Good News in New Hampshire Newsletter #9 - World of Opportunity
Plus: ancestral farms, free tuition, treaded wheelchairs, mountain medicine, new homes, ocean sounds, crab whiskey, community power, 100-acre woods, and more!
Hello! Welcome to the Good News in New Hampshire Newsletter, part of Granite Goodness.
We share stories of progress and positivity in New Hampshire.
My name is Andy DeMeo. I’ve lived in NH all my life. Granite Goodness is my love letter to this extraordinary state.
At Granite Goodness we 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 progress in New Hampshire, make sure to check our podcast, Granite Goodness, available anywhere.
Enjoy!
GRANITE GREENERY - Sustainability & Environment
Portsmouth approves ~$1 million donation protecting 100-acre woods
The Portsmouth City Council recently approved a 7 figure donation to help conserve the 100-Acre Woods property in perpetuity. - SELT
Concord prepares to save money with community power
Beginning in November, residents enrolled in community power will be supplied with electricity at 1.4 cents / kwh less than the next cheapest option, saving households with average use ~$10/month. - Concord Monitor
90-acre Oak Hill Farm in Concord permanently conserved
The Five Rivers Conservation Trust recently finalized the arrangement with the farm’s ancestral family, the Potters. - Concord Monitor
Concord expands rail trail
The new trail would connect to the Northern Rail Trail that runs through Boscawen, eventually to the Pembroke Rail Trail. - City of Concord, NH
NHPR launches series exploring accessible nature trails
NHPR’s series Something Wild is aiming to highlight the work being done to help make the Granite State’s natural beauty more accessible to all. - NHPR
GRANITE GRIT - Building & Infrastructure
100 unit apartment complex opens in Manchester
The mayor expects the new residents to support continued economic growth in Downtown Manchester - Manchester Inklink
NH construction employment increase 15th largest in the country
Federal legislation has spurred building nationwide, leading to a 10.5% increase in NH’s construction employment since 2018. - Laconia Daily Sun
Rochester planning to build 75 new homes in 2025
Local authorities anticipate minimal issues with permitting or committee approval. - NH Business Review
GRANITE GROWTH - Economy & Workforce
Consumer Affairs ranks NH as 2nd best state to move to in 2024 survey
The Granite State registered impressive ratings for safety, health, education, and economic health. - Consumeraffairs.com
NH biotech trade association adds new founding member
NH Life Sciences recently added Lonza Portsmouth, a world-leading pharmaceutical manufacturer, to its ranks. - NH Business Review
Report ranks NH’s housing affordability favorably compared to neighbors
A recent economic forecast from TD bank rates New Hampshire’s median house price to income ratio as lower than Maine and Vermont’s. - TD Bank
GRANITE GADGETS - Science & Innovation
UNH researcher wins national recognition for work with fisheries industry
Fisheries extension specialist Gabriela Bradt has been recognized by the Sea Grant Extension Assembly for her work with stakeholders to manage the invasive green crab. The work captured press attention for its collaboration with Tamworth Distilling that birthed a whiskey infused with Green Crabs. - UNH Today
Dartmouth Health receives $28M grant to bolster innovation research
The National Institutes of Health recently awarded Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center a $27.7 million grant supporting projects capable of accelerating medical innovations. - Dartmouth College Geisel School of Medicine
UNH researchers study changes in environmental nitrogen levels across 17 years
The work could help scientists understand climate change’s impact on regional ecosystems via fluctuating nitrogen levels. - UNH Today
UNH researchers pioneer environmental acoustics research
UNH scientists measure nature sounds to estimate wildlife populations and work across disciplines to learn their effect on human health. - UNH SPARK
GRANITE GRADUATES- Education
For qualifying students, Saint Anselm College now offers free tuition
To be eligible, students must have a GPA of 3.25 or greater and come from families with incomes below <$100,000. - Concord Monitor
Dartmouth Hitchcock offers two new advanced medicine programs
The first is a “mountain medicine diploma” (the first of its kind east of the Rocky Mountains) which aims to equip physicians, advanced practice providers, nurses, and paramedics with skills in mountain rescue and survival. The second, a new curriculum series to help progress the launch of innovative medical devices - NBC
New school in Allenstown begins first full academic year
The facility emphasizes experiential learning, offering kitchens, gardens, and a makerspace chock full of educational robotic tech. - Concord Monitor
GRANITE GREATNESS: Human Interest & Our Favorite Stories
New Hampshire’s largest state park now wheelchair accessible
Bear Brook State Park, with assistance from the Bronco Wild Fund, recently obtained a Trackchair from America’s State Park Foundation, now available to use for park visitors. The chair is a state of the art motorized wheelchair that operates with treads, allowing it to traverse a much wider variety of terrain. The reception from park visitors has been enthusiastically positive, with park manager Christina Pacuk saying the chair “opens up a world of opportunity, to so many different people.” - Concord Monitor
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
It’s so nice to see positive news in New Hampshire being highlighted. Keep up the good work!
I loved the story about making the park accessible with a cool new wheelchair!!! Keep up these positive stories-they are great!