Election Central

Haverhill Democrats Take Positions on Ballot Questions: Endorsing 6, Opposing 3

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The Haverhill Democratic City Committee is taking positions on all nine binding statewide ballot questions voters will decide in November. Committee members are endorsing six questions and opposing three. In summary, it backs the expanded public records law, election day registration, conservation funding and firearms law, while opposing all-party primaries and a ban on recreational marijuana sales. “With so much at stake in this year’s elections, we felt it was important not only to call attention to these nine ballot questions, but also to make clear where the Haverhill Democratic City Committee stands,” said William D. Cox Jr., committee chairperson. “These questions address issues that will have a real impact on people across Massachusetts, and we hope our positions will encourage voters to learn more about what is on the ballot and make informed decisions when they vote on Nov.

Haverhill

Local Sports Roundup: Knight’s Volleyball, Soccer on Hot Streaks, Local Football Struggles Persist

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Northern Essex Community College volleyball is on a four-game win streak. Tuesday night, it defeated Quinsigamond Community College in a 3-0 set sweep. Sophomore and Knights captain Rachelle Torres collected 26 assists along with a season best 11 service aces. This game saw Torres pass the 500-assist mark for her career at Northern Essex. Sophomore and Knights captain Faith Martin added six kills as the Knights hit a season high .415 kill percentage in the match.

Business Bulletin

River Run Elects Yadav President; Will Become CEO Next July

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Sujata Yadav has been named president of River Run Bancorp, MHC, parent of Newburyport Bank, Pentucket Bank and Rollstone Bank & Trust and will become chief executive office next July. Yadav will work closely with Chief Executive Officer Lloyd L. Hamm Jr., River Run’s board of directors and executive leadership team as she begins her transition into the leadership of River Run and its three affiliated community banks. River Run said its board of directors elected Yadav following a comprehensive national search. She will succeed Hamm as chief executive officer effective next July 1. At that time, Hamm will transition to executive chairman for a two-year period, working alongside Yadav, River Run’s boards and executive leadership team.

Community Spotlight

West Church Plans Showing of ‘Meet John Doe’ Oct. 9

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West Congregational Church’s WestArts is presenting the movie, “Meet John Doe,” during its Friday Free Movie Night. Organizers say, “Meet John Doe” is a 1941 Oscar-nominated film directed by Frank Capra, featuring themes of social responsibility and the impact of media on public perception artfully woven into a crackling comedy-drama that feels relevant today. “A penniless drifter is recruited by an ambitious columnist to pretend to be John Doe, a fictitious citizen venting his frustration about society’s woes in her newspaper column. The prank launches a grassroots community movement that sweeps the nation, until the newspaper’s owner tries to usurp the movement for his political gain.”

They add, “Even if you don’t like black and white movies, this one will win you over!”

“Meet John Doe” will be presented Friday, Oct. 9, 7-9 p.m., at West Congregational Church, 767 Broadway, Haverhill.

Haverhill

Plans Call for Early 19th Century Haverhill Home to Return to Residential Use

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(Additional photographs below.)

A Haverhill family has plans to return an early 19th century home to residential use after the building served for many years as commercial offices. The 1810-era, brick, Federalist-style house at 780 Main St., at the corner of Baltimore Street, most recently served as a real estate office. A developer, known as 424 Main Street, operated by Meenu and Sohan Saini, bought the property a little more than three years ago. The Sainis plan to restore the stately home on a .41-acre lot and convert it into two apartments. “I’ve already spent a lot of money, hired an architect and engineer and done floor plans,” Sohan Saini told WHAV.

Haverhill

Haverhill Officials Credit Team with Writing Winning Fed Grant

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Haverhill credited its team yesterday with winning an $813,000 federal grant, and detailed how new fire equipment will be used following last Friday’s announcement from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Fire Chief Christopher Cesati credited Deputy Fire Chief Richard Shellene, the department’s grant team and outside consultant Merchant McIntyre Associates for their work in preparing and submitting the successful application. Cesati and Mayor Melinda E. Barrett noted the bulk of the grant will be used to buy new Scott Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus systems, including air packs and cylinders. They added the new equipment replaces aging systems, providing firefighters with modem, reliable respiratory protection when operating in hazardous environments. “Investing in the safety of our firefighters is an investment in the safety of our entire community,” said Barrett.

Haverhill

Haverhill Presbyterians Complete Sale; Say Proceeds Offer Local Benefits

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The First Presbyterian Church of Haverhill earlier this month completed the sale of its church building at the corner of Broadway and Carleton Street, noting proceeds will be used to benefit charitable efforts locally and within the region. The church, 346 Broadway, was sold last week to Merrimack Valley Presbyterian Church, previously of North Andover. Officials said, “While both Presbyterian churches, our congregations hail from different denominational entities and have no ties to each other. The building will remain a worship space and will not change in its function or purpose.” Josiah E. Morrow, the church’s clerk of session, told the larger story. “While this is a time of great sadness for our congregation, we are gratified to know that the building will remain a church and continue the purpose for which it was built in 1986.

Crime

Methuen City Council to Consider Asking U.S. Attorney to Reopen Federal Police Case

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Methuen Mayor David P. “D.J.: Beauregard Jr. and City Councilor Mike Simard followed up Wednesday on the mayor’s recent call for U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley to reopen a federal investigation into former Methuen Police Chief Joseph E. Solomon. Beauregard and Simard are asking Methuen councilors to approve a joint resolution next Monday, telling Foley that Solomon’s recent guilty plea and jail sentence do “not answer the full set of questions surrounding the 2017 police contracts, the favors that preceded or followed the approval of those contracts, (Sean) Fountain’s appointment and continued service or the conduct of others who have never faced charges.”

They note while Solomon pleaded guilty to 17 charges, including hiring part-time intermittent officers and unlawfully appointing them to full-time jobs, there was no prosecution of the 2017 police contract “that would have made Solomon one of the highest paid law enforcement officials in the country.”

“During the following six months, Solomon gave police department jobs to two councilors, including Fountain, and elevated the relative of another councilor to the rank of police captain. In September, the Council approved a separate superior officers’ contract containing costly provisions that city leaders did not understand,” they added in the draft letter. They follow on Beauregard’s complaint last November there was a “lack of prosecution of several co-conspirators and other serious state and federal crimes,” saying Fountain “was paid at the rate of a master patrolman, allowed to work as a detective and testified in at least one murder trial.  While impersonating a duly qualified officer, he arrested and detained more than 40 people.”

Beauregard and Simard noted an earlier federal case was “mysteriously abandoned without explanation.”