By: Joe D’Amore – July, 2015 Angels are descending on the city of Gloucester through an innovative program proposed by Police Chief Leonard Campanello to help people battling opiate addiction. These angels don’t have wings but they have some training, knowledge and an abundance of compassion to be at-the-ready for when an addicted person surrenders […]
By: Joe D’Amore – December, 2014 Somewhere in America today there are law enforcement officers that wear the uniform , a gun and a badge and perpetrate the greatest discharge of public trust because they are thugs. There are also criminals-some petty, some serious that perpetually push the envelope of civility through their derelict and […]
By: Joe D’Amore – October, 2014 The state’s highest judicial entity; the Supreme Judicial Court reached another stunning milestone in delivering an affront to the sensibilities and protections of law-abiding citizens on June 4th. In a 6-1 decision, the justices ruled that lifetime parole for sex-offenders is unconstitutional. The court asserted that only the judicial […]
By: Joe D’Amore – Sept. 2014 A former Amherst high school science teacher Ronald Garney pleaded guilty to buying and possessing child pornography. Furthermore , he used a state-issued email address at his school to access the illegal websites. Yet the Supreme Judicial Court ruled on August 18th that he can keep his $28,725-a-year pension. […]
By: Joe D’Amore – April, 2014 There are heroes who work with foster families and children in Massachusetts and are on the front line of caring for children at risk and I met one of them recently. She related her daily experiences of witnessing deplorable conditions in most foster homes where the standard of protection […]
By: Justess Jacobson – April, 2014 Last month The Valley Patriot awarded Amesbury Police Officer Jason Kooken with The Valley Patriot, Officer Tom Duggan Sr. Law Enforcement Award. Officer Duggan’s granddaughter did the presentation to Officer Kooken. Every year, Jason Kooken bicycle rides his way down to Washington, DC to the National Law Enforcement Memorial […]
By Selectman Joe D’Amore – March, 2014 On February 25th the State’s wire services released a report that a committee known as the Tax Fairness Commission appointed by the Massachusetts legislature is expected to make recommendation for a graduated taxed to levy an increasing burden on high wage earners and supposedly a lesser burden on […]
By: Joe D’Amore – September, 2013 Christopher Lane went out for a jog Friday night as it was his routine as a college-bound athlete. He hailed from Melbourne Australia and was passionate about American baseball. In fact, he was not only passionate about the sport, but also good enough to be a star athlete for […]
ALL PHOTOS (C) COPYRIGHT RON MUSHOW PHOTOGRAPHY & THE VALLEY PATRIOT (PHOTO GALLERY) More than 400 people tuned out Friday night to attend the Valley Patriot 9th Anniversary BASH where the editors of the monthly newspaper (Tom Duggan, Dr. Charles Ormsby and Ralph Wilbur) honored police officers, firefighters, veterans, and those who […]
By: Joe D’Amore March 2013 I bore witness today to the unbreakable bond of a small community that observed the passing of a sweet soul at our place of gathering, the Congregational Church . For countless generations this place has accommodated every condition experienced by humanity ; from joy, to elation, celebration and at times […]
By: Joe D’Amore I want to remind everyone that this week the Superintendent will meet with the Chief of Police in an important meeting to review school security measures. Coming off the incredibly volatile emotions from the tragedy in Connecticut – I – like you – whipsawed with ideas in mind about what to do […]
By: Joe D’Amore – December 2012 With headlines announcing Grand Jury indictments of two city officials and the already completed take- over of Lawrence public schools many are suggesting comprehensive receivership of the City of Lawrence is warranted. For an assessment of this possibility the major precedent for state control of a municipality is […]
By: Joe D’Amore October, 2012 With headlines announcing indictments of key public officials in Lawrence the city has reached an historic crossroad which will define its emergence or decline from the current state of turmoil. At stake is the well- being of the city and all the surrounding communities as results that stem from […]
By: Joe D’Amore – July, 2012 As part of a new public access TV program called Groveland Chronicles I devoted a portion of the first episode to the building of the new bridge. I had the opportunity to interview Vince DeAngelo the Resident Engineer of the project and his supervisor David Conroy of the Mass. […]
By: Joe D’Amore – June, 2012 The community action movements that swept Lawrence “It’s Your Right” and “Uniting Lawrence” appear to have initated derivative actions that speak to a yearning for change in this city. These have manifested themselves in unique ways such as a proliferation of Face Book groups, radio programs, letter writing […]