At 31, Breast Cancer survivor inspires councilor

May, 6, 2008 METHUEN – “We love her. We want to adopt her and take care of her, (and give her) anything she needs.”  These are the words of Methuen City Councilor Debbie Quinn and Methuen Fire Department and Veterans Affair employee Dottie Avery when speaking of Riverbank Vice President and Branch Manager Veronica Calixto. […]

Sex assault lawsuit filed against local hospital

  By: Tom Duggan – February 2, 2008 Imagine that you have been voluntarily admitted to the hospital to recover from an illness or injury and another patient sexually attacks you while you are trying to recover.  According to a patient’s complaint (name withheld), that is exactly what happened to her after being admitted to […]

Lawrence Fire Department receives grant to network emergency communications throughout state

Lawrence Fire Department receives grant to network  emergency communications throughout state

  Tom Duggan – December, 2007   In 1995, a devastating fire ripped through the Malden Mills factory on Broadway in Methuen. Firefighters and police officers responded to the emergency from allover the Commonwealth.  As the out-of-town public safety officials began to arrive at the scene, chaos ensued as it became nearly impossible to coordinate […]

Hero in Our Midst – Sara Payne Hayden – WASP Pilot

By: Kathleen Corey Rahme – November, 2007 METHUEN – The Massachusetts Women Veterans’ Network named Methuen resident, Sara Payne Hayden the Woman’s Veteran of the Year at a special ceremony in the State House in Boston this month. It was a privilege to nominate her for this honor and according to Heidi Kruckenberg the coordinator for […]

Erroneous Eagle~Tribune story costs Monarch $40M

Erroneous Eagle~Tribune story costs Monarch $40M

  An exclusive interview with Bob Ansin. By: Tom Duggan – October, 2007 Earlier this month, several erroneous Eagle-Tribune stories alleged that Robert Ansin, CEO of sustainable development company MassInnovation, was running out of funds and that asbestos was found inside the Monarch on the Merrimack building. On Sunday, September 16, the Eagle-Tribune ran a […]

Valley Patriot Editorial: Election Season in The Valley

October 10,2007   Election season is in full swing here in the Valley with a special congressional election in the 5th district this month and the general municipal elections in November.  Few people, however, seem to care. During the Lawrence primaries last month, only 12% of registered voters bothered to brave the 80 degree weather and […]

Lawrence City Council, Please! Just Shut Up and Vote!

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 […]

HEROES IN OUR MIDST Chief Master Sgt. Michael Ingham U.S. Air Force

VALLEY PATRIOT OF THE MONTH   By: Ted Tripp – December, 2006 HAVERHILL – Next month Mike Ingham will retire after 33 years of service in the Air Force, both on active duty and in the reserves. His assignments have taken him all over the world: Germany, Italy, Spain, England, Alaska and Central America. Born […]

Hero in Our Midst, Part II, POW, Staff Sgt. Eldon Berthiaume, Infantryman

By: Ted Tripp – September, 2006 LAWRENCE – In early 1945, Pvt. Eldon Berthiaume of the Army’s 3rd Infantry Division was captured by the Germans in the small village of Utweiler, Germany. He and other Americans taken prisoner were force-marched deeper into Germany and, after a temporary stay at a transitional POW camp, ended up […]

Heroes in our Midst – Christian Farnham, Captain Daniel Leary, Specialist Philip Brooks of North Andover

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 […]