Category: Quality Of Life

Yeah, you heard that right

That boom you heard Sunday might have been a meteor, scientists are saying. According to a report from WMUR on Oct. 11, the loud boom followed by a slight rumble that Granite Staters reported hearing and feeling around 11:30 a.m. on Oct. 10 was not an earthquake or military activity; the U.S. Geological Survey said there were no earthquakes in New England on Sunday, and the Federal Aviation Administration said there was no military plane activity over the state, either. People from more than 40 cities and towns in southern and central New Hampshire, and from northern Massachusetts and eastern Maine, reported hearing the noise, which scientists told WMUR was likely a sonic boom caused by a meteor that entered the atmosphere at supersonic speed and then quickly burned up.

Score: -1 (because, according to WMUR, the cloudy weather Sunday meant it’s likely nobody actually saw it and the mystery might not definitively be solved)

Comment: “The Earth is always passing through this sort of dust of sporadic meteoroids,” Ryan Volz of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology said in the WMUR report. “And mostly, they’re very small, dust-sized particles, and they’re creating meteor events that no one notices. … But sometimes, you get these bigger meteoroids, and they create something that everybody notices.”

Too many bullies

New Hampshire ranks 8th in the nation for 2021’s States with the Biggest Bullying Problems, according to a recent report from personal-finance website WalletHub, which compared 47 states and the District of Columbia in areas like “bullying-incident rate” and “percentage of high school students bullied online.” For the latter, the Granite State came in at No. 1 — not a top slot to be proud of. The state ranked 9th for bullying prevalence and 8th for anti-bullying laws (meaning we don’t have nearly as many as most other states).

Score: -2

Comment: On the bright side, New Hampshire placed 40th for bullying impact and treatment, meaning we’re not doing so bad in terms of how bullying is negatively affecting kids and in the way we’re helping victims, through things like school counselor-to-student ratios.

Skateboarding, knitting and more for mental health

More than 1,000 participants on 123 teams participated in NAMIWalks NH, the Granite State’s largest mental health awareness and suicide prevention event, on Oct. 9. According to a press release, the virtual event had participants kayaking, hiking, horseback riding, skateboarding, knitting, drawing and more to raise awareness and inspire hope. More than $180,000 has been raised for NAMIWalks NH Your Way 2021, and fundraising remains open through Nov. 30 at NAMIWalksNH.org.

Score: +1

Comment: You can see what local participants did to raise awareness for mental health during this event on NAMI New Hampshire’s Facebook page.

Trick or treat?

With outdoor trick-or-treating being encouraged by Dr. Anthony Fauci, health experts are saying that this year’s Halloween activities should look more normal, according to a report from WMUR. Yet while cases in New Hampshire have started to come down from their mid-September high, the numbers were much lower last year (685 active cases compared to nearly 4,000 as of Oct. 11, according to the NH Department of Health and Human Services).

Score: 0 (+1 for an OK to trick-or-treating but -1 because of those persistent high numbers)

Comment:QOL hopes to see more trick-or-treaters this year but will still be following Covid safety precautions when handing out candy; that increase in active cases compared to last year is scary!

QOL score: 80

Net change: -2

QOL this week: 78

What’s affecting your Quality of Life here in New Hampshire? Let us know at [email protected].

Back-to-school stress…

According to the Back to School Stress Index created by online learning platform Brainly, New Hampshire was the third most stressed out state when it came to going back to school this year, after Montana and Pennsylvania. The study was conducted between Sept. 18 and Sept. 25 and measured stress indicators on Google Trends relative to geographical location, with search queries related to the reopening of schools, Covid-19 prevention, school guidelines and homeschooling requirements.

Score: -1

Comment: To put a more positive spin on it, the number of Granite Staters’ school-related Google searches could just as easily mean that we like to be prepared and are invested in our kids’ health and education.

…and school event success

The first CelebratED MHT! was held Sept. 18 at Veterans Park to celebrate Manchester’s students, families and staff, with more than 30 city departments and local organizations coming together to offer free fun for the community. Free books, food and drinks, entertainment and family activities were part of the fun, but the point of the event was to recognize all the good that’s happening in the Queen City’s schools.

Score: +1

Comment: Organizers are starting to plan for next year’s event. Send an email to [email protected] if you’re interested in being part of the volunteer team.

A’s for two NH liberal arts colleges

The nonprofit American Council of Trustees and Alumni recently released its annual “What Will They Learn? 2021–22 report,” which gave A’s to two New Hampshire liberal arts colleges: Magdalen College of the Liberal Arts in Warner and Thomas More College of Liberal Arts in Merrimack. According to a press release, 1,110 U.S. colleges and universities were graded on their core curriculum requirements, and only 24 received As. The survey examines course requirements in seven foundational subject areas: Composition, Literature, intermediate-level Foreign Language, U.S. Government or History, Economics, Mathematics and Natural Science. To earn an “A,” a school must require all students to study at least six of these subjects, the release said.

Score: +1

Comment: New Hampshire has some big, and big-name, colleges (Dartmouth, UNH, SNHU), but this report is a good reminder that there are smaller, less well-known academic gems here too.

Hundreds of fires

So far this year in New Hampshire 628 people have received assistance from the American Red Cross of Northern New England in the wake of 278 home fires, according to a press release. There is typically a spike in home fires in the winter months, the release said, so those numbers will likely go up.

Score: -1

Comment: To combat the anticipated increase in fires as the cold weather arrives, the state Department of Safety and the Red Cross are stepping up efforts this Fire Prevention Week (now through Oct. 9) to encourage people to test smoke alarms and make an escape plan.

QOL score: 80

Net change: 0

QOL this week: 80

What’s affecting your Quality of Life here in New Hampshire? Let us know at [email protected].

Dedicated to school athletics

Noah Jenkins, a Nashua High School North Class of 2019 graduate, was presented with the 2020 Walter Smith Award last week. According to a press release, Jenkins won the New Hampshire Interscholastic Athletic Association award for his involvement in the school’s athletics both as a student and after graduation. He was the manager of the North baseball team when he was a student, and since then he has helped at athletic events, setting up gyms indoors, overseeing invitational meets, and supporting team practice sessions each season, the release said.

Score: +1

Comment: “After a workout started, he threw on catcher’s gear and caught bullpens for two hours,” Zach Harris, North guidance counselor and baseball coach, said in the release. “For those who know baseball, this is not an easy or glorious task.”

TikTok trouble

Schools are dealing with the fallout of a TikTok challenge known as “Devious Licks,” which has students stealing soap dispensers, bathroom mirrors and even toilets and urinals (according to QOL’s own kids as well as teens at several other local school districts). According to a report last week from WMUR, vandalism in Weare, for example, resulted in more than $1,000 worth of damage.

Score: -2

Comment: All the teens that QOL knows said the challenge is just annoying, since bathroom usage is now being closely monitored and some bathrooms are closed altogether. And seriously, how do you steal a urinal, and what would you even do with it?

Slightly lower tax rate for food and lodging

As of Oct. 1 the state’s Meals and Rooms Tax rate will decrease by 0.5 percent, from 9 percent to 8.5 percent, according to a press release from the New Hampshire Department of Revenue Administration. The department sent out the release as a reminder to businesses to implement the new rate, to “help ensure transparency with customers who will be expecting this lower rate, and ensure compliance with state law,” Lindsey Stepp, department commissioner, said in the release. The tax is charged to patrons of eateries or any facility with sleeping accommodations, as well as motor vehicle rentals.

Score: +1

Comment: It’s a small bit of good news as prices on seemingly everything — especially food — continue to rise.

Lacking diversity

New Hampshire is the country’s 4th least diverse state, according to a new report from personal-finance website WalletHub. According to a press release, the data gathered was in the categories of socio-economic, cultural, economic, household, religious and political diversity. New Hampshire’s best scores were in Birthplace Diversity (15th place) and Educational-Attainment Diversity (16th) and its worst were Racial and Ethnic Diversity (47th), Household-Type Diversity (46th) and Religious Diversity (46th).

Score: -1

Comment: Probably not surprisingly, Maine and Vermont are both less diverse than the Granite State (ranking 49th and 48th, respectively), but the least diverse state in the country is West Virginia, according to the report.

QOL score: 81

Net change: -1

QOL this week: 80

What’s affecting your Quality of Life here in New Hampshire? Let us know at [email protected].

New Hampshire represents!

The Big E might be in Massachusetts, but New Hampshire has its own day and its own building at the 17-day fair, which is going on now and runs through Oct. 3. According to a press release, visitors to this year’s New Hampshire Building will find businesses, products and entertainers that highlight the Granite State’s craftsmanship, food, arts and agriculture. Special exhibits and demonstrations will feature crafts like chair caning, woodcarving, basket making, Russian doll making and more, and eats include blueberry pie and ice cream and butter-dipped New Hampshire corn on the cob.

Score: +1

Comment: Local performers will be on stage during New Hampshire Day, which is Friday, Sept. 24. The lineup includes a magic show by BJ Hickman, folk music by Cormac McCarthy, barbershop music from the Keene Cheshiremen Chorus and jazz by Joan Watson Jones, the release said.

Manchester West Nile virus risk elevated

Another batch of mosquitoes collected in Manchester on Sept. 7 tested positive for West Nile virus, according to a press release from the city’s Health Department. Because this is the second positive batch of mosquitoes to test positive in Manchester this season, the city’s level of risk has been elevated to moderate. According to Manchester Public Health Director Anna Thomas, the risk of infection by mosquito-borne viruses may increase from now until there is a mosquito-killing frost.

Score: -1

Comment:“We are recommending that all residents use an effective mosquito repellent that contains 30 percent DEET, avoid being outdoors at dawn and dusk and remove standing water from around the home … to limit the risks of catching these infections,” Thomas said in the release.

Foliage festival will have to wait another year

The annual Warner Fall Foliage Festival, which was scheduled to take place in person Oct. 8 through Oct. 10, has been canceled. According to a message on the event’s website, the board decided last week to cancel the festival, “with tremendous disappointment, but complete confidence that it’s the right thing to do. … Our people and our community’s health and safety has always been our top priority; it always will be.” Last year’s festival was held virtually, but there are no plans to host any of the annual activities virtually this year. “No one is happy about this situation,” the festival committee wrote in its message. “We sincerely apologize.”

Score: -2

Comment: While there were a few negative comments on the event’s Facebook page in response to the announcement, most people have been supportive of the decision. “We’ve been coming to the Fall Foliage Festival for many years and always look forward to it,” one person posted. “As disappointed as we all are, you absolutely did the right thing!!! See you next year (fingers and toes crossed!!!).”

Saying goodbye to an old school

After 130 years of serving children, Hallsville Elementary School in Manchester will be decommissioned, according to a press release, meaning that the city school, which closed for good in June, will be officially returned to the city. The public is being invited to attend the decommissioning ceremony and open house on Saturday, Sept. 25, from 3 to 5 p.m. “A hundred and 30 years is a long time, and we’ve had many generations — entire families — come through here,” Forrest Ransdell, former Hallsville principal and current network director for the school district, said in the release. “This event will commemorate that educational tradition, and recognize the contributions of those who made this school what it is. We hope to see some of those people at this event.”

Score: -1

Comment: Students who attended Hallsville have been moved to either Jewett Street Elementary or Southside Middle School.

QOL score: 84

Net change: -3

QOL this week: 81

What’s affecting your Quality of Life here in New Hampshire? Let us know at [email protected].

All for the orangutans

A 10-year-old Manchester resident has been named a 2021 International Young Eco-Hero, one of 25 from around the world honored by international nonprofit Action for Nature for the steps they’re taking to solve environmental issues. According to a press release, Jack Dalton received a Notable Mention in the 8- to 14-year-old category for his project, Kid Conservationist, which aims to get orangutans off the endangered species list. Jack’s efforts include raising awareness about palm oil and the destruction of orangutan habitats, as well as raising funds for orangutan rehabilitation and rainforest restoration.

Score: +1

Comment: For his project, Jack contacts corporations to advocate for reduced use of palm oil, and he educates the public through his YouTube channel and through presentations to schools, zoos and museums across the globe, the release said.

First batch of West Nile-infected mosquitoes

A batch of mosquitoes collected Aug. 30 in Manchester tested positive for West Nile virus, the first in the state this year, according to a press release sent last week from the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services. This is not unusual, the release said, as some activity is expected each season. The department will continue testing mosquitoes until after the first frost or freeze of the season.

Score: -2 (-1 for West Nile and -1 for making us think about the first freeze)

Comment: At least there’s one good thing about the colder weather that’s on its way.

Drunk drivers on NH roads

From Aug. 18 through Sept. 6, local and state police arrested 65 people and charged them with driving while intoxicated. According to a press release, the enhanced efforts were part of the national Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over initiative, which targeted impaired drivers through education and enforcement. Police made nearly 8,000 motor vehicle stops, which resulted in the 65 DWI arrests, plus more than 3,000 citations and more than 4,750 warnings, the release said.

Score: -1

Comment: “That’s sixty-five people that could have seriously injured or killed themselves or someone else all because of the bad decision to get behind the wheel while impaired,” New Hampshire Department of Safety Commissioner Robert Quinn said in the release. “The right decision is to find alternative transportation and never drive impaired.”

Retiring farmers concerned for the future

A new study from Land For Good, a New Hampshire-based organization that addresses farm access, tenure and transfer, found that older farmers in New Hampshire are concerned about retirement and need help navigating the process of farm business succession. According to a press release, farmers 65 and older operate 30 percent of the state’s farms, managing 158,000 acres and owning a collective $628 million in land and agricultural infrastructure. Farmers who responded to the survey said they worry about the future of their farms due to factors like complicated family dynamics and issues around financial security and farm viability, as well as a lack of young operators working alongside the seniors.

Score: -1

Comment: Land For Good is hosting a two-day Farm Succession Training for Legal & Financial Professionals on Sept. 21 and Sept. 23 via Zoom. The cost is $225, but according to the release cost should not be a barrier to attending, and there are discounts and scholarships available. Visit landforgood.org/professional-training.

QOL score: 87

Net change: -3

QOL this week: 84

What’s affecting your Quality of Life here in New Hampshire? Let us know at [email protected].

We’re # … 12?

More than 1.5 million doses of Covid vaccine have been administered in New Hampshire since the end of 2020. But last week WMUR reported that New Hampshire was no longer one of the top 10 states in the country for vaccination rates. The Granite State ranked last in New England and 12th overall in the nation in percentage of population fully vaccinated, according to a table on WMUR’s NH Covid updates page and a report on Sept. 3. (You can sort by percentage of population fully vaccinated, which puts us at 60.63 percent on Sept. 6, according to that table, just ahead of New York at 60.48 percent but behind the nearest New England state, which was Connecticut at 66.26 percent. Rhode Island is the highest-ranking New England state on WMUR’s table, with 71.46 percent fully vaccinated. The table uses Centers for Disease Control data, according to WMUR.com.) According to the report, 90 to 95 percent of all hospitalizations from the virus have been people who have not received the shot.

Score: -3

Comment: Last in New England? We’ve got to at least catch up to Connecticut.

Covid cancels baseball

Fans missed out on a doubleheader between the New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Blue Jays Double-A affiliate) and Portland Sea Dogs (Boston Red Sox) that had been scheduled for Sept. 5. According to a press release, the games were canceled to allow for Covid-19 testing and contact tracing, in adherence with Minor League Baseball’s health and safety protocols. The games won’t be made up, and while fans with tickets for the doubleheader can redeem them at the Fisher Cats box office for any remaining home game this season, there are only six home games left.

Score: -2 (one for each game)

Comment: The F-Cats return home Tuesday, Sept. 14, for a series against the Harrisburg Senators (Washington Nationals).

Seven-year-old becomes a soccer star

Liam Bascle, a 7-year-old Bedford resident with a rare form of brain cancer, was named an honorary team captain for the Bedford High School soccer team during a scrimmage Sept. 4. According to a WMUR report, more than 1,000 fans came out to support Bascle, who scored 10 goals, including the game’s winning goal on a last-minute penalty kick. The event was organized by Make-A-Wish New Hampshire, which also helped Bascle sign an honorary letter of intent to play for St. Anselm College. Bascle can’t play soccer against kids his own age, according to the report, so the scrimmage helped him live out a dream.

Score: +1

Comment: “I couldn’t be more proud of him, that’s for sure. I’m glad he was able to play soccer the way he wanted to,” Nick Bascle, Liam’s dad, told WMUR.

See the Queen City by bike

The annual “Tour de Manch” bike tour, hosted by the Manchester Conservation Commission, is scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 12, giving you a chance to see sites like Rock Rimmon, the Piscataquog Rail Trail, Nutts Pond Recreation Trail, Aviation Museum of New Hampshire, Lake Massabesic and the Weston Observatory. According to a press release, the event is family-friendly, and participants can take either a 30-mile or 40-mile route around the city. It starts at Eversource Energy Park on North Commercial Street at about 7:30 a.m. and finishes with lunch provided by the Puritan Backroom. Registration is $25 for adults, $10 kids 6 to 13 and free for kids under 6. The registration fee goes directly into the Manchester Conservation Fund, the release said. Visit 2021mhtbiketour.eventbrite.com.

Score: +1

Comment: “The tour is … a great way to show riders a different side of their city they may otherwise never get to see, meet new people from their community and help support a worthy cause in protecting Manchester’s natural resources,” event Chair Nick Golon said in the release.

QOL score: 90
Net change: -3
QOL this week: 87

What’s affecting your Quality of Life here in New Hampshire? Let us know at [email protected].