NHPR Staff

NHPR is continuing to cover the developing story around coronavirus in New Hampshire. Bookmark this page for the latest updates, including case numbers and other important news of the day. Click here for all of our COVID-19 coverage.

Portsmouth Fire Chief Todd Germain says someone set fire to Portsmouth Middle School early Saturday morning.

The call came in around 3:15 a.m.

Sprinklers suppressed the fire until firefighters arrived and extinguished the flames around the main entrance foyer.

Preliminary damage estimates exceed $100,000.

The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms is assisting Portsmouth police and fire officials with the investigation.

Material from The Associated Press was used in this report.

New Hampshire identified its first case of COVID-19 on March 2. NHPR has been tracking new developments since then, as the number of confirmed cases and testing capacity — at public and private labs — has expanded.

In an effort to limit the spread of the coronavirus, Gov. Chris Sununu issued a series of emergency orders earlier this year limiting the operations of some businesses, while shuttering others. In recent weeks, he’s issued new orders allowing some entities to reopen, though with restrictions.

As NHPR tracks the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic in New Hampshire, we’ve been asking you to tell us about how it’s affecting you - and we’ve welcomed your questions. 

Here, we answer some of your questions, and share other important information about the coronavirus and how to stay safe.

This post gathers NHPR's past updates on coronavirus in New Hampshire with a date range beginning May 1, 2020.

NOTE: Some of the stories below may contained outdated guidance and stories that have since evolved. Please click the links below for the most up-to-date coverage and guidance. 

Update: The National Weather Service issued a tornado warning for parts of Cheshire County and Hillsborough County, that expired at 8:15 p.m. Friday. A tornado watch remains in effect for parts of central and southern New Hampshire until 10 p.m. Friday.

Severe thunderstorms and heavy rain are expected across central and southern New Hampshire Friday night.

There is a tornado watch in effect for central New Hampshire, including Merrimack and Hillsborough counties, and stretching into Strafford and Rockingham counties, until 10 p.m. Friday.

On March 15, Gov. Chris Sununu announced K-12 school closures across New Hampshire and a transition to remote learning. 

Just over a month later, he extended his order through the end of the school year.

The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions committee is hearing from leaders of the Trump administration's coronavirus task force about safely reopening the country.

Dr. Anthony Fauci of the National Institutes of Health and Dr. Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, are among those testifying.

CLICK here for more coronavirus coverage in New Hampshire.

We know you have questions about COVID-19, and our newsroom wants to help get you answers. Ask a question below, and you may hear the answer on The Exchange or as part of a news story, or you could see the answer on our updated FAQ page.

Your question can be about health, the economic impacts of the pandemic, what rules you should be following, or anything else related to this unprecedented time.

Gov. Chris Sununu put out new guidance Friday that could pave the way for dentists to resume procedures they put off due to COVID-19 as early as next week.

A second-term state representative from Manchester has resigned from his position over a statement made on Twitter.

Democrat Richard Komi had tweeted that he thought that Tara Reade, the woman who alleges Joe Biden sexually assaulted her, would have had to have consented to the encounter based on his understanding of female anatomy.

Komi later deleted the tweet, but in a statement Friday, New Hampshire House Speaker Steve Shurtleff said Komi’s comments were "hurtful to survivors of sexual assault across the Granite State and across the country.”

Gov. Chris Sununu issued a stay-at-home order on March 26, 2020 in an effort to contain the spread of coronavirus in New Hampshire. Here is what you need to know about the amended order, which is now in effect until May 31. 

NOTE: THIS STORY CONTAINS OUTDATED INFORMATION AND GUIDANCE. PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST VERSION.

Bookmark NHPR's liveblog here for coronavirus updates in New Hampshire.

New Hampshire’s 'Stay at Home 2.0' – What Has Changed?

New Hampshire’s original stay-at-home order in response to the COVID-19 pandemic was set to expire on Monday, May 4. On Friday, May 1, Gov. Chris Sununu announced a plan to relax some aspects of that order and re-open parts of the economy.

Traducido al español por María Aguirre

Originalmente escrito en inglés por el personal de NHPR 

La orden original de quedarse en casa emitida a partir de la pandemia del COVID-19 expiraba el lunes 4 de mayo. El viernes 1 de mayo, el gobernador Chris Sununu anunció un plan para aflojar ciertos detalles de la orden y reactivar ciertos sectores de la economía. 

¿Qué es diferente ahora?

Funcionarios de la salud y periodistas están ofreciendo información sobre las mejores prácticas a seguir  para mantenerse saludable durante la emergencia sanitaria. Hemos reunido algunas de las recomendaciones más útiles para las personas de New Hampshire. 

(Esta página se irá actualizando a medida que se reciba más información )

¿Qué es el coronavirus y el COVID-19?

New Hampshire Calling host Jack Rodolico listened to a long list of movies and TV shows that Granite Staters say they're watching during the state's stay-at-home order amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The call-in show aired April 15. You can listen to it in full here, but we've encapsulated the 38 top titles mentioned. 

Documentaries

Help inform NHPR's coverage of coronavirus. Fill out the brief survey below - your responses help us as we do our reporting.

This post gathers NHPR's past updates on coronavirus in New Hampshire with a date range from April 1, 2020 through April 15, 2020

NOTE: Some of the stories below may contained outdated guidance and stories that have since evolved. Please click the links below for the most up-to-date coverage and guidance. 

This post gathers NHPR's past updates on coronavirus in New Hampshire with a date range from April 1, 2020 through April 15, 2020.

NOTE: Some of the stories below may contained outdated guidance and stories that have since evolved. Please click the links below for the most up-to-date coverage and guidance. 

President Trump and the White House coronavirus task force are holding regular briefings on the coronavirus. Bookmark this page to watch them live. 

[Click here for all of our coverage, including our updated FAQs and the latest guidance about coronavirus in New Hampshire.]

Click here to sign up for our newsletter to get the latest updates.

Watch the briefing via this video livestream:

The full moon Tuesday night, April 7, will be the fullest moon of 2020 - and stargazers have decent weather for this event.

This moon is called many things, including Super Moon, Pink Moon, Sprouting Grass Moon, Egg Moon, Fish Moon, and Passover Moon, NASA Science reports.

Governor Sununu is asking the Executive Council to waive a public hearing for Eddie Edwards to serve as the director of the state’s Office of Professional Licensure and Certification.

Edwards, who ran for congress as a Republican in 2018, was nominated earlier this month.

Sununu is requesting the confirmation be fast-tracked so that Lindsey Courtney, who has been serving as interim executive director, can return to her full-time position overseeing public health licensing.

Gov, Chris Sununu said New Hampshire is prepared to handle the expected surge in coronavirus cases, but that some local hospitals will need help from the state to remain open.

At a press conference Friday afternoon, Sununu said the state now has more than 5,200 beds ready to handle COVID-19 patients and others needing care when the coronavirus peaks here. That includes nearly 1,700 new beds the state has set up at 14 temporary sites across the state.

This post gathers NHPR's past updates on coronavirus in New Hampshire with a date range beginning on March 20th, 2020. Click here for updates from March 3-19th.

NOTE: Some of the stories below may contained outdated guidance and stories that have since evolved. Please click the links below for the most up-to-date coverage and guidance. 

Update, March 24: The winter storm that picked up in New Hampshire overnight has caused thousands of power outages.

Eversource reports about 15,000 customers without electricity, as of 7 a.m. Tuesday. Hopkinton is one of the hardest-hit towns, with nearly 1,200 customers affected at that hour. There were 489 in Derry, 433 in Auburn, 748 in Hollis, 557 in Hooksett, and 1,675 in Merrimack.

Unitil had 76 outages (on the seacoast), N.H. Electric Cooperative 30, and Liberty Utilities 2, as of 7 p.m.

The White House coronavirus task force has a press briefing scheduled to begin at 11:30 a.m., Wednesday, March 18. NHPR will air live coverage. Listen on air, online at NHPR.org, or on your smart speaker.

Click here for all of our coverage, including our updated FAQs and the latest guidance about coronavirus in New Hampshire.

President Trump announced new guidance today to try to slow the spread of coronavirus, including avoiding groups of more than 10 people.

The guidelines he unveiled at the White House coronavirus task force today (March 16) also recommends Americans avoid discretionary travel, and eating at restaurants, bars, and food courts.

[Click here for all of our coverage, including our updated FAQs and the latest guidance about coronavirus in New Hampshire.]