Category: News

Covid-19 update	As of November 22	As of November 30
Total cases statewide	17,598	20,994
Total current infections statewide	4,199	5,145
Total deaths statewide	512	526
New cases	2,569 (Nov. 17 to Nov. 22)	3,396 (Nov. 23 to Nov. 30)
Current infections: Hillsborough County	1,656	2,246
Current infections: Merrimack County	350	462
Current infections: Rockingham County	889	1,118

Covid-19 news

On Nov. 21, the New Hampshire Department of Health & Human Services issued a notice of potential community exposures connected to positive cases of Covid-19 at Grumpy’s Bar & Grill in Plaistow. According to the notice, the exposures likely occurred in the eatery’s bar and pool table areas on the evenings of Nov. 10 and Nov. 14. State health officials have identified three positive cases of the virus associated with Grumpy’s, and the state Attorney General’s Office is investigating multiple violations of food service guidelines.

New Hampshire surpassed 20,000 positive tests of Covid-19 over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, according to a Nov. 28 report from WMUR — these included a two-day total of 702 cases on Thanksgiving Day and the following day. WMUR also reported that state hospitalizations from the virus also reached a new high, of 160 as of Dec. 1.

Because people can begin experiencing symptoms of Covid-19 within two days of being exposed, state health officials say now is the time when you will see any direct links between the virus and Thanksgiving celebrations you had, according to WMUR’s Nov. 29 report. The incubation period of the virus can last anywhere from two to 14 days.

On Nov. 30, DHHS issued a notice of potential community exposures connected to positive virus cases at the Stumble Inn Bar & Grill in Londonderry, which occurred between Nov. 11 and Nov. 23. At least 11 positive cases have been reported so far at the Stumble Inn, which is currently closed, according to the notice.

New council

Last week, members of the newly established Council on Housing Stability were announced. According to a press release, the council is a “revamped effort of the State’s Interagency Council on Homelessness” and has been tasked with updating the state’s plan for addressing homelessness, including broader issues related to housing affordability and stability. The council is made up of dozens of members, including city mayors, representatives from several state departments, building and landlord association representatives, experts in the areas of homelessness and housing instability, and people who have experienced housing instability. The Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Business and Economic Affairs, and the New Hampshire Community Development Finance Authority will lead the council, according to the release. A preliminary plan is due from the council no later than Dec. 14; its first meeting is scheduled for Dec. 4.

NH-JAG awarded

New Hampshire Jobs for America’s Graduates has earned the national 5 of 5 Award, according to a press release. NH-JAG, which provides support for youth in the state who face significant academic, emotional and economic challenges, has met or exceeded JAG’s national standards. The program offers mentoring, employability skills instruction and leadership development activities and is available at eight New Hampshire high schools and one out-of-school health care training program. NH-JAG has served more than 300 students this year, and more than 19,000 students since its inception, according to the release. “In New Hampshire, JAG boasts an impressive 100 percent graduation rate and 76 percent full-time job placement rate, even amid a pandemic. We applaud the NH-JAG Specialists [teachers] for their hard work and unwavering support of their students, which helped NH-JAG achieve the 5 of 5 Award this year, despite the unprecedented challenges of Covid-19,” Ken Smith, president of JAG, said in the release. Smith presented the 5 of 5 Award to Gov. Chris Sununu during a virtual ceremony on Nov. 30.

Voluntary services

The New Hampshire Division for Children, Youth and Families announced last week that it has partnered with two social service agencies to provide community-based voluntary services for at-risk children and families. The partnerships with Waypoint, based in Manchester, and the Family Resource Center, based in Gorham, will bridge the gap between initial contact with DCYF and community-based voluntary services. According to a press release, voluntary services provide tools to families that are struggling with health and safety concerns that do not currently meet a finding of abuse or neglect today but could meet that standard without intervention. “Voluntary services help strengthen and preserve families, keep children safe at home and foster environments in which they will thrive,” DCYF Director Joseph E. Ribsam said in the release.

The Concord Regional Visiting Nurse Association has been named Nonprofit of the Year by the Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce, according to a press release. The award was presented virtually during the Chamber’s annual Pinnacle Awards last month.

The New Hampshire Food Bank will bring its drive-through mobile food pantry to Manchester on three Fridays in December: Dec. 4, Dec. 11 and Dec. 18. According to a press release, truckloads of food will be distributed to people in their vehicles in the Comcast parking lot at 676 Island Pond Road, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on those days.

Merrimack County Savings Bank is now holding its annual Mitten Tree drive at its locations in Bow, Concord, Contoocook, Hooksett and Nashua. Each branch will have a decorated box where community members can drop new handmade or store-bought mittens, hats, gloves and scarves; the bank will also contribute $2 to local food banks for every donated item, according to a press release.

The Upper Room, a family resource center based in Derry, is offering a series of free parenting and stress management workshops, according to a press release. The pre-recorded videos are available for viewing at URteachers.org.

Covid-19 update	As of November 16	As of November 22
Total cases statewide	15,029	17,598
Total current infections statewide	3,344	4,199
Total deaths statewide	500	512
New cases	2,330 (Nov. 10 to Nov. 16)	2,569 (Nov. 17 to Nov. 22)
Current infections: Hillsborough County	1,168	1,656
Current infections: Merrimack County	320	350
Current infections: Rockingham County	690	889

Covid-19 news

On Nov. 19, Gov. Chris Sununu issued Emergency Order No. 74, a statewide mask mandate effective Nov. 20 for everyone over the age of 5 in both indoor and outdoor public spaces where social distancing is not possible. The order came on the same day that 529 people in New Hampshire tested positive for Covid-19, the highest single-day total to date. “[This was] obviously a decision that did not come lightly,” Sununu said in a press conference announcing the order. “Many factors were clearly taken into consideration with regards to the data and the impact, and the effect on our citizens and businesses.” The mandate, which will remain in effect through Jan. 15, has a few exceptions, including anyone with a medical condition or disability preventing them from wearing a mask, anyone engaged in strenuous physical activity, or anyone asked to remove a mask or face-covering to verify his or her identity for lawful purposes. Public spaces where masks are required, as recognized by the mandate, include lobbies, waiting areas, outside plazas or patios, restaurants, retail stores, streets, sidewalks, parks, beaches, elevators, restrooms, stairways and parking garages. According to the Associated Press, at least 100 people protested the mask mandate outside Sununu’s home in Newfields on Nov. 23.

On Nov. 20, Sununu issued Executive Order 2020-23, extending the state of emergency in New Hampshire due to the pandemic for another three weeks through at least Dec. 11. It’s the 12th extension he has issued since originally declaring a state of emergency on March 13.

Details of all of Sununu’s Executive Orders, Emergency Orders and other announcements can be found at governor.nh.gov.

The New Hampshire Hospital Association, the New Hampshire Medical Society and the New Hampshire Nurses Association issued a joint statement Nov. 23 in anticipation of the holiday season, asking residents to continue following the public health guidance. “The Governor’s most recent Executive Order requiring Granite State residents to wear a mask when they are unable to maintain social distance is very important and a signal of just how serious this situation is as we seek to slow the spread of Covid-19 and prevent our health care system from being overwhelmed,” the statement read.

Many hospitals have also tightened up their visitor restrictions as case numbers have increased. Catholic Medical Center, for example, announced that as of last week no visitors will be allowed, with the exception of some caregivers in certain circumstances, and it has also put stronger mask requirements in place.

Homeless encampment

On Nov. 20, the state Departments of Health and Human Services, Justice and Safety issued a joint statement regarding the homeless encampment located on state property at the Hillsborough County North Courthouse in Manchester. Signs were posted at the encampment earlier this month ordering everyone to leave by Nov. 16, or they would face penalties. According to the statement, the state had received multiple requests in the past few months from the City, the court system, businesses, legislators and the County Attorney’s Office to remove the encampment. Since then, the statement said, the state has “repeatedly” offered alternative housing and other supportive services to each person living there, including for several days beyond the Nov. 16 deadline. “On Nov. 19, officials from the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services and local providers approached each one of individuals in the encampment and [offered] housing with accompanying transportation offered by several providers across the state, transportation to stay with family or friends, or relocation to another encampment [as well as] mental health and substance use disorder services,” the statement said. On that day, 27 individuals accepted services and left the encampment; on Nov. 20, individuals were again offered services and were told that if they did not accept, they could either leave the property or would be removed, according to the statement. Six more people accepted services, while three people who chose not to leave were issued summonses for illegal camping. One then left the property while the other two were arrested and charged with criminal trespass, according to the statement. The property has since been cleared and a fence will be put up.

Following these actions, Manchester Mayor Joyce Craig issued a statement saying that she had contacted local services, including the Mental Health Center of Greater Manchester, Families in Transition – New Horizons and the City Welfare Department. “As a result, Families in Transition – New Horizons already filled all of their available beds with people being forcibly removed from the courthouse lawn, and we’re working to find any other options available,” she said in her statement. She said the eviction will disconnect individuals from the services they’ve been receiving for months and noted that “this action from the State is inhumane, causing trauma to individuals with nowhere else to go.”

According to the statement from the Departments of Health and Human Services, Justice and Safety, the services offered to people at the encampment on Nov. 19 “were provided by the State of New Hampshire and not the City of Manchester, despite it being the City’s legal obligation under RSA chapter 165 to provide welfare services for those within the City.”

Previously, on Nov. 18, Gov. Chris Sununu sent a letter to New Hampshire’s mayors detailing steps the State has taken to combat homelessness; he also signed an Executive Order to expand the scope and membership of the State’s Interagency Council on Homelessness and renamed it to the Council on Housing Stability, which will update the state’s homelessness plan, with a preliminary report that includes legislative recommendations for the 2021 legislative session due by Dec. 14. “Our focus on homelessness is not new and our philosophy is consistent: housing is not an optional lifestyle commodity, but rather, is an irreplaceable requirement for any form of humane human condition,” Sununu wrote in the letter.

Benefits paybacks

Senate Majority Leader Dan Feltes (D-Concord) issued a statement last week after a Union Leader article reported that the New Hampshire Department of Employment Security is seeking to reclaim nearly $25 million from 10,773 people who received unemployment benefits during the pandemic because it says they were overpaid by the state. Feltes said in his statement that the Senate had tried back in March to create legislation to “prevent the clawing back of benefits paid under the emergency orders,” but that legislation was vetoed. “If they are not at fault in causing the overpayment, then they will not be required to repay the benefits,” Rich Lavers, deputy commissioner at Employment Security, told the Union Leader. “However, if they misstated the circumstances of their separation to make themselves eligible or overstated their earnings from self-employment and were paid at a higher benefit amount than is supported by the information in their federal tax return, then they will and should be expected to repay those benefits.”

Mobile classroom

As part of its campaign to promote career and technical education, the New Hampshire Department of Education will be bringing its 35-foot RV, named MAPs (Mobile Access to Possibilities), to the Tanger Outlet in Tilton on Saturday, Nov. 28, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. According to a press release, the mobile classroom will be making stops at shopping areas around the state during the holiday season, offering information about CTE offerings at local high schools and community colleges.

More than a dozen nonprofit organizations in Concord and its surrounding communities received more than 3.5 tons of nonperishable food items from the Capital Region Food Program. According to a press release, the distribution last week included the traditional Year Round Distribution Project foods, plus chickens and turkeys for Thanksgiving.

Manchester’s overnight winter parking ban will go into effect Dec. 1 at 1 a.m., according to a press release. Between 1 and 6 a.m., parking will be allowed only on the odd-numbered side of a street on odd-numbered calendar months and only on the even-numbered side of a street on even-numbered calendar months. There is no on-street parking during snow emergencies; you can be notified of snow emergencies by signing up at manchesternh.gov/snow for automatic email or text.

To kick off the bell-ringing season, a $20,000 donation was made on Nov. 19 to the Salvation Army Holiday Kettle outside the New Hampshire State Liquor & Wine Outlet in Bedford. According to a press release, the check was presented by the Great NH Restaurants charitable trust FEEDNH.org, in partnership with Tito’s Handmade Vodka.

Greater Nashua Mental Health is now home to the Nashua area Mobile Crisis Response Team, according to a press release. The MCRT will provide 24/7 emergency services, including going directly to people in need.

Covid-19 update	As of November 9	As of November 16
Total cases statewide	12,699	15,029
Total current infections statewide	2,057	3,344
Total deaths statewide	489	500
New cases	1,379 (Nov. 3 to Nov. 9)	2,330 (Nov. 10 to Nov. 16)
Current infections: Hillsborough County	576	1,168
Current infections: Merrimack County	227	320
Current infections: Rockingham County	497	690

Covid-19 news

Several state chief medical and nursing officers issued a joint statement with the New Hampshire Hospital Association on Nov. 10, urging people to continue to adhere to the guidance from state health officials to prevent the spread of Covid-19. “We ask that you … wear a mask, stay at least six feet apart, avoid crowds, wash your hands frequently, cover your mouth when you cough and stay home if you are experiencing any respiratory or unexplained symptoms,” the statement reads.

State health officials reported 462 new positive tests of Covid-19 in New Hampshire on Nov. 13, the most recorded in a single day since the start of the pandemic in March, and an increase of more than 100 from the previous record set just the day before (323 new positive tests on Nov. 12). “In the last week, we have now averaged about 240 new infections per day statewide, which is up from where we were last week,” state epidemiologist Dr. Benjamin Chan said in a Nov. 12 press conference. “This … virus is now widespread in our state. The number of infections are increasing. The hospitalizations are increasing. The test-positivity rate is increasing, and the number of people dying from Covid-19 is also increasing.”

Chan also announced that, due to the rapidly increasing rates of community transmission, the state Department of Health & Human Services will no longer be conducting contact tracing investigations for those who test positive. “Instead, we will be prioritizing who we investigate and targeting our public health resources to those individuals in those situations most at need and most at risk for [the] spread of Covid-19,” Chan said.

As of Nov. 12, 64 people in New Hampshire were being hospitalized for Covid-19, but Gov. Chris Sununu said he expects that number will rise “very aggressively,” which may prompt the need to open more temporary “surge hospitals” in the state. “Hospitals are open and they’re performing services, [and] they have a lot of testing capability,” he said. “That means we have less available bed capacity today than we did [in March and April] … and so the need to open a surge or flex hospital would probably come much sooner.”

Later during the same press conference, DHHS Commissioner Lori Shibinette reported four instances of potential community exposures of Covid-19 at polling locations on Election Day (Nov. 3) — at Souhegan High School in Amherst, Pembroke Academy, Belmont High School and Newfields Elementary School. “These were all people that identified in the last couple of days of having positive Covid-19 tests and reported being in line and not being able to six-foot socially distance,” Shibinette said, noting that anyone who was at any of those polling stations should monitor for symptoms.

Sununu also announced that New Hampshire, along with each of the five New England states and New Jersey, has suspended all interstate hockey competitions for public and private schools, and for youth hockey, from Nov. 14 through Dec. 31. “This doesn’t pause hockey,” he said. “It pauses crossing the border for games.” Sununu added that college, professional or national team hockey activities are not impacted by the suspension.

With the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday just one week away, Sununu announced the state has updated its travel guidance for residents who travel outside of New England. “Currently, when you come back, we’re having folks quarantine for 14 days,” he said. “We’re augmenting that to allow a seven-day quarantine with a test. So if you get a test, after seven days, you don’t have to do the 14. You could do the 14 without a test, or you can quarantine for seven days with a test. … “Obviously, we’re not going to tell people that they can’t have a family gathering at Thanksgiving. But what we can do is manage our controls, expectations, the elevated message, and especially the data that we’re seeing out there.”

On Nov. 14, Sununu issued Emergency Order No. 72, an order extending Emergency Order No. 52, which had been issued on June 15. Emergency Order No. 52 is an order regarding public health guidance for business operations and advising Granite Staters they are safer at home. Emergency Order No. 72 extends that advisory through Jan. 15.

On Nov. 16, Sununu reactivated the state’s Long Term Care Stabilization Program, offering stipends to frontline health care workers at Medicaid facilities until Dec. 31.

Details of all of Sununu’s Emergency Orders, Executive Orders and other announcements can be found at governor.nh.gov.

Child Advocate report

Released last week, the Office of the Child Advocate’s Annual Report cited the pandemic as the “dominating factor of the year” for children, according to a press release. The Division for Children, Youth and Families received praise from Child Advocate Moira O’Neill for the support it provided to families to help prevent abuse or neglect that stemmed from pandemic restrictions. The report identified pandemic-related concerns, such as less access to school personnel, who usually monitor for signs of abuse and neglect. The Office of the Child Advocate is working toward implementation of an expanded community-based system of care, which it identifies as the most critical response to child and family needs, the press release said. Also in the report is a look at the number of complaints about state services for children that the office has received from Oct. 1, 2019, to Sept. 30, 2020, as well as reports of incidents that involve kids in state care during that same time frame. “We received, reviewed and monitored outcomes of 2,183 incident reports,” O’Neill said in the report. “That is an increase of three times what we saw in the year before.” However, those numbers reflect DCYF coming into compliance with the mandate to report and not necessarily an increase in incidents, according to the release.

School lunches

Manchester Mayor Joyce Craig sent a letter last week to the New Hampshire congressional delegation regarding the concern that the city’s school district, as well as districts throughout the state, is in danger of losing funding due to a reduction in the number of families who have filled out paperwork to be eligible for free or reduced lunches. That number helps determine school funding needs, but because all students have been able to get free school lunches during the pandemic without filling out forms, the current number does not reflect the actual need, the letter says. In Manchester, prior to the pandemic, about 49.5 percent of students in the district were eligible for free lunch; as of Oct. 31, that number dropped to 39.99 percent. “This decrease in enrollment does not reflect the needs of our community, however, and if this continues, the Differentiated Aid under the Adequacy formula that is tied to the number of students receiving free and reduced lunch will be approximately $3.6 million lower than this year,” Craig wrote in the letter. “This is an unintended consequence of the Covid-19 pandemic that could have detrimental impacts on school district budgets across the state.”

Sports betting

Since it debuted on Dec. 30 last year, the New Hampshire Lottery has surpassed $200 million in total sports wagering, with more than 52,000 registered customers in New Hampshire making over 6 million bets that totaled more than $205.1 million as of Nov. 9, according to a press release. Since Dec. 30, New Hampshire Lottery and DraftKings have launched mobile sports betting in New Hampshire and have opened two retail sportsbook locations for in-person betting, at DraftKings Sportsbook at The Brook in Seabrook and DraftKings Sportsbook at Manchester at the Filotimo Casino & Restaurant. “The success of sports betting in New Hampshire represents success for our entire state, as revenue from sports betting directly benefits education in New Hampshire,” Gov. Chris Sununu said in the release.

The 1914 Colonial Theatre complex in Laconia has been named to the National Register of Historic Places for its architecture and its role as a center of entertainment and commerce into the 21st century. According to a press release, its most prominent feature is a 1930s marquee.

The Concord Regional Visiting Nurse Association recently honored Director of Donor Relations Melissa Howard with its peer-nominated “Living Our Values” award. According to a press release, Howard has been with the VNA for almost five years, and the colleagues who nominated her said she “is a wonderful leader, a pleasure to work with and a true role model.”

The Department of Athletics at UNH in Durham announced last week that its athletic programs, including hockey and basketball, will begin play for the 2020-21 season. According to a press release, spectators will not be allowed at Wildcats home events, though hockey games will be televised on NESN.

The Brookside Congregational Church Complex in Manchester has been named to the New Hampshire State Register of Historic Places, according to a press release. The complex includes a 1908 neo-Classical estate house, a 1960 brick Georgian Revival church, a circa 1908 carriage house and a caretaker’s cottage.

Covid-19 update	As of November 2	As of November 2
Total cases statewide	11,320	12,699
Total current infections statewide	1,407	2,057
Total deaths statewide	483	489
New cases	923 (Oct. 27 to Nov. 2)	1,379 (Nov. 3 to Nov. 9)
Current infections: Hillsborough County	425	576
Current infections: Merrimack County	192	227
Current infections: Rockingham County	360	497

Covid-19 news

During a Nov. 5 press conference, state epidemiologist Dr. Benjamin Chan provided a public health update on New Hampshire’s ongoing response to the Covid-19 pandemic. New and active infections of the coronavirus have been on a continuous increase over the last couple of weeks in the state, he said, with seven of its 10 counties — Hillsborough, Merrimack, Rockingham, Coos, Grafton, Belknap and Stafford — at a substantial level of community transmission. According to WMUR, Gov. Chris Sununu said the state is preparing for what could be a “very aggressive” spike in Covid-19 cases, with New Hampshire potentially seeing 500 to 1,000 new daily cases by the end of the month. He said the state is ready, with PPE, testing, funds and resources, according to WMUR.

During the Nov. 5 press conference, Sununu also provided an update on the status of New Hampshire’s federal CARES act funds, which he said must be spent prior to Dec. 31. More than 4,000 businesses applied for the Main Street Relief Fund 2.0, around 3,000 of which were eligible. Sununu added that around $15 million is still available that has been allocated for the state’s housing relief program. As of Nov. 5, about 2,100 people have applied for and received funds totaling about $5.6 million.

On Nov. 7, the New Hampshire Department of Health & Human Services issued a potential community exposure notice related to a person with Covid-19 who visited the 401 Tavern in Hampton. According to state health officials, the exposure occurred in the eatery’s bar area during the evenings of Oct. 23 and Oct. 24. Anyone who was there on those evenings should monitor for symptoms of the virus and seek testing.

Details of Sununu’s Emergency Orders, Executive Orders and other announcements can be viewed at governor.nh.gov.

Addressing homelessness

On Nov. 5, New Hampshire’s 13 mayors sent a joint letter to Gov. Chris Sununu asking him to make it a top priority to develop a statewide plan that addresses homelessness. According to the letter, homelessness is a crisis in all of the mayors’ communities. “In recent months, in an effort to prevent community spread of Covid-19 and allow for social distancing, shelters have been forced to decompress and reduce the number of available beds,” it reads, though it also notes that the number of people living unsheltered has been increasing even in the years prior to the pandemic. The letter cited a lack of funding and emergency shelter beds in some communities and said that with many homeless individuals living on state-owned properties, the state needs to create and implement a winter shelter surge plan, as well as a comprehensive housing plan that would increase the number of supportive, transitional and affordable housing options for couples, victims of domestic violence, families with children and felons. “Because of a lack of an overarching statewide approach, our communities’ homelessness strategies have been reactive rather than proactive,” the letter reads. “The state must take a role in designing an incident command infrastructure to address homelessness, similar to the Governor’s Commission on Alcohol and Other Drugs, to establish a set of metrics to determine success, and implement accountability measures, and progress tracking to ensure positive outcomes.”

On Nov. 8, the Union Leader reported that people have been ordered to leave the homeless encampments on either side of the Hillsborough County Superior Court by Nov. 16 or they will face penalties, and any personal items remaining on the property will be disposed of. The signs that have been posted say camping is not allowed on the property; the Union Leader reported that about 26 tents were set up at the two encampments as of Sunday night. Sununu told the Union Leader that a commission would be “great,” but that he would want one that addressed all of the issues related to homelessness, like mental health, addiction, abuse and neglect and poverty.

Better food

After five weeks of receiving low-quality foods as part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm to Trunk program, the New Hampshire Food Bank now has a new supplier, according to WMUR. New Hampshire’s congressional delegation recently sent a letter to the USDA citing concerns about the product that was being supplied by Delaware-based Vincent Farms. The delegation requested an investigation, and while Food Bank Director Eileen Liponis told WMUR that she doesn’t know what will come of that, “word has gotten out that we were not happy, and this next distributor that has gotten the award is making sure they don’t get themselves in the same pickle,” she said.

SUD relief

More than 20 organizations across the state that provide services to people affected by substance use disorder have received CARES Act funding, awarded by Granite United Way, which was chosen by the Governor’s Office for Emergency Relief and Recovery to receive $750,000 in funding, according to a press release. Granite United Way worked with United Ways throughout the state to identify organizations that will use the funding for people with substance use disorder who are struggling even more during the pandemic. Funding will cover basic needs like food, clothing, transportation and housing. “This has been a great opportunity for all of our United Ways to work together and with our community partners to ensure this funding gets to those who need it the most,” Patrick Tufts, President and CEO of Granite United Way, said in the release. “This support will really help our organization continue to help people struggling with addiction,” said Steve Gadomski of Teen Challenge in Manchester, one of the organizations that received the funding. The funding will run through Dec. 30, according to the release.

Busy day

The state’s Attorney General’s Office, which supports and assists election officials, announced on Monday the results of its Election Day Operations, calling it a successful election that was “the result of extraordinary efforts of thousands of local election officials.” More than 100 attorneys, investigators and staff from the Attorney General’s Office, the Secretary of State’s Office and other state agencies covered 305 of New Hampshire’s 307 polling places, with each inspector completing a detailed checklist and working with local election officials to resolve any issues, according to a press release. More than 275 phone calls were made to the Attorney General’s Election Hotline, and “the majority of issues were resolved on Tuesday by working directly with local election officials.” Comparatively, 302 out of 309 polling places were inspected in the 2018 General Election and 185 unique calls were received. In the 2016 general election, only 76 percent of polling locations were inspected, according to the release.

The Ice Castles will return to North Woodstock this year, with ice slides, caves, crawl spaces and fountains as well as new features to promote safety, including a winter light walk and a sledding hill, according to a press release. Construction is scheduled to begin in late November with an opening date anticipated in early January.

The General Court of New Hampshire has created a new video tour that will allow students to virtually tour the Statehouse in Concord, according to a press release. The tour includes the historic Hall of Flags and the Executive Council Chamber and Legislative Chambers, as well as the Statehouse grounds. The link to the tour can be found at gencourt.state.nh.us/nh.

The Girl Scout Discovery Zone has opened at the Mall of New Hampshire in Manchester, offering free special activities each day that it is open (Thursdays through Sundays from 1 to 4 p.m.), plus a Girl Scout Scavenger Hunt and information about becoming a Girl Scout, according to a press release from The Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains.

On Oct. 21, Bridges in Nashua moved to a new location at 28 Concord St. According to a press release, the new building will allow Bridges to help more clients who are dealing with domestic or sexual violence.

Covid-19 update	As of October 26	As of November 2
Total cases statewide	10,397	11,320
Total current infections statewide	1,002	1,407
Total deaths statewide	475	483
New cases	651 (Oct. 20 to Oct. 26)	923 (Oct. 27 to Nov. 2)

Covid-19 news

On Oct. 25, Gov. Chris Sununu issued Exhibits V and W to Emergency Order No. 29, which had been issued on April 9. Emergency Order No. 29 requires state agencies, boards and commissions to submit recommendations to Sununu if any regulatory deadlines should be adjusted in response to the state of emergency. Per Exhibit V, in order to mitigate staffing concerns in police departments across the state, part-time officers who have not attended the full-time police academy will continue to be allowed to work during the pandemic. Per Exhibit W, in accordance with Emergency Order No. 12, the state’s Current Use Advisory Board will hold one public forum via phone and Webex in lieu of three in-person meetings. The forum will take place Tuesday, Nov. 17, at 1 p.m.

On Oct. 27, Sununu issued Emergency Order No. 71, an order temporarily suspending the penalty for a school’s failure to file a financial report showing receipts and expenditures to the state Department of Education.

On Oct. 30, Sununu issued Executive Order 2020-21, extending the state of emergency in New Hampshire due to the Covid-19 pandemic for another three weeks through at least Nov. 20. It’s the 11th extension he has issued since originally declaring a state of emergency on March 13.

In the last week, the New Hampshire Department of Health & Human Services announced two additional potential community exposures linked to positive cases of Covid-19, both at the Atkinson Resort & Country Club. The first one was announced on Oct. 27, with potential community exposure dates inside both Merrill’s Tavern and the Stagecoach Grille on Wednesday, Oct. 21, from noon to 7:30 p.m., and on Thursday, Oct. 22, from noon to 11:30 p.m. A second notice was issued on Oct. 30 in the same location, with more possible exposures, on Saturday, Oct. 24, from 11 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.; Sunday, Oct. 25, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Monday, Oct. 26, from 4 to 9:45 p.m. Anyone who was there on any of those dates and times should monitor for symptoms and seek testing.

State health officials also announced 205 new positive infections on Oct. 31, the most reported in New Hampshire in a single day since the start of the pandemic in March. In a statement addressing this, Sununu said he expects cases to rise as community transmission increases. “As we enter these winter months, it will be more important than ever to wear your mask, practice social distancing, and maintain proper hand hygiene,” he said.

Details of all of Sununu’s Emergency Orders, Executive Orders and other announcements can be found at governor.nh.gov.

Inferior food

The New Hampshire congressional delegation has sent a letter to Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue regarding concerns that the products the New Hampshire Food Bank has been receiving do not meet nutritional standards, according to a press release. The USDA contracts with farms to provide food to state food banks through its Farmers Families Food Box Program; New Hampshire’s current distributor is Delaware-based Vincent Farms. Senators Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan and Representatives Annie Kuster and Chris Pappas said in the letter that the distributor for the program from the previous round, Costa Fruit & Produce, provided high-quality products for families in need, while the product provided by Vincent Farms was of “enormously inferior nutritional quality.” The letter also alleged that the USDA is paying more than the food boxes being provided by Vincent Farms have been estimated to be worth. “We understand that the USDA is paying $40 – $60 per box under the Farmers to Families Food Box Program. However, the cost per box of food provided to the New Hampshire Food Bank by the round three distributor has been estimated to equal $10 – $12. This significant discrepancy in value indicates a large potential profit opportunity for this distributor,” the letter reads. The delegation has asked the USDA to investigate the matter before it awards the fourth round of contracts for the program.

PFAS report

Last week, the Commission on the Environmental and Public Health Impacts of Perfluorinated Chemicals released its first Interim Report to highlight its initial assessments on the impacts of PFAS in the air, soil and groundwater in Merrimack, Bedford and Litchfield. The report includes recommendations such as extending the statute of limitations on chemical and PFAS-related injury, establishing a policy related to the identification of any PFAS chemicals that pose a concern to public health and/or the environment, create and implement educational standards and practices related to health implications of PFAS chemicals for all health care personnel, and require any source company responsible for water and soil contamination to be responsible for the costs of medical monitoring over a long-term basis for those exposed. The full report with all recommendations and findings can be seen at gencourt.state.nh.us/statstudcomm/committees/1495.

At-home-school tool

Parents have a new resource to help them support their children’s at-home learning. According to a press release from the New Hampshire Department of Education, the Parent and Family Digital Learning Guide will help parents use digital tools and resources, and it outlines the benefits and challenges of remote learning. “As New Hampshire families adjust to remote and hybrid instruction, parents remain essential in supporting students, and keeping them on track,” New Hampshire Education Commissioner Frank Edelblut said in the release. “This new Digital Learning Guide is a great tool for parents and caregivers to meet this challenge.” Access the guide at nhlearnsremotely.com.

EnVision Center

Harbor Care in Nashua has been designated as the first EnVision Center in New Hampshire, creating a centralized hub to provide resources to people in need, according to a press release. The EnVision Center program is run by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and provides services for HUD-assisted families. Harbor Care is one of more than 60 EnVision Centers in the country, but only the third in New England. The center supports four key pillars of self-sufficiency, according to the release: economic empowerment, educational advancement, health and wellness and character and leadership. “Harbor Care’s designation as an EnVision Center provides those chances for success for low-income residents,” Nashua Mayor Jim Donchess said in the release. “It makes even stronger Nashua’s existing support network for individuals and families in need of not just housing and financial support, but actual tools to guide them on a brighter path.”

Tons of drugs

During National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Oct. 26, New Hampshire collected nearly 17,000 pounds of expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs, as well as electronic vaping devices and cartridges, according to a press release. Throughout New England, the Drug Enforcement Administration collected more than 57 tons at 586 collection sites. This is in comparison to the first National Prescription Drug Take Back Day in September 2010, when the division collected 25,810 pounds of unwanted drugs. Massachusetts and Maine had the highest tallies (40,284 pounds and 40,100 pounds, respectively). New Hampshire collected 16,840 pounds, while Connecticut collected 8,002 pounds, Rhode Island collected 6,218 pounds and Vermont collected 4,498 pounds, according to the release.

Concord’s fall leaf collection started Monday with bulk leaf collection and bagged collection will start Nov. 23 for residents with curbside trash collection, continuing (weather permitting) through Dec. 11, according to a press release. For more details about how this year’s process will work, visit concordnh.gov.

Several roads will be closed for the Manchester City Marathon, scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 8, at 7:30 a.m., according to a press release. Starting at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 7, Elm Street from Pleasant Street to Merrimack Street will be closed until 5 p.m. Sunday. Starting at 6 a.m. Sunday, Elm Street between Granite and Bridge streets will be closed, and portions of the following roads will be closed: Hanover, Merrimack, Central, Spring, McGregor and Granite streets, and the Bridge Street Bridge. All roads will be reopened by 5 p.m.

The Hopkinton and Warner Historical Societies will present a virtual discussion about the influenza pandemic of 1918-1919 on Thursday, Nov. 12, at 7 p.m. The Zoom talk is free; for login information, email director@hopkintonhistory.org or info@warnerhistorical.org.

Nashua will hold its final Household Hazardous Waste Collection of 2020 on Saturday, Nov. 7, from 8 a.m. to noon at the Nashua City Park & Ride, 25 Crown St. Residents from Amherst, Brookline, Hollis, Hudson, Litchfield, Merrimack, Milford, Mont Vernon, Nashua, Pelham and Windham can participate, according to a press release. The cost is a $15 user fee per vehicle, with extra charges for waste that exceeds 10 gallons or 20 pounds. Latex paint, electronics and medications will not be accepted.