Battered and fried fish, served with french fries and often coleslaw and tartar sauce, is a classic comfort dish. Find out what local restaurants do to make their fish and chips stand out, then head out for a plate that will warm you up as the weather cools down
Also on the cover, Two annual events, the Nashua ArtsWalk and the New Hampshire Writers’ Project’s conference, are going virtual this year, p. 14. Whether you refuse to acknowledge that summer is over or you fully embrace the fall chill, there’s a cocktail for you, p. 24. And see Grenon play live at the Bank of NH Stage, p.30.
Covid-19 updateAs of October 4As of October 11Total cases statewide8,6459,143Total current infections statewide492685Total deaths statewide443456New cases437 (Sept. 29 to Oct ...
A rare plant was discovered last month by a student at the Founders Academy Public Charter School in Manchester, according to a press release. Josiah DiPietro found a group of hairy pine-sap during his Natural History of New Hampshire class, when the group was outside exploring the campus woods. It is now the fifth known location for the species, confirmed by Bill Nichols, senior ecologist/state botanist at the New Hampshire Natural Heritage Bureau Division of Forests & Lands, which tracks the species due to its rarity. Hairy pine-sap is an herbaceous perennial found in woodlands, often where oaks are present, according to the release, and southern New Hampshire is part of the plant’s northernmost limit.
Score: +1
Comment: Hairy pine-sap flowers in late August through September, and its stems are pink or red, which distinguishes it from the light brown or yellow stems of the more common yellow pine-sap, according to the release.
Dairy products for residents in need
The Rotary Clubs of Milford, Concord and Manchester, among several other clubs in New Hampshire and Vermont, recently donated $21,225 to the New Hampshire Food Bank specifically to purchase milk and other dairy products for New Hampshire residents in need, according to a press release. The Rotary Clubs collaborated with the Food Bank as well as Granite State Dairy Promotion and the New Hampshire Department of Agriculture, Markets & Food for this effort. The Food Bank has contracted with Contoocook Creamery to bottle the milk, and Stonyfield Organic in Londonderry will provide approximately 20,000 cups of yogurt for this program with help from the Rotary Clubs’ donation.
Score: +1
Comment:Milk and dairy products are among the top requested items from the food pantries that are served by the New Hampshire Food Bank, according to the release.
Historical milestone for Nashua
Nashua’s first historical highway marker has been installed in front of the Nashua Historical Society’s Abbot-Spalding House museum, according to a press release, and the official unveiling is scheduled for 10 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 17 (with a rain date of Saturday, Oct. 24, at 10 a.m.). “The Nashua Historical Society is proud to have our Abbot-Spalding House acknowledged with this marker, especially since this is the first historic marker installed in Nashua,” Beth McCarthy, Historical Society curator, said in the release. The Abbot-Spalding House was built circa 1802-1804 by Daniel Abbot, a 19th-century businessman known as “The Father of Nashua” for his leading role in reuniting the towns of Nashua and Nashville after the two split due to political conflict, according to the release.
Score: +1
Comment:There are more than 250 historical highway markers throughout the state, managed by the New Hampshire Division of Historical Resources and the New Hampshire Department of Transportation, according to the press release. An interactive map showing the markers’ locations can be found at nh.gov/nhdhr.
QOL score: 57
Net change: +3
QOL this week: 60
What’s affecting your Quality of Life here in New Hampshire? Let us know at news@hippopress.com.
Information from the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services
Covid-19 news
On Oct. 5, Gov. Chris Sununu issued Exhibit S to Emergency Order No. 29, which had been issued on April 9. Emergency Order No. 29 requires state agencies, boards and commissions t
o submit recommendations to Sununu if any regulatory deadlines should be adjusted in response to the state of emergency. Per Exhibit S, emergency waiver of attendance and leave rules previously adopted by the New Hampshire Department of Administrative Services’ Division of Personnel to provide flexibility to state employees impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic will continue for the duration of the state of emergency.
During an Oct. 8 press conference, state epidemiologist Dr. Benjamin Chan said that public health officials will start to modify the way numbers are reported going forward, focusing “less on the extraneous numbers and more on numbers relative to the current situation in New Hampshire.” Even though the number of new positive test results of Covid-19 has continued to increase over the last several weeks, Dr. Chan said the percentage of positive results relative to all tests remains stable. “We believe that this is, in part, due to the large increase in testing that is being conducted statewide in many communities, both PCR and antigen testing,” he said. Dr. Chan added that there is also, however, evidence of increased community transmission, especially in Hillsborough, Rockingham and Strafford counties, likely due to a decrease in the relaxation of social distancing restrictions in some areas of the state.
On Oct. 9, Sununu issued Executive Order 2020-20, extending the state of emergency in New Hampshire due to the Covid-19 pandemic for another three weeks through at least Oct. 30. It’s the 10th extension he has issued since originally declaring a state of emergency on March 13.
Details of Sununu’s Executive Orders, Emergency Orders and other announcements are available at governor.nh.gov.
Voter alert
The New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office is alerting voters that an unidentified source has sent out mailers that contain an absentee ballot application form, a return envelope addressed to the recipient’s town or city clerk, and an allegedly handwritten note that says, “You are needed please fill this out and mail it in.” According to a press release, state law requires that such mailings include the identity of the entity mailing and distributing the form, which is not the case with this mailer. The Attorney General’s Office emphasized that these mailers have not been sent by any New Hampshire town or city clerk or by any state agency, and anyone who received this mailer who had already requested or submitted an absentee ballot does not need to complete another form. Anyone with questions can call the Attorney General’s Election hotline at 1-866-868-3703 or send an email to electionlaw@doj.nh.gov.
Opioid settlement
New Hampshire has joined a $1.6 billion global settlement agreement with Mallinckrodt, the biggest generic opioid manufacturer in the U.S., according to a press release from the office of New Hampshire Attorney General Gordon J. MacDonald. The settlement comes more than a year after the state filed a complaint in Merrimack County Superior Court against Mallinckrodt alleging that the company failed to disclose risks of addiction, misrepresented the abuse-deterrence qualities of its opioids and failed to report suspicious orders of opioids, all of which violated New Hampshire’s consumer protection laws. The state also claimed that the company allegedly created a public nuisance and that between 2006 and 2014 Mallinckrodt accounted for 21.81 percent of all opioid transactions in New Hampshire; in that time, the company “sold the equivalent of approximately 153.5 million 10 mg opioid pills in New Hampshire, with a population of roughly 1.35 million people. That was enough Mallinckrodt opioids to provide each man, woman, and child in the state with 114 pills,” the release reads. Mallinckrodt, which has filed for bankruptcy, will pay $1.6 billion in cash into a trust, and a large amount of that money will go toward abating the opioid crisis. How much each state will receive will be negotiated during the bankruptcy process. The global settlement agreement includes attorneys general from 50 states and territories and local subdivisions.
NHDRA online
Last week, the New Hampshire Department of Revenue Administration launched Phase 2 of its new online user portal and revenue management system, for taxpayers of the New Hampshire Business Profits Tax, Business Enterprise Tax, Interest & Dividends Tax and Communication Services Tax. According to a press release, that equates to approximately 139,000 taxpayers who will now have a better online experience. The online user portal, Granite Tax Connect, allows users to file taxes electronically, schedule automated payments, and check on the status of returns, payments, and refund and credit requests. The first phase launched about a year ago, which made the portal available to those who pay the Meals & Rentals Tax, Medicaid Enhancement Tax, and Nursing Facility Quality Assessment. The department expects that by the end of 2021 all tax types will be able to utilize the online portal.
Social Security
AARP NH is hosting a free online discussion about Social Security on Wednesday, Oct. 21, at 1 p.m., according to a press release. Local and national experts will talk about how Social Security affects New Hampshire and its residents, and there will be an opportunity for people to ask questions. The discussion is free but pre-registration is required at aarp.cvent.com/SSProgram1021.
SEE Science Center
The SEE Science Center in Manchester has received a CARES grant from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services — the only award given to a New Hampshire museum, according to a press release. Only 68 projects from museums and libraries throughout the country were awarded funding out of more than 1,700 entries. SEE’s project, Creating Flexible Field Trips: Reopening Programming by Designing for Uncertainty during the Covid-19 Pandemic, is an effort to transition the Science Center’s in-person field trips to other formats so that teachers and students can continue to use the museum’s educational offerings during and after the pandemic.
The New Hampshire Food Bank will host a drive-through mobile food pantry on Friday, Oct. 16, from noon to 2 p.m. at NHTI in Concord, according to a press release. The food bank will bring the food to people in their vehicles.
U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen was scheduled to visit Catholic Medical Center in Manchester on Tuesday to discuss the impact of Covid-19 on the state’s health care providers, according to a press announcement. Shaheen also planned to talk about providing more resources to providers through relief legislation.
There should be no shortage of golden retrievers in Amherst on Sunday, Oct. 18, as the town holds its Goldens on the Green event from 1 to 3 p.m. on the town green. According to a press release, there will be a kissing booth, pool diving and a parade of goldens. Donations will be accepted, with the money raised going to animals awaiting adoption at the Humane Society for Greater Nashua. Everyone is welcome, including people who don’t own golden retrievers.
Starting in the fall of 2021, Rivier University in Nashua will have men’s and women’s ice hockey, according to a press release. The school plans to launch a national search for head coaches this month.
Performance venues try to plan for the coming months as colder weather starts to prohibit outdoor performances.
Also on the cover, get your houseplants and herbs ready to move indoors, p. 12. Enjoy food trucks and fireworks at Northeast Delta Dental Stadium, p. 16. And it’s time to shift from the lighter brews of summer to stouts, porters and brown ales, p. 22.
Covid-19 updateAs of September 28As of October 4Total cases statewide8,2088,645Total current infections statewide339492Total deaths statewide439443New cases256 (Sept. 22 to Sept ...
Spotted lanternflies (SLF) have been detected at a New Hampshire nursery, according to a press release from the New Hampshire Department of Agriculture, Markets & Food. The department and nursery personnel found the invasive insect on Sept. 3 and subsequently killed several adult SLF. They also identified SLF eggs on red maple trees that had come from Pennsylvania. The SLF typically feeds on the tree of heaven, which is prohibited for sale in the state, but it will feed on more than 70 kinds of plants. The insect is considered a risk to a variety of agricultural, ornamental and hardwood crops, according to the release.
Score: -1
Comment:There is currently no evidence of an established SLF population in the state, the release said, and public awareness and the ability to identify the insect can help keep it that way. Visit nhbugs.org/spotted-lanternfly to learn more.
Ending chronic homelessness
Harbor Care, which provides housing, health care and support to community members who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless, recently announced a new goal: to end chronic homelessness in Nashua by the end of 2020. According to a press release, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development recently provided Harbor Care with 26 new housing vouchers. As of Sept. 22 there were 21 chronically homeless people in Nashua, meaning that Harbor Care can now house every person who meets the definition of chronically homeless (people who have been homeless for more than one year or have experienced homelessness at least four times in three years).
Score: +1
Comment:Harbor Care has also launched a fundraiser called Dignity of Home to make sure that supports are available to people after they move into their new homes. So far the campaign has raised more than $125,000 of its $200,000 goal, according to the release, and the Ending Homelessness Committee, a group of concerned citizens, recently offered to match the next $5,000 in donations.
Check your smoke detectors
The state saw its second deadliest three-month period in the past 10 years for unintentional fatal fires from March to May, according to a press release. This year there have been eight fatalities in seven home fires — and in each fire, there were no working smoke alarms, the release said. This week (Oct. 4 through Oct. 10) is National Fire Prevention Week, and State Fire Marshal Paul J. Parisi said in the release that “smoke alarms are the biggest factor when it comes to giving people time to get out alive.”
Score: -1
Comment:In New Hampshire, it is the law to have smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside each separate sleeping area and on every level of the home, including the basement. Contact your local fire department, as many in New Hampshire have free smoke alarm programs, according to the release.
Take a road trip
With foliage at its peak in southern New Hampshire, now is a great time to take a scenic drive. You can travel pretty much anywhere and find beautiful scenery, or you can set out on a more purposeful drive: the Robert Frost/Old Stagecoach Byway, which travels through Auburn, Chester, Derry, Hampstead and Atkinson. A group of people representing the five communities recently created a brochure and website for the route, which includes numerous points of interest.
Score: +1
Comment: Visit frost-stagecoach-byway.org to find a map as well as the history of the byway.
QOL score: 57
Net change: 0
QOL this week: 57
What’s affecting your Quality of Life here in New Hampshire? Let us know at news@hippopress.com.
Information from the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services
Covid-19 news
On Sept. 30, Gov. Chris Sununu issued Emergency Order No. 70, an order extending Emergency Order No. 52, which had been issued on June 15. Emergency Order No. 52 is an order regarding public health guidance for business operations and advising Granite Staters they are safer at home. Emergency Order No. 70 extends that advisory through Nov. 15.
During an Oct. 1 press conference, Dr. Beth Daly, Chief of the Bureau of Infectious Disease Control of the New Hampshire Department of Health & Human Services, reported that, after a slight increase in positive test results of Covid-19 in the Granite State over the last month, new case counts “have plateaued” at around 35 to 40 per day on average. “More recently, some of the infections that have been reported to us each day have been associated with institutional settings, such as long-term care facilities and schools,” she said.
During the same press conference, Sununu announced that $2 million in federal CARES Act funding will benefit student-enrichment programs in New Hampshire, including those offered at institutions like the local branches of the YMCA and the Boys & Girls Clubs.
On Oct. 2, the Governor’s Economic Reopening Task Force released guidance documents for the Granite State’s skiing industry this winter, according to a press release. Some of these guidelines include mask requirements in lodges and rental facilities, and when in line for and riding lifts; the strong discouragement of strangers riding lifts together; social distancing protocols; and admission limits to indoor and outdoor facilities.
For information on all other announcements, including Emergency Orders and Executive Orders, visit governor.nh.gov.
2019 drug overdoses
The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner has released its report summarizing 2019’s drug overdose deaths. According to the report, there were 415 drug overdose deaths last year, 383 of which were determined to be accidental and 25 of which were suicides. The manner of death could not be determined in the remaining seven cases, which typically means that it is not clear whether the death was an accidental or intentional overdose. A combination of fentanyl and other drugs (excluding heroin) accounted for the highest number of overdose deaths (220), followed by just fentanyl (119). The number of drug overdose deaths in the state reached a high in 2017, with 490, with a slight decrease in 2018 (471) and a more significant decrease in 2019. However, preliminary data has shown a slight increase in drug overdose deaths in 2020 so far, according to the release. “Although the substantial decrease in the number of drug overdose deaths in 2019 is encouraging, it remains to be seen if this downward trend will continue in 2020,” the report reads.
Drought continues
When the New Hampshire Drought Management Team met on Oct. 1, State Climatologist Mary Stampone said the latest drought conditions and forecasts indicate that drought will likely persist across southeastern New Hampshire through the fall, according to a press release. The “well-below average” precipitation in September caused drought conditions to deteriorate, Stampone said, and recent rainfall and the upcoming forecast will not make up for the precipitation deficit. The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services reported that some lake levels are lower than they have been in decades, but although water supply reservoirs are low, they have enough water to meet demands right now. For groundwater, most of the 31 monitoring wells across the state are much lower than normal, with all water levels having dropped between August and September. According to the release, homeowners whose wells are running low should expect to wait more than six weeks to get a new well drilled. In the meantime, all homeowners are advised to space out water use, avoid outdoor watering, and buy water for drinking and if necessary for dishwashing and flushing toilets.
Free college classes
New Hampshire students can earn college credits through a new partnership with Modern States, which will offer free online courses and will pay for 1,000 College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) tests, according to a press release from the Department of Education. CLEPs are accepted for credit at 2,900 colleges and universities nationwide, including the University System of New Hampshire and New Hampshire Community College System. “Through remote instruction, New Hampshire students have gained experience with self-directed online learning, which is exactly what Modern States offers. Dual and concurrent enrollment programs give students a chance to earn high school and college credit simultaneously so that when they step onto a college campus, they are already well on their way to a degree and a bright future,” said Education Commissioner Frank Edelblut. There are 32 classes to choose from, and they are taught by professors from universities like Tufts, MIT and Rutgers. The content prepares students to pass the course’s CLEP exam, which must be taken at one of six locations across the state.
Art for veterans
The Currier Museum of Art will be able to make some of its programs more accessible to veterans thanks to CARES Act Funding, it announced in a press release. The $717,500 will go toward expanding the museum’s art therapy program for veterans and their families, enhancing the remote art therapy programs that were launched over the summer, and renovating the art therapy space in order to allow for social distancing and digital engagement. All programs for veterans, active duty service members and their families are free of charge, according to the release.
Candy & a pumpkin
Reserve a spot now for your local Lowe’s drive-through curbside trick-or-treating, happening from 6 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 22, and Thursday, Oct. 29. Families are invited to drive to Lowe’s for free candy and a small pumpkin. Costumes are encouraged but not required. Reservations open on Oct. 10 at lowes.com/DIY.
Betsy Janeway of Webster has received the Goodhue-Elkins Award for her contributions in the areas of bird study and conservation for the past 40 years, according to a press release from the New Hampshire Audubon, which presented the award at its 106th annual meeting on Sept. 19.
An adult from Epsom has tested positive for Jamestown Canyon virus, and the risk level for Epsom will be increased to high, according to an Oct. 2 press release from the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services. This is the fourth case of Jamestown Canyon virus in the state this year.
New England Metal Recycling in Madbury will pay a civil penalty of $2.7 million to the state for improper disposal of hazardous waste, according to a press release from the Office of the Attorney General. As part of the settlement with the state, NEMR must also remediate and properly dispose of all of the remaining hazardous material by Oct. 30, 2021, according to the release.
A new Manchester Small Business Resiliency Grant Program has been launched to help small businesses recover from the impacts of the pandemic, according to a press release from Mayor Joyce Craig. Funds are available through the U.S. Housing and Urban Development Community Development Block Grant Program, and businesses can receive up to $5,000 to go toward eligible expenses incurred since March 13. Visit manchesternh.gov to apply.
