Category: News

Covid-19 news

As of Sept. 13, there were 3,437 active infections of Covid-19 in New Hampshire and 154 current hospitalizations. All 10 counties still showed substantial transmission levels.

In an effort to combat the surging delta variant, President Joe Biden on Sept. 9 announced a mandate that employers with more than 100 workers require them to be vaccinated or get tested for the virus weekly. Gov. Chris Sununu was critical of the mandate, calling it “overreaching” in a statement issued Sept. 13. “I am working directly with my fellow governors to see how best we can push back against this federal overreach,” Sununu said. “I am as pro-vaccine as it gets, but I do not support this mandate from Washington as it is not the answer.”

The recent pandemic surge has already affected high school football in New Hampshire, forcing the postponements of at least three games in the state just two weeks into the season, according to WMUR. Manchester Central High School has suspended all football activities for 10 days after several players tested positive for the virus, while Newfound Regional High School in Bristol and Kearsarge High School in North Sutton also had to cancel. Cases have all the while continued to climb in young people — according to a Sept. 13 report from WMUR, nearly a quarter of all 337 new cases reported on Sept. 10 were in children younger than 18 years of age.

Economic development

The City of Manchester announced last week that it is going to hire a Director of Economic Development, a new position that the community and business leaders have been asking for, Mayor Joyce Craig said in a press release. “The Economic Development Director will oversee Manchester’s overall economic development by not only supporting our existing business community, but by working to bring more employers into the city, and bolstering our community’s economic recovery after the Covid-19 pandemic,” she said in the release. The director will work with the city, the business community and local stakeholders to create and implement an economic development strategy for Manchester. The new position, along with a Business Liaison, was funded through federal American Rescue Plan funds, and the salary ranges from $72,061.70 to $102,742.87, depending on experience, plus benefits.

Expenses relief

A Covid-19 Expenses Relief Program was launched last week by the Governor’s Office for Emergency Relief and Recovery to assist New Hampshire for-profit Main Street businesses with Covid-related expenses in 2020 and 2021, according to a press release. “Thousands of New Hampshire small businesses have been helped through our state programs to address the economic impacts of Covid-19,” Commissioner Taylor Caswell, executive director of GOFERR, said in the release. “We realize, however, that as many small businesses have continued to adapt their operations throughout the pandemic many remain in need of financial assistance.” Reimbursement applications will be accepted until Oct. 1 on the GOFERR website. Eligible expenses include costs incurred while closed due to Covid, like prorated rent, mortgage payments and utilities; costs incurred as a result of reopening, such as PPE and installation of physical safety measures, and increased costs of doing business as a result of Covid, like HVAC improvements, creation or addition of indoor or outdoor space for social distancing and increased costs due to supply chain disruptions or increased demand, the release said.

Eviction services

The New Hampshire Circuit Court has expanded its collaboration with the New Hampshire Emergency Rental Assistance Program following the end of the CDC eviction moratorium.

According to a press release, the federally funded rental assistance program can pay for up to 15 months of back and future rent, utilities and other housing-related expenses for eligible tenants. At the courthouse, landlords and tenants will be able to start applications for rental assistance, provide documents necessary to complete existing applications, get updates on application status, and ask questions about the program. Those who bring all the required documentation to court may be able to get approved for assistance on the spot. To apply online, landlords and tenants in Rockingham and Hillsborough counties can go to snhs.org, while those in other counties can go to capnh.org or call 2-1-1.

VLACS in demand

New Hampshire’s Virtual Learning Academy Charter School is struggling to keep up with the demand for its online learning services this fall, according to a report from NHPR. The program grew last year in response to the number of students who wanted to stay fully remote but had limited options through their local public school, the report said. But despite public schools fully reopening this fall, enrollment at VLACS has continued to rise. VLACS CEO Steve Kossakoski told NHPR that enrollment has increased nearly 50 percent from this time last year, with more than 7,300 students in grades K-12. That demand, plus glitches with software upgrades, has caused problems for families who are still waiting to fully enroll or start classes, and they’re struggling to access classes and customer service, NHPR reported. Kossakoski told NHPR that the school has increased personnel, but it may take a few more weeks to resolve the issues. VLACS is free to students and gets its funding from the state, which pays about $6,000 per student or about $500 per half-credit class, according to the report.

Be prepared

With September being National Preparedness Month, the New Hampshire Department of Safety Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management has been promoting one area of preparedness each week. This week its emphasis is on winter storms, while Sept. 19 through Sept. 25 will be on hurricanes and tornadoes, and Sept. 16 through Sept. 30 will focus on power outages. To prepare for all such instances, the department urges residents to stay informed by signing up for NH Alerts or downloading the NH Alerts mobile app to receive free emergency notifications, including weather alerts from the National Weather Service; having a family emergency plan so everyone knows where to go and what to do; making an emergency kit with supplies for the entire family; and getting involved in preparedness efforts in your community. Visit ReadyNH.gov.

The New Hampshire Highland Games returns to Loon Mountain in Lincoln this weekend with heavy athletics competitions, entertainment, food and activities celebrating Scottish culture. The three-day event, which normally attracts around 35,000 attendees, limited its capacity this year as a Covid safety precaution, and tickets are now completely sold out, according to the event’s Facebook page.

Who couldn’t use a SNHUG? The Southern New Hampshire Ukulele Group is holding its 6th annual SNHUGFEST on Saturday, Sept. 18, at 11 a.m. on the River Stage at Henry Law Park in Dover. According to a press release, the free festival features ukulele performances, food vendors, raffle prizes and more.

Take a Water Walk at Greeley Park in Nashua on Saturday, Sept. 18, from 8:30 a.m. to noon. According to a press release, the walk will benefit the Thank You Project, which builds wells in Nigeria and offers scholarships to students. Walkers who pledge $25 or more will get a Water Walk T-shirt. Visit thankyouproject.org.

ThinkGym, a new after-school enrichment program in Windham, is opening soon and will be offering science, technology, engineering, art and math (STEAM) enrichment for children in kindergarten to grade 8. According to a press release, there will be open houses Wednesday, Sept. 22, from 7 to 8 p.m., and Friday, Sept. 24, from 5 to 6 p.m. Visit mythinkgym.com.

Covid-19 news

State health officials announced 444 new positive cases of Covid-19 in New Hampshire on Sept. 3. The state averaged 344 new cases per day over the most recent seven-day period, an increase of 21 percent over those from the previous week. As of Sept. 3 there were 3,120 active infections statewide and 129 current hospitalizations due to the virus. All 10 counties in the state remain at substantial levels of community transmission.

With a steady rise in cases fueled in part by the delta variant, more people are beginning to seek Covid-19 tests across New Hampshire. Statewide, the weekly average for people seeking tests is more than 6,300, according to a Sept. 3 report from WMUR. Mass testing sites have closed, but there are still more than 100 locations across the state to get a test. Anyone without insurance can go to nheasy.nh.gov to sign up for a free test, as a federal program will cover the cost.

Bleeding ulcer

Following three negative Covid tests, Gov. Chris Sununu was hospitalized on Sept. 3 because of flu-like symptoms. According to a statement from Chief of Staff Jayne Millerick, tests confirmed that his symptoms were caused by a bleeding ulcer, and he underwent a blood transfusion at Portsmouth Regional Hospital. Sununu was discharged on Sept. 4 to recover at home.

Crime reduction

The Manchester Police Department has begun some new crime reduction initiatives, including assigning foot patrols to neighborhoods throughout the city and adding investigative resources for violent crime cases. According to a press release, these new initiatives are supported through the Violent Crime Reduction Program within the American Rescue Plan funding, which includes more funding for proactive investigations targeting repeat offenders, and more resources for detectives to conduct intensive follow-ups. In addition, the Department will be holding community meetings each month; the first was held in August and was a success, according to a press release. The police department has partnered with the Manchester Fire Department for these community meetings, and there will be three more introductory meetings this month: Sept. 13 at the Central Fire House, Sept. 20 at Engine 6 on Amory Street and Sept. 27 at Engine 8 on East Industrial Park Drive. All meetings start at 6 p.m. After these initial meetings, there will be meetings every third Monday of the month, the release said, and anyone from the Manchester community is invited to attend. “We are asking for the support of the citizens and ask that residents come to these meetings,” Police Chief Allen Aldenberg said in a release. “It is a chance to talk about concerns, ask questions and report suspicious activity. Preventing and reducing crime involves everyone and if we work together, we can make a difference.”

Texting 911

New Hampshire has implemented a new solution to overcome previous limitations for texting 911 in emergencies. According to a press release, “Texty” by INdigital offers improved information and better location data compared to the first “text-to-911” program that New Hampshire started using in 2015, which gave people the ability to text 911 in cases where speaking may not be possible, like in domestic violence emergencies or with intruders. That first iteration, according to the release, didn’t allow the 911 operator to text back if the first session was disconnected, and it did not have an integrated mapping solution. “Texty” became available to 911 telecommunicators on Aug. 31 and allows them the ability to send outbound texts. It also includes Rapid SOS, which provides integrated mapping based on the exact location of the phone and provides the texter’s cell phone carrier and the latitude and longitude of the phone handset.

Learn everywhere

Three new Learn Everywhere programs — at First Robotics, The Boys & Girls Club of Souhegan Valley and the Seacoast United Sports Club — have been approved by the New Hampshire State Board of Education, meaning that students can earn high school credit while doing the things they love. “The magic of Learn Everywhere is that it connects with students, where they are already engaged, and captures the learning that is taking place,” Frank Edelblut, Commissioner of Education, said in a press release. “We recognize that learning happens in lots of different places and contexts, and we can reward students for this learning.” According to the release, Learn Everywhere is unique to New Hampshire in allowing students to earn credit for learning outside the classroom.

The North Manchester Hooksett 11/12 All-Stars advanced to the final eight of this year’s Little League World Series, according to a press release. The team became the first New Hampshire team to reach the Little League World Series in 15 years, clinching a trip to Williamsport, Pennsylvania, with a 5-0 win over Peabody, Mass., and advancing to the final eight after defeating Nolensville, Tennessee, and Lake Oswego, Oregon.

The first of the Manchester Police Community Affairs Division’s 2021 Fall Senior Walks is scheduled for Monday, Sept. 13, at Manchester River Walk – East, meeting at 9 a.m. at the Hilton Garden Inn Hotel parking lot at 101 S. Commercial St. According to a press release, these walks allow seniors to spend time with Manchester Police Officers while exercising, socializing and exploring different parts of the city. The walks are about 2 to 3 miles and take about an hour. Most walks are held Monday mornings starting at 9 a.m.; the second walk will be Monday, Sept. 20, at Rock Rimmon, meeting behind 327 Kimball St. Visit manchesterpd.com for a full list of walk dates and locations.

Second Chance Ranch Rescue in New Boston is hosting its first annual Pitbull Poker Run on Sunday, Sept. 12, a fundraiser to help the nonprofit provide medical care, training, safety and support to dogs who have been lost, forgotten or misunderstood. According to a press release, the event invites cars and motorcycles to visit five checkpoints, draw a playing card at each one and hope to have the best poker hand at the end of the run. Participants can check in at any of the five southern New Hampshire stops after 9:30 a.m. and will need to “show their hand” at Molly Stark Tavern in New Boston by 1 p.m. The cost is $30 per driver and includes lunch at the tavern. Non-riders and passengers can enjoy the lunch for $10. Visit secondchanceranch.com.