By: Jamison Tomasek – April, 2011 While everyone wants to feel good and say nice things, it is hard to feel good or say nice things about what is going on in the Lawrence Schools. Yes, there are successful students there. Yes, there are great teachers, and yes there are good programs and happy […]
By: Gerry Nutter, April – 2011 “The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few (or the one).” Mr. Spock I have used that phrase before but it comes to my mind every year around budget time for the Lowell Public Schools. The week after this paper hits the newsstands Lowell will […]
By: Lawrence, “Lonnie” Brennan – April, 2011 Some interesting shell games are going on before our eyes. One of the most interesting is the creation of a new centralized town maintenance department, funded via a new $729,583 proposition 2 ½ override. The cool thing about it (for the proponents of the bill) is that […]
Opponents of Secure Communities Come Out in Full Force By: Tom Duggan, Valley Patriot Publisher – April, 2011 A forum was held last month at Lawrence High School by the Deval Patrick administration. Governor Patrick wanted to get feedback from the public on a federal program that would allow police to […]
Voters of North Andover voters went to the polls last month and decided on who will represent them on the Board of Selectman, School Committee and Technical School Committee. Voters chose two candidates to represent them on the Board of Selectmen out of four candidates: Selectmen Tracy Watson and Rick Nardella and challengers Don […]
By: Jamison Tomasek – April, 2011 While everyone wants to feel good and say nice things, it is hard to feel good or say nice things about what is going on in the Lawrence Schools. Yes, there are successful students there. Yes, there are great teachers, and yes there are good programs and happy […]
April – 2011 ANDOVER – The Merrimack Valley YMCA announced last month that Watts Water Technologies, a leading manufacturer of flow control products for the water quality, residential plumbing & heating, commercial and OEM markets, has pledged $750,000. The generous donation will be spread over a five-year period to support annual operations, as well […]
Valley Patriot Editorial ~ April, 2011 When will the people of Lawrence say “enough is enough” and start a recall petition against Lawrence Mayor Willie Lantigua? In the year and a half Lantigua has been mayor, he has not only laid off cops and firefighters but has publicly attacked them at every turn, calling them […]
VALLEY PATRIOT EDITORIAL March, 2011 Since Lawrence Police Chief John Romero formed the Auto Theft/Auto Fraud Task Force under Mayor Michael Sullivan, residents of Lawrence have seen a decrease in their auto insurance rates. But, according to numbers release by Lawrence City Councilor Mark LaPlante: auto thefts in Lawrence have increased 114% since Lawrence […]
By: Dani Langivan, Lesbian Columnist – March, 2011 My stepson has joined the military. In the next couple of months he will board a plane to San Antonio, Texas and begin his training at Lackland Air Force base to become a member of the United States Air Force. Almost every day, since hearing the news, […]
The State Of The City Address by Mayor William M. Manzi III was delivered at the Methuen Board of Trade Meeting February 10, 2011** Let me begin by thanking Karen Broscoe and The Methuen Board of Trade for hosting this great event again this year. The Methuen Board of Trade excels in bringing the business […]
The Valley Patriot Celebrates Seven Year Anniversary By: Tom Duggan – March, 2011 For as long as I can remember, my ability to succeed has always been underestimated by others. So, when the experts told us that going into the newspaper business was a losing proposition back in 2004, we paid no attention to […]
By: Tom Duggan – March, 2011 Last month North Andover Selectman Rick Nardella called into the Paying Attention! radio program with Tom Duggan on WHAV.NET to discuss his campaign for reelectoin on the board. He faces two challengers Joe E. Smith and Don Stewart, (and one incumbent): Tracy Watson .Two will get elected […]
North Andover Selectman Says North Andover is Corrupt By: Tom Duggan – March, 2011 NORTH ANDOVER – Last month former North Andover Selectman Don Stewart called into the Paying Attention! radio program with Tom Duggan on WHAV.NET to discuss his campaign to recapture a seat on the board. He faces two incumbents: Tracy Watson […]
February, 2011 Valley Patriot readers will recall that last summer, residents living near the Shawsheen River reported the smell of raw sewage and a foul, cloudy discharge coming from a stormwater drain behind the South Lawrence East School. In May of last year, The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sent a letter to Lawrence DPW Director […]