Two Lawrence Men Arraigned for Extensive Heroin Packaging and Distribution Operation, More than $1M in Heroin Seized

Two Lawrence Men Arraigned for Extensive Heroin Packaging and Distribution Operation, More than $1M in Heroin Seized

   LAWRENCE – Two Lawrence men have been arraigned in connection with an extensive heroin trafficking operation, Attorney General Maura Healey announced today. The men were arrested while trying to flee a Lawrence home where authorities seized four guns, approximately $2,000 in cash and about four kilograms of heroin with an estimated street value of […]

Magnesium the Neglected Mineral

Magnesium the Neglected Mineral

By: Dr. Jin Sung – April, 2015 Magnesium is a mineral used by every tissue and organ in your body, especially your heart, muscles, and kidneys. If you suffer from unexplained fatigue or weakness, abnormal heart rhythms or even muscle spasms and eye twitches, low levels of magnesium could be the underlying cause. Routine blood […]

Demystifying NH’s Budgeting Process

Demystifying NH’s  Budgeting Process

By: DJ Bettencourt –April, 2015 New Hampshire’s budgeting process can fittingly be compared to a nine-inning baseball game. The governor bats lead off by asking their department commissioners for proposed revenue estimates and expenditures for each department in state government. With that information, the governor and their staff will begin putting their final budget together […]

State Money for Methuen in Massachusetts House Budget

State Money for Methuen in Massachusetts House Budget

On Wednesday, the House concluded deliberations for the proposed FY16 with funding allocated for significant projects throughout the Merrimack Valley. In addition to the much toted $400,000.00 funding for the Nicholson Stadium Project the House FY16 Budget also included funding for additional Methuen programs and projects sponsored by the delegation. The Methuen Arlington Neighborhood, which […]

Andover 5K Walk/Run Set for Sunday, May 3 in Memory of Colleen Ritzer

Andover 5K Walk/Run Set for Sunday, May 3 in Memory of Colleen Ritzer

(ANDOVER, Massachusetts) – The second annual Step Up for Colleen 5K will be held in Andover this Sunday, May 3, 2015 at 9:00 a.m. in memory of Colleen Ritzer. Proceeds from the event will support the Step Up for Colleen Fund at Essex County Community Foundation, which benefits the Colleen E. Ritzer Scholarship Fund that […]

Generic Drugs and Government Policy Favors Monopoly Pricing ~ The Doctor is IN

Generic Drugs and Government Policy Favors Monopoly Pricing ~ The Doctor is IN

By: Dr. Frank MacMillan – April, 2015 For more than thirty years, health plans, consumer groups and government have made a concerted push to keep the price of health care down by encouraging and often mandating the use of less expensive generic drugs over brand name prescriptions. Massachusetts is also a state that mandates that […]

Participation Trophies: The White Towel In The Ring – Babies & Briefcases

Participation Trophies: The White Towel In The Ring – Babies & Briefcases

By: Cheryl Hajjar – April, 2015 The new trend of “participation trophies” has a lot of parents scratching their heads. Is it right? Is it wrong? And more importantly, is it producing a generation of children that have a sense of entitlement? A recent debate on my Facebook page made me curious to want to dig deeper […]

Sec. of State Orders Neil Harrington to Turn Over Documents

Sec. of State Orders Neil Harrington to Turn Over Documents

By: Tom Duggan – April, 2015 Embattled Salisbury Town Manager Neil Harrington has been ordered by Secretary of State Bill Galvin’s office (right)to turn over public documents he has been concealing from the taxpayers for months. Harrington was requested by Salisbury residents Joyce and Gracemarie Tomaselli, to turn over a certified copy of the vote […]

The MBTA: Avoiding Disaster

The MBTA: Avoiding Disaster

By: Oscar Camargo – April,. 2015 The MBTA has been under fire these past few months, but it’s been a disaster in the making for decades. This winter highlighted the depth of how badly the MBTA has been managed, but to simply lay blame on management would be a serious mistake. The chorus of leaders […]

Bringing the State Senate to Our District – IN YOUR CORNER WITH SENATOR IVES

Bringing the State Senate to Our District – IN YOUR CORNER WITH SENATOR IVES

By: State Senator Ives – April, 2015 The Massachusetts State Senate organized eight days throughout the winter to host Commonwealth Conversations across the state, comprised of roundtables, forums and town hall-style meetings to hear from residents and stakeholders–gathering input on policy and budget priorities. These forums are part of an effort to make government even […]

City Councilors Behaving Badly

City Councilors Behaving Badly

By Kathy Runge – April, 2015 Council meetings in February and March were a train wreck, but everyone got their vacations in. Councilor Maldonado opened the meeting of March 3 by saying that he hoped meetings would be regular now and they wouldn’t get snowed out anymore, as if that’s the reason their meetings haven’t […]

Rep Update: Transparency Legislation Gaining Momentum on Beacon Hill

Rep Update: Transparency Legislation Gaining Momentum on Beacon Hill

By: State Rep Linda Dean Campbell – April, 2015 Constituents and members of the press often run into significant roadblocks trying to obtain public records. These include excessive wait times and excessive fees charged which prove to be an insurmountable barrier for constituents attempting to access government publications and records which are public property. A […]