By: Tom Duggan – July, 2009 An investigation by the Massachusetts office of Campaign and Political Finance may not have issued their report yet on which elected officials benefited from campaign material printed in the Lawrence Public Schools I’m gong to tell you who they right now. At least three members of the Lawrence School Committee (Morris, Larocque and Mejia) benefited from literature printed […]
By: Tom Duggan, May, 2009 Lawrence School Superintendent Wilfredo Laboy granted an exclusive interview with The Valley Patriot where he discussed for the first time to anyone, the details of recent media scandals involving his office, teachers and principals under his command and the spate of bad publicity in the daily newspaper concerning the […]
VALLEY PATRIOT EDITORIAL April, 2009 Last month, The Eagle~Tribune website reported that a suitcase with a cell phone taped to it was left on the steps of Lawrence District Court with a note that read “Call police, call the Tribune, call Tom Duggan”. (Tom Duggan is editor of The Valley Patriot). The story was picked up by […]
Paying Attention! with Tom Duggan By: Tom Duggan – Posted: February 13, 2009 The Lawrence Historical Commission voted Tuesday evening to approve the demolition of two buildings on Merrimack Street in Lawrence owned by Sal Lupol of Salvatore’s Restaurant, at Sal’s Riverwalk Properties, making way for a multi-million dollar development at the site which […]
Slated to Bring 2,000 New Jobs to Lawrence By: Tom Duggan February 2, 2009 The Lawrence Historical Commission voted Tuesday evening to approve the demolition of two buildings on Merrimack Street in Lawrence owned by Sal Lupol of Salvatore’s Restaurant, at Sal’s Riverwalk Properties, making way for a multi-million dollar development at the site […]
Defending the First Amendment and protecting confidential sources PAYING ATTENTION! with Tom Duggan By: Tom Duggan, November, 2008 The most important function a newspaper or media outlet can perform is to serve as a watchdog for the way taxpayer’s dollars are spent in their community and expose information that public officials and those who do […]
Paying Attention! with Tom Duggan October, 2008 Last May the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) notified the North Andover Public Schools that their high school was being put on warning of losing its accreditation. But, it wasn’t until August 25th that North Andover Superintendent of Schools, Marini notified the public that the […]
By: Tom Duggan – Ocotober, 2008 The City of Lawrence is about to be the home of a new concept in legal services according to Al Zappala president of All things Sicilian, and Sal Lupoli of Sal’s Pizza and Sal’s Riverwalk. Zappala and Lupoli say they intend to create a series of “boutique” law […]
By: Tom Duggan – September, 2008 The Eagle Tribune newspaper, head-quartered in North Andover and owned by Alabama-based Community News-paper Holdings, Inc. announced last week that at least 52 employees have been laid off in the largest ever downsizing measure taken by the company. In a memo to employees, publisher Al Getler, a […]
Family of hero soldier killed in Iraq says Eagle~Tribune Reporter had to be thrown out of wake and funeral as well By: Tom Duggan – August, 2008 Slain soldier, Army Pfc. Alex Jimenez was captured by Al Qaeda and had been missing for 15 months before his remains were finally found in Iraq. “As hard as […]
Valley Patriot’s “Puppy Girl” markets multi-national company to help your golf Swing-Rite! Tom Duggan While Boxford resident Kate Whitey may be best known as the author of our Puppy Love column, what most people may not know is that the 24 year old UNH graduate runs the SwingRite Corporation, marketing, manufacturing and shipping golf training […]
By: Tom Duggan – May, 2008 July 29, 2008 — Following Police Chief John Romero’s issuing of the School Resource Officer (SRO) report detailing an increase in arrests in the District, Superintendent Wilfredo T. Laboy has issued a statement disputing the data in the report: The Lawrence Public Schools constantly monitors data pertaining to […]
Elected officials sending secret messages to each other during public meetings may be illegal Tom Duggan – July, 2008 Last week, Lowell City Councilor and former Lowell Mayor Rita Mercier filed a motion requesting that the council ban the use of cell phones and other electronic devices during council meetings. The motion was filed, Mercier […]
Lawrence Mayor Michael Sullivan Calls Councilor Carlos Matos’ Remarks Racist Tom Duggan – June, 2008 Lawrence Mayor Michael Sullivan issued a press release this week calling comments in the Boston Globe by former Lawrence City Councilor Carlos Matos in the Boston Globe “racist.” Sullivan also complained about similar comments Matos made when he was spearheading […]
By: Tom Duggan – June, 2008 The Valley Patriot was invited into the Selimiye Mosque in Methuen where an interview took place with several members, including Shaban, Yusef and Hussein. More than 250 families are members and worship at the Selimiye Mosque on Oakland Avenue in Methuen. Most are from Turkey and hail from Methuen […]