STOWE, NH (AP) – New Hampshire education officials say the transition to a new statewide assessment system has gone smoothly. The state switched from the Smarter Balanced assessment program to the New Hampshire Statewide Assessment system this year. Educators met last week to analyze whether the results were compatible, and the Department of Education says they found stable and continued strong results. The analysis found that a high percentage of students who scored the proficient level remained stable or improved in math compared to last year. And in language arts, nearly half the students improved or stayed the same.

A photo of cyanobacteria containing scum. ~ Photo courtesy of Wikipedia

EFFINGHAM, NH – State officials have released a cyanobacteria advisory for an Effingham Lake. Wednesday the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services said a cyanobacteria bloom has surfaced in Province Lake, and that based on visual evidence, the cyanobacteria bloom is accumulating along shorelines and is concentrated throughout the water column in deeper parts of the lake. As a result, NHDES issued a cyanobacteria beach advisory and lake warning.

Officials said that the warning is not based on a toxin evaluation and is intended as a precautionary measure for short term exposure. NHDES advises lake users to avoid contact with the water in areas experiencing elevated cyanobacteria cell conditions typically where lake water has a surface scum, green streaks or blue-green flecks aggregating along the shore. NHDES also advises pet owners to keep their pets out of any waters that have a cyanobacteria bloom.

NHDES routinely monitors public beaches and public waters of the state for cyanobacteria. Once a cyanobacteria lake warning or beach advisory has been issued, NHDES returns to affected waterbodies on a weekly basis until the cyanobacteria standards are again met.

Cyanobacteria are natural components of water bodies, but blooms and surface scums may form when excess nutrients are available to the water. Some cyanobacteria produce toxins that are stored within the cells but released upon cell death.

Contact with these toxins can cause both acute and chronic health effects that range in severity. Acute health effects include irritation of skin and mucous membranes, tingling, numbness, nausea, vomiting, seizures and diarrhea. Chronic effects include liver and central nervous system damage.

The warning remains in effect until bacteria levels have decreased.

Photo courtesy of Shannon Dunfey-Ball

 
PINKHAM NOTCH, NH – Athletes of all abilities summited Mount Washington this past weekend for a great cause. Sunday was the 9^th Annual Sunrise Ascent on Mountain Washington to benefit the Adaptive Sports Partners of the North Country. Sandy Olney, ASPNC Executive Director said that 14 adaptive athletes supported by 280 “mules”, or people who assist them up the mountain, climbed the tallest peak in the northeast early Sunday morning. Before sunrise, teams led by an adaptive athlete ascend the eight mile Mount Washington Auto Road, to summit 6,288-foot Mount Washington. Each team pledges to raise at least $6,288. This year, 13 athletes have signed up for the challenge and ASPNC has just put out the call for volunteers to join them in this inspirational adaptive journey.

Teams pledge to raise $6,288, a dollar for every foot for Mt. Washington’s peak. Olney said every large team far exceeded that goal with one team raising over $23,000. All together the event raised a record setting $120,000, which will account for over one third of ASPNC’s operating budget for the year.

Photo courtesy of Shannon Dunfey-Ball

 
The ascent is for athletes of every ability from those who can make the climb under their own power to those who have to ride on specialty hiking chair called a trail rider which is pushed and pulled by a team of climbers. 

Adaptive Sports Partners of the North Country (ASPNC) is a community-based, not for profit organization with a mission to ensure the enrichment of the quality of life for people with disabilities. ASPNC accomplishes this through the provision of year-round opportunities for sport, recreation, and wellness through the Franconia area, North Country of New Hampshire and Northeast Kingdom of Vermont. ASPNC is dedicated to enriching the quality of life for people with disabilities, providing over 20 different sport, recreation and wellness activities for people of all ages and any ability. 

Adaptive Sports Partners of the North Country’s office is located in the Franconia Marketplace, 297 Main Street, Franconia, NH.  For more information please visit www.AdaptiveSportsPartners.org or call the ASPNC office at 603-823-5232.