Companion Care Services Seeks Volunteers for Vets in Nursing Homes

Companion Care Services Seeks  Volunteers for Vets in Nursing Homes

Alicia Nordin of Companion Care Services of New England says with more part time volunteers she would be able to service more nursing home residents, in particular, military veterans. Alicia’s non-profit was established to provide companionship to seniors who may not have any family to visit them. “We all worked in the field for so […]

Mass. Auditor Bump Exposes $15.4M in Welfare Fraud

Mass. Auditor Bump Exposes $15.4M in Welfare Fraud

Auditor Bump Focuses Efforts to Strengthen Public Benefits Programs Announces that Her Office Identified a Record $15.4M in Public Benefits Fraud in FY16  Boston, MA – Massachusetts State Auditor Suzanne Bump has released an annual report on her office’s efforts to identify fraud in the state’s social, safety net programs.  The report released this week notes that […]

2017-2018 Legislative Session: Expanding Land Conservation

2017-2018 Legislative Session: Expanding Land Conservation

By: Senator Kathleen O’Connor Ives – Nov, 2016 Leading up to the beginning of a new formal legislative session in January, I’m focusing in on which bills will be priorities for me to file, re-file and co-sponsor. My column over these next months will be focused on a number of those bills. This month’s column […]

Cambridge College’s New Campus at Sal’s Riverwalk

Cambridge College’s New Campus at Sal’s Riverwalk

In honor of their new location, Cambridge College Lawrence held a ribbon cutting ceremony at their new state-of-the-art campus at The Riverwalk on October 20, 2016. Over fifty guests joined local business leaders and members of the Cambridge College community to celebrate the unveiling of the new campus. Deborah C. Jackson, President of Cambridge College […]

Newburyport Company Celebrates Employees Who Graduated from Workplace English Program

Newburyport Company Celebrates Employees Who Graduated from Workplace English Program

Cesiah Albarran of Lawrence came to this country in 2013 from Puerto Rico with a recently earned bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of Puerto Rico and limited English skills.  With the help of family members, she quickly landed a job with Bradford & Bigelow (B&B), a $31M specialty printing company with 140 employees […]

Bump Audit Finds MBTA Not Collecting or Reconciling Outstanding Balances

Bump Audit Finds MBTA Not Collecting or Reconciling Outstanding Balances

BOSTON, MA — An audit of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), released today by Auditor Suzanne M. Bump, found that the entity has left long overdue accounts receivable balances on their books without collecting them or writing them off as uncollectable. In total, $1,863,103 in funds due to the agency’s accounts receivable were more […]

Changing Sewer-User Fees Rejected By Town Meeting

Changing Sewer-User Fees Rejected By Town Meeting

November, 2016 At Annual Town Meeting, Article 18 (Sewer User Fees charged by Actual Metered Water Method) the Selectmen/Sewer Commissioners voted against the interests of the single families, seniors and those who conserve water in the Town of Salisbury. According to them, it is perfectly fair for the Town of Salisbury to charge senior citizens […]

Gr. Lawrence Tech Students Start Opioid Prevention Task Force

Gr. Lawrence Tech Students Start Opioid Prevention Task Force

Inspired by Methuen’s Phil Lahey, students at the Greater Lawrence Tech School have started a Drug Education Task Force. Lahey, a former Methuen Councilor and the main force in the Merrimack Valley to spearhead public discussions and educational forums for families of drug dependent individuals, says he believes having high school kids involved in solving […]

State Fines AG Maura Healey Campaign Donors $10K for Illegal Contributions

State Fines AG Maura Healey Campaign Donors $10K for Illegal Contributions

An Avon-based businessman and his bookkeeper who illegally contributed to Attorney General Maura Healey’s political campaign have agreed to pay $7,500 and $2,500 respectively to resolve a review by the Massachusetts Office of Campaign and Political Finances. The state fined Brian Bairos, the owner and president of Colorado Ave., LLC, in Rhode Island, and McIsaac […]

Hero Police Officer Seeks to Return to Board of Selectmen in North Andover

Hero Police Officer Seeks to Return to Board of Selectmen in North Andover

The Valley Patriot confirmed Saturday, that North Andover Police Lt. Dan Lanen, is seeking to return to the board of selectmen in this Spring’s town elections.  Lanen, a hero police officer who has been named police officer of the year by the Lawrence Exchange Club, and received the Officer Tom Duggan, Hero Police Officer award […]

Massachusetts Senate Adopts Caregiver Advice and Records Enablement Standards (C.A.R.E.) Act

Massachusetts Senate Adopts Caregiver Advice and Records Enablement Standards  (C.A.R.E.) Act

Boston–  The Massachusetts state Senate today advanced a bill intended to provide family caregivers with critically needed information and guidance to effectively care for a patient once released from a hospital. The bi-partisan backed legislation was co-sponsored by Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr (R – Gloucester) who called the bill “a big boost for the […]

Lawrence Councilor Jeovanny Rodriguez Attends in “Latino” Conference in DC

Lawrence Councilor Jeovanny Rodriguez Attends in “Latino” Conference in DC

Lawrence’s District “D” City Councilor  Jeovanny Rodriguez is in Washington, D.C. this week for a three day policy conference with the race-based National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials. “I welcome the opportunity to learn how to better serve my constituency in Lawrence, and I am eager to represent our community at this national […]

Governor Appoints Lawrence Councilor Laplante to the State Housing Appeals Committee

Governor Appoints Lawrence Councilor Laplante to the State Housing Appeals Committee

The Baker-Polito Administration has appointed Lawrence City Councilor Marc Laplante to the state Housing Appeals Committee where he will address (Chapter 40B) appeals in an impartial forum to resolve conflicts arising from the siting of new affordable housing. He serves as the city council representative on the Committee. “Marc has been an important partner in […]