Category: Quality Of Life

Drought is a disaster

All of New Hampshire is now in a “drought disaster,” the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced last week. According to a Nov. 20 report from NHPR, the drought has gotten worse, particularly in southeastern New Hampshire, with about 30 percent of the state now in severe or extreme drought, compared to 23 percent in the previous few weeks. The rest of the state is in moderate drought, according to the release, and the conditions could last until the beginning of 2021.

Score: -2

Comment: At least the declaration from the USDA will make emergency funding available to farmers who have lost crops due to the drought, according to the report.

Happy(ish) holidays

Not being able to celebrate the holidays in our own traditional ways is going to be hard for many of us. Sure, we can appreciate the fact that maybe we don’t need to stress about making a big holiday meal, or eating Aunt Sally’s lumpy mashed potatoes or listening to debates about the recent polarizing election results. But many of us are missing out on the good stuff too: the chance to meet a new member of the family (QOL has yet to meet a nephew who was born in August), the taste of Mom’s amazing green bean casserole and the chance to catch up with friends and family we haven’t seen in months other than, perhaps, via a frustratingly glitchy Zoom session.

Score: -2

Comment:QOL agrees with taking any and all safety precautions during these holidays (check out some hints in our Q&A on p. 6), but there’s no denying that it’s kind of a bummer.

Transforming lives

As part of the launch of its annual fundraiser, the Front Door Agency in Nashua is sharing one of its success stories. Through its Transformational Housing Program for single mothers and their children, single mother Danielle and her young daughter now live in one of Front Door Agency’s affordable apartments, and she has used the program’s supportive services to improve her finances and earning potential, according to a press release. She has also earned her associate’s and bachelor’s degrees and is starting to take classes to earn her master’s. “This is not a place where things get handed to you,” Danielle said in the release. “But, if you’re motivated and truly focused on doing better for yourself and your children, you can do it.”

Score: +1

Comment: Eighty-five percent of the single mothers in Transformational Housing have participated in or graduated from an educational program, and 70 percent saw increases in benefits and income, according to the release. “We hope Danielle’s story inspires individuals, businesses and other organizations to give back in a meaningful way,” Agency CEO Maryse Wirbal said in the release.

No. 1 for economic freedom

Last week, the Fraser Institute (an independent nonpartisan research and educational organization based in Canada, according to its website) released its 2020 Economic Freedom Report, ranking New Hampshire as the No. 1 state for economic freedom, according to a press release from the Josiah Bartlett Center for Public Policy. This is the second year in a row that the Granite State has earned that designation. The Fraser Institute’s report measures “the extent to which … the policies of individual provinces and states were supportive of economic freedom…,” according to the release. “This study reaffirms that New Hampshire remains the best state in the nation to live, work, and raise a family — and we’re just getting started,” Gov. Chris Sununu said in a statement.

Score:+1

Comment: Our New England neighbors ranked as follows: Massachusetts (18), Connecticut (25), Maine (37), Rhode Island (43) and Vermont (46).

QOL score: 67

Net change: -2

QOL this week: 65

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

Unsettled schooling

With the increasing number of Covid cases, school districts across the state are rethinking their learning models, with many making modifications on a daily or weekly basis as things change and an increasing number deciding to go fully remote through the holidays. The Manchester School District voted Monday night to move from a hybrid model to fully remote learning from Nov. 23 through at least Jan. 19, according to a report from WMUR. In Concord, the School Board voted last week to continue its hybrid instruction until Dec. 23, followed by remote learning from Jan. 4 through Jan. 18, after the holiday break, according to a message on the school district’s Facebook page. Pinkerton Academy in Derry will move to fully remote learning starting Nov. 23 through December, according to a letter on the school’s website from Headmaster Timothy Powers. And the Nashua School District will move to all remote learning from Nov. 23 until at least Dec. 11, according to a letter from Superintendent Jahmal Mosley on the district’s website.

Score: -4 for the upheaval and disruption for everybody involved

Comment: What day is it again? An in-person school day? A remote learning day? Or is it Saturday? QOL understands the virus-containing reasons for the schedule changes but waking up has never been so complicated.

A new Thanksgiving-esque event

While some turkey trots have been canceled or have transitioned to virtual runs, there’s a brand new event in Goffstown this year: the first annual Gobble Wobble 5-Miler. The event is being hosted by Total Image Running and will benefit the American Legion Auxiliary Wesley Wyman Unit No. 16 in Goffstown, to help them support local veterans, active duty military and their families. The run is being offered both virtually and in person, the latter of which starts and ends at the town’s Parks and Recreation facility on Mast Road on Saturday, Nov. 21, at 9 a.m. Registration for the virtual run closes Nov. 28, so participants can run any time prior to that. The cost is $35 or $40 (depending on age and whether the run is in person or virtual), and all runners, walkers and wobblers will get a Gobble Wobble hooded sweatshirt. Visit runsignup.com/Race/NH/Goffstown/GobbleWobble5Miler to register.

Score: +1

Comment: Cheers to the opposite of canceling an event — starting a new one! Safety protocols, like socially distanced start times and mask-wearing at the starting line, will be in place.

Good at giving

New Hampshire is the 15th most charitable state, according to a new study from personal-finance website WalletHub, which compared the 50 states using data that indicated charitable behavior, from volunteer rates to donated income. The Granite State ranked third for percentage of population that donated time, seventh for charities per capita, 13th for volunteer hours per capita, 16th for volunteer rate and 18th for percentage of the population that donated money.

Score: +1

Comment: Our closest neighbors’ rankings were varied, with Maine coming in ninth, Massachusetts ranking 21st and Vermont coming in at 36th.

QOL score: 69

Net change: -2

QOL this week: 67

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

New threat from scammers

There’s a new twist on the “grandparent scam,” according to an alert sent out by the state Attorney General’s Office, which wants New Hampshire residents to be aware of the “new and concerning tactics.” In a typical grandparent scam, the scammer calls or emails a victim and pretends to be one of the victim’s relatives, then claims to be in trouble with the law, or the scammer might claim to be a member of law enforcement who has arrested the victim’s relative. Scammers often tell the victim they are under a “legal gag order” to not speak about the incident, according to the release. Previously, the scammers would ask victims to wire money to a bank account or transfer money electronically; now, the scammers are trying to arrange in-person pickups of either money or other valuable items from the victim’s home. “This represents a new and dangerous threat to New Hampshire residents,” the release says.

Score: -1

Comment:The Attorney General’s Office said in the alert that law enforcement officials will never ask for money over the phone or via email and will never ask for in-person payments of cash or other valuables in exchange for a relative’s release. The office suggests hanging up and contacting your local police department.

Torch Run opens to all

The 2020 version of the annual Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics New Hampshire, which is usually held in the summer, will be a virtual event that, for the first time, will be open to non-law enforcement personnel, according to a press release. Typically, the run is made up of members of New Hampshire law enforcement running with the Flame of Hope in 28 different “legs” of a route that crisscrosses the Granite State, and it usually happens in conjunction with the Special Olympics New Hampshire State Summer Games. This year, anyone who wants to support the event can buy a “Braver Together” T-shirt or hat for $30 at sonh.org, where they will be asked to pledge the number of miles they intend to run or walk between Nov. 26 and Dec. 6.

Score: +1

Comment: Participants are asked to wear their “Braver Together” shirt or hat while they run or walk, and Special Olympics New Hampshire plans to post Torch Run photos and videos on its website and social media, according to the release.

Skating is on!

Though all ice rinks in the state were forced to close for two weeks in October due to Covid-19 concerns, several local rinks have reopened and are offering public skating, with restrictions. At Everett Arena in Concord, public skating hours are Monday through Saturday, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Sunday from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Tri-Town Ice Arena in Hooksett is now offering limited public skating sessions, with various times available each week. In Manchester, JFK Memorial Coliseum offers public skating on Tuesday and Thursday mornings and Saturday and Sunday afternoons. And West Side Ice Arena offers hourly private rentals.

Score: +1

Comment: All facilities have safety guidelines in place, and availability is subject to change; visit their websites for the most up-to-date information.

NH supports veteran-owned businesses

A national analysis by Zippia, a resource site for job seekers, has found that New Hampshire is the most supportive state in the country for veteran-owned businesses. The data came from the U.S. Government’s Small Business Administration and included the number of veteran-owned businesses per capita and the percentage of state sales that go toward these businesses. In New Hampshire, 6 percent of state sales go toward veterans, which is the highest percentage in the country, and 12 percent of all businesses in the state are owned by veterans.

Score: +1

Comment: The other top spots went to South Carolina at No. 2 and Mississippi at No. 3, and the states that were ranked least friendly for veteran-owned businesses were New Jersey at 49 and New York at 50.

QOL score: 67

Net change: +2

QOL this week: 69

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

The impact of an act of kindness

New Hampshire native Justin Spencer of Recycled Percussion shared a heartwarming message on the band’s Facebook page following its Chaos & Kindness events at Rossview Farm in Concord last weekend. He wrote that a woman approached him after waiting in line for hours in the cold to meet the band — because she wanted to personally thank them for their, well, kindness at an event in Manchester four years ago. The woman had been homeless, living in a park where Recycled Percussion had a concert. Halfway through the show, Spencer wrote, he stopped and asked the people at the gate to let the homeless and less fortunate to come in and enjoy the rest of the show. “She said that was the moment she fell in love with us and has been waiting for 4 years to share how that act of kindness impacted her. … She has since gotten her life back on track and headed in a better direction and today I could tell how special it was to share that moment with us,” Spencer wrote.

Score: +1

Comment: Spencer’s post garnered 6,600 likes and more than 400 comments.

Goodbye, election flyers, calls and commercials

While we appreciate everyone’s efforts to get people out to vote, QOL will not miss the relentless barrage of political mailers, phone calls, texts and ads that led up to the general election. It is quite possible that we still don’t know who our new president will be by the time this paper hits the streets, and no matter what the outcome, there will likely be some strong feelings from both sides. But guys, no more calls or texts blowing up your phone! No more giant mailers that fill half your recycling container! No more House Hunters episodes being ruined by the onslaught of campaign ads!

Score: +1

Comment: This is a win no matter what side you’re on.

Confronting stigmas

Brielle Paquette, a videographer from Salem, has been named October’s Granite Stater of the Month by U.S. Sen. Maggie Hassan. According to a press release, Paquette is using her talent for filmmaking to confront the stigma surrounding mental illness, in part by opening up about her own struggles with an anxiety disorder. Pre-Covid, her mom filmed her standing blindfolded in the middle of a crowded area in Boston while holding a sign that read “20-50 percent of adolescents struggle with mental illness. Hug to show support for people who are struggling.” This footage of strangers hugging her became part of a PSA she put together in 2019.

Score: +1

Comment: Paquette has since filmed other PSAs about mental illness, and she uses her platform as Miss Londonderry to promote the message as well. She’s currently starting work on a PSA on body positivity, according to the release.

Award-winning trails in New Hampshire

The national Coalition for Recreational Trails has honored two Granite State trail projects with the Tom Petri Recreational Trails Program Achievement Awards, according to a press release from the New Hampshire Department of Natural & Cultural Resources. In southern New Hampshire, the Monadnock Trail Improvement Project won in the Youth Conservation/Service Corps and Community Outreach Category. Work on that project was done by the SCA NH AmeriCorps conservation services crew, which spent 10 weeks improving 4.5 miles of trails at Monadnock State Park. The other project award went to the Milan Trail Huggers Nash Stream Bridge in Milan, which diverted ATVs farther from area homeowners, according to the release.

Score: +1

Comment: Improvements to Monadnock trails — one of the most hiked mountains in the world, according to the press release — included new rock steps and rock staircases, and the closure of unofficial trails that bypassed eroded areas.

QOL score: 63

Net change: +4

QOL this week: 67

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

Fin for the win

If being adorable was a job requirement, it’s no wonder Fin got the gig.The 14-week-old chocolate Labrador retriever has joined the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department’s Law Enforcement Division’s K-9 Team, according to a news release on the department’s website. Fin met his new partner, Fish and Game Conservation Officer Kenneth St. Pierre, in September. “Fin will work on basic obedience, tracking, and exposure to both evidence and fish and wildlife daily,” St. Pierre said in the news release. Fin was donated by Wes and Belinda Reed of Rise and Shine Retrievers in Barnstead.

Score: +1

Comment: Who wouldn’t want to go to work with a partner like that?

Holiday stroll canceled

The 27th annual Winter Holiday Stroll in Downtown Nashua will have to wait, as the event has been canceled this year, according to a press release from Great American Downtown. Typically held on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, the stroll features performers, vendors, demonstrations and other attractions. With the ongoing community-based transmission of Covid-19, local health officials advised the City of Nashua and Great American Downtown that the event should be postponed until 2021.

Score: -1

Comment: As the holiday season approaches, Great American Downtown has planned several activities for downtown Nashua, including outdoor music, contests and the return of Plaid Friday to support small businesses the day after Thanksgiving.

New homes to help end homelessness

Four people who have been experiencing long-term homelessness will soon have new homes in the Green Street Apartments in Concord, according to a press release. The apartments, which have been renovated by the Concord Coalition to End Homelessness, are the culmination of efforts from numerous local businesses and organizations, from Warren Street Architects supplying designs and construction oversight at a drastically reduced rate to the Concord Food Co-op, Franklin Savings Bank, Keeler Family Realtors and Merrimack County Savings Bank furnishing, decorating and stocking each of the four homes.

Score: +1

Comment: “Green Street is really the story of so many people coming together and of an opportunity for a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow,” CCEH Director Ellen Groh said in the release.

ELL teacher honored

Danielle Boutin, an English Language Learner teacher at Ledge Street School in Nashua, has been named the 2021 New Hampshire Teacher of the Year by the Department of Education, according to a press release. Boutin teaches multilingual students in kindergarten through fifth grade, and she also works to connect her students and their families to community resources that can provide support for issues like food and housing insecurity, domestic violence and trauma.

Score: +1

Comment: “This has been one heck of a year in education,” Boutin said in the release. “All of the parents out there are also Teachers of the Year as they teach their kids from home. It takes a lot of people to help students succeed.”

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 [email protected].

Take a hike

There’s still time to register for the New Hampshire Forest Society’s 5 Hikes Challenge! Get outside and enjoy fall while challenging yourself to complete five trails and earn a hiking patch. When you register (the deadline is Saturday, Oct. 31), you can choose five hikes from an extensive list, including Buxton Simons Forest in Weare, Monson Village in Hollis/Milford, McCabe Forest in Antrim and the Merrimack River Outdoor Education & Conservation Area in Concord. According to the society’s website, registration will get you a Forest Society buff, plus paper trail maps with directions for the hikes you choose. The fee is $8 per hike (free for anyone under 18), and the goal is to complete the hikes and submit photos by Nov. 15.

Score: +1

Comment: Tag the Forest Society on Facebook (@ForestSociety) and Instagram (@ForestSociety) with #5HikesChallenge as you hit the trail, then email your five hikes selfies to [email protected] to earn an embroidered patch and a sticker. To register, visit forestsociety.org/5-hikes-challenge.

Potentially frigid, extra snowy winter on the way

With parts of northern New Hampshire getting plowable amounts of snow last weekend and a couple of frosty mornings around here, there’s no denying that winter is coming, and the Farmers’ Almanac is predicting a cold, snowy season for New Hampshire. Words that QOL was not excited to read on farmersalmanac.com: “If you love the cold of winter, you’re going to love our forecast if you live in the northern half of the country.” The Almanac also predicts a potential blizzard during the second week of February and says there’s the potential for a major storm in March too.

Score: -100 (Just kidding. It’s not that bad.)-2

Comment: QOL gets that some people love New Hampshire for its winter sports opportunities, but shoveling, driving through snowstorms and braving below-zero temps just to get groceries or gas will never be fun.

A weekend of weeding and planting wildflowers

A disabled veteran homeowner’s Manchester property has been transformed after the Boy Scouts of Hooksett Troop 292 teamed up with Hooksett-based startup Wildline Solutions to clean up her yard, which had become overgrown and unusable after 20 years of the homeowner being unable to care for it, according to a press release. Scouts, their parents and volunteers from Wildline (a self-sufficiency and sustainability consulting company, according to the release) spent last weekend clearing the property of weeds, foliage and debris, and planted wildflower seeds that will bloom in the spring — a low-maintenance alternative to a traditional lawn that will help prevent other plants and weeds from growing.

Score: +1

Comment: The homeowner, who wishes to remain anonymous, was overjoyed with the transformation, according to the release.

Praise for contact tracing efforts

As schools and the Department of Health and Human Services grapple with the complexities of contact tracing as more and more people test positive for Covid-19, QOL would like to give a shout out to the Bow School District and DHHS for how they’ve handled contact tracing. On Friday morning, the high school closed immediately after it was informed that a student had tested positive; by the end of the day, the school had called the parents of about 60 students who had come into contact with that student and very nicely explained to these stressed out parents what protocols needed to be followed. This was followed up by a phone call from DHHS two days later to reiterate the procedures and set up a daily text to check on symptoms.

Score: +1

Comment: QOL wants to thank all state, city, town and school officials who are doing the best they can to keep New Hampshire residents safe.

QOL score: 60

Net change: +1

QOL this week: 61

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