Haverhill Dedicates First Nations Park, Celebrates Ongoing History

(Additional photograph below.) The city celebrated the Atlantic shortnose sturgeon, which has been making its way up the Merrimack River to spawn in what we now call Haverhill for centuries, during the dedication of First Nations Park Saturday. At Saturday’s ceremony, Larry Spotted Crow Mann, an enrolled citizen of the Hassanamisco Nipmuc Tribe of Massachusetts and executive director of the Ohketeau Cultural Center in Rowley, explained the park’s significance to indigenous people, who consider the sturgeon sacred.

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Haverhill Boys & Girls Club Celebrates $100,000 State Earmark for New Building

Boys & Girls Club of Greater Haverhill is receiving a $100,000 boost in its plans to build a modern and expanded club on a 6.5-acre parcel near Interstate 495. The Club said Friday Rep. Andy X. Vargas delivered a $100,000 state earmark—to support the current capital campaign for a new building. It is Vargas’ third legislative allocation for the project. As WHAV reported, …

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Haverhill, Methuen Officers Among Police Academy Grads at NECC Ceremony

The Haverhill, Methuen, Lawrence and Merrimack College police departments saw their newest recruits graduate Friday from the Municipal Police Training Committee-Northern Essex Community College Police Academy. New, full-time officers are, in Haverhill, Luis Cortes, Colin McMahon and Jordyn O’Boyle; Methuen, Brian Belen, Darren Bistany, Nestor Garcia, Laura Medina and Amanda Saba; Lawrence, Joseph Carroll, Justin Crow, Axel De Leon and Sheralee Hernandez; and Merrimack College, Abaigeal Gilman.

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AHEPA Acropolis Chapter 39 Awards 8 Scholarships

AHEPA Acropolis Chapter 39 of Haverhill recently awarded a total of $10,000 in 2026 scholarships, divided among eight graduating students. Each recipient was given a check $1,250 for towards college. Students were Ellie Dimopoulos of Haverhill, attending Endicott College, majoring in Exercise Science; Victoria Syniotis of Methuen, attending San Diego University, majoring in Business and Marketing; Lila Tzitzon of Andover, attending Boston College, majoring in Nursing; Mikayla Tzortizs of Haverhill, attending Merrimack College, majoring in Nursing; Nektarios Tzortzis of Haverhill, attending UMasss Lowell, majoring in Accounting; Melina Panagiotakopoulos of Haverhill, attending UMass, majoring in Hospitality and Tourism Management; Amalia Panagiotakopoulos of Haverhill, attending George Washington University, majoring in Political Science; and Angelica Pricone-Mallous of Manchester, N.H., attending Manchester School of Technology, majoring in Design Communication.

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Haverhill Public Schools to Start Middle School Field Hockey in Spring

Haverhill Public Schools are starting a middle school Field Hockey program next spring. Haverhill High School varsity field hockey Coach Samantha Shea is running the new program. She said they’ll need to determined how many people are interested in playing. If the numbers are high enough, the program will be able to run full games between the different Haverhill middle schools, but if the numbers are too low, the program will run scrimmage matchups instead.

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Atkinson Women’s Civic Club Oct. 17 Indoor/Outdoor Fall Artisan Market

The Atkinson Women’s Civic Club Indoor/Outdoor Fall Artisan Market in bringing the wares of 70 local artisan vendors along with food, music and raffles to its Oct. 17 annual tradition. Items from local crafters, food vendors will be available along with raffle baskets and a 50/50 raffle prize with all proceeds going back to the Atkinson, N.H., community. The Atkinson Women’s Civic Club Indoor/Outdoor Fall Artisan Market takes place Saturday, Oct.

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Haverhill Boys and Girls Club Receives Unusual Gift from Man who Sparked Wonder

A well-recognized Haverhill bicyclist, often the subject of curiosity and who died in 2024, will now be long remembered by youth who take part in activities at the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Haverhill. Dennis E. Babbitt who died at age 81 in January of 2024, left $25,000 in an unusual way that will now be used to support Boys and Girls Club programs.

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State Grants $3.5M for Varied Haverhill Downtown, Well Water, Café Projects

Methuen, North Andover, Groveland Projects Also Win Grants Haverhill is receiving nearly $2 million from the state to rebuild the Washington Square pedestrian plaza along with $1 million for its planned Merrimack River radial collector well and $568,853 for L’Arche Boston North’s planned redevelopment of the former A-1 Deli. The projects were among those named Thursday in sweeping $330 million economic development and housing awards statewide that will also bring planning for starter home zoning in the city, street improvements in Methuen, sidewalk work in North Andover and zoning to advance redevelopment of Groveland’s Strawberry Fields.

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Haverhill Democrats Take Positions on Ballot Questions: Endorsing 6, Opposing 3

The Haverhill Democratic City Committee is taking positions on all nine binding statewide ballot questions voters will decide in November. Committee members are endorsing six questions and opposing three. In summary, it backs the expanded public records law, election day registration, conservation funding and firearms law, while opposing all-party primaries and a ban on recreational marijuana sales. “With so much at stake in this year’s elections, we felt it was important not only to call attention to these nine ballot questions, but also to make clear where the Haverhill Democratic City Committee stands,” said William D.

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Local Sports Roundup: Knight’s Volleyball, Soccer on Hot Streaks, Local Football Struggles Persist

(Additional photograph below.) Northern Essex Community College volleyball is on a three-game win streak. Tuesday night, it defeated Quinsigamond Community College in a 3-0 set sweep. Sophomore and Knights captain Rachelle Torres collected 26 assists along with a season best 11 service aces. This game saw Torres pass the 500-assist mark for her career at Northern Essex. Sophomore and Knights captain Faith Martin added six kills as the Knights hit a season high .415 kill percentage in the match.

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River Run Elects Yadav President; Will Become CEO Next July

Sujata Yadav has been named president of River Run Bancorp, MHC, parent of Newburyport Bank, Pentucket Bank and Rollstone Bank & Trust and will become chief executive office next July. Yadav will work closely with Chief Executive Officer Lloyd L. Hamm Jr., River Run’s board of directors and executive leadership team as she begins her transition into the leadership of River Run and its three affiliated community banks.

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West Church Plans Showing of ‘Meet John Doe’ Oct. 9

West Congregational Church’s WestArts is presenting the movie, “Meet John Doe,” during its Friday Free Movie Night. Organizers say, “Meet John Doe” is a 1941 Oscar-nominated film directed by Frank Capra, featuring themes of social responsibility and the impact of media on public perception artfully woven into a crackling comedy-drama that feels relevant today. “A penniless drifter is recruited by an ambitious columnist to pretend to be John Doe, a fictitious citizen venting his frustration about society’s woes in her newspaper column.

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Plans Call for Early 19th Century Haverhill Home to Return to Residential Use

(Additional photographs below.) A Haverhill family has plans to return an early 19th century home to residential use after the building served for many years as commercial offices. The 1810-era, brick, Federalist-style house at 780 Main St., at the corner of Baltimore Street, most recently served as a real estate office. A developer, known as 424 Main Street, operated by Meenu and Sohan Saini, bought the property a little more than three years ago.

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Haverhill Officials Credit Team with Writing Winning Fed Grant

Haverhill credited its team yesterday with winning an $813,000 federal grant, and detailed how new fire equipment will be used following last Friday’s announcement from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Fire Chief Christopher Cesati credited Deputy Fire Chief Richard Shellene, the department’s grant team and outside consultant Merchant McIntyre Associates for their work in preparing and submitting the successful application. Cesati and Mayor Melinda E.

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Haverhill Presbyterians Complete Sale; Say Proceeds Offer Local Benefits

The First Presbyterian Church of Haverhill earlier this month completed the sale of its church building at the corner of Broadway and Carleton Street, noting proceeds will be used to benefit charitable efforts locally and within the region. The church, 346 Broadway, was sold last week to Merrimack Valley Presbyterian Church, previously of North Andover. Officials said, “While both Presbyterian churches, our congregations hail from different denominational entities and have no ties to each other.

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Driscoll Again Sponsors First Responder, City Worker Appreciation Cookout

Haverhill’s Driscoll Funeral Home is again treating first responders and city workers to a cookout Friday. Owner Pat Driscoll said the sixth annual First Responders and City Workers Appreciation Cookout takes place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., in the funeral home parking area, 309 S. Main St., Bradford. It features meal raffles provided by local restaurants and businesses “If you are a current or former City of Haverhill worker, you are invited,” Driscoll said.

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Methuen City Council to Consider Asking U.S. Attorney to Reopen Federal Police Case

Methuen Mayor David P. “D.J.: Beauregard Jr. and City Councilor Mike Simard followed up Wednesday on the mayor’s recent call for U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley to reopen a federal investigation into former Methuen Police Chief Joseph E. Solomon. Beauregard and Simard are asking Methuen councilors to approve a joint resolution next Monday, telling Foley that Solomon’s recent guilty plea and jail sentence do “not answer the full set of questions surrounding the 2017 police contracts, the favors that preceded or followed the approval of those contracts, (Sean) Fountain’s appointment and continued service or the conduct of others who have never faced charges.”

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U.S. Awards National Grid $49M for Grid Improvements, to Meet Growing Demand

National Grid is receiving about $49 million from the U.S. Department of Energy for a project which will use advanced transmission technologies to help improve grid reliability, increase system efficiency and support growing electricity demand. Officials said, what is called the Dynamic Rating Enhancement Advancements and Modernization, or DREAM, project will improve visibility into transmission line performance, enabling National Grid to make smarter operating and planning decisions and obtain more value from existing infrastructure across the company’s transmission network in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont.

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Haverhill Councilors Poised to Add Limited Outdoor Food Vendor Locations

The Haverhill City Council is poised to increase the number of outdoor food vendors next summer, but reject a suggested location. While councilors took no votes Tuesday night, they heard Ward 4 City Councilor Melissa J. Lewandowski’s summary of where members of the Council’s Natural Resources and Public Property Committee are leaning in response to Ward 3 Councilor Devan M. Ferreira…

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Former Holy Family Hospitals Show Improved Profitability in Report

Hospitals Financials Improved Ahead of ‘Most Disruptive Wave’ By Alison Kuznitz The former Holy Family Hospital and its new parent, Merrimack Health, showed improved profitability during the last fiscal year. It was among a majority of Massachusetts hospitals that boosted their profitability, but a trade group offered a cautionary note this week due to federal policy changes that could upend the gains.

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Trash Hauler Agrees to Pay $525K to Settle Claims it Left Overflowing Trash

The Massachusetts attorney general’s office said Tuesday it reached a $525,000 settlement agreement with a trash hauler that it said repeatedly failed to empty overflowing trash dumpsters and recycling containers across the Lawrence Public School system, delayed or disregarded residential trash pickups and left yard waste uncollected. State Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell’s said JRM Hauling and Recycling Services, a subsidiary of Republic Services, failed to honor its waste and recycling contract with Lawrence, leading to uncollected trash that caused unsanitary conditions across the city.

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‘Wildlife Out Your Window’ Explores Backyard Visitors Oct. 10

Bradd Timm, nature author and wildlife ecologist, tells the stories of everyone’s backyard visitors when he discusses “Wildlife Out Your Window” during the Haverhill Public Library’s Climate & Community Series. Timm tells the stories and uses photographs and videos from his book, “Wildlife Out Your Window,” to bring common backyard species to life with stories described as fun, memorable, and often surprising.

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PrideStar Trinity EMS’s Communications Center Wins Reaccreditation

PrideStar Trinity EMS’ Communications Center has again earned designation as an Accredited Center of Excellence by the International Academies of Emergency Dispatch. Originally achieving ACE Accreditation in 2017, PrideStar Trinity EMS became the first emergency medical dispatch center in Massachusetts to receive the designation. Today, it remains one of only two accredited Centers of Excellence in the Commonwealth and joins a group of just 300 accredited communications centers worldwide.

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Downed Limbs Highlight Haverhill’s Nor’easter Bout; Rain Fails to Break Drought

Downed tree limbs and power outages over the last few days highlighted Haverhill’s experience with the season’s early nor’easter, but an official said, the rain hasn’t done enough to dramatically change local drought conditions. Officials starting receiving calls of power outages, downed tree limbs and business alarms being set off beginning about 12:45, Saturday afternoon. Public Works Director Robert E. Ward told WHAV the wastewater treatment plant on S.

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Public Meetings This Week: Haverhill Historic Commission to Hear Elks Lodge Plans

The Haverhill Historic Commission is expected to review demolition and reconstruction plans for the former Haverhill Lodge of Elks No. 165, at the corner of Summer and Newcomb Streets when it meets Thursday night. As WHAV reported last March, Bethany Communities of Haverhill is eying the former clubhouse at 24 Summer St. for senior affordable assisted living apartments. According to the Southern Essex County Registry of Deeds, Bethany purchased the property last April 30 for $900,000 and secured a mortgage through Boston-based Community Economic Development Assistance Corporation.

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Andover Firm Receives $1.9M Tax Incentive to Create 62 Jobs

An Andover company will receive a $1.9 million state tax incentive in exchange for creating 62 life science jobs. TransMedics Group was one of 38 firms to share Monday in $40 million in tax incentives through the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center. The program is intended to support companies that are expanding research, development and manufacturing operations in Massachusetts. Thirty one of the 38 companies receiving awards are expanding outside of Boston and Cambridge and account for 71% of new jobs expected to be created through this round of awards.

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Historic Printing Talk, Demo with Odd Mark Twain Link Comes to Haverhill Oct. 10

Author, journalist and media scholar Jeff Jarvis is coming to Haverhill for a celebration of his new book, “Hot Type: The Magnificent Machine That Gave Birth to Mass Media and Drove Mark Twain Mad.” In Hot Type, Jarvis tells the story of the Linotype, the groundbreaking typesetting machine that upended more than 400 years of setting type by hand. He also explores the people behind the technology—including Mark Twain, whose fascination with a competing typesetting machine led to one of the most disastrous investments of his life.

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National Grid Plans Open House Wednesday to Detail Line Project Centered in Haverhill

National Grid takes time to meet with residents and answer questions Wednesday night on its plans to refurbish a 32-mile corridor of electric lines stretching from Haverhill’s Ward Hill Substation on Cross Street north to the New Hampshire border and south to Tewksbury. According to the utility, the work involves installing new access roads and work pads, replacing 345 kilovolt wood poles with new light duty steel H-frame and monopole structures, replacing 345 kilovolt wood and steel structures with engineered steel monopole structures and installing new optical ground wire to improve reliability and enable troubleshooting between substations.

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Two Plead Guilty in 2025 Armed Robbery at North Andover Jewelry Store

Two of six people involved in an armed robbery last year at a North Andover jewelry store pleaded guilty Monday in Essex County Superior Court and were sentenced to seven to 12 years in prison. Yire Abreu, 25, of the Bronx and Wilfred Mordan, 23, of Hazelton, Penn., pleaded guilty to armed and masked robbery, five counts of assault with a dangerous weapon, possession of a firearm while in the commission of a felony, carrying a firearm without a license, possessing a large-capacity-feeding device and possessing a loaded firearm.

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Haverhill Fire Receives $813,000 Federal Grant for Breathing Equipment

The Haverhill Fire Department is receiving nearly $813,000 for firefighter breathing equipment—one of the largest awards in the state in this year’s round of federal Assistance to Firefighters Grants The Federal Emergency Management Agency said Friday the money is part of $11.7 million distributed in Massachusetts in the award category. Grants are intended to be used to “outfit responders with compliant personal protective equipment, acquire emergency response vehicles, and develop health, wellness and resiliency initiatives to prepare responders for incidents.”

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