Lowell Sun

LOWELL -- Negotiations to extend the city's contract with Trinity Ambulance have been completed, resulting in a deal that will put $1.3 million into the city's coffers over the next five years. Trinity, which has 43 ambulances and employs 240 people, has held the $1 annual contract with the city since 1992. Full Story »

DRACUT -- Linda Trouville wants to be Dracut's next school superintendent. The 40-year veteran educator made a play for the head of Dracut schools last night, offering to serve as interim superintendent without a pay raise while School Committee members search for a permanent replacement for Superintendent of Schools W. Full Story »

CHELMSFORD -- A public hearing to set the town's tax rate is on hold while officials wait on information from the Department of Revenue. Due to cutbacks in state departments across the board, the DOR is operating with fewer staff members while trying to push through paperwork for 351 cities and towns, said Chelmsford Chief Assessor Frank Reen. Full Story »

PEPPERELL -- Selectmen hope to interview two finalists for the town administrator's job before Thanksgiving, and have directed the Search Committee headed by Selectman Patrick McNabb to continue to evaluate four late-arriving resumes in an effort to speed up the process. Full Story »

LOWELL -- Pieces are falling into place on a deal that would move the Lowell Community Charter Public School from its present location on Jackson Street in the downtown, to the former Prince Spaghetti building off Moore Street. Full Story »

GROTON -- Falling real-estate values were cited as the primary culprit behind a hike of more than 10 percent for Groton's local tax rate, which was unanimously adopted by selectmen last night. However, officials were quick to say the percentage increase on tax bills would be significantly lower, due to relatively small increases in overall Full Story »

LITTLETON -- A 25-year-old Andover man was killed yesterday afternoon after he drove his car into a message board, rolled over and was ejected from his vehicle along Interstate 495 in Littleton. Police said William Pfeil was the only person involved in the crash at about 2:45 p. Full Story »

Police probe shots fired in Chelmsford CHELMSFORD -- Police say it appears several gunshots were fired into the air during a large disturbance outside a club on Parkhurst Road early Sunday. Police were called to Country Club USA and Reflections Lounge, 67 Parkhurst Road, about 1 a. Full Story »

WOBURN -- Saying he "tarnished'' his reputation forever, former Middlesex Register of Probate John Buonomo publicly apologized for the first time for the theft of more than $100,000 from his campaign finance account and pilfered an estimated $30,000 from state copy and cash machines to bail out his bad real-estate investments. Full Story »

BILLERICA -- A police officer working a detail last week helped rescue a woman allegedly being held against her will. Sgt. Roy Frost was at a construction site on Concord Road shortly after 11 p.m. Thursday when a pickup truck drove past him with the passenger-side door open. Full Story »

LOWELL -- In honor of Veterans Day and Sgt. Edmour St. Hilaire, who served during World War II, St. Hilaire's Carwash on Middlesex Street is offering a free car wash to all military personnel and veterans tomorrow. Full Story »

LITTLETON -- All eight articles on the warrant passed unanimously at Special Town Meeting in Littleton last night. The motive for the meeting was to amend the town's fiscal 2010 operating budget to reflect $306,735 in cuts to local aid passed after the Town Meeting in May; $197,487 on the town side and $109,248 on the school side. Full Story »

LOWELL -- A controversial proposal to build a steeple on an Andover Street church in order to house telecommunications equipment has been out on hold until January, giving the Zoning Board of Appeals timed to secure a peer review. Full Story »

LOWELL -- After a weeklong trial, a Lowell Superior Court jury will enter its third day today of deliberations in the wrongful-death lawsuit brought against Steven Knight by the family of Marc Beauregard, Knight's former boyfriend, who was murdered in 2002. Full Story »

Veterans Day honors all veterans of the country's armed services, but it actually replaced another holiday, Armistice Day, signed into law by President Woodrow Wilson to honor World War I veterans after the signing of the 1918 armistice. Full Story »

DRACUT -- Under pressure from parents, school officials are hiring a new, part-time kindergarten teacher at Greenmont Elementary School. Greenmont Principal David Hill said he has about 10 resumes from teachers interested in the position and plans to have a new teacher in place by Nov. Full Story »

Located at 75 Groton Road. Contribution $2.50. Beverages served with each meal. Call (978) 251-0533 or (978) 251-8788 if transportation is needed. MONDAY -- Deluxe pork fritter, au gratin potatoes, peas, carrots. Full Story »

NASHUA -- Police are seeking information on a man who grabbed a 15-year-old girl from behind and tried to pull her into his vehicle in Nashua on Saturday night. Police said they were notified that about 8:30 p. Full Story »

LOWELL -- Police are keeping a close eye on the Lower Locks Garage and the area around the UMass-Lowell Inn and Conference Center after a man was spotted looking toward student rooms with binoculars on Saturday night. Full Story »

WESTFORD -- The somber voices of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young singing "Find the Cost of Freedom" played from a nearby boombox as local teenagers practiced folding the nation's flag. The teens gathered yesterday morning on the Town Common to get ready for the annual Veterans Day observances, which will get under way at 11 a. Full Story »

DRACUT -- The Moses Greeley Parker Memorial Library is hosting a new exhibit called "The Dracut Farm Project," artist Lisa Anderson Bisson's depiction of the beauty of the land, animals and local produce. Full Story »

By Bob Katzen THE HOUSE AND SENATE. Beacon Hill Roll Call records local representatives' votes on two roll calls and local senators' votes on one roll call from the week of Nov. 2-6. MORE BENEFITS FOR VETERANS (H 4310, S 2193) The House (155-1) and Senate (36-0) approved different versions of a bill expanding veterans benefits. Full Story »

GROTON -- At Barbara and Ian Scofidio's downtown gift store, crystal beaded jewelry and silver trinkets sparkle under the spotlights, making shoppers turn and look. The Scofidios aren't just using any lights to create the ambiance. Full Story »

At first, I thought I was listening to a Saturday Night Live skit or some radio- station prank. Larry Whitten, owner of a hotel in Taos, N.M., forbade the Hispanic workers at his hotel from speaking Spanish in front of him and told them to change their Hispanic-sounding names. Full Story »

TOWNSEND -- The warrant for the Nov. 17 special Town Meeting contains 13 articles, including one that seeks to reduce concessions town unions made for the current fiscal year, said Town Administrator Gregory Barnes. Full Story »