By: Brian Genest – July, 2020 Times are a-changin’ in Dracut. After the town scandals of 2019, it’s about time! Just ask the voters… This year, in a five-way race for two open seats on the board of selectmen, political newcomer Alison Genest topped the ticket, leaving some well-known town politicians in the rear […]
By: John Cuddy – July, 2020 DRACUT – Born April 19, 1927, the youngest son of Polish immigrants, Dracut’s Alfred Araskiewicz was introduced to me by a fellow Scout leader, his neighbor, Paul Taylor. He graduated from Dracut High School with the Class of 1944. My first interview was with his granddaughter, Jennifer Phillips. She […]
By: Brian Genest – April, 2020 It’s been a heck of a good year for the MassGOP and Chairman Jim Lyons. Our Republican Party has a Republican leader at the helm – a conservative who makes the now out-of-power establishment even weaker-kneed than usual. To make matters even better, Lyons has such strong support on […]
By: Brian Genest – Feb. 2020 A bright light has gone out in Dracut. Former Selectman Roger Daigle, a well-known citizen who was well known for his strong opinions about our town, passed away January 15th at 92 years young. He was truly a member of the Greatest Generation, a man who loved his family, […]
By Brian Genest It’s a fight for the heart and soul of the Massachusetts Republican Party. If you’re a Republican who cares about the future of the MassGOP, you should care about the outcome of the upcoming State Committee elections. At stake is whether the party moves ahead under Chairman Jim Lyons with the unity, […]
DRACUT — Chief Peter Bartlett reports that a local youth hockey coach has been arrested and charged with three counts of sexual assault on a player on his hockey team. Allen S. Pereira, AGE 59, of Woburn, was arrested on Sunday, Jan. 26 following an investigation by Dracut Police detectives. He was charged with […]
By: Brian Genest – Deember, 2019 It was a memorable year in Dracut. Unfortunately, it was memorable for a number of self-inflicted struggles, shenanigans and scandals at town hall that are going to be hard to forget. For a small town, there sure were a lot of big happenings in 2019. Shortly after the beginning […]
If you’re reading this column, please thank a veteran for making it possible. Since our country’s founding nearly 250 years ago, our veterans have fought to protect and defend all our rights, including freedom of speech, at home and abroad. Some veterans, including those who served in the Vietnam War, are still fighting painful memories […]
By: John Cuddy -Oct.2019 Dracut’s Pat Walor was born on his family’s farm in Peabody, Massachusetts in 1923 – the second youngest of eleven children. His father was a dirt farmer (Pat’s own description of a vegetable farmer). He recalls his weekly trips into Faneuil Hall in Boston to sell their vegetables on commission. A […]
By: Brian Genest – Oct. 2019 Where there’s smoke, there’s usually fire, especially in Dracut. Just ask town firefighters. As the result of a number of smoldering issues, members of the International Association of Fire Fighters Local 2586, joined by the Professional Firefighters of Massachusetts, picketed outside the board of selectmen’s meeting, before bringing the […]
By: Brian Genest – September, 2019 So much for a nice, quiet summer in Dracut. In recent weeks, a tidal wave of self-inflicted bad news has washed over town hall. With a flood of lawsuits, potential legal issues and plenty of well-deserved scrutiny, it certainly hasn’t been a day at the beach for Town Manager […]
By: Brian Genest, August, 2019 Have you ever dealt with the Conservation Commission in Dracut? Did the board require staked haybales and siltation fence for your project? Would you be surprised to find out the town didn’t comply with that standard requirement or other environmental regulations for its own Beaver Brook trail project? “Where we […]
By: Brian Genest – July, 2019 In some towns in Massachusetts, our independence is celebrated on July 4th. In Dracut, there’s plenty of opportunities to fight for – and celebrate – freedom all year long. No matter the season, the First Amendment always seems to be the last resort for town government, sadly. This year, […]
By; Brian Genest – June, 2019 A new chapter in Dracut history can be added to the books. For the first time, the Dracut Republican Town Committee (DRTC) marched in the town’s Memorial Day parade this year. Spoiler alert, brought to you by the First Amendment: it won’t be the last. Let’s face it… The […]
By: Brian Genest – May 2019 Some things are worth fighting for. Freedom of speech is one of them. Sadly, you have to fight for it every single day in Dracut! After Town Manager Jim Duggan illegally banned the Dracut Republican Town Committee from marching in the town’s Memorial Day parade to honor our fallen […]