A lot can happen in a year. In 2023, Dartmouth Week reported on new faces, new businesses and new problems in town. At the same time, the community celebrated classic traditions, from the Memorial Day parade to the Veterans Day ceremony, from the Padanaram Summer Festival to Apponagansett Park concerts all summer long, Dartmouth Week was as active and lively as the town it covers. 

Here’s a look back at the headlines that defined the town’s past year. 

New faces in town government

The only contested race in the April election saw School Committee Chair Kathleen Amaral reelected, and newcomer Elizabeth “Bess” Coughlin beginning her first term. 

“I’m kind of amazed that I won and happy because I worked hard for it. But I really appreciate the support of the community, and I'm a bit humbled by their faith in me,” said Coughlin at the time.

Just a couple weeks later, another new face entered Dartmouth Public Schools — Superintendent June Saba-Maguire, who previously served as the assistant superintendent in Brockton. Saba-Maguire replaced long-time superintendent Bonny Gifford, who retired last year.

And on the town’s side, Chris Vitale joined as the new assistant town administrator; Vitale came off a stint as assistant town manager in Leicester and was selected to fill the vacancy left when Cody Haddad exited in January.

Fire District 2 shakeup gets settled

The shakeup of the Fire District 2 Prudential Committee spilled over from last year, but the election of resident Paul Abrantes to the missing seat brought the saga to an end. A quick recap: Abrantes replaced former Prudential Committee member Bob Bouley, who resigned in June, shortly after a recall petition was presented to him. 

Abrantes was part of the group that led the recall effort, which faulted Bouley for removing Greg Edgcomb from his position as acting fire chief “without any process, and in violation of the Open Meeting Law and the District By-Laws” and for refusing to interview Edgcomb for the role of permanent fire chief.

Migrants move into town, community adapts

Similar to other communities across the state, Dartmouth became home to migrant families, who were placed in hotels by the state as part of the “right-to-shelter” system. 

The town, school district and surrounding community nonprofits organized over the course of months to provide additional support for the families. 

“Most of the service providers in this community have stepped up in one way or another,” said PACE Executive Director Pam Kuechler. 

The families, most of whom are likely awaiting asylum, were placed in two Route 6 hotels, but the state recently told the town it would relocate the families in the Baymont by Wyndham hotel to another facility out of town. 

New businesses

A number of new businesses, many of them restaurants, have opened or announced plans to open in 2023. 

Local coffee and pastry shop “The Donut Factory” put signs up at Route 6 and Hathaway Road, and planned to open in the fall, but has yet to do so. 

A new Korean BBQ and hot pot location opened on Route 6, where Azuma once resided. 

Connecticut-based pizza chain “Riko’s” is setting up shop in the old Buster’s location on State Road. 

Crumbl Cookies made a splash in Dartmouth already, frequently seeing long lines of patrons waiting for their famous boxes of cookies.

A new indoor pickleball facility opened in Big Value Plaza. The facility is a passion project of the Plaza’s pickleball-obsessed owner. 

And finally, a hometown favorite established itself in brick and mortar: Two Sisters Catering now sells Portuguese takeout, delivery and catering on Dartmouth Street. 

Hawthorne Country Club burns down

In the middle of the day in early May, Fire District 2 received reports that the Hawthorne Country Club was on fire. The blaze devastated the building, which was put under agreement to be sold just days earlier to a company looking to build housing on the property. 

After an early investigation, state fire officials said the fire appeared to be “intentionally set.” 

Residents get serious about deer

A grassroots gathering of farmers, landowners, conservation groups and concerned residents are blowing the whistle on the overpopulation of white-tailed deer in Dartmouth and Westport. The group, called “Our Herd,” spoke before MassWildlife’s board about the issue and continues to host public meetings to educate and inform about the hunting options available. 

Septic regulations dropped 

After months of public comment and plans for legal action, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection announced that Dartmouth will not be subject to new Title 5 regulations that would require residents to replace their septic systems with nitrogen-filtering technology. 

MassDEP said it would continue to work on different sets of regulations for South Coast communities. 

Marching band goes national

Dartmouth’s award-winning marching band tested its mettle for the first time against high schools across the nation, when it competed in the 2023 Grand National championship in Indianapolis. After handily winning two regional championships, at Metlife and Rutgers, Dartmouth reached the semifinal round in Indiana, capping off a historic year for a storied program. 

Dartmouth’s show this year celebrated the art of street artist Banksy. 

Educators get new contract

After nearly a year of negotiations, a contract was approved between the School Committee and the Dartmouth Educators Association. 

“I’m really glad we could come to this agreement,’’ School Committee Chair Kathleen Amaral said at the conclusion of the June 5 School Committee meeting, when the news was announced after a brief executive session.

The educators sought an improved salary, an improved health insurance split with the town and better work assurances for paraprofessionals. 

Sun sets on Sunrise

Sunrise Bakery in Dartmouth shut its doors for the final time Saturday, May 27 at 4 p.m., leaving many regulars unsure where they will go. 

“It was a place to go, have coffee, talk with your friends,” said Raymond Borges, who visited the bakery daily. “Now I don't know where we’re going to go.” 

In December, Dartmouth Week reported that the bakeries would sell to two separate owners. The new owner of the New Bedford spot wished to buy both locations and keep them “the same as it’s been for 44 years,” but couldn’t secure funding to do so. 

A new fight over an old building

The old police station on Russells Mills Road has seen better days: the building, which was first built in 1926, was left unoccupied after legionella bacteria was found in the pipes in 2014. An officer became sick that year with what was diagnosed as Legionnaires Disease, which is caused by the bacteria. The building has since been vacant. 

In 2016, an $8.5 million plan to renovate the station was rejected at Town Meeting. In 2019, a committee which was formed to look into the police station decided that reuse was not an option. The demolition of the building has been approved at Town Meeting twice. 

A July vote by the Historical Commission, which argues the building is historic and can be reused, delayed demolition. The discussion since then has followed circuitous paths, but the Select Board now must decide whether to fund a study on the building’s reuse, to the tune of $46,000. The debate will pick up in the new year. 

Star Store students sent to Dartmouth

UMass Dartmouth’s Visual and Performing Arts program left downtown New Bedford after two decades in the historic Star Store Building, leaving UMass art students in the lurch. 

The announcement came after the state’s budget was finalized on Aug. 9 and did not include funding for the space. Since 2001, state funding fully covered the costs to remain in the Star Store.

“The news is devastating, for a lot of different reasons,” said Dean of the College of Visual and Performing Arts A. Lawrence Jenkens. “We’ve been in that location since 2001 … we were an anchor institution for the revival of the arts and culture district [in New Bedford].”

Some students’ studios have been relocated to the main campus in Dartmouth, as well as the former Bed, Bath and Beyond building in town. 

Students, faculty and community members have held multiple rallies to “Save the Star Store,” including one in New Bedford and one on UMass Dartmouth’s campus, the latter of which called for tuition refunds and resignations. 

No more Christmas in July 

The Middleboro-based Christmas Tree Shops closed down its Dartmouth location after declaring bankruptcy. 

At the time, shopper Sharon Kennedy was “very upset” that the store was closing. “All the stores where you can get small little things that you can’t find at other stores are [closing].”

At the beginning of this year, Christmas Tree Shops operated more than 80 stores, including 15 in Massachusetts.

A campus grieves, legal proceedings loom

In April, students across UMass Dartmouth gathered to grieve the unexpected deaths of two students in one day — fine arts student Alexandra Landry and first-year student Frank Petillo Jr. Petillo was struck and killed by a fellow student driving on Ring Road. 

Danasia Sampson, the 22-year-old driver, was charged with motor vehicle homicide by negligent operation by the District Attorney’s Office. Her next pretrial hearing is Jan. 3 in New Bedford District Court. 

Budget problems

One of the most significant stories of the past year is still in motion: the Town faces a looming budget shortfall for Dartmouth Public Schools, and will need to find an alternative funding source to avoid laying off over a dozen teachers. One of the most discussed options is a tax override, which would ask Dartmouth voters to raise their own taxes higher than what the law allows. The Select Board, School Committee and Finance Committee will discuss their options again on Jan. 8.