Nov
28
Cable dodges the Regulatory Bullet
November 28, 2007 | Leave a Comment
The FCC yesterday refused to accept data from its Republican Chairman Kevin Martin that would have potentially subjected the cable industry to a host of new government regulation. The Commission rejected Chairman Martins findings on the so-called 70-70 rule.
Under that provision, the agency may adopt rules necessary to promote “diversity of information sources” once [...]
Nov
28
Methuen High School Makes the Cut
November 28, 2007 | 3 Comments
This morning at 10:00 a.m. the Massachusetts School Building Authority will announce that 83 school projects have been selected to move to the next stage of evaluation for funding. Methuen High School will be one of the fifty projects selected. It is an important milestone and although it does not guarantee funding in this round [...]
Nov
24
Swedish Wind
November 24, 2007 | 1 Comment
With offshore wind development in the news locally the New York Times has written about the Swedish experience with wind power. The article highlights some positives, but also levels some criticisms. It highlights a new $280 million dollar offshore wind farm that will be able to light 60,000 homes. The article highlights some of the [...]
Nov
22
Cape Wind Permit Wars
November 22, 2007 | Leave a Comment
The Boston Globe is reporting that Cape Wind is seeking to consolidate all remaining state and local permit requests under one umbrella while it also seeks to overturn a local permit denial. From todays Globe:
Cape Wind Associates launched an effort yesterday to make an end run around local permit battles, asking a state energy panel [...]
Nov
22
Free Trade Doubts
November 22, 2007 | Leave a Comment
A recent Wall Street Journal article highlighted the increasing anxiety the free trade agenda is causing, even in areas that have been considered to be “free trade winners”. The focus of the article was the state of Iowa, where agricultural exports and farm manufacturing exports have made the state a net winner in the trade [...]
Nov
22
Happy Thanksgiving!
November 22, 2007 | 1 Comment
Please have a happy and safe Thanksgiving. Good luck to the Rangers today as they face off against Dracut.
Nov
22
Water Politics
November 22, 2007 | Leave a Comment
With the delivery of the new water bills I have received many calls due to the increase in rates. The process of determining a rate has been mired in political mud, and the resulting methodology employed by the City Council has led to higher bills than were necessary for a large segment of Methuen’s population. [...]
Nov
17
Dimasi Bill creates wind storm
November 17, 2007 | Leave a Comment
The energy bill being pushed by House Speaker Sal Dimasi has passed the House, but an amendment that passed and is now part of the bill is creating some angst amongst environmentalists. The amendment would make wind farms a by right use in areas currently protected by the Ocean Sanctuaries Act. From the Boston Globe: [...]
Nov
17
Santa Arrives In Methuen
November 17, 2007 | 2 Comments
Santa arrives in Methuen today, as Methuen’s Santa Parade takes place at 1:00 starting on Pelham Street. The parade route starts at Pelham Street Park and Ride and heads onto Lowell Street to Hampshire Street and onto Broadway, then heads along Broadway, ending at Polartec LLC. The parade grand marshalls were Superintendent Jeanne Whitten and [...]
Nov
15
The Ever Shrinking Dollar
November 15, 2007 | 2 Comments
With oil approaching $100 a barrell and gold prices surging past the $800 mark it is time to look at some of the underlying problems of the economy and start wondering if the incessant doomsayers have not been right all along. One of those vocal economic critics has been Patrick Buchanan, whose views on trade [...]