The Concord Garden Club and the League of NH Craftsmen come together for the annual Art & Bloom exhibit, which runs today through Saturday, Jan. 22. Hours are 1 to 6:30 p.m. on Thursday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday and Saturday at the exhibit gallery at the League’s headquarters (49 S. Main St. in Concord). In this short-lived exhibit, the League’s exhibit “Setting the Standard,” featuring pieces in a variety of media, serves as the inspiration for floral arrangements by Garden Club members and others. The regular hours of the “Setting the Standard” exhibit will start Tuesday, Jan. 25, and run through March 31, Tuesday through Thursday, noon to 4 p.m.
Fight cabin fever with a visit to the Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St. in Manchester; currier.org, 669-6144) today from 5 to 8 p.m. when admission is free as part of “Art After Work: Free Thursday Nights.” Old Tom and the Lookouts will be performing in the Winter Garden Cafe and the tours will focus on Robert S. Duncanson’s “Long Point on the Gauley River, Virginia” and the exhibit “As Precious as Gold: Carpets from the Islamic World.”
Thursday, Jan. 20
Kick the weekend off early with Jeff Mrozek, who performs tonight from 6 to 9 pm. at Stones Social (449 Amherst St. in Nashua, stonessocial.com).
Friday, Jan. 21
Catch the “most famous bagpipe band on the planet,” according to their website (rhcp.scot), when the Red Hot Chilli Pipers come to the Flying Monkey (39 Main St. in Plymouth; 536-2251, flyingmonkeynh.com) today at 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 21
Hear the music of the Dave Matthews band tonight at 8 p.m. at the Tupelo Music Hall (10 A St. in Derry; tupelomusichall.com) when The Dave Matthews Tribute Band performs. Tickets cost $30.
Sunday, Jan. 23
Get some fresh eats today from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Salem Farmers Market, held inside at LaBelle Winery (14 Route 111 in Derry). See salemnhfarmersmarket.org.
Sunday, Jan. 23
See the Bolshoi Ballet perform “Jewels” (in which the cities of Paris, New York and St. Petersburg are represented in three separate scenes) in presentation of the Bolshoi broadcast today at 12:55 p.m. at the Bank of NH Stage (16 S. Main St. in Concord; ccanh.com). Tickets to the broadcast cost $15 for adults, $12 for students (plus fees).
Save the date! For wine & chocolate
Sample four LaBelle Winery wines with four different chocolate desserts at a “Wine & Dessert Pairing Class” scheduled for each of the three LaBelle locations in February. The class will be held on Wednesday, Feb. 9, at 6 p.m. in Derry (14 Route 111); on Friday, Feb. 11, at 6 p.m. in Portsmouth (104 Congress St.) and on Wednesday, Feb. 16, at 6 p.m. in Amherst (345 Route 1010). Admission costs $43.40.
Last week’s unemployment claims in New Hampshire were 22.9 percent lower than they were during the same week in 2019 — the sixth-biggest decrease in the U.S. — according to personal-finance website WalletHub’s updated report on States Whose Unemployment Claims Are Increasing the Most. They are 9.71 percent lower compared to the same week in 2020, and 83.86 percent lower than the same week in 2021.
Score: +1
Comment:According to the report, New Hampshire is one of only 14 states whose unemployment claims last week were lower than before the pandemic.
Life-changing donation for local veteran
Mike Moran, a local disabled veteran who served almost 20 years in the U.S. Air Force, will soon replace his manual wheelchair with an iBOT Personal Mobility Device, courtesy of a Veterans Count donor and assistance from Manchester-based Mobius Mobility, which manufactures the device. According to a press release, Moran has been using his wheelchair for 14 years; with the iBOT PMD, the 51-year-old will now be able to get up and down stairs and curbs, move through all kinds of terrain and experience life at standing height. Veterans Count and Mobius Mobility helped Moran get the prescription and other documentation he needed to qualify for the iBOT, and helped him schedule his training, the release said.
Score: +1
Comment:“We are still taking requests for the remaining four iBOT donations, and we encourage veterans to inquire,” Kathy Flynn, senior director of development for Veterans Count, said in the release.
Camp for all kids
ReKINDling Curiosity is coming back for a second year to help ensure that all kids who want to get a chance to go to camp. According to a press release from the New Hampshire Department of Education, the initiative is meant to provide a positive childhood experience at an approved overnight or day youth recreation camp in New Hampshire. The program, which is federally funded using Covid-19 response money, will pay up to $650 of youth recreation camp fees for qualifying students.
Score: +1
Comment: “For many children, especially those from low-income backgrounds or with disabilities, this opportunity to attend a summer camp could help alleviate anxiety and trauma resulting from the pandemic, and succeed in academic instruction when they return to school in the fall,” Frank Edelblut, commissioner of education, said in the release.
Beware of Covid smishing campaign
Scammers pretending to be from the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services and the New Hampshire Division of Motor Vehicles are texting residents trying to get personal identifying information. According to a consumer alert from Attorney General John M. Formella, the scam is called “smishing” — when scammers send text messages purporting to be from a reputable agency to get personal information — and this one is a Covid-19 themed campaign. The text messages contain links to a fraudulent “New Hampshire State Covid-19 Vaccine Status Validation” website, which features legitimate-looking seals of the Department of Health and Human Services and Division of Motor Vehicles. On the site, the consumer is asked to enter personal information like their Social Security number and date of birth, the release said.
Score: -1
Comment:Residents are advised not to reply to unsolicited text messages, not to click on a link in a text message from someone you don’t know, and not to provide money or personal information over the phone or by email to someone you don’t know.
QOL score: 52
Net change: +2
QOL this week: 54
What’s affecting your Quality of Life here in New Hampshire? Let us know at news@hippopress.com.
Information from the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services.
Covid-19 news
During the state’s weekly public health update on Jan. 12, state epidemiologist Dr. Benjamin Chan reported that, on average, New Hampshire reported 2,500 new infections of Covid-19 per day over the previous week. That same day, the number of active infections in the state exceeded 20,000, a new all-time high during the pandemic. “Compared to one to two weeks ago, we are now seeing double the number of new infections identified each day … and we believe that this is likely due to the omicron surge now hitting New Hampshire,” Chan said. When asked later on about how long he expects the current winter surge to last in the state, Chan said that the answer remains unclear. “There’s data coming from other countries that have entered this surge even earlier than we have that are showing … potentially even a more rapid drop-off than what we’ve seen in other surges of the pandemic, but that’s not a sure thing,” he said. “We’re going to know on the backside of this curve, as we’re coming down from it.”
Also on Jan. 12, the New Hampshire Insurance Department issued a statement in response to the Biden administration’s announcement that private insurers will soon have to cover the cost of eight at-home Covid tests per member per month. “We have been proactive in contacting New Hampshire’s health insurers to discuss the implementation of the new mandate,” Commissioner Christopher Nicolopoulos said in the statement. “We encourage consumers to contact their insurance provider to understand any testing arrangements that their provider has put into effect … [and] we urge the federal government to consider how this can be rolled out in a manner which ensures there is a sufficient supply of Covid-19 tests available.” Anyone with questions or concerns regarding their insurance coverage can contact the New Hampshire Insurance Department at 1-800-852-3416 or 271-2261, or via email at consumerservices@ins.nh.gov.
On Jan. 13, Gov. Chris Sununu responded to the news earlier that day of the Supreme Court’s vote to block the Biden administration from implementing a vaccine mandate for companies with 100 or more employees. “I am as pro-vaccine as they come, but today’s decision … is good news for employees and the businesses that keep our supply chains running and economy open,” a statement in part reads on Sununu’s Facebook and Twitter pages.
10-year TIP
Recommendations for the 2023-2032 Ten Year Transportation Improvement Plan were presented to the legislature last week by Gov. Chris Sununu. According to the letter that Sununu sent to Rep. John Graham, chairman of the House Public Works and Highways Committee, the Governor’s Advisory Commission on Intermodal Transportation held 21 in-person public hearings and one virtual hearing in the fall, and an online survey was also available. More than 400 comments were made through the hearing process, and more than 750 surveys were completed, according to the letter. Much of the feedback centered around the need to expand travel options (transit, bicycle, pedestrian, etc.) and the need to address infrastructure conditions. “Also, many attending the public hearings advocated for advancing projects or increasing project funding,” the letter read. The new plan expedites and advances 29 municipal bridge projects; it also puts a hold on the statewide exit sign renumbering project. Sununu said in his letter that this plan will fully fund prior Ten Year Plan commitments such as corridor improvements on Route 101, but that “it is important to continue focusing on preservation, maintenance and safety of the existing pavement and bridge infrastructure throughout the state.”
Farm to school
Last week, the New Hampshire Farm to School Reimbursement Policy Bill was presented to the House Education Committee. According to a press release, the bipartisan group of legislators sponsoring the bill is aiming to bring more healthy local food options to New Hampshire schools. “With this policy, … the Department of Education’s Office of Nutrition Programs and Services would provide a monetary incentive to schools who choose to direct more of their ‘per meal’ USDA cash reimbursement funds toward purchases from New Hampshire and New England farmers. The state would encourage this channeling of federal funds into the local economy by awarding schools $1 for every $3 spent on food from New Hampshire and $1 for every $6 spent on food from the New England region,” the bill’s prime sponsor, Rep. Alexis Simpson (D-Exeter), said in a statement.
All bets are on
Slightly more than two years after the inception of sports betting in New Hampshire, the New Hampshire Lottery and DraftKings — the state’s exclusive sports betting provider — surpassed the $1 billion mark in total sports wagering. According to a press release, during the first week of January, New Hampshire players had placed more than 23 million bets since sports betting launched in the Granite State on Dec. 30, 2019. “We are pleased with what we have accomplished and we are excited to continue growing sports betting as a revenue driver supporting our schools,” Charlie McIntyre, executive director of the New Hampshire Lottery, said in the release. Over the past two years, the top five sports betting drivers have been the NFL, NBA, college basketball, college football and table tennis, the release said.
Choose Love
Sixteen residents at the New Hampshire Correctional Facility for Women recently graduated from the Corrections Choose Love 12-week pilot program, which teaches adults how to respond with kindness in any situation by using courage, gratitude, forgiveness and compassion-in-action, according to a press release. The program teaches skills like handling adversity and responding with love while promoting self-empowerment, resilience, connection and optimism. “By acknowledging that adults in our state prisons have experienced adverse childhood experiences and have had long-term negative effects on their conduct, the Choose Love program has the power to assist people in adopting lifelong skills focusing on self-regulation and social and emotional learning by creating a common language across our facilities,” New Hampshire Department of Corrections Commissioner Helen Hanks said in the release.
iPlatform
On Tuesday, Jan. 25, at 6 p.m. the New Hampshire Department of Education will host a webinar for the general public to teach people how to use the New Hampshire Department of Education’s iPlatform data portal, which was launched a few years ago but was enhanced and expanded last year. “This tool uses modern technology that allows individuals to easily access key indicators across all school districts in New Hampshire, including enrollment demographics, achievement trends, graduation rates, educator salaries and more,” Frank Edelblut, commissioner of education, said in a press release. “We have harnessed all of the various data and made it transparent in an effort to start real, informed conversations about the state’s education system.” The webinar is free; register at education.nh.gov.
Manchester’s newest solar array at the former Dunbarton Road landfill is up and running after more than two years of preparation and planning. According to a press release, it is the largest municipal solar array in the state, with more than 8,000 panels that will supply 3.8 million kilowatt-hours of clean energy to the power grid annually, enough to power hundreds of homes annually across the city.
Aviation pioneer Bernice Blake Perry has been honored with a historical marker that was recently installed near Milford Rotary Centennial Park on Route 101A in Milford. The marker reads, in part: “In 1929, Manchester native Bernice Blake Perry became the first woman in New Hampshire to pilot a plane and the first female commercial pilot in New England. She spent her adult life in Milford and was a charter member of the Ninety-Nines, a pioneering group of female pilots led by Amelia Earhart,” according to a press release.
The New Hampshire Housing Board of Directors has approved financing for four affordable multi-family rental housing developments, to help meet the needs of the state’s workforce and other residents, in Nashua, Manchester and Conway, according to a press release. Locally, Nashua will see the addition of 43 general occupancy units in the Apartments at 249 Main St., while Manchester’s Kelley Falls project will add two new 24-unit buildings, and its Renew II project will rehabilitate three properties for a total of 101 general occupancy units, the release said.
After this week’s cover went to press, the New Hampshire Liquor Commission canceled 2022’s Wine Week events. Looks like we’ll have to wait another full year for “return of the big pour.” In the meantime, the cover story features interviews from wine makers (whose bottles you can find in the state) and information about Mocktail Month.
New Hampshire welcomes Cybersecurity Advisor Meet Rick Rossi, New Hampshire’s first Cybersecurity Advisor, a newly created position within the Integrated ...
Shepard Bassett of New Boston is the owner of Shepard’s Pie Baking Co. (shepardspiebakingco@gmail.com, and on Facebook and Instagram @shepardspiebakingco), ...
Kick the weekend off early with karaoke with DJ Dicey at Area 23 (254 N. State St. in Concord; thearea23.com) tonight at 8 p.m. Find more karaoke and live music in our Music This Week listing, which starts on page 34.
Saturday, Jan. 15
Head to the indoor farmers market in Milford today from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 1 Union Square (on the Oval) in Milford. Vendors include Hulda’s Swedish Baked Goods, Quarter Moon Farms (which specializes in black garlic), Sweet Treats by Emilee, Pups Cider, Paradise Farm, O’Regan Breads, G3 Baking (gluten-free) and more, according to milfordnhfarmersmarket.com.
Saturday, Jan. 15
Catch comedian Jody Sloane tonight at Chunky’s Cinema Pub (151 Coliseum Ave. in Nashua; chunkys.com) at 8 p.m. Tickets cost $20.
Saturday, Jan. 15
Need just one more hit of the holiday season? Morgan James’ rescheduled “Morgan James: A Very Magnetic Post Christmas Tour” comes to the Rex Theatre (23 Amherst St. in Manchester; palacetheatre.org, 668-5588) today at 7:30 p.m. Tickets start at $25.
Monday, Jan. 17
The Martin Luther King Jr. Coalition is holding a community celebration today from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. This virtual program, which you can access at mlknh.org, is called “Love Not Hate” and will feature music by the Manchester High School West Jazz Band, music by the MLK Jr. Choir, special guest TJ Wheeler and “community shared reading of excerpts of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s 1957 sermon ‘Loving Your Enemies,” according to the website.
The Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St. in Manchester; currier.org, 669-6144) is also commemorating Martin Luther King Jr. Day with a virtual program at 11 a.m. called “Invisibility: An Art Conversation and Visual Response.” Register on the website, which describes the event as a “live program over Zoom about invisibility and related issues of love and hate. We’ll begin with a conversation about paintings by Norman Lewis and Glenn Ligon and conclude with a collaborative visual response.” The museum, which is usually closed Mondays, will be open today from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Monday, Jan. 17
Get out and enjoy nature in winter with a guided winter hike/snowshoe at Beaver Brook Association’s Maple Hill Farm (117 Ridge Road in Hollis; 465-7787, hbeaverbrook.org) today from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. The hike is listed as open to ages 14 and up; registration costs $20, according to the website. The 2-mile hike will feature the search for animal tracks and wildlife activity.
Save the date! Thursday, Feb. 3
Enter the Haggis, the Celtic rock band that includes the sounds of fiddles and bagpipes and whose fans are known as “Haggis heads,” will play the Bank of NH Stage (16 S. Main St. in Concord; ccanh.com) on Thursday, Feb. 3, at 8 pm. Tickets cost $18 for general admission, $25 for reserved balcony (plus fees). See a video about the band at the Cap Center’s website or go to enterthehaggis.com for more of their music.
Area 23 in Concord is making snow days even better for teachers and school staff. According to Area 23’s Facebook page, if Concord cancels school in January or February, teachers and staff get drinks and food at half price from 4 to 6 p.m. that day. The eatery, located on North State Street, offers craft beer, cider and pub eats.
Score: +1
Comment:Area 23 gets an A+ for this snow day special!
Success at the slopes
The holiday week was a success for the state’s ski areas, according to a press release from Ski New Hampshire, with most resorts reporting that business was up for the period compared to last year. Pats Peak in Henniker, for example, had significant increases in admissions and revenue; general manager Kris Blomback said in the release that business was “absolutely booming.” At McIntyre Ski Area, there was an increase in the number of visitors who had never been skiing or riding but decided to give it a try, marketing director Aly Moore said in the release. Moore also reported that many guests chose to spend time outside on the patio around the fire pits, and at Pats Peak relatively mild weather had guests stay outside the lodge for eating and breaks.
Score: +1
Comment:With the Martin Luther King Jr. long weekend coming up, “snowmaking efforts will resume in full force to refresh snow conditions and expand terrain,” the release said
It’s beginning to look a lot like winter
The weather has been brutal lately, with unexpected icing Jan. 5 leading to cars off the roads all over the state during the morning commute, followed by a snow day for some on Jan. 7 and more winter weather that made for tough driving Jan. 9. QOL got caught off guard by snow squalls in the Hooksett and Concord area Jan. 10, and the following day, wind chill advisories were in effect, getting as low as 25 below zero, according to a press release.
Score: -1
Comment:Yes, QOL knows this is New Hampshire, but with Covid putting so many events and activities in jeopardy again, it would be nice if we didn’t have to worry every day about weather canceling plans.
Family-friendly Granite State
New Hampshire is the sixth-best state to raise a family, according to WalletHub’s new report of 2022’s Best & Worst States to Raise a Family. According to a press release, the personal finance website compared family-friendliness data for all 50 states, using information like median annual family income and housing affordability. The Granite State is No. 1 in two areas: It has the lowest percentage of families in poverty and the lowest unemployment rate. It also has the second lowest infant mortality rate and second fewest violent crimes per capita.
Score: +1
Comment:New Hampshire was above average in other areas too; according to the report, it ranked 17th for child-care costs, median annual family income and percentage of residents ages 12 and up who are fully vaccinated, and it ranked 19th for its separation and divorce rate.
QOL score: 50
Net change: +2
QOL this week: 52
What’s affecting your Quality of Life here in New Hampshire? Let us know at news@hippopress.com.
