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A Lowell-centric view of the year just completed: Pandemic The Covid-19 pandemic was the biggest story of 2021, both globally and locally. In March, the number of Americans who had died of Covid topped 500,000. By December, more than 800,000, including one of every 100 people over the age of…
Read More »Trasna is pleased to announce that poet Daniel Murphy will join its team of editors. This week we feature four of his poems. Whether it’s a “rusty gate in a field of rock,” or “the cream cheese on your cheek,” Murphy explores the expansive to the intimate. There is a rhythm in…
Read More »This was originally posted on this site on December 31, 2010. Plaque erected in Quebec City marking the spot of American General Richard Montgomery’s death. “Here stood the Undaunted Fifty safeguarding Canada, defeating Montgomery at the Pres de Ville Barricade on the last day of 1775, Guy Carleton commanding at…
Read More »2019 in Review Lowell changes its method of electing City Councilors. In settling the pending lawsuit which alleged that the system of electing all councilors and school committee members in an at large, winner take all method, violated the Federal Voting Rights Act by diluting the impact of minority voters, the…
Read More »2017 in Review Lowell High School – Future Location – Cawley or Downtown? Like weekly episodes of a dramatic television miniseries, that was the question that confronted the people of Lowell throughout 2017. The process was slow to start, but then one group of residents mobilized a vigorous campaign to build…
Read More »2014 in Review At its inaugural ceremony in January, the new city council unanimously selected Rodney Elliott to be the new Mayor of Lowell. The new council consisted of reelected incumbents Elliott, Rita Mercier, Ed Kennedy, Bill Martin and John Leahy and newcomers Dan Rourke, Bill Samaras, Jim Milinazzo and…
Read More »Reposting past Years in Review. 2011 in Review The local political lineup changed considerably in 2011. Steve Panagiotakos, who was elected to the Lowell School Committee in 1989, the Massachusetts House in 1992, the State Senate in 1996 and had most recently served as chair of the Senate Ways and…
Read More »Since the birth of this website in March 2007, I have posted for each year (except 2010 for some reason) a Year in Review article that tried to capture the most important local events of that year. For the coming week, I will repost each of these annual reports with…
Read More »This essay was first heard as a radio essay on the “Sunrise” program of WUML, 92.5 FM, at UMass Lowell. Executive producer Chris Dunlap assembled writers in the area for the daily essay, a popular component of the morning public affairs show with a daily essay by writers from the…
Read More » From nine years ago: Fifty-six folks from Lowell, Massachusetts combine to recite “A Visit From St. Nicholas” by Clement Clarke Moore. Produced by Richard Howe of www.richardhowe.com, December 2012.
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