Category: News

Quality of Life 24/12/19

Baffling the beavers

As reported in a Dec. 5 article by Nashua Ink Link (nashua.inklink.news) the City of Nashua is deploying technology in its ongoing battle of wits against beavers. In an effort to reduce beaver-related flooding, the article said, “after deliberation … a pond leveler was installed at Mine Falls Park, near the entrance on Spine Road. Pond levelers are pipes that run underneath beaver dams that create a permanent leak to keep ponds at a controlled, safe level.” The pipes are fitted with baffles to prevent beavers from feeling the flow of water and kicking off a new spate of dam-building. Popularly referred to as “beaver deceivers,” pond levelers have been used successfully in several beaver ponds in southern New Hampshire.

QOL score: +1

Comment: Sustainability manager Deb Chisolm said in the article, “We really have no local data to indicate whether [pond levelers] work or don’t work. We’re just trying to test it out; we thought that the Spine Road area would be a good location.”

Protecting against holiday scams

According to a recent study, Granite Staters were scammed out of more than $27 million online in 2023. In a Dec.3 press release, the Internal Revenue Service (irs.gov) warned consumers to protect themselves online this holiday season. “Taxpayers can be duped into unwittingly handing over their confidential tax and financial information,” the press release read. “Would-be victims could also get tricked into disclosing their addresses, Social Security numbers, bank account numbers, credit card numbers or passwords, which can lead to tax-related identity theft and fraud.” The IRS recommends shopping at online sites with web addresses that begin with the letters “https:” (The “s” stands for secure communications.) Also look for a padlock icon in the browser window. Make sure that your security and anti-virus software is up-to-date, and use strong, unique passwords for online accounts.

QOL score: -1

Comment: Better news is that New Hampshire ranked 47th in the United States in online scam victimhood. View the study at socialcatfish.com/scamfish/state-of-online-scams-2024.

Wrong way

As reported by WMUR in a Dec.2 online article, the number of New Hampshire drivers involved in driving in the wrong direction is increasing. “New Hampshire State Police said there have been 248 reported cases of wrong-way drivers and 17 related crashes on state roads this year,” the article reported. Although the number of accidents has decreased slightly — there were 26 last year — the overall number of wrong-way driving incidents has increased significantly. WMUR quoted Lt. Christopher Storm with New Hampshire State Police, who said that alcohol is a common denominator in most wrong-way crashes. “Number one, impairment,” he said. “Number two is people’s inattention or medical situations. And the third is our drivers that may not understand the language.”

QOL score: -2

Comment: According to WMUR’s article, the State plans to form a commission to study this problem.

Last week’s QOL score: 74

Net change: -2

QOL this week: 72

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

Let us know at [email protected].

This Week 24/12/12

Thursday, Dec. 12

The Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St. in Manchester; currier.org) will stay open for Art After Work tonight from 5 to 8 p.m. Enjoy live music from the band Cozy Throne, check out the galleries, take part in an art activity and more. Admission is free. The Winter Garden Cafe will be open — find the menu online.

Saturday, Dec.14

The New Hampshire Audubon Society (84 Silk Farm Road, Concord, 224-9909, nhaudubon.org) will begin its annual Christmas Bird Count as early as today in some areas. Each count takes place in a designated “count circle” on a specific day. See the website for details.

Saturday, Dec. 14

Cheer on the brave souls “Freezin’ for a Reason” during the 8th Annual Pantry Plunge today at noon at Gallien’s Town Beach in Derry. The event raises money for the FBC Food Pantry. Find information on plunging yourself at pantryplunge.org.

Saturday, Dec. 14

The Christmas in Amherst Village House Tour will take place today from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sponsored by the Congregational Church of Amherst, this tour has become a favorite tradition. Ready for the holidays with traditional and unique decorating ideas, every home is unique in size and style and each will be a surprise.Tickets are $40 in advance, $45 on the day of the event. Visit ccamherst.org/cav for ticket-purchasing locations.

Saturday, Dec. 14

Join the world-famous Boston Pops led by conductor Keith Lockhart for their iconic holiday performance tonight at 7:30 p.m. at the SNHU Arena (555 Elm St., Manchester, 644-5000, snhuarena.com). This yearly concert is legendary for its high-energy, deeply emotional immersion in traditional holiday music. Tickets start at $33 through ticketmaster.com.

Saturday, Dec. 14

Mike Girard’s Big Swingin’ Thing will play at the Nashua Center for the Arts (201 Main St., Nashua, 800-657-8774, nashuacenterforthearts.com tonight at 8 p.m. Tickets are $39.

Sunday, Dec. 15

The Wizards of Winter will play the Tupelo Music Hall (10 A St., Derry, 437-5100, tupelomusichall.com) this afternoon at 3 p.m. Tickets start at $45.

Sunday, Dec. 15

The Yule Light Up the Night road race will take place at 4:30 p.m. at the New Hampshire Speedway in Loudon. Run the 2.1-mile course through the “Gift of Lights” display. Registration costs $25 for adults (12+) in advance, $30 on the day; $15 for youth (4 to 11) in advance, $20 on the day, $10 for kids (3 and younger), and $20 for virtual runners. See millenniumrunning.com to register.

Save the Date! Saturday, Dec. 28
NHSCOT will hold its Hogmanay Celebration — a Scottish-style celebration of the new year — on Saturday, Dec. 28, from 2 to 6 p.m. at the Pembroke Pines Country Club in Pembroke. Tickets cost $40 for adults and kids age 6 and up (ages 5 and under get in for free). This family-friendly event will feature indoor and outdoor activities including live music from Rebel Collective, a performance by Pipes and Drums of NHSCOT, s’mores, a Highland Fling, street curling, a parade and more. See nhscot.org.

Featured photo: Hogmanay Celebration.

Sox lose out on Soto

The Big Story – Soto Goes to the Mets: The Juan Soto sweepstakes ended Sunday with him getting the highest deal in history, an astronomical $765 million for 15 years from the New York Mets.

We’ll never know if the talk of signing him was just Red Sox PR speak. But the good news is (a) he’s not a big enough difference-maker to justify spending all their free agent money on when their biggest need by far is pitching; (b) it wounds the Yankees deeply, not just in losing him but in the top prospects they gave up to get him for just one year, and (c) since people here barely know the NL exists he’ll rarely be thought of again.

Now open the checkbook for pitching.

Sports 101: Nine current NBA teams have failed to win even one league title. Name them.

News Item – Sox Sign Aroldis Chapman: It’s nice to see them spending, but $10.75 million for an eighth-inning set-up man seems pricey.

The good news is at 36 he struck out an astonishing 98 batters in just 61.2 innings, which says he still has major juice on the fastball. The bad news is the 3.79 ERA and 1.346 WHIP are the second-worst of his career. That suggests command is enough of an issue to make the Nation squeamish in tight games. But it’s a one-year deal, so good move.

News Item – Alumni News: Among the recent Patriots I found most vexing was Jonnu Smith, who was a calamity waiting to happen. Balls he should have caught weren’t just dropped, they bounced to defenders for interceptions or, worse, pick 6s, which happened twice. Think of his role in the humiliating loss on a bonehead series of final play laterals in Las Vegas that wouldn’t have happened if his mindless motion penalty hadn’t taken a TD off the board in lieu of a FG that kept it a one-score game.

And now he’s in Miami, where his 61 catches are more than any Patriot has now and the meager 55 he had in two seasons in Foxboro. It includes 14 catches for 149 yards in two Miami wins over NE and his game-winning TD in OT vs. the Jets on Sunday.

The Numbers:

3.1 – million dollars bet on Philadelphia to beat Carolina by some guy in Kentucky for a $422,000 payout that was in doubt until a final-seconds Carolina TD was overturned on replay to make Philly the winner.

235 – most receiving yards ever in a first game against the team that traded the player by Cleveland’s Jerry Jeudy in a 41-32 loss to Denver.

… Of the Week Awards

Doink of the Week – KC Chiefs: They lucked into another win. This time while down one to the L.A. Chargers when third-string kicker Matthew Wright hit the crossbar on a point blank FG try to give beyond belief lucky KC a 19-17 win.

Dumb Gamble of the Week – Dan Campbell: I know the analytics crowd will laud him for going for it on fourth down, especially because it worked. But while I like the faith he has in his team, passing on a 38-yard field goal attempt in lieu of going for it on fourth and one from the Green Bay 21 with 43 seconds left in a game tied 31-31 seemed like too big a risk. Especially when his kicker had two walk-off game winners already. Plus they nearly botched it when the center stepped on Jared Goff’s foot and he had to lunge just to make the hand-off falling to the ground. So what did it gain?

Wow Moment of the Week – Ja Morant Dunk: Caught it in the corner, the 6’2” guard drives the baseline, goes up with back to the basket but pulls it down against a double team, then double pumps and dunks it backward on 7’4” Kristaps Porzingis.

I’m guessing only Dr. J and Michael Jordan could have pulled that off.

Those new Denver Broncos uniforms with the white helmets are You-gly.

Sports 101 Answer: The nine teams to never win a NBA title are the Magic, Jazz, Nets, Clippers, Hornets (originally Bobcats), Pacers, Grizzlies, T-Wolves and Pelicans (originally Hornets).

Thunder have never won, but they did as the Supersonics in Seattle.

Final Thought – Suspension Policy All Wrong: Sorry, folks, the three-game suspension given to Houston’s serial cheap shot artist Azeez Al Shaair for the one that ended Trevor Lawrence’s season was not outrageous. The penalty should be that if a guy hurts someone with an intentional cheap shot he should not play for as long as the player he hurt is out.

The QB is the most important player on every team, so why should the player who takes him out with an intentional cheap shot only miss three games while Jacksonville’s QB misses the rest of the season? If you want this stopped make the penalty onerous.

Email Dave Long at [email protected].

News & Notes 24/12/12

Hospital partnership

According to a press release, the State of New Hampshire will enter a public-private partnership with Dartmouth Health to operate Hampstead Hospital and Residential Treatment Facility under a proposed agreement.

In a statement, Gov. Sununu said that “in 2022, the State of New Hampshire purchased Hampstead Hospital to ensure that critical mental health care services for children were not lost.This partnership with Dartmouth Health will ensure one of the country’s most prestigious health systems is taking care of New Hampshire’s kids. This is an amazing win-win opportunity that ensures world-class care while saving an estimated $20 Million annually in overhead costs to the state. Without this contract, the long-term stability of the state’s only mental health hospital for children is at significant risk.”

Hampstead Hospital and Residential Treatment Facility will provide inpatient psychiatric care, partial hospitalization services and psychiatric residential treatment center services, and Dartmouth Health will ensure that these services are available to children and young adults in alignment with New Hampshire Children’s Behavioral Health System of Care, according to the release.

Dartmouth Health currently provides behavioral health services at New Hampshire Hospital and the Youth Detention Center, according to the same release.

Home ski home

According to a press release, the New Hampshire Division of Travel and Tourism (DTTD) is anticipating an estimated three million people will visit New Hampshire this winter, with spending by those visitors expected to reach a record $1.6 billion.

In a statement, Taylor Caswell, commissioner of the NH Department of Business and Economic Affairs, said, “New Hampshire’s winter season is an integral part of our tourism industry, driving jobs, and supporting businesses in every corner of the state. Whether here for an experience on the slopes or off, every winter visitor is helping support the region’s economy and build on New Hampshire’s reputation as a premiere vacation destination.”

The news was announced as part of Ski New Hampshire’s Ski 603 Winter Kickoff at McIntyre Ski Area in Manchester, according to the press release.

In a statement, President of Ski NH Jessyca Keeler said that “our resorts are ready to welcome skiers and riders regardless of the forecast, after making capital improvement investments in snowmaking over the past year. Newer, more efficient equipment has made a dramatic difference, improving snow production and snow quality, while at the same time increasing sustainability and reducing energy impact. It enables ski areas to open earlier and stay open even when Mother Nature isn’t producing as much snow as we’d like.”

New Hampshire’s winter marketing campaign platform features outdoor adventures for all levels and abilities, indoor adventures, and the beauty of New Hampshire’s natural landscapes, according to the press release, and will fully launch in January in New England and eastern Canada.

No wait

According to a press release, The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and New Hampshire Hospital announced that on Friday, Dec. 6, there were no adults in hospital emergency departments (ED) waiting for inpatient psychiatric treatment and this marks the first time this has happened since DHHS began collecting data on the waitlist nearly four years ago.

In a statement, Gov. Sununu said, “Mission Zero set New Hampshire on a path to ensuring timely access to mental health care. Our work is not yet finished, but it is clear that our efforts have made great progress and are delivering results.”

In a statement, DHHS Commissioner Lori Weaver said that “for the past 14 months, our Mission Zero partnership has worked across the mental health system to develop new solutions to the issue. While we still have much work to do to eliminate the wait list for good, reaching zero today demonstrates that Mission Zero is working for the people of New Hampshire.”

The press release said that between Nov. 1, 2023, and Nov 1, 2024, the average daily waitlist declined 35 percent.

In October of this year, patients waited less than two days, three fewer days than the year prior, according to the same release.

Information on the number of adults waiting involuntarily in the Emergency Department for an Acute Psychiatric Bed can be found under the Inpatient Care & Coordination tab of the Mission Zero Dashboard on the DHHS website. Visit dhhs.nh.gov/programs-services/mental-health/mission-zero.

Holiday scams

According to a press release, the Consumer Protection and Antitrust Bureau of the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office is alerting residents about potential scams this holiday shopping season, specifically with online shopping and gift card frauds. Shoppers are advised to verify websites and to be cautious of “too good to be true” deals, and use credit cards for added protection; never buy gift cards for someone you don’t know, and avoid sharing card details with anyone; and confirm charity registration with the New Hampshire Charitable Trusts Unit before donating, according to the website.

New England Vegetable and Fruit Conference and Trade Show takes place from Tuesday, Dec. 17, to Thursday, Dec. 19, at the DoubleTree by Hilton Manchester Downtown (700 Elm St.). Visit newenglandvfc.org.

The Ugly Sweater 4-Miler will take place Saturday, Dec. 14, at Backyard Brewery and Kitchen (1211 S. Mammoth Road, Manchester, 623-3545, backyardbrewerynh.com) at 9 a.m. All race proceeds will go to benefit three local animal rescue groups: the HumaneSociety of Greater Nashua, New Hampshire SPCA, and the Monadnock Humane Society. This 21+ event will include a post-race party. Registration is $40 ($50 on race day). Visitrunscore.runsignup.com.

The 10th Annual Hollis Luminaria Stroll & Town Band Concert on Saturday, Dec. 14, will include more than 2,000 luminaria lanterns, a Santa tractor parade,holiday craft shopping, a chili and cornbread dinner, music performances in Monument Square, a gingerbread house contest and bake sale. The stroll and tree lighting will be at 4 p.m. at Monument Square. The LitTractor Parade will begin at 4:30 p.m. Visithollisluminaria.org

This Week 24/12/05

Thursday, Dec. 5

A new exhibit, “Manchester Inspired: The Life and Works of Marylou Ashooh Lazos,” officially opens at the Millyard Museum (200 Bedford St., Suite 103, Manchester, 622-7531, manchesterhistoric.org) today from 5 to 7:30 p.m. The exhibition explores the local designer, artist and curator who drew inspiration, energy and purpose from her beloved hometown.

Friday, Dec. 6

Downtown Concord holds its annual Midnight Merriment tonight starting at 5 p.m. with downtown businesses open for shoppers, the Concord Arts Market holding its Winter Giftopolis in Eagle Square, a Parade of Lights on Main Street, cocoa and s’mores in Bicentennial Square and more. See intownconcord.org and Hippo’s story in the Nov. 28 issue (visit hippopress.com for the digital library; the story is on page 19).

Saturday, Dec. 7

Sanborn Mills Farm (7097 Sanborn Road, Loudon, 435-7314, sanbornmills.org) will hold its yearly Winter Market today from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. It will be a festive celebration of local craftsmanship, community and holiday cheer. The market will offer wares from the Farm’s workshop instructors. Enjoy live music, warm beverages and a lunch prepared by Chef Kelly Fahey.

Saturday, Dec. 7

Concord Dance Academy will perform two shows of “A Holiday Spectacular” at the Concord City Auditorium (2 Prince St., Concord, 228-2793, theaudi.org), today at 1 and 6 p.m. This popular show opens with a kick line and includes Santa, photos, sweets, raffles, and gifts to community causes. Tickets are $25 at the box office on the day of the show.

Saturday, Dec. 7

Celebrate the release of Dav Pikey’s newest Dog Man book, Dog Man: Big Jim Begins, with a Dog Man Hero Party today from 1 to 4 p.m. at Balin Books (375 Amherst St., Somerset Plaza, in Nashua; balinbooks.com). The event will feature snacks, games, giveaways and more.

Saturday, Dec. 7

Catch the MHT Holiday Parade today at 4 p.m. on Elm Street in downtown Manchester. “Light Up the Night” is this year’s theme. Get there at 3 p.m. to watch the Santa Claus Shuffle, a race on Elm Street featuring stops where Santa suit-clad runners can enjoy the four food groups: chocolate, cookies and milk, maple and candy, according to Millennium Running, which organizes the race.

Saturday, Dec.7

The Manchester Choral Society will present Gifts of the Season this evening at 7 p.m. and tomorrow, Sunday, Dec. 8, at 3 p.m. at Sainte Marie Parish (378 Notre Dame Ave., Manchester, 622-4615, enterthenarrowgate.org). This inspiring holiday concert will feature Martin Sedek’s “Gifts of the Season” and Bob Chilcott’s “On Christmas Night.” Tickets are $30 at mcsnh.org or at the door.

Tuesday, Dec. 10

Iconic swing band Big Bad Voodoo Daddy will perform its “Wild and Swingin’ Holiday Party” at the Nashua Center for the Arts (201 Main St., Nashua, 800-657-8774, nashuacenterforthearts.com) tonight at 7:30 p.m.Tickets start at $39.

Save the Date! Saturday, Dec. 14
Join the world-famous Boston Pops led by conductor Keith Lockhart for their
Holiday Pops performance on Saturday, Dec.14, at 7:30 p.m. at the SNHU Arena, 555 Elm St. in Manchester. This yearly concert is legendary for its high-energy, deeply emotional immersion in traditional holiday music. Tickets start at $33 through ticketmaster.com.

Featured photo: Boston Pops.

Quality of Life 24/12/05

Just hang up

If you feel like you get more phone calls from robots than from actual humans, you’re probably right. According to a Nov. 20 press release from Whistle Out (whistleout.com), an online technology comparison service, a recent study found that the residents of New Hampshire receive a staggering number of spam calls. “New Hampshirites receive 144,221,100 robocalls annually,” the press release reported. “That’s 103 per person.” New Hampshire ranks 33rd in the number of these calls, and 12th in preventing them.

QOL score: -1

Comment: It could be worse. According to WhistleOut, “Southern states are hit the hardest by spam calling: Louisiana residents receive the most robocalls per capita (339) in the U.S., followed by Georgia (307), South Carolina (248), Alabama (248), and Arkansas (238)” It could also be better; Utah has the fewest, with 78 calls per person.

So many mice

TheNew Hampshire SPCA is up to its eyebrows in mice. As it described on its website on Nov.14, the SPCA was approached by a man in the lobby, hoping to surrender some pet mice. “The man was overwhelmed by the sheer number of mice in his possession,” the NHSPCA wrote, “initially stating he had 150 pet mice in his home. Subsequently, he clarified that he actually had 150 tanks with mice in them. Depending on the size of the tank, there may be more than a dozen in each. The mice were not separated by sex and were reproducing uncontrolled. Many of the females came to the shelter pregnant. By Tuesday morning, more mice had been born. Our current estimate is that there are an approximate 400 still at the man’s home, but we may be looking at intaking as many as 1,000 mice in total.”

QOL score: -1

Comment: A breeding pair of mice and their offspring can produce more than 5,000 mice in a year, so this is a tribble-like compounding problem for the SPCA. “Community members wishing to help are encouraged to foster, adopt or donate,” the organization wrote on its website.

Plowy McPlowface?

The New Hampshire Department of Transportation tapped the public last month to find names for its fleet of snowplows. As reported by WMUR in a Nov. 27 online story, the DOT has accepted suggestions for names from the public for one of its plows. On the DOT website, a guideline for the names said that suggestions should be unique, polite, short and politically nonpartisan. The deadline for suggestions closed on Nov. 29. The DOT will look over the suggestions, then post some of the best ones online for the public to vote on. The voting will take place between Monday, Dec.9, and Friday, Dec.13. Visit dot.nh.gov/name-plow-contest.

QOL score: +1

Comment: The WMUR story reported that “the Massachusetts Department of Transportation held a similar contest earlier this year. Some winners included Edward Blizzard-Hands, Snow-B-Wan-Kenobi and Sleet-Wood Mac.”

QOL score: 75

Net change: -1

QOL this week: 74

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

Let us know at [email protected].

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