By:Tracey Zysk – October, 2011 On September 24, 2011 I had the wonderful opportunity to meet Karen Smith of the Massachusetts Animal Coalition at the New England Pet Expo in Wilmington MA. When I stopped at Karen’s booth, which was well decorated and nicely organized, but more importantly, it was more informative than I ever […]
By: Cathy Richards – October, 2011 Fall is here!! This is my favorite time of year, as it is for many of you. Dracut started this fall with two spectacular events that are worth reviewing and appreciating as a reflection of the kind of community she is proud to be. The first noteworthy event was […]
Cyber Safety for Seniors By: Celeste Begley – October, 2011 October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month, making it an excellent time to talk with your aging loved one about staying safe while online. According to the FBI’s Scams & Safety Web page, seniors are highly targeted by scammers of all kinds because they are […]
By: Gerry Nutter – October, 2011 The City of Lowell operates under the Plan E form of Government. That forms calls for the City Council to be the presiding body, hire a City Manager to run the day to day activity and have an Auditor and the City Clerk as the only other two […]
By: Lawrence “Lonnie” Brennan -September, 2011 As we head into an important fiscal year, with the first of what has been promised to be several tax-overrides recently approved, we note that we’re a bit behind in posting taxpayer expenditures. Specifically, the top 40 taxpayer supported earners of 2010. (The Valley Patriot had previously posted […]
By: State Senator Steve Baddour – September, 2011 For nearly a year, it was difficult to escape the media coverage surrounding the disappearance and death of two year old Caylee Anthony. Tens of thousands followed the ensuing trial which, as we all know, resulted in a not-guilty verdict for her mother, Casey Anthony. Regardless […]
By: Diana Fay DZoglio – September, 2011 METHUEN – Has anyone spoken to our local high school students lately about the upcoming local elections? I have, and am writing to express my deepest concern about the apparent lack of knowledge and understanding about local government amongst the future leaders of our communities. In […]
By: Ronnie Ford – June, 2011 Naomi Klien’s “The Shock Doctrine” is a New York Times best seller. It is a scary book explaining the many machinations and illegal activities that has contributed to our topsy-turvy economy today. The manuscript pointed out documented happenings that point to profit at all costs, inclusive of which is […]
By: Tom Duggan – June, 2011 Local U.S. Marine recruiters in The Valley got their first look at the latest batch of recruits last month at Ft. Devans Army Base in Massachusetts. The new recruits, called “poolees” (recruits yet to attend basic training) were put through preliminary training to get them ready for the extensive […]
By: Jamison Tomasek – June, 2011 I noticed from Facebook the number of people that grew up in Lawrence and settled in the Merrimack Valley is very high. While this might not just be a Lawrence thing, it seems particularly pronounced here. The Lawrence Diaspora (migration) doesn’t seem like a random scattering. Almost everyone who […]
Catholic Church to Close Saint Mary’s After Promising to keep it Open By: Tom Duggan – May, 2011 Hundreds of students, parents and supporters of Saint Mary’s School of the Assumption in Lawrence, rallied and held a vigil Saturday to oppose the decision of the Boston Archdiocese of the Catholic Church to close the school […]
April – 2011 ANDOVER – The Merrimack Valley YMCA announced last month that Watts Water Technologies, a leading manufacturer of flow control products for the water quality, residential plumbing & heating, commercial and OEM markets, has pledged $750,000. The generous donation will be spread over a five-year period to support annual operations, as well […]
February, 2011 Valley Patriot readers will recall that last summer, residents living near the Shawsheen River reported the smell of raw sewage and a foul, cloudy discharge coming from a stormwater drain behind the South Lawrence East School. In May of last year, The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sent a letter to Lawrence DPW Director […]
January, 2011 HAVERHILL. – Two local brothers have made an extraordinary effort to raise funds for the Merrimack Valley Hospice House this holiday season. During the Ocasio’s True Martial Arts Black Belt Extravaganza on December 4th, the Newton, New Hampshire brothers featured a booth of homemade ornaments and crafts to support Merrimack Valley Hospice […]
By: Valley Patriot Staff – December, 2010 The North Andover Merchants Association is an organization made up of North Andover businesses. We are committed to improving North Andover through the promotion, enhancement and growth of local businesses. We at the North Andover Merchants Association encourage all residents to consider and act on our motto […]