Higher ed

Gov. Chris Sununu has established a Public Higher Education Task Force, as outlined in Executive Order 2023-06, to address the strategic alignment of public higher education in the state. According to a press release, the Task Force, which includes members from various educational, governmental and business sectors, will hold its first meeting on Dec. 21. The goal is to ensure New Hampshire’s public higher education institutions can navigate the changing educational landscape marked by declining enrollments and the rising costs of college education. This initiative follows unanimous support from the boards of both the University System and the Community College System of New Hampshire. The Task Force is expected to report its findings by March 31, 2024, aiming to maintain the state’s institutions as vital contributors to the workforce and culture amid demographic and economic pressures.

Historic preservation

The New Hampshire Land & Community Heritage Investment Program (LCHIP) has announced grant awards for 12 historic preservation projects, facilitating essential rehabilitation and restoration efforts. According to a press release, the New Hampshire Preservation Alliance, a statewide nonprofit organization, has played a pivotal role in the success of these projects, providing planning grants for building assessments and technical assistance. Key beneficiaries include Mason’s 1848 town hall and the Brookside Congregational Church in Manchester, both of which received state recognition and planning grants thanks to the Alliance’s intervention. Additionally, Plainfield Town Hall, recently listed on the Alliance’s 2023 Seven to Save list, will receive LCHIP funds to address moisture issues affecting its historic stage set. The grants, matched by double the funds from private and public sources, contribute to local economies and the state’s cultural and historical fabric.

Recovery help

U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen has teamed up with Senators Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), John Cornyn (R-TX), Tim Kaine (D-VA), and Dick Durbin (D-IL) to introduce the Strengthening Communities of Recovery Act. This legislation aims to reauthorize and boost funding for recovery resources to support individuals with substance use disorder (SUD), addressing the severe behavioral health crisis and the rising number of overdose deaths, which in New Hampshire increased by 11 percent last year. The Act proposes to raise the grant program’s annual funding from $5 million to $16 million over five years, enhancing peer recovery support and services such as advocacy, education and employment assistance. Sen. Shaheen also contributed to the FY 2023 government funding legislation, which includes increased funding for SUD response grants and resources for supportive housing for women in recovery.

Funds for health

New Hampshire’s community health safety net, comprising 11 Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), has received a $500,000 donation from Northeast Delta Dental. According to a press release, this contribution comes at a crucial time as four of the largest health centers in the state face a collective financial shortfall of $3.5 million due to the public health pandemic, low Medicaid reimbursements and reduced pharmaceutical savings. This funding will help these centers continue to provide critical services such as primary care, behavioral health therapy and substance use disorder services to more than 102,400 people annually. Leaders from FQHCs across the state emphasized the importance of this donation, noting that without it the loss of services would lead to increased strain on emergency departments and gaps in treatment for chronic and emerging health conditions. The gift from Northeast Delta Dental is seen as a vital contribution to stabilizing the network and maintaining integrated health care services across New Hampshire.

Funds for BAE

U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan, alongside U.S. Rep. Chris Pappas, joined Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo in Nashua to announce a $35 million CHIPS funding award to BAE Systems. According to a press release, this federal investment, derived from the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act, will modernize BAE Systems’ Microelectronics Center, a Trusted Foundry for the Department of Defense, enhancing U.S. semiconductor technology access for military use. The initiative aims to bolster the U.S.’s economic and national security, reduce dependency on international semiconductor manufacturing, and create jobs. Part of this funding will also foster a partnership with Nashua Community College to develop a workforce training program, reinforcing New Hampshire’s position in the national defense manufacturing sector and contributing to the state’s economic growth.

The New Hampshire State Forest Nursery in Boscawen is accepting online orders for spring 2024, according to a press release, with limited quantities of conifer species due to adverse weather last year. While popular Christmas tree varieties are affected, the nursery offers a range of shrubs and hardwoods, including red-berried elder and winterberry holly, and an expanded pollinator pack. Customers can purchase seedlings through the nursery’s online store, buynhseedlings.com, which provides up-to-date inventory. Despite the reduced availability of certain species, this offers a chance to diversify plantings. To view available species, visit nh.gov/nhnursery.

The Christa McAuliffe State House Memorial Commission has selected artist Benjamin Victor of Boise, Idaho, to design the Christa McAuliffe Memorial to be placed on the Statehouse lawn in Concord. Victor is the youngest artist to have a sculpture in the U.S. Capitol National Statuary Hall, where he has three sculptures (Sarah Winnemucca, Dr. Norman Borlaug and Chief Standing Bear), according to a press release from the governor’s office.

The City of Manchester has scheduled a public informational meeting to discuss the rehabilitation of the Amoskeag Eastbound and Canal Street Ramp bridges. The meeting will take place at 6 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 18, at the Rines Center (1528 Elm St.) The objective, according to a press release, is to provide the public with details about the proposed project and to gather community feedback to ensure the project aligns with public transportation needs, community objectives and environmental considerations.