Select Just One: Prohibited or Mandatory THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX, WITH CHUCK ORMSBY By: Dr. Charles Ormsby – January, 2010 “The trouble with government regulation of the market is that it prohibits capitalistic acts between consenting adults.” – Robert Nozick Are you tired of being a slave? What did you say? You’re not a […]
By: Tom Duggan – October, 2009 ELECTION EDITION Lawrence Mayor Michael Sullivan is finishing his final term because the city charter limits the mayor’s job to two, four year terms. Sullivan defeated Isabel Melendez in 2001 and Marcos Devers in 2005. Ironically Willie Lantigua endorsed and supported Isabel Melendez in ’01 but flipped in ’05 […]
By: Tom Duggan – September, 2009 There are ten candidates running to replace Lawrence Mayor Mike Sullivan in the September 22nd city primary elections. The top two candidates will face a runoff election on November 3rd. Here is a snapshot of each candidate. David Abdoo Abdoo is the District “E” city councilor representing South […]
THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX By: Charles Ormsby – September, 2009 Having consulted with their constituents over the August recess, our elected representatives will be heading back to Washington fully intending to ignore what they were told. Their meetings with voters ranged from respectful (Niki Tsongas) to downright contemptuous (Barney Frank) to non-existent (John Tierney). Presumably, […]
By: Tom Duggan – August, 2009 Last fall, Former Chairman of the North Andover School Committee, Alfred Perry, was arrested and charged with embezzlement, larceny and insurance fraud. The charges stemmed from allegations that he stole money from his business, Internet Insurance Agency. He was arranged in Lawrence District Court and last month there was […]
By: Tom Duggan – July, 2009 An investigation by the Massachusetts office of Campaign and Political Finance may not have issued their report yet on which elected officials benefited from campaign material printed in the Lawrence Public Schools I’m gong to tell you who they right now. At least three members of the Lawrence School Committee (Morris, Larocque and Mejia) benefited from literature printed […]
The Cause, The Cure, and The Obstacles to Recovery Part I By: Charles Ormsby – May, 2009 TANSTAAFL: “There Ain’t No Such Thing As A Free Lunch!” – Anonymous When economic decisions are based on political considerations and not on rational economic calculations, wealth is squandered and the economic piper must be paid. It is […]
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 […]
VALLEY PATRIOT EDITORIAL February, 2009 In March and August of 2008, the City of Lawrence did not perform the states’ required monthly chlorite testing on the city’s drinking water. The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection fined the city of Lawrence $5,750 for failing to do those mandated chlorite tests and has warned the city it will face […]
Fired Attorney’s Firm Member Made Millions on Taxpayers Valley Patriot Staff – November, 2008 Former Lawrence city hall worker Andrea Traficanti will be back in court next month seeking permanent and total disability benefits after filing a new claim with the Department of Industrial Accidents. Her claim now is that she is permanently and […]
Paying Attention! with Tom Duggan October, 2008 Last May the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) notified the North Andover Public Schools that their high school was being put on warning of losing its accreditation. But, it wasn’t until August 25th that North Andover Superintendent of Schools, Marini notified the public that the […]
By: Tom Duggan – May, 2008 July 29, 2008 — Following Police Chief John Romero’s issuing of the School Resource Officer (SRO) report detailing an increase in arrests in the District, Superintendent Wilfredo T. Laboy has issued a statement disputing the data in the report: The Lawrence Public Schools constantly monitors data pertaining to […]
PAYING ATTENTION! with Tom Duggan By: Tom Duggan – May, 2008 While the politicians and the American people debate about what to do with illegal immigrants and whether or not to give them a pathway to citizenship, nobody seems to be doing anything to help the people who followed the law, did the right […]
VALLEY PATRIOT EDITORIAL April, 2008 The Massachusetts state Board of Education is unhappy with the mean-spirited words being used to describe government schools that are not up to snuff. Those who are concerned with this less-than-ideal performance have used such adjectives as “failing” and “under-performing.” Schools with persisting imperfections are even bullied with terms like […]
By: Tom Duggan – April 2008 NORTH ANDOVER – Several North Andover Middle School students are being investigated by the North Andover police for personal profiles posted on the America On Line Internet service threatening to harm fellow students and naming at least one teacher and a classmate the student pledges to “kill.” These threats […]