Category: News

Quality of Life 22/05/26

Veteran appreciation

New Hampshire is 2022’s 5th best state for military retirees, according to a new report from personal-finance website WalletHub. The report looked at retirement-friendliness toward veterans, including job opportunities for veterans, housing affordability and quality of VA hospitals in all 50 states as well as Washington, D.C. The Granite State ranked No. 1 for percentage of veteran-owned businesses, 12th for veterans per capita and 17th for veteran job opportunities, according to the report.

Score: +1

Comment: Our sister state of Vermont ranked dead last at No. 51, the report said.

Tourism getting stronger

New Hampshire’s fall 2021 tourism season set new records as 4.3 million visitors came to the state and spent nearly $2 billion. According to a press release, the number of visitors is an increase of 38 percent from 2019, which was the previous record year, and the amount spent is an increase of 65 percent from 2019. The state has expanded its advertising to include destinations within a 600-mile radius, the release said, and investment in those markets has shown that visitors are staying longer, traveling with more people and spending more while they’re here. “In the 2021 Fall Season, the Merrimack Valley Region alone saw a 49-percent increase in spending and a 32.2-percent increase in overnight visitors to the area,” Lauren Getts, Director of Marketing and Communications for the Greater Manchester Chamber, said in the release. “As we come out of the Covid-19 pandemic, [those percentages are] equivalent to $577.2 million in spending and 990k visitors — numbers that are significantly higher than any previous year in over a decade.”

Score: +1

Comment: The top activities by visitors during fall of 2021 include scenic drives, dining, shopping, visiting State Parks, hiking, wildlife-watching and visiting breweries, the release said.

Record high gas prices

QOL hasn’t mentioned gas prices in a while, but given the record highs and the effects they’re having on Granite Staters’ quality of life, it can’t be avoided. According to a press release from GasBuddy, average gasoline prices in New Hampshire have risen 15.2 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $4.67 per gallon as of May 23. Prices in the state are 64.3 cents per gallon higher than a month ago and $1.78 per gallon higher than a year ago, the release said.

Score: -2

Comment:Remember at the beginning of the pandemic, when one of the only good things happening was that gas prices were going down (the average price in New Hampshire was $1.92 per gallon on May 23, 2020, according to GasBuddy)? Yeah. That was nice.

Formula scams

The New Hampshire Attorney General’s office is warning parents about scams and potential price gouging amid the ongoing national infant formula shortage. “No New Hampshire family trying to provide critical nutrition to their children should be price gouged or scammed. Anyone seeking to take advantage of this crisis in a manner that violates the law will be held accountable,” Attorney General John M. Formella said in a press release. “If Granite State consumers notice any exorbitant spikes in baby formula prices, I encourage them to report them to my office immediately.”

Score: -1

Comment:The New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office is also monitoring the shortage’s impact on children and is suggesting that parents who are having trouble finding formula speak with their child’s doctor rather than watering down formula or making their own, both of which can be potentially dangerous, the release said.

QOL score: 77

Net change: -1

QOL this week: 76

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

The week that was

It was a busy week again. Here’s a look at some top stories and sidebars.

News Item: NBA playoffs carry on

By the time you see this Golden State may have closed out Dallas (down 0-3 as I write this) for a place in the NBA Finals and it’s possible Miami will have the Celtics on the brink (or on vacation) after their embarrassing “Back To December” non-effort to put them down 1-2 after somehow resting on the laurels of an impressive 25-point Game 2 win. Game 4 on Monday will show whether they’ll bounce back as they did vs. the Bucks or continue with the turnover fests of Games 1 and 3.

As for the Warriors, while they’ve faced a pretty weak field out west, they’re proving me wrong after I said last November I thought their glory days were over. Despite playing less than 70 games for the fifth year straight, 32-year-old Steph Curry has shown he’s still a major force as GS has gone 11-3 behind his 25 points, five rebounds and six assists per playoff slash line.

News Item: It’s not whether Brady will be any good on Fox, but whether he’s worth $375 million

I learned a long time ago not to question Rupert Murdoch when he spends what seems like a ridiculous, unrecoverable amount of money on something related to broadcasting. That moment came when Fox Sports outbid the field by over $100 million to bring the NFL to his fledgling Fox Network. The other three more established networks whined that you couldn’t make money at that exorbitant rate. Except that’s not what he was after. He wanted stations around the country who wanted/needed NFL games on their station to become Fox affiliates. So what he actually bought was an entire network overnight, which made those seemingly titanic rights fees chicken feed.

I have no idea how or whether the 10-year, $375 million Brady deal will be recouped by Fox. But I know they usually have something up their sleeve. So I’m guessing there’s a plan in place, and if I have to bet (no pun intended) it probably will have something to do with the emerging new revenue source sports betting will provide the NFL over the next decade.

News Item: Do people watch games because of announcers?

I’d love to see the research on this question. I know I don’t. I watch for the teams playing and put up with the rest or enjoy it a little bit more if it’s someone like Ian Eagle and Charles Davis or the Van Gundy brothers in the booth.

News Item: Parcells shut out again

It’s becoming an annual thing to congratulate the newest New England Patriots Hall of Fame inductee and then rant over the exclusion of inductee Bill Parcells. First congrats to Vince Wilfork for his most deserving honor. A great player and a true Patriot in every way during 11 years in Foxboro.

But Bob Kraft, what about the Tuna? Since I’m not in the room for the discussions I can’t say it is simple pettiness over the ugliness of his departure and the border war that followed. And far be it from me to pat Parcells on the back, because his behavior at the end was questionable and far from gracious, so I understand the hard feelings.

But enough is enough. That happened 25 years ago and if the Hall is to stand for anything more than a feel-good summer day for Bob it should honor all those who made the Patriots dynasty what it is. Parcells and Drew Bledsoe are Nos. 4 and 5 behind the Big Three for bringing the stability and legitimacy that got every football fan’s attention while laying the foundation for what was to come, including bringing Bill Belichick here as an assistant under Tuna.

I know you have a rule for one inductee per year voted on by fans. Sorry, break it. If you need a clue as to how dumb fan voters are, look at any starting line-up for the MLB All-Star game. There’s nothing I hate more than Hall voters suddenly realizing a guy like Dennis Johnson or Ron Santo belongs in after he passes on. Parcells is now 80. So, Bob, make an exception. Put Tuna in, because he earned it and you should be a big enough man to make happen.

News Item: Sideline reporter during playoff game

Sometimes it’s prudent to ask what planet people are living on when they make decisions that simply defy common sense. One such incident is the NBA forcing coaches to speak to sideline reporters at the beginning of the second and fourth quarter when a playoff game is going on. I think it’s pretty stupid and generally useless during the regular season, but during the playoffs teams’ seasons are on the line and their being forced to take attention away from a critical moment to answer some question is insulting to players, coaches and the fans whose teams are playing in such important games. Come on, Adam, wake up and fix this nonsense and give greater respect to the game itself.

News Item: Belichick pokes the bear

Bill Belichick gets pounded by the media, often unfairly. OK, make it sometimes unfairly. I get his desire for playing it close to the vest and how the media can cause distractions, often for little reasons beyond bringing attention to itself. But I have no sympathy for Coach B because he brings the vitriol on himself. Take what he did last week. The NFL has a rule that each team must make its assistant coaches available to speak to the media twice each off season. So what does he do, schedule those meetings a month after the draft and five weeks before summer camp opens on back-to-back days in mid-May when no news is going on. An unnecessary provocation just to poke the bear. So you reap what you sow, Bill.

News & Notes 22/05/26

Covid-19 update As of May 13As of May 20
Total cases statewide 316,691 321,042
Total current infections statewide 4,527 5,216
Total deaths statewide 2,500 2,520
New cases 2,158 (May 9 to May 13) 4,351 (May 14 to May 20)
Current infections: Hillsborough County 1,243 1,451
Current infections: Merrimack County 417 484
Current infections: Rockingham County 1,058 1,191
Information from the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services.

Covid-19 news

On May 19, state health officials reported 3,889 new positive Covid-19 test results between Friday, May 13, and Wednesday, May 18. Moving forward, all weekly updates will cover Thursday of the previous week through Wednesday of the following week, according to a press release. As of May 19 there were 36 people statewide that were hospitalized with Covid.

On May 20, Gov. Chris Sununu vetoed HB 1131, which would have prohibited schools in the state from creating their own mask-wearing policies for students, teachers and faculty. “Just because we may not like a local decision does not mean we should remove their authority,” Sununu said in his veto message. “The State must remain steadfast in protecting local control as decisions like this are best left to authorities closest to parents and families where they can work with their neighbors to decide what is right for their children.”

Manchester budget

On May 17, the Board of Mayor and Aldermen voted 11-3 to approve a Fiscal Year 2023 General Fund budget that allocates $187,097,818 to the school district and $169,867,998 to the city. According to a press release, the budget adheres to the expenditure cap and includes a 3.52-percent property tax increase, for a total tax rate of $18.30. Compared to the Fiscal Year 2022 budget, expenditures increased by $5,296,413 and include funds for a Residential Assessor; staff salary increases at the Mayor’s Office; Fire Department training; an additional sergeant in the Juvenile division and an evidence technician for the Police Department; increases in utility costs for the Department of Public Works; a security officer and library clerk at the library; severance pay and contingency funds. Expenditures decreased total $3,863,368 and came from anticipated health insurance savings; Fire and Police Department retirement savings; and savings due to a bill that will bring $5.2 million to the Manchester School District in FY23, the release said. “Manchester is a growing city with a strong economy as evidenced by the more than $83 million in new growth generated over the last year.” Mayor Joyce Craig said in a statement following the vote.

Recovery-friendly

Last week, Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy Dr. Rahul Gupta visited New Hampshire to hear about the Recovery Friendly Workplace initiative that launched in 2018. According to a press release, since its inception here, the program has been adopted in 28 states across the country, as well as in Washington, D.C., and Canada. In New Hampshire, more than 300 businesses have been designated as Recovery Friendly Workplaces for about 84,000 employees. “New Hampshire led the nation in addressing our opioid crisis head-on with innovative programs like Recovery Friendly Workplaces,” Gov. Chris Sununu said in the release. “Through this program, we’ve worked hard to change the culture around addiction by engaging employers as part of the solution. Ensuring access to tools and resources is easier than ever before.” Gupta met with Recovery Friendly Workplace employers to hear about their experiences with the program, which is part of the state’s comprehensive strategy to reduce the number of overdose deaths. Unlike most other states, the release said, New Hampshire is projected to reduce the number of lives lost to drug overdoses by nearly 14 percent from 2017 to 2021. There were 490 overdose deaths in 2017, 471 in 2018, 415 in 2019 and 417 in 2020. Preliminary data suggests there were roughly 425 overdose deaths in 2021.

Affordable internet

The Affordable Connectivity Program lowers internet costs for eligible families, and the New Hampshire Department of Education is encouraging families to take advantage of the program in order to stay connected to reliable broadband services. According to a press release, students approved to receive benefits under the National Free and Reduced-Price Lunch Program and school breakfast program are typically eligible for the program, as are those with an income that is at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty guidelines, or those participating in certain assistance programs such as SNAP, Medicaid, Federal Public Housing Assistance, SSI, WIC or Lifeline. These families may receive up to a $30-a-month discount for internet service and a one-time $100 discount for purchase of a laptop, desktop computer or tablet from participating providers. “Consistent and reliable internet access is an important tool to help students thrive throughout the summer months and the entire school year, and is a necessary resource for learning. We are pleased that this service is available for low-income families, and we urge Granite State residents to take advantage of this opportunity,” Frank Edelblut, education commissioner, said in the release. Families can complete the application at ACPBenefit.org.

A two-day regional public safety summit for first responders was held at UNH in Durham last week, offering first responders health and wellness training workshops. According to a press release, first responders experience higher rates of depression, post-traumatic stress, burnout, anxiety and other mental health issues. The event offered guidance, statistics and best practices for all members of the public safety community, the release said.

Hannaford Supermarket at the John E Devine Drive location in Manchester unveiled New Hampshire’s first Volta Elective Vehicle charging stations with a ceremonial “first charge” May 12. Hannaford and Volta company leaders will participate in the ‘first charge’ and celebrate the sustainability initiative.

Nashua is holding its Household Hazardous Waste Collection Thursday, June 2, from 3 to 7 p.m. at the Nashua City Park & Ride, 25 Crown St. According to a press release, residents of Amherst, Brookline, Hollis, Hudson, Litchfield, Merrimack, Milford, Mont Vernon, Nashua, Pelham and Windham can drop off their hazardous waste for $15 per vehicle (quantities exceeding 10 gallons or 20 pounds will have an additional fee). Cash or checks will be accepted. Latex paint, electronics and medications will not be accepted. Visit nashuarpc.org for a list of accepted items.

This Week 22/05/19

Big Events May 19, 2022 and beyond

Friday, May 20

Beaver Brook Nature Center (117 Ridge Road in Hollis; beaverbrook.org) will hold a Lilac Walk today from 1 to 3 p.m. (for adults). Walk around Beaver Brook’s Shoen Meadow to learn about the area’s lilacs, according to the website, where you can register for $20 per person.

Saturday, May 21

Inventor Ralph Baer, father of the video game console, has a statue in his honor in Arms Park in Manchester (he was born in Germany and he moved to the Queen City in 1955; he died in 2014). A celebration of the centennial of his birth will be held today in Arms Park starting at noon (with a food truck social hour). At 1 p.m., speakers and presentations will discuss Baer and his legacy in video games and local innovation and there will be an unveiling of a new plaque for his sculpture, according to see-sciencecenter.org/baer-100-celebration, which also lists the schedule of events at SEE Science Center in downtown Manchester (where entry will be free starting at 2 p.m.) celebrating Baer.

Saturday, May 21

Another plant sale Saturday: The Bedford Garden Club will hold its May Plant Sale today from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Bedford Village Common (15 Bell Hill Road in Bedford). The sale will feature perennials, annual, herbs and ground cover as well as the presence of master gardeners who can answer questions, according to bedfordgardenclubnh.org.

The Goffstown Community Garden Club will start its Plant Sale on the Common today at 8 a.m. Find more about the club on their Facebook page.

Saturday, May 21

The Manchester Choral Society and Orchestra will put the cap on their 61st season with a performance tonight at 7 p.m. at Ste. Marie’s Parish (378 Notre Dame Ave. in Manchester). The presentation will include a performance of “Lobgeang” (Song of Praise) by Felix Mendelssohn and will feature the Queen City Youth Choir, a choir featuring kids in grades 3 through 6, according to a press release. Tickets cost $30 for adults, $25 for seniors and admission is free to all students from kindergarten through undergraduate, the release said. Call 472-6627 or go to mcsnh.org to purchase tickets in advance; they may also be purchased at the door.

Saturday, May 21

The New Hampshire Renaissance Faire begins its second weekend today. The fair is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. today and tomorrow (Sunday, May 22) at 80 Martin Road in Fremont. In last week’s (May 12) issue of the Hippo, Meghan Siegler talked to some of the performers and organizers about getting ready for the Faire and what attendees can expect. Find the e-edition of the issue at hippopress.com; the story is on page 10. Or go to nhrenfaire.com.

Sunday, May 22

The James Montgomery Band will perform at the Rex Theatre (23 Amherst St. in Manchester; palacetheatre.org) today at 6 p.m. Tickets cost $29. Find more concerts this weekend and beyond in our concert listings on page 42.

Save the Date! Thursday, May 26
Next Thursday is the first home game of the season for the Nashua Silver Knights, described on their website as a “wood-bat baseball team competing in the Futures Collegiate Baseball League of New England.” The Silver Knights will play the Pittsfield Suns on Thursday, May 26, at 6 p.m. See nashuasilverknights.com for tickets and the season schedule and the promotion schedule (Thursday’s game will feature a magnet giveaway).

Featured photo from Brian Caton of the Brotherhood of the Arrow and Sword. New Hampshire Renaissance Faire. Courtesy photo.

Quality of Life 22/05/19

Red and blue go head to head

The New Hampshire Legislative Softball Classic that pits Republican lawmakers against Democratic lawmakers is back after a two-year pandemic hiatus. According to a press release, this is the fourth charity game in the series, which was established in 2017 after the shooting of congressmen who were practicing for the annual Congressional Baseball Game in Washington, D.C. The Granite State version of the game will take place Sunday, May 22, at 2 p.m. at the Anheuser Busch Softball Field in Merrimack. The three previous games raised approximately $30,000 to assist the homeless, the release said. This year, the nonprofits that will benefit include Liberty House in Manchester, which helps homeless and transitioning veterans; Haven, which supports victims of domestic violence; and the Nashua Center, for children and adults with disabilities. Contact Rep. Peter Somssich at staterep27nh@gmail.com or Rep. Tim Lang at timothy.lang@leg.state.nh.us for more information about the Classic or on how to donate to the charities.

Score: +1

Comment: The Republicans have won all of the state’s Legislative Softball Classics thus far, the release said.

Increase in overdoses linked to fentanyl

Last week, state officials issued warnings about the recent increase in fatal overdoses in Manchester and Nashua that appear to be primarily due to easy access to cheap, potent fentanyl and fentanyl being mixed with other substances such as cocaine, methamphetamine and marijuana. According to a press release, fentanyl is about 50 times more powerful than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine, and drugs may have deadly levels of fentanyl that can go undetected because it can’t be seen, tasted or smelled. “Fentanyl is by far the most common drug implicated in overdose deaths in New Hampshire,” Dr. Jennie Duval, Chief Medical Examiner for the state, said in the release. “It is a highly potent opioid drug that may be fatal in very small amounts, alone or in combination with other drugs, medications or alcohol. Our investigations often suggest that the decedent may not have even known they were using fentanyl.”

Score: -2

Comment: The state is also reminding residents that The Doorways is available to help access any level of treatment by calling 211, the release said.

Manchester-Nashua area rent up 13.4 percent

A new report from Stessa, a digital platform that allows property investors to manage the performance of real estate assets, shows that median rent in the Manchester-Nashua metro area is now $1,571, compared to $1,385 in 2019 — an increase of 13.4 percent. According to the report, which calculated the percentage change in median rent from 2019 to 2022 in metro locations throughout the country, Manchester-Nashua had the 33rd highest increase in median rent out of 96 midsize metro areas.

Score: -1

Comment: It could be worse; the median rent in San Jose, Calif., is $3,161, the report said, and closer to home, the median rent in Boston-Cambridge-Newton is $2,308.

New businesses struggle in the Granite State

New Hampshire ranks 6th in the country for the highest percentage of businesses failing in their first year. According to a LendingTree analysis, 22.9 percent of new businesses fail in the Granite State before they make it to their one-year anniversary. On average, 18.4 percent of private-sector businesses in the U.S. fail within the first year; after five years, 49.7 percent have failed, and after 10 years, 65.5 percent have failed, the report said.

Score: -1

Comment: New Hampshire’s business failure rate after five years is 53.5 percent, while its failure rate at 10 years is 67.9 percent, the report said.

QOL score: 80

Net change: -3

QOL this week: 77

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

Celtics move on to Round 3

In a week with the Bruins going out in a Game 7 loss to Carolina, Tom Brady getting a record deal to become a game analyst for Fox Sports if he ever does retire, the Patriots finally getting hit with a really tough schedule in 2022 and the Red Sox showing a little life, the surging Celtics continue to be the big local story after knocking off the defending champion Bucks in Game 7 on Sunday.

By the time you read this Game 1 vs. Miami will be history, with Game 2 coming up Thursday. So here are some things to think about as Miami, Boston, Golden State and Dallas battle it out over the next 10 days.

While acknowledging Khris Middleton was a big loss for the Bucks, remember the Celtics won Game 2 without Marcus Smart and Games 4, 6 and 7 without lob-it-to-Rob Williams.

OK, after a rough couple of early Round 2 games, Jayson Tatum’s impending Hall of Fame induction is back on track.

How anyone could think Brooklyn would be a tougher opponent than Miami is beyond me. While they don’t have Kevin Durant, they have more good, tough-minded players, a better point guard and one of the best coaches in the NBA, and everyone plays D to the max. Plus while Jimmy Butler is a bit nuts, he’s a real leader.

I’ve got Dallas in the other series. They had a near duplicate of the season turnaround the Celtics had and own the league’s best record from January after Boston. They also beat the Celtics at the Garden in late March. Plus they have Luka Doncic. I hate to think how good he’s going to be if he ever realizes he’s got to work on his body. Because he’s wreaking havoc right now looking like the Pillsbury Doughboy.

At the beginning of the year I thought this might be the last stand for Golden State’s mini-dynasty. But I’m not so sure now. Jordan Poole has come out of nowhere to be a pretty good player to make Andrew Wiggins a possible trade chip and they have the potential of James Wiseman to move, which they should do quickly before he turns into the bust I think he’s going to become.

It’s hard to make the all playoff awards team before the playoffs even start, but Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer did the impossible this year. It’s getting a lot of play now, but remember who said a month ago in my NBA Notebook before the playoffs started that Budenholzer had already won the award for most idiotic move by a coach for tanking his final game of the year to hand the Celtics home court advantage when/if they met in Round 2. He gets bonus points for the message he sent to his team about being afraid to play a team as feeble as the Nets.

Plus not making any adjustments to his “dare you to beat us with 3’s” strategy as Tatum, Grant Williams, Payton Pritchard and company were raining 3’s on the Bucks all through Game 7 boarded on coaching malpractice.

While the ultra-serious Ime Udoka is not exactly a barrel of laughs, the more I see the more I like. The latest example was, with Derrick White and Daniel Theis repeatedlythrowing up bricks, the coach searching out a hot hand by running in the up and down Pritchard right after Tatum picked up his fourth foul in the third quarter. It yielded four 3’s and 14 points along with a couple of scrappy, big rebounds. One of which was kicked to Smart in the corner, who buried it as the lead grew with Tatum on the bench.

Udoka also gets credit for not ducking Brooklyn in Round 1 to earn home court on Sunday.

Fans at the Garden certainly have been on their game the first two rounds. They were loud and energized in Round 2 vs. Milwaukee and totally in Kyrie’s head vs. the Nets in Game 2 of Round 1.

I dig the Van Gundy brothers. So I’m hoping Mark Jackson gets one of the head coaching jobs he’s rumored to be in contention for and that ABC steals Stan from TNT to pair the Van Gundys with Mike Breen. Together they’d be a hoot.

Not sure this means anything, but the Top 5 playoff leaders in rebounds, assists and steals are all on vacation, while three of the top scorers (Doncic, Butler and Tatum) remain. Ditto for the 3-point leaders (Tatum, Steph Curry, Klay Thompson).

Forgot to mention this last time. Of course the New York Post had the best headline after Tatum won Game 1 vs. Brooklyn with a shot over Kyrie at the buzzer. That came not too long after Kyrie had flipped off the fans several times at the Garden. It read “Bye, bye birdie” over a picture of Tatum with his arms raised in jubilation as Kyrie walks by with a look of disgust on his face.

Chris Paul came up small in the playoffs again. This time by scoring 5, 7, 13 and 10 in his last four games vs. Dallas, which included a shocking 33 Game 7 drubbing. My question to those giving the “the playoffs grind is tough, he’s 37” excuse is yes, that may be so, but what’s the excuse in his first 16 years when his personal record in the playoffs is under .500? He may have been a better regular-season player, but give me a prime-of-life Rajon Rondo in a big game any day, any way.

Am I the only one who sees the irony of so many treating Kyrie leaving the Celtics as a calamity, while the Nets were anointed as sure to be champs when he and KD hooked up in Brooklyn?

Know why that didn’t happen? ’Cause, repeat after me, he ain’t that good.

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