Author: The Hippo Press

Music, arts and eats

The Currier Museum of Art holds its annual Block Party

By Zachary Lewis
[email protected]

The Currier Museum of Art will be hosting its annual Summer Block Party on Sunday, July 14, from 3 to 7 p.m. The entire community is invited to take part in this fun and free celebration of art and Manchester.

“Hopefully those that have not been to the museum before or for a long time can come and get to enjoy the museum for free,” said Karen Graham, interim director & chief operating officer of the Currier Museum of Art. She expects a good turnout.

“We typically get upwards of 2,500 people,” she said. Usually the building and the whole grounds are full of people enjoying the event.”

Guests can enjoy the fun inside or outside the museum.

“The first year we did it we weren’t sure if people would be interested in going into the galleries or if they would just stay outside because there are so many activities outside,” Graham said, “but the galleries … they were the most crowded of any day during the year during the Block Party.”

Some activities at the Block Party will be inspired by the museum’s new Daniel Otero Torres exhibition, “Sonidos del Crepúsculo (Twilight Sounds).” This is the first exhibition at a U.S. institution of the work of Colombian-born and Paris-based artist Torres. Activities will include a clay leaf project as well as a chance to “create watercolor seascapes inspired by the Stories of the Sea show,” according to the Currier’s website.

There will be a stamp printmaking station set up to mimic abstract patterns like the ones in Elisabeth Kley’s installation in the museum’s Welcome Gallery.

Outdoor activities are held in the Museum’s courtyard, some under tents. The event is held rain or shine.

“We close part of Ash Street on the side of the building and all of Prospect in front of the building … between Ash and Beech,” Graham said. This is where you’ll find food vendors including Deadproof Pizza, Consuelo’s, Arnie’s Place ice cream, Don Quijote, Chez Rafiki and the Gyro Spot as well as ice cream from Ben & Jerry’s.

Beer and wine will be plentiful; the Currier typically crafts specialty cocktails based on its current exhibitions.

“We close off the parking lot, obviously, and that’s where the wine and beer tent, the musicians, and all the art activities are, throughout the whole grounds of the museum,” Graham said.

Live music will be performed outdoors by Joey Clark and The Big Hearts, and Party of the Sun. “We had both of them play here on different occasions in the past and the crowd loved them both,” Graham said. Laura Boyce from Rock 101’s Greg & the Morning Buzz will act as emcee.

It’s a good time to sign up for a Museum membership, if you haven’t already.

“New members that join as a member that day, they’ll get a discount. We’ll have some of our staff walking through the crowds inviting people to become members at a discounted rate,” Graham said.

And, as Graham noted, there’s always face painting. It’s one of the most popular activities at the Block Party. “We make it our biggest tent … when we used to leave it up to requests the line would circle the building, so now we pick and give them a few options to pick from … so there’ll probably be a fish, a mermaid, things like that.” The face painting will be themed to go with the current “Stories from the Sea” exhibit. Central High School’s Art Department volunteers with the face painting and are led by museum staff.

That combination of art and the community brings joy to Graham.

“I just love an opportunity to have so much of our community come together in the summer and enjoy art. We always hear the best comments from people that say, ‘Oh, I haven’t been here since I was a kid taking an art class and now I’m coming back with my own kids…. People really, really love the opportunity to come in and see the art.”

The Currier’s Summer Block Party
When: Sunday, July 14, from 3 to 7 p.m.
Where: 150 Ash St., Manchester
Admission: free
More: currier.org, 669-6144

This Week 24/07/11

Thursday, July 11

Pipe Dream Brewing (49 Harvey Road, Unit 4, Londonderry, 404-0751, pipedreambrewingnh.com) will host a Sea Glass Workshop tonight from 6 to 8 p.m. Create colorful sea glass art by using an assortment of shells, colorful pebbles, sand and sea glass. All materials are included in the price of the class, but participants are welcome to bring their own. This class costs $60 per person. Tickets are required and are available at thecanvasroadshow.com/#Classes.

Friday, July 12

The Raymond Town Fair returns for its 48th year starting today and continuing through Sunday, July 14, at the Raymond Town Common (Epping and Main streets, Raymond). It will feature live music, family-friendly entertainment, a children’s parade, a fireworks display and more. See “Raymond Town Fair” on Facebook to keep up to date on details.

Friday, July 12

Chunky’s (707 Huse Road, Manchester, 206-3888, chunkys.com) will host Feud Gone Wild tonight starting at 8:30 p.m. The game and answers will be on the big screen. Expect about six or more 15-minute rounds. Tickets are $20 at the Chunky’s website.

Saturday, July 13

The Aviation Museum of New Hampshire’s (27 Navigator Road, Londonderry, 669-4820, aviationmuseumofnh.org) annual Classic Car Show is happening today from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., welcoming vehicles of all makes and eras. Trophies will be given out for the People’s Choice Award and the Museum Award. Vehicle registration is $10, or you can come as a spectator for $5 (cash only; kids ages 12 and under are free). A rain date of July 22 is planned. Visit nhahs.org.

Saturday, July 13

LaBelle Winery (345 Route 101, Amherst, 672-9898, labellewinery.com) will host an outdoor Vinyasa Flow Yoga class next to its vineyard, in partnership with New Hampshire Power Yoga of Merrimack. A glass of wine in the Bistro Restaurant may be added after your class; the class takes place from 11 a.m to noon. The cost is $20.

Saturday, July 13

The Mt. Kearsarge Indian Museum (18 Highlawn Road, Warner, 456-2600, indianmuseum.org) will host its 23rd Annual Intertribal Powwow from 10 a.m. today to 4 p.m. Sunday. There will be singing, dancing, drumming and more than 20 traders with handmade crafts. Admission is free for Native Americans, $15 for other adults; members and children are $8. Children 6 and under are free. Visit the Museum’s website.

Monday, July 15

900 Degrees Neapolitan Pizzeria (50 Dow St., Manchester, 641-0900, 900degrees.com) will host a Raising Dough event starting at 5 p.m. to benefit Jenni Share, of To Share Brewing. Jenni was recently diagnosed with breast cancer, and the funds raised from this event will directly help with her medical bills. Visit 900degrees.com/events.

Wednesday, July 17

Bring your blankets and chairs to Veterans Park in downtown Manchester tonight at dusk for a screening of 1989’sHoney, I Shrunk the Kids. Concessions will be available for purchase, according to a post on the Manchester Economic Development Office Facebook page.

Save the Date! Sunday, July 21
North America’s premier Celtic act, Tartan Terrors, will play the Tupelo Music Hall (10 A St, Derry, 437-5100, tupelomusichall.com) Sunday, July 21 at 7 p.m. The Terrors blend the energy of a rock show with humor and step dance. Tickets start at $39.

Featured photo: Fireworks. Courtesy Photo.

Quality of Life 24/07/11

A date with giant balloons

Members of the Spartans Drum and Bugle Corps (spartansdbc.org) learned last week that they will march in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade in New York in November. WMUR reported in an online article July 4 that the Spartans “were selected from more than 100 applicants and were one of nine bands that received the invite.” The invitation came with a $10,000 donation from Macy’s to help with fundraising for the Spartans to travel to New York City next year. “What an amazing way to celebrate the Spartans’ 70th anniversary!” the Spartans posted on their website.

QOL score: +1

Comment: The Spartans describe themselves as “a community-based performing arts program in Nashua, NH.”

Laid-back in Nashua

In a recent study by WalletHub (wallethub.com), an online financial management website, Nashua ranked as one of the least stressed cities in America. Out of 182 U.S. cities, Nashua placed 175th. In a July 8 press release, WalletHub described the study. “WalletHub compared more than 180 cities across 39 key metrics. The data set ranges from average weekly work hours to the unemployment rate to divorce and suicide rates.” Nashua scored in the 20th percentile or lower in terms of work, financial, family, and health & safety stress.

QOL score: +1

Comment: According to this study, Cleveland, Ohio, is the most stressed-out city in America, and Charleston, South Carolina, is the least.

Falling for love

Ninety-year-old Manchester man Bill Rogers sky-dived last Sunday to celebrate his anniversary with his late wife, Natalie. According to a July 7 online story by WMUR, Rogers completed his sixth skydive in Pepperell, Mass., with an eye toward teasing his wife, like he would have if she were still alive. “Every time I jump out of a plane, I can hear her say, ‘Billy, you’re as crazy as ever,’’” WMUR quoted him.

QOL score: +1

Comment: According to Guinness World Records (guinnessworldrecords.com) the oldest skydiver on record is 106-year-old Texan Alfred Blanschke, who broke his own record in May of this year.

Goodbye to Bob’s

On July 1, Bob’s Stores announced it would close all its remaining stores, which included one in Salem, New Hampshire. Bob’s Stores began with a single store in Connecticut and eventually expanded throughout the Northeast. Meanwhile, several Eastern Mountain Sports stores, including the one in The Mall of New Hampshire in Manchester, are closing as well. EMS and Bob’s Stores are owned by the same parent company, which recently filed for bankruptcy protection.

QOL score: -1

Comments: The going-out-of-business sale at Bob’s was expected to continue through July 14, according to a story on WMUR.com. EMS still operates its Eastern Mountain Sports School in North Conway and is the official outfitter of the Mount Washington Observatory. (Bob’s Stores, by the way, are NOT affiliated with Bob’s Discount Furniture, a whole separate company that sent out a press release to clear up confusion, according to a July 9 Boston Globe story.)

QOL score: 72

Net change: +2

QOL this week: 74

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

Let us know at [email protected].

Planning for NH’s health

The Department of Health and Human Services releases its 2024-2025 Roadmap

Department of Health and Human Services Commissioner Lori Weaver talks about the new DHHS Roadmap 2024-2025, which outlines the plan the DHHS developed with input from many stakeholders (people involved with or affected by the Roadmap) to help improve the state of health for all Granite Staters. Visit dhhs.nh.gov (get to the Roadmap via News & Events).

Explain ‘Mission Zero’ and how the Roadmap will address Emergency Department boarding?

Mission Zero is the Department’s commitment to eliminating boarding in an Emergency Department. … It used to be, years ago, that we would have 40 or 50 people sitting in any given day waiting to find a bed for psychiatric care. … the beginning of this year in January of ’24, we were at about 4 1/2 days sitting in an emergency department waiting for a bed … now we’re down to 2 1/2 days [in May]. … That basically means that you’ll have people come in that will need that level of care and rather than waiting weeks and months they’re actually getting care within an average of 2 1/2 days at this point.

What are school-based services for children enrolled in Medicaid and how will they be strengthened through the Roadmap?

We have a lot of school counselors who provide services to youth that may be having some issues. That could be mental health counseling, that could be substance-use disorder counseling, could be any sort of peer-related issue. The schools need a mechanism to be able to, for those students that have Medicaid, to be able to bill Medicaid for that service….The Department was able to secure a grant to be able to build an administrative infrastructure. … This process will automate and streamline those processes for schools to be able to bill Medicaid and then get reimbursed to be able to provide that service so the schools aren’t losing any money …. The commitment here is really about investing in the infrastructure so that it’s self-sustaining and lasts for a while.

Would you mind expanding on the Healthy Mothers/Healthy Babies initiative and why that’s important in the Roadmap?

We know that our maternal health definitely stands out as a need in the state of New Hampshire. What we do is we put a lot of money into prevention and being able to get moms into prenatal care as soon as they’re eligible in their first trimester and then caring throughout … and then obviously post-delivery care. We know that if we put our money and time into prevention, then we’re seeing less on the other end of having to continuously treat. It’s putting the money in and the time in to be able to have that healthy mom and healthy baby and then sustaining as a community member not necessarily having to go in for needs after that. Maternal mortality rates for the state of New Hampshire are pretty high, as they are nationwide, so we’re looking to reduce those maternal mortality rates as well.

Why is it that the maternal mortality rate is so high across the country and in New Hampshire?

I think when we’re looking at equity of care that oftentimes we will see a lot of our diverse populations don’t have the same access to maternal care that some other parts of our population do. It’s really making sure that no matter who you are in the state of New Hampshire that you have access to that care. I think in New Hampshire we’re a small enough state that we can set that as a goal and I think make a dent in it.

Could you expand on the ‘building a system of care for healthy aging’ initiative?

… Basically, taking a lot of the parts of our services that serve seniors and working to update, upgrade, automate and making sure that seniors have access to services. It goes back to a lot of the same things about community-based services about trying to keep folks within communities rather than having to be in institutional care, so that means having a robust system that can get seniors’ needs met before having to go into a nursing facility, say, that they could actually get their care at home or in a community-based setting. We have things like our service link centers, which I think in our report is called the ‘aging and disability resource centers.’ Those are some of the first stops that our folks in the long-term care system will go to to get help. It’s making sure that wherever you are in the state you could go to one of these centers and clearly understand what … resources were available to you or your family members.

In what ways will customer service be improved?

When you think about the Department from customer service, we have a couple of different customers. … Oftentimes you have to fill out a form to see if you’re eligible for a service. We’re committed to making sure that there’s efficiency and expediency in those processes … The Department is so large, you could come in, Zach, and you might think you need one service from here but all of a sudden you find out you need a couple of other services from the Department. …You shouldn’t have to go knock on 10 doors to figure out how are you going to be able to get these services. You should knock on one door and then be able to have a care plan developed for you. So there’s that side of it. Our customers are also our providers, so we get a lot of federal money and [with] the money that we have we do contracts with providers, then those providers will go out and provide a service. Let’s just say, like a residential care home for the developmentally disabled, we would give money to a provider to stand up that service. That provider is also our customer, so we want to make it easier for them to do business with us, right. We want to be a better business partner. … We also want to be able to have a financial payment model that works for providers so that they’re able to be paid in a timely and sustainable way.

Is there an aspect of the Roadmap you’d like to expand on that you haven’t been asked about or something particular in the Roadmap you think is exciting to talk about?

The one thing you didn’t ask me about, really, was the commitment one, which is People and Culture. That’s our focus internally. … If we’re taking care of our staff and our workforce, it’s going to show up in the work … we’re going to have better customer service skills from our staff if we’re able to create an environment in the Department where people want to be, can grow and learn …. The Roadmap, really, is about the Department being able to say to all of those stakeholders that I just mentioned, who we are and what we do. —Zachary Lewis

Featured image: Lori Weaver. Courtesy photo.

News & Notes 24/07/11

Firefighter cancer screening

According to a press release, Gov. Chris Sununu signed SB 352 into law at the Manchester Central Fire Station establishing an early detection cancer screening pilot program for active and retired firefighters.

In a statement, Gov. Sununu said that “the dangers of being a fire fighter go beyond running into a burning building, and today, New Hampshire is taking a leading role in having the backs of these heroes. This cancer screening program will have a lifesaving impact. New Hampshire’s fire fighters are the best of the best.”

This bill makes New Hampshire the first state in New England to establish an early detection cancer screening pilot program for firefighters.

Vote in honor of vets

According to a press release, Secretary of State David M. Scanlan and Senior Deputy Secretary of State Patricia Lovejoy introduced the “Vote in Honor of a Veteran” program, which gives New Hampshire voters the opportunity to recognize veterans and service members in their lives.

New Hampshire voters can visit.sos.nh.gov/vote-honor-veteran to submit the name of the veteran or service member they are voting in honor of and are given a chance to write a short testimonial on what their service means. The Secretary of State’s Office will send them a “Vote in Honor of a Veteran” pin to wear at the polls on Election Day, according to the press release.

In a statement, Secretary of State David Scanlan said, “New Hampshire enjoys free and transparent elections thanks, in large part, to the sacrifices of our veterans and service members. We’re pleased to officially vote in their honor and encourage New Hampshire voters to do the same.”

In a statement, Senior Deputy Secretary of State Patricia Lovejoy said that “the ‘Vote in Honor of a Veteran’ program provides New Hampshire citizens with a visible tribute to those who so proudly serve and have served this country in the United States Military Service. This program recognizes their efforts to keep our democracy strong and to ensure that we may continue to cast a ballot each election day. Through this initiative, New Hampshire voters can demonstrate the pride they feel for an individual, and, at the same time, encourage others to vote on Election Day.”

Navy Veteran Jacob Aldridge, who worked on the USS New Hampshire and as an engineering tech at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, designed the “Vote in Honor of a Veteran” pin, and was also a recipient of five Navy & Marine Corps Achievement Medals and is currently pursuing a degree in fine arts at Great Bay Community College, according to the the release.

Wild, wild turkeys

According to a press release, the New Hampshire 2024 spring turkey harvest was lower than in recent seasons due mainly to decreased reproductive success and poult survival in 2023. Hunters harvested 4,563 turkeys this spring, which is a decrease of 18 percent from 2023’s tally (5,580) and 17 percent below the previous five-year average (5,503), but the 2024 harvest level was similar to 2017 and 2018.

Reproductive rates for wild turkeys are high during years with warm, dry spring and summer weather, but the opposite occurs when cool, wet weather persists for an extended period of time, according to the release.

Above-average rainfall during the spring and summer of 2023 resulted in lower nesting success and fewer turkeys maturing into the fall population last year, so a reduced harvest is conceivable, according to the release.

The 2024 harvest consisted of 12 (less than 1 percent) bearded hens, 661 jakes (14 percent), and 3,890 toms (85 percent), with the lack of juvenile males reflecting the poor weather conditions of 2023 and the overall decrease in harvest in 2024 presumably relating to the decrease in juvenile turkeys on the landscape, according to the release.

At the individual Wildlife Management Unit (WMU) level, turkey densities remained either above or consistent with objectives specified in the New Hampshire Game Management Plan in nearly all WMUs, according to the release.

Young hunters registered 423 birds during the special youth weekend that took place at the end of April and represented 9.3 percent of the total spring harvest, similar to the number of birds harvested by young hunters over the past two years, according to the release.

Of the 3,742 successful hunters this spring, 2,921 registered one bird and 821 registered two birds. Of the 821 hunters who registered two birds, 751 were adults and 70 were young people under the age of 16. The proportion of hunters who harvest two birds during the spring has remained consistent at 22 to 24 percent of hunters each year, according to the release.There was an increase again this year in online registrations with 3,150 (69 percent) of birds being registered online versus 1,413 (31 percent) that were registered in person, with participation in the online registration system growing each year, according to the release.

The summer 2024 Online Brood Survey is now underway, where Granite Staters can help monitor the wild turkey population and this year’s breeding productivity by reporting sightings of hen turkeys and their poults online at wildnh.com.

Wild turkey management in New Hampshire is funded in part through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Wildlife Restoration Program. Visit nhfishgame.com.

It’s New Hampshire Telephone Museum Benefit Night at Reed’s North Restaurant in Warner (2 E. Main St.) on Wednesday, July 17, in support of NHTM’s upcoming Honor Bear Project installation, taking place July 20 at the NHTM. The Honor Bear Project is a nonprofit charity organization that publicly coordinates the Flags for Forgotten Heroes program around New England to bring public awareness to the issue of veteran and first responder suicide, according to their website. Visit nhtelephonemuseum.org.

The Nashua Historical Society at the Speare Museum Library (5 Abbott St., Nashua) will host a free screening of At Home and Abroad: Nashua and World War II, a locally produced and professionally developed oral history project that features Nashua’s WWII veterans, homefront civilians and Holocaust survivors, on Saturday, July 13, at 1 p.m. The film lasts approximately one hour; doors open at 12:30 p.m. Visit nashuahistoricalsociety.org.

The Andres Institute of Art in Brookline (106 Route 13) presents a show of more than 350 oil portraits rendered by Anne Marie Zanfagna that were selected portraits from “Angels of Addictions,” with a special reception with the artist on Sunday, July 14, starting at 2 p.m. Visit andresinstitute.org.

Kiddie Pool 24/07/04

Family fun for whenever

Outside

• Prescott Farm Environmental Education Center (928 White Oaks Road, Laconia, prescottfarm.org) will host an all-ages workshop, “Tractor Tour: Life in the Fields,” on Saturday, July 6, at 10 a.m., where participants can watch for hawks and songbirds soaring overhead and learn how animals such as deer, bears, songbirds and turkeys depend on open fields for food and shelter, according to their website. Free for members, $15 for nonmembers.

• Prescott Farm will also hold four different Summer Polliwog programs for kids on different Wednesdays in July at 10 a.m. The first is Mudtastic and involves a mud run on July 10 for $12 per adult-and-child pair; the next is Glorious Bugs, where participants will make homes for bugs, on July 17; the third is Water Up! Water Down! Water all Around! where participants will learn about the water cycle, on July 24, and the last one, on July 31, is Acorn Was a Little Wild, which involves a puppet named Stasher and a hunt for deciduous trees. These last three are $15 for an adult and child pair.

• Pumpkin Blossom Farm (393 Pumpkin Hill Road, Warner) hosts Lavender U-Pick in its lavender fields on various dates between Friday, July 5, and Sunday, July 25, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Everyone is invited to wander the fields and cut and harvest bundles of lavender. Attendees are welcome to relax and have a picnic on the lawn, walk the shaded trail and visit the baby chicks. Lavender plants, products and treats will also be for sale. Discount bundles are $18 during the weekdays and $20 on weekends. Visit pumpkinblossomfarm.com.

On stage

• The Impact Touring Children’s Theatre presents Return to Oz on Tuesday, July 9, at 10 a.m. at the BNH Stage (16 S Main St., Concord, 225-1111, ccanh.com): Dorothy returns to the magic land in hopes of finding her friends once again, but somehow the Emerald City has lost its sparkle and a new witch is in town, ready to rumble. This is a free performance. Seating for this show is mostly on the open floor. Patrons are encouraged to bring blankets to sit on.

• Join Alice as she tries to make sense of her crazy adventure when The Palace Youth Theatre Summer Camp presents Alice in Wonderland, Jr., Friday, July 5, at 7 p.m. and Saturday, July 6, at 11 a.m. at the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester, 668-5588, palacetheatre.org). The student actors are in grades 2 through 12. Tickets start at $12.

• Camp Encore! presents Shrek, The Musical, Jr. on Saturday, July 6, at 11 a.m. in Prescott Park (105 Marcy St., Portsmouth), as part of the Prescott Park Arts Festival (prescottpark.org). At Camp Encore!, performers, artists and aspiring technicians ages 7 to 17 come together to gain teamwork skills and experience theater arts; Shrek, The Musical Jr. is the culmination of this session. Tickets start at $5 and reservations can be made at portsmouthnhtickets.com.

• The 2024 Bank of New Hampshire Children’s Summer Series has begun at the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester; palacetheatre.org) and the shows run Tuesday through Thursday at 10 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. and Friday at 10 a.m. This week the show schedule includes Madagascar Jr. from Tuesday, July 9, to Friday, July 12, according to their website.

Sports!

• The New Hampshire Fisher Cats will face off against the Portland Sea Dogs at Northeast Delta Dental Stadium (1 Line Drive, Manchester) at games Thursday, July 4; Friday, July 5, and Saturday, July 6, all at 6:35 p.m. Catch fireworks after each of the games. Visit milb.com/new-hampshire.

• The Major League Soccer team the New England Revolution II will take to the pitch this Saturday, July 6, at7 p.m. at Mark A. Ouellette Stadium (Victory Lane in Hooksett) against Philadelphia Union. Tickets start at $12. Visit revolutionsoccer.net/revolutionii.

• The Nashua Silver Knights, members of the Futures Collegiate Baseball League, will kick off a day of celebrations at Holman Stadium (67 Amherst St., Nashua) on Thursday, July 4, at 11 a.m. when they play the Westfield Starfires. If you have other Independence Day plans, you can still catch them this weekend on Saturday, July 6, at 6 p.m. when they face the Worcester Bravehearts. Visit nashuasilverknights.com.

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