July 22nd, 2010
by Marie
Scot’s Heather wins prize in 1861
Both Tewksbury weeklies – The Advocate and the Town Crier – are reporting plans for a summer search for any signs that the “Scot’s Heather” - that won a “New Native Plant” medal from the Massachusetts Horticultural Society back in 1861 – still grows in the Tewksbury town environs.
Tewksbury was once known as the “Carnation Capital of the World” where for example in 1976 the Patten Family Greenhouses grew over 2,000,000 blossoms annually. The firm was founded back in 1870 and shipped these flowers world-wide. These days the greenhouses are mostly broken relics of the past.
Today the flower-focus is on finding any sign of the heather that caused such stir back in 1861 that it brought a horticultural “Flower Committee” to town to investigate the flower-find that witnessess said had been growing locally since before the Revolutionary War. The Tewksbury Historical Society is sponsoring the heather-search of a Livington Street meadow on Saturday July 24th and invites the public to join environmentalist Steve Ivas leading the search. Later this year the Historical Society will present a play to tell this story.
Read the full story here on-line at wickedlocal.com. If you plan to join the search, make sure that you dress appropriately – long pants with sunscreen are advised!
Culture, Greater Lowell, History | 
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June 18th, 2010
by Marie
Lowell SUN editor Chris Scott is reporting on-line that John Kelly of Dracut has dropped out the race for the Democratic nomination for State Senate in the Second Essex/Midddlesex District. Union leader Kelly was in the race early – planning to run head-to-head against the incumbent Senator Sue Tucker but he’s not been seen campaigning at local events recently. When Tucker announced her plans to retire and not run for reelection the field got crowded. Andover State Representative Barry Finegold, Andover School Committee member Deb Silberstein and Andover resident Jack Wilson joined the race on the Democratic side.
According to Scott’s report Kelly will endorse Wilson who worked for former State Senator John O’Brien back in the 1990s. The Second Essex/Middlesex Senate District includes the city of Lawrence and the communities of Andover, Dracut and Tewksbury. Barry Finegold’s 17th Essex Rep District includes precincts in Andover, Lawrence and Tewksbury. The Kelly decision makes an interesting race even more so as officials, activists and other supporters line up behind these candidates. Rumor has it that Dracut Board of Selectmen Chairman George Malliaros plans to endorse Finegold who has garned much support with Tewksbury town officials. Board of Selectman Chairman Todd Johnson was the emcee at a recent Finegold event.
The race also includes Jamison Tomasek and Patrick Rahilly who will face off in the Republican primary and Independent Jodi Oberto.
Stay tuned as the race unfolds in the run-up to the September 14th primary.
Read more: http://www.lowellsun.com/breakingnews/ci_15325370#ixzz0rDtCDXN7
Election 2010, Greater Lowell, History, Politics | 1 Comment »
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