North Andover Businessman Says Billerica Fire Hydrant Bid Tailored to Limit Competition, Says Restrictions will Cost Town Additional $24K

By: Tom Duggan – July 26, 2013 Billerica DPW director Abdul Alkhatib says there are no shenanigans going on with his town’s public bid to purchase fire hydrants. He told the Valley Patriot that the public bids requests by the town were not tailored to favor (a) certain large American company, but a Valley Patriot […]

Firefighter, Activist Manny “Juan” Gonzalez Officially Kicks off Campaign for Lawrence Mayor

By: Tom Duggan – July 18, 2013 Lawrence Firefighter and community activist Manuel “Juan” Gonzalez launched his official campaign kickoff for Mayor Thursday night before a packed room of about 100 people at the Firefighter’s Relief In. Flanked by former Lawrence Mayor Michael Sullivan, Lawrence City Councilor Marc LaPlante (District “F”), and Mount Vernon Neighborhood Association […]

Methuen Council Candidate Evan Chaisson: Solicitor Fiasco a “Joke” Council Needs Leadership

Methuen Council Candidate Evan Chaisson: Solicitor Fiasco a “Joke” Council Needs Leadership

By: Tom Duggan – July 17, 2013 With Jeanne Pappalardo leaving the city council because of term limits this year, three people are seeking to fill two seats on the city council representing Methuen’s West End. Incumbent Councilor Sean Fountain, School Committeeman George Kazanjian and Methuen’s most outspoken member of the school committee Evan Chaisson […]

After Six Years on Council, Pappalardo Looks Back

By Tom Duggan – July, 2013 Always outspoken and often controversial, the West District Councilor has had her share of political scuffles over the last six years, but even those who had an adversarial relationship with Pappalardo say they respect her even though they were on opposite sides of most political battles. “Jeanne Pappalardo is […]

City Pays DiAdamos $4M Rent For Building Worth $801,200

City Pays DiAdamos $4M Rent For Building Worth $801,200

By: Tom Duggan – July, 2013 According to documents obtained by The Valley Patriot, Carmine and William DiAdamo of the DiAdamo and DiAdamo Law firm are not only the worker’s compensation attorney’s for the City of Lawrence, but the money they made on the city for rental payments of their Essex Street buildings under the Lantigua […]

FBI Releases Annual Crime Statistics

FBI Releases Annual Crime Statistics

According to the FBI’s Preliminary Annual Uniform Crime Report, released today, the nation experienced a 1.2 % increase in the number of violent crimes and a 0.8 % decline in the number of property crimes in 2012 when compared with data from 2011. The report is based on information the FBI gathered from 13,770 law […]

Lantigua Conceals DiAdamo Money – Who Paid for DiAdamos Legal Services on Lantigua Criminal Matter?

Lantigua Conceals DiAdamo Money – Who Paid for DiAdamos Legal Services on Lantigua Criminal Matter?

By: Tom Duggan – June 2013 The DiAdamo and DiAdamo Law Firm has been paid millions of dollars over the last ten years representing the City of Lawrence on worker’s compensation claims, rental payments made to the DiAdamos for the Lawrence School Department Central Offices on Essex Street, payments made for their representation of the […]

Grand Jury Fails to Indict D’Ambrosia, Methuen Teen Freed After being Charged with Terrorism for Facebook Threats

Grand Jury Fails to Indict D’Ambrosia, Methuen Teen Freed After being Charged with Terrorism for Facebook Threats

By: Tom Duggan – June 5, 2013 An Essex County Grand Jury has refused to indict Carmen D’Ambrosio on state terrorism charges after the 18 year old Methuen High School Student posted what police say, were threatening messages in texts and on Facebook. The teen was released early Thursday.  D’Ambrosio was being charged under Massachusetts […]

30,000 Missing EBT Cards in MA, State Auditor Suzanne Bump on Waste Fraud and Abuse in the Massachusetts Welfare System

30,000 Missing EBT Cards in MA, State Auditor Suzanne Bump on Waste Fraud and Abuse in the Massachusetts Welfare System

 “They [DTA officials] should have realized this was a problem because, it had only been a couple of years before when they, in-fact, had employees who were taking blank cards, loading them with benefits and then using the cards themselves, or giving them to friends who were using them.”             […]

Methuen Teen Being Held on Terrorism Charges Becomes Free Speech Poster Boy

Methuen Teen Being Held on Terrorism Charges Becomes Free Speech Poster Boy

By: Tom Duggan – May 22, 2013 First Amendment advocates and free speech organizations have taken notice of Methuen High School student Cameron D’Ambrosio, who is being held pending a $1M bail for what Methuen Police and the Essex County District Attorney’s office say are threats of “terrorism.” On May 1st, Methuen Police Chief Joe Solomon […]

Methuen Police Arrest High School Student on Terrorism Charges

Methuen Police Arrest High School Student on Terrorism Charges

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wbJTHkdBMc&list=UUHvNZOou9CK-SsTZ_B3BjMg&index=220&h=320] One of Cameron D’Ambrosio’ s Youtube videos   By: Tom Duggan – May 1, 2013 Methuen Police Chief Joe Solomon told The Valley Patriot this afternoon that Carmen D’Ambrosio sent a text message and posted terrorist threats on social media. “We took this very seriously,” Chief Solomon said. “He posted a threat in the […]

Lowell City Councilor Rita Mercier Offers a Lesson About Civility and Democracy

Lowell City Councilor Rita Mercier Offers a Lesson About Civility and Democracy

By: George Deluca – (Lowell2020.com) April 2013 On Tuesday night, about 100 people crammed into the Lowell City Council Chambers to participate in a discussion about a motion to clear the air on Mayor Murphy’s erratic behavior and actions over the past 15 months. The motion was prepared by City Councilor Rita Mercier. Mayor Murphy […]

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