I commend Councilor Rita Mercier on her remarks this evening regarding crime in Lowell. My notes from the entire meeting are available online but I want to single out Rita’s comments, partly because she and I haven’t shared a lot of common ground on issues, but mostly because she’s right.…
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My notes from tonight’s Lowell City Council meeting: Resignation of Erik Gitschier from Greater Lowell Vocational School Committee – City Council trying to schedule a joint meeting with the Lowell School Committee to select his replacement. Special meeting on October 7, 2014 at 6:30 pm (council will begin its regular…
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Several years ago UMass Lowell began requiring its freshmen honors students to take a seminar their first semester that’s designed to introduce them to the city of Lowell. It’s one of the many ways in which the University is striving to make closer connections with the city. Last year, one…
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On Wednesday, October 1, 2014 at 7 pm at the Adams (Chelmsford) Library at 25 Boston Rd, Chelmsford, I will give a talk on how to use the records of the registry of deeds to conduct historical research. All land ownership records for the towns of Billerica, Carlisle, Chelmsford, Dracut,…
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Nancy Pitkin is a longtime member of the Pollard Memorial Libary’s nonfiction book club. The next selection for the club is Jane Mayer’s “Dark Side: The Inside Story of How America’s War on Terror Turned into a War on American Ideals.” The club will meet to discuss the book on…
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On the first day of autumn, frequent contributor Jim Peters shares some end of summer thoughts: I have not written much this summer because I have been living the dream; soft quiet nights, camping, fishing, swimming, and other pleasurable activities. It is quite a change from the bipolar activities I…
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“Social Service Agencies Are Destroying the City” – Councilor Corey Belanger A letter to the editor printed in the Sun on Wednesday caught my attention. It was from Stephen Swindells and it criticized Councilor Belanger for blaming social service agencies for violent crime in Lowell. Here is some of what…
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The following real estate sales took place in Lowell last week: September 15, 2014 – Monday 43 Marlborough St for $255,000. Prior sale in 1990 for $153,000 23 South Walker St Unit 2 for $70,000. New condominium 13 Taunton Ct for $302,500. Prior sale in 2012 for $258,500 September 16,…
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Today UMass Lowell kicked-off its new Author Series with U. S. Senator Elizabeth Warren. Before a crowd in the lobby, along the rails up to the fourth floor and on the sweeping stairway of the newly opened University Crossing, the Senator talked about her early life and then read excerpts…
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The BBC is reporting that the Scottish Independence Referendum lost with 55% voting no and 45% voting yes. My interest in this process increased as election day grew near, not because I was committed to one side or the other but because of the rare phenomenon of a country (possibly)…
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