After two and a half years with no performances, The Ukestra with Mike Loce will be performing for the residents of the Huntington at Nashua on April 28. According to Ukestra Music Director Mike Loce, the group has about 30 active members and has been rehearsing regularly at Nashua Public Library. Prior to the pandemic, their last performance was a holiday show in 2019 at the Nashua Community Music School; their next planned gig scheduled for March 15, 2020, was, of course, canceled. “Having this group shut down (with everything else) was one of the hardest things I had to get through as an independent, self-employed musician/educator,” Loce said in an email.
Score: +1 (for being back in action!)
Comment:You can check out the genesis of this uke enthusiasts’ group and more at ukestra.org.
Reverse raffle for the win
The Queen City Rotary Club’s first ever Pot of Gold Reverse Raffle was a success, bringing in more than $40,000 to support Manchester’s youth. According to a press release, club members sold tickets and sought sponsorships, and on March 17 the winning ticket was drawn at the Manchester Millyard Museum. The big winner’s name was chosen last — hence the “reverse raffle” — and they got half the winnings, with the other half going to charities that support youth in the Queen City.
Score: +1
Comment: “This was a true grass roots event,” MonicaLabonville, president of the Queen City Rotary Club, said in the release. “Our club is united in our cause, and we have a lot of fun raising money.”
Too soon, ticks!
Since mid-March there’s been an increase in the number of emergency room visits for tick bites in New Hampshire, according to a report from WMUR. “We’re seeing a gamut of patients coming in with various stages of tick bites — some where the ticks are still embedded,” Dr. James Martin, medical director of Urgent Care at Milford Medical Center, told WMUR. “We have occasional patients who are actually ill from their tick bites, and they have headaches and fevers and maybe the rash, muscle aches and that type of thing.” Health officials are encouraging people to wear repellent with DEET, wear long pants and sleeves, keep grass short, get rid of standing water, do regular tick checks on people and pets, and put clothes worn outside in the dryer to kill any ticks.
Score: -2
Comment:It seems a little unfair that we already have to worry about ticks when we’ve barely had any warm, sunny days yet.
SleepOut success
Waypoint’s SleepOut 2022, held remotely on March 25, raised more than $313,000, with 270 people from across the state sleeping in their own backyards and coming together online for a livestream event. According to a press release, proceeds from the event support Waypoint’s mission to help youth who are experiencing homelessness through street outreach, basic needs relief, crisis care, case management, the Youth Resource Center in Manchester, and rapid and transitional housing throughout the state. Gov. Chris Sununu attended the livestream and told a story of a young person who is receiving help from Waypoint and will soon have his first apartment, the release said.
Score: +1
Comment: Waypoint also has plans for expansion of services in three areas of the state, including outreach and drop-in centers in Rochester and Concord, and New Hampshire’s first overnight shelter for young people, in Manchester, the release said.
QOL score: 71
Net change: +1
QOL this week: 72
What’s affecting your Quality of Life here in New Hampshire? Let us know at news@hippopress.com.
The NFL draft is one week away, so the Pats are now on the clock in deciding how they should proceed.
Given how many holes they have to fill, the question is what will they prioritize since they likely can’t get immediate help for all of them?
Last time we saw them they were getting blown out 47-17 by Buffalo in the playoffs when the D did not stop the Bills from scoring even once all day, and with the offense stifled most of the day as well, it’s fair to say both units need an infusion of talent.
However, since then they’ve lost their best defender as J.C.Jackson left for a giant free agent contract, along with two very reliable but on-the-back-nine linebackers in Dont’aHightower and KyleVanNoy. On O they lost both starting guards though MichaelOnwenu takes over one slot.
They did lure MalcolmButler out of retirement to (hopefully) replace Jackson at DB, along with adding the latest Alabama import, MackWilson, and safety JabrillPeppers as acquisitions on D. Of course since last we saw Butler was being mysteriously benched during the SB loss to the Eagles, the trade price for Wilson was just Portsmouth-loving LB disappointment ChaseWinovich, and with Peppers coming off ACL surgery you wonder how much help they’ll provide.
Meanwhile, in between stupidly firing their coach BrianFlores and having an alleged NFL illegal plot to steal TomBrady from Tampa Bay that was undone by Flores’ subsequent lawsuit, the Dolphins added RB ChaseEdmonds, wideout CedricWilson and the electric TyreekHill to juice their offense, and Buffalo made wideout StefonDiggs happy with a big extension and added edge rusher VonMiller to its already very good defense.
So it appears they’ve taken a step back in the AFC East as CoachB fiddles away with Rome burning.
Thus they need to come out of this draft (via picks or trades) as productively as last year in getting MacJones, ChristianBarmore and all-name-teamer RhamondreStevenson.
The so-called experts tell us they need help on D at cornerback, a big run-stopper on the line and probably two mobile linebackers. On O, it’s a starting guard and a tackle for depth. I’ll add, even with the acquisition of the solid DeVanteParker, an A-level receiving target.
They’re not likely to get all that next weekend. So what should they do?
Prevailing wisdom says take the best available player regardless of position to improve wherever they can. But if they do that, it’ll likely get some improvement, but not make them great on either side of the ball.
To my way of thinking it’s better to have one dynamic unit than two mediocre ones because the dynamic one gives you a better chance to control the game than mediocre units do.
I’d focus the draft on just offense for these reasons, to get more out of their young QB and solid runners by putting better pieces around them.
In Year 1 without JoshMcDaniels, it’s more likely Coach B can coach up the D better than they’ll be able to do on O.
In Butler, Jackson, Van Noy, RobNinkovich and others they’ve always been able to take undrafted free agents or guys off the scrap heap and find productive roles on defense more than on offense.
In JoshUche, AnferneeJennings and RonniePerkins they’ve invested in three linebackers from the top three rounds the last two drafts, while red shirt LB CameronMcGrone supposedly only fell to Round 4 because of his late 2021 ACL surgery. So time to find out if they can play.
With offense the focus, my top priority is an A+-level receiver. They’ll be reluctant to do that. But just look at the difference Ja’MarrChase made for worst-to-best Cincy as they went from scoring 311 points in 2020 to 463 after he arrived. Ditto for StefonDiggs in Buffalo and look what CooperKupp means to the Rams. And to those who point to the acquisition of Parker, I’ll ask, if he was that good why did Miami need to get Hill? He’ll make the overall receiving better but he’s an injury-prone two.
How do they get that guy? Given their abysmal record for drafting receivers, they need to trade for one.
Like in 2007 when they used picks at the top of the draft to trade for WesWelker (a 2) and RandyMoss (3). All that did was deliver 210 new catches, 2,600-plus receiving yards and 31 TD’s to turn Tom Brady into TOM BRADY and a defense-first team to offense-first that averaged 12 wins a year and five SB appearances over the next 12 years as the D went from in decline to downright awful before the arrival of DarrelleRevis in 2014.
They won’t get something that incredible this time, but that’s what they should do. Of course they’ll have to be willing to part with their top pick for sure and another high one (at least) preferably in the future.
I’m fine with either of the two biggest names rumored to be on the move in advance of big 2023 contract demands, DKMetcalf and DeeboSamuel. Patriots rarely do that, but Moss was at the top of the market and so was Gronk eventually, so their history shows it works. A trade now for either in the last year of their rookie contract makes them affordable now and with $29 million from JonnuSmith and NelsonAgholor coming off the books after 2022, their big number extension goes into their slot.
Then with their second and third pick (if they still have them) go for O-line help unless they can trade picks for immediate help there as well. Then next if need be go all D.
Following “An Evening for Ukraine: Art Exhibition & Conversation,” an event she organized that was held on April 11 in Bedford, Ukrainian-American artist Katya Roberts of Bedford talked about her ongoing efforts to raise awareness and funds to help people affected by the war in Ukraine.
What’s your personal connection to Ukraine?
I was born and raised in Kyiv, which is the capital of Ukraine. My family immigrated to San Francisco, California, when I was 12.
What was going through your mind during the invasion of Ukraine in February?
When I went to bed the night of Feb. 23, knowing armed forces from Russia were … beginning to cross over [into Ukraine] and bombings were starting to happen, I was just devastated. I cried myself to sleep. I fully expected I’d check the news in the morning and it’d say Ukraine is back to what it used to be, when it was part of the U.S.S.R. and under Russia’s control. I thought, ‘This is it. I’ll never be able to go back to my home country. I’ll never be able to take my kids there.’ I grieved. It’s hard to explain the feeling your homeland is as good as gone … but it’s been amazing and miraculous to see how Ukrainians have defended their homeland and are fighting for the future of their children. … I’ve gone from feeling absolute despair to feeling really proud of the Ukrainian people.
What are your main efforts?
The realization there could be no Ukraine one day terrified me, and I thought, ‘No. That’s not an option. I can’t stand still. We have to do something.’ First, I wanted to get information out there so people know what’s actually happening. … I can speak and understand Ukrainian and Russian. … There’s an online message board internal to Ukraine … and I’m translating and sharing that information … and stories from the ground on social media. … Secondly, I wanted that information to empower people here in the U.S. who want to help … so I’ve been sharing specific things people can do … like reaching out to our government representatives, voicing what the Ukrainians are dealing with, what they’re asking for and what we want to be done. The third thing I’m doing is helping raise funds for refugees. … I’ve been in contact with Inna Sovsun … who’s a Ukrainian parliament member in Kyiv … [to find out] how we can donate so [funds go] directly to people who are actually on the ground.
What’s next for you?
Combining art with a call to action is going to continue being my formula going forward. I have something in the works [to take place] probably in June. Another thing I’m working on is the idea of an ‘adopt-a-family.’ My family members in Ukraine have identified families whose stories they know intimately who are struggling. Their homes are gone, and even if they returned to the areas they came from, there’s nothing there; they have to start over. Some have family members who passed away due to war or illness because they were no longer able to receive [medical] treatment. Financial hardship is a story we’re hearing over and over; someone’s line of work is no longer viable, or they’re living in another country now that has a much higher cost of living, and they can’t find a job. … I want to take [donated funds] and send them over for [struggling families] to access directly so they can pay for food and lodging. … I’m testing this on a small scale with trusted individuals in my life … and I’ve found someone in my neighborhood … who’s also interested in doing this, so I’m going to partner with them … and pull our efforts together with other people who are thinking along the same lines so we can do this on a larger scale.
How can people join your efforts?
I’ve created a website … which I’ll be constantly updating with my current efforts and ways people can contribute. In the coming days, for example, there’ll be information on there about how to contact members of Congress, along with some sample letters. … It’ll be a great resource for people. … I’m going to limit it, though, and keep it really simple. I want to make things as easy as possible for busy people who mean well and want to help. … There’s so much being thrown at us all the time, and it’s overwhelming. Part of my work is sorting through everything and taking out a few things to bring to people’s attention. I think that’s more effective than trying to include everything.
To follow Katya Roberts and her local efforts to help Ukraine, visit katyaroberts.com/ukraine.
Information from the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services.
Covid-19 news
On April 13, at the recommendation of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Transportation Security Administration extended its federal mask mandate on all areas of public transportation for an additional 15 days through May 3. In a statement, the TSA cited the recent increase in Covid-19 numbers across the country over the past several weeks, due in part to the highly transmissible omicron BA.2 subvariant, which now makes up more than 85 percent of all cases nationwide. But on April 18 a federal judge in Florida voided the mandate, saying the CDC “improperly failed to justify its decision” to extend it, according to an AP report.
On April 14 the U.S. Food & Drug Administration authorized the first Covid-19 diagnostic test using breath samples, which provide results in under three minutes. According to a press release, testing can be done in most places where the specimen can be collected and analyzed, such as doctor’s offices, hospitals and mobile Covid testing sites, using an instrument about the size of a piece of carry-on luggage. The InspectIR Covid-19 Breathalyzer uses a technique called gas chromatography gas mass-spectrometry to separate and identify chemical mixtures, according to the release. A study of 2,409 individuals conducted to validate the test’s performance found that it had a negative predictive value of 99.6 percent, meaning that people who receive a negative test result are likely truly negative in areas of low disease prevalence. InspectIR expects to be able to produce about 100 instruments per week, and testing capacity is expected to increase soon by about 64,000 samples per month.
In New Hampshire, 143 new cases of Covid-19 were reported on April 18, according to health officials. As of April 18 there were 2,102 active cases and 18 hospitalizations statewide.
LPN program funding
Last week, the Joint Legislative Fiscal Committee voted to accept and expend a $2.6 million ARPA-funded expansion of the Community College System of New Hampshire’s licensed practical nurse training program, according to a press release. “To make investments into our economy, we must make necessary investments into our workforce, and doubling our LPN nursing program is the right move,” Gov. Chris Sununu said in a statement following the vote. The funds will expand the state’s LPN workforce programming to meet critical needs in health care settings, the release said. The Community College System of New Hampshire LPN training program, which was launched in 2020, can be completed within one year and offers immediate entry into the LPN level of nursing workforce. Graduates can also choose to continue their education and progress to the RN level, the release said.
Involuntary admissions
Last week the Joint Legislative Fiscal Committee also voted to accept and expend $2 million to centralize Involuntary Emergency Admission processes by creating a statewide mental health docket, an effort to reduce the number of patients waiting for mental health care in hospital emergency rooms. According to a press release, the funding will cover a centralized filing system, two circuit court judges, staff and counsel for patients who are subject to an involuntary emergency admission, plus technology for hospitals to allow patients to remotely attend court hearings. “We believe this approach will ensure the rights of patients are protected and will help provide a permanent and sustainable solution to the longstanding emergency room boarding issue,” Supreme Court Chief Justice Gordon MacDonald said in the release. “We are prepared to move forward as quickly as possible on its implementation.”
InvestNH Housing
In another vote last week, the Joint Legislative Fiscal Committee approved the expenditure of the $100 million InvestNH Housing Fund, according to a press release. “As a result of our InvestNH Fund, more housing will get built and our workforce will grow — a once-in-a-generation, historic investment,” Gov. Chris Sununu said in a statement following the vote. “Our focus remains on building as many units as quickly as possible, and this $100 million investment will transform New Hampshire’s housing market, providing better outcomes for our citizens.” The investment will increase affordable rental units for lower and middle income workers, such as health care and child care providers, machinists and teachers, the release said.
Holocaust awareness
The state Board of Education has approved the new Holocaust and Genocide education rules for the state. According to a press release, “clearly understanding how the Holocaust and other genocides occurred may be key to preventing similar violence in the future, which is why education on this sensitive topic is vitally important to promote peace among future generations.” According to the education rules, “Each district shall incorporate instruction in Holocaust and genocide education into at least one existing social studies, world history, global studies, or U.S. history course required as a condition of high school graduation for all students,” among other specific guidelines pertaining to the teaching of the subject. The rules can be found at education.nh.gov.
Urgency to hire
The Nashua School District is now offering signing bonuses to candidates for positions that are critical to operations, as there is “an urgency to hire qualified talent,” according to a press release from the district. “We’re hiring from paras to plumbers,” Garth McKinney, Superintendent of Schools said in the release. “The Covid-19 pandemic exacerbated the national teacher shortage and other education-related and school operations-related fields. Our needs are real and we look to rebuild a full complement of staff.” This incentive is being offered to teachers on the NH Department of Education Critical Shortage List and nurses ($1,000 sign-on bonus) as well as food service employees ($300) and security monitors, lunch monitors, crossing guards and 21st Century Extended Day Program staff ($300). According to an April 18 report from WMUR, the Manchester School District is also in need of staff members for nearly every department and is also offering sign-on bonuses, as well as retention checks after six months of employment.
YES!
The Yes, Every Student (YES!) scholarship program is back for a second year to help kids whose education was negatively impacted by the pandemic by providing $1,000 tutoring scholarships to New Hampshire students. According to a press release, the New Hampshire Department of Education is offering scholarships to public, non-public, home-educated and Education Freedom Account students. The scholarships can be used for tutoring provided by certified New Hampshire educators, certified New Hampshire special education teachers or licensed therapists. About $2.3 million in funding from the federal Governor’s Emergency Relief Fund under the CARES Act will be used; last year, nearly $1.9 million was awarded to almost 500 recipients for tutoring and other needs, the release said. This year’s round of funding is available to any school-age student who resides in the state, regardless of their family’s income level. To apply for a Yes! scholarship, visit yeseducation.nh.gov.
Voices of Wildlife in NH held a fur trapping protest outside New Hampshire Fish and Game’s annual Discover Wild NH Day on April 16 in Concord. According to a press release from the group, the protest of the annual event will continue as long as Fish and Game sanctions fur trapping.
Earth Day Neighborhood Clean-Ups will be held at several spots in Manchester on Saturday, April 23. According to a press release, the city’s Department of Public Works will be stationed at four schools from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. to provide clean-up materials, including trash bags and gloves, and each site will be used as a drop-off location for the collected trash. The four schools are Jewett Street School, Northwest Elementary, Smyth Road School and Beech Street School. Manchester Urban Ponds will be hosting a clean-up that day as well, from 9 to 11 a.m. at Black Brook/Blodget Park.
United Way of Greater Nashua is hosting an electronic waste recycling event at its office on Broad Street April 22 through April 29 from 3 to 7 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on weekends. According to a press release, United (w)E-Recycle is an opportunity for the public to drop off used laptops, desktop computers, tablets, printers, mobile phones, fax machines and many other types of electronic waste. Donations are requested; on April 23 the proceeds of those donations will benefit the Humane Society of Nashua while the proceeds from all other days will support the United Way of Greater Nashua’s School Supply Pantry. Working laptops will be distributed to students through the School Supplies Pantry, the release said.
See Jake Shimabukuro at the Tupelo Music Hall (10 A St. in Derry; tupelomusichall.com) tonight at 8 p.m. Tickets cost $30 to $50. Chelsea Spear talked to Shimabukuro in last week’s issue of the Hippo; find that story and more about ukulele culture in New Hampshire in the story that starts on page 10 of the April 7 issue of the Hippo at hippopress.com. For more concerts this weekend and beyond, find the concert listings in the Nite section.
Thursday, April 14
The New Hampshire Fisher Cats continue their season opening slate of games at Northeast Delta Dental Stadium in downtown Manchester with a game tonight at 6:35 p.m. The Fisher Cats faces off against the Hartford Yard Goats in games through Sunday, April 17. Game times are at 6:35 p.m. daily through Saturday and 1:35 p.m. Sunday. Special events include a magnet schedule giveaway tonight, fireworks and 90s night on Saturday night and kids run the bases on Sunday. See milb.com/new-hampshire for individual or season tickets. The season kicked off on April 8 with games in Portland; April 12 was the first scheduled home game.
Thursday, April 14
Get in the mood for the weekend and help support Girls Inc. of New Hampshire at the Fuel Her Fire Cocktail Party and Auction at the Rex Theatre (23 Amherst St. in Manchester; palacetheatre.org, 668-5588) tonight starting at 6 p.m. A $95 ticket gets you two drinks, food, live music and access to the silent and live auction. See girlsincnewhampshire.org.
Thursday, April 14
A new exhibit of works by artist Arghavan Khosravi, described by the Currier as surrealist paintings, opens today at the Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St. in Manchester; currier.org). The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; admission costs $15 for adults, $13 for 65+, $10 for students, $5 for teens, and children under 13 get in free. From 5 to 8 p.m. on Thursdays everybody gets in for free as part of Art After Work, which today also features music by Ramez Gurung.
Saturday, April 16
Assumption Greek Orthodox Church (111 Island Pond Road, Manchester, 623-2045, assumptionnh.org) is holding a walk-in Easter Bake Sale today from 9 a.m. to noon where you can find spinach and cheese petas, Easter bread and Greek cookies and pastries like baklava, kourabiedes, finikia and koulourakia. Look for more ideas for Easter treats and eats — both for takeout and dine in — in our list of Easter eats in last week’s (April 7) issue of the Hippo. The list starts on page 24; find the e-edition of the paper at hippopress.com.
Saturday, April 16
Catch the duo Eyes of Age tonight starting at 6 p.m. at Liquid Therapy (14 Court St. in Nashua; 402-9391, liquidtherapynh.com). Find more live music at area bars and restaurants in our Music This Week listing, which starts on page 36.
Wednesday, April 20
And don’t call me Shirley … catch Airplane! (1980, rated PG, but like a 1980 PG so…) today at the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St. in Manchester; palacetheatre.org, 668-5588) at 7 p.m. Tickets cost $12 with a portion of the proceeds benefiting the Aviation Museum of New Hampshire.
Save the Date! April 21 Thursday, April 21, is the first day to pick up molds for the Andres Institute of Art’s (106 Brookline Road in Hollis; andresinstitute.org, 673-7441) spring iron melt and membership drive. Register online by Saturday, April 30, at 2 p.m. and pick up molds April 21, April 23, April 28 or April 30. Then drop off the carved molds and iron casts will be ready in early May. The molds cost $40 with discount for members; memberships cost $50 for a single and $75 for a family.
Featured photo. Andres Institute of Art’s Iron Melt. Courtesy photo.
The American Culinary Federation Education Foundation has granted accreditation to the New Hampshire Food Bank’s Recipe for Success – Culinary Job Training Program. According to a press release, it’s the first culinary training program in New Hampshire to receive this distinction, and only the eighth in the country. The program helps people with financial hardships learn new skills so they can be more self-sufficient and ultimately find employment in the food service industry. Recipe for Success provides more than 500 meals per day to five Boys & Girls Clubs in the surrounding areas and produces meals in bulk to be frozen for use by 31 other agencies, the release said.
Score: +1
Comment: “With this accreditation, we will be able to increase our program’s marketability, while ensuring participants are equipped with the skills and knowledge necessary to seek employment in the food service industry,” Bradley Labarre, the Recipe for Success executive chef and program manager, said in the release.
Financially literate
New Hampshire is the fifth most financially literate state in the country, according to WalletHub’s 2022’s Most & Least Financially Literate States report. The report analyzed financial-education programs and consumer habits, according to a press release. The Granite State came in first for WalletHub’s WalletLiteracy Survey score and for financial knowledge and education. It also has the lowest share of unbanked households, and it ranked eighth for percentage of adults who compare credit cards before applying and 12th for the percentage of adults who only pay the minimum on credit cards, the report said.
Score: +1
Comment: The only other state to make the Top 10 was Maine, which ranked seventh. Nebraska, Utah, Virginia and Colorado beat out New Hampshire for the Top 4 spots.
Humanitarian efforts
The New Hampshire business and nonprofit community has banded together to create the Ukraine Relief Fund. According to a press release, the fund launched last week, and 100 percent of donations will be directed to relief efforts in Ukraine through a partnership between Granite United Way and the Walesa Institute. “This effort showcases how New Hampshire often uniquely addresses things,” Patrick Tufts, president and CEO of Granite United Way, said in the release. “While we recognize that no single entity can solve one of the world’s most complex issues, we do know that together we can create true impact.”
Score: +1
Comment: Donations for the New Hampshire Ukraine Relief Fund can be made at graniteuw.org or by texting NH4UKRAINE to 41444. There will also be a collection drive for specific items that are immediately needed, Thursday, April 14, through Saturday, April 16, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day at the DEKA warehouse at 540 Commercial St. in Manchester. Common Man restaurants throughout the state will also serve as drop-off locations now through April 17. Visit graniteuw.org for a list of needed items.
Pay attention!
From 2014 through 2020, there have been 42 fatal crashes with distraction or inattention as the primary cause, and in 2020 distracted driving accounted for as much as 30 percent of all crashes throughout the state, according to the New Hampshire Office of Highway Safety. April is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month, and the state is taking the opportunity to remind residents that distracted driving, including the use of electronic devices, is dangerous and illegal.
Score: -1
Comment:New Hampshire law prohibits the use of “any hand-held mobile electronic device capable of providing voice or data communication” while driving or stopped in traffic (the emphasis is for those of us who might think red-light texting is OK…).
QOL score: 69
Net change: +2
QOL this week: 71
What’s affecting your Quality of Life here in New Hampshire? Let us know at news@hippopress.com.
