The Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority—or MBTA, responding to public outcry over the planned closing of the downtown Haverhill train station, could allow some commuter rail trips or provide busing to the Bradford stop. As WHAV reported first two weeks ago, MBTA officials confirmed plans to shutter the Haverhill station for 10 to 12 months to commuter rail passengers as part of replacement of the South Elm Street bridge across the river. They did not explain why it would remain open only for freight service and Amtrak Downeaster service between Boston and Maine. Haverhill mayoral Deputy Chief of Staff Josselyn De León-Estrada said this week a meeting with city officials helped spur reconsideration and officials expect a report back in about a week.
Wellness Hot Yoga will host a fundraiser for Emmaus House in which shoppers can find handmade items to give as Mothers Day gifts. The yoga studio incorporates charitable giving in its regular business model, hosting fundraisers like the one for Emmaus House, which provides services to the city’s homeless, as well as weekly community hot yoga sessions where the only fee is a donation to a nonprofit or organization that provides a service. More than 10 vendors, each of whom creates a unique set of items, will showcase their talents and offer items for sale.
Sandra J. (Pike) Faraci, 68, of Salisbury, formerly of Haverhill, beloved wife of Attorney William S. Faraci passed away last Saturday morning, April 27 at the Portsmouth Regional Hospital. Born in Haverhill, she was the daughter of Patricia A. (O’Neil) Pike and the late William C. “Bill” Pike. She attended Haverhill public schools and was a graduate of Haverhill High School, class of 1975.
With the growing number of non-native English speakers in Haverhill Public Schools, director of multilingual learning Heidi Perez says her department has increased in size to meet the greater need. She told School Committee members last week, “It’s been a change [for] the teachers and the school community, so we’ve been trying to stay up-to-date, to give our students what they deserve.”
In her six years at the helm, Perez said the proportion of ML students grew from 9.5% to 13%, while the state average went from 10.5% to 13.1%. The surge accelerated particularly in the last three years, according to slides Perez shared.