Top stories: Market-rate apartments, wind power at Brayton Point, officer charged
As we prepare to kick off a new week, let's take a look back at the week that was.
If you've been keeping up, you may have caught wind that the state's first offshore wind manufacturing plant will be built at Somerset's Brayton Point. Officials gathered Thursday at the site of the former coal plant to celebrate an important milestone in the Bay State's clean energy journey.
Also among our most-read stories — from The Herald News' sister paper, O Jornal — a pair of new Netflix series that shine a spotlight on Portugal's talents are getting rave reviews.
In other news, a real estate developer is bringing more market-rate apartments to downtown Fall River, another city police officer faces charges and the community bands together to help fire victims.
In case you missed it, here are The Herald News’ top stories from last week according to our readers.
Ola, Netflix
Netflix released the Portuguese series "Until Life Do Us Part" earlier this month, while its first-ever Portuguese original series "Gloria," a historical spy thriller set in the 1960s, is still attracting new viewers and rave reviews worldwide. For many Portuguese-Americans, these series are not only a great opportunity to bring more visibility to Portugal’s talents in film, but also a great means to showcase its people, landscape, history, culture and language. Haven't checked them out yet? See what folks had to say about them here.
Now streaming: Two Portuguese series on Netflix create visibility for Portuguese fiction
Bringing life to Fall River
It’s full steam ahead for Tony Cordeiro and his grand scheme to create more market rate apartments on the outskirts of downtown Fall River. The real estate developer has plans to add nearly 140 more units to his expanding portfolio. Cordeiro said Fall River, which historically has had a high poverty rate compared to Massachusetts as a whole, is in a unique position to rebrand itself and create new economic development opportunities and that market-rate apartments will play an integral role. Find out what projects are currently on tap for the Spindle City.
'I can’t keep up with the demand': Fall River developer Tony Cordeiro expanding portfolio
City officer faces charges
For the second time in a little more than two months, a city police officer was arraigned in Fall River District Court, with the latest criminal counts including allegations of strangulation, assault with a dangerous weapon while on duty and later destroying evidence. The charges against 30-year-old officer Bryan Custadio are the latest black mark against the Fall River Police Department, which has been rocked in recent months by scandals, pending lawsuits and payouts for bad acts by city law enforcement. Read more on this story here.
Officer arraigned: A Fall River cop is facing felony charges in relation to alleged abuse case
Hope among the ashes
Eleven people who were displaced by a fire last month that destroyed a triple-decker at 140 Irving St. are rebuilding their lives with the help of the nonprofit Firefighters Wives Association and, through that group, the Greater Fall River community at large. Fire victims reflected on that devastating Jan. 29 night and what they've lost, but expressed gratitude for the community's efforts during an event at Barrett’s Alehouse in Fall River. Read more on this story here.
'We have each other': Irving Street fire victims are rebuilding their lives, thanks to two local charity groups
Beginning of a new era
It was a big day for the SouthCoast — Somerset in particular. The flick of a pen officially sealed the deal that the first offshore wind manufacturing facility in Massachusetts is coming to Brayton Point. Gov. Charlie Baker and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito were among a host of elected and state agency officials who came to the 306-acre Somerset site last week for a press conference to announce a contractual agreement for the sale of 47 acres to Prysmian Group of Italy to manufacture submarine power cable for both the Commonwealth Wind and Park City Wind offshore wind projects. Read more on this story here.
'A milestone agreement for the region': Somerset's Brayton Point site to host offshore wind cable plant
This article originally appeared on The Herald News: Top stories for Fall River, Somerset, Swansea, Westport, Tiverton
