Category: News

Covid-19 update	As of May 30	As of June 7
Total cases statewide	98,726	98,941
Total current infections statewide	476	353
Total deaths statewide	1,353	1,357
New cases	377 (May 25 to May 30)	215 (May 31 to June 7)
Current infections: Hillsborough County	136	93
Current infections: Merrimack County	38	32
Current infections: Rockingham County	75	50

Covid-19 news

During the state’s weekly public health update on June 3, state epidemiologist Dr. Benjamin Chan reported that there was a daily average of between 50 and 60 new daily infections of Covid-19 in New Hampshire over the previous week, numbers that are “substantially down” from the peak of the most recent surge of cases over the winter, when averages were between 800 and 900. “We’re making great progress in bringing the number of new infections down,” Chan said. “Our test-positivity rate over the last week has averaged under 2 percent.”

More than 660,000 people in the Granite State, or just under 50 percent of the population, are now fully vaccinated as of June 3, according to Dr. Beth Daly, Chief of the Bureau of Infectious Disease Control of the New Hampshire Department of Health & Human Services. “The state-run fixed sites are now closed for new people wanting to get vaccinated,” Daly said. “However, they will continue to provide those second-dose vaccinations through June … and there are many other locations to get vaccinated, either through hospitals, pharmacies, community health centers and community clinics run by our local health departments and the Public Health Networks.”

Later during the press conference, Gov. Chris Sununu announced plans for a few new Covid-related relief funds for certain business sectors in the state. They include a lodging relief program, a live venue assistance program, and a recoupment relief program for businesses that applied for grants but ended up experiencing better-than-anticipated revenues in 2020. “If you’re on the line to repay money back to the state, and really back to the federal government, they can now deduct Covid-related expenses to offset what they owe,” Sununu said. “So we’re creating a new program to allow these businesses to keep money, and we do that by allowing them to show us what their costs of Covid were.”

When asked about the United States-Canada border, and Canada’s role in New Hampshire’s tourism season, Sununu said that it “definitely has to be open.” The border remains closed to nonessential travel through at least June 21. “I understand Canada is way behind the United States in terms of vaccine distribution. In fact, if we have extra vaccine, I’m more than willing to give it to Canada. … We’re waiting to hear from the president,” Sununu said.

Psychiatric beds

As of June 7, New Hampshire had no adults in hospital emergency departments waiting for inpatient psychiatric treatment for the first time since the pandemic began. According to a press release, the Department of Health and Human Services has been following an executive order made by Gov. Chris Sununu on May 13 to implement immediate solutions that give New Hampshire residents experiencing a mental health crisis timely and appropriate medical care. This has included offering long-term care facilities a $45,000 per bed incentive to accept geropsychiatric patients from New Hampshire Hospital or the Glencliff Home, which has created an additional 25 beds at New Hampshire Hospital, the release said. The long-term plan will require increased community-based services; in the next month DHHS will present contracts to the Executive Council for mobile crisis response for all populations, contracting with children’s residential providers to provide continuum of care. The department will also continue its work to implement the 10-Year Mental Health Plan to further address barriers to mental health care, the release said.

School survey

Parents, educators and community members are being asked to take the 603 Bright Futures Survey, which was created to give the New Hampshire Department of Education insight into people’s thoughts on school districts’ responses to the pandemic, and how this past year’s experience should influence plans for fall learning. According to a press release, a similar survey last spring regarding remote learning and the return to school generated more than 56,000 responses, which helped the state create its K-12 Back to School Guidance plan. The 603 Bright Futures Survey is now open and will stay open until June 30. For families with children in K-12, preschool and private schools, the survey can be taken at bit.ly/nhdoefamily. For staff in public and private schools, the survey is at bit.ly/nhdoestaff. And for community members without children in local schools, the survey can be found at bit.ly/nhdoecommunity.

Help for Hampton

Hampton will have more help from the state to help keep the beach town safe this summer, according to a press release from the Department of Safety. Additional resources are being made available to the town to assist with operations, as part of a collaboration between local, county and state law enforcement agencies. There will be more patrols along the beach and surrounding roads, the release said, and the increased police presence is meant to keep large crowds safe and maintain a welcoming environment. “Travel is expected to be at record levels this summer across the country and New Hampshire, and Hampton is no exception,” Hampton Police Chief David Hobbs said in the release. “We are incredibly grateful for the collaboration between the New Hampshire State Police, county law enforcement, and the Hampton Police Department to ensure that visitors and residents enjoy all that Hampton has to offer this summer.”

More produce

Families participating in the NH Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program will be able to buy more fruits and vegetables this summer. According to a press release, the state is providing a temporary increase in benefits specifically for produce, provided by the US Department of Agriculture’s Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children. The program, which typically allocates a monthly stipend of $9 per child and $11 per mother for the purchase of fruits and vegetables, will temporarily provide $35 per person each month from June through September. WIC participants will be able to use the funds to purchase more fresh, canned, and frozen fruits and vegetables through 158 participating vendors across the state. The stipend will automatically be added to the eWIC benefit card, the release said.

The Contoocook Railroad Museum Visitor Center will be able to open for summertime hours, through Labor Day, thanks to a grant from the Kearsarge Area Chamber of Commerce. According to a press release, the site includes the historic 1849 depot, the world’s oldest surviving railroad covered bridge, a 1907 Pullman Coach car and a late 1800s section house, and it is located next to the Contoocook River in Village Square in Contoocook.

After being closed for nearly 60 years, the Lakeport Opera House in Laconia will be opening for the first performance in six decades, according to a press release. The Flutie Brothers Band, featuring former NFL star Doug Flutie and his brother Darren, will perform Saturday, June 12, at 8 p.m.

The Manchester Health Department, located at 1528 Elm St., is offering free walk-in vaccination clinics on Mondays from 9 to 11 a.m. and Wednesdays from 2 to 4 p.m. for ages 12 and up. According to a press release, the clinics were scheduled to begin June 9. No appointment is necessary, and all three vaccine types will be available while supplies last.

The Southern New Hampshire Comic Bash will host the 2021 Nashua Comic Book Festival: Free Admission Special Edition on Saturday, June 12, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Holiday Inn (9 Northeastern Boulevard, Nashua). According to the event website, there will be plenty of boxes of comic books, original comic art and comic-related collectibles. Masks will be required for all attendees and vendors. See nashuacomicfest.com.

Covid-19 update	As of May 24	As of May 30
Total cases statewide	98,349	98,726
Total current infections statewide	411	476
Total deaths statewide	1,344	1,353
New cases	575 (May 18 to May 24)	377 (May 25 to May 30)
Current infections: Hillsborough County	124	136
Current infections: Merrimack County	36	38
Current infections: Rockingham County	82	75

Covid-19 news

New cases of Covid-19 continue to be on a sharp decline in the Granite State. According to daily public health updates from the New Hampshire Department of Health & Human Services, there was an average of 71 new cases per day over the most recent seven-day period available (May 24 to May 30). That’s a decrease of about 37 percent compared to the previous seven-day period.

On May 28, Gov. Chris Sununu issued Executive Order 2021-10, extending the state of emergency in New Hampshire due to the pandemic for another 14 days through at least June 11. It’s the 21st extension he has issued since declaring a state of emergency in March 2020.

State-managed fixed vaccination sites across New Hampshire have now closed to first-dose appointments, according to a press release from DHHS. As of June 1, each of the state-run sites is now only providing second-dose Pfizer or Moderna vaccinations. There are more than 350 other locations across the state, including many hospitals and pharmacies, that will continue to administer first-dose appointments. According to the release, all of the state-managed sites will close on June 30.

District settlement

The United States Department of Justice announced last week a settlement agreement with the Nashua School District, following the department’s investigation into the district’s English language learner programs. According to a press release, the department “found widespread failures to provide these students with the instruction and support they need to learn English and participate fully in school.” The department commended the district for entering into the agreement and noted that the district was cooperative throughout the investigation and is committed to improving its programs and practices. According to the agreement, the Nashua School District will: Identify English learners and enroll them in appropriate classes; provide ESL instruction to all English learnear students, including students with disabilities; ensure the district has enough teachers certified to teach English as a second language; train teachers of academic core subjects like math, science and social studies on how to help English learner students understand the content; train school principals on how to evaluate teachers of English learner students; communicate school-related information in a language that Limited English Proficient parents can understand; and monitor students’ progress and the effectiveness of the English learner programs. The Justice Department will monitor the district for three full school years, the release said.

Mask lawsuit

In other school litigation, two local school districts are being sued by students’ parents who say their mask requirements are illegal. According to a May 28 report from WMUR, the parents are asking for an emergency order to prevent the districts from requiring students to wear face masks. The parents’ attorney, Robert Fojo, has filed two separate civil lawsuits against SAU 41, Hollis-Brookline, and SAU 25, Bedford, the latter for which he is also a plaintiff. According to the report, the lawsuits say that masks restrict breathing and have caused the plaintiffs’ children to develop acne and rashes on their faces, and as well as anxiety and headaches. Fojo said in the report that the mask requirement goes against a statute that prohibits any kind of restraint or behavior control technique. “Parents are exasperated and exhausted with these requirements. … It’s completely unnecessary and frankly, it’s akin to a form of child abuse,” Fojo said in the report. According to the report, Bedford requires masks in school, but they are not required at lunch, recess or for outdoor activities, and teachers provide mask breaks throughout the day, while Hollis-Brookline requires masks indoors and outdoors when social distancing cannot be met, and it also provides periodic mask breaks. Superintendents said they could not comment on pending litigation. A hearing for the Hollis-Brookline lawsuit is scheduled for June 4 and for Bedford’s on June 11, the report said.

Money saved

New Hampshire’s soup kitchens, food pantries, emergency shelters, family crisis centers and after-school programs will save a combined $400,000 each year as of June 1, when the New Hampshire Food Bank eliminated shared maintenance fees. It has been a long-time goal, according to a press release; as a Feeding America food bank, the New Hampshire Food Bank had charged its partner agencies a per-pound fee to cover the cost of warehousing and distributing food, with the fee set by Feeding America (currently 19 cents per pound). Now, with the help of many donors, those shared maintenance fees will be eliminated permanently, allowing the New Hampshire Food Bank’s 400+ partnering food pantries, neighborhood centers, low-income housing sites, senior nutrition centers, family crisis centers, hospices, soup kitchens, emergency shelters, after-school programs, and day care centers to enhance their operations with the money they save.

DrugFreeNH

In light of Covid-19’s impact on substance misuse, The Partnership @DrugFreeNH (The Partnership) has restructured its organization and priorities and has relaunched it website, drugfreenh.org, which now provides up-to-date information and resources for individuals and families struggling with the use of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs. According to a press release, New Hampshire American Medical Response released a report in May showing that overdose numbers are rising in Nashua and Manchester, and first responders are facing the new challenge of people ingesting dangerous mixtures of drugs, such as opioids and methamphetamine. The Partnership’s website offers current alcohol and other drug prevention information for individuals, schools, parents, health care providers, young adults, or anyone who works with or is interested in NH youth, and the I need Help Resource Page lists numerous supports and services. The Partnership is also launching a series of events over the coming months, including planning and advisory meetings, as well as training opportunities. If you’re interested in joining The Partnership, visit drugfreenh.org/contact-us.

Manchester is hosting a community clean-up along the downtown railroad on Saturday, June 5, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. According to a press release, the city’s Department of Public Works will begin on Bedford Street east of the Mill Girl Stairs and at the parking lot on the corner of Granite and Canal streets. Trash bags and gloves will be provided.

The National Foundation for Governors’ Fitness Councils announced last week that three more New Hampshire schools will receive new $100,000 fitness centers as part of the Foundation’s Don’t Quit! Campaign. According to a press release, Londonderry Middle School, Portsmouth Middle School and the Groveton School in Groveton will unveil the fitness centers during ribbon-cutting ceremonies this fall.

On June 4, several local communities will host blood drives from noon to 6 p.m. According to a press release, drives will be held at the Milford Masonic Temple (30 Mt. Vernon St.), The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (105 Wind Song Ave., Manchester), Bishop Peterson Hall (37 Main St., Salem) and IBEW Local 490 (48 Airport Road, Concord). Covid-vaccinated people can donate, and in most cases there is no waiting period. Visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-REDCROSS to register.

The Nashua Public Library announced last week that library patrons can now use their cards to check out four free passes to a Nashua Silver Knights home game at Holman Stadium. Passes can be reserved at nashualibrary.org.

Covid-19 update	As of May 17	As of May 24
Total cases statewide	97,774	98,349
Total current infections statewide	1,169	411
Total deaths statewide	1,333	1,344
New cases	973 (May 11 to May 17)	575 (May 18 to May 24)
Current infections: Hillsborough County	349	124
Current infections: Merrimack County	98	36
Current infections: Rockingham County	194	82

Covid-19 news

New positive infection rates of Covid-19 continue to be on the decline in New Hampshire. According to state epidemiologist Dr. Benjamin Chan, the Granite State saw an average of 150 new cases per day in the week leading up to May 18. State health officials reported just 79 new cases of Covid-19 on May 23 — that’s the first time since Oct. 26 of last year that DHHS reported fewer than 100 new infections in a single day, public health update documents show.

As of last week, walk-ins are now accepted at all of New Hampshire’s state-run vaccination sites between the hours of 3 and 6 p.m. every day except Sunday.

During a May 18 press conference, Gov. Chris Sununu announced that New Hampshire would be terminating its participation in all pandemic-related federal unemployment compensation programs, including the $300 weekly unemployment benefits, on June 19. He also announced that the state will begin offering “summer stipends” totalling $10 million as an incentive to encourage people to find jobs. Effective May 18, anyone filing for unemployment in New Hampshire who returns to work for at least eight consecutive weeks will be eligible for a payment bonus — $1,000 for full-time workers and $500 for part-time workers. Payments are on a first-come, first-served basis and are limited to people earning $25 per hour or less.

Ed funding lawsuit

New Hampshire school districts had until May 22 to join ConVal School District’s lawsuit against the state over equitable education funding, and now a total of 16 districts are co-plaintiffs in the suit. According to a press release, the plaintiffs argue that the State does not meet its constitutional obligation to provide adequate funding for all students, saying that base adequacy — which provided $3,636 per student in all districts in 2019 — is not sufficient. In March, the Supreme Court of New Hampshire rejected the State’s request to dismiss the lawsuit. The case now goes back to Superior Court Judge David Ruoff, who will hold hearings allowing the plaintiffs to present evidence that the State underfunds education; an evidentiary hearing isn’t expected until the summer of 2022, according to the release. The school districts involved in the lawsuit are ConVal, Claremont, Derry, Fall Mountain, Grantham, Hillsboro-Deering, Hopkinton, Lebanon, Manchester, Mascenic, Mascoma, Monadnock, Nashua, Newport, Oyster River and Winchester. “We all value public education because it uniquely serves our community honorably to make sure each and every student has an equal opportunity, no matter what circumstances, to lead educated, productive and engaged lives,” James Donchess, Mayor of the City of Nashua, said in a press release that was sent out following the Nashua Board of Education’s May 17 vote to join the lawsuit.

Covid Care Corps

The Covid Care Corps, piloted last summer as part of AmeriCorps, is looking for summer associates to serve in New Hampshire and Maine, building infrastructure and helping communities recover from the effects of the pandemic. According to a press release, the Covid Care Corps was so successful in New Hampshire that it was expanded into a year-round program. The summer positions are a 10-week, full-time commitment; members receive a biweekly living stipend and either scholarship money or a cash stipend upon completion of the service term. Members must begin by June 28. The application deadline is Thursday, June 4; contact Steve Niles at Steve.Niles@goodwillnne.org or 207-370-3918.

Lowest unemployment

New Hampshire is tied with Nebraska, South Dakota and Utah for having the lowest unemployment rate in the country at 2.8 percent, according to April’s unemployment numbers from the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics. Following the release of those numbers on May 21, Gov. Chris Sununu issued a press release saying the state should expect a “booming summer” that will build on its economic success. According to a press release, before the pandemic New Hampshire had one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country at 2.6 percent. It has steadily dropped following a peak of 16 percent in April 2020, and the numbers in April 2021 show a return to pre-pandemic unemployment level, the release said.

New England College in Henniker announced last week that the Covid-19 vaccination will be added to the school’s list of required vaccinations. With limited exceptions, all students and staff who are attending classes or working on campus must be fully vaccinated prior to the start of the fall semester.

Manchester Mayor Joyce Craig will host community office hours throughout the city this summer, starting Thursday, May 27, from noon to 1 p.m. at Rock Rimmon Park, according to a press release. Next up, Craig will be at the Sheehan-Basquil Splash Pad on Monday, June 21, from 9 to 10 a.m.

Deb Chabot and Peter Georgantas have been named the first recipients of the Goffstown Citizen of the Year award. According to a press release, during the height of the pandemic the two helped raise more than $5,800 for a local food pantry and started a campaign to encourage residents to support local restaurants.

Mark Threlfall of Merrimack will be a judge at the 145th Annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show in Tarrytown, New York, on Sunday, June 13. According to a press release, Threlfall will be judging German Shorthaired Pointers, German Wirehaired Pointers, Gordon Setters, Irish Setters, and Irish Red and White Setters. He has worked with dogs his whole life, including as a professional handler, winning best in show numerous times, the release said.

Covid-19 update	As of May 10	As of May 17
Total cases statewide	96,801	97,774
Total current infections statewide	1,492	1,169
Total deaths statewide	1,315	1,333
New cases	1,295 (May 4 to May 10)	973 (May 11 to May 17)
Current infections: Hillsborough County	474	349
Current infections: Merrimack County	114	98
Current infections: Rockingham County	304	194

Covid-19 news

During the state’s weekly public health update on May 13, state epidemiologist Dr. Benjamin Chan reported that positive case numbers of Covid-19 in New Hampshire continue to be on the decline, averaging between 150 and 200 new infections per day over the previous week, while the test positivity rate was at roughly 3 percent. As of May 13, there have been 178 confirmed “breakthrough” infections of the virus, meaning those that occurred despite individuals being fully vaccinated. “We are going to see vaccine breakthrough cases, but it’s a very low number when you consider the number of people that have been fully vaccinated,” said Chan, noting that it’s less than 0.1 percent of these cases relative to overall vaccinations.

Later during the press conference, when asked about the CDC’s new guidance released earlier that day saying fully vaccinated people no longer need to wear masks indoors or outdoors in most cases, Chan said he was “a little bit unhappy” with how it was rolled out. “The difficult choices have always been around what the correct timing is,” he said. “Anytime the CDC puts out this type of guidance, we never just simply adopt it because the CDC has put it out. We’ve always, throughout this pandemic, taken the time to review it, understand it, look at our own numbers, look at our own situation [and] make decisions based on our own local context, and we will do that in this situation as well.”

As of last week, children and teens ages 12 to 15 are now eligible to receive the Pfizer vaccine. “We have already had 6,000 12- to 15-year-olds register out of the 60,000 people in this age group,” Dr. Beth Daly, Chief of the Bureau of Infectious Disease Control of the New Hampshire Department of Health & Human Services, said during the press conference. “We have seen even young, otherwise healthy people get hospitalized or have weeks or months of breathing problems that impacted their ability to play sports or exercise, so we do encourage all parents to make that choice to get their child vaccinated.”

Gov. Chris Sununu also announced during the press conference that beginning this week New Hampshire is opening up each of its state-run vaccination sites to walk-ins, with no appointments needed, between 3 and 6 p.m. Both Pfizer and Moderna are available at these sites. Second-dose appointments will still be scheduled at the time of the first vaccination.

Downtown development

Last week, Manchester Mayor Joyce Craig submitted proposals to transform two large city-owned downtown parking lots — the Pearl Street Lot and Hartnett Lot — into mixed-use, mixed-income housing developments in an effort to address the city’s housing shortage. According to a press release, Craig’s Requests for Proposals drafts, which were sent to the city’s Lands and Buildings Aldermanic Committee for approval, require that some units be affordable, based on Housing and Urban Development’s definition of affordable housing, and the number of affordable units will be the biggest factor in the evaluation criteria. Further, the proposals must not reduce any existing public parking spaces, and they must be architecturally pleasing and pedestrian-friendly. “Manchester has been named the hottest real estate market in the country for the second year in a row, and in order to keep up with demand, there is a desperate need for not only more affordable housing but more housing in general,” Craig said in the release. The Queen City’s Affordable Housing Taskforce, which was established in March 2020, released its final report last month, with the first recommendation being to “prioritize the development of affordable housing on City-owned parking lots and vacant City-owned land,” the release said. On May 18, Craig also announced a proposal to create a Housing Commission, which was another recommendation made by the Affordable Housing Task Force. “Through this commission, the City of Manchester will continue to engage members of our community in finding innovative solutions to the rising cost of housing,” Craig said in the release. The commission would be responsible for following up on the many recommendations made by the Affordable Housing Task Force. The proposal was scheduled to go before the Board of Mayor and Aldermen Committee on Administration on the evening of May 18.

Free class for grads

All 2021 high school graduates are being offered a free class of their choice at any of New Hampshire’s community colleges in the fall. According to a press release, the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation and the Foundation for New Hampshire Community Colleges have committed more than $1 million, plus advising and other services from the community colleges, to help students on their future educational and career paths. Any student graduating from a New Hampshire high school in 2021 can take any three-credit course at any of the seven colleges in the Community College System of NH, including courses that are part of certificate programs for skilled trades. The gift covers tuition and associated fees, and the colleges will work with students to help with course selection. Eligible students can contact the admissions office at their local community college.

Record lottery sales

On May 17, the New Hampshire Lottery announced that it has set an all-time annual sales record, with seven weeks still remaining in the fiscal year. Gross sales have exceeded $434 million, according to a press release, which is more than a 30-percent year-over-year increase. Net profit to date is approximately $107 million and is on pace to reach $130 million. The previous record net profit was $105.5 million, set in Fiscal Year 2019. That profit goes to the state’s public education system, which has received $2.2 billion since the lottery’s inception in 1964. “As we look ahead, the New Hampshire Lottery is well-positioned to continue building on this momentum to benefit the students and teachers of New Hampshire for years and years to come,” Charlie McIntyre, Executive Director of the New Hampshire Lottery, said in the release. Almost all of the state’s lottery games are ahead of last year’s sales pace, including Fast Play, which is up more than 200 percent; NH iLottery, which is up 136 percent; KENO 603, up nearly 52 percent; Gimme 5, up more than 37 percent; and scratch ticket sales, which are up more than 21 percent. Large Mega Millions and Powerball jackpots, which reached a combined $1.58 billion in January, also contributed to the sales record, the release said.

Ed funding lawsuit

Last week the Mascoma Valley Regional and Derry Cooperative school districts announced that they will join nine other school districts as co-plaintiffs in ConVal School District’s lawsuit against the state over equitable education funding. According to a press release, the plaintiffs argue that the state does not meet its constitutional obligation to provide adequate funding for all students, saying that base adequacy — which provided $3,636 per student in all districts in 2019 — is not sufficient. In March, the Supreme Court of New Hampshire rejected the state’s request to dismiss the lawsuit. The case now goes back to Superior Court Judge David Ruoff, who will hold hearings allowing the plaintiffs to present evidence that the state underfunds education; an evidentiary hearing isn’t expected until the summer of 2022, according to the release. The other school districts involved in the lawsuit so far are Oyster River, Grantham, Claremont, Fall Mountain, Hillsboro-Deering, Mascenic, Monadnock, Newport and Wincheste r. Ruoff has given New Hampshire districts until Friday, May 22, to decide whether to join the lawsuit. “As a regional school district, Mascoma Valley experiences the injustice of New Hampshire’s educational funding mechanism which pits community against community instead of uniting us in the common goal of education,” Tim Josephson, Vice Chair of the Mascoma School Board, said in the release. “The legislature’s lack of action since the Claremont lawsuits has deepened inequities, allowing the state to continue shrinking its constitutionally-mandated responsibility.”

Boscawen has been awarded a $500,000 Cleanup Grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to clean up the former Allied Leather site on Commercial Street. According to a press release, the site, which has housed various mill operations and a leather tannery, has been vacant since 1987 and is contaminated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, petroleum, metals and other contaminants. Grant funds also will be used to conduct community outreach activities. The Town of Jaffrey also received a grant: $300,000 to assess and develop cleanup plans for various sites in town.

Concord’s Giant Indoor Yard Sale returns on Saturday, May 22, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Everett Arena. There will be thousands of items, according to a press release, and admission is $5 for adults; kids 12 and under get in free.

High school students at Spark Academy of Advanced Technologies in Manchester helped Manchester Community College’s student senate for the second year with its Sleep In Heavenly Peace Build a Bed event, which brings together volunteers to build beds for local kids who are sleeping on the floor, according to a press release. Students from both schools built 15 bunk beds for local under-resourced families.

A team from Nashua Community College is one of 12 national finalists that has been selected to move on to the next phase in the 2021 Community College Innovation Challenge. According to a press release from the American Association of Community Colleges and the National Science Foundation, the team will attend a Virtual Boot Camp in June to interact with entrepreneurs and business experts, culminating in a Student Innovation Showcase with a pitch presentation to determine the winner. The Nashua group will present its EnviroMask project to develop an environmentally friendly, fully biodegradable face mask using cotton with bioplastic and non-woven bamboo fiber, the release said.

Covid-19 update	As of May 3	As of May 10
Total cases statewide	95,506	96,801
Total current infections statewide	1,979	1,492
Total deaths statewide	1,305	1,315
New cases	1,571 (April 27 to May 3)	1,295 (May 4 to May 10)
Current infections: Hillsborough County	558	474
Current infections: Merrimack County	168	114
Current infections: Rockingham County	386	304

Covid-19 news

During the state’s weekly public health update on May 6, state epidemiologist Dr. Benjamin Chan reported that New Hampshire has averaged between 200 and 250 new infections of Covid-19 per day in the last week, a decrease from the week prior. The number of active infections has also been on a slight decline, while the number of hospitalizations has been steady.

According to Dr. Beth Daly, Chief of the Bureau of Infectious Disease Control of the New Hampshire Department of Health & Human Services, more than 1 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine have now been administered in the state, including to 725,000 people who have received their first dose. Of those, 505,000 people (just over a third of the state’s population) have now been fully vaccinated.

The state’s “Safer at Home” advisory, in place since June 2020, expired at midnight on May 7. In its place as of that date are now “universal best practices” guidance documents for state businesses. They can be viewed online at covidguidance.nh.gov. “There are no further requirements that we are going to be instituting for large gatherings,” Sununu said later during the press conference when asked about the new guidance documents. “[The best practices guidelines are] all-encompassing and just reminding folks of how they can keep themselves, their employees and their customers safe without the actual statewide-driven mandate.”

Also on May 7, Sununu issued Executive Order 2021-8, extending the state of emergency in New Hampshire due to the pandemic for another three weeks through at least May 28. It’s the 20th extension he has issued since declaring a state of emergency in March 2020.

Queen City ARP funds

Last week Mayor Joyce Craig released the results of a survey that asked Manchester residents how they want the city’s American Rescue Plan funds — about $44 million — to be spent. According to a press release, of the 159 residents who responded, nearly 32 percent want to spend the money on improving roads, connecting the rail trail, and promoting a more walkable and livable city. Approximately 28 percent said their top priority was affordable housing and assisting those in Manchester experiencing homelessness. Ten percent want to see education improvements, 10 percent want the money spent on downtown improvements and local businesses, and 7 percent want the funds to go to public health. As part of the survey, most respondents noted the social isolation, anxiety and financial impacts brought on by the pandemic, but nearly 24 percent also talked about the positive impact that the past year has brought: “It has slowed us down in a way where we value our local community and realize the dependencies we have on each other. We’ve learned to love our neighbors more and to support ALL the businesses and people that are working hard each day,” one resident wrote, according to the press release.

“The results of our community feedback survey show that our residents are ready to bounce back from this Covid-19 pandemic and address important issues like infrastructure, housing and education,” Craig said in the release.

Property tax relief

The New Hampshire Department of Revenue Administration is once again offering low- and moderate-income homeowners the opportunity to apply for property tax relief, according to a press release. The Low and Moderate Income Homeowners Property Tax Relief program is now accepting applications through June 30. Eligible applicants are either single with adjusted gross income less than or equal to $20,000 or married or head of New Hampshire household with adjusted gross income less than or equal to $40,000, and have owned and resided in a home that is subject to the State Education Property Tax and resided in as of April 1, 2020. The application is available at revenue.nh.gov or by calling 230-5001. Individual income tax returns must be submitted with the application.

Tax exemptions

On May 5, Mayor Joyce Craig and the Board of Assessors announced a change to tax exemptions that expands the eligibility requirements for elderly and disabled Manchester residents. According to a press release, income limits for this population are increasing from $37,000 to $41,000 for single individuals, and from $50,000 to $55,000 for married individuals. Asset limits are increasing from $90,000 to $100,000 for single individuals and $115,000 to $130,000 for married individuals. Elderly residents must be 65 or older as of April 1, must have been a resident of New Hampshire for three consecutive years on or before April 1, and must be the owner of record of the property in question. Disabled residents must be eligible for payments under Title II or Title XVI of the federal Social Security Act, must have been a New Hampshire resident for at least five years as of April 1, and must be the owner of record as of April 1. Residents who now qualify based on the expanded exemption have until Friday, June 18, to file an application and can call 624-6520 or visit manchesternh.gov.

Education funding

Last week the Oyster River Cooperative and the Grantham school districts announced that they will join the school districts of Claremont, Fall Mountain, Hillsboro-Deering, Mascenic, Monadnock, Newport and Winchester as co-plaintiffs in ConVal School District’s lawsuit against the state over equitable education funding. According to a press release, the plaintiffs argue that the state does not meet its constitutional obligation to provide adequate funding for all students, saying that base adequacy — which provided $3,636 per student in all districts in 2019 — is not sufficient. In March, the Supreme Court of New Hampshire rejected the state’s request to dismiss the lawsuit. The case now goes back to Superior Court Judge David Ruoff, who will hold hearings allowing the plaintiffs to present evidence that the state underfunds education; an evidentiary hearing isn’t expected until the summer of 2022, according to the release.

The Centennial Hotel in Concord has been nominated for the annual Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards, according to a press release, along with 30 other hotels and ski resorts in the state, most of which are in the White Mountains. The cities of Manchester and Concord were also nominated and will go up against the best in class for special recognition in the magazine’s November issue, the release said.

The historical Stone House in Hooksett will stay standing, the Hooksett Heritage Commission announced in a press release. RCA Holdings is not moving forward with plans to demolish the building and replace it with a storage facility, and the property is on the market again, for $675,000, the release said.

UpReach Therapeutic Equestrian Center in Goffstown is hosting a Community Horse Drive Thru on Saturday, May 15, from 10 to 11 a.m., according to a press release. Meet the nonprofit’s horses and horse handlers, whom you’ll be able to visit with right at your car window. To RSVP visit upreachtec.org or call 497-2343.

Several properties have been added to the New Hampshire State Register of Historic Places, including the Morrison House, circa 1760, in Londonderry, one of the oldest standing capes in town and the only surviving building from one of its earliest settled areas, according to a press release. Other properties include the Association Hall in Derry, Andover Town Hall and the Keene Unitarian Universalist Church.

Covid-19 update	As of April 26	As of May 3
Total cases statewide	93,935	95,506
Total current infections statewide	2,717	1,979
Total deaths statewide	1,21,2860	1,305
New cases	2,152 (April 20 to April 26)	1,571(April 27 to May 3)
Current infections: Hillsborough County	806	558
Current infections: Merrimack County	225	168
Current infections: Rockingham County	477	386

Covid-19 news

During the state’s weekly public health update on April 29, state epidemiologist Dr. Benjamin Chan reported that New Hampshire has averaged between 250 and 300 new infections per day over the previous week, numbers that continue to trend down. He later added that, as of April 29, New Hampshire has seen a total of 88 confirmed “breakthrough” infections of Covid-19, meaning those that occurred despite individuals being fully vaccinated. “The majority of these are not variants of concern,” Dr. Chan said, adding that only seven of the 88 infections were with the B.1.1.7. variant. “Whether it’s a variant of concern or not, we know that breakthrough infections can and do occur, but the vaccine continues to be important for limiting the burden of disease, preventing hospitalizations, preventing deaths and preventing asymptomatic infection.”

Dr. Beth Daly, Chief of the Bureau of Infectious Disease Control of the New Hampshire Department of Health & Human Services, also provided an update on vaccine distributions in the state. As of April 29, roughly 50 percent of New Hampshire’s population (about 687,000 people) has received at least one shot, while a third of the population (about 446,000 people) is now fully vaccinated. An additional 4,500 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which was recently recommended by the CDC and the FDA to resume administration, were allocated across three fixed sites in Concord, Nashua and Newington on May 2.

Later during the press conference, Gov. Chris Sununu announced that the “universal best practices” guidance documents for state businesses would be released that day, with the guidance itself going into effect May 7. “What we’re really trying to do is keep it truly universal,” he said. “We’re just kind of re-emphasizing the most important parts of the guidance and mandates that we previously had in place. … This is a bit of a reminder going into the long-term.” Separate “overnight congregate settings for children” guidance documents have also been released, for businesses like overnight summer camps. Both sets of documents can be viewed online at covidguidance.nh.gov.

Housing markets

New Hampshire has two of the top 10 emerging housing markets in the country, according to a study released last week by the Wall Street Journal and realtor.com. Concord and Manchester-Nashua ranked 8th and 9th, respectively. The new Emerging Housing Markets Index used housing market, economic vitality and quality of life metrics to determine its rankings for 300 of the largest metropolitan areas in the U.S., according to realtor.com. “Out of the top emerging 10 housing markets in the country, New Hampshire was the only state in the nation with two markets in the top 10,” Gov. Chris Sununu said in a statement following the study’s release. “With a superior quality of life, thousands of high-paying jobs, and no income or sales tax, it’s no surprise people are looking to move to New Hampshire.” According to realtor.com, the top 10 housing markets have strong demand and somewhat limited supply, and home prices are expected to continue rising; they’ve seen an appreciation of about 27 percent, on average, in the last year, compared to 14 percent across all markets.

Job fairs

The State of New Hampshire is hosting 10 virtual job fairs between the first week in May and the first week that the work search requirement resumes, on May 23. Those collecting unemployment will need to show proof that they are searching for work while collecting benefits. “This return to our traditional, more normalized system is a sign that we are getting back to normal,” Gov. Chris Sununu said in a press release. The virtual job fairs are:

May 6 veteran virtual job fair in partnership with NH DMAVS

May 11 student virtual job fair in partnership with Pinkerton Academy

May 11 student and adult education virtual job fair in partnership with Pinkerton Academy

May 13 construction industry virtual job fair in partnership with ABC NH/VT

May 18 Great North Woods region & Dartmouth-Lake Sunapee region

May 19 Seacoast region

May 20 White Mountains region

May 25 Lakes region

May 26 Monadnock region

May 27 Capital & Southern region

Employers looking to register their company and job seekers looking for work can register for one of the job fairs by going to virtualjobfairs.nh.gov. All New Hampshire Works Jobs Centers across the state will be open to the public by May 10, the release said.

The New Hampshire Veterans Home in Tilton recently recognized 29 employees with 460 years of combined service to the State of New Hampshire, according to a press release. The employees who were honored have been working at the home for at least 10 years, and the longest-serving employee has been there for 35 years, according to the release.

Sarah Lenau of Manchester has been named a 2021 Camp Champion by Camp Casco, a nonprofit organization offering free camps and socials for childhood cancer patients, survivors and siblings in New England, according to a press release. She will soon join a crew of athletes to take on the Presidential Traverse to raise awareness and funds for childhood cancer survivors.

Bedford residents are invited to a virtual public information meeting Thursday, May 6, at 6:30 p.m., when the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services will provide updates on the status of PFAS in the community. According to a press release, the meeting will include information on the current status of PFAS in Bedford, what it means to residents, actions to help mitigate exposure, a question-and-answer session and more. Pre-registration is recommended; visit bedfordnh.org for the link.

Exeter High School graduate Hunter Long has joined the Miami Dolphins, according to an April 30 report from WMUR. Long, who helped earn Exeter a state title in 2015 before playing for Boston College, was the 81st pick in the third round of the NFL draft and is seen as one of the best tight ends in the nation, according to the report.