"I'm making sure they leave."
— A chuckling Richard D'Agostino, Lawrence city attorney, when asked why he attended Tuesday night's City Council meeting. The meeting was the last gathering for six of nine city councilors who were voted out on Nov. 3. The new council meets in early January.
Missing you
In response to a message The Eagle-Tribune recently left with Groveland Selectman Donald Greaney, asking him for comment on Jack Bevelaqua's "Open Mike" talk show being pulled from Groveland cable access television, Greaney left this phone message:
"If you need to speak to the Board of Selectmen, you'll have to go to a Board of Selectmen meeting, as far as I'm aware."
Looking good
Deputy Haverhill police Chief Don Thompson was the picture of sartorial splendor on Wednesday, wearing a holiday necktie with a picture of Santa and a girl in a hula skirt to work.
"He looked quite handsome in that tie," someone who was there told Don't Print That!
Big plans
Patrick Blanchette, outgoing Lawrence City Council president, doesn't have anything grand planned now that he's completed his service to the city.
"I'm looking forward to catching up on TV time and sitting on the couch," he said in his final remarks last week before leaving office after 10 years.
Blanchette also thanked many people, including his mother, Maureen, who was in the audience, and his "other half ... his rock," girlfriend Gloria Mercado.
Monday evening quarterback
Andover School Superintendent Claudia Bach issued an apology to parents on Monday night, five days after she chose to keep schools open during the first major snow storm of the year.
She said many towns, including Andover's neighbors to the south, Reading and North Reading, canceled school on Dec. 9.
"I really don't think that I made a good call," Bach said. "If I had known what I know now, I would have canceled school."
When in Rome
When two Methuen High School teachers approached the School Committee for approval to take students to Rome for a field trip during the 2011 February vacation, the committee not only unanimously approved the trip, but School Superintendent Jeanne Whitten offered to help out even more.
"If you have any space for chaperones, we have a number of people on this committee," she joked.
