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At its Tuesday meeting (February 17, 2026) Lowell City Council addressed residual problems with snow removal from the big storm at the end of January. In the past, I’ve criticized councilors for micro-managing city operations but that didn’t happen this time. Instead, councilors were critical of the city’s procedures, or…

On the Divide By Jim Provencher Wandering the Empty Quarter, crossing the Divide, dropping down into El Paso:  que pasa? Further along the Carlsbad Road where the U-Pull yards and rusty car tips peter out, Texas rain ticks off the dune tops if the wind is right on East Montana.…

Living Madly: As Good as a Feast By Emilie-Noelle Provost There’s a feeling I sometimes get when the refrigerator is full, dinner is in the oven, the house is clean, and I have nothing immediate left to do or responsibilities to worry about. It’s almost like contentment, but that word…

Welcome to this week’s edition of Seen and Heard, in which I catalog the most interesting things I’ve seen, heard and read over the previous seven days.  Winter Olympics week 2 – Last week I wrote that my affection for the Winter Olympics was grounded in the opening narration of…

“That is what matters most” – (PIP #97) By Louise Peloquin Over the past four weeks, our “peeks into the past” have focussed on Lowell’s centennial. The following “PIP” shows Lowell officials putting final touches to the city’s hundredth birthday party, the March 1 afternoon program and an example of…

To help commemorate Lowell’s bicentennial, I’ve written a new book. Lowell: A Concise History tells the city’s story from the arrival of the first English explorers in the early 1600s up to the present day with a focus on immigration and industrialization. It’s a short volume for the casual reader…

Work Life: Part 2 By Leo Racicot When it became clear I was going to be trapped in Las Vegas indefinitely, I figured I’d try to get a job. With some library experience under my belt, I hoped to find work with one of the city’s libraries: a main library…

Having a Ball – (PIP #96) By Louise Peloquin Have you recognized any names among the 100 + listed below distributing tickets for the Lowell Centennial Ball? L’Etoile – February 20, 1926 TICKETS FOR THE CENTENNIAL BALL __________ On the evening of March 1, admission to the Auditorium will require…

Before getting to the February 3, 2026, city council meeting, here are the results of the same day’s special primary election for the state senate seat left vacant when Edward Kennedy died last year. In the Special Democratic Primary, State Representative Vanna Howard defeated State Representative Rodney Elliott. Here are…

Time of the End of the Season Part Two: Bubblz—LA–Broken Arrow By Bob Hodge Bob Hodge grew up in Lowell and went on to graduate from Lowell High (1973) and University of Lowell (1990). He was (and still is) one the greatest runners to come out of this region. He’s also…