Category: Quality Of Life

Hey, leave our seafood platters alone

Dozens of restaurants in New Hampshire are feeling the effects of a nationwide ransomware attack, WMUR reported. The attack on NCR, a supplier for many restaurant point-of-sale systems, has caused issues with gift cards, loyalty points and payroll for some restaurants. While some can still redeem old gift cards, others have been unable to issue new ones for almost two weeks. In a statement to WMUR, NCR said it’s working to restore applications and enhance its security. In-restaurant purchases and transactions are not currently affected.

QOL score: -1
Comment: The Beach Plum, a restaurant chain with four locations in New Hampshire, has been hit particularly hard by the ransomware attack since it typically offers a gift card promotion in anticipation of Mother’s Day, according to the article.

New lab

Catholic Medical Center has expanded its cardiac electrophysiology (EP) services by opening a third EP lab in Manchester, according to a press release. EP is a cardiac specialty that deals with abnormal heart rhythms, which can be treated with minimally invasive procedures like cardiac ablation, pacemaker insertion and the Watchman and Convergent procedures. Last year 2,259 patients were treated in CMC’s EP Labs. “We have a tremendous demand for these services,” Brian Cusson, MS, RDCS, Director of Invasive and Non-Invasive Cardiovascular Services, said in the release. “Adding this third lab allows us to better provide timely and needed care to patients in our community.” CMC plans to continue to improve and upgrade its existing EP facilities.

QOL score: +1
Comment: Heart arrhythmia affects approximately five percent of adults in the U.S., with atrial fibrillation being the most prevalent type, according to the release.

NH: Still not super diverse

Rochester, New Hampshire, came in second-to-last in a WalletHub study that ranked the 501 most populated cities in the U.S. from most to least diverse. Cities were analyzed across five diversity categories, including socioeconomic, cultural, economic, household and religious diversity. Other New Hampshire cities were also low on the list, including Keene at No. 498, Dover at No. 493, Derry at No. 491 and Lebanon at 488. New Hampshire’s most diverse city is Nashua, coming in at No. 367.

QOL score: -1
Comment:New Hampshire did have one outlier, with Derry ranking as the city with the second most diverse household incomes.

QOL score: 72
Net change: -1
QOL this week: 71

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

Featured photo: Catholic Medical Center opens a third cardiac electrophysiology lab in Manchester. Courtesy photo.

Woo-hoo, NH robotics teams!

Five student robotics teams from New Hampshire have qualified to compete in two upcoming world robotics championships in Texas. The robotics team from Spark Academy in Manchester and Awesome Potatoes, a team from Great Brook Middle School in Antrim, will head to the VEX World Championship in Dallas from April 25 through May 4. The Blue Box team from Windham Middle School and Windham High School, the Lakerbots from Inter-Lakes Middle High School in Meredith and Chop Shop 166 from Merrimack High School are competing in the 2023 FIRST Championship in Houston from April 19 through April 22.

QOL score: +1

Comment: All teams currently have GoFundMe campaigns to help them raise the necessary funds for the trip.

Help for the helpers

Elementary and early childhood educators in New Hampshire who are enrolled in the Lexia LETRS (Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling) one- and two-year training programs will be eligible to receive a stipend upon achieving a mastery level score of 80 percent, among other program completion requirements, according to a press release from the New Hampshire Department of Education. Gov. Chris Sununu and the Executive Council approved $956,340 in federal funds to be distributed as stipends to qualifying educators in the amounts of $1,000 for elementary educators and $500 for early childhood educators. “These educators are working diligently to empower our youngest children to read proficiently, and they are spending their valuable free time advancing and integrating the science of reading so that New Hampshire can accelerate literacy learning for all students,” New Hampshire education commissioner Frank Edelblut said in the release.

QOL score: +1

Comment:Around 2,468 individuals have enrolled or pre-enrolled in the Lexia LETRS program since it was made available to educators in New Hampshire in November 2022. The program will continue to be offered through September 2024. Visit lexialearning.com/newhampshire-letrs to learn more and to register.

Funds for the trail

Merrimack County Savings Bank has contributed $10,000 to the Friends of the Merrimack River Greenway Trail, an initiative to create a continuous, off-street paved trail following the Merrimack River from Pembroke to Boscawen. According to a press release, the funds will support the development of Phase 2, a recreational trail to be built by the City of Concord this year as part of the Merrimack River Recreation and Open Space Corridor, extending from the northern end of Terrill Park’s wetland to Loudon Road’s cornfields.

QOL score: +1

Comment: When complete, the trail will be approximately 13 miles long and accessible to individuals with mobility challenges, according to the release. Visit merrimackrivergreenwaytrail.org.

QOL score: 69

Net change: +3

QOL this week: 72

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

Featured photo: Photo courtesy of Friends of the Merrimack River Greenway Trail.

Sweet sign of spring

Dover Public Library has announced the winners of its annual “Peeps Show” contest held last month. According to a press release, participants built shoe box dioramas using Peeps marshmallow candies of any color or design to recreate scenes from literature. And the winners are: “A Day at Charm School” by Emmeline Jess-Johnson in the kids division; “3 Little Peeps and the Big Bad Chick” by Harper Stansfield in the youth division; “Midsummer Night’s Peep” by Lucy McCammon in the teen division; and “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo” by Sarah Denham in the adult division.

QOL score: +1

Comment: On April 6 the New York Times published on its website a series of photographs of the Peeps-making process, from the dyeing of the sugar to a photo of a phalanx of Peeps headed to their boxes. An interesting debate in the comments section — what is tastier, fresh Peeps or Peeps that have been brought out of their packaging and left to “cure” for a few days? Discuss!

Keep smiling

Manchester Public Health’s Oral Health Program has received a donation of $6,101.26 from the Manchester Rotary Club. According to a press release, the funds will be used to offset the costs of much-needed electrical components for the program’s mobile dental van and of updating the outlets and breakers at the 21 area schools that the program serves, which has become necessary in order for the program to continue providing dental care to all qualifying children.

QOL score: +1

Comment: The city’s oral health program is the largest of its kind in New Hampshire, providing free preventive dental care to around 600 students each year.

Cheers!

The New Hampshire Liquor Commission, in partnership with Jack Daniel’s whiskey brand, kicked off a first-of-its-kind recycling program in Manchester this month, NHPR reported, collecting more than 6,300 pounds of glass. The program, called “Bring Back Jack,” incentivizes customers to recycle their empty wine and spirits bottles to reduce glass waste in landfills; customers who bring at least a dozen glass bottles to select outlet locations will receive $25 off a future purchase of $150 or more, and if any of those bottles are from Jack Daniel’s products, customers will receive an additional $5 off the purchase of a single Jack Daniel’s product. The recycled bottles are crushed into glass cullet and used to make new glass bottles for beverages. Visit liquorandwineoutlets.com/bringbackjack for a schedule of upcoming recycling events.

QOL score: +1

Comment: According to the article, data from the Environmental Protection Agency shows that the percentage of glass recycling in the U.S. is only 31 percent, and that more than 7 million tons of non-recycled glass waste ends up in U.S. landfills each year, equaling about 5 percent of all waste.

QOL score: 66

Net change: +3

QOL this week: 69

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

Featured photo: “Midsummer Night’s Peep” by Lucy McCammon, teen division. Photo courtesy Dover Public Library.

Egg updates!

As of the morning of Tuesday, April 4, four eggs had been laid by the peregrine falcon pair that resides in the New Hampshire Audubon’s peregrine nest box atop the Brady Sullivan Tower in Manchester. According to the Audubon’s daily peregrine falcons log, the first egg was laid on Sunday, March 26, at 4 a.m., with the second, third and fourth to follow on Tuesday, March 28, at 4 p.m., Friday, March 31, at 2 a.m., and Sunday, April 2, at 10 a.m. Last year the falcons laid a total of five eggs. Watch them on the Audubon’s 24/7 high-definition livestream of the nest box on YouTube; visit nhaudubon.org/education/birds-and-birding/ peregrine-cam for links and more information.

QOL score: +1

Comment: Peregrine falcons typically lay their eggs in late March, hatch their chicks at the end of April and fledge their young by early June, according to the NH Audubon.

Ride to school

The Bike School Bus program, a program of the nonprofit Manchester Moves, is back in action, NHPR reported. Now in its second year, Bike School Bus allows elementary school students in Manchester to ride bikes to school safely by providing them with good-quality bikes with bells and lighting and guidance along bike-friendly routes and paths. Visit manchestermoves.org/bike-school-bus to learn more.

QOL score: +1

Comment: According to the Manchester Moves website, the pilot Bike School Bus last year saw more than 20 kids pedaling to school five days a week, rain or shine, with each kid averaging 40 miles per week on their bike.

Manager of the year

Mike Capsalis, Manager of the Hannaford on Fort Eddy Road in Concord, has been named Hannaford Supermarkets’ Store Manager of the Year, according to a press release. With more than 30 years of experience working at Hannaford, Capsalis has served as a store manager for 18 years and previously held other positions at multiple Hannaford stores, including overnight stock crew manager and assistant manager. Chosen from among managers at 185 Hannaford locations across New England and New York, he was recognized in particular for his leadership skills, consistent support and engagement of associates, deep commitment to the community and innovative thinking to improve store operations.

QOL score: +1

Comment:“Receiving this honor is a dream come true,” Capsalis said in the release. “As a long-time associate, I have enjoyed so many experiences at Hannaford and I truly appreciate the family atmosphere, as well as the camaraderie and friendships I have built over the years.”

QOL score: 63

Net change: +3

QOL this week: 66

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

Falcons’ first egg

The peregrine falcon pair living in New Hampshire Audubon’s peregrine nest box atop the Brady Sullivan Tower in Manchester have welcomed their first egg of the season. According to the Audubon’s daily peregrine falcons log, the egg was laid on Sunday, March 26, at 4 a.m., which is right on schedule as the peregrines typically lay their eggs in late March, hatch their chicks at the end of April and fledge their young by early June. You can watch the falcons on the Audubon’s 24/7 high-definition livestream of the nest box on YouTube; visit nhaudubon.org/education/birds-and-birding/ peregrine-cam for links and more information.

QOL score: +1

Comment: The first egg of 2022 was laid on March 21, with four eggs to follow, one laid every two to three days.

We’re pretty innovative

A recent WalletHub study ranked New Hampshire the ninth most innovative U.S. state. The study looked at various factors, such as the numbers of STEM professionals, science- and engineering-degree holders, invention patents, accelerated start-ups, households with internet access and more. New Hampshire ranked especially high for eighth-grade math and science academic performance (No. 2), projected STEM job demand by 2030 (No. 8) and share of technology companies (No. 9).

QOL score: +1

Comment: Massachusetts is the only New England state to join New Hampshire in the top 10, coming in at No. 2, behind District of Columbia.

Tomie dePaola Forever stamp

The U.S. Postal Service will honor prolific New Hampshire children’s author and illustrator Tomie dePaola with the issuance of a Forever stamp. According to a press release, the stamp art features an illustration from the cover of Strega Nona, the first book in dePaola’s popular series of the same name, published in 1975, depicting the book’s title character, which translates from Italian to “Grandma Witch.” A first-day-of-issue event and dedication ceremony for the stamp will take place at the Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St., Manchester), free and open to the public, on Friday, May 5, at 11 a.m. Visit usps.com/tomiedepaola.

QOL score: +1

Comment: Tomie dePaola, who died in March 2020 at the age of 85, wrote and illustrated more than 270 children’s books during his 50-plus-year career.

Another reason to avoid ticks

The tick-borne disease babesiosis has reached the status of “endemic” in New Hampshire, meaning that it is considered to be a regularly occurring disease in the state, New Hampshire Bulletin reported. A study recently released by The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention revealed that the number of reported cases of babesiosis in New Hampshire had risen from 13 in 2011 to 63 in 2019, an increase of more than 370 percent within the eight-year period. The disease, typically carried to humans by infected black-legged or deer ticks, can cause flu-like symptoms and the destruction of red blood cells, or it can show no symptoms. Elderly people and people with weakened immune systems are at the highest risk of developing serious health complications.

QOL score: -1

Comment: Visit tickfreenh.org for local resources and information to prevent and protect against tick-borne illnesses.

QOL score: 61

Net change: +2

QOL this week: 63

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

Double the St. Pat’s fun

There is still more St. Patrick’s Day fun to be had as the City of Manchester celebrates the holiday this weekend with its St. Patrick’s Parade and Shamrock Shuffle. The parade will be held on Sunday, March 26, kicking off at noon from the intersection of Salmon and Elm streets in the Queen City and continuing south on Elm Street. Admission is free, and shuttle services will run from 10 a.m. to noon from the corner of Central and Chestnut streets to the parade’s assembly area. Visit saintpatsnh.com. Immediately before the parade is the Citizens Bank Shamrock Shuffle, a road race organized by Millennium Running that starts (at 11 a.m.) and finishes in front of Veterans Memorial Park (723 Elm St.). Visit millenniumrunning.com.

QOL score: +1

Comment: According to the Manchester St. Patrick’s Parade Facebook page, Elm Street is primed for the occasion with the two painted shamrocks on the pavement in front of City Hall and in front of Veterans Park having been given a fresh coat of paint with the help of Mayor Joyce Craig and the 2023 Grand Marshal Dick Phelan.

Increased hate group activity

Data recently released by the Anti-Defamation League revealed that activity by organized hate groups is on the rise and at an all-time high in New England. According to NHPR, the number of reports of white supremacist groups displaying or handing out propaganda in New Hampshire is now more than four times what it was in 2021.

QOL score: -2

Comment: The Anti-Defamation League’s report follows data released by the FBI earlier this year which revealed a significant increase in the number of hate crimes committed in New Hampshire, according to NHPR. New Hampshire law enforcement documented 34 reported hate crimes in 2021, up from 19 in 2020. Hate crimes are defined by the FBI as violent criminal acts against a person or property motivated by bias against a race, ethnicity, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender or gender identity.

B.A.s for KFC-ers

Employees of New Hampshire’s 14 KFC restaurants can attend Western Governors University with 100 percent tuition coverage as part of a new partnership between KFC Foundation and the accredited online university. According to a press release, the opportunity is non-competitive, and every eligible employee who applies and enrolls will receive the tuition coverage. “Every year we look for new ways to support and enhance the lives of KFC restaurant employees,” Emma Horn, Executive Director of the KFC Foundation, said in the release.

QOL score: +1

Comment: WGU offers more than 60 bachelor’s and master’s degree programs and certification programs across Business, Information Technology, Education and Healthcare, according to the release.

QOL score: 61

Net change: 0

QOL this week: 61

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