By: Tom Duggan – October, 2009 ELECTION EDITION Lawrence Mayor Michael Sullivan is finishing his final term because the city charter limits the mayor’s job to two, four year terms. Sullivan defeated Isabel Melendez in 2001 and Marcos Devers in 2005. Ironically Willie Lantigua endorsed and supported Isabel Melendez in ’01 but flipped in ’05 […]
By: Tom Duggan – September, 2009 There are ten candidates running to replace Lawrence Mayor Mike Sullivan in the September 22nd city primary elections. The top two candidates will face a runoff election on November 3rd. Here is a snapshot of each candidate. David Abdoo Abdoo is the District “E” city councilor representing South […]
By: Tom Duggan – August, 2009 First Mercury then Sodium Bisulfite When Lawrence Mayor Michael Sullivan found out that mercury was being illegally stored at the old water pumping station on South Street two months ago, he ordered Inspectional Services Director Myles Burke and the Lawrence Fire Department to inspect other city owned property to […]
By: Tom Duggan – July, 2009 Documents obtained by The Valley Patriot last month revealed that operators at the City of Lawrence’s brand new $26 million water treatment facility failed to test the city’s drinking water for a bacteria called E.coli from July 2008 to February 2009. The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) […]
Haverhill to receive $282,000; Methuen $79,000 Posted: March 05, 2009 Congresswoman Niki Tsongas announced today that the City of Lawrence will receive approximately $3,500,000 as funding begins to be released from the recently passed American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The funding will help create jobs locally through the construction and restoration of public […]
Paying Attention! with Tom Duggan By: Tom Duggan – Posted: February 13, 2009 The Lawrence Historical Commission voted Tuesday evening to approve the demolition of two buildings on Merrimack Street in Lawrence owned by Sal Lupol of Salvatore’s Restaurant, at Sal’s Riverwalk Properties, making way for a multi-million dollar development at the site which […]
VALLEY PATRIOT EDITORIAL Tax Cheat Patrick Blanchette February, 2009 Lawrence City Council President Patrick Blanchette has refused to pay nearly $9,000 in federal taxes to the IRS. The feds placed a lien on Blanchette and, according to reports, tried to garnish his wages early last year. The IRS sent a letter to officials at Lawrence City Hall demanding […]
VALLEY PATRIOT EDITORIAL February, 2009 In March and August of 2008, the City of Lawrence did not perform the states’ required monthly chlorite testing on the city’s drinking water. The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection fined the city of Lawrence $5,750 for failing to do those mandated chlorite tests and has warned the city it will face […]
Slated to Bring 2,000 New Jobs to Lawrence By: Tom Duggan February 2, 2009 The Lawrence Historical Commission voted Tuesday evening to approve the demolition of two buildings on Merrimack Street in Lawrence owned by Sal Lupol of Salvatore’s Restaurant, at Sal’s Riverwalk Properties, making way for a multi-million dollar development at the site […]
Family of hero soldier killed in Iraq says Eagle~Tribune Reporter had to be thrown out of wake and funeral as well By: Tom Duggan – August, 2008 Slain soldier, Army Pfc. Alex Jimenez was captured by Al Qaeda and had been missing for 15 months before his remains were finally found in Iraq. “As hard as […]
By: Tom Duggan – May, 2008 July 29, 2008 — Following Police Chief John Romero’s issuing of the School Resource Officer (SRO) report detailing an increase in arrests in the District, Superintendent Wilfredo T. Laboy has issued a statement disputing the data in the report: The Lawrence Public Schools constantly monitors data pertaining to […]
Elected officials sending secret messages to each other during public meetings may be illegal Tom Duggan – July, 2008 Last week, Lowell City Councilor and former Lowell Mayor Rita Mercier filed a motion requesting that the council ban the use of cell phones and other electronic devices during council meetings. The motion was filed, Mercier […]
PAYING ATTENTION! with Tom Duggan By: Tom Duggan – May, 2008 While the politicians and the American people debate about what to do with illegal immigrants and whether or not to give them a pathway to citizenship, nobody seems to be doing anything to help the people who followed the law, did the right […]
By: Tom Duggan – April, 2008 Lawrence/Boston, MA – Sal Lupoli, President/CEO of Sal’s Pizza Retail and Wholesale Divisions, Salvatore’s Restaurants and Riverwalk Properties is proud to announce that Governor Patrick awarded Double N. Inc., a subsidiary of Lupoli Companies a Workforce Training Grant of $162,050 to train 213 workers in Lean Manufacturing […]
VALLEY PATRIOT EDITORIAL February,2008 Last month the Exchange Club of Lawrence honored police officers, firefighters and an EMT workers for their service to the communities of Lawrence, Andover, and North Andover. Among those honored were Lawrence Police Officer Michael Magnan who received one of the Exchange Club’s “Police Officer of the Year Awards” for saving […]