Former Lawrence State Representative Marcos Devers was honored at The Valley Patriot’s 19th Anniversary BASH last week, receiving The Valley Patriot’s Lifetime Achievement Award. “If Marcos was getting this award because he’s my friend,” publisher Tom Duggan said, “he would have gotten it long ago. Marcos gets this award tonight because he absolutely deserves it!” […]
In 2010 we started the Lawrence High Scholarship at our annual BASH and gave $100 to graduating senior Devante Jones. But in 2018, 84 year old Korean War vet Eugene Smith approached us with a $1,400 check asking if we could repurpose the scholarship for a member of the Lawrence High JrROTC. Of course, […]
By: Santiago Reyes Cruz, Jr. – July, 2022 This year the race for state representative in Lawrence and Methuen will be decided in the September 6th primary – not the November election – because there are no Republicans running in this race. That means more people need to vote on the September 6th Democrat primary, […]
6-11-22 The Methuen Democratic City Committee held their annual straw poll Sunday showing where demorat insiders stand on each of the state and local Democrats running for office in the State’s September 6th primary. ITEMS OF NOTE: In the race for governor, Methuen Democrats chose a white woman over a woman “of color” by a […]
Former At-Large City Councilor Brian DePena pulled an upset win over Acting Mayor Kendrys Vasquez in Lawrence on Tuesday. Unofficial Results Brian Depena 6,093 Kendrys 5,338 LIVE VIDEO OF DEPENA AT LAWRENCE CITY HALL Vasquez was appointed mayor by the city council after Mayor Dan Rivera abandoned the job to work for Republican Governor […]
VOTE NOVEMBER 5th IN LOCAL ELECTIONS – HERE’S WHY ITS IMPORTANT November 5th is Election Day for cities in the Merrimack Valley. In Methuen and Haverhill voters get to decide who their mayor will be for the next two years. In Lawrence, Mayor Dan Rivera has two years left in his term and cannot […]
Valley Patriot readers donated a total of $2,175 for a scholarship to Lawrence High School senior Rachel Hiraldo at the Valley Patriot’s 15th Anniversary Bash at the Firefighters Relief’s In on April 5th. Donating to this scholarship were: Eugene Smith – $1,200, The Lawrence Lions Club – $300, Anonymous – $100, Kelly O’Brien – $100, […]
WHEN YOU THINK YOU HAVE IT WRONG BUT YOU DON’T On two occasions last month we reported a story on line that we thought we got wrong after it was posted. In one story we reported that a shooting victim from East Haverhill Street had died. Minutes after we reported the victim’s death we were […]
HELP THE HOMELESS Every Wednesday night a volunteer group called “The Movement Family” serves a family style meal for the homeless at the Buckley Garage on Common Street in Lawrence. In the last five weeks The Valley Patriot has put out a call on Facebook looking for local business in the community to help with […]
By: Kathy Runge – June, 2018 It’s budget season again. When Mayor Rivera and ex Alcalde Lantigua brag about “their” balanced budgets, they should be giving the credit to the Director of Budget and Finance, Mark Ianello, who has ultimate control of the budget. It is he who provides the balanced budget. It’s pretty clear […]
By: Kathy Runge – Dec. 2017 The city election has come and gone and not much has changed. Mayor Rivera is happy thinking that most of the voters preferred him. We have the usual murders and mayhem. I was surprised by the number of people who came out and said they only voted for Rivera […]
HEROES IN OUR MIDST CHRISTMAS BOOK SIGNING Join me at Mann Orchards in Methuen on Saturday, December 9th, from 10-2pm for a book signing for “Heroes in Our Midst, From the Pages of The Valley Patriot”. What a great gift for the veteran on your Christmas list. I will sign each book with a personal […]
By: Tom Duggan – Nov. 19, 2017 After another night of violence and mayhem during last-call at Lawrence nightclubs Friday, Lawrence Superior Officers Union President Scott McNamara has called for the rolling back of club closing hours from 2am to 12pm. Lawrence Mayor Dan Rivera and at least one city councilor say they support the last […]
In the mind of fired Lawrence Police Officer Bill Green he is the ultimate victim. Nothing bad that has ever happened to Bill has ever been his fault. Ever. THE GRAND CONSPIRACY Bill is so damned important that it takes a conspiracy of the entire police department, all of city hall, the Mayor, the […]
By: Tom Duggan – 11-14-17 Lawrence Superintendent-Receiver Jeff Riley is expected to announce his resignation Wednesday just one week after the reelection of Lawrence Mayor Dan Rivera. Riley was appointed by state officials to run the chronically under-performing school district nearly seven years ago. Since then he has acted as both superintendent and school committee, […]