The Crucial Need to Increase the Dropout Age State Senator Pavel Payano – Nov. 2023 As a State Senator, my commitment to improving education in Massachusetts is unwavering. Senate bill 341, “An Act Relative to Dropout Prevention and Student Recovery,” a pivotal piece of legislation, which I sponsored, aims at reshaping the educational landscape for […]
By: Massachusetts State Auditor Diana DiZoglio – Nov. 2023 Hello Valley Patriot readers, Serving as Massachusetts State Auditor doesn’t just mean reviewing finances. A big part of my role, as I often speak about with folks across the state, is reviewing the performance and efficacy of the Commonwealth’s agencies and entities. A great example of […]
Nov. 2023 Emails obtained by The Valley Patriot reveal that a number of voters in Rowley had their ballots discarded and uncounted in last November’s election where Kristin Kassner (D-Hamilton) won the 2nd Essex State Representative seat by one vote over Lenny Mirra (R-Georgetown). Minutes taken during the recount in that race reveal that […]
By: John Cuddy – Nov. 2023 Hailing from the long-gone Boston neighborhood, once known as the West End, Methuen’s James Fiorello graduated from Boston’s Mechanic Arts High School with the class of 1941. He then enrolled at Fitchburg State College, with the intent on becoming a teacher. The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December […]
PDF of the Valley Patriot, November, 2023
Here are my endorsements in the 2023 Lawrence Elections LAWRENCE CITY COUNCIL AT-LARGE (Elect three): Most of the time in an At-Large election, it’s hard to find three good candidates. I usually support one or two and then struggle with coming up with a third to endorse. Not so this year, as there are actually […]
By: Philippe Thibault 10-23 All communities serviced by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) and those communities adjacent to this public transit provider will be required to create zoning supporting the production of housing. A total of one hundred and seventy-seven communities in eastern Massachusetts are required to comply. Boston is exempt from the regulation. […]
10-23 Kane has the jitters and is having trouble concentrating because he can’t decide what he should do on his “to do list.” His energy increases in the fall due to the cooler weather. He has been worrying about which of the things on his schedule he should tackle first. This inability to concentrate resulted […]
By: Brian Genest 10-23 There can be a fine line between good government and bad government; in Dracut, a recent meeting of the so-called Tri-Board was an example of absurd government. At that gathering about town finances and potential future budget deficits, made up of the Board of Selectmen, School Committee, and members of the […]
By: John Cuddy 10-23 Raised in Methuen, Massachusetts, where he returned to over thirty years ago, ninety-year-old Robert Lister and his daughter Joan, recently met with the Valley Patriot to tell his story. Growing up, he had three sisters and one brother. Robert attended Lawrence High School for a while before joining the US Navy […]
LAWRENCE — Last month, the Greater Lawrence Psychological Center, Inc., hosted approximately 200 people at their 5th-annual Overcoming Obstacles Gala at Salvatore’s Italian Restaurant in Lawrence. I first want to thank Michael Agricola and Phillip Wood, (owners of Salvatore’s) for donating their food and space for this event. The gala raised approximately $50,000 to […]
By: Valley Patriot Staff (10-23) As most of you know by now, Valley Patriot publisher Tom Duggan is home and recovering from a near death illness that took the expertise, skills, and a few medical miracles from the teams of doctors and medical professionals who struggled for more than 10 days to keep Duggan alive. […]
10-23 Kenneth Willette (10 Burnham Road, Apt. 506A) officially announced his campaign today as a write-in candidate for the Methuen School Committee. Willette previously served six years on the Methuen School Committee and six years as a Methuen City Councilor at Large. “Based upon positive feedback from family and friends, I wanted to offer my […]
10-23 With local elections coming up in Lawrence, Methuen, Haverhill, and other cities in the Merrimack Valley, election experts are predicting a very low voter turnout … again. That means the vast majority of registered voters don’t care enough about how their cities are run or who is going to run them. Not to mention […]
By: Tom Duggan – Nov. 2023 Last month, the Lawrence City Council voted 8-1 in favor of allowing weekly homeless dinners to continue at the Buckley Garage on Common Street. The dinners are sponsored by a local non-profit called The Movement Family (or TMF) every Wednesday evening at 9pm. The dinners took place for two […]