🌱 Thousands Face Power Outages + Land Use Boards Seek New Voices

Good morning, Manchester! Like many of you, the Patch staff will be taking some time off for the holiday season, so you may not see as many newsletters in your inbox between now and the New Year. We will resume our normal schedule during the first week of January. For now, here’s what you need to know about what’s happening around town.

But first, today's weather:

Winds subsiding and frigid. High: 19 Low: 14.

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Here are the top three stories in Manchester today:

1. More than 85,000 people across New Hampshire, including in Manchester, lost power on Friday due to the winter weather conditions. Some power outages were caused by the wind knocking down wires and trees, and restoration times varied across the region. (Patch)
2. A NowWhatNH advisory board member and Manchester local spoke about the importance of using land use boards like NowWhatNH. The boards are seeking more diverse voices, and around half of the land use boards have at least one vacancy. (NHPR)
3. Helping Hands Outreach Center recently opened a new branch of its housing units in Manchester. The new facility is open for people in need of a place to live on their own in single-room occupancy rooms. (WMUR)

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This weekend in Manchester:

Saturday, December 24

• Brunch With Brooks Hubbard At The Goat (10:00 AM)
• Christmas Eve Fun At Cowabunga's Indoor Kids Play & Party Center (10:00 AM)

Sunday, December 25

• Christmas Morning Mass At Saint Joseph Cathedral (8:30 AM)
• Community Christmas Dinner At First United Methodist Church Manchester (1:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• Due to high winds from the incoming storm on Thursday night and Friday morning, multiple trees and branches have fallen in the area. Some locations also saw downed wires and blocked roads. On Friday, the Manchester Police cautioned residents to stay home until road conditions improve. (Manchester NH Police via Facebook)
• Keep an eye on the weather reports this weekend for weather alerts. Friday saw flood warnings throughout much of the state, and Christmas Eve and Christmas day are expected to bring wind chills in the single digits or below zero throughout Saturday morning. (WMUR)
• Check out the Manchester Holiday Light winners for this year! The 100 Becker St. home hosts a variety of fun holiday displays, including a juggling snowman and penguins. The winners were provided with two restaurant gift cards and a plaque from the city. (Union Leader)

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Thanks for following along and staying informed. See you soon, and happy holidays!

— Nicole Fallon-Peek

About me: Nicole Fallon-Peek is a journalist and copywriter with a degree in Media, Culture and Communication from New York University. She has served as a freelance reporter, managing editor, copy editor, and editorial director for a variety of B2B news outlets. She currently co-owns and operates content creation agency Lightning Media Partners.