South Coast 360: text-only edition

Every story, newest first, in plain text.

1. Fall River firefighters honored for Gabriel House fire response
   Fall River, Oct. 18, 2026
   More than 40 Fall River firefighters received awards Friday at Kuss Middle School for their response to the deadly July 2025 Gabriel House fire.
2. Police log: New Bedford arrests, Oct. 12 to 14
   New Bedford, Oct. 18, 2026
   Arrests listed in the New Bedford Police Department's daily arrest logs for Oct. 12 to 14, 2026: charges and streets only.
3. Acushnet seeks emergency management volunteers and call firefighter recruits
   Acushnet, Oct. 18, 2026
   Acushnet's Office of Emergency Management wants volunteers 18 and older, no experience needed. Fire & EMS is taking call firefighter candidates for 2027 academy classes.
4. Dighton draft warrant for Nov. 9 town meeting lists bridge design and savings deposits
   Dighton, Oct. 18, 2026
   Dighton's Nov. 9 Special Town Meeting draft warrant lists $175,000 for Pleasant Street Bridge engineering and up to $596,185 for capital savings. The final warrant posts Oct. 22.
5. Fairhaven's draft Nov. 17 Town Meeting warrant includes proposed license plate reader ban
   Fairhaven, Oct. 18, 2026
   A citizens petition to ban automated license plate readers is one of nine articles in Fairhaven's draft warrant for Nov. 17, with $168,628 in blizzard repair money and sewer transfers.
6. Freetown selectmen to vote Monday on closing Nov. 9 Town Meeting warrant
   Freetown, Oct. 18, 2026
   Freetown's selectmen are scheduled to vote Oct. 19 on finalizing the Nov. 9 Special Town Meeting warrant and to discuss a Freetown Elementary boiler project. The town also posted early voting and registration dates.
7. Mattapoisett early voting runs through October
   Mattapoisett, Oct. 18, 2026
   Early voting for the Nov. 3 state election runs through Oct. 30 at Mattapoisett Town Hall, 16 Main Street.
8. Mattapoisett Select Board votes Oct. 20 on Nov. 9 town meeting recommendations
   Mattapoisett, Oct. 18, 2026
   Mattapoisett's Select Board and Finance Committee meet Oct. 20 to vote recommendations on Nov. 9 Special Town Meeting articles. An Eversource line crossing hearing is also set.
9. Greater New Bedford Voc-Tech committee to vote on borrowing, admissions policy Oct. 20
   New Bedford, Oct. 18, 2026
   The Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School Committee will hold a regular meeting Tuesday, Oct. 20, at 6 p.m. in the Student Forum at 1121 Ashley Blvd., New Bedford, according
10. Rehoboth selectmen take up town meeting articles Oct. 19; data center zoning hearing Oct. 28
    Rehoboth, Oct. 18, 2026
    Rehoboth's Board of Selectmen meets Oct. 19 on Special Town Meeting articles and a cannabis dispensary host agreement. The Planning Board holds a data center zoning hearing Oct. 28.
11. Rochester's revised electricity program plan is open for comment through Oct. 31
    Rochester, Oct. 18, 2026
    Rochester's revised plan for its town electricity program is open for public review through Oct. 31. It lists current prices and compares them with Eversource.
12. Rochester Select Board to weigh a Jan. 25 Special Town Meeting date
    Rochester, Oct. 18, 2026
    The Rochester Select Board will discuss and possibly vote Monday, Oct. 19, on setting a Special Town Meeting for Jan. 25, 2027, according to its posted agenda.
13. Somerset Berkley school committee to take up $50,000 donation Oct. 20
    Somerset, Oct. 18, 2026
    The Somerset Berkley Regional School Committee meets Tuesday, Oct. 20, at 6 p.m. in the Somerset Berkley Regional High School library, 625 County St., Somerset, according to its posted agenda.
14. Somerset boards take up Taco Bell plan and battery storage project this month
    Somerset, Oct. 18, 2026
    A proposed Taco Bell on G.A.R. Highway goes to the Planning Board Oct. 20 and the zoning board Oct. 22. A battery storage project on Riverside Avenue is on the Oct. 29 zoning agenda.
15. Swansea votes Monday on new Case Junior High, a $149.7 million project
    Swansea, Oct. 18, 2026
    Swansea's Oct. 19 Special Town Meeting takes up a new Joseph Case Junior High School, budgeted at $149.7 million, and a conservation restriction on Wilbur Avenue.
16. Westport to start paving Sanford Road from Briggs Road to Route 6 on Oct. 26
    Westport, Oct. 18, 2026
    Paving of the northern half of Sanford Road, Briggs Road to Route 6, is set to start Oct. 26 as part of Westport's pedestrian safety project. Weather may shift the dates.
17. Gale watch posted for Buzzards Bay and the sounds, Monday evening to Wednesday evening
    South Coast, Oct. 18, 2026
    Northeast winds of 25 to 35 knots and gusts to 40 knots are possible on Buzzards Bay and the sounds from 8 p.m. Monday to 8 p.m. Wednesday, the National Weather Service says.
18. Shawn Oliver suspends campaign for lieutenant governor after OUI arrest
    New Bedford, Oct. 18, 2026
    Oliver said Sunday afternoon he is suspending his campaign, hours after running mate Mike Minogue asked him to. Police say he was arrested after a crash late Saturday.
19. Early voting this week in Acushnet, Dighton, Lakeville, Seekonk and Wareham
    South Coast, Oct. 18, 2026
    Early voting places and this week's hours in Acushnet, Dighton, Lakeville, Seekonk and Wareham, plus the Saturday, Oct. 24, voter registration deadline.
20. Marion, Wareham, Dighton, Lakeville list Halloween events for Oct. 21 to 31
    South Coast, Oct. 18, 2026
    Marion police Trunk or Treat Oct. 24, Wareham's Trick or Treat on Main Street Oct. 30, Dighton library movie nights and Lakeville's candy drive.
21. New Bedford I-195/Route 18 work brings overnight Route 18 closures through Nov. 1
    New Bedford, Oct. 18, 2026
    Route 18 closes overnight at times, two I-195 ramps stay shut until summer 2027, and daytime street closures run near the interchange. Detours and the Nov. 5 meeting.
22. Wareham Town Meeting Oct. 26 to weigh $1 million conservation restriction
    Wareham, Oct. 18, 2026
    Wareham's Oct. 26 Town Meeting takes up a $1 million conservation restriction on about 348 acres, a beach and marsh dog rule, the Decas School and more.
23. Fall River's Nov. 3 ballot comes on two cards; mail voters must return both
    Fall River, Oct. 17, 2026
    Fall River's state election ballot has two cards. Mail voters must seal both and sign the envelope. Early voting runs Oct. 17 to 30 in the Government Center atrium.
24. Marion starts Front Street sidewalk work Monday; crews to crack-seal 14 roads
    Marion, Oct. 17, 2026
    Front Street sidewalk reconstruction starts Oct. 19 and should finish by Thanksgiving. Crack sealing on 14 Marion roads runs Oct. 20 to 22.
25. Two South End polling places move for New Bedford's Nov. 3 election
    New Bedford, Oct. 17, 2026
    Ward 5, Precinct C now votes at St. Teresa of Calcutta School and Ward 6, Precinct F at New Life Southcoast Church. Early voting runs Oct. 17 to 30 at the Main Library.
26. Dartmouth voters: nine polling places, nine state questions on Nov. 3 ballot
    Dartmouth, Oct. 16, 2026
    Dartmouth's state election warrant lists nine precinct polling places, open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Nov. 3. Early voting runs Oct. 17 to 30; register by Oct. 24.
27. Dartmouth Town Meeting Oct. 20 will weigh about $11.3 million in borrowing and spending
    Dartmouth, Oct. 16, 2026
    Dartmouth's Oct. 20 Town Meeting is asked to approve up to $11,264,796.39 in borrowing, spending and transfers, by our count of the warrant the town posted online. Article 7 would borrow up to $5.5 million for wastewater plant upgrades.
28. Fall River Council approves tax exemptions for three housing projects
    Fall River, Oct. 16, 2026
    Fall River's City Council approved tax exemptions for three housing projects Oct. 13, 5-3 on each: 212 units, about $89.6 million in investment.
29. Fall River seeks groups for Nov. 11 Veterans Day Parade
    Fall River, Oct. 16, 2026
    Fall River's Veterans Day Parade is Wednesday, Nov. 11, stepping off at 1:30 p.m. Groups, schools and businesses can register now. Route not yet announced.

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