Merrimack Valley Newsmakers: Recent Episodes
WHAV Staff
Thought-provoking words from the Merrimack Valley's most influential voices in education, politics, environment and more, as heard exclusively over 97.9 WHAV FM.
U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton says he believes the federal government will come through for Haverhill to fix infrastructure and, with his help, continue to make good on health and education.
Moulton, who is seeking the Democratic nomination to run for Senate against incumbent. Edward J. Markey, expressed his confidence and answered questions during a live interview Friday on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program. Following Haverhill’s force main sewer failure, Moulton and 5th District Congresswoman Lori Trahan, proposed raising the ceiling on federal money to upgrade Haverhill’s wastewater infrastructure from $40 million to $50 million. Moulton said he is confident the federal government would come to the rescue.
“Haverhill residents can’t take care of this on your own. You need help. This is exactly what you should expect the federal government to do,” Moulton said, adding this situation is proof Congress “can get things down” even in a “divided environment.”
Moulton, 47, is pitching himself as the young progressive choice against Markey, who is 80.
On a question about what he would do as a senator to ensure Haverhill gets its fair share of federal help for healthcare, schools and other social programs, Moulton touted his success in bringing $2 billion in federal funding to the city of Lynn.
“Well, you know I’ve already delivered $2 billion to the City of Lynn. Imagine what $2 billion would do for Haverhill. That’s the kind of hard work that I’ve been putting in in Washington for 10 years. So, I know how the system works,” Moulton argued.
Moulton added, in his opinion more money must be earmarked for vocational education because the jobs are waiting and students are clamoring for seats in vocational programs.
“A lot of kids, for example, want to go to vocational school right now because they know that being an electrician or plumber is not a job that will get automated out of existence by AI. But we’re not giving enough opportunities for kids to get a vocational education,” he observed.
Asked whether terminology he used in 2024 to describe transgender individuals was insensitive when he said he doesn’t want his daughters “getting run over by on the playing field by a male or formerly male athlete,” Moulton said the quotation was taken out of context.
“I have a 100% voting record on this issue. And I recognize that a lot of transgender people are getting attacked right now by this administration. But in fairness you cut off half my quote. What I said is that as a Democrat we’re not even allowed to discuss these issues and that’s wrong,” Moulton fired back.
Moulton said he thinks it is healthier for the party to raise contentious issues and not be afraid to debate them, that in those discussions, support emerges.
“We ought to lead that discussion as Democrats. We should not cede that territory to the Republicans which is what we have been doing for far too long,” Moulton argued.
Moulton was first elected to the House of Representatives from the 6th Congressional District in 2015 and is in his sixth term. Markey was first elected to the House of Representatives in 1976 following a stint in the state Legislature. He was elected as one of Massachusetts’s two senators in 2013. He is in his third term.
Moulton faces Markey in the Tuesday, Sept. 1, state primary. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mail in ballots may be requested by calling the Haverhill city clerk’s office at 978-374-2312. The last day to request a vote-by-mail ballot is Tuesday, Aug. 25. In-person early voting at Haverhill City Hall begins Saturday, Aug. 22, and runs through Friday, Aug. 28. The full schedule is available on the city website at HaverhillMA.gov.
WHAV is reaching out to all candidates to outline their positions in advance of their respective, contested elections.
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Haverhill Police are using drones to assist traffic navigation and these could also soon be used to quickly get life preservers to potential drowning victims.
Police Capt. Garrett Sarfde, appearing recently on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” show, shared what three new drones will achieve for the department. Haverhill Police first used the drones for the fourth of July fireworks ceremony, July 3, to monitor traffic and public safety. He explained how the drones helped ease the flow of traffic leaving the show.
“Logistically, getting everybody out of the area when the fireworks end has always been a little bit of a challenge. This year was probably the fastest that we got people out of there because we were able to put the drone above the intersections and determine the best route to send people and make sure that people were getting onto the rout that they needed to get to,” Sarfde said.
The drones, which are approximately 24 to 30 inches across, are the same type used by the U.S. military. Capabilities include thermal heat sensing, speakers that can sound pre-recorded messages and carry on one-way communication. Additionally, drones will soon be fitted with self-inflating life preservers to stop potential drowning accidents.
Sarfde is one of eight trained drone pilots at Haverhill Police. He discussed the how the department plans to keep drone operators safe.
“We’ll have continuing practice, continuing training, quarterly trainings with all the drone operators. Making sure that their skills are up to date, making sure that they know what they’re doing from day to day, Sarfde said. “It’s a perishable skill so if you’re not using it day to day to day, it can become a little more challenging,” he added.
Sarfde explained Haverhill Police have been in communication with Amesbury and Merrimac Police for direction on how to best use the drones as they also have similar technology.
The police department also communicates with Lawrence Municipal Airport when the drones are in use to ensure no interference in flights.
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Haverhill Police Capt. Jamie Landry urges people to be safe especially with an influx of e-bikes and scooters and extreme heat are presenting dangers.
Appearing live recently on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” morning show, Landry says he’s seen many more e-bikes, scooters and other recreational vehicles on public ways. He calls for people to tell their kids about the dangers of riding in traffic.
“Kids, they just don’t get how dangerous it can be weaving in and out of traffic, and whether they just don’t get it or whether they don’t care, we need to start getting serious about educating these kids and coming up with a plan with the legislature and the city to up with some enforcement options for this,” he says.
He suggested that children stay to the side of the road and wear protective equipment when riding. He offered further advice.
“Be aware of everything around you, the cars the pedestrians, you have to be careful out there. Follow the intersections. If there’s a stop sign you should stop. If there’s a red-light you should stop. If you’re at a crosswalk and there’s a no-walk sign you should stop. We all have to watch out for each other and be as safe as we can be out there on the roads,” Landry adds.
Landry discussed the Haverhill Police Department’s efforts to create a safer city, listing Plug Pond as another activity closely monitored this time of year. He explained what often leads to people falling into trouble at Plug Pond.
“Especially this time of year when it’s super hot, people want to get in the cool water to refresh whether they can swim or not,” Landry said. “Make sure that you’re paying attention to each other, and make sure that there’s a lifeguard on duty, watch out for each other,” he added.
He discussed the dangers of fireworks and sparklers adding, “We want to remind people that fireworks are not legal in the state. Please don’t use them.” Suggesting that people go to local events in the Merrimack Valley to see firework displays, instead of using them at home.
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Caroline Pineau, owner and CEO of Stem, a Haverhill cannabis retailer, recently shared her story of navigating the struggles of breast cancer, while managing a company.
She appeared on WHAV’s morning program. Pineau explained, after being diagnosed last October, she underwent a double mastectomy to avoid chemotherapy and radiation treatments.
She was encouraged by medical professionals to have an early mammogram due to breast cancer running in her family. Pineau said her thankfulness in catching the cancer early saying,
“I was grateful that early detection allowed me to have more options in my treatment,” said Pineau. “If there’s one thing that I could empower women to do more is to be more on top of early detection when it comes to your breast care health,” she added.
Despite Pineau’s cancer scare, she continues her work as Stem launched a campaign to collect signatures to allow on-premise cannabis consumption in Haverhill. Explaining, Stem will need 4,700 signatures from registered Haverhill voters in order to get its question on the November ballot. Stem was looking to collect signatures at CiderFeast last Thursday, June 18, and again Wednesday night at the Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce, where Stem had a “community education evening” to answer question from potential supporters.
Stem is also hosting its fifth annual Green Goddess Invitational golf tournament on Oct. 26, at Renaissance Golf Club in Haverhill to support early detection breast cancer advocacy and support for women facing cancer diagnoses.
Pineau described how Stem sees itself contributing not just to the community of marijuana users in the city but to Haverhill as a whole,
“We have a vision for Haverhill as a thriving community where small businesses can flourish and contribute to the local economy. So, we really see social consumption as a way to create more jobs, boost local businesses and foster a sense of community here in Haverhill.”
She added, “We really believe this can help bring more vibrancy to Haverhill’s downtown.” Pineau remarked on Haverhill’s desire to have a 18-hour economy, believing that Stem can be a contributing factor in this endeavor.
Currently, Stem is breaking ground on phase two of its construction to turn its 124 Washington St. building’s third and fourth floors and roof into a cannabis lounge. The building within the Washington Street Shoe District, was built in 1876, prior to the Great Fire of 1882. Pineau said she believes the location was “born to be a cannabis building.”
Stem has hearings scheduled Wednesday, July 8, before the Planning Board and Tuesday, July 14, before the City Council.
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Historic New England plans to open its long-awaited preservation and collections center a week from Saturday with “Shoe Stories: Part, Present, Future” as its opening exhibit along with a day of free activities for the public.
The nonprofit, which operates 38 museums across the region, began housing its collections in 1988 within a former shoe manufacturing building in Haverhill. It went on to buy the building and its twin, spurring plans in 2023 for a history center. Vin Cipolla, president and CEO of Historic New England, appeared recently on WHAV and outlined the plans.
“Historic New England owns twin former shoe manufacturing buildings on Essex Street, 151 Essex and 143 Essex. And we have made a major investment. And the entire first floor of one of those historic buildings will be the new Historic New England Haverhill Center,” Cipolla said.
The ribbon cutting is Saturday, June 27, at 11 a.m., followed by a block party at noon on Essex Street.
Historic New England Curator Michelle Tolini Finamore leada a guided gallery walk of “Shoe Stories: Part, Present, Future,” at noon. A question-and-answer session on the Historic New England Haverhill Immersive Experience follows at 12:30 p.m. The Innovators Series launches at 1:30 p.m. with a conversation on the future of shoe design hosted by Finamore and including shoe designers Thom Solo, Yuly Fuentes-Medel and Kelly Chickering. The winners of the Stuart Weitzman Heart & Sole Teen Shoe Design competition will be announced after the lecture. The day concludes with a hip-hop dance performance at 3 p.m. by the Floor Lords, followed by an interactive hip-hop dance for kids led by the group.
Historic New England bought the Lang building in 2006 to store its more than 125,000 New England decorative arts and 1.5 million historic documents. In 2023, the nonprofit bought the adjacent Burgess building which allowed it to imagine the site as a cultural hub. Haverhill architect Charles Willis Damon designed the two eight-story buildings in 1912 for bankers William H. Burgess and Howard W. Lang of Boston. They were the largest concrete shoe factories in the world at that time.
Historic New England hired DesignLab Architects of Boston to design the exhibition space located in the Burgess building at 143 Essex St. Three other architecture firms, TenBerke, Brandon Haw Architecture and Howeler + Yoon, have been asked to come up with ideas for a cohesive cultural campus that Historic New England plans to develop in the coming years.
The Shoe Stories exhibit includes footwear designed for Boston Ballet Company principal Diana Albrecht, Beyoncé, Julia Childs and Walter Gropius. Designers include Chris Donovan, Gucci, Sarah Guerin, Viktoria Modesta, Thom Sol, Louis Vuitton and Stuart Weitzman. The exhibit is divided into five sections: The New England Shoe Industry, Artful Accessories, All Seasons Sporting and A Family Recipe: Seymour and Stuart Weitzman and Workers Stories.
Curating the exhibit with Finamore is Nora Ellen Carleson and Lorna Condon, both on the staff of Historic New England. The center will be open Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays, from noon to 5 p.m. and Fridays, from noon to 8 p.m.
“Obviously, we are really dialing into the extraordinary shoe manufacturing legacy of Haverhill and the Merrimack Valley region and beyond. And the objects that will be in the exhibition center for the Shoe Stories exhibit are just going to be extraordinary and delightful,” Cipolla said.
Founded in 1910 as the Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities, Historic New England owns 38 historic properties in New England, 11 in Essex County.
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Haverhill Public Schools recently won national recognition as one of 192 districts in 38 states whose students have improved significantly faster in math than peer schools.
The award called “Districts on the Rise” is a collaboration of the Harvard University Center for Education Policy Research and the Stanford University Educational Opportunity Project along with faculty at Dartmouth College. Haverhill School Superintendent Margaret Marotta talked recently about the honor on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program. She explained how the Education Scorecard is computed.
“They take every school district across the country, all public school districts, and they look at their test scores, they look at their NAEP, the National Educational Progress Assessment, and they look at your standardized test scores and your attendance scores,” Marotta explained.
The partnership has produced its Education Scorecard for the last four years. The most recent report analyzed national student achievement trends for approximately 35 million students in grades three to eight, from 2022 through 2025. Eleven states were not included due to data limitations.
The Beverly, Braintree, Reading, Scituate and Westfield school systems also received the honor for their students’ progress in math. Other Massachusetts schools honored were Cambridge, for both reading and math progress, and Duxbury, Lexington, Mansfield, Plymouth, Salem, Sharon and Weymouth for reading progress.
Marotta credited both the adoption of a new math curriculum as well as the hard work of teachers in implementing it for the recognition.
“We’ve been changing up the curriculum, trying to improve things over in the last couple of years, and it is paying off. But it was definitely our teachers and their hard work and learning curve,” Marotta said.
Haverhill was also called out by the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education as a statewide Spotlight District during a recent education conference in Washington, D.C., for its implementation of a new literacy curriculum at the high school. Specifically, DESE said, Haverhill has been effective in providing coaching to high school teachers as they introduce the new reading supports in their classrooms. The coaching has helped the teacher feel more engaged and less overwhelmed, DESE reported.
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Memorial Day observances are scheduled throughout Haverhill in the lead up to the holiday itself, next Monday.
Jeffrey Hollett, Haverhill’s veteran services director, gave an overview of upcoming Memorial Day-related happenings during a recent appearance on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program.
He said this year’s theme is “What Does Memorial Day Mean to You?”
“I would like to see Memorial Day Week become a week of events every single day of the week prior to,” Hollett said.
This Friday, May 22, students at the John C. Tilton School on Grove Street will hold the school’s Annual Memorial Day Ceremony at 1:30 p.m. Veterans, families and friends have been invited to the tribute which includes a student concert.
On Saturday, May 23, veterans, scouting and other youth groups, services clubs and allies are gathering at 9 a.m., at the Haverhill AmVets Post 147, 576 Primrose St. The post is the staging area for those who are placing small American flags on veterans’ graves buried within Haverhill’s 17 cemeteries. Hollett said for many this rite has become an annual tradition.
“We’ve purchased over 8,000 flags this year. We have plans to put out over 8,000 flags. We can’t do that without volunteers,” Hollett said.
On Sunday, May 24, church bells across the city will ring at noon as part of the national “Ring For the Fallen” tribute. Hollett notes this ritual has been adopted by the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation as a way of honoring firefighters who have died in the line of service as well.
Haverhill’s Annual Memorial Day Parade step off Monday, at 10:45 a.m., from the Haverhill Firefighting Museum, 75 Kenoza Ave. Those marching are asked gather at 10 a.m. The parade will march to Linwood Cemetery, 41 John Ward Ave., where the Memorial Day ceremony will take place. The AmVets host lunch following the ceremony at the post, 576 Primrose St.
The city’s Memorial Day activities conclude with the National Moment of Silence at 3 p.m., Monday, May 25. Anyone with a bell is asked to ring it for 21 seconds beginning at 2:59 p.m. Then, at 3 p.m., the moment of silence commences for 21 seconds.
Hollett is also encouraging veterans to take part in the Memorial Day Creative Sanctuary. The online program encourages anyone inspired by the solemnity of the day to submit an essay or poem to Mission Belonging’s website. The organization’s “Writing in the Arena” provides a place “to explore identity and to find purpose and meaning following military service through creativity and shared experience.” Those interested in participating may visit MissionBelonging.org.
Hollett also asked that other city organizations planning an observance let him know by calling his office at 978-374-2351, ext. 3932.
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Northern Essex Community College is celebrating its Fifth Annual Giving Day with a 24-hour push to replenish its NECC Fund. It is also getting ready for its Fourth Annual Impact Awards Event.
Shana Murrell, the college’s director of alumni relations and annual giving recently appeared on WHAV’s morning program to explain how the fundraiser works and how donations meet student needs.
The blitz, scheduled for today, April 9, aims to unite alumni, staff, students and friends in a common goal of supporting the college and its students, Murrell said. The first Giving Day in 2022 raised $34,000 from just over 200 donors. That was the largest single-day fundraising effort in the college’s history.
(CUT: murrell-as-they-come.wav) “Essentially, our NECC Fund allows us to have the flexibility to fund different needs for the college. So, we’re very excited to have the opportunity to have that fund available so that we can meet the needs of our students as they come,” Murrell said.
Among programs the college supports through its NECC Fund is the Internship Stipend Program. Murrell said because so many Northern Essex students work part time while they are also attending classes, it can be difficult to give up a paying job to take an unpaid internship.
(CUT: murrell-program-of-study.wav) “An internship stipend helps a student to be able to make up some of that income they may have had to give up while they are participating in a valuable internship that may be related to their major and program of study,” Murrell explained.
Contributions to the NECC Giving Day can be made on NECC.edu.
Lane A. Glenn, college president, also recently appeared on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” to talk about another college fundraiser. The college’s Fourth Annual Impact Awards is happening Wednesday, May 6.
As WHAV reported in February, five awards will be given. The Community Partner Award will go to the Merrimack Valley Transit Authority, while the Outstanding Alumnus Award goes to former state Rep. Michael Costello, a member of the class of 2012; Philanthropy and Volunteerism Award to Richard and Susan Smith Family Foundation and Senior Program Officer Marjorie Ringrose; and Public Service and Advocacy Award to Essex County Sheriff Kevin F. Coppinger.
(CUT: glenn-have-seats-available.wav) “You’ll be happy to know, or some of the listeners might be happy to know, there’s still room for sponsors at the Impact Awards. We have sponsorships available. We have got some seats available,” Glenn said.
Impact Awards tickets are $150 each and available at NECC.edu.
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Kara Kosmes, who retires in August as business manager at Whittier Regional Vocational Technical High School, has witnessed a sea change in career training as well as in the tools she uses to keep a watchful eye on finances.
Born and raised in Haverhill, sixty-seven-year-old Kosmes shared her experiences during a recent appearance on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” morning program. She reflected on how her job has changed in 30 years.
“Everything was manual when I first started. You used paper and pencil and, in order to do bookkeeping, you had these very long, wide spreadsheets,” she recalled.
Kosmes was a freshman at Haverhill High School when Whittier Tech opened in 1973. Following college, she started her career in finance at a local certified public accounting firm, a position she held for 14 years. She then worked nearly 17 years in Haverhill Public Schools as assistant superintendent for finance and operations before joining Whitter Tech in July 2013.
The school was chartered in 1967 to provide a career training alternative for 11 communities including Haverhill. The other communities are Amesbury, Georgetown, Groveland, Ipswich, Merrimac, Newbury, Newburyport, Rowley, Salisbury and West Newbury. Kosmes remembers touring the new building and being blown away by its appearance.
“At the time, it was state of the art, brand new, beautiful. It didn’t look a lot like the schools that I had been to up until then. But it was a very different school than it is now. It was primarily for the trades.”
Kosmes noted the impetus to establish Whittier Tech grew out of the old Haverhill Trade School that operated in downtown Haverhill. She pointed out that 50 years later, Whittier students don’t just head to a job in the trades following graduation. With their Whittier education, students can continue their education by going to a technical school or pursuing a two- or four-year college degree.
“The bonus I think for students today is you also leave with a skill so you always will have something, hopefully, to fall back on,” Kosmes said.
In her position as business manager, Kosmes has been intimately involved with the effort to renovate or replace the aging Whittier building. She has been attending meetings of the committee to amend the 1967 Regional Agreement with governs how capital and operating costs are allotted to member communities. Several of which are pressing for changes in the agreement since more than half the student body is from Haverhill, but the city would pay just 44% of the share of the cost of any new construction. Rowley, on the other hand, would pay 3.5% of the cost and Newburyport 10.5%, but are only allocated 10 seats each or 2%.
“We hope within a year that we’ll have some sort of new amended regional agreement that people can agree upon, at least as much as they can agree upon it, and that we may be able to move forward with a building project for Whittier,” Kosmes said.
She said she plans to stay involved with the Whittier community in her retirement, though she is looking forward to spending more time at the beach. She is also a longtime member of the board of directors of the Greater Haverhill YMCA and assistant treasurer of the parish council at Holy Apostles Saints Peter and Paul Greek Orthodox Church in Haverhill.
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Haverhill’s new Acting Police Chief Wayne Tracy says his first few months at the helm have seen a focus on officer training and the introduction of three canines.
Tracy, who addressed listeners live as a recent guest on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program, says one of his goals for the department is making sure 90% of officers complete crisis intervention training.
“We’re actually are ahead of the curve on that. The state wants departments to have 20% of their department trained on that. We’re at 70%,” he says.
But Tracy notes that when the department brings on new officers, that percentage falls so the training has to be a priority.
The acting chief also says he is pleased the department has added three canines to its force for the first time—two trackers and one comfort dog. Rex was the first to be sworn in last fall and his specialty is locating bombs, Tracy notes. The second tracking dog is still in training and doesn’t yet have a name. This canine’s expertise will be sniffing out drugs. The third dog will be a comfort dog. Calling comfort dogs a “good community policing” tool, Tracy adds, he expects the pup will be as helpful to his officers as to the public at large.
Tracy was named to the position in October and is a 21-year veteran of the force. He grew up in the Acre section of Haverhill, graduating from Haverhill High School where he played hockey and football. After college at Southern New Hampshire University, he recalls he was working in a local pizza shop while waiting to take the state’s firefighter civil service exam. A friend suggested he take the police officer civil service test because it was scheduled sooner and the content of the exam is similar. To his surprise, he says, he passed the test and was offered a job.
While he once thought he might switch departments at some point, Tracy says he’s found his place in policing. He points out it’s his regular interactions with the community that gets him to work every day.
“Obviously any day you can help somebody, whether it is saving a life to that extreme or just giving them a hand, maybe helping somebody cross the street or something small like that. Those types of things make you feel good,” Tracy says.
Tracy notes he also is continuing his education as he is close to earning his master’s degree through an online program at the University of Mississippi.
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What’s better than a new playground at an elementary school? How about a new playground open to the entire community regardless of mobility issues?
The parents at Golden Hill Elementary School decided to expand their dreams of replacing the school’s current playground beyond their school community and launched an effort to build what they are calling the Haverhill Community Playground. While the play area will be off limits during the school day, it will be open after school gets out at 3:15 p.m. during the week, on weekends and during school vacations.
Organizer Brittany Safy, parent of a first grader and kindergartener at Golden Hill, is spearheading the effort. She and her team aim to raise $300,000 as well as get commitments of more than 1,000 volunteer hours to actually construct their dream play space in May.
Safy recently sat down with WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” host Win Damon and chatted about the playground’s design and objectives.
“We started with looking at the playground at Golden Hill and it serves its purpose, but it could serve a bigger purpose. It is a little—let’s just say it could use a facelift,” Safy said of the current playground adjacent to the school at 140 Boardman St.
Safy said she became familiar with what playgrounds could be during the COVID-19 pandemic when she found herself driving miles so her children could experience different play spaces.
“Our goal really is to create a playground that isn’t just your average playground. It’s something that is a destination playground, a place that maybe community members from surrounding towns come to,” she said.
On a visit to Carlisle, she discovered a playground she and her kids liked, so she inquired as to the designer. That led to a relationship with Play By Design, an Ithaca, N.Y., firm that helps communities design unique play areas, fundraise and then build them. The lead designer interviewed students at Golden Hill on a design day in December to find out what they wanted their new playground to include. From those ideas, the group decided the new space must have swings and a basketball court. It will also have two slides, three climbing towers, two obstacle courses and musical elements.
The current plan is to start construction Tuesday, May 26, and, with the help of community members, erect it by the end of the weekend on Sunday, May 31. Safy envisions teams of 10 people working four, eight and even 12-hour shifts to get it done.
“So members of the community, we’re going to need 180 volunteers a day, are going to build this playground in six days,” Safy said.
Making sure the playground is inclusive and welcoming to all children regardless of mobility issues means the play surface will be heavy rubber and the main climbing structure will have ramps wide enough to accommodate a wheelchair. There will be several sensory panels as well as a quiet play area, Safy said.
“Some of the great things that are going to make this playground stand out and apart from neighboring playgrounds is that it is going to be fully ADA compliant,” Safy said.
Among the fundraising ideas so far is a tile project. For a price, anyone can decorate small pottery squares that will be used to enhance the playground’s entryway, Safy said. The group is also writing grants and seeking in-kind donations of materials.
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DiZoglio, a Methuen Democrat, has been locked in a three-year battle with legislative leaders and state Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell over her initiative to undertake an administrative audit of the legislature. Legislators opposing DiZoglio argue an audit of the Legislature by another state agency violates the separation of powers clause in the state Constitution. Instead, they propose hiring of an outside audit firm.
In a wide-ranging interview with WHAV host Win Damon, DiZoglio outlined her new strategy for breaking the deadlock with legislative leaders and the state’s top judge.
She asked the public to support a new ballot question she is supporting which would expand the state public records law to include the governor’s office and the legislature. If the petition passes in the state’s November general election, DiZoglio said the financial and contract records she is seeking would be available to the general public as well as the state auditor.
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After holding traditional classes for more than three decades, Urban College of Boston has moved entirely online, bringing its two-year degree and certificate programs to a larger student base.
Yves Salomon-Fernández, president of Urban College of Boston, recently explained the transition and its benefits on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program. She said students at Urban College Boston convinced the administration to move from in-classroom courses to virtual.
“Urban College has been around for about 35 years. About three years ago, students pretty much voted with their feet and told us they primarily wanted to be online. So, all of our programs are online and we can reach anyone in Massachusetts and elsewhere, but primarily in Massachusetts,” Salomon-Fernández said.
The school continues to maintain administrative offices in Chinatown.
Salomon-Fernández added new programs are available in several fields, both courses leading to a two-year associate degree and certificate programs that prepare students for so-called “middle skills” jobs that do not require a four-year college degree.
“We have got some exciting new programs coming up in business, in digital marketing, in project management, in paraprofessional studies, early childhood education. So, lots of options, something for everybody,” Salomon-Fernández said.
For those considering college later in life, she said they’ll be in good company. The average age of the student body is 34.
“We’re getting mostly adults. But I got to tell you, something happened to those kids who went to school during the pandemic, that a lot of them graduated and they said, ‘You know, I don’t know if I want to go away for school. I don’t know if I want to sign up for four years. I don’ t know if I’m ready.’ So, we are seeing some kids who also took some time off and they are working and they said, ‘You know, I can do this online thing,’” she said.
The president also noted the school is particularly attractive to non-English speakers because courses are offered in Mandarin, Haitian-Creole, Portuguese and Spanish. Students do need to be proficient in English to graduate, she said, adding the college provides tutoring and other supports to help students succeed.
“The goal is for you to master college level English for you to graduate because we are in America, after all, and we want people to be able to get jobs in their disciplines,” she said.
Salomon-Fernández is herself an immigrant as she arrived in the United States from Haiti at 12. She is a graduate of Boston Latin School and received her undergraduate degree from the University of Massachusetts Boston. Her master’s degree is from the London School of Economics and her Ph.D. is from Boston College.
Originally founded in 1993 by Action for Boston Community Development, a Boston-based anti-poverty agency, Urban College Boston is a private, nonprofit college accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education.
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The Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce moves next month from Harbor Place on Merrimack Street to a storied Washington Street storefront.
Greater Haverhill Chamber President and CEO Katie Cook appeared on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program Monday and said the business organization moves to the city’s retail heart about the middle of January.
“The Chamber should be storefront, down, usually accessible for individuals to pop in and ask questions about businesses. We’re excited for the opportunity,” she said.
In fact, the 29 Washington St. location once housed Kaleidoscope Gallery, a pottery shop founded in 1976 by urban pioneer Raymond F. Eason and his and his wife Mary-Ellen. They were among the first to see the potential rebirth of the street from manufacturing to retail uses.
The building was recently renovated by developer Jonathan Cody’s Atlantis Investments.
It’s the latest move for the Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce that last moved in 2018 into two offices on the third-floor incubator space at Harbor Place. Then-Chamber President and CEO Dougan Sherwood brought the Chamber from the second floor at 80 Merrimack St., to help support the then-UMass Lowell Innovation Hub. Prior to Merrimack Street, the Chamber’s longtime home was 87 Winter St., where poet John Greenleaf Whittier went to high school when the brick building served as Haverhill Academy.
The new offices are between The Hill Downtown Tavern, just formerly known G’s, and Kwik Stop Convenience on the north side of Washington Street. Cook told WHAV, the Chamber will need a couple of weeks to get the location ready.
“Don’t judge us when we first get in there. We got to take some time to decorate and re-arrange our furniture, but we‘ll get it figured out.”
Cook also emphasized the “greater” in the Chamber’s name, noting surrounding towns are also very much part of the organization. She recently launched the Methuen Business Alliance and plans similar groups for Georgetown and Groveland.
“I’ve been trying to think of a way to let each community feel seen and connect to their business communities. I think we do a really great job here in Haverhill, but the rest of the communities feel a little ignored,” she explained.
Now, for example, the Methuen Business Alliance will launch Methuen Restaurant Week during the last week of January. Much like Haverhill’s Restaurant Week, it will showcase Methuen’s dining establishments with about 15 restaurants signup so far.
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Television personality Tom Bergeron returned to his roots Tuesday, sitting down at WHAV with photographer Kelly Giordano to tell audiences about a recent photo shoot that celebrated his broadcasting career and Haverhill roots.
Bergeron told WHAV “Win for Breakfast” host Win Damon that he found Giordano when he realized he needed an updated set of publicity photos. His niece, Ally Vallieres, convinced him Kelly Giordano and The Haverhill Studio were more than up to the task. Vallieres owns The Yoga Tree and Giordano is her near neighbor in downtown Haverhill.
“I think my last professional head shot—my hair was much darker. It’s been a while. And also I am not great with still photos typically as Kelly now knows. Like on the red carpet in Hollywood or something when you have a bunch of photographers yelling at you to smile at them and all that, I always look as if I am passing a kidney stone,” Bergeron joked.
Bergeron’s career was launched in 1972 at WHAV after he was mentored by his Haverhill High School public speaking instructor and WHAV News Director Edwin V. Johnson. Giordano, 38, who opened her photography space in 2024, said she was definitely up for the challenge of capturing Bergeron’s famous mug, but in a way that expressed his inner spirit.
“When I had him against my backdrop and he’s saying this, I said, ‘Wow, this is going to be fun for me’ because it was a chance to connect like I do with all my clients. And we really created some great material,” Giordano said.
But Giordano knew she needed to go beyond the common, staid headshot image to capture Bergeron’s playful side as well. She also understood that Bergeron wanted to ground the images in his hometown of Haverhill as he started his broadcast career at WHAV while a student at Haverhill High School.
“We’re like, this can’t be the corporate headshot. That’s just not Tom. Everyone knows what Tom looks like. We don’t need to tell that story. What we wanted to do was give him more of an editorial, elevated, authentic use of images he could use across media platforms but really tie his community roots to that,” Giordano said.
Bergeron said he had ideas about what he wanted, but was happy to allow Giordano to bring her own creative influences to their session.
“She had a wealth of ideas about how to do it and got props like the very microphone that she’s talking into that has the WHAV logo on it. So, it really was for me a wonderful way to, through her skill as a photographer, kind of pay tribute to my 50-plus year career,” Bergeron said.
He said he couldn’t be more pleased with the portfolio of pictures Giordano produced from their 90-minute photo session.
“What we did together was really focused on kind of celebrating, not only my broadcasting career, but its roots here in Haverhill because this is where I started when I was in high school,” Bergeron said.
Bergeron said he also came away with a new respect for the number of business owners, particularly younger women, who are making downtown Haverhill a thriving business and creative destination.
“You’re indicative, I think, of some real entrepreneurial spirit in Haverhill, particularly among young women like my niece, like you, like the gang at Stem. That whole area has really become very vibrant in downtown Haverhill,” Bergeron said.
Fellow Haverhill student Phil Primack stopped by to give Bergeron a black and white photograph of Bergeron taken when he studied mime at Northern Essex Community College. Bergeron is pictured in, what he describes as, an “unfortunate Abe Lincoln-type beard,” with two partners performing as part of the trio, “Vaudomime,” five decades ago.
Bergeron, longtime host of ABC-TV’s “Dancing with The Stars,” recently made an appearance—the first time in five years—as a guest judge for the 20th anniversary show. He also sports numerous other television credits such as “America’s Funniest Home Videos” and “Holly
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Santa Claus is getting ready to return to Haverhill later this month and bringing along some friends from the “Island of Misfit Toys,” the theme of the 61st Annual VFW Santa Parade.
During an appearance on WHAV’s morning show, parade Chairman Daniel Plourde discussed the theme, taken from the 1964 television special, “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.”
“Yeah, the parade is coming up. It’s on the 23rd of November, Sunday afternoon at 1 o’clock. We leave from the Bradford Fire Station promptly at 1 and we go down Main Street, cross over the Merrimack River, turn left on Merrimack, turn right at the post office and end at the Boys and Girls Club at the corner of Emerson,” Plourde said.
Planning for the parade started in May and it costs about $50,000 to mount the parade each year—all covered by donations from both corporate sponsors and individual donors. Expenses include hiring the marching bands and other acts. More than 50 entries from high school marching bands across the region, floats from local organizations, antique cars and other performers will pass down the parade route, Plourde said.
“We’re doing very well so far. We have 20 plus floats, over 20 marching groups and about a dozen high school marching bands and other performing acts. So, we are in pretty good shape so far but there is always room for more,” Plourde said.
Floats and marching units set up at the Caleb Dustin Hunking School behind the Bradford Fire Station on the morning of the parade and are judged. Prizes are given in five categories, including Most Parade Spirit and Best Overall Float, Plourde said.
“Especially this year with it being the ‘Island of Misfit Toys,’ I expect to see some very creative things going down the street this year. It should be very entertaining,” Plourde said, noting this year’s theme is apt because the misfit toys debut as part of the Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer animated movie which was released in 1964, the same year the Haverhill Santa Parade was launched.
Plourde said he expects every inch of space along the entire route will be filled with parade goers.
“Everyone has their favorite spots that some of them have been sitting in for generations. It’s always very entertaining for me to drive down Main Street the morning before the parade and see the chairs lined up marking territory,” Plourde said.
Some 50 people have volunteered as parade ambassadors and will be on hand dressed in red coats to assist on the day of the parade. The parade committee will also have its own float to collect donations. Those who wish to contribute before parade day may made donations at HaverhillSantaParade.com.
The parade was established by the late John T. Sullivan when he was commander of Haverhill’s VFW Lorraine Post 29. In addition to Plourde, other members of this year’s parade committee are Sullivan’s son, Thomas J. Sullivan, who serves as vice chair; Jessica Plourde, secretary; and Heather Powers, treasurer.
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Daniel R. Diodati, a fourth generation Hillie, is competing with Veronica A. Rodriguez, also a Haverhill native, to represent Ward 2 on the Haverhill City Council in January. The winner replaces Katrina Hobbs Everett who chose not to run again.
Diodati manages Berkshire Hathaway real estate offices in Haverhill. Rodriquez works for the Lawrence office of the state Department of Children and Families. Each recently appeared on WHAV’s morning show and answered six questions on challenging issues in the city. Here are their answers in the order their names appear on the ballot.
Why do you want to serve on City Council?
“With the skills that I have I really feel like I can contribute and I thought it was time to throw my hat in the ring. The reason is civic engagement being so low, it was time for someone like myself to step up and try to make a difference.” Diodati said.
“I love Haverhill first of all and, lately, it’s been in the news for some of the wrong things. I don’t think you can complain if you don’t try to make a difference so that’s why I want to serve,” Rodriguez said.
There is a perception Haverhill is building too much housing. Do you agree?
“I do think there could be a smarter way to develop residential housing if we really look at homeownership. Homeownership is super, super important in any community,” Diodati said.
“I think that we should fix the places that we have that are abandoned first. I think we need to get more creative because all that housing is going to bring a lot traffic, it is going to bring other problems. So, we need to maybe think outside of the box to help because we do have a housing crisis,” Rodriguez said.
What can the City Council do to promote more affordable housing?
“Between homeownership, development of new construction that is based on owner-occupied projects, mixed in with ADU (accessory dwelling unit) use, I think it is a great start. And, things are in motion to do that. I just hope to simplify things and make it a little bit better,” Diodati said.
“We do have a housing trust but there’s no money in it. I think maybe if some of these new developments, we should maybe make them pay into that so we do have some funds so we can think of some projects we can do for affordable housing,” Rodriguez said.
The death of Francis P. Gigliotti II while in police custody and the death of Officer Katelyn M. Tully have left the public looking for answers, especially in light of changes at the top of the police department. Do you think the public has the right to know more and how quickly and what types of information do you think is properly withheld?
“Just to have a little bit more transparency in the process and how it is messaged to the public whether it be through an actually press conference, not necessarily through just making social media posts, etc. If there is no news to report, then report that there is no news to report,” Diodati said.
“I think they did a good job informing the public. They put it out there right away. I do think that out of respect for her family, the cause of death and those types of things should be kept private just out of respect. I think they should be transparent. The public is what put them in. We pay for their jobs so we definitely need to know what’s going on. We need to know,” Rodriguez said.
Do you believe residential property taxes are too low, too high or about right?
“Too high. Because mindset is everything to me. And I do think we act upon on our thoughts. As long as we are controlling in our head that taxes are too high, we are going to work to keep them as low as possible,” Diodati said.
“When I am paying them, I think they are too high but when I compare them to other cities, they’re not so high.” Rodriguez said.
What specif
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In one of only three contested ward city council tests this year in Haverhill, Oliver Aguilo, a city engineer with Lawrence and 20-year resident of Haverhill, is taking on incumbent Michael S. McGonagle, a Haverhill native, to represent Ward 6 on Haverhill’s City Council. McGonagle owns a real estate company.
Both candidates appeared on WHAV’s morning show and answered a series of questions about issues facing the city. Here are their answers in the order the candidates appear on the ballot.
Why are you running for City Council?
“Well, this would be my ninth term and I’ve done a lot of good things, I believe, and I would like to continue working for the people of Haverhill,” McGonagle said.
“As a city engineer, I notice a lot of things that are really bad in the city that need to be addressed right away. That’s what I am running for,” Aguilo said.
Is Haverhill building too much housing?
“I believe that if we build more, we get more tax revenue. You increase the tax base,” McGonagle said.
“We need to grow with the city. If we are going to build more houses, we need to make sure we have enough water for everyone,” Aguilo said.
What can the City Council do to promote more affordable housing?
“We passed a nice project last night (Oct. 28) at the City Council meeting of four units in a place where there was run-down garage over in the Bradford area. That’s the type of development we need so people can have homeownership,” McGonagle said.
“If we have more houses, then probably prices will go down,” Aguilo said.
The death of Francis P. Gigliotti II while in police custody and the death of Officer Katelyn M. Tully have left the public looking for answers, especially in light of changes at the top of the police department. Do you think the public has the right to know more and how quickly and what types of information do you think is properly withheld?
“I do believe that the public deserves to know. The families deserve to know. The reputation of the Haverhill Police Department needs to be cleared if there is a cloud hanging over it, and I believe that’s what the mayor has done by making these changes at the top,” McGonagle said.
“I think the public has the right to know everything that is going on. The only thing that I think the police department has to cover is any information related to the investigation. If it is going to interfere with the investigation, it has to be private. Other than that, it has to be public to every resident,” Aguilo said.
Do you think residential property taxes are too low, too high or just right?
“About right. And if you want an explanation, I can go there. I just think Haverhill is one of the most affordable towns or cities in the Merrimack Valley. With all we have to offer we’re a good place to be,” McGonagle said.
“There are lot of families struggling right now. It is a bad situation right now. Economically, a lot of people are struggling and I am one of those persons having trouble with the economy,” Aguilo said.
What city departments would be your top candidates for cuts?
“The budget is pretty substantial, over $200 million. And you have to look at line item by line item. I couldn’t just tell you, ‘Hey, this is something we’re going to cut’”, McGonagle said.
“Right now I don’t really have an answer to that question right now,” Aguilo said.
The final day to vote in Haverhill’s general election is Tuesday, Nov. 4. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. To check on a poll location, residents may visit the Massachusetts Secretary of State’s office online.
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Guy E. Cooper, a retired Haverhill police officer, is challenging incumbent Melissa J. Lewandowski for the Ward 4 seat on Haverhill’s City Council in next Tuesday’s general election.
They each sat down with on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” and answered a series of questions about their candidacies. Here are their answers in the order the candidates will appear on the Ward 4 ballot.
Why do you want to serve on City Council?
“I’ve been a contributor to civic organizations even before I held office because I like being boots on the ground, showing up, answering the call, doing the work. I’ve had some successes in moving some items forward while I’ve been on Council, but there is an opportunity obviously to do much more and I aim to finish what I started,” Lewandowski said.
“I want to continue my civic duty for the City of Haverhill. Haverhill is my home, what I consider my hometown and I want to continue serving the citizens of Haverhill in that capacity now,” Cooper said.
There is a perception Haverhill is building too much housing.
“What’d I like to see is senior housing similar to what they did with the YMCA in Methuen where they had particular senior housing for the 55-plus demographic. I’d also like to see conversion of some of our buildings that we might be able to identify as surplus properties,” Lewandowski said.
“I believe in growth, but growth with a purpose. The growth that we have now, the apartments and buildings that are going in, they’re not very affordable for people at this point. Also, as we now know, there is a very big strain on our infrastructure,” Cooper said.
What can City Council do to promote more affordable housing?
“I along with a lot of my colleagues are interested in home ownership, not rentals. We need a combination of state and city funding, in my opinion, to allow nonprofit developers to build homes,” Lewandowski said.
“I think the city can put some type, I believe, they can put some type of a limit on, having an idea of what their out cost will be when completed to what you are going to rent or what you are going to lease and what it’s going to cost a person to rent or lease. I think that is something we should look at first,” he said.
The death of Francis P. Gigliotti II while in police custody and the death of Officer Katelyn M. Tully have left the public looking for answers, especially in light of changes at the top of the police department. Do you think the public has the right to know more and how quickly and what types of information do you think is properly withheld?
“What can be shared, in my opinion, is general information—date, time, location of incidents, facts and circumstances surrounding those incidents; an overview of what an investigation entails; what is the scope of it and; most importantly, in my opinion, we think that we need to be better on progress reports and timelines for the public,” Lewandowski said.
“I do believe 100% that we should be telling them what’s going on or even if that the process is still moving on. But I think the silence, that’s very hurting. I do believe everybody needs to know everything that’s happened,” Cooper responded.
Do you believe that residential property taxes are too low, too high or about right?
“Well, too high. If people are hurting and they can’t afford to stay, then the answer is too high. We need to ensure our taxpayers can continue to live here. This year we saw an increase, the debt exclusion made up the majority of that increase, but there were other factors, of course, employee benefits, general inflation, not getting enough money from the state. But going forward we can’t allow our property taxes to be our out,” Lewandowski said.
“Because of inflation, prices of everything is going up. I do believe now, though, again
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Political newcomer Brandon F. Burns is challenging incumbent Melinda E. Barrett for mayor of Haverhill in the city’s general election Tuesday, Nov. 4.
A small business owner for 23 years, Barrett, 62, served on Haverhill’s City Council for 10 years before making history when she became the city’s first female chief executive. Burns, 23, graduated from Haverhill High School in 2020 as part of the classical academy program. He currently works as an accountant in Boston.
Both Barrett and Burns sat down in separate, live WHAV interviews during WHAV’s morning program, “Win for Breakfast.” Each answered five questions on major issues facing the city. These are their answers in the order their names will appear on the ballot.
Why do you want to be mayor?
“Well, we have done a lot and we’ve made a lot of progress. But there is so much more to do. Two years for a mayoral role is rather short. All our surrounding communities have gone to four years. We have a lot of things in the pipeline. We’ve accomplished a lot. I’d like to see them through,” Barrett said.
“I want to make sure I serve the community and I think the status quo isn’t working for many individuals anymore. And we really need to see some new leadership from the top down and make sure that we accommodate to everybody in the city,” Burns said.
Is it ever appropriate to use free cash to avoid tax hikes?
“It can be. But right now, we are in such a deficit. When I came into office, we were well over 60% using free cash, which by our financial rules we are only supposed to have 20% being used for continuing funding of operations. Right now, we are making strides, but we’re still well above where we should be. We are down to 2%. Every year we are going to chip away with that. So, we are in a position to do something like that,” Barrett said.
“I think that using the surplus to your advantage, I mean that’s kinda of the way accounting works is you make sure you have a safety net, for example, and if ever times were to get tough, you should be able to use any resources available to alleviate the stress from homeowners and your residents,” Burn said.
Do you support raising taxes closer to the city’s Proposition 2 ½ cap and, if not, what spending would you cut?
“Well, the goal from this last two years is to get into a position where we are living within our means for a long-term period. We have to be disciplined, keep our costs below 2 1/2%. Some departments may edge up a little, but that we will take from others. So, 2 1/2% is where we have to be per Mass. state law so that where we are going to be. We just had to correct some major financial problems the last two years,” Barrett said.
“I believe that the budget was very firm under Fiorentini. I’m sure that there are those that say we kicked the can down the road. But, after the recent override, we’ve increased the budget over the past two years by $30 million when under the previous administration it was only projected to increase by $16 million. So, we have an additional $14 million now annually within our budget. I think there is plenty of money. So, my first thing is that I think we need to start with a zero budget. That means we are going to perform an audit first. That is going to be one of my first actions,” Burns said.
Would you favor a debt exclusion to build a replacement John Greenleaf School?
“I believe that’s probably the way it will have to go, up or down. If it goes down, we’ll figure out another way to do it because those children definitely need a newer facility to learn in. I think J.G. Whittier, some argued at the time, would have been the next school to do. Former Mayor Fiorentini chose to do the Consentino first. Both were in need, no denying that,” Barrett said.
“My big question to everybody on City Council and
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Sheriffs in other counties are drawing scrutiny for their spending and other practices, but Sheriff Kevin F. Coppinger appeared live on WHAV to demonstrate how Essex County shines.
This week, the legislature withheld $162 million request from county sheriffs following complaints in Norfolk, Hampden and Suffolk counties. Coppinger, who stopped by WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program last Friday, discussed instead how his office prepares inmates for re-entry and helps correctional staff stay on top of mental health. Among the job training and re-entry programs the Sheriff’s Department runs is the farm at the Pre-Release and Re-Entry Center in Lawrence.
“We average about 3,600 pounds of produce. This is our time of year. That’s one of the things we do. We teach the inmates also vocational skills. The farm is incredible. We hire an actual farmer to come in and teach the inmates, but the inmates do all the cleaning of the fields in the spring. They plant them. They take care of them all summer. Then they harvest them and we take the harvest. We take some of it to feed our inmates in all our facilities. We also donate a lot of it to charities and non-profits,” Coppinger explained.
The department also has a partnership with Northern Essex Community College which runs classes for inmates.
“Our philosophy is, while they are in there, no pun intended, we have a captive audience. Let’s do what we can and we partner with President (Lane A.) Glenn and the staff at Northern Essex to come in and teach the inmates, whether it is high school equivalency or maybe a college level course. It’s amazing when you see the inmates transition to a learning environment,” Coppinger said.
Finally, the sheriff talked about an initiative to help relieve his staff’s stress level—a comfort dog.
“His name is Pasky. Pasky was named after Officer Anthony Pasquarello, who was one of our correctional officers and it’s a sad story. But, at the age of 37, he passed away during the peak of Covid. He was a great officer. He just caught COVID, got a bad case of it and we lost him and it was troubling. So, in his memory in cooperation with his family we got our first comfort dog and we named it Pasky in honor of Officer Pasquarello. It just kind of keeps his memory alive with our officers. He’s there for the staff,” Coppinger said.
The former chief of the Lynn Police Department with 40 years in law enforcement, Coppinger was first elected Essex County Sheriff in 2016 for a six-year term. He is currently serving his second term.
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When signing up for a website or cell phone app Massachusetts consumers in the future would be able to decide how much of their personal information they want to share under a data privacy and security bill being sponsored by state Sen. Pavel M. Payano.
Payano discussed the importance of the legislation being debated by the state Legislature during a recent interview during WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program. The senator said even when consumers are careful, their personal data and even their precise GPS location can be shared and sold to third party vendors without their knowledge.
“We are not aware of the type of data we are constantly sharing with these apps. We think we might be sharing it with the app that connects you to a dog walker. But then app goes in and they sell the data to a bunch of third-party folks and God knows what they do with that data,” Payano said.
The legislation, which will be taken up next by the state House of Representatives, would give broad enforcement powers to the state attorney general, Payano said. The bill would put even tighter controls on data sharing by minors and would allow consumers to opt out of ads that target them based on their personal preferences.
“You’d be surprised how they are able to target these ads and manipulate you into choosing something that maybe you wouldn’t have chosen, or how a bad actor can get this information and then use that information maybe to hack you,” Payano said.
Payano also discussed the importance of the $234 million emergency medical package recently passed by the state Legislature. It is expected to bring much-needed relief to Merrimack Health, the new name for Lawrence General Hospital and its sister hospitals in Methuen and Haverhill, as well as the Greater Lawrence Family Health Center by supporting efforts to provide services to low-income patients.
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The newly renamed Merrimack Health Haverhill Hospital could soon be home to the healthcare system’s expanded state-of-the art sleep study center.
Diana L. Richardson, interim president and CEO of Merrimack Health, formerly Lawrence General and Holy Family Hospitals, a recent guest on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast,” discussed what will stay the same at Haverhill’s hospital and what services are expanding.
As of Oct. 1, any patient who comes into the emergency department and needs to be admitted will be transported to another healthcare center— most likely to its sister Merrimack Health Methuen Hospital, formerly Holy Family Methuen, as the few in-patient beds in use will be shut down, Richardson explained. Services provided by the stand-alone emergency department, however, will not change, she said.
“The actual services are the same. You have an ambulance that needs to get you care in Haverhill, you come to our emergency room. You have a condition at home you want to come into the emergency room, we are there. Full service, lab, radiology, all the things you are used to today will not be any different come Oct. 1,” Richardson added.
Because so few in-patient beds were occupied in recent years, an average of nine a day, Richardson said this change will impact few of the hospital’s patients.
“Every hospital has different capabilities. Sometimes you need the really advanced services of some of our academic partners in Boston. So there could be times when you come into an emergency facility and your are transported there or transported to another facility in the region that has services that are only available in a few locations,” Richardson said.
Richardson added the local healthcare center has an upgraded wound management center and that hospital officials are considering making its Haverhill location the headquarters for a state-of-that-art sleep study center.
“So one thing we’ve already done is we’ve put in new hyperbaric chambers and really expanded our wound care service there. And the next service we’re looking at. . . there is a small sleep center there in Haverhill now. But we have the opportunity to really make it a showcase for our system and make it a much larger system-based sleep center that provides all services so we are going through that process now,” Richardson said.
Lawrence General Hospital, now Merrimack Health, purchased the two Holy Family campuses in Haverhill and Methuen from bankrupt Steward Health Care last year for $28 million with state assistance. In May the new owners announced plans to close Haverhill’s general in-patient beds and keep its emergency department as a free-standing service.
Haverhill has had a hospital since City Hospital opened in 1887. It was renamed Hale Hospital in 1898 and moved to Buttonwoods Avenue in 1901. The city acquired it in 1931 and built a modern hospital at its current location in 1984. By 2001 the hospital was insolvent so the city sold it to Essent Health Care but kept most of its debt. The city finally paid off all but pension liabilities in 2021.
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Area nonprofits are looking for helping hands and the Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce is acting as matchmaker Tuesday.
The 2025 Volunteer Fair showcases a variety of nonprofit organizations dedicated to almost every imaginable cause. Potential volunteers are invited to peruse the needs, ask questions and consider hoe they may help. Chamber President and CEO Katie Cook, who appeared last month on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program, explained how it works.
“What a volunteer fair is. It’s at the Riverside Church here in Haverhill and it’s Sept. 16, from 4 to 7, and you just come. We have about 30 nonprofits that are going to be there and have tables set up. And you can come. Please bring your children. and you go around to each of the tables, learn about the nonprofits, who they are and what they do and how you can volunteer your time,” Cook said
Riverside Church is located at 278 Groveland St., Haverhill.
Among those expected to participate are AgeSpan, Bread and Roses, Common Ground, Department of Children and Families, Debbie’s Treasure Chest, Emmaus, Essex County CASA, Family and Community Resource Center, Haverhill City Clerk’s office, Hill View Montessori Foundation, MakeIT Haverhill, NEET, NFI, Open Hand Pantry, Opportunity Works, Pregnancy Care Center, Saint Vincent de Paul Conference, Salvation Army, TEK Collaborative, Tufts Medical Care at Home and WHAV.
Another way the Chamber seeks to help nonprofits is by helping them avoid scheduling competing events. Cook said the Chamber launched a unified city calendar of events.
“I know a lot of time people are like, ‘I want to host an event in November, some Saturday in November. I wonder if anything else is going on,” Cook explained.
The calendar can be found on the chamber’s website at HaverhillChamber.com.
“Our public events calendar is ready to rock and roll. So we are super excited. So anyone who is interested in putting in an event. If you are not a Chamber member can reach out to me directly,” Cook said.
Cook’s email address is President@HaverhillChamber.com.
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Three candidates are facing off in Ward 4 for two spots on the ballot in the general election Nov. 4. Incumbent Melissa J. Lewandowski is being challenged by Guy E. Cooper and Kenneth E. Quimby Jr. Lewandowski and Quimby are lifelong Haverhill residents. Cooper moved to Haverhill as a child and graduated from Haverhill High School. He is retired Haverhill police office. Quimby works for Bethany Homes in Haverhill and Lewandowski is an attorney who represents children in neglect and abuse cases in juvenile and probate court.
Each candidate appeared on WHAV’s morning show and answered five questions about issues specific to their ward, Ward 4. Answers are presented in the order candidates appear on the ballot.
Ward 4 is home to Holy Family Hospital Haverhill. What services would you like retained or brought back? What services would you add? Would you convert part of the complex for housing?
First, Quimby responds, “As far as the housing there, I would vote no. We need to keep that hospital. I was one of the persons that went to Boston, brought petitions to Gov. Healey to fight to keep it open. But I am disheartened. I am really still upset about it. When Lawrence General bought them, I thought it was going to be a full -capacity hospital. We need to have that hospital full.”
Cooper gave this response, “Well, I can certainly say that I would like to see Haverhill, being such a big city, I’d like to see that hospital up and running a little bit more fuller than what it is. The services a little bit more. It’s a great location. We have a lot of cities and towns. And I really think Haverhill needs to keep a hospital there. For part housing for that? I think we really need to take a long look at our infrastructure and what we can sustain at this time before we start adding,” he said.
Lewandowski said, “Ideally, I would like to see geriatric services there, a geriatric ward, particularly geriatric and mental health. I would like to see prenatal brought back because I think that’s obviously a very important aspect that people need access to. It would be great to have a breast imaging lab as part of some women’s healthcare. I think that the radiology department, while it is intact, my understanding from talking to some nurses that are boots on the ground, is that a lot of time what primary care physicians are finding is they’re sending tests there, whether it be for x-ray, CT scans, blood work, and they don’t get them back within a timely period of time to be able to make a diagnosis so I would like to see that particular area which is intact there enhanced. If housing was proposed there, I think that it would have to be senior housing,” she said.
What traffic and sidewalks improvements do you believe are needed in Ward 4?
Quimby said, “Some of the traffic lights, when you push the walk signal, people are still taking a right turn even though it says ‘Yield to pedestrians.’ And it’s not enough time for them to walk.”
Cooper responded, “Well, Ward 4, I know it came up down on Amesbury Line Road at Merrimac Road that there was an issue with a stop sign, wide roads, people running it and accidents. And being a police officer patrolling that area for several years I think maybe a little bit more enforcement if we could get it down there. On top of that people really need to pay attention. There are stop signs. They do need to stop and pay attention.”
Lewandowski offered, “This is very timely because I just had an agenda item on about Amesbury Line Road because there were a lot of complaints about people going too fast. The way that the intersection is configured makes it very confusing for folks. There have been accidents there, etc. We put it on the agenda and had a very robust discussion involving the city engineer as well the police department and the mayor’s office. They were
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Voters in two Haverhill wards cast ballots Tuesday to narrow the field of City Council candidates in those neighborhoods.
Three candidates are squaring off for two spots on the final ballot for Ward 6 city councilor in the general election in November.
Incumbent Michael S. McGonagle and one of his challengers, Timothy F. Carroll Jr., appeared on WHAV’s morning show and answered questions about specific issues in Ward 6. The third candidate, Oliver Aguilo, did not respond to telephone, email and social media requests for an interview.
McGonagle and Carroll are Haverhill natives. Carroll is a Haverhill firefighter and former president of firefighters union local 1011. McGonagle is retired.
Answers are presented in the order candidates appear on the ballot.
Ward 6 faces traffic disruptions due to the Rosemont Street and Snows Brook bridge replacements? Do you plan to take steps to influence detours, ease congestion or something similar?
“The reality of that is that is it is only going to get worse with those bridge changes coming up. So I think a lot of signage, I think a lot of working with the traffic and safety department,” McGonagle said.
Carroll responded, “So, living up in that area, it is very difficult to detour around anything going on up there. The only thing I can say right now is that you got to be patient up there when they are doing roadwork up in that area. It’s traffic from noontime to 7 p.m. on 125. You can’t get up there without sitting in traffic.”
For many years there has been talk of a Route 125 bypass directly into Plaistow, N.H., to avoid the bottleneck at the New Hampshire line. Do you see traffic as a concern especially as it might influence emergency vehicles?
McGonagle replied, “I think from a public safety standpoint, these are all the considerations that will be talked about on a weekly basis as these projects move forward.”
“The thing you can do on Route 125 is you can widen it to two lanes. That’s about the only option you have. You would have to take some of the sidewalks away and some of the property going down 125 away which then you would have to fight with the homeowners going down on 125,” Carroll said.
Ward 6 has an industrial section, Hilldale Avenue, near the New Hampshire border. It’s been described as a wild west with mixed uses and few amenities for bicyclists. What improvements, if any, would you push along that corridor?
“Should that road at some point be looked at? I believe it should. I just don’t know where that money would come from right now and, with the bridge work going on now, I think the best thing we can do is monitor the speed,” McGonagle said.
Carroll said, “We need more businesses in the community. That’s where the money comes from. That’s where we are going to keep the taxes down on our residents if we get more industrial space and more companies coming in and spending tax dollars and getting the revenues from those tax dollars.”
What is Ward 6’s best feature?
“What I love about Ward 6 is its well-established neighborhoods,” said McGonagle.
Carroll mentioned the businesses, saying, “All the restaurants on 125. I am right there. I can walk to several so I’ll use that as the answer,” Carroll said.
Interviews with Ward 4 candidates, Kenneth Quimby, Guy Cooper and incumbent Melissa Lewandowski are heard during the next WHAV newscast.
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If you suspect a local or state official is on the take or see another example of potential fraud or abuse in state or local government, Jeffrey S. Shapiro wants to hear about it.
Shapiro is the Commonwealth’s inspector general and, in that role, oversees a department of 100 who make sure state and local officials follow proper procurement regulations and good governance practices. Shapiro recently stopped by the WHAV studio and appeared live on “Win for Breakfast” as part of a listening and education tour in Eastern Massachusetts. He explained the role of his office and its power.
“I really think it is incredibly important for the public to know what we do because, in essence, we are their eyes and their ears within government. And if they see something, we certainly are interested to have them notify us,” Shapiro said.
In a recent example Shapiro’s office ordered the Town of Barre to tighten its timekeeping and payroll practices after receiving a tip that its director of Department of Public Works, Jason Pimental, was working a full-time job for the state during the same hours he had been hired to work for the town. In another case closer to home, Shapiro’s office handled an extensive investigation of the Methuen Police Department after questions were raised over former Police Chief Joseph E. Solomon’s high salary and his handling of promotions outside civil service rules, among other issues.
Shapiro encouraged the public to call his office’s fraud hotline at 800-322-1323 or to email IGO-FightFraud@Mass.gov with tips, which can be left anonymously.
Shapiro explained the state inspector general is appointed jointly by the governor, state attorney general and state auditor for a five-year term which can be renewed once. Shapiro will mark his third year in the post next month. Once appointed, state officials have no oversight over the inspector general’s office, making the inspector general’s office a non-partisan, independent agency.
While investigations are his office’s bread and butter, he said, he is encouraging education to prevent fraud in the first place.
“I think the better way to do it is to focus on engaging with our stakeholders, educating them on what it is that they can do correctly and how to do things correctly with procurement, governance and the other kinds of things that we are concerned with and then, as a last resort, we do investigations and compliance,” Shapiro said.
To help educate public officials, the Inspector General’s office offers certification classes through its OIG Academy for public employees as well as private workers who bid on state and municipal jobs. Currently school districts are offered free tuition for one employee to take its classes to be certified as a Massachusetts Certified Public Purchasing Official.
While his office has limited enforcement powers, he said, just making sure the public and city and town officials are aware of fraud and abuse as well as good governance practices is a powerful tool.
“Really bringing something to light, writing about it, making sure the public is aware of it, making sure the local officials and those who oversee those areas of government. It matters,” Shapiro said.
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Registered voters in Haverhill’s Wards 4 and 6 will go to the polls Tuesday, Sept. 9, to whittle down the number of candidates in each ward from three to two.
Haverhill City Clerk Kaitlin M. Wright was a recent guest on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program. She discussed the various deadlines facing voters.
“We have an upcoming preliminary election on Tuesday, Sept. 9, but this preliminary is only for voters that are in Wards 4 and 6. So what that means is if you go to vote at the Nettle Middle School, NECCO, Kennedy Circle, Haverhill High, Ward 6 only at Haverhill High, J. G. Whittier Middle School and Pentucket Lake, that means you have an election on Sept. 9. Everybody else? You don’t have to worry about voting until Nov. 4, which will be our general election,” Wright said.
Running for Ward 4 councilor are incumbent Melissa J. Lewandowski, former City Councilor Kenneth E. Quimby and former Patrolman Guy E. Cooper. Running for Ward 6 councilor are incumbent Michael S. McGonagle, firefighter Timothy Carroll and Oliver Aguilo.
Wright said voters who want to get a jump on the election or will be out of town on election day may either vote early in person or request a mail-in ballot. Early voting takes place at Haverhill City Hall in the clerk’s office, Wright explained.
“Yes, we will have early voting but a small change in it. Due to the reduction of voters with only two wards, we will be having it in our office instead. So that’s Room 118 of City Hall. Early voting will occur from Tuesday, Sept. 2, until Friday, Sept. 5, and we’ll be hosting early voting during our open office hours which are 8 to 4 every day,” Wright said.
Those who wish to vote by mail can request a ballot no later than 5 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 29. The request form is available at the city clerk’s office or online at the city clerk’s website. The online form must be printed and signed. Voters can return the request in person at the clerk’s office or mail it in time to meet the deadline.
The last day to register to vote in the Sept. 9 preliminary is Friday, Aug. 29, Wright said.
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Upwards of 200 bicyclists will hit the road in September to help raise money to help prevent homelessness in Haverhill.
Al Hanscom, president and CEO of Emmaus House in Haverhill, was a recent guest on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program. Hanscom chatted with host Win Damon about Emmaus programs to prevent homelessness and its major Cycle for Shelter fundraiser Sunday, Sept. 14, at Northern Essex Community College’s Haverhill campus.
“We have several rides that they are going to be riding and helping to raise money for homeless families and individuals,” Hanscom said.
Individuals pay a $35 registration fee and asked to raise a minimum of $200. The event, in its 37th, year and has raised more than $2.2 million for homeless prevention programs, Hanscom said.
“We have five different routes for them to be able ride. We have the 100-mile, the 62, the 35. We have a 15-mile family ride with a nice ice cream stop and everything on the way and then we actually have virtual rides for those who want to ride virtually,” Hanscom said.
Hanscom said the day begins at 6 a.m. when riders begin to register. The 100-mile rides leave at 7 a.m. and follow a route out to the North Shore and up the coast to North Hampton, N.H. Volunteers and riders will be offered onsite entertainment including a cookout, Hanscom said.
Hanscom said Emmaus placed 132 families in permanent homes last year. The organization operates both family and individual shelters as well as manages 100 units of supportive housing.
“From July 1, 2024 to June 20, 2025, we were able to place 52 families out of our family shelter right into housing. We also run a diversion program where we have families who are homeless about to enter into family shelter. We were able to place another 72 families directly into housing. So, that’s 132 families in 12 months that we ended their homelessness including into apartments,” Hanscom said.
There’s more information about Cycle for Shelter online at EmmausInc.org.
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To help promote the Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce and Haverhill itself, the organization is making sure business owners and their employees know they may attend functions without being a member.
The reminder came from Katie Cook, new Chamber president, during a recent appearance on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program. Cook shared some of the initiatives and upcoming events on the Chamber’s calendar.
“You don’t have to be a member to attend any of our events. We are really trying to do the next year with open events to draw attention to the Chamber and have people connecting. We want to help all businesses in the city,” Cook said.
Among the more popular events this month is the Chamber’s eighth annual Restaurant Week which is moving back to August this year. It runs from Friday, Aug. 15, through Monday, Aug. 25. Participating restaurants will offer specials rather than a fixed priced item, Cook said.
“Fortunately for Haverhill, we don’t just have dinner-style restaurants. We’ve got a ton of cafes in the area. We’ve got ice cream stands and dessert places that want to participate,” Cook said.
So far 12 eateries have signed on. They are Aroma Joe’s, Barrio, Bosa, Bradford Village Square, Casa Bianca, Dominic’s, Drop Café, G’s Texas Southern Fare, Joseph’s Trattoria. Peddler’s Daughter, Roma Ristorante and The Tap Brewing Co. The Chamber is also offering the chance to win prizes for eating at least four establishments. Diners can pick up a passport at their first stop and then get stamps during visits to other restaurants.
Another event Cook is excited about is the Harbor Tours Back to Business networking mixer on Wednesday, Aug. 13, at the Haverhill Municipal Dock off Washington Street. Yankee Clipper will offer three 30-minute boat rides on the Merrimack. The event begins at 4:30 p.m. with networking, and open bar and snacks. The boat tours will leave at 5, 5:30 and 6 p.m. Cook highly recommends the river cruise.
“It is such a different view of the city. It is gorgeous,” Cook said.
There’s more at the Chamber’s website, HaverhillChamber.com.
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Haverhill community activist Kalister Green-Byrd was a reluctant writer prodded to pen a memoir by friends.
The 91-year-old’s book, “Overcoming the Odds,” relates her experiences from being raised in segregated Decatur, Ala., and coming to Massachusetts at 18. Green-Byrd, 91, a recent guest on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program, shared the experience of writing a memoir.
“I kept saying, ‘No, no I am not a writer. I don’t want to talk about it.’ I just played the hand that life dealt me. Just like playing cards whatever hand is dealt to you. They were just supportive, very helpful and said we will help you. And so I thought about it. I prayed on it. I cried about it and they kept encouraging me. That’s how it initially got started,” Green-Byrd said.
Friends found her story fascinating, Green-Byrd said. Upon coming to Massachusetts, she spent eight years on the Cape and migrated to Haverhill at the suggestion of a friend.
In Haverhill she discovered a challenging housing situation for her growing family. Her solution was to get involved with Community Action. She eventually became a member of the Community Action board of directors and then won an appointment to the Haverhill Housing Authority as its first African-American woman. She also served on the board of directors for the YWCA and Latino Coalition and was a founding member of the League of Women Voters of Haverhill. Green-Byrd also had a more than 20-year career as an administrator for Title 1 programs with the state Department of Education.
Green-Byrd’s book tells her story from her childhood through her adult life as an activist and mother of seven. She writes about her faith in God as a primary source of consolation and strength.
Green-Byrd said writing the book was an emotional rollercoaster as she had to relive events she would have preferred to forget.
“You have to tell it all, the good, the bad, indifferent. There are things that happen in life we can’t change that we’re not proud of but they did happen. So, if you are going to talk about it and tell the story, you have to tell it all,” she said.
Proceeds from the sale of the book, available from the publisher West Bow Press and elsewhere, will be split between the Riverside Church’s Kalister Green Education Fund and Calvary Baptist Church.
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Shaq is back with help from Haverhill’s BC Media Productions in a new Netflix docu-series, “Power Moves With Shaquille O’Neal.”
The series, which focuses on Shaquille O’Neil’s recent appointment as president of the footwear and athletic brand, Reebok, was filmed partly in Boston, where Ben Consoli and his team of producers and videographers aided in shooting interviews and “b-roll,” an industry term for supplementary shots that enhance the main story.
BC Media Productions got its start filming commercials and videos for academic institutions. The company was founded by Consoli, a lifelong Haverhill resident who attended Emerson College for videography. His firm made connections with industry members through their past work and were approached by a partner media production company with this opportunity. When asked if they wanted to participate, the answer was a resounding yes.
The production had to be kept secret until it was completed and confirmed for release. In an interview with WHAV, Consoli discussed how many projects never make it to viewers.
“When you work on projects like this you never quite know if it’s going to happen because you’re doing these a year or so ahead of release day. So, we got the word it’s finally coming out. We’re like ‘Oh wow.’ A: We can actually talk about it now and B: it will be out there in the world.”
Consoli’s team got to enjoy a meal with the gargantuan basketballer at the close of their Boston shooting days. They reported that for lunch, O’Neil had a special lunch order.
“Shaq had ordered two sandwiches and everyone just thought, ‘Okay, it was him and for his son.’ But no, they were both for him. And we’re kinda like okay, this is exactly what you would expect from a man that large—he’s gotta eat a lot to keep himself going,” he said.
Despite having their company name attached to a prominent, globally streamable project, Consoli said his company will continue representing Haverhill with pride. He mentioned he loves bringing working partners to their Haverhill offices.
“I’m proud to have the business here and to say like, ‘No, this company is in Haverhill and you should come on by. Come in for a meeting, grab something to eat, hang out.’ Like every client that comes to my office is like, ‘This town is awesome,’” Consoli added.
BC Media Productions is located at 21 Wingate St, Suite 102, in Haverhill.
“Power Moves With Shaquille O’Neal” is now streaming all episodes on Netflix.
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The chief of emergency medicine at Lawrence General Hospital appeared on WHAV last week to allay public concerns over plans to reduce services at Holy Family Hospital Haverhill.
Lawrence General has applied to change its state license to allow it to close in-patient medical and surgical beds as well as the intensive care unit at Holy Family Hospital Haverhill, but retain the emergency department as a free-standing, or satellite, operation. Under the plan, the emergency department would remain staffed and opened 24 hours, seven days a week, according to Dr. Jeremiah “Jay” Schuur, head of emergency medicine at the three hospitals.
Schuur said the main reason the hospital is seeking to close down the in-patient beds is only eight to 10 beds of the hospital’s 59 are used on a regular basis. Most patients who must be admitted are already being transferred to Holy Family Hospital Methuen. That practice would continue, he said.
“It means the emergency department in Haverhill will continue to taking ambulances, will continue to be open 24/7 staffed with experiences physicians for emergency medicine. The same technology we have now, CT scanners, ultrasounds, lab test. That’s really the main question that I think people have. Are those services changing? Our message is we are going to be continuing those services,” Schuur said.
Schuur was a guest on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program Thursday, July 17, and outlined the hospital’s plans.
Lawrence General Hospital bought the two local hospitals for $28 million from bankrupt Steward Health Care last fall.
Residents have two chances this week to make comments and ask questions about the proposal which would go into effect Oct. 1.
The state Department of Public Health has scheduled the formal public hearing Wednesday, July 23, at 6 p.m. at Northern Essex Community College’s David Hartleb Technology Center in room 103AB, 100 Elliott St., Haverhill.
Lawrence General officials have also scheduled their own “listening session” the following day, Thursday, July 24, at 5:30 p.m. in Johnson Auditorium at Haverhill Public Library, 99 Main St., Haverhill.
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The Verge Youth Center at Somebody Cares New England is offering a basketball program this summer as part of expanded programing.
Marlene J. Yeo, founder and executive director of Somebody Cares New England, and Lori Jane Simmer, director, were guests recently on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program. Simmer explained the program’s mission.
“So our youth center really focuses on life skills, really equipping the youth of our community with skills to overcome life’s challenges. And especially this summer we have all sorts of fun things in place for the kids to give them structure,” Simmer said.
Yeo said she was inspired to open the youth center six years ago after a gang-related shooting happened outside the Somebody Cares building.
Simmer said the basketball program aims to inspire confidence and sportsmanship while at the same time teaching basic basketball skills.
The free program runs Mondays through Fridays, from 2 to 5 p.m., rain or shine at Somebody Cares, 358 Washington St., Haverhill. It is open to middle and high school students. The center also offers games such as pool, air hockey and PlayStation 4.
Teens interested in art may also participate in an art activity each Monday and Friday from 2 to 4 p.m.
In addition to weekly basketball and art activities, Somebody Cares offers a free art and basketball camp for three days in August which includes lunch, dinner and a backpack. The program runs Aug. 7 through Aug. 9 from noon to 7 p.m.
In addition to its summer youth center programming, Somebody Cares offers year-round after-school activities for elementary school children ages 7 to 11 every Wednesday from 4 to 6:30 p.m. and for youths 11 to 18 every Friday from 6:30 to 9 p.m. Teens choose their own goals, earn points for attendance and progress and redeem them monthly for field trips to area entertainment venues.
(CUT: simmer-both-parties-win.wav) “Our teenagers right now are teaching from the curriculum of “Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.” So right now we are just wrapped up number four, think win-win. Really teaching the teenagers that when you have conflict it doesn’t have to be you and them, one side wins over the other but really finding a compromise when both parties win,” said Simmer.
Two summer block parties for the neighborhood with games and summer treats are planned for Saturday, July 26, and Saturday, Sept. 6, from 4 to 6 p.m.
Somebody Cares also offers a mobile food pantry for seniors on the second and third Thursdays of the month and a family pantry at the Washington Street headquarters on the last Thursday of the month.
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Lifeguards are back at Plug Pond this summer.
The Haverhill Recreation Department revived its guard program after it was abandoned for lack of staff following the COVID-19 pandemic. To make sure the city has enough certified lifeguards to call on, the Recreation Department ran two well-attended lifeguard certification training programs in the last year—one in December and one in May. The training was offered by Wicked Safety Training.
Recreation Director Benjamin Delaware, a recent guest on WHAV’s “Win For Breakfast” program, said, “People don’t realize that lifeguard training requires 35 hours of classroom study and several in-water tests.”
The move comes after the city suffered three drownings last year, one at Plug Pond, though in a deep area outside the roped swimming area. Two guards will be on duty at all times.
Delaware said the city also hired security guards and adult site directors to help with management and crowd control. He noted some of his staff are fluent in Spanish as well as English. He added, “In the past we have relied on college students as park ambassadors. We really felt we needed a more mature adult staff.”
Towards that end the city hired security guards, many of whom work during the school year for the Haverhill Public Schools. The site managers will deal with administrative tasks such a checking in those with day passes, Delaware said.
“I am very excited about the staff I have this year. We have definitely a more diverse staff than we have had in many years both in terms of background and skills. It is a great group. So, we’ll have a lot of fun and they always usually enjoy working there,” Delaware said.
Delaware noted the day pass system for vehicles has changed this year. Residents can still order a day pass on the day they plan to visit during the week up until 5:30 p.m. However, weekend and holiday passes must be purchased at least a day in advanced so that the staff has a better idea of attendance. Passes are $10 for residents and $20 for non-residents and can be ordered at HaverhillRec.com.
“Weekends and holidays we are asking people to register days prior so we have an idea of head count before the day starts,” Delaware said.
Walk-ins are still free. Prior registration is not required during the week but is necessary for the weekends. Register at HaverhillRec.com.
Senior lifetime passes for those 62 and over are $5 for residents and $10 for non-residents.
Plug Pond, also called Lake Saltonstall, is open daily from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., off Sanders Road, near Mill Street. The swimming area can accommodate 250 people.
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The newly formed Haverhill Performing Arts Workshop is looking for young actors and a place to perform.
Bobby Gariepy and Maddie Hanson launched the venture after their successful association with drama programs at Haverhill High School. Gariepy, a recent guest on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program, outlined the plan for the new group.
“The Haverhill Performing Arts Workshop… our main vision, our goal, our mission statement really is to provide equitable access to performing arts opportunities for the youth, the children, the teens, the young adults in the Haverhill and Merrimack Valley region. So it’s a broad statement. With that what we want to do is provide as many opportunities for these underserved youths in our community to learn how to perform and to perform successfully on the stage and to have fun doing it,” Gariepy said.
The group’s first show will be “Disney’s Descendants the Musical” with performances set for Friday, Aug. 22 through Sunday, Aug. 24. Auditions are being held Sunday, June 29, at the East Parish Meeting House, 150 Middle Road, any time after 1 p.m. Performers are asked to prepare a monologue from a favorite Disney movie or musical or 30 seconds of a song to sing. Those who cannot attend the in-person auditions may send a video to Gariepy at bobbydg99@gmail.com by July 3.
The cost to participate is $100 for an individual or $175 for two members of the same family. Rehearsals will be held Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, from 2 to 5 p.m., Gariepy said.
Gariepy said as far as performance venues, they are making inquiries and hope to have a location selected soon.
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Haverhill’s first Pride Parade kicks off the Fifth Annual June Art Walk this Saturday.
Art Walk runs in downtown Haverhill on Washington and Wingate Streets, between Washington Square and Railroad Square. As WHAV has reported, it will be proceeded by the annual Pride Flag raising at Haverhill City Hall at 12:30 p.m. The Pride Parade will then form across the street at the Grand Army of the Republic Park and step off at 1:30 p.m., down Bailey Boulevard to Emerson Street and then into Washington Square.
Downtown Events Coordinator Hailey Pearson, a recent guest on WHAV’s “Win For Breakfast” program, discussed various artists and performers who are part of this year’s Art Walk.
“We are really excited to be incorporating the first Pride Parade to kick off Art Walk this year. So, it has been about a year in the making from the time that we starting talking about this idea of bringing in a parade and it has just been an incredible experience to witness the support from the community, the people who came together to really make this happen.”
The Haverhill Art Walk, which is a project of Creative Haverhill, is bigger than ever, Pearson said. The free event will run Saturday, June 7, from 2-6 p.m., rain or shine.
“We’re going to have over a dozen businesses participating in activities so everything from live music to family-friendly interactive activities in both Railroad Square, the Columbia Park area to Washington Square. So those squares bookend the activities,” Pearson said.
She added a Pride Resource Fair will be set up at the top of Wingate Street.
“We’ve got our Alley Art Market in the alleyways along Washington Street. We’ve got Punctuate4. That’s a theater group that is hosting the “Abolitionist’s Refrain.” So that’s a theater performance in the empty space at 90 Washington St. We really love utilizing these vacant storefronts to show people what could be and invite people to step into these spaces that are transformed for the weekend,” Pearson added.
Performances of the Abolitionist’s Refrain are at 3 and 5 p.m. The play, written by Michael Cormier, features Haverhill native John Greenleaf Whittier as he comes to terms with what freeing of slaves following the Civil War means to a divided nation and the new challenges the 13th amendment to the U.S. Constitution brings. The River Bards, a local group of poets, will be reading the works of Whittier. Yankee Clipper Tours will offer cruises down the Merrimack River and the staff from the Buttonwoods Museum will lead a “Pentucket on the Merrimack walking tour.
Live music performers include Fake Leather Jacket, Liz Bills and The Change and The Party Band. The Irise Dance Program from Lawrence will present a dynamic performance that includes an interactive drumming session.
Family-friendly art projects include masking making, rock painting and zine making.
The Museum of Printing is offering hands-on screen printing and the Haverhill Studio will offer complimentary portraits.
Pearson said there is still a need for volunteers. Those interested may visit CreativeHaverhill.org or email Pearson at HaverhillArtWalk@gmail.com.
Besides WHAV.net, WHAV’s “Merrimack Valley Newsmakers” podcasts are available on your favorite platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Spotify, iHeart,
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Beginning in July the frequency of bus service between Haverhill, Lawrence, Methuen and Lowell will increase during the week.
Merrimack Valley Transit, or MeVA Administrator Noah S. Berger, a recent guest on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast program,” said beginning Monday, July 7, the bus will run every 20 minutes. Currently, service is provided every 30 minutes to Methuen, Lawrence and Lowell from its hub in Washington Square, Haverhill. Berger said he is excited for the service improvement.
“Frequency makes all the difference. You don’t have to fumble through a schedule to figure out when the next bus is. You just literally go out to where the bus is and know that at the very worst you will have to wait 19 minutes, but most of time it will probably be five or 10 minutes,” Berger said.
As reported by WHAV in December 2024, the increased service is made possible through at $1.2 million “connectivity” grant the transit authority received from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation. The bus, which originates as Route 1 in Haverhill, makes one more stop at Lowell and River Streets and then four stops in Methuen before arriving at the McGovern Transportation Center in Lawrence 45 minutes later. The bus then becomes Route 24 and proceeds to Lowell which takes about 40 minutes. It then makes the return trip.
“What that does is tie the four gateway cities of Haverhill, Methuen, Lawrence and Lowell together with really robust service so we couldn’t be more excited,” Berger added.
Berger said Route 24 has the second highest ridership of all the routes in the system.
Berger also said four new “low floor” 12-passenger vans will go into service this month as part of MeVa’s on-demand service. The low floor design allows those who use mobility devices such as wheelchairs and scooters to roll right onto the van rather than having to negotiate steps. The design accommodates strollers as well. Five more vans will be added to the fleet in July allowing the transit authority to remove older vans from service. Then an additional six will arrive next year.
Finally, Berger asked for the public’s help in finding a new location for MeVa’s bus hub. He pointed out Haverhill’s hub in Washington Square has never worked well because the site is too small to accommodate buses and passengers comfortably.
Berger said he is working with the city to find a location, and that two possibilities are Bailey Boulevard near the Haverhill Police Station and the Granite Street garage the transit authority already owns.
“It’s got to be a central location. It has got to have enough space for the buses and enough space to have that welcoming environment for passengers.” Berger said.
Berger said that while there is no timeframe associated with the hub relocation, he believes with the various redevelopment projects going on in downtown Haverhill, the time is ripe for finding a better, more welcoming location for a new central bus depot.
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If state Rep. Ryan M. Hamilton has his way four local groups will receive $375,000 in earmarked grants in the next state budget.
Hamilton, whose district includes parts of Haverhill and Methuen, was a recent guest on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast.” Hamilton told listeners he has been successful in adding money for Creative Haverhill, Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce, Historic New England and Methuen’s 300th birthday celebration.
“I was able to secure four earmarks—one being for the Cogswell Art Center. It has been a recurring one for me and something I care about very much. Creative Haverhill is doing a great job when it comes to restoring Cogswell and its eventually going to turn it into one of the premier art installations in the Merrimack Valley if not the Commonwealth,” Hamilton said.
If the funding holds, Creative Haverhill would get $50,000; Greater Haverhill Chamber, $25,000; and Historic New England $200,000. The Methuen Tricentennial Celebration would receive $50,000.
Hamilton said the potential grant for Historic New England is significant as the nonprofit seeks to renovate its 151 Essex St.building into a tourist attraction for the region.
“My friends at Historic New England who, as we know, are trying to pursue a project that is going to once again transform the downtown for the better and really connect the entirety of downtown together which I am extremely excited for.”
Historic New England was also the recipient of the legislature’s generosity during the last two years.
Hamilton said the Methuen Birthday Celebration Committee is planning a series of large and small events beginning in December 2025 through June 2026. The celebration marks the anniversary of Methuen’s separation from Haverhill and its incorporation on Dec. 8, 1725.
The budgeting process now moves to the Senate for debate. Then, the House and Senate must reconcile their spending plans before a final budget proposal is sent to the governor.
The new state budget would go into effect July 1.
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Haverhill Public Schools would receive an additional $6 million in state aid if a House of Representative proposal to increase state support for schools makes it into the final state budget.
State Rep. Andy X. Vargas, whose district encompasses a portion of Haverhill, was a recent guest on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast.” He made note of the additional school spending proposal.
“So, it’s about a $6 million increase for Haverhill Public Schools in Chapter 70 funding. Now there is always more needed but a $6 million increase in this environment is certainly notable,” he said.
The proposed funding is part of an initiative to raise the state’s per pupil spending from $30 to $150.
Vargas said the city would receive about $12.5 million in unrestricted funds in the House’s fiscal plan. He said the House proposal also includes a $75,000 allocation for the Pinnacle co-working space, formerly the UMass Lowell Innovation Hub, at Harbor Place on Merrimack St.; $25,000 to the Greater Haverhill Foundation for help; to manage the co-working space and $15,000 for the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Haverhill’s new building.
The budgeting process now moves to the Senate for debate. Then, the House and Senate will need to reconcile their fiscal plans before a final budget proposal is sent to the governor.
The new state budget would go into effect July 1.
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Essex County Habitat for Humanity, currently in the midst of one Haverhill homebuilding project, is moving on to another in the city’s Mount Washington neighborhood.
The nonprofit recently agreed to purchase a single-family home and property at 512 Washington St. for $650,000 and has the city’s blessing to convert it into seven affordable housing units. Director of Charitable Giving Kevin Hudson made the revelation while a guest on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program.
“We are currently raising funds to acquire property on Washington Street where we plan to build seven new homes,” Hudson said, noting that in addition to the purchase price, Habitat must raise about $2 million to fund the renovation and construction.
Hudson later explained the plan is to renovate the current house on the property, owned by Keith Boucher, to create three units and then build two duplex houses.
Andrew K. Herlihy, division director for the city’s Community Development Department, said the city has committed $149,173 from federal HOME Program funds to help Habitat with the purchase of the property.
“It is a proposal we support in part because home ownership in the Mount Washington neighborhood, where this property is located, is the lowest in the city,” Herlihy said, adding that the project would most likely have to come before City Council for a special permit.
Hudson said Habitat hopes to have the project funded by the fall of 2025 and that groundbreaking would then follow in 10 to 12 months.
Habitat already has one duplex under construction at 41 Curtis St. in Haverhill. This Thursday, May 8, some 40 women—wielding hammers, screwdrivers and saws—will descend on the site for a Habitat Women Build event.
“It started as an opportunity for women who wanted to volunteer and to be able to do so in an unintimidating environment with other women who don’t have any or as much experience in construction and it has really grown from there across the country,” Hudson said.
Among the women volunteering that day are a crew from the North Parish Unitarian Universalist Church in North Andover. The Curtis Street project is Habitat’s fourth in Haverhill. The public is invited to view the progress of the Curtis Street house at a Hard Hat Tour and reception on Thursday, May 15, at 5:30 p.m.., Hudson said.
A crew of women are also volunteering next week at a Habitat site in Hamilton where five duplexes are currently under construction. Habitat expects to break ground on a duplex in Ipswich and one in Wenham soon and is currently in the process of permitting
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The new 69-acre Sweet Paws Rescue pet sanctuary scheduled to open later this summer plans to offer space for abandoned dogs and cats to roam.
But, Cynthia Sweet, founder and executive director of the local animal rescue group, says it won’t change the focus of local animal rescue organization as a foster care group.
“We are still going to be a foster organization. Dogs and cats do best when they are in people’s homes. And we are not going to be a shelter. So, this is going to be a layover if you will,” she explained recently on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program.
She discussed how the farm purchase will stabilize the organization, but not change its mission. As WHAV reported last month, Sweet Paws is in the midst of a $4.6 million campaign to purchase and equip a 69-acre farm in Bradford as it has outgrown its Groveland location.
Sweet founded her animal rescue group in 2011 to help address the overpopulation of dogs and cats in two poor counties in Alabama and Mississippi. To date the group has placed some 22,000 animals in new “forever homes” in New England. Recently, though, the agency has seen an uptick in the number of animals surrendered locally.
“There is a huge increase of local dogs and cats in need basically since the last few years. It’s sort of a result of COVID. We went from 2019 to about 3% of our dogs were coming from Massachusetts. Not it is about 45% of our animals are coming from our own backyard.”
Sweet said the farm will allow space and time for her 350 volunteers to get to know animals left for adoption. She said eventually her group is planning to open walking trails to the public.
“Basically it will continue to be a space for our southern animals that are coming into the state. They have to be quarantined for 48 hours. And then it will also be a space for our local animals where we will be able to get them exercised and really get to know them. But it’s really for growth. The other thing that’s going to be great for Haverhill residents is that it will be 70 acres of preserved open space,” she said.
Sweet also said she is in talks with the City of Haverhill to provide shelter space for animals picked up by the city’s animal control unit.
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To help local high school students imagine the wider world of opportunities after graduation, the Haverhill High School guidance department is hosting its first Post Secondary Expo next during school hours.
Representatives from nine apprenticeship and trade programs, four branches of the military, six community-based workforce agencies and local unions will join 30 two- and four-year colleges to showcase their offerings. The expo is the brainchild of Megan Arivella, supervisor of school counseling K-12 for Haverhill Public Schools, and her team of high school counselors. Arivella, a recent guest on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program, explained why offering more options is important to today’s high school students.
“We’re looking to shift the narrative a little bit from students who may choose a college or university for their future plans, but also provide other opportunities for students. So, the typical college fair that a school might host we wanted to think bigger and better beyond that,” she explained.
Arivella said that while college remains a strong option for many graduating seniors, particularly with the new option of free tuition at community colleges and some state institutions, she said more and more young people are seeking alternatives. With that in mind, the Expo will be open to all grade levels, freshman through the senior class. Tables will be set up in the school’s mall area and in the school library so students can walk through during their lunch hour and see what intrigues them.
“We’ll be showcasing a wide range of experiences. Workforce pathways, two- and four-year colleges, apprenticeships, trade programs, military service, even gap year experiences for students.”
Among those taking part are the Haverhill Fire Department, Northern Essex Community College, Whittier Regional Vocational Technical School’s adult evening program, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Rutgers University, Rochester Institute of Technology, MakeIt Haverhill, City Year New Hampshire, New England Tractor Trailer School, Empire Beauty School and PetSmart.
Arivella said the idea is to help students answer the question, “What excites them?” rather than just “Where are you going to college?”
Haverhill High Schools’ Post Secondary Expo takes place Tuesday, April 29
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Two weeks after celebrating her successful finish of the 2018 Boston Marathon Kim Dahn was stricken with debilitating stomach pain, ongoing and acute discomfort not readily recognized by her doctors. It turns out she suffers from a rare genetic condition that caused her lower intestinal tract to compress and twist. The condition is called superior mesenteric artery syndrome.
Even after over 60 trips to the emergency department and multiple surgeries, her long-term outlook looked bleak until she discovered the possible availability of an international expert. The person who regularly treats the condition through a complicated surgical procedure was expected to visit with another physician expert at a hospital in remote western Virginia for just three days in February. The problem for Kim was getting there and back again since the closest commercial airport was a 40-minute car ride in Roanoke, the weather along the northeast corridor was iffy and she knew she couldn’t stand waiting in airport security lines, particularly post-surgery.
Haverhill couple Kim and her husband David turned to Angel Flight NE, a charity headquartered at Lawrence Municipal Airport in North Andover, which matches volunteer pilots from across the country with patients in need of medical transport. The service is free.
David Dahn was a recent guest on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” show along with Jonathan Campbell of Angel Flight. The pair explained how the medical transport service was able to get Kim to her surgical appointment and, more importantly, home to complete her recovery in less than half the time of a commercial flight.
“We could get there. The logistics weren’t too bad getting down, but coming back after surgery was going to be very difficult because there a 40-minute drive when you are post-surgery, trauma and so forth. So, we would we have had to wait not only in the car but at the airport and we would have had go through security lines. There were layovers so what would have been a 10-hour flight we didn’t think it was feasible,” Dahn said.
Campbell, a retired air traffic controller who “knows how to talk to pilots,” said he has nearly 400 pilots, all instrument rated with over 500 hours of flying time prepared who have access to a variety of aircraft ready to volunteer their time and planes to provide transportation, often at very short notice. He wasn’t put off when David Dahn inquired shortly before the trip was to take place.
“It was a challenge because, as David touched upon, there were weather issues, there was a relatively short amount of time to arrange things but when he first contacted us we got onto the task at hand and sent our emailed to a lot of our pilots who have longer distance airplanes who can make this trip, hopefully with non-stop. We had a great response from our pilots,” Campbell said.
Once the trip dates were set, Kim and David headed to Lawrence Municipal Airport. Pilots, though, are always in charge of trip details because safety is the first priority, Campbell said. Due to a winter storm front, David and Kim and their pilot ended up overnighting in a hotel in Philadelphia so their trip down to Virginia was longer than anticipated.
Fortunately, the trip home was a breeze and also was arranged on short notice once Kim’s doctors cleared her to leave the hospital following her successful surgery.
Campbell said that in addition to his email list of volunteer pilots from around the country, Angel Flight also works with JetBlue and Cape Air when it makes sense to send a client on a commercial flight. He also noted patients must be in stable condition because Angel Flight doesn’t provide nursing care. If someone makes an inquiring for a patient who needs medical monitoring, Campbell said he refers them to an air ambulance service.
With travel arrangements in another’s hand,
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Parents traveling with children in strollers will be allowed to drive their children onto buses operated by MeVa Transit beginning Sunday, April 13, instead of having to break down and fold the unit, in a policy change meant to make the free transit option more attractive.
Currently parents must take their child out of their stroller along with any belongings, fold the unit up and then carry the stroller, child and other items onto the bus, explained Noah Berger, MeVa’s administrator, during a recent appearance on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program. Then once aboard, the parents must stow the stroller under their seat.
He said his agency’s current policy is enough to discourage the most ardent supporter of public transportation who travels with small children.
Just ask Betsaida Jarvis who is the inspiration for the change in policy and an employee of the Haverhill-based bus system. She is also the mother of a toddler.
Jarvis found herself on the subway in Boston last summer when an announcement came over the public address system saying that passengers would have to disembark and take a bus because the system wasn’t running as far as her stop due to a maintenance issue. She said she started to panic because she knew what was required for riders of her home MeVa system.
After negotiating her way out of the subway station to the waiting bus, she tentatively inquired of the bus driver what she should do. He saw the stroller and asked what was the problem. It was in that moment she discovered open strollers are permitted on buses operated by Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. Because entrances are at street level to accommodate wheelchairs and others with mobility issues, parents with strollers can also come aboard without struggling.
“You can bring it open and you can just park it in a designed area that they have and then it was like this is the best thing ever. That’s when I spoke to Noah and said ‘We need to implement this in our system because it is just so much easier for mothers,’” she said.
As in Boston, MeVa’s fixed route buses have entrances designed at street level for easy access for everyone, Berger said. Because MeVa’s smaller “on demand” buses have steps, strollers will still have to be folded for those using that option.
“I think this is really important because this is us listening to our customers, making sure that we are as welcoming, as accommodating, as enjoyable experience as we possibly can.,” Berger said.
Berger said there are some limitation and safety guidelines incorporated in the new policy. For instance, you can’t sneak a dog onto a bus in a stroller nor can you bring a load of packages in a stroller and expect to be accommodated. Additionally, wheelchair riders will have priority since the strollers will be parked in the same spaces the open strollers will use, he said.
“Once we see how this new policy goes, I’d like to look into expanding it for shopping carts, he said.
To make sure the ride is safe for everyone, children will have to be secure in the stroller and won’t be allowed to get out while the bus is moving, Berger said. Parents must put the brake on the stroller so it won’t roll away.
The policy took seven months to formulate because the agency’s safety officer, Jessenia Fernandez, needed a chance to research what other systems do and to think through all the bad things that could happen, Berger said. He is confident the new policy will be popular and safe.
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A planned freeze of payments toward previously approved federal programs was rescinded Wednesday by the White House Office of Management and Budget after public outcry.
CongreA planned freeze of payments toward previously approved federal programs was rescinded Wednesday by the White House Office of Management and Budget after public outcry.
Congresswoman Lori Trahan, appearing live Wednesday on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program, was one official who criticized what would have been an abrupt halt in food, rent, energy and childcare assistance, among other programs.
“It’s a reckless, unprecedented power grab by Donald Trump. The consequences have already been swift and severe for the most vulnerable families in our country,” Trahan said in a live interview Wednesday morning.
Before the freeze could take effect, Judge Loren L. AliKhan of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia ordered a halt until a hearing Monday. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt acknowledged the court ruling Wednesday in announcing the White House would end the proposed freeze.
“In light of the injunction, OMB has rescinded the memo to end any confusion on federal policy created by the court ruling and the dishonest media coverage,” said. “The executive orders issued by the president on funding reviews remain in full force and effect and will be rigorously implemented by all agencies and departments. This action should effectively end the court case and allow the government to focus on enforcing the president’s orders on controlling federal spending.”
Trahan, however, told WHAV listeners, the freeze order “revealed the money they’re going to come after.” Pointing to a grant Haverhill received to hire firefighters and staff a Bradford ladder truck, Trahan noted why local officials are concerned.
“They’re, of course, concerned about federal firefighter and police officer hiring programs. They’ve been awarded SAFER grant programs on their merits. They were delivered $4.1 million to hire 16 new firefighters and permanently staff a ladder truck at the Bradford Fire Station. That money is at risk.”
The congresswoman said her office received calls came from new moms who “went into a panic” over how they would afford their groceries, parents worried about facing eviction if they lost rent assistance and state officials who, at first, couldn’t access the Medicaid portal to draw down money for MassHealth. She said similar calls came from community health centers, Head Start programs, child care centers and those relying on home heating assistance, nursing home reimbursements and money for some teacher salaries. Trahan said the amounts represents $20 billion in the Massachusetts state budget alone.
Trahan drew another local parallel—one that threatened the loss of Holy Family Hospitals in Methuen and Haverhill.
“Medicaid is not a program that we can seek cuts to, especially when new consider how fragile the hospital infrastructure is in our state after Steward ripped off patients and left town.”
She added the president does not have authority under the U.S. Constitution to make unilateral cuts of programs approved by Congress. Trahan suggested Trump needs the money to give the additional tax breaks to billionaires.
Trahan plans a press conference Thursday at Greater Lawrence Community Action Council with Lawrence Mayor Brian DePeña, Haverhill Mayor Melinda E. Barrett, Methuen Mayor David P. “D.J.” Beauregard Jr., Greater Lawrence Community Action Council Executive Director and CEO Vilma Martinez-Dominguez, Greater Lawrence Family Health Center interim President and CEO Steven Paris and Community Action CEO Kerri Perry.
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In concert with Martin Luther King Jr. Day Monday, the oldest black church in the Merrimack Valley this Saturday offers its third annual celebration of the life and legacy of the slain civil rights leader.
Haverhill’s Calvary Baptist Church holds “Sounds of a Movement,” featuring music, history, services and the awarding of the Drum Major for Justice award to Dennis D. Everett Jr. Rev. Kenneth Young of Calvary Baptist Church, who recently appeared on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program, says Everett is being honored for his work in prison reform, youth empowerment and restorative justice.
“The award is someone who is doing either social justice work in the community or racial justice working in the community. Trying to uplift people living in the margins. We know that Dennis has work not only in Haverhill but in the Merrimack Valley for some time and we appreciate the work that he has done, and wanted to highlight the things that he’s doing and make sure he knows that someone is appreciative of the work that he’s doing.”
Young notes the afternoon program involves singers Christina DeVaughn, who has a master’s in opera performance from the Boston Conservatory, gospel singer Kylisha Farris and actress Remani Lazana.
“One thing you’re going to hear about is Mahalia Jackson—someone who not only he collaborated with, but she collaborated with him. When you hear ‘I have a dream,’ speech she’s the one you hear in the background who yells out to him ‘tell them about the dream,’ and then he starts the repetition of ‘I have a dream today.’ So, we want to highlight her in the songs they were singing and those who were participating, whether they were younger or were older. That’s the theme for this year,” he adds.
“Sounds of a Movement” takes place this Saturday, Jan. 18, opening at 2:30 p.m. and program at 3, at Calvary Baptist Church, at 13 Ashland St., Haverhill.
An offering will take place with proceeds going to the Church’s scholarship fund and outreach program.
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It may be just the start of the new year, but for the thousands of people planning to run in the 2025 Boston Marathon in April, the season is already here.
One of the Marathon participants will be Haverhill native Jillian Lemieux. For her, running the Marathon means more than finishing the 26.2-mile course, it’s means raising money to help find a cure for cancer. Lemieux, a recent guest on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program explained she ran cross country and track at Haverhill High School, but was diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma just before graduation in 2016. Her coach, Mike Maguire, helped her through those times
“When I was getting diagnosed, he was big support for me. I remember when it was right around this big meet that we were going to, it was a big exciting meet, but I had gotten a biopsy right before that, so basically, he allowed me to do whatever I could. He didn’t push me. He said ‘I want you to be comfortable and be good.’ He’s just always been a support, and even during my treatments he would text me and wish me good luck for the next treatment. He even allowed me to run with the team on weeks that I felt good, which gave me such a sense of normalcy,” she said.
Because of her illness, Lemieux delayed entering UMass Lowell, where she majored in psychology with a minor in public health. She now works in administration at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute. Lemieux’s mother also had the same diagnosis when she was teenager in the 1980s. Her treatment was successful but, due to the limited medical knowledge at the time, her mother received too much radiation and eventually developed breast cancer, from which she passed away.
“I was treated at Dana Farber for six months and I received chemo, and the care that I received there was really exceptional. My doctor went above and beyond just treating me. She really cared deeply about treating me as a person and me as a young adult. She took all of my own adolescent concerns about my hair falling out, and everything, it was as important to her as it was to me.”
Lemieux is looking to raise $10,000 for her Boston Marathon run, and is slightly more than a quarter of the way to her goal, which also includes training for the race with the help of Maguire who has developed a program for her. It’s a program that, on some days, would qualify for a half marathon, covering 13.1 miles.
“I haven’t signed up for a half (marathon) to do during my training but there are some training days where it is going to come out to a half marathon, so I guess I might as well sign up for one,” she says.
And even though it has been eight years since high school, Lemieux still remembers her time for the mile—5:31.
Lemieux will run the Boston Marathon April 21. Donations may be made online here.
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Those looking for a different way to dispose of a Christmas tree, have some fun with goats and help the homeless at the same time, Goats to Go in Georgetown has a solution.
As WHAV reported earlier, Goats to Go is collecting Christmas trees and making a party of it for the seventh year on Saturday, Jan. 11.
Michelle Aulson of Goats to Go last week visited WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program, and noted how goats and Christmas trees are good for each other.
“So goats, especially if they are eating, they are staying warm. Think about fueling a fire. Their little bodies will stay warm if they have a warm place to eat. We give them free range hay all winter and minerals, but the Christmas trees, goats need excitement. They need something fun to do. They use as scratching, rubbing their fur, rubbing their horns on it and nibbling. They nibble on the greenery of the trees, and the greenery is actually a natural dewormer,” she explained.
Aulson says the goats like Douglas Fir trees the best.
There is a suggested donation of $20 per family or tree that will go to Emmaus, a Haverhill based charity helping adults and children transition from homelessness to self-sufficiency, while the tree goes to the goats.
The goats actually have a pretty busy schedule.
“It started back in 2017, with the small goats coming home for the summer, and we thought we’d like to do a class with the yoga teacher. Goats like to jump on things, so they jump on people during classes—babies only we use because they’re small and they learn to jump right up there with some goat treats, just like a dog. We kind of train them a little bit. And, everyone loves it. The smiles on the goats’ faces—oh wait, maybe that’s the smile on the people’s faces, a little bit of both. Goats actually like people who are smiling and that definitely rings true when you see the classes,” she explained.
But, when it’s time to work, Aulson says the goats and sheep at the farm, have their grazing specialties.
“They do. I like to say goats like to jump up and eat things that are high off the ground. The goats have a little bit more fun with what they eat. Stonewalls are a specialty. They can get in hillsides where people can’t really mow. Sheep, on the other hand, eat grasses mostly, but they will eat poison ivy if it’s on the ground cover. Sheep won’t eat off a tree, they won’t eat brush and shrubs. They mostly will eat the ground. So, depending on that, they’re really good with our solar field grazing, where they have panels that goats have a reputation of jumping up. That’s why goat yoga is so good.”
Aulson says their sheep and goats also enjoy working at the John Greenleaf Whittier Birthplace in Haverhill, as well as a number of backyards and cemeteries around the area.
Goats to Go seventh annual Christmas tree drop off takes place Saturday, Jan. 11, from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Great Rock Farm, 201 Pond St., Georgetown. There is a reservation fee of $5 per car and suggested donation of $20 per family or tree cash or check. Venmo is available in advance. Checks may be made out to Emmaus. More information is available at GoatsToGo.farm.
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State Sen. Bruce E. Tarr says there are many positives in the recently approved $4 billion economic development bill, but there’s more ahead in January that will shape how the borrowing bill takes effect.
Making an appearance on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program, Tarr explains the next move is that of Gov. Maura T. Healey.
“What I often say is that the legislature writes the menu and the governor decides what she wants to eat, so it’s a two-step process.”
Tarr, who serves as senate minority leader and whose district includes such area towns as Groveland, North Andover and West Newbury, also delivers a word of caution.
“I would remind people that a lot of the money we passed in that bill is bond money, which means that the legislature passing the bill is the first step and the administration deciding which things to spend on is the second step. So, we’ll be looking forward to working with the administration on that. Spending money is part of the equation but cutting costs is another part of the equation, and we’ll be looking in the new year to once again make Massachusetts more competitive so that the investments we make from the bond bill are going into a more competitive and fertile environment for job growth and economic development.”
Tarr recently took part in celebrating the 65th anniversary of Merrimack Valley Planning Commission and 50th anniversary of what has become Merrimack Valley Transit, or MeVa. He notes the Commission and state and federal governments have been working with the Merrimack River Watershed Council.
“To improve the quality of the Merrimack River. Particularly in light of the untreated discharge of effluence from wastewater treatment plants up and down the river. While we’ve made a lot of progress, we still have a lot of distance to go before we get that water quality to where we want it to be reliably, every day, without the episodic influence of those untreated discharges.”
Tarr served in the state House of Representatives from 1991-1995 before being elected to the state senate where he will be starting his 30th year in January. He’s been the senate minority leader since 2011 and says he as seen many changes in the local news landscape.
“You know, it’s unfortunate that we’re seeing a lot of local news outlets succumbing to the changes in the market. We don’t see as many local newspapers, we don’t see as many local radio stations and I, for one, think that’s unfortunate because it is important to have a medium of communication that responds to local priorities. Win, I know you’ve been in the business a long time and I appreciate that you always prioritize that, and that’s why I was so happy to come on this morning.”
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The Haverhill Fire Department hockey team is preparing for this Saturday’s charity game in support of veterans.
Haverhill Deputy Fire Chief Gregory R. Roberts, a recent guest on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program, says the contest supports the Skate for 22 Foundation, which was founded to help veterans adjust to civilian life after getting out of the service
“As you know, about 22 veterans take their lives per day. So, they started an organization back in 2017 to try to bring a lot of the veteran community together into that locker room facility where they had the teamwork and comradery they had while they were serving our country, and try to get everybody to talk,” he explains.
Roberts says the hockey rink, game, and locker room itself prove to be a very helpful setting.
“We’re a different generation of veterans where we don’t typically go to the VFW or the AmVets. We don’t gather like that. So, this was a way to bring everybody together, have everybody vent and have their time together and that comradery that we are so used to.”
Roberts spent 12 years in the Army before becoming a member of the Haverhill Fire Department. He says he has a lot of friends afflicted with post-traumatic stress and issues of that nature. He also mentions he didn’t play hockey as a youth or in High School.
“I picked it up with I was in my mid-40s, believe it or not. That organization, Skate for 22, I had heard about and I went out there and just started playing for them. We’ve been playing with them since 2017 and it’s been going strong since then. The Haverhill Fire Department one is fairly new. It’s probably about two or three years old.”
And concerning the Haverhill Fire Department hockey team, Roberts says they have been organized to help.
“What the Haverhill Fire Department club, as a charity, is we raise money and all that money we keep in Haverhill. We give, whether it’s for the high school sports teams or some of the youth sports programs, to help offset some of the costs.”
The game between the Haverhill Fire Department hockey team and the Skate For 22 Foundation is Saturday, Nov. 30, at 4 p.m., at Veterans Memorial Rink behind Haverhill High School, 137 Monument St. Donations of any amount are requested and a 50/50 raffle will also be conducted. There’s more about Skate for 22 Foundation at skateforthe22.org.
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Major milestones are taking place for Haverhill Public School students with integration of modular classrooms at John Greenleaf Whittier School and steel reaching its peak at the new Dr. Albert B. Consentino School.
During an appearance this week on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program, Superintendent Margaret Marotta paid special attention to the $160 million replacement Consentino project and $3 million temporary Whittier additions.
“If people take a ride by the Consentino, the steel is up. It’s looking like a building. It’s pretty exciting, and the modulars are up over at Whittier, so we have a lot going on,” she explained.
Marotta says a “beam signing” for the last piece of steel going up at Consentino School is tentatively scheduled for Friday, Nov. 22. Besides Whittier, on Concord Street, and Consentino, on Washington Street, the construction list also includes indoor tennis and pickleball courts at Haverhill High School. Marotta estimates both of those projects will be completed early next year.
Championed by the School Committee last year, the modular units then under consideration were to bring six classrooms and two bathrooms to the school. Last December, the Massachusetts School Building Authority voted to invite the school into an eligibility period that involves a feasibility study and later steps to determine whether the school should be renovated or replaced and the amount of state reimbursement. The modular classrooms could then be used at any other school that would benefit from additional space.
The superintendent also expressed pleasure with school sports programs as the season winds down.
“Our girls soccer team was the Merrimack Valley Champion. We had three athletes from the volleyball team go all conference and three golfers, and our Cross-Country Coach Mike Maguire was named coach of the year for Merrimack Valley, and I don’t think that’s the first time for Mike either. He’s a pretty darn good coach,” she said.
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Haverhill has been home to a few major league baseball players, most recently Carlos Pena, and the late Mike Ryan, and there is another talented ball player in the wings. It’s 8-year-old Mollie MacIntosh, a third grader at the Caleb Dustin Hunking School.
Mollie was a recent guest on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program. As she explains, she won the regionals, in her age group, for Major League Baseball’s Pitch, Hit and Run competition.
“I had to hit the ball in the air, as far as I could. You get more points the further you hit the ball in the air. Then, you run as fast as you can, three times, your best score gets you more points for that. For pitching, there’s a target. You hit a small circle you get 100 points, and if you hit around it you get 50 points. I got two 50s—it wasn’t the best score I could do.”
MacIntosh plays locally in the Cal Ripken League. She went to Fenway Park to compete and, because she won her age group, Mollie and her family are now in Los Angeles for the World Series between the Dodgers and Yankees, where there will be another competition with all of the other regional winners. Mollie is also competitive off the baseball field and is an avid Candlepin bowler.
“My high single is a 123 game. I beat one of the 14-year-olds in the league. She hasn’t even made it that high in the game,” she said.
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The election season is in full swing at the Haverhill City Clerk’s office even though final election day is two weeks away.
Haverhill City Clerk Kaitlin M. Wright, a recent guest on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program, explained why the window for early voting seems longer than usual. In-person early voting started this past weekend.
“In regular elections, like the September primary or maybe a municipal election, you would see one week of early voting, but the Vote Act that was passed by the legislature requires that for the November election you have two weeks of early voting.”
For citizens requesting a mail-in ballot, Wright noted an important step voters must take.
“When you’re requesting a vote by mail ballot and filling it out, it’s really important that you sign that manila ballot envelope. If it’s unsigned, we are going to have to reject your ballot. So, your signature matters. Please sign that inner ballot envelope.
Wright has also noticed some voters in requesting a mail-in ballot express confusion when they see the “State Election” label.
“This is a state election because we’re electing state representatives, members of Congress, things of that nature. But it is also a federal election where we have the president on the race. So, if you are feeling a little confused because it says State Election, please just look at the race in the upper left-hand corner, you’ll see that it’s the presidential race and know that you have the right ballot. Also, keep in mind that the ballot is two-sided with questions as well, so make sure once you fill out the first page that you are flipping over and completing the second page as well.”
And when it comes to returning mail-in ballots, there are options.
“If somebody is to hand deliver it to our office, or use our drop box, is has to be delivered by 8 p.m., Nov. 5. Alternatively, if it’s mailed, it has to have a postmark of Nov. 5 and we can accept those for three days. So, if there is no postmark, we cannot accept it. It has to have a postmark of at least Nov. 5, then we can accept it for three days after the election,” she explained.
Early voting continues today. Dates are Mondays through Wednesdays, Oct. 21, 22 and 23 and 28, 29 and 30, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., with extended hours Thursdays, Oct. 24 and 31, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Fridays, Oct. 25 and Nov. 1, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.; and Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 26 and 27, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Wright also suggests voters become familiar with the ballot before voting. A sample is located on the Haverhill City Clerk’s web page.
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If there was any reason to doubt it, the upcoming Topsfield Fair is a sure sign of fall.
America’s oldest county fair, having started in 1818, opens Friday, Oct. 4, and runs through Columbus Day, Monday, Oct. 14. Although he hasn’t been around since the beginning, Bill Fitzgerald of Methuen’s Mann Orchards is as knowledgeable as anyone about the longtime tradition.
“I actually have my 50-year pin being involved with the Topsfield Fair. Started as quite a young guy, displaying apples and whatnot in the fruit and vegetable building.”
Fitzgerald sits on the Topsfield Fair board of directors and previously served as its president. He was a recent guest on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program and said Mann Orchards will again have a display, but he’s also looking forward to some of the other attractions.
“Well let me tell you, does it get any better than Three Dog Night and .38 Special, right in our own back yard? Honestly, and what we need is great weather those nights. And, then on Friday night that week, we have a couple of young ladies, Maddie and Tae. I think that will be an interesting show as well,” he explains.
One of the highlights at the beginning of the fair is the Giant Pumpkin Weigh Off, Friday, Oct. 4, at 4 p.m. Fitzgerald says it is not uncommon to find pumpkins exceeding 2,000 pounds. “Now, with the summer we’ve had, hot dry weather, a little bit more of a challenge, I think, for these big pumpkin growers. It’s going to be very interesting to see how they’ve put their minds together and what they’re going to have for a big pumpkin this year. I think we might be surprised with what we see for a great big pumpkin.”
Many days at the Fair have their own theme, including Monday, Oct. 7, which actually has two major features. “Senior Day and also, at the same time, we have what we call Sensory Day, and that is for people who like things a little bit quieter. A lot of the sound systems are turned way down, the lighting is dimmed a little bit, so people who like things a little bit calmer can come to the fair and enjoy that as well,” he points out.
The Topsfield Fair is owned and operated by the Essex Agricultural Society, a nonprofit which states its purpose as “encouraging, promoting and preserving Essex County agricultural activities, and to educate the general public regarding their importance.” There is more at TopsfieldFair.org.
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The banking business in Greater Haverhill has seen a many changes over the years and, similar to the person hawking programs at a sporting event, Haverhill Bank President and CEO Thomas L. Mortimer knows “you can’t tell the players without a program.”
Serving as a local banker for more than 40 years, Mortimer is the “go-to” historian for the local banking scene, you can’t tell the banks without a seasoned veteran. He shared some of his memories recently with listeners of WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program. He starts with Haverhill Bank, which will be celebrating its 150th anniversary in a couple of years.
“Haverhill Bank was founded on Aug. 13, 1877 and the very first meeting was at the Good Templar’s Hall at 53 Merrimack St., and, also at the very first meeting, the first loan was made to an F.S. McKenny for the sum of $400. Back then, when they used to make loans, they would discount the loans, so you would ask for a loan of $400 but you get $320, but you would have to pay back $400. Those are usury type interest rates that are not allowed today,” he explained.
Mortimer quipped he has been involved with Haverhill’s banking landscape “so long that he can give directions by referencing landmarks that no long exist.” He named some of the other financial institutions while speaking of the growth of Haverhill Bank.
“Haverhill Bank in the 70s merged with Citizens Cooperative Bank. In 1982, they merged with Whittier Cooperative Bank. In 2008, they merged with Northeast Community Credit Union and then in 2012 they merged with Economy Cooperative Bank in Merrimac. And, all that today is Haverhill Bank.”
Mortimer also explained that in the early days, bank presidents usually had other full-time jobs, considering the bank as a part-time position. They also took great pride in having modest working conditions.
“I think at one time Haverhill Bank shared office space with Haverhill National Bank. Haverhill National Bank was where Bank of America is today, right at the corner of Merrimack and Emerson. And, then the Gleason Law Offices, that was Bay Bank Merrimack Valley on Merrimack Street right across from Haverhill Bank. Back in the 70s, I believe, the former CEO, chairman and president of Pentucket Bank, Ed Cote, was the president of Bay Bank Merrimack Valley. When they were consolidating Bay Bank, he became president and CEO of Pentucket Bank.”
Mortimer’s first job in Haverhill was in 1985, at Family Bank, formerly Haverhill Savings Bank and now TD Bank on Merrimack Street, across the street from where he works today.
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Those who expect Haverhill’s annual Restaurant Week this time of year are in for a treat if their taste buds can hold out.
Up until now, Haverhill’s Restaurant week immediately followed L’Arche Boston North’s Longest Table event, which took place last week. During a recent appearance on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program, Haverhill Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Alex Eberhardt says Haverhill restaurant operators says resident most need a treat in the winter.
“So, it’ll be in February, during the slower season, to really help boost attendance in restaurants during the winter months and really start showing how amazing it can be to go and eat special awesome warm food and drink delicious drinks in February when we aren’t sure if there will be a blizzard or not,” she explains.
Eberhardt says the exact start of Haverhill’s Restaurant Week hasn’t been decided, but the concept remains the same.
“I tell people, please be as creative as possible, because having the same burger special that you typically have a few times a year, or every week, isn’t as enticing as having something really whacky and fun, or just a really great special for that week, that entices people to come and try new things, because you want them to choose you even over the other restaurants,” she adds.
Eberhardt says having Restaurant Week in February help keeps the attention on Haverhill’s food scene, following a busy summer and fall season.
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Greater Haverhill service clubs help a variety of organizations, individuals and causes, but one is paying particular attention to older residents taking on unexpected tasks and responsibilities.
Judith Riopelle, president of the Breakfast Exchange Club of Greater Haverhill, recently told listeners of WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program about the club’s work with grandparents who find themselves raising their grandchildren.
“They’re so used to having things a certain way, and now they have this young child with them. Not only do they have to take care of them, they have to feed them, they have to put clothes on them, and we know how kids can grow. So, it makes it more difficult for them. It’s been a really great thing we’ve done to help them,” Riopelle says.
She adds it’s a situation that is often overlooked. “Especially one thing that is truly near and dear to my heart are the grandparents that have been tasked with raising their grandchildren. They need a lot of help sometimes, because we usually have children when we’re younger. They are on a fixed income. We help them financially, we’ve sent kids to summer camp, we’ve bought school supplies.”
Riopelle says the Breakfast Exchange Club also helps with buying grandparents gift cards that can be used for purchasing snacks for the youngers during school vacation in February and April. They also lend a helping hand in assisting the elderly in signing up for fuel assistance, and they help with veterans’ support.
“And the other thing, a new initiative that we’ve begun, is a thing called Happy Rides, where we provide taxi vouchers for folks to help get over the social isolation from the Covid crisis. They get these taxi vouchers to go do something fun, not a doctors appointment, not going to the hospital, but maybe going to the beauty salon to have their nails done, or to go shopping or to the library, and it’s become very successful, and we’re in the process of expanding that to the Groveland community as well.”
The Breakfast Exchange Club of Greater Haverhill meets on the second and fourth Tuesday mornings at the Citizens Center on Welcome Street in Haverhill, and new members are welcomed. There is more on its website at becgh.org.
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Haverhill police and schools and health representatives are among those joining Haverhill Mayor Melinda E. Barrett Tuesday for a free community dinner focused on available mental health resources.
Mental wellness professionals will be available to answer questions about help and support available for adults, young adults, children and teen. YMCA Regional Executive Director Tracy Fuller told listeners of WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program how the event came about and what to expect.
“Earlier this spring, the mayor had a community breakfast over at Somebody Cares to really look into identify pockets in neighborhoods of those that may need some support. So, she had identified and asked if the Y was willing to host, kind of, in the Acre neighborhood. We’d love to have people come and have some dinner. We’ve asked a few mental health professionals to come. Haverhill Public Schools will be there, Beth Israel Lahey Health will be there, NFI will be there, and a few others will be there as well.”
Fuller said the free event takes place Tuesday, Aug. 13, starting at 5:30 p.m., at the YMCA, 81 Winter St., Haverhill.
“I think it’s one of the things we hear often at the Y, and we want to make sure we connect the constituents of Haverhill and the resources together and make sure for those that have questions and are looking for support can get them. This is the mayor’s initiative. We are just happy to be a host for this and we’re hoping lots of people come and take part and, if they have questions, feel like they can get some answers, and have a little dinner too.”
Fuller says the YMCA will have a bouncy house and other activities for children, to allow adults time to get the mental wellness information they are seeking.
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The new MassReconnect program, which encourages students 25 and up to complete their degrees for free, is credited with increasing community college enrollment. One local student taking part tells WHAV about how going back to school shattered some myths and gave him confidence.
Thirty-nine-year-old Pedro Rentas is taking advantage of the program to attend Northern Essex Community College and was surprised to learn there are students older than him taking part.
“Yes! I was happy about it. When I got to my first class, accounting, I was surprised. I wasn’t expecting that, I was afraid of my age, and being around kids and teenagers, but not at all. It was pretty good. It was comfortable,” he says during a recent appearance on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program.
A recent report on MassReconnect, introduced by Gov. Maura T. Healey’s administration, shows enrollment by students ages 25 and older increased nearly 45%, and pushed overall enrollment up 8% during its first year, reversing a decade of decline.
Rentas, who moved here from the Dominican Republic nine years ago years, says Northern Essex Community College makes it easy for people going back to school.
“People like me, that are coming from different countries, maybe you need your high school diploma. They also have a system that they can get your diploma from your country. So, it’s not excuse for you to not go back to school. They are doing everything, and helping in every way for people to come back to school, and be part of the community, and bring more to the community,” he explains.
Rentas had some college experience in the Dominican Republic, but was not able to complete his degree. He says he wouldn’t have gone back to college without the MassReconnect program.
“The school is really good. Northern Essex Community College, and I know for a lot of people my age going back to school is a little bit scary, but not at all. They make you feel comfortable. The whole staff at Northern Essex is great.”
Rentas made the Dean’s List last semester and has one more to go before he earns his associate degree in Business. He’s doing more than just taking classes. He’s enjoying the complete college experience. He was elected to serve on the Student Government Association, assuming the marketing chair.
“Right now we are taking classes. They’re getting me ready. So, I’m going to be supporting the students with all the events—all programs they have. Sharing all the information on social media. Sharing pictures, sharing stories about all our students,” he notes.
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Essex County Habitat for Humanity is at work developing a duplex with affordable three-bedroom units in Haverhill’s Mount Washington neighborhood, but has hope for another local project as well.
Habitat for Humanity’s Director of Charitable Giving Kevin Hudson appeared Monday on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program to discuss plans for the 41-43 Curtis St., Haverhill site.
“We will start excavation over the summer and get the foundation in and, once we do that, we’ll start building the home and volunteers can help us frame,” he says.
Both units, valued at $245,000 each, have approximately 1,200 square feet with three bedrooms, two full bathrooms and a single-car garage. Those interested in getting one of the sets of keys must be first-time homebuyers, have a qualifying household income and be willing to contribute 240-360 hours of “sweat equity.” Applications are due by Friday, Aug. 16, at noon. There will be both an in-person and a remote information session for those interested and wish to learn about the Habitat Homebuyer program process. The in-person session takes place Thursday, July 18, 6 p.m., at Haverhill Public Library’s Johnson Auditorium 99 Main St. A remote session takes place Saturday, July 20, 10 a.m., via Microsoft Teams. More information is available at essexcountyhabitat.org/applying.
Hudson adds the search is on for more land in Haverhill.
“We are currently looking at a couple of properties in the Mount Washington-area. Stay tuned. The site is secured for one of them, and we are just trying to figure out if it’s monetarily feasible and if we can afford it.”
Habitat for Humanity relies on donations. Stepping up for the Haverhill project is Reworld, formerly Covanta. Area Asset Manager Mark Van Weelden says, “The Essex County Habitat for Humanity has many home projects planned in and around Haverhill this year. These underfunded projects deliver positive results in our community and are most worthy of our participation and financial support. I encourage others to work alongside a future homeowner and to financially support these projects.”
Hudson says volunteers are also critical for success. He credits students from Whittier Regional Vocational Technical High School.
“Absolutely, you have to be 16 to be on the job site and then you have to be over 18 to use any of the power tools, but we definitely welcome them. There’s plenty of other stuff to do.”
Hudson finds he doesn’t have to start from the beginning when he talks about his organization.
“I think the Habitat for Humanity name is well known. A lot of people associate it with (former U.S. President) Jimmy Carter. Our vision is that someday everyone will have a safe place to live. It had been around, but Jimmy Carter really put it front and center. He was a volunteer up until about two years ago.”
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Clean River Project founder Rocky Morrison seeks to redouble his organization’s efforts to keep the Merrimack River free of discarded mattresses, syringes, cars and mountains of trash.
Appearing last week on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program, Morrison says his group is the only one undertaking this kind of work below the water’s surface and communities should help pay for it.
“We started 20 years ago cleaning up the Merrimack River, back in Methuen, as a scavenger hunt and it grew into a nonprofit. Here we are 20 years later. We pull about 100 tons a year. We have 86 vehicles pulled from the Merrimack River so far—our goal is 100. We’ve been in Haverhill waterways for several years and we are hoping to get a contract back with the City of Haverhill,” he tells listeners.
Morrison says the Clean River Project had a contract with Haverhill in the past, but was unable to reach a renewal agreement. Morrison points to a federal government settlement with pharmaceutical companies that gives communities a source of money to attack the job.
“Lawrence, Haverhill and Lowell and the cities and towns that are receiving this opioid money settlement, and it’s supposed to be going towards cleaning up the hypodermic needles, parts, stuff like that. I know Lawrence is using it to clean up the Merrimack River. Methuen is looking at it. Haverhill received over $400,000 for the past four years, combined. So, they could actually use some of this money to clean up the Merrimack River, and Haverhill really needs it.”
Besides government grants, Morrison gets volunteer help from small civic groups as well as large corporations such as Watts Water Technologies of North Andover, 3M and Keurig Coffee. Morrison says Haverhill is at the receiving end of items put into the Merrimack from upriver. Longtime sponsor Reworld, formerly known as Covanta, recently pledged continuing support.
“Rocky Morrison and his crew are relentless each year in their commitment to keep our Merrimack River watershed free from trash. We look forward in expanding our partnership and participation in the river clean ups each year,” said Reworld Area Asset Manager Mark Van Weelden.
“Basically anything that comes out of Lawrence, like the Spicket River in Lawrence, they throw everything down there—tires, TVs, mattresses, and it washes to Haverhill. It goes onto the shoreline and sits there. We had the booms out there and were collecting all that. Then, we had the boat with the hydraulic arm that would grab the mattresses off the bottom. They weigh 1,000 pounds when they are on the bottom of the river. You have to have the right equipment, and that’s what we are doing out here. We are putting the booms in and collecting the stuff,” Morrison says.
There’s more information about Clean River Project online at CleanRiverProject.org.
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The Groveland Council on Aging’s “EngAGEment Celebration and Symposium” this Saturday, features an address by Dr. Katharine Esty, author of “Eightysomethings,” workshops and connections to community resources.
Groveland Council on Aging Director Alyssa Lee visited WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” show recently to welcome attendance at the free event and explain its purpose.
“That is an opportunity to celebrate and promote community engagement and well being among older adults. It’s an opportunity for the community to connect with local organizations as well as community members and just have general resources of the wealth of information that is around in our community to support our older adults in our community as well as care partners,” she said.
Lee emphasizes the event is not just open to seniors and Groveland residents, but also to caregivers and those in surrounding communities.
Esty talks about finding unexpected happiness in aging. Conversations and interactive workshops also center on aspects of aging, including community living, caregiver support, understanding Alzheimer’s and dementia and exercise.
The EngAGEment Celebration and Symposium takes place Saturday, June 29, from 10:45 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., at Pentucket Regional High School, 24 Main St., West Newbury. Lunch will be provided.
After the event, Groveland’s Council on Aging won’t be slowing down this summer. Lee encourages everyone to read its newsletter online.
“So in July and August, our newsletter comes out next month, which is on the town of Groveland website, there are lots of great trips, we have a van trip going out, we have lots of educational programs, including a transportation seminar where there’s an opportunity to learn about all of the free, and paid for, services to make sure older adults can stay connected to their community.”
Staying active is another important aspect to aging. She said there is a yoga program held outdoors on days when the weather is nice. There is also an exercise program that is a little more active, in addition to some social activities.
“We do have cornhole and ping pong and we will have those as drop in opportunities starting in July, I think 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.”
Before becoming Groveland’s Council on Aging Director, Lee was involved on the arts. “Before that my professional career was focused on arts administration in the classical arts world. I had spent my career in Boston, most recently as executive director of Project Step, located in Symphony Hall, which was an amazing experience. Also, there is a big overlap between the classical music constituents and older adults, and I’m really glad to be where I am now.”
Those interested in attending Saturday’s EngAGEment Celebration and Symposium are advised to register by calling 978-372-1101 or visiting here.
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School graduation season offers a time for reflection, planning and often some heartwarming stories, but it was considerably more for 82-year-old Jean Spurr of Groveland.
Spurr was awarded an honorary diploma June 1 from Georgetown High School where she was a member of the class of 1959 at graduation ceremonies on Saturday morning. She recently told WHAV listeners the unusual and heartfelt experience of how she came to finally don cap and gown and participate in high school graduation.
Spurr and her companion, Steven D. Sardella of Haverhill, were guests on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program. Earlier this year, Sardella had an idea about a special birthday gift for Spurr. He asked the Georgetown School Committee to grant her an honorary diploma based on her life experience. The School Committee unanimously agreed and everything fell into place.
“They gave me a cap and gown and a flower. The superintendent, everyone, was just so nice to me there. They treated me with so much respect. They were just awesome,” she said. “(The ceremony was) in back at the Perley High School—the Perley Elementary now, but it was the Perley High School where I went to school.”
Spurr explained how she had an excellent attendance record, but fell just a few credits short of graduating. Instead of attending an extra year of school, as was the case back then, she married and moved to Groveland where she raised a family, waitressed for 30 years and eventually came to own the Groveland Square Diner. She also drove a school bus for nearly 20 years, worked for the Groveland Highway Department and currently volunteers at the town clerk’s office.
Spurr earlier considered attempts at earning her diploma earlier. “I had all my books for the GED, and I tried at different times during my years to try it. For some reason, I just couldn’t do it. I couldn’t do it!”
She said the diploma will have a special spot in her home.
“Yes I do, I have it home. I’m going to put it right in my living room where everybody can see it and I can look at it every day. It’s beautiful. I can’t describe how I feel! It’s just mind boggling to me how nice everyone was. My family was there. I’m very grateful.”
Spurr was joined by family as School Committee Chairman Michael Hinchliffe presented her with a diploma during this year’s Georgetown graduation ceremonies. Spurr strode across the stage to accept her diploma, share hugs with School Committee members and administrators and briefly thanked all those in attendance.
“Jean your journey is one of unwavering spirit and love for your community. You have served with grace, faced life’s challenges head on, and now you come before us a graduate,” Hinchliffe said in remarks during the ceremony. “This diploma is a symbol of your life long journey of learning and service.”
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When it comes to reaching out with a helping hand, a Haverhill church is reaching out halfway across the world to help orphaned children.
West Church is sending 15 people today on a mission trip to Moldova, a small country sandwiched between Romania and Ukraine. Leading the group is church Director of Outreach Mark Cottrell. Speaking recently on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program, he explains how the 767 Broadway church became involved.
“For a number of years we’ve supported a ministry in Moldova, a gentleman named Oleg Reutki—he’s a pastor over there—and he runs a number of orphanages. They call them transition homes, mostly young girls being ministered to them.”
Cottrell adds Oleg runs an organization called New Hope Eurasia. “He has invited us to come over and serve in the orphanages. We’ll actually be staying right in the transition homes. We’ll be bringing all sorts of different supplies. We’ll be bringing clothing and shoes, and all sorts of needed things that he would like to have us bring to the orphans. We will be running a Bible school for them in two different locations.”
Cottrell also says the West Church group will be doing some outreach, and serving Ukrainian refugees in the country. When asked about the safety of making the trip to Moldova, Cottrell had these words.
“We’re warned, but we are relying on our host Oleg to know the lay of the land and, if anything was bad, I trust him to say ‘please don’t come.’ But, there have been rumors and rumors of war for Moldova since the beginning of the invasion of Ukraine two years ago, and really the news hasn’t changed too much.”
To help with the trip, Cottrell says they received a generous donation from Reworld, formally known as Covanta. Reworld Haverhill’s Area Asset Manager Mark Van Weelden told WHAV the company is “pleased to be able to support the activities of these dedicated volunteers. Hopefully, the kids impacted by these acts of kindness can see a world reimagined.”
West Church also received help with supplies, including from a dentist who donated 200 toothbrushes and toothpaste. West Church normally runs missions every year, mostly to Latin America for construction projects, but the trip to Moldova, working with orphans and refugees, is bringing in people who wouldn’t normally make a missionary trip.
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If you are looking to show off your creativity in the kitchen, you may be interested in using a “secret weapon” to make it easier.
This Saturday and Sunday, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Carolyn’s Farm Kitchen hosts an open house at the new storefront location. Owner Carolyn Grieco was a guest this past Wednesday on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program, where she announced she will be opening a location at 800 Broadway in Haverhill.
“A lot of my customers know me for baking at the market, as well as the products, but it is not a bakery. I used to own a bakery many years ago in Middleton. It was great, we ended up selling it. It was a lot. I was at a point where either I had to move into a larger space and grow, and at that time we decided to sell it. That was probably 25 years ago we sold it. So, as I get a little bit older, being in the food business beats you up physically, for sure, and I’m finding that. I feel that this next phase is really sustainable for myself,” she explains.
Over the years, Carolyn’s Farm Kitchen has been a mainstay at the Haverhill Farmer’s Market and other markets in the area. Though she is known for her baked goods, Grieco says her passion is making the mixes that make it easier for people to make their own baked goods.
“These are all original tried and true recipes I’ve developed over the years, over my career. I went to culinary school well over 30 years ago. These are all my babies! They are all original recipes, all tried and true, and I really designed them for simplicity. My tag line, if I had one, would be ‘simple seasonal scratch baking’ and that’s it. They are meant to be simple, one bowl assembly. You add a few additional ingredients, especially local farm fruit you can get at the farmers market or one of the local farms here in Haverhill, and they are package to oven in five minutes.”
There’s more at CarolynsFarmKitchen.com and on her Facebook and Instagram accounts.
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The next time you have a chance to hear someone play the piano, just remember that instrument had its beginnings years earlier in a factory that could put it all together, piece by piece. It comes as a surprise to many people that such a place exists in Haverhill—the Mason & Hamlin Piano Co.
The company’s creative director, Nathan Mabanglo-Burgett, whose family owns the on Duncan Street business, was a recent guest on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program
“Yeah, we are kind of a hidden gem in Haverhill—not many people know that there is a piano factory located in Haverhill. We started in 1854 in Boston, Massachusetts, had a couple of different homes, but in 1980 we relocated to Haverhill, Massachusetts.”
When it comes to making a piano, he says many steps must be taken.
“One part is woodworking. Other parts are you need to be able to make a plate, you need people to press a lot of different parts of the piano into different forms. There’s a lot that goes into the piano making process, and it takes over one year to make one piano,” he explains.
And then to make it look as good as it sounds
“We do all the finishing in Haverhill. We have a whole floor dedicated to polishing, spraying, sanding the finishes”
Inside the piano are the strings, that Mabanglo-Burgett says are purchased from the Mapes Piano String Company in Elizabethton, Tenn. To make those strings “sing” they are struck by a hammer, covered with felt.
It’s quite interesting. They take a long roll of felt and they need to condense down to the size of those inch, or two inch, hammers that strike the strings, and that really controls the tone of the piano, in many ways. We don’t make them in Haverhill. There are many specialties, that one, I forget the exact name of the company, but we have a specialty blend, a special recipe for our hammers. A lot of R & D went into making them, a special order just for making Hamlin pianos.”
And talking about research and development, Mason & Hamlin Pianos are created first in the mind of a designer.
“There aren’t many piano designers left in the world but our piano designer has been with the company for over 40 years. His name is Bruce Clark. He’s very skilled and he really understood what Mason Hamlin pianos were in the 1920s and took all of those features and started incorporating into every single piano we have.”
With the amount of thought, time and craftsmanship going into each piano, Mabanglo-Burgett says pricing can vary widely.
“Usually pianos are kind of broken into three different categories. One is more in the beginner area, that might be around $10,000-$20,000; then you kind of a mid-grade between $20,000 and$60,000; and then you have the premier pianos of the world, and that ranges from $80,000 to $200,000 depending on the piano maker. Our pianos range in that premier piano area.”
Mabanglo-Burgett says tours of the Mason & Hamlin Piano Company on Duncan Street in Haverhill are available, and information may be found at MasonHamlin.com.
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A blend of historic firefighting equipment and the love of horses, comes together this Saturday at the Haverhill Firefighting Museum.
Local author Jean MacDougall-Tattan, a former member of the museum’s board of directors, will be reading aloud and signing copies of her new book “Biz’s Journey Home,” a story she says is for people who love horses and wonder what they are saying. MacDougall-Tattan was a recent guest on WHAV’s Win for Breakfast program, and says it took a time to find a publisher.
“When the book was first written, and rejected so many times by publishers, it was all written from the horses’ perspective, to give people an understanding of how horses might think about us and the way we treat them. Back in those days, which was about 19 years ago, I couldn’t get any publishers who wanted talking horses in a book,” she explains.
MacDougall-Tattan says the story revolves around a real-life situation.
“I was a horse massage therapist, and I would be in and out of barns massaging horses. I just started to notice that people were not treating their horses as kindly as I do, treating them more like they were possessions than they were living creatures. That kind of goes against the grain of me. So, the novel, it’s fiction, but then there are some real life events that are woven into it.”
She said she was saved by a horse that she, herself, saved.
“When we took our horse in, he was about 15 years old, and he wasn’t in the best of shape. He was under weight. He was completely unfit. It didn’t seem like he had anybody in his life for a very long time. So, we took him into our home and made him a part of our family, and he protected me.”
MacDougall-Tattan’s book, “Biz’s Journey Home,” was originally around 100 pages. However, after working with the publisher, All Things That Matter press in Maine, the book grew to over 500 pages. It is being turned into a trilogy with the second book to be released this fall.
The book will be available, Saturday, June 1, from 12:30-2:30 p.m. at the Haverhill Firefighting Museum, 75 Kenoza Ave., Haverhill, for $17 with 20% of the proceeds going to the museum.
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For those who love a good mystery, the Langley-Adams Library in Groveland is co-hosting a Mystery Book Con this Saturday.
The library will be joined by Kensington Publishing, an independent, family-owned book publisher based in New York City that is celebrating its’ 50th anniversary. Langley Adams Senior Library Assistant Lauren Towler, a recent guest on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program, said Kensington Publishing features a number of mystery writers, but “They do other things as well. We’ve hosted their non-fiction authors and even some of the people coming here. One of the authors is a toxicologist; she teaches at Tufts. One of them is a neurologist, so it’s not necessarily who would think of writing mysteries.”
The Mystery Book Con is a free event, but “swag bags” are limited. She said the day’s events are well planned and cover all types of mysteries.
“There is going to be a meet and greet with the authors, initially, and then we have a Thriller panel. We have a Cozy panel and we have a Wicked authors panel and then an Art of Cozy panel. There are different authors participating in each one, and you can do any, or all—it’s the same registration. We are asking people to register just so we have an idea of who is coming in, so we can get the right number of swag bags packaged up.”
Mystery writers are coming from near and far.
“Several of the authors are local. Vincent Donovan is going to moderate one of the panels even though he is not a Kensington author, so he will be there as well. But, we’ve already hosted a lot of these people, some in person but mostly through Zoom. We have Terri Parlato who is coming from Georgia. We have a couple of people coming from Canada, Michael Falco, who I think we hosted last month, is coming from New York, so we have people coming from a distance,” Towler said.
The Mystery Book Con takes place Saturday, May 18, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the library and next door at the Groveland Town Hall, at 185 Main St., Groveland. The event includes breaks between panel discussions when raffle prizes will be drawn. The Fat Belly Food Truck will be available for people looking to buy lunch, and the Jabberwocky Bookshop, of Newburyport, will be on location, selling copies of the authors’ books. To register for the free Mystery Book Con at the Langley Adams Library in Groveland you may visit the LangleyAdamsLib.org and click on the calendar of events.
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Groveland voters go to the polls Monday to choose two candidates from a field of five for Groveland’s Board of Selectmen.
Edward H. Watson is seeking re-election to one of two available seats. Daniel MacDonald holds the other seat, but does not appear on the ballot. Challengers are, in ballot order, Steven F. Baker, Rebecca Megan Beaucher, William F. Dunn, Adam J. Haywood and William G. O’Neil.
All but Dunn talked live during WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program and their interviews are available on the “Merrimack Valley Newsmakers” podcast.
Other town posts either have no candidates and subject to write-in votes or are uncontested.
There are also two ballot questions. The first asks Should the town have its elected Board of Assessors become an appointed Board of Assessors? The second asks Should the town repeal its acceptance of the Community Preservation Act—as approved in a vote May 3, 2004—and no longer collect a surcharge imposed upon real estate within the town to be placed in a Community Preservation Fund.
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The sky is still dark when Larry Corcoran, a bus driver for Merrimack Valley Transit, starts his route outbound from Haverhill at six a.m. For the few who ride this early in the morning, the transportation is essential.
When MeVa leaders went before state lawmakers to request more money early this month, Chief Communications Officer Niorka Mendez said, for some of the people they serve, “This is the only way to get to food access, to get to medical care—even in the social aspect of visiting friends. On the bus, as a bus driver, I used to talk to them, and maybe we are the only people they talk to during the whole day. They don’t have a family member to talk to or vent [to].”
Corcoran, the most senior MeVa driver, said his job requires multitasking. He has to be “an expert motor vehicle operator, and also a personality. Truck drivers wouldn’t have to deal with passengers. They would just drive the truck, and maybe they’d listen to a radio and just concentrate on the controls of the truck.”
“Everybody on legs and everybody on wheels around you, you have to know where they are, what they’re going to do, and you have to be prepared to just deal with it, avoid a collision,” he added.
Jonathan Kay, a machinist, said he takes the bus to work every day.
He said, “I’ve always relied on the bus for transportation. I don’t have a vehicle, so it’s the best way to get around. It being free is an amazing help. If you have the time, you can get from Lawrence to Salisbury beach.”
On the podcast, hear more of Staff Writer Jacob Posner’s conversations with Corcoran and the people who rely on buses like his.
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When it comes to making an impact in the world of music, it often takes a lot of time to become an “overnight” success, and success knows no zip code. But, when you love to play, you play!
Haverhill native Brian McGravey has released his new album “Feather in the Wind.” McGravey was a recent guest on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program. McGravey has been playing in bands and composing music for the past 20 years—some of his work is in the form of production music that can be heard on dozens of TV channels including HBO, Nickelodeon and the History Channel.
“It’s really kind of a dream come true, and it’s usually not that I go and listen, or I just hear it randomly, ‘cause I usually don’t know ahead of time when it’s going to be used, or where, but I use the website called TuneSat, and basically it will detect any music that’s used. I can later go in and watch the episodes, so I found out. I’m on some Netflix things. I could go through the big list of it, but it’s quite a big list,” he says.
McGravey has been playing the piano since he was 10 years old when he strung together a few notes from “Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer” before taking lessons and eventually majoring in music at college.
“I studied music business at UMass Lowell—great, great school. I learned all kinds of stuff about classical music, jazz and music theory and did a lot of writing, a lot of ensembles, jazz, big bands, orchestras.”
McGravey found himself as a busy musician while he was in high school, but was able to make a few school events.
“My senior year was the only time I could fit it into my schedule, but I was in the jazz band and we kind of combined with the concert band that year, part of both of those. I was always doing the talent shows every year. Funny story, my old band Paradox, two times during talent shows, I was a bass guitar player. I wasn’t even a piano player of that band. You know how back in the days those old classic rock things like Jimi Hendrix smashes his guitar. So, two different times in my high school talent shows I smashed my bass guitar. That’s a little bit of a claim to fame there.”
McGravey isn’t smashing bass guitars these days. He’s a member of two busy bands and writing music.
Hear the music at BrianMcGraveyMusic.com.
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In a wide-ranging interview with WHAV this week, Haverhill Mayor Melinda E. Barrett took listeners behind the scenes on recent moves affecting the futures of both the “big” and “little” Whittier schools.
Barrett, in her fourth month working out of the corner office at City Hall, took some time Wednesday to appear on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program. The mayor said she spoke with Gov. Maura T. Healey recently as plans took shape to explore a shared campus for Whittier Regional Vocational Technical High School and Northern Essex Community College.
“So, the idea would be to build a Whittier Vo-Tech and align it with NECCO so they could capture some different dollars rather than just the 11 communities relying on (Massachusetts School Building Authority) and their own tax levy capacities. This would open up even more grant opportunities, some federal funding, take advantage of job training monies that might be out there from both the state and federal government to try to reduce the cost to the communities and produce a school that will produce workers for the future,” she said.
During January’s vote of Whittier Tech communities, only Haverhill supported plans for a $445 million replacement school.
As WHAV reported first, Barrett recently met with other communities and made clear the city’s opposition to reopening the 1967 Whittier Tech agreement.
“I don’t know the motivation behind the other communities as far as how they feel. We had a meeting last week with all 11 communities and many of them want to open up the charter and basically shift the cost burden to Haverhill more than it already is. I told them I would not approve opening the charter due to that fact. I won’t vote for that. When I did tell them that, one of the town managers from a different community said ‘Of course you wouldn’t. If I were in your shoes I wouldn’t either.’”
The mayor also related the backstory about how the John C. Tilton School came to be considered as part of the replacement of the John Greenleaf Whittier School on Concord Street.
“When they came to tour, I guess last year at some point, they toured the J. G. Whittier and they also looked at the Tilton. Initially, we only put in for the J. G. Whittier, and they let us know that if we wanted to consider a combined school, similar to what (Caleb Dustin) Hunking is, that we would have to put in a statement of interest for Tilton also, so that they could, in their concept, consider doing a combined school. Without our application for Tilton, they would not have considered it,” Barrett explained.
She said the J.G. Whittier middle school application has already been accepted by the state, but she doesn’t have a timeline for the Tilton application.
The mayor also previewed a lead hazard reduction grant the city received which she called, a “whopper.” It will, in part, benefit families in older housing.
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From firefighters to fresh lettuce, Congresswoman Lori Trahan discussed local advances made possible with federal dollars on the 50th anniversary of Community Development Block Grants.
During a visit Wednesday to WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program, she told listeners she is impressed with how the YMCA used CDBG funds to help with its Freight Farm project, saying it’s helping young students develop unexpected skills at school.
“Highly interactive, experiential learning, biology, chemistry and business all in real time, and it’s just great to see this program getting support from private sector partners like Beth Israel Lahey and the city in the form of nearly $33,000 in funding from the city’s Community Development Block Grant award,” she said.
Trahan says she is a big fan of Community Development Block Grants, because of their flexibility.
“So, it is a vehicle for federal funds to make their way directly to cities and towns. They don’t go through the state, so they can use those funds on local initiatives, local projects. They can help nonprofits with capacity building. It’s true that a city and town is closest to where the gaps are.”
To emphasize her point, Trahan says cities and towns can make better decisions on how to dispense the money to address local needs. “Obviously a project like the Y’s Freight Farm, providing students with such a cool interactive learning experience is just a great example of those funds at work.”
Trahan told listeners she was given some lettuce and kale from the Freight Farm to take home to her family.
As WHAV previously reported, Trahan is the Northern Essex Community College commencement speaker Saturday, May 18.
“It’s always an honor to go to speak to graduates as they embark on the next chapter of their lives. For me, it’s so motivating and energizing to see the future of our country kind of move onto the workforce with all their aspirations,” she said.
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Small business owners from around Massachusetts are making plans to attend the annual National Small Business Week Awards ceremony, which is coming this year to the Merrimack Valley.
This year, Merrimack Valley Chamber member Stephanie Vanderbilt, owner of Coastal Windows and Exteriors in Beverly will receive the Massachusetts Small Business Person of the Year award, earning her an invitation to the White House with other winners from around the country. The awards breakfast is being hosted by the Merrimack Valley Chamber of Commerce, and Vice President Michael Bevilacqua spelled out the details this week on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program.
“There will be businesses coming in from all across Massachusetts. We have the Secretary of Economic Development Yvonne Hao will be attending as well. We’ll also have people from Washington, from the White House, from the Presidents’ Cabinet, will be at this program as well,” he said.
Bevilacqua says the “Washington connection” is Marlene Cintron, appointed by the White House to be regional administrator, overseeing U.S. Small Business Administration programs in the Atlantic Region, and also currently serving as acting administrator for programs in New England. Representing the Massachusetts Small Business Administration will be District Director Robert Nelson.
The breakfast takes place Friday, May 10, from 8 to 11 a.m., at DoubleTree by Hilton, 123 Old River Road, in Andover. Tickets are $45 per person, $450 per table, and may be purchased by calling the Merrimack Valley Chamber of Commerce at 978-686-0900 or online at merrimackvalleychamber.com
The entire interview may be heard on WHAV’s Merrimack Valley Newsmakers podcasts on WHAV.net and also available via Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Spotify, iHeart, Google Podcasts, TuneIn and Alexa.
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Federal and state tax returns are due in a little more than a month, and for people with retirement accounts, such as a traditional IRA or a Roth IRA, it also means a deadline is approaching for making contributions that count for the 2023 tax year.
It also means, for some, a deadline to start taking money out. The heads up comes from Haverhill Bank Assistant Vice President and Mortgage Officer and Originator Sherry L. Temple Pruyn, who stopped by WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program. She spoke about people with a traditional Individual Retirement Account. The traditional IRA is funded with pre-tax money, unlike the Roth IRA which is funded with money already taxed, and the federal government requires taking distributions by a certain age.
“Essentially the deadline to take your first required minimum distribution, which is often known as an RMD, is usually April 1 of the year after you turn 73, and then Dec. 31 each year after that, your RMD for the account balance as of the end of that prior calendar year. It is a big deal because if you don’t do this the IRS does penalize you, and the penalty is steep, it’s 25% of your balance,” she explains.
Individuals have until the tax deadline to make contributions to their IRA. For people under the age of 50, they can contribute up to $6,500 and for people 50 years of age and older, the amount is $7,500.
“I always advise people to either go to the IRS website, IRS.gov, take a look at the calculator to see how much they need to take for their minimum distribution. Reach out to a financial advisor because these are personal decisions based on your own balances in your 401Ks. You can’t just do carte blanche, okay I’m only going to do ‘X.’ You really do have to take in consideration the calculator based on how much money you do have,” Pruyn says.
This year, the deadline for filing 2023 taxes in Massachusetts is Wednesday, April 17 because April 15 is observed as Patriots Day in Massachusetts and April 16 is observed as Emancipation Day in Washington, D.C.
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The Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce is getting ready for its 26th annual Winning Opportunities for Women conference in April.
Chamber President and CEO Alex Eberhardt said the conference—called WOW, for short—is expected to draw more than 200 people and feature speakers discussing professional and personal development. Speaking on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast,” Eberhardt said this year’s venue takes place at a woman-owned business in Lawrence.
“This year it is at a new event space, owned by Wendy Estrella out of Lawrence, called The Vault. If you have not seen it yet, it is breathtaking. It’s a breathtaking new event space. It is beautiful, and we are very, very excited to host WOW there this year.”
The Vault is located in the former Bay State Merchants National Bank, built in 1927.
Eberhardt gave a preview of topics to be covered by the speakers. “I’ve got an international businesswoman from a Fortune 500 Company here in America, but also down in Mexico City. I’ve got a DISC-certified trainer who is going to be talking about personalities and communication, and how to build these really amazing teams, for those of us who work in the professional development, education space. DISC is a really awesome way in order to understand yourself, so that way you can connect, with no problem, in working relationships with others. I’m so excited,” she says.
Eberhardt says speakers include Ilhianna Rojas-Saldana of BeLIVE Coaching and Consulting and Michelle Saunders, a certified trainer in the Dominance, Influence, Steadiness and Compliance assessment, which is a global professional personality development program. Eberhardt says other speakers are expected to be added to the roster.
The 26th annual Winning Opportunities for Women conference takes place Tuesday, April 26, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., at The Vault, 238 Essex St., Lawrence. Early bird tickets are $179, and will increase to $199 per person as the conference nears. Admission includes a continental breakfast and full lunch. Questions, including those about sponsoring the event, may be directed to Eberhardt by calling 248-881-0487 or emailing president@GreaterHaverhillChamber.com.
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Pentucket Bank closes its main branch today and opens a temporary downtown office as well as a revamped Riverside branch—all in preparation for a $160 million downtown Haverhill redevelopment.
The long-considered plans, first reported by WHAV more than two years ago and confirmed last year, are now taking shape following developer Salvatore N. Lupoli’s closing on city and bank land. The mixed-use housing and retail project covers White’s Corner through the entirety of what is known as the Herbert H. Goecke Jr. Memorial Parking Deck. Pentucket Bank CEO Jonathan H. Dowst and President Eric G. Leuteritz detailed the plans Monday morning for WHAV listeners.
“We’ve been planning our stadium branch renovation for quite some time. It was a little bit delay in construction but it will be opening this week. Related to that, really choreographed, we will also be also be closing our Merrimack Street, Main Street branch at One Merrimack Street and opening a temporary branch across the street at HC Media,” Dowst explained.
Dowst and Leuteritz appeared live on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program. While there will be a full-service branch nearby with the reopening of the Pentucket Bank branch on Lincoln Avenue, Leuteritz says a temporary branch will hold the bank’s place at White’s Corner.
“It will be a cashless branch, so you won’t be able to take cash in, but you’ll be able to do most of the transactions. You can get a new debit card, you can open an account, you can get inquiries, there will be somebody staffed there basically 40 hours a week. Then, any other type of transaction, we have a new ATM over next to Barrios. We’ve had an ATM there for awhile, but this one will take deposits as well rather than just dispense cash,” he said.
Dowst noted Lupoli’s forthcoming a 600-car parking garage, food pavilion and housing., but emphasized Pentucket Bank will return to One Merrimack St., but in a new building. “So, that entire building is being demolished as part of the redevelopment. When we build it back, though, we’ll have safe deposit boxes, a vault. It will be a full-service branch and that’s probably 12 to 15 months away,” he said.
Dowst went on to give a bit of history.
“It’s really important to us to take a community leadership role and invest in the downtown. We’ve always done that. We did it at Harbor Place. We did it at One Merrimack Street when we bought that branch—it was originally doctors’ offices, if you go way back, part of Pentucket Medical—and we have invested in that over time, and now it’s time to give way. If you notice, the Merrimack Street intersection there narrows, and it really is a traffic choke point. The town has wanted to redevelop that and widen that intersection for years. Without our offices being sold into the development, they couldn’t do that. This allows for the redevelopment they way the town would like to redevelop it,” Dowst explained.
Lupoli’s kicked off the five-acre redevelopment in December with a groundbreaking ceremony in front of the parking deck—a project former Haverhill Mayor James J. Fiorentini described as the capstone of his career.
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Crossing guards in Haverhill will receive a wage increase from $15 to $17 per hour effective Feb. 5.
Thanks to the raise, crossing guard Debbie Mason told WHAV she will not have to find more hours as a lunch monitor or a similar position in the district. It would have been disruptive to work more because, on top of the 15 hours a week at an intersection near the Golden Hill and Dr. Paul C. Nettle Schools, she said she spends the bulk of her time taking care of people.
“I take care of my husband all the time,” she said. “My sister-in-law doesn’t drive so I drive her where she needs to go. And, you know, you just need the money coming into the house,” she said.
She added that much of her time has gone to getting her father’s affairs in order after he recently passed away. Along with a general increase in prices and property taxes in recent years, she said her father’s death meant the taxes on his house no longer receive his senior’s and veteran’s discounts.
The Committee voted unanimously on the change after a guard approached Vice Chair Paul A. Magliocchetti while he was checking out at Market Basket.
“He was not completely satisfied, and he was concerned because he didn’t feel we had enough crossing guards, and he informed me that part of the reason was the pay,” Magliocchetti said. “They’re among the lowest paid in the district.”
The pay bump will not impact negotiations with other low-paid employees, according to Magliocchetti. Assistant Superintendent Michael J. Pfifferling told the committee the $2 per hour increase will cost the district just under $31,000, money already available in the budget.
While the city’s 18 crossing guard positions are currently full, Pfifferling told WHAV a new hire would receive training and join the substitute list. They could then receive a permanent posting if a slot opened up in the future.
“People get ill or need time out for certain reasons, so even if your flexibility is not five days a week, get on our substitute list, and [you’ll] see different kids every day,” he said.
Member Mikaela D. Lalumiere encouraged residents to take the job. “Anybody who has time in the morning, in the afternoon, you’re retired, you have any kind of flexibility in your schedule, and you want to do something really meaningful, that’s tangible, that can help our kids, this is a great way to help keep our kids safe,” she said. “It’s one of the only jobs you’re ever going to have where everyone who sees you is going to be really happy to see you.”
Mason would be the first to agree. She joked she almost got a bumper sticker saying she has 500 children. Over the past 11 years she has worked this intersection, she said she has become a “fixture,” with many commuters, parents and children all waving to her as they pass in cars.
“Sometimes I dance with them. Sometimes I sing with them. Friday is happy dance Friday for me and my kids,” she said, demonstrating the dance and laughing. “One kid used to come down skipping all the time, so I started trying to skip, and I almost broke my neck.”
In an ideal world, Mason said she would have appreciated $20 per hour. Not only would it help with her own expenses, but she said it would allow her to buy kids sneakers, jackets and backpacks, which she has done in the past.
“It’s going to help. You know, anything will help at this point,” she said. “It would’ve been nice to be more, but I’ll take what I can get when I can. Because we’ve always been one of the lowest paid, and we’re out here in the middle of the street with all of the drivers that are already aggressive.”
She continued, “I love my job. I don’t want to lose it. I don’t want people to get mad at me, so I’d be happy with it, as it is, for now.”
Standing at the edge of the crosswalk, commuters blow by. She often has to walk out into a steady
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It won’t be long before members of Haverhill High School’s 1973-74 hockey team gather for the 50th anniversary of the program and one of the organizers is revealing decades-old details.
The celebration takes place Saturday Feb. 17, at Haverhill High School’s Veterans Memorial rink with a game against Shawsheen. Richard “Spike” Sprague, who scored Haverhill High’s first varsity goal, gave away some secrets during a visit last week to WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program.
“I guess you’re going to find out why I scored the goal, because he went into emergency duty because the starter was out. He was in net with a pair of pads and regular skates on. Basically, he fell down and I put it in the net. I don’t think it was the hardest goal in the world to score,” he explained.
Sprague said that wasn’t the games’ only historical mark.
“There’s also a first, my good friend the goaltender, Ted Vathally. He was the goalie, he got the first shutout, we won 9-0 that game.”
Sprague has been working for months to get all of his teammates to the celebration.
“We had 22 players, unfortunately two passed away. These five players I’m looking for, Mark Roy, Tom Lloyd, John Purcell, Rich Cook and Joe Parker. If you’re out there, I’d appreciate you getting in touch with me, we’d like to have you there,” he asked.
Players who have moved to California, Texas and Florida will be coming back to town. Even though the 73-74 Haverhill High hockey team is celebrating its 50th anniversary, Sprague said there was a short-lived effort years earlier.
“They did have a hockey program back in 1929, I researched it. It was more of a club team. They went on for three years and disbanded. So, it had been 40 years before Haverhill started it back up, which was our team,” Sprague noted.
The Haverhill High School 50th hockey anniversary, Saturday, Feb. 17 starts at 3 p.m. with a gathering of the first varsity team in school history followed by a ceremony at 3:30 p.m. and the start of the game at 4 p.m. against Shawsheen After the game, Sprague says anyone who has been involved with the Haverhill High School hockey program over the past 50 years is invited to the American Legion Wilbur M. Comeau Post 4, at 1324 Main St., to “talk hockey.” For more information, Sprague can be reached at 978-994-4463 or by email at richsprg@aol.com.
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This week’s observance of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day brought back memories for some and reinstilled long held values motivated by the slain civil rights leader.
Among them, Keith Boucher, founder of MakeIt Haverhill, who first became aware the concept of equity when he was a child.
“When I was young, back in the early 60s, we used to eat a lot of grapes during the summer, I don’t know why, but my mother, one time just said we can’t have grapes. We said ‘Why, where are the grapes?’ She said because there’s a gentleman out in California, Cesar Chavez, who is organizing people because they aren’t getting paid enough to pick those grapes, so we are going to support those people. And, that just started for me the whole issue of diversity, equity and inclusion that everybody has the right to a decent wage and a decent life, so that’s kind of how we got started,” he told WHAV listeners.
Boucher was a recent guest on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program, and said that as a member of the Good Shepherd United Methodist Church in Haverhill, he enjoyed a “distant” connection to King through another member of the church who used to live Boston as a child.
“She, back in the early to mid-50s, her family used to entertain Dr. King while he was getting his Phd., used to come over to eat, just being a poor student at the time. She said she could barely remember, being three, four or five years old at the time, but she said ‘Yeah, he used to come to our house.’ I said ‘Wow. Can I shake your hand?’ Just another connection to Dr. King.”
Boucher also made several trips to Haiti follow the earthquake in 2010. In 2014, on a mission trip to South Africa, sponsored by a Methodist Church in Washington, D.C., that was given $100 by Abraham Lincoln to buy the land for the church, Boucher roomed with a 90-year-old pastor, whose grandfather had been a slave, and shared those stories. He was also able to visit Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for 18 years. He described Mandela’s cell.
“It was very small, very dim. To think about how many years, maybe 25 or more. To think that somebody of that intellect, and somebody that forward thinking and just willing to put his life on hold all those times. I don’t even have words for it.”
Mandela later became South Africa’s first Black president, after spending nearly 30 years in prison after being convicted of plotting to overthrow South Africa’s racist apartheid system.
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Community colleges are seeing enrollment growth with new state initiatives and are poised for more if the state Senate is successful in providing free community college for everyone.
Northern Essex Community College Vice President of Institutional Advancement Allison Dolan-Wilson, a recent guest on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program, is delighted with the focus.
“First and foremost, community colleges are so hot right now. I love that. I love any attention because it is absolutely well deserved. And, where you decide to go for higher education is an important decision and we are very lucky to have Northern Essex Community College in Haverhill,” she said.
As WHAV reported last week, Senate President Karen E. Spilka said to “Keep your eyes peeled” for free community college funding in the Senate’s version of the budget for the year that begins July 1. The Boston Consulting Group estimated the cost to be about $170 million.
Dolan-Wilson says there is some experience with free community college tuition because of MassReconnect that started last fall for adults 25 and older who haven’t finished their college degrees. She told the story of a mason in his late 30s and his young daughter.
“But, with his work, when it’s cold outside, he doesn’t work. If he’s injured, he doesn’t work. If he’s injured, he doesn’t have insurance. There’s no one putting anything into his 401k and for a while he’s been saying ‘I need to go back to school.’ He’s a citizen, he’s an immigrant from Mexico, and bilingual, he’s an amazing human being and because of this program, he’s now Computer Science at Northern Essex, he has an amazing future ahead of him and he’s going to be able to provide for his family and the main reason he’s able to make that decision is because of MassReconnect being here,” she explained.
Dolan-Wilson went on to talk about a new transfer agreement with Regis College and the new program offering scholarships to top community college graduates who go to UMass Amherst, Lowell, Boston or Dartmouth to get their bachelor’s degrees.
She added the new Promise program at Haverhill High School offers even greater financial assistance thanks to a generous donor.
“College isn’t getting cheaper. I’m proud to say that almost 80% of our students graduate without debt. If you come to Northern Essex and do your two years and then again finish in the top 10% to be able to get that additional aid out of UMass, and if you really want to do it the best way, thinking about Haverhill, if you attend Early College at Haverhill High and you decide to go on and get your associates degree at Northern Essex, we have a Promise program, which means we cover tuition and fees entirely for your associates. So, you’ve now already entered community college with some credit because of Early College. You’ve now gotten your associates degree for nothing and, if you graduate in the top 10% and you want to go onto UMass, now you’re getting an additional at least $5,000. So, you could be walking out with your bachelor’s degree with absolutely no debt for a very, very small cost,” she said.
Dolan-Wilson says community support makes these programs possible.
“We actually just hit our fundraising goal of $1 million thanks to Pentucket Bank which recently got us over the top with a recent $50,000 gift. And, coming soon, we will have you guys break the news, we actually got some wonderful pledge money to create a new Promise program in the area, which is coming soon,” she added.
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A new theatrical season is about to open at the John Greenleaf Whittier School in Haverhill with the production of Disney’s “Descendants: The Musical.”
Music teacher and JGW Drama Club Executive Director Robert D. “Bobby” Gariepy III explained how to audition for a part during a recent appearance on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program.
“Jan. 8 is vocal audition. Come prepared to sing 30-seconds of your favorite song. Tuesday, Jan. 9, is acting auditions. So be prepared to read from the script, and Wednesday, Jan. 10, that will be group dance auditions. We will teach you a small dance, and you will dance on stage in small groups in front of kids auditioning for the show. Everyone who tries out for our show is accepted into the performance. Whether or not they get a role, like a solo role, whether they sing or they have a couple of lines, that’s one thing, but everyone is invited to participate no matter what. We always do that to keep the door open for everybody,” he said.
Gariepy said auditions are open to students throughout the district, from Grade 3 to Grade 12, and the show is a blend several stories.
“Similar to how, when I spoke with you about, ‘Into the Woods’ over the summer with the different fairy tales coming together in one place. Now, this is kind of like the Disney side of the villains and their children, and how that comes together. The kids are absolutely obsessed. They know almost every song. They know almost all the dances. I have taught them nothing. So, it’s quite impressive to be at the caliber already. I think it’s going to be a fantastic production.”
Gariepy went on to talk about some of the songs.
“’You Want to be Evil,’ There’s that one. There’s ‘Rotten to the Core,’ ‘If Only’ is another really popular one that the kids like—it’s a slower song. We sang a couple of these at our winter concert on Dec. 15. The kids insisted on giving a little bit of a representation of their spring musical in their winter concert, and I said ‘okay we can do that.’”
Gariepy said he is thrilled with the public support the group receives, adding that royalty fees for the shows are quite steep—leading to the need to fundraise and to make sure the shows themselves make a profit.
“When we did ‘Matilda’ in the spring, it net profited thousands of dollars for us to continue to do the things that we do. We did ‘Into the Woods’ over the summer. We did the ‘Addams Family’ this fall. Every performance has been a major fundraiser for us and’ in-between, we’ve been awarded some grant money as well, which has been really nice—one from the Haverhill Cultural Council. We’re really grateful for the momentum, for the representation, for the support for our kids because the kids need it. Kids really do need theater and show who they truly are, to be able to be comfortable with themselves.”
Gariepy said rehearsals for “Disney’s Descendants the Musical” begin Tuesday, Jan. 16. Additional information is on the JGW Drama Club web page.
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The potential for fraud, especially around the holidays, is a prime concern and a local banker recently provided tops on staying safe.
Haverhill Bank Vice President of Compliance Liz Cronin appeared recently on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program.
“Most importantly, my message today is to put everyone on awareness that especially during the holiday season—in particular, between Thanksgiving and Christmas, the fraudsters really amp up their efforts to scam us all out of money,” she said.
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This season represents a milestone for the Haverhill High School hockey team.
It was 50 years ago that the first Haverhill High Varsity team hit the ice. For those oldest enough to remember, Gerald Ford was sworn in as vice president in December, the film “The Exorcist” made its debut and Richard “Spike” Sprague scored the first goal for the Haverhill Hillies hockey team.
“I was fortunate enough to be on the ice for the first shift, and I got lucky enough to score the first goal, and the only thing that upset me the whole time was my coach said whoever scored the first goal would get a cigar. I never got the cigar,” he said.
Sprague told the story recently when he appeared on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program. Following high school, Sprague went on to a long coaching career that included three stints with Haverhill High School and 11 years coaching Newburyport, eventually being inducted into the Massachusetts High School Hockey Coaches Association Hall of Fame. With all that ice time, he shared fond memories of his start as a Haverhill High School hockey player. Playing conditions were much different 50 years ago.
“Well, it’s kind of funny. They opened the Haverhill rink in 1971 or 72, I believe, and at the time there were intramurals from the high school. Then, they started the hockey program. We had no ice time at the rink, we had to practice in Amesbury, Andover, Billerica and actually the first Haverhill game against Lawrence was played at our home rink in Amesbury. Kind of comical that first year we had to travel every day after school for practice. We had a rink behind our high school but it was all tied up with gym classes and the intramurals.”
As for the 50th anniversary of the Haverhill High School hockey program, Sprague is hoping for a good turnout during a celebration in mid-February.
“Feb. 17, there’s a game—Haverhill vs. Shawsheen, and Shawsheen is coached by a former Hillie, Chuck Baker, at 4 o’clock that day. They’d like to have all alumni come to the game—they’ll be honoring that first hockey team, ’73-’74, and then afterward we are going to be having a celebration at the Legion farm in Haverhill, inviting any former Hillie who played, coaches, trainers, etcetera and let’s talk hockey,” he said.
The game takes place Saturday, Feb. 17, 4 p.m., at Veterans Memorial Rink, behind Haverhill High School, 137 Monument St. Following the game, around 6 p.m., a celebration takes place at American Legion Wilbur M. Comeau Post 4, 1314 N. Main St., Haverhill.
Those with questions may email Sprague at richsprg@aol.com.
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Haverhill Mayor James J. Fiorentini was sworn in almost 20 years ago against the backdrop of the largest municipal debt in state history, downtown buildings that had been mostly vacant for decades, the recent layoffs of 43 city workers and even a ragged carpets in City Hall held together with duct tape.
The downtown commercial district had been in decline for decades, worsened by such efforts to prop it up as the federal urban renewal demolition program. It was the financial collapse of the city-owned Hale Hospital, part of a national trend, however, that turned simmering hopelessness into full-blown panic.
As he prepares to leave office, the mayor detailed during an extensive WHAV interview how the city turned around. During a live appearance on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program, Fiorentini said, for example, downtown’s renaissance came down to parking, but not in a conventional sense.
“The key to redeveloping a downtown—now I can tell it—is parking, but not the way people think. People think it’s to have more parking. The key to re-developing a downtown, and we’re the leader on this, is less parking—not more parking. If you take up your retail space, the prime spots, for parking, you’re never in a million years going to redevelop your downtown. The downtown has to be a destination that people want to go to. If they want to go there, they will find a place to park,” he said.
The mayor’s view was shaped years before his foray into politics by City Councilor Joseph P. Willette, also a former mayor under a different city charter. Fiorentini had been hired more than 40 years ago by former WHAV owner Edward I. Cetlin to represent the Haverhill Downtown Merchants Association. The merchants advocated for the construction of what became the Herbert H. Goecke Memorial Parking Deck. Councilor Willette, however, schooled him on the absurdity of the idea.
“‘This doesn’t make any sense to me at all. You’re taking buildings that people want to go to. You’re knocking those buildings down so when they go there, they’ll have a place to park. But, they won’t go there anymore—you’re taking the buildings down.’ And, the smart architects and planners from Harvard got up and said there will be other buildings that will come up in front of them. That never happened. Downtown was languishing anyway because of the competition from New Hampshire, because people were leaving downtowns to go to the malls. There are lots of reasons, but urban renewal, the building of the deck, made it worse and accelerated it,” Fiorentini explained.
The mayor also took another lesson from his grandparents, who owned the Roma restaurant when it was located downtown. Contrary to conventional thinking, his grandmother wanted additional competitors to drive people downtown and to all of the restaurants.
“If they want to go there. they’ll find a place to park. If you take up the prime spot—this is the mistake we made 50 years ago. We took up our prime spot and made it into the Goecke parking deck. No, that was a mistake, you want your prime space to be a destination and then you want to build your parking offsite. People will find a way to get there. They’ll find a place to park. If there’s no reason to get there, the parking lots will be empty.”
Besides parking, Fiorentini shared his philosophies and lessons learned while converting shoe shops into housing, attracting big names to the city’s business parks and creating a downtown skyline. He also warns Haverhill must complete the new business park at the former Dutton Airport as the city has run out of places to grow.
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The Jewish festival of lights, Hanukkah, begins Thursday.
Rabbi Ashira Stevens, of Haverhill’s Temple Emanu-El, speaking on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program, discussed the historical significance of the holiday.
“When the Jews won against their enemies, back in those days, back in the days of the Maccabees, they then rededicated their temple. The word Hanukkah itself actually means dedication, or rededication, and when they did that, they cleaned everything up. The temple had been made into a complete mess, and they shined the menorah and they looked around for oil to light it, and they only found one cruise of oil, one small container. They thought it would only last for one day, and by some great miracle it lasted for eight days,” she explained.
Stevens says services at Temple Emanu-El use prayer books written in Hebrew, but include English transliterations for those who don’t know how to read Hebrew.
“People often know the prayers because they’ve grown up with them, so they know them by memory. Some people, because they know them by memory can follow along in the text. Some people know the language, absolutely. I don’t think it’s the majority of my congregation. I think a lot of people appreciate having the transliteration. A lot of people appreciate when we are doing the same prayers with the same melodies, because they can follow along. And, people like to have a mix of Hebrew and English because then it’s in their language as well and we all speak English around here and we can talk to God in whatever language we need to. Having a little mix like that helps people feel more connected,” she added.
Earlier this year, Stevens came to Temple Emanu-El as its rabbi. Her installation ceremony takes place Saturday, Dec. 16, beginning at 9:30 a.m., at 514 Main St., Haverhill.
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A retirement is on the horizon one of the beloved members of the Pentucket Regional High School staff, who offers comfort to both students and staff.
Pentucket Regional School Superintendent Justin Bartholomew, a recent guest on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program, talked about the service dog named Dice, who is coming up on his 10th birthday.
“That is about the age when you retire a service animal from a public space like this, so we have spent, at the end of last year and this summer, we have spent quite a bit of time trying to determine how do we replicate what Dice has brought to the students, what Dice has brought to the adults in that building as well,” Bartholomew says.
Dice is a black lab that started going to Pentucket Regional High School in 2018.
“Dice was originally—we have one of our teachers, Pam Shedd, her daughter had diabetes and because of certain situations, her daughter couldn’t have a pump. So she looked into it and Dice was actually an alert animal, a medical assistance animal where Dice would alert the daughter to any diabetic stress,” he explains.
Bartholomew says Dice has been a calming influence for both students and adults, and school officials want to keep that going, by working with a group in Concordia, Kansas.
“We, and the School Committee, and certainly Pam and I, are spearheading Dice’s replacement. You can’t replace one with one. We are actually going to get five service animals, five dogs, with this partnership we have with this group in Kansas, and this is going to be a great opportunity for each school building to have a dog like Dice,” he says.
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Haverhill’s two finalists for mayor approach the city’s problems in different ways, but both agree construction of a new Broadway-area fire station is a top spending priority.
Councilor Melinda E. Barrett and retired Police Officer Guy E. Cooper both took time to visit WHAV’s downtown studios to detail their positions—including capital priorities, taxes and housing costs. Both vie to succeed outgoing, 20-year Mayor James J. Fiorentini during early voting this week and next week’s final election.
Barrett says she has been working behind the scenes to secure land near Interstate 495 for a new fire station.
“A fire station on (Route) 97 will give us a really, incredibly faster call time to Ayers Village and, even, Rocks Village because they could get on the highway there and get down to that other exit,” she said.
Cooper also cited the response time to reach the Methuen border as a concern.
“For the public safety, we definitely need a firehouse up in that Ayers Village area. I do know the response time. From being a police officer, I know the response time up there for the fire department is very difficult, very heavily settled up there now. We really need a full-time fire station up there,” he said.
Asked about their “wish lists” and how they would pay for them, Barrett says she doesn’t have one and warns much of the city’s surplus “is spoken for already.” Cooper says he believes the public is understanding about higher taxes if they can see improvements. Otherwise, he notes, he’d work with a team to find money within the existing budget. Neither candidate identified any specific budget cuts they would make.
Because the mayor also serves as chairperson of the School Committee, each candidate was asked how they might tackle high student absenteeism. Cooper said educators might be more motivated to make school “fun and happy again” by addressing facilities, understaffing and pay. Barrett says the solution involves “actively trying to engage families” on the importance of students attending classes.
When it comes to building more housing to drive down the cost of demand, Barrett points out the nature of capitalism dictates units could be filled by newcomers. As such, new construction doesn’t necessarily help existing residents. She adds the city must also provide public safety and infrastructure for new housing and can’t solve the state’s problem.
Likewise, Cooper said the city must address its water and sewer needs and department staffing before allowing the population to increase. He adds, the city must “take care of what we have now.”
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An old-fashioned scavenger hunt, using modern technology, sends teams traveling around town next week in search of the most clues to win.
Haverhill Exchange Club’s annual Hillie Hunt offers prizes for first, second and third place as well as for best Halloween costume. There’s also an after-party and 50/50 raffle. Exchange Club member Michael Joy, a recent guest on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program explains participants will be using a phone app.
“You just log into the app and then the questions start to pop up. You can do trivia questions. You can do GPS questions—everyone has to be recorded on the app. Then we have the Command Central, which this year will be at the Bradford Country Club, and they will be looking at who is getting what for points. (The app) does a lot of the work for you, which is great,” he explains.
Joy says the annual Hillie Hunt is organized by a number of Haverhill Exchange Club Committees, including one for the after-party, one for sponsorships and one for creating the clues.
“And, the Clue Committee has to keep everything very super-secret. They get together separately and they think of 40 to 50 clues to find, and the point of the game is to get as many of the items right and not to try to get them done too quickly. You don’t want to have people racing around town and getting into accidents,” he explains.
Admission for scavenger hunt teams or by the car, up to six people, is $200 and includes entrance to an After Party at Bradford Country Club, featuring heavy hors d'oeuvres, cash bar, DJ, prizes and more. The hunt takes place Friday, Oct 27, between 5:30 and 10 p.m. Tickets are available online at givebutter.com/HillieHunt. A portion of the proceeds benefiting the Michael B. Christensen Community and Family Support Center.
Joy says the timing of the Hillie Hunt works out well for the Halloween season.
“It’s great, in a way, for parents, especially for kids, because they have to go trick-or-treating the next night. It’s sort of their night out, before they take the kids out,” he says.
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A community celebration is set to take place tomorrow in downtown Methuen with the observance of the sixth annual Methuen Day.
Methuen City Council Chairwoman Eunice D. Zeiger was a recent guest on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program and outlined what to expect.
“We have the police station open house from 10-2 and the fire station open house from 10-2 and the Methuen Memorial Music Hall is doing open console which is similar to an open house, but if you are a trained pianist, you can go to the Memorial Hall and you can play their organ, which is absolutely amazing organ. If you have not seen it, have not been there, it’s definitely a sight to see,” she said.
The Methuen Memorial Music Hall, at 192 Broadway, is on the National Register of Historic Places, and was built specifically, architecturally and acoustically for the 1863 Great Organ that it houses.
Zeigler says Methuen Day is happening rain or shine and is easy to find.
“We are going to be in downtown square in Methuen, so that’s Hampshire Street. If you are not familiar with Methuen, it is right down where the clock tower is. You can’t miss it. It’s our sixth annual and every year it gets bigger and better. We are really fortunate because it really encompasses the whole downtown.”
Methuen Day will also have vendor tables, a row of food trucks and live entertainment
“I’m sure you’ve heard of the B Street Bombers, our headliner. They do a lot of community events. We also have Shadow Band and The Bellas, in-between all of our local dance studios. It’s really going to be a fun, jam packed day.”
Methuen Day takes place from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. More information is at cityofmethuen.net
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Eyes are on Washington to see how Congress deals with a budget deadline and looming shutdown of the federal government.
Congresswoman Lori Trahan, went live Thursday on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program, noting the Haverhill Fire Department recently benefited from an operating federal government. However, she said, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy now has to choose between the country and those Republicans who would take away his leadership position.
“The House could put that bill on the floor and it would get a majority of votes from Democrats and Republicans, but you know there is a small group of Republicans right now that just aren’t allowing that to happen. Frankly, Speaker McCarthy is having to make a decision on what is more important to him, the country or his speakership. So, it’s not a great situation right here in Washington, but we are going to work until we resolve this,” she said.
Trahan went on to say a shutdown wouldn’t just affect federal workers.
“Sadly, working families are the ones who are forced to pay the price when we don’t have folks down in Washington who are committed to governing, and that’s where we are right now. I’m a little frustrated that we are careening toward a government shutdown. The work we are doing in the House right now is not work that is going to avert that shutdown,” she explained.
On another topic, Trahan spoke of the $4 million federal SAFER—Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response—grant recently awarded to the City of Haverhill. It will allow the city to pay for additional firefighters over the next three years.
“Just over a week ago the Haverhill Fire Department was awarded $4 million in federal funding that will allow the city to hire as many as 16 additional firefighters to staff a second ladder truck, with 100% of salaries and benefits covered by the federal government for three full years. I know how much of a priority this has been for our Haverhill firefighters. I commend them on the application they put forward because it was, clearly, compelling enough to win,” she said.
Trahan said the federal money for the Fire Department is all part of the bigger picture.
“This, coupled with plans to replace the Basiliere Bridge and another project that’s going to get done, thanks to President Biden and federal funds, it will just mean much faster response times for Haverhill families. It means that our communities are safer and we are investing in our first responders—the ones who are working around the clock to be there for the rest of us. It’s one way that the president’s Invest in America agenda is reaching communities like Haverhill. It really just underscores our need to keep the government open so that we can keep delivering federal funds that cities like Haverhill need,” Trahan said.
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Furniture, vintage items and modern kitchen tools, hand-sewn quilts, artwork and more are among the finds when the Rocks Village Memorial Association’s yard sale takes place this Saturday and Sunday to support restoration of the Hand Tub House.
Association member Christine Kwitchoff, a recent guest on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program, says the yard sale features items donated over the summer including such oddities as the 16-foot metal and wood sign from the former Haverhill Music Center. Shopping or not, she says, there’s another reason to stop by.
“Something that we will be doing, during the sale, both on Saturday and on Sunday, will be giving tours of the second floor of the building. Not many people have been up there yet, and we’re excited to open that to the community, Between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on the day of the sale, Saturday, Sept. 30, and Sunday, Oct. 1, you can tour the upstairs of the building.”
Kwitchoff says the Hand Tub House, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is owned by the city, but under the stewardship of the Rocks Village Memorial Association. She explains its long history.
“I should mention it’s a hand tub house/meeting hall. The reason it is called the tub house is because it housed a manually operated firefighting pump. And, the water from the river was pumped into a tub. That tub was on top of four wooden wheels, and then men would take this tub on the wheels and run to the fires to put the fire out,” she explains.
The original hand tub is on display at the Haverhill Firefighting Museum, 75 Kenoza Ave. Kwitchoff says the Hand Tub House was located next to the Rocks Village Bridge, which was made out of wood at that time, so firefighters would be able to respond quickly and be able to maintain travel across the river.
Kwitchoff offers details of previous restoration projects paid by supporters.
“We went down into the basement, saw that restoration work. I showed you how we had redone the roof—50 sheets of plywood up there. We’ve redone the wiring on the first floor, reglazed windows, repainted inside, outside, plaster work, and it looks really beautiful.”
The Rocks Village Hand Tub House yard sale takes place this Saturday and Sunday, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., at 1 River Road and East Main Street in Haverhill. There’s more information at rocksvillage.org and on the Rocks Village Memorial Association Facebook page.
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A Haverhill author’s latest novel focuses on loss of life following an accident even as he regains his strength in real life after personally giving the gift of life.
Vincent Donovan has two stories to tell. His new book is called “Killer Dreams,” while his kidney is helping someone fulfill their own dreams. He talked about both during his recent appearance on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program.
“I just sat down to watch the Patriots game last fall and saw a post from my neighbor about her cousin who is up in New Hampshire—a dad with a 9-year-old daughter. I stepped forward, start the long journey. It is a long journey. They put you through so many tests you think you’re going to become an astronaut because they want to make sure you’re healthy enough to do it, but I can’t say enough about the people and doctors and everyone down at Mass. General Hospital. Just wonderful,” he tells listeners.
While Donovan regains his strength from his kidney donation, he is promoting his new fiction “Killer Dreams” a story about Cassie MacLean from Salem, N.H. Her mother was involved in an automobile accident years earlier that killed five people and critically injured many others. Her mother is now coming out of a 10-year coma and life is changing.
“Cassie feels, shall we say, conflicted about the awakening, as well as her dad, who is enjoying a second act with another woman, but after a brush with cutting edge technology, she comes to believe her mom is innocent. Basically, this is a personal quest of hers to try to prove her mother is innocent,” he says.
Donovan speaks about writing the book.
“Basically, this one if my fourth one. It came pretty quick. I wrote the first draft in four months and, like anything, it’s all the rewrites that take an awful lot of time, and working with the publisher. It took about a year afterwards to get it in its final format,” he notes.
Donovan, who earned a bachelor’s in English from Merrimack College and a Master of Business Administration from Rivier College, is a two-time quarter-finalist in the highly competitive Amazon Breakthrough Novel Contest. His other books are “Only Dead Leaves Fall,” “Chasing Mayflies” and “A Difficult Crossing.”
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Leaving the Streets Ministry in Haverhill is finding jobs for youth that help them stay in school and out of trouble.
The nonprofit, which placed teens into 286 jobs so far this year, is also building a new relationship with Haverhill Public Schools’ enlarged Gateway Academy in the former St. James School on Primrose Street. Founder Jesus Ruiz told listeners of WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program, said jobs he and his wife Wanda find for the youth are tailor made for unusual student schedules.
“Some of our kids in the after school program, they’re going to night school. So, their school is from 2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. We got them a job doing hood cleaning for restaurants and they clean all their hoods for them overnight from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. They get to go home, get some rest, then wake up and just go to school. We got positions in first, second and third shifts. So, it’s truly been a blessing,” he explains.
Ruiz says the organization’s recent move from Lafayette Square, where they shared space with Ruth’s House, to 200 Primrose St. has worked out well.
“We have an after-school program now that we partner with Gateway, because we moved to Primrose Street and the new Gateway School is at Primrose. Now we partner with Gateway School. When they get out of school, we’re open from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. because we learned the past couple of years that when kids were getting into trouble it was because of boredom. These kids needed a safe place to go into,” he notes.
Ruiz said Leaving the Streets Ministry started out as a grass roots organization, without grants or other funding to fill a need.
“I just saw the crimes that were going on in Haverhill. I saw a lot of youth and young adults getting into trouble, getting into fights, and in school, after school programs and gang recruitment that was going on in our city, in Haverhill, between four and five different gangs. I just wanted to make a difference—my wife and I—so we just started hitting the streets. We were just walking in the streets, building relationships, asking ‘how can we make Haverhill a better place?’”
More information may be found at leavingthestreetsministry.network.
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All five candidates running to become Haverhill’s next mayor have spoken directly to listeners during a series of live interviews with Win Damon, host of WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program.
All interviews, running about 10 minutes each, are now available to be heard on demand at WHAV.net and all popular podcast sites. Arranged in ballot order, the candidates are Melinda E. Barrett, Scott W. Wood Jr., Guy E. Cooper, Debra M. Campanile and George Eleftheriou.
Instead of generic questions, WHAV asked each candidate on Tuesday’s preliminary election ballot about specific and pressing issues. They were asked the following questions as time allowed:
For years, financial constraints forced the city put off buying equipment, building improvements and construction of new schools and a Broadway-area fire station. Which buildings are your top two priorities and how do you propose paying for them?
Paying for the city’s long wish list requires raising taxes to the max, overriding Proposition 2 ½ or cutting spending. Which approach will you take? If cuts, which specific line items would you strike?
To stretch its budget, the city has gradually moved more spending to the water and sewer budgets—such as making those departments pay rent to City Hall—causing rates to go up. Do you think the city properly moved expenses to the ratepayers and do you see a way for the city to subsidize rates by moving capital expenses back to the main budget?
As mayor, you are also the head of the School Committee. What initiatives would you propose to fix the high absenteeism problem?
The city is said to have a housing shortage which is causing rents to go up. At the same time, some argue there is too much construction. What do you think is the proper balance and how would your administration achieve it?
What is the first piece of legislation you plan to send the City Council for passage?
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Over the past 30 years, historic preservation around the region has received a $2 million boost thanks to the Methuen Festival of Trees.
To celebrate its first three decades, thank supporters and usher in this year’s effort, the Methuen Festival of Trees is having a Community Celebration with tours, food, children’s activities and more this Saturday, Sept. 9.
Among the organizers who were there at the beginning were former state Sen. and Methuen Mayor Sharon M. Pollard and her husband, former Rep. Thomas R. Lussier. Lussier recently stopped WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program to discuss the milestone and upcoming plans.
“It was actually started to restore the Tenney Gatehouse, which was a very historic building in Methuen, which was in terrible disrepair. The group of us at the time had done all of the fundraising kinds of things that small community groups do, everything from dances to raffles to bake sales, all those things you do in small community groups, and we decided there was a need to do something bigger and better and the festival was born,” he explained.
Lussier said the Methuen Festival of Trees brings the donation of more than 200 fully decorated trees each year, delivering more than $2 million for various area preservation projects, including Haverhill’s Winnekenni Castle, North Andover’s Stevens Memorial Library, Methuen Memorial Music Hall and others.
Saturday’s Community Celebration takes place from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., at Tenney Gatehouse, 37 Pleasant St., Methuen, by the entrance to Greycourt State Park.
“We’re going to have tours of the Gatehouse, we’re going to have a small trolley tour of the city center where we will focus on buildings we have contributed to their restoration and preservation. There will be a couple of food vendors and lots of things for children to do—everything from a bouncy house to some games. There will be prizes and gifts. It’s the kind of thing we want people to stop by, if you’re interested in history, do the history part, if you want your kids to run around for a half hour and have some fun, that’s good too,” Lussier said.
The 30th Annual Festival of Trees takes place from Saturday, Nov. 18, through Saturday, Dec. 2, at 13 Branch St., Methuen. There’s more at MethuenFestivalofTrees.com.
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MeVa Transit’s six highest bus ridership routes will be running two hours later starting tomorrow thanks, in part, to a $56 million statewide budget increase for regional transit authorities.
MeVa Transit Administrator Noah Berger, a recent guest on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program, said he also has more drivers, helping support extended hours.
“With our September schedule, we’ll be extending service on six routes, including two in Haverhill, to 9 at night. One of the areas we’ve heard about from our riders, and community groups in general, is that we stop running too early. We stop at 6 in Haverhill and 7 in Lawrence, and life just doesn’t stop at 6 or 7 o’clock at night,” he said.
Berger went on to explain a couple of the routes that will see extended service.
“We targeted routes that will get people back from the plazas, that’s where folks are working. The routes in Haverhill that will run until 9 o’clock is the 1 that connects Haverhill and Lawrence as well as the Loop, but also the 13 that goes Main Street, North Ave. and then hits Stateline Plaza and then the Walmart in Plaistow,” he added.
In addition, the new schedule covers route 2, which connects Lawrence with Andover via South Broadway; route 9, which connects Lawrence with North Andover via Phillips Street; route 10, which connects Lawrence with Methuen via Broadway; and route 24, which connects Lawrence with Lowell via Route 110. Buses depart from MeVa’s transportation centers at John J. Buckley Transportation Center in Lawrence and Haverhill’s Washington Square at 8 and 9 p.m., returning by 10 p.m.
Berger thanked the area’s legislative delegation for including increased transportation spending in the new state budget. Berger says the state’s 15 regional transit authorities had been “level funded” for the past six years. MeVa is currently not charging passengers for bus service. He added more changes will be coming.
“We’re working to add back Sunday service on high volume routes. It won’t necessarily be the same routes that we talked about for extending service because the demand is a little bit different on Sundays that it might be extending it into the evening. Obviously some of them will be the same. I think you can pretty much guarantee that The 1 will be running on Sundays, but we are still working that out. That would be for our January schedule. So just a preview of coming attractions,” Berger added.
In a separate statement, MeVa Chief Communications Officer Niorka Mendez said, “for a long time, riders and community groups have been asking us for later evening service and we’ve been listening. We are thrilled to be able to put this new funding to work to provide the service our community needs and deserves.”
There’s more schedule information at mevatransit.com.
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Those traveling along Lincoln Avenue by Haverhill Stadium may have noticed some changes taking place.
The stadium branch of Pentucket Bank, at 120 Lincoln Ave., is undergoing renovations that take into account the times as well as plan for the future. Recent guests on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program, Pentucket Bank CEO, and River Run Bancorp President Jonathan H. Dowst and Pentucket Bank President Eric G. Leurteritz discussed the project. Leurteritz said the outside of the building is in great shape, but changes are being made inside.
“It is going through a significant renovation. What we are doing on the first floor, where the branch is, we are going to create a brand-new state-of-the-art branch. Banking has changed over the years and this is an older style branch. All of our branches are going to be updated eventually, but this is going to be a brand-new state-of-the-art branch. Then, we are going to create 24 offices in the building, as well, so we’ll be able to have more people work in that facility,” he said.
Dowst says the additional space will be used by people working with the mutual holding company River Run Bancorp, which was formed earlier this year with the Newburyport Bank.
“It’s a renovation of the branch. When customers walk in, it will be a new experience. It will be bright and modern. In addition, right now, the basement is a storage area. We are transforming that with some natural light and some not natural light, and that will become office space as well the second floor, at this time I think, houses four employees and that’s going to be added for space as well. We are adding 24 new seats at our stadium branch, really to house a lot of our operations staff. So, we are staying here. The commitment to Haverhill has not diminished in any way, shape or form. We’re actually investing a significant amount of money in order to make sure we stay here in a big way,” he explained.
Leurteritz said the renovation of Pentucket Bank’s stadium branch on Lincoln Avenue is expected to be completed before the end of the year
On another topic, Dowst says he is expecting the sale of Pentucket Bank’s downtown Haverhill branch, at One Merrimack St., to developer Salvatore N. Lupoli to close in the first or second quarter of 2024. Dowst said the current building will be taken down as part of the downtown redevelopment called “District Square” and incorporated into the master plan, remaining at its current location at the corner of Merrimack and Main Streets, known as White’s Corner.
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Veterans Northeast Outreach Center is Haverhill is ready to return to its home base, recently damaged by a burst water pipe, and will honor its fallen, former leader during a rededication early next month.
The Scott Forbes Memorial Intake Center is to be dedicated at the 10 Reed St., Haverhill, building. Veterans Northeast Outreach Center Outreach Coordinator Jim Behen discussed the reopening during an appearance Tuesday on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program.
“Our event that’s going on, on August 4, that’s a Friday, at 10:30 a.m. will be the reopening of the center, and then also we will be dedicating our intake center office in memory of the late Scott Forbes, who was our past executive director who, unfortunately, took his life in March. One of Scott’s big things was you couldn’t help a veteran until you got him in the door. The first place you go when you come in the door is the intake center,” he said.
Appearing with Behen was interim Executive Director William Kelly. He described damage from the burst water pipes this past February.
“We had significant water damage on two floors of the building. Through some connections with some great contractors, we basically have the whole thing refurbished. We got a new floor, new walls, new paint. It looks like a brand-new building on the inside. It’s just wonderful and will serve us into the future for a long, long time,” he said.
From the day of the water disaster until now, Kelly said, Veterans Northeast Outreach Center received a tremendous amount of assistance from the AmVets.
“I want to give a shout out to the AmVets Post 147 on Primrose Street, right here in Haverhill. They opened their doors to us to relocate to operate there. We maintained our food pantry every week. We continued to engage with outreach for Veterans and all of our services. But we couldn’t have done it without them,” he explained.
Behen is asking people planning to attend the rededication to reserve a seat by emailing jbehen@vneoc.org.
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The New England Free Jacks, with Haverhill’s own Cameron “Cam” Davidowicz, took the first Major League Rugby title in franchise history after facing the San Diego Legion for the Major League Rugby championship July 8 in Chicago.
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North Andover’s Glen Johnson has truly had a “Window Seat on the World,” witnessing alongside former Secretary of State John F. Kerry, the unfolding of history.
Four years ago, Johnson, who now serves as chief of communications and external affairs to Essex County District Attorney Paul F. Tucker, committed his adventures—from the Vatican to the Kremlin and London to Baghdad—to his book, “Window Seat on the World: My Travels with the Secretary of State.” The book remains topical and fascinating, as Johnson explained during a recent appearance on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast.”
He explained after graduating from Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisc., he initially observed newsmakers as a reporter in Salem and Lowell and the Associated Press. That all changed when he was working as a political reporter for the Boston Globe and “got the call.”
“It was a very familiar voice at the other end of my cell phone, and he asked if we could have an ‘off the record’ conversation. He made his pitch, and offer, and I went home that night and talked with my wife and two sons about it and the consensus was it would be an impossible thing to turn down,” Johnson recalled.
During his time on the job, he and Secretary Kerry visited all seven continents, 91 countries, and traveled 1.5 million miles.
“As we traveled around the world, I jotted down bits of color about different things I saw, or different things he said, or what it was like to be in some of these meetings that we were in. When I got home, I spent the next 18 months writing a book about it,” he said.
During the course of his travels, he met many world leaders, including Russia’s Vladimir Putin.
“Shook his hand! It’s not one of those things you really contemplate. You’re there, he comes in the room and goes down line. It was fascinating to go into the Kremlin, to be there, and it’s his fashion, he made the secretary of state wait. We waited hours for him to come in. That’s just his form of passive aggressiveness. He puts you on defense by making you wait, to meet with him on his terms. But he came in finally and had the meeting. Famously, had this icy stare, a man of few words, but despite all the evidence to the contrary spoke English and understood everything that was said to him. It was a really fascinating experience to be part of and really interesting to be in that hallowed ground, the Kremlin and Red Square and all that, and see it firsthand,” he explained.
Among the negotiations Kerry undertook over those four years were dealing with Iran over its nuclear weapons program and brokering climate change accords, including the 2015 Paris Agreement.
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Haverhill’s L’Arche Boston North recently opened its fifth “forever home” for those with intellectual disabilities, continuing to fulfill a mission it launched 40 years ago.
Executive Director Jennifer Matthews, a recent guest on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program, says the new additional home is the organization’s first in 20 years. It took two years to complete the project, from purchase to welcoming four residents.
The new home, a renovated two-story house, is one of the accomplishments that is supported by L’Arche Boston North’s annual “Longest Table” fundraiser downtown. Matthews notes Haverhill Bank, a presenting sponsor for the public culinary event, also helped make the new home possible.
“It’s right in their backyard of their main branch on Merrimack Street. Haverhill Bank has been incredibly supportive of L’Arche throughout the years. We’re very lucky, but in addition to Haverhill Bank, we have the support of so many organizations in this community and we get their sponsorship for The Longest Table and the people who contribute to L’Arche and for our mission all the time. It’s countless, it’s countless community partners and people. We are very fortunate for all the support we have in this Haverhill community,” she says.
Haverhill Bank President and CEO Thomas L. Mortimer said the bank and its staff are “Proud to be part of the development that created housing fitting for these residents and their tremendous staff.”
Tickets for this year’s Longest Table, sold out in less than 90 minutes this year.
Matthews says the dinner, started in 2019 on Wingate Street in downtown Haverhill as a community building gathering, has turned into a major awareness event about the effort to have people with intellectual disabilities live together with staff who assist them. In fact, Matthews says they still have an original member living with them from when they first came to town.
Matthews says people who were fortunate enough to get tickets after they went on sale had plenty of meal options. “We have, I think, over 15 restaurants that are doing the sit-down portion the meal, serving a three course meal. Then, we have other restaurants that are helping out with appetizers and desserts. It’s just really wonderful.”
The Longest Table will be held, once again, Thursday, Aug. 17, on the Rep. Brian S. Dempsey Boardwalk in downtown Haverhill where people, preparing the meals, will have access to the Northern Essex Community College Culinary Institute at Haverhill Heights
“That is such awesome space. If you’ve never been in there I would say try to get in there because it is state of the art. It is beautiful and it’s so welcoming. Last year, many of our restaurants got to prepare in that space for The Longest Table and they loved it. Denis Boucher and Northern Essex’ Lane Glenn, they’ve been so welcoming to L’Arche and really to all the restaurants who want to utilize that space,” she adds.
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All Haverhill veterans attending a free event next month will walk away with electronic gear and, possibly, a grand prize of a flat screen television, sound bar, laptop computer or other top gift.
Veterans now have until Friday, July 14, to register for what’s being called a “Give Back” day sponsored by the Haverhill Veteran Services Office and iPods for Wounded Veterans. Despite the name, Veteran Services Director Jeffrey C. Hollett, who appeared on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” show, says the program is for all veterans.
“The number one frequently asked question is, ‘I’m not a wounded veteran or I’m not a disabled veteran. So, this doesn’t apply to me?’ That’s not true. To really understand this, you have to understand the background of iPods for Veterans as an organization,” he says.
Hollett went on to explain the start of iPods for Veterans.
“In 2011, two veterans by the names of Paul Cardello and John Parker got together and said ‘Hey. Let’s take a trip down to Washington D.C. and go to Walter Reed. We have 32 IPods and we want to give them to veterans at Walter Reed.’ When they did that, they realized, real quickly ‘Hey, we don’t have enough iPods.’ The veterans were approaching them as they were leaving the medical center and they wanted these iPods. So, they came back to Boston, they raised some more money and they went back down to Walter Reed and made sure they had enough iPods for every veteran that was in the hospital,” he explains.
That was 12 years ago, and things have changed.
“But, today they give out more than just iPods. They give out mp3 players, tablets, headphones; they provide letters, magazines, hats. They are doing all kinds of great things, but when they created their organization they created it under this name called iPods for Wounded Veterans, which is a chartered organization. So, it often leads to that question ‘Is that what they do” They’re just giving away IPods?’ No, they’re giving away a lot more,” Hollett adds.
There are three tiers of raffles planned for the event, with all veterans guaranteed to win one. Hollett is using the opportunity to talk with Haverhill veterans he hasn’t previously met and explain benefits for which they may be eligible.
Registration deadline has been extended to July 14 for veterans and an optional guest for the “Give Back” Saturday, Aug. 5, with check in taking place between 11:15 and 11:45 a.m., at AmVets Post 147, 576 Primrose St., Haverhill.
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Haverhill’s keeper of history, Buttonwoods Museum, plans a building renovation project and greater inclusion of Haverhill’s diversity in its collections.
Buttonwoods Executive Director Jan Williams calls the effort “Revitalize Buttonwoods—Restore the Past, Shape the Future.” Appearing on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program Thursday, she details what is a two-pronged approach, starting with renovation of the main visitor center and gallery space.
“But, the other part, and the most important part, is a reinterpretation project that we hope is going to transform the museum into a vehicle for social change through inclusive programs and exhibits representing stories of our historically excluded populations here in Haverhill,” she says.
Williams says the reinterpretation will increase the reach of the museum.
“Haverhill is approximately 22% native Spanish speakers and, up until a couple of years ago, we did not represent our Spanish-speaking population. Two years ago, with the kick off of the Puerto Rican art exhibit, all of the exhibits we have held at the museum have been bilingual in English and in Spanish,” she explains.
She adds there are many other areas to explore.
“We are in the process of researching our African American history and our LGBTQA+ history. We will have an exhibit by L’Arche North Boston, here in Haverhill, in July that focuses on disabled people. It’s an initiative that we try to represent, and include, everybody who lives in Haverhill,” she says.
Williams says the project has been at least five years in the making, involving meetings with facilitators, museum professionals and exhibit designers. Plans now include the creation of an advisory committee that will have decision making power on programs and exhibits going forward.
Buttonwoods Museum is located at 240 Water St., in Haverhill.
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With the first day of summer Wednesday, educators are looking to keep the learning going.
Haverhill Promise has a mission of developing reading proficiency for all Haverhill students by the end of third grade. Haverhill Promise Executive Director Jessica Kallin recently appeared on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program discussing a few of the summer learning options.
(CUT:Kallin-under resources.wav) “We are very lucky to be partnering with the YMCA this summer and incorporating reading the STEM projects into two of their camps, which is really great. I know that there are a really fantastic opportunities to have story hours, or reading, over the summer in the city and you can find a lot of the options on the Haverhill Promise website under resources,” she said.
There are also a number of other opportunities for children to keep reading.
“Whittier Birthplace is doing a story hour for pre-school and that’s on Thursdays over the summer. Then, Haverhill Promise has partnered with Ruth’s House and we will be having a story hour on Saturdays, over the summer, at 11:30 in the morning,” she added.
Beyond the summer, Kallin has a program for people looking to help third graders.
“We have volunteer opportunities that can be a one-time thing. You can read for an hour, and just do it once or can do it more frequently if you’d like. We also have the Book Buddies program where you can sign up to be essentially be a pen pal who also donates a book, and that’s three times during the school year to third grade students,” she said.
There is more information at HaverhillPromise.com.
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WHAV disc jockey Chris Porter eats, breathes and sleeps radio even as he works a “day job” with Massachusetts Water Resources Authority in Boston.
Porter was the focus Thursday of the latest “Behind the Mic” segment on the “Win for Breakfast” program. His “All Request Friday Night” show features listener-favorite songs and classic sounding jingles reminiscent of earlier age
“I’m a jingle fanatic so I just had to get jingles. I plan on getting some more. You never know,” he said.
Listeners to Porter, heard Fridays, from 6-10 p.m., are bound to hear songs they haven’t heard for some time. “Every single week it’s different. Sometimes people want to hear the mellow stuff, sometimes people want to hear the rock ‘n roll, sometimes people want to hear the dance music. It all really depends on what mood people are in that night,” he said.
Porter became fascinated with radio while growing up, and even built his own “flea power” radio station before getting involved with WHAV when he served as producer of the Open Mic show with the late Bill Macek. He was encouraged by WHAV General Manager Tim Coco to do his own show
“We had an intern here—this was about 2017—and we did a show because I was helping to train her. Then she left and I was getting some good feedback. I just figured, you know what I think I’m going to continue to do the show, and then when COVID hit is when it really took off and I started doing the ‘All Request Friday Night.’ I started getting the jingles. I can’t tell you the amount of people who have called in and said I helped them get through those times, which really makes me feel good,” he said.
Porter also does similar shows at radio stations in Salisbury and Nashua, N.H., on a volunteer basis. He admits his job with Massachusetts Water Resources Authority in Boston is a way to support his “radio habit.”
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Haverhill launched LGBTQ+ Pride Month Thursday with a flag raising at City Hall, students speaking of their experiences and quests to make a difference and the launch of a Haverhill Police liaison unit.
Haverhill City Councilor Thomas J. Sullivan served as master of ceremonies outside of City Hall where Haverhill Mayor James J. Fiorentini read his proclamation, declaring Pride month in Haverhill. The event observes a tradition commemorating the 1969 Stonewall uprising in New York City. This year, the ceremony rose above mere talking points with the introduction of Haverhill Police Departments’ LGBTQ+ Liaison Unit, led by Officer Desiray Caracoglia.
“We want all who identify with the LGBTQ+ community to know that Haverhill is devoted to creating a safe space for all, no matter race, gender identity or sexual orientation. We’re here to lend you a helping hand and to simply just listen to your concerns. As of today, we officially launch our LGBTQ+ Liaison Unit,” she said
Caracoglia noted work on the unit has been underway for the past six months and that she and Officers Penny Portalla and Nicholas Depina all have strong ties to the community. She outlined the mission of the unit and stated its commitment.
“We respect and appreciate the diversity of our community and want all individuals to feel confident when reporting crime. The liaison officers in this position will provide guidance and resources to the community, help create an inclusive workplace and work closely with community members to discuss any LGBTQ-related issues,” she said.
Caracoglia said a page is available within haverhillpolice.com that includes biographies of liaison officers and a resource guide.
Haverhill Public Schools health instructor Lori Curry, who has worked 30 years in all four city middle schools, introduced two former Caleb Dustin Hunking School students who spoke of their challenges and successes.
Chelsea Daigle, who is going into her senior year at Suffolk University, discussed the significance of the rainbow Pride flag, developed by Gilbert Baker and first unfurled at the San Francisco Gay and Lesbian Freedom Day Parade in 1978.
“A rainbow can mean really just about anything, to anyone—hope, joy, luck, happiness, love, friendship, a promise that there’s light after a storm,” she explained.
Another former student, Patrick Sainato, created the Gender Sexuality Alliance at Hunking School and went on to become the first openly gay class president at Haverhill High School. He discussed the importance of the biweekly Alliance meetings.
“One example of activities that we did was everyone wrote anonymous lists of an example of discrimination that they experienced and I read them out in front of the class. This activity was particularly touching because it revealed exactly how much the students needed a place to feel supported and care for,” he said.
Sainato, a student at Northern Essex Community College who plans to transfer to UMass Dartmouth on the way to becoming a physician, said legislative hate campaigns, especially in the south, introduced 549 anti-transgender bills this year. He said those efforts “underscores the importance of this ceremony.”
To the contrary, state Sen. Barry R. Finegold reflected on Massachusetts’s record as offering civil rights protections as early as 1990 and being the first state in the national to permit same-sex marriage.
“Our work is not done and I think it is really important that as we raise this flag today, I will be thinking about how far gay rights have come, but just how far we still have to go,” he said.
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Essex County District Attorney Paul F. Tucker has made taking care of first responders one of his office’s priorities.
The district attorney, appearing on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program Wednesday, discussed the importance of paying attention to mental health issues, saying he looks at it in two ways.
“I will say Chief (Robert P.) Pistone in Haverhill has does an excellent job with a very, very good department. I look at the mental health issue through two lenses…when I was the police chief in Salem, we actually created something called ‘The Community Impact Unit,’ where we brought mental health clinicians to ride with the police officers. This was back in 2009. I think we were one of the first departments to do that, so working with folks that have these mental health issues and, unfortunately, I don’t think we’ve seen the height of the problem yet, coming out of COVID,” he said.
Tucker, who took office in January, also is concerned about the mental health of first responders—something he was able to work on during four terms when he served as a state representative.
“We need to make sure we are taking care of the people who take care of us. I had the good fortune at the State House to work with many of the police departments and create critical incident stress management programs, peer counseling, so there is a recognition that police officers, firefighters, EMS that we need to make sure we’re taking care of these folks. For too long it was just something that we expected people—‘Oh, that’s just part of the job’—and just sort of ‘take it.’ We’ve been enlightened—I think that’s the right word—enlightened to make sure we take care of these folks,” he added.
Tucker is also troubled about the influx of the deadly drug fentanyl.
“Last year in the Commonwealth we lost almost 2,400 people to fatal overdoses and some 90% of those had some connection with fentanyl. When I was a state rep, I actually worked with Rep. Tim Whelen, a Republican from down on the Cape, a retired state trooper, and we put tougher penalties in place for fentanyl,” he explained.
He said it’s important to draw the distinction between a person who is in the grips of substance abuse addiction and needs help and the person on the street who is trafficking in drugs, especially fentanyl, and should face consequences.
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Haverhill honors its fallen heroes with its Memorial Day Parade and ceremony Monday morning that recognizes the sacrifices of Gold Star families and fallen veterans, promotes military heritage and history and supports the mission of civic and Veterans organizations dedicated to the betterment of our community at large.
Parade organizers are Haverhill AmVets Post 147 Commander Richard Burnell; Past AmVets Commander Gerard Marchand; Haverhill War Veterans Commander and AmVets member Russell Chaput; Groveland Veterans Services Officer Disabled American Veterans Chapter 20 Commander and AmVets Member Michael Ingham; and Haverhill Director of Veterans Services Jeffrey C. Hollett. Hollett was a guest this week on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program. He explaining the parade organizes Monday morning at 10 a.m. and steps off at 10:45.
(CUT:HOLLETT-to this country.wav) “We’re staging at 64 Kenoza Ave., adjacent to the fire museum and we are going to proceed down to Main Street and then down Summer Street and straight into Linwood Cemetery. So, immediately following the parade procession, the AmVets Post 147, and myself, will be having a Memorial Day ceremony there in Linwood Cemetery, and we want the public to not only know about it, but we want them to come out and honor our veterans because that’s what Memorial Day is really all about. It’s about honoring and remembering those who gave their life in service to this country,” he explained.
Hollett also mentioned those families seeking American flags to mark veterans’ graves may visit his office at Haverhill Citizens Center, 10 Welcome St., where flags are available for graves that may have been missed.
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The announcing staff at WHAV is more than a collection of voices. They are a gathering of individuals who care about serving the community.
On a recent “Win for Breakfast” morning segment—the first of series featuring those “Behind the Mic—Jenifer Cosgrove stopped by to share her story. She began volunteering at WHAV in 2019, reading Community Spotlight messages, heard at quarter past every hour, 24-hours a day. Hearing Cosgrove’s voice over the radio still catches some of her Holy Family Hospital co-workers by surprise. She works at the hospital as a nurse.
“It is kind of funny. Every once in awhile one of them will come in and say ‘I heard you on the radio the other day. I completely forgot you were doing that, and there you were. I know that voice!’”
She has been heard more than 26,000 times over WHAV. Beyond WHAV’s Community Spotlight, Cosgrove delivers other media experience.
“I had a podcast that’s currently on hold for a little bit, ‘Overnight Observations with Jen the R.N.,’ just kind of a different sort of take on nursing and the things that we see. Some things you really have to, kind of, take a step back and make a joke about it, not being insensitive or anything like that, but just to kind of take that breath to carry on and do what we need to do. And, some things are kind of funny. You can’t help but chuckle at some of the things that go on,” she explains.
And when Cosgrove is not serving up Community Spotlight information, or helping people with their health, she is working on her own conditioning, and this year—surprise—ran in the London Marathon.
“I got into the London Marathon because I entered. They were doing a lottery, as they do every year, and runners can submit their names. But, for about six years, I’ve been throwing my name in there just for fun because I thought ‘I’d love to go to London, that might be fun’ and people I know have talked it up, that have actually run it. And, this is my year, and it was an amazing experience,” she says.
Cosgrove finished the London Marathon in a little more than six hours and 30 minutes.
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It’s not finished yet, but those working to transform the former George F. Cogswell School into Cogswell ArtSpace plan to bring the property alive and celebrate anyway.
The creative community and friends alike plan a party to, as organizers say, literally light up the building from the inside out! Creative Haverhill Operations Director Erin Padilla gave a sneak preview of the upcoming event during an interview last week on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program.
“We’ll have live music, cocktails by G’s, small bites by Loaded; Helen Duncan, a local artist, is doing an installation; live music by Wilda Mendez and Alliance of Fire; and then the big moment of the evening, we hope, will be lighting the building up, from the inside out, with multicolored lights,” she says.
The group completed the purchase of the 1891 school from the City of Haverhill in 2019 for $175,000. Padilla says the group is still working on two major grants to help finish the fundraising effort for the project. According to organization’s website, slightly more than $2 million of the $2.8 million project has been raised to turn the old Cogswell School into a community arts center.
The 21+ Cogswell ArtSpace Party takes place Thursday, May 11, from 7-9 p.m., in the rear parking lot at 351 S. Main St., Haverhill. Tickets are $40 each, include one cocktail and benefit the building project. They may be purchased online here.
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The Haverhill Firefighting Museum is at the starting gate for a new season and holding its annual Kentucky Derby Gala Fundraiser this Saturday.
Co-chair Cynthia Graham gave a preview on WHAV’s “Win For Breakfast” program.
“We have a lot of fun surprises this year, but we are sticking with some of the tried and true things like a nice Southern styled dinner. The Chicken Connection in Plaistow caters that and it’s always delicious. We have a live streaming of the Derby. It starts at 5. We have apps and cocktails and we have the Derby streaming then. The race doesn’t start until about 6:45 and then dinner after,” she said.
Graham says people are encouraged to dress their “Derby best” and take advantage of one of the new events for the evening.
“Hot Shot Photos is coming and they set up a photo booth. Everyone who wants to be judged on their best Derby attire will be able to go in there—it’s an open booth—and have their photos taken. They’ll get copies of those photos. We also have a guest book they can sign and there are going to be great prizes for best dressed, and the judges will be the Best Shot guys as well,” she added.
The Kentucky Derby Gala Fundraiser is Saturday, May 6, at Haverhill Firefighting Museum, 75 Kenoza Ave., Haverhill. Tickets are $65 each and the evening includes music, dancing, prizes and auctions. Tickets and more information available at HaverhillFightingMuseum.org.
Major sponsors are Haverhill Bank, Covanta and Pentucket Bank. New sponsors this year include HTM Credit Union and L.W. Bills Company in Georgetown. The museum opens for the season May 20, and plans an updated Hero Headquarters interactive, educational, play area and an exhibit called “How it Works,” which starts by explaining how a fire hydrant operates.
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While problems at a few high-profile national and international banks have garnered attention lately, it is quite a different story locally.
Haverhill Bank President and CEO Thomas L. Mortimer, a recent guest on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program, points out the differences between the national and local stages.
“It appears that Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank in New York were the canaries in the coal mine. So, you had the rise in interest rates that basically pointed out the weakness of those banks, and they are unique banks—they aren’t like any banks around here—and I have a feeling that when then forensics are all done, it will come down to poor oversight by the regulators. Something like this should have been caught months, or years ago,” he said.
Mortimer says banking regulators should work with their subjects and suggest “best practices” to make sure rules are followed. He notes, what you’ll see in Massachusetts and most parts of New Hampshire are banks that are conservative.
“Banks that stick to their knitting—not doing crazy types of leveraged lending and residential mortgages—small business lending, deposits, money markets, certificates of deposits. That’s our bread and butter, that’s what we stick to,” he explains.
One of the biggest differences, Mortimer notes, is depositors at those giant banks were not fully insured. In addition to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation covering the first $250,000 of deposits, Mortimer says Haverhill Bank carries another layer of insurance.
“Haverhill Bank and approximately 74 other banks in Massachusetts have additional insurance called Depositors Insurance Fund. So, 100% of the bank’s deposits are insured. It should give some calm and comfort to the depositors. Back in 1990, approximately 16 banks failed. Of those banks that had DIF insurance, not one lost a penny. Not one bank, not one customer has lost a dollar being with a DIF insured bank,” he notes.
Mortimer says banks that have been following sound financial practices are able to absorb rising federal interest rates and, in his words, “move on to live and fight another day.”
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A Groveland native, who picked up an Oscar Sunday for the documentary “Navalny,” said her larger goal is to help secure justice for the Russian dissident who survived state-sponsored poisoning and now is jailed in solitary confinement.
Geralyn White Dreyfous, who went to Pentucket Regional High School before attending Harvard, was part of the team that won an Academy Award for the film Navalny. Appearing Wednesday on WHAV’s morning show, “Win for Breakfast,” she says the film tells the story of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, an anti-corruption activist exposing corruption on the local and national levels in Russia.
“For that he was poisoned with a chemical toxin called Novichok and went into heart arrest on a plane leaving from Siberia, a small village. He was then medivacked from Russia to Germany where he rehabilitated and they were able to investigate the toxin and where it came from and the movie really exposes what’s called ‘state sponsored assassination’ of which there have been many under Putin’s reign,” she explains.
Dreyfous says Navalny went back to Russia after he recovered only to be arrested and placed in solitary confinement in a prison outside of Moscow. Dreyfous is looking at the Navalny documentary as a way to help.
“Well that’s our hope. The film has not been seen in Russia. All media has been shut down in the country right now. The only media the Russian people are allowed to consume is state-sponsored Russian television and there’s a very small percentage of people in the country that actually have internet and the capacity to connect to the outside world, Those that do are only allowed to get that news through YouTube so the Navalny Foundation, that now works in exile in Lithuania and reports nightly on the news, reports nightly on the news. But, there’s a small percentage of people that listen to it, and there is a very compelling disinformation campaign that tries to discredit Mr. Navalny and his Foundation’s work,” she adds,
At the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard, she helped teach Documentary and Narrative writing. Dreyfous is the chair and co-founder of the Utah Film Center which provides funding to filmmakers. In 2007, she co-founded Impact Partners which produces documentary films focusing on social issues.
“The film is called Navalny…It’s available on HBO Max and you can help by going onto the website of the Anti-Corruption Foundation and see the investigation they continue to do about corruption in Russia.”
There’s more on the Anti-Corruption Foundation at acf.international.
Incidentally, Dreyfous reports, the Oscar is heavier than one might think, weighing nearly 12 pounds.
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Merrimack Valley Credit Union members are being asked to vote in about two weeks to approve a merger with RTN Federal Credit Union.
Members will cast votes at a special meeting to approve the merger and update the bylaws to reflect RTN’s field of membership, which covers those who “reside, work or attend school in Worcester County…and immediate family members.” Merrimack Valley Credit Union President and CEO John J. Howard, appearing last week on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program, said there have been many credit union mergers over the years within the industry and involving Merrimack Valley Credit Union.
“What happens is we become part of our family tree. Unified is a part of our family tree. Ocean Spray Credit Union is a part of our family tree. Merrimack College Credit Union is a part of our tree. Lawrence Postal Employees Credit Union is a part of our tree. So, there are multiple credit unions that make up the family tree of what our credit union is today,” he explained.
Howard formerly led Bridgewater Credit Union and became president and CEO of both institutions following a 2019 merger.
The current merger plan is recommended by Merrimack Valley’s board of directors. Following member and regulatory approval, RTN Treasurer and CEO Richard E. Wright will serve as a special advisor to Howard.
Merrimack Valley Credit Union, founded in 1955 to serve employees of the former Merrimack Valley Works of Western Electric, has more than $1.2 billion in assets. There are 10 branches located in Bridgewater, Fairhaven, Haverhill, Lawrence, Methuen, North Andover, Plymouth and Quincy in Massachusetts and Plaistow and Seabrook in New Hampshire. Following the merger, there will be 19 branches.
Howard said credit unions are owned by its members and membership qualifications vary based on a credit unions’ charter.
“Different types of charters that different credit unions have: There’s a geographic charter which is what Merrimack Valley’s charter is. There is a SEG which is a specific employer group. For example RTN, started out with Raytheon and that’s how they began their process,” he said.
The merger vote takes place Wednesday, March 29, between noon and 6 p.m., at Merrimack Valley Credit Union’s main office, 500 Merrimack St., in Lawrence. Only those members appearing person may cast a ballot.
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St. Patrick’s Day is a day of celebration, but many arriving Irish in the late 19th century had to cope with loneliness.
Retired professor Patricia Trainor O’Malley, who spent years teaching at the now-closed Bradford College in Haverhill, reflects on the times in her book, “So Far from Home: Letters from Ireland to Family in America.” It is based on more than 200 letters sent to her grandparents in the 1880s and 90s when they first emigrated to Haverhill. The letters tell wonderful stories, written by ordinary people, O’Malley says while appearing during a recent interview on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program.
“Poor farmers, fisherman cousins, young women writing to their cousin over in America, filled with sadness because of a lot of ‘We’ll never see you again’ comments or ‘Things are very tough, can you send us some money?’ comments, but there are also comments from a sister in Ireland talking about young people gathering around the house on a Sunday so they could dance out on the grass or sing or play ball. All these people were making fun for themselves despite the lack of whatever,” she relates.
She says the letters were thought to be lost, but were discovered in 1990.
She took time to share her memory of when WHAV first started broadcasting from WHAV building at 30 How St., in downtown Haverhill.
“I remember all of the excitement about the new radio station growing up. In the early years, there were a number of local shows and the people would come on to do amateur contests, things of that sort. So, my piano teacher had me on there two or three times to perform. I actually earned a grand total of three silver dollars, one time, for coming in second or third. Wonderful. It was a big deal in those days,” she remembers.
O’Malley has written 10 books over the years with “So Far from Home” being her latest. Others are “Italians in Haverhill,” “Bradford: The End of an Era,” “Haverhill, Massachusetts: From Town to City,” “Haverhill, Massachusetts: A New England City,” “Bradford College (Campus History),” “Irish in Haverhill, Massachusetts” and “Haverhill’s Immigrants at the Turn of the Century.” Many are available on Amazon by searching her name.
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The business of “taking care of business” is wide ranging and one aspect is actually getting to the workplace.
Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Alexandria Eberhardt said businesses are on the same page as employees when it comes to making sure people can get to their jobs. Eberhardt, a guest this week on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program, said she found Congressman Seth Moulton in agreement during a recent business summit at Salem State University Enterprise Center.
“As we know, looking at transportation, obviously the MBTA has issues, but also looking at regional rail lines and all of that. When we talk about transportation, those two things need to go hand in hand. People need to be able to access travel to their job and the better public transportation we have, the more access they have to more jobs,” she said.
During the Feb. 24 meeting involving various chambers of commerce and business organizations, Eberhardt said the congressman spoke about the need for infrastructure improvements to support expected workforce growth over the next five to 10 years.
Eberhardt also discussed Gov. Maura Healey’s proposal for tuition-free community college that was included in her first budget plan. Eberhardt noted she worked in Rhode Island before coming to Haverhill and talked about how free college works in the Ocean State
“There is free community college tuition in the state of Rhode Island. Gov. (Gina) Raimondo at the time—now U.S. Commerce Secretary Raimondo—put that through and we found massive changes in education and skill building and stackable credentials with the opportunity for people to attend college for free, for two years, to access that funding for two years to continue their mobility forward in that way. So, personally I am a big proponent of free community college,” she said.
Eberhardt also took time to preview the next Eggs and Issues legislative breakfast, hosted by the Haverhill Chamber of Commerce. The upcoming meeting features guest speaker Stephen McAllister, eastern region vice president of the U. S. Chamber of Commerce.
“Steve McAllister who is the vice president for the 11 states, West Virginia north through New England, through the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. He is coming to speak with us to give us a federal snapshot of all things coming out of Washington, D.C., on March 16, down at the HC Studio at the (UMass Lowell) iHub,” she said.
Registration for the breakfast may be made online at haverhillchamber.com.
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The third annual Hometown Heroes banner program is underway with a request residents identify and honor loved ones and friends who served their country.
The program, organized by the Exchange Club of Haverhill, places two feet wide by four-feet tall banners on poles throughout the city’s central business district. Last year, 156 banners appeared along Essex, Washington, Merrimack, Main, Water and South Main Streets; Bailey Boulevard; and Basiliere and Comeau Bridges.
Hometown Heroes Banner Committee Chair Jennifer Coffey-Matthews and member Thea Tsagaris recently appeared on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” show and gave an overview of the program. Matthews noted the number of streets where banners are displayed has grown.
“Last year was our second year and what we did was basically doubled the size of our program from the first year. We extended into different streets in the downtown community. We also extended into the Bradford downtown,” she explained.
Businesses and residents may sponsor a banner featuring a family member or loved one who lives in the city and has served or is currently serving in the military. Money raised helps the Exchange Club support various charities and scholarships.
Registration for the 2023 program is open through April 1. Hometown Heroes banners may be purchased at HaverhillExchangeClub.com for $250 each and 160 are available on a first-come, first served basis.
The patriotic banners are displayed from Memorial Day to Veterans Day and then returned to donors.
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The wearing of the green and all things Irish will be on display when the Haverhill Exchange Club holds its 21st Annual Rick Barry St. Patrick’s Day Breakfast.
Exchangites Ron Carpenito and Kerrianne Petalidas discussed the upcoming fun for a good cause during a live appearance last week on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program. Carpenito says a lot of work goes into the event.
“Probably the biggest highlight of this event is the continuing saga of St. Patrick’s and this special super-secret video that we make every year that really incorporates a lot of Haverhill’s own favorite faces and newcomers. Things like that, to kind of like laugh at ourselves and have a little bit of fun.”
Petalidas says event’s anniversary is influencing prizes.
“We actually have some great raffles which you’ll usually find the theme of the day, of course on this particular one where it’s our 21st, is birthday themes. You know, it’s well known in the community, but if you have not been, I encourage you to attend this year’s.”
Despite the amusing elements, Petalidas says the event has a very serious purpose.
“So this particular one, a lot of the funds raised at this program, it’s one of our largest fundraisers, a lot of that goes to our local child abuse prevention center. So, we do fund that with proceeds from this, but we do have several other events throughout the city that we put on for the greater good of the community. We focus on Americanism, our veterans and we do a lot with child events and child abuse prevention.”
Proceeds benefit the Michael B. Christensen Community and Family Support Center, part of Greater Lawrence Community Action Council. Christensen was a member of the Haverhill Exchange Club, who passed away in 2001.
The 21st Annual Rick Barry St. Patrick’s Day Breakfast takes place Friday March 17, at Haverhill Country Club, 58 Brickett Lane, Haverhill. Doors open at 7 a.m. with the program starting at 7:45 a.m. There’s more online at HaverhillExchangeClub.com.
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Haverhill Mayor James J. Fiorentini’s remarks last weekend that he will not seek another term came as little surprise to those that attended his breakfast, but did bring out an impromptu and good-natured roast by those who have worked for, or competed against, the man.
Former Mayor James A. Rurak observed the presence of many of Fiorentini’s past political rivals, including himself, former Mayor William H. Ryan and retired Sen. James P. Jajuga.
“First time we competed, I beat him. That was when we were about 18, 19 years old in an oratorial contest that was held by the Elks. He got so mad, he had to beat me in two citywide elections,” he told the laughing crowd.
Rurak took a more serious note on what he believes brought Fiorentini success, but still delivered a humorous conclusion.
“The Hale (Hospital) has been an enormous drag on—let’s call it the ship of state. It had an enormous hole in the bottom. We plugged the hole by selling it, but we took on an enormous cargo—the Hale debt, the retirement funds, all of the things that the city had been obligated to do for very many years. Had not that ship been steered correctly; the cargo could have tipped one way or another at any given time. And, you steered it correctly. And, how did you do that? Well, fiscal management, tight fiscal management. Mr. Stingy,” he said to the crowd’s roar.
State Sen. Barry R. Finegold also picked up on Fiorentini’s past rivals in the room, calling the state senate contest between the mayor and Jajuga in 1994, a “holy war.” He went on to quote late President John F. Kennedy on why the city flourished on the mayor’s watch.
“Things don’t happen. They are made to happen. I can tell you that as someone that has been coming to the city a very, very long time—as we all know, my dad taught at Northern Essex so this is where we’d come a lot—this place is amazing for what he has done,” Finegold said.
Former Haverhill Mayor William H. Ryan. (WHAV News photograph.)
Former Mayor Ryan counted the time he sparred with Fiorentini on the City Council, where the mayor spent eight years.
“As someone who has given everything to the City of Haverhill—a quarter of a century of his best working years, he gave to Haverhill. So, we really owe him a lot,” he said.
City Solicitor William D. Cox Jr., who served as master of ceremonies, related how Fiorentini rang his doorbell on a Saturday 20 years ago. He said the future mayor told him he was thinking of running for mayor. To which, Cox responded seriously, “Why would you want to do that?” The city lawyer went on to give his summary of why the people continually returned his boss to office.
“His goal has been to deliver the best possible government services at a cost we can all afford. That was a promise he delivered on,” Cox said.
Despite the accolades, Finegold reminded everyone, the word “retirement” is a bit premature.
“We got 10 months and we got a lot to do. Ok? We have a long time and we have myself, (Sen. Pavel) Payano, (Rep.) Ryan Hamilton, (Rep. Andy X.) Vargas. We got a lot to do,” he said.
The only unfamiliar face may have been that of Michael McGovern, a behind-the-scenes political consultant, who jokingly apologized for sending mail into people homes. He said, however, he became a personal supporter as he watched other Gateway Cities in the state struggle over the past 20 years, while “Haverhill has transformed.”
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More interviews are scheduled this week in the search for the next Haverhill High School principal.
The person chosen will replace interim principal Kevin Soraghan, who took the job when the previous search was called off when only a small number of candidates showed interest. Haverhill school Superintendent Margaret Marotta, a guest this week on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” show, said the search committee reviewed 14 resumes before beginning the current interview process.
“We have some good candidates, but I’ll tell you the pool wasn’t as big as I would have hoped or thought. It’s just a really tough time right now. People are afraid to leave in education, or they are settled in, or they just want to get out completely,” she said.
Soraghan went to work in the system last summer after previous Principal Jason Meland left to take over as principal of the Donald McKay School, covering grades K-8, in East Boston. Soraghan, who retired as principal at Billerica Memorial High School in 2013, spent most of his career in Haverhill as a teacher and principal at both elementary schools and Haverhill High.
The position has an expected annual salary of between $145,000 and $165,000 per year. Marotta says the hiring process for other positions has turned up some interesting people.
“We just hired a science teacher that has a medical degree from Yale that decided that he wanted to teach science—a young guy who decided that wasn’t his passion after a full on medical degree,” she said.
Marotta also reminded parents that the pre-registration for Haverhill kindergarten is now underway. Children born between Sept. 1, 2017 and Aug. 31, 2018 are eligible to start in the fall, and students at the Moody Preschool do not have to re-enroll.
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Those Massachusetts residents securing driver’s licenses prior to 1992 may remember having a state Registry of Motor Vehicles inspector as a passenger.
Haverhill native James Tzitzon, who started his career as an inspector before becoming a state police trooper, tells the little-known story of how and why that position was eliminated in a consolidation with the Massachusetts State Police. His new book, “The History of The Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicle Inspector,” details the inside story.
“We had different regulatory duties, responsibilities to the Registrar of Motor Vehicles, with licensing, investigations, assisting the public, public relations, all those aspects. Investigating serious fatal accidents,” he says.
Tzitzon was a recent guest on WHAV’s morning program.
“The book is about 277 pages long, and I have graduation pictures from the many academy classes throughout the years. Old pictures of the old handheld radios that the Registry got. Different pictures from before we had uniforms. The inspector back then would wear a top coat and have a badge on his lapel,” he explains.
The job of inspector with the Registry of Motor Vehicles came into existence in 1907.
“In the 1900s, we came about as a result of the horseless carriage. What people don’t know is that in Massachusetts alone there were over 200 manufacturers of horseless carriages. With more and more of those on the roads, the state figured they needed to have some regulation, to regulate those and give licenses and registration plates. So, we developed from two people up to finally 257 at the end of our existence,” he says.
Tzitzon says efforts to eliminate the inspector’s job date back to 1965, but the legislature didn’t approve it until 1991 and the consolidation, which Tzitzon says didn’t go smoothly, took effect a year later.
“At the time we had close to 300 and some chose to retire. We ended up with 257 that actually transferred over and, interestingly enough, the registrar got nervous when he realized we were going to lose all the knowledge that we had gained all those years and had. So, he asked several inspectors to stay behind. So, there were 11 registry inspectors that chose not to transfer over to the State Police but stayed behind with the Registry and handle the hearings and make sure the Registry could walk again,” he remembers.
Tzitzon took several years to write “The History of The Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicle Inspector” and finished it last year. It contains the names of all inspectors and the various positions and functions of the inspector, as well as stories provided by former and retired inspectors. It includes many photographs taken throughout the nearly 100 years of service provided to the Commonwealth by the registry inspectors.
The book published through Online Book Publishers, is now available through LULU publishing and Amazon in three formats, eBook, softcover and hardcover.
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WHAV’s recent move back to its original building in downtown Haverhill has brought back pleasant memories for many people, including Tom Bergeron, who made his way back to the very studio where he began his broadcasting career in 1972, while still attending Haverhill High School.
Bergeron, who in the meantime has hosted “Hollywood Squares,” “America’s Funniest Home Videos” and “Dancing with the Stars,” among other shows, sat down with me and his former WHAV co-worker Tim Coco. He was asked if his move to Hollywood was, in part, a way to meet some of his childhood idols that included William Shatner, Dick Van Dyke and Carl Reiner.
Bergeron also talked about his Star Trek experiences, made possible by Whoopi Goldberg, producer in the center square on Hollywood Squares.
There’s also a story about Stan Laurel, of Laurel and Hardy, Dick Van Dyke and Tom Bergeron.
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The high-profile shuttering of Haverhill-based Southwick Clothing in 2020 was well known, but not so the story of how the company’s legacy was rescued and put people back to work—some as owners.
Closing the maker of Brooks Brothers clothing meant not only the loss of 400 jobs, but an end to the only job some workers ever had since moving to the United States. May Tan, Southwick’s then-chief financial officer tasked with closing the factory, and her husband Ed Pap, told the story during a live interview during WHAV’s morning show.
During the final days of the plant, she said she found an older Vietnamese woman in tears. Tan said the woman came to Haverhill after years in a refugee camp and her worst fear was being unable to support her family. The encounter moved Tan to create Southwick Social Ventures, secure social investment backing, win a five-year U.S. Army dress pant subcontract in 2021 and locate to the same Lawrence building where Southwick began in 1929.
“When Southwick Clothing Company closed, most of the employees were without employment or severance. So, we started to actually support the local people who live around the Lawrence area. The factory is located right in north Lawrence, in Everett Mills, where the first factory mills started. Our employees are able to either bus or walk to work. It’s all about supporting the local economy there,” she said.
Tan calls those with the company “artisan sewers” and gave them the opportunity to become part owners of the cooperative that now makes a line of clothing called Lawrence Trousers.
“We have currently about six employees who qualify, have qualified. They have to be there a certain time and then you have to buy in. For people who have been with us a long time and have shown dedication to their craft and to the company, we give them bonus programs that make them eligible to be employee owned,” she explained.
Tan serves as chief executive officer, while Pap serves as executive vice president. He said they received a positive response to their trouser label.
“I think the most common question we have is that “Where have you guys been?’ because actually we’re really at the this point probably, maybe the one or number two real manufacturer of (premium) trousers, of this scale, in the United States,” he noted.
Pap said Southwick Social Ventures has 26 full-time employees along with a small number of part-time employees. They are planning on offering an expanded line of Lawrence Trousers this fall.
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Katrina Hobbs-Everett will be presented the “Special Drum Major for Justice Award” this Saturday when Haverhill’s Calvary Baptist Church hosts its first Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. celebration.
Calvary Baptist Church, the oldest African-American Church in the Merrimack Valley, celebrates King’s life and legacy with a program called “Lifting as We Climb,” presented through song, dance and speech. During a recent appearance on WHAV’s morning program, Calvary Baptist Church Rev. Kenneth M. Young said the event begins Saturday, Jan. 14, at 2 p.m., with an art gallery featuring the works of youth artists and the MLK Quilt.
“There’s going to be pictures of the civil rights movement. We have an artist in our church, Steven Perry, with some of his art seen at the Buttonwoods Museum, is going to unveil his special MLK portrait, and we will be doing a silent auction for those who would like to take that home with them,” he said.
The full celebration begins at 3 p.m., in the sanctuary of Calvary Baptist Church, 3 Ashland St., Haverhill. Evangelist Angela Farris serves as mistress of ceremony and the special musical guest is Elder Terrence Haynes and Voice of Praise of Springfield—as seen on Whitney Houston’s biopic.
“This the same choir seen in the Whitney Houston bio pic “I Wanna Dance with Somebody” and they’re gonna come be with us, as well as celebrate Drum Major for Justice Award, Katrina Hobbs Everett,” he explained.
The program, will also help raise money for scholarships and outreach programs, such as the food pantry.
On Friday, Jan 13, at 7 p.m. the church will also be participating in a joint Shabbat service at Temple Emanu-El, 514 Main St., Haverhill. The annual service follows the weekly Sabbath liturgy and includes selected readings from the writings of King. Temple Emanu-El Cantor Vera Broekhuysen conducts the service and members of the Greater Haverhill Clergy Association will also participate.
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Cities and towns making up the membership of Whittier Regional Vocational Technical High School won’t be asked for at least a year to sign off on whatever plans emerge for a renovated or replacement school.
During 2023, the School Building Committee will review what approach is most feasible, while following the process set down by the Massachusetts School Building Authority. Whittier Tech Superintendent Maureen Lynch, a recent guest on WHAV’s morning program, said there are three options—renovate the current building, renovate and expand to allow for more students or construct a new school altogether.
“Over the next year or so, we are really going to be looking at what our best option is going to be. Then next year, next spring, we will be going to our communities, the spring of 2024, wow! We’ll be going to our communities and asking about are they going to approve a building project,” she said.
Currently Whittier Tech supports 1,400 students, but one plan considers adding another 120. Lynch said, however, the School Building Committee is leaning towards keeping enrollment at the current level.
“We are really keeping in mind what our communities can afford, but right now the bottom line is construction is very expensive. So, we can hope over the next year those prices go down, but we do need to kind of plan for the worst-case scenario,” she explained.
Lynch explained what drives her passion.
“I feel like my responsibility here is to make sure Whittier Tech is taken care of for the next generation and, unequivocally, we have to do something. We had a water main break last week right at the entrance into the building. Luckily we noticed it about 2:30, but we had to cancel our night school program because we needed to get it repaired. Those are the things that starting to happen. Our systems are beyond their useful life and we need to start preparing for how we are going to fix it, and what that looks like, and that’s our job for the next year or so,” she said.
Those who wish to learn more about the project may view plans or watch Building Committee meetings online at whittiertech.org
The 50-year-old school serves the Cities of Haverhill, Amesbury and Newburyport and the towns of Groveland, Merrimac, Salisbury, West Newbury, Newbury, Rowley, Georgetown and Ipswich.
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When Christmas Eve rolls around this weekend, many children will find themselves nestled all snug in their beds, satisfied they already saw Santa without his sled.
The Haverhill Lions Club, for example, recently provided a stop for Santa during its Breakfast with Santa. Haverhill Lions Club Past President Laurie Cantwell, a recent guest on WHAV’s morning show, and said the event was well attended.
“Oh yes, it was such a great day. It was so much fun to see all the smiles on the faces of everyone who attended. I believe the count is 601 people attended,” she said.
The Haverhill Lion’s Club breakfast was at Maria’s Galleria Banquet Facility in downtown Haverhill. In addition to local children and their families, attendees included area Lions Club members from Chelmsford, Dunstable, Tyngsboro, Newburyport and Lawrence. They helped the morning occasion run smoothly.
The Haverhill Lion’s Club also witnessed the kindness of residents who donated winter coats for those in need.
“People were very generous. We haven’t counted them all yet. We are in the process of doing that to donate them for Coats for Kids and Families. We will be counting them up. We received a number of coats. We filled several boxes with coats so we will be counting them up and donating them,” she said.
Cantwell says Maria’s Restaurant has also agreed to serve as a drop off location for the Lions Club Coat Drive which ends Saturday, Jan. 7. The restaurant will also accept donations of peanut butter and jelly to be distributed to area food banks.
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Haverhill school students and staff are the beneficiaries of expanded relationships underway with area universities.
Haverhill School Superintendent Margaret Marotta, a recent guest on WHAV’s morning program, said efforts are aimed at delivering a better experience for teachers and employees. Overall, she said, school is better this year for the students despite a high-profile incident.
“There’s still a lot going on. Social media doesn’t help. We had the hazing event. It was really hard. We just yesterday started a partnership with Northeastern University Sports Psychology Division. They came out and talked to all our winter athletes. It was really well received. We’re going to continue to have a partnership with them, just try to restore some of the culture and community and work with them to bring back more normalcy,” she said.
Marotta also met with UMass Lowell Chancellor Julie Chen to talk about benefits for the staff.
“We are going to be setting up a relationship with UMass Lowell, or enhancing our relationship, around training teachers and paraprofessionals and helping advance people in our community to be part of our school system,” she added.
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Although winter doesn’t officially begin until the 21st, heating bills are already arriving and families are asking for help.
Kerri Sheeran Perry, president and CEO of Haverhill’s Community Action, told WHAV listeners recently that as of the last week of November, heating assistance applications are up 148% over last year.
“What’s remarkable about that is it’s been a fairly warm fall. So, it’s really, really important that community members learn about our program at Community Action, that they reach out to us. I think a lot of community members are confused about the process, but if they call into Community Action offices at 978-373-1971, we have an incredibly efficient and helpful staff, many of whom are bilingual. You can learn a lot by going to our website at www.communityactioninc.org,” she said.
Sheeran Perry says because of the number of people calling Community Action, it’s important that a message, with a call-back number, is left for an intake worker, many of whom are bilingual, to return the call. She spent time to stress the importance of connecting with a person.
“Many times a community member who comes in seeking assistance is actually helped with a number of programs. If they have young children, they can connect to our WIC program or our Head Start or Early Head Start. We have a robust family daycare system here in Haverhill with over 35 family daycare homes. We have adult education programs and really amazing workforce development programs at MakeIt Haverhill. So, somebody coming in for heating assistance, I think, will be surprised at the amount of programs that we can offer, that will really stabilize family care in the region,” she said.
Sheeran Perry says food security is also an important part of the agency’s services. Nutritional assistance are provided by its early childhood programs and, in a collaborative effort, several weeks ago, the Unitarian Universalist Church, United Way, Sacred Hearts Food Pantry and Emmaus. The effort made it possible to distribute more than 900 Thanksgiving.
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The Salvation Army in Haverhill finds itself behind this year in raising money for its donations to families—particularly important this year as the charity turns its attention to a rise in teenage depression.
Major Lynnann Rivers, a recent guest on WHAV’s morning program, says, to date, collections are about a third of normal are at this point in the season.
“We’re doing more services with less available resources. The cost cuts just aren’t just rising for residents, they’re rising for businesses and nonprofits as well. And, we’ll need monetary donations not just at Christmas when we are out at a kettle, but throughout the year to be able to keep our doors open and our services running,” she says.
Rivers says Salvation Army Red Kettles are at area Market Baskets, Shaw’s and Walmart, and some stores are offering countertop kettles and collection cans. Many of the kettles have QR codes to quickly make online donations. Others may send a check to the Salvation Army at 395 Main St., Haverhill MA 01830, or through the Salvation Army Haverhill Facebook page. Red Kettle volunteers are needed as well for minimum two-hour shifts.
Rivers adds this year the Salvation Army is making a shift in its gifting program.
“This year, we have decided to provide gifts for the teenagers. Statistics show that teenagers are suffering with depression more than ever. Their mental health is suffering because of so many outside forces on them and not being able to still be children, they’re being forced to be adults,” she explains.
Right now, Rivers says they have around 200 teens already registered, but they can’t take on any more.
“There are many ways for people to help with that program. We have a Walmart Registry for Good. So, you just go on Walmart’s website and search for ‘Registry for Good’ and you can find the Salvation Army there. Those items, if you purchase items on the registry, are mailed directly to us. You don’t have to worry about dropping them off. On our Facebook page is a list of gift items and when they can be dropped off at our location,” Rivers says.
Those with questions may email Major Lynnann Rivers at lrivers@use.salvationarmy.org or call 978-374-7571.
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Downtown Haverhill springs to life tonight with holiday spirit as the Haverhill Hometown Holiday Celebration kicks of the season.
The event, formerly known as the Christmas Stroll, runs between 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. One of its volunteers, Melissa Seavey of Bethany Communities, gave an overview for WHAV listeners during an appearance on WHAV’s morning show.
“It’s a little different from past strolls. This year, we are calling it the ‘Haverhill Hometown Holiday Celebration.’ This is being hosted by the city, and then there are some volunteers like Destination Downtown Haverhill and L’Arche and the Chamber of Commerce that are all helping out with it. So, we’re really excited to bring a little something back to downtown Haverhill after a couple of years of COVID and things being quieter,” she said.
Haverhill’s tree lighting, complete with a visit by Santa, in Washington Square, begins around 6:30 p.m. There will also be live musical performances at G’s Restaurant, 35 Washington St., and an Ugly Sweater Party at Peddler’s Daughter, 45 Wingate St. Voting takes place for a number of awards including best Interior Décor, Best Outside Decore, best Hometown Holiday Event and the Charlie Brown Tree Award. A QR Code for voting is available on Destination Downtown Haverhill Facebook page.
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The Haverhill Lions Club is bringing back Breakfast with Santa after a three-year-hiatus.
Past President Laurie Cantwell, a recent guest on WHAV’s morning show, said the breakfast has always been a popular event with kids and adults alike.
“They love bringing their little ones, and having them have that breakfast and visit with Santa and, like I said, Mrs. Claus should be making an appearance. We might have Mr. and Mrs. Lion there too,” she said.
The breakfast takes place Saturday, Dec. 10, from 8:30-11:30 a.m., at Maria’s Galleria Banquet Room, 81 Essex St., in downtown Haverhill.
Breakfast with Santa admission is $5 per person, which includes breakfast. Attendees are encouraged to bring cameras.
During the event, the Haverhill Lion’s Club is also collecting peanut butter and jelly. Lions Club District 33-North is holding a Peanut Butter and Jelly Challenge through the end of December to benefit shelters and food pantries. .
Further, Haverhill Lions are asking for new and gently used warm winter coats as part of its “Coats for Kids and Families” community drive. Coats may be dropped off ay Maria’s Restaurant through Sunday, Jan. 8.
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With cooler weather coming—and energy costs on the rise—more homeowners are expected to seek home heating help this season.
Community Action CEO Kerri Perry, a recent guest on WHAV’s morning show, wants to help. She encourages households—even those who think they are not eligible—to submit applications to the Low Income Heating Assistance Program, known as LIHEAT
“There is certainly an eligibility requirement, but don’t presume that you don’t qualify. It’s a really a smart idea to reach out, speak to one of my intake workers and determine whether you qualify for the LIHEAT program, which provides financial assistance toward your heating bills. Or, if you may also qualify also for a reduced rate, and the reduced rate will allow you to have your heating and utility bills lowered throughout the year,” she says.
Perry says those applying for assistance should call Community Action in Haverhill.
“I think the heating bills are really front of mind right now. You know, whether you’re at the gas pump, watching the news, you’re seeing the extraordinary increases that going to face homeowners this year. We are all going to feel it, and it’s really important that people are proactive about it, and not reactive. We get heating emergency calls throughout the year, but we can prevent those. We can connect community members to this service, and fill up oil tanks now and connect people to this service,”she adds.
Perry says the intake workers are receiving hundreds of phone calls a day, and people seeking assistance should leave a message and they will receive a call back as soon as possible.
“Those who have had LIHEAT, the low-income heating assistance, in the past can simply recertify, and those who are new to the program will have to present a fair amount of documents, but just work with your intake person because they can help you navigate that stream. It feels like it’s really document intensive. It feels like there’s a lot to it. The federal government requires that we confirm that everyone is eligible, and we have to be good stewards of the program, but it really is an important program. It’s going to be a lifeline for many this season,” Perry says.
People wishing to submit new applications to Community Action’s LIHEAT are advised to call 978-373-1971, ext. 218, and those looking for updates on their applications may call 978-374-7660, seven-days-a-week, 24 hours-a-day. There’s also more at CommunityActionInc.org.
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This year’s fall open house at Whittier Regional Vocational Technical High School has a new twist.
Sunday’s open house follows the usual course of showcasing the school to potential students and their families, but this time there will be a session discussing plans to renovate or build a new school. Superintendent Maureen Lynch, a recent guest on WHAV’s morning program, spoke about putting the brakes on any talk of expanding the school.
“We’re looking at that. I think we’re leaning toward keeping our school the same size, just for financial consideration of our communities. If our building grows, it also means more students will be attending, which is difficult for some of our cities and towns where their school age population is going down. I think the only one that is actually rising out of our 11 cities and towns is the City of Haverhill,” she said.
Lynch said the discussion covers a feasibility study of certain options required by the Massachusetts School Building Authority. It starts Sunday at 1 p.m. in the music room at Whittier Tech, 115 Amesbury Line Road, in Haverhill.
The full open house takes place from 1-3 p.m. and serves as a primer for potential students and their parents.
“We will have, at that point, all of our vocational areas. Our 23 vocational areas will be having demonstrations. We’re going to put a real focus this year, on our marine technology program. We’re looking forward to that,” Lynch said.
The Marine Technology program is only the fourth program of its kind to exist in Massachusetts.
Whittier Tech serves students from Haverhill, Groveland, Merrimac, Amesbury, Georgetown, West Newbury, Salisbury, Newburyport, Newbury, Rowley and Ipswich.
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Haverhill school officials are seeking larger space for the city’s Gateway Academy, a smaller alternative for those struggling at conventional middle and high schools.
Superintendent Margaret Marotta told WHAV listeners last June the new Gateway School at Crowell School is limited to around 120 students, but she always expected it to grow. Appearing on WHAV’s morning show his week, she explained why the school is soliciting bids for a three-year lease.
“We knew we would immediately grow out of that building, but we didn’t have any choices. We put out an RFP, Request for Proposals, last year, looking for space in Haverhill, either ready-made or ready to build out for a school for maybe up to 300 students. I think we are looking for a minimum of 15,000 square feet,” she said.
Those with property to let have a deadline of Friday, Oct. 28, at 10 a.m. The city expects an estimated lease value of $133,000 a year. Marotta said the administration intends to grow the Gateway Academy slowly.
“But, right now we are at capacity in that little building with 100 teenagers,” she said.
The school opened for high school students and added seventh and eighth graders that have issues with attendance, grades or the social aspect to going to school.
Marotta said some students need a smaller, more personalized, school to thrive.
Details about receiving an invitation to bid are on the city’s purchasing office website.
The Gateway Academy, at 26 Belmont Ave., in the city’s Riverside neighborhood, is also having a job fair Thursday, Oct. 13, from 2:30-5 p.m. There are opportunities for a high school math/science teacher, education support professional, math interventionist and student support coordinator. Walk-ins are welcome, but to schedule a tour and interview, call Principal Brian Edmunds at 978-374-3473.
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Haverhill’s public health chief says consensus is building around updated COVID-19 vaccinations becoming as common as flu shots each year.
During a recent interview on WHAV’s morning program, Haverhill Public Health Director Mary Connolly said yearly coronavirus inoculations would target various strains similar to formulas used in flu shots.
“We were speaking with the state yesterday regarding that. It does seem like this is probably going to turn into an annual type of vaccine, yes,” she says.
How that might roll out each fall is being demonstrated this month with flu and COVID-19 clinics offering a variety of vaccination options for residents. As it has been for the past two years, the COVID-19 vaccination is top of mind.
“The booster dose was authorized, the bivalent booster dose. Anybody that’s received a COVID vaccine more than two months ago is eligible for the new bivalent dose. This is a vaccine that is covering different variants of COVID so it’s a little bit different than the initial vaccine we were all given. And, this one is hopefully going be more effective towards the Omnicom variants that have surfaced,” she said.
An Adult Flu Clinic takes place Tuesday, Oct. 11, beginning at 10 a.m., at the Haverhill Citizens Center, 10 Welcome St., Haverhill. Pre-registration is required by calling 978-374-2390, ext. 3915. Walgreens is administering the doses and residents must bring an insurance card. Pneumonia and Moderna’s COVID-19 booster will also be available.
Connolly says the adult Moderna vaccine is also administered Thursdays, from 10 a.m.-3 p.m., and both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, for all ages, will be given Thursdays, from 4 -7 p.m., and Sundays, from 10 a.m.-3 p.m., throughout October.
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The Wall That Heals, a three-quarter scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., is in Methuen this week and open to the public 24 hours a day starting Thursday Morning.
The Wall That Heals also features a mobile Education Center, telling the story of the Vietnam War, The Wall and the divisive era in American history. The exhibit is on display from Thursday, at 9 a.m., through 2 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 2, at Pfc. Richard E Potter Field on Pelham Street. Methuen Veterans Services officer Paul C. Jensen described the event during a recent appearance on WHAV’s morning.
“It basically takes up an entire football field, and the way it’s displayed at the Potter Field, which worked out perfect, it’s actually facing Pelham Street. So, as you drive down Pelham Street and look across that field, you’ll see the entire wall. At night they have LED lights, so it’s lit up. It’s quite a sight. It’s really set up perfectly in that field,” he said.
Jensen said openings for volunteers filled up quickly, with 50 needed for set up and 50 needed to take it down, and anywhere from four to eight volunteers an hour to be at the site while it is open to the public.
“We have two really nice events while it’s here. Friday evening, from 5-6:30 we have the Veterans Den Band, a band by a group of Vietnam Veterans, and they will play at the site from 5 to 6:30. Sunset that night is at 6:27. Then, we will do taps, and a candlelight vigil led by Congresswoman (Lori) Trahan,” he added.
Saturday night, from 5-6:30 p.m., the Vic Shante Band will perform with Taps at 6:30 followed by a candlelight vigil led by Methuen Mayor Neil Perry.
There is more online at cityofmethuen.net/TWTHMethuen.
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This weekend, military veterans may receive free peer support, suicide prevention counseling and other mental health help as the Warrior Support Task Force again sets up shop at Haverhill’s Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
Services for area veterans will be made available Saturday and Sunday, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., at the Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial at Millbrook Park, 111 Mill St., near the entrance of Plug Pond, in Haverhill. Former interim Haverhill Veterans Services Officer Ralph T. Basiliere, chairman of Haverhill's Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial Ad Hoc Commission, was a guest Tuesday on WHAV’s morning show.
“We have hired a licensed mental health counselor that will provide services for five hours each day. We have a lawyer coming to answer questions for free for veterans. We have a trauma sensitive yoga instructor coming that will do all levels of yoga—chair yoga, mat yoga, breathing exercises—she’ll be there throughout the duration of both days,” Bailliere tells WHAV listeners.
Using the slogans “You are not alone” and “It’s okay to not be okay,” Basiliere adds people are available to talk with veterans who believe they may be in need of services or in need of camaraderie.
“We have Veterans Northeast Outreach Clinic coming for eight hours each day, chaplains from the American Legion Riders from the U. S. National Response Corps of the American Legion, Ruth’s House, Home Base is coming Saturday,” he adds.
Basiliere says Haverhill has 8,300 veterans and the Warrior Support Task Force came about following discussions with Haverhill Mayor James J. Fiorentini, Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial Commissioner Patrick Driscoll, Wilbur M. Comeau American Legion Post 4’s Chris Manning, Covanta’s Mark A. Van Weelden and Haverhill’s Veterans Services Office.
Those seeking more information may call Basiliere at 978-891-2281 or email him at basiliere18.rb@gmail.com.
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The aftermath of Haverhill poet John Greenleaf Whittier’s contributions to ending American slavery is the subject of “The Abolitionist’s Refrain,” to be performed Saturday, with the stage being Whittier Birthplace in Haverhill.
“The Abolitionist’s Refrain” was created by playwright Michael Cormier, who recently appeared on WHAV’s morning program.
“Most people don’t realize that he was an abolitionist and a very prominent one in earlier part of his life, and in 1865 that all changed, obviously with the end of the Civil War, the 13th Amendment came to pass. It was the following year that ‘Snowbound’ came out and, from then on, he was basically considered one of the Fireside Poets. That year was a very, very, important year in his life when he kind of changed gears, and that’s when the play takes place,” he said.
Cormier says William Lloyd Garrison, who joined the Abolition movement earlier, became acquainted with the Haverhill-born poet when he published one of his poems in 1826. He enlisted Whittier in the cause of freeing slaves. It was a fight that lasted more than 30 years.
“‘The Abolitionist Refrain’ is basically a study in how a man may have—because of course it’s historical fiction—how he may have been thinking at the time and what made him decide to step away from political ventures and strictly focus on just his poetry,” Cormier said.
He added he is hoping the performance helps introduce Whittier to middle and high school students.
“What we really would like with this play is for some teachers to come out and see it. Hopefully, local teachers will show up. Again that’s Sept. 10, at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. There are two performances. The reason I say this is because I think this would be a very good way for teachers to introduce John Greenleaf Whittier in a whole different light than what children basically know him as,” he added.
“The Abolitionist’s Refrain” makes its premiere, outdoors, at Whittier Birthplace, 305 Whittier Road, in Haverhill. There is a rain date Sunday, Sept. 11. Admission is free, but donations are accepted.
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Lowell-based Entrepreneurship for All, which is opening a Haverhill office, has already helped launch Haverhill startups.
As only WHAV reported last week, the group plans to celebrate Thursday its receipt of a $242,779 grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration for its Haverhill satellite. State Rep. Andy X. Vargas, a former employee of EforAll, told WHAV he had a front row seat to observe the group’s successes.
“I was fortunate enough out of college to have worked for them, for some time, as their marketing and communications lead, and saw all the amazing work that they did in getting entrepreneurs off the ground. There are several in Haverhill, actually, who have gone through the program already because they’ve gone to Lowell, or they’ve gone to Lawrence, where they have their offices and their programs,” he said.
Vargas, appearing on WHAV’s morning show last week, noted some Haverhill businesses launched with the help of EforAll.
“When you think of, for example, Triana’s Real Mexican Food, she’s an EforAll entrepreneur that came through the accelerator program, got mentorship, got some grant funding and she was able to launch and scale her business and now she’s got a storefront, she’s got employees, she got her liquor license and things are going well for her business. When you think of another Haverhill entrepreneur, Goodie Krunch, for example, HamdAllah, which you guys are highlighting in your story, she also came through EforAll,” Vargas said.
For entrepreneurs to be accepted, each must apply to get it, “pitch” their product and take part in the six-month accelerator program.
“The accelerator is a program that, basically think of it as a condensed MBA. Students, entrepreneurs will learn everything from accounting basics to marketing to who’s your customer and really drilling down into understanding what’s your unique value proposition is for your product. So, it’s really a condensed mini-MBA that gets entrepreneurs ready to hit the ground running,” he explained.
EforAll begins operating this fall at Coco Brown’s incubator space at 293 Washington St., in Haverhill. Vargas and Congresswoman Lori Trahan will be on hand Thursday to celebrate the federal grant. The award will be supplemented with contributions from Pentucket Bank, Haverhill Bank, Haverhill Community Development Block Grant program and Essex County Community Foundation. The Haverhill operation is expected to generate 35 jobs and generate $1.1 million in private investment.
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Preparations are well underway in Methuen for the arrival of The Wall That Heals, honoring those that served and sacrificed in the Vietnam War.
Methuen Veterans Services Officer Paul Jensen, a recent guest on WHAV’s morning program, says The Wall arrives Tuesday, Sept. 27, in Methuen.
“The Wall That Heals is a three-quarter scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. Its 375 feet in length and stands seven and a half feet high at its tallest point and it’s the same design as the wall in Washington. It has the chevron-type design. It has LED lighting at night. You can rub names off it just as you can in Washington D. C.,” he says.
The Wall’s arrival is also ceremonial.
“The Wall comes in a large van that also serves as an education center. We will meet up over on Merrimack Street in Methuen and then we will have a motorcycle escort at 12 noon which will go down Merrimack Street, down Pleasant Valley Street and eventually get to Pelham Street where the location is. Then on Wednesday, Sept. 28, we start at eight in the morning. It takes about six hours to set the wall up. We have about 40 to 50 volunteers from the community that assist with the setup of the wall. At 2 p.m. we open for business.”
Jensen says The Wall That Heals will have an opening ceremony on Thursday, Sept. 29, at 9 a.m., at Pfc. Richard E. Potter Field, 125 Pelham St., Methuen. It closes Sunday, Oct. 2, at 2 p.m., allowing volunteers to prepare it for its next stop in Sayre, Penn.
Potter’s Field is next to the Park & Ride on Pelham Street in Methuen. Jensen says visitors will have the same emotional response, as though they were visiting the Wall in Washington, D.C. The Wall is free and open to the public, 24 hours a day during its visit. There’s more online at CityOfMethuen.net.
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Trauma relief programs for veterans and their spouses will benefit from a 24-hour fundraising Muck March next month.
The event supports Mission 22, a nationwide nonprofit with a goal of helping and supporting, veterans and their families and raising awareness of veteran suicide. U.S. Air Force veteran Jim Taylor, a recent guest on WHAV’s morning program, said Recover Resiliency is the organization’s biggest program.
“We have a 12-month program for combat veterans, and then we have a six-month program for veterans. All our programs are for veterans that have PTS, post-traumatic stress, terminal brain injury and military sexual trauma,” he explained.
Mission 22 also offers a six-month spousal program since spouses often suffer just as much as veterans.
“In this program it’s an all-encompassing mind, body, wellness approach. It’s not a pharmaceutical program, and everything is completely free to the participant. We also offer, for veterans that have financial hardships, gym sponsorships and Amare Wellness supplements which are science-backed supplements for sleep, mood and mental health as well,” Taylor noted.
The 24-hour Muck March takes place Saturday, Sept. 24, beginning at 9 a.m., around the track at Northern Essex Community College in Haverhill. It ends at 9 the following morning. Taylor will be walking the track each hour for 50 minutes, taking a 10-minute break every hour. He’ll be wearing a 22- pound Muck Sack the entire time, in honor of Mission 22.
“Typically, what it was used for was moving a lot of equipment from one place to another over a long distance. You just throw everything on everybody’s back and away you go. So, it’s kind of evolved from there,” he explained.
Taylor said the Muck March is open to the public, and donations may be made on-site or online at mission22.com, where there is more information. Mission 22 also has branches in Germany and Japan. Its services are free to veterans and their families.
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Haverhill’s Fifth Annual Restaurant Week will again be bookended by a sold-out, under the stars eating event and a capstone awards night.
In between, more than a dozen local dining establishments are celebrating the year with appropriately priced $20.22 specials. The kickoff is L’Arche Boston North’s Longest Table Thursday, Aug. 18, on the Rep. Brian S. Dempsey Boardwalk. Haverhill Chamber President and CEO Alex Eberhardt said Restaurant Week kicks off in earnest the next day.
“Every single restaurant chooses some items on the menu or some special discounted item where they kind of put those together. It could be something as simple as choose an appetizer and an entrée for $20.22 so you are essentially getting money off to kind of come in and try new items. Or, they may have some special drink items they are bringing to the menu or they could do a special couple’s night out meal where then it could be $20.22 a person, so $40.44,” she said.
L’Arche Boston North Executive Director Jennifer Matthews said Longest Table tickets sold out in about 30 minutes. Eberhardt, a recent guest on WHAV’s morning program, said 15 restaurants are participating starting Friday, Aug. 19.
Restaurants include Peddler’s Daughter, 110 Grill, Barking Dog Ale House, Casa Blanca, G’s Texas Southern Flare, Bradford Brew House, Carbone’s Kitchen, Joseph’s Trattoria Bakery and Café, Krueger Flatbread & Olivia’s, Tawa Tandoor, Stacks, The Tap, Triana’s Real Mexican Food, Keon’s and River Street Café.
There are additional events, including one for Thursday, Aug. 25.
“We’re also doing special events this year. We’re bringing back the Tasty Award at the end of the week to really honor those restaurants and get customers who are coming from all over to go to those restaurants during Restaurant Week when they have their special. Every single participating restaurant this year will have a $20.22 cent special as an ode to the year 2022, in addition to other things they are doing as well. But every single one will have that special on the table,” said Eberhardt.
Diners will vote for Tasty Awards in such categories as Most Amazing Restaurant Owner, Best Chef, Best Vibe, Best Barista, Most Memorable Staff Personality, Favorite Bartender, Favorite Regular also known as “Bar Stool Hero,” Best Pizza Spinner, Tastiest Dessert, Around the World—Favorite Cultural Cuisine, Customer Choice—Restaurant and Customer Choice—Personality.
The Tasty Awards take place from 5:30-8:30 p.m., at Barking Dog Ale House, 77 Washington St., Haverhill, with a $20 admission, available at crafthaverhill.com.
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It’s show time for the John Greenleaf Whittier Drama Club in Haverhill.
For the past several weeks about 35 students have been working on their theatrical skills and will debut their version of The Lion King Jr. tonight. Bobby Gariepy, drama coach and music teacher at John Greenleaf Whittier School, appeared live over 97.9 WHAV this past Monday.
“We’re doing the Lion King Jr at Consentino Middle School right now as our summer program through the Discovery Club of Haverhill,” he said.
Performances takes place tonight, Aug. 3, at 5 p.m., and tomorrow with two shows at 2 and 5 p.m. Gariepy says The Lion King Jr. is a mix of various productions.
“I like to call it a health mix of the original 1990s movie, the animated version, kind of reworked with the modernized version, and the Broadway material as well. So, it’s a healthy mix of all three components, and there’s a lot of really amazing, beautiful chants in various different African languages that the kids are singing. It’s quite an experience. The kids are having a blast,” Gariepy said.
Gariepy said the production borrowed costumes from Amesbury Middle School for which he gave thanks. Advance tickets are $5 for students and seniors, $7 at the door and online streaming tickets may be purchased for $10, available at JGWDrama.com.
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New infrastructure, a dog park and public art are among the items on the Groveland town administrator’s agenda.
Town Administrator Rebecca Oldham, a recent guest on WHAV’s morning program, talked about the Uptack Road Culvert Replacement Project, plans to bring in fiber connecting Groveland Town Hall with the Public Safety Building and Langley-Adams Library, a $25,000 grant from the Stanton Foundation to develop plans for a new dog park and a state Shared Streets grant resulting in a mural being painted on Main Street.
“The intent is that there is essentially that there is a crucial connection in front of the Stark & Cronk Building that does not have sidewalks and we wanted to provide a connection so that people could safely get from the existing sidewalk over to the sidewalk on Main Street along the river. This was a fun and playful way to acknowledge where that connection could be, and where it should be, and potentially lead to a more permanent sidewalk installation to show just how crucial that connection is,” Oldham said.
Oldham also discussed the expanded bus service to Groveland by the Merrimack Valley Regional Transit Authority. It brings transportation to the library, town hall and Groveland Housing Authority
“It’s nice to see the public transportation come this way. We were heavy users of the Ring and Ride services that are provided by the MVRTA. We were one of the communities with the highest use numbers. So, this was really common sense when we saw it, just getting right over the bridge,” she said.
Another recent WHAV morning show guest was MVRTA Administrator Noah S. Berger. He credited Oldham with helping to bring bus service to the town by making a slight route adjustment.
“But one of the things in straightening out the Route 18 bus that used to stop at the plaza is Riverside is it bought some time to jump over the bridge and go to Groveland, which folks there have been asking for a number of years. They could see it, just over the bridge, but weren’t able to get there. So, that’s been a great new opportunity for us, serve a new community and really connect the Merrimack Valley in the ways we were designed to do,” he said.
Oldham also said that work is continuing on putting information together from a recent series of community forums that will eventually become Groveland’s master plan.
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“Moments of Bravery,” a 50-photograph exhibit of local firefighters and first responders risking their lives to protect others, goes on display next week at the Haverhill Firefighting Museum.
Taken by Mike Jarvis, the photographs feature firefighters and other first responders from Haverhill, Lawrence, Methuen, Andover, Amesbury, Merrimac, West Newbury, Newburyport, Newbury, Plaistow, N.H., and other communities. Haverhill Firefighting Museum Board member Dave Shultz, a recent guest on WHAV’s morning program, described the exhibit.
“In addition to documenting the fire events, or the emergency events, as a whole, he has captured the first responders, he captured the people, of the comradery of the firefighting teams and moments of bravery that are moving and harrowing and sometimes even beautiful,” Shultz said.
Shultz said there will be a written narrative, but the real impact centers around the photographs and the stories they tell.
“Not really a chronicling of the events themselves, but more just of the images of the firefighters in capturing their bravery, and even some light-hearted times. There’s one in particular that really stands out to me a firefighter holding a kitten that was rescued from home. So, it’s things like that,” he explained.
Opening night for “Moments of Bravery” is Thursday, July 21, from 5-8 p.m. at Haverhill Firefighting Museum, 75 Kenoza Ave. Light refreshments will be served. The exhibit remains on display every Saturday, from noon-4 p.m., until Oct. 1.
Jarvis has more than 15 years of experience working in concert and event production. He has worked with some of the biggest names in the industry, including Steven Tyler of Aerosmith, Lady Gaga, Zac Brown, Paul McCartney, Godsmack, Shinedown, Justin Timberlake, Dave Matthews Band, Billy Joel, Lynyrd Skynard, the Eagles and Green Day.
Since the emergence of COVID-19 in 2020, Jarvis put his knowledge and creative eye to raise awareness and support local first responders. Capturing local first responders over the past few years and capturing moments of bravery has been a real passion for Mike Jarvis.
“Few people know or realize the dangers first responders, especially firefighters, face daily and at fire scenes,” he said in a separate statement.
Shultz said Jarvis will be adding new photographs during the exhibit’s run, keeping the display fresh and encouraging people to return.
“It’s pretty remarkable, the work that he has done. I have to say that some of the images he has captured in this are quite amazing. So, I’m actually, really looking forward to this thing finishing up be displayed and see what people think,” Shultz added.
The Haverhill Firefighting Museum has the largest display of historic firefighting artifacts in the area, including fire trucks, musters, and just about everything related to firefighting, including many activities for children. More information is available on the museum’s Facebook page, and online at www.HaverhillFirefightingMuseum.org.
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Learning the basics of how government works is a lesson that state Rep. Linda Dean Campbell wants to make sure is taught in the schools.
Campbell, who represents Methuen and Haverhill and not running for re-election this fall, recently worked with Haverhill state Rep. Andy X. Vargas to advocate for support to further the state’s nearly four-year-old civics education requirement
“It was fantastic because you had the older person, like myself, and you had the younger person, like Andy, really, really pushing for this. He brought so much to the table. He brought a lot of excitement with young people,” Campbell said during a recent appearance on WHAV’s morning show.
As previously reported by WHAV, Campbell said the legislature committed $1.5 million for civics education in each of the past three state budgets, with much of the money going directly to schools to help with curriculum implementation. She said it’s her observation that the country seems to be splitting apart and recent Supreme Court decisions on firearms and abortion, are “hot button issues.”
“I think it’s a time of great challenge nationally, providing our young people, who are going to be making the rules in our society, I think providing them with at least a fundamental understanding of the basic documents and how we attempt in our country to make democracy work. I think it’s so important,” she explained.
Campbell said it’s also important for young people to develop the skills necessary to critically check their sources of information.
“You know the provision we talked about a lot with the law was how to check information, to try and give them the skills, because they’re all online. They don’t read newspapers and magazines. So, to help these young adults figure out how to get information, how to check it, and I think that’s a really important part of the law as well,” she added
Campbell also recognized WHAV’s news efforts. “You know the service you provide for folks, I think, and along the lines of what we’ve been talking about, I think it’s a really important public service. So, thank you for what you do as well.”
Campbell called sponsoring the civics law one of her “proudest achievements,” saying it provides a nonpartisan approach and includes “a hands-on, project-based approach” that helps students learn firsthand how democracy works, and how they can make their voices heard.
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Interviews with both Haverhill Firefighters Local 1011 President Timothy Carroll and Mayor James J. Fiorentini may be heard back-to-back on WHAV’s “Merrimack Valley Newsmakers” podcasts.
Haverhill city councilors meet again tonight to decide whether to approve a city spending plan for the year that starts July 1.
One of the sticking issues is fire department staffing levels. Both Mayor James J. Fiorentini and Haverhill Firefighters Local 1011 President Timothy Carroll both pitched their points of view directly to the public on WHAV’s morning show. Last week, Fiorentini argued the City Council should not give in to pressure from the firefighters’ union
“We don’t just represent special interest groups. We shouldn’t just represent unions who may be politically powerful. We have to represent the whole city. The taxpayers of the city. Everyone. And, the firefighters are pressuring them to add more mandatory overtime to their budget and I understand why. I get that, but the city councilors should not be caving into this. They should be looking out for the taxpayers and the best interest of the city,” the mayor said.
Meanwhile, Carroll, who was a WHAV guest Monday, said disagreements with the mayor have been going for a long time.
“The fact of the matter is for 19 years, the mayor and the fire union hasn’t gotten along. Everything the mayor does with us is to hurt us in some way, shape or fashion. He’s trying to take our firefighters out of dispatch and put civilians in there, which in turn would cost the city another $50,000 to $100,000 dollars a year in salaries and overtime, because civilians can’t work 24-hour shifts. So, that would cost the city more money and he doesn’t care about the cost in that aspect because he just wants to punish the firefighters in any way or shape he can,” he said.
Carroll said statistics show that increasing the staffing of three firefighters per truck to four firefighters per truck would result in a 68% decrease in the chance of an injury, while increasing 25% to 50% the ability to get more work done on a fire scene.
Other areas of contention are amount that should be allocated for youth mental health activities and the cutting of the school’s assistant facilities director.
The Haverhill City Council meets tonight at 7, remotely and in-person at the Theodore A. Pelosi Jr. Council Chambers, room 202, Haverhill City Hall, 4 Summer St., As a public service, 97.9 WHAV plans to carry the meeting live.
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With the school year now complete, the old Pentucket Regional Middle/High School has been turned over to the construction management company for environmental abatement, then demolition.
A new building replaces the Pentucket Regional Middle and High Schools. The School District Building Committee said the 66-year-old middle school and 55-year-old high school suffered from cracks in its foundation, corroded plumbing and a maxed out electrical system. Pentucket Regional School Superintendent Justin Bartholomew, a recent guest on WHAV’s morning program, said a lot of people have been nostalgic, asking for a brick, or a locker. Most of the building, however, is going to be recycled.
“So, it’s not everything goes into one container and goes in a landfill. They take all of it, or 90-95% of it. They take it and they recycle it. So, the bricks go off to a different place to get reused or to get smashed up to be used as, whatever it is they use it as, but it’s really innovative. It’s part of the bid process for sure, but we’re also going for a LEED Gold. We’ll be LEED Silver but we’re going for LEED Gold which means we have to meet certain requirements. We try to renew and reuse as much as possible that it’s, one, good for the environment and definitively good for our bottom-line number.”
To obtain LEED—which means Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design— Gold status, the new Pentucket Regional Middle/High School will have a state-of-the-art HVAC system and solar roof panels, which will reduce the building’s energy footprint and lower carbon emissions. It’s estimated items will save $2-million dollars in energy costs over the next 20 years.
The $146.2-million project was designed by Dore & Whittier, of Newburyport, with Vertex, of Weymouth, serving as the project manager and W.T. Rich, of Newton, as the Construction Manager.
Bartholomew said athletic fields and parking will replace the old buildings.
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Haverhill Public Schools are getting ready to close the current year, but planning ahead for summer school and expansion and improvements in the fall.
The School District is expanding enrollment at its Gateway Alternative School next year and will holding a cookout this afternoon for parents, guardians and students to meet the staff and ask questions. School Superintendent Margaret Marotta, a guest Tuesday on WHAV’s morning program, said the Gateway School has been a small program for students struggling at the high school level. Starting this fall, it expands to include students in the seventh and eighth grades.
“So, it’s going to be located, presently, at the Crowell School, over in Riverside. We are going to start our school there. We’ll probably grow it eventually and, for anybody who might be interested in those grades we are having a cookout this Thursday night starting at five at the Crowell School. People can go to our website and we’d love to have people just come down, meet the staff and see if the school makes sense for them,” Marotta said.
Marotta said the Gateway School is limited to around 120 students versus the 2,000 students at Haverhill High School. She said some of the indicators that a student may benefit from the program may be that a student believes Haverhill High isn’t a good fit for them or they may have issues with attendance, grades or the social aspect to going to school. Marotta says some students just need a smaller, more personalized, school to thrive.
On another topic, Marotta said finals at the high school are this week. Next Tuesday night will see ceremonies marking the end of the school year, and Wednesday, June 15, is the final day of the school year.
“So, we are winding down next week for this school year, but then we are winding back up at the end of June for the summer program at the high school and, mid-July, for our summer camps and summer programs at all of our other schools. So, if there are any parents out there listening, just realizing now that summer is two weeks away and they need to make a plan for their child, we do have some space left, and they can get in touch with the office at their school,” she noted
Meanwhile, registration is ongoing for students entering kindergarten in the fall, along with new students to the Haverhill School system. Haverhill school officials are in the process of hiring teachers and support staff for the new school year.
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Residents have a rare opportunity to hear the 215th Army Band of the Massachusetts Army National Guard perform in early July at Haverhill’s Riverside Park.
Haverhill Veterans Services Officer Jeffrey C. Hollett, a recent guest on WHAV’s morning program, says a free concert takes place Thursday, July 7, thanks to the efforts of Veterans Northeast Outreach Center and the city.
“The VENOC reached out to us because they were in contact with the commander of the 215th Army Band, and the Army Band actually had a cancellation. They are performing down in Fall River and the week falling on the seventh there was an opening. Through that contact with the VENOC they reached out to me and I reached out to the communications director for the city’s mayor and we were able to put that together pretty quickly,” he said.
Hollett says just about everyone will be hearing something they enjoy.
“They actually consist of 25 to 30 different performers and within those performers they actually play down to what they call musical performance teams. So, they cover everything from pop to classical. They have a vocal quartet. They even do drum and fife. So, they are a very diverse crew and they kind of have a mission. Their mission is telling the Army story as well as honoring our veterans and making community ties throughout Massachusetts,” he explains.
Hollett says the performance is scheduled for Thursday, July 7, from 6-8:30 p.m., at Haverhill’s Riverside Park. Discussions are underway to determine if fireworks can be added to the evening. He’s also working with other city departments about the possibility of having food vendors on site
“It’s great because the 215th Army Band appeals to everyone, so whatever your musical tastes or likes are there’s definitely going to be something for everyone down there. So, we want everyone to come on down, enjoy the day, enjoy the bands, hopefully the fireworks to follow and make a picnic of it, and have a wonderful day. Meet some veterans while you’re down there.”
Hollett says, as Haverhill’s new veterans services officer, he is views the evening as a way to give back to the community.
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Haverhill Veterans Services Officer Jeffrey C. Hollett now in his fourth week on the job, has been busy building relationships with are organizations helping and supporting veterans.
A recent guest on WHAV’s morning show, Hollett says, working collaboratively is very important.
“The game in Veterans Services today is really about building those relationships with as many resources that are available out there. Some people like to consider a veterans services officer as a one stop shop, and the reality is that it’s really not,” he explained.
Among his local contacts are Veterans Northeast Outreach Center Executive Director Scott Forbes; the Haverhill Exchange Club, which is operating the Hometown Heroes Program; and Veterans of Foreign Wars Lorraine Post 29 Commander Shawn Watkins.
With Memorial Day later this month, Hollett says, one group often overlooked is families of veterans. He says Memorial Day focuses on those who made the ultimate sacrifice by giving their lives in service to their country, but veterans families, known as Gold Star Families, have also made supreme sacrifices.
“And, that price is being paid every day, and I know it only too well now because now I reflect back on my years of service, and what I put my family through, my parents, because now my son is in the Reserves. He’s only been in the Reserves three and a half years. He’s already been deployed to Iraq once and he’s currently on orders to be transferred to a unit down in Georgia, and we know that unit is going to be deployed, but we don’t know yet where,” he notes.
Hollett, of Lynn, came to Haverhill after working in Dracut as the veterans services officer, and says he sees the position as a career and fulfilling a passion. He can be reached at the Haverhill Citizens Center, 10 Welcome St., and may be reached at 978-374-2351.
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Residents in two of the three towns making up the Pentucket Regional School District are being asked to consider overriding the state’s tax limiting law to pay for the school district’s nearly $50 million spending plan for next year
Groveland and Merrimac voters will consider what’s called an “operational budget override,” while West Newbury officials believe the added amount can be accommodated in the town’s planned budget. School Superintendent Justin Bartholomew told WHAV this week this is the district’s first Proposition 2 ½ override request in 10 years, and it mostly centers around transportation costs.
“As we negotiate our transportation contracts for our both our regular buses and special education buses, and we did not get full funding for regional transportation, which we were supposed to get. So, those three items alone put us back $583,000.”
Bartholomew added the spending plan includes six special education teaching positions and several other support positions. The posts are in keeping with guidelines recommended by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act “desperately needed” to meet student needs.
While the school district’s budget tends to rise annually by $1-1.4 million, he blamed the state for an education formula that provides only $69,000 more this year.
“So that $69,000 is not helping much. This has just been one of those disturbing trends that the state is focusing their money on more urban districts which certainly we agree that they need, but really pulling away from communities like ours,” he said.
He added the state approach is “severely burdening out taxpayers.”
Budget increases are not related to construction of the new middle and high schools which were approved under separate override votes.
Merrimac residents consider the issue at their Town Meeting Monday, April 25, while Groveland voters have the override question on their Town Meeting warrant scheduled for Monday, May 23. Two of the three towns must approve the override for the school budget to take effect.
If approved, Groveland residents with a home valued at $400,000 would pay $139.30 more annually and Merrimac residents with a home valued at the same amount would pay $186.92 more.
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Haverhill’s John Greenleaf Whittier School Drama Club is preparing for its upcoming production of Disney’s Moana JR. in June, but the club must raise money first with donations and its fourth annual talent show this afternoon, April 8.
J.G. Whittier music and drama teacher Bobby Gariepy appeared live over WHAV last week, talking about the talent show taking place at 3:30 p.m. in the John Greenleaf Whittier School auditorium.
“We have some fifth and sixth grade girls who have fantastic singing voices, so they are going to be singing some songs for you. I have one kid who is doing card tricks, and then I’m also performing a song and the Willie Wonka Drama Club will be performing as well. A couple of other fun things. It looks like some teachers will be performing too. So, you know, that will be fun to see as well,” he said.
Tickets for the talent show are $5 online at JGWDrama.com and $7 at the door. Money raised will help pay for the production of Moana JR., taking place June 3-5 at the school. Auditions for roles in the show are open to Haverhill Public School students in grades 3 through 9, taking place April 11-13. Students may sign up for the auditions at JGWDrama.com, where donations are also accepted.
It's been a busy year for the John Greenleaf Whittier Drama Club.
“We started this year doing Willie Wonka Jr. We had the rights to the musical for a couple of years because of COVID. We were finally able to put up a production in December and, using that, we are spring boarding into our spring production of Moana JR.
Moana JR is a story about an adventurous teenager who embarks on a daring mission across the Pacific Ocean to save her people. Tonight’s talent show helps pay for licensing fees.
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Members of the Haverhill Police Relief Association hockey team are sharpening their skates and preparing for their upcoming game with the Boston Bruins Alumni this Saturday.
The game, whose proceeds help provide support for the officers of the Haverhill Police Department and their families, takes place this Saturday, April 2, at 2 p.m., at Veterans Memorial Rink, 137 Monument St., Haverhill. Sgt. James B. Keenan, president of the Haverhill Police Relief Association, a recent guest on WHAV’s morning program, told listeners the team is ready for gametime
“They practice about once a week, on their nights off. I don’t know exactly where they do their practicing, but they’re in a league and had a pretty good season last year,” he said.
Keenan says fans attending the game will also have a chance to meet “The Big Bad Bruins.”
“In between periods, the Bruins Alumni supply a souvenir autograph book and those attending will have a chance to meet those players and get autographs,” he said.
Besides the game, the Haverhill Police Relief Association will be collecting canned and paper goods and toiletries for donation to Sacred Hearts Parish Food Pantry, where Father John Delaney also serves as the police department’s chaplin.
The Haverhill Police Relief Association has been around for 67 years.
“We were established in 1955. It’s an association that assists the members if there is a death, or a disability, in the family to help them along. And, we do a lot of things for the retirees at this point. We also maintain the memorial outside the station, so that’s pretty much what the umbrella of the Relief Association is,” Keenan explained.
Tickets are $20 per adult and $15 per child under 12, and available in the Haverhill Police Station lobby, by emailing hpra@haverhillpolice.com or available on game day, this Saturday April 2, 2 p.m., at the Veterans Memorial Rink, next to Haverhill High School.
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The Wall That Heals, three-quarter scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, is coming to Massachusetts in September with local Vietnam veterans who died eligible to be honored as part of the In Memory Honor Roll in the mobile Education Center.
The Wall That Heals will be open Thursday through Sunday, Sept. 22-25, at the Veterans Administration Edith Norse Rogers Hospital in Bedford, part of the VA Healthcare System. Kat Bailey, VA Public affairs officer, was a recent guest on WHAV’s morning program.
“So it’s really, really cool. The Wall that Heals is transported from community to community. So, Methuen is a sister community that’s going to have the wall, in September as well. It comes in a 53-foot trailer and when it’s parked, it’s open to the exhibits built into its sides that tells the story of the Vietnam War and wall and divisive era in American history,” she explained.
Bailey said thousands of visitors are expected every day during the time The Wall is in Bedford. She added one of the most interesting parts of having The Wall is the segment that goes with it known as the In Memory Program.
“It honors the Vietnam veterans who died after returning home, and all veterans from Massachusetts are honored in the In Memory program. It will have their photo and their name on display as part of the mobile education center when the Wall That Heals is here. And, to honor a veteran is free and it’s a really simple application process and all that information is up on our website.”
The web address is va.gov/bedford-health-care. Bailey said the VA Hospital in Bedford is the only federal location that will be hosting The Wall that Heals this year, and sponsors and volunteers are needed. Those interested may email VHABedTheWalThatHeals@va.gov.
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A Haverhill native is participating in the Paralympics currently underway in Beijing, China.
Twenty-five-year-old Griffin LaMarre is a goalie on the Team USA Sled Hockey Team. In a WHAV interview with his mother, Donna, it was revealed Griffin, born with hereditary spastic paraplegia, entered hockey only as a second choice.
“We are a skiing family. We ski up at Sunday River, and they have the only free adaptive ski program in the country. So, my husband and my son were involved with that. He started, actually ski racing with adaptive equipment, and he was training to be on the Paralympic ski team, but at a camp, when he was 12 years old—I think maybe 11 years old—he broke both his legs. He adjusted out of his skis and broke both his legs. So, he decided that he really wasn’t going to go back to skiing,” she explained.
On LaMarre’s road to recovery from broken legs, Donna said Griffin was fortunate to be treated by someone who “had an idea” and “knew someone.”
“His physical therapist had a friend who was running the disabled sports program at UNH, which is called Northeast Passage. So, he referred us up there and he got in a sled, and he’s never gotten out,” she said.
The USA Paralympics Hockey team is scheduled to play today and Sunday, March 13, after receiving a bye following the removal of Russia from the games. LeMarre made his Team USA debut in goal during a 9-1 victory against South Korea.
“If you read any of the things from the Olympics, it is the same venue that they had for the summer Olympics in Beijing. I think it was in 2008, and the same exact venue for the Olympics that were just there in February. And, just as a side note, what Paralympics actually means is it mirrors the Olympics, it para-mirrors the Olympics, so the venues and the same, the ski hills are the same, everything is exactly the same except the athletes are disabled,” she explained.
The games are expected to air during prime time, Friday and Sunday. Those interested are advised to check listings for the USA Network, Peacock, The Olympic Channel and NBC. Television channels are subject to change.
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Local businesses, recently surveyed by the Haverhill-based Merrimack Valley Planning Commission, are reporting confidence levels back to pre-pandemic levels, but note challenges to overcome.
Community and Economic Development Planner Nate Robertson, a recent guest on WHAV’s morning program, said there is still some wobbling.
“We see that, though labor force participation is up, we have historic job openings. We also have historic quit rates, increased early retirements, people switching jobs, a lot of sort of industry shuffle going on here in the local economy,” he said.
Robertson said one of the causes of labor shortage is that Massachusetts’ population growth rate has slowed.
“For the first time, we more deaths than births happening in Massachusetts. Obviously, this is probably a result of the pandemic we have all been going through for the past few years. All new population growth in Massachusetts actually comes from births and international migration, and so with the birth rate down and the death rate up and lower international migration, we are seeing fewer and fewer people coming to Massachusetts which leads to a tighter and tighter labor market,” he explained.
Robertson said a survey of about 30 businesses in the Merrimack Valley, mostly manufacturers, indicated 93% said hiring workers is their greatest challenge. Two-thirds of them are reducing productivity because of the shortage. One solution may be more affordable housing since, over the years, population growth has outstripped the production of housing, not only in the Merrimack Valley, but also across the east coast.
Robertson added Massachusetts Growth Capital Corporation is releasing $75-million statewide, in grants to small businesses impacted by the pandemic. Information on the program may be found at WeAreMV.com.
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Haverhill High School students in the Early College program at Northern Essex Community College have an opportunity to earn associate degrees for free.
Haverhill High School Principal Jason Meland, a recent guest on WHAV’s morning program, explains tuition is paid by the Richard and Susan Smith Family Foundation. The Newton, Mass.-based foundation awarded a $250,000 grant to launch the Promise Program next year, which allows Early College students to complete degrees they started in high school.
“In addition to expanding 9 through 12, our Early College offerings for kids, we’re going to be adding a 13th year, so kids who are engaged in Early College as juniors and seniors will have the option, next year, to opt into one more year,” he said.
Meland noted, during the additional year, students will be spending 100% of their time as college students on the campus of Northern Essex Community College. It comes with additional support and collaboration between Haverhill High and the College.
“And, they’ll be able to their associates degree by the end of that 13th year, this year at Haverhill High, which they’ll spend technically as college students. What it will do is get them, one year after high school, their associates degree for free,” the principal said.
Meland adds the $250,000 grant allows the program to be offered to 30 students next year, and then will be self-sustaining using state funding that Haverhill High School receives.
Since 2017, according to its website, the Richard and Susan Smith Family Foundation has invested nearly $10 million in more than half of the pioneering Early Colleges in Massachusetts, including those in Lawrence, Chelsea, Lowell, Lynn, Framingham and Boston.
“Students are graduating from high school with thousands of college credits, saving their families millions of dollars and reducing the time it takes to earn their degrees,” the Foundation reports.
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One positive result of the COVID-19 pandemic was a sharing of resources that culminated in the recent agreement between Lawrence General Hospital and Steward Health Care’s Holy Family Hospital and St. Elizabeth.
Lawrence General President and CEO Deborah Wilson, a recent guest on WHAV’s morning show, said the pandemic helped bring about the collaboration.
“One of the things about the pandemic, and it was so horrible, and we’ve all been struggling with the recent surge, but one of the things that was really good about the pandemic is that local institutions came together, in very stressful circumstances, to help deal with the patient issues during the pandemic crisis,” she said.
Wilson said the partnership between non-profit Lawrence General, and for-profit Steward St. Elizabeth’s and Steward Holy Family will allow the facilities to invest in the physicians and technology to bring Boston level Health Care to the Merrimack Valley
“The importance of this is that, by working together, we are going to be doing our very best to keep care local. And, to offer a level of services here at each hospital that sometimes patients sometimes need to travel to Boston for. So, there are things like thoracic surger that often times will have to go to Boston and that won’t be necessary anymore. These are things that are very helpful to the patient, again, not having to travel to Boston, but it’s a Boston level of care right here in the Merrimack Valley,” she added.
Wilson said the physicians at Lawrence General, and the community at large, are excited about the affiliation. They point to the opportunity to bring additional high value and high-quality care to the Merrimack Valley while also having access to the services offered by Steward’s St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Boston.
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Those requiring medical care and prefer being close to home in the Merrimack Valley are helped by a new agreement involving Lawrence General Hospital, Holy Family Hospital and St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center.
Holy Family Hospital President Craig Jesiolowski, a recent guest on WHAV’s morning program, said the agreement means the local hospitals will work together while remaining independent. He explains how the collaboration came together.
“This started out probably about two, two and a half, years ago when Deb Wilson became the president of Lawrence General Hospital. I sat down with her and said, ‘Listen, you know what, we are a couple of miles apart at the most, and we should be working together in any way we can to improve access. We share medical staff. Most of the physicians in the community are on both medical staffs. How can we get together and improve access?’”
Jesiolowski says the agreement is designed to enhance care delivery, lower costs and improve quality, noting it “won’t change anything dramatically. It will be more in internal than external.” Lawrence General Hospital will maintain its independence, staying a not-for-profit hospital. Holy Family will remain part of Steward Health Care, and the partnership is founded among three main pillars.
“Jointly explore how to best to expand access to specialty care across multiple service lines at Lawrence General and Holy Family. We’ll do that through St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center that has the specialist as a tertiary, or quaternary, provider that a community hospital like Lawrence General or Holy Family wouldn’t have. So, we would be able to access their specialist to come to the Merrimack Valley and establish clinics here to keep as much care local,” he explains.
Jesiolowski says the arrangement also helps the two hospitals in their efforts to retain and recruit physicians by offering an expanded patient base, combining the two hospitals, along with the specialty services of St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Brighton, which is also part of Steward Health Care System. The agreement is expected to allow the two hospitals to explore alternative payment arrangements that foster coordinated care for higher quality at lower costs.
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Haverhill and the entire Merrimack Valley is on the storm watch with an expected 18 inches of snow expected to fall between tonight and tomorrow night.
On WHAV’s morning show, Haverhill Mayor James Fiorentini talked about how the city is prepared for the storm.
“Our crews are prepared. They’re working hard and I’m very, very proud of them. We had a pre-planning meeting the other day. We have another one scheduled for noon, but planning for this really starts months ahead. They have the men. They have the equipment. We have the private plowing. We have some brand new equipment, and they’re ready,” he said.
The mayor also asked the public to do its part.
“I will be declaring a snow emergency at some point today. A snow emergency means that if you live downtown or one of the snow emergency routes such as Emerson Street or the upper part of River Street, your car must be off both sides of the street. So, if you live in one of those areas, please make alternative areas to park. Both of the garages downtown will be open and you can move your car there, but please cooperate and keep your car off the street,” he said.
Highway Superintendent Michael Arpino talked about early preparations including pre-treating the roads in anticipation of the storm.
“We are pre-treating the roads with some salt. That way, when it does start snowing, the snow doesn’t stick to the streets right away. This is going to be a long duration storm. They are saying we may get up to two feet of snow, so we are out there pre-treating right now. It’s going to be long duration. The guys are going to be able to get a little bit of rest before they have to be here for 48 hours basically, if not more, as we clean up,” Arpino said.
The mayor said he’s expected to announce a snow emergency at some point today and reminded residents to park on the odd side of the street if needed, but encouraged residents to get their cars off the street all together in order to assist in the street clearing in the city.
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Pentucket Regional High School recently received national recognition for its field hockey program.
Pentucket Regional Superintendent Justin Bartholomew, who was a recent guest on WHAV’s morning program, praised veteran coach Ruth Beaton. She led the team to a record of 19-2-1 and a berth in the State Tournament’s Final Four, which Bartholomew says, is the best record in Pentucket history.
“She’s been in the program almost 30 years. Because of the amazing obstacles they overcame, their incredible run in the state tournament, she was recognized as the United States Field Hockey Coach of the Year. Just a shout out to Ruth Beaton, well deserved, Pentucket graduate and you can’t beat it when you have a hometown person who just instills all the virtues, values and work ethic into the next generation of kids. You just love to see it, and that recognition is so well deserved, he adds.
Bartholomew also raised a mystery about a recently recovered class ring. It was found by someone working on a house in Haverhill, who brought it to Bartholomew’s office.
“He had with him an old Pentucket Regional High School Class ring, class of 1968. He was doing work on a house in Haverhill, and it just kind of fell out of the ceiling. It’s in great shape. There are initials on it, they are G.A.H. and, in the class of 68 yearbook, there is nobody with those initials, G.A.H. So, what we are trying to do is to help this gentleman reunite the ring with the owner of the ring,” he explains.
If anyone has information about the original owner, who would have marked G.A.H. on the class of 1968 ring, is asked to call the Pentucket Regional School District office at 978-363-2280.
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Haverhill children, from infants through age five, could soon be recipients of free books from Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.
The program will be conducted through Haverhill Promise, the Campaign for Grade Level Reading. Director Jenny Arndt was a recent guest on WHAV’s morning program and said the Haverhill Education Foundation has agreed to underwrite the program the first year. Arndt said the country singer and songwriter has been a champion for reading for many years and established an international program to encourage young readers.
“So, Dolly knows, the same that we know at Haverhill Promise, that just simply having more books in the home has been proven to improve reading outcomes for kids because they’re excited about books. We parents want to sit down and read the books or an older sibling wants to read with you,” she explained.
Parton’s program delivers one, age appropriate, book per month to each child enrolled.
“So, every month your child will get a book in the mail specifically for them, that is age and developmentally appropriate, just to help build up their home libraries,” Arndt said.
She added the foundation does a good job of selecting titles.
“The Dolly Parton Foundation has this wonderful team of educators and parents and all kinds of people that select the books every year. I was able to go and look at all the books that they gave away this past year and the year before, and they are really wonderful. There’s a great variety. I believe about one quarter of them are bilingual, English and Spanish, which we are very excited about for our city.”
Arndt said the project launches soon by enrolling babies served by the local Women, Infants and Children nutrition program. Those looking to help contribute to the project may visit HaverhillPromise.com for details. Information about the Dolly Parton Imagination Library is also available at ImaginationLibrary.com.
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The Merrimack River Watershed Council wants to know whether and how residents use the Merrimack River for recreational purposes.
The organization, working with Boston University School of Public Health, is in the midst of conducting a survey, which Susie Bresney, of the Watershed Council, says has two goals.
“One is to do a health risk assessment, which the folks at BU are really heading. The idea of that is to compare the recreation information, which we will get from the survey, with water quality information to understand if, and how much of a risk there might be associated with doing these activities in the river when we know at times the river has high bacteria concentrations in it,” she explains.
Bresney serves as the Council’s Massachusetts Water Resources Program manager, and was a recent guest on WHAV’s morning program. She adds the other goal of the survey is to better understand the recreational aspects of using the Merrimack River.
“Who has access to use the river for recreation and who doesn’t. And how can we, as the Watershed Council, do a better job to make the river available to other people. If it’s lack of knowing where to go, could that be a recreational guide? If it’s not enough boat ramps or not enough signage or not enough programming like we lead kayak trips throughout the summer, and maybe that’s something we could do more of to make that accessible to more people,” she said.
Bresney says responses help the Watershed Council increase access to the river and advocate for improvements. The group is looking to wrap up the survey soon, and those responding will be entered into a raffle for one of four $25 gift cards to Market Basket or a paddling trip. The survey is available online only at Merrimack.org and responses are anonymous.
Besides WHAV.net, WHAV’s “Merrimack Valley Newsmakers” podcasts are available via Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Spotify, Stitcher, iHeart Radio, Google Podcasts, TuneIn and Alexa.
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Concerns about the spread of COVID-19 dominate the headlines, but the YWCA of Northeastern Massachusetts also remains busy tracking other women’s health issues.
Director of Advancement Eunice Zeigler, a recent guest on WHAV’s morning program, said the YW’s women’s health program, which has been operating for the past 20 years, quickly realized the pandemic was having an adverse on the treatment of women’s breast health and took steps to address it.
“We have a partnership with Lawrence General by which women would come to our health advocate in the women’s health program and talk about what they are experiencing, and the health advocate would coordinate with Lawrence General to coordinate to schedule mammogram services for them,” she explained.
As a result, Zeigler said, they uncovered issues caused by the pandemic, and the women’s health program is starting to show some positive results.
“There were quite a few women who had findings and, of the women who had findings, there were about 25 women who had findings, for three of them we were able to early detect breast cancer and get them on a regimen so that they could recover and fight breast cancer and have a good change of building up their immunity and going into a strong recovery,” she said.
The YWCA, has other women’s health issues that, organization officials say, also need to be kept track of. The YWCA’s, was a recent guest on WHAV’s morning program and said
Zeigler says the YWCA, with a Haverhill office at 107 Winter St., seeks to expand its health program to cover chronic disease management and provide more education. Community partners, and individuals, cam help pay for the effort by calling 978-788-6339 or emailing EZeiglar@ywcanema.org.
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One of the most popular indoor flowering plants this time of year is the poinsettia, and WHAV’s gardening expert recently gave advice for its care.
Nationally known Melinda Myers, host of WHAV’s “Melinda’s Garden Moment,” made a special, live presentation last week on WHAV’s morning show.
“If it’s wrapped in foil, you can leave it in foil, but then the edge is down so the light gets to the leaves from top to bottom. Sometimes that foil wrap gets up over the lower leaves, light can’t get in…they turn yellow. And, when I go to parties and people are having problems with a poinsettia the first thing I do is lift it up out of the decorative basket, or foil, and there’s usually an inch of water in the bottom because, you water it properly, you don’t pour off the excess, you keep adding to it, and if the plant sits in that excess water it’s going to get some root rot,” she explains.
Myers says you can either punch holes in the foil, so it drains, and put it in a saucer. Or, you can put pebbles on the bottom.
“I like the pebble idea whether it’s in the saucer, the bottom of the foil or the decorative container or basket. It elevates the pot above any excess water, so you water thoroughly, excess collects in the pebbles that will evaporate, increase the humidity, but then I don’t have to pour it off every time I water. Not lazy, just a little input gardner. So, that’s a great way to boost your success as well,” she says.
Myers also says when purchasing plants at this time of year, make sure they are wrapped, or put in a sleeve, to protect them from the cold. They should be brought home as soon as possible and remove the wrapping, because it can shorten the plant’s life. Place the plant in a spot is away from the window, but also not next to a heating vent.
Melina Myers is a member of the National Garden Writers Hall of Fame, and her program, “Melinda’s Garden Moment” is heard weekdays at 7:45 in the morning and 4:45 in the afternoon on 97.9 WHAV. There’s more on her website MelindaMyers.com.
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Haverhill Public School students soon begin winter break, and one organization is already thinking about enriching activities children can undertake then.
Haverhill Promise, the grade level reading program, wants books involved. Program Director Jenny Arndt, a recent guest on WHAV’s morning program, said she’s hoping students from pre-kindergarten through third grade will continue reading during the time off.
“Hopefully, children are going to be getting books for gifts. There might even be some great deals on books. You also have some great options, the library is going to be having some hours during that winter break and, of course, Ruth’s House and other places that have low cost books. We are hoping that there will be lots of access to books and that families will just sit together and read,” she said.
Arndt said they are just encouraging children and their families to read 20 minutes a day during the 10-day break.
“More importantly, I think, than the academic piece of reading the words is that bonding time with a family member, or older sibling or a family sitting together and reading ‘The Night Before Christmas.’ That helps solidify a joy of reading in our kids. That almost always starts at home and so we are really encouraging families to spend time reading during their school vacation,” she said.
Arndt also says Haverhill Promise is planning programs for 2022 and seeks volunteers to help with the STEAM Literacy Program. STEAM stands for science, technology, engineering, art and math. Earlier this year, Haverhill Promise received a grant from Edwards Vacuum, a manufacturer that recently built a new center in Haverhill, that will be used to create literacy kits that include a book and a project. The organization is also looking to create in-person programming. There is more information about Haverhill Promise on the web at HaverhillPromise.com.
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A local organization that rescues horses, donkeys and mules and looks to find them “forever homes” plans to share its mission and needs during an open house this Saturday.
West Newbury’s Northern Essex Equine Rescue – North, known as NEER-North for short, has been on a mission since 2008 helping horses and horse owners, in crisis. Founder Mary Martin, who was a recent guest on WHAV’s morning program, gave listeners an overview of events Saturday.
“We’ll have snacks and coffee and homemade cookies and we’ll have some of our NEER gear available for sale. We also have a local author, Ginger Lane, who wrote a little book for us, children’s book, “The Story of NEER North: Through The Eyes of Mable the Donkey.” Mable was our mascot who recently passed. It’s a lovely little book for kids. We’ll have some Christmas stocking stuffer ideas,” she said.
Martin says NEER-North helps in a variety of situations, including owner surrenders, abuse and neglect where the animals are at risk. It serves as a safe haven with the intention of adoption into new families. She added, volunteers are needed to feed the animals, help clean and take on other chores. The majority of the horses are under 12 years of age. Sponsoring a horse, donkey or mule, or make a continuing financial donation, are among other ways to help.
“You could apply for monthly donations, like $5 a month. It comes out of your credit card and you don’t barely notice it. It’s a cup of coffee or two, and that adds up over the year and really helps. So, it’s a $5 investment that makes a big impact. There’re lots of ways to help. We have an event team you can join, which you can pick and choose an event you want to help. You can do one event a year. Lot’s of ways to volunteer. There’s so much to be done.”
The Open House takes place Saturday, Dec. 11, from 11 a.m.-1 p.m., at 52 Ash St., West Newbury. There’s more online at neernorth.org.
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The holiday season provides many opportunities to help others and, at the Windrush Farm, that includes helping people and horses.
The Windrush Farm Therapeutic Riding Center’s Executive Director Janet Nittmann, a recent guest on WHAV’s morning program, said the North Andover-Boxford line center has a need for more “horse handlers.”
“These are people who lead the horse when it’s necessary, and many times it is necessary to help the rider until they become more independent. Our goal is to teach them to become more independent riders,” she said.
Nittman says there is also a need for side walkers. Many of the farm’s clients appreciate the side walkers, because they help them with their balance while riding.
“We do have people who have multiple sclerosis or have had a stroke and they really appreciate the support of the side walkers. We have wonderful volunteers who have been coming to the farm for years and they form a team with the rider, and usually their favorite horse and they all work together to this very enriching experience,” she said.
Nittmann says the Windrush Farm Therapeutic Riding Center has about 140 clients, with most of them riding about once a week. There is a volunteer staff, numbering around 100, and they are always looking for more people to donate time.
“Side walkers who help the rider stay in the saddle in the nice position, help with their riding skills. They do not need horse experience and they are helping the rider. Then, we need horse handlers. Those people do need horse experience and they are the people who lead the horse. So, two completely different roles. And, we also have grounds projects. We do have people coming from corporations and local schools and community groups to help work on the farm because we have 38 acres and anybody who has a backyard knows that there’s always work to do, there’s always things to do at Windrush,” she explained.
Windrush Farm, in North Andover, provides equine-assisted services for children and adults with physical, cognitive and emotional challenges. It is one of the oldest, leading and largest therapeutic riding centers in the United States. It is also accredited as a Premier Center by the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship. There is more information at windrushfarm.org.
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The Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce is bringing back something next week that many people remember from their school days. Dodgeball!
It’s a Haverhill Chamber Business After Hours event taking place Wednesday, Dec. 1, from 5:30-7:30 p.m., at Plaistow YMCA, 175 Plaistow Road, Plaistow, N.H. Chamber President and CEO Irene Haley recently gave WHAV listeners the lowdown.
“The event link on our calendar has all the rules, and they are not fooling around. There are going to be referees. There are rules about how you are out when you are hit. So, it looks like it’s going to be a great time,” she said.
Haley went on to say the dodgeball entrance fee goes towards helping people in need during the holiday season.
“If you bring an unwrapped gift, you’ll get to play for free, and we are supporting the Giving Tree for the YMCA. So, it’s a great way to give some toys to some people who need it and have a really good time playing some dodgeball. I’m going to be limbering up and getting to participate,” she said.
Haley notes each team will have six players with two substitutes and two guaranteed games timed at eight minutes each. Details are at HaverhilChamber.com. Haley also reminds folks tomorrow is Shop Small Business Saturday, encouraging shoppers to patronize locally owned businesses and organizations. She pointed out, “When small businesses succeed, we all do.”
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Members of the Haverhill Lions Club were collecting glasses for improving eyesight around the world during the recent VFW Santa Parade, but now, one could say, they are turning their sights to helping stock food pantries with soup.
Lions Club member Tony Pecci was a recent guest on WHAV’s morning program.
“We have several hundred cans of soup right now. We are collecting them to distribute to the local shelters. We have a drop off location at Maria’s in Haverhill at 81 Essex St., and the soups will be going to Haverhill food cupboards and pantries,” he said.
Pecci said those looking to donate will find plenty of opportunities during the season. “We are going to be doing that through the month of December, so if you could collect soups or ramen and bring them down to Maria’s. Issa Zefta, one of the owners of Maria’s is also a Haverhill Lion, so he’s willing and able to take in as many as you can get for us so we can help out our food cupboards and pantries, especially with the cold weather coming,” he explained.
Pecci said this past spring, the area Lions Clubs were able to donate a truckload of nonperishable food to Emmaus in Haverhill. There is another collection going on too.
“Through the first week of January, we are also using Maria’s on Essex Street as a drop off point. We have for many years been involved with the ‘Coats for Kids’ campaign. For those that aren’t familiar with it, we collect coats. We like to say please donate gently used warm winter coats for children and adults. In fact, we are going to be collecting them through Jan. 8,” he said.
Pecci added all sizes are needed, and early donations are appreciated. Anton’s will professional clean the coats for distribution back into the community. The Haverhill Lions Club meets the second and fourth Tuesday nights of the month at Maria’s Family Restaurant at 81 Essex St. in Haverhill. The club website is HaverhillLionsClub.org.
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Volunteers and sponsors are being sought for the local observance of Wreaths Across America, which remembers sacrifices veterans have made in wars since the American Revolution.
Wreaths Across America takes place locally Saturday, Dec. 18, at Hilldale Cemetery in Haverhill. Organizer Tammy Dobrosielski says, however, he deadline, for sponsoring wreaths is Tuesday, Nov. 30
“The three tenets of Wreaths Across America are remember, honor, teach. So, we remember those veterans who have served and are now departed, and we honor those who are currently serving and we teach the younger generation, as well as each other in many cases, the value of our freedoms and the cost of those freedoms. It’s a great program and it’s not just a single event, it’s a year-round undertaking really. The wreaths are sponsored at $15 apiece through our website, or I can arrange for people if they want to do cash or check as well,” she says.
Dobrosielski, a recent guest on WHAV’s morning program, is a physical therapist in the Pentucket Regional School District, and talked about the educational portion of the project.
“I completed an activity with one of my groups where we created cards for veterans for Veterans Day and one of our local vets, Donnie Jarvis, whom I sure you know, took those cards to Washington, D.C., to hand out. So, that was a really big event for the kids. They really enjoyed doing that, and I’m proud to say that the two second graders in my group were the only second graders who could tell their teacher what Veterans Day was all about,” Dobrosielski adds.
She went on to say, for some students, it was the first time they had ever heard about veterans.
“Some of them have never heard what a veteran actually is. It varies widely. We have a couple of students in the group who have family members who are veterans. They understand more, once we do these activities, why they need to appreciate the service of our veterans, and people who are serving now as well. We try not to talk too much about the war aspect of it, if you will, with the younger ones anyway, but they understand the service, and they ask me now ‘What can we do for our veterans?’ which is great.”
Wreaths Across American is celebrated worldwide Dec. 18. Last year, 1.5 million wreaths were laid at veterans’ graves. Dobrosielski says wreath sponsors are needed for the ceremony at Haverhill’s Hilldale Cemetery. There’s sponsorship information and volunteer sign-ups at HilldaleWreaths.com.
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Haverhill High students are taking advantage of a learning opportunity that’s perfectly timed with the holiday shopping season.
They are learning about retail, while operating the Haverhill Hillies Shop is in the basement of Haverhill City Hall. Matt Scanlon, one of the faculty advisors, was a recent guest on WHAV’s morning program.
“I’m one of the special education supervisors for the school district, and last year we started rolling out the idea of a Hillies Shop that would be accessible to the community and I have been overseeing it. I’m not in there every day. We have job coaches and students running the store, but, yes, I am overseeing it,” he said.
The City Hall location is the “sister store” to one at Haverhill High School, but is more accessible to the general public. Scanlon said it is open 8 a.m.-1 p.m., weekdays, when schools are open.
“Everything has some version of Haverhill information on it. Typically, the Brown and Gold ‘H’ or it might say ‘Hillies.’ I think they have black sweatshirts right now with the Haverhill seal on it, so that doesn’t have the Brown and Gold ‘H,’ but it’s still Haverhill-related. That’s the major focus. Everything in there is somehow printed with Haverhill Hillies or the ‘H,’” he said.
Scanlon said students are learning about accounting and pricing merchandise along with other important skills
“They are teaching them pre-employment skills, how to properly and socially interact with customers. They are doing the inventory, making sure everything is accounted for in terms of the products they have to sell. They do the labeling and tagging of all the merchandise, working on the register. It’s really a student-run store under the supervision of what we call a job coach,” he added.
In time for the peak shopping season, Scanlon said, the Hillies Shop at City Hall has lots of Christmas ornaments and that winter pom pom hats and sweatshirts are very popular. Money raised goes back into the program to cover costs, maintain equipment and increase the quality of the merchandise.
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A familiar sound will be in the air soon. It’s the ringing of the Salvation Army Red Kettle bells as the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays approach.
Major Walter Rivers of the Salvation Army in Haverhill recently told WHAV’s morning listeners what to expect and when.
“We’re planning a kickoff event Monday at noon at the Market Basket at Westgate Plaza. We hope that some of the public will come out and support us. We will be Christmas caroling and there will be candy canes handed out. There will be a kettle as well. A really good time for us to kick off to the public our Thanksgiving and Christmas activities. Just to let the public know we are still here. We need your support so we can help others who are in need during the holiday season and into 2022,” he said.
Rivers says the kettles are important for the Salvation Army and volunteers are needed to ring bells. Volunteers are also needed to help stock the food pantry on the first Friday of the month. Earlier this month, additional volunteers came out to help unload a truck carrying 18,000 pounds of supplies. The next delivery is scheduled for Dec. 3.
When it comes to the Salvation Army kettles, both volunteers and donors are needed, especially after the impact of the pandemic on fundraising last year.
“We are so grateful for the community support. Because of what happened last year, fundraising around the Commonwealth was down for the Salvation Army almost between 80 and 90 percent. It was difficult to try to operate without those resources,” Rivers said.
He added the Salvation Army in Haverhill is holding its Thanksgiving meal Wednesday Nov. 24 at its 395 Main St. headquarters with seating that morning beginning at 11 a.m. Those wishing to volunteer or to reserve seating may call the Salvation Army in Haverhill at 978-420-4192.
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Rep. Andy X. Vargas told WHAV listeners first he is abandoning his quest for a state Senate run and seeking re-election to his expanded Haverhill House district next year.
The statement during a live broadcast Friday morning confirmed hints Vargas made two weeks ago when the Senate redistricting plan which split Haverhill into two districts. Vargas, who has been eyeing a run for state Senate, told WHAV the plan to create minority majority districts may actually take away his opportunity. The 3rd Essex District representative made it official on WHAV’s morning show.
“Your listeners will be the first to hear it here. I am no longer running for state Senate. I will be running for re-election to the Massachusetts House of Representatives. And, candidly, the primary reason for that is I’m expecting my first son in March and my wife and I are looking to buy a home in Haverhill as well,” he said.
Vargas says many factors led to his decision, besides the new Senate district that will be including a portion of Haverhill with Lawrence and Methuen.
“So, you throw in a redistricting plan that splits Haverhill in half and what constrain my wife and I are looking for a house in one particular part of Haverhill versus another. It’s just candidly a lot to have happening while we are welcoming our first born,” he explained.
Vargas says the House district he represents doesn’t change too much. He’ll be picking up one precinct in Bradford, where he said he had fond memories of working when he was a Haverhill city councilor.
“I’m really excited to continue doing the work we’ve been doing for Haverhill because that’s ultimately why I got into public service. It’s why I came back to Haverhill after I graduated from BU, to make a difference here. And, I get to continue doing that while also expecting my first son,” Vargas said.
He said the benefit of having Haverhill drop from four state representatives to just two, is it makes it easier for constituents to know who their representative is and will solidify Haverhill’s position on Beacon Hill. House redistricting leaves Vargas and Rep. Linda Dean Campbell representing the city. Reps. Lenny Mirra and Christina Minicucci will no longer represent the city.
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Highlighting the good deeds of educators, the 13th annual Haverhill YMCA’s Educator of the Year salutes those who made a difference especially during the pandemic.
YMCA Regional Executive Director Tracy Fuller, a recent guest on WHAV’s morning program, gave a sneak preview, noting the nominees this year are Dan Sullivan, Melissa DiFabio, Cecile Maggiacomo, Crystal White, Emily Gorski, Joanna Dix, Rhonda Kurto, Emily Alejandro, Craig Barnard, Heather Weston and Brandon Curley. Fuller says many educators filled the void through the pandemic.
“We are thrilled to be able to recognize them, especially in their hard work this year. I know, personally, Brandon Curley was my son’s math teacher. He is also his basketball coach and one of his inspirations. So, it’s great to see folks that took the time to recognize and share amazing nominations for these educators. It’s so important right now,” she said.
With this in mind, Fuller added, the YMCA is also saluting school nurses, including Haverhill Public Health Nurse Mary Connolly, for their roles in keeping student in school and conducting contact tracing.
The Greater Haverhill YMCA’s Educator of the Year function raises money for educational programs and scholarships to help support children coming to after school and early learning programs.
The in-person event takes place Wednesday, Nov. 17, at 5 p.m., at Renaissance Golf Club, 377 Kenoza St., in Haverhill. Pre-register by Wednesday, Nov. 10, by emailing Colette Ekman at ekmanc@northshoreymca.org. Tickets are $50 and includes appetizers and a cash bar, or an appetizer box for those who prefer to celebrate at home. There’s more at NorthShoreYMCA.org.
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The Haverhill High School Drama Club and Fine Arts Department is presenting Thornton Wilder’s “Our Town” this Friday and Saturday.
“Our Town” follows the small town of Grover’s Corners, N.H., throughout three acts. Narrated by the stage managers, the audience follows the lives of the Gibb’s and Webb’s families as their children grow up and live out their childhood, adulthood and everything that follows.
The show takes place Friday, Nov. 5, at 7 p.m.; Saturday, Nov. 6, for a 2 p.m. matinee, and final production that night at 7 p.m., at Haverhill High School auditorium, 137 Monument St. Doors open a half hour before each show.
Tickets are $5 for students at any school and seniors and $10 for adults and may be purchased online or at the door. Attendees should arrive with masks worn and will be seated socially distanced from others.
Fine Arts Instructor Melissa Allen; Max Popolowski, who plays the role of Dr. Gibbs; and Lydia Ryan, who plays the role of the stage manager, all appeared on WHAV’s morning show this week.
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A tradition continues Sunday when the Veterans Alliance of Greater Haverhill holds its pre-election breakfast in Haverhill.
The breakfast was started by former state Rep. Brian S. Dempsey, but City Councilor Michael S. McGonagle took it over in 2017 on behalf of the city’s veterans. At the time, he noted, veterans’ organizations’ fundraising efforts had been curtailed by the city’s ban on roadside charity collections that had been called a safety concern. This past Tuesday, Maureen Menzie, an Alliance member, told the Haverhill City Council about the organization.
“The Veterans Alliance of Greater Haverhill is a nonprofit board, dedicated to providing assistance to veterans and we help when and where it is needed,” she said.
Menzie said the group has raised $53,000 since 2017 and 100% of the money goes to veterans.
McGonagle, appearing this week on WHAV’s morning program, said sponsors can still help assemble a four-by-six-foot jigsaw puzzle of an American Flag. The breakfast takes place Sunday, Oct. 31, from 9-11 a.m., at AmVets Post 147, 576 Primrose St., Haverhill.
“So, sponsors are able to sponsor a stripe for $1,000, a star for $250. We get the politicians to sponsor the placemat for $50 a donation and they are able to mingle with the crowd. I’m expecting maybe 80 to 100 people at the breakfast on Sunday, hopefully, and we hope to raise a lot of money for the Veterans Alliance of Greater Haverhill,” he explained.
Admission to the breakfast is $5, but veterans and seniors are free. McGonagle says money raised is used to support the organizations that are helping veterans in the Merrimack Valley.
“The Korean War Veterans, the VFW, the American Legion, the AmVets, the AmVets Ladies Auxiliary, the DAV Disabled American Veterans, and all these groups have expenses, and they do a lot of good. Some of the groups go and take care of veterans in the nursing homes and make sure they have the essentials that they need. That’s why we created it, and that’s what we do today,” he said.
The breakfast includes scrambled eggs, sausage, breakfast sandwiches and coffee. McGonagle says there are still stripes and stars available for sponsorship and those interested may call him at 978-502-7967.
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Haverhill police officers have been wearing pink-trimmed badges and placing magnetic ribbons on cruisers as part of its month-long Pink Ribbon campaign for Breast Cancer Awareness.
Efforts have been geared to raising money, and Detective Joseph Benedetti, whose wife Michelle Benedetti passed away in 2019, says there is still time to help. Placing cruisers into service for the cause was an idea raised several year ago by now Chief Robert P. Pistone. Benedetti, a recent guest on WHAV’s morning program, told the story.
“He came up with this idea of putting pink magnetic ribbons on the cruisers. So, he approached me knowing my past and asked if we took donations for these ribbons, if it would be okay for the proceeds to go to MishStrong which is an organization that myself and my wife’s family put together in respect to my wife who passed away from breast cancer in 2019.”
Benedetti shared the story of Michelle’s battle with cancer and how the organization MishStrong came about.
“So in 2019, my wife, Michelle Benedetti, passed away from metastatic breast cancer, and myself and Michelle’s family and some of her closest friends decided that we would like to start an organization in her name in which we can help children, donate money to children in need. Michelle worked for the Department of Children and Families, DCF in Haverhill, and she dedicated her life to helping children. We just would like to carry on the legacy in her name,” he explained.
Benedetti said she was also an avid runner which is why MishStrong sponsors a 5k Road race. The most recent race was Oct. 17, raising money to support scholarships. This past year, four Haverhill High School students each received $750 awards. The students were either involved in athletics, social work or had been, in some way, impacted by cancer.
Benedetti says there is still time to support the Haverhill Police Department effort.
“You can come to the police station, make a donation. We’ll give you a pink magnetic ribbon and you can personalize it and then we take the ribbon and place it on the cruiser. So, we are trying to get as many cruisers pinked up as we possibly can. You can also make a donation on MishStrong.org, which you can purchase a ribbon and send us an email as to how you would like to personalize it and then we will personalize it and place it on a cruiser for you,” he said.
To learn more about the legacy of Michelle Benedetti, visit MishStrong.org.
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Despite many job openings, a number of positions require basic computer skills.
Volunteer Tim Haynes says MakeIt Haverhill is available to help. Haynes says MakeIt Haverhill is partnering with the Essex County Community Foundation, which conducted research last year, shed the light on the “digital divide.”
“What they found was that one out of every five households lacked having a basic computer, and a similar number lacked having internet access—and in Haverhill it’s even closer to one out of every four,” he notes.
Haynes, a recent guest on WHAV’s morning program, explains the Essex County Community Foundation introduced MakeIt Haverhill to a Boston-based nonprofit, Tech Goes Home, that is providing the tools needed to start the classes.
“You get a free Chromebook, which is essentially a laptop computer, and one year of free internet if you take a 15-hour class. We structured it as 10 classes across a five-week period, and we have bilingual instructors. It’s really great to see a mix of Spanish speaking and English speaking, of all ages, and it was really a great kickoff to our five-week class,” he says.
Haynes says many people have smartphones, but still lack basic computer skills. Many in the course that recently got underway are 50-plus years of age
One of the goals of MakeIt Haverhill, Haynes says, is to match opportunities with the needs of people “where they are,” and in addition to having English as a Second Language, classes the organization also offer classes for English speaking people to learn Spanish as a second language.
MakeIT Haverhill, 301 Washington St., Haverhill, may be found online at makeithaverhill.com.
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Haverhill Public Schools Human Resources Director Sandra McArthur has been busy helping to fill the many job openings at Haverhill schools, but many don’t know about an emotional and trying path she and her sister followed at the start of the coronavirus pandemic.
McArthur and her sister, Karen Nascembeni, general manager of the North Shore Music Theater in Beverly, were recently honored with the Greater Beverly Chamber of Commerce Peter Frates Family Luminary Award. The recognition came during a Sept.23, event celebrating inspiring stories and heroes of 2020. McArthur recounted the onslaught of COVID-19 sent her sister Karen, and Karen’s husband, Steven Richard, to the hospital at the same time
“It was back March of 2020, very early on when all of this started happening and unraveling here in the states. Karen and her husband Steven were so very sick one weekend, and it was on St. Patrick’s Day, March 17. They drove themselves to Winchester Hospital. They took Steven right away. Karen had to wait in her car for hours. They brought her in, and them saying goodbye to each other from the car was the last time they saw each other,” she recalled.
McArthur said Steven passed away a week later, while Karen fought “like a warrior” to survive.
“She was intubated for 31 days. She not only had COVID, but she developed a second infection. She was transported to Lahey in Burlington from Winchester, and she fought very hard to survive. It took months. She was out of her home for 186 days. She recouped at my home with my family, but it was quite the journey, and it was truly something I wish on no one,” she said.
McArthur said she received a call from doctors every night for the latest update, that she recorded in a notebook she kept with her 24/7.
“And every night they would start by saying ‘Karen is very sick, and let me tell you what we’re thinking,’ and at the time it was so early on, they were flying by the seat of their pants. What we learned in Italy was…or what we’ve learned from California was…everybody was just learning from each other. The research, every procedure, every med. It was something that was difficult, but she survived and we are so very grateful for it and to have been honored by how we handled ourselves throughout this and how she was just inspiring to all around her, living a life of gratitude. It was very humbling, very humbling,” McArthur said.
McArthur was a recent guest on WHAV’s morning show.
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It’s a busy time for the YMCA with the Halloween “Trunk or Treat” at the Plaistow, N.H., YMCA, Haverhill open house and call for nominations for the 13th Annual Educator of the Year Award.
Regional Executive Director Tracy Fuller, a recent guest on WHAV’s morning program, outlined two free events taking place during the weekend of Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 16 and 17. On Saturday, the Annual Trunk or Treat takes place at the Plaistow Community YMCA, 175 Plaistow Road, Route 125, in Plaistow.
“Outside, we have some amazing folks who decorate their trunks with all different themes. It’s great to get the littles dressed up in their costumes on a Saturday, kind of a dry run for Halloween. We do some activities indoor and outdoor,” Fuller explained.
There will also be candy and prizes.
Then on Sunday, Oct. 17, Haverhill YMCA, at 81 Winter St., opens to the public. The event showcases what programs and activities are available, along with a special activity happening in the pool.
“We’ll be doing a pumpkin splash. So, we’ll have pumpkins in the pool, and kids will be able to dive in and grab some pumpkins in our pool, and then get to decorate them on the side of the pool,” she said.
In addition, Fuller said, the Haverhill YMCA is now taking nominations for the 13th Annual Educator of the Year Award, recognizing the great work done by educators during the past year. The ceremony takes place at the Renaissance Golf Club, 377 Kenoza St., Haverhill, on Wednesday Nov. 17. Tickets are $50. All proceeds benefit YMCA Educational programming. Reservations to attend are requested by Wednesday, Nov. 10, by emailing Colette Ekman at ekmanc@northshoreymca.org. Additional information and nomination forms are available at NorthShoreYMCA.org.
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A walk to promote “Unity in the Community” takes place this Saturday, Oct. 2, in Haverhill.
The14th annual Walk for Peace, under the direction of Violence Intervention and Prevention, known as VIP, also includes a cookout, speak out, face painting, music, color powder and more. Haverhill VIP Program Director Carol Ireland, a recent guest on WHAV’s morning program, detailed the program.
“We’ll start at GAR Park, go down Winter Street, make a left on Locust Street, down to Granite and Essex Street and out to Railroad Square. We’ll be coming down Washington Street, the entire way to Main Street. When we get to Main Street, we go up to City Hall and we will stop there for about 10 to 15 minutes to hear speeches from two of our young people,” she said.
At City Hall, participants will also hear from a special guest with a unique perspective.
“We’re very lucky to also have a woman by the name of Clarissa Turner who will also be speaking because we wanted to represent a mom who has been impacted by violence. She lost her son. She’s from Boston and has started an organization called ‘Legacy Lives On.’ We know that we have many people in our own community that have been impacted by violence and have lost, whether it’s to violence or to homicide or to suicide. We want to create more space for some of our survivors,” she said.
Ireland said those participating in the walk, approximately 1.5 miles in length, are asked to carry in support of the effort.
“We have some signs that we’ve been able to save, new ones we’ve made, please bring a sign with any message you care to about peace, respect”
Ireland said all people, young and old, are encouraged to participate in the Haverhill VIP Walk for Peace. It starts Saturday at 11 a.m. She said research conducted by Boston University School of Public Health indicates young people who have participated in the VIP program are less likely to be involved with a gang, physical fighting decreases, healthy relationship skills increase and there’s an improvement in self-esteem.
The Violence Intervention and Prevention program began in 2005 at Haverhill High School. It has grown to include students of all ages and partners with various groups and organizations such as the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Haverhill, UTEC and YMCA.
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Monday morning’s heavy downpour overwhelmed municipal sewer systems up and down the Merrimack River, causing discharges of raw wastes into the waterway.
Ongoing combined sewage overflows, known as CSOs, is a problem targeted by the Merrimack River Watershed Council. Council Policy and Education Specialist John Macone, a guest this week on WHAV’s morning program, explains the cause.
“That happened in Haverhill. It happened in Lawrence and Lowell. Pretty much anytime we have a significant rain storm, what happens is that there is too much water going into the sewage system. It’s coming in from the drain pipes in the street and it overwhelms the sewer system and they have to release sewage into the river,” Macone said.
According to the group’s Facebook page, Haverhill is the only city along the Merrimack, that immediately releases its CSO figures, reporting 120,000 gallons of sewage was released, which is described as a relatively small amount. Macone says many people are upset about the situation, calling it a major health problem for the region.
“What we’re trying to do is help these communities find money to fix the problem. It requires a tremendous amount of money. We’ve identified about $250 billion dollars’ worth of work that needs to be done between Haverhill, Lawrence and Lowell, just to get to a point where they are reducing the amount by about 50%,” he noted.
Macone says they are working with the region’s legislators. At a legislative hearing last week, the Council received a positive response in its quest to have money allocated to the Haverhill-Lawrence-Lowell area. Council officials are hopeful relief will come soon.
In the meantime, the Merrimack River Watershed Council is holding its first annual Save Our River festival Saturday, Sept. 18, at the Elks Lodge in Newburyport, featuring a Cornhole Tournament, BBQ, live music and other events. Information is available at Merrimack.org.
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In a series of WHAV mayoral interviews in advance of Tuesday’s Haverhill preliminary election, candidate Colin F. LePage says the biggest issue in this year’s election isn’t about what Haverhill citizens have, but rather what they’ve been missing.
The current City Council vice president said he has spent his dozen years on the City Council finding money that can be used to give residents more.
“What I’m looking to do is, from what I’ve done on the City Council and I’ve kind of been known to look at the budget quite thoroughly and found there’s been some things that have been missing as far as what taxpayers pay for and as far as the services they could receive,” he said.
LePage said, for example, he found $600,000 that was overlooked in an obscure city account. Beyond that, he said he discovered that city failed to collect mortgage payments of $225,000 over two years on city property that was sold for a downtown development.
“Over the last few years, I’ve found over $2 million that just hasn’t been properly allocated to be used to provide services for the taxpayers,” he explained.
LePage also said in 2015 he identified $100,000 that could be used to hire needed health instructors in the midst of opioid drug epidemic. He noted only one health teacher, serving four middle schools, had been working the prior 10 years. He said, thanks to his lobbying, the schools now have four again. On a related matter, he said he has been visiting middle and high schools to talk about “the perils of drugs and addiction” in light of his son’s death.
One sum of money, LePage hasn’t been able so far to claw back is a building permit fee charged to the new Caleb Dustin Hunking School project.
“The administration added $300,000 on the total bill for the Hunking School that the taxpayers will have to pay on that. There was no additional benefit to the citizens other than they now have to pay an extra $300,000 over 20 years to pay for that building permit fee,” he said.
He explained the city had not charged itself a permit fee for the Haverhill High School renovation, construction of a police garage and repairs to the library at the Dr. Albert B. Consentino School after it was flooded.
The councilor said he also successfully led the fight to replace both of the city’s oldest fire trucks.
“Last year, we also discussed the replacement of two, 33-year-old fire trucks. We were told the administration was only going to replace one. Myself and the majority of the Council didn’t feel that was accurate and that we could replace two,” he said.
LePage said he and his family moved here 24 years ago because of the city’s potential and such highlights as four new schools under construction at the time and the presence of a ski hill, castle, golf courses and open space.
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In a series of WHAV mayoral interviews in advance of Tuesday’s Haverhill preliminary election, candidate Guy E. Cooper defined his top three priorities for the city—education, public safety and helping businesses “get back up on their feet again” after closings related to the coronavirus.
The veteran Haverhill patrolman said school buildings are overcrowded conditions and “falling apart.” He called it is a situation that will only get worse as the city continues to grow.
“We’re building a lot of new buildings coming in so we’re going to have a lot more population going up and, with that population going up, we got to get a handle on the schools,” Cooper told WHAV listeners Friday morning.
Asked about his perspective on public safety issues as a Haverhill police officer over the past 24 years, he cited a few deficiencies.
“I’ve seen good and bad. Obviously, the good in Haverhill out rules a lot of that bad. Haverhill is a great city and I can say I’m very proud to be a Haverhill police officer. It’s a great force and we have a great city. I think the citizens of Haverhill deserve more,” he said.
In particular, Cooper called for more officers on the street, especially in light of recent and coming retirements. “A lot of people have retired already or getting ready to retire so the increase in officers that we got are back down to a smaller amount and I’d like to see it come up a little bit,” he noted.
He added the fire department is also understaffed and firefighters shouldn’t have to fight for new trucks or the basic equipment they need to do their jobs.
“No one should wait on that. We should get the equipment and we should have what we need so we can help service the citizens of Haverhill,” he said.
Beyond these issues, Cooper called for a plan to address homelessness, drug and alcohol abuse, gangs and housing.
He invited residents to join him for hos victory party Tuesday night at 7, at Peddler’s Daughter, 45 Wingate St.
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In the first of a three-part series of WHAV mayoral interviews in advance of next Tuesday’s Haverhill preliminary election, Mayor James J. Fiorentini spelled out his successes over the past 18 years.
The mayor mentioned his pride in rebuilding roads and sidewalks, adding 20 police officers, fixing every park and playground, developing a new master plan that balances growth with preserving the “beauty of Haverhill” and more.
“We’ve gone from a dilapidated downtown to the new, modern downtown that we have today. We’ve spent millions of dollars fixing our schools. We built a brand-new Hunking School,” Fiorentini noted.
Among his goals should he win re-election are renovating or replacing the Dr. Albert B. Consentino School, spending more on roadways and sidewalks, creating affordable housing and dealing with the resurgence of COVID-19.
“I’m over at a pop-up clinic right now that we’ve put in at the back of Sacred Hearts Church. We’ll be doing more clinics throughout the city. Our goal is to get everybody we possible can vaccinated using voluntary means,” he said.
He said around 68% of the adult population—or 60% overall—are vaccinated, but more people must receive the vaccine to achieve herd immunity.
Expanding on his outline of goals, Fiorentini said he wants to fully renovate or replace the new Consentino School without having to ask voters for relief from the tax-limiting law Proposition 2 ½.
“We have enough money set aside in our reserves. We’ve been very careful what we spent over in prior years that’s been controversial, but we haven’t spent every dime. We’ve built up our reserves. I believe we can build a Consentino School—one of the few cities to do it without an override or a debt exclusion,” he said.
The mayor reiterated his campaign theme that Haverhill’s downtown renaissance “didn’t happen by accident.”
“It happened because we had a plan. We made tough decisions in uncertain times and that’s what I’m going to continue to do,” he said.
Asked about the many new apartment projects approved by the City Council, Fiorentini said many will not be built because of the high cost of building materials.
He also reflected on the debt of the former city-owned Hale Hospital, noting it was the largest debt in the history of Massachusetts. Counting pensions and healthcare, the city had to make payments of $8 million a year. He said the Haverhill was “hamstrung” over the years, but, one portion of the debt will be paid off this year, while another is set to be retired next year.
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As Bethany Communities moves forward with plans to build 62 affordable apartments for seniors, the nonprofit is previewing the future with its “Celebration of Innovation and Integration” this Thursday.
Bethany Communities was recently granted federal and state low-income housing tax credits and subsidies to build “Merrimack Place” adjacent to Merrivista on Water Street. Of the 62 apartments, 54 are intended for seniors earning less than 60% of the area median income with eight units further restricted for seniors earning less than 30% of area median income. Bethany Community Services Director of Development and Community Relations Beth Morrow recently told WHAV listeners about some of the extras.
“Part of the new building is going to include a community space and an activity space that will be designed to start to look at the innovations that are coming along in the future, as well as a wellness center, so we are excited about offering that. And, by having the two buildings connected, all of our residents will be able to take advantage of the library, hair salon, dining room and other supportive services that we have to offer,” she said.
Morrow said fundraising for the project started in 2019, but slowed down last year due to the pandemic. Getting back on track, this Thursday’s dinner and panel discussion takes place, beginning with a cocktail hour at 5:30 p.m., at Bradford Country Club. The panel discussion will be chaired by former Haverhill Mayor John J. Guerin and panelists include attorney and City Councilor Thomas J. Sullivan, HC Media Director of Operations for Matt Belfiore, Pentucket Bank Vice President of Marketing and Community Relations Leanne Petrou and Benchmark Senior Living Community Relations Specialist Sarah Coletti. Morrow gave told listeners what they can expect.
“Those folks are going to get together and sort of imagine what seniors are going to need moving forward. Part of the principle of that is sort of the Jetson theory, as we’ve been talking about. Back in the 1960s the ‘Jetsons’ imagined things like telehealth and video conferencing that we been just living by for the past 15 or 18 months. So, we are going to try project into the future and see what the future for seniors will look like.”
Tickets for the Bethany Communities “A Celebration of Innovation and Integration” are $99 per person and may be purchased online at bethanycommunities.org.
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The Methuen Veterans Services Office is preparing for its first Field of Honor ceremony, with money raised to help veterans and veterans programs offered by the city. Methuen Veterans Services Officer Paul Jensen was a recent guest on WHAV’s morning program, where he spoke about North Andover’s annual event, held earlier this year, and its show of respect, dignity, honor and patriotism.
Jensen says the Field of Honor display of American Flags has never been done in Methuen prior to this year, and it’s going to be taking place during Methuen Day.
“We have a wonderful location, a big sprawling lawn in front of Nevins Library, right on Broadway, and we also have our Methuen Day activities coming up on Oct. 2, so why don’t we do a Field of Honor in front of Nevins Library. We’ll do it the first week of October, so if people are coming by on that Saturday for Methuen Day, they’ll see the Field of Honor. The flags will remain on the lawn for one week, and after your flag has flown a week you can come back on Sunday and pick up your flag,” Jensen said.
Methuen Day is scheduled for Oct. 2 and Jensen says a dedication ceremony will be held that morning at nine. Jensen pointed out that each flag will be having a personalized touch.
“And also, we will make a set of custom dog tags with your loved ones’ name, organization and years of service, and that’s how we will identify the flag. So, all the flags will have set of custom dog tags with your loved ones’ name on it, and then we’ll fly it for a week. When you come back, we’ll tell you where your flag is located, you can identify it with the dog tags, and then you take home the flag, the pole, the mount and the dog tags,” he explained.
Space is limited for the Methuen Field of Honor, with a reservation deadline of Aug. 31 to allow time for ordering the dog tags and American flags to honor loved ones, veterans and first responders. Pick up date will be Oct. 10 and people may also donate flags from the event to the Methuen Veterans Service office for use at various events through the year. To reserve a flag, and dog tags, call the Methuen Veterans Services office at 978-983-8585.
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When it comes to volunteer organizations, many groups have learned to expand their horizons and embrace a new way of doing things.
That was the case almost 30 years ago, when Annette Distefano of Haverhill became the first female to perform in the local Sons of Italy Drum and Bugle Corps. The pioneer, a recent guest on WHAV’s morning program, said her husband, Gregory, was involved with the Corps, where he played the snare drum.
“He got a call from one of the members saying, ‘Hey, did you know, they’re going to let women in?’ and he says ‘Yeah, my wife wants to join.’ I did. I signed up. I was rusty at first, I hadn’t played the horn in a lot of years. Within a couple of weeks, I got my lips back in shape and started playing again. And that’s how I got started.”
Distefano played with the Sons of Italy for 11 years. She got her start playing the bugle, however, many years earlier when her father started teaching her as a youngster and became involved with her first Drum and Bugle Corps when she was just nine years old.
“Back then they used to have a drum corps at the Tilton School, and I told my father, ‘I want to do the baton. I want to join the majorette section,’ and he said ‘No, you better join the horn section because anybody can twirl a baton.’ I said ‘Oh, alright.’ So, I got my girlfriend. I said why don’t you join with me. I feel funny with all those boys. She said ‘oh alright’ so we both joined and before you know it we started playing. I played for them for three and a half years. At 12 years old I had to leave because we moved to California.”
The Sons of Italy Drum and Bugle Corps performs a mix of Italian, American and Military songs, and recently performed at the Purple Heart City ceremony in downtown Haverhill.
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With work on the state budget largely completed, except for possible overrides of Gov. Charlie Baker’s vetoes, the state legislature is moving onto other issues such as the wellbeing of Gateway Cities.
Rep. Christina Minicucci, a member of the legislature’s Gateway Cities Caucus, describes the caucus’ recent visit to the area last. Says the group comes together once a month to talk about issues specific to individual cities, versus the collection of cities across the state, and also looks at initiatives available to Gateway Cities.
“Here we have Methuen, Haverhill and Lawrence. So, we have three Gateway Cities that are clustered up here, and there are grant programs that are available to our cities that aren’t available to Andover or North Andover or small cities like Newburyport,” she explains.
The caucus made stops last week in Methuen, Lawrence and Lowell and will eventually make a visit to Haverhill. Besides Minicucci, local lawmakers involved with the caucus include Sen. Diana DiZoglio and Rep. Linda Dean Campbell.
“Part of this listening tour is that chairs of that group have been going around the state just hearing ‘What are we doing well here? What was really hard for us?’ and trying to share amongst other members of the caucus maybe best practices they can take back,” she adds.
Minicucci was a recent guest on WHAV’s morning program. Yesterday, caucus co-chairs Sen. Eric Lesser of Longmeadow and Rep. Antonio Cabral of New Bedford were scheduled to give closing remarks at the Annual Gateway Cities Leadership Summit, focused on “Growing an Inclusive Economy.”
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State Rep. Leonard Mirra, a member of the new Future of Work Commission, says money spent on public assistance might be better allocated to guaranteeing jobs.
Mirra, a recent guest on WHAV’s morning program, said there are a record number of job openings right now.
“We’ve never seen it like this. I was in the construction industry for 30 years and I never saw an economy like this where there so many jobs that we just didn’t have enough people to fill them. Over the July fourth weekend, we heard that some restaurants simply could not open up simply because they could not hire enough people to make their business work, and they just remained closed over a very busy holiday weekend, which is kind of sad to see,” he says.
Mirra, a Georgetown Republican appointed to the Commission by Gov. Charlie Baker, asked panelists at the inaugural online meeting if any research had been done on a federal or state-level job guarantee, similar to what Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders has proposed in Congress.
The 17-member Commission was formed by the governor when he signed the 2020 economic development and jobs bill this past January. He has filed legislation he is calling a “guaranteed jobs bill” that would examine how much government money is being spent to keep people out of work, and transition them back into the job market, including the private sector.
Mirra says the Commission, made up of legislators, community leaders, municipal leaders and organized labor leaders, is reviewing the current job situation.
“We’re concerned about the number of jobs that will be available in the near future as we increase the amount of automation and the amount of robotics. Our fear being those things will take away a lot of jobs. You’re starting to see it now. We’ve been seeing it for a long time in things like automotive manufacturing. A lot of that work is done now by robots rather than by people. And automation is starting to make its way into, even, the restaurant industry. So, this commission was formed to prepare us for that, to make sure that Massachusetts always has ample number of job openings for people. It’s very exciting work,” he explains.
The Commission is co-chaired by state Sen. Eric Lesser of Longmeadow and State Rep. Josh Cutler of Pembroke and includes Labor Secretary Rosalin Acosta along with two members appointed by Attorney General Maura Healey. The Commission will be receiving testimony from leaders in workforce training and education, fair labor and workers’ rights, as well members of the labor and business communities. A final report will eventually be issued with findings and policy recommendations.
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More than a dozen of Haverhill’s living World War II veterans are to be recognized and celebrated during a ceremony later this month with a color guard, special tributes and live performances.
The “World War II Recognition Ceremony” takes place Saturday, July 24, at 10 a.m., in Washington Square—home to the city’s World War II Memorial. Haverhill Veteran Services Director Luis Santiago tells WHAV the celebration was put into motion by John DiVincenzo, son of World War II veteran Ralph DiVincenzo, who is 99, and the nephew of 95-year-old Loreto DiVincenzo.
“They are looking to recognize their father and uncle who have sacrificed their time in war when we had basically an enemy who was foreign, and thanks to individuals like his father and uncle, we aren’t speaking a different language today,” Santiago says.
Santiago says he expects 14 veterans and the event includes a live performance by the Sons of Italy Drum and Bugle Corps and guest speakers. He’s looking forward to having the community come together.
“I want to give out a special thank you to Dean Thayer who is president of the AmVets. I would also like to give thanks to Erica Webb and Renee Ouelette from the Sons of Italy, Mr. Chris Manning who is the commander for the American Legion and for Vianelis Rodriguez who is the service manager for VNOC, Veterans Northeast Outreach Center. These are the volunteers who are helping me coordinate this ceremony, and it’s going to be a nice day to actually recognize the individuals who need no introduction,” he notes.
Santiago says the ceremony is especially important since World War II veterans are “up there in age.”
“Unfortunately they are a dying breed, which is sad to say. It hurts my heart just to even think it. Just their bravery and what they’ve done for this country is unparallelled. It’s one of those things we have to take it as it comes, as society changes and time goes on, they will always be remembered in history as our forever heroes,” he says.
The program was originally scheduled for this past Saturday, but was rescheduled. For more information, call Santiago at 978-374-2351, ext. 3910.
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The state legislature and Gov. Charlie Baker have differing opinions on who should determine how new federal COVID-19 aid gets distributed.
State Rep. Andy X. Vargas, a recent guest on WHAV’s morning program, said Baker had “full latitude” on how to spend the money during the emergency, but now the legislature wants a say.
“We in the legislature, as the purse of state government, felt we had a role and responsibility to make sure we were overseeing how those funds were being spent, particularly since the state of the emergency has ended. You’ll recall that the CARES Act, which was the first stimulus round that the federal government did, the legislature provided the governor with a lot of latitude to spend that money because we were in a state of emergency. And, now that the governor has ended the state of emergency, we feel like we have a responsibility in the legislature to make sure we have a transparent and open conversation about how that funding is getting invested into our community,” he said.
Vargas says the legislature will be holding hearings to take a methodical approach spending the federal funds, adding that there isn’t a rush to spend the money, because state revenues are in good shape—a situation he was surprised to learn. Vargas said he didn’t think the recovery would be this fast and this strong—and he credits a couple of reasons for why it’s happening.
“Two years before the pandemic hit, the state of Massachusetts implemented the online sales tax. You might remember brick and mortar retail businesses were unfairly being taxed the sales tax while the sales tax online wasn’t being enforced. So many purchases were happening online that weren’t subject to the sales tax, and that was decreasing revenue for the state. And, in the wake of the pandemic, everyone was ordering things online and that revenue stream helps keep the government afloat for some time,” he said.
Vargas says the other reason for the state’s economic recovery rests with the healthcare and bio-pharmaceutical sectors.
“Both of those sectors were critical to getting through this pandemic towards developing a vaccine. Because of that, we did okay as we rode through this wave, but the reality is that while the state revenues may be good and the recovery may be good on the macro level, there are still a lot of people that are still hurting. A lot of people that are suffering with food insecurity. They can’t find a home to rent or to buy and there are small businesses that are struggling to make payment on unemployment insurance and so many other costs that were rising for them through this pandemic. So, we have a lot of work to do. Nobody’s doing a victory lap and saying “mission accomplished” but it is worth celebrating the milestones and the milestone we are at right now is we are on the up and up when it comes to an economic recovery,” he added.
On another topic, Vargas said Haverhill will be receiving $1.5 million in state Chapter 90 state aid, giving the city additional money for repairing roads, potholes and other infrastructure.
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A number of Haverhill city councilors are asking for an update on options for preserving land, preventing development and protecting drinking water supplies in the eastern part of the city.
City Council President Melinda E. Barrett and Councilors Timothy J. Jordan, John A. Michitson and Colin F. LePage placed the inquiry about a 22.5-acre parcel at 97 Corliss Hill Road on tonight’s City Council agenda.
Essex County Greenbelt President Kate and Assistant Director of Land Conservation Vanessa Johnson-Hall appeared yesterday on WHAV’s morning program. Johnson-Hall reiterated the city has several options before it.
“The first is that Greenbelt would buy the land in partnership with a private buyer and this would mean at no cost to the city. The land would be 100% preserved from development and those beautiful fields that you can see from the road could still be used for farming in ways that Greenbelt would ensure would preserve the water,” she said.
Johnson-Hall said a second option would have the city and Essex County Greenbelt working together.
“Greenbelt would put in $250,000 to preserve those front fields, which could then be for farming again in ways that preserve drinking water. And, the city would contribute $150,000 and own all of the surrounding forest land which already abuts city watershed land,” she explained.
Last month, councilors and Mayor James J. Fiorentini said reopened the possibility of buying the land after the mayor previously chose not to exercise the city’s right to buy the property. Back in March, Fiorentini said he preferred to instead purchase a 29.4-acre property on Brandy Brow Road, closer to Millvale Reservoir.
The combination online and in-person meeting takes place at 7 p.m., tonight, from the Theodore A. Pelosi Jr. Council Chambers, Haverhill City Hall, Room 202, 4 Summer St. As a public service, WHAV plans to carry the meeting live.
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Today is the 244th anniversary of the adoption of the American flag by the Continental Congress.
Flag Day began in the midst of the Revolutionary War in 1777. In a recent appearance on WHAV’s morning program, Haverhill’s Veterans Services Officer Luis Santiago talked about the significance of the day.
“Flag Day is a day that we are going to celebrate and recognize the stars and stripes of our flag, to reflect upon the values and the valor of the men and women in uniform to defended it. So, if you have a flag, raise it up high and show your patriotism towards our country,” he said.
Santiago noted residents with an American Flag that is torn or tattered may leave it at either of two drop boxes for proper disposal. One box is at the Driscoll Funeral home, 309 S. Main St., and the other at American Legion Post 4, 1314 Main St., Haverhill.
“There is a special way to retire the flags, which you have to separate the stars and stripes from each other and cut them and dispose of them in a certain way. Usually, it’s done with the Cub Scouts. The Cub Scouts are the ones that actually do the ceremony alongside the American legion, but I believe this year, with the amount of flags that we have, it would be a nice little ceremony and if anyone would like to join we will have those dates and times available when the time comes,” he said.
Santiago is also in the process of planning a ceremony honoring Haverhill’s World War II veterans.
“If you know anybody, or if anybody has information on a veteran who served in the World War II era, I’m looking to do a recognition and a ceremony for them on July 10,” he said.
Santiago said it’s unfortunate the World War II is fading from memory and he wants to salute the living veterans and show them “we care, and that we will never forget.”
“That’s my main motto, that we will never forget. I believe that if you served in that uniform and raised that right hand, I believe you should be recognized for your efforts. And I want to thank them for that,” he said.
At the moment, Santiago knows of two World War II veterans in Haverhill. One is 97 years old and the other is 93. Those with information about others who served in World War II are asked to contact Santiago at the Citizens Center, 10 Welcome St., Haverhill, or call 978-374-2351.
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Haverhill High School holds one of its largest graduation ceremonies ever tonight at Trinity Haverhill Stadium.
The in-person event, which begins at 6 p.m., still faces COVID-19 restrictions. Superintendent Margaret Marotta said each student is allowed to have up to six guests, and they must pre-register. In addition, there will be social distancing between groups, to the extent possible, and masks are preferred.
“I’d just like to say how proud we are of our seniors for what they have done. We have so many kids that have graduated. We’ve actually got not only Haverhill High School graduates, Greenleaf Academy, which is one of our smaller schools, is graduating a group of kids. Gateway Academy, which is our alternative high school, this will be their first graduating class, and they will be graduating eight of their 10 seniors, which is really great for an alternative high school. I’m just really proud of all the work the kids and teachers have done this year,” the superintendent said.
Marotta, a guest this week on WHAV’s morning program, said this year’s graduating class has almost 100 more students than in recent years thanks to an increased retention rate. Many of them are heading off to continue their educations with an eye toward potential student loans.
“What we are actually seeing this year is a big increase in the number of kids going to two year colleges versus kids going to work. We think that’s really positive. Many of those students want to go beyond that and go to four-year college but they want to get that community college degree at a reasonable price first.”
The last day of school for the Haverhill School District is Friday, June 18.
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As the month of May nears a close, there’s still time to take notice of National Stroke Awareness Month.
Lisa Macdougall, Holy Family Hospital’s stroke coordinator at. Macdougall, explains symptoms of stroke may come on suddenly, which is why they have a memorable acronym.
“That acronym is BE FAST We want you to BE FAST when you think you are having symptoms of a stroke. What that stands for is the B is Balance. All of a sudden you’re off balance or you are very dizzy. And, it comes on all of a sudden. The E in BE FAST is your eyes. Suddenly you’re having a vision change in one or both eyes. The F in BE FAST is your face. Perhaps part of your face is drooping or suddenly you have a headache that affects your head. The A stands for your arms. Weakness or numbness, particularly if it’s in one arm versus both arms. The S stands for speech. If you suddenly have trouble speaking or someone that you’re watching seems to be confused or having garbled speech. And the last letter is T for time. It’s time to call 9-1-1 if you see any of these symptoms. So, we really try to push BE FAST when you see signs or symptoms of a stroke,” she said.
Macdougall, a recent guest on WHAV’s morning show, says people having a stroke, or stroke-like symptoms, must get to the hospital fast.
“Frequently, what people do is they try to drive themselves to the hospital, which is not what we want them to do. We would really prefer for them to call 9-1-1. The treatment for stroke starts in the ambulance. So, we really want to make sure they are not driving themselves or they are not having a loved one drive them to the hospital if they see any of these symptoms. It’s very important to call 9-1-1,” she explained.
Macdougall says strokes are caused by blood clots to the brain. When the brain lacks its supply of blood, it starts to die at a rate of about two million cells a minute.
“We’ve only got a very short window of time in which to treat you if you are indeed having a stroke, because a stroke is caused by a blood clot that generally goes up to your brain and is blocking the circulation to your brain. So, we want to get that clot out of the way. So, we can either give you medication to try to break down that clot, or, if you meet certain criteria in some cases, we can send you into Boston and they will actually pull that clot out, called a thrombectomy, but again, they only have 24 hours from the time that your symptoms start to be able to do that,” she added.
Macdougall says Holy Family Hospital is designated as a primary stroke center through the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, meaning they have the ability to treat those having a stroke or stroke-like symptoms. The chances of suffering from a stroke increase as people age or have medical conditions such as diabetes or high blood pressure.
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As spring turns into summer, the YMCA in Haverhill is preparing for the ninth year of its Haverhill Literacy Academy.
Regional Executive Director Tracy Fuller says the program is in collaboration with Haverhill Public Schools and designed to help students with their reading skills, especially this year.
“We’re excited to prepare for that, and we know that speaking of COVID that a lot of students have experienced a little bit of a learning slide, and this great program that we were able to secure funding for provides mornings of tutoring and literacy support and then afternoons at our summer camp at Tricklin’ Falls. So, it’s a six-week program and we have from pre- and post-assessments show that students who participate in the program, instead of experiencing the summer slide, they experience the summer step up,” she says.
Fuller, a recent guest on WHAV’s morning program, says the YMCA’s strategic initiatives are addressing the achievement gap and helping every child be on the appropriate reading level.
“We know how important that is. We want to be a partner. We’re partner with the public schools. We’re a partner with families, and this program provides for families a great peace of mind their child is going to have academic support as well as enrichment support at summer camp. We’re thrilled to be able to do this. It has built up every year upon the next year and we are just thrilled to be offering this in collaboration with Haverhill Public Schools and we are definitely looking to have kids register. We are looking for families who are interested in having this great opportunity for their child.” Fuller adds.
She is also excited to see the YMCA get back to its pre-pandemic ways.
“We are thrilled to be able to, as restrictions have shifted, welcome back many of our programs and services. Everything from aqua aerobics for seniors to our wellness programs and group exercise, our gymnastics and swim lessons, sports and continuing to run our licensed before- and after-school child care program,” she explains.
Information on the Literacy Academy is available by clicking on “Specialty Camps” at NorthShoreYMCA.org.
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Those visiting downtown Haverhill have likely noticed an addition to many of the utility pole— banners honoring Haverhill Veterans.
The Haverhill Exchange Club, with the help of Haverhill Veterans’ Services Officer Luis Santiago and the Haverhill Public Works Department, are installing banners honoring local Veterans. Santiago, a guest recently on WHAV’s morning program, says the original plan was to limit the number of banners to 80, but more than 100 were purchased.
“We didn’t want for any individual who wanted to participate in the program to feel left out, so we actually took a little bit more than what was expected in order to accommodate certain individuals who either found out a little late or had a little trouble with the website, so we accommodated as much as we could. It will be a program that will be ongoing, so this is the first year. We will continue next year and in the following years to hopefully make it bigger and better as we go along,” he says.
Santiago says the project is a fundraiser for the Exchange Club.
“It’s something that we’ve seen done throughout the nation. It’s something that raises and boosts the morale within the community. It’s just a great reminder, a great visual, to let everybody know that our veteran community, we are a tight knit community. We will never forget the individuals who have served in our country and we look forward honoring these individuals with the visual of the banners that will be going up over the Memorial Day weekend,” he adds.
Even though the banners have already started going up throughout downtown Haverhill, an official program takes place Thursday, May 27.
“We will be doing a small ceremony. We are still going to follow the guidelines set by the governor and the state. We will be doing something on Washington Square in order for the installation of four Gold Star Family Banners which will be going up,” he explains.
Santiago says volunteers are also signing up to help place American flags on veterans’ graves throughout the city. Those interested may call him at 978-374-2351 or email LSantiago@cityofhaverhill.com.
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The arrival of the coronavirus last year brought worries of deep cuts in state aid, but Haverhill state Rep. Andy X. Vargas said the recently approved House spending plan neither cuts services nor raises taxes.
The nearly $48 billion budget proposal is possible, Vargas said, because of strong state revenue collections, increased federal reimbursement and by using the state’s rainy-day fund. Appearing on WHAV’s live “Win for Breakfast” program Friday morning, Vargas also discussed specific benefits for Haverhill.
“We’re really excited because Haverhill is going to see a $1.6 million increase in Chapter 70 for our schools. It’s also going to see a $400,000 increase in local aid, which is finding that the City of Haverhill could use for diverse purposes,” Vargas explained.
He noted city government would also receive $125,000 in additional state help to pay the debt of the former city-owned Hale Hospital that the city owned for 70 years until selling it in 2001.
In a separate statement, Vargas detailed Haverhill schools would receive a total of nearly $65 million in state aid. The spending plan also sets aside $40 million to help school districts whose fall enrollment drops because of COVID-19, bringing state reimbursements down as well. The city will also see $10.8 million in general local aid.
The budget for the year beginning July 1 is not built on federal American Rescue Plan. Vargas notes the city will separately benefit from federal aid.
“It’s important for folks to know the American Rescue Plan, passed by Congress, led by Joe Biden, is going to provide the City of Haverhill with $30 million on the city side and the schools went a little bit over $20 million as well,” he said.
Haverhill’s private sector also benefits from special state payments, known as earmarks. Vargas said these include $50,000 for the Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce, $25,000 to the Haverhill High School’s Violence Intervention and Prevention organization, $25,000 to establish a Haverhill branch of the Lowell-based Entrepreneurship for All and $25,000 for Creative Haverhill to work on city beautification and public art projects. Vargas elaborated on the beautification plan.
“Beautify the overpasses where the train goes over downtown similar to the one that has been beautified by Creative Haverhill. We’ve got that nice ‘Welcome to Haverhill’ sign in front of Stuft,” he said.
Vargas also supported a $50,000 earmark for the Cogswell Art Space, South Main Street, filed by Rep. Linda Dean Campbell of Methuen.
The proposed House budget is still subject to agreement with the Senate and Gov. Charlie Baker.
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Merrimack Valley Hope Mission, a humanitarian project, is partnering with two local nonprofit organizations to again provide fishing trips for homeless and transitional veterans.
The Fourth Annual Veterans’ Fishing Trip is being planned by the coalition, which now includes support from Common Ground Ministries, headed by Ron Mills, and 411 Cares, founded by Dee Jacobs O’Neil. They are notifying veterans of the upcoming opportunity and also seeking community donations to help the endeavor, according to Joseph D’Amore, Merrimack Valley Hope Mission founder.
For a second year, Merrimack Valley Hope Mission is working with Newburyport-based F/V Emme Charters and Captain Rick Boudrow and his family.
For more information or to make a donation email D’Amore at damorecos@gmail.com.
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Haverhill is closer than ever to “bridging the digital divide” with a New Jersey-based developer of fiber optic networks backing its Haverhill plans with private investment.
Haverhill City Councilor John A. Michitson, who has warned for the past five years that the city risks being left behind unless it can bring in affordable, high-speed data networks, says SiFi Networks has time-sensitive plans for the city.
“SiFi is pushing for June/July of this year because they do have investors, and they do need to move forward with their agreements with the various cities across the country. So, they are putting a little bit of pressure on the city. I’m hoping for a decision in the next two or three months,” he says.
Michitson, who says the digital divide became ever more apparent during the last year as people, businesses, healthcare and the government relied on the internet, provided the update last week on WHAV’s morning program. He notes city officials are looking at SciFi’s response to a request for proposals to build a fiber optic network in Haverhill. The councilor says the RFP was specifically designed for the situation.
“The RFP was more targeted towards the type of solution that SiFi provides out there. It wasn’t wide open, for example, for companies that want to provide municipal networks. So right now, this is the one solution we are evaluating, and hoping to hit pay dirt,” he explains.
Michitson talked about some of the benefits of the proposal
“The SiFi Network proposal is a private solution, so the cost of installation and service is owned by the provider. The city is now in the process of doing its due diligence by prudently evaluating the proposal to address possible risk to the city, including topics such as microtrenching and public right of way privileges, which are both prominent in the proposal. So that’s where we are. I’ll let the city release the details when they are ready, of how that’s going, but it is moving along,” he adds.
Michitson says SiFi Networks has a number of fiber optic networks around the country. It demonstrated construction techniques last fall in Salem, Mass., in advance of building gigabit internet, television and telephone to residents and businesses.
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L’Arche Boston North is making plans to bring back the Longest Table in August, a kicking off the Greater Haverhill Chamber’s Restaurant Week with a boost for local eateries.
Last year’s plans were scuttled by the COVID-19 pandemic, but the group that helps adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities is bringing it back with only minor changes. L’Arche Boston North Executive Director Jennifer Matthews, a guest on WHAV’s morning program, says Haverhill’s restaurant community is tightknit and supports one another.
“Going into the pandemic, and knowing how hard hit our restaurant communities were hit across the world, Haverhill’s resiliency is really rooted in the people who own these restaurants, and the people who work in these restaurants. Everyone came together to support one another, and you see it every day on social media. You see people who own one restaurant in another restaurant just complimenting the chef or taking pictures and making sure people know what an amazing meal they had. It’s something you don’t see in other places. It’s something I’ve never encountered in any other area. I think Haverhill is really special. So, this year we would like to thank our restaurants for participating, so 20% of the ticket sales will go back to participating restaurants,” she says.
L’Arche Boston North provides housing and day programs, including a small business producing homemade hummus.
Matthews says the Longest Table will be laid out Thursday, Aug. 19 and helps the restaurants show off their cuisine and invites people to come together.
“The longest table takes place on Wingate Street and it’s a joint effort between L’Arche Boston North and the Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce, and the event kicks off the Restaurant Week for the City of Haverhill. We transform Wingate Street, in a very short amount of time, into an outdoor dining room. We have a very long table, so the first year we did it in 2019 the table was about 250 feet and we had about 186 people seated at the table, and we worked with all of the local restaurants to help cater a family style meal for the guests at their table,” she explains.
Matthews says this year, instead of selling individual tickets to the event, plans right now are to sell tickets by tables of six for $600, which includes food, a gift bag and entertainment. In view of the pandemic, she adds, this is a safer way to have the Longest Table. Details are still be worked out, but those interested may learn more at larchebostonnorth.org.
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Signs that life is not quite back to normal are the many nonprofit organizations at work on variations of their signature fundraising projects, while eyeing normalcy just ahead.
Among them, the Haverhill Firefighting Museum’s Kentucky Derby Gala for 2021 is still a little different than previous years where people dressed up while enjoying a catered event and live entertainment. Cynthia Graham, a recent guest on WHAV’s morning program, said this year’s event is centered around a cash raffle.
“With three great prizes, a win, place and show prizes. First place $3,000, second place $1,500 and third place $1,000,” she notes.
Graham says no horse racing handicapping skills will be needed—the names will be drawn from a special Kentucky Derby container. “After those grand prizes are awarded, we are also going to be drawing consolation prizes for tickets to next years’ Kentucky Derby Gala, which is a $60 value. So, we will be drawing a few of those and also be awarding bricks for our 9-11 memorial walkway.”
Tickets are $50 each and only 300 will be sold. They are available at haverhillfirefightingmuseum.org. The drawing is Saturday, May 1. Sponsorship comes from Haverhill Bank, Pentucket Bank and Covanta.
Volunteers at the Haverhill Firefighting Museum, 75 Kenoza Ave., spent the past year on a number of refurbishing projects, and are looking forward to reopening next month, welcoming back school children and other visitors.
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Haverhill students are taking their seats once again in public school classrooms.
Kindergarten and first graders were the first, returning to in-person attendance Monday. Haverhill School Superintendent Margaret Marotta tells WHAV listeners responses were overall positive.
“Inside schools, everything went really smooth. The kids were adorable. I was in quite a few schools and the kids were happy to be back. One little boy told me he was just a little bit scared to be back, but he was a lot excited—and I think that sums it up for everyone,” she says.
Marotta, a guest Tuesday on WHAV’s morning program, said there was a little bit of confusion, however, when it came to transportation. She said the drivers did their best under the circumstances.
“They know the bus stops and every child has a bus pass and a stop, and they aren’t supposed to leave any child at a bus stop without visual contact with of a parent. But, sometimes there are a lot of kids getting off the bus and there are a lot of parents standing out there. So, we need to be hypervigilant. Just reminding parents that if there is a change ,please don’t assume that we know. Let us know in writing,” she says.
Marotta explains parents shouldn’t rely on a “verbal notification” when it comes to changing transportation plans.
“If you have some kind of an alternate drop, or a change in the routine for your kids busing, make sure you speak to someone in the office, and that you give them a written note to make sure that we are getting everybody to the place they need to go—particularly the little ones who get confused,” she says.
Students in grades 2, 3 and 4 are returning Thursday.
The superintendent says she is also ramping up the efforts to fill several principal positions.
“We have interims at several schools from last year. If you remember, we had a couple of principals switch places, so that would be Consentino and Pentucket Lake, and principal and assistant principal switched places. We have those we need to firm up. Tilton School, Bonnie Antkowiack went to Central Office. Erin Mackay took over as interim there, so those are things we need to have a process. They are all doing a great job, but we still need to have a process and let teachers and parents have some say in the process. And then Silver Hill School, Scott Gray took over knowing it was just going to be for a year so that’s a complete opening. We don’t have any internal candidates for that,” she notes.
Marotta adds other jobs are available, including teachers, teachers’ aides, bus drivers and custodians. She says she prefers to fill the positions with local candidates whom, she says, tend to stay on the job for longer periods of time.
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The Boys and Girls Club of Greater Haverhill is facing a fundraising challenge.
Throughout the pandemic, the nonprofit has provided additional support for its members, including a full-day learning program, allowing teens and pre-teens to participate in remote learning instead of being isolated at home. To support these efforts, Boys and Girls Club Executive Director Javier Bristol is asking the public to support the “Back a Kid” Fund Matching Challenge, sponsored by the Amelia Peabody Foundation.
“So, we are trying to get that going and really support all the kids in this community. We’ve been doing it all year, so our goal is just to continue to do good and help out the community the best we can. This match is a great way to keep that going, and keep our programs running. So, any support would be really appreciated,” he says.
Bristol, who was a recent guest on WHAV’s morning program, says the goal is to raise $25,000 by the end of the month. If successful, the Foundation will match it with another $25,000. He says the Club is short of reaching its fundraising goal by slightly more than $5,000 short.
“Back a Kid fund is a year-round initiative that we have that supports all of our programming. It really helps ease the financial burden of a lot of families. It keeps all of our pricing low and affordable. If you reached out and sent a check out to the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Haverhill with the memo of “Back a Kid,” it will go towards reaching that match and directly support the Amelia Peabody $25,000 match,” he explains.
Checks may be mailed to the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Haverhill, 55 Emerson St., Haverhill 01830. Donations may also be made online at Haverhillbgc.org.
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Local poet Karen M. Kline, discusses the latest efforts of The Valley of the Poets.
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Problems receiving the COVID-19 vaccine have been well documented, and right now the focus is on individuals age 75 and older, but many military veterans qualify right now.
Haverhill’s Veterans Service Officer Luis Santiago, a recent guest on WHAV’s morning program, said veterans may be able to get vaccinated sooner.
“If you’re a veteran and you’d like to get the vaccination and you are 50 plus, the Bedford VA in Bedford, Mass., is actually having everyone get vaccinated, if you would like to get vaccinated and you are a veteran. They are located at 200 Springs Road in Bedford. Their phone number is 781-687-2000. You can please call them up, let them know you are interested in getting the vaccine, that you are a veteran. If you are not enrolled in the VA’s Health Care Facility, they can actually navigate either through the application online or over the phone,” he explains.
Santiago said those veterans that need transportation will also be helped.
“So the bus or our shuttle is running through the MBTA and we also offer transportation. If anybody would like to make it to the Bedford VA they would call my office. My office number 978-374-2351. We actually schedule individuals to go into Boston, Jamaica Plains, Roxbury and the Bedford VA and on occasion to the Lowell Vets Center. So, if anybody needs an appointment that needs to get vaccinated, please give me a call and we’ll try to work it out and get you down there,” he advises.
On another topic, Santiago talked about the Salute to Veterans—Hometown Heroes Banner Project being organized by the Haverhill Exchange Club, which he calls “a work in progress.”
“We will be supplying or hanging up banners throughout the city and downtown Haverhill starting Memorial Day weekend. The plan is to have them up Memorial Day weekend all the way up to Veterans Day weekend and then we can do either a start ceremony and an end ceremony in the sense of having the banners brought down and to be given to the individuals or the families who are either buying or sponsoring the banners themselves,” he explains.
Santiago says there is a sample banner hanging on a pole by the Battle Grounds Coffee Co. in downtown Haverhill. Those looking for more information or to purchase a banner are advised to contact his office at the Haverhill Citizens Center, 10 Welcome St., or call a member of the Haverhill Exchange Club.
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With the global pandemic entering a second year, it’s not just students having to cope with new school realities. Administrators are likewise finding themselves facing challenges such as the prospect of another unusual graduation day.
Haverhill School Superintendent Margaret Marotta, a guest recently on WHAV’s morning program, says with Haverhill High School’s graduation coming up in less than four months, thought is already going into the graduation ceremony for the class of 2021.
“We’ve been creating a series of different plans of what it’s going to look like. I think we know it’s not going to be our typical graduation. We’re hoping that it can be some kind of a in-person, socially distanced graduation maybe with some limitations on the number of people that can attend, or something. That’s sort of the best-case scenario,” she says.
The situation is also challenging with younger age groups. School officials held a virtual Preschool Resource Fair with an eye towards the 2021-22 school year starting in the fall.
“It allows us to plan a little bit better, make sure we have enough teachers, enough resources, especially this year where we have such a big swing in enrollment. We’re down about 300 kids across the school district this year. I’m guessing they’re going to be coming back next year and it would be nice to know which grades they are going to be in, and which schools we need to prepare for them,” she explains.
Marotta explains this year, across the state, thousands of students left the public school system, opting for private schools, parochial schools, charter schools and home schooling. She asks that parents considering sending their children to Haverhill schools register them with the Haverhill School Department Parent Resource Center.
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Despite changing state rules throughout the pandemic, Haverhill’s Community Action has been able to continue serving homeless and near-homeless residents with its Drop-In Center inside Haverhill’s Universalist Unitarian Church.
Longtime Drop-in Center Director Pat Dennehy says the early days of the pandemic created great difficulties because of the then-state limitation of serving just 10 individuals at a time.
“Usually we served about 75 people a day and we had to cut down to 10 which was difficult. The decision was basically made that I would only take in people who were actually outside, because if you’re out all night, you have to have a safe place to go. I’ve been open throughout the pandemic. They bumped us up to 25, brought us back down to 10. We had to change everything the way that we served food. Just everything had to change, but we stuck through it, and we’ve been open every day throughout the pandemic,” she says.
Dennehy, who was a recent guest on WHAV’s morning program, says it wasn’t a given the Drop-In Center would continue serving people during the pandemic, but her insistence paid off.
“I mean, to be honest with you, we could have closed, but I fought to keep me open. Community Action—I’ve been with them for 40 years, and they value everything that I say. Yeah, we fought to keep it open, and it was, but then again we did what we could to help who was on the street,” she notes.
The center is open Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m.-noon, via the UU Church’s rear entrance at 16 Ashland St.
This winter, Dennehy was also able to find assistance outside of Haverhill
“The Days Inn in Methuen opened up a shelter there, and it took Haverhill people this year. Last year it was pretty restricted, so I was able to get a lot of people off the streets of Haverhill, but this just came this winter. It wasn’t like last winter when all of this started, so that was a blessing to be able to get people off the streets. I’m still making referrals on a daily basis because they are going to be open, I think, through April,” Dennehy explains.
She says the homeless that are served mornings at the Community Action Drop-In Center at the Universalist Unitarian Church Church on Kenoza Avenue are also able to receive afternoon and weekend assistance at Common Ground Café, 194 Winter St., in Haverhill.
There’s more information about the Drop-In Center on the web at CommunityActionInc.org.
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The new president and CEO of the Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce will be “Guest of Honor” at tomorrow’s Virtual Leads Lunch hosted by the organization.
Irene Haley took over job last month. Speaking recently on WHAV’s morning program, Haley praised her predecessor Dougan Sherwood
“Dougan did some excellent work with support, of course, of the board and I am very interested in keeping a lot of the programs going and making sure our members and stakeholders—people who have faith in the Chamber—know that I’ll continue that work and I’m excited to understand more about how I can influence not only the strategy but some of the program we have going forward,” she said.
Haley’s career began in accounting, but she decided a change was in order during the 1990s when she returned to school an obtained a master’s in Business Administration from Boston University. She went on to answer the call from Mobil Oil about a new program the fuel giant offered, called “Friendly Serve.” The position entailed working with owners of gas stations, greeting people at the pump, checking oil and tire pressure and making sure stations are clean.
“From there, I was in a variety of roles. I was a terminal supervisor. I got a chance to—apparently not many of you got a chance to do this—I’ve been in oil tanks, I’ve been on a gasoline delivery truck and for a couple of years and really spent 14 great years at Mobil doing a variety of jobs. Mobil decided to change how they operate. That meant my role would be changing and it was another kind of crossroads for me,” she noted.
At that point, Haley spent eight years as Starbucks Boston-area regional director before deciding on another change, looking for a position that would let her help others with their own development and professional journey.
“And when I saw the work of the Chamber, and understand their why in terms of an inclusive economic development plan, putting together programs that help everybody be successful and also being part of a transition as the City of Haverhill evolves, it just seemed something that really could be a good fit for me, and aligned with what I think is important as well. And that’s how I ended up in Haverhill,” Haley explained.
The Virtual Leads Lunch takes place tomorrow, Feb. 3, from noon-1 p.m. Registration is available at haverhillchamber.com.
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Monday marks the opening of the Haverhill veterans clinic’s new downtown Haverhill location.
In the first of a two-phase plan, primary care associated with the VA Bedford Healthcare System’s Haverhill Community Based Outreach Clinic moves from Merrimack Street to the Medical Arts Center building at 209 Summer St. Chief of Public Affairs Kat Bailey says phase two comes later this year when additional specialties become available.
“In the second phase, coming this summer, we’re going to take the additional space that we leased and we’re going to be building that out specifically to be able to add additional treatment rooms, exam rooms, the specialty care clinics, more space for mental health treatment, more space for women’s health as well as adding a laboratory. What that means is that people from the area will be able to go to the Haverhill clinic as opposed to trying to maneuver their way to over to Bedford where the main laboratory is,” she notes.
Bailey, a recent guest on WHAV’s morning program, says the goal is to provide expanded care for veterans in the community, instead of having to travel to the main location in Bedford
“If we can provide care in the community where our veterans live, that’s really advantageous because we want to reduce exposure for them and for us. But, we also want to make things convenient and this is one of the biggest things we can do by doubling our overall clinic size in that new location, we really hope that veterans will see the convenience and know that their expanded care is all we are looking for, is to take care of them,” she explains.
Bailey notes the Haverhill clinic is the oldest of the outreach clinics, with the others in Lynn and Gloucester. The move follows the expiration of the lease at 108 Merrimack St. The new location, at the corner of Summer and Mill Streets, is less than a mile away and offers on-site parking.
Bailey praises the services that are offered and she speaks from experience.
“So I’m a veteran myself and I get my care at the VA. I choose to do that. I am blown away by the passion that these employees have for their jobs and for taking care of veterans. During the pandemic, when everything was just insanely crazy during the first surge, I’ve never seen people work so hard, so diligently and care so, so much for their patients, of which I am one. Yes, I might be the PR person but I’m also a veteran and I’m always going to speak truth about my own care, and that has just blown me away,” she says.
She says a ribbon cutting is planned for the summer once the second phase of the move is complete.
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The Merrimack Valley Planning Commission is looking at how COVID-19 is impacting businesses and internet usage.
Nate Robertson, a planner with the Haverhill-based agency, is working with the Essex County Community Foundation. He says the pandemic has forced more businesses to rely on the internet, but some need added help.
“We’ll be setting up our Small Business Technical Assistance Program over the next month or two, and in that process we’re going to be reaching out to small businesses about what their needs are, and then the goal is to pair them up with technical assistance advisors that can help them with that need,” he says.
Robertson, a recent guest on WHAV’s morning program, says the events of the past year have brought the issue of internet inequality to the forefront.
“This is one of these things that internet access has been an issue for a long time, but it has certainly become more of an issue and the issue has accelerated with the impact of COVID-19. Now, more than ever, we are now very online, whether it’s at school or at work, and the gap in equity between peoples’ ability to get online reliably, afford to be online or have a connection that’s fast enough to be functional—all of these issues are coming to fruition and it has become apparent that we need to do some work around improving access to the internet,” Robertson explains.
So far, the Merrimack Valley Planning Commission’s research shows more than one or two issues rising to the top.
“Each business has its own needs, its own unique situation and what’s really been shocking is the variety of different needs that businesses are having across industry, across size, across revenue scale. It really goes to show the need across the board for resources for financing, for health. That’s been my takeaway so far,” he notes.
Robertson says the ability for businesses to have their paperwork in order and online will help them during the application process when they are seeking money to stay afloat, for expansion or when applying for assistance from federal and state programs.
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Haverhill’s Ruth House is reminding residents that free new clothing is available for seniors and others in need.
Recently, the Lafayette Square nonprofit began a streamlined clothing referral program, allowing persons to obtain help directly rather than having to go through a social service agency. With photo identification and proof of receiving assistance, residents may receive up to 10 articles of clothing, four times a year.
Ruth’s House Executive Director Amy Smith-Boden, a recent guest on WHAV’s morning program, says individuals may receive up to three pairs of underwear, three pairs of socks and a pair of “long johns.” All of this clothing is new. The organization’s flagship program also provides free coats to people over the age of 50 with proof of assistance.
Ruth’s House programs are paid for, in part, by its thrift shop which remains open to the public, selling clothing and other household goods.
“We do have a lot of household items. In fact, that’s where we do our best business, is in household goods. So, things like kitchenware, insta-pots, air fryers, toasters, espresso makers and also a lot of cloth goods like curtains and bedspreads. They do very well for us because we do charge a price for that. Most of our donated clothing, which is high-quality clothing, that walks out the door for free, so we do charge a very reasonable price on the household goods and kitchen items, but that’s where we do most of our business,” she explains.
Smith-Boden says regular shoppers are always looking for newly arrived items being donated to the organization. She adds these are good quality items, in working condition—something, “you might give to someone else.”
People looking to donate items to Ruth’s House are asked to follow these simple guidelines.
“We ask you, please, to donate between our hours when the receiving dock is open. We have a receiver who can judge everything coming in and say ‘yes this is good for us’ or ‘no this doesn’t work for us, but maybe donate in another location.’ Our receiving hours are Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 10-4 and on Saturday from 10-2. That’s when we have a door open in the back and we have the floor space and manpower to work with your donations,” she adds.
Ruth’s House, at 111 Lafayette Square, also provides a bilingual client referral coordinator who can assist with appointments, Tuesdays to Fridays, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Additional information is available by calling Ruth’s House at 978-521-5575.
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Scott Forbes has been named interim director of Haverhill-based Veterans Northeast Outreach Center.
Forbes takes over from Executive Director Edward V. Mitchell. He is no stranger to the organization, as he explained in a recent appearance on WHAV’s morning program.
“Five years ago I kind of lost my way in terms of being able to figure some things out and I came to VNOC for support and services, and they helped me be able to get myself on the right path, and that was back in 2016. I always said if there was even an opportunity that I’d be able to come back and work for the place that helped me. I know exactly what it feels like to walk through the doors and say, ‘you know I can’t do it by myself. I need help and I need some support.’ I’m fortunate enough to work with some of those people today that helped me back in 2016 so every day I walk through these doors it’s definitely a blessing. It’s something I don’t take for granted and every day is an opportunity we can do something for somebody, and it’s an opportunity we’ll never, ever, pass up,” he explains.
Forbes started working for the Veterans Northeast two years ago, following 22 years in the service and active-duty assignments in Afghanistan and Iraq. He began as a case manager at the Methuen location.
“In July, I assumed the role of chief operating officer for the organization. There was going to be a natural transition of power with Chief Mitchell who was our executive director. I think COVID kind of sped everything up, but he ended up voluntarily stepping down from the position at the end of the end of the year and as of Jan. 1, I became the interim director for VNOC,” he says.
Forbes says COVID has impacted everyone during the past year, especially making “food insecurity” a reality in the Merrimack Valley and throughout the Commonwealth.
“Our partnership with Mass. Military we were able to set up multiple pop-up sites during the 2020 calendar year. We were able to hand out about 1,000 or 1,200 boxes of non-perishable items,” he says.
Forbes says at VNOC’s Amesbury location, in partnership with CNA stores, the agency was also able to hand out 1,000 boxes a week of perishable items, such as dairy and meats. Currently, Forbes says, the outreach effort includes a food pantry at its Haverhill headquarters at 10 Reed St., which is serving about 100 people a week.
The organization also operates programs through federal and state partnerships with the Department of Veteran Affairs and Department of Veterans Services.
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The grade level reading program known as Haverhill Promise is promoting good school attendance habits as a means to bolster all forms of learning.
Haverhill Promise Campaign Director Jenny Arndt, who recently appeared on WHAV’s morning show, said attending every day of school is critical.
“Good attendance habits, and this is something we are trying to help parents of young children understand. They start in pre-school. Start those good attendance habits right away. Don’t let your kid make excuses not to go to school because they just don’t feel like it. I don’t know if you ever missed a few days of school when you were a kid, but those days that you come back are missed learning opportunities too because you’re having to catch up from the days that you weren’t there,” she said.
Arndt went on to say that tracking attendance is more than a one-person job.
“Thankfully our district has these really amazing superheroes. They’re called bilingual parent liaisons, and every school has their own parent liaison that assists the attendance supervisor to make some follow up phone calls to actually call parents to find out if it was a bad internet connection, was the parent having issues with the technology helping the child join a Google Meet? Was somebody sick? What was going on? We’re very grateful in Haverhill Public Schools to have the parent liaisons. They do a lot of work behind the scenes that people don’t realize,”Arndt added.
As WHAV previously reported, Haverhill Promise is in the final days of a contest to help promote school attendance and grade level Reading. Students are being asked to create a poster that includes the phrase “School Every Day, No Matter Which Way.”
“All submissions need to be in by Jan. 14, so just a few more days for that. All the details can be found on our website HaverhillPromise.com and if anyone has any questions, they can feel free to reach out to our Facebook page, or shoot me an email or give us a call,” she said.
Posters should be no larger than 8.5 inches wide and 11 inches tall, and must include the phrase “School every day, no matter which way.”
The contest run until Jan. 14. Prizes, including a certificate and gift basket, will be awarded at each school and certificates and $100 gift cards will be given to four citywide winners. School-level winning designs will also be displayed at each school and around the city and downtown for citywide winners.
Participants may either drop off, mail or email designs. Drop-offs are accepted at Haverhill Public Schools’ Parent Resource Center, 45 Fountain St.; MakeIt Haverhill, 301 Washington St; or Haverhill YMCA, 81 Winter St. Submissions may also be mailed to Haverhill Promise, 45 Fountain St., Haverhill, or photographed and emailed to team@haverhillpromise.com.
More information is available online at haverhillpromise.com/postercontest.
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The year 2020 was a good one for a relatively new, independent, social service organization focused on helping Haverhill youth at risk.
Leaving the Streets Ministry, founded by Chaplain Jesus Ruiz and his wife Wanda, is working to redirect young people in danger of becoming high school drop outs, or choosing a life of gangs and drugs that could lead to prison.
“All we really want to do is serve the community, serve the broken, serve the youth that have backgrounds, that have records, kids that don’t have families. They’re broken, pretty much. Give them a chance of employment, a chance on a place to live that through resources they are able to get a chance move forward in life, and not be stuck in this gang world,” he says.
Ruiz says the year 2020 was a success in finding jobs for so many young.
“I’m so excited of the opportunities that God has been providing. We actually got 250 jobs this year. We have so much work and that’s through the COVID. It’s just been amazing. We broke our record from last year which was at 167, and last year we didn’t even have the center,” Ruiz says.
The Leaving the Streets Ministry Center is at 117 Lafayette St., Haverhill. Ruiz says it makes it easier for people to come in the build their resume, create a cover letter and put them on a path toward employment
“We don’t just want to get them a job, we want to get them a job they’ll be comfortable with. Certain individuals, certain high-risk youth that we work with—they need to be placed at a certain job. We get kids from all different backgrounds, kids that suffer from depression, kids that have certain anxieties, kids who can’t stand still so we try to find the right employment for them. We are actually up to 250 jobs and we have over 40 positions available. A lot of the positions we get are in the Haverhill area, like Ward Hill—a lot of warehouse jobs, restaurant, assembly line equipment, factories. The owners work with us on giving these young adults a chance just to move forward in life,” he says.
And along with helping find employment, Leaving the Streets Ministry also helps fight food insecurity – and assisted Santa Claus at Christmas
“We were driving around the city, passing out gifts to families that were struggling financially. So many families we were serving. They were just so grateful, and tired of the life they were living. It was just so amazing to watch the fire inside of them just leaving the gang world, leaving the street life and wanting to do better. Just a chance, you know, and it’s just like I tell them, ‘I’ll give you a chance to move forward in life but it’s up to you what you do with it.’”
There is more information at LeavingTheStreetsMinistry.network.
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Affordable housing is one of Kerri Perry’s top priorities as she takes the helm of Haverhill’s venerable Community Action.
Perry recently succeeded John Cuneo as chief executive officer of the anti-poverty agency. Perry, a recent guest on WHAV’s morning program, says the need for affordable housing is an issue that has been around for many years—and one that continues to outgrow the supply of public housing units.
“But, a lot of people won’t qualify for that and the wait list (for public housing) is simply just too long. When you have a five-year wait list to access housing, that generally is not a great solution for families. We really need to get more short-term solutions. The administration in Haverhill and agencies and organizations are all working towards that same goal. Everyone has to have their oars in the Merrimack paddling in the same direction here, and that’s the way we’re going to get things done,” she says.
One of the tools available for communities to get more affordable housing is the state’s Chapter 40B regulations. But Perry says it’s not a perfect solution.
“With 40B, when developers come in, communities can say to them a certain percentage of the units that you are putting on the market need to be set aside for affordable housing, but that sort of begs the question, ‘what is affordable housing?’ Is $1,500 a month affordable when someone is making minimum wage? You really have to take more into consideration than just the price of the unit. It’s some calculus that will make your eyes cross, let me tell you,” Perry notes.
Prior to taking the reigns as Community Action’s CEO, Perry worked as the agency’s director of planning and development. Her task was to expand agency’s income and programming.
One of the busiest programs this time of year at Community Action is fuel assistance where her team is fielding numerous daily calls. While the program is always in demand, she says, the fallout from COVID-19 has forced even more families to seek aid this year.
“When people call in, all I ask of them is to be patient with my team. They are responding to people as soon as they can. When applications go out, they are processed very quickly. We have a lot of people accessing services, not just energy but many Community Action services for the first time. We have a lot of families who have never accessed services before but, because of the pandemic, because of the economic situation, they are finding themselves in, they are calling us for the first time, so we really are seeing a surge in new clients. When people call in, just be patient, you will get a call back. They are going to ask for a certain amount of documents and it’s going to be spelled out very clearly. The energy program is really a critical need in our community, especially for our elderly clients, so it’s a lifeline,” she explains.
Perry says a list of COVID-19 food, meals and other resources is available at CommunityActionInc.org, along with a link for new client registration for their many programs
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Congresswoman Lori Trahan says she is looking beyond the COVID-19 pandemic, working to expand worker training opportunities.
Trahan, a recent guest on WHAV’s morning program, discussed the National Apprenticeship Act she helped pass in the House. She calls it a framework to restart the economy.
“The passage of this legislation will expand access to apprenticeships and will definitely aid in our economic recovery. And I think we do have to think about this sequentially. We have to think about containing the virus and making sure we get through this public health pandemic, but then also get to work on how we are going to stimulate our economy once people have the confidence to go back out,” she says.
Trahan says the measure would invest nearly $3.5 billion over the next five years, creating more than one million apprenticeship opportunities for American workers, and encourage participation by small and medium sized businesses
“These apprenticeships will be expanded. We know and we have seen an unbelievable model in terms of our building trades. I’ve been down to the labor apprenticeship program as well as the carpenters and there’s a great model for how we get folks into those jobs which we are experiencing shortages of people in those family sustaining good paying jobs. We want to expand that model into other fields,” she explains.
Trahan says it’s estimated that seven million jobs may be permanently lost because of the pandemic. These apprenticeship grants, to be funded by the U.S. Department of Labor, will help defray the costs to participating businesses. The measure is now awaiting Senate action.
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With guidance urging people not to congregate this holiday season, the Haverhill Garden Club has found a socially distant way for people to enjoy each other’s creativity.
The Club’s first “Holiday Doors of Haverhill” celebration encourages residents to decorate their front doors and then send in photographs for online sharing. Haverhill Garden Club member Kathy Fitts, a recent guest on WHAV’s morning program, explains.
“Well our group was thinking about what a difficult year this is, and, of course, some people don’t feel like decorating because they’re grieving. But, a lot of us who are lucky enough not having a direct touch, but are feeling a lot of anxiety this season, and not be able to have the annual Christmas parties or Hanukkah gatherings or whatever people celebrate. We just thought, what if we use our Facebook page to display all the lovely doors that people put some effort into to make our spirits brighter,” she says.
Fitts was pleased with the response as of last week.
“We’ve gotten 53 submissions so far. You can find them on Haverhill Garden Club’s Facebook and scroll through. My personal goal is 100. We’ll see. We’re very excited about all the ‘likes’ we’ve been getting. I’ve also been sharing the Haverhill Garden Club photos on other Haverhill sites like Historic Highlands, All Things Haverhill, Haverhill News. Trying to have as many eyeballs as possible on the beautiful doors that people are decorating,” Fitts adds.
There is still time to submit photographs. Simply email them to hgcholidaydoors@gmail.com. Fitts notes this isn’t a contest and there are no prizes. It’s just a way for people to share the spirit of the season with picture of their decorated door. You may view the photos on Haverhill Garden Club’s Facebook page.
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With poverty rates climbing in Greater Haverhill, the Merrimack Valley Hope Mission is partnering with Community Action of Haverhill to put grocery gift cards in the hands of families that need help most.
The Christmas project, says Merrimack Valley Hope Mission founder Joseph D’Amore involves collecting donations of $25 Market Basket gift cards from that are then distributed by Community Action.
“So I decided to partner with Kerri Perry, the new executive director at Community Action. What we decided to do was to empower the staff with Market Basket food cards of $25. We’ve generated a little more than $3,000 in gift cards. Our goal is $5,000 and the event will end on Christmas Day,” he notes.
D’Amore, a recent guest on WHAV’s morning program, says the staff at Community Action is handing out the cards as a way to help people who are coming to the agency for services and programs. He adds, it’s a great opportunity to reach out to people on a very personal level. Recent statistics, according to D’Amore, show poverty has taken a bad turn in the Haverhill area.
“Where you see the greatest evidence of that, all nine food banks in Haverhill are experiencing significant surges in the number of people that require their services. In fact, I’ll give you one example at the Sacred Hearts Food Pantry. For about 30 years, they’ve been averaging 300 to 400 families per month. They’re (now) averaging 1,300 to 1,500 per month. We’re looking at numbers that we have never seen before,” he explains.
People looking to make donations will find information on Merrimack Valley Hope Mission’s Facebook page.
“So what people are doing, I’m asking them to just buy the cards and then either just drop them off at my house, or I pick them up. I’ve had a few folks that it was more convenient for them to send me the check so that I would go and buy the cards for them, and everyone will get an acknowledgement letter directly from Kerri Perry, the executive director of Community Action, so they’ll see their name on a letter. It’s a tax-deductible gift, and it also acknowledges they’re a very important donation.”
D’Amore describes the Merrimack Valley Hope Mission as a humanitarian project. This past spring and summer, it organized a group of, what he called, “sewing angels,” who made and distributed more than 10,000 face masks for elderly, children and others in the fight against the coronavirus.
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For those that need health insurance in 2021 or already buy from the state’s marketplace for health and dental insurance, the open enrollment period is ending shortly.
A recent guest on WHAV’s morning program was Audrey Morse-Gasteier, who serves as chief of policy and strategy for the Massachusetts Health Connector. She reports many people are looking to pick up, expand or replace coverage due to a job loss, life-changing event or rate increase.
“And this is the time of year when any resident of Massachusetts can enroll in health coverage through the Health Connector and find their way to affordable coverage. This is the message we try to make sure people are hearing about every year during open enrollment. Health insurance and health coverage is always so vital, but that’s particularly true right now given the COVID pandemic and wanting to make sure people have all their health needs taken care of,” she says.
Morse-Gasteier says the Health Connector serves as a place for anyone in Massachusetts who doesn’t already have health coverage, whether it’s through their job, Medicare or Medicaid, to be able to get enrolled in a health plan. Moreover, there are low-cost plans for those households and individuals that qualify.
“We have special subsidies available for people who are low- and moderate-income to help make sure that coverage is either free, or very low cost. We have a special program called Connector Care that we run that most of our membership can qualify for. But even people who don’t qualify for those subsidies can get into an individual or family plan from any of the leading health insurance companies in Massachusetts. We have nine insurance companies and lots of different price points and types of networks available. So, it’s really where anybody who doesn’t get coverage some other way can come and make sure they are getting covered,” Morse-Gasteier explains.
And the Health Connector is popular among people who own their own business, or are working without health benefits.
“A lot of the people that we cover—maybe you’re employed but you don’t get offered coverage through their employment, maybe they’re a sole proprietor, they own their own business, so there are all types of people who get coverage through the Health Connector all across the income scale. People who qualify for subsidies, people who don’t, and people are often very surprised at how affordable the coverage they can qualify for is. Sometimes when we talk with people who are in gaps between health insurance, between jobs, they think it’s probably too expensive. I can’t afford it, but if you come to our website which is MAHealthConnector.org you can fill out an application, find out what you qualify for, check out the options available to you and get enrolled. We want to make sure people know to start coverage for the new year that starts Jan. 1, they need to select a plan and make a payment by Dec. 23,” she says.
For people needing assistance, Morse-Gasteier says they can go to MAHealthConnector.org, click on “Get Assistance” and connect with a trained, certified, navigator to help with the enrollment process.
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The holiday season brings out the best in people and organizations who are interested in helping others. Among the many groups in Haverhill is Common Ground Café and food pantry at 194 Winter St.
Founder Ron Mills, a recent guest on WHAV’s morning program, says Common Grounds’ plan for Christmas is to provide homeless individuals a gift, along with a meal. The women will be getting a purse, while the men will be receiving a drawstring bag.
“In that bag will be personal hygiene items, socks, hats, gloves, hand warmers. Then, in addition to that, we will be able to give away a coat to anybody who needs it. The service clubs within the city did a coat drive for us and Peter Carbone at EZ Way Cleaners cleaned the coats. The coats were all new or slightly used, so we have this assortment of jackets and coats that we will be giving away along with this Christmas present to each and every one of them,” he says.
He spoke about how the organization was able to help at Thanksgiving, with four cooks volunteering to prepare the meal.
“The homeless folks were able to come to our building and receive a complete Thanksgiving dinner. The difficulty that we had was, because of the limitations, we could not let them into the building. So, we prepared grab-and-go and, unfortunately, a number of them don’t have a place to go. So, working with the public health nurse for the city of Haverhill, we were allowed to use our patio facility which was outside the back of our building, which can seat up to 16 people at a time,” he adds.
Mills said they also had use of a second location, at the Just Church over the A-1 Deli on Merrimack Street in downtown Haverhill. Help was also available for low-income families.
“Now, for some of the low-income families that are in sheltered situations, and small apartments within the city, we were able to give them a turkey. Then, we gave them gift cards to go get all the fixings at Market Basket, and that was funded by a generous donation to help us go and purchase these gift cards. So, we helped about 35 families in addition to the homeless on that particular day.”
Mills says donations of money, food and clothing, along with volunteer help, are always needed. Common Ground Café food pantry and thrift shop is open every day of the year at 194 Winter St., serving people in need in Haverhill. Mills explains the city has a poverty rate of approximately 25% of the population. Ways to give are listed online at CGMCafe.org.
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If you’re thinking about a career change, Haverhill Public Schools may have an opportunity for you.
School Superintendent Margaret Marotta, a recent guest on WHAV’s morning show, is expanding the use of substitute teachers and many people qualify for the job.
“We desperately need substitutes. We could use this opportunity to say anyone who is out there that’s interested in teaching, that may not have a background in teaching, but an interest, and a Bachelor’s degree, we’d love for people to contact our HR Office. Difficult time right now with COVID. Lots of people are out in the schools, people are afraid to substitute. Honestly, it’s difficult to find substitutes anytime,” she noted.
Marotta says the school department has decided to have a permanent substitute in each building, so they can “float around” to the openings in one location, instead of moving from school to school.
“The teachers leave plans for the substitute, and we try to rely on online curriculum when the teachers are out. Those are going to be full-time school year jobs. It’ll be you’re stationed in this school, and kind of settle in. We’ll make sure we use you. We have plenty of need,” she said.
Marotta says that with this plan, the substitutes will start to feel like part of the school community, adding, “it’s a nice feeling.”
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Haverhill’s John Greenleaf Whittier School plans to feed 150 families again this Thanksgiving week despite obstacles created by the coronavirus outbreak.
Whittier middle school Principal Tim Betty said the staff was disappointed there could not be a sit-down turkey dinner again this year, but were inspired by a similar effort by their counterparts at Haverhill High School.
“Covanta and Ocasio Martial Arts studio have donated gift cards to Market Basket to our school. We are able to purchase individually wrapped meals that we are going to deliver to families and also have a drive-through,” he said.
Betty and counselor Tiffany Midolo both appeared on WHAV’s morning program this week. Mideolo said last year the school fed 540 people—with more than 300 in-person at the school.
“We had raffle tickets. We had prizes that we gave out and we were able to feed them through Boston Market thanks to Covanta. It was a really great event and we wanted to continue it this year. Of course, it’s going to look a little different,” she said.
Midolo said this year’s change won’t affect the hearty dinner menu.
“Turkey and chicken. So, we’re going to do both of those and there’s a few sides. It usually comes with stuffing, a vegetable and potatoes with gravy,” she noted.
Betty said the school has always worked with Ocasio’s the last five years to deliver turkeys. This year’s effort takes place with a drive through Tuesday, Nov. 24, from 5-8 p.m., at the school, followed by deliveries Tuesday night and Wednesday.
“We are pleased that would could help again this year, especially this exhausting year!” said Covanta Facility Manager Bill Zaneski. Company Market Area Asset Manager Mark Van Weelden said Midolo and teacher Barbara Greenwood approached him with their worries the program might not take place.
“I am proud to be part of a company who truly carries about its community and continues to step up when it can. Especially this year, I can’t thank Barbara and Tiffany enough for keeping the faith and helping others during this trying year,” he said.
The Whittier School family has also donated $550, but the school could still use some help defraying costs. Donations may be made at the school’s JG Whittier Poets Facebook page.
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The coronavirus pandemic has not been kind to charity fundraising efforts, and organizations have been turning to virtual efforts, such as one taking place this week.
Emmaus’ “Paving the Road Home” breakfast was an annual staple in Haverhill. Emmaus Director of Philanthropy Gretchen Arntz, a recent guest on WHAV’s morning program, said the organization serving the homeless has made a transition this year.
“Our Paving the Road Home breakfast was a tradition in Haverhill for the past 17 years, and so this year we’ve turned it into Paving the Road Homecoming. And, the homecoming is going to take place on Wednesday, Nov. 18, at 4 p.m. It will be livestreamed on HC Media’s website, as well as Facebook live, on the Emmaus page, as well as HC Media. So, there will be lots of ways to tune in,” she said.
As WHAV reported earlier this month, the program includes presentation of the Community Hero award to state Rep. Andy X. Vargas and the Community Builder Lifetime Achievement Award to Pentucket Bank CEO Scott D. Cote. Arntz says those tuning in will also learn about what has been happening this past year at Emmaus.
“Our executive director has narrated a video that will talk about everything we’ve done during the pandemic to keep people safe, and how Emmaus has had to pivot our operation so that the virus would not take hold at Emmaus so that we could prevent community contagion from our residents out into the community. And, we’ve done an amazing job and that will be shown on the video the ways that we’ve been able to alter our course of business to make it save for everybody,” Arntz add.
There’s more information at EmmausInc.org.
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Norman H. Gerson’s Haverhill story and legacy will go on with the dedication one day after Veterans Day of a new 44-unit veterans housing complex that bears his name.
Gerson, who rose to first lieutenant in the U.S. Navy during World War II, operated the Gerson Furniture Co. until 2007 on the site of the new veterans’ development at 181 Washington St. At a ceremony Thursday morning, Haverhill Mayor James J. Fiorentini thanked the Coalition for a Better Acre of Lowell and Veterans Northeast Outreach center of Haverhill for keeping the Gerson name.
“The Gerson family and my own family go back a long, long way since their immigrant family started off as next-door neighbors to mine down on River Street. Later on, the Gersons bought this building—or the building that was here—ran a furniture store here for many, many decades. Norman Gerson moved up to Macon Avenue in Haverhill, bought a house there and, when he retired, I bought his house and live in it to this day,” Fiorentini said.
Gerson died in 2011 at age 95.
The mayor said there should never be a homeless veteran and 32 of the 44 apartments being dedicated will help veterans. The remaining 12 will be rented by low- and moderate-income families to address, in Fiorentini’s words, the “incredible shortage” of housing. As an example of the shortage, Fiorentini noted, 470 other households sought the affordable units.
State Rep. Andy X. Vargas agreed that providing affordable housing is a priority.
“We need, yes, more housing production; yes, more affordable housing; yes, we need to make sure that we’re taking care especially of our veterans, and we have an amazing organization leading that charge here in Haverhill—VNOC—and I want to give them a round of applause,” he said.
Vargas said the local legislative delegation, led by Rep. Linda Dean Campbell, this week secured a $50,000 state earmark for Veterans Northeast Outreach Center.
Congresswoman Lori Trahan also spoke to the housing shortage, noting the federal low-income housing tax credit is the “largest source of affordable housing in the country.” She thanked the two organizations for building the project
“When I visited VNOC here in Haverhill last year, this project was still under construction, but there was so much anticipation and excitement around it because of the prospects of the contribution to folks in our community, especially our veterans in need of quality, affordable housing,” she said.
Veterans Northeast Executive Director Edward V. Mitchell pointed out that with the new housing comes many services to support veterans.
“With the Veterans Northeast Outreach Center located just at the top of the hill, at St. Rita’s Church, we hope that we will become part of each veteran’s families here at the Gerson Building and help them build exciting memories together,” he said.
Mitchell explained the Center additionally provides food services, knowledge and help.
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Haverhill formally observed Veterans Day Wednesday, placing extra attention on those who served in Vietnam at the new city memorial in their honor
In lieu of a traditional parade—cancelled this year because of the coronavirus pandemic—a brief ceremony took place at the recently relocated Vietnam Veterans Memorial at Mill Brook Park. Acknowledging the modest observance, City Councilor Thomas J. Sullivan, who served as master of ceremonies, said the event still allows everyone to “remember, and commemorate and celebrate those heroes who served our country so honorably so that we could be free in 2020.” His voice cracking with emotion, Sullivan talked of his father and the incomplete memorial near Basiliere Bridge erected in 1973.
“My dad, who was at the original dedication of the Vietnam vets memorial at Basiliere Bridge—I would have been all of, maybe, eight years old. I don’t remember that day—but I did grow up by the Basiliere Bridge and occasionally I would look over at that monument and, as a government major and as an attorney, in school I learned how important monuments were as symbols and I would look at that monument and wonder why—why is something there on a corner of a bridge that nobody can really see,” he said.
He noted his father, Haverhill Veterans Service officer John Sullivan who died in 1985, was a U.S. Navy veteran and launched the Veterans of Foreign Wars Lorraine Post 29 Santa Parade in 1964. Sullivan also thanked Vietnam veteran and former Haverhill City Councilor Louis Fossarelli for suggesting relocation of the memorial.
Haverhill Mayor James J. Fiorentini also reserved the majority of his remarks for those who served in Vietnam, saying veterans of that controversial conflict often were not acknowledged even though Washington set the unpopular policies.
The mayor singled out two Vietnam veterans who survived horrific attacks in the war, but later suffered severe disabilities or death from the herbicide Agent Orange. Omitting the family last name, Fiorentini said, spoke of “Randy,” a young infantry officer sent to Vietnam, who was struck by a grenade attack that split open his stomach and the care he receives from his wife Debbie.
“Today, he survives, but the remains of Agent Orange and the grenade attack caught up with him. Debbie has dedicated her life to taking care of Randy and advocating for him so he doesn’t have to go into a nursing home,” he said.
Fiorentini also remembered John Gilmartin, who enlisted in the Navy, served two tours of service and was wounded twice, but died a few years back from complications of Agent Orange.
VFW Lorraine Post 29 Post Commander Keith Gopsill called on the small audience gathered to reflect on the sacrifices made by the nation’s war veterans.
“We remember the wars fought to defend, protect and preserve the freedoms we enjoy in this country. We also remember those who bravely gone to war and who have given of themselves so that others can live in peace and safety. We also remember those who have gone to war and paid the ultimate price for those freedoms like the 13 Haverhill heroes honored here at Mill Brook Park,” Gopsill said.
The ceremony opened with Haverhill High School’s Nicholas Castillo singing the National Anthem and closed with the laying of wreaths with Vietnam veteran Charles Grandmaison and Linda Gambino Baxter, whose brother Michael Gambino, was killed in action during that war.
Besides Sullivan and Fiorentini, other elected officials participating were City Council President Melinda E. Barrett and Councilor Joseph J. Bevilacqua, who both served on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Commission; Councilor John A. Michitson; Sen. Diana DiZoglio; and Reps. Andy X. Vargas, Linda Dean Campbell and Leonard Mirra.
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Kiwanis Club of Haverhill’s Fifth Annual Turkey Drop, modeled after a Thanksgiving episode of the television series “WKRP in Cincinnati,” takes place this Saturday, Nov. 14.
Haverhill Kiwanis’ Rich Porcelli, a recent guest on WHAV’s morning program, discusses how the fundraiser works.
“We hire a helicopter and he flies over a grid of 400 squares, about two-foot square, and all the squares are numbered. When you buy a ticket, you get a corresponding square. So, if you buy ticket number 101, you have square 101. The helicopter drops a hundred rubber turkeys. Each turkey is associated with a prize. And, for every turkey that lands in your square, you get that prize,” Porcelli explains.
He said prizes include gift cards to local restaurants, Yankee candles, wreaths and more. All prizes are valued at a minimum of $10.
Proceeds are used for the good of the community. “We raise money and give money to local charities, give out some scholarships at the end of the year. We do some camperships with some of the youth community outreach programs, such as the Y and the Boys and Girls Club. We get out there and do some community service when we can,” he says
The drop takes place, Saturday, Nov. 14, at 1 p.m., at Murphy’s Garrison Golf, 654 Hilldale Ave., Haverhill. Unlike previous years, however, the COVID-19 pandemic means there will be no public viewing.
“Unfortunately with COVID this year, we’re asking people not to come by and watch. Health and safety reasons for everybody. We want to beat this thing back and get back into a normal life,” he says.
Tickets are $10 each and available at Haverhill Bank and Pentucket Bank branches in downtown Haverhill; Deborah Conner CPA, 8 Salem St., Bradford; and Norwood Insurance, 293 Main St., Groveland. Online purchases may be made here.
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With the calendar flipping to November, more people are starting to think about preparing for the holidays—and that includes the organizations that work hard to make sure those who are less fortunate have gifts under the tree. It also means changes in the era of COVID-19.
At the Salvation Army in Haverhill, Major Walter Rivers, a guest recently on WHAV’s morning program, says this Christmas season will have a different look for shoppers who like to put coins and bills in the Salvation Army red kettle.
“Well this year, because of COVID, at present we don’t have any kettle stands, locally, for people to stand at. We’ve got retail stores closing. People are carrying less cash. At stores that are open, there will more than likely be less foot traffic this year. With the unemployment rate continuing to be at a fairly high level, not just in the Commonwealth, but around the country, we’re really looking at a tough time for us this year,” he says.
And without the kettles, shoppers won’t be hearing the Salvation Army bells—something Rivers has been ringing since he was 14 years old.
“Hearing that bell when you’re going in and out of the store, or walking down the street, is just something that’s just always been a part of the Christmas landscape and to not have that really takes us out of people’s minds not just during the holidays, but in other parts of the year,” he adds.
Rivers says the Salvation Army is estimating that nationally, Kettle contributions could be down by as much as 50%. Rivers’ wife, Major Lynnann Rivers, says people can still help. They are accepting new toy donations, during business hours, at the Salvation Army in Haverhill—and looking for other support too
“We’re hoping some stores may take an angel tree with the tags on it for people to purchase gifts and return. I haven’t heard yet from some of the businesses that normally give. Southwick was one of those businesses, so we are losing a good van load of toys with the closure of Southwick,” she says.
Rivers says shoppers may also visit Walmart.com, go to the registry-for-good section and purchase items that will be delivered to the Salvation Army. Checks may also be made out to the Salvation Army and mailed to 395 Main St., Haverhill, MA 01830. For those technically inclined, Salvation Army vans have a QR code on them that may be scanned by phone. Donations may also be made at the Salvation Army donation page.
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Former Haverhill Mayor James A. Rurak has written a book he hopes will help people along their spiritual path.
Rurak recently published “The Rosary: A Tract for Catholic Misfits.” Appearing recently on WHAV’s morning program, the former mayor talked about driving his father—the late state Sen. James. P. “Jake” Rurak—to medical appointments in Boston. During the ride, his father, who was being treated for a brain tumor, would recite the Rosary to himself. As his condition worsened, the two of them would recite the Rosary together until his father could no longer speak because of the tumor.
“But, what happened in the process was as we prayed the Rosary, we’d sometimes stop and talk about our lives together—things we did wrong toward each other. We confessed some of the things we wished we’d done differently and, in that whole process, I saw my father face his own death triumphantly and wanting to talk about things both good and bad. I, actually for the first I felt like, you say you love your parents but it’s always a mixture I think of some kind of respect and fear and anger because of things they did or didn’t do, but for the first time I felt that I truly loved my father. And, the same thing happened with my mother, after my father died, we prayed the Rosary. This created a space in our life where my life turned around, with regards to them,” he said.
Rurak served as Haverhill’s mayor from 1994-2001. His book, “The Rosary: A Tract for Catholic Misfits,” is available at the Haverhill Public Library and may be purchased at Amazon.com.
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The upcoming holiday shopping season is a crucial one for businesses affected by this year’s COVID-19 pandemic, and a group of business veterans is offering free tips on to make it a better season.
The nonprofit organization SCORE, which operates out of the UMass Lowell Innovation Hub in Haverhill, matches experienced business mentors with entrepreneurs. SCORE volunteer Michael Thompson was a guest this week on WHAV’s morning program, and explained upcoming online seminars offers timely help. One takes place this Thursday, Oct. 22,at 1 p.m., providing “Planning Tips to Make Your E-Commerce Business Thrive During Peak Season.”
“Helping people develop their plans for Thanksgiving and holiday shopping. It’s usually a big time for anyone in the retail business—and you want to make sure you have something to offer, but also that you get the word out. We were talking earlier how about presenting yourself in a succinct manner, while online is about doing it in as few words—taglines and so on. So, that’s where we can help people,” he said.
Earlier this week SCORE offered an online seminar on the benefit of online reviews, gathering positive reviews and using them to improve your product or service. Thompson said 90% of online shoppers say they have been influenced by customer reviews.
Scheduled for next Thursday, Oct. 29, at 1 p.m., is an online seminar entitled “Funding Options for Hispanic Businesses in ‘Missing Middle’ gap” where the amount being sought is too small for a traditional bank, yet too large for a microfinance institution, or nonprofit lender. The webinars, and other information, is available at SCORE.org.
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With this month being Fire Prevention Month, the Haverhill Firefighting Museum is issuing a new Home Fire Safety Activity Packet to help families learn important lessons.
The museum’s Cindy Graham and Maria Fontaine were recent guests on WHAV’s morning program. Graham says the idea for the fire safety activity packet came about because the museum, at 75 Kenoza Ave., is closed for the season due to COVID-19. As Graham explains, the packet includes 10 tips for fire safety, a smoke alarm safety sheet and other suggestions.
“You should have an escape plan and a meeting place. A fire safety maze like practicing getting to your meeting place and then, very importantly, we teach this at the museum, in our Hero’s Headquarters, when you do call 911, what you should know and why you should call like the reasons you might call 911. You can also practice on a pretend keypad and then we have a little activity page where they would cut out emergencies, like a fire, big or small. Should you call, yes or no? Then they would paste it in the appropriate area,” she said.
Fontaine said the packet is downloadable from HaverhillFirefightingMuseum.org and print versions may also be requested there.
“We wanted it to be available to both teachers and parents because it’s something that they could utilize in a school setting. It’s something the kids can do the activities on their own if they’re a little bit older, but it also makes a great conversation between parents and kids and it’s an easy way to talk about a difficult subject,” Fontaine said.
The Fire Safety Activity Packet is designed for children ages from kindergarten to the sixth grade.
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Much attention has been given this year to how COVID-19 is affecting school systems., but it’s also having an effect on younger children too.
Haverhill-based Community Action’s Early Head Start program serves around 300 children, from birth to five years of age, between its Haverhill and Newburyport Centers. Community Action Director of Family Services Patty Sargent, a recent guest on WHAV’s morning program, says the program has limited in-person openings now, but due to COVID-19 a number of children are also receiving “virtual education services.”
“And I know that’s really a different thing to think about when we’re talking about infants, toddlers and preschoolers. What we’re doing with our virtual services is still providing ways for families and children to engage with us. We’re offering Zoom calls every day for families to just check in, for children to enjoy singing and reading along with their teachers, doing some simple yoga exercises. We want to bring that into it, and also just a chance to see their peers and their teachers in person,” Sargent says.
The Head Start program also offers services to adults
“We also offer quite a few leadership and training programs for our parents, and I think that’s what really sets apart from some other programs. We really value those partnerships with our parents and our families, and we make every opportunity to partner with our parents in providing services and also providing training and support for them, as well,” she explained.
Sargent says the Head Start program is also looking for teachers. Additional information is available by calling Community Action at 978-372-5052 or visiting CommunityActionInc.org.
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Setting the state budget for the current year, police reform and votes on other major bills remain to be completed during this year’s unusual extended formal legislative session.
The state Senate and House traditionally would have closed out the formal session last July 31, but agreed to a rare extension because of COVID-19. Rep. Linda Dean Campbell, a recent guest on WHAV’s Morning Show, discussed some of the state’s progress during the pandemic
“The Massachusetts House was the first legislature in the country to develop a system whereby we could vote on major pieces of legislation without having to go to Boston, and a great deal of work was done to make sure that there was safe and secure voting and that folks had an opportunity to file amendments and to be part of the conversation. I’m very proud of that,” she says.
The state is currently in its fourth month of operating on a partial budget. Campell tells WHAV about some of the factors holding up the state budget.
“They’re looking anywhere from $3 to $6 billion in declining revenues, and that’s a huge challenge for a state. We’re also looking, hopefully, reading what goes on day to day in Washington, that we may receive some assistance, and it probably won’t be until next year,” she explains.
Other major pieces of legislation expected to receive consideration during the extended session cover economic development, energy and policing reform. Campbell says the latter was held up because of major differences between the House and Senate versions.
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The teaching profession may be in line for some help from federal lawmakers.
Congresswoman Lori Trahan, a guest earlier this week on WHAV’s morning show, is in Washington for the introduction of a bill that would authorize $6 billion in spending programs, including teacher residencies, to help support teachers during the coronavirus pandemic. Trahan describes what the proposed “Supporting Teachers with Residency Opportunities and New Grants”—known as STRONG—Act.
“It amends the Higher Ed Act to expand eligibility for our undergraduate students with a major related to teaching, to enter into the Teacher Residency Program, to fast track prospective teachers into the workforce—either virtually, or in-person—so we can provide additional assistance, and much needed back-up to our existing teacher pools,” she explained.
Trahan says the measure would also allow undergraduate students, enrolled in a teacher residency, to enter into the public service loan forgiveness program.
“We want to incentivize, much like we did with nurses back in the spring, to get our new and prospective teachers into the pipeline so that they can help where our existing teachers may not be able to be in a classroom, or may have health concerns that prohibit them,” she said.
Trahan says one in four teachers have pre-existing health condition that puts them at a higher risk if they contract COVID-19 and this legislation would help expand the available teacher pool.
Trahan, a member of the House Education and Labor Committee, joined with Congresswomen Jahana Hayes of Connecticut and Cheri Bustos of Illinois to introduce the legislation. The bill has been endorsed by the National Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers.
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A final push for filling out the 10-year federal census form is underway in Haverhill.
Community Action’s Christine Soundara, who heads up the Mount Washington Alliance, was a recent guest on WHAV’s morning program. She explained a mobile unit will be out today and next Monday to help residents complete the census.
“We got approval from the U.S. Census Bureau. We will be stationing a mobile questionnaire assistance van at 375 Washington St. That’s right in Currier Square, in the parking lot of the Fantini Baking Company. There will be specialists who speak English and Spanish. We will wear appropriate PPE and following social distancing guidelines, and what’s really neat about this is that we will be available to anyone who has not filled it out. If you do not have a phone, a tablet or something online to fill out the form, we will be there to help anybody out,” she said.
The unit operates from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. both days. She explained why the neighborhood is receiving extra attention.
“The Mount Washington Alliance—we focus specifically on the Mount Washington neighborhood in Haverhill. For those who aren’t aware, 45% of the population in Mount Washington area is made up of the Latinx population, so folks in that neighborhood speak little, or no, English at all. We also know that single women with children under the age of five are also not filling it out. Folks in the neighborhood just have some trust issues. They’re afraid of the census and what it might bring to their lives and their family members. We’re trying our best to hit that neighborhood as one of our hard-to-count areas, as well as the Acre neighborhood in Haverhill,” she added.
Soundara says they will also be doing a visual count from Sept. 22 through 24 at homeless shelters, soup kitchens and food pantries in an attempt to include the hard-to-reach population that does not have a “fixed” address. As of Tuesday Sept. 15, Haverhill’s Census form return rate was 69%.
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Preparations are underway at the Hilldale Cemetery in Haverhill for this December’s Wreaths Across America Day, in which remembrance wreaths are placed at Arlington National Cemetery, as well as at events coordinated at more than 2,100 locations across the United States, at sea and abroad.
Veterans advocate Donald Jarvis of Haverhill was a guest last week on WHAV’s morning show. He’s using his expertise in gravestone restoration, along with the help of volunteers, to help prepare the area.
“And there’s a section they call Soldiers Hill and that’s where the volunteers do Wreaths Across America every December on that little hill, in that little section. It’s actually a Civil War memorial. There are several Civil War graves that are circled around, with a flag pole in the middle, and I was there earlier this year and I saw that a lot of these Civil War markers—the grave stones, the monument—they kind of, over time, have sunken, gotten dirty, but they’ve gotten affected by the weather, by the elements,” he said.
Jarvis says the Civil War markers are 36 inches long with 20 inches showing above ground, but over time they sink. In fact, one marker was only about eight inches above ground. Jarvis and volunteers carefully remove stones, clean them and place them back using a level and tape measure to make sure they’re steady. It takes about two hours per stone.
“Back in 2011, there was a presidential executive order that cited the best and most effective way to care for the veterans graves that are government markers, and those are the only ones I touch—the government markers. So, following those guidelines, which are the same guidelines that Arlington uses, we are working on cleaning and resetting all of the Civil War markers around there,” he noted.
The on-going project is looking for people who would like to help. Those who wish to volunteer may contact Jarvis by email at Jarvis.Don@gmail.com to find out when the next restoration day takes place.
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Haverhill school faculty are expected to return to school buildings in large numbers next Tuesday to continue preparing for the beginning of online classes Wednesday, Sept. 16.
School Superintendent Marotta answered many commonly asked questions—from social distancing to school bus rides—during an appearance Tuesday on WHAV’s morning program. While state guidance, for example, allows for only three feet of space between students, she confirmed Haverhill is taking a more cautious approach.
“It’s such a controversial topic that we decided we wanted to assure that there was six feet of social distance between kids. So, all our desks in all our classrooms and all activities across the day are set up to have six feet of social distance. Better to be more cautious on that we decided,” she said.
Marotta said some changes in school buildings will be obvious, such as hand sanitizing stations everywhere, but unseen changes including everyone—including staff—having to sign in and out and self-attesting to their health.
Although Haverhill plans a hybrid in-person and remote learning program, that will be phased in over two weeks. During the ramp up, there will be only small group meetings, orientation and kindergarten readiness and screening.
“It’s really getting the kids accustomed to the buildings in small groups and understanding the new rules in a way that we can really concentrate on a small number of kids to get them up and running,.” Marotta explained
As of Monday, Oct. 5, all students whose parents have agreed will begin the hybrid program.
Although some might think younger students have the most trouble adapting to masks and rules, Marotta said, that has not been the experience in Europe and elsewhere where schools have reopened. She said high school students typically struggle with masks and following new methods.
Regarding nurse staffing, the superintendent said the schools have already contracted with an outside service for temporary nursing help if it becomes needed. She explained the precaution is being taken in the event nurses become ill or their offices overwhelmed.
Although there has been some friction between the city and NRT Bus over payments that stopped when schools abruptly closed in the spring, the superintendent said there are no worries about bus service going forward.
“There were some concerns about whether they would or wouldn’t be available to service us based on some things that happened last year, but they’ve assured us that they will be up and ready, and they will pick up our students and work with us,” she acknowledged.
That being said, Marotta said, all bus students will have assigned seats and be required to present passes for contact tracing reasons. Now that the deadline has passed for parents and guardians to decide how students will take classes, she said, passes will be prepared and sent in the next couple of weeks.
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Last Sunday was a record-breaking day at Bradford Country Club as Haverhill-native Nick Maccario set a course record, shooting a 56 and breaking the previous course record, that he also held.
Maccario, now of Waltham, told WHAV listeners Tuesday morning that he didn’t begin the day with any expectations.
“I’ve grown up at Bradford and Garrison, and just have played a ton of rounds of golf there. So, didn’t feel anything necessarily special going into it. A couple of years back I shot 63 which is 8 under par, and on Sunday, long story short, ended up shooting 15 under 56. So, definitely broke the record,” he explained.
Maccario said he was four under par thru the first six holes, and eight under thru nine.
“At that point I just said ‘let’s have fun.’ I was playing with good friends, and we were all playing pretty well. It was easy to play. My friend, Nick Antonelli, who’s a pro—so watching him play was easy. He shot 64 on his own ball the whole day, as well. It was one of those things where we got to the 12th hole, 13th hole, started to get to double digits under par, and Nick Fiset said don’t let off the gas pedal. Just tried to make as many birdies as I can. You have the opportunity to make that many on any given day, or any given round. We had perfect weather so I just went out there and tried to make as many circles on the scorecard as I could,” he said.
On the day, Maccario scored five pars, 11 birdies and two eagles at Bradford. While growing up in Haverhill, he had a chance to work at the Bradford Country Club and get in a few rounds of golf. He played four years of golf at St John’s Prep, as well as some competitive golf at Saint Anselm’s College. Now, Maccario plays in various local, regional and national tournaments in his spare time.
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Ralph T. Basiliere calls it the “Miracle on Mill Street”—that is, the conversion of the pyramid-shaped lot near Plug Pond into Haverhill’s expanded Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
Last week, a new granite monument dedicated to the 13 Haverhill veterans who gave their lives during the Vietnam War, went up at the park. Basiliere, appearing yesterday on WHAV’s morning program, said all remaining granite elements will be installed tomorrow morning.
“Wednesday’s a big day. Wednesday, Granite Industries of Vermont is shipping to us four monuments that come in seven pieces. It’s the four education stanchions and a seven-ton, 13-foot-tall obelisk that has engraving on it. I’m not going to reveal what that is right now. Let people come see it, but it honors all of the men and women who fought in the Vietnam War,” he said.
He explained the installation, paid for by the Haverhill High, St. James and Haverhill Trade School classes of 1966, will be virtually complete. While some landscaping will be completed by the end of the month., Basiliere said, for all intents and purposes, the park opens Wednesday night.
“Frankly, I can’t bear to see another Vietnam veteran’s obituary without having this park available to them,” he said.
The project began two year ago when former City Councilor Louis Fossarelli recommended the city’s memorial be moved from near the Basiliere Bridge, downtown, to a new site. That original monument had been permanently damaged by a vandal, but it was moved to Mill Brook Park until its replacement was installed last week. Basiliere said the old monument was solemnly buried on site.
Basiliere said the outbreak of the coronavirus this year slowed fundraising efforts. However, despite the pandemic, Basiliere said he was still able to raise $32,000 in cash and $8,000 in in-kind services this year. A raffle—with a $5,000 first prize, $3,000 second prize and $2,000 third prize—continues until Monday, Aug. 31, when the drawing takes place at 6 p.m., at G’s restaurant, 35 Washington Square. Those who wish to buy a ticket at $100 each may call Basiliere at 978-891-2281.
A formal dedication ceremony is planned, working around COVID-19 restrictions.
Unlike the poor reception many returning Vietnam veterans faced in the late 1960s and early 1970s, Basiliere said, Haverhill is honoring their service.
“This time, there was no lack of political will. There was no BS. There were no excuses. The Vietnam veterans will get their due,” he said.
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A Haverhill native has been named Broadcasting and Cable’s 2020 Broadcaster of the Year.
Emily Barr, president and CEO of Graham Media Group of Chicago, formally receives the prestigious award Oct. 1 during the Television Bureau of Advertising virtual Alt Forward Conference. Barr was a recent guest on WHAV’s morning program where she spoke of her Haverhill roots.
“I did grow up in Haverhill and I went to Walnut Square Elementary and Whittier Elementary School. Then, I spent a couple of years at Haverhill High School before I went off to boarding school in New Hampshire. That led me to college in Minnesota—to a lovely small school called Carlton College, and I just happened to be majoring in film criticism and film production, and a professor recommended that I consider an internship in a TV station,” she said.
It was in a television newsroom that Barr caught the “broadcasting bug.” WHAV asked Barr if she had opportunities to be in front of the camera.
“You know, I never really did, with a very, very minor exception. When I was an intern in Minneapolis, way back when, they needed somebody to sort of act, if you will, in what we call a news promo, promoting the television station. So, I was picked because I was the young intern, and I got to rip a piece of paper out of the typewriter, and look up at the camera and yell, ‘Sky Cam’s on the way!’ which was the helicopter. And it ran for like a year, so everyone in school made fun of me. And every time I walked around campus, people would yell ‘Sky Cam’s on the way!’” Barr said.
What has become the Graham Media Group was founded in 1949 as a joint venture of the Washington Post and CBS. The Washington Post name was dropped after the newspaper was sold to Jeff Bezos in 2013. The company is named for Katharine Graham, who served as CEO of the Washington Post Company.
Barr, who has led the broadcast division of Graham Holdings since 2012, previously received the Golden Mike Award from the Broadcasters Foundation of America in 2018. In 2016, she was inducted into the 2016 Silver Circle of the Chicago/Midwest Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.
Besides television stations, Barr oversees the company’s other offerings such as a social media software company.
“It’s called Social News Desk and what they do is provide software to about 2,500 newsrooms worldwide to help them put news out onto the internet, in a fairly easy fashion. They operate all over the world—primarily in the United States, but also in South America, Canada, Europe, the East, so forth. And then we have seven local television stations that operate in fairly good-sized cities around the country like Houston, Detroit, San Antonio, Orlando, Jacksonville and Roanoke, Va.,” she explained.
During her Haverhill school years, Barr said, she didn’t have a plan to head up a worldwide media company, but, in her words, “it worked out pretty well.”
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WHAV has been named the Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce’s August Business of the Month
Chamber President and CEO Dougan Sherwood cited the public radio station and nonprofit news service’s expanded local news coverage during the coronavirus pandemic.
“WHAV is really where I get most of my local media, local news coverage, and we’re just so grateful. So, we were happy to recognize you our August Business of the Month,” he said.
Sherwood also recognized the significant fundraising challenges WHAV is facing during the COVID-19-induced recession.
“I have some sense of how difficult it is to run a radio station, particularly one in this day and age. I want to recognize, again, that we are so fortunate to have you here in Haverhill,” he added.
Sherwood, who appeared recently on WHAV’s morning show, took time to discuss the Chamber’s upcoming Restaurant Week. The seven-day event takes place Friday, Aug. 21 through Thursday, Aug. 27. The Chamber is again offering its “Dining Passport” to guide patrons around the city. It is available online and at local establishments. Those who wish to learn more may visit haverhillchamber.com or call 978-373-5663.
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The Feaster Five Road Race, a Thanksgiving Day tradition presented by the Merrimack Valley Striders with as many as 10,000 participants annually, is going virtual this year.
As a virtual race, Feaster Five is now open to anyone anywhere who can complete a 5K or 5-mile course of their choosing. There will also be a 1K option for kids. For the most adventurous runners, there’s a new virtual 13K challenge—a 5K and 5M together.
Chairman Tom Licciardello, who was a recent guest on WHAV’s morning program, talked about how the event consistently draws 8,000 to 10,000 participants and raises thousands of dollars for charities and scholarships.
Participants have the option to complete the chosen distance anytime between Nov. 22-29 and may form a team of family and friends to receive a $5 discount for each team member. Registration takes place online at feasterfive.com.
Feaster Five raises money to support the Merrimack Valley Striders’ high school scholarship program. Additional beneficiaries this year are the Hoyt Foundation, Merrimack Valley YMCA and Bellesini Academy.
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A long-awaited drawing takes place today for the 44 affordable units being made available on the site of the former Gerson Furniture Co. in Haverhill.
The project, at 181 Washington St., was developed by the nonprofit Coalition for a Better Acre, associated with the Veterans Northeast Outreach Center. Veterans Northeast Executive Director Edward Mitchell, a guest yesterday on WHAV’s morning program, explains how the units are broken out.
“Eight one-bedroom units, 31 two-bedroom units and five three-bedroom units. Seventy percent of those are veterans preference, so we’ll strive to keep that 70% level thru the years,” he says.
Mitchell says applicants must meet income requirements, and those seeking the veterans preference must also meet the definition of a veteran. Then, he adds, things will happen fast.
“In regards to the actual move-in date, I believe they’re shooting for Sept. 1. So, once they’re notified, then they’ll be tasked to provide their security deposit and first months’ rent and start their move-in process in early September,” Mitchell notes.
Residents have access to a parking garage in the back, easy access to bus and commuter rail services and veterans’ services and programs, including an onsite food pantry. The building will be managed by Maloney Properties, and additional information may be found at TheGersonBuilding.com.
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Northpoint Bible College and graduate school in Haverhill begins in-person classes for its first day of school this Wednesday.
Dean of Enrollment David Munley was a guest recently on WHAV’s morning program. He explained that like other schools, Northpoint switched to remote learning in the spring. He talked about some of the precautions the school is taking to bring everyone back in person.
“It will be seated classes. We have followed all of the CDC guidelines, Mass.gov guidelines. Since we are an accredited college, we are under the Department of Education, so we are following the Department of Education’s guidelines. And, basically, we’re doing what my Italian grandmother used to tell us to do anyway. We’re washing our hands, before and afterwards, and we’re giving people space,” he said.
Munley says Northpoint College, on the site of the former Bradford College, will have around 100 students living on campus with another 50 students commuting. The students will see a different look—just like on every other campus offering in-person classes.
“The in-person classes, we’re cutting those down to 50% so that students can have social spacing. If you come on campus, you have to walk the campus one way here, come back, and walk one way here. We have chapels Monday through Thursday, which is basically church for an hour and 15 minutes, every day. We’re going to break those down into groups instead of having the whole student body, the whole campus on there. Chapels will look different. Our cafeteria will look different—a little socially spaced. Everything is going to be different…We’re going to be doing the same thing, but it will be different during the COVID-19 pandemic. Munley noted.
Before classes begin at Northpoint College, there’s a test students must pass—the Coronavirus test.
“Every student who would be coming on campus, they’re all going to present a negative paper from their doctor, from where they’re coming in. Actually, they have to do it within 72 hours of coming to Massachusetts. It’s going to be a little different, but we’re going for it,” he said,
Munley said one the highlights for students at Northpoint Bible College, has been an annual community event at GAR Park in Haverhill with free food, musical entertainment and activities for children, which last year attracted 800 people. However, that won’t be happening this year due to the pandemic.
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A nature walk takes place this Sunday morning in Haverhill.
Naturalist Roland “Boot” Boutwell is leading a group around Tattersall Farm, beginning at 9, at 542 Broadway. Boutwell, a retired teacher, leads classes and nature walks for a variety of organizations, including the Massachusetts Audubon Society and the Appalachian Mountain Club. He was a guest earlier this week on WHAV’s morning program
“I think it’s very important for us, at the best of times, to reconnect with nature. I think it just helps us to relax and unwind. And I think that’s especially true at a time like this, in the midst of this pandemic where people are so incredibly anxious and concerned,” he explains..
Boutwell says plant growth is affected by many variables, such as elevation and prior usage. One of the plants he likes to identify first is poison ivy
“Wonderful scientific name, toxicodendron is the genus name. The poison tree. I’ve got a whole program on poison ivy. If there’s any poison ivy at the site, very often that will be one of the first plants that I teach. One wants to know ones’ enemy, right?” Boutwell asks.
Boutwell also loves the milkweed plant.
“Milkweed has wonderful flowers. In addition, there’s a terrific relationship with the Monarch butterfly that lays its caterpillar on the monarch leaves. The Milkweek caterpillar then eat the milkweed leaves. In the milkweed leaves, the sap happens to be toxic but it doesn’t kill caterpillars. They just carry the toxicity around with them and a bird, for instance, who tries to eat that caterpillar will throw up. So birds, very quickly learn not to eat the caterpillar of monarch butterflies,” he says.
Those looking to attend Boutwell’s nature walk this Sunday morning at Tattersall Farm in Haverhill should arrive at the parking lot around 8:45. There is a $10 suggested donation. Group sizes are limited and social distancing guidelines will be followed.
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Congresswoman Lori Trahan is back in Washington this week on a mission to help with the reopening of schools this fall.
Trahan was a guest yesterday on WHAV’s morning program. She says she believes federal lawmakers have to do more than what they have already done. She says it shouldn’t fall exclusively on cities and towns to foot the bill for reopening the schools with COVID-19 protocols in place—she feels the costs need to be shared across all levels of government to keep students safe
“A couple of months ago we passed the Heroes Act which provided $90 billion in funding to be distributed to states so that they can stabilize their K-12 schools and their colleges. In Massachusetts we would receive an additional $1.5 billion in funding, which is really what’s needed,” said Trahan.
Trahan says lawmakers envision a mix of learning environments this fall.
“The governor’s office has mandated a minimum three-foot physical distance. It’s sound, based on the World Health Organization guidance, but it’s going to be difficult to manage and process due to the fact that many of our schools were built long before COVID-19. We need to make sure we help out with the funding mechanism so that schools can upgrade their facilities for students to continue their education safely and then certainly monitoring the metrics that we’ve been using for the reopening so we can determine how those classrooms look and if it’s safe for teachers, workers, and I think most importantly from what we’re doing in Washington is providing the funding so that our school districts can make those really important decisions,” she said.
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WHAV Sports Director Paul Ryan recently shared family memories of his cousin, Mike Ryan—the Red Sox “Impossible Dream” season catcher who passed away July 7 at age 78.
He said his cousin had a “modest start” in baseball. He explains there was no baseball program at St. James High School, but he was asked by Irving “Sheik” Karelis to play for Karelis Jewelers at Cashman Field in Haverhill. When he was 18—as a member of the Northeast League, a semi-pro league—Mike was invited to play in the all-star game at Yankee Stadium. He was one of only three from New England.
“Mike had a great day out there,” Ryan said. He explained he was chosen as the most valuable player that day.
Mike Ryan signed a contract with the Red Sox as an amateur free agent in October 1960 and began his professional career in 1961 with the Olean Red Sox of the New York-Penn League. He went on to spend 35 years in professional baseball, including his first seven in the Red Sox organization as a player. A former catcher, he played in 79 regular season games for the Red Sox during their 1967 Impossible Dream season, also appearing in Game 4 of the 1967 World Series against the St. Louis Cardinals.
“Mike Ryan was definitely my idol. He was my idol,” he said.
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School classrooms in Haverhill will look different this fall, but not as unusual as officials first feared.
Haverhill Superintendent Margaret Marotta, a guest Wednesday on WHAV’s morning program, says it appears all students can return at once, according to updated guidance from the Department of Education.
“Providing nothing changes, or gets worse, at this point we’re planning for a sort of a full socially distance return to the school in the fall. So, for us, that’s meant a lot of work. Moving around desks, taking out desks, checking all the windows in all the buildings to make sure all the windows work because they’re encouraging the flow of fresh air. Thinking about outdoor classrooms. Working on our HVAC systems. It hasn’t worked in some of our schools for many years and it always got pushed to the back burner. Now that’s right front and center so that’s all getting fixed,” she said.
Back in May, Marotta told the School Committee she was working with four potential scenarios for September. A return to traditional classes while continuing to practice social distancing, continuation of remote learning, some combination of the two or either of the first two interrupted by a second wave of the pandemic. She formed three teams to prepare for all of the above scenarios.
Later, Haverhill school officials considered holding two daily sessions, but Marotta is pleased with the idea of having all the students attend school at the same time.
“That’s really what the Department of Education is encouraging. They put out some research about the spread of the virus in children and how it’s really lessened in children. And, also the impact of the social ills of kids staying at home, and some of the parents’ concerns around that and just getting kids back to school. The learning loss. We’ve all heard the sad stories things that happen when people are frustrated and home for long periods of time,” she explained.
Marotta said Haverhill’s summer school started Tuesday. Generally, there are about 1,200 students attending, but this year there are only about 300 attending in person. Teachers and students are wearing masks, social distancing and spending more time outdoors.
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Planning offices for the cities of Haverhill and Methuen and other communities throughout the Merrimack Valley are called upon to look into the future, and work out visions for growth, the environment and transportation.
Communities receive support from the Merrimack Valley Planning Commission, led by Executive Director Theresa Park. She was formally appointed in January, but had served on the Commission as Lawrence’s representative. Park said the Commission offers needed help for each of the 15 communities it serves, and the result is greater than if each were alone.
“For example, what we have the ability to do is to gather together these groups of municipalities so they can share lessons learned, best practices, so they, one, don’t feel like they are on their own dealing with these challenges and, two, there are times when the sum of the parts is greater than the whole , so we’re able to almost like to facilitate, or streamline, the search for, and answers to, possible solutions to the problems that they’re having,” she explains.
Park, who was a guest recently on WHAV’s morning program, said the Haverhill-based organization provides additional capacity to help communities thrive. In addition to individual town projects, Park said, they help with regional issues too. Recently State Sen. Diana DiZoglio delivered a state grant for the MVPC, allowing the agency to do two things.
“One, which is to look at the Merrimack River, and thinking about how we can recognize it as a resource and an asset, and what’s needed to go forward better protecting it as a resource and maximizing its’ potential,” she said.
Park notes the Merrimack Valley Planning Commission is working with the Merrimack River District Commission and doing the “early work” to help move the project along. The Commission is also involved with providing technological assistance for its member communities, allowing up-to-date monitoring of infrastructure for water, sewer and stormwater drainage, which helps the municipalities with their day-to-day management.
The Commission’s website, at MVPC.org, contains information for the general public, including interactive maps, along with data and demographics.
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A deal was reached yesterday between leaders in the House and Senate on early voting and vote-by-mail legislation that should pave the way for a major expansion of voting options ahead of the 2020 election.
State Rep. Linda Dean Campbell, who appeared recently on WHAV’s morning program, says one of the driving forces behind the bill is “safety concerns” due to the coronavirus.
“We do know that there are a number of our elders that have said that they wanted to vote, but this time they’re not going to go because they’ve seen what’s happened in other countries with people standing in line for hours. They’ve just said, ‘you have to come up with a mechanism to allow us to vote.’ We believe that a tremendous amount of work was done on this, very early on when COVID broke because we knew this was going to come and it takes a lot to get this right, and to make sure it’s a very secure way of voting,” she said.
Campbell says the measure also expands the early voting time frame if people want to physically cast ballots. This coming November election is expected to have a heavy turn-out due to the presidential contest.
A conference committee opted against a Senate plan to use the voter information guides that are sent every election by Secretary of State William Galvin to households around the state as a vehicle to deliver one of the applications.
The six members of the committee also agreed to let local clerks change the location of a polling station up to 20 days before the election, which reflects what was in the Senate version of the bill. The idea is to give election officials some flexibility to respond if there were to be an outbreak of COVID-19 at a school or in another building that doubles as a polling location.
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Last Friday was the observance of “Juneteenth,” commemorating the day in 1865 when Texas became the last state in the nation to be notified of President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation to free its’ slaves. State Sen. Diana DiZoglio wants to make the date a formal holiday.
Appearing on WHAV’s morning show, DiZoglio said is co-sponsoring legislation to officially recognize Juneteenth in Massachusetts.
“You know, I believe this legislation is a testament to the importance of this day, and I look forward to fighting for the day to actually become recognized as a state holiday,” DiZoglio explains.
DiZoglio says Juneteenth was observed on the local level in several communities.
“In Lawrence, they’re actually counting it as a city holiday and they are giving workers the day to reflect on the importance of the holiday. And in Haverhill, we’re seeing the Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce give the day to their employees to reflect on the importance of Juneteenth,” she notes.
DiZogio said former Gov. Deval Patrick, while in office in 2007, signed a proclamation to make June 19 a statewide day of observance of Juneteenth. The current legislation would take the next step, making it an official state holiday.
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Phase Two of Gov. Charlie Baker’s re-opening plan is underway—part of which includes restaurants being able to offer inside seating. The speed of reopening Massachusetts during the COVID-19 pandemic has been a matter of debate.
State Rep. Lenny Mirra, a recent guest on WHAV’s morning program, however, says the pace is all at the governors’ discretion.
“The governor is in control of it. These are executive orders. These are not things the legislature is voting on. The governor is pretty much determining this by executive order. And you know, he’s in a tough spot. There’s a group of us that sign letters urging more reopenings and for them to happen sooner. And there’s another group that’s saying just the opposite,” Mirra says.
Mirra says the legislature is working with the governor every day trying to come up with the best solution for reopening the economy.
“It’s not a one size fits all, I think you kind of still have to pick certain industries. I think we can open up restaurants and retailers, but at the same time I don’t think we can open up Fenway Park to 30,000 fans,” he adds.
Mirra represents the Second Essex District, which includes a portion of Haverhill, along with the towns of Groveland, Merrimack, West Newbury and Georgetown, along with a portion of Boxford. He sits on the joint committee for Community Development and Small Business, the joint committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy and the joint committee on Health Care Financing.
The entire interview may be heard on WHAV’s “Merrimack Valley Newsmakers” podcasts, available at WHAV.net and Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, iHeart Radio, Google Podcasts, TuneIn and Alexa.
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The filing of new unemployment claims is dropping off, but state Rep. Christina Minicucci, reminds residents help is still available for those who have lost their jobs.
Minicucci, whose office was involved in helping people file early claims, says the initial wave as has settled down quite a bit.
“At one point we had 68 active cases in our office, and now, we are down to two, maybe, and we can get them resolved pretty quickly,” she said.
Minicucci reminds people there is still help available from the federal government, in the form of the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Program, a new program for people who wouldn’t normally qualify for benefits.
“It’s open to people who have reduced wages, part-time workers, gig economy workers, people who are self-employed. There’s a much bigger net and a lot more people qualify than realize. I come across people every day who say, ‘I had no idea I qualified.’ Also, kids under the age of 18 who maybe were lined up to work at local camps, like Brooks Summer Camp in North Andover is closed this summer. Any of those kids who were lined up to work there, they can file. You just have to do it over the phone if you’re under 18. Adults, kids, anybody who was lined up for a job and that job disappeared, or didn’t come to fruition, because of Covid-19, they qualify,” she said,
Minicucci, the 14th Essex District state representative, was a guest, this past Friday, on WHAV’s Morning program.
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This years’ Topsfield Fair is still on, despite COVID-19 concerns.
Bill Fitzgerald, of Mann Orchards in Methuen, the current president of the Topsfield Fair board of directors, says organizers are forming coalitions to ensure safety.
“Topsfield Fair is partnering, in some respects, with the Big E out in Springfield, to form a little bit of a coalition, so we can trade ideas back and forth, and hopefully live up to what the guidelines may be come this fall,” Fitzgerald says.
Fitzgerald was a guest, Wednesday, on WHAV’s morning program. He says there’s a tremendous effort at the Topsfield Fairgrounds to make sure all of the vendors are following the proper protocols, adding that the vendors are looking forward to the event, because it has been such a slow season. He wants everyone to feel comfortable.
“The goal of the Essex Agricultural Society is to make people feel safe and secure when they come to the fair. It’s always been that way, but this year it will be a triple effort to make sure people feel safe and secure when they come there,” he notes.
Beyond the entertainment, rides and food, Fitzgerald says Topsfield Fair organizers always focus on their main goal. “All the agricultural stuff is being planned as usual. I know the huge Pumpkin Growers Association is just chomping at the bit to be able to get there, and show off those big pumpkins and things like that again.”
The 202nd year of the Topsfield Fair is scheduled to run this year from Oct. 2 through Columbus Day weekend Oct. 10.
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Haverhill restaurants are hoping to hit the ground running when Gov. Charlie Baker gives the green light to reopen—possibly as early as June 8.
Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Dougan Sherwood, appearing recently on WHAV’s morning program, says the initial phase will be for outdoor dining following the COVID-19 pandemic.
“What I have heard is that six feet of distance is going to continue to be the standard for distance between tables. But, the city right now and the Chamber have been working very closely with Mayor (James J.) Fiorentini, Council President (Melinda E.) Barrett and a number of others and also the restaurant community at large, to make sure that by June 8, which is the earliest it could happen, that we’re hitting the ground running.,” he says.
However, Sherwood acknowledged, some restaurants don’t have the ability for outside seating, but the city may be able to help.
“Which is the case for a lot of restaurants, particularly restaurants in downtown. That’s where the mayor is coming in. For example, sidewalks are public property, so the mayor has some authority over how we can put them in place, of course respecting ADA and other points of compliance.”
Sherwood says the conversation has been going on for some time in trying to figure out the best, and safest way, to extend the ability for restaurants to have more seats and tables outside.
Following up on a story reported earlier by WHAV, Sherwood reports that the Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce is serious about Haverhill having a good federal census response rate and is teaming up with Community Action and the Mount Washington Alliance to promote census compliance in an area of the city that is often under-reported.
“We’re giving families five bucks a head for the people in their household, and if they fill out their census, and they show us a simple picture that proves that they filled it out, then they’re going to get a gift card, for $5 per person in their household to a local supermarket or local bodega, and it’s that simple.)
Sherwood says the Chamber census incentive program is limited to four people per household, and will continue until the special fund is exhausted.
Besides WHAV.net, WHAV’s “Merrimack Valley Newsmakers” podcasts are available via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, iHeart Radio, Google Podcasts, TuneIn and Alexa.
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This week marks the beginning for some businesses and government buildings to open to the public, including the Haverhill Public Library.
Library Director Sarah Moser, a guest Wednesday on WHAV’s morning program, said the first phase of the reopening allows for curbside pickup.
“It’s a lot like doing something like DoorDash, or Instacart, where you’re calling us and you’re telling us what books you want, and we’re getting them ready for you. We have some designated spaces in our parking lot, and you call us when you get here and we run the books out to you. So, there’s very little interaction between us and the public and the staff will have a mask and gloves on, so we don’t have to worry too much about cross contamination,” she said.
And as the weeks go on, the library plans to offer the public more services.
“When we first start letting people back into the building, it’ll be restricted based on head count, so that we can only have a certain number of people in the building at a time. We’ll have a lot of appointment-based services so that we can manage the number of people in the building. We will require people to wear masks, at least initially. We’ll have gloves available. So that it will definitely affect us in that way. We are going to be very careful about social distancing,” Moser added.
Moser is very enthusiastic about one of the remote tools—a YouTube channel—used by the Haverhill Public Library during the pandemic.
“It’s a good source, especially right now when you’re doing so many virtual things. It’s a great source to be able to put all of your virtual programming, so that people can go back to it and, as great as Facebook can be sometimes, it doesn’t have the same capacity to store things that YouTube does, so it’s been a great resource for us right now doing these virtual programs,” she said.
The library’s most recent programming may be seen at the YouTube channel, HPL Children.
Besides WHAV.net, WHAV’s “Merrimack Valley Newsmakers” podcasts are available via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, iHeart Radio, Google Podcasts, TuneIn and Alexa.
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It has been said every cloud has a silver lining and Northern Essex Community College President Lane A. Glenn said that’s been true of the coronavirus cloud.
Glenn, a recent guest on WHAV’s morning program, and said the coronavirus has opened a new field of study and career path for recent graduates.
“A lot of colleges—and we’re starting to eye this—are looking at how to train people to be contact tracers. We already train a lot of first responders, so we’ve heard from a few businesses that need to hire recent graduates to take temperatures of workers as they’re coming back into the office, or back into the plant. So many of our graduates are going right to work in sort of new areas of healthcare training. Police, EMTs, healthcare workers—we train hundreds of those people every year. We’re very proud of that,” Glenn said.
On another topic, Glenn said, remote teaching at the end of the semester went fairly well, but he admits there’s room for improvement.
“We know, because remote teaching is going to have to continue in some form, another, into the summer, or the fall, we have to keep getting better at it. If more students are going to need to take more classes—either fully online, or what we call hybrid, partly online and partly in the classroom—than every college and university has to get even better at teaching that way, and that’s what we’re working on with professional development for teachers and assistance to students. So, in the fall, we’re putting together a program so that all students can get a laptop, for example, and have access to classes and services that way. A lot of things are coming together,” he said.
Glenn said Northern Essex started online classes more than a decade ago, when it was one of the first colleges in the state to have a fully online degree program in Criminal Justice. The school now has 11 different online degrees
Besides WHAV.net, WHAV’s “Merrimack Valley Newsmakers” podcasts are available via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, iHeart Radio, Google Podcasts, TuneIn and Alexa.
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With legislation moving forward in the state Senate to help businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, state Sen. Diana DiZoglio says she and other legislators felt cut out of Gov. Charlie Baker’s recovery program.
DiZoglio made the revelation Thursday when she appeared as a guest on WHAV’s morning program.
“It’s not a situation where we have been able to participate in those discussions, necessarily, you know. When this thing is planned, which is rolled out by the lieutenant governor and the secretary of economic development, alongside the governor, those conversations on the advisory board were being had with not one legislative representative being able to speak during those meetings. We were able to listen, but we were not allowed to speak, and give input,” she explains.
The senator says the situation especially concerns her since the legislature represents the public at the local level.
“And I’m going to be pushing for the legislature to be able to have more of a voice moving forward. We know that emergency situations do call for occasions where executive orders are necessary, but if we’re going to continue with this months’ long process and be getting into potentially the half a year mark of legislation to be worked on and passed—certainly if the administration can be working on a proposal for several weeks and take that time to form an advisory board and a task force to be able to analyze policy and come up with a plan—certainly the legislature, who was elected by the local communities, all of you, should be able to participate in that discussion. That’s not something that’s being done overnight, in some sort of an emergency order that’s being done. That’s something that’s being worked on for several weeks and the legislature does need to have a seat on these boards moving forward,” DiZoglio adds.
In the meantime, DiZoglio says legislators are working within the guidelines of Baker’s executive authority and doing what it can under the governor’s emergency order. She said members continue to fight for local businesses, based on what decisions the governor makes.
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Typographical errors and missed callbacks are among the reasons some residents are having trouble receiving unemployment checks.
State Rep. Christina Minicucci, a guest on WHAV’s Friday morning program, reminded listeners she and other lawmakers offer can help.
“A lot of times when people have been hung-up on their unemployment, for some reason, or it’s just not going through, they’ll call our office and we’re able to help move it along more quickly,” she says.
Minicucci says many times, the issues are typographical errors or transposed numbers. Minicucci also advises some claims require additional information and residents should be on the alert for an unexpected telephone call. “They’re working seven days a week, and they’re calling from remote offices, so sometimes that phone call may come in from Idaho or something like that, and people won’t pick up the call. So, we always say pick up every phone call. They work seven days a week so you can do it on the weekend. They will not leave a message for you because you have so many people making the calls, so if you miss it, you miss it. You don’t even know you missed the call.”
With unemployment on the rise, questions about unemployment claims are also increasing.
“If you’ve watched any of the governor’s many press conferences, he says very often, we had 50 staff members when this started, and now they’re up to over 1,000 staff members. So, they’ve had to ramp up very quickly over the past six to eight weeks. A lot of those people are still being trained. But the number of phone calls that are coming through is just astronomical,” Minicucci notes.
She adds even her office has to wait longer for an answer, but they have an advantage. “I have a person I work with at the state which, she used to resolve my claims within three hours, now it takes three to five days. But we, as legislators, do have a direct contact person to resolve claims.”
For telephone and email addresses of state senators and representatives, visit malegislature.gov.
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Neighbors helping neighbors. The Greater Haverhill Service Clubs are holding a food drive tomorrow, from noon-2 p.m. to fill the food pantries at Sacred Hearts Parish and the Salvation Army in Haverhill.
Lisa Corr, a member of the Haverhill Exchange Club who was a guest Thursday on WHAV’s morning show, says the donations will be helping fill a severe need.
“The pantries are really suffering. Sacred Hearts last week, I spoke with Father Delaney, they serviced over 2,000 people. So, they really need our help. They need canned goods, rice, cereal, beans, diapers. If people don’t want to out to the store, you can make a monetary donation. We’ll accept checks or cash. It will all go right to the Salvation Army and Sacred Hearts Church,” she said.
Corr is also a member of the Crescent Yacht Club—and those members have been conducting food drives too.
“The Crescent Yacht Club did it a couple of weeks ago. Then, they brought the food over. The pantry was empty. The shelves were completely empty so many people came by and donated. We were able to fill it up, but then that week…it gets emptied again.” Corr added.
Along with the Haverhill Exchange Club, those helping with Saturday’s Food Drive are the Haverhill Breakfast Exchange Club, Haverhill Lion’s Club, Haverhill Rotary Club, Haverhill Kiwanis Club and Pentucket Kiwanis Club. Donations will be accepted Saturday from noon- 2 p.m. at the Sacred Hearts Parish parking lot, 165 S. Main St., in Haverhill, and at the Salvation Army, 395 Main St., Haverhill. Checks may be made out to the Salvation Army or Sacred Hearts Parish with “food pantry” written on the memo line.
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Although different and less than ideal, this year’s Haverhill High graduation may not be as remote and impersonal as first feared.
Appearing on WHAV’s morning program Tuesday, Haverhill school Superintendent Margaret Marotta says the coronavirus has upset classes, modes of study and will mostly derail the scheduled June 5 graduation. She said, however, not all is lost.
“We hope to be able to have a graduation ceremony where we can hand each student their diploma with appropriate masks and social distance, and a number of 10 or 20 students come to an area, probably an outdoor area, at a time. They line up, six feet apart. We can tape it all. We can tape the speeches, put it into a nice presentation and hopefully be able to air it at the time graduation would have been.”
As WHAV previously reported, the superintendent is also working on various scenarios for classes in the fall if COVID-19 remains a concern. Marotta describes the best of several compromises.
“One of them that we are looking at is opening school with social distancing. That’s the most optimistic case. That would mean we are presently measuring all of our classrooms to determine how many kids we can fit in each classroom in each school with six-feet social distance, and we’re finding that leaves our schools at about half capacity.”
The superintendent says the situation may mean a rotation of school in September to allow for proper social distancing. No decisions have been made and other scenarios continue to be explored.
Updated information will be available on the Haverhill Public Schools website at haverhill-ps.org
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Each day, 97.9 WHAV FM has been setting aside time to highlight good deeds from community heroes during the COVID-19 pandemic.
When public gathering rules stopped the Merrimack Valley Hope Mission from providing bagged lunches for the needy at Haverhill’s G.A.R. Park in March, the group quickly switched gears, recruited “sewing angels” and so far has turned out 2,600 facial coverings.
Merrimack Valley Hope Mission founder Joseph D’Amore of Groveland and collaborator Robin Hudson of Merrimac brainstormed about how they could help five weeks ago—before the national spotlight focused on masks. They concluded nursing homes, visiting nurse associations and even the public would need coverings.
“We reached out to people who could sew and we asked them to start sewing. We also did ask people to donate supplies such as fabrics, thread and elastics and we organized into a really well-knit unit, no pun intended,” he said.
Twenty-eight people went to work as the sewing angels. Another group—led by people such as Brenda Haskell of Groveland and Diane Andrews-Clarke of Andrews Insurance—went to work paying for and obtaining supplies. Haskell’s own inventory allowed the program to launch and produce 1,000 masks in two weeks.
The effort first began supplying people in Groveland, Merrimac, West Newbury and Newbury before deciding to expand in the larger population center of Haverhill.
“I was a little apprehensive because I know Haverhill is a big town and there are a lot of people who are going to need masks. Our sewers stepped up where they’re sewing, literally, hundreds of masks,” D’Amore said.
To serve Haverhill, he said he needed the help of Dee O’Neil, who is the administrator of the Facebook page Haverhill MA 411. O’Neil and her volunteers have handed out half of the facial coverings right from her home and delivered the other half, using “foot soldiers” such as Lisa Carter, Mary Melendez and Tracy Menzies-Kuver.
Among others who have made the effort a success are Eva Montibello, Helen Sheehan, Amanda Clemenzi, Ellen Kuchar, Barbara McHugh and Pentucket Regional School Committee Chairwoman Lisa O’Connor.
“Boy, this woman is literally sewing day and night. I mean, I see the early morning messages and late at night. She’s going to end up creating 1,000 masks,” he said.
Linda Daneau of Merrimac is another person who took on special projects. She is working on supplying the smaller pediatric masks. The group is working to distribute 150 masks for children, under the care of the state Department of Children and Families. The children need coverings because of their own medical issues or to make physician appointments.
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State Rep. Linda Dean Campbell of Methuen says veterans are among those being especially hard hit by the coronavirus.
Campbell, who serves as chair of the state legislature’s Joint Committee on Veterans and Federal Affairs, spoke recently on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program, and said she was surprised at what has come to light.
“Getting food to veterans has been a big issue, and there have been a lot of groups that have stepped up to the plate. Mass. Military Friends Foundation, Mass. Military Support Foundation have worked with the Patriots and others. Mass distribution of food. I never realized how much food is being given out to the veteran community. We’re finding that the demand is really huge. The same this is happening over at the Methuen Loop as well. We’ve had a lot of veterans in need of food. That’s been a big effort on the part of veterans,” she said.
Campbell also spoke about the food distribution for Veterans that occurs every other week at Northern Essex Community College. It is being organized by the Veterans Northeast Outreach Center. Veterans may register at VNEOC.org. The next Haverhill distribution date is Wednesday May 6.
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The Mutual Aid Society of Haverhill, otherwise known as MASH, is busy helping Haverhill residents dealing with lifestyle changes due to the coronavirus.
Appearing live over 97.9 WHAV FM Friday morning, Anthony Parolisi explained how the effort came together and how it uses the city’s 3-1-1 call center to link residents with needs with those who can help.
“We started reaching out to other groups like the Latino Coalition, Greater Haverhill Indivisible, The Merrimack Valley Project, the YMCA, Haverhill Educational Coalition and even the mayor’s office and other groups, have been collaborating with us since we got the ball rolling, and it’s just taken on a life of its own. We’re just trying to connect neighbors in need to neighbors who can help,” he said.
Parolisi says volunteers often do grocery shopping for homebound residents, and sometimes just “check in” for conversations with people who, otherwise, don’t have anyone else to talk with. The best way for Haverhill residents to get help, or volunteer, is by calling 3-1-1. Additional information is at CityOfHaverhill.com, where residents may click on the 3-1-1 box, and select either the box to receive help, or for volunteers.
Parolosi, who is also president of the Haverhill Education Association, said the Haverhill Mutual Aid Society was modeled after similar community groups in Somerville and Brookline.
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Individuals, groups and businesses have been getting the attention of 14th Essex District state Rep. Christina Minicucci for their help during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Just one of many examples, she noted during a recent interview with WHAV’s Win Damon, Groundwork Lawrence was able to contract with eight local restaurants to make “grab-and-go” meals a couple of nights a week for those in need. The effort kicked off thanks to seed money donated by New Balance.
Minicucci also offered praise for state Health and Human Services Director Mary Lou Sudders and Go. Charlie Baker.
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Haverhill Bank has stepped up with millions of dollars in funding aimed at supporting local businesses and reducing employee layoffs during COVID-19-related lockdowns.
As a longtime participating lender in U.S. Small Business Administration programs, the bank was ideally prepared to help when Congress approved the Paycheck Protection Program. The PPP as it is known was the centerpiece of a $2.2 trillion economic stimulus package and converts many loans into outright grants. Appearing live over 97.9 WHAV FM this morning, Haverhill Bank President and CEO Thomas L. Mortimer said the bank knows how important the program is to families, neighbors, frontline workers.
“There were some emotional applications here. People who were absolutely, this is their lifeline, and you knew that when you had to reach out to them to ask a question on their application, and you can tell in their voice, ‘am I going to get this money?’” He said.
The program allows businesses to keep paying employees or bring back laid off workers. For the kinds of small businesses served by Haverhill Bank, most businesses won’t have to repay the loan if they keep people on the payroll.
Haverhill Bank funded $15 million to local businesses, ultimately receiving more than 174 applications and $34 million in requests. Another 31 applications and $1.4 million in requests are awaiting action in a second round if Congress approves. He explained the legislature allocated $349 billion, and the bank processed loans all the way up until the time the current round of funding ran out yesterday.
Mortimer said the nation won’t know for awhile whether the program did its job.
“Its what happens when we look back in a month or two how many people came off unemployment, how many businesses survived. I believe, that without this, many of the businesses that are open today will not last another two weeks, four weeks, six weeks.”
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Cantor Vera Broekhuysen of Temple Emanu-El of Haverhill discusses a variety of topics with WHAV morning personality Win Damon, including remote meetings such as the upcoming Yom HaSho’ah, or Holocaust Remembrance Day.
Author Helen Epstein and interfaith clergy help Haverhill’s Temple Emanu-El hold its annual service commemorating Yom HaSho’ah, or Holocaust Remembrance Day, this Friday night, online.
Epstein is a veteran arts journalist and the author, coauthor or translator of 10 works of nonfiction, including the trilogy “Children of the Holocaust,” “Where She Came From: A Daughter’s Search for Her Mother’s History” and “The Long Half-Lives of Love and Trauma.” She is also the editor of Franci’s War, the recently published memoir of the Sho’ah written by her mother, Franci Rabinek Epstein.
The service also features traditional Sabbath liturgy, songs and readings, and will include the participation of Rev. Frank Clarkson of the Universalist Unitarian Church of Haverhill; Rev. Sarah van Gulden of Trinity Episcopal Church, Haverhill; Rev. Zac Harmon, St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church, Hampstead N.H.; Rev. Kit Lonergan, St. James, Groveland; and Fr. John Delaney, Sacred Hearts Parish, Haverhill.
The Holocaust Remembrance Day service takes place Friday, April 17, 7 p.m., via Zoom. Those wishing to participate are asked to email Nancy@TempleEmanu-El.org to obtain the meeting ID and password.
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Congresswoman Lori Trahan says the federal government is likely to provide aid above the recently passed $2.2 trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act—known as CARES for short.
Appearing live over WHAV recently, Trahan said, more financial aid is needed to help people pay for health insurance after they’ve lost their jobs and communities and hospitals meet their obligations.
“The idea is to make sure none of our businesses fail and that we’re just getting people through this unprecedented time, frankly,” she said.
Trahan called the CARES Act historic and she outlined two ways it helps businesses and employees.
“The largest relief package ever passed by Congress and it does many things. It sends direct cash payments to more than 150 million people, it establishes loan and grant programs for our small businesses so that they can maintain payroll and survive the downtown,” she said.
The congresswoman explained the act also helps communities and health professionals prepare for a spike in COVID-19 illnesses. “It also gives much needed assistance and cash to our cities and towns who are on the front lines as well as our hospitals who are ramping up to meet a surge that they’ve never seen before.”
Yesterday, Gov. Charlie Baker said the surge has arrived, noting 28,000 COVID-19 cases and deaths from the virus approaching 1,000.
Trahan said, although working remotely, she and her staff continue to answer calls and questions. Those who need help may call 978-459-0101.
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Back to work after recovering from her own bout of the coronavirus, Haverhill Public Schools Director of Health and Nursing Services Katie Vozeolas talked about her experiences during a live interview yesterday over WHAV.
Vozeolas, who appeared by telephone, noted her initial symptoms March 17 were not what one would expect.
“My symptoms were really gastrointestinal and headache and I really didn’t have any of the respiratory systems until several days into this process,” she said.
She said her experience is a lesson for others. “Pretty much any symptom that you’re having that is really unusual for you is just something to be cognizant that it could be COVID-19, and you should just stay home and physically isolate from others.”
She agrees with people wearing face covering when possible to, at least in the case of the schools and meal sites, have teachers wear masks when coming in to pick up supplies to protect custodial and food service staff, for example.
The entire interview with nurse Vozeolas is available on WHAV’s “Merrimack Valley Newsmakers” podcasts, available at WHAV.net as well as Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, iHeart Radio, Google Podcasts, TuneIn and Alexa.
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Haverhill Mayor James J. Fiorentini says nothing compares to the coronavirus outbreak in the city’s recent history.
Appearing on 97.9 WHAV FM’s “Win For Breakfast” last Thursday morning, the mayor discusses current and continuing COVID-19 precautions, including a ban on 10 or more people gathering publicly and Haverhill businesses that are helping out. Fiorentini also heaps praise on city Public Health Nurse Mary Connolly.
The entire interview with the mayor is available on WHAV’s “Merrimack Valley Newsmakers” podcasts, available at WHAV.net as well as Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, iHeart Radio, Google Podcasts, TuneIn and Alexa.
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Following on the success of its Dollar-for-Dollar Gift Card program for restaurants, the Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce is helping retailers give customers 25 percent off future purchases.
The “#HaverhillLocal” program is open to Haverhill stores whether or not they are members of the Haverhill Chamber. The group will reimburse participating businesses 25% of total purchase prices, up to $100 per customer. For example, stores may sell a $100 gift card for only $75. Appearing live Friday on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program, state Rep. Andy X. Vargas said the initiative is similar to what is being offered to restaurant owners.
“We’re going to launch that program again today for small businesses that aren’t restaurants so we will include retail as well which is having a tough time as you can imagine not being able to sell anything,” he said.
Haverhill Chamber President Dougan Sherwood added, like the restaurant program, people are being asked to contribute online at GoFundMe.com to help pay for the retail plan. Participating businesses will be listed at haverhillchamber.com.
Vargas says the takeout, delivery or gift card program so far has matched nearly $30,000 and “translated into some hope” for eateries. “The good news is that they can really feel and appreciate the support of the Haverhill community that has rallied around them.”
Vargas used the opportunity to also warn people about unreliable news sources.
“We did say make sure that you’re subscribing to your local news at this time, including WHAV, of course, because part of the challenge with this pandemic is that folks are getting their information from sources that aren’t always accurate,” he said.
The state representative helped Greater Haverhill’s only public radio station make its pitch.
“Special thanks to all of the folks at WHAV for keeping local news going. For anyone listening, please consider being a supporter of WHAV. They do fantastic work and at this time it is so important to have verified sources particularly at the local level,” he concluded.
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If social distancing is still in effect when Haverhill High School seniors are scheduled to graduate, June 5, a special celebration will still take place as well as formal summer event.
While May 4 is still Gov. Charlie Baker’s official day for returning to normalcy after COVID-19, Superintendent Margaret Marotta says she is “suspicious” of the date. Appearing live on 97.9 WHAV FM Tuesday, Marotta says special events such as senior activities, the prom and graduation will be observed one way or another.
“We talked with some of our vendors. We were going to be having our prom—about pushing those sorts of things out further into the summer. We don’t want kids to miss those rites of passage,” she says.
Otherwise, Marotta says the first few days of remote learning are working well. She explains the schools had received some practice earlier and were largely ready.
“For the most part, I’m hearing really, really good things about it. Our teachers are working hard. They’re being creative. Obviously, as you say, there are some struggles. People, particularly for those who may have young children, it is difficult obviously if you have young children,” Marotta says.
More importantly, the superintendent notes, is to keep an eye on students during this possibly stressful time.
“What we are really working on doing is making sure we have contact with our kids—that we have eyes on them, that we see them at least a couple of times a week, so we can know they’re ok physically and emotionally. It’s a little scary time right now,” she explains.
Going into remote learning, the schools didn’t just rely on parents to report technology issues. They checked records to see what students were plugged in. Of 8,000 students, the school department has distributed 3,000 Chromebooks. With Comcast making its Xfinity hotspots freely available without passwords, Marotta notes, those without internet at home have been able to join in.
The entire interview with the superintendent is available on WHAV’s “Merrimack Valley Newsmakers” podcasts, available at WHAV.net as well as Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, iHeart Radio, Google, TuneIn and Alexa.
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In a special message, Haverhill Mayor James J. Fiorentini says “community spread” of the CORVID-19 virus is taking place in Haverhill and urges residents to stay home “whenever possible.”
The mayor says community spread means “you have to treat every person you meet as if they have the virus.” He asks residents to stay indoors, limit grocery shopping to one or two days a week and stay home at all times if they have cough or cold.
He said the city is operating with skeleton crews, but remains available to help residents through the city’s telephone help center available by dialing 311 or online at cityofhaverhill.com. At the city’s website, as WHAV has previously reported, there is a new link to “Resident Support Services.” It connects people who need help are linked to volunteers and is a service provided by the new group Mutual Aid Society of Haverhill. Help is also available by calling 978-228-5322 or emailing MASHaverhill@gmail.com.
Fiorentini also reminds residents that unemployment assistance is available at mass.gov, including to those who were previously self-employed.
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State Sen. Diana DiZoglio discusses COVID-19 and the senator’s efforts to help small businesses during this time.
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In an interview with WHAV’s Win Damon this morning, Congresswoman Lori Trahan discussed the federal government’s response to COVID-19 and invited residents to participate in a Tele-Town Hall this afternoon to learn more.
Joining Trahan will be Jody White, president and CEO of Lowell General Hospital and Circle Health and chairman of the Massachusetts Health and Hospital Association; Dr. Dan Berlowitz, chair, Department of Public Health at UMass Lowell and professor of Medicine at Boston University; and Dr. Ashish Jha, director, Harvard Global Health Institute and K.T. Li Professor of Global Health at Harvard University.
The Tele-Town Hall takes place this afternoon, Friday, March 20, at 5 p.m. Those wishing to listen in may dial 855-614-0157. Those with questions may call 978-459-0101 or visit Trahan.House.Gov.
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Lisa Corr of the Crescent Yacht Club talks about the effects of Covid-19 on the club’s scheduled fundraisers. She also previews upcoming events.
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As a continuing public service, 97.9 WHAV FM has made its facilities fully available to local, state and federal officials to provide information about precautions surrounding coronavirus disease—COVID-19.
The public has heard of home-based learning, “grab and go” breakfast and lunch pickups and myriad “social distancing” measures, but recent closures have also raised questions about how to provide continuing medical and emotional support for students.
Haverhill Public Schools Director of Health and Nursing Services Katie Vozeolas, speaking live over WHAV Tuesday morning, says, in addition to all of the other steps being taken, the schools have been getting medications back to parents that may have been stored at individual schools.
“They’re only allowed so many each month, so if we had a two- or three-week supply of a medication that a child takes every day, they in turn would need that. The nurses did a great job of calling around to all those parents with kids who had daily medications and others who they thought may need those medications. Most of them have already been picked up. There’s a few stragglers today that are coming through,” she said.
In addition, Vozeolas says, school nurses, school adjustment counselors, guidance staff, therapists and others continue to reach out to families. She explains they normally support students five days-a-week and are reaching out to families to make sure what they need.
While school staff are not allowed to make house calls, they are available to listen and remotely support families.
Vozeolas noted Haverhill schools on Monday provided 500 meals to students and that there would be additional breakfast and lunch distribution sites.
As of 3 p.m., Tuesday, Superintendent Margaret Marotta announced Hunking School, 480 S. Main St., would become a distribution site for student breakfasts and lunches. Other sites are Consentino School, 685 Washington St.; Nettle School, 150 Boardman St.; YMCA, 81 Winter St.; and Boys and Girls Club, 55 Emerson St. Centers are open from 11 a.m.-1 p.m., weekdays.
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Haverhill state Rep. Andy X. Vargas and Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce President Dougan Sherwood each discussed the unprecedented measures being taken in response to the COVID-19 outbreak.
Vargas and Sherwood appeared live, but separately, on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program.
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It’s possible for students to receive an excellent four-year education and receive a bachelor’s degree all for less than some universities charge a year.
Appearing on 97.9 WHAV FM this week, Northern Essex Community College President Lane A. Glenn explains the college has prepared a “roadmap,” showing the way for a quality education at relatively affordable prices.
“The short version of all this is come talk to us and we can show you how you can get a bachelor’s degree for significantly less than $30,000—the entire thing,” he said.
Lane explained the Northern Essex roadmap begins while students are still in high school. There, they can enroll in Early College and receive college credits while juniors and seniors. Those credits are added to totals when later enrolled at Northern Essex. Students and their families may also be eligible for state MassGrant and MassGrant Plus scholarships. Finally, the Commonwealth Commitment helps those transferring to four-year state colleges and universities.
More than 500 area high school students participate in the Early College program—many coming from Haverhill, Lawrence and Amesbury.
Partnerships with Regis College and Cambridge College on Northern Essex’s Lawrence campus and UMass Lowell on the Haverhill campus, Glenn said, also provide convenience and discounts. He said it’s “easy, accessible and affordable.”
Registration for summer and fall classes opens soon.
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What are the symptoms of Coronavirus disease and who’s most at risk in case of a local outbreak?
Dr. Lee Lane, chief of Emergency Medicine at Holy Family Hospital in Methuen and Haverhill, answered these questions and others during a live appearance on 97.9 WHAV FM.
He says most people just experience cold symptoms, but most at risk are those 65 or older or have “compromised” health conditions. He also offers advice on how to protect oneself.
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Emmaus’ Margot Regan appeared on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” Monday to preview one of the community housing organization’s major fundraising events, sixth annual “Stepping Out with the Valley Stars” coming up in April.
Regan explained seven local celebrities appear with professional dancers during the competition.
“They do different style of dancing. There up there for a couple of minutes at a time and we have judges and the audience votes…It’s just a real fun event,” she said.
Participants include business people, community activists, elected officials and others. They are Yariel Alvarez, Merrimack Valley Credit Union’s North Andover branch manager; Jonathan Dowst, Pentucket Bank’s executive vice president and chief credit officer; Jeff Grassie, local artist, Haverhill Farmers Market Manager, and Team Haverhill member; Trisch Grimes, Holy Family Hospital physical therapist; Paul Magliocchetti, attorney and Haverhill School Committee member; Rachel Monroe, who won the opportunity to dance at last year’s gala; and Lela Lischke Wright, sales associate at William Raveis Real Estate.
The event takes place Saturday, April 4, at Blue Ocean Music Hall in Salisbury. Doors open at 6 p.m. Besides the dance competition, there will also be silent and live auctions.
Tickets are $125 and available at emmausinc.org. Admission includes a gluten-free dinner of grilled shrimp skewers with tournedos of beef. Those who require a vegetarian meal or have special dietary restrictions, are asked to call Regan at 978-241-3425 or email margot@emmausinc.org by March 20.
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The annual Topsfield Fair doesn’t open until Oct. 2, but it isn’t too early for area high school students to apply for available scholarships.
Mann Orchards’ Bill Fitzgerald, president of Topsfield Fair, stopped by 97.9 WHAV FM recently to make sure students know $57,000 in scholarships was awarded last year and applications are available now. Fitzgerald also provided a sneak preview of the 2020 fair.
Scholarships are available to 45 local high school seniors, and the money isn’t tied to agricultural pursuits. Awards are typically one-time payments of $1,000, but Fitzgerald says a new program was introduced last year.
“In this past year—along with the $1,000, one-year, one-time scholarships—we’ve instituted a program down at the fairgrounds where we give six local students a $1,000 scholarship for four years,” Fitzgerald told WHAV’s Win Damon.
Scholarship applications, available at Topsfieldfair.org, are due April 1
Musical artists at Topsfield Field this fall include Phil Vassar, 38 Special, B.J. Thomas, Marie Osmond and a 30-piece orchestra.
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With coronavirus taking nine U.S. lives as of Tuesday, Haverhill Public School Superintendent Margaret Marotta appeared live on 97.9 WHAV FM to discuss precautions the schools are taking, including possibly calling off foreign field trips.
Marotta said the School Department is in touch with the state Department of Public Health as well as the Department of Education to implement best practices should there be a local outbreak.
“Certainly, in other countries where schools have been closed for weeks and months at a time, we’re hopeful that won’t happen here, but it is a possibility that we’re preparing for at this point and starting to think about,” she said.
Whether it is coronavirus, the flu or other illnesses, Marotta said, there is already a policy that those with fevers should remain out of school.
“We are asking, and it is our school policy, that if children have a fever of 100.4 or more that we keep kids at home. That’s our policy at all times, but just to be specifically aware right now that while we want kids in school every day, if they do have a fever, if it is over 100.4, they should stay at home.,” Marotta added.
She added, school pediatrician John L. Maddox recommends students with fevers should see their family physicians before returning to classes.
The superintendent shared some commonsense precautions families should take. These include washing hands for a full 20 seconds; avoid touching mouth, nose and eyes; sneezing or coughing into your elbow—known as the “vampire” cough; and avoid touching other people after a sneeze.
She said a planned extracurricular trip to Italy, where there have been about 80 coronavirus-related deaths, is “unlikely” to take place. Discussions continue about other scheduled trips to Greece and Poland. Officials are working with travel agencies in an attempt to avoid financial impacts on families or the school system in case of cancellations.
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The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Commission has made substantial progress in building a new memorial at Mill Brook Park, near the entrance to Plug Pond. The public is being asked to help finish the job by entering a raffle with a $5,000 grand prize.
Chairman Ralph. T. Basiliere discusses the new fundraiser with WHAV’s Win Damon. He said the raffle will help to cover the final phase of construction at the new memorial site.
“We are on our way and the Vietnam veterans need to know that this is going down. This is going to happen. This is more than just talk,” Basiliere said.
A Spring Raffle, in concert with the Exchange Club of Haverhill, is underway. Tickets are $100 each and only 250 tickets will be sold. Besides the $5,000 grand prize, there are second and third prizes of $3,000 and $2,000 respectively.
Learn details and hear Basiliere discuss progress on WHAV’s “Merrimack Valley Newsmakers” podcast.
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Haverhill School Supterintendent Margaret Marotta visited with WHAV's Win Damon Feb. 4, 2020.
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Lane Glenn, president of Northern Essex Community College, visited with WHAV's Win Damon Feb. 3, 2020.
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WHAV’s Win Damon interviews Haverhill’s longest serving mayor, James J. Fiorentini.
Topics include renovation or replacement of the Dr. Albert B. Consentino, John Greenleaf Whittier and John C. Tilton Schools; competition for Comcast cable; public safety; the city’s new master plan; housing; and more.
The mayor said crime is generally down, but he is worried about, what he called, the regional gang problem.
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