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Writers’ Block  by Leo Racicot For nine years, I was lucky to live on what’s known as The Writers’ Block; two streets, Francis Avenue and Irving, a stone’s throw away from Harvard College, Cambridge. In exchange for my room, I worked for two former members of The Roosevelt Era, caring…

‘Tis of Thee By Jessica Wilson (Re-posted from Jessica Wilson’s own blog, A Year of Firsts.) There was a very specific moment in my life when I formed my idea of what America means – what she is. I was a junior in college, and because I was almost done…

Go jump in the …Seine! 2.0 By Louise Peloquin      During the summer of 2024, seven blog pieces covered the Paris Olympic Games with three on swimming in the Seine. (1) A year later, Paris mayor Annie Hidalgo and her team want to keep Parisian dog day blues at bay with a…

The Lowell City Council had a special meeting this past Monday night to complete the agenda for last Tuesday’s meeting. Usually, unfinished business would have been kicked over to the next regularly scheduled meeting, but on Tuesday when the clock slid past 10 pm, Mayor Dan Rourke asked his colleagues…

July 4, 2025 By Steve Edington It’s a beautiful day here in my part of New England, coming as it does after several days of very high heat and humidity. I’ll do some yard work later today and then take a walk. My walk will be through a wooded area…

IN THE MINORS Terry Downes The old coach squinted towards the mound To watch the youngster there To see if he might have the stuff Or just be ordinaire. It was a dusty afternoon And hot in late July A blazing sun above the field Turned green turf tough and…

The Holidays in 1960s Lowell By Leo Racicot Every year, as Valentine’s Day approached, our teachers would get us excited with mention of a possible party (if we were good) and we set about with our parents buying Valentine cards to handout to our classmates on the day itself. The nuns…

“Lowell has responded splendidly” – (PIP #75) By Louise Peloquin       The National Defense Day program was one of the items on the September 3rd 1924 Lowell City Council meeting agenda. (1)  Posting it seems appropriate on the eve of America’s 250th birthday. L’Étoile – Front page, September 12, 1924 A PARADE OF 7000…

The Lowell City Council met on Tuesday night. As is often the case with the summer schedule of just two meetings per month, the council did not get through the meeting agenda before its 10 pm deadline. Although the council can waive the 10 pm rule, doing so requires a…

Television in the 1960s By Leo Racicot My earliest memory of television is watching Big Brother Bob Emery, a local kids show out of Boston. Bob Emery was a broadcaster who hosted a live audience of children. My favorite part of his program came when Big Brother Bob told us kids…