PAYING ATTENTION! WITH TOM DUGGAN By: Tom Duggan – January, 2007 Over the last several months, we have heard members of the Lawrence City Council complain about wasteful city spending while at the same time voicing strong opposition to raising property taxes up to the Proposition 2 1/2 levy limit. While I agree that […]
By: Tom Duggan – January 2007 Lawrence City Council President Patrick Blanchette has been on a mission for the last few months. His mission: create a firestorm around Budget and Finance Director John Griffin so that he either quits or gets fired, create a firestorm around Caroline Ganley (who has left) and Planning Director […]
PAYING ATTENTION WITH TOM DUGGAN By: Tom Duggan – December, 2006 The grandstanding, self praise and speech-making at Lawrence City Council meetings have got to stop! Too often these meetings go on for hours with no end in sight because certain councilors have a deep personal need to speak on every single issue whether […]
PAYING ATTENTION! With TOM DUGGAN By: Tom Duggan – November, 2006 BACKGROUND….. Upon learning that Deval Patrick had fought to free admitted cop killer Carl Roy Songer, I, like many of you, was outraged that this man was a finalist for the top seat at the State House in Massachusetts. Songer pumped five bullets into Florida State Trooper Ronald Smith […]
Councilor Grisel Silva Details Gun Incident By: Tom Duggan – August 11, 2006 Ten days ago a gun was found at the home of Lawrence City Councilor Grisel Silva. The gun was found by a family member in the bedroom of Silva’s 17 year old learning disabled daughter. The District “B” city councilor issued […]
Perry and Company Engage in Personal Attacks, Makes Lawrence Look Like Geniuses Paying Attention With Tom Duggan By Tom Duggan – August 9, 2006 So you thought the Lawrence School Committee was a joke? Well, last night the North Andover School Committee made the Lawrence School Committee look like educational geniuses as their meeting […]
PAYING ATTENTION WITH TOM DUGGAN By Tom Duggan – August 8, 2006 It was chaos last night at the Lawrence City Council’s Ordinance Committee meeting as chairman Nick Kolofoles lost control, sparred with fellow councilors, and refused to allow them to make motions that were contrary to his own stated agenda. At issue was […]
By:Tom Duggan – August, 2006 One of the best parts of my job is that I get to ask lots of questions. And because of the nature of my press credentials, I am often in a position to get answers to those questions. But let me start with a question for you. What do you […]
Our Missing State Legislators When Northern Essex Needed Them PAYING ATTENTION WITH TOM DUGGAN By Tom Duggan – July, 2006 Every two years the voters of Lawrence have to endure the platitudes of politicians like Barry Finegold, Dave (Where-is-HE) Torrisi and State Senator Sue Tucker crowing about how they are “friends of higher education.” […]
By: Tom Duggan – June, 2006 It was the usual circus at last nights meeting of the Lawrence City Council’s Housing Committee as Councilor Nilka Alvarez, (who is supposed to chair the meeting), completely lost control, allowing the meeting to degenerate into name calling, accusations of racism, a spate of misinformation, and a […]
By: Tom Duggan – June, 2006 *Specialist Christian Farnha Spc. Christian Farnham began his military career in 1992 when he decided to follow the family tradition of enlisting in the Marines. His father and brother both served in the Marine Corps. Farnham said it was very important to him that he follow in their footsteps […]
PAYING ATTENTION! WITH TOM DUGGAN By: Tom Duggan – June, 2006 Every year people who work for “non profit” organizations like Lawrence Community Works make their fortunes crowding into Lawrence’s council chambers, whining about how badly “they” need more of your tax dollars to build and secure housing for the “poor” people of Lawrence. Yet, […]
RED CROSS NIGHTMARE Winner of the New England Press Association Award for General News Excellence Tom Duggan -June, 2006 Flood victims from Lawrence, North Andover and Methuen who were staying at the Red Cross shelter in Methuen during the immediate aftermath of last month’s flood say that they were treated so badly by the National […]
North Andover School Committee Chairman Al Perry needs to step down. PAYING ATTENTION WITH TOM DUGGAN By: Tom Duggan – May, 2006 Besides his general incompetence on the School Committee, Al Perry is a perpetual elitist insider who opposes reform, defends the status quo and is more concerned with being a member of […]
By: Tom Duggan – April, 04, 2006 Fulya Metin, the former secretary for the city of Methuen, who alleged sexual harassment against then City Solicitor Maurice Leriviere, has been awarded workers’ compensation benefits. After claiming that she could no longer work comfortably in the same office where Solicitor Lariviere had allegedly “harassed” her (even though […]