An exciting time for downtown North Andover

  By: Tracy Watson – April, 2010 Many months ago the Board of Selectmen tasked the Department of Public Works with the Main Street Improvement Project! This project began last year and was focused around improving the downtown business district along Main Street. This came on the heels of the Messina Family investing millions into […]

Stalin Would be Proud

VALLEY PATRIOT EDITORIAL April, 2010 Since 2006, Massachusetts residents have been required to buy health insurance or be penalized on their taxes. The Mass. model was used as the platform for the democrats in Washington and President Obama when touting the National Health Care Bill. Democrats like Pelosi, Reid and the Mass. congressional delegation, (except […]

Lawrence mayor disgraces slain police officer Tom Duggan, Sr.

Refuses to Lowe Flag for Slain Lawrence Police Officer By: Jerry Flynn – Executive Director, N.E. Police Benevolent Association April, 2010   On Friday, November 17, 1978, Officer Christos Rouses was shot and killed while responding to a robbery in progress at Limby’s Drug Store on the corner of Branch and Smith Streets. Under a bright […]

Are we out of the Woods yet?

  By: Paul Murano – March, 2010 There have been two opposite reactions in the aftermath of Tiger Woods’ public apology, and each is an inappropriate extreme. One illustrates the fatal flaw of capitalism, the other of secularism. The first was the media blitz we were inundated with for a week, with everyone and his […]

VALLEY PATRIOT EXCLUSIVE   March, 2010 According to a report last month by The Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs, the Obama Administration is blocking an arms deal with Israel. The report states that “Israel’s request for six AH-64D Apache Longbow attack helicopters was blocked by the Obama Administration in June …” Meanwhile, Massachusetts Congresswoman […]

Playing the race card in 2010

Is it time for City Councilor Grisel Silva to resign?     By: Robert O’Koniewski, Esq., – March, 2010   Just how far Lawrence can sink has yet to be seen. The recent events surrounding Mayor Lantigua’s insistence on keeping, and then resigning from, his State Representative job certainly has enabled us to plunge to the […]

Dracut elections are stirring interest and controversy

  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 […]

‘Heroes always … celebrating an anniversary’

GEORGETOWN TODAY By: Lonnie Brennan – March, 2010 Over the past years I’ve had the privilege to contribute a few words and reflect on a few thoughts regarding our fine communities; some positive observations, some less than desirable. Nothing has been more of an honor than meeting and listening to the many Valley Patriot Heroes […]

A Cause For Celebration… And a Somber Remembrance

Valley Patriot Editorial – March, 2010   This month, The Valley Patriot celebrates the 6th anniversary since our very first edition, published back in March of 2004. Since then, we have published 76 editions and close to a million individual newspapers. We never could’ve imagined back then that our 25 locations would grow to more […]

Suffolk University Poll: Give the People what they WANT?

Valley Patriot Editorial – March, 2010   Suffolk University conducted a statewide survey of 500 Massachusetts registered voters during February 21-24, 2010. The voters were asked to comment on two potential ballot questions that may appear on the fall ballot. One of the questions is whether or not to roll back the sales tax from […]

Councilor Criticizes Lantigua for Racist Policy

Lawrence Councilor LaPlante says mayor wrong for only putting city job postings in Spanish Language newspapers   By: Tom Duggan, February 2, 2010  Lawrence City Councilor Marc LaPlante took Mayor Willie Lantigua to task Wednesday night for his policy of only posting city jobs in Spanish Language weekly newspapers and not “the daily paper of record.  Since […]

Methuen’s Residency Enforcement Policy

  By: Ken Willette – February, 2010 The Methuen School Committee votes every year at a public meeting against offering a school choice program within the district. Therefore, it is critically important to review and strengthen the current district policy relative to investigating, identifying and removing any out-of-district student not presently authorized to attend our […]

Lawrence Exchange Club Honors Fire, Police, EMT’s

Lawrence, Andover North Andover Heroes Honored By: Tom Duggan – Febrary, 2010 The Lawrence Exchange Club held their annual Police, Firefighter and EMT of the year awards last night honoring first responders in the valley. Police and Fire Chiefs from Lawrence, Andover and North Andover were allowed to present each honoree with a plaque and explain to […]