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HAVERHILL
Mayor
Fiorentini promotes Borden to Fire Chief
LAWRENCE
School
Committee Deeds 2 Schools Back to City
The
Lawrence School Committee deeded two
schools back to the city of Lawrence last
night: The General Donovan and the lower
section of the AB Bruce School. Lawrence
Mayor Michael Sullivan said that
transferring the schools back to the city
saves the school department money as the
city of Lawrence would be paying for
heat, electricity and maintenance out of
city funds instead of school funds. The
School Committee deeded the Saunders
School on S. Broadway back to the city
last year. The Lawrence City Council put
the school up for sale with no minimum
bid against the recommendation of the Mayor's office.
Voting against deeding the Bruce and
Donovan Schools back to the city of
Lawrence were: School Committeemen Jim
Vittorioso and Martina Cruz.
LAWRENCE
Lawrence
School Committee Approves $135MIL Budget
By a vote of 5-2 the Lawrence School
Committee approved the FY09 budget for
the Lawrence Public School System. The
budget spending plan totaled $135,195,681
and must now be approved by the Lawrence
City Council as part of the entire city
budget from July 1, 2008 to June 30,
2009. Voting against the school budget
were School Committeemen James Vittorioso
and Greg Morris. Morris said he voted
against the budget because of the
additional transportation expenses he
says the city should not have to pay.
ETHICS
The
State Ethics Commission’s
Enforcement Division Alleges Former Mass
Highway Contractor Project Manager Terry
Edwards Gave Bribes/Gratuities to a
Construction Inspector
HAVERHILL
Council
Votes for Mayor's Parking Plan
Civilian
ticketers may be hired instead of police
officers.
LAWRENCE
City partners up with
Sal’s Pizza, Non Profits to
streamline citizenship process for LEGAL
immigrants
Immigrants who are legally
residing in the United Sttaes and are
working for Sal’s Pizza or
Salvatore’s Restaurants will have a
pathway to citizenship thanks to a new
initiative bringing together non profits,
the private sector and the city of
Lawrence. "This is not something to
help illegals stay in this country. This
is a program to help those who are here
legally, those who went through the
process, those who respect the laws of
this nation to go through the process of
becoming an American Citizen,” said
Lawrence Mayor Michael Sullivan. The
program will help those who are seeking
citizenship by pooling private and public
dollars to defray the cost of red tape
associated with obtaining legal
citizenship. Sullivan held a press
conference yesterday at Sal's
Riverwalk where he talked about the
burdon some immigrants have when it comes
to navigating the immigration system and
how this new initiative can help with
legal assistance, bridging language
barriers and creating a stable work
environment for those who are "here
legally" and "those who want to
become US citizens.
LAWRENCE
Councilor
rushed to hospital
for suspected drug overdose
Lawrence
City Councilor Grisel Silva was rushed to
the hospital Wednesday afternoon after a
911 call was placed to the Lawrence
Police claiming the District
"B" councilor was in her car
and had taken a bottle of sleeping pills.
(READ
TRIBUNE STORY HERE)
Officers
Flemming and Beauleau investigated the
incident and Silva was held for
observation overnight. Police said last
night that Silva will most likely, not be
charged with driving while under the
influenc.. Silva's husband Nelson,
refused to comment to the Valley Patriot
last night, but did threaten to sue the
Lawrence Police the Eagle Tribune and the
Valley Patriot if the police report or
the 911 call was reported to the public.
Oddly enough, Councilor Silva did issue a
public statement last night only minutes
after the Valley Patriot website posted
the story and then was hacked into,
making updates to the site impossible for
more than two hours. (Grisel Silva's
Press Release)
MASSACHUSETTS
State
meets obligation on SPED mandate
State
Senator Steve Panagiotakos
Chairman Senate Ways & Means
Committee
HAVERHILL
Parking
Commission Introduces New
Parking Plan for Downtown Haverhill
Mayor Endorses Plan as
“Important First Step”
Valley Patriot
web extra!
NORTH
ANDOVER
Middle School
Administration Addresses
Valley Patriot Lead Story
Letters from the
administration of the North Andover
Middle School today, went
home to parents today to ease their
safety concerns about the
lead story in the
Valley Patriot's April edition. In the letter
the parents of Middle School students
were assured that the administration
takes safety concerns seriously and that
the
child's threats pose no danger to the
school.
Read the letter here
GREEN
BUSINESS
EMERGENCE
OF THE GREEN MILL REGION
The
Innovation Valley
Guys - Valley
Patriot
04/08
LAWRENCE
Eagle~Tribune finally
reports on Padellaro
Porn
Lawsuit & 600K+ Settlement
It only took the
Eagle~Tribune four months to
"discover the news" that
the City of Lawrence had to make a major
payout to Jennier Padellaro
due to sexual harassment by former city
clerk Jim McGravey and the fact
that officials from the the City of
Lawrence (including Patrick Blanchette)
acted illegally in their response to
Padellaro's complaints. For the record,
The
Valley Patriot lead story
on January 4th. Today is April 2nd. Next
Month the Tribune will reveal the news
that John Kennedy was assasinated.
LAWRENCE
Mayor
Sullivan secures $600,000
for the City of Lawrence
Under the leadership of
Mayor Michael J. Sullivan, a 40R zoning
designation was passed
for the Malden Mills complex that will
lead to the City of Lawrence immediately
receiving $600,000 for creating this
special zoning and Lawrence will receive
an additional
$3,000 as each unit of housing is
completed within the specially zoned
area."
LAWRENCE
Andrews Throws Blanchette,
Sullivan Under the Bus
Maybe we've all misjudged
Lawrence Finance Director Mark Andrews.
Sunday,
Andrews announced his big plan to grab an
additional $60K in pay by putting
himself in the running to be Lawrence's
first unofficial City Manager, (while
city
employees are being laid off and the city
is in a financial crisis). This comes
just a year and a half before Council
President Patrick Blanchette has poised
himself to replace Lawrence Mayor Michael
J. Sullivan in the 2009 municipal
elections.
And it comes at a time when Mayor
Sullivan seems all too willing to shoot
himself
in the foot, (but not before sticking it
in his mouth). If Andrews gets his way,
Blanchette will be relegated to kissing
babies and cutting ribbons if he
is elected as the next mayor of Lawrence.
PODCAST
Paying Attention March
29th
Hour
1 - Police Details, Jim Vittorioso's
witch hunt
Hour 2 - Paul
Murano joins us, wrapping up police
details, Essex St. becomes two ways,
Dave Torissi is still a loser, Michael
Sweeney takes off the gloves, the tale of
the missing meeting
Hour 3: Mike
Sweeney Continued
NORTH
ANDOVER
Voters choose
Watson, Nardella as new Selectmen;
Nobile, Limpert for School
Committeemen
Voters in North Andover
elected two new members
to the board of selectmen
today replacing longtime Selectman Jim
Xenakis and one term selectman Tom
Licciardello, both of whom chose not to
seek reelection to the board. Newcomers
Rick Nardella and Tracy Watson defeated
Joe Smith and ormer selectman Don
Stewart.
UNOFFICIAL RESULTS: BOARD
OF SELECTMEN
- School
Committee
NORTH
ANDOVER
Dr.
Ormsby responds to Committeeman
Kelley's Attacks on
Taxpayer Association
Podcast
of Saturday's Paying Attention! Radio
Program on WCAP 980AM
Hour
1 March 22
>>>>>>>>Hour
2, March 22
METHUEN
With Chief's fate
officially undecided
Civil Service Posts Chief's Exam
CIVIL
SERVICE POSTING
The Civil Service
commission has posted promotional exams
for chief of police even though Joe
Solomon
continues to fight for his job next
Tuesday before an independent hearing
officer. The last date to apply
is April 7th, yet there is no guarantee
that the position will be available,
(Manzi may decide not to fire
Solomon, he says) and since the city
council has voted to remove the chief's
job out of civil service
anyone taking the exam may be wasting
their time.
MASSACHUSETTS
Tucker Earns Perfect Score
for Work on Environment
BOSTON
– The Massachusetts Audubon Society
recently announced that Senator Sue
Tucker (D-Andover)
of support received a perfect score of
100% on its 2007 Legislative Report Card
for
her issues that protect the of
environment. Long regarded as one of the
strongest voices on behalf
environmental issues in the Legislature,
Tucker said she is honored to stand among
those who
recognize that clean water, clean air,
and the reduction of toxic elements are
fundamental to our
environment
LAWRENCE/METHUEN
Sullivan leads
Manzi in "Biggest Loser"
Lawrence
Mayor Mike Sullivan and Methuen Mayor
Billy Manzi continue to compete to be
the Merrimack Valley's Biggest Loser as
part of Latitude Sports Club's witght
loss challenge.
This week Methuen Mayor Bill Manzi
weighed in at 237lbs, a loss of six
pounds. Sullivan,
however, has lost eight pounds, weighing
in at 220.
HAVERHILL
Fiorentini,
Firefighters Union kick off
city's new health and wellness initiative
Mayor James J.
Fiorentini today announced that he would
be kicking off a
City wide wellness initiative for city
employees starting on April 30th.
The Mayor
said he was doing so at the request and
urging of City Firefighters Union 1011.
(MORE)
LAWRENCE
Mayor
Sullivan: In 6 months we're going to
unveil
our plan to build new Police Station
Lawrence
Mayor Mike Sullivan held a fund raiser
tonight at Sal's Riverwalk where he
announced
for the first time that there will be a
new Lawrence Police Station and that the
plans for construction
and a new location will be unveiled in
six months. Stay tuned as we are sure to
have the story first ... again!
LAWRENCE
She's
Baaaaaaaack!
Andrea
Traficante is coming back to work for the
city of Lawrence next week after going
out on worker's
compensation last year for
"stress". Sources say
Traficante most likely will
not return to city hall
(as it is way too "stressful")
and that the budget and finance director
is trying to persuade the
airport commissioner to take her on board
in the new position Mayor Sullivan
submitted to the city council for
approval.
FREE
EXPRESSION
Bush
to Veto "Fairness" Doctrine
STATESMAN.COM
(D)uring a speech to the
National Religious Broadcasters
Convention, President Bush said
there’s nothing fair about the
so-called “Fairness Doctrine”
that once required
broadcasters to offer air time for
competing ideologies.
HAVEHRILL
Arbitrator
Rules for City in Fire Arbitration Case
An
arbitrator has ruled for the city of
Haverhill in a dispute filed by the local
fire department
union. In the case, the union claimed
that the day of mourning for Gerald Ford
was a
"holiday" and that they were
each entitled to holiday pay. The
arbitrator ruled that President
Ford's funeral was not a holiday, it was
a "a far more somber occasion, a day
of respect" and
that, under the contract, firefighters
were not entitled to overtime pay for the
day. Had the city
lost the case, the cost would have been
around $30,000. As it was, the case cost
the city around $5,000 in legal and
arbitrator's fees.
LAWRENCE
City of
Lawrence Ordered to Rehire Larry Hester
Chalk one up for
Lawrence's City Attorney's Office, they
blew another case in court this week
as the Civil Service Commission ruled
that the city illegally terminated city building
inspector
Larry Hester, ordered that
he be returned to work with 17 months,
including back pay and any
overtime he would have received had he
not been illegally fired. On a related
note, both the City
Attorney and assistant city attorney were
taking their "lunch hour" today
at Billy Manzi's
St. Patrick's Day luncheon from
12:30-2:15pm.
HUH??
LAWRENCE
I VOTED
FOR LANTIGUA BEFORE I VOTED AGAINST HIM
Governor
Patrick Shows up to Support Marcos
Devers just Three days after Showing up
to Support Willie Lantigua
CLICK ABOVE FOR
GOVERNOR's LETTER SUPPORTED FOR WILLIE
LANTIGUA
Governor
Deval Patrick showed up at a Marcos
Devers fund raising event Thursday,
just
three days after showing his support for
State Rep. Willie Lantigua. Devers and
Lantigua
will face off in the Democrat Primary
this fall. The governor was so nervous
that
people would find out he was playing both
sides of the campaign that he had a
member of the press removed from the
room.
www.SLWLL.org
MASSACHUSETTS
Governor
Deval Patrick's task force to demand
removal
of ALL FLAGS from highway overpasses
Masshighway
workers will be ordered to remove all
flag displays by May
VALLEY
PATRIOT
EXCLUSIVE
NORTH
ANDOVER
Beijing
Restaurant's liquor license
suspended three days
The North Andover
Licensing Board suspended Bejing's liquor
license for three days
stemming
from a fight that broke out and as
highlighted in our editorial last April
(below).
VALLEY
PATRIOT
EDITORIAL 04/04/07
Police
Details Needed?
LAWRENCE/METHUEN
Mayor
Sullivan responds to "biggest
loser" Comments
Methuen Mayor Bill Manzi; "Sullivan
is Going Down!"
Lawrence Mayor Mike
Sullivan today responded to comments made
by Methuen Mayor
Billy
Manzi on WCAP's Paying Attention! Radio
Program last Satuday saying he is
"up
for
the challenge!" in Latitude
Sports Club's "Merrimack Valley's
Biggest Loser weight
loss
competition. Sullivan said today
that he wants to "up that ante"
with a bench pressing
competitoin.
"Look, Manzi could lose 25 pounds in
a week if he just stopped eating a box
of
Twinkies ever day. Let’s make this a
competition that matters,”
LAWRENCE
The
Real Disgrace in the Jennifer Padellaro
Lawsuit
Paying
Attention! with Tom Duggan
Last month I defended City
Council President Patrick Blanchette
in his handling of the Jennifer Padellaro
Lawsuit. But now we know
the real story! MORE COMING...
LAWRENCE
Councilors Vote to
Send Voter ID to State Legislature
Lawrence City Councilors
voted to send a measure to the State
Legislature last night to require VOTER
ID for all Lawrence voters.
AROUND THE VALLEY
Congressman
Tsongas to Deliver Federal Funds to
Merrimack
Valley Regional Transit Authority
Will
Announce $392,000 in Funds Secured in
Federal Spending Bill
METHUEN
posted
02/19/08
Mayor
Manzi Releases Charges on
Police Chief Joe Solomon
For the
first time, Mayor Billy Manzi releases
his charges against
Methuen Police Chief Joe Solomon. Manzi
charges that Solomon
abused his authority and impeded a
criminal investigation against
his brother-in-law, violated conlict of
interest laws, used city resources
to initiate a lawsuit against the city,
"compromised the integrity
of criminal investigations",
"mismanagement of funds", and
"showing preferential
treatment."
METHUEN
VALLEY
PATRIOT
WEB EXTRA!!
On
Eve of police chief’s hearing,
Solomon
supporters accuse
Manzi of corruption, Manzi fires back
“These
are despicable actions of a desperate
man,” Methuen
Mayor Bill Manzi told the Valley Patriot
Tom Duggan
Chief
Solomon alleges federal corruption
probe
of Mayor Manzi
Claims
Mayor’s actions against him are
retaliatory and invokes
protections under federal and state
whistleblower laws
Haverhill
Mayor Orders Hiring Freeze
CONGRESS
Tsongas
Reacts to President's Address
VALLEY
PATRIOT EXCLUSIVE
NORTH ANDOVER
16
year old Arrested, arrained
for bomb threat at North Andover High
North Andover Police arrested a 16 year
old freshman from
N. Andover High and charged her with
making a bomb threat,
yesterday. This initially happened on
FRIDAY of last week.
STILL no story in the Trib.
METHUEN
EXCLUSIVE!!!
Solomon
Attorney Issues Exclusive Statement
to
The Valley Patriot on Lariviere Trial
With the trial of
Maurice Lariviere over and Methuen's
Chief
Solomon and Deputy Chief Alaimo
vindicated against charges
they violated the former city solicitor's
civil rights, Solomon's
lawyer has issued a statement EXCLUSIVELY
to the Valley
Patriot on the matter. Their quote in
today's Trib was
that they will be "issuing a
statement in the future."
And, until they steal our material
without giving us
attribution... YOU CAN ONLY GET IT HERE!
Per
Pupil Spending Rises in North Andover
The BLUE plot is actuals
(except the last point for FY09 which is
the current recommended budget for
next year). The RED curve
shows what the spending per pupil would
be IF it went up 3%
per year. NOTE that enrollment changes
are not important ...
this is PER PUPIL spending.
LAWRENCE
While
city workers are laid off, water bills
and
taxes going up, Council President Parick
Blanchette takes his $5,000 raise
Here is a copy of Patrick
Blanchette's Employee Action Form
where he accepts his $5,000 raise, all
the while criticizing
ACTUAL city employees who have recieved
stipends for
doing REAL work for the city ... MORE
COMING
LAWRENCE
Lawrence
Fire Continues to
Smolder 14 hours Later
LAWRENCE
Salvatore’s
Restaurant donates
food to fire victims and brave heroes
LAWRENCE
Congressman
Tsongas Tours Fire Damage in Lawrence
AUDIO Chief
Takvorian
from last week's city council meeting
NORTH
ANDOVER
School
Committee Claims Former Acting
Superintendent
Stole $4,800 before leaving School System
Former
Acting Superintendent Richard Bergeron is
being accused of stealing
more than $4,800 when he was working for
the school system last year.
Bergeron instructed the clerical staff to
give him the bonus in his paycheck
without legal school committee approval
and without a vote of the
committee. Bergeron is counter suing the
committee claiming he had
a verbal promise from former Committee
Chairman Al Perry to receive
a $15,000 bonus. Bergeron was the
assistant superintendent until he was
elevated to acting superintendent when
Harry Harutunain resigned.
LAWRENCE
Mayor
Sullivan on WCAP: I am OUTRAGED!
Sullivan
Interview Part I(MP3)
>>> Sullivan
Interview Part II(MP3)
Appearing
on WCAP/980AM's Paying Attention radio
program on Saturday,
Lawrence Mayor Mike Sullivan took the
gloves off and went after tabloid
columnist Dalia Diaz and her cronies on
her Lawrence Radio Station for
defending Jim Stokes and manufacturing a
"conspiracy theory" blaming
the Mayor and his admiistration.
LAWRENCE
Valley Patriot
Photo, (c) 2008
Five Alarm Fire
Guts 42-44 Park St.
Lawrence Firefighters brave
the freezing temperatures to battle a
five alarm
fire that gutted this Park St.
building.Fire Chief Takvorial (left, in
yellow) said
the building was abandonedand used to be
a church. Mutual aid responded from
several surrounding communities. Fire
Chief Pete Takvorian took a minute
(actually
1min 32 sec) to answer a few quick
questions. As of 10:30PM fire officials
could not say on the record whether or
not they can rule out arson.
Fire
Chief Takvorian
(MP3)
UPDATE!
LAWRENCE
Stokes
Arraigned in US District Court
1/9/08
updated 4pm
Elected Lawrence School
Committeeman James Stokes was
arraigned in Federal Court in Boston
today after being arrested
at Top Donut on Winthrop Avenue by
Lawrence Police
and Federal Agents.
Mayor,
Superintendent to Walk out of School
Committee
Meeting in Protest of Jim Stokes
Attendance
METHUEN
Methuen
Mayor Bill Manzi's 2nd Innaugural Address
Bill Manzi
Haverhill
Mayor Jim Fiorentini's 3rd
Innaugural Address
Jim
Fiorentini
HAVERHILL
Haverhill
Mayor Hires New DPW Director
North Attleboro DPW Chief,
Michael Stankovich Coming to Haverhill
Mayor Promotes Robert Ward to Deputy DPW
Director
HAVERHILL
Haverhill
High School Pool Opens
CONGRESS
Tsongas
Condemns Bush Administration Plans to
Deny Health Care Coverage to Millions of
Families
President Bush is attacked
for running up a deficit and when he
tries to
cut spending he is, of
course ... attacked
Stokes
Plans to take School Committee Seat
12/18/07
Jim Stokes who was elected
to the school committee last
month, has had his military service
called into question by city
officials and the media. Stokes addressed
the Lawrence
School Committee last night and declared
that he will
not resign his seat and plans to take
office in January.
Russ Contreras from the Boston Globe
covered the meeting and
will have an update on boston.com
Haverhill
Snow
update from Mayor Fiorentini
VALLEY PATRIOT WEB
EXTRA
12/14/07
Lawrence
City Council
Bucks Inspector General's
demand on 128 Newbury St. Property
Lawrence city
councilors bucked Inspector General
Gregory Sullivan
last night by refusing to follow state
law c.30B and refer the property
at 128 Newbury Street to the Housing sub
committee. The City
Council illegally sold the city
owned land on Newbury St. because
they did not follow the proper process,
or any process at all when
considering bids. The IG's office wrote a
letter to the council stating
that they had to go back and start the
process over but instead the
council took a 9-0 vote to defy the IG
and "reaffirmed"
their original illegal vote. No word from
the tribune on this one.
Lawrence
Fiorentini
Announces Sale of Bradford College
Complete
LAWRENCE
Councilor
Alvarez: I will retire from politics in
two years!
posted
(11-03-07)
At-Large
City Councilor Nilka Alvrez-Rodriguez
announced
at the Mount Vernon Neighborhood debate
that she will
retire from politics in two years. The
councilor is seeking
reelection in the at-large city council
race on Tuesday.
LAWRENCE
Councilors
Refuse to File Campaign Finances
RACE FOR
CONGRESS
Remarks
by Niki Tsongas on Winning Election
(posted 10/16/07)
METHUEN
posted 10/10/07 -
Tom Duggan
Ted Kennedy Visits
Manzi Gardens
to Endorse Niki Tsongas for congress
Video
1 - Sen. Ted Kennedy brings his dogs to
meet seniors in Methuen
Video
2 - Mayor Bill Manzi supports S-CHIP
program as he touts Tsongas
Video
3 - Sen Kennedy speaks at Manzi Gardens
about senior issues,
and
chides Tsongas' opponents
Lawrence
Blanchette:
Loans to Pay City Computer Workers Were
Illegal
City Council
President Patrick Blanchette says
a loan for over $1 Mil to pay for the
city's
Internet & Technology workers was
illegal
because it did not get council aproval.
Blanchette's
Letter to Comptroller/Treasurer
Blanchette's
Letter to City Atty
Charlie
Boddy's Response to Blanchette
North
Andover
FY08
Budget Spreadsheet
THANK GOD we have
people like Cindy Jalbert
who can volunteer hours of her time to
put THIS
kind of hysterical budget together.
North
Andover
POWER
POINT PRESENTATION ON
THE FY08 SCHOOL BUDGET
Dirma
Espada's House to be Auctioned
Lawrence's
favorite Identity Thief Dirma Espada
(Milagros Dominguez?) will have her
Falmouth
Street Home Auctioned. Will her newspaper
"The
Latino News"
be next?
Tribune's Bill
Ketter Named VP of News
for Community Newspaper Holdings, Inc.
The New
Angland Press Association reports today
that Eagle~Tribune Editor Bill Ketter has
been
named VP of News for Community Newpaper
Holdings headquartered in Birmingham
Alabama
Primary
Day Pictures in Methuen
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
All pictures and
material are
(C) copyright, Valley
Patriot,
Inc., 2008
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
All pictures and
material are
(C) copyright, Valley Patriot, Inc., 2008
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