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 ”Portrait of Vinnie” by Anthony Perez, first-place winner in the high school category:

If you have any doubt about the creative talent of Lowell schoolchildren, you absolutely have to visit the Visual Voices III exhibit at the ALL Arts Gallery, across from the National Park Visitor Center at 246 Market Street. The gallery is currently showing art work from Lowell students in grades K-12, and the range and quality of this exhibit is astounding. The show is an incredible array of paintings, sculpture, pottery, mixed media, photography, computer graphics, and drawings from the city’s youngest emerging artists. Free to the public, the exhibit is open Saturdays (11-4) and Sundays (12-4) through May 12.

Due to space limitations, a jury could only select 100 pieces to display from more than a thousand entries in this third exhibit of student work from Lowell schools. The Arts League of Lowell (ALL) provided the professional gallery space to display the student work, and the show was funded in part by the Lowell Cultural Council. Jay Hungate, sculptor at the Brush Art Gallery and Western Ave Studios, helped hang the children’s show.

Organized by Daley School art teacher Lolita Demers, the exhibit is a testament to the commitment of Lowell art teachers as well as the talent of the many young artists in the city. As part of the exhibit’s opening day reception on Saturday, April 14, music teacher Pat Jussaume led the Daley School chorus in a medley of songs, including a rendition of Lean on Me that brought tears to my eyes. Hundreds of adults and children attended the exhibit opening, which was well worth the visit.

Each of the students whose art was chosen to be displayed in the show was a winner due to the incredible competition, both in terms of the quality of the work and the number of entries, but first, second and third prizes were also awarded by grade categories for outstanding artistic achievement. A listing of the teachers and schools represented in the show, the top three student winners for each category, and additional photos follows. more »

Deval Patrick will be speaking at The Stand for Children Rally for School Funding on Wednesday, April 25, 12:30 pm on Boston Common. In addition, Marian Wright Edelman will be at the rally. For those who don’t recall, Ms. Edelman founded the Children’s Defense Fund in 1973 and was the driving force behind the Stand for Children day in June 1996, which brought over 300,000 people to Washington, DC, to advocate for children.  From that day, the grassroots, child advocacy organization was born. Edelman is a great speaker in her own right, here she is speaking about the need to stand for children, back in ‘96:

“As tough as times are and as hard as families are struggling for children, each and every one of us can do better.  It is time to hold ourselves to a higher standard in our homes, in our communities, and in our government at all levels. And that is why we are coming together at the Lincoln Memorial on June 1st for Stand For Children Day.”

It always seems to get down to funding, but Stand for Children is about more than money. It’s about bringing attention to children’s issues and making sure that those who can’t speak for themselves are heard. 

The Citywide Parent Council will be meeting on Monday, April 23, 7 pm at the Pollard Memorial Library (in the ground-floor meeting room).  This will be an untelevised planning meeting and all interested Lowell parents and guardians are invited to attend.

I’ve been on the Executive Board since 2000 and in that time we’ve made many changes, most notably using technology to make it easier for people to participate. Some ideas for next year include decreasing the number of meetings, having more informal meetings where people can freely discuss issues, strengthening ties to individual schools and expanding the role of the CPC Representatives from the schools.  By not televising the meeting, we hope people will be encouraged to speak up about what changes they would like to see and what role the CPC should play in the district. We believe that a group of people working together can effect positive change; so come to the meeting, and let your voice be heard!

(Cross-posted from www.lowellcpc.org)

After being called a ‘left-wing whacko’ and being accused of wanting to tax corporations at 50% (how ludicrous! – I came back to cross this out in the interest of civility), I’ve been reading up on corporate tax loopholes.  There are a lot of differences of opinion (and the debate is not always pretty as I’ve been finding out). The taxes-are-evil camp are predicting the mass exodus from Massachusetts of corporations (along with the mass exodus of citizens of which I am still not convinced). One argument that I’ve heard a few times is that corporations do not decide their locations based on tax burden as much as on other factors, such as affordable housing, transportation, educated workforce and lack of red tape (Deval Patrick’s idea of streamlining the permitting process addresses this).

Others make the point that any tax to corporations is essentially passed on to individuals. That may be true in it’s most basic sense; however, our tax system is so convoluted that I defy anyone to make that direct of a connection.  It still seems to me that closing a loophole is not the same as raising taxes, it’s making sure that the tax is applied fairly.  If huge corporations with highly-paid legal departments are able to play by their own rules, while benefiting from the services and employees of the area they are located in, it makes it harder for other businesses and individual taxpayers to stay afloat.

One point that I agree with is to make sure resources are spent wisely.   In Lowell, I think we’re benefitting from a new transparency at city hall. Let’s have less playing to ingrained interests, whether coporate or otherwise, and more straightfoward budgeting, taxing and governing – at every level.

It’s not too late to catch two great theatre productions in Lowell. Well, it’s almost too late to see Syncopation at the MRT which has it’s last production today at 2:00 pm. I saw it Friday night, and while the plot is predictable and a bit dated, the acting and especially the dancing are both great. The first act was one of the best theatre experiences I’ve had in a long time. Given the lousy weather today, there may be a few empty seats in the audience….so it might be worth a call if you dare to venture out. 

We’ve been fans of the Image Theatre since their first venture, a series of ten-minute plays written by local playwrights, and performed back in 2005. Their latest offering is A Distant Music, which is set in an Irish pub in Cambridge, and performed in one of Lowell’s great Irish pubs, The Old Court. The plot is anything but predictable and the acting is great. It’s funny, moving, philosphical, poetical, lively and engaging – the schedule of Friday at 8 pm, and Saturday at 4 pm and 8 pm will be continued next weekend.

It was a great theatre weekend here in Lowell!

After the last few weeks of senseless teen violence, it was life affirming to spend a night with creative, upbeat young people and be reminded that the vast majority of our kids are good kids–loud, lively, talented, good-hearted kids. More than 300 well-dressed people braved the quasi-artic night of April 12 to support the United Teen Equality Center’s (UTEC) fund raiser at its new facility. Adorned with linens, flowers, and its original stained glass windows, the former old church at 34 Hurd Street seemed comfortable in its new role as home to the high-energy youth group. The group, whose mission is to “focus on peace, positivity, and empowerment within a multicultural and holistic learning setting,” started in 1999 when it began helping at-risk youngsters make choices away from gang violence. UTEC has grown and now provides services in gang peacemaking, performing arts, and community organizing to about 1,500 youngsters annually (ages 13-23) and more than 150 teens everyday. The group’s newest offerings provide services around education and job training, including an alternative diploma program with the Lowell Public Schools and Lowell Adult Education. Thursday night’s fund raiser included singing and dancing entertainment by teen members, as well as dinner and a live auction. With help from Mayor Bill Martin, the auction sold 4 Red Sox-Yankee tickets for $1,100; a week in Kennebunk, Maine for $1,000; and a Ted Williams-signed baseball for $1,150. 

The support from the enthusiastic crowd, which included a cross section of elected officials, business and community leaders, adults, teens, and representatives from local nonprofit organizations and the public schools, was best described by Lowell City Manager Bernie Lynch when he said: “Lowell is a better city–a better community because you’re here.”  Congratulations to UTEC on their new home, and many thanks for the difference they’re making in the lives of so many of our teens.

Last night, in spite of a chilling sleet that did not feel even remotely like spring, a good number of folks ventured out to attend the first public fund raiser for congressional candidate Niki Tsongas. Held at the Olympia restaurant in downtown Lowell, it was an emotional coming home of sorts for someone who has been on the Lowell scene in one way or another since 1969. The room was packed, and although I didn’t recognize a lot of people and will probably leave out names of familiar faces I did see, here’s a short list of attendees: George Duncan, Brian Martin, Mike Demaras, Patty Kerwin-Kielty, Maria Vejar, Brenda Costello, Carole Cowan, Maria Cunha, Lura Smith, Mehmed Ali, Elena Zohdi, Effie Dragon, Marina Schnell, and Karen Frederick.

As I listened to Niki speak about being embraced by the Lowell community nearly 40 years ago and learning lessons on campaign trails that spanned the gamut from city council to a presidential race, I couldn’t help but think about my own first experience as a candidate and how she had met with me and encouraged me. As I was leaving to attend another event (UTEC fund raiser, see separate post), I commented to Niki that hearing her speak reminded me of how scared I felt as a first-time candidate, and I was glad it was her in this race and not me. She responded by reminding me of what I said that day in her office nearly four years ago. I had confessed to her how scared I was and then I told her the story of how I made the decision to run: I had been waiting at a red light, staring at city hall, and thinking about the people who had been encouraging me to run. In that moment, I realized the only thing stopping me was fear. In the seconds it took for the light to change, I decided my life was not going to be based on fear. Niki told me she remembered my story and that she also does not let fear get in her way. Somehow I felt comforted and encouraged all over again.

Last night’s event was the first in what promises to be a quick and harried pace of events as the candidates race to raise funds, gain support, and get out their messages before the primary election on September 4. Good luck to them all. They have earned my respect for having the courage to run. 

It’s disappointing that the House ducked the chance to break the budget status quo.  It sounds good to say they don’t support any new taxes, but in reality they are supporting ingrained Corporate interests to the detriment of the Commonwealth.  Closing tax loopholes for huge, multi-state corporations is hardly what the average citizen would call ‘raising taxes’ and as for the optional hotel/meals tax, it would give municipalities a chance and a choice to ease their own budgetary woes with a revenue source that is not dependent on property taxes. Even ‘tax-free’ New Hampshire has a hotel/meals tax (8%) and it’s not optional.

One time, I was complaining to an acquaintance about the bruising nature of Lowell politics. He said something that has stayed with me, that in Lowell there are large numbers of people who have remained committed to the city and who really care about what happens here.  He pointed out that the positive side of our often-heated and confrontational politics is that it is proof of people’s passion for the city.

On a 5-hour drive to Long Island, I had a lot of time to think, mostly about traffic, but also about how being sealed off in your own steel and glass cubicle while barreling down the highway gives driving an impersonal quality that, to my mind, leads to aggressive driving and incidents of road rage.   Bear with me as I try to develop this thought to another level.  Modern life gives us the ability to be very picky about whom we interact with. We can watch movies and exercise at home, and live and work in very different communities, never getting to know our neighbors beyond a passing wave; and on a political level, we can read the newspapers and magazines and listen to only those pundits whose views reinforce our own, creating an ideological shell similar to our automobiles. Thus, we all end up quoting our favored sources to each other and sealing our ears to the positions that others hold - the equivalent of cutting someone off at the light?

My point is that keeping it local is the only way out of the polarized debates that seem to have taken over our national politics. On the local level, partisan and ideological barriers break down somewhat, politics really does become personal. The person whose political views you dislike might serve on the PTO board with you or be in front of you in line at a downtown coffeeshop (I frequent them all so I don’t want to choose a favorite). I’m thinking in particular of Eileen Donoghue who, in 2004, donated money to the campaign of John Thibault, a close, personal friend as well as a Republican from Chelmsford (I know this is old news, but I’m a bit slow that way).  Sometimes ties of friendship trump partisan politics; a Republican (gasp!) can be a good friend and a good citizen.  This kind of compromising, of granting validity to the other person and by extension his or her views, can lead to something that is lacking on our highways and in modern life. It starts with engagement, and can lead to community. 

I was surprised to learn tonight that Sheriff Jim DiPaola had dropped out of the fifth Congressional race, but perhaps the bigger surprise is how quickly the endorsements for the sheriff shifted to another candidate: According to an emailed news release from Barry Finegold’s campaign, now officially on board supporting his candidacy are state representatives David Nangle and Tom Golden; former Lowell city manager John Cox; Dracut selectmen Joseph DiRocco, John Zimini, Ken Cunha and Robert Cox; and Ron Mercier, chair of the Dracut School Committee and grandson of Lowell City Councillor Armand Mercier. It’s no shock that this pack would migrate together; many of these people were active supporters of the former city manager and have familial, historical and/or political connections going way back. What is a surprise, however, is how well-coordinated and quick the endorsements were—coming right on the heels of DiPaola’s announcement that he was dropping out of the race. 

What this influx of supporters will mean for Finegold’s campaign is anyone’s guess. The talk I’d heard before was with the two women candidates, Eileen Donoghue and Niki Tsongas, pulling from a very similar base here in Lowell, DiPaola’s chances for success were strong. Whether that will translate to Finegold’s campaign will depend (I hope) on the quality of the candidate and the competition more than anything else.