By: Peter Larocque – March, 2012 The way the Massachusetts Law that allowed Education Commissioner Mitchell Chester to Takeover Lawrence’s Public Schools is being implemented could be Unconstitutional! According to this law, the Commissioner shall appoint a Receiver to a School District that has been declared chronically underperforming by the State Board of Elementary and […]
By: Peter Larocque – January, 2012 As of the time this article went to print, The Massachusetts Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education, Mr. Mitchell Chester held meetings with the Lawrence Teacher’s Union, Lawrence Parents and Community members, and finally with the Lawrence Public School Personnel. His message to all is that he is […]
Prisoners in “Sober House” on Crack Corner Have No Supervision, Escapes Continue with No Accountability Paying Attention! with Tom Duggan Tom Duggan – January 2012 LAWRENCE, MA – The intersection of Oxford and Lowell Street is known as “crack corner” by Lawrence Police because the amount of drugs and drug dealers in the neighborhood is staggering. […]
By: Jamison Tomasek – November, 2011 The results of the Massachusetts legislature’s redistricting commission, at least as far as the House and Senate are concerned, are official. In a fair world we would have legislative districts that represent a common interest and have geographic integrity, but no one has ever called the political environment […]
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zz5Su8OPRzg&w=480&h=360] By: Tom Duggan – October, 2011 LAWRENCE – State Senator Barry Finegold (D) Andover, held a press conference Monday at Lawrence City Hall to announce a state grant approved in Governor Patrick’s budget for $631,000 to beef up the Lawrence Police Force. “It’s something we are going to fight for every year, something we […]
By: Robert O’Koniewski – October, 2011 Election time is once again upon us here in Lawlesstown. The choices we make on Tuesday, November 8 will dictate how the remaining two years of the Lantigua cabal at city hall will go – that is, if he is still around. Elections have individualized meaning for voters, […]
Sullivan says same suit filed twice before, expects dismissal again By: Tom Duggan – September, 2011 LAWRENCE – On February 9, 2007 (then) Public Works Director Frank McCann was suspended by (then) Mayor Michael Sullivan for a myriad of reasons. At issue was a $400,000 cost overrun on the paving project of High Street, […]
Short Handed and Under Siege Cops Get Little Support At City Hall By: Tom Duggan – August, 2011 It was a busy Saturday night in Lawrence as the men of the Lawrence Police Force were once again under siege and short handed as they tried to bring order to a city plagued with violence […]
VALLEY PATRIOT EDITORIAL August, 2o11 The number of underhanded tactics employed by Lawrence Mayor Willie Lantigua and his supporters against the efforts to gather signatures for his recall were staggering. And they weren’t shy about it. They even bragged about it on Facebook. On the pro- Lantigua webpage Yo No Firma (which means DO NOT SIGN), Lantigua supporters attacked […]
By: Tom Duggan – May, 2011 A Full year ago, in May of 2010, The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sent a letter to Lawrence DPW Director Frank McCann informing the City of Lawrence that the EPA has first hand knowledge that the city was pumping wastewater (human waste) into the Shawsheen River. According to documents […]
By; Tom Duggan – May, 2011 Lawrence School Committeeman Sammy Reyes (District D) has written a scathing letter to the city council demanding that education funds (which were used for city services) be repaid to the school children of Lawrence. In his letter, Reyes threatens to turn in the Lantigua administration for misappropriation […]
The following letter was sent to Lawrence Mayor Willie Lantigua from members of the Lawrence City Council The Honorable William Lantigua Mayor, City of Lawrence City Hall 200 Common Street Lawrence, MA 01840 Dear Mayor Lantigua, We are writing to emphasize that public safety is a core function of our government, and that the […]
By: Jamison Tomasek – May, 2011 A recall effort is underway in the City of Lawrence. The process of a recall is contained in the City Charter (hereafter Charter). Section 9.7 entitled “Recall of Elected Officials.” As this section is written in government lingo, it does require a careful reading as well as some […]
By: Peter Larocque – April, 2011 According to Wikipedia, (meaning quick encyclopedia), a multilingual, web-based, free content encyclopedia, Public Safety involves the prevention of and protection from events that could endanger the safety of the general public from significant danger, injury/harm, crimes or disasters, (natural or man-made). In the United States we have the […]
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 […]