Archive for December, 2011

December 31st, 2011

In the Merrimack Valley: Dropping Unemployment Rates in Local Communities

by Marie

From the Tewkbury Patch and writer Katie Curley-Katzman – I borrowed this interesting chart comparing the unemployment rates in Merrimack Valley communities between November 2010 and November 2011 and between October and November 21011. While there is other data that can be considered, at least the comparison of these numbers from the State Office of Workforce Development shows that unemployment rates are improving for communities in the Merrimack Valley.

Community Unemployment Rate Nov. 2011 Unemployment Rate Oct. 2011 Unemployment Rate Nov. 2010
Acton 4.1 % 4.7 % 5.8 %
Andover 4.6 % 5.3 % 6.4 %
Chelmsford 5.4 % 5.8 % 6.7 %
Dracut 6.1 % 6.7 % 8.0 %
Lawrence 14.4 % 15.4 % 17.0 %
Littleton 4.6 % 4.9 % 6.4 %
Lowell 8.7 % 9.3 % 10.5 %
North Andover 5.4 % 5.6 % 7.2 %
North Reading 5.3 % 6.0 % 6.9 %
Reading 4.9 % 5.5 % 6.2 %
Tewksbury 5.5 % 5.9 % 7.3 %
Wakefield 4.7 % 5.6 % 7.0 %
Westford 4.5 % 4.9 % 6.3 %

 

CategoryGreater Lowell | Comment1 Comment »

December 31st, 2011

2011 Real Estate Wrap-up

by DickH

At the end of each month at the registry of deeds, I compile that month’s document recording statistics and post them on the LowellDeeds blog with a comparison to the same month of the preceding year. Because this is December, I was also able to run the stats for the entire year. Here they are:

  • The overall number of documents recorded in 2011 dropped 6% compared to 2010, falling from 63,122 to 59,563
  • The number of deeds recorded in 2011 dropped 4% compared to 2010, falling from 5390 to 5158
  • The number of mortgages recorded in 2011 dropped 14% compared to 2010, falling from 13,675 to 11,818
  • The number of foreclosure deeds recorded in 2011 dropped 27% compared to 2010, falling from 585 to 429
  • The number of orders of notice recorded in 2011 dropped 37% compared to 2010, falling from 1143 to 720.

While the foreclosure related drops would appear to be positive news, the real drop in foreclosures occurred late in 2010 and early in 2011. In both November and December of 2011 there were substantial increases in both foreclosure deeds and orders of notice compared to the same months in 2010. We will have to watch the coming months closely to determine whether this is becoming lengthier negative trend.

Also yesterday, I posted the Top Ten Events at the Registry of Deeds for 2011. Here they are, reposted from LowellDeeds:

  1. After years of discussion, study and testing, the “new” version of MassLandRecords.com becomes the default search application for registry of deeds records on the internet.
  2. In two far-reaching decisions on mortgage foreclosures, Ibanez v. US Bank in January and Bevilacqua v Rodriguez in October, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court held that a foreclosure commenced prior to the the entity conducting the foreclosure being assigned the mortgage is void, even as against a subsequent purchaser of the property.
  3. Adverse weather repeatedly had a negative impact on registry operations. Snow forced the closure or curtailment of operations on six days in January and February; Hurricane Irene interrupted electricity and partially flooded the basement in August; and the Halloween snowstorm knocked out power and closed the office for two days in early November.
  4. The new MassLandRecords put all grantor and grantee indexes from 1629 to the present on the registry website.
  5. A major revision to Massachusetts Homestead Law went into effect on March 16.
  6. Attorney General Martha Coakley sued five national lenders for, among other things, failing to modify mortgages in good faith, failing to record required assignments of mortgages and foreclosing on properties when not legally entitled to do so.
  7. Essex South Register of Deeds John O’Brien gained national attention with his efforts against MERS and robo-signers.
  8. The new elevator in the Superior Court was completed and went into operation.
  9. The Lowell-based movie “The Fighter” which had scenes filmed in the Superior Courthouse, won Academy Awards and Golden Globes for Best Supporting Actor (Christian Bale) and actress (Melissa Leo).
  10. The Boston Bruins won the Stanley Cup.

CategoryGreater Lowell, Lowell | Comment1 Comment »

December 31st, 2011

Wannalancit Christmas Tree Smokestack

by DickH

Photos by Tony Sampas

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December 31st, 2011

Remembering “Auld Lang Syne”

by Marie

A New Year’s Eve tradition was popularized on this day – December 31, 1929 – when band leader, Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians played “Auld Lang Syne” at the stroke of midnight in the Roosevelt Hotel in New York City.  “Auld Lang Syne” is a poem written by Scotsman Robert Burns – set to a very old tune – played and sung on New Year’s Eve and also when appropriate to remember and honor old friends and past times. Many use this lyrical tribute as a toast.  Loosely translated it means “days gone by” or “old times”.  Here’s an “English” translation of the Burns poem:

“Auld Lang Syne” 

Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and never brought to mind ?
Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and old lang syne ?

CHORUS:
For auld lang syne, my dear,
for auld lang syne,
we’ll take a cup of kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.

And surely you’ll buy your pint cup !
and surely I’ll buy mine !
And we’ll take a cup o’ kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.

CHORUS
We two have run about the slopes,
and picked the daisies fine ;
But we’ve wandered many a weary foot,
since auld lang syne.

CHORUS
We two have paddled in the stream,
from morning sun till dine† ;
But seas between us broad have roared
since auld lang syne.

CHORUS
And there’s a hand my trusty friend !
And give us a hand o’ thine !
And we’ll take a right good-will draught,
for auld lang syne.

CHORUS

More here at wikipedia.

A Happy, Healthy, Peaceful New Year my friends – but always remembering “auld lang syne.”

CategoryCulture, Poetry | Comment1 Comment »

December 31st, 2011

Happy New Year: ‘Take-Out’ by Richard Marion

by PaulM

 

This one is for everyone who will be ordering Chinese food for New Year’s Eve.

“Take-Out” by Richard Marion (c) 2011

See more artwork at www.richardmarion.net

CategoryCulture, History, Lowell | Comment1 Comment »

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December 30th, 2011

The Power of Place: Niagara Falls, N.Y.,Checks In

by PaulM

Niagara Falls and Pawtucket Falls. You wouldn’t think they have a lot in common because of the vast difference in scale, but each of these water features is a defining element of the community that grew where the water rushed by. Read what’s being talked about in Niagara Falls on the topic of public spaces and healthy communities.
And here’s the link for the website of the Project for Public Spaces.

CategoryCulture, History, Lowell | Comment1 Comment »

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December 30th, 2011

What Is A Caucus Anyway?

by Tony

Iowa, Iowa, Iowa…”Iowa” is the word you hear the most on TV, radio and political blogs these days. Why? because on January 3 (this Tuesday) both the Republican and Democratic Parties will “caucus” in Iowa. Many, like me, go around pretending we know how a caucus works, but really have little clue about the specifics. ABC News produced a video explaining simply the Iowa Caucus procedure. I’ve posted it below.

CategoryElection 2012 | CommentNo Comments »

December 29th, 2011

More Inauguration Days

by DickH

Last night I wrote about Lowell City Council inaugurations from 1966, 1970, 1990, 1992 and 1994. While the day should be a happy one for all involved, more often than not the election of the city’s mayor, which is the first act of the council after taking the oath of office, has been contentious or at least hurtful to some, at least (which also makes such contests forever interesting to those of us who follow the city’s political history). Here are some more inauguration day reports:

1968 – Bob Maguire was elected mayor on the first ballot with 6 votes to 3 for Tom Crowley. Maguire lost in the next election but returned to the council later in the 1970s and was elected to a second term as mayor in 1980.

1972 – Ellen Sampson was elected mayor on the 106th ballot. On inauguration day, Paul Tsongas and Phil Shea were the leading contenders but neither could get the necessary 5th vote. After 15 ballots at the inauguration, the council voted to recess and resume the voting at the next evening’s regularly scheduled council meeting. During the 51 ballots cast that night, Shea, Tsongas and Councilor Richard P Howe all received 4 votes on various ballots but none could reach 5. Another recess was held and two nights later after 40 more ballots, Phil Shea announced he was withdrawing his candidacy and would vote for Sampson was was elected on the next ballot.

1974 – Armand LeMay was elected mayor on the first ballot with 5 votes to Leo Farley’s 4. LeMay, who had been defeated in 1971 after serving two terms, returned to top the ticket in the 1973 election.

1976 – Leo Farley was elected mayor on the third ballot with 5 votes to Richard P. Howe’s 4. Howe had received 4 votes throughout the balloting but could not secure a fifth vote. Farley won when first-term councilor Donald Scott, who had been voting for himself, switched his vote to Farley.

1978 – Ray Rourke was elected mayor on the third ballot when Bob Maguire switched his vote from Sam Pollard to Rourke. Although Rourke had only just been elected to the city council, he had previously been a long-time state legislature.

1980 – Bob Maguire was elected mayor on the third ballot, defeating Sam Pollard who had received Maguire’s vote on the first ballot.

1982 – Brendan Fleming was elected mayor on the first ballot

1984 – Brian Martin was elected mayor on the tenth ballot. At age 33, he was the youngest mayor in the city’s history (until now????).

1986 (Monday, January 6) – Bob Kennedy was elected mayor on the first ballot, receiving votes from himself, Brian Martin, Dick O’Malley, Armand LeMay and Richard Howe. Gus Coutu received votes from himself, Kathy Kelley, Ray Rourke and Brendan Fleming.

1988 (Monday, January 4) – Richard P. Howe was elected mayor on the first ballot by a unanimous vote.

1996 (Tuesday, January 2) – Bud Caulfield was elected mayor on the first ballot by a 5 to 4 vote. Caulfield received votes from himself, Richard P Howe, Grady Mulligan, Rita Mercier and Larry Martin. Steve Gendron received his own vote plus those of Matt Donahue, Eileen Donoghue and Peter Richards.

CategoryHistory, Lowell | CommentNo Comments »

December 29th, 2011

In memory of those we lost – Lowell Beautiful

by DickH

Photo by Tony Sampas

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December 29th, 2011

James P. Scondras Memorial Gymnasium, Rogers School

by PaulM

Places gather meaning from the names we give to them. It’s a basic human impulse to give a name to a place. The original gestures pass into history and are sometimes overlooked as we live day to day. People who are new to a place may not know the source of the names on local streets, buildings, and monuments. Sometimes names change: Lowell replaced East Chelmsford, which replaced Wamesit. Across Lowell, there are tributes to notable persons from the community in the form of signs, plaques, building names, and more. On Highland Street at the Edith Nourse Rogers School, now the home of the administrative offices of the Lowell School Department, the ever-busy gymnasium is named for James P. Scondras (1920 – 1945). He was a star athlete at Lowell High School and Holy Cross College who died in battle on the island of Iwo Jima in February, 1945.

Here are three links to websites that tell more about this outstanding young man and US Marine: The Lowell High School Athletic Hall of Fame site, another called Baseball in Wartime, and the Spring 2011 issue of the online magazine of Holy Cross College in Worcester. The Holy Cross article by John W. Gearan is especially interesting for its telling of what happened on Iwo Jima:

Impossible to imagine, but true. Sgt. Tsaffaras, First Lt. Scondras ’43 and Cpl. Tsapatsaris grew up in The Acre, an immigrant-springboard neighborhood, then also known as Greektown. All graduated from Lowell High. Because he had high cheekbones and the daring of a Native American brave, his pals nicknamed Jimmy Scondras “The Chief.” They called Tsapatsaris “Red” because of his hair. Scondras ’43 signed on with the U.S. Marines Corps Reserves at Holy Cross. Tsaffaras joined the Marines in April 1942, Tsapatsaris, in November 1943.

Now they are together again, in a foxhole, in mortal danger. The reunion lasts only 20 minutes. “Jimmy (Tsaffaras) put together a quick meal for us from a can of scrambled eggs,” recalls Tsapatsaris.

 

 

CategoryHistory, Lowell | Comment2 Comments »

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