Category: Featured Content

Courtney Parker

Courtney Parker of Nashua is the owner of Simple Sweets Bakery (simplesweetsbakery0.wixsite.com, or on Facebook @simplesweetsbakery11), a homestead business specializing in gluten-free baked goods made fresh daily, like cupcakes, cookies, muffins, doughnuts, brownies, whoopie pies and oatmeal cream pies. Orders are accepted via phone, text, email or Facebook messages, with deliveries within a 20-mile radius of Nashua. Dairy-free and soy-free options are also available. Now through Dec. 21, Parker is offering specialty Christmas orders for items like chocolate cream or pumpkin pies, peppermint brownies and gingerbread doughnuts.

What is your must-have kitchen item?
Definitely a silicone spatula.

What would you have for your last meal?
Chicken tenders and Jojo potatoes from Chicken ‘n’ Chips [in Nashua].

What is your favorite local restaurant?
Bistro 603 [in Nashua].

What celebrity would you like to see ordering something from you?
Obviously Carrie Underwood.

What is your favorite thing that you offer?
Snickerdoodles! They are my absolute favorite and are so easy to make!

What is the biggest food trend in New Hampshire right now?
Apple cider doughnuts.

What is your favorite thing to cook or bake at home?
I love to bake and will try just about any recipe, but I’d have to say my favorite thing to bake is anything that contains apples. The aroma from [them] reminds me of Christmas.

Simple sugar cookies
From the kitchen of Courtney Parker of Simple Sweets Bakery in Nashua
6 tablespoons butter, softened
¾ cup sugar
1 large egg
¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1½ cup flour (Parker uses Cup4Cup brand gluten-free flour, or you can use regular flour)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking pan with parchment paper. Cream butter and sugar together. Add in egg and mix until smooth. Add vanilla, salt, baking powder, baking soda and flour and mix. Using a cookie scoop, place a teaspoon-sized scoop onto the cookie sheet. Bake for eight to 10 minutes.

Featured photo: Courtney Parker

Tastes of Thailand

Thai Food Connection opens in Manchester

Chicken krapow. Courtesy photo.

Not long after Republic Cafe moved all its operations down the street into its sister restaurant Campo Enoteca in August, Thailand native Annie Nault was walking down Elm Street in Manchester and saw a “for rent” sign in the window. She had worked in several Thai restaurants in southern New Hampshire and had been searching for a space that could be her own.

Khao soi. Courtesy photo.

“I knew it was a great opportunity, because I walk around here often and it’s always busy,” said Nault, who comes from Phetchabun, Thailand, and whose mother worked as a high school culinary instructor. “I’ve wanted to open a restaurant my whole life.”
Thai Food Connection, which opened Dec. 1, features a menu of authentic Thai dishes like soups, curries, appetizers, entrees and street foods — all of which showcase the diversity of flavors and options available from within the country, Nault said.

“I knew it was a great opportunity, because I walk around here often and it’s always busy.”

Annie Nault


“In Thailand, when you go to any one place, they don’t have a variety [of options],” she said. “If you want chicken and rice, you have to go to this place, or if you want khao soi [curry with egg noodles], you have to go to another place, and they don’t sell anything else.”
Nault purchased a three-station wok for the restaurant and, during the months of renovation leading up to her opening, added all new furniture, curtains and kitchen equipment. A Thai mural and photos of her homeland taken by her friends adorn the walls, while an open kitchen is featured near the back of the restaurant.
Due to its location downtown, Nault said she expects Thai Food Connection to be a popular spot for takeout during the lunch hour. A full page of the menu is dedicated to lunch specials, like chicken, beef or tofu and vegetable noodle soup; pad Thai with chicken, tofu or shrimp; rice dishes, like stir-fried steamed jasmine rice with a hot basil sauce; and curries, like a mild coconut massaman curry and a coconut green curry with sliced chicken and roasted eggplant.
Other items include street foods like krapow, or stir-fried ground chicken with garlic, fresh chili, onion, pepper and basil; and various house specialties, like roasted duck curry, casseroled shrimp or lemongrass chicken with coconut milk, turmeric and Thai spices.
A chili pepper-shaped icon on the menu indicates that dish’s normal level of spice, but you can request anything to be as mild or as spicy as you want, Nault said.
“When you combine everything and all the ingredients with the chili, it reduces the kick of the spice,” she said, “so it’s not burning your mouth.”
There is also a small selection of desserts, like deep-fried breaded ice cream, a deep-fried banana roll topped with honey, and roti, or fried pan bread, with caramel sauce and chocolate syrup.
Online ordering and deliveries within a five-mile radius of the restaurant are also available, and Thai Food Connection is currently in the process of acquiring a liquor license, Nault said.

Thai Food Connection
Where: 1069 Elm St., Manchester
Hours: Sunday through Thursday, 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Friday and Saturday, until 10 p.m.
More info: Visit thaifoodconnection.com, find them on Facebook and Instagram or call 935-7257

Featured photo: Chicken satay. Courtesy photo.

Definitely try this at home

7 IDEAS FOR PROJECTS TO LIVEN UP YOUR WINTER

Between Covid, snowstorms and shorter days, we’ll all likely be spending a lot of time at home over the next several months. Here are seven ideas for projects, from the giftable truffles to the ongoing satisfaction of indoor greenery, that can add some fun to your winter.

Build a Rube Goldberg machine

Kids, adults and families can stimulate their creativity and STEM skills this winter by building a Rube Goldberg machine, a contraption made from household items that uses a series of interconnected steps to perform a simple task.

Zach Umperovitch of Bedford is a contracted Rube Goldberg machine builder for Rube Goldberg Inc. and Synn Labs and a two-time Guinness World Record-setter for the longest Rube Goldberg Machine. He said that, traditionally, the machine’s final task is something mundane, and the fun lies in the irony of making the process “incredibly complicated.”

“Say you want to water a plant,” he said. “You might blow up a balloon, and that balloon hits a seesaw, which causes a [toy] car to roll down and trigger something else, and all those steps link together in order to water the plant.”

Once you’ve decided what your machine’s final task will be, start looking around for materials and thinking about how they could work together.

“Rube Goldberg is all about repurposing everyday objects and using them in a new, creative way,” Umperovitch said. “You’re using resources in your own home, so you don’t even need to leave the house.”

Dominoes or objects that could act as dominoes, such as books or DVD cases, and objects that roll, like balls or marbles, are good ones to start with, he said. Kitchen utensils work well as catapults.

Six to 10 steps is appropriate for a beginner, Umperovitch said, and it’s easiest to start with the last step — the one that will directly trigger your goal task — and work backward.

You may prefer to plan out all of the steps before you start building, or you may prefer to start building and let inspiration come to you along the way; both styles are valid, Umperovitch said, but if you’re a pre-planner, you’ll need to be flexible.

“When I try to build a fully designed machine, I would say between 70 and 90 percent of it gets changed from the initial design to the final product, and this is my profession,” he said.

Finally, while not as exciting as building, testing your machine is one of the most important parts of the process and will probably be the most time-consuming. That said, Umperovitch said, make sure the steps in your machine are made with stable or infinite resources and are relatively easy to reset.

“I have a rule: 50 out of 50 [successful attempts],” he said. “You want to be able to test every step, individually, over and over, because if one step fails one time, what’s to say it won’t happen again when you’re trying to run the entire machine?”

Set up an at-home obstacle course

Start your ninja training this winter by building your own obstacle course using the layout of your home and common household items.

Tabitha Stevens, youth coach and lesson planner for Ninja Fit Club, an obstacle-based fitness center in Londonderry, shared some ideas to get you started. The exercises themselves are mostly aimed at kids, she said, but engineering the course can be a fun creative project for parents or for parents and kids to do together.

“You can turn it into a family activity,” Stevens said. “It’s something to get everybody moving.”

A good obstacle to start with is one for balance, she said. Lay a trail of spaced-out cans, buckets (flipped over), sturdy boxes or heavy books on the ground for the kids to walk across. You can up the challenge with the same idea using softer objects like pillows or couch cushions and having the kids jump across.

“It’s basically the ‘the floor is lava’ game,” Stevens said. “You have to use balance not to touch the floor.”

Space the soft objects out further to make it a jumping obstacle; have the kids jump from one object to another, increasing the distance a little more each time.

If you don’t want the kids elevated off the ground, there is a simple way to modify these balance and jumping obstacles.

“You can use the objects just as markers and have the kids jump to them while staying flat on the floor, or you can stick colored tape on the floor to mark the distances,” Stevens said.

For a jumping obstacle focused more on height than distance, hang an object from the ceiling — Stevens suggests a balloon — and have the kids jump up and try to touch it.

“You can hang several balloons in a row at various heights and have the kids jump, tap, and move on to the next one as quickly as they can,” she said.

Regular chairs from your kitchen or dining room table can be used for all kinds of obstacles. You can line them up like “little hurdles,” but for climbing over, not jumping over, so that it’s safer, Stevens said. The kids can also do an army crawl and weave around the chairs or, if there’s enough space, they can crawl under the chairs.

Finally, no obstacle course is complete without somersaults.

“Forward rolls, backward rolls — those are always great to add into the course,” Stevens said.

Grow an indoor succulent garden

If you want to have some fun with indoor gardening this winter, Alyssa Van Guilder, owner of Apotheca Flowers in Goffstown, said succulents are the way to go.

“They’re clean, they’re modern, there are so many different styles to choose from, and the overall care [requirement] is much lower than [it is for] other house plants,” Van Guilder said. “I think that’s why people are really drawn to them.”

Before you start designing the succulent garden of your dreams, there are a few things you should know about caring for them, Van Guilder said.

When planting your succulents, start with a layer of rocks to help with water drainage, followed by a layer of gardening charcoal to help control bacteria and excess moisture. Then, place the succulents in a succulent-specific soil.

They do need sun, which can be difficult in the winter when the days are shorter, so just be sure to put them by your sunniest window. If that doesn’t seem to be enough, consider supplementing with a fluorescent plant light.

There is no objective rule about how long you should wait between watering; the key, rather, is to allow the plants to dry out completely, then water them thoroughly, and repeat, so how often you need to water them will depend mostly on the size of the container and amount of soil you use.

There are more than 100 kinds of succulents, Van Guilder said, including ones in various shades of green, purple and mauve tones and some with white spotted or striped patterns. She suggests putting three to five plants in a cluster, depending on the size of the container.

“It’s hard to pair succulents that don’t look good together,” she said. “I think it’s nice to design a medley and have different colors, shapes and textures play off of each other.”

Succulents will grow in almost anything, so “if you really want to go crazy with containers, you can,” Van Guilder said.

“We all have things laying around that we could turn into some really interesting plant containers,” she said.

Van Guilder said her favorite containers are terrariums — clear glass globes — because the layers are visible, giving you another design element to play with.

You still need to have the rocks-charcoal-soil foundation, but you can layer on top of that with decorative sand, rock, moss, wood and shells (being careful not to layer too thickly or too tightly so that the soil can still air out).

“You can put all kinds of embellishments or found objects on top,” Van Guilder said. “Plastic animals are a fun one, so that it looks like a little habitat.”


Make truffles

Before you begin this recipe, you need to know that making truffles can be messy and time-consuming — but the end result is a delicious and decadent truffle that’s well worth the trouble. Even for those of you who wouldn’t normally head to the kitchen when you’re bored, I want to highlight one important thing: When you are done with this recipe, you will have twenty-four rich and delicious chocolate truffles.

From start to finish, it is about 2½ hours of mainly active time — the perfect amount of time to fill a cozy afternoon at home. Once they are done, you have a delicious treat to enjoy while you watch a movie or read a book. Despite being a bit time-consuming, this recipe really is pretty simple. As long as you can stir melted chocolate and form it into a ball, you have all the skills you need.
— Michele Pesula Kuegler

Triple Chocolate Truffles
Makes 24
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon light corn syrup
2 tablespoons butter
8 ounces semisweet chocolate chopped
4 ounces semisweet chocolate chopped
1/2 cup chocolate sprinkles

Combine the cream, corn syrup and butter in a small saucepan over medium heat; bring to a boil.
Remove from heat.
Add 8 ounces of chocolate; gently swirl the pan.
Allow to sit for 5 minutes off heat.
Whisk to combine.
Transfer to a small mixing bowl, and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
Stir mixture, return to refrigerator for two more 15-minute periods, stirring after each for a total of 45 minutes.
At this point the mixture will begin to harden more quickly, so the mixture should be stirred every 5 minutes.
When mixture is thicker but not hard, remove from refrigerator.*
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Using a teaspoon, scrape a small amount of mixture from the bowl.
Using hands, roll into a ball approximately 1 inch in diameter; place on parchment paper.
Repeat until all mixture is used.
Place baking sheet in refrigerator for 15 minutes.
Place remaining 4 ounces of chocolate in a small bowl and microwave in 30-second increments, stirring after each, until melted.
Pour sprinkles into a separate small bowl.
After 15 minutes, remove baking sheet from refrigerator. Place an individual ball in melted chocolate and roll until fully coated.
Using a fork, transfer the ball to the sprinkles bowl.
With a clean hand or fork, roll the ball in sprinkles; return to baking sheet.
Repeat with remaining balls, and refrigerate for 10 minutes to set.

*I found that my chocolate mixture reached the thick but not firm stage after 10 minutes, for a total of 55 minutes in the refrigerator.

Do a jigsaw puzzle

Doing a jigsaw puzzle can be a great way to unwind and unplug this winter, said Laura Keith, general manager of Diversions Puzzles & Games in Portsmouth.

“​It’s such a nice break from screens,” she said. “It’s tactile, it’s relaxing, and you feel a sense of accomplishment. Putting the pieces into place is so satisfying.”

Most puzzles have between 300 and 3,000 pieces, with 1,000 pieces being the most popular, Keith said, but there are some puzzles that have up to 40,000 pieces.

The difficulty depends not only on the number of pieces but also on the shapes of the pieces and the image.

“We find that collages are usually easier, while landscapes with large sections of similar colors are much harder,” Keith said.

You can find a puzzle with an image of “almost anything you can think of,” Keith said, including cartoons, pop culture subjects, landscapes, plants, animals, fantasy themes and more.

“I’ve recently done a Pokemon puzzle followed by a tranquil mountain scene followed by a fun veggie collage I’m going to hang in my kitchen,” she said.

Keith recommends that first-time puzzlers choose a puzzle with 500 pieces if they’re going solo and 1,000 pieces if they have a partner. An image with a lot of variation in colors and patterns will be easier than an image with big blocks of the same color, like a landscape with a large blue sky.

There is no right or wrong method to do a jigsaw puzzle; it’s a matter of personal preference, Keith said, but starting with the edges is a good way to start. Then, try putting together pieces with distinct colors and patterns that only appear in one localized area of the image.

“Keep doing that over and over [and] whittle down the pieces available until it’s just the hardest pieces left,” she said. “By then, there are fewer options, so it’s a little easier to find where [the pieces] go.”

Create a cozy outdoor space

Just because it’s cold doesn’t mean you can’t relax outdoors this winter. Keith MacKay and Jody Ferreira are the owners of Snug Life, a private campsite in Wilton that’s heated and equipped for winter camping. They shared some ideas over email about how to create your own cozy outdoor space.

First, consider how you’re going to warm up. A natural fire is ideal, MacKay and Ferreira said.

“Even pulling out a small charcoal grill and getting some coals going adds a cozy feel, a little radiant warmth, and beauty,” they said. “It also provides an opportunity for comfort food [like] hot dogs, a kettle of water for cocoa, s’mores or plain old marshmallows.”

If a fire source isn’t feasible, there are other ways to keep warm.

Seating, for example, can make all the difference, MacKay and Ferreira said. Use seating that gets you above the ground or puts a physical barrier between you and the ground. If you really want to lounge you can even use an air mattress or sleeping pad.

“The thermal mass of the planet is huge relative to the thermal mass of a person,” they said. “As a result, the earth will draw the heat right out of you if you’re laying on it.”

Wearing a heavy winter coat will keep you warm but not necessarily comfortable, so be sure to wear comfy clothes under your outdoor gear.

“Your most snuggly sweater, your warmest and softest fleece or your favorite plush sweatpants … can give the tactile triggers for coziness,” MacKay and Ferreira said, adding that a blanket or two can also contribute to that “cozy feeling” while providing additional warmth.

A thermos of cocoa, coffee or even a hot alcoholic drink can provide an element of comfort, too, they said.

Atmosphere can be just as important for creating a cozy space as physical warmth, MacKay and Ferreira said.

Candles or incense sticks can add a bit of “campfire ambiance” if you can’t have a full-scale fire, they said, and there’s “nothing more magical” than warm-toned LED string lights (you can get battery-powered ones).

“Aside from helping to define something that feels more indoors (and psychologically warmer), [they’re a bit fancy], which adds to the cozy feel,” they said.

Bringing some nature into the picture by hanging up bird feeders or throwing some seeds for birds and other nearby critters is a nice touch and provides some entertainment, MacKay and Ferreira said.

Finally, think about what kind of soundscape, if any, would help foster the atmosphere you’re going for.

“It’s a matter of individual taste, of course, but music can provide immediate mood alteration,” MacKay and Ferreira said. “Choosing your favorite chill playlist can set the right comfy tone.”

Declutter your digital life

If it’s been on your to-do list for a while, this winter may be the perfect time to finally sort through all the photos and videos taking up storage on your devices.

“We’re all taking more photos than we ever have before because we always have a camera in our hands. We can easily take 1,000 photos in one week,” said Angelina McGlashan, certified photo manager and owner of Preserving Memories, a photo management service based in Windham. “The goal is to get to a point where you aren’t so overwhelmed, so you’re able to actually enjoy your photos and find the photos you’re looking for when you need them.”

Your first order of business, McGlashan said, should be to back up your photos. She recommends the 3-2-1 backup rule: three copies of your media, two of which are on two different devices (a computer and an external hard drive are preferable) and one in a reputable cloud storage.

“Getting those photos off your phone is the most important thing you can do,” she said. “A phone can easily be lost, stolen or broken, and then all those photos are gone.”

Next, pick one device to serve as a “digital hub” where you can do all of your organizing, McGlashan said. Start by deleting screenshots, duplicates and photos that are blurry or unusable. The photos that remain will fall into three categories: the “best of the best” album-worthy photos, photos that aren’t aesthetically perfect but serve as reminders of a time or place that’s important to you, and photos that have no personal significance, like a random sunset or flower you saw. The latter you should delete, McGlashan said.

“If they don’t tell a story or mean something to you, or you can’t even remember where or why you took it, you’re never going to use it,” she said.

Once you’ve got your collection culled down, you can sort your photos into different folders. How you sort them is a matter of personal preference.

“Everybody’s different,” McGlashan said. “I tell people to think about how they would put things in a filing cabinet at home. Do they like to have things alphabetical? By year? By [subject]?”

Once you’re totally done backing up and organizing your media, build a habit of maintaining going forward so that it doesn’t get out of control again.

“Set aside 15 minutes one day a week to go through and delete photos off your phone … and back up your photos monthly,” McGlashan said.

New Hampshire puzzle makers
• Ravensburger, leading European jigsaw puzzle publisher based in Germany, with its warehouse for its North American division located right here in New Hampshire, at One Puzzle Lane in Newton. It offers a wide variety of jigsaw puzzles for kids and adults through its online shop, ranging from puzzles with under 100 pieces to puzzles with more than 40,000 pieces. Call 257-1500 or visit ravensburger.us.
• Piece Time Puzzles (746 1st NH Turnpike, Northwood, piecetimepuzzles.com) a puzzle store specializing in custom and made-to-order photo puzzles.
• Fool’s Gold (based in Harrisville, 827-9825, foolsgoldpuzzles.com) creates handmade wooden jigsaw puzzles without pictures to assist the puzzler, making the image of the finished puzzle a surprise.
• Platinum Puzzles (9 Stark Hill Road, Canaan, 632 1105, platinumpuzzles.com) creates custom, handmade wooden jigsaw puzzles.

Featured photo: Set up an at-home obstacle course to help kids stay active. Courtesy photo.

News & Notes 20/12/17

Covid-19 updateAs of December 7As of December 14
Total cases statewide25,81631,875
Total current infections statewide5,3866,752
Total deaths statewide566604
New cases4,822 (Dec. 1 to Dec. 7)6,059 (Dec. 8 to Dec. 14)
Current infections: Hillsborough County2,0152,453
Current infections: Merrimack County703872
Current infections: Rockingham County1,2961,722
Information from the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services

Covid-19 news

On Dec. 10, Gov. Chris Sununu issued Emergency Order No. 75, an order authorizing certain qualifying nursing students in the state to obtain temporary licensure to join the frontlines of fighting the Covid-19 pandemic. For the duration of the state of emergency, senior nursing students who are scheduled to graduate on or before May 31, 2021, qualify for the licensure, provided they are practicing under a licensed health care provider.

Also on Dec. 10, the state Attorney General’s office announced in a press release the autopsy results for Speaker of the House Dick Hinch, who died the day before. Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Jennie V. Duval determined the cause of Hinch’s death to be Covid-19, according to the release. Hinch had been elected Speaker of the House just one week before his death. He was 71.

During a Dec. 10 press conference, state epidemiologist Dr. Benjamin Chan said that, statewide, New Hampshire has seen around 750 to 800 new infections per day in the last week. The state later reached 30,000 overall infections and 600 deaths — both reported from updates on Dec. 12 — since the start of the pandemic in March.

On Dec. 11, Sununu issued Emergency Order No. 76, so all health care providers administering the vaccine are required to participate in the New Hampshire Immunization Information System, reporting all vaccination events within 24 hours. All patient-level information relating to vaccine administration will then be stored in the system as a medical record. Also on Dec. 11, Sununu issued Executive Order 2020-24, extending the state of emergency in New Hampshire due to the pandemic for another three weeks through at least Jan. 1, 2021.

On Dec. 13, the state Department of Health & Human Services announced in a press release the arrival of the first doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine to New Hampshire. The vaccine was distributed the following day to at-risk health care workers in the state, including frontline clinical staff providing direct patient care. Two doses of vaccine, administered 21 days apart, demonstrated an efficacy rate of 95 percent during initial trials. According to the release, the timeline for widespread access to a Covid-19 vaccine is expected to be approximately six to 12 months.

Charter schools

Last week, the Joint Legislative Fiscal Committee voted to accept the first $10.1 million installment of a $46 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education to expand public charter school options in the state, with a focus on at-risk students, according to a press release from the New Hampshire Department of Education. The state was first awarded the grant in August 2019 but had been voted down by the fiscal committee along party lines numerous times. According to a press release from the Office of the Governor, the committee has a new Republican majority. “Charter schools are public schools, and this game-changing grant will open up doors of opportunity for school children across the state,” Gov. Chris Sununu said in a statement. House and Senate Democrats also released a statement after the vote, saying that the grant is unsustainable and is intended to double the number of charter schools in the state, which will create a $17 million gap in funding for the traditional public school system. “With declining enrollments across the state, it is imperative that we invest more in our existing public schools, not create more schools that will be left underfinanced,” Senator Lou D’Allesandro said in a statement. Education Commissioner Frank Edelblut said in a statement that charter schools are an important part of the state’s public school system, giving students non-traditional options to help them thrive. According to the Department of Education, there are 29 public charter schools in the state, seven of which have achieved the federal definition for high-quality charter school replication. The $46 million grant is intended to support efforts to increase the number of high-quality charter schools in New Hampshire, focusing on at-risk, educationally disadvantaged students, according to the press release.

Jury trials

All jury trials in the New Hampshire Superior Court have been canceled through the end of December, according to a press release. Chief Justice of the Superior Court Tina Nadeau made the decision based on the increase in Covid-19 infection rates, noting that there’s more than a 70 percent risk that one person in 25 will be infected in each of the remaining counties where jury trials were to take place in December. “As a result, based on scientific advice provided by the court’s consultant epidemiologist Dr. Erin Bromage, we can no longer conduct jury trial proceedings with adequate protections in place,” Nadeau said in the release. The court will continue to conduct virtual hearings, and as of now, jury trials scheduled to resume in January in Rockingham, Hillsborough Northern District, Cheshire and Merrimack counties will continue.

Here’s something to look forward to in the new year: Winter Fest will be returning to Concord for its third year in a row! Presented by Intown Concord and The Hotel Concord, the event allows spectators to watch ice-carving demonstrations and meet some of New England’s most talented ice carvers on Jan. 29, followed by an ice carving competition on Jan. 30, according to a press release.

The Goffstown and New Boston police departments now have pet microchip readers thanks to a donation from the NH Animal Rescue Alliance. According to a press release, the scanners will allow the police departments to reunite lost pets and their owners.

Several local businesses recently received recognition for being veteran-friendly. According to a press release, the state Department of Military Affairs and Veterans Services and NH Employment Security recognized 19 businesses and organizations as NH Veteran-Friendly Businesses at the first annual recognition event, which was held virtually last week. Among the local businesses that received platinum awards were BAE Systems of Nashua, HydraCor of Windham, New Hampshire Hospital Association in Concord and Veteran and First Responder Healthcare of Manchester.

Voting is now underway for the Manchester Holiday Lights Contest, with 43 registered residences vying to win the city’s first lights contest. An interactive map that shows you where to find the houses is available at manchesternh.gov, where you can also vote for your favorite. Voting is open until Monday, Dec. 21.

NH charter schools

Why is school choice and expansion of the charter school system in New Hampshire such a political hot spot? If we simply think about offering every student the opportunity to learn in the environment that works best for him or her, why would we not want to expand the charter school system, and why did the Democratic-led Fiscal Committee repeatedly reject a $46 million federal grant? This federal grant was awarded to New Hampshire more than a year ago, and in a decision that defies logic and reason, the Fiscal Committee rejected the funds (the only state in the nation to do so) multiple times. The funds were awarded for the expansion of charter schools statewide, and it was the largest charter school expansion grant in the country.

The argument against receiving the funds was essentially that by expanding the charter school system, costs in the public school system would increase. There are two important points here. First, charter schools are public schools. While they receive a higher per student reimbursement from the state than traditional public schools, they do not have access to local taxes or other state aid. While charter schools are able to educate their students at a much lower cost than traditional public schools, there is still a gap between funds received from the state and funds spent, requiring the schools to rely on private donations and fundraising. Second, if there are fewer students in the traditional school system due the expansion of charter schools, shouldn’t the overall operating budget decrease? Enrollment in traditional public schools has steadily declined over the past 10 years; however, overall school budgets continue to increase.

With a change in party leadership, there is hope that the now Republican-led Fiscal Committee will immediately move to accept the federal grant. As a whole, our children are best served when the traditional public school system works with the charter school system to determine the best learning environment for the child. Education is not a one-size-fits-all reality, and when the focus is on “who gets the money,” the mission of education is lost. By keeping our focus on the student first, we will see better outcomes.

Have a festive feast

Where to order your holiday meals and desserts

From specialty entrees to fresh baked sweet treats, check out this list of local restaurants, bakeries and caterers to place your order with this holiday season.

• All Real Meal (87 Elm St., Manchester, 782-3014, allrealmeal.com) is taking orders now for full Christmas dinners that feed either three to four or six to seven people. Dinners include slow-cooked turkey breast with gravy, cranberry almond green beans, creamy mashed potatoes, homestyle cornbread, pecan pie cheesecake and bacon herb hash brown quiche. Place orders as soon as possible. Curbside pickups and contact-free deliveries will be on Wednesday, Dec. 23.

• Angela’s Pasta & Cheese Shop (815 Chestnut St., Manchester, 625-9544, angelaspastaandcheese.com) is taking orders for a variety of items for the holidays, including dinner side dishes prepared fresh, like caramelized Brussels sprouts, potatoes Lyonnaise with roasted garlic, and glazed carrots with ginger butter and green onions; assorted breads and dinner rolls from Iggy’s Bakery; and savory items like pork pie. Order by Dec. 19 at 4 p.m. (pre-pay only). Pickups are on Wednesday, Dec. 23, or Thursday, Dec. 24.

• The Bakeshop on Kelley Street (171 Kelley St., Manchester, 624-3500, thebakeshoponkelleystreet.com) is taking orders for several items for the holidays, including pies (apple, pumpkin, chocolate cream, coconut cream, banana cream, Key lime, Dutch apple, pecan, lemon meringue, German chocolate pecan, cherry and more); as well as assorted pastry trays, cookie trays, yule logs, cinnamon rolls, coffee cakes and holiday cream tarts.

• Bite Me Kupcakez (4 Mound Court, Merrimack, 674-4459, bitemekupcakez.com) is taking orders for several cakes, pies, and platters for the holiday season. Cake flavors include chocolate flourless torte, strawberry shortcake, chocolate whipped cream cake, six-inch cheesecakes and dairy-free double-layer red velvet, chocolate and vanilla cakes. Pie flavors include apple, triple berry and pumpkin. Platters include a brunch option with coffee cake, muffins and doughnuts, and a dessert option with cupcakes, brownies and cookies. Order by Dec. 16. Pickups are on Wednesday, Dec. 23, and Thursday, Dec. 24.

• The Black Forest Cafe & Bakery (212 Route 101, Amherst, 672-0500, theblackforestcafe.com) is taking orders for several items for the holidays, including sweet pies (apple, Dutch apple, cranberry apple, pecan and chocolate cream); cakes (coconut, carrot, chocolate mousse and Black Forest gateaux); assorted holiday cookies, quiches and tarts; cookie baskets; scratch-made dips and spreads (spinach chipotle dip, herbed goat cheese spread and Southern pimiento cheese); and entrees (chicken and creamy mushroom thyme sauce, slow-braised beef brisket, Italian sausage, vegetarian or butternut squash lasagna, and chicken and sun-dried tomato penne). Order by Dec. 19 at 8 p.m. Pickups are available through 3 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 24.

• Blue Loon Bakery (12 Lovering Lane, New London, 526-2892, blueloonbakery.com) is taking orders for various flavors of pies (apple, apple crumble, pecan, maple pumpkin and apple cranberry galette); breads (baguettes, sourdough, multigrain or brioche rolls); savory quiches (ham and Gruyere or spinach and feta); and other assorted pastries and desserts, like take-and-bake sticky buns, caramels, cinnamon rolls, cookie platters and gingerbread tree kits. Order by Dec. 21. Pickups are on Thursday, Dec. 24, from 8 a.m. to noon.

• Buckley’s Bakery & Cafe (436 Daniel Webster Hwy., Merrimack, 262-5929; 9 Market Place, Hollis, 465-5522; buckleysbakerycafe.com) is taking orders for a variety of holiday-themed cakes, like gingerbread spice cake and dark chocolate peppermint cheesecake, as well as traditional or peanut butter Yule logs, eight-inch pies (apple, Key lime or chocolate cream), and assorted loaves, rolls and party trays. Order by Dec. 20.

• Cafe El Camino (134 Newton Road, Plaistow, 974-1652, cafeelcamino.com) is taking orders for a variety of specialty “crowd pleaser platters” for the holidays, including empanada platters, rice platters, chicken or pork platters and more. Orders must be picked up by Thursday, Dec. 24, at 3 p.m.

• Caroline’s Fine Food (132 Bedford Center Road, Bedford, 637-1615, carolinesfood.com) is taking orders for a variety of specialty items to go, including appetizers, like artisan cheeses with fruit and cured meats, poached shrimp with a traditional cocktail sauce, and smoked salmon terrine; entrees, like turkey ballotine stuffed with savory sausage herb stuffing, and roasted beef tenderloin with horseradish cream sauce; and sides, like garlic mashed potatoes, roasted Brussels sprouts with Parmesan and thyme, roasted butternut squash and sauteed haricot verts with slivered almonds. Order by Dec. 18 at 6 p.m. Pickups are on Wednesday, Dec. 23.

• Cherry Bomb Cookie Co. (Exeter, find them on Facebook @cherrybombcookieco) is taking orders for a variety of specialty Christmas cookies and do-it-yourself cookie kits and houses. The shipping deadline for orders is Dec. 18.

• The Common Man (25 Water St., Concord, 228-3463; 304 Daniel Webster Hwy., Merrimack, 429-3463; 88 Range Road, Windham, 898-0088; Lakehouse Grille, 281 Daniel Webster Hwy., Meredith, 279-5221; 10 Pollard Road, Lincoln, 745-3463; 21 Water St., Claremont, 542-6171; Foster’s Boiler Room, 231 Main St., Plymouth, 536-2764; 60 Main St., Ashland, 968-7030; Lago, 1 Route 25, Meredith, 279-2253; Italian Farmhouse, 337 Daniel Webster Hwy., 536-4536; Airport Diner, 2280 Brown Ave., Manchester, 623-5040; Tilt’n Diner, 61 Laconia Road, Tilton, 286-2204; 104 Diner, 752 Route 104, New Hampton, 744-0120; thecman.com) is taking orders for holiday meals for one or for four. Choose from either glazed ham or herb-roasted prime rib; both dinners come with mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole, pesto green beans, maple-roasted Brussels sprouts, Parmesan-crusted dinner rolls, sweet bread, apple crisp and cinnamon whipped cream. Other a la carte options available to add to your order include spinach-artichoke dip and crackers, peel-and-eat shrimp cocktail, cheese lasagna, macaroni and cheese and pecan pie. Order by Dec. 18. Pickups are on Wednesday, Dec. 23.

• Copper Kettle To Go (39 Main St., Wilton, copperkettletogo.com) is taking orders for a several specialty treats and baked goods, like pecan pie, Nutella pie, cold brew coffee pie, gingerbread cream pie, pistachio cream pie, Andes candy brownies, red velvet trifles, coffee cakes, and assorted muffins (flavors include blueberry and chocolate chocolate chip). Order by Dec. 20. Pickups are on Thursday, Dec. 24, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

• Crémeux French Patisserie (707 Milford Road, Merrimack, cremeuxfrenchpatisserie.com) is taking orders for a variety of French breads and desserts, like chocolate sponge cake, dark chocolate crémeux, mousse chocolat praline, choux filled with vanilla creme patisserie, chocolate chip brioche, cranberry walnut brioche, organic sourdough boule and more. Order by Dec. 19.

• Crosby Bakery (51 E. Pearl St., Nashua, 882-1851, crosbybakerynh.com) is taking orders for several baked goods for the holiday season, including pies (apple, apple crumb, blueberry, pecan, pumpkin, mincemeat, cherry, banana cream, coconut cream, chocolate cream, lemon meringue and more); as well as assorted rolls, breads, cakes, cookies, and savory items, like gorton, meat pie and salmon pie. Order by Dec. 22.

• The Crust & Crumb Baking Co. (126 N. Main St., Concord, 219-0763, thecrustandcrumb.com) is taking orders for a variety of treats for the holidays, include cinnamon or pecan sticky buns, old-fashioned sour cream coffee cakes, butter or Shaker squash rolls, flourless chocolate torte, and several flavors of pies (apple streusel, blueberry crumb, forest berry crumb, maple bourbon pecan, chocolate cream and maple cream) and quiches (bacon cheddar and tomato and three-cheese). Order by Dec. 18.

• Culture (75 Mont Vernon St., Milford, 249-5011, culturebreadandsandwich.com) is taking orders for various breads, like sourdough loaves and dinner rolls, as well as pecan pies (whole or by the slice), holiday cheesecakes, cranberry galettes, holiday cookie trays, and cocoa bombs available in various flavors, from milk, white or dark chocolate to cookies and cream, gingerbread or peppermint. Order by Dec. 19. Pickups are on Thursday, Dec. 24, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

• Ding Dong Deliver (dingdongdeliver.com) is a ghost kitchen powered by Great New Hampshire Restaurants, which owns T-Bones Great American Eatery, CJ’s Great West Grill and the Copper Door restaurants. Featured items for the week of Christmas include prime rib, ham or roast tenderloin dinners, each with mashed potatoes, butternut squash, and bread and butter, as well as multiple flavors of pies, like apple, pumpkin, pecan and blueberry. Order by Dec. 18 at noon. Deliveries and pickups are on Wednesday, Dec. 23.

• The Foundry Restaurant (50 Commercial St., Manchester, 836-1925, foundrynh.com) is taking orders for Christmas dinners to go, featuring your choice of either roast ham with pineapple raisin relish, or baked haddock with Ritz crackers, lemon and white wine. Each entree comes with bread and butter, scalloped potatoes, honey-roasted carrots and parsnips, green bean almondine, walnut brioche stuffing, and a mixed green salad with red wine vinaigrette. Other a la carte items available to order include appetizers, like stuffed mushrooms, bacon-wrapped blue cheese-stuffed dates, shrimp cocktail, Swedish meatballs with ginger blueberry jam, bacon-wrapped scallops, and pork pie with homemade gravy; and desserts, like Mississippi mud pie, raspberry cheesecake and gingerbread cake with cream cheese frosting. Order by Dec. 20. Pickups are on Thursday, Dec. 24, from 10 a.m. to noon.

• Frederick’s Pastries (109 Route 101A, Amherst, 882-7725; 25 S. River Road, Bedford, 647-2253; pastry.net) is offering several specialty treats for the holidays, include wreath cakes, gingerbread cookie kits, Grinch cupcakes, cheesecake samplers, chocolate-covered Oreo and graham cracker trays, Christmas Yule logs and more.

• Giorgio’s Ristorante & Bar (270 Granite St., Manchester, 232-3323; 707 Milford Road, Merrimack, 883-7333; 524 Nashua St., Milford, 673-3939; giorgios.com) is taking orders for holiday variety boxes for Christmas, which feature your choice of smoked pork rack chop with apple chutney, garlic roasted prime rib with au jus and horseradish cream, or seafood lasagna, with sides like sweet and Yukon gold whipped potatoes, traditional stuffing and roasted Brussels sprouts. Also available are Christmas Eve seafood feast boxes, with items like crab cakes and lemon aioli, lobster bisque, and Ritz baked haddock with lobster sauce. Order by Dec. 21 at noon. Pickups are on Thursday, Dec. 24, from noon to 8 p.m.

• Granite State Candy Shoppe (832 Elm St., Manchester, 218-3885; 13 Warren St., Concord, 225-2591; granitestatecandyshoppe.com) has several holiday-themed candies available for purchase, like Christmas-colored malt balls, peppermint or wintergreen candy canes, candy cane caramels, salted caramel or peppermint cocoa bombs, sour gummy Santas and more.

• Grasshoppers Garden Center (728 River Road, New Boston, 497-5788, grasshoppersgardencenter.com) is taking orders for multiple flavors of pies, including apple, apple cherry, blueberry, chocolate maple pecan, mincemeat and eggnog. Order by Dec. 11.

• Greenleaf (54 Nashua St., Milford, 213-5447, greenleafmilford.com) is taking orders for Christmas dinners to go, featuring your choice of pink peppercorn and rosemary glazed ham, roasted chicken or prime rib. All dinners come with mashed potatoes, honey-glazed carrots, green bean almondine and mixed greens. Other a la carte options available to order include homemade sourdough loaves, homemade dinner rolls with butter, pecan pie (whole or by the slice), holiday cheesecake (whole or by the slice), pear and cranberry galette, chocolate cake slices with chocolate buttercream, assorted holiday cookies, cocoa bombs in a variety of flavors, and creative wine pairing cocktail kits. Order by Dec. 19. Pickups are on Thursday, Dec. 24, from noon to 2 p.m.

• Hart’s Turkey Farm Restaurant (233 Daniel Webster Hwy., Meredith, 279-6212, hartsturkeyfarm.com) is taking orders for family meals to go, featuring your choice of turkey, ham or prime rib, plus a la carte options like gravy, stuffing, butternut squash, whipped potatoes, turkey pies, sliced turkey by the pound, soups and chili, rolls and cornbread. Pickups will be available through Thursday, Dec. 24, from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

• Harvey’s Bakery and Coffee Shop (376 Central Ave., Dover, 742-6029, harveysbakery.com) is taking orders for multiple items for the holidays, including gingerbread cookies, deluxe cookie trays, fruit cakes, dessert cakes and more. Order by Dec. 19.

• It’s All Good in the Kitchen (184 N. Broadway, Salem, 458-7434, itsallgoodgf.com) is taking orders for a variety of sweet treats and desserts for the holidays, like tiramisu, strawberry or plain cheesecakes, chocolate peppermint rolls, cinnamon rolls, assorted cookie trays, whoopie pies, apple cider doughnuts and cupcakes. Savory items are also available to order, like lasagna, baked macaroni and cheese and chicken pot pie. Order by Dec. 19.

• jajabelles (143 Main St., Nashua, 769-1873, jajabelles.com) is taking orders for a variety of Greek pastries for the holidays, like lamb- and beef-filled grape leaves, spanakopita, finikia, kourambiethes and baklava, as well as a variety of sweet treats and desserts. Order by Dec. 18. Pickups are on Thursday, Dec. 24, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

• Just Like Mom’s Pastries (353 Riverdale Road, Weare, 529-6667, justlikemomspastries.com) is taking orders for several sweet treats for the holidays, like red velvet, chocolate mousse or cranberry orange white chocolate cakes, traditional Yule logs, dessert bowls, cheesecakes (gluten-sensitive white chocolate raspberry with cinnamon walnut crust, or Oreo cookies and cream cheesecake), pies (cran-raspberry apple crumb or Kahlua black bottom), platters with mini whoopie pies, finger pastries or holiday cookies, coffee cakes, dinner rolls, quiches, and breakfast pastries, like cinnamon buns, turnovers, muffins and croissants. Order by Dec. 19.

• LaBelle Winery (345 Route 101, Amherst, 672-9898, labellewineryevents.com/catering) is taking orders for several items for Christmas, available in servings of six to eight people or 12 to 14 people, like assorted artisan cheeses, shrimp cocktails, mashed potatoes, maple sweet potatoes, roasted Brussels sprouts, honey-glazed carrots and cinnamon maple bread pudding for dessert.

• McNulty & Foley Caterers (124 E. Hollis St., Nashua, 882-1921, mcnultycatering.com) is taking orders for various individual or family-sized dinners, including those with slow-roasted sirloin of beef or sweet and spicy glazed ham, along with Delmonico potatoes, green beans, glazed carrots and rolls. Other a la carte options include baked lasagna with meat sauce or vegetable lasagna, whipped bliss potatoes, green bean casserole and pork pie. There are also desserts, like grapenut custard pudding, chocolate cream pie, lemon meringue pie and an assorted cookie platter. Order by Dec. 18. Pickups are on Thursday, Dec. 24, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

• Mr. Mac’s Macaroni & Cheese (497 Hooksett Road, Manchester, 606-1760; 2600 Lafayette Road, Portsmouth, 380-7916; 440 Middlesex Road, Tyngsboro, Mass., 978-939-6227; 175 Littleton Road, Westford, Mass., 978-392-9495; mr-macs.com) is taking orders for both hot-and-ready and take-and-bake trays of macaroni and cheese, as well as macaroni salads, assorted green salads, desserts and more. Placing orders at least 24 hours in advance is appreciated. Order by Dec. 22 and get a 10 percent discount on all holiday trays.

• New England’s Tap House Grille (1292 Hooksett Road, Hooksett, 782-5137, taphousenh.com) is taking orders now for French-Canadian holiday meat pies, made with pork, beef, potatoes, celery, onions and garlic in a house-made crust. Pickups are available at various times on Wednesday, Dec. 23, and Thursday, Dec. 24, for Christmas, and on Wednesday, Dec. 30, for New Year’s.

• Popovers on the Square (11 Brickyard Square, No. 23, Epping, 734-4724; 8 Congress St., Portsmouth, 431-1119; popoversonthesquare.com) is taking orders for a variety of items for the holidays, including its signature pies (apple, apple crumb, pecan, pumpkin, chocolate cream, coconut cream and Key lime), as well as Christmas cookies, fruit or mint Oreo cheesecakes, fruit tarts and holiday-decorated vanilla or chocolate cupcakes. Order by Dec. 20.

• The Post Restaurant (125 Fisherville Road, Concord, 228-0522; 58 N. Main St., Concord, 227-6686; postrestaurantnh.com) is offering heat-and-serve Christmas meals to go, featuring your choice of carved turkey and gravy or spiral cut ham. Each meal comes with homemade stuffing, herbed mashed potatoes, green beans, butternut squash, cranberry sauce, a dinner roll and your choice of a dessert (Yule log slice, glazed butter rum cake slice, cheesecake slice or apple pie slice). Pickups are on Thursday, Dec. 24, from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.

• Presto Craft Kitchen (168 Amory St., Manchester, 606-1252, prestocraftkitchen.com) is offering its entire menu cold for pickup on either Tuesday, Dec. 22, or Wednesday, Dec. 23, in addition to several specialty desserts, like Oreo truffles, freshly filled cannolis, cookie trays, and pies (flavors include banana cream, coconut cream, cannoli cream, cookies and cream and chocolate cream). Order by Dec. 20.

• Queen City Cupcakes (790 Elm St., Manchester, 624-4999, qccupcakes.com) is taking orders for a variety of festive flavors of homemade cupcakes, including eggnog, chocolate-covered cherry, coconut snowball, gingerbread whoopie, white peppermint and Cadbury Christmas creme. Order by Dec. 21. Pickups are on Thursday, Dec. 24, from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

• The Red Arrow Diner (112 Loudon Road, Concord, 415-0444; 137 Rockingham Road, Londonderry, 552-3091; 61 Lowell St., Manchester, 626-1118; 149 Daniel Webster Hwy., Nashua, 204-5088; redarrowdiner.com) takes orders for its homemade cakes and pies at all of its locations. Flavors include apple, blueberry, pumpkin, chocolate cream, brownie cream and more. Online orders must be placed at least 24 hours in advance of pickups.

• The Red Blazer Restaurant & Pub (72 Manchester St., Concord, 224-4101, theredblazer.com) is taking orders for a variety of take-and-bake items for the holidays, including with turkey, stuffed chicken breast, ham, chicken cordon bleu and seafood newburg, as well as homemade desserts, like tiramisu, carrot cheesecake, Almond Joy cake, caramel gingerbread cake, peanut butter mousse cake, chocolate mousse trifle, pistachio eclairs, whoopie pies and more. Order by Dec. 21. Pickups are on Thursday, Dec. 24.

• Revival Kitchen & Bar (11 Depot St., Concord, 715-5723, revivalkitchennh.com) is taking orders for holiday take-and-bake meals for two, with options that include seafood newburg, beef tenderloin roast or chicken cordon bleu. All entrees come with bacon potato casserole, Dijon- and thyme-glazed root vegetables, house salad, bread and butter and a cookie tin. Order by Dec. 19. Pickups are on Wednesday, Dec. 23, or Thursday, Dec. 24, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

• Tailgate Tavern (28 Portsmouth Ave., Stratham, 580-2294, tailgatetavernnh.com) is taking orders for heat-and-serve meals for four to six people, featuring items like various appetizers, soups and salads to choose from, as well as entrees, like baked brown sugar and pineapple ham, slow-roasted turkey with dark meat and gravy, or marinated and roasted pork tenderloin; and desserts, like house-made apple crisp or white chocolate bread pudding. Order by Dec. 20 at 2 p.m.

• Trombly Gardens (150 N. River Road, Milford, 673-0647, tromblygardens.net) is taking orders for a variety of flavors of fresh pies from the Saxy Chef of Antrim, like apple, blueberry, chocolate maple pecan, mincemeat and more. Holiday meals are also available for ordering, like turkey roulade with sausage cranberry stuffing, or family-sized lasagnas, as well as add-on sides, like sauteed apples or green bean almondine. Order your pies by Dec. 13 and your meals by Dec. 14.

• Tuscan Market (63 Main St., Salem, 912-5467, tuscanbrands.com) is taking orders from its special holiday catering menu, which include full dinners of either turkey, ham or standing rib roast that serve to six to eight people. Each comes with its own selection of sides, depending on the main course option you choose. Other a la carte order options include sides, like Jumbo shrimp with cocktail sauce, roasted cauliflower, mascarpone whipped potatoes and porcini mushroom ciabatta stuffing; and desserts, like tiramisu, assorted Italian cookies and biscotti, flourless chocolate torte and individual cannolis or cheesecakes. Order by Dec. 22. Pickups are on Thursday, Dec. 24, from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

• Van Otis Chocolates (341 Elm St., Manchester, 627-1611, vanotischocolates.com) has several seasonal treats available just in time for the holidays, like candy cane pretzel twists, candy cane Swiss fudge, and milk, dark or white chocolate mold candy canes and red-nosed reindeer pops.

• Yankee Farmer’s Market (360 Route 103 E., Warner, 456-2833, yankeefarmersmarket.com) is taking orders for specialty holiday roasts, like smoked ham, turkey, beef tenderloin, leg of lamb and Buffalo tenderloin. Pickups are from Thursday, Dec. 17, through Thursday, Dec. 24.

This story was possible with the generous financial support of Hippo readers. Hippo is very grateful to have the support of its readers. If you haven’t contributed yet, please consider a small contribution. Your contributions allow Hippo to write more stories and gets you access to additional stories and columns. 

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