Patch Facts

5 Things You Need To Know Today: Feb. 14 [Video]

Marlborough's congressman talks Afghanistan, and city officials inform residents of an impending cemetery clean-up.

Our weekday morning column, 5 Things You Need to Know, provides you with information that can help you plan your day and give you some fodder for water cooler conversations. 1. Happy Valentine's Day! If you haven't chosen a place to celebrate the holiday yet, check out our directory of local businesses and our Valentine's landing page. If you own a Marlborough business, take this opportunity to claim your listing.  2. U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern, D-MA, spoke to Congress last week about how he perceives the progress of the United States military in Afghanistan, saying, "the American people need to hear the truth..." See the attached attached YouTube video.  3. The city of Marlborough Cemeteries Division will be conducting a general cleanup of …

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Letters to the Editor

Letter: Candidate Takes Issue with Sen. Eldridge on Campaign Finance

Republican state senate candidate (for Middlesex and Worcester) Dean Cavaretta talks campaign finance reform.

To the Editor: Considerable news coverage was granted last week (Feb. 2) to liberal activists' attempt to convince Congress to change the campaign finance laws relative to the Citizens United decision and the Supreme Court. Like proponents, I also do not support Super-PACs, nor do I believe corporate influence with fundraising or campaign advertising is good for our political system. I salute Sen. Scott Brown and Elizabeth Warren, for example, trying to remove some of these outside influences from their race. But, their is another side to the campaign finance reform coin that State House liberals, including Jaime Eldridge, fail to mention: How can one rail against corporate corruption and influence in politics, only to remain silent while …

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Patch Facts

5 Things You Need to Know Today: Jan. 27

Marlborough's Congressman has made his endorsement for senator and there is a lot of school news in this edition of Marlborough's 5 Things.

Our weekday morning column, 5 Things You Need to Know, provides you with information that can help you plan your day and give you some fodder for water cooler conversations. 1. Expect rain and warm temperatures today on the way to work and on the way home, says the National Weather Service.  2. There is a mix of feelings pertaining to the absence of Assistant Principal Adam Bakr at Marlborough High School in recent weeks. Marlborough Patch, My Fox Boston and other news outlets have reported on the situation on recent days.  3. The adult Practical Nursing Program at Assabet Valley Regional Technical High School is holding their annual Open House Wednesday, Feb. 8. Learn how it is possible to become a practical nurse through a 10 month …

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Transcript of Obama's State of the Union Address [POLL]

Read the entirety of President Obama's state of the union speech delivered to Congress on Jan. 24.

[Editor's Note: The following is a transcript of President Barack Obama's state of the union address delivered before the U.S. Congress on Jan. 24. The transcript was provided in advance to media outlets by the White House and thus may not reflect the exact text of the live speech.] Mr. Speaker, Mr. Vice President, members of Congress, distinguished guests, and fellow Americans: Last month, I went to Andrews Air Force Base and welcomed home some of our last troops to serve in Iraq. Together, we offered a final, proud salute to the colors under which more than a million of our fellow citizens fought – and several thousand gave their lives. We gather tonight knowing that this generation of heroes has made the United States safer and more …

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Protest Over SOPA May Have Stopped Bill [POLL]

Congressman Jim McGovern opposed the internet piracy act, and so did many others. The message made its way to the House.

Congressman Jim McGovern, D-Worcester, commented on his Facebook page, "While internet piracy is an issue that should be addressed, HR 3261 (SOPA), as written is unwise, unfair, and against what I believe are fundamental rights for all Americans. I plan on voting against the current legislation, although the GOP is now indicating that they will not bring SOPA to the floor for a vote at all." Darrell Issa, congressman, echoed that the SOPA bill would not make it to the House floor for a vote, but that PIPA (Protect IP Act), remains concerning to Issa, as reported on zdnet.com. SOPA, Stop Online Piracy Act, sponsored by Texas Republican Lamar Smith, "would establish a system for taking down websites that the Justice Department determines to …

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Patch Facts

5 Things You Need to Know Today: Nov. 17

The High School could be in store for a big financial boost, but will face some pretty stiff competition to get it.

Our weekday morning column, 5 Things You Need to Know, provides you with information that can help you plan your day and give you some fodder for water cooler conversations. 1. Several readers are commenting on our story about Rep. Jim McGovern's proposed Congressional amendment to remove "personhood" status from U.S. corporations. Join the conversation and vote in the poll on Patch! 2. The Arts Alliance and the Assabet Valley Camera Club are holding their annual Photography Exhibit at the Citizen Bank, 17 Pope St., Hudson. Twenty two artists from eleven area communities are exhibiting their color, black and white, digital and traditional film prints. The public is invited to view the exhibit whenever the bank is open to the public; Monday…

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McGovern Seeks to Remove 'Person' Status from Companies, Limit Election Spending [POLL]

Marlborough's congressman introduced a bill Tuesday that would add a new amendment to the Constitution and overturn a Supreme Court decision made early in 2010.

Rep. James McGovern (3rd—MA) introduced a bill to Congress Tuesday seeking to overturn a recent Supreme Court ruling that has altered long-standing policies pertaining to campaign finance and freedom of speech in elections.  The 5-4 Supreme Court January 2010 (Citizens United v. FEC) decision overturned a lower court's 2008 ruling, saying that the First Amendment guarantees the rights of private businesses to spend their money as they see fit and support political candidates in a public fashion.  Proponents of the decision saw it as a win for businesses large and small, while detractors said it was just another opportunity for big business with big money to unduly influence elections.  McGovern's introduction of the “People’s Rights …

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Letters to the Editor

LETTER: McGovern Offers Final Hour Opposition to Debt Deal

Rep. James McGovern voiced his opposition to the debt ceiling deal working its way through Congress on Monday in an open letter to the Speaker of the House.

Mr. Speaker, I did not come to Washington to dismantle the New Deal or the Great Society.  I did not come here to force more people into poverty. I agree that we need to avoid default and to confront our long-term fiscal challenges.  That’s why on Saturday I voted in support of the Reid proposal, which would have reduced our debt by hundreds of billions of dollars. The bill before us is unfair in so many ways.  It disproportionately places the burden of dealing with our debt issue on the backs of those who can least afford it, while it spares the wealthiest from contributing anything. There is something fundamentally wrong when a billionaire hedge fund manager pays a lower tax rate than his secretary; when Big Oil can make tens of billions…

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VIDEO: Rep. McGovern's Contribution to the Debt Ceiling Debate

Massachusetts 3rd District Congressman James McGovern contributed to the debate over the weekend.

Though the details of plan have changed since Saturday, rigerous debate and planning over the weekend have yielded a plan to avoid a default on the debt ceiling. “Sometimes it seems our two sides disagree on almost everything,” said Senate majority leader Harry Reid (D) of Nevada on Sunday evening, as quoted in the The Christian Science Monitor. “But in the end, reasonable people were able to agree on this: The United States could not take the chance of defaulting on our debt, risking United States financial collapse and worldwide depression.” A Huffington Post article credited the successful negotiation to cooperation across the isles of Congress.   "Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) has tentatively signed off on a deal to raise …

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Old News

100 Years Ago: Congressman Wilder Drives Through Marlborough

Six days a weeks Marlborough Patch will highlight an interesting story from the Marlborough Daily Enterprise published on that date 100 years ago.

July 15, 1911: Congressman Wilder in Marlboro Friday Congressman William H. Wilder of Gardner was in town Friday on his way to Wayland, where he addressed the Dairymen's association. Mr. Wilder made the trip from Gardner in an automobile and stopped here to call on his friend, Charles B. Eager. He was looking somewhat slimmer than when last seen here due to the oppressive heat of Washington.  Click on the attached PDF file to see the rest of this story.  Compiled from the archives at the Marlborough Public Library. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter to keep up to date on the latest Marlborough news, or simply hit the "like" button at the top of this page.

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