Category: Quality Of Life

Thank you, Laura

Laura Knoy wrapped up more than 25 years of hosting NHPR’s call-in show The Exchange last Thursday, June 10, and talked about her time on air with Peter Biello, regular host of the show’s Friday Weekly News Round-up, on The Exchange on June 14. (NHPR announced earlier in the month that The Exchange will end production in June, with Morning Edition then running from 6 to 10 a.m.) Over the years, Knoy interviewed presidential candidates, a variety of authors, local politicians and activists, experts in all fields and the occasional Hippo writer. She expertly helmed this statewide platform and she and the show will be missed.

Score: + a zillion for all the great conversations, -3 for the hole in the New Hampshire media landscape

Comments: As many callers said on the June 14 show: thank you, Laura — and the team at The Exchange.

NH gave

In 24 hours, more than 13,000 Granite Staters donated $3.7 million to 584 nonprofits during NH Gives, an online fundraising event created by the New Hampshire Center for Nonprofits, according to a press release. From 5 p.m. on June 8 to 5 p.m. on June 9, donors gave enough to break last year’s record of $3.37 million (which was also a record-breaking amount, more than had been raised in the previous four years combined). Matching funds helped up the totals; the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation and its donors contributed $460,000 in matching funds, while individual donors around the state contributed more than $1 million in matching funds for specific organizations.

Score: +1

Comment: Manchester Moves, a volunteer organization working to connect Manchester to the rest of the state via rail trails and greenways, was the top online fundraiser, raising just over $57,000 in 24 hours and winning an additional $1,000 “Power of Many” prize in recognition, while The Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire had the highest number of contributions.

A kid helping kids

A 9-year-old girl from Windham has shaved her head and raised thousands of dollars to help kids with cancer. According to a June 13 report from WMUR, Vivian Meyer wanted to get her head shaved because three of her grandparents died from cancer and one of her former teachers shaved her head after losing her son to cancer. The original goal was to raise $500 through “Buzz Off for Kids with Cancer,” and the third-grader ended up raising more than $3,000.

Score: +1

Comment: “The premise of honoring these people that passed away and really helping people today that are fighting this disease, for a 9-year-old, they have all these other things in their mind, [so] to really focus on that is … amazing,” Vivian’s mother, Jennifer Meyer, said in the report.

Eighth best state to live in

Millions of people moved last year, many influenced by the pandemic, according to personal-finance website WalletHub, which released its report on 2021’s Best States to Live In on June 15. New Hampshire landed at No. 8 in the rankings, which compared the 50 states using data like housing costs, education rate and income growth. New Hampshire has the lowest percentage of its population in poverty, is 6th in home ownership rate and 8th in having the fewest adults in fair or poor health. It also ranked 14th for percentage of the population that is insured, 16th for average weekly work hours, and 21st for housing costs.

Score: +1

Comment: According to the report, the Top 3 states to live in are New Jersey, Massachusetts and New York (though if you’re looking for affordability, the Northeast may not be your preferred home; those states ranked 49th, 45th and 47th, respectively, while New Hampshire ranked 40th).

QOL score: 77

Net change: 0

QOL this week: 77

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

Wanted: lifeguards

There may be fewer lifeguards at your local swimming spot this year. Across the state, towns and cities are facing a shortage of lifeguards, according to a June 2 report from WMUR, as getting lifeguards hired and certified has been more of a challenge this year. Nashua’s pools are expected to be fully staffed, the report said, but the city had to increase wages to attract more lifeguards, and it still had to cancel swim classes. Likewise, Concord has struggled to find lifeguards and will have reduced swim class sizes. Check with your town or city, or the state, before heading to a pool or beach to see if lifeguards will be on duty.

Score: -1

Comment: Ocean visitors needn’t worry, though, as Hampton Beach anticipates being fully staffed with a crew of 70, thanks in part to word of mouth advertising, the report said.

Making Manchester more LGBTQ+ friendly

Manchester is implementing new LGBTQ+-friendly initiatives throughout the city, according to a press release, in partnership with the Human Rights Campaign, which releases a Municipal Equality Index each year outlining LBGTQ+-friendly policies in a community. According to the report, Manchester falls in the middle of the state’s rated cities and is now working to create more LGBTQ+-friendly policies and practices. For example, LGBTQ+ liaisons have been appointed in the Mayor’s Office and Manchester Police Department; the Office of Youth Services has designated a representative to support transgender anti-discrimination policies and youth bullying prevention; and the City has established a Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion Committee.

Score: +1

Comment: “I’m proud to announce these changes during Pride Month. It is important for everyone to feel safe and welcomed in our city, especially our LGBTQ+ residents and visitors. These changes will make a big difference and are a great step toward helping Manchester become as LGBTQ+-friendly as possible,” Mayor Joyce Craig said in the release.

Lake advisories

Cyanobacteria blooms, some of which produce toxins that can cause a range of health issues in humans and animals, are common in lakes and ponds this time of year, according to a press release from the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services, and people should be cautious of lake water that has a surface scum, changes colors or appears to have green streaks or blue-green flecks aggregating along the shore. As of June 8, DES had posted advisories for Robinson Pond in Hudson, Swains Lake in Barrington, Elm-Brook Park Beach at the Hopkinton-Everett Reservoir in Hopkinton, and Strafford Town Beach on Bow Lake. Acute health effects include irritation of skin and mucous membranes, tingling, numbness, nausea, vomiting, seizures and diarrhea, while chronic effects include liver and central nervous system damage, the release said.

Score: -1

Comment:Before you head to a lake, visit des.nh.gov for the latest cyanobacteria advisories.

QOL score: 78

Net change: -1

QOL this week: 77

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

A good time to give

Nonprofit organizations are banding together for NH Gives, a statewide effort to raise funds for nearly 600 Granite State nonprofits. Starting at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, June 8, you’ll have 24 hours to participate in NH Gives, hosted by the NH Center for Nonprofits, at nhgives.org. When you visit the website, you’ll find links to donate to any of the participating nonprofits that you want to support.

Score: +1

Comment: Participating nonprofits range from arts organizations like Kimball-Jenkins and the New Hampshire Theatre Project to community service organizations like Community Caregivers of Greater Derry and Marguerite’s Place in Nashua.

Ride on

More than 100 elementary school students in Manchester have earned new refurbished bicycles as part of the Earn-A-Bike Program, created in 2015 by the Manchester Community Schools Project. According to a press release, fourth-grade students from Gossler Elementary and fifth-grade students from Beech Elementary who demonstrated academic achievement and leadership skills were given the chance to pick out a bike, a helmet, lights and a lock from QC Bike Collective. Students who already had a bike earned extra accessories and a QC Bike Collective voucher for a free repair.

Score: +1

Comment:The Manchester Police Department pitched in too, providing bike registrations free of charge.

Promoting NH

“Don’t Take NH for Granite” — that’s New Hampshire’s new motto for this summer, according to a press release, and it’s an effort to preserve the natural beauty of the state. The New Hampshire Division of Travel and Tourism Development worked with local industry partners to develop a pledge to remind visitors to travel responsibly and respectfully. The pledge includes eight components: Plan Ahead; Be Understanding; Be Respectful; Leave No Trace; Properly Dispose of Waste; Respect Wildlife; Leave What You Find; and Be Considerate of Each Other.

Score: +1

Comment: This pledge is pretty common sense, but hopefully the new motto will remind out-of-staters and residents to respect everything New Hampshire has to offer.

Virtual support

It may have been virtual, but the Front Door Agency’s 33rd Annual Gourmet Festival & Auction was still a huge success this year, raising more than $140,000 to support families experiencing financial crisis or homelessness in Greater Nashua. According to a press release, nearly 400 people attended the online event, which featured an auction with more than 200 items, raffles, and the opportunity to buy an exclusive takeout meal from one of four local restaurants: Celebrations Distinctive Catering, Nashua Country Club, Stella Blu or Surf.

Score: +1

Comment: “With so many online events over the past year, we wanted to do something creative and bring back the ‘Gourmet’ component of the event,” Maryse Wirbal, CEO of the Front Door Agency, said in the release.

QOL score: 74

Net change: +4

QOL this week: 78

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

Coming to you live

The NH Live Venues and Theaters coalition held a press conference via Zoom on May 18 announcing the return of live in-person events throughout the state. The coalition is made up of 45 performing arts and independent cinema venues that have been meeting since March 2020 to help the performing arts community stay alive during the pandemic. “Every venue here today is on a journey to increase the number of performances and build back to full capacity attendance,” coalition spokesperson Nicki Clarke of Concord’s Capitol Center for the Arts said during the press conference. “We want to invite all New Hampshire residents and visitors to come out and enjoy concerts, musicals, opera, plays, dance, comedy and film again in our venues.”

Score: +1

Comment: QOL already has tickets to see Mamma Mia! at the Palace Theatre in October but definitely will be looking out for more live shows to see this summer.

Stepping up safety

The New Hampshire Department of Safety is reminding people that seat belts save lives with the “Join the New Hampshire Clique” campaign, which will have state troopers and local police officers increasing their enforcement efforts, according to a press release. New Hampshire law requires that any child under the age of 18 must wear a seat belt or be in a child safety seat, the release said, and this campaign, which runs through June 6, is intended to spread awareness that wearing a seat belt is the most effective thing you can do to protect yourself in a crash. Twenty people in New Hampshire died after being ejected from their vehicles in 2020, the release said.

Score: 0 (+1 for the campaign, -1 that it’s needed)

Comment: In 2020 the seat belt use rate in the state of New Hampshire was 72.4 percent, according to the release.

Good save

Bedford police helped an 85-pound German Shepherd last week after it fell about 6 feet down into an open 500-gallon septic tank. According to a press release, on May 17 Animal Control Officer Steven Paul and Officer Michael Heikkila responded to a call on Country Road, where they and the homeowner used a catch pole to pull the dog to safety.

Score: +1 (for the dog’s sake)

Comment:The tank was being serviced at the time, and Bedford police determined that the incident was an accident and no fault of the owners, the release said.

Tenth best state for military retirees

New Hampshire’s higher number of veteran job opportunities and veterans per capita helped the state make the Top 10 in the 2021 Best & Worst States for Military Retirees report, released May 24 by the personal finance website WalletHub. The study used 30 metrics to determine each state’s retirement-friendliness toward veterans, from job opportunities for veterans to housing affordability. According to the study, New Hampshire ranked 13th for percentage of veteran-owned businesses, 15th for both veterans per capita and veteran job opportunities, and 22nd for number of VA facilities per number of veterans.

Score: +1

Comment: New Hampshire was the only New England state to make the Top 10; next up was Connecticut at No. 22. Vermont ranked 50th.

QOL score: 71

Net change: +3

QOL this week: 74

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

A look back at 1995

Girl Scouts who grew up in Goffstown in the ’90s inadvertently brought some nostalgia to the town when the Goffstown Historical Society found a time capsule that two Girl Scout troops had prepared on May 22, 1995. According to a press release, three troop leaders’ names and phone numbers were listed on top of the blue plastic bin, and one, Jo Ann Duffy, was able to be reached; she did the honors of opening the capsule on May 12. A few of the girls, now in their mid-30s, were found and were able to watch the opening via Facebook Live. Among the items were a TV Guide, Pogs, the 1994 Goffstown town report, an American Girl doll catalog, an empty box of Thin Mints and a biography created by each Girl Scout, with photos, drawings and messages to themselves in the future.

Score: +1

Comment:One of the former Girl Scouts, Kat Miller, watched the opening via Facebook and wrote, “This is amazing! We put in a Baby-Sitters Club book, and I’m a book editor now and my BOSS created that book series!”

Fake food inspectors, DMV employees

Last week the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services warned restaurants that people posing as health inspectors have been calling eateries to schedule an inspection, threatening to impose fines if they do not schedule an appointment and in at least one case demanding payment. According to a press release, health inspectors conduct inspections unannounced and would not call to schedule appointments, threaten enforcement actions or ask for money over the phone. And on Monday, the New Hampshire Office of the Attorney General issued a warning that imposters posing as employees from the Department of Motor Vehicles have been contacting consumers via text; in one scam, the message says the DMV is awarding a cash prize to the consumer for being a safe driver, and it includes a link to claim the “prize.”

Score: -1

Comment: On the bright side, it’s unlikely that anyone believed the state would be offering cash prizes for good driving.

Another year without balloons

The Annual Hot Air Balloon Rally in Pittsfield has been canceled for the second year, according to a post on the event’s Facebook page. The Suncook Valley Rotary Club announced last week that preparations for the rally typically begin early in the year, including fundraising, and with the direction of the pandemic being uncertain at that time, it was difficult to get started. At this point the club would normally be working with vendors but felt that “while our entire community is still dealing with and recovering from this public health pandemic it is not practical to request or make such commitments,” the post read.

Score: -1

Comment: “While it is sad to think about missing the Balloon Rally this summer, we plan to be back in 2022 bigger and better than ever,” the club wrote.

But the Senior Games are back!

All of the sports and events that make up the New Hampshire Senior Games will be back this year, after most were canceled in 2020, according to a press release, and registration is now open. The games are open to age groups starting at 40, all the way up to 90+. Events will start in late June with the Candlepin Bowling Tournament and end in September with a cycling event; in between there will be 18 other events and sports, including archery, cornhole, golf, pickleball, power walking, swimming, tennis and volleyball. New Hampshire athletes who finish in the top three for their sport will qualify for the 2022 National Games, scheduled for next spring in Ft. Lauderdale. Visit nhseniorgames.org.

Score: +1

Comment: Despite the disconcerting realization that QOL is actually old enough to participate in the senior games, this is happy news for any adults over 40 who have been waiting for a good reason to be active and social once again.

QOL score: 71

Net change: 0

QOL this week: 71

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

Coming soon: a theater near you!

Regal Hooksett 8, the movie theater off Interstate 93 Exit 10 in Hooksett, will reopen Friday, May 21, according to a reply from Regal Cinema’s customer relations team. The Regal Concord is also set to open May 21. Last weekend was opening weekend for Regal Newington and O’neil Cinemas in Epping; Chunky’s in Manchester, Nashua and Pelham have remained open (AMC theaters are also open, though with reduced numbers of screenings). By the time A Quiet Place Part II is released on Friday, May 28 (Memorial Day weekend), movie-goers will (hopefully) have several local screens to choose from if they choose to check out a movie. (Other area theaters in operation include Smitty’s Cinema in Tilton and the Cinemark in Salem.)

Score: +1

Comment: QOL is ready for some popcorn.

Putting out fires

A New Hampshire fire captain has won a national award for his efforts in fire prevention. One of only five Smokey Bear Award winners nationwide, Capt. Douglas Miner of the New Hampshire Forest Protection Bureau recently received the honor from the National Association of State Foresters and the USDA Forest Service for “outstanding service with significant and sustained program impact in wildfire prevention,” according to a press release. In 2019, during Smokey Bear’s year-long 75th birthday celebration, Miner coordinated dozens of events in New Hampshire that featured Smokey Bear, with an estimated 12,000 people attending 61 events, the release said.

Score: +1

Comment: In his nomination of Miner, Brad Simpkins of the U.S. Forest Service (and former New Hampshire State Forester and director of the state’s Division of Forests and Lands) wrote that “Doug’s efforts, while above and beyond his normally busy ranger duties, are equal to or rival those that could be accomplished with a full-time prevention coordinator.”

Big summer expected for the Granite State

New Hampshire could have one of its busiest summer seasons in recent years, thanks to an increasing demand for travel, high vaccination rates and a wealth of outdoor recreation. According to a press release, the New Hampshire Division of Travel and Tourism Development is projecting 3.45 million visitors to the Granite State this summer, with spending reaching $1.8 billion — nearly as much as 2019’s pre-pandemic levels. To help with these efforts, the department is launching a special summer advertising campaign that highlights New Hampshire’s recreational opportunities and will target states on the East Coast, including New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina and Ohio.

Score: +1

Comment: Despite the pandemic, visitation to New Hampshire was down only 14.9 percent last summer, according to the release.

A concerning uptick

As a lifelong New Hampshire resident, QOL is no stranger to ticks, but this season so far seems to be worse than usual. The sidelines of a high school baseball field have been especially ripe with ticks; not a single game has gone by without multiple spectators having to pick ticks off themselves, their bags or chairs and their dogs — the record that QOL has heard so far was one parent who found five ticks during one game. According to a publication from the University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension, these are likely American dog ticks, the most frequently encountered tick in New Hampshire, or the smaller, more rounded blacklegged tick, the second most common species in the state.

Score: -2

Comment: It’s hard to enjoy the great outdoors when you’re worried about ticks crawling all over you.

QOL score: 70

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.