An Exclusive Interview with Superintendent Wilfredo Laboy

An Exclusive Interview with Superintendent Wilfredo Laboy

  By: Tom Duggan, May, 2009 Lawrence School Superintendent Wilfredo Laboy granted an exclusive interview with The Valley Patriot where he discussed for the first time to anyone, the details of recent media scandals involving his office, teachers and principals under his command and the spate of bad publicity in the daily newspaper concerning the […]

Former North Andover’s Acting Superintendent Gave Himself Illegal Raise of $4,484 Raise

VALLEY PATRIOT EXCLUSIVE!   By: Tom Duggan – January, 2008   The North Andover School Committee is suing their former acting Superintendent Richard Bergeron for illegally giving himself a $4,484.34 raise without school committee approval.  A complaint filed in Lawrence District Court claims that Bergeron ordered a payroll clerk to put the additional money in […]

City Council Must Stop Playing Games and Follow the Law (opinion)

PLANNING FOR YOUR FUTURE By: Michael Sweeney (December, 2007) Lawrence Planning Director   “Truth is generally the best vindication against slander.” -President Abraham Lincoln  Good call there by President Lincoln. Unfortunately, under the weak-armed rule of Patrick Blanchette, truth has been replaced in the city council chambers by slander and personal attacks.  The truth is […]

Lawrence’s Councilor Silva Cleared in Hand-Gun Incident

VALLEY PATRIOT EXCLUSIVE   Tom Duggan  August August, 2007  Almost exactly one year after a gun was found at the home of Lawrence City Councilor Grisel Silva, the Massachusetts State Ethics Commission has cleared the district “B” councilor of allegations that she used her influence as an elected official to cover up the fact that […]

VALLEY PATRIOT EDITORIAL: We Miss the Old Patrick Blanchette

March, 2007  When Lawrence City Council President Patrick Blanchette first took office, he was honestly interested in making a positive difference in the city. He asked fair questions, exposed wasteful spending, looked at each issue objectively, advocated for better relations with both the mayor’s office and the public, and fought for his constituents regardless of […]

Perry Registers Car in New Hampshire

Perry Registers Car in New Hampshire

By: Tom Duggan – March, 2007 North Andover School Committee Chairman Al Perry has been seen driving around town in a new 2007 Cadillac Escalade with New Hampshire license plates. This week he admitted that he registered his new car in the state of New Hampshire, explaining that, “after March, I plan to spend much […]

Methuen’s Police Chief Joe Solomon Speaks Out

Methuen’s Police Chief Joe Solomon Speaks Out

Defends Grant Spending, Says Eagle~Tribune Attacks on Him and Dept. Motivated by “Racism Against Arab-Americans”      By: Tom Duggan – February, 2007 Methuen Police Chief Joe Solomon said in an exclusive interview with The Valley Patriot this week that federal grant money from the Department of Justice for thecity’s Weed & Seed program was spent legally […]

Lawrence Council President Blanchette Called “Dangerous”

Lawrence Council President Blanchette Called “Dangerous”

  By: Tom Duggan – January 2007  Lawrence City Council President Patrick Blanchette has been on a mission for the last few months. His mission: create a firestorm around Budget and Finance Director John Griffin so that he either quits or gets fired, create a firestorm around Caroline Ganley (who has left) and Planning Director […]

Valley Patriot Editorial: Methuen City Councilors Should Butt Out

Valley Patriot Editorial: Methuen City Councilors Should Butt Out

December, 2006  Last month, Methuen city councilors tried to inject themselves into the so-called controversy between Police Chief Joe Solomon and the officers and union members under his command.  What’s more, they tried to subvert the Methuen City Charter by interfering with Mayor Bill Manzi’s clearly defined duties as the chief executive officer of the […]

Group Asks Ed. Commissioner to Investigate Andover Teacher for “Blatant Jew Hatred”

Classroom Credit to Support Terrorism?      Ron Francis is an Andover High School teacher, co-chair of the Massachusetts Green-Rainbow Party, leader in the Somerville Divestment Project and, as some in thecommunity would argue, is “anti-Semitic.”  “Ron Francis’ politics, statements and actions are anti-Semitic,” says Eric Danis, a graduate of Andover High School. “Both his […]

Father’s Priorities are Out of Wack There’s a New Greg Hyatt in Town

Father’s Priorities are Out of Wack There’s a New Greg Hyatt in Town

May, 2006 There used to be a well-known guy from Methuen named Greg Hyatt – he who would cry about conspiracies, the corrupt court system, and how everyone was wrong but him. He had a Web site where he would slander and vilify people he did not like, blaming everyone but himself for his problems. […]

Lawrence Uses Education Funds for Inaugural Party

Lawrence Uses Education Funds for Inaugural Party

  By: Tom Duggan – March 2006 While suburban cities and towns like North Andover are cutting their teaching staff and eliminating art and music programs due to lack of funding, Wilfredo Laboy and the Lawrence School Committee have chosen to use state education dollars for out of state travel conferences (to the tune of $4,000) […]

Laboy Endorses School Committeeman for City Council

Laboy Endorses School Committeeman for City Council

PAYING ATTENTION EXTRA Larger than expected crowd turns out for Jorge Gonzalez By: Tom Duggan – August 25, 2005 Lawrence School Committee member Jorge Gonzalez now enjoys the unique distinction of being the only candidate for any office in Lawrence to have been publicly endorsed by the Superintendent of Schools. Last Thursday Gonzalez, (who is in […]