Press Releases/What’s New

Since 2006, the City of Portsmouth Welfare Department has collected back-to-school supplies for children in need. The goal of this project is to level the playing field as much as possible for students from Pre-K to Post Grad, to make sure every student in the Portsmouth community has the tools they need to begin a successful school year. The first day of school is just a few short weeks away. 

The City of Portsmouth announces the temporary closure of the Portsmouth Skate Park on Greenland Road, Monday August 12 through Thursday, August 15, 2024, to allow the contractor to complete a punch list of necessary final details for the project. The skate park will re-open for use on Friday morning, August 16. The lights will not be functional during the closure. Access to the Seacoast Greenway Trailhead will remain open.

On Tuesday, August 13, 2024, neighborhoods throughout Portsmouth will join forces with thousands of communities nationwide for the 41st Annual National Night Out Against Crime. 

National Night Out (NNO), which is sponsored by the National Association of Town Watch (NATW), will involve over 17,000 communities from all 50 states, U.S. territories, Canadian cities and military bases around the world. In all, over 38 million people are expected to participate in “America’s National Night Out Against Crime.” 

For a printable PDF go to Health Bulletin Board: Updates on H5N1 & Mosquito Protection

The Portsmouth and Pease drinking water systems continue to experience high demand in both systems due to irrigation and cooling system usage. In the last month the combined system demands have averaged 5.4 million gallons a day. Fortunately, water levels in both the City's reservoir and groundwater sources are holding up and system operators are managing the system such that water supplies are meeting these demands.

The cities of Dover and Portsmouth, along with the towns of Newmarket, Durham and Exeter are challenging each other to see which community’s residents can do the most to fight climate change.

Specifically, the municipalities are launching a friendly competition to see which town can convince the highest percentage of customers of their community power programs to “opt-up” to greener (generated by from more renewable sources) electricity choices.

Just in time for the start of the new school year Portsmouth Police Department announces the release of the 6th edition of PPD trading cards! 

The 2024 series features 23 new photos and includes introductions for some recent hires and new assignments.  Each card features the officers’ name and photograph on the front and includes a biography and special message on the back. Many Portsmouth police officers carry them and will hand them out to those who request them.

As the Department of Public Works continues to keep City property clear of obstructions and its lawns and gardens trimmed, the Parks & Greenery Department asks for residents help in keeping sidewalks and roadway sight lines clear.

Private property owners are required by City ordinance to keep the plants and shrubs on their property trimmed so as not to interfere with or obscure public property. This means keeping hedges bordering sidewalks and plants that might obstruct visibility at driveway and road intersections trimmed back.