Camp CHaD, a program from Children’s Hospital at Dartmouth-Hitchcock, is registering campers now for the virtual camp program to begin on Monday, July 6, according to CHaD’s website. Campers will receive weekday emails with virtual classes on subjects such as arts and crafts, movements and STEM, the website said. Go to chadkids.org to register (registration is free though CHaD is accepting donations at dhmcalumdev.hitchcock.org/camp-chad).
Camp in a box
Looking for at-home, summer-camp-like activities that don’t require keeping to a schedule? The Children’s Museum of New Hampshire in Dover (childrens-museum.org) is offering “Stay and Play Summer Camp Kits” — mini camper kits are available for ages 4 to 5 and discovery camper kits are available for ages 6 to 10, according to the website. The kits have “25 hands-on activities with instructions, a calendar with additional activity ideas and most of the materials needed to complete the project,” the website said. The kits will include opportunities for check-ins with museum educators and don’t require screen time, though some activities will have optional YouTube videos, according to the website. The cost of the kit is $100 ($85 for members, $160 for a “Community Builder” option which pays for an additional kit to go to a family in need), the website said. The kits will be available for curbside pick-up the last week of June, the website said.
Magic!
And speaking of the Children’s Museum, catch a free “Wow Magic Workshop” on Monday, June 22, at 3 p.m. for kids ages 8 and up, according to the website (childrens-museum.org), where you can register for the interactive online event. Wayne and Kali Moulton of Sages Entertainment will teach magic effects that can be created with items from around the house, the website said. Register in advance.
The Queen City Rotary Club will be handing out free reusable face masks as part of the Mask Up NH project, a collaboration between The Common Man Family restaurants and rotary clubs around New Hampshire to provide free masks to local communities to help prevent the spread of Covid-19. According to a press release, the masks will be available for contactless, drive-through pickup at three locations in Manchester, St. George’s Greek Church (650 Hanover St.), Blake’s Restaurant (353 S. Main St.) and Manchester Police Athletic League (409 Beech St.), on Friday, June 19, from 4 to 7 p.m., and Saturday, June 20, from 9 a.m. to noon. Visit maskupnh.com and queencityrotary.org.
Comment:For more information about the Mask Up NH project, visit maskupnh.com.
NH really Gives
At NH Gives, a 24-hour giving event hosted by the New Hampshire Center for Nonprofits, a record-breaking $3,256,784 was raised, including $1 million within the first eight minutes, according to a press release. The total funds raised between 6 p.m. on Tuesday, June 9, and 6 p.m. on Wednesday, June 10, is more than double the total funds raised at the events from the last four years combined, which was $1.5 million. This year’s NH Gives also broke its record number of participating New Hampshire nonprofits, with 488, and donors, with 13,428. Visit nhgives.org to find local nonprofits and causes to support.
Comment: “I looked at the totals in the first 10 minutes of the event and I actually shouted with joy,” said Dick Ober, president and CEO of the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation, which has been the lead sponsor of NH Gives since 2016. “This continues to be a really, really challenging time for nonprofits, who are having to adapt and work under extremely challenging conditions to continue to deliver on their critical missions. And the people of New Hampshire were saying: ‘We get it! Thank you for what you do! We are here for you.’”
Delicious donations
Girl Scouts weren’t able to sell their Girl Scout cookies this year due to the Covid-19 stay-at-home orders, but they found another way to distribute the cookies. As part of their Gift of Caring campaign, the Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains, which includes more than 10,000 girls in New Hampshire and Vermont, donated 30,000 packages of cookies to the military and front-line workers fighting the pandemic, plus 12,000 packages to the New Hampshire Food Bank and 1,200 packages to the staff at Elliot Health System and Catholic Medical Center to thank them for their service during the Covid-19 pandemic, according to a press release.
Comment: Eileen Liponis, executive director of the New Hampshire Food Bank, said in the release that while the food bank always tries to have nutritious foods available, “everybody loves a Girl Scout cookie. In this time, it’s great to have a little uplifting treat.”
A city that reads together…
The Nashua Public Library will announce the featured book for its 2020 Nashua Reads: One City, One Book program on Friday, June 26, according to a press release. Library cardholders can reserve the book and check it out through curbside pickup at the library, or they can download the book as an audiobook or e-book. Local book clubs will also be able to reserve multiple copies of the book for their members. The program was created for Nashua residents to read the same book at the same time, then discuss the book with others in the community. A virtual event with the author of this year’s selected book will take place on Sunday, Oct. 11. Visit nashualibrary.org or the library’s Facebook page to see the announcement.
Comment: To find out what the book title is, subscribe to “This week @ your library,” the library’s e-newsletter, by going to nashualibrary.org and clicking Subscribe to our eNewsletter on the Connect menu, or follow the library on Facebook.
QOL score: 63 (the score is temporarily suspended, but QOL will still be keeping tabs on New Hampshire’s well-being each week)
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
In the past week, Gov. Chris Sununu made multiple announcements in the state’s ongoing response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
On June 9, Sununu issued Emergency Order No. 50, which temporarily gives compensation for travel expenses for members of the General Court in New Hampshire.
In a June 11 press conference, Sununu announced the June 15 expiration of his stay-at-home order. The order had been issued back on March 26 in an effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus in the Granite State. The stay-at-home order has now transitioned into a “Safer at Home” advisory, which removes the social gathering limitation of 10 people or less, as well as the classification of “essential” versus “nonessential” businesses.
Several phased reopening guidelines for more business sectors in New Hampshire were also announced during the press conference, as part of Sununu’s “Stay at Home 2.0” plan. As of June 15, traditional gyms were able to reopen at 50 percent capacity to normal activities, such as aerobics, yoga, dance and martial arts.
Amateur sports, also on June 15, were able to move into Phase 2 of reopening, which includes the reopening of indoor athletic facilities for low physical contact sports, as well as expanding group training sessions.
Bowling alleys, small racetracks, tourist trains and organized motorcycle rides were all able to reopen on June 15, as part of the revamped guidance on outdoor attractions. Regarding New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, Sununu said his office is still working with officials there on creating a viable plan for reopening with capacity guidance.
Charitable gambling facilities, museums, libraries and funeral homes also received new reopening guidance that began on June 15.
Beginning June 29, indoor movie theaters, performing arts centers and amusement parks will be permitted to reopen, all with capacity limitations. As of June 15, flexed guidance documents for those sectors are still being finalized.
On June 11, Sununu issued Emergency Order No. 51, terminating Emergency Orders No. 4 and No. 24, which had temporarily prohibited landlords in the state from issuing eviction or foreclosure notices to their tenants. Both Emergency Orders No. 4 and No. 24 will terminate on July 1. Per Emergency Order No. 51, the minimum notice period for eviction notices has been extended from seven to 30 days, for those based on nonpayment of rent from March 17 through June 11.
On June 15, Sununu issued Emergency Order No. 52, an order regarding public health guidance for business operations and advising Granite Staters they are safer at home. Emergency Order No. 52 also includes Exhibits A and B, which provide universal guidelines for all employees and employers and industry-specific guidelines for businesses and organizations, respectively. The order will remain in effect until at least Aug. 1.
Details of all of Sununu’s announcements and orders can be found at governor.nh.gov.
Gubernatorial election
On June 12, Gov. Chris Sununu announced on Twitter that he has officially filed for re-election for a third term as governor. He’ll be running against the winner of the Democratic gubernatorial primary, held on Sept. 8, which so far features two candidates. Executive councilor Andru Volinsky also filed on June 12, as did State Senate majority leader Dan Feltes, according to press releases from their respective campaigns. The 2020 state gubernatorial election will take place on Nov. 3.
State House candidates
More than 400 Democratic candidates have filed for more than 380 seats in the New Hampshire House, according to a June 12 press release. The candidates included 114 first-time filers, 202 women and 45 educators, the release said. On the Republican side, 385 candidates have filed, according to the state’s Committee to Elect House Republicans.
College plans
At least three New Hampshire colleges and universities have announced their plans for the upcoming fall semester.
Saint Anselm College in Manchester will resume on-campus classes on Aug. 19, following the approval of its Board of Trustees, according to a June 9 press release. In a letter sent to students and faculty, College President Dr. Joseph Favazza detailed a school calendar that would include beginning classes in mid-August and ending the semester on campus prior to Thanksgiving, on Nov. 20. Final exams for the Fall 2020 semester will take place remotely. The academic calendar also includes an expanded break between the fall and spring semesters.
Rivier University in Nashua will also welcome its students back to the campus for face-to-face instruction in the fall. “While we confidently anticipate our campus reopening, the university is taking a number of steps to ensure students, faculty and staff will use best practices to create an environment that supports the health and wellbeing of our entire community,” Rivier President Sr. Paula Marie Buley, IHM, wrote in a June 9 letter to students.
Southern New Hampshire University, meanwhile, will be extending remote learning for campus students through the fall, according to a June 10 press release. The university is also reducing undergraduate campus tuition to its online rates for all students.
Manchester budget
On June 9, the Manchester Board of Mayor and Aldermen adopted the FY2021 budget by a vote of 8-7, according to a press release. In addition, finance director William Sanders released the final FY2020 general fund expenditure and revenue forecast, which predicts an operating surplus of $1.6 million. The approved budget allocates $159 million to the city and $183 to the school district, as well as funding for all existing collective bargaining contracts and salary agreements on both the city and school district sides.
Craigslist scams
State officials are warning potential renters of property scams via Craigslist, according to a press release. The scam involves an apartment or house that is offered for rent on the popular listings website, which will often contain details and photos in an attempt to convince consumers that it’s a legitimate offer. When the scam artist, posing as a landlord, is contacted, the consumer is asked to pay a reservation fee upfront through a bank transfer or electronic money transfer service such as Cash App or PayPal. If the consumer asks to visit the property before making the payment, the “landlord” creates an excuse. “Consumers should not transfer or wire money to people they do not know,” Attorney General Gordon J. MacDonald said in a statement. “Most legitimate landlords will accept a personal check or money order.” If you or someone you know may have fallen victim to this scam, you can file a complaint at doj.nh.gov or call the state’s Consumer Hotline at 271-3641.
Curbside spirits
More of the state’s Liquor & Wine Outlet stores are now offering curbside pickup, following a successful pilot program by the New Hampshire Liquor Commission, according to a press release. As of June 11, curbside and in-store pickup orders can be placed at Stores No. 81 (619 Sand Road, Pembroke), No. 33 (1100 Bicentennial Drive, Manchester), No. 74 (16 Michel’s Way, Londonderry), as well as at Store No. 73 on Interstate 95 South in Hampton and Store No. 67 on Interstate 93 South in Hooksett. Place your order at least one day in advance by visiting pickup.liquorandwineoutlets.com and selecting a 15-minute time slot between noon and 5 p.m. Orders must be a minimum of two bottles. No same-day pickup is available, but you can place orders for up to two weeks in advance.
The New Hampshire State Forest Nursery in Boscawen announced that its spring seedling sales were up 15 percent this year over last year, which was also a record year. A total of 517 orders were placed, for $193,039, and 2/3 of the orders came from New Hampshire residents, according to a press release. If you want to receive the 2021 seedling catalog, visit nhnursery.com.
Liberty House in Manchester has launched a special fundraising campaign called “Mission Renovate & Restore: Combating Veteran Homelessness, which will help raise money to increase residential capacity and expand services, according to a press release. An anonymous donor contributed $250,000, which will be matched dollar-for-dollar between now and July 30. Visit libertyhousenh.org/restore.
The fireworks that were scheduled to start July 1 at Hampton Beach might be put on hold thanks to piping plovers, a protected species that has nested on the beach, right where fireworks crews would normally set up, according to a press release. Check the official Hampton Beach Facebook page for updates.
Where to shop in the fresh air for this season’s fresh fruits, veggies and more
Most summer markets are open for the season, but they don’t look the same as in years past, with social distancing guidelines in place and no live music or vendor demonstrations. Still, there’s plenty of fresh produce and other local products to be had — find out where you can get them, and what the summer farmers market scene looks like this year.
Also on the cover, how to prepare for a (safe) gathering in your garden, p. 12. Our beer columnist can’t resist an IPA, p.22. And our Music This Week live music listings are back, p. 29.
Governor’s updates Covid-19 updateAs of June 8As of June 15Total cases statewide5,0795,345Total current infections statewide1,401984Total deaths statewide286320New cases449 (June 1 ...
Sneak in a little learning during your walks through nature. The New Hampshire Fish and Game department have Wildlife of New Hampshire cards available on their website at wildlife.state.nh.us/nongame/cards.html. The two-page color pdfs are on subjects such as “Wildlife of Young Forests,” “Backyard Wildlife of New Hampshire” and “Wildlife of Rivers and Streams” as well as cards for hawks, wild bees, frogs, dragonflies, different kinds of birds and more.
Join a circus
The Flying Gravity Circus based in Wilton will be offering an at-home program called “Circus in a Box” this summer. With two programs (one for ages 6 to 8 and one for 9 to 14) and three weeklong sessions, “Circus in a Box” delivers circus-related materials (such as a puppet stage for the younger group, juggling balls for the older group and clown noses to everybody) in a box and then offers five days of programming for kids to follow at home, according to the website. The cost is $100 and camps run the weeks of June 29, July 6 and July 13. See flyinggravitycircus.org.
Circus Smirkus, the Vermont-based youth circus that has traveled to New Hampshire in past summers, won’t be touring this summer but Smirkus fans can still get in some clowning. Circus Smirkus will present Smirk-O-Vision, an online presentation of six events. A season pass costs $90 or individual events (six are scheduled) cost $15 to $18, according to the website, which lists the shows including “Inside the Circus: Backstage at the HQ” (on Aug. 6 at 7 p.m.), which looks at how they put on the shows each year, and “Inside the Circus: Directors’ Commentary” (July 2 at 7 p.m.). The group is also offering Smirkus@Home programming on subjects including juggling, magic, clowning, contortion and more, with classes for kids as young as 5 and schedules that include one-day classes, weeklong classes or sessions with weekly classes. See smirkus.org.
Bee prep
Netflix’s new documentary Spelling the Dream (see page 24 for a review) is all about kids (and their families) competing in the Scripps National Spelling Bee. The movie is rated G and might be a good way to inspire kids who are “meh” about spelling but like competition, trophies and the idea of going on ESPN. And, if they catch the Bee bug (or if you are just looking for ways to get kids spelling practice), you can check out the official Scripps app Word Club. It has a paid component, of course, but it offers some free word lists that users can be quizzed on in a variety of ways. The app presents the phonetic spelling, audio of someone saying the word, definition, part of speech and other information similar to what you’d get in a bee.
The Humane Society for Greater Nashua moved its annual fundraising gala online and surpassed its goal by raising more than $105,000 during the May 31 event, according to a press release. The livestream production featured an auction as well as entertainment, and more than 2,000 viewers tuned in. The Humane Society also delivered 82 Party Boxes that were ordered ahead of time to people in the Greater Nashua community. Those people got to enjoy a 1920s themed box with a meal from Mcnulty and Foley Catering and a bottle of wine from Incredibrew, plus treats for the humans and their pets.
Comment: “I thought this was the best event I have experienced in all of my years in nonprofit management,” President and CEO of the Humane Society for Greater Nashua Doug Barry said in the press release.
No city fireworks
Both Manchester and Nashua have canceled their fireworks this year due to concerns about large gatherings and social distancing, according to WMUR. Manchester’s fireworks, which are usually held July 3 at Arms Park, were canceled by the Manchester aldermen at a meeting June 2, with the initial vote tied 7-7 and Mayor Joyce Craig breaking the tie. Nashua voted June 4 to cancel its show, according to WMUR, and other towns like Andover and Portsmouth have canceled theirs as well.
Comment:There is still hope — as of June 9, Merrimack had canceled its Fourth of July parade but not its fireworks show, according to the town’s parks and recreation webpage, and no official announcement has been made to cancel Concord’s fireworks, or fireworks at Hampton Beach.
Know & Tell
The Granite State Children’s Alliance is getting support from local celebrity Seth Meyers, who appears in a new video for its Know & Tell program, which urges people to know the signs of abuse and tell authorities when they see it, according to a press release from the alliance. The video also features clips from local health care workers, Gov. Chris Sununu, Senators Maggie Hassan and Jeanne Shaheen, and kids of all ages urging adults to help keep kids safe by knowing that anyone over the age of 18 is required by law to report suspicions of abuse and neglect.
Comments:Find the Know & Tell video on YouTube at youtu.be/hcnJkiGX95o.
QOL score: 63 (the score is temporarily suspended, but QOL will still be keeping tabs on New Hampshire’s well-being each week)
What’s affecting your Quality of Life here in New Hampshire? Let us know at news@hippopress.com.
