CONCORD, New Hampshire, June 19 -- The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services issued the following news release: According to the weekly U.S. Drought Monitor released, the entire state of New Hampshire has been categorized as abnormally dry. Over the last 60 days, the state has received significantly less than normal precipitation. The majority of the northern half of the state including Belknap, Grafton, Carrol, and Coos counties have received 25 to 50% less precipitation than no  more

HANOVER, New Hampshire, June 16 -- Dartmouth College issued the following news release: Social connection with others is critical to a person's mental and physical well-being. How the brain maps relationships with other people in relation to one's self has long been a mystery. A Dartmouth study finds that the closer you feel to people emotionally, the more similarly you represent them in your brain. In contrast, people who feel social disconnection appear to have a lonelier, neural self-represe  more

KEENE, New Hampshire, June 18 -- Keene State College issued the following news release: The State of New Hampshire has taken steps to address inequity and racial injustice. As part of this effort, Keene State College Associate Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion Dr. Dottie Morris is offering her perspective to statewide and community discussions. Dr. Morris leads Keene State's Diversity and Multicultural Office, which is dedicated to serving students from all diverse backgrounds. Dr. Mo  more

CONCORD, New Hampshire, June 16 -- New Hampshire Attorney General Gordon J. MacDonald issued the following news release: Attorney General Gordon J. MacDonald and Department of Employment Security Commissioner George Copadis urge all New Hampshire residents, especially those claiming unemployment compensation benefits through the Department of Employment Security, to be aware of the various kinds of fraud that the Employment Security Department detects, investigates, and prosecutes and the accom  more

CONCORD, New Hampshire, June 17 -- New Hampshire Attorney General Gordon J. MacDonald issued the following news release: Attorney General Gordon J. MacDonald warns New Hampshire residents about several recent reports of property rental scams through Craigslist. The scam involves an apartment or house that is offered for rent on Craigslist. The post will often contain significant details about the property, including photos, in an attempt to convince the consumer that the offer is legitimate. Of  more

CONCORD, New Hampshire, June 20 -- The New Hampshire Department of Education issued the following news release on June 19: Few, if any, previous commissioners of the New Hampshire Department of Education have drawn as much criticism and controversy as Commissioner Frank Edelblut. From the time he was nominated by Gov. Chris Sununu in January 2017, opponents have seized on Edelblut's lack of any previous executive experience in the field of education, his homeschooling of his own seven children  more

CONCORD, New Hampshire, June 20 -- The New Hampshire Department of Education issued the following news release: The New Hampshire Department of Education has issued guidance to assist local schools in safely opening their building for in-school summer programs. The guidance, drafted in in cooperation with DHHS, Bureau of Public Health, Bureau of Infectious Disease Control and the Bureau of Special Medical Services, is designed to protect educators, staff, and students. Recommendations include:  more

CONCORD, New Hampshire, June 16 -- The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services issued the following news release: The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) urges residents to be cautious with the use of strong antibacterial cleaning materials and disposing of those materials in septic systems. Introducing large volumes of these cleaning agents to septic system can have detrimental effect on the bacteria that are vital to the function of a healthy system. Without   more

CONCORD, New Hampshire, June 20 -- The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services issued the following news release: A cyanobacteria bloom has been observed on Lake Winona. The bloom was first reported on June 18, appearing as green clouds and flecks near shorelines and throughout the water column of the lake. Samples collected on 6/18 (analyzed on 6/19) revealed that elevated concentrations of cyanobacteria were present in the lake. Samples contained Anabaena (Dolichospermum). Cell con  more

CONCORD, New Hampshire, June 20 -- The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services issued the following news release: The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (DES) has REMOVED a cyanobacteria advisory for Baboosic Lake that was issued on 06/17/2020. Cyanobacteria were identified as Anabaena (Dolichospermum), Oscillatoria and Woronichinia. Cell concentrations were 516,000 cells per milliliter of lake water at the beach. Advisories are issued when cyanobacterial cell concent  more

CONCORD, New Hampshire, June 20 -- The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services issued the following news release: The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (DES) has REMOVED a cyanobacteria advisory for Silver Lake that was issued on 06/09/2020. Cyanobacteria were identified as Microcystis and Woronichinia. Cyanobacteria advisories are issued when concentrations exceed 70,000 cells/ml. Samples collected on 6/19/2020 revealed that the bloom has currently dissipated and no  more

CONCORD, New Hampshire, June 20 -- The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services issued the following news release: The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Division for Children, Youth and Families (DCYF) announces that the age limit for foster care in New Hampshire is extended from age 18 to age 21. The announcement follows approval of DCYF's Title IV-E State Plan amendment by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Administration for Children and   more

CONCORD, New Hampshire, June 18 -- Gov. Christopher T. Sununu, R-New Hampshire, issued the following news release on June 17: Governor Chris Sununu and the Department of Health and Human Services released new data that shows substantial progress within New Hampshire's Division for Children, Youth, and Families over the last few years. "When I took office in 2017, New Hampshire's DCYF was in crisis with unacceptable results for our kids," said Governor Chris Sununu. "We made children a top prio  more

CONCORD, New Hampshire, June 20 -- Gov. Christopher T. Sununu, R-New Hampshire, issued the following news release on June 19: The Office of Strategic Initiatives announced a Request for Proposals for the Connecting NH - Emergency Broadband Expansion Program. CONCORD- The New Hampshire Office of Strategic Initiatives (OSI), in conjunction with the New Hampshire Department of Education (DOE) and Public Utilities Commission (PUC), today announced a Request for Proposals for the Connecting NH- Eme  more

CONCORD, New Hampshire, June 17 -- The New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission issued the following electric order (No. 26,363) involving PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE D/B/A EVERSOURCE ENERGY: Motion of AARP to Suspend Temporary Rates and Require Eversource to Update its Testimony in Support of an Increase in Distribution Rates: Order Denying Motion to Suspend Temporary Rates and Granting, in Part, Motion to Require Eversource to Update its Testimony In this order, the Commission d  more

CONCORD, New Hampshire, June 20 -- The New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission issued the following electric order (No. 26,368) involving PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE d/b/a EVERSOURCE ENERGY 2020 Energy Service Solicitation: Order Approving Adjustment to the Energy Service Rate for effect on August 1, 2020 APPEARANCES: Matthew J. Fossum, Esq., on behalf of Public Service Company of New Hampshire d/b/a Eversource Energy; the Office of the Consumer Advocate by D. Maurice Kreis, Esq.  more

CONCORD, New Hampshire, June 18 -- The New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission issued the following electric order (No. 26,365) involving GREEN MOUNTAIN POWER CORPORATION Petition for Authority to Discontinue Service: Order Nisi Granting Petition This order grants Green Mountain Power Corporation authority to discontinue electric transmission service,and remove existing transmission facilities, in Chesterfield. I. BACKGROUND Green Mountain Power Corporation (GMP or the Company) is authoriz  more

CONCORD, New Hampshire, June 16 -- The New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission issued the following electric order (No. 26,364) involving LIBERTY UTILITIES (GRANITE STATE ELECTRIC) CORP. d/b/a LIBERTY UTILITIES Petition to Approve Battery Storage Pilot Program: Order Nisi Extending Phase 1 Battery Installation Deadlines This order extends the deadline to August 31, associated with the installation of customer-sited batteries in Phase 1 of Liberty Utilities' battery storage pilot program. Thi  more

CONCORD, New Hampshire, June 20 -- The New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission issued the following letter (No. IR 20-004): Re: Electric Distribution Utilities Investigation into Rate Design Standards for Electric Vehicle Charging Stations, and Electric Vehicle Time of Day Rates Rescheduling June 23, 2020 Hearing To the Parties: By secretarial letter dated May 28, 2020, the Commission scheduled a hearing on June 23, 2020 to supplement the record in this proceeding. Due to scheduling confli  more

CONCORD, New Hampshire, June 18 -- The New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission issued the following letter (No. DE 19-064): Re: DE 19-064, Liberty Utilities (Granite State Electric) Corp. d/b/a Liberty Utilities Petition for Permanent and Temporary Rates Scheduling June 22, 2020 Hearing on Step Increase To the Parties: The stipulation and settlement agreement filed on May 26, 2020 (settlement agreement) provides for a series of three step increases, the first of which will take effect for s  more

CONCORD, New Hampshire, June 17 -- The New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission issued the following letter (No. DM 20-087): To: Richard Plutzer, Executive V.P., Resource Energy Solutions, LLC, 4 High Ridge Park Ste 202, Stamford, CT 06905 Re: Resource Energy Solutions, LLC Application to Renew Registration as a Provider of Electric Aggregation Service Dear Mr. Plutzer: On May 29, 2020, Resource Energy Solutions, LLC (Resource Energy) submitted an application with the Commission to renew it  more

PLYMOUTH, New Hampshire, June 18 -- Plymouth State University issued the following news release: Plymouth State University (PSU) graduate student Hannah Vollmer, of Thornton, NH, has been awarded a prestigious National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship, the first PSU student to achieve this honor. Vollmer was recognized both for her promise as an early-career scientist and her research on two rare alpine plants in the White Mountains of New Hampshire: dwarf mountain cinquefo  more

DURHAM, New Hampshire, June 18 -- The University of New Hampshire issued the following news release: A new survey by the University of New Hampshire highlights changes in activities of Granite Staters during the first few months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Most of the impact included shifts in social activity, with over 72% of residents altering their plans to avoid crowds, and a decrease in medical, behavioral health and dental office visits, with over 37% of patients transitioning their appoint  more