2024 – Page 52

Quality of Life 24/07/18

New Chef-in-Residence

The Capitol Center for the Arts (44 S. Main St., Concord, 225-1111, ccanh.com) has announced its newest Culinary Artist-In-Residence: Susan Chung of Sue’s Kimbap House. Chung will work with the Capitol Center, using its two commercial kitchens, and selling her food at the Capitol Center and the Bank of NH concession stands throughout her residency. On its website, the Capitol Center said the residency program “works with newly arrived or marginalized community members who want to start a culinary business. This program allows these new entrepreneurs to build their food business in a low-risk way.” Chef Chung specializes in kimbap, a Korean street food made with seaweed, rice and vegetables, fish or meat.

QOL score: +1

Comment: Chef Chung describes kimbap as “more than a meal — it’s a bundle of joy wrapped in tradition.”

Eggcellent news for (some) loons

Observers of the live Loon Cam hosted by the Loon Preservation Committee (183 Lees Mill Road, Moultonborough, 476-5666, loon.org) reported that one of the eggs in Nest No. 2, somewhere in the Lakes Region, had started to hatch. According to the Committee’s webcam site, several excited viewers saw a “pip,” a small hole caused by a hatching chick, in one of the eggs at 5 p.m. on June 14. “After some debate and close inspection, the Loon Cam Operator confirmed that there was indeed a pip, sparking a wave of excitement among the chatters,” the website reported. The new loon was reported to have fully hatched by July 15. Meanwhile, things went less well at Nest No. 1. “LoonCam 1 Live Broadcast was terminated the morning of July 12 because the loons abandoned the nest after two eggs [were] crushed,” the Loon Cam site reported.

QOL score: +1

Comment: To view footage of the latest hatching, visit the Committee’s YouTube video “Loon Chick Hatching.”

Measles spotted

The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services announced in a press release on July 9 that it had “confirmed a measles infection in an unvaccinated New Hampshire resident.” The infection, the DHHS said, “is likely the result of exposure to an international traveler with measles who visited Hanover in late June.” This case follows a confirmed infection in Vermont that is also linked to the international traveler. “The total number of individuals associated with this measles cluster is three,” the DHHS stated. According to the Centers for Disease Control (cdc.gov), “As of July 11, a total of 167 measles cases were reported by 24 jurisdictions [in the United States].” This includes this incident. The DHHS press release quoted Dr. Benjamin Chan, New Hampshire State Epidemiologist: “Measles is a highly contagious but preventable disease,” he said. “The two-dose measles vaccine provides lifelong protection in most people, and it is the best protection against measles and complications of infection. Anybody who is not vaccinated is strongly encouraged to talk with their healthcare provider about completing the vaccine series.”

QOL score: -2

Comment: Anyone with questions or concerns about this confirmed infection can contact DPHS at 271-4496. To learn more about measles, visit the CDC website.

QOL score: 74

Net change: 0

QOL this week: 74

What’s affecting your Quality of Life here in New Hampshire?

Let us know at [email protected].

Mushroom hunt

Meet the NH Mycological Society

Christine Gagnon, founder of the newly formed New Hampshire Mycological Society and owner of the Uncanoonuc Foraging Co., shares her expertise on mushrooms. The New Hampshire Mycological Society will host an urban foraging walk in Manchester at Stark Park (550 River Road) on Saturday, July 27, from 1 to 3 p.m. Their mission statement is as follows:“Fostering knowledge, inclusivity, and enthusiasm for fungi, the New Hampshire Mycological Society unites a community passionate about mushrooms. Through education, exploration, and advocacy, we promote sustainable practices, deepen understanding, and inspire a profound connection to the mushroom kingdom and its ecology.” Visit uncforaging.com or the New Hampshire Mycological Society’s Facebook page for more information.

What is Uncanoonuc Foraging Co.?

I live in Goffstown close to the [Uncanoonuc] mountains so I just decided to use that as the name of my company. I basically started that company to teach others about mushrooms and about foraging. I lead a lot of walks, I give a lot of talks and presentations to different groups like the Boy Scouts or garden clubs, conservation boards, things like that.

What types of edible mushrooms can you find in the area?

In the hundreds, three digits. Quite a lot. But … as time goes on and you learn more, the numbers increase … for the easy ones, it’s easily 10 or 20 for people who are just out foraging for edible stuff. There are things like oyster mushrooms, or black trumpets, or chanterelles, or hen of the woods, or chicken of the woods, or Black Standing Polypore different milk caps. There’s just tons of different edible mushrooms … all kinds of yummy goodness in the woods.

What are some good safety tips when foraging mushrooms?

Don’t eat something unless you 100 percent feel confident that you are able to identify it on your own. That’s the No. 1 rule. Just don’t eat something because you think you know what it is. Eat something because you know what it is and you know that it’s safe.

Can you expand on what the New Hampshire Mycological Society is and any upcoming foraging events?

It’s very newly formed. Right now we’re working on deciding on board members and what the job descriptions, so to speak, would be for each … and then from there we will start filling out all the paperwork to apply for a nonprofit status so that we can continue to grow and offer events in different places…. There are two other small mushroom groups in New Hampshire. One is out in the Monadnock region and one is in Sunapee. We kind of felt a need to form a group that might reach out to different parts of the state and one of the things that’s important to us too is spreading the word and including people in cities who might not necessarily have access to trails out in the country, because there is a lot of foraging that can be done in urban centers. So for our first walk we decided to go ahead and plan one in Manchester in the park so people in the city can get a different point of view … to say, ‘Hey look, these things are out here in your city and you probably weren’t even aware.’ Just to bring that knowledge and that love of mushrooms and fungi to people who can’t always get out of the city. I think we want to expand that at some point and we may do some in Nashua and some other big cities as well and not always focus just out in the country, out in the suburbs.

What are your top two or three favorite mushrooms?

Chicken of the woods. I’m just going to give you common names. Chanterelles, oh goodness, can I give you four? Hen of the woods and black trumpets. Then there’s more, though, because I also like hedgehogs and I also like the milk caps.

— Zachary Lewis

Urban mushroom foraging walk
Hosted by New Hampshire Mycological Society
When: Saturday, July 27, from 1 to 3 p.m.
Where: Stark Park (550 River Road, Manchester)
Free and limited to 30 people ages 10+; advance registration is required.
Register at uncforaging.com.

Featured image: Photo by Christine Gagnon.

News & Notes 24/07/18

Tax website is updated

According to a press release, the New Hampshire Department of Revenue Administration (NHDRA) launched an updated version of its website on Tuesday, June 25, that was designed to be easier to use and to optimize access to its Granite Tax Connect portal, which enables taxpayers, tax professionals and other customers to manage their accounts.

The new version features a more user-centered, intuitive approach that begins in a more visually appealing design with an introductory “How Can We Help You Today?” section, and includes a drop-down list of targeted questions to lead customers directly to the section of the site most appropriate to their needs, according to the release.

The website has also been optimized for mobile users and sees as many as 1,400 visits each day, according to the release.

New website features and sections include a top-level link to the “Granite Tax Connect” portal that allows users to file and amend returns, view balances, make payments, view correspondence, register new accounts, update information, submit documents and applications, among other uses; the “Taxpayer Assistance” section with quick links to the site’s most-visited pages; sections on municipal and property taxes, meals and rooms taxes, forms and instructions, and tax laws and rules; and a “Resource Center” that contains Frequently Asked Questions, reports and publications, technical information and declaratory rulings, and power of attorney information. Visit revenue.nh.gov.

Feds give money for transit

According to a press release, Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, a senior member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee, and Sen. Maggie Hassan along with Reps. Annie Kuster (NH-02) and Chris Pappas (NH-01) applauded the announcement of $22.6 million in federal funding being awarded to public transit improvement projects in Manchester and Durham.

The Manchester Transit Authority will receive $19.9 million through the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 Bus and Bus Facilities Grant Program for the construction of a new transit center, which will replace the city’s outdated facility and enable an expansion of transit services in the region, according to the release.

The University of New Hampshire will receive $2.7 million through the FY24 Low and No Emission Grant Program to replace diesel-powered buses with compressed natural gas buses for its Wildcat Transit service, according to the release.

Medicaid coverage enhanced

Gov. Chris Sununu announced enhancements to Medicaid to expand primary care services and preventive treatments to improve residents’ health, patient experience, and the financial outlook of the program, according to a press release.

Gov. Sununu and the Executive Council approved contracts with three managed care organizations (MCOs) to begin covering preventive treatments in primary care for persons enrolled in Medicaid that go into effect on Sunday, Sept. 1, according to the release.

Hospitals will see Medicaid rate increases totaling $76 million, which more than doubles the base rate for inpatient services with a 120 percent increase to critical access hospitals and 133 percent increase to Prospective Payment System (PPS) Hospitals as well as increasing rates for outpatient services inclusive of enhancing direct payments supporting such services, according to the release.

New patient-first services reimbursable by the New Hampshire Medicaid Program include health risk assessments, preventive screenings, preventive mental health screening and counseling, comprehensive medication reviews, and coverage for care coordination performed in primary care offices, according to the release.

The current inpatient base rate to Critical Access Hospitals of $3,345 increases to $7,351, and the current inpatient base rate to PPS Hospitals of $3,011 increases to $7,001, according to the release.

The rollout of these new services supports the goals in the DHHS Roadmap 2024-2025, according to the release. See governor.nh.gov.

NH Book Festival

A two-day festival of authors and books will take place in downtown Concord on Friday, Oct. 4, and Saturday, Oct. 5, according to a New Hampshire Humanities newsletter. The festival will feature events with author Kate DiCamillo, an event with author Jean Hanff Korelitz that includes discussion of her new book The Sequel, panel discussions, book signings by more than 40 authors, a street festival “with books galore” and more, the newsletter said. See nhbookfestival.org. Tickets for the “Adult Keynote” on Friday, Oct. 4, at 7 p.m. with Jean Hanff Korelitz cost $60 and include a copy of her book; the event takes place at the Capitol Center for the Arts in the Chubb Theatre (ccanh.com). Tickets to the Saturday, Oct. 5, event with DiCamillo — “From Novel to Netflix” looking at her books that have become movies — cost $30, which includes a copy of The Magician’s Elephant. The event is at 5 p.m. and also at the Cap Center, according to the website. The festival is slated to run Oct. 5 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and admission is free, the website said.

There’s a Sip & Stamp: Cardmaking & Wine Tasting event at Wine on Main in Concord (9 N. Main St. in Concord) on Wednesday, July 24, from 6 to 8 p.m. Tickets are $40, which includes all materials, instruction, light snacks, a wine tasting, and liquid glue to take home. Participants may make three cards using stamping techniques from crafter Kathy Clark. Visit wineonmainnh.com.

Colby Hill Inn in Henniker (33 The Oaks, 800-531-0330) hosts its third Annual Lobster Bake and BlueberryFeast, on Sunday, July 21. Seasonal summer foods will be served and original blues music will be played by the Rick Campbell Band. Tickets are $125 per person (plus sales tax and gratuity) including open bar ($15 credit for non-alcohol drinkers). Visit colbyhillinn.com to buy tickets.

“The Music of Abba – Direct From Sweden” will ring out from the Tupelo Music Hall in Derry (10 A St., 437-5100, tupelomusichall.com) on Tuesday, July 23, at 8 p.m. Tickets are $39.

Sox rolling at All-Star break

The Big Story – Sox at the All-Star Break:

The second half of the season gets under way tomorrow. And if you’re a Red Sox fan you like where they are. After being a best-in-baseball 9-3 in July and going 20-8 since June 12 they’re 11 games over .500 at 53-42, 4.5 games behind Baltimore in the AL East and two games up on KC for the last wild card spot. Plus with Triston Casas about to return from a rib cage injury that has kept him sidelined since late April there’s more good news on the way. But close followers know even with the return of Casas, they still need to add a starting pitcher and a right-handed bat by the July 31 trade deadline to fortify their chances to get into the postseason tournament.

There are doubters who believe Sox owner John Henry doesn’t care about the postseason and is more likely to sell off free-agents-to-be Kenley Jansen and Tyler O’Neill. However, with public pressure building for adding, that seems unlikely. So we’ll see.

Sports 101: Name the only college to have players taken first overall in the NBA and NFL drafts in the same year. Also name those players.

News Item – Jaylen Brown Passed Over for Olympic Team: He surprisingly didn’t get the final spot on the Olympic basketball team after Kawhi Leonard dropped out last week. Instead it went to his versatile teammate Derrick White.

Goofballs on Felger & Mazz immediately tried to make it into a brewing feud between Brown and Jayson Tatum because the latter didn’t lobby for JB, which is ridiculous.

But, while Brown is the better player and coming off a stellar performance in the NBA playoffs, you can make a case for White for two reasons. On a team of stars, he’s a better fit as the 12th man because in playing with Tatum and Brown he’s already used to sacrificing for the team. A more likely reason probably lies in Nike’s influence over the selection and their preference to keep politics off this stage. That hurts the outspoken Brown, who’s demonstrated a willingness to take Nike to task for its practice of exploiting overseas workers to benefit its bottom line.

News Item – Trade Deadline Approaching: Of all the mock Red Sox trades I’ve seen, the one involving White Sox lefty Garrett Crochet is the best approach. The proposed cost is high — three of their Top 10 prospects (but not their three best) for a 25-year-old with two more years of contractual control after 2024. Much smarter than a rental for a building team not likely to go deep in the playoffs. And if both sides are happy it gives them a chance to extend Crochet to buy out a few more years of free agency as well.

The Numbers

6 – years in the big house for former Dodgers outfielder Raul Mondesi after being convicted of embezzling $5 million while mayor of the Dominican Republic city of San Cristóbal.

10 – team-leading wins for Sox hurler Brayan Bello, as well as how many strikeouts he had while getting the first 10 outs as he earned No. 9 in a 12-9 win over the A’s last week.

… Of the Week

Thumbs Up – Jalen Brunson: For the diminutive Knicks point guard for passing on roughly $113 million in guaranteed money to give the Knicks salary cap flexibility (for now) to add more players to his up and coming team. And while the $37 million he’ll make annually is nothing to sneeze at, his Tom Brady-like financial sacrifice in the name of helping the team is rare in the me, me, me world of professional sports economics. Bravo, Jalen.

Quote of the Week – Ceddanne Rafaela: When the versatile rookie was asked what his job with the team was he said, “Just help us win.”

Random Thoughts:

Contrary to last Sunday’s ESPN broadcast suggesting that Chaim Bloom had a lot to do with the rampaging Red Sox success, let the record show he has not. All of the young core fueling their surge — Devers, Rafaela, Duran, Casas, Bello, Houck and Winkowski — were drafted by Dave Dombrowski before he was fired in 2019.

Sports 101 Answer: In 2005 the Utah duo of Andrew Bogut and Alex Smith became the first and only guys taken first overall in both the NFL and NBA drafts in the same year.

Final Thought – Jayson Tatum: While I enjoyed the Celtics championship run, sorry to the folks who are saying it sets Tatum’s legacy. What? Earth to those folks. He plays for the Boston Celtics, where luminaries like Russell (11), Sam Jones (10), Havlicek (9), Cousy (6) and Bird (3) won multiple titles. He won one, as short-time contributors like Emmette Bryant and Rick Carlisle and many others have.

If he wants to move up to be an all-time Celtic, he’s got to win at least two more.

Email Dave Long at [email protected].

Find your flea market — 7/11/2024

Looking for a bit of home decor? Or a handmade craft? Or toys? Or shirts and socks? Or out-of-print books? Or a bear trap? John Fladd takes a look at some area flea markets to help you find the one that will meet your shopping needs.

Also on the cover The Currier Museum of Art will hold its annual summer block party on Sunday afternoon (see page 14). The annual Hillsboro Summer Festival runs Thursday through Sunday (page 17). On Friday catch Roomful of Blues at the Rex Theatre (page 32).

Read the e-edition

News & Notes 24/07/11

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Roomful of Blues at Rex with new singer

Over almost six decades as a band, Roomful of Blues has seen its share of personnel changes, but the latest is a biggie.

“Basically, half the lineup is new,” guitarist Chris Vachon, who joined in 1990, said recently. Two members of the horn section and a keyboard player have joined and, crucially, the band has its first female lead vocalist since Lou Ann Barton was a member for a very short tenure in the early 1980s.

New singer D.D. Bastos and Vachon have played together in the Rhode Island band Sons of Providence since mid-decade, so “there’s some history there,” Vachon said. However, the departure of singer Phil Pemberton, who left due to declining health, means that typical set lists will be shifting dramatically.

“We don’t change front people too much, that’s rare…. Phil was in the band for 15 years,” Vachon said. “Having a new person come in as a front person, you’re going to replace a lot of the material to things that are more suited for them. That’s exciting for us, with a new show and all that.”

The RoB horns and drums backed Pat Benatar on her jump blues True Love album, and Bastos will offer a few songs from that when the band stops by the Rex Theatre on July 12, along with some tunes from the Barton era. The latter lasted only three months, ending when the Texas blues chanteuse realized she’d never acclimate to New England winters.

It’s a local show for one of the new members. Sax player Craig Thomas lives just a few blocks from the Amherst Street venue. Another new face on stage will be keyboard player Jeff Ceasrine, though he has a history with RoB, having played occasionally with them since 2008.

“Jeff is a natural to take over where [former keyboard player] Rusty Scott left off,” Vachon said.

The new lineup was in fine form during a recent Extended Play Session filmed at the Fallout Shelter in Norwood, Mass. Bastos shined on the Etta James classic “Good Rockin’ Daddy” and the burning ballad “Please Don’t Go,” while whipping up the crowd on the energetic call-and-response boogie “That’s Right!”

Vachon pumped out some hot licks on his Gibson SG during the cool groove number “I’m Tryin’” and the horn section’s latest additions, Chris Pratt on trumpet and Thomas on tenor sax, had a long stretch to show off, all in preparation for a big month ahead.

“We’re going to be full steam and we’re all pretty excited about it,” Vachon said.

The idea has remained steady even as players come and go, with a style that can feel like big band but find a rock groove when called for while staying true to its namesake and playing the blues. Their schedule has changed, however.

“My early years in the band, we were gone all the time,” Vachon said. “It’s mostly weekends now.”

Their last album is 2020’s In A Roomful of Blues, a fun effort with songs like the snarky “Phone Zombies” along with the B.B. King-esque title cut. As with a lot of records made that year, the band didn’t get many chances to perform it early on — it’s hard to be in a roomful of anything while staying six feet apart.

Eventually, they took it on the road, and Vachon said they’re ready to add to their 20-plus collection soon. Meanwhile, they continue to be the band that plays blues to make folks forget their blues.

“We don’t do too much of the weepy stuff,” Vachon agreed. “We do happy, swingy things you can dance to. I mean, we’re going to do stuff that’s uplifting and fun.”

An Evening With Roomful of Blues
When: Friday, July 12, 8 p.m.
Where: Rex Theatre, 23 Amherst St., Manchester
Tickets: $29 at palacetheatre.org

Featured photo: Courtesy photo.

Year: 2024

Quality of Life 24/07/18

Mushroom hunt

News & Notes 24/07/18

Sox rolling at All-Star break

Find your flea market — 7/11/2024

Feminine touch

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