Haverhill’s mayor said he did not have any advance notice of the state’s plans to return to in-person learning when he proposed last month a full school return in April. An 8-3 vote by the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education Friday afternoon gave state Education Commissioner Jeffrey Riley extraordinary powers to end remote and hybrid learning. Riley said he wants to start by having elementary school students return to full in-person learning next month and all classes back by fall. Haverhill Education Association President Anthony J. Parolisi questions what Mayor James J. Fiorentini knew and when.
The One Haverhill Fund has been a lifesaver for people suffering from a loss of income due to the coronavirus pandemic. United Way Vice President Sarah Link told the Haverhill City Council on Tuesday the nonprofit program, developed by community leaders, the Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce, United Way of Massachusetts and others has been instrumental over the past year in helping individuals and other charitable organizations. “We have this vibrant nonprofit network that we’ve built to really make sure that folks are having their needs met and are finding resources and also to support our food pantries,” she said.
Two firefighters each from Haverhill and North Andover graduated Friday from the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy’s 50-day Career Recruit Firefighting Training Program, while another Haverhill resident graduated Feb. 27 from the Academy’s Call/Volunteer Recruit Firefighter Training. Kyle Lepore and Matthew Ortins of the Haverhill Fire Department and Sarah Capuano and Kevin Smiertelny of the North Andover Fire Department were among 17 firefighters from 12 fire departments training at the Academy’s Stow campus.
Congresswoman Lori Trahan toured Greater Lawrence Family Health Center’s Lawrence vaccination site Friday, applauding President Joe Biden’s American Rescue Plan that makes investments in community health centers on the front lines. She said the federal stimulus legislation helps the Health Center care for COVID-positive patients and vaccinate as many people in Haverhill, Lawrence and Methuen as possible. The relief package provides $7.6 billion to further support COVID-19 response efforts at community health centers.
