By: Jamison Tomasek – December, 2010 I was recently a candidate for the Massachusetts State Senate representing Andover, Dracut, Lawrence and Tewksbury. I have time on my hands to write this because I lost the election. While doing well in the towns, I lost Lawrence, and I lost it big. Voters, VP readers or […]
By: D.J. Deeb – December, 2010 Dracut residents chose their candidates and issues wisely in the November 2nd statewide election. Although the state of Massachusetts voted for higher taxes and bigger government, Dracut voters made the right decisions. First off, Dracut School Committee Chairman Matt Sheehan lost his bid as an Independent candidate for […]
VALLEY PATRIOT EDITORIAL NOVEMBER, 2010 Election night 2010 was stunning for many here in Massachusetts, but the results were not always what we hoped for. Many of us worked hard on campaigns, taking time away from families and jobs to help elect our favorite candidates. When the candidates we worked for were defeated, it […]
By: D.J. Deeb – November, 2010 Dracut residents recently rejected a warrant article lowering the quorum requirement at its annual November town meetings to 50. This change was proposed by Dracut Town Clerk Kathy Graham as a cost saving measure. Although I can appreciate Kathy Graham’s good intentions, I believe that lowering the quorum […]
GEORGETOWN TODAY By: Lawrence “Lonnie” Brennan – November, 2010 Locally and nationally, ultra-liberal, ultra-taxing, ultra-arrogant and entrenched politicians got slapped in the face and kicked to the curb. It’s about time. James Faggan was that notorious ‘rep’ who argued against protecting children, even going so far as to let us all know he would make […]
By: David Trumbull – November, 2010 While nationally the Republicans picked up about 60 seats, and control, in the United States House of Representatives, here in Massachusetts a tide of Republican support doubled the size of the GOP caucus in the Massachusetts House of Representatives. On Election Day Republicans held 15 of the 160 […]
THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX By: Dr. Charles Ormsby – October, 2010 Do you believe in personal responsibility, or do you want to be oppressively taxed to permit others to escape the consequences of their irresponsibility? Do you struggle to balance your family’s budget and try to save for the future while you see your taxes […]
By: D.J. Deeb – October, 2010 Perhaps the title of this column should be, “The Importance of Studying Several Different Sources Before Making a Decision”, but I just found it fascinating at this past June Town Meeting how Dracut’s various media outlets and Internet blogs handled a certain warrant article, which I felt […]
Finegold Defends Lawrence Mayor Willie Lantigua By: Tom Duggan – August, 2010 State Representative Barry Finegold is a candidate for State Senate. Valley Patriot editor Tom Duggan interviewed him last month on the Paying Attention! Radio Program on WCAP in Lowell. Duggan asked Finegold about his vote in favor of a $35 million loan […]
By: Tom Duggan – August, 2010 The race to replace State Senator Sue Tucker in the Second Essex District of Massachusetts has found the failed finances and financial mismanagement of the City of Lawrence at the center of this contentious campaign among both Democrat and Republican candidates. The Second Essex district is comprised of […]
By: Richard Howe – March, 2010 Senator Steve Panagiotakos Says Goodbye Since announcing last month that he would not seek re-election to the State Senate, Steve Panagiotakos has repeatedly said that he is proudest not when he’s called Senator or Chairman, he’s proudest when he’s called “Panagiotakos of Lowell.” That sentiment was clearly on […]
By: D.J. Deeb – March, 2010 Several candidates have taken out papers to run in the upcoming Dracut Town Elections scheduled for Monday, May 3rd. The positions that are drawing the most interest as of this writing are Selectmen, School Committee, and Housing Authority. All three are likely to stimulate interest among Dracut voters […]
But Warren Shaw and Mike Miles Can’t Debate the Real Issues By: D.J. Deeb – January, 2010 The letter is ludicrous and speaks for itself. Unlike Mike Miles and his Gang, I will actually address the issues that he raises regarding my previous column, statements in his letter, and offer insight into some of the […]
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 […]
Elected officials sending secret messages to each other during public meetings may be illegal Tom Duggan – July, 2008 Last week, Lowell City Councilor and former Lowell Mayor Rita Mercier filed a motion requesting that the council ban the use of cell phones and other electronic devices during council meetings. The motion was filed, Mercier […]