Defendants in Discrimination Case Say They May Be Filing a Defamation Suit Against Fellow Officer By: Tom Duggan – 4-26-17 The Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination (MCAD) has ruled in favor of Lawrence Police in a discrimination suit filed by embattled Lawrence Police Officer William Green. Green accused the Lawrence Police Department, and in particular Superior […]
Kemal Bozkurt is the first Muslim elected to public office in Lawrence. Bozkurt, the city’s acting library director, ran a sticker campaign for school committee last month as there was not even one candidate on the ballot to fill the seat. Now, Bozkurt is being pressured by members of the city council to either […]
By: Tom Duggan – Sept 26, 2015 The viral media reports on a 911 dispatcher in Lawrence whose job was reportedly “on the line” for hanging up on “Spanish-speaking callers” has not only turned out to be false, but may cost the city millions of dollars. Diane D’Iorio, who has been a dispatcher since 2007, filed a lawsuit on Friday, (Complaint) seeking […]
By: Dani Langevin – September, 2015 There is a car commercial being aired that has three tongue and cheek elderly ladies having some fun with a male salesman. The old ladies throw down some cliché pickup lines, one kisses her own finger and plants on his mouth, and they make comments about his “rear end”. […]
By: Dani Langevin – July, 2015 On June 26, the Supreme Court of the United States voted that denying gays and lesbians the right to marry is unconstitutional. As expected, those of us who choose love celebrated while those who choose hate condemned the decision and spewed their hate filled rhetoric all over social media. […]
By: Dani Langevin – Valley Patriot Lesbian Columnist March 2013 I was angered the other morning, while eating my breakfast and watching the early morning news, to hear about the hate crimes that had been committed last month at Oberlin College in Ohio. According to the New York Times, “The incidents included slurs written […]
By: Dani Langevin – April, 2012 Army specialist Bradley Manning was arrested on May 29, 2010 for downloading and sending thousands of sensitive military reports related to missions in Iraq and Afghanistan to WikiLeaks, a website known for divulging classified information. Upon his arrest, Manning was charged with 22 counts which include indirectly aiding the […]
VALLEY PATRIOT EDITORIAL November, 2011 The Fatherhood coalition of Massachusetts is trying to get signatures to place a measure on the ballot to abolish the state’s restraining order law often referred to as “209A.” (see story page 17) The proponents of this ballot initiative say that the law destroys families and discriminates against men, not to mention the fact […]
Lawrence Councilor LaPlante says mayor wrong for only putting city job postings in Spanish Language newspapers By: Tom Duggan, February 2, 2010 Lawrence City Councilor Marc LaPlante took Mayor Willie Lantigua to task Wednesday night for his policy of only posting city jobs in Spanish Language weekly newspapers and not “the daily paper of record. Since […]
Vote Latino Campaign still Sore Spot with Some By: Tom Duggan – January 2, 2004 Lawrence – District “A” (Prospect Hill) Councilor Patrick Blanchette was elected president of the Lawrence City Council Friday night after the swearing in of all new city officials. Blanchette faced opposition from Carlos Matos, a newcomer, who was nominated […]