Lafrance Hospitality's purchase, drug money, and MCAS stance: Top Stories

Faith Harrington, The Standard-Times
·4 min read

As we head into the week, let's take a look at the news from this past week.

Mayor Jon Mitchell is submitting a proposal to the City Council that would establish a mechanism to recall city elected officers, fulfilling a promise he made last year. The proposal establishes a high standard the public would have to meet in order to recall an elected officer.

U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren met with healthcare advocates in Wareham to support efforts to ensure access to reproductive health for all. The Massachusetts Democrat was at Health Imperatives in Wareham to hear from local leaders and discuss strategies for improving care in vulnerable communities.

Keep up with high school sports with scores, game highlights, and player of the week voting at https://www.southcoasttoday.com/sports.

Here are the most-read stories of the week on https://www.southcoasttoday.com:

Lafrance Hospitality buys building on Bethel Street in New Bedford

The building at 38 Bethel St., site of the New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center, was recently purchased for $1,975,000.
The building at 38 Bethel St., site of the New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center, was recently purchased for $1,975,000.

The building at 38 Bethel St., the site of the New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center, was recently purchased for $1,975,000.

Franklin Hospitality Corp., a corporation controlled by Lafrance Hospitality, bought the property from New Bedford Inc., according to property transfer records.

Sean Lafrance, Lafrance Hospitality director of facilities, said no changes are envisioned in the building's present use. The property abuts the building at 89 N. Water St., which the company purchased within the last year.

Making purchases: Lafrance Hospitality buys building on Bethel Street in New Bedford

What happens with drug money seized in Massachusetts

The New Bedford Police Dept. seized a record $1,295,274 from two drug traffickers in 2022, the largest seizure of drug money in the department’s history. But whether it's $1,295,274 or $250, the rules are the same for how illegal drug money can be seized and used.
The New Bedford Police Dept. seized a record $1,295,274 from two drug traffickers in 2022, the largest seizure of drug money in the department’s history. But whether it's $1,295,274 or $250, the rules are the same for how illegal drug money can be seized and used.

The New Bedford Police Dept. seized a record $1,295,274 from two drug traffickers in 2022, the largest seizure of drug money in the department’s history.

But whether it's $1,295,274 or $250, the rules are the same for how illegal drug money can be seized and used. In many of the cases, as long as there's a conviction, and as long as there's evidence tied to the money, it's usually forfeited by agreement through the defense attorney and prosecutor.

The law says up to 10% can be used for drug rehabilitation, drug education and other anti-drug or neighborhood crime watch programs that further law enforcement purposes.

Let's find out: What happens with drug money seized in Massachusetts

It's official: New Bedford stands against MCAS as a graduation requirement.

Since 1993, the Mass. Education Reform Law has required public school students in the state to pass the standardized MCAS test to graduate high school. In the years since, there's been no shortage of complaints and pushback from educators and the public about the test's high-stakes nature.

While local officials' opinions hold no weight over whether or not the bill moves forward, New Bedford City Council and School Committee members decided to take a pronounced public stance in support of its passage recently, when they voted to officially declare their position on Thrive Act by resolution earlier this month.

The two public bodies' resolutions put them in line with local educators and parents who've expressed concerns with the MCAS graduation requirement over recent months, and throughout the years.

It's official: New Bedford stands against MCAS as a graduation requirement. Here's why.

There's a regional housing shortage in the SouthCoast

Tony Sapienza, President of the New Bedford Economic Development Council, speaks at a ceremony held at the downtown New Bedford Public Library where New Bedford Creative announced the release of eighty-two grant awards totaling $509,200.
Tony Sapienza, President of the New Bedford Economic Development Council, speaks at a ceremony held at the downtown New Bedford Public Library where New Bedford Creative announced the release of eighty-two grant awards totaling $509,200.

Community leaders from across a wide cross-section of interests that represent the private, nonprofit and higher education sectors of the economy have been working together to focus on ways to address the regional housing shortage in the New Bedford area.

The report, "Housing for All: Forward-Looking Strategies for a Growing New Bedford,” recommends a series of immediate- and near-term action items in concert with the housing plan.

NBEDC Board of Directors President Anthony Sapienza said, "It’s clear from the numbers that there are not enough rental properties available in the suburban towns that would be attractive to live in, and they encourage the whole region to get involved in building more affordable rental housing tailored to the needs of the communities."

Take a closer look: There's a regional housing shortage in the SouthCoast.

New Bedford Mayor Mitchell opposed to losing city's downtown federal building

A man walks past the iconic sea urchin sculpture in front of the Federal building in downtown New Bedford.
A man walks past the iconic sea urchin sculpture in front of the Federal building in downtown New Bedford.

The downtown Hastings Keith Federal Building with its distinctive sea urchin sculpture out front may be transitioning out of federal use.

Mayor Jon Mitchell says that's a bad idea. Located at 53 North Sixth St., it was built in 1974 and was named after Hastings Keith, a Republican congressman for Massachusetts from 1959-1973.

Mitchell said New Bedford needs a primary federal building for many reasons, including the Port's status as the highest grossing commercial fishing port in the nation, with the fishing industry among the most tightly regulated by the federal government.

Mayor Mitchell: opposed to losing city's downtown federal building. Here's why.

All of these stories can be found in their entirety at SouthCoastToday.com.

This article originally appeared on Standard-Times: Top stories of the week drug money, housing, and MCAS