Two to Lou raises money for collegiate football and music industry hopefuls
By Katelyn Sahagian
ksahagian@hipppopress.com
Live music for a good cause and to remember a good man; that’s the mission of Two to Lou, an all-day music festival in Sandown on Saturday, July 16.
The festival, which honors Louis “Lou” Festo, who died from liver cancer in 2012, is put on every year, rain or shine, by his fiancée, Karen Jortberg, and his former bandmates. Proceeds from the concert are given as scholarships to students from Newburyport High School and Timberlane Regional High School.
Festo was a professional musician, Jortberg said. He played in many cover and original bands across New Hampshire. The last band he played with, Perciphist, even cut an album. When he was diagnosed with cancer, Jortberg said, he continued playing music — his final show in 2012 was a fundraiser to help pay his medical bills.
“He got up and performed,” Jortberg said. “The place was packed because he knows so many people. He was an influence on so many.”
When the bills were paid, Jortberg said that she still had a lot of money left over from the first fundraiser that she didn’t know what to do with. Festo told her to take the money and go to Hawaii. Jortberg said she told him it wasn’t her money to spend.
“I said what should be done is we should make it into a scholarship for Newburyport High School, where he graduated from,” Jortberg said.
The festival has awarded more than $24,000 in scholarships since its creation in 2014, she added. Jortberg would soon expand the scholarship to Timberlane students after the first few years, saying that New Hampshire was just as much a part of Festo’s home as Newburyport was.
Students applying for the scholarship must either be pursuing a college degree in the music industry or planning on playing college-level football. This year, the two recipients from Timberlane will pursue a music degree and the two from Newburyport High will go on to play collegiate football.
The scholarships are usually given out in $1,000 increments to two graduating seniors from both high schools, but Jortberg admitted to giving smaller scholarship awards to applicants who didn’t fully meet the requirements. She said if they took the time to apply even without meeting all the qualifications, she felt that the students deserved something for their effort.
“Every little bit helps,” she said. “We know we’re doing the right thing. We get thank you notes from these kids; they are so appreciative.”
The show will be headlined by Whammer Jammer, a J. Geils Band tribute band from Massachusetts. All of the artists playing will be from northern Massachusetts or New Hampshire.
Recent scholarship recipient Galen Walton is coming back to Two to Lou to play the drums in his band, Whoever’s Around.
Jortberg said that there will be food trucks and beer and wine for sale. ReMax is going to be having tethered hot air balloon rides, and lawn games like cornhole will be set up.
Jortberg said that the festival is more than just a celebration of Festo’s life now. It’s a celebration of local musicians, new musicians, sports, and everything Festo had held dear. She said that encouraging people to play music professionally is one of the best ways to honor Festo’s life.
“Music is a big part of everyone’s life,” Jortberg said. “You always have to have music in the background. It helps along whatever mood you’re in.”
Two to Lou Music Festival When: Saturday, July 16, noon to 10 p.m., doors open at 11 a.m. Where: Sandlot Sports and Entertainment, 8 Sandlot Way, Sandown Tickets: $20 in advance, $25 at the door; $12 for seniors between 11 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Visit eventbrite.com/e/two-to-lou-music-festival-tickets-261402500917. More info: twotolou.com
Local bands playing: Baby Girl Aden Diamond Edge Quills Souled Out Showband Stumpy Joe Band deep Damaged Goods The Experiment The Moonlighters Hot Pasta Dave Amato Casey Clark Whoever’s Around featuring last year’s scholarship winner, Galen Walton Preciphist, Louis Festo’s last band Whammer Jammer Shot of Poison
Featured photo: Lou Festo’s band, Preciphist. Courtesy of Karen Jortberg.
Explore camping, hiking and puzzle-solving at New Hampshire’s outdoor gems
New Hampshire has 93 state parks offering recreation for outdoor-lovers (or just the outdoor curious) of all interests. And not all the action is up north — there are several parks in and close to the southern part of the state providing you a place to camp, hike and have other adventures out in the fresh air. Looking for something new to do this summer? Here are some ideas to help you get the most out of our state parks.
Camp it up
Get away at a local state park
By Matt Ingersoll
mingersoll@hippopress.com
You don’t need to go far to find a campsite within New Hampshire’s state park system — there are 23 campgrounds statewide with a total of 1,419 campsites, offering a wide variety of opportunities from tents and cabins to some RV sites with water, sewer and electric hookups.
New Hampshire has experienced a steadily large increase in outdoor recreational activity across the board, including camping in state parks and private campgrounds. According to Shawn Hamilton, deputy supervisor of state park operations, the 2021 calendar year saw a record-breaking number of campers — more than 135,000 — within the state park system. Two years earlier, in 2019, a total of 118,000 campers utilized the parks, also a record at the time.
“We have campers who have been coming to the state parks every summer for 50 to 60 years, and that’s not an exaggeration,” Hamilton said. “It’s almost like a badge of honor for them, something that they take pride in. … It’s such a nostalgic experience for people to go back every summer and experience what they have with their parents, and now they share it with their kids.”
Campgrounds within the New Hampshire state park system are operationally self-funded, and there are all kinds of ongoing projects to improve their quality and accessibility. Bear Brook State Park in Allenstown, for instance, has 110 sites with recently renovated cabins, Hamilton said. Five dishwashing stations were also recently installed at Greenfield State Park’s campsites.
A majority of the state park campgrounds offer traditional tent camping or cabins, but there are three — Hampton Beach State Park, Franconia Notch State Park and Ellacoya State Park in Gilford — that have full-service RV parks with hookup sites.
“We just recently upgraded the amperage at Hampton Beach State Park to better accommodate some of the newer RVs that are coming on to the market,” Hamilton said. “We’re planning to do the same at Ellacoya in the near future.”
Other sites, like Pawtuckaway State Park in Nottingham, offer multiple activities to campers.
“You can go to the beach one day, rent some boats and go out on the water … but then at the same time, the next day you can go out on the hiking trails,” Hamilton said, “so I think that type of versatility in terms of what we offer is really what people respond to. … At most of the parks we offer playgrounds as well. We make a concerted effort to add and upgrade the playgrounds so that the kids are fully occupied and having fun for the whole day.”
While July and August are two busiest months of the year for camping in the state parks system, Hamilton said the season runs from April through October. Campsite reservations can be made on the state park’s website up to 11 months in advance of your arrival date.
“Some of the campgrounds offer a couple hundred sites just in and of themselves … so there’s a lot of opportunity within each park as well,” Hamilton said.
Where to camp at some of New Hampshire’s state parks
Here’s a list of southern- and central-area campgrounds and RV parks within New Hampshire’s state parks system. Campsite reservations can be made online 24 hours a day and up to 11 months in advance. Visit nhstateparks.org or call 1-877-nhparks (647-2757) to reserve your spot. Rates cover two adults and up to four children on the site (maximum number of adults per site is four, with a maximum of six people total). A fee of $6.50 applies for all reservations, with $10 per night for each additional adult and $5 per night for each additional child.
Bear Brook State Park 61 Deerfield Road, Allenstown, 485-9869 Cost: Ranges from $25 to $55 per night, depending on the site (no hookups) At more than 10,000 acres, this is the largest developed state park in New Hampshire. Campers have two options within the park — Beaver Pond Campground (600 Lower Road, Deerfield), as well as the cabins at Bear Hill Pond (15 Bear Hill Pond Road, Deerfield), featuring two sizes occupying up to four or six people. The cabins are furnished but do not have electricity. There is also an Adirondack-style lean-to shelter overlooking Smith Pond. Renters have access to two wide wooden bunks, a stone cook place and two outhouses inside.
Ellacoya RV State Park 266 Scenic Road, Gilford, 293-7821 Cost: $47 per rig per night (includes water, electric and sewer hookups) Located on the southwest shore of Lake Winnipesaukee, Ellacoya State Park features an RV campground with 37 available sites by reservation only. Each offers three-way hookups. All of the sites are open daily to reserve now through Columbus Day weekend (no tents or pets are allowed inside the RV park).
Greenfield State Park 52 Campground Road, Greenfield, 547-3497 Cost: $25 per night (no hookups) This 400-acre park features 256 campsites that are available by reservation only, including family group campsites with two Adirondack-style shelters. RVs are welcome in sites where they fit, but no hookups are available. Leashed pets are permitted in the campground but are prohibited in the park’s day-use and beach areas.
Hampton Beach RV State Park 160 Ocean Blvd., Hampton, 926-8990 Cost: $50 per rig per night (includes water, electric and sewer hookups) According to the New Hampshire state parks website, this is the only RV park directly on the coast, at the mouth of the Hampton River. The park is located south of the main part of Hampton Beach on Route 1A, at the Seabrook town line. There are 28 sites that are open for reservations now through Columbus Day weekend. Camping units must be able to hook up all three services (water, electric and sewer) and be self-contained — no pop-ups or tents are allowed.
Monadnock State Park 169 Poole Road, Jaffrey, 532-8862 Cost: $25 per night (no hookups) Gilson Pond Campground became the first new camping area in the New Hampshire state parks system in more than 40 years when it opened in July 2010. Located just down the road from the headquarters area of Monadnock State Park, Gilson Pond Campground has 35 sites that can accommodate tents and pop-ups, as well as five remote hike-to sites. There are several trails leaving the area that lead to the summit of Mount Monadnock.
Mount Sunapee State Park 86 Beach Access Road, Newbury, 763-5561 Cost: Ranges from $23 to $29 per night, depending on the site (no hookups) Mount Sunapee State Park has a campground with 11 sites that offer either lean-tos or tent platforms. The sites are wooded and are for tent camping. One campsite is non-reservable and available for walk-in campers.
Pawtuckaway State Park 7 Pawtuckaway Road, Nottingham, 895-3031 Cost: Ranges from $25 to $30 per night, depending on the site (no hookups); cabin reservations are $65 per night or $360 per week This state park’s campground includes nearly 200 wooded sites, providing many views of Pawtuckaway Lake. Each campsite has an open fire ring, a picnic table, flat areas for a tent, and a parking space. There are no hookups at any of the sites, but the bathhouses are equipped with running water, flush toilets and 24-hour-access coin-operated showers. There’s also a camp store where canoe and kayak rentals are available, as well as a public canoe and kayak launch. Pets are not allowed in the campground or beach area of the park.
Pillsbury State Park 100 Pillsbury State Park Road, Washington, 863-2860 Cost: $23 per night (no hookups) Pillsbury State Park’s campground is open for reservable stays now through Columbus Day weekend. Amenities include handicap-accessible pit toilets, a playground, a kayak and canoe rentals, firewood and a boat launch for non-motorized boats. Eleven of the 41 campsites are remote and accessible by foot or canoe only.
Parks and treks
Hike the day away in a local state park
By Katelyn Sahagian
ksahagian@hippopress.com
New Hampshire is home to a variety of state parks with trails carving through them, showing off the state’s beauty to new and experienced hikers alike.
“Science has proven that a lot of the healthy chemicals in our bodies rise when we are in green space, so just being [in nature] is really important for people,” said Jake King, a co-founder of Thrive Outdoors, a team-building and leadership organization based in Manchester.
State parks are popular places to take a hike, and many are home to everything from beginners’ nature walks to advanced mountain passes. King said that it’s important to differentiate the two.
Pleasant Mountain hike with Gear Up. Photo courtesy of Thrive Outdoors.
It’s important for people who are new to getting into nature and walking to do something on the easier side, like going up to New Hampshire Audubon’s McLane Center in Concord.
“There are nature walks, and they shouldn’t be considered hikes,” King said. “People who are going to start hiking are going into more remote areas and [taking] on more of a challenge.”
Hiking has always been a popular pastime in the Granite State, said Kimball Rexford, the creator of TrailsNH.com. But during the height of the pandemic, he said, it has exploded in popularity.
“Since Covid, like everything, all popular hikes are more than double than what they used to be, maybe even triple,” Rexford said. “It’s starting to come down and people are less nervous being around others, but during Covid, hiking was through the roof.”
Across the board, the most recommended trail on both the Hike NH and Girls Hike NH Facebook groups was Pawtuckaway State Park’s South Loop. Many group members suggested that people take the hike up to the fire tower for a beautiful view.
Rexford suggested a more challenging trail within Pawtuckaway State Park.
“I usually do the North Loop,” he said. “It has a long bony ridge, meaning it’s rocky. It’s a lot of bang for your buck.”
King’s favorite trail, the Cardigan Loop, is for hikers who feel comfortable with the activity, but the trail isn’t extremely challenging by any means.
“It’s got beautiful views and it’s not super remote,” he said. “People walk their dogs and run on the trail. It’s not [as] if you were to go up the [White Mountains] where you won’t see someone for days.”
While Rexford’s website is a good place to find what’s currently popular and trending for hiking, people who are members of hiking Facebook groups, like Hike NH, will help and offer suggestions for their favorite paths.
“Pawtuckaway is unbeatable for what it is,” commented Randall Schanck, a member of Hike NH, in response to the Hippo asking for state park hiking recommendations. “[It is] big enough to explore for a long day and [there is] so much to see if you know where to look. It might as well be Jurassic Park.”
Terra Anna Merry, a member of Girls Hike NH, also said that she enjoys hiking in Pawtuckaway, but added that there were beautiful hikes in Northwood Meadows State Park in Northwood, Odiorne Point State Park in Rye, and Bear Brook State Park in Allenstown.
Rexford said that the Granite State has a seemingly endless number of trails, peaks and loops for avid hikers to explore.
“There’s a lot of everything,” he said. “You could spend a lifetime hiking in New Hampshire and not do it all.”
Where to go hiking in New Hampshire’s state parks
The Hippo reached out to the local Facebook groups Hike NH and Girls Hike NH for suggestions from members on the best trails to hike within New Hampshire’s state parks. Here’s a list of what we received for responses. Visit nhstateparks.org for more details on each trail.
Bear Brook State Park 157 Deerfield Road, Allenstown, 485-9869 Trail: Catamount Loop Difficulty: Strenuous
Cardigan Mountain State Forest 658 Cardigan Mountain Road, Orange, 227-8745 Trail: Mount Cardigan Loop Difficulty: Moderate
Miller State Park 13 Miller Park Road, Peterborough, 924-3672 Trail: Wapack Trail Difficulty: Moderately strenuous
Monadnock State Park 169 Poole Road, Jaffrey, 532-8862 Trail: Wantastiquet-Monadnock trail Difficulty: Moderately strenuous
Northwood Meadows State Park 755 First New Hampshire Turnpike, Northwood Trail: NALMC Trail Difficulty: Moderate
Odiorne Point State Park 570 Ocean Blvd., Rye, 436-7406 Trail: Odiorne Point Trail Difficulty: Easy
Pawtuckaway State Park 7 Pawtuckaway Road, Nottingham, 895-3031 Trail: South Mountain Tower Trail Difficulty: Moderate
Rhododendron State Park 424 Rockwood Pond Road, Fitzwilliam, 532-8862 Trail: Wildflower Trail Difficulty: Easy
Wellington State Park 614 W. Shore Road, Bristol, 744-2197 Trail: Peninsula Nature Trail Difficulty: Easy
Winslow State Park 475 Kearsarge Mountain Road, Wilmot, 526-6168 Trail: Rollins Trail Difficulty: Moderate
Hiking difficulties source: National Park Service, nps.gov
Essential hiking gear Visit hikesafe.com for more details. • Pocket knife • Rain jacket and pants • Fire starter • First aid kit • Whistle • Headlamp or flashlight • Water and food • Warm clothing • Compass • Map
The non-hiker’s guide
State park fun for the hiking-averse
By Hannah Turtle
hturtle@hippopress.com
Maybe hiking isn’t your thing. Maybe you don’t look forward to a trudge among the flora and fauna amid the summer heat. Luckily, this does not exempt you from enjoying the many state parks in southern New Hampshire.
Outside of hiking, there are a plethora of activities available for park-goers, including educational and beautiful historic sites, boating activities and the exciting hunt for geocaches.
Historic sites
For those interested in learning some local history, or for museum-frequenters who want to get outside this summer, here are some great options:
Fort Constitution Historic Site 25 Wentworth Road, New Castle, 271-3556 Located on a peninsula on the northeast corner of New Castle island, the ruins of Fort Constitution provide a great picnic spot for those interested in American history. First used during the War of 1812, the Fort also served as a training site during the Civil War, and was updated in 1897 to be used during the Spanish-American War, as well as World Wars I and II. Returned to the state in 1961, it now sits as a historic landmark with gorgeous views of the water. Source: nhstateparks.org
Fort Stark State Historic Site 211 Wildrose Lane, New Castle, 271-3556 Historically known as Jerry’s Point, Fort Stark sits on the southeastern peninsula of New Castle Island. Built following the Spanish-American War, the fort helps preserve the history of the island as an important military operation used during World War II. Of note is the Ordnance Machine Shop Museum, which displays military artifacts as well as a detailed history of the fort. Source: nhstateparks.org
Robert Frost Farm Historic Site 122 Rockingham Road, Derry, 432-3091 See the farmhouse of the late renowned poet Robert Frost, where he lived with his family from 1900 to 1911. In addition to being the setting for some of Frost’s most acclaimed poems, the site offers a variety of activities for visitors, including poetry readings and a self-guided tour of the property. Source: nhstateparks.org
Wentworth-Coolidge Mansion 375 Little Harbor Road, Portsmouth, 436-2233 Home to New Hampshire’s first royal governor, Benning Wentworth, the Wentworth-Coolidge mansion is a feat of 18th-century architecture. With tours of the sprawling mansion available every day this summer (which include a spy closet), and a gorgeous waterside walking path, the site is a must-see for fans of local history. Additionally, the grounds are covered in purple lilacs, descendents of the first European stock imported by Wentworth. Source: nhstateparks.org
White Island Historic Site Rye, 271-3556 Visit New Hampshire’s only off-shore lighthouse on White Island for a whole day’s worth of historic sights. Originally built in 1820 and rebuilt in 1859, the lighthouse has seen many influential visitors and residents. Acclaimed poet Celia Thaxter was the daughter of the lighthouse’s keeper and wrote many of her works about that period. White Island itself is nestled in the Isles of Shoals, originally known as the Smith Islands (named after Jamestown settler Capt. John Smith). Source: lighthousefriends.com
Geocaching
Originating in 2000 in Oregon, geocaching has had a recent resurgence in popularity amid Covid. By downloading the free “Geocaching” app available for any smartphone, users can hunt for hundreds of hidden treasures called “caches” all over various area parks. The app gives mysterious clues as to the exact location of each cache, and turns any regular hike into an interactive scavenger hunt. It’s perfect for families with curious children, and for anyone who enjoys solving a mystery. When a cache is found, simply sign your name in the log book and leave it for the next person to find.
There are geocache locations hidden in every local state park, and the larger walking trails provide opportunities for finding upwards of 10 caches. For a geocaching challenge that doesn’t require the app download, we’ve hid our own geocache in one of New Hampshire’s state parks — test your mettle and see if you can solve the riddle and find our cache:
Whose cache this is I think I know His box is rather hidden, though He will not see me crossing here Beneath my feet the water flows.
My little phone seems sure it’s near I’ll wait until the coast is clear The gurgle of my much-loved brook Is all that I do long to hear.
I’ll give my weary legs a break For coming here was no mistake The only other sound’s the croak Of that which is my spot’s namesake
These woods are lovely dark and deep But I have promises to keep And caches to find before I sleep And caches to find before I sleep
Canoeing and kayaking
According to nhstateparks.org, canoe and kayak rentals at applicable state parks are $15 per hour, $30 for four hours, $50 for a full day, or $150 for a full week. Oars and life vests are provided. Boaters must have a driver’s license to rent within the state parks system.
Bear Brook State Park 61 Deerfield Road, Allenstown, 485-9874 Admission cost: $4 ($2 for kids ages 6 to 11)
Clough State Park 455 Clough Park Road, Weare, 529-7112 Admission cost: $4 ($2 for kids ages 6 to 11)
Ellacoya State Park 266 Scenic Road, Gilford, 293-7821 Admission cost: $5 ($2 for kids ages 6 to 11); no rentals available but visitors can bring their own boats
Greenfield State Park 52 Campground Road, Greenfield, 547-3497 Admission cost: $4 ($2 for kids ages 6 to 11)
Livermore Falls Recreational Area 86 Livermore Road, Holderness, 238-9284 Admission cost: $5 per car; no rentals available but visitors can bring their own boats
Odiorne Point State Park 570 Ocean Blvd., Rye, 436-7406 Admission cost: $4 ($2 for kids ages 6 to 11); no rentals available but visitors can bring their own boats
Pawtuckaway State Park 7 Pawtuckaway Road, Nottingham, 895-3031 Admission cost: $5 ($2 for kids ages 6 to 11)
Pillsbury State Park 100 Pillsbury State Park Road, Washington, 863-2860 Admission cost: $4 ($2 for kids ages 6 to 11)
Silver Lake State Park 138 Silver Lake Road, Hollis, 465-2342 Admission cost: $4 ($2 for kids ages 6 to 11); kayak rentals available only
Wentworth State Park 297 Governor Wentworth Hwy., Wolfeboro, 569-3699 Admission cost: $4 ($2 for kids ages 6 to 11); no rentals available but visitors can bring their own boats
Featured photo: Camping at Pawtuckaway State Park in Allenstown in Nottingham. Photo courtesy of New Hampshire State Parks.
Information from the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services.
Support for kids
The One Trusted Adult program will be offered throughout New Hampshire through a contracted partnership with the New Hampshire Department of Education approved by Gov. Sununu and the Executive Council. According to a press release from the New Hampshire Department of Education, the program, which works to ensure that children have an accessible, trusted adult to provide support outside of the home, will be implemented at 125 New Hampshire schools over the next two years, serving students in grades 5 through 12. “When a student can name a trusted adult at school, we create our best chance for preventing bullying, mental health issues and substance abuse, all while promoting positive self-worth, engagement in community and availability for learning,” Brooklyn Raney, founder of One Trusted Adult, said in the release. The $794,555 contract will include online, on-demand professional development training for both educators and families.
Continued support
The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services has announced the launch of a new community-oriented program that will provide intensive transitional support for people being discharged from inpatient psychiatric hospitalization at no additional cost. According to a press release, the program, called Critical Time Intervention, is part of the state’s Ten-Year Mental Health Plan and is designed to help reduce the number of psychiatric hospital readmissions. In the nine months following a person’s discharge, CTI coaches will work directly with the person and their community to ensure they have stable and sustainable living arrangements and employment and access to mental health resources and support. “Providing concrete, one-on-one support for people as they transition from hospital to home offers them a sense of stability and independence, and could potentially prevent a readmission to the inpatient setting,” DHHS Commissioner Lori Shibinette said in the release.
Bills signed
Last week, Gov. Chris Sununu signed 14 bills into law, according to a press release from the governor’s office. Bills included HB 1280, a law that prohibits a parent’s decision regarding vaccinating their child to be considered as evidence in any parental rights proceedings; and SB 270, a law under which New Hampshire’s Department of Energy will work with the state’s utility companies to enroll low- to moderate-income families in a community solar energy program, the release said. “Inflation and rising energy prices hit our low-income families hardest, and this bill will help ensure that these New Hampshire families and communities can share in the benefits of clean energy,” Gov. Sununu said in a statement. Families enrolled in the program will receive a credit on their electricity bill. Gov. Sununu also signed HB91, a law that allows the families of first responders who die by suicide to receive line-of-duty death benefits.
Reimbursement for testing
The Federal Emergency Management Agency will award a FEMA Public Assistance grant in the amount of $4,080,860 to the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services to reimburse the state for the cost of providing Covid testing. As part of a contract with Clear ChoiceMD, New Hampshire provided 22,988 Covid tests at four Clear ChoiceMD walk-in urgent care locations in Nashua, Claremont, Manchester and Newington between October and December 2021. To date, FEMA has awarded New Hampshire more than $137 million in Public Assistance grants for pandemic-related expenses.
Testing RELIEF
A research team at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon will receive $6.6 million from the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute to study nonsurgical treatment options for urinary urgency incontinence. According to a press release, the study, called “Reduced-dose onabotulinumtoxinA for urgency Incontinence among Elder Females (RELIEF): A mixed methods randomized controlled trial,” will explore the treatment onabotulinumtoxinA, better known by the brand name Botox, which has shown some potential to be an effective treatment for urinary incontinence, particularly for older women, for whom there are few suitable urinary incontinence treatments available
The Loon Preservation Committee hosts its annual Loon Festival at The Loon Center in Moultonborough (183 Lees Mill Road) on Saturday, July 16. Now in its 43rd year, the festival, which runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., will feature all kinds of loon-related fun, as well as wildlife displays and presentations, food, games, balloons, face painting and a dunk tank. See loon.org/event/annual-loon-festival.
Nearly two dozen items were stolen from the historic house in Franklin where statesman Daniel Webster was born in 1782. According to the Associated Press, the theft of items, most of which were replicas, is believed to have occurred sometime between July 3 and July 8.
The 2022 Loon Census will also take place on Saturday, July 16, from 8 to 9 a.m., inviting people to observe loons at lakes throughout the state to help the Loon Preservation Committee collect data about New Hampshire’s loons. To learn how you can participate in the census, visit loon.org/census.
U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen and Manchester Mayor Joyce Craig met with members of Moms Demand Action in Manchester on July 8 to discuss gun violence prevention efforts in New Hampshire, according to a press release from Sen. Shaheen’s office.
From war to climate change, gun violence to inflation, it can seem that everything is going wrong. A recent conversation with Becky Field, New Hampshire photographer and immigrant advocate, reminded me that there is something each of us can do: We can welcome the stranger. Caring for one another is the first, best step we can take to heal our world.
My parents demonstrated this years ago.
During the Balkan Wars in the early 1990s, Mum and Dad greeted an exhausted Bosnian refugee family at the Manchester airport. They hosted them in their farmhouse for a month while others worked to find them housing, health care and jobs. Tense and chain-smoking, the father finally began to relax while helping Dad “pick rocks” in a field.
Over the years, my mother chatted with the mother in the grocery store or at a local event. Mum delighted in sharing that the children were doing well in school, the mother was in job training, and their citizenship applications were in progress.
Decades later, my father spent his last months in nursing care. One difficult night I stayed by his side as late as I could, agonized at leaving. When the new LNA came in, Dad smiled, weakly but warmly. It was the Bosnian mother. As luck or God would have it, she was there to help in our family’s time of need just as my parents had been in theirs. When I bumped into the older daughter, we talked about our parents’ encounter. She wrote on Facebook, “Saw [one of] the family that first welcomed my family to [New Hampshire]. They housed us and treated us like family. Years later my sister and mom cared for their parents. This is to say that no kind act goes unnoticed.”
Despite the enormity of today’s challenges, individual actions and interactions matter. In response to war, natural disasters and forced migration, we can make our state welcoming, whether by volunteering with or donating to New Hampshire’s two refugee resettlement organizations, International Institute of New England (Manchester) or Ascentria Care Alliance (Concord), or by supporting local public transportation, education and affordable housing. Simply offering friendship may be the most valuable effort, impacting newcomers and welcomers alike. Caring for each other makes a world of difference in how we face problems and offers surprising benefits.
Legendary jazz musician Wynton Marsalis is slated to play Jimmy’s Jazz and Blues Club in Portsmouth on Saturday, July 9.
Marsalis’ newest work is called The Democracy! Suite, one he wrote during lockdown. The record is based on his idea that jazz music is a metaphor for democracy. In a recent interview, he had plenty to say about the album.
“If we just think about the things that are required for democracy. The one thing is: no king. The basis is, you have a constitution, you distribute power. Our music has that type of distribution of power. I might be the leader of the band, but when we start playing, the president of the band is the drummer, not the trumpet player. The drummer is playing all the time, making decisions. There’s an actionable form to create a plurality, it’s designed to prevent kleptocracy. Now, we aren’t really doing good with that right now, but it’s checks and balances,” said Marsalis.
“You’ve got the legislative branch, the executive branch and the judicial branch. In jazz, if you look at the rhythm section, each instrument represents that. The judicial branch is represented by the bass, that’s the final word on harmony, it’s at the bottom. The executive branch is the drums, that’s the quick power. And, the legislative branch is the piano — it has all the keys.”
Though ideas of democracy and the constitution have been a hot-button issue lately, Marsalis is not worried about our ability to persevere.
“The fundamentals of democratic living are not based on the time you live in, it’s based on the principles themselves. For example, there was a time in America when we had slaves, but it was antithetical to principles of freedom, so we fought it,” he said
“Jazz has three fundamental components. One is improvisation. That’s the personal freedom, that’s the part that everyone agrees on. The second component is swing, and we don’t agree on that. Swing has the African component, and America struggles to deal with its own African-ness. Swing is also the collective part, it’s the ‘we.’ We just don’t agree on the ‘we.’ Our dream is what we can individually do: I can get a house, I can make some money. We don’t think of the community, the collective thought. We want to have the bass vamp the same four notes, have the drums replaced by something electronic that plays a loop, all that is the decision that I don’t want to deal with the ‘we,’” Marsalis said.
He brings it back to the beginning.
“It’s the desire to change the plurality to something that an individual can dominate. But we have an actionable form too, it’s a chorus that goes around and around in a cycle. The energy pulls from the bottom up, it doesn’t go top down. The top is just where the instructions come from. For example, elections are run by states, not by the federal government. Polls are local. A poll worker is just a person in the community. That’s how our music is. We get people from communities, they don’t have to be from a certain kind of family, and we just play.”
That final fundamental jazz component is the blues. It’s something Marsalis spoke of reverently. “The blues has an optimism that’s not naive. Stuff doesn’t go your way a lot of the time, but you can’t give up. Use your will, get into the struggle, and create the change you want to see.”
On that note, I had just one more request for Marsalis, to describe his music to readers who might not be familiar. At that, he was back to a simple answer: “I really don’t know. There’s a lot of it. I’ve done like a hundred and fifteen records. They’re all different. The one thing about the music is that it’s collective. Every time, I play with great musicians, and we play together.”
The Wynton Marsalis Septet Where: Jimmy’s Jazz and Blues Club, 135 Congress St., Portsmouth; 888-603-JAZZ When: Saturday, July 9, 7:30 and 9 p.m. Tickets: $125 to $195 at jimmysoncongress.com
Featured photo: Wynton Marsalis. Photo by Lawrence Sumulong.
Though he’s a political comedian, and maybe the only standup who attended Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, Jimmy Tingle doesn’t lean left or right in his joke-telling. Yes, he ran for Lieutenant Governor in Massachusetts’s 2018 Democratic primary, but on stage, he’s there for everyone.
Tingle believes, to paraphrase the old Burt Bacharach/Hal David song, that’s what the world needs now.
“People don’t need to be beat up rhetorically; people want to laugh,” he said in a recent phone interview. “I don’t shy away from what’s going on, but I don’t want to be finger-pointing at people and turning on them, making people feel like there’s no hope, that we’re not making progress. Because we are.”
Tingle calls his new campaign Humor For Humanity, and aims to draw laughs and do good. “It’s basically using humor to illuminate the human condition and where we are in the country right now,” he said, “but it’s also a social enterprise that raises spirits, funds and awareness for nonprofits, charities and social causes. Our mission is your mission … humor in helping, humor in healing, humor in hope — ha, ha, ha!”
Proceeds from a pair of upcoming shows at The Music Hall in Portsmouth will benefit the Friends of Moldova Refugee Relief charity. Tingle’s Harvard classmate Maia Sandu is president of Moldova, which borders Ukraine and has been severely impacted by the Russian invasion of that country. “I’ve done some low-level fundraising for [the cause] in the past couple of months,” Tingle said, “but this will be a more direct deposit to the organization.”
Tingle was inspired to become a comic by Dustin Hoffman’s portrayal of Lenny Bruce in the 1974 Bob Fosse-directed biopic. “That just illustrated what comedy could be besides what I grew up on — The Three Stooges, Honeymooners, Jackie Gleason,” he said. “When I watched that movie back in college, while we were discussing … all the challenges that were front and center in the country at that time, coming out of the Vietnam War, I saw what comedy could be as well. It just resonated with me.”
His show is autobiographical, beginning with Tingle’s days as a street performer in Cambridge, doing standup in the city’s burgeoning ’80s comedy scene. He’ll talk about working at the Ding Ho club, where he was a fixture, then moving to one-man shows, running through a ‘greatest hits’ of some of those, then touch on his time as a 60 Minutes correspondent.
The evening concludes in the present, where Tingle remains an optimist. “Things that were revealed during the pandemic, like racial equity [and] treating these subjects with humor, but also, I would like to think, insight and, again, progressive commentary.” That last word reflects a continuum rather than an ideology, Tingle stressed. “I like to think we’re making progress; we gotta keep making progress.”
Along with live work, Tingle has a podcast that’s hosted comics like Colin Quinn, Marc Maron and Paula Poundstone, as well as activists like John Rosenthal, the founder of Stop Handgun Violence.
“It’s not just about entertainment, but that’s … first and foremost on my agenda,” he continued. “I want to be funny as well as as positive and uplifting as I can be, and also hopeful regarding the situation that’s going on. The doom and gloom is overwhelming, and the division in the country is overwhelming. I want to be less partisan and more unifying about the human condition, and what we all have in common.”
After two years of uncertainty, Tingle feels it’s the least he can do.
“I just want people to come out and have a good time and leave the theater hopefully feeling uplifted and more positive,” he said. “More hopeful than they were when they went in. I’ve had a lot of people say, ‘Thank you so much for doing this show. It’s exactly what I needed, because I haven’t been out of the house in two years. It was so good to be back out and laughing with people.’”
Jimmy Tingle When: Saturday, July 16, at 6 and 8:30 p.m. Where: The Music Hall Lounge, 131 Congress St., Portsmouth Tickets: $30 at themusichall.org
