By: Tom Duggan – July 18, 2013 Lawrence Firefighter and community activist Manuel “Juan” Gonzalez launched his official campaign kickoff for Mayor Thursday night before a packed room of about 100 people at the Firefighter’s Relief In. Flanked by former Lawrence Mayor Michael Sullivan, Lawrence City Councilor Marc LaPlante (District “F”), and Mount Vernon Neighborhood Association […]
Just Look Locally at Lawrence and Listen Carefully for the Crickets By: Tom Duggan – March, 2012 In July of 2009 the Valley Patriot wrote an explosive story, publishing Documents that reveled operators at the City of Lawrence’s brand new $26 million water treatment facility had failed to test the city’s drinking water for a […]
Sullivan says same suit filed twice before, expects dismissal again By: Tom Duggan – September, 2011 LAWRENCE – On February 9, 2007 (then) Public Works Director Frank McCann was suspended by (then) Mayor Michael Sullivan for a myriad of reasons. At issue was a $400,000 cost overrun on the paving project of High Street, […]
By: Tom Duggan – November, 2010 Former Lawrence Mayor Mike Sullivan says he has had enough of the “lies” by current Mayor Lantigua and members of the Deval Patrick administration regarding his handling of Lawrence finances over the last eight years. Sullivan called into the Paying Attention! Radio Program with Tom Duggan on WHAV last […]
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 – 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, May, 2009 Lawrence School Superintendent Wilfredo Laboy granted an exclusive interview with The Valley Patriot where he discussed for the first time to anyone, the details of recent media scandals involving his office, teachers and principals under his command and the spate of bad publicity in the daily newspaper concerning the […]
Fired Attorney’s Firm Member Made Millions on Taxpayers Valley Patriot Staff – November, 2008 Former Lawrence city hall worker Andrea Traficanti will be back in court next month seeking permanent and total disability benefits after filing a new claim with the Department of Industrial Accidents. Her claim now is that she is permanently and […]
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 […]
VALLEY PATRIOT EDITORIAL September, 2007 Thanks to Lawrence Mayor Michael Sullivan, police officers in Lawrence will not be laid off this year, a firehouse will not close and DPW workers will be able to continue maintaining Lawrence’s ball fields, streets and sewer system without political interference by the Lawrence City Council. Over the last three […]
PAYING ATTENTION EXTRA! (video here) By: Tom Duggan – August 28, 2007 Lawrence Mayor Michael Sullivan marched into city hall Thursday night to a packed city council chambers. Hundreds of police and firefighters crowded the hall bearing signs that chastised the city council for trying to cut public safety in the city. Mayor Sullivan took […]
By: Tom Duggan – June, 2006 It was the usual circus at last nights meeting of the Lawrence City Council’s Housing Committee as Councilor Nilka Alvarez, (who is supposed to chair the meeting), completely lost control, allowing the meeting to degenerate into name calling, accusations of racism, a spate of misinformation, and a […]
By; Michael R. Sweeney – October, 2005 A moment of clarity. After all is said and done that is what election results, whether a primary or final, provides to those seeking public office and to the people who support them. Some candidates grow under that light and some crumble. This past primary night in […]
By: Tom Duggan – September 2005 LAWRENCE – Lawrence School Superintendent Wilfredo Laboy is increasingly coming under fire by candidates for both mayor and school committee, as the city elections in November draw near. Embroiled in public scandal over the alleged assault on School Committeeman Amy McGovern, Laboy has become the subject of controversy […]
By Hanna, Age 10 – January, 2005 What is your day like? My day is almost identical to your day; it is very structured. I wake up at six o’clock every morning. I get the kids ready to go and then I drive three of them to school. And then I check into the office […]