Crime

Methuen Mayor Says Solomon Guilty Plea Deal Ends ‘City’s Long Nightmare’

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Methuen’s mayor said Wednesday he would have preferred a plea deal that gave former Police Chief Joseph E. Solomon more than 30 days of jail time, but he is pleased the “city’s long nightmare is finally coming to an end.”

Mayor David P. “D.J.” Beauregard Jr. said he was concerned when he first learned of a possible Solomon deal that lacked any jail time. Three years ago, a statewide grand jury indicted Soloman on two counts of perjury by written affidavit, seven counts of obtaining unwarranted privileges in violation of civil service laws, six counts of civil service law violations, uttering a forged document and procurement fraud. “Today, an agreement was reached under which Joseph Solomon will plead guilty to numerous felonies and misdemeanors, serve time in jail and remain on probation. As a consequence of these convictions, he will lose his city pension, his license to carry a firearm and his private investigator’s license,” Beauregard said in a statement. The mayor said one benefit is the loss of Solomon’s pension will reduce the city’s unfunded pension liability by approximately $3.7 million over the next 20 years.

Election Central

Pappas and Sununu Prevail in Primaries, Setting Up Expensive Fight for U.S. Senate

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by Ethan DeWitt and Maya Mitchell, New Hampshire Bulletin
September 8, 2026

Democratic U.S. Rep. Chris Pappas will face off in November against Republican former Sen. John E. Sununu to be U.S. senator, after the two candidates prevailed in their respective primaries Tuesday. The results, projected by the Associated Press shortly after 8 p.m., solidified what will likely be a bare-knuckled, expensive general election fight for the Senate seat, which is open after Sen. Jeanne Shaheen announced her retirement. Polls suggest the contest between Pappas, the current representative for the 1st Congressional District, and Sununu could be close, and both candidates had been positioning themselves for the general election months before the primary. As the polling has tightened, the race has taken on increasing significance to Democrats’ chances to flip control of the U.S. Senate, with Pappas’s shrinking advantage drawing national attention. In winning his primary, Sununu held off a challenge from Scott Brown, the former U.S. senator from Massachusetts who has since moved to New Hampshire, after Brown attempted to align himself with President Donald Trump and run to Sununu’s right.

Haverhill

Public Meetings This Week: Board Reviews Downtown Haverhill Day Care Center Plans

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The public has opportunities to shape policy this week as various Haverhill boards meet. In the interest of transparency in government, WHAV provides this list of upcoming meetings every week on air and online. Plans for a downtown day care center for 56 children and a dozen one- and two-bedroom apartments is among two projects under review by the Haverhill Planning Board when it meets Wednesday night. As WHAV reported last March, Davinci Mini Apartments seeks to convert a former, four-story dental office building at 119-125 Merrimack St. into a day care center with 18-20 full-time staff on the first floor and add a dozen one- and two-bedroom apartments on the three upper floors.

Haverhill

Grace Potter, Crooked Coast, Classic Cars, Fireworks Saturday at Team Haverhill’s River Ruckus

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Team Haverhill’s River Ruckus, featuring classic cars, live music, kid’s activities and capped by fireworks on the river, is back for its 15th year this Saturday. The free community festival also features the Community Corner, local food and a beer garden and concludes with a headlining performance by four-time Grammy nominee Grace Potter before the fireworks show over the Merrimack River. The day kicks off at noon with the classic car show in the Riverfront Cultural District with hot rods and classic, muscle and specialty cars lining up on Washington Street for three hours. At Riverfront Park, the Haverhill High School Chorus sings “The Star-Spangled Banner” and performs three songs by Michael Jackson. The day also begins with the Haverhill High School Crew team finishing their exhibition rowing race in front of the festival on the Merrimack River.

Haverhill

Haverhill’s Oldest Funeral Service Closes Upon Owner’s Retirement

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Haverhill lost its oldest funeral business, Dole Childs & Shaw Funeral Home and Cremation Service this summer with the retirement of owner David E. Shaw. The 148 Main St business was not only Haverhill’s first undertaking concern, it was also the first to expand to a space large enough to accommodate wakes and funerals, rather than just embalming and preparing the deceased for burial. Patrick J. Driscoll confirmed for WHAV his Driscoll Funeral Home and Cremation Services in Bradford has assumed outstanding business Shaw had booked by the time of his retirement. The funeral business itself was established in 1839 when two brothers-in-law, John P. Randall and Joseph H. Cummings, opened a furniture business that included the sale of burial coffins, according to the history on the company’s former website. The pair relocated their business, J. H. Cummings Furnishing Coffins, to a Main Street storefront in 1882 and then sold the business in 1886 to prominent banker George H. Dole and stable owner Fred G. Richards, who later was elected mayor of Haverhill.

Community Spotlight

Wildflower Montessori Schools Offer Saturday Haverhill Block Party

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Note: The date has been corrected. A magic show and live performances are among the highlights of Wildflower Montessori schools’ community block party Saturday, Sept. 19, in downtown Haverhill. Free entertainment includes a magic show, dance performances and live music by Be Imagine Music Studio youth bands. Activities include balloon twisting, tie-dye T-shirts, henna tattoos, face painting, arts and crafts and slime bar, while community organizations planning activities include Buttonwoods Museum, Hillview Montessori and Haverhill Promise.

Education

Merrimack College’s Yarbrough, Melenciano First Recipients of McGillivray Scholarship

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Merrimack College track and field student athletes Jadis Yarbrough and Elizardo Melenciano were recently named the first recipients of the David McGillivray ’76 Endowed Scholarship. A $100,000 scholarship, established by longtime running industry leader, philanthropist and Merrimack alumnus McGillivray. The new endowed scholarship creates a permanent source of financial support for future Merrimack student athletes, with Yarbrough, a native of Chicopee, and Melenciano, a former Lawrence High School track runner, becoming first recipients. The scholarship provides need-based financial assistance to Merrimack undergraduate students who participate in a running discipline on one of the college’s varsity athletic teams.

McGillivray’s connection to Merrimack goes back more than 50 years. He graduated as valedictorian in 1976, helped get the college’s cross country and track programs started, delivered Merrimack’s commencement address and was inducted into its Athletics Hall of Fame.

Business Bulletin

Merrimack Valley Chamber Fall Expo Sept. 15

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A daylong business expo features breakfast and lunch speakers, free browsing at about three dozen exhibitor booths and business networking next Tuesday. The Merrimack Valley Chamber of Commerce says the public is welcome free with no pre-registration to the annual exposition Tuesday, Sept. 15, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., at DoubleTree by Hilton, 123 Old River Road, Andover. Exhibitors include businesses, nonprofits, financial institutions, health care firms, Merrimack Health, Northern Essex Community College and others. Besides the exhibitor hall, Eduardo Crespo of Hispanic Solution, discusses “Communications and Engagement with the Latino Market,” at a breakfast from 8:30-10 a.m., free to exhibitors or $10 per person for Chamber members and $20 for non-members.