Category: News

This Week 25/12/11

Thursday, Dec. 11

Beatles vs. Stones – A Musical Showdown attempts to answer the perennial question of which British band was the greatest ever. Two renowned tribute bands, Abbey Road and Satisfaction – The International Rolling Stones Show, face off at the Chubb Theatre (Chubb Theatre at CCA, 44 S. Main St., Concord, 225-1111, ccanh.com) tonight at 7:30 p.m. to find out, with special guest musicians, the Concord High School String Quartet. Tickets start at $54.

Thursday, Dec. 11

The Nashua Center for the Arts (201 Main St., Nashua, 800-657-8774, nashuacenterforthearts.com) presents David Benoit’s Charlie Brown Christmas tonight at 7:30 p.m., featuring contemporary jazz piano legend David Benoit along with distinguished vocalist Courtney Fortune. Tickets start at $25.

Friday, Dec. 12

Majestic Theatre, 669-7469, majestictheatre.net, will present a musical production of It’s a Wonderful Life this weekend at the Derry Opera House, 29 W Broadway in Derry. See the show tonight, Friday, Dec. 12, at 7 p.m.; Saturday, Dec. 13, at 2 and 7 p.m., and Sunday, Dec. 14, at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $22 for adults, $20 for seniors and $15 for ages 17 and under.

Friday, Dec. 12

Forty of the top professional bull riders in the world will come together at the SNHU Arena (555 Elm St., Manchester, 644-5000, snhuarena.com) tonight, and tomorrow, Saturday, Dec. 13, at 7:45 p.m. as part of Professional Bull Riding’’s “Unleash the Beast” season. This marks the sixth consecutive year Manchester will host a stop on PBR’s elite individual tour. Tickets start at $40.

Friday, Dec. 12

There are 200 veterans buried in Concord’s Old North Cemetery (141 N. State St., Concord). On Saturday morning at 10 a.m. representatives from the eight branches of the U.S. military will place commonwealth wreaths at the entrance to the cemetery as part of the Wreaths Across America program. Volunteers wishing to assist in the placement of wreaths on veteran graves in advance can join the Pierce Brigade this morning at 10 a.m. Visit piercemanse.org/events.

Saturday, Dec. 13

It’s Christmas Market weekend. The Amherst German Christmas Market runs today in the Amherst Village Green (amherstchristmasmarket.org) and the New Hampshire World Christmas Market runs today and tomorrow at Anheuser-Busch in Merrimacknhworldchristmasmarket.com). Find our stories about these events in last week’s issue of the Hippo at hippopress.com in the digital library (the stories start on page 20).

Saturday, Dec. 13

Classic 1980s band Loverboy will perform at the Tupelo Music Hall (10 A St., Derry, 437-5100, tupelomusichall.com) tonight at 8 p.m. Tickets start at $132 through the Tupelo’s website.

Save the Date! Saturday, Dec. 20
There’s still time to get in some Nutcracker. Ballet Misha will present The Nutcracker 2025 at the Dana Center at Saint Anselm College, Manchester, on Saturday, Dec. 20, at 1 and 6 p.m., and Sunday, Dec. 21, at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., according to tickets.anselm.edu.

Featured Photo: (L to R) Jonathan Kaplan, Dan Arlen. Courtesy photo.

Quality of Life 25/12/11

A slice with oats?

According to a Dec. 4 statement by the Bedford Police Department (bedfordnhpd.org), “On Wednesday, Dec. 3, at approximately 1 a.m., Bedford Police responded to the area near Domino’s Pizza just off of Route 1 for reports of a horse that was seen walking around,” the report read. “Officers were able to quickly determine where the horse lived. Officer Jeff Drew personally walked the horse back to her residence, more than a mile away, in 20-degree weather.”

QOL score: +1 For Bedford’s successful effort to rein in crime

Comment: “Residents provided officers with hay, grain, water, and a horse lead rope until she could be safely returned, the report read.” Which raises the question: Did late-night customers happen to have those supplies with them, or did the police wake up nearby horse people?

Yay for Creepy Santa!

For Manchester residents, the holiday season hasn’t really started until Creepy Santa makes his appearance. As reported by Manchester InkLink in a Dec. 3 article, “For 35 years, the beloved iconic holiday figure has towered over the Rheume family’s Christmas tree stand on Elm Street.” The large fiberglass figure is locally famous for the disturbing expression on its face. According to the InkLink article, “On Wednesday night, Creepy Santa got his own day on the city calendar when Mayor Jay Ruais read an official Resolution declaring Black Friday (the day after Thanksgiving) forever more to be known as Creepy Santa Day in the city of Manchester.”

QOL score: +1

Comment: “The Creepy Santa figure was purchased by Reggie Rheaume when he started his business— it was one of only eight made in the U.S.,” the article said.

A milestone for Manchester scouting

On Wednesday, Dec. 3, Goffstown resident Zoie Hall broke new ground by becoming the first female Eagle Scout in the 55-year history of her scout troop, Troop 106 in Manchester, according to a Troop 106 press release. Only about 4 percent of Scouts attain the rank of Eagle Scout, the release said.

QOL score: +1

Comment: “For her required community service project, she portrayed leadership and organization skills in renovating the function hall at Blessed Sacrament Parish in Manchester. She also reached out to local businesses for donations and to organize eight separate fundraisers to earn over $6000 needed to fund her Eagle project,” the release said.

Thirsty trees

According to a Dec. 2 online article by New Hampshire Public Radio, this year’s lack of rainfall has affected this season’s crop of Christmas trees, but not as much as you might expect. “Experts say when the drought intensified in late summer this year, evergreens were generally in a better spot than other trees,” the NHPR story read.

QOL score: -1 for this year, but stay tuned for future tree shortages

Comment: The full effects of this year’s drought might not be felt for several years. NHPR quoted Steve Roberge, the state forester for the University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension. “[Droughts] are just tough on newly planted trees,” he said. “And so there may be a lot of mortality that we see in Christmas trees planted this year.”

QOL score: 77

Net change: +2

QOL this week: 79

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

Let us know at news@hippopress.com.

Pats go for AFC East title

The Big Story – Bills and Pats Face-off: Sunday’s game in Foxboro vs. Buffalo has that old familiar feeling. That’s because it’s the biggest game for your New England Patriots since you-know-who took his talents to Tampa Bay. Thanks to their dramatic comeback win vs. Cincy last week it may not be the potential season-ender it appeared it might be for the Bills around 3:30 p.m. last Sunday. But if Josh Allen and company lose this one, New England takes the AFC East title back from Buffalo for the first time since 2020. It also would keep NE in the race with 11-2 Denver for the top seed in the AFC side of the playoffs.

Yes, it’s been a while since the Pats were in such a position, and a total surprise from where most thought they’d be in Week 14. But at the same time it also feels very familiar. So enjoy.

Sports 101: What one-time Celtic was an All Big 10 defensive back (as a freshman) for Indiana Football in the 1970s?

News Item – Sox Get Another Starter: Let’s just say getting the 6’6” 275-pound Johan Oviedo was not met with a universal feeling of approval. The dissent fell mainly into two camps: (1) John Henry is cheaping out again by taking a guy with big physical tools who has never lived up to that, or (2) by taking a guy like that, they once again think they are smarter than everyone else and they’re not. It reminds me of two other Red Sox instances – the big arm, no command issues sounds like what they said about Jordan Hicks after getting him in the Devers trade before he walked 12 in 18 innings and, ahhh, delivered an 8.20 ERA for his new team. The tools talk was also reminiscent of Theo Epstein trading a solid fifth starter in Bronson Arroyo for the vast power potential of Wily Mo Peña, who, despite a few heat-seeking missiles coming off his bat, came up a bust.

News Item – Fake News Story of the Week: The whining from New Yawkers (and some of their radio yackers) after the Giants-Patriots game, saying that Christian Elliss’s propelling Jaxson Dart off both feet on that big sideline hit was a giant cheap shot. Au contraire, the legal GIANT hit on Dart was clean and Dart’s doing alone by leaving himself exposed on the sideline rather than getting out of bounds. The most impressive part of the play was Ellis’s discipline to not get in one of the brawls the G-Men started that often takes the attacking team off the hook with a nullifying penalty. Instead he just tried to hold his ground and took the 15-yard penalty the NYG’s got instead. That’s the sign of a smart player, good coaching or both.

The Numbers:

-11 – receiving yards for Patrick Mahomes thanks to being tackled after he caught his own pass Houston deflected back to him in KC’s damaging loss Sunday to the Texans.

58 – years between when Indiana last won the Big 10 title and when they finally did it again with Saturday’s 13-10 win over Ohio State in the Big 10 Championship game.

364 – passing yards thrown by the much maligned Shedeur Sanders, which is 70 more than Drake Maye has ever thrown for in any game.

… Of the Week Awards

Thumbs Up – CFP: For denying Notre Dame a spot in the college playoffs.

Thumbs Down – Notre Dame: For those crybabies from South Bend, stamping their feet and taking their toys home by saying they’ll not accept any other lesser Bowl invitation.

Random Thoughts:

Watching Detroit-GB on Thanksgiving was a painful reminder of how much the Patriots blew it by not getting into the Micah Parsons sweepstakes. They’d be deadly with him.

Sports 101 Answer: The one-time Celtic who was a more highly touted footballer coming out of high school before attending IU was Quinn Buckner.

Final Thought – Maye vs. Brady: I’ll be charged with blasphemy for even uttering this: Statistically at least (with five more games to go), young Mr. Maye’s Year 2 has definitely been better than Tom Brady’s Year 2. But it’s true by every measurement except good QB sneaks, which Brady was great at right from the start. Take a look, Maye’s stats listed first and Brady’s second in this head-to-head comparison”

Completion Percentage – 71.5 to 62.1

TD passes to picks – 23-6 to 28-14

Passing Yards – 3,431 to 3,784

QB rating – 111.5 to 86.7

And most importantly, wins and losses – 11-2 to 9-7.

Plus Maye is going to the playoffs, which TB did not do in Year 2.

Bottom Line – I’m usually a pump the brakes kind of a guy on good young players after a fast career start. But I’ve seen enough. Don’t know if he’ll reach the heights TB-12 did. But this young fella has the same It factor Brady had.

Email Dave Long at dlong@hippopress.com.

News & Notes 25/12/11

Three-year degree

Rivier University will offer a three-year, 90-credit, applied bachelor’s degree program in majors including artificial intelligence, business management and criminal justice, according to a Dec. 3 press release from the school. “The new applied bachelor’s degree programs are designed for those eager to enter the professional workforce quickly with a reduced financial commitment. The 90-credit format streamlines general education requirements, enabling students to complete an applied bachelor’s degree in three years of full-time undergraduate study,” the release said. The programs will begin for the Spring 2026 semester; see rivier.edu/threeyear, the release said.

Crokinole

Learn about crokinole, which Wikipedia describes as “a disk-flicking dexterity board game, possibly of Canadian origin,” at an Extra Pint Crokinole Club New Hampshire event on Wednesday, Dec. 17, 6 p.m. at Republic Brewing Co., 72 Old Granite St. in Manchester, according to a post on the Extra Pint Crokinole Club, New Hampshire Facebook page. The group’s Crokinole League runs in January and February weekly at locations including Spyglass Brewing in Nashua, the Facebook page said.

Ethics award

Plan NH, a nonprofit that “brings together architects, planners, builders, and other design professionals to promote excellence in the planning, design, and development of New Hampshire’s built environment,” is seeking nominations for the New Hampshire Construction Industry Ethics Award, according to a press release. The award is given to “the individual, business, or organization that, through words and deeds, best demonstrates a commitment to upholding the highest ethical standards in construction,” according to a statement in the release. The winner receives a plaque and a $2,000 donation made in their name to the charity of their choice, the release said. See plannh.org. “Nominations will be accepted through January 16, 2026, with the award winner to be announced in summer 2026,” the release said.

Nashua artist’s paintings on display

Wadleigh Memorial Library, 49 Nashua St. in Milford, is displaying an exhibition of the abstract oil paintings of Dominique Boutaud, a Nashua-based artist, through Jan. 31, according to a press release. The library will host a lecture about the works with Boutaud on Thursday, Dec. 18, from 5 to 6 p.m. followed by an opening reception from 6 to 7 p.m., the release said. Find more about Boutaud at dominiqueboutaud.com and see wadleighlibrary.org.

The Community Players of Concord will hold an informal play reading evening on Friday, Dec. 12, from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the Players Studio, 435 Josiah Barlett Road in Concord, according to their Oct. 31 newsletter. The group will read Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing and no experience is required; email Cynthia.dickinson@communityplayersofconcord.org to join. See communityplayersofconcord.org.

“Christmas Past,” a program of holiday-themed silent films, will screen at Wilton Town Hall Theatre, 40 Main St. in Wilton, on Sunday, Dec. 14, at 2 p.m. featuring the first-ever filmed versions of A Christmas Carol and Twas the Night Before Christmas as well as Tess of the Storm Country, a 1922 film starring Mary Pickford, according to a press release. The program is described as family-friendly and will include live musical accompaniment by Jeff Rapsis. There is a suggested donation of $10 per person.

Studio 550, 550 Elm St. in Manchester, 550arts.com, will host a Handmade Holiday Market of pottery and more Monday, Dec. 15, through Tuesday, Dec. 23, from noon to 8 p.m. each day (closed on Dec. 21), according to a press release. The studio will sell 60+ Cups for a Cause, mugs and cups priced at $25 each to raise funds for the International Institute of New England, the release said. During the market week the studio will also hide mini-mugs and handmade ceramic ornaments downtown, with prizes offered for those who find them, the release said.

This Week 25/12/04

Friday, Dec. 5

Manchester Community Theatre Players will present Tastes Like Christmas— “written by award-winning playwright and screenwriter Tom Anastasi in the style of a Hallmark Christmas movie” — this weekend at the MCTP Theatre at the North End Montessori School, 698 Beech St. in Manchester, according to a press release. “It is the story of Josh, a Jackson, New Hampshire maple syrup farmer and volunteer fireman, whose business is struggling because he knows nothing about marketing. A week before Christmas, Natale, a driven marketing executive from Los Angeles, comes to New Hampshire for a wedding and she discovers small town life and the true meaning of the season,”
the release said. The show will run tonight and tomorrow, Saturday, Dec. 6, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 7, at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $20 for adults, $18 for seniors and $10 for students ages 18 and under, the release said. See mctp.info.

Friday, Dec. 5

Downtown Concord will celebrate the season with Midnight Merriment, the Intown Concord event that runs tonight starting at 5 p.m. and featuring family events including photos with Santa, live music, food trucks and more, according to intownconcord.org. See our story about the evening in the Nov. 27 issue (which you can find in the digital library at hippopress.com) of the Hippo on page 18.

Saturday, Dec. 6

Manchester will hold its annual Holiday Parade — this year’s theme is Candy Cane Lane — today on Elm Street. The Santa Shuffle three-mile race starts at 3 p.m. and the parade is at 4 p.m. See our story on page 20 of the Nov. 27 issue.

Sunday, Dec. 7

The New Hampshire Philharmonic Orchestra (647-6476. nhphil.org) will perform a preview of its Holiday Pops concert for brass and strings at LaBelle Winery Derry (14 Route 111, Derry, 672-9898, labellewinery.com/labelle-winery-derry) this afternoon at 1 p.m. Tickets are $30.

Sunday, Dec. 7

There will be food, live music, local vendors, family activities and more at this year’s Merrymaking on West Merrimack today from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on West Merrimack Street, between Elm and Canal streets, in downtown Manchester. Visit merrymakingmht.com/event-info for details and to register for this free event.

Tuesday, Dec. 9

The Nashua Historical Society (5 Abbott St., Nashua, 883-0015, nashuahistoricalsociety.org) will host a presentation from 7 to 8:30 p.m.: A Woman in the Ranks – Deborah Sampson’s Revolution and Revelation. Speaker Hailee Attorri, appearing in period costume, will share the remarkable true account of Deborah Sampson, who disguised herself as a man to fight for American independence and ultimately became one of the nation’s earliest recognized female veterans. This event is free and open to the public. Visit nashuahistoricalsociety.org.

Save the Date! Friday, Dec. 12
Roomful of Blues, the world-renowned horn-powered, house-rocking blues band, will play the BNH Stage (16 S. Main St., Concord, 225-1111, ccanh.com) Friday, Dec. 12, at 8 p.m. Tickets cost $49 through the Capitol Center’s website, or $54 at the door.

Featured Photo: Roomful of Blues

Quality of Life 25/12/04

Early skiing

As reported by WMUR in a Nov. 22 online article, several New Hampshire mountains opened for skiing before Thanksgiving, a full week earlier than usual. The article quoted Jennifer Karan of Cannon Mountain saying, “2019 was the last time we opened this early, so we are pretty excited. We got quite a bit of natural snow in the last week or so, a foot and a half last week.”

QOL score: +1

Comment: As of Dec. 1 five New Hampshire ski areas were open for business: Black Mountain, Bretton Woods, Cannon Mountain, Loon Mountain and Waterville Valley. For up-to-the-minute information on which resorts are open, visit skinh.com.

Howl be home for Christmas

According to a Nov. 23 online article by WMUR, “A Nottingham family is finally resting easy after their 4-year-old dog, Comet, was found nearly a month after going missing.” When Comet, named for one of Santa’s reindeer, disappeared from his family’s yard, “The family immediately launched a search, making a concerted effort to spread the word about Comet. … On Nov. 17, after nearly a month, the family got a call from Granite State Dog Recovery, saying they were able to capture Comet in a dog-friendly cage after following one of the community sighting tips.”

QOL score: +1

Comment: Clearly, life on the road was rough for Comet. According to the WMUR story, “Comet was rushed to the hospital, weighing just 32 pounds, less than half his original weight. He also had porcupine quills in his shoulder, causing him to limp.”

9-1-1 Herbivore Division

The Pelham Police Department performed an unusual rescue Friday, Nov. 28, when it helped a trapped deer escape from a mud pit. “We received a call about a ‘rein’ deer that had gotten itself stuck knee-deep in mud and couldn’t break free,” the Department posted on its Facebook page. “With the temperatures near freezing and the situation getting worse by the minute, our officers jumped into action. After a careful (and very muddy) effort, the deer was safely pulled out and sent on its way — hopefully to finish up whatever important Christmas duties it had going on.”

QOL score: +1

Comment: Find out more about the winter life of deer at wildlife.nh.gov/wildlife-and-habitat/species-occurring-nh/white-tailed-deer.

Hockey player pulls a hat trick

New Hampshire hockey player Tara Mounsey “laced up for the first ever Olympic women’s hockey gold medal game in Nagano, Japan,” reported WMUR in a Nov. 26 online article. “Her 1998 Olympic team was inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame in 2009.” Last year, as the medical coordinator for the Boston Celtics, she got a ring when the team won the championship. Now she is being inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame on her own. WMUR reported Mounsey’s reaction to learning the news. “I kept driving, but I felt like I needed to stop the car, I was so caught off guard,” she said. “I really had to sit with it and realize it was real and how big of an honor it is.”

QOL score: +1

Comment: Mounsey’s induction ceremony will take place on Dec. 10 in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Visit hhof.com/induction/induction.html.

QOL score: 73

Net change: +4

QOL this week: 77

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

Let us know at news@hippopress.com.

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