Quality of Life 26/02/05

A graphic the shape of the state of New Hampshire, filled in with the New Hampshire flag made up of the crest of New Hampshire on a blue field.

Frozen pipes

As reported by WMUR in a Jan. 27 online article, the recent cold weather has led to frozen pipes throughout New Hampshire. “As frigid weather continues in New Hampshire,” the article read, “plumbers say they’re keeping busy fixing frozen pipes.” WMUR quoted Steve Labbe, a plumber who has responded to dozens of frozen pipe calls over the past week or two.

QOL score: -1

Comment: According to the WMUR story, Labbe said: “It mostly happens to people that go away for vacation for a week, and they don’t know when they have no heat,” he said. “And then the house freezes up. We’ve seen that. And that’s thousands and thousands of dollars to fix.”

Can she declare a recess?

The Honorable Liv Crete-Sayer of Boscawen has been sworn in. As reported on nh.kidgovernor.org, the official website of the New Hampshire Kid Governor organization, [Kid] Governor Crete-Sayer and her Kid Executive Council “were inaugurated in a ceremony on Tuesday, January 27th in the NH House Chambers. Chief Justice Gordon MacDonald administered the oath of office and Governor Kelly Ayotte and other New Hampshire dignitaries presided.” Crete-Sayer’s “platform is to educate NH kids on the dangers of smoking, vaping, and drugs,” a post on the website read.

QOL score: +1

Comment: As explained on its website, “New Hampshire’s Kid Governor is a national award-winning civics program led by NH Civics in partnership with the New Hampshire Institute of Politics”.

More hungry families

As reported by NH Hunger Solutions (nhhungersolutions.org) on its website, with the future of the State’s SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) uncertain, 76,000 New Hampshire residents are at risk of going hungry. “The cost of operating SNAP in New Hampshire has increased,” the report said. “Historically, the state and federal government split administrative costs 50/50. Now, the state is required to cover 75% of the costs — an estimated $5.75 million increase to the state’s budget to run the program…. SNAP is our first line of defense against hunger in our state”

QOL score: -1

Comment: In a Jan. 23 blog post, the New Hampshire Fiscal Policy Institute (nhfpi.org) wrote, “Food insecurity in New Hampshire, while still lower than the national average, has been rising since the Covid-19 pandemic-era low.”

QOL score: 54

Net change: -1

QOL this week: 53

What’s affecting your Quality of Life here in New Hampshire?

Let us know at news@hippopress.com.

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