Category: News

Covid-19 update	As of March 1	As of March 1
Total cases statewide	75,588	75,588
Total current infections statewide	2,363	2,363
Total deaths statewide	1,170	1,170
New cases	1,923 (Feb. 23 to March 1)	1,923 (Feb. 23 to March 1)
Current infections: Hillsborough County	692	692
Current infections: Merrimack County	163	163
Current infections: Rockingham County	533	533

Covid-19 news

On March 1, Gov. Chris Sununu issued Emergency Order No. 86, an order authorizing certain retired health care workers to administer Covid-19 vaccines in the state. Any retired or inactive physician, physician assistant, registered nurse or licensed practical nurse who was previously licensed and in good standing within the last five years is permitted to administer doses of the vaccine, provided he or she completes the CDC’s vaccine training modules. This follows a similar order that was issued in January allowing registered and certified pharmacy technicians to give vaccine shots under certain conditions.

State officials in their weekly public health update on March 4 reported that there have been about 200 to 250 new infections of Covid-19 on average, “a slow decrease over past weeks,” state epidemiologist Dr. Benjamin Chan said. State hospitalizations, test positivity rates and deaths also continue to trend downward, while the amount of vaccine doses administered is increasing each week. As of March 4, 17 percent of the state’s population has received one dose, with 8 percent fully vaccinated, according to Dr. Beth Daly, Chief of the Bureau of Infectious Disease Control of the New Hampshire Department of Health & Human Services.

Later during the same press conference, Sununu announced that the state will likely be moving into Phases 2A and 2B of its vaccine administration plan ahead of schedule “well before March is over.” Phase 2A includes K through 12 teachers, school staff and child care workers — beginning March 12, the state’s regional public health networks will begin scheduling vaccination clinics in partnership with school officials. “For those who choose and can organize it, we can actually provide the vaccinations right there in a closed pod clinic atmosphere,” Sununu said. For communities where this isn’t possible, Sununu added that registration for vaccine appointments through the state-run scheduling system will begin on March 17.

People in Phase 2B, which includes those over the age of 50, will be able to register starting March 22, with the first appointments to begin on March 25. “If we get more and more vaccine, there is still an opportunity for some of these dates to change, to even move up further,” Sununu said.

On March 5, Sununu issued Executive Order 2021-4, extending the state of emergency in New Hampshire due to the pandemic for another three weeks through at least March 26. With this new extension, New Hampshire has now been in a state of emergency for more than a year.

House appeal

On March 2, Democratic members of the New Hampshire House of Representatives filed an appeal in federal court seeking remote access to House sessions for disabled House members, according to a press release. The appeal asks the court to overturn U.S. District Court Judge Landya McCafferty’s ruling that Republican House Speaker Sherman Packard does not have to use remote technology and that Packard is immune from the Democratic lawmakers’ suit. The House met in person for a two-day session last month at the NH Sportsplex in Bedford. “We have appealed because we believe the Courts should be available to protect the disabled from discrimination, especially when discrimination is used to gain an unfair political advantage by robbing 100,000 citizens of representation in what should always be the people’s House,” Deputy Democratic Leader David Cote (D-Nashua), one of the plaintiffs in the appeal, said in the press release.

Resignations and nominations

New Hampshire’s United States Attorney Scott W. Murray resigned from his position effective March 6, according to a press release, in response to President Joe Biden’s call to replace nearly all remaining presidentially appointed and Senate-confirmed U.S. attorneys. Murray was nominated by President Donald Trump and was sworn in on March 5, 2018, after serving his fourth term as Merrimack County Attorney. First Assistant U.S. Attorney John J. Farley will serve as Acting United States Attorney until a new presidentially appointed U.S. Attorney takes office, according to the release.

On March 3, Gov. Chris Sununu nominated John Formella to serve as the state’s next attorney general, according to a press release. Formella currently serves as Sununu’s legal counsel, a position he has held since Sununu first took office in 2017. A confirmation vore is expected at the March 24 Governor and Council meeting, the release said.
Formella will replace Gordon J. MacDonald, who served as New Hampshire’s attorney general from April 13, 2017, until March 4, according to another press release that announced MacDonald as the new chief justice of New Hampshire. MacDonald was sworn in by Sununu during a ceremony in the Supreme Court’s courtroom on March 4.

Approximately 7,800 people received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine at the state’s first mass vaccination site at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon on March 6 and March 7, with an additional 3,800 expected to receive the vaccine on Monday, according to a report from WMUR. According to the report, there were some technological issues on Saturday that created long wait times for some, but those problems were resolved and the process was much smoother on Day 2.

A free online training safety program for all servers and food preparers called NH Promise is now available through the NH Lodging & Restaurant Association and the Community College System of New Hampshire, according to a press release. The two organizations joined forces to help eateries certify that their staff has been trained in the latest Covid-related safety precautions, in part to reassure the public that restaurants are safe spaces. According to the release, an event announcing the program was scheduled for March 9 at the Common Man in Concord, where staff was the first to be certified.

Makin’ It Happen and the City of Manchester have launched a comprehensive harm reduction strategy with the goal of moving people who are struggling with a substance use disorder toward treatment and recovery, according to a press release. The strategy is funded by the Governor’s Office for Emergency Relief & Recovery and includes initiatives like connecting people to primary care and mental health services; providing access to Naloxone (Narcan) and training to prevent overdose deaths; and offering screening and vaccinations for the treatment of sexually transmitted diseases.

Covid-19 update	As of February 22	As of March 1
Total cases statewide	73,665	75,588
Total current infections statewide	2,883	2,363
Total deaths statewide	1,154	1,170
New cases	2,648 (Feb. 16 – 22)	1,923 (Feb. 23 to March 1)
Current infections: Hillsborough County	807	692
Current infections: Merrimack County	232	163
Current infections: Rockingham County	650	533

Covid-19 news

During the state’s weekly public health update on Feb. 25, state epidemiologist Dr. Benjamin Chan reported that 97 people statewide were hospitalized with Covid-19, the first time that number has dipped below 100 since mid-November. Test positivity rates of the virus also continue to be on the decline in recent months, as well as active infections and deaths.

State health officials expect to receive their first supply of the single-dose Johnson & Johnson Janssen Biotech vaccine this week, which received emergency use authorization by the Food & Drug Administration on Feb. 27. According to a report from WMUR, the Johnson & Johnson vaccine only requires one dose, and it can be stored at refrigerated temperatures as opposed to being kept in a freezer, which will make it easier to transport and distribute. About 288,000 doses of vaccine had been administered in New Hampshire as of Feb. 25, according to Dr. Beth Daly, Chief of the Bureau of Infectious Disease Control of the New Hampshire Department of Health & Human Services. This includes 197,000 people who have received their first dose and an additional 91,000 who have received their second dose. “This means that about 15 percent of New Hampshire’s population has received one dose of vaccine, and seven percent of the population has been fully vaccinated,” Daly said during the press conference.

On Tuesday, Gov. Chris Sununu announced in a press release that the state will host a mass vaccination event this weekend, on Friday, March 6, Saturday, March 7, and Sunday, March 8, at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon. However, the site is not open to walk-in appointments; instead people who have appointments scheduled for first-dose appointments in April will be contacted by the state and offered an appointment. The state hopes to vaccinate more than 10,000 people at the event, the release said.

Also last week, Gov. Chris Sununu joined 21 governors from across the country to send a message to Washington politicians that the $1.9 trillion Covid relief bill would bail out poorly managed states at the expense of taxpayers in better-managed states like New Hampshire, according to a press release. Unlike previous relief bills, the new federal funding package allocates aid based on a state’s unemployed population, rather than just its population, which would mean that New Hampshire would lose over $233 million using this formula, the release said.

Housing help

During the Feb. 25 press conference, Gov. Chris Sununu announced a new rental assistance program through the Governor’s Office for Emergency Relief and Recovery for Granite Staters who have experienced difficulty paying their rent and utilities due to the pandemic. The program is being administered by New Hampshire Housing Finance Authority, which will begin accepting and processing applications on March 15. “This assistance will be available retroactively, which means that it can help cover rent going all the way back from April 1 of last year through the date of application,” said Sununu, adding that the program is only eligible for renters and landlords, not for homeowners. “It really helps landlords and those that have to bear the brunt of the inability of those individuals to collect rent.”

Then on Monday, the New Hampshire Housing Finance Authority announced that it has launched a new initiative to help essential frontline workers become homeowners. According to a press release, the Community Heroes Initiative provides a $3,000 closing-cost credit to eligible first-time homebuyers who finance through one of New Hampshire Housing’s Plus mortgage programs. The $3,000 grant goes directly to the lender, and the borrower does not need to repay it. Borrowers who are eligible for the program include health care, day care and elder care workers; law enforcement officers, firefighters and first responders; educators; and active members of the armed services, according to the release.

Bills wrapped up

The New Hampshire House of Representatives acted on more than 100 pieces of legislation over the course of two days last week, according to a press release. The House met indoors at NH Sportsplex in Bedford, and legislators were seated 10 feet apart from one another. “I’m pleased that the House was able to get its work done on time in the midst of a pandemic,” House Speaker Sherman Packard said in the release. “We can get our work done in a risk-mitigated manner.” The House will have to meet again before April deadlines, according to the release. According to a report from WMUR, 24 Democrats were absent from the sessions, “many of them suffering from health conditions that put them at high risk for Covid-19.” Though a lawsuit was filed against Packard claiming that in-person sessions would put people at risk and that remote sessions should be held instead, the U.S. District Court ruled that Packard did not have to use remote technology for the House sessions.

DCYF roadmap

The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services Division for Children, Youth and Families has released its inaugural Procurement Forecast, according to a press release. The Procurement Forecast is a summary of the results of the Request for Information that was issued in 2019, and its purpose is to provide a roadmap for the expansion of evidence-based prevention services aimed at keeping kids safe and strengthening families. According to the release, DCYF will be working with other Health and Human Services divisions to introduce new service models that will focus on keeping children at home with their families. The first request for proposals is for multisystemic therapy, which provides support for youth with behavioral health needs that put them at risk of entering out-of-home care. Studies have shown that 91 percent of youth who take part in multisystemic therapy remain home upon completion of the program, and 86 percent remain in school and employed, the release said.

On Monday the Daniel Webster Council announced that New Hampshire has its first female Eagle Scout. According to a press release, Valerie Ann Johnston of Thornton is also one of the first female Eagle Scouts in the nation. Eagle Scout is the highest rank in Scouting, and only about 6 percent of Scouts earn the achievement, the release said.

Kumon Learning Center, with locations in Bedford, Nashua and Portsmouth, will be joining New Hampshire’s exclusive Learn Everywhere Program, according to a press release from the New Hampshire Department of Education. Learn Everywhere allows students to earn credit for learning outside of the classroom, and Kumon Learning Center is now authorized to offer an array of math classes.

The Nashua Public Library reopened with limited service on Monday. According to a press release, customers can now come inside to pick up reserved materials; browse and check out new materials; browse the adult stacks to select books, DVDs, CDs, audiobooks, videogames and magazines (by appointment); use computers and printers (by appointment); and use the tax PC in the lobby to print tax forms. The Children’s Room and Teen Room are still closed, but curbside pickup continues. The building will be open Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Last summer’s Drive-In Live, held at the Cheshire Fairgrounds in Swanzey, will return for a second season under the new name of Northlands. According to a press release, artists in the first round of the series will be announced in mid-March, and performances are scheduled to start in May. This year all attendees will be in 10’ x 10’ “pods” that will hold up to six people, and all pods are spaced at least six feet apart. A new beer garden is also being planned, the release said.

Covid-19 update	As of February 15	As of February 22
Total cases statewide	71,017	73,665
Total current infections statewide	2,953	2,883
Total deaths statewide	1,135	1,154
New cases	2,518 (Feb. 9 to Feb. 15)	2,648 (Feb. 16 – 22)
Current infections: Hillsborough County	922	807
Current infections: Merrimack County	217	232
Current infections: Rockingham County	678	650

Covid-19 news

On Feb. 16, Gov. Chris Sununu announced that the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services received nearly $20 million from the federal government to support child care programs in the state, as part of the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act. The funds, according to a press release, will be distributed to family child care providers, child care centers and licensed-exempt providers.

During a Feb. 18 press conference, state epidemiologist Dr. Benjamin Chan said the daily number of new infections of Covid-19 in New Hampshire has been on a slight increase, due in part to those at colleges and universities in the state. Hospitalization rates, he said, have continued to be stable over the last several weeks.

Dr. Beth Daly, Chief of the Bureau of Infectious Disease Control of the New Hampshire Department of Health & Human Services, also said during the press conference that the state is expected to receive about 27,740 first doses of Covid-19 vaccine this week, an increase of more than 5,000 doses from the week prior. “In addition to state allocation, additional vaccines are coming into the state through the federal retail pharmacy partnership with Walgreens,” she said. First-dose appointments for people in Phase 1B of the state’s vaccine distribution plan are still available.

A recent change in federal unemployment policy, according to a Feb. 18 report from WMUR, has rendered hundreds of Granite Staters ineligible to receive their weekly benefits. Those who are temporarily laid off or whose hours are reduced but who have employers that remain open are no longer eligible. According to the report, U.S. Sens. Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan said they are working to get the policy reversed.

On Feb. 19, Sununu issued Emergency Order No. 85, an order mandating that Granite State schools offer in-person instruction to all students for at least two days a week starting March 8. “It isn’t just so the kids come back and have a more full, robust learning model,” Sununu said during the Feb. 18 press conference. “It really is for the behavioral and mental health, the isolation issues that so many of our students have been bearing with.” Under the order, a K through 12 school may transition to required full-time distance learning for students for up to 48 hours without state approval if officials deem it necessary to address Covid-19 concerns related to infections or staffing shortages. But if a school wishes to transition to fully remote learning for more than 48 hours, it must receive approval from the Commissioner of Education. Virtual Learning Academy Charter Schools are not impacted by the order. All K through 12 staff will be able to receive their first vaccine dose in Phase 2A of the state’s vaccination plan, which is expected to be between March and May.

Details of Sununu’s emergency orders, executive orders and other announcements can be found at governor.nh.gov.

House lawsuit

On Monday, U.S. District Court Judge Landya McCafferty ruled that Republican House Speaker Sherman Packard does not have to use remote technology for the two House sessions scheduled for this week, according to a report from WMUR. On Feb. 16, Packard released a statement following a lawsuit filed by Democrat state representatives against him, which argued that Packard was refusing to provide remote accommodations for House members with disabilities. “We are reviewing the complaint and working with counsel on our response,” Packard said. He pointed to the House sessions that have been held at the Whittemore Center, “where we had high attendance levels by legislators, numerous legislative and UNH employees, police, paramedics, contract employees, firefighters and others. No one contracted Covid-19 at the Whittemore Center indoor events in 2020.” He said the new venue for this week’s meetings, NH Sportsplex in Bedford, has more than double the usable area of the Whittemore Center and assured “an accessible, risk-mitigated and secure environment for all members and staff in attendance.” McCafferty wrote in her ruling that Packard is “immune” from the Democratic lawmakers’ suit “challenging his enforcement of a House rule that is closely related to core legislative functions,” according to WMUR’s report, and she based her ruling on the argument on legislative immunity. After the ruling, Packard issued a statement thanking the court and saying, “We were confident in our position that remote participation could not be reasonably accommodated at this time.” Democratic Leader Representative Renny Cushingreleased a statement saying, “Unfortunately, this case has exposed the callous indifference of House Republican leadership toward our most vulnerable members during the Covid-19 crisis that has taken the lives of a half a million Americans.”

There is now a bobblehead of the nation’s 14th president, Franklin Pierce, who was born in Hillsborough. The bobblehead is part of the “Neglected Presidents” collection, according to a press release, produced by the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum and available for purchase at store.bobbleheadhall.com.

On Feb. 18, U.S. Sen. Maggie Hassan visited small businesses in downtown Laconia, speaking to owners about the pandemic-related challenges they are facing, according to a press release. Hassan helped get the Employer Assistance Coordination Act included in the end-of-year funding bill that was passed in December, so now small businesses can participate in the Paycheck Protection Program and also claim the Employee Retention Tax Credit, the release said.

The Granite State Leathers Superfund Site in Nashua, also known as Mohawk Tannery, will be cleaned up and eventually redeveloped to include mixed-use commercial space and residential housing, according to a press release from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which will share remediation costs with local developer Blaylock Holdings and the City of Nashua. The cleanup will address hazardous substances in soils, sludges and contaminated waste originating from the site.

The Palace Theatre in Manchester has a new performing arts series sponsor. According to a press release, St. Mary’s Bank has made a three-year, $180,000 commitment, having given an initial gift of $30,000 at the end of 2020 to support the Palace’s virtual shows, which are streaming during the theater’s intermission.

Covid-19 update	As of February 8	As of February 15
Total cases statewide	68,499	71,017
Total current infections statewide	3,245	2,953
Total deaths statewide	1,106	1,135
New cases	2,441 (Feb. 2 to Feb. 8)	2,518 (Feb. 9 to Feb. 15)
Current infections: Hillsborough County	1,106	922
Current infections: Merrimack County	292	217
Current infections: Rockingham County	771	678

Covid-19 news

Dr. Beth Daly, Chief of the Bureau of Infectious Disease Control of the New Hampshire Department of Health & Human Services, said during a Feb. 9 press conference that about 172,000 total vaccine doses to date have been administered statewide, including about 123,000 first doses and 49,000 second doses. State health officials received 21,475 first doses of vaccine that week, a slight increase from previous weeks’ amounts. “Going forward, we continue to expect to receive these incremental increases … in the coming weeks,” Daly said.

First-dose appointments for people in Phase 1B of the state’s vaccine distribution plan are continuing to be booked in April, while those who already received it can make appointments for their second dose in late February and early March. The state is also collaborating with Walgreens, which, beginning this week, will receive around 3,400 doses across many of its pharmacy locations. “They’re partnering with us to make sure that we can compress the time that folks in Phase 1B have to wait for their first shot,” Gov. Chris Sununu said later during the press conference. “We are going to start kind of at the back of the list, those that are furthest out, and start directly one-on-one calling them and rescheduling them to go get their vaccine at a much earlier date, and using Walgreens as our partners to administer that.”

On Feb. 11, Sununu issued Emergency Order No. 84, an order rescinding Emergency Orders No. 37 and No. 77 and therefore lifting the hiring freeze for state employees. Emergency Order No. 37 had been issued back on April 28 of last year, temporarily halting hiring of all full-time and part-time employees of the state’s executive branch. Emergency Order No. 77 was later issued on Dec. 23, restating these provisions but also adding that all full-time and part-time employee positions may be posted for internal and external applicants.

On Feb. 12, the same day New Hampshire surpassed 70,000 total Covid-19 cases, state health officials announced the first known detection of the B.1.1.7 variant of the virus, the highly contagious variant first detected in the U.K. late last year. According to a press release, the person infected with the variant is an adult resident of Hillsborough County who had close contact with someone diagnosed with the virus who travelled internationally. Although vaccines appear to be effective at preventing it, the variant, which is greater than 50 percent more infectious and transmissible, has been identified in more than 37 states and 86 countries worldwide as of Feb. 12, according to the release.

Also on Feb. 12, Sununu issued Executive Order 2021-2, extending the state of emergency in New Hampshire due to the pandemic for another three weeks through at least March 5. It’s the 16th extension he has issued since originally declaring a state of emergency last March.

Details of Sununu’s emergency orders, executive orders and other announcements can be found at governor.nh.gov.

NH’s budget

Gov. Chris Sununu gave his 2021 Budget Address on Feb. 11, emphasizing good fiscal management throughout the pandemic. In his address Sununu highlighted no new taxes or fees and no increased taxes or fees; tax relief across the board; a focus on core, essential services and increased funding for veterans and child support services. He said the budget shortfall to end the biennium is projected to be less than $50 million; original projections anticipated a shortfall of about $350 million. “Unlike other states across the country, which are now raising taxes on businesses, taxing out-of-state workers, or enacting draconian budget cuts to cover their massive deficits, New Hampshire managed to mitigate the worst financial impacts of the pandemic — without raising taxes,” Sununu said in his address. He also said the state budget does not cut any education spending and includes “innovative funding” for mental health programs.

College merger

The University System of New Hampshire could merge with the Community College System of New Hampshire, a plan set forth by Gov. Chris Sununu and supported by the University System of New Hampshire Board. According to a press release from the board, it is concerned about increasing costs associated with higher education and believes the merger is essential to ensuring that all residents are offered affordable and accessible high-quality education in the long term, creating “a stronger, more competitive, more efficient and more sustainable driver of the state’s economic and cultural well-being than two separate systems.”

Canterbury Shaker Village will be hosting a two- to four-mile snowshoe race on Saturday, March 6, at 10 a.m., as a bonus race for the New Hampshire Snowshoe Trail Race Series, it announced in a press release. There will be hot chocolate and treats after the race, and prizes will be awarded. The cost is $20 at shakers.org, and there is no day-of registration.

Making Matters in Concord is offering limited-capacity in-person classes, according to a press release. Coming up this week are How to Make Polymer Clay Jewelry, Sewing Sundays: Winter Hats, and Hands on 3D Printing for Beginners. Visit makingmattersnh.org for details and a list of upcoming classes, or to find out how to teach a class at Making Matters.

The Currier Museum of Art in Manchester announced last week that it has purchased the George Byron Chandler House, built in the late 19th century, across the street from the museum. According to a press release, the museum plans to restore the Victorian house so it can be enjoyed by the community.

The Candia Dollars for Scholars chapter is asking local businesses, organizations and individuals to help support local students who are either heading to college or currently attending. According to a press release, Candia residents will soon be able to fill out scholarship applications for the next academic year, but Dollars for Scholars is looking for financial support to continue its annual efforts this year. Visit candia.dollarsforscholars.org to donate.

Covid-19 update	As of February 1	As of February 8
Total cases statewide	66,058	68,499
Total current infections statewide	4,662	3,245
Total deaths statewide	1,059	1,106
New cases	3,290 (Jan. 26 to Feb. 1)	2,441 (Feb. 2 to Feb. 8)
Current infections: Hillsborough County	1,587	1,106
Current infections: Merrimack County	389	292
Current infections: Rockingham County	1,096	771

Covid-19 news

On Feb. 3, Gov. Chris Sununu issued a statement in response to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky’s announcement earlier that day that data shows returning to in-person learning can be done safely and successfully. “I urge the Union leadership in New Hampshire that have been resistant to follow the science, to embrace the Biden administration’s call for schools to reopen,” Sununu said in the statement. “The will of the students is there, the will of the parents is there, and the science is there. It’s time to get these kids back in the classroom.” All K through 12 school and child care staff will be eligible to receive their first doses in Phase 2A of the state’s vaccination administration plan, beginning around the March to May timeframe.

During a Feb. 4 press conference, state epidemiologist Dr. Benjamin Chan said that, on average, there have been between 400 and 450 new cases of Covid-19 in New Hampshire per day, “down significantly” from a few weeks prior. Both the test positivity rates and the number of active infections in the state also continue to be on the decline.

Later during the same press conference, Sununu announced changes to the state’s scheduling process for Covid-19 vaccines in New Hampshire. As of Feb. 7, everyone will automatically be given a date and time for their second dose appointment as they leave their first dose appointment, he said. The state is also moving away from the federally run Vaccine Administration Management System (VAMS) website in favor of a new state run online system that is currently in development. If you’ve already received your first dose and the date of your second dose has been pushed back, you can go back into the VAMS system and reschedule for an earlier appointment within one week of your recommended window.

Opioid settlement

New Hampshire will receive $3,332,762 over five years as part of a $573 million multi-state settlement with McKinsey & Co. for the company’s role in promoting the opioid crisis, according to a press release from the state Attorney General’s Office. New Hampshire will share the settlement with 47 states, Washington, D.C., and five U.S. territories. The settlement “resolves investigations into the company’s role in working for opioid companies, helping those companies promote their opioids, and profiting from the opioid epidemic,” according to the release. The complaints against McKinsey claimed that the company helped opioid manufacturers, including OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma, promote their opioid products to maximize profit. Proceeds from the settlement will go into a fund that will be used to abate problems caused by opioids.

Health insurance

Following President Joe Biden’s recent executive order to reopen enrollment on the Federal Affordable Care Act Exchanges, New Hampshire residents will have a chance to buy health insurance for 2021 during a special enrollment period from Feb. 15 to May 15, according to a press release. Any residents who are uninsured can sign up for coverage without waiting until open enrollment at the end of the year by visiting healthcare.gov. New Hampshire Insurance Commissioner Chris Nicolopoulos said in the release that the premiums available on the Exchange are lower than they have been in the past. Plans are available from three insurance companies on the New Hampshire Marketplace: Anthem, Ambetter from NH Healthy Families and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care. “Given that New Hampshire insurance companies are offering significantly lower average premium rates for the third year in a row and given the Covid-19 pandemic, this is an important opportunity for individuals to get an affordable health insurance plan,” Gov. Chris Sununu said in the release.

Budget concerns

Last week, U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen hosted a virtual meeting with New Hampshire mayors and municipal leaders, including Manchester Mayor Joyce Craig and Nashua Mayor Jim Donchess, to discuss severe budgetary shortfalls, according to a press release. The budget issues, which are due to a drop in state revenue stemming from the pandemic, could affect the ability to provide essential services within the state’s communities, and teachers could face layoffs, the municipalities’ leaders told Shaheen. Shaheen said she’s working with the Biden administration to get direct local and state aid and funding for vaccinations, schools, housing and nutrition programs in the upcoming relief package, according to the release.

The NH Audubon team “Birding with Impunity” in Rye took home the Rockingham County Award for the most points in the county during the Semi-Superbowl of Birding that was held Jan. 30, according to a press release. During the competition, which is run by Massachusetts Audubon’s Joppa Flats Education Center, teams look for as many bird species as possible in 12 hours.

The Old Academy Building at Pinkerton Academy in Derry has been named to the New Hampshire State Register of Historic Places. According to a press release, it was the school’s first building when it opened in 1815.

Nashua high school seniors are invited to apply for the Rotary Club of Nashua’s annual scholarship. According to a press release, applicants must plan to attend an accredited technical college, trade school or two- or four-year college. Visit nashuarotary.org.

A Salem resident rescued a neighbor from a burning home on the morning of Feb. 5, according to a post on the Salem Fire Department’s Facebook page. The department thanked all of the neighbors on Lou-Al Lane who helped prior to the arrival of rescue personnel. The patient was transported to Parkland Medical Center with serious burns and smoke inhalation injuries and was later transferred to Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, according to the post

Covid-19 update	As of January 25	As of February 1
Total cases statewide	62,768	66,058
Total current infections statewide	5,627	4,662
Total deaths statewide	990	1,059
New cases	4,904 (Jan. 19 to Jan. 25)	3,290 (Jan. 26 to Feb. 1)
Current infections: Hillsborough County	1,994	1,587
Current infections: Merrimack County	420	389
Current infections: Rockingham County	1,278	1,096

Covid-19 news

On Jan. 26, the first vaccine doses to Granite Staters in Phase 1B of the state’s distribution plan began. “New Hampshire’s rollout of Phase 1B has been very successful with over 300,000 individuals registering to receive their vaccine in just one week,” Gov. Chris Sununu said in a Jan. 29 press release. According to that release, the state sent out emails to people in Phase 1B who have received their first dose of the vaccine but had not yet scheduled a second dose, or scheduled an appointment that is several weeks away. “We are leaving no stone unturned when it comes to speeding up the process, including opening up additional appointments for individuals to receive their second dose,” Sununu said in the release.

As of Feb. 2, additional second dose appointments were made available at vams.cdc.gov. “In order to accommodate the entire statewide vaccination campaign, we’ve added additional locations in partnership with our hospitals,” Dr. Beth Daly, Chief of the Bureau of Infectious Disease Control of the New Hampshire Department of Health & Human Services, said during a Jan. 26 press conference, “so we currently have 22 sites that are open to the public.” During the same press conference, state epidemiologist Dr. Benjamin Chan said that, while the test-positivity rates and hospitalization numbers due to Covid-19 continue to be on the decline over the last several weeks, the overall level of community transmission remains very high statewide. The following day, Jan. 27, New Hampshire surpassed 1,000 deaths since the start of the pandemic last March, according to the daily public health update.

On Jan. 29, Sununu and the governors of each of the five other New England states and New Jersey issued a joint statement extending the suspension of all interstate youth hockey competitions for public and private schools through at least March 31. A regional suspension had previously been in place through Dec. 31 before it was then extended to Jan. 31. The prohibition does not impact interstate collegiate, professional or national hockey team activities, according to the statement.

Details on Sununu’s emergency orders, executive orders and other announcements can be found at governor.nh.gov.

Support local

The state has launched a marketing campaign called “Support Local: Go the Extra Mile” to help boost the local businesses as they struggle through the economic fallout of the pandemic, according to a press release. Economic development and tourism officials will run the campaign through March via ads on billboards, television spots and social media. The ads encourage residents to eat, shop and stay local, and there’s a new website with listings of New Hampshire businesses: supportlocal603.com. “While the resiliency, resourcefulness, and fierce determination of our industry has been on full display during these challenging times, we need the support of everyone in the state right now,” Mike Somers, president and CEO of the New Hampshire Lodging & Restaurant Association, said in the release.

Housing assistance

On Jan. 26, the City of Manchester launched the Manchester Emergency Housing Assistance Program, which will allow residents with low or moderate incomes who have lost income due to the pandemic to receive grants of up to $4,500 to cover rent, mortgage payments or utilities, according to a press release. “Preventing and ending homelessness starts with making sure that those who are struggling to make ends meet remain housed,” Mayor Joyce Craig said in the release. Eligible applicants will be selected on a first-come, first-served basis. According to the release, the program is being funded with a Community Development Block Grant and federal funds provided to the city through the CARES Act.

Interim supers

The Nashua Board of Education voted last week to hire Garth McKinney as Superintendent of Schools and Mario Andrade as Assistant Superintendent for Elementary, according to a press release. They are both serving in an interim capacity until June 30. McKinney is taking the place of Jahmal Mosley, who has taken a job as a superintendent in Massachusetts; he will continue in an advisory capacity to the Office of Superintendent until the end of the school year. McKinney is the current Assistant Superintendent for Elementary for the Nashua School District, and Andrade started the school year as Principal of Elm Street Middle School in an interim capacity, according to the release.

The Friends of Norris Cotton Cancer Center in Lebanon announced last week that registration is now open for the 40th annual Prouty, a fundraising event that combines cycling, walking, rowing, golfing and more. According to a press release, this year’s event will be virtual, with potential in-person options depending on safety and health guidelines. In honor of its 40th year, the Prouty will take place over the course of 40 days — June 1 through July 10 — and virtual participants can do whatever activity they want anywhere at any time. Visit theprouty.org.

The Christa McAuliffe Commemorative Coin became available for pre-order on Jan. 28, the 35th anniversary of the Challenger tragedy, at catalog.usmint.gov. According to a press release, the coin honors Christa McAuliffe, the Concord teacher who died aboard the Space Shuttle Challenger in 1986, and proceeds will promote STEM education.

The SEE Science Center in Manchester is hosting its adult science discussion series, Science on Tap, virtually on Tuesday, Feb. 9. The informal discussion this month is Covid-19: Lessons Learned. According to a press release, local science and health care professionals will talk about the virus and the vaccines, and how the response to this virus will impact the medical field in the future. Admission is free, but sign-up is required at see-sciencecenter.org.