News

One contested race in April 1 Town Election

The annual Town Election is less than a week away, and although the Board of Health race is the only one contested, the two candidates set to face off on April 1 are quite different. Chester Tam was inspired to run after he was let go from his job...

Olde Dartmouth is reuniting for 250th anniversary events

As the South Coast prepares for the 250th anniversary of the country and the anniversary of Grey’s raid on Bedford Village and villages along the Apponagansett River in 1778, Dartmouth is joining New Bedford, Westport, Fairhaven and Achushnet to...
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Talking trash: Dartmouth releases curbside yard waste collection schedule for spring

One man’s trash is not always a treasure, and that includes spring yard waste. The town of Dartmouth announced its spring 2025 yard waste collection schedule for Save-Money-And-Reduce-Trash Program participants. For Monday and Tuesday solid waste...

‘Oh deer’: Only three deer snagged on DNRT properties in 2024 season

In 2024, the Dartmouth Natural Resources Trust launched its Deer Management Pilot Program, which invited five archers onto its properties in an attempt to help address the overpopulation of white-tailed deer in the area. While the state saw a record...

Two candidates vie for seat on the Board of Health

Two names will appear on the ballot for one Board of Health seat in the upcoming town election, which will be held on Tuesday, April 1. Chester Tam, who worked at the Massachusetts General Hospital and Mass General Brigham, is running against Susan...

Board of Health candidate profile: Susan Murray

For the past 14 years, Susan Murray has worked to establish and grow her farm throughout Dartmouth. Now she is looking to bring her experiences as a farmer and small business owner to the Board of Health if elected on April 1. “I think it’s...

Board of Health candidate profile: Chester Tam

Chester Tam decided to run for the open seat on the Board of Health in the April 1 election as a way to “help people again,” after working at the Massachusetts General Hospital and later Mass General Brigham. Working at the hospital first as a...

Affordable housing on State Road sees progress to opening

The first 36 of the proposed 288-units of housing for 769 State Road, known as “Waterstone,” will be ready by summer as the developers begin to advertise the affordable housing lottery. The developers, First Dartmouth, LCC, plan to complete the work...

Select Board eliminates Bridge Street crosswalk following safety concerns

Town officials are looking to increase pedestrian safety in Padanaram in the next couple weeks, opting to eliminate the crosswalk at Bridge Street where a resident was recently fatally struck by a vehicle. With the red-brick crosswalk at Water...

Burgo closes courts early following reckless driving incident

The Burgo Basketball Association in Dartmouth is closing their courts at 6 p.m. every night until further notice due to recent reckless driving that damaged the area. Two vehicles were spotted driving dangerously on the courts, carving one-foot deep...

Sun shines on Sunrise Bakery once again

Nearly two years after closing , Sunrise Bakery has once again broken the horizon, returning with familiar and new treats. Originally set to open by the end of 2024 with owner Richard Freeman setting his target opening date as Oct.31 , the bakery...

Board of Health race is unclear as election approaches

Will there be two or three names on the ballot for the Board of Health? According to the draft ballot posted on the town website, the answer is two: newcomers Susan Murray and Chester Tam. However, incumbent Michelle Keith, previously confirmed with...

Off to the races with Pack 74

Nineteen cub scouts went to the races Saturday, March 1 as they put their carpentry skills to the test in Pack 74’s annual pinewood derby. Designing cars that couldn’t be heavier than five ounces, had wheels of a certain dimension and couldn’t...

Toyota of Dartmouth lends Scouts Troop 74 a helping hand

It’s not unusual for Toyota of Dartmouth to donate to local charities, especially youth sports. But when Scouts Troop 74 was in need, the dealership offered a different kind of helping hand. Camping is one of the core activities scouts participate...

Town moves forward with one interim town administrator

The Select Board appointed Gary Carreiro as the sole town administrator in a 3-2 vote on Monday, Feb. 24. Since the June departure of former Town Administrator Shawn MacInnes, Carreiro, who also serves as the town’s treasurer and director of budget...

Gagne returns to town, appointed as third Public Works Board member

The Select Board appointed Michael Gagne, who served as town administrator in Dartmouth for 22 years, as the third member of the Board of Public Works on Monday, Feb. 24. This decision comes after the departure of Richard Alves, who served eight...

Pulling in all the accolades

The Paskmansett Slab Tractor Pullers celebrated its first year of competition with an awards banquet on Saturday, Feb. 22. First place for those 12 years and under went to Logan Greenwood, with Levi Greenwood and Khloe Costa receiving second and...

Bliss Corner cleanup will soon resume with ‘ambitious sampling’

With the Bliss Corner cleanup project set to resume this spring, the Environmental Protection Agency is aiming to sample an additional 30 properties to determine if it’s possible to adjust the project’s boundaries. This decision comes over two years...

Cultural center to request an extended lease

The Dartmouth Cultural Center will be seeking an extended lease at Spring Town Meeting amid delays in its ongoing renovations due to limitations in its current lease with the town. The renovation project officially began in June 2023 after the...

One contested race so far as election ballot begins to take shape

Three candidates will vie for a seat on the Board of Health in this spring’s town election with all other offices uncontested. On the April 2 ballot will be two seats on the Select Board, two on the School Committee, one Board of Health seat, two on...

Black Earth curbside food scrap collection program is expanding

Black Earth Compost has expanded the service area of its Curbside Food Scrap Collection Program to more Dartmouth residents. The collection service can help reduce household waste by 30% by diverting fruit peels, bones and other food scraps from the...

Weekend storm passes through Dartmouth quietly

It was a relatively quick and quiet storm that passed through Dartmouth over the Feb. 8 and 9 weekend, thanks in part to the work of the Department of Public Works. Though the storm was the biggest the town’s seen this season, cumulating 3 inches,...

Farmers cultivate crops and conversations

Discussions of farming techniques, equipment and crops filled the Dartmouth Grange hall as local farmers, experienced and young alike, came together to enjoy a meal with food primarily grown or raised on their farms. Held on Friday, Feb. 7, the...

Back to square one in Dartmouth town administrator search

The search for Dartmouth’s next town administrator continues to go on. At its Monday, Feb. 10 meeting, the Select Board unanimously voted to rescind its offer to candidate Bridget Almon, who is currently the director of finance in Fall River, after...

The South Coast Rail will soon pull into the station

The ongoing South Coast Rail project, which was designed to reconnect the South Coast with Boston for the first time since the late 1950s, is on track to open on March 24. “We are absolutely at the finish line,” Jean Fox, the South Coast Rail...

Dartmouth sees decline in overdose deaths in 2024

Overdoses were down in Dartmouth for 2024, with the town seeing two fatal and 17 non-fatal overdoses, down from six fatal and 37 non-fatal overdoses in 2023. Detective Christina Brum announced the news at the Dartmouth Advocates for Addiction,...

UMass Dartmouth graduate among the victims of D.C. plane crash

Chris Collins, 42, a UMass Dartmouth graduate and Dighton native, was among the 67 victims of the Washington, D.C. plane crash between American Eagle Flight 5342 and a Black Hawk helicopter. “Our family is devastated by the loss of Chris, our...

UMass Receives $75,000 from BayCoast Bank to promote education to Southcoast youth

UMass received a $75,000 grant from BayCoast Bank, funding the university’s College and Career Awareness Initiatives that allows for local seventh and eighth grade students to visit the UMass campus and experience an “interactive, academically...

Dartmouth Natural Resource Trust seeks accreditation renewal

The Dartmouth Natural Resources Trust is applying for renewal of accreditation through the national Land Trust Accreditation Program. This program recognizes land conservation organizations that meet national quality standards for protecting...

Select Board pushes for increase in Public Works Board membership

After eight years of service on the Board of Public Works, Richard Alves has resigned, reigniting conversations in the Select Board about a possible increase in board members. After the announcement of Alves’ resignation at the Select Board Monday,...

Applications open now for parks department summer roles

Every summer season, the Dartmouth Parks & Recreation Department begins preparing by hiring approximately 50 seasonal summer employees to work as lifeguards, gate guards, laborers, concession staff, and playground instructors. Applications for...

‘A miracle’: Coyotes hunters reunite small dog with Dartmouth family

It was a typical Wednesday afternoon when Mary Kate Roy’s son let out the family dogs for their usual business, but things took a “ruff” turn when Pearl, the 7 year old Pomeranian, took off. Pearl may have only joined the Roy family a few weeks ago...

Public Works to reduce sewer connection fees for pilot program

The Board of Public Works has moved forward in authorizing the department’s director to reduce fees for septic to sewer connections for residences along the Apponagensett Bay watershed by $1,000 — under a few conditions. At its Thursday, Jan. 23...

Smart cookies: Girl Scouts sell sweets and support local charities

A full rainbow of multicolor Girl Scout cookie boxes was spread across a green clothed table outside the State Road Walmart in Dartmouth on a warm winter afternoon Sunday, Jan. 26. A lineup of girls dressed in bright green berets, vests and winter...

Trash talk: Public Works Board raises annual trash fee

Dartmouth’s annual trash rate is increasing by $20 in Fiscal Year 2026, bringing up the fee to a total of $110. At its Thursday, Jan. 23 meeting, the Board of Public Works voted for the increase after considering multiple options presented by...

Dias Landing will be storage-ready by May

The approximately $1 million renovations at the Arthur F. Dias Town Landing will be ready in time for the start of the season on May 1, announced Harbormaster Steve Melo. The popular pier will be ready for seasonal, on the dock storage of dinghies...

A chill drill: First responders gear up for icy rescues

Over the weekend, Fire District 1 took to the ice to hone in on their ice rescue skills and to Facebook to remind residents that “no ice is safe ice.” The department commended their members’ performance in the training, highlighting the importance...

Dartmouth to support homeless through Bristol County Continuum

As the housing crisis continues, there simply aren't enough homes for everyone in Bristol County. In Dartmouth alone there are about 12 to 15 individuals without homes, with many more in the middle of evictions, living in their cars and other...

‘Snow’ much fun at Dartmouth Middle School

Dartmouth got a couple inches of snow over the Sunday night, Jan. 19, leaving the town blanketed for the Monday holiday. Residents took this as an opportunity to hit the Dartmouth Middle School hill for some sledding. Families ran up the hill with...

Parking ban to go into effect due to upcoming storm

Due to the upcoming storm, there will be a parking ban from 8 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 19 through 12 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 20, per the order of the Department of Public Works. During the ban, cars should be parked on the side of the street without fire...

Buzzards Bay Coalition permanently protects 200 acres of farmland

The Buzzards Bay Coalition recently purchased three Dartmouth Farms, permanently protecting nearly 200 acres of land. The coalition purchased the 32-acre Jordan Farm, an 11-acre farm at the site of the former Wainer/Jansal Valley Farm near the end...

Senator Mark Montigny elevated to Dean of the Senate

Sen. Mark Montigny (D — New Bedford) opened the 194th session of the Massachusetts General Court on Jan. 1, presiding as the Dean of the Senate. As the Dean of the Senate, Montigny, who is the Senate’s longest continuously serving member, will call...

‘Piering’ into the future of Dias Town Landing

Currently under construct, residents will see the popular Arthur F. Dias Town Landing looking a bit new and improved this summer as it undergoes nearly $1 million in renovations, according to Harbormaster Steve Melo. The project is part of the...

Select Board working on contract for Town Administrator position

After choosing Bridget Almon , currently the director of finance in Fall River, as the next town administrator, Select Board members must now present to her a job contract for the position. The Select Board is currently drafting the contract and...

Select Board considers ending remote-only board and commission meetings

At a Select Board meeting on Monday, Jan. 6, the Select Board discussed sending a letter to town boards and commissions announcing their desire to transition back to holding meetings primarily in-person. During the Covid pandemic, the state...

All remaining ARPA funds allocated despite the deadline passing

Despite passing the Dec. 31 deadline for allocating federal American Rescue Plan Act funds, the Select Board directed the town of Dartmouth’s remaining $1,035,000 to two final projects on Monday, Jan. 6. The two projects were already in queue for...

Nearly $1 million in college scholarships available to local high school students

The SouthCoast Community Foundation, one of the largest providers of scholarships in southeastern Massachusetts, has opened its 2025 online application , with a January 21 deadline. Students complete just one application and are automatically...

Dartmouth Pathways Committee seeking volunteers

The Dartmouth Pathways Committee, created by the town Select Board to promote and address issues pertaining to pedestrian and bicycling infrastructure development, is seeking resident volunteers to serve on the committee. The Pathways Committee is...

Dartmouth Pathways Committee offers e-bike tips

The Dartmouth Pathways Committee has compiled tips to keep e-bikes and their batteries in top condition over the winter months. The first step in properly caring for an e-bike is to consult the instructions provided by the battery manufacturer to...

Dartmouth Lilly Pad Boutique Brings Lilly Pulitzer to State Road

Fire extinguishers only come in red, but the hallmark of Lilly Pulitzer clothing is the vibrant palette of colors that cover the spectrum of the rainbow, which played a big role in Kara Magoni’s decision to put fire extinguishers on the back burner...

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