Top stories: bears, murders, and pageants

Faith Harrington, Standard-Times
·4 min read

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

Fairhaven voters said 'no' to a Proposition 2½ override. The override attempt had been touted by town officials and administration as a way to make up for a $450,000 budgetary shortfall. In the event the override did not gain approval, Fairhaven's school department was set to lose $200,000, with the remainder of $250,000 to come from the "Non-Departmental Salary & Wages" line item of the town budget.

Join the Women’s Fund SouthCoast for a wine tasting & food pairing stroll featuring seven women owned businesses on William Street. The businesses are opening their doors for a two-hour event inviting the community to wine and munch while celebrating these hard-working women.

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:

Latest sightings suggest Southeastern Mass. has two black bears roaming towns.

This still-shot of surveillance footage taken in an Acushnet backyard shows the black bear strolling through the property before tipping over a garbage barrel and taking a nap in a tree.
This still-shot of surveillance footage taken in an Acushnet backyard shows the black bear strolling through the property before tipping over a garbage barrel and taking a nap in a tree.

Since reports of black bear sightings started popping up around the SouthCoast last month, state wildlife experts agreed it seemed apparent it was a single bear. But as of last week, the latest round of bear sightings seem to suggest Southeastern Mass. now has two black bears roaming through towns.

Experts have suggested since this year's black bear sightings on SouthCoast began, it may be a sign of the times, as black bears' habitats in Southeastern Massachusetts continue shrinking. For the bears' and the public's safety, MassWildLife advises people not to purposely follow, try to attract, or interact with any bear.

Seeing double: Latest sightings suggest Southeastern Mass. has two black bears roaming towns.

New Bedford High student crowned Miss Massachusetts’ Teen 2023

Emma Gibney is crowned by outgoing Miss Massachusetts’ Teen 2022 Jenna McLaughlin and Miss Massachusetts 2022 Katrina Kincade.
Emma Gibney is crowned by outgoing Miss Massachusetts’ Teen 2022 Jenna McLaughlin and Miss Massachusetts 2022 Katrina Kincade.

At just 17 years old Emma Gibney has quite an impressive resume, many accolades and achievements, most recently she added a sash to the collection as she was crowned Miss Massachusetts' Teen 2023 on May 7 at the 23rd annual competition.

Gibney joined the Miss America pageants in October of 2022 by competing in her hometown Miss New Bedford Outstanding Teen and just fell in love with the organization and all it stood for.

Now, Gibney is headed to the Miss America’s Teen competition in January of 2024 where she will represent Massachusetts.

Taking the crown: New Bedford High student crowned Miss Massachusetts’ Teen 2023

Apparent murder-suicide at George Scott III's New Bedford home

Bristol County District Attorney's office and New Bedford police were on site at 1643 Phillips Road in New Bedford
Bristol County District Attorney's office and New Bedford police were on site at 1643 Phillips Road in New Bedford

An apparent murder-suicide of a father and son at 1643 Phillips Road in New Bedford's North End is under investigation. It appears from the evidence recovered to be a murder-suicide involving Dante Hazard, age 8, and his father, George Scott III, age 53.

Dante is the son of Lisa Hazard, who Scott reported missing to Fall River police in April 2019. The DA's office, Fall River and New Bedford police and State Police have been investigating the March 2019 disappearance of Hazard. The investigation into her disappearance remains active and Scott is a person of interest in that investigation.

DA: Apparent murder-suicide at George Scott III's New Bedford home

A homeless man was stabbed 137 times and left in a trash pile. His killer is sentenced.

New Bedford native Matthew Lariviere was found guilty of voluntary manslaughter in the killing of Robert Jones III, who was stabbed and slashed at least 137 times in a New Bedford homeless encampment in 2019.
New Bedford native Matthew Lariviere was found guilty of voluntary manslaughter in the killing of Robert Jones III, who was stabbed and slashed at least 137 times in a New Bedford homeless encampment in 2019.

New Bedford native Matthew Lariviere was found guilty of voluntary manslaughter in the killing of Robert Jones III, who was stabbed and slashed at least 137 times in a New Bedford homeless encampment in 2019.

He was sentenced by Judge Gregg J. Pasquale to 12 to 15 years in state prison. Lariviere said he acted in self-defense, and could only remember stabbing Jones six or seven times.

Jones' family was satisfied with the guilty verdict and thanked the jurors but requested the judge hand down the maximum sentence.

Killer sentenced: A homeless man was stabbed 137 times and left in a trash pile.

Deal with the state opens more affordable housing opportunities in New Bedford

The state has sold the former St. Mary’s Home for Children in New Bedford to Roxbury-based Cruz Development Corporation to help create new affordable housing opportunities in the city.

Cruz Development Corporation President and CEO John B. Cruz III plans to develop the property, located at 593 Kempton St., into 28 mixed-income rental units, of which 70 percent will be affordable and 30 percent market rate, along with an outdoor play area and parking.

Development: Deal with the state opens more affordable housing opportunities in New Bedford

This article originally appeared on Standard-Times: The top stories in New Bedford: tragedies, bears, and housing