Rep Report: Action Regarding The Department of Children and Families (DCF)

Rep Report: Action Regarding The Department of Children and Families (DCF)

  By: Rep. Linda Dean Campbell October, 2015 The Baker Administration has placed our DCF under new executive leadership that is deeply committed to effecting very necessary improvements in our State’s child protection systems. As a member of the House Committee on Ways and Means, I can tell you that the Legislature is highly supportive […]

Doctors Express Comes to Methuen – Get In, Get Out, Get BETTER in Under an Hour

Doctors Express Comes to Methuen – Get In, Get Out, Get BETTER in Under an Hour

  METHUEN, MA – A New Doctors Express Urgent Care Center opened at 380R Merrimack Street in Methuen last month, drawing local movers and shakers in the Valley, from state representatives and city councilors, to the mayor of another community as well as Governor Charlie Baker’s Secretary of Housing and Economic Development, Jay Ash. (PHOTO […]

Protecting Our Communities in the Age of Fracking Gas ~ IN YOUR CORNER WITH SENATOR KATY IVES

Protecting Our Communities in the Age of Fracking Gas  ~ IN YOUR CORNER WITH SENATOR KATY IVES

By: State Senator Kathleen O’Connor Ives July, 2015 In June, I attended the Methuen City Council’s special meeting where Kinder Morgan, a Houston-based energy infrastructure company, presented their plan for a proposed natural gas pipeline that would travel through Methuen, Massachusetts. I joined Representative Linda Dean Campbell and concerned residents to speak during the public […]

Fran Gradzewicz Cites Personal Story in Testimony on End of Life Care

Fran Gradzewicz Cites Personal Story in Testimony on End of Life Care

By: State Rep. Linda Dean Campbell July, 2105 Francis “Fran” Gradzewicz, longtime resident of Methuen, was joined by her husband Thomas, her daughter Karen Hayden, and myself, as they brought their case regarding the lack of clarity in current law governing end-of-life medical care to the Joint Committee on the Judiciary. Fran testified in front […]

Pelletier Family Gives Powerful Testimony in Support of Justina’s Law

Pelletier Family Gives Powerful Testimony in Support of Justina’s Law

By: Bharani Padmanabhan – July 3, 2015 Valley Patriot readers may be familiar with the 17 month long ordeal suffered by young Justina Pelletier at the hands of the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families (DCF) and the huge effort it took from 100,000 ordinary people from across this great land who came together to […]

Strong Support at State House Hearing to Improve Access to Public Information

Strong Support at State House Hearing to Improve Access to Public Information

By: State Rep. Linda Dean Campbell June, 2015 Massachusetts gets an F grade for access to public records according to some very respected public interest groups. A number of bills have been filed to change this including legislation filed by Senator Ives and co-sponsored by both Representative DiZoglio and myself. As a member of the […]

Fighting to Change Massachusetts’ Fake Public Records Law

Fighting to Change Massachusetts’ Fake Public Records Law

  Massachusetts Legislators, members of the media and 1st amendment advocates testified last month before a joint House and Senate committee on Beacon Hill, asking legislators to add penalties to the state’s fake public records law. The law, MGL Ch. 66, states that the keeper of records in any municipality or public agency must turn over public […]

State Money for Methuen in Massachusetts House Budget

State Money for Methuen in Massachusetts House Budget

By: Rep. Linda Dean Campbell, (Methuen) May, 2015 On Wednesday, the House concluded deliberations for the proposed FY16 with funding allocated for significant projects throughout the Merrimack Valley. In addition to the much toted $400,000.00 funding for the Nicholson Stadium Project the House FY16 Budget also included funding for additional Methuen programs and projects sponsored […]

Rep Update: Transparency Legislation Gaining Momentum on Beacon Hill

Rep Update: Transparency Legislation Gaining Momentum on Beacon Hill

By: State Rep Linda Dean Campbell – April, 2015 Constituents and members of the press often run into significant roadblocks trying to obtain public records. These include excessive wait times and excessive fees charged which prove to be an insurmountable barrier for constituents attempting to access government publications and records which are public property. A […]

Methuen Board of Trade 2015 Person of the Year Jennifer Borislow

Methuen Board of Trade 2015 Person of the Year Jennifer Borislow

The Methuen Board of Trade honored Jennifer Borislow as their 2015 Person of the Year at the Harris Pelham Inn on April 9, 2015. Photos here A Tribute to Colleen Carney President of the Methuen Board of Trade [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jK016Tho8S0&feature=youtu.be&w=380&h=280]   Methuen Councilor Ron Marsan reads citation for Jennifer Borislow from Mayor Steve Zanni [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=heeZVdB2zhU&feature=youtu.be&w=380&h=280]   […]

Haverhill Mayor Fiorentini’s State of the City Address 2015

Haverhill Mayor Fiorentini’s State of the City Address 2015

The State of the City of Haverhill 2015 The Haverhill of Tomorrow   Good evening and welcome.  I would like to welcome and introduce members of our legislative delegation, school committee members and other elected officials. Ways and Means Committee chair, Brian Dempsey, State Senator Kathleen O’Connor Ives, State Representatives Linda Dean Campbell and Diana Dizoglio, […]

Representative Update: Legislation That I Am Filing

Representative Update:  Legislation That I Am Filing

By: Linda Dean Campbell – March , 2015 This session I am sponsoring and co-sponsoring approximately fifty pieces of Legislation targeting substance abuse prevention in the Merrimack Valley. Perhaps the most challenging legislation that I am filing is that drafted by the Massachusetts District Attorney’s Association. After meeting with DA Blodgett to discuss his perspective on […]

New Veterans Affairs Secretary Comes to Massachusetts

New Veterans Affairs Secretary Comes to Massachusetts

By: Linda Dean Campbell – November, 2014 Very recently, I was afforded the opportunity to have a discussion with our new national Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Robert McDonald. Wisely, he is taking time to visit VA health care centers across the country, including our center in West Roxbury, Massachusetts. I was impressed by some of […]