By: Paul Murano – October, 2015 A very unexpected thing happened throughout the media and in the nation last week. We were inundated with all things pope. There was non-stop coverage of the papal visit on cable and network stations, even from those that normally spend their time criticizing and ridiculing the Catholic Church and […]
By: Senator Kathleen O’Connor Ives – October, 2015 The State Senate recently passed additional reforms aimed at combatting the substance abuse epidemic in Massachusetts. Senate Bill 2020, which passed unanimously, focuses on prevention and early intervention, responsible pain management, expanded drug take-back programs by manufacturers, and reducing the number of opiate pills in circulation by […]
By: Tom Duggan – Oct. 21, 2015|6pm A 16 year old Methuen High School Student was arrested on Tuesday after making threats to harm himself and others, including shooting up the school. Sources at the high school say that the student admitted he had attempted suicide the night before and made threats to other students. […]
Amanda DaSilva is a long-time resident of Methuen who is fighting Leukemia. She battled cancer in 2013, and underwent chemo, radiation and surgery. She is now fighting for her life and has been diagnosed with leukemia, which is a result of the aggressive treatment she had from her previous cancer. Amanda is a single mom of a […]
School Committee Member’s Son Accused of Getting Special Treatment SEE VIDEO OF Nkimbeng SPEECH By: Tom Duggan, October 10, 2015 Black Lowell High School student Anye Nkimbeng was called a “nigger” in text messages by one of the losing candidates in the senior class presidential election, Tuesday, September 29th. Nkimbeng won the election. The text was […]
By: Oscar Camargo – Sept., 2015 The opiate crisis in the Valley has had a chilling effect on the whole community. The town of Andover alone has laid seven of its citizens to rest – several of them children. Elected leaders, school officials, and families seem paralyzed by a sense of uncertainty. For me, this […]
BOSTON—Five members of Teamsters Local 25 were arrested today in connection with attempting to extort a television production company that was filming a reality show in the Boston area in spring 2014. The United States Attorney Carmen Ortiz has indicted Mark Harrington, 61, of Andover; John Fidler, 51, of Holbrook; Daniel Redmond, 47, of Medford; […]
By: Dr. Bharani Padmanabhan – Sept. 2015 Dr. Oliver Sacks passed away last week from melanoma of the eye. He was best known for awakening people frozen into catatonic parkinsonism by the Spanish Flu and forgotten at the Beth Abraham Home for the Incurables. All they needed to awaken into normal life was a bit of levodopa. […]
Legislation Comes in Response to Recent FDA Approval of OxyContin to Children under Age 17 (BOSTON) – State Representative Diana DiZoglio (D-Methuen) has filed legislation in the Massachusetts House of Representatives prohibiting the prescription of OxyContin to children under age 17. DiZoglio’s bill comes in response to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)’s August 13 […]
By: Cindy Annis – Sept. 2015 In 1961, three brothers, with a cousin and a friend from Hawthorne, California formed a group that would forever define summer. The original members of the Beach Boys were brothers Brian, Dennis, and Carl Wilson with their cousin Mike Love and friend Al Jardine. Brian, was the oldest of […]
By: Ana DeBernardo – Sept. 2015 Students strive to do their best, and be their best in school. They join extracurriculars for the sake of being more involved than their friends. They play sports AND audition for the musical to become as “well-rounded” as humanly possible. Some even spend fortunes on tutors and sacrifice hours […]
By: Cheryl Hajjar – Sept. 2015 With the 2015 school year underway, our children are all headed back to new classrooms. That means many of them might be a little anxious or have fears on going back. A sense of nervousness is pretty common and to be expected. Some of the thoughts that might be […]
NORTH ANDOVER – Merrimack College awarded a Bachelor of Arts degree to Methuen resident Harold Paragamian on June 2. Mr. Paragamian, 90, took occasional classes at Merrimack between 1969 and 1998, earning an Associate’s degree along the way. A recent audit of his courses determined he is eligible for a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal […]
This year marks the 35th anniversary for the B-Street Bombers, a legendary local band from Lawrence. Last month, Valley Patriot publisher Tom Duggan and his assistant Stephanie Jaskot sat down with the Bombers in Plaistow, NH before an afternoon summer concert at town hall. Present were: *John Tomaselli from Lawrence, *Jimmy Bass from Lawrence, Mandy […]
Photo Gallery Audio of the Swearing In Audio of Interview with Chief Fitzpatrick (9-24-15) Acting Lawrence Police Chief Jim Fitzpatrick was sworn in as permanent chief by Mayor Dan Rivera Thursday night at the Fire Fighters Relief In. Chief Fitzpatrick told The Valley Patriot in a live internet broadcast of the event that his first […]