Paying Attention

https://feed.podbean.com/payingattention/feed.xml

28.5K

Downloads

360

Episodes

Paying Attention with Tom Duggan, a look at local news in the great New England area.

Episodes

Thursday Jan 23, 2020

Talking About Lawrence with Police Chief Roy Vasque

Thursday Jan 23, 2020

Tom Duggan welcomes Lawrence Police Chief Roy Vasque to Paying Attention. They discuss what’s going on in the City of Lawrence.

Our host Tom Duggan of the Valley Patriot discusses:

Tom talks about the Methuen Confidential website
Neil Perry has instituted a new travel policy in Methuen
North Andover has an election coming up in March
How did Roy come to be chief in Lawrence?
How is Roy’s relationship with the mayor?
What’s going on with the opioid crisis in Lawrence?
Does the wide availability of Narcan skew the overdose statistics?
Tom and Roy talk about homeless services in Lawrence
Are other communities doing their part for homelessness and addiction?
The chief believes more communities are starting to get on board
How is the overall crime rate tracking?
What are some of the fun parts of the job?
What does Roy miss about being a street cop?
What is the story with the Lawrence Police ice cream truck?
What are the ground rules for Tom’s ride along?
How do the murder statistics look in Lawrence?
They discuss the murder of a DPW worker?
What is the police department working on for the future?

All that and much more on this week’s episode of The Paying Attention Podcast! For more information, check out latest edition of the Valley Patriot or www.ValleyPatriot.com. The Paying Attention! Podcast is recorded each week at the Studio 21 Podcast Café and is hosted on the United Podcast Network.

Thursday Jan 16, 2020

Haverhill Fire Department and News Around the Merrimack Valley

Thursday Jan 16, 2020

Tom Duggan welcomes Steve Costa from Citizens for Haverhill Fire to talk about issues with the Mayor of Haverhill and funding of the fire department.

Our host Tom Duggan of the Valley Patriot discusses:

How does Tom feel about evasive politicians?
Tom covers the first murder in Lawrence for 2020
Tom talks about some news from Methuen
Mayor Neil Perry fired the acting director of the DPW
Everyone should stop trying to figure out who’s behind the anonymous Methuen website
What happened last night with The Movement Family (TMF) dinner?
Tom covers another story about an illegal alien committing a crime in Lawrence
Steve talks about the growth of Haverhill and the lack of investment in the fire department
The conditions in some of the fire houses is deplorable
Tom talks to Steve about running for office

Thursday Jan 09, 2020

January 2020 Update with Methuen Mayor Neil Perry

Thursday Jan 09, 2020

Tom Duggan welcomes the new mayor of Methuen to Paying Attention. Neil Perry will be doing a monthly Mayor’s update to talk about what is going on in Methuen.

Our host Tom Duggan of the Valley Patriot discusses:

Neil is not part of any team except team Methuen
Neil is committed to an integrated communication strategy
The mayor is all about promoting harmony
What was the inauguration like for Neil?
Neil is not going to run the city on Facebook
The city charter designates when the inauguration will take place
What did Tom like about the inauguration?
What is the controversy with Neil’s selection for Chief of Staff?
Neil is accountable for all the people he hires or appoints
Neil want to do measurable and accountable things in year one
He’s looking for opportunities to improve processes in city government
What projects is Neil focused on?
Neil talks about some of the things he’d like to see on the city website
Will Neil be attending the City Council meetings?
Has Neil talked with the Methuen Police Superior Officers Association?
John Saba joins the program to talk about the problems that Tom and he have been having on Facebook
John wants to know why Tom is so involved with what goes on in Methuen
Do they reach an understanding?

Thursday Jan 02, 2020

The Opioid Crisis and Recovery

Thursday Jan 02, 2020

Tom Duggan welcomes Phil Lahey from the Merrimack Valley Prevention & Substance Abuse Project (MVPASAP). Last week, Tom had government officials, so this we his guests give some perspective on the opioid crisis from the private sector. Phil brought along Sandra and Ashley to talk about their experiences.

Our host Tom Duggan of the Valley Patriot discusses:

Tom talks about breaking news
How does Tom feel about the ban on menthol cigarettes?
Do the liberals believe in anything at all
The Lawrence inauguration is tonight
Monday night will be the inauguration of the new Methuen Mayor
New Year’s Eve shooting in Lawrence
Phil talks about what MVPASAP is all about and how it got started
Sandra and Ashley share their experiences with recovery
Phil talks about the gratitude that comes with recovery
How do you go about repairing relationships?
How did the MVPASAP scholarship help Sandra and Ashley?
You can find the website for MVPASAP at mvpasap.com

Thursday Dec 26, 2019

Paying Attention to the Opioid Crisis

Thursday Dec 26, 2019

Tom Duggan welcomes 4 local police chiefs to talk about the opioid crisis. The chiefs participating are Chuck Gray from North Andover, Jim Riter from Boxford, Alan DeNaro from Haverhill and Joe Solomon from Methuen.

Our host Tom Duggan of the Valley Patriot discusses:

There are fewer reported overdoses, but the number is actually going up but is masked by the use of Narcan
Can the police send people to treatment?
How has the opioid crisis affected Boxford?
What is Chief Riter seeing at the high school level?
Does Haverhill have to deal more with the gang and distribution problems?
Haverhill has doubled the amount of Narcan they carry in cruisers
How are things going in Methuen?
Is there a correlation between opioid abuse and homelessness?
What is Chief Gray seeing with the homeless in North Andover?
Is Boxford having any homeless issues?
Chief Solomon talks about what Methuen is doing to address the opioid crisis
Are things improving with the opioid crisis?
Is there a shortage of faith-based rehab facilities?
What is the Gloucester Angels program and what problems does it present?
Police departments are communicating about overdoses
Has anything improved as far as fentanyl goes?
What are the biggest crimes going on in Boxford?
Does Haverhill have a K9 unit?
Why is it so hard to recruit new police officers?
Are the police becoming glorified social workers?
Does North Andover have any K9 officers?
Where do the chiefs see this crisis 5 years from now?
How closely do the chiefs work with state and federal agencies?
What is the veteran’s court?
What are the politics of being a police chief?
What advice would the chiefs give to the families with loved ones struggling with addiction?

Thursday Dec 19, 2019

Parting Thoughts from Joyce Campagnone

Thursday Dec 19, 2019

Tom Duggan welcomes outgoing Methuen City Councilor Joyce Campagnone to Paying Attention. They cover a lot of the issues affecting Methuen.

Our host Tom Duggan of the Valley Patriot discusses:

The election is over, so maybe it’s time to move on
There is nobody who cares more about our veterans than Joyce
Joyce and Tom talk about her husband’s uncles whose story inspired Private Ryan
Do term limits make sense when there are not enough candidates?
Joyce was not part of the police contract approval
Joyce still believes there will still be some resolution to the police contract
Which city council members does Joyce believe had prior knowledge?
Who’s complaining about Neil Perry’s Chief of Staff choice?
What’s Joyce’s opinion on Mayor Perry’s ability to choose whoever he wants for chief of staff?
Should the City Council be addressing rumors?
Who will Joyce miss the most on the council?
Joyce got the most satisfaction from helping her constituents
What is Joyce not going to miss when she leaves the City Council?
What was it like working with the Jajuga administration?
What does Joyce wish she had been able to accomplish?
Would Joyce ever consider running again?

Thursday Dec 12, 2019

Debbie’s Treasure Chest Helping Others

Thursday Dec 12, 2019

Tom Duggan welcomes Linda Harvey to talk about Debbie’s Treasure Chest. Also joining Tom is Methuen Police Officer Derek Licata talks about the toy drive.

Our host Tom Duggan of the Valley Patriot discusses:

Linda talks about the history of Debbie’s Treasure Chest
How do they vet the families that they help?
What kind of donations do they take?
If you want to give – give locally
The panel discuss the giving tree
Derek talks about when he first met Linda
How did Derek get involved with Debbie’s Treasure Chest?
How can people help with the toy drive?
Linda shares a story about 27 families that got displaced
How do they motivate people to give outside of the holiday season?
You can find Debbie’s Treasure Chest on Facebook
How many volunteers do they have?
Is Linda still lawyering?
What kind of items does Debbie’s Treasure Chest need?
Where can people drop off items?
They really need new and gently used children’s coats and boots
The phone number for Debbie’s Treasure Chest is 978 360-4007
Linda can be reached by email at linda@debbiestreasurechest.org

Thursday Dec 05, 2019

Update from Methuen Mayor Elect Neil Perry

Thursday Dec 05, 2019

Tom Duggan welcomes Neil Perry back to Paying Attention. They cover a variety of topics of great concern in Methuen.

Our host Tom Duggan of the Valley Patriot and Neil discuss:

Tom and Neil talk about the TMF dinners
Tom talks about the proud sponsors of the Mayor’s update
Neil is still at Raytheon through December 19^th
Neil is planning to have a meeting about the current Methuen superior officers’ contract
Who is going to be Neil’s chief of staff?
How is the transition process going so far?
Neil is looking to maximize the use of the Searles Building
Neil would like to bring other city employees to guest on the podcast
Neil talks about the transition questionnaires he sent out to all city departments
Neil compliments Tom on his vocabulary
Would Tom consider moving to Methuen?
Neil plans to develop a list of priorities for Methuen
Neil met with the Mayor of Haverhill and they talked about the tree planting program
Neil is setting up 4 transition committees: General Government, Parks, Recreation and Greenspace, Community, Culture and Neighborhoods, and Business and Economic Development
You can contact Neil at npiriish1213@gmail.com
Neil wants to be judged based on his accomplishments
Tom and Neil talk about the TMF Christmas night event
Neil fields a question from a live listener
Neil recommends the book The Five Dysfunctions of a Team
Neil commits to being involved in the cannabis discussion

Thursday Nov 21, 2019

Methuen City Councilor Joel Faretra

Thursday Nov 21, 2019

Tom Duggan welcomes Joel Faretra to Paying Attention. Tom and Joel discuss the election and what Joel plans to accomplish as a City Councilor.

Our host Tom Duggan of the Valley Patriot discusses:

Tom will host the opioid summit with the police chiefs on December 26^th
Heroes in Our Midst Volume 2 will be available mid-January
Tom appears in a new music video by Jenny Teator called Daughter of the Devil
Tom gives a little preview of the Valley Patriot Annual Bash
How is Joel preparing for his new role as a City Councilor?
What is Joel going to do to help manage the budget?
What does Joel think about a marijuana grow facility in Methuen?
Has Joel been in touch with the other City Councilors?
What’s Joel’s view on the police contract?
Has Joel talked with Neil Perry since the election?
Joel and Tom share an announcement
Tom asks Joel for his thoughts on economic development in Methuen
What can city officials do to make Methuen a destination?
What is it that Joel wants to accomplish during his 2 year term?

Thursday Nov 14, 2019

Methuen School Committee Member Jana Zanni

Thursday Nov 14, 2019

Tom Duggan welcomes Jana Zanni to Paying Attention. Jana Zanni is an attorney and member of the Methuen School Committee.

Our host Tom Duggan of the Valley Patriot discusses:

Jana is on the Methuen School Committee
Does Jana think the new school committee should investigate what went on with the superintendent?
It’s not about whether or not Judy Scannell is a good person
Jana believes the teachers in Methuen are fantastic
Tom and Jana talk about class sizes
Voters and parents need to take more interest in what’s going on in the school system
Tom and Jana discuss the school system budget
Should Nick DiZoglio have gone public with the school budget issues?
Jana has a copy of the audit report and discusses it with Tom
Does the Methuen School System have a residency problem?
How does Jana feel about professional development for teachers?
Tom and Jana talk about discipline in the Methuen schools
Tom asks Jana if she might ever run for Mayor?