Category: News

News & Notes 26/03/26

Scam warning

The Manchester Police Department sent out a March 18 press release about a “Fraudulent ‘Notice of Hearing’ Scam.” “The scam appears in the form of a very realistic-looking ‘Notice of Hearing,’ which falsely claims the recipient committed a traffic violation and owes a fine. The document also indicates a scheduled hearing date and offers an option to resolve the matter by paying the fine. These notices are not legitimate. The fraudulent documents include a QR code directing recipients to submit payment. Residents should not scan the QR code or send any money in response to these notices,” the release said. The documents include a misspelling of Hillsborough and an incorrect court seal, the release said. “Anyone who receives one of these notices should disregard it. If you believe you may have been a victim of this scam, please contact police at 603-668-8711,” the release said.

Taco Tour

Taco Tour Manchester has a 2026 date — the annual celebration of tacos will take place Thursday, May 28, from 4 to 8 p.m. in downtown Manchester. More than 100 restaurants will be selling tacos for $3 each, according to tacotourmanchester.com, where you can find updates on the event.

GenXpo

The band The Bald Eagles will be playing at the second annual GenXpo — described as “An expo in Nashua, N.H., for Generation X, Baby Boomers and beyond!” — on Saturday, March 28, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Nashua Senior Activity Center, 70 Temple St. in Nashua, according to the event’s Facebook page. The event is free to attend and will feature vendors related to “health and wellness, financial planning, home improvement and more to explore. There will also be short educational presentations,” the post said.

Rotating exhibit

The Art Gallery at Rivier University in Nashua is currently presenting “Pairings,” a rotating exhibition featuring two artworks of varying media presented side by side with a new pairing each week, according to a press release. The exhibition will run through May 1, the release said. “Drawing primarily from the University’s permanent collection, the exhibition welcomes visitors with two striking works displayed at the center of the gallery. … A digital slideshow complements each weekly pairing, offering expanded context including artist biographies, insights into the creative process, and information on the techniques used to bring them to life,” the release said. The gallery is open to the public Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. in Memorial Hall on the Rivier University campus, 435 S. Main St. in Nashua. See rivier.edu/artgallery.

The New Hampshire Boat Museum will host a workshop “Ready to Launch: A Woman’s Boating Class” at the Goodhue Boat Co. in Wolfeboro on Wednesday, May 20, from 5:30 to 7 p.m., designed for both novice and experienced boaters, according to a press release. Registration costs $35; see nhbm.org.

The Southern New Hampshire Skating Club will present its annual Ice Revue, themed “City Life,” at JFK Coliseum in Manchester on Saturday, March 28, at 1 and 7 p.m. Tickets cost $10 for adults, $6 for seniors and children, and are available at snhsc.com and at the door, according to a press release.

Learn how to make Pysanky, Ukrainian Easter eggs, on Saturday, March 28, from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. and Sunday, March 29, from 2 to 4 p.m. at the New Hampshire School of Languages and Arts, 3J Taggart Drive in Nashua. Register by emailing mariabronfine@gmail.com.

Baseball is back

The Big Story – Red Sox Season Opens: It gets started Thursday, March 26, at the home of baseball’s first organized team, the Cincinnati Reds. An interesting season lies ahead, in part because of a change in team style to something Red Sox Nation is not accustomed to. We’ll see if GM Craig Breslow’s emphasis on improving the pitching and infield defense at the expense of adding the power most (including me) felt they needed will succeed. Or if passing on free agent slugger Pete Alonso (who’ll be in the AL East with Baltimore) and jettisoning Rafael Devers last year was just the result of owner John Henry being cheap.

The other reason for excitement is being led into 2026 by a parade of blossoming young talent like Garrett Crochet and guys who came up big in the WBC: Roman Anthony, Wilyer Abreu, Jarren Duran and Brayan Bello. Should be fun.

Sports 101: Of the 33 who have 3,000 career hits, only four from the 20th century and beyond never had a 200-hit season. Name them.

News Item – March Madness Marches On: The opening weekend provided the usual thrills.

• BestIndividualGame:UConn’s Tarris Reed going for 31 points and 27 rebounds in a R1 win over Furman.

• Biggest Upset: 15-seed High Point taking out 2-seed Wisconsin. Iowa taking out defending champion Florida on a last-second shot by Alvaro Folgueiras wasn’t farbehind.

• MIA Award –Rick Pitino: Back in the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2015.

News Item – Proposed Trade for Eagle A.J. Brown: No way the Pats should give up what Denver did (first, third and fourth) to get Jaylen Waddle from Miami for Brown. They have bigger immediate needs at OL and edge rusher and need to use the 2026 draft (or trades of them) to get them. If a trade for the speedy Brown can be done after June 1 for a 2027 second and 2028 third, done.

News Item – Red Sox Stories to Watch

Roman Anthony: Will he live up to what runaway imaginations have him becoming?

The Outfield Jumble: They’ve got five guys to play the outfield and DH. Can Alex Cora find enough at-bats for everyone or is a trade coming?

Aroldis Chapman: At 38 can he possibly be as good as last year (32 saves, 1.17 ERA and 67 k’s in 43 innings)?

Most Intriguing Prospect to Follow – Justin Gonzalez: Is the 6’6”, 272-pound 19-year-old mountain of a man more Aaron Judge or Wily Mo Peña? What’s most appealing are his New Age stats (that are actually useful) like his percentages on strikeouts and hard contact to at-bats. He starts his Year 2 in AA. Keep an eye on him.

News Item – Predictions for Red Sox

70 – combined homers from Anthony and Abreu.

180 – K’s from 15-game-winner Sonny Gray to make it a record five teams he’s done that for.

275 – league-leading K’s Crochet whiffs on his way to winning the AL Cy Young Award.

Sports 101 Answer: The four with 3,000 career hits and no 200-hit seasons are Dave Winfield, Eddie Murray, Rickey Henderson and Yaz.

Final Thought – Red Sox Season Prediction – 92-70: I might be talking myself into it, but they’re gonna be better than last year’s 89-win team. If you’re going to Vegas to bet, you should know I missed my Red Sox predictions in each of the last two years by one win because of the outcome of each season’s final game. Email Dave Long at dlong@hippopress.com.

Email Dave Long at dlong@hippopress.com.

This Week 26/03/19

Thursday, March 19

Tonight at 6 p.m. the HolyMoly Craft Corner, part of the Arts Alley Workshops collection (20 S. Main St, Concord, 406-5666, artsalleyconcordnh.com), will host Shamrocks and Steins, a St. Patrick’s Day-themed night of glass etching. Design and etch a beer or wine glass with Celtic knots, shamrocks or funny beer quotes. Tickets cost $44.52. Visit artsalleyconcordnh.com.

Friday, March 20

Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day belatedly at the Capitol Center for the Arts with an evening with Rebel Collective and JD and the Stonemasons at the BNH Stage (16 S. Main St., Concord, 225-1111, ccanh.com) tonight at 8 p.m. Tickets are $18. Michael Witthaus spoke to musicians in both bands for last week’s story on the Celtic music scene in New Hampshire. Find the March 12 issue in the digital library at hippopress.com. The story starts on page 8.

Friday, March 20

Smitty’s Cinema & GameLAB Tilton (630 W. Main St., Tilton, 286-3275, smittyscinema.com/movie-theater/tilton) presents a night of adult-themed hypnotic fun tonight, at 8 p.m. with Hypnotist Frank Santos Jr. Prepare to be amazed as you, your. Tickets cost $25.

Friday, March 20

The Stockbridge Theatre (22-98 Bypass 28, Derry, 437-5210) will host Chicago Teen Edition, a production by the Pinkerton Players, tonight and tomorrow, Saturday, March 21, at 7 p.m., and Sunday, March 22, at 2 p.m. See pinkertonacademy.org/stockbridge-theatre for tickets.

Saturday, March 21

Catch comedians Emily Ruskowski, Zach Stewart, James Hamilton, Owen Damon and Ajay Thakkar at Sunstone Brewing in Londonderry tonight at 7 p.m. See sunstonebrewing.com/events for tickets.

Saturday, March 21

Chunky’s Cinema Pub in Manchester presents New England comic Mark Turcotte, a finalist in the Funniest Comedian on the East Coast competition and a semi-finalist at the World Series of Comedy, tonight at 8:30 p.m. See chunkys.com for tickets.

Sunday, March 22

Continue the St. Patrick’s Day spirit with Altan, a beloved Irish musical export led by vocalist and fiddler Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh, today at 4 p.m. at the BNH Stage in Concord. See ccanh.com for tickets.

Monday, March 23

Studio 550 Art Center , 550 Elm St. in Manchester, will hold its annual Spring Cleaning Pottery Sale today through Saturday, March 28, open noon to 8 p.m. daily. The shop features staff and studio member pieces, abandoned works sold to benefit studio scholarships and a Pottery for a Purpose table with proceeds from the sale of those items going to The International Institute of New England, according to a press release. See 550arts.com.

Save the Date! Thursday, March 26
Once Upon Again Bookstore (21 E. Broadway, Derry) will host Once Upon a Swap, a book swap social, Thursday, March 26, beginning at 6:30 p.m. Bring up to three gently loved books from any genre and for every approved book, you’ll receive one swap token, according to a post on the bookstore’s Facebook page, where you can find a link for tickets. Tickets include entry to the Swap, light bites and signature-themed mocktails, the post said.

Featured photo: The Rebel Collective. Courtesy photo.

Big weekend ahead

The Big Story — NCAA Tournament or WBC: Take your pick. Office pool brackets all over America say the tournament is the single biggest participation sports event in the U.S., and after 20 years the World Baseball Classic finally got some real traction this time, likely because electric Shohei Ohtani has become the Babe Ruth of the 21st century drawing card and many of the 13 Red Sox in the WBC did such big things.

Sports 101: How many of the eight to win basketball’s Triple Crown — Olympics gold plus NCAA and NBA titles — can you name?

News Item — WBC Update: With USA headed to the title game as I write this it’s been a captivating event. Here are a few highlights:

• Despite making the final out as Japan was eliminated, Ohtani hit .462 with three homers and seven RBI in 13 WBC at-bats.

• Jarren Duran’s three homers in 15 at-bats tied him with Ohtani and KC’s Vinnie Pasquantino for most homers in the WBC.

• Wilyer Abreu hit the three-run homer to put Venezuela ahead for good as it upset Japan to make the semifinals.

• Beep, Beep, Beep Award: U.S.A. backed into the knockout round. After seeing them on the bad side of arguably the biggest upset in WBC (8-6 loss to Italy) they needed the Italians to beat Mexico just to make Round 2. Phew! That got manager Mark DeRosa off the hook for his gigantic mistake of so not knowing WBC rules he used a this-game-doesn’t-matter starting line-up in that critical Italy loss because he somehow thought U.S.A. had already clinched a spot in Round 2, which they hadn’t.

• KevinTeel, the catching prospect Boston traded to get Garrett Crochet, hit .667 overall for Italy.

• Roman Anthony’s two homers knocked in the game-winning runs in wins over Mexico and the huge win over the Dominican Republic.

News Item — Alumni News — Rick Pitino: If you’ve been wondering what happened to Little Ricky since slinking out of Boston — three jobs and two (at least) major scandals later, he’s revitalizing St. John’s basketball, who knocked off UConn 72-52 to win the Big East title, sending him to his 25th NCAA Tournament.

The Numbers:

10 – out of 10 rating for Bill Lee’s very entertaining talk at last week’s Manchester Boys & Girls Club fundraiser.

40 – most ever freshman points scored in a Big 12 Tournament game, scored by Brockton, Mass.’s A.J. Debansta in BYU’s 105-91 win over Kansas State.

127 – consecutive games when Shai Gilgeous Alexander scored at least 20 points, to move him past Wilt Chamberlain’s all-time record.

… Of the Week Awards

Thumbs Up — Boston Legacy FC: For Boston’s return to Women’s Pro Soccer Sunday. It came in a 1-0 loss to defending champion NYC’s Gotham FC before an astonishing Gillette Stadium crowd of 30,231.

Thumbs Down — Patriots in Free Agency: Have no idea what they’re doing. Did little to fortify the glaring OL problems with an injury-prone, under-achieving Jets castoff, replaced Stefon Diggs with a guy who caught 30 fewer balls for 200-plus fewer yards and let the best pass rusher walk.

Prediction — Not quite informed enough to fill out an entire NCAA’s Women Tournament bracket, but I’ll take UConn for title number 13.

Sports 101 Answer: The basketball triple crown winners are Clyde Lovellette, Bill Russell, KC Jones, Jerry Lucas, Quinn Buckner, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan and Anthony Davis.

Email Dave Long at dlong@hippopress.com.

Quality of Life 26/03/19

Team Police was on fire

As reported by WMUR in a March 15 online article, Team Police won this year’s Battle of the Badges hockey championship. “Team Police reclaimed the victory over Team Fire, winning 4-2,” WMUR reported. The yearly event “features a competitive rivalry between police and fire departments from across New Hampshire,” the article read. “All of the money raised will go to Dartmouth Health Children’s and the Children’s Hospital at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. This year, the event raised $285,000, the largest single-day total in the event’s 18-year history.”

QOL score: +1

Comment: The Battle of the Badges hockey tournament has been played every year since 2008 except in 2021 during the Covid-19 pandemic. In the 18 years of the tournament, Team Police has won 11 times; Team Fire has won seven times.

Despite recent flood watch, still a drought

According to a March 12 online article by New Hampshire Public Radio, even with this winter’s snowfall, “Eighty percent of New Hampshire is still in a drought.” NHPR reported that the state’s weather has been relatively dry this year. “While this year may have felt like a classic New England winter, it was the eighth driest December through February since record keeping began in the late 19th century, according to data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.”

QOL score: -1

Comment: NHPR reported, “Conditions have been essentially ‘locked in place’ since winter began and the ground froze, said Ted Diers, who leads the water division at the state Department of Environmental Services. ‘Any snow that falls is on top of the ground, it’s not soaking in,’ he said.”

Not a good time to be a fish

In a March 13 announcement on its website, the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department (271-3421, wildlife.nh.gov) wrote that “New Hampshire may experience winter fish kills as ice melts” in the next few weeks. “Fish kills, where large numbers of fish die in a short period of time, are not an uncommon occurrence in the early spring. As the ice recedes, especially from many smaller Granite State waterbodies, there may be dead fish, and most of these occurrences are due to natural processes.”

QOL score: -1

Comment: The problem, NH Fish and Game reported, is a lack of oxygen in frozen-over bodies of water.

QOL score last week: 53

Net change: -1

QOL this week: 54

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

Let us know at news@hippopress.com.

News & Notes 26/03/19

Slow down

Penalties for driving 100 miles per hour or more went up on Jan. 1 and could also result in higher insurance premium costs, according to a March 9 press release from the State of New Hampshire Insurance Department. A first offense for driving 100 miles per hour or greater has a minimum fine of $750 “plus penalty assessment and a mandatory 90-day license suspension,” the release said. “A subsequent offense carries a minimum $1,000 fine plus penalty assessment and a license suspension ranging from 90 days to one year,” the release said. The press release also warns that “a conviction involving extreme speed may result in higher premium costs or changes to underwriting carrier.” See the law, RSA 265:79, at gc.nh.gov/rsa/html/XXI/265/265-79.htm.

Good bugs

The Garden Club of Deerfield will hold a presentation on “Beneficial Insects: Good Bugs, Bad Bugs and the Truth About the Rest” on Saturday, March 21, from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Deerfield Town Hall, according to an email from the club. The event is free to attend. See deerfieldgardenclub.com.

Old tech

The United Way of Greater Nashua is looking for old, working smartphones and laptops for its Tech Connect United digital access program, according to a Feb. 26 press release. The United Way is collecting unlocked Android or iPhone smartphones in working condition, preferably with a charger, and working laptops, Windows or Mac, that have a charger and are less than eight to 10 years old, the release said. Drop off items at United Way of Greater Nashua, 20 Broad St. in Nashua, weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. See unitedwaynashua.org/digital-literacy for more about the United Way’s digital programs.

Historic sites

Eight properties across the state have been added to the New Hampshire State Register of Historic places, according to a Feb. 25 press release from the New Hampshire Department of Natural & Cultural Resources. The newly added locations are the Baptist Meeting House in Salisbury (built in 1794), United Methodist Church in Alexandria (built in 1819), the Brookline Community Church (1838), Riddle House in Manchester (circa 1844), the Deerfield Historical Society Museum (circa 1850), the South Weare Union Church (completed in 1876), Camp Kuwiyan on Lake Winnipesauke (buildings date from 1905 through 1930) and the Littleton Regional Hospital (main building constructed in 1906), the release said. Find the State Register of Historic Places as well as information on how to nominate a property at nhdhr.dncr.nh.gov.

“Mixing It Up,” an exhibit featuring art by Sandy Steen Bartholomew, Anne Boedecker, Joy Malcolm, Adele Sanborn, and Becky Sawyer, will open Saturday, March 21, and run through Saturday, April 25, at Two Villages Art Society, 846 Main Street in Contoocook, with an opening reception featuring the artists, refreshments and music by pianist Craig Fahey on Saturday from noon to 2 p.m. See twovillagesart.org.

NH Roller Derby will hold a meet and greet for those interested in checking out the sport on Thursday, March 19, at 7:30 p.m. at the Manchester Ballers Association, 3 Sundial Ave. in Manchester, according to nhrollerderby.com.

Tickets are on sale now for Spooky World’s Halfway to Halloween, slated for Saturday, May 2, starting at 7 p.m. at Mel’s Funway Park in Litchfield. The event features haunted houses, DJ and dancing, festival food, jousting competitions and more, according to an email about the event. See melsfunwaypark.com.

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