The Paying Attention! Radio Program with Tom Duggan, January 4, 2014 – Best Interviews of 2013

  CLICK TO DOWNLOAD OR LISTEN TO HOUR 1 CLICK TO DOWNLOAD OR LISTEN TO HOUR 2   Today Tom, Paula and George played audio clips of their favorite interviews of 2013. But first Tom talked about Congressman John Tierney who pretends to care about women and the “war on women” but is running against […]

Lawrence’s Mayor Rivera Starts Naming His Team, Fires Comptroller

Lawrence’s Mayor Rivera Starts Naming His Team, Fires Comptroller

Rivera Hires Three Assistants, Neighborhood Planner and Business Development Director By: Tom Duggan – January 3, 2014 LAWRENCE – Less than twenty four hours after taking office as the new Mayor of Lawrence, Dan Rivera has started naming new members of his administration and removing  The Valley Patriot has learned that on Friday, Lawrence’s City […]

The TJX Companies (Parent Company of TJ MAX) Penalized $7,187 for Failing to Report Hydraulic Oil Spill at Chelsea Property

The TJX Companies (Parent Company of TJ MAX) Penalized $7,187 for Failing to Report Hydraulic Oil Spill at Chelsea Property

BOSTON – The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) penalized The TJX Companies, Inc. of Framingham $7,187 for a waste site cleanup violation at its 162 Everett Avenue location in Chelsea.  The company was penalized for failing to notify MassDEP within two hours as required following the release of an estimated 15 gallons of hydraulic […]

Greater Boston Tea Party President Steps Down, New President, Officers Elected

Morabito Looks Back at Two Years of Fighting the Status-Quo, Internal Friction, Media Bias By: Tom Duggan – January 1, 2013 After two years leading the Greater Boston Tea Party (GBTP), Christine Morabito says she is stepping down from her post, paving the way for Patrick Humphries to be elected president of the anti-tax group. […]

Now the Real Healing Begins!

Now the Real Healing Begins!

By: Peter Larocque – December 2013 Almost four years ago at the inauguration and installation of Mayor William Lantigua which had the atmosphere of a coronation of a king, the posture and disposition of his administration was unveiled. Then, State Representative Lantigua entered the auditorium from the back and walked through the crowd of loyal […]

Valley Patriot’s 13 Top Read Stories On Line in 2013

Valley Patriot’s 13 Top Read Stories On Line in 2013

Valley Patriot’s Most read stories in 2013 #13 TIE Armed Standoff in Methuen ends Peacefully Massachusetts Law Enforcement and FBI Seek “Merrimack Valley Bandit”, Armed and Dangerous #12 Lantigua Spends $32,178 of Taxpayers Money to Fight $61 Public Records Request #11 Mayor Fires City Worker, Denies Unpaid Leave Time for Dying Wife #10 An $80 Million Lie: Sisters […]

Festival of Trees Calling for 2014 Historic Preservation Grant Applicants

Festival of Trees Calling for 2014  Historic Preservation Grant Applicants

By: Tom Duggan – December, 2013 The Festival of Trees, Inc. is calling for applicants for its 2014 Historic Preservation Grant Program. This Methuen-based non-profit organization raises money through its annual Festival of Trees event to fund preservation efforts throughout the Merrimack Valley and beyond. The Historic Preservation Grant Program is designed to provide preservation […]

Mass. State Trooper “Neko” Gets Extra Protection With Donation from Pomerleau Family

Mass. State Trooper “Neko” Gets Extra Protection With Donation from Pomerleau Family

By: Tom Duggan – December, 2013 The Family of Walter and Gabe Pomerleau donated a $1,000 bulletproof vest for the Massachusetts State Police K9 unit through a non-profit organization called Massachusetts Vest-A-Dog. Massachusetts Vest A Dog works to raise money and resources to support Massachusetts’s police dogs by providing bullet proof K9 vests, equipment, training […]

Firefighter Sullivan, Detective DeLano Honored by Methuen Exchange

Firefighter Sullivan, Detective DeLano Honored by Methuen Exchange

By: Tom Duggan – December, 2013 The Methuen Exchange Club presented Methuen Police Detective John Delano with their Police Officer of the Year Award at their annual dinner banquet last month. Late last winter, Methuen Police Chief Joe Solomon assigned Detective Delano to head up an investigation into 15 robberies in the area. After a […]

Two Candidates Look to Replace Barry Finegold for State Senate

Two Candidates Look to Replace Barry Finegold for State Senate

By: Tom Duggan – December, 2013 Republican Alex Vispoli is a member of the Andover Board of Selectmen. Pavel Payano sits on the Lawrence School Committee. The contrast between the two could not be more stark or obvious. Vispoli is a seasoned veteran of Andover Politics, while Payano is still serving his first term on […]

The Paying Attention! Radio Program with Tom Duggan, December 28, 2013

The Paying Attention! Radio Program with Tom Duggan, December 28, 2013

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD OR LISTEN TO HOUR 1 CLICK TO DOWNLOAD OR LISTEN TO HOUR 2 Not our traditional year end show on Paying Attention but with Paul Murano taking yet another Saturday off we were treated with a guest co-host; film and record producer Daryl C. Silva, who just released his second movie on […]

Remembering Slain Woburn Police Officer Jack Maguire

Remembering Slain Woburn Police Officer Jack Maguire

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufvGhzcOp-Q&feature=youtu.be&w=280&h=220] MORE PHOTOS By: Tom Duggan – December 26, 2013 Dozens of friends, family and former colleagues of slain Woburn Police Officer Jack Maguire gathered for a candle light vigil in the Kohl’s parking lot Thursday evening on the spot where Jack lost his life three years to the day. A procession of Woburn Police […]

A Peek at Santa’s List – Tom Duggan’s Notebook

A Peek at Santa’s List – Tom Duggan’s Notebook

  Given that we have confidential informants in Santa’s Workshop at the North Pole, we were able to get an advanced copy of Santa’s Christmas list and it’s pretty obvious from what we can see, who has been naughty and who’s been nice. Here is what Santa is planning on leaving under the tree for […]

The Two Old Men and the Sea, Lifelong Barbers, Friends Reunited after 50 Years

The Two Old Men and the Sea, Lifelong Barbers, Friends Reunited after 50 Years

It’s a weekend afternoon, and a young father and mother walk through the doors of the newly opened “Frank’s Barber Shop” on 150 Main Street in North Andover. Two boys are in tow; knees dirty, shin pads in place, snug, along with jerseys which are draping loosely on the shoulders of both. On their way […]

The challenge of Growing Wages, Jobs and our Small Business Economy – IN YOUR CORNER with Senator Ives

The challenge of Growing Wages, Jobs and our Small Business Economy –  IN YOUR CORNER with Senator Ives

By: Senator Kathleen O’Connor Ives – December, 2013 At the end of this year’s legislative session, the Senate took up a bill to increase Massachusetts’ minimum wage rate from the current $8.00/hr. to $9.00 in 2014, with automatic increases to $10 in 2015 and $11 in 2016. These increases would also be tied to the […]