Podcast: U.S. Rep. Trahan Says Congress Must Do More to Help with School Reopening Costs

Congresswoman Lori Trahan is back in Washington this week on a mission to help with the reopening of schools this fall. Trahan was a guest yesterday on WHAV’s morning program. She says she believes federal lawmakers have to do more than what they have already done. She says it shouldn’t fall exclusively on cities and towns to foot the bill for reopening the schools with COVID-19 protocols in place—she feels the costs need to be shared across all levels of government to keep students safe

“A couple of months ago we passed the Heroes Act which provided $90 billion in funding to be distributed to states so that they can stabilize their K-12 schools and their colleges. In Massachusetts we would receive an additional $1.5 billion in funding, which is really what’s needed,” said Trahan.

Podcast: Haverhill Restaurants May Apply Beginning Today for Temporary Outdoor Dining Seating

When Haverhill restaurants first reopen, it will be with outdoor dining. In fact, today is the first day eateries can apply for outdoor space made available by the city. Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Dougan Sherwood, appearing recently on WHAV’s morning program, explained the thought process behind outdoor dining following the COVID-19 pandemic. “What I have heard is that six feet of distance is going to continue to be the standard for distance between tables. But, the city right now and the Chamber have been working very closely with Mayor (James J.) Fiorentini, Council President (Melinda E.) Barrett and a number of others and also the restaurant community at large, to make sure that by June 8, which is the earliest it could happen, that we’re hitting the ground running.,” he says.

Podcast: Northern Essex President Glenn Says Coronavirus Opens New Field of Study, Career Path

It has been said every cloud has a silver lining and Northern Essex Community College President Lane A. Glenn said that’s been true of the coronavirus cloud. Glenn, a recent guest on WHAV’s morning program, and said the coronavirus has opened a new field of study and career path for recent graduates. “A lot of colleges—and we’re starting to eye this—are looking at how to train people to be contact tracers. We already train a lot of first responders, so we’ve heard from a few businesses that need to hire recent graduates to take temperatures of workers as they’re coming back into the office, or back into the plant. So many of our graduates are going right to work in sort of new areas of healthcare training.

Podcast: Rep. Christina Minicucci Highlights Community Efforts During Pandemic

Individuals, groups and businesses have been getting the attention of 14th Essex District state Rep. Christina A. Minicucci for their help during the COVID-19 pandemic. Just one of many examples, she noted during a recent interview with WHAV’s Win Damon, Groundwork Lawrence was able to contract with eight local restaurants to make “grab-and-go” meals a couple of nights a week for those in need. The effort kicked off thanks to seed money donated by New Balance. Minicucci also offered praise for state Health and Human Services Director Mary Lou Sudders and Go. Charlie Baker.

WHAV Podcast: Haverhill Mayor Fiorentini Urges Changes to Halt ‘Community Spread’ of COVID-19

In a special message, Haverhill Mayor James J. Fiorentini says “community spread” of the COVID-19 virus is taking place in Haverhill and urges residents to stay home “whenever possible.”

The mayor says community spread means “you have to treat every person you meet as if they have the virus.” He asks residents to stay indoors, limit grocery shopping to one or two days a week and stay home at all times if they have cough or cold. He said the city is operating with skeleton crews, but remains available to help residents through the city’s telephone help center available by dialing 311 or online at cityofhaverhill.com. At the city’s website, as WHAV has previously reported, there is a new link to “Resident Support Services.” It connects people who need help are linked to volunteers and is a service provided by the new group Mutual Aid Society of Haverhill. Help is also available by calling 978-228-5322 or emailing [email protected]. Fiorentini also reminds residents that unemployment assistance is available at mass.gov, including to those who were previously self-employed.

WHAV Podcast: From Medication to Other Support, Haverhill School Staff Remain in Service

As a continuing public service, 97.9 WHAV FM has made its facilities fully available to local, state and federal officials to provide information about precautions surrounding coronavirus disease—COVID-19. The public has heard of home-based learning, “grab and go” breakfast and lunch pickups and myriad “social distancing” measures, but recent closures have also raised questions about how to provide continuing medical and emotional support for students. Haverhill Public Schools Director of Health and Nursing Services Katie Vozeolas, speaking live over WHAV Tuesday morning, says, in addition to all of the other steps being taken, the schools have been getting medications back to parents that may have been stored at individual schools. “They’re only allowed so many each month, so if we had a two- or three-week supply of a medication that a child takes every day, they in turn would need that. The nurses did a great job of calling around to all those parents with kids who had daily medications and others who they thought may need those medications.

Fiorentini Addresses Traffic, Housing, Schools, Other Issues on WHAV’s ‘Win for Breakfast’

Haverhill Mayor James J. Fiorentini addressed traffic along Route 125, school building construction, gang problems, housing, the city’s cable television contract and other issues when he appeared on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” Tuesday morning. The mayor said the state put too many traffic lights on S. Main Street to “cure a non-existent” problem of pedestrian injuries in Central Square. He said the city is powerless to change the traffic lights because that is under control of the state. “It stinks,” Fiorentini said. The mayor also said he was the one who proposed building new schools to replace Dr. Albert B. Consentino, John Greenleaf Whittier and John C. Tilton Schools.