YOUR COMMENTS

I AM EMAILING THIS FROM WORK IN MASS, BUT NEED TO EXPRESS MY DISMAY AND FRUSTRATION RE THE LACK OF PUBLIC SAFETY INFORMATION AND BROADCAST NEWS THAT IS PROVIDED TO US BY OUR NH RADIO STATIONS. I THANK GOD FOR WBZ AM 1030 FOR ANY INFORMATION I HAVE HEARD SINCE THIS DISASTROUS STORM. WHY CAN'T CH 9 AND NH RADIO STATIONS COLLABORATE AND PROVIDE THE CITIZENS OF NH WITH THE NEWS AND INFORMATION WE NEED TO SURVIVE, RATHER THAN CHRISTMAS MUSIC AND THE OCCASIONAL NEWS BITE? WE OBVOUSLY HAVE NO TV TO TURN TO FOR OUT NEWS!
- NANCY, NEW IPSWICH

Though some of Dover has power, there are still large parts that dont. Such as the road heading into town from the high school that goes under the spaulding. The power outage on that end of town stretches to woodman park elementary and as far down as central ave in some places. I hope that everyone finds shelter with friends or relatives at this time. And to those who keep posting.. thank you from someone who just now returned home since thursday night.
- Theresa, Dover

Wow I can't believe it! If I was still in NH I'd be freezing! Instead today I sat in an open air market and enjoyed a glass of nice wine, listening to an outdoor band playing holiday music. hummmm
Life is too short..........
Come on down!
- Gail Spera, Melbourne, FLorida

It has been SHOCKING to me that when we needed info the most we could not get it. Am I the only one who without power can"t go online and check for info. I was so MAD at all the local radio stations for playing music during a statewide disaster! We weren't really hoping you would play 0 in a row without commercials. We needed INFO badly. Now that I can I'm online but I feel for people still without power.
- Lynn, loudon nh

This blog is so useful! I was in Maine yesterday, wondering when I could come home. My own local news outlets told me nothing, but your blog gave me a sense of when my area was back online. Thanks so much!
- Tom, Exeter

Michael in Atkinson, the lack of looting is reflective of our state's culture. Without power, people could easily be looting. They are not. They are instead helping each other and making do.

Be proud of that.
- Mike R., Bedford

Lesson Learned!

If we can figure to land the frist man in the moon. Why can't we figure out how to preventing blacks outs in the future. There is another alternative ways to prevent black outs is the future to have underground power lines this way it will Preventing black outs. No one should not have to live in the dark. This the 21st Century, Wake up America.
- Jocelyn Gallant, Salem, NH

Duke, I too am a fellow native of Exeter. After not being able to reach my parents all day Friday I drove over around 7 pm. As soon as I left 101 everything was dark. I went from Epping Rd down to Front St and all the way up Portsmouth Ave and not a single (non generator) light was burning. The electricity in the Front St area (around 120 Front St) came back up around 9 pm.
- Deborah, Manchester, NH

I think that what has happened here is horrible. Now I'm only a freshman, but I believe that if people are cold then for their health and safety they should go to a shelter or someplace warm. i hope everyone is cautious, and safe. So even when times like this are rough everyone just keep your heads up. cause we can get though it.
- Kaitlyn, Chichester

Very rough in New Boston, no power at all from what I could see when I drove around. Rt 13 still has huge trees hanging over it - most have been removed and the road is passable but the ones that are left are tangled in power lines etc. Since I am a newbie to NH I don't have a generator (yet!), so I had to leave today with no running water as the pump on the well is electric. I had heat from a fireplace so I was OK there. I'm at a hotel for now and plan on headed back when I see that power is back.
- Pete, New Boston

Wolfeboro -- Are you there?
- Bob, Englewood, fl

While it is understandable, please realize, James, of Manchester, that an employee of any town does not know when Power companies will be able to restore power.

They are all very tired and are focusing on getting all roads open so that the Utilities are able to arrive at critical locations.

Thank you to everyone working to get power restored and the roads open.

Your families miss you and hope you are alright. Be safe.
- judy, concord

Like Katrina without the water, huh? That's true, except this time there's no mass casualties, no looting or riots and no people trapped on the roofs of their homes. Stores are open, major roads are relatively passable, and we're all able to get food and water if we're running low. There are also multiple shelters opened throughout the state, which residents are having no trouble accessing; there's no need to truck people out of state or open shelter at the Verizon Center. Most people will return to their regular routines by Monday, if they haven't already.

Other than that, though, it's totally like Katrina.
- Michael, Atkinson

Does anyone know how we will be notified when the electricity comes on in Derry??
- Nancy Barbour, Derry, NH

The Pembroke town manager needs to get on the stick and figure out how many of his residents are without power. Obviously, his answer "I have no idea" came in answer to a UL reporter's question. He needs to call you back and give you the facts. It's kind of sad that he doesn't have a clue.
- James, Manchester

While I disagree vehemently with the UL's editorial board (and usually express that on these boards), I appreciate the effort to get information out to everybody. Unfortunately, it requires electricity to read this, but it's definitely a help and I thank you for providing this service.

One issue, under the Raymond blog you cite Londonderry's population as 12.000 to compare to Raymond, Londonderry actually has 24,000 so the numbers in shelters are not as skewed as appears. Plus, Londonderry H.S. is serving as a shelter for Londonderry, Derry and Litchfield. Not a big deal but I figured it was worth noting.

Best of luck to everyone and stay warm tonight.
- Jason, Londonderry

Please help your friends and family find a warm place tonight.

People without electricity (and no TV or other media) might not realize how cold the temperatures will be tonight.
- Peg, Concord

As a native of EXETER with relatives and friends in the area, I HAVE YET TO SEE ANYTHING here or on Seacoast News as to how the town is doing. ANY INFORMATION (% without power, damage) WOULD BE APPRECIATED.
- Duke, Jacksonville, FL

I have to agree with Cathy. Normally I despise this paper and everything about it and only read it because it occasionally provides relevant local news, but this blog has been invaluable as I monitor from my "remote location" 100 miles north of home the status of my town's electricity. I even saw an actual article about my little town! Yeah!

Keep up the good work, UL.

And if you can read this, you have power, so do whatever you can to make sure EVERYONE you know is equally warm and comfortable. It's going to be cold tonight...
- Ashley, New Boston

I think the blog is great. I do hope, however, that the blog will have equal coverage of the seacoast area during the weekend. It seems that sometimes we get left out of the mix, and not all of us live in the Portsmouth area. There's the tri-city area of Dover, Rochester and Somersworth that have been heavily affected to.

I appreciate the work that the UL is doing in keeping the residents updated throughout the state.
- Jason, Somersworth

While I am not in Derry at the moment, I am very thankful for the UL's blog. I am sure I am not the only one monitoring the situation from outside the mess, wondering how areas where friends or relatives who chose to stay are doing and hoping for a green light to head home. Thanks UL for making an EXCELLENT use of this medium!
- Cathy, Derry