Friday Updates - April 11, 2025

Friday, April 11, 2025

The photo above shows a vintage EMD GP38 locomotive trailing on the Downeaster. These locomotives aren’t typically assigned to revenue service. While it’s one of Amtrak’s older units, it’s sporting Amtrak's newest livery. The piles of ties are for ongoing work on the track (see below). Courtesy, Daniel Day

With this cold, rainy weather, it’s hard to believe that spring has really sprung…

Passover, a major Jewish holiday that commemorates the liberation of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, as described in the biblical Book of Exodus, begins at sundown on Saturday, April 12, and ends at nightfall on Sunday, April 20. 

Palm Sunday is April 13, a notable day for Christians which commemorates the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, as describe in all four New Testament Gospels.

Vaisakhi is April 14, celebrating the founding of the Khalsa by Guru Gobind Singh and marks the harvest season. It’s a major observance for Sikhs.

Administrator Selig wrote an op-ed for indepthnh.org this week regarding the budget issues at the State level. To read this op-ed, click HERE.

COMPOSTING TO BEGIN AT TOWN HALL

Administrative Assistant Karen Edwards has made arrangements for there to be a Mr. Fox Composting bin here at the Town Hall that will be picked up by Mr. Fox every other week starting April 23. The price was reasonable at $18 per pick up.

DURHAM - The College Town Near New Hampshire's Coast Where New England Charm Meets Scenic Farmland

According to a March article in www.explore.com, for many, New England evokes an image of rugged coastlines, sea breezes, and beautiful fall foliage. It's a place where college towns are filled with red brick buildings and clapboard houses, and the countryside is full of winding country lanes, covered bridges, and acre upon acre of rolling farmland. New Hampshire offers all of this and more, and Durham stands out as a must-visit destination according to a recent report.

Home to the UNH main campus, Durham is a quintessential New England college town.

Read more of this article HERE.

OYSTER RIVER COOP SCHOOL DISTRICT JOINS FEDERAL LAWSUIT, NEA v. ED – Challenging New US Dept. of Education Mandates

The Oyster River Cooperative School District (ORCSD) has joined a federal lawsuit, NEA v. ED, alongside other New Hampshire districts. This legal action challenges recent mandates from the U.S. Department of Education that impose restrictions on curriculum, teaching, and learning as conditions for receiving federal funding, such as IDEA Special Education and Free and Reduced Lunch programs. The district believes these directives undermine local control of education and conflict with its mission to ensure inclusive, high-quality learning environments.

The lawsuit, filed by the ACLU-NH at no cost to ORCSD, seeks to protect academic freedom and local decision-making in public schools. The School Board unanimously voted to join this effort during a nonpublic session on April 8, emphasizing their commitment to advocating for students, teachers, and families.

For more details, please click HERE. To read an article in Fosters, click HERE.

PUBLIC HEARING ANNOUNCEMENT FROM NHDES RE: MILL POND DAM REMOVAL WETLANDS PERMIT APPLICATION

The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) has scheduled a public hearing on Tuesday, April 22, 2025, at 1:00 PM. The meeting will be held at the NHDES Portsmouth Regional Office, Pease International Tradeport, 222 International Drive, Suite 175, Room A, Portsmouth, NH. The purpose of the hearing is to receive public comments regarding the wetland permit application to remove the Mill Pond Dam. Town staff and the consultant team will provide an overview of the project and take public comments.

The project is funded through over $4 million in state and federal grants that the Town has sought and been awarded, including:

•  $284,226 from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) via the NHDES Critical Flood Infrastructure Grant for design and permitting.
• $290,000 from NOAA’s Community-Based Restoration Program for fish passage design at the Oyster Reservoir Dam.
• Approximately $3.2 million in construction funding expected from NOAA upon completion of design and permitting phases.

This restoration effort will improve fish passage, restore natural river functions, and address safety concerns. As part of compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, federal agencies and consulting parties have evaluated potential impacts on historic and archaeological resources. Mitigation measures have been developed to offset adverse effects and will be formalized in a Memorandum of Agreement.

The Implementation Start Date (i.e. removal of the dam and restoration of the river channel) is planned to begin late summer 2025. Installation of the fishway at the Oyster Reservoir Dam is expected to occur in 2026.

For more details about the public hearing, click HERE.

The Durham Police regretfully announce the passing of Retired Chief Paul Gowen. Chief Gowen passed away on Wednesday, April 9, 2025, in Rochester. Chief Gowen had a remarkable 32-year career in law enforcement and served as Durham Police Chief from 1979 until his retirement in 1995. 

Current Police Chief Rene Kelley and Deputy Chief David Holmstock are the last remaining Durham Police Officers hired by Chief Gowen. Chief Kelley remembers Chief Gowen as a kind, compassionate man who led by example and loved the Durham community. Rest easy Chief!

MEDICARE SCAM REPORTED BY DURHAM RESIDENTS - Read below to learn more

This week several Durham residents have received summary notices from Medicare regarding claims processed against their accounts. These claims are for equipment and supplies that were not requested or authorized for the beneficiary. In the notices seen by Durham Police, these supplies were from “Sunshine Senior Solutions” of Delray Beach, Florida. To see one of these notices, click HERE. 

Durable medical equipment and orthotics supplies offer a valuable service to people by providing the health care supplies they need. This equipment is prescribed by doctors and expected to be reused several times at home and serve a medical purpose. However, many fraudulent companies across the country are charging Medicare beneficiaries for this equipment – sometimes without ever sending the equipment to said beneficiary. 

You are likely part of a fraud or Medicare abuse scheme if any of the following happens:

• You see charges for equipment you do not need, or did not receive.
• You accepted an offer for “free” equipment or supplies, but your Medicare was billed instead.
• You received supplies and/or equipment you never ordered or do not need. 
• You see that a relative or spouse is being billed after they have passed away.
• A supplier requests your Medicare number at a presentation, during a sales pitch, or in an unsolicited phone call.
• A supplier delivers a request product to you, but bills Medicare of a more costly product than the one you received.

If you suspect fraud or do not recognize charges on a Medicare Summary Notice that is sent to you, with your information on it, you should report this as fraud. Medicare can be contacted at 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) or you can visit the website of Office of Inspector General, oig.hhs.gov/fraud, to submit a complaint.

REMAINS OF UNKNOWN HISTORIC PERSON RETURNED TO DURHAM FROM STATE FOLLOWING 40 YEAR HIATUS

In the late 1980s, a historical period unmarked burial was inadvertently disturbed during a construction project in the Town of Durham. A now retired staff member from the NH Division of Historic Resources worked the case and based on his recollection he was able to sift through the excavated back dirt piles and recover a handful of human long bones. The box containing those remains, simply labeled as long bones from Durham, was recently sent to the University of New Hampshire’s Forensic Anthropology Identification and Recovery (FAIR) Lab for analysis and documentation in preparation for reburial.

The forensic analysis of the remains determined that at least two individuals were represented in the collection. The forensic anthropologists were also able to determine that four of the elements appeared to represent anatomically prepared specimens used for teaching purposes that likely were inadvertently placed into the box at some point over the past 30 plus years and were not associated with the 1980s burial recovery in Durham.

The anatomically prepared specimens, which include one complete femur and three teeth, will be curated at the UNH FAIR Lab for educational purposes.

The collection of remains that were determined to represent archaeological specimens, meaning they were once buried, consist of the following 12 elements: left and right humeri, left and right radii, left and right ulnae, left and right femora, left and right tibiae, and left and right fibulae. These remains were designated Individual 1 during the course of the forensic analysis. Individual 1 was likely an adult male who experienced widespread infection of the lower limbs. In such situations, where the next of kin cannot be traced, the NHDHR is authorized per RSA 227-C:8-g, III to transfer the remains for reburial.

The NHDHR prefers to transfer remains back to the municipality from which they were originally buried. To that end, the remains of Individual 1, having been fully analyzed and documented, will be transferred to the Town of Durham for reburial per RSA 227-C:8-g, III. The 12 elements of remains will fit within a small urn vault, the longest of the skeletal elements measures just under 19 inches long.

The state’s role regarding human remains cases includes recovery and analysis, however, it does not include funding the reburial of human remains. After reviewing a modestly priced proposal from Kent & Pelczar Funeral Home in Newmarket obtained by Town Clerk/Tax Collector Rachel Deane, Admin. Selig has agreed that the Town will accept the remains and support the cost of bringing the unidentified person from Durham to back to the community to rest within the Town’s Cemetery, and to this end Cemetery Committee Chair Tom Bebbington will assist in this process.  

Read below about a very interesting cold case being investigated by the Durham Historic Association that may or may not be connected to this item.

CAN THE 1988 DEER MEADOW COLD CASE BE SOLVED?

You won’t want to miss the cold case mystery that the Durham Historic Association will present on Saturday, April 26, at its Annual Meeting at the Durham Town Hall at 2:00 p.m. You will hear from an eyewitness how, in 1988, three bodies were discovered during construction of a septic system for a new house in the Deer Meadow subdivision. Learn what the Medical Examiner and the State’s Archaeologist initially thought about the physical remains.

With help from the current state offices of the Medical Examiner, Forensic Investigator and Archaeologist, along with UNH anthropologists and historians, the DHA hopes to solve the mystery of who these people were. Come learn what the DHA is piecing together using the latest forensic evidence, as well as information from old maps, deeds, probate inventories, and genealogies. We hope to identify these individuals and illuminate what kind of lives they lived, so they may be reburied to rest in peace.

Charlotte Hitchcock reported this week that as construction began at the Bickford-Chesley House, a surprising discovery emerged that sheds new light on the building’s history.

During demolition in the two south rooms with kitchen hearths, crews uncovered two sets of ceiling joists: a lower, non-original set that held recent ceilings, and an upper set aligned with the second-floor level—indicating a continuous upper floor across both the north and south sections of the house.

After further investigation with David Baer of Milestone Construction, Charlotte hypothesizes the structure may originally have consisted of a single-story, two-room “hall and parlor” plan house. During the 1804 expansion, the house was enlarged with the addition of the north parlor rooms and a second floor, raising the overall ceiling height.

A key clue was the beaded stringers on the south stair—typical of 18th-century winder stairs—suggesting it originally led to an attic. Additional framing elements, including old mortise-and-tenon joinery and scribe rule marriage marks, support the theory of an earlier timber-framed structure.

Charlotte and the Team have reached out to other architectural historians, and several have expressed interest in visiting the site. We’re looking forward to what else might be uncovered.  

The Town engaged the services of Paul Dobberstein of Stakes and Stones Land Surveying, LLC to undertake a boundary survey of our land holdings at Jackson’s Landing. The property was acquired in different stages and there was never a survey undertaken to specifically denote boundaries, which has caused some misunderstandings between the Town and abutters over the years in regard to exactly where the boundary was located in various parts of the parcel. 

This week, Land Stewardship Coordinator Veronique Ludington, Land Stewardship Subcommittee Chair Ann Welsh, and Mr. Selig walked with Paul Dobberstein around the boundaries of the property. For the first time there was clarity concerning the boundary lines in the Southeast section of the property, the Southwest portion of the property and in the Northwest portion of the property. Mr. Dobberstein will install some additional boundary markers in certain areas to make it easier for the Town and abutters to jointly understand where boundaries exist, finalize his plans, file them with the Strafford County Registry of Deeds, and provide digital GIS copies for the town’s GIS systems. 

The next parcel of land to be surveyed is Stolworthy.

With letters of support from Durham, UNH received three new allocations of Federal Transit Administration funding to assist with bus replacement and transportation projects. These projects will use UNH and student fee funds to access 80% federal dollars. The approximate $3.75M of bus and bus facilities funding will allow UNH to expedite the CNG transit fuel station expansion; move forward with CNG fleet replacement and start the long-awaited renovation project for the north canopy of the Durham-UNH train station.

Since 2000, UNH has received over $35M of US Department of Transportation and US Department of Energy awards funding its transportation system – including new transit fleet, bus pullouts, garage renovations, enhancements at the train station, and other essential equipment and service enhancement that keep UNH moving.

Major track renovations began April 1 affecting Downeaster schedules through mid-July. CSX Railways will be replacing 134,000 ties and making other significant safety and performance improvements on the rail line this spring from the Massachusetts state line north through Durham to Brunswick, Maine.

This $30M+ project funded by CSX and the Federal Rail Administration will require a streamlined schedule to permit more efficient work on the single-track corridor. Mid-day train schedules will be affected as the project proceeds from south to north. Please consult the Amtrak Downeaster website for details. To compensate for the inconvenience, look for sale price tickets throughout the construction period!

On Saturday, April 12 between 9 am and 3 pm, come join the 2025 Macfarlane Research Greenhouses Open House—our 53rd annual—held in Durham, NH. Hosted by the NH Agricultural Experiment Station, this free event offers a unique opportunity for guests to tour and learn about the ongoing horticulture, crop and forestry research taking place at the UNH Macfarlane Research Greenhouses, meet with NH Agricultural Experiment Station researchers and UNH Extension education specialists, and explore one of our great agricultural research facilities.

The day will also include presentations and question and answer sessions by NHAES researchers and Extension specialists, and a peek inside the UNH plant diagnostics lab. Additionally, Portsmouth, NH-based food pantry Gather NH will offer lunch. A scavenger hunt for kids will provide an opportunity to learn about how greenhouses work and what makes agricultural research so special. The Macfarlane Research Greenhouses are located on the UNH campus at 13 Botanical Lane, Durham, NH. 

For more information, click HERE.

The Town of Durham’s Top Dog raffle encourages dog owners to license their pets by the deadline of April 30th every year. Residents who license their dogs by this date are automatically entered. The winner receives a gift basket from the clerk’s office and their dog’s biography featured in the Durham Friday Update. Winners are selected randomly via a computer-generated app. Please contact Town Clerk, Rachel Deane with questions at rdeane@ci.durham.nh.us.

Rules & Regulations:

• Automatic entry for residents who license their dog(s) by April 30 (Durham residents only).
• Opt-out by contacting the clerk’s office.
• Contestants must be 18 or older and the registered dog owner.
• Town employees and elected officials are ineligible.
• A current dog license and rabies vaccination are required.
• Winner can submit a photo and bio for the Durham Friday Update and website.

Tuesday April 22, 2025, will mark the 55th anniversary of Earth Day. Durham has a long legacy of conserving historic sites, scenic landscapes, farms, forests, recreational areas, wildlife habitats, wetlands and shorelines, and drinking water supplies. This tradition dates back over 100 years, beginning when Olinthus Doe left his farm on Bennett Road to the Town in his 1909 will.

During Earth Month and throughout the year, we encourage residents to visit and enjoy our Town Conservation Lands and help care for them by volunteering for Stewardship projects. Even a few hours of your time can make a big difference! Let's all be part of protecting our planet!" If you'd like to participate in this effort, please email the Town's Land Stewardship Coordinator at vludington@ci.durham.nh.us

Did You Know?  Sustainable Easter

This Easter, start off sustainable and try these tips for creating an eco-friendly Easter basket.

Easter Basket 

Skip buying baskets and try one of these options:

• Stop at the Swap Shop or Good Will (or similar store) and up-cycle a basket
• Reuse an old basket
• Use a pretty reusable tote bag instead of a basket
• Decorate a brown paper bag and use it instead of a basket

Easter Grass

The Easter grass that you typically find in baskets is petroleum-based. That means, it doesn’t disappear and isn’t easily recycled. So, that fake grass that is typically added to an Easter basket will be in a landfill somewhere long after the Easter celebration is over.

You don’t have to give up on having a sustainable Easter basket, though!  Here are some excellent alternatives to plastic Easter grass that can be reused or composted when Easter is over.

• Buy Easter grass made with 100% recycled paper, a brightly colored alternative to plastic grass fillers. It is available at major retail and office supply stores. Reuse the materials as packing supplies or for gift bags afterward.
• Natural raffia is a great alternative to plastic Easter grass. It is available in a variety of colors.
• Make your own Easter grass by shredding bills, tissue paper, craft paper, magazines, junk mail, etc. You will be able to customize whatever look or color that you want. 
• If you just can’t part with the age-old look and feel of shredded plastic Easter grass, consider buying a bag and reusing it for years. With so many great options, however, who needs the plastic?

Sources:

Earth911

We Fill Good

Brought to you by the IWMAC Committee 

Questions about recycling or composting? Email us at: DurhamRecycles603@gmail.com

Check us out on Instagram: sustainable.durham.nh

Not sure if an item can be recycled? Check here: https://recyclesmartma.org/

DURHAM PUBLIC WORKS EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES - If applicants don't have all required certifications, DPW may be able to work with them to ensure they obtain such within a reasonable time frame.

Buildings and Grounds Division – Maintenance Laborer

This position involves using independent judgment, to execute work involving the maintenance, construction, and operations of Town-owned buildings, parks, public lands, and related equipment to ensure the proper upkeep and functionality of the Town’s municipal services. The position performs laboring tasks and assists in other maintenance-related functions within Durham Public Works when needed. The position works under both the general and direct supervision of the Buildings and Grounds Supervisor and Operations Manager in this versatile and exciting role.

The successful candidate will have a minimum of three (3) years of demonstrated experience in the maintenance of grounds and building systems. Applicants will have a current State of New Hampshire Class B Commercial Driver’s License with Air Brake Endorsement and possess a Category B Commercial Pesticide Applicator’s License or have the ability to obtain it within 1 year of hire. This position requires emergency response on a 24/7 basis and performing work in adverse weather conditions.

Please send resume and cover letter to Durham Public Works, Attn: Shannon Shaw, Assistant to the Public Works Director, 100 Stone Quarry Drive, Durham, NH 03824 or by email to sshaw@ci.durham.nh.us by 3:30 PM on April 25th, 2025.    

Part-Time Seasonal Laborers

These positions require the assisting of the Operations Manager and Buildings and Grounds Supervisor in completing routine public works projects such as landscaping, park and facility maintenance, and road maintenance. 

The successful candidates must be 18 years of age and have a valid driver’s license or may be 16 or 17 years of age with signed parental permission. Experience with small engine operation, including lawnmowers, string trimmers, and leaf blowers is desired.

Please submit applications to Durham Public Works, Attn: Shannon Shaw, Assistant to the Public Works Director, 100 Stone Quarry Drive, Durham, NH 03824 or by email to sshaw@ci.durham.nh.us by 4:30 PM on April 15th, 2025.    

Applications and a more detailed job description are available at the Department of Public Works Main office or online at www.ci.durham.nh.us/jobs.

OYSTER RIVER SCHOOL NEWS

Planned April School Closures

April 28 - May 2 - All Oyster River schools will be closed for April Break.

Moharimet's Pancake Breakfast

Thank you to everyone who helped make Moharimet's 21st Pancake Breakfast a success! This year's attendance is estimated to be over 800 people. Thanks to Master Sugarer Jim Davis and a wonderful group of volunteers, the school boiled almost 400 gallons of sap this spring. Photos and additional information are available HERE.

Mast Way Students Present to the School Board

On April 2, Mast Way School Principal Misty Lowe introduced 4th grade educators and students to the ORCSD School Board and invited them to present their Innovative Energy Efficient Tiny Homes Unit project. The presentation may be viewed HERE. Photos and additional information are available HERE.

May 6 & 27 Strategic Planning Sessions

Superintendent Shaps invites the Oyster River community to join him at Oyster River Middle School on May 6 and May 27, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m., for two Strategic Planning Sessions. This is an opportunity for Oyster River community members to contribute to ORCSD’s next 5-year strategic plan. During these two identical sessions, Dr. Shaps will guide participants through the World Café protocol, a collaborative and interactive approach to group discussions designed to share ideas and generate collective insights. Please let us know if you plan to attend by completing this form HERE so we can accommodate everyone.

ORCSD is Hiring Bus Drivers

8 open positions. Join our Transportation team and support student success! We offer great pay at $26.74 per hour, a competitive benefits package with medical, dental, term life and long-term disability, and 403 (b) with annuity. ORCSD drivers get 11 paid holidays, 15 days of paid sick time, and up to a $1,000 annual perfect attendance bonus. Guaranteed work week with a choice of weekly hours from 20, 25 or 30, and summer hours (for those interested). Apply HERE today.

April 1-14 E-waste Collection

ORCSD schools will be collecting electrical and electronic waste (e-waste) between April 1-14. All donated items will be sent to UpCycle LLC for recycling. The Sustainability Committee will also collect e-waste at the April 15 Community Dinner in the Oyster River Middle School Learning Commons. Additional information about drop-off locations is available HERE.

April 15 Community Dinner

Kindly register HERE by April 10 so we can accommodate everyone. 5:00 - 6:30 p.m. at Oyster River Middle School's cafeteria. The Oyster River Sustainability Committee invites you to enjoy a delicious, locally and sustainably sourced Mediterranean chicken and grilled pork loin dinner. Each meal includes side salad options (couscous, garden and Caesar salad), primavera pasta, roasted vegetables, a beverage and dessert. Vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options will be available. $15 per adult or $40 per family (a family includes up to 2 adults and children living within the same household). Additional information is available HERE. 

April 22 ORMS Band Concert

6:00 - 7:30 p.m., Morse Recital Hall at Oyster River Middle School (1 Coe Dr, Durham, NH 03824).

April 23-24 Mast Way Musical

6:30 - 7:30 p.m., both performances of Seussical Jr. by 3rd and 4th grade students are in the Auditorium at Oyster River High School (55 Coe Dr, Durham, NH 03824).

CELEBRATE UNH THEATRE & DANCE 101st ANNIVERSARY ON APRIL 26!

For over a century, the University of New Hampshire’s Theatre & Dance Department has educated and graduated generations of artists. This year, on our 101st Anniversary, we are celebrating the incredible students, alumni, artists, and educators that have sustained Theatre & Dance as a pillar of excellence at UNH.

Enjoy a spectacular evening of performances and celebration honoring the history of UNH Theatre & Dance. Alumni spanning nearly six decades are invited to take part in this milestone anniversary.

5 pm: Pre-Reception with refreshments, UNH Museum of Art 

7 pm: Live Performance, Johnson Theater  

Pre-Reception & Performance Ticket: $50.00 (limited capacity)

Performance Only: $25.00

Can't make it to the show? Livestream from your home: $10.00

To register your attendance and for more information, click HERE.

The 101st UNH Theatre & Dance Anniversary Celebration is underwritten in fond memory of Gary Russell O’Neal ’73 by his loving sister. 

Join us for a special Pysanka egg decorating workshop with artist Christina Vogel.

The event will begin with a 30-minute educational session covering the history and cultural significance of Ukrainian Pysanka egg decorating, followed by a hands-on workshop where participants can create their own beautifully decorated eggs. 

Refreshments and all supplies will be provided. Please register in advance HERE so that we can ensure enough supplies for everyone.

Bikes have been dispersed across the campus and Durham community and can be accessed by any students, staff, faculty, and Durham community members for free (!) using the Movatic app – Just scan the QR code on the bikes. Cat Trax bikes can be ridden anywhere within Durham (but don’t leave at residential properties).

For more information on the Cat Trax program, click HERE.

Free Bike repair clinics! April 18 1-5pm (on-campus location TBD) and May 2 10am-2pm at Durham Public Library.