News – Page 138

News & Notes 22/10/27

Marketplace open enrollment

The open enrollment period for the Healthcare.gov Marketplace, during which New Hampshire residents can purchase or change their Affordable Care Act individual health coverage for 2023, begins on Nov. 1 and will run through Jan. 15, 2023. The Marketplace provides affordable health insurance options to residents who don’t have access to health insurance through a job, Medicare, Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program or another qualifying form of health coverage. Applications can be submitted online, over the phone, on paper, through a certified enrollment partner website or through an agent or broker. Coverage can start as soon as Jan. 1 for those who enroll by Dec. 15. Visit healthcare.gov/quick-guide/one-page-guide-to-the-marketplace to learn more about how to enroll and to download a checklist of information to have ready for the application process.

Tracking relief funds

The New Hampshire Department of Education has launched a new dashboard web page allowing the public to see how Covid relief funds are being spent on education in New Hampshire. According to a press release, New Hampshire has received about $650 million in federal funds from the American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary Relief Fund to support education during the pandemic. The transparent, interactive dashboard, called iGrant, includes data on how those funds are used, including allocations, spending details, paid reimbursements by school districts and top activities where dollars are being spent by schools. “Covid relief funds have been instrumental in helping New Hampshire and other states with their educational needs as they look ahead,” Jessica Lescarbeau, NHED’s administrator of Covid education programs, said in the release. “This new web page is a tremendous resource for the public to be able to explore how schools are allocating these funds to jumpstart and strengthen recovery efforts.” Visit education.nh.gov for a link to the iGrant dashboard.

Drug Take Back Day

The DEA’s bi-annual National Drug Take Back Day takes place on Saturday, Oct. 29. New Hampshire town and city police departments will host collection sites throughout the state from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., where citizens are encouraged to bring their unwanted, unused or expired prescription medications to be safely discarded. Visit dea.gov/takebackday for a collection site locator to find a collection site near you.

Supporting folklife and traditional arts

The New Hampshire State Council for the Arts has announced the recipients of its 2023 Traditional Arts Apprenticeship grants and Folklife and Traditional Arts project grants, totaling more than $60,000 in funding. According to a press release, the Traditional Arts Apprenticeship grants were awarded to eight master traditional artists in the state to host one-on-one apprenticeships with qualified apprentices. The Folklife and Traditional Arts project grants, which support new and ongoing projects in the state focused on folklife and traditional arts, were awarded to the American Independence Museum in Exeter, the Franco-American Centre in Manchester, the Hopkinton Historical Society, Mt. Kearsarge Indian Museum in Warner and the Nashua Soup Kitchen and Shelter. Visit nh.gov/nharts.

Academic performance data

The New Hampshire Department of Education has released comprehensive statewide assessment data for the 2021-2022 school year. According to a press release, the data shows that New Hampshire students’ academic performance levels have improved for the first time since the pandemic started, but remain slightly lower than they were pre-pandemic in 2019. To view academic performance data for a particular school district, academic subject, grade level or student demographic, use NHED’s iPlatform portal at education.nh.gov/who-we-are/division-of-educator-and-analytic-resources/iplatform.

Seven to save

The New Hampshire Preservation Alliance announced its 2022 Seven to Save list during an event at the historic Belknap Mill in Laconia on Oct. 18. According to a press release, the list highlights vulnerable historic resources, landmarks and properties in the state that are in need of new or revived uses and transformative investments before they can become viable community assets again. One local property that made the list is the historic Bean Tavern in Raymond. The tavern started hosting Raymond town meetings in 1764 and is believed to have been abandoned in the years following the Civil War. The building’s immediate needs include a new roof and tree removal. Other listees include the Flying Yankee, a 1935 stainless steel train currently homed in Lincoln; St. John’s Methodist Church in Jefferson, which dates back to 1868; Hill Center Church, an 1800 meetinghouse in Hill; Stone School, a school in Newington opened in 1920 and vacant since 2003; the Old Carroll County Courthouse in Ossipee, built in 1839. The seventh listee is New Hampshire’s preservation trades workforce. “Our state’s timber frames, slate roofs, wood windows, and stone walls cannot fix themselves and there’s a real shortage of skilled craftspeople who can do this level of specialized work. “Our state’s timber frames, slate roofs, wood windows, and stone walls cannot fix themselves and there’s a real shortage of skilled craftspeople who can do this level of specialized work,” the 2022 Seven to Save flyer states. Visit nhpreservation.org/seven-to-save to learn more about the listees and how you can support historic preservation efforts in New Hampshire.

The Nature Conservancy in New Hampshire has announced the appointment of a new state director. According to a press release, Rachel Rouillard will lead the state’s The Nature Conservancy team, headquartered in Concord, which includes 29 staff members and 20 trustees. Rouillard previously served as the director of conservation strategy for the organization, a role in which she worked to advance conservation, restoration and climate adaptation priorities to protect land and water for people in the state.

New Hampshire Humanities hosts a free public program, “Stop Scrolling! Journalism, Objectivity, and the Future of News,” on Wednesday, Nov. 2, at the Rex Theatre in Manchester (23 Amherst St.). According to a press release, speakers will include former Concord Monitor editor Mike Pride and New Hampshire Public Radio senior news editor Daniela Allee, with discussion moderated by Dr. Kimberly Lauffer of Keene State College. The program will explore the future of journalism and how readers can navigate news content and use information responsibly. Register to attend in person or sign up to access the livestream at nhhumanities.org.

Nashua High School South (36 Riverside St., Nashua) welcomes high school juniors and seniors from southern New Hampshire and northern Massachusetts to the annual Nashua Regional College Fair on Monday, Nov. 7, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. According to a press release, representatives from more than 100 colleges and universities will be set up in the school’s gymnasium to talk with prospective students and parents. Visit nashua.edu for the list of participating institutions.

This Week 22/10/20

Big Events October 20, 2022 and beyond

Saturday, Oct. 22
Manchester native and Central High School graduate Adam Sandler returns to the Queen City for a show tonght at the SNHU Arena (555 Elm St., Manchester; 644-5000, www.snhuarena.com) at 7:30 p.m., doors open at 6:30 p.m. Sandler’s Manchester appearance is part of a fall tour, according to the arena website where, on Tuesday, Oct. 18, available tickets started at $75 plus fees.

Thursday, Oct. 20
Gather at the Concord High School auditorium (170 Warren St.) to hear the Marine Band National Concert Tour, a free concert being offered tonight at 7:30 p.m. The band, which according to its website is America’s oldest continually active professional musical organization, will play traditional band repertoire and marches as well as instrumental solos. Up to four tickets for this event can be reserved at marineband.ticketleap.com/concordnh22.

Thursday, Oct. 20
The Dropkick Murphys are playing the Capitol Center for the Arts (44 S Main St. in Concord; ccanh.com) tonight at 7:15 p.m. Tickets begin at $39.50 plus fees.

Saturday, Oct. 22
Join Woodman Museum for voices from the cemetery today from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Pine Hill Cemetery (131 Central Ave., Dover). The event is a guided tour of the cemetery that will introduce local historical figures, like the first Dover woman to climb Mt. Washington. The event costs $20 for adults and $10 for children. Purchase tickets at woodmanmuseum.org.

Saturday, Oct. 22 Learn about the Celtic holiday that came before Halloween at Celebrate Samhain today at Doubletree Hilton in Nashua (2 Somerset Parkway) beginning at 10 a.m. The festival will ha ve authors of popular wicca and pagan books speaking, divination readings, live music, vendors selling witchy goods, and more. Tickets are $10 and can be bought at celebratesamhain.com.

Wednesday, Oct. 26
The lecture “Turkey, the Cradle of Civilization” is happening today at the Concord City Auditorium (2 Prince St.) at 7:30 p.m. The event will feature Marlin Darrah, who is known as the world’s most traveled filmmaker, and show the 8,000 years of Turkish history, art, architecture and archeology. Darrah will be taking questions after the lecture. This event is free to attend.

Save the date! Saturday, Oct. 29
The New Hampshire Pumpkin Festival is back in Laconia to spread fall festivities beginning at 9 a.m. with the 5K/10K at Opechee Park. The day will feature events ranging from a craft and artisan show, Hanover Street happenings with axe throwing, pumpkin bowling, face painting and more, as well as historic train rides and showings of Halloween movies. The jack-o’-lantern lighting starts at 4:45 p.m. Visit nhpumpkinfestival.com for a full list and itinerary of events.

Featured photo. Next to Normal. Courtesy photo.

The sports week that was

Do Pats Have A QB Controversy?
The results have been happily surprising for the Patriots after rookie Bailey Zappe stepped into what looked like a dire situation after their first- and second-string quarterbacks went down in consecutive quarters. Now that they are back to .500 from a 1-3 start, things are looking brighter.
Now the question is, have they played so well with Zappe because he’s played better than Mac Jones did in his three starts, or because the offense finally worked out the kinks that drew dire warnings from early in the pre-season?
By way of comparison: In Mac’s first three games as a rookie, the Pats were 1-2 as he threw two TD passes and three interceptions and averaged 243 passing yards as the Pats scored 57 points; Zappe has two wins and a loss in OT to Green Bay when he’s thrown four TD passes and one pick and averaged 199 yards per game as they scored 90 points, with the D chipping in 14 of them. Mac’s first 300-yard passing game came in Week 7; Zappe got his Sunday. All of which Coach B will have to mull in the immediate future. The one thing that is certain is that after what he’s seen of his rookie so far there is no need to rush Mac back until he’s fully healthy.

Roberts Leads Dodgers Off Early Post-Season Cliff, Again
Our day was made Saturday when foolish decisions made by the biggest robot manager of them all, Dave Roberts, brought down the Dodgers again in the postseason, this time by yanking starter Tyler Anderson with a 3-0 lead in their win-or-go-home Game 4 vs. San Diego, even though he’d only thrown 86 pitches and was cruising along with a two-hit shutout after five innings. In comes their bullpen and, as John Madden would say, BOOM, an immediate five-run explosion as Roberts once again let down his team with robot managing to turn an in-control 3-0 lead into a 5-3 loss, removing L.A. from the playoffs early for the ninth time in 10 years. Moral of the story: Managers need to act in the moment and not let stat geek law of averages dictate every move because they’re just averages.

How You’ll Know If Celtics Are In Trouble Without Ime
The Celtics opened their season on Tuesday as one of the favorites to go to the NBA Finals. But I’m not sure. First there is the obvious issue of Robert Williams being out until perhaps sometime in December. You may recall after he had surgery last March I said in no way should they rush him back before he’s fully healthy for short-term gain, because his game is his legs and they were risking that. Now after missing several playoff games due to knee soreness he’s had a second operation. So I’ll need to assess whether he’ll be the same destructive defensive force again before I’ll join the crowd.
Second is how the team adjusts to untested 34-year-old head coach Joe Mazzulla in the wake of the Ime Udoka mess. You may recall that before they became spring darlings last year they were an incredibly frustrating bunch until Udoka finally got through in early January. That led to getting Marcus Smart to play like a real point guard instead of chucking up every three in sight. Ditto for Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, who helped turn the season around by making them harder to defend by taking to the basket as the first option. The question is, was that a learned behavior or did it happen because a forceful coach stayed on their backs to make them change?
The first sign will be their shot selection. If it was learned, good things will happen. If not it likely means the stars aren’t listening to their coach and that will lead to frustration in the cheap seats again.

The Bogaerts Dilemma
Since he’s looked up to as the face of the franchise, re-signing Xander Bogaerts if he opts out of his contract seems like an easy choice. But for the Red Sox brass it’s actually more like playing chess than checkers.
First there is the fact that he knows Texas gave a lesser and far less durable Corey Seager $330 million guaranteed over 10 years last winter. So the market is set, making the Sox’ decision how many years do they want to give a 31-year-old shortstop? Complicating that decision is the fact that their minor-league shortstop Marcelo Mayer is among the top prospects in all of baseball, which puts him two years away at most. Do they want to give a long-term deal to a guy who will likely change positions in two years? And if so, where does he go? Third base or maybe a late-career move to center field like Robin Yount made to pave the way for a shortstop no one remembers today? Or if he goes to third, what happens to Raffy Devers, who’ll be up for an expensive long-term deal next year?
If Devers goes to first (where he should play), what about the highly thought of Triston Casas,

who’s been ticketed as the first baseman of the future for two years? Do they then trade him?
The decision is, are they a team that wants to compete now or one aiming for the future? So the options are (a) build around Mayer and Casas, then keep Bogey for veteran leadership and trade Devers now for help elsewhere; (b) let Bogey walk, sign the younger Devers and move Trevor Story short-term; (c) go big payroll, keep the stars, move Devers to first and trade Casas, or (d) keep all four — move Bogey to center in 2023 and trade Story to free up payroll.
I say D. Which would you do?

Email Dave Long at dlong@hippopress.com.

News & Notes 22/10/20

Biofabrication celebrated
The Manchester NextGen Resiliency Council will hold a Build Back Better Community Celebration at Arms Park in Manchester on Friday, Oct. 21, from noon to 2 p.m., to celebrate the group’s reception of the Build Back Better Regional Challenge grant to support its Southern New Hampshire BioFabrication Cluster proposal. According to a press release, the Council — a partnership between the City of Manchester, Advanced Regenerative Manufacturing Institute, the University of New Hampshire Manchester, Southern New Hampshire University, Southern New Hampshire Planning Commission, Manchester Transit Authority and Manchester-Boston Regional Airport — was selected from more than 500 applicants and 60 finalists to receive the award, which amounts to nearly $44 million in federal funds from the Economic Development Administration. The proposal aims to make Manchester the epicenter of the biofabrication industry, which would create an estimated 7,000 direct jobs and approximately 37,250 total jobs across southern New Hampshire over the next seven years, including a significant number of jobs for non-degreed, biofabrication and quality technicians. The celebration is free and open to the public, and Manchester Mayor Joyce Craig will be in attendance, according to her public schedule.

Adult drug court
U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, joined by Nashua Mayor Jim Donchess, Chief Justice Tina Nadeau, Justice Jacalyn Colburn and representatives from the New England Association of Recovery Court Professionals and the Drug Court Steering Committee, attended the Hillsborough County South Adult Drug Court Graduation Ceremony on Oct. 13, honoring 11 graduates who completed the program. According to a press release, the program — established in 2014 as a multidisciplinary effort between the criminal justice system, local police departments and Greater Nashua Mental Health — provides intensive treatment and community-based supervision to individuals in the justice system who are dealing with severe substance use disorder and are deemed to be at high risk of engaging in repeat criminal activity, aiming to reduce recidivism and promote long-term recovery. “Today, we see how our communities have turned a corner through the remarkable progress reflected in the success of today’s graduates,” Shaheen said in the release. “Drug courts like the one here in Nashua are saving lives by focusing on treatment, recovery and rehabilitation. I’m optimistic that this approach will help end the substance use disorder crisis and move our communities toward a brighter, safer and healthier future for New Hampshire families.”

EV charging
The first of multiple grant contracts to establish publicly accessible electric vehicle charging infrastructure to promote and enable electric vehicle travel to and within New Hampshire will come before the Executive Council next week. According to a press release, the contracts total approximately $4.6 million in grant awards, with funds from a 2017 Volkswagen legal settlement, which have been held in an Environmental Mitigation Trust reserved for environmental mitigation projects. The first contract will establish electric vehicle charging infrastructure at the Errol General Store in Errol, serving the New Hampshire Route 16 corridor. “In developing our state’s plan for the use of these trust funds, I authorized the maximum allowed funding to be utilized to jump-start the installation of public charging sites statewide and help create a robust, cost-effective access to this clean energy source,” Gov. Chris Sununu said in the release. “Almost every vehicle manufacturer today offers EV options, and it is important for New Hampshire to be a leader in supporting these vehicles while providing economic stimulus to our businesses through these public-private partnerships.” The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services has proposed electric vehicle charging infrastructure at 35 locations across 25 New Hampshire towns and cities. Contracts for additional charging sites will come before the Executive Council over the coming months, according to the release.

Violence prevention
The Department of Justice has awarded $88,528 in grants to the Project Safe Neighborhoods Program in the District of New Hampshire to support community efforts to address gun crime and violence. According to a press release, Project Safe Neighborhoods is an evidence-based, community-oriented response to gun crime that is a key component of the Justice Department’s Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime drawn up in May 2021. Its tenants include fostering trust and legitimacy in communities, supporting community-based violence prevention organizations and prioritizing strategic enforcement policies, with a mission focused more on reducing the amount of violent crime that occurs than on increasing the number of arrests and prosecutions for violent crime. “Today’s grant award will hopefully be a step toward preventing violence from occurring in the future,” U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young said in the release. “It is only by a dedicated and sustained collaboration between law enforcement and community partners that we can truly address gun violence that strikes every corner of our communities.”

The City of Manchester Fire Department celebrated the groundbreaking of its new Station 9 at 575 Calef Road on Oct. 17. The 60-plus-year-old station as it currently stands has been officially closed, according to a press release, and will be replaced with an updated, modernized station that can better meet the city’s needs. In the interim, Station 9 personnel will be housed at Station 7, at 679 Somerville St.

U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, who serves as co-chair of the Senate Navy Caucus, was awarded the John Paul Jones Award for Leadership in Military or Civic Affairs at the New Hampshire Navy Ball hosted by the U.S. Navy League and the Navy veterans-focused nonprofit Swim With A Mission at the Wentworth by the Sea Hotel in New Castle on Oct. 13.

The Greater Nashua Area CROP Hunger Walk will take place on Sunday, Oct. 30, beginning and ending at Temple Beth Abraham, located at 4 Raymond St. in Nashua. Now in its 38th year, the walk has raised more than $1 million to fight hunger and poverty locally and around the world and to provide refugee and disaster relief, according to a press release. Registration is open the day of the event from noon to 1 p.m. Opening ceremonies start at 1 p.m., followed by the walk, stepping off at 1:30 p.m. Visit events.crophungerwalk.org/2022/event/nashuanh.

Quality of Life 22/10/20

100 years of diner eats
The Red Arrow Diner celebrated 100 years of serving eats in the Queen City with a party on Lowell Street on Oct. 15 with well-wishers including local politicians and other notables (a Fisher Cats mascot was spotted). The diner started in its 61 Lowell St. location in Manchester as a lunch cart in 1922, according to the history recounted in the Sept. 29 issue of the Hippo (find it at hippopress.com).
QOL score: +1
Comments: Here’s to the next 100 years of Moe’s Specialty Omelettes and Dinah Fingers.

Cough, cough, blah
New Hampshire public health officials are expecting a surge in Covid cases this winter, partially due to low public awareness of and interest in the updated booster vaccine, NHPR reported. Approximately half of New Hampshire residents who are eligible for the first booster have gotten it, and about 35 percent of those eligible for the second booster, which has been available in New Hampshire for a month, have gotten it, according to data released by the CDC.
QOL score: -2
Comment: Find a vaccination site near you at vaccines.nh.gov, which also lists dates for upcoming mobile clinics and maps with vaccination sites for kids ages 5 to 11 and kids ages 5 and under.

Sports for all
Special Olympics athletes and volunteers participated in the first-ever Disability Justice Parade and Celebration, which was held at Arms Park in Manchester on Oct. 13. According to a press release, the event was designed to “celebrate and elevate the values of inclusion, equity and justice for people with disabilities.”
QOL score: +1
Comment: Manchester Mayor Joyce Craig proclaimed the day “Disability Justice Day” in the city.

QOL score: 83
Net change: 0
QOL this week: 83
What’s affecting your Quality of Life here in New Hampshire? Let us know at news@hippopress.com.

This Week 22/10/13

Big Events October 13, 2022 and beyond

Friday, Oct. 14

Majestic Theatre is putting on a limited production of Next to Normal starting tonight at 7 p.m. at the Derry Opera House (29 W. Broadway, Derry) The show follows the life of a normal suburban family as they deal with mental illness, loss and family trauma. Because of the adult themes in the show, the Majestic said that the show isn’t recommended for audience members younger than 17. Tickets cost $20 for adults and $15 for seniors. Visit majestictheatre.net to purchase tickets.

Saturday, Oct. 15

The 25th anniversary of the Aviation Museum is today, with a celebratory fundraising gala from 5 to 9 p.m. at the Executive Court Banquet Hall (1199 S. Mammoth Road, Manchester). The gala will have a gourmet dinner, the 18-piece Bedford Big Band, auction items, raffle prizes and more. Individual tickets cost $75; a table of eight costs $500. Reserve tickets at aviationmuseumofnh.org.

Sunday, Oct. 16

The New Hampshire Philharmonic Orchestra opens its 118th year with an orchestral showcase, “Nature & Myth,” featuring music by Beethoven, Walker, Grieg and Sibelius, today at 2 p.m. at the Seifert Performing Arts Center (44 Geremonty Drive, Salem). The showcase will also run on Saturday, Oct. 22, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $30 for adults, $25 for seniors and $8 for kids. Visit nhphil.org to purchase tickets.

Tuesday, Oct. 18

The Canterbury Village is holding a showing of the movie Holy Ground tonight at the Peterborough Community Theatre (6 School St.) at 7 p.m. The movie explores the history of the Shakers, a religious group that spanned from Maine to Kentucky. Tickets for the event are free and popcorn and wine will be included for the showing. After the showing, local author Howard Mansfield will read from his book Chasing Eden. Contact Rae Easter at reaster@shakers.org to reserve tickets.

Wednesday, Oct. 19

Jeff Belanger is telling ghost stories from across New England at the Derry Opera House (29 W. Broadway) tonight at 7 p.m. Belanger, an author known for writing about the paranormal, UFOs, folklore, ledged and ghosts, is a host on the Emmy-nominated series New England Legends and is a co-host on the New England Legends podcast. Tickets can be reserved through the Derry Public Library at derrypl.org.

Save the date! Thursday, Nov. 3
The ninth annual Distiller’s Showcase is on Thursday, Nov. 3, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at the DoubleTree by Hilton (700 Elm St, Manchester). The showcase will have dozens of distillers from across the country and around the world. It’s part of New Hampshire Distiller’s Week, which begins on Nov. 1. Tickets to the showcase start at $60. For more information about the Distiller’s Showcase and more events happening during Distiller’s Week, visit distillersshowcase.com.

Featured photo. Next to Normal. Courtesy photo.

Category: News