Latest news with #GraniteState
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
NHSP share summer safety tips for drivers, boaters Summer season begins
Memorial Day weekend unofficially kicks off the summer season, and New Hampshire State police are reminding all residents and visitors to stay safe. Traffic volumes increase on the state's scenic highways and waterways in warmer weather. Troopers encourage everyone to follow safe driving practices, like buckling up and complying with speed limits. Anyone traveling with children should also ensure car seats are properly installed and used. Marine Patrol Officers are reminding everyone enjoying the Granite State's beautiful lakes, ponds, and rivers to practice basic boating safety: always wear a life jacket – it's the law for children under 13 – and check water temperatures before boating or swimming. Boaters should also dress appropriately, file a float plan, and carry a marine radio or cell phone in a waterproof case in the event their watercraft becomes disabled or if they need help. NHSP is recommending the following: Avoid impairment. If consuming alcohol, designate a sober driver or use a rideshare service. Don't drive if medication impairs perception or motor skills. Avoid distractions. Drivers should keep their hands on the wheel, their eyes on the road, and their phone in the console. Let someone else choose the music – just keep the volume low enough to hear outside warnings. Avoid aggressive operation. Comply with speed limits to perceive, react to, and avoid hazards. Maintain safe distances between other vehicles or boats. Look carefully for oncoming traffic before merging or turning. Adjust for conditions. Heavy rain can reduce visibility and cause ponding on roadways. Drivers should always operate for conditions and reduce speed to avoid hydroplaning. On the water, high winds can create rough waters, and boaters should decrease speed to prevent capsizing. By adhering to these tips, drivers and boaters can help prevent injuries and deaths across the state. This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Yahoo
New Hampshire drivers will face major construction this summer
From Nashua to Manchester to the major routes bringing vacationers and tourists to their favorite destinations, drivers will have to navigate a busy summer of road construction throughout New Hampshire. This summer, an estimated 38 million to 39 million vehicles will pass through tolls during the 14-week period from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend. Tourism is the second-largest industry in the state and on Thursday, the state tourism office shared its projection of 4.6 million travelers visiting the Granite State this summer. Now add up to 80 state highway projects that could continue, finish or start during that time, and drivers will definitely want to check for construction before they hit the road. To get a full list of state highway projects, visit The New Hampshire Department of Transportation urges drivers to use New England 511 ( for daily updates on traffic, construction and crashes. But before we dive into the summer fun, here's some good news: There will be no highway construction this Memorial Day weekend through early Tuesday morning, said Jennifer Lane, chief communications officer for the NHDOT. The Hooksett tolls project on Interstate 93 was completed earlier this month, and major construction on the F.E. Everett Turnpike will have a short pause for the holiday. However, any highway lanes already closed for construction will remain closed. 'Several long-term projects will remain in place with lane shifts or reduced lanes, such as the Cocheco River Bridge work on the Spaulding Turnpike in Dover and ongoing construction on I-89 in Sutton. On the Seacoast, we're making progress on the Hampton River Bridge on Route 1A in Seabrook, where we're working carefully within in-water environmental restrictions. Work is also continuing on the F.E. Everett Turnpike through Nashua and Merrimack, and at Exit 4A on I-93,' Lane said in an email. Work on the guardrail project on Interstate 293 is wrapping up ahead of schedule, which could fast-track drivers coming up the Everett Turnpike on their way north. 'Crews worked hard to finish the bulk of it before Memorial Day weekend. Only minor punch list items remain,' she said. After Memorial Day, construction will really take off. Active projects What exactly is an 'active' highway construction project? The state lists everything from construction company bidding to when work is fully closed out. These jobs could start, stop or continue throughout the summer. More than half of the state's 80 active projects are scheduled to end this year, but nearly 30 don't have an official start date yet. The combined price tag for all of the active state projects is more than $782 million. And that's not counting roads maintained by cities and towns. Southern New Hampshire In the southern part of the state, construction on the Everett Turnpike in Nashua, Merrimack and Bedford will continue. Three phases of that project are currently under construction at a combined price of $76 million to widen the road to three lanes, and build new bridges. A project at the end of that widening will cost nearly $16 million to install overhead E-ZPass sensors at the Bedford toll plaza and replace the concrete tollbooths with all-electronic tolling. The first phase of the tollbooth work started this spring and is expected to last into mid-June. The toll project as a whole is slated for completion in September 2027 and the work to widen the Everett Turnpike will last until mid-2028 with staggered end dates for each phase. Current work related to the new Exit 4A on I-93 in Derry and Londonderry will cost about $76.5 million, and Folsom Road in Derry will be widened from two lanes to up to seven lanes (turning lanes included) at points. Folsom Road work is expected to last until June 2028. Resurfacing projects are planned for Routes 101, 102 and 128 in Amherst, Bedford, Londonderry and Pelham. Manchester-area highways The state has several paving projects planned for the Manchester area, including work on Route 101 in Auburn and Candia that hasn't begun yet. There will also be a continuation of bridge work at a cost of $10 million on I-93 north in Manchester and Hooksett this summer. Seacoast and Route 16 As Lane mentioned, major work on the Spaulding Turnpike (aka Route 16) will be ongoing in Dover. Three projects for a combined $47 million will upgrade pavement, a toll plaza and replace a bridge. Route 16 is a major route from I-95 (and drivers from Maine and Massachusetts) to go north toward the east side of the Lakes Region and all the way up to North Conway, areas with major tourist attractions. The Spaulding Turnpike will also be repaved in Newington and Portsmouth. A $107.5 million project on New Hampshire Route 1A in Seabrook and Hampton will replace a bridge. That work has already started and will last through June of 2028, state officials said. City road projects The state's two biggest cities, Manchester and Nashua, will both be busy repaving roads, filling cracks and fixing infrastructure in several areas. Nashua posts updates every Friday on its Department of Public Works Facebook page at Nashua is in Year 8 of a 10-year paving project that has improved local roads and this summer will be another busy one, officials said. A complete list of road projects for Nashua is available by clicking 2025 Paving List on Manchester also has several projects planned for the summer, including a continuation of the work on the Amoskeag Bridge, which will last through late 2026. Manchester pushes out information on road work on message boards in the city, social media and Nixle. For up-to-date bulletins from Manchester, visit or their Facebook page at dpierce@
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Bill would give parents more say in removing what they call obscene, 'harmful' reading materials
A year after a similar proposal was rejected, the campaign to give parents more power when it comes to trying to ban any 'harmful' books and periodicals in public schools has cleared the New Hampshire Legislature. Critics charge the legislation (HB 324) is a book ban that violates local control and will have a chilling effect on what librarians and teachers decide to introduce that could be considered sexually graphic, yet have significant literary value. 'Every student deserves the freedom to read and to see themselves reflected in the pages of their books, but this book ban infringes upon the right to read for Granite State youth and could criminalize New Hampshire teachers, librarians, and even school board members,' said Megan Tuttle, president of the National Education Association of New Hampshire. The association is the largest union representing public school educators as well as all public employees in the state. State Sen. Tim Lang, R-Sanbornton, said the legislation is about transparency and consistency for how school boards treat complaints about material that a parent might view as obscene or harmful because it's not age appropriate. 'This bill doesn't ban a single book; it establishes a process where a parent sees material he or she views as harmful and can bring it to the attention of the local school board. If the board disagrees then, no, it's not removed,' Lang said. The legislation now makes moves to the desk of Gov. Kelly Ayotte, who has yet to weigh in publicly on the matter. The intent, supporters believe, is in keeping with Ayotte's insistence that parents get more of a say over what their children experience in public schools. 'This bill poses a significant threat to our children's access to diverse educational materials and places unnecessary pressure on our teachers—particularly during an ongoing teacher shortage,' said MacKenzie Nicholson, senior director of New Hampshire MomsRising, the group leading a local coalition opposed to it. 'We urge the Governor to veto HB 324, and we will continue to advocate on this issue until she does.' Barrett Christina, executive director of the New Hampshire School Board Association, said local boards already have their own policies that deal with objectionable material. 'William Shakespeare's literature contains significant amounts of sexual references and innuendos and it would be nonsensical to disallow schools from using Shakespeare readings,' Christina told the Senate Education Committee during a recent hearing. 'If the bill's provisions were interpreted from an overly broad perspective, this bill could have this effect.' Supporter: Shakespeare is OK Sen. Daryl Abbas, R-Salem, said that's a deliberate misreading of the bill since it states no material may be removed that has 'serious literary, scientific, medical, artistic, or political value for minors.' 'I may not like all of Shakespeare, but none of it would be banned,' Abbas said. 'Now Hustler magazine? That is sort of what is being banned if the school board finds that it is harmful to minors.' The Senate's final passage last week, on a party line 15-8 vote, marked a crowning achievement for its chief sponsor, Rep. Glenn Cordelli, R-Tuftonboro, who chairs the House Education Policy and Administration Committee. Cordelli has long tried to end the exemption that public education has had from obscenity laws. State prosecutors have told him should the legislation become law it's unlikely anyone will be criminally prosecuted. 'Books containing sexually explicit content have no space in New Hampshire schools,' Cordelli testified recently. 'The books offered in schools should be age-appropriate and further the educational experience of our youth.' The issue crystalizes how elections have consequences. The narrowly-divided House of Representatives last year voted 187-162 to kill a near identical bill (HB 1419). Cordelli then had the embarrassment of the House voting to indefinitely postpone the topic. That's a parliamentary death penalty of sorts that meant it couldn't come back to that chamber in any form until 2025 at the earliest. Cordelli didn't suffer an avalanche of GOP defectors to his idea; only six House Republicans opposed it last year. Thanks to the ballots cast by voters in all 400 House districts last November, House Republicans gained about two dozen seats. That's why in March, Cordelli's bill passed the House 183-148 with just three GOP members against it, Reps. Joe Guthrie of Hampstead, David Nagel of Gilmanton and Brian Taylor of Freedom. Rep. Manoj Chourasi, D-Nashua, was the lone House Democrat in support. Katie DeAngelis said as a victim of sexual assault she suffered when she was 6, it was graphically-written books about this traumatizing experience befalling others that became one of the first ways she uncovered the severity of the crime committed against her. Reading books as a child helped her heal, DeAngelis told the Senate education panel. Kevin Gagnon of Salem said he found multiple books that were available, but to him, were unsuitable for children to read. His protests got nowhere with the local school board, principal and superintendent, which brought him to a state Senate committee last month. The entire episode led him to remove his child from public school, Gagnon said. If signed, the law would take effect Jan. 1. Then, all school districts by Nov. 1, 2026, must come up with a complaint resolution policy. Within 10 days of any complaint, unless both parties agree to a different schedule, the principal must respond to the parent whether the material will be removed or remain. Those unhappy with the decision can appeal it to the school board. If it is still not overturned, they can petition the state Board of Education. The bill also gives the parent a legal cause of action to sue in civil court against a school or district and get legal fees and a $1,000 award for each violation if the parent prevails. Senate Democratic Leader Rebecca Perkins Kwoka of Portsmouth tried to get added to the bill a provision that the school district get legal fees paid if it wins that lawsuit; the Senate rejected that by an identical 15-8 partisan vote with all GOP senators in opposition. Gilles Bissonette, legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union of New Hampshire, said since 1976 the state has had a prohibition against minors getting harmful materials, but said the legislation goes way beyond that standard and would be unconstitutional. The bill's restriction on all materials containing 'nudity and sexual arousal' was too expansive, he said. Sen. Debra Altschiller, D-Stratham, focused on how unpopular the policy appears to be. She cited a University of New Hampshire Survey Center poll that found two-thirds of respondents disagreed with the state setting 'policy procedures for reading materials.' Online, 39 signed up in the Senate in favor of the bill with 1,367 opposed. Similarly in the House, there were 47 supporters and 1,355 opponents. 'This is a roadmap with all signs pointing to book bans,' Altschiller said. Sen. Denise Ricciardi, R-Bedford, said all parents should rise and insist that sexually inappropriate material come off school library and classroom shelves. 'When you have 'Gender Queer' in a second grader's school and it's got pornographic drawings and parents read excerpts from it, that's a problem,' she added. klandrigan@
Daily Mail
11-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Shocking location has been named number one destination in US for pizza
For years the pizza debate has raged between Chicago deep dish or the New York slice. But now a third contender has emerged to topple both from their perch. New Hampshire is the new best destination for pizza in the US, according to a study by Maine Lobster. With its plethora of pizzerias offering delicious slices at competitive prices, the Granite State has been crowned the top spot for pizza lovers. 'New Hampshire is the ultimate destination for pizza lovers. With 1,022 pizzerias, that works out to an impressive 72.73 pizzerias per 100,000 residents—the highest in the dataset,' Maine Lobster Now said in a statement to Travel and Leisure. 'Add in the high pizza enthusiasm of 22,512 pizza-related searches per 100,000 residents and a wallet-friendly average pizza price of $15.74, and you've got a state that ensures pizza enthusiasts have ample options at relatively affordable prices.' By contrast, a pizza in New York City is likely to set you back $19.73 on average. The Big Apple ranked 29th in the study, which also noted that the number of pizzerias is more sparse compared to others on the list. With its plethora of pizzerias offering delicious slices at competitive prices, the Granite State has been crowned the top spot for pizza lovers 'Despite its legendary New York-style slices and 3,717 pizzerias, the state's density of 19.09 pizzerias per 100,000 residents falls short compared to others,' the report said. 'It's hard to reconcile these numbers with New York's cultural dominance in the pizza world, but its iconic, thin, foldable slices continue to shape America's love for pizza, regardless of the rankings.' To determine the best pizza destination in the US, researchers analyzed the number of pizzerias per 100,000 residents along with the number of pizza-related google searches in the area. They then used this data along with the average price of a pie in each state to determine New Hampshire the winner. Ranking just behind was Ohio, with 35.13 pizzerias per 100,000 residents and an average cost of $15.89 per pizza. Delaware rounded out the podium, with 32.56 pizzerias per 100,000 people and a most $15.70 per pie. Pennsylvania followed and then Michigan, home to Detroit-style pizza but with Chicago's Illinois nowhere near the top of the table. The rest of the top 10 spots went to Kansas, West Virginia, Rhode Island, Connecticut and Indiana. Portnoy gave The Richochet a 7.9 out of 10 as part of his one bite review series The researchers noted that a pizza in Kansas had a low average price of just $14.96. In New Hampshire, Barstool Sports' Dave Portnoy identified The Ricochet in Derry as the best he tried out of eight restaurants in the state. Portnoy travels the country rating pizzerias as part of his 'one bite' review series.
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Oldest home in New Hampshire is literally older than the country. Here's where it is
Portsmouth has it's fair share of older buildings, and not just because of the Strawberry Banke Museum. Englishmen first settled the Portsmouth area in 1630, only a decade after the Mayflower has landed in Massachusetts. By 1653, Portsmouth was incorporated into what was then Massachusetts and took Portsmouth as its name. The oldest building in the state was built not long after that, and it opens for summer tours starting in June. Interested in visiting? Here's what to know about it. The oldest building in the Granite State, the Jackson House in Portsmouth dates back to 1664, built by Richard Jackson, a woodworker, farmer, and mariner. Like houses of a similar age, it's seen its fair share of modifications since it was originally built. Succeeding generations added a lean-to by 1715, along with more additions in the 1700s and 1800s to accommodate different family groups sharing the house at once. The property remained with the Jackson family for seven generations, until 1924 when it was acquired by William Sumner Appleton, founder of the non-profit Historic New England that maintains the building. The Jackson House is located at 76 Northwest St., Portsmouth. It's open for tours during the summer on the second and fourth Saturdays of each month from June to October. The 45-minute guided tours are held from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Tickets cost $10 for adults, $9 for seniors, and $5 for students and children. Members of Historic New England can attend free. This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Oldest building in NH is older than the U.S. Here's where it is
