Following Censorship, WHAV Urges Public to Listen to Radio, Subscribe to Free eNewspaper

Increasing worldwide censorship and intimidation from social media giants could cause you to miss news of critically important local happenings, but there is a step you can take today to stay informed. To safeguard access to news, WHAV, on-air, online, everywhere is asking its social media followers to subscribe to WHAV’s free Wavelengths eNewspaper here. In the last week, a local news warning about the sinkhole along the southbound lanes of Interstate 495 near Ward Hill was flagged as spam and removed by one social media site. Another blocked WHAV story was news of possible restoration of Haverhill’s 1845-era (gun) powder house. The tech giant behind these removals piles on with intimidation by writing “Repeatedly breaking our rules can cause more account restrictions.”

WHAV is not alone.

Podcast: Mann Orchards’ Fitzgerald Previews Topsfield Fair and Looks Back 50 Years

If there was any reason to doubt it, the upcoming Topsfield Fair is a sure sign of fall. America’s oldest county fair, having started in 1818, opens Friday, Oct. 4, and runs through Columbus Day, Monday, Oct. 14. Although he hasn’t been around since the beginning, Bill Fitzgerald of Methuen’s Mann Orchards is as knowledgeable as anyone about the longtime tradition.

Podcast: Haverhill Bank’s Mortimer Shares Stories From the City’s Deep Financial Institution History

The banking business in Greater Haverhill has seen a many changes over the years and, similar to the person hawking programs at a sporting event, Haverhill Bank President and CEO Thomas L. Mortimer knows “you can’t tell the players without a program.”

Serving as a local banker for more than 40 years, Mortimer is the “go-to” historian for the local banking scene, you can’t tell the banks without a seasoned veteran. He shared some of his memories recently with listeners of WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program. He starts with Haverhill Bank, which will be celebrating its 150th anniversary in a couple of years. “Haverhill Bank was founded on Aug. 13, 1877 and the very first meeting was at the Good Templar’s Hall at 53 Merrimack St., and, also at the very first meeting, the first loan was made to an F.S. McKenny for the sum of $400.

National Radio Day Brings Together the Public, Broadcasters to Celebrate Local Service

Today is National Radio Day! The annual event, dating back to the 1990s, came together on the anniversary of the launch of what became WWJ in Detroit by the Detroit News on Aug. 20, 1920. It received fresh vigor in 2011 when National Public Radio began promoting it. Organizers say, “National Radio Day is a time for communities across the country to celebrate radio.

Podcast: Essex County Habitat for Humanity Invites Applications to Buy New Haverhill Duplexes

Essex County Habitat for Humanity is at work developing a duplex with affordable three-bedroom units in Haverhill’s Mount Washington neighborhood, but has hope for another local project as well. Habitat for Humanity’s Director of Charitable Giving Kevin Hudson appeared Monday on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program to discuss plans for the 41-43 Curtis St., Haverhill site. “We will start excavation over the summer and get the foundation in and, once we do that, we’ll start building the home and volunteers can help us frame,” he says. Both units, valued at $245,000 each, have approximately 1,200 square feet with three bedrooms, two full bathrooms and a single-car garage. Those interested in getting one of the sets of keys must be first-time homebuyers, have a qualifying household income and be willing to contribute 240-360 hours of “sweat equity.” Applications are due by Friday, Aug.

Podcast: Clean River Project Makes Pitch for More Money to Keep Merrimack River Clean

Clean River Project founder Rocky Morrison seeks to redouble his organization’s efforts to keep the Merrimack River free of discarded mattresses, syringes, cars and mountains of trash. Appearing last week on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program, Morrison says his group is the only one undertaking this kind of work below the water’s surface and communities should help pay for it. “We started 20 years ago cleaning up the Merrimack River, back in Methuen, as a scavenger hunt and it grew into a nonprofit. Here we are 20 years later. We pull about 100 tons a year.

Podcast: Groveland COA’s EngAGEment Celebration and Symposium Saturday; More to Come

The Groveland Council on Aging’s “EngAGEment Celebration and Symposium” this Saturday, features an address by Dr. Katharine Esty, author of “Eightysomethings,” workshops and connections to community resources. Groveland Council on Aging Director Alyssa Lee visited WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” show recently to welcome attendance at the free event and explain its purpose. “That is an opportunity to celebrate and promote community engagement and well being among older adults. It’s an opportunity for the community to connect with local organizations as well as community members and just have general resources of the wealth of information that is around in our community to support our older adults in our community as well as care partners,” she said. Lee emphasizes the event is not just open to seniors and Groveland residents, but also to caregivers and those in surrounding communities.

Podcast: Haverhill Church Group Leads Mission to Moldova, Bringing Supplies and Hope to Orphans

When it comes to reaching out with a helping hand, a Haverhill church is reaching out halfway across the world to help orphaned children. West Church is sending 15 people today on a mission trip to Moldova, a small country sandwiched between Romania and Ukraine. Leading the group is church Director of Outreach Mark Cottrell. Speaking recently on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program, he explains how the 767 Broadway church became involved. “For a number of years we’ve supported a ministry in Moldova, a gentleman named Oleg Reutki—he’s a pastor over there—and he runs a number of orphanages.