Author: The Hippo Press

Covid-19 news

State health officials reported 267 new cases of Covid-19 on May 9. The state averaged 516 new cases per day over the most recent seven-day period, a 31 percent increase from the week before. As of May 9 there were 20 hospitalizations statewide.

Homelessness report

Last week, the New Hampshire Coalition to End Homelessness released its annual report on the State of Homelessness in New Hampshire. According to a press release, the report shows that the number of unsheltered homeless people more than doubled across the state from 2020 to 2021, with 4,682 total unduplicated individuals and people in families experiencing homelessness in the 2021 calendar year – “likely because of the pandemic’s impact over the two fiscal years.” There were some successes, like 17 percent less family homelessness, “likely due to the comprehensive homeless prevention programs implemented utilizing the significant infusion of federal Covid-19 resources in NH.” The report was compiled using data from state and federal sources, including the Homeless Management Information System and the State of New Hampshire Official Point-In-Time Count (conducted on Jan. 23, 2021, the Point-in-Time Count identified 1,491 people, including children, who were homeless during a 24-hour timeframe). “It is important to understand the underlying impact that the pandemic has had on people experiencing homelessness in New Hampshire. This knowledge, along with this report’s clear picture of who the homeless population is in our state, lends itself to identifying where our energy should be placed — what policy changes, funding investments, and program recommendations should be considered,” Stephanie Savard, Director of the NHCEH, said in the release. Meanwhile, a new study from NHCEH and the University of NH School of Social Work is currently underway exploring the perceptions and experiences of Black, Indigenous and People of Color who currently or formerly experienced homelessness in a predominantly white rural state, the release said.

DHHS website

The decade-old New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services website has been redesigned with new and enhanced customer-centric features so visitors can more easily find the information they need. According to a press release, the dhhs.nh.gov address will remain the same, but there will be new site features like an easy-to-use search function with tags and categories, and a “How Can I Help You” box prominently displayed on the homepage, with a list of most requested topics. Dropdown menus feature popular programs and services, and new sections include Apply for Assistance, Doing Business with DHHS, and Reports, Regulations & Statistics. Enhanced accessibility options include the ability to change text size, make the cursor larger and change the contrast, text spacing and font, and the site can be translated into any language supported by Google Translate. The first DHHS logo was created as part of the website redesign and shows a person surrounded by the supports and services the department provides.

AED awareness

The New Hampshire Department of Safety, Division of Emergency Services and Communications has partnered with PulsePoint to improve and update the state’s AED registry. According to a press release, an automated external defibrillator, which delivers an electric shock to the heart, can be deployed by anyone and can help keep a heart attack victim alive until treatment arrives. In 2012, the state established an AED registry and further required the registration of all AEDs in the state, in part to identify fixed-location AEDs based on associated telephone numbers for inclusion in the Enhanced 9-1-1 system’s database. But nearly 80 percent of all calls to 9-1-1 now come from cell phones, and those callers need to be directed to an AED associated with their location. With PulsePoint, registered AEDs can be displayed on a map visible to telecommunicators taking 9-1-1 calls, so they can get the caller to a nearby AED, and PulsePoint’s data integrates with software that guides telecommunicators by providing medical instructions that can be relayed to the caller. Anyone deploying an AED in New Hampshire is required by law to register it with the Division of Emergency Services and Communications.

Road project meeting

A public Alternatives Meeting about intersection improvements at South Willow Street and Weston Road in Manchester will be held Wednesday, May 18, at 6 p.m. at the Department of Public Works at 475 Valley St., Manchester. According to a press release, HDR Inc., the city’s consultant, will discuss the project’s purpose and recommended improvements. The main purpose of the meeting is to present the identified alternatives, the pros and cons of each, and a detailed narrative of why the proposed action best meets the project’s purpose. Comments will be collected on the project’s objectives, proposed design alternatives and recommended action for the intersection improvements.

The Honorable Jane E. Young was sworn in on May 2 as the U.S. Attorney for the District of New Hampshire. According to a press release, Chief U.S. District Judge Landya McCafferty administered the oath of office at the federal courthouse in Concord. Young served as the Deputy Attorney General for the New Hampshire Department of Justice from 2018 to 2022 and has held various leadership positions in the office since she joined in 1992, the release said.

The First Parish Church in East Derry will be selling military flags and patriotic flowers the weekends of May 21 and May 28 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. by the church parking lot at 47 E. Derry Road. According to a press release, all donations will go toward the rehabilitation of the 275-year-old building.

Dr. Norman W. Crisp Elementary School in Nashua has been awarded a $25,000 grant from the Children’s Literacy Foundation, which will go toward books for classrooms and students as well as author visits and other special literacy-based events that encourage reading for knowledge and pleasure. According to a press release, the grant is awarded to elementary and middle schools serving pre-K through grade 6 that have demonstrated a commitment to literacy and creative ideas for celebrating reading and writing.