Author: The Hippo Press

News & Notes 24/03/28

Crime stats

Calling 2023 “a year of great progress for this agency,” the Manchester Police Department reported that “we have continued a trend of crime reduction” according to the message from police chief Allen Aldenberg in the department’s 2023 Annual Report, which is available on the police department’s website (manchesternh.gov/Departments/Police). According to the report, “the violent crime rate for 2023 decreased by 8 percent compared to 2022 and was down 32 percent compared to the 10-year average,” with 482 violent offenses reported in 2023.

The report did list 8 murders in 2023 (compared to 5 in 2022), 51 reported rapes (compared to 38 reported rapes in 2022) and 99 robberies (compared to 87 in 2022), with aggravated assault being the number that decreased in the violent crime category — 294 in 2023 to 355 in 2022.

There were 2,309 property offenses, which is a 21 percent decrease from 2022 and a 27 percent decrease compared to the 10-year average, the report said. “Overall, Manchester’s total crime rate decreased by 19% compared to 2022 and decreased 36% compared to the 10-year average,” according to the report.

Militello nominated for Poet Laureate

According to a Press Release from March 22, New Hampshire’s Executive Council has confirmed Gov. Chris Sununu’s nomination of Jennifer Militello of Goffstown as the next New Hampshire Poet Laureate. Militello will serve a five-year term beginning in April as an ambassador for all poets in the Granite State and will work to heighten the visibility and value of poetry in the state, according to the same release.

The New Hampshire Poet Laureate position includes an honorarium of $1,000 for each year of the five-year term to help the next Poet Laureate achieve their stated mission with contributions from the Walter Butts’ New Hampshire Poet Laureate Fund and coordinated through the Poetry Society of New Hampshire, which also contributes to the honorarium, according to the same release.

Militello is an acclaimed poet, author and teacher and has supported poetry in New Hampshire throughout her life, including as a founding director of the New Hampshire Poetry Festival and Director of the MFA Program in Creative Writing at New England College, according to the press release. She has written five books of poetry and won the Dzanc Nonfiction Prize, with her third book of poetry, Body Thesaurus (Tupelo Press, 2013), named one of the top books of 2013 by Best American Poetry, according to the release..

In a statement, Militello said, “New Hampshire boasts one of the richest poetry traditions in the nation, and it will be my deepest honor to celebrate and nurture that statewide love of poetry as New Hampshire’s next Poet Laureate.”

Melanie Chicoine, President of the Poetry Society of New Hampshire, said in a statement, “Jennifer’s passion for poetry is evident in all she has accomplished in both writing and teaching. … We are excited for the opportunities we know Jennifer will bring to the poetry community across New Hampshire and in the surrounding communities.” The New Hampshire Poet Laureate is an honorary five-year position and was established by the state legislature in 1967. Visit the NH Poet Laureate page at psnh.org and see nh.gov/nharts/artsandartists/poetlaureate.html.

New Arts Council logo wanted

The New Hampshire State Council on the Arts will celebrate its 60th anniversary in 2025 and is seeking an artist to design and create a new logo to appear on the Council’s print and electronic materials starting in 2025, according to a press release. The logo development will be a collaborative process with Arts Council staff as they review proposals and select artists to interview, and selected artists are expected to work cooperatively with the Council staff to make necessary adjustments to the proposals.

This opportunity is open to professional artists over 18 years old, and the New Hampshire State Council on the Arts will honor the copyright and intellectual property rights of artists submitting proposals, according to the press release. A total budget of $2,500 has been allocated to commission this project, including artist-design fees, any associated travel costs, and insurance. The deadline for submission is April 5. For details and the full request for proposal, see www.nh.gov/nharts/aboutus/newnhscalogo.htm.

Poetry Out Loud

The New Hampshire State Council on the Arts announced in a March 18 press release that Morgan Cole from Portsmouth High School is the winner of the 2024 New Hampshire Poetry Out Loud High School Championship, and George Fortin from Holderness School was selected as alternate champion.

Cole will represent New Hampshire at the national finals, which are scheduled to take place in Washington, D.C., April 30 through May 2. Visit nh.gov/nharts.

The 10th annual “Easing Heartbreak Hill 5K: Don’t Forget Your Wings” will take place on Saturday, March 30, from 10 a.m. to noon in Concord (2 Delta Dental Drive). The event website said that this race is featured as part of one runner’s fundraising efforts for Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the official charity of the 2024 Boston Marathon (Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge) with all race proceeds going toward Beth’s goal of $13,100 for cancer research at Dana-Farber. Registration is $25. Visit www.eventbrite.com/e/easing-heartbreak-hill-5k-dont-forget-your-wings-tickets-787223776507

Saint Anselm College’s women’s softball team will play two home games on Saturday, March 30, at noon and 2 p.m. against the Assumption Greyhounds at the South Athletic Fields at Saint Anselm College in Manchester (100 Saint Anselm Dr.). Games are free. Visit saintanselmhawks.com.

Tickets are on sale now to see authors Joe Hill and Michael Koryta in conversation on Monday, April 1, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Nashua Public Library (2 Court St. in Nashua). Tickets are $10, or $39 for admission and a book, plus fees, via nashualibrary.org; admission ticket sales end March 31 and ticket-plus-book sales end March 29.

SouperFest season

Concord event raises funds to fight homelessness

By Jill Lessard
[email protected]

Savor a cup of soup while contributing to a worthy cause at the 15th annual SouperFest on Saturday, March 23, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the City Wide Community Center, 14 Canterbury Road, in Concord. The event features a variety of soups prepared by area restaurants, and all proceeds from the fundraiser will benefit the Concord Coalition to End Homelessness (CCEH).

Participating eateries include Alexandra’s Bistro (broccoli cheddar), The Barley House (pumpkin apple bisque), Concord Co-Op (TBD), Flanagan’s South Ender (turkey pot pie), Karner Blue Cafe (chicken noodle), Maddy’s Food Hub (peanut soup), The Post Downtown (roasted garlic and Parmesan tomato bisque), Red Blazer Restaurant & Pub (turkey pot pie), Revival Kitchen & Bar (lemon chicken rice), The Works Bakery & Cafe (lentil) and more.

CCEH’s mission, as stated on its website, is to eliminate chronic homelessness; support and quickly re-house people who have recently become homeless; and build a system that effectively responds to the diverse needs of people experiencing homelessness. The organization’s SouperFest (originally called Soup Fest) started in 2009 as a modest church-based fundraiser and has grown into a major community event that raises tens of thousands of dollars.

“CCEH hopes to raise $75,000 from SouperFest, and to generate public awareness and support for CCEH’s work and ultimately end homelessness in our community,” said Kate Gallagher, CCEH’s Director of Development & Communications, in an email. “We anticipate roughly 200 people to attend, and we hope that families at the Community Center for their regularly scheduled Saturday activities will join us, as well as neighbors of the Community Center. This year we’re focusing on the soup and the community atmosphere. We’re also using SouperFest as the kickoff to our 15th birthday celebrations, so we’ll have a celebratory atmosphere happening as well!”

It takes a village for events like SouperFest to be produced, and Gallagher is grateful for the contributions of myriad community members.

“We have a wonderful group of business and organizational sponsors…. We also rely on the 12 area restaurants who donate the soup for the event,” she said. She also noted the volunteers who make it all work on the day of the event.

When asked about the current situation in the Concord region, Gallagher said, “CCEH has worked hard over the past few years … through our street outreach efforts and our ‘by-name list.’ Not only do we feel very confident in the numbers, we know the names of the individuals within that count.” She reported that as of the end of December 2023 there were 499 individuals experiencing homelessness in Merrimack County, 313 of whom had been without permanent housing for over a year, and each month on average 22 people become homeless and 12 people become housed.

The housing market has been rough, Gallagher noted.

“We are in a historic housing crisis, with rental vacancy rates in New Hampshire at less than one percent,” she said. “And while finding and securing housing for individuals remains difficult — for anyone, never mind someone who has no or poor credit, has an eviction on their record, has history with the justice system, or is holding a rental assistance voucher — CCEH helped 90 people secure permanent housing since January 2021.”

SouperFest
When: Saturday, March 23, 11:30am to 1:30pm
Where: Concord Community Center, 14 Canterbury Road, Concord
Cost: $5 for one 8-ounce cup of soup; $20 for a bundle of five cups. First come, first served.

For more information or to make a donation, visit concordhomeless.org

Featured Photo: Past SouperFest. Courtesy photo.

The Weekly Dish 24/03/21

News from the local food scene

• Truffle class: On Thursday, March 21, from 5:15 to 7 p.m., Dancing Lion Chocolate (917 Elm St. in Manchester; dancinglion.us, 625-4043) will hold a class called Down and Dirty Truffles. Participants will make chocolate ganache for truffles, temper chocolate for enrobing, scoop and decorate finished truffles. The class costs $125 per person; register on Dancing Lion’s website.

• Trivia at the tavern: The Barley House Restaurant & Tavern (132 N. Main St. in Concord- thebarleyhouse.com, 228-6363) will host Geeks Who Drink, a two-hour trivia competition, on Thursday, March 21, from 7 to 9 p.m. There will be seven rounds of audio, visual, and live-hosted trivia. Teams are limited to six people.

• Win candy: Chunky’s (707 Huse Road in Manchester; chunkys.com) will hold a family-friendly theater candy bingo night on Friday, April 5, at 6:30 p.m. Reserve a seat for $10 each, which also gets you a food voucher for that night and a box of theater candy to go in the pot.

• Learn how to pair wine with cheese: On Wednesday, March 27, at 6 p.m., LaBelle Winery (345 Route 101 in Amherst; labellewinery.com, 672-9898) will host a Wine and Cheese Pairing class. Sommelier Marie King will lead participants through a tasting of five LaBelle wines, each paired with a cheese. She will discuss why certain wines taste better with some cheeses and not with others. Participants will leave the class with a beginning knowledge of how to make pairings of their own. Registration costs $40.

• Pair wine with cookies: Wine On Main (9 N. Main St. in Concord; wineonmainnh.com, 897-5828) will hold a spring cookie decorating session with Kate Pop from Confections by Kate on Wednesday, April 3, at 6 p.m. Learn techniques for piping icing and more and taste wine while you work, according to the website, where you can purchase tickets for $65.

On The Job – Cathy Hilscher

Owner of Cats Kingdom

Cathy Hilscher is the owner of Cats Kingdom (679 Mast Road in Manchester, catskingdomonline.com).

Explain your job and what it entails.

I am the owner of Cat’s Kingdom. I am all about the food and holistic care. I am passionate about what I bring into the store and what I sell to people. I help people on an individual basis when they have problems with their cats because a big portion of it has to do with the foods that they eat.

How long have you had this job?

Nine years.

What led you to this career field and your current job?

Pierre, one of my cats, got sick from kidney disease and I realized there wasn’t a lot of education out there for cats and supportive food measures, and here I am nine years later.

What kind of education or training did you need?

I come from a background of retail. I’ve owned a few small businesses and I kind of put them together and collectively came up with this.

What is your typical at-work uniform or attire?

You’re looking at it. Tie-dyed, sweatshirt, casual.

What is the most challenging thing about your work, and how do you deal with it?

Money coming in and money coming out and keeping things going is challenging. That’s the biggest thing. And getting noticed. Whatever you say out there, get me out there. Getting noticed and getting recognized online.

What do you wish other people knew about your job?

How much goes into keeping a store in a state in a small environment with everything that is going on in the world. Keeping it afloat and getting the support locally to keep things afloat.

What was your first job?

A diet aide at a nursing home in New York, which is where I come from.

What is the best piece of work-related advice you’ve ever received?

Don’t take things so personally.

—Zachary Lewis

Five favorites
Favorite book: I don’t do a whole lot of reading. I don’t really have one.
Favorite movie: I am a sappy person, so anything Lifetime.
Favorite music: ’70’s genre all the way.
Favorite food: Probably Italian
Favorite thing about NH: It is very similar where I come from, a small town in central New York, outside of Albany. Small, quaint – I am not a big-bustling-type person, so it’s perfect. Love the seasons. Everything.

Featured photo: Cathy Hilscher. Courtesy Photo.

Kiddie Pool 24/03/21

Family fun for whenever

Playing inside

• The Addams Family is presented by Pinkerton Players at Stockbridge Theatre (5 Pinkerton St. in Derry; stockbridgetheatre.showare.com) on Friday, March 22, and Saturday, March 23, at 7 p.m. and Sunday, March 24, at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $15. This School Edition version of The Addams Family offers a comical feast that embraces the wackiness in every family and features an original story where Wednesday Addams, a princess of darkness, has grown up and fallen in love with a sweet, smart young man from a respectable family, according to their website. Now, the whole family must host a dinner for Wednesday’s “normal” boyfriend and his parents. Oh, the horror!

• The Rainbow Fish is presented by Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia at Stockbridge Theatre (5 Pinkerton St. in Derry; stockbridgetheatre.showare.com) on Tuesday, March 26, at 10 a.m. The play introduces the most beautiful fish in the sea, whose scales shimmer in all the colors of the rainbow, according to their website, and finds the courage to explore the deep unknown sea full of wonderful sights and friendly creatures, in a visually striking production that makes the pages of the storybooks come to life. Tickets cost $12.

Playing outside

• Granite State Kids Community Tennis Association is starting its 24th season of tennis at the Legacy Park Tennis Courts (230 New Boston Road in Bedford). The GSK is part of the United States Tennis Association and has provided junior tennis instruction and competitive junior team tennis for 23 years, according to their website. All levels of ability can participate, and they use modified equipment for beginner and younger players to allow kids to play quickly. Their Spring 2024 Tennis Programs has slots for children age 10 and younger and for kids age 11 and older on Mondays and Wednesdays. The Monday cohort runs from Monday, May 13, to Monday, June 17, and that includes Memorial Day. The Wednesday cohort runs from Wednesday, May 15, to Wednesday, June 17. Register soon if you are interested; the Monday section for children age 10 and under is already full. Cost is $125 per child. Visit granitestatekids.com.

Playing in outer space

• The McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center (2 institute Drive in Concord), open Wednesdays through Sundays from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., has a planetarium show that is perfect for astronauts in training. 3-2-1 Liftoff! is an animated film about a gifted hamster scientist named Elon, who after finding a robot that’s crash-landed in his dump yard garden must use his courage and wits to get the robot back to a rocket leaving for Mars in three days, according to their website. Will he succeed? Head to the Discovery Center to find out. Plan to arrive at least 15 minutes before the start of this or any planetarium show. Seating occurs 10 minutes before each show, at which time tickets will no longer be available. 3-2-1 Liftoff! is recommended for ages 4 and older. Tickets are $7 in addition to admission but free for members and children under 2. Visit starhop.com or call 271-7827.

Egg-citing

Where to find egg hunts and Easter Bunny visits

By Zachary Lewis
[email protected]

If Santa spans the globe by reindeer-powered sleigh, and the Tooth Fairy has her wings, then how exactly does the Easter Bunny travel? By airplane, of course. On Saturday, March 23, at 9 a.m., the Aviation Museum of New Hampshire in Londonderry (27 Navigator Road) welcomes the Easter Bunny into the Granite State as he lands a two-seat light sport aircraft, an RV-12iS, constructed by students from the Manchester School of Technology.

“We’re thrilled the Easter Bunny has chosen to arrive in an airplane built by students right here in New Hampshire,” said Jeff Rapsis, the museum’s executive director. “It’s a great honor to have such an important celebrity make use of this aircraft [and] not just have him hop around but arrive in spectacular fashion.”

The Manchester Airport Fire Department will create a grand water arch to greet the plane. In the event of inclement weather, the Easter Bunny will meet families and friends inside the museum’s workshop.

During the visit, the Easter Bunny will take photos with visitors and hand out candy. The Granite State Candy Shoppe has “donated lots of chocolate,” Rapsis said. The Common Man Roadside will provide free apple cider, coffee and other treats.

From 9 to 11 a.m., museum entry will be free with activities where kids can design hot air balloons and create pilot licenses, and there will be areas for coloring and Legos. The museum ask thats families arrive no later than 8:30 a.m. to be able to park and safely make it to the landing on time.

Around 11 a.m. the Easter Bunny will ride off in a Manchester Airport Fire Department fire truck.

After 11 a.m., regular admission applies to the Aviation Museum: $10 for ages 13 and up; $5 for ages 6 to 12 and ages 65 and up, and veterans/active military; kids 5 and under are free. Visit aviationmuseumofnh.org

Here are some more Easter-related area events:

• An Egg-Citing Egg Hunt will be hosted at Charmingfare Farm in Candia (774 High St.) on Saturday, March 23, and Sunday, March 24, as well as Saturday, March 30, and Easter Sunday, March 31, with various times between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Children age 2 to 12 will have the chance to hunt for a dozen eggs, each filled with fun surprises and perfect for taking home after a day of fun. See visitthefarm.com.

• Another Egg-citing Egg Hunt will be hosted at Joppa Hill Farm in Bedford (174 Joppa Hill Road) on Saturday, March 23, at two ticketed time slots, 10 a.m. and noon. Visitors may gather 15 eggs containing nut-free candy and toys. According to the website, participants have a chance to find a golden egg that grants a special prize as well as getting to meet and take a picture with the Easter Bunny. Tickets are $20 for ages 1 through 12. There is no fee for adults. See theeducationalfarm.org.

• The Governor’s Easter Egg Hunt will take place on the Statehouse Lawn in Concord on Saturday, March 23. Mr. Aaron performs live from 10 to 11 a.m. There will also be face painting, balloons, prizes, refreshments, the Easter Bunny and his friends, and lots of fun, according to a press release. The Egg hunt begins exactly at 10 a.m. The governor asks that you please bring your own basket.

• The Well Church’s annual free Easter egg hunt will be held at Greeley Park in Nashua (near the bandstand, 100 Concord St.) on Saturday, March 23, from 10 a.m. to noon. Their website welcomes participants to see the Easter Bunny, hunt some eggs, and enjoy face painting, among other festivities. The Well Church asks that participants bring their own baskets, only reserve tickets for children, and notes that certain times are only for younger kids only. Visit thewellnh.org/egghunt.

• The 32nd annual Easter egg hunt for Merrimack residents at Wasserman Park in Merrimack (116 Naticook Road) is happening on Saturday, March 23. Their events page mentioned a total of 6,500 Easter eggs ready to hand out between five different egg hunt groups. Times are: special needs at 10:10 a.m.; ages 1 to 3 at 10:30 a.m., ages 4 and 5 at 10:50 a.m. ages 6 and 7 at 11:10 a.m., and ages 8 to 10 at 11:30 a.m. They ask that children bring their own baskets. The Easter Bunny will be available for photos at the basketball court from 10 to 11:30 a.m. This free event is open to Merrimack residents only. Visit merrimackparksandrec.org/easter-egg-hunt.

• The Salem Community Easter Egg Hunt hosted by Rockingham Christian Church will take place at Hedgehog Pond in Salem on Saturday, March 23, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Bags will be provided for the two egg hunts. The first is at noon for kids 5 and under and the second at 12:30 p.m. for kids 6 to 11. The Rockingham Christian Church mentioned on their event page that the event will be a day of egg hunting and activities for the family like face painting, crafts, raffles, pictures with the Easter Bunny, and a visit from the Salem Fire Department. They ask participants to register for the event to give them a head count. Parking is located next door at the Bus Company or across the street at the Ice Center. Visit rccsalem.com/events or email [email protected].

• The Saint Anselm College Alumni Association invites Granite Staters to its 28th Annual Easter Egg Hunt at Saint Anselm College (100 Saint Anselm Drive in Manchester) on Palm Sunday, March 24, at 12:30 p.m. Registration opens at 11 a.m. and the Easter egg hunt commences exactly at 12:30 p.m. Admission is $25 per family, which includes a $5 donation to the Saint Anselm Fund. The website mentions that there will be snacks, coffee, a petting zoo, crafts for kids, and pictures with the Easter Bunny. Visit alumni.anselm.edu/annual-easter-egg-hunt.

• The Easter Bunny Party is back at Carriage Shack Farm in Londonderry (5 Dan Hill Road) on Saturday, March 30, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Visitors can spend time with the Easter Bunny and friendly farm animals. There is an Easter Bunny trail where kids can collect Easter egg treasures. There will be opportunities for Easter egg decorating, dancing and bubbles, and the Olde Schacht’s Mining area will be open for additional fun, according to the website. The animals at Carriage Shack Farm include a Tibetan yak, bearded dragons, baby doll sheep and a 100-pound Sulcata Tortoise named Homer. Tickets are $12.95 for ages 16 and over, $11.95 for seniors and military, $10.95 for ages 15 and under. Children 1 and under are free. Adults must be accompanied by another adult or child. No pets of any kind are allowed, for the safety of the farm’s animals. Tickets can be purchased at the gate. Visit carriageshackfarmllc.org.

• Hudson’s Best Easter Egg Hunt will be Saturday, March 30, at Inner Dragon Martial Arts (77 Derry Road in Hudson) with times at 10 a.m., 11 a.m. and noon featuring more than 5,000 eggs, pictures with the Easter Bunny and more. Reserve a spot at funnels.hudsonmartialart.com/egghunt-2024.

Featured Photo: The Easter Bunny NH Aviation Museum of New Hampshire. Courtesy photo.

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