👏 Thanks to Meg Trainor for nominating Kathy Hesse of Hudson for this week’s community shoutout.

Kathy created a literacy program for young children through the United Way of Greater Nashua. Alongside a team of volunteers, she visits daycares, shelters, and other community locations to read with kids, incorporating movement, music, and crafts into each session.

The goal is simple: help children develop a love of books and reading that lasts a lifetime.

Know someone making a difference in your community? Reply to this email or send me a note with their story. They could be featured in a future Thursday newsletter!

Here’s some other good news:

Here’s what else is inside today’s newsletter:

📸 A highland cow in the wild

🪻 Where to see lupines in NH

📢 Question of the week: Has this economy changed your summer vacation plans?

🌞 The bright side: Your local good news roundup

💪 Nominate a local hero, and we’ll feature them in this newsletter

Granite Post wants to hear from you.

Please take our quick 5- to 10-minute survey to help guide our reporting and improve what we send readers.

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(Courtesy of Rich Collins, Thirst Productions)

📸 Thanks to Rich Collins for sharing this photo from Scotland!

This is a pic of a Highland cow, or as the locals call them, “Highland coo.” Rich snapped this photo near the Isle of Skye, one of Scotland’s most scenic destinations.

I’m loving all the photos readers have been sending in. If you have a picture you’d like featured in this newsletter, send it my way. It can be a beautiful landscape, a cool animal, a local adventure, or just something that made you smile.

Join COURIER and 3.14 Action on June 11 for Facts vs. Fiction: The Fight for Science in American Democracy.

Misinformation isn’t just noise. It’s shaping policy decisions that determine who can afford care, which communities are protected, and how our government responds to real-world risks.

This live conversation will examine what’s at stake when facts are ignored and how science-informed leadership has shaped policy on healthcare, climate, agriculture, and public health. At a moment when institutions and public trust are under attack, we’ll explore what happens when decision-making is driven by evidence, what it takes to rebuild trust, and why scientific integrity is essential to democracy.

Stay tuned for more speaker announcements, and don’t miss this conversation.

Sunset Hill Road has a field that is easily accessible to see and walk through the lupines. (USA Today Network)

By USA Today via Reuters Connect 

Lupines (or bluebonnets) typically bloom in early June, depending on the weather.

For the most up-to-date information every season, Harman’s Cheese & Country Store turns its Facebook account into a lupine tracker. They also post photos and a map daily at the bulletin board at their store to help people find the best lupine fields.

Sugar Hill is known as New Hampshire’s unofficial lupine capital, and the state’s top destination for viewing the flowers.

Here are some top spots to see lupines:

🪻 Sunset Hill Road, Sugar Hill
One of the most popular and accessible viewing spots, offering sweeping lupine fields with stunning views of the Presidential Range.

🪻 St. Matthew’s Chapel, Sugar Hill
A picturesque chapel surrounded by blooming lupines makes it one of the most photogenic stops in the region.

🪻 Polly’s Pancake Parlor, Sugar Hill
Grab breakfast and then stroll across the street to enjoy a beautiful lupine field.

🪻 Harman’s Cheese & Country Store, Sugar Hill
The local go-to source for lupine updates, bloom reports, maps, and daily viewing recommendations.

🪻 Franconia
This neighboring White Mountains town offers additional opportunities to spot lupines in bloom.

🪻 Easton

Another scenic area where visitors can find colorful lupine displays during peak season.

🪻 Bethlehem
Known for its mountain views and charming downtown, Bethlehem is also home to several lupine viewing areas.

Personal story: I’m trying to book a trip to Florida in November, and direct flights are going for nearly $1,000. This time last year, I paid just $175 for the exact same route.

So this week’s question is:

Has this economy changed your summer vacation plans?

Here’s what you’re saying:

“Well, yes in a way. We bought an electric car and solar array because of the Trump factor on fuel prices and uncertainty. It is immediately our primary vehicle and shall be used for nearby vacations.” — Tom Chew

The following briefs are presented in partnership with Granite Goodness. Subscribe today.

🏘️ Massachusetts is tackling its housing shortage by reimagining old industrial spaces …

Braintree is turning a long-vacant 30-acre industrial site into 752 apartments less than a mile from the Red Line, one of the largest housing developments on Boston’s South Shore in years and a model for how Massachusetts is converting industrial relics into housing. Boston Globe

🏡 Meanwhile, a different kind of housing story is unfolding in New Hampshire …

The 144 households of Cotton Farm Village in New Hampshire just became co-owners of their manufactured-home park, joining a network of 152 resident-owned communities across the state. The cooperative, financed through the NH Community Loan Fund, gives residents control over their own rents, rules, and future. NH Community Loan Fund

🥕 And speaking of communities taking ownership of their future …

Farmington, Maine, just got a new food co-op, where 250 community members have already bought $150 lifetime memberships to co-own a local organic market on Front Street. Members get monthly discounts, a share of yearly revenue, and a vote on how the business is run. WMTW News

💙 Know someone in New Hampshire who’s doing something worth celebrating? Whether it’s a neighbor, volunteer, small business owner, artist, or community leader, we want to hear about it!

Send us their name, what they’re doing, and why it matters to you at info@granitepostnews.com.

Thanks for reading. This newsletter was written by Katy Savage with stories from USA Today via Reuters Connect and Granite Goodness. It was edited by Paula Solis.

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