Milk Prices Could Soar If Farm Bill Stays in Limbo

With the Farm Bill tied up in legislation, milk prices could double, according to a report on dailyfinance.com and aol.com.

That bottle of milk you brought this week, could be double the price if the current farm bill expires with action being taken by the legislature, according to a report on dailyfinance.com and aol.com. The Farm Bill, which was started in 1933, is updated every five years or more. Right now, it is tied up in the legislature and being affected by the Fiscal Cliff negotiations. The New York Times reported if the present Farm Bill expires, the price equation go to its 1949 standard and government would pay more for milk. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said farmers will be in a hurry to sell to the governament, creating a shortage in the stores. It is estimated the price of milk could go as high as $8 from a current average of $3.69.

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Bielat, Kennedy Square Off to Talk 'American Dream'

Fourth Congressional District Candidates sparred on issues relating to the "American Dream," Including jobs, the economy, education, and health care.

In their second debate Wednesday, Fourth Congressional District candidates Sean Bielat and Joe Kennedy III took center stage in front of a packed room at UMass Dartmouth’s Advanced Technology and Manufacturing Center in Fall River to discuss the "American Dream." Bielat (R-Norfolk) and Kennedy (D-Brookline) sparred on issues related to the "American Dream," including jobs, the economy, education and health care. The debate was sponsored by MassINC, publisher of Commonwealth Magazine and moderated by Michael Goodman, the chair of the public policy department at UMass Dartmouth. Kennedy and Bielat were asked questions from Aaron Frechette of the Fall River Herald News and Taunton Gazette, Bruce Mohl of Commonwealth Magazine and Alan Zarek of…

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Congressional Candidates to Debate in Attleboro, Easton Next Week

Patch will be represented on the panel providing questions for candidates Sean Bielat, Elizabeth Childs and David Steinhof in Attleboro Monday. On Tuesday, Republican and Democratic candidates will square off in forums at Stonehill College.

Two debates early next week will pit 4th Congressional District candidates against eachother. On Monday night, GOP candidates will square off at Bristol Community College in Attleboro. Tuesday night, both parties will square off in seperate primary debates at Stonehill College. Below is some info on the two nights of debates. Monday Night: Sean Bielat, Elizabeth Childs and David Steinhof will answer questions from a panel comprised of members of the local media at Bristol Community College in Attleboro from 7-8:30 p.m. The event is sponsored by The South Coast GOP, which is made up of town/city committees from Seekonk, Taunton, Raynham and Rehoboth as well as the Republican Women of Bristol/Norfolk County. Participants on the panel include…

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Attleboro's Heroux Quits Congressional Race for 4th District

Paul Heroux says he does not have the resources to compete in what he calls the "campaign-industrial complex."

The field of candidates to fill the Congressional seat for Massachusetts' 4th District has shrunk with the announcement early Thursday morning that Attleboro resident and Attleboro-Seekonk Patch blogger Paul Heroux has withdrawn from the race "I am not seeking the nomination at this time because with limited resources there is no longer enough time to put together the sort of professional organization necessary to successfully compete in what has become a 'campaign-industrial complex,'" Heroux wrote on his campaign site. The 35-year-old Democrat was considered a longshot in a race that includes fellow Democrats Joseph Kennedy III (grandson of deceased U.S. Attorney General Robert Kennedy), Jules Levine and Herb Robinson and Republicans …

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Question of the Day

Question of the Day: Curt Schilling for Congress?

Would you vote for the former Red Sox player if he ran for Congress?

  Yesterday, former Red Sox pitcher and GOP advocate Curt Schilling announced that he had no intention to run for Barney Frank's soon-to-be vacant congressional seat. According to the Boston Herald, Schilling's name was tossed around as a possible contender for the position. Schilling, however, shot down the idea. “If it was any other point in time, I would do it in a heartbeat,” Schilling to the Herald. “But it’s an elected position — it’s 365 days a year, nights, weekends. I can’t do it right now.” Barney Frank announced recently that he would not run for re-election for the seat he has occupied since 1981. The announcement came a short time after new Congressional districts placed the town of Easton in his district. Would you vote for …

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Question of the Day

Question of the Day: Barney Frank [POLL]

How do you feel about Barney Frank's retirement?

We're asking Easton Patch readers a different question every weekday at noon. Questions could range from local decisions made by officials, to state issues, to national politics and entertainment. Whatever it is, we want to know what EASTON thinks! To answer, use our comments section below. At a news conference yesterday, Barney Frank said he will retire at the end of the year. Frank cited a new redistricting map that significantly altered the district he would represent. Easton would have been one of the new districts Frank would represent. How do you feel about Barney Frank's retirement? Answer our poll or in our comments section.

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Barney Frank: Changes in District Were a Factor in Retirement Decision

U.S. Rep. Barney Frank announced Monday he will not seek re-election in 2012.

Citing recent changes to the Fourth Congressional District, Newton Congressman Barney Frank announced Monday afternoon that he will not seek re-election in 2012.  Frank, 71, made the announcement today in the War Memorial Auditorium at Newton City Hall. Speaking to a sea of media, Frank said the redistricting results would require him to campaign as an incumbent in a district that "is almost half new." "[The district] is so new it makes it harder in terms of learning about new areas," Frank said.  Just last week, Governor Deval Patrick signed off on new congressional districts. The Fourth District, where Frank has been congressman for 16 terms, added more towns from Worcester and Norfolk counties such as Milford, Hopedale, Plainville, …

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Patrick Signs New Congressional Map, Easton Moved to Frank's District

Easton's new district would add "more continuity," committee chair says.

Governor Deval Patrick signed a bill Monday that will change who Easton residents vote for in the United States House of Representatives in 2012. For the first time since 2001, Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-South Boston) will not be on the ballot. Instead, Easton will be voting in the 4th congressional district, which has been occupied by Rep. Barney Frank (D - Newton) since 1981. The redistricting bill, headed by a redistricting joint-committee, split the state into nine congressional districts. Previously, Massachusetts was split into 10 districts. “My thanks go out to our legislative leaders and members of the Joint Special Committee on Redistricting for coming together and completing this extraordinary task,” Patrick said in a statement. “The …

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New Congressional Maps Would Alter Easton's Representation in Washington

Easton likely to switch from Lynch's district to Frank's District

A bill that was being finalized in the state legislature Wednesday night would alter Easton's representation in Washington. Rep. Stephen Lynch's office confirmed Wednesday that a bill that was passed in the house and senate would switch Easton's representation from the proposed 8th congressional district, which Lynch (D - South Boston) would represent to the proposed 4th congressional district, which Rep. Barney Frank (D - Newton) would represent. The move, which was in the process of being enacted by both houses Wednesday night, would swap Easton with Walpole. The change comes after proposed maps were released on Nov. 7 by the state's redistricting committee that included Walpole in Frank's 4th District and Easton in Lynch's 8th district…

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Newly Proposed Congressional Maps Released Yesterday

The maps will likely force William Keating to move to Bourne to avoid running against Easton's current rep. Stephen Lynch.

New proposed Congressional maps released yesterday by the state's redistricting committee could have resulted in a political showdown for Easton's representative in congress between Easton's current representative Stephen Lynch (D-South Boston) and William Keating (D-Quincy). Instead, the Boston Globe reports, Keating will likely move to his home in Bourne to avoid running against Lynch and represent a newly formed 9th district, serving the south coast, Cape Cod and the island. "It is not unusual in Massachusetts for political figures to relocate to run for Congress. Keating moved two years ago from Sharon to Quincy to campaign for that seat," the Globe reports. The new maps merge Keating's 10th district with Lych's 9th district to form a …

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