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Written by Patrick R. McElhiney

Category: Articles

Published: 31 March 2020

Concord, NH – The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has issued the following update for March 31, 2020, on the new coronavirus, COVID-19.

On Tuesday, March 31, 2020, DHHS announced 53 new positive test results for COVID-19. There have now been 367 cases of COVID-19 diagnosed in New Hampshire. The new cases are 31 adult females, 21 adult males, and 1 male under the age of 18 years. The new cases reside in Rockingham (21), Hillsborough County other than Manchester and Nashua (7), Strafford (6), Merrimack (5), Carroll (2), Cheshire (1), and Sullivan (1) counties, and in the cities of Manchester (5) and Nashua (5). Four of the new cases were hospitalized for their illness; thus far, 49 (13%) of the 367 positive cases have been hospitalized. Twenty-four of the new cases have no identified risk factors. Community-based transmission continues to increase in the State and has been identified in all counties with cases. Most of the remaining cases have either had travel to domestic or international locations or have had close contact with a person with a confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis.

New Hampshire 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Summary Report
(data updated March 31, 2020, 9:00 AM)

NH Persons with COVID-191	367
Recovered	56 (15%)
Deaths Attributed to COVID-19	3 (>1%)
Total Current COVID-19 Cases	308
Persons Who Have Been Hospitalized for COVID-19	49 (13%)
Persons Tested Negative at Selected Laboratories2	5,663
Persons with Specimens Submitted to NH PHL	3,293
Persons with Test Pending at NH PHL3	97
Persons Being Monitored in NH (approximate point in time)	1,250

1Includes specimens presumptive-positive at any laboratory and those confirmed by CDC confirmatory testing.
2Includes specimens tested at the NH Public Health Laboratories (PHL), LabCorp, Quest, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, and those sent to CDC prior to NH PHL testing capacity.

3Includes specimens received and awaiting testing at NH PHL. Does not include tests pending at commercial laboratories. 

NH DHHS Daily Update on COVID-19 Archive

For more information, please visit the DHHS COVID-19 webpage at https://www.nh.gov/covid19.

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Written by Patrick R. McElhiney

Category: Articles

Published: 31 March 2020

DURHAM, N.H.—Young adult parents (age 18-24) are disproportionately poor compared to both other young adults and older parents, and an estimated two-thirds of those who are poor receive the earned income tax credit (EITC), according to new research by the Carsey School of Public Policy at the University of New Hampshire. More than nine in 10 of them report participating in a safety net program.

“More than four in five young adult parents participate in at least one major safety net program,” said Jess Carson, research assistant professor with the Carsey School’s Vulnerable Families Research Program. “The most widely used of these programs, and the most effective at reducing poverty is the EITC. “Given the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on unemployment, the EITC may be affected.”

Carson noted that 10% of poor young adult parents work in retail-related industries and 16% are in key service industries. “These industries are hard hit by the pandemic and lost earnings will affect these parents’ credit values under the current EITC structure.”

Programs like the EITC are especially effective at reducing young-parent poverty. Carson estimates that under the Supplemental Poverty Measure, poverty for this group would increase by 6.7 percentage points without the EITC.

“Reliance on the EITC is near-universal among poor young adults and those dollars go far in protecting these families and their children,” she said. “Policymakers could protect these credits though, perhaps by allowing filers to report prior-year earnings, counting unemployment benefits as income or extending the credit to family caregivers even if they have no earned income.”

The Carsey School of Public Policy conducts research, leadership development, and engaged scholarship relevant to public policy. They address pressing challenges, striving for innovative, responsive, and equitable solutions at all levels of government and in the for-profit and nonprofit sectors.

The University of New Hampshire inspires innovation and transforms lives in our state, nation, and world. More than 16,000 students from all 50 states and 71 countries engage with an award-winning faculty in top-ranked programs in business, engineering, law, health and human services, liberal arts and the sciences across more than 200 programs of study. As one of the nation’s highest-performing research universities, UNH partners with NASA, NOAA, NSF and NIH, and receives more than $110 million in competitive external funding every year to further explore and define the frontiers of land, sea, and space.

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Written by Patrick R. McElhiney

Category: Articles

Published: 31 March 2020

Concord, NH – The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is now accepting applications from child care providers seeking designation as emergency child care programs during the COVID-19 pandemic. In partnership with the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation (NHCF) and child care stakeholders, DHHS has committed $4 million in federal funding to establish the Emergency Child Care Collaborative, a public-private partnership that will ensure a robust and effective system of emergency child care for New Hampshire parents providing essential services during COVID-19.

Child care programs will be eligible to apply for incentive payments, including funding to support pay differentials for staff, child care costs for child care professionals, and other operating costs to support an emergency child care system. The Emergency Child Care Collaborative will hold a webinar for providers on Tuesday, March 31, 2020, from 6 – 7 p.m. to answer provider questions.      

“We recognize that child care for essential workers is a vital part of the State’s response to COVID-19, and we are committed to supporting New Hampshire families during this public health crisis,” said DHHS Associate Commissioner Christine Tappan. “This additional funding from the federal Child Care Development Fund will put resources directly into the hands of our child care programs to support operations, staff, and parents.”

“New Hampshire Charitable Foundation looks forward to partnering with DHHS, DOE and early childhood stakeholders to support the state’s emergency child care system for essential workers,” said Christina Lachance, Director of Early Childhood and Family Initiatives for NHCF. “We know child care is critical to New Hampshire’s COVID 19 response efforts and we are grateful to child care professionals who are committed to serving children and families during this uncertain time.”

On March 26, Governor Chris Sununu issued Emergency Order #17, which mandated the closure of all non-essential businesses and required Granite Staters to stay at home until May 4, 2020. The order included a list of designated business sectors that provide essential services and support to COVID-19 and the core missions of the State.

To access the webinar or to submit an application, please visit Child Care Aware of NH.  For questions about the program, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. For more information on COVID-19, please visit www.nh.gov/covid19.

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Written by Patrick R. McElhiney

Category: Articles

Published: 30 March 2020

Concord, NH – The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has issued the following update for March 30, 2020, on the new coronavirus, COVID-19.

On Monday, March 30, 2020, DHHS announced 56 new positive test results for COVID-19. There have now been 314 cases of COVID-19 diagnosed in New Hampshire. The new cases are 35 adult females and 21 adult males. The new cases reside in Rockingham (16), Hillsborough County other than Manchester and Nashua (5), Strafford (5), Grafton (5), Merrimack (4), and Belknap (3) counties, and in the cities of Nashua (12) and Manchester (6).

Four of the new cases were hospitalized for their illness; thus far, 45 patients of the 314 positive cases (14%) have been hospitalized. Thirty-four of the new cases have no identified risk factors. Community-based transmission continues to increase in the State and has been identified in all counties with cases. Most of the remaining cases have either had travel to domestic or international locations or have had close contact with a person with a confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis.

DHHS also announced that new data sets are available. Effective immediately, the NH DHHS COVID-19 Updates will include a map of positive cases on a town-by-town level. In addition, new data sets featured on NH.gov/COVID19 website include age and gender breakdowns.

New Hampshire 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Summary Report
(data updated March 30, 2020, 9:00 AM)

NH Persons with COVID-191	314
Deaths Attributed to COVID-19	3 (1%)
Hospitalizations	45 (14%)
Persons Tested Negative at Selected Laboratories2	5,412
Persons with Specimens Submitted to NH PHL	3,171
Persons with Test Pending at NH PHL3	65
Persons Being Monitored in NH (approximate point in time)	1,100

1Includes specimens presumptive-positive at any laboratory and those confirmed by CDC confirmatory testing.
2Includes specimens tested at the NH Public Health Laboratories (PHL), LabCorp, Quest, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, and those sent to CDC prior to NH PHL testing capacity.

3Includes specimens received and awaiting testing at NH PHL. Does not include tests pending at commercial laboratories.

NH DHHS Daily Update on COVID-19 Archive

For more information, please visit the DHHS COVID-19 webpage at https://www.nh.gov/covid19.

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Written by Patrick R. McElhiney

Category: Articles

Published: 30 March 2020

Concord, NH – The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has issued the following update for March 29, 2020, on the new coronavirus, COVID-19.

On Sunday, March 29, 2020, DHHS announced 44 new positive test results for COVID-19. There have now been 258 cases of COVID-19 diagnosed in New Hampshire.

The new cases are 25 adult females and 19 adult males. The new cases reside in Rockingham (14), Strafford (5), Merrimack (4), Carroll (2), Grafton (2), Hillsborough other than Manchester and Nashua (1), Cheshire (1), and Sullivan (1) counties, and the cities of Nashua (7) and Manchester (7). Twenty-one of the new cases have no identified risk factors. Community-based transmission continues to increase in the State and has been identified in all of counties with cases. Most of the remaining cases have either had travel to domestic or international locations or have had close contact with a person with a confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis. Five of the new cases were hospitalized for their illness; thus far, 39 patients of the 258 positive cases (15%) have been hospitalized.

DHHS has also announced the third death related to COVID-19. The deceased was a female resident of Rockingham County who was over 60 years old with underlying health issues. We offer our sympathies to the family and friends of the deceased.

New Hampshire 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Summary Report
(data updated March 29, 2020, 9:00 AM)

NH Persons with COVID-191	258
Deaths Attributed to COVID-19	3 (1%)
Hospitalizations	39 (15%)
Persons Tested Negative at Selected Laboratories2	4,994
Persons with Specimens Submitted to NH PHL	3,103
Persons with Test Pending at NH PHL3	144
Persons Being Monitored in NH (approximate point in time)	1050

1Includes specimens presumptive-positive at any laboratory and those confirmed by CDC confirmatory testing.
2Includes specimens tested at the NH Public Health Laboratories (PHL), LabCorp, Quest, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, and those sent to CDC prior to NH PHL testing capacity.

3Includes specimens received and awaiting testing at NH PHL. Does not include tests pending at commercial laboratories.

NH DHHS Daily Update on COVID-19 Archive

For more information, please visit the DHHS COVID-19 webpage at https://www.nh.gov/covid19.

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Written by Matt Towne

Category: Articles

Published: 29 March 2020

To the citizens of Barrington,

I am writing this OpEd piece to inform you of a situation that has occurred with our local Select Board.  However, before I get into that, a brief review is necessary.

Prior to the deliberative session in February, three LOCAL groups, each on its own and on their own initiative, proposed three different warrant articles.  The subjects of these warrant articles are irrelevant.  The process involved getting at least 25 signatures to be placed on the March 10 town meeting ballot as “petitioned warrant articles”.  They were then presented to the town at the deliberative session and attendees were invited to comment.  This right to comment is also extended to the Select People.

This is one of the purest forms of democracy available to us as citizens.  It is a group of people who believe strongly in something and petition their fellow citizens for their support.  It rises or falls on its own merit as determined by the voters of the town – in this case, Barrington.

As it turned out, the articles did appear on the town meeting ballots and all three received a clear majority of votes.  That is the history of what I am about to discuss and why I am deeply concerned about the actions of our Select Board at the March 23, 2020, Select Board meeting.

All three articles contained language that directed the Select Board to take specific actions in the event that they were approved by the voters.  Now the rub.  At the meeting, in a 3-1-1 vote, the board voted to NOT comply with the warrant articles and NOT send them to the parties noted in the article.  They instead dished it off to the petitioners with caveats.  This is NOT what the warrant articles required.  It is important that this mechanism has long been established as a way to communicate with our state representatives both in Concord and Washington as well as our Governor.  It is giving power to your voice.

It is my view, as well as others involved, that the Board does NOT have this prerogative as the articles clearly stated that the Select Persons SHALL do the actions noted.

There are other factors such as a noncommunicative Town Administrator that did not answer multiple emails from multiple people about the status of these articles and thus the proponents were not available to speak to this issue at the meeting.  This vote was done in the last few minutes of the meeting with little or no discussion.  The LONE vote to comply with the articles was from Tracy Hardekopf.   Dan Ayers, as has been his past practice, abstained from any vote on the matter.  Andy Knapp, George Bailey and John Saccoccia all voted to ignore the wishes of the voters.

My alert to the townspeople is that this is what degrading our democracy looks like one bit at a time.  Evidently, for reasons of their own, they did not like the articles and refused to comply with a clear majority of citizens that they, in theory, report to.  This is an extremely slippery slope and I ask that you consider the ramifications. If a subject that you are passionate about comes up, you follow the rules and obtain a successful outcome would you want to have it thwarted by 4 select persons because “they don’t want to”.

If you have any questions, please let me know.  As always, I answer all my email and most phone calls.  My email is This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Please go to the Select Board website and register your concern.  We are now, due to our notice of contest, on the April 13^th agenda.

With Respect,

Matt Towne RN, CSP

Representative, Strafford County, District 4

 

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Written by Patrick R. McElhiney

Category: Articles

Published: 28 March 2020

Concord, NH – The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has issued the following update for March 28, 2020, on the new coronavirus, COVID-19. DHHS will continue to issue COVID-19 updates each day to provide media and the public with current information about the State’s efforts.

On Saturday, March 28, 2020, DHHS announced 27 new positive test results for COVID-19. There have now been 214 cases of COVID-19 diagnosed in New Hampshire. The new cases are 17 adult females, 9 adult males, and one male under the age of 18. The new cases reside in Rockingham (11), Hillsborough other than Manchester and Nashua (4), Merrimack (3), Grafton (2), and Strafford (1) counties, and the cities of Manchester (3) and Nashua (3). Eight of the new cases have no identified risk factors. Community-based transmission continues to increase in the State and has been identified in all of the counties with cases. Most of the remaining cases have either had travel to domestic or international locations or have had close contact with a person with a confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis. Three of the new cases were hospitalized for their illness; thus far, 33 patients of the 214 positive cases (15%) have been hospitalized.

New Hampshire 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Summary Report
(data updated March 28, 2020, 9:00 AM)

NH Persons with COVID-19 1	214
Deaths Attributed to COVID-19	2 (<1%)
Hospitalizations	33 (15%)
Persons Tested Negative at Selected Laboratories 2	4,524
Persons with Specimens Submitted to NH PHL	2,934
Persons with Test Pending at NH PHL 3	285
Persons Being Monitored in NH (approximate point in time)	925

1Includes specimens presumptive-positive at any laboratory and those confirmed by CDC confirmatory testing.
2Includes specimens tested at the NH Public Health Laboratories (PHL), LabCorp, Quest, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, and those sent to CDC prior to NH PHL testing capacity.

3Includes specimens received and awaiting testing at NH PHL. Does not include tests pending at commercial laboratories.

NH DHHS Daily Update on COVID-19 Archive

For more information, please visit the DHHS COVID-19 webpage at https://www.nh.gov/covid19.

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Written by Patrick R. McElhiney

Category: Articles

Published: 28 March 2020

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (“FEMA”) within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security is giving public notice of its intent to provide financial assistance to the State of New Hampshire, local governments, and certain private nonprofit organizations under the national emergency declaration issued by the President on March 13, 2020, as a result of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (“COVID-19”). FEMA is also giving public notice that, in some cases, it may provide financial assistance for activities that may affect historic properties, may be located in or affect wetland areas or the 100-year floodplain, and/or may involve critical actions within the 500-year floodplain.

I. Public Notice – National Emergency Declaration and Overview of Authorized Assistance

The President declared on March 13, 2020 that an emergency exists nationwide pursuant to the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, Pub. L. No. 93-288 (1974) (codified as amended at 42 U.S.C. § 5121 et seq.) (“Stafford Act”) as a result of COVID-19 beginning on January 20, 2020 and continuing. FEMA has administratively numbered the declaration for the State of New Hampshire as FEMA-3445-EM-NH. Under this declaration, FEMA will provide financial and/or direct assistance to the State of New Hampshire under Category B of the Public Assistance Program as authorized by Section 502 of the Stafford Act. Eligible emergency protective measures taken to respond to the COVID-19 emergency at the direction or guidance of public health officials may be reimbursed under Public Assistance Category B. State and local government entities and certain private nonprofit organizations throughout the entire State are eligible to apply for Public Assistance.

II. Public Notice – Assistance for Activities Located in or that Affect Wetlands Areas or Floodplains or that Affect Historic Properties

Some of the activities for which FEMA provides assistance under Public Assistance Category B may affect historic properties, may be located in or affect wetland areas or the 100-year floodplain, and/or may involve critical actions within the 500-year floodplain. In those cases, FEMA must comply with Executive Order 11988, Floodplain Management; Executive Order 11990, Protection of Wetlands; the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, 54 U.S.C. § 300101 et seq.) (“NHPA”); and the implementing regulations at 44 C.F.R. pt. 9 (Floodplain Management and Protection of Wetlands) and 36 C.F.R. pt. 800 (Protection of Historic Properties). The executive orders, NHPA, and/or regulations require FEMA to provide public notice for certain activities as part of approving the award of assistance for specific Public Assistance Category B projects.

A. Federal Actions in or Affecting Floodplains and Wetlands

Executive Orders 11988 and 11990 require that all federal actions (including federal awards of financial assistance) in or affecting the floodplain or wetlands be reviewed for alternatives to avoid adverse effects and incompatible developments in those areas. The regulations at 44 C.F.R. pt. 9 set forth the FEMA policy, procedure, and responsibilities for implementing the Executive Orders. Certain actions are totally excluded from being covered by 44 C.F.R. pt. 9, such as certain emergency protective measures necessary to save lives and protect property and public health.

For those actions not excluded from 44 C.F.R. pt. 9, FEMA will identify and evaluate practicable alternatives to carrying out a proposed action in the wetlands or floodplain and use social, economic, historical, environmental, legal, and safety factors when analyzing the practicability of the alternatives. Where there is no practicable alternative, FEMA will undertake a detailed review to determine what measures can be taken to minimize potential harm to lives and risk from flooding, the potential adverse impacts the action may have on others, and the potential adverse impact the action may have on floodplain and wetland values. The public is invited to participate in the process of identifying alternatives and analyzing their impacts. Other Public Assistance projects will undergo more detailed review, including an evaluation of practicable alternatives and FEMA may publish subsequent public notices regarding such projects as necessary as more information becomes available.

B. Federal Actions Affecting Historic Properties

Section 106 of the NHPA requires FEMA to consider the effects of its activities (known as “undertakings”) on any historic property and to afford the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation an opportunity to comment on such projects before the expenditure of any federal funds. A Public Assistance Category B project is an “undertaking” for the purposes of the NHPA and a historic property is any property that is included in, or eligible for inclusion in, the National Register of Historic Places. For historic properties that will not be adversely affected by FEMA’s undertaking, this will be the only public notice. It will also be the only public notice if the work is an immediate rescue and salvage operation to preserve life and property (36 C.F.R. § 800.12(d)) or falls within the list of programmatic allowances set forth in the Programmatic Agreement among FEMA, the New Hampshire State Historic Preservation Officer, and New Hampshire Homeland Security and Emergency Management. FEMA may, for other projects, provide additional public notices if a proposed FEMA undertaking would adversely affect a historic property.

III. Further Information or Comment

This will be the only public notice regarding the actions described above for which FEMA may provide assistance under the Public Assistance Program. Interested persons may obtain information about these actions or a specific project by writing to the following:

Federal Emergency Management Agency

Attn: Capt. W. Russell Webster (USCG Ret.), Federal Coordinating Officer

99 High Street

Boston, MA 02110

All comments concerning this public notice must be submitted in writing to FEMA within 15 days of its publication.

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Written by Patrick R. McElhiney

Category: Articles

Published: 28 March 2020

Concord, NH – The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has issued the following update for March 27, 2020, on the new coronavirus, COVID-19. DHHS will continue to issue COVID-19 updates each day to provide media and the public with current information about the State’s efforts.

On Friday, March 27, 2020, DHHS announced 29 new positive test results for COVID-19. There have now been 187 cases of COVID-19 diagnosed in New Hampshire. The new cases are 10 adult males and 19 adult females. The new cases reside in Rockingham (8), Merrimack (4), Strafford (4), Grafton (3), Hillsborough County other than Manchester and Nashua (3), Belknap (1), and Carroll (1) counties, and in the cities of Manchester (3) and Nashua (2). Sixteen of the new cases have no identified risk factors. Community-based transmission continues to increase in the State and has been identified in the majority of counties. The remaining cases have either had travel to domestic or international locations or have had close contact with a person with a confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis. Four of the new cases are currently hospitalized; thus far, 30 patients of the 187 positive cases (16%) have been hospitalized.

DHHS has also announced the second death related to COVID-19. The deceased was a male resident of Hillsborough County who was over 60 years old and had multiple underlying health issues. The State expresses our sympathies to the family and friends of the deceased. 

New Hampshire 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Summary Report
(data updated March 27, 2020, 9:00 AM)

NH Persons with COVID-191	187
Deaths Attributed to COVID-19	2 (<1%)
Hospitalizations	30 (16%)
Persons Tested Negative at Selected Laboratories2	3,656
Persons with Specimens Submitted to NH PHL	2,790
Persons with Test Pending at NH PHL3	296
Persons Being Monitored in NH (approximate point in time)	925

1Includes specimens presumptive-positive at any laboratory and those confirmed by CDC confirmatory testing.

2Includes specimens tested at the NH Public Health Laboratories (PHL), LabCorp, Quest, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, and those sent to CDC prior to NH PHL testing capacity.

3Includes specimens received and awaiting testing at NH PHL. Does not include tests pending at commercial laboratories.

NH DHHS Daily Update on COVID-19 Archive

For more information, please visit the DHHS COVID-19 webpage at https://www.nh.gov/covid19.

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Written by Patrick R. McElhiney

Category: Articles

Published: 27 March 2020

DURHAM, N.H.—In recognition of the unique challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, the University of New Hampshire has extended the enrollment and housing deadline for prospective students from May 1 to June 1, 2020.

“We know families across our state and country are discussing college futures,” said Pelema Ellis, vice provost of enrollment management at UNH. “The decision to come to UNH is about so much more than where you’ll spend the next four years. It’s a conversation with your loved ones on a number of priorities—from location to community, affordability to opportunities. While we cannot change today’s global realities, we can give you the time to make this decision with confidence.”

Because the university is unable to host in-person events on campus for admitted students  a variety of virtual experiences are being offered for admitted students and their parents.

·  Visual content including photo and video experiences 

·  Opportunities to learn more about UNH from academics to housing and dining, facilitated by campus representatives

·  Interactive options to connect with university staff and students, utilizing several easy-to-use and accessible technologies

·  Multiple offices facilitating Q&As with students and parents

Visit https://admissions.unh.edu/admitted-students/virtual to learn more.

The University of New Hampshire inspires innovation and transforms lives in our state, nation and world. More than 16,000 students from all 50 states and 71 countries engage with an award-winning faculty in top-ranked programs in business, engineering, law, health and human services, liberal arts and the sciences across more than 200 programs of study. As one of the nation’s highest-performing research universities, UNH partners with NASA, NOAA, NSF and NIH, and receives more than $110 million in competitive external funding every year to further explore and define the frontiers of land, sea and space.