| Covid-19 update | As of November 2 | As of November 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Total cases statewide | 11,320 | 12,699 |
| Total current infections statewide | 1,407 | 2,057 |
| Total deaths statewide | 483 | 489 |
| New cases | 923 (Oct. 27 to Nov. 2) | 1,379 (Nov. 3 to Nov. 9) |
| Current infections: Hillsborough County | 425 | 576 |
| Current infections: Merrimack County | 192 | 227 |
| Current infections: Rockingham County | 360 | 497 |
Covid-19 news
During a Nov. 5 press conference, state epidemiologist Dr. Benjamin Chan provided a public health update on New Hampshire’s ongoing response to the Covid-19 pandemic. New and active infections of the coronavirus have been on a continuous increase over the last couple of weeks in the state, he said, with seven of its 10 counties — Hillsborough, Merrimack, Rockingham, Coos, Grafton, Belknap and Stafford — at a substantial level of community transmission. According to WMUR, Gov. Chris Sununu said the state is preparing for what could be a “very aggressive” spike in Covid-19 cases, with New Hampshire potentially seeing 500 to 1,000 new daily cases by the end of the month. He said the state is ready, with PPE, testing, funds and resources, according to WMUR.
During the Nov. 5 press conference, Sununu also provided an update on the status of New Hampshire’s federal CARES act funds, which he said must be spent prior to Dec. 31. More than 4,000 businesses applied for the Main Street Relief Fund 2.0, around 3,000 of which were eligible. Sununu added that around $15 million is still available that has been allocated for the state’s housing relief program. As of Nov. 5, about 2,100 people have applied for and received funds totaling about $5.6 million.
On Nov. 7, the New Hampshire Department of Health & Human Services issued a potential community exposure notice related to a person with Covid-19 who visited the 401 Tavern in Hampton. According to state health officials, the exposure occurred in the eatery’s bar area during the evenings of Oct. 23 and Oct. 24. Anyone who was there on those evenings should monitor for symptoms of the virus and seek testing.
Details of Sununu’s Emergency Orders, Executive Orders and other announcements can be viewed at governor.nh.gov.
Addressing homelessness
On Nov. 5, New Hampshire’s 13 mayors sent a joint letter to Gov. Chris Sununu asking him to make it a top priority to develop a statewide plan that addresses homelessness. According to the letter, homelessness is a crisis in all of the mayors’ communities. “In recent months, in an effort to prevent community spread of Covid-19 and allow for social distancing, shelters have been forced to decompress and reduce the number of available beds,” it reads, though it also notes that the number of people living unsheltered has been increasing even in the years prior to the pandemic. The letter cited a lack of funding and emergency shelter beds in some communities and said that with many homeless individuals living on state-owned properties, the state needs to create and implement a winter shelter surge plan, as well as a comprehensive housing plan that would increase the number of supportive, transitional and affordable housing options for couples, victims of domestic violence, families with children and felons. “Because of a lack of an overarching statewide approach, our communities’ homelessness strategies have been reactive rather than proactive,” the letter reads. “The state must take a role in designing an incident command infrastructure to address homelessness, similar to the Governor’s Commission on Alcohol and Other Drugs, to establish a set of metrics to determine success, and implement accountability measures, and progress tracking to ensure positive outcomes.”
On Nov. 8, the Union Leader reported that people have been ordered to leave the homeless encampments on either side of the Hillsborough County Superior Court by Nov. 16 or they will face penalties, and any personal items remaining on the property will be disposed of. The signs that have been posted say camping is not allowed on the property; the Union Leader reported that about 26 tents were set up at the two encampments as of Sunday night. Sununu told the Union Leader that a commission would be “great,” but that he would want one that addressed all of the issues related to homelessness, like mental health, addiction, abuse and neglect and poverty.
Better food
After five weeks of receiving low-quality foods as part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm to Trunk program, the New Hampshire Food Bank now has a new supplier, according to WMUR. New Hampshire’s congressional delegation recently sent a letter to the USDA citing concerns about the product that was being supplied by Delaware-based Vincent Farms. The delegation requested an investigation, and while Food Bank Director Eileen Liponis told WMUR that she doesn’t know what will come of that, “word has gotten out that we were not happy, and this next distributor that has gotten the award is making sure they don’t get themselves in the same pickle,” she said.
SUD relief
More than 20 organizations across the state that provide services to people affected by substance use disorder have received CARES Act funding, awarded by Granite United Way, which was chosen by the Governor’s Office for Emergency Relief and Recovery to receive $750,000 in funding, according to a press release. Granite United Way worked with United Ways throughout the state to identify organizations that will use the funding for people with substance use disorder who are struggling even more during the pandemic. Funding will cover basic needs like food, clothing, transportation and housing. “This has been a great opportunity for all of our United Ways to work together and with our community partners to ensure this funding gets to those who need it the most,” Patrick Tufts, President and CEO of Granite United Way, said in the release. “This support will really help our organization continue to help people struggling with addiction,” said Steve Gadomski of Teen Challenge in Manchester, one of the organizations that received the funding. The funding will run through Dec. 30, according to the release.
Busy day
The state’s Attorney General’s Office, which supports and assists election officials, announced on Monday the results of its Election Day Operations, calling it a successful election that was “the result of extraordinary efforts of thousands of local election officials.” More than 100 attorneys, investigators and staff from the Attorney General’s Office, the Secretary of State’s Office and other state agencies covered 305 of New Hampshire’s 307 polling places, with each inspector completing a detailed checklist and working with local election officials to resolve any issues, according to a press release. More than 275 phone calls were made to the Attorney General’s Election Hotline, and “the majority of issues were resolved on Tuesday by working directly with local election officials.” Comparatively, 302 out of 309 polling places were inspected in the 2018 General Election and 185 unique calls were received. In the 2016 general election, only 76 percent of polling locations were inspected, according to the release.
The Ice Castles will return to North Woodstock this year, with ice slides, caves, crawl spaces and fountains as well as new features to promote safety, including a winter light walk and a sledding hill, according to a press release. Construction is scheduled to begin in late November with an opening date anticipated in early January.
The General Court of New Hampshire has created a new video tour that will allow students to virtually tour the Statehouse in Concord, according to a press release. The tour includes the historic Hall of Flags and the Executive Council Chamber and Legislative Chambers, as well as the Statehouse grounds. The link to the tour can be found at gencourt.state.nh.us/nh.
The Girl Scout Discovery Zone has opened at the Mall of New Hampshire in Manchester, offering free special activities each day that it is open (Thursdays through Sundays from 1 to 4 p.m.), plus a Girl Scout Scavenger Hunt and information about becoming a Girl Scout, according to a press release from The Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains.
On Oct. 21, Bridges in Nashua moved to a new location at 28 Concord St. According to a press release, the new building will allow Bridges to help more clients who are dealing with domestic or sexual violence.
