🌱How To Spot Winter Owls + Booster Signups Monday + Home Prices

Good Morning! Here are the most important things happening on Monday in Bedford.

First, today's weather:

Partly sunny today and cold. High: 28. Low: 16.

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Here are the top stories today in Bedford:

1. Most owls are active at sunrise, sunset, or at night, but owl experts say you don't have to go "owling" at night to see a great horned owl or barred owl this winter. They can be found sitting quietly on tree branches in wooded areas during the day if you are "still, listen and observe." To find out how to spot a barred owl or great horned owl in Bedford and other places in New Hampshire, tune into this episode of NHPR's "In The Wild" with Chris Martin of the New Hampshire Audubon Society, and Dave Anderson, the Director of Education and Volunteer Services for the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests. You can find out more here: (NHPR)
2. Registration opens on Monday to sign up for free booster shot at one of the 14 New Hampshire booster clinics. Anyone who received a COVID-19 vaccine at least six months ago can make an appointment for a free booster shot for protection against COVID-19 and the new highly transmissible omicron variant. Memorial High School in Manchester is the closest location to Bedford. At the last Booster Blitz in early December, more than 10,000 people received booster shots. Health officials said that appointments filled up quickly, but a few walk-in appointments became available when some people did not show up for their appointment. You can sign up on the state COVID-19 website: covid19.nh.gov/booster-blitz. (Read more here with a subscription): (The Union Leader)
3. With a hot housing market in New Hampshire in 2021, and the demand greater than the supply, a family had to make $20,000 more in income to afford an average-priced home for a 30-year mortgage than this time last year. The average home price in Hillsborough County was $414,000 in 2021 — that's about $64,000 higher than home prices in 2020. Some realtors say they are starting to see a softening in the market with the winter chill, but so far, the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic hasn't significantly lowered prices to buy a single-family home. Shawna Phillips, a realtor at Coldwell Banker Realty in Bedford, said bidding wars haven’t been as fierce as during the summer months, but added that the effort "to find a house" and "outbid others" has proven exhausting. “I have some buyers,” she said. “They’re just tired.”(Read more here with a subscription): (The Union Leader)

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From my notebook:

• Bedford N.H. Police Department: "Wishing everyone a safe, healthy and happy New Year!" (Facebook)
• Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains: "Happy New Year from all of us at the Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains!" (Facebook)
• Bedford N.H. Community Television: "Wishing everyone a happy and healthy 2022!" (Facebook)

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I'll catch up with you again bright and early tomorrow with another update!

— 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.