Podcast of Paying Attention! Sat., July 18, 2009

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GUEST: Dan Cotnoir

Hero Marine Dan Cotnoir explains why he should be the next mayor of Lawrence and in a candid interview admits that if he had it all to do over again he would indeed shoot his gun again into the crowd that was threatening his home and his family at 2am last year. Cotnoir took chief Romero and the Lawrence Police to task as well as saying he would fire Wilfredo Laboy and gave some ideas as to how he would run the city differently.

Also on today's show: Lawrence's Mayor Sullivan puts Planning Director Mike Sweeney in charge of the failing water treatment facility (watch Blanchette blow a gasket over that one) Water Treatment Plant Foreman Mark Griffin resigns. Mayor Sullivan reveals in an exclusive interview that the water department has only taken in 73% of the water bills sent out in the last 3 years, "leaving millions of dollars on the table".

Sullivan also divulged that DEP (Department of Environmental Protection) issues a "criminal consent order" against the city for illegal storage of mercury at the water treatment facility. State Rep. Willie Lantigua held a fundraiser on Thursday where the club owner claims he was "cleaned out" of every drop of liquor while the Lantigua event was going on. Also, The Lawrence School Committee spent a significant portion of their meeting on Thursday talking about how to remove Laboy's name from the side of school department vehicles and even took a 4-1 vote to micromanage the day to day operations of the schools.

Podcast of Paying Attention! Sat., July 11, 2009

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GUEST: Lawrence School Committeeman Sammy Reyes.
Reyes breaks some exclusive news on the show this week revealing for the first time that it was Kevin Clement, Director of Transportation and Safety for the schools who illegally printed campaign material for Peter Larocque. Reyes also claimed that the numbers used for drop out rates in the schools were 100% fake and that the schools pay more than a million dollars in consultants. Reyes was a great guest, revealing the culture and envuronment that existed in the schools for the last two years. It's another Don't MISS show as Reyes shows a very human side and takes his brother (mayoral candidate) Israel Reyes to task for his "style of politics". Sammy Reyes proved toay that he is a serious guy who needs to be taken seriously.
It was Reyes who tipped off police and the Secretary of State's office about allegations of civil and criminal wrongdoing leading to Superintendent Wilfredo Laboy being put on leave, the State Police and District Attorney's office raiding his office and his home and at least a dozen candidates, elected officials and businesses now suspected in benefiting from the school department print shop.

Podcast of Paying Attention! June 27, 2009

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It was an action packed show again as Lawrence School Committeeman Jim Vittorioso calls in to talk about the criminal investigation against Laboy. Mayoral Canidate Dave Abdoo calls in and says he has "no confidence at all" in Laboy's ability to lead the school system. Lawrence Mayor Mike Sullivan also called in to talk about Laboy and the problems in the city's water department and Nunzio DiMarca wrapped up the last 20 minutes talking about his campaign for mayor.
Lots of little nuggets in this broadcast and lots of things to pay attention to. A special apology to Sam Reyes who did NOT get his apology today becasue I was just too disoriented, you will get one on the next show.

Podcast of Paying Attnenion! JUne 20, 2009

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Lawrence Superintendent Wilfredo Laboy is under criminal investigation for corruption. It was a wild show for sure as Lawrence City Councilor Grisel Silva called in to discuss the series of controversies she has been involved in over the last year. Lawrence Planning Director Mike Sweeney calls in to confront Silva on some of her statements and the gloves came off. Silva announced for the first time that she is seeking another term on the city council. Gary Manion, who ran against her two years ago calls to anounce HE is gong to run against Silva, and A healthy discussion about the safety of Lawrence's Drinking water after drums of mercury were found to be illegally stored at the Water Treatement facility in the Mount Vernon section of Lawrence.

Podcast of Saturday, June 13, 2009

Lawrence faces 28 police layoffs and the closing f two fire stations. (1hour)

Podcast from June 7, 2009

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Topics: President Obama' s speech in Egypt, Lawrence City Councilor Grisel Silva is a disgrace and lies about her conflict with Mike Sweeney so we played the audio clips of the conflict back to back with her denials that she ever called his name from the council table. Methuen Mayor Bill Manzi calls in to talk about the bogus tribune story that veterans were being passed over for police jobs to favor political friends and relatives, School Committee candidate Mark Gray attacks Peter Larocque for using school resources to get elected, all the while Gray is using public participation at school committee meetings to promote his political platform in his campaign to unseat Larocque in the next election (which is VERY funny). SAMMY REYES was booked on the show but not only didn't show up he didn't even bother to call to say he couldn't make it. And what the ell is Dunkin' Donuts doing skimping on the size of their flat bread sandwiches??

Podcast of Paying Attention!, May 30, 2009

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TOPICS: Dan Contnoir decides to run for mayor and all the other mayoral candidates are losing their minds. John Michitson, candidate for mayor in Haverhil calls in to talk about green chemistry and his quest to unseat Jim Fiorentini. In the second hour, Grisel Silva loses her mind (again), this time calling the police to a city council budget hearing to arrest planning director Michael Sweeney. Great audio clips of Silva screaming and ranting during the meeting. And interview with Mike Sweeney calling for Silva's resignation and an audio of Mayor Sullivan calling city councilors "bitter and angry". Another action packed show NOT TO BE MISSED.