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On this episode of Advances in Care , host Erin Welsh and Dr. Craig Smith, Chair of the Department of Surgery and Surgeon-in-Chief at NewYork-Presbyterian and Columbia discuss the highlights of Dr. Smith’s 40+ year career as a cardiac surgeon and how the culture of Columbia has been a catalyst for innovation in cardiac care. Dr. Smith describes the excitement of helping to pioneer the institution’s heart transplant program in the 1980s, when it was just one of only three hospitals in the country practicing heart transplantation. Dr. Smith also explains how a unique collaboration with Columbia’s cardiology team led to the first of several groundbreaking trials, called PARTNER (Placement of AoRTic TraNscatheteR Valve), which paved the way for a monumental treatment for aortic stenosis — the most common heart valve disease that is lethal if left untreated. During the trial, Dr. Smith worked closely with Dr. Martin B. Leon, Professor of Medicine at Columbia University Irving Medical Center and Chief Innovation Officer and the Director of the Cardiovascular Data Science Center for the Division of Cardiology. Their findings elevated TAVR, or transcatheter aortic valve replacement, to eventually become the gold-standard for aortic stenosis patients at all levels of illness severity and surgical risk. Today, an experienced team of specialists at Columbia treat TAVR patients with a combination of advancements including advanced replacement valve materials, three-dimensional and ECG imaging, and a personalized approach to cardiac care. Finally, Dr. Smith shares his thoughts on new frontiers of cardiac surgery, like the challenge of repairing the mitral and tricuspid valves, and the promising application of robotic surgery for complex, high-risk operations. He reflects on life after he retires from operating, and shares his observations of how NewYork-Presbyterian and Columbia have evolved in the decades since he began his residency. For more information visit nyp.org/Advances…
المحتوى المقدم من WHAV Staff. يتم تحميل جميع محتويات البودكاست بما في ذلك الحلقات والرسومات وأوصاف البودكاست وتقديمها مباشرة بواسطة WHAV Staff أو شريك منصة البودكاست الخاص بهم. إذا كنت تعتقد أن شخصًا ما يستخدم عملك المحمي بحقوق الطبع والنشر دون إذنك، فيمكنك اتباع العملية الموضحة هنا https://ar.player.fm/legal.
Thought-provoking words from the Merrimack Valley's most influential voices in education, politics, environment and more, as heard exclusively over 97.9 WHAV FM.
المحتوى المقدم من WHAV Staff. يتم تحميل جميع محتويات البودكاست بما في ذلك الحلقات والرسومات وأوصاف البودكاست وتقديمها مباشرة بواسطة WHAV Staff أو شريك منصة البودكاست الخاص بهم. إذا كنت تعتقد أن شخصًا ما يستخدم عملك المحمي بحقوق الطبع والنشر دون إذنك، فيمكنك اتباع العملية الموضحة هنا https://ar.player.fm/legal.
Thought-provoking words from the Merrimack Valley's most influential voices in education, politics, environment and more, as heard exclusively over 97.9 WHAV FM.
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…
The election season is in full swing at the Haverhill City Clerk’s office even though final election day is two weeks away. Haverhill City Clerk Kaitlin M. Wright, a recent guest on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program, explained why the window for early voting seems longer than usual. In-person early voting started this past weekend. “In regular elections, like the September primary or maybe a municipal election, you would see one week of early voting, but the Vote Act that was passed by the legislature requires that for the November election you have two weeks of early voting.” For citizens requesting a mail-in ballot, Wright noted an important step voters must take. “When you’re requesting a vote by mail ballot and filling it out, it’s really important that you sign that manila ballot envelope. If it’s unsigned, we are going to have to reject your ballot. So, your signature matters. Please sign that inner ballot envelope. Wright has also noticed some voters in requesting a mail-in ballot express confusion when they see the “State Election” label. “This is a state election because we’re electing state representatives, members of Congress, things of that nature. But it is also a federal election where we have the president on the race. So, if you are feeling a little confused because it says State Election, please just look at the race in the upper left-hand corner, you’ll see that it’s the presidential race and know that you have the right ballot. Also, keep in mind that the ballot is two-sided with questions as well, so make sure once you fill out the first page that you are flipping over and completing the second page as well.” And when it comes to returning mail-in ballots, there are options. “If somebody is to hand deliver it to our office, or use our drop box, is has to be delivered by 8 p.m., Nov. 5. Alternatively, if it’s mailed, it has to have a postmark of Nov. 5 and we can accept those for three days. So, if there is no postmark, we cannot accept it. It has to have a postmark of at least Nov. 5, then we can accept it for three days after the election,” she explained. Early voting continues today. Dates are Mondays through Wednesdays, Oct. 21, 22 and 23 and 28, 29 and 30, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., with extended hours Thursdays, Oct. 24 and 31, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Fridays, Oct. 25 and Nov. 1, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.; and Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 26 and 27, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wright also suggests voters become familiar with the ballot before voting. A sample is located on the Haverhill City Clerk’s web page . Support the show…
If there was any reason to doubt it, the upcoming Topsfield Fair is a sure sign of fall. America’s oldest county fair, having started in 1818, opens Friday, Oct. 4, and runs through Columbus Day, Monday, Oct. 14. Although he hasn’t been around since the beginning, Bill Fitzgerald of Methuen’s Mann Orchards is as knowledgeable as anyone about the longtime tradition. “I actually have my 50-year pin being involved with the Topsfield Fair. Started as quite a young guy, displaying apples and whatnot in the fruit and vegetable building.” Fitzgerald sits on the Topsfield Fair board of directors and previously served as its president. He was a recent guest on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program and said Mann Orchards will again have a display, but he’s also looking forward to some of the other attractions. “Well let me tell you, does it get any better than Three Dog Night and .38 Special, right in our own back yard? Honestly, and what we need is great weather those nights. And, then on Friday night that week, we have a couple of young ladies, Maddie and Tae. I think that will be an interesting show as well,” he explains. One of the highlights at the beginning of the fair is the Giant Pumpkin Weigh Off, Friday, Oct. 4, at 4 p.m. Fitzgerald says it is not uncommon to find pumpkins exceeding 2,000 pounds. “Now, with the summer we’ve had, hot dry weather, a little bit more of a challenge, I think, for these big pumpkin growers. It’s going to be very interesting to see how they’ve put their minds together and what they’re going to have for a big pumpkin this year. I think we might be surprised with what we see for a great big pumpkin.” Many days at the Fair have their own theme, including Monday, Oct. 7, which actually has two major features. “Senior Day and also, at the same time, we have what we call Sensory Day, and that is for people who like things a little bit quieter. A lot of the sound systems are turned way down, the lighting is dimmed a little bit, so people who like things a little bit calmer can come to the fair and enjoy that as well,” he points out. The Topsfield Fair is owned and operated by the Essex Agricultural Society, a nonprofit which states its purpose as “encouraging, promoting and preserving Essex County agricultural activities, and to educate the general public regarding their importance.” There is more at TopsfieldFair.org . Support the show…
The banking business in Greater Haverhill has seen a many changes over the years and, similar to the person hawking programs at a sporting event, Haverhill Bank President and CEO Thomas L. Mortimer knows “you can’t tell the players without a program.” Serving as a local banker for more than 40 years, Mortimer is the “go-to” historian for the local banking scene, you can’t tell the banks without a seasoned veteran. He shared some of his memories recently with listeners of WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program. He starts with Haverhill Bank, which will be celebrating its 150th anniversary in a couple of years. “Haverhill Bank was founded on Aug. 13, 1877 and the very first meeting was at the Good Templar’s Hall at 53 Merrimack St., and, also at the very first meeting, the first loan was made to an F.S. McKenny for the sum of $400. Back then, when they used to make loans, they would discount the loans, so you would ask for a loan of $400 but you get $320, but you would have to pay back $400. Those are usury type interest rates that are not allowed today,” he explained. Mortimer quipped he has been involved with Haverhill’s banking landscape “so long that he can give directions by referencing landmarks that no long exist.” He named some of the other financial institutions while speaking of the growth of Haverhill Bank. “Haverhill Bank in the 70s merged with Citizens Cooperative Bank. In 1982, they merged with Whittier Cooperative Bank. In 2008, they merged with Northeast Community Credit Union and then in 2012 they merged with Economy Cooperative Bank in Merrimac. And, all that today is Haverhill Bank.” Mortimer also explained that in the early days, bank presidents usually had other full-time jobs, considering the bank as a part-time position. They also took great pride in having modest working conditions. “I think at one time Haverhill Bank shared office space with Haverhill National Bank. Haverhill National Bank was where Bank of America is today, right at the corner of Merrimack and Emerson. And, then the Gleason Law Offices, that was Bay Bank Merrimack Valley on Merrimack Street right across from Haverhill Bank. Back in the 70s, I believe, the former CEO, chairman and president of Pentucket Bank, Ed Cote, was the president of Bay Bank Merrimack Valley. When they were consolidating Bay Bank, he became president and CEO of Pentucket Bank.” Mortimer’s first job in Haverhill was in 1985, at Family Bank, formerly Haverhill Savings Bank and now TD Bank on Merrimack Street, across the street from where he works today. Support the show…
Those who expect Haverhill’s annual Restaurant Week this time of year are in for a treat if their taste buds can hold out. Up until now, Haverhill’s Restaurant week immediately followed L’Arche Boston North’s Longest Table event, which took place last week. During a recent appearance on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program, Haverhill Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Alex Eberhardt says Haverhill restaurant operators says resident most need a treat in the winter. “So, it’ll be in February, during the slower season, to really help boost attendance in restaurants during the winter months and really start showing how amazing it can be to go and eat special awesome warm food and drink delicious drinks in February when we aren’t sure if there will be a blizzard or not,” she explains. Eberhardt says the exact start of Haverhill’s Restaurant Week hasn’t been decided, but the concept remains the same. “I tell people, please be as creative as possible, because having the same burger special that you typically have a few times a year, or every week, isn’t as enticing as having something really whacky and fun, or just a really great special for that week, that entices people to come and try new things, because you want them to choose you even over the other restaurants,” she adds. Eberhardt says having Restaurant Week in February help keeps the attention on Haverhill’s food scene, following a busy summer and fall season. Support the show…
Greater Haverhill service clubs help a variety of organizations, individuals and causes, but one is paying particular attention to older residents taking on unexpected tasks and responsibilities. Judith Riopelle, president of the Breakfast Exchange Club of Greater Haverhill, recently told listeners of WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program about the club’s work with grandparents who find themselves raising their grandchildren. “They’re so used to having things a certain way, and now they have this young child with them. Not only do they have to take care of them, they have to feed them, they have to put clothes on them, and we know how kids can grow. So, it makes it more difficult for them. It’s been a really great thing we’ve done to help them,” Riopelle says. She adds it’s a situation that is often overlooked. “Especially one thing that is truly near and dear to my heart are the grandparents that have been tasked with raising their grandchildren. They need a lot of help sometimes, because we usually have children when we’re younger. They are on a fixed income. We help them financially, we’ve sent kids to summer camp, we’ve bought school supplies.” Riopelle says the Breakfast Exchange Club also helps with buying grandparents gift cards that can be used for purchasing snacks for the youngers during school vacation in February and April. They also lend a helping hand in assisting the elderly in signing up for fuel assistance, and they help with veterans’ support. “And the other thing, a new initiative that we’ve begun, is a thing called Happy Rides, where we provide taxi vouchers for folks to help get over the social isolation from the Covid crisis. They get these taxi vouchers to go do something fun, not a doctors appointment, not going to the hospital, but maybe going to the beauty salon to have their nails done, or to go shopping or to the library, and it’s become very successful, and we’re in the process of expanding that to the Groveland community as well.” The Breakfast Exchange Club of Greater Haverhill meets on the second and fourth Tuesday mornings at the Citizens Center on Welcome Street in Haverhill, and new members are welcomed. There is more on its website at becgh.org . Support the show…
Haverhill police and schools and health representatives are among those joining Haverhill Mayor Melinda E. Barrett Tuesday for a free community dinner focused on available mental health resources. Mental wellness professionals will be available to answer questions about help and support available for adults, young adults, children and teen. YMCA Regional Executive Director Tracy Fuller told listeners of WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program how the event came about and what to expect. “Earlier this spring, the mayor had a community breakfast over at Somebody Cares to really look into identify pockets in neighborhoods of those that may need some support. So, she had identified and asked if the Y was willing to host, kind of, in the Acre neighborhood. We’d love to have people come and have some dinner. We’ve asked a few mental health professionals to come. Haverhill Public Schools will be there, Beth Israel Lahey Health will be there, NFI will be there, and a few others will be there as well.” Fuller said the free event takes place Tuesday, Aug. 13, starting at 5:30 p.m., at the YMCA, 81 Winter St., Haverhill. “I think it’s one of the things we hear often at the Y, and we want to make sure we connect the constituents of Haverhill and the resources together and make sure for those that have questions and are looking for support can get them. This is the mayor’s initiative. We are just happy to be a host for this and we’re hoping lots of people come and take part and, if they have questions, feel like they can get some answers, and have a little dinner too.” Fuller says the YMCA will have a bouncy house and other activities for children, to allow adults time to get the mental wellness information they are seeking. Support the show…
The new MassReconnect program, which encourages students 25 and up to complete their degrees for free, is credited with increasing community college enrollment. One local student taking part tells WHAV about how going back to school shattered some myths and gave him confidence. Thirty-nine-year-old Pedro Rentas is taking advantage of the program to attend Northern Essex Community College and was surprised to learn there are students older than him taking part. “Yes! I was happy about it. When I got to my first class, accounting, I was surprised. I wasn’t expecting that, I was afraid of my age, and being around kids and teenagers, but not at all. It was pretty good. It was comfortable,” he says during a recent appearance on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program. A recent report on MassReconnect, introduced by Gov. Maura T. Healey’s administration, shows enrollment by students ages 25 and older increased nearly 45%, and pushed overall enrollment up 8% during its first year, reversing a decade of decline. Rentas, who moved here from the Dominican Republic nine years ago years, says Northern Essex Community College makes it easy for people going back to school. “People like me, that are coming from different countries, maybe you need your high school diploma. They also have a system that they can get your diploma from your country. So, it’s not excuse for you to not go back to school. They are doing everything, and helping in every way for people to come back to school, and be part of the community, and bring more to the community,” he explains. Rentas had some college experience in the Dominican Republic, but was not able to complete his degree. He says he wouldn’t have gone back to college without the MassReconnect program. “The school is really good. Northern Essex Community College, and I know for a lot of people my age going back to school is a little bit scary, but not at all. They make you feel comfortable. The whole staff at Northern Essex is great.” Rentas made the Dean’s List last semester and has one more to go before he earns his associate degree in Business. He’s doing more than just taking classes. He’s enjoying the complete college experience. He was elected to serve on the Student Government Association, assuming the marketing chair. “Right now we are taking classes. They’re getting me ready. So, I’m going to be supporting the students with all the events—all programs they have. Sharing all the information on social media. Sharing pictures, sharing stories about all our students,” he notes. Support the show…
مرحبًا بك في مشغل أف ام!
يقوم برنامج مشغل أف أم بمسح الويب للحصول على بودكاست عالية الجودة لتستمتع بها الآن. إنه أفضل تطبيق بودكاست ويعمل على أجهزة اندرويد والأيفون والويب. قم بالتسجيل لمزامنة الاشتراكات عبر الأجهزة.