Two of the state’s most popular liquor stores are now offering curbside pickup.
New Hampshire liquor stores have remained open under the governor’s stay-at-home order, and workers have been given weekly stipends to supplement their paychecks. The New Hampshire Liquor Commission this week began a pilot program at the stores along I-95 in Hampton and the northbound side of I-93 in Hooksett for curbside and in-store pickup.
Customers can order online and schedule pickups the next day at the earliest.
Twelve people died and an additional 98 people were diagnosed with COVID-19 in New Hampshire, public health officials announced Saturday.
Of those who died, all except a man from Strafford County were age 60 or older, the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services said in a news release.
The state also announced 12 more people were hospitalized with coronavirus, bringing the total to 347, or 10% of cases.
Rockingham County saw the largest increases in cases with 27. Manchester recorded 23 new cases, while Hillsborough County outside of Manchester and Nashua had 23.
Restaurants in New Hampshire will start offering outdoor dining Monday as part of the state’s “Stay at Home 2.0” phased reopening.
Under the plan, restaurants must place tables more than 6 feet apart and offer hand sanitizer to guests and employees.
No more than six guests will be allowed to sit at a single table, and bars and indoor seating will not be allowed.
Restaurants also are advised to ask customers to wear a mask or face covering while entering, leaving or getting up to use a restroom. Marks aren’t required when people are sitting, according to the emergency order signed by Gov. Chris Sununu.
Gov. Phil Scott thanked University of Vermont graduates Sunday for their response to the coronavirus pandemic.
“All the sacrifices you’ve made literally saved the lives of hundreds of Vermonters,” he said in a message recorded as part of a video celebration. The best measure of someone’s character is often how one responds to a challenge, he said, singling out nursing students who graduated early for specific praise.
“The grit and determination of the Class of 2020 is inspiring to us all,” he said. “It’s proven that you’re ready for whatever life will throw at you.”
The video also featured messages from UVM president Suresh Garimella, the conferral of degrees and a class of 2020 photo montage.
The Vermont Health Department reported six more people testing positive for the coronavirus on Sunday for a total of 940 cases. One additional death was reported — the first in more than a week — for a total of 54.
In Massachusetts, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told graduating seniors at Smith College on Sunday to focus on their unique purpose and power during the coronavirus pandemic and beyond.
Pelosi, the first female speaker of the U.S. House, was part of an online commencement ceremony hosted by the private women’s college in Northampton. She said graduates would be well served by the resilience, courage and perseverance they have honed over the past four years.
“During this crisis and in the days, weeks and years that will follow, the world needs your leadership,” she said. “So, as you go forth, embrace the groundbreaking legacy of those who came before you,” she said. “Know your purpose. Know your power.”
Massachusetts attractions to open
The Trustees of Reservations plan to reopen five of their most popular properties around Massachusetts on Tuesday, but with restrictions in place to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
The deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum in Lincoln, the Fruitlands Museum in Harvard, Naumkeag in Stockbridge, and World’s End in Hingham will open to area residents. Crane Beach in Ipswich will be open only to existing permit parking holders and Trustees members.
Campground and restaurant owners are the latest business owners going to court to challenge the governor’s plan to reopening Maine’s economy.
The Portland Press Herald reports that the owners of Bayley’s Camping Resort in Scarborough and Little Ossipee Lake Campground in Waterboro filed a federal lawsuit Friday against Democratic Gov. Janet Mills. The plaintiffs also include the owners of the Little River Bar & Grill and the Seaside Square Café.
The group argues that its an unconstitutional restriction on the right to travel freely to require out-of-staters to quarantine for 14 days if they come to Maine. In response to a similar earlier lawsuit, Attorney General Aaron Frey has said that the governor’s executive orders and reopening plans were carefully crafted based on the governor’s authority to protect public health.
Valley News staff reporter Tim Camerato and the Associated Press contributed to this report.