Joan Menard, the fourth-ranking member of the state Senate and a fixture in the state's Democratic power structure for decades, will not run for a seventh term, the News Service has learned.

You could say they came out of their shells. Preschoolers at the Alice Macomber School recently welcomed the Westport River Watershed Alliance "River Rats" program and a special visitor: an oyster.

The historic Seamen's Bethel has weathered many a storm since 1831 when it was first erected on Johnny Cake Hill "for the moral and spiritual improvement of seamen." But the iconic whaleman's chapel of 'Moby Dick' fame is currently showing its age and, as an inspection on Wednesday morning revealed, it is going to require some immediate attention, ...

Michael P. Gilleberto, director of operations for City Manager Michael V. O'Brien's administration the past two years, has been offered the town administrator's job in Tyngsboro.

Registered Democrats will caucus at 10 a.m. Feb. 13 at the North Westport fire station at Briggs Road and Route 88 to elect 10 delegates and three alternates to the 2010 Massachusetts Democratic Convention.

JOHN SLADEWSKI/The Standard-Times Stacy Flood, left, of Flood Consulting and Joseph Booth of the architectural firm Dyer Brown look under the floorboards of the Seamen's Bethel Wednesday.

Kenneth Ponte, the former New Bedford lawyer who was the only suspect ever charged in the still-unsolved highway killings case, was found dead yesterday in his Austin Street home, the district attorney's office said.

The driver of a 1996 Toyota Camry was killed early Saturday morning when his car hit a barrier on Route 195 West in Westport, Massachusetts State Police said.

She is accused of fleecing people one at a time in communities across SouthCoast.

A Rhode Island man was killed early Saturday in a car crash on Route 195 in Westport.

Police said three men were arrested and charged in connection with the theft of more than $4,000 in used auto parts.

Rep. Michael J. Rodrigues, D-Westport, with the Bank Street Neighborhood Association and the Lower Highland Neighborhood Association, will hold a neighborhood meeting at 6 p.m. Thursday at the Salvation Army conference room, 290 Bedford St., Fall River.

All Westport children who will reach age 5 on or before Sept. 1 are eligible to register to attend kindergarten at the Alice A. Macomber Primary School for the 2010-11 school year.

A Fall River man shot his estranged wife in a restaurant late Sunday, then shot and killed himself, according to District Attorney C. Samuel Sutter of Bristol County, Mass.

A local road upkeep project being funded with federal stimulus money is on track to be completed on time and within budget, according to the Massachusetts Department of Transportation.

The Cape Cod Landscape Association will hold its annual Professional Education Seminar and Trade Show on March 2 at the Resort and Conference Center of Hyannis.

A Hummer limousine was destroyed and a garage was damaged in a mid-afternoon fire Tuesday on Forge Road, fire officials said.

On December 30, 2009 the Westport Police arrested a male and a female at their residence located at 259 Division Road in Westport.

The 2010 dog licenses are due April 1 and are now available at the Town Clerk's Office.

The town nurse will be holding an H1N1 flu clinic Saturday from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. Only shots will be available.