2021 – Page 215

This week’s big stories

News Item: Inmates Running The Asylum

Doug Pederson loses a showdown with his owner because he wanted rookie Jalen Hurts to be Eagles QB going forward while owner Jeffrey Lurie wanted crybaby demoted starter Carson Wentz. So Pederson is out as head coach in the city that isn’t happy unless it’s unhappy three years after winning a Super Bowl without Wentz because the owner wants him despite reports he’s selfish and totally un-coachable. In Houston QB Deshaun Watson wants out over not being involved in selecting the Texans’ new head coach. Which might make normal people ask, who would be the boss, Watson or the head coach? Again in Houston, where there must be something in the water, overweight and out of shape James Harden just forced his way out of town because the team “wasn’t good enough,” to join the Nets for a ridiculous cost to the new franchise. And the team he joins in Brooklyn is dealing with Kyrie Irving missing five games because he didn’t feel like playing after the attack on the U.S. Capitol. That Irving didn’t have the courtesy to let new coach Steve Nash know he’d miss the first one until just before game time is par for the course of his beyond belief sense of entitlement. Which comes on the heels of trying to derail the NBA restart last spring over bubble issues, which actually was a players power play under the guise of a Black Lives Matters protest. That he’s still somehow being paid $400,000 per missed game is the capper to an incredible week of the inmates running the asylum.

News Item: NFL Playoffs Trudge On

The matchups are set for who’ll compete for a Super Bowl berth next weekend. In the AFC it will be Buffalo in their return to the top of the NFL heap after a nearly 25-year absence, vs. Kansas City, who’ll spend the week worrying about whether concussion protocols will keep Pat Mahomes sidelined after he got knocked loopy in the fourth quarter of their 22-17 win over Cleveland. The NFC features old-guard QB’s still playing at the top of their historic level when Aaron Rodgers and Green Bay face Tampa Bay and you know who. And speaking of great old-guard OB’s, we likely saw the final game of Drew Brees’ great career in the Saints’ 30-20 loss to TB. With a three-pick day he didn’t go out in style, but he retires as the all-time NFL leader in passing yards and completions and is second to Tom Brady in TD passes.

News Item: NFL Rule Change Ahead?

A cautionary tale to those who dive to reach for the pylon with the ball exposed in one hand as they are about to be hit came on Sunday in KC. And given the 22-17 final it was a game-changer when just before halftime Cleveland’s Rashard Higgins did it as he approached his goal line as he got drilled by DB Daniel Sorensen to knock the ball loose. Since it flew into the end zone before rolling out of bounds, by rule it was a touchback and went over to KC to prevent on-the-doorstep Cleveland’s chance to score. Aside from missing the obvious helmet-to-helmet contact by Sorenson which should’ve been a penalty negating the fumble, it was the right call of a bad rule that’s likely to spark a lively rules committee debate on whether offenses should retain possession at the point of the fumble since the defense neither recovered nor even touched the ball before it rolled out of bounds.

News Item: New Hall of Famers To Be Announced

The baseball Hall of Fame will announce its next set of inductees on Tuesday with the steroid issue still weighing down the candidacy of otherwise shoo-ins Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens and others. That should help Curt Schilling in his next to last chance to be elected by the writers despite his whining that he’s losing votes over his constant yacking on unpopular political positions. The truth is with just 216 wins and a late starting career he’s a borderline choice that clears the bar due to his postseason excellence. As for the steroid issue, yes, it was cheating. But if the commissioner who presided over the entire era and purposely did nothing about it for baseball’s financial gain until Congress held his feet to the fire sailed in on his first try, how can you keep Bonds, Clemens and the others out? Just have the stat geeks finally do something useful by developing a steroid-era statistical index to level the playing field with previous eras and then vote.

News Item: Jacksonville Goes Urban in 2021

Urban Meyer knows the list of college coaches who tried and failed to conquer the NFL is a very, very long list, one that includes big-time guys who won national titles like Bud Wilkinson (author of Oklahoma’s 56-game winning streak), Lou Holtz (1980s), Steve Spurrier (1990s) and six-time national champion Nick Saban. Not to mention local lad Chip Kelly in Philly and during one disastrous season in San Francisco. A few like Bobby Ross, who spent nine years as a head coach with San Diego and Detroit in the ’90s, did OK, but the only pure college coach to win a Super Bowl (’93 and ’94) after leaving college behind was Jimmy Johnson in Dallas. Yes, Pete Carroll did in Seattle, but he’d already been headman for the Jets and Patriots before his exile to USC. So I like that Meyer is attempting to defeat what history says about college coaches moving to the NFL by taking over in Jacksonville. And what makes it more interesting is his transition is more pronounced than current ex-college guys Kliff Kingsbury in Phoenix and Matt Rhule in Carolina because he didn’t use an in-vogue NFL-ready passing game like they did at Texas Tech and Baylor before coming to the NFL.

Unity through art

Black Heritage Trail of NH receives new sculpture

The Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire (blackheritagetrailnh.org) now includes the town of Andover, thanks to a local woman’s donation of a sculpture, created by Andover sculptor Winslow Eaves (1922 – 2003), that depicts Marian Anderson (1897 – 1993), an important figure in the struggle for civil rights. The 2.5-foot ceramic sculpture will be on display in the Black Heritage Trail’s permanent collection at its headquarters in Portsmouth, which is set to reopen in the summer if it is safe to do so. The organization’s executive director JerriAnne Boggis talked about the sculpture and what it contributes to the trail.

Who was Marian Anderson?

Marian Anderson was a contralto singer, and she was the first African American woman to sing on the steps of the Capitol — she wasn’t allowed inside the building to sing, so she had to sing on the steps — and the first to sing for a president’s inauguration; it was Eisenhower’s inauguration.

What is her connection to New Hampshire?

The sculptor who made the sculpture of her, Winslow Eaves, was from Hanover, New Hampshire. Marian Anderson has no connection to New Hampshire … but it’s important to remember that New Hampshire is not isolated from the rest of the country. There are connections that we [in New Hampshire] can make with African American history throughout the country; it’s all part of a broader story — a story of justice, of liberty, of overcoming, of resilience, of defiance, of unity.

How did the trail acquire the sculpture?

Dana Dakin, a supporter of the trail and [an advocate for] social justice, had owned the sculpture and donated it to us. Rather than have it in her home for her own enjoyment, she wanted the general public to know the story of Marian Anderson. … She thought now was the time to give it to us, since [the U.S.] now [has] the first woman and first African American woman to become vice president.

What was the artist’s interest in Marian Anderson? What inspired him to create the sculpture?

Dana was trying to find that out, but we have no idea. … I can imagine that, much like our allies today, Eaves was looking at these [African American] histories and voices that speak to us all as humans, but also show us where we are divided. … Overcoming racial prejudices and stereotypes is not something that Black people alone can solve. We need our allies to step up and be voices for change … and art [provides] an opportunity for that. Art has a unifying factor that allows people to come together across all the aisles and through their differences to discuss a common theme.

How does the sculpture and the story of Marian Anderson fit with the trail’s mission?

The stories on the trail aren’t just stories for Black History Month. These are stories of African Americans that speak to the humanness of us all, not just the stereotypes. … Marian Anderson’s story is one of those stories that we as humans can find courage and inspiration from. … If we can create those links and connections [between African American history and all people], we can create more understanding and more inclusiveness.

Why is knowing about African American history important for how we approach the race issues going on today?

If we don’t know where we have come from, how can we know where we’re going? … If you look at the recent happenings in our country and the Black Lives movements, you’ll realize that we have never really dealt with what our history is. We’re still stuck in the same stereotypes of what it means to be Black and American. We’re still stuck in these thoughts of segregation and mistrust. Until we can really look at our past with clear glasses instead of these rose-colored glasses that make us believe all people in America are treated equally and that there’s no systematic racism, we won’t learn. We’ll keep having these divisions and continue the same patterns that have been set up … but if we’re open and honest about what this history is, we can start talking about what racial unity should look like.

Featured photo: JerriAnne Boggis and Dana Dakin. Courtesy photo.

News & Notes 21/01/21

Covid-19 update	As of January 11	As of January 18
Total cases statewide	52,307	57,864
Total current infections statewide	6,118	6,444
Total deaths statewide	869	933
New cases	4,979 (Jan. 5 to Jan. 11)	5,557 (Jan. 12 to Jan. 18)
Current infections: Hillsborough County	2,217	2,262
Current infections: Merrimack County	618	585
Current infections: Rockingham County	1,237	1,362

Information from the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services

Covid-19 news

On Jan. 15, Gov. Chris Sununu issued Emergency Orders No. 81 and No. 82. Emergency Order No. 81 extends the statewide mask mandate through March 26 for everyone over the age of 5 in both indoor and outdoor public spaces where social distancing is not possible. The extension comes as state health officials continue to report between 750 and 800 new infections per day on average. The mandate, which has been in effect since Nov. 20, has a few exceptions, including anyone with a medical condition or disability preventing them from wearing a mask, anyone engaged in strenuous physical activity, or anyone asked to remove a mask or face-covering to verify his or her identity for lawful purposes.

Emergency Order No. 82 is an order extending Emergency Order No. 52, which had been issued last June. Emergency Order No. 52 is an order regarding public health guidance for business operations and advising Granite Staters they are safer at home. The advisory had been set to expire on Jan. 15, but Emergency Order No. 82 has now extended it through March 26.

Starting on Jan. 22, individuals in Phase 1B of the state’s vaccine distribution plan can start scheduling appointments to receive their first dose, with the vaccine administrations themselves beginning on Jan. 26. State health officials have recently adjusted the eligibility of Phase 1B to now include everyone over the age of 65, per CDC recommendations. Corrections officers and staff, medically vulnerable people with two or more high-risk health conditions, and first responders and health care workers not already vaccinated also fall under Phase 1B. Visit vaccines.nh.gov or call your health care provider to schedule your appointment.

Education news

The New Hampshire Department of Education announced two new initiatives last week. First, residents who want to take the high school equivalency exam — the HiSET, which has been used in New Hampshire since 2014 — can now register, pay and schedule their test online, according to a press release. The eRegistration system will allow for more flexibility, including access to multiple testing sessions in different testing centers. Testing is open to any resident age 18 or older, and the exam can now be taken either at a test center or at home. A High School Equivalency Certificate is issued by the Department of Education upon successful completion of the exam. The Department of Education also announced a first-in-the-nation partnership that will provide free tutoring to New Hampshire high school students through schoolhouse.world, a platform that connects people around the world to free small-group tutoring sessions. According to a press release, schoolhouse.world was created by Sal Khan, founder of Khan Academy, and Shishir Mehrotra, cofounder and CEO of Coda, to help teachers, parents and students during remote and hybrid at-home learning. “Sal Khan is a legend in education, known mostly for the Khan Academy, which supports over 100 million students around the world,” New Hampshire Commissioner of Education Frank Edelblut said in the release. “Now New Hampshire students will have access to this live support and the ability to mentor other students. It is a timely solution that addresses so many needs.” Schoolhouse.world currently offers tutoring in high school math and SAT prep but plans to expand to more ages and topics.

Eviction education

A free weekly online Eviction Clinic is now available to the public, offered by New Hampshire Legal Assistance and the Legal Advice and Referral Center. According to a press release, the sessions started Jan. 20 and will continue each Wednesday for the rest of January and all of February via Zoom from 7 to 8:30 p.m., plus two afternoon sessions that will be held from 2 to 3:30 p.m. on two of those Wednesdays. (The schedule and Zoom link to attend will be available at nhla.org and NHLA’s Facebook page; registration is not required.) During the clinics, attorneys and paralegals will provide free legal information on tenants’ rights during the eviction process and will answer general questions. Legal aid advocates expect the number of evictions to increase when the federal eviction moratorium ends Jan. 31, according to the release.

Charles and Mabel Niebling have been named the 2021 Outstanding Tree Farmers of the Year for their 67-acre tree farm in Boscawen, the New Hampshire Tree Farm Program announced in a press release. As a certified tree farm, it has a written management plan that focuses on improvements for all four pillars of the program: wood, water, wildlife and recreation. Some elements of the Nieblings’ plan include improving the quality of timber, protecting wetlands, creating diverse wildlife habitats and providing a recreational resource for hiking, bird-watching, hunting, snowmobiling and horseback riding, the release said.

The Zonta Club of Concord has launched a vaccination education campaign, distributing “Can’t Wait to Vaccinate” pins in the greater Concord area, according to a press release. As part of its efforts, on Jan. 15 the Club presented 350 of its “Got the Shot” pins to staff and residents of the NH Veterans Home in Tilton.

Around 4:30 a.m. on Jan. 17, the Manchester Fire Department was called to the Queen City Bridge to put out a fire on top of and below the bridge that was caused by a propane construction heater, according to a press release. The heater was inside a temporary wooden structure that had been built as part of bridge repair construction and was operating at the time of the fire. The bridge was not damaged in the fire, according to the release.

Isabel Povey of Hampstead helped collect and donate 646 coats this winter and dropped them off last week at the Nashua Anton’s Cleaners, which is one of the locations in New Hampshire that is hosting the Coats for Kids program, according to a press release. Gently used warm winter coats are still being accepted through the end of February at any New Hampshire Anton’s Cleaners, Jordan’s Furniture or Enterprise Bank.

In silence and in silos

What kind of state do we have and what kind of state do we want?

At a time in the history of our country in which we appear to be more polarized and alienated than many can recall us being before, there is, nonetheless, a growing awareness of and a resolve to address systemic and interlocking social injustices in our country and in our state. Throughout our history, high-profile events – such as recent and senseless deaths of many people of color – have jolted most Americans out of their ignorance or complacency and forced them to acknowledge stark realities. But there is still another effect that should be noted. Such events can also bring greater recognition of the existence of individuals, organizations and initiatives that, all along, have been working quietly, and relatively out of sight, for social justice in all our communities. These are people and groups who have often done their work in silence and in silos. Their overall goal? To try to make New Hampshire the best place to live, work and prosper for all people, a state that is respectful and honoring of difference.

Nearly 20 years ago, a large-scale event took place at the Center of New Hampshire that recognized and celebrated “Champions of Diversity.” Twenty years later, New Hampshire is more diverse than ever, but the goal of a widespread embracing of diversity has yet to be attained. We hope that the recent tragic events across our country will awaken here at home a greater engagement in the pursuit of this goal. To that end, a number of us believe this is the moment to try to build a broad coalition of organizations to strengthen these efforts. We seek to ask if it is time to consider bringing back a statewide effort that would have as its primary purpose recognizing the great work that is being done in support of New Hampshire’s diverse community.

Different now from 20 years ago, there is a growing number of young people who are anxious, even impatient, to see change and who need to be connected with others, especially across generations, to form effective networks for education, policy development, legislative advocacy and mutual support. To make a start, we hope to find common interest and, eventually, partnerships with foundations, professional and business associations, businesses large and small, and affinity groups to explore possible next steps. – Fred Bramante & Stephen reno

Are you interested in joining such a conversation? Let us know at [email protected] or stephen.reno@usnh.edu.

Nice Buns!

Nice Buns!

Ooey-gooey cinnamon buns are the perfect treat for a cold winter’s day. Find out how local bakers make theirs, and get some tips for how to make your own from scratch.

Also on the cover, as part of our month-long series looking back at some of the subjects Hippo has covered since it started 20 years ago, we talked to a few key players who have been part of the arts scene during that time, p. 10. Take a guided walk through the woods and immerse yourself in nature, p. 15. And find the perfect beer to pair with your DIY home project, p. 23.

Beyond the headlines

A few weeks ago, the Union Leader printed a story with the bold headline “NH scores among the top when ...

News & Notes 21/01/14

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Quality of Life 21/01/14

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Two decades of arts and culture

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The Art Roundup 21/01/14

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Nature bath

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Kiddie Pool 21/01/14

Family fun for the weekend Planes and iBOTs Beat three-day-weekend boredom at the museum! Along with their regular exhibits, two ...

Know your trees

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Treasure Hunt 21/01/14

Dear Donna, I have an assortment of these wood block letters in many sizes. I collected them for years and ...

The Weekly Dish 21/01/14

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Nice buns!

Nothing says comfort on a winter morning like a warm tray of freshly baked cinnamon rolls — and, while it ...

Beer and DIY

Good beer to help with home improvement projects Over the course of several weeks, my wife painstakingly and tediously removed ...

Album Reviews 21/01/14

Frank Sonic & L-Ex, “Talamanca Beach, Ming (Ger) Remix” (Amber Blue Recordings) As if I don’t mention it every other ...

Beginners, by Tom Vanderbilt

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Sylvie’s Love (PG-13)

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At the Sofaplex 21/01/14

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• Strumming: Offering a range of tunes from pop to rock, reggae and country, Acoustic Tandem features Tom Colantuoni and ...

Brooks plays Brooks

Virtual tribute show promises the best of Garth There’s an emphatic mood these days at the Palace Theatre: The show ...

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Brooks plays Brooks

Virtual tribute show promises the best of Garth

There’s an emphatic mood these days at the Palace Theatre: The show must go on.

Since the pandemic has again ended performances for live audiences, some postponed events are now being repurposed to happen virtually at the Manchester venue. One scheduled for Jan. 15 is a night of Garth Brooks hits performed by local musician Brooks Young.

Two more evenings of music are set, an All New Piano Men tribute to Elton John, Billy Joel and others Jan. 22, and the Feb. 5 Divas Through the Decades, reprising singers from Etta James to Gloria Estefan, Tina Turner and Madonna. All shows premiere on Friday night, and later are made available to stream on demand.

A singer, guitarist and songwriter, Young is no stranger to the impact that national events can have on the arts. His breakout gig, opening at Singer Park for B.B. King, was nearly canceled the day it happened: Sept. 11, 2001. But the concert had already been rescheduled from 12 days earlier, and the blues legend wasn’t going to let it slip again.

Along with his musical prowess, Young has worked as technical director for the Palace and Rex theaters for the past two years.

“It was a good fit with my background,” he said in a recent phone interview, noting that he’s currently studying for a music business degree. “I love all the people. … I feel like I haven’t worked a day since I started here; I just get up and do something that I love every day.”

One of Young’s latest projects was overseeing the installation of a new state-of-the-art video screen for the Palace stage; it will be behind him at his Brooks Plays Brooks show. He promises a high-tech performance, with a socially distanced band that includes a steel guitarist and a fiddle player.

“It’s going to be your typical Garth Brooks show with the fancy lights, the video wall, the smoke, the whole nine yards,” he said. “We’re not just going to be standing up there like deer in headlights.”

The event’s name was a natural choice, as was the artist being lauded.

“I grew up listening to him and I’m familiar with all his music. He was one of my first CDs in the ’90s. I always thought if I were to do a country show, it’s definitely going to be Garth Brooks,” Young said, noting that his grandfather was in a touring country group when he was younger.

So the longtime blues ace decided, “I’m going to try it. So I got myself a cowboy hat, and we’ll see what happens.”

One result is a new song with a country flavor called “Ask Me How I Know” that recently debuted on Spotify. Young has plans for more studio work in the spring.

“I always thought I’d play some country music, and my grandmother always asked me, ‘Hey when are you going to have a country group, because you love it,’” Young said. “She passed away last July, so I said … ‘Maybe now is a good time to do it.’”

The new tune follows a Christmas song that arrived last month, reflecting a strategy of putting out a lot of material, one track at a time.

“You can’t just release something once every two or three years,” Brooks said. “Things need to come out a couple of times a year, singles and stuff like that — that’s how the algorithms work with all the streaming services. I’ve been learning a lot and trying to adapt with these new times.”

Brooks Young Plays Garth Brooks
When: Friday, Jan 15, 7 p.m.
Where: Palace Theatre, 96 Hanover St., Manchester (virtual event)
Tickets: $15 at palacetheatre.org (free to members)

Featured photo: Courtesy photo.

Year: 2021

This week’s big stories

Unity through art

News & Notes 21/01/21

In silence and in silos

Nice Buns!

Brooks plays Brooks

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