December, 2006 Last month, Methuen city councilors tried to inject themselves into the so-called controversy between Police Chief Joe Solomon and the officers and union members under his command. What’s more, they tried to subvert the Methuen City Charter by interfering with Mayor Bill Manzi’s clearly defined duties as the chief executive officer of the […]
By: Ted Tripp – November, 2006 NORTH ANDOVER – On June 25, 1950 the North Korean Army, bolstered by Soviet tanks and aircraft, invaded South Korea. Immediately, President Harry Truman ordered General Douglas MacArthur to transfer ammunition and supplies from Japan to the ROK (Republic of Korea) Army and provide limited air support. On June […]
VALLEY PATRIOT EDITORIAL 10/03/06 While most businesses in the United States fail within their first year, The Valley Patriot seems to have been a success from our very first edition. In March of 2004, The Valley Patriot published our very first edition and most people were predicting our failure within six months. We printed up […]
By: Ted Tripp – October, 2006 GEORGETOWN – Late on the night of December 26, 1970, in stormy seas 600 miles off Cape May, New Jersey, the aging 540-foot Finnish tanker Ragny broke in half without warning. An SOS went out and was relayed to the Coast Guard station in New York which immediately initiated […]
September, 2006 At North Andover’s June 5th Annual Town meeting, the School Committee threatened to cut 23 classroom teachers if its budget was reduced from its original request to the “To Be Balanced” amount, despite an earlier presentation by members Ormsby, Kelly, and parent Diana Headrick showing that these cuts could be avoided by accepting […]
VALLEY PATRIOT EDITORIAL September, 2006 For years the people of Lawrence and visitors to the city have enjoyed the majesty of a giant fountain at the corner of South Union St. and Winthrop Avenue. And for years the DPW has neglected to adequately fix up that fountain when it fell into disrepair. Now DPW […]
VALLEY PATRIOT EDITORIAL August, 2006 The idea that any state should passively accept random attacks of violence across its border by a terrorist organization is only slightly less ridiculous than the notion that a state can cede authority to a terrorist organization for part of its territory and still expect to be considered a […]
VALLEY PATRIOT OF THE MONTH – AUGUST, 2006 By: Ted Tripp – August, 2006 LAWRENCE – When Eldon Berthiaume graduated from Lawrence High School in the spring of 1942, he had no idea that in less than three years he would end up with thousands of other Allied soldiers as a POW in Germany at […]
VALLEY PATRIOT EDITTORIAL August, 2006 Parents of children in the North Andover school system revolted this past week and demanded that the School Committee get back to work. While individual motivations varied, the common theme was that the schools were facing numerous challenges and the School Committee needed to provide leadership and guidance. Hundreds […]
VALLEY PATRIOT EDITORIAL July, 2006 Fool us once, shame on you! Fool us twice, shame on us! Try to fool us every year – what do you think we are, stupid? Every year the school-spending crowd predicts disaster if taxes or fees are not increased. Cancel AP classes, no art or music, 30 teachers […]
VALLEY PATRIOT EDITORIAL July, 2006 The editors of The New York Times, once again, have decided to publish U.S. government secrets about how we are fighting the War on Terror. Revealing methods of tracking and catching terrorists to our enemies, the Times editors shamelessly hide behind their “rights” under the First Amendment to our Constitution […]
By Ted Trip – July 05, 2006 METHUEN – Joe Messina was taking a shower below decks on the aircraft carrier USS Hancock after his Curtis SB2C Hell-diver returned from another grueling mission attacking Japanese shipping in Manila Bay. Shortly after the ship’s General Quarters sounded, there was a tremendous explosion just over his head and […]
VALLEY PATRIOT EDITORIAL June, 2006 The al Quaida network and the enemies of the United States (as well as their willing dupes in the American news media) are working overtime, trying to turn the Iraqi and American people against our brave and dedicated soldiers serving in Iraq. This psychological warfare is specifically designed to paint […]
(READ PART 1) By: Ted Tripp – May, 2006 METHUEN – As 85-year-old Luther McIlwain slowly walks around the kitchen table in his Pleasant Valley home, it is obvious that this Tuskegee Airman has a lot more story to tell about his military experience during World War II. Each little parcel of information he shares […]
VALLEY PATRIOT EDITORIAL May, 2006 On September 11, 2001, the passengers of United Flight 93 overpowered a handful of terrorists and prevented another catastrophe from taking place that day. Now, Hollywood has made a movie depicting the heroism of the passengers on that ill-fated flight, yet some people are using the excuse that “America isn’t […]