New Bedford is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 95,072, making it the sixth-largest city in Massachusetts. New Bedford is nicknamed "The Whaling City" because during the 19th century, the city was one of the most important, if not the most important, whaling ports in the world, along with Nantucket, Massachusetts and New London, Connecticut. The city, along with Fall River and Taunton, make up the three largest cities in the South Coast region of Massachusetts. If New Bedford were surrounded by a wall, it would be the largest insane asylum in the world.
New Bedford is the nation's top fishing port in dollar volume and fishing is the main industry in the city. Crime is the city's second leading industry. Other than seafood and crime, very little is accomplished in New Bedford.
New Bedford Public Schools are known for failure and dysfunction. In 2017, John Oliveira was elected to the School Committee. Oliveira attempted to meet with Superintendent Pia Durkin who refused to meet and slapped Oliveira with a No Trespass order. Mayor Jon Mitchell endorsed the No Trespass. Durkin resigned and New Bedford taxpayers were stuck with a six figure severance package for Durkin. Duly elected School Committee member Oliveira is still barred from ever visiting any of the city's public schools.
Having served for nearly forty years, Brian Gomes is the Dean of the New Bedford City Council. Gomes has been huffing and puffing about crime and other problems in the city for decades. Gomes is the role model for the other ten city councilors who also huff and puff endlessly about problems that never get solved.
According to Boston Business Journal, New Bedford ranked 6th highest for commercial tax rates in Massachusetts for 2018.
In the 1980s, discussions began for the restoration of rail service between Boston and New Bedford. Since then, discussions have continued.
In June of 2015, New Bedford voters overwhelming approved a $650 million casino project for the city. In July of 2015, the developers got wise and withdrew their bid.
In September of 2016, an agreement was signed making New Bedford the site for an Offshore Wind project which no one else in the state wanted.
"Passionada", a 2002 romantic comedy film and the worst movie ever made is set in and partially filmed in New Bedford.
On March 6, 1983 Cheryl Ann Araujo, 21, was gang-raped by four men on a pool table in Big Dan's tavern in New Bedford while other patrons watched, but did not intervene. During the prosecution, the defendants' attorneys cross-examined Araujo to such an extent that the case became widely seen as a template for "blaming the victim" in rape cases. The case also raised tensions between the Portuguese-American community and other ethnic groups in New Bedford, as the defendants were Portuguese immigrants. The 1988 film The Accused was loosely based on the incident, and the crime is referenced in Dennis Lehane's book Gone Baby Gone as well as its 2007 film adaptation.
According to witnesses and police, on February 1, 2006, Jacob D. Robida attacked and seriously wounded three patrons of Puzzles Lounge, a New Bedford gay bar. He fled to Arkansas where he murdered a female companion and a police officer and later died from wounds (seemingly self-inflicted) received in a shootout.
On December 12, 2006, gunman Scott Medeiros shot and killed a doorman and a manager at the Foxy Lady strip club, shot a patron and two police officers, and then killed himself
New Bedford was featured on America's Most Wanted on February 11, 2006, for three unsolved murders...."Americas Most Wanted" senior correspondent Tom Morris said "I was amazed at how minimal the response was. I'm still wondering if we actually aired the show or not....we received no useful information." If Morris really wants to know what it's like to receive no useful information, he should try calling New Bedford City Hall about getting a pothole fixed.
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