By: Tom Duggan – May, 2016 14th Essex District State Representative Diana DiZoglio will have a challenger for the Democratic Party’s primary in September. She is North Andover attorney Phyllis Jones, who says that she is “disappointed” in the incumbent’s lack of transparency and refusal to support gay marriage and “transgender rights”. Originally from New […]
https://malegislature.gov/Bills/189/House/H4333 5-23-16 On Monday, a joint conference committee of the Massachusetts legislature negotiated and reached a final deal on a new public records reform bill for the first time in 40 years. CHANGES TO THE PUBLIC RECORDS LAW If signed by Governor Baker, the new law, (Final BillH4333) , would allow judges to award legal costs and attorney […]
By: Duncan Burns – May, 2016 Right now, when it comes to labor issues, all eyes are currently on The Verizon Strike, which affects many municipalities across The Merrimack Valley. Many will question the union’s motives, as the tactic of going on strike is usually in order to strong-arm a company into submission and usually […]
This month marks the return of Dr. Rami Rustum as a columnist in The Valley Patriot. We sat down with Dr. Rustum last week to talk about what does, and what makes Merrimack Valley Pain Management Associates different from other pain clinics. Dr. Rustum was born and raised in Syria where he eventually went to […]
By: State Re. Linda Dean Campbell – April, 2016 Recently, we saw the bipartisan approval by the Massachusetts House of a bill to fund local municipal road and bridge repair. Additionally, Governor Baker has requested more money for local bridge repair, which will require an additional appropriation. As a member of the Committee on Ways […]
By: Dani Langevi – April, 2016 I was at a wedding shower the other day sitting with several family members. The evening before when I couldn’t sleep I realized that all four nieces on my side of the family have degrees in some form of social work. At the table, was one of those nieces […]
Methuen Mayor Stephen N. Zanni, the Methuen Senior Activity Center, and the Methuen Department of Veterans Affairs are sponsoring the 17th Annual Veterans Expo, Wednesday, April 27, 2016, 2pm-5pm at the Methuen Senior Activity Center, 77 Lowell Street, Methuen, MA 01844. The event is open to all Veterans, their family members, and the community […]
By: Senator Kathleen O’Connor Ives – April, 2016 Recently, the State Senate unanimously, and in a bipartisan fashion, passed a bill I filed to protect consumers from unknowingly entering a credit contract and to limit instances of fraud resulting from the mailing of unsolicited and often predatory loans. Every day, residents across Massachusetts find what […]
Methuen State Representative Diana DiZoglio and Cambridge Doctor Bharani Padmanabhan were both bestowed one of the highest honors by The Valley Patriot newspaper last month, when they were each given the newspaper’s First Amendment Award. Each year, The Valley Patriot’s 1st Amendment award is given to two individuals who show with their actions that […]
For the second year in a row, The Valley Patriot awarded a scholarship to a student graduating from the Greater Lawrence Technical School in Andover. The winners are researched, interviewed and chosen by Greater Lawrence Technical School Committeeman Jessica Finocchiaro. “I’m proud to say this is the 2nd annual scholarship from The Valley Patriot […]
Famous weatherman Al Kaprielian, MTV’s Brittany Baldi, and Hollywood star Steve Blackwood greeted three Market Basket employees at The Valley Patriot’s 12th Anniversary BASH, as the newspaper, their sponsors, and advertisers gave each of the three employees a $400 scholarship. The scholarship was started last year as the newspaper’s way of thanking the Market Basket employees […]
By: DJ Deeb – April, 2016 After several years of asking for an updated Capital Improvement Plan for Methuen Public Schools, Facilities Director Bruce Stella presented a comprehensive 5-year plan for Facilities and Maintenance to members of the School Committee to review at our March 28th Workshop Meeting. Currently, the Methuen School Committee is working […]
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Over coffee and pastry, fifty people attended the first legislative open house at Daybreak Shelter in Lawrence, MA. In tight quarters, Carina Pappalardo, Chief Executive Officer, discussed the agency’s partnership with the Coalition for Homeless Individuals. The homeless make up a third of the state’s homeless population in Massachusetts. A population that is on the rise […]
The Massachusetts House of Representatives took a number of important measures in addressing the ongoing opioid abuse crisis in the Commonwealth. The House passed comprehensive legislation that incorporated aspects of Governor Baker’s bill, the Senate opioid bill, input from the medical community, and input from families who have been affected by this scourge. The House […]