Friday Updates - May 15, 2026

Friday, May 15, 2026

UNH Wildcat Courtesy, Todd Selig

UNH Commencement is this weekend! We wish graduates the very best in the years ahead.

The Durham Oyster River Forest BioBlitz is this Sunday, May 17th, as is the Stafford County Master Gardener Yard Sale. Read below for more info.

The Parks & Rec. Committee is also looking for some new members. Might this board be a good fit for you?

UNH COMMENCEMENT IS THIS SATURDAY, MAY 16

The University of New Hampshire will be hosting several commencement ceremonies at the Whittemore Center on Saturday, May 16

Due to multiple ceremonies throughout the day, traffic in the area is expected to be significantly impacted. To help reduce congestion, shuttle buses will transport graduates and their families to and from the venue.

Residents are encouraged to plan ahead, consider alternative routes, and allow extra travel time to avoid delays.

Congratulations to all graduating students and their families!

UNH EXCEEDS FIRST-YEAR ENROLLMENT GOAL DESPITE DEMOGRAPHIC HEADWINDS

The University of New Hampshire has exceeded its first-year undergraduate enrollment goal for the Durham campus, with 2,471 students submitting deposits as of May 1, representing a 4% increase over last year. This strong result comes as the university enters the first year of the anticipated “demographic cliff,” making the achievement particularly noteworthy.

University leadership credits this outcome to a coordinated, data-informed effort across campus that improved how UNH supports prospective students, positions itself in a competitive market, and aligns work across units. While the enrollment news is very positive, UNH notes that the full financial impact is still being evaluated, especially given changes in the mix of high-achieving and Pell-eligible students and the upcoming graduation of more than 2,600 undergraduates in the Class of 2026. Additional details on FY27 budget implications and enrollment across all campuses will be shared by UNH in the coming weeks, with a continued focus on retaining both incoming and continuing students and bolstering graduate student enrollment.

ITEMS ON THE MAY 18 TOWN COUNCIL AGENDA

• Authorizing the Administrator to sign the first 2026 tax warrant
• Re-adoption of the town's Investment Policy
• Scheduling a Public Hearing for Resolution #2026-07 to accept and expend unanticipated grant funds for the Fire Department
• Appointing Samantha Register to the Agricultural Commission
• Presentation by Historic District/Heritage Commission Chair on their activities and projects for the past year
• Presentation by Zoning Board of Adjustment Chair on their activities and projects for the past year
• Continued discussion and possible adoption of 2026/27 Council Goals. You can download the latest draft of the Council goals HERE.

The Durham Business Association recently presented longtime member Roger Hayden with a commemorative plaque recognizing his 38 years of dedication, innovation, and inspiration in support of the Durham business community. The plaque, which notes Hayden Sports as a “cornerstone of success in downtown Durham, New Hampshire,” celebrates both his successful business and his sustained leadership and engagement within the Association and the broader community.

Hayden Sports is expected to remain open through the end of May 2026, giving residents and visitors a final opportunity to visit the downtown landmark before it closes its doors.

NH SENATE ADVANCES AMENDED CAMPUS CARRY BILL FOCUSED ON FACULTY FIREARMS

The New Hampshire Senate has passed an amended version of HB 1793 that would allow faculty at public colleges and universities to carry firearms on campus, while not extending that permission to students. The revised bill also prohibits institutions from restricting non-lethal defensive items such as pepper spray and tasers. In addition, it establishes a legislative study committee to examine the feasibility, costs, and policy considerations of potentially allowing student carry in the future.

The measure, approved along party lines, reflects a shift from the original proposal, which would have broadly barred campus firearm regulations and allowed student carry. The issue has generated significant debate statewide, including protests and concerns related to campus safety, student well-being, and institutional impacts. Because the Senate amended the House-passed bill, the legislation is expected to move to a conference committee to reconcile differences before any final action.

Read more about Thursday's complex legislative maneuverings around this measure HERE. 

The Town of Durham is excited to announce that Violet Rice (registered owner Jan Rice) has been selected as the 2026 Durham “Top Dog” winner! According to her family, Violet is “thrilled” to be selected as this year’s winner.

Violet was rescued from Alabama in April 2023 and enjoys eating practically anything, car rides, trips to the Durham Transfer Center, and spending time with her brother and true love, Arthur, who was rescued from Texas the very same week. A true southern girl at heart, Violet enjoys warm weather and relaxing in front of a roaring fire.

Although she refuses to acknowledge that she is not, in fact, a lap dog, Violet is known for her sweet and affectionate personality and her constant desire for attention, cuddles, and companionship. Her family reports that she has brought them tremendous joy.

The Town of Durham's Top Dog was created to motivate and remind dog owners to license their pets every year by April 30. Residents automatically register for the Top Dog raffle when they obtain a dog license before April 30. The winner of the Top Dog raffle receives a gift basket donated by the clerk’s office and their dog’s biography is featured in the Durham Friday Update. Winners are chosen at random by a computer generated app.

Congratulations, Violet! 

TOWN PLANNER RETIRING AT THE END OF THE YEAR - Recruitment Process Kicks Off - View the Job Posting

Durham Town Planner Michael Behrendt has informed the Town that he plans to retire at the end of this year after 14 years of dedicated service to the community. Michael's accomplishments include overseeing the re-writing of the Master Plan and creating the town's Architectural Regulations.

Admin. Selig has kicked off a job search process for a new Planner. To view the job posting, click HERE.

Painted turtles on a log at Longmarsh Preserve. Courtesy, Veronique Ludington, Land Stewardship Coordinator

WAGON HILL FARM PHASE 2 LIVING SHORELINE RESTORATION PROJECT 2026 CONSTRUCTION RESUMES

Tree removal and establishment of equipment access has previously taken place for this project in the fall/winter of 2025/26. The Town’s contractor T-Ford construction intends on resuming construction operations beginning May 18 and continuing through the fall of 2026.  The project will provide:

• stabilization of the seaward edge of up to 1,470 lineal feet of existing tidal marsh
• stabilization of up to 365 lineal feet of upland slope and the rebuilding of tidal marsh
• installation of up to 1,185 lineal feet of walking trail and 1,800 lineal feet of adjacent fence
• installation of one trail bridge and viewing platforms

The project is funded through a $1.9 million-dollar National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) grant that the project team, which includes the Town of Durham, the NHDES Coastal Program, the University of New Hampshire, Streamworks, Strafford Regional Planning, PREP, the Great Bay Stewards and many others, were successful in obtaining.  

McGregor Memorial EMS is partnering with local public safety and health organizations to offer free Hands-Only CPR classes as part of the New Hampshire CPR Challenge. Learn the skills to save a life in just 10–15 minutes. Drop-ins are welcome, though pre-registration is appreciated. Register HERE under District 1.

• Monday 5/18 UNH Health Science Simulation Center - 1 - 4 pm
• Tuesday 5/19 Lee Public Library 1-4 pm
• Wed 5/20 Madbury Public Library - 1-4 pm
• Thursday 5/21 McGregor station - 6-8 pm
• Friday 5/22 Madbury Town Hall - 3 - 5 pm 
• Saturday 5/23 Durham Public Library - 10 am - 1 pm 

Please note: While these classes are appropriate for most individuals and teach the skills needed to save a life, they are not a formal CPR certification class. Anyone who wants a more in depth class or needs CPR certification for work can visit our website at https://www.cprsafe.org/ for other local classes. Financial assistance is available.

Questions? Contact Mary Davis at MDavis@mcgregorems.org

The weather is looking nice and warm! Please join us for a great day of exploring the property and learning about birds, plants, trees. This is a family friendly event and we will have a craft table for children with different activities, plus a fun nature scavenger hunt.

Be sure to dress appropriately and wear bug spray.

May is Preservation Month across America. The National Trust for Historic Preservation declared May preservation month in order to promote historic places and heritage tourism, and to demonstrate the social and economic benefits of preservation. Here is a reminder to appreciate the countless resources that we have in Durham.

The Durham Historic District which is protected through the Town’s Zoning Ordinance is also a National Register District. The General Sullivan House on Newmarket Road is designated as one of only a few dozen National Historic Landmarks in New Hampshire. A substantial portion of the UNH campus (encompassing 1,558 acres!) has been deemed eligible for the National Register of Historic Places. Its jewel, Thompson Hall, is individually listed in the register. The Town owns three notable historic structures – the Old Courthouse, Smith Chapel, and the Bickford-Chesley house at Wagon Hill Farm. The Old Town Hall, now Tideline Public House, was restored by the prior owner using the Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credits. The entirety of Wagon Hill Farm is listed on the New Hampshire State Register, in large part due to its agricultural history. Some more contemporary buildings, such as the New England Center on Strafford Avenue, are recognized for their significance. There is a wealth of information about our resources here on the website of the Historic District/Heritage Commission HERE.

Join the Durham Historic Association at the museum when a new exhibit of Revolutionary War portraits and relics of Durham patriots will be unveiled on Memorial Day, May 25th, from 1pm to 4 pm. 

The exhibit will continue every Saturday 1pm to 4pm throughout the summer until Labor Day.

A squirrel enjoys a snack in the Colony Cove neighborhood unaware of the mama and papa wood ducks walking behind him. Courtesy, Bernie Casey

Durham‘s automated curbside collection for trash and recycling is coming soon. New trash and recycling carts will be delivered to residents the first week in June (June 3-5, 2026) and will be provided from the Town at no additional charge.  The new solid waste cart will have a black lid and the new single stream recycling cart will have a blue lid.

Inside one of the carts will be a packet of information which will include:

1. An introductory letter about the program and its benefits.  
2. A cart placement guide.
3. Information for what to do with your old bins and carts.
4. A list of acceptable and not acceptable items for recycling.
5. A recycling calendar and correlated street listing. IMPORTANT NOTE: Your collection day will remain the same; however, single-stream recycling will now be collected every other week. Your household has been assigned either an “A Week” or “B Week” recycling pickup, which is identified on the recycling collection calendar and street listing. With single-stream recycling, all acceptable recyclable materials may be placed together in the recycling cart with no sorting required. Please review the recycling guide carefully to help keep recyclable materials clean and free from contamination.

Once your carts are delivered, please begin using them right away for all Town of Durham solid waste and recycling curbside collection services from that point on.

All carts must remain with the property and should not be moved to another location. Each cart will have a serial number associated with the property address. Carts should not be altered or defaced in any way.

Next week, we will share information about what to do with your old carts and more details about the new automated program.

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 bobolink is one of Durham’s most distinctive grassland birds, known for its bubbling, metallic song and striking black‑and‑white breeding plumage. Grassland birds like the bobolink are a species of conservation concern because they depend on large, open meadows, which are habitats that have become increasingly rare in New Hampshire. Places like Wagon Hill Farm and other managed fields in town provide essential nesting areas for these long‑distance migrants, which travel an astonishing 12,000 miles round‑trip each year between New England and South America.

Bobolinks arrive in Durham in mid‑May, nesting through July, and are most easily seen and heard in early summer when males perch on tall grasses to sing. With thoughtful land management and community awareness, Durham can continue to support healthy bobolink populations in the years ahead. For more information, click HERE.

Most homeowners want their lawn to “look nice.” But, as the old saying goes, “Beauty is in the eye of the bee-holder.” Most often residential lawns are primarily maintained as uniform grass areas. Other types of plants are considered weeds that need to be removed. However, many so-called weeds are wildflowers that are highly beneficial to bees, butterflies and other types of pollinators. As part of the “Bee-Friendly” Program Initiative, the Durham Agricultural Commission encourages town residents to “Re-Think Your Lawn.” Instead of “No Mow May,” a better approach is a “Less Mow May.”

The emerald ash borer is indigenous to Asia and known to occur in China, Korea, Japan, Mongolia, the Russian Far East, and Taiwan. It was likely introduced from the Chinese range into North America in wood packaging.

Ash trees, members of the Fraxinus genus, are vanishing from forests across the Northeast, Midwest, and parts of the South as they fall victim to the invasive emerald ash borer. When the beetle infests an ash, the tree typically dies within 3 to 5 years.

The emerald ash borer has killed hundreds of millions of ash trees across North America since it arrived, likely during the 1990s.

To find out more about what you can do to help, click HERE.

Sergeant Michael Nicolosi, the School Resource Officer (SRO) assigned to the Oyster River Schools, recently completed the First-Line Supervisor Training Program at Roger Williams University. The comprehensive two-week program focused on contemporary leadership and management concepts relevant to the responsibilities of first-line supervisors within today’s criminal justice profession. Instruction was delivered by experienced academics and law enforcement practitioners, with participants representing police departments from throughout New England.

Durham patrol sergeants are the first-line supervisors who oversee command of patrol shifts and in Sergeant Nicolosi’s case, daily situations at the Oyster River High School and Middle School. Throughout a patrol sergeant’s shift, they are confronted with a host of management and leadership issues that this training helps enable them to bring comprehensive problem-solving solutions to. 

Completion of the program is a required component of supervisory development within the Durham Police Department and supports the Department’s commitment to professional standards and accreditation requirements.

OYSTER RIVER SCHOOL NEWS

Planned May School Closures

May 22: All Oyster River schools will be closed for a teacher workshop day.

May 25: All Oyster River schools and the SAU will be closed in observance of Memorial Day

Reminder: Kindergarten Registration May 18-21

ORCSD is offering additional kindergarten registration sessions for the 2026-2027 school year on May 18-21, 2026. All sessions will be at the Service Building (33 Coe Dr, Durham, NH 03824). Our full registration packet and requirements details are available online HERE.

School News

Class of 2026 Top 10 Seniors

ORCSD wishes to recognize and congratulate the top 10 students in the Class of 2026. See the list HERE. Graduation is scheduled for Friday, June 5, beginning at 5 p.m. at the University of New Hampshire Whittemore Center (128 Main Street, Durham, NH 03824).

ORHS Students Perform in 2026 All-State Music Festival

ORCSD is proud to celebrate the outstanding accomplishments of 13 students who were selected to participate in the 2026 All‑State Music Festival, held April 16–18, 2026. Learn more HERE. 

Mast Way 4^th Grade Tiny Home Energy Expo

Before April Break, Mast Way School's 4th grade students hosted their Tiny Home Energy Expo, sharing their creative, energy-efficient tiny home designs with families and visiting 3rd grade classes. Learn more HERE.

More school news is available at ORCSD.org/news.

Coming Events 

Please consider supporting Oyster River students and staff by attending the following exciting events in the schools! The District's full calendar of events is available online HERE.

ORHS Spring Musical: Legally Blonde

Auditorium at Oyster River High School (55 Coe Dr, Durham, NH 03824). Tickets sold at the door, cash or check only. Seniors: $7.00 | Students & Teachers: $7.00 | General Admission: $10.00

• May 14: 7:00-8:30 p.m.
• May 15: 7:00-8:30 p.m.
• May 16: 2:00-3:30 p.m.
• May 16: 7:00-8:30 p.m.

May 19: ORMS/HS Orchestra Concert

6:00-7:30 p.m. Morse Recital Hall at Oyster River Middle School (1 Coe Dr, Durham, NH 03824)

May 27: ORHS Art Show Reception

5:00-7:00 p.m. Multipurpose Room at Oyster River High School (55 Coe Dr, Durham, NH 03824).

May 28: ORMS/HS Chorus Concert

6:00-7:30 p.m. Grades 5-12. Morse Recital Hall at Oyster River Middle School (1 Coe Dr, Durham, NH 03824).

May 29: Mast Way Art Show

5:30-7:00 p.m. Mast Way School (23 Mast Rd, Lee, NH 03861)

May 29: ORHS Coffee House

6:00-8:00 p.m. Multipurpose Room at Oyster River High School (55 Coe Dr, Durham, NH 03824). Coffee House celebrates the quarterly launch of the award-winning student publication Mouth of the River. The $5 admission can be purchased at the door and is one of MOR's primary fundraising sources. Food and drink are included with admission.