Covid-19 news

New Hampshire is on the brink of 100,000 overall confirmed cases of Covid-19 since the pandemic first began, but cases continue to be on a sharp decline. During the state’s most recent public health update on June 10, state epidemiologist Dr. Benjamin Chan said New Hampshire has averaged approximately 50 new infections per day over the previous week, with the average test positivity rate 1.6 percent. “Community transmission statewide continues to decrease,” Chan said. “A majority of our counties throughout the state are either now in a minimal, or a low or a moderate level of community transmission.”

The state has also now crossed the threshold of more than half of its population being fully vaccinated — 52.3 percent as of June 14 — or just over 700,000 people. “At this point, our supply is exceeding the demand, and there’s plenty of vaccine available,” Dr. Beth Daly, Chief of the Bureau of Infectious Disease Control of the New Hampshire Department of Health & Human Services, said later during the press conference. “There are over 450 locations now across New Hampshire that [have] access to the vaccine. This includes our hospitals, pharmacies, some outpatient provider offices, community health centers, as well as those community clinics that are being run by our local health departments and the Public Health Networks.”

Also during this press conference, Gov. Chris Sununu announced that the Covid-19 state of emergency, in place for more than 15 months, would end at midnight on June 11. “The state will continue to remain at work under what we call a ‘public health incident,’” he said. “We have been for quite some time and that will stay in effect, and that’s necessary for Health and Human Services to employ staff and volunteers as needed.” Sununu originally declared a state of emergency due to the pandemic in mid-March 2020.

Budget approved

Manchester’s fiscal health and economic outlook are strong, Mayor Joyce Craig said in a statement last week, after the city’s FY2022 budget was adopted by the Manchester Board of Mayor and Aldermen by a vote of 9-4, and after the city’s final FY2021 general fund expenditure and revenue forecast was released, showing an expected operating surplus of $2,928,500. Meanwhile, according to a press release, the Assessor’s Office is projecting $73.3 million in new valuation since December 2020, as a result of new construction. “In the last year, we’ve endured challenges some of us never thought possible,” Craig said in the statement. “With this budget, we are beginning to rebuild.” The budget also includes a 1.87-percent property tax increase, pushing the tax rate from $24.66 to $25.12, the release said. That increase equates to $4.2 million, with approximately $2.2 million allocated to the city and $2 million allocated to the schools.

No super yet

On June 8, the Nashua Board of Education sent out a letter thanking everyone in the community who contributed time and input to help find the next Superintendent of Schools for the Nashua School District, and announcing that the position is still vacant. “Regrettably, the Board was unable to reach consensus on the hiring of a candidate and, therefore, will be suspending the search until a later date,” the letter said. The board will continue to work with search consultants BWP and Associates and will communicate further information in the near future.

Staying substance-free

Creating Connections NH is bringing its Alternative Peer Groups to Nashua and Manchester. According to a press release, the groups offer youth with substance use disorders opportunities to engage in fun activities while developing healthy strategies and building relationships to maintain their recovery. The groups are led by young adults with experience in recovery, who are also trained to help youth maintain recovery despite the stresses of adolescence and young adulthood. Starting this month, Revive Recovery Center in Nashua will offer Alternative Peer Group activities for middle and high school youth every Friday from 5 to 6 p.m. and a Parenting in Recovery group on Fridays from 4 to 5 p.m., while Hope for NH Recovery in Manchester will offer Saturday group activities from 10 a.m. to noon. According to the release, the Creating Connections NH Project is a collaboration between the NH Bureau of Children’s Behavioral Health and the Institute on Disability at UNH and is designed to support youth and young adults ages 12 to 25. The 2019 Youth Risk Behavior Survey showed that more than 26 percent of New Hampshire high school students smoke marijuana, 14 percent binge drink and 33 percent use electronic vaping products, the release said.

Affordable housing

On June 15, the Manchester Department of Planning and Community Development announced a Request for Proposals for $4.7 million to develop new affordable housing units in the city – a $3.7 million increase in funding for affordable housing projects that was originally allocated in the Mayor’s FY22 budget. According to a press release, these additional funds are from the federal HOME program from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. It is the most funding that Manchester has allocated to affordable housing development since the HOME program was created more than 30 years ago. The funds will help create housing for individuals/families making between 30 percent and 80 percent of the Area Median Family Income, and require that these individuals not pay more than 30 percent of their annual income on total housing costs, the release said. Proposals are encouraged to include commercial space, market-rate residential units, public green space and public art, and are due July 16, at which time the requests will be reviewed by a selection committee that will then make recommendations to the Board of Mayor and Aldermen for final approval, according to the release.

Molly Reckford, 28, who learned how to row at Phillips Exeter Academy in Exeter, will compete on the U.S. Olympics rowing team in the lightweight women’s double, according to a June 11 report from WMUR. The Dartmouth College grad will head to Tokyo for the games this summer.

The fourth annual Pride Flag Raising will be held at Manchester City Hall on Friday, June 18, at noon. According to a press release, the event will be led by members of Queen City Pride and Mayor Joyce Craig.

On June 11, the daring jumping spider was signed into law as the official state spider of New Hampshire. According to a press release, Gov. Chris Sununu signed the bill at the Hollis Primary School with third-graders from the environmental science class that championed the bill.

The Nashua Public Library is supplying kids 18 and younger with free bag lunches throughout summer vacation. According to a press release, the program started June 16, and lunches are available Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. (except Monday, July 5). Bags of nonperishable food are also available, Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Food can be picked up by asking a staff member or using curbside pickup; no ID or registration is required.