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Mother at the Stove By Leo Racicot      “Memories hold the key not to the past but to the future.” Corrie Ten Boom Our mother wasn’t Julia Child but she was no slouch at the stove either, and when she, at a young age, found herself a widow and bereft, she,…

The Small Town Newspaper – (PIP #100) By Louise Peloquin      “Peek into the past” of L’Etoile number 100 brings us full circle. The seven-decade newspaper never skirted its priority, placing Lowell happenings in the limelight, as the last seven centennial PIP’s showed. The two editorials below offer food for…

The Lowell City Council met on Tuesday night (March 3, 2026). The meeting was dominated by a discussion of a joint motion by Councilors Corey Robinson and Rita Mercier requesting the city manager to “provide the city council with a detailed report on a pathway to secure independent legal counsel…

Erosion of Democracy’s Norms is Dreadful to Behold Rev. Steve Edington This Op-Ed was originally published in the Union Leader on March 6, 2026. Several years ago, I watched a production of Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible” by a community theater troupe in Belfast, Maine.  The play portrays the events in…

The Pollard Memorial Library Foundation recently announced that submissions are now open for the 2026 Elinor Lipman Award for Writing. Born and raised in Lowell, Lipman is a prolific and much-loved author who graciously returns to the city each year for this contest’s awards ceremony. More information about the rules…

Gulf War Notebook (1991) By Paul Marion In early 1991, I was a freelance writer and editor, often working at home, which was the case during the early days of the Gulf War in the administration of President George H. W. Bush. I was drawn in to the media coverage.…

Barbers and Barbershops By Leo Racicot One of my favorite trips with Papa was when he’d drive the old Plymouth up to Cupples Square to Dick the Barber’s, to have my hair cut. Dick would give dad a quick clean-up then Papa would lift me up into the same barber’s…

Book Review: Running Deep: Bravery, Survival, and the True Story of the Deadliest Submarine in World War II by Tom Clavin. This book is about the USS Tang, a US World War II submarine operating in the Pacific. Tang sank more ships than any other US submarine during the war.…

Speeches, songs, poems, prayers, concerts, dances, lights, pushes, shoves and much more! – (PIP #99) – Louise Peloquin       Celebrations have changed but the message is still Happy Birthday Lowell! __________  L’Etoile – Front page March 2, 1926 LOWELL CELEBRATES ITS CENTENNIAL IN SPLENDID STYLE __________ WITH WIDESPREAD AND INDESCRIBABLE…

Happy Birthday to Lowell! Two hundred years ago today the legislation that created the town of Lowell took effect. **** Debate over a proposed lease for the Lowell Senior Center dominated Tuesday’s city council meeting (February 24, 2026). In the end, it failed on a tie vote with Councilors Dan…