NEW BEDFORD The new vaccination center on New Bedford s waterfront vaccinated 1,100 people on Saturday, many of whom work in the fishing industry, according to Greater New Bedford Community Health Center leadership.
Noelle Kohles, chief nursing and clinical operations officer at the health center, said there were about 1,200 appointments on Saturday and that most belonged to workers from the fishing industry.
Cheryl Bartlett, CEO of the health center, said all the fish house businesses encouraged their workforce to sign up or signed them up directly through the health center.
The city s stated focus for the new center is workers in the fishing industry, of which there are about 6,200, according to a 2019 report from the New Bedford Port Authority.
NEW BEDFORD The 56,000-square-foot U.S. Environmental Protection Agency facility on Hervey Tichon Avenue, used for about 16 years to clean harbor sediment contaminated with probable carcinogens, now belongs to the New Bedford Port Authority.
Mayor Jon Mitchell, accompanied by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and EPA officials, announced the property transfer Thursday at the newly decontaminated facility, calling it an “auspicious moment” for the port, city and region.
In the coming year, the port authority will extend the property s bulkhead at least 600 feet and use it to help with construction for the North Terminal expansion project.
The building, which has immediate rail access, is currently empty, but Port Director Ed Anthes-Washburn said the city may lease the space for commercial fish processing and freezing, adding some people have already expressed interest.