Andover Townsman

NORTH ANDOVER — If you’ve ever stood on the banks of the Merrimack River, you know it’s more than just a stretch of water. It’s a pulse that runs through the heart of the Merrimack Valley. So, really, it was only a matter of time before another Merrimack — Merrimack College — added a rowing program and found a leader as seasoned on the local river in Ellen Minzner.

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Merrimack College President Christopher Hopey speaks during an opening ceremony of two new dorms at Merrimack College in North Andover on Tuesday. The new dorms, named Shawsheen and Essex, will house 530 students. NORTH ANDOVER — Two long-awaited dorms for students to live at Merrimack College opened their doors on Tuesday to start the new semester.

NORTH ANDOVER — The School Committee will consider adding more teacher assistant positions this school year to meet the school district’s growing special education needs at Thursday night's meeting. Superintendent Pamela Lathrop made a request for six additional positions during the School Committee’s last meeting in August. kAm%96 4@>>:EE66 5:5 ?@E E2<6 2 A@D:E:@? @? C6BF6DE 2?5 H:== 962C :E 282:? @? $6AE] `_]k^Am kAm%96 A@D:E:@?D H:== 96=A 255C6DD :?4C62D65 DA64:2= 65F42E:@?

ANDOVER — The demolition of a 200-year-old building that served different purposes over the years is being proposed, and under review, to make way for a 12-unit residential development. The Preservation Commission will continue its review of an application to demolish the building at 18 Elm St., the site of the former Palmer’s Restaurant and Tavern, during its Tuesday meeting. kAm%96 4@>>:DD:@? H2D AC6D6?E65 H:E9 E96 2AA=:42E:@? 2E :ED pF8] `` >66E:?8 2?5 E96?

BOSTON — Former Biden administration official Dan Koh won the Democratic primary for the 6th Congressional District Tuesday night after edging out five other competitors in the wide-open race. The six-candidate race ended up a battle between two popular Andover Democrats, state Rep. Tram Nguyen and former Biden administration official Dan Koh. kAm(:E9 23@FE ebT @7 E96 G@E6 :? E96 DAC2H=:?8 }@CE9 $9@C6 5:DEC:4E 4@F?E65 2D @7 `_ib_ A]>][ $6AE]`[ pDD@4:2E65 !C6DD 564=2C65 z@9 E96 H:??6C]k^Am kAm(96?

Presidents get a good bit of the blame for the national debt, and they deserve it. They set the nation’s agenda, after all. But there are two other co-conspirators that need to be mentioned. kAmr@?8C6DD]k^Am kAmp?5 FD ]]] H6 E96 A6@A=6]k^Am kAm|@C6 @7 E92E D9@CE=J]k^Am kAm{2DE H66< E96 ?2E:@?2= 563E AF?4965 @G6C Sc_ EC:==:@?[ 2?@E96C >:=6DE@?6 @? 2 A2E9 E92E H:== D@@? 364@>6 F?H2=<23=6] xE’D 92AA6?:?8 2E E96 D2>6 E:>6 AC@8C2>D DF49 2D $@4:2= $64FC:EJ 2?5 |65:42C6 2C6 @? E96 G6C86 @7 E96:C @H?

Editor’s note: This is the latest in a year-long weekly series in conjunction with the Semiquincentennial – the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. “America is a land of opportunity, and don’t ever forget it.” – Will Rogers kAm(:==:2> !6?? p52:C #@86CD H2D 3@C? %F6D52J[ }@G] c[ `gfh] w6 H2D 3@C? 2 4:E:K6? @7 E96 r96C@<66 }2E:@? :? x?5:2? %6CC:E@CJ[ H9:49 =2E6C 3642>6 ~<=29@>2]k^Am kAmw6 H2D E96 J@F?86DE @7 6:89E 49:=5C6? 3@C? E@ |2CJ 2?5 r=6>6?E #@86CD] #@86CD H2D 3@C?

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100 Years Ago — Sept. 3,1926 A bolt of lightning tore a large hole in the chimney at the rear of the Martha Washington Lodge on Burnham Road. The building was formerly used as a dormitory for the young ladies who worked in the office of the American Woolen company, but since the removal of the offices to Boston last March has been unoccupied and the damage was not discovered until Saturday noon. kAm%9@D6 H9@ 92G6 A2CE:4:A2E65 :?