Haverhill

Haverhill Dedicates First Nations Park, Celebrates Ongoing History

By |

(Additional photograph below.)

The city celebrated the Atlantic shortnose sturgeon, which has been making its way up the Merrimack River to spawn in what we now call Haverhill for centuries, during the dedication of First Nations Park Saturday. At Saturday’s ceremony, Larry Spotted Crow Mann, an enrolled citizen of the Hassanamisco Nipmuc Tribe of Massachusetts and executive director of the Ohketeau Cultural Center in Rowley, explained the park’s significance to indigenous people, who consider the sturgeon sacred. “This is a significant event for not only indigenous people but for my ancestors, the Nipmuc people, who are from this area and part of the Pennacook Confederacy. So, it is really exciting to let the world know our people are still here. We still use these waters,” Mann said.

Haverhill

Haverhill Boys & Girls Club Celebrates $100,000 State Earmark for New Building

By |

Boys & Girls Club of Greater Haverhill is receiving a $100,000 boost in its plans to build a modern and expanded club on a 6.5-acre parcel near Interstate 495. The Club said Friday Rep. Andy X. Vargas delivered a $100,000 state earmark—to support the current capital campaign for a new building. It is Vargas’ third legislative allocation for the project. As WHAV reported, Vargas secured $30,000 in 2022 and $15,000 in 2025. The money coincides with the erection of a sign at the corner of Monument Street and Broadway, calling the site the “Future Home of Boys & Girls Club of Greater Haverhill.”

“We are deeply grateful for the early investment in this transformational project from longtime supporter and state Rep. Andy Vargas.

Haverhill

Haverhill, Methuen Officers Among Police Academy Grads at NECC Ceremony

By |

The Haverhill, Methuen, Lawrence and Merrimack College police departments saw their newest recruits graduate Friday from the Municipal Police Training Committee-Northern Essex Community College Police Academy. New, full-time officers are, in Haverhill, Luis Cortes, Colin McMahon and Jordyn O’Boyle; Methuen, Brian Belen, Darren Bistany, Nestor Garcia, Laura Medina and Amanda Saba; Lawrence, Joseph Carroll, Justin Crow, Axel De Leon and Sheralee Hernandez; and Merrimack College, Abaigeal Gilman. “Graduating from an MPTC Academy represents more than completion of a training program, it marks the beginning of a career dedicated to public service,” said retired colonel and MPTC Executive Director Rick Rathbun. “These graduates have successfully met the demanding standards while receiving modern, evidence-based training that emphasizes professionalism, accountability and commitment to community focused policing. We commend their efforts and look forward to the positive contributions they will make throughout their careers.”

Local officers were among 49 police officers, representing 19 police agencies across Massachusetts, graduating from the Academy’s 9th Recruit Officer Course in a ceremony at Northern Essex Community College’s Haverhill campus.

Education

AHEPA Acropolis Chapter 39 Awards 8 Scholarships

By |

AHEPA Acropolis Chapter 39 of Haverhill recently awarded a total of $10,000 in 2026 scholarships, divided among eight graduating students. Each recipient was given a check $1,250 for towards college. Students were Ellie Dimopoulos of Haverhill, attending Endicott College, majoring in Exercise Science; Victoria Syniotis of Methuen, attending San Diego University, majoring in Business and Marketing; Lila Tzitzon of Andover, attending Boston College, majoring in Nursing; Mikayla Tzortizs of Haverhill, attending Merrimack College, majoring in Nursing; Nektarios Tzortzis of Haverhill, attending UMasss Lowell, majoring in Accounting; Melina Panagiotakopoulos of Haverhill, attending UMass, majoring in Hospitality and Tourism Management; Amalia Panagiotakopoulos of Haverhill, attending George Washington University, majoring in Political Science; and Angelica Pricone-Mallous of Manchester, N.H., attending Manchester School of Technology, majoring in Design Communication. Since 2004, AHEPA Acropolis Chapter 39 has awarded scholarships totaling more than $106,000. Those wishing to learn more may email to [email protected].

Education

Haverhill Public Schools to Start Middle School Field Hockey in Spring

By |

Haverhill Public Schools are starting a middle school Field Hockey program next spring. Haverhill High School varsity field hockey Coach Samantha Shea is running the new program. She said they’ll need to determine how many people are interested in playing. If the numbers are high enough, the program will be able to run full games between the different Haverhill middle schools, but if the numbers are too low, the program will run scrimmage matchups instead. Shea said there’s about 21 interested students so far, with most of them being from the Dr. Albert B. Consentino School.

Community Spotlight

Atkinson Women’s Civic Club Oct. 17 Indoor/Outdoor Fall Artisan Market

By |

The Atkinson Women’s Civic Club Indoor/Outdoor Fall Artisan Market is bringing the wares of 70 local artisan vendors along with food, music and raffles to its Oct. 17 annual tradition. Items from local crafters, food vendors will be available along with raffle baskets and a 50/50 raffle prize with all proceeds going back to the Atkinson, N.H., community. The Atkinson Women’s Civic Club Indoor/Outdoor Fall Artisan Market takes place Saturday, Oct. 17, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., rain or shine, at Atkinson Community Center, 4 Main St., Atkinson, N.H.

Haverhill

Haverhill Boys and Girls Club Receives Unusual Gift from Man who Sparked Wonder

By |

A well-recognized Haverhill bicyclist, often the subject of curiosity and who died in 2024, will now be long remembered by youth who take part in activities at the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Haverhill. Dennis E. Babbitt who died at age 81 in January of 2024, left $25,000 in an unusual way that will now be used to support Boys and Girls Club programs. Club Executive Director Javier Bristol told WHAV the man’s heirs reached out several weeks ago by telephone and told his remarkable backstory. “They grew up in Haverhill and the story behind Dennis, how he had and left some money in a backpack and that they would get that money and they just wanted to be able to pay it forward,” he said. Bristol explained Babbitt’s brother Richard and his wife Kathleen inquired about programs and needs at the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Haverhill. They chose to have the money go to programs that directly serve members.

Haverhill

State Grants $3.5M for Varied Haverhill Downtown, Well Water, Café Projects

By |

Methuen, North Andover, Groveland Projects Also Win Grants
Haverhill is receiving nearly $2 million from the state to rebuild the Washington Square pedestrian plaza along with $1 million for its planned Merrimack River radial collector well and $568,853 for L’Arche Boston North’s planned redevelopment of the former A-1 Deli. The projects were among those named Thursday in sweeping $330 million economic development and housing awards statewide that will also bring planning for starter home zoning in the city, street improvements in Methuen, sidewalk work in North Andover and zoning to advance redevelopment of Groveland’s Strawberry Fields. Haverhill Mayor Melinda E. Barrett told WHAV she is pleased the city’s grant applications made it past the finish line. “The City of Haverhill is pleased to have been once again awarded MassWorks funds to make our historic city center, Washington Square, safer for pedestrians and elderly residents, more welcoming for tourists, events and visitors and a more inviting place in which to conduct business. Our Washington Square Enhancements project will provide connectivity that ties in our historic Washington Street Shoe District with MassWorks-funded initiatives along our Merrimack Street Riverfront in order to create a more cohesive, attractive, walkable and vibrant Downtown,” she said.