Blanchette used Fire Department position to secure business for his private detector company 1-11-24 Former Lawrence Fire Department Fire Prevention Inspector David Blanchette will pay a $65,000 civil penalty for violating the conflict of interest law multiple times by using his official position to secure business for his private smoke and carbon monoxide detector maintenance […]
Blanchette is Mayor Lantigua’s Economic Development Director and Former City Council President By: Tom Duggan – October, 2010 The State Office of Campaign Finance (OCPF) has fined former Lawrence City Council President Patrick Blanchette $20,000 for taking money from his city council campaign account going back to 2006 among other violations. Blanchette has admitted to […]
Blanchette calls for “investigation” into how The Valley Patriot obtained public information on his $5,000 Raise The president of the Lawrence city council has called for an “investigation” into how the Valley Patriot obtained his EAF (Employee Action From). The form is part of the city’s personnel file on city employees and shows any […]
PAYING ATTENTION EXTRA! (video here) By: Tom Duggan – August 28, 2007 Lawrence Mayor Michael Sullivan marched into city hall Thursday night to a packed city council chambers. Hundreds of police and firefighters crowded the hall bearing signs that chastised the city council for trying to cut public safety in the city. Mayor Sullivan took […]
March, 2007 When Lawrence City Council President Patrick Blanchette first took office, he was honestly interested in making a positive difference in the city. He asked fair questions, exposed wasteful spending, looked at each issue objectively, advocated for better relations with both the mayor’s office and the public, and fought for his constituents regardless of […]
By: Tom Duggan – January, 2007 While other communities are making cuts in their budgets and forcing some layoffs, Lawrence continues to spend on unnecessary items. Recently, DPW spent its time, resources and money to remodel and make improvements to the City Council chambers and the City Council office floors at […]
By: Tom Duggan – January 2007 Lawrence City Council President Patrick Blanchette has been on a mission for the last few months. His mission: create a firestorm around Budget and Finance Director John Griffin so that he either quits or gets fired, create a firestorm around Caroline Ganley (who has left) and Planning Director […]
Vote Latino Campaign still Sore Spot with Some By: Tom Duggan – January 2, 2004 Lawrence – District “A” (Prospect Hill) Councilor Patrick Blanchette was elected president of the Lawrence City Council Friday night after the swearing in of all new city officials. Blanchette faced opposition from Carlos Matos, a newcomer, who was nominated […]
11/19/21 The Massachusetts Civil Service Commission blasted City of Methuen officials for the handling of promotions in the fire department and passing over female Firefighter Tracy Blanchette, for a captain’s promotion calling the city’s actions “intolerable” and “extraordinary”. SEE FULL DECISION HERE Civil Service Commissioner Cynthia A. Ittleman admonished every level of Methuen city government in the “flawed […]
Dr. William Heineman, vice president of academic and students affairs, Northern Essex Community College, is pleased to announce the appointment of students to the Dean’s List for the Fall 2016 term. To be included, students must attain a grade point average of 3.3 or higher within the term, carry six or more credits within the […]
From Northern Essex Registrar of Deeds M. Paul Iannuccillo (All properties are listed in order; seller, buyer, address, and price.) ANDOVER Peter & Shirley Schwarz, Terrance & Jennifer Healy, 103 Abbot Street, $1,095,000.00 Russell J. Arsenault, RDM Lakeside LLC, 10 Lakeside Circle, $407,500.00 Christopher & Jennifer Samaras, Chunyan Qian, 38 Tewksbury Street, $480,000.00 Christopher […]
Reggie Autumn Craft & Vendor Fair to be held on Saturday, October 29, 2016 at Greater Lawrence Technical School Andover, MA. We are looking for interested crafters and vendors interested in participating inthefair. Spaces are $25.00. For more information and an application please contact SOuellette@glts.net or CLewis@glts.net. OVERHEARD: At a recent high school scholarship night […]
By: Kathy Runge – July, 2016 The soap operas have nothing on the Lawrence City Council. The meetings are filled with fabricated drama. The Budget Drama: During the first meeting to consider the budget, Councilor Maldonado said that because 95% of the residents of the city are low income, catering to middle class wishes, such […]
By Tom Duggan – 12-26-15 Hundreds of needy and underprivileged children in Methuen were shocked yesterday morning to find a present under their Christmas trees, thanks to the efforts of the Methuen Police, Fire, and the volunteers at Debbies Treasure Chest, which is headquartered in Lawrence. Methuen Officers Derek Licata and Mike Blanchette, as well […]
By: Kathy Runge – August 2015 We’re starting campaign season and I’m already preparing myself for the onslaught of robo-calls and junk mail we’ll be receiving in a couple of months. Please don’t vote for candidates that spend thousands of dollars trying to impress you. The more money a local candidate receives in donations, the […]