Welcome to the Good News in New England Newsletter, part of Granite Goodness. We share optimistic stories of progress, innovation, and problem-solving from across New England.
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HELLO OPTIMISTS!
Welcome to the 139 new subscribers since our last newsletter.
Mark your calendars! We’re doing a MEETUP in Boston for all of you, in partnership with our friends at Fix The News, the world’s leading solutions journalism organization and the original team who inspired the work I do here at Granite Goodness : )
We’ll be meeting up on Thursday November 12 from 5:30 - 8:00 PM at Portico Brewing. Address is 101 South St, Somerville, MA 02143. There is a parking garage beneath the building so it’s very easy for folks driving in and out of the city (like me!)
There are ~2,500 of you now, so I would love to meet as many of you as possible! If it goes well we’ll do it again : )
The event will also be taking place during Boston Human Week, which I’d encourage everyone to check out.
This week we’re welcoming Aarron Dupuis, Lisa Boyko, and Caitie Glidden to the Optimists Club!
“There are so many great things happening in NH and New England. I want to support the efforts of Granite Goodness to shine a light on those stories!” - Aarron (Epping, NH)
“As someone who tries to focus on the positive and keep morale up for those around me, including myself, in a world that is overloaded with negative media everywhere you turn it was great to find a group focusing on optimistic news. Especially so close to home for me! I look forward to see what is to come!” - Caitie (Dover, NH)
“I’m trying to sprinkle more optimism into my life, and the optimists club looks like the perfect way to start!” - Lisa (New Britain, CT)
For all you new members, we’ll be sending out the monthly mail this week! If you haven’t shared your address with me yet, reply to this email so I know where to send it!
Today we also drop our conversation with the infamous Matt Shearer, also known as Reporter Matt, whose videos sharing quirky, heartwarming, often hilarious stories about Massachusetts locals have attracted millions of views on social media (I just published it so it’ll appear on Spotify in an hour or so).
Our featured partner this week is Northeast Delta Dental. From the moment he heard about Granite Goodness, President and CEO Tom Raffio has been a loud and earnest champion of our work. Tom and team, we can’t thank you enough!
Now enjoy some good news.
Sustainability & Nature
UMass Amherst launches $120M Future of Food Initiative to tackle global food challenges. The effort will build a 36,000-square-foot innovation center and establish endowed faculty positions to advance research on climate-resilient agriculture, food safety, and nutrition for populations across the globe.
Wild Blueberry Collective purchases 158 acres to preserve Maine’s iconic barrens. Eight Maine women (from an impressive variety of backgrounds!) banded together to secure a $750,000 agreement acquiring a large section of land in Searsport. Their vision is to create public trails, community harvests, and educational programs for Maine’s barrens.
Northern Maine's ancient forests get protected with landmark conservation deal. The New England Forestry Foundation and Irving Woodlands Maine agreed to preserve nearly 500 acres of rare old-growth forest in Aroostook County, protecting carbon-rich ecosystems, pristine ponds, and native wildlife.
Building & Infrastructure
Massachusetts just proved heat pumps can cut winter electricity costs without straining the grid. Last winter, more than 140,000 MA households saved $37 million using discounted rates, demonstrating that winter heat pump demand doesn't require expensive infrastructure upgrades. RI and NY are taking notes!
NH expands rail station to boost North Country lumber mills. State transportation officials and UNH secured $1 million in federal funding to upgrade a transload facility in Whitefield, halving shipping distance and enabling rural mills to add production capacity.
Vermont funds 241 affordable homes with tax credits across seven communities. The Vermont Housing Finance Agency allocated nearly $28 million to build and preserve affordable apartments in rural and urban areas, including elderly housing + family units.
Economics & Opportunity
Connecticut's minimum wage set to rise to $17.48 on January 1, 2027. The state's automatic wage adjustment law, which ties annual increases to economic growth, will raise the minimum wage by 54 cents based on a 3.2% employment cost index increase.
Laconia, NH tests social district model to energize downtown dining and retail. The state's first outdoor drinking zone allows customers to carry beverages from participating bars and restaurants across downtown blocks.
Maine launches $43M heat pump water heater rebate program to cut energy costs. Instant rebates over $1,000 through Efficiency Maine will help households install efficient water heaters that could reduce electric bills by up to $650 annually.
Science & Technology
University of Rhode Island leads $4M wetlands research partnership to protect coastal ecosystems. Funding from the NSF will help expand a partnership between Louisiana State University and URI, developing coastal modeling tools to protect Rhode Island's salt marshes and Louisiana's delta wetlands.
University of Vermont researchers reveal bats' genetic secrets to longevity and cancer resistance. Scientists found that bats evolved unique DNA-repair mechanisms that help them live decades longer than similar-sized mammals, discoveries that could unlock new pathways for treating age-related human diseases.
University of Connecticut scientists turn local seaweed into palm oil alternative. A ~$1.9 million federal grant will fund UConn research converting sugar kelp grown in Connecticut waters into a sustainable replacement for palm oil, reducing U.S. dependence on imports tied to tropical deforestation.
Civics & Community
Vermont joins 23 states with comprehensive data privacy protections. Governor Phil Scott signed the Data Privacy and Online Surveillance Act, requiring companies handling data on Vermont residents to disclose data practices and respect privacy preferences from users.
New Hampshire expands protections for domestic violence and sexual assault survivors. Governor Kelly Ayotte signed bipartisan bills strengthening survivors' rights, including expanded access to protective orders, mandatory massage business licensing to combat trafficking, and broader recognition of coercive control and abuse tactics.
Rhode Island shatters early voting record ahead of primary election. More than 37,000 voters cast ballots at in-person polling sites before the September 9 primary, over double the 2022 total.
That’s it for this edition of the Good News in New England Newsletter!1 If you’d like to support Granite Goodness, consider joining our Optimists Club. Learn more about the people behind these stories on our podcast.
Hungry for good news beyond the borders of New England? Check out our very own Optimists Club newsletter.
Thanks for reading!
-Andy & Kaelli
All postcard images are sourced from the Tichnor Brothers Collection at the Boston Public Library, licensed under CCO 1.0.
I was starving for this, thank you