Advertise on podcast: Merrimack Valley Newsmakers

The YWCA of Northeastern Massachusetts is introducing its 1892 club to honor past and present Tribute to Women honorees. YWCA Director of Advancement Nicole Sammartino, speaking recently on WHAV’s morning show, says it’s up to about 900 women in the 43 years the Tribute has been held. Sammartino outlined the goals of the club named in honor of the year of the local YWCA was founded. “We’re creating this club for women to come together and talk about the larger issues of the community. How else can we work together? So, we’re looking for ways to deepen the work that these women do, and we know that, some of these women, when they come together, the work that they can get done is really unmeasurable,” she says. Sammartino says the club’s annual donation goal is $18,920. Money will be allocated annually and directed to the best use that year. According to Sammartino, the donation pool is just under $15,000 for this year. The first gathering of the 1892 club is Thursday, Sept., 17, at Double Tree Hilton in Andover. Details will be announced. The YWCA is also holding Fall Fest, Thursday, Oct. 8, beginning at 5:30 p.m., at Renaissance Golf Club, 377 Kenoza St, Haverhill. It features food, live band, games and a raffle with prizes from local artists and businesses. This year also features the presentation of three YWCA community service awards including an individual award, a business award and a YWCA staff member of the year award. Tickets are $100 each and available online at givebutter.com/2026YWCAFallFest. The YWCA is supporting families with children returning to school by working with businesses to make sure children have the school supplies they need for the upcoming year. Sammartino suggested any families with unnecessary or extra school supplies, leave them at the Haverhill or Lawrence YWCA buildings. Support the show

Haverhill’s Woofstock is returning next month for its third year, and event organizer Cyndie Morgan says the visitors can expect even more. Last year, Woofstock brought 1,100 people and 400 dogs. During a recent appearance on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program, Morgan explained why she expects increased participation this year.   “We know this year it’s absolutely going to be a higher number. I know for myself, personally, when I’m out in the community. I was at Canobie the other day with my T-shirt on that says Haverhill’s Woofstock and I actually had two people stop me, and tell me that they came to the event and that they loved it. So, that tells me the word is getting out about the event, and that just made me so happy to hear that,” she said. She explained the event is at full capacity for vendors and this year the sit-stay-eat-area moves to the middle of the farm space between the main area and the field. Other activities at Woofstock will include a 5,000-ball, ball-pit for the dogs to play in, and mental health discussions with Ellie Mental Health. The creative corner of Woofstock features Team Stella where children can read with a French Bulldog named Stella, along with Haverhill Promise that will hand out books for a third-grade reading level. Author of Benji and Maverick’s Brave Adventure Michael Mulkern of Mulkern Consulting, who based the children’s book of his son and his dog, will also be present. Sweet Paws Rescue plans live adoptions and fundraising for its building project. The band Rear Window will also be back to perform. Haverhill Police’s comfort dog Max will also be present along with Haverhill’s Sparky the fire dog. Morgan said to make the event more exciting than the last two, she plans to bring in a Swift Paws lure course—a 30-foot by 50-foot lure course in which a game of chase is simulated for dogs to take part. Swift Paws will bring photography and all safety equipment required so that the dogs may run and play. Morgan has been working with a local group called Business Insiders to fundraise for the course. A recent fundraiser at Garrison Golf helped raise money. Haverhill’s Woofstock 2026 takes place Saturday, Sept. 19, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., at Chris’ Farm Stand, 436 Salem St., Haverhill. In the event of rain, Woofstock takes place Sunday, Sept. 20. Support the show

U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton says he believes the federal government will come through for Haverhill to fix infrastructure and, with his help, continue to make good on health and education. Moulton, who is seeking the Democratic nomination to run for Senate against incumbent. Edward J. Markey, expressed his confidence and answered questions during a live interview Friday on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program. Following Haverhill’s force main sewer failure, Moulton and 5th District Congresswoman Lori Trahan, proposed raising the ceiling on federal money to upgrade Haverhill’s wastewater infrastructure from $40 million to $50 million. Moulton said he is confident the federal government would come to the rescue. “Haverhill residents can’t take care of this on your own. You need help. This is exactly what you should expect the federal government to do,” Moulton said, adding this situation is proof Congress “can get things down” even in a “divided environment.” Moulton, 47, is pitching himself as the young progressive choice against Markey, who is 80. On a question about what he would do as a senator to ensure Haverhill gets its fair share of federal help for healthcare, schools and other social programs, Moulton touted his success in bringing $2 billion in federal funding to the city of Lynn. “Well, you know I’ve already delivered $2 billion to the City of Lynn. Imagine what $2 billion would do for Haverhill. That’s the kind of hard work that I’ve been putting in in Washington for 10 years. So, I know how the system works,” Moulton argued. Moulton added, in his opinion more money must be earmarked for vocational education because the jobs are waiting and students are clamoring for seats in vocational programs. “A lot of kids, for example, want to go to vocational school right now because they know that being an electrician or plumber is not a job that will get automated out of existence by AI. But we’re not giving enough opportunities for kids to get a vocational education,” he observed. Asked whether terminology he used in 2024 to describe transgender individuals was insensitive when he said he doesn’t want his daughters “getting run over by on the playing field by a male or formerly male athlete,” Moulton said the quotation was taken out of context. “I have a 100% voting record on this issue. And I recognize that a lot of transgender people are getting attacked right now by this administration. But in fairness you cut off half my quote. What I said is that as a Democrat we’re not even allowed to discuss these issues and that’s wrong,” Moulton fired back. Moulton said he thinks it is healthier for the party to raise contentious issues and not be afraid to debate them, that in those discussions, support emerges. “We ought to lead that discussion as Democrats. We should not cede that territory to the Republicans which is what we have been doing for far too long,” Moulton argued. Moulton was first elected to the House of Representatives from the 6th Congressional District in 2015 and is in his sixth term. Markey was first elected to the House of Representatives in 1976 following a stint in the state Legislature. He was elected as one of Massachusetts’s two senators in 2013. He is in his third term. Moulton faces Markey in the Tuesday, Sept. 1, state primary. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mail in ballots may be requested by calling the Haverhill city clerk’s office at 978-374-2312. The last day to request a vote-by-mail ballot is Tuesday, Aug. 25.  In-person early voting at Haverhill City Hall begins Saturday, Aug. 22, and runs through Friday, Aug. 28. The full schedule is available on the city website at HaverhillMA.gov. WHAV is reaching out to all candidates to outline their positions in advance of their respective, contested elections. Support the show

Haverhill Police are using drones to assist traffic navigation and these could also soon be used to quickly get life preservers to potential drowning victims. Police Capt. Garrett Sarfde, appearing recently on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” show, shared what three new drones will achieve for the department. Haverhill Police first used the drones for the fourth of July fireworks ceremony, July 3, to monitor traffic and public safety. He explained how the drones helped ease the flow of traffic leaving the show. “Logistically, getting everybody out of the area when the fireworks end has always been a little bit of a challenge. This year was probably the fastest that we got people out of there because we were able to put the drone above the intersections and determine the best route to send people and make sure that people were getting onto the rout that they needed to get to,” Sarfde said. The drones, which are approximately 24 to 30 inches across, are the same type used by the U.S. military. Capabilities include thermal heat sensing, speakers that can sound pre-recorded messages and carry on one-way communication. Additionally, drones will soon be fitted with self-inflating life preservers to stop potential drowning accidents. Sarfde is one of eight trained drone pilots at Haverhill Police. He discussed the how the department plans to keep drone operators safe. “We’ll have continuing practice, continuing training, quarterly trainings with all the drone operators. Making sure that their skills are up to date, making sure that they know what they’re doing from day to day, Sarfde said. “It’s a perishable skill so if you’re not using it day to day to day, it can become a little more challenging,” he added. Sarfde explained Haverhill Police have been in communication with Amesbury and Merrimac Police for direction on how to best use the drones as they also have similar technology. The police department also communicates with Lawrence Municipal Airport when the drones are in use to ensure no interference in flights. Support the show

Haverhill Police Capt. Jamie Landry urges people to be safe especially with an influx of e-bikes and scooters and extreme heat are presenting dangers. Appearing live recently on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” morning show, Landry says he’s seen many more e-bikes, scooters and other recreational vehicles on public ways. He calls for people to tell their kids about the dangers of riding in traffic. “Kids, they just don’t get how dangerous it can be weaving in and out of traffic, and whether they just don’t get it or whether they don’t care, we need to start getting serious about educating these kids and coming up with a plan with the legislature and the city to up with some enforcement options for this,” he says. He suggested that children stay to the side of the road and wear protective equipment when riding. He offered further advice. “Be aware of everything around you, the cars the pedestrians, you have to be careful out there. Follow the intersections. If there’s a stop sign you should stop. If there’s a red-light you should stop. If you’re at a crosswalk and there’s a no-walk sign you should stop. We all have to watch out for each other and be as safe as we can be out there on the roads,” Landry adds. Landry discussed the Haverhill Police Department’s efforts to create a safer city, listing Plug Pond as another activity closely monitored this time of year. He explained what often leads to people falling into trouble at Plug Pond. “Especially this time of year when it’s super hot, people want to get in the cool water to refresh whether they can swim or not,” Landry said. “Make sure that you’re paying attention to each other, and make sure that there’s a lifeguard on duty, watch out for each other,” he added. He discussed the dangers of fireworks and sparklers adding, “We want to remind people that fireworks are not legal in the state. Please don’t use them.” Suggesting that people go to local events in the Merrimack Valley to see firework displays, instead of using them at home. Support the show

Caroline Pineau, owner and CEO of Stem, a Haverhill cannabis retailer, recently shared her story of navigating the struggles of breast cancer, while managing a company. She appeared on WHAV’s morning program. Pineau explained, after being diagnosed last October, she underwent a double mastectomy to avoid chemotherapy and radiation treatments. She was encouraged by medical professionals to have an early mammogram due to breast cancer running in her family. Pineau said her thankfulness in catching the cancer early saying, “I was grateful that early detection allowed me to have more options in my treatment,” said Pineau. “If there’s one thing that I could empower women to do more is to be more on top of early detection when it comes to your breast care health,” she added. Despite Pineau’s cancer scare, she continues her work as Stem launched a campaign to collect signatures to allow on-premise cannabis consumption in Haverhill. Explaining, Stem will need 4,700 signatures from registered Haverhill voters in order to get its question on the November ballot. Stem was looking to collect signatures at CiderFeast last Thursday, June 18, and again Wednesday night at the Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce, where Stem had a “community education evening” to answer question from potential supporters. Stem is also hosting its fifth annual Green Goddess Invitational golf tournament on Oct. 26, at Renaissance Golf Club in Haverhill to support early detection breast cancer advocacy and support for women facing cancer diagnoses. Pineau described how Stem sees itself contributing not just to the community of marijuana users in the city but to Haverhill as a whole, “We have a vision for Haverhill as a thriving community where small businesses can flourish and contribute to the local economy. So, we really see social consumption as a way to create more jobs, boost local businesses and foster a sense of community here in Haverhill.” She added, “We really believe this can help bring more vibrancy to Haverhill’s downtown.” Pineau remarked on Haverhill’s desire to have a 18-hour economy, believing that Stem can be a contributing factor in this endeavor. Currently, Stem is breaking ground on phase two of its construction to turn its 124 Washington St. building’s third and fourth floors and roof into a cannabis lounge. The building within the Washington Street Shoe District, was built in 1876, prior to the Great Fire of 1882. Pineau said she believes the location was “born to be a cannabis building.” Stem has hearings scheduled Wednesday, July 8, before the Planning Board and Tuesday, July 14, before the City Council. Support the show

Historic New England plans to open its long-awaited preservation and collections center a week from Saturday with “Shoe Stories: Part, Present, Future” as its opening exhibit along with a day of free activities for the public. The nonprofit, which operates 38 museums across the region, began housing its collections in 1988 within a former shoe manufacturing building in Haverhill. It went on to buy the building and its twin, spurring plans in 2023 for a history center. Vin Cipolla, president and CEO of Historic New England, appeared recently on WHAV and outlined the plans. “Historic New England owns twin former shoe manufacturing buildings on Essex Street, 151 Essex and 143 Essex. And we have made a major investment. And the entire first floor of one of those historic buildings will be the new Historic New England Haverhill Center,” Cipolla said. The ribbon cutting is Saturday, June 27, at 11 a.m., followed by a block party at noon on Essex Street. Historic New England Curator Michelle Tolini Finamore leada a guided gallery walk of “Shoe Stories: Part, Present, Future,” at noon. A question-and-answer session on the Historic New England Haverhill Immersive Experience follows at 12:30 p.m. The Innovators Series launches at 1:30 p.m. with a conversation on the future of shoe design hosted by Finamore and including shoe designers Thom Solo, Yuly Fuentes-Medel and Kelly Chickering. The winners of the Stuart Weitzman Heart & Sole Teen Shoe Design competition will be announced after the lecture. The day concludes with a hip-hop dance performance at 3 p.m. by the Floor Lords, followed by an interactive hip-hop dance for kids led by the group. Historic New England bought the Lang building in 2006 to store its more than 125,000 New England decorative arts and 1.5 million historic documents. In 2023, the nonprofit bought the adjacent Burgess building which allowed it to imagine the site as a cultural hub. Haverhill architect Charles Willis Damon designed the two eight-story buildings in 1912 for bankers William H. Burgess and Howard W. Lang of Boston. They were the largest concrete shoe factories in the world at that time. Historic New England hired DesignLab Architects of Boston to design the exhibition space located in the Burgess building at 143 Essex St. Three other architecture firms, TenBerke, Brandon Haw Architecture and Howeler + Yoon, have been asked to come up with ideas for a cohesive cultural campus that Historic New England plans to develop in the coming years. The Shoe Stories exhibit includes footwear designed for Boston Ballet Company principal Diana Albrecht, Beyoncé, Julia Childs and Walter Gropius. Designers include Chris Donovan, Gucci, Sarah Guerin, Viktoria Modesta, Thom Sol, Louis Vuitton and Stuart Weitzman. The exhibit is divided into five sections: The New England Shoe Industry, Artful Accessories, All Seasons Sporting and A Family Recipe: Seymour and Stuart Weitzman and Workers Stories. Curating the exhibit with Finamore is Nora Ellen Carleson and Lorna Condon, both on the staff of Historic New England. The center will be open Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays, from noon to 5 p.m. and Fridays, from noon to 8 p.m. “Obviously, we are really dialing into the extraordinary shoe manufacturing legacy of Haverhill and the Merrimack Valley region and beyond. And the objects that will be in the exhibition center for the Shoe Stories exhibit are just going to be extraordinary and delightful,” Cipolla said. Founded in 1910 as the Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities, Historic New England owns 38 historic properties in New England, 11 in Essex County. Support the show

Haverhill Public Schools recently won national recognition as one of 192 districts in 38 states whose students have improved significantly faster in math than peer schools. The award called “Districts on the Rise” is a collaboration of the Harvard University Center for Education Policy Research and the Stanford University Educational Opportunity Project along with faculty at Dartmouth College. Haverhill School Superintendent Margaret Marotta talked recently about the honor on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program. She explained how the Education Scorecard is computed. “They take every school district across the country, all public school districts, and they look at their test scores, they look at their NAEP, the National Educational Progress Assessment, and they look at your standardized test scores and your attendance scores,” Marotta explained. The partnership has produced its Education Scorecard for the last four years. The most recent report analyzed national student achievement trends for approximately 35 million students in grades three to eight, from 2022 through 2025. Eleven states were not included due to data limitations. The Beverly, Braintree, Reading, Scituate and Westfield school systems also received the honor for their students’ progress in math. Other Massachusetts schools honored were Cambridge, for both reading and math progress, and Duxbury, Lexington, Mansfield, Plymouth, Salem, Sharon and Weymouth for reading progress. Marotta credited both the adoption of a new math curriculum as well as the hard work of teachers in implementing it for the recognition. “We’ve been changing up the curriculum, trying to improve things over in the last couple of years, and it is paying off. But it was definitely our teachers and their hard work and learning curve,” Marotta said. Haverhill was also called out by the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education as a statewide Spotlight District during a recent education conference in Washington, D.C., for its implementation of a new literacy curriculum at the high school. Specifically, DESE said, Haverhill has been effective in providing coaching to high school teachers as they introduce the new reading supports in their classrooms. The coaching has helped the teacher feel more engaged and less overwhelmed, DESE reported. Support the show

Memorial Day observances are scheduled throughout Haverhill in the lead up to the holiday itself, next Monday. Jeffrey Hollett, Haverhill’s veteran services director, gave an overview of upcoming Memorial Day-related happenings during a recent appearance on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program. He said this year’s theme is “What Does Memorial Day Mean to You?” “I would like to see Memorial Day Week become a week of events every single day of the week prior to,” Hollett said. This Friday, May 22, students at the John C. Tilton School on Grove Street will hold the school’s Annual Memorial Day Ceremony at 1:30 p.m. Veterans, families and friends have been invited to the tribute which includes a student concert. On Saturday, May 23, veterans, scouting and other youth groups, services clubs and allies are gathering at 9 a.m., at the Haverhill AmVets Post 147, 576 Primrose St. The post is the staging area for those who are placing small American flags on veterans’ graves buried within Haverhill’s 17 cemeteries. Hollett said for many this rite has become an annual tradition. “We’ve purchased over 8,000 flags this year. We have plans to put out over 8,000 flags. We can’t do that without volunteers,” Hollett said. On Sunday, May 24, church bells across the city will ring at noon as part of the national “Ring For the Fallen” tribute. Hollett notes this ritual has been adopted by the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation as a way of honoring firefighters who have died in the line of service as well. Haverhill’s Annual Memorial Day Parade step off Monday, at 10:45 a.m., from the Haverhill Firefighting Museum, 75 Kenoza Ave. Those marching are asked gather at 10 a.m. The parade will march to Linwood Cemetery, 41 John Ward Ave., where the Memorial Day ceremony will take place. The AmVets host lunch following the ceremony at the post, 576 Primrose St. The city’s Memorial Day activities conclude with the National Moment of Silence at 3 p.m., Monday, May 25. Anyone with a bell is asked to ring it for 21 seconds beginning at 2:59 p.m. Then, at 3 p.m., the moment of silence commences for 21 seconds. Hollett is also encouraging veterans to take part in the Memorial Day Creative Sanctuary. The online program encourages anyone inspired by the solemnity of the day to submit an essay or poem to Mission Belonging’s website. The organization’s “Writing in the Arena” provides a place “to explore identity and to find purpose and meaning following military service through creativity and shared experience.” Those interested in participating may visit MissionBelonging.org. Hollett also asked that other city organizations planning an observance let him know by calling his office at 978-374-2351, ext. 3932. Support the show

Northern Essex Community College is celebrating its Fifth Annual Giving Day with a 24-hour push to replenish its NECC Fund. It is also getting ready for its Fourth Annual Impact Awards Event. Shana Murrell, the college’s director of alumni relations and annual giving recently appeared on WHAV’s morning program to explain how the fundraiser works and how donations meet student needs. The blitz, scheduled for today, April 9, aims to unite alumni, staff, students and friends in a common goal of supporting the college and its students, Murrell said. The first Giving Day in 2022 raised $34,000 from just over 200 donors. That was the largest single-day fundraising effort in the college’s history.  (CUT: murrell-as-they-come.wav) “Essentially, our NECC Fund allows us to have the flexibility to fund different needs for the college. So, we’re very excited to have the opportunity to have that fund available so that we can meet the needs of our students as they come,” Murrell said.  Among programs the college supports through its NECC Fund is the Internship Stipend Program. Murrell said because so many Northern Essex students work part time while they are also attending classes, it can be difficult to give up a paying job to take an unpaid internship. (CUT: murrell-program-of-study.wav) “An internship stipend helps a student to be able to make up some of that income they may have had to give up while they are participating in a valuable internship that may be related to their major and program of study,” Murrell explained. Contributions to the NECC Giving Day can be made on NECC.edu. Lane A. Glenn, college president, also recently appeared on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” to talk about another college fundraiser. The college’s Fourth Annual Impact Awards is happening Wednesday, May 6. As WHAV reported in February, five awards will be given. The Community Partner Award will go to the Merrimack Valley Transit Authority, while the Outstanding Alumnus Award goes to former state Rep. Michael Costello, a member of the class of 2012; Philanthropy and Volunteerism Award to Richard and Susan Smith Family Foundation and Senior Program Officer Marjorie Ringrose; and Public Service and Advocacy Award to Essex County Sheriff Kevin F. Coppinger.  (CUT: glenn-have-seats-available.wav) “You’ll be happy to know, or some of the listeners might be happy to know, there’s still room for sponsors at the Impact Awards. We have sponsorships available. We have got some seats available,” Glenn said.  Impact Awards tickets are $150 each and available at NECC.edu. Support the show

Kara Kosmes, who retires in August as business manager at Whittier Regional Vocational Technical High School, has witnessed a sea change in career training as well as in the tools she uses to keep a watchful eye on finances. Born and raised in Haverhill, sixty-seven-year-old Kosmes shared her experiences during a recent appearance on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” morning program. She reflected on how her job has changed in 30 years. “Everything was manual when I first started. You used paper and pencil and, in order to do bookkeeping, you had these very long, wide spreadsheets,” she recalled. Kosmes was a freshman at Haverhill High School when Whittier Tech opened in 1973. Following college, she started her career in finance at a local certified public accounting firm, a position she held for 14 years. She then worked nearly 17 years in Haverhill Public Schools as assistant superintendent for finance and operations before joining Whitter Tech in July 2013. The school was chartered in 1967 to provide a career training alternative for 11 communities including Haverhill. The other communities are Amesbury, Georgetown, Groveland, Ipswich, Merrimac, Newbury, Newburyport, Rowley, Salisbury and West Newbury. Kosmes remembers touring the new building and being blown away by its appearance. “At the time, it was state of the art, brand new, beautiful. It didn’t look a lot like the schools that I had been to up until then. But it was a very different school than it is now. It was primarily for the trades.” Kosmes noted the impetus to establish Whittier Tech grew out of the old Haverhill Trade School that operated in downtown Haverhill. She pointed out that 50 years later, Whittier students don’t just head to a job in the trades following graduation. With their Whittier education, students can continue their education by going to a technical school or pursuing a two- or four-year college degree. “The bonus I think for students today is you also leave with a skill so you always will have something, hopefully, to fall back on,” Kosmes said. In her position as business manager, Kosmes has been intimately involved with the effort to renovate or replace the aging Whittier building. She has been attending meetings of the committee to amend the 1967 Regional Agreement with governs how capital and operating costs are allotted to member communities. Several of which are pressing for changes in the agreement since more than half the student body is from Haverhill, but the city would pay just 44% of the share of the cost of any new construction. Rowley, on the other hand, would pay 3.5% of the cost and Newburyport 10.5%, but are only allocated 10 seats each or 2%. “We hope within a year that we’ll have some sort of new amended regional agreement that people can agree upon, at least as much as they can agree upon it, and that we may be able to move forward with a building project for Whittier,” Kosmes said. She said she plans to stay involved with the Whittier community in her retirement, though she is looking forward to spending more time at the beach. She is also a longtime member of the board of directors of the Greater Haverhill YMCA and assistant treasurer of the parish council at Holy Apostles Saints Peter and Paul Greek Orthodox Church in Haverhill. Support the show

Haverhill’s new Acting Police Chief Wayne Tracy says his first few months at the helm have seen a focus on officer training and the introduction of three canines. Tracy, who addressed listeners live as a recent guest on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program, says one of his goals for the department is making sure 90% of officers complete crisis intervention training. “We’re actually are ahead of the curve on that. The state wants departments to have 20% of their department trained on that. We’re at 70%,” he says.  But Tracy notes that when the department brings on new officers, that percentage falls so the training has to be a priority.  The acting chief also says he is pleased the department has added three canines to its force for the first time—two trackers and one comfort dog. Rex was the first to be sworn in last fall and his specialty is locating bombs, Tracy notes. The second tracking dog is still in training and doesn’t yet have a name. This canine’s expertise will be sniffing out drugs. The third dog will be a comfort dog. Calling comfort dogs a “good community policing” tool, Tracy adds, he expects the pup will be as helpful to his officers as to the public at large. Tracy was named to the position in October and is a 21-year veteran of the force. He grew up in the Acre section of Haverhill, graduating from Haverhill High School where he played hockey and football. After college at Southern New Hampshire University, he recalls he was working in a local pizza shop while waiting to take the state’s firefighter civil service exam. A friend suggested he take the police officer civil service test because it was scheduled sooner and the content of the exam is similar. To his surprise, he says, he passed the test and was offered a job.  While he once thought he might switch departments at some point, Tracy says he’s found his place in policing. He points out it’s his regular interactions with the community that gets him to work every day. “Obviously any day you can help somebody, whether it is saving a life to that extreme or just giving them a hand, maybe helping somebody cross the street or something small like that. Those types of things make you feel good,” Tracy says.  Tracy notes he also is continuing his education as he is close to earning his master’s degree through an online program at the University of Mississippi. Support the show

What’s better than a new playground at an elementary school? How about a new playground open to the entire community regardless of mobility issues? The parents at Golden Hill Elementary School decided to expand their dreams of replacing the school’s current playground beyond their school community and launched an effort to build what they are calling the Haverhill Community Playground. While the play area will be off limits during the school day, it will be open after school gets out at 3:15 p.m. during the week, on weekends and during school vacations. Organizer Brittany Safy, parent of a first grader and kindergartener at Golden Hill, is spearheading the effort. She and her team aim to raise $300,000 as well as get commitments of more than 1,000 volunteer hours to actually construct their dream play space in May. Safy recently sat down with WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” host Win Damon and chatted about the playground’s design and objectives. “We started with looking at the playground at Golden Hill and it serves its purpose, but it could serve a bigger purpose. It is a little—let’s just say it could use a facelift,” Safy said of the current playground adjacent to the school at 140 Boardman St. Safy said she became familiar with what playgrounds could be during the COVID-19 pandemic when she found herself driving miles so her children could experience different play spaces. “Our goal really is to create a playground that isn’t just your average playground. It’s something that is a destination playground, a place that maybe community members from surrounding towns come to,” she said. On a visit to Carlisle, she discovered a playground she and her kids liked, so she inquired as to the designer. That led to a relationship with Play By Design, an Ithaca, N.Y., firm that helps communities design unique play areas, fundraise and then build them. The lead designer interviewed students at Golden Hill on a design day in December to find out what they wanted their new playground to include. From those ideas, the group decided the new space must have swings and a basketball court. It will also have two slides, three climbing towers, two obstacle courses and musical elements. The current plan is to start construction Tuesday, May 26, and, with the help of community members, erect it by the end of the weekend on Sunday, May 31. Safy envisions teams of 10 people working four, eight and even 12-hour shifts to get it done. “So members of the community, we’re going to need 180 volunteers a day, are going to build this playground in six days,” Safy said. Making sure the playground is inclusive and welcoming to all children regardless of mobility issues means the play surface will be heavy rubber and the main climbing structure will have ramps wide enough to accommodate a wheelchair. There will be several sensory panels as well as a quiet play area, Safy said. “Some of the great things that are going to make this playground stand out and apart from neighboring playgrounds is that it is going to be fully ADA compliant,” Safy said. Among the fundraising ideas so far is a tile project. For a price, anyone can decorate small pottery squares that will be used to enhance the playground’s entryway, Safy said. The group is also writing grants and seeking in-kind donations of materials. Support the show

DiZoglio, a Methuen Democrat, has been locked in a three-year battle with legislative leaders and state Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell over her initiative to undertake an administrative audit of the legislature. Legislators opposing DiZoglio argue an audit of the Legislature by another state agency violates the separation of powers clause in the state Constitution. Instead, they propose hiring of an outside audit firm. In a wide-ranging interview with WHAV host Win Damon, DiZoglio outlined her new strategy for breaking the deadlock with legislative leaders and the state’s top judge. She asked the public to support a new ballot question she is supporting which would expand the state public records law to include the governor’s office and the legislature. If the petition passes in the state’s November general election, DiZoglio said the financial and contract records she is seeking would be available to the general public as well as the state auditor. Support the show

After holding traditional classes for more than three decades, Urban College of Boston has moved entirely online, bringing its two-year degree and certificate programs to a larger student base.  Yves Salomon-Fernández, president of Urban College of Boston, recently explained the transition and its benefits on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program. She said students at Urban College Boston convinced the administration to move from in-classroom courses to virtual. “Urban College has been around for about 35 years. About three years ago, students pretty much voted with their feet and told us they primarily wanted to be online. So, all of our programs are online and we can reach anyone in Massachusetts and elsewhere, but primarily in Massachusetts,” Salomon-Fernández said. The school continues to maintain administrative offices in Chinatown. Salomon-Fernández added new programs are available in several fields, both courses leading to a two-year associate degree and certificate programs that prepare students for so-called “middle skills” jobs that do not require a four-year college degree. “We have got some exciting new programs coming up in business, in digital marketing, in project management, in paraprofessional studies, early childhood education. So, lots of options, something for everybody,” Salomon-Fernández said. For those considering college later in life, she said they’ll be in good company. The average age of the student body is 34. “We’re getting mostly adults. But I got to tell you, something happened to those kids who went to school during the pandemic, that a lot of them graduated and they said, ‘You know, I don’t know if I want to go away for school. I don’t know if I want to sign up for four years. I don’ t know if I’m ready.’ So, we are seeing some kids who also took some time off and they are working and they said, ‘You know, I can do this online thing,’” she said. The president also noted the school is particularly attractive to non-English speakers because courses are offered in Mandarin, Haitian-Creole, Portuguese and Spanish. Students do need to be proficient in English to graduate, she said, adding the college provides tutoring and other supports to help students succeed. “The goal is for you to master college level English for you to graduate because we are in America, after all, and we want people to be able to get jobs in their disciplines,” she said. Salomon-Fernández is herself an immigrant as she arrived in the United States from Haiti at 12. She is a graduate of Boston Latin School and received her undergraduate degree from the University of Massachusetts Boston. Her master’s degree is from the London School of Economics and her Ph.D. is from Boston College. Originally founded in 1993 by Action for Boston Community Development, a Boston-based anti-poverty agency, Urban College Boston is a private, nonprofit college accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education. Support the show