Category: News

Ew, ticks

In a May 1 press release Gov. Kelly Ayotte declared May Lyme Disease Awareness Month in New Hampshire. Deer tick nymphs, which can carry the bacteria that causes Lyme disease, are most active from May to July, the release said. The press release offered recommendations from the state Department of Health and Human Services to lower one’s risk of tick bites, including wearing light-colored clothing when outdoors, and washing and drying clothing immediately after being outdoors. Information about tickborne diseases is available atdhhs.nh.gov/programs-services/disease-prevention/infectious-disease-control/tickborne-diseases.

QOL score: -1

Comment: An online report from Harvard Health Publishing on April 29 noted, “Ticks are now thriving in a wider geographic range, and appearing earlier and sticking around later in the … spring and fall.”

Those Chromebooks are not free, kids

In a May 11 online article, WMUR reported on a recent TikTok trend has challenged students to sabotage Chromebooks, such as the ones used in many school districts, the article said. Parents in some NH towns received alerts from their school districts about this latest bit of dangerous and expensive TikTok-ery. WMUR quoted New Hampshire Fire Marshal Sean Toomey: “Any sort of lithium-ion battery fire is going to release [fumes]; it’s extremely dangerous. And it releases toxic gases…”

QOL score: -2

Comment: The WMUR article reported a statement by “School officials [saying that] any student caught participating in the challenge will be required to pay for a replacement.” Fire Marshal Toomey was quoted as saying that “in some cases, the behavior could lead to criminal charges.”

Speaking of electricity

In a May 6, online article, WMUR reported that electricity provider Eversource has informed the Public Utilities Commission that it will raise electric rates for New Hampshire customers beginning in August. As reported by WMUR, “Eversource is requesting a 6.75% increase, along with a separate adjustment that it said would help offset the cost of recent storms.”

QOL score: -1

Comment: “If all the changes are approved, the average customer could be paying nearly $19 more per month to Eversource than they were a year ago,” the article reported. “The hearings on the rates will continue until mid-June. The approved rates will go into effect on Aug. 1.”

Nashua Tooth Fairies

As reported by WMUR in a May 6 online article, a pair of Tooth Fairies are “offering in-school dental care from pre-K through high school. Each week, the nonprofit organization sets up a dental office inside a different school building, returning to the rotation after visiting all of them.” The Traveling Tooth Fairies’ certified public health dental hygienists Myra Nikitas and Mary Duquette “provide cleanings, screenings, fluoride treatments, sealants, and even fix cavities with no drill fillings,” WMUR reported. Treatment is carried out under the supervision of a dentist and is performed regardless of whether a student is covered by insurance.

QOL score: +1

Comment: The Traveling Tooth Fairies program is supported by sponsors including Northeast Delta Dental and the Nashua Lions Club. It is a nonprofit organization. Visit travelingtoothfairies.com.

QOL score last week: 64

Net change: -3

QOL this week: 61

What’s affecting your Quality of Life here in New Hampshire?

Let us know at [email protected].

A reprieve from pollen

Although this time of year is typically one of high pollen counts, recent rainy weather has temporarily knocked pollen out of the air. In an April 29 online weather update, WMUR warned New Hampshire allergy sufferers that this is usually the high point of airborne pollen in the state. “Late April and early May mark the peak of tree pollen season in New Hampshire,” the report read. “Maple, birch, and juniper are currently the dominant allergens, though nearly every tree species produces pollen.” Recent rainy weather has brought some relief, however. According to a May 5 15-Day Allergy Forecast by the Weather Channel (weather.com/forecast/allergy) area pollen counts should remain low through the weekend.

QOL score: +1 for a ah ah ahchoo break

Comment: The same allergy forecast projects a return to between “Moderate” and “Very High” levels starting around May 12.

Your package is not waiting to be delivered

According to a recent study by online technology education website Fullstack Academy, the most common way for New Hampshire residents to get scammed out of their personal data is through fake messages claiming that the target has a package or online order that can’t be delivered without more information. According to an April 4 blog post by Fullstack Academy, “Shipping scams are so prevalent that the [U.S. Postal Service] has guides to detecting and protecting yourself from such impersonators. Per [Federal Trade Commission] data, consumers lost $12.5 billion in 2024 to scams, with imposter scams accounting for $2.95 billion in losses alone.”

QOL score: -1

Comment: According to the study, “women are more likely than men to receive phishing lures impersonating shipping companies. Out of all female respondents, 54% said they’ve received USPS scams, while just 46% of male respondents said so. And with UPS-impersonated scams, 53% of women reported receiving one, while just 45% of men have received one.” To read more about this report, search online for fullstackacademy.com and “Phishing Lures.”

Hot. Very, very hot.

A May 2 story from Patch.com warns that this summer will bring “brutally hot weather for our part of the country.” A comparison of “NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center, The Old Farmer’s Almanac, and Farmers’ Almanac shares predictions for the Granite State’s summer weather,” the story reported, and the consensus is that this summer will probably be another one of record-breaking heat. “A three-month outlook from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate Prediction Center calls for above-average temperatures across the country from June through August, with pockets of extreme heat in the desert Southwest and parts of the Northeast. In New Hampshire, temperatures have a 70 to 80 percent chance of being above average.”

QOL score: -1

Comment: “Last year saw one of the hottest summers on record,” Patch.com reported, “with a nationwide average temperature of 73.8 degrees Fahrenheit, or 2.5 degrees above normal. It was also Earth’s hottest summer since global records began in 1880, surpassing a 2023 record.”

QOL score: 66

Net change: -2

QOL this week: 64

What’s affecting your Quality of Life here in New Hampshire?

Let us know at [email protected].