Fall River Now — Weekly Recap, Week Ending June 26, 2026

Transcript Welcome to Fall River Now. This is our weekly recap for the week ending June 26, 2026, where we cover the most significant local government news. Topping the news, the City Council rejected the mayor's proposed Fiscal Year 2027 municipal budget in a contentious meeting on Tuesday. The council first made large cuts to the Emergency Medical Services budget before voting down the overall city budget. The spending plan will now return to the mayor's office for revision. In other major financial news from city government, the council approved an appropriation of just over half a million dollars in Community Preservation Act funds for the Fall River Preservation Society. The order passed with eight votes in favor. The Fall River School Committee held a special meeting this week, approving several key leadership positions. The committee appointed a new Director of Special Education and confirmed contracts for new principals and vice principals at multiple schools. The superintendent also reported on a recent professional development retreat for district leadership. Also in schools, a subcommittee reviewed proposed new start and end times for several alternative education programs, including the Evolve Academy and Ascend Virtual School. The changes are aimed at improving services for the next school year. The Fall River Redevelopment Authority met on Wednesday, approving a payment warrant totaling over forty-one thousand dollars. The board also heard updates on the city's Urban Renewal Plan. City officials announced this week that an old rooming house on Rock Street is being renovated into a transitional living facility. The project will also include apartments on the first floor. On a community note, organizers announced the launch of the sixth annual 'Summer Evening in the Park' series. The free concert events are organized by the Narrows Center for the Arts. This week, the City Council's Committee on Ordinances and Legislation approved several new traffic rules, including new handicap parking spots and parking restrictions near a school. Two scheduled meetings were canceled this week: the Community Preservation Committee meeting on Monday and a Licensing Board meeting on Tuesday. However, the Licensing Board did hold a meeting on Friday afternoon. Residents flagged a couple of road hazards this week through the city's 311 system. One report described the road caving in around a grate at Elm and Durfee streets, while another noted two large potholes on North Eastern Avenue. Looking ahead, construction is scheduled to begin on the north side of Columbia Street and will continue through late August. Other construction phases are planned for Columbia Street in September. The city has announced several Food Truck Festivals at the Gates of the City, scheduled for July seventeenth and August fourteenth. And next week, the Fall River Board of Health will hold a virtual meeting on Monday, June twenty-ninth, to discuss regulations restricting the sale of tobacco products. Fall River Now generates content via AI, like this podcast. Check FallRiverNow.com for more information. In this episode 6.18.2026 Zoning Board of Appeals 6.24.2026 Transitional Living on Rock Street Project Press Conference 6.24.26 Redevelopment Authority 6.24.2026 - Summer Evenings in the Park Announcement Fall River Council Approves $501,300 for Preservation Society, Confirms Appointments Fall River City Council Rejects FY27 Budget, Recommends Reductions Fall River City Council Approves Key Appointments, Contracts, and Ordinances 6.23.26 Fall River City Council 6.23.26 Fall River City Council - Ordinances and Legislation 6.23.2026 Fall River School Committee - Special Meeting Resident Reports Damaged Road at Elm and Durfee Streets 6.22.2026 Fall River School Committee - Special Education, Alternative Education Early Childhood Fall River City Council Postpones Vote on Community Maintenance Director, Addresses Legal Counsel and Traffic Ordinances Fall River City Council Confirms Community Maintenance Director, Debates Legal Action Authority 6.20.2026 - Relay for Life of Greater Fall River - Opening Ceremony Survivor Lap Pothole Reported Near Crestwood Street in Fall River