By: Tom Duggan – July 28, 2013 (other Methuen Stories) Former School Committeeman George Kazanjian says he wants to represent the people of the West End on the city council so he can find waste and needles spending in the city budget. Kazanjian spoke with the Valley Patriot the day after his former colleague on […]
By: Tom Duggan – July 27, 2013 Methuen School Committeeman Evan Chaisson says he is dropping out of the West End City Council Race and endorsing former councilor and school committeeman Ken Willette and incumbent Councilor Sean Fountain to fill the two seats up for election in November. Also a candidate in that race is […]
July 26, 2013 BREAKING… According to Lt. Charles Grey of the North Andover Police at 5:14 this morning a caller from Heritage Green Condo Complex observed two males taking tires off of an Accura. Officers Reardon Whittaker and Gilligan responded and found them in a minivan with two stolen tires. Officer Whittaker canvased the area […]
By: Tom Duggan – July 26, 2013 Billerica DPW director Abdul Alkhatib says there are no shenanigans going on with his town’s public bid to purchase fire hydrants. He told the Valley Patriot that the public bids requests by the town were not tailored to favor (a) certain large American company, but a Valley Patriot […]
By Sandra Stotsky – July, 2013 Why Massachusetts needs to defund implementation and testing of Common Core’s current standards In this essay, I suggest why Common Core’s English language arts and mathematics standards need revision before further implementation in any Common Core state—and well before tests are given that are based on these flawed standards. […]
Expansion Opens Information on Level 2 Offenders to the Public Under current Massachusetts law, the public only has access to information on Level 3 sex offenders. Such limited resources inspired State Representative James Arciero (D-Westford) to sponsor legislation, endorsed by the Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association, geared to reforming the Commonwealth’s registry board. Arciero […]
By Dr. Padmanabhan – July, 2013 This column was triggered by a gushing puff piece published naturally by Brian McGrory’s newspaper – The Boston Globe – on May 21, 2013. Even by their standards, that piece was a new low. This particular gusher was about the second $125 Million given to Harvard by a Swiss […]
By: D.J. Betterncourt – July 2013 One of the most intriguing questions for New Hampshire that emerged out of the 2012 elections that produced a Democrat controlled House of Representatives and Governor but a Republican controlled State Senate was whether all sides would be able to find common ground on the next state budget and […]
Representative Jim Lyons (R-Andover) reports that Andover, Tewksbury, Boxford, and North Andover will receive an increase in Local Aid in Fiscal Year 2014. “When I was first elected State Representative in 2010, I promised that Local Aid would be my top priority,” said Lyons. “I have fought tirelessly for more equitable funding for our […]
Lawrence Catholic Academy is pleased to announce the graduation of 38 students on Thursday, June 13, 2013 at a commencement held at Saint Patrick’s Church in Lawrence, MA. It was a special day for graduates and their proud parents, guardians, grandparents, faculty and staff. The ceremony was a celebration for everyone to recognize our young […]
When John Chemaly, president of Trinity E.M.S. Inc., realized the local emergency medical services industry was experiencing a shortage of trained paramedics six or seven years ago, he asked Northern Essex Community College to develop a paramedic technology program. Now, his company is giving that program and the college a financial boost. Trinity E.M.S. has […]
Senator Kathleen O’Connor Ives reports to the Valley Patriot that she has voted on the Fiscal Year 2014 Budget today in a 36-3 vote. The budget included numerous items that she advocated for, such as: $300,000 for Salisbury Beach Replenishment Salisbury beach is one of the Commonwealth’s most popular beaches and contributes greatly to our […]
Methuen Mayor Steve Zanni announced last month that Methuen has qualified for matching funds through the Department of Conservation & Recreation’s (DCR) Urban and Community Forestry Challenge Grant Program. Mayor Zanni and members of the Methuen Arbor Group joined with Groundwork Lawrence last November to apply for this funding through DCR. The coordinated grant proposal […]
By: Tom Duggan – July 18, 2013 Lawrence Firefighter and community activist Manuel “Juan” Gonzalez launched his official campaign kickoff for Mayor Thursday night before a packed room of about 100 people at the Firefighter’s Relief In. Flanked by former Lawrence Mayor Michael Sullivan, Lawrence City Councilor Marc LaPlante (District “F”), and Mount Vernon Neighborhood Association […]
VALLEY PATRIOT EDITORIAL July, 2013 At issue was Attorney Richard D’Agostino, who was applying to replace McQuillan as city solicitor after the council voted not to renew McQuillan’s contract. While D’Agostino was being questioned at a public hearing, McQuillan was feeding questions and damaging information to Councilor Atkinson in an attempt to stop D’Agostino from […]