Yellow haze sky, NH is dead last in school funding

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Happy hump day, Nashua ☀️

Were you confused by the yellow-ish haze outside yesterday? I sure was.

When I went into work in the morning, it seemed normal out. By the time I stepped outside for lunch, there was a pretty strong yellow haze. It almost seemed like there was a photo filter on the world. Bizarre.

In today’s edition of The Nashua Note, we've got a $100,000 EBT fraud case that ended with an arrest on Main Street, two sign holders at Exit 6 getting court summons, and a guy who allegedly robbed a gas station of candy and soda. Not the register. The snacks. I have questions.

Let’s dive in.

What’s Happening Around Nashua

Nashua arrest ends a six-state EBT card fraud case Police arrested 36-year-old Alexandru Victorian Ispas on Main Street on July 1 after federal and local investigators tracked more than $100,000 in stolen welfare benefits from Maine into Manchester and Nashua. He was held without bail and arraigned the next day. Boston Herald

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Two sign holders at Exit 6 get court summons Nashua police handed court summons to two volunteers with the NH Bridge Brigade for Democracy on July 10, citing a state law that bars advertising devices in highway rights-of-way. The group has been holding signs on 25 bridges around the state for over a year and says it will keep going while it talks to the ACLU.

Nashua woman gets jail time over a fake marriage license Wendy Leedberg-Snow, 60, pleaded guilty to talking a town clerk into signing a marriage certificate after her longtime partner died in 2023, then using it to take property from his estate. She got seven days in jail, two years of probation, and owes $4,600 back to his trust.

Federal election monitors are headed to Nashua The Justice Department is sending observers to 15 communities in six states for upcoming primaries, and Nashua and Manchester are the two New Hampshire stops. Secretary of State David Scanlan said anyone is welcome to watch the state run an election. Patch

Grand jury hands up 14 indictments out of Nashua court A Hillsborough County grand jury indicted 14 people this round, including several on child sexual assault charges out of Nashua and Wilton, a Walpole man accused of robbing a West Hollis Road gas station of candy and soda, and a Nashua contractor accused of forging his way to $21,000. An indictment is a charge, not a conviction. Patch

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Upcoming Events in the Area

Live at the Library! The Jordan TW Trio (Wednesday, July 15 at 1PM)

Nashua Public Library, Nashua, NH (2 Court St, Nashua, NH 03060)

The Celtic trio of fiddler Jordan Tirrell-Wysocki, guitarist Matthew Jensen, and bassist Chris Noyes plays fiddle tunes, airs, and sing-alongs at this free show sponsored by the Bloomfield Trust. Learn More

Adult Intro to Pickleball Wednesday, July 15 at 5:30PM – 7PM

Wasserman Park Tennis Courts, Merrimack, NH (116 Naticook Rd, Merrimack, NH 03054)

A learn-to-play pickleball session for adults run by Merrimack Parks and Recreation, part of a four-week intro program on the Wasserman Park tennis courts. Bring your own paddle. Learn More

Card Making Workshop Thursday, July 16 at 6PM – 9PM

A Fiber in the Woods, Merrimack, NH (301 Daniel Webster Hwy, Merrimack, NH 03054)

A hands-on class making six vellum cards, including one Christmas card, taught by Cathy Belanger. Learn More

Free Car Seat Safety Inspection Event Saturday, July 18 at 10AM – 12PM

Southern New Hampshire Health, Nashua, NH

Certified child passenger safety technicians will check your car seat's installation and answer your questions, open to all parents and caregivers. Learn More

Nashua Farmers Market Sunday, July 19 at 10AM – 1PM

Nashua Riverwalk, Nashua, NH

The weekly outdoor market returns at its new Riverwalk location with local produce, baked goods, flowers, and handmade items, plus rotating musicians and food trucks. Learn More

Other Happenings Around New Hampshire

New Hampshire pays the smallest share of school costs in the country A new look from the NH Fiscal Policy Institute puts the state's share of public education revenue at 29%, dead last nationally and well under the 44% average, which leaves local property taxpayers covering about 72% of the bill. Another $1 billion state funding stream starts phasing out next year across 109 communities. WMUR

Schools will get more special ed money, starting in 2028 Gov. Kelly Ayotte signed a bill that opens up state reimbursement for a new group of students whose special education costs run between 2.5 and 3.5 times the average per-pupil cost, which was $21,545 in 2023-24. The catch is a pile of new paperwork, and none of it kicks in until July 2028. New Hampshire Bulletin

A stomach bug is spreading nationally, but not really here State health officials have confirmed two cases of cyclosporiasis in New Hampshire this year, which is right in line with a normal year, even as the CDC tracks hundreds of cases across 30-plus states. The parasite usually rides in on unwashed produce like lettuce, berries, and fresh herbs, so give the salad greens an extra rinse. WMUR

That's it for this Wednesday.

Go listen to some fiddle music at the library, learn pickleball, or make six cards and get a jump on Christmas in July, which is either extremely organized or a cry for help. Your call.

I'll be back in your inbox Friday.

– The Nashua Note