Stronger Support by Medical Community Needed to Address Opioid Crisis

Stronger Support by Medical Community Needed to Address Opioid Crisis

By: State Rep. Linda Dean Campbell – Jan. 2016 We have an opportunity in coming weeks in the Legislature to send the Governor a comprehensive piece of legislation to further address the opioid crisis. Legislative action to date includes substantially increased funding for: treatment post-detox; Community Mental Health Centers for both adults and youth; and […]

In Pursuit of Public Records Reform ~ IN YOUR CORNER WITH SENATOR IVES

In Pursuit of Public Records Reform ~ IN YOUR CORNER WITH SENATOR IVES

By: Senator Katy Ives – Jan. 2016 There have been a number of important legislative developments toward tackling public records reform. This month’s column is an opportunity to describe the status of public records legislation in the effort to produce meaningful public records reform this session. At the onset, Senator Jason Lewis filed S.1676, which […]

Rep. Lyons Reviews Legislative Accomplishments at Mid Session

Rep. Lyons Reviews Legislative Accomplishments at Mid Session

“We’ve turned a corner,” said Rep. Jim Lyons, “but we still have a long, long way to go.” Reflecting on the first half of the 2015-2016 legislative sessions, State Representative Jim Lyons (R-Andover) noted that it was a productive year marked by many legislative accomplishments, although vital challenges remain to be addressed. “From the beginning,” […]

Forgiving and Living with a Broken Heart ~ YE GAY OL’ VALLEY

Forgiving and Living with a Broken Heart  ~ YE GAY OL’ VALLEY

By: Dani Langevin – Jan. 2016 Meet Hector Black: Hector is a ninety-year-old man who lives in Tennessee. He has been featured on StoryCorps, Radiolab, and The Moth. He fought in World War II and attended Harvard where he studied social anthropology. None of this sounds remarkable, but Hector’s personal story is. Seven years ago, […]

Hillbilly

Hillbilly

By: John Macdonald – Jan. 2016 It’s an odd thing when the American entertainment industry blends popular couples by binding their names together. An example would be Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie that got the name “Bradgelina” or when Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez cursed tabloid covers with the name “Bennifer”. However, let’s not forget […]

Hollywood Star Steve Blackwood Coaches Local Actors at the Act Theater Company in North Andover

Hollywood Star Steve Blackwood Coaches Local Actors at the Act Theater Company in North Andover

  By: Tom Duggan – Jan. 2016 He’s a Hollywood actor, an author, a musician and a singer, but Steve Blackwood says his latest passion is teaching and he has started up his own actors studio in North Andover to teach local talent what it takes to make it in show business. “It’s funny,” he […]

The GOP Civil War and the Final Four ~PAYING ATTENTION WITH TOM DUGGAN

The GOP Civil War and the Final Four ~PAYING ATTENTION WITH TOM DUGGAN

In the race for the Republican nomination for President, there are really only four viable candidates as we approach the February 9th New Hampshire Primary, and the Massachusetts Primary in March. They are Donald Trump, Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, and Chris Christie. To understand the race and why it is so contentious, you first have […]

Powerball’s Historic Jackpot and What it Means to the Local Economy

Powerball’s Historic Jackpot and What it Means to the Local Economy

By: Tom Duggan, 1-12-15 Massachusetts State Lottery Director Michael Sweeney told the Valley Patriot Tuesday morning that the Powerball jackpot has been adjusted to $1.5B, the largest lottery payout in world history. “It’s really a big win for the state,” Sweeney  said. The Powerball jackpot hasn’t been hit in 19 successive drawings. The last time someone […]

Why I’m Voting for Marco Rubio ~ BENEATH THE SURFACE WITH PAUL MURANO

Why I’m Voting for Marco Rubio ~ BENEATH THE SURFACE WITH PAUL MURANO

By: Paul Murano – 1-11-16 Since I now live in NH, I thought I’d take advantage of seeing the presidential candidates up close and personal this political cycle.  There are two ways I judge candidates: 1) who I think would be best for the country, and 2) who I think has the best chance of […]

Rep. Lyons Supports Repeal of 1989 License Suspension Law

Rep. Lyons Supports Repeal of 1989 License Suspension Law

State Representative Jim Lyons (R-Andover) today supported the repeal of a 1989 law requiring individuals to forfeit their driver’s license for five years for certain drug-related offenses.  The current law is seen as a deterrent to individuals convicted of minor drug crimes who try to secure employment or treatment following their release from prison. The […]

Pain Patients To Suffer in Order to Conceal Drug Cartel Activities

Pain Patients To Suffer in Order to Conceal Drug Cartel Activities

By: Dr. Padmanabhan – December, 2015 In November’s Valley Patriot, I laid out the reason underlying the false government narrative that prescribing pain medicine to patients is the cause of the increasing number of overdose deaths. I was encouraged that finally after 2 years of drum-beating the false government narrative and concealing the massive impact […]

The Genie is Out of the Bottle on Prescription Drug Prices ~ THE DR. IS IN!

The Genie is Out of the Bottle on Prescription Drug Prices ~ THE DR. IS IN!

By: Dr. Frank MacMillan – December, 2015 As a college student in the mid 1980s, I studied and received my bachelor degree in economics prior to attending medical school. Also In the mid 1980s, I took note that one component of the new wave in health care was insurance paid prescription drug coverage. As a […]