Category: News

Quality of Life 23/05/25

Community improvement

The City of Manchester recently completed a community improvement project near 359 Commercial St. that included the construction of an accessible ramp and stair structure, relocation of the Mill Girl Statue, lighting and new brick pavers and concrete flatwork. “The project promotes inclusiveness in our diverse city and provides a renewed place where the community can gather and enjoy improved access between Manchester’s active downtown and the vibrant Millyard,” the City of Manchester, NH Economic Development Facebook page posted.

QOL score: +1

Comment: A ribbon cutting ceremony will be held at the plaza on Wednesday, June 7, at 1:30 p.m.

Military retirement

A recent WalletHub study ranked New Hampshire the sixth best U.S. state for military retirees. The study looked at various factors, such as state tax on military pension, job opportunities for veterans, rates of homelessness and suicide among veterans, state authorization for veterans’ preference in private hiring, the quality of VA hospitals, the number of VA benefits-administration facilities per number of veterans and more. New Hampshire ranked especially high for veterans per capita (10th) and the share of veteran-own businesses (5th).

QOL score: +1

Comment: Connecticut is the only New England state to join New Hampshire in the top 10, coming in at No. 5. Florida was No. 1.

Butterfly sanctuary

On the 50th anniversary of Endangered Species Day, observed on May 19, the New Hampshire Army National Guard, New Hampshire Fish and Game Department and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services celebrated the success of their collaborative efforts to protect the endangered Karner blue butterfly, NHPR reported. The groups have worked for more than two decades to transform a 28-acre field near Concord Municipal Airport into a sanctuary for the butterflies. In addition to restoring the land, they’ve taken measures to cultivate lupine flowers — which the butterflies rely on for sustenance and egg-laying sites — including controlled fires to clear debris and create a dry climate preferred by the lupines. Their efforts have resulted in a flourishing population of more than 35,000 Karner blue butterflies, according to the article.

QOL score: +1

Comment: The sanctuary has also seen the growth of another butterfly species, the Frosted Elfins, which also rely on lupine flowers.

QOL score: 72

Net change: +3

QOL this week: 75

What’s affecting your Quality of Life here in New Hampshire? Let us know at [email protected].

The week that was

The Big Story – Celtics Feeling The Heat: In all likelihood by the time you read this the Celtics season will have ended with a big thud. As I write this they trail the Miami Heat 0-3 in the Eastern Conference Finals after what can only be described as a 30-point surrender to a team all the “experts” said the Celtics should run out of the playoffs with relative ease.

The only trepidation I have for writing their obituary now is the perverse way they play better after putting themselves in a position when their backs are against the wall. But after doing that multiple times in the last two postseasons it doesn’t feel like they can do it this time. Especially since no team in history has ever come back to win after trailing 0-3.

We’ll do our autopsy next week.

Sports 101: What do 1950s-’60s NFL stars Paul Hornung, “Jaguar Jon” Arnett, John Brodie, Ron Kramer and Len Dawsonhave in common?

News Item – More Last-Minute NHL Heroics: The Bruins learned the hard way you have to play the Florida Panthers past the final buzzer. That was the case again in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup semifinals, a game that appeared headed to a fifth overtime before Matthew Tkachuk did it again with 12.7 seconds left in the fourth OT to give them a 3-2 win over Carolina.

News Item – Greatest Team Sports Prospect Ever: That’s what NBA info guru Adrian Wojnarowski drooled out about 18-year-old French hoopster Victor Wenbanyama after Houston won the NBA lottery last week. I get it, at 7’5” he’s mobile with skills of a guard while also being a top rim protector. But that’s what the slobbering New York press said about the now on his third team Kristaps Porzingis.And best ever? Sorry, I’m a skeptic with a sense of history who knows monumental all-timers Wilt Chamberlain, Lew Alcindor and LeBron James all lived up to that title, while Greg Oden and Ralph Sampson did not. Said another way: I’m curious, but I’ll believe it when I see it.

And, one more thing. Not sure if this is a bad omen, but when I saw his picture for the first time, I thought it was Sampson.

News Item – Durability Need Not Apply: Who can be surprised that in the age of the detestable “load management” Jayson Tatum was the only all-NBA first-teamer to play even 70 games. The others, Joel Embiid, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Luka Doncic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, ranged from 63 to 68.

Ditto for the second and third teams, where only three were over 70, while Steph Curry, LeBron James and Damian Lillard played 56, 55 and 58 respectively.

Alumni News

Xander Bogaerts: After going hitless in 11 at-bats during their weekend series, he was hitting .257 with 6 homers and 16 RBI. Which isn’t much more productive offensively than Kiké Hernandez and Yu Chang’s combined 6 homers and 24 RBI from shortstop so far in 2023.

Michael Wacha: After Chaim Bloom was too cheap/dumb to give him a two-year deal after going 11-2 last year, he has moved to 5-1 with a 3.58 ERA after 6 shutout innings in the Padres 7-0 win on Sunday. That his cheaper replacement, Corey Kluber, lasted just 2.1 innings in dropping to 2-6 with an unsightly 6.26 ERA was interesting.

The Numbers:

4 – major championships now won by Brooks Koepka after taking the PGA championship Sunday to move him within one of tying Phil Mickelson for most majors won among active players.

205 – home runs the Red Sox are on pace to hit after hitting just 155 last year.

515 – length in feet for the monstrous homer hit by the demoted Bobby Dalbec last week while playing for AAA Worcester.

Random Thoughts:

Jayson Tatum — pink shoes on Friday night. A long way from high black Cons or Pumps.

I’ve heard him recently compared to Vlade Divac, Magic Johnson and Bill Russell (as a rebounder), but position aside, with his feel for the game and ability to influence every aspect of every game with no apparent athleticism, for my money Nikola Jokic is the only player I’ve ever seen that reminds me of Larry Bird.

Sports 101 Answer: Those players were picks 1 through 5 before Jim Brown was taken sixth by Cleveland in the 1957 draft.

Final Thought: There’s a difference between being the most valuable NFL player ever (Tom Brady) and being the best actual football player ever.

In my not so humble opinion the latter was the indestructibleJim Brown,who died last week at 87. The stat rationale is too long, so I’ll just comment on an ESPN poll that had him the GOAT of running backs. The great Barry Sanders was second, but check out the difference between him playing on grass vs. artificial turf. JB just had grass.Trust me, with the highest yards per carry average ever he was the best.

RIP, big fella.

Email Dave Long at [email protected].

Woman directed

Filmmaker takes her movie on the road

New Hampshire filmmaker Laina Barakat is taking her award-winning feature film Light Attaching to a Girl on a New England screening tour. She discussed the inspiration behind the film, her unique filmmaking style and what audiences can look forward to at the screenings.

Tell us about the film.

It’s called Light Attaching to a Girl. It’s just over an hour. It’s a narrative drama set in Iceland and Keene, New Hampshire. It’s about an 18-year-old girl traveling alone for the first time, processing childhood trauma, and experiencing independence in an unknown country. … A lot of people are really excited about the score; we had a really beautiful orchestra that played on it. They did the music for Parasite and Squid Game and a bunch of other really phenomenal, much larger works.

What inspired it?

The film actually stars my sister. She’s a non-actor; she’s never been on camera before, but I knew she had talent. She wanted to go to Iceland, and I convinced her to let me bring a film crew. We filmed the trip in a documentary style and later wrote a narrative to complement it. We blended the two in New Hampshire.

What’s your background in filmmaking?

I’ve been a filmmaker for about 18 years. I started with Either/Or Films, a film company in New Hampshire. I continued producing, and about six years ago I started my own film company called Wayward Ark Productions so that I could start directing. I’ve directed seven short films. I have some feature-length films as a producer under my belt, but this is my first as a writer-director.

The film blends documentary elements with narrative structure. How did you accomplish that?

My shooting style is very under-the-radar, with a very small crew. When it comes to lighting, I like to work with documentary-style filmmakers, so that I don’t have big lighting packages. … With the narrative piece, I used a lot of local actors and non-actors. We used local locations to pick up bits of naturalism and things that are already there, so we get a sense of truth and reality in what we’re making.

What is it like working with non-actors?

I love to work with non-actors. It’s what I do most of the time, actually. When you live in a rural area like this and you don’t have a lot of talented actors around you, I’d rather work with non-actors than poorly trained ones. I get a sense of realism by putting it into the writing. For my sister, there are bits of my own story and other bits of her story in it. For the rest of the actors in the film, I took pieces from their normal lives. It’s not autobiographical at all, but the more of their personal stories that I can put into the narrative, the easier it is for them to seamlessly act.

The film tour also features women-directed short films. Why is it important to you to highlight other female filmmakers?

It’s super important for women in any industry, especially in the film industry, to hype each other and to support each other. … We are a real minority, not only in paid positions but also in awards and representation in film festivals. For me, when I made the film, it was really important that most of my cast and crew were women.

What does it mean for you to be present at the screenings, do Q&A sessions and engage with your audience?

It makes it a more enriching and meaningful experience. For me as a filmmaker, it’s really great to hear interpretations of my work that maybe weren’t my own, but are valid and important. …I love any opportunity to hear how something hits someone else and why.

Tickets cost $15 for general admission and $12 for seniors, students and children. Visit waywardarkproductions.com.

Light Attaching to a Girl screenings
Friday, June 2, 6:30 p.m. at Studio Lab, 11 A St., Derry
Saturday, June 10, 2 p.m. at Wilton Town Hall Theatre, 40 Main St., Wilton
Saturday, June 10, 7 p.m. at Scriven Arts Center, 452 Route 140, Gilmanton
Sunday, June 11, 6:30 p.m. at The Park Theatre, 19 Main St., Jaffrey

Featured photo: Laina Barakat. Courtesy photo.

News & Notes 23/05/25

Banned list

Last week, the Russian government announced the addition of New Hampshire Attorney General John M. Formella to its expanding list of 500 Americans permanently banned from entering the country. Formella issued a statement, saying, “Given the atrocities we are seeing the Kremlin carry out, being blacklisted by Russia is a badge of honor. I am proud to vigorously enforce New Hampshire law and will continue to do so despite attempts like this to try and intimidate America’s public officials. This ‘action’ will have no impact on me, my office, or our work.” Formella wasn’t the only Granite Stater targeted by the ban. Late-night talk show host and New Hampshire native Seth Meyers also found himself on the list, as reported by WMUR. Meyers, sharing the article on Twitter, humorously commented, “Local kid makes good?” According to the article, the ban, which Russian officials attributed to U.S. sanctions, adds to the existing list that already includes the New Hampshire congressional delegation and former senator Kelly Ayotte.

Bill postponed

New Hampshire’s proposed “parental bill of rights,” which would have mandated educators to disclose to parents whether their children are using a different gender identity or name, was not passed, New Hampshire News Connection reported. Those against the bill emphasized the importance of maintaining safe and supportive environments in schools, particularly for transgender youth, while supporters of the bill argued that it aimed to enhance transparency and communication between teachers and parents. The final vote to “indefinitely postpone” the bill prevents its reintroduction in this session. Similar “parental bill of rights’’ measures have been introduced in 24 states this year, according to the article.

Grants

The New Hampshire Preservation Alliance and The 1772 Foundation have awarded grants totaling $125,000 to 16 non-profit organizations in the state. According to a press release, the grants, ranging in amounts from $4,250 to $10,000, are awarded to help the organizations preserve historic buildings and support community landmarks. Recipients include museums, historical societies, and affordable housing organizations. Projects range from roof replacements to foundation repairs. The grants will ensure the preservation of buildings dating from 1774 to 1912. The selection committee considered factors such as resource significance, community visibility and local support. The grants leverage additional funding and emphasize incremental improvements.

One Goffstown

Goffstown Public Library announces the launch of a new public education series, “One Goffstown,” aimed at fostering a more inclusive and accepting community following the distribution of neo-Nazi propaganda in local neighborhoods in March. The program consists of a series of discussions for teens and adults, designed to encourage open communication and unity among residents. Five online sessions will be held on Thursday evenings throughout June, July, and August, the first being on June 8, titled, “What are Hate Crimes and Hate Speech?” Topics to follow will include implicit bias, bullying, being an ally and having difficult conversations. The program will culminate in a special in-person event called the “Human Library” on Sunday, Aug. 13. Registration is required for the online sessions. Visit goffstownlibrary.com/one-goffstown for more information and to register. To show support and unity, participants are also encouraged to share One Goffstown on social media using the hashtag #OneGoffstown.

Mental health series

Dartmouth Health’s year-long monthly webinar series about mental health, “Heads Up: A Year-Long Mental Health Awareness Journey,” concludes with the publication of its latest webinar, titled “Heads Up, A Year-Long Mental Health Awareness Journey: Looking Back and Looking Forward.” According to a press release, panelists in this segment include John Broderick Jr., senior director of external affairs for Dartmouth Health and former Chief Justice of the New Hampshire Supreme Court; Brendan McQuaid, president and publisher of the New Hampshire Union Leader; Howard Altschiller, executive editor of Seacoast Media Group; and William C. Torrey, M.D., chair of the Department of Psychiatry at Dartmouth Health; with Audra Burns, Dartmouth Health’s senior media relations manager, moderating. Together, they reflect on the series’ highlights and share their insights gained throughout the year. The series explored various themes such as youth mental health, the impact of social media on teenagers, mental health stigma in youth sports, the intersection of mental health and the criminal justice system, guidance for parents and caregivers, challenges faced by older adults in isolation and grief, workplace mental health, the correlation between substance use disorder and co-occurring mental illnesses, state and federal mental health policies, and the mental health of veterans and active military personnel. To access the “Heads Up” series and mental health resources, visit dartmouth-health.org/mental-health.

The Putts For Pups Golf Classic will be held at Stonebridge Country Club in Goffstown on Monday, June 26, to benefit Second Chance Ranch Rescue, a nonprofit organization based in New Boston that rehabilitates and finds homes for lost, forgotten and misunderstood dogs. Registration, which includes 18 holes of golf, lunch and the chance to participate in raffles and contests, costs $125 for an individual or $450 for a foursome, according to a press release. Visit secondchanceranchrescue.com.

The Merrimack Rotary Club will host an Electronics Recycling Fundraiser on Saturday, June 3, from 8 a.m. to noon at the Merrimack Town Hall. According to a press release, participants can easily recycle their unused business or household electronics by driving up, paying the recycling fee and dropping off the items without having to leave their cars. Fees range from $5 to $50 depending on the type of electronics. Certain items, such as hazardous waste and unlisted materials, will not be accepted. Funds raised will support scholarships and community projects. Visit merrimackrotary.org.

The Nashua Regional Planning Commission will hold a Household Hazardous Waste Collection on Thursday, June 1, 3 to 7 p.m., at the Nashua City Park & Ride (25 Crown St.) for residents of Amherst, Brookline, Hollis, Hudson, Litchfield, Merrimack, Milford, Mont Vernon, Nashua, Pelham and Windham, according to a press release. Accepted waste includes paints, solvents, polyurethane, antifreeze, gasoline, pesticides, household cleaners, light bulbs and more. There is a fee of $15 per vehicle (cash or check), with extra charges for waste exceeding 10 gallons or 20 pounds. Contact nashuarpc.org/hhw or 417-6570.

This Week 23/05/18

Big Events May 18, 2023 and beyond

Thursday, May 18

Find new ways to help the community at The Greater Nashua Volunteer Fair today at 4 p.m. at the Nashua Public Library (2 Court St. in Nashua; nashualibrary.org). There will be more than 30 organizations looking for teen and adult volunteers to sign up.

Saturday, May 20

The Greater Nashua Habitat for Humanity is hosting its Third Annual Cornhole for a Cause, a tournament fundraiser for the shelter, today at The Biergarten at Merrimack Anheuser-Busch (221 Daniel Webster Hwy., Merrimack). The event starts at 11 a.m. and registration is $75 for a team of two players. There will be raffles and other prizes to win, and registered team members will receive commemorative T-shirts. Visit nashuahabitat.org to register.

Saturday, May 20

It’s another big plant sale weekend! The Bedford Garden Club (bedfordgardenclubnh.org) will hold its sale today at the Bedford Village Common (15 Bell Hill Road) from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The Goffstown Community Garden Club (facebook.com/goffstowngardenclub) will hold its sale at the Goffstown Commons on Main Street from 8 a.m. to noon. The Nashua Garden Club (nashuanhgardenclub.org) will hold its sale at the Nashua Historical Society (5 Abbott St. in Nashua) from 8 a.m. to noon. The Massabesic Garden Club (massabesicgc.org) will hold its sale today from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Griffin Free Library (22 Hooksett Road in Auburn) on the patio. The Milford Garden Club (milfordnhgardenclub.org) will hold its sale from 8:30 a.m. to noon on the Community House lawn. Stop by the Unitarian Universalist Church of Manchester (669 Union St. in Manchester; uumanchester.org) from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. for their plant sale. Project Inspire 603 (find them on Facebook) is holding a sale Friday, May 19, and today, May 20, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 88 Kelsey Mill Road in Northwood (the sale raises funds for school supplies). The GFWC Dover Area Women’s Club (doverareagfwc.org) is holding its spring plant sale at the Greater Dover Chamber of Commerce (550 Central Ave. in Dover) from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Know of an upcoming plant sale? Let us know at [email protected].

Saturday, May 20

The Capitol Center for the Arts (44 S. Main St. in Concord; ccanh.com) will feature Samantha Bee on its Chubb Theatre stage tonight in her self-titled show Samantha Bee: Your Favorite Womanat 8 p.m. Bee currently holds the title for being the longest-serving regular Daily Show correspondent of all time and is known for her own weekly late-night show, Full Frontal with Samantha Bee. Tickets start at $48.25.

Saturday, May 20

The Life’s a Drag 21+ Show at Chunky’s (707 Huse Road in Manchester; chunkys.com) tonight at 9 p.m. will feature some of the fiercest performers from New England for a high-energy and interactive experience, according to the website. Tickets cost $25.

Sunday, May 21

The New Hampshire Gay Men’s Chorus wraps up their Spring 2023 Concert Serieswith a performance of “Silver Seasons of Love – How Do You Measure 25 Years?” at the Derryfield School (2108 River Road in Manchester) at 4 p.m. (The chorus also performs Saturday, May 20, in Newington at 7:30 p.m.). The show celebrates the 25th anniversary of the chorus; see the story about the chorus in the May 4 issue of The Hippo (hippopress.com to find the e-edition, the story is on page 16). Tickets for this event start at $17.50 and can be purchased at nhgmc.com.

Save the Date! Saturday, July 29
Nashua Center for the Arts (201 Main St.) will host An Evening with David Sedaris on Saturday, July 29, at 8 p.m. Sedaris is the bestselling author behind Calypso, Naked, Me Talk Pretty One Day, and Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim. He is celebrating the release of his newest book, Happy Go Lucky. After the reading, he will be holding a Q-and-A session and a book signing. Presale for tickets open to Spectacle Live members on May 19, and presale prices start at $52. Visit nashuacenterforthearts.com for more information.

Quality of Life 23/05/18

Our smart kids

Six New Hampshire high school seniors were named semifinalists in the prestigious 2023 U.S. Presidential Scholars Program, and two of them were named Scholars. According to a press release from the New Hampshire Department of Education, the recognition is considered one of the highest honors for graduating seniors nationwide. The semifinalists are Sydney Buffett from Bedford High School, William Longtin from Hollis/Brookline High School, Sam McLaughlin from Spaulding High School and Kelly Zhang from Oyster River High School, with Aaron R. Joy from Phillips Exeter Academy and Sora Shirai from Hanover High School chosen as Scholars. There were 628 semifinalists from across the nation, chosen out of 5,000 candidates. Up to 161 students can be named Scholars each year, according to the program’s website.

QOL score: +1

Comment: Established in 1964, the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program originally focused on academic excellence but was expanded in 1979 to include students in the arts and in 2015 to recognize achievements in career and technical education, according to the website.

A hot tourism summer

The Division of Travel and Tourism of the Department of Business and Economic Affairs in New Hampshire predicts a 4.8 percent increase in tourists visiting the state this summer and a 6.5 percent increase in those visitors’ spending. According to a press release, approximately 4.3 million tourists are expected to visit and are projected to spend around $2.35 billion. Despite the challenges posed by the Covid pandemic, New Hampshire has witnessed record spending in the past two summers. “While inflation and the potential for a recession continue to pose threats, data shows there continues to be a pent-up demand for travel,” BEA Commissioner Taylor Caswell said in the release.

QOL score: +1

Comment: The state’s summer marketing campaign, themed “Discover Your New,” will focus on road trips and continue targeting core markets such as New England and New York, as well as road trip markets including Eastern Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Montreal and Quebec City in Canada.

Sarah Silverman, Seth Meyers suggest otherwise

Somehow, a report by Shiny Smile Veneers names Boston as America’s funniest city and Massachusetts as our funniest state and yet ranks New Hampshire as the No. 5 least funny state, according to a press release and the study at shinysmileveneers.com. The study uses not-entirely-New-Hampshire-friendly factors like per capita comedy specials filmed, comedy festivals, comedy clubs and “search volume per city/state” to score funny cities and states. Of course, some of the people yukking it up in Boston (as well as the comedians working those clubs) are likely Granite Staters — QOL demands a recount!

QOL score: -2

Comments: New Hampshire has plenty of comedy; take our state politics — please! Cough, sorry. But just this year New Hampshire’s own (we don’t care where he was born or where he lives now, he’s ours) Adam Sandler was awarded the Kennedy Center’s Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. And you can find laughs on the regular at area comedy clubs and comedy concerts — listed for your convenience in our Comedy This Week (see page 30).

QOL score: 72

Net change: 0

QOL this week: 72

What’s affecting your Quality of Life here in New Hampshire? Let us know at [email protected].

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