Author: The Hippo Press

Senate race update

Former Governor Chris Sununu told WMUR that he will not run for the U.S. Senate seat in 2026. The race will have no incumbent for the seat as Sen. Jeanne Shaheen has said she will not run for reelection. U.S. Rep. Chris Pappas, a Democrat, announced his campaign for the seat in early April. Sununu, a Republican, said the commitment to serve in the Senate was “not right for my family at this time,” according to a report by Adam Sexton on WMUR on April 8. See wmur.com.

Family meal

The Mast Road Community Market is offering a nonperishable meal kit for Pinardville families who need a meal as part of their “Meal Kit Program,” according to mrcm-nh.com/meal-kit-program. Upcoming distribution days are Thursdays, April 17, April 24 and May 1, from 5 to 6 p.m. at Jacques Flower Shop, 712 Mast Road in Manchester. No preregistration is required, participants are asked to fill out a registration form at the site, according to the website, where you can find more information about receiving or donating to a meal kit.

Center center

The Center for the Arts, a New London-based organization with arts programming in for the Lake Sunapee Region, celebrated the grand opening of its Gallery & Studio and Creative Classroom at 428 Main St. in New London, according to a press release. The Center for the Arts officially opened its new center on April 10 and the gallery currently exhibits art from more than 30 local artists on the theme of spring, the release said. See centerfortheartsnh.org.

Cats prez leaves

Rick Brenner, the New Hampshire Fisher Cats president, is leaving the organization to focus on teaching at Plymouth State University, according to a Fisher Cats press release. His final day with the Fisher Cats will be May 1, the release said. Brenner “is the Assistant Professor of Practice, as well as the Director of the Sales Institute, in the School of Business at Plymouth State University in Plymouth, New Hampshire. He began in his roles at Plymouth State in August 2024,” the release said.

TB testing

The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services and the Manchester Health Department held additional testing clinics for people who might have been exposed to a person with tuberculosis who visited the Families in Transition Adult Shelter and 1269 Cafe in Manchester in January, according to a press release. People without a primary care provider can call 211 for information on testing and treatment, the release said. Call 271-4496 or go to the DHHS TB webpage, at dhhs.nh.gov/programs-services/disease-prevention/infectious-disease-control/tuberculosis-tb, for more information.

Concord’s Giant Indoor Yard Sale is slated for Saturday, April 19, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Everett Arena (15 Loudon Road in Concord). Admission is $5 per adult. Find the event’s page on Facebook.

The University of New Hampshire Durham will hold the Nossrat Yassini Poetry Festival on Saturday, April 19, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. The free festival features readings, workshops, a small press fair, performances, a celebration of the Nossrat Yassini Poetry Prize and the Granite State Poetry prize and more. See unhpoetry.com.

Milford Drive-In (531 Elm St., Milford, milforddrivein.com) is slated to open for the season this weekend, with shows Friday, April 18, and Saturday, April 19. The scheduled double-feature screenings are A Minecraft Movie and Paddington in Peru on Screen 1 and Sinners and One of Them Days on Screen 2.

Poet Liane St. Laurent will read her poems followed by an open mic on Saturday, April 19, at 2 p.m. at Balin Books, 375 Amherst St. in Nashua, balinbooks.com. St. Laurent did a Touchstone Talk for the Poetry Society of New Hampshire in February; listen to it at psnh.org/touchstone-talk-liane-st-laurent-interview.

New Hampshire Poet Laureate Jennifer Militello will speak at the Monadnock Writers’ Group meeting on Saturday, April 19, at 9:45 a.m. at the Peterborough Town Library, 2 Concord St. in Peterborough. The event is free and open to the public. See modnadnockwriters.org.