By: Peter Larocque – January, 2014 Just because you can, doesn’t necessarily mean that you should unless there is undisputed cause to do so! I am of the opinion that no mayor should mess with the leadership infrastructure within a Public Safety Department like was performed in the City of Lawrence four years ago. Shortly […]
RELEASED BY CHIEF FITZPATRICK January 16, 2014 LAWRENCE – Chief Fitzpatrick and Mayor Rivera announce today the establishment of a “Robbery Reduction Initiative”. This is an effort to combat the recent spike of armed robberies in our city. After multiple meetings with the mayor and the Lawrence Police Command staff a strategy to address the recent […]
Yesterday’s Updated Fire Story LAWRENCE – Records from the city of Lawrence show that The Merrimack Paper Company, which burned down in a six alarm fire on Thursday, owes the city more than $5M in back taxes and sewer bills on their property at 9 South Canal Street and more than $231,000 on their property […]
By: Tom Duggan January 8, 2014 (Rivera’s Other Moves) LAWRENCE – Just days after taking office as Lawrence’s new mayor, the Valley Patriot has learned that Mayor Dan Rivera has put Deputy Police Chief Melix Bonilla on unpaid suspension. Bonilla is making $140,00 a year and was placed on paid leave by former mayor William Lantigua […]
December, 2013 Right to the bitter end, Lawrence Mayor Willie Lantigua went down swinging as he told reporters on the day he conceded that if he were white, he would be on the cover of Forbes or Money magazine for his financial achievements as mayor. “Those who are not blind of conscience, as I always […]
December 12, 2013 Elect Dan Rivera’s Inauguration Committee announced its schedule of events and celebrations for the 2014 Lawrence Inauguration, including a beautiful Inaugural Ceremony outside of City Hall at noon on Friday, January 3rd. U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren will be on hand to administer the oath of office. This ceremony is open to the public […]
By: Peter Larocque – October, 2013 The city of Lawrence is never at a loss for interesting situations unfolding in front of everyone who has eyes to see. Last month, give or take a few days, produced some events that if they were to take place outside of Lawrence, one could conclude that they were […]
VALLEY PATRIOT EDITORIAL – OCTOBER, 2013 In September of 2006 The Valley Patriot wrote an editorial calling out Lawrence DPW Director, Frank McCann and Lawrence Mayor Michael Sullivan for their failure to repair one of Lawrence’s most famous landmarks: The Vietnam Veterans’ Fountain located at the gateway to the city on Winthrop Avenue and […]
By: Tom Duggan – September 20, 2013 (11pm) OTHER LAWRENCE STORIES PHOTO GALLERY OF THIS EVENT Three of the four failed candidates for Lawrence mayor: James O’Donoghue, Juan Gonzalez and Marcos Devers stood with Lawrence City Councilor Dan Rivera Friday, at the end of the Casey Bridge to endorse Rivera’s candidacy against Lawrence Mayor Willie […]
TRANSCRIBED BY KATHLEEN LAPLANTE READ PART 1 Valley Patriot publisher Tom Duggan, (an alum of Saint Patrick’s Grammar School) sat down with the (now) Lawrence Catholic Academy Principal Jorge Hernandez. You can read part 1 of this interview on www.valleypatriot.com VP: Do you get any help from St. Patrick’s Church? I know when you were […]
PRELIMINARY ELECTION DAY…. LAWRENCE… By Tom Duggan, September 17, 2013 (7:14pm) (MORE STORIES ON LANTIGUA) Lawrence’s municipal elections were held today in preliminary races for mayor, city council and school committee. Lawrence at-large candidate for city council, Cara Martiloni tells the Valley Patriot in an exclusive this afternoon that she is fuming and she is ready […]
LAWRENCE- Today Myra Ortiz launched her campaign for Lawrence School Committee District A. Ortiz a mother of two and resident of the city for 13 years decided less than a week ago that she could not sit idly by while no one stepped up to give her and her neighbors a voice on the Lawrence […]
By: Kathy Runge – August, 2013 Anyone familiar with the city of Lawrence is aware of the lax record keeping and controls in various city departments, i.e. city garages and Inspectional Services to name two. Does anyone believe it’s any better in the Elections Department? Let me share my findings. I’ve been writing programs to […]
Representative Jim Lyons (R-Andover) reports that Andover, Tewksbury, Boxford, and North Andover will receive an increase in Local Aid in Fiscal Year 2014. “When I was first elected State Representative in 2010, I promised that Local Aid would be my top priority,” said Lyons. “I have fought tirelessly for more equitable funding for our […]
Lawrence Catholic Academy is pleased to announce the graduation of 38 students on Thursday, June 13, 2013 at a commencement held at Saint Patrick’s Church in Lawrence, MA. It was a special day for graduates and their proud parents, guardians, grandparents, faculty and staff. The ceremony was a celebration for everyone to recognize our young […]