By: John Cuddy – June, 2018 A breakfast and lunch with this month’s hero is Henry Naruszewicz; his family also spelled their name as Narushof, and some family members used an Americanized spelling, Norris. I first had lunch on St Patrick’s Day with Henry and his son in law, U.S. Air Force Veteran Bill Flanagan […]
Methuen Police Detective William Kannan received the Gift of Caring award from the Trauma Intervention Program last month. (Courtesy Photo) METHUEN — Mayor James Jajuga and Chief Joseph Solomon are pleased to announce that Methuen Police Detective William Kannan received the Gift of Caring award from the Trauma Intervention Program (TIP) of the Merrimack […]
FORCED BOSTON COP TO DISMANTLE WEAPON TO ATTEND GRADUATION Last month Valley Patriot publisher Tom Duggan attended the SNHU (Southern New Hampshire University) graduation at the SNHU Center in Manchester NH to watch his daughter get her degree. Upon entering the building he learned that a Boston Police Officer named Brian was attending the graduation in […]
By: John Cuddy – May, 2018 May 28th was Memorial Day. This story is to help start us on our reflections of what that day means to each of us and our families Born October 20, 1919, in Barre, Vermont, Angelo Dindo worked for the national men’s clothing chain of Montgomery Ward before joining the […]
(BOSTON) – The Massachusetts House of Representatives has passed legislation sponsored by State Representative Diana DiZoglio (D-Methuen) to assist veterans in need of emergency medical assistance. Currently, veterans in need of emergency medical attention who are not near a VA hospital are transported to the nearest non-VA hospital, where they do not necessarily receive the same […]
Last month John Williams murdered a Somerset County Sheriff’s Department Corporal named Eugene Cole in Norridgewock, Maine. Corporal Cole was a 13-year veteran of the department. His son is also a Somerset County deputy. The murder of Corporal Cole touched off a nationwide manhunt after it was learned that he was arrested a few weeks […]
By John Cuddy – April, 2018 Meeting this American Hero at Mary Ann’s Diner in Derry, NH on a Saturday morning, I was amazed at how quickly and confidently he used his smartphone. While eating, he showed me lots of information about his World War II unit and its planes, moving rapidly from one screen […]
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QklOAwOPkLQ&feature=youtu.be&h=280&w=380] Lawrence High School Senior Darlene Santos joined her fellow students in the JrROTC and marched into the Valley Patriot’s 14th Anniversary BASH last week as the JrROTC has done every year at the beginning of the scholarship portion of the event. But this year Valley Patriot Publisher Tom Duggan had a surprise for […]
HERO IN OUR MIDST! By: John Cuddy This month’s “Hero in our Midst” is one of 4,916 men in the 79th Infantry Division who received the Bronze Star, and one of 15,203 Purple Hearts awarded to the 79th Infantry (count is inflated due to some men receiving more than one Purple Heart). The 79th served […]
By: John Cuddy – February 2018 Truly a “hero in our midst”, it was an honor to interview Major Kelley. We are from the same home town, Lawrence, Massachusetts, and he went to grade school with my father at St Patrick’s Grammar School, but I never had the chance to really talk to Major Rick […]
UPDATE…. 2-10-18 ARRANGEMENTS HAVE CHANGED: Family and friends are invited to visiting hours on Sunday February 11, 2018 from 2pm to 4pm at The Dewhirst-Boles Funeral Home, 80 Broadway, Methuen. A Funeral Mass will be on Monday February 12 at 11:00am in Sacred Heart Church, 321 S. Broadway, Lawrence. Burial with military honors will follow […]
The Firefighter’s Relief’s In at 1 Market Street in Lawrence is celebrating yet another anniversary and as one of their biggest cheerleaders I couldn’t be more thrilled. Next month we will be highlighting some of the great things the Lawrence Firefighters Relief does in the community. There’s a reason we prefer to have our annual […]
The Methuen Fire Department and Methuen Firefighters Local 1691 teamed up with Columbia Gas to hand out 88 coats, hats, and gloves to children as part of Operation Warm at the Greater Lawrence Community Action Council Head Start, 24 Gill Ave. in Methuen. The kids were thrilled to receive their new winter gear, meet […]
By: Tom Duggan – Nov, 2017 Normally this space is reserved for paying tribute to living veterans who have gone off and served our country and then come back to help other veterans. Last month, however, when the Valley Patriot learned a member of the Valley Patriot family, Ray Wilson had passed away, we also […]
By: Tom Duggan, Jr. – Dec. 1, 2017 Earlier this year The Valley Patriot learned about Lawrence Police Officer Jeremaiah O’Connor had died in the line of duty back in the 1950’s but his sacrifice was never recognized. Officer O’Connor has since been declared a line of duty death and his family given the “last […]