Election Central

Early Signs of Haverhill’s City Election Take Shape in Advance of Nomination Papers

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Next Monday is the first day Haverhill mayoral, City Council and School Committee candidates may take out nomination papers, but there are already signs of what those races will look like. Haverhill Mayor Melinda E. Barrett plans to launch her campaign for re-election Wednesday, May 14, with a reception at Casa Blanca Cantina Haverhill in downtown Haverhill, while Ward 1 City Councilor Ralph T. Basiliere is getting a head start, having a fundraiser Thursday, May 1, from 6-8 p.m., at Maria’s Galleria Banquet Room, downtown. Two incumbent, at-large School Committee members—Richard J. Rosa and Paul A. Magliocchetti—have already told WHAV they won’t seek re-election to those seats. According to an end of 2024 campaign finance report filed with the state Office of Campaign and Political Finance, Barrett had a nest egg of $23,183. Candidates for mayor or any of the four at-large City Council positions must return nomination papers with at least 50 valid resident signatures by Tuesday, July 22.

Crime

Updated: Haverhill Police Arrest 37-Year-Old Man Alleged to Have Randomly Stabbed Two Men

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A 37-year-old man is under arrest after, Haverhill Police said Saturday morning, he allegedly randomly stabbed two people downtown. Police were dispatched Saturday, just before 9:30 a.m. after receiving reports of two adult men suffering from non-life-threatening stab wounds. One was taken to a local hospital for treatment. Following an investigation with community assistance, police Capt. Meaghan Paré said in a release, officers located and arrested Brian Scrooc without incident. “At this time, authorities believe the attack was random, and unprovoked.

Crime

Updated: Officials Believe Arson Cause of Friday’s Two-Alarm Cedar Street Fire

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Arson is now being blamed for a fire that damaged a two-family home early Friday morning on Cedar Street, and Haverhill police reported Saturday a 31-year-old from Lawrence was arrested. Haverhill Fire Chief Robert M. O’Brien told WHAV firefighters noticed an odor of gasoline and suspected the fire began outside, involving two parked cars. Flames crawled up the side of the 48 Cedar Street house and temporarily displaced two families. O’Brien said crews were dispatched just before 3 a.m. to what became a two-alarm blaze at 48 Cedar St. “There was extensive damage on the outside of that house.

Haverhill

Music Alliance Says CPB Cut Threatens Use of Music on WHAV, Many Radio Stations

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“I saw Satan laughing with delight…The day the music died.”
— from Don McLean’s “American Pie”
WHAV is defined by its commitment to original, comprehensive local news reporting, but those who enjoy its unique, locally curated selection of classic hits from the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s should know this music could go away. WHAV does not receive any grants from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, but listeners do benefit from broadcast and internet music license agreements CPB has negotiated on behalf of all nonprofit broadcasters. The noncomMUSIC Alliance says a plan to rescind funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting “will devastate the public media system.”

“Without federal funding for CPB and CPB’s management of these music rights, public radio stations will not be able to play any music of any genre on the radio or stream on the internet. Noncommercial music in broadcast could vanish, unless the music rights organizations renegotiate in some way to allow these uses for hundreds of public radio stations nationwide. The effects on public radio music stations—which predominantly play noncommercial music on the air and serve nearly 24 million listeners weekly—would be devastating.”

The noncomMUSIC Alliance is asking those who love music and support artists to communicate directly with lawmakers in Massachusetts and New Hampshire before May 2 about the importance of public radio to your artists and their development.

Haverhill

$3.5 Million Water, Sewer Work Underway in Downtown Haverhill; New Garage Also Progresses

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About $3.5 million in downtown Haverhill water, sewer and related improvements are underway with construction expected to continue through October. Christine Lindberg, chief of staff to Haverhill Mayor Melinda E. Barrett, told WHAV Tuesday the total does not include sidewalks. A major portion of the work is being conducted by Aqua Line Utility of Weymouth, which according to Haverhill Purchasing Director Steven S. Bucuzzo’s list of awarded contracts, is being paid $1.8 million. A city notice says “The project aims to upgrade water mains and rehabilitate sewers.” Construction is being paid largely by previously awarded federal American Rescue Plan Act grants, part of a post-COVID-19 stimulus package approved in 2021. The work is also in addition to developer Salvatore N. Lupoli’s $160 million redevelopment of about five acres of land fronting Merrimack Street including the former Herbert H. Goecke Jr. Memorial Parking Deck and Pentucket Bank at White’s Corner.

Haverhill

Lemieux, HHS Grad and Cancer Survivor, Raises $12,665 at Boston Marathon

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The big winners of Monday’s 129th Boston Marathon may well be those benefitting from research and development into new cancer treatments supported by such fundraisers as Haverhill High School graduate Jillian Lemieux. Lemieux, a lifelong runner and cancer survivor turned Dana-Farber Cancer Institute employee, was among the 30,000 runners that turned out for the event. The record she beat was her own, raising $12,665 for the cause. Last fall, she told WHAV about her motivation. “I received six months of treatment at Dana-Farber,” she said.

Haverhill

Parade of Antique and Classic Cars Brings Cheer to Haverhill Resident Fighting Cancer

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(Additional photographic gallery below.)

Andrew Fella appeared to relish a car meet Saturday morning in his honor that brought dozens of antique and classic cars to his Alpine Drive, Haverhill home. Fella was surprised by the outpouring of support from family, friends, neighbors and mostly strangers who heeded the call to drive by, and stop by, the home of car enthusiast Fella, who has been battling multiple forms of cancer. Fella’s daughter Katerina Adamantea, who with her brother Kosta and other family and friends, issued an open call for the car meet, expressed her thankfulness to those who came by in support. “It’s really moving. When I saw my dad when he first saw everyone, I could tell he was shocked and surprised, my dad never shows emotion, so he kind of held it back a little bit.

Business Bulletin

Hanscom to Become Chief Executive Officer of Haverhill’s Emmaus, Succeeding Murphy

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Albert Hanscom is taking over the reins at Haverhill’s Emmaus, the agency that has provided emergency shelter and housing for 40 years. Hanscom moves up from vice president of operations to interim chief executive officer and formally takes the top post July 1, according to a statement Wednesday from the nonprofit’s board of directors. He succeeds Jeanine Murphy who is retiring after 38 years. “During our nationwide search for the next CEO, Albert Hanscom stood out as the most qualified candidate to lead Emmaus into its next chapter,” Murphy said, adding, “Our team at Emmaus is excited to welcome Al into this new role. I look forward to seeing the impact of his leadership.”

Hanscom has served Emmaus since 1992 when he became director of services to the homeless.