Sitting here in New Mexico looking at the huge blue sky and 400 ft. canyon wall, we just finished reading the article about our beloved Ashley. We want to thank The Recorder for allowing this story to be told. We especially want to thank Chris Curtis for the time and effort he clearly put into researching and writing this story of not only our loss but of the epidemic that is in our area. If telling our story saves one person then feeling so vulnerable with our grief may be well worth the effort. Again thank you, Karen and Paula ...(full comment)

Magee is obviously correct. I wonder what the school officials are really afraid of. ...(full comment)

Why does The Recorder have such a bad website? It's terrible. I've read hundreds of newspaper sites over the years and never encountered one so difficult to navigate and designed to turn off readers as this one. ...(full comment)

Also, my condescending Valley friends, let's not forget Barney Frank and the "Hot Bottom" affair. Remember? That little incident when your favorite Congressman's "roommate" used their house for an illegal male prostitution ring? Perhaps, Mr. Blagg, as an active local historian, you will have your memory refreshed by this: http://www.aim.org/aim-column/media-whitewash-barney-frank%E2%80%99s-scandalous-legacy/ This smug sense of self-righteousness from the newspaper that was duped into thinking that Deval Patrick would deliver "Property Tax Relief" (lol!). Kinda like you were all duped when Dukakis said that his last set of tax increases were "temporary" and would only last through the "fiscal crisis" of the late 1980s. And that Obamacare would cut costs. If you're ever looking to sell your crystal ball, don't bother calling me. How soon we forget the cavalcade of Massachusetts political greatness that we've seen in just the recent years: Jim Marzilli, Tim Cahill, Tom Finneran, John "Offshore" Tierney, DeMasi, Flaherty, Asselin, the list goes on. The Crescent State has nothing on our esteemed political culture. I also loved this part: "Still, it’s sad to see that even lying publicly to your constituents, disappearing from the office of governor for days, using taxpayer’s money to visit your mistress, admitting to numerous affairs and then abandoning your wife of 20 years isn’t enough to turn off the state’s voters." You do know that several biographies from Kennedy insiders state clearly that JFK and Teddy had affair after affair on the public dime? Like the then-college student who recently wrote a book about her affair with JFK? The one that happened just yards from where Jackie was, with the Secret Service in tow? And before you start going all White Knight on Mr. Sanford leaving his wife, I suggest you check up on where Teddy's first wife is today and the state the "good guys" MA political establishment left her in. It might make you regret all the ink you spilled endorsing him again and again. But I don't think it will. After all, The Recorder loved Bill Clinton. P.S. Please upgrade to a 21st century web platform so people don't have to re-register everyti me they want to post a new comment. Your website would win awards... in 1996. ...(full comment)

Umm, Sanford won because he got more votes. I think most people would consider MA to be an "eccentric state," what with a sitting Lt. Governor who crashed his state car at 108 mph (and took three attempts to pass the Bar Exam), an unbroken string of indicted House speakers dating back to the 1980s, and a Senator who has claimed to be a Cherokee Indian despite all genealogical evidence to the contrary. Then there's the MA state rep who made up some drug allegations about her opponent and then reported them to the police. These gems keep getting re-elected in "educated," "progressive," "smarter" MA. Let's not forget the late MA Senator who drove drunk off a bridge, killing a young woman in the process. The voters had several more terms (and decades) to offer him. Yes, I do wonder WHAT it would take for voters to stop re-electing those of questionable moral character. I wonder it every time I see the MA election results. ...(full comment)

The comment I posted yesterday does not read the way it was written so to edit my comment: Ashley ( my granddaughter) was able to receive detox and was waiting for bed availability for re-hab. As professionals who work with the disease of addiction know re-hab is the road to recovery and then maintaining that sobriety is the work for the addict. Sadly for Ashley her limited health insurance put her on a long list for a bed and she accidentally overdosed before she got the help she needed. ...(full comment)

sadly my granddaughter died of a heroin overdose; she was able to receive detox but as people who work in the world of addiction recovery is the maintenance of sobriety. Sadly for her she was not able to find a rehab program that had beds available as she was limited by her state health insurance. May we as a community continue to focus on the needs of addiction. ...(full comment)

Nice to see Lorre get some well-deserved local recognition. His web site is www.lorrewyatt.com ...(full comment)

Northfielders, Please remember to vote. While I'd obviously like you to vote for me, what is most important is community involvement, now and on into the future. Please join us by casting your ballot. Jed Proujansky ...(full comment)

NO HALF-EVOLVED DINOSAURS: Just google the title to read this Internet article of mine. Check-out my newest and very popular Internet site: THE SCIENCE SUPPORTING CREATION Babu G. Ranganathan* B.A. Bible/Biology Author of popular Internet article, TRADITIONAL DOCTRINE OF HELL EVOLVED FROM GREEK ROOTS * I have given successful lectures (with question and answer period afterwards) defending creation before evolutionist science faculty and students at various colleges and universities. I've been privileged to be recognized in the 24th edition of Marquis "Who's Who in The East" for my writings on religion and science. ...(full comment)