Category: News

Setting the stage

Peacock Players welcomes new director

Meet Elle Millar, the new executive director of Nashua-based youth theater company Peacock Players.

What is your background in this kind of work?

I’m currently a middle school teacher in Nashua, and I’m also the drama club director there, so I already have a connection with a lot of the young people … in Nashua. I’m also a performer and have performed with … different companies in southern New Hampshire. As a kid, I [performed with] Andy’s Summer Playhouse.

What will your job as executive director entail?

The big things that I’m figuring out right now are what productions we’re going to be putting on next year, and identifying the people who will be doing the music, directing and choreographing. It’s a lot of organizing and planning and figuring out the logistics of how to make everything happen.

What do you hope to accomplish?

I have big plans to expand our programming over the next calendar year. … The board and I have talked a lot about expanding [theater] beyond the stage to bring it to the kids in elementary schools, middle schools and high schools in Nashua. We’re also working on some programming for preschool and early elementary school kids, and some adult arts education opportunities, as well. … We’re working on bringing some fresh theater to Nashua, ‘fresh’ meaning [shows that are] less-done, but still beloved.

What do you expect to be some of the biggest challenges?

With the isolation of the pandemic and the stress of being out of school and out of their routine, kids are really struggling with how to communicate with each other in healthy ways. There’s a lot more arguing and a lot more drama. … We’ve been talking about how we can help our kids put themselves into other people’s shoes and understand healthy, positive ways to interact with each other, resolve conflicts and broach difficult topics with their friends. We’re looking at some different sorts of social-emotional learning and relationship-building and empathy-building exercises [using theater] that we could potentially bring into the schools. … I’m certainly not an expert in the field, but I plan on doing an immense amount of research over the summer and reaching out to experts who have done this kind of work before.

What unique qualities or perspectives do you bring to this position?

I’m the first woman to have this role; I’m, I believe, the first openly queer person to have this role; and I’m also, I believe, the first certified teacher. It’s these personal and professional experiences that allow me to bring in an entirely different perspective. … My goal is to make Peacock Players feel like Peacock Players, but also bring my own perspective and experiences and education with me so that we’re building something new while honoring what has always been.

What are you looking forward to most?

Theater is a learning experience for everyone involved; whether you’re the director or the stage manager or a performer, you are learning. You’re learning about how to work with others; about their strengths and where they need support; about how to create a piece of art together; about how to take direction and how to give direction; about how to be a leader and how to be a follower in appropriate ways. That type of learning is just so incredibly valuable. I’m really excited to take … my experiences as a teacher in the classroom and facilitate a totally different type of learning.

Featured photo: Elle Millar.

News & Notes 22/05/19

Covid-19 update As of May 9As of May 13
Total cases statewide 314,533 316,691
Total current infections statewide 3,902 4,527
Total deaths statewide 2,488 2,500
New cases 3,389 (May 3 to May 9) 2,158 (May 9 to May 13)
Current infections: Hillsborough County 1,148 1,243
Current infections: Merrimack County 364 417
Current infections: Rockingham County 817 1,058
Information from the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services.

Covid-19 news

State health officials announced 585 new positive cases of Covid-19 on May 13. The state averaged 524 new cases per day over the most recent seven-day period, an 8 percent increase compared to the week before. As of May 13 there were 31 people being treated for Covid in state hospitals.

Child care

The Department of Health and Human Services will use an additional $29 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding to support child care providers, families and businesses impacted by the pandemic, making the total amount of funding that has been invested in the state’s child care sector more than $142 million since the beginning of the pandemic. According to a press release, plans for improving child care in the state include strengthening the child care workforce; partnerships with businesses and employers; a child care capacity building; and equitable access to affordable, quality child care. “Access to quality child care has been a critical touchpoint during the Covid-19 pandemic,” DHHS Associate Commissioner Christine Santaniello said in the release. “Since March of 2020, we have worked … to keep child care centers open so that parents can continue to work and maintain their families’ financial stability. Making continued investments will help us build a better child care system, allowing more families to afford quality care, and ensuring equitable access to child care for all New Hampshire families.”

Primary deadlines

The deadline to change your party affiliation before the New Hampshire state primary election is May 31, according to a press release from New Hampshire Secretary of State David M. Scanlan. Voters who want to change their party affiliation can do so by contacting their local town or city clerk, or at any scheduled meeting of their local supervisors of the checklist. Voters can check their status on the Secretary of State’s Voter Information Lookup page at app.sos.nh.gov if they’re unsure of their party affiliation. Voters who have not declared a party affiliation may vote in the state primary, which will take place Sept. 13, but they must choose either a Republican or Democratic ballot on the day of the election and will remain a registered member of that party unless they submit a signed request to the supervisors of the checklist to return to an undeclared status before leaving the polling place, the release said.

Scanlan also issued a reminder that the filing period for candidacy for the state primary election and general election is June 1 to June 10. Those who want to file for office but aren’t registered voters in their town must register no later than May 31, and registered voters who want to file for nomination must be registered as a member of that party, the release said. For more information on the filing period, candidacy fees and qualifications for office, visit sos.nh.gov.

Apprentices & LNAs

ApprenticeshipNH, the Community College System of New Hampshire, Catholic Medical Center and Elliot Health System have collaborated to launch a registered apprenticeship program designed to cultivate talent in nursing, tech and support roles at The Elliot and CMC. According to a press release, the “earn while you learn” approach will give participants a chance to engage in classroom learning and on-the-job training while being in a paid position. “I can’t recall a point in my career when it has been this challenging to fill these positions,” Karen Schoch, Director of Organizational Development at Catholic Medical Center, said in the release. “A program like this not only helps us place people in critically important positions, it also removes barriers for people who want to pursue a health care career.” A Healthcare Career Fair at Manchester Community College will be held Thursday, May 19, from 1 to 6 p.m., and anyone interested in entering the health care workforce through a paid registered apprenticeship program is encouraged to attend.

Meanwhile, the New Hampshire Needs Caregivers! initiative has launched Healthcare Heroes in the Making, which will recruit, train and place high school students across the state as licensed nursing assistants to fill critical in-demand positions. According to a press release, the program pays for training and licensing costs and requires 110 hours of time and is open to high schools across the state; so far, 16 schools and 72 students have been approved to participate.

Earlier this month, John Askew of Derry won the 2022 9-Ball Shootout Pool Championship — and a cash and prize package worth $10,000 — in Las Vegas. According to a press release, Askew was one of nearly 6,000 pool players in the country who attempted to qualify for the American Poolplayers Association’s 9-Ball Shootout and one of 518 who advanced to the national finals. Askew is a member of the local APA League, the release said.

The Goodwill store on John E. Devine Drive in Manchester celebrated its grand re-opening on May 14. According to a press release, the store has been renovated to include smoother checkout lanes, a Handpicked Boutique where shoppers can find quality merchandise and more items for sale. The nonprofit’s revenues go toward its mission to support those in need.

The new school superintendent who was selected by the Nashua Board of Education is not able to be certified in New Hampshire as was expected, and he will not be able to serve the district, according to a press release. Stephen Linkous is certified as a school superintendent in Kansas, and it was assumed that there is reciprocity between Kansas and New Hampshire, the release said, but there is not, and Linkous can’t be certified in New Hampshire. Linkous had already started transitioning to the role, and the Board of Education voiced its appreciation for his efforts.

This Week 22/05/12

Big Events May 12, 2022 and beyond

Thursday, May 12

It’s “Bark in the Park” this afternoon when the New Hampshire Fisher Cats take on the Binghamton Rumble Ponies at 6:35 p.m. at Northeast Delta Dental Stadium in downtown Manchester and your dog is welcome (there are dog-designated seats and tickets for a dog/human pair cost $22). See milb.com/new-hampshire and search “Bark in the Park” to find all the dog-related information. Tomorrow (May 13) Benny the Bat Dog will make his first visit, with Saturday’s game featuring post-game fireworks (both games start at 6:35 p.m.; Sunday’s game starts at 1:35 p.m.).

Friday, May 13

Catch Ted Solovicos performing tonight at 6 p.m. at the Millyard Brewery in Nashua. For more live music for your weekend and beyond, see our Music This Week listing, which starts on page 37.

Saturday, May 14

The Nashua Garden Club will hold its annual plant sale today from 8 a.m. to noon (rain or shine; cash or checks only) at the Nashua Historical Society (5 Abbott St. in Nashua). The event features a raffle of themed gift baskets and a yard sale of garden-themed items.

Also today, the Friends of the Plaistow Public Library has a plant sale from 8:30 a.m. to noon at the library (85 Main St. in Plaistow). The sale, officially called the Maryan Sullivan Memorial Sale, will feature annuals, perennials and raffles. Plaistow Recreation is also holding the town-wide yard sale today from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Find information about maps to yard sales in the town at plaistownh.myrec.com.

Saturday, May 14

The New Hampshire Audubon’s McLane Center (84 Silk Farm Road in Concord; 224-9909, nhaudubon.org) will hold its Big Day in May beginner bird walk today starting at 8 a.m. at the McLane Center. Head out for a one-to-two hour informal birding walk on the Turkey Pond trails, according to the website, which says all ages and skill levels of birders are welcome. The event is free but registration is required; go online to register.

Saturday, May 14

The Canterbury Shaker Village (288 Shaker Road in Canterbury; shakers.org) opens for the season today, with guided tours and, in partnership with Capital Area Race Series and Millennium Running, the annual 5K Cross Country Race at 10 a.m. Walk or run the unpaved course, which wraps around the Village’s trails, fields, ponds and pastures, according to the press release. Register for the race by Friday, May 13, at noon at shakers.org/cars-xc-5k-2022; the cost is $25.

Tuesday, May 17

Ernie & Joe: Crisis Cops(2019), a film about two Texas police officers who respond to mental health crisis calls, will screen this evening at Red River Theatres (11 S. Main St. in Concord;224-4600, redrivertheatres.org). The event starts at 6 p.m. with dessert and networking, and the screening will be followed by a panel discussion featuring Joe Smarro, from the film, as well as Concord Chief of Police Bradley Osgood, Susan Steans (executive director of NAMI-NH), Sarah Gagnon (VP of Clinical Operations at Riverbend) and more. Tickets are free but reservations are required.

Save the Date! Saturday, May 21
Kids Con New England returns in person to New Hampshire on Saturday, May 21, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Everett Arena (15 Loudon Road in Concord). Tickets in advance cost $12 for kids ages 5 and up; $15 at the door (kids under 5 get in for free; admission for seniors, military and veterans costs $10). The event will feature more than 80 family-friendly artists, authors, creators and special guests, according to the press release, in addition to an art contest, kids and family costume contests, various workshops and more. See kidsconne.com for tickets and a full schedule.

Featured photo. Kids Con New England. Courtesy photo.

Quality of Life 22/05/12

Stop the jumping worms!

As it prepares for its annual plant sale, the Derry Garden Club is on the lookout for “jumping worms.” According to a press release, the worms remove nutrients from the top soil, which wreaks havoc on the agricultural environment, and they have recently resurfaced in New England. The club is repotting all plants to treated vermiculite in order to keep the jumping worms at bay. Anyone who has unwanted perennials that they would like to donate to the sale can set up a time with the club to have them sort through your garden (call Sally at 432-7714).

Score: -1 for the concept of worms that jump

Comment: At least you know the plants you get at the sale on June 4 at Robert Frost Farm in Derry will be jumping-worm-free!

More affordable health care

Affordable Care Act benchmark premium rates in New Hampshire are the lowest in the country, according to a study released last month by the Urban Institute and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. According to a press release, benchmark premiums in New Hampshire have decreased for the second year in a row, down from $405 per month in 2020 to $333 per month in 2021 and $309 per month in 2022. The national average, on the other hand, was $453 in 2020, $446 in 2021 and $438 in 2022. The nation averaged a 2.2-percent reduction in benchmark premium rates from 2019 to 2022, while the Granite State’s reduction was 8.2 percent.

Score: +1

Comment:“Never before has New Hampshire had better access to more increasingly affordable health insurance options,” NHID Commissioner Christopher Nicolopoulos said in the release.

Middling drug problems

New Hampshire is in the middle of the pack when it comes to states with the biggest drug problems. According to a report from WalletHub, the Granite State ranked 24th in the personal-finance website’s recent study, which looked at factors like arrest and overdose rates, the number of opioid prescriptions and employee drug testing laws. In the broader category of Drug Use & Addiction, New Hampshire ranked 34th, while it ranked 15th in Law Enforcement (which included statistics like number of drug arrests) and 37th in Drug Health Issues & Rehab (which included statistics like number of people receiving substance abuse treatment per 1,000 drug users), according to the report.

Score: 0

Comment: Cross the border to Vermont and you’ll be in the state with the highest share of both teens and adults who used illicit drugs in the past month, the report said.

Magnifying youth voices

Forty-eight youth artists were featured at the 2022 Magnify Voices Expressive Arts Contest celebration on May 4, an event that showcased their personal struggles with mental health through artwork and stories. According to a press release, the contest was created in 2019 by the New Hampshire Children’s System of Care to give youth in grades 5 through 12 a chance to share their stories through short films, essays, poems and other expressive art, and to change the stigma around mental health. Attendees at the celebration were able to view the art as well as receive information from organizations focused on improving youth mental health and hear from keynote speaker Dr. Alison Roy, a licensed clinical psychologist and trauma expert. The People’s Choice Award went to Emily W., Emily A., Lindsey K. and Lana. G for a submission titled Short Film, which discussed mental health illnesses; audio from the video includes, “If you suffer from any of these conditions, you are not alone. Don’t be afraid to reach out to a trusted loved one or a professional,” the release said.

Score: +1

Comment: This year’s submissions will be on display June 4 through July 16 at the Jaffrey Civic Center in Jaffrey and at other events around the state. On May 15, NH CSoC will be the featured nonprofit at the Fisher Cats game in Manchester.

QOL score: 79

Net change: +1

QOL this week: 80

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

NBA Round 2 Update

With Round 2 of the NBA playoffs in full swing, here’s a look at the big stories making news.

With the Hall of Fame induction of Jayson Tatum on hold after a terrible Game 1 and an awful Game 3 (4-for-19 shooting, 1 rebound) vs. Milwaukee, with a 47-point effort by Ja Morant in Memphis’ Game 2 win over Golden State it looks more like the playoffs are Ja Breaker’s coming out party to enter the NBA Top 10 player list. His nothing-but-net mid-court buzzer-beater at halftime in Game 3 was a beauty. That dude can play and boy does he have hop and hang time. Yikes.

Give Jrue Holiday and Wes Matthews credit for Tatum’s struggles. Their perimeter D has been sensational and it has totally messed up the Celtics half-court offense.

NBA 101: Who holds the record for taking the most foul shots in a game without making one?

Include me as one who felt a bit sorry for Brooklyn’s Nic Claxton as he went 4 for 22 overall from the free throw line and 1-10 in Game 4, because he’s a good young player and is going to get better. The good news is Wilt Chamberlain was once worse, going 1-11 from the stripe in the famed Willis Reed Game 7 of the 1970 Finals.

Back to the Morant for a second. Was he sending a message to GS coach Steve Kerr when he posted on Twitter about Jordan Poole “breaking the code” after his Game 3 injury? Because that’s the same phrase Kerr used when Steph Curry got hurt after being entangled with Marcus Smart during his dive for a loose ball in March.

I hate to harp on the officiating, but it looks to be a big story line going forward after being a big issue during the first three Boston-Milwaukee. For example: Somebody tell me what the rule is. Been watching missed calls repeatedly on guys stepping in bounds before passing the ball in after a made basket. In Game 3 Jaylen Brown passed one in with both feet clearly on the base line, and Brooks Lopez stepped in bounds with the ball in his hands, then stepped back out of bounds to pass it. In my world that’s a turnover. And they’re in the lane all the time before foul shots are taken.

It was pretty rich seeing Mike Budenholzer going berserk after an obvious Tatum offensive foul went non-call. He was right, it definitely was a foul, but, but, but after what his star gets away with on every drive to the basket Budenholzer should shut up and stay on the bench. If they let Shaq get away with all the contact Giannis Antetokounmpo gets away with, people would still be in traction today. Love his effort and fight, but it should be embarrassing for the NBA and unfair to let him get away with it on 80 percent of his drives because it’s not basketball.

Adam Silver needs to do something about it, because refs ignoring his best player breaking the rules in this fashion is far worse than when they let Michael Jordan palm it and/or walk on every possession in the 1990s just because he was Michael. Especially if he’s playing against Joel Embiid with his orbital bone injury in the next round.

Embiid incidentally gets major points for toughness.

The Celtics felt they got screwed on the play at the end of Game 3 that gave Smart just two foul shots instead of three when he anticipated a foul coming and shot it even though he wasn’t in position to actually make it. It was a bogus miss called because it was a shot attempt. But not giving it was consistent with what the zebras called all year on similar plays. Still, heads up plays shouldn’t be penalized.

Having said that, would love hearing what Johnny Most would have to say about all this.

And given all the whining coming from Lopez, I’m sure Buck Nation has a list of their own complaints.

NBA 101 Answer: Shaq is the record holder by going 0 for 11 from the line vs. Seattle in 2000.

Surprised Steve Nash survived the carnage in Brooklyn. Especially with the blank expression on his face as things went downhill vs. Boston bringing to mind Peter Sellers playing Chance the gardener in the 1979 major motion picture Being There.

It is mystifying to me that coaches regularly use their only challenge on inconsequential plays early in games instead of waiting for a big moment at the end of a game. Like the blown call that gave Tatum his sixth foul with 2:50 left in a tight Game 4 vs. Brooklyn. Using it when he got his fifth made sense, but whoever is supposed to see the replay before calling for it blew it because JT clearly hit Seth Curry with his shoulder. And why in the name of Bailey Howell would a coach ever listen to any player? They never think they ever commit a foul. I know I didn’t and I fouled out of 11 games my last season in college.

For the record, the great Kyrie delivered again as Brooklyn was 11-19 in the games he played in 2021-22. If that’s worth the $246 million he’s expected to get as a free agent this summer, the economy’s inflation spiral is a lot worse than I thought.

Living boldly

Samuel Habib discusses new disability documentary

Transitioning to adulthood comes with some unique challenges for Samuel Habib, 21, of Concord, who lives with cerebral palsy and epilepsy. In My Disability Roadmap, a documentary he co-directed with his father, local filmmaker Dan Habib, the two set out on a journey around the country to interview disability activists about how to live boldly as an adult with a disability.

What is it like being a young adult living with a disability?

I don’t like that sometimes people talk to me like I’m a 3-year-old. My genetic disorder has made it more difficult to drive my chair by myself and use my communication device. The biggest challenge for me is getting into the homes of my friends and family members. Sometimes, I also get too tired to stay up late, so I miss out on going to bars, parties and dates at night. But I’m proud to be a part of the disability community, and I have an awesome team of support people with me every day.

What is your goal for the film?

My goal for the film is that people won’t talk down to people with disabilities. I want everyone to know that people with disabilities demand respect and rights, and I want other young adults with disabilities to have the same opportunities that I’ve had for health care, inclusive education, college, assistive technology, jobs, making friends and independent living. I want people to learn from disability role models. I want to help people learn how to live a full life with a disability as they transition to an adult by focusing on all the possibilities of relationships, work, education and disability rights.

How did you choose your interviewees?

They were people I looked up to. They are good advocates and role models for kids and young adults with disabilities. I wanted to ask them about their transition to adulthood to help me and others be successful. Success can be defined in many ways. These are just people I wanted to have as mentors.

What was the most challenging part of creating this film?

Setting up and getting all of the interviews done. We had to fly or drive a long way for the interviews. On our flight to Indianapolis, they turned my power wheelchair on its side both ways, and it got damaged both ways. On our trip to D.C., we had a six-hour flight delay, and another passenger talked down to me like I was a 3-year-old. On our NYC trip I had a seizure. But we still got the filming done on all the trips.

What advice did you receive during your interviews that had an impact on you?

Maysoon Zayid, one of my mentors in the film, told me, ‘You are not alone. Find your community.’ That was powerful advice because I’ve always had a strong community, starting with elementary school. I’m continuing to find my community at college, in the disability rights community, at work and in my hometown of Concord.

What are you up to now? What are your plans for the future?

I am in college at NHTI, the local community college in Concord, working on getting my liberal arts Associate’s degree. I have been taking one class a semester and have a 3.0 GPA. This semester I’m taking English Comp Mindful Communication, and I also joined the Environmental Action club at school. I am thinking about transferring to a four-year college in the future. I have enjoyed meeting new people. I look forward to making more friends and maybe finding a girlfriend. I dream about getting married and having kids, making more films, and traveling around the country and the world. I want to go to the Football Hall of Fame, Mount St. Helens, a Florida Gators game with my cousins, London and Europe.

Featured photo: Samuel Habib.

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