Merrimack Valley Newsmakers

The Verge Youth Center at Somebody Cares New England is offering a basketball program this summer as part of expanded programing. Marlene J. Yeo, founder and executive director of Somebody Cares New England, and Lori Jane Simmer, director, were guests recently on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program. Simmer explained the program’s mission. “So our youth center really focuses on life skills, really equipping the youth of our community with skills to overcome life’s challenges. And especially this summer we have all sorts of fun things in place for the kids to give them structure,” Simmer said. Yeo said she was inspired to open the youth center six years ago after a gang-related shooting happened outside the Somebody Cares building. Simmer said the basketball program aims to inspire confidence and sportsmanship while at the same time teaching basic basketball skills. The free program runs Mondays through Fridays, from 2 to 5 p.m., rain or shine at Somebody Cares, 358 Washington St., Haverhill. It is open to middle and high school students. The center also offers games such as pool, air hockey and PlayStation 4. Teens interested in art may also participate in an art activity each Monday and Friday from 2 to 4 p.m. In addition to weekly basketball and art activities, Somebody Cares offers a free art and basketball camp for three days in August which includes lunch, dinner and a backpack. The program runs Aug. 7 through Aug. 9 from noon to 7 p.m. In addition to its summer youth center programming, Somebody Cares offers year-round after-school activities for elementary school children ages 7 to 11 every Wednesday from 4 to 6:30 p.m. and for youths 11 to 18 every Friday from 6:30 to 9 p.m. Teens choose their own goals, earn points for attendance and progress and redeem them monthly for field trips to area entertainment venues. (CUT: simmer-both-parties-win.wav) “Our teenagers right now are teaching from the curriculum of “Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.” So right now we are just wrapped up number four, think win-win. Really teaching the teenagers that when you have conflict it doesn’t have to be you and them, one side wins over the other but really finding a compromise when both parties win,” said Simmer. Two summer block parties for the neighborhood with games and summer treats are planned for Saturday, July 26, and Saturday, Sept. 6, from 4 to 6 p.m. Somebody Cares also offers a mobile food pantry for seniors on the second and third Thursdays of the month and a family pantry at the Washington Street headquarters on the last Thursday of the month. Support the show

Lifeguards are back at Plug Pond this summer. The Haverhill Recreation Department revived its guard program after it was abandoned for lack of staff following the COVID-19 pandemic. To make sure the city has enough certified lifeguards to call on, the Recreation Department ran two well-attended lifeguard certification training programs in the last year—one in December and one in May. The training was offered by Wicked Safety Training. Recreation Director Benjamin Delaware, a recent guest on WHAV’s “Win For Breakfast” program, said, “People don’t realize that lifeguard training requires 35 hours of classroom study and several in-water tests.” The move comes after the city suffered three drownings last year, one at Plug Pond, though in a deep area outside the roped swimming area. Two guards will be on duty at all times. Delaware said the city also hired security guards and adult site directors to help with management and crowd control. He noted some of his staff are fluent in Spanish as well as English. He added, “In the past we have relied on college students as park ambassadors. We really felt we needed a more mature adult staff.” Towards that end the city hired security guards, many of whom work during the school year for the Haverhill Public Schools. The site managers will deal with administrative tasks such a checking in those with day passes, Delaware said. “I am very excited about the staff I have this year. We have definitely a more diverse staff than we have had in many years both in terms of background and skills. It is a great group. So, we’ll have a lot of fun and they always usually enjoy working there,” Delaware said. Delaware noted the day pass system for vehicles has changed this year. Residents can still order a day pass on the day they plan to visit during the week up until 5:30 p.m. However, weekend and holiday passes must be purchased at least a day in advanced so that the staff has a better idea of attendance. Passes are $10 for residents and $20 for non-residents and can be ordered at HaverhillRec.com. “Weekends and holidays we are asking people to register days prior so we have an idea of head count before the day starts,” Delaware said. Walk-ins are still free. Prior registration is not required during the week but is necessary for the weekends. Register at HaverhillRec.com. Senior lifetime passes for those 62 and over are $5 for residents and $10 for non-residents. Plug Pond, also called Lake Saltonstall, is open daily from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., off Sanders Road, near Mill Street. The swimming area can accommodate 250 people. Support the show

The newly formed Haverhill Performing Arts Workshop is looking for young actors and a place to perform. Bobby Gariepy and Maddie Hanson launched the venture after their successful association with drama programs at Haverhill High School. Gariepy, a recent guest on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program, outlined the plan for the new group. “The Haverhill Performing Arts Workshop… our main vision, our goal, our mission statement really is to provide equitable access to performing arts opportunities for the youth, the children, the teens, the young adults in the Haverhill and Merrimack Valley region. So it’s a broad statement. With that what we want to do is provide as many opportunities for these underserved youths in our community to learn how to perform and to perform successfully on the stage and to have fun doing it,” Gariepy said. The group’s first show will be “Disney’s Descendants the Musical” with performances set for Friday, Aug. 22 through Sunday, Aug. 24. Auditions are being held Sunday, June 29, at the East Parish Meeting House, 150 Middle Road, any time after 1 p.m. Performers are asked to prepare a monologue from a favorite Disney movie or musical or 30 seconds of a song to sing. Those who cannot attend the in-person auditions may send a video to Gariepy at bobbydg99@gmail.com by July 3. The cost to participate is $100 for an individual or $175 for two members of the same family. Rehearsals will be held Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, from 2 to 5 p.m., Gariepy said. Gariepy said as far as performance venues, they are making inquiries and hope to have a location selected soon. Support the show

Haverhill’s first Pride Parade kicks off the Fifth Annual June Art Walk this Saturday. Art Walk runs in downtown Haverhill on Washington and Wingate Streets, between Washington Square and Railroad Square. As WHAV has reported, it will be proceeded by the annual Pride Flag raising at Haverhill City Hall at 12:30 p.m. The Pride Parade will then form across the street at the Grand Army of the Republic Park and step off at 1:30 p.m., down Bailey Boulevard to Emerson Street and then into Washington Square. Downtown Events Coordinator Hailey Pearson, a recent guest on WHAV’s “Win For Breakfast” program, discussed various artists and performers who are part of this year’s Art Walk. “We are really excited to be incorporating the first Pride Parade to kick off Art Walk this year. So, it has been about a year in the making from the time that we starting talking about this idea of bringing in a parade and it has just been an incredible experience to witness the support from the community, the people who came together to really make this happen.” The Haverhill Art Walk, which is a project of Creative Haverhill, is bigger than ever, Pearson said. The free event will run Saturday, June 7, from 2-6 p.m., rain or shine. “We’re going to have over a dozen businesses participating in activities so everything from live music to family-friendly interactive activities in both Railroad Square, the Columbia Park area to Washington Square. So those squares bookend the activities,” Pearson said. She added a Pride Resource Fair will be set up at the top of Wingate Street. “We’ve got our Alley Art Market in the alleyways along Washington Street. We’ve got Punctuate4. That’s a theater group that is hosting the “Abolitionist’s Refrain.” So that’s a theater performance in the empty space at 90 Washington St. We really love utilizing these vacant storefronts to show people what could be and invite people to step into these spaces that are transformed for the weekend,” Pearson added. Performances of the Abolitionist’s Refrain are at 3 and 5 p.m. The play, written by Michael Cormier, features Haverhill native John Greenleaf Whittier as he comes to terms with what freeing of slaves following the Civil War means to a divided nation and the new challenges the 13th amendment to the U.S. Constitution brings. The River Bards, a local group of poets, will be reading the works of Whittier. Yankee Clipper Tours will offer cruises down the Merrimack River and the staff from the Buttonwoods Museum will lead a “Pentucket on the Merrimack walking tour. Live music performers include Fake Leather Jacket, Liz Bills and The Change and The Party Band. The Irise Dance Program from Lawrence will present a dynamic performance that includes an interactive drumming session. Family-friendly art projects include masking making, rock painting and zine making. The Museum of Printing is offering hands-on screen printing and the Haverhill Studio will offer complimentary portraits. Pearson said there is still a need for volunteers. Those interested may visit CreativeHaverhill.org or email Pearson at HaverhillArtWalk@gmail.com. Besides WHAV.net, WHAV’s “Merrimack Valley Newsmakers” podcasts are available on your favorite platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Spotify, iHeart, Support the show

Beginning in July the frequency of bus service between Haverhill, Lawrence, Methuen and Lowell will increase during the week. Merrimack Valley Transit, or MeVA Administrator Noah S. Berger, a recent guest on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast program,” said beginning Monday, July 7, the bus will run every 20 minutes. Currently, service is provided every 30 minutes to Methuen, Lawrence and Lowell from its hub in Washington Square, Haverhill. Berger said he is excited for the service improvement. “Frequency makes all the difference. You don’t have to fumble through a schedule to figure out when the next bus is. You just literally go out to where the bus is and know that at the very worst you will have to wait 19 minutes, but most of time it will probably be five or 10 minutes,” Berger said. As reported by WHAV in December 2024, the increased service is made possible through at $1.2 million “connectivity” grant the transit authority received from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation. The bus, which originates as Route 1 in Haverhill, makes one more stop at Lowell and River Streets and then four stops in Methuen before arriving at the McGovern Transportation Center in Lawrence 45 minutes later. The bus then becomes Route 24 and proceeds to Lowell which takes about 40 minutes. It then makes the return trip. “What that does is tie the four gateway cities of Haverhill, Methuen, Lawrence and Lowell together with really robust service so we couldn’t be more excited,” Berger added. Berger said Route 24 has the second highest ridership of all the routes in the system. Berger also said four new “low floor” 12-passenger vans will go into service this month as part of MeVa’s on-demand service. The low floor design allows those who use mobility devices such as wheelchairs and scooters to roll right onto the van rather than having to negotiate steps. The design accommodates strollers as well. Five more vans will be added to the fleet in July allowing the transit authority to remove older vans from service. Then an additional six will arrive next year. Finally, Berger asked for the public’s help in finding a new location for MeVa’s bus hub. He pointed out Haverhill’s hub in Washington Square has never worked well because the site is too small to accommodate buses and passengers comfortably. Berger said he is working with the city to find a location, and that two possibilities are Bailey Boulevard near the Haverhill Police Station and the Granite Street garage the transit authority already owns. “It’s got to be a central location. It has got to have enough space for the buses and enough space to have that welcoming environment for passengers.” Berger said. Berger said that while there is no timeframe associated with the hub relocation, he believes with the various redevelopment projects going on in downtown Haverhill, the time is ripe for finding a better, more welcoming location for a new central bus depot. Support the show

If state Rep. Ryan M. Hamilton has his way four local groups will receive $375,000 in earmarked grants in the next state budget. Hamilton, whose district includes parts of Haverhill and Methuen, was a recent guest on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast.” Hamilton told listeners he has been successful in adding money for Creative Haverhill, Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce, Historic New England and Methuen’s 300th birthday celebration. “I was able to secure four earmarks—one being for the Cogswell Art Center. It has been a recurring one for me and something I care about very much. Creative Haverhill is doing a great job when it comes to restoring Cogswell and its eventually going to turn it into one of the premier art installations in the Merrimack Valley if not the Commonwealth,” Hamilton said. If the funding holds, Creative Haverhill would get $50,000; Greater Haverhill Chamber, $25,000; and Historic New England $200,000. The Methuen Tricentennial Celebration would receive $50,000. Hamilton said the potential grant for Historic New England is significant as the nonprofit seeks to renovate its 151 Essex St.building into a tourist attraction for the region. “My friends at Historic New England who, as we know, are trying to pursue a project that is going to once again transform the downtown for the better and really connect the entirety of downtown together which I am extremely excited for.” Historic New England was also the recipient of the legislature’s generosity during the last two years. Hamilton said the Methuen Birthday Celebration Committee is planning a series of large and small events beginning in December 2025 through June 2026. The celebration marks the anniversary of Methuen’s separation from Haverhill and its incorporation on Dec. 8, 1725. The budgeting process now moves to the Senate for debate. Then, the House and Senate must reconcile their spending plans before a final budget proposal is sent to the governor. The new state budget would go into effect July 1. Support the show

Haverhill Public Schools would receive an additional $6 million in state aid if a House of Representative proposal to increase state support for schools makes it into the final state budget. State Rep. Andy X. Vargas, whose district encompasses a portion of Haverhill, was a recent guest on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast.” He made note of the additional school spending proposal. “So, it’s about a $6 million increase for Haverhill Public Schools in Chapter 70 funding. Now there is always more needed but a $6 million increase in this environment is certainly notable,” he said. The proposed funding is part of an initiative to raise the state’s per pupil spending from $30 to $150. Vargas said the city would receive about $12.5 million in unrestricted funds in the House’s fiscal plan. He said the House proposal also includes a $75,000 allocation for the Pinnacle co-working space, formerly the UMass Lowell Innovation Hub, at Harbor Place on Merrimack St.; $25,000 to the Greater Haverhill Foundation for help; to manage the co-working space and $15,000 for the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Haverhill’s new building. The budgeting process now moves to the Senate for debate. Then, the House and Senate will need to reconcile their fiscal plans before a final budget proposal is sent to the governor. The new state budget would go into effect July 1. Support the show

Essex County Habitat for Humanity, currently in the midst of one Haverhill homebuilding project, is moving on to another in the city’s Mount Washington neighborhood. The nonprofit recently agreed to purchase a single-family home and property at 512 Washington St. for $650,000 and has the city’s blessing to convert it into seven affordable housing units. Director of Charitable Giving Kevin Hudson made the revelation while a guest on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program. “We are currently raising funds to acquire property on Washington Street where we plan to build seven new homes,” Hudson said, noting that in addition to the purchase price, Habitat must raise about $2 million to fund the renovation and construction. Hudson later explained the plan is to renovate the current house on the property, owned by Keith Boucher, to create three units and then build two duplex houses. Andrew K. Herlihy, division director for the city’s Community Development Department, said the city has committed $149,173 from federal HOME Program funds to help Habitat with the purchase of the property. “It is a proposal we support in part because home ownership in the Mount Washington neighborhood, where this property is located, is the lowest in the city,” Herlihy said, adding that the project would most likely have to come before City Council for a special permit. Hudson said Habitat hopes to have the project funded by the fall of 2025 and that groundbreaking would then follow in 10 to 12 months. Habitat already has one duplex under construction at 41 Curtis St. in Haverhill. This Thursday, May 8, some 40 women—wielding hammers, screwdrivers and saws—will descend on the site for a Habitat Women Build event. “It started as an opportunity for women who wanted to volunteer and to be able to do so in an unintimidating environment with other women who don’t have any or as much experience in construction and it has really grown from there across the country,” Hudson said. Among the women volunteering that day are a crew from the North Parish Unitarian Universalist Church in North Andover. The Curtis Street project is Habitat’s fourth in Haverhill. The public is invited to view the progress of the Curtis Street house at a Hard Hat Tour and reception on Thursday, May 15, at 5:30 p.m.., Hudson said. A crew of women are also volunteering next week at a Habitat site in Hamilton where five duplexes are currently under construction. Habitat expects to break ground on a duplex in Ipswich and one in Wenham soon and is currently in the process of permitting Support the show

The new 69-acre Sweet Paws Rescue pet sanctuary scheduled to open later this summer plans to offer space for abandoned dogs and cats to roam. But, Cynthia Sweet, founder and executive director of the local animal rescue group, says it won’t change the focus of local animal rescue organization as a foster care group. “We are still going to be a foster organization. Dogs and cats do best when they are in people’s homes. And we are not going to be a shelter. So, this is going to be a layover if you will,” she explained recently on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program. She discussed how the farm purchase will stabilize the organization, but not change its mission. As WHAV reported last month, Sweet Paws is in the midst of a $4.6 million campaign to purchase and equip a 69-acre farm in Bradford as it has outgrown its Groveland location. Sweet founded her animal rescue group in 2011 to help address the overpopulation of dogs and cats in two poor counties in Alabama and Mississippi. To date the group has placed some 22,000 animals in new “forever homes” in New England. Recently, though, the agency has seen an uptick in the number of animals surrendered locally. “There is a huge increase of local dogs and cats in need basically since the last few years. It’s sort of a result of COVID. We went from 2019 to about 3% of our dogs were coming from Massachusetts. Not it is about 45% of our animals are coming from our own backyard.” Sweet said the farm will allow space and time for her 350 volunteers to get to know animals left for adoption. She said eventually her group is planning to open walking trails to the public. “Basically it will continue to be a space for our southern animals that are coming into the state. They have to be quarantined for 48 hours. And then it will also be a space for our local animals where we will be able to get them exercised and really get to know them. But it’s really for growth. The other thing that’s going to be great for Haverhill residents is that it will be 70 acres of preserved open space,” she said. Sweet also said she is in talks with the City of Haverhill to provide shelter space for animals picked up by the city’s animal control unit. Support the show

To help local high school students imagine the wider world of opportunities after graduation, the Haverhill High School guidance department is hosting its first Post Secondary Expo next during school hours. Representatives from nine apprenticeship and trade programs, four branches of the military, six community-based workforce agencies and local unions will join 30 two- and four-year colleges to showcase their offerings. The expo is the brainchild of Megan Arivella, supervisor of school counseling K-12 for Haverhill Public Schools, and her team of high school counselors. Arivella, a recent guest on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program, explained why offering more options is important to today’s high school students. “We’re looking to shift the narrative a little bit from students who may choose a college or university for their future plans, but also provide other opportunities for students. So, the typical college fair that a school might host we wanted to think bigger and better beyond that,” she explained. Arivella said that while college remains a strong option for many graduating seniors, particularly with the new option of free tuition at community colleges and some state institutions, she said more and more young people are seeking alternatives. With that in mind, the Expo will be open to all grade levels, freshman through the senior class. Tables will be set up in the school’s mall area and in the school library so students can walk through during their lunch hour and see what intrigues them. “We’ll be showcasing a wide range of experiences. Workforce pathways, two- and four-year colleges, apprenticeships, trade programs, military service, even gap year experiences for students.” Among those taking part are the Haverhill Fire Department, Northern Essex Community College, Whittier Regional Vocational Technical School’s adult evening program, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Rutgers University, Rochester Institute of Technology, MakeIt Haverhill, City Year New Hampshire, New England Tractor Trailer School, Empire Beauty School and PetSmart. Arivella said the idea is to help students answer the question, “What excites them?” rather than just “Where are you going to college?” Haverhill High Schools’ Post Secondary Expo takes place Tuesday, April 29 Support the show

Two weeks after celebrating her successful finish of the 2018 Boston Marathon Kim Dahn was stricken with debilitating stomach pain, ongoing and acute discomfort not readily recognized by her doctors. It turns out she suffers from a rare genetic condition that caused her lower intestinal tract to compress and twist. The condition is called superior mesenteric artery syndrome. Even after over 60 trips to the emergency department and multiple surgeries, her long-term outlook looked bleak until she discovered the possible availability of an international expert. The person who regularly treats the condition through a complicated surgical procedure was expected to visit with another physician expert at a hospital in remote western Virginia for just three days in February. The problem for Kim was getting there and back again since the closest commercial airport was a 40-minute car ride in Roanoke, the weather along the northeast corridor was iffy and she knew she couldn’t stand waiting in airport security lines, particularly post-surgery. Haverhill couple Kim and her husband David turned to Angel Flight NE, a charity headquartered at Lawrence Municipal Airport in North Andover, which matches volunteer pilots from across the country with patients in need of medical transport. The service is free. David Dahn was a recent guest on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” show along with Jonathan Campbell of Angel Flight. The pair explained how the medical transport service was able to get Kim to her surgical appointment and, more importantly, home to complete her recovery in less than half the time of a commercial flight. “We could get there. The logistics weren’t too bad getting down, but coming back after surgery was going to be very difficult because there a 40-minute drive when you are post-surgery, trauma and so forth. So, we would we have had to wait not only in the car but at the airport and we would have had go through security lines. There were layovers so what would have been a 10-hour flight we didn’t think it was feasible,” Dahn said. Campbell, a retired air traffic controller who “knows how to talk to pilots,” said he has nearly 400 pilots, all instrument rated with over 500 hours of flying time prepared who have access to a variety of aircraft ready to volunteer their time and planes to provide transportation, often at very short notice. He wasn’t put off when David Dahn inquired shortly before the trip was to take place. “It was a challenge because, as David touched upon, there were weather issues, there was a relatively short amount of time to arrange things but when he first contacted us we got onto the task at hand and sent our emailed to a lot of our pilots who have longer distance airplanes who can make this trip, hopefully with non-stop. We had a great response from our pilots,” Campbell said. Once the trip dates were set, Kim and David headed to Lawrence Municipal Airport. Pilots, though, are always in charge of trip details because safety is the first priority, Campbell said. Due to a winter storm front, David and Kim and their pilot ended up overnighting in a hotel in Philadelphia so their trip down to Virginia was longer than anticipated. Fortunately, the trip home was a breeze and also was arranged on short notice once Kim’s doctors cleared her to leave the hospital following her successful surgery. Campbell said that in addition to his email list of volunteer pilots from around the country, Angel Flight also works with JetBlue and Cape Air when it makes sense to send a client on a commercial flight. He also noted patients must be in stable condition because Angel Flight doesn’t provide nursing care. If someone makes an inquiring for a patient who needs medical monitoring, Campbell said he refers them to an air ambulance service. With travel arrangements in another’s hand, Support the show

Parents traveling with children in strollers will be allowed to drive their children onto buses operated by MeVa Transit beginning Sunday, April 13, instead of having to break down and fold the unit, in a policy change meant to make the free transit option more attractive. Currently parents must take their child out of their stroller along with any belongings, fold the unit up and then carry the stroller, child and other items onto the bus, explained Noah Berger, MeVa’s administrator, during a recent appearance on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program. Then once aboard, the parents must stow the stroller under their seat. He said his agency’s current policy is enough to discourage the most ardent supporter of public transportation who travels with small children. Just ask Betsaida Jarvis who is the inspiration for the change in policy and an employee of the Haverhill-based bus system. She is also the mother of a toddler. Jarvis found herself on the subway in Boston last summer when an announcement came over the public address system saying that passengers would have to disembark and take a bus because the system wasn’t running as far as her stop due to a maintenance issue. She said she started to panic because she knew what was required for riders of her home MeVa system. After negotiating her way out of the subway station to the waiting bus, she tentatively inquired of the bus driver what she should do. He saw the stroller and asked what was the problem. It was in that moment she discovered open strollers are permitted on buses operated by Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. Because entrances are at street level to accommodate wheelchairs and others with mobility issues, parents with strollers can also come aboard without struggling. “You can bring it open and you can just park it in a designed area that they have and then it was like this is the best thing ever. That’s when I spoke to Noah and said ‘We need to implement this in our system because it is just so much easier for mothers,’” she said. As in Boston, MeVa’s fixed route buses have entrances designed at street level for easy access for everyone, Berger said. Because MeVa’s smaller “on demand” buses have steps, strollers will still have to be folded for those using that option. “I think this is really important because this is us listening to our customers, making sure that we are as welcoming, as accommodating, as enjoyable experience as we possibly can.,” Berger said. Berger said there are some limitation and safety guidelines incorporated in the new policy. For instance, you can’t sneak a dog onto a bus in a stroller nor can you bring a load of packages in a stroller and expect to be accommodated. Additionally, wheelchair riders will have priority since the strollers will be parked in the same spaces the open strollers will use, he said. “Once we see how this new policy goes, I’d like to look into expanding it for shopping carts, he said. To make sure the ride is safe for everyone, children will have to be secure in the stroller and won’t be allowed to get out while the bus is moving, Berger said. Parents must put the brake on the stroller so it won’t roll away. The policy took seven months to formulate because the agency’s safety officer, Jessenia Fernandez, needed a chance to research what other systems do and to think through all the bad things that could happen, Berger said. He is confident the new policy will be popular and safe. Support the show

A planned freeze of payments toward previously approved federal programs was rescinded Wednesday by the White House Office of Management and Budget after public outcry. CongreA planned freeze of payments toward previously approved federal programs was rescinded Wednesday by the White House Office of Management and Budget after public outcry. Congresswoman Lori Trahan, appearing live Wednesday on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program, was one official who criticized what would have been an abrupt halt in food, rent, energy and childcare assistance, among other programs. “It’s a reckless, unprecedented power grab by Donald Trump. The consequences have already been swift and severe for the most vulnerable families in our country,” Trahan said in a live interview Wednesday morning. Before the freeze could take effect, Judge Loren L. AliKhan of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia ordered a halt until a hearing Monday. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt acknowledged the court ruling Wednesday in announcing the White House would end the proposed freeze. “In light of the injunction, OMB has rescinded the memo to end any confusion on federal policy created by the court ruling and the dishonest media coverage,” said. “The executive orders issued by the president on funding reviews remain in full force and effect and will be rigorously implemented by all agencies and departments. This action should effectively end the court case and allow the government to focus on enforcing the president’s orders on controlling federal spending.” Trahan, however, told WHAV listeners, the freeze order “revealed the money they’re going to come after.” Pointing to a grant Haverhill received to hire firefighters and staff a Bradford ladder truck, Trahan noted why local officials are concerned. “They’re, of course, concerned about federal firefighter and police officer hiring programs. They’ve been awarded SAFER grant programs on their merits. They were delivered $4.1 million to hire 16 new firefighters and permanently staff a ladder truck at the Bradford Fire Station. That money is at risk.” The congresswoman said her office received calls came from new moms who “went into a panic” over how they would afford their groceries, parents worried about facing eviction if they lost rent assistance and state officials who, at first, couldn’t access the Medicaid portal to draw down money for MassHealth. She said similar calls came from community health centers, Head Start programs, child care centers and those relying on home heating assistance, nursing home reimbursements and money for some teacher salaries. Trahan said the amounts represents $20 billion in the Massachusetts state budget alone. Trahan drew another local parallel—one that threatened the loss of Holy Family Hospitals in Methuen and Haverhill. “Medicaid is not a program that we can seek cuts to, especially when new consider how fragile the hospital infrastructure is in our state after Steward ripped off patients and left town.” She added the president does not have authority under the U.S. Constitution to make unilateral cuts of programs approved by Congress. Trahan suggested Trump needs the money to give the additional tax breaks to billionaires. Trahan plans a press conference Thursday at Greater Lawrence Community Action Council with Lawrence Mayor Brian DePeña, Haverhill Mayor Melinda E. Barrett, Methuen Mayor David P. “D.J.” Beauregard Jr., Greater Lawrence Community Action Council Executive Director and CEO Vilma Martinez-Dominguez, Greater Lawrence Family Health Center interim President and CEO Steven Paris and Community Action CEO Kerri Perry. Support the show

In concert with Martin Luther King Jr. Day Monday, the oldest black church in the Merrimack Valley this Saturday offers its third annual celebration of the life and legacy of the slain civil rights leader. Haverhill’s Calvary Baptist Church holds “Sounds of a Movement,” featuring music, history, services and the awarding of the Drum Major for Justice award to Dennis D. Everett Jr. Rev. Kenneth Young of Calvary Baptist Church, who recently appeared on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program, says Everett is being honored for his work in prison reform, youth empowerment and restorative justice. “The award is someone who is doing either social justice work in the community or racial justice working in the community. Trying to uplift people living in the margins. We know that Dennis has work not only in Haverhill but in the Merrimack Valley for some time and we appreciate the work that he has done, and wanted to highlight the things that he’s doing and make sure he knows that someone is appreciative of the work that he’s doing.” Young notes the afternoon program involves singers Christina DeVaughn, who has a master’s in opera performance from the Boston Conservatory, gospel singer Kylisha Farris and actress Remani Lazana. “One thing you’re going to hear about is Mahalia Jackson—someone who not only he collaborated with, but she collaborated with him. When you hear ‘I have a dream,’ speech she’s the one you hear in the background who yells out to him ‘tell them about the dream,’ and then he starts the repetition of ‘I have a dream today.’ So, we want to highlight her in the songs they were singing and those who were participating, whether they were younger or were older. That’s the theme for this year,” he adds. “Sounds of a Movement” takes place this Saturday, Jan. 18, opening at 2:30 p.m. and program at 3, at Calvary Baptist Church, at 13 Ashland St., Haverhill. An offering will take place with proceeds going to the Church’s scholarship fund and outreach program. Support the show

It may be just the start of the new year, but for the thousands of people planning to run in the 2025 Boston Marathon in April, the season is already here. One of the Marathon participants will be Haverhill native Jillian Lemieux. For her, running the Marathon means more than finishing the 26.2-mile course, it’s means raising money to help find a cure for cancer. Lemieux, a recent guest on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program explained she ran cross country and track at Haverhill High School, but was diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma just before graduation in 2016. Her coach, Mike Maguire, helped her through those times “When I was getting diagnosed, he was big support for me. I remember when it was right around this big meet that we were going to, it was a big exciting meet, but I had gotten a biopsy right before that, so basically, he allowed me to do whatever I could. He didn’t push me. He said ‘I want you to be comfortable and be good.’ He’s just always been a support, and even during my treatments he would text me and wish me good luck for the next treatment. He even allowed me to run with the team on weeks that I felt good, which gave me such a sense of normalcy,” she said. Because of her illness, Lemieux delayed entering UMass Lowell, where she majored in psychology with a minor in public health. She now works in administration at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute. Lemieux’s mother also had the same diagnosis when she was teenager in the 1980s. Her treatment was successful but, due to the limited medical knowledge at the time, her mother received too much radiation and eventually developed breast cancer, from which she passed away. “I was treated at Dana Farber for six months and I received chemo, and the care that I received there was really exceptional. My doctor went above and beyond just treating me. She really cared deeply about treating me as a person and me as a young adult. She took all of my own adolescent concerns about my hair falling out, and everything, it was as important to her as it was to me.” Lemieux is looking to raise $10,000 for her Boston Marathon run, and is slightly more than a quarter of the way to her goal, which also includes training for the race with the help of Maguire who has developed a program for her. It’s a program that, on some days, would qualify for a half marathon, covering 13.1 miles. “I haven’t signed up for a half (marathon) to do during my training but there are some training days where it is going to come out to a half marathon, so I guess I might as well sign up for one,” she says. And even though it has been eight years since high school, Lemieux still remembers her time for the mile—5:31. Lemieux will run the Boston Marathon April 21. Donations may be made online here. Support the show

Those looking for a different way to dispose of a Christmas tree, have some fun with goats and help the homeless at the same time, Goats to Go in Georgetown has a solution. As WHAV reported earlier, Goats to Go is collecting Christmas trees and making a party of it for the seventh year on Saturday, Jan. 11. Michelle Aulson of Goats to Go last week visited WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program, and noted how goats and Christmas trees are good for each other. “So goats, especially if they are eating, they are staying warm. Think about fueling a fire. Their little bodies will stay warm if they have a warm place to eat. We give them free range hay all winter and minerals, but the Christmas trees, goats need excitement. They need something fun to do. They use as scratching, rubbing their fur, rubbing their horns on it and nibbling. They nibble on the greenery of the trees, and the greenery is actually a natural dewormer,” she explained. Aulson says the goats like Douglas Fir trees the best. There is a suggested donation of $20 per family or tree that will go to Emmaus, a Haverhill based charity helping adults and children transition from homelessness to self-sufficiency, while the tree goes to the goats. The goats actually have a pretty busy schedule. “It started back in 2017, with the small goats coming home for the summer, and we thought we’d like to do a class with the yoga teacher. Goats like to jump on things, so they jump on people during classes—babies only we use because they’re small and they learn to jump right up there with some goat treats, just like a dog. We kind of train them a little bit. And, everyone loves it. The smiles on the goats’ faces—oh wait, maybe that’s the smile on the people’s faces, a little bit of both. Goats actually like people who are smiling and that definitely rings true when you see the classes,” she explained. But, when it’s time to work, Aulson says the goats and sheep at the farm, have their grazing specialties. “They do. I like to say goats like to jump up and eat things that are high off the ground. The goats have a little bit more fun with what they eat. Stonewalls are a specialty. They can get in hillsides where people can’t really mow. Sheep, on the other hand, eat grasses mostly, but they will eat poison ivy if it’s on the ground cover. Sheep won’t eat off a tree, they won’t eat brush and shrubs. They mostly will eat the ground. So, depending on that, they’re really good with our solar field grazing, where they have panels that goats have a reputation of jumping up. That’s why goat yoga is so good.” Aulson says their sheep and goats also enjoy working at the John Greenleaf Whittier Birthplace in Haverhill, as well as a number of backyards and cemeteries around the area. Goats to Go seventh annual Christmas tree drop off takes place Saturday, Jan. 11, from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Great Rock Farm, 201 Pond St., Georgetown. There is a reservation fee of $5 per car and suggested donation of $20 per family or tree cash or check. Venmo is available in advance. Checks may be made out to Emmaus. More information is available at GoatsToGo.farm. Support the show

State Sen. Bruce E. Tarr says there are many positives in the recently approved $4 billion economic development bill, but there’s more ahead in January that will shape how the borrowing bill takes effect. Making an appearance on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program, Tarr explains the next move is that of Gov. Maura T. Healey. “What I often say is that the legislature writes the menu and the governor decides what she wants to eat, so it’s a two-step process.” Tarr, who serves as senate minority leader and whose district includes such area towns as Groveland, North Andover and West Newbury, also delivers a word of caution. “I would remind people that a lot of the money we passed in that bill is bond money, which means that the legislature passing the bill is the first step and the administration deciding which things to spend on is the second step. So, we’ll be looking forward to working with the administration on that. Spending money is part of the equation but cutting costs is another part of the equation, and we’ll be looking in the new year to once again make Massachusetts more competitive so that the investments we make from the bond bill are going into a more competitive and fertile environment for job growth and economic development.” Tarr recently took part in celebrating the 65th anniversary of Merrimack Valley Planning Commission and 50th anniversary of what has become Merrimack Valley Transit, or MeVa. He notes the Commission and state and federal governments have been working with the Merrimack River Watershed Council. “To improve the quality of the Merrimack River. Particularly in light of the untreated discharge of effluence from wastewater treatment plants up and down the river. While we’ve made a lot of progress, we still have a lot of distance to go before we get that water quality to where we want it to be reliably, every day, without the episodic influence of those untreated discharges.” Tarr served in the state House of Representatives from 1991-1995 before being elected to the state senate where he will be starting his 30th year in January. He’s been the senate minority leader since 2011 and says he as seen many changes in the local news landscape. “You know, it’s unfortunate that we’re seeing a lot of local news outlets succumbing to the changes in the market. We don’t see as many local newspapers, we don’t see as many local radio stations and I, for one, think that’s unfortunate because it is important to have a medium of communication that responds to local priorities. Win, I know you’ve been in the business a long time and I appreciate that you always prioritize that, and that’s why I was so happy to come on this morning.” Support the show

The Haverhill Fire Department hockey team is preparing for this Saturday’s charity game in support of veterans. Haverhill Deputy Fire Chief Gregory R. Roberts, a recent guest on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program, says the contest supports the Skate for 22 Foundation, which was founded to help veterans adjust to civilian life after getting out of the service “As you know, about 22 veterans take their lives per day. So, they started an organization back in 2017 to try to bring a lot of the veteran community together into that locker room facility where they had the teamwork and comradery they had while they were serving our country, and try to get everybody to talk,” he explains. Roberts says the hockey rink, game, and locker room itself prove to be a very helpful setting. “We’re a different generation of veterans where we don’t typically go to the VFW or the AmVets. We don’t gather like that. So, this was a way to bring everybody together, have everybody vent and have their time together and that comradery that we are so used to.” Roberts spent 12 years in the Army before becoming a member of the Haverhill Fire Department. He says he has a lot of friends afflicted with post-traumatic stress and issues of that nature. He also mentions he didn’t play hockey as a youth or in High School. “I picked it up with I was in my mid-40s, believe it or not. That organization, Skate for 22, I had heard about and I went out there and just started playing for them. We’ve been playing with them since 2017 and it’s been going strong since then. The Haverhill Fire Department one is fairly new. It’s probably about two or three years old.” And concerning the Haverhill Fire Department hockey team, Roberts says they have been organized to help. “What the Haverhill Fire Department club, as a charity, is we raise money and all that money we keep in Haverhill. We give, whether it’s for the high school sports teams or some of the youth sports programs, to help offset some of the costs.” The game between the Haverhill Fire Department hockey team and the Skate For 22 Foundation is Saturday, Nov. 30, at 4 p.m., at Veterans Memorial Rink behind Haverhill High School, 137 Monument St. Donations of any amount are requested and a 50/50 raffle will also be conducted. There’s more about Skate for 22 Foundation at skateforthe22.org. Support the show

Major milestones are taking place for Haverhill Public School students with integration of modular classrooms at John Greenleaf Whittier School and steel reaching its peak at the new Dr. Albert B. Consentino School. During an appearance this week on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program, Superintendent Margaret Marotta paid special attention to the $160 million replacement Consentino project and $3 million temporary Whittier additions. “If people take a ride by the Consentino, the steel is up. It’s looking like a building. It’s pretty exciting, and the modulars are up over at Whittier, so we have a lot going on,” she explained. Marotta says a “beam signing” for the last piece of steel going up at Consentino School is tentatively scheduled for Friday, Nov. 22. Besides Whittier, on Concord Street, and Consentino, on Washington Street, the construction list also includes indoor tennis and pickleball courts at Haverhill High School. Marotta estimates both of those projects will be completed early next year. Championed by the School Committee last year, the modular units then under consideration were to bring six classrooms and two bathrooms to the school. Last December, the Massachusetts School Building Authority voted to invite the school into an eligibility period that involves a feasibility study and later steps to determine whether the school should be renovated or replaced and the amount of state reimbursement. The modular classrooms could then be used at any other school that would benefit from additional space. The superintendent also expressed pleasure with school sports programs as the season winds down. “Our girls soccer team was the Merrimack Valley Champion. We had three athletes from the volleyball team go all conference and three golfers, and our Cross-Country Coach Mike Maguire was named coach of the year for Merrimack Valley, and I don’t think that’s the first time for Mike either. He’s a pretty darn good coach,” she said. Support the show

Haverhill has been home to a few major league baseball players, most recently Carlos Pena, and the late Mike Ryan, and there is another talented ball player in the wings. It’s 8-year-old Mollie MacIntosh, a third grader at the Caleb Dustin Hunking School. Mollie was a recent guest on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program. As she explains, she won the regionals, in her age group, for Major League Baseball’s Pitch, Hit and Run competition. “I had to hit the ball in the air, as far as I could. You get more points the further you hit the ball in the air. Then, you run as fast as you can, three times, your best score gets you more points for that. For pitching, there’s a target. You hit a small circle you get 100 points, and if you hit around it you get 50 points. I got two 50s—it wasn’t the best score I could do.” MacIntosh plays locally in the Cal Ripken League. She went to Fenway Park to compete and, because she won her age group, Mollie and her family are now in Los Angeles for the World Series between the Dodgers and Yankees, where there will be another competition with all of the other regional winners. Mollie is also competitive off the baseball field and is an avid Candlepin bowler. “My high single is a 123 game. I beat one of the 14-year-olds in the league. She hasn’t even made it that high in the game,” she said. Support the show