September 2021

Treasure Hunt 21/09/23

Dear Donna,

I came across this bag of old clothespins. I believe they were my mother’s. I have no use for them but thought maybe someone would enjoy them. Can you give me a reason not to toss them?

Lynn

Dear Lynn,

Old clothespins are collectible but I think mostly for decorative reasons. I have also seen them used in many modern craft projects. So I do think that gives you a reason to not throw them away.

The ones you have in the photo would probably be in the $15 range for the bunch. Always be careful, though. If you see one in the mix that has a look you have never seen, it could be an uncommon one and worth more.

Handmade antique clothespins can bring a much higher value to a collector. Common ones like this almost everyone had and used, so there are plenty around for decorating a laundry room or for projects.

Kiddie Pool 21/09/23

Family fun for the weekend

Another fair weekend

• The Granite State Fair, which kicked off last weekend, continues Thursday, Sept. 23, through Sunday, Sept. 26, at 72 Lafayette St. in Rochester. The fair and midway open at 4 p.m. on Thursday and Friday; the fair opens at 10 a.m. and the midway opens at noon on Saturday and Sunday, according to granitestatefair.com, where you can buy tickets and find directions. Admission costs $10; kids 8 and under get in free. Shows, ride passes, parking and more require separate tickets, which are also available online (where you can find height requirements for the rides, in case you’re trying to figure out which kids are tall enough for which rides). One event to consider: Circus Hollywood, with shows at 5 and 7 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 23, and Friday, Sept. 25; at 2, 5 and 7 p.m. on Saturday, and at 2 and 5 p.m. on Sunday. General admission is included, or get a ringside premium box for $15 (each box allows up to four guests), according to the website.

Another festival weekend

• Beaver Brook Association (117 Ridge Road in Hollis; 465-7787, beaverbrook.org) will hold its 40th annual Fall Festival and Nature Art Show this weekend — Saturday, Sept. 25, and Sunday, Sept. 26, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The celebration has events for all ages; for the kids, there’s a children’s art exhibit, a petting farm and children’s nature crafts, according to the website.

• We’re still in the thick of Old Home Day season and this weekend the Sandown Old Home Day Fall Festival will come to Sandlot Sports (56 North Road in Sandown) with events Friday, Sept. 24, through Sunday, Sept. 26. Saturday, Sept. 25, is the big day with games and a bouncy house and mini steam train rides from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; a coloring contest station from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; a bungee jump from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; face painting from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.; cow plop bingo at noon and a pie eating contest at 2 p.m. There will also be a bike parade at 9 a.m. and live music from about 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., when fireworks are scheduled, according to the event’s Facebook page. On Sunday, check out fire and police station tours, the schedule said.

• DeMeritt Hill Farm (20 Orchard Way in Lee; 862-2111, demeritthillfarm.com) will hold its Harvest Weekend this Saturday, Sept. 25, and Sunday, Sept. 26, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on both days. The schedule includes pumpkin painting, guessing games, food sampling and more, according to the website. The farm also offers hay rides on the weekends ($2 per person) and is in the thick of its pick your own apple season. (For more places doing pick your own apples, check out our “Farm Fun” cover story in last week’s (Sept. 16) issue of the Hippo, which features stories on upcoming agricultural fairs, apple picking and corn mazes. See hippopress.com and scroll down for the e-edition of the paper. The stories start on page 10.)

• J&F Farms (124 Chester Road in Derry; 437-0535) is offering a Fall Hayride on Saturday, Sept. 25, with ticketed times at 10 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. The cost is $10 per person and includes a hayride to the pick your own pumpkin patch, cider doughnuts, a petting zoo and more, according to the farm’s Facebook page. Find tickets via a link to an eventbrite page on the Facebook page.

Put up a wall

How to build hedges and fences

While vacationing recently on the Maine coast I admired many nice gardens. Many of them had hedges or fences, more than I am used to seeing in rural New Hampshire.

When settlers first arrived in New England they dug out stones left by the glaciers some 10,000 years before. They piled them up to clear farm fields, and began making stone walls to define property borders and to contain animals — or to keep them out. Gradually dry stone wallers learned how to make them look good and last forever.

Building a stone wall or retaining wall is hard work, and expensive to have someone else build. If you want to build your own, remember three things: First, the soil moves in winter as it freezes and thaws. This can make walls tumble if not properly built. Wallers have learned to add drainage under and around a wall: at least a foot of one-inch crushed stone in a trench beneath the wall works well. Round pebbles will act as ball bearings would, allowing stones to move.

Each stone should touch four others, two below it, two above it. Stones should not be stacked one on top of another, much the way bricks are laid. This helps to tie it all together and prevent movement.

Lastly, use a long string to keep the wall straight and level. Or if you are creating a curved wall, define it carefully before starting. You can place a garden hose on the soil to help define the curve.

Early settlers also made wattle fences. I talked to Crow Boutin, who makes his living making wattle fences in the Kennebunk area of Maine. These fences are simple: He cuts lengths of fresh yellow birch that are 1 to 2 inches in diameter. First he makes “pencils” that he drives in the ground with a hammer after he cuts them to length and sharpens them with an ax. Then he weaves pieces of birch 8 to 10 feet long between the vertical pencils that he spaces about 16 inches apart. The tension of the bent stems holds the fence in place. Simple? You bet, and something you could try.

But why do people need fences or hedges? Some are just for the looks, or to create a backdrop for flowers. Others are to keep others from looking into the yard, or to keep animals in (or out). Let’s take a look at a few I saw.

The nicest fences I saw were white picket fences. Maybe I like them because my grandfather had one, and I remember it from my youth. They show off flowers well, and allow climbers to climb on them. But generally you have to pay someone to install them, and, as Tom Sawyer knew, you must paint them from time to time. Now these fences come in a variety of materials including fiberglass or plastic that needs no painting.

Living fences — hedges — come in a variety of species. Evergreen hedges like yew or arborvitae can look good summer and winter, but are often eaten by deer. Hemlock and pine are less likely to be predated by deer, but they will grow to 60 feet tall unless they are trimmed every year and most somehow escape and do get tall.

Rugosa roses are commonly used as hedges on the Maine coast. They will grow in sandy soil and produce copious fragrant flowers and handsome red fruits in the fall. But they look bedraggled over time, and aren’t green in winter. Their thorns do keep people and pets from cutting corners through the yard.

Lilacs look great when blooming and have handsome green leaves eight or nine months of the year, but do little to block the view of your house and yard in winter. They do best in sweet soil, so add limestone every year or three to keep them blooming nicely. Lilacs, too, need trimming or they can get gangly.

The split rail fence is generally made of cedar, which lasts a long time — up to 20 years. It creates a rustic look, but neither keeps animals out nor blocks the nosy neighbor’s view. It will keep cars from parking on your lawn, and can support vines like roses or clematis.

Less common fences include stockade fences, which are tall wooden fences that block all view of the yard. These are what you need if you like to sunbathe nude in the garden and have a near neighbor. Definitely not a friendly signal to neighbors. Iron rail fences, wire fences and chain link fences all have their uses, but I can’t imagine having one installed.

Lastly, there is the deer fence. Many gardeners use them in order to grow vegetables, or to have tulips in the spring. Nowadays there are woven plastic fences that are inexpensive and come in 8-foot widths that work well to keep out deer. You can install them yourself on posts or stakes you cut in the forest. They work — unless you leave the gate open! Me? I have depended on having dogs to scare away the wildlife for many years. They did the job well, though I am now looking to adopt a dog as my corgi, Daphne, passed away a year ago. And I love dogs, too, which I can’t say for fences.

Featured photo: You could build this simple wattle fence. Photo courtesy of Henry Homeyer.

The Art Roundup 21/09/23

The latest from NH’s theater, arts and literary communities

• Urban pottery: There’s still time to see some urban art at the Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St., Manchester) in its exhibition “Roberto Lugo: Te traigo mi le lo lai – I bring you my joy,” on display through Sept. 26. Lugo is a Philadelphia-based potter, painter, social activist, spoken word poet and educator. His pottery reimagines traditional forms and techniques with inspiration from urban graffiti and hip-hop culture. In this exhibition Lugo pays homage to his Puerto Rican heritage and explores his cultural identity and its connection to family, place and legacy. Museum admission costs $15, $13 for seniors age 65 and up. Museum hours are Thursday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Friday through Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Call 669-6144 or visit currier.org.

• One person, one performance: The Community Players of Concord will continue their run of Nassim Soleimanpour’s White Rabbit Red Rabbit at the Hatbox Theatre (Steeplegate Mall, 270 Loudon Road, Concord) through Sept. 26, with showtimes on Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. According to a press release, the one-person play is unique in that the actors who perform it can only perform it once and must have never seen it or read the script before their performance. There are no rehearsals or directors, and the actor will not get to see the script until it is given to them at the beginning of the play. Each show will be performed by a different actor. Tickets cost $22 to $25 for adults, $19 to $22 for members, seniors and students, and $16 to $19 for senior members. Visit hatboxnh.com.

• Family shows: The Kids Coop Theatre will perform Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka at the Derry Opera House (29 W. Broadway in Derry) from Friday, Sept. 24, at 7 p.m.; Saturday, Sept. 25, at 1 and 7 p.m., and Sunday, Sept. 26, at 1 p.m. Tickets cost $15. See kids-coop-theatre.org for more on the show and kidscooptheatre.ludus.com to purchase tickets.

Cirque-Tacular will perform at The Dana Center (Saint Anselm College, 100 Saint Anselm Drive in Manchester; anselm.edu) on Saturday, Sept. 25, at 4 and 7 p.m. Tickets cost $45. The Dana Center’s website describes the show as a “high-flying carnival” featuring aerialists, acrobats, jugglers, illusionists, trapeze artists and fire performers.

• Book sales: Pick up some used books at one of these book sales happening this weekend. The friends of Brookline Public Library are hosting a two-day book sale at the library (4 Main St., Brookline) on Saturday, Sept. 25, and Sunday, Sept. 26, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. both days. There will be hardbound and paperback books of all fiction and nonfiction genres, as well as CDs, DVDs and audio books. Visit brooklinenh.us/brookline-public-library.

Bring the kids to A Freethinker’s Corner(652 A Central Ave., Dover) on Saturday, Sept. 25, from noon to 4 p.m. for a multi-book children’s author signing and sale, where you can meet New England children’s, middle grade and young adult authors of all genres. Call 343-2437 or visit freethinkerscorner.com.

ART

Call for Art

• WOMEN’S ARTISAN FAIR Girls at Work, a Manchester-based nonprofit that empowers girls through woodworking and building, is seeking artists for this fair, which is set for Oct. 15 and 16. Women artisans are invited to submit handcrafted fashion pieces, home goods, paintings and other visual arts for consideration. Visit girlswork.org or call 345-0392.

Exhibits

• “THE SHOP” Photographs of European Auto of Rye by Carol Van Loon. New Hampshire Art Association’s Robert Lincoln Levy Gallery, 136 State St., Portsmouth. On view through Sept. 26. Visit nhartassociation.org or call 431-4230.

• JOAN L. DUNFEY EXHIBITION Features artwork in a variety of media by regional NHAA members and non-members that follows the theme “Portals.” On display at the New Hampshire Art Association’s Robert Lincoln Levy Gallery, 136 State St., Portsmouth, Sept. 29 through Nov. 28. Visit nhartassociation.org or call 431-4230.

• “THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX” Exhibit featuring experimental pieces in a variety of media created by local artists during the pandemic. On view through Sept. 30. Art 3 Gallery (44 W. Brook St., Manchester, 668-6650, art3gallery.com).

• “AS PRECIOUS AS GOLD: CARPETS FROM THE ISLAMIC WORLD” Exhibit features 32 carpets dating from the 15th century to the 19th century. The Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St., Manchester). Opens Oct. 23. Museum admission tickets cost $15, $13 for seniors age 65 and up, and must be booked online. Call 669-6144 or visit currier.org.

• “KICK-START!” Also known as “the shoe show,” this themed art exhibition from the Women’s Caucus for Art’s New Hampshire Chapter opens at Twiggs Gallery, 254 King St., Boscawen. The exhibit runs through Oct. 31. The shoe theme is expressed in a variety of works like paintings, sculptures, artist books, drawings and mixed media pieces. Gallery hours are Thursday and Friday, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Saturday, from noon to 4 p.m. Visit twiggsgallery.wordpress.com.

• “AROUND NEW HAMPSHIRE” On exhibit at the Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce’s Visitor Center, 49 S. Main St., Concord, from Sept. 21 through Dec. 16. Featuring the work of New Hampshire Art Association member Elaine Farmer, the exhibit features her oil paintings embodying New Hampshire’s iconic views and ideals, ranging from mountain lakes and birch tree woods to historic landmarks. Visit concordnhchamber.com or nhartassociation.org.

• “1,000 CRANES FOR NASHUA” Featuring more than 1,000 origami paper cranes created by hundreds of Nashua-area kids, adults and families since April. On display now at The Atrium at St. Joseph Hospital, 172 Kinsley St., Nashua. Visit nashuasculpturesymposium.org.

• GALLERY ART A new collection of art by more than 20 area artists on display now in-person and online. Creative Ventures Gallery (411 Nashua St., Milford). Call 672-2500 or visit creativeventuresfineart.com.

• “SALON 2021” Exhibition features offbeat and experimental works in a variety of media by regional artists with diverse studio practices and artistic approaches. The Kimball Jenkins Estate (266 N. Main St., Concord, 225-3932, kimballjenkins.com). Nov. 6 through Jan. 6.

• “THE DYSFUNCTION OF SOCIAL PRACTICE” Kelley Stelling Contemporary presents an exhibition featuring paintings, sculpture and performance works by five New Hampshire artists. Kimball Jenkins Estate (266 N. Main St., Concord). Opens Nov. 20. Visit kelleystellingcontemporary.com.

Fairs and markets

• CANTERBURY ARTISAN FESTIVAL The event celebrated artisanal, handcrafted works, also featuring live music and demonstrations. Sat., Sept. 25, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Canterbury Shaker Village, 288 Shaker Road, Canterbury. Admission is $12 for adults, $6 for Village members and free for kids, teens and young adults under 25. Visit shakers.org.

• 40TH ANNUAL FALL FESTIVAL AND NATURE ART SHOW Event hosted by the Beaver Brook Association (117 Ridge Road, Hollis, 465-7787, beaverbrook.org) will feature art by regional artists, children’s art, live music, live animal demonstrations, guided hikes and natural products for sale. Sat., Sept. 25, and Sun., Sept. 26, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Special events

• FALL IRON MELT Participants create an iron tile of their own design by scratching it into a 6-by-6-inch sand mold and coat it with a liquid graphite, then watch as molten iron is poured into their molds on site. Participants can pick up their mold from the Andres Institute of Art, 106 Route 13, Brookline. Pickup dates are Sept. 23, Sept. 25, Sept. 30 and Oct. 2. Dop-off dates are the same as pickup dates, plus Oct. 7. Designs will be poured and ready to pick back up on Oct. 14 and Oct. 16. Register anytime now until Oct. 2 to secure a kit. The cost is $40 per mold. Visit andresinstitute.org.

THEATER

Shows

• WHITE RABBIT RED RABBITProduced by the Community Players of Concord. Hatbox Theatre, 270 Loudon Road, Concord. Fridays and Saturdays, 7:30 p.m., and Sundays, 2 p.m., Sept. 10 through Sept. 26. Visit communityplayersofconcord.org.

• TRUE TALES LIVE Monthly showcase of storytellers. Held virtually via Zoom. Last Tuesday of the month, 7 p.m., September through December. Visit truetaleslivenh.org.

• GLORIOUS The Winnipesaukee Playhouse presents. 33 Footlight Circle, Meredith. Sept. 22 through Oct. 9, with showtimes Tuesday through Saturday at 7:30 p.m., plus matinees on Tuesday, Sept. 28, and Thursday, Sept. 30, at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $20 to $37. Visit winnipesaukeeplayhouse.org.

• CRUEL INTENTIONS THE ’90s MUSICAL Seacoast Repertory Theatre (125 Bow St., Portsmouth) presents. Sept. 23 through Oct. 23, with showtimes on Thursday at 7:30 p.m., Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 2 and 8 p.m., and Sunday at 2 and 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $32 to $50. Visit seacoastrep.org.

• GREATER TUNA The Hatbox Theatre (Steeplegate Mall, 270 Loudon Road, Concord). Oct. 1 through Oct. 10, with showtimes Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets $22 for adults, $19 for students and seniors. Visit hatboxnh.com.

• 9/12 New World Theatre presents. Players’ Ring Theatre (105 Marcy St., Portsmouth). Oct. 8 through Oct. 17, with showtimes Friday at 7:30 p.m., Saturday at 2:30 and 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at 2:30 p.m. Tickets $25 for adults and $22 for ages 65 and up and students. Visit playersring.org.

Arts city

Concord arts scene on display at Capital Arts Fest

Concord’s arts scene will be bustling this weekend, both downtown and at locations throughout the city, as Capital Arts Fest kicks off Friday, Sept. 24, with a salsa lesson, dance performance, art exhibit and outdoor movie at Kimball Jenkins School of Art.

The three-day event also features the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen’s juried Fine Art and Craft Fair on Saturday and Sunday, theater performances, author and poet readings, live music and more throughout the event — which, this year, is also a celebration of the capital city’s ability to thrive during tough times.

“We wanted to showcase our region as a cultural center for the state and also celebrate things getting more or less back to normal after a hellacious period of time with Covid,” said Tim Sink, president of the Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce, which co-sponsors the event along with the League of NH Craftsmen and the Capitol Center for the Arts. Despite the recent spike in cases, “We’re still looking forward to a fantastic event,” he said, with much of it being outdoors and safety precautions in place.

Capital Arts Fest started five years ago, when the city had completed its Main Street renovation, as a partnership between the Chamber of Commerce and the Cap Center.

“It was meant to be a one-time celebration of the reopening of downtown Concord,” Sink said. “We had lots of cultural organizations … and huge bicycles with fire-breathing dragons, [which] was a sight worth seeing. … It was a day-long event, and it was meant to be a one-shot deal.”

The next year, he said, the League wanted to host a fair on South Main Street and asked if they could use the Capital Arts Fest brand.

“They ran a mini version of the Sunapee fair,” Sink said. “Then last year [we] said, ‘It would be cool to supersize this event. … [Now] the craft fair is the anchor on South Main Street. … That’s what we’ve built around, but we’ve built a lot around it. … We’ve got lots of events focused on downtown, and then we’ve got a lot of satellite [locations] participating.”

The satellite location kicking everything off Friday is Kimball Jenkins, with a faculty art exhibit, a salsa lesson, a performance from Ballet Misha and an outdoor showing of Moonrise Kingdom presented by Red River Theatres. Those events are free; also happening that night are a couple of ticketed events: Eaglemania at the Capitol Center for the Arts and Blaggards at the Bank of NH Stage.

On Saturday and Sunday, the juried Fine Art and Craft Fair will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (4 p.m. Sunday), with tents lining South Main Street. Also in the downtown area will be outdoor music starting at 11 a.m. and a beer garden. Gibson’s Bookstore will host poetry readings, there will be historical tours at the Statehouse, and the Bank of NH stage will feature performances from NHSCOT and Fruit Flies Like a Banana, plus Strike Anywhere Soundpainting Ensemble’s interactive musical improvisation.

Over at the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center there will be two art projects available: nebula spin art and straw rockets.

“They’re sort of intertwining arts culture with science,” Sink said. “This is hands-on stuff for people to do. … A lot of the things that are going on are going to be participatory.”

Also on the schedule is an improv workshop at Hatbox Theatre, a chance to do some community art at NHTI and activities hosted by the Concord Community Music School, like Music & Movement and a folk jam. Ticketed events include David Sedaris at the Cap Center Saturday night; White Rabbit Red Rabbit at Hatbox Theatre, and Canterbury Shaker Village’s Artisan Market, featuring live music, food and handmade crafts.

Sink said schedules of all activities and shows taking place during the event will be available at the visitors center downtown, with QR codes for more information.

Capital Arts Fest

Where: Downtown Concord and various satellite locations throughout the city
When: Friday, Sept. 24, through Sunday, Sept. 26, with events starting at 6 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. Saturday and Sunday
Cost: Most activities and performances are free, with some ticketed events. See the full schedule at visitconcord-nh.com/capital-arts-fest.

Featured photo: Diana Beaulieu and customers. Courtesy photo.

This Week 21/09/23

Big Events September 24, 2021 and beyond

Friday, Sept. 24

The Capital Arts Fest runs today through Sunday, Sept. 26, at various locations in the Concord area. See our story on page 10.

The Canterbury Shaker Village (288 Shaker Road in Canterbury; 783-9511, shakers.org) is holding its Canterbury Artisan Festival on Saturday, Sept. 25, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. with handcrafted works for sale, demonstrations and a line-up of live music (Badger’s Drift at 10 a.m., Jordan Tirrell-Wysocki at noon, Doc and Liz at 2 p.m. and Doug Hazard at 4 p.m.). Tickets cost $12 for adults (admission is free for everyone under age 25), according to the website.

Saturday, Sept. 25, the Gratitude Music Festival, a multiperformance series of concerts honoring first responders and frontline workers, will start at 1 p.m. with Neighbor followed by Carsie Blanton at 3:30 p.m. and Anderson East at 8 p.m. See themusichall.org for tickets to individual shows or a $90 day pass.

On Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 26, the Beaver Brook Association (117 Ridge Road in Hollis; 465-7787, beaverbrook.org) will hold its 40th annual Fall Festival and Nature Art Show from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. In addition to the art, find live performances, baked goods and dried flowers for sale, a raffle, a silent auction, an angora spinning demo and events geared toward kids, according to the website.

Saturday, Sept. 25

There are also some food-centered celebrations this weekend. Today, the Winchester Pickle Festival kicks off at 10 a.m. on Main Street with local vendors, live music, a chainsaw wood carving demo, pictures with Mr. Pickle and, of course, pickles — free on the Town Hall lawn until they’re gone, according to winchesternhpicklefestival.org, where you can find a full listing of events.

Also today, Tuscan Market (9 Via Toscana in Salem; tuscanbrands.com) will hold its Passeggiata: Walk of Wine featuring more than 40 wines for tasting as well as appetizers from 1 to 4 p.m. Tickets cost $30, according to the website.

Black Bear Vineyard & Winery (289 New Road in Salisbury; blackbearvineyard.com) will hold is Harvest Weekend today and Sunday, Sept. 26, from 1 to 5 p.m., with live music outdoors, an opportunity to learn how grapes become wine, food trucks and more, according to the winery’s Facebook page (which recommends bringing your own chairs).

Sunday, Sept. 26

The Mt. Kearsarge Indian Museum and the Nature Discovery Center of Warner (18 Highlawn Road in Warner; museum is at indianmuseum.org and 456-2600, center is ndcnh.org and 822-2334) will hold a Harvest Moon and Nature Fest today from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event will include Native foods made from Three Sisters, bison and other local ingredients according to a press release. The day will also feature craft demonstrations (for basket weaving, beading, leather work and dream catchers), tomahawk throwing and a guided walk through the Medicine Woods, the release said. The New Hampshire Audubon Center will also bring live raptors for a “Raptor Rapture” presentation. Admission costs $10 for adults, $5 for children and a maximum of $30 per family.

Save the Date! Saturday, Oct. 3

Head to LaBelle Winery (345 Route 101 in Amherst; labellewinery.com) on Sunday, Oct. 3, for the fourth in their “Walks in the Vineyard” series, this one focusing on harvest. Learn about the grapes grown at LaBelle and the wine making process. Tickets cost $27.25 and the event runs from 11 a.m. to noon.

Featured photo: Raptors include this Barn Owl at a previous Harvest Moon and Naturefest. Courtesy photo.

Quality of Life 21/09/23

New Hampshire represents!

The Big E might be in Massachusetts, but New Hampshire has its own day and its own building at the 17-day fair, which is going on now and runs through Oct. 3. According to a press release, visitors to this year’s New Hampshire Building will find businesses, products and entertainers that highlight the Granite State’s craftsmanship, food, arts and agriculture. Special exhibits and demonstrations will feature crafts like chair caning, woodcarving, basket making, Russian doll making and more, and eats include blueberry pie and ice cream and butter-dipped New Hampshire corn on the cob.

Score: +1

Comment: Local performers will be on stage during New Hampshire Day, which is Friday, Sept. 24. The lineup includes a magic show by BJ Hickman, folk music by Cormac McCarthy, barbershop music from the Keene Cheshiremen Chorus and jazz by Joan Watson Jones, the release said.

Manchester West Nile virus risk elevated

Another batch of mosquitoes collected in Manchester on Sept. 7 tested positive for West Nile virus, according to a press release from the city’s Health Department. Because this is the second positive batch of mosquitoes to test positive in Manchester this season, the city’s level of risk has been elevated to moderate. According to Manchester Public Health Director Anna Thomas, the risk of infection by mosquito-borne viruses may increase from now until there is a mosquito-killing frost.

Score: -1

Comment:“We are recommending that all residents use an effective mosquito repellent that contains 30 percent DEET, avoid being outdoors at dawn and dusk and remove standing water from around the home … to limit the risks of catching these infections,” Thomas said in the release.

Foliage festival will have to wait another year

The annual Warner Fall Foliage Festival, which was scheduled to take place in person Oct. 8 through Oct. 10, has been canceled. According to a message on the event’s website, the board decided last week to cancel the festival, “with tremendous disappointment, but complete confidence that it’s the right thing to do. … Our people and our community’s health and safety has always been our top priority; it always will be.” Last year’s festival was held virtually, but there are no plans to host any of the annual activities virtually this year. “No one is happy about this situation,” the festival committee wrote in its message. “We sincerely apologize.”

Score: -2

Comment: While there were a few negative comments on the event’s Facebook page in response to the announcement, most people have been supportive of the decision. “We’ve been coming to the Fall Foliage Festival for many years and always look forward to it,” one person posted. “As disappointed as we all are, you absolutely did the right thing!!! See you next year (fingers and toes crossed!!!).”

Saying goodbye to an old school

After 130 years of serving children, Hallsville Elementary School in Manchester will be decommissioned, according to a press release, meaning that the city school, which closed for good in June, will be officially returned to the city. The public is being invited to attend the decommissioning ceremony and open house on Saturday, Sept. 25, from 3 to 5 p.m. “A hundred and 30 years is a long time, and we’ve had many generations — entire families — come through here,” Forrest Ransdell, former Hallsville principal and current network director for the school district, said in the release. “This event will commemorate that educational tradition, and recognize the contributions of those who made this school what it is. We hope to see some of those people at this event.”

Score: -1

Comment: Students who attended Hallsville have been moved to either Jewett Street Elementary or Southside Middle School.

QOL score: 84

Net change: -3

QOL this week: 81

What’s affecting your Quality of Life here in New Hampshire? Let us know at news@hippopress.com.

Baseball’s playoff push is on

Baseball is in the final two weeks of the regular season. And while it’s not quite 1967 or 1978, with the (sliding) Yanks, Blue Jays and (maybe stabilized) Red Sox bunched together at the top of the wild card standings, with Seattle and Oakland lurking just behind there’s an engaging race underway for the winner-take-all game playoff to qualify for the ALDS. That is if you don’t mind teams staying in it because everyone else is losing more than they are. Which could make this, if you can follow the logic, the worst good pennant race in history.

Here’s a recap of what’s happening as we go down the stretch.

Whether you like their approach or not you have to give Tampa Bay credit for the results. They were the first to 90 wins in the AL which was the 9th time that’s happened for them since 2007, which is pretty good given since their miniscule payroll is about $100 million per year less than the Yanks and Sox spend.
The first to 90 wins was San Francisco, who also was the first to clinch a playoff spot. And even though they may have 100 wins by the time you read this, after looking over the roster and their individual and team 2021 stats I still have no clue how they’ve done it. If you want to know why, ask my friend the insurance mogul Dick Lombardi, who just sent me an email with so many stats/reasons it made my head hurt. But they do make sense.

The Manchester F-Cats alumni association is behind the Blue Jays roaring down the stretch with an offense that scored 42 runs in a three-game sweep of the Orioles two weekends ago and 108 as they went 12-2 in their first 14 games in September to climb back into the wild card race. Leading the way are alums Vlad Guerrero Jr., who may win the Triple Crown as 46 homers and .321 average lead though he’s 8 back in the RBI race, and shortstop/F-Cat teammate Bo Bichette, who has 22 homers and 88 RBI. Plus second baseman Marcus Semien has 40 homers and 95 RBI to make him the best free agent signed of the year.

On the other side, how in the name of Bucky Dent can a team win 11 in a row to take control of a playoff spot and then immediately lose 10 of their next 12, as the Yankees did from the last days of August through the first 10 days in September? Made worse by getting swept four straight by Toronto when they never led even one batter during the entire series. That hadn’t happened to a Yankee team since 1924, which for the mathematically challenged is a whopping 97 years ago!

Given that mess, should talk radio still be slobbering over Brian Cashman’s trade deadline brilliance to spend big in prospects for crazy Joey Gallo and Anthony Rizzo while Chaim Bloom got killedfor getting Kyle Schwarber? Gallo does have 10 homers, but he’s hitting .151 in 180 at-bats with 18 RBI, while it’s .203 after an e-covid illness hot 10 games for Rizzo, but overall he’s got 6 homers and 17 RBI to Schwarber’s .276 with 4 homers and 13 RBI in less at bats.
Arguably the year’s top feat goes to San Diego’s Blake Snell’s 13.2 consecutive hitless innings pitched on Aug. 31 and Sept. 7, the longest such streak since Johnny Vander Meer pitched back-to-back no hitters in 1938. It also reinforced how wrong the Tampa Bay stat geeks were to force Kevin Cash to yank Snell in Game 6 of last year’s World Series because they didn’t want him to face the Dodgers order a third time to blow the series. This time after walking a pair he got yanked in the 7th inning of the first game with a no-hitter in progress. The relievers gave up three hits but the Pads held on to beat Arizona. But they lost Game 2 to the Angels when after surrendering his lone hit to lose a PERFECT game he was yanked and the pen immediately gave up four hits!

Speaking of needlessly yanking guys early. With the bullpen in free fall, why would Alex Cora take out E-Rod after just six innings and 90 pitches with a 4-0 lead vs. Tampa Bay while pitching his best game of the year? Ditto for Chris Sale after five innings, one run allowed and 79 pitches on Friday.

I love the Shohei Ohtani story where at 9-2 with a 3.34 ERA, 44 homers and 94 RBI he’s had a pitch-hit year few in history can match. But two major names give him a run for his money. In 1919 Babe Ruth was 9-5 with a better ERA (2.97) in his last year as a pitcher when he also led the AL in runs scored (103), homers (29) and RBI (113) during the final year of the dead ball era. On the other side was the great Walter Johnson, who was 20-7 with a 3.07 ERA while hitting .433 when the Senators won their second straight World Series in 1925. Yes I said .433! He did it in 107 at-bats with two homers and 20 RBI, which projects to 12 and 120 in a full season. And remember Ohtani DH’s when he doesn’t pitch while Babe had to play in the field, and with 115 innings pitched he won’t get near the 229 the 37-year-old Big Train threw in 1925.

While the above gives Ohtani my Player of the Year vote, sorry, when your team is out of it after the first two months you can’t be the MVP. Thus I’m good with Vlad Jr. or teammate Marcus Semien as the most valuable player for stellar play during Toronto’s September push. But get ready for the WAR-infatuated stat geek shut-ins still voting for Ohtani.

As Frank Costanza would say, SERENITY NOW!

Differences welcome

New school district position prioritizes diversity initiatives

Andres Mejia has been named the Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice for the Exeter Region Cooperative School District — the first position of its kind in a school district in New Hampshire. Mejia talked about the newly created position, why it was needed and what he hopes to accomplish during his tenure.

Why was this position created?

The position was created to bring in someone who can help with DEIJ initiatives in schools, with community building and [making sure] everyone feels like they belong here and that their voice matters … no matter what their perspectives, political views, identities or differences are.

What is your background in this type of work?

I’ve been involved in social justice work for the past 11 years, working with different student organizations as a social justice educator, providing workshops for faculty and staff and learning about DEIJ work or social justice work. I’ve helped with the retention and recruitment of students of color, and first-generation low-income white students. I’ve worked in multiple school districts helping them work with professional circles around racial equity to understand this work more.

How did you come into this position?

Social justice work is my passion; it’s part of who I am. … When I first came to New Hampshire, I thought, ‘Why do I feel so different? Why do people keep treating me wrong or treating me differently?’ That’s when I started to get involved in social justice, so I could help make New Hampshire a place where everyone feels like they belong. … I was [working] at New Hampshire Listens at the University of New Hampshire when I heard about this position. I was surprised and proud to see that a district had created a position focused on moving [DEIJ] work forward, and I applied.

What exactly does your job entail?

It can look different every day. One day, I’m working with educators and administrators to move DEIJ forward in their schools. … Another day, I’m meeting with parents who are also doing DEIJ work and parents who don’t understand what DEIJ is and what it looks like in schools. Some days, I’m working with our human resources departments to recruit and retain a diverse pool of staff, administrators, educators and faculty — people of different races, people in the LGBT+ community, people with disabilities, people [speaking] different languages. … I also plan on going into the schools to work with the students who are part of student organizations that are already doing DEIJ work to let them know that their voices do matter.

What do you anticipate being the biggest challenge of your work?

The biggest challenge is going to be making sure that families have correct, accurate information. … There’s a lot of misinformation about DEIJ, so there are people who fear it and push away from it because they don’t really understand what it is. … It’s not going to take away from anything else; it’s just putting an extra lens on how we make decisions, the policies we create, the stories we tell, the images we show and who we recruit so that we’re [including] people with different perspectives. … Not everyone has to totally agree with everything we’re doing; we just want to make sure they have enough information to agree or disagree fairly, and to understand that we’re here to make our communities better for everyone.

What would you like to see for the future of this position?

I hope it’s not the only one or one of very few in the state. … I’d like to see every school district have a DEIJ office. … It’s going to take all of us — families, schools, community members — coming together and understanding our differences to move this work forward, and that’s what I’m here to [facilitate].

Featured photo: Andres Mejia. Courtesy photo.

News & Notes 21/09/23

Covid-19 update	As of Sept. 13	As of Sept. 20
Total cases statewide	112,326	115,401
Total current infections statewide	3,437	3,769
Total deaths statewide	1,443	1,458
New cases	3,613 (Sept. 4 to Sept. 13)	3,075 (Sept. 14 to Sept. 20)
Current infections: Hillsborough County	879	932
Current infections: Merrimack County	415	431
Current infections: Rockingham County	762	719

Information from the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services

Covid-19 news

As of Sept. 20, there were 3,769 active infections of Covid-19 in New Hampshire and 139 current hospitalizations. All 10 counties still showed substantial community transmission levels.

During a Sept. 15 press conference, state epidemiologist Dr. Benjamin Chan reported that New Hampshire has averaged more than 400 new infections of the virus per day over the previous seven-day period, while hospitalizations and deaths have also continued to creep up in recent weeks. “The vast majority of these infections … are occurring in people who are unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated,” he said. “In fact, since the end of January when we started tracking vaccine-breakthrough infections, only about 3 percent of the infections that we’ve identified have been in people who are fully vaccinated. … Low vaccination is contributing to continued spread of Covid-19 in our communities.”

State Department of Health & Human Services Commissioner Lori Shibinette also provided an update on state officials’ findings and lessons learned from their Aug. 30 trip to Kentucky, one of the hardest-hit states in the country by the pandemic. “One of the things that was really noteworthy was that … their surge was largely due to outbreaks in the rural areas that had low vaccination rates, and their small rural hospitals couldn’t manage that load so they would transfer their patients into the city centers,” she said. “So what we did … is we very, very clearly did a strategy to target all of our communities with a vaccination rate of under 50 percent. … So what you’re going to see is mobile clinics and vaccine vans that are going out working with Town Hall officials, local fire and EMS, and trying to raise the vaccination rates in those towns and cities.” Shibinette also pointed out that ongoing staffing challenges in Kentucky’s health care system have mirrored those in New Hampshire’s. To combat this, Gov. Chris Sununu announced a few solutions, including continuing to issue temporary licenses for 120 days to out-of-state health care workers with licenses in other states; issuing student nursing licenses to New Hampshire students in their last year of their RN or LPN programs; and reissuing licenses to retired or inactive health care professionals, which would be valid through Jan. 31, 2022. “We’re going to keep doing whatever we can … but right now, expanding and maintaining a healthy and vibrant health care workforce is one of the top priorities in the state, without a doubt,” he said.

Pfizer and BioNTech announced “positive, topline results” for its vaccine trials in children ages 5 to 11, according to a Sept. 20 press release, and plans to share its findings with the FDA “as soon as possible” to obtain authorization. “Since July, pediatric cases of Covid-19 have risen by about 240 percent in the U.S., underscoring the public health need for vaccination,” Pfizer chairman and chief executive officer Albert Bourla said in a statement. According to the release, trial results for children under the age of 5 are expected as soon as the fourth quarter of this year.

Fighting violent crime

Federal, state and local agencies are stepping up efforts to fight violent crime in Manchester, and they want the public to stay informed about what they’re doing. After a scheduled press conference to address these efforts was canceled last week, a press release was issued instead to provide an update to the community. According to the release, Manchester started using the CompStat 360 program earlier this year, a national initiative that focuses on reducing violent crime and addressing public safety issues. As part of the program, Manchester police have held community meetings and created a community-centered Problem Solving Team that includes law enforcement partners, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the County Attorney’s Office, community leaders, public health officials, public works personnel and community organizations. The purpose of the team is to discuss and develop responses, including non-law enforcement responses, to these issues, according to the release. In addition, Manchester police, New Hampshire State Police and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office have increased officer presence and community engagement in the neighborhoods that need it most, conducting more than 4,000 directed patrols. “For most residents of Manchester, these efforts should be a message of hope for the future,” Acting U.S. Attorney John J. Farley said in the release. “But for those who choose to pursue a path of violence, I have a different message. We will not tolerate violent crime in our community. We will investigate you. We will prosecute you. And you will go to federal prison.” Partners in these initiatives will continue to update the community about their ongoing efforts, the release said.

ATC options

The New Hampshire Therapeutic Cannabis Program announced last week that New Hampshire-registered patients can now make purchases at any alternative treatment center in the state. Previously, patients were restricted to purchasing from a single ATC, according to a press release, and this change results from the passage of SB 162 earlier this year. “Patients have been requesting this reform for many years, and it’s great to see that it is finally becoming a reality,” Matt Simon, Director of Public and Government Relations for Prime Alternative Treatment Centers of NH, said in the release. “Allowing more options for patients can only be a good thing as the program continues to grow and mature.”

StubHub settles

Last week New Hampshire Attorney General John M. Formella announced a settlement with StubHub, one of the biggest ticket reselling companies in the country. New Hampshire, along with nine other states and Washington, D.C., has resolved a complaint with the company regarding its refusal to pay refunds to consumers for concerts, sports events and other events that were canceled as a result of the pandemic. According to a press release under its “FanProtect Guarantee,” StubHub offered consumers full refunds of the purchase price and fees they paid for tickets if their events were canceled, but in March 2020, after the entertainment industry shut down, it stopped honoring its refund guarantee and instead told customers that they would receive account credits equal to 120 percent of their purchases to be used for future events. As part of the settlement, StubHub has reversed its decision and notified its customers that if they purchased tickets prior to March 25, 2020, and their events were canceled, they would receive full refunds unless they elected to retain their account credits. This includes 2,175 consumers residing in New Hampshire or purchasing tickets for an event in New Hampshire, according to the release.

The New Hampshire Veterans Home in Tilton will hold an outdoor craft fair on Saturday, Sept. 25, according to a press release. There will be more than 80 vendors, a raffle and a white elephant table. The craft fair supports the NHVH Resident Benefit Fund.

“Stuff-A-Cruiser” with non-perishable food donations at two locations in Concord as the New Hampshire Food Bank and the Concord Police Department team up for Hunger Action Month in New Hampshire. According to a press release, there will be a police cruiser at Shaw’s on Fort Eddy Road on Friday, Sept. 24, and one at Hannaford on Fort Eddy Road on Saturday, Sept. 25, with donations being accepted both days from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. There will also be a food collection box at the Concord Police Department on Green Street.

Manchester Mayor Joyce Craig hosted a groundbreaking ceremony on Sept. 20 for the city’s planned solar array at the former landfill on Dunbarton Road. According to a press release, the more than 8,000 panels will supply approximately 3.8 million kilowatt hours of clean energy to the power grid on an annual basis once it’s completed.

Clarity Community Connections in Londonderry is hosting its first annual fundraiser car show on Saturday, Sept. 25, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Matthew Thornton Elementary School (275 Mammoth Road, Londonderry). There will be cars, food trucks, local artisans, a bake sale, kids’ activities, vendors, raffles and more. The cost is $3 per person or $10 for a family bundle, and veterans get in free. All proceeds benefit Clarity Community Connections. Find the event on Facebook.

Month: September 2021