Here Ye History Buff’s, Living History at Endicott State Park

Here Ye History Buff’s, Living History at Endicott State Park

By: Jennifer Jones – 4-12-18 On a brisk Saturday morning March 26, 2016, the troops rallied for a special event at Endicott Park in Danvers, Massachusetts from 11-2p. For people who are interested in history, we really are fortunate to live in a great part of the country, as so much American history was formed […]

Auditor’s Office Provides Solutions to Address Fiscal Impacts on Municipalities

Auditor’s Office Provides Solutions to Address Fiscal Impacts on Municipalities

040616 5-Year Fiscal Impact Report 2011-2015 BOSTON, MA — Auditor Suzanne M. Bump today released recommendations about how the state can reduce its impact on municipal finances. The policy recommendations come as part of a report from Bump’s Division of Local Mandates (DLM) which reviewed laws passed from 2011 to 2015 and found that municipalities […]

Haverhill Bank Donates $17,500 to West Newbury Causes

Haverhill Bank Donates $17,500 to West Newbury Causes

(FROM TIM COCO) HAVERHILL –  Replacement batting cages and dugouts are coming to the West Newbury Youth League and supporters of the town’s Council on Aging will receive a boost as a result of two Haverhill Bank contributions totaling $17,500. The West Newbury Youth League was recently given $15,000 by the bank to back their […]

Special Olympics Young Athletes Program to Finish with a Bang After Two Successful Sessions

Special Olympics Young Athletes Program to Finish with a Bang After Two Successful Sessions

Merrimack College Sophomore completes the spring session of the Special Olympics Young Athletes Program at Merrimack College. North Andover – The Special Olympics Massachusetts Young Athletes Program in North Andover is wrapping up on April 9th after an 8-week program during the spring semester.  Sophomore Morgan Sleeman led the efforts to develop and host the […]

State Senate Passes Complicated Education Bill

State Senate Passes Complicated Education Bill

BOSTON – The State Senate passed legislation on Thursday, by a 22-13 vote, which seeks to help students in all public schools in the Commonwealth. Senate Bill 2203 “An Act Enhancing Reform, Innovation and Success in Education,” or The RISE Act, renews the Commonwealth’s commitment to education by ensuring adequate funding of the public school […]

Breaking the Homelessness Cycle in Lawrence

Breaking the Homelessness Cycle in Lawrence

By: Joe D’Amore-4-12-16 When the sun goes down and the amber street lights flicker on, the arches under the bridge where a large population of homeless people live take on a surreal, nocturnal ambiance. The muted voices of people huddled in tents and makeshift lean-tos contrast the ceaseless din of cars overhead.  In the distance […]

Auditor Bump Meets with Student Auditors as Part of Student Government Day

Auditor Bump Meets with Student Auditors as Part of Student Government Day

North Chelmsford, Clinton Students Participate in 68th Annual Event BOSTON, MA –   State Auditor Suzanne M. Bump recently welcomed student State Auditors to the State House during the 68th Annual Student Government Day. This year’s student State Auditor is Bryce Callahan, of North Chelmsford. The alternate is Wesley Silva of Clinton.  Both are students at […]

Legislators Tour Daybreak Homeless Shelter, Funding Needed

Legislators Tour Daybreak Homeless Shelter, Funding Needed

Over coffee and pastry, fifty people attended the first legislative open house at Daybreak Shelter in Lawrence, MA. In tight quarters, Carina Pappalardo, Chief Executive Officer, discussed the agency’s partnership with the Coalition for Homeless Individuals. The homeless make up a third of the state’s homeless population in Massachusetts.  A population that is on the rise […]

State Fines Former Lawrence Mayor Lantigua Again for Refusing to Disclose Campaign Bank Activity

State Fines Former Lawrence Mayor Lantigua Again for Refusing to Disclose Campaign Bank Activity

By: Tom Duggan, 4-4-16 Former Lawrence Mayor Willie Lantigua is in trouble again with the Massachusetts Office of Campaign and Political Finance (OCPF). The state’s political watchdog agency has fined Lantigua another $1,875 (as of 4-3-16) for refusing to file his 2015 year-end, campaign finance reports with the state. The reports were due on January […]

School Faculty Turnover in the Merrimack Valley

School Faculty Turnover in the Merrimack Valley

By: Amy Berard – March, 2016 According to the most recent data available from the Massachusetts Department of Education, teacher retention rates vary from one Merrimack Valley district to the next. Methuen boasts a teacher retention rate of 93.3%. However, their principal retention rate is 50%. 96.6% of educators and 97.7% of administrators in Methuen […]

Maura Healey’s Medicaid Fraud Numbers Do Not Look Good

Maura Healey’s Medicaid Fraud Numbers Do Not Look Good

By: Dr. Bharani Padmanabhan – March, 2016 Healthcare costs are a huge percentage of the Commonwealth’s annual expense and a significant burden on both public and private employers’ budgets. Eventually all the spending gets reflected in the insurance premiums we all must pay. It naturally follows that huge attention must be paid to ensure that […]

A Healthy Vacation is Possible

A Healthy Vacation is Possible

By: Rick Bellanti – March, 2016 This week’s question came at the perfect time for me, as my plane just landed and I just returned from taking my daughter to Orlando, FL for her school vacation and visited all those amazing theme parks and tourist attractions, better known as the city of delicious but horrible food […]

“Corrupt Salisbury Officials” Push Out Owners of Red Ridge Farm

“Corrupt Salisbury Officials” Push Out Owners of Red Ridge Farm

By: Tom Duggan – March, 2016 Salisbury residents Stacie and Mark Warcewicz, owners of The Meadow at Red Ridge Farm have filed a lawsuit against the Town of Salisbury for illegally placing unenforceable restrictions on their business license. The Warcewiczs say that after years of holding weddings on their property with full consent from the […]

Senator L’Italien Talks About Her Trip to Israel, Pt. I

Senator L’Italien Talks About Her Trip to Israel, Pt. I

By: Tom Duggan – March, 2016 Massachusetts State Senator Barbara L’Italien was recently criticized in the daily paper for taking a trip to Israel. Anti-Semitic groups from the Boston area protested her trip. We wanted to give Senator L’Italien the opportunity to talk about her trip and the controversy. In part 1 of our discussion, Senator […]

Seeking Treatment for Addiction at Police Stations

Seeking Treatment for Addiction at Police Stations

By: State Rep. Linda Dean Campbell 2.5.16 I am pleased that the House of Representatives is currently closely reviewing legislation filed by Representative Ann Margaret Ferrante from Gloucester that will allow those suffering from addiction to go to their local police station for help without fear of being charged with drug possession. There may be […]