Top Ten Lowell Political Events of 2007

As 2014 draws to a close, I will be posting some of my previous Year in Review blog posts (I already posted by 2014 year in review).  Here is 2007:

Marty Meehan resigns from Congress to become Chancellor of UMass Lowell.

Niki Tsongas wins Democratic primary in Congressional special election, defeating Eileen Donoghue, Jamie Eldridge, Barry Finegold and Jim Miceli.

Tsongas defeats Republican Jim Ogonowski in a surprisingly close special Congressional election.

Superintendent of Schools Karla Baehr opts out of a renewal of her contract to seek the state Commissioner of Education job.

Radio station WCAP (980 AM) sold by long time owner Maurice Cohen to Clark Smidt and Sam Poulten.

Changes on the Lowell City Council as Alan Kazanjian and Mike Lenzi are elected to replace Eileen Donoghue and Joe Mendonca (who had replaced George Ramirez).

The School Committee is shaken up as new comer Dave Conway tops the ticket and Baehr-critic Regina Faticanti finishes a strong second while five term incumbent Kevin McHugh is defeated.

Cancer claimed the life of Paul Sullivan, who began his media career at WLLH as the host of Morning Magazine and who became a force in local and state politics as a Lowell Sun columnist and a talk show host on WBZ radio.

The collapse of the real estate market continued, with home sales down and foreclosures up and the resulting credit crisis threatening to bring down the entire economy.

A Boston Red Sox team filled with former Lowell Spinners Jonathan Papelbon, John Lester, Clay Buchholz, Dustin Pedroia, Kevin Youkilis, Jacoby Ellsbury and Brandon Moss, wins the World Series.