News – Page 67

The week that was

The NFL followed up the close games and the astonishing comeback of Jacksonville from down 27-0 to beat the San Diego, er, L.A. Chargers 31-30 in a wild card weekend with a series of boring duds last weekend. Next comes (for me) the best sports day on the calendar when the NFC and AFC play their title games on Sunday, where it’ll be the 49ers trying to get to the Super Bowl behind a rookie QB with just seven NFL starts to his name vs. the Eagles, followed by KC’s injured star Pat Mahomes facing the red hot Bengals in a rematch of last year’s AFC title game.

While the NFL commanded the most attention, that wasn’t the only thing that happened. Here are a few thoughts and outright pontifications on recent events.

Mahomes’s injured ankle is reminiscent of Tom Brady getting knocked out of the AFC title game in Pittsburgh during the run to their first title in 2001. That brought opening day starter Drew Bledsoe off the bench to save the day. He wasn’t lights out, but he did throw the decisive TD pass to the late David Patten that got them to the big game. Then we wondered all week if it would be Drew or Brady as QB on Sunday (there was only one week off because of the 9-11 attack). As everyone knows, Brady did play, and while he led the game-winning drive with Adam V sending his FG try right down Broadway, TB only threw for 145 yards.

Think Red Sox owner John Henry got the message that the natives are not happy when he and his over-his-head GM got booed off the stage at their ticket sale pep rally in Springfield, Mass., on Friday night?

I don’t know about you but the premise for the movie House Party of having one at LeBron James’ house, unbeknownst to LBJ, sounds like a funny idea in an Animal House kind of way.

I’m starting to sports-hate Steph Curry because he flops on every play. Sorry, but it’s not possible to fall as much as he does. Yet he gets the call all the time even though replays show defenders clearly are not touching him. Thought we were done with that nonsense after Michael Jordan retired.

Didn’t hear many of the yahoo M-V-P chants for Jayson Tatum in last week’s game vs. Golden State, did we? He did do something remarkable, though, by having a terrible game (outside of a few late plays) despite a 34-19-6 stat line that suggests otherwise. And his statement afterward that it was just one of 82 shows that, despite all the brilliance, he still doesn’t get it. Because there are five or six a year that aren’t one of 82. And after he choked against the Warriors in the Finals and again in their first meeting this year, they/he needed to make a statement on Thursday night. Which they did not by lucking out in OT vs. a team that has struggled all year except in two games vs Boston. Like the Pistons getting by Boston in the ’80s and then Jordan’s Bulls finally doing it to Detroit, emerging teams have to show they can beat their nemesis, and the Cs didn’t do that. That’s why if they meet in the Finals again I’m taking GS unless and until Tatum figures it out.

Things are progressing nicely for Wenyen Gabriel. He’s played in 38 of the Lakers’ 47 games when he’s getting about 16 minutes a night off the bench while averaging 6 points, 4 rebounds per while shooting 62.4 percent from the floor.

Everyone loves what Nate Eovaldi did in Game 3 of the 2018 World Series. But after winning just 24 games in four full seasons with the Sox while averaging just 101 innings per season, how much of a loss is he to the Red Sox? I know in the pitching world of today expectations are different than when you’d check the papers to see what the pitching match-ups would be on a daily basis. But six wins a year is not worth $20 million per year.

What a difference a year makes. A year ago there was outrage that Tampa Bay offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich wasn’t getting at least Rooney Rule interviews to be a head coach after two stat-filled years with Brady. This year he just got fired/blamed for TB’s less than stellar offensive season.

Is it ironic, or just interesting, that amid all the talk of the negative brain drain impact on the Patriots coaching staff, the coaches who killed them the most were pre-drain returning Super Bowl vets Joe Judge and Matt Patricia?

Robert Williams is hurt again. This time after banging his left knee (the bad one) with Jaylen Brown. Celtics Nation and the brass are just going to have to live with the fact that the guy is fragile and likely never will be able to play a full season.Which means they need insurance for the playoffs.

Here’s another thing that’s wrong about how the steroid era is treated by Hall of Fame voters. Guys who came clean like Andy Pettitte don’t get in, while guys everyone knows were users are rewarded with induction by staying silent. I know it is complicated for some, but that seems wrong to me.

For the record, in addition to his record (by far) 18 post-season wins, Pettitte’s 256 wins in the five-man rotation era are more than the following Famers from the four-man rotation time: Carl Hubbell, Bob Gibson, Juan Marichal, Don Drysdale, Jim Bunning, Catfish Hunter, Stan Coveleski, Bob Lemon, Rube Marquard, Dizzy Dean and Sandy Koufax, as well as Yankee Famers Waite Hoyt, Whitey Ford and Herb Pennock. And he’s also got more than fellow five-man rotation guys Pedro Martinez, Jack Morris, Roy Halladay and John Smoltz.

My money is on a Philly-Cincy Super Bowl.

Email Dave Long at [email protected].

News & Notes 23/01/26

Hate crime forums

The New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office presents a series of public Hate Crimes Forum conversations, with the first to be held on Thursday, Feb. 9, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Michael Briggs Community Center (409 Beech St., Manchester). According to a press release, the series will provide community members, public officials and other interested parties with information related to the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act as well as state and municipal hate crimes laws, and engage local and federal law enforcement and community organizations in discussions and information sharing on methods to prevent and respond to local bias incidents and hate crimes. “Preventing hate crimes is one of our most important shared priorities across New Hampshire law enforcement,” Attorney General Formella said in the release. “We need a whole-community approach to truly be successful in our fight against bias and hate. … These will be critical conversations as we work collectively to keep New Hampshire safe and welcoming for people of all backgrounds.” Presenters at the first event will include the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Hampshire, the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Manchester Police, the Department New Hampshire Human Rights Commission, the Jewish Federation of New Hampshire, the Manchester Branch of the NAACP, the New Hampshire Council of Churches and the IQRA Islamic Society of Greater Concord. Call 230-2518 to RSVP by Feb. 6.

New at Stay

Stay Work Play New Hampshire, a nonprofit organization that works to attract and retain young people in New Hampshire, welcomes a new events and communications manager, Kristina Lafiosca. According to a press release, Lafiosca, a New London resident, graduated from the University of New England in 2011 with a bachelor of arts in sociology and anthropology. She began her career in the nonprofit sector and most recently has owned and operated her own business in the Sunapee region. In her new role, Lafiosca will oversee the organization’s content and communications strategy; provide leadership in planning, coordinating and evaluating the organization’s events, programs and initiatives; and serve as the organization’s primary point of contact for young professionals.

Airport funds

A New Hampshire delegation consisting of U.S. Sens. Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan and Reps. Annie Kuster and Chris Pappas welcomed $2,821,120 to support modifications and rehabilitation efforts for the Manchester-Boston Regional Airport terminal building. According to a press release, the award, allocated through the Department of Transportation using Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds, will be used to replace 16,000 square feet of the terminal’s original translucent fiberglass canopy, thereby increasing energy efficiency. “Improving and updating Manchester-Boston Regional Airport is critical to our regional economy and ensuring individuals can travel safely and efficiently,” Pappas said in the release. “This federal funding … will update existing infrastructure to improve key systems at New Hampshire’s largest airport.”

Big bird weekend!

The New Hampshire Audubon’s annual Backyard Winter Bird Survey will run on Saturday, Feb. 11, and Sunday, Feb. 12. According to a press release, New Hampshire residents are invited to count and observe birds in their own backyards during that weekend and report their findings to the New Hampshire Audubon to provide critical data to biologists who are monitoring the state’s bird species, such as the northern cardinal, tufted titmouse, red-bellied woodpecker, southern woodpecker and evening grosbeak. Reports of a lack of birds are just as valuable as reports of many birds. “If everyone reported only when they have a lot of birds, we wouldn’t be able to see the declines,” Rebecca Suomala, survey coordinator, said in the release. Forms can be acquired and submitted online at nhbirdrecords.org/backyard-winter-bird-survey or by emailing [email protected].

And the nominees are…

Nominations are open now through April 14 for the 2023 Governor’s Arts Awards. The awards, given every other year, recognize individuals, organizations and communities that have made outstanding contributions to New Hampshire’s arts and culture. The categories include Arts Education, Arts in Health, Creative Communities, Distinguished Arts Leadership, Folk Heritage, Individual Arts Champion and Lotte Jacobi Living Treasure, a lifetime achievement award. To be eligible, nominees must reside in New Hampshire or have resided in New Hampshire while making their contributions. Nominations, which must include a 1,000-word statement of the nominee’s accomplishments and two to five current letters of support, will be reviewed by a panel appointed by the State Arts Council. Visit nh.gov/nharts. Nominees will be notified of the results by mid May, and an awards ceremony will be held in the fall. Visit nh.gov/nharts/artsandartists/gaa/index.htm.

Registration is open for the 21st Annual Payson Center for Cancer Care Rock ‘N Race 5K, to take place Thursday, May 18, at 6 p.m. in Concord. The event raises funds for services for patients and their families at Concord Hospital Payson Center for Cancer Care HOPE Resource Center. Participants may run or walk a 5k or walk a one-mile loop. Visit rocknrace.org to register.

Construction has begun on the F.E. Everett Turnpike south of the I-293 interchange in Bedford. According to an announcement from the New Hampshire Department of Transportation, work includes rock blasting in southbound lanes to allow the addition of a through travel lane. The work is scheduled to be done on weekdays between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. over the next two to three months.

Nashua high schools are adjusting their GPA (grade point average) scale from 5.4 to the more commonly used unweighted 4.0 to measure students’ academic achievement. According to a press release, the 5.4 GPA was originally put in place as a way for students to earn added points for Advanced Placement and honors classes.

This Week 23/01/19

Big Events January 19, 2022 and beyond

Thursday, Jan. 19

Cirque Du Soleil will bring its production “Corteo” to the SNHU Arena (555 Elm St. in Manchester; snhuarena.com) today through Sunday, Jan. 22. Shows are at 7:30 p.m. today and Friday, Jan. 20; 3:30 and 7:30 on Saturday, Jan. 21, and 1 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 22. Tickets cost $39 to $129.

Friday, Jan. 20

TheAll New Piano Men, highlighting the music of Billy Joel, Elton John, Stevie Wonder and Freddy Mercury, kicks off a three-week run at the Palace Theatre in Manchester today at 7:30 p.m. The show is an original production of Carl Rajotte, artistic director at the Palace (80 Hanover St. in Manchester; palacetheatre.org, 668-5588), according to the website. The show will run through Sunday, Feb. 5, with showtimes on Fridays at 7:30 p.m., Saturdays at 2 and 7:30 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m. Tickets start at $25.

Friday, Jan. 20

Catch comedians Jim Colliton, Chris Pennie and Jeff Koen at the Tupelo Music Hall (10 A St. in Derry; tupelomusichall.com) tonight at 8 p.m. for the Tupelo Night of Comedy. Tickets cost $22. Find more laughs in Comedy This Week on page 31.

Saturday, Jan. 21

Today is Free Fishing Day in New Hampshire, one of two such days each year when you can fish without a license (other fishing regulations must still be followed; the other free fishing day is the first Saturday in June). Find out all the fishing rules and watch a video on ice fishing at nhfishgame.com.

Saturday, Jan. 21

After getting extended a weekend, today is the final day of the LaBelle Lights winter lights walking tour at the LaBelle Winery (14 Route 111 in Derry; labellewinery.com, 672-9898). The attraction is open Wednesdays through today from 4:30 to 9 p.m.; buy tickets online or on site.

Tuesday, Jan. 24

The New Hampshire Audubon’s Massabesic Center (26 Audubon Way in Auburn; nhaudubon.org, 668-2045) will hold a timber rattlesnake talk today at 5 p.m. where wildlife biologist Brendan Clifford (NH Fish and Game, Nongame and Endangered Wildlife Porgram) will discuss the snake and the Center’s resident timber rattlesnake may make an appearance, according to the website. The cost is $15; register online.

Wednesday, Jan. 25

Marek Bennett will discuss his latest graphic novel, The Civil War Diary of Freeman Colby , Volume 3: 1864, today at 6:30 p.m. at Gibson’s Bookstore (45 S. Main St. in Concord; gibsonsbookstore.com, 224-0562). Angie Sykeny talked to Bennett about his latest book in the Jan. 5 issue of the Hippo; find the e-edition at hippopress.com (the story is on page 6).

Save the Date! Friday, Jan. 27
Concord NH Winter Festival will run Friday, Jan. 27, and Saturday, Jan. 28, with events in downtown Concord and the Black Ice Pond Hockey Tournament (which has events Thursday, Jan. 26, through Sunday, Jan. 29) in White Park. Scheduled events include ice carvings on the Statehouse lawn including an ice carving competition on Saturday, fireworks in White Park on Friday at 7:15 p.m., the “Art in Bloom” exhibit at the League of NH Craftsmen, a screening of Frozen at Red River Theatres (Saturday at 10 a.m.) and more, according to the schedule at intownconcord.com.

Featured photo. The Piano Men.

Quality of Life 23/01/19

Money woes

The number of bankruptcy filings in New Hampshire appears to be trending upward, New Hampshire Business Review reported in a Jan. 3 story. Though the total number of bankruptcies per year has been at record lows for the last few years — and 2022 still 10 percent fewer than 2021 — those numbers started to take a turn at the end of the year. November saw 51 — the same number as November 2021 — and December saw 64 — a more than 25 percent jump from November and nearly 40 percent higher than December 2021, which had a record low of 46.

QOL score: -1

Comment: Unemployment also started to increase at the end of 2022, rising another fifth of a point to 2.6 in November, and up from 2 percent in June, according to the article.

Eyes on the road, NH

A recent WalletHub study ranked New Hampshire the eighth worst U.S. state to drive in. The study looked at various factors, such as the costs of gas, car insurance and auto maintenance; traffic congestion, average commuting times, weather conditions, road and bridge quality; the rate of auto-related fatalities, injuries and crimes; and more. New Hampshire was ranked the state with the highest number of days with precipitation, and ranked poorly in other areas, including average gas prices (No. 34), share of rush-hour traffic congestion (No. 31), car dealerships per capita (No. 31) and auto maintenance costs (No. 27).

QOL score: -1

Comment: On the bright side, New Hampshire ranked as the state with the third lowest car thefts.

Future leaders

Three New Hampshire Girl Scout troops in grades 3 through 8 met U.S. Sen. Maggie Hassan on Jan. 9 at the Nashua Public Library. According to a press release, Hassan spoke to the Scouts about how she does her job and answered questions about how to deal with negative ads, how to run a campaign and what traits are needed to be a successful female in a leadership role. She also talked about the importance of asking for help, accepting constructive criticism, standing up for oneself, listening to others and reading.

QOL score: +1

Comment: According to the release, a recent Girl Scout Research Institute study revealed that nearly six in 10 girls said they are interested in being a future leader through advocacy, public service or a career as an elected official.

Helping out

The New Hampshire Charitable Foundation is distributing a total of $3,810,500 in grants through its 2022 Community Grants Program — an increase of more than $1 million from the previous year, made possible by contributions from foundation donor-advised funds, according to a press release. The grants, which range in amount from $10,000 to $60,000, can be used for any operating expenses without restrictions and are usually paid out over the course of three years.

QOL score: +1

Comment: “New Hampshire asks a lot of the nonprofit sector — from teaching our youngest children to sheltering struggling families to helping protect natural resources and promote civil discourse,” Anne Phillips, director of grantmaking at the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation, said in the release.

QOL score: 51

Net change: 0

QOL this week: 51

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

Celtics at midway point

Observations, random thoughts and outright pontifications about the Celtics at mid-season.

What I Like: The most obvious is having the best record in the NBA and being on pace for 60 wins. Second is how they play with the fastest end-to-end pace since the John Havlicek, Dave Cowens, Jo Jo White Celtics in the 1970s. They are at their best when pushing the ball. And third is seeing the obvious growth in the key players. It suggests that, with Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart and the two Williamses (Robert Williams and Grant Williams III) still shy of their primes, the best is yet to come.

What I Don’t Like: They have a nasty habit of playing down to the competition when they are facing bad teams. Five of their 12 losses were mail-it-in jobs against Orlando (two), Chicago (two) and Oak City (one), who were a combined 55-71 at the start of the week.

Who To Fear: With as many as six teams who get to the Finals out of the East and five more out West, the NBA is the most balanced it’s been in decades. So it depends on who’s hot and healthy at playoff time. Having said that, there isn’t anyone to fear. But, while both are languishing around .500 at the moment, the two I’m most wary of are Golden State and Miami because their coaches have a way of frustrating Tatum and Brown more than others. Plus I underestimated GS last year and won’t do that again until the dragon is slayed. Especially after how they took the Celtics apart in December on national TV. That said, to me their slow start had a lot to do with post-championship motivational issues.

Top Story: Are Brown and Tatum The Best Duo? It wasn’t that long ago that the experts on talk radio were saying “break them up because they can’t play together.” Now most wonder if they’re the best duo in the league. Aging, injuries and knuckle-headedness have eliminated most competitors, so I’d say they are there with Steph Curry and Klay Thompson, though when/if Jamal Murray gets to full strength after ACL surgery he and two-time MVP Nikola Jokic probably challenge them.

A more interesting question to me is, are they becoming the best 1-2 duo in Celtics history? It’s moot if they don’t win multiple titles, and it’s doubtful either will match Larry Bird’s all around game. But right now they’re scoring more per game than Bird and Kevin McHale ever did. And they’re just approaching their primes. Get past them and it’s Bill Russell with whoever (Cousy, Hondo, Sam Jones). So probably not. But it’ll be fun watching it play out.

Hard Work Pays Off: I have my issues with both at times, but I admire the wide-ranging improvement to the offensive games of Jaylen Brown and especially Grant Williams because it is obviously a product of hard off-season work. When Brown first arrived his scoring was limited to things that came from his athletic gifts. Now he scores inside, outside, off the dribble, spotting up to catch and shoot and at the basket. The last piece needed to be among the most complete players in the league is improving his handle. As for Williams, he could barely make a lay-up as a rookie. First came spot-up three-point shooting from the corner last year, and this year he’s scoring by taking it to the basket and posting up. Next comes a jump shot off the dribble. It would also help if he stopped yapping after every foul call.

Robert Williams – Start or Off The Bench: What difference does it make if he starts or comes off the bench as long as he plays 32 minutes and is in at the end of tight games? I like him with the second unit because it makes it better and that gives a chance to get a big plus/minus edge. Plus it means he or Al Horford will always be on the floor through the entire game.

Malcolm Brogdon: Been campaigning to bring him here since he was in Milwaukee and he’s still exceeded my expectations.

Derrick White: I didn’t know much about him when they got him from San Antonio and thought the price to get him was a little high. But Brad Stevens was right when he said the trade was “a no-brainer.” I love this guy because he’s unflappable and plays the same way every game as he does his job with no ego and unselfishly.

Joe Mazzulla: Not sure his jaw can last a whole season with the way he works the gum during games, but so far so good. He’s making the case about bringing Ime Udoka back next year a hard one.

Pritchard Time: Sam Hauser had a great start making 50 percent of his 3-balls in November, but it’s been 29 percent since Dec. 1. And since he’s only out there to make threes his time should go to Payton Pritchard. They give up some size, he’s better defensively and as a spark off the bench. Plus he showed he can shoot the long ball. Wasn’t great in the playoffs, but that was his first time around and I expect that should improve.

Ime Udoka: Could Stevens trade him for a protected first-round pick? Might make sense for a team with young players and a lot of first picks like Oak City who need a coaching jolt.

Danny Ainge: Several of his alleged draft miscalculations actually turned out to be pretty valuable. Grant Williams (22nd), Payton Pritchard (26th) and especially Robert Williams (27th)have all defied expectations for where they were picked. And those who didn’t — Romeo Langford and Aaron Nesmith — were traded for White and Brogdon. All are key players. So Danny gets belated props for those picks.

MVP Chants: The fan support for Tatum is nice. April or May maybe. But sorry, doing it in November is yahoo city.

I know. I’m no fun.

Email Dave Long at [email protected].

Empathy on stage

Theater group brings performances to kids

Plymouth State University’s TIGER (Theatre Integrating Guidance, Education and Responsibility) theater company celebrates 20 years of bringing social-emotional educational performances to K-through-8 schools across the state. Artistic director Trish Lindberg leads the troupe, which consists of graduate students and professional actors.

What has TIGER been up to recently?

During Covid, most schools weren’t allowing any assembly programs, so we created an online series called Tiger Time, just to keep some content going to the schools during a difficult time. … We started touring again last year. The schools really missed us and were so excited to have us back. We’ve had a lot of bookings. I think, with the pandemic, people realized so much more the value of live theater. That face-to-face connection where an actor is looking right at the eyes of a child is very powerful. … Oh! And we won an Emmy!

Who are the actors?

They are all professional actors. Emily Shafritz is a performer and graduate of the University of New Hampshire from Vermont, Matthew Murray is an actor and theater major from Maryland, Olivia Etchings is a singer and graduate of Manhattanville College from New Hampshire, Kellen Schult is an actor and graduate of Southern Connecticut State University from New York, and K. Bernice is an actor and music director from New Jersey. The TIGER performers are a dedicated breed that care about children and care about helping them overcome difficult social issues that they face. They are the heart of TIGER and deserve all the credit.

What performances are you doing this season?

We’re doing a very exciting collaboration with an international organization called the Jesse Lewis Choose Love Movement. It was founded by Scarlett Lewis, mother of Jesse Lewis, a child who was killed at the mass shooting at Sandy Hook in Connecticut 10 years ago. … The themes in that show are the themes of Choose Love, which are Courage, Gratitude, Forgiveness and Compassion in Action. I also wrote another show that’s sort of a compilation of a lot of TIGER material that’s been developed over the years. … The themes are what TIGER stands for: Team up together, Inspire greatness, Give of yourself, Empathy and compassion, Respect yourself and others. …I took some of our many songs and put them together with a few new pieces of music. We’re touring those two shows all over New England now. In addition to the two performances, we’ve also offered workshops for children and teachers.

How did you end up collaborating with Choose Love?

I met Scarlett … after she was doing an event at Plymouth State. We started talking about TIGER’s message and how it’s very similar to the message of Choose Love. They were doing a statewide tour … and invited TIGER to be part of that tour … and perform as part of those events. We really clicked as a group. Then, I asked Scarlett, ‘Would you be open to me creating an original musical based on the tenets of Choose Love?’ … She said, ‘That sounds wonderful.’

How does it feel to be celebrating 20 years of TIGER?

This project has impacted the lives of over a half million children in the 20 years we’ve been around. I thank the schools — the school counselors, the educators and teachers and administrators — that believe in the magic of TIGER and hire us year after year to bring TIGER to their schools.

TIGER still has a limited number of bookings available for schools for spring 2023. Schools interested in having TIGER perform can contact tour manager Pamela Irish at 535-2647 or [email protected].

Featured photo: TIGER 2022-2023 cast members (from left) Emily Shafritz, Matthew Murray, Olivia Etchings, Kellen Schult and K. Bernice. Courtesy photo.

Category: News