Education

Parent Volunteers Return to Haverhill Schools as Coronavirus Infections Subside

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As it is in the country at large, cases of COVID-19 among Haverhill Public School students are down significantly this year. Director of Health and Nursing Services Katie Vozeolas told the School Committee last week that, as of Sept. 20, there have been a total of 103 students with the virus out of 8,000 students enrolled citywide. She said while the basic formula for avoiding the disease remains the same, frequent hand washing and sanitizing, fresh air, working HVAC systems and staying home when one is sick, guidelines provided by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education are much less stringent than one year ago. “From a DESE perspective, we no longer needed to contact trace, case count, do reporting of data to them.

Haverhill

15th Annual Haverhill Community Walk for Peace Saturday Includes Free Cookout, Activities

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The 15th Annual Haverhill Community Walk for Peace, organized by Haverhill schools’ Violence Intervention and Prevention—VIP—team is on for this Saturday. Participants of all ages are invited to join the free walk and rally, which includes a cookout, music, youth and community speakers, games, temporary tattoos and prizes. Free t-shirts will be given to the first 200 walkers. The 1.5-mile walk takes place Saturday, Oct. 1, from 1-4 p.m., and begins and ends at GAR Park and the Citizen Center, 10 Welcome St., Haverhill.

Business Bulletin

As State Manufacturing Exceeds Pre-Pandemic Levels, Haverhill’s Dela to add Jobs With State Grant

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Haverhill’s Dela will add up to 18 jobs and expand its production of foam components after securing a $250,000 grant from the Massachusetts Manufacturing Accelerate Program. Dela, located in the Ward Hill Business Park, manufactures engineered flexible materials for companies servicing the medical, defense, public safety, footwear, automotive and specialty packaging industries. The grant is intended to give the company an edge against worldwide low labor cost competitors. Dela will purchase foam fabrication equipment, allowing the company to produce in large scale, at competitive pricing, disposable body positioner components for operating rooms, medical devices and custom packaging inserts. “Massachusetts’ manufacturing sector has bounced back as we exit the pandemic, with more manufacturing jobs in the state than we had in March 2020,” said Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito during the Mass.

Community Spotlight

Haverhill Public Health Dept. Plans Addiction and Recovery Health Fair

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The City of Haverhill Public Health Department is holding an Addiction and Recovery Health Fair to offer services to those struggling with addiction or who know someone struggling. The fair takes place Wednesday, Sept. 28, from 1-5 p.m., at Citizens Center, 10 Welcome St., Haverhill. Local businesses and organizations participating in the fair include emergency responders, public safety, mental health services, recovery programs, medical offices and hospitals and spiritual leaders. Additionally, COVID-19 vaccines are available.

Education

Power Outage, Backup Generator Overheating Forces Haverhill High School to Close Early

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Haverhill High School students were released early today after, administrators say, a fallen tree knocked out power and caused fire alarms to sound. There were no injuries and all students and staff were evacuated. Buses are running early. According to a school spokeswoman, the Haverhill Fire Department discovered a backup generator, which began operating as a result of the outage, overheated. It caused smoke to enter the building and the fire alarms to go off.

Education

Attendance Suggests Haverhill Student Enrollment Back to Pre-Pandemic Levels

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Student enrollment in Haverhill public schools is back to pre-pandemic levels. That according to School Superintendent Margaret Marotta, addressing the School Committee during Thursday’s meeting. She explained the figures are still preliminary. “We’re still in the stage where enrollment is fluctuating from day to day. Oct.

Haverhill

Haverhill Dedicates 1,100-Foot Fiorentini Rail Trail Extension; Idea More Than 20 Years in the Making

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The sun broke through just long enough yesterday afternoon for Haverhill officials to cut a ceremonial ribbon along an 1,100-foot extension to its rail trail on the Bradford side of the Merrimack River. The mostly state paid $1.3 million project extended the Mayor James J. Fiorentini Bradford Rail Trail. Community Development Director Andrew K. Herlihy served as master of ceremonies at Crescent Yacht Club, introducing various state and local officials including Fiorentini. The mayor went to great lengths to emphasize he was not the one to name the trail. “People think I named it after myself.

Haverhill

Council Highlights Upcoming Events in Support of Ruth’s House, Haverhill Education Foundation

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The Haverhill City Council this week put the spotlight two local charities asking for public support this fall. The first, an annual fundraiser for Ruth’s House, is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 5, from 7-10:30 p.m., at Haverhill Country Club, 58 Brickett Lane, Haverhill. Ruth’s House Executive Director Amy Smith-Boden gave councilors and the public an overview of the organization’s mission. “Ruth’s House is a nonprofit which uses its thrift store as a venue to provide clothing for economically challenged and to provide soft-skills job training for chronically underemployed people,” she explained.