Category: News

This Week 26/06/11

Friday, June 12

It’s the final weekend for Love …Or Best Offer, “a lighthearted yet heartfelt look at online dating in the ‘over 50’ generation, blending humor with relatable heartbreak,” presented by Bedford Off Broadway at the Bedford Town Hall, corner of 70 Bedford Center Road and Meetinghouse Road, today through Sunday, June 14. Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sunday, according to a press release. Tickets are available at the door for $15 ($12 for students and seniors) and at events.com.

Friday, June 12

Catch Jonee Earthquake Band as well as Worm, Ragz To Stitches and Ruffian Dick at The Spot at 217 Main St. in Nashua starting at 8 p.m. tonight, according to The Spot’s Facebook page. Find more music at local venues in the Music This Week, starting on page 32.

Friday, June 12

Something Wonderful Tonight, a Boston-based tribute band to Eric Clapton and George Harrison, takes the stage tonight at the Nashua Center for the Arts, 201 Main St. in Nashua, at 8 p.m. See nashuacenterforthearts.com for tickets. Find more ticketed shows in Concert listings on page 34.

Saturday, June 13

The YMCA of Downtown Manchester, 30 Mechanic St., will hold its annual Rock the Block celebration today from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., according to a post on the location’s Facebook page. Described as a free, family-friendly event, the celebration will feature food, games and crafts, a bounce house, swimming and more, the post said.

Saturday, June 13

It’s Open Farm Day at Sanborn Mills Farm, 7097 Sanborn Road in Loudon, today from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. — a “free, family-friendly event featuring demonstrations, farm tours, hands-on activities, and opportunities to learn about agriculture, conservation, education, and community resources,” according to a newsletter from Canterbury Shaker Village newsletter, which is participating in the event. A farm-to-table lunch will be available to purchase, according to sanbornmills.org.

Saturday, June 13

Catch some art show openings in the Queen City tonight. “The Human Canvas,” an exhibition of “works of all mediums that explore the intimate and historic artform of tattooing” will run through Monday, Aug. 3, at Mosaic Art Collective, 410 Chestnut St. in Manchester, with an opening reception tonight from 5 to 7 p.m., according to mosaicartcollective.com. “The New Naturalists,” an exhibit of artwork by Peter Sandback, Ashley Normal and Forrest Knight, will be on display at the See Saw Gallery, 408 Chestnut St. in Manchester, Saturday, June 13, through Sunday, June 28, with an opening reception tonight from 5 to 8 p.m., according to seesaw.art.

Monday, June 15

Burgerfest 2026 at the Barley House, 132 N. Main St. in Concord, is slated to start today and run through Saturday, June 20, to raise money for Dartmouth Health Children’s, according to a Barley House newsletter. See thebarleyhouse.com and the restaurant’s Facebook page for updates.

Save the Date! Saturday, Aug. 8
The Concord-based Dark Side Customs will present The Granite State Gitdown car, truck and motorcycle show on Saturday, Aug. 8, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. outside the Everett Arena in Concord. The day will feature food trucks and vendors and “any car or motorcycle is welcome,” according to an email from the organizer. See the Dark Side Customs Facebook page for details.

The World Cup begins

The Big Story – World Cup: The four-year wait is over for soccernauts. The first game is today (Thursday) between Mexico and South Africa in Mexico City. Then comes the first game in the U.S. when Scotland faces Haiti in Foxboro Saturday.

There are changes underway, as the tournament has controversially expanded from 36 countries to 48. That was done, of course, for, what else?, the extra dough to be racked in from the extra games. That’s before we even talk about the outrageous expense being charged for tickets, parking, hotels, merch and train rides to Foxboro, etc.

But since no one is being forced to buy any of those things, and I’ll only be watching on free TV, what’s to complain about?

So enjoy the best way you can.

Sports 101 – Name the first African American players to be MVP in the AL and the NL.

News Item – Red Sox Week: Things got worse, not better. No stat points more to the importance of power when you play at Fenway than their astoundingly being only 10-21 at home so far!

It’s been 43 days since Red Sox ace Garrett Crochet first went on the 15-day IL with simple shoulder irritation. With him being moved to the 60-day IL last week it probably wasn’t as simple as first thought.

The ERA was 6.34 when Brayan Bello got sent to AAA last week. And after last week’s debacle vs. Baltimore, the first-inning ERA alone was an incredible 16.88.

News Item – NBA Finals: Game 3 goes off after I file this. But having won 13 straight playoff games to take a 2-0 Finals lead over San Antonio, the New York Knickerbockers are on one of the greatest playoff runs in NBA history.

Karl-Anthony Towns and Mike Brown are changing their under-achieving reps around the NBA.

How dumb does Dallas look after letting Jalen Brunson walk for less money than they handed over to keep the always hurt Kyrie Irving instead?

News Item – World Cup Thoughts:

I’m taking the over on the Vegas line whatever it is, probably around 96.7% of the games will end in a 1-1 tie before shootouts are needed to break ties.

The only thing I don’t like is how the Final 4 will be played out in three separate sites rather than those three games played in the same city to close it out. But the needed recovery time between the Round of 4 and the Final negates the one local idea. So never mind.

Since I probably know five players in the whole thing, no phony predictions from me. Just hoping USA makes it out of opening-round play.

The Numbers:

0.74 – after 10 starts and 61.0 innings the earned run average of 6-2 Dodgers hurler/DH Shohei Ohtani.

1.75 – the ERA of the guy the Red Sox got for Raffy Devers and dumped this spring for .196-hitting Caleb Durbin as the headed-for-the-All-Star-game Kyle Harrison has gone 7-1 for Milwaukee.

844 – longest in the majors consecutive games played by Atlanta first baseman Matt Olson, which came ironically on MLB’s annual June 2 “Lou Gehrig Day” when his 17th homer knocked in the winning runs in a 4-3 game.

… Of the Week Awards

Thumbs Up – The BBC: For announcing they will not air the World Cup’s Americanization of their event in the form of a half-time musical show a la the Super Bowl’s idiotic half-time show for the first time. The British broadcaster will instead air their usual half-time analysis show.

Bravo for the Brits.

Sports 101 Answer: Jackie Robinson was MVP in the NL in 1949, just two years after breaking the color barrier. Yankees (and eventual Red Sox) catcher Elston Howard was named American League MVP in 1963.

Final Thought – A.J. Brown Deal Called “Overpay” by Critics: The Patriots finally made the deal with Philly for wideout A.J. Brown. And while it gave them their first dynamic downfield threat since Gronk left the building, it was immediately labeled an “overpay” by Ben Volin of the Boston Globe and the always see the negative afternoon rocket scientists on the Sports Hub.

I said last week I’d give a second pick for him, so giving up a 2028 first-round pick and a fifth in 2027 is an overpay for that. But I look at the deal like this: What would be a bigger catastrophe for the Pats?

Not getting a 1A deep threat to complement the most accurate down field thrower I’ve seen since Roman Gabriel in the ’60s, but with the ego satisfaction of not having overpaid for him, or being forced to overpay a little (but delayed to 2028) by making sure their biggest need (by far) was filled to prevent someone else from swooping in with a better offer to steal him?

No doubt it would be the first option. I’ll be happy to take Brown and live with the overpay.

Email Dave Long at dlong@hippopress.com.

Quality of Life 26/06/11

The high cost of child care

A June 2 report by the New Hampshire Financial Policy Institute confirmed what parents have been very well aware of already: child care is expensive. “The average price of child care in New Hampshire in 2025 remains high for Granite State families,” the report stated. “The average price of care for an infant and toddler in center-based care was $16,462 and $15,262, respectively, in 2025. For home-based care, the 2025 average price was $12,017 for an infant and $11,732 for a toddler.” For a married couple with two children under 5, the report read, child care costs could easily amount to 25 percent of household income. For a single parent, it might eat up 61 percent of income.

QOL score: -1

Comment: The NHFPI report stated that the cost of child care in the state has grown quickly. “From 2017 to 2025, the average enrollment price of center-based care and home-based care increased 32% and 30%, respectively,” it read. “The largest increase in tuition prices during this period was 33% for toddlers and 4-year-olds in center-based care, as well as for 4-year-olds in home-based care. These increases in tuition prices outpaced inflation during the same period.” Visit nhfpi.org/blog.

New art in Nashua

For Nashua, one of the benefits of hosting the Nashua International Sculpture Symposium each spring is receiving new public sculptures each year. “This is the 19th year of our symposium,” said Sculpture Symposium president Gail Moriarty in a telephone interview with The Hippo. “There are four new sculptures this year, for a total of 60.”

QOL score: +1

Comment: Visit nashuasculpturesymposium.org for a map to all the sculptures as well as a photo of each sculpture and a bit about the artist and the work.

NH is OK

In honor of 603 Day, the New Hampshire Financial Policy Institute released a report on June 2 listing five reasons to be optimistic about the state’s future. (1) Housing price increases are slowing. A little. In some places. “From 2024 to 2025, the statewide median price increased by 3.9 percent, the smallest annual gain since 2016,” the report read. (2) Drug-related deaths have declined. By 33.4 percent over the past 10 years, and 10.8 percent between 2024 and 2025. (3) Projected first-year enrollment at UNH has increased. By just over 4 percent this year. (4) Child poverty was cut in half during Covid. “While child poverty has since rebounded to pre-pandemic levels, prior declines underscore the importance of governmental assistance during the pandemic,” the report read. And finally, (5), our roads and bridges have improved. “In 2025, 53% of State-owned [roads] rated as Good and only about 1% of roads were rated as Very Poor, “ the report stated.

QOL score: +1

Comment: Visit nhfpi.org/blog for more context and nuance.

QOL score last week: 47

Net change: +1

QOL this week: 48

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

Let us know at news@hippopress.com.

News & Notes 26/06/11

Veggies for Granite Staters

Northeast Organic Farming Association of New Hampshire (NOFA-NH) is helping local residents with limited incomes to participate in Community Supported Agriculture at local farms, according to a press release. NOFA-NH raises half the money to purchase CSA shares, the farms donate a quarter of the cost and the participants pay the other quarter, the release said. “In partnership with 25 New Hampshire farms, this year’s program is connecting over 400 of Granite Staters with 115 farm shares, providing community members in need with fresh, local food access at discounted prices across the state. … Shares span 7 – 26+ weeks during the growing season. Over half of the recipients served are children, families, and seniors,” the release said.

“We believe that everyone should have access to local, organic, ecologically grown, nutrient-dense foods, regardless of income,” said Executive Director Julie Davenson in the press release. “NOFA-NH’s Farm Share Program illustrates the strength and impact of New Hampshire’s organic farming community. Through intentional collaboration and support, individuals, farms, businesses, foundations, and nonprofits are working together to improve food access for our neighbors in need across the Granite State.”

See nofanh.org/donate for more information about the program, to donate and for a list of participating farms and information about their CSA programs.

Plant swap

In addition to early summer being plant sale season for area garden clubs and other local organizations, now is also Plant Swap season. The Wilton Public & Gregg Free Library, 7 Forest Road in Wilton, for example, is currently running a plant swap, according to a newsletter sent June 2. Bring healthy plants or seeds in a container you don’t need back and label it with the kind of plant, care instructions and tips, the newsletter said. The library is open Tuesday through Thursday, 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Friday, 1:30 to 5 p.m., and Saturday, 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., the newsletter said. Have any upcoming plant sales or upcoming or on-going plant swaps? Let us know at adiaz@hippopress.com.

Longtime friends

Celebrate the “250 Years of France-U.S. Friendship” with summer mini classes from the Franco American Centre New Hampshire, according to a recent newsletter. The organization is offering two summer 2026 mini classes, one of which is focused on “cultural workshop exploring the people, ideas, traditions, and artistic achievements that have shaped France,” according to facnh.com/introclasses-workshops. That class runs five Tuesdays in July and August from 5:30 to 7 p.m. The Franco American Centre is also offering a mini class on “Verbs: The Foundation of French Grammar” which will run five Thursdays in July and August from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., according to the website, where you can register for either class.

“Song of Democracy” will be performed along with “other stirring music that evokes a vast range of the American experience” by the New Hampshire Master Chorale on Saturday, June 20, at 7:30 p.m. at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Concord and on Sunday, June 21, at 4 p.m. at the Plymouth Congregational Church, according to a press release. For tickets, see events.ticketleap.com/tickets/nhmc-4/song-of-democracy.

“Art in Bloom Celebration” will take place Friday, June 12, through Sunday, June 14, at the Center for the Arts Members Gallery, 428 Main St. in New London. Local garden clubs and florists will create floral interpretations inspired by selected works from “Emergence,” a spring juried members exhibition at the gallery, according to a press release. See cfanh.org.

The Hollis Social Library will host “Women of ‘76 with Rita Parisi” on Saturday, June 13, at 7 p.m. in the Lawrence Barn in Hollis. Actress and playwright Parisi will offer a solo performance of historical women from the Revolutionary period, according to hollislibrary.org, where you can register to attend.

The Seacoast LitFest runs Thursday, June 11, through Sunday, June 14, at the Music Hall in Portsmouth, according to a press release. Events include multiple author talks including with Jenna Bush Hager (June 11), Temple Grandin (June 12) and Jill Lepore (June 14); a book fair and kid book giveaway on June 14 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; panels; book signings and more, the release said. See themusichall.org for a complete schedule and to purchase tickets to some of the events.

This Week 26/06/04

Friday, June 5

Theatre Kapow will present Morning Sun, a play by Simon Stephens, at the BNH Stage in Concord today through Sunday, June 7, and at the NH Theatre Project in Portsmouth the next weekend, according to a press release. “In Greenwich Village a generation or so ago, the city is alive. Joni Mitchell sings, friends and lovers come and go, and the regulars change at the neighborhood tavern. As 50 years pass, one woman’s life is revealed in all its complexity, mystery and possibility in this play about mothers and daughters, beginnings and endings. As it picks apart evolving ideas of identity, family, memory, and more, Morning Sun reminds us that the interruptions in our lives are the ghosts we carry with us,” the release said. ASL Interpretation will be available at the Sunday, June 7, 2 p.m. performance, the release said. Shows take place at 7:30 p.m. on June 5, June 6 and June 12; at 2 p.m. on June 7 and June 14, and at 4 p.m. on June 13, the release said. See tkapow.com for tickets. (Courtesy photo.)

Saturday, June 6

The Rotary Club of Goffstown will hold its 13th Annual Car Show today from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Parsons Drive in Goffstown, according to an email from the club. “Entering a show car costs $20, spectators enter for free. Proceeds from the event are given as grants to area charities,” the email said. See goffstownrotary.org.

Saturday, June 6

The Concord Arts Market will return to Rollins Park in Concord for another season of Arts in the Park dates starting today from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., according to concordartsmarket.org.

Saturday, June 6

The closing ceremony for the 2026 Nashua International Sculpture Symposium will take place today at 1 p.m. starting at the Picker Artists building, 3 Pine St. in Nashua, with visits to the sculptures’ installation sites. See NashuaSculptureSymposium.org.

Sunday, June 7

The Northern New England Book Fair will take place today from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Everett Arena in Concord along with a show from New Hampshire Antiques Dealers Association in the same location, according to apassion4books.com. Admission costs $5 and the event will feature more than 90 dealers, the website said.

Sunday, June 7

The Dover Community Trail Advisory Committee will hold its second annual ChalkFest today from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. when “[p]articipants of all ages can create chalk art along the trail between the Fisher Street Trailhead and Central Avenue. Each artist gets a five-foot-by-five-foot square, with chalk provided or feel free to bring your favorite colors,” according to a post on the trail Facebook page, which also includes a link to register and a note that a $5 donation is suggested.

Sunday, June 7

“US@250: Brewing Conflicts” with Historic Pursuits a living history group from New York, will present a “dramatic performance in a ‘colonial coffeehouse,’ with music, costume, trivia and refreshments” about the American Revolution today at 2 p.m. at the Slusser Center next door to the Hopkinton Town Library, 61 Houston Drive in Contoocook, according to hopkintontownlibrary.org, where you can RSVP to the event (space is limited). Intended for adults and kids 12+, the website said.

Save the Date! Thursday, July 23
Tickets are on sale now for the annual Shakespeare on the Green presentation at Saint Anselm College in Manchester, according to a press release. This year’s show, presented by Theatre Kapow, will be William Shakespeare’s As You Like It. The show will run Thursday, July 23, through Saturday, July 25, and Thursday, July 30, through Saturday, Aug. 1, with performances at 7:30 p.m. See tickets.anselm.edu. (Photo is from a previous year’s production.)

The week that was

The Big Story – Wait Until Next Week: With the Red Sox scuffling along 10+ games out of first in the AL East and local teams long gone from the spring playoffs, there is no local big story. We’ll have to wait until next week when the World Cup and its incredible price-gouging/fan rip-offs begin.

Sports 101: Michael Jordan won the NBA Finals MVP a record six times. Who is second with four Finals MVPs and who are the three others who’ve been Finals MVP three times?

News Item – Red Sox Update

Who’s Hot: Connelly Early is 5-2 with a 2.97 ERA after last week’s seven shutout innings vs. Atlanta. Jarren Duran – The guy nitwits on talk radio say should be traded is back to leading off, where in the last 10 games in May he went 15-44 (.341) with 8 runs scored, 5 homers and 11 RBI, raising the average from the. 150’s to .219.

The GM: The answer is 19 and four wins and losses immediately after alleged pitching guru Craig Breslow gift-wrapped Quinn Priester (13-3) last year and Kyle Harrison (6-1) this year to Milwaukee in consecutive deals for two minor-leaguers we’ll probably never see and a third baseman now hitting .185.

On the plus side, the Giants are 60-78 since Raffy Devers arrived to play first base in SF.

In Case You Missed It – Mickey Gasper: The Merrimack product is getting regular at-bats for Boston after hitting .333 with three doubles and three RBI in 17 games.

News Item – Yankee Firsts: Given their history it’s hard to do anything for a first time in Yankee history. But they did it in last week’s 15-1 24-hit assault of KC, where for the first time every Yankee in the starting line-up got at least two hits in a game. Then on Sunday they had another first ever by batting around three times in a 13-run second inning of a 13-8 win over Oakland. Then ironically didn’t get another after that.

News Item – NBA Finals Update

After the upstart Spurs knocked off defending champion OKC, it started in San Antonio yesterday (Wednesday). It’s been 27 years since the Knicks were last in the Finals and 53 since they last won it all in 1973. NYK’s opponent in 1999 ironically was SA when Tim Duncan won the first of his four titles.

Victor Wembanyama’s shoe size is 20.5. That’s the largest since Shaq, and before him big Bob Lanier, of whom people said his toes entered a room at 12:00 and the rest of him got there at 12:05.

Spurs star Stephon Castle’s father Stacey was a teammate of the greatest Spur of them all, Duncan at Wake Forest.

Love that Jalen Brunson led NY to the Finals after Dallas let him walk for less money to sign Kyrie Irving. After KI got hurt again, they’re back to a well-deserved place in the lottery.

Why do so many yack about SGA’s “flopping” to get foul calls and no one says anything about Steph Curry flopping on almost every shot he takes?

The Numbers:

2 – number of teams currently in the three-spots-available AL Wild Card race that were over .500 on June 1.

4 – games the alarmingly disappointing Red Sox are somehow only out of a wild card playoff spot.

14.3 – strikeouts per nine innings by flame-throwing 22-year-old Milwaukee phenom Jacob Misiorowski in 2026 after striking out 49 over just 31 innings while giving up one run and 11 hits in his five May starts.

… Of the Week Awards

Alumni News – Dustin May: The disaster in Boston stayed that way in St. Louis, where he took a no-hitter into the eighth vs. Milwaukee before losing it and the game 2-1. It left him 3-6 with a 4.97 ERA.

Chris Sale: The big lefty can still pitch when not injured. He has a second best in baseball eight wins after beating the Sox last week.

Astonishing Basketball Fact of the Week – MVP Voting: Saw on my friend Tommy Ameen’s Facebook feed that an American hasn’t won the NBA Most Valuable Player Award since James Harden in 2018. Wow!

Sports 101 Answer: Most NBA Finals MVP’s are six for Jordan, four for LeBron James, three for Magic Johnson, Shaq and Tim Duncan.

Final Thought – Stephen A Blowhard Under Fire: Must say I love it when a guy who kills people on TV regularly can’t take it when people fire back. That’s the case for Steven A these days where Jaylen Brown yacked back at him on Twitter to retire, then challenged him to a debate at Harvard or MIT. Then “his friend” Kevin Hart put Stephen A on his Mt. Rushmore of Sports Racism during his recent roast.

Steve, if you’re gonna yack at people you can’t have the whiney, thin-skinned response you’ve been giving. Take things aimed at you in the same way you expect them to be taken on things said by you about them.

Email Dave Long at dlong@hippopress.com.

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