Category: News

This Week 25/02/13

Thursday, Feb. 13

Learn how to hand-sew a small notepad in the traditional Japanese Stab Binding style and personalize it with assorted papers and embellishments in a class by paper artist Mindy Mitrano tonight at the Nashua Public Library (2 Court St., Nashua, 589-4600, nashualibrary.org). Space is limited. Doors open at 5:45 p.m. This class is open to adults 18+.

Friday, Feb. 14

Legendary South African vocal group Ladysmith Black Mambazo will perform at the Dana Center (Saint Anselm College, 100 Saint Anselm Drive, Manchester, anselm.edu) tonight at 7:30 p.m. This a cappella vocal group has embodied the intricate rhythms and harmonies of their native South African musical traditions and has continued to engage global audiences for over 60 years while garnering five Grammy Awards and 19 nominations. Tickets cost $45.

Friday, Feb. 14

Symphony NH will perform Illuminated Ensembles: HeartStrings – A Night at the Regency Ball, featuring musical highlights made famous by Bridgerton, at the Bank of NH Stage (16 S. Main St., Concord, 225-1111, ccanh.com), tonight at 7:30 p.m., with a pre-show reception at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $37 through the Capitol Center website.

Friday, Feb. 14

Brandy Wells, aka “The Breakthrough Medium,” will take the stage at Chunky’s Cinema Pub (707 Huse Road, Manchester, 206-3888, chunkys.com) tonight at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $30.

Saturday, Feb. 15

Humorist and state treasure Rebecca Rule will present a book talk and signing about her new book, New Hampshire Trivia and More: Facts and Fancy, at the New Hampshire Historical Society (30 Park St., Concord, 228-6688, nhhistory.org) this afternoon at 2 p.m.

Monday, Feb. 17

The Community Players of Concord (435 Josiah Bartlett Road, Concord, 224-4905, communityplayersofconcord.org) will hold auditions for their upcoming May production of Thornton Wilder’s Our Towntonight and tomorrow night, Tuesday, Feb. 18, at 6:30 p.m. Auditions will consist of readings from the script (sides will be available at auditions). For questions about auditions contact Cindy Dickinson at [email protected] or call 924-1925.

Tuesday, Feb. 18

Gibson’s Bookstore (45 S. Main St., Concord, 224-0562, gibsonsbookstore.com) will host a panel discussion by horror authors and book signing this evening at 6:30 p.m. Horror Authors Eric LaRocca (At Dark I Become Loathsome), Clay McLeod Chapman (Wake Up and Open Your Eyes), EK Sathue (youthjuice) and Dennis Mahoney (Our Winter Monster) will appear as part of their whirlwind New England Tour to chat all things spooky. This event is free and open to the public.

Save the Date! Friday, March 14
After you watch the Oscars on Sunday, March 2, use that knowledge at Red River Theatres’ Oscar After Party Trivia Night on Friday, March, 14 at 5:30 p.m. at Pembroke Pines Country Club (45A Whittemore Road in Pembroke). Tickets cost $125 per person and include dinner, trivia and two movie passes to a future screening at Red River Theatres in Concord. The evening will also feature a silent auction and funds raised from the event support Red River Theatres. See redrivertheatres.org/2025oscarafterparty.

Featured photo: Courtesy photo.

Quality of Life 25/02/13

Headed for the Big Show

Brigid the Terrier has been tapped to compete at the most prestigious dog show in America. As reported in a Feb. 6 online article by Manchester Ink Link, Brigid, whose formal name is Kilkenny’s Smiling Face, was scheduled to compete at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show at Madison Square Garden on Feb.11. The Manchester Glen of Imaal Terrier was judged on how well she conforms to breed standards, racing a 100-yard dash, and performing tricks to accumulate points toward winning the competition for Best in Breed, and — hopefully — Best in Show.

QOL score: +1

Comment: Brigid has been competing since she was 6 months old, and carries the distinction CGCA, which stands for the title of Good Ganine Citizen, Advanced, the article said.

You could be at home taking a nap

In a recent study of how workers use their available Personal Time Off, New Hampshire workers were rated eighth in the nation for not using all the time off they were entitled to last year. In a survey by internet gaming company Solitaried.com, New Hampshire workers left an average of 4.18 days unused in 2024, and 55 percent of them didn’t use all their personal time off.

QOL score: -1

Comment: Workers in Maryland, Massachusetts and Hawaii had the most unused vacation time in 2024, while Kansas, Missouri and Michigan workers had the least. See the complete survey results at solitaired.com/where-americans-left-the-most-pto-unused.

Too much lead

As reported by WMUR in a Feb. 4 online article, “A new report shows that the number of children in New Hampshire with elevated levels of lead in their blood is creeping up to the highest point since 2019.” The study examined lead exposure in children 5 years of age and under. It found more than 1,100 young children with lead levels high enough to meet the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s standards to recommend quick action to find and remove the source of any lead in the children’s environment.

QOL score: -2

Comment: According to the WMUR article, “Health experts said the numbers are higher because more children are being tested…. Nationwide, the biggest source of lead exposure is old paint. Health officials said New Hampshire homes are at an especially high risk because more than half the homes statewide were built before 1980, around the same time lead paint was banned in the United States.”

The end of an era

WMUR reported on Feb. 4 that the Portsmouth Police Department has retired its last Crown Victoria. For decades, the “Crown Vic” was the car of choice for police departments across North America, until production was slashed, beginning in 2006. Portsmouth’s last Crown Vic has been donated to the “Crown Victoria Museum, a nonprofit organization near San Francisco that showcases police cars from across the country,” according to WMUR.

QOL score: +1, for contributing to history

Comment: According to the WMUR story, “Portsmouth’s Cruiser 18 will be displayed with its original markings and emergency equipment.”

QOL score last week: 54

Net change: -1

QOL this week: 53

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

Let us know at [email protected].

Eagles fly high at SB

The Big Story – Super Bowl: The Kansas City Chiefs’ effort to chip away at the Patriots dynasty took a hit on Sunday when they got crushed in a not-as-close-as-it-looks 40-22 final vs. the Philadelphia Eagles. The story of this game was how Philly’s D-line manhandled the KC O-line in a dominant defensive performance that gave Patrick Mahomes no time to think, let alone throw. The win also gives Philly a double no one else can claim: They’re the only franchise to beat both Tom Brady and Mahomes in a Super Bowl. Guess now even the loons in Philadelphia endlessly calling for Nick Sirianni’s head will finally pipe down ’cause he’s a Super Bowl champ.

Sports 101: Name the current Patriot who caught a touchdown against them for Atlanta in SB 51.

News Item – Dynasty Update: As we mentioned, the KC dynasty took a hit Sunday. Their loss means the following go on their resume: (a) no three-peat, (b) no fourth SB win, (c) a second SB rout for the Mahomes-Reid era vs. tight games for all three Patriots losses, (d) Mahomes remains four SB titles behind Tom Brady, and (e) at 2-0, Brady will always be undefeated vs. Mahomes in playoff match-ups.

News Item – Adam V: It was a no-go for the greatest kicker who ever lived in this year’s voting for the Pro Football Hall in Canton. The four new players, Jared Allen, Eric Allen, Sterling Sharpe and Antonio Gates, are all Hall-worthy I guess. Though I don’t think they were better at their position than Adam Vinatieri was at his, which means he should be in.

News Item – Former Patriots in The Big Game: The only one who did anything was KC’s JuJu Smith-Schuster, who had two catches for 16 yards.

The Numbers:

6 – second most ever Super Bowl sacks made by the Philly defense.

39 – meager receiving yards all-world tight end Travis Kelce was held to in the SB.

57 – yearslowest rushing yard total for Saquan Barkley in Sunday’s win over KC.

… Of the Week Awards

Good Timing Award – Nick Sirianni: He put a SB win on the resume just as he became a free agent coach. That’s called leverage.

Do Nothing Award – Red Sox: Since there weren’t any new signings of an on-the-cheap, one-year contract deal for a journeyman reliever, they did nothing to help their incomplete team with spring training days away.

Random Thoughts:

Why do they do a Marine flyover when no one can see it when the Super Bowl is played in a dome like on Sunday?

Watching the Celts and Cavs on TNT and I was thinking someone should check analyst Grant Hill for a pulse. Yikes — boring.

A Little History – Rare NBA Feat: That would go to Kareem Abdul Jabbar, who revealed in the most interesting internet factoid of the Week he’s likely the only one who saw the historic Laker moments in person of Kobe Bryant going for 81 in 2006 and when Elgin Baylor scored a (since eclipsed) NBA record 71 points in Madison Square Garden in November 1960 when he was a high school kid living in NYC.

Said comparing them is apples and oranges because Kobe did his in the three-point-shot era (he had nine) and Baylor’s happened when the league was more balanced, because the top 100 players in the world were crammed into the league’s eight teams. Today those 100 would be spread over 30 teams and all would be starters.

Sports 101 Answer: Current Patriots back-up tight end Austin Hooper scored the second TD of the game in Atlanta’s 34-28 OT loss to the Patriots in the greatest SB ever played.

Final Thought – Why Do They Always Get the MVP Vote Wrong: In the Pats’ first Super Bowl Tom Brady, despite throwing for under 150 yards, was named MVP. Except he didn’t deserve it. Ty Law did for scoring the game’s first TD on a pick six and being the focal point in shutting down the most prolific passing attack in league history in their 23-20 upset of the St. Louis Rams. Brady was again MVP while throwing for a meager 201 yards for Tampa Bay in SB 56. Except the story was TB defense holding the NFL’s highest-scoring offense to just eight points, and LB Devin White was all over the field for the Bucs and should have won.

My point is the QB unfairly wins MVP half the time in reputation more than results. Case in point: Sunday.

I know Jalen Hurts had a terrific game. But he was mostly in position to do it because Philadelphia’s dominant defensive performance makes their field position and giant time of possession edge the story of the game. So common sense suggests the best person on the D should have been MVP. That was edge Josh Sweat, who was disruptive all game long with 2.5 sacks and six more solo tackles. So he gets my vote.

Email Dave Long at [email protected].

News & Notes 25/02/13

Fritz retires

Fritz Wetherbee, broadcaster and longtime teller of stories from New Hampshire history on WMUR-TV’s New Hampshire Chronicle, has announced his retirement. “For nearly 25 years, Wetherbee has brought the history, folklore and charm of New Hampshire to life through his signature segment, ‘Fritz Wetherbee’s New Hampshire,’ on New Hampshire Chronicle. His unmistakable voice, quick wit and unparalleled knowledge of the state have made him a household name and an integral part of New England’s cultural fabric,” according to a press release from WMUR. “A five-time Emmy Award winner and a New Hampshire native, Wetherbee’s career in broadcasting spans more than half a century,” the release said.

“I’ve had the privilege of telling New Hampshire’s stories for most of my life, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything,” Wetherbee said in a statement in the release. “But now, it’s time for me to step back, take a breath and enjoy the history I’ve been so lucky to share.”

“WMUR will air a special tribute, I’ll Tell You the Story: A Thank You to Fritz Wetherbee, on Feb. 24 at 7 p.m.,” the release said. An archive of 60 of Wetherbee’s past segments will be available for viewing via WMUR.com starting Monday, Feb. 24, and all 5,000 pieces will eventually be available, the release said.

Mpox

An adult from Merrimack County was identified as having mpox and “is currently self-isolating and recovering at home” and their illness poses “no current risk to the public,” according to a New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services press release on Feb. 7. The individual’s illness is likely related to their recent travel to eastern Africa, where there is an ongoing outbreak of Clade 1 mpox, the genetic type of mpox the individual has, the release said. “There is no evidence that clade 1 mpox is spreading from person to person in New Hampshire or within the United States. This is the first clade 1 mpox diagnosis in New Hampshire and the third … in the United States,’ the release said. The department is “conducting a disease investigation to identify anyone who may have had close contact with the individual. There have been no public locations identified where exposure may have occurred,” the release said. The virus is spread “primarily through direct physical contact with someone who has mpox and has developed an infection skin rash,” according to a statement from State Epidemiologist Dr. Benjamin Chan in the release. For more on mpox, see the department’s webpage about the illness including information about the vaccine at dhhs.nh.gov.

Mission Zero

On Friday, Feb. 7, no adults were waiting in a New Hampshire hospital emergency department for a bed in an inpatient psychiatric treatment facility, with two adults waiting in correctional facilities, according to a press release from the N.H. Department of Health and Human Services and New Hampshire Hospital. “As a result, New Hampshire Hospital will end the day with open beds for the first time in recent memory,” the release said. The DHHS project Mission Zero is “a collaborative effort to eliminate hospital emergency department psychiatric boarding,” according to dhhs.nh.gov. “Today gets us closer to that goal,” DHHS commissioner Lori Weaver said in the Feb. 7 press release. “The collaborative efforts among DHHS, the New Hampshire Hospital Association, NAMI NH, hospitals and advocates are making a real difference in the lives of the people we collectively care for.” See the “Mental Health” section of the DHHS website for the department’s 10-year mental health plan and more on Mission Zero.

More museum time

The Aviation Museum of New Hampshire (27 Navigator Road in Londonderry; aviationmuseumofnh.org) will expand its regular schedule starting Wednesday, March 5, according to a press release. The museum will be open five days a week (an additional two days from its current schedule): Wednesdays through Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sundays from 1 to 4 p.m. The museum will celebrate the new schedule with a ribbon-cutting and cake on Wednesday, March 5, at 10 a.m., the release said. Admission costs $10 for adults and kids 13 and up; $5 for age 6 to 12, 65+ and veterans and active military. Kids 5 and under get in for free.

During the upcoming February school vacation week, the museum will also be open additional days — 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday Feb. 25, through Thursday, Feb. 27, the release said.

Hike Andres

The Andres Institute of Art (106 Route 13 in Brookline; andresinstitute.org) will hold a guided hike of its sculpture-filled trails during February school vacation on Thursday, Feb. 27, at 10 a.m. The hike has a suggested age of 8 and up and will be on the Quarry Trail or the Parkway Trail, depending on conditions, according to an Andres newsletter. The hike will be 45 to 60 minutes with stops at sculptures, the newsletter said. The hike will start at the AIA welcome center, where trekking poles are available for sale for $20, the newsletter said. Sign up for this hike by emailing the number of attending hikers and ages of participants as well as contact info to [email protected].

The Pembroke Historical Society will host a presentation on “Vanished Veterans: An Illustrated Introduction to NH’s Civil War Monuments and Memorials” on Thursday, Feb. 13, at 7 p.m. by historian George Morrison at the Pembroke Town Library, 313 Pembroke St. in Pembroke. The event is free and open to the public. Call 566-1031 for info.

Flag Hill Distillery & Winery in Lee will host the snowshoe race the County Line Derby on Sunday, Feb. 23, with racers following a .42-mile course around the vineyard, snow or no, according to a press release. The event is free but tickets are required and are available at CountyLineDerby2025.eventbrite.com. The event begins at 9:30 a.m.; racers are “tasked with … creating a racer persona,” the release said, and can win Best In Style prizes. Spectators can also compete for a Best Derby Outfit prize, the release said.

The Franco American Centre will hold a Mardi Gras celebration on Sunday, Feb. 23, from 2 to 5 p.m. at the Alpine Club (175 Putnam St. in Manchester) featuring Mardi Gras-themed snacks, family-friendly Hurricane Punch, making a Mardi Gras mask, creating a mini-float, a Mardi Gras parade, Mardi Gras bingo and more, according to a Centre email. Tickets cost $20 for adults, $10 for teens and $5 for kids, plus fees, at facnh.com.

Science Cafe NH will hold its next meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 18, at 6 p.m. at Soel Sistas Cafe, 30 Temple St. in Nashua, for a panel discussion about wastewater, according to an email. The group meets on the third Tuesday of each month; find them on Facebook.

This Week 25/02/06

Thursday, Feb. 6

Gibson’s Bookstore (45 S. Main St., Concord, 224-0562, gibsonsbookstore.com) will host Jennifer Finney Boylan, bestselling author of She’s Not There and co-author of Mad Honey with Jodi Picoult, as she presents her new book, Cleavage: Men, Women, and the Space Between Us, tonight at 7 p.m. at the Grappone Conference Center in Concord. A signing line follows their discussion. Tickets cost $39 plus fees and include a pre-signed copy of Cleavage.

Thursday, Feb. 6

The Huntington at Nashua (55 Kent Lane, Nashua, 598-1440, silverstoneliving.org/the-huntington) will host a lecture by New Hampshire Humanities called “Benedict Arnold, Patriot (and Traitor)” this afternoon at 1:30 p.m. Historian George Morrison will take participants on a journey through New England, Canada and New York tracing the complex story of this infamous American.

Thursday, Feb. 6

There will be a Musical Bingo Fundraiser this evening at 6 p.m. to raise money for Karasu Tengu Academy’s (1 Chestnut St., Nashua, 689-4966, ktacademymma.com) Youth MMA team. It will take place at O’Brien’s Sports Bar (118 Main St., Nashua). Do you think you have superior music knowledge? Come down for some fun music bingo. Hosted by DJ Bern Hurley, $10 per card or three for $20. This is a family-friendly event.

Thursday, Feb. 6

There will be an Open Mic event at the Ted Herbert Music School (880 Page St., Manchester, 669-7469, tedherbert.com) tonight from 7 to 8 p.m. This event is open to all and no previous sign-ups are needed. Perform a solo act, recite a poem, meet and network with other musicians at this family-friendly event. A full backline of drums, piano and amplifier, guitar amplifier, bass amplifier and vocal microphone with PA system will be provided.

Saturday, Feb. 8

The SNHU Arena (555 Elm St., Manchester, 644-5000, snhuarena.com) will play host to intense mixed martial arts action with Combat Zone 87 tonight beginning at 6 p.m. Tickets start at $38 through ticketmaster.com.

Saturday, Feb. 8

There will be a New Hampshire Historical Society (30 Park St., Concord, 228-6688, nhhistory.org) lecture on “Murder, Mayhem, and the Criminal World in New Hampshire” today beginning at 2 p.m. Historian Milli Knudsen will take participants on a true-crime journey through history. Signed copies of her book will be available at the event. Attendance is free for Society members, $10 for nonmembers.

Sunday, Feb. 9

Every Sunday through April 13, the Barley House Restaurant and Tavern (132 N. Main St., Concord, 228-6363, thebarleyhouse.com) will host a weekly cribbage tournament, with registration at 11:30 p.m. and the first match beginning at 12:30 p.m. All skill levels are welcome.

Save the Date! Friday, Feb. 14

The Gods of Comedy will be performed by the Community Players of Concord (435 Josiah Bartlett Road, Concord, 224-4905, communityplayersofconcord.org) at Concord City Auditorium (2 Prince St., Concord, 228-2793, theaudi.org) from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 14. The capricious gods of comedy from ancient Greece follow a college professor through time to the States and become embroiled in a crazy on-campus “Classics Weekend” with mistaken identities, a lost manuscript and too much partying all around. Tickets cost $20, $18 for ages 17 and under or 65+. See communityplayersofconcord.org.

Featured photo: Courtesy photo.

Quality of Life 25/02/06

Return of the Hero Pups

As reported in a Feb. 2 online article by WMUR, the Merrimack County Department of Corrections has relaunched its Hero Pup program. “Selected inmates will work with the nonprofit,” the article read, “to train and care for puppies that will become support dogs for veterans and first responders.” The program began six years ago but was paused due to the pandemic. The first group of this round of inmates began working with the puppies earlier this week, the story said.

QOL score: +1

Comment: Commenting on the inmate training program, the Hero Pups website (heropups.com) reads, “This will help the pups on their path to service work, but it will also help the inmate participants learn new skills to give them more tools for success.”

A historic church passes into history

On Jan. 26, Manchester Ink Link reported that one of the city’s churches will shutter its doors after 140 years. The Gethsemane Evangelical Lutheran Church has voted to close in May. The article quoted a statement by Gethsemane’s Church Council: “[The Church] has existed at its location on Sagamore Street in Manchester since the 1880s, when a group of Swedish immigrant workers from the Amoskeag Mills constructed its church on land donated by the Amoskeag Company. Services were held in Swedish until the early 1950s ….”

QOL score: -1

Comments: According to the Ink Link article the church is for sale and listed at $1.2 million.

Doom spending

A recent survey by BTCpostage (btcpostage.com) had good news and bad news about spending money in times of increased stress in New Hampshire. On the one hand, New Hampshire ranks 31st in the nation in stress-spending. On the other hand, 80 percent of New Hampshire respondents reported “doom spending.” As reported by BTCpostage, “48 percent say politics drive them to doom spend (2nd highest in the U.S.), 26 percent say climate change drives them to doom spend (7th highest in the U.S.), and 37 percent say the fear of not being able to retire drives them to doom spend (9th highest in the U.S.)”

QOL score: -1

Comment: The report indicates that nationwide the largest increases in spending are in the areas of food, entertainment and clothing. Visit btcpostage.com/blog/doom-spenders.

UNH helps NASA stare really hard into deep space

New Hampshire Public Radio reported on Feb. 3 that an instrument developed at the University of New Hampshire has been installed in a spacecraft that is getting ready to launch. The device, called IMAP-Lo, will be part of a mission to study the space between solar systems. The Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe, or IMAP, mission is scheduled to launch later this year. “[UNH’s instrument] was built to collect and analyze invisible particles — neutral atoms — that make up the interstellar medium,” NHPR reported

QOL score: +1

Comment: “Measuring galactic material will help scientists understand more about the age of the universe and the evolution of the galaxy,” NHPR wrote. “It could also help reveal where, exactly, we are in the universe.”

QOL score last week: 54

Net change: 0

QOL this week: 54

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

Let us know at [email protected].

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