Saving Supermom

By: Cheryl Hajjar – October 2013 Having it all. That quintessential line brought on by the feminist movement that has been driven in every young girl’s mind including myself over the last 25 years. Lucky us. In today’s world, there are many more opportunities for women than ever before in history and we as women […]

Responding to the Overuse of Psychotropic Drugs for Seniors

By: State Senator Kathleen O’Connor Ives, September, 2013 In 2007 a federal audit found that about one in seven elderly residents were being given antipsychotic medication in nursing homes despite the fact that those drugs carry a “black box” warning from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). A “black box” warning is designed to call […]

59 Legislators Vote for Gas Tax Hike Have Taxpayers Pick Up Their Gas Tab!

Boston, MA: As taxpayers across the Commonwealth begin to feel the effects of new and higher taxes today, public records show that many of the legislators who voted to implement these higher taxes, such as the one on gasoline, are also benefiting from taxpayer funded reimbursements for when they travel to the Statehouse. Per diems […]

The Ongoing Fight Against Tax Increases

By: State Senator Kathleen Ives – August, 2013 There has been some misinformation in the press about the Legislature’s recent vote to override Governor Deval Patrick’s veto of the Transportation Finance Bill. Some outlets are reporting that by fighting against the Governor on this veto, the legislature chose to raise the gas tax by 3 […]

Crowdfunding For Cash

Crowdfunding For Cash

 Babies and Briefcases By: Cheryl Hajjar – August, 2013 Unless you have been living in a landfill or still have an analog TV in your home, you have heard of the term “crowdfunding” or stories of people raising thousands of dollars for their businesses or projects online. So what is this new rage and how […]

Senator Kathleen Ives on Welfare Reform Bill

By: Senator Kathleen O’Connor Ives BOSTON – Following a press conference that Senate President Therese Murray held Monday morning, the Senate is due to take up a comprehensive welfare reform bill on Thursday aimed at making state assistance transitional. The bill addresses cyclical issues that prevent recipients from transitioning off of welfare as well as […]

Speaking In Support of Police Training and Public Safety

Speaking In Support of Police Training and Public Safety

By: Senator Katie O’Connor Ives – June 2013 May was a busy month in the Senate. It was my first budget season and per tradition in the legislature, a new legislator has to give a first formal speech – a “maiden speech” before being able to engage in discussion and debate on the floor. Senators […]

TOM DUGGAN’S NOTEBOOK: Lantigua, Ed Markey, Gabriel Gomez, Frank Cousins and MORE!

  RICH OLD WHITE GUY VS YOUNG VIBRANT LATINO … WHATS A LIBERAL TO DO? For 25 years, the news media and the democrat party narrative has always been to get voters to have a knee jerk, emotional reaction to a race. The narrative has always been “rich, old, white guy equals bad” and “young […]

IN YOUR CORNER WITH SENATOR IVES: Two Bills for Welcoming Survivors Home

  By: State Senator Kathleen O’Connor Ives – May 2013 We are all shocked and saddened by the cruelty of the attacks inflicted on innocent people at the finish line of the Boston Marathon. We mourn for the four individuals who lost their lives and their grieving friends and families. Our hearts also go out […]

Merrimack Valley Bandit in Custody – Police Chief Says Businesses Can Now Rest Easy

Merrimack Valley Bandit in Custody – Police Chief Says Businesses Can Now Rest Easy

WILL BE CHARGED WITH METHUEN BANK ROBBERY OTHER CHARGES TO FOLLOW   By: Tom Duggan – April 23,, 1013 (7:44pm) A multi-jurisdictional task force made up of local law enforcement in the Merrimack Valley and the Boston Office of the FBI captured the Merrimack Valley Bandit on Tuesday. According to photos the bandit is responsible […]

IN YOUR CORNER WITH SENATOR IVES – Let’s Get the Basics Right in Massachusetts!

By: State Senator Katy O’Connor Ives – April 2013   As the legislative session heads into the spring, there are a series of important issues facing the Commonwealth. I’m highlighting transportation funding and child safety in this column. As always, I welcome your thoughts on these and other issues. Trains, roads and taxes Beacon Hill […]

MAKE THAT NINE! Merrimack Valley Bandit Busy Over Holiday Weekend, Hits Dracut Bank and Methuen Convenience Store

MAKE THAT NINE! Merrimack Valley Bandit Busy Over Holiday Weekend, Hits Dracut Bank and Methuen Convenience Store

    [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4wgEVi_9LM]   By: Tom Duggan – April 14, 2013 The Merrimack Valley Bandit struck again twice this weekend. The first robbery occurred at a TD Bank North in Dracut on Saturday evening. The second robbery occurred Sunday night at the Rt 110 Convenience Store on Merrimack Street in Methuen. “He was brandishing a […]

Massachusetts Law Enforcement and FBI Seek “Merrimack Valley Bandit”, Armed and Dangerous

Massachusetts Law Enforcement and FBI Seek “Merrimack Valley Bandit”, Armed and Dangerous

$10,000 Reward Offered for Information Leading to Arrest Banks robbed in Lawrence, Methuen, Dracut and Groveland   BOSTON – A task force of Massachusetts law enforcement agencies is seeking the public’s assistance to identify a bank robber allegedly responsible for seven armed bank robberies in northeastern Massachusetts since February. The “Merrimack Valley Bandit” is considered […]

Hundreds Flock to Valley Patriot Bash, Newspaper Bestows Awards to Members of the Community

Hundreds Flock to Valley Patriot Bash, Newspaper Bestows Awards to Members of the Community

ALL PHOTOS (C) COPYRIGHT RON MUSHOW PHOTOGRAPHY & THE VALLEY PATRIOT   (PHOTO GALLERY)     More than 400 people tuned out Friday night to attend the Valley Patriot 9th Anniversary BASH where the editors of the monthly newspaper (Tom Duggan, Dr. Charles Ormsby and Ralph Wilbur) honored police officers, firefighters, veterans, and those who […]

Ethics Commission’s Alleges Conflict of Interestby Groveland Selectwoman Elizabeth Gorski

Ethics Commission’s Alleges Conflict of Interestby Groveland Selectwoman Elizabeth Gorski

Allegedly used her position to try to get her police officer son restored to active duty The State Ethics Commission’s Enforcement Division issued an Order to Show Cause, alleging that Groveland Board of Selectmen member Elizabeth Gorski repeatedly violated G.L. 268A, the conflict of interest law, by using her selectman position to attempt to get […]