Posts tagged ‘Merrimack valley’

August 14th, 2010

Merrimack Valley Connections

by Marie

We sometimes forget that the Merrimack Valley is a bi-state region with deep historical roots. The  flow of the mighty Merrimack River has been a unifying force for the culture, heritage and livelihood of its residents since time of the Pentacook tribes through the Industrial Revolution to this modern era of highway, environmental and technology connections.

The cross-valley and cross-state connection manifests itself in many ways - including politics, the economy, shared  traditions, sports and other rivalries, deep family and ethnic relationships, transportation, tourism, education, causes, culture, the arts and recreation.

Over the next year I’ll be writing about these Merrimack Valley connections from an historical,  political, practical and personal point of view.

Today I’ll note the practical - a sharing among Merrimack Valley law enforcement veterans is noted in a story from the Manchester NH Union Leader. The subject is a problem with gangs and gang  fighting which is on the rise in Manchester. Lawrence Police Chief John Romero and Lowell Deputy police Superintendent Arthur Ryan have shared their experiences and strategies with Manchester as well as Nashua.

Both Romero and Ryan in offering advice said their cities’ gang problems are far from solved but for the time being are relatively under control. Read the full article here at the UnionLeader.com.

“This is an age-old story,” said Ryan, referring to youth considering the possible benefits of joining a gang. “You’re looking down the street and you see who has all the toys and who’s getting the respect. It’s the bad guy.”

Stay tuned for more from and about the Merrimack Valley.

CategoryCulture, Current Events, Education, Greater Lowell, History, Poetry, Politics | CommentNo Comments »

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August 1st, 2010

Jane Brox’s ‘Brilliant” Reviewed in NYT Bk Rev

by PaulM

The Merrimack Valley’s own Jane Brox earned a full page review of her new book “Brilliant: The Evolution of Artificial Light” in the NYT Book Review. A full page review in the Sunday Times is major-league attention. Reviewer Elizabeth Royte spends most of her sentences describing what’s in the book and is sparing in the kind of praise that authors, editors, and publishers, especially the marketing people, crave. I didn’t see the proverbial “killer quote” (in a good way), but Royte gives Jane her due for this in-depth exploration of one of the basics of life these days. We just expect to have light at night now. Wasn’t always the case, as Jane explains so thoughtfully in the book.

Here’s some applause from the reviewer: “Ruminative and curious, Brox excels at discussing the cultural and psychological changes wrought by more and better light….”

Read the full review here, and considering buying one or more copies of the book, please. This commercial is brought to you by the Merrimack Valley Writers Association (or would be if we had one).

CategoryCulture, History, Lowell | Comment2 Comments »

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July 30th, 2010

Former Methuen Police Chief Wins His Appeal

by Marie

The embargo broken, Noah Bombard is reporting on the Eagle Tribune blog that fired former Methuen Police Chief  Joseph Solomon has won his case with the Massachusetts Civil Service Commission. Solomon was fired over two years ago. This finding must come as a bombshell to Methuen Mayor Bill Manzi.

Staff writers Gretchen M. Putnam and JJ Huggins are reporting on the Eagle Tribune website from the finding:

The state’s Civil Service Commission today set aside Joseph Solomon’s firing as police chief, ordering him returned as Methuen’s top cop Oct. 1. In a 125-page, and sometimes scathing decision, Commissioner Paul Stein found Solomon worthy of a 12-month unpaid suspension but did not believe the city’s claims the chief was guilty of ethical misconduct, poor managerial decisions and mismanagement of federal grant money.

Instead, Stein found Methuen was guilty of “improper overreaching” and “piling on a number of dubious and stale charges without merit which Solomon was obliged to defend.”

They also spoke with Mayor Bill Manzi:

An obviously disappointed Mayor William Manzi chastised civil service, saying “the system is clearly broken.” The mayor said the city will fight the decision in Superior Court in hopes of keeping Solomon from returning until the appeal is heard.

This story will certainly play out over the next few days and beyond. Read the full article here on the Eagle Tribune website. Stay tuned.

CategoryCurrent Events, Greater Lowell, Politics | CommentNo Comments »

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July 19th, 2010

Jane Brox in TIME. Repeat. Jane Brox in TIME.

by PaulM

We know her. Jane Brox, now living in Maine, but who will always be connected to Dracut and the Merrimack Valley, has a new book, “Brilliant: The Evolution of Artificial Light,” which is featured this week as one of TIME magazine’s Short List “Picks for the Week.” Here’s the recommendation:

Jane Brox’s extraordinary history of artificial light is aptly named. It’s not just a record of technological innovation; it’s a great human fable about how we went from desperately fending off darkness to searching for the last vestiges of true night in a light bedazzled world.

Congratulations to Jane for her fourth book. The others are “Here and Nowhere Else,” “Five Thousand Days Like This One,” and “Clearing Land.” Click here for details about her  books.

And click here for a list of her upcoming readings and book-signings in New England and beyond. On Thursday, Sept. 9, 7 pm, she will be at the Andover Bookstore. Don’t wait until then to get the book.

CategoryCulture, Greater Lowell, History, Lowell | CommentNo Comments »

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July 16th, 2010

LMA Snags Garrison Keillor for March 2011

by PaulM

Nancye Tuttle of the SUN broke the news on June 10 that Lowell Memorial Auditorium will present writer, radioman extraordinaire, and poetry enthusiast Garrison Keillor on March 6, 2011. As far as I can recall Keillor has never played Lowell or the Merrimack Valley, so that’s a great get. Let’s be sure Garrison gets a guided tour of the Kerouac Commemorative and other Kerouac places in Lowell when he visits because we want him to talk about Lowell’s literary heritage on his radio program and spread the word in other ways.

Coming up at the LMA are Monty Python’s Spamalot, the Cast of Deadliest Catch Live, animal expert Jack Hanna, Loretta LaRoche, the Boston Pops Holiday Concert on Dec. 19, the Pink Floyd Experience, and much more. For the full schedule for fall-winter-spring, visit www.lowellauditorium.com or call 978-454-2299.

Garrison Keillor (photo: bluepossum.homestead.com)

CategoryCulture, Education, History, Lowell, Poetry | CommentNo Comments »

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July 14th, 2010

Merrimack Valley Magazine, July-Aug

by PaulM

Kudos to Glenn Prezzano for making Merrimack Valley Magazine better and better with each issue. As a region, the Merrimack Valley needs this kind of publication to develop and maintain a distinct personality and image. The combination of local content, local writers, local photographers and designers, and business talent is impressive. The recent announcement about Special Places in the state is on theme with the message of the magazine. With each issue, the MV Magazine team contributes to the “sense of place” in the cities and towns along the river.

This bio-regional approach has much to recommend it — it’s a good way to be thinking about the area in which we live. The keynote speaker at the recent Innovative Cities Conference in Lowell, Adolfo Carrion of the White House Office of Urban Affairs, said urban areas must begin thinking  of themselves more regionally, both in the way they connect to surrounding towns and in their linkages to nearby cities that make up their metropolitan areas, particularly the small to medium-sized cities. Manchester, Nashua, Lowell, Lawrence, Haverhill, Newburyport—there’s a commonality there that not only may offer some answers to enduring challenges in the region, but also may hold the potential for progress on fronts we have not fully explored.

The July-Aug issue has an excellent article about the Concord River Greenway Park by Emilie-Noelle Provost with photographs by Adrien Bisson, and a couple of fine food pieces by Kathleen Pierce, illustrated with photos by Kevin Harkins. There’s also an excerpt from a memoir by Lawrence writer Richard Edward Noble (“A Summer with Charlie,” set in 1961).  And page 27  has a witty cartoon by Jim Roldan titled “Merrimack Valley Ice Cream Company” that shows four ice cream containers labeled: “Lowell: Kerouac Krunch, Eat It On the Road,” “Andover: Extremely Vanilla, Silver Spoon Included,” Lawrence:  Mucho Gusto, Mocha Swirl,” and “Seabrook Station: Glow-in-the-Dark Pistachio.”

Check out the current issue at your local news stand or the magazine rack at your supermarket (Market Basket always has it) or visit www.mvmag.net for a sample of the contents.

MVM July Aug 2010

CategoryCulture, Greater Lowell, History, Lowell | Comment1 Comment »

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July 3rd, 2010

In the Merrimack Valley: The Nuns Won!

by Marie

In today’s Eagle Tribune  religious writer Yadira Betances tells the story of the Sisters of Notre Dame who took a chance and bought a raffle ticket. The offering was no ordinary prize but Red Sox tickets – 18 luxury seats near first base and the Sox dugout at Fenway Park. At $100 per chance – it took a group effort of ten nuns – all Red Sox fans – to come up with $10 each.  Jokes about “divine intervention” and the nuns’  nine-day novena aside – the lucky ten along with eight guest nuns will “limousine” their way to Fenway Park to cheer their team along with others in Red Sox Nation. By the way, the raffle raised more than $50,000 for a very good cause – Lazarus House - a homeless shelter, food pantry, soup kitchen and thrift shop in Lawrence.

Remember when Cardinal Cushing would take the nuns of the Archdiocese to Fenway?

Read the full story here in the Eagle Tribune.

CategoryCulture, Current Events, Greater Lowell | CommentNo Comments »

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June 23rd, 2010

Holy Family Hospital Part of the Caritas System

by Marie

The Globe is reporting today that support for the sale of the Archdiocese of  Boston-owned Caritas Christi Healthcare is growing. Local officials, employee unions, the medical community, state representatives, community leaders even retirees are on-board with the sale of the six-hospital non-profit system to Cerberus Capitol Management – a private equity firm. Oversite of this sale falls to Attorney General Martha Coakley – who needs to be convinced that this is the best option for the survival of the healthcare system – and the DPH - that must approve the licensure of any new ownership. The AG and state are  in the midst of a  series of  public hearings that will allow input on the proposal from all stakeholders and concerned parties. For Cerberus – it’s so far – so good – with cautions coming on the questions of  the continued Catholic identity of the hospitals and continued healthcare access to certain programs and the possibility of  hospital closings. There is some question about the firmness of project  ”guarantees.”

Ellen Murphy Meehan, a former Vice-President at Lawrence General Hospital,  attended one of the hearings and spoke pointedly for the Health Care Access Coalition:

Ellen Murphy Meehan, coordinator for the Health Care Access Coalition, a group of caregivers in low-income communities, said “a transfer of ownership of a nonprofit system of this size and significance to a for-profit is unprecedented and requires a higher level of scrutiny than any we have seen in Massachusetts ever before.’’

Healthcare in the Merrimack Valley is part of these considerations as the  Holy Family Hospital in Methuen – a major area hospital – is part of the Caritas system. As they note on their website:  At our 254-bed, not-for-profit Catholic hospital, we serve some 450,000 individuals and their families in 20 communities throughout the Merrimack Valley and southern New Hampshire. 

The final hearing on the Caritas-Cerberus proposal will be in Methuen next week. Voice your opinion.

Read the full story by  Robert Weisman and Megan Woolhouse here in the Globe.

CategoryCurrent Events, Greater Lowell, Science | Comment3 Comments »

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June 15th, 2010

More Movement on Merrimack Valley School Superintendent Scene

by Marie

The Merrimack Valley has seen changes or changes are in the works at the top level of many school districts lately – Tewksbury, Dracut, Andover, Lawrence, Haverhill, Greater Lowell Voke, Greater Lawrence Voke and probably more. There are so many that even the Massachusetts Association of  School Superintendents can’t keep its website member-roster current. It sometimes seems like a chess game as retired superintendents return as interims and administrators from one district – Greater Lowell for example – move across the Valley to head another. Fiscal considerations, falling state reimbursements and revenue constraints have school districts on the hot seat these days with the superintendents needing all the answers. Retirement beckons – or maybe just a change of scenery.

Another change is on the horizon – this time in Methuen. Superintendent Dr. Jeanne Whitten – who includes a stint in the Lowell School system on her resume - announced last night that she will retire in August. Family concerns triggered her decision.  Dr. Whitten has spent thirty-eight years as an educator. See the Eagle-Tribune article here.

CategoryCulture, Current Events, Education, Greater Lowell | CommentNo Comments »

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