Growing up in the 1950s and ’60s, I lived in a mostly French-Canadian ethnic world. Two sets of my first-cousins had an Irish-American mother and father respectively. St. Patrick’s Day for my father meant a green tie with a shamrock for Mass on the Sunday closest to March 17. My…
Wednesday, April 9, 2014; Discussion, 5 to 7 pm; Reception, 7 to 9.30 pm “Reflections on Peace-Building” is the first-ever gathering of distinguished leaders who have served as the UMass Lowell Dana McLean Greeley Scholar for Peace Studies. The scholars will engage in a panel discussion moderated by Marcellette Williams, UMass…
Today is officially Jack Kerouac Day in Massachusetts. It’s the author’s birthday, March 12 (1922). The Governor will issue a proclamation in recognition of the day. The legislature put this on the books in 2001, thanks to state Sen. Moore of Worcester, Lowell’s Statehouse delegation at the time, local citizen…
UMass Lowell history professor and economic analyst Bob Forrant yesterday contributed an op-ed essay to the Eagle-Tribune newspaper of Greater Lawrence. In the piece, Bob makes a case for this being a turn-around moment in Lawrence based on positive facts, which are chipping away at the standard negative perception of…
The Party Band (Web photo by Anne Cook courtesy of Party Band Facebook page) The Party Band Announces Release of Debut Album Transcendenta Street-Friendly, 24-Piece Brass Band from Lowell, Mass., Drops First Album on Mar. 29 at Local Music Festival The River Hawk Party Band (know to locals as The…
English author Geoff Dyer (b. 1958) writes books about what interests him and is known for fusing imaginative forms. He was interviewed by Matthew Specktor for the Winter 2013 issue of The Paris Review. Following is an excerpt. Below, he talks about being in France some years ago when he…
Nancye Tuttle reports on happenings with the dynamic Greater Lowell Music Theatre, including a songfest of classics by Rodgers & Hammerstein on March 21-22 at UMass Lowell’s Durgin Hall. Read all about it in the Sun newspaper. Playwright, director, actor, baseball player, UMass Lowell English Dept. alumnus, and organizer supreme…
Okay, Sun, anytime now you can return from your break. I’m ready. I’m sick of taking the dog out for a “skate” instead of a walk when I dare to cross over to the South Common. I can’t get the trash bins into their hideaway behind the lilac bushes because…
(top photo by Jen Myers) I appreciated the farewell remarks of City Manager Bernie Lynch at his final City Council meeting as Manager last night. Especially this part, according to my colleague Dick Howe’s notes: Through all of that, I was hoping to build a sense of community. Lowell is…