In less than three months, America will go to the polls to elect a new president, Joe Biden, or re-elect Donald Trump. But, unlike any other national election in our lifetimes, we are in the midst of a pandemic. Our citizens have been told over and over to wear masks and stay at least six feet away from others in order to stay safe from a disease that is likely to have killed over 200,000 Americans by election day (Nov. 4). How is that supposed to work when we know that presidential elections draw big crowds, are held indoors and have long lines?
The logical answer is to vote by mail. Historically, about 4 percent of voters choose absentee ballots. We’ve all heard the pundits say something like “With 90 percent of the ballots counted, so-and-so is leading by a slim margin and the absentee ballots have yet to be counted.” Voters hold their breath as races deemed too close to call hinge on the absentees.
So, what happens when the traditional absentee expectations are increased 15 or 20 times, as actually happened in a June statewide election in Pennsylvania? The numbers overwhelmed the election overseers and caused the results in a number of counties to be delayed for weeks. Is that what we are about to see in New Hampshire and across the country?
Is this about to be the perfect scenario for President Trump to say “I told you so” and claim that the election is invalid? Even if he’s wrong, might he be able to create enough of a doubt to throw the results into chaos? If so, the ensuing calamity would likely dwarf the Florida 2000 presidential race between George W. Bush and Al Gore, when hanging chads became a new phrase in our political jargon. Fortunately, both Bush and Gore conducted themselves honorably, for the good of the country, especially Al Gore.
In accepting the decision of the Supreme Court, Al Gore prevented what could possibly have been chaos, even blood, in the streets of America. While Democrats around the country were upset and complained about the court’s decision, our democracy survived
If President Trump were in Al Gore’s position would he have acted in a similar manner? I don’t believe so. If we don’t have a clear result and either of the candidates cries foul, especially in this volatile political environment, what happens next?
Comic check in Free Comic Book Summer, the Covid-era-reworking of Free Comic Book Day, kicked off in mid-July and continues into early September. Each Wednesday, a different handful of free, special for Free Comic Book Day comics are available. You can find a schedule of what’s hitting stores when at freecomicbookday.com (with all-ages rated books scheduled each week). All-ages comic books set for release on Aug. 5 include LumberJanes: Farewell to Summer, The Tick, Zoo Patrol Squad: Kingdom Caper and Bibi & Miyu/The Fox & Little Tanuki. Check in with your favorite shop (you can find a list of stores on the Free Comic Book Day website) for their Free Comic Book Summer procedures. For example, at Double Midnight Comics (which has shops at 245 Maple St. in Manchester and 67 S. Main St. in Concord; dmcomics.com), customers can request the Free Comic Book Day comics on their release day, according to an email from the store back in July. At Jetpack Comics (37 N. Main St. in Rochester; jetpackcomics.com), they’re offering a different free comic book every day (with a teen-rated and all-ages rated option each day as well), according to their website. They are also selling bags of 10 Free Comic Book Day or other special or promo comics for $7 each week, with either an all-ages or teen-and-mature option (the bags are available for pickup or for mail order for an extra $7).
Worlds of magic The 2020 Bank of New Hampshire Children’s Summer Series continues at the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St. in Manchester; palacetheatre.org, 668-5588) with Aladdinon Thursday, July 30, and Alice in Wonderland, Tuesday, Aug. 4, through Thursday, Aug. 6. The kid-friendly shows are at 10 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. and are about 45 minutes long. Tickets cost $10 and are only being sold over the phone.
See SEE Science This weekend is the first of two scheduled “members only” weekends at SEE Science Center (200 Bedford St. in Manchester; see-sciencecenter.org, 669-0400). On Saturdays and Sundays (Aug. 1 & 2 and Aug. 8 & 9), the museum will offer admission by pre-reservation to members from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 2 to 5 p.m. (between 1 and 2 p.m., the staff will do a deep cleaning of the museum), according to the website. Guests will be asked to stay six feet apart, a temperature check will be done at the door and everybody above the age of 2 will be required to wear masks, the website said. Memberships start at $100 and include a year of free admission for everybody in a household, the website said. The museum will reopen to the general public weekends only starting Aug. 15 and, as with the member weekends, visitors will need to book a time slot in advance, according to a press release.
No Multicultural Festival this year… This year’s Concord Multicultural Festival, typically held in September, has been canceled due to the uncertainty and challenges presented by Covid-19 that “just cannot be addressed effectively” at an event of its size, according to a press release from the festival planning team. The festival celebrates different cultures and heritages from around the world through food, music, art and activities. Score: -1 Comment:The festival planning team will instead host Welcoming Week in September, where immigrants, refugees and long-time residents come together to discuss how to build welcoming and inclusive communities; assembling a virtual cookbook with recipes from a variety of cultures submitted by individuals, families, businesses and organizations; and presenting international art, dance and music at International Art Day, part of Intown Concord’s Market Month, on Saturday, Aug. 22.
… New Hampshire Senior Games canceled too The 2020 New Hampshire Senior Games have been canceled, according to a press release. The decision was made to protect the well-being of the athletes, who are ages 50 and up. “Our board has spent many hours over the past several weeks and considered a broad range of alternatives,” NHSG Board Chair Larry Flint said in a statement. “At the end of the day, we felt this was the most prudent decision.” Score: -1 Comment: It’s not all bad news — this year’s games would have been a qualifier for the 2021 National Senior Games in Florida, but as many other states have also canceled their games this year, the National Senior Games Association decided that any athletes who qualified for the 2017 or the 2019 national games are automatically qualified for 2021, according to the press release.
Ready to rock “Don’t Stop Believing” by Journey, “Cotton Eye Joe” by Rednex, “Party In The USA” by Miley Cyrus and “Can’t Stop The Feeling” by Justin Timberlake are some of the songs that 17-year-old Hayley Dufour, a senior at Alvirne High School in Hudson, loves to listen to, and thanks to her they’ll be featured on Pandora’s new Special Olympics Champions playlist. According to a press release from Special Olympics New Hampshire, athletes throughout the country submitted playlists along with their reasons for choosing the songs, and Dufour’s playlist made the cut. Through Unified Sports at Alvirne, Dufour participates in soccer, basketball, track and cheerleading, and outside of school, she participates in softball and bowling with Special Olympics New Hampshire, according to the release. Score: +1 Comment: QOL loves the upbeat song choices and will be checking out Dufour’s playlist on Pandora.
QOL score: 51 Net change: -1 QOL this week: 50 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
Governor’s updates
On July 17, Gov. Chris Sununu issued Executive Order 2020-15, extending the state of emergency in New Hampshire due to the Covid-19 pandemic for another three weeks through at least Aug. 7. It’s the sixth extension he has issued since originally declaring a state of emergency on March 13.
On July 21, Sununu issued Emergency Order No. 59, an order that temporarily halts premium and signature requirements for Medicaid beneficiaries until 90 days after the termination of the public health emergency.
On July 22, Sununu released the Governor’s Covid-19 Equity Response Team’s report, offering immediate, short-term and long-term recommendations. The report includes recommendations to increase community testing, to assure testing sites have written protocols for community outreach and demographic identifier data, to assure healthy food access, to deploy Covid-19 response community health workers and to provide isolation and quarantine housing support.
During a July 23 press conference, Sununu announced the launch of the Empowering Youth Program as part of the Invest in the Future Fund, which allocates about $4.5 million of federal CARES act funding to ensure kids in New Hampshire have programs available to them that traditionally exist in the summer. About $2 million of that $4.5 million will be used for the Empowering Youth Program. “The goal … is just to provide funding for things like day camps, or recreational sports and other recreational programs, so we’re not just taking the summer in an isolated chunk,” Sununu said. “We want to create a continuum of opportunities for these kids that extend, as we finish out the summer and then move into the next year.” Now through Aug. 17, organization leaders can file an application by visiting goferr.nh.gov. To be eligible for funding, programs must serve youths, at least 75 percent of which are New Hampshire residents.
On July 27, Sununu issued Emergency Order No. 60, rescinding the state ban on reusable shopping bags in grocery stores, which had been in place since March 21. “We looked at the latest data, consulted with officials at public health and ask individuals to be courteous and respectful to retail/grocery workers by cleaning your reusable bags,” Sununu wrote in a tweet.
Details of all of Sununu’s Emergency and Executive Orders can be found at governor.nh.gov.
Laws and vetoes
Gov. Chris Sununu has signed into law and vetoed several House bills in the past week. Here are some of the highlights, according to press releases from the Office of the Governor.
HB 1135 was signed into law. Among other things, this law declares June 6 as D-Day Remembrance Day and Aug. 31 as Overdose Awareness Day, and it makes Holocaust education compulsory in New Hampshire schools and establishes a commission to study best teaching practices for the subject.
HB 731 was vetoed, relative to raising the minimum wage. In his veto statement, Sununu said that when minimum wages increase, employees often end up with fewer hours, or jobs are eliminated. “Now is exactly the wrong time to pursue policies that will reduce the chances of Granite Staters being able to get back to work and that will further hinder our employers who are already struggling in this global pandemic,” Sununu said in his statement. “This bill would have meant fewer jobs and fewer available hours for our workers who are unemployed or underemployed.”
HB 1454 was vetoed, relative to alternative education. In his veto statement, Sununu said the bill would have “effectively killed” the Learn Everywhere program, which “empowers parents to find the best educational paths for their children, and allows students to access a broader range of courses than their schools could provide on their own.” He said the bill would restrict parents’ ability to find alternatives to their children’s education.
SB 124 was vetoed, relative to the minimum electric renewable portfolio standards. In his veto statement, Sununu said the bill could potentially cost electric ratepayers $300 million in new subsidies each year, and the state would need to use 20 square miles of land to achieve the solar energy goal set forth in the bill.
All legislative staff and legislators entering the Statehouse in Concord are now required to wear a mask, after the New Hampshire Joint Committee on Legislative Facilities voted 11-0 last week in favor of the mandate, according to a press release. Masks will be required in all public areas.
Live and Let Live Farm in Chichester, the Animal Rescue League of New Hampshire in Bedford and the Friends of Manchester Animal Shelter will benefit from the New Hampshire Liquor Commission’s “Allies for Animals” raffle, which features “some of the world’s most sought-after whiskies, bourbons, scotches and cordials,” according to a press release from the Commission. Raffle tickets are $100 and are available through Sept. 15 at liquorandwineoutlets.com/allies.
Help “Stuff the Bus” for students in the greater Nashua area on Saturday, Aug. 1, when United Way will be accepting donations of school supplies from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Staples in Nashua, Staples in Amherst, Big Lots in Nashua, and Sam’s Club in Hudson, according to a press release. Donations will also be accepted that day through Aug. 8, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily, at Target in the Pheasant Lane Mall in Nashua. The supplies support back-to-school programs at the Nashua Soup Kitchen and Shelter, Nashua Goes Back to School, Milford SHARE Outreach and school districts in the region.
On-the-go deliciousness More and more food trucks featuring all kinds of eats are popping up in locations throughout southern New Hampshire. Find out where to get everything from egg rolls and vegan ice cream to tacos and chicken wings.
Also on the cover, find Uncommon Art on the Common in Goffstown, p. 6, and the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen’s annual fair online, p. 10. And there’s a series of outdoor music happening in Concord this summer, p. 26.
Michael Simmons of Manchester is the head chef of Angela’s Pasta & Cheese Shop (815 Chestnut St., Manchester, 625-9544, angelaspastaandcheese.com), ...
lyCovid-19 updateAs of July 20As of July 27Total cases statewide6,2496,441Total current infections statewide565407Total deaths statewide398409New cases190 (July 14 to July ...
No Multicultural Festival this year...This year’s Concord Multicultural Festival, typically held in September, has been canceled due to the uncertainty ...
All quotes are from The TB12 Method: How to Achieve a Lifetime of Sustained Peak Performance, by Tom Brady, born Aug. 3, 1977.
Leo (July 23 – Aug. 22) What are your goals? How do you define success in your life? Only you can answer that! Yay!
Virgo (Aug. 23 – Sept. 22) The game never stops evolving, so why should I? You shouldn’t.
Libra (Sept. 23 – Oct. 22) … just because you’re standing at a buffet, that doesn’t mean you’re supposed to eat everything. You should eat just enough so that you feel full, and no more. Sports training is no different. Binge watching may not be the best way to go, either.
Scorpio (Oct. 23 – Nov. 21)Many gym trainers tell athletes to target their upper bodies on Mondays and Wednesdays and their lower bodies on Tuesdays and Thursdays. At TB12, we advise athletes to do upper body, core, and lower body in the same workout. A comprehensive approach is best.
Sagittarius (Nov. 22 – Dec. 21)… the ones I remember best are the closely fought games in which, no matter what the scoreboard says, our team put in our best effort. Ah, those are good times.
Capricorn (Dec. 22 – Jan. 19) Strong athletes like to work on strength, and fast athletes like to work on speed. But that doesn’t create balance. To create balance, we need to work on our deficiencies as well. You know what you need to do.
Aquarius (Jan. 20 – Feb. 18) After the seventh push-up, your chest is straining and you feel fatigued. … But your brain says, ‘Keep going! Fight hard!’ It asks other muscles to step in to help you finish. It could be your lats, your triceps, or your butt — your brain calls on any muscle that will help you achieve your goal and finish what you set out to do. But to me, form first means engaging only the muscles you should be engaging for the movement you are attempting to do. That’s how you keep the proper balance. Start easy and work your way up.
Pisces (Feb. 19 – March 20) If you do daily squats with a four-hundred-pound load on your back, the only thing you’ll get better at is squatting with a four-hundred-pound load on your back. Which could come in handy sometime!
Aries (March 21 – April 19) Make sure you maintain the right biomechanically correct form — knees over feet, hips over knees, and your core engaged — before you start, and stop performing an exercise the moment your form starts to break down. One good push-up is better than 10 bad ones.
Taurus (April 20 – May 20)Sometimes I think I’m the most hydrated person in the world. It’s not a competition.
Gemini (May 21 – June 20) Sometimes we see older people working out with bands, or doing water aerobics or tai chi. It turns out that they know something the rest of us don’t. Ask them what they know.
Cancer (June 21 – July 22) If we’ve lost but I’ve learned something, the game turns into a positive experiment. Sometimes in the moment it doesn’t feel that way, because the emotions are running so high — but you try to learn and move on. Lesson No. 1: Don’t send Lenny from Accounting for coffee.
