CONCORD, N.H. (AP) - Gov. Chris Sununu on Wednesday praised the efforts of New Hampshire’s congressional delegation and state and local leaders for continuing to work on funds and programs for veterans during a difficult year marked by the coronavirus pandemic.
“We actually had two new veterans homeless shelters open up this year,” he said at the annual Veterans Day gathering at the New Hampshire State Veterans Cemetery. “We found a way to do it, and it really was a team effort.”
Many participants at the event wore masks and practiced social distancing.
“Veterans Day looks a lot different this year than it has in the past. Our current state of affairs and the protective measures implemented across the country to stop the spread of COVID-19 have forced us to think creatively to ensure we stay safe while honoring our nation’s heroes,” said Andy Patterson, commander of the Disabled American Veterans of New Hampshire.
Patterson said the same was true a century ago, as the world was recovering from the Spanish flu. He noted that Judge Robert Marx, a disabled World War I Army veteran, came up with the idea for the Disabled American Veterans of the World War, the forerunner to the DAV to help disabled veterans who couldn’t find work or access to proper medical care. Patterson said we would be remiss if we didn’t also celebrate Marx’s legacy this Veterans Day.
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VOTER TESTS POSITIVE
Officials in one New Hampshire town say an Election Day voter at a polling place tested positive for COVID-19, but the town had safety precautions in place.
The infected person was at Souhegan High School in Amherst between 10:15 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. on Election Day, WMUR-TV reports.
Amherst town moderator Steve Coughlan said it wasn’t crowded. The town is now contacting election volunteers who may have had direct contact with the voter. Coughlan said plexiglass shields separated voters from election workers. Volunteers had to wear masks, but voters did not.
“I think we provided a very safe environment,” Coughlan said. “It would be crazy for us to have thought that there would be zero infected voters out of everyone coming in. So, we took precautions that were appropriate.”
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THE NUMBERS
More than 13,000 people in New Hampshire have tested positive for the virus since the start of the pandemic. The state announced 233 new cases Wednesday. Three deaths were announced, bringing the total to 492.
The seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in New Hampshire has risen over the past two weeks from 100 new cases per day on Oct. 27 to 210 new cases per day on Nov. 10.
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