Tag: 210902

Quality of Life 21/09/02

Free ride, finally

Manchester public high school students can now ride a school bus to school free of charge. According to a press release, last week the Manchester Board of School Committee voted to get rid of the $8.50-a-week fee that high school students had been charged to ride a school bus — New Hampshire state law does not require school districts to provide free transportation to high schoolers, though Manchester students have been able to ride city buses for free since 2019. “We saw a 15 percent increase in youth ridership on buses after allowing them to ride for free, and with this move, we’re ensuring cost is not a factor in a student’s ability to attend high school,” Mayor Joyce Craig said in the release.

Score: +1

Comment:The free rides could even save the district money. “By … no longer requiring drivers to punch bus tickets, we’re hoping to add additional stops to routes and reduce the total number of school buses on the roads,” Manchester Transit Authority Director Mike Whitten, who manages the district’s school buses, said in the release.

Learning to be leaders

Girls Inc. NH Young Women’s Leadership program recently wrapped up a summer of activities that helped teens develop leadership, problem solving and decision-making skills, according to a press release. The girls toured local businesses, like AutoFair, Cirtronics, Anheuser-Busch and more, and the camp culminated with a career fair and mock interviews. The girls also heard from speakers like John Broderick speaking about mental health, Chef Megan from Cactus Jack’s and Karen Borgstrom, who brought her therapy dog Kooper.

Score: +1

Comment: Meanwhile, QOL’s kids spent the summer watching TikTok videos. Kudos to this group of girls who made the most of their summer with this inspiring community-oriented program.

Free programs for teens

The Upper Room in Derry has two new programs for teens this fall who are looking to build self-awareness and a healthy mindset and lifestyle. According to a press release, Building Me is a four-week series that will offer four virtual lunchtime workshops to discuss simple steps to achieving a balanced lifestyle using self-care strategies. That’s happening Fridays, Sept. 3 through Sept. 24, from noon to 12:45 p.m. on Zoom. Building Your Recovery Capital is a three-week series that offers education and guidance on early recovery topics, like building resilience skills, happening on Zoom during the same timeframe, from Fridays, Oct. 8 through Oct. 22.

Score: +1

Comment: Both of these programs are free, so there’s no reason not to encourage the teens in your life to check them out at urteachers.org.

NH ranks high for student debt

Last week WalletHub released its report on 2021’s States with the Most and Least Student Debt, with New Hampshire coming in at No. 2 for the most student debt. According to a press release, data included average student debt to unemployment rate among the population aged 25 to 34 and share of students with past-due loan balances. New Hampshire ranked No. 1 for average student debt and for proportion of students with debt, and 27th for student debt as a percentage of income.

Score: -3, for being No. 1 and No. 2 in some expensive categories — like college debt, it adds up.

Comment: Meanwhile, AdvisorSmith released a similar study last week; using different metrics, it ranked New Hampshire 9th for the state with the most people who have student loans. Fourteen percent of the population has an outstanding federal student loan, according to a press release, and the average loan balance in New Hampshire is $34,353.

QOL score: 90
Net change: 0
QOL this week: 90

What’s affecting your Quality of Life here in New Hampshire? Let us know at news@hippopress.com.

That was the week that was

We have begun one of the most interesting months on the sports calendar. I love September because it’s where the rubber hits the road in baseball and football begins.

It finally gives baseball the sense of urgency it mostly lacks during five interminable months of non-drama game after game. While each game played has the exact same value, wins and losses in September seem so much bigger — an irony for a game that brags it’s best because it has no clock. But it’s actually made much better as sand slips through the hourglass over the final 30 days. That ratchets up the tension and reduces the room for error to make baseball’s final month better than any other sport because they play almost every day.

The opening week of the NFL is exactly opposite of baseball, because with so few games a loss really matters, instead of just being one of 162. So the pennant race starts immediately. And while we pretty much already know who’ll be in the college football Final 4 — Alabama, Ohio State, Georgia and Clemson — it offers a pageantry and excitement unmatched in other sports. Plus it gets major points for having marching bands at halftime instead of the “entertainment” shows pro sports are so married to. And with local lads Chip Kelly, Ryan (make my) Day and Dan Mullen head coaching UCLA, Ohio State and Florida respectively, there are many local rooting interests as well.

So that’s what lies ahead starting in the year’s ninth month, which, as you can probably tell, I’m jacked and pumped for! These were some of the big stories as we entered September.

Sox are in the hunt, but… The Red Sox enter the final month running on fumes as they’re not just losing to the good teams, they’re losing to the bad teams, and even when they win it’s been scary. Like winning by just a run over the 55-71 Twins on Wednesday when they yanked closer Matt Barnes four hitters into the 9th inning after blowing a 9-4 lead. The biggest reasons are (1) maybe he had to because the starters were so bad, but Alex Cora has blown out the bullpen, (2) they needed two “good” arms for the pen and Chaim Bloom got them two flamethrowers instead, (3) the big boys aren’t hitting consistently, (4) they’re terrible defensively and make dumb mistakes. Not sure how they’ll turn that around in the next 30 days.   

Sailing along: coverage: The lone piece of good news the Red Sox got in August was Chris Sale blasting out of the blocks to win his first three starts with a 2.35 ERA. That was most encouraging. And as someone who absolutely hates when a pitcher in the pitch count era wastes a pitch trying to get someone to swing at a bad pitch on an 0-2 count, you know I loved seeing him strike out three Twins on nine pitches in the third inning on Thursday. It made him and the great Sandy Koufax the only pitchers to do that three times in their career.  

Cam gets axed: Well, I didn’t see that coming. But whether sooner than later, it was inevitable that Mac Jones would eventually be the starter. Guess Coach B overcame concerns outlined by Greg Bedard in the Boston Sports Journal about the under-developed physically developed Jones could last the rigors of a 17game NFL season. Similar concerns were why Tom Brady red shirted his rookie year as the fourth QB because they knew he needed a year under an NFL training program to get stronger and sturdier. But in the end, Cam Newton’s refusal to get vaccinated and Jones outplaying him in the preseason were viewed as the more important factors. I’ll have more on this in next week’s season preview.  

Sony forecast in L.A.: Given that J. J. Taylor and Rhamondre Stevenson have demonstrated far more explosive speed and power on short yardage and plays around the goal line, the combination offers more utility than the departed Sony Michel. But, given their intent to ground and pound, I’m not sure that was the smartest move of the pre-season. The banging style of lead back Damian Harris has forced him to miss 16 games in his first two seasons and that could put their depth to a test. Yes, Brandon Bolden is a special team ace, but with him having been with Miami in 2019 and taken a Covid pass last year, they’ve survived without him for two of the last three years. So, if they are searching for help at RB due to injuries in November, tell me then whether getting picks in rounds 5 and 6 for Michel was worth it.   

Jackie Mac hangs it up:Pioneering female sports writer and one-time UNH hoopster Jackie MacMullen hung up her ESPN notepad the other day. She was a trailblazer in the once male-dominated profession who became one of the most respected voices around the NBA. She earned my respect for two observations she made soon after she began covering the Celtics for the Boston Globe. I’m a skeptic by nature and doubly so because she was a “girl” then, so I thought saying Larry Bird shouldn’t be playing hurt with his back problems was too dainty for me. She also kept talking about how good this guy Xavier McDaniel of the Seattle Supersonics was, and I didn’t think he was that good. But it just took a few games after he joined the Celtics following Bird’s retirement for me to say, “I like this guy — he’s tough and a leader.” So Jackie was right about X, and since Bird was forced to retire early because of his back issues, she was right about that too. Both observations earned my respect from then on. So congrats on a job well done, and happy retirement.

Fresh pair of eyes

Meet NHAA gallery manager Amanda Kidd Schall

The New Hampshire Art Association welcomes a new gallery manager, Amanda Kidd Schall, to oversee its galleries and exhibitions, membership, artist resources and other operations throughout the state. In addition to its main gallery in Portsmouth, NHAA manages gallery spaces in Concord and Manchester. At the Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce Visitors Center (49 S. Main St., Suite 104, Concord), there’s an exhibit called “Around New Hampshire,” featuring work by Elaine Farmer, on view now through Sept. 16. Creative Framing Solutions (89 Hanover St., Manchester) features different NHAA artists each month. The artists for September are Ellen Marlatt, Eileen Belanger and Elizabeth Craumer. Meet them at an artist reception on Friday, Sept. 10, from 5 to 8 p.m.

What is your background in the arts?

I’m an artist myself. … I went to Clark University, where I studied studio art. I lived in Worcester [Mass.] for a long time … and have exhibited my work at the Worcester Art Museum, the Fitchburg Art Museum and in Boston and other areas. … I taught printmaking at Clark University, and I was a professional framer. … I also served on the Worcester Arts Council.

What kind of art do you do on your own time?

I do a lot of different mediums, mostly printmaking, but I’m always exploring new mediums and trying out new techniques for making art. Recently, I’ve gotten into photography. I also do sculpture and mixed media. … I like to explore themes [like] women, the environment, sexuality, and I like to reference art history, as well as flora and fauna, in my work.

What does the gallery manager do?

It’s an all-encompassing job. I’m in charge of running the main gallery in downtown Portsmouth, so I spend a lot of time physically in the gallery, taking care of art sales and customer interactions. The bigger-picture aspect of the job is doing a lot of visioning for what we want the NHAA to look like, not just this year, but two, three, four, five years down the road. It’s a lot of laying down the foundation for things like how we [operate] memberships and how we can attract donors. I’m always thinking about how we can support our artists by going after more opportunities and resources to offer them. [That includes] finding new exhibition spaces around the state; finding educational resources and people to come teach the artists; elevating their business skills; and exposing them to new techniques and perspectives in art making.

Why did you feel like this position was a good fit for you?

I’ve been approaching art from lots of different angles. … I have the experience of being an artist myself … and of teaching art … and of being involved with art on a government level and in nonprofit organizations, so I’m able to bring all of that to the position. … I’ve always loved working with artists; as a framer I was working with artists on a daily basis on presentation and how to make their artwork ready to be hung in an exhibition. … Framing often turned into design sessions and exhibition planning … and I always loved that aspect of the job.

What do you bring to the NHAA?

I think I bring a lot of fresh ideas and a fresh approach. … Over the last 10 years, Worcester has transformed from a struggling city that didn’t really appreciate the arts, to being a hub in central Massachusetts for the arts, so I’ve seen what revitalizing an arts organization … and [forming] partnerships with other community organizations can do. I’m excited to bring my experience with those successes to the NHAA.

What do you hope to accomplish as gallery manager?

The New Hampshire Art Association has been around for over 80 years; we have an aging membership … and have been really struggling to build capacity and expand programming. … I really want to honor the artist members that we already have and the traditions that have been established that make the New Hampshire Art Association what it is, but I also want to think about ways to expand our membership and make it easier for more people to participate. … That’s why I’m looking to launch an online open member jurying program in January that would allow people to submit their artwork online rather than have to commute from all over the state to bring their artwork to the gallery in person. … I want to connect with some newer organizations with different memberships and different types of art so that we can create a really vibrant arts community. … I’d also like to showcase different mediums that have not been highlighted much at the NHAA and allow for contemporary artists to have more of a presence in the gallery.

Featured photo: Amanda Kidd Schall. Courtesy photo.

News & Notes 21/09/02

Covid-19 update As of August 23 As of August 30
Total cases statewide 105,302 107,474
Total current infections statewide 2,324 2,927
Total deaths statewide 1,402 1,416
New cases 1,840 (Aug. 17 to Aug. 23) 2,172 (Aug. 24 to Aug. 30)
Current infections: Hillsborough County 635 780
Current infections: Merrimack County 185 246
Current infections: Rockingham County 483 680
Information from the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services

Covid-19 news

State health officials announced 213 new positive cases of Covid-19 in New Hampshire on Aug. 30. The state averaged 336 new cases per day over the most recent seven-day period, an increase of 26 percent over those from the previous week. As of Aug. 30, there were 2,927 active infections statewide and 119 current hospitalizations due to the virus. All 10 counties in the state remain at substantial levels of community transmission.

On Aug. 30, Gov. Chris Sununu, along with several other state officials and a few hospital CEOs, traveled to Kentucky for an “on-the-ground perspective on lessons learned and best practices” in one of the hardest-hit states in the country by the pandemic. According to a press release, the group met with health care officials at Frankfort Regional Medical Center and the University of Louisville’s Hospital, while Sununu also met with Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear to hear about how the state is handling its most recent Covid surge.

PUA lawsuit

Last week a lawsuit was filed against Gov. Chris Sununu’s administration for prematurely cutting off federal unemployment benefits available under the CARES Act, according to a press release. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of four plaintiffs in the Hillsborough County South Superior Court and seeks a declaratory ruling and injunctive relief to reinstate the benefits. New Hampshire is the 15th state to file a lawsuit against a Republican governor for prematurely ending Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, the release said, and in four of those states plaintiffs have been reinstated with their federally guaranteed assistance and have been granted back-pay by the courts. The Pandemic Unemployment Assistance covers workers who are not eligible for regular unemployment insurance benefits, such as self-employed people, independent contractors and gig workers. The four plaintiffs are Cassandra Caron of Manchester, Brandon Dean of Dover, Alison Petrowski of Manchester, and Aaron Shelton of Merrimack, according to the release, and they are being represented by Mike Perez of Perez Legal. “Pandemic Unemployment Assistance was created to help people with careers and businesses that were interrupted because of the pandemic, and who otherwise would not be eligible for the typical unemployment benefits,” Perez said in the release. “Neither state nor federal law gives New Hampshire Employment Security the authority to abandon PUA before it expires. … We did ask New Hampshire Employment Security to reinstate PUA before filing suit, but we have not heard back from them in response to that request.”

Law enforcement laws

Last week, Gov. Chris Sununu signed three reforms that arose from the New Hampshire Commission on Law Enforcement Accountability, Community, and Transparency: HB 471, relative to police disciplinary hearings and authorizing the Department of Justice to maintain an exculpatory evidence schedule; HB 530, relative to candidate background checks for law enforcement officers; and SB 96, relative to establishing a body-worn and in-car camera fund, amending juvenile delinquency proceedings and transfers to superior court, and establishing committees to study the role and scope of authority of school resource officers and the collection of race and ethnicity data on state identification cards, according to a press release. Regarding the latter, Senate Judiciary Committee members Sen. Becky Whitley (D-Hopkinton) and Sen. Jay Kahn (D-Keene) issued the following statement: “It is unfortunate that Senate Republicans drastically narrowed the scope of this legislation, removing key elements such as data collection and mandatory judicial trainings regarding implicit bias and racial profiling, two key recommendations from the LEACT Commission.”

Energy bills

Last week Sununu also signed HB 315, which raises the net metering cap for local renewable energy projects including hydro and solar, and SB 91, adopting omnibus legislation on renewable energy and utilities, according to a press release. “We now have the opportunity to take control of our local energy future,” Kelly Buchanan, Director of Regulatory Affairs for Clean Energy NH, said in the release. “HB315 is a common-sense piece of legislation that opens the door to expanding clean energy development, new investments, and new jobs.” Clean Energy NH worked with municipal members and partners to support this legislation, which the group said will keep energy dollars local, lower rates for residents, businesses and the public sector, and keep New Hampshire competitive in the expanding clean energy economy, according to the release.

Concord has been recognized as a Bronze NH Veteran-Friendly Business — the first municipality in the state to receive this designation, according to a press release. The NH Veteran-Friendly Business Recognition Program highlights businesses that value contributions of service members, veterans and their families; support military and veteran families by identifying veteran-friendly businesses; and help match veterans with positions in New Hampshire businesses, the release said.

Makers are still welcome to apply to take part in the annual NH Maker Fest, which is happening Saturday, Sept. 18, at the Children’s Museum of New Hampshire in Dover. According to a press release, the day-long festival invites all ages to explore the creativity and ingenuity of area makers, hobbyists, artisans, performers and more. Interested makers have the option of participating virtually through pre-recorded videos, online workshops, blogs and more, the release said.

The Manchester School District held an opening ceremony for the renovated stadium at Memorial High School Aug. 27. According to a press release, all Memorial athletics teams were in uniform and on the field for the ribbon-cutting, which was followed by a boys soccer game.

Latitude Learning Resources, a nonprofit that offers learning options for homeschoolers and after-school activities for all students, has opened in Derry with individual classes like home-school gym, grammar and math foundations for elementary-aged kids and Spanish, art, economics, philosophy, New Hampshire history and computer programming for older students, according to a press release. There are also cooperative learning options like Lego engineering, yoga, geography, dance, civics, politics, Shakespeare, creative writing and immersive history, and after-school activities like theater, Quest Scouting and a tween girl club, the release said.

Ceremony

Our first three kids went off to college pre-pandemic, so my husband and I were pretty well practiced in that transition. But No. 4’s drop-off in 2020 was like no other. First stop was a huge tent where students had Covid nose swabs. Next we drove to a parking lot behind her dorm. Per emailed instructions, she unloaded her gear at precisely 2:30 p.m. and hauled it up to her third-floor room. By herself. In contrast, I remember fluffing the comforter on my firstborn’s dorm bed. Luckily, the email had warned her to bring only what she could carry, in case the college had to shut down. Still wearing her mask, my sweet youngest waved to me from her window.

That’s it. I drove away.

Whatever my daughter was experiencing, for me one of the biggest contrasts to her brothers’ drop-offs was the lack of ceremony. By that I mean everything from quirky customs introducing students to school culture to formal events with inspiring speeches. These practices eased the 18-year-olds into college and the parents out of micromanagement. At one school, cheering upperclassmen sporting logo garb lined the drive onto campus. At another, we were invited to attend a mass — followed by cocktails. Long ago at my own university, the “Freshman Assembly” included faculty in academic robes and the glee club. (Watch The Chair on Netflix.)

Historically, colleges and universities have been particularly partial to formal celebrations but ceremony is important in many spheres. Ceremony is how society marks transitions and gives meaning to life. Think baptisms, first day of school, bar and bat mitzvahs, graduations, weddings, anniversaries, retirements, funerals. So many of these events had to be put off during the pandemic. Some were rescheduled. Others were reshaped, still marking an occasion but perhaps not serving the original purpose. Our high school seniors instituted a car parade that has become fun for young families and empty-nesters to watch. But a memorial service months after a loved one’s death doesn’t help start the grieving process. Grief doesn’t wait. Nor does business. No matter how long or how much an employee has contributed to an organization, a goodbye party really has to take place when the separation occurs. Those who remain get back to work.

Despite the delta variant, this fall, with all its back-to-school optimism, is a good time to acknowledge some of the transitions that went unmarked last year. Did a colleague, teacher or coach retire without fanfare? Did a new generation become the oldest in their family? What about our 20-somethings, forging their way as adults in this confusing, divided time? I think they deserve recognition. We need a Forward-in-Life ceremony.

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