Category: News

News & Notes 23/07/20

Running for governor

Manchester Mayor Joyce Craig launched her campaign for governor of New Hampshire with an event at the Rex Theatre in Manchester on July 12, according to a press release. Former Gov. John Lynch, also a Democrat, expressed his support for Craig, highlighting her dedication to making a difference in the lives of Granite Staters and her commitment to supporting public education. Craig emphasized her accomplishments as Manchester’s mayor, including the revitalization of the Rex Theatre and efforts to strengthen the community. Also running for the Democratic nomination is Cinde Warmington, Executive Councilor for District 2.

In a June 6 interview with WMUR, Gov. Chris Sununu said he would decide this summer on whether or not to run for a fifth term as governor.

Micro-credentials

The New Hampshire Department of Education (NHED) has partnered with Credentials Unlimited, an organization that offers courses and programs aligned with specific educational standards, to offer micro-credentials focused on the Science of Reading to educators. According to a press release, the goal is to equip teachers with the knowledge and skills to implement evidence-based reading practices in their classrooms and improve student literacy outcomes. The micro-credentials, aligned with the rigorous standards set by the International Dyslexia Association, are provided at no cost to New Hampshire educators. This program is specifically designed for participants enrolled in NHED’s Leaning Into Literacy LETRS professional development program who successfully complete the Pearson Reading Exam. The initiative aims to support educators in enhancing their teaching techniques and making a positive impact on students’ literacy development.

Want to host an exhibit?

New Hampshire Humanities (NHH) has partnered with Vermont Humanities and the Smithsonian’s Museums on Main Street program to bring the traveling exhibit “Crossroads: Change in Rural America” to small towns in New Hampshire and Vermont from August 2024 to August 2025. According to a press release, NHH is currently accepting proposals from New Hampshire-based organizations interested in hosting the exhibit for a six-week period during the tour. They particularly encourage organizations in small, rural towns or the North Country to apply. Host organizations will not only display the exhibit but also develop complementary programming that engages the local community. NHH will provide grants of up to $3,000 and a subject matter expert to support hosts in creating programming related to the exhibit. The deadline for proposals is July 28, and more information can be found at nhhumanities.org/crossroads.

Trail work

Access to the Cardigan Mountain trail and summit will be periodically limited until Aug. 31 due to a fire tower replacement project, according to the NH Division of Forests and Lands. The project involves using a helicopter to transport materials for the new tower, and hikers are advised not to summit on days when the helicopter is in use for safety reasons. Updates on non-summitting days and trail closures will be posted on the websites and Twitter accounts of the Division of Forests and Lands and the NH Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. The project is expected to be completed by October, and another fire tower cab replacement project at Belknap Mountain will begin later this summer.

Funds to fight abuse

The University of New Hampshire’s Crimes against Children Research Center (CCRC) has received a $1.5 million award from the U.S. Department of Justice to study child abuse in youth-serving organizations. According to a press release, the five-year project aims to assess the feasibility of a national system for counting and tracking child abuse cases in schools, churches, sports and camps. The CCRC will collaborate with various stakeholders to determine the scope of the system, its integration with existing systems and the application of criteria from other areas of health and safety. The study will also examine existing reporting systems and legislative frameworks. Interim findings will be published, and pilot testing will be conducted in the final two years of the project.

New principal

The Manchester School District has announced Shawn Baskerville as the new principal of Weston Elementary School, according to a press release. Baskerville, who has served as an assistant principal in the district since 2011, brings extensive experience in special education and has worked at both the elementary and middle school levels. He replaces Liz MacDonald, who retired after 30 years in the district. Baskerville holds a bachelor’s degree in special education and a master’s degree in educational leadership. The position of assistant principal at Highland-Goffe’s Falls Elementary School, Baskerville’s previous school, is now open. Weston Elementary School serves students from pre-kindergarten to Grade 5 and is one of the 13 elementary schools in the Manchester School District.

The McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center in Concord marked the completion of the first phase of its Science Playground, an outdoor area designed to provide an interactive experience for visitors, with a grand opening on Monday, July 17. According to the press release, the event featured a ribbon-cutting ceremony with Gov. Chris Sununu, and attendees had the opportunity to test out the new playground equipment and engage in hands-on STEM-based activities.

The University of New Hampshire (UNH) has partnered with Exail, a French company specializing in maritime autonomy and robotics, to establish a new innovation hub at the Judd Gregg Marine Research Complex in New Castle. According to a press release, the hub will focus on marine autonomous operations and ocean mapping. An unveiling event on Saturday, July 15, included a demonstration of the 25-foot-long uncrewed surface vessel, DriX.

The Nashua Regional Planning Commission will host a Household Hazardous Waste Collection event on Saturday, Aug. 5, in Nashua. According to a press release, the collection will take place at Nashua City Park & Ride at 25 Crown St. and is open to residents of Amherst, Brookline, Hollis, Hudson, Litchfield, Merrimack, Milford, Mont Vernon, Nashua, Pelham and Windham. A user fee of $15 per vehicle will be charged, covering up to 10 gallons or 20 pounds of hazardous waste. Latex paint, electronics and medications will not be accepted. For a complete list of accepted items, visit nashuarpc.org/hhw or call 417-6570.

This Week 23/07/13

Big Events July 13, 2023 and beyond

Thursday, July 13

Hillsborough Summer Festival begins tonight from 6 to 10 p.m. at Grimes Field (29 Preston St., Hillsborough). The festival runs through Sunday, July 16, with live entertainment (tonight’s entertainment is a DJ; see the website for a list of performers), a midway and carnival rides, a fireworks show on Saturday night, a 5K road race on Friday, a hometown parade on Sunday at noon and more, according to the website. The festival is open Friday from 5 to 11 p.m.; Saturday from noon to 11 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. Admission is free. See hillsborosummerfest.com.

Friday, July 14

It’s NASCAR Weekend at New Hampshire Motor Speedway (1122 Route 106, Loudon) from today through Sunday, July 16 — weekend happenings include Friday Night Dirt Duels on Friday; a doubleheader on Saturday featuring the Ambetter Health 200 NASCAR Xfinity Series race, followed by the Mohegan Sun 100 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour race, and the Crayon 301 race on Sunday. Tickets vary in price, depending on the race. See nhms.com.

Saturday, July 15

The Aviation Museum of New Hampshire (27 Navigator Road in Londonderry; aviationmuseumofnh.org, 669-4820) takes some time off from wings to celebrate wheels at the Classic Car Show today from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The show will feature a student-built aircraft but also ground-bound vehicles of all eras, according to a press release. The day will also feature food trucks, a raffle and a yard sale, the release said. Admission to the show for spectators costs $5 per adult, children 12 and under are free, and includes admission to the museum (which is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.), the release said.

Saturday, July 15

The American Independence Museum (1 Governors Lane in Exeter; 772-2622, independencemuseum.org) celebrates the arrival of the Declaration of Independence in New Hampshire (on July 16, 1776) with the American Independence Festival today from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free. The day will feature a Traditional Artisan Village with artisans demonstrating shoemaking, coopering, millinery, fiber arts, dancing, tinsmithing, brewing and more, according to a press release. The festival will also feature military exhibits, performances, games, a beer garden, food and more, the release said.

Saturday, July 15

Stop in at WineNot Boutique (25 Main St. in Nashua; winenotboutique.com) for a tasting of “Exotic Wines from South America” from 1 to 5 p.m.

Sunday, July 16

Jake Shimabukuro brings his ukulele to the Nashua Center for the Arts (201 Main St. in Nashua; nashuacenterforthearts.com, 800-657-8774) today at 8 p.m. Tickets start at $29. Find more concerts this weekend and beyond in the listings on page 38.

Save the Date! Friday, July 22
The Palace Theatre’s Spotlight Room (96 Hanover St. in Manchester; palacetheatre.org) will host an Intimate Night of Sinatra with Rich DiMare and Ron Poster on Saturday, July 22, with shows at 4 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $29.

Featured photo: Classic Car Show.

Quality of Life 23/07/13

Floods

The National Weather Service issued a Flood Watch for most of New Hampshire from Sunday, July 9, through the morning of Tuesday, July 11, warning that heavy rain could lead to flash flooding in parts of Hillsborough, Merrimack, Cheshire, Grafton, Coos, Carroll, Belknap and Sullivan counties, according to a press release. The New Hampshire Department of Safety’s Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management urges residents and visitors to be prepared to “take action and seek higher ground immediately” in the case that a Flood Warning — which means flooding is imminent — is issued.

QOL score: -1

Comment: Most flood deaths happen in vehicles, the release said; never drive through flooded roadways as just 6 inches of water can reach the bottom of most passenger cars, causing loss of control and possible stalling, and 1 foot of water can sweep a vehicle away. If there is moving water, remain in your vehicle, but if the floodwaters are not moving, abandon your vehicle and move to higher ground.

Light show

A solar storm on Thursday, July 13, could make the Northern Lights visible in 17 states, including New Hampshire, according to an AP story on NHPR.org. According to the article, the Northern Lights are caused by solar wind hitting Earth’s magnetic field, making atoms glow, and the storm is part of an 11-year solar cycle that is increasing the chances of seeing the colorful sky show in lower latitudes.

QOL score: +1

Comment: The lights are most likely to be seen between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m., somewhere away from city lights. According to the travel guide website Rove.me, the best place in New Hampshire to see the lights is the region’s highest peak, Mount Washington, which offers a clear and dark view of the sky, intensifying the colors of the lights.

Baby loons!

You can now watch baby loons on LoonCam Live, a live broadcast of loon nests in the Lakes Region of New Hampshire, run by the Loon Preservation Committee, a nonprofit organization that works to preserve loons and their habitats in the state. According to the LPC’s website, the LoonCam is currently streaming 24/7 on a nest with two chicks that hatched on July 9 and July 10. The parent loons have left the nest and are guarding their chicks nearby. The broadcast will continue until mid-July, when the loon chicks are expected to fledge. Watch at loon.org/looncam.

QOL score: +1

Comment: Viewers can also find timelapse videos, updates from a loon blogger and information on how to support the LPC’s mission on the LPC’s website.

QOL score: 79

Net change: +1

QOL this week: 80

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

Featured photo: Screenshot from last year’s LoomCam.

The week that was

The Big Story: With the All-Star Game history, the Red Sox are on the clock to decide whether they’ll be buyers or sellers at the trade deadline, which is 18 days away. Their task is made more complicated by their going into the break at 48-43 and on a five-game winning streak, though they’re still last in the AL East with several teams to climb past to get into the play-in game. The clock is ticking.

Sports 101: Which pitcher in All-Star Game history has (a) given up the most hits, (b) given up the most earned runs, (c) pitched the most total innings, and (d) pitched in the most games?

News Item – Shohei Ohtani: After having the best hitting month of June since Lou Gehrig’s 1.470 OPS in 1936, Ohtani is the top story in baseball. The resume will include being the first in 10 years to hit 30 homers before July 1 after a June when he hit 15 homers and 29 RBI while hitting .394 with a third best ever (behind only Babe Ruth’s 1920 and ’21) .952 slugging percentage. And, oh by the way, he’s also 7-4, with a 3.32 ERA, third in baseball 132 strikeouts and the lowest batting average against at .180.

Thumbs Up – LPGA Golfer Amy Olson: In going 79-77 on Thursday and Friday she didn’t make it into the weekend, but let’s give Olson a standing O for having the grit and toughness to compete in the women’s U.S. Open while seven months pregnant. Bravo.

Thumbs Down – ESPN: When the parent company is cutting 7,000 jobs, somebody has to go. But for ESPN to let go its single best analyst overall, Jeff Van Gundy, is nuts. Especially given the number of slugs who survived.

The Numbers:

1 – Red Sox players invited to play for the AL in the All Star game.

80 – age Greg Popovich will be at the end of the $80 million deal he signed last week to remain head coach of the San Antonio Spurs for the next five years.

Of the Week Awards:

Player –TheCincinnati rookie sensation Ely De La Cruz became the first Reds player since 1919 to steal second, third and home in the same plate appearance. It came vs. Milwaukee on Saturday right after he knocked in the lead run and then provided the insurance run with his antics in an 8-5 Reds win on Saturday.

Most Idiotic Idea (If Not in the History of Mankind) –From supposed CBS-NBA Insider Sam Quinn, who proposed (before Grant Williams was traded to Dallas) the Celtics do the following to give them a “true” Big Three with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown: send Williams, Al Horford, Malcolm Brogdon, Peyton Pritchard and multiple first-round picks to the 76er’s for, no, not Joel Embiid, but (are you ready for this?) 33-year-old no-defense James Harden, last seen stinking up the joint in five of the seven games against the C’s in the 2023 playoffs.

Laugh Out Loud Moment: It was the hilarity of hearing Red Sox right fielder Alex Verdugo whining he’d been unfairly snubbed by the AL All-Star team while hitting a 17th best in the AL .284, with a 94th best six homers and 113th best 35 RBI totals.

Sports 101 Answer: Most hits and earned runs allowed: WhiteyFord(19 and 11). Don Drysdale’s 19.1 innings pitched is the most ever and Roger Clemens with 9 has pitched in the most ASG’s.

Final Thought: Sorry to see Mike Trout get injured ( broken wrist), but it brings to mind something I’ve been meaning to mention for a while. And this comment is aimed at the yackers, not Trout himself. I don’t get how anyone (besides stat geeks) can say he fits among the all-time baseball greats like Aaron, Mays and Ruth. Very good player, yes. But he’s in his 13th year, and while he’s got 368 homers, he’s got just three 100-RBI seasons, with a high of 111. By contrast Junior Griffey did it eight times, with highs of 147 and 146 before he turned 30. A–Rod (I know he has issues) did it 14 times with a high of 156 and for Albert Pujols it’s 13 and three 130-plus seasons.

Then there are his three MVP’s. I’m fine with 2014 when the Angels won the AL West. But being picked over Mookie Betts in 2016 was a joke. Mookie led the AL in total bases, was second in hits and doubles with 31 homers and 113 as his team won the AL East, while Trout’s Angels finished 21 games back and he wasn’t in the Top 10 in homers or RBI. And 2019, when three Red Sox players alone had more total bases, was an even bigger joke. How can a guy be the most valuable player in any league when his team finished dead last 35 games out in their division? It speaks to the ridiculous ways stats are looked at today, where the contrived WAR somehow trumps the only thing that matters, winning.

Trout an all-time all-timer? Sorry, but no.

Email Dave Long at dlong@hippopress.com.

Poem to film

Local filmmaker brings a Frost poem to the screen

Local playwright and filmmaker Donald Tongue recently wrapped up filming his adaptation of Robert Frost’s poem “Home Burial” at Canterbury Shaker Village. Tongue discussed what drew him to Frost’s poetry and his approach to interpreting the poem on screen. Follow facebook.com/tonguemtproductions for updates on the film and how to view it.

What inspired you to adapt Robert Frost’s poem ‘Home Burial’ into a film?

A number of years ago, I wrote a play about Robert Frost titled My Neighbor, the Poet that was commissioned by Theater Kapow. I also staged ‘Home Burial’ a number of years ago at Southern New Hampshire University. … I did a lot of research and read a lot of his poetry and was very much taken with the sort of cinematic quality of his poetry; it has very clear actions that he’s describing … and he definitely seems to focus on characters. … Then, he has a lot of dialogue within his poetry between the characters, or, if there’s one character, there’s some sort of internal dialogue going on. I think, in many ways, he just kind of had this [ability to take] these scenes that he was living out himself and convey them through poetry.

You’ve written a number of pieces for the stage; had you ever written for film before this? How are the processes different for you?

I did a 13-part web series called Candid Candidate, which was sort of a mockumentary about two presidential primary candidates, so I had dabbled in [film] a little bit, but this is my first venture into a real full-length feature film. Film is definitely a totally different process. There are certainly things that are the same: You have to work out the acting, the character motivations, things like that, and we rehearse sort of similarly, [as far as] the line delivery and what’s behind it. But for stage, you’re creating something that is to be performed, and it’s going to be the same for each performance, [whereas] in film, you’ve got to think about the different camera angles and how you’re capturing the story through the lens. I had to do a lot of learning about the different types of shots that filmmakers use and what those convey.

How literal is your interpretation of the poem?

I’ve seen other [adaptations] that just use [the poem] as source material; my approach, though, was to use the poem verbatim. There is nothing in the film that’s not in the poem. In the moments where there’s dialogue [in the poem], there’s dialogue [in the film]. When [the poem has] description, [the film has] a voiceover, and the actors perform the descriptive verse [during] the voiceover. I feel that it works really well. … It’s just such a great, wonderfully written poem; I didn’t want to mess with it.

How did you interpret the poem’s more abstract themes and visuals on film?

A lot of the action is clear in the poem. It starts out, ‘He saw her from the bottom of the stairs.’ We had to find a staircase with a window at the top to be able to capture that visual from the poem. … The shot starts from the bottom of the staircase and moves up to her at the window. In some ways, it feels like you’re coming out of the grave, like you’re kind of unearthing this moment in time between these two characters; that was one vision I had as far as capturing the feel and emotion of the poem.

What was it like shooting at Canterbury Shaker Village, and why did you choose that location?

There was a schoolhouse building at Canterbury Shaker Village that had what we were looking for: the staircase in a rustic setting with a window at the top of the stairs. It worked well because, being a schoolhouse, the staircase is a little wider than [those in] some of the older-period farmhouses, where the staircases are kind of narrow. That certainly helped to both create the proper setting and accommodate the film crew in the space. … Canterbury Shaker Village was extremely accommodating for our film shoot; they gave us access to areas in the administrative building for our breaks, loaned us some set pieces and even moved the cows to another pasture and made sure the electric fence was turned off for our outdoor scenes.

News & Notes 23/07/13

DCYF head

The state’s Division for Children, Youth and Families (DCYF) has a new director, Jeff Fleischer, who will start his job on Aug. 1. According to a press release, Fleischer has bachelor’s and master’s degrees in social work from Rutgers University and has decades of experience partnering with child welfare and juvenile justice departments across the nation. He has been the CEO of Youth Advocate Programs for 20 years, overseeing 150 program sites in 33 states and several countries, and has served as the chair of the National Human Service Assembly. Fleischer is also a nationally recognized leader in the field of youth advocacy and community-based alternatives to incarceration and out-of-home placements. He will lead a division of about 700 staff serving 15,000 children and their families annually and will be responsible for strategic leadership, programmatic oversight, management and operational direction for child protection and juvenile justice services.

New development

North Branch Construction has successfully completed the construction of Red Oak at 409 Elm St. in downtown Manchester. According to a press release, the mixed-use development, spanning 96,250 square feet across six stories, consists of 90 apartment homes, ranging from studios to two-bedroom units, and serves as the corporate headquarters for Red Oak Apartment Homes; Additionally, the ground floor provides co-working office suites, a conference room and a fully equipped business center. The building is furnished with energy efficiency, LED lighting, Energy Star appliances, rooftop solar panels and electric vehicle charging stations, as well as resident amenities like package lockers, a resident-only entrance and lobby, in-unit washers and dryers, central heating and air conditioning, video security, pet-friendly accommodations, bike and extra storage areas, pet and bike washing facilities and a fitness area with a yoga studio.

Local eats

The Merrimack County Conservation District (MCCD) has released a local food guide for 2023, highlighting dairy, produce and specialty food farms in the county. According to a press release, the guide aims to promote the availability and accessibility of local agricultural products and provides a town-by-town list of farms, farmers markets and programs supporting food production in New Hampshire, making it easy for readers to connect with their local agricultural community. The guide also includes informative articles about local farms, emphasizing the importance of understanding where food comes from and supporting the local economy. Digital copies of the guide can be downloaded from the MCCD website, and physical copies are available upon request.

Local power

The Community Power Coalition of New Hampshire (CPCNH), a nonprofit that empowers local communities to choose their electricity sources while working with local utilities on energy governance and infrastructure, announced in a press release its new base rate of 10.9 cents per kilowatt-hour, which will save $5.5 million for their 75,000 customers and generate $1.7 million for community reserves. CPCNH also plans to offer renewable power options at competitive rates. The Coalition has grown to 35 members and represents 24 percent of the state’s population, according to the release.

Executive order

Gov. Chris Sununu has signed an executive order that prohibits the State of New Hampshire from doing business with any company that supports boycotts of Israel. According to a press release, the order aims to strengthen the ties between New Hampshire and Israel and to oppose anti-semitism and discrimination. The order was signed in the presence of Israel’s Ambassador to the UN and Consul General to New England, who thanked the state for its support. The order was also praised by the IAC for Action, a pro-Israel advocacy group. New Hampshire is the 37th state to adopt such a measure against the BDS movement, which seeks to isolate Israel economically and politically.

The University of New Hampshire’s NH Agricultural Experiment Station and Granite State Dairy Promotion host “Meet Your Milk” on Saturday, July 22, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the Fairchild Dairy Teaching and Research Center in Durham. According to a press release, the free event will educate people about the dairy industry and provide a firsthand experience of a working dairy farm. Visitors can tour the facility, interact with cows, enjoy free New Hampshire milk and take wagon rides. The Smokin’ Spank’s food truck will also be there, serving barbecue. Visit nhdairypromo.org to learn more.

The Working Dog Foundation/NH Police K-9 Academy has been selected as the beneficiary of Hannaford’s Community Bag Program for July, according to a press release. For every $2.50 Community Bag purchased at the Hannaford store in Raymond, $1 will be donated to the academy. The donation will support the care and training of municipal K-9 teams in New Hampshire and Maine.

The Upper Room Board congratulates the winner of its sixth annual Anna Willis Memorial Scholarship, Emerson Carrecedo of Windham High School. According to a press release, Carrecedo wants to pursue music and explore how musical performance can make a difference in the community. The scholarship honors the late Anna Willis, a founder of the Upper Room Board of Directors, who was dedicated to making the world a better place. The seventh annual Anna Willis Memorial Scholarship Award will be announced in early 2024 for eligible applicants.

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