WASHINGTON – As part of its ongoing effort to replace diesel-fueled school buses, the Biden administration on Wednesday said it will provide approximately 530 school districts across nearly all states with almost $1 billion to help them purchase clean school buses.
The initiative, part of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean School Bus Program rebate competition, will give funds to school districts in 47 states and the District of Columbia to help them buy over 3,400 clean school buses. Alaska, Hawaii, and Nevada are not part of this round of funding.
In New Hampshire, nine districts will get funding for the buses, according to the White House. They are (with the number of buses in parentheses): Concord (3), Derry (25), Hanover (3), Hudson (16), Lisbon (1), Litchfield (8), Moultonborough (7), Nashua (22), and Pembroke (25).
Nearly all of the clean school buses purchased will be electric, at 92 percent, according to the administration.
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“This announcement is not just about clean school buses, it’s about the bigger picture,” EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan said during a call with reporters on Tuesday, prior to the announcement. “We are improving air quality for our children, reducing greenhouse gas pollution, and expanding our nation’s leadership in developing the clean vehicles of the future.”
Low-income, rural, and tribal communities – accounting for approximately 45 percent of the selected projects – are slated to receive roughly 67 percent of the total funding, per the administration.
Regan noted how “low-income communities and communities of color have long felt the disproportionate impacts of air pollution leading to severe health outcomes that continue to impact these populations.”
As for business and economic opportunities, Regan pointed to the development of new, well-paying manufacturing jobs and investment in local businesses stemming from the increasing demand for these clean school buses.
“As more and more schools make the switch to electric buses, there will be a need for American-made batteries, charging stations, and service providers to maintain the buses supercharging and reinvigorating local economies,” he added.
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The Clean School Bus Program has now collectively awarded nearly $3 billion to fund approximately 8,500 electric and alternative fuel buses for over 1,000 communities across the United States, according to the administration.
The program started through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law passed by Congress and signed by President Joe Biden, which includes $5 billion over five years to transform the country’s existing school buses with “zero-emission and low-emission models,” per the EPA.
Among many negative health and environmental effects, especially for communities of color, diesel exhaust exposure can lead to major health conditions such as asthma and respiratory illnesses, according to the EPA.
Exposure to diesel exhaust can also “worsen existing heart and lung disease, especially in children and the elderly,” the agency said.
Access Sports Medicine & Orthopaedics said the annual event reflects its ongoing commitment to youth wellness, community outreach, and support for local athletics. The practice serves communities throughout New Hampshire and describes itself as a multidisciplinary orthopedic and sports medicine provider.
According to the organization, its services include orthopedics, sports medicine, physical therapy, and rehabilitation, with a focus on patient-centered care and community involvement. The free physical day is one of the ways the practice connects local families with those services before the school sports year begins.
Tiny homes may be having a moment—but it is rare that one arrives on the market offering not just an opportunity to downsize in a one-of-a-kind cabin, but also a chance to claim a lush 6-acre expanse of land just 90-minutes’ drive from the nearest beach.
Yet that is the exact package currently being offered in New Hampshire, where a unique yurt-shaped abode has recently been listed for the bargain price of $300,000.
Set on more than 6 wooded acres in the picturesque Monadnock Region—known for its hiking trails and classic New England vibes—the two-bedroom dwelling is described as a “private, peaceful retreat with the perfect balance of rustic cabin character and modern convenience.”
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The Peterborough, NH, cabin itself features several incredibly unique design features, not least its yurt-inspired shape, which makes it look almost like a UFO from the outside.
Inside, however, that shape helps to create a truly fairy-tale feel, with a lofted bedroom at the heart of the round structure, creating the impression of sleeping in a treehouse.
A unique yurt-shaped abode has recently been listed in New Hampshire for the bargain price of $300,000.Realtor.com
The Peterborough, NH, cabin itself features several incredibly unique design features, not least its yurt-inspired shape, which makes it look almost like a UFO.Realtor.com
Inside, however, that shape helps to create a truly fairy-tale feel, with a lofted bedroom set at the heart of the round structure, creating the impression of sleeping in a treehouse.Realtor.com
The home’s all-wood interior immediately evokes the feeling of a secluded mountain cabin, despite being just a short drive from downtown Peterborough.
Built in 1980 and last sold in 2013, the circular home blends rustic cabin coziness with all the modern comforts. The distinctive wooden yurt-style residence, which is listed with Lisa Stone of Keller Williams Realty, comes with roughly 1,200 square feet of living space designed to take full advantage of its natural surroundings.
Attached to the round yurt-style structure is a more traditionally-shaped addition that houses the property’s only bathroom—with an entryway serving as the connector between these two wings. Sliding glass doors provide instant access to the backyard from this area.
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But it is the yurt structure that really shines as the star of the show, with every inch of space utilized to create a true woodland escape that feels totally removed from the bustling town that exists just a few miles away.
At its center, a wood-burning stove anchors the open-concept floor plan, while a sunken living room creates an inviting gathering space beneath timber ceilings.
Directly above the sunken living room is the loft-style primary bedroom, which is accessed via a wooden ladder and features a large circular skylight, perfectly positioned for stargazing from bed.
The primary bedroom space also has multiple windows that open up to the lush surroundings and help to fill it with a blissful breeze, while built-in dressers and closets provide ample storage.
A second, smaller bedroom with an adorable reading nook is tucked just off the kitchen.
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A second, smaller bedroom with an adorable reading nook is tucked just off the kitchen.Realtor.com
A freestanding outbuilding provides additional flexibility as an artist’s studio or home office, making the property especially appealing to creatives seeking an inspired place to work.Realtor.com
“The acreage offers distinct spaces to explore and utilize. A short, scenic walk down a wooded path leads directly to Otter Brook running through the backyard woods,” the listing crows. Realtor.com
The open-plan kitchen takes up a large section of the rounded walls and comes complete with a sizable countertop for food preparation, plenty of built-in storage, and a small dining table situated under another skylight.
Another area perched above the sunken living room has been transformed into an office, while the area next to the wood-burning stove is currently being used as an additional seating area.
The idyllic nature retreat extends outdoors, where a brook meanders through the property and natural landscaping reinforces the feeling of being tucked away in a private woodland escape.
“The acreage offers distinct spaces to explore and utilize. A short, scenic walk down a wooded path leads directly to Otter Brook running through the backyard woods,” the listing crows.
A freestanding outbuilding provides additional flexibility as an artist’s studio or home office, making the property especially appealing to creatives seeking an inspired place to work.
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While it is currently being used as a residence, the listing notes that the property is rich with potential—whether a buyer is seeking out a “private homestead” or a lucrative rental, highlighting its convenient proximity to nearby Peterborough.
“With its eclectic design and distinct features, this property is an ideal setup for a standout short-term rental destination or a private homestead-all just minutes from downtown Peterborough,” the description notes. “Peterborough is known for its quaint down town full of shops and restaurants and for its arts and music events.”
And it seems the allure of the property was too hard to resist for one eager buyer—with the listing now showing that the home is already “pending” sale, meaning that an offer has been accepted, although the deal has not yet closed.
For the buyer looking for a weekend getaway, an artist’s retreat, or a full-time residence with unmistakable charm, the home’s rare combination of affordability and privacy makes it easy to see why it was scooped up almost as soon as it hit the market.
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Larissa Runkle is a seasoned real estate writer, lifestyle journalist, and marketing strategist with over a decade of experience and 2,000+ published articles. Her work covering housing, personal finance, and lifestyle has appeared in major publications like Bankrate, MarketWatch, Yahoo Finance, and New York Post. In 2023, she launched a boutique copywriting studio to partner with land developers and top brokerages, creating strategic content that builds lasting brand authority. When she isn’t writing, Larissa enjoys the outdoors from her home in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado, where she lives with her husband, son, and German shepherd, Yoko.
A driver was killed in a 3-vehicle crash on the Everett Turnpike in Nashua, N.H. that also sent a Massachusetts woman, another driver and several children to the hospital, New Hampshire State Police said.
Theresa Douville of Hooksett, N.H. was driving a 2020 Honda CRV around 4:30 p.m. when she allegedly failed to slow down for traffic stopped in the northbound lane, State Police said in a statement.
She crashed into an Infiniti QX 60 driven by Gyna Santana, 35, of Lawence, who had children in her car, the statement said.
Santana’s car then hit another Infiniti QX 60 driven by Madison Berube, 30, of Hooksett, who also had chldren in the car, State Police said.
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Douville, 69, was treated at the scene for serious injuries by emergency workers. She was taken to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead, the statement said.
Santana, Berube, and multiple children from both vehicles were taken to a local hospital to be evaluated as a precaution, police said.
Three lanes of northbound traffic were shut down for about an hour while troopers processed the scene.
The crash remains under investigation.
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Adam Sennott can be reached at adam.sennott@globe.com.
