Mark Wentworth Home reopens

The Mark Wentworth Home reopened in Portsmouth last week after an $11.5 million makeover. The senior housing facility now offers 48 assisted living suites and 19 nursing home beds for elderly citizens living in the New Hampshire Seacoast, southern Maine and northern Massachusetts.

Mayor Tom Ferrini attended a grand reopening ceremony on July 30, and Ruth Griffin, Eileen Foley, Evelyn Marconi and Charlie Vaughan served as official ribbon cutters.

Located at 346 Pleasant St., the Wentworth Home closed in April 2007 after mold was found in the building’s walls. Extensive renovations designed by JSA Inc. were already underway when the closure occurred.

The 60,000-square-foot facility consists of three structures: the 1760 Mark Wentworth mansion, a 1920s masonry building and a 1982 addition. One of the goals of the renovation effort was to give the three buildings a visually cohesive appearance, adding clapboards, gables, bay windows and dormers.

In addition to its private suites and nursing home beds, the facility includes several dining rooms, a wellness and fitness room, a library and game room, a media room, a spa and a private dining room for large family gatherings. The new design elements were intended to improve its home-like setting with comfort and social opportunities.

The interior design has been modified to mirror the building’s historic qualities, with wainscoting, fireplace surrounds, light fixtures and window treatments that reflect 18th century styles. The furniture, fabrics and lighting are designed to add brightness and lend character to the atmosphere. The building overlooks South Mill Pond and is a short walk from Strawbery Banke Museum.

NH gives Bush poor marks on economy

President George Bush’s approval ratings remain low in New Hampshire, with opinions of his handling of the economy plummeting to an all-time low.

According to a poll released by the University of New Hampshire Survey Center on July 31, only 24 percent of adults in the state approve of the job Bush is doing as president. Conducted among 519 randomly selected adults between July 11 and 20, the poll indicates that 74 percent of New Hampshire residents disapprove of Bush, while 4 percent are neutral. Nationwide, just 27 percent of Americans approve of Bush.

Half of Republicans surveyed said they approve of Bush, while 95 percent of Democrats and 83 percent of Independents disapprove of the president.

Bush’s approval rating is even more dismal when it comes to his handling of the economy. According to the poll, only 19 percent of state residents approve of his job on the economy—a record low for his presidency. A whopping 76 percent disapprove of his handling of the economy, while 5 percent are neutral.

Particularly striking is that the percentage of state Republicans who approve of Bush’s handling of the economy dropped from 78 percent in September 2007 to just 39 percent in the most recent poll.

Numbers in other area’s of Bush’s presidency do not look much better. Only 27 percent of those surveyed said they have a favorable opinion of Bush, and only 19 percent think the country is headed in the right direction. Only 26 percent approve of Bush’s handling of foreign affairs.

Bush’s approval ratings in the state have been on a fairly steady decline for the last seven years. In October 2001, 91 percent of New Hampshire residents approved of the job he’d done as president. That number dropped to 56 percent by October 2003 and 39 percent by October 2005. His current approval rating of 24 percent matches his all-time low in the state, which was reported in July 2007.