By: Bill Manzi, Methuen Mayor – January, 2010 This week I will have the honor of being sworn in for my third term as Methuen’s Mayor. Much has been accomplished over the past four years, but so much more remains, with the challenges facing Methuen as great as any that we have ever faced. […]
By: Robert O’Koniewski, Esq. – January, 2010 As we go to print, the City of Lawrence stands on the threshold of history. On Monday, January 4, Lawrence state representative William Lantigua was sworn in as the city’s first elected mayor of Hispanic descent. As a newly elected mayor, however, Mr. Lantigua is now […]
Select Just One: Prohibited or Mandatory THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX, WITH CHUCK ORMSBY By: Dr. Charles Ormsby – January, 2010 “The trouble with government regulation of the market is that it prohibits capitalistic acts between consenting adults.” – Robert Nozick Are you tired of being a slave? What did you say? You’re not a […]
VALLEY PATRIOT EDITORIAL December, 2009 One of the reasons the entire Valley Patriot editorial board loves living in North Andover is because the town has never bowed down to political correctness. We’d drive by the common during the holidays and enjoy seeing a Jewish menorah and Christmas tree. We also enjoyed passing the “Merry […]
THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX By: Charles Ormsby – December 2009 It’s the holiday season and we should all be full of cheerfulness and goodwill towards our fellow citizens. Let’s raise a glass to our political foes and wish them well. Now is the time to put our political differences aside, embrace one another, […]
PAYING ATTENTION with Tom Duggan – November, 2009 Few people can really understand the magnitude of the changes that are about to occur in the City of Lawrence with the election of State Representative Willie Lantigua (da chief). Not only did Willie win an overwhelming victory on Election Day, but almost every one of […]
By: Robert O’Koniewski – November, 2009 The votes are in and Lawrence finally has met demographic expectations to attain its first popularly elected mayor of Hispanic descent. We will not use the trite adjective of “historic” to describe State Representative William Lantigua’s victory over District E City Councilor David Abdoo, as that has really […]
VALLEY PATRIOT EDITORIAL November, 2009 In last month’s race for the Mayor’s office in Lawrence, Willie Lantigua (da chief) defeated David Abdoo. While we have some serious reservations about Lantigua’s ability to manage the city of Lawrence, as well as the character of those insiders he has surrounded himself with, today is a new day. The election is […]
VALLEY PATRIOT EDITORIAL October, 2009 Last month, the city of Methuen held a preliminary election for mayor and city council and only 9% of the registered voters bothered to participate. In Lawrence, only 30% of the registered voters participated in their preliminary and that was considered unusually high. Though many candidates would like to blame their opponents or the […]
THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX By: Charles Ormsby – September, 2009 Having consulted with their constituents over the August recess, our elected representatives will be heading back to Washington fully intending to ignore what they were told. Their meetings with voters ranged from respectful (Niki Tsongas) to downright contemptuous (Barney Frank) to non-existent (John Tierney). Presumably, […]
VALLEY PATRIOT EDITORIAL September, 2009 It took centuries of economic and political experimentation coupled with tremendous intellectual effort for human beings to discover the concept of individual liberty. It took the blood of millions to establish a beachhead for freedom and to protect it so it could grow and prosper. Now that precious legacy is being squandered […]
VALLEY PATRIOT EDITORIAL August, 2009 Harvard’s Professor Gates and a friend, who are both black, locked themselves out of his Cambridge home and had to break into his house. This activity is spotted by a passer-by and reported to the police. No mention of the men’s skin color was mentioned during the call. The police arrive […]
By: David Abdoo – August, 2009 The City of Lawrence has a public works problem. You know that. I know that and anyone who lives or visits Lawrence knows that. What we present to the world is the following: pockmarked streets, heaving sidewalks, ballparks with 18 inch grass, public rights of ways strewn with […]
By: Tom Duggan – August, 2009 Last fall, Former Chairman of the North Andover School Committee, Alfred Perry, was arrested and charged with embezzlement, larceny and insurance fraud. The charges stemmed from allegations that he stole money from his business, Internet Insurance Agency. He was arranged in Lawrence District Court and last month there was […]
VALLEY PATRIOT EDITORIAL July, 2009 Less than a week ago, the world’s news outlets were filled with the sights and sounds of heroic Iranian citizens risking, and in many cases losing, their lives for freedom. Their government, intent upon perpetuating a seventh century philosophy that denies basic human liberties, had hijacked an election and then proceeded to brutally suppress the resulting protest […]