by Nancy West, InDepthNH.org December 25, 2025 By NANCY WEST, InDepthNH.org To speed up deportations, the Trump administration plans to hold 80,000 immigrants in warehouses across the country, including in Merrimack, NH, according to a story published Wednesday in the Washington Post. Quoting internal U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement documents, the Post said the plan includes seven large-scale holding centers to stage 5,000 to 10,000 people for deportation each and 16 smaller ones such as in Merrimack to hold between 500 and 1,500, and would include renovating industrial warehouses.

By Alison Kuznitz As thousands of residents drop coverage or hunt for higher-priced plans through the Massachusetts Health Connector, Gov. Maura Healey said Tuesday officials are exploring how to connect residents with other insurance options. “We’ve seen premiums expected to increase two or three times,” Healey said on GBH News’ Boston Public Radio. “Now the good news—and I hope to be out with more word on this soon—we’re working to see how we can come up with ways to cover people.”

The family’s discarded Christmas tree can become an amusement for farm animals in January as Goats to Go conducts its eighth annual Christmas Tree Drop. Officially known as Great Rock Farm in Georgetown, Goats to Go gives Christmas trees a second life. The owners say, “Donated trees become sensory playgrounds for the farm’s goats, sheep, llama, alpacas, and even chickens. The scent, texture, and challenge of evergreen branches encourage curiosity and movement—an important boost during the quieter winter months.”

Anna Jaques Hospital of Newburyport recently earned an “A” Hospital Safety Grade from The Leapfrog Group, an independent national nonprofit watchdog focused on patient safety. Leapfrog assigns a grade to general hospitals across the country based on more than 30 measures of errors, accidents, injuries and infections as well as the systems hospitals have in place to prevent them. “Earning an ‘A’ Grade means Anna Jaques Hospital made a true commitment to put patient safety first,” explained Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group.

Editor’s Note: Dr. Raymond F. Comeau, a Haverhill native and poet, observes the holiday season offers greater potential for con artists. In his latest poem, “Ensnared by a Con,” Comeau doesn’t specifically define the criminal, leaving to readers and listeners to paint within their own minds a picture of the con—whether the common thief or perhaps one cloaked in religious, business or political trappings.

Children ages 5 to 18 can get protection again influenza at a free vaccination clinic offered by the Haverhill Public Health Department. Shots will be offered Friday, Jan. 2, from 1-3 p.m. at Haverhill Citizens Center, 10 Welcome St., Haverhill. “Get your flu vaccine before winter break is over,” urges Public Health Nurse Mary Ryan. Walk-ins are welcome, but Ryan said she’d appreciate if those planning to come make a reservation with her by calling 978-374-2390, ext.

Local historian, educator and filmmaker E. Philip Brown recently delivered a presentation on Haverhill’s role in the American Revolution to members of the Brig. Gen. James Brickett—Old Newbury Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution. Brown, who refers to himself as “Citizen Brown,” combined historical storytelling with audience participation, highlighting Haverhill’s contributions to the Revolutionary cause and its post-war development.

Linda M. Greenstein last month was awarded the 2025 Ministry in Community Action, or MICAH, award of the Merrimack Valley Project, a community organizing coalition of churches, labor unions and community organizations. Trinity-Trinidad Episcopal Church in Haverhill, together with its community service partner Urban Bridges, nominated Greenstein ion recognition of her “creative and tireless leadership over many years to ensure the success of the Academy of Creative Arts and Dinah’s House programs which are located at Trinity.”

Whittier Regional Vocational Technical School is offering 200 hours of career training this summer at no cost to Massachusetts residents 18 and over who are unemployed or underemployed. The school’s Summer 2026 Career Technical Initiative includes trainings to prepare for full-time careers in eight areas—advanced manufacturing, auto body repair, carpentry, culinary arts, construction craft laborer, electrical, marine technology and plumbing.

Laurie LaChapelle recently joined BrightBridge Credit Union as executive vice president and chief financial officer. LaChapelle is credited with having more than 20 years of financial services experience, including leadership within the credit union industry and a deep commitment to the cooperative mission of supporting members and communities. “I was drawn to BrightBridge because of the people and the organization’s unwavering mission to help members,” LaChapelle said.

Students attending Northern Essex Community College’s Haverhill Police Academy are among those at Municipal Police Training Committee-operated academies taking part in holiday drives to support and cheer residents. Haverhill students participated in two community initiatives, supporting special Olympic athletes and taking up a gift collection that provided toys, grocery card and fuel cards for youth and their families at Boys and Girls Clubs in the region.

Joshua Pelletier, the Atkinson, N.H. man charged with allegedly defacing 36 Stop signs in downtown Haverhill last summer, is due back in court Friday, Jan. 30. An administrator in the Haverhill District Court clerk’s office told WHAV Pelletier’s case was continued from Wednesday, Dec. 10, to give his lawyer time to file a motion. Pelletier is represented by attorney Alisa M.

(Additional image below.) On Christmas Eve 80 years ago, one of the earliest and most visible steps on the road to building WHAV took place when two dynamite blasts destroyed but didn’t completely topple the dilapidated Tilton’s Tower on Silver Hill. Haverhill Gazette Publisher John T. “Jack” Russ, founder of Haverhill’s first radio station, was on hand Monday, Dec. 24, to witness the blasts set off by Andover contractor Edward Topping under the direction of William H.

Bethany Communities’ newest senior apartment building, Merrimack Corner, is hosting members of the Merrimack Valley Chamber of Commerce in January. A networking breakfast is planned for Wednesday, Jan. 14, from 8-9:15 a.m., at Merrimack Corner at Bethany Communities, 98 Water St., Haverhill. Admission is $10 each for Chamber members and $20 each for non-members and mat be reserved online at MerrimackValleyChamber.com or by calling 978-686-0900.

A traditional gathering for the whole family in front of the radio is the setting for WHAV’s Christmas eve holiday and dramatic programs. Extended Christmas programming begins after the 6 p.m. local and national news with the reading of “The Night the Wolves Came to Christmas,” written by Georgetown author Richard F. Zapf. The story will also be repeated following the 9 a.m.

Ruth Sullivan got an early Christmas present when she stopped into a health clinic at her housing complex recently. In addition to having her blood pressure checked, Sullivan was handed 25 $1 vouchers for taxi rides of her choice. An initiative of the Haverhill’s Breakfast Exchange Club, Happy Rides program seeks to break down social isolation and promote social connection by offering low-income seniors the trip vouchers which they can use for what they like.

The Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce moves next month from Harbor Place on Merrimack Street to a storied Washington Street storefront. Greater Haverhill Chamber President and CEO Katie Cook appeared on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program Monday and said the business organization moves to the city’s retail heart about the middle of January. “The Chamber should be storefront, down, usually accessible for individuals to pop in and ask questions about businesses.

Merrimack College, with help from two investors, purchased Royal Crest Estates, an apartment complex across from its main campus in North Andover. The $254 million purchase was recorded Monday at the Northern Essex County Registry of Deeds. The new owner is 50 Royal Crest Owner, a limited liability corporation managed by Salvatore N. Lupoli, chief executive officer of Lupoli Companies in Lawrence, and Joseph L.

The Merrimack Valley Branch of the NAACP is looking for sponsors to help defray the cost of its annual Martin Luther King Breakfast. This year’s breakfast is Monday, Jan. 19, at 8:30 a.m., at Doubletree Boston-Andover Hotel, 123 Old River Road, Andover. Tickets are $45 for adults, $25 for seniors and $10 for children 10 and under. Delia Duran-Clark, executive director of the Mill Cities Leadership Institute in Lawrence, will be the keynote speaker.

Haverhill City Council candidates, on average, spent less on their election campaigns this past fall than their peers in all but one of the state’s largest cities. A report Monday by the Massachusetts Office of Campaign and Political Finance found Haverhill candidates for city council spent an average of $3,039 on their efforts to win election—the second lowest number among the 17 cities with 65,000 or more residents.

A telephone threat Monday morning of a bomb at Groveland’s Dr. Elmer S. Bagnall School brought swift evacuation of staff at the elementary school, but was determined to be unfounded. Groveland and school officials said an administrator shortly after 8 a.m., at Bagnall School followed normal opening procedures and discovered “a nonspecific bomb threat” on the school’s voicemail. Following protocols, administrators notified the Groveland Police Department and the school building was evacuated as a precaution and prior to the arrival of students and school buses.

Thanks to a change in state law, Haverhill has pretty much given up on collecting so-called ongoing cannabis impact fees from the city’s four marijuana dispensaries. The city, however, is hoping one shop, Mello on Amesbury Road, will agree to pay an earlier assessment allowed before the law changed in 2022 as a condition of its license renewal, according to Christine Lindberg, chief of staff to Haverhill Mayor Melinda E.

The public has opportunities to shape policy this week as various Haverhill boards meet. In the interest of transparency in government, WHAV provides this list of upcoming meetings every week on air and online. Residents of Haverhill’s public housing complexes are getting a second chance to comment in person on the Haverhill Housing Authority’s goals for the next year. A public hearing on the Authority’s annual plan for next year will be held Monday, Dec.

(Additional photograph below.) Ski Bradford opened this past Saturday for its 76th season, offering skiing and snowboarding. Ski Bradford reopens again Christmas Eve daytime, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., at 60 S. Cross Road, Haverhill. The resort continues with the same hours Friday, Dec. 26, through Sunday, Dec. 28. The full schedule is available online SkiBradford.com. “We’re excited to kick off another season at Ski Bradford,” said Dennis Gauvin, marketing manager for Ski Bradford.

Northern Essex Community College Theater was recently selected by the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival to perform its earlier production of “The Vagina Monologues” by Eve Ensler at the Region I Conference 58 in New York next month. The show features alumna Mirrorajah Metcalfe of Haverhill, class of 2025, and students Maggie Evans, Jenny Ngo and Naima Eve, all of Haverhill.