One of the New Hampshire Fisher Cats’ star pitching prospects will be heading to Tokyo to play for Team USA. According to a press release, Simeon Woods Richardson, a 20-year-old from Texas, will report to Cary, N.C., for training camp on July 16. Team USA’s first game in Tokyo will be against Israel on Friday, July 30, at 7 p.m. JST (6 a.m. EDT), followed by a game against Korea on Saturday, July 31, before games move into bracket play. Woods Richardson returned to the Fisher Cats on June 9 and held the Portland Sea Dogs (Boston Red Sox) to one run on three hits in five strong innings, according to the release, and he got the win over the Hartford Yard Goats (Colorado Rockies) on June 20, striking out a career-high nine batters in five frames.
Score: +1
Comment:It might just be worth waking up at 6 a.m. to watch Woods Richardson represent the Fisher Cats, and the USA.
Giving brings joy
Throughout May, the Greater Nashua Mental Health Center held events and activities to highlight how mental health treatment can change and save lives, and to help eradicate the stigma surrounding mental health disorders. According to a press release, one of the most heartwarming activities was a project completed by children from the center’s Child, Adolescent and Family Services department. The kids created paper flowers, some with encouraging messages on the leaves, plus handmade cards and artwork for the residents.
Score: +1
Comment:To show their gratitude, the assisted living residents sent gifts back to the children, including wind chimes and other arts and crafts items, the release said.
Help wanted
According to a recent study from LendingTree, New Hampshire ranks No. 2 for states that are most in need of workers. Forty-five percent of businesses in the state say that hiring new employees will be their biggest need in the next six months. Thirty-six percent of businesses in the Granite State said the inability to find workers is affecting their operating capacity.
Score: -1
Comment: Montana and Wisconsin are most in need of new employees, at 52 percent and 48 percent, respectively, while only 17 percent of businesses in Wyoming, which ranked last on the list, anticipate hiring new employees as their biggest need in the next 6 months, the report said.
Honoring the fallen
The New Hampshire Department for Disabled American Veterans is on a mission to raise $12,000 to complete the new Battlefield Crosses Memorial in Manchester’s Veterans Park, which the Granite State chapter hopes can be finished and dedicated on Veterans Day. According to a press release, statues honoring military personnel lost in World War II, the Vietnam War and the post-9/11 War on Terror were dedicated on Memorial Day; placing statues honoring the fallen of World War I and the Korean War will complete the memorial. Anyone who wants to show their appreciation for those who died while fighting for America can send any amount, big or small, to DAV Battlefield Cross Fund Drive, New Hampshire Disabled American Veterans, 212 Coolidge Avenue, Manchester, NH 03102.
Score: +1
Comment: According to the release, a battlefield cross is a combat rifle stuck in the soil topped by a helmet to show honor and respect for a soldier who has died in combat.
QOL score: 78 Net change: +2 QOL this week: 80
What’s affecting your Quality of Life here in New Hampshire? Let us know at [email protected].
Information from the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services
Covid-19 news
On June 30, Gov. Chris Sununu announced in a press release that both the State Emergency Operations Center and the Joint Information Center, both in operation since March 2020, would close at 4 p.m. that afternoon. “With minimal community transmission, we no longer find ourselves in an immediate emergency situation,” Sununu said in a statement. According to the release, ongoing pandemic operations will transition to the New Hampshire Department of Health & Human Services.
State health officials announced 35 new positive cases of Covid-19 in New Hampshire on July 2. The state averaged 25 new cases per day over the most recent seven-day period, a 25-percent increase compared to the previous week. Covid vaccinations, meanwhile, were at 55 percent statewide as of July 2.
Voter law
The 2107 voter registration law that created a new process for people to prove they are residents of New Hampshire if they registered to vote within 30 days of an election or on Election Day has been struck down by the New Hampshire Supreme Court. According to a press release, the court agreed with a Superior Court ruling that the new process is confusing, could deter people from registering and voting and “imposes unreasonable burdens on the right to vote.” The decision was a unanimous 4-0 vote. After the ruling, Gov. Chris Sununu issued the following statement: “It’s disappointing that these common-sense reforms were not supported by our Supreme Court, but we have to respect their decision and I encourage the Legislature to take the court’s opinion into account and continue working to make common-sense reforms to ensure the integrity of New Hampshire’s elections.”
Diversity council
On June 29, 10 members of the Governor’s Advisory Council on Diversity and Inclusion sent a collective resignation letter to Gov. Chris Sununu. “On June 25, 2021, you signed into law a provision that aims to censor conversations essential to advancing equity and inclusion in our state, specifically for those within our public education systems, and all state employees. This will directly impact those who are working with some of our state’s most vulnerable populations, including educators, child welfare workers, and law enforcement,” the letter read. The 10 members, who make up more than half of the council, said the new law conflicts with Council’s purpose of finding ways to combat discrimination and advance diversity and inclusion. “Given your willingness to sign this damaging provision and make it law, we are no longer able to serve as your advisors,” the letter read. According to a June 29 report from WMUR, that provision was titled, “Right to Freedom From Discrimination in Public Workplaces and Education” and was authored by Senate Majority Leader Jeb Bradley, R-Wolfeboro. He said in early June the provision focused on “strengthening protections for people of all characteristics — gender identity, sexual orientation, age, sex, creed, color, race, family situation, marital situation, disabilities either mental or physical, national origin or religion,” and that it was crafted carefully to ensure that it would not ban workplace sensitivity training addressing race, sexual orientation or other personal characteristics, nor does it restrict state university system and community college system faculty from teaching or discussing the historical existence of discrimination, the WMUR report said. Bradley said the amendment asserts that “no one is inherently superior or inferior. So we say it’s discrimination if you say, if you instruct, if you teach that someone is inferior or superior,” according to WMUR. But Democrats on the council say the language is discriminatory. According to their resignation letter, they sent letters to Sununu asking him to oppose the provision and requesting a meeting with him to discuss possible alternatives. Once the bill passed with the provision as written by Bradley, the following members resigned: Dr. Dottie Morris, Devon Chaffee, Maria Devlin, Sharon Harris, James Maggiore, Dr. Salman Malik, Dr. James Morse, Pawn Nitichan, Sheriff Eliezer Rivera and Allyson Ryder. “It should not be taken lightly that nearly every member of the Council that is not part of your administration is resigning today,” the letter said.
Insurance fraud
In the past 12 months, the New Hampshire Insurance Department investigated 18 insurance fraud cases and submitted them for criminal prosecution. According to a press release, the fraud cases included false claims related to food poisoning, disability claims, workers’ compensation claims, buying policies “after” the losses and misrepresenting the date and time to get coverage, mysterious disappearance of jewelry, and numerous fake medical records. Deputy Commissioner D.J. Bettencourt said in the release that the main mission of the department is to protect consumers from insurance fraud, which leads to higher premiums. When a person attempts to obtain a benefit they are not entitled to, or when an insurer knowingly denies someone’s legitimate claim, it is considered insurance fraud. The insurance department investigates these cases once the victim files a consumer complaint form, or when an insurance company reports a suspicious claim.
Child advocates wanted
As CASA of New Hampshire prepares for an anticipated increase in the rate of reported abused and neglected children once school is back in session, the organization is offering learning and training opportunities for anyone interested in being a volunteer advocate. According to a press release, these sessions, which are being held throughout the summer, will prepare new volunteers to begin providing support this fall. “Over the past 16 months, CASA staff has been concerned about the impact the pandemic has had on children who’ve experienced abuse and neglect, shielded from the watchful eyes of teachers and other caregivers,” Carolyn Cote, CASA’s communications director, said in the release. “We’ve seen many instances where the stressors that challenge families, including substance misuse, mental health and domestic violence, have been amplified during the past year.” Virtual information sessions are being held twice a month over the summer, on Wednesdays, July 14, July 21 and Aug. 11, at 5:30 p.m. and on Aug. 25 at 12:30 p.m. New volunteer training sessions are all virtual. The summer training session is a combination of day and evening hours, and it runs for six weeks beginning July 14. The first fall training session is daytime only, running twice a week for five weeks beginning Sept. 13. Applications should be submitted two weeks before the first day of training to allow adequate time for the interview and acceptance process. Visit casanh.org to find out more or to apply.
Catholic Medical Center in Manchester has named Alex Walker as the new president and CEO of CMC. According to a press release, Walker will take over the position left by Dr. Joseph Pepe, who retired after 31 years at CMC, starting out as a primary care physician in 1990 and becoming CEO in 2012. Walker was most recently executive vice president and chief operating officer of CMC, the release said.
The Community College System of New Hampshire announced last week that Dr. Mark Rubinstein will be its next chancellor. He is currently president of Granite State College in Concord, according to a press release, and his new job will begin Sept. 1, when current chancellor Dr. Susan Huard retires.
The Nashua International Sculpture Symposium will unveil its 1000 Origami Peace Cranes for Nashua project on Thursday, July 8, at 6:30 p.m. in the atrium at St. Joseph Hospital. The community is welcome to attend and enjoy food, drinks and music, according to the event’s Facebook page, and to view the paper cranes, which were folded by hundreds of local participants of all ages.
Fourth of July fireworks are looking more promising this year. Concord, Manchester and Nashua are all planning fireworks events, and so are several other communities in southern New Hampshire. All events take place on Sunday, July 4, unless otherwise noted. All events are subject to change or cancellation, so check with the town before heading out.
Bristol
Where: Over Newfound Lake
When: July 3 at dusk; rain date July 4
Canterbury
Where: Canterbury Elementary School (15 Baptist Road)
When: Saturday, July 3, at 9 p.m.
Concord
Where: Memorial Field (70 S. Fruit St.)
When: Approximately 9:15 p.m. The Nevers Band will perform starting at 7:45 p.m. Rain date is July 5.
Derry
Where: Suggested viewing along Tsienneto Road, Hood Commons, Folsom Road and Crystal Avenue
When: Dusk (approximately 9 p.m.)
Dover
Where: Set off at Garrison Hill Park, viewable from around the city
When: 9:15 p.m.
Exeter
Where: Swasey Park (316 Water St.)
When: July 10, after 8 p.m.
Hampton
Where: Hampton Beach (Ocean Boulevard)
When: 9:30 p.m.
Hillsboro
Where: Hillsboro fairgrounds (17 Hilldale Lane)
When: July 10, 10 p.m.
Laconia
Where: Weirs Beach and Opechee Park (915 N. Main St.)
When: July 3 at 11:59 p.m. at Weirs and July 4 at 10 p.m. at Opechee
The second annual Independence Day Boat Parade on Lake Winnipesaukee will take place at Weirs Beach from 1 to 4 p.m.
Manchester
Where: Arms Park (10 Arms St.) and Northeast Delta Dental Stadium (1 Line Drive)
When: At 9:30 p.m. on July 3 at Arms Park and after the Fisher Cats game on July 4
Merrimack
Where: Merrimack High School (38 McElwain St.)
When: 9 p.m.
The town is also hosting its annual Fourth of July Parade, which will feature bands, militia units, clowns, community organizations and more. This year the town is celebrating its 275th anniversary, so the theme for the parade is Celebrate Merrimack’s History – Past, Present and Future. The parade begins at the Commons Shopping Plaza (515 Daniel Webster Hwy.), then travels south down Daniel Webster Highway, onto Baboosic Lake Road, then O’Gara Drive, ending in front of Merrimack High School.
Milford
Where: Keyes Memorial Field (45 Elm St.)
When: July 2, dusk
Nashua
Where: Holman Stadium (67 Amherst St.)
When: 9 p.m.
New Boston
Where: Hillsboro fairgrounds (17 Hilldale Lane)
When: 9:15 p.m.
Portsmouth
Where: Leary Field (Parrott Avenue)
When: July 3, 9 p.m.
Raymond
Where: Town Common
When: July 10, 9:30 p.m.
Salem
Where: Tuscan Village (72 Rockingham Park Boulevard)
When: July 3, 9 p.m.
Sunapee
Where: Sunapee Harbor
When: July 3 at dusk
Weare
Where: Town center
When: July 17 at dusk
Windham
Where: Windham High School (64 London Bridge Road)
When: June 30 at 9:30 p.m.; rain date July 1
In lieu of fireworks… There won’t be any fireworks in Amherst this year, but the town is hosting a “reverse parade” at Souhegan High School (412 Boston Post Road) from 9 to 10 a.m. Clowns, cheerleaders, bands and more will be standing on the sides of a looped route, allowing people in cars to drive through the loop and wave.
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Stuck at home this summer? Pick up a good book and let it take you away. Local booksellers and librarians share their top picks for books that can transport you, whether it’s to a tropical beach, a foreign land, a courtroom or a zoo.
Also on the cover, find fireworks to celebrate the Fourth, p. 16. Tammaro’s Cucina is coming to Litchfield, p. 23. And there’s a ton of live music happening during this long holiday weekend, p. 33.
Covid-19 updateAs of June 21As of June 28Total cases statewide99,32999,455Total current infections statewide196155Total deaths statewide1,3671,371New cases186 (June 15 to June ...
The 2021 Kids Count Data Book, released last week by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, ranks New Hampshire second in the United States for overall child well-being. According to a press release from New Futures, a nonprofit that aims to improve the health and wellness of New Hampshire residents, the national report uses data from four domains in each state: economic well-being, education, health, and family and community context. According to the report, New Hampshire ranks first in family and community context, third in overall health, fifth in education and sixth in economic well-being.
Score: +1
Comment:According to the release, New Hampshire moved from second to first in family and community context because the number of children living in single-parent families decreased from 30 percent in 2018 to 28 percent in 2019, and the number of children living in high-poverty areas dropped from 2 percent in 2018 to less than 1 percent in 2019.
Safe state for cats and dogs
For the first time, New Hampshire is a no-kill state, according to the annual pet lifesaving data recently released by Best Friends Animal Society, with no dogs or cats killed in state shelters in 2020. It’s the second state in the country (after Delaware) to reach no-kill status, the release said, with an aggregate shelter pet save rate of 92.62 percent, which factors in the approximately 10 percent of pets who enter shelters and have medical or behavioral issues that warrant humane euthansia. Of the 8,573 dogs and cats that entered New Hampshire shelters in 2020, all were saved, according to the release.
Comment: +1
Score: In 2019, only 76.47 percent of the state’s shelters were no-kill, according to the release.
American pride
The Fourth of July should be a big day in the Granite State — according to a new report from the personal-finance website WalletHub, New Hampshire is the fifth most patriotic state in the nation.
Data compiled included number of military enlistees and veterans, volunteer hours and share of adults who voted in the 2020 presidential election. According to the report, New Hampshire ranked first in civics education requirement, fourth in percentage of adults who voted in the presidential election and sixth in Peace Corps volunteers per capita.
Score: +1
Comment: New Hampshire follows Montana, Alaska, Maryland and Vermont in patriotism, according to the report.
Queen City scams
In the past couple of weeks, Manchester police have dealt with two significant scams. On June 17, they handled a report from an elderly woman who had received calls from a man who said her Social Security number had been used in a drug and money laundering crime in Texas and told her to send $25,000 to a UPS dropoff in Tampa so that they could make sure the money was kept safe, according to a press release. The woman sent the money to the address, but a Manchester detective told the store manager to hold on to the package, and it was ultimately returned to her. On June 22, Manchester police sent out an Amber Alert for a missing mother and her 4-year-old son, who were found safe in the city soon after the alert went out. Detectives believe the incident was a phone scam, where someone calls the victim and says a family member is in trouble, then demands money for the individual’s safe return, according to a press release.
Score: -2
Comment:Both of these scams ended as happily as they could have, but the police remind everyone to be wary of any suspicious calls or requests for money.
QOL score: 77 Net change: +1 QOL this week: 78
What’s affecting your Quality of Life here in New Hampshire? Let us know at [email protected].
Information from the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services
Covid-19 news
State health officials announced 19 new positive cases of Covid-19 in New Hampshire on June 28. The state averaged 21 new cases per day over the most recent seven-day period (June 22 to June 28), a 10-percent decrease compared to the previous week.
As of June 28, just over 730,000 Granite Staters — roughly 53.9 percent of the state’s population — were fully vaccinated. State-run vaccination sites were set to close on June 30, but vaccine doses are still available at hundreds of locations statewide, including at many hospitals, pharmacies, outpatient offices and community health centers.
The United States Supreme Court rejected a lawsuit filed by the State of New Hampshire against the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, according to a June 28 report from WMUR, over income taxes collected from roughly 80,000 Granite Staters working from home for Massachusetts companies during the pandemic.
“This decision will have lasting ramifications for thousands of Granite State residents,” Gov. Chris Sununu said in a statement on June 28 following the ruling.
State budget passed
On June 25, Gov. Chris Sununu signed HB 1 and HB 2 into law and issued the following statement: “Historic tax cuts, property tax relief, and Paid Family Medical Leave delivered all in one sweeping action is a win for every citizen and family in this state.” House Speaker Sherman Packard (R-Londonderry) applauded the actions, saying in a statement that the House passed a “historic budget that is balanced and fiscally responsible,” and that “Republicans delivered on tax cuts, reduced spending, education freedom, much needed mental health services and more without raising taxes or increasing spending.” NH House Majority Leader Jason Osborne (R-Auburn) said in a statement that the budget includes more than $170 million in tax cuts and is “a major win for every single taxpayer in this state.” Democrats in the House disagreed. Rep. Mary Jane Wallner (D-Concord), ranking Democrat on the House Finance Committee, said in a statement that the budget does not meet the needs of constituents and that cuts to vital programs and services will hurt the state’s most vulnerable residents. House Democratic Leader Renny Cushing (D-Hampton) said in a statement that the budget “harms our state by cutting education funding, raising property taxes, and forcing right-wing ideology on the people of New Hampshire.”
New Hampshire’s kids
Several state departments have recently announced programs and services designed to promote the quality of life of children and families throughout the state.
Mental health at camp: Community mental health centers in New Hampshire will be offering services at camps throughout the state this summer. According to a press release, the Department of Education and the Community Behavioral Health Association are using Covid-19 response funds to provide mental health training to camp counselors and will be on site offering mental health services at many camps in the state as well. These services are part of the Department of Education’s Rekindling Curiosity: Every Kid Goes to Camp program, which offers camp tuition support in an effort to get more kids outside and participating in normal activities to counteract some of the negative effects of the pandemic, the release said. The 10 community mental health centers in the state will each designate staff members to be on site at camps on a weekly basis, and camp counselors ages 14 and older will receive training to address basic mental health issues as well as any mental health crises that may arise.
Stabilizing child care: The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services will use federal funding through the American Rescue Plan Act to launch several new initiatives in the next few weeks, according to a press release, including stabilization grants to child care programs, workforce recruitment and retention efforts, and market rate increases for the NH Child Care Scholarship Program. All of the initiatives are designed to help residents who need access to child care return to work. According to the release, they include child care stabilization grants open to all licensed and enrolled license-exempt child care providers beginning July 12; child care scholarship increases for families enrolled in the NH Child Care Scholarship Program beginning July 12; child care workforce recruitment and retention efforts; a child care virtual job board; a pre-apprenticeship program to provide experience for people interested in a career in child care; and Open Your Home to Child Care, which will help people who are interested in becoming family child care providers and license-exempt home providers navigate the start-up process.
Charter school grants: The 2020-2021 federal charter school grant competition is now underway, with applications being accepted until 4 p.m. on July 22, according to a press release from the New Hampshire Department of Education. The grant funds will be used to start new public charter schools or to replicate and expand existing high-quality public charter schools and are being made available as part of the five-year, $46 million grant award the state received from the U.S. Department of Education in 2019. Over the next four years, the funds will aid in the creation of 20 new public charter schools and strengthen the existing charter school oversight infrastructure. According to the release, many of the state’s chartered public schools currently have long wait lists for student enrollment. Priority funds will be given to schools that target disadvantaged and at-risk student populations or that offer highly innovative models for advancing student achievement in a given field.
On Saturday, July 3, 13 New Hampshire communities will host readings of Frederick Douglass’ famous speech in which he asked, “What to the slave is your Fourth of July?” Hosted by the Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire, the readings will be held most locally in Concord,Hopkinton, Nashua, Manchester and Warner. For exact times and locations, visit blackheritagetrailnh.org or call 570-8469.
There’s a new splash pad and playground in Manchester. According to a press release, on June 25 the water features were turned on for the first time during an opening ceremony at Sheehan-Basquil Park Splash Pad and Playground, located at 297 Maple St.
A mosquito batch collected in Bow last week tested positive for Jamestown Canyon virus, according to a press release from the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services. It’s the first time JCV has been found in mosquitoes in New Hampshire, though there have been a few cases in humans, including in Bow in 2020. Testing mosquitoes for JCV has not been part of routine surveillance until this year, the release said.
The Nashua Board of Education announced on June 28 that Dr. Garth McKinney will continue to serve as Superintendent of Schools on an extended interim basis. The board sent a message to all district families and staff informing them that McKinney, who has served as interim superintendent since late January while former Superintendent Jahmal Mosley transitioned to a new job in Massachusetts, will continue in his role until June 30, 2022.
