By: Ira Keltz and Quianna Roy The Massachusetts Department of Public Health reports that in 2016 there were 2094 opioid-related overdose deaths in the Commonwealth, which was up a whopping 24% over 2015. In the first 9 months of 2017, there were 932 confirmed opioid-related overdose deaths and the DPH estimates that there will […]
The Valley Patriot publisher Tom Duggan hosted Arlin Santiago on the Paying Attention! Television Program earlier this month. Santiago is the “Educational Stability Specialist” for the Lawrence Public Schools. She appeared on the program to talk about what the schools are doing to help foster children and homeless children who are students in the […]
By: State Senator Kathleen O’Connor Ives – Jan. 2018 In the 2017 legislative session, I worked closely with Representative Frank Moran to get $1 million in state funding released that Northern Essex Community College (NECC) needed to move forward with plans to create a Hospitality and Culinary Arts Center in downtown Haverhill. This was a […]
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3QOmbogzrLw&h=280&w=380] Methuen State Representative Diana DiZoglio says she is ready to draft and introduce legislation which would require drug addicts who are given the life saving drug NARCAN, to be committed for 15 – 30 days in a detox or treatment facility. DiZoglio made the revelation on Valley Patriot publisher Tom Duggan’s Paying […]
By: DJ Deeb – Dec. 2017 Although I ran unopposed in the recent municipal elections, it is nice to know that I am officially back on the Methuen School Committee. I want to take an opportunity to congratulate my colleagues Jana DiNatale, Bob Vogler, and Nick DiZoglio on their re-election bids. I also want to […]
By: Paul Murano – Dec.17 At the local department store. An encounter at the check-out register between Guy Shoppin and Clerk Clark: Clerk: That will be $24.99. Guy: There you go. Thank you. Clerk: Thank you. Have a nice holiday. Guy: Which one? C: Huh? G: Which holiday? C: Any one you celebrate. G: If […]
Representative Frank A. Moran (D-Lawrence, Andover, Methuen) joined his colleagues in the Massachusetts Legislature to pass bipartisan legislation that updates the existing statute relative to English language education in the Commonwealth’s public schools. An Act relative to language opportunity for our kids, also known as the LOOK bill, promotes research-based best practices for programs serving […]
In his last days as Mayor of Methuen, The Valley Patriot sat down with Steve Zanni for an exit interview to see what he thought of his six years as mayor and if he was able to accomplish what he set out to do in 2011. Q: When you came into office you had some […]
On Thursday, Methuen Police received a tip from a concerned parent that there was a social media posting threatening to shoot up a school shooting the next day. During the course of the Methuen police investigation, detectives determined that the posting originated from the geographical area of the Haverhill High School. Methuen Police contacted Haverhill police, […]
By: Paul Murano – Nov. 2017 At the end of each November we commemorate a peace meal between two warring parties. We call it Thanksgiving. The word ‘Thanksgiving’ in Greek means Eucharist. Whereas Thanksgiving is celebrated once a year, the peace meal that is the Eucharistic is celebrated every Sunday. There are profound parallels between […]
By: Dani Langevin – Nov.2017 In April and June of 2018, the GSA Regional Summit will be coming to Methuen High. It is a safe schools program for LGBTQ students that is, “A joint initiative between Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (ESE) and the Massachusetts Commission of LGBTQ Youth. Founded in 1993 in […]
By: John MacDonld – Nov. 2017 As predicted since the inception of the debate surrounding the destiny of Lowell High School, the City of Lowell is divided. As municipal Election Day looms, the debate of where Lowell High School will welcome students for the next 100 years has turned its residents against one another. Whether […]
By: Senator Katy Ives – Nov. 2017 The State Senate unanimously passed a comprehensive bill that would require higher education institutions in Massachusetts to set in place requirements on how campus police report and disclose an incident of dating violence, sexual assault or stalking. S.2191 filed by Senator Moore. An Act Concerning Sexual Violence on […]
By: Tom Duggan – 11-14-17 Lawrence Superintendent-Receiver Jeff Riley is expected to announce his resignation Wednesday just one week after the reelection of Lawrence Mayor Dan Rivera. Riley was appointed by state officials to run the chronically under-performing school district nearly seven years ago. Since then he has acted as both superintendent and school committee, […]
By: Alex Talcott -Oct. 2017 If you’re a parent of a child with special needs, you’ve likely dedicated much of your life to researching, providing, and advocating for the best care for your child. So naturally, you may worry about what will happen when you are no longer able to supervise your child’s care due […]