Category: Quality Of Life

Return of the Hero Pups

As reported in a Feb. 2 online article by WMUR, the Merrimack County Department of Corrections has relaunched its Hero Pup program. “Selected inmates will work with the nonprofit,” the article read, “to train and care for puppies that will become support dogs for veterans and first responders.” The program began six years ago but was paused due to the pandemic. The first group of this round of inmates began working with the puppies earlier this week, the story said.

QOL score: +1

Comment: Commenting on the inmate training program, the Hero Pups website (heropups.com) reads, “This will help the pups on their path to service work, but it will also help the inmate participants learn new skills to give them more tools for success.”

A historic church passes into history

On Jan. 26, Manchester Ink Link reported that one of the city’s churches will shutter its doors after 140 years. The Gethsemane Evangelical Lutheran Church has voted to close in May. The article quoted a statement by Gethsemane’s Church Council: “[The Church] has existed at its location on Sagamore Street in Manchester since the 1880s, when a group of Swedish immigrant workers from the Amoskeag Mills constructed its church on land donated by the Amoskeag Company. Services were held in Swedish until the early 1950s ….”

QOL score: -1

Comments: According to the Ink Link article the church is for sale and listed at $1.2 million.

Doom spending

A recent survey by BTCpostage (btcpostage.com) had good news and bad news about spending money in times of increased stress in New Hampshire. On the one hand, New Hampshire ranks 31st in the nation in stress-spending. On the other hand, 80 percent of New Hampshire respondents reported “doom spending.” As reported by BTCpostage, “48 percent say politics drive them to doom spend (2nd highest in the U.S.), 26 percent say climate change drives them to doom spend (7th highest in the U.S.), and 37 percent say the fear of not being able to retire drives them to doom spend (9th highest in the U.S.)”

QOL score: -1

Comment: The report indicates that nationwide the largest increases in spending are in the areas of food, entertainment and clothing. Visit btcpostage.com/blog/doom-spenders.

UNH helps NASA stare really hard into deep space

New Hampshire Public Radio reported on Feb. 3 that an instrument developed at the University of New Hampshire has been installed in a spacecraft that is getting ready to launch. The device, called IMAP-Lo, will be part of a mission to study the space between solar systems. The Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe, or IMAP, mission is scheduled to launch later this year. “[UNH’s instrument] was built to collect and analyze invisible particles — neutral atoms — that make up the interstellar medium,” NHPR reported

QOL score: +1

Comment: “Measuring galactic material will help scientists understand more about the age of the universe and the evolution of the galaxy,” NHPR wrote. “It could also help reveal where, exactly, we are in the universe.”

QOL score last week: 54

Net change: 0

QOL this week: 54

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

Let us know at [email protected].

One way to wake up on a Monday morning

According to the United States Geological Survey (usgs.gov), there was a 3.8 magnitude (wmr) earthquake at 10:22 a.m. Monday, Jan. 27, off the coast of Kittery, Maine. It was felt throughout southern Maine and eastern New Hampshire and as far away as the Canadian border.

QOL score: +1, for the novelty

Comment: According to the USGS, an earthquake of this magnitude is generally “felt quite noticeably by persons indoors, especially on upper floors of buildings. Many people do not recognize it as an earthquake. Standing motor cars may rock slightly. Vibration similar to the passing of a truck.” Visit earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/map.

Missing

As reported by WMUR in a Jan. 26 online article, a half-ton historical marker has disappeared in Henniker. A granite slab and plaque dedicated to the historic Ocean Born Mary House disappeared sometime within the past few months. WMUR quoted Sue Fitzer, a Henniker Historical Society board member. “Where is the marker and who took it and why and where is it? Because we’d really like it back,” she said. The stone slab is over 6 feet tall and weighs approximately 1,000 pounds, the story said.

QOL score: -1

Comment: WMUR reported that replacing the marker would cost approximately $2,000. There is a $500 reward for information leading to the marker’s return; ontact the Henniker Police Department.

Flu season

According to a Jan. 26 online story by WMUR, New Hampshire has one of the highest rates of respiratory illness risk in the United States. WMUR reported that “the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services says it’s recorded 11 adult deaths so far this flu season.” At this time, health officials are especially concerned with flu cases. The article quoted Dr. Lukas Kolm, Medical Staff president and director of emergency services at Wentworth-Douglass Hospital. “Even though we’ve had an uptick in Covid cases, I haven’t seen the same severity and symptoms as for the flu,” Kolm said.

QOL score: -2

Comment: “The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lists New Hampshire as one of three states with high respiratory illness risk per its latest data,” WMUR reported, “alongside New Jersey and Wisconsin. The latest numbers show Covid-19 and RSV viruses are also having their own smaller bumps at the same time as the flu.”

Tracking down yetis

The Southern New Hampshire Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with Haverhill Bank, wants you to take selfies with yetis. According to a post on the Chamber’s Facebook page, from Feb. 17 until March 9 people who take pictures of themselves with yetis at participating business throughout the area and post them online will be entered into a raffle to win prizes, including a cruise vacation for two. Cindi Woodbury, executive director of the Southern New Hampshire Chamber of Commerce, told Patch.com, “The Great Yeti Quest isn’t just about finding Yetis — it’s about discovering new ways to support local businesses.”

QOL score: +1

Comment: For a complete list of participating businesses and full contest details, visit linktr.ee/SouthernNHChamber.

QOL score: 55

Net change: -1

QOL this week: 54

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

Let us know at [email protected].

What about “Clear-o-Pathra”?

The results are in. On Monday, Jan. 13, the New Hampshire Department of Transportation announced the winners of this year’s “Name a Plow” contest to find official names for some of its snowplows. “After receiving 975 name suggestions and over 3,000 votes from across the state,” the agency posted on its Facebook page (facebook.com/NHDOT), “we are excited to showcase the ingenuity and humor of our Granite Staters.” The New Hampshire public suggested possible names in one round of voting in December, then chose from a slate of those names in another vote. The winning names were CTRL-SALT-DELETE with 21 percent of the votes, Tomie dePlowa and Live Free and Plow with 15 percent each, followed by Adam Sander and 6 Snow 3 with 13 percent each, The Big Leplowski with 12 percent, and Fritz Plowerbee with 11 percent.

QOL score: +1

Comment: In its announcement, the NHDOT reminded drivers “to give snowplows plenty of room to work!”

Cash, boom bang

In cooperation with the New Hampshire Lottery Commission, popular percussion-based band Recycled Percussion surprised students at Charlotte Avenue School in Nashua on Friday, Jan. 17 with a concert. The school was also presented with a check of $2,500 from the Lottery Commission. According to a Jan. 17 press release from the Commission, “the Charlotte Avenue Elementary School was randomly selected through a New Hampshire Lottery Facebook contest that generated over 800 entries.”

QOL score: +1

Comment: “Recycled Percussion is known as the original junk rock band and originally formed in Goffstown, NH,” the press release read. “The group performs across the globe using instruments built from recycled materials. Recycled Percussion placed third on season four of America’s Got Talent in 2009 and had a residency in Las Vegas for 10 years.”

More broadband coverage

As reported by Nashua Ink Link in a Jan.13 online article, New Hampshire is halfway toward meeting its goal to provide broadband service to more than 40,000 unserved or underserved addresses across the state. “The project, part of $122 million provided to the state for broadband under ARPA’s Coronavirus Capital Projects Fund, must connect a total of 48,016 homes and businesses by the end of 2026,” the article read. In a press release, Taylor Caswell, the Commissioner of the state Department of Business and Economic Affairs, was quoted as saying, “As of Dec. 1, about 28,000 addresses, or 58 percent, now have access to high speed, reliable internet access. This was an historic investment and the results are significant.”

QOL score: +1

Comment: According to the same press release, “Well over 1,000 miles of fiber was installed, much of it in rural towns, but also places like the summit of Mount Washington, to help operations and communications at the state park and for the meteorologists at the Mt. Washington Observatory.” See nheconomy.com.

QOL score: 52

Net change: +3

QOL this week: 55

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

Let us know at [email protected].

Opioid deaths down in Manchester and Nashua

As reported in a Jan. 7 online article by WMUR, deaths from opioid overdoses fell dramatically in New Hampshire’s two largest cities in 2024. “According to American Medical Response, there were 46 suspected opioid deaths in Manchester in 2024, 21% fewer than in 2023,” the story reported. “In Nashua, there were 20 suspected opioid deaths, marking a 49% drop. These are the lowest numbers since AMR (American Medical Response) began tracking them in 2015.” In a related Dec. 13 story, WMUR reported that one factor in the drop in overdose deaths might be the increasing availability of emergency medication. “Narcan, also known as naloxone, can reverse a deadly opioid overdose. Today, it can be found in public buildings and first aid kits,” that story read.

QOL score: +2

Comment: To see data from the New Hampshire Drug Monitoring Initiative, a project of the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Resources, regarding New Hampshire’s drug use, visit dhhs.nh.gov.

Reading is up in Nashua

Nashua residents checked out significantly more books from the Nashua Public Library in 2024 than the previous year. In a Jan. 9 article, Nashua Ink Link reported a 12 percent increase in the Library’s circulation. “We read nearly 44,000 more books than last year,” Ink Link quoted Library Director Jennifer McCormic. According to the Library staff, the book that was checked out the most — The Ride of Her Life: A True Story of a Woman, Her Horse, and Their Last-Chance Journey Across America by Elizabeth Letts — was read more than three times as often as the next most popular — 554 times, compared to 163 checkouts for The Women by Kristin Hannah.

QOL score: +1

Comment: For lists of the Library’s most popular books by category, visit a Dec. 29 post on the Library’s Facebook account at facebook.com/nashuapubliclibrary.

The long reach of long Covid

In a Jan. 9 blog post, the New Hampshire Fiscal Policy Institute reported that according to a recent study, “long Covid” has had a substantial impact on New Hampshire’s work force. “Longstanding symptoms resulting from initial Covid-19 infections and Post-Acute Covid-19, more commonly known as ‘long-Covid,’ may have kept several thousand Granite Staters from returning to work,” the post read. “About 9,300 Granite Staters with current long-Covid symptoms may still experience impacts to their work, with approximately 5,300 workers reducing their hours and an estimated 4,000 leaving the workforce entirely.” The state’s relatively small population has exacerbated the effect of long-term Covid infection, Jessica Williams, a Policy Analyst with the Institute wrote. “With an average of only 20,000 residents unemployed and actively seeking work in 2024, long-Covid’s impact on labor force participation may pose a significant challenge to New Hampshire’s economic growth and prosperity.”

QOL score: -2

Comment: To read the report, visit nhfpi.org/blog.

QOL score: 51

Net change: +1

QOL this week: 52

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

Let us know at [email protected].

An eggs-treme shortage

As reported on Dec. 30 by Manchester Ink Link, New Hampshire’s inventory of fresh eggs has been hit hard by bird flu. “Avian flu, officially H5N1 bird flu, continues to cause issues for supermarket chains, bakeries and restaurants,” the story read, noting that area Hannaford supermarkets have been adversely affected, as well as many other wholesalers and retailers. “

QOL score: -1

Comment: “Prices are up 20 to 22 cents for Extra Large [eggs], up 24 cents for Large, and unchanged for Medium,” the USDA wrote in a Dec. 30 press release. Visit mymarketnews.ams.usda.gov/viewReport/1427.

Is the bird flu going to last for-heiffer?

In a Jan. 1 online article, New Hampshire Public Radio reported that the state will join a federal program to test dairy herds for aggressive strains of avian influenza. While the only instances of bird flu that have been detected in New Hampshire were in wild birds about a year ago, other states have reported infections in dairy cattle. “Concern about Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza is spreading,” NHPR reported. “At least 875 dairy cattle herds in 16 states have tested positive…”

QOL score: -1

Comment: On its website, the United States Department of Agriculture has stated that the dairy testing is part of a coordinated strategy to “facilitate comprehensive H5N1 surveillance of the nation’s milk supply and dairy herds. The strategy is designed to increase our understanding of the virus’ spread …, decrease the risk of transmission to other livestock …, and protect farm workers, to help lower their risk of exposure.” Visit aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poultry-disease/avian/avian-influenza/hpai-livestock.

Electrical service was gone with the wind

WMUR reported in a Jan. 3 online story, “As winds gusted above 40-45 mph, thousands of New Hampshire customers lost power.” More than 10,000 customers were left without electricity, as high winds picked up Thursday afternoon, Jan. 2.

QOL score: -1

Comment: “The National Weather Service issued a wind advisory for all of New Hampshire,” the article read; that lasted until 9 p.m.

A stronger community through flowers

Fortin Gage Flowers in Nashua announced in a Jan. 6 press release that it has launched a new initiative called “Flowers for Good” to “support local nonprofits through unique floral arrangements.” Each month the Nashua florist will design a unique flower arrangement for a particular area organization, the announcement said. “Proceeds from the sale of these exclusive arrangements will directly benefit the featured nonprofit, fostering community engagement, connection and support.”

QOL score: +1

Comment: Sales of January’s arrangement will go to support Bridges: Domestic & Sexual Violence Support. “The exclusive arrangement for January, titled ‘Flowers for Change,’ features a harmonious blend of purple hydrangea and purple veronica in a white vase, symbolizing purity, hope, and courage,” Fortin Gage wrote in its announcement, “reflecting the resilience of those affected by domestic and sexual violence.”

QOL score: 53

Net change: -2

QOL this week: 51

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

Let us know at [email protected].

Votes for the Sand-man

The New Hampshire Department of Transportation has narrowed down the options for names for its snow plows. NHDOT says it received more than 900 suggestions for plow names in its first round of polling, which it has narrowed down to 15 finalists: 6 Snow 3, Adam Sander, Big Leplowski, CTRL-Salt-DELETE, Darth Blader, Fritz Plowerbee, Live Free and Plow, Notch Your Avg Plow, Please Snow Down, Rider on the Storm, Sled Zepplin, Sleetwood Mac, Snobi Gone Kenobi, Tomie DePlowa, and Vincent van Snow.

QOL score: +1

Comment: Cast your vote while the poll remains open (through Jan. 10) at forms.office.com/g/Px4hL1gvDi. The comments in NHDOT’s Facebook posts about this contest are excellent and, appropriately enough, extremely salty.

Cold holiday week was kind to ski towns

As reported by WMUR in a Dec. 29 online story, cold, snowy weather during the first week of winter has brought a welcome influx of business and revenue to New Hampshire ski business­es and their communities. WMUR quoted Frank MacConnell, the owner of Bob Skinner’s Ski and Sports in Sunapee, who said that this has been one of his top three holiday seasons. “At the end of the day,” he said, “the whole crew locked the door and went, ‘OK, what was that?’ That was huge.” As reported by WMUR, many ski industry workers credit new technology, like flexible ski passes, for bringing in new business.

QOL score: +1

Comment: For information about New Hampshire ski passes, visit skinh.com/deals/season-passes.

Everyone likes a bad boy

By one metric, Santa Claus’s popularity was overshadowed this season by The Grinch. New Hampshire Public Radio reported in a Dec. 24 online story that travelers at Manchester-Boston Region­al Airport during the holiday week showered more attention on a greeter in a Grinch costume than they did on one dressed as Santa Claus. NHPR quoted Airport Director Ted Kitchens: “The one that people loved the most this year was the Grinch. People just wanted their photo with the Grinch.” The airport started greeting travelers with characters in costume during the holiday season three years ago, NHPR reported. 2024 marks the 67th anniversary of the pub­lication of How The Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss, and the 58th year since the original animated television special first aired.

QOL score: +1

Comment: As reported by NHPR, approximately 52,000 people were expected to travel through the airport in the two weeks sur­rounding Christmas.

QOL score last week: 50

Net change: +3

QOL for the end of 2024: 53

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

Let us know at [email protected].