Haverhill city councilors tonight will try again to hear a special permit petition that seeks to bring two affordable as well as six market rate apartments to an historic downtown Washington Street building. Councilors planned to hear the proposal last month from Rob Landry of Four Points Property Management, but postponed consideration because Councilor Melissa J. Lewandowski was absent. Attorney Robert D. Harb asked for the delay, saying the developer prefers the entire council be present for the vote, which requires eight of 11 members to say yes. If a special permit is granted, eight, one-bedroom apartments would replace office space above two storefronts at the Adams Building at 38-42 Washington St. The property—a three-story, Italianate-style building constructed after the Great Fire of 1882—was for many years the home of the Rosen family’s Modern Paint and Hardware store.
Community Spotlight
Second Chance For Sight Plans Charity Social March 23
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Second Chance For Sight, founded to empower individuals and families impacted by visual impairments caused by trauma, plans a fundraising social with dinner, live music and games. The social takes place Saturday, March 23, from 5-10 p.m., at Wicked Axe, 721 S, Main St., Haverhill. General admission tickets are $80 each and includes music, dinner, axe throwing, golf simulator, darts, pool and Jenga. Separate admission includes all features plus entry for two into a Cornhole Tournament, featuring up to 25 teams, for $160. Sponsorships are also available for $250.
Education
Haverhill School Committee Approves Call for More State Money, Defends Use of COVID-19 Aid
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Haverhill School Committee members approved a resolution calling for the state to increase education spending as the district faces a projected $11.1 million shortfall. State education money, issued under Chapter 70 of state law, came in less than districts across the state were anticipating. Member Thomas Grannemann, who proposed the resolution, explained that, despite costs increasing significantly in fiscal years 2023 and 2024, aid did not increase accordingly. The law puts a cap on the size of the yearly boost, which he said has left Haverhill 6% behind where it should be in purchasing power. Grannemann said he would take his resolution to school committees around the state, and committee Vice Chairperson Paul A. Magliocchetti said he would march on Beacon Hill if the district did not receive the money it so desperately needs.
Community Spotlight
Author McIntyre to Speak in Haverhill on the War on Facts and Fighting Back
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Lee McIntyre, author of “On Disinformation; How to Fight for Truth and Protect Democracy,” speaks in Haverhill on the same topic at an upcoming event by Greater Haverhill Indivisible. The author speaks on how the war on facts began and how ordinary citizens can fight back. McIntyre is a research fellow at the Center for Philosophy and History of Science at Boston University and an instructor in Ethics at Harvard Extension School. He also has his doctorate in Philosophy from the University of Michigan. He is also well known for his most recent book “How To Talk To A Science Denier.”
The free talk takes place Saturday, April 6, from 1:30-3:30 p.m., at the Universalist Unitarian Church, 16 Ashland St., Haverhill.
Crime
Reports Say Two Gunmen Set Target on 20-Year-Old at Haverhill Hotel; Victim May Have Returned Fire
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Gunfire outside a Haverhill hotel seriously injured a 20-year-old man and sent others, including at least two guests, scrambling, while the main gunman appears to remain at large and possibly wounded. Police reports on file at Haverhill District Court detailed the chaotic situation that unfolded Wednesday afternoon and led to the arrest of 24-year-old Dexon Justabe of Methuen. Justabe is now believed to have pointed a gun at a hotel guest and participated in a robbery, but was not identified as the principal shooter. Instead, a man—who drove Justabe to the hotel in a Kia Sorento registered to a Revere man—is believed to have fired the life-threatening shots at the 20-year-old from Lawrence. He then drove off in the victim’s 2019 Honda CRV and, according to residents’ home security videos, ditched it on New Hampshire Avenue and walked toward South Elm Street while appearing to “check his lower torso area for a wound.”
As WHAV reported earlier, Justabe was arrested and charged with armed carjacking, assault with intent to murder, assault with a dangerous weapon, carrying loaded firearm without a license, possession of a large capacity feeding device, discharging a firearm within 500 feet of a building and improper storge of a firearm.
Crime
Possible Haverhill Carjacking Victim, 20, in Critical Condition with Gunshot Wounds
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A 20-year-old Lawrence man is reported in critical condition after, Haverhill police say, he was shot multiple times yesterday afternoon during a “possible carjacking” in Haverhill. Haverhill police arrested 24-year-old Dexon Justabe of Methuen in connection with the incident, charging him with armed carjacking, assault with intent to murder, assault with a dangerous weapon, carrying loaded firearm without a license, possession of a large capacity feeding device, discharging a firearm within 500 feet of a building and improper storge of a firearm. According to a press release from Deputy Police Chief Stephen J. Doherty Jr., police said the shooting took place at Hampton Inn, 106 Bank Road, parallel to River Street, in Haverhill. Police said it received an initial report just after 4 p.m. of a possible carjacking where a man suffered a “gunshot wound to his stomach.” On arrival, officers found the Lawrence man suffering from “multiple apparent gunshot wounds” and he was taken to an area hospital
Haverhill and State Police are investigating. They ask that anyone who may have any information to call Detective Matthew Marshall at 978-373-1212, ext.
Education
Haverhill, Other School Districts Ask for Extra Money, Say State Failed to Account for Rising Costs
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With school districts across the state contemplating staff and program cuts, education advocacy groups are asking House Democrats for a further boost to the state’s annual aid injection for public schools. Haverhill schools are no different with School Committee members saying they must overcome a projected $11.1 million deficit in the spending plan for the year that begins July 1. In his presentation to a workshop last week, Assistant Superintendent Michael J. Pfifferling pointed to a significantly smaller increase in state aid than necessary to keep up with rising costs. The School Committee meets tonight and discusses, among other things, the impact of ending pandemic-era relief such as Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund. State aid for public schools, issued through under Chapter 70 of state law, increases every year to account for how prices have gone up across the economy.
Crime
Family of Slain 21-Year-Old From Haverhill Seeks Online Donations to Help Pay for Funeral
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Donations are being accepted on behalf of the family of the 21-year-old Haverhill man who was shot and killed early Sunday morning in North Andover. Jaeby Ortiz Ruiz was allegedly shot and killed by 22-year-old Derick Moncion, also of Haverhill, according to Essex County District Attorney Paul F. Tucker and North Andover Police Chief Charles Gray. Moncion, listed on a Haverhill police arrest log as a resident of Hilldale Avenue, was arrested on a warrant Monday night, around 8:30. “This has all came too soon and too fast. On (Sunday) we lost a real ghetto angel and one of the realest persons in our lives with his departure he left us all in a deep grieve and with an emptiness in our hearts,” wrote Ninoshka Ruiz on GoFundMe.
Haverhill
Markey Calls on Steward CEO to Testify at U.S. Senate Subcommittee Field Hearing in Boston
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Massachusetts Sen. Edward J. Markey is asking the head of Steward Health Care to testify before a U.S. Senate subcommittee field hearing taking place in Boston. Markey, chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Subcommittee on Primary Health and Retirement Security, invited Steward Chairman and CEO Ralph de la Torre to attend and testify Wednesday, April 3, at a hearing that examines the impact of for-profit companies on health care access. Steward Health Care, which operates Holy Family Hospital in Haverhill and Methuen, has reported an inability to pay some bills as a result of, what Markey said, previously accumulated debt. Steward was previously owned by Cerberus Capital Management, a private equity company that generated $800 million in profit from Steward. The request for testimony follows last Friday’s statement from Southcoast Health CEO David McCready that his organization has a “strong interest” in buy St.