As we head into the weekend, let’s take a look at the news from this past week.
More than eight years in the making, city councilors approved the MacArthur Drive Redevelopment Plan in committee last week 8-2. The zoning ordinance to establish the district will go to a regular council meeting for a full OK. It will then go to the state Department of Housing and Community Development for review and approval.
Constituent sticker shock at three of the raises built into an overhaul of non-union management personnel pay rates that ranged from $38,000 to $50,000 compelled the council to walk them back a bit. These top-end increases ranged from 32% to 40% of the recipients’ annual salaries. Five other employee raises were said to top 25%.
Keep up with high school sports with scores, game highlights, and player of the week voting at https://www.southcoasttoday.com/sports.
Sports:Keller’s career night lifts Lakers past GNB Voc-Tech for Apponequet’s third straight win
Then there are the most-read stories of the week on https://www.southcoasttoday.com:
Following in the footsteps of his parents, Lolly and Ronnie Fernandes, Boston Burrito co-owner Jack Fernandes will be taking over Lolly’s Cafe in February. To focus on the family’s business, he closed Boston Burrito indefinitely.
“We’re going to Lolly’s, the bitter part of the deal is that nobody’s going to be at Boston Burrito. As much as we love the business, it comes down to the family business or this place,” Fernandes said on an Instagram video.
Michael Moujabber will join Fernandes as the new co-owner of Lolly’s Cafe on Sheridan Street. As for his parents, they have purchased the Country Whip in Acushnet.
Family first:There are some big changes taking place at Boston Burrito, Lolly’s Cafe and Country Whip.
Honored with the “Mayor of Pizza” plaque, the New Bedford community paid tribute to Nelson Hockert-Lotz at the Zeiterion Performing Arts Center.
After 37 years in the Domino’s pizza business, Hockert-Lotz announced he was retiring this year. Hosted by the Zeiterion Performing Arts Center and AHA! New Bedford, Hockert-Lotz was honored for his deep commitment to the community and boundless civic and social generosity.
“It’s been the honor of a lifetime to be one of New Bedford’s pizza people,” Hockert-Lotz said. Though he plans to retire this year, Hockert-Lotz reminded the group that his involvement in the community remains strong.
Community:‘Pizza Guy’ Nelson Hockert-Lotz honored for his contributions to New Bedford
While based in Taunton, Building Pathways South plans to expand into New Bedford knowing that it’s home base for the first commercial offshore wind project in the United States.
Building Pathways South is now offering a 27-hour certificate from the Massachusetts Maritime Academy in Offshore Wind 101. The new offshore wind course is another way to introduce people to the role of the building trades for the growing offshore wind industry in addition to its role in career placement.
Open positions include electricians, welders, pipe fitters, mechanics, fabricators, carpenters, painters, laborers, technicians, marine life observers, GIS analysts, deckhands, mates, captains, safety managers, equipment operators, project managers, and many others.
Employment:Looking for a job? New Bedford’s offshore wind industry is hiring in a variety of fields.
The suspect in the theft of more than $75,000 in artifacts from the New Bedford Whaling Museum allegedly made five visits to W. Bridgewater Coin and Jewelry Buyers and sold more than $11,000 in items.
“He seemed like a likable person. We were building a rapport,” said shop owner Len Estabrooks.
Burchell is alleged to have stolen dozens of pocket-sized items from the museum and sold the artifacts at local antique and pawn shops for cash.
Burchell was arraigned on larceny charges in New Bedford District Court on Jan. 6. The court imposed a cash bail of $5,000 and ordered Burchell to stay away from the Museum and have no contact with Museum employees. His next court date is Jan. 31 for a pretrial conference.
Stolen goods:Suspect in Whaling Museum’s $75,000 artifact theft ‘seemed likable’. How he got caught.
Area residents facing mandatory septic-system upgrades costing thousands of dollars under proposed regulations can get a look at the plans via four Dept. of Environmental Protection presentations this month.
The “Title 5” amendments to reduce nitrogen pollution in bays and estuaries in targeted areas on the Cape and South Coast offer two alternatives: residents upgrade their septic systems within five years or the affected communities commit to a 20-year nitrogen reduction plan.
Many South Coast residents are next in line to face either the mandatory upgrade in five years or community participation in the watershed permit process. That’s once areas within their communities are designated natural resource Nitrogen Sensitive Areas at an unspecified time in the future.
DEP:Area homeowners offered look at proposed septic regulations that could prove costly
All of these stories can be found in their entirety at SouthCoastToday.com.
