Let your voice be heard!
On page 5, we published a letter sent to Attorney General Maura Healy by Gustavo Paulino and Yvelisse Corniel Paulino, grandparents of Lee Manuel Viloria Paulino demanding an end to the investigation on his death. It has been more than two years, everything is at a standstill and the family is suffering with the wait.
While the silence is as troubling as the pain the family feels, the City Council will hold a Public Hearing on Tuesday, March 19, 2019 at Lawrence City Hall at 7:00 p.m. for the purpose of gathering testimony, information, and public input concerning a petition to re-name Chestnut Street in the City of Lawrence to Leonel Rondon Street. You can see the notice for the public hearing on page 22.
Losing a child is something no one deserves to go through. Both families are in pain but we should not allow the mayor to use Leonel Rondon’s death during the gas explosions as another photo opportunity. He has avoided talking to Lee Manuel’s family or doing anything to speed up the case.
Lee Manuel Viloria Paulino was a victim of gang violence in this city. He suffered kidnapping, torture and decapitation at the hands of thugs. His arms were never found.
Let’s support Gustavo and Yvelisse on the 19th by attending the City Council meeting and tell the councilors to stop pretending they care.
The mayor needs a PR Department
Sometimes Mayor Rivera has a way of putting his foot in his mouth; I think he should have a Public Relations Department to prevent statements that will ridicule him, such as the one he sent to WCVB-TV channel 5 regarding the Lawrence police officer Carlos Vieira. This officer was charged with two counts of aggravated rape of a child and two counts of indecent assault and battery on a child younger than 14.
“I am angry, sickened, dismayed, saddened by the allegations and charges,” Lawrence Mayor Dan Rivera said in a statement. “We have worked very hard to improve and uplift the professionalism of the Lawrence Police Department.
“We have fired and forced out many officers who did not meet and could not stand up to the code of conduct and the high level of professionalism that my office, the chief of police and the men and women and leadership of the Police Unions have worked to establish.”
“If (the allegations are) found to be true, we will move swiftly to remove the officer involved. This is a travesty.”
When I read that, all I could do was laugh because it is completely contrary to his record with other employees regarding moral issues. He admitted firing “many officers who did not meet and could not stand up to the code of conduct and the high level of professionalism.”
When Theodoro Rosario was arrested by Lowell police for luring a homeless man to a motel room paid for by the City of Lawrence, Rivera kept silent for 9 months until the date for a court hearing before a judge came up and it became known. Theodoro continues working for the city and now the mayor hired a sex offender that has been creating chaos and several employees have brought up grievances.
Apparently, the mayor only demands the code of conduct and professionalism of the police officers only.
HIV cases rising in Lawrence
Public health officials in Massachusetts warn of HIV spike among users who inject illegal drugs.
The state Department of Public Health said in a letter to Boston health care providers Friday that six people have been newly diagnosed with the virus since Nov. 1.
The department is urging providers to step up efforts to ask patients about risky behavior and to test them for HIV, which can lead to AIDS.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last year investigated after dozens of new cases were reported in Lawrence and Lowell.
The Boston Globe reports HIV transmission has risen in Massachusetts in recent years as the opioid epidemic persists.
The state reported 105 new cases in 2017, up from 30 in 2014.
