Merrimac
GOVERNMENT
Did You Know That New Hampshire’s Seacoast Has 3 Wicked Haunted Places Within 20 Miles of Each Other?
Ghost stories are as compelling today as they were when we were little kids underneath our blankets with flashlights. There is something about spooky spirits around us that grab our attention. The New Hampshire Seacoast has three wicked haunted buildings, all within 20 miles of each other. There's a Ghost...
Seabrook selectman rebuked for campaigning against firefighters' contract
SEABROOK — Selectmen announced Monday they settled an unfair labor practice that alleged Selectman Srinivasan “Ravi” Ravikumar campaigned against the firefighters' contract behind the scenes. The settlement puts to rest the complaint Seabrook Firefighters Local 2847 filed with the New Hampshire Public Employee Labor Relation Board in...
UNICO Merrimack Valley Presents Leadership Award to Former Haverhill Councilor Bevilacqua
Former Haverhill city councilor and Merrimack Valley Chamber of Commerce President Joseph J. Bevilacqua this week was presented with the UNICO Merrimack Valley Leadership Award. UNICO Merrimack Valley is a chapter of the largest Italian-American service organization in the country that was founded in 1922. UNICO Board President Domenico Staniscia...
Hook Up to Breezeline After Labor Day
SALISBURY – Breezeline has recently started installing fiber-optic cables here to provide high-speed internet services. The task will be finished before Labor Day, the company said. In its first community on the Massachusetts North Shore, fiber is being installed on telephone poles on several streets, while other streets will...
Providence Employee No Longer Works for Georgetown
GEORGETOWN – The head-scratching move to share a part-time human resources officer who works with the city of Providence, RI, is over – at least for now. Paul Winspeare, the Rhode Island human resources officer, was working for the town of Georgetown about 10 hours a week at $75 an hour since last December.
City of Newburyport Receives $51,910 State Grant to Enhance Cybersecurity
NEWBURYPORT — The City of Newburyport has received a state grant that will help the city enhance its ability to respond to a cybersecurity attack. The City will receive $51,910 from the Commonwealth’s Municipal Local Cybersecurity Grant Program. This grant allows city and school departments to create and update incident response plans and materials needed to ensure operational continuity following a cyberattack.
Essex court finds 2023 CCC regulations cannot be applied retroactively
An Essex Superior Court decision on June 10 upheld a contract between the city of Haverhill and a marijuana retailer in the city, finding that regulations issued by the Cannabis Control Commission last September cannot be applied retroactively. The parties in the case — the city and a business called...
Hampton Beach leaders back major Casino redevelopment: ‘It needs to be revitalized’
Beach officials are endorsing a future redevelopment of the Hampton Beach Casino, though a bill that failed in the Legislature could delay plans being filed with the town to at least 2025. The Hampton Beach Village District commissioners voted 3-0 in June to endorse the project by Casino majority owner...
Plaistow Seeks Volunteers to Join Old Home Day Committee
Plaistow’s Old Home Day Committee is looking for residents to join the group that plans and oversees the annual festivities. Committee members will work together each other, representatives from the Board of Selectmen and other town officials to put on Plaistow’s Old Home Day for 2025. Those interested...
Squirrels are to blame for majority of recent power outages in Ipswich
IPSWICH — Greenheads have long held the title as most annoying pest of the summer, but there’s another contender climbing the ranks (and utility poles). According to interim electric light manager Dylan Lewellyn, squirrels are mostly to blame for a growing number of power outages throughout Ipswich. A...
Commission focuses on Pink House
ANDOVER — The pink house saga has continued to simmer this summer with hearings requested and committees formed. The Benjamin Franklin Smith House at 65 Central St., has long been a landmark with sentimental value for many residents. “Growing up in Andover, this was always the house that whenever...
4 MA Towns Tie For “Worst BBQ” On Bogus Best BBQ Cities List
Anytime anyone makes a “Best Of” list, feathers get ruffled. As a Massachusetts resident, this Best BBQ Cities list ruffled mine. The list comes courtesy of LawnStarter, and it’s a ranking of the Best BBQ Cities in America. They “looked at access to barbecue vendors and smokehouses, consumer ratings, competition awards, and the number of barbecue festivals, among 20 total metrics.”
Exeter’s iconic Ioka Theater marquee shines bright in Ohio museum: 'Glitzy and new'
EXETER — The iconic Ioka Theater marquee has found new life as its vibrant pink-and-green neon lights now shine brightly at the American Sign Museum in Cincinnati, Ohio. Laurie A. Couture, who worked to house the famous downtown Exeter landmark at the museum, drove nearly 2,000 miles from New Hampshire across four days for its official unveiling Friday. ...
Major developments in Exeter: Here's the latest on Ioka, Gateway and other projects
EXETER — The Gateway to Exeter, which will bring 224 housing units to Epping Road, is set to break ground this summer, while a project to transform the old Ioka theater into a mixed-use building with condos is nearing completion. Darren Winham, Exeter’s economic development director, recently gave the...
Ipswich legal notice: 30 Town Farm Road
Commission, in accordance with M.G.L. on Wednesday, July 24, 2024, at 7 p.m. more information, call 978-356-6661. Would you like your week wrapped up? Sign up for our Friday newsletters for a look back and a look ahead. We won't sell (or give away) your email address. The Ipswich Local...
Newburyport Mayor’s Office: FY2025 Adopted Budget Snapshot
Mayor Sean Reardon: On June 25th, the City Council voted to adopt my proposed FY25 budget with no amendments. My administration worked hard to develop a responsible budget that would provide the excellent services expected by residents while staying within the limits of Proposition 2 ½ and avoiding excessive burdens for tax payers. The budget has increased 4.4% from last year, which equates to roughly $487 for a median home value of $944,000, or roughly a 5% increase for the average taxpayer due to increased home assessments and the challenges of inflation. I do not take this increase lightly and we will continue to look for ways to improve city efficiency to reduce the burden on taxpayers. I believe we have accomplished a lot over the past year, thanks to your support, and I am proud of where Newburyport stands. We are working hard toward our shared goals for the City, including addressing our road, sidewalk and water infrastructure, supporting our youth and families through our schools and proposed recreation center, and completing long-envisioned capital projects such as the Fire Station and Market Landing Park. You can read more about our accomplishments and future plans here.
Methuen Plans Purchase of Historic Searles Estate; Perry to Seek Council Support
Methuen plans to purchase the historic estate of the late Edward F. Searles from the Sisters of Presentation of Mary and establish an independent commission to guide its future. Methuen Mayor Neil Perry said Tuesday the city last Friday signed an agreement, subject to City Council approval, to buy the...
Successful Donation Drive for Veterans and Deployed Troops
Joint Operations, a cannabis dispensary with three locations across Massachusetts, is thrilled to announce the tremendous success of their recent donation drive in collaboration with the esteemed non-profit organization “Thanks to Yanks.” The drive, which began on May 18th and continued until Memorial Day, generated significant donations aimed at supporting deployed troops and veterans in need.
Middleton Community Library Announces Summer Reading Winners
The Middleton Community Library named four students as the winners of its Summer Reading Program that was held every Thursday in June. The winners are Cooper, Pre-Reader winner; Raymond, Early Reader winner; Bailey, Intermediate Reader winner; and Lindsay, Teen Reader winner. The Summer Reading Program included the reading challenge, a...
Ipswich Planning Board newslets: Weatherall gone, MBTA zoning vote dates, dud cartoon
Tom Hammond was welcomed to the board at its meeting last week as a new full-time member. He will serve a five-year term until 2029. Helen Weatherall’s term expired, and she is no longer on the board. Mitchell Lowe was reappointed for another term, also until 2029. Asked if...
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