🌱 50 State Run + Lawmaker Plea + Homeschool + Free COVID Tests

Happy Wednesday! Here's everything you need to know going on today.

First, today's weather:

Mostly sunny today and warmer. High: 70 Wednesday night cool, Low: 49.

Here are the top stories in Bedford today:

1. He has run in all 50 states, from Hawaii and Oklahoma to Bedford, New Hampshire. On a whim, 71-year-old Tom Pickerel, who is a retired high school teacher and golf coach, decided to run a race in Hawaii at Diamond Head, and his daughter-in-law suggested that he run a race in every state. Nine years later he achieved that goal. Pickerel has run half-marathons, 5K, and 10K races in all 50 states, plus Washington, D.C. He noted memorable moments included running up Diamond Head in Hawaii and seeing the surf, rounding the curve in a park in Alaska to see a moose with her baby, seeing the giant redwood trees in California, finishing the Disney World half marathon in Florida, and running a 5K in the hometown of his daughter-in-law, Bedford, New Hampshire. You can read more about Tom Pickerel's inspiring journey here: (Press Publications Inc.)
2. Health care leaders are urging New Hampshire lawmakers to allow remote access for meetings at the State House for the next session to help stop the spread of COVID-19 as new cases continue to rise. The House session last spring was held at The Sportsplex in Bedford to limit the spread of infection where lawmakers could practice social distancing and wear masks. Health leaders, including the New Hampshire Medical Society, the New Hampshire Nurse Practitioners Association, the Disabilities Rights Center, and New Hampshire Legal Assistance sounded the alarm about the risk of COVID-19 exposure. According to the state's COVID-19 dashboard, there are currently 178 hospitalizations and 4,430 active cases of the highly contagious virus that, in some people, can result in serious complications like pneumonia, and could be fatal for others. You can read more here: (The Union Leader)
3. An unexpected number of New Hampshire parents decided to homeschool their kids for a second year. Some wanted to protect their families from the delta variant in schools, others liked homeschooling after trying it last year, while other families said they sent their kids back to school and realized it wasn’t a good fit for them. The state is providing new resources for homeschooled children, including funds to pay for private school or home education programs and access to a private teaching company called Prenda that offers remote group activities for homeschooled children. Jace Martin, a parent who decided to home school her 7-year-old daughter this year, said that her daughter likes the group activities and also works at her own pace. The number of homeschooled children can impact school funding, officials said, as funding for public schools is determined by the number of enrolled students. (NHPR)
4. Free COVID-19 test sites now open! Four new test sites were set up to increase free testing in underserved communities in New Hampshire. One site is located in the park across the street from the JFK Colosseum on 303 Beech Street in Manchester (but this site is not a drive-up test site; the testing will be done at the Hunt Memorial Pool on Maple Street). Another free test site is in the St. Joseph's Hospital parking lot on 261 Lake Street in Nashua. The free testing is paid for by the state — no insurance or funds are needed. Free COID-19 tests are for anyone, whether you have symptoms or not. The results will be emailed within 48 hours. (Patch)

Today's Bedford Daily is brought to you by Verizon, a Patch Brand Partner. Learn more about how Black and Mobile, a food delivery app created by two brothers, is helping put the spotlight on Black-owned restaurants.

Bedford Patch Notebook

• Riddle Brook School, Bedford NH: Harvest Festival 2021 was a great success! It was a boo-tiful day to come together as a community to celebrate the season! (Facebook)

From our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

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• Tiger Warrior Dojo — Commitment to Excellence. (Visit website)
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Events:

• Special Needs Trust Webinar. (October 21)
• Raytheon Employees - Make the Most Out of Your Open Enrollment! (October 21)
• Community Shred Day. (October 23)
• Great New England FALL Craft & Artisan Show. (October 23)
• Children's Trick or Treat. (October 23)
• 15th Annual Celebrate Samhain festival. (October 24)
• Children's Trick or Treat. (October 24)
• Ghouls, goblins, and creatures of the night; join us for Halloween food, drinks, and finance! (October 28)
• Halloween an Interactive Night Life Experience. (October 30)
• Add your event

You're caught up for today. See you all tomorrow for another update! If you love these newsletters, consider inviting your friends and neighbors. You can send them this link to subscribe.

— Paula Constance

About me: I am a freelance writer, author, and media producer. I am committed to media projects that empower, engage, and help make the world a better place.

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Bedford Daily? I'm all ears. You can reach me at paula.constance.patch@gmail.com.