News – Page 114

Sox mid-season report

The Big Story: Baseball passed the 81-game mid-year point last week. Here’s a snapshot of where it all stood for the Red Sox and for some of the bigger stories in progress all around baseball.

Sports 101: Who hit the first pinch-hit homer in World Series play?

News Item – Red Sox: They were 40-41 overall, 14 games out of first with five teams ahead of them to grab the last play-in slot.

Chaim Got It Right: Not on much, but he did with Masataka Yoshida, who was hitting .297 with eight bombs and 39 RBI in his first season in America.

Who’s Hot – Triston Casas: He might have gotten a tongue-lashing recently for his statistically worst in the majors D. But the highly touted rookie has finally started to hit. After hitting .137 in April, it was .257 in May and .288 in June, which has him up to .227 overall with nine homers and 27 RBI in 225 at-bats. That projects to 18 and 54.

Reason for Optimism: Though the numbers may not quite show it, it’s their young starters Bryan Bello, Garrett Whitlock and Tanner Houck showing promise, though not consistently, for the future.

Best Sign for Immediate Future: Probably if a sell-off does come, disposable veterans Kenley Jansen, Justin Turner and James Paxton could have enough value to bring back some minor-leaguers with promise.

Reason for Pessimism: They were undone by a second-most-in-baseball 53 errors, led by not-up-to-it fill-in shortstop Kiké Hernandez’s most in baseball 14, a number in stark contrast to the 10 Xander Bogaerts committed last year.

Biggest Disappointment: Chris Sale going down with another injury after it appeared he might have gotten over the hump after four injury-plagued seasons. After a terrific eight-game stretch where he struck out 52 in 47 innings with a 2.64 ERA and a 5-2 record, he’s out again until at least early August.

Alumni News

Xander Bogaerts: The grass isn’t always greener (even though the money is) on the other side of the fence. At .259 with eight homers, 28 RBI’s and a paltry (for him) 13 doubles, he’s not exactly ragging it away from the Fenway Park doubles factory, while the high-spending Pads are an underachieving 37-44.

Kyle Schwarber: He may have the weirdest season in progress. With a sixth-best-in-baseball 20 homers he’s on pace to top 40 again, and his 55 walks is second best overall. But those homers aren’t all that productive, as he has knocked in a 56th-best 40 runs. If you take away the homers, he’s got just 30 other hits in 257 at-bats. Good for a .113 average when he doesn’t hit a homer and .181 overall.

The Numbers

4 – sold-out crowds the once sellout-crazed Red Sox have so far in 2023.

108 – projected wins by the franchise often mocked by Globe columnist Dan Shaughnessy in calling the Red Sox “Tampa Bay North” even though the Rays are doing it with a payroll $100 million less than Boston’s.

Notable Seasons

At 20-60 Oakland is going for the record set by the 40-120 Mets of 1962 for ineptitude.

Miami’s Luis Arraez was still threatening hitting .400 when he and the Marlins left Fenway last week at .397.

A Little History – 1968 The Sequel: It was known as Year of the Pitcher, because pitching so dominated the game, particularly in the AL, where the only .300 hitter was batting champ Carl Yastrzemski, who hit just .301. The NL was a little better, where Pete Rose led it at .335, but only four others topped .300. It led to big changes to shrink the strike zone and restrict how high the pitcher’s mound could be.

With only eight guys hitting .300, 2023 is like 1968 except this time the lowly totals came after rule changes like banning the shift happened.

Sports 101 Answer: Yogi Berra took Brooklyn’s Ralph Branca deep for the first ever World Series pinch-hit homer in the 252nd Series game, hitting a two-run seventh-inning bomb in Game 3 for the eventual 1947 world champs.

Ironically it wasn’t Branca’s last brush with history. Four years later he threw the pitch Bobby Thomson hit for baseball’s most famous homer, the bottom-of-the-ninth “shot heard round the world” that let the Giants literally walk off with the NL pennant.

Final Thoughts: With the spend-crazy Mets and Padres massively under-achieving with first- and third-highest payrolls and the Rays and D-Backs leading the AL East and NL West respectively with the third- and eighth-lowest payrolls it’s a reminder that it’s not how much you spend, it’s how you spend it. So hats off to Tampa Bay for superior work in those areas.

Email Dave Long at dlong@hippopress.com.

Next-gen tech

Tech Professional of the Year winner talks about inclusion in the industry

Flo Nicolas was named Tech Professional of the Year at the recent TechWomen Connect and Awards event hosted by the NH Tech Alliance.

What is your background in tech?

My background is actually legal. I’m a licensed attorney. I spent a couple of years practicing, and then I ended up working for a big telecommunications company. I spent over seven and a half years in the corporate technology operations department. … When I entered the corporate world, I was a bit naive; I thought, you work hard, you get promoted, easy peasy. Then I started seeing women in the corporate world just weren’t getting promoted. … I ended up … working for another smaller startup company … as their chief growth and community officer, focused on legal technology. I started growing my name in the legal tech sector. … I started doing this show where I was teaching other lawyers how to leverage technology.

What are you doing now?

I wanted to continue my passion for tech education, which I did by creating my show, Get Tech Smart, which is focused on … educating people in a simplistic way on the emerging technologies that are being created right here in our state. I’m also a co-founder and chief operating officer for a tech company … [focused on] Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, but not just in a simple way of consultation and being like, ‘Hey, you should be diverse’; we actually have a platform that helps organizations successfully implement and launch their DEI strategic plan by utilizing data analytics. … That way, they can see clearly what’s working, and what’s not, celebrate their successes, but also see what areas need improvement, and then take action. … I also started doing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion networking events. I’ve done two events so far … [which were] so successful. … We managed to raise over $40,000 in professional development scholarships … which is very needed.

What are some of the biggest challenges women face in the tech industry?

One of the things I noticed when I started doing my show … was the lack of representation of women in the tech industry. … There’s a struggle to be seen, heard and paid our worth. … The weight of the invisible glass ceiling is evident, with women earning only 80 cents for every dollar men make, and the disparity is even more significant for women of color. … Many women experience demoralization and imposter syndrome when they are undervalued and underpaid. …This leads to difficulties in advocating for ourselves, negotiating better salaries and seeking promotions.

What are some steps tech companies can take to be more inclusive?

Companies can address the issue of gender pay disparity by conducting self-audits to ensure equal pay. They should use data to identify and rectify any discrepancies in pay between equally qualified men and women. … Companies should also engage in surveys to gather qualitative data on employee sentiment and assess their sense of belonging. Analyzing hiring and retention trends can provide insights into diversity gaps within the workforce. … Companies need to be intentional in their hiring practices and establish community alliances to tap into diverse talent pools. It’s important to note that diversity encompasses more than just gender and race … [and] companies should consider other dimensions such as veterans, neurodivergent individuals and people with disabilities.

What would you say to young women interested in going into the tech industry?

The tech industry is a fantastic industry to get into. … I would tell them — especially girls that are in elementary school or high school — to not feed into the myth that math is for boys … or that people who want to get into the tech industry need to learn how to code and need to know how to do math. That’s not true. I’m terrible at math. I don’t even code. There’s more to technology than just coding and doing math. … I would tell them to not be afraid to explore the tech world. … I would also tell them that it’s challenging to break into the tech world, so you should start getting that exposure early on and start networking … with other women in the industry. Don’t wait until you graduate college. Go to STEM camps. … Do STEM programs. There are all kinds of opportunities out there.

News & Notes 23/07/06

Child care help

The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services has announced the approval of multiple contracts totaling $15.5 million to strengthen the state’s child care system. According to a press release, the funding is part of a larger allocation of $20.6 million from the American Rescue Plan Act Discretionary funds, intended to address critical needs in the child care sector. The contracts aim to enhance workforce capacity and improve access to quality and affordable child care in New Hampshire. The funding will support various initiatives, including the Child Care Workforce Recruiting and Retention Plan, which aims to attract and retain professionals in the child care field. The Child Care Business Improvement Project will focus on improving the financial health of child care facilities, while the Family Child Care Project aims to increase the availability of family child care across the state. Additionally, there will be investments in out-of-school time technical assistance to enhance the quality and accessibility of out-of-school care statewide. Since March 2020 the DHHS has invested over $113 million in federal relief funds into the child care system, with the majority directly benefiting New Hampshire child care providers. The remaining ARPA-D funds will be utilized to address ongoing and emerging needs, such as capacity building, child care business and employer partnerships, data and information systems and administrative costs.

Social media woes

Attorney General John Formella is asking individuals who have witnessed or experienced negative impacts on young people’s mental health due to social media use to share their experiences with the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office. “We want to hear from people who have loved ones, particularly young people, who have been negatively affected by social media,” Attorney General Formella said in a press release. “Extensive social media use has been tied to profound risks of harm in youth. Indeed, there has been an increased focus on the correlation between the development of serious mental health disorders by minors and time spent on social media.” According to the release, the Attorney General’s Office has been collaborating with educators, health care experts, municipalities and other Attorneys General across the U.S. for the past two years to investigate social media platforms’ business practices to better understand the harmful effects of social media and hold social media platforms accountable for their actions. The investigation is part of a broader effort by the state to respond to the impacts of social media on youth; as part of this effort, Gov. Chris Sununu recently signed an Executive Order mandating the creation of guidelines for a curriculum on the dangers of social media, which will be included in all K-12 health education courses in New Hampshire. Those who have observed or personally encountered any detrimental effects of social media use on the mental well-being of a young individual who want to contribute their input should send an email with their name, contact details, age of the affected person and a brief overview of their observations and the social media platforms involved to smpimpact@doj.nh.gov.

Cannabis access

Visitors from other states and Canada who are certified to receive therapeutic cannabis in their respective regions are now able to access New Hampshire’s Alternative Treatment Centers (ATCs) to obtain therapeutic cannabis. According to a press release from New Hampshire’s Division of Public Health Services, this change in state law allows visiting patients to avoid the legal risks associated with transporting cannabis across state lines, which is prohibited by federal law. Under the new law, visiting patients can purchase therapeutic cannabis from New Hampshire ATCs up to three times a year using a valid therapeutic cannabis identification issued by another state or Canada. If the out-of-state patient’s medical condition matches the list of approved conditions in New Hampshire, they may purchase cannabis at the same frequency as qualifying patients from New Hampshire. Visiting patients are required to present their out-of-state cannabis ID card along with a matching photo identification. There is a possession limit of 2 ounces per patient, and all patients are restricted to purchasing 2 ounces of cannabis within a 10-day period. New Hampshire currently has seven ATC therapeutic cannabis dispensary locations, in Chichester, Conway, Dover, Keene, Lebanon, Merrimack and Plymouth.

Aid to survivors

New Hampshire Mutual Bancorp (NHMB) has donated digital equipment, estimated to be worth $3,200, to the New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic & Sexual Violence (NHCADSV), including four HP Laserjet Pro m404dn printers and 16 iPhone 8’s as part of NHMB’s replacement plan for electronic tools. According to a press release, the printers will support the advocacy work of NHCADSV for survivors, while the cell phones will be given to individuals who have experienced domestic violence and sexual assault to assist them in their crisis and empower them as they seek safety and healing. The NHCADSV is an umbrella organization for 12 community-based crisis centers in New Hampshire, and the equipment will be distributed to many of these centers.

Imagine Casino/Concord Casino has received final planning board approval to The Children’s Museum of New Hampshire in Dover is hosting a Family Fun $1 Day on Saturday, July 22. In celebration of the museum’s opening in 1983, admission for this day only is just $1 per person, including adults, children over the age of 1, and seniors. Children under the age of 1 can enter for free. Online reservations are required, and it operates on a first come, first served basis. For more information and to reserve your spot, visit childrens-museum.org or call 603-742-2002.

Due to weather, the city of Manchester rescheduled its Independence Day Celebration to Thursday, July 6, in Arms Park. The fireworks display will begin at dusk, approximately 9:30 p.m. Admission is free. Attendees are welcome to bring their own chairs and picnic dinners for their families. Alcoholic beverages and glass bottles are not allowed, and pets are prohibited. Portable toilets will be available. The Arms Park parking lot will be closed to vehicles beginning at 4 p.m., reserved for viewing only. Commercial Street will be restricted to pedestrians only starting at 8 p.m.

The New Boston Historical Society will host a talk, “The History of Agriculture as Told by Barns,” on Thursday, July 13, at 7 p.m. at the New Boston Community Church. John Porter, local agriculture expert and author specializing in old barns, will explore the evolution of barn architecture in New Hampshire and show photo illustrations of barns from various time periods, reflecting the changes in agriculture over the centuries. The event, funded by a grant from NH Humanities, is free and open to the public. Visit newbostonhistoricalsociety.com.

This Week 23/06/29

Big Events June 29, 2023 and beyond

Thursday, June 29

Today is the last walk in the woods hosted by New Boston’s Recreation Department. The walk will be on one of the town’s scenic trails. Meet at 8:50 a.m. at Town Hall (5 Meetinghouse Road), where hikers will either carpool or walk to the trail. For more information visit newbostonnh.gov.

Thursday, June 29

Head to the Aviation Museum of New Hampshire (27 Navigator Road, Londonderry) for a lecture by Paul Houle on his book The Crash of Delta Flight 723 today at 7 p.m. The book looks at the crash of Delta Flight 723, known as the deadliest plane crash in New England history. The program costs $10 per person, free for members. Visit aviationmuseumofnh.org for more information.

Saturday, July 1

The Hampton Falls Liberty Craft Festival is today from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, July 2, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the Hampton Falls Town Common (4 Lincoln Ave.). This event is free to the public. More than 75 juried artisans will feature their work. Discover pottery, pillow quilts, wind chimes and more. Visit castleberryfairs.com for more information.

Saturday, July 1

See the legendary classic rock band Chicago at Bank of NH Pavilion (27 Meadowbrook Lane, Gilford) today at 8 p.m. General admission to the lawn costs $25, with discounted four-pack tickets available as well, starting at $18.75. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit banknhpavilion.com.

Sunday, July 2

Celebrate with folk rock singer-songwriter Andrea Paquin at her pre-release album concert tonight at The Cantin Room at Bank of New Hampshire Stage (16 S. Main St., Concord). The concert will have songs from her soon-to-be released album along with some of her fans’ favorites. The doors open at 5:30 p.m. and the show starts at 6 p.m. Tickets cost $15 and can be purchased at ccanh.com.

Wednesday, July 5

Today is the first day to pick your own lavender at Pumpkin Blossom Farm (393 Pumpkin Hill Road, Warner) from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Visitors can have a picnic on the lawn, visit the baby chicks, and enjoy the shaded trails. Discount bundles are $15 during the weekdays and $20 on weekends. Visit pumpkinblossomfarm.com for more information.

Save the Date!
The Hillsborough Summer Festival is back this year at Grimes Field (29 Preston St., Hillsborough) from Thursday, July 13, to Sunday, July 16, with live entertainment, carnival rides, a firework show on Saturday night, a 5K road race on Friday, a parade on Sunday and more. Festival hours are from 6 to 10 p.m. on Thursday, from 5 to 11 p.m. on Friday, from noon to 11 p.m. on Saturday and from noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday. Admission is free. Visit hillsborosummerfest.com.

Quality of Life 23/06/29

Mosquito watch

The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services has detected the first batch of mosquitoes testing positive for Jamestown Canyon Virus (JCV) this season, according to a press release from the department. The mosquitos were collected in Keene on June 6, the release said. JCV is a disease transmitted through mosquito bites, and cases have been increasing in North America. Since 2013, New Hampshire has identified 19 cases of JCV. The risk level for mosquito-borne diseases like Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) and West Nile Virus (WNV) may increase throughout the summer and fall. Symptoms can range from mild flu-like illness to more severe central nervous system diseases. Those experiencing symptoms are advised to seek medical attention. For further information, residents can contact the DHHS Division of Public Health Services’ Bureau of Infectious Disease Control at 271-4496 or visit dhhs.nh.gov/programs-services/disease-prevention/infectious-disease-control/mosquito-borne-illnesses.

QOL score: -2

Comment: Using insect repellent, wearing protective clothing and minimizing outdoor exposure during peak mosquito activity is crucial to prevention of mosquito bites and JCV exposure, according to the release.

Good effort!

Liberty New Hampshire has been awarded the EEI Emergency Response Award by the Edison Electric Institute (EEI) for their outstanding recovery efforts during Winter Storm Elliott, according to a press release. Despite the storm causing widespread power outages just before Christmas, Liberty’s team members in New Hampshire were able to restore service to all customers in time for the holiday celebrations. “Before any major storm arrives in our service territory, we activate our Incident Command Structure (ICS), which brings together all key players across the business to ensure we are prepared to respond quickly and safely to any system impacts,” Anthony Strabone, senior director of electric operations, said in the release. “We have seen time and time again that our pre-planning work and the regular drills are key ingredients in the formula for resiliency.” They restored power to nearly 9,000 customers, exceeding expectations by completing the restoration almost 24 hours before anticipated.

QOL score: +1

Comment: Additionally, Liberty’s line crews volunteered to assist other utilities in New Hampshire with their own restoration efforts.

Invention Convention mention

A first-grade student from Hooksett was honored at the seventh annual Raytheon Technologies Invention Convention U.S. Nationals, powered by The Henry Ford. According to a press release, Everly S. earned second place in the first-grade category for her invention called “The Calm Down Bunny.” The event celebrated more than 70 award-winning K-12 inventors from across the nation, with more than 80 awards, including cash prizes and patent applications, being handed out. The Invention Convention Worldwide program, aligned with national and state educational standards, teaches students problem-solving, entrepreneurship, and creativity skills.

QOL score: +1

Comment: More than 166,000 K-12 inventors participate each year, with the hope of advancing to the U.S. national competition. The program aims to inspire young inventors and prepare them to become engineers and technologists who tackle future challenges, according to the release.

QOL score: 80

Net change: 0

QOL this week: 80

What’s affecting your Quality of Life here in New Hampshire? Let us know at news@hippopress.com.

C’s make smart deal

The Big Story – Celtics’ Blockbuster:Say one thing about Brad Stevens the GM, he doesn’t sit on his hands and wait for things to happen. Instead, for the third time in his two-year tenure he pulled off a major deal, with last week’s being the biggest of all. A shocker as well, in sending team leader Marcus Smart to Memphis in a three-way deal that brought back 7’3” one-time Knick Kristaps Porzingis, who NYC media positively (incorrectly) slobbered over as the second coming when Phil Jackson drafted him.

Sports 101:Name the last players taken first overall from historic basketball programs UCLA and UNC.

News Item – What’s Not to Like About Porzingis: He comes with durability concerns. But he played 65 games last year and was a healthy scratch in their last five while the Wizards tanked for draft position. But it’s not like Smart plays 82 a year; he’s averaged just 64 per over his nine-year career and Jayson Tatum was the only First Team All-NBA who even hit 70. That he forced his way out of New York because he didn’t like the direction New York was headed and not getting along with Luka in Dallas makes me wonder about the attitude a bit.

News Item – Things to Like About the Deal: (a) it fills their biggest need — finding the eventual replacement for Al Horford; (b) It adds size up front for the three-man defensive rotation, where Grant Williams is too small for that role; (c) it gives them a legit post up inside scoring option to go to when the threes aren’t falling; (d) he contributed eight rebounds and nearly two blocks last year; (e) the restricted (to fourth overall) 2024 first pick belonging to Golden State they got as well.

News Item – A Can’t-Miss Pick: Hard to not drool at French phenomenon Victor Wembanyama’s gifts — 7’4”, mobile, quick, with the handle of a guard. But is it a guarantee of the greatness being predicted for the NBA’s first overall pick by everyone without a second thought? Sorry, I’ve seen other absolute locks, like Ralph Sampson, not live up to the hype. Ditto for others due to injuries (Zion Williamson and Greg Oden), lack of drive (Derrick Coleman), what-was-I thinking-of talent evaluation (Kent Benson, Kwame Brown), or simple lack of heart and toughness (Ben Simmons). Tools are nice, but real greatness comes from hating to lose. So while I’m curious and he’s saying all the right things, Wembanyama’s got to show me what he’s made of before I start drooling.

The Numbers:

14 – million in cap space the Patriots have to spend on a wideout or left tackle if the right one becomes available.

17 – times Mookie Betts has played errorless second base this year for the Dodgers.

55 – lead-off now hit by Toronto’s George Springer to move him into second place behind Rickey Henderson’s all-time best 81.

Random Thoughts:

I know this isn’t a news flash, but Skip Bayless saying trading Marcus Smart will be catastrophic for Boston tells me it’ll be up there with Rick Robey for DJ. For once Charles Barkley is 100 percent right.

If DeAndre Hopkins is holding on hoping another team bids on him, I’m OK with that. But if he’s slowing his choice to get out of pre-season camp, the Pats should let him go elsewhere. Not interested in another Albert Haynesworth.

Not a fan of the Bradley Beal to the Suns deal. Too many chiefs who need/want the ball and not enough scrubs who do the important little things.

Thumbs Up – Brad Stevens: Turns out the guy who lacked imagination beyond chucking up rushed threes as a coach has a great imagination as a GM with a knack for making solid trades.

Thumbs Down – ESPN: F- for its NBA draft coverage and that’s before we get to the “hey everyone look at me” pink zoot suit worn by Steven A. Blowhard. Too many panels with no one of consequence on them saying over and over in 21st-century draft speak, “That guy is really good,” and an endless parade of parents that no one gives a flip about droning on about junior.

Sports 101 Answer: Believe it or not Bill Walton in 1974 was the last first overall NBA pick from tradition-rich UCLA and for UNC their last top pick was Brad Daugherty 10 years later, who went one pick ahead of the Celtics when they took Len Bias in 1984.

Final Thoughts: I hate giving up Marcus Smart. But the team had a redundancy at guard and needed a shake-up, and you have to give up something to get something. So thanks for memories of all the fight you play with, Marcus, and good luck in Memphis. All that’s left now is to hope Draymond Green doesn’t re-sign with Golden State and they crater to make their 2024 first-round pick the C’s own more valuable.

Email Dave Long at dlong@hippopress.com.

Category: News