By: Linda Dean Campbell – Dec. 2016 We should begin discussions to focus upon the concerns of our local communities as well as develop better formulated estimates of cost. We need to start discussions as soon as possible so that the new commission on legalization of marijuana will be aware of our concerns from the […]
HEROES AND BOZOS OF 2016 HERO CHARLIE BAKER – One of the most important things that happened in Massachusetts this year was the passage of a new public records law that actually holds public officials accountable for concealing public documents. When Charlie Baker was running for the governor he said on my radio show that […]
DEC. 20, 2016| 8:30pm The Lawrence City Council approved the use of NARCAN Tuesday night, allowing Lawrence Police to carry the medication that literally revives people who die from heroin overdoses if they are caught in time. The measure passed unanimously. Vice Chairman of the Lawrence City Council Marc Laplante said that his first inclination […]
Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker has nominated Andover attorney Salim Tabit to serve as Associate Justices of the Massachusetts Superior Court. Attorney Tabit is a Founding Partner at Broadhurst Tabit LLP, a general practice law firm in Methuen specializing in civil litigation, real estate conveyance work, small business representation, immigration and criminal defense work. “I am […]
By: Kathy Runge – Nov. 2016 First, the DA can’t prove that a worker is stealing from this city because the City of Lawrence hires incompetents and can’t keep records. Please put this city into receivership! Secondly, when politicians argue for a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants and say “Of course we will make […]
By: Senator Kathleen O’Connor Ives – Nov, 2016 Leading up to the beginning of a new formal legislative session in January, I’m focusing in on which bills will be priorities for me to file, re-file and co-sponsor. My column over these next months will be focused on a number of those bills. This month’s column […]
Cesiah Albarran of Lawrence came to this country in 2013 from Puerto Rico with a recently earned bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of Puerto Rico and limited English skills. With the help of family members, she quickly landed a job with Bradford & Bigelow (B&B), a $31M specialty printing company with 140 employees […]
Inspired by Methuen’s Phil Lahey, students at the Greater Lawrence Tech School have started a Drug Education Task Force. Lahey, a former Methuen Councilor and the main force in the Merrimack Valley to spearhead public discussions and educational forums for families of drug dependent individuals, says he believes having high school kids involved in solving […]
By: DJ Deeb – Oct. 2016 Methuen Schools are on the move and many great things are happening with the start of the 2016-2017 school year. At our September 12th meeting, I led the charge to have the Methuen School Committee go on record as opposing Question 2 in November, which if passed, would expand […]
BREAKING THEIR WORD ON ENDORSEMENTS In my book, your word is your bond. If you make a commitment and give your word, no matter how inconvenient it is, you keep your word. Unfortunately, I am in the rare minority these days. Last month, The Valley Patriot held two debates with the candidates for Essex County […]
Lawrence City Worker Justo Garcia was found not guilty on two counts of public corruption Thursday afternoon in Salem Superior Court. Garcia, a campaign worker for former Lawrence Mayor Willie Lantigua, was put in charge of the city parking garages and parking lots while Lantigua was in office. Garcia was charged with giving false […]
By: State Rep. Linda Dean Campbell – Oct, 2016 Bridgewater State Hospital is the center of attention for a number of high profile incidents stemming from the use of excessive force. These include the recent suicide of Leo Marino this April and the death of Joshua Messier from the excessive use of restraints in 2014. […]
By: Dani Langevin – Sept. 2016 Last month, Tom Duggan posted a comment asking people if they supported merit pay for teachers and the claws came out. I’ve been an educator for my entire adult life and I have never come face to face with anyone who expressed disdain for my field. I know few […]
HARRINGTON SOFTENS – After years of complaints from residents about the way the Town of Salisbury charges for sewer user fees based on “flat fee” per unit, Town Manager Neil Harrington seems to be coming around on the idea of charging for sewer user fees based on their actual metered water usage instead of […]
By: State Rep. Linda Dean Campbell – Sept, 2016 During the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln explained his reluctance to impose capital punishment upon homesick soldiers that deserted or upon young men who bolted from their posts and “ran like hell” when being fired upon for the first time. Quite simply, he said, “It is simply […]