RONNIE'S RANTS
War heroes & leprechauns
Ronnie Ford
 Lawrence resident Dan
Cotnoir is an affable guy, nice
personality, easy going and … a war
hero!
Dan’s job in the United States
Marine Corps was to go out by Humvee and
find dead Marines, (sometimes their blown
body parts), and return them to the Corps
and their families.
Sergeant Cotnoir did his job well and
received a commendation for his
performance in combat. Dan Cotnoir’s
civilian vocation is a funeral director
and registered embalmer.
He helps people accept the inevitable
occurrence in all our lives, death.
Whether a mom or dad, a brother or
sister, or even a family friend, Dan
Cotnoir is always there. Comforting
others is what he does best.
A woman named Trish Wood wrote a book
about combat heroes of Iraq and
Afghanistan. She devoted an entire
chapter on this man named Daniel Cotnoir
from Lawrence.
I interviewed Ms. Wood and I read her
book, it was great. During the interview
she mentioned Dan Cotnoir was featured in
four other chapters as well.
Now, this war hero says heis being
harassed by Lawrence Police Chief John
Romero and members of the Lawrence Police
Department. As a former cop myself I just
want to say, enough is enough Chief
Romero! Give Dan his license to
carry a firearm back. He has
certainly earned the right! It is
over—— let it lie!
** It’s catchy, it’s like a
pandemic, or a locust-like spread, and
Jim Vittoriso is starting it up
again!
Amy McGovern as well as this writer are
very proud of the fireplug statured
school committee man displaying the
courage of a stand-up politics. Jim
wants to look at nepotism in the school
system. It seems as though we have
an imbalance of people who are related to
political hacks or certain churchgoers,
grabbing school related positions!
Would you believe it??? Atta Boy
Jim! Keep it up!
** Thanks to St. Patrick that beautiful
man of God who drove the snakes out of
Ireland and into America (and is claimed
by every ethnic group in existence), we
have about a week and a half of
celebrations including food, drink and
pretty Irish girls of all nationalities
dressed in their Kelly green and
shamrocks.
St Patrick’s Day is almost as
magical as Christmas. Sooo, I
dragged meself to Irish breakfasts and
luncheons all over the Valley and stuffed
my belly with soda bread, potatoes,
cabbage and corned beef.
Methuen Mayor Bill Manzi had a slam bang
event at the Tara Mara with all the
political stars intact. Some great
jokes were told; poems and stories flowed
from silver-tongued politicians, many
taking a beating but it was a lot of
fun.
Linda Campbell is a former Saint Mary’s
High School top athlete, former Captain
in the US Army, a qualified paratrooper
(Trolley Trooper) but, a canary she is
not. Campbell wrote a song, said she
would not sing it, but at the insistence
of the crowd, changed he mind. Bad
move!
John Milori was at his best and poor Matt
Kraunelis (Mayor Manzi’s coffee boy)
was at the end of every speaker’s
barb. Senator Baddour was his usual
master of appearance, as was Reps.
Barbara L’Italian and Willy
Lantigua.
On the other side of heaven, Mayor Mike
Sullivan hosted the City of Lawrence’s
Hibernian bash. It was a great
crowd, with Little Joe Carroll, the
brother of former Lawrence High School
great, Tom Carroll … well, Joe
reminded me of that movie “ Darby O’Gill
and The Little People” …
a true leprechaun wouldn’t have
looked more authentic!
** I can feel Tom Duggan breathing down
my neck, sooooo … May the good Lord
take a liking to you, and do something
nice for someone today. And we wish
you enough.
Ronnie Ford is a Methuen resident,
the former host of the “Hot Line”
radio pro-gram, a former Methuen police
officer and a former member of the
Methuen school committee and city
council. You can email Ronnie at Radiotalk@comcast.net
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