Just one more week and all will be revealed: The Gazette's "Best of Haverhill" issue will be published on Aug. 5. There are many first-time winners in this year's balloting.
Former Haverhill resident Shawn Clancy, now living in Seattle, is writing a book about Bob Montana, creator of the "Archie" comic. The phone lines are being kept busy as Clancy calls former friends and schoolmates of Montana. Wonder if he will identify any local blonde-haired ladies as Betty.
An active social club is moving from a downtown location to the outskirts.
Friendly rivalry: Haverhill's Carlos Pena of the Tampa Bay Rays and David Ortiz of the Red Sox are running neck and neck in the home run race for the American League, with both in the low 20s. And both are star first basemen.
The Sonic drive-in restaurant chain has pulled back from a proposed site on Cushing Avenue, but residents of upper Main Street remember that plans for new businesses have gone through in the past despite interruptions.
Something, probably food, is drawing golden eagles to the downtown area of the Merrimack River, sometimes singly but also frequently in greater numbers, as many as six to eight, Look for them a couple of times a week near the Basiliere Bridge. Unlike the bald eagle, which has a white head, the golden eagle's top portion is a browner hue.
Friends of Danny Gobbi are puzzled at the layoff of the hard-working Haverhill Stadium groundskeeper just as work starts on a new surface. He has also been doing work at the high school without extra travel pay, friends say.
Watch for word of a prestigious Fulbright Scholarship for a recent college graduate from Haverhill.
The Lamplighter noted that days after an underground pipe burst on South Main Street, flooding Kelly's restaurant's basement, water continued to bubble up through the pavement along the property line of a nearby pharmacy.
Sneak preview: Visitors to The Haverhill Gazette's photojournalism exhibit during the Aug. 14 River Ruckus will see an amusing photo of a former mayoral candidate. No more clues ... you'll have to see it for yourself. The exhibit will be mounted in the former Haverhill Antiques building, next to The Tap brew pub and restaurant.
Skywatchers this week were rewarded with the sight of a big, bright orange full moon rising above the tree line in the east at the same time the planet Venus was sparkling high in the west as the evening star.
Will it be three times in a row? The popular Winnekenni Castle Chowderfest is on Sunday, Aug. 8, from noon to 5 p.m. Olivia's Restaurant has taken the award the last two years. It remains to be seen whether the restaurant's offering will remain undefeated. This is the third year of competition.
Time to start paying attention to politics again ... the Sept. 14 primary for the 2010 midterm elections is a little more than five weeks away. Haverhill Republicans will have an active campaign season as three members of their party are battling for the chance to challenge incumbent Congresswoman Niki Tsongas.
