Category: Quality Of Life

Like toilet paper all over again…

QOL was unfortunately in the market for some children’s fever medicine (your acetaminophen, your ibuprofen) last week and learned, as other parents probably already know, that the over-the-counter medicines are harder to get than Taylor Swift tickets, particularly the younger-kid-friendly liquid version (the Tylenol, not the tickets). A driving tour of many Greater Manchester grocery stores, big box stores and pharmacies turned up some kid tablet versions (boo to the idea of halving a chewable tablet) and exactly one liquid acetaminophen in a brand QOL has never heard of. Online searches also showed most area stores out of stock. News stories confirm that this situation is playing out nationwide, though a Dec. 3 story on npr.org reported that Johnson & Johnson, maker of Children’s Tylenol and Children’s Motrin, said, “there is no nationwide shortage — just a lot of demand.”

QOL score: -2

Comments: All of the stories emphasize talking to a pediatrician (i.e. not the internet) about your kid’s specific symptoms and possible alternatives if you can’t find medication.

Less fun part of a snow day

The first big snow of the season, which hit New Hampshire late Thursday, Dec. 15, and continued in some parts of the state through Saturday, left around 62,000 electric utility customers without electricity by Saturday, WMUR reported. Utility crews responded to downed wires and trees throughout the state causing the outages. As of Dec. 18, 448 customers were still without electricity, most residing in the Peterborough-Jaffrey area, around Conway and in the Upper Valley.

QOL score: -1

Comment: The storm, which dropped 1 to 2 feet of snow in many parts of the state, also created hazardous road conditions. WMUR reported that New Hampshire State Police had responded to more than 200 crashes, spinouts and vehicles off the road.

Kudos to the Sandman

Manchester’s own Adam Sandler has been named the winner of this year’s Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, NHPR reported. The award, considered one of the most prestigious honors in comedy, “recognizes individuals who have had an impact on American society in ways similar to the distinguished 19th-century novelist and essayist Samuel Clemens, best known as Mark Twain,” according to the Kennedy Center website. Sandler will receive the award at a gala performance at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., on March 19, 2023.

QOL score: +1

Comment: Sandler paid a visit to the Puritan Backroom in Manchester last week, as captured in a TikTok video posted by ESPN.

A small gift (in February)

New Hampshire Eversource customers may see a slight decrease in their energy bill next year. The utility recently filed its proposal for its next energy service rate adjustment, which would go into effect on Feb. 1, with the New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission. If approved, the rate will be 20.2 cents per kilowatt-hour, down from 22.6 cents per kilowatt-hour, the rate set in August.

QOL score: +1

Comment: The adjustment would lower the supply portion of the average residential customer’s bill by approximately seven percent.

QOL score: 91

Net change: -1

QOL this week: 90

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

NH representation

Twenty-one upperclassmen from the Arts Academy of New Hampshire in Salem have painted, photographed and drawn unique pieces of art celebrating New Hampshire. According to a press release, that artwork can now be seen on a series of holiday ornaments that are on display at the 2022 National Christmas Tree display in President’s Park as part of the America Celebrates ornament program. “I told the group to think about what they truly love about New Hampshire and its scenery, and I also told them that this is the time to shine, and to showcase their best work,” Frank Sharlow, co-director and art teacher at the school, said in the release. The ornaments depicted New Hampshire beaches, mountains, trails, the state flower (purple lilac) and the state bird (purple finch), white birch trees, various wildlife, Funspot arcade at Weirs Beach and more Granite State icons and scenery.

QOL Score: +1

Comment: The Arts Academy of New Hampshire was one of 58 schools nationwide to participate in this year’s America Celebrates ornament program, which features art by more than 2,600 students across the country.

Fill up!

Gas prices in New Hampshire have fallen 11 cents per gallon in the last week. According to a GasBuddy price report, the average gasoline price in New Hampshire is down to $3.42 per gallon as of Dec. 12. The data is based on a survey of 875 gas stations across the state. Prices are now 36.7 cents per gallon lower than a month ago, but still 10.8 cents per gallon higher than this time last year.

QOL score: +1

Comment: The national average price of gasoline was $3.21, according to the report — down 14.4 cents per gallon in the last week and down 56.5 cents per gallon from a month ago.

Snow!

The first big snow of the season is projected to start sometime between the night of Thursday, Dec. 15, and the morning of Friday, Dec. 16, WMUR reported. Northern and central parts of the state could get at least 6 inches of snow accumulation, while the southern part of the state is more likely to get a wintry mix and cold rain. Commuters should expect a high impact on travel conditions on Friday. The storm is projected to pass sometime between late Friday night and the first half of the day Saturday.

QOL score: +1 if you’re a kid hoping for a snow day and because the lack of snow was starting to seem weird

Comment: Some kids got two-hour delays on Monday after the accumulation of snow Sunday night.

Give blood, get stuff

The American Red Cross is calling for blood and platelet donations to prevent a seasonal blood shortage, according to a press release. Shortages can happen this time of year due to a number of barriers, including holiday traveling, seasonal illness and weather conditions. Everyone who donates through Dec. 15 will receive a $10 Amazon gift card; donate between Dec. 16 and Jan. 2 will receive a long-sleeved Red Cross T-shirt — while supplies last.

QOL score: +1

Comment: To book a donation appointment at a Red Cross blood donation site near you, download the Red Cross Blood Donor app, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-733-2767.

QOL score: 87

Net change: +4

QOL this week: 91

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

Golden Girls

The Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains honored dozens of Girl Scouts at the Young Women of Distinction ceremonies in Bedford on Nov. 16. According to a press release, the Gold Award was presented to Girl Scouts in grades 9 through 12 who have spent at least 80 hours in service to their communities, demonstrating leadership in developing solutions to challenges and creating lasting positive changes. Additionally, Girl Scout Cadettes in grades 6 through 8 who have given at least 50 hours of service were recognized with the Silver Award, and Girl Scout Juniors in grades 4 and 5 who have given at least 20 hours in service received the Bronze Award. “Today’s celebration is a testament to the dedication and hard work necessary to accomplish the highest achievements in Girl Scouting,” Patricia K. Mellor, CEO of the council, said in the release.

QOL score: +1

Comment:Gold Award recipients participated in a variety of initiatives, including a geocaching project to promote mental health and wellness; providing home-cooked meals to local food pantries; publishing a collection of interviews with inspiring women; and amending state legislation to facilitate environmentally conscious burials without the need for embalming.

New books!

Dr. Norman W. Crisp Elementary School in Nashua and the Nashua Public Library unveiled dozens of new books courtesy of the Children’s Literacy Foundation during Library Day on Tuesday, Nov. 29. According to a press release, the school received CLiF’s “Year of the Book” grant, which provided the school’s library and Nashua Public Library with $1,000 each to purchase new books for their collections. The grant also funds author visits and special programs throughout the school year, plus 10 free books for each student. “Today’s Library Event is a chance for our students to see 55 to 60 exciting new books that we have been able to purchase for our library and also have a chance to see the Nashua Public Library’s new books and to learn more about NPL’s many programs for the children of Nashua,” school principal Cherrie Fulton said according to the release.

QOL score: +1

Comment: CLiF, a nonprofit based in Vermont, has been around since 1998, working to inspire a love of reading and writing among children in low-income, at-risk and rural environments.

Cough, cough, sneeze

Your suspicions based on sick coworkers, kids home from school and that cough you can’t shake are correct: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found that influenza cases in New Hampshire are the highest they’ve been in a decade for this time of year, according to a WMUR report from Dec. 5. Flu cases dropped significantly in the 2020-2021 season as a byproduct of Covid mitigation measures. The number of cases increased in the 2021-2022 season, but was still significantly lower than in a typical season pre-Covid. Now, the health care system contends with an immune-sensitive population that is more susceptible to the flu than in years past, in addition to a post-Thanksgiving spike in Covid cases and cases of respiratory syncytial virus, which have been nationally on the rise.

QOL score: -2

Comment: Health officials urge people to stay up to date on their Covid and influenza vaccinations. No vaccine is available for the prevention of RSV.

QOL score: 87

Net change: 0

QOL this week: 87

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

Spreading holiday cheer

The New Hampshire Federal Credit Union’s Santa for Seniors holiday donation drive is now underway, according to a press release. Members of the public are invited to participate by donating a gift card in any denomination or by creating a homemade holiday card as a way to deliver hope and holiday cheer to seniors in the local community. Santa himself will deliver the cards to eight senior facilities in the state in mid-December.

QOL score: +1

Comment: Donations will be accepted at NHFCU’s Concord and Lee locations through Dec. 14.

Online scam

Fraudulent websites posing as legitimate New Hampshire small businesses are on the rise, warns Attorney General John M. Formella. According to a press release, the scammers have been advertising products for sale online at deeply discounted prices and requesting that consumers contact the company’s sales department to make a purchase. The “sales department” then insists that the consumer pay for the products using a bank wire transfer. Some scammers have even set up email addresses matching their fraudulent company’s name and website in order to “verify” the company through independent organizations used to establish marketplace trust, such as the Better Businesses Bureau, the Chamber of Commerce and Show Me Local.

QOL score: -1

Comment: Attorney General Formella urges consumers to be vigilant by asking probing questions about deeply discounted products, insisting to speak to the seller over the phone, confirming the seller’s contact information, asking for and contacting references that can verify the legitimacy of the seller, and, finally, checking with local law enforcement or the Attorney General’s Office to see if any complaints have been filed against the seller.

Helping caregivers help kids

The Children’s Museum of New Hampshire in Dover has curated a Play-Based Learning Kit — a 40-pound jumbo box filled with quality materials for children ages 5 and under — and is distributing the kits to 83 child care providers, libraries and family resource centers throughout the state serving more than 9,000 children, according to a press release. Each kit comes with monthly activity guides for educators on ways to use the materials to engage children. “When we saw the child care crisis growing, we began reaching out to childcare providers … about ways we could use our expertise to help,” Jane Bard, CMNH president, said in the release. “Once we realized the need was so great and so widespread around the state, the challenge was how to best serve all of these audiences. The solution was to give all of these audiences different tools and ways to participate in a variety of activities over the course of the year.”

QOL score: +1

Comment: Additionally, the museum has launched three new weekly play-based learning drop-in programs and is collaborating with the University of New Hampshire’s Department of Human Development and Family Studies to host two free play-based learning open house events as well as four online workshops open to all early childhood educators.

QOL score: 86

Net change: +1

QOL this week: 87

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

Scouting for Food

Scouts from the Daniel Webster Council – Boy Scouts of America participated in the recent Scouting for Food event, collecting an estimated 100,000 food items from across New Hampshire to support more than 60 agencies, food pantries and soup kitchens, according to a press release.

QOL score: +1

Comments: A total of 109 troop units participated in the two-weekend event (with the kids putting up door hangers the first Saturday of November and retrieving food the next week), the press release said.

Public safety award

A New Hampshire public safety leader has been awarded the Chief Harlin R. McEwen Public Safety Broadband Communications Award by The First Responder Network Authority, according to a press release. FirstNet Authority named John Stevens the recipient of the award, which honors leaders in public safety who have contributed to the advancement of broadband communications for public safety personnel, the release said Stevens has served as the Statewide Interoperability Coordinator in the Office of the Commissioner and the Division of Emergency Services and Communications for the New Hampshire Department of Safety for nearly a decade. In his position, he is responsible for coordinating a variety of statewide public safety communications, including broadband planning and the deployment of FirstNet, the nationwide public safety broadband network.

QOL score: +1

Comment: As of 2017, all 50 U.S. states have opted in to a plan to have FirstNet deployed in a public-private partnership with AT&T, according to the FirstNet website.

A rough winter

New Hampshire advocacy groups are predicting homelessness rates in the state to rise this winter as a result of the growing costs of rent, fuel and gas, WMUR reported. According to the article, the latest housing report also predicted a greater risk of homelessness among New Hampshire residents; state officials said they are expecting the number of homeless youth to be around 14,000 this year; and mortgage rates are just short of 7 percent, which is the highest they’ve been in two decades.

QOL score: -2

Comment: In October, New Hampshire Housing announced that it would be forced to put its NH Emergency Rental Assistance Program on pause after the U.S. Treasury announced that New Hampshire will not receive any additional resources to continue the program beyond Dec. 29.

QOL score: 86

Net change: 0

QOL this week: 86

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

Lending a helping car

In honor of Veterans Day, Progressive Insurance donated two vehicles to support the local veteran community during a special event at Liberty House in Manchester on Thursday, Nov. 10. According to a press release, one of the vehicles was donated to a local veteran, and the other was donated to Liberty House, a sober-living transitional housing community that serves homeless and struggling veterans and helps them to achieve independence and self-sufficiency.

QOL score: +1

Comment: Progressive Insurance has donated more than 900 vehicles to veterans and veteran communities throughout the U.S. since 2013 through its Keys to Progress vehicle giveaway program. This is the first time that the program has had recipients in New Hampshire.

Voting

Voters in Derry had to wait for up to over an hour to vote during the general election, NHPR reported. The town’s sole polling site at Calvary Bible Church on Hampstead Road was among the busiest in the state, with 18,000 registered voters assigned to it and a high turnout among them. Long wait times and traffic congestion, particularly during the before- and after-work surges, prompted the Attorney General to get involved in accordance with a New Hampshire statute which states that voters shouldn’t have to wait longer than 20 minutes to vote. The Attorney General is permitted to take actions such as garnering the assistance of local police to direct traffic and respond to any unruly behavior at the polling site. Derry had three polling locations before the town council decided to downsize during the pandemic, the article said.

QOL score: +1 for the high voter turnout, -2 for the long wait times

Comment: This is why QOL is always grateful for the kids selling baked goods at QOL’s voting site. Even if there’s a wait, there’s always a sticker and some cookies to look forward to — oh, and democracy, of course.

Career options for kids

The U.S. Department of Labor has announced an initiative to expand its pre-apprenticeship opportunities for Job Corps students as part of a nationwide effort to prepare students for Registered Apprenticeship programs. According to a press release, the initiative will allow New Hampshire Job Corps in Manchester, the state’s only Job Corps campus, to emphasize pre-apprenticeship programs in the high-growth industry sectors for which it offers career skills training, such as advanced manufacturing, construction, health care, homeland security and hospitality. The pre-apprenticeship programs will take most students approximately one year to complete. “Pre-apprenticeship programs prepare students with a set of skills and strategies needed to enter and succeed in a Registered Apprenticeship program or industry-relevant job,” Job Corps national director Rachel Torres said in the release. “With the general education, enhanced social skills and hands-on job training they receive, these students will have more career pathways from which to choose.”

QOL score: +1

Comment: The announcement coincided with National Apprenticeship Week, Nov. 14 through Nov. 20, and aligns with the Biden Administration’s commitment to expand Registered Apprenticeship opportunities to help build equitable pathways to the middle class and connections to living-wage jobs for the nation’s diverse workforce.

QOL score: 85

Net change: +1

QOL this week: 86

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

More eagles in NH

Bald eagles have continued to find new places to nest in New Hampshire, according to research conducted and released by New Hampshire Audubon. Ninety-two territorial pairs of eagles have been confirmed in 2022, which is up by nearly 14 percent from 2021. Additionally, there are 72 incubating pairs confirmed (up by more than 7 percent from last year) and 84 young fledged — up from 81 fledged in 2019 and 2021.

QOL score: +1

Comment: New Hampshire Audubon reports that the bald eagle population has been doubling in size every five to seven years since the late 1990s. New Hampshire Fish and Game removed the bald eagle from the state’s Endangered and Threatened Wildlife List in 2017.

Rent is up

A recent report released by Rent.com revealed New Hampshire to be the state with the fifth-highest rent increase over last year, with rent costs up 19.1 percent from September 2021, and the median rent cost in the state currently at $1,894.

QOL score: -1

Comment:Rhode Island is the only other New England state that made the top 10, coming in at No. 9 with an increase of 16.5 percent, whereas Massachusetts was one of five states — and the only New England state — to see a year-over-year decline (-0.6 percent).

Socks for all

United Way of Greater Nashua has announced that it will share the donation of 5,000 pairs of socks it receives from the company Bombas every fall with nearly 20 other nonprofit organizations in the greater Nashua area serving the homeless population. According to a press release, Bombas committed to donating one pair of socks to homelessness-related charities for every pair of socks it sells in response to learning that socks are the most requested item at homeless shelters.

QOL score: +1

Comment: Clean, dry socks can help to prevent health complications such as skin infections, nail diseases, frostbite and trench foot, which are more prevalent among people experiencing homelessness due to spending more time outside, exposed to the elements, and more time on their feet searching for assistance.

QOL score: 84

Net change: +1

QOL this week: 85

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

Energy worries

President and chief executive officer of Eversource Energy Joseph R. Nolan Jr. has expressed concern about possible energy shortages in New England this coming winter, WMUR reported. In a recent letter to President Joe Biden, Nolan said the region’s electricity grid operator and the federal Energy Regulatory Commission fear that there wouldn’t be enough natural gas to meet the region’s power needs during an extended stretch of cold weather. Nolan called on the president to utilize the emergency powers of the federal government — citing emergency authorities such as the Federal Power Act, the Jones Act, the Natural Gas Policy Act and the Defense Production Act — to ensure that New England has access to adequate fuel resources, should severe weather conditions occur.

QOL score: -2

Comment: Eversource has been working to increase investments in clean energy resources, Nolan said in the letter, but many of those projects are still years away from being implemented.

Third safest state

A recent WalletHub study ranked New Hampshire as the third safest U.S. state to live in. The study looked at various factors, such as rates of violent crime, the number of law enforcement employees and active firefighters, rates of substance abuse and overdose deaths, suicide rates, the number of registered sex offenders, household financial security and rates of bankruptcy, rates of workplace injuries and fatalities, Covid vaccination rates, motor vehicle fatalities and more. New Hampshire ranked especially well for its low numbers of murders and non-negligent manslaughters per capita (No. 1), assaults per capita (No. 2), fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles of travel (No. 3) and fatal occupational injuries per 100,000 full-time workers (No. 4).

QOL score: +1

Comment: New Hampshire follows Maine at No. 2 and Vermont at No. 1 on the list.

New Hampshire surgical center recognized

The Bedford Ambulatory Surgical Center was recently named in Newsweek’s list of top 500 Ambulatory Surgical Centers in the U.S. According to a press release, the list, compiled in collaboration with the market research firm Statista, was based on a survey of more than 4,000 medical professionals and performance data from more than 5,000 ambulatory surgical centers. “To be named one of the top ASC’s in the country and the only one in New Hampshire is an honor and a testimony to our dedication and our caring doctors, nurses and staff,” BASC founder Nick Vailas said in the release.

QOL score: +1

Comment: BASC, now in its 30th year, employs 40 doctors and performs 13,000 procedures every year, including colonoscopies and endoscopies; imaging and orthopedics for total hip, knee and shoulder replacements; cataract removal and more.

Electric school buses

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean School Bus Program is awarding $2,765,000 from President Biden’s bipartisan infrastructure law to two school districts in New Hampshire. According to a press release, the funds will allow Henniker and Rumney schools to purchase seven clean electric school buses. “These buses are a win-win for our economy and the sustainability of our environment by giving us cleaner air, reducing health risks for children and often providing lower fuel and maintenance costs,” U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen, who helped negotiate the bipartisan infrastructure law along with U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan, said in the release.

QOL score: +1

Comment: The districts receiving the funds were chosen “with a particular focus on reducing air pollution in historically-disadvantaged areas with priority needs,” EPA New England Regional Administrator David W. Cash said.

QOL score: 83

Net change: 1

QOL this week: 84

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

Teacher of the year

Christian Cheetham, a teacher at Alvirne High School in Hudson, has been named New Hampshire’s 2023 Teacher of the Year. According to a press release from the New Hampshire Department of Education, Cheetham was presented with the award during a surprise celebration on Oct. 24. Selected out of 44 nominees, he will now serve as an ambassador for teachers throughout the state and is in the running for the title of National Teacher of the Year. “I think kids and adults are desperate for real experiences,” Cheetham wrote in his application essay. “Technology is robbing us of our humanity and I strive every day to bring the humanity back. … In my opinion, our students are desperate for real mentoring relationships.” Cheetham also wrote that his motivation as a teacher is to teach students how to live their lives in ways that truly make them happy, according to the release.

QOL score: +1

Comment: Cheetham will join New Hampshire 2023 Teacher of the Year semi-finalists and finalists and other distinguished educators in the state at a Leadership in Education Banquet in December to celebrate their accomplishments.

Rental assistance

New Hampshire Housing has put its NH Emergency Rental Assistance Program on pause after the U.S. Treasury announced that New Hampshire will not receive any additional resources to continue the program beyond Dec. 29. According to a press release, new applications will not be accepted as New Hampshire Housing reviews pending submitted applications, the level of federal funding available and the status of New Hampshire’s existing requests to the U.S. Treasury for additional funding. Visit nhhfa.org/emergency-rental-assistance for updates.

QOL score: -2

Comment:More than $230 million in assistance has been provided to more than 23,000 households across the state through the Emergency Rental Assistance Program since March 2021.

Library for all

Nashua Public Library has opened a new sensory-friendly space for adult programs and events. According to a press release, the library consulted with community organizations that provided information about how to create a more comfortable atmosphere for visitors who are neurodiverse or on the autism spectrum or living with an intellectual or developmental disability. “We recognized that we weren’t serving the neurodiverse community as well as we could be during our adult events,” library director Jennifer McCormack said in the release. “As we learn more about their wide range of needs, we’ve started taking steps to ensure that everyone can enjoy and benefit from our programs in an environment where they can thrive.” Events and programs held in the space are presented with softer lighting, less noise, moveable seating and other sensory-friendly considerations. Visit nashualibrary.org.

QOL score: +1

Comment: The library is looking into additional ways to support the neurodiverse community in the future, the release said, such as offering sensory kits for adults to borrow during library visits; providing a social script with details and illustrations to help adults on the autism spectrum understand what they can expect when visiting the library; and hosting sensory-friendly film screenings.

QOL score: 83

Net change: 0

QOL this week: 83

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

100 years of diner eats
The Red Arrow Diner celebrated 100 years of serving eats in the Queen City with a party on Lowell Street on Oct. 15 with well-wishers including local politicians and other notables (a Fisher Cats mascot was spotted). The diner started in its 61 Lowell St. location in Manchester as a lunch cart in 1922, according to the history recounted in the Sept. 29 issue of the Hippo (find it at hippopress.com).
QOL score: +1
Comments: Here’s to the next 100 years of Moe’s Specialty Omelettes and Dinah Fingers.

Cough, cough, blah
New Hampshire public health officials are expecting a surge in Covid cases this winter, partially due to low public awareness of and interest in the updated booster vaccine, NHPR reported. Approximately half of New Hampshire residents who are eligible for the first booster have gotten it, and about 35 percent of those eligible for the second booster, which has been available in New Hampshire for a month, have gotten it, according to data released by the CDC.
QOL score: -2
Comment: Find a vaccination site near you at vaccines.nh.gov, which also lists dates for upcoming mobile clinics and maps with vaccination sites for kids ages 5 to 11 and kids ages 5 and under.

Sports for all
Special Olympics athletes and volunteers participated in the first-ever Disability Justice Parade and Celebration, which was held at Arms Park in Manchester on Oct. 13. According to a press release, the event was designed to “celebrate and elevate the values of inclusion, equity and justice for people with disabilities.”
QOL score: +1
Comment: Manchester Mayor Joyce Craig proclaimed the day “Disability Justice Day” in the city.

QOL score: 83
Net change: 0
QOL this week: 83
What’s affecting your Quality of Life here in New Hampshire? Let us know at news@hippopress.com.