College for first responders

The New Hampshire Department of Safety has launched a new First Responder program in collaboration with the Community College System of New Hampshire (CCSNH), the Police Standards and Training Council and Sen. David Watters. According to a press release, this initiative aims to enhance the career development, recruitment and retention of law enforcement officers, professional firefighters and emergency medical technicians (EMTs). Eligible first responders can receive tuition and fee reimbursements for courses at any of New Hampshire’s community colleges, subject to funding availability and successful course completion. The program underscores the state’s commitment to maintaining a skilled first responder workforce and is supported by funding from New Hampshire Senate Bill 153, sponsored by Sen. Watters.

School projects

The Public School Infrastructure Commission in New Hampshire has recommended funding for 262 school security projects across the state, totaling $9,668,202.68. According to a press release, this recommendation is part of the third round of the Security Action for Education (SAFE) grants program, which received 630 applications. The grants, aimed at enhancing school security measures such as access control and surveillance, await approval by the governor, the Executive Council and the Joint Legislative Fiscal Committee, expected in early 2024. Previously, the SAFE grants program had allocated about $13.9 million to 341 schools, with priority given in the latest round to those schools that had not received funding in earlier rounds.

Insurance ed

The New Hampshire Insurance Department (NHID) and New England College (NEC) are continuing their educational collaboration with the launch of the second year of a specialized insurance industry course. According to a press release, this course, starting in the Spring 2024 semester, aims to provide students with an in-depth understanding of various aspects of the insurance sector, including risk identification, management techniques, the logic behind insurance purchases and regulatory oversight by the NHID. The course, which offers four academic credits, also includes the possibility of an internship for additional credits. Experienced professionals from the NHID will lead the course, sharing their knowledge from both public and private sectors in insurance. Completion of the course and internship may even allow students to waive the insurance licensing exam, akin to the Webster Scholar Program at UNH Law.

Charter schools

According to a report by the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, New Hampshire’s public charter school enrollment saw an increase of 11.99 percent, or 592 students, during the 2022-2023 school year. This growth contrasts with the overall trend in public school enrollments nationally, where public charter schools experienced a 2 percent increase (more than 72,000 students) from the 2021-2022 to the 2022-2023 school year, while district public schools saw a marginal increase of 0.02 percent (7,400 students). Over the past four years, public charter schools nationally have added more than 300,000 students, a 9 percent rise, whereas district public schools have not regained the approximately 1.5 million students lost during the pandemic, a 3.5 percent decrease. In New Hampshire charter schools have grown by 30.79 percent in the last three years, with the Academy for Science and Design in Nashua recording the largest enrollment increase, of 97 students for the 2023-2024 academic year.

Health news

Cheshire Medical Center in Keene, a Dartmouth Health member, has introduced continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) for intensive care unit patients experiencing kidney failure, according to a press release. With the acquisition of two CRRT machines and the ICU staff trained in their use, the hospital can now treat more critically ill patients locally. The CRRT treatment offers a 24-hour dialysis process, crucial for patients with acute kidney injury, which is associated with a high mortality rate. This new capability allows patients to stay close to their community during recovery, a significant change from when patients needed to be transferred to other facilities. Cheshire’s ICU also benefits from Dartmouth Health’s TeleICU service, providing around-the-clock care in collaboration with remote nephrologists. The program has been operational since early August, contributing to life-saving treatments and, in one case, facilitating organ donations from a patient.

The New Hampshire Department of Transportation (NHDOT) has implemented nighttime lane closures on Interstate 93 northbound in Derry/Londonderry, expected to be in effect through the morning of Friday, Dec. 22, according to a press release. During this period, northbound traffic will be rerouted through newly constructed ramps, returning to I-93. The closures, affecting the stretch from mile marker 11 to 13, will reduce traffic to one lane near mile marker 12. These closures are for setting steel girders on the new Exit 4A bridge, part of a larger $45 million interchange construction project.

Manchester’s Bookmobile program has reached a milestone of distributing 20,000 books to children. According to a press release, the Bookmobile, reintroduced in 2018 and operational through the pandemic, aims to improve child literacy and ensure book access for all ages. The program is supported by staff from Manchester City Library and the Manchester School District, as well as community volunteers.

Nashua nonprofit Harbor Care received a $5,000 grant from BAE Systems, a global defense, aerospace and security company, to assist in ending homelessness among veterans in the state. According to a press release, this funding will support essential services for homeless veterans, including access to shelter and food. Harbor Care, serving more than 450 veterans and their families annually, has contributed to ending veteran homelessness in Nashua since 2017 and is working toward replicating this success across New Hampshire.