Category: News

News & Notes 22/11/24

Money for more broadband

Gov. Chris Sununu submitted a letter to the members of the Joint Legislative Fiscal Committee on Nov. 18, urging the acceptance and expenditure of $40 million for the Broadband Connect Program, according to a press release. In the letter, Sununu states that the program is “absolutely critical” for New Hampshire to retain and attract workforce, businesses, telehealth and other investments, and that broadband is necessary for access to health care, education and mental health services. “Delay of this authorization until 2023 puts extreme risk into our ability as a state to fulfill the promise to our constituents of high speed and affordable broadband in our most vulnerable areas,” Sununu wrote. “I ask that you support the citizens who are counting on this broadband item today.” The Committee approved a similar proposal for $50 million in July, providing 23,000 New Hampshire locations with access to high-speed, reliable internet.

Help for energy costs

U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, along with U.S. Sen. Maggie Hassan and U.S. Reps. Annie Kuster and Chris Pappas, have submitted a letter to the Department of Energy urging the acceleration of distribution of federal funds and programs under the bipartisan infrastructure law and Inflation Reduction Act to help cut energy costs for New Hampshire residents and to reduce the demand for fossil fuels. “As we enter into the winter months, we write to highlight specific challenges New Hampshire faces as global events continue to stoke volatility in oil and natural gas markets that in turn impact home heating costs and electricity prices for our constituents,” the letter stated. According to a press release, the delegation also called for preparation to use emergency authorities if warranted, and for the Department to work with federal agencies, industry fuel suppliers, utilities, grid operators, the State and other stakeholders to ensure that the energy infrastructure in place will be sustainable amid potential severe weather conditions this winter. The request follows an announcement made by the delegation earlier this month of the approval of $33.9 million in federal funding to support the Low Income Home Energy Assistance program (LIHEAP), which funds New Hampshire’s Fuel Assistance Program and helps low-income households pay their home heating and energy bills and other related expenses.

Decreased enrollment

The New Hampshire Department of Education announced that student enrollment in the state’s K-12 public schools is down by about 1 percent from last year. According to a press release, there are currently 161,755 students enrolled in New Hampshire public schools for the fall of 2022, compared to 163,600 students enrolled in 2021, and 163,288 students enrolled in 2020. Pre-pandemic, in 2019, student enrollment was at 171,866. Frank Edelblut, commissioner of education, said in the release that New Hampshire’s birth rate, which is currently the second lowest in the country at 8.8 per 1,000 population, along with an aging population, are contributing factors. “For the past two decades, student enrollment in New Hampshire has experienced a steady decline,” he said. “It is important for school leaders to understand how declining enrollment numbers may be impacting their districts and how to plan accordingly for the future.”

Child care policy

The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services has announced a new policy effective Dec. 15 in which new hires in child care will not be permitted to start work until their background checks are complete — a process that can take six weeks or longer — NHPR reported. Under the current policy, employers can apply for a waiver from DHHS allowing new hires to start work immediately under the condition that they are not left alone with children until their background checks are completed. According to the article, the consensus among child care employers is that the new policy will make hiring a struggle, and that weeks-long job vacancies will be detrimental to their operations. DHHS stated that the waivers put them at risk of noncompliance with federal rules regarding child care workers and background checks, which could cost them a $700,000 penalty.

Fish & Game dispatch

New Hampshire Fish and Game Dispatch will be administered by New Hampshire State Police Dispatch within the New Hampshire Department of Safety, effective Nov. 25. According to a press release, the State Police Dispatch will relay calls to Fish and Game Conservation Officers. “For the past year or so, after-hours calls to our dispatch number have been handled by State Police, but this change will make it permanent and it will now be effective 24/7/365,” NH Fish and Game Law Enforcement Division Chief Colonel Kevin Jordan said in the release. The number currently used for Fish and Game Dispatch, 603-271-3361, will remain the same.

FEMA Funds

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has awarded nearly $9 million to the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services to reimburse the state for the cost of providing Covid tests to the public. According to a press release, DHHA had contracted with Clear ChoiceMD to offer free testing seven days a week at Clear ChoiceMD Urgent Care facilities in Belmont, Lincoln and Keene between December 2021 and March 2022. A total of 56,616 tests were administered during that period. FEMA has awarded more than $181 million in assistance to New Hampshire to reimburse the state for pandemic-related expenses, the release said.

School credit programs

Three new programs have been approved for New Hampshire’s Learn Everywhere program, an alternative pathway for students to earn high school credit. According to a press release, the programs include Spanish NVivo, which provides access to Spanish language acquisition opportunities; EnCube Labs, which will be supplemented with the existing Zero2Maker and Zero2Entrepreneur programs to help students learn through applied STEM while also building venture-launching skills; and FitMoney, a free financial literacy program. Launched in 2018, Learn Everywhere now offers 15 programs for New Hampshire students to earn credit outside of the classroom.

Winter parking rules begin in Manchester on Thursday, Dec. 1, with even-odd parking on one side of the street only (even during even-numbered calendar months, so in December for example; odd during odd-numbered months, like January), from 1 to 6 a.m. through April 15. All vehicles must be off streets during snow emergencies. See manchesternh.gov.

The Dover Public Library will host a lecture on Indigenous land stewardship on Monday, Nov. 28, at 6:30 p.m. billed as “Celebrate N’Dakinna and the Life of Indigenous People on the Cocheco.” The presentation is in-person with a virtual viewing option. Call 516-6050 or go to library.dover.nh.gov to register.

The BJ Cirnigliaro Memorial Fund of Absolute Title (which has offices in Bedford, Concord and Portsmouth) donated a total of $20,000 to five local organizations: Families in Transition, Southern New Hampshire Services, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention – New Hampshire Chapter, Gather and Waypoint, according to a press release.

This Week 22/11/17

Big Events November 70, 2022 and beyond

Thursday Nov. 17

This week’s Art After Work at the Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St. in Manchester; currier.org, 669-6144) will feature live music performed by Green Heron, the duo who describe themselves as stretching “across the entire folk landscape. Old-time, folk, bluegrass, country, Celtic and blues music are all represented,” according to greenheronmusic.com, where you can hear their music. The evening, which runs from 5 to 8 p.m., also includes free admission to the museum and 30-minute tours of the exhibits (“State of the Art 2020: Locate” at 5:30 p.m. with artist-in-residence Eriko Tsogo, followed by a workshop led by Tsogo, and then “Gee’s Bend Quilts” at 6:30 p.m.).

Friday, Nov. 18

Chef Robert Irvine, star of Food Network’s Restaurant: Impossible and other shows, will be in Concord and Nashua today at meet-and-greet bottle signings for his Irvine’s Vodka and Irvine’s Gin, according to a press release. Irvine will be at the NH Liquor and Wine Outlet in Concord (11 Merchant’s Way) from noon to 2 p.m. and at the NH Liquor and Wine Outlet in Nashua (25 Coliseum Ave.) from 4 to 6 p.m., the press release said. Go to liquorandwineoutlets.com to reserve a spot (find the meet-and-greets under “events”).

Friday Nov. 18

See the classic Agatha Christie whodunitMurder on the Orient Express by the Community Players of Concord tonight at 7:30 p.m. at the Concord City Auditorium (2 Prince St. in Concord). Follow Hercule Poirot as he tries to unravel the murder of a man found stabbed in his bed. Shows are also on Saturday, Nov. 19, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Nov. 20, at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $20 for adults, $18 for ages 17 and younger and ages 65+. Find an interview with the production’s Poirot, Jim Gocha, on page 15 of the Oct. 13 edition of The Hippo (find the e-edition at hippopress.com). See communityplayersofconcord.org.

Saturday, Nov. 19

The Concord Christmas Parade steps off today at 9:30 a.m. and runs from Hazen Drive to Loudon Road to Canterbury Road to Pembroke Road, according to the event’s Facebook page.

Saturday, Nov. 19

Kimball Jenkins (266 Main St. in Concord; kimballjenkins.com, 225-3932) will hold an opening reception for “Salon 2022,” an exhibition featuring small works in all media, today from 6 to 8 p.m. The exhibit runs through Sunday, Dec. 18.

Sunday, Nov. 20

Catch the final performance of the Peacock Players’ (14 Court St. in Nashua; 886-7000, peacockplayers.org) production of 9 to 5 The Musicaltoday at 2 p.m. The show also runs this weekend Friday, Nov. 18, at 7 p.m. and Saturday, Nov. 19, at 2 and 7 p.m. Tickets cost $12 or $15 for children and seniors, $15 or $18 for adults (based on seat location), plus fees.

Saturday, Nov. 19

The Bektash Shriners Feztival of Trees begins today from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Bektash Shrine Center (189 Pembroke Road in Concord). Admission costs $5 for ages 12 and over. Peruse the decorated trees and enter the raffle to win the tree (or trees) that you like best. Raffle tickets cost $5 for 25 (tickets can also be purchased online for an additional fee). The drawings are done on Sunday, Nov. 27, the end of the festival. The festival is open Sunday, Nov. 20, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Monday, Nov. 21, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Tuesday, Nov. 22, and Wednesday, Nov. 23, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m; Friday, Nov. 25, and Saturday, Nov. 26, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sunday, Nov. 27, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., according to bektashshriners.org.

Save the date! Satruday, Nov. 26
The New England Dance Ensemble will present its production of The Nutcrackeron Saturday, Nov. 26, and Sunday, Nov. 27, with the NH Philharmonic as its pit orchestra.
The ballet will feature guest performers from the Philadelphia and Nashville ballets and take place at the Seifert Performing Arts Center at Salem High School (44 Geremonty Drive). The show starts at 4 p.m. each day. Tickets cost $40 to $55. See nede.org.

Featured photo. Bektash Shriners Feztival of Trees. Courtesy photo.

Quality of Life 22/11/17

Lending a helping car

In honor of Veterans Day, Progressive Insurance donated two vehicles to support the local veteran community during a special event at Liberty House in Manchester on Thursday, Nov. 10. According to a press release, one of the vehicles was donated to a local veteran, and the other was donated to Liberty House, a sober-living transitional housing community that serves homeless and struggling veterans and helps them to achieve independence and self-sufficiency.

QOL score: +1

Comment: Progressive Insurance has donated more than 900 vehicles to veterans and veteran communities throughout the U.S. since 2013 through its Keys to Progress vehicle giveaway program. This is the first time that the program has had recipients in New Hampshire.

Voting

Voters in Derry had to wait for up to over an hour to vote during the general election, NHPR reported. The town’s sole polling site at Calvary Bible Church on Hampstead Road was among the busiest in the state, with 18,000 registered voters assigned to it and a high turnout among them. Long wait times and traffic congestion, particularly during the before- and after-work surges, prompted the Attorney General to get involved in accordance with a New Hampshire statute which states that voters shouldn’t have to wait longer than 20 minutes to vote. The Attorney General is permitted to take actions such as garnering the assistance of local police to direct traffic and respond to any unruly behavior at the polling site. Derry had three polling locations before the town council decided to downsize during the pandemic, the article said.

QOL score: +1 for the high voter turnout, -2 for the long wait times

Comment: This is why QOL is always grateful for the kids selling baked goods at QOL’s voting site. Even if there’s a wait, there’s always a sticker and some cookies to look forward to — oh, and democracy, of course.

Career options for kids

The U.S. Department of Labor has announced an initiative to expand its pre-apprenticeship opportunities for Job Corps students as part of a nationwide effort to prepare students for Registered Apprenticeship programs. According to a press release, the initiative will allow New Hampshire Job Corps in Manchester, the state’s only Job Corps campus, to emphasize pre-apprenticeship programs in the high-growth industry sectors for which it offers career skills training, such as advanced manufacturing, construction, health care, homeland security and hospitality. The pre-apprenticeship programs will take most students approximately one year to complete. “Pre-apprenticeship programs prepare students with a set of skills and strategies needed to enter and succeed in a Registered Apprenticeship program or industry-relevant job,” Job Corps national director Rachel Torres said in the release. “With the general education, enhanced social skills and hands-on job training they receive, these students will have more career pathways from which to choose.”

QOL score: +1

Comment: The announcement coincided with National Apprenticeship Week, Nov. 14 through Nov. 20, and aligns with the Biden Administration’s commitment to expand Registered Apprenticeship opportunities to help build equitable pathways to the middle class and connections to living-wage jobs for the nation’s diverse workforce.

QOL score: 85

Net change: +1

QOL this week: 86


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

Pats mid-season update

After a week off to recharge the batteries and give injuries more time to heal, the Patriots begin the second half of their season vs. the J-e-t-s Jets, Jets, Jets at home on Sunday in Foxborough.

Before they do that, here’s a look at some of the biggest first happenings and what lies ahead.

MVP Defense — Matthew Judon: With a league–leading 11.5 sacks Judon has been the overall MVP, best Patriots edge rusher since Andre Tippett and in the conversation for the NFL Defensive Player of the Year.

MVP Offense — Rhamondre Stevenson: A better way to say it might be he is the offense, with a little help from the dependableJakobi Meyers.He’s been a three-down back who can catch it out of the backfield when it matters who with 618 yards and 35 catches is on pace for a 1,200-yard, 66-catch season.

Stat Sheet — Turnovers: The defense has created a second best in the NFL 17 turnovers, which is great. What’s not is the 29th worst 17 TOs committed by the offense. That needs to be cleaned up.

Most Damaging injury — David Andrews: If you asked for a prediction before the season, you’d say Mac if you knew he’d miss three games. But since the O got better when he was out that’s not the case. It was the concussion suffered by center because the O-line turned into mush in the two games he missed.

Wally Pipp Award: Given how Bailey Zappe played when he got a chance you’d think it was Mac. But while I felt it coming as far back as last December, Damien Harris’s pulled hamstring opened the door for Stevenson and he ran through it. However, given how solid Harris is and smart it is to play two backs he won’t get totally pipped but the biggest minutes now go to Stevenson.

Most Idiotic Media Story, So Far At Least: The one where SI.com disscussed, after the Bears loss, the pros and cons of trading Mac Jones. No wonder they’re going out of business.

Better Than Expected: I was wrong and Coach B was right for playing the J.C. Jackson departure correctly. I said he should’ve signed him early after 2021 when handing out all that free agent money. Instead, the now out for the season Jackson has not been missed at all. Jalen Mills has outperformed expectations and the rookie Jack Jones has been solid, while the entire group back there has been a major plus, in part for their third-best 11 interceptions.

Worse Than Expected — Toss-up: It goes to the O-line because their shortcomings are having a negative impact on the unexpected struggles of Mac Jones. The pass protection has been inconsistent at best, shoddy at worst, they are constantly being penalized to put the O behind in down and distance, Trent Brown is a couple of time zones shy of the dominant guy he was in 2018 before going to the Raiders and Isaiah Wynn has been downright awful.

So What’s The Story With Mac? He has not played close to what he did a year ago. Especially when throwing downfield. We could point to his protection, but Bailey Zappe looked far more comfortable and was better doing it in his time with the same line in his three-game stint. So the question I have is what is the root cause for the regression? Some say he’s locking on receivers. That could be a part of it, but it seems deeper than just that. I thought the media yakking about his issues in camp was an overreaction. But they started on Day 1 and given where we are now, it seems they were right. Which points to the possible reasons: (1) instilling a new offense; (2) losing the guidance of Josh McDaniels and QB coach Mick Lombardi; (3) the decision to put the offense’s development and play calling in the offensively inexperienced hands of Matt Patricia and Joe Judge; (4) an inability by Mac to adapt to change; (5) the disappearance of the play action passing game; (6) he’s developed bad habits like the locking-on thing.

It’s likely all of it, along with the o-line and receiving corps (outside of Meyers and Stevenson) inconsistency. But again Zappe played with the same guys and was better. But having said that I wonder if the problems would be as deep if a more experienced offensive teacher/mentor was here.

Going Forward

The Schedule: It is a bear the rest of the way with the opposition having a combined record of 40-30. Four of their eight games are against teams ahead of them in the playoff fight along with 8-1 Minnesota on the road. They start with the Jets, Vikings and Buffalo, then close with the Bengals and vs. Miami and Buffalo at home. They probably need to go 5-3, which won’t be easy.

Loss That Could Bite Them — Da Bears: Given that Chicago’s one win in the last seven was that Monday night debacle in Foxborough, it’s safe to say the spotlight will be on that if the Pats fall a game short of a playoff berth. And while the suddenly blossoming Bears offense has scored 29, it should be particularly galling for Patriot Nation for how lethargic the defense was from the first snap to the last. I rarely boo, but I did for that non-effort. BOOOO!

What To Expect: The unacceptable non-effort vs. Chicago aside, I think the defense will be solid going forward. But they will not beat Buffalo or Miami scoring 17 points against them. So it comes down to can the offensive line get it together and what they get from Mac, or Zappe in the unlikely event a change is made, at QB. The good news is, with four games left vs. division opponents, their fate is in their hands in the suddenly wide open AFC East.

Email Dave Long at dlong@hippopress.com.

A different kind of care

New program for mental illness, substance use disorder

WestBridge, a mental illness and substance use disorder treatment service in Manchester, has announced a new intensive outpatient program (IOP) set to open the first week of January. Stacie Lucius, chief of clinical services, talked about the program and how it addresses the need for varying levels of mental illness and substance use disorder treatment in the state.

What is WestBridge?

Our mission is to compassionately provide mental health and substance use treatment to individuals and their families. … We are a family-founded nonprofit, and the “family-founded” part is definitely important because it really speaks to who we are; we were actually started by a family who experienced the need for truly integrated co-occurring disorder treatment, meaning treatment for mental illness and substance use done simultaneously. They couldn’t find a treatment center like that for their loved one, so WestBridge was born out of that need. They also wanted an experience where family was involved in the treatment. They had experienced being left out of — or sometimes even blamed for, unfortunately — the experience that their son was going through. Having a family involved in treatment became a really essential part of our foundation. … We have our flagship services — residential and outpatient programs — in Manchester. … We incorporate evidence-based practices to promote resiliency and lifelong recovery. Historically, our outpatient model has been ACT, which stands for assertive community treatment. It’s an evidence-based practice that works with participants primarily in their own homes and communities instead of having the participants come into an office for the majority of their services. There’s a multidisciplinary team that works with participants to provide wraparound services and is available 24/7. There’s a lot of research on this model that shows that people are able to reduce or avoid hospitalization when they receive this wraparound, community-based care.

What is the concept behind the new program?

The new program is an intensive outpatient program, or IOP, which is an intermediate level of care for people who live in the community but need more structure and support than traditional outpatient therapy can provide. It’s not the same level of intensity as a hospital or residential program, but it’s more intensive than traditional outpatient therapy and psychiatry. … IOP often allows people to maintain other obligations in their lives, whether it be family, work or other things, while still receiving treatment, and, hopefully, that will prevent them from needing a higher level of care.

Who will this program serve?

It’s going to serve both men and women [age] 18 and up who are experiencing mental illness with or without a co-occuring substance use disorder. … We anticipate that we will get some people who just identify with the mental illness but not the substance use, but if they do [have a substance use disorder] then we are certainly equipped to treat that. … This is the first time we’ve formally expanded our services to include women as well as men. We initially only served men [age] 18 and over [in WestBridge’s existing programs]. We put a lot of dedication into really excelling at gender-specific treatment for men over the years, but it’s always been our goal to reach more people who can benefit from our services, and we’re really excited to expand our services to include women in this IOP.

Do mental illness and substance use disorders often co-occur?

There’s a very high correspondence. Many people who have mental health disorders also have a co-occurring substance use disorder and vice versa. People who don’t have a substance use disorder but have a mental health disorder are at a higher risk for developing a substance use disorder. A preventative approach is really important, to provide people who don’t have a substance use disorder with preventative education, resources and support.

What will IOP treatment look like?

First, we would do an intake assessment to determine what their needs are. … It’s typically three hours a day, three days a week, and the length of treatment ranges from 12 to 16 weeks on average. It offers primarily group therapy … with different groups geared toward topics like recovery and coping skills … but also [offers] individual therapy and case management. Family therapy and psychiatric consultations are available for those who need those services. … Some people may also need additional support in their community as far as housing and benefits and those types of things, or [assistance with] getting connected to additional resources in their community.

What need is this program helping to address in New Hampshire?

There’s always a need for different levels of care. Recovery is not linear and is not one-size-fits-all. It’s an individualized process. It’s really important to have varying levels of intensity of care to meet the varying needs of those seeking recovery, and we believe that our mission and core values can be applied to this different level of care.

Featured photo: Stacie Lucius. Courtesy photo.

News & Notes 22/11/17

School projects

The State Board of Education has approved a list of 17 New Hampshire school districts seeking funding for construction projects for the fiscal years 2024 and 2025, ranked according to priority. According to a press release, the top five districts are Rochester (Nancy Loud School and School Street School), Colebrook (Colebrook Academy & Elementary School), Monadnock Regional (Emerson Elementary, Gilsum STEAM Academy, Mt. Caesar Elementary, Troy Elementary and Cutler Elementary), Concord (Rundlett Middle School) and Litchfield (Griffin Memorial School). The proposed projects include new school buildings as well as additions, consolidations and renovations for existing school buildings. Priority was determined by various criteria, including school security, unsafe conditions, obsolete or inefficient conditions, operation efficiency and more. The total estimated funding sought for all 17 projects is about $227.7 million. NHDOE will present the list to the state legislature for consideration as part of its proposed overall budget; it is not yet known how many projects will be funded, and some of the projects would require local approval from voters before construction can begin.

Restoring Chandler House

Merrimack County Savings Bank has supported the Currier Museum of Art’s Chandler House Restoration Fund with a purchase of $10,000 in tax credits, facilitated through the Community Development Finance Authority. According to a press release, CDFA tax credits allow New Hampshire businesses to fund qualifying economic or community development projects in exchange for a tax credit worth 75 percent of their contribution that can be applied against state business tax payments. The Currier Museum of Art worked with the City of Manchester’s Planning and Community Development Department and supporters from the community to acquire the George Byron Chandler House, a 19th-century architectural landmark located across the street, completing the sale in February 2021. It is the third architectural landmark to be purchased by the museum, joining two houses designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. The contribution from Merrimack County Savings Bank will be used to restore the Chandler House into a gallery, ceramic studio, art classrooms and office spaces. “We’re grateful for The Merrimack’s support as we restore this architectural treasure from the late 19th century to its original glory,” Alan Chong, director of the Currier Museum of Art, said in the release. “Saved by the community, we look forward to making the historic property accessible for everyone to enjoy.”

More historic spots

The State Historical Resources Council has added eight historic properties to the New Hampshire State Register of Historic Places, representing 150 years of New Hampshire history, according to a press release from the New Hampshire Division of Historical Resources. The properties include Brown School, one of eight public schools built in Berlin in the early 20th century; Academy Hall in Henniker, which was built in 1836 and alternated as the town’s high school, event venue and grange hall for more than a century; First Congregational Church, built in 1766 in Hopkinton; First Congregational Church and Parish House built in Milford in 1834; Eagle Hall in Milford, used as a meetinghouse and town hall in the late 18th century; the 1798 New Hampton Town House; Captain Smith Emerson Farm in Lee, dating to circa 1765; and Goodell Company Mill in Antrim, which includes five adjoining brick structures built between 1867 and 1895. Visit nh.gov/nhdhr for more information about the historic properties.

Planning help

The New Hampshire Alliance for End of Life Options, in collaboration with the Alzheimer’s Association and Gibson Center, will host an online workshop, “Before You Lose Your Mind … Take Control and Start Planning,” on Wednesday, Dec. 7, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. via Zoom, for people who are concerned about developing or a loved one developing Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia in their future. According to a press release, the workshop will address how people can specify what they want and don’t want for life-prolonging medical treatments and interventions should they not be able to speak for themselves due to Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia in the future. It will include sample documents and real-life scenarios raising essential questions of life and death, and health care practitioners and an elder law attorney will guide the discussion and answer questions. The free workshop will be recorded and made available to people who register but are unable to attend. Visit nhendoflifeoptions.org/events-2.

The New Hampshire Liquor Commission and DHL Supply Chain celebrate the 27,000-square-foot expansion of the DHL distribution center in Bow with a groundbreaking ceremony on Thursday, Nov. 10. According to a press release, the facility houses products sold by New Hampshire’s 67 Liquor & Wine Outlets and more than 6,200 licensed sellers in the state, and the expansion will allow it to hold more products, aligning with NHLC’s continued sales growth.

Families in Transition will host its 29th annual Breakfast Fundraiser on Tuesday, Nov. 22, at the DoubleTree by Hilton in Manchester. The event, which is FIT’s largest yearly fundraiser, will be held in person for the first time in three years. Funds raised support various FIT programs, including emergency shelters, affordable and supportive housing, food programs and essential supportive services for individuals and families who are homeless or in need. See fitnh.org.

A new temporary traffic pattern is being implemented on Route 101 in Bedford as part of the red-listed bridge replacement at Pulpit Brook, the New Hampshire Department of Transportation announced. Daytime paving was scheduled to begin on Wednesday, Nov. 16, with the configuration expected to be functional by the end of the day on Tuesday, Nov. 22. On the days that road work is in progress, traffic will be directed through a single lane of alternating two-way traffic between 8:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. Once implemented, the new pattern will be in use until further notice.

This Week 22/11/10

Big Events November 10, 2022 and beyond

Thursday, Nov. 10

The Wilton Town Hall Theatre (40 Main St. in Wilton; 654-3456) will screen the silent film Wings (1927) today at 7:30 p.m. with live musical accompaniment by Jeff Rapsis. The movie, which was a blockbuster hit when it opened and won the first “best movie” Academy Award ever given, is a silent film about American pilots flying through Europe during World War I, according to a press release. Tickets cost $10 at the door, and tickets for veterans and members of the Aviation Museum of New Hampshire are free. For more information about the Aviation Museum, visit aviationmuseumofnh.org.

Thursday, Nov. 10

On Your Feet! The Story of Emilio & Gloria Estefan, a musical featuring some of Gloria Estefan’s biggest hits, will hit the stage at the Capitol Center for the Arts (Chubb Theatre, 44 S. Main St. in Concord; ccanh.com) tonight at 7:30 p.m. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Tickets start at $55 (plus fees).

Friday, Nov. 11

The Southern New Hampshire University Penmen and Saint Anselm College Hawks will go head-to-head in a women’s basketball game today at Stoutenburgh Gymnasium (73 College Road in Manchester). The game will start at 6 p.m. Tickets cost $10 per person and can be purchased with credit cards only one hour before game time at the door. Visit saintanselmhawks.com.

Friday, Nov. 11

Creative Venture (11 Nashua St. in Milford; creativeventuresfineart.com) will hold the opening for its annual “Small Works, Big Impact” show today from 6 to 8 p.m. The non-juried show, which will be on display through Dec. 31, will have works of art, all smaller than 12 inches in diameter, from 30 local artists with media ranging from graphite and ink to polymer clay and glass, according to the website.

Friday, Nov. 11

Comedian Jimmie “JJ” Walker will perform two area shows this weekend. Catch him tonight at 8:30 p.m. at the Chunky’s in Nashua and tomorrow, Saturday, Nov. 12, at 8:30 p.m. at Chunky’s in Manchester. See chunkys.com.

Sunday, Nov. 13

The Manchester City Marathon will start at Veterans Memorial Park (723 Elm St. in Manchester) today at 9:15 a.m. There will also be a half marathon and a 5K starting at the same time. Registration is $30 for the 5K, $85 for the half marathon and $100 for full marathon. To register, visit millenniumrunning.com.

Save the date! Wednesday, Nov. 30
A new exhibit, “Manchester Through the Lens of Frank Kelly,”is coming to the Millyard Museum (200 Bedford St. in Manchester; manchesterhistoric.org/millyard-museum) on Wednesday, Nov. 30, with an opening day unveiling at 5 p.m. Kelly, a photographer from Manchester from the 1950s through the 1980s, owned his own studio and he and his wife Eleanor photographed people, landmarks, and buildings of Manchester. Many of the photographs and negatives will be on display. Reserve a spot by emailing history@manchesterhistoric.org or calling 622-7531.

Featured photo. Wings. Courtesy photo.

Quality of Life 22/11/10

More eagles in NH

Bald eagles have continued to find new places to nest in New Hampshire, according to research conducted and released by New Hampshire Audubon. Ninety-two territorial pairs of eagles have been confirmed in 2022, which is up by nearly 14 percent from 2021. Additionally, there are 72 incubating pairs confirmed (up by more than 7 percent from last year) and 84 young fledged — up from 81 fledged in 2019 and 2021.

QOL score: +1

Comment: New Hampshire Audubon reports that the bald eagle population has been doubling in size every five to seven years since the late 1990s. New Hampshire Fish and Game removed the bald eagle from the state’s Endangered and Threatened Wildlife List in 2017.

Rent is up

A recent report released by Rent.com revealed New Hampshire to be the state with the fifth-highest rent increase over last year, with rent costs up 19.1 percent from September 2021, and the median rent cost in the state currently at $1,894.

QOL score: -1

Comment:Rhode Island is the only other New England state that made the top 10, coming in at No. 9 with an increase of 16.5 percent, whereas Massachusetts was one of five states — and the only New England state — to see a year-over-year decline (-0.6 percent).

Socks for all

United Way of Greater Nashua has announced that it will share the donation of 5,000 pairs of socks it receives from the company Bombas every fall with nearly 20 other nonprofit organizations in the greater Nashua area serving the homeless population. According to a press release, Bombas committed to donating one pair of socks to homelessness-related charities for every pair of socks it sells in response to learning that socks are the most requested item at homeless shelters.

QOL score: +1

Comment: Clean, dry socks can help to prevent health complications such as skin infections, nail diseases, frostbite and trench foot, which are more prevalent among people experiencing homelessness due to spending more time outside, exposed to the elements, and more time on their feet searching for assistance.

QOL score: 84

Net change: +1

QOL this week: 85


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

The week that was

It was another week of, as Johnny Carson used to say, weird, wild stuff. Among the happenings were Tom Brady ending a tough week with his billionth final-minute drive for a win, and the latest analytics-driven decision to cost a team the World Series.

Flash back to the ninth inning of Game 7 in the 1962 World Series. After a two-out double down the right field line that sent Matty Alou to third, Willie Mays was the winning run on second with the Yanks leading 1-0. If it were 2022, it would be, as Arnold would say, hasta la vista baby for starter Ralph Terry. Ditto for Jack Morris when he told Twins manager Tom Kelly to get back in the dugout in far more colorful language than that after he gave up a single and double to start the eighth inning while leading 1-0 in Game 7 of the 1991 series vs. Atlanta. He got the next three hitters and went for a complete game win in the 10th as the Twins won a second title in five years under Kelly.

Phillies manager Rob Thomson had that same decision on Saturday in Houston. He went with those in the stat geek suite and yanked Zack Wheeler in the sixth with two aboard after giving up just three hits, for Jose Alvarado, to get a lefty-lefty match-up with Willie McCovey look-alike Yordan Alvarez. Instead of hitting the rope that second baseman Bobby Richardson caught to end the ’62 Series, Alvarez hit a homer to center to give the Astros a 3-1 lead they would never surrender to take the Series in six.

Other than to revel in the second Series-costing failure in three years by the stat geeks, my point isn’t to hammer Thomson, especially since Alvarado had struck out all three Houston batters in the only inning he had pitched in the Series. It’s to say sometimes the right decision doesn’t work out and analytics are just a tool in the decision-making process. All the numbers they trumpet are what happened in the past and have nothing to do with the moment at hand, which is under an entirely unique set of circumstances.

World Series 101:Terry figures in an even more historic World Series moment than winning Game 7 in 1962. What was it?

Dusty Baker getting mobbed in the dugout by his players after Houston closed out the Phillies to win his first World Series as a manager after 25 years in the dugout has got to be a nominee for most heartwarming moment of the year.

UCLA and USC in the Big 10, yeah, that makes perfect sense. How many weeks do the, ahh, student-athletes get off from school when they do the Rutgers and Maryland swing in the Big 10 schedule? All of which Bill Walton sounded off on last week.

The Now I’ve Seen Everything Award goes to news that sportsbooks have put odds on who will be Gisele Bundchen’s first boyfriend after her divorce from TB-12. The favorite is ex-SNLer Pete Davidson. Nonsense like that probably made leading struggling Tampa Bay on a game-winning 60-yard final-minute drive over the Rams on Sunday a little sweeter for Tom.

There must be more to the Ime Udoka story, because I can’t see Red letting a guy who did such a great job as a rookie coach go to a division rival for no compensation. That says they just wanted to get rid of him for other misconduct or personality issues. I’d have tried to get Nic Claxton, who’s the athletic kind of big they need behind Al Horford and Rob Williams, and if it took expanding the deal beyond Udoka I’d do that.

World Series 101 Answer: When Bill Mazeroski hit the only Game 7 walk-off homer in 1960 to win a World Series it was Ralph Terry who threw the pitch Maz hit out of Forbes Field, making Ralph Houk’s decision to stick with Terry all the more revealing about the difference in thinking between then and the micro-management of today.

Finally, for the record: I haven’t liked Herschel Walker since he got run down from behind by a kicker (Adam Vinatieri) with nothing but the goal line in front of him on a kick return vs. the Patriots in 1996.

Email Dave Long at dlong@hippopress.com.

Finding buddies

Helping people with disabilities make new connections

Sarra Dennehy Lynch is the founder of the New Hampshire chapter of Best Buddies, a worldwide nonprofit dedicated to ending physical and social isolation of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities through friendship, leadership, employment and inclusive living opportunities.

What does Best Buddies do for people living with disabilities?

In New Hampshire right now, we have our school friendship programs and adult friendship programs where we match people with disabilities with a typical peer in their community or school. It’s not a mentoring program; it’s peer to peer, to build a friendship. We have our leadership programs … where we do day-long trainings, teaching people how to feel comfortable speaking in public and sharing their stories, advocate for themselves, and eventually network and write a resume and … feel comfortable getting a job. … The jobs program, which we don’t have in New Hampshire yet, places people with disabilities in jobs they really want. We’re not saying, ‘OK, you have Down syndrome, I’m sure you can bag groceries.’ We’re saying, ‘What are your dreams and hopes? What do you want to do with your life?’ … and we offer support to help them make it happen. … Our inclusive living program is designed for [living on] college campuses or near a college campus. We only have two of those [established] right now in the United States. If they’re not attending college classes for whatever reason, then they’re auditing classes or they’re working on campus. They’re able to have that kind of college experience even if they’re not able to go to college.

How did you get involved?

I started in political fundraising. After college, I worked in Washington, D.C., for my congressman, then for one of the national parties, and then for John McCain. Then, in 2001, I gave birth to my first child, a baby boy, and he was born with Down syndrome. My world was shaken to the core. I felt scared and lost and ill-equipped to have a child with, I thought, a disability, and was realizing how ill-equipped the environment that surrounded me was to prepare me. The doctors weren’t what you would think they should be. It was an ‘I’m sorry’ thing; there was no ‘Congratulations.’ There was no happiness around me at all that I had given birth to this beautiful kid. That joy and happiness had to come from me researching and learning. … We moved to New Hampshire in 2022, and eventually, when Liam — that’s his name — turned about 8 or 9, I started seeing that the world wasn’t fair for him. Even in tee-ball, if you don’t move fast enough, you’re not good enough to play with the typical kids. I knew I wanted to find something that celebrated people with differences. … I found Best Buddies, and somebody got me involved in the Hyannis Port Challenge, which is a 100-mile bike ride from Boston to Hyannis Port. That was the first time I had ever seen people with disabilities thriving the way that they were, and I was hooked. I said, ‘We need this in New Hampshire,’ and a bunch of us decided to help bring [Best Buddies] to New Hampshire.

What is Liam doing now?

He just turned 21 and just left me — he’s in college in Wisconsin, and he’s doing great. He’ll be home at Thanksgiving.

How has Best Buddies helped you and Liam personally?

Liam was involved in Best Buddies all throughout school. … When I first started doing Best Buddies, I was doing it because I wanted Liam to have a great experience in school. Then, I slowly realized that he was going to have a great experience, and I started to realize that Best Buddies is just as important for the neurotypical kids, because it shares with them the magic of learning about people with disabilities. These are the kids that are going to be our senators, congressmen, teachers, business leaders, parents; if they grow up around people with disabilities, maybe someday it will become more normal.

What is next for Best Buddies in New Hampshire?

We’re working really hard on bringing the jobs program here. We’re shooting for 2025. It’s a pretty substantial financial investment, and we have to raise the money … but I think it’s going to be really wonderful for people. They will each have a job coach … who will make sure their jobs are what they want and that they’re getting what they need.

How can people get involved?

We have all kinds of opportunities. They can be board members, sponsors or on event committees. … We’re always looking for people to serve as what we call ‘speech coaches’ for our leadership training. They help our participants get their thoughts down on paper and prepare and practice their speeches. … If you want to be matched in our [friendship] program … we send a questionnaire to learn a little bit about you, and then we find the best match for you, like someone who lives close to you and has similar interests. We would do a Zoom introduction, and if it’s a good match, you’ll see each other one to two times a month and talk or text weekly. It’s not a huge time commitment, and usually it turns into a normal, natural friendship where you don’t have to monitor how many times you see each other.

Featured photo: Sarra Dennehy Lynch with her son Liam. Courtesy photo.

Stay in the loop!

Get FREE weekly briefs on local food, music,

arts, and more across southern New Hampshire!