Merrimack Valley Newsmakers

In one of only three contested ward city council tests this year in Haverhill, Oliver Aguilo, a city engineer with Lawrence and 20-year resident of Haverhill, is taking on incumbent Michael S. McGonagle, a Haverhill native, to represent Ward 6 on Haverhill’s City Council. McGonagle owns a real estate company.

Both candidates appeared on WHAV’s morning show and answered a series of questions about issues facing the city. Here are the...

Daniel R. Diodati, a fourth generation Hillie, is competing with Veronica A. Rodriguez, also a Haverhill native, to represent Ward 2 on the Haverhill City Council in January. The winner replaces Katrina Hobbs Everett who chose not to run again.

Diodati manages Berkshire Hathaway real estate offices in Haverhill. Rodriquez works for the Lawrence office of the state Department of Children and Families. Each recently appeared on WHAV’s...

Guy E. Cooper, a retired Haverhill police officer, is challenging incumbent Melissa J. Lewandowski for the Ward 4 seat on Haverhill’s City Council in next Tuesday’s general election.

They each sat down with on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” and answered a series of questions about their candidacies. Here are their answers in the order the candidates will appear on the Ward 4 ballot.

Why do you want to serve on City Council?

“I’ve been a c...

Political newcomer Brandon F. Burns is challenging incumbent Melinda E. Barrett for mayor of Haverhill in the city’s general election Tuesday, Nov. 4.

A small business owner for 23 years, Barrett, 62, served on Haverhill’s City Council for 10 years before making history when she became the city’s first female chief executive. Burns, 23, graduated from Haverhill High School in 2020 as part of the classical academy program. He current...

Sheriffs in other counties are drawing scrutiny for their spending and other practices, but Sheriff Kevin F. Coppinger appeared live on WHAV to demonstrate how Essex County shines.

This week, the legislature withheld $162 million request from county sheriffs following complaints in Norfolk, Hampden and Suffolk counties. Coppinger, who stopped by WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program last Friday, discussed instead how his office prepare...

When signing up for a website or cell phone app Massachusetts consumers in the future would be able to decide how much of their personal information they want to share under a data privacy and security bill being sponsored by state Sen. Pavel M. Payano.

Payano discussed the importance of the legislation being debated by the state Legislature during a recent interview during WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program. The senator said even w...

The newly renamed Merrimack Health Haverhill Hospital could soon be home to the healthcare system’s expanded state-of-the art sleep study center.

Diana L. Richardson, interim president and CEO of Merrimack Health, formerly Lawrence General and Holy Family Hospitals, a recent guest on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast,” discussed what will stay the same at Haverhill’s hospital and what services are expanding.

As of Oct. 1, any patient who com...

Area nonprofits are looking for helping hands and the Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce is acting as matchmaker Tuesday.

The 2025 Volunteer Fair showcases a variety of nonprofit organizations dedicated to almost every imaginable cause. Potential volunteers are invited to peruse the needs, ask questions and consider hoe they may help. Chamber President and CEO Katie Cook, who appeared last month on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” prog...

Three candidates are facing off in Ward 4 for two spots on the ballot in the general election Nov. 4. Incumbent Melissa J. Lewandowski is being challenged by Guy E. Cooper and Kenneth E. Quimby Jr. Lewandowski and Quimby are lifelong Haverhill residents. Cooper moved to Haverhill as a child and graduated from Haverhill High School. He is retired Haverhill police office. Quimby works for Bethany Homes in Haverhill and Lewandowski is...

Voters in two Haverhill wards cast ballots Tuesday to narrow the field of City Council candidates in those neighborhoods.

Three candidates are squaring off for two spots on the final ballot for Ward 6 city councilor in the general election in November.

Incumbent Michael S. McGonagle and one of his challengers, Timothy F. Carroll Jr., appeared on WHAV’s morning show and answered questions about specific issues in Ward 6. The third can...

If you suspect a local or state official is on the take or see another example of potential fraud or abuse in state or local government, Jeffrey S. Shapiro wants to hear about it.

Shapiro is the Commonwealth’s inspector general and, in that role, oversees a department of 100 who make sure state and local officials follow proper procurement regulations and good governance practices. Shapiro recently stopped by the WHAV studio and app...

Registered voters in Haverhill’s Wards 4 and 6 will go to the polls Tuesday, Sept. 9, to whittle down the number of candidates in each ward from three to two.

Haverhill City Clerk Kaitlin M. Wright was a recent guest on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program. She discussed the various deadlines facing voters.

“We have an upcoming preliminary election on Tuesday, Sept. 9, but this preliminary is only for voters that are in Wards 4 and 6. ...

Upwards of 200 bicyclists will hit the road in September to help raise money to help prevent homelessness in Haverhill.

Al Hanscom, president and CEO of Emmaus House in Haverhill, was a recent guest on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program. Hanscom chatted with host Win Damon about Emmaus programs to prevent homelessness and its major Cycle for Shelter fundraiser Sunday, Sept. 14, at Northern Essex Community College’s Haverhill campus.

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To help promote the Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce and Haverhill itself, the organization is making sure business owners and their employees know they may attend functions without being a member.

The reminder came from Katie Cook, new Chamber president, during a recent appearance on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program. Cook shared some of the initiatives and upcoming events on the Chamber’s calendar.

“You don’t have to be a mem...

Haverhill community activist Kalister Green-Byrd was a reluctant writer prodded to pen a memoir by friends.

The 91-year-old’s book, “Overcoming the Odds,” relates her experiences from being raised in segregated Decatur, Ala., and coming to Massachusetts at 18. Green-Byrd, 91, a recent guest on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program, shared the experience of writing a memoir.

“I kept saying, ‘No, no I am not a writer. I don’t want to talk...

Shaq is back with help from Haverhill’s BC Media Productions in a new Netflix docu-series, “Power Moves With Shaquille O’Neal.”

The series, which focuses on Shaquille O’Neil’s recent appointment as president of the footwear and athletic brand, Reebok, was filmed partly in Boston, where Ben Consoli and his team of producers and videographers aided in shooting interviews and “b-roll,” an industry term for supplementary shots that enha...

The chief of emergency medicine at Lawrence General Hospital appeared on WHAV last week to allay public concerns over plans to reduce services at Holy Family Hospital Haverhill.

Lawrence General has applied to change its state license to allow it to close in-patient medical and surgical beds as well as the intensive care unit at Holy Family Hospital Haverhill, but retain the emergency department as a free-standing, or satellite, ope...

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 ...

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 Trainin...