Category: Quality Of Life

It only seems soggy

As reported by WMUR in a May 21 online article, “The latest update from the U.S. Drought Monitor shows a sharply divided water situation across New Hampshire,” the story read. Despite a very green spring, “about 75% of New Hampshire remains in drought conditions, largely due to dry weather that began last summer and a prolonged lack of groundwater recharge.” Water from this spring’s rain has been absorbed by growing vegetation, so, although there is a lot of healthy vegetation, very little water has seeped deep into the groundwater.

QOL score: -1

Comment: Many residents are not well positioned to deal with droughts that may occur later this year, WMUR reported. “54% of the wells in the state’s groundwater monitoring network remain below normal levels for this time of year, according to the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services.”

Ice cream-cation

In a May 21 press release the State Division of Travel and Tourism announced that it “expects visitation and spending for New Hampshire’s 2026 summer travel season to remain consistent with last summer’s, with an estimated 4.8 million visitors generating approximately $2.6 billion in visitor spending statewide.” The press release said that a key part of the State’s tourism strategy this year will be the New Hampshire Ice Cream Trail, a list of 69 ice cream stands across the state. “New Hampshire farms are known not only for producing healthy, delicious food but also for turning agriculture into memorable experiences through agritourism activities like the Ice Cream Trail,” said Josh Marshall, Assistant Commissioner, New Hampshire Department of Agriculture, Markets and Food. There is an interactive website that lets you look at the stops on this year’s Ice Cream Trail and filter the results alphabetically, by region, by town, and by amenities available. Visit visitnh.gov/things-to-do/food-drink/ice-cream-trail.

QOL score: +1

Comment: Enthusiasts who fill out an Ice Cream Passport with visits to at least two official stops in each region of the state and 55 stops in total can mail their passports in to the Department of Tourism at the end of the season for bragging rights and a commemorative T-shirt.

Potty drama

In a May 28 online article Nashua InkLink reported a new development in Nashua’s City Hall Plaza ongoing portable toilet predicament. “Clean Restroom Rentals — the company contracted to maintain the porta-potty on City Hall Plaza — notified the city last week that they are no longer able to maintain it due to its current state and ‘constant abuse,’ according to Administrative Service Director Tim Cummings,” the article read. “Cummings told the Committee on Infrastructure Wednesday night that some ‘behaviors and activities’ are making it problematic for them to keep up with the management of it, which includes the pumping and disposal of waste.” The story said that according to Nashua Police, issues around the porta-potty over the past two months have included “people congregating in the area of the porta-potty, alleged drug use, and people sleeping in the unit at night.” There have also been issues of trash and needle caps being disposed of in the unit, the article said.

QOL score: -1

Comment: Nashua InkLink quoted Alderman Patricia Klee, who has looked into how other cities deal with this sort of issue. “San Francisco has porta-potties throughout their entire city that self-wash and so on. Nobody will stay in them for any length of time because they will be locked in there and ‘chemicaled’, Klee said.”

QOL score last week: 48

Net change: -1

QOL this week: 47

What’s affecting your Quality of Life here in New Hampshire?

Let us know at news@hippopress.com.

Hey! Their feelings are tender, too!

The New Hampshire Fisher Cats occasionally play under two other names during home games: the Manchester Chicken Tenders (to celebrate Manchester’s reputation as the “Chicken Tender Capital of America”) and the New Hampshire Space Potatoes (celebrating New Hampshire’s special history of UFO reports). In an open letter to the team on May 12, the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine asked the team “to retire your Manchester Chicken Tenders identity and stop Tender Tuesdays, both of which promote unhealthy fried chicken.” The letter went on to explain that “eating 300 grams of poultry — about six typical chicken tenders — per week has also been found to increase the risk of gastrointestinal cancer and death from all causes.”

QOL score: -1 because, we know, docs, but hands off our tendies (meanwhile, chicken tender fans can head to instagram.com/tendertownies to check out the 2026 Chicken Tender Passport challenge and contest going on until July 21 at participating Manchester restaurants)

Comment: In a May 20 email to the Hippo, Fisher Cats General Manager Taylor Fisher wrote: “We are aware of the press release from the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. The Chicken Tenders is an alternate identity meant to capture the fun, quirky nature of Minor League Baseball, an experience we’re proud to create for our fans no matter what we’re playing as. We’re equally proud of the local history the identity is based on, paying homage to Manchester’s Puritan Backroom Restaurant, where the chicken tenders were invented in 1974, a legacy our community understands and celebrates.”

Spring can be hard on a person’s lungs

Last week was a rough week for air quality. In a May 19 online article, NHPR reported that the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services had issued a Code Orange alert “in anticipation of unhealthy ground-level ozone in Rockingham County,” adding, “The air quality alert also covers parts of the state that are higher than 2,000 feet in elevation.” Additionally, a May 22 forecast on accuweather.com predicted levels of airborne tree pollen between “high” and “very high” for the following week in the Manchester area.

QOL score: -2

Comment: According to the NHPR article, “a ‘code orange’ is an alert issued when air pollution levels are considered unhealthy for children and older adults, anyone with lung disease, and people who are active outdoors. Experts recommend people take precautions by limiting outdoor exertion.” AccuWeather.com advised pollen-sensitive breathers, “During peak season for tree pollen, keep your windows and doors closed, especially on windy days. Avoid outdoor activities in the early morning, and be sure to shower and change clothes after coming indoors. Taking allergy medication can also help alleviate symptoms.”

QOL score last week: 51

Net change: -3

QOL this week: 48

What’s affecting your Quality of Life here in New Hampshire?

Let us know at news@hippopress.com.

Fewer ODs

As reported by WMUR in a May 14 online article, new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show a decrease in deaths from drug overdoses nationwide. “In New Hampshire,” WMUR reported, “the CDC reported fewer than 270 overdose deaths in 2025, down roughly 5% from 2024. Despite the decline, officials said new substances continue to emerge, with 23 new drugs already identified in 2026.”

QOL score: +2

Comment:“Overdose deaths fell about 14% nationwide last year,” WMUR reported. “It marks the third consecutive year of declines, the longest stretch in decades. The biggest contributor has been a drop in overdoses involving fentanyl”

State college tuition may go up

As reported by the Portsmouth Herald in a May 15, online article, “Tuition bills across the University System of New Hampshire are proposed to increase for a second straight academic year following six years of frozen in-state fees.” There is a proposed 2.5 percent increase in undergraduate in-state tuition at the University of New Hampshire.

QOL score: -1

Comment: The University System of New Hampshire’s board of trustees will finalize the 2026-2027 tuition rates for UNH, Keene State College and Plymouth State University in June. Tuition at UNH “would jump to $16,304 for the 2026-2027 academic year, if the new rates are approved, an increase of about 2.5%. Out-of-state undergraduates would pay $37,996 for the year, also about a 2.5% increase,” the Herald reported. “Granite Staters attending UNH presently pay $15,908 per year for in-state tuition, compared to $37,070 for out-of-state students.”

Test scores are not encouraging

WMUR reported in a May 14 online article that “students nationwide are facing what researchers describe as a decade-long learning recession as test scores continue to decline. According to a recent report using data from the Education Scorecard and The Educational Opportunity Project, students across the country, including in New Hampshire, are performing worse academically than they were 10 years ago.” The article quoted Dartmouth College economics professor Doug Staiger, one of the report’s authors. ““From 2019 to 2022, students in New Hampshire, on average, lost about two-thirds of a grade level,” Staiger said. “That’s a lot.”

QOL score: -1

Comment: WMUR quoted professor Staiger, who said, “the decline began before the Covid-19 pandemic, though the pandemic accelerated the trend. While math scores have started to recover, reading scores continue to lag behind.” Chronic absenteeism and the rise of social media also probably play a role, he was quoted as saying.

QOL score last week: 51

Net change: 0

QOL this week: 51

What’s affecting your Quality of Life here in New Hampshire?

Let us know at news@hippopress.com.

Let’s buy one and dress it in a hat and tie

As reported by Manchester InkLink in a May 7 online article, the City of Manchester is selling retired parking meters to the public “… as Manchester completes its transition to newer parking technology,” the article read. “The meters will be available for $15 each, cash only, while supplies last.” InkLink quoted Manchester Parking Director Faye Morrison, who said that there were approximately 300 parking meters for sale as of May 7. She said she expected them to sell quickly.

QOL score: +1

Comment: To buy one of these meters, pay in person at the Victory Garage, 25 Vine St. Sales took place May 8 and will continue on Friday, May 15, “with additional pickups possible afterward, for as long as they last,” the story reported.

The sweet breeze of a whiffing batter

In an April 28 press release the New Hampshire Fisher Cats announced their fifth no-hitter ever. “Jackson Wentworth, Nate Garkow, Irv Carter, and Kai Peterson combined to throw the fifth no-hitter in Fisher Cats history, as New Hampshire blanked the Binghamton Rumble Ponies,” the press release read about that day’s game. “The 6-0 combined nine-inning no-hitter is New Hampshire’s second in franchise history and their first since May 21, 2012.“

QOL score: +1

Comment: According to the Fisher Cats press release, “Starter Jackson Wentworth has pitched in a combined no-hitter in both college and professional. (While at Kansas State, Wentworth tossed the final two frames on a no-hitter against Cincinnati on March 8, 2023.)”

Nursing is strong in New Hampshire

A recent study by online financial services company Wallet Hub reported that New Hampshire is the second-best state for nurses. The report cited a strong job market for nurses. “The state has the most nursing-job openings per capita, and a large number of hospitals per capita. In addition, New Hampshire has some of the best nursing schools in the country. The Granite State also restricts mandatory overtime for nurses, which helps stop nurses from being taken advantage of and overworked.”

QOL score: +1

Comment: New Hampshire ranked second of the 50 states, with the 12th best “Opportunity and Competition Rank”, and first in “Work Environment. Maine ranked No. 1 overall, and Oklahoma ranked 50th. Visit wallethub.com/edu/best-states-for-nurses/4041.

QOL score: 48

Net change: +3

QOL this week: 51

What’s affecting your Quality of Life here in New Hampshire?

Let us know at news@hippopress.com.

Full tank, empty wallet

According to a May 4 press release from online fuel price tracker GasBuddy.com, New Hampshire gasoline prices rose 28.5 cents per gallon during the week beginning April 24. The average gasoline price in the state as of Monday, May 4 was “$4.35/g … according to GasBuddy’s survey of 875 stations in New Hampshire. Prices in New Hampshire are 44.1 cents per gallon higher than a month ago and stand $1.48/g higher than a year ago. The national average price of diesel has increased 21.3 cents compared to [April 24] and stands at $5.621 per gallon.”

QOL score: -1

Comment: The same announcement reported that gas inflation in New Hampshire is fairly modest compared to the rest of the country.

New Hampshire, the Lithium State?

As reported in an April 29 online news story in the Concord Monitor, “a new USGS assessment estimates that the Appalachian region of the eastern U.S. contains 2.3 metric tons of undiscovered, economically recoverable lithium: enough to replace 328 years of U.S. imports.” Lithium deposits have been known about in Maine for several years, the report continued, “and the geological conditions suggest that similar deposits likely exist in New Hampshire.”

QOL score: +1

Comment: “Lithium has long been a valuable resource for industrial and health-related applications,” the Monitor story read, “but has become much more important as the energy transition has increased the importance of batteries, often based on various lithium chemistries. About half of the lithium used in the U.S. is currently imported. “

New proms, experienced dresses

As reported on WMUR’s New Hampshire Chronicle on April 28, many area teens will be wearing second-hand or vintage dresses to prom this year. “There are several reasons teens are thrifting for prom,” WMUR reported, noting “the cost, environmental concerns, or wanting a unique look no one will have. Lucky for those students, there are several free or low-cost options available around the Granite State.” One of these options, according to the report, is Missy’s Closet Thrift Shop (13 Hazel Lane, Manchester, 978-7872, facebook.com/MissysClosetBoutique); ReProm Pop-Up in Exeter and Tom and Chickpea in Derry were also mentioned.

QOL score: +1

Comment: The story said that Missy’s Closet “collects donations all year long and started the season off with 3,000 dresses and received 1,000 more over the four weeks it was open.”

A Nashua Junior Ranger?

An April 29 online article in The Cabinet Press was headlined “Nashua fifth grader in running for Junior Ranger title … and $20k.” Fifth-grader Gavin Ryan is one of five remaining contestants in his age group in this year’s Junior Ranger contest sponsored by Ranger Rick Magazine, the story said. The competition’s website (jr-ranger.org) says the contest is designed to “celebrate curiosity, confidence, and a love for the natural world.”

QOL score: +1

Comment: “The competition ends on June 4 and the winner will be announced on June 19,” the Cabinet story read. “Should Gavin win the competition, he would be featured in Ranger Rick, have an exclusive wildlife experience with renowned biologist Jeff Corwin and receive $20,000.” The story also noted “The link to vote for Gavin is available at jr-ranger.org/2026/gavin-8531.”

QOL score last week: 46

Net change:+2

QOL this week: 48

What’s affecting your Quality of Life here in New Hampshire?

Let us know at news@hippopress.com.

Spectacularly beautiful murals for kids

From April 16 to April 26, the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Nashua hosted Mural Fest 2026, a public art initiative that covered walls in the building’s basketball courts, swimming pool room and other large spaces with brightly colored, highly detailed murals. As described on the Club’s website, “The festival brings together professional international mural artists, Club youth, families, and community partners to create murals that celebrate creativity, unity, and youth empowerment.” The murals are stunning.

QOL score: +1

Comment: In a telephone interview, Derek Pollacchi, the director of communications for the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Nashua, explained why the murals are so important: “It really boils down to this: It’s for the kids. It’s for the members. It’s for inspiration. It’s a message. It’s hope. The kids are involved with the murals from the start, you know, underneath the mural is their touches and their art. It’s really about using the space that we have to put out a message of inspiration and hope and inclusivity for the youth that we serve.”

Fewer cigarette butts, more science

On April 20, the SEE Science Center, Manchester Connects, and the City of Manchester worked together in the second year of SEE’s Park2Park clean-up event. In an April 23 press release, SEE Science Center reported, “With the coordinated power of 227 volunteers who each spent 2 hours in this effort, 266 bags of trash and 20 containers of sharps were removed from 15 parks in 4 city wards. Volunteers at this year’s event collected 23.75 bags of cigarette butts (approximately 6,000 butts) for special recycling and also participated in citizen science recording how much trash was collected where.”

QOL score: +1

Comment: According to the same press release, “Manchester public spaces span more than 1,400 acres of municipal property across 83 sites, including parks, trails, recreational facilities, cemeteries, and public schools.Anyone interested in how they can support Manchester’s public spaces throughout the year can learn more by visiting the division’s Adopt-a-Site and Blue Bags for Litter programs on the Manchester city website.”

QOL score last week: 44

Net change: +2

QOL this week: 46

What’s affecting your Quality of Life here in New Hampshire?

Let us know at news@hippopress.com.