Category: News

Quality of Life 22/08/18

Gas going down

The average price of gasoline in New Hampshire went down by 11.6 cents per gallon last week, averaging $4.11 per gallon as of Aug. 15, according to GasBuddy. The data is based on a survey of 875 gas stations across the state. Prices are 45.7 cents per gallon lower than a month ago and $1.12 higher than a year ago.

QOL Score: +1

Comment: The national average price of gasoline averaged $3.92 as of Aug. 15, according to the report — down 9.9 cents per gallon in the last week.

Students build airplanes

The Aviation Museum of New Hampshire (27 Navigator Road, Londonderry) will host a free open house on Tuesday, Aug. 23, at 7 p.m., when high school students and their families can learn about the museum’s student airplane-building program and see a fly-by of New Hampshire’s first student-built airplane in flight at Manchester-Boston Regional Airport. According to a press release, the program, based at Manchester School of Technology, invites high school students to collaborate with volunteer mentors to build an airplane throughout the school year. It was launched in 2019, becoming the fourth of its kind in the U.S. and the first and only in the Northeast. The program is free and open to all high school-age students — including those in home schooling, private and non-traditional education settings — living in Manchester, Londonderry, Goffstown, Bedford and other area towns. Visit aviationmuseumofnh.org or call 669-4820.

QOL score: +1

Comment: The first airplane in the program — a Van’s RV-12iS two-seat light sport aircraft — was recently completed, and construction on the program’s second airplane will commence at the beginning of the 2022-2023 school year.

Health care heroes

Nominations are open for New Hampshire Healthcare Heroes. Now in its third year, New Hampshire Healthcare Heroes is an effort supported by the Southern New Hampshire Area Health Education Center to celebrate health care workers in the state. “Every health care organization requires a team approach to provide the proper and necessary care and we believe that those who may work under the radar but really are a superhero within their organization deserve recognition,” Roxie Severance, who has led the effort since its inception, said in a press release. “It takes a full community of professionals to make our health care system work, and we’re excited to honor that role and share their stories.” Nominees may include clinical and nonclinical providers, administrators, educators, facilities, custodial and kitchen staff and others who provide direct or indirect care to patients and families receiving health care. A board of volunteers will review the nominations and select one winner and two runners-up for each of the seven regions in the state. Each Hero will be honored in a pinning ceremony, hosted in partnership with their employer and streamed live on Facebook, and will receive a banner and customized swag bag.

QOL score: +1

Comment: Anyone can nominate a Healthcare Hero by submitting an online nomination form at nhhealthcareheroes.org. Nominations close on Friday, Sept. 16, at 11:59 p.m.

Give blood, win gas

The American Red Cross is calling for blood and platelet donations to prevent a seasonal blood shortage, according to a press release, and everyone who donates during the month of August will receive a $10 e-gift card to a merchant of their choice and will be automatically entered for a chance to win free gas for a year — a $6,000 value. Three winners will be drawn.

QOL score: +1

Comment: To book a donation appointment at a Red Cross blood donation site near you, download the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-733-2767.

QOL score: 83

Net change: +4

QOL this week: 87

What’s affecting your Quality of Life here in New Hampshire? Let us know at news@hippopress.com.

Farewell to James White

Another week with too much going on for a once a week column.

With Chaim Bloom’s baseball visions sending fan interest into a death spiral, will the much bigger deal made over David Ortiz entering the Baseball Hall of Fame than when Richard Seymour went into the Pro Football Hall two weeks later be the last time the Red Sox will command center stage for a long time?

Sorry, I don’t get what the hoo-ha was over Washington’s Juan Soto being traded to San Diego at the deadline to “tip the balance of power” in the NL West. Really? When was the last time a .246 hitter did that?

Sports 101: An actual trade that did came in 1987 when Detroit gave up a no-name prospect to get veteran Doyle Alexander. Hethen went 9-0 with a 1.53 ERA in 11 starts to help them come from way back to win the AL East in 1987. Name the future Hall of Fame hurler they gave up to get Doyle.

Beyond that, how old are the people calling the Soto deal the biggest ever? 14? Here are two trade deadline deals I guarantee Soto won’t top.

In 1964 Lou Brock got traded at the deadline to spark the languishing Cardinals to win the World Series four months later. And all he did after that was accumulate 3,000 hits and become the all-time leader in stolen bases.

In 1977 300-game winner and Mets icon Tom Seaver was traded in his prime to Cincy. Think if they made it into a movie people would believe the 2022 Chris Sale saga, which supposedly ended by him falling off his bike and breaking his wrist? It’s a story with an ending many local media types are highly skeptical about. It makes the ledger for the first three years of Sale’s five-year deal signed in spring of 2020 5 wins, 11 starts and two losses for $90 million.

Congratulations to ESPN for getting it right for once in ranking Jimmy Brown as its GOAT for running backs. Ditto for Barry Sanders as No. 2 and Walter Payton third. Well done.

Shouldn’t Tom Brady be fined big for his role in the Miami tampering plot with owner Steve Ross and U of Michigan buddy/minority Dolphins owner Bruce Beal to get him out of his Tampa Bay contract to become the Dolphins QB?

And with that dishonesty added to the ledger with him not mentioning anyone in Foxboro when he retired as part of the phony plot, the halo has certainly descended on TB-12 around here.

Add another entry to Kyrie Irving’s “Is This Guy For Real?” file, from his contract extension talks where two of the items he wanted in his new contract, according to Ric Bucher’s On the Ball podcast, were that he only had to play 60 games a year and that he didn’t have to play “inhumanely” in games on back-to-back nights. He later refuted it in a bizarre rant on Twitter that contained phrases like shifting “paradigms” apparently to show how deep his intellect is.

Speaking of the tediously unending Nets saga, I think I’d do the deal for him if the price was Jaylen Brown, Derrick White and a first-round pick because it let Jayson Tatum just play and put the leadership burden on the more suited for it Durant.

But I’d rather see them send Brown and Grant Williams to Cleveland for Evan Mobley, point guard Darius Garland and taking on Kevin Love’s onerous but expiring $30 million contract. That would hurt them a little defensively but give them a better and bigger three-man rotation among the bigs, deliver the eventual replacement for 37-year-old Al Horford, a real point guard in Garland and with Horford’s expiring deal, $60 million to spend on free agents next summer.

Though if I were Cleveland I wouldn’t do it.

Sports 101 Answer: The prospect Detroit gave up for Alexander was John Smoltz, who went on to win a Cy Young, save an all-time single season record 55 games and win 213 games with Atlanta on his way to the Hall.

Sports 102: Name the Hall of Famer then major Dodgers prospect Doyle Alexander was traded for at the start of his career in December 1971.

One more thing on Soto. I get that he’s just 23 and bursting with potential. But he’s had a full season when he hit over .300, and another when he hit .351 in 46 games. Has never hit more than 32 homers or driven in more than 110 in six seasons.

At 23 it was 46/127/.356 for Albert Pujols. By his sixth season Junior Griffey had two 49-homer seasons and three 100-plus-RBI seasons already. In his fourth season Willie Mays was MVP for going 51/127/.319. In his fifth season Mickey Mantle won the triple crown and MVP for his 52/130/.353 submission.

Terrific prospect, likely bright future, but let’s pump the brakes on Soto because he hasn’t been as good as any of the people mentioned above by 23 or their sixth season.

Sports 102 Answer: The highly touted Alexander was the key guy Baltimore got back in a six-player deal that sent the great Frank Robinson to the Dodgers.

With other guys around the league going down with big injuries I probably should just be happy it didn’t happen here. But beyond the eight catches for 99-yard effort to support my belief Kristian Wilkerson is better than the Patriots seem to think, I don’t know what I got from last week’s pre-season game vs. the G-Men.

Finally a tip of the cap to James White at his retirement. He was as reliable as they come, clutch when it mattered most and with six carries for 29 yards, 14 catches for 110 yards and three TDs spectacular in the greatest Super Bowl comeback ever. A true Patriot if there ever was one. Thanks for the memories and best of luck as you ride off into retirement.

Email Dave Long at dlong@hippopress.com.

Supporting students

New program facilitates healthy connections

Through a new contracted partnership with the New Hampshire Department of Education, One Trusted Adult, a program that works to ensure that children have an accessible, trusted adult to provide support outside of the home, will be implemented at 125 New Hampshire schools serving students in grades 5 through 12 over the next two years. Brooklyn Raney, One Trusted Adult founder and author of the book One Trusted Adult: How to Build Strong Connections & Healthy Boundaries with Young People, discussed the program.

What led you to develop the One Trusted Adult program?

I’m a teacher, coach and school administrator. … There was one year when we had [multiple] prevention programs in one month — substance abuse prevention, suicide prevention, sexual assault prevention — and every program ended with [the presenter] saying … to our students, ‘If you have a worry or concern, reach out to a trusted adult.’ I sat there thinking, ‘What does that term mean, exactly?’ We throw it around a lot. Do the young people in this auditorium look to the adults in this room as those trusted adults? Are we thinking of ourselves as those trusted adults who can support these initiatives to keep kids safe? … I started looking for programs that could come talk to my staff about what it means to have healthy, boundaried relationships with students, and I couldn’t find anything, so I created one to use with my own staff, and other schools started inviting me to come talk to them. That’s when I really dug in and did two years’ worth of research to write a book.

How did the New Hampshire Department of Education end up partnering with One Trusted Adult, and how will the program be implemented throughout the state?

The research we were doing was showing that just under 50 percent of students in middle schools and high schools could name a trusted adult at school. That isn’t good enough. … The [New Hampshire] deputy commissioner [of education] Christine Brennan read the book and said, ‘There’s a great opportunity here to get this information to educators and youth-serving professionals across the state.’ … We ran a pilot program last year with five schools and received really amazing feedback on the positive outcomes. … It’s super simple and free for schools to get their hands on these resources. Schools simply have to … fill out a form on what they like from the offerings of One Trusted Adult and how they’ll implement it. We send off the materials, and the DOE takes care of funding it.

What are the main facets of the program?

The important conversations we need to have are about strengthening healthy connections while also setting boundaries to protect youth and adults, as well as what young people should be looking for in trusted adults, mentors and role models, as well as [how to] create more opportunities for connection. … We began developing our Accessible, Boundaried and Caring advisory program for middle school … and high school students … and we train the adults through an online course on how to use these materials to strengthen healthy connections. … We also have a program for parents … geared specifically toward showing up as a trusted adult for our own children.

What qualities should a trusted adult have?

In the research we’ve done … talking to adolescents about the trusted adults in their lives, we heard the same quotes over and over: ‘They were there for me when I needed them.’ “They encouraged me when I needed it.’ ‘They challenged me when I needed it.’ ‘They were fun and playful, but they also taught me something.’ … What emerged from the data was that trusted adults show up in three ways that I call the ‘ABCs:’ accessible, boundaried and caring. The overlap of those qualities is where trust is built.

How does having a trusted adult impact a child’s life?

The research shows that when a student can name a trusted adult at school, they’re less likely to abuse substances, less likely to be depressed or anxious, less likely to be suspended or drop out, and are more likely to be available for learning, to engage in after-school opportunities and to pursue their education.

Why is it important for children to have a trusted adult outside of the home?

The parent or guardian relationship at home is absolutely foundational and the most important relationship in a child’s life … but there’s an amazing psychologist, Lisa Damour, who says that [as kids get older,] parents go from being jelly beans to Brussels sprouts; they’re healthy, they’re good for you, but they’re not the thing you’re most excited about. … Young people who can name a trusted adult at home as well as at school are thriving in ways that [young people who can’t] aren’t. It’s even better when those trusted adults from home and school are partnering for the well-being of young people.

How are trusted adults chosen for each child?

It’s up to the young people to decide who those trusted adults are in their lives. We’re looking to build capacity in all adults — community members, neighbors, parents, teachers, coaches, you name it — to recognize how they can be accessible, remain boundaried, and show young people that they care and invest in their well-being and success

Featured photo: Brooklyn Raney. Courtesy photo.

News & Notes 22/08/18

Absentee voting

Absentee ballots for the 2022 New Hampshire state primary election are now available to voters. According to a press release from the Office of New Hampshire Secretary of State David M. Scanlan, the absentee ballots have been delivered to every city and town clerk’s office in the state, and qualifying voters may now request and obtain the ballots from their local clerk. The protocol and process of absentee voting for the upcoming election will be the same as those in the 2018 elections, before the pandemic — voters should disregard any Covid-related exceptions or special guidance pertaining to absentee voting that was issued for the 2020 elections. Voters may qualify for absentee voting if they cannot vote in person due to absence from the state on the day of the election; disability; or observance of a religious commitment in which they cannot appear in public. Voters can file their absentee ballots at their local clerk’s office in person anytime before Monday, Sept. 12, at 5 p.m.; assign a delivery agent to deliver the completed absentee ballot in the affidavit and mailing envelope to the clerk at the voter’s local polling place on election day, Tuesday, Sept. 13, by 5 p.m.; or mail their absentee ballot to their local clerk via the U.S. Postal Service. For more details about absentee voting and on how to request an absentee ballot, visit sos.nh.gov/elections/voters/absentee-ballots. Voters can check the status of their absentee ballot using the voter information lookup tool at app.sos.nh.gov/viphome.

Addressing youth homelessness

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development will award a two-year $2.2 million grant to New Hampshire to address youth homelessness in the state, the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services announced in a press release. The grant, made possible through HUD’s Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program, will support New Hampshire’s Coordinated Community Plan for the Balance of State Continuum of Care, which covers the geographic areas outside of Manchester and Greater Nashua, in efforts to prevent and end youth homelessness by funding the development and maintenance of housing programs serving youth and navigators serving as the first point of contact for youth seeking services. A portion of the grant will also be allocated to nonprofit organizations that provide housing and other services to youth experiencing homelessness, including Waypoint, the Tri-County Community Action Partnership, The Upper Room, and the Claremont Learning Partnership for the Balance of State CoC; and Waypoint and the Home for Little Wanderers for the Manchester CoC. An additional $1.2 million in funding to address youth homelessness is expected to be awarded to the Manchester Continuum of Care.

Monkeypox hotline

Dartmouth Health in Lebanon has established a hotline to address concerns and answer questions from the public about monkeypox. According to a press release, the hotline number is 650-1818 and is operational Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon — it’s closed on Sunday. The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services identified what it believed to be the first case of monkeypox in the state in late June, and the monkeypox outbreak was declared a national health emergency on Aug. 4. Caused by a virus that is categorized in the same group as the smallpox virus, monkeypox can produce symptoms such as fever, headache, exhaustion, muscle aches, sore throat, cough, swollen lymph nodes and a skin rash and may last for two to four weeks. Transmission typically requires close interaction or physical contact. According to the Dartmouth Health release, anyone who believes they have contracted or come into contact with the monkeypox virus should isolate at home and consult their primary care provider and can call the hotline for more information.

Work-based learning

The New Hampshire Department of Education recently announced a new program, Work as Learning, which will provide up to 1,000 secondary school students in the state with authentic work experiences and hands-on learning opportunities to help them prepare for future employment during the upcoming school year. One hundred eighty-two local employers have registered with the program, according to a press release from NHED, to offer career exploration or work-based learning experiences in the form of subsidized paid internships to secondary school students. The students are hired at a wage of at least $15 per hour and receive academic credit. Leveraging up to $2.5 million in federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief funds, NHED will reimburse participating employers up to $7.50 per hour for up to 480 hours. Interested employers can visit awato.co for more information on how to register with the program. Interested students can reach out to Nicole Levesque at Nicole.M.Levesque@doe.nh.gov.

Expanding opportunities

The New Hampshire Department of Education’s Bureau of Vocational Rehabilitation has been creating and building on initiatives to serve and provide ongoing support for New Hampshire residents of all ages who are blind or vision-impaired. According to a press release from NHED, such initiatives include the Silver Retreats — an intensive five-day retreat for older individuals who are losing their sight — and Interdisciplinary Collaborative Engagement and Youth Empowerment Solutions programs for the state’s blind, vision-impaired and deaf-blind Pre-Employment Transition Services and transitioned-age youth ages 14 to 22. These programs provide in-person and remote instruction with engaging activities designed to help participants develop skills for independent living and employment. “Providing these resources at both ends of the age spectrum is critical, as it empowers blind people and gives them a sense of independence so that they can reach greater potential in employment and retirement,” Daniel Frye, administrator for the Bureau’s Services for the Blind and Vision Impaired and a blind individual himself, said in the release. Anyone looking for more information about these programs can call Frye at 271-3814 or email him at Daniel.B.Frye@doe.nh.gov.

The New England Racing Museum in Loudon (922 Route 106) will host a Hot Rods, Muscle and More car show on Saturday, Aug. 27, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The show will feature more than 150 vehicles of all makes, models and years and will award 21 trophies. The cost is $5 per person, with kids under age 12 admitted free, and proceeds will support the mission of the museum. Visit nemsmuseum.com.

The New Hampshire Fisher Cats are hosting Nitro Circus at Northeast Delta Dental Stadium in Manchester (1 Line Drive) on Thursday, Aug. 25, at 7 p.m. Tickets range from $29 to $250 and are available at ticketreturn.com. Visit nitrocircus.com to learn more about the event and see videos of the action.

Bedford police received multiple calls on Aug. 11 from residents saying their mailboxes had been damaged overnight. It was determined that more than 30 mailboxes had been damaged across several streets in town. According to an email from the department, police are requesting that people check their surveillance or home security video footage from late at night on Wednesday, Aug. 10, through early in the morning on Thursday, Aug. 11, and share any footage of suspicious activity.

This Week 22/08/11

Big Events August 11, 2022 and beyond

Thursday, Aug. 11

The 65th annual New Hampshire Antiques Show begins today at 10 a.m. at the DoubleTree by Hilton Manchester Downtown (700 Elm St.). The show will feature more than 50 antique dealers from all over the region, taking place from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 11, and Friday, Aug. 12, and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 13. Tickets are $15 on Thursday and $10 on Friday and Saturday. Visitors ages 30 and under — with proper identification — are admitted for free. Visit nhada.org.

Thursday, Aug. 11

Hudson’s Old Home Days return to the grounds outside the Hills House (211 Derry Road, Hudson) today through Sunday, Aug. 14. The hours are from 5 to 10 p.m. on Thursday, from 5 to 11 p.m. on Friday, from noon to 11 p.m. on Saturday and from noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday. There will be games for kids, live music, carnival games, a fireworks display, fair food and more. Visit hudsonoldhomedays.com.

Friday, Aug. 12

The Majestic Theatre (880 Page St., Manchester) is putting on Nunsense, starting today at 7 p.m. The musical comedy follows the Sisters of Hoboken as they put on a variety show to raise money after the cook, Sister Julia, accidentally poisons 52 members of their convent. The show will run Fridays, Aug. 12 and Aug. 19, at 7 p.m.; Saturdays, Aug. 13 and Aug. 20, at 7 p.m., and Sunday, Aug. 21, at 2 p.m. Tickets range from $15 to $20 and can be purchased at majestictheatre.net.

Friday, Aug. 12

This is the last week to catch Bubble Boy the Musical at the Hatbox Theatre (270 Loudon Road, Concord). Bubble Boy follows the story of Jimmy Livingston, a teen with immune deficiencies that force him to be trapped inside a plastic bubble with his mother. The final dates of the show’s run are tonight at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 13, at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, Aug. 14, at 2 p.m. Tickets are $25 for adults, $22 for students, seniors and members, and $19 for senior members. Visit hatboxnh.com.

Saturday, Aug. 13

The final weekend dates of the 89th annual League of New Hampshire Craftsmen’s Fair are today and tomorrow, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., at Mount Sunapee Resort (1398 Route 103, Newbury). Read more about the event on page 19 of the Hippo’s Aug. 4 issue — visit issuu.com/hippopress to read the e-edition for free.

Saturday, Aug. 13

The Alton Bay Boat Show returns today for its 45th year at the Alton Town Docks from 9 a.m. to noon. The show is sponsored by the New Hampshire Boat Museum and features a variety of vintage boats on display. Admission is free. Visit nhbm.org.

Wednesday, Aug. 17

Londonderry’s Old Home Days, which kick off today and run through Sunday, Aug. 21, will also celebrate the town’s 300th anniversary this year. Vendors, games, food and a parade are just some of the events planned for the town’s tricentennial celebration. Follow the Facebook page @townoflondonderryoldhomeday for details and updates.

Save the Date! Thursday, Aug. 18
Maple Hill Farm (117 Ridge Road, Hollis) is bringing back Music in the Gardens with a brass quintet from Symphony New Hampshire. The gardens open at 4:30 p.m., with music beginning at 5:30 p.m. On the Rocks New Hampshire will be there serving drinks out of its horse trailer bar. Tickets are $30 and children 12 and under are free. Visit beaverbrook.org.

Featured photo. Music in the Gardens at Maple Hill Farm. Courtesy photo.

Quality of Life 22/08/11

Pedal to the metal

New Hampshire Teacher of the Year Sara Casassa received the trophy and bragging rights as the winner of the sixth annual New Hampshire LotteryEducational Cup Challenge at New England Dragway in Epping on July 30. According to a press release, the language arts teacher at Barnard School in South Hampton raced against Vermont’s Teacher of the Year Karen McCalla behind the wheel of a mini school bus on a quarter-mile drag strip. The event raises awareness for the more than $2.3 billion and counting that the New Hampshire Lottery has generated for New Hampshire education since its inception in 1964.

QOL score: +1

Comment: Casassa said in a statement that she was “a little nervous” and “relieved when it was done,” but that it was a fun and unforgettable experience. “Many of my students were there lined up along the fence holding signs and cheering me on,” she said. “It was fantastic.”

All business

Amy LaBelle, founder and co-owner of LaBelle Winery, teamed up with Girls Inc. of New Hampshire to lead a free one-day entrepreneurship workshop for girls ages 11 through 13 on July 30 at LaBelle Winery’s Amherst location. According to a press release, the workshop, titled “Empowering Angels: Empowerment through Entrepreneurship,” is designed to inspire young people to pursue entrepreneurship through training in basic business skills and strategies and by providing entrepreneur role models. Each girl developed her own business idea and plan, then pitched her idea to the group. “We were blown away by the pitches the girls put together in such a short time frame,” LaBelle said in the release. “They were terrific.”

QOL score: +1

Comment: The girls also got to take a tour of the winery, which focused on the STEM aspects of winemaking.

Youth mental health pandemic

The annual Kids Count Data Book released by the Annie E. Casey Foundation on Aug. 8, which for the first time included data on mental health among youth ages 3 through 17 in all 50 states, revealed that there was a 26 percent increase in anxiety and depression through the first year of the Covid pandemic, creating what the U.S. surgeon general has called a “mental health pandemic.” According to a press release, that number was even higher among youth in New Hampshire, with mental challenges increasing by 27.8 percent from 2016 to 2020.

QOL score: -3

Comment: Another finding in the report was that nine percent of New Hampshire children are living in poverty, with 25 percent of households with children having high housing costs, and that 3 percent of New Hampshire children aren’t covered under a health insurance plan.

Whoa, baby

A recent WalletHub study ranked New Hampshire at No. 8 out of the 50 U.S. states and District of Columbia for Best States to Have a Baby. The study looked at a number of criteria, including hospital delivery costs, access to prenatal care, postpartum depression rates, the number of fertility clinics, infant mortality rates, the rate of preterm births, child care centers per capita, parental leave policies and more.

QOL score: +1

Comment: New Hampshire had an especially strong showing in the criteria of hospital Cesarean delivery charges (2nd), hospital conventional delivery charges (2nd) and pediatricians and family doctors per capita (3rd).

QOL score: 83

Net change: 0

QOL this week: 83

What’s affecting your Quality of Life here in New Hampshire? Let us know at news@hippopress.com.

Stay in the loop!

Get FREE weekly briefs on local food, music,

arts, and more across southern New Hampshire!