Education

School Committee Again Rejects Fiorentini Plan for Joint School/City Maintenance Department

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Haverhill School Committee members last night again rejected the mayor’s proposal for a joint city and school maintenance department. Mayor James J. Fiorentini said he gets the blame when school maintenance issues are reported, but he has no control under the current arrangement. “I have a vested interest in this. Frankly, whenever a school roof leaks, somebody goes before the City Council and says ‘It’s the mayor’s fault the school roof is leaking.’ Whenever there is a window broken, somebody wants to go before the City Council. I’m looking in the back room, I remember a roof leaked at the Consentino School.

Haverhill

School Committee Member Wood Becomes Haverhill Police Officer, Follows in Grandfather’s Footsteps

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Haverhill School Committee member Scott W. Wood Jr., a Wenham police officer for nearly eight years, is following in his grandfather’s footsteps. Like his grandfather Merton Howard in 1967, Wood was sworn in as a Haverhill police officer Thursday in a ceremony in Mayor James J. Fiorentini’s office. After his swearing in by City Clerk Linda L. Koutoulas, Wood showed a photograph of himself at age 5 wearing his grandfather’s police uniform. “It’s a true honor to be appointed to the Haverhill Police Department. This has been my goal since I was a little boy.

Education

Haverhill YMCA Extends Nomination Deadline for 12th Annual Educator of the Year Award

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The nomination deadline has been extended for the Haverhill YMCA’s 12th Annual Educator of the Year Award. Regional Executive Director Tracy Fuller, a guest Wednesday on WHAV’s morning program, said, due to this year’s extraordinary circumstances, the nomination deadline has been extended to next Friday, Oct. 30. Fuller says nominations should include a paragraph, or more, about the candidate. “How has this teacher made a difference?

Election Central

Rep. Leonard Mirra Receives Re-Election Endorsement From Gov. Charlie Baker

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Gov. Charlie Baker last weekend endorsed incumbent state Rep. Leonard Mirra for re-election in the Second Essex district. Baker released a video asking voters to support Mirra, who was first elected in 2012. “Lenny has done a fabulous job representing his district, but most importantly he brings that commonsense, boots on the ground, small business view to the decisions he makes and he is focused like a laser on trying to help us reinvent, reopen our economy here in Massachusetts post-COVID,” Baker said. Baker and Mirra are both Republicans. Mirra said in a statement that he is honored to have the support of the governor, saying “I hope that in my next term I will be able to work with his administration to bring positive change to the people of the Second Essex.” He added, “Too often we hear about how broken our system is, but I am proud to stand with the governor in the effort to bring back positivity and integrity to our state.”

The endorsement came as early voting began all across the Commonwealth Oct.

Community Spotlight

Haverhill Police Collect Unused Prescriptions During National Drug Takeback Day Saturday

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Haverhill Police ask you not to be a drug dealer by losing track of prescriptions at home. The police department is participating in the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s National Drug Takeback Day. Haverhill officers will take old and unused prescriptions during a collection tomorrow, Saturday, Oct. 24, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m., at the circle outside the station at 40 Bailey Boulevard. The department asks residents to limit drop-offs to pills and patches.

Business Bulletin

Collopy Joins Haverhill Bank as Vice President, Information Technology

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Alan M. Collopy, of Methuen, recently joined Haverhill Bank as vice president, information technology. Prior to joining Haverhill Bank, Collopy worked as information technology officer at Cambridge Trust Company and has 25 years of banking and information technology experience. Collopy is an active member in the DRI Organization for Disaster Recovery Professionals. “Alan brings a depth of knowledge of information technology that will be an asset to the bank,” said Haverhill Bank President and CEO Thomas L. Mortimer.

Haverhill

Video: WHAV Panel Discusses ‘Power to the People—Then and Now’ Starting with WBCN in 1968

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A panel of media luminaries recently appeared live over 97.9 WHAV and virtually online, to discuss the evolution of local radio—from the launch of WBCN Boston’s underground format in 1968 to the need for essential local news reporting today. Award-winning filmmaker Bill Lichtenstein talked about his documentary, “WBCN and The American Revolution,” with radio historian Donna L. Halper and media writer Dan Kennedy during WHAV’s presentation of “Power to the People—Then and Now.” The discussion centered on how WBCN gave power to the people then and how the tradition is carried on today at WHAV with extensive local news and information reporting. There is only one day remaining to stream the feature-length movie. Tickets sales support WHAV Local News. The documentary may be rented for $10 for three days.

Education

Marotta Says Assault on Haverhill Educator at Student Home Shows Need for In-Person Learning

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A middle school staff member was injured Tuesday after a reported assault while visiting the home of a remote learning student. Haverhill school Superintendent Margaret Marotta told School Committee members by email yesterday the unidentified staffer from the Dr. Albert B. Consentino School was injured, received treatment and was cleared later in the afternoon to return to school. Marotta that the incident underscores the need for students to be in school. “This extremely concerning event highlights the need for our students to be in school where we are able to provide the necessary services and supports for our students. The staff at Consentino School are to be commended for their commitment to our students, their quick response in a crisis, and their close adherence to policies and procedures,” the superintendent wrote.