Nashua may close a school, and federal observers head to the polls

Happy Friday, Nashua ☀️

Mostly sunny this afternoon with a high near 83. Saturday backs off to 77 with showers likely after 4 PM, Sunday clears up at 74, and Labor Day looks sunny and 79.

A facilities study says Nashua may have to close a school, and the school board could decide in November. The Justice Department is sending election observers here for Tuesday’s primary. And overdoses in the city are on track for a fifth straight yearly drop.

The 5K at Holman is Saturday morning, and the polls open Tuesday.

Let’s dive in.

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What’s Happening Around Nashua

Nashua may close a school, and the answer comes in November A facilities study found the district has about 1,500 fewer students than it did in 2018 and expects to lose another 10% by 2035, while its 19 buildings average 57 years old. Superintendent Mario Andrade says the question is coming up with the budget, and the Board of Education is expected to vote in November. Nashua Ink Link

Federal election observers are coming to Nashua Tuesday The Justice Department is sending observers to Nashua and Manchester for the state primary, part of a six-state list that also includes Arizona, Michigan, Massachusetts, Minnesota and Virginia. City Clerk Daniel Healy says his office is preparing the same way it does for any election. NHPR

City overdoses are headed for a fifth straight drop Ambulance crews counted 14 suspected opioid overdoses in Nashua in August, one of them fatal, and the year is running 7% under last year with deaths down 28%. Manchester went the whole month without a fatal overdose for the first time since 2015. Nashua Independent

Beaver Brook trades its yurt for a $4.1 million classroom The Hollis nature center opened a two-story education building to replace the yurt it taught out of for 17 years. About 2,000 students visit on field trips each year, and the group expects that to climb roughly 30% over the next five. Nashua Independent

Upcoming Events in the Area

Veterans Count Nashua 5K Fun Run & Walk Saturday, September 5 at 9 AM – 11 AM

• Holman Stadium, Nashua, NH (7 Stadium Dr, Nashua, NH 03062)

• A road race in the Easterseals and Veterans Count series that raises money for New Hampshire veterans and their families. You can still sign up race morning and get a bib. Learn More

Gluten Never Ever Expo Saturday, September 5 and Sunday, September 6 at 10 AM – 4 PM

• The Hampshire Dome, Milford, NH (34 Emerson Rd, Milford, NH 03055)

• About 100 booths of gluten-free food and crafts with samples, live music and a kids zone, and one ticket covers both days. Learn More

Nashua Farmers Market Sunday, September 6 at 10 AM – 1 PM

• Nashua Riverwalk, Nashua, NH (23 Water St, Nashua, NH 03060)

• The weekly market runs from Bicentennial Park down to the pavilion with produce, bakers, flowers and crafts, plus a different musician each week. SNAP and Granite State Market Match are accepted. Learn More

Labor Day Thrill Show Monday, September 7 at 11 AM

• Hudson Speedway, Hudson, NH (120 Old Derry Rd, Hudson, NH 03051)

• Gates open at 11 AM and racing starts at 1 PM, with enduros, a figure 8, a flagpole race, spectator drags and a bicycle contest. Learn More

New Hampshire State Primary Tuesday, September 8 at 6 AM – 8 PM

• Your ward polling place, Nashua, NH (city clerk’s office, 229 Main St, Nashua, NH 03060)

• Polls are open across all nine wards for the state primary, and the city’s page has the ward maps and street list if you are not sure where you vote. Learn More

Locals Love Nashua Area Businesses. Book your spot here.

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Secure yours at madison@nashuanote.com

Other Happenings Around New Hampshire

A lawsuit wants the school tax cap off the November ballot Two residents asked a Merrimack County judge on Monday to block the statewide school tax cap question, arguing the wording is confusing and forces one yes or no answer on two separate caps. Ballots start printing after Tuesday’s primary, and the state has to mail overseas and military ballots by September 19. New Hampshire Bulletin

Sensors in Concord public housing draw a class action The ACLU and New Hampshire Legal Assistance sued the Concord housing authority over about 300 devices that log noise every minute and count how many people are in an apartment. The agency spent $46,060 on them starting in fall 2024, and tenants had to sign for them with no way to say no. NHPR

Sludge spread on a Chester field in the 1990s left PFAS behind Testing on a former dairy field at 611 Haverhill Road turned up PFOS and PFOA about 30 years after roughly 58 tons of treated sewage sludge went down as fertilizer, though the groundwater came back clean. State officials say it is the first case of its kind they know of in New Hampshire, and a 34-home project on the site is likely to pause while the town brings in consultants. Nashua Ink Link

That’s it for today.

Saturday’s 5K goes off at 9 AM and the rain holds until late afternoon, so the morning should be dry. Sunday and Labor Day both look sunny if you are headed to the market or out to Hudson Speedway.

I’ll be back in your inbox Monday.

– The Nashua Note