Good News in New Hampshire Newsletter #2 - Improvement, Not Perfection

Plus: addiction treatment, accessible voting, local news support, wins for conservation, cheaper artificial organs, affordable local fruit, and scything competitions!

Hello! Welcome to the Good News in New Hampshire Newsletter, part of Granite Goodness.

We regularly round up and share positive news & media in and about New Hampshire.

My name is Andy DeMeo. I’ve lived in NH all my life. Granite Goodness is my love letter to our extraordinary state.

I created this project because I believe that being aware of positivity and progress leaves people more inspired to create their own. Optimism, kindness, and the will to solve complex problems are infectious qualities.

Also, being an optimist is just more fun.

As a general rule, this newsletter aims to include stories that fit the following criteria:

• The story is in or about New Hampshire

• The story is about something bigger than singular acts of kindness

• The story is about something good— people building, creating, or doing things that improve the world and reduce suffering

Just think- as long as it’s good and New Hampshire sized, it belongs here!

If you have any story tips, let us know at hello@granitegoodness.com.

For more personal stories about New Hampshire people making the world a better place, make sure to check our podcast, Granite Goodness, available anywhere.

Enjoy!

GRANITE GRID-BUILDING

Energy & Renewables

• NH Community Power announces new rates below utility prices

  • “The Community Power Coalition of New Hampshire’s new electricity rates will be rising as of Aug. 1, but will be lower than utility options in the state… Community power allows municipalities to purchase power in bulk for residents, with the intent of negotiating lower rates and the potential for more energy from renewable sources.” - The Keene Sentinel

• NH DES looking to distribute $250k for diesel emission reduction projects; applications open now

  • “Eligible applicants include ‘state and local government agencies and departments, school districts, public and private transit companies, and marine operators, private fleets, and businesses operating in New Hampshire’” - New Hampshire Bulletin

• Monadnock Region steps up efforts toward decarbonization

  • “Thanks to a federal contract, two Monadnock Region towns will be the next to move toward being 100 percent renewable energy powered by the year 2050. A project… to replace fossil-fuel heating systems with cold-climate heat pumps in 200 buildings in Peterborough and Harrisville won a $700,000 Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) from the U.S. Department of Energy.” - The Keene Sentinel

• Large solar array coming to land along Merrimack River in Concord

  • “A solar array that could power close to 1,000 typical homes is coming to scrubland along the Merrimack River in Concord.”  - Concord Monitor

GRANITE GARDENING

Farming & Agriculture

• NH Farms reach price parity with supermarket produce

  • “Right now, prices at farm stands are competitive, even with supermarkets’ recently lowered prices. It’s not just strawberries. There are tomatoes, corn, carrots, cucumbers, potatoes, and even free-range chicken, eggs and ice cream.” - The Union Leader

• NH exhibit shows how local farmers are responding to climate change

  • “Local artists and farmers teamed up to create portraits and infographics about their work building healthy ecosystems, like developing soil to store carbon through cover crops, rotating livestock grazing, and minimizing tilling.” - New Hampshire Public Radio

• New Agroforestry Project Studies Integration of Farming and Forests

  • “The five-year project, called Promoting Climate-Smart Sustainable Agriculture in New England through Regionally Adapted Agroforestry Systems (ADAPT), is funded with a $10 million grant from the United States Department of Agriculture.” - UNH Today

• UNH Receives USDA Grant to Boost Climate-Resilient Farming Practices

  • “‘Supporting regional farmers with practical, research-based solutions is at the heart of this work,’ Smith concluded. ‘We are committed to helping farmers adopt sustainable practices that will not only improve their yields but also contribute to the overall health of our agricultural ecosystems.’” - UNH Today

GRANITE GOVERNING

Politics & Governance

• NH Ends Fiscal Year with Budgetary Surplus

  • “New Hampshire State revenues ended State Fiscal Year (SFY) 2024 in June with receipts slightly above expectations, but below the prior year, for the month. Overall, the State’s combined General and Education Trust Funds surplus for the total of SFY 2024 held at $146.5 million, or 4.6 percent, above the State Revenue Plan on a cash basis.” - New Hampshire Fiscal Policy Institute

• Legislature Passes Bills to Fund Legal Settlements, Retirement System, and Transportation Altering Housing and Child Care Laws

  • “Legislators devoted more resources to expanding eligibility for child care subsidies to child care workers, as well as assistance for child care providers to care for children with special needs… funding meals for children who are out of school during the summer, and to help improve access to food assistance for older adults.” - New Hampshire Fiscal Policy Institute

• Governor signs bill requiring accessible voting machines in every town

  • “‘Now those of us with vision and print disabilities will be able to vote independently and keep our votes private like everyone else,’ said Jean Shriner, an activist, in a statement reacting to the signing Friday. ‘For me, as a blind person, it’s empowering and exciting.’” - Concord Monitor

• Governor signs bill enhancing cyanobacteria monitoring & remediation

  • “The New Hampshire Clean Lakes Program will be required to take measures to monitor, reduce and prevent blooms of cyanobacteria… Through this program, the state… can treat high levels of phosphorus and other factors that contribute to cyanobacteria growth, but it must use the most environmentally sustainable option to do so.” - Concord Monitor

• Governor signs bill expanding legal protections for ethnic hairstyles

  • HB 1169 establishes the right of NH residents alleging discrimination from “protective hairstyles” (braids, cornrows, afros, etc.) to “initiate civil action… for legal or equitable relief” - legiscan.com

• Governor signs bill expanding NH unemployment insurance eligibility to work from home employees

  • SB 330 “repeals disqualification for unemployment benefits for those not available for work outside a home.” - legiscan.com

GRANITE GROWTH

Infrastructure & Economy

• NH broadband expansion coming to ‘bridge gaps’ to internet access

  • “New Hampshire is on the threshold of investing a significant amount of federal money to make broadband internet access more broadly available across the state, to, in the words of the state’s economic chief, ‘bridge gaps across different social and income levels.’” - New Hampshire Business Review

• New Hampshire population growth increases

  • “Rural areas, particularly the Lakes Region and areas near the White Mountains, have seen substantial population boosts from July 2020 to 2023” - New Hampshire Business Review

• Despite challenges, NH economy remains strong at mid-year

  • “‘Overall, we’re in a very good position,’ said Brian Gottlob, director of the state’s Economic and Labor Market Information Bureau.” - New Hampshire Business Review

• 96-unit affordable housing complex to begin construction in Peterborough

  • “Catholic Charities NH will begin construction on an a 96-unit affordable and workforce housing complex on Vose Farm Road this summer… the organization recently received $625,000 in tax credits from New Hampshire Community Development Finance Authority (CDFA) to help fund the construction project.” Monadnock Ledger Transcript

GRANITE GADGETS

Science & Innovation

• ReGen Valley to receive $44 million through federal Tech Hubs program

  • “The Manchester effort to escalate the mass production of human tissue and organs has been earmarked for $44 million from the federal government, officials announced Tuesday. Last fall, ‘ReGen Valley’ — the marketing moniker for the Advanced Regenerative Manufacturing Institute (ARMI) — was named one of 12 Tech Hubs by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration.” - NH Business Review

• NH citizen scientists help map changes to beaches

  • “Volunteers aren’t just collecting data; they’re also going back home and talking about their work with the people around them. That engagement cultivates ‘a partnership between the scientists and the managers and the people that live (on) and use the beach,’ Ward said.” - Concord Monitor

• UNH researchers measure estuary microplastic pollution

  • “They hope the data they gather help develop predictive models that can indicate where and when the greatest concentrations of microplastics will occur, potentially offering guidance to recreational and commercial fishermen and seafood farmers on how areas with high concentrations of microplastics.” - UNH Today

• UNH Becomes Home to First U.S. Location for Global Innovator in Metal 3D Printing

  • “UNH and Australian company SPEE3D, a global innovator in metal 3D printing technology, inaugurated the company’s first U.S.-based manufacturing and applications site at the university’s John Olson Advanced Manufacturing Center with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Monday, June 17. SPEE3D develops printers that can efficiently produce metal parts in locations where traditional supply chains are impacted” - UNH Today

• Targeted Home Systems to Remove PFAS More Cost-Effective Than System-Wide Solutions

  • “‘Instead of mandating an entire municipal water system to clean up the water, state and federal officials can test wells on a more localized basis in areas where PFAS pollution is a concern’” - UNH Today

GRANITE GREENERY

Environment & Nature

• New 314-acre Addition to Jennings Forest in New Durham

  • “Elisabeth Maley… has gifted an additional 314 acres of land directly across Middleton Road from the original 385-acre Jennings Forest Reservation. The new addition will be referred to as the Jennings Forest Maley Tract.” - Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests

• Joint effort results in 730-acre parcel in Berlin remaining as forestland

  • “A joint effort between The Conservation Fund and the Society for the Protection of NH Forests is resulting in a 730-acre parcel of forest land being preserved as a working forest with traditional public access.” - Conway Daily Sun

• Growing number of NH towns explore environmentally conscious burials

  • “In a green burial, the body is returned to the earth in the most natural way possible. Instead of traditional caskets, biodegradable materials such as simple shrouds or caskets made from pine or bamboo are used, ensuring no metal components like nails are included.” - Concord Monitor

GRANITE GIVING

Nonprofits & Philanthropy

• $1.75M gift to Franklin Pierce University to fund new student support center

  • “‘The consolidation of all support services in one central and easy to access space, combined with proactive outreach by the new Student Success Center, will make a world of difference in helping our students succeed while at Franklin Pierce, and through to graduation’” - New Hampshire Business Review

• New source for local news and information goes live in Nashua

  • “The nonprofit Granite State News Collaborative, Manchester Ink Link and Nashua Digital have joined together to create Nashua Ink Link, an online news and information outlet covering the city of Nashua…A grant to the News Collaborative from the Charitable Foundation is helping to make the Nashua coverage possible.” - New Hampshire Charitable Foundation

• Number of Nonprofits participating in annual charitable event breaks records

  • “This year, we have more nonprofits signed on than ever. It’s very exciting,” said Kathleen Reardon, CEO for the NH Center for Nonprofits. “The growth of NH Gives indicates that nonprofits recognize it as an opportunity to reach new donors to support their missions.” - New Hampshire Charitable Foundation

GRANITE GOSSIP

Positive content about NH

• UNH Cooperative Extension: Shared Soil— The podcast is dedicated to creating community, honoring challenges, and encouraging personal and professional growth for all people in agriculture.

  • Episode 6: Food As Medicine “Kendall and Rebecca talk with Health and Wellness State Specialist Amy Hollar about the connection between nutrition, overall wellness, and gardening.”

• NHPR: Give Back NH— Give Back New Hampshire is a bi-weekly segment that spotlights nonprofit organizations across the Granite State.

  • Assistant Training Canine Services “On this week’s episode of Give Back New Hampshire, our focus is on Assistance Canine Training Services. Founded in 2007, Assistance Canine Training Services trains service dogs for people with mobility disabilities and facility dogs for professionals using animal assisted therapy.”

• New Hampshire Business Review: Down to Business - Each week, Editor Mike Cote and Managing Editor Amanda Andrews sit down with local business professionals to talk about the latest business headlines and the news readers need to know about.

  • Episode 200: A State United “This week’s guest is Patrick Tufts, president & CEO of Granite United Way, a statewide nonprofit organization that makes strategic investments in New Hampshire’s community. NHBR editors and Tufts discuss the nonprofit’s new model of support and how they help residents thrive.”

GRANITE GREATNESS

Human Interest & Our Favorite Stories

• Comprehensive addiction medicine program goes full time at Memorial

  • “‘You have to look at the human being,’ said Macut. ‘Don’t forget, they could be your neighbor, your son or a friend.’ Macut explained that the harm reduction approach keeps in focus that ‘humans are good at improvement, not perfection.’” - Conway Daily Sun

• Scything competitions in NH keep old farming traditions alive

  • “No longer are these competitions male-only events. Women and girls now are welcome, and some can swing a pretty mean scythe. There’s been a woman in recent years who competes in Addison’s expert class attired in a flowing dress. Another preps for competition by cutting the hay for her small herd of goats using nothing but a scythe.” - New Hampshire Public Radio

That’s it for this edition of the Good News in New Hampshire Newsletter. This newsletter is free and shareable to anyone anywhere. We also post on Instagram and Linkedin.

If you are hungry for good news beyond the borders of the Granite State, I encourage you to check out our friends at Fix the News or the Progress Network.

Thanks for reading!

-Andy