July, 2024 My Fellow Valley Patriot Readers, My office just released a safety and performance audit report of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA). This report is the first in a series of reports that my office will be releasing to examine safety and performance at the MBTA. In 2007, the MBTA began employing internal […]
By: Anne Manning-Martin – July, 2024 The recent release on $500 bail and subsequent flight of migrant Cory Alvarez, alleged to have raped a disabled child by force, highlights a little known but serious problem in our judicial system: when a judge is appointed to the court, he or she sits on both civil cases […]
By: State Rep. Ryan Hamilton – July 2024 I hope everyone enjoyed the Fourth of July. It’s always a great time to celebrate America’s birthday with family and friends. This past month, the House has been busy. In this edition of the Valley Patriot, I will discuss two significant pieces of legislation the House […]
By: State Senator Pavel Payano – July, 224 In a decisive move aimed at tackling Massachusetts’ ongoing housing crisis, the Massachusetts Senate has unanimously passed S.2834, also known as the Affordable Homes Act. This legislation marks a significant step forward in addressing housing affordability, availability, and equity across the state. The Affordable Homes Act is […]
By: State Rep. Estela Reyes – July, 2024 June declares the official start of summer, and in the Massachusetts State House, the beginning of the end of Session. This month the House passed significant pieces of legislation which will be of great benefit to the residents of this state. Continue reading as I dive into […]
By: Philippe Thibault – 6/24 Well, that was interesting. Dracut’s municipal election was held on May fourth with the only contested race being between three contestants, Dave Martin, Don Plummer, and Josh Taylor. The latter won the election by a narrow margin of twenty-three votes. The rollercoaster ride the night of the election came […]
By: John Cuddy – 6/24 Growing up in Medford, Massachusetts with six siblings, Johnny Joyce loved baseball and the Boston Red Sox, he played in baseball’s Babe Ruth youth program. Shortly after graduating from Medford High with the Class of 1987, Johnny Joyce joined the US Navy Seabees in 1988. He completed basic training […]
Kane went on a field trip to meet Scott Johnston, a Troop 80 Life Scout at the Leo C. Roth Dracut American Legion Post 315. Scott who is 16 years old and a high school sophomore completely restored the Schiripo Brothers Memorial Park on the Dracut American Legion property to an eye appealing dedication […]
By: Brian Genest – 6-24 How can Dracut miss Phil Thibault if he won’t go away? The town’s most rejected perennial candidate—a nine-time failure at the ballot box—Phil Thibault has a new hobby: Applying for appointments on town boards and reapplying when he’s rejected. When there’s an opening on any board these days, Phil Thibault […]
By: Kevin Dube – 6-24 This year’s town meeting started off with a fiasco. Far more people than were planned for showed up which caused many technological issues. The only overflow venue set up was the café, and it filled quickly. While the early articles were being discussed people were still streaming in and the […]
By: Former State Rep. Lenny Mirra, 6-24 If there’s one prediction you can take to the bank for this year’s election it is that the losing side in a close race will almost certainly make claims of election fraud and a “stolen” election. Democrats did this after the 2016 presidential election and Republicans did the […]
By: State Rep. Francisco Paulino 6-24 Dear Constituents, I am writing to share a significant update on our efforts to transform healthcare in Massachusetts. As your State Representative, I have been working tirelessly to ensure that our healthcare system is equitable, efficient, and effective. Recently, I addressed the House of Representatives, advocating for […]
By: State Rep. Estela Reyes 6-24 “Another Spring month has gone by in a flash. The Massachusetts House of Representatives met several times this month to work through the remaining bills before the end of the 2023-2024 Legislative Session. The process to pass a bill into law requires negotiation and a final agreement from the […]
By: Massachusetts State Auditor Diana DiZoglio 6-24 Hello Valley Patriot readers, During the darkest days of 2020, when the economy was freefalling and we were all learning to stay healthy, Congress passed the CARES Act to provide measured relief. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) distributed these emergency funds to each […]
By: State Senator Pavel Payano – 6/24 In a landmark decision, the Massachusetts Senate has unanimously passed a budget totaling $57.999 billion for the Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25). This significant decision followed three days of robust and bipartisan debate, resulting in the adoption of over 400 amendments and 43 roll call votes. The Senate added […]