Category: News

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.

Summer grinds to an end

It’s been a crappy sports summer, hasn’t it? Even with the Celtics season lasting until June.

That’s because with Boston basically out of it since April 15 and no one doing anything memorable baseball’s been a complete dud.

So I’ve taken note of individuals over teams more than usual. Here are a few who got my attention.

James White: I mentioned when he retired how reliable and clutch he was. But what I didn’t detail was his role in his greatest game, the astonishing comeback win over Atlanta in SB 51. It was 28-3 right before he started the comeback with a short TD reception from TB-12 with 2:06 left in the third quarter. His next TD (after the PAT) tied it with 53 seconds left. Then came the game winner when he fought his way into the end zone for the win in OT. Overall he had 14 catches for 120 yards, 6 runs for 29 more, 3 TD’s and the 2-point conversion that got them to 8 down with 5:50 to play. It is among the five greatest games ever played by a Patriot.

Steph Curry: I knew he was good, but not that good I guess. I hate the way he flops on almost every shot, but he sliced and diced the Celtics so thoroughly in the Finals they should make Marcus Smart give back his Defensive Player of the Year award. I don’t like to overreact to one great series, but four titles in, I’m ready to say he belongs in the NBA’s all-time Top 10, though I’m not sure who to kick out.

Xander Bogaerts: Get your last looks over the final month of 2022. In his continuing zeal to become the 21st century’s answer to Harry Frazee, Chaim Bloom will let the face of the franchise (and its greatest ever shortstop) walk in free agency this winter, a move that should be on Chaim’s baseball tombstone when it’s all said and done.

Jarren Duran: A year ago he was the next big thing, a Top 100 prospect with blazing speed and emerging power ticketed for center field and a spot at the top of the order for years. However, in the 18 months since, he’s struggled to hit .218 over 300 major league at-bats before being demoted to AAA last week. His problems are made worse by his having the worst instincts of a Sox outfielder since Mike Greenwell was a collision waiting to happen on any ball hit into the gap. This puts him at a career crossroads going into spring training and makes him the latest poster boy for why you should never listen to spring training chatter that makes young guys out to be a lot more than they turn out to be.

Curt Schilling: I was almost beginning to feel sorry for the Red Sox alum over the way his final year of Hall of Fame eligibility ended with him just short but going backward in the vote. And then I was reminded last week why it happened. It was his tone-deaf tweet in opposition to the federal government forgiving some student loans. It’s OK to be against it if you have your reasons. Heck, I’m against it, I think. But when his objection came with his usual “I’m smarter than you” snark after he received, and blew, a free $75 million loan guarantee from the State of Rhode Island because of his celebrity status, I said, oh yeah, now I remember. Twitter wasn’t so kind in unleashing an avalanche of response to his utter hypocrisy and tone.

Steve Kerr: After watching him at work in the NBA Finals I think I’ve been under-rating Kerr all these years. And it was not just his decision-making. It was the Golden State defense. While Curry was the straw that stirred the drink, the surprising (to me) GS defense was close behind, especially the way it closed so quickly to the corner to render Grant Williams and Payton Pritchard useless on offense and how it gang tackled its Big 3 on drives to the rim and stifled them in half court O. That along with its usual offensive efficiency made it obvious what a good job Kerr does.

Steve Nash: For once an owner backed his coach over a star player as Nets owner Joe Tsai did during Kevin Durant’s angry summer. Now the question is how do you coach a team after your star has publicly demanded you be fired? We’ll soon find out.

Lenny Dawson: He died last week at 87 after long ago being the epitome of the “AFL players can’t play in today’s NFL” talking point of the 1960s after flunking out with the Steelers and Browns a few years after going one pick before the great Jim Brown in the 1957 NFL draft. But Dawson really just needed the opportunity the upstart AFL gave guys like him. His Dallas Texans (soon to be the KC Chiefs) won the AFL title in 1962 and again in 1966 when they lost in the first Super Bowl. He was back three years later when KC croaked the supposedly invincible 12-2 Vikings 23-7 in SB 4. It was an even more shocking win for NFL fans to swallow than the Jets’ titanic upset of the Colts in SB 3, because one win can be a fluke, but another the next year said something about the AFL’s overall strength. And that was a blow to NFL egos.

I’ll buy that Joe Namath was its most important player. But Joe Willie was not the All-time AFL quarterback as he was voted. Dawson was robbed. He was in the league longer, won more and had far better stats, along with the same SB ring and MVP award Namath won. So I see Dawson’s legacy as being a symbol of where the league started and how it ended up in a draw with the omnipotent NFL 10 years later. RIP Lenny D.

Email Dave Long at dlong@hippopress.com.

Rising star

Going to college and getting involved

Plymouth State University student Joshua Chandler of Laconia has been named Stay Work Play NH’s 2022 College Student of the Year. Chandler will receive the award at the 13th annual Rising Stars Awards, to be held at the Bank of New Hampshire Stage (16 S. Main St., Concord) on Friday, Sept. 9, from 5:30 to 9 p.m.

Where are you in your college career, and what are you studying?

I’m a non-traditional student. I’m going into my last year, which will be my fifth year, at Plymouth State University, as a dual degree major — a B.S. in cell and molecular biology and a B.A. in psychology. I started out studying exercise science when I first got to Plymouth State. I realized early on that I wanted to be a physical therapist, but then I decided that might not be for me. I liked the more hard-core basic science things. My aspirations switched. They stayed medical, but I started leaning more toward [being an] M.D. or physician’s assistant or something like that. I switched to molecular biology and decided on the physician’s assistant route. Then Covid hit, and I left for basic training with the Air National Guard. My studies got delayed a little bit. Then I got deployed to Kuwait, and I wasn’t able to take any of those biology classes while I was gone, but I took a couple psychology classes and I realized that I could add a psychology degree.

What was your experience in Kuwait like?

I loved it out there. It was a great experience, and I learned a lot. The most impactful part for me was being able to help out and provide medical help for the Afghanistan evacuations. We had about 5,000 Afghani evacuees come to our base. I also received the Army Achievement Medal for my help with that.

How did you balance serving in the National Guard and deployment with your college academics and activities?

While I was in Kuwait I was a full-time student. I was taking 15 credits’ worth of courses, as well as doing my National Guard Air Force upgrade training, getting all the different certifications. I’m a firefighter in the National Guard, so I was working 24-hour shifts. I’d go in the morning, pick up the truck, be on response if there was a fire or emergency, and then leave the next morning. Then I’d have the day off to use the gym, go shopping, get a haircut, relax, talk with my family. Coordinating deadlines for school was interesting because there’s an eight-hour [time] difference. I was also a speaker for the Plymouth State student government, and we would have our Zoom meetings, which would be at 7 o’clock Eastern time, but for me it’d be 3 in the morning, so on those nights I would either have to stay up for those meetings or go to bed and set an alarm to wake up and attend those meetings.

What are your plans for after graduating?

My plan is to switch to the Army National Guard and attend P.A. [physician’s assistant] school through them. Then, once I’m done with that, my goal is to come back to New Hampshire and work as a P.A. … After graduating, I would love to stay connected with Plymouth State University and the alumni department to help mentor and guide students, whether they’re thinking of [going into] medical, military — whatever they’re planning. I think being exposed to various backgrounds and doing a lot of research for my own plans means that I can be a good resource for students. Additionally, I do research at Plymouth State through the IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence, and they have a mentorship program for alumni as well.

How do you practice self-care and keep from getting burnt out?

Sometimes I wonder how I don’t get burnt out. A lot of it is having a support system — my parents, family, friends, my girlfriend, co-workers, staff members and faculty at Plymouth State. Physical fitness, I think, is also important — setting aside a certain amount of time each day to either go on a walk or exercise or do yoga, just to make sure I’m staying healthy, and eating healthy. ‘Balance’ is the word that comes to mind.

What advice do you have for other young people looking to get more involved in their communities?

Look for opportunities. All of what I’ve done started from one simple thing: starting at student government as just a general member at first and then expanding on that, or going to talk with a professor about research and then getting involved with research at Dartmouth and now research for the military. It all starts with that first conversation, and then getting to a point where you’re looking for where you can get your foot in the door. The opportunities will follow. … Also, you don’t need to have a master plan. That’s something I struggle with. I try to imagine everything going perfectly, and usually, it’s never the perfect situation that I imagined [that happens], but it always works out in the right ways, so just go with the flow.

Featured photo: Joshua Chandler. Courtesy photo.

News & Notes 22/09/01

More defense attorneys

To address the state’s shortage of public defenders, the New Hampshire Supreme Court has issued an order allowing private attorneys who pursue a “Limited Active” status classification through the New Hampshire Bar Association to accept assigned, contract and pro bono cases providing legal counsel and representation for defendants who cannot afford an attorney. According to a press release from the New Hampshire Judicial Branch, the order also waives mandatory continuing legal education and Trust Account Certificate requirements for limited active status attorneys in any year in which they accept at least three eligible cases, and for limited active status attorneys who volunteer to provide pro bono representation through the legal services 603 Legal Aid, NH Legal Assistance and Disabilities Right Center NH. “There is a critical need for defense attorneys,” Sarah Blodgett, executive director of the New Hampshire Judicial Council, said in the release. “Both the Judicial Branch and the State have taken several steps to address this issue, and this order will make a real difference to many New Hampshire residents.”

Lottery website hacked

The New Hampshire Lottery announced on its Facebook page the morning of Friday, Aug. 26, that the third-party hosting provider of its website nhlottery.com had experienced a cyberattack in which banners and pop-ups prompted users to click and download a .zip file. The website was taken offline shortly after the announcement. NH Lottery posted an update on Facebook Friday evening, stating, “We are confident that this attack did not impact any player data nor compromise the integrity of our gaming platforms,” and urging users who clicked a banner or pop-up to delete the .zip file, empty their computer’s trash or recycle bin folder and install and run an antivirus and antimalware scanner. The website was restored on Saturday around 1:30 a.m.

Strengthening child care

The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services announced a new Child Care Strengthening Plan designed to support recruitment and retention of the child care workforce and ensure the long-term stability of the child care sector in the state. In a press release, the Department outlined four short-term initiatives of the plan, including a reinvestment in high school programs and partnerships with the Department of Education to strengthen pipelines for the early learning educators workforce; expanded access to the Teacher Education and Compensation Helps scholarship funds for child care professionals to pursue higher education while working; grants to cover one-time operating costs, such as start-up expenses, facility maintenance and expansion of classrooms and outdoor spaces, allowing more revenue to be allocated for workforce development; and training and education partnerships with New Hampshire Employment Security to encourage employment pathways for professional development, training programs and continuing education. “This plan gives us an opportunity to develop innovative and progressive solutions to support the needs of families and deliver high-quality child care by investing in our child care workforce,” DHHS associate commissioner Christine Santaniello said in the release. Passed as part of the legislation under Senate Bill 446, the plan builds on DHHS’ ongoing efforts to support the child care sector in New Hampshire, funded through the American Rescue Plan Discretionary Funds.

Wage raise

The Manchester Board of School Committee has voted unanimously to implement a $15 minimum wage for all full- and part-time employees of the Manchester School District. According to a press release, the approved proposal, which will also include proportional wage increases based on employees’ labor classifications, will raise the wages of 372 school district staff, including paraprofessionals, food service workers and 21st Century Program personnel. “Every staff member working for our District contributes to our students’ education and deserves to make a living wage,” Manchester Mayor Joyce Craig said in the release. “Now, we’ll be able to attract more high-quality staff to support our kids and retain and motivate the hardworking employees already serving within our schools.” The change carries a fiscal impact of $810,357.

Student mental health

Dartmouth Health continues its year-long monthly webinar series about mental health, “Heads Up: A Year-Long Mental Health Awareness Journey,” with a segment on the unique mental health stressors affecting student athletes. According to a press release, the fourth webinar in the series features graduate student-athlete and member of the Lynn University Women’s Basketball team Meghan Cramb of Merrimack; staff psychologist and director of the Sport Psychology Program at Dartmouth College Health Services Mark Hiatt, Ph.D.; and Dartmouth Health Children’s physician-in-chief and board-certified sports pediatrician Keith J. Loud, M.D. The panelists discuss stressors such as pressure to perform well, balancing athletics with academics, season-ending injuries and transitioning to different grade level or collegiate sports and provide insights, tips and resources for student athletes and the family, friends, coaches and teammates who support them. “Adolescents will rate the discontinuation or the exclusion from sports participation as among the greatest losses they could experience, up there with the loss of a friend or family member to death,” Loud said in the webinar. For more details on the “Heads Up” series, visit dartmouth-health.org/mental-health.

Vehicle charging stations

The New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission has approved a proposal from Eversource, the largest energy provider in New England, to invest $2.1 million in electric vehicle charging infrastructure in the state. The proposal, known as the “make-ready plan,” pairs Eversource funds with funds from a 2017 Volkswagen legal settlement, which have been held in an Environmental Mitigation Trust reserved for environmental mitigation projects. The funds will be used to construct electric vehicle charging stations with public access in strategic locations throughout the state and implement an automated billing system at those stations.

The Children’s Museum of New Hampshire in Dover was selected to receive an Institute of Museum and Library Services INSPIRE! grant for small museums. According to a press release, the museum plans to launch a series of educational initiatives to implement developmentally appropriate play-based learning activities for children age 5 and younger.

Registration is now open for free in-person classes at the Nackey S. Loeb School of Communications in Manchester (749 E. Industrial Park Drive). The four-week session will run Sept. 14 through Oct. 5, with classes on Wednesday evenings. Visit loebschool.org or call 627-0005.

The New Hampshire Audubon’s Massabesic Center in Auburn (26 Audubon Way) will have a native plant sale on Thursday, Sept. 8, from 3 to 7 p.m. Bagley Pond, an organic native perennial farm in Warner, will be at the Center with a wide selection of native plants and shrubs for purchase. According to a press release, the goal of the event is to provide home gardeners with plants that are safe for and support native pollinators and wildlife. Visit nhaudubon.org.

This Week 22/08/25

Big Events August 25, 2022 and beyond

Saturday, Aug. 27

Today is the in-person Millennium Running AutoFair New Hampshire 10-miler race around Lake Massabesic, beginning at the lake parking lot (1 Londonderry Turnpike, Manchester) at 8 a.m. There will be awards for the top three male and female runners in each age bracket, relay teams, and overall runner awards. Running bib pickup begins at 6:30 a.m. See millenniumrunning.com/newhampshire10 for information on registration and course details.

Saturday, Aug. 27

The New England Racing Museum (922 Route 106 in Loudon) is bringing back the Hot Rods, Muscle and More Car Show today from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. There will be 21 awards handed out for categories like best Ford, best custom, best restored original and more. To enter a vehicle costs $20, spectators cost $5 and children 12 and younger are free. Visit nemsmuseum.com for more information about the car show.

Saturday, Aug. 27

The Capital Mineral Club is hosting the 58th annual Concord Gem, Mineral and Jewelry Show today at The Everett Arena (15 Loudon Road, Concord) from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The show will continue Sunday, Aug. 28, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. There will be fossils, gems, carvings and more on display, as well as demonstrations from experts in geology. Admission is $5 for adults and free for children 12 and younger who come in with an adult. Tickets are purchased at the door. More information is available at capitalmineralclub.org.

Sunday, Aug. 28

Celebrate Gen. John Stark’s 294th birthday today at Stark Park (550 River Road, Manchester) from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. After the celebration, Compaq Big Band will give a performance at the bandstand. Compaq Big Band specializes in swing music with a large brass horn section, vocalists and dancers. The event is free to attend. Visit starkpark.com.

Tuesday, Aug. 30

Starting today, with a game at 7:05 p.m., the Fisher Cats play the Sea Dogs for six days straight at Northeast Delta Dental Stadium (1 Line Drive, Manchester). Each day features a different highlight, like Bark in the Park (where pups are welcomed to the games), fireworks, Fan Friday and more. Game times and prices vary. See a full schedule and buy tickets at milb.com/new-hampshire.

Save the Date! Saturday, Sept. 3
The 57th annual Exeter UFO Festival begins today at 8:45 a.m. at Exeter Town Hall (9 Front St, Exeter). The event will feature expert speakers on the extraterrestrial, a trolley ride from 10 Front St. that covers the locations where a famed UFO sighting happened nearly 60 years ago, an alien costume contest, events for kids, and more. While the festival is free to attend, pricing for different events varies. Visit exeterufofestival.org to learn more about the events.

Featured photo. Millennium Running AutoFair New Hampshire 10-miler race. Courtesy photo.

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