By: Shawn Hansen – April, 2011 Working as a full time real estate agent at Century 21 in the North Shore for the past eight years, Domenica Beraldi-Giordano is also a volunteer for Stand Up For Kids. Rick Koca, a retired U.S. Navy Officer, founded Stand Up For Kids in 1990. The headquarters for […]
By: Tracey Zysk – April, 201 It’s puppy season! It’s that time of the year when families decide it is a great time to bring a puppy into their homes. People constantly ask me, “Do you know a good breeder? “ Or they ask me for names of breeders of specific breeds. After I […]
By: Tracey Zysk – April, 2011 Life can change in a minute, literally. Last month I wrote an article educating readers on the importance of Animal Evacuation Plans. I submitted that article to the Valley Patriot March 3 and just days later March 11, 2011 Japan was destroyed by an earthquake and a tsunami. Who […]
By: Methuen Mayor Bill Manzi – April, 2011 Municipal health care continues to be a dominant political issue for localities, with both Governor Patrick and Speaker Deleo advocating reform that would allow savings of over $100 million per year statewide. The Legislature held a hearing on this subject a couple of weeks back, but as […]
By: Kenneth Willette – April, 2011 I have officially announced my candidacy for Methuen Mayor. I want to personally thank the Valley Patriot for allowing me to continue to express my ideas every month. I have worked on many issues over my tenure as Methuen City Councilor at Large and School Committeeman. I am the […]
By: D.J. Deeb – April, 2011 The Dracut Town elections are just a few short weeks away on Monday, May 2nd. A debt exclusion issue, the Selectmen, School Committee, and Town Moderator seats are proving to be most contentious races this year. As I wrote in last month’s column, the Massachusetts School Building Authority […]
By: Jamison Tomasek – April, 2011 While everyone wants to feel good and say nice things, it is hard to feel good or say nice things about what is going on in the Lawrence Schools. Yes, there are successful students there. Yes, there are great teachers, and yes there are good programs and happy […]
By: Gerry Nutter, April – 2011 “The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few (or the one).” Mr. Spock I have used that phrase before but it comes to my mind every year around budget time for the Lowell Public Schools. The week after this paper hits the newsstands Lowell will […]
By: Jon Golnik – April, 2011 The Republican tide that swept through the country on November 2nd seemingly stopped short in Massachusetts. While Republicans won 16 state representative seats (doubling their number), how is it that we lost a state senate seat and failed to win any state wide race or a Congressional race […]
By; Tracey Zysk – January, 2011 Christmas Day December 25, 2010 was one like no other for my Sweet Lani. As many of you know, I adopted Lani from a high kill shelter in Texas this past August. Sweet isn’t even a word nice or kind enough to describe my precious 3yrs old Boston […]
By: Gerry Nutter – January, 2011 Last February now former State Sen. Steve Panagiotakos proclaimed “The Private Can’t afford the Public Sector anymore.” As we begin 2011 those words need to be kept in mind as area school committees’ negotiate new contracts with teachers and administrators. Nowhere is this more relevant than The Greater […]
By: Nathan Webster III, – January, 2011 I remember the day I got the call that my dad was in the hospital with pneumonia. It was the day after my mom died from congestive heart failure. The day after Christmas 2008. I dreaded another hospital visit. I thought it would be another routine visit […]
By: Tracey Zysk ,January, 2011 Personal trainers help clients with diabetes improve their health and wellness. North Andover, Mass. – (December 20, 2010) – The Fitness Together Massachusetts Owners Group, including the local North Andover Fitness Together studio which specializes in one-on-one personal training, is proud to announce it has raised more than $50,000 for […]
By: Lonnie Brennan – January, 2011 A few folks were chatting the other day about the upcoming tax increase for the schools, when my friend Tim cut through the air and simply stated “start saving.” His words cut right to the core. It’s a done deal he thinks. There’s “too many of them, and […]
By: Dani Langevin, Valley Patriot Lesbian Columnist – January, 2011 As an eighth grade teacher I see bullying almost on a daily basis. As a student I was at both ends of bullying. I remember bullying a boy in third grade because he was heavy and ran funny. In high school, I was bullied […]