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Sci/Tech tidbits around New Hampshire (the Granite State) by Dave Brooks - Concord Monitor reporter. (He/him)
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Articles by David Brooks
Merrimack County services limited due to 'network security incident'
Another day, another cyber breach on public systems. This time, it hit Merrimack County government. Some county services have been limited or offline for a couple of days due to a "network security incident" that apparently began Tuesday. A county press statement gave few details about what happened. "Merrimack County recently became aware of a network security incident that caused a temporary disruption to some of our systems.
State commemorates 200 years since fatal Willey House avalanche
On Friday, state officials will take the unusual step of marking the 200th anniversary of one of the worst disasters to ever hit the White Mountains. Why? Because it helped kick off the region's modern era of tourism. The disaster was an avalanche that took the lives of the Willey family in their tavern. They had built it hoping to draw tourists in the very early days of people heading north from Boston and New York to vacation, but weren't having much success.
The switch to a food-delivery world was tough on Pizza Hut
When Melissa Roberts was asked by the Monitor to look back on her three decades as a waitress at the recently closed Pizza Hut in Concord, one memory stood out: "Ten or 15 years ago, it just kind of - things shifted. People didn't go and sit in restaurants," she mused. It wasn't only Concord that saw the shift. The rise of online deliveries, as well as the COVID-19 pandemic, changed people's relationship to many restaurants. Pizza Hut was particularly hard hit.
Everything you wanted to know about political signs but were afraid to ask
The New Hampshire political primary election is less than a month away, on Sept. 8, and political signs are sprouting all over the place. Let’s revisit our regular Q&A on this unavoidable product of local democracy. Q. Where can campaign signs be placed? On private land, the owner’s permission is necessary. It’s also necessary on public land, so don’t stick your sign in front of town hall unless the select board says it’s OK. Which they probably won’t.
The spotted lanternfly is finally in N.H., unfortunately
In a bit of bad news that has long been anticipated, the spotted lanternfly has arrived in New Hampshire, although it may not have settled in for the duration. The New Hampshire Department of Agriculture, Markets and Food has confirmed the presence of a "small number" of spotted lanternflies in Salem, the first field detection of the invasive pest in the Granite State.
New Hampshire's rules for school vaccines are unchanged
As New Hampshire children return to school in the coming weeks, they will be just as well-vaccinated as they have always been. Since school vaccine rules are set by states and not the federal government, New Hampshire's requirements have not been affected by the Trump administration's attacks on the medical technology. Some New Hampshire lawmakers attempted to weaken school vaccine rules this year, including one bill that would have tossed out all requirements, but all were defeated.
Canterbury Country Store reopens in a shifting modern landscape
The recent rebirth - although it's more like a re-re-rebirth - of the Canterbury Cafe and Country Store is welcome news in town, but it's also a reminder of the obstacles facing general stores in today's economy.
Ticks spreading that meat-allergy disease are also messing with blood donations
The northward spread of Lone Star ticks due to warmer winters has brought to New England a scary disease that, among other things, makes people allergic to meat and dairy. Now some Dartmouth Health researchers have found an unpleasant byproduct of this change: It also limits who can safely get certain blood donations.
Granite Geek: A world-shaking press technology reduced to scrap
Imagine if printing this sentence required me to melt a mix of lead, antimony and tin, then pour it into a mold in the shape of all these words, wait for it to cool and use it as a sort of stamp to press ink onto paper. And do it thousands of times for every edition of the newspaper. Crazy, right? But that's how the Monitor did it for more than a century, just like every other newspaper, publisher and printing shop.
Granite Geek: New nuclear tech would be cool, sure, but renewables are ready now
NOTE: This ran in April but in light of publicity ahead of the state talking a lot about getting in the nuclear game (NH Bulletin story is here) I thought a revisit was in order. Because it's still relevant. I was delighted to hear Gov. Ayotte and other New England governors recently push for ways to strengthen our energy independence through increasing use of modern technology. Because we do need more solar, wind, batteries and non-wire alternatives to keep New Hampshire strong.
Canterbury Country Store Reopens in a Shifting Modern Landscape
Manny and Kayla Sanchez leased the Canterbury Cafe and Country Store, which shares a building with the post office on the town green. (Credit: GEOFF FORESTER / For the Monitor) The recent rebirth — although it’s more like a re-re-rebirth — of the Canterbury Cafe and Country Store is welcome news in town, but it’s also a reminder of the obstacles facing general stores in today’s economy.
Gorham Tesla charger shutting down due to high power costs
As New Hampshire tries once again to prod more people into building public electric vehicle chargers, one of the few North Country charging sites is throwing in the towel because the cost of electricity is too high. "I believe in electric vehicles, and people need a place to charge," said Terry MacGillivray, president of Summer Fun Inc., which owns three businesses at 443 Main St. in Gorham where four Tesla Superchargers were installed in May.
Young scientists ask NH candidates for stances on science
A national coalition of young scientists with a New Hampshire presence is gathering candidates' opinions on a questionnaire that asks about topics like climate change, artificial intelligence and vaccines, reflecting an increasing push by researchers to get more publicly involved in policy and politics. The questionnaire, called Stance on Science, is from Scientist Network for Advancing Policy or SNAP.
NH patents through August 16
By Targeted News Service The following federal patents were assigned to companies in New Hampshire for the week ending Aug. 16. *** Wearable System for Autonomous Detection of Asthma Symptoms and Inhaler Use, and for Asthma Management THE TRUSTEES OF DARTMOUTH COLLEGE, Hanover, New Hampshire has been assigned a patent (No. US 12702323 B2, initially filed Nov.
Legal fight continues over Northern Rail Trail in Andover
The saga of the disputed section of the Northern Rail Trail in Andover continues, with landowner Leonard Caron asking the courts to give him ownership of parts of the mile-long section or at least allow him to cross it as needed with gravel-hauling equipment, using a railroad bridge over the Blackwater River. The request comes in Caron's response to a civil lawsuit that was filed in July by the Department of Transportation.
State lays out argument asking N. H. Supreme Court to overturn Claremont school funding precedents
The state is asking the New Hampshire Supreme Court to overturn the decades-old rulings that established its constitutional duty to fund public education.
Granite Geek: Cybersecurity for our toilets is no laughing matter
All the recent news articles about online hacks of water systems in multiple states have people asking Marco Philippon how Concord can make sure it never happens here. It's easy, says the man who has overseen the city's water for years: Just "air gap" everything. The only problem is that it would cost a ton. "Air gap" is tech slang for having no connection between two units - nothing wireless, nothing wired.
Everything you wanted to know about political signs but were afraid to ask
The New Hampshire political primary election is less than a month away, on Sept. 8, and political signs are sprouting all over the place. Let's revisit our regular Q&A on this unavoidable product of local democracy. Q. Where can campaign signs be placed? On private land, the owner's permission is necessary. It's also necessary on public land, so don't stick your sign in front of town hall unless the select board says it's OK. Which they probably won't.
Everybody hates the current system for our time zones but nobody can agree on a fix
New Hampshire Bulletin has a big story updating the continuing saga of what, if anything, to do with time zones, including a cool introductory story about a lawmaker who's unsure of which day he was born because it was near midnight and there was uncertainty whether the area was following daylight saving or not. You can read the story here. To summarize the situation: Unless lots of other states make a change to the current twice-yearly-switcheroo, New Hampshire won't. But we still don't like it.
Granite Geek: Smarter traffic control runs up against human nature, and guess who wins
Over the decades I have written several articles about cities synchronizing traffic lights on busy streets and the result is always the same: It never works as well as you think it would. That's partly due to geometry, because traffic isn't one-directional. No matter how convenient you make it for rush-hour commuters on the main road, people entering from side streets and going in the opposite direction and those turning left off the main road want green lights, too.
Coalition sues to block NH student ID voting ban
A group has filed a federal lawsuit to block a new New Hampshire law that prevents the use of student identification cards when registering to vote or casting a ballot, which they call the latest in long-running efforts to disenfranchise young voters.
Discussions set on land use around dams in Hopkinton, Franklin and Webster
The Army Corps of Engineers will hold public gatherings later this month as it prepares to update plans for managing land around dams it controls in Hopkinton, Franklin and Webster. The three open house sessions, set for August 25, 26 and 27, will be unstructured gatherings with no formal presentation. People can come in at any time to ask questions or submit comments.
The Drunken Granite State fallacy: Why New Hampshire's alcohol stats are skewed
If you've spent any time online scrolling for random New Hampshire tidbits, you have undoubtedly encountered the Drunken Granite State Fallacy.
Vermont says its loons don't need as much hand-holding any more
Vermont Public reports a bit of environmental good news from the Green Mountain state: For more than 30 years, Vermont scientists have been setting up floating rafts where loons can build their nests. But now, scientists with the state's loon conservation program are starting to pull those rafts out of lakes. They say loons are doing so well that it's time to let them nest without human aid. The full story is here.
EPA gives N.H. the thumbs-up for ending car inspections
It seems increasingly likely that New Hampshire drivers who have scraped the inspection decal off their car windshields won’t have to replace it. The Environmental Protection Agency said Thursday it is proposing to speed up actions that would legalize New Hampshire’s decision last January to end the state’s car-inspection program.
Concord residents will see a partial solar eclipse Wednesday afternoon
The moon will take a bite out of the sun Wednesday afternoon as a partial solar eclipse passes over the Concord area. The eclipse, in which the moon stands between the Earth and the sun, will be nothing like the full eclipse that swept through northern New Hampshire in 2024. About one-fifth of the sun will be covered for a while, not enough to noticeably dim the daylight. Those watching the sun with proper safety gear will be able to see semi-circular pieces of the sun disappear and then reappear.
Stop me if you've heard this before: N.H. home prices have hit a new record high
To the dismay of aspiring homeowners and the delight of those looking to downsize, the average sales price of a New Hampshire house continues its upward march. The median sales price for single-family homes hit yet another all-time record in July: $580,000, 5.5% more than June 2025, according to the New Hampshire Association of Realtors. This metric means half of homes were more expensive and half were less. The eye-watering price isn't deterring buyers.
EPA gives N.H. the thumbs-up for ending car inspections
It seems increasingly likely that New Hampshire drivers who have scraped the inspection decal off their car windshields won't have to replace it. The Environmental Protection Agency said Thursday it is proposing to speed up actions that would legalize New Hampshire's decision last January to end the state's car-inspection program.
How about an entire private school built around A.I.
An A.I.-powered private school ($55,000/year tuition) called Alpha Schools plans to launch in 27 cities this coming school year, including Boston. It got the OK recently from the city school board. Boston Globe story is here. It has an AI-dependent classroom model in which software agents "guide" classroom discussion. The company claims this reduces screen time and increases human interaction, although compared to what I'm not sure.
Concord police seek information on woman who disappeared in 1999
Concord police are revisiting the case of a woman who disappeared 27 years ago. The department is asking for public assistance concerning Charlene Gagnon, who also went by the names Charlene Kimball and Charlene Randall. Police believe that on the afternoon of Friday, Aug. 6, 1999, Gagnon traveled with an acquaintance from her residence at 58 Manchester St. in Concord to Manchester, where she entered an apartment on Lowell Street. "Her acquaintance later went to the apartment door to look for her.
Jonathan Kiper doesn't get signatures for governor race, shifts focus to new PAC
The Newmarket man who launched what he admits was a "Hail Mary" run for governor has fallen well short of getting enough signatures to appear on November's ballot as an Independent. But he hopes this will be more of a beginning than an ending. "I realized that we needed to build a better coalition," said Jonathan Kiper, a Newmarket businessman and former town councilor who ran a long-shot bid as a Democrat for governor in 2024 and was hoping to do it again this year as an Independent.
Property taxes rise as state education aid falls, report
In a finding that will surprise nobody who has attended a town meeting or city budget hearing, state government's shrinking share of public education funding has increased the burden on homeowners and businesses that pay property taxes, according to the NH Fiscal Policy Institute.
NH patents through August 2
By Targeted News Service The following federal patents were assigned to companies in New Hampshire for the week ending Aug. 2.. *** Magazine Catch for a Firearm SIG SAUER, INC., Newington, New Hampshire has been assigned a patent (No. US 12693082 B2, initially filed Oct. 7, 2024) developed by Jacqueline K. McNally, Rochester, New Hampshire, and Aaron C.
Granite Geek: Maybe ash trees aren't doomed after all
I recently had the most remarkable conversation about ash trees in New Hampshire. It was remarkable because, for the first time since Emerald Ash Borer arrived here in 2014, it wasn't all doom-and-gloom. "It's just in the last two years we've turned the corner and been a lot more positive about the future of ash in New Hampshire," said Kyle Lombard, administrator of the state's Forest Health Bureau, part of the Division of Forest and Lands.
Vermont fears shelter dogs from Texas could bring screwworm into the state
Vermont Public reports that the Green Mountain State has begun testing any shelter pets for screwworm if they're from high-risk areas, which right now means Texas. The full story is here. Vermont State Veterinarian Kaitlynn Levine, who works in the Agency of Agriculture, said the spread of New World screwworm northward threatens all livestock operations in its path. "We don't import a lot of cattle from Texas.
Pittsfield Hot Air Balloon Rally forecast remains dry
The annual Hot Air Balloon Rally in Pittsfield looks to have dodged this week's heavy rains and wind, perhaps the result of accumulated wisdom after having been around for 44 years. Scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. Saturday, the event should feature more than a dozen hot air balloon pilots and crews from across the country as well as a host of other events.
The biggest power plant in Vermont isn't what most of us would call a power plant
The site Electrek reports ( full story here) that the biggest single source of electricity in the state of Vermont is a virtual power plant run by the utility Green Mountain Power. GMP's virtual power plant now has 110 MW of capacity, making it Vermont's largest single power resource by capacity, according to the utility. More than half of that capacity - 53 MW - comes from residential battery systems.
Man dies after medical emergency on Welch-Dickey trail
A 62-year-old man suffered a medical emergency and died Saturday while hiking the Welch-Dickey trail near Plymouth, one of the most popular hikes in the White Mountains.
Can manufactured housing ease our housing crunch?
Tiny houses are hot, ADUs can be useful and yurts are intriguing in a weird sort of way, but as everybody tries to ease our housing crunch, much attention is being focused on something that has been around for decades: Manufactured housing. "This isn't the manufactured housing that people think of from the '70s and '80s," said Sarah Marchant, the chief operating officer for New Hampshire Community Loan Fund.
End of an era for cold fusion journal Infinite Energy
It looks like the state's most unusual magazine has bitten the dust. Infinite Energy, a quirky but serious-minded publication about alternative physics that was started in 1994 by Eugene Mallove, a famous supporter of cold fusion, seems to have disappeared. The website is down and the phone number I have for the managing editor, who lived in Allenstown, has been disconnected.
Car dealership proposed at site of Freedom Cycle in Concord
A car dealership is being proposed at the site of Freedom Cycle, a long-established motorcycle dealership on Manchester Street in Concord, alongside a proposed new hotel. The proposal from Capital City Subaru is before the city planning board and will next be heard Aug. 19. It calls for renovating the main building used by Freedom Cycle and adding a small addition to become a car dealership, plus reusing an existing building in the rear for "reconditioning vehicles," according to city records.
Is your well running dry? Let the state know!
From NHPR: The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services wants to know if your well has run dry, as groundwater levels remain stressed due to the state's ongoing drought. Signs of a well that is running dry include a sputtering faucet, muddy or discolored tap water, or changes to the water's smell or taste. You can report your dry well using a form on the agency's website - www.des.nh.gov - and clicking on the drought link.
Gulf of Maine warming slowed for now but ecosystem remains unstable
The independent Maine Monitor reports ( story here) that Maine's fishing ports are doing well for now, but climate change is destabilizing the Gulf of Maine. 2025, like 2024, offered slightly cooler water temperatures after more than a decade of rapid and record-breaking warming in the Gulf of Maine. But the scientists predict that temperatures will warm again this fall, and will continue to rise long-term as the burning of fossil fuels releases greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
Can a local app help curb your app addiction?
When he was building an app to help nudge people away from their apps, Eric Wolfram realized that less is more. "This is not a to-do list, not a productivity app. It's not gamified or lists. It's about who you are, who you want to be, and reminding you to be that person with little tasks, little reminders," he said.
Vehicle-to-grid pilot launches in Massachusetts
Eversource and National Grid have launched a test in Massachusetts of of vehicle-to-grid or V2G charging, which would pay owners of electric vehicles for the right to use some of the energy stored in their cars during high electric demand. Such programs exist in Europe and China but have been slow to get going in the U.S. They require the car, the charging system and the utility to all have the right technology and for regulators to have approved payment methods to make it worth while.
Risk pool crisis eases but lawsuit, investigation loom in NH
Two programs that help communities self-insure their employees are no longer in jeopardy of collapse. However, the issue remains volatile with a major lawsuit and a state investigation pending. On Wednesday, the Secretary of State's office said that all known claims have been paid for New Hampshire Interlocal Trust, a pooled risk-management program covering 3,500 employees of 38 towns and school districts that was put into receivership in April 2025 because it had basically run out of money.
Transmissible cancer in fish is more like a parasite than a tumor
From University of Vermont: A team of Vermont researchers has discovered that mysterious black skin lesions afflicting catfish in Lake Memphremagog and other New England and Canadian lakes are caused by a transmissible cancer-the first ever identified in a freshwater fish species. The cancer cells behave more like parasites than conventional tumors, moving from fish to fish.
Vermont electric-plane firm gets a big order from Scotland
Beta Technologies, the Vermont startup making electric passenger-carrying airplanes, has sold five of them to Logan Air, a short-haul regional airline in Scotland. This story (https://www.thenational.scot/news/26295429.loganair-set-europes-first-all-electric-air-fleet/) says Logan will become an all-electric airline. Five Alia Ctol (CX300) electric aircraft have been purchased, with options for a further five also included.
Granite Geek: A bright green rock is a New Hampshire representative
There's a new exhibit at the National Museum of Natural History featuring items to represent each of the U.S. states and territories. The Granite State is represented by a rock. No, not that type of rock. It's fluorite, a bright green sample of calcium fluoride taken from the William Wise mine in Westmoreland, west of Keene.
Granite Advantage members face new work requirements in 2027
Almost 48,000 New Hampshire residents who get health insurance through the state's Medicaid expansion program will have to meet new rules about working or having "community engagement" next year, and the state wants to make sure they're not taken by surprise.
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