Community Spotlight

Atkinson Church Tonight Hosts Film, Discussion on Teens’ Mental Health Challenges

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Local parents and grandparents who want to support their children’s mental health can learn more at a program hosted by Atkinson Congregational Church. Area mental health professionals will lead a discussion after guests watch the film, “What I Wish My Parents Knew.” It shows the individual struggles of 10 young people dealing with anxiety and depression. “We’re living at a time when anxiety, depression, and suicide seem to be rising at an alarming rate in young people,” said Pastor Jim Thomas.  According to the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, suicide rates for Americans ages 10 to 24 increased by 62% between 2007 and 2021, the latest date for which full statistics are available. “This event is meant to help parents and grandparents become more educated on sensitive mental health issues, while being able to ask questions and find resources in a safe environment,” Thomas said. The program, run in cooperation with Southern Rockingham Coalition for Healthy Youth, is on Tuesday, May 14, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Atkinson Congregational Church, 101 Main St., Atkinson, N.H. Doors will open at 6 p.m., and light refreshments will be served before the program begins.

Business Bulletin

Merrimack Valley Chamber Hosts U.S. Small Business Administration’s Awards Ceremony

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Merrimack Valley Chamber of Commerce member Stephanie Vanderbilt, owner of Coastal Windows and Exteriors in Beverly, was awarded the Massachusetts Small Business Person of the Year award during a Friday event hosted by the Chamber. More than 300 people turned out for the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Massachusetts Small Business Awards Ceremony with District Director Robert Nelson, state Economic Development Secretary Yvonne Hao and state Auditor Diana DiZoglio. Vanderbilt’s award earned her an invitation to the White House to join other winners from around the country. Merrimack Valley Chamber of Commerce Vice President Michael Bevilacqua previously told WHAV the “Washington connection” is Marlene Cintron, appointed by the White House to be regional administrator, overseeing U.S. Small Business Administration programs in the Atlantic Region, and also currently serving as acting administrator for programs in New England.

Region

Podcast: Groveland’s Langley-Adams Library to Host Mystery Book Con Saturday

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For those who love a good mystery, the Langley-Adams Library in Groveland is co-hosting a Mystery Book Con this Saturday. The library will be joined by Kensington Publishing, an independent, family-owned book publisher based in New York City that is celebrating its’ 50th anniversary. Langley Adams Senior Library Assistant Lauren Towler, a recent guest on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program, said Kensington Publishing features a number of mystery writers, but “They do other things as well. We’ve hosted their non-fiction authors and even some of the people coming here. One of the authors is a toxicologist; she teaches at Tufts.

Region

Name of Late Essex County Deputy Sheriff Pasquarello to be Added to National Memorial

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The name of late Essex County Deputy Sheriff Anthony Pasquarello will be added Wednesday to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington D.C.

Sheriff Kevin F. Coppinger and members of the department will join the Pasquarello family Wednesday, May 15 for the National Peace Officers’ Memorial Service. Pasquarello of Saugus died in the line of duty at age 37 on Dec. 9, 2021 from COVID-19. He was a 15-year veteran of the Essex County Sheriff’s Department and had been working in the department’s transportation unit at the time he contracted the virus. He was described as following the pillars of health, leading a healthy lifestyle, and his death was a shock to his family and the department.

Region

Groveland Welcomes Two Officers Following Their Graduations from NECC Police Academy

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The Groveland Police Department welcomed two new officers earlier this month following their recent graduation from the Northern Essex Community College Police Academy. Officers Jillian Terry and Lucas Purpora were welcomed by Groveland Police Chief Jeffrey T. Gillen. The officers are now certified full-time officers under the Municipal Police Training Committee Standards. “We are pleased to welcome Officer Terry and Officer Purpora to the Groveland Police Department, and I am proud of their hard work at the academy,” said Gillen. “I am excited to watch Officer Terry and Officer Purpora grow in their roles and careers here in Groveland.”

Terry is a Groveland resident and obtained a bachelor’s in criminal justice from Saint Leo University in Saint Leo, Fla., while Purpora, of Dracut, received a bachelor’s in general management from Bridgewater State University.

Business Bulletin

Indie Retailer Bull Moose to Open Store in Plaistow Next Month, Plans to Host Local Poets, Musicians

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Indie Media Retailer Bull Moose will open a store in Plaistow, N.H., in June, with the new location likely hosting performances by local musicians and poetry readings. With staff moving 10 miles from a Salem, N.H., shop closing May 18, President Shawn Nichols told WHAV, employees “collectively selected” the 34 Plaistow Road location, according to a press release. The retailer mostly carries records, CDs—including on consignment from local artists—books and games. During the pandemic, Nichols told WHAV they stopped hosting performances by local artists, but have started to get back into public events recently. “The thought around the space in Plaistow will be that it could be used for someone with an acoustic guitar, or a table for role playing games, or for a poetry recital.”

He added, “[In] the last year or so, we’ve started to really get back into it, but it’s rebuilding that old muscle memory.

Haverhill

SUV Allegedly Driving Wrong Way Hits MeVa Bus Head On; Driver Taken to Hospital

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An SUV allegedly driving the wrong direction at a high speed collided head on with a Merrimack Valley Transit—or MeVa—bus late Wednesday afternoon on Route 110 near the Boston North Technology Park. MeVa Administrator Noah Berger told WHAV the driver of the SUV was taken to Portsmouth Hospital in “fairly rough shape.” Everyone on the bus was able to walk off without assistance, he added, with three going to the hospital as a precautionary measure. Reviewing video footage of the incident, Berger said the car burst into flames on impact. He praised the bus driver’s quick thinking and professionalism. “The driver maneuvered the bus so it was not going to be affected by the flames.

Region

For National Drinking Water Week, State Honors West Newbury, North Andover and Andover for Progress

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West Newbury, North Andover and Andover were among 45 public water systems statewide to be honored by Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection in honor of National Drinking Water Week. West Newbury was named in the category of Small Community Systems; North Andover, Medium and Large Community Systems; and Andover, Northeast Regional Recognition. According to the state, “awardees demonstrated excellent water service to the public, no violations or compliance issues and efforts that support overall public water supply service.” The winners were honored at a ceremony Thursday in Devens. “Water is our most valuable natural resource, and it takes the work of experienced professions to protect it from pollution, promote conservation and build infrastructure to handle our future needs,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rebecca Tepper. “National Drinking Water Week is the perfect time to honor these dedicated water suppliers and professionals who work every day to supply clean, safe and healthy drinking water to millions of residents across Massachusetts.”

Officials note that while the Andover Water Department exceeded the Lead Action Level in the fall of 2021, it recognized the challenges posed by the removal of 153 lead service lines and identification of the type of 1,359 unidentified service lines and voluntarily entered into an administrative consent order with MassDEP in early 2022.