News – Page 53

Sox rebuild coming

The Big Story – Red Sox Makeover Begins: The spotlight in Red Sox Nation shifts to Craig Breslow this week as the makeover of a Red Sox team shaped by him kicks into gear. It has the Nation high on the belief the owner will open the checkbook to bring in big-ticket free agents. But what’s needed first is an assessment of who stays, to make clear what their needs are. To be followed by how those needs can be filled through free agency and trades of players deemed expendable.

Breslow has an uphill climb, but with Triston Casas, Rafael Devers, promising hurler Brayan Bello, solid reliever Garrett Whitlock and possibly speedy Jarren Duran as the core, he’s got a decent foundation to start with.

With that in mind, Breslow is now on the clock as he tries to silence skeptics (like me) by letting all see if being a Yale Phi Beta Kappa and alleged smartest guy in baseball translates to building a title-winning team.

News Item – Hot Mess Pats Return: To tank or not to tank? That is the question for the 2-8 Patriots as they return from their bye week. If Coach B is returning the answer is no, because he needs all the wins he can get to pass Don Shula for the most in history. If he’s not, then go for it to get the best draft position for the next guy to rebuild from.

News Item – Crybaby Coach Poll Results: The results of an exhaustive Hippo Sports poll for who is Sports’ Biggest Crybaby Coach is in. It’s a tie:

Nick (good night) Nurse – The ex-Raptors and now 76ers head man never sits down or shuts up no matter what the call, which was so evident in his two games vs. the Celtics already.

Sean McDermott – The NFL’s answer to Nurse is a blamer who whines from the sidelines on every single call for or against his Buffalo Bills, as evidenced by his scapegoating of DC Leslie Frazier last year and OC Ken Dorsey last week for team failures under his watch.

The Numbers:

13.3 –NBA-best point differential over their opponents in the Celtics’ 9-2 start that’s a whopping 5.1 higher than second-best Denver’s 8.1.

47.9 – NBA-best team rebounds per game by the Celtics.

106.0 – fourth-ranked points per game allowed by the Boston Celtics.

… Of the Week Awards

Holy Cow Am I Old Note – It came when Mike Gorman’s soon-to-be Celtics play-by-play successor Drew Carter said on air last week that by being born in 1997 he’d never seen Michael Jordan play. Let alone Larry Bird.

Penitentiary News – After being convicted in a New York Court last week it looks like ex-Celtic Glen Big Baby Davis may be headed for a stretch in the big house. Big Baby was part of an elaborate scheme to rip off the NBA of $5 million in bogus medical and dental insurance claims. It’s unclear whether he’ll go or avoid time. But since one-time Nets first-round pick Terrence Williams got a 10-year stretch for being the pilot’s mastermind I’d be nervous if I were Baby.

A Little History – Nov. 23: On this day in 1984 Boston College QB Doug Flutie locks up the Heisman Trophy with a 472 passing yard performance in a 47-45 win over defending National Champion Miami with the most famous Hail Mary of all-time with a 47-yard TD heave from Flutie to Gerard Phelan in the end zone on the final play.

Final Thought – The Rex Sox Rebuild: Over the next few weeks we’ll talk about what we think the Sox should do in the rebuild and/or chart their progress as it unfolds. We’ll start with these two key pieces of that process.

First, the biggest danger they face is yielding to public pressure to make a big, but ultimately unwise signing just to placate Red Sox Nation. Like by wasting $190 million on the dual bust combo of Pablo Sandoval and Hanley Ramirez after a last-place finish in 2014.

Second are priority needs, which are: (1) two starting pitchers, one in free agency and the other in a trade; (2)put Garrett Whitlock and Tanner Houck in the bullpen — if you’re going to ask starters to just pitch five or six innings you must have a pen that can lock up the game from the seventh inning on; and (3) improve the defense.

We’ll get into specifics as we go along.

Email Dave Long at dlong@hippopress.com.

Going to the Hill

Small business owners take their issue to D.C.

In response to the Basel III Endgame regulation, which could escalate capital costs for small businesses, Dina Akel, owner of Vieira Luxe, a bridal and special occasion wear shop in Nashua, joined more than 50 entrepreneurs in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 14. Their mission: to articulate to lawmakers and Federal Reserve officials the significant impact this regulation could have on small businesses like hers.

How did the Basel III Endgame regulation discussions in Washington impact your business outlook?

I went to D.C. to advocate for small businesses that will be impacted by this proposal. It’s concerning that it will be even more difficult to access capital than it already is. It was my first time in D.C. ever, so I was super nervous, but I knew how important it was to be there. After the discussion we had with our senators and representatives, I felt my story was heard, and I was confident they were in our corner. I’m confident they’ll do everything they can to advocate for us.

What major challenges did you discuss in Washington regarding the high interest rate environment?

One of the discussions was actually my personal story about recently applying for business funding through grants and loans. I applied to various grants and was unsuccessful, so alternatively I applied to my long-standing banks, and was also unsuccessful. I was feeling a little defeated at that time. I finally asked one of my banks and a representative from SBDC if they had any other funding resources for me. They connected me with a nonprofit lender. The first time around, I got denied. The second time I was approved. When I spoke to them, they told me we could aim for the 5 to 8 percent interest rate mark, which is what I was expecting. Once I got the approval, though, they provided me with a loan in the two-digit mark. That was definitely more than I could afford. However, I was desperate since the business was growing so quickly and I lacked the resources to keep up with it, so I accepted the loan, and honestly, we can’t afford for the situation to get any worse.

What outcomes or responses did you receive from your meetings in Washington?

We received very positive responses from our members of Congress. They were all willing to help and push against this proposal, which was great.

How might the outcomes from Washington affect your future business plans?

I’m a little worried that if this proposal goes through our customers might actually experience more inflated prices. We may not be able to provide the same high-quality products our customers love, and we may not be able to keep up with the demand and, God forbid, shut down in the process. I’m already struggling to keep up with all of it. People need to remember that when you’re a small business owner, in your first few years you are literally everything in the business: the customer representative, the cashier, the accountant, the inventory manager, custodian, website builder, you name it. When that gets to be too much, we have to delegate and hire people to help us. The reality is you need money to make money.

What were your key takeaways from the interactions in Washington?

Small businesses are already considered risky to lend to. If this goes forward, and interest rates also go up, we’ll be seeing a lot of businesses closed down.

What follow-up actions or continued advocacy plans do you have post-Washington visit?

I’m part of the Nashua Chamber of Commerce, the Suffolk University alumni, the National Association for Catering and Events, and a few more groups. I’ll make sure I have an opportunity to speak with them all about this. That way they can speak up and share their stories. They can call members of Congress and let them know why it’s important. We can all come together as a community to advocate for all small businesses.

Featured photo: Dina Akel, right, joined by U.S. Representative Ann McLane Kuster and a group of New Hampshire small business owners outside the U.S. Capitol. Courtesy photo.

News & Notes 23/11/23

Hospital shooting

On Friday, Nov. 17, a state Department of Safety security officer was fatally shot at New Hampshire Hospital, a state-run psychiatric facility in Concord, the AP reported. Bradley Haas, who was previously the chief of police in Franklin, was working at the front lobby entrance when a man identified by law enforcement as John Madore entered the hospital and fired a handgun; Madore was then shot and killed by a state trooper assigned to the hospital, the Union Leader reported. Investigators found a U-Haul truck in the hospital’s parking lot containing an AR-style rifle, a tactical vest and several ammunition magazines, which they are investigating for possible connections to Madore, the AP reported. The shooting was confined to the hospital’s front lobby, and no other injuries were reported, according to the article. The hospital continued operations but was closed to visitors immediately after the incident, according to the report. There were 152 patient beds occupied on Nov. 17, according to a press release from the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services.

Early childhood ed

The Community College System of New Hampshire (CCSNH) is now providing comprehensive tuition assistance for individuals pursuing careers in early childhood education, potentially allowing students to earn credentials with little to no personal expense. According to a press release, this initiative is due to collaborations with the State of New Hampshire, the University of New Hampshire’s College of Professional Studies and the NH Department of Health and Human Services’ Division of Children Youth and Families. Scholarships available include Early Childhood Tuition Assistance and Granite Steps for Quality Tuition Assistance, along with the newly introduced CCSNH ECE Scholarships. These are designed to fill gaps left by other aid programs and make early childhood education programs more accessible to residents.

Better internet

New Hampshire is seeking public input on improving internet connectivity, especially in areas currently lacking service, NHPR reported. The state has received nearly $200 million in federal grants aimed at providing high-speed internet connections to about 25,000 residents who are part of the 8 percent of the state’s population without internet or a device to access it. The Department of Business and Economic Affairs is calling for suggestions from residents and community leaders on the best uses for these funds to enhance broadband access. Public comments are open until Dec. 13 and must be submitted in writing via email to broadband@livefree.nh.gov. For additional details, the public can visit the website at nheconomy.com.

Bank layoffs

The Bank of New Hampshire has announced the layoff of 19 staff members and has ceased accepting new mortgage applications, NHPR reported on Nov. 15. This decision, as stated by the bank’s president and CEO Christopher Logan, is a result of unstable markets and diminished returns on loans, the article said. According to the article, existing customers will not experience changes to their loans or services, and the bank will continue to service existing loans and those currently in process.

Fewer students

New Hampshire has experienced a consistent decline in student enrollment over the past two decades, with the New Hampshire Department of Education reporting a 1.4 percent decrease in public and public charter school students for the 2023-2024 academic year. According to a press release, this year’s enrollment stands at 165,095, down from 167,357 the previous year and significantly lower than the 207,684 students in 2002, reflecting a 20.5 percent decline over 21 years. Specific districts such as New Castle and Stewartstown have seen the most considerable declines, while others like Marlow and Landaff have experienced increases. Even the state’s largest districts, including Manchester, Nashua, Bedford, Londonderry and Concord, have not been immune to this trend, with all reporting fewer students compared to last year. This decline is mirrored in the state’s higher education institutions, with a 13 percent drop in enrollment at the University System of New Hampshire since 2019.

Behavioral health

The New Hampshire Insurance Department (NHID) has released a bulletin, Docket Number INS 23-038-AB, to improve access to Behavioral Health Integration (BHI) services and address the reimbursement challenges faced by behavioral health practitioners. According to a press release, the bulletin provides guidelines for health insurers on the use of billing codes for BHI services, aiming to clarify billing protocols and the roles of Behavioral Health Care Managers, as well as the eligibility of clinical practitioners. The NHID recommends that insurers follow guidance from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and the American Medical Association to align with industry standards.

The Bedford Facilities Information and Communications Committee has announced the advancement of the South River Road Police and Fire Complex, with the town planning a new station and substation due to increased service demands since 1994. According to a press release, the project, located at 300 S. River Road, is estimated to cost $34 million, with an extra $2.5 million for existing facility renovations, funded by a proposed 20-year bond. This bond, expected to impact taxes by $0.531 per $1,000 property valuation, will be discussed in a public hearing on Jan. 24, 2024, followed by a March 12, 2024, vote. Public sessions and tours are planned to inform residents about the project.

Gov. Chris Sununu joined New Balance leadership on Monday, Nov. 20, for the groundbreaking of the company’s new manufacturing facility at 12 Innovation Way in Londonderry, which had been previously delayed. According to a press release, the event marked the start of a $70 million investment by New Balance into the 102,000-square-foot facility, with an expected addition of more than 150 jobs. The facility is scheduled to begin production in 2025.

C&J Bus Lines has announced the resumption of its bus services from Dover Bus Terminal to Boston’s Logan Airport and New York City, starting Feb. 4, 2024. According to a press release, the service will provide 26 daily roundtrip schedules between Dover and Logan Airport, along with a daily service to New York City. The Dover terminal, which operates 24 hours a day, offers free parking facilities. C&J has also introduced a reservation system for these routes. Visit ridecj.com.

This Week 23/11/16

Big Events November 16, 2023 and beyond

Friday, Nov. 17

Consider a few of your favorite things this weekend when the Community Players of Concord present The Sound of Music at the Concord City Auditorium (2 Pine St. in Concord). The show runs tonight at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, Nov. 18, at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, Nov. 19, at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $20 for adults, $17 for ages 17 and under and 65+ and are available at the box office starting 90 minutes before showtime and at communityplayersofconcord.org.

Saturday, Nov. 18

Concord starts the holiday celebrations early with the Concord Christmas Parade today at 9:30 a.m. on Loudon Road between Hazen Drive and Canterbury Road.

Saturday, Nov. 18

Time for “Thanksgrilling” — the Goffstown Ace Hardware (5 Depot St. in Goffstown; goffstownhardware.com, 497-2682) will hold demos and family activities today from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. explaining how to grill a holiday turkey and sides, according to the store’s Facebook page.

Saturday, Nov. 18

The 2023 Feztival of Trees runs today through Sunday, Nov. 26, at the Bektash Shriners of New Hampshire Shrine Center (189 Pembroke Road in Concord; bektashshriners.org, 225-5372). Except for Thanksgiving, the event will be open daily: Saturday, Nov. 18, and Sunday, Nov. 19, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Monday, Nov. 20, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Tuesday, Nov. 21, and Wednesday, Nov. 22, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Friday, Nov. 24, and Saturday, Nov. 25, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sunday, Nov. 26, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. In addition to enjoying the holiday sights, checking out the Candy Cane Cafe and taking a photo with Santa Claus, attendees can enter raffles for the decorated trees (winners will be picked on Sunday, Nov. 26). Admission costs $5 for ages 12 and over.

Saturday, Nov. 18

Catch Spectacle Live Laughs today at 8 p.m. featuring comedians Chris Zito, Steve Bjork and Mike Koutrobis at the Nashua Center for the Arts (201 Main St. in Nashua; nashuacenterforthearts.com, 657-8874). Tickets cost $29. Find more laughs this weekend and beyond in our Comedy This Week listings on page 42.

Save the Date! Sunday, Dec. 3
LaBelle Winery has some holiday events slated for Sunday, Dec. 3, at its two locations. In Derry (14 Route 111), catch the Holiday Pops Concert at 4 p.m. (doors open at 3:30 p.m.). A Brass Quintet and a String Quartet featuring members of the NH Philharmonic Orchestra will perform classical melodies and holiday hits, according to labellewinery.com, where you can purchase tickets ($30 general admission, $20 ages 4 to 12). At 5:30 p.m. at the Amherst winery (345 Route 101), it’s the Hogwarts Yule Ball, featuring a four-course wine dinner, Harry Potter- and holiday-themed decor and dancing to holiday tunes, according to website, where you can find the full menu and reserve a spot for $95 per person. See labellewinery.com for more on both events or call 672-9898.

Featured photo: Christmas tree

Quality of Life 23/11/16

Lung health

The 2023 “State of Lung Cancer” report by the American Lung Association highlights New Hampshire’s notable performance in managing lung cancer. The state ranks 5th nationally in surgical treatment rates for lung cancer and 9th in survival, with a 28.9 percent survival rate, surpassing the national average of 26.6 percent. In early diagnosis, New Hampshire is 10th in the nation with 28.4 percent of cases diagnosed early, compared to the national average of 26.6 percent. The state also ranks 14th in lung cancer screening, with a 7 percent screening rate, significantly higher than the national rate of 4.5 percent.

QOL score: +1

Comment: Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer deaths in the state and nationally, and New Hampshire ranks 36th for the rate of new lung cancer cases, with 61 cases per 100,000 people.

Mental health

Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in New Hampshire has announced an initiative to improve access to behavioral health care by reducing member copays for both in-person and virtual behavioral health visits, effective Jan. 1, 2024. According to a press release, these reduced copays will be equal to or lower than those for primary care visits. The company has also expanded its network with new providers who offer bundled services at a single monthly copay, instead of billing separately, making multiple or concurrent treatments more accessible and affordable for members. The reduced copay initiative applies to all of Anthem’s health plans in the fully insured large group, small group and individual markets in New Hampshire, and is also offered to self-funded plans.

QOL score: +1

Comment: “Taking care of your mental health is just as important as taking care of your physical health and high cost shares should not be a barrier to getting on the path to recovery and good health,” Maria Proulx, president of Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in New Hampshire, said in the release.

Beware the scams

Eversource is alerting customers to be wary of scammers during the holiday season, when scam activities often rise. Scammers, posing as Eversource representatives, are using advanced tactics to extort money and personal information through threatening calls, emails, and fake websites. Eversource emphasizes that its representatives never demand payment through prepaid debit cards or Bitcoin ATMs or by arranging meetings at stores, and they do not solicit for third-party energy suppliers. Customers should verify any suspicious Eversource representative, as legitimate employees have photo IDs and wear company-branded clothing. Disconnection notices are always sent in writing. If uncertain about the legitimacy of a call or visit, customers should contact Eversource directly, using contact information available on their bills.

QOL score: -2

Comment: For additional safety tips, customers can visit the Utilities United Against Scams website at utilitiesunited.org.

QOL score: 88
Net change: 0
QOL this week: 88

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

The week that was

The Big Story – Pats Elevator Going Down: During the first run of the TV show Frasier, when things were really going bad for Frasier Crane he would pretend he was in an elevator and say, “going down.”Well, after the Patriots’ latest disaster, this time in Germany, the elevator on Coach B’s time in New England is descending so rapidly it’s like the cable snapped and the safety protocols aren’t working either. The latest in a series of debacles came in the form of a 10-6 baseball-like score vs. Indianapolis on Sunday, sending them into the bye at a surreal 2-8.

Talk radio will be ablaze with (1) will Coach B still be on the sidelines when they return in two weeks? (2) Mac Jones has punched his ticket out of town, and (3) with no chance of pulling out of their nosedive should they just tank to enter the Caleb Williams sweepstakes? Given all that, no sports radio for me, because none of it will be about finding solutions. Just pointing the finger of blame.

Sports 101: Who has committed the most fumbles in NFL history?

News Item – Pritchard’s Shooting Woes: Earth to Joe Mazzulla: Payton Pritchard may be short, but he’s not a point guard. The reason he’s shooting under 30 percent is that he can’t shake defenders for room to shoot. If you want points off the bench, let Jayson Tatum play point forward and spot up Pritchard behind the line, because what he is is a catch-and-shoot guy.

News Item – Rookies on Record Paces: Since Gale Sayers set an all-time NFL record with 22 TDs it will be tough to become the best NFL rookie ever. But Houston’s CJ Stroud and L.A. Ram wideout Puka Nacua are giving it the old college try. Stroud is on pace for 4,958 passing yards, which would obliterate Andrew Luck’s record 4,374 from 2012. And he has a shot at Justin Herbert’s record of 31 TD passes, though he’ll need to pick it up a bit as he’s on track for 28. As for Puka, he’s at 60 catches and 800 yards, which will give 120 catches and 1,562 receiving yards in 17 games and take him by Jaylen Waddle’s and Ja’Marr Chase’s 104 and 1,455 respective records.

News Item – 76ers Minus Harden: It was just one game, but what was evident when Philly beat the Celtics last week was that they are better without James Harden. And not just because he dominates the ball and can’t cover my grandmother. With Harden’s dominating days over, the emerging Tyrese Maxey is just better.

The Numbers:

11 – a not bad losing margin by the basketball team at the U when they lost to Syracuse in the Dome 83-72.

28 – Not so much for Dartmouth when they got smoked by Duke in a 92-64 loss the same day.

520 – million dollars over 10 years ESPN.com projects Shohei Ohtani will get in free agency this winter despite his injury-riddled career.

… Of the Week Awards

What A Stupid I Yam: To me for omitting in last week’s Sports 101 that Russell Westbrook joins Harden and Bob McAdoo as MVPs who’ve been traded four times.

Thumbs Down – Barf-Inducing Moment: I can take bad extra uniforms to juice merchandise sales, an in-season tournament I don’t get, even Tatum wearing hot pink sneaks, but I draw the line at having a non-parquet floor in the Garden at any time, like for the NBA’s new in-season tournament games. Come on, Adam Silver, that’s like tearing down the wall at Fenway for the All-Star game. Boooo. Barf. Booo.

Sports 101 Answer: Brett Favre is the all-time leader with 166, which means that since he’s also the interception leader with 336 he turned it over more than 500 times in his career.

In case you’re interested, Tom Brady is sixth with 138, while it’s astonishing Peyton Manning is ranked 59th with just 75.

Final Thought – Injured List: Those who said they were willing to include Rob Williams (which I was not) in the Celtics deal for Jrue Holiday because he’s injury-prone were right on the money last week. Lob It To Rob didn’t even make it out of the year’s first week before being lost for the season after knee surgery.

My fret was over lack of depth and that they were giving up the eventual replacement to Horford. But with the injury-prone Malcolm Brogdon now out with hamstring issues too, if they’d stayed the C’s depth would be even worse.

Ironically the injury news came on the same day Al Horford sat out to avoid playing back-to-back games. But the C’s won anyway when Pritchard and Sam Hauser had 28 bench points in a win over Brooklyn. So, as Casey Stengel used to say, you never know.

Email Dave Long at dlong@hippopress.com.