With the increasing number of Covid cases, school districts across the state are rethinking their learning models, with many making modifications on a daily or weekly basis as things change and an increasing number deciding to go fully remote through the holidays. The Manchester School District voted Monday night to move from a hybrid model to fully remote learning from Nov. 23 through at least Jan. 19, according to a report from WMUR. In Concord, the School Board voted last week to continue its hybrid instruction until Dec. 23, followed by remote learning from Jan. 4 through Jan. 18, after the holiday break, according to a message on the school district’s Facebook page. Pinkerton Academy in Derry will move to fully remote learning starting Nov. 23 through December, according to a letter on the school’s website from Headmaster Timothy Powers. And the Nashua School District will move to all remote learning from Nov. 23 until at least Dec. 11, according to a letter from Superintendent Jahmal Mosley on the district’s website.
Score: -4 for the upheaval and disruption for everybody involved
Comment: What day is it again? An in-person school day? A remote learning day? Or is it Saturday? QOL understands the virus-containing reasons for the schedule changes but waking up has never been so complicated.
A new Thanksgiving-esque event
While some turkey trots have been canceled or have transitioned to virtual runs, there’s a brand new event in Goffstown this year: the first annual Gobble Wobble 5-Miler. The event is being hosted by Total Image Running and will benefit the American Legion Auxiliary Wesley Wyman Unit No. 16 in Goffstown, to help them support local veterans, active duty military and their families. The run is being offered both virtually and in person, the latter of which starts and ends at the town’s Parks and Recreation facility on Mast Road on Saturday, Nov. 21, at 9 a.m. Registration for the virtual run closes Nov. 28, so participants can run any time prior to that. The cost is $35 or $40 (depending on age and whether the run is in person or virtual), and all runners, walkers and wobblers will get a Gobble Wobble hooded sweatshirt. Visit runsignup.com/Race/NH/Goffstown/GobbleWobble5Miler to register.
Score: +1
Comment: Cheers to the opposite of canceling an event — starting a new one! Safety protocols, like socially distanced start times and mask-wearing at the starting line, will be in place.
Good at giving
New Hampshire is the 15th most charitable state, according to a new study from personal-finance website WalletHub, which compared the 50 states using data that indicated charitable behavior, from volunteer rates to donated income. The Granite State ranked third for percentage of population that donated time, seventh for charities per capita, 13th for volunteer hours per capita, 16th for volunteer rate and 18th for percentage of the population that donated money.
Score: +1
Comment:Our closest neighbors’ rankings were varied, with Maine coming in ninth, Massachusetts ranking 21st and Vermont coming in at 36th.
QOL score: 69
Net change: -2
QOL this week: 67
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
Several state chief medical and nursing officers issued a joint statement with the New Hampshire Hospital Association on Nov. 10, urging people to continue to adhere to the guidance from state health officials to prevent the spread of Covid-19. “We ask that you … wear a mask, stay at least six feet apart, avoid crowds, wash your hands frequently, cover your mouth when you cough and stay home if you are experiencing any respiratory or unexplained symptoms,” the statement reads.
State health officials reported 462 new positive tests of Covid-19 in New Hampshire on Nov. 13, the most recorded in a single day since the start of the pandemic in March, and an increase of more than 100 from the previous record set just the day before (323 new positive tests on Nov. 12). “In the last week, we have now averaged about 240 new infections per day statewide, which is up from where we were last week,” state epidemiologist Dr. Benjamin Chan said in a Nov. 12 press conference. “This … virus is now widespread in our state. The number of infections are increasing. The hospitalizations are increasing. The test-positivity rate is increasing, and the number of people dying from Covid-19 is also increasing.”
Chan also announced that, due to the rapidly increasing rates of community transmission, the state Department of Health & Human Services will no longer be conducting contact tracing investigations for those who test positive. “Instead, we will be prioritizing who we investigate and targeting our public health resources to those individuals in those situations most at need and most at risk for [the] spread of Covid-19,” Chan said.
As of Nov. 12, 64 people in New Hampshire were being hospitalized for Covid-19, but Gov. Chris Sununu said he expects that number will rise “very aggressively,” which may prompt the need to open more temporary “surge hospitals” in the state. “Hospitals are open and they’re performing services, [and] they have a lot of testing capability,” he said. “That means we have less available bed capacity today than we did [in March and April] … and so the need to open a surge or flex hospital would probably come much sooner.”
Later during the same press conference, DHHS Commissioner Lori Shibinette reported four instances of potential community exposures of Covid-19 at polling locations on Election Day (Nov. 3) — at Souhegan High School in Amherst, Pembroke Academy, Belmont High School and Newfields Elementary School. “These were all people that identified in the last couple of days of having positive Covid-19 tests and reported being in line and not being able to six-foot socially distance,” Shibinette said, noting that anyone who was at any of those polling stations should monitor for symptoms.
Sununu also announced that New Hampshire, along with each of the five New England states and New Jersey, has suspended all interstate hockey competitions for public and private schools, and for youth hockey, from Nov. 14 through Dec. 31. “This doesn’t pause hockey,” he said. “It pauses crossing the border for games.” Sununu added that college, professional or national team hockey activities are not impacted by the suspension.
With the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday just one week away, Sununu announced the state has updated its travel guidance for residents who travel outside of New England. “Currently, when you come back, we’re having folks quarantine for 14 days,” he said. “We’re augmenting that to allow a seven-day quarantine with a test. So if you get a test, after seven days, you don’t have to do the 14. You could do the 14 without a test, or you can quarantine for seven days with a test. … “Obviously, we’re not going to tell people that they can’t have a family gathering at Thanksgiving. But what we can do is manage our controls, expectations, the elevated message, and especially the data that we’re seeing out there.”
On Nov. 14, Sununu issued Emergency Order No. 72, 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. 72 extends that advisory through Jan. 15.
On Nov. 16, Sununu reactivated the state’s Long Term Care Stabilization Program, offering stipends to frontline health care workers at Medicaid facilities until Dec. 31.
Details of all of Sununu’s Emergency Orders, Executive Orders and other announcements can be found at governor.nh.gov.
Child Advocate report
Released last week, the Office of the Child Advocate’s Annual Report cited the pandemic as the “dominating factor of the year” for children, according to a press release. The Division for Children, Youth and Families received praise from Child Advocate Moira O’Neill for the support it provided to families to help prevent abuse or neglect that stemmed from pandemic restrictions. The report identified pandemic-related concerns, such as less access to school personnel, who usually monitor for signs of abuse and neglect. The Office of the Child Advocate is working toward implementation of an expanded community-based system of care, which it identifies as the most critical response to child and family needs, the press release said. Also in the report is a look at the number of complaints about state services for children that the office has received from Oct. 1, 2019, to Sept. 30, 2020, as well as reports of incidents that involve kids in state care during that same time frame. “We received, reviewed and monitored outcomes of 2,183 incident reports,” O’Neill said in the report. “That is an increase of three times what we saw in the year before.” However, those numbers reflect DCYF coming into compliance with the mandate to report and not necessarily an increase in incidents, according to the release.
School lunches
Manchester Mayor Joyce Craig sent a letter last week to the New Hampshire congressional delegation regarding the concern that the city’s school district, as well as districts throughout the state, is in danger of losing funding due to a reduction in the number of families who have filled out paperwork to be eligible for free or reduced lunches. That number helps determine school funding needs, but because all students have been able to get free school lunches during the pandemic without filling out forms, the current number does not reflect the actual need, the letter says. In Manchester, prior to the pandemic, about 49.5 percent of students in the district were eligible for free lunch; as of Oct. 31, that number dropped to 39.99 percent. “This decrease in enrollment does not reflect the needs of our community, however, and if this continues, the Differentiated Aid under the Adequacy formula that is tied to the number of students receiving free and reduced lunch will be approximately $3.6 million lower than this year,” Craig wrote in the letter. “This is an unintended consequence of the Covid-19 pandemic that could have detrimental impacts on school district budgets across the state.”
Sports betting
Since it debuted on Dec. 30 last year, the New Hampshire Lottery has surpassed $200 million in total sports wagering, with more than 52,000 registered customers in New Hampshire making over 6 million bets that totaled more than $205.1 million as of Nov. 9, according to a press release. Since Dec. 30, New Hampshire Lottery and DraftKings have launched mobile sports betting in New Hampshire and have opened two retail sportsbook locations for in-person betting, at DraftKings Sportsbook at The Brook in Seabrook and DraftKings Sportsbook at Manchester at the Filotimo Casino & Restaurant. “The success of sports betting in New Hampshire represents success for our entire state, as revenue from sports betting directly benefits education in New Hampshire,” Gov. Chris Sununu said in the release.
The 1914 Colonial Theatre complex in Laconia has been named to the National Register of Historic Places for its architecture and its role as a center of entertainment and commerce into the 21st century. According to a press release, its most prominent feature is a 1930s marquee.
The Concord Regional Visiting Nurse Association recently honored Director of Donor Relations Melissa Howard with its peer-nominated “Living Our Values” award. According to a press release, Howard has been with the VNA for almost five years, and the colleagues who nominated her said she “is a wonderful leader, a pleasure to work with and a true role model.”
The Department of Athletics at UNH in Durham announced last week that its athletic programs, including hockey and basketball, will begin play for the 2020-21 season. According to a press release, spectators will not be allowed at Wildcats home events, though hockey games will be televised on NESN.
The Brookside Congregational Church Complex in Manchester has been named to the New Hampshire State Register of Historic Places, according to a press release. The complex includes a 1908 neo-Classical estate house, a 1960 brick Georgian Revival church, a circa 1908 carriage house and a caretaker’s cottage.
Make no mistake about it, Donald Trump lost this election and the passion on both sides was either for or against Donald Trump. While many were hopeful of a blue Democratic wave, it didn’t happen. It looks likely that the Republicans will hold onto the Senate and gain House seats. And, although New Hampshire voted for Joe Biden, Republicans fared very well in other elections around the state. It is my belief that this election was less about whether Trump did a good job with his presidential policies and more about the style in which he carried off his duties.
This style leaves a list of “don’ts” for future presidents. These should have been no-brainers for virtually anyone elected to that office and had Trump avoided these things he probably would have been re-elected.
1. Don’t call the scientist idiots — and wear a mask.
2. Don’t make fun of people with disabilities.
3. Don’t disparage prisoners of war (this alone probably cost Trump Arizona).
4. Don’t stereotype people.
5. Don’t anger our allies. We need them.
6. Release your tax returns. Everybody else seeking that office seems to have no problem releasing theirs. It looks like you have something to hide.
7. Don’t trash all of your predecessors. It makes you look small.
8. Have an actual health care plan. (Trump had four years!)
9. Don’t call people names. Schools across the country teach students that this is bullying.
10. Clearly denounce white supremacists. (I know that when pressed on the issue Trump denounced them but it never seemed genuine.)
11. Don’t separate parents from their kids.
None of the above are hard to understand. Anyone else in the president’s position would have followed these. So many who were inclined to support many of Trump’s policies were turned off by actions like these. I believe that Trump could have still been that quirky commander in chief that so many seem to love and still not made so many of these obvious errors. Obviously, my advice is too late.
Fred Bramante is a past chairman and memtber of the New Hampshire State Board of Education. He speaks and consults on education redesign to regional, state and national organizations.
At the movies Local theaters are doing everything they can to stay in business during the pandemic, with some hosting special events and renting out rooms and others offering classic movies either in person or virtually. Find out what to expect from your local theaters in the coming months.
Also on the cover, Jeff Kinney, author of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, is bringing a socially-distanced pool party to New Hampshire, p. 10. The New Hampshire Liquor Commission has morphed its annual Wine Week and Distillers Showcase into a 90-day virtual tasting series, p.16. And a new roast beef and pizza shop has opened in Hooksett, p.17.
Covid-19 updateAs of November 2As of November 2Total cases statewide11,32012,699Total current infections statewide1,4072,057Total deaths statewide483489New cases923 (Oct. 27 to Nov ...
There’s a new twist on the “grandparent scam,” according to an alert sent out by the state Attorney General’s Office, which wants New Hampshire residents to be aware of the “new and concerning tactics.” In a typical grandparent scam, the scammer calls or emails a victim and pretends to be one of the victim’s relatives, then claims to be in trouble with the law, or the scammer might claim to be a member of law enforcement who has arrested the victim’s relative. Scammers often tell the victim they are under a “legal gag order” to not speak about the incident, according to the release. Previously, the scammers would ask victims to wire money to a bank account or transfer money electronically; now, the scammers are trying to arrange in-person pickups of either money or other valuable items from the victim’s home. “This represents a new and dangerous threat to New Hampshire residents,” the release says.
Score: -1
Comment:The Attorney General’s Office said in the alert that law enforcement officials will never ask for money over the phone or via email and will never ask for in-person payments of cash or other valuables in exchange for a relative’s release. The office suggests hanging up and contacting your local police department.
Torch Run opens to all
The 2020 version of the annual Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics New Hampshire, which is usually held in the summer, will be a virtual event that, for the first time, will be open to non-law enforcement personnel, according to a press release. Typically, the run is made up of members of New Hampshire law enforcement running with the Flame of Hope in 28 different “legs” of a route that crisscrosses the Granite State, and it usually happens in conjunction with the Special Olympics New Hampshire State Summer Games. This year, anyone who wants to support the event can buy a “Braver Together” T-shirt or hat for $30 at sonh.org, where they will be asked to pledge the number of miles they intend to run or walk between Nov. 26 and Dec. 6.
Score: +1
Comment: Participants are asked to wear their “Braver Together” shirt or hat while they run or walk, and Special Olympics New Hampshire plans to post Torch Run photos and videos on its website and social media, according to the release.
Skating is on!
Though all ice rinks in the state were forced to close for two weeks in October due to Covid-19 concerns, several local rinks have reopened and are offering public skating, with restrictions. At Everett Arena in Concord, public skating hours are Monday through Saturday, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Sunday from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Tri-Town Ice Arena in Hooksett is now offering limited public skating sessions, with various times available each week. In Manchester, JFK Memorial Coliseum offers public skating on Tuesday and Thursday mornings and Saturday and Sunday afternoons. And West Side Ice Arena offers hourly private rentals.
Score: +1
Comment:All facilities have safety guidelines in place, and availability is subject to change; visit their websites for the most up-to-date information.
NH supports veteran-owned businesses
A national analysis by Zippia, a resource site for job seekers, has found that New Hampshire is the most supportive state in the country for veteran-owned businesses. The data came from the U.S. Government’s Small Business Administration and included the number of veteran-owned businesses per capita and the percentage of state sales that go toward these businesses. In New Hampshire, 6 percent of state sales go toward veterans, which is the highest percentage in the country, and 12 percent of all businesses in the state are owned by veterans.
Score: +1
Comment:The other top spots went to South Carolina at No. 2 and Mississippi at No. 3, and the states that were ranked least friendly for veteran-owned businesses were New Jersey at 49 and New York at 50.
QOL score: 67
Net change: +2
QOL this week: 69
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
During a Nov. 5 press conference, state epidemiologist Dr. Benjamin Chan provided a public health update on New Hampshire’s ongoing response to the Covid-19 pandemic. New and active infections of the coronavirus have been on a continuous increase over the last couple of weeks in the state, he said, with seven of its 10 counties — Hillsborough, Merrimack, Rockingham, Coos, Grafton, Belknap and Stafford — at a substantial level of community transmission. According to WMUR, Gov. Chris Sununu said the state is preparing for what could be a “very aggressive” spike in Covid-19 cases, with New Hampshire potentially seeing 500 to 1,000 new daily cases by the end of the month. He said the state is ready, with PPE, testing, funds and resources, according to WMUR.
During the Nov. 5 press conference, Sununu also provided an update on the status of New Hampshire’s federal CARES act funds, which he said must be spent prior to Dec. 31. More than 4,000 businesses applied for the Main Street Relief Fund 2.0, around 3,000 of which were eligible. Sununu added that around $15 million is still available that has been allocated for the state’s housing relief program. As of Nov. 5, about 2,100 people have applied for and received funds totaling about $5.6 million.
On Nov. 7, the New Hampshire Department of Health & Human Services issued a potential community exposure notice related to a person with Covid-19 who visited the 401 Tavern in Hampton. According to state health officials, the exposure occurred in the eatery’s bar area during the evenings of Oct. 23 and Oct. 24. Anyone who was there on those evenings should monitor for symptoms of the virus and seek testing.
Details of Sununu’s Emergency Orders, Executive Orders and other announcements can be viewed at governor.nh.gov.
Addressing homelessness
On Nov. 5, New Hampshire’s 13 mayors sent a joint letter to Gov. Chris Sununu asking him to make it a top priority to develop a statewide plan that addresses homelessness. According to the letter, homelessness is a crisis in all of the mayors’ communities. “In recent months, in an effort to prevent community spread of Covid-19 and allow for social distancing, shelters have been forced to decompress and reduce the number of available beds,” it reads, though it also notes that the number of people living unsheltered has been increasing even in the years prior to the pandemic. The letter cited a lack of funding and emergency shelter beds in some communities and said that with many homeless individuals living on state-owned properties, the state needs to create and implement a winter shelter surge plan, as well as a comprehensive housing plan that would increase the number of supportive, transitional and affordable housing options for couples, victims of domestic violence, families with children and felons. “Because of a lack of an overarching statewide approach, our communities’ homelessness strategies have been reactive rather than proactive,” the letter reads. “The state must take a role in designing an incident command infrastructure to address homelessness, similar to the Governor’s Commission on Alcohol and Other Drugs, to establish a set of metrics to determine success, and implement accountability measures, and progress tracking to ensure positive outcomes.”
On Nov. 8, the Union Leader reported that people have been ordered to leave the homeless encampments on either side of the Hillsborough County Superior Court by Nov. 16 or they will face penalties, and any personal items remaining on the property will be disposed of. The signs that have been posted say camping is not allowed on the property; the Union Leader reported that about 26 tents were set up at the two encampments as of Sunday night. Sununu told the Union Leader that a commission would be “great,” but that he would want one that addressed all of the issues related to homelessness, like mental health, addiction, abuse and neglect and poverty.
Better food
After five weeks of receiving low-quality foods as part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm to Trunk program, the New Hampshire Food Bank now has a new supplier, according to WMUR. New Hampshire’s congressional delegation recently sent a letter to the USDA citing concerns about the product that was being supplied by Delaware-based Vincent Farms. The delegation requested an investigation, and while Food Bank Director Eileen Liponis told WMUR that she doesn’t know what will come of that, “word has gotten out that we were not happy, and this next distributor that has gotten the award is making sure they don’t get themselves in the same pickle,” she said.
SUD relief
More than 20 organizations across the state that provide services to people affected by substance use disorder have received CARES Act funding, awarded by Granite United Way, which was chosen by the Governor’s Office for Emergency Relief and Recovery to receive $750,000 in funding, according to a press release. Granite United Way worked with United Ways throughout the state to identify organizations that will use the funding for people with substance use disorder who are struggling even more during the pandemic. Funding will cover basic needs like food, clothing, transportation and housing. “This has been a great opportunity for all of our United Ways to work together and with our community partners to ensure this funding gets to those who need it the most,” Patrick Tufts, President and CEO of Granite United Way, said in the release. “This support will really help our organization continue to help people struggling with addiction,” said Steve Gadomski of Teen Challenge in Manchester, one of the organizations that received the funding. The funding will run through Dec. 30, according to the release.
Busy day
The state’s Attorney General’s Office, which supports and assists election officials, announced on Monday the results of its Election Day Operations, calling it a successful election that was “the result of extraordinary efforts of thousands of local election officials.” More than 100 attorneys, investigators and staff from the Attorney General’s Office, the Secretary of State’s Office and other state agencies covered 305 of New Hampshire’s 307 polling places, with each inspector completing a detailed checklist and working with local election officials to resolve any issues, according to a press release. More than 275 phone calls were made to the Attorney General’s Election Hotline, and “the majority of issues were resolved on Tuesday by working directly with local election officials.” Comparatively, 302 out of 309 polling places were inspected in the 2018 General Election and 185 unique calls were received. In the 2016 general election, only 76 percent of polling locations were inspected, according to the release.
The Ice Castles will return to North Woodstock this year, with ice slides, caves, crawl spaces and fountains as well as new features to promote safety, including a winter light walk and a sledding hill, according to a press release. Construction is scheduled to begin in late November with an opening date anticipated in early January.
The General Court of New Hampshire has created a new video tour that will allow students to virtually tour the Statehouse in Concord, according to a press release. The tour includes the historic Hall of Flags and the Executive Council Chamber and Legislative Chambers, as well as the Statehouse grounds. The link to the tour can be found at gencourt.state.nh.us/nh.
The Girl Scout Discovery Zone has opened at the Mall of New Hampshire in Manchester, offering free special activities each day that it is open (Thursdays through Sundays from 1 to 4 p.m.), plus a Girl Scout Scavenger Hunt and information about becoming a Girl Scout, according to a press release from The Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains.
On Oct. 21, Bridges in Nashua moved to a new location at 28 Concord St. According to a press release, the new building will allow Bridges to help more clients who are dealing with domestic or sexual violence.
