The Bulletin week in review

Good morning, New Hampshire. As the Granite State continues to put on its spectacular autumn show, here’s a look back at the past week of Bulletin coverage and commentary. Thank you for reading, and have a restful Sunday. — Dana

By Molly Rains

The Roadless Area Conservation Rule, which dates to 2001, prohibits road construction and timber harvesting in remote areas of national forests across the country. A proposal from the U.S. Department of Agriculture would remove those federal limitations on the allowed uses of roadless areas. The move is “the existential threat in the fire-hose assault on our public lands right now,” said Jeffrey Swayze, a New Hampshire guide and mental health counselor at White Mountains Community College in Gorham, who described the potential repeal as “unconscionable.”

By Maya Mitchell

Childcare availability issues have been a consistent concern for working families and politicians, but programs big and small are slowly popping up. Among them are The Willow Center in Hampton, a new Boys and Girls Club of Central and Northern New Hampshire program in Lisbon, and an Easterseals early learning center under construction in a new housing development village in Londonderry. These new programs are facing challenges parallel to those of existing programs: balancing business expenses with affordability, finding qualified staff, and gaining the support and trust of the community.

By Molly Rains

In the Northeast, where reliance on heating oil is heavier than in the rest of the U.S., the impact on residents is likely to be especially severe: The average cost of a season’s worth of heating oil is projected to rise more than 31%, or $548, over last year, according to the National Energy Assistance Directors’ Association. That brings the average cost of heating a typical home throughout the winter to about $2,300. “If we didn’t get heat assistance, for instance, we wouldn’t make it at all,” said Per Garp, a retired farmer from Loudon, during a roundtable event with heating assistance providers and Congressman Chris Pappas in Concord. “… We’re going to be cold, maybe even freezing. We need more.”