What to do you if you see a seal at beach: Community news updates

Portsmouth Herald
·4 min read

Harbor seal pupping season begins in Seacoast

Harbor seal pups are born in the spring and come on to the shore to rest, nurse and soak up the sun. If you see a seal on the beach, keep back and call the Seacoast Science Center Marine Mammal Rescue hotline at 603-997-9448.
Harbor seal pups are born in the spring and come on to the shore to rest, nurse and soak up the sun. If you see a seal on the beach, keep back and call the Seacoast Science Center Marine Mammal Rescue hotline at 603-997-9448.

RYE — Harbor seals bear their young from late April to June. As a result, the chance of seeing seals on our beaches, more specifically seal pups, increases during the late spring and summer months.

The Seacoast Science Center Marine Mammal Rescue urges residents who see a seal on the beach to keep back and call the its hotline at 603-997-9448. MMR responds to all reports of marine mammals (seals, whales, dolphins, and porpoises) that haul out or strand on the shore in New Hampshire and northern Massachusetts (from Essex, Mass. to the Maine border), alive or dead.

For information and to donate, visit seacoastsciencecenter.org/marine-mammal-rescue.

Portsmouth offers paperless water, sewer and property tax billing option

PORTSMOUTH — The city is offering taxpayers and water and sewer customers the option of paperless billing. Customers may opt-in to this completely voluntary service to receive the next bill electronically via the city’s InvoiceCloud system.

There is no fee to sign up for paperless billing and there is no fee to pay electronically from a checking or savings account (ACH/e-check). There is a processing fee for debit or credit card payments on property taxes, water and sewer bills using Visa, Mastercard, Discover or American Express. This fee is charged and retained by the third-party processing vendor.

Information: portsnh.co/paybill

Pro Portsmouth reveals the 2023 Children’s Day logo

2023 Children's Day logo created by Rye student, Regan Stephan.
2023 Children's Day logo created by Rye student, Regan Stephan.

PORTSMOUTH — This year’s Children’s Day logo celebrates Portsmouth’s 400th anniversary.

Created by Rye student Regan Stephan, the 2023 logo features an image of the gundalow. The logo artwork will be featured on the volunteer T-shirts, the Children’s Day map, social media and the Pro Portsmouth website.

The event, which takes place on Sunday, May 7, from noon to 4 p.m., kicks off at the Block Party’s Performance Area on Pleasant Street. Using the activity map and legend, families follow the alphabet all over downtown where they can enjoy a variety of crafts, games, and interactive activities.

The Children’s Day map is available at proportsmouth.org/childrens-day-map.

The quilts are coming

DOVER — From tragedy can come beauty, and that is what can be witnessed at First Parish Church May 10 from 2 to 4 p.m., May 11 from 6 to 7 p.m., with a documentary film viewing about the making of the quilts called “Stitch, Breathe, Speak: The George Floyd Quilts” by New Hampshire filmmaker Chris Owen from 7 to 8 p.m., May 12 from 2 to 4 p.m. and May 13 from 10 a.m. to noon. The Sacred Ally Quilt project will be available to view at the church at 218 Central Ave. in Dover.

Viewing the quilts is free, but the church welcomes donations to help cover the expense of hosting them. For information, call the church office at 603-742-5664.

Moms On The Run 5K to benefit Zebra Crossings

DOVER — Zebra Crossings will be hosting the 16th annual Moms On The Run 5K Race/Walk on Sunday, May 14 starting at 9 a.m. This is the fourth race in the Dover Race Series and will start and finish at Dover High School. Runners and walkers of all ages and abilities are invited to join this family friendly event to celebrate moms.

Information: zebra-crossings.org/run.

Pre-register: raceroster.com/events/2023/71690/moms-on-the-run-5k-runwalk.

Proceeds benefit Zebra Crossings, a local nonprofit offering empowerment programs for youth and teens with chronic medical conditions.

New Hampshire’s LCHIP announces opening of 2023 Grant Round

CONCORD — The New Hampshire Land and Community Heritage Investment Program opened its 22nd grant round on May 1. Letters of intent will be due by May 17 and full proposals by June 21.  Funding will be made available to assist municipalities, nonprofit organizations, and community groups in carrying out land conservation and historic preservation projects across the state.

LCHIP grant recipients are required to match each dollar contributed by LCHIP with a minimum of one additional dollar. This year’s awards will be announced in early December.

Information: LCHIP.org or call 603-224-4113.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: What to do you if you see a seal at beach: Community news updates