Election Central

Podcast: Both Sides Appeal to Voters on Haverhill’s Cannabis Lounge Question 10

By |

While voters in most Massachusetts cities and towns see nine questions on their ballots, Haverhill residents see 10—an extra one that could allow onsite cannabis consumption at a downtown lounge. Those who haven’t already voted early or by mail will see the 10th question when they go to the polls Tuesday, Nov. 3. In recent weeks, both a proponent of the idea and an opponent took their arguments live on WHAV. Caroline Pineau, owner of cannabis retailer Stem, 124 Washington St., and physician John L. Maddox made their cases on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program.

Haverhill

Haverhill Councilors Hear Plans for Downtown Statue of Poet, Abolitionist Whittier

By |

Haverhill city councilors this week received their first glimpse of a plan to erect a downtown statue of Haverhill’s favorite son, abolitionist and poet John Greenleaf Whittier. Raymond F. Comeau, a former president of the Trustees of the John Greenleaf Whittier Homestead, gave councilors a broad outline of why the public would benefit from Whittier’s recognition. “The list of Whittier’s virtues is long, and it includes honesty, humility, courage, perseverance, righteousness and self-reliance. This is why his contemporaries elected him to the Massachusetts House of Representatives and elicited his aid in the founding of the national Republican Party; and why Harvard invited him to serve two terms as an overseer and awarded him an honorary doctor of laws degree,” Comeau explained. Comeau was joined by two other former presidents of Whittier’s Haverhill birthplace, Arthur H. Veasey III and Tim Coco.

Business Bulletin

Haverhill Coalition Plans Downtown Business Focus Groups

By |

A coalition of city and regional leaders and business groups plan two focus group sessions to, in organizers’ words, “open up the discussion to build momentum in our downtown.”

Downtown business focus groups take place Wednesday, Nov. 4, at noon, at the offices of the Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce, 29 Washington St., and, 4 p.m., at The Hill Downtown Tavern, 35 Washington St. Discussions are under the auspices of Haverhill Mayor Melinda E. Barrett and the Economic Development Task Force and involve the Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce, Greater Haverhill Foundation and Merrimack Valley Planning Commission. Those wishing to learn more or reserve a seat at one of the focus group sessions are asked to call Haverhill’s Economic Development and Planning office at 978-374-2330.

Community Spotlight

Haverhill Pride Plans Pride of the Patch Halloween Afternoon

By |

Haverhill Pride is spending Saturday afternoon at Crescent Farms for Pride of the Patch. The Halloween fundraiser, in support the 2027 Pride Parade and Celebration and year-round queer programming, features a 7.5-acre corn maze, hayrides, pumpkin decorating, a costume contest and music from DJ PJ. Pride of the Patch takes place Saturday, Oct. 31, from noon to 5 p.m., at Crescent Farms, 140 Willow Ave., Haverhill. The schedule calls for exploring the farm, taking hayrides, navigating the corn maze and pumpkin picking, noon to 2 p.m.; costume contest check-in and lineup, 2:30-3 p.m.; costume contest, 4 p.m.; and raffle drawings and wrap-up, 4-5 p.m.

Admission is $40 per person and tickets are available online via givebutter.com.

Haverhill

The Night the Martian ‘Death Ray’ Missed Haverhill; ‘War of the Worlds’ Airs Oct. 30

By |

Editor’s Note: This is an update of earlier versions of this story. Marking the 88th anniversary of the historic broadcast, 97.9 WHAV airs the original “Mercury Theater on the Air” presentation of the “War of the Worlds,” Friday, Oct. 30, at 10 p.m., with an encore three hours later at 1 a.m. 

The supposed Martian invasion of Earth and its aftermath 86 years ago this week didn’t seem to faze Greater Haverhill residents. In fact, most locals didn’t even know about the “death rays” that destroyed metropolitan New York the night before. That is, until they picked up their newspapers Monday, Oct.

Haverhill

‘Everyone’s Coming for Our Heads;’ Knight’s Basketball Looking to Go Back-To-Back

By |

Northern Essex Community College men’s basketball is looking to repeat last-year’s championship. Sophomore and team Captain Jay’von Depina said other teams in the National Junior College Athletics Association division III are “coming for our heads.”

Last season, Northern Essex won its first national championship, beating Dallas College Richland, 68-62, Saturday, March 14. Star sophomore players Alejandro Delgado, Christian Sanders, Alex Johnson and Yunosuke Matsuda were key to the championship season. The Knight’s are now without these players going into this year, as only about five players are returning.  Head Coach Darren Stratton referred to the players as “my kids,” and shared with WHAV the mentality he hopes to instill in every player.

Haverhill

Judge Dismisses Complaint Against Haverhill Man Who Entered His Condemned Home

By |

A man, who faced charges after entering his own damaged and condemned Haverhill home in July, was cleared this week in Haverhill District Court. Judge Susan H. McNeil dismissed charges Tuesday against Wellington “Bill” Clark Jr. The 68-year-old disabled veteran was summonsed into court for filing a false police report to justify entering his home. McNeil dismissed the complaint at the request of Clark’s lawyer, Willow Tervo. “Bill is happy with the result,” said Tervo, who is associated with the Haverhill law offices of Sheehan, Schiavoni, Jutras and Magliocchetti,

Last month, attorney Paul A. Magliocchetti negotiated an up to $100,000 settlement with the City of Haverhill. The agreement covers engineering work, repairs and temporary housing, relocation, storage and other living expenses.

Education

Northern Essex, Merrimack Health Celebrate New Surgical Tech Program Launch

By |

(Additional photograph gallery below.)
Yoneli Batista is excited to be studying at Northern Essex Community College and working toward a career in surgical tech that she might have overlooked. During an open house of the Surgical Technology program Wednesday in an actual operating room at Merrimack Health Haverhill, Batista explained she accidentally discovered the profession. “I stumbled on a video for surgi-tech and I think, Hey, I kind of want to do this. It looks like fun. It looks like something that I can grow in and, kind of like, let’s give it a try,” she told WHAV.