Category: Quality Of Life

New Hampshire is a good place for military retirees

According to a recent study by WalletHub (Wallethub.com), an online financial services company, New Hampshire is one of the top 10 states for military retirees. The study used data to study 28 key metrics, WalletHub reported on its website, “ranging from veterans per capita to the number of VA health facilities to job opportunities for veterans.” The study, which ranked New Hampshire ninth overall, placed the state 10th in terms of veterans per capita and fifth in the percentage of veteran-owned businesses.

QOL score: +1

Comments: According to the New Hampshire Department of Employment Security, in 2023 there were 88,297 veterans in New Hampshire, 7.7 percent of the population age 18 and over.

Merrimack High School outsmarts the competition

Merrimack High School defeated Plymouth Regional High in the 2024 Granite State Challenge championship game. The academic quiz competition, which airs on New Hampshire Public Television, pits teams of high school students against each other. In this year’s season championship, which aired on March 16, Merrimack had a final score of 540 to Plymouth’s 240. According to Granite State Challenge’s website (nhpbs.org/gsc), this was a high-stakes showdown. “Both teams were three-time GSC champions going into the final game,” the website reported. “Merrimack took the title in 2020, 2021, and 2023.”

QOL score: +1

Comments: According to Granite State Challenge, this was also the seventh time in the final game for both teams.

Overdose deaths down

New Hampshire saw a decrease in overdose deaths last year. As reported in an online story by Manchester Ink Link on May 16, both the New Hampshire State Medical Examiner (doj.nh.gov/medical-examiner) and the National Centers for Disease Control (cdc.gov) reported last Wednesday that fewer people in New Hampshire died from drug overdoses in 2023 than in 2022. According to the Ink Link article, the state medical examiner reported an 11.7-percent decrease, from 487 deaths in 2022 to 230 in 2023.

QOL score: +2

Comments: The CDC reports that the largest share of overdose deaths continues to be from opioids.

Last week’s QOL score: 65

Net change: +4

QOL this week: 69

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

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Hooray for Henry!

Garden writer and longtime Hippo contributor Henry Homeyer was recently awarded the Fred E. Beane award by the directors of the New Hampshire Farm, Forest & Garden Expo in Deerfield. This award, presented jointly with UNH Cooperative Extension and the Department of Agriculture, recognizes effective media coverage of agriculture/forestry and public issues affecting agriculture and forestry in New Hampshire.

QOL score: +1

Comment: Henry Homeyer has been writing about gardening for more than 25 years and is an ardent advocate of organic and sustainable practices.

Making mile markers make sense

If you’ve been confused as you drive between Manchester and Hampton on Route 101, the problem hasn’t been you; the numbers on the mile-markers really haven’t been adding up. As reported by WMUR in a story on May 12, the New Hampshire Department of Transportation is in the process of replacing mile-marker signs to more accurately reflect the driving distance between Manchester and the Seacoast. According to WMUR’s report, when mile markers were introduced in the area, they started measuring Route 101 at 100 miles where the state highway intersects with Interstate 93. “Officials said that this point is only 60 miles from Route 101 in Keene, and must be changed to comply with federal regulations,” WMUR reported. “Mile 100 will now become mile 60, and the other numbers will be adjusted as needed.”

QOL score: +1

Comment: According to NHDOT, the exit numbers on Route 101 will not change.

Chick-en Ten-ders! Chick-en Ten-ders!

In their first game this season as the Manchester Chicken Tenders, the New Hampshire Fisher Cats (13-18) defeated the Harrisburg Senators (18-13) Saturday, May 11, at Delta Dental Stadium, 6-1. As a gesture of support with Manchester’s claim as the birthplace of chicken tenders, the AA team temporarily changed their team name and uniforms.

QOL score: +1

Comment: The Manchester Chicken Tenders will make another appearance later this summer in a July 27 home game against the Reading Fightin Phils.

QOL score last week: 65

Net change: +3

QOL this week: 68

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

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New Hampshire is nurse-friendly

In recognition of National Nurses Week, WalletHub (wallethub.com), an online finance management company has released the results of a study comparing the 50 states across 20 metrics including job openings for nurses per capita, average salaries, mandatory overtime restrictions and the quality of nursing homes. This study ranked New Hampshire as the third-best state overall for nurses, just behind Washington State and Maine. New Hampshire ranked first in the nation in nursing jobs per capita, and 19th in health care facilities per capita. The study also cited the excellence of New Hampshire’s nursing schools.

QOL score: +1

Comment: See a full breakdown of the study’s data at wallethub.com/edu/best-states-for-nurses/4041.

A new historic home in Manchester

The New Hampshire Division of Historical Resources has announced that the State Historical Resources Council has added eight properties to the New Hampshire State Register of Historic Places. One of them is the Samantha Plantin House in Manchester, according to a press release: “A fairly typical late Victorian side-hall single family dwelling, it is reportedly the home of the first Black landowner in Manchester. The daughter of a formerly enslaved mother, Plantin (circa 1827-1899) moved from New Boston in 1844 to work for the Amoskeag Manufacturing Company. She purchased land from the company in 1870, later selling it for a profit and using those funds to construct this home circa 1890. The house’s exterior as well as a barn added soon after Plantin’s death have been largely unaltered since the early twentieth century.”

QOL score: +1

Comment: See nhdhr.dncr.nh.gov for more on the State Register of Historic Places.

Peregrine update

As of Monday, May 6, the eyas (downy peregrine falcon chick) count remains at two at the nest at the Brady Sullivan Building in downtown Manchester. Whit and Thor, as the chicks are named, were hatched last week and can be seen on the New Hampshire Audubon’s livestreaming Peregrine Cams. Two other eggs didn’t, as of May 6, show signs of hatching. Find links to the cams, which are provided with support of the Peregrine Networks and Brady Sullivan Properties, at nhaudubon.org. Find updates on the falcons and their daily activities in a log linked in the chat of Feed 1.

QOL score: +1

Comments: According to a story in the New Hampshire Bulletin last September, 74 chicks have hatched at the Brady Sullivan nesting site since 2001; Whit and Thor bring that total to 76.

Rain didn’t stop the taco fans

Last week’s Taco Tour in Manchester hit some big numbers. According to Cole Riel of the Greater Manchester Chamber, the director of this year’s Tour, more than 20,000 people attended, despite heavy rain. More than 90 area restaurants and organizations served more than 100,000 tacos.

QOL score: +1

Comment: Riel quotes Manchester’s Police Chief as saying that this was the third year in a row without incidents or arrests at the event.

Last week’s QOL score: 61

Net change: +4

QOL this week: 65

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

Let us know at [email protected].

New Hampshire is getting in gear

May is National Bike Month and May 7 is National Ride a Bike Day. The Bike-Walk Alliance of New Hampshire has more than 20 bicycle-related events scheduled on its calendar for May (bwanh.org/calendar). There is a Tour de New Hampshire bicycle tour of Manchester rail trails on May 11. The Hooksett Riverwalk Trail will have its grand opening this month. S&W Sports in Concord will host Concord’s annual Bike Swap, and Veterans Count (vetscount.org) will hold its sixth annual multi-route ride in Nashua to honor New Hampshire service members, veterans and their families.

QOL score: +1

Comment: According to the New Hampshire Rail Trails Coalition, there are more than 380 miles of rail trails in the state.

Helping more people enjoy the game

Fisher Cats fans with sensory issues have another tool to help keep them from being overwhelmed at games. According to an April 25 press release, the team has partnered with Home Base Transportation (homebasenh.com), a New Hampshire-based organization that provides reliable transportation to children and adults with special needs, to provide KultureCity Sensory Bags to Delta Dental Stadium for the 2024 season. According to the announcement, “The program began at Delta Dental stadium on April 23 and will run indefinitely. Sensory Bags include items that can help lessen sensory overload for both adults and children such as noise-canceling headphones and fidget tools. Individuals who may feel overwhelmed by the environment can check out Sensory Bags at Guest Services, where weighted lap pads will also be available.”

QOL score: +1

Comment: “It’s important for us to create an environment that is inclusive of everyone,” said Fisher Cats official Stephanie O’Quinn.

New Hampshire house prices way up

New Hampshire Business Review (nhbr.com) reports in its April 26 issue that the prices of houses in the state have outstripped the growth of household income over the past five years. Citing statistics from the New Hampshire Association of Realtors, “The median price for a single-family house in New Hampshire rose from $283,000 in 2018 to $470,000 in 2023, a 66 percent increase in five years,” the article says. “The most recently available data suggests household incomes in New Hampshire grew much more slowly than the price of a house. Between 2018 and 2022, median household income in New Hampshire rose 20 percent.” The Business Review cites the increase of working from home, a limited supply and high demand as possible reasons for the remarkable rate of housing inflation.

QOL score: -1

Comment: According to the same article, Coos County has had the highest rate of growth in house prices, at +103.5%, but Hillsborough County has the highest average sticker price at $490,000.

QOL score last week: 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].

Pour one (medium popcorn with butter) out

The Regal Cinema in Concord has sadly joined the ranks of closed and closing area movie theaters. According to a Concord Monitor story from April 16, the 7:30 p.m. showing of Kung Fu Panda 4 on April 18 marked the final act of the theater location’s 28 years in Concord. In addition to first-run films, the theater offered a summer series of kid movies, which will be a much missed option for air-conditioned family entertainment.

QOL score: -1

Comment: The theater site and the neighboring Steeplegate Mall are slated to become “a huge retail and housing complex, with some 625 apartments,” the Concord Monitor story said.

Six fewer loons

Last year at least six loons died of lead poisoning in New Hampshire, according to a joint press release from the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department (wildnh.com) and the Loon Preservation Committee (loon.org) on April 16. The deaths, which occurred at lakes and ponds across the state, were due to the ingestion of lead fishing tackle and sinkers, according to the press release. Fish and Game and the Loon Preservation Committee remind anglers that lead tackle is no longer legal in New Hampshire and can be turned in at Fish and Game offices and at many transfer stations across the state. Additionally, until the end of the year, anglers can exchange one ounce or more of illegal lead tackle (lead sinkers and lead-headed jigs individually weighing one ounce or less) for a $10 gift certificate redeemable at many New Hampshire tackle shops. According to the Loon Preservation Committee, a loon will die from lead poisoning approximately two to four weeks after ingesting lead fishing tackle.

QOL score: -1

Comment: Loons that are on land that are not on nests are likely in distress. the release said. The Loon Preservation Committee asks the public to report loons in distress by calling 476-5666 or visiting loon.org.

Not the basil!

The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Public Health Services (dhhs.nh.gov) is advising consumers not to eat Infinite Herbs Organic Fresh Basil packed in 2.5-ounce clamshells and sold at Traders Joe’s stores. According to an April 18 press release, there is a multistate outbreak of salmonella infections linked to this brand of basil. The recalled product has been voluntarily removed from stores and should no longer be available for sale. Consumers who have purchased Infinite Herbs Organic Basil should not eat the product and are urged to check their refrigerators and freezers for any stored product. “As salmonella bacteria can cause serious illness, it is best to throw out any potentially contaminated food rather than risk infection,” said Iain Watt, Interim DPHS Director.

QOL score: -1

Comment: The Department of Health and Human Services reports that there are no reported New Hampshire cases associated with the outbreak of aalmonella infections at this time.

Last week’s QOL score: 63

Net change: -3

QOL this week: 60

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

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And the winner is

Ruby Shabazz, a Nashua native, has won best R&B song in the 2024 New England Songwriting Competition. According to its website (newenglandsongwritingcompetition.com) the contest describes its mission as “to nurture, recognize, and elevate the diverse voices and melodies that make up the vibrant music scene of New England.” This is the 15th contest. Ruby Shabazz won the award with “Thank You,” an autobiographical song about the meaning of gratitude. According to an April 6 press release from Shabazz, her style has been described as “an updated version of neo-soul mixed with the throwback sounds of Lauryn Hill.” This year’s New England Songwriting Competition had more than 500 submissions.

QOL score: +1

Comments: See Shabazz on Saturday, April 27, at 9 p.m. at the Smokehouse Tavern in Lowell, Mass., according to her website.

Stepping Stones closes

According to an April 12 broadcast story on WMUR, Stepping Stones, a Nashua shelter that helps homeless young adults who have aged out of foster care or fled situations of abuse, closed its residential facility last Tuesday. According to WMUR’s story, residents were given three weeks to find other living arrangements. On its website (steppingstonesnh.org) Stepping Stones has posted a simple message: “Due to circumstances beyond our control, Stepping Stones will be closing permanently on April 9, 2024.”

QOL score: -1

Comments: According to another WMUR story from Oct. 18 of last year, there are more than 3,000 homeless youth in New Hampshire.

Another kind of eclipse-related phenomenon

According to an April 10 news release from the New Hampshire Department of Transportation (dot.nh.gov), more than 54,000 cars traveled north on New Hampshire highways to view the April 8 eclipse. According to an April 9 story on WMUR.com, southbound traffic was especially harrowing: “Backups on major roadways such as Interstate 93 north of the Notches lasted into the early hours of the morning, and the roads were still crowded by Tuesday morning rush hour.”

QOL score: -1 for the less-fun eclipse gathering

Comments: According to WMUR, some eclipse viewers reported it took them more than 12 hours to get back to the southern part of the state.

Boston Marathon runners

New Hampshire runners did well in Monday’s Boston Marathon. According to WMUR (wmur.com) and the Boston Athletic Association (baa.org) the state’s fastest participants were Sam Fazioli of Derry, who placed 38th among male runners with a time of 2:23:49; Emilee Risteen, also of Derry, who placed 29th among female runners with a time of 2:43:12, and Nashua’s Thomas Cantara, who won the T20 Para division in 2:35:23. As reported by WMUR, Risteen said of the race, “It was a tougher day out there, but still fun.”

QOL score: +1

Comments: Sisay Lemma of Ethiopia was the fastest male runner, with a time of 2:06:17. Hellen Obiri of Kenya won her second consecutive Boston Marathon, with a time of 2:22:37.

Last week’s QOL score: 63

Net change: 0

QOL this week: 63

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

Let us know at [email protected].