PAYING ATTENTION! WITH TOM DUGGAN By: Tom Duggan – February, 2010 Well, it’s been a while since I last wrote a column under this title, but maybe it was worth the wait. Last month’s special election here in Massachusetts was electrifying. But not just here in Massachusetts, all over the country people were energized and […]
Mayor Bill Manzi Attacks Tribune for “misleading reporting” By: Tom Duggan – January, 2010 The Massachusetts Department of Revenue has certified the City of Methuen’s tax rate as voted on by the city council last week. Mayor Bill Manzi told the Valley Patriot that he was excited to be able to send out the property […]
Paying Attention! with Tom Duggan By: Tom Duggan – January, 2010 Being a State Representative in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is the easiest job in the world. You don’t have to punch in, you have no immediate supervisor checking your work, there are no assigned hours, no dock in pay for missing work and no […]
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: 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 […]
By: Tom Duggan – July, 2009 An investigation by the Massachusetts office of Campaign and Political Finance may not have issued their report yet on which elected officials benefited from campaign material printed in the Lawrence Public Schools I’m gong to tell you who they right now. At least three members of the Lawrence School Committee (Morris, Larocque and Mejia) benefited from literature printed […]
By: Tom Dugan – July, 2009 You have to hand it to the poverty pimps at Lawrence Community Works, they really know how to pull a fast one. Last month LCW started their sham campaign called “Yes We Will” where they invited every candidate for office to attend an event so they could size up the competition for their […]
Paying Attention! with Tom Duggan By: Tom Duggan – Posted: February 13, 2009 The Lawrence Historical Commission voted Tuesday evening to approve the demolition of two buildings on Merrimack Street in Lawrence owned by Sal Lupol of Salvatore’s Restaurant, at Sal’s Riverwalk Properties, making way for a multi-million dollar development at the site which […]
Slated to Bring 2,000 New Jobs to Lawrence By: Tom Duggan February 2, 2009 The Lawrence Historical Commission voted Tuesday evening to approve the demolition of two buildings on Merrimack Street in Lawrence owned by Sal Lupol of Salvatore’s Restaurant, at Sal’s Riverwalk Properties, making way for a multi-million dollar development at the site […]
Blanchette calls for “investigation” into how The Valley Patriot obtained public information on his $5,000 Raise The president of the Lawrence city council has called for an “investigation” into how the Valley Patriot obtained his EAF (Employee Action From). The form is part of the city’s personnel file on city employees and shows any […]
Defending the First Amendment and protecting confidential sources PAYING ATTENTION! with Tom Duggan By: Tom Duggan, November, 2008 The most important function a newspaper or media outlet can perform is to serve as a watchdog for the way taxpayer’s dollars are spent in their community and expose information that public officials and those who do […]
Paying Attention! with Tom Duggan October, 2008 Last May the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) notified the North Andover Public Schools that their high school was being put on warning of losing its accreditation. But, it wasn’t until August 25th that North Andover Superintendent of Schools, Marini notified the public that the […]
Family of hero soldier killed in Iraq says Eagle~Tribune Reporter had to be thrown out of wake and funeral as well By: Tom Duggan – August, 2008 Slain soldier, Army Pfc. Alex Jimenez was captured by Al Qaeda and had been missing for 15 months before his remains were finally found in Iraq. “As hard as […]
By: Tom Duggan – May, 2008 July 29, 2008 — Following Police Chief John Romero’s issuing of the School Resource Officer (SRO) report detailing an increase in arrests in the District, Superintendent Wilfredo T. Laboy has issued a statement disputing the data in the report: The Lawrence Public Schools constantly monitors data pertaining to […]
Lawrence Mayor Michael Sullivan Calls Councilor Carlos Matos’ Remarks Racist Tom Duggan – June, 2008 Lawrence Mayor Michael Sullivan issued a press release this week calling comments in the Boston Globe by former Lawrence City Councilor Carlos Matos in the Boston Globe “racist.” Sullivan also complained about similar comments Matos made when he was spearheading […]