Around Town
July 28 through August 2 is Census PUSH Week in the Northeast
Manchester will be competing with other cities with more that 100,000 inhabitants including Lowell, MA, Hartford, CT, and Buffalo, NY. READ MORE
Articles by Kathy Staub
Business
Raise the minimum wage: NH workers are tired of getting left behind
New Hampshire has been without a minimum wage statute since 2011 and defaults to the federal minimum wage. If Governor Sununu fails to sign the bill, New Hampshire will find itself falling even farther behind our neighboring New England states. As of January 1, 2021, the minimum wage in Connecticut will be $12, in Vermont $11.75, in Massachusetts $13.50, in Rhode Island $11.50, in Maine $12 plus a CPI increase, and in New Hampshire a pitiful $7.25. READ MORE
Around Town
City mural artists painting the town beautiful
The mural is one of half a dozen works commissioned by the Neighborworks Center City neighborhood group. Erica Brooks of Neighborworks reached out to Dittbenner based on the work she had done on a mural on the Rex Theater. READ MORE
Around Town
Fresh Start Farms: Rising to the challenges of growing a community around agriculture
Enabling New Americans to start and run their own small businesses as farmers is only one part of the mission of Fresh Start Farms. The organization is also committed to ensuring that people in low-income communities have access to affordable, nutritious, locally-grown food. READ MORE
Education
Memorial High School graduation A to Z
This was not a typical high school graduation, but it might not have happened at all. In March Manchester schools were closed because of the COVID crisis. As the spring wore on it became clear that Senior year rights of passage like Prom and Class Day would be cancelled. It was only six days earlier that the Board of School Committee was able to approve plans for the graduation ceremony. READ MORE
Around Town
Down for the Count: Census is mandated by the U.S. Constitution – here’s why it matters
Bill Maddocks, a consultant to the New Hampshire Funders Forum, works with Complete Count Committees across the state. The stakes are high, because federal funding for Community Development Block Grants, healthcare, schools, and transportation will all be based on the census count. Maddox estimates that for each person we miss, the state will lose about $37,000 over the next decade for each uncounted person. READ MORE
Business
‘Fresh Start’ for refugee farmers: Downtown building transformed into neighborhood produce hub
The new Hub will also serve as a staging program for the mobile market and the Consumer Supported Agriculture (CSA) programs. Individuals purchase shares in the CSA and receive a box of fresh produce every week during the season. Fresh Start offers home delivery or members will be able to pick up their share at the Hub. READ MORE
Around Town
Gardening in the time of coronavirus
With the arrival of Spring and lots of folks looking for something to do, it is not surprising that some people are considering starting a home vegetable garden, many for the first time. Emma Erler, the Education Center Program Coordinator for UNH Cooperative Extension says that they are receiving lots of calls from first-time gardeners. READ MORE
Around Town
Emergency eviction order a temporary fix for economic fallout from COVID-19
The original order is set to expire on April 7. A spokesman from the Governor’s office stated in an email that he is actively reviewing the date of the order and wants Granite Staters to know that extensions will likely be made as the state continues to respond to COVID19. READ MORE
Business
NH’s housing shortage: ‘If we want people to move here we need to have someplace to put them’
The lack of new housing and rental vacancy rates under 1 percent have led to rising house prices and escalating rents. READ MORE
