Tag: 230907

Quality of Life 23/09/07

Harvest season

Gov. Chris Sununu and the New Hampshire Executive Council were slated to host a food drive in support of the New Hampshire Food Bank during their Sept. 6 Governor and Executive Council meeting, held at the Food Bank’s Manchester headquarters, according to a press release. Coinciding with the meeting, Gov. Sununu declared September as Hunger Action Month in New Hampshire. Those who attended were encouraged to bring food donations. It is estimated that 7 percent of New Hampshire residents, including 8.5 percent of children, face food insecurity.

QOL score: +1

Comment: The New Hampshire Food Bank, a branch of Catholic Charities New Hampshire, distributed more than 16 million pounds of food in 2022 through various agencies.

PFAS all over

Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics, a Paris-based company operating in Merrimack, has announced the closure of its plant following contamination issues involving a chemical group named PFAS, according to the AP. The company identified that it was exceeding state air limits for these “forever chemicals.” The state discovered a significant contamination of water properties from the Merrimack plant, causing Saint-Gobain to supply bottled water and alternative water sources to affected areas. The closure affects 164 workers, with the company pledging support for employee transitions.

QOL score: -3

Comment: PFAS chemicals, dubbed “forever chemicals,” are notoriously challenging to remove from water and have links to various health concerns, including kidney cancer and low birthweight, according to the article.

Bigger bill

Liberty Utilities is in the process of proposing a gas rate hike for its heating customers, which, if approved, would result in an annual increase of approximately $220 to the average customer’s bill, according to NHPR. This move is part of the company’s periodic “rate case” review, which assesses delivery charges distinct from the actual gas supply cost. While this review continues, Liberty also suggests a temporary $100 yearly increase for the average consumer. The company justifies these hikes by noting its $179 million investment in its distribution system since the last major rate adjustments. The New Hampshire Department of Energy is currently examining the proposal, with initial meetings and hearings scheduled for late September.

QOL score: -2

Comment: The state’s consumer advocate, Don Kreis, has expressed skepticism regarding the investment figures provided by Liberty Utilities, emphasizing that the 10.35 percent return on equity requested by the company might be excessive considering the low-risk nature of the utility industry, according to the article.

QOL score: 89
Net change: -4
QOL this week: 85

What’s affecting your Quality of Life here in New Hampshire?
Let us know at [email protected].

Featured photo: “Young Eagles” program gives kids airplane rides. Courtesy photo.

NFL blasts off

The Big Story: Football is back, and just in time, with the Red Sox season on life support after the Sox were swept at home by the Astros last week.
It starts Thursday, Sept. 7, when the Chiefs and upstart Lions square off in Kansas City before the Pats face (gulp) the great O and D-lines of Philly in Foxboro on Sunday.

Football 101: Who has run for the most 100-yard games in NFL history?

Thumbs Up – Gil Brandt: The legendary player evaluation Dallas Cowboys guru passed away last week at 91. RIP.

News Item – Sox’ Demise: In winning 16 of 21 the Sox were rolling as July was coming to a close. And with 10 games ahead vs. bad teams and all but three of the rest of them head-to-head match-ups with direct wild card race contenders the August schedule offered a great chance to solidify a grip on a playoff spot. But that slipped away as they went 6-4 vs. bottom-dwelling Washington, KC and Detroit and 2-8 vs. Toronto and Houston to enter September six and a half games back for the final wild card spot.

News Item – Patriots Get Underway: It’s not like the olden days when there were 12 automatic wins when the schedule came out and said “see you come playoff time.” Instead, with Aaron Rodgers now a J-E-T-S, Jet, Jet, Jet and them having the most dismal pre-season in memory, most are picking the Pats to finish last in the AFC East for the first time since Year 1 of the Belichick administration in 2000. 2023 starts with people wondering the following: (1) how the Mac Jones redemption tour will go; (2) can he survive behind a (so far) porous O-line? (3) is the D as good as most think it will be? and (4) can Bill coach them up to be better than the sum of their parts appears to be?

News Item – Predictions For Top 5 Super Bowl Favorites:
(1) Chiefs – With the game’s best player and KC now the place veterans want to go to win, they’re what the Patriots used to be.
(2) Bills – Josh Allen wins games on his own, he and Stefon Diggs are a dynamic combination and the coach is really good.
(3) Eagles – I love their offensive and defensive lines and the outside receiving speed is dangerous.
(4) Bengals – Joe Burrow to Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins keeps them in every game.
(5) 49ers – the QB situation may seem goofy, but the D gave up the fewest points in the NFL last year and may do it again.

Random Thoughts:

I know — how could anyone say this about a show on a Rupert Murdoch-owned channel (FS1) and run by honest Skip Bayless. But who wants to bet the walk-off-the-set move by replacement Undisputed co-hosts Keyshawn Johnson and Michael Irvin during an argument with other new co-host Richard Sherman that playing cornerback was harder than wide receiver was staged to build phony drama?
Even with the United Auto Workers threatening to strike if they don’t get a 46 percent pay increase and 32-hour work week, that isn’t the week’s craziest labor story. It’s disgruntled KC DE Chris Jones holding out to have his mammoth $19.5 million salary raised to a ridiculous $30 million.

A Little History – Gil Brandt’s Impact: Along with Tom Landry and GM Tex Schramm, Brandt helped build the Cowboys from an expansion franchise in 1960 into a perennial Super Bowl contender for 25 years until doofus owner Jerry Jones fired them after buying the team in 1988. During that time Brant developed two now standard player evaluation practices. He began evaluating players based on speed, strength and jumping skills over simply the position they played in college, because he (correctly) believed they could find a position for stronger, faster athletes — which is what the newfangled scouting combine is about. He also pioneered using computers to locate, track and compare players no matter what level they played on, which led to drafting athletic marvels like Bullet Bob Hayes, Too Tall Jones and Hollywood Henderson from obscure Black colleges few considered then. It led to two SB titles, three more times in the big game and making the playoffs 18 times in 20 years between 1966 and 1985.

Football 101 Answer: With 78 Emmitt Smith is the record-holder for most 100-yard rushing games, followed by Walter Payton and Barry Sanders with 77 and 76.

Final Thought: So much for the vaunted 2020 QB draft class. It was supposed to rival the John Elway, Dan Marino-led five-QB 1983 group. But with the Jets and 49ers already dumping second and third overall picks Zach Wilson and Trey Lance (after giving up three first-round picks to get him), Justin Fields (11th) nearing that fate and 15th pick Mac Jones seriously under the microscope, only top pick Trevor Lawrence looks like a certainty. Think about that next time draft “experts” proclaim this guy is a lock.

Email Dave Long at [email protected].

Tough apple year

Concord grower discusses this year’s harvest

Diane Souther of Apple Hill Farm in Concord provides insight into a frost’s devastating impact on their apple harvest this year.

Can you describe what exactly happened this year with the harvest and how that affected you?

On the night of May 19, we were bracing for the predicted cold spell. We have measures in place to safeguard our crops, like our wind machine and [techniques such as] irrigating the strawberries. Around 11 p.m., Chuck went out to monitor the temperatures. It’s common for the coldest part of these frosty nights to be around 5 or 6 in the morning, but this time, temperatures dropped significantly earlier, starting around 11:30 p.m. and remaining low until the next morning. … [The apples] were past the sensitive blossom stage and had already started forming on the trees, some even bigger than pea size, so we thought they’d be alright. But as the day warmed, the apples just started dropping. They had been frozen solid. There was about three weeks when we just didn’t talk about it. We were hoping that some would just stay on the tree and still survive, but they weren’t. The very few apples that did survive had visible frost rings, a scar-like mark around them. The blueberries, the raspberries, the corn — they all pulled through. But it was just too cold for the apples.

What have you heard from other farms around the state?

The cold spell affected a stretch right down the Merrimack Valley. But the impact varied based on factors like elevation. Seacoast growers, for example, were a bit shielded due to the tempering effect of the ocean. For us, the cold seemed to roll right off Mount Washington and sweep down the river valley, and the orchards in its path felt it the most. However, farms like Carter Hill, which is slightly higher in elevation than ours, experienced slightly warmer conditions — maybe by a degree or two. Even so, they too had challenges to address as the season progressed. What’s the plan moving forward?
Where do we go from here? Luckily, we’ve been in the apple business for a number of years, and we have lots of good friends. … We’ve made calls to them, and they’ve got apples that they’re sharing with us. We’re able to purchase apples from them so we’ll have apples in the farmstand. And we’re trying to keep positive; our vegetable crops are doing great. We grow more than one thing here at Apple Hill: Our corn is coming in, tomatoes are coming in, cucumbers, beans, all of that stuff.

Have you ever had to do that before? Source products from other farms?

Not to this extent, no. We’ve always supplemented a bit. We go back and forth: if we had a good year and had lots of Honeycrisps, some of these farms that we’re purchasing from this year are ones we used to sell apples to. This year, we’re buying apples from them. It’s a great support system, the fellowship of the farmers here in New Hampshire, and even extending to New England. They’re a fantastic group of people. When one is struggling, the others will step up and assist as much as they can. With the “pick your own” option affected [Apple Hill will not offer pick-your-own apples, according to its website] this year, do you have alternative experiences for visitors at the farm?
Absolutely. We have a few hiking trails. We feature pollination plots, which are fascinating to wander through as different flowers bloom and attract various pollinators as the season shifts. We’re anticipating the arrival of fall raspberries, though I can’t provide an exact date. It depends on having about 10 days of sunlight. Our grapes are another attraction; while the initial batch was affected by the frost, the second blooming — often referred to as a secondary set of fruits — managed to thrive.

How have your customers responded to the situation?

It took us a while to address it … but we announced it on our website. The overwhelming support from our customers has truly uplifted our spirits. Many expressed their sympathy as if we’d lost a family member when they heard about our apple loss. They’ve been supporting us by buying our other products. The community has been great.

Diane and Chuck Souther of Apple Hill Farm. Courtesy photo.

News & Notes 23/09/07

Be prepared

During National Preparedness Month this September, the New Hampshire Department of Safety Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (HSEM) will focus on the theme “Take Control in 1, 2, 3,” emphasizing the preparation of older adults for disasters. According to a press release, the Division is encouraging families to update their emergency plans and kits and sign up for community alerts. As part of the initiative, HSEM will host three online sessions, on Wednesday, Sept. 6, from noon to 1 p.m.; Tuesday, Sept. 12, from 9 to 10 a.m., and Thursday, Sept. 28, from 3 to 4 p.m., detailing emergency preparedness steps. Registration is required for these sessions. For more information, the public can visit readynh.gov and follow updates on the HSEM’s social media channels. Coach on the move
The Concord Group Insurance Companies and the Abbot-Downing Historical Society relocated the historic Concord Coach #80 on Aug. 24 from its former headquarters in Concord, according to a press release. The 170-year-old stagecoach, previously owned by Henry Ford, will be stored while it awaits the opening of the Abbot-Downing Historical Society’s upcoming museum, where it will be displayed.

Drug use prevention

U.S. Sens. Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan, along with Reps. Annie Kuster and Chris Pappas, have announced a federal grant of $750,000 from the Drug-Free Communities (DFC) Support Program for youth substance use prevention in Portsmouth and Souhegan Valley. According to a press release, the Greater Portsmouth Youth Wellness Coalition will receive $625,000 over five years, while the Community Action for Safe Teens, a part of the Boys & Girls Club of Souhegan Valley, will get $125,000. The funds aim to bolster community efforts to prevent youth substance use, with a focus on education, parental involvement and outreach.

Help the trails

Volunteers are needed for trail repair and maintenance in Greenfield. According to a press release, the Appalachian Mountain Club is organizing a work day for these trails, which are the largest accessible mountain-based system in the country and span 1,200 acres. The trails will be closed to the public during this work day, which is set for Saturday, Sept. 16, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Volunteers can work for half-day or full-day shifts and don’t have to be club members. Volunteer slots are limited due to safety and limited parking, and advance registration is mandatory. Tools and snacks will be provided. Visit cmf.org.

New hire

The YMCA of Greater Nashua has appointed Kelli Wholey as its new Director of Major Gifts and Planned Giving. According to a press release, Wholey, from Nashua, previously operated Lumina Portraits and taught marketing at Alvirne High School. She co-founded the Nashua Chapter of the Women’s Business League and holds degrees from Southern New Hampshire University and the University of New Hampshire. In her new position, she will lead development efforts encompassing annual gifts, major gifts and planned gifts, and will collaborate with staff and volunteers on various fundraising initiatives.

Young adult health

Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center (DHMC) has introduced a new telehealth program, Teaching Health Resilience in IBD Through Virtual Engagement (THRIVE), aimed at supporting young adults aged 18 to 26 living with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) during their transitional years, such as entering college or moving out of their parents’ homes. Designed to meet the unique challenges of this age group, THRIVE offers multi-disciplinary telehealth sessions, covering areas from medical to psychological needs, according to a press release. The initiative is funded by the Susan & Richard Levy Health Care Delivery Incubator, promoting innovative health care solutions. The program’s holistic approach tackles various aspects of patient care, such as stress, body image issues and medication management and can function as a primary care source or in conjunction with existing gastroenterology care teams. Visit go.d-h.org/ibd-thrive.

Taking Off Pounds Sensibly (TOPS), the country’s first nonprofit weight-loss support group, celebrates its 75th anniversary this year. To commemorate this milestone, NH TOPS is hosting a 5K Walk/Run into Weight Loss and Health on Oct. 22 at Memorial Field in Concord. According to a press release, the event, open to all, emphasizes the importance of weight management. New Hampshire has eight TOPS chapters, but new ones can be initiated with a small group. Those interested in joining or learning more can contact Deb Heath at [email protected] or 851-1439.

Bianca Garcia has been appointed the new executive director of Manchester Community Music School. According to a press release, Garcia, a Curtis Institute of Music alumna and Fulbright Scholar, has an extensive musical background that spans international tours and collaborations with renowned musicians. She also has professional experience with the Oracle Corp. and has served on committees at the New Hampshire Statehouse. Garcia aims to expand the Music School’s reach within New Hampshire and beyond, the release said.

The New Hampshire Gay Men’s Chorus (NHGMC) has selected Sophia Desilets, valedictorian of Merrimack High School Class of 2023, as its 2023 scholarship winner. According to a press release, Desilets is set to attend the Boston Conservatory at Berklee College of Music this fall to pursue a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theater. She has participated in more than 20 productions at the Palace Theatre, including roles in Chicago and Mary Poppins, and has volunteered at the Palace and at Amherst Street Elementary School in Nashua.

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