Money for more broadband
Gov. Chris Sununu submitted a letter to the members of the Joint Legislative Fiscal Committee on Nov. 18, urging the acceptance and expenditure of $40 million for the Broadband Connect Program, according to a press release. In the letter, Sununu states that the program is “absolutely critical” for New Hampshire to retain and attract workforce, businesses, telehealth and other investments, and that broadband is necessary for access to health care, education and mental health services. “Delay of this authorization until 2023 puts extreme risk into our ability as a state to fulfill the promise to our constituents of high speed and affordable broadband in our most vulnerable areas,” Sununu wrote. “I ask that you support the citizens who are counting on this broadband item today.” The Committee approved a similar proposal for $50 million in July, providing 23,000 New Hampshire locations with access to high-speed, reliable internet.
Help for energy costs
U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, along with U.S. Sen. Maggie Hassan and U.S. Reps. Annie Kuster and Chris Pappas, have submitted a letter to the Department of Energy urging the acceleration of distribution of federal funds and programs under the bipartisan infrastructure law and Inflation Reduction Act to help cut energy costs for New Hampshire residents and to reduce the demand for fossil fuels. “As we enter into the winter months, we write to highlight specific challenges New Hampshire faces as global events continue to stoke volatility in oil and natural gas markets that in turn impact home heating costs and electricity prices for our constituents,” the letter stated. According to a press release, the delegation also called for preparation to use emergency authorities if warranted, and for the Department to work with federal agencies, industry fuel suppliers, utilities, grid operators, the State and other stakeholders to ensure that the energy infrastructure in place will be sustainable amid potential severe weather conditions this winter. The request follows an announcement made by the delegation earlier this month of the approval of $33.9 million in federal funding to support the Low Income Home Energy Assistance program (LIHEAP), which funds New Hampshire’s Fuel Assistance Program and helps low-income households pay their home heating and energy bills and other related expenses.
Decreased enrollment
The New Hampshire Department of Education announced that student enrollment in the state’s K-12 public schools is down by about 1 percent from last year. According to a press release, there are currently 161,755 students enrolled in New Hampshire public schools for the fall of 2022, compared to 163,600 students enrolled in 2021, and 163,288 students enrolled in 2020. Pre-pandemic, in 2019, student enrollment was at 171,866. Frank Edelblut, commissioner of education, said in the release that New Hampshire’s birth rate, which is currently the second lowest in the country at 8.8 per 1,000 population, along with an aging population, are contributing factors. “For the past two decades, student enrollment in New Hampshire has experienced a steady decline,” he said. “It is important for school leaders to understand how declining enrollment numbers may be impacting their districts and how to plan accordingly for the future.”
Child care policy
The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services has announced a new policy effective Dec. 15 in which new hires in child care will not be permitted to start work until their background checks are complete — a process that can take six weeks or longer — NHPR reported. Under the current policy, employers can apply for a waiver from DHHS allowing new hires to start work immediately under the condition that they are not left alone with children until their background checks are completed. According to the article, the consensus among child care employers is that the new policy will make hiring a struggle, and that weeks-long job vacancies will be detrimental to their operations. DHHS stated that the waivers put them at risk of noncompliance with federal rules regarding child care workers and background checks, which could cost them a $700,000 penalty.
Fish & Game dispatch
New Hampshire Fish and Game Dispatch will be administered by New Hampshire State Police Dispatch within the New Hampshire Department of Safety, effective Nov. 25. According to a press release, the State Police Dispatch will relay calls to Fish and Game Conservation Officers. “For the past year or so, after-hours calls to our dispatch number have been handled by State Police, but this change will make it permanent and it will now be effective 24/7/365,” NH Fish and Game Law Enforcement Division Chief Colonel Kevin Jordan said in the release. The number currently used for Fish and Game Dispatch, 603-271-3361, will remain the same.
FEMA Funds
The Federal Emergency Management Agency has awarded nearly $9 million to the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services to reimburse the state for the cost of providing Covid tests to the public. According to a press release, DHHA had contracted with Clear ChoiceMD to offer free testing seven days a week at Clear ChoiceMD Urgent Care facilities in Belmont, Lincoln and Keene between December 2021 and March 2022. A total of 56,616 tests were administered during that period. FEMA has awarded more than $181 million in assistance to New Hampshire to reimburse the state for pandemic-related expenses, the release said.
School credit programs
Three new programs have been approved for New Hampshire’s Learn Everywhere program, an alternative pathway for students to earn high school credit. According to a press release, the programs include Spanish NVivo, which provides access to Spanish language acquisition opportunities; EnCube Labs, which will be supplemented with the existing Zero2Maker and Zero2Entrepreneur programs to help students learn through applied STEM while also building venture-launching skills; and FitMoney, a free financial literacy program. Launched in 2018, Learn Everywhere now offers 15 programs for New Hampshire students to earn credit outside of the classroom.
Winter parking rules begin in Manchester on Thursday, Dec. 1, with even-odd parking on one side of the street only (even during even-numbered calendar months, so in December for example; odd during odd-numbered months, like January), from 1 to 6 a.m. through April 15. All vehicles must be off streets during snow emergencies. See manchesternh.gov.
The Dover Public Library will host a lecture on Indigenous land stewardship on Monday, Nov. 28, at 6:30 p.m. billed as “Celebrate N’Dakinna and the Life of Indigenous People on the Cocheco.” The presentation is in-person with a virtual viewing option. Call 516-6050 or go to library.dover.nh.gov to register.
The BJ Cirnigliaro Memorial Fund of Absolute Title (which has offices in Bedford, Concord and Portsmouth) donated a total of $20,000 to five local organizations: Families in Transition, Southern New Hampshire Services, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention – New Hampshire Chapter, Gather and Waypoint, according to a press release.
