3+ week, 3+ day ago (269+ words) LOWELL " The Greater Lowell Road Runners do more than run races and stage races. The organization is an instrument of good in the community, as evidenced by recent developments. Westford Academy cross country and track star Abigail Hennessy, one of the top runners in New England, is a former Greater Lowell Youth Team member. When she was named the 2024-25 Gatorade Track & Field Player of the Year, Hennessy was awarded a $1,000 grant to donate to a social impact partner. Hennessy decided to donate it to the Greater Lowell Road Runners Youth Team. The team was honored to receive the grant and was able to purchase new uniforms thanks to Hennessy's generosity. The middle distance and distance talent earned All-American status at the New Balance National Outdoors in the mile run this past season, and her state-record time of 4:34.69 ranked No. 4 nationally…...

8+ hour, 20+ min ago (693+ words) LOWELL "Thanksgiving leftovers are competing for space in the fridge and the holiday shopping push is upon us, which means the Sun Santa Fund is also back for 2025. Lowell Sun Charities was established by The Sun in 1947 with a basic mission to support local charitable causes. In 1988 the charity identified a persistent need among many families in Greater Lowell: Many" were struggling to provide Christmas gifts for their children and to put a holiday meal on their table. It was then that Lowell Sun Charities founded the Sun Santa Fund. Now in its 37th year, Sun Santa's mission of helping families during the holiday season continues with more than $2 million raised to support local families, and the need now may be about as great as it has ever been. Last year's Sun Santa Fund season helped 1,144 families in Greater Lowell get…...

4+ week, 12+ hour ago (39+ words) LOWELL " Six years ago, Keara Page was a senior member of the Lowell High volleyball team. She vividly remembers counting on her two hands how many spectators were in the stands. "The wooden field " More in High School Sports...

3+ week, 15+ hour ago (390+ words) On Friday, UMass Lowell couldn't solve New Hampshire goaltender Kyle Chauvette in a shutout loss. On Saturday, in the Hockey East rematch in Durham, N.H., the River Hawks had no problem solving Chauvette and the Wildcats, scoring six goals on 22 shots. Led by captain Jay Ahearn, who collected a goal and three assists, the River Hawks romped to a 6-1 victory to gain the weekend split. Scoring goals for the River Hawks (5-5, 3-3 HE) were Jak Vaarwerk (No. 3 of season), Dalyn Wakely (No. 1), Dillan Bentley (No. 3), Libor Nemec (No. 1), Ahearn (No. 5) and Jaiden Moriello (No. 1). It was the first collegiate for Moriello, a junior forward from Saugus. Freshman goalie Austin Elliott was sharp, turning aside 26 of 27 shots. He only allowed two goals all weekend. Playing perhaps their best period of the season, the River Hawks raced out to a 3-0 lead in the first…...

2+ week, 1+ day ago (383+ words) SPRINGFIELD " So many victories. So many highlights. But it all came to a crashing end Friday night for the Lowell High football team in a Div. 1 state quarterfinal. The Red Raiders fell 49-14 to second-seeded Springfield Central (9-1), a team many feel is one of the state's best. Despite hanging tough for the majority of the game, the Red Raiders (8-2) succumbed late. Lowell received the ball first, but had to punt after an incomplete pass near midfield on third down. Springfield Central got the ball for the first time, and after a few consecutive penalties against the Golden Eagles, an ensuing punt returned Lowell with the ball back at its own 47. Anthony Whaley for Springfield Central took the ensuing kickoff all the way back for a touchdown after a cutback on the run, tying the game up at 7 with 11:00 to go in the…...

2+ week, 2+ day ago (615+ words) LOWELL "T-shirts are the latest addition to the Jack Kerouac canon. Better known for his many works of prose and poetry, the Beat writer's visage shares space with country music star Zach Bryan on the front of the $50 tees, while the back of the shirt carries a quote by Kerouac, a song title by Bryan and both men's signatures. The shirts are a limited-edition merchandise collaboration between the Jack Kerouac Estate and singer-songwriter Bryan to support the creation of the Jack Kerouac Center in Lowell. "Zach Bryan's music reflects the same authenticity and emotional weight that sustains Kerouac's writing," Jim Sampas, literary executor of the Jack Kerouac Estate, said. "Since buying the historic church in May, he's done everything with respect for Jack's legacy." Bryan bought the former St. Jean Baptiste Church on Merrimack Street in May. The deal reportedly…...

2+ week, 3+ day ago (974+ words) LOWELL " To represent Lowell on the world stage takes money, and city leadership is investing significant personnel and financial resources in a yearlong effort to bring United Nations-led investment and development to the city through its Frontrunner City for Urban Transformation designation. For a seat at the global table " in Geneva, Switzerland and Toronto, Canada " as well as to meet the numerous requirements in the memorandum of understanding signed with the Urban Economy Forum in August, the city has had to front considerable costs for travel, for documents and for access. Although the goal of those investments is clear " to position Lowell, the first city in the United States to receive Frontrunner City status, with international private development " what's not clear, is how much taxpayer funds the city has actually invested. At the Oct. 28 City Council meeting, Councilor Erik Gitschier's…...

4+ week, 1+ day ago (147+ words) Division 2 champion Lowell High picked up two major awards when the Merrimack Valley Conference announced its field hockey honorees. Junior Anthony Ford named the Div. 2 co-Player of the Year, while head coach Lisa Kattar was chosen the Div. 2 Coach of the Year. Named the Div. 1 Goalie of the Year was senior Brooke Cannata of Chelmsford. Dracut received the Team Sportsmanship Award. Ford and Cannata headline the eight local players chosen first team All-Conference. Selected were Cannata, junior Julia Salerno and senior Amelia Stroud of Chelmsford; senior Elania Wilkey of Dracut; Ford, senior Julia Soucy and senior Hannah Oung of Lowell; and senior Jennalise Mercer of Tewksbury. Picked second team All-Conference were junior Cara Grundy and junior Carly Hartman of Chelmsford; junior Kate Wilson of Dracut; senior Alana Cohen and junior Kate Moriarty of Lowell; and senior Kamryn Frechette of Tewksbury....

4+ day, 18+ hour ago (244+ words) LOWELL " The City of Lights festival returns on Saturday, and preparations have been underway to make sure the annual event goes off without a hitch. As part of those preparations, city electricians have installed approximately 50,000 feet of holiday lights throughout downtown. "I want to recognize everyone who works behind the scenes to make City of Lights special each year," said City Manager Tom Golden in a statement Monday. "Our city electricians install and maintain literally miles worth of lights to bring our downtown to life, and their efforts are appreciated." The city workers who did the final touches on City Hall did so Sunday to avoid disruptions to the building and a closure of the front door during normal business hours. The annual City of Lights Parade will begin at 4:30 p.m. on Jackson Street at Marston Street. The parade will travel…...

2+ day, 4+ min ago (152+ words) Facing ECAC teams in New York continued to bring more pain for the UMass Lowell hockey. On Friday night, Clarkson University outskated the River Hawks, 2-0, to send UML to its third straight loss. The River Hawks won't defend their Adirondack Winter Invitational title at the 1980 Herb Brooks Arena'after winning it last year. UML has now been shut out two straight games. UML has now lost to ECAC members Union, RPI and Clarkson in consecutive games and getting outscored by a combined 10-1. Clarkson took a 2-0 lead with two second-period goals. Ryan Bottril made it 1-0 at 6:15 and Justin Cote scored seven minutes later. After two periods, UML was outshot 22-16 and 0-for-3 on the power play. Shane Soderwall posted a 21-save shutout for Clarkson. Austin Elliott stopped 29 of 31 shots for the River Hawks (5-8)....