Haverhill

Grace Potter, Crooked Coast, Classic Cars, Fireworks Saturday at Team Haverhill’s River Ruckus

By |

Team Haverhill’s River Ruckus, featuring classic cars, live music, kid’s activities and capped by fireworks on the river, is back for its 15th year this Saturday. The free community festival also features the Community Corner, local food and a beer garden and concludes with a headlining performance by four-time Grammy nominee Grace Potter before the fireworks show over the Merrimack River. The day kicks off at noon with the classic car show in the Riverfront Cultural District with hot rods and classic, muscle and specialty cars lining up on Washington Street for three hours. At Riverfront Park, the Haverhill High School Chorus sings “The Star-Spangled Banner” and performs three songs by Michael Jackson. The day also begins with the Haverhill High School Crew team finishing their exhibition rowing race in front of the festival on the Merrimack River.

Haverhill

Haverhill’s Oldest Funeral Service Closes Upon Owner’s Retirement

By |

Haverhill lost its oldest funeral business, Dole Childs & Shaw Funeral Home and Cremation Service this summer with the retirement of owner David E. Shaw. The 148 Main St business was not only Haverhill’s first undertaking concern, it was also the first to expand to a space large enough to accommodate wakes and funerals, rather than just embalming and preparing the deceased for burial. Patrick J. Driscoll confirmed for WHAV his Driscoll Funeral Home and Cremation Services in Bradford has assumed outstanding business Shaw had booked by the time of his retirement. The funeral business itself was established in 1839 when two brothers-in-law, John P. Randall and Joseph H. Cummings, opened a furniture business that included the sale of burial coffins, according to the history on the company’s former website. The pair relocated their business, J. H. Cummings Furnishing Coffins, to a Main Street storefront in 1882 and then sold the business in 1886 to prominent banker George H. Dole and stable owner Fred G. Richards, who later was elected mayor of Haverhill.

Community Spotlight

Wildflower Montessori Schools Offer Saturday Haverhill Block Party

By |

Note: The date has been corrected. A magic show and live performances are among the highlights of Wildflower Montessori schools’ community block party Saturday, Sept. 19, in downtown Haverhill. Free entertainment includes a magic show, dance performances and live music by Be Imagine Music Studio youth bands. Activities include balloon twisting, tie-dye T-shirts, henna tattoos, face painting, arts and crafts and slime bar, while community organizations planning activities include Buttonwoods Museum, Hillview Montessori and Haverhill Promise.

Haverhill

Haverhill Police Evacuate Residents While Safely Dealing with Person Making Threats

By |

Haverhill Police say there were no injuries Sunday and Monday as officers safely dealt with a lone individual who was barricaded in a Cottage Place home, while reportedly making threats. Police confirm late Monday officers evacuate some residents from their home Sunday, Sept. 6, around 1:30 p.m. as a “precaution.”

“Officers remained on scene throughout the evening and into the early morning hours of Monday, Sept. 7, while efforts were made to bring the incident to a safe resolution,” police said in a statement, adding, “The incident ended peacefully and safely, with no reported injuries to members of the public or responding personnel.”

Upon arrival, the statement said, “officers established a perimeter and began working to safely resolve the situation. The individual was the only person inside the apartment.”

Police thanked Massachusetts State Police Special Tactical Operations, known as STOP, Team for its assistance and residents “for their cooperation, patience and understanding while officers worked to resolve the situation.”

Police said no information about the individual will be immediately released.

Haverhill

Commission Warns Haverhill Developer’s Alcohol Permit in Jeopardy

By |

The Haverhill License Commission urged a Winter Street developer to accelerate opening of a grocery store he is building or risk losing a permit to sell beer and wine he was awarded in January of 2023. That’s because developer Juan Cepeda of Methuen is holding the last beer and wine package store license, officially called a Section 15 permit, available in Haverhill, explained License Commission Chairwoman Elizabeth LaLiberty. “Here’s why this is important. There are no more Section 15 licenses available in Haverhill at the moment, and you’ve been holding on to one for several years. So, we are eager for you to complete your business to move forward, but, in the meantime, if this falls behind schedule again, someone else can’t open,” LaLiberty said.

Haverhill

Cogswell Club Opens Grant Round for 2027 Nonprofit Projects and Programs

By |

Members of Haverhill’s Cogswell Club are getting ready to again advance a worthwhile community project in 2027. The Cogswell Club, which recently gave boosts to Urban Bridges’ “Food Forward” project and a barn restoration effort at Whittier Birthplace, is seeking proposals from nonprofit organizations with ideas for projects or programs that can completed next year and be completed with a donation of between $50,000 and $75,000. Founded by City Councilor Timothy J. Jordan in 2021, the group of local philanthropists pool their donations together in support of a local organization seeking help with a major project. The Cogswell Club has gone on to distribute about $364,300 to four Haverhill-based nonprofits. Besides the calendar-year completion deadline and amounts, applicants must be Internal Revenue Service-recognized, 501 (c) (3), charities and eligible projects or programs must be specific in nature.

Business Bulletin

Nicolosi Brothers Hope Startup will ‘Inspire Kids to Achieve Their Dreams and Passions’

By |

Haverhill-born brothers Jake and Brent Nicolosi recently founded their own home-made protein bar company. The business, they call Really Real Co., was founded on the belief they can create protein bars without, as they say, “all the junk.” The brothers told WHAV most companies make protein bars with cheap, unhealthy ingredients. The Nicolosis are lifelong athletes and former college wrestlers. They came up through the Haverhill High School athletics system, having wrestled under Coach Timothy Lawlor. Brent said he still spends time with Lawlor and the Haverhill team, He explained he hopes to inspire the next generation of student athletes to chase their dreams.

“Honestly, I want to get to a point where I can inspire people, inspire kids, to go really chase their dreams and passions,” Brent said.

Community Spotlight

Chromatic Wood Type Rediscovery Topic of Museum of Printing Talk

By |

Geri McCormick and James Grieshaber give an explanation of chromatic wood type and how they have recreated the production process to revive historic chromatic fonts during an upcoming talk at Haverhill’s Museum of Printing. McCormick’s and Grieshaber’s rediscovery of the process led to an all-new design, called “Marquee,” that debuted earlier this year. There will be an informal activity following the talk where attendees will be able to pull a proof of a historic William H. Page chromatic wood type from around 1849 and the new Marquee font from their company, Virgin Wood Type of Rochester, N.Y.

The talk, “Chromatic Wood Type—Old and New,” takes place Saturday, Sept. 26, 1 p.m., at Museum of Printing, 15 Thornton Ave., Haverhill. General admission to the museum is $15; children and seniors, $10; and members of military, Haverhill Public Library card holders and Museum members, free.