MA Lawmakers Pass Public Records Reform, Valley Patriot Publisher Says Senate Must Show Leadership, Close Loopholes

MA Lawmakers Pass Public Records Reform, Valley Patriot Publisher Says Senate Must Show Leadership, Close Loopholes

By: Maria Fiato. Christine Ryan, and Tom Duggan Nov. 23, 2015 MASSACHUSETTS – After nearly five years of trying to get the Massachusetts legislature to reform the state’s impotent public records law, Valley Patriot publisher Tom Duggan says that they have made a good first step towards holding public officials accountable for not turning over […]

Local Students Graduate from NECC

Local Students Graduate from NECC

    Over 1,300 associate degrees and certificates were awarded at Northern Essex Community College’s 53rd Annual Commencement Exercises which were held on Saturday, May 16th in the quadrangle on the college’s Haverhill Campus. Because Saturday was Armed Forces Day, NECC President Lane Glenn asked the 20-plus graduates who were veterans or military service personal […]

Newspaper Grants Awards to Cops, Vets, Firefighters, 1st Amendment Defenders at Annual BASH

Newspaper Grants Awards to Cops, Vets, Firefighters, 1st Amendment Defenders at Annual BASH

2015 VALLEY PATRIOT AWARD WINNERS From the Valley Patriots 11th Anniversary BASH 3-20-15 State Auditor Suzanne Bump welcomed the crowd as the keynote speaker at The Valley Patriot newspaper’s 11th Anniversary BASH last Friday, to a more than sold out crowd at the Lawrence Firefighters Relief’s In. The annual BASH is held each year to thank the […]

The Need for Veterans’ Housing in Massachusetts

The Need for Veterans’ Housing in Massachusetts

By: Senator Kathleen O’Connor Ives November, 2014 November 11, Veterans’ Day, a national day of remembrance to honor the men and women who have served in the armed forces during war, was signed into law by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1954. In my first term as State Senator, I am proud to have worked […]

PAYING ATTENTION! ~ My Pics for the 2014 Election

PAYING ATTENTION! ~ My Pics for the 2014 Election

  By: Tom Duggan, November 3, 2014 While The Valley Patriot newspaper has a policy against endorsing candidates, each member of our editorial board is free to endorse or make public who we are voting for. Here are my personal picks for the 2014 election season and why.  Governor Charlie Baker, Republican As a right […]

Economic Development, Revitalization in Salisbury: Environmental Affairs Undersecretary Visits the Beach

Economic Development, Revitalization in Salisbury:  Environmental Affairs Undersecretary Visits the Beach

  IN YOUR CORNER WITH KATY IVES By: Senator Kathleen O’Connor Ives October, 2014 I recently invited Undersecretary of Environmental Affairs, Martin Suuberg, to join me and Representative Michael Costello to visit Salisbury Beach and learn about ongoing and potential revitalization opportunities at Salisbury Beach Center. Town Manager Neil Harrington, Chairman of the Board of […]

State Senate Candidate Jess Finocchiaro and Treasurer Candidate Deb Goldberg on Paying Attention (July 19, 2014)

State Senate Candidate Jess Finocchiaro and Treasurer Candidate Deb Goldberg on Paying Attention (July 19, 2014)

Paying Attention is hosted by Tom Duggan, Co-host Paul Murano and is produced by Chris Poublon. Paying Attention and airs on 980WCAP in Lowell. VIDEO BELOW. CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD AUDIO HOUR 1 CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD AUDIO HOUR 2 In the first hour State Senate Candidate Jessica Finocchiaro talked about her campaign and why […]

Recognizing The Merrimack Valley’s Long History of Dedicated Veterans

Recognizing The Merrimack Valley’s Long History of Dedicated Veterans

By: Senator Kathleen O’Connor Ives June, 2014 It has been a busy month in the State House, most significantly with the state budget, which the Senate passed on May 22. I’m happy to report that during the process I was able to secure key funding for priorities and initiatives that are important for citizens throughout […]

Town of Salisbury Spends $100K on Tomaselli Debacle – Refuses to Release Documents Showing Claimed $100K Legal Costs

Town of Salisbury Spends $100K on Tomaselli Debacle –  Refuses to Release Documents Showing Claimed $100K Legal Costs

On May 1st The Valley Patriot requested of the Town of Salisbury to produce “documents showing the legal cost and all other costs for the town’s multiple lawsuits and legal issues with the Tomaselli sisters from 2005 to present…”.  On May 13th, the town responded three days past the ten day requirement set forth by […]

The Paying Attention! Radio Program with Tom Duggan, March 8, 2014

The Paying Attention! Radio Program with Tom Duggan, March 8, 2014

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD HOUR 1  (right click to save to your IPOD or desktop) CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD HOUR 2 Today Tom and Paul talked about the Valley Patriot’s upcoming Tenth Anniversary BASH and the three new columnists joining the Valley Patriot lineup (Dr. Frank MacMillan, Hypnotist Jerry Valley and Former Eagle Tribune publisher […]

Joint Committee Supports Reforming State Public Records Law, Add Penalties for Officials Who Refuse to Release Public Records

March 16, 2014 The days of public officials refusing to comply with the state’s public records law are almost over. So says State Senator Kathleen O’Connor Ives (D), Newburyport who told the Valley Patriot on Wednesday that a Massachusetts joint House and Senate Committee on Public Administration has given a favorable recommendation to House Bill H2846, an […]

Merrimack Valley Comes Together for Menorah Lighting

PHOTOS More than eighty people attended the annual Menorah Lighting on the North Andover Common Monday night as Rabbi Asher Bronstein of Chabat Merrimack Valley praised G-d that we live in a country that still respects religious freedom, “even in the public square”.  Jews and others from across the Merrimack Valley sang on the common […]

My First Weeks as Your State Senator

By: Senator Katie O’Connor Ives (D) Newburyport –  January 2013 Thanks to Tom Duggan for letting me set up shop here at the “Senator’s Corner” so I can update readers on what’s happening on Beacon Hill and my State Senate activities. This is still a working title, and might be different in the next edition. […]

Unions & Groups Make $782,000 in Independent Expenditures for Legislative Races

Unions & Groups Make $782,000 in Independent Expenditures for Legislative Races

  BOSTON – Unions and associations reported making $782,052 in independent expenditures to support or oppose 114 legislative candidates this year. In addition, five Independent Expenditure Political Action Committees, known as Super PACs, reported $200,923 in expenditures. Independent expenditures are expenditures made to expressly advocate the election or defeat of candidates, and are made without […]

A Bird’s Eye View of the 2012 Election – Evaluations, Endorsements & Links

A Bird’s Eye View of the 2012 Election – Evaluations, Endorsements & Links

Paying Attention! with Tom Duggan   November 3, 2012 After watching all the debate, interviewing the candidates, consuming the news and commercials every day I have made my final decisions on who I am supporting in Tuesday’s election. As the publisher of a newspaper, a political radio talk show host and an activist in my […]