Year: 2024

Tuition freeze

The Community College System of New Hampshire is keeping tuition at the same $215 per credit rate for the 2024-2025 school year, according to a July 18 press release from the organization. The Board of Trustees approved a budget that included the tuition rate, which has stayed the same for in-state tuition since 2018, the release said. The tuition freeze applies to 200 certificate and degree programs at all seven community colleges and affiliated academic centers (including campus, online and hybrid offerings), the release said.

“We want to ensure that high-quality postsecondary education is within reach for all New Hampshire families, whether they are looking for technical training for the trades, preparing for careers in healthcare, or building a strong foundation for pursuing a college degree in virtually any field,” said Mark Rubinstein, Chancellor of the Community College System of New Hampshire, in the release.

NH community colleges serve 24,000 students annually in degree and certificate programs, dual-credit courses for NH high school students, non-credit offerings, and customized training with businesses, and through CCSNH’s workforce program, ApprenticeshipNH, according to the release. In-state tuition is set at $215 per credit for New Hampshire residents, a full-time courseload of 30 credits per year costs $6,450 plus fees, the release said.

See ccsnh.edu for more on the individual colleges and for information for Pell grant eligible students.

Old news

According to a press release, the New Hampshire Division of Historical Resources has announced that the United States Secretary of the Interior has listed the Kensington Town Center Historic District in the National Register of Historic Places for its long history serving as a town center as well as for the architectural significance of its properties.

The Town of Kensington was incorporated in 1761 and was originally part of Hampton. The half-mile-long Kensington Town Center Historic District remains an active town center and includes 27 well-preserved public and private properties that reflect the development of a rural southern New Hampshire town center over the course of nearly 250 years, according to the press release.

Most buildings in the district are wood-framed and were built in the late 18th through late 19th centuries. Their styles reflect the function and tastes of the time and include Georgian, Federal, Greek Revival, Italianate, Queen Anne, Classical Revival and Colonial Revival details, according to the release.

The north end of the district, which has historically been referred to as the Upper Village, has provided civic and religious functions from the time the town was incorporated and features three buildings that are architecturally typical of a New Hampshire village. These are the Union Meetinghouse/Universalist Church (1839-1840), Kensington Town House (1846) and First Congregational Church (1865-66). The Lower Village has a greater mix of historically significant properties that range from residential to religious and commercial to cultural, according to the release.

Almost two dozen Revolutionary War veterans are buried in the public cemeteries, along with veterans of the War of 1812, the Mexican War and the Civil War, according to the release.

Three buildings within the district were previously listed in the National Register of Historic Places: the Union Meeting House/Universalist Church (listed in 2013), Kensington Town House (2013) and Kensington Social Library (2020). A fourth, the First Congregational Church, was listed to the State Register of Historic Places in 2019, according to the release. Visit nhdhr.dncr.nh.gov.

Learn to hunt

According to a press release, New Hampshire residents can sign up now to take Hunter Education classes to be ready for all of the coming fall’s seasons online. There are in-person courses and online offerings. To complete a class, participants will be required to attend a field day, a schedule of which will be provided upon completion of either type of course, according to the release.

Walk-ins are accepted at in-person trainings on a space-available basis, but seats are never guaranteed, so pre-registration is highly recommended, according to the release.

Hunter Education is required in New Hampshire before a new hunter age 16 or older can purchase their first hunting license. Children under 16 are permitted to hunt with a properly licensed adult hunter who is at least 18, according to the release. Participants must be at least 12 years old by the last day of the course to achieve certification in basic Hunter Education and students must be at least 12 years old to take the online course with a field day. New Hampshire’s Hunter Education course provides firearms and archery certification, according to the release.

Hunters who purchased an Apprentice Hunting License last year must take Hunter Education before they can purchase a hunting license, according to the release.

Hunter Education in New Hampshire is funded with Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration by an excise tax on firearms, ammunition and archery equipment, according to the release.

Visit wildlife.nh.gov/hunting-nh/hunter-education or call 271-3214.

Organized by the Merrimack Valley Military Vehicle Collectors Club, this year’s Weare Rally will go from Friday, July 25, to Sunday, July 27, at Center Woods School (14 Center Road). The rally features military vehicle displays, scenic rides, demonstrations, food and more. The cost is $5 per family. See mvmvc.org.

The annual Summer Psychic & Craft Fair returns for a 13th year to Weirs Beach Community Center (25 Lucerne Ave., Laconia) on Saturday, July 27, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Hosted by CAYA Reiki and Healing, the event will include psychic readings, vendors and door prizes. Admission is free. See eventbrite.com for ticket information.

Tickets are on sale for the 2024 Annual Celebration of the Humanities from New Hampshire Humanities on Wednesday, Oct. 16, at 7 p.m. at the Tupelo Music Hall in Derry. The event will feature as keynote speaker Gregory Maguire, author of the novel Wicked. Tickets start at $35; see nhhumanities.org/celebrate.

Registration is open for the Friends of Aine’s annual Kids Try-athlon, which will be held Sunday, Aug. 11, starting at 8 a.m. in Bedford. Kids ages 4 to 15 will participate in three events — swimming, running and biking — in age-based groups. The event features a post-race family festival and registration costs $40. The event is a fundraiser for Friends of Aine Center for Grieving Children & Families, which offers bereavement services for children. See friendsofaine.com.