Friday Updates - May 10, 2024

Friday, May 10, 2024

Spring means dandelion yellow! Courtesy, Todd Selig

We invite members of the community to join us at 10 AM on Monday, May 27, 2024, for a remembrance ceremony at Memorial Park on Main Street to pay tribute to those who have made the ultimate sacrifice while serving and protecting our country. Please join us on Memorial Day to honor and remember.

And don't forget, Mother's Day is Sunday...

The Three Chimneys Inn is the most beautiful restaurant in the Granite State, according to a new 50-state list from People Magazine.

People said the 50 Most Beautiful Restaurants in America list was developed by OpenTable to celebrate the magazine’s 50th anniversary.

The write up says, “Choose from three ultra-cozy rooms—hello, fireplaces—to enjoy this historic inn’s take on traditional New England fare.”

This 1649 Homestead listed on the National Register of Historic Places, in 1997 became Three Chimneys Inn, Ffrost Sawyer Tavern, which is the oldest house in Durham and one of the oldest buildings in New Hampshire.

To see the full list of 50 restaurants, click HERE.

Three hundred and thirty years ago, a group of English settlers and allied French and Wabanaki soldiers battled near the Oyster River, in what is now Durham, leaving about 100 settlers dead.

While those bare facts were first commemorated on a historical marker decades ago, the story behind the battle – including where the blame lies, what led to the conflict, and which group suffered more – is still up for debate as Durham residents have been working to erect what they hope will be a more accurate marker describing the deadliest event in the town’s history.

A working group of residents and representatives from several local and state agencies have spent months in lengthy roundtable discussions, struggling to agree on the words to best describe this colonial-era conflict. The conversations became so contentious that Town leaders brought in mediators to help find consensus.

“I don't think at the end of this process that we are going to have resolved what happened in 1694,” said facilitator Barbara Will at a meeting earlier this year to NHPR reporter Julia Furukawa. “I think what we'll find at the end of this process is that we have come together as a community to give our best interpretation of what happened and the context within which it happened.”

Now, the story of what came to be known as the “Oyster River Massacre” has the chance to be presented in a new way – as long as it can be encapsulated into just a few dozen words while also touching on issues of Indigenous identity, historical memory and the legacy of colonialism.

To hear the 6-minute story, click HERE.

Mark your calendar for June 15th (rain date June 16th) for Revolution: 1774 in Durham’s historic district. Come celebrate the 250th anniversary of Durham’s part in the assault and raid on Fort William and Mary at New Castle—the first military action of the American Revolution. From 11am to 4pm there will be colonial encampment, exhibits and parade, musket drills, cannon fire, games, and live music! 

All the details can be found at www.revolution-1774.org

PLANT A ROW IS BACK -- What is the Plant A Row Program?

Plant A Row is a hands-on neighbors-helping-neighbors initiative, organized through 4-H and UNH Cooperative Extension.

Plant A Row aims to inform Granite Staters about food insecurity in NH, nurtures a giving mindset, and encourages participants to grow an extra row or an extra container with produce that will later be donated to a participating food pantry in Strafford or Rockingham County. This effort will directly benefit local food pantries and their patrons to offer more fresh and local produce and healthier choices.

When people pledge to plant an extra row as part of the program, they will be provided with a garden kit (fabric garden, row marker, sticker and colorful tote bag), growing tips, and other resources.

Participation is open to all ages, and participants don’t need to be 4-H members to sign up. Participation in this program is free.

More information about the program and how to register can be found HERE.

If you are a frequent viewer of anything DCAT, please note our new Live Stream & OnDemand website address which can be accessed HERE. Live meetings are now prominently displayed on the home page or can be accessed via the left icon entitled "Live."

Not only is this a new format, but it will allow for other changes which are being planned for the future including; Facebook LIVE, YouTube LIVE, Roku & Closed Captioning. 

If you have any questions, you can email DCAT Director, Craig Stevens at dcat@ci.durham.nh.us

To encourage a positive attitude toward dandelions, the Durham Agricultural Commission Bee Friendly Program offers the following:

- Dandelions are not weeds but bee-utiful spring wildflowers.

- Dandelions are an important source of both pollen and nectar for honeybees.

- Honeybees visiting dandelions in the early spring contributes to sweet results (honey!) that can be enjoyed throughout the entire year.

- There are at least eight beekeepers and over 20 beehives in Durham producing local honey. Honeybees fly 2-3 miles away from their hive to find nectar and pollen.

    - Do your part by not mowing your lawn until after the dandelions seed heads appear.

Below are the activities undertaken by Sara Callaghan during the month of April.

-Attended Land Stewardship Subcommittee and Conservation Commission meetings.

-Collaborated with Conservation Commission Vice-chair, Erin Hardie-Hale, on a proposal to create a Stewardship Education and Engagement Committee with the goal of providing opportunities for Durham residents to learn about and connect with the natural environment and responsibly steward our backyards, parks and conservation lands.

-Completed a site walk at Oyster River Forest in response to new reports from trail stewards about downed trees blocking the trails and communicated needs to DPW.

-Reviewed and responded to trail steward reports.

-Installed trail counters at Jackson’s Landing

-Lead three successful workdays, including:

• Trail Work along the yellow trail with the Air Force ROTC, including a re-route through the power lines.
• Removal of old horse pasture fencing at the Pike Property with the ATO fraternity. Special thanks to DPW, who lent a truck for the Pike Workday, helped unload fencing materials at the Town transfer station, dropped off mulch and mowed the wildlife meadow at the Milne Sanctuary prior to the workdays.
• Park clean-up at the Milne Nature Sanctuary with a Leadership Class from UNH. These energetic students mulched the trails, picked-up trash, cleaned graffiti, lopped multi-flora rose, pulled garlic mustard and installed a blue-bird box.

-Met PhD candidate and lichen researcher, Jeremy Howland, at Longmarsh Preserve to help collect lichen samples and learn the process and goals of his research project.

Upcoming Volunteer Workdays:

• Thursday May 16th – Stolworthy Wildlife Sanctuary/ORCSD trails, brushing out trails with Community Church of Durham youth group
• Friday May 17th – Service-palooza with ORMS, Garlic mustard and winged euonymus management on Stolworthy Wildlife Sanctuary
• Friday June 7th – Pollinator garden clean-up and invasives work at Milne Nature Sanctuary

You can contact Sara at fireflystewardship@gmail.com.

Spring at Mill Pond Courtesy, Jane Taylor

DID YOU KNOW?  - Durham Swap Shop

The Swap Shop invites Durham residents to drop off reusable items and shop on Tuesdays and Saturdays from 9am-2:30pm at the Transfer Station. The Swap Shop takes just about anything that is clean, safe, functional and has all of its parts. 

For a list of what the Swap Shop cannot take, please click HERE. 

Helpful Information

• Toys and games should be complete. Toys should be clean and bagged so that important parts are kept together. 
• It's too early in the season for the Swap Shop to accept holiday items. There is very limited storage inside the Swap Shop.

How can you help?

Please consider being a Swap Shop volunteer.  

• Meet your neighbors
• Meet your friends
• Make new friends
• Most of all, do your part to reduce our need for a landfill.

 Learn more about volunteering HERE.

Brought to you by the IWMAC Committee

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

Not sure if an item can be recycled? Check here: www.Recyclesmartma.org

Want to learn more about the Swap Shop? Click HERE.

The Made in Lee Artisan Fair is this Saturday, May 11, 11am-3pm at Mast Way School. All residents from Lee, Durham and Madbury are invited to stop by. The Fair features the art of sixteen Lee craftsfolk, for sale just in time for Mother's Day. Forge work, stained glass, jewelry, quilting, leatherwork, beeswax candles, nature art, knives, carvings, greenery and more. Sponsored by the Lee Sustainability Committee and the Lee Public Library.

The Durham Public Works Highway Team was very active over the last week on Ross Road performing full depth patching and drainage structure rehabilitation in select areas on Ross Road where pavement distresses indicate base failure has occurred. This operation is done in advance of a targeted mill and fill repair of the restored areas and crack sealing this construction season. Pavement preservation is an important aspect of pavement management, where roadways receive treatments such as full depth patching and crack sealing to maintain the condition of the roadway before more disruptive and costly reclaim treatments are required. 

Over the last several weeks, Durham Public Works was excited and fortunate to host nearly 60 volunteers from Liberty Mutual Insurance. Working closely with the Serve with Liberty Leadership Team, Durham Public Works organized a series of beautification projects throughout Durham which included spring cleaning of Town properties, planting of annual flowers, mulching of planting beds, and painting of fire hydrants.

The Department’s resources are always heavily committed across several construction projects during this season, making it a challenge to carry out these in-house beautification projects in a timely manner without the help of volunteers. The Liberty Mutual Teams that assisted Durham Public Works worked exceptionally hard, and we greatly appreciate their efforts!

FOSS FARM AND BEECH HILL TANK MIXING SYSTEM PROJECT UNDERWAY

The Foss Farm and Beech Hill Tanks were constructed in 1975 and 1985, respectively. Combined, the tanks provide up to 3.6 million gallons of water storage. The Beech Hill Tank, located in the high-pressure zone, has a 32-foot height and a diameter of 58 feet. The Foss Farm Tank, located in the main pressure zone, is 115 feet high with a 67-foot diameter.

Water system staff, along with tank contractor CorrTech performed an evaluation and inspection of the tanks over the last year and identified minor maintenance items to address, including installation of new frost proof vent, bulkhead door to access vault, and tank ladder compliance upgrades. The evaluation also included aspects of continuous improvement around water quality. To that end, the Town of Durham and UNH water system is moving forward with upgrades to both storage tanks, including internal mixing systems and SCADA systems.  

These mixing systems are installed to provide more uniform water quality throughout the tanks by reducing potential stratification caused by temperature variations. Additionally, the mixing systems reduce the potential for low chlorine residual when “older” water at the top of the tanks is drawn into the distribution system under high demand conditions or “seasonal turnover.” Mobilization by the project contractor, Structure Tones and their subcontractors, is currently planned for July 8, 2024. 

With the upcoming Madbury Road Complete Streets Project commencing construction over the next several weeks, additional temporary permit parking spaces have been created to compensate for spaces which will be temporarily eliminated during construction. Shown in photo above, Traffic Operations Supervisor Tom Macaione lays out spaces and installs signage. Please note, these spaces require a permit and are available for use during the hours of 6 AM and 1 AM. No overnight parking is permitted in these spaces.

LEE MARKET BASKET PLAZA REQUESTS CONNECTION TO DURHAM-UNH WATER SYSTEM VIA THE LEE WATERLINE EXTENSION

TF Moran, an engineering consultant representing the Lee Market Basket plaza (DSM Realty), has expressed an interest in connecting to the water system (for domestic use only) via the Lee Waterline Extension.

The 7,000 LF water main extension originates at Durham's well site in Lee (the so-called Lee Well), moves cross-country toward Route 4, and then to the west along Route 4 to the Lee traffic circle. 

Per the Agreement between the Town of Durham and Lee regarding the Lee Well, the Town of Lee is entitled to water use reserve of up to 64,800 gallons per day.

The Town Council approved construction of the Lee water main extension of the Durham-UNH Water System to the Lee Traffic Circle on January 7th, 2019. The project was funded by MtBE funding provide by NHDES to provide safe, potable drinking water to the Irving gas station and to surrounding properties at the Lee Traffic Circle that are currently in violation of the 13 micrograms per liter (ug/L) maximum contaminant level (MCL) drinking water standard for MtBE and warrant connection to a water supply. Construction was completed in Fall of 2022.

There are currently 15 water account customers connected to the Lee Extension using approximately 5,000 gallons per day (representing water use from Jan – March 2024).

In order to facilitate planned NHDOT roadway and paving work on Route 4 in the area of the Market Basket plaza in Lee, the contractor will install an 8-inch water tie-in line under Route 4 which will terminate at a gate valve for the time being, until the remaining details of the water connection have been finalized. 

As outlined in a news article by Shawne Wickham from the Union Leader dated May 3, 2024, experienced law enforcement officers at the New Hampshire Police Standards & Training Council (PTSC) in Concord offer instruction about the law and proper procedures, interspersed with anecdotes from their own long careers. Sometimes instructors stress what to avoid as much as what action to take — particularly when it comes to vehicle pursuits.

What’s the state policy on police pursuits? There’s no pursuit policy statewide.  Each law enforcement agency in NH has to adopt a written policy on pursuits.

John Scippa, director of the PSTC, indicates in the article that police departments today are more cognizant of the potential risks to innocent bystanders resulting from pursuits, and for that reason, agencies have developed policies to put restrictions on when and if an officer can engage in a pursuit.

A pursuit by definition means that a police officer has tried to stop a vehicle and the operator is not pulling over for the blue lights and sirens.

Capt. Jack Dalton, training coordinator for Durham Police Department, reviews pursuit policies with Durham officers every year, and does an analysis of any pursuit that occurs, which is posted online for the public to see. To view the 2023 pursuit report for Durham, click HERE. 

Captain Dalton indicates in the article that he’s proud that Durham is one of only 11 departments its size in the country that has reached the highest level of meritorious accreditation from CALEA, the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies.

Durham police have been involved in just seven pursuits in the past 24 years.

If you have an account with the Union Leader, you can read the full article HERE.  

DURHAM POLICE CONDUCT ALCOHOL COMPLIANCE CHECKS – Two establishments fail inspections

On Thursday, May 9, 2024, the Durham Police Department, in conjunction with the New Hampshire Liquor Commission Law Enforcement Division, conducted an alcohol compliance check at all vendors that are licensed to sell such products in Durham.

An underage volunteer, trained by the NH Liquor Commission to perform compliance checks, attempted to purchase alcohol products from twenty locations in Durham that are licensed to sell such products. The following establishments failed:

• Wildcat Pizza – 3 Madbury Road

• Tideline Public House – 15 Newmarket Road

The Durham Professional Firefighters Local #2253 would like to introduce Smokey the Fire Dog. Smokey will give short tips on Fire Safety, weekly so Parents and guardians can generate conversation with their children about Fire Safety. Keep an eye out in the weekly updates These small questions and tips are a great way for you as a Parent to teach your kids about Fire Safety, the more they know the safer they will be.

WEEK #19

More BIKE SAFETY Tips

ALWAYS HAVE BOTH HANDS ON THE HANDLEBARS.

By having both hands on the handlebars you can maintain the best control of your bike. For some other helpful tips, click HERE.

NEWS FROM THE OYSTER RIVER SCHOOL DISTRICT

ORCSD Spring Concerts and Events

• May 14, 6:00 - 7:30 p.m. 5-12th Grade Spring Orchestra Concert, Oyster River Middle School Concert Hall
• May 21, 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. High School Band/Guitar Ensemble, Oyster River Middle School Concert Hall
• May 29, 6:00 - 7:30 p.m. Band-a-Palooza, Oyster River Middle School Athletic Field
• May 30, 5:30 - 7:00 p.m. Mast Way School Annual Art Show, Mast Way School
• June 3, 6:00 - 7:30 p.m. Middle and High School Chorus Concert, Oyster River Middle School Concert Hall

Celebrating Superintendent Morse

Join ORCSD at the Oyster River Middle School Learning Commons (1 Coe Dr, Durham, NH 03824) on May 16 to celebrate Superintendent Morse's coming retirement and 12 years of dedicated service to the Oyster River community. Reception starts at 4:00 p.m. and the ceremony runs 5:00 - 6:00 p.m. No RSVP required. Light refreshments will be served. View the poster HERE.

No School May 24 and 27

All ORCSD schools will be closed for a Teacher Workshop Day on Friday, May 24. ORCSD schools and the SAU office will also be closed Monday, May 27, in observance of Memorial Day.

Parking Restrictions at the ORCSD District Office

Parking at the SAU and Service Building during business hours is by permit only (36 Coe Dr, Durham, NH 03824). Student drop-off is not permitted during business hours.

Iago Hale, associate professor of specialty crop improvement at the University of New Hampshire and Durham resident, has been named UNH’s 2024 J. Brent Loy Innovator of the Year, recognizing his pioneering work in the kiwiberry research and breeding program. The Innovator of the Year award, presented annually by UNHInnovation, celebrates the commercialization of innovative ideas originating from UNH research that have substantial social and economic impact.

Hale, who serves as a scientist for the New Hampshire Agricultural Experiment Station (NHAES), has been instrumental in developing these cold-hardy, grape-sized fruits into a promising horticultural crop for the Northeast. His efforts focus on enhancing kiwiberry varieties for commercial production, emphasizing traits like flavor, texture and overall appearance that make them appealing for both local and regional markets.

Hale’s ongoing partnership with UNHInnovation ensures that his research extends beyond academic circles, influencing industry practices and enhancing the economic landscape of New England's agricultural sector.

“I did not invent kiwiberries,” says Hale. “There are very many people who came before me, all the way back to rural communities thousands of years ago, who recognized the merits of these species in the wild. I see an award like this as a well-deserved acknowledgment of that long, collective effort to steward plant genetic diversity for the public good.”

The kiwiberry’s potential to become a new high-value crop aligns with Hale’s vision of transforming regional agriculture. His research not only meets consumer demands for high-quality local produce but also boosts the viability of local farms through the creation of new agricultural enterprises and value-added products. “Everyone should eat more weird fruit,” Hale says.

The award highlights Hale's significant contributions to agricultural innovation, including a forthcoming commercial license that promises to enhance kiwiberry production and distribution. His collaborative efforts with other universities and several industry partners underline the commercial viability and scalability of his research.

“The spirit of the Innovator of the Year Award is to honor the innovator who best embodies the philosophy of translating UNH research into products or services that benefit the public,” says Jenna Matheny, director of technology transfer at UNHInnovation. “We’re very pleased to recognize Dr. Iago Hale for his numerous contributions to his field of research.”

The J. Brent Loy Innovator of the Year Award is named after the late Loy, whose groundbreaking research on cucurbit varieties (squashes, cucumbers and melons) significantly bolstered UNH’s intellectual property and technology transfer initiatives. Like Loy, Hale's work exemplifies the university’s mission to foster innovation that impacts society positively.

Learn more about Hale’s kiwiberry research at his Nor’East Kiwiberries website HERE and about his recent project to distribute vines from the vineyard to regional farmers on UNH Today.

ABOUT UNHInnovation

UNHInnovation (UNHI) advocates for and manages the transfer of University of New Hampshire-derived ideas to the public to maximize their social and economic impact. UNHI protects, promotes, and manages UNH's innovations, supports start-up companies based on UNH’s intellectual property, and develops new opportunities for university and industry collaboration. To learn more, please click HERE.

Walkway at Town Landing Courtesy, Jean McPeak