By: Lenny Mirra – 8-26 Our state budget includes a $200,000 earmark from State Senator Liz Miranda to a company called Bold Skin Babe Cosmetology Institute, Inc. for “scholarships for low-income students” in the beauty and wellness industry. Sounds like a noble goal, and not a big deal in a $63 billion budget. The […]
By: MA State Senator Pavel Payano 7-26 When you can’t find a primary care doctor, every part of the health care system becomes more difficult to navigate. Families wait months for appointments, routine health concerns become emergencies, and emergency rooms end up treating illnesses that could have been prevented or managed earlier. That challenge is […]
By: Senator Payano 12/25 Food insecurity is not a distant issue. It’s a reality that far too many families in Lawrence, Methuen, and Haverhill grapple with every day. And the problem isn’t limited to our region. Statewide reports released this year show that more than one-third of Massachusetts adults struggled to afford food in 2024. […]
By: Methuen Mayor DJ Beauregard 11.25 With Thanksgiving behind us, I find myself still reflecting on just how much I have to be thankful for – and how proud I am to call Methuen home. First and foremost, I’m thankful for my family and friends, whose love and encouragement keep me grounded no matter what […]
By: Dr. Bharani Padmanabhan, MD., PHD 9/25 Defiance of the United States defines those with innate contempt for the American Revolution and the bedrock principles that define this unique republic. Defiance is different from protected expressive conduct such as flag-burning. Defiance is the wholesale rejection of the fundamental principles that define the United States, such […]
By Brian Genest 9.25 Some people in Dracut have apparently lost their minds—and their manners—because of the new $95 quarterly trash fee. Given the level of outrage, you’d think the town suddenly announced it was banning Dunkin’ Donuts or outlawing Middies tank tops. But, no, it’s about garbage pickup. Instead of just rolling their eyes […]
By: State Rep. Francisco Paulino (9/25) In Lawrence and Methuen, families struggle with the high cost of medicine. Seniors cut pills in half, parents skip their own medication for their children, and families with chronic diseases worry about monthly refills. Despite the existence of billions of dollars in drug discounts through the federal 340B program, […]
By: Brian Genest – 8/25 The animals are safe in Dracut. Town Meeting stared down the great chicken crackdown of 2025, sending it straight to the compost pile. Voters cut the head off a proposed bylaw change so silly, so clucking ridiculous, that the only thing it managed to hatch was outrage, sarcasm and a […]
By: State Re. Francisco Paulino – 7/25 The proposed federal budget for FY26 could bring some of the most challenging moments our community has faced in years. Many friends, neighbors, and constituents have reached out to share their concerns, and I want you to know I share them with you. I ran for office […]
KANE’S KORNER: The Adventures of Kane! The Bridge Club of Greater Lowell celebrated the ribbon cutting of their Emergency Transitional Housing Program for Veterans on Friday June 27th. According to Program Manager Randy Carter, Mill City Veterans will house 15 VA (Veterans Administration) eligible homeless veterans every 90 days. The program is located at […]
By: Tom Duggan – 2-25 Responding quickly to a request made on January 14th by Republican members of the Massachusetts House and Senate, State Auditor Diana DiZoglio has confirmed that her office is in the process of conducting an audit of taxpayer money spent by Governor Healey on sheltering the flood of illegal aliens in […]
Auditor’s Medicaid Audit Unit Identifies Over $27 Million in Potential Cost Savings Recommendations to Strengthen Controls and Oversight at MassHealth BOSTON — Today, State Auditor Diana DiZoglio’s Office released an annual report of the recent work conducted by the office’s Medicaid Audit Unit, from March 2, 2024 through February 28, 2025. Over the past year, the […]
By Doug Kinan – 1/25 Dear Chief Justice Budd, As you are fully aware, a frame-up is a violent crime. You have indisputable evidence of a frame-up against Dr. Bharani Padmanabhan, hence the total silence about the facts. On October 31, 2024, you issued an unspeakably mendacious unsigned decision claiming the matter of gross misconduct […]
By John Cuddy – 1/25 US Marine, founder of the Boston Veterans Group, active in the Marine Corp League! South Boston’s SueAnn Cheung and her sister ChunNei, immigrated to the United States from Suriname, formerly known as Dutch Guiana, located in South America. Their mom was ethnic Chinese, and spoke Cantonese, and their dad, was […]
Family Office Review After publishing last month’s column on Wealthy Habits, many great questions were raised. A common scenario surrounds what needs to be done to ensure legacy planning is prepared by the end of this new year 2025 given that the lifetime estate/gift tax exemptions are about to be halved. For many families, […]