By: Jamison Tomasek – March, 2012 The entire region was buzzing recently as Boston Magazine published an article titled “Lawrence: City of the Damned.” The online version of the magazine added a response from City Councilor Dan Rivera. The Eagle Tribune followed with an editorial which tried to put some positive spins on Lawrence, but […]
By: Peter Larocque – March, 2012 The way the Massachusetts Law that allowed Education Commissioner Mitchell Chester to Takeover Lawrence’s Public Schools is being implemented could be Unconstitutional! According to this law, the Commissioner shall appoint a Receiver to a School District that has been declared chronically underperforming by the State Board of Elementary and […]
By: Diana DiZoglio, March, 2012 Methuen native Jaime Bellavance Coelho is running the Boston Marathon for children’s literacy. ReadBoston is a children’s literacy non-profit that raises money for after school reading programs to support inner city schools. The money she is raising will go toward the Storymobile program, which will distribute free books to kids […]
March, 2012 Thank you President Janssens and thank you for your continued leadership of the Council. I’d also like to thank all of the Councilors for their work and dedication to the City. These past few years have not been the easiest of times for the City, but working together we have persevered. In order […]
March, 2012 Mayors and elected officials from Fitchburg, Leominster, and Gardner converged on Buffalo Wild Wings Bar & Grill on Whalom Street in Gardner last month to raise money for charity. Each city’s team of three were challenged to eat as many wings they could (out of 36). Members of the public were given vouchers […]
March, 2012 Dr. Frank MacMillan, Jr. is running for Town Moderator in North Andover with a campaign theme of finding “The Right Balance.” In these tough political and economic times, Frank brings a varied background in leadership, learning and character, the Right Balance of qualities that will serve North Andover well. As a medical doctor […]
Just Look Locally at Lawrence and Listen Carefully for the Crickets By: Tom Duggan – March, 2012 In July of 2009 the Valley Patriot wrote an explosive story, publishing Documents that reveled operators at the City of Lawrence’s brand new $26 million water treatment facility had failed to test the city’s drinking water for a […]
By: Gary Manion – March, 2012 On Super Tuesday the voters of Lawrence, Tewksbury, Dracut and Andover not only cast votes for President but voted for local and state party committees. Lawrence’s Mayor William Lantigua was on the ballot to be reelected to the Democrat State Committee. His only opponent was Lawrence District “C” City […]
By: Methuen Mayor Bill Manzi – March, 2012 “With the City of Methuen in the middle of a battle over outsourcing the Information Technology Department (City Council rejected Mayor Zanni’s proposed privatization) former Mayor William Manzi offers a primer on privatizing municipal services, using the White Paper by Stephen Lisauskas and the Pioneer Institute […]
By: Anne Knowles – March, 2012 Andover is one of the best known towns in Massachusetts. It offers great schools, a well managed town and residents from all corners of the world that make this town their home. Andover has an exciting history going back in time to the first settlers around 1634 and […]
By: Ronnie Ford – March 2012 Over the past few weeks, we in Methuen have experienced a first attack regarding our government or at least part of our government, the Housing Authority. Believe me, you ain’t seen nuttin yet! The latest battle lines have been drawn between Kenny Martin and some councilors, hiding beneath the […]
More than 200 Actions Taken in 23 States By: Cecelia Calabrese – March, 2012 According to recent statistics, we are losing approximately 1000 World War II veterans every day. Time grows preciously scarce for each one of us to take advantage of the opportunity to let these extraordinary men and women know just how […]
Feds Serve More Subpoenas in Corruption Probe By: Tom Duggan – March, 2012 Since the days of Willie Lantigua’s first campaign for state representative, The Valley Patriot has reported extensively on his failure to report campaign contributions, failure to declare campaign expenses and accepting illegal contributions such as cash, dollar amounts over the legal contribution […]
March, 2012 The Boston Celtics and the Mass State Lottery presented North Andover high school student Nathan Richards, (17) with a “Heroes Among Us” award at the March 4th Celtics game. Richards, an Easter Seals youth leader, was honored for starting a disability awareness program at North Andover Middle School. He also has testified on Beacon Hill […]
Helen Mooradkanian – March, 2012 Colonel Kris Mineau, USAF (Ret.), of North Reading, flew 100 combat missions into North Vietnam in 1966 as fighter pilot in the supersonic F-4C Phantom II. Capable of speed Mach 2.23, more than twice the speed of sound, the Phantom was key to downing the Soviet MiG-21s used by the […]