please consider making a $1 donation video here PART I of our Opioid Summit on The Paying Attention Podcast with Tom Duggan included the police chiefs from four different communities to discuss the opioid crisis and homelessness. Joining Duggan were; North Andover Chief Charles Gray, Haverhill Chief Alan DeNaro, Boxford Chief Jim Riter, and […]
By: Brian Genest – Deember, 2019 It was a memorable year in Dracut. Unfortunately, it was memorable for a number of self-inflicted struggles, shenanigans and scandals at town hall that are going to be hard to forget. For a small town, there sure were a lot of big happenings in 2019. Shortly after the beginning […]
The Paying Attention! Podcast is recorded in front of a live studio audience at the Studio 21 Podcast Cafe, a United Podcast Network you can subscribe to the audio podcast Here If you enjoy our Debates please consider making a $1 donation Methuen Mayoral Debate Between Neil Perry and Jen Kannan Methuen Central District (Final Election) City Council […]
By: Brian Genest – Oct. 2019 Where there’s smoke, there’s usually fire, especially in Dracut. Just ask town firefighters. As the result of a number of smoldering issues, members of the International Association of Fire Fighters Local 2586, joined by the Professional Firefighters of Massachusetts, picketed outside the board of selectmen’s meeting, before bringing the […]
The Paying Attention Podcast debate page ◊ The Methuen City Council is made up of nine members; three city councilors are elected at-large (city-wide), and two councilors elected from each of the three districts (East, Central, and West). In the West End, both incumbent city councilors George Kazanjian and Lynn Vidler are not seeking reelection, leaving two […]
By: John Cuddy – Sept. 2019 Our fifty-five heroes came from Lowell, Chelmsford, Dracut, and throughout the Merrimack Valley. They brought their families with them and were honored by the Town of Dracut, led by Town Manager James Duggan, the Massachusetts Secretary of Veterans’ Affairs US Marine Corp Veteran Francisco Urena, and the Consular General […]
By: Brian Genest – September, 2019 So much for a nice, quiet summer in Dracut. In recent weeks, a tidal wave of self-inflicted bad news has washed over town hall. With a flood of lawsuits, potential legal issues and plenty of well-deserved scrutiny, it certainly hasn’t been a day at the beach for Town Manager […]
By: Brian Genest – July, 2019 In some towns in Massachusetts, our independence is celebrated on July 4th. In Dracut, there’s plenty of opportunities to fight for – and celebrate – freedom all year long. No matter the season, the First Amendment always seems to be the last resort for town government, sadly. This year, […]
By: Tom Duggan – July 31, 2019 An electrician for the City of Methuen – Dan Tulley – has filed a civil rights lawsuit against Methuen Mayor Jim Jajuga in federal court alleging political retaliation and an offer of political payoffs in exchange for his step-son’s support on the Methuen Police Superior Officer’s contract. Complaint Tulley, […]
As a free speech advocate and a newspaper publisher of more than 15 years I was horrified to learn that Facebook now sides with Sharia Law over the free speech values of the United States. After all, it was those very free speech rights that made Facebook what it is today, a multi-Billion dollar corporation. […]
By: Brian Genest – May 2019 Some things are worth fighting for. Freedom of speech is one of them. Sadly, you have to fight for it every single day in Dracut! After Town Manager Jim Duggan illegally banned the Dracut Republican Town Committee from marching in the town’s Memorial Day parade to honor our fallen […]
April, 2019 Last year Dan Coady of Coady’s Towing and Garage Service in Lawrence was struck and killed on Rt. 495. Within two days, one of our readers, Al Veilleux showed up at the Valley Patriot office and said he wanted to donate $500 to a scholarship at the Valley Patriot BASH in […]
By: Brian Genest – April, 2019 Free speech can be hard to swallow, especially in Dracut. You’d think that a letter from Judicial Watch challenging the constitutionality of the political sign bylaw would be the talk of the town government. You’d be wrong. Here’s some highlights, so you can see for yourself… “After hearing from […]
Valley Patriot readers donated a total of $2,175 for a scholarship to Lawrence High School senior Rachel Hiraldo at the Valley Patriot’s 15th Anniversary Bash at the Firefighters Relief’s In on April 5th. Donating to this scholarship were: Eugene Smith – $1,200, The Lawrence Lions Club – $300, Anonymous – $100, Kelly O’Brien – $100, […]
Valley Patriot Renames Award for Good Samaritan Scott Clegg By: Tom Duggan, April, 2019 Last year a Good Samaritan in the Merrimack Valley named Scott Clegg passed away. He wasn’t famous, he never ran for office, and he had no interest in being thanked for the work he did in the community. But Mr. Clegg […]