for a series of concerts the free concert series will take place at the Assonet Bandstand from 6 to 8 p.m Attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs, blankets, and appetites for the event. In case of bad weather, concerts will be rescheduled for the following Wednesday. Link to Facebook event post: https://www.facebook.com/share/12HtQ5WzQnK The concert lineup features a variety of musical acts He is known for his soulful country music and has shared the stage with notable country artists a rock ‘n’ roll band that plays '50s and '60s classics will take the stage with a mix of music from the '90s and 2000s known for their fusion of New Orleans funk and Texas blues who are known for their high-energy blues and R&B Food trucks will be available at the event while No Joke Smoke BBQ and Lou’s Bah-Bah-Q will serve barbecue options La Piñata Taqueria will offer Mexican cuisine The food truck schedule aligns with the concert dates ensuring a diverse culinary experience for attendees A 21-year-old was rescued from the water in Freetown Tuesday The fire department said they received reports of a person in Long Pond off Heaven Heights Crews said they saw the man about 400-yards offshore the man was kayaking was not wearing a lifejacket when his kayak overturned LAKEVILLE — Freetown-Lakeville Superintendent Alan Strauss has resigned from his position as superintendent effectively immediately In a statement he read at Wednesday's School Committee meeting Strauss alleged "abusive treatment" and "defamatory statements about my health" from two school committee members — Crystal Ng and Carolina Hernandez Strauss also alleged "abusive treatment" by unnamed "Freetown officials." who have made defamatory statements about my health." Strauss has been superintendent of the Freetown-Lakeville district since July 2022 Strauss said he was diagnosed with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia in 2023 and that he gradually informed district employees and Freetown and Lakeville officials of his diagnosis "Because I am by nature inclined to keep my health status private these increasingly public and broad disclosures were uncomfortable for me but I felt it was important for people to know what was going on because I knew the impact of my treatments might become evident at work," Strauss said as well as other unmanned individuals "in town government," had "made defamatory statements about my health." Strauss alleged that these actions included "demands for proof of my illness requests to review the use of my sick days and questioning the validity of my FMLA leave not losing my hair or wearing a mask) indicated I was not sick and urging the School Committee to seek a second opinion on my health." "These actions and other actions by these individuals have created a toxic environment that has compromised my ability to prioritize my health," Strauss said "The stress imposed by the actions of these individual officials has hindered the effectiveness of my treatments and therapies." OTHER SCHOOL NEWS: Fall River diocese, Freetown-Lakeville schools hit with lawsuits over Taunton child rapist Strauss said that due to his cancer diagnosis, "I have inevitably missed work days and used medical leave." However, Strauss said that he "never neglected my responsibilities to the district" and that he "frequently worked from a treatment chair at Dana Farber Cancer Center." Strauss has entered into a settlement agreement with the school committee Ng and Hernandez did not immediately respond to emailed questions about Strauss' allegations Strauss also left open the possibility that he might sue or seek a settlement from the towns of Freetown and Lakeville "I want to make it clear that I am not releasing claims against the towns or the town officials School Committee member Jennifer Blum read a statement on behalf of the committee at Wednesdays meeting Blum said the committee had met in executive session multiple times and approved an agreement that "settles Mr Strauss's claims against the committee and provides for parting ways on terms that are fair and acceptable to both Mr According to a copy of the settlement agreement which the Gazette obtained through a public records request The district will pay Strauss $82,412.42 as an "agreed-upon lump sum buy out of the employment contract," according to the settlement agreement Strauss will also receive an $62,500 non-wage payment from "the district's insurance provider," which "represents a settlement payment with respect to the claims identified in the demand letter." town officialsThe settlement agreement says that on Nov Strauss informed the district through a legal representative that he intended to bring legal claims and discrimination claims," related to "the actions of two committee members representing the town of Lakeville as well as certain officials of the town of Freetown." The settlement agreement says that while Strauss will release his legal claims against the district and School Committee the settlement agreement "does not apply to claims against individual committee members acting in their personal (not official) capacities." The agreement also says the settlement "does not apply to any claims Mr Strauss may have against the district's member towns or their agents members or representatives" and that "this release does not apply to the Freetown officials identified" in a prior letter sent by Strauss' legal representative Blum said at the Wednesday committee meeting that Strauss' contract and settlement agreement were discussed in executive session at prior meetings Executive session meetings are not open to the public Blum said during the executive sessions regarding Strauss the "votes" taken by the committee "were unanimous among the members who were present." Blum said two unnamed committee members "chose not to participate in the discussion and votes on this matter," despite the committee making "every effort to be inclusive for all members to be present and participate in both discussions and any votes related to this matter." Blum read from the statement that the committee "will be working hard to fill the superintendent position as soon as possible" following Strauss' resignation said in an email to the Gazette that Strauss' resignation was effective immediately Blum said the responsibilities of the superintendent will be shared by three Freetown-Lakeville administrators: Director of Curriculum and Assessment Teri Fleming Director of Finance and Operations John Higgins and Director of Student Services Kelly Steele Strauss said he was "proud of the district's many accomplishments under our leadership and will never forget the many truly wonderful and inspiring students and families I've had the pleasure of working with during my time here." I am choosing to live and fight," Strauss said "I have arrived at this moment and I am choosing my family and my need to work in an environment with officials that allows me to lead with the joy and passion that I have always done throughout my career." Strauss said that he was "proud" of "the District's many accomplishments." the district has seen safety improvements to the physical school buildings expanded course offerings at the high school (WLNE) — Stop and Shop and the Teamsters Local 25 representing Stop and Shop workers are negotiating over workers’ healthcare coverage according to a statement from representatives of both groups Teamsters Local 25 stated that Stop and Shop is asking them to “give up” their health insurance or risk losing their jobs while Stop and Shop has stated that they proposed to “shifting to a more competitive healthcare plan that still maintains a high standard of benefits” in an effort to reduce costs The company (Stop and Shop) is threatening to sub contract all of the distribution work out of Freetown MA and have it shipped in from CT and Maine via Non Union labor Teamsters Local 25 represents 650 workers at Stop and Shop and another 250 Class A CDL drivers who work for Manfi leasing which will also lose their jobs if they leave Teamsters Local 25 also stated that the use of sub contracted workers “will affect every Stop and Shop Store in New England because we will be forced to extend picket line to the stores.” The statement also said that Local 25 has a 100 percent commitment from the UFCW members who work in the chain’s stores and that Stop and Shop has been in the current Union Health fund since 1983 A representative from Stop and Shop stated the following regarding the company’s multi-year strategy to lower prices: An important component of this effort is reducing overall costs including distribution costs at our Freetown our goal is to work with Teamsters Local 25 to reach a productive new agreement We believe a fair labor savings goal can be achieved while also offering associates wage increases increased pension contributions as required by the fund… Part of the this proposal from the company includes a reduction in healthcare benefits to workers “Stop & Shop met with Local 25 to review our proposal and if they are unwilling to work with us to reach a timely agreement that addresses Freetown’s high operational costs we made it clear that Stop & Shop will transition to a third-party distribution partner and close the facility,” said the Stop and Shop statement The Ariston USA facility in East Freetown, a part of the Ariston Group leading to a 48% reduction in the company's full-time U.S The layoffs of 73 employees will begin June 1 and continue through the end of the year, according to a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) as announced on March 27 The company's products include electric instant water heaters, electric storage water heaters and heat pump water heaters, according to the Ariston Group website The Ariston Group is a global leader in sustainable solutions for hot water and space heating The Ariston Group released a statement to The Standard-Times explaining the reasons for the layoffs "While our East Freetown facility has played a critical role in HTP production over the years the plant now requires significant maintenance and is no longer aligned with the technological advancements needed to support its future product roadmap," it reads "In line with our broader vision to strengthen long-term competitiveness we will be relocating part of the current HTP production to another Ariston facility in the region and outsourcing the remaining portion to a global supplier." HTP is part of Ariston USA and produces a wide range of products and system components for space heating and water heating "The North American market remains a key pillar of our strategy and this initiative aims to ultimately strengthen our ability to serve customers in the region while maintaining the highest levels of quality and performance for HTP products." What employees can expectThe statement reads that the decision "We are working closely with our employees and will do whatever we can to support them and their families during this transition This includes providing them with personalized severance packages medical coverage and job placement assistance in the coming months." In the United States, Ariston is a leading manufacturer of premium, high efficiency, and high-quality heating and water heating solutions for residential and commercial applications in North America, according to the SimplyHired website Rescue: Freetown police and Michigan EMS work together across state lines to save a man's life Operating with brands including HTP, Ariston and American Standard Water Heaters Ariston USA is headquartered in Southeastern Massachusetts with local manufacturing as well as sales and distribution locations throughout the United States The SimplyHired site indicates that jobs at the company range from $37,800 to $47,900 a year The Ariston Group is celebrating the 95th anniversary of its foundation this year "We have 95 years of experience in providing sustainable thermal comfort to people worldwide," the company's website reads "Through our renewable and high-efficiency solutions we fulfill our customers' different needs while supporting the energy transition at all stages." Standard-Times staff writer Kathryn Gallerani can be reached at kgallerani@gannett.com Support local journalism by purchasing a digital or print subscription to The Standard-Times today ACMI operator Ascend Airways UK has flown the first non-stop route from the UK to Sierra Leone in 12 years marking the re-establishment of direct air connectivity between the two countries The flight from London Gatwick to Freetown and the return journey from Freetown took place on 27 April to coincide with Sierra Leone’s Independence Day The service was flown by Ascend’s newest Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft in Air Sierra Leone livery and will operate three times a week from 16 June “It is a true honour to have operated the historic London Gatwick to Freetown flight on behalf of Air Sierra Leone It took months of hard work to set this connection up and we are looking forward to operating this much-needed route during the summer and winter season,” said Alastair Willson warehouse if a new contract with Teamsters Local 25 is not reached by Feb a company spokesperson told Supermarket News on Thursday As previously reported Stop & Shop is seeking to reduce labor costs at the facility by implementing a new health plan but the Teamsters have rejected that proposal Stop & Shop said that if a new labor agreement was not ratified by Feb it would begin transitioning to third-party distribution and close the warehouse sometime in June Teamsters Local 25 President Tom Mari previously told Supermarket News it would launch a strike on March 29 if a new agreement had not been reached by that time The five United Food & Commercial Workers union locals that represent Stop & Shop employees in New England have vowed to strike in solidarity with the Teamsters Stop & Shop said it could achieve millions of dollars in annual savings by closing the facility and transferring distribution to a third party but it was asking Teamsters Local 25 to accept the proposed contract instead The Teamsters previously said the proposed health care plan was inferior to the current union plan and would require workers to contribute 20% of the costs Related:Whole Foods rebuked by labor board in union dispute “It is critical that the Teamsters Local 25 works together with us to achieve the labor savings needed [to continue operating the warehouse],” the retailer said in a statement provided to Supermarket News “We believe these savings can be achieved by transitioning to a more competitive health plan while still offering our associates 25% wage increases over a five-year period and maintaining their pension benefits.” Meanwhile the state treasurers of Massachusetts and Connecticut sent a letter to Frans Muller president and CEO of Stop & Shop parent Ahold Delhaize encouraging the retailer to “engage in good faith negotiations” with the Teamsters as well as potentially 30,000 UFCW members throughout New England would have far-reaching operational and economic consequences,” the state treasurers said in their letter which was provided to Supermarket News by the Teamsters The treasurers described potential harm to Stop & Shop’s reputation in the market if it closes the warehouse and outsources distribution to a third party Related:1st unionized Whole Foods workers accuse grocer of wrongful terminations “Today’s consumers are increasingly attuned to how companies treat their workforce and widespread media attention on a prolonged labor conflict could lead to substantial backlash negatively impacting both short-term sales and long-term market position.” —Deborah B Registered in England & Wales with number 01835199 FREETOWN — Teamsters Local 25 and Stop & Shop reached a tentative agreement on Friday six-year contract for associates at Stop & Shop's Freetown distribution center the Freetown distribution center will continue operations According to a release shared with the The Herald Teamsters and Stop & Shop officials engaged in "multiple discussions" over the past several days to reach an agreement that would support union employees and align with the company’s strategy of improving the customer experience and lowering prices The union will now have the opportunity to ratify the new contract within the next week “I am thrilled that we were able to work together on a new contract that both provides an outstanding package of wages and benefits to our associates and supports us in our strategy of improving the customer experience by reducing operating costs,” said Roger Wheeler “Stop & Shop continues to put care for our people at the forefront of everything we do and we are proud to continue our legacy as one of the region’s largest union employers in the retail business,” he said President of Teamsters Local 25 said they are "proud of our members’ solidarity and commitment to remain united throughout negotiations.” He shared that the final agreement not only contained significant increases in wages and working conditions but also provided job security...for the foreseeable future We encourage all citizens to utilize Stop & Shop for the best groceries available in New England,” said Thomas G Ahold Delhaize, Stop & Shop’s Dutch-based parent company, announced its tentative plans to close the distribution center at 136 S. Main St in Freetown weeks before the end of the month if no contractual agreement between the Teamsters Local 25 union had been reached At the time, union members called for boycotts of Stop & Shop stores and picketed outside of the warehouse in response to Stop & Shop threatening to strip Teamsters of their healthcare benefits in addition to eliminating birthday bonuses A strike would have come with impactsAccording to Sean Martin, a spokesman for the union and previous reports from Gannett news partner WCVB Boston Stop & Shop lost $345 Million during an 11-day strike in 2019 involving 31,000 employees from several stores around southeastern Massachusetts Closing Stop & Shop’s warehouse would have hit Freetown’s finances hard According to Freetown’s public taxpayer records Stop & Shop was billed a little over $1.8 million in property taxes in the 2025 fiscal year Freetown charged the company $315,000 in property taxes and over $560,000 on water and sewer taxes The company was billed a little under $389,000 in excise taxes Teamsters railed against $94 billion revenues raked in by Stop & Shop last year reported aggregate gains for its 17 worldwide brands rested at $89.4 Stop & Shop was planning to subcontract the work to a non-union facility in Pennsylvania who was identified using the pseudonym Jane Jones filed two lawsuits against the Freetown-Lakeville School District The first lawsuit claimed the school district "took no action to protect students from" Hernandez and the second lawsuit claimed the diocese "took no action to protect [Jones] from" Hernandez Decades in prison Former Freetown Sunday School teacher gets decades in prison for raping 14-year-old girl Lawsuit alleges lack of action by Freetown-Lakeville School DistrictAccording to the lawsuit when Jones was 14 years old she attended the Freetown-Lakeville Middle School in 2018 where Hernandez was a substitute teacher and a "faculty advisor for the art club." Hernandez gave Jones "gifts" at the middle school and allegedly would "constantly take pictures of Jane at the Middle School." The lawsuit alleges that Hernandez "sexually harassed assaulted and raped Jane on multiple occasions during 2018 including some of which occurred in the Middle School classrooms." The lawsuit says that "one student reported her concern to [Freetown-Lakeville] teachers that" Hernandez "was getting too close to" Jones and that Jones learned about this when Hernandez sent Jones a text message about the warning Hernandez texted Jones that a male teacher asked him about "playing favorites" with Jones and the next day a different male teacher pulled him aside on his way in and explained why the first teacher had said that because "some student had said that they were worried that since you had social anxiety I was taking advantage of you It's just that if I wanted to pursue a career here I had to protect my reputation Then he gave me an example of someone else who had been likewise warned." The lawsuit alleges that "no further investigation was made and no other action was taken" regarding Hernandez by the two teachers named in the text message The lawsuit also alleges that Hernandez assaulted Jones "over a long period of time" at the middle school and that the assaults "were readily observable." The lawsuit alleges that no Freetown-Lakeville employees "made any report of this information to the Department of Children and Families or the Lakeville Police Department," even though the Freetown-Lakeville school district employed teachers who were mandated reporters 'Replays in my mind' Riveting police impact statements shed light on Lakeville shooting A separate federal lawsuit alleges that "the pastor of the parish religious education program knew.. that Hernandez was constantly engaged in inappropriate but they took no action to protect her from him." when she was 14 years old Jones attended classes taught by Hernandez at St John Neumann Parish at 157 Middleboro Road in East Freetown in 2018 assaulted and raped [Jones] throughout 2018 at the Neumann parish.. The lawsuit claimed that Fall River diocese employees "observed that defendant Hernandez would frequently make physical contact with Jane which was not a necessary part of his teaching duties The lawsuit further claimed that diocese employees decided to "terminate" Hernandez from his role at the diocese a diocese employee said that because of a decision to "restructure the Confirmation program.. we ask that you take a break from Confirmation this year." the lawsuit claimed that "there was no program restructure" and that the diocese employees had instead "conspired to get rid of defendant Hernandez because of his observed conduct with Jane." rambling letter" which "made it clear that he had a special relationship with Jane." Hernandez allegedly told a diocese employee that he "intended to read the letter at a public meeting," but the employee allegedly "terrified by the prospect of defendant Hernandez's conduct becoming public.. the diocese employees named in the lawsuit "were each Mandated Reporters" who were required to "report all instances of sexual abuse of students to the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families the lawsuit claimed that the diocese employees did not file any such reports about Hernandez's conduct with Jones (WJAR) — Freetown police responded to a large gathering of vehicles at a gas station Saturday night officers received a call about more than 300 vehicles gathering outside of a gas station on Innovation Way Officers said the vehicles were blocking access to the station The crowd of cars ultimately dispersed by 11:45 p.m According to the Freetown Police Department witnesses reported seeing a firearm during a confrontation outside the building Officers discovered that the gathering was part of a large which had private security hired for the event 28 if workers don’t agree to cut their health care benefits A spokesman for Teamsters Local 25 said hundreds of unionized workers are employed at the warehouse Chief among the company’s demands in contract negotiations is that Teamsters at the Freetown distribution center give up their union health care plan which a Teamsters spokesman said employees have had for decades the company has threatened to close the warehouse subcontracting the work to a non-union facility in Pennsylvania Stop & Shop store closures: Several locations shuttered in Northeast Stop & Shop spokesperson Jennifer Barr said the chain is undertaking "efforts to lower prices and improve the in-store experience An important component of this is reducing overall costs — and that includes the high operational costs at our distribution facility in Freetown." Barr said the chain could see "millions in annual savings" by transferring the work from Freetown to another facility but "because of our commitment to our union associates" asked the Teamsters leadership to "identify only a fraction of that annual savings in our new contract." "We believe the savings can be achieved with a transition to a more competitive health plan which is the same plan that management and other associates at the facility have," Barr said "If a new contract that reaches the labor savings needed is not ratified by February 28th Stop & Shop will move forward with an outsourcing agreement and close the facility." Lowering prices: Stop & Shop is trying to win back customers. Here's their strategy. “The Teamsters unequivocally condemn Stop & Shop‘s threats to subcontract work and close the Freetown distribution center unless hardworking Teamsters give up their union health care plan," they stated “Ahold Delhaize — the Dutch-Belgian parent company of Stop & Shop — raked in nearly $94 billion in sales last year morally bankrupt executives are demanding sacrifices from the very workers who made that success possible “The Teamsters will never let a foreign-owned corporation bully American workers into accepting substandard health care Barr said closing the warehouse "is not a decision we take lightly and we care deeply about our associates and maintaining our presence in Freetown It is critical that the local collaborates with us on a new agreement that achieves the savings needed to do so." A spokesman for the Teamsters said the workers are governed by a contract that expires March 29 The news comes after Stop & Shop closed 32 "underperforming" stores in five states in November including 10 in Massachusetts and Rhode Island FREETOWN — Former Freetown-Lakeville Superintendent of Schools Alan Strauss has sent a demand letter to the town of Freetown accusing three town officials — Town Administrator Deborah Pettey and Selectman Carlos Lopes — of defamation Strauss said that the town could owe him "up to $1,000,000" in damages In a different demand letter sent to the Freetown-Lakeville Regional School Committee, which resulted in a settlement where Strauss received $62,500 from the district's insurance provider Strauss alleged that in addition to defamation he had been subject to disability discrimination by two committee members: Crystal Ng and Carolina Hernandez Strauss said he was diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukemia and alleged that the three Freetown officials — Pettey French and Lopes — had falsely claimed that he "is not actually sick." The Freetown demand letter was sent on Jan. 8, the same day Strauss also sent a demand letter to the town of Lakeville Strauss said that the town of Lakeville could owe him "up to $1,000,000" in damages relating to what he alleged were defamatory statements about his cancer diagnosis from two school committee members representing Lakeville The Gazette reached out to Strauss' lawyer Hernandez said in an email that "we deny all allegations "we will be represented by counsel," and "we have nothing more to say about this matter." Strauss' lawyer and the other individuals did not immediately respond to requests for comment The Freetown demand letter contains similar language to the demand letter Strauss sent to the town of Lakeville The Gazette obtained copies of both letters through public records requests wrote that she had "advised Superintendent Strauss that he has colorable claims of defamation against Town Administrator Deborah L "Each of these Town officials have been heard making the false and defamatory assertion that Superintendent Strauss is not actually sick is faking his illness," the letter alleged "I expect discovery to reveal that these individuals have engaged in a pattern of conduct spreading false and defamatory information about Superintendent Strauss in communications (written and spoken) with numerous members of the community over many months." 'Vicious and defamatory' Freetown-Lakeville superintendent sends $1 million demand letter Town Administrator sought information about time off taken by StraussLast year Pettey sent an email asking for information regarding time off taken by Strauss according to a copy of the email obtained through a public records request Pettey wrote that she "would like to formally request the following information from the FreeLake School District," including "records reflecting the extent to which Strauss has used paid leave" during the 2022-23 and 2023-24 school years Pettey sent the email from a personal email account which the email software identified as being from "Deb Pettey," and signed the email with the signature "Jim Jones." At a Sept. 4, 2024, school committee meeting Strauss said that Pettey's public records request was "disturbing." asking for a number of things in regard to my health by a town administrator where she addressed the topic of her email "It was an old email address [from] when I was selling essential oils.. and it was a signature line that wasn't taken off," Pettey said I asked for your time that you were absent from work and your time sheet records because I wanted to know how much time you had taken off because we have paid a lot of money for stipends for you to be out." in a demand letter sent to the school committee said that he had taken "intermittent medical leave to receive care for his condition." What state says Did F-L superintendent share confidential information inappropriately? In an earlier demand letter sent to the School Committee which resulted in the settlement where Strauss received $62,500 from the district's insurance provider he had been subject to disability discrimination by Ng and Hernandez "There is no question that Superintendent Strauss is a disabled person under the law," Strauss' lawyer wrote "His Chronic Lymphoctyic Leukemia has caused substantial impairments in multiple major life activities." Ng have exposed the Committee to viable claims.. for a violation of his rights as a disabled ("handicapped") person," Strauss' lawyer alleged Ng's public comments during the evaluation Superintendent Strauss she criticized him for not being in schools enough," Strauss' lawyer alleged Superintendent Strauss has been clear with the Committee that as an accommodation of his disability (leukemia) he is unable to attend as many events or be present in the schools as often as he would in the absence of this condition." Ng is well aware of Superintendent Strauss's disabling condition and his need to limit attendance at events with large crowds but she elected to hold his accommodation against him in her evaluation Using an accommodation of a disability as the basis for criticism of an employee and a negative performance evaluation is a violation of Superintendent Strauss's rights as a handicapped/disabled person under the law." Accusations of racism fly Accusations of racism fly at Freetown-Lakeville school board, confidential info shared In the demand letter sent to the school committee Strauss' lawyer said that she would be filing a lawsuit against Crystal Ng and Carolina Hernandez "Superintendent Strauss has instructed me to prepare and file a discrimination claim with the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination (MCAD)," Strauss' lawyer said Strauss lawyer said she was instructed to "file a civil action in Superior Court naming as defendants Ms seeking damages in that action for pain and suffering/emotional distress of at least $250,000." Strauss does not appear to have filed a lawsuit against Crystal Ng or Carolina Hernandez as of the publication of this article LAKEVILLE — The Freetown Lakeville School Committee violated Massachusetts Open Meeting Law during a July 31 the Massachusetts Attorney General's office ruled in a March determination the committee's meeting minutes lacked sufficient detail and the committee discussed topics that "were not appropriate for executive session" and topics that were not on the agenda for that particular executive session The matter came to the AG's office because of multiple complaints filed by Crystal Ng also included allegations of "unprofessional" conduct as well as other allegations would not constitute violations of the Open Meeting Law." The AG's office ordered the School Committee to "amend" the written minutes of their July 31 meeting to provide additional detail regarding what took place during the executive session What the district saysAn attorney for the district wrote a letter addressing the complaint where she said the committee "may have inadvertently conducted discussions in executive session that should have been discussed in open session." Gonzalez said the committee voted to receive training on the use of executive sessions "as a remedial measure tailored to address concerns about compliance with the Open Meeting Law." That training provided by Glenn Koocher of the Massachusetts Association of School Committees Gonzalez claimed the two members had filed multiple Open Meeting Law complaints that "appear to be made for political gain and based on personal grievances rather than based on actual violations of the OML or other law." she alleged that "Over the past four months on the School Committee both I and Carolina Hernandez have been victims of harassment At a subsequent Sept. 4, 2024 school committee meeting, other members of the school committee denied the allegations of racism the chair of the Freetown Lakeville School Committee told the Gazette "the committee had previously implemented corrective measures to address concerns about the level of detail provided in meeting agendas." "In response to the Attorney General’s letter the committee is working on amending the meeting minutes for the July 31 "The committee intends to vote on those amended minutes at our next meeting on 03-26-25." Ng told the Gazette "the Attorney General’s office found a violation of the law" and that "the School Committee should be an example of good government That is what citizens expect and deserve." Strauss resigned as superintendent in January after receiving a $62,500 settlement from the school district His lawyer subsequently sent two demand letters to the towns of Freetown and Lakeville where Strauss claimed that each town could owe him "up to $1,000,000" in damages Following the departure of Alan Strauss, the school committee voted to hire Barbara Starkie as an interim superintendent in February 2025 Starkie was the former principal of the Apponequet Regional High School in Lakeville Starkie then worked as an Assistant Superintendent for Bourne Public Schools before returning to the Freetown Lakeville School District to work as the interim superintendent This story was updated because an earlier version included an inaccuracy FREETOWN — Teamsters Local 25 union workers picketed outside of the Stop & Shop distribution center at 136 S. Main St. in Freetown at 4 a.m. on Feb. 21, and later in the day at 1 p.m. in protest of hundreds of unionized workers potentially losing their jobs the company asked Teamsters employed at the Freetown distribution center give up their union health care plan which has been in place for over 40 years said Teamster Local 25 President Thomas Mari and the company will subcontract the work to a non-union facility in Pennsylvania and terminate approximately 900 employees who live in Fall River and surrounding communities Mari said the employees whose jobs are now at risk worked nearly seven months straight during the pandemic “This company is either going to be in business with us or out of business without us.” “It’s a lot to ask from us,” said Teamster Anthony Baliko who’s worked at the distribution center for 18 years It’s going to cost of $2,000 out of pocket,” he said “They’re also taking away birthday bonuses They’re also adding charges if you’re a smoker.” said another picketer Stop & Shop spokesperson Jennifer Barr confirmed those items are on the table in negotiations and added "there are no proposed changes to vacation or sick time Stop & Shop is offering wage increases of 25% over a five-year period."  five United Food & Commercial Workers unions have now pledged support if there's a strike with Teamsters calling for a boycott of Stop & Shop grocery stores Sabina Matos shared a statement in support of the Teamsters Local 25 union Thursday afternoon “The workers who do the actual labor of feeding our communities deserve their fair share of the enormous profits reaped by international chains.” and encourages Ahold-Delhaize to locate “an amicable solution” that “protects workers' health care.” New Bedford Ward 1 City Councilor Leo Choquette made a special appearance in support of the union’s efforts to “shut down” the threats Choquette estimated that 50 employees hailed from New Bedford Barr said on Wednesday that the chain has entered a “multi-year strategy” and is undertaking "efforts to lower prices” and improve shopping experiences for customers which includes the “high operational costs” at the Freetown distribution facility Barr said the chain could see “millions in annual savings” by transferring the work from Freetown “to a third party.” But operations in Freetown could maintained “at a lower cost by transitioning to a more competitive health plan while still offering our associates significant wage increases and maintaining pension benefits.” Stop & Shop closed a total of 34 locations in 2024 "Thirty-two of those locations were closed as part of our multi-year strategy to position the company for growth by investing in lowering prices and improving the customer experience," said Barr “We are disappointed that Teamsters Local 25 has not been willing to engage in discussions around proposals that would keep the Stop & Shop Freetown facility open … We remain ready and willing to bargain and to consider union proposals that achieve our labor savings target,” Barr said If no labor savings contract is ratified by Feb Barr confirmed that Stop & Shop will move forward with an outsourcing agreement and close the facility displacing union jobs and removing its presence in Freetown “It is critical that the Local collaborates with us in achieving the labor savings needed,” Barr said product deliveryAccording to the same statement Stop & Shop assures customers that their stores are “open and ready to serve our communities,” adding that they don’t anticipate disruptions to product delivery schedules during the “the rally or at any other time during the process.”  Negotiations are with the Teamsters only and do not include grocery store associates because they’re not going to be able to get the product Everything that goes on those shelves are delivered by Teamsters “It’s going to cost them more money,” Baliko said citing the 650-mile distance round trip from Pennsylvania if Stop & Shop decides to subcontract the work Teamsters cite Stop & Shop’s $94 billion salesA second release shared on behalf of Teamsters union condemning Stop & Shop’s threat to subcontract work noted that the company “raked in nearly $94 billion in sales last year.” Stop & Shop parent company Ahold Delhaize reported $89.4 billion annual revenues “Now they want to take the money out of our left pocket and put in our right pocket,” Mari said referencing what was described as “a few cents” increase while employees will see drastic increases in out-of-pocket health care costs “We’re just here ’cause we care,” Jasmine Linhares said “I’m a driver,” said Scott Dube of Westport “Anything is possible,” he said of ongoing contract negotiations echoing the calls for a boycott of many other employees “I’m hoping they wake up and realize we’re an asset “Everybody should be preparing for the worst and hoping for the best.”  Mari said employees will continue to work until the current governing union contract expires on Mar This story was updated to add more information MBTA Chief Operating Officer Ryan Coholan pitched a sizable crowd assembled at Freetown Elementary School on the benefits of South Coast Rail “I can tell you it took an hour and 48 minutes for me to drive from Boston to here tonight — so I highly recommend the train.”  When commuter rail is expected to start running to Fall River and New Bedford on March 24 trains should be running every 70 minutes on weekdays and every 2 hours on weekends One New Bedford visitor to the meeting noted that a full trip from end to end will take an hour and a half — “90 minutes is a long time,” he said “Have you been on [Route] 24?” said Jean Fox A detailed timetable has still not been released but Coholan said that “would be finalized very early in March” so people could start to make plans MBTA: South Coast Rail service will have more trips than originally plannedCoholan and other MBTA officials noted that the commuter rail service being delivered will be better than what was initially planned when shovels were put in the ground in 2019 Though 26 daily trips were in the original plan Fall River was originally due to have 13 daily trips originally scheduled to have 13 daily trips there were originally no commitments,” Coholan said South Coast Rail service will now have 26 weekend trips to and from Boston Consistent with service elsewhere on the commuter rail service will probably start around 4:30 or 5 a.m. and there will be late-night departures from South Station back to the SouthCoast for visitors who want to use the service "to see a sporting event South Coast Rail extends the existing Middleboro/Lakeville line to East Taunton where it splits – one fork goes to Fall River and the other fork continues to New Bedford In addition to the direct one-way service to Boston the MBTA will run additional local trains from East Taunton to either end in Fall River or New Bedford is to give commuters more options to hook up with a ride to or from Boston “There'll be trains that may not run full distance but they could get you to a point where you could connect up with the train coming from the other way,” Eng said if someone is in Boston headed home to New Bedford but the soonest available train goes to Fall River then you just have to adjust your schedule to meet that,” Eng said it gives you flexibility to have more options.”  “The elevator shaft is an art piece,” Antion said “It’s got drawings of each season in New Bedford That elevator is largely responsible for the bridge’s delay in construction — originally scheduled to be complete by the end of 2024 the bridge is now expected to be opened when rail service begins in March The demolition of New Bedford’s old pedestrian bridge will begin in the spring Though the MBTA expressed confidence in the March 24 start date that opening is still dependent on approval from the Federal Railroad Administration officials said they've been working closely with the FRA for the past three years and don’t anticipate any further hangups The service was first imagined in 1991 by then-Gov. William Weld and faced nearly three decades of false starts before before being undertaken in earnest in 2019 “I have a groundbreaking shovel for this project that was given to me by then-Gov Paul Cellucci in October of 1998,” said state Sen “It’s a good prop to show you how long we’ve been working on this.”  “It’s going to tie in perfectly with our development along [Route] 79 and our waterfront,” said Fall River Mayor Paul Coogan in an interview before the meeting “A number of residential units are going to be developed in that strip and that means you can walk out your back door and walk right over to the train station and hop a ride to Boston.”   Coogan said when he was an educator at B.M.C “we had a ton of kids going to school in Boston and now they’ll have another opportunity to get there without sitting in traffic.”  but those living near tracks say their property 'unsellable'The majority of visitors to the meeting expressed support for the service and had questions about the ticket payment process One resident described the meeting in the mid-1930s of a young woman who “commuted to Boston from New Bedford five days a week," who often rode the same train as a young medical student from Taunton the grandmother gave her permission to marry and I came along nine and a half months later,” he said I get it for a lot of people it’s a great thing Guay cited the noise of dinging bells and train horns from trains passing through crossings and was concerned about having to hear those noises from early in the morning to late at night said later that he knew his house was near railroad tracks when he bought it that I never thought the T would go through with it,” he said (WLNE) — The Freetown Police Department said it responded to a disturbance at the Neon Marketplace Gas Station on Innovation Way on March 1 that involved over 300 vehicles The department said the vehicles “gathered on the property Police said they learned that the gathering was part of a private vehicle event with hired private security although “several” physical altercations had taken place and a firearm had been displayed Mutual aid was provided by the Fall River Police Department The incident is under investigation and anyone with information is asked to call 508-763-4017 (WJAR) — A wind-whipped fire resulted in the deaths of several ducks Although one resident was at home at the time no firefighters or civilians were hurt according to Freetown Fire Chief Harrie Ashley who told NBC 10 News gusty winds intensified the fire Calls began to come in around 5:00 pm with the fire knocked down in about 1 1/2 hours According to Chief Ashley another factor complicating firefighting efforts was a lack of hydrants in the area forcing several departments to assist by bringing in water tanks no horses were hurt and the fire was limited to the barn and Dighton provided assistance to Freetown crews The cause of the fire is currently under investigation The following is a public statement by C40 Co-Chairs at the WHO Conference on Air Quality in Cartagena we represent the world’s largest cities on the front lines of the air pollution and climate crisis C40 Cities is a network of nearly 100 world-leading cities working together to take urgent action on the climate emergency and improve air quality for over 650 million people As mayors of some of the world’s largest cities we are committed to addressing the air pollution crisis that claims over 8 million lives annually and disproportionately affects the most vulnerable in our societies We welcome the World Health Organization’s updated road map to address the health impacts of air pollution which sets an ambitious goal of reducing the population-attributable fraction of deaths from air pollution by 50% by 2040 Achieving these ambitious targets will save millions of lives lost to the devastating harm of pollution and make our cities more liveable for communities to thrive Our cities are showing that evidence-based action can deliver tangible results Through commitments 50 cities have made in C40’s Clean Air Accelerator we have set ambitious clean air targets we are implementing bold new policies and programmes and we are transparently reporting on our progress each year since 2019 Our most recent progress report published just last month highlighted that cities around the world are prioritising clean air policies and programmes that are cleaning the air for millions of people These actions include expanding zero-emission transport systems implementing clean energy solutions for heating supporting active and sustainable mobility and improving waste management Through our flagship air quality initiative Clean Air Fund and Bloomberg Philanthropies we are working with 14 cities worldwide to drive clean air action from Bangkok to Johannesburg we aim to reduce air pollution and planet-warming emissions by 30% across participating cities by 2030 Cities across the world are already leading the way: Breathing clean air is not a luxury—it’s a fundamental human right that should be accessible to everyone We recognise that air pollution is not just an environmental crisis—it is a public health emergency and a matter of justice Communities from lower socio-economic backgrounds often disproportionately represented by racial or ethnically marginalised groups and those living with disabilities or chronic diseases major burdens on their quality of life and on public health systems By prioritising clean air policies that protect those most at risk we call on the national governments convened by the World Health Organization this week to prioritise the following actions: We also welcome the vital role of the health sector at the heart of the economic case for action and investment in clean air The benefits of clean air will be felt first and foremost by patients We are committed to working closely with the health sector to advocate for stronger policies and ensure that air pollution is recognised as a public health emergency requiring urgent intervention Through the C40 Clean Air Accelerator and the Breathe Cities initiative we will continue to work to align city-led commitments and action inline with the WHO Air Quality Guidelines and the ambition set out in the WHO’s Global Road Map for Air Quality and we urge other cities to join us in this commitment Cities around the world are ready to step up and intensify our efforts to tackle air pollution and we invite more to join us As the first responders to our residents’ needs working closely with our partners in national governments and global institutions to build healthier We use cookies. Learn more about how in our Privacy Policy. FREETOWN, Mass. (WLNE) — The Freetown Fire Department said that a large barn caught fire on March 8. Firefighters responded to Locust Street around 5 p.m. to find heavy fire showing from the barn. The department said that wind conditions made fighting the fire more difficult, and that water tankers and mutual aid was called in from departments in Berkley, Lakeville, Dartmouth, Rochester, Westport and Dighton. All large animals escaped the barn, but several rabbits, ducks, and chickens died as a result of the fire. The scene was cleared by 10:30 p.m. and the cause of the fire is under investigation. FREETOWN, Mass. (WJAR) — Crews from multiple Bristol County communities converged in the Assonet section of Freetown to battle a fire. Around 5:00 p.m. Saturday, firefighters responded to a property on Locust Street for a working structure fire. Crews from Lakeville and Berkley, as well as the Providence Canteen, are also on scene. This is a developing story. Stay with NBC 10 News for the latest. This still image from video shows a railroad crossing arm striking a school bus in Freetown. (WBTS/MBTA) (WJAR) — A railroad crossing arm hit a Freetown school bus with high school students inside. In a letter to parents, the superintendent said it happened on Tuesday near the Braley Road railroad crossing. The superintendent said the bus driver determined it was safe to pass through the crossing. That's when the lights and bells activated. As the bus was backing up, the crossing arm hit the bus. Then, 45 seconds after the bell and lights engaged, the train passed. President Donald Trump participates in a National Day of Prayer at the White House. WATCHBrush fire burns along forest in Freetown by NBC 10 NEWS A brush fire burned down approximately 1 acre of land in Freetown Monday Firefighters said it broke out along Mason Road Crews were assisted by the Department of Conservation and Recreation Officials urged residents to use caution when open burning FREETOWN — Massive flames engulfed a barn in Freetown on Saturday March 8 in an area with no available hydrants nearby leading the Rochester Fire Department to assist with the emergency The Rochester Fire Department arrived at 19 Locust Street with a water tanker in tow to help local fire departments extinguish the roaring fire No citizens were harmed and the owners of the barn were not on the premises at the time of the fire Freetown did a great job taking care of that fire,” said Chief Scott Wiegel of the incident Windy weather conditions on Saturday contributed to the intensity of the fire While the departments were able to extinguish the fire LAKEVILLE — A 21-year-old man was rescued from Long Pond and transported to St Luke’s Hospital after his kayak became swamped with water Tuesday The man was located more than 1,000 feet from shore and was struggling to stay afloat when he was rescued and was transported by Lakeville paramedics to St Luke’s Hospital the Lakeville and Freetown Fire departments simultaneously received notification of a “person in the water” in the area of Heaven Heights The two departments respond jointly to incidents on Long Pond to offer more resources and equipment The rescue boat was launched near Charbonneau Avenue in Freetown They learned that two men were kayaking when one of the kayaks became swamped When the second kayaker was unable to assist the man in the water Lakeville crews arrived just after the Freetown Fire Department and quickly deployed a rescue boat A combined crew of Lakeville and Freetown firefighters located the victim The rescue boat was taken to a more sheltered location where Lakeville paramedics began treatment A Lakeville firefighter was evaluated at the scene following the rescue but was able to continue working The victim’s family visited the Lakeville Fire Department on April 13 to thank them for their efforts during the water rescue The rescue operation relied on having trained responders and effective coordination between agencies all of which contributed to the successful outcome FREETOWN (WBSM) — Freetown Police responded Saturday night to what they are calling a “large scale disturbance” at a gas station in town after more than 300 vehicles gathered for a private event on the property the department responded at about 10:07 p.m on March 1 to a large-scale disturbance at the Neon Marketplace gas station on Innovation Way “Reports indicated that over 300 vehicles had gathered on the property and causing a public disturbance,” police said Police said that the initial investigation “revealed several physical altercations had taken place before officers arrived,” and that “witnesses reported that a firearm was displayed during the confrontation outside the facility.” “Authorities also determined that the gathering was part of a privately organized vehicle event which had hired private security for the occasion,” police said Police were able to clear the scene by about 11:45 p.m “Although this incident resulted in no injuries and minimal reported damages the risk of public safety was substantial,” Freetown Police Chief Scott Rose said “Events of this nature have been increasing in size and frequency at this location placing a significant burden on the community and law enforcement resources,” he said we are committed to addressing these concerns to ensure the safety and well-being of the community.“ Mutual aid had to be called in from Fall River Police Berkley Police and Massachusetts State Police Anyone with information is asked to contact Freetown Police at (508) 763-4017 Gallery Credit: Michael Rock Freetown Police responded Saturday night to what they are calling a 'large scale disturbance' at a gas station in town after more than 300 vehicles gathered.\nRead More FREETOWN (WBSM) — Freetown Police responded Saturday night to what they are calling a “large scale disturbance” at a gas station in town after more than 300 vehicles gathered for a private event on the property the city’s primary source of drinking water which supplies water to around 60% of Freetown’s population provides 75 million liters of water – far short of the 150 million liters needed Women and girls bear the greatest burden of water collection often exploit their power by demanding sex in exchange for water – a practice known as “wata fo wata” meaning water for water Women and girls also face harassment and abuse while walking to and from water sources This sexual and gender-based violence related to water collection contributes to high levels of adolescent pregnancy Girls frequently face the harrowing choice of refusing sexual demands and being beaten by family members for returning without water or enduring sexual violence at the hands of those controlling the wells The Women for Water and Peace (W4WP) project funded by the UN Peacebuilding Fund for a budget of $1.5 million is led by the UN Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) in partnership with the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Freetown City Council (FCC) this project has been addressing community conflict and sexual violence related to equitable access to water in Freetown The project has adopted a community-driven approach focusing on social and economic empowerment 200 young women and 45 women leaders across five marginalized communities have been trained and supported to become pivotal agents of change These women now manage and operate 25 water kiosks equipped with solar powered purification systems These kiosks are not just infrastructure; they represent a lifeline providing clean and accessible water to households in some of Freetown’s most vulnerable communities While the project builds on the Blue Peace project and its innovative water kiosk design implemented by UNCDF in other parts of Freetown with funding from the Swiss Government the W4WP project takes a more inclusive approach at the community level embedding peacebuilding and social cohesion at its core By ensuring that the economic benefits of these water kiosks remain within the community W4WP is fostering resilience in areas where stability is often fragile the City Council plays a critical role in monitoring and sustaining the water infrastructure  Women’s Leadership and in Water Management Conflict Resolution and Fight against SGBV As part of its commitment to women’s empowerment and the fight against gender-based violence the project has leveraged strong community linkages and trust through local partners such as the Federation of Urban and Rural Poor (FEDURP) and the Institute for Legal Research and Advocacy for Justice (ILRAJ) The project has facilitated peer-to-peer working groups with survivors of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) and employed the “theatre for development” approach to illustrate the lived experiences of water-related conflicts and SGBV Over 7,500 community members have participated in awareness-raising activities focused on gender-based violence fostering public discussions aimed at increasing access to resources and protecting women from exploitation These efforts have enabled women and girls to adopt leadership roles in their communities 45 women leaders and 40 women’s groups have been strengthened and equipped with dialogue and conflict resolution techniques ensuring that women play active roles in community decision-making This progress is reflected in the significant increase in the percentage of community members who believe women should manage water-related conflicts rising from 33% to 85% during the project cycle Women’s Economic Empowerment and Improved Water Access Beyond changing attitudes about women’s roles and SGBV and improving water access the project has also created 280 long-term jobs for kiosk operators providing them with technical training and business planning support approximately 25,000 people will have access to clean water within their communities reducing reliance on chlorinated water in plastic packets and lessening the pollution of drainage systems Financial inclusion has also been a significant focus with 25 savings groups established around each water kiosk These groups have facilitated the inclusion of 625 people into the financial system through peer-to-peer lending The project’s success is largely due to its localized approach particularly the Federation of Urban and Rural Poor (FEDURP) Comprising volunteers who live and work in informal settlements in and around Freetown FEDURP has been instrumental in advocating for residents at both local and national levels By involving local community leaders and stakeholders in the Project Board the project ensured that community concerns were addressed swiftly and effectively in order to uphold a the Do No Harm principle FEDURP placed two coordinators in each community to monitor activities closely This participatory approach from the outset was crucial in shifting mindsets and behaviours regarding women’s role in decision-making and SGBV co-designed key messages and methodologies with local NGOs making the initiative more effective in changing attitudes and behaviours has become an active agent of change after participating in all the project’s interventions and training sessions She now plays a pivotal role in her community intervene in and resolve conflicts as well as potential instances of sexual violence In the communities targeted by the project people are beginning to see improvements not only in water access and women’s economic and social empowerment but also in the reduction conflict and violence related to water is now under consideration by the City Council and various partners for potential replication in other underserved areas of the city LAKEVILLE — A Freetown-Lakeville school committee member admitted to sharing confidential information outside of the committee And around the time her colleagues were asking questions about the confidential information Ng accused other members of the committee of sexism and racism: accusations that her colleagues have strenuously denied “I am the one who forwarded that document,” Ng said during an Aug. 21 Freetown-Lakeville School Committee meeting Ng said at the meeting that she had forwarded the document to Margaret French the chair of the Freetown Finance Committee said in an email that as part of superintendent Alan Strauss' evaluation he had submitted evidence regarding his job performance to the school committee had forwarded an email that contained a reference to a Google Drive document The Google Drive document required permission to access and the district learned of the breach when French requested access to the document Strauss denied French's request to access to the document and as a result French "did not actually obtain the information through those means." Burke said that "we have no records of anyone other than school committee members actually accessing the information," and in an interview with the Gazette Ng said that French was the only person she had shared the information with But Ng’s admission was merely the start of a period of chaos for the Freetown-Lakeville School Committee Ng also accused multiple committee members of racism and harassment in an open meeting law complaint Another school committee member sent an email comparing the school committee to a “project complex” and claiming that “the ladies… sounded like hyenas.” Ng was eventually censured and removed from school committee subcommittees Burke said the committee had "not yet finalized its decision on the next step" with regards to how to respond to the sharing of confidential information “I don't know where we go from here,” committee member Will Sienkewicz said in the Sept “I don't know how the committee goes into executive session and trusts that the conversations we have aren't going to come out.” Stick it to 'em 19 Greater Taunton area field hockey players to watch this fall Around the time that Ng admitted to sharing confidential information she accused other committee members of harrassment said that she also witnessed discrimination Hernandez wrote that she had concerns "about the meeting." The Gazette obtained a copy of this email through a public records request and bullying that was bellowing from that meeting… It’s nothing short of discrimination to me," Hernandez wrote “The chair lost control over the crowd and the ladies it just felt like our meeting was held in a project complex.” (Hernandez did not respond to a request for comment.) Ng filed an open meeting law complaint against the school committee on Aug one day before she admitted to sharing confidential information The complaint included allegations that the school committee had violated Massachusetts’ open meeting laws during an executive session or a session of the committee where the public is not permitted to participate Ng also alleged that school committee members had exhibited harassment “Both I and Carolina Hernandez have been victims of harassment and emails from fictitious residents,” the complaint read Ng said that she would be willing to share copies of the emails from "fictitious residents" but has thus for not done so Asked for examples of sexist and racist comments Ng said that other school committee members commented on online comments left by both Ng's husband and Hernandez' husband and said that unnamed members of the school committee had asked if she was communicating with her husband during committee meetings is that your husband sending you questions to ask Because apparently I'm not smart enough to think of things on my own because I do ask a lot of questions," Ng said "I will just leave it as members of the school committee." Its own pool house Berkley home sells for almost $800K: Weekly home sales school committee members discussed Ng's open meeting law complaint and strongly denied its allegations It is "a complete lie from start to finish,” committee member Jennifer Blum said of the complaint only 10% of what [Ng] wrote pertains to an open meeting law violation.”  that you would refer to yourself and Carolina Hernandez as victims of sexism and underlying tones of racism when the first time I have ever seen or witnessed any form of racism in the four years I've served on this committee came in the form of an email sent to our entire committee from Carolina Hernandez,” Blum added Blum said that she believed that some of the contents of the email Hernandez said after the Aug such as writing that it “felt like our meeting was held in a project complex,” were examples of comments with “undertones of racism.”  Sienkewicz said that he didn’t find the complaint to be “credible.” “Our communities are very smart,” said Sienkewicz “This open meeting law violation came on 8/20 The meeting where the whole issue started from with the sharing of materials was on 7/31 Ng knew we were looking into it… let’s connect the dots here.”  said that she didn’t “know the facts well enough” in terms of what was discussed in the executive session to determine to what extent the session violated open meeting laws Ng said that when she shared the document with French she was unaware that it contained confidential information "I did not know that [Strauss] put confidential information in there," she said When asked why she shared the document with French Ng said that "if anyone asked me I would have forwarded it; it's a public document." disagreed with Ng's characterization that the document was a public document "I'm not even going to say what I'm going to do because it will be in the newspaper explained that Strauss had provided confidential information to the school committee as part of his employee evaluation Gonzalez said that it was appropriate for Strauss to provide this information to the committee “The superintendent is supposed to provide you with the information needed to properly evaluate him,” she said Gonzalez said that it wasn’t appropriate to then share that information with the broader public “If the information was submitted… in confidence for the limited purpose of the evaluation [of the superintendent] it wouldn't be something that could be shared widely with the public,” Gonzales said “Especially to the extent that it had confidential information about personnel or students.” Sienkewicz read an email from someone he said was a parent The email appeared to imply the information Ng shared was related to emails between a parent and Strauss about that parent's child “My son was involved in a serious issue at the end of the school year and after exhausting efforts with local school administration “His response was the only one that made me feel heard.”  “I have no objection to the email exchange between Mr Strauss and myself being used as evidence in his evaluation,” the email said I do have serious concerns about the school committee member sharing my emails.”  4 to censure Ng for “sharing information outside of the committee” and also voted to remove her from any subcommittees “I don't even know what to say anymore about this,” Ng said at the Sept “I can say I'm not resigning if that's the way we're going with this," she added then voted to censure Ng and remove her from the subcommittees We often hear about Christmas miracles, but not many people have the chance to experience them. However, this holiday season, the Freetown Police were fortunate enough to witness what they say was one in action According to their Facebook page a Freetown resident's quick thinking and call for help led to a holiday miracle for his friend over 1,200 miles away was on the phone with a family friend in Sault Ste Porawski noticed that something was not right The friend was alone in a home surrounded by over three feet of snow and was facing a medical emergency His call was answered by Freetown 911 dispatcher Dean Guimares Despite the thousands of miles between the emergency and the dispatch dispatcher Guimares handled the challenge of coordinating emergency services across state lines He provided crucial information to the Michigan State Police and Chippewa County 911 first responders arrived at Porawski's home They forced entry into the residence and administered life-saving care before transporting him to a nearby hospital The friend is now recovering and able to celebrate the holidays thanks to the swift actions of Porawski Police Chief Scott Rose stated in the post “The Freetown Police Department extends our gratitude to Mr to Dispatcher Dean Guimares for his professionalism and persistence and to all the emergency call takers and first responders who played a role in this life-saving effort." “This extraordinary event is a testament to the power of teamwork and the dedication of those who serve in emergency services they gave the greatest gift of all—a second chance at life FREETOWN (WBSM) — The Freetown-Lakeville School Department is providing more information after a school bus carrying students was struck by a crossing arm at a railroad crossing on Tuesday and missed a passing commuter rail train by less than a minute WBSM obtained an email sent to parents from Acting Superintendents John Higgins Teri Fleming and Kelly Steele that explained what had happened on the afternoon of March 25 just the second day of South Coast Rail commuter rail service The superintendents said Bus 17 was bringing home middle and high school students when it reached the Braley Road railroad crossing “Following standard safety procedures the driver brought the bus to a complete stop at the painted line to check for oncoming trains,” the superintendents said “After determining it was safe to proceed the driver began moving forward,” they said “As the bus began to move and before it reached the track the bells and lights engaged and the driver immediately stopped.” The bus driver made sure it was safe to back up the safety arm engaged and struck the top of the bus the train then passed through the crossing about 45 seconds after the bell and lights engaged READ MORE: New Bedford Officially Launches South Coast Rail Service They said no students or staff were injured in the incident but that “counselors have been made available to provide assistance and ensure students feel comfortable and supported.” “We have been in direct contact with the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) regarding lines of sight and timing of the warning bells and lights,” they said we are working closely with our transportation provider to review all bus driver protocols related to railway crossings.” Gallery Credit: Mack Eon/Townsquare Media Intern A Freetown-Lakeville school bus carrying students was struck by the crossing arm of a railroad crossing and backed away just as a commuter train came through.\nRead More FREETOWN (WBSM) — The Freetown-Lakeville School Department is providing more information after a school bus carrying students was struck by a crossing arm at a railroad crossing on Tuesday and missed a passing commuter rail train by less than a minute READ MORE: New Bedford Officially Launches South Coast Rail Service (WLNE) — Teamsters Local 25 members are picketing this morning at the Stop and Shop distribution center in Freetown The two sides have been at odds over contract talks at the Freetown warehouse Stop and Shop wants the members to give up the health care plan they’ve been using for over 40 years A teamsters’ member tells ABC6 that the union represents about 900 employees and contract negotiations are at a standstill “The company has refused to come back to the table,” said Teamsters Local 25 member Jason Lopes The Teamsters said if their demands aren’t met at the bargaining table a strike may ensue Stop and Shop said the decision is part of its efforts to lower prices the company said it may transfer the work done at the Freetown warehouse to a third party Stop and Shop provided a statement to ABC6 saying in part: We are disappointed that Teamsters Local 25 has not been willing to engage in discussions around proposals that would keep the Stop & Shop Freetown facility open We believe the savings can be achieved with a transition to a more competitive health plan which is the same plan that management and other associates at the facility have the company said if a new contract is not agreed on by February 28 it will close Freetown’s distribution facility Milo Gough has received funding from the Arts and Humanities Research Council through CHASE DTP University of Oxford provides funding as a member of The Conversation UK View all partners A global network of mayors known as the C40 Cities and other urban development experts have called this a “highly replicable” solution for environmental crises across urban Africa Reforestation helps Freetown cope with excess heat landslides and other environmental problems squeezed between wooded mountains and coastline the city is one of the most vulnerable in the world to the effects of the climate change Deforestation of Freetown’s mountains for wood, charcoal and housing space led to a landslide in 2017 that killed 1,100 people and left at least another 3,000 people homeless FreetownTheTreetown is a response to this disaster There are also important historical contexts. I’ve conducted research into the colonial history of Freetown and the changing historical meaning of its trees From the spiritual meaning of trees in Indigenous west African cultures through to their use in colonial planning schemes trees in Freetown have been central to political struggles over the urban landscape Tree planting projects alone cannot solve environmental problems in African cities. As the world heats up Green capitalism’s tree planting schemes won’t cut greenhouse gas emissions at source FreetownTheTreeTown is organised through an app, TreeTracker used by community growers who plant and care for saplings that have been grown in a nursery They use the app to tag the geographical location of each new tree and track tree growth with photographs The community growers, largely women and young people, receive payments from the city administration once every quarter in the form of tokens that can be exchanged for cash. Thanks to this community, the project has achieved a high tree survival rate of over 80% Since 2020, this project has received almost US$3 million (£2.4 million), largely from the World Bank and the Global Environmental Facility But the project is supposed to start covering its own costs through selling carbon offset tokens to foreign nations and companies Buyers will buy these to “cancel out” their own carbon emissions could claim it has reduced its greenhouse gas emissions if it buys carbon offset tokens from FreetownTheTreeTown Freetown is genuinely trying to reduce its extremely low carbon emissions My research into the late 19th century history of Freetown has revealed that an enormous iroko tree with a trunk circumference of over 15 metres was a place of great spiritual and ritual significance in the area of Brookfields Many formerly enslaved people from Yorubaland believed iroko trees were inhabited by powerful spirits Witches were thought to hold meetings around them The Brookfields iroko tree was feared. But it was also respected. Processions of the Bondo The colonial government planted new trees to demarcate the gridded streetscape of Freetown. But Freetonians did not like the new trees. They suspected them of harbouring mosquitoes and snakes. Twenty years after the first planting, most had been cut down by the city’s residents The colonial government attempted to overwrite west African understandings of trees by imposing a new order Tree planting schemes must pay close attention to histories of government-led dispossession if they are to successfully transform cities FreetownTheTreeTown has begun to tackle this history head on by co-creating this reforested city with its communities there must be caution about simply transplanting the technical solutions from Freetown to other cities across Africa (WLNE) — The Freetown Police Department said that a road has been closed due to a structure fire A fire in the area of Locust Street and Kevin Drive has closed Locust Street The department advised residents to seek alternate routes several departments were providing mutual aid to the Freetown Fire Department FREETOWN (WBSM) — As the deadline loomed today to get a deal done before Stop & Shop would begin the process of shuttering its Freetown distribution center the grocery chain reached a tentative agreement with Teamsters Local 25 on a new six-year contract the contract will preserve the more than 900 union jobs at the facility Had the agreement not been reached and Stop & Shop closed the facility those jobs would have been outsourced to a third-party company the distribution center will continue operations and those jobs will remain local which is expected to happen within the next week Stop & Shop President Roger Wheeler pointed out that the new contract “both provides an outstanding package of wages and benefits to our associates and supports us in our strategy of improving the customer experience by reducing costs.” “Stop & Shop continues to put care for our people at the forefront of everything we do and we are proud to continue our legacy as one of the region’s largest union employers in the retail business,” Wheeler said Mari called it “the strongest contract in the supermarket industry.” “We are proud of our members’ solidarity and commitment to remain united throughout negotiations The final agreement not only contained significant increases in wages and working conditions but also provided job security to more than 900 Teamsters for the foreseeable future,” he said “We encourage all citizens to utilize Stop & Shop for the best groceries available in New England.” With the threat of closing its Freetown distribution center looming, Stop & Shop reached an agreement with Teamsters Local 25 on a new six-year contract.\nRead More FREETOWN (WBSM) — As the deadline loomed today to get a deal done before Stop & Shop would begin the process of shuttering its Freetown distribution center NEW BEDFORD — A Dorchester man is being held without bail for allegedly sex trafficking a woman out of a Freetown home Curtis Wigfall-Bradford, 31, was arraigned Thursday on charges of trafficking of a person for sexual servitude, kidnapping, deriving support from prostitution, assault and battery on family/household member-subsequent, and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon in New Bedford District Court State troopers and Freetown Police arrested Wigfall-Bradford on Wednesday morning at 35 Washburn Road in East Freetown where he was living with the victim and another woman following an investigation State police did not name the victim in the police report The victim said she had four to five "dates" per day at the home on the days when she was working State police said the victim's availability was advertised on commercialized sex websites with photos They were able to track some of the ads through a law enforcement database called "Spotlight." They typed "Freetown" into the search bar and came up with some of the ads They said that there had been 408 posts in Massachusetts The victim told state police they had gone on vacations to Florida but has a mental capacity in the 13-year-old range The victim told police she was originally from Chicago and had been in the Boston area for nine months to a year 'A major opportunity' — or 'ridiculous'? Waterfront site could be a $10M energy center She had been working as a prostitute in Boston when Curtis Wigfall-Bradford and the other woman he was living with "saved" her She worked as a prostitute at the address for a period of about six months though they did visit the defendant's mother in Dorchester multiple times They were returning from one of those visits to Dorchester when she escaped She said Wigfall-Bradford was mad at her for taking too large a "scoop" of drugs and thought she might overdose she jumped out of their car on Route 24 southbound in Stoughton on Sept She was brought to Good Samaritan Hospital in Brockton by emergency personnel where she told the medical staff that she was possibly involved in human trafficking She had not mentioned it at the accident site who interviewed her at the hospital and began the investigation 'We are cleaning up here at BCSO': Fired Bristol County deputy sheriff pays $65K fine for selling a seized home to his spouse had served time for kidnappingState police said Wigfall-Bradford was currently on probation out of Dorchester District Court for possession of a firearm The police report also states that Wigfall-Bradford had been found guilty in 2019 and served time for kidnapping assault and battery with a dangerous weapon His record also includes several unrelated arraignments for assault and battery Wigfall-Bradford is due back in court on Nov (WLNE) — The Freetown Fire Department fought a brush fire in the Assonet Bay Shores neighborhood Sunday The fire was caused by “improper disposal of wood burning ashes” combined with high winds off the water There was no damage to surrounding structures but one home has to be ventilated with fans due to elevated carbon dioxide levels (WLNE) — Freetown police arrested a man after a high speed chase through New Bedford on Wednesday officials said they conducted a motor vehicle stop near Route 140 on Chase Road The operator of the vehicle allegedly provided the officer with a false identity linked to an individual with a suspended driver’s license When additional officers arrived to assist the operator then allegedly fled southbound on Route 140 into the City of New Bedford continued through New Bedford and back onto Route 140 northbound allegedly reaching speeds of up to 120 mph The Lakeville Police Department deployed a tire deflation device successfully causing the vehicle’s tires to lose air eventually striking two Massachusetts State Police cruisers that had joined the pursuit and was taken into custody without further incident was charged and arraigned on possession of a crack cocaine motor vehicle operator refused to identify self operating a motor vehicle with a suspended license with a subsequent offense and speeding a greater than posted speed limit Officials said Brownell also had outstanding warrants for previous drug and motor vehicle offenses out of Worcester and Leominster District Courts This work, In Detroit and Freetown, Michigan and Sierra Leone Establish SPP Partnership, by David Kennedy, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright (WLNE) — The Freetown Fire Department said it responded to a brush fire on High Street Wednesday Firefighters responded to the area around 10:30 a.m The department said that four acres burned and that it was “impossible” to determine the cause of the fire though there are walking paths and a railroad nearby Friends of Freetown dedicated an historical marker describing the history of the enclave November 30 the privately funded project includes a fenced area for visitors to pull off in recalled that the spot was known to Freetown residents as the “Freetown Gate”—presumably because at one time a farm gate stood at the end of the lane—and that during his childhood Freetown families would customarily follow Sunday church services by gathering at the gate to watch traffic go by “Nobody in Freetown had a car in those days We were all close relatives and we did nearly everything with each other.” Brown said that two nearby stores named for their owners provided for the needs of Freetown residents Brown said the community leader during his youth was “Doc” Tucker who stood at 6 feet 9 inches and got his nickname because he tried to cure the illnesses of local livestock The first habitation dates back to the 1700s who has an interest in preserving the history of area black communities and their graveyards He said an old chimney was inspected by masons who determined the rough date of origin by the fact that it was built with clay slurry rather than mortar Seven houses remain from the 13 that once stood there a prominent local family of free blacks named Mason deeded 30 acres divided in two-acre lots to provide for slaves freed after war Langdon became familiar with the community in the 1970s when a resident named John Wells became a firewood customer Langdon later bought two of the houses and renovated them to be homes for his children The marker had nearly two-dozen supporters who raised about $3,500 to fund the project The cast plaque was made by American Historical Signs It is not an official Virginia state historical marker but Langdon did consult with the Virginia Department of Transportation to establish the proper location Freetown is in the Greenwood-Afton Historic District and website in this browser for the next time I comment Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" reviewing and supplying 770 emails in response to a public records request takes an exorbitant amount of time according to Freetown-Lakeville School District Superintendent Alan Strauss Strauss shared that the number of public records requests flooding into the central office of the Freetown Lakeville School district is “out of control” at the School Committee’s Wednesday the district has received “more public records requests than you could imagine,” he said can mean downloading hundreds of emails through the IT department redacting them and sending them to legal counsel for review Strauss directed sharp comments at Freetown Town Administrator Deborah Pettey who he alleged filed a public records request under the pseudonym “Jim Jones” and asked for information related to his health Pettey explained that she filed the request using an old work email with the name “Jim Jones” in the signature line because her primary personal email was not working at the moment Emails show that she alerted the School Committee that she would be sending a public records request The response to the public records request was addressed to “Ms Pettey also stated she was not seeking any information related to the superintendent’s health records but was asking for time sheet records from when the superintendent had been absent from work “I wanted to know the amount of time you had taken off,” Pettey stated during the school committee meeting “because we had paid a lot of money for stipends for you to be out.”  The school’s legal counsel denied the request citing that the records “implicate “confidential medical information.” Pettey said she sent the public records request after multiple attempts to obtain information had not been fruitful “I wasn’t asking for anything to do with your health,” she explained to Strauss during the meeting noting later: “My concern is Freetown taxpayers Stipends were given to members of the central office who took on some of the superintendent’s workload last year while Strauss was undergoing cancer treatment A man out for a drive in his beloved classic car never made it home one day because it started raining and he’s never out in his car when it rains,” said Deborah Alexander he was already wheeled into the operating room they had to revive him and then he went to surgery.” which I guess that’s good because I got busted up,” said John Alexander has now been indicted and arraigned on multiple charges including operating under the influence causing serious bodily injury and reckless operation of a motor vehicle Even though he is no longer behind the wheel I don’t know if it’ll be another road runner but I’ll have another,” said Alexander Freetown police said Flores will be back in Fall River Superior Court in November have teamed up to protect citizens from extreme heat and replenish Sierra Leone’s tropical rainforests Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr and Eugenia Kargbo photographed by Kristin-Lee Moolman in Freetown, Sierra LeoneByArielle SamuelsonMarch 18, 2025This story is part of the National Geographic 33.A decade ago just as Sierra Leone’s Ebola epidemic was ending Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr saw the effects of another catastrophe: The tropical rainforests encircling the country’s capital “I just suddenly noticed the level of deforestation,” she says coupled with rising temperatures that regularly exceeded 100 degrees Fahrenheit offered irrefutable evidence of the growing climate crisis Aki-Sawyerr had already decided to run for mayor She soon realized what a daunting mission she’d undertaken One of the most climate-vulnerable countries in the world severely restricting its ability to adapt to a crisis primarily caused by wealthy nations burning fossil fuels who campaigned against the blood diamond trade and co-founded a charity that helped women and children displaced by the country’s civil war offers another way of thinking: “Things that aren’t right don’t need to stay that way,” she says Aki-Sawyerr recalls a ritual that was once common in her country: A newborn’s umbilical cord was buried with a freshly planted tree, symbolically tying each person to the land. She believes in the power of customs that connect us to our world. And she’s hoping future generations can rediscover them. “There’s so many traditions that we have around trees that are lost,” she says. “Just bringing that tradition back is something very powerful.” (WLNE) — The Freetown Fire Department said it provided mutual to the New Bedford Industrial Park for a brush fire The department said the fire was “extremely deep” in the forest and burned nearly four acres It added that the operation was labor intensive due to the dry weather conditions The department also said that outdoor burning should be avoided until the area receives rain