State Rep. Andy X. Vargas said 32 Haverhill residents shared in more than $1 million in state grants to buy their first homes through the state’s MassDreams program. Vargas called attention to the statistics following a legislative briefing last week by MassHousing. He said the program awarded $1,049,631 in total to 32 Haverhill residents, with an average $32,800 grant to each. There were 42 homes purchased in Haverhill under the program—some of them presumably the 32 Haverhill residents.
The Latino Coalition of Haverhill recently celebrated its 2022 accomplishments, including legislation requiring election of City Council and School Committee members mostly by ward. Newly elected Sen. Pavel Payano, himself elected in 2022 to a newly reconfigured majority-minority state senate district, presented a Massachusetts Senate citation to the Coalition in recognition of its “steadfast commitment to the Latino community and the City of Haverhill.”
“We now can have representation from every neighborhood in our city on both the City Council and the School Committee. A voice for all,” said incoming Coalition President Argenis Marte.
Experts say the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect the educational, social and physical well-being of Haverhill’s younger population. As a result, for the second year in a row Haverhill is distributing grant money to various non-profits and other agencies offering programs to help low- and moderate-income youth facing those issues. On Tuesday, Haverhill city councilors heard from representatives of Anser Advisory Consultants, a Boston-based counseling group hired by the city to help allocate and distribute money to appropriate agencies.
A 17-year-old Methuen man was arrested Tuesday and charged in the shooting death of another Methuen man early Sunday. Essex County District Attorney Paul F. Tucker and Methuen Police Chief Scott J. McNamara said Tuesday Adrian Isabel surrendered Tuesday afternoon. He was charged with murder in connection with the killing of 31-year-old Carlos Bello.
