Haverhill

Podcast: Haverhill Native Brian McGravey Releases New Album, ‘Feather in the Wind’

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When it comes to making an impact in the world of music, it often takes a lot of time to become an “overnight” success, and success knows no zip code. But, when you love to play, you play! That’s Haverhill native Brian McGravey with the title track from his new album “Feather in the Wind.” McGravey was a recent guest on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program. McGravey has been playing in bands and composing music for the past 20 years—some of his work is in the form of production music that can be heard on dozens of TV channels including HBO, Nickelodeon and the History Channel. “It’s really kind of a dream come true, and it’s usually not that I go and listen, or I just hear it randomly, ‘cause I usually don’t know ahead of time when it’s going to be used, or where, but I use the website called TuneSat, and basically it will detect any music that’s used.

Education

Podcast: Haverhill Mayor Barrett Brings Listeners Behind the Scenes on School Decisions

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In a wide-ranging interview with WHAV this week, Haverhill Mayor Melinda E. Barrett took listeners behind the scenes on recent moves affecting the futures of both the “big” and “little” Whittier schools. Barrett, in her fourth month working out of the corner office at City Hall, took some time Wednesday to appear on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program. The mayor said she spoke with Gov. Maura T. Healey recently as plans took shape to explore a shared campus for Whittier Regional Vocational Technical High School and Northern Essex Community College. “So, the idea would be to build a Whittier Vo-Tech and align it with NECCO so they could capture some different dollars rather than just the 11 communities relying on (Massachusetts School Building Authority) and their own tax levy capacities. This would open up even more grant opportunities, some federal funding, take advantage of job training monies that might be out there from both the state and federal government to try to reduce the cost to the communities and produce a school that will produce workers for the future,” she said.

Haverhill

Podcast: On 50th Anniversary of Federal Program, Trahan Touts Local Decision-Making Benefits

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From firefighters to fresh lettuce, Congresswoman Lori Trahan discussed local advances made possible with federal dollars on the 50th anniversary of Community Development Block Grants. During a visit Wednesday to WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program, she told listeners she is impressed with how the YMCA used CDBG funds to help with its Freight Farm project, saying it’s helping young students develop unexpected skills at school. “Highly interactive, experiential learning, biology, chemistry and business all in real time, and it’s just great to see this program getting support from private sector partners like Beth Israel Lahey and the city in the form of nearly $33,000 in funding from the city’s Community Development Block Grant award,”  she said. Trahan says she is a big fan of Community Development Block Grants, because of their flexibility. “So, it is a vehicle for federal funds to make their way directly to cities and towns.

Business Bulletin

Podcast: Merrimack Valley Chamber to Host National Small Business Week Awards Ceremony in May

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Small business owners from around Massachusetts are making plans to attend the annual National Small Business Week Awards ceremony, which is coming this year to the Merrimack Valley. This year, Merrimack Valley Chamber member Stephanie Vanderbilt, owner of Coastal Windows and Exteriors in Beverly will receive the Massachusetts Small Business Person of the Year award, earning her an invitation to the White House with other winners from around the country. The awards breakfast is being hosted by the Merrimack Valley Chamber of Commerce, and Vice President Michael Bevilacqua spelled out the details this week on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program. “There will be businesses coming in from all across Massachusetts. We have the Secretary of Economic Development Yvonne Hao will be attending as well.

Business Bulletin

Banks Pledge Support for Northern Essex Early College Seacoast Promise Eastward Expansion

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(Additional photograph below.)

Northern Essex Community College’s Early College, already operating in Greater Haverhill and Lawrence, received recognition Tuesday as it expands eastward to additional high schools with local business support. Building on the success of the Lawrence and Haverhill Promise Programs, the new Seacoast Promise will provide full tuition, fees and books to Early College graduates from Seacoast area high schools who wish to complete their associate degree at Northern Essex. In a ceremony Tuesday, leaders from Northern Essex, Newburyport Bank, Pentucket Bank and surrounding communities celebrated the launch at Newburyport Bank’s State Street location. Local high school guidance counselors were also in attendance, along with students who spoke about the benefits of Early College and affordable higher education. The expansion was made possible by a pledge of $250,000 from Newburyport Bank and $50,000 from Institution for Savings.

Haverhill

Podcast: Haverhill Bank’s Temple Pruyn Offers A Word About Retirement Accounts Before Tax Day

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Federal and state tax returns are due in a little more than a month, and for people with retirement accounts, such as a traditional IRA or a Roth IRA, it also means a deadline is approaching for making contributions that count for the 2023 tax year. It also means, for some, a deadline to start taking money out. The heads up comes from Haverhill Bank Assistant Vice President and Mortgage Officer and Originator Sherry L. Temple Pruyn, who stopped by WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program. She spoke about people with a traditional Individual Retirement Account. The traditional IRA is funded with pre-tax money, unlike the Roth IRA which is funded with money already taxed, and the federal government requires taking distributions by a certain age.

Business Bulletin

Podcast: Haverhill Chamber Readies for 26th Winning Opportunities for Women Conference

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The Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce is getting ready for its 26th annual Winning Opportunities for Women conference in April. Chamber President and CEO Alex Eberhardt said the conference—called WOW, for short—is expected to draw more than 200 people and feature speakers discussing professional and personal development. Speaking on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast,” Eberhardt said this year’s venue takes place at a woman-owned business in Lawrence. “This year it is at a new event space, owned by Wendy Estrella out of Lawrence, called The Vault. If you have not seen it yet, it is breathtaking. It’s a breathtaking new event space.

Haverhill

Podcast: Pentucket Bank Closes Main Office Today in Prep For Redevelopment, Reopens Riverside

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Pentucket Bank closes its main branch today and opens a temporary downtown office as well as a revamped Riverside branch—all in preparation for a $160 million downtown Haverhill redevelopment. The long-considered plans, first reported by WHAV more than two years ago and confirmed last year, are now taking shape following developer Salvatore N. Lupoli’s closing on city and bank land. The mixed-use housing and retail project covers White’s Corner through the entirety of what is known as the Herbert H. Goecke Jr. Memorial Parking Deck. Pentucket Bank CEO Jonathan H. Dowst and President Eric G. Leuteritz detailed the plans Tuesday morning for WHAV listeners. “We’ve been planning our stadium branch renovation for quite some time.