Haverhill

Twelve-Year-Old Haverhill Accident Victim Dies; Family Calls Him a ‘Hero’

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His parents call him a “hero” and it’s a feeling shared by his teachers who came to visit him at a Boston hospital after he was struck by a car a week ago Friday. Twelve-year-old Nathan De Leon, the oldest of three children of Judy and Jeremy De Leon, died Thursday at a Boston hospital. “Today God called Nathan’s name and brought him to heaven to be amongst the greatest that has ever lived! Nathan fought hard but he unfortunately had significant brain trauma that he wasn’t able to survive,” his parents said on a fundraising page that family and friends hoped would help pay for his recovery rather than funeral expenses. As WHAV reported after the accident, De Leon was flown to a Boston’s Tufts Medical Center after suffering what police called “serious” injuries outside his home on Bradford’s Farrwood Drive.

Crime

Haverhill Police Officer Faces Assault Charge After Match.com Alert Leads to Fight With Girlfriend

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Arraigned without notice more than two weeks ago, a longtime Haverhill Police officer appeared in Newburyport District Court for a hearing Friday on charges of assault and battery on a family/household member and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon following an incident on Wednesday, Aug. 7, WHAV has confirmed. According to a police report, Sgt. James Keenan was dispatched to a reported disturbance at Arriaga’s home Aug. 7 at 11:55 p.m., after a female caller said she was being “attacked” and “assaulted by Carlos Arriaga and she wanted to file a complaint.”

Arriaga told Keenan he and his girlfriend came home and had a few drinks before going to bed.

Education

Haverhill Forms Diversity Committee to Encourage Minority Teacher Recruitment: ‘We Need to Do Better’

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Members of Haverhill’s Latino Coalition are among the locals cheering the recent formation of a Haverhill Public Schools’ Diversity Committee, created with the intention of encouraging minority teacher recruitment. The School Committee last Thursday voted unanimously to form a task force to hire educators of color, with members Scott W. Wood Jr., Gail M. Sullivan, Maura Ryan-Ciardiello and Richard J. Rosa among those taking the lead to do so. They’ll be joined by volunteers from the Latino Coalition and the Haverhill Education Coalition, along with other community members to draft a plan of action and report back to the School Committee within 90 days. Latino Coalition President Ismael Matias leaned on Wood to bring attention to the issue affecting 37 percent of city students. “We believe this diversity committee should and can make concrete plans to find and hire more qualified teachers of color, especially Latinos.

Crime

Haverhill Police Thwart Attempted Autofair Ford Robbery

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A Haverhill man who attempted to steal tires from a city car dealership was caught in the act this week by Haverhill Police, and later allegedly admitted that had the incident happened in Lawrence, he and his nephew would have “gotten away” with the con. Thirty-one-year-old Michael Realejo was arrested Aug. 18 after police say he and 20-year-old Christian Tejada attempted to steal tires off a truck from Broadway’s Autofair Ford before being caught by Haverhill Officers Kevin O’Brien and Justin Graham. Local authorities had been notified of the alleged theft in progress by Autofair security staff. The men were seen fleeing the scene in a silver minivan and followed onto Computer Drive by Haverhill Police before the van hit a slick patch of road and crashed, according to a police report obtained by WHAV.

Haverhill

Amesbury Road Neighbors Ask Council ‘Do We Matter?’ Amid Marijuana Special Permit Debate

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Tuesday’s marijuana special permit process for Mellow Fellows and Haverwell Market left many unanswered—and unexpected—questions after the five-hour meeting, but one thing is for certain: Haverhill city councilors did hear the pleas of Amesbury Road neighbors. During a public hearing for both the Haverhill-based Mellow Fellows trio and Newburyport businessman Christopher Edwards from Haverwell Market, residents expressed concern over everything from property values to crime and even the packaging of edibles. Shop owners—and councilors—patiently heard each concern. Shattuck Street resident Chris Todino has attended most if not all of the previous cannabis-related public meetings, and stood with his neighbors to ask the council to deny both permits. “I understand there is a great opportunity from a revenue perspective, but we live in the neighborhood,” he said.

Haverhill

Council Tables Amesbury Road Haverwell Special Permit as Ownership Questions Arise

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Clarification: An earlier version of this story stated Attorney Faraci received notice from Edwards about the ownership interests shortly before the meeting, when in fact Faraci was referring to documentation submitted by Attorney Jim Smith to the Council regarding said ownership. WHAV regrets the error. Cannabis entrepreneur Christopher Edwards saw his special permit request for 399 Amesbury Road’s Haverwell Market tabled by the Haverhill City Council Tuesday after 11th hour ownership questions came to light. Following nearly 90 minutes of debate between Edwards, his attorney Bill Faraci and concerned residents, Councilor William J. Macek wondered why Edwards listed so many different companies on his application paperwork. According to Edwards, the main entity is actually a company called TGIG, and Haverwell LLC—the business he hopes to open at 399 Amesbury Road—is what he calls a “totally-owned subsidiary” of that company.

Crime

Haverhill Man Allegedly Assaults Another for Beeping Car Horn Too Often

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A Saturday morning argument between two men turned violent after Haverhill Police say one man allegedly assaulted another for beeping his car horn too often, leaving the victim bleeding and swollen. In court documents obtained by WHAV, Patrolman Kevin Billings was dispatched to Haverhill’s Briarwood Road just before 9:30 a.m. on Aug. 17 for a reported disturbance. According to the alleged victim Kenneth Sciarappa, he was getting ready to leave his home to get coffee while his daughter was sleeping. When he heard a car beeping outside for a long period of time, Sciarappa went outside and told the person—later identified as Jorge Plaza—to “Stop f—king beeping.”

Twenty-three-year-old Sciarappa told police he and Plaza exchanged words after Plaza got out of his car.

Education

Free Breakfast, Lunch on the Way for All Haverhill Public Schools Students

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When Haverhill students head back to class on Tuesday, Aug. 27, breakfast will be waiting for them before the very first bell. As WHAV previously reported over the last several months, the school department has finalized plans to provide free breakfast and lunch to all students at all schools across the city, Superintendent Margaret Marotta said. To encourage participation, food and beverage carts will make the rounds at the city’s elementary and middle schools for children to choose a healthy breakfast of their choice—cereal, fruit, granola bars, muffins and bagels are on the menu—each morning. Kiosks will be stationed at Haverhill High School’s entrance and throughout the building.