Friday Updates - June 13, 2025

Friday, June 13, 2025

Congratulations to the Oyster River High School Class of 2025! Courtesy, Todd Selig

NEW VOTER REGISTRATION SESSION COMING UP

New voters may register at the Town Hall whenever that office is open. However, there will be a specific registration session held on Thursday, June 19 from 1:00 – 2:00 PM at the Town Hall.  Existing voters may also make changes to their name, address, and/or party at those times.

U. S. Citizens must be 18 years of age in order to vote in New Hampshire. However, they may register to vote as long as they will be 18 by the next election. The next election in Durham is not until March of 2026. Parents of new graduates might consider encouraging their children to register to vote soon, as long as they will be 18 by that March election. They will then be ready to vote here either in person or by absentee ballot.

Applicants for registration must bring with them proofs of identity, age (18 by the next election), U.S. citizenship, and domicile (in Durham). Affidavits are no longer accepted. The list of proofs currently accepted, especially for domicile, is rather complicated. A NH Driver’s License or Non-Driver’s License with your local address is the easiest thing to bring for identification, age, and proof of domicile in Durham. However, it does not prove citizenship, even if it is a Real ID, so you must also bring another document for that.  If you are unsure of what is necessary and what will be accepted, please call the Clerk’s office at 603-868-5577 or check the Secretary of State’s website HERE and click on the link ‘Registering to Vote in New Hampshire.

Mark your calendar to attend the re-enactment of Lafayette’s visit on Sunday, June 22, at 10:15 am on the Town Hall grounds. The program will include: Arrival of General Lafayette by horse-drawn carriage, escorted by the New Hampshire SAR, Welcome remarks by Alan Hoffman, President of the American Friends of Lafayette, A re-enactment of the speech welcoming Lafayette featuring John Herman as Stephen Mitchell, Esq. of Durham, Lafayette’s reply to the citizens of Durham, Lafayette mingles with the citizenry and is available for photos.

Refreshments provided by RiverWoods Durham on the Town Hall grounds. Visitors, please park on Millpond Road or Schoolhouse Lane – the Town Hall site will be a pedestrian area during this event. There will be a 3-gun salute by the New Hampshire SAR during the program

Last week’s Trivia answer:

Lafayette welcomed to Durham with a 24-gun salute, one for each of the 24 states in the Union at that time. He visited every state during his Farewell Tour, all traveling by horse-drawn carriage.

New Trivia question:

How old was Lafayette when he sailed from France to volunteer with General George Washington?

Answer in next week’s Friday Update

Wednesday evening the Planning Board thanked Erika Naumann Gaillat for her service on the board over the past few years. We hope she may come back to serve again in the future, but she does have a new commitment that takes priority now. Pictured is Erika, her 6 & 1/2 month old daughter Hadiya and Planning Board Chair, Paul Rasmussen. Courtesy, Michael Behrendt

We are pleased to welcome Kruczek’s Garage to Durham! Many are familiar with their site in Newmarket, on the right side of Route 108, which has been home to the business for four generations, starting in 1949.  Kruczek’s had been planning to expand for a few years in this direction, as their space in Newmarket is limited and they have a large customer base in Durham and at UNH. The business in Newmarket will remain.

The garage is owned by Joseph, Carleen, and Bryan Kruczek (pronounced “Crew’ – Zeck”). They opened here at 10 Dover Road just a month ago on May 19. Kruczek’s does general auto repair and vehicle diagnostics, oil changes, tire sales and repairs, brake work, battery installation, state inspections, alignment service (starting this fall), and pretty much anything that your vehicle needs to stay on the road. They are also the AAA towing provider for the Durham area.

Bryan says, “Business is going good. It has helped to alleviate backed up appointments from our Newmarket shop. Durham is great. The new customers have been encouraging and we have been out adventuring for lunch at all of the awesome food establishments that Durham has to offer.  We are happy to be here and look forward to getting to know our new community.”

Wearing tick repellent clothing is the best— and easiest —way for people to prevent tick bites when they venture outdoors. Did you know you can turn your own favorite clothes into tick repellent clothes? Products containing permethrin kill ticks. Permethrin can be used to treat boots, clothing and camping gear and remains protective through several washings.

A study done by the University of Rhode Island showed that subjects wearing shoes treated with permethrin were 73.6 times less likely to have a tick bite than those wearing untreated footwear. Permethrin is safe to touch once dry and effective for up to 6 weeks.

Permethrin should never be applied to skin; use as directed on the product label. Permethrin is safe for pets when your clothes have dried, but NOT when wet for cats or small dogs. 

Tick Free NH is a great resource about how to identify ticks, protect yourself and also how to create a Tick Free Yard. Go to their website HERE.

If you've been bitten by a tick, submitting it for testing could be one of the most important steps you take. Ticks in New Hampshire are carriers of several potentially harmful diseases, like Lyme disease. By testing the tick, you can determine if it carries any of these pathogens, enabling you to take action. Trap the tick in tape and place it in a zip-lock bag.

UNH Coop Extension and UNH laboratories have teamed up to offer public Tick Testing for individuals and agencies seeking more information about the risk of dangerous pathogens. You can order a test kit HERE.

Stay safe while enjoying the outdoors this summer and remember to also check your pets for ticks.

Did You Know?  Recycling Waste Oil & Antifreeze

Waste oil and antifreeze are toxic, caustic, and considered household hazardous waste - they should NOT be burned, dumped, or thrown into your household trash.

HOW DO I RECYCLE WASTE OIL AND ANTIFREEZE?

Antifreeze:

There is used antifreeze recycling available at Durham’s transfer station. You can bring it to the transfer station during open hours on Tuesdays and Saturdays.

Waste Oil:

Due to several occurrences of contaminated oil and the resulting very costly remediations, the transfer station is no longer accepting used motor oil. 

Residents can bring their used motor oil to the following Walmart locations:

1. Walmart 

59 Waltons Way

Somersworth, NH 03878

Instructions:

Bring used motor oil to the Customer Service Desk in a closed container. The agent will ask you how many quarts you have and ask you to fill out a form.

2. Walmart

2460 Lafayette Rd

Portsmouth, NH 03801

Instructions:

Bring used motor oil to the Walmart Automotive Center.  If you would like your container back, the agent can empty the motor oil and return the container to you.

Another Recycling Option

Durham residents can recycle their used motor oil during our Hazardous Waste Day, which is scheduled for October 25 this year. Please sign up for a drop-off appointment by calling the Durham Public Works office at 603-868-5578.

Brought to you by the IWMAC Committee 

Questions about recycling or composting? Email us at: DurhamRecycles603@gmail.com

Check us out on Instagram: sustainable.durham.nh

Not sure if an item can be recycled? Check here: www.Recyclesmartma.org

Want to learn more about the Swap Shop? Click HERE.

The Durham Police Department wants to alert the public to a fraudulent text message that appears to come from the New Hampshire Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV), stating that the recipient has an unpaid traffic violation. These messages often claim to be a “final notice” and threaten serious consequences such including suspension of your driver’s license or registration! People in Durham are receiving these messages, so use caution.

The messages include a fake payment link—often designed to look official by including terms like “nhgov.”

IMPORTANT FACTS TO KNOW:

• The NH DMV does NOT send text messages requesting payment.
• The only text messages from the DMV are appointment reminders.
• Do not click on links, provide personal information, or submit payment.

If you receive one of these suspicious messages DO NOT RESPOND. Do not click any links and delete the message immediately. If you doubt the authenticity of the message, contact NH DMV Customer Service directly at 603-227-4000. 

If you have questions or wish to report suspicious activity, contact the Durham Police Department at (603) 868-2324.

OYSTER RIVER SCHOOL NEWS

Last Day of School is June 18

On April 16, the ORCSD School Board determined that the students' last day of the 2024-2025 school year will be June 18, 2025. Please note that June 18 will be a full day of school, and students will be dismissed at their usual times.

2025-2026 School Calendar

ORCSD's printable 2025-2026 school calendar is available HERE. Please note this document is subject to change. We recommend that you check for online updates on the district calendar page regularly.

ORHS Graduation Ceremony Video

Congratulations to the Class of 2025! A recording of Oyster River High School's (ORHS) graduation ceremony is now available on the ORCSD YouTube channel HERE. We apologize for the technical difficulties that prevented the livestream.

Summer Hours Between June 23 and August 22

The SAU office summer hours are Monday to Thursday, 7:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. The SAU and schools will be closed on June 19 in observance of Juneteenth and July 4 in observance of Independence Day.

The schools' summer hours are:

• Mast Way School: Tuesday to Thursday, 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
• Moharimet School: Tuesday to Thursday, 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
• Oyster River Middle School: Monday to Thursday, 8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. 
• Oyster River High School: Monday to Thursday, 8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Mast Way Student Wins Design Contest

Ella, a 2nd grade Mast Way School student, won HAVEN Education's annual design contest, and her design will be featured on t-shirts and a coloring book. Ella's design was selected among over 400 submissions. HAVEN's contest is open annually to students in grades K-4 in Rockingham County and Strafford County. Learn more HERE.

15th Annual ORHS Science Showcase

On June 2, Oyster River High School (ORHS) hosted the 15th edition of its annual Science Showcase. For the past 11 years, ORHS educators Jon Bromley (Environmental Science) and Celeste Best (Anatomy and Physiology) have engaged their students in authentic scientific inquiry at the end of their year-long courses. Learn more HERE.

ORCSD School Board Updates

ORCSD school board meetings recordings are available on the ORCSD YouTube channel HERE, and the agendas and minutes are available HERE. School board meetings are live streamed on the ORCSD Streaming channel HERE.

PUBLIC NOTICE - ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT - UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE JACKSON ESTUARINE LABORATORY

Notification is hereby given to the public of the intent of the University of New Hampshire (UNH), with partial funding from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), to construct a new building addition to the existing Jackson Estuarine Laboratory (JEL). The proposed building addition will be constructed on the west side of the existing structure.

The mission of the University of New Hampshire’s Jackson Estuarine Laboratory is to advance science, support education, and inform management, primarily through research activities that increase understanding of estuarine and coastal ecosystems. The purpose of this project is to enhance and expand the School for Marine Science and Ocean Engineering.

The project will provide an array of amenities to enhance the existing laboratory and support spaces at JEL, including the addition of essential community collaborative workspace where various outside workgroups and organizations will work with university researchers on estuarine initiatives and studies. New high-bay spaces are proposed in the addition to provide interior space to store and maintain aquatic research vessels currently used by the University.

In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), an Environmental Assessment has been prepared to assess the potential impacts of the proposed action on the human environment. This EA is available for agency and public review and comment for a period of thirty (30) days. The Environmental Assessment is accessible HERE.

The posting on the UNH facilities website with the link to the document can be found HERE.

Comments, which will become part of the official project record, may be emailed to Mindy.Mozzoni@unh.edu until July 4, 2025.