The Merrimack River Watershed Council’s Matthew Cranney, manager of the organization’s Water Resources projects, will narrate a boat tour of Haverhill’s section of the Merrimack River, focusing on the ecology of the waterway and how the river and its health is inextricably tied to the city’s history.

Haverhill School Committee members unanimously approved Superintendent Margaret Marotta’s contract renewal at its meeting last Thursday, giving her increases rising from $237,490 to $269,552 in 2027. Committee negotiators said they altered the contract to more closely match teachers’ contracts, running four years instead of three. As of Monday’s start...

One of the joys of summer is a meal assembled from freshly harvested produce grown locally. Those who have access to such foods, and the means to buy them, may not realize how lucky they are. For those on fixed incomes, or who lack the resources or ability to travel...

Newburyport Bank recently elevated Joshua P. Sanchez to vice president, residential mortgage officer. Prior to receiving his new appointment, Sanchez worked as assistant vice president and residential mortgage officer in the residential lending division at Newburyport Bank’s Amesbury Lending Center, 43 Main St. A Haverhill resident, Sanchez received his...

In light of fatal and near-fatal drownings recently in Haverhill and other area communities, Essex County District Attorney Paul F. Tucker rolled out an appeal Monday for residents to take certain swimming precautions. Tucker reminded residents of all ages not to swim alone. Parents of very young children can help...

Key Elements, a four-piece New Hampshire-based cover band featuring Plaistow-raised siblings Mike and Liz Comeau, will perform in the next concert in the Plaistow Summer Series. The Comeaus, who honed their musical talents in the Timberlane Band, perform nostalgic favorites from the 70s and 80s with their bandmates. Expect hits...

The Massachusetts Senate last week outlined its approach to creating affordable housing and approved a related amendment from Sen. Pavel M. Payano that would double payments certain developers would have to pay for dense housing projects. Payano’s amendment affects the state’s controversial Chapter 40R overlay zoning designed to promote residential...

Clean River Project founder Rocky Morrison seeks to redouble his organization’s efforts to keep the Merrimack River free of discarded mattresses, syringes, cars and mountains of trash. Appearing last week on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program, Morrison says his group is the only one undertaking this kind of work...

Merrimack Valley Credit Union raised nearly $40,000 at its early June Charity Golf Classic at Atkinson Country Club to support its Financial Edge educational program. Merrimack Valley Credit Union partnered with Banzai to develop Financial Edge, a program that improves the financial literacy of students and adults by offering training and digital tools to schools and community organizations throughout the Merrimack Valley. President and CEO John J. Howard thanked sponsors.

Marine Service Technology Program students at Whitter Regional Vocational Technical High School recently repaired Amesbury Fire Department’s only rescue boat. The boat had been in need of repairs and was out of service when Amesbury Fire Chief James Nolan reached out for help. The boat needed a new engine and changes to its steering system.

Haverhill’s Independence Day celebration and fireworks are a bit early this year, taking place tonight. Festivities kick off at 6 p.m., at Riverside Park, 163 Lincoln Ave., near Haverhill Stadium. There will be live music, food vendors, activities such as face painting and a fireworks display starting at 9:15 p.m.

A 42-year-old Lawrence man was arrested Friday after a drug bust saw the seizure of thousands of orange and blue pills, a kilo-sized brick of powder and nearly $250,000 in cash. Essex County District Attorney Paul F. Tucker and acting Lawrence Police Chief Melix Bonilla said Friday the raid took...

State Police Bomb Squad technicians this afternoon conducted, what they called, “a controlled detonation” of an explosive device and leftover explosive materials at a Haverhill home. Residents near the 5 Rosebud Ave, Haverhill, home who had been evacuated as a safety precaution were allowed back into their homes,...

(Additional photographs below.) Haverhill’s recent LGBTQIA+ Pride Month celebration on the steps outside City Hall brought for the first time the heartfelt emotions of a community ally, made even more poignant by actions on this day in 1969. Haverhill Patrolman Penny Portalla, a lifelong Haverhill resident and mother of...

Michael E. Jarvis of Haverhill was one of 25 recruits from 18 fire departments to graduate last night from the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy’s Call/Volunteer Recruit Firefighter Training Class. Jarvis, who already serves as a call firefighter in Groveland, is expected to serve at one of Haverhill’s two call fire...

Lawrence-based Family Services of the Merrimack Valley is one of five community organizations selected statewide to share in $8.3 million in state and federal grants to pay for suicide prevention crisis call centers. The state Department of Public Health said Thursday the money supports the continuation of the 988 Suicide...

Haverhill High School has released its fourth-term honor roll, naming students who have earned Honors with Distinction, High Honors and Honors. A full list appears below. Boluwatife Adebayo, Javon Adebayo, Janine Alcivar, Joseph Alleva, Meredith Amirian, Jvian Andino, Ashley Auguste, Samar Awad Salib, Sarah Awad Salib, William Axford, Matthew Baker, Rodolfo Baltodano Reyes, Joy Barman, Joshua Bedient, Jacob Brindis, Miles Bunyar, Marcelina Burrowes, Keira Bushey, Lauryn Calkins, Ella Carroll, Makaylia Cederman, Ava Champa, Sophia Ciccariello, Sophie Coelho, Brenna Corcoran, Isaac Cortes Polo, Sophie Da Silveira, Jaydan Dacey, Thayslaine DaSilva, Sophia DeFrank, Emily Dicker, Kiernan Doody, Francis Dow, Lauren Downer, Aya Elkadmiri, Eve Farrell, Olivia Feil, Edward Feoli, Isabella Foskett, Avery Fumia, Cecilia Geyer, Vasiliki Gioldasis, Madeline Goncalves, Halina Grabski, Cadia Griffin, Molly Guthrie, Katelynn Hannon, Isabella Harb, Orly Hess, Mason Holmes, Yashira Huertas, Shayla Igoe, Sierra Jepson, Chloe Jones, Molly Jordan, Jayla Joseph, Nevaeh Joubert, Lauren Keenan, Mariam Khair, Luke Klauka, Sophie Kwiatkowski, Sophia Lafontaine, Sophia Lee, Caydan Lessard, Ryan Lessard, Andrew Leung, Taylor Lewis, Isabella Libucha, Jack Libucha, Maytrix Marderosian, Kaelie McCracken, Marjorie McIrvin, Abigail Mejia, Malika Meskine, Makayla Miller, Ariel Minervini, Hannah Minnis, Abby Mistretta, Ava Mueller, Khoi Nguyen Le, Ezequiel Ovalle Blanco, April Paez, Georgios Papanikolaou, Disha Patel, Kathryn Pelczar, Grace Pelletier, Alexis Pernilla-Roche, Lucas Pew, Alexander Pinardi, Julianne Piraino, Claire Plourde, Gabriel Potter, Emmalynn Proia, Livia Qose, Saralis Ramirez Rosario, Emmanuela Raymond, Dean Reinoso, Kaitlyn Reynolds, Sophia Riley, Maria Jose Rodriguez, Alexavier Rosado, Cecily Russell, Hannah Russo, Brennah Ryan, Gianna Salvato, Jillian Schultz, Rebecca Seneca, Na’Mat Shqair, Alec Simoneau, Joseph Simoneau, Luke Smith, Mia Smith, Asher Snay, Charles Sparrow, Miles Stapel, Rowan Staples, Brennan Tarasuk, Tristan Taylor, Brian Tejeda, Emiliano Tiburcio Munoz, Ryan Trebicka, Manuel Troncoso De La Cruz, Chloe Truong, Mikayla Tzortzis, Nick Tzortzis, Isabel Whittaker, Cameron Whitten, Isabella Wingren, Jakob Winslow, Aidan Wood, Cale Wood, Grace Wood, Gracie-laine Woodburn, Sean Wynn, Alexandra Yattaw and Sean Ziminski.

The work of the blossoming artists (pun intended) at Marigold Montessori Preschool will be on display this summer for all to see. During the school year, with the help of the Haverhill Cultural Council, students explored the ways artists from all over the world used their artistic voices to connect to the world around. Using those lessons, they crafted their art from this inspiration to find and share their unique creative voice with their community.

For the second year in a row, the Northern Essex Community College Knights baseball program is home to the country’s top pitcher in the National Junior College Athletic Association. This year, the Haverhill community college produced the nation’s strikeout leader, with more than 18 ½ per nine innings, for...

(Additional photographs below.) A dozen new Haverhill firefighters were sworn in this week as they joined five promoted to lieutenant and three promoted to captain as the department moves toward its goal of 110 uniformed members. During a ceremony Tuesday in City Hall auditorium, Fire Chief Robert M. O’Brien oversaw...