Category: News

Quality of Life 26/04/16

Rowing for a cause

A New Hampshire woman has raised money for trauma recovery programs by solo-rowing more than 3,000 miles across the Atlantic, WMUR reported in an April 9 online article. “Renee Blacken [who live in Bethlehem] began the journey in January, rowing from the Canary Islands to Antigua,” WMUR reported. After 65 days alone at sea, she made history as the first woman to row solo in the Atlantic Dash, the report said.

QOL score: +1

Comment: “Blacken raised nearly $20,000 during her journey for the nonprofit Outdoor Adventuring for Good, which supports trauma recovery programs,” WMUR reported in an April 12 article. Seeatlanticdash.com for more on the event.

Thanks a lot, ticks!

“A tick-borne illness that can leave people severely allergic to meat and dairy is becoming a growing concern in New Hampshire,” Patch.com reported in an April 10 online article. The allergy, known as Alpha-gal syndrome, can induce an extreme allergic sensitivity to meat in previously unaffected patients and can be contracted through a tick bite. “The illness is carried most commonly by the Lone Star tick,” the article read. “Alpha-gal syndrome is becoming more frequent in New England as ticks move farther north, some say, due to climate change.”

QOL score: -1

Comment: Patch.com reported that “the CDC says the condition differs from typical food allergies because symptoms are often delayed by two hours or more after exposure and can appear suddenly after years of eating meat without problems.”

An old battery can still cause problems

According to an April 6 online article in the Concord Monitor, the batteries of an electric car that had been involved in a March 31 crash at the Bedford tolls spontaneously re-ignited in Merrimack days later. The Monitor article quoted Jim Bailey Sr., owner of Bailey’s Towing and Auto Body in Merrimack, who removed the car from the original accident site: “‘[T]his morning, I moved the car carefully to a different location. Within 15 minutes, the batteries shorted out and it went into thermal runaway,” the article quoted Bailey.

QOL score: -1

Comment: According to the Monitor article, “the resulting [second] fire took hours to put out with some 60,000 gallons of water.” For more on battery fires and the safe disposal of batteries, visit nhrecycles.org/recyclerightcampaign/how-properly-dispose-batteries.

QOL score last week: 45

Net change: -1

QOL this week: 44

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

Let us know at news@hippopress.com.

News & Notes 26/04/16

Egg update

The peregrine falcon nest at the Brady Sullivan Tower in Manchester now has a clutch of four eggs as of April 14, which you can see via nhaudubon.org/education/birds-and-birding/peregrine-cam. According to the daily log on the YouTube page for Feed 1 (there are three feeds, each offering a different angle on the nest), a second egg was laid on April 8 (about 14 days after the first egg on March 25), a third egg was laid on April 11 and the fourth on April 14. According to the log, a message from biologist Chris Martin posted on April 11 said, “Third egg — that’s great! A good chance to see 1-2 more eggs between 13-17th April. Not much chance first egg will survive.” According to the log, “Peregrines have a body temp of 103-106F; Eggs need steady incubation temps of 99-100.5F to develop properly and hatch; Both males and females develop brood patches to transfer their heat to the eggs.” The cam offers livestreaming video of the nest via NH Audubon and the support of Peregrine Networks and Brady Sullivan Properties, according to the website. Last year the nest produced five eggs, of which three hatched.

Trades

Bring Back the Trades will hold a Skills Expo Saturday, April 18, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Londonderry High School (295 Mammoth Road in Londonderry) featuring local trades organizations, according to bringbackthetrades.org, which describes the trades as “career paths requiring hands-on work and specialty knowledge.” Trade careers described on the website include plumbing, HVAC, electrical work, construction, culinary careers, EMT and other medical careers, hairstylist, child care, manufacturing, welding, transportation careers and more. The event is free to attend and will also feature information on scholarships and internships, the website said.

Spring cleaning

It’s outdoor cleanup season.

Beautify Hooksett Day will be held Saturday, April 18, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Find details and sign up via the Hooksett Chamber of Commerce’s Facebook page.

SEE Science Center in Manchester is part of Park2Park, which will hold a cleanup on Monday, April 20, from 3 to 5 p.m. at parks in Manchester, according to see-sciencecenter.org, where you can find information on signing up to volunteer.

New Hampshire State Parks will hold a Bear Brook State Park cleanup day on Sunday, April 26, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., according to the State Parks Facebook page. Volunteers are asked to meet at Hayes Field off Podunk Road in Allenstown — “Grab a drink, snack and some free swag then head out on the trails to help us clean up from winter storms. Bring gloves and hand saws. We will have some tools and gloves available for those who need some,” the post said.

Squam Lakes Association and the Lakes Region Conservation Corps will hold “Volunteer: Spring Work Day” on Saturday, May 2, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Holderness. “Help clear trails, rake campsites, and install swim lines to prepare for summer. Afterward, celebrate with a BBQ back on campus,” according to squamlakes.org, where you can register to volunteer.

The Hall Street Wastewater Facility, 125 Hall St. in Concord, will hold daily public tours from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. through Friday, April 17, to celebrate New Hampshire Clean Water Week, which runs April 12-18, according to the Concord General Services General Gazette newsletter. “See the science in action and find out how we protect the river from pollution and why wastewater treatment is essential for a healthy environment,” the newsletter said.

The Mosaic Art Collective, 66 Hanover St. in Manchester, will hold a movie in the gallery on Thursday, April 23, according to a post on its Facebook page. Doors open at 5:45 p.m., and an art movie starts at 6 p.m., the post said. Previous attendees vote on the next movie, the post said.

The 7th Evolution Expo, an event that “brings together a powerful collective of holistic practitioners, wellness businesses and conscious community members from across the region,” will take place Sunday, April 19, from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Grappone Conference Center in Concord featuring 50+ vendors and exhibitors as well as workshops, presentations and live demonstrations, according to a press release. Admission costs $10 at the door or get free admission with advance registration at holisticnh.org/evolution-expo, where you can also see a list of vendors.

The Woman’s Service Club of Windham will hold its Spring Craft Fair on Saturday, April 18, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Golden Brook School, 112B Lowell Road in Windham, according to womansserviceclubofwindham.org.

This Week 26/04/09

Thursday, April 9

Comedian Mae Martin, champion of Season 15 of Taskmaster UK, performs at the Chubb Theatre (44 S. Main St., Concord, 225-1111, ccanh.com) tonight at 7:30 p.m. Tickets start at $44 through the Capitol Center website. A limited number of VIP packages are available.

Friday, April 10

Tonight at 7:30 p.m. at The Dana Center for the Humanities (Saint Anselm College, 100 Saint Anselm Drive, Manchester) the Abbey Players present Something Rotten!, a musical comedy about brothers Nick and Nigel Bottom, desperate playwrights living in the shadow of rockstar William Shakespeare. The show runs Saturday, April 11, at 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, April 12, at 2 p.m., and April 16 through April 18, at 7:30 p.m. See tickets.anselm.edu for tickets.

Friday, April 10

Tonight and tomorrow, Saturday, April 11, at 7:30 p.m. the Rex Theatre (823 Amherst St. Manchester, 668-5588) is hosting the second annual Palace Theatre Short Play Fest, featuring six plays by emerging playwrights. See palacetheatre.org for tickets.

Saturday, April 11

The Nashua Public Library will hold a reception today from noon to 2 p.m. for photographer Katie Walsh, whose show “Along the Way” is on display in the library’s art gallery through mid-May, according to nashualibrary.org.

Saturday, April 11

Northeast Deaf & Hard of Hearing Services (56 Old Suncook Road, Concord, 224-1850, ndhhs.org) holds its first ever Deaf and Hard of Hearing Resource Round-up today from 1 to 5 p.m. at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central and Northern New Hampshire (55 Bradley St., Concord, 224-1061, nhyouth.org). There will be presentations all day, as well as an ASL (American Sign Language) Zone, game tournaments, national and local vendors, and state-of-the-art technology. Admission is free. Visit ndhhs.org/events-calendar.

Saturday, April 11

Gibson’s Bookstore (45 S. Main St., Concord, 224-0562, gibsonsbookstore.com) hosts Chanda Prescod-Weinstein, author of The Edge of Space-Time: Particles, Poetry and the Cosmic Dream Boogie, today at 1 p.m. She will be in conversation with poet Matthew Miller.

Saturday, April 11

The Concord Community Concert Association presents “Here Come The Judds – A Tribute” at the Concord City Auditorium (2 Prince St., Concord, 228-2793, theaudi.org) tonight at 7:30 p.m. Singers Victoria Venier and Liz Byler Shea will perform a musical tribute to Naomi and Wynonna Judd. Tickets are $20 (cash or check only) at the door or $24 online at ccca-audi.org.

Saturday, April 11

Zach Nugent’s Dead Set pays tribute to the music of the Grateful Dead tonight at 8 p.m. at the Nashua Center for the Arts. See nashuacenterforthearts.com for tickets.

Tuesday, April 14

The Wrong Hill to Die On is back for a second round of questionable opinions, tonight at 7 p.m. at the Shaskeen Pub and Restaurant (909 Elm St., Manchester, 625-0246, shaskeenirishpub.com). This is a fast-paced live comedy show where stand-ups defend absurd or controversial “hot takes.” Tickets start at $20 through eventbrite.com.

Save the Date! Saturday, April 18
City Year New Hampshire will hold its annual Starry, Starry Night galaSaturday, April 18, beginning at 5 p.m. at Doubletree by Hilton (700 Elm St., Manchester, 625-1000). This is City Year NH’s biggest fundraising gala, uniting community and business leaders, citizen supporters and service champions for an evening to support the work its Student Success Coaches do for New Hampshire students and schools. Black tie is optional; festive and red attire encouraged. Visit cityyear.org/new-hampshire/events.

Featured photo: Mae Martin. Courtesy photo.

Spring arrives on TV

The Big Story – The Masters: Get ready for feeling like spring is here, as the cathedral of golf is back at center stage, with the usually dominant at Augusta National Scottie Scheffler going off as the Masters favorite and 2025 winner Rory McIlroy a bigger threat than usual after shaking off his history of close losses and collapses with last year’s win. And thanks to his latest move, Tiger Woods will not foolishly be included in talk about who could win.

Sports 101: Name the four pitchers to have struck out 4,000 or more batters in their careers.

News Item – NCAA Championships: On the women’s side it was about shocking blowouts as UCLA buried South Carolina 79-51 for its first ever title, after SC stunned undefeated UConn in the semi. For the men it was the UConn-Illinois (71-62) barn-burner that sent the Huskies on to face Michigan, who’d blown out Arizona. Then UM hung on to beat the Huskies 69-63, driven by impressive size and D. UConn’s loss denied it legitimate dynasty status, as it would have been their third title in four years and seventh since 1999.

News Item – Jayson Tatum Update: Those silly folks who thought adding him would upset the karma in the surprising season, guess again. The team is now 11-3 in the games he’s played. The best one came when they scored 53 points in the first quarter in a 147-129 win over Miami where Jaylon Brown and Tatum meshed perfectly, with JB going for 43 and JT a 25-18-11 triple double.

News Item – Red Sox Update: Not exactly a great start in losing five straight after their opening day win. They start the week at 2-6 with the pitching, D and hitting all underperforming.

The Numbers:

1 – hit allowed in his pitching debut when Shohei Ohtani went six innings and struck out six in a 4-1 win over Cleveland.

19 – years old when Dallas rookie Cooper Flagg scored 96 points in two weekend games and became the youngest in NBA history to reach the 50-point plateau on Friday vs. Orlando.

50 – million dollars wasn’t refunded to customers who bought during the promotion by Jordan Furniture that would give them their money back if the UConn Men and Women both became national champs this year. It ended when the women lost.

… Of the Week Awards

Thumbs Up – Chandler Morris: The latest moment that tells us college sports has lost its way ended on a sane note for a change last week when a federal court judge offered a shard of common sense when he denied an injunction to allow the 25-year-old to play a seventh season of college football. Yup, the guy who has played at, and transferred from, Oklahoma, TCU, North Texas and now Virginia somehow thinks he should be able to play college football in perpetuity and finally someone said no to him.

Defensive Player of the Week – Jo Adell: I know — who? He’s the Angels RF who no one ever heard of until he made three hanging over the wall home run-saving catches Saturday, including tumbling into the stands in the ninth to preserve a 1-0 win over Seattle. Anyone ever seen anyone do that three times in one game? Didn’t think so.

Temper Tantrum of the Week – Geno Auriemma: Got a kick out of seeing the guy who’s been running up huge victory margins for years on his opponents not exactly showing grace under fire after UConn’s hopes of another undefeated went down in flames Friday.

Sports 101 Answer: The 4,000-strikeout club includes Nolan Ryan, Randy Johnson, Roger Clemens and Steve Carlton.

Final Thought – 1989 Bird vs. 2026 Tatum: As mentioned earlier, they’re 11-3 since he’s come back, a winning percentage of 78.5%, which projects to a 64-win season. The fun, though, is comparing the winning percentage without him as compared to how the 1988-89 Celtics fared in the year Larry Bird missed all but six games because of heel surgery.

Before Tatum returned the C’s were an admirable 41-21 for a 67.1%. The C’s were40-36 without Bird, 52.6% and 2-4 with him.

Does that mean Bird meant more to them? Or could it be Jaylen Brown has been a much better new leader/No. 2 than Kevin McHale was? KM had a good season averaging 22.5 points and 8.2 rebounds per game while getting no MVP votes. Brown has hit career highs in points (28.6), rebounds (7.0) and assists (5.3) while being in the MVP conversation for driving them to a surprising season without JT.

I think it’s the latter. Brown has been great.

Email Dave Long at dlong@hippopress.com.

Quality of Life 26/04/09

Drop that … drop it!

Trupanion.com, an online pet insurance company, released a report March 24 indicating that the number of pet poisonings in New Hampshire has gone up. The study reported that there have been 701 insurance claims from New Hampshire policy holders for veterinary care to treat poisonings since 2020 (651 dogs and 50 cats). According to the study, some of the most common sources of poisoning for pets have included grapes and raisins, chocolate, and drugs (both legal and the other type). “The cost of poison-related claims ranged from $558 for onions to $1,705 for anti-freeze and detergents,” the report read.

QOL score: -1

Comment: The study found that “Louisiana had the highest rate of poison-related claims with 1.75 claims per 1,000 pets, [and] Arkansas had the lowest … with .65 claims per 1,000 pets.”

No! Not the nuggies!

According to a New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services press release from April 3: “The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has issued a public health alert for frozen, dinosaur-shaped, ready-to-eat chicken nuggets that may be contaminated with unsafe levels of lead. This product was sold at New Hampshire Walmart locations.” “The public health alert is for 29-oz. plastic bags containing approximately 36 “Great Value Fully Cooked Dino Shaped Chicken Breast Nuggets” with the Best If Used By date “FEB 10, 2027,” lot code “0416DPO1215,” and establishment number “P44164” printed on the back of the bag. Consumers who purchased or received these chicken nuggets should check their freezers and avoid eating this product. The product should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase,” the release said.

QOL score: -2, because sometimes dino nuggies are the only form of protein in the picky-eater diet

Comment: The release warned the nuggie-consuming public that “There is no safe amount of lead exposure. Exposure to even small amounts of lead may cause behavioral, developmental and health problems. Because children under age 6 are undergoing critical neurological and physical development, they are especially vulnerable to the adverse effects of lead on the body.”

How does poutine factor into that?

Researchers at Eating Disorder Solutions (eatingdisordersolutions.com) recently analyzed data from sources including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Diabetes Association to rank each state in terms of healthy diets. New Hampshire made the Top 10. “New Hampshire (9th overall) leads the country in food security (#1),” a summary of the study read, “and ranks #5 for farmers markets per capita, highlighting strong access to fresh produce.” According to the summary, there is still a lot of opportunity for improvement in our diets. “Government-backed research shows just how widespread unhealthy eating habits are in the U.S. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, only about 1 in 10 adults meet the recommended daily intake of fruits and vegetables.”

QOL score: +1

Comment: According to the study’s rankings, New Hampshire has a Healthy Diet Index score of 61.02. The study’s highest-ranking state, Vermont, has a score of 75.92, with more than twice as many farmers markets per capita and a high consumption rate of vegetables. “At the other end of the ranking,” the study summary reported, “West Virginia ranks last with the highest rates of obesity (#48), diabetes (#48), and high cholesterol (#48), alongside one of the lowest fruit and vegetable intake rates.”

QOL score: 47

Net change: -2

QOL this week: 45

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

Let us know at news@hippopress.com.

News & Notes 26/04/09

Grants for kids

The Queen City Rotary Club Foundation in Manchester is accepting application for its grants — an “Impact Grant” for organizations whose primary focus is serving underprivileged youth in the greater Manchester area with an award of $1,000 to $10,000 depending on the project, and a “Youth Services Grant” for organizations with a youth-focused mission, with a $1,000 maximum, according to a a press release. The deadline to apply is Friday, April 17, the release said. See queencityrotary.org.

MD fast track

The University of New Hampshire in partnership with Western Atlantic University of Medicine announced “a new Accelerated Pathway to MD (APMD) beginning in September 2026” according to a March 26 press release. “This initiative offers eligible high school graduates a direct and structured six-year route from undergraduate studies at UNH to medical training at WAUSM — providing a faster and more affordable pathway for students committed to becoming physicians,” the release said. “The health care industry is New Hampshire’s fastest-growing employment sector, according to the non-partisan non-profit group New Futures. While the sector is projected to add almost 10,000 jobs to the economy by 2030, the state is not projected to have enough workers to meet demand,” the release said. “The combined curriculum will significantly reduce the time to residency, allowing students to earn both a bachelor’s degree and a Doctor of Medicine (MD) in as little as six years….,” the release said. See unh.edu/accelerated-md-pathway.

Auction for a cause

Second Chance Ranch Rescue will host a live and silent auction at LaBelle Winery in Amherst on Sunday, April 12, from 1 to 4 p.m. featuring lunch and brunch bites, wine and mimosas, auctions and an opportunity to meet one of the rescue’s dogs, according to a press release. “All funds raised from our auction at LaBelle will directly support the development of our new facility,” said Kristin Jordan, founder of Second Chance Ranch Rescue, in the statement. The new facility will be “a homelike setting, which will allow dogs to learn about living in a home before successful placement into new adoptive families,” the release said. General admission tickets cost $40. See secondchanceranchrescue.com/events.

Comedy for a cause

The Londonderry Women’s Club will host a Comedy Night Fundraiser on Thursday, April 16, at 7 p.m. at Chunky’s Cinema in Manchester featuring comedians Amy Tee, Matt Berry and Mark Scalia, according to londonerrywomensclub.org, where you can find information to purchase tickets for $35 per person (or email comedynight@londonderrywomensclub.org). The event will also feature raffles, according to a press release. “Proceeds will support LWC’s community initiatives, including high school and adult women’s scholarships, providing snacks for local elementary students, partnering with End 68 Hours of Hunger to combat food insecurity, making & donating fleece caps for chemotherapy patients, supporting families through St. Jude’s Blue Angels, and other charitable programs,” the release said.

Andrew Pinard presents “Magic Play” on Wednesday, April 22, at 7:30 p.m. (doors open at 7 p.m.) at the Concord City Auditorium, 2 Prince St. in Concord. All ages welcome, according to the press release. See walkerlecture.org.

“Clear to Me,” described as “a group exhibition exploring light, shadow, and the quiet power of negative space,” is open at Mosaic Art Collective, 66 Hanover St., Suite 201, in Manchester with an opening reception on Saturday, April 11, from 5 to 7 p.m. See mosaicartcollective.com.

HeARTwork, the Concord Arts Market event at Kimball Jenkins, 266 N. Main St. in Concord, will take place Saturday, April 11, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. with the theme “Life,” according to kimballjenkins.com.

Cue Zero Theatre Company will present Dead in The Water, an interactive murder mystery, on Friday, April 10, at 7:30 p.m. at the Arts Academy of New Hampshire in Salem. See artsacademynh.org.

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