By: State Senator Katy Ives – June, 2015 Last week, I testified on a bill I filed, S.1700, An Act Relative to Obtaining Information, before the Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight. This bill promotes access to information, available to all, within a reasonable time frame and for residents to have recourse in […]
By: Rebeccah Pearson – May, 2015 The season is changing, and with warm weather brings dreams of being on the open water. Here in Newburyport we have a fantastic array of outdoor boating that can not only be done alone, but great for the whole family. From renting your own boat, to whale watches and […]
AUDIO: Tom Duggan on Afternoon LIVE discusses the state’s impotent Public Records law and how it affects you. (VIDEO of Duggan’s testimony below at 41 MIN mark) Valley Patriot publisher Tom Duggan testified before a sub committee of the Massachusetts State Legislature in favor of a bill he wrote S1700 that would finally put teeth into […]
By: State Rep. Linda Dean Campbell – May, 2015 The Budget passed by the House of Representatives for Fiscal Year 2016 closes a budget gap without tax increases, new fees, and without taking additional money from our “rainy day fund” as we needed to do during the recession and the years following, in order to […]
By: DJ Deeb – May, 2015 I want to comment on Dr. Chuck Ormsby’s Valley Patriot column from last month titled, “I’m A Pro-Semite.” I often find myself in agreement with Chuck’s Libertarian views and I enjoy reading his editorials each month, but I must disagree with his analysis of Israel’s elections as I have […]
By: John Lenotte – May, 2015 Memorial Day is again approaching. That time for the unofficial beginning of Summer. And after this last Winter, we are all looking forward to sun and warm weather. As I do every year, I will ask you to take a few minutes to think about those who made sacrifices […]
By: Oscar Camargo – May, 2015 Every spring, families across the country come together to celebrate Memorial Day. A family will host a picnic and fire up the barbecue, a mother and daughter will go shopping and take advantage of the holiday sales, and a father and son will attend a parade to enjoy the […]
By: Sandra Stotsky – May, 2015 It is becoming increasingly clearer that the main groups oppressing parents, local school boards, and local teacher unions with Common Core-based standards and tests (regardless of what they are actually called) are state boards of education and state departments of education. Those in New England states are no better than […]
By: Sidney Smith – May, 2015 When I recently learned that the local chapter of the EAA (Experimental Aircraft Association) was bringing an original flying Boeing B-17 WWII bomber to Lawrence Airport this May 22nd to May 25th, I was reminded of an acquaintance I had formed with a friend in West Newbury: Lawrence “Larry” […]
By: Bill Cushing – May, 2015 “Sometimes you know something is coming. You feel it in the air, in your gut. You don’t sleep at night. The voice in your head is telling you something is going to go terribly wrong and there is nothing you can do to stop it…. That’s how I felt […]
John “Bill” Selig had a Celebration of Life party on March 7, 2015. He was honored by many. The Celebration was attended by his family and so many friends. Bill was involved in Salisbury, MA town politics and served on various boards for many years. He had voiced his opinion and thoughts on many subjects […]
By: Senator Katy Ives – May, 2015 On April 22, 1965, the Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King, Jr. addressed the Massachusetts Legislature in a Joint Session comprised of State Senate and State Representatives. This was the first time Dr. King spoke before a legislative body. Six months prior to this visit, he had won the […]
Congressman Niki Tsongas would like to congratulate Halle Ferreira of Lowell, winner of the 2015 Congressional Art Competition. Tsongas hosted an artists’ reception this past weekend at Mill No. 5 in Lowell to announce the winner and runners up of her annual Congressional Art Competition. All of the 50+ submissions to this year’s competition were […]
By: Rep. Linda Dean Campbell, (Methuen) May, 2015 On Wednesday, the House concluded deliberations for the proposed FY16 with funding allocated for significant projects throughout the Merrimack Valley. In addition to the much toted $400,000.00 funding for the Nicholson Stadium Project the House FY16 Budget also included funding for additional Methuen programs and projects sponsored […]
By: Kathy Runge – May, 2015 Although, in my opinion, violating the Open Meeting Laws is not unusual for our city council, the newest show of disrespect for city residents has to be the placing of this month’s Semana Hispana fundraising carnival at the South Common with no prior notice given to the neighborhood residents. […]