Archive for June 22nd, 2011

June 22nd, 2011

Fallout from DiMasi verdict hits Greater Lowell

by DickH

While the trial of former House Speaker Sal DiMasi last week came to a close, the jury verdict did not signal an end to the apparently wide-ranging investigation that led to that trial. Yesterday, the Globe reported that DiMasi’s convicted co-defendant, Richard McDonough, had, according to the Globe story which was based on a State Inspector General’s report, been given a “no-show, no-work job on a public payroll” by an outfit in Chelmsford called the Merrimack Education Collaborative.

Before I could fully digest the implications of that story, the Globe followed with another today that John Barranco, the former Executive Director of that outfit (called the Merrimack Special Education Collaborative in today’s story) and the man who had hired McDonough had, again according to the Globe story, “fleeced” the organization of more than $10 million. The Globe also wrote that according to the Inspector General, the oversight provided by the organization’s board of directors “may have been compromised by Barranco’s habit of appointing them to high paying positions.”

This story gets a bit confusing because there are two similarly named entities involved: Merrimack Education Center Inc and Merrimack Special Education Collaborative. The two have separate websites but Merrimack Education Center Inc seems to private-side portion of this operation. Merrimack Education Center Inc. owns the various properties listed for both organizations (40 Linnell Circle in Billerica, 114 Turnpike Road in Chelmsford, and 40, 80 and 84 Brick Kiln Road in Chelmsford. Merrimack Education Center Inc also is on file with the Secretary of State’s Corporation’s Division as an active Massachusetts corporation with Dr. Barranco holding all executive offices. The latest annual report conveniently includes a list of the organization’s 2009-10 Board of Directors which contains some familiar Greater Lowell names.

The Special Education Collaborative, on the other hand, appears to be some type of regional governmental or quasi-governmental agency. It does not appear as an independent corporation and how else would McDonough, as an employee, be considered to be a public employee? According to its website, “The Collaborative serves ten member schools districts – Billerica, Chelmsford, Dracut, Groton-Dunstable Regional, Nashoba ValleyTechnical High School, North Middlesex Regional, Tewksbury, Tyngsboro, Westford, and Whittier Regional Vocational Technical High School as well as more than 85 other districts.”

One interesting twist of today’s story is that Barranco had used the Center’s credit card for three hotel and ticket packages at the 2005 Kentucky Derby. The accommodations were used by Barranco and two unnamed members of the board of trustees. The hotel rooms were part of a block set aside for Cognos, the software vendor at the root of the DiMasi trial and the company from which the Collaborative had purchased $250,000 in software.
It would seem that the IG’s findings would provide much for prosecutors to explore but as folks in Lowell know, an Inspector General’s finding of wrong-doing doesn’t necessarily amount to anything.

June 22nd, 2011

Lowell Small Business Assistance Center Newsletter

by Marie

The Lowell Small Business Assistance center is now publishing a monthly Newsletter. Highlighted this month is a new microloan program:

This month the Center announced the Lowell Small Business Assistance Center Microloan Fund program. We are very excited to be able to offer financial resources to entrepreneurs while also serving as a technical assistance provider. The Microloan Fund Program serves entrepreneurs in the Merrimack Valley who lack access to conventional credit but who have the capacity to grow their business.

To read more about the microloan program, upcoming seminars, training programs, LSBAC resources and to sign-up for the Newsletter click here

June 22nd, 2011

“Jaws” Released 36 Years Ago

by Tony

On June 22, 1975 Universal Studios released the classic movie “Jaws”. Directed by a young Steven Speilberg, movie critics consider Jaws one of the best movies ever made. The movie stars Roy Scheider as Chief Martin Brody, Robert Shaw as Quint and Richard Dreyfuss as Matt Hooper. Even today, 36 years after its release, the movie’s theme music is unmistakeable.

June 22nd, 2011

Break Dancing @ YMCA in Lowell

by Tony

I can’t dance for “beans”. In fact I’ve always suspected that’s one of the reasons I liked Michael Jackson so much. He could do better anyone else in the world, what I couldn’t do at all, dance.
If you are into creative dance you’ve got to watch this video. Its the Symptomz Crew vs. Floorlords Crew at the YMCA in Lowell in a reunion jam…incredible.

This video was originally posted by DustyXProductions.

June 22nd, 2011

FDR and Edith Nourse Rogers ~ G. I. Bill of Rights on June 22, 1944

by Marie

On this day in 1944, U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944, popularly known as the “GI Bill of Rights’’ – an unprecedented act of legislation designed to compensate returning members of the armed services–known as G.I.s–for their efforts in World War II. Edith Nourse Rogers – longtime member of Congress from Lowell representing the Fifth District – sponsored and helped to draft this landmark piece of legislation. Some feel that this legislation ranks in importance with Social Security, Medicare and the Civil Rights Act.

From History.com:As the last of its sweeping New Deal reforms, Roosevelt’s administration created the G.I. Bill–officially the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944–hoping to avoid a relapse into the Great Depression after the war ended. FDR particularly wanted to prevent a repeat of the Bonus March of 1932, when 20,000 unemployed veterans and their families flocked in protest to Washington. The American Legion, a veteran’s organization, successfully fought for many of the provisions included in the bill, which gave returning servicemen access to unemployment compensation, low-interest home and business loans, and–most importantly–funding for education.

From other sources:

The legislation provided for:
•one year’s unemployment compensation of $20 per week.
•loans to buy homes or start businesses. The home loans – backed by the Veterans Administration – had low interest and required no down payment.
•college or vocational training. For veterans who were full-time students, the government paid tuition, books, registration fees and lab fees in addition to giving the veteran a monthly stipend. For part-time students the government only paid the veteran’s tuition.

Check out this Army Information Branch video prepared for WWII vets: http://www.glogster.com/media/2/11/42/81/11428124.jpg

June 22nd, 2011

Students From Lowell Community Charter School Perform @ City Hall

by Tony

This video was originally posted on YouTube by johnboutselis13

Students of the Lowell Community Charter Public School perform traditional music at Lowell City Hall to celebrate Khmer New Year.