By: Kathy Runge – August, 2013 Anyone familiar with the city of Lawrence is aware of the lax record keeping and controls in various city departments, i.e. city garages and Inspectional Services to name two. Does anyone believe it’s any better in the Elections Department? Let me share my findings. I’ve been writing programs to […]
By: State Rep. Diana Dizoglio If there is one thing that I have learned during my first term representing you on Beacon Hill, it’s that things don’t always appear as they seem and that the legislative process can be a real head scratcher. Witness recently when Governor Deval Patrick vetoed a transportation bill that significantly […]
Valley Patriot August ’13 Editorial It’s simply sickening. An arbitrator has reinstated two of the parole officials responsible for the release of cop killer Dominic Cinelli. At this point we believe everyone who contributed to the release of Cinelli should be purged from the public payrolls. If that can’t be done these individuals need to […]
By: DJ Bettencourt – July, 2013 (Other Pet Stories) SALEM- The Salem Animal Rescue League (SARL) today announced that the American College of History and Legal Studies (ACHLS), a two year undergraduate college located in Salem, NH, has become the first business member of SARL. Earlier this month, SARL announced that for the first time […]
By: John Lenotte, American Legion – July 2013 First, let me congratulate Congressman Ed Markey for his election victory and becoming our next U.S. Senator from Massachusetts. Also, to Gabriel Gomez for stepping up to the plate and running as a candidate. I will let the political analysts debate about the significance or lack thereof […]
By: Helen Mooradkanian – July 2013 On D-Day, June 6, 1944, Walter Hedlund, then a sergeant, U.S. Army, 29th Infantry Division, 3rd Battalion, 115th Regiment, Company I, stormed Omaha Beach in Normandy—part of the second assault wave. “The first assault wave, our own 116th Regiment, was slaughtered by the Germans. They never got beyond the […]
By: Stephanie M. Davis – July, 2013 The FY2014 budget ball now sits in Governor Deval Patrick’s court. Having been finalized and reported out of its legislative conference committee on June 30th, the governor has 10 days to approve or veto it either partially or entirely or to amend it in portions. A veto can […]
By Tom Weaver – July 2013 July 4th – the day that the colonies declared Independence; not only from Mother England, but from all the countries in the world. The colonies were comprised of many nationalities, religions, cultures and even races. It was a collection of immigrants that came to live the greatest experiment in […]
By: Bill Cushing – July, 2013 The Primetime Emmy nominations will be announced on July 18th, and every year I like to review the past year in TV and give my Emmy Wish List. This is my list of performances and shows that I really hope get recognized by the Television Academy. The nominations are […]
By: Dr. Jin Sung of Functional Chiropractic – July 2013 There is argument in the medical community whether chronic Lyme even exists. The general stance by most state medical boards is that it doesn’t, and that no doctor may treat such figments of imagination. Those who suffer from it have been told to seek psychiatric […]
By: State Representative Linda Dean Campbell – July 2013 The Legislature successfully passed the FY14 budget Monday after a prolonged conference committee between the House and the Senate. It was worth the wait. I am pleased with the overall package that increases our Rainy Day fund, keeping it within the top four highest funds in […]
By: Senator Kathleen O’Connor Ives BOSTON – Following a press conference that Senate President Therese Murray held Monday morning, the Senate is due to take up a comprehensive welfare reform bill on Thursday aimed at making state assistance transitional. The bill addresses cyclical issues that prevent recipients from transitioning off of welfare as well as […]
BOSTON – State Representative Diana DiZoglio (D-Methuen) joined her colleagues in the Massachusetts House of Representatives in passing legislation that provides immediate funds for reforms to the electronic benefit transfer (EBT) system and the Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA). The bill updates EBT oversight measures included in the FY ’14 budget and advances continuous […]
By Sandra Stotsky, special to the Valley Patriot 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 […]
By: Tom Weaver – June 2013 Yes, our President is fighting a war, a war run by bureaucrats with rules of engagement set by those not risking their lives to carry out a mission. Young folks are being killed and maimed by those we believe may be friends. But, we will continue the mission, even […]