Education

Haverhill City Clerk’s Student Art Contest Aims to Improve Future Voter Participation

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Haverhill’s city clerk told city councilors last week that one of her goals behind a student design contest is to get them ready for a future of casting ballots. As WHAV previously reported, Haverhill students have an opportunity to share their love of art and civics during the city’s next election in a contest where one student’s artwork will be featured on the “I Voted” sticker. “This is an idea that I’ve had for a while, but just haven’t had the time with the craziness of the presidential election and the busy election season to launch it. So, we’re doing it this municipal election season,” City Clerk Kaitlin M. Wright said. She said her inspiration was to increase voter turnout during city elections, which tend to have a lower turnout compared to state and federal elections.

Haverhill

Haverhill Councilors Call Out Vietnam Veterans Day, NECC Day of Giving and Women’s History Month

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Haverhill City Councilors on Tuesday highlighted several key events that take place over the next week. National Vietnam War Veterans Day
The annual Vietnam War Veterans ceremony takes place, rain or shine, Friday, March 28, beginning at 10 a.m., at Vietnam Veterans Memorial at Mill Brook Park, near the entrance to Plug Pond, off Mill Street in Haverhill. Councilor Ralph T. Basiliere, named for his uncle, the city’s first Vietnam war casualty, said organizers will have a tent, floral arrangements, coffee and doughnuts, and a trumpeter. He said the event will last approximately 32 minutes “for game time.” Bailliere served as chairman of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Ad Hoc Commission. Haverhill’s “13,” its Vietnam war casualties are Ralph T. Basiliere, Willard R. Ryan, Arthur P. Williams, James N. Finn, Richard O. DeMaris, Robert P. Schena, William L. Bonnell, John C. Peel, Barry S. Kyle, Frederick Derocher, Michael J. Gambino, William Cahill and Gregory C. Davis.

Haverhill

‘Tom’s Crusade’ Tells Haverhill Councilors of Need for Living Kidney Donor

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Tom Bradley, a husband, father and grandfather who has been diagnosed with end stage kidney disease is on a crusade for a kidney donation to save his life. According to his brother, Gary Bradley, who spoke during Tuesday night’s city council meeting, Tom requires dialysis for four hours approximately four times a week while he waits for a kidney. Though Tom said he is “doing wonderful on dialysis,” and has since been listed at four different medical centers for donations, he has suffered from periods of chronic fatigue, high blood pressure and diabetes, according to the group’s Facebook page. “After six hospitalizations in seven months, a triple bypass, and a recurrence of swelling in my legs and abdomen, doctors diagnosed me with end stage renal disease. There are only two treatments for people living with kidney failure: dialysis or transplant,” Tom’s Kidney Crusade wrote on social media.

Haverhill

Continuing Critical Drought Brings Water Restrictions to Haverhill

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Haverhill has declared a drought emergency, effective Wednesday, after seven months of lower-than-expected rainfall in the region, with new water restrictions in effect for businesses and residents. Haverhill city councilors heard the rationale and what it means for resident Tuesday night from Public Works Director Robert E. Ward. In this exchange with Councilor Melissa J. Lewandowski, he explained. “Basically, the way I’m reading this is, you can still water your lawn, if you use a handheld hose, correct,” said Lewandowski, with Ward responding, “That’s if we do the exceptions. Right now, it’s all prohibited, but I think the mayor is thinking maybe some exceptions.

Education

Inflation-Adjusting School State Aid Plan Gaining Traction at State House Says Haverhill’s Grannemann

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A proposal to overhaul how the state accounts for inflation when it gives financial aid to communities is gaining interest, according to the Haverhill official who first crafted the idea. Haverhill School Committee member Thomas Grannemann told his colleagues last week his proposed fix gained traction among legislators during an online presentation. “What was remarkable about this is, Sen. (Pavel M.) Payano had an online video thing—invitation only—for people in the state house, which would include senators, reps and staff. There were 80 people signed up to listen to this topic. I got a sense that they all understood it and knew what we were talking about, This was not something vague to them, this is actually getting, if not traction for a solution, at least recognition of the problem,” he said.

Education

Haverhill High School Proposes Changes to Half-Day Student Testing Schedule

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Proposed changes to Haverhill High School’s testing schedule were presented to the School Committee late last week. Administrators from the high school presented their findings after concerns over the current half-day testing schedule were raised at a meeting a few weeks ago, according to Superintendent Margaret Marotta. They were invited to share their findings and solicit feedback from the Committee. These changes would have students arrive at school to participate in two 90-minute blocks. At 10:15 a.m., students would be dismissed to class or for testing, if applicable.

Haverhill

Haverhill Proclaims Irish American Heritage Month, Declares Free Parking on St. Patrick’s Day

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Haverhill’s mayor is taking Irish pride to new heights—delivering a proclamation and then following up by sharing some of the gold at the ends of rainbows with downtown drivers. Mayor Melinda E. Barrett Thursday declared there will be free parking along downtown streets and within city-managed parking lots Monday, March 17—St. Patrick’s Day. Barrett showed pride in her heritage Tuesday by reading aloud her holiday proclamation before city councilors. “Whereas, hailing from the Emerald Isle, generations of Irish men and women have helped shape the idea of America, overcoming hardship and strife through strength and sacrifice, faith and family, with an undying belief that tomorrow always yields a brighter day; and Whereas, Irish-Americans have distinguished themselves in every sector of American life with many among the signers of the Declaration of Independence, some Presidents of the United States tracing their roots to Ireland, and Henry Ford, founder of one of America’s iconic companies being the son of an Irish immigrant…” she said in part.

Haverhill

Merrimack Valley Transit Gets Council OK to Add Above-Ground Diesel Fuel Tank

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Merrimack Valley Transit—MeVa, for short—received approval Tuesday from the Haverhill City Council to license both above- and below-ground fuel tanks at its Railroad Avenue bus garage near the Bradford commuter rail station. The rather routine flammables permit became a history lesson with documents showing the site holding licenses going back to 1925 when it was in the hands of the private sector. Councilors updated and consolidated two handwritten permit applications given to the city’s then-aldermen—one in 1925 for two tanks and one in 1926 for five steel tanks—sought by the George D. Currier Co., of Railroad Avenue. Receipts, acknowledging both applications, was signed by then-City Clerk William W. Roberts. The City Council approved a new 22,000-gallon, above-ground diesel tank, and reauthorized a 22,000-gallon underground gasoline tank at 123 Railroad Ave.