Category: Quality Of Life

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].

Free ride, finally

Manchester public high school students can now ride a school bus to school free of charge. According to a press release, last week the Manchester Board of School Committee voted to get rid of the $8.50-a-week fee that high school students had been charged to ride a school bus — New Hampshire state law does not require school districts to provide free transportation to high schoolers, though Manchester students have been able to ride city buses for free since 2019. “We saw a 15 percent increase in youth ridership on buses after allowing them to ride for free, and with this move, we’re ensuring cost is not a factor in a student’s ability to attend high school,” Mayor Joyce Craig said in the release.

Score: +1

Comment:The free rides could even save the district money. “By … no longer requiring drivers to punch bus tickets, we’re hoping to add additional stops to routes and reduce the total number of school buses on the roads,” Manchester Transit Authority Director Mike Whitten, who manages the district’s school buses, said in the release.

Learning to be leaders

Girls Inc. NH Young Women’s Leadership program recently wrapped up a summer of activities that helped teens develop leadership, problem solving and decision-making skills, according to a press release. The girls toured local businesses, like AutoFair, Cirtronics, Anheuser-Busch and more, and the camp culminated with a career fair and mock interviews. The girls also heard from speakers like John Broderick speaking about mental health, Chef Megan from Cactus Jack’s and Karen Borgstrom, who brought her therapy dog Kooper.

Score: +1

Comment: Meanwhile, QOL’s kids spent the summer watching TikTok videos. Kudos to this group of girls who made the most of their summer with this inspiring community-oriented program.

Free programs for teens

The Upper Room in Derry has two new programs for teens this fall who are looking to build self-awareness and a healthy mindset and lifestyle. According to a press release, Building Me is a four-week series that will offer four virtual lunchtime workshops to discuss simple steps to achieving a balanced lifestyle using self-care strategies. That’s happening Fridays, Sept. 3 through Sept. 24, from noon to 12:45 p.m. on Zoom. Building Your Recovery Capital is a three-week series that offers education and guidance on early recovery topics, like building resilience skills, happening on Zoom during the same timeframe, from Fridays, Oct. 8 through Oct. 22.

Score: +1

Comment: Both of these programs are free, so there’s no reason not to encourage the teens in your life to check them out at urteachers.org.

NH ranks high for student debt

Last week WalletHub released its report on 2021’s States with the Most and Least Student Debt, with New Hampshire coming in at No. 2 for the most student debt. According to a press release, data included average student debt to unemployment rate among the population aged 25 to 34 and share of students with past-due loan balances. New Hampshire ranked No. 1 for average student debt and for proportion of students with debt, and 27th for student debt as a percentage of income.

Score: -3, for being No. 1 and No. 2 in some expensive categories — like college debt, it adds up.

Comment: Meanwhile, AdvisorSmith released a similar study last week; using different metrics, it ranked New Hampshire 9th for the state with the most people who have student loans. Fourteen percent of the population has an outstanding federal student loan, according to a press release, and the average loan balance in New Hampshire is $34,353.

QOL score: 90
Net change: 0
QOL this week: 90

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

Police beats Fire, CHaD kids win

First responders played a back-and-forth game of baseball on Aug. 20 during the 10th CHaD Battle of the Badges at Delta Dental Stadium in Manchester, but after pulling away in the eighth inning, Team Police beat Team Fire 11-5, making it their fourth straight victory in the series and bringing their all-time record to 7-3 over Fire, according to a press release. And along with all the fun, the event raised more than $111,000 to support patients and critical programs at Children’s Hospital at Dartmouth-Hitchcock.

Score: +1

Comment: Team Police also edged out a fundraising victory, bringing in $2,200 more than Fire, according to the release.

Look out for lanternflies

New Hampshire might have a new invasive species to worry about. According to a report from NHPR, the invasive spotted lanternfly can devastate fruit crops, and while it so far has not spread in New Hampshire, state officials said it will likely return. The spotted lanternfly is currently causing problems in the mid-Atlantic, where in states like New York, officials are telling people to kill any lanternflies they see. They’re about an inch long with black-spotted grey wings and red underwings, the report said, and they weaken plants and trees by sucking out their sap and leaving behind feces that attract other insects and can cause black sooty mold. State entomologist Piera Siegert said the bugs’ favorite host plant is the tree of heaven and is also considered invasive in the U.S. — locally, it grows in Manchester, Nashua and other “disturbed habitat” areas, such as along highways and rail corridors.

Score: -1

Comment: Siegert said in the NHPR report that New Hampshire residents should look out for the bugs and their waxy egg masses and send any sightings or specimens to the state.

A cookie to look forward to

A new brownie-inspired cookie with caramel-flavored crème and a hint of sea salt is being added to the 2022 Girl Scout cookie lineup. According to a press release from the Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains, Adventurefuls will “take cookie lovers on a delicious taste adventure just like Girl Scouts go on their own amazing adventures through the program.” Such adventures include earning new Cookie Business badges for running their own cookie businesses and selling online via the Digital Cookie platform. The badges range from goal setting and effective sales-pitching to using market research, creating business plans and implementing digital marketing campaigns, the release said.

Score: +1

Comment: New Hampshire’s cookie season kicks off Dec. 29; sign up at girlscoutcookies.org to be notified when Adventurefuls, plus favorites like Thin Mints and Samoas, go on sale.

QOL score: 89
Net change: +1
QOL this week: 90

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