Category: News

This Week 24/01/11

Big Events January 11 and Beyond

Saturday, Jan. 13

Enjoy the music of The Beatles, the Rolling Stones, The Animals, The Troggs, The Searchers, The Dave Clark Five, Herman’s Hermits and others at “The British Invasion” tonight at 7 p.m. at the Majestic Studio Theatre (880 Page St. in Manchester; majestictheatre.net, 669-7469). Tickets cost $20 and can be purchased by phone, online or at the door. Performers slated to embody the music of the mid-1960s include Dale Byrd, Emerson Carracedo, Glynn Cosker, Robert Dionne, Jonathan Flower, Kate Flower, Angelo Gentile, Kristin Grant, Bo Guyer, Cady Hickman, Karen McGraw, Jim Rogato, The Rockin Daddios, Brynn Susi and Bruce Williams, according to a press release.

Saturday, Jan. 13

Today is the Second Saturday at the Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St. in Manchester; currier.org), the monthly Saturday when admission is free for New Hampshire residents (the museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.). From 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. head to the Creative Studio to learn how to make recycled paper beads in the style of artist Sanaa Gateja, whose show is currently on view, according to the museum’s website.

Saturday, Jan. 13

Catch some Southern New Hampshire University Penmen basketball when the women’s team takes to the court at 1:30 p.m., followed by the men’s team at 3:30 p.m., both against Southern Connecticut State University. The games take place at Stan Spiro Field House (at the Southern New Hampshire University campus, 2500 River Road in Manchester); regular season games are free to attend. See snhupenmen.com.

Saturday, Jan. 13

Symphony NH and the Spartans Drum and Bugle Corps present “Brass to the Max,” a show at the Keefe Center for the Arts (117 Elm St. in Nashua) today at 7:30 p.m. “The program will be visceral and high-energy. Be prepared to feel this one all the way through your bones with great music like Aaron Copland’s ‘Fanfare for the Common Man’ and ‘Celebrate’ by Kool and the Gang,” according to a press release. Tickets cost $10 to $60 and are available at symphonynh.org or by calling 595-9156.

Sunday, Jan. 14

As of earlier this week, WMUR was predicting a 52 degree high and rain for Saturday, Jan. 13, and a 32 degree high today (Jan. 14), when you can hit the streets of Bedford for the 3-mile HPM Insurance Snowflake Shuffle at 9:30 a.m. Registration costs $35 ($30 for under 21). See millenniumrunning.com.

Monday, Jan. 15

Cellist Roric Cunningham will hold a solo recital (with pianist Elizabeth Blood) today at 7 p.m. at the Manchester Community Music School (2291 Elm St. in Manchester; mcmusicschool.org). Tickets cost $15 for adults, free for students under 21, according to the website.

Save the Date! Saturday, Jan. 20
The New Hampshire Audubon Massabesic Center (26 Audubon Way in Auburn; nhaudubon.org, 668-2045) will hold a class on “Winter Sowing of Native Plants” on Saturday, Jan. 20, from 9:30 to 11 a.m. with presenters Donna Miller, UNH Extension Advanced Master Gardener, and Stacey Scaccia, UNH Extension Master Gardener, according to the website. The cost is $15 per person and you will “leave with a pot of native perennial seeds that will grow all year and be ready to plant in your garden next fall,” the website said.

Featured photo: British Invasion

Huge week for HC of NEPs

The Big Story – Bill Belichick’s Future: After the season ended, what happens to Bill Belichick was the raging local question and would be until the answer comes, which may have happened by the time you read this. So stay tuned.

Sports 101: Name the four teams who’ve never played in the Super Bowl.

News Item – NFL Wild Card Weekend: The biggest national story is the opening of the NFL playoffs. The three most intriguing side stories are these:

Miami at KC: Tyreek Hill’s return to Arrowhead Stadium.

Cleveland at Houston: It pits the team involved in bringing DeShaun Watson to Ohio against the one that not only now has the better QB anyway in CJ Stroud but also has all those draft picks Cleveland gave up for Watson.

L.A. at Detroit: Round 2 of who got the better of that Matthew Stafford–Jared Goff deal. Round 1 went to L.A. when they immediately won the SB with Stafford. But the Lions are now thriving with the much younger QB the Rams dumped and have a brighter long-term future thanks to the boatload of picks that came with Goff. A win for Detroit tilts the arrow toward them.

News Item – College Football Championship Game: The game between Big 10 Michigan and (not for long) PAC 12 Washington would have been played on New Year’s in the Rose Bowl a generation ago. And while it’s exciting for many, the two things that strike me are that it’s the swan song for the PAC 12 Conference, and UM’s coach is there despite being suspended twice for cheating this season. Oh, and semifinals-losing Texas had a back-up QB (Arch Manning) who made $3.2 million in NIL money as a freshman. Welcome to college football2024.

The Numbers:

7.8 – eye-popping yards per carry average (on 103) by rookie Miami back De’Von Achane.

15 –secondbest in the NFL rushing TD’s done somehow by quarterbacks Josh Allen of Buffalo and Jalen Hurts of Philly.

236 – last in the league points scored by the pathetic offense of your New England Patriots.

… Of the Week Awards

Shot of the Week – Nikola Jokic: The big fella delivered a 40-footer off glass as time expired to make Denver 130-127 winners over stunned Golden State. Though I ain’t buying Joker’s claim he called the bank, so if it’s H-O-R-S-E Nuggets lose.

Thumbs Down of the Week – NFL and NBC: For its sign of what lies ahead in putting Saturday’s KC-Miami wild card game only on NBC’s pay TV streaming service, Peacock.

Random Thoughts:

Disgruntled Patriots tackle Trent Brown wants to be elsewhere next year. Fine with me.

Speaking of Hayward: While durability is always his issue, if he’s bought out by Charlotte, he’d fit perfectly as an affordable point forward, 3 and D option off the Celtics bench.

Sports 101 Answer: Three of the Super Bowl-less teams — the Lions, Browns and Texans — can end their streaks this month, while Jacksonville missed again.

Final Thought – Coach B:

Here’s what my thinking on Coach B would be if I owned the Patriots.

Biggest Problems

Picking Talent: The player evaluation and draft strategy has been mostly awful since 2014. And the big free agent spending year of 2021 was a gigantic bust. It’s left them devoid of talent, especially on offense.

Strategic Approach: He just doesn’t seem to get how important a dynamic wide receiving threat is in 2023.

Can It Be Fixed? Yes, but it means a personnel chief must come in from the outside.

Biggest Issues Determining Whether Bill is the Guy to Fix It

(1) Is he willing/able to work with someone else picking the groceries?

(2) Can he adjust offensive strategy?

(3) Can he still coach them up?

(4) What’s more important: winning SB 7 or him breaking Don Shula’s record as a Patriot?

Answers:

(1) Doubtful, and who from the outside would want to do that?

(2) Maybe, since he did the same adding Randy Moss and Wes Welker after being run over by Peyton Manning in the 2006 AFC title game. Or if the unemployed Josh McDaniels (who was in Bob Kraft’s suite Sunday) comes back as OC.

(3) Given all the crazy penalties, unnecessary timeouts and questionable game management moves the last few years I wonder about that.

(4) For me the wins record is the final exclamation mark to the dynasty, so it tops SB7.

Bottom Line: While I think he’s leaving, if he accepts Issue 1 and brings back McDaniels I give him one last year. As for who has the stature to be Bill’s boss, I give Tom Brady a minority share of the team to nix his Raiders deal and put him in charge of football operations. Then we’re on to 2024.

Email Dave Long at [email protected].

News & Notes 24/01/11

NH vs. DNC

On Jan. 8, the New Hampshire Attorney General, John M. Formella, issued a cease-and-desist order to the Democratic National Committee’s Rules & Bylaws Committee for instructing the New Hampshire Democratic Party to inform the public that the Jan. 23 New Hampshire Democratic presidential primary election is “meaningless.” According to a press release, this statement has been declared false and misleading by the Attorney General, constituting a violation of RSA 659:40, III, against voter suppression. The Attorney General has ordered the cessation of any conduct that undermines the state election law, emphasizing the primary election’s legal significance and its role in the democratic process, despite the DNC’s stance on delegate allocation. The situation is under continued review by the Attorney General’s Office.

Paid leave

The New Hampshire Insurance Department, along with the Department of Employment Security and the Department of Administrative Services, is mobilizing community advocates to increase awareness of and participation in the state’s Paid Family Medical Leave (PFML) program. According to a press release, despite a strong enrollment in its first year, there is a recognized need to further inform the public, particularly those who could benefit but remain uninformed or uncertain about how to enroll. The state agencies are urging advocacy organizations to help disseminate information and facilitate enrollment by appointing liaisons to work with the PFML team. The initiative focuses on the urgency of promoting the 2024 PFML open enrollment, which concludes on Jan. 29.

Mocktails

The New Hampshire Liquor Commission (NHLC), in collaboration with Brown-Forman, has initiated the fourth annual New Hampshire Mocktail Month, with nearly 70 local restaurants participating. According to a press release, the event is part of the ongoing “Live Free & Host Responsibly” campaign, started in 2016, to encourage responsible alcohol service and consumption. This year’s mocktail month, which highlights several Brown-Forman brands, is designed to provide alcohol-free beverage options, enhancing a safe drinking environment for patrons. An online guide with mocktail recipes is available for those who prefer to create these drinks at home. The NHLC aims to leverage this initiative to foster responsible drinking habits and is encouraging social media engagement with the campaign. Visit liquorandwineoutlets.com/responsibility.

Cultural grants

The New Hampshire State Council on the Arts is offering Cultural Facilities grants to arts and cultural organizations for facility improvements to enhance their venues for cultural programming, according to a press release. With a focus on projects that promote accessibility and long-term venue enhancements, organizations can apply for grants ranging from $2,000 to $25,000 for use between April 1, 2024, and Jan. 31, 2025. Eligible applicants must be ADA-compliant, have a history of public arts programming, and hold a 501(c)(3) status, with the application deadline set for Feb. 9. Further details and application guidelines are available at nh.gov/nharts.

Keep the money here

A new economic study released by the New Hampshire Bankers Association has underscored the potential economic benefits of retaining taxpayer funds within the state, according to a press release. Conducted by Polecon Research, the study indicates that by investing public funds locally through the New Hampshire Public Deposit Investment Pool (NH PDIP), the state could experience a surge in economic growth, with an estimated increase of nearly $200 million in state GDP. Key findings suggest substantial boosts in available credit for small businesses, increased tax revenues, job growth and a significant rise in personal income for residents. Sen. Cindy Rosenwald has introduced the GLOW Act to capitalize on these findings, aiming to keep public funds invested within New Hampshire to maximize the economic impact. The study advocates for local investment as a strategic move to bolster the state’s economy and support community needs like affordable housing. The full report detailing these benefits is available on the NH Bankers website, nhbankers.com/PDIP, as they work with legislators to pass this initiative in the upcoming legislative session.

Dixville Notch is set to host the state’s only midnight vote for the 2024 first-in-the-nation presidential primary. Continuing a tradition that began in 1960, Dixville voters will cast their ballots at midnight as Jan. 22 turns into Jan. 23. This year, due to renovations at the Balsams’ Dix House, the vote will occur in the Living Room at the Tillotson House. The event will be overseen by Dixville Town Moderator Tom Tillotson, son of Neil Tillotson, who initiated this unique voting tradition. The Balsams’ principal owner, Les Otten, and the community’s voters will be present, along with a special appearance by Cory “C Pez” Pesaturo, a renowned accordion champion.

Ken Perkins, a retired United Airlines pilot, will present “Lindbergh’s Last Flight” at the Aviation Museum of New Hampshire in Londonderry on Thursday, Jan. 25, at 7 p.m. The event will feature Perkins’ firsthand account of the 1974 flight that transported a seriously ill Charles Lindbergh to Hawaii shortly before the legendary aviator’s death. Part of the museum’s speaker series, the presentation will offer unique insights into this historic flight and Perkins’ experiences during the Golden Age of Aviation. Admission is $10, with free entry for museum members. Visit aviationmuseumofnh.org.

The Be BRAVE Gala, presented by Safe Haven Ballet, is set to take place at the Nashua Center for the Arts on Jan. 28 at 6 p.m. This event, known for diverse artistic performances including ballet, contemporary dance, martial arts and music, aims to support survivors of sexual violence and trauma. Tickets are priced at $35 for adults and $30 for children and seniors. The Gala, which has been successful in raising funds for crisis centers in the past, will contribute a portion of its proceeds to HAVEN NH for building a larger shelter. Tickets can be purchased at NashuaCenterfortheArts.com or by calling 1-800-657-8774.

Quality of Life 24/01/04

Scam alert

Eversource is issuing a cautionary notice to its customers about a surge in scam activities. Scammers are using tactics like the shut-off scare tactic, where they impersonate utility employees and threaten service disconnection unless immediate payment is made using prepaid debit cards. Other prevalent scams include the overpayment scam, demanding personal banking information to refund an alleged overpayment; the phony fee for equipment or repair scam, asking for separate payments for non-existent device replacement; the phishing or smishing swindle, involving text messages that solicit personal information under the guise of a reputable company; and the power restoration scam, where scammers promise quick restoration of power after outages in exchange for immediate payment. Eversource assures that its representatives will never demand immediate payment or specify payment methods such as prepaid debit cards. Customers are advised to hang up on suspected scammers, report such incidents to local authorities and contact Eversource for confirmation and assistance.

QOL score: -2

Comment: To aid customers in recognizing and responding to these deceptive schemes, Eversource provides extensive information and resources, which can be accessed in the Safety section of their website, eversource.com, under ‘My Account’ or by directly calling Eversource at 800-662-7764.

Holiday cheers

Ryan Kalantzis and Chad Stanton at 100 Becker St. won, for the second year in a row, Manchester’s Holiday Lights Contest. According to a press release, their winning display included bright lights and Mariah Carey’s music, standing out among 20 entries citywide. The contest concluded with voting by residents and a Facebook Live event to announce the winners. Mayor Joyce Craig praised the team’s dedication, which begins in the fall, and thanked them and their English Bulldog, Rocky, for bringing holiday cheer to Manchester. Prizes for the winners, including those at 575 Brent St. and 90 Waverly St. who secured second and third places respectively, were provided by the Manchester Radio Group.

QOL score: +1

Comment: A map of the festive displays can be found at manchesternh.gov/Government/Mayor-and-Aldermen/Mayors-Office/Manchester-Holiday-Lights-Contest.

Wanna drive a snowplow?

The New Hampshire Department of Transportation is facing challenges in recruiting snowplow drivers due to an increase in retirements and high demand for commercial driver’s license (CDL) holders in the private sector, NHPR reported. To address this issue, the state is offering hiring and retention bonuses, targeting military service members transitioning to civilian life, using social media platforms, and encouraging retirees to return during storms. The difficulty in staffing is also attributed to a decreased interest in trades and career shifts during the Covid-19 pandemic. NH DOT has increased hourly rates for contractors by 15 percent to make the positions more appealing.

QOL score: -1

Comment: Despite these efforts, Richard Arcand, NH DOT’s public information officer, indicated in the article that while they will meet their plowing obligations, the clearing of roads might take longer after significant snowfalls.

QOL score: 50

Net change: -2

QOL this week: 48

The Quality of Life meter resets for the new year. Let us know what’s affecting your Quality of Life at [email protected].

This Week 24/01/04

Big Events January 4 and Beyond

Thursday, Jan. 4

It’s the final weekend for the LaBelle Lights outdoor walkthrough path of holiday light displays, which continues operations through Sunday, Jan. 7, and is open daily 4:30 to 9:30 p.m. The theme for the final week is “’80s Ski Week,” according to labellewinery.com/lights, where you can see a map of the attraction and purchase tickets (which cost $18 for adults and ages 14+, $12 for ages 65+, $8 for ages 4 to 13 and free for ages 3 and under, plus fees).

Friday, Jan. 5

See Andrea Paquin play tonight at the Backyard Brewery and Kitchen (1211 S. Mammoth Road in Manchester) from 6 to 9 p.m. Find more live music at area restaurants and breweries in the Music This Week listing on page.

Friday, Jan. 5

This month’s Super Stellar Friday at the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center (2 Institute Drive in Concord; starhop.com, 271-7827) will look at the “History of Early Astronomers” featuring Carlie Fowler, education specialist at the Discovery Center. The program will tonight at 7 p.m., doors open at 6:30 p.m. Admission costs $12 for adults, $9 for ages 3 to 12 and $11 for 62+ and 13 to college.

Friday, Jan. 5

Rubikon will perform tonight at 8 p.m. with bands Mission to Sleep and Wired for Sound at Bank of NH Stage (16 S. Main St. in Concord; ccanh.com). Tickets cost $18.75. Find more concerts this weekend and beyond in the Concert listings on page 34.

Friday, Jan. 5

Catch the “high-energy all-request interactive show!” Dueling Pianos live tonight at 7:30 p.m. at the Rex Theatre (23 Amherst St. in Manchester; palacetheatre.org). Tickets cost $29.

Saturday, Jan. 6

The Downtown Concord Winter Farmers Market offers a place to browse local produce, baked goods and other items as well as a spot for live music — this week from Ryan Williamson — on Saturday mornings from 9 a.m. to noon at 7 Eagle Square in Concord. See downtownconcordwinterfarmersmarket.com for a list of vendors.

Save the Date! Saturday, March 23
Hear Symphony New Hampshire play the music from the video games of Mario, Zelda and more at Game Over(ture), a concert scheduled for Saturday, March 23, at 7:30 p.m. at the Capitol Center for the Arts (44 S. Main St. in Concord; ccanh.com), where tickets cost $20.75 to $53.75, and Sunday, March 24, at 3 p.m. at the Keefe Center for the Arts (117 Elm St. in Nashua), where tickets cost $10 to $63. See symphonynh.org.

Featured photo: Andrea Paquin

Welcome to 2024

The Big Story – Ahead in 2024: The new year has arrived, so it’s time to look ahead for things you hope happen in 2024 and to give predictions for things that will.

Sports 101: Besides Larry Bird, who was the last Celtic to be league MVP?

News Item – Celtics Deals Cause Havoc Elsewhere: Hard to find someone who doesn’t like the Celtics pickups of Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis. But not so much for teams involved on the other side. While the Celtics won 24 of their first 30, Memphis (10-20), Portland (8-21) and Washington (5-25), where the new C’s came from and Marcus Smart landed in the Porzingis deal, are the opposite at 18-66 in 2023-24.

2024 Predictions:

Speaking of Smart, before 2024 is out he’ll be traded again with the landing spot being rivals Milwaukee or Philadelphia.

We’re confident the now 28-game record-breaking Detroit Pistons losing streak ends sometime this calendar year. Though not sure if it happens this season or the first half of 2024-2025.

Pats keep Bill Belichick as coach and bring in a GM to buy the groceries. They also stick with Bailey Zappe to use their high draft position to put beef in front of him and speed on the outside to make the O more dynamic.

Red Sox finish last again, but Red Sox Nation is too dumb to stop going to games to send the owners the message they need to hear loud and clear: sell or spend or we ain’t coming until you do.

Kristaps Porzingis plays a not-great-for-normal-guys but decent for him 66 games.

Celtics meet Denver in the NBA Finals.

Shohei Ohtani hits 50+ homers in Dodgerland while becoming the most popular Dodger since Fernando Valenzuela.

Things We Hope Happen:

BradStevenssomehowpulls off the rumored trade for big man depth for either Utah’s free agent to be Kelly Olynyk, whose deep shooting is a perfect fit behind Porzingis, or better yet 6’8” Detroit bruiser Isaiah Stewart because he’s a good eventual successor to Al Horford with, at just 22, room to get better as their big off the bench, or with a $15 million contract coming next year, a long-term big money tradeable asset.

Tom Brady passes on the Raiders ownership deal for a similar one for a stake in the Patriots. Bring him home, Bob.

I’m on my knees actually begging Joe Mazzulla to not let Jayson Tatum do that Kobe wannabe garbage isolation at the end of any quarter because he NEVER even gets a good shot let alone scores.

For once let the Patriots not cheap out and spend the money needed to retain Kyle Dugger, Michael Onwenu in free agency and extend Christian Barmore before he becomes too expensive to keep when he becomes a 2025 free agent.

John Henry and Tom Werner give us all a break and sell the Red Sox.

The Numbers:

1987 – the last time the Celtics had five guys score 20+ in the same game as they did in their 144–119 bounce-back win over Sacramento after a bad OT loss the night before vs Golden State.

268 – NBA record consecutive games with a 3-ball streak that ended for Steph Curry when he was 0-8 vs. Portland last week.

Of the Week Awards…

Worst TV Show: I am a survivor of the Irv Cross, Phyllis George, Brent Musburger NFLpre-game show era of the ’70s, but the three bozos on NFL Network Christmas Eve pre-game show are BY FAR the worst I’ve ever seen. High school TV shows are more professional. Embarrassingly bad.

Worst Uniforms: Denver has to be kidding us with those all orange with white helmets jobs worn on Christmas Eve. Nike’s done a lot of bad things to sports but retro Tampa Bay circa 1977 uniforms tops them all.

Yoko Ono Award: Apparently I’m not the only one a little sick of the Taylor Swift/Travis Kelce thing. With KC losing five of their last eight when Kelce hasn’t been his all-world self, folks have started calling Swift “Yoko” in reference to Yoko Ono’s role in starting the downfallof The Beatles.

I could see a coupling between Brady and say, Margot Robbie, being fawned over like they were Monroe and DiMaggio. But a tight end and a girl next door pop star? Come on.

Sports 101 Answer: The C’s last MVP besides Bird was Dave Cowens in 1972-73 when the C’s won a team record 68 games.

Final Thought – Don’t Lean On Them: Does anyone in the NBA know how to set a legal pick? It’s incredible that almost everyone doesn’t, from rookies to 37-year-old Al Horford.How many offensive foul calls is it going to take before they get it? They are at the highest basketball level and no one seems to know your feet need to be set and YOU CAN NOT LEAN!!! The guy coming off the screen is supposed to rub off you. Not the other way around. Jiminy Cricket.

Email Dave Long at [email protected].

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