NFL people to watch in 2022

With Week 1 gone and 16 games still left to play, here are a few people worth keeping an eye on before the Pats see them at some point as the season unfolds.

Bill Belichick: After Sunday’s 20-7 loss to Miami, he remains at 321 career wins. Thus he still needs four more to move past NFL founder George Halas’s 324 into second place for all time in career coaching wins, and that would then be 26 behind the 347 of all-time leader Don Shula, a guy who made the chase a little more personal by calling Coach B “Beli-cheat” after the spy-gate nonsense of 2007. I always thought that was a jealously petty shot by Shula to diminish the Pats’ attempt at surpassing Shula’s undefeated Dolphins of 1972 by finishing 19-0.

It gets a little murky between regular wins and overall wins, however, as today’s expanded playoff format helped Coach B to a 31-19 lead over Shula in post-season wins.

All of which means the 70-year-old Belchick will need three full seasons averaging nine wins per to pass Shula, while Papa Bear hopefully will be in the rear view mirror in October. While Belichick has the expanded playoffs on his side, Halas did his damage in 40 years, Shula 33, while it’ll be just 31 for Belichick if he gets there in three years.

As for hardware, he, Halas and back in the day Packers coach Curly Lambeau are tied with six NFL title teams each, while Shula was a paltry 2-5 in NFL title games, which includes somehow losing to the Jets in SB3.

Josh McDaniels: Guys rarely get a third chance when they flunk out after being a hot-shot head coach. So he’s on a personal hot seat in Year 1 with Oakland, er, I mean Las Vegas after his fairly disastrous turn in Denver. But that was over 10 years ago and that’s a lot more time than Coach B had before coming to New England for Round 2 after he was fired by Cleveland. By the time Vegas and the Pats meet on Dec. 18, we’ll know how his second chance has started, and whether the Pats’ O has survived his departure.

Tyreek Hill: While his departure didn’t seem to bother Patrick Mahomes much as he threw for five TDs in KC’s Week 1 44-21 blowout of Phoenix, he did occupy the Patriots’ attention all afternoon in Miami’s 20-7 win with eight catches (on 12 targets) for 94 yards. That helped distracted attention from game MVP Jaylen Waddle. Why? Because speed kills, which Bill B should have addressed in the off-season by trading for a proven ready-on-Day 1 home run hitter instead of drafting a maybe one in Round 2.

Hill will show us all why twice each year until at least 2026.

Jonathan Taylor: My friend the insurance mogul Dick Lombardi was right that I missed a lot by not paying attention when he was killing it in college at Wisconsin. My loss. After last season’s 1,811 rushing yards he’s 20 shy of 3,000 yards in two seasons and already has 29 TDs and averaged 5.3 a carry. He got off the same in Sunday’s 20-20 tie in Houston with 161 (5.2 per) and a TD. They (gulp) see him and Indy on Nov. 6.

The QBs: The Patriots defense will have its hands full as they face two guys drafted ahead of Mac Jones in 2021, along with three MVP contenders.

Zach Wilson and Justin Fields: Both were thoroughly outplayed by Mac in their rookie seasons. So besides rookie mistakes and dumb injuries, not much is on their resumes yet. Wilson is already hurt and expected to miss the Jets’ first month, But Fields got off nicely by beating fellow 2021 draftee Trey Lance by throwing for two scores in Chicago’s 19-10 upset of the ’49ers.

Lamar Jackson: He comes to Foxboro in Week 3. He’s an MVP winner once already, but took Baltimore’s sure playoff mid-season spot with him when he went out for the season in Week 12 last year. This is always the fear/risk when a QB’s game revolves around running as much as his does. But when he’s healthy, watch out, as his production as a runner is what makes him so dangerous and fun to watch.

Aaron Rodgers: Not a huge fan, but there’s no denying how good the reigning MVP is in the regular season. And now that the Green Bay brass caved to his “trade me or else” snit, they’ll see him in Week 4 at GB.

Josh Allen: All I can say about him is, I was right after being all in on him despite an up and down rookie year, and all the local media geniuses (Michael Felger, Tony Mazz and the Globe’s Ben Volin) mocking him as a bust during his early years were dead wrong. He’s a beast who crushed NE twice last year and who started the same way last Thursday night as Buffalo thumped the defending champs to give more credence to him as my pick for MVP.

Sean McVay: They won’t see him, but if you’re looking for who has the best chance to eventually pass Shula or Belichick’s final total, look no further. Hired at 31, he’s got an eight-year head start on Coach B and had 55 wins in his first five seasons to Coach B’s 36. He made his first SB in Year 3 and got his first SB win in Year 5. For BB both came in Year 7. Even his coaching tree is better. Zac Taylor got Cincy to the SB in Year 3 and Matt LaFleur is 39-10 in three years with GB while Bill’s assistants have mostly failed as head coaches.

Interestingly the guy with NFL best winning percentage (.759) also started at a really young age. John Madden was just 33 when Al Davis hired him to coach Oakland in 1969.

Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Email Dave Long at dlong@hippopress.com.

Rudy the Rudster author to release third book

Rudy 3: Change Can Be Good due out in mid-October

Portsmouth-based author Diane Robbins Jones discussed the upcoming third and final book in her Rudy the Rudster children’s series, Rudy 3: Change Can Be Good, available now for pre-order and expected to be released in mid-October. Visit rudytherudster.com.

What is your Rudy the Rudster series about?

cover for book - Rudy 3: Change Can be Good, showing illustration of woman patting horse's neck

It’s about Rudy, my real-life horse. I got him about seven and a half years ago. It was my first time owning a horse. I’d always loved them since I was a kid. I was taking riding lessons at a local stable, but I had no plans to own a horse at that moment. Things weren’t going particularly well for Rudy and his owner, and they were trying to find a new owner. Meanwhile, I had already noticed him … and connected with him. … When it became clear that his situation was a little bit in flux, I ended up leasing him for a few months. From there, after three months, they wanted to know if I’d make some kind of commitment, and I decided to buy him. I bought him for $1, which tells you quite a bit about how things were going with that situation.

What drew you to Rudy?

You can’t miss him. Yes, there’s a million chestnut horses, but Rudy is big, very charismatic, and he wants to engage with humans. … Poor Rudy hadn’t really been given all the things he needed to succeed. He started acting out, being angry, kicking in the stall walls and got rude with his human handlers. I thought he must just be upset that he doesn’t have a person to give him love and attention, so I started giving him love and attention. I felt like he was going to end up someplace bad if somebody didn’t step in and try to help them.

What led you to create a children’s book series about Rudy?

Rudy changed pretty much everything in my life, and all for the better. … I was in the financial services industry. To be completely honest, I really never had a plan to write children’s books. Writing a book had been on my bucket list for years, but a children’s book was not the kind of book I had in mind. It wasn’t until I started working with Rudy that this story started flowing through me. … Rudy had certain scars from his former life that we had to work through, and I thought that’s a lot like human life. A lot of kids go through stuff like that, kids who are adopted or in foster care or go through a divorce with their parents. So I thought Rudy’s story is going to be very relatable; why don’t I have him share all of his emotions and thoughts about what he’s going through? And maybe, when kids read this book with their parents, it’ll open up a conversation about how they feel.

What lessons can kids learn from Rudy?

Rudy is like all of us, with character flaws and shortcomings, but also with many gifts. There are many teachable human lessons about commitment, perseverance and how you’re going to feel fear from time to time, but Rudy faced a lot of his fears, so how can you overcome your fears? … The other part of it is trying to raise people’s awareness about what it means to be a horse owner. A horse is a huge commitment. If people get a dog and it doesn’t work out, they can bring it to the SPCA, and the same thing happens with horses, but with more dire consequences, since not a lot of people are in a position to care for these huge animals who cost a lot and need a lot of care. … Rudy and I try to educate kids about how horses operate and what they need and all the physiological stuff that goes on. [The books] have equine terms bolded, with a glossary in the back so kids can learn what that word means. In each book I also have 20 fun horse facts. You’d think I’d run out of horse facts, but there are millions; you could go on forever. … I’ve also partnered with a woman, Susan DiFelice, who has this really awesome website called allpony.com, which has all this great horse information. She created a section in her blog on the website called “Rudy’s Corner” where Rudy educates kids about equine practitioners, from vets to saddle fitters to massage therapists.

Are there any more books in your future?

This book wraps things up in the sense that Rudy and I are settled. It’s clear that Rudy has found his forever home, and he has advanced a lot and is able to do things he wouldn’t have done before. … There’s another book I’m thinking of writing that Rudy would still be in, but it will be a whole different thing. It may not even be a children’s book; it could be an adult book. Either way, Rudy has too big of a role in my life to be left out.

Featured photo: Diane Robbins Jones. Courtesy photo.

News & Notes 22/09/15

Omicron boosters

Covid booster vaccinations updated to protect against the omicron variant are now available in New Hampshire. According to a press release from the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services, the boosters, also known as bivalent doses, were recently authorized by the FDA and are recommended by the CDC for anyone age 12 or older who received their primary series of Covid vaccines or a booster dose at least two months ago. “These updated booster doses more closely align to the new Covid-19 omicron variant and [are] the most effective way to prevent serious illness, hospitalization and death from Covid-19,” state epidemiologist Dr. Benjamin Chan said in the release, adding that a “fall surge” of Covid infections is expected. Almost 56,000 doses have already arrived at health care provider offices, pharmacies and urgent care centers throughout the state, and 100,000 additional doses have been ordered. To find a booster vaccination location near you, contact your primary care physician or visit vaccines.gov.

Colleges prepare for monkeypox

The New Hampshire College and University Council, a consortium of 21 public and private institutions of higher education in the state, is working with institution leaders to prepare for an outbreak of monkeypox among student populations on campuses. According to a press release, New Hampshire colleges and universities are closely monitoring for updated information about monkeypox and are ready to respond to an outbreak according to the guidelines that the Centers for Disease Control issued for higher education institutions in late August. “We are working to share information and guidance available to both administrators and students, to ensure they understand what this virus is, how it is transmitted and ways in which it can be treated and prevented,” Debby Scire, president and CEO of the Council, said in the release. “Although we have no information that suggests we are facing an outbreak, just like the lessons of the pandemic have taught us, it is important to be prepared.” Congregate living environments, such as colleges and universities that offer on-campus housing, have an increased risk of a monkeypox outbreak, according to the CDC.

Behavioral and geriatric care ER

Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, a member of Dartmouth Health and New Hampshire’s only academic medical center, will open a newly constructed expansion of its emergency department to patients on Thursday, Sept. 15. According to a press release, the $7 million project, built over the course of 16 months, is focused on improving access to behavioral and geriatric health care. It includes nine new patient rooms, some of which feature enhanced safety elements for behavioral health patients that improve visibility and reduce risk of self-harm; space for a wider array of therapeutic interventions; greater privacy for communication with attorneys and the state court system; and a place for social activities for children and adolescents. Six of the new rooms have a window, which Christine T. Finn, M.D., a psychiatrist and director of Emergency Psychiatry Services at DHMC, said in the release is “critical for [behavioral health] patients who stay longer than a few hours” and beneficial for elderly behavioral health patients for whom a lack of natural light can contribute to increased confusion. Other additions include a treatment room with negative pressure capability for high-threat infection, a group therapy and activity room, a mass decontamination room and a single decontamination room.

Extra EZ-Pass Center

The New Hampshire Department of Transportation opened a temporary E-ZPass Walk In Center on the Spaulding Turnpike (Route 16) at Exit 16 in Rochester on Monday, Sept. 12, to help travelers prepare for the new 24-hour All Electronic Toll (AET), a cashless collection system, that will be implemented at Dover and Rochester toll plazas in late October. The Center is open Monday through Friday, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., with customer service representatives ready to help travelers open E-ZPass accounts, accept payments if money is owed and answer questions about the upcoming changes to the toll system. All New Hampshire toll plazas currently operate as AET between the hours of 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. Visit nhaet.com to learn more about AET and the conversion projects in Dover and Rochester.

Praise for Northeast Delta Dental

Northeast Delta Dental has been recognized by Business NH as one of the Best Companies to Work For in NH in 2022, placing sixth out of 30, and marking the fifth time in the last seven years that the company has received the recognition. A nonprofit member company of Delta Dental Plans Association, Northeast Delta Dental provides dental insurance programs for more than 1 million people living in New Hampshire, Maine and Vermont. The company was awarded for creating an engaging workplace and for acknowledging the correlation between employees’ sense of fulfillment and their productivity, according to a press release.

Private movie showings are being offered for a limited time at O’neil Cinemas in Epping (24 Calef Hwy.), featuring new release films. Bookings are available Friday through Sunday at 12:30, 3:30 or 6:30 p.m., according to the website. Rates start at $200 for the theater rental, plus $9 per person. Party packages for groups of 10 or more people are also available. Visit oneilcinemas.com/epping-nh/programs/private-movie-showings.

Colby-Sawyer College in New London was recognized by U.S. News & World Report as one of the top colleges in the region, according to a press release. In the publication’s 2023 Best Colleges issue, the college ranked in the top 10 for two categories — Best Undergraduate Teaching (North) and Best Regional College (North) —and ranked 23rd in Top Performers on Social Mobility (North). Colby-Sawyer President Susan D. Stuebner announced earlier this month that tuition at the college would be cut by more than 60 percent to $17,500 for the 2023 academic year in an effort to increase transparency in higher education pricing.

The Manchester Historic Association presented the Red Arrow Diner with its Century Club Award during the 30th annual Historic Preservation Awards on Sept. 8 at Manchester Community College, according to a press release. The 24-hour diner, on Lowell Street, was established in 1922, and is celebrating its 100th year of business this year. It was named a City Landmark in 2000. The diner has expanded to include locations in Concord, Londonderry and Nashua. Visit redarrowdiner.com/100.

This Week 22/09/08

Big Events September 8, 2022 and beyond

Saturday, Sept. 10

Petals in the Pines (126 Baptist Road in Canterbury; petalsinthepines.com, 783-0220) will host the 10th annual New Hampshire Monarch Festival today from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The day will include children’s activities and games, educational and nature vendors, a butterfly tagging demonstration, author readings, labyrinths, an “Ask a Master Gardner” table and free milkweed seeds to help expand milkweed habitat, which is part of monarch butterfly migration, according to a press release. Petals in the Pines also offers two miles of woodland trails and garden paths, the release said. BYO butterfly wings to wear if you have them. Admission costs $5 per adult and is free for children.

Saturday, Sept. 10

The McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center (2 Institute Drive in Concord; starhop.com, 271-7827) will hold its AerospaceFest today from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. outside the center. This free outdoor celebration of all things space will include telescope observations, hands-on science activities, ambassador animals from Millstone Wildlife Center, musician Mr. Aaron’s “Intergalactic Music Spectacular” (at 1 p.m.), the Mad Science of Maine (at noon and 3 p.m.), the new planetarium show Birth of Planet Earth and more, the website said. There will be free tickets to planetarium shows (first come, first served) as well as Center-related discounts. The galleries will be closed Saturday but the planetarium shows and restrooms inside will be open.

Saturday, Sept. 10

Celebrate Auburn by racing some rubber duckies. The annual Auburn Day and Duck Race will be held today from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Auburn Village on Hooksett Road. The day will feature food, artisans, authors, a petting farm, music by Ray Zerkle, Wanda the Clown making balloon figures, a climbing wall, a medieval cooking demonstration by Allyson Szabo, an apple pie contest and a kids’ duckling cookie contest, according to a press release. At 2 p.m. head to Sucker Brook for the duck race; get your own ducks in the game by purchasing a ticket (each ticket corresponds with a duck); one duck for $5 or get a “quack pack” of five tickets for $20, the press release said. The ducks race downstream, over a waterfall and under a bridge with the first prize winner getting $1,000, the release said. See auburnhistorical.org.

Saturday, Sept. 10

The Canterbury Shaker Village (288 Shaker Road in Canterbury; shakers.org, 783-9511) will hold its Artisan Market today from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The day will feature craft booths (with textile, ceramic, wood, glass, jewelry and other items), Beans & Greens Taco Truck, guided tours, music from The Mink Hills Band and more, according to the website. Admission costs $15 for adults.

Sunday, Sept. 11

The Andres Institute of Art (106 Route 13 in Brookline, andresinstitute.org) once again hosts its annual Bridges and Connections Sculpture Symposium, which holds its public opening today at 1 p.m. and runs through Sunday, Oct. 2. This year’s theme is “Catch ’22,” according to a press release. The Sculpture Park is open daily from dawn to dusk.

Save the date, laddies and lassies: Friday, Sept. 16, through Sunday, Sept. 18
The New Hampshire Highland Games and Festival will return to Loon Mountain Resort in Lincoln on Friday, Sept. 16, through Sunday, Sept. 18, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. Tickets (for the whole weekend or single day admission) are available online; an adult weekend pass costs $90, a single day pass costs $30 for Friday or Sunday and $55 for Saturday. Special events (requiring separate tickets) include the Whisky Master Classes, beer tasting, Tartan Dinner & Ball, NH Scot’s “Got Talent,” a Cape Breton concert, a harp contest and Highland Brews & Bites, the website said.

Featured photo. Monarch butterfly. Courtesy photo.

Quality of Life 22/09/08

Elevated West Nile risk

The local risk level for West Nile virus has been raised to “moderate” in Manchester after the Manchester Health Department collected two batches of mosquitoes that tested positive for the virus on Aug. 15 and Aug. 22 — the second and third to be collected in the city this summer, according to a press release. The first batch was collected on July 20. If additional batches are detected, the risk level may be elevated to “high risk,” which may warrant public health intervention such as spraying for adult mosquitoes, in accordance with the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services’ Arboviral Illness, Surveillance, Prevention and Response Plan.

QOL score: -2

Comment: Manchester Public Health director Anna Thomas encourages residents of Manchester and neighboring communities to practice personal protective measures, such as eliminating standing water on their property and using mosquito repellents.

Watch for wildfires

With 92 percent of New Hampshire being in some state of “abnormally dry conditions” — 49 percent in “moderate drought,” 24 percent in “severe drought” and 2.75 percent in “extreme drought,” according to the U.S. Drought Monitor — the New Hampshire Forest Protection Bureau warns that the risk for wildfires is high. According to a press release, 90 percent of wildfires in New Hampshire are human-caused, often originating from campfires, brush fires and other planned fires as well as from vehicle engines and lawn care equipment, which can overheat or cause sparks, burning dry fuels on contact and starting a fire. New Hampshire experiences an average of 250 wildfires a year, with an average of 250 acres impacted by wildfires.

QOL score: -2

Comment: Chief Steven Sherman of the New Hampshire Forest Protection Bureau said people who have a campfire or any other kind of planned fire should ensure that the fire is put out properly using the “dead out” method, which entails drowning out the fire with water, stirring the embers and using a bare hand to check that the remains of the fire are cool to the touch. “Even a little bit of warmth means that heat is still present, and that can grow and cause a wildfire even hours after everyone’s gone home,” he said.

Meals for kids

Nearly 100 volunteers with the United Way of Greater Nashua worked with the Nashua School District from July 5 to Aug. 5 to distribute more than 4,600 breakfasts and lunches per week to children whose families experience food insecurity. The meals, provided by the school cafeterias, were distributed on at least one weekday per week outside of Amherst Street, Dr. Crisp, Fairgrounds, Ledge Street and Mount Pleasant elementary schools.

QOL score: +1

Comment: United Way of Greater Nashua has all kinds of one-time and ongoing volunteering opportunities. Visit unitedwaynashua.org/volunteer or contact Director of Volunteer and Community Engagement Sara Ceaser at sceaser@unitedwaynashua.org or 864-0201 to find out how you can get involved.

QOL score: 85

Net change: -3

QOL this week: 82

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

Patriots 2022 preview

Your New England Patriots kick off 2022 on Sunday in Miami. It’s traditionally a house of horrors when they do it during the blast furnace conditions of playing in South Florida before October arrives, so history gives a guide to how things may start out — which may be the clearest picture we have for what lies ahead. If I were asked to give one word to describe my outlook for 2022, “optimistic” is not the one I’d choose.

In fact, after seeing what I saw in three pre-season games and hearing daily reports from camp of continuing confusion in the new offense, I can’t honestly even use “hopeful.” So I guess it’s “I-dunno,” if that can count as one word.

Seasons usually come down to one or two X-factors, like how a new QB like Matt Ryan gels with his new team in Indy, or how healthy a team can remain. But with these Patriots it’s the opposite, as from the O-line to the new highly questionable coaching assignments nearly the entire team is an X-factor.

So here’s what I considered while trying to predict how it will unfold.

Who Do I Have Faith In?

Coach B: After losing his longtime offensive coordinator and several other offensive coaches and altering the offensive scheme for some reason, things seem pretty disjointed. But he always seems to figure it out. I think he’ll do it again this time, with one of the things being realizing he’ll have to take over play calling early on.

Mac Jones: He wasn’t very good in two pre-season stints, where most of his attempts were rushed dink and dunks that were mainly the result of protection breaking down — a big worry at the moment. But if they get that fixed he’ll take a step forward. If not, goodbye to making the playoffs.

Matthew Judon: He was great for 14 games, then got Covid and disappeared. My guess is that doesn’t happen again. Big year ahead.

Kyle Dugger: After a solid Year 2, he’s preparing to take over as leader of the defense from Devin McCourty.

Who Don’t I Have Faith In?

Offensive Play Calling: I stated my case a few weeks ago about how Matt Patricia’s ’fraidy-cat, bend-but-don’t-break style as the DC (which immediately got better with the same personnel when Brian Flores took over in 2018) drove me crazy. And it’ll be worse if he’s calling plays for the offense. Let’s just say I’m not a fan.

Who Am I Wondering About?

Offensive Line: Matty P’s official position is the O-line coach. So far it’s been a disaster both running and passing. Better hope he can fix it because this team goes nowhere if it can’t protect Mac and run the ball.

10 Rookies Make the Team: It’s astonishing 10 rookies made the cut down roster. But is it a tip of the cap to the brass for a second straight productive draft, or that they lacked dependable depth overall? If the guys can play, it makes them younger, faster and with the bonus of helping with the salary cap going forward. But 10 rookies makes you wonder if they’ll lack critical experience in times when it usually counts most. So it’s wait and see.

Who/What Am I Hopeful Over?

Return Game: Some people think this doesn’t matter, but I think it does. It was always a factor, from the early days with Troy Brown returning two punts for TD’s in 2001, to how the Edelman/Amendola twosome in the punt return game was a factor when they went to four SB’s in five years between 2014 and 2018. Ditto with the spark and anticipation Cordarrelle Patterson gave on kickoffs in 2018. But since all three left, the return game has been dismal besides a lucky six-game spurt by Gunner Olszewski.

But, even with the fumble-laden era of the over-hyped Cyrus Jones in my memory, I’m curious about rookies Jack Jones, Marcus Jones and Pierre Strong because they have drafted speed and guys with a track record of taking kicks and punts back for scores in college. Given their holes, they need all the field position help they can get from special teams. So I’ll use that word “hopeful” here.

Secondary: Two years ago they had the best secondary in football before Bill screwed it up by not signing JC Jackson early when he was giving out free agent cash to seemingly every stiff in the league and waited too long to trade Stephon Gilmore to get anything of value. As a result, the safeties are solid and deep. But with no elite corner and rookies likely in the mix it’s going to be a scary area until they prove otherwise.

Receiver Room: It’s not that I don’t like the DeVante Parker acquisition, Jakobi Meyer, Kendrick Bourne or Hunter Henry. It’s just that they need/needed to get a ready-on-Day 1 home run hitter to make everyone better. With that not here, they will need major improvement over 2021 from Nelson Agholor and Jonnu Smith to give Mac the extra help he needs.

Schedule: Not overly hard, but not easy. They face six 2021 playoff teams and Buffalo is the only 2021 first-place finisher they play. Having said that, three of their first four are on the road, including at Green Bay, and they have nine games on the road and just eight at home.

AFC East: The Jets are the Jets and starting out with 112-year-old Joe Flacco at QB. And until proven otherwise, despite their impressive wideout talent, Miami will find a way to screw something up. Buffalo is not only the cream of the division, they’re my prediction to win the Super Bowl as well.

Prediction:It’s a long way from the good old days when you could predict/guarantee 12 wins before the schedule came out

Now, it’s 9-8 and fighting for a wild card berth till the end.

Email Dave Long at dlong@hippopress.com.

Better footing

A doctor discusses new surgical help for feet

Dr. Drew Taft, a foot and ankle specialist in Derry, has adopted a new, innovative surgical procedure to correct bunions, a painful bone deformity of the foot. Taft discussed how the procedure, called Lapiplasty, works and the advantages it has over older procedures.

What is Lapiplasty?

Lapiplasty is a procedure that is used to address and fix bunion deformity, both large and small. Generally, a bunion is something that happens as a result of faulty mechanics — people inherit a particular foot type that creates hypermobility or hyper flexibility in the midfoot. That’s what allows bones to become out of place and misaligned, and that’s what allows the bunion to form. What this procedure does is it targets that point of deformity and corrects it by fusing the joint where the deformity comes from. When you fuse the joints, you’re now removing all the instability and the hypermobility. … It’s performed as an outpatient procedure — it does not require admission to a hospital — and generally takes about 60 to 90 minutes. You go home the same day. It’s a really nice in-and-out kind of thing.

How does Lapiplasty differ from other procedures?

There are a few types of procedures. There are head procedures, where you’re correcting the bunion from almost right at the level of the bunion itself; there are midshaft procedures, where you’re correcting a bunion through the middle of the metatarsal; and then you have your base procedures, where you’re correcting the deformity more from the base of the bone where the hypermobility is, and that’s what Lapiplasty is. The problem with head procedures and midshaft procedures is that you may be able to reduce the deformity, but you’re not necessarily addressing the underlying issue and the underlying source of the deformity, and that’s why there’s a higher rate of recurrence with those methods. … The biggest attraction for Lapiplasty is that it’s really focusing on the apex of the deformity, where the deformity of the bunion comes from. That creates a nice stable correction, and it significantly lowers the risk of the deformity coming back, especially compared to the more traditional bunion corrective procedures.

Why did you decide to start offering Lapiplasty?

Even before I started doing Lapiplasty, I was doing base procedures a lot because I believed in what these procedures were doing. I was able to correct significant deformities and get good long-term outcomes. Lapiplasty is basically just an innovative way of performing the procedure. We’re using tools and guides that really make the whole corrective process more streamlined and more predictable. It just fell into what my current philosophy and treatment protocol was for fixing bunions, and it just made it easier.

What drew you to focus on this particular ailment?

A bunion is a painful deformity and a very common one to form, we’re finding. We see and deal with a lot of these. A procedure that is predictable and works well allows patients to get back to their lifestyle and return to the quality of life that they want, so that’s what led me down the path with these procedures.

What are some reasons people don’t seek treatment?

One of the biggest reasons is the recovery. Because it’s a foot procedure, it requires some downtime. Having to carve out time from our busy schedules and busy lives to recover is a challenge, especially if you’re dealing with your right foot, which is your driving side — that’s a game-changer for some people because they just can’t or don’t have the ability to rely on others for the length of time that’s required. I think people also fear the pain that comes with a bunion procedure, although that’s kind of a misnomer. You hear horror stories about painful bunion corrective procedures, but as long as patients do what they’re told and take medications as instructed, it’s a very manageable post-operative recovery.

How long have you been performing this procedure? Do you know how your patients are doing now?

I performed my first one a little over a year ago. Everyone I’ve seen post-op seems to be doing very well. I’ve had patients who had one [foot] done and signed up to get the other one done.

Featured photo: Dr. Drew Taft. Courtesy photo.

News & Notes 22/09/08

NH state primary

The New Hampshire state primary election is Tuesday, Sept. 13. Offices on the ballot include Governor, U.S. Senator, Representative in Congress, Executive Counselor, State Senator, State Representatives and County offices. The results of the primary election will determine the candidates from each party who will be on the ballot for the general election in November.

Voters may only vote in the primary for the party with which they are registered; voters registered as “undeclared” can vote in either primary, but not both. To be eligible to vote, you must be at least 18 years old on Election Day, be a United States citizen and reside in the city or town where you plan to vote. If you are not yet registered to vote, you may register in person at the polls on Election Day.

Registration involves filling out a Voter Registration Form and providing documents proving your identity and age, U.S. citizenship and residency. If, when registering to vote, you do not have those documents, you can sign an affidavit, affirming under oath that you meet the voting eligibility requirements.

If you are already registered to vote, the only documentation you will need to bring to the polls is a valid photo ID, in accordance with the New Hampshire Voter ID Law (a full list of valid forms of ID can be found on the Secretary of State website). Registered absentee voters can file their absentee ballots at their local clerk’s office in person anytime before Monday, Sept. 12, at 5 p.m.; assign a delivery agent to deliver the completed absentee ballot in the affidavit and mailing envelope to the clerk at the voter’s local polling place on election day, Tuesday, Sept. 13, by 5 p.m.; or mail their absentee ballot to their local clerk via the U.S. Postal Service, understanding that the ballot can only be accepted and counted if it is received by the clerk from the Postal Service by 5 p.m. on Election Day, Tuesday, Sept. 13. Use the Secretary of State’s voter information lookup tool at app.sos.nh.gov to check your voter registration status and party affiliation, the status of your absentee ballot, your polling location and hours and town clerk information and to see a sample ballot. For more information about voting, visit the Secretary of State website at sos.nh.gov.

Monkeypox vaccines

The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services has announced that people who are at high risk of infection for monkeypox and people with known exposure to a person with a confirmed monkeypox infection are eligible to receive the monkeypox vaccine. According to a press release, the vaccine, known as JYNNEOS, is currently being distributed through city health departments and participating provider clinics throughout the state. If you believe you are eligible to receive the vaccine, contact your primary health care provider for a referral to a participating clinic. If you do not have a primary health care provider from whom you can get a referral, you can still receive the vaccine at a participating Convenient MD location, which currently include Belmont, Concord, Dover, Keene, Littleton, Manchester, Nashua, Portsmouth, Bedford, Londonderry, Merrimack, Stratham and Windham, as long as you live, work or have a primary health care provider in New Hampshire. “We recommend that anybody who has been exposed to the monkeypox virus and anybody who is at high risk for being exposed get vaccinated as soon as possible,” New Hampshire State Epidemiologist Dr. Benjamin Chan said in the release. “The JYNNEOS vaccine is safe and effective at preventing monkeypox. However, because it takes time for vaccine protection to develop and because no vaccine is 100 percent effective, people should continue take steps to reduce their chance for exposure and limit their number of sex partners.” NH DHHS identified what it believed to be the first case of monkeypox in the state in late June, and the monkeypox outbreak was declared a national health emergency on Aug. 4. The virus can produce symptoms such as fever, headache, exhaustion, muscle aches, sore throat, cough, swollen lymph nodes and a skin rash and may last for two to four weeks. Transmission typically requires close interaction or physical contact. Anyone who is experiencing symptoms or has been exposed or possibly exposed to the virus should isolate at home and consult their health care provider. Visit dhhs.nh.gov/programs-services/disease-prevention/infectious-disease-control/monkeypox for more information and updates on the monkeypox outbreak in New Hampshire.

Biofab grant

A coalition led by the City of Manchester was selected from more than 500 applicants and 60 finalists to receive a Phase 2 Build Back Better Grant to support its Southern New Hampshire BioFabrication Cluster proposal. According to a press release, the award includes $43,999,995 in federal funding from the Economic Development Administration, matched with $12,542,521 provided by coalition and industry partners, for a total of $56,542,521. The coalition, which consists of the City along with the Advanced Regenerative Manufacturing Institute, the University of New Hampshire, Southern New Hampshire University and Southern New Hampshire Planning Commission, seeks to make Manchester the epicenter of the biofabrication industry. A growing manufacturing base is estimated to create 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.

DOT info meeting

The New Hampshire Department of Transportation will hold a public officials/public informational meeting with the Hooksett Town Council on Wednesday, Sept. 14, at 6 p.m. at the Hooksett Town Hall (35 Main St.) to discuss planned preservation work on five bridges located on Interstate 93 northbound between Exits 7 and 9 in Manchester and Hooksett and associated traffic control. According to a press release, this work will consist of pavement and membrane replacement, partial and full deck repairs, guardrail repairs, and joint replacements. The meeting will present information about the proposed project to the public and invite citizens and public officials to weigh in.

The University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension, with Gov. Chris Sununu and first lady Valerie Sununu, held a ribbon cutting ceremony to unveil and dedicate the New Hampshire Native Pollinator Garden at the Bridges House, at 21 Mountain Road in Concord, on Sept. 3. The certified pollinator-friendly garden — built by Master Gardener volunteers and the Sununu family — is dedicated to former first lady Nancy Sununu (wife of John H. Sununu, governor in the 1980s, and Chris Sununu’s mother), according to a press release. See friendsofbridgeshouse.org/pollinator-habitat.

Manchester Proud will host its annual CelebratED event on Saturday, Sept. 17, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Veterans Memorial Park, on Elm Street between Central and Merrimack streets in downtown Manchester. The annual event celebrates Manchester schools and features ceremonies, live music, food, robotics demonstrations, an activity station, an aerial show, an art show, a sensory tent, bookmobile readings and more, according to the website. Visit manchesterproud.org/celebrated.

The Thank You Project, a charitable organization that works to build wells in Nigeria, will host its 7th annual Water Walk on Saturday, Sept. 10, from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., at Greeley Park, on Concord Street in Nashua. According to a press release, the event raises funds to support the organization’s mission, providing easier access to clean drinking water for people living in communities in Nigeria, and to support a scholarship fund for students studying at the Dr. Michael Okpara University in Nigeria. Visit thankyouproject.org to learn more.

This Week 22/09/01

Big Events September 1, 2022 and beyond

Thursday, Sept. 1

Spend the holiday weekend cheering on the Fisher Cats at Northeast Delta Dental Stadium (1 Lane Drive in downtown Manchester; milb.com/new-hampshire), currently in a run of six games against the Portland Sea Dogs. Tonight’s game, which starts at 7:05 p.m. will feature post-game fireworks. The game on Saturday, Sept. 3, at 7:05 p.m. will also feature post-game fireworks and is Wizards and Wands Night, with wizard-themed events throughout the night. Friday’s theme is Margaritaville Night (game time is 7:05 p.m). For the game on Sunday, Sept. 4, at 1:35 p.m., the Fisher Cats become the Gatos Feroces with a jersey giveaway for the first 1,000 fans, according to the website.

Thursday, Sept. 1

The Hopkinton State Fair begins today at 5 p.m. (find free fair parking at 905 Park Ave. in Contoocook) and will run through Monday, Sept. 5. Throughout the long weekend get live music, midway rides, agricultural exhibits, a petting zoo, performances such as juggling and ax handlers, agricultural competitions and more. And, of course, there will be fair eats: turkey legs, sausage with peppers and onions, giant doughnuts, fried dough, cotton candy, apple crisp with ice cream and more, according to the website. Get tickets to an individual day, all five days or a megapass that includes a day’s admission and rides (additional tickets are required for some events, such as the Monster Trucks Show). See hsfair.org.

Friday, Sept. 2

Find some new wines for your long weekend. WineNot Boutique (25 Main St. in Nashua; winenotboutique.com, 204-5569) is hosting a wine tasting today from 1 to 5 p.m. featuring five or six potentially new-to-you wines.

Saturday, Sept. 3

The 21st annual Cruising Downtown Manchester classic car show runs today from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Elm Street in the Queen City’s downtown, hosted by the Rotary Club of Manchester. The event will feature classic cars, muscle cars (NH Muscle Car Club will hold a rally on the bridge during the event), live entertainment, food, vendors and more. Awards for participating cars will be handed out around 3 p.m. See cruisingdowntownmanchester.com.

Sunday, Sept. 4

The Canterbury Shaker Village (288 Shaker Road in Canterbury; shakers.org) is hosting Lori Diamond and Fred Abatelli with special guest Anelise as part of its Music on the Green series today from 4 to 5 p.m. Diamond and Abatelli’s music ranges from blues to pop, with Diamond playing piano and singing complemented by Abatelli on bass and guitar. The concert is free to attend. This is the second-to-last of the scheduled concerts in the series. A special memorial concert with Jan Fuller and Harel Gietheim is slated to close out the series next Sunday, Sept. 11.

Save the Date! Friday, Sept. 16, through Sunday, Sept. 18
This year’s Granite State ComiCon is calling itself the “Giant-Size 20th Anniversary Edition.” Perfect your costume and get your tickets for the Con, which will run Friday, Sept. 16, through Sunday, Sept. 18, with events largely at the DoubleTree by Hilton Downtown (700 Elm St. in downtown Manchester). Get tickets to individual days ($20 for Friday or Sunday, $25 for Saturday) or get a weekend pass ($55 or $125 for a VIP package that comes with a variety of goodies). There will be meet-and-greets with actors, comic book artists from New Hampshire and across the country, a costume contest, a kids costume contest, a Kids Con NE area, gaming and other comic book and pop culture fun. See granitecon.com.

Featured photo. Cruising Downtown Manchester classic car show. Courtesy photo.

Quality of Life 22/09/01

“Not today, milfoil!”

Many of New Hampshire’s most popular lakes have been kept safe from invasive species this summer thanks to the efforts of NH LAKES, a statewide, publicly supported nonprofit dedicated to restoring and preserving the health of the state’s lakes. According to a press release, nearly 700 “Lake Hosts” across the state offer free boat inspections and educate boaters on how to properly clean, drain and dry their boats to prevent aquatic invasive plants and animals — such as milfoil, fanwort and the Chinese mystery snail — from being spread between water bodies. Some of the saves made by Lake Hosts this summer include milfoil prevented from entering Crescent Lake in Acworth; brittle/spiny naiad prevented from entering Silver lake in Madison; Chinese mystery snail prevented from departing Lovell Lake in Wakefield; and water chestnut seed prevented from entering Lake Winnisquam in Belmont and Lake Kanasatka in Moultonborough.

QOL score: +1

Comment: There were 1,635 saves made by Lake Hosts at 55 water bodies recorded between 2002 and 2020, according to nhlakes.org/lake-host.

Gardening for good

NHTrust staff recently spent an afternoon volunteering at the NH Food Bank’s Production Garden in Manchester, weeding, clipping and raking to help ensure that the garden continues yielding fresh vegetables through the end of the summer for distribution to NH Food Bank partner agencies throughout the state. “Each year, the garden provides thousands of pounds of fresh produce to our partner agencies throughout the state as well as our Cooking Matters NH program and Culinary Job Training program, which provides approximately 5,000 meals a week to after-school programs and other agencies,” Eileen Liponis, executive director of the NH Food Bank, said in a press release. Additionally, NHTrust made a $500 contribution to the NH Food Bank to support its mission.

QOL score: +1

Comment: The NH Food Bank Production Garden is a seasonal volunteering opportunity open to groups and individuals. Visit nhfoodbank.org/get-involved/volunteer to learn how you can get involved.

Supporting women of color

The New Hampshire Women’s Foundation announced the first three grant recipients of its new Women and Girls of Color Fund, launched earlier this year. The recipients — all New Hampshire-based organizations that are led by and serve New Hampshire women and girls of color — are the Manchester Community Action Coalition, with the grant to support its Women’s BIPOC Health Initiative; New American Scholars, with the grant to support its Ed-Tech program; and Victory Women of Vision, with the grant to support its New American Women support group. According to the Women’s Foundation website, the purpose of the Fund is to “provide low-barrier, faster turnaround grants to projects led by and serving women and girls of color in New Hampshire.”

QOL score: +1

Comment: According to a press release, the fund will award grants quarterly, with applications for the next grants due Oct. 1. Visit nhwomensfoundation.org.

High student loan debt

A recent WalletHub study ranked New Hampshire at No. 4 out of the 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia for States with the Most Student Debt. The study looked at the average amount of student debt; proportion of students with debt; student debt as share of income; share of student loans in past-due or default status and share of federal student loan borrowers enrolled in an income-driven repayment plan, as well as grant and student work opportunities. New Hampshire ranked No. 1 for average amount of student debt and No. 2 for proportion of students with debt.

QOL score: -2

Comment: According to the Education Data Initiative, 13.8 percent of the New Hampshire population has student loan debt, with a total of $6.5 billion in debt held by state residents and an average debt of $34,085 per borrower.

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.

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