Air quality monitoring device installed near railyard: Community news update

Portsmouth DPW allows NHDES to install temporary air quality monitoring device near railyard

PORTSMOUTH – The city of Portsmouth has authorized the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) to place temporary air quality monitoring devices in locations surrounding the Foundry Place Garage. The air quality study was authorized by NHDES in response to city concerns regarding air quality complaints from the neighborhood and residents’ reports of emissions from locomotives in the railyard.

There are currently three monitors collecting data. One monitor is located on Langdon Street near the railyard on property of Regan Electric. The second is located on the corner of Maplewood Avenue adjacent to North Cemetery. The third monitor is positioned at the tennis courts near South Mill Pond to collect background levels for comparison. The monitoring devices are all placed on above-ground stations and required no digging for installation. They will remain in place through February, collecting several months of data for analysis by NHDES.

Real-time data from these monitors is being reported online at: https://map.purpleair.com Those interested in viewing reports should click on any of the three yellow circles on the map at “Portsmouth.”

Dover Police selected as Big Brothers Big Sisters 2021 Partner of the Year

DOVER — Big Brothers Big Sisters of New Hampshire selected Dover Police Department as its 2021 Partner of the Year.

Chief William Breault said he was “humbled and honored” for the department being selected.

“Our team of ‘Bigs’ here at the Police Department is truly an amazing and selfless group,” Breault said. “I couldn’t be any more proud of them and the work that they are doing with the Bigs and Badges program. They are also doing a great job getting their coworkers to join the program and become Bigs.”

Dover Police has partnered with Big Brothers Big Sisters since 2019. Currently, five officers, including Chief Breault, are meeting and mentoring their “Littles.” The involvement, called “Bigs with Badges,” is part of the department’s overall focus on community outreach.

Breault said he was surprised by how beneficial it’s been to become a Big Brother. “Meeting with my little is often the best part of my week and has helped me reset from the craziness and stress that is part of my regular job,” Breault said. “It has helped keep in focus why I became a police officer so many years ago: to make a positive difference in people’s lives.”

The Police Department will be formally honored at a virtual ceremony in 2022.

HRCU donates to 44 local non-profits in 8th annual Christmas Caring Campaign

ROCHESTER – This December, HRCU donated to 44 local non-profit organizations as a part of their 8th-annual Christmas Caring Campaign (CCC). Since the CCC began in 2014, HRCU has now made a total of 202 donations totaling over $230,000.

“Obviously the last couple of years have been hard for many people and community organizations, so we are extremely happy to be in a position where we can give back to a number of outstanding non-profits who are doing their best every day to care for those around us”, said Brian Hughes, HRCU President and CEO.”

This year included 14 non-profits who were new to the CCC: Gather NH, End 68 Hours of Hunger (Barrington, Milton and Somersworth), Alton Community Services, Waypoint, Dover Children’s Home, York County Shelter Programs, Seacoast Family Promise, New Generation, Cornerstone VNA, Great Bay Services, Children’s Dyslexia Centers and Victims, inc.

For a full list of organizations who received donations, visit www.HRCU.org/ChristmasCaring.

ARCH receives grant from The Fabulous Find

ROLLINSFORD — The Association for Rollinsford Culture and History (ARCH) recently received a grant of $11,612.64 from The Fabulous Find, a nonprofit resale boutique in Kittery, Maine, to support programs and operations at Rollinsford’s historic Colonel Paul Wentworth House.

Each month, The Fabulous Find donates all profits from its sales to selected Seacoast area nonprofit organizations. Profits from its November sales were split between ARCH, Bedrock Gardens in Lee, and the Portsmouth Music Hall.

“We are thrilled to receive this grant from The Fabulous Find. For the past two years, we’ve been forced by the pandemic to cancel our annual fundraiser dinner and auction, and this grant will help us maintain the Wentworth House and fund our educational programs,” said ARCH board president Julia Roberts. “We are so grateful to The Fabulous Find, and to our many supporters who made this grant possible by donating items to The Fabulous Find and shopping there for the holidays.”

Located on Water Street in Rollinsford, the circa 1701 Wentworth House is maintained by ARCH as an educational and cultural center, and hosts exhibits, demonstrations, school programs, and living history events that educate visitors of all ages about the area’s rich history and heritage.

The Fabulous Find provides $10K grant to 3S Artspace

PORTSMOUTH — The Fabulous Find, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, selected 3S Artspace along with One Sky Community Services and Great Works Regional Land Trust as community partners for the month of October, resulting in a grant in the amount of $10,273.45 to 3S Artspace.

“The incredible support we received from The Fabulous Find as one of the benefiting organizations of their October profits is astounding! We’re so grateful for their generosity as we approach the end of 2021,” said Laurie Contrino, Development Manager at 3S Artspace.

In addition to selling designer clothing, jewelry, home accessories, furniture, music, and books, it’s part of the mission of the boutique-style resale shop in Kittery to use profits to provide grants to fellow community non-profit organizations selected by the board of directors each month.

The Fabulous Find was founded in 2010 by a small group of Seacoast Maine and New Hampshire women, and in the past 11 years, they have given over $2,000,000 to 155-plus area non-profits.

Board President of The Fabulous Find Marcye Philbrook presented the grant check to Beth Falconer (Executive Director, 3S Artspace), Elissa Margolin (Board Chair, 3S Artspace), and Laurie Contrino in November.

Portsmouth's second annual Holiday Lights Contest winners

PORTSMOUTH – Once again the Neighborhood Holiday Lights Contest received enthusiastic support, with 48 Portsmouth residents participating. Mayor Rick Becksted joined members of the Citywide Neighborhood Committee and the children who did the judging to announce the winners at the City Council meeting on Monday, Dec. 20.

The top three winners who received one of three $500 gift certificates from Lowe’s, Home Depot or Ricci Lumber included:

Traditional Light Display: Tamrah Rouleau, Madison Street

Creative Light Display: Al Bailey, Ocean Road

Kids’ Choice: The Pettis Family, O’Leary Place

The following 15 honorable mention winners each received a $25 gift card donated by either Hannaford, Market Basket or WalMart:

Nicole Beyer, FW Hartford Drive*

Ray Clauson, Madison Street*

John Chavez, Pine Street*

Tim MacCannell, Maplewood Ave*

Charles Smith, South Street*

Roe Beland, Union Street*

Dawn Sirois, Ocean Rd*

Amber Buttermore, FW Hartford Drive*

Liz Wentworth, Van Buren Avenue*

Polly Dale, Osprey Drive

Vieria Family, Dennett St

Kristie Jorgenson, Middle Street

Kris Kraft, State Street, Unit 1

Wayne Bowlen, Coakley Rd

Andy Christo. Buckminster Way

*Kids’ Choice Honorable Mention

The Committee has created a map of the Holiday Lights Contest entries so that residents can tour the lighted locations route by car: https://www.cityofportsmouth.com/sites/default/files/2021-12/revHolidayLightsMAP_0.pdf​

In addition to the prize donors, Seacoast Media Group was an in-kind sponsor, providing publicity and advertising space for the contest. Citywide Neighborhood Committee members who coordinated the contest include Mayor Rick Becksted, Mark Syracusa as Contest Lead, Lori Soloway, Dave Cosgrove, Larry Cataldo, Kathleen Boduch, Paul Mannle, Beth Margeson, Kathy Bergeron, Christy Cardosa, and City Councilor John Tabor.

Portsmouth Naval Shipyard delivers USS Annapolis six days early

SAN DIEGO, Calif. – Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (PNS) delivered USS Annapolis (SSN 760) back to the fleet six days ahead of schedule on Dec. 12.

Annapolis underwent a docking selected restricted availability (DSRA) at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Detachment – San Diego located at Naval Base Point Loma. PNS has a permanently stationed workforce of approximately 250 civilians in San Diego, who partner with 250 military members to conduct intermediate maintenance on submarines homeported or visiting the San Diego area of responsibility. When a submarine undergoes a depot maintenance availability, such as a DSRA, a workforce from PNS travels to San Diego to accomplish that work.

Starting in June, approximately 400 PNS employees demonstrated their ownership and commitment to customer-focused mission accomplishment by temporarily relocating to San Diego to execute the maintenance availability. Partnering alongside Ship's Force, detachment personnel, Submarine Squadron 11, and alteration installation teams, this Kittery, Maine based workforce demonstrated exceptional unity to successfully complete the mission despite the ongoing COVID-19 challenges.

Annapolis Project Superintendent Ricky Davis attributed the extraordinary teamwork and excellent material condition of the submarine from previous maintenance availabilities for the early completion. “We can all call this a success," said Davis. “Communication between team members was a key factor in completing work and overcoming obstacles … [as well as] the repair work during the engineered overhaul [by PNS] that held up to the test of time. I am still impressed with the ability of our workforce to focus on a goal and perform to a high level to reach that goal.”

Shipyard Commander, Captain Daniel Ettlich, offered congratulations to the team and a reminder of the importance of delivering submarines on time. “This is another big win for Portsmouth and proves what we can do when we lean-in and take ownership from the earliest stages of an availability to ensure we are set up for success,” said Ettlich. “The fleet needs these submarines out of maintenance and back on the pointed end of the spear to conduct our nation’s business. By delivering excellence as we did with Annapolis, Portsmouth continues to answer the nation’s call.”

Annapolis is the fourth ship to be named for Annapolis, Maryland, site of the U. S. Naval Academy and the tenth “improved” Los Angeles-class nuclear-powered submarine. The improved modifications of this class include retractable bow planes, a reinforced sail for under-ice operations, vertical-launch Tomahawk Cruise Missile capability, ship-quieting enhancements, and an integrated combat systems suite. Annapolis was commissioned April 11, 1992.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Update: Dover Police, Big Brothers, Big Sisters, Fabulous Find, HRCU